⇈ Title ⇈ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Contents ↑ → Preface ← ↓ Introduction ↓
Preface
Over forty years ago, two cousins invited me to pass the time at a family reunion by joining a friendly tabletop roleplaying game. I was barely able to follow the action, but it was a welcome change of pace from the usual activities that filled my weekends in a family with an RV. At the next gathering attended by those cousins, I pressed for a chance to advance my character. They could tell I was hungry to learn all I could. In parting they gave me a battered old basic rulebook. My imagination just hasn't been the same since.
Roleplaying Issues Years after the start of this project, a movement emerged within the roleplaying game community to remedy problematic portrayals of racism and sexism. These concerns weighed on my mind even as this document first took shape. Many details were conceived as platforms to explore complex moral issues. Racial, ethnic, and cultural heritages are meant to be important parts of many characters' identities. Though humanity spans the full spectrum of alignments, human beings were given an explicit tendency toward good. Other adventuring races contribute to the moral and physiological diversity of modern socities.
Some large human cultures feature troubling norms like patriarchal leadership or a belief in ethnic supremacy. These lands offer abundant opportunities for heroic adventurers to protect the innocent from abusive authorities. Yet even the most egalitarian societies still harbor some villains thriving through the victimization of others. Endless adventures can be conducted without addressing any delicate issues. Seekers of a different path will find these ethnicities, races, and religions collectively create a robust platform on which characters can fight in service to their own beliefs by confronting contrasting values.
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Throughout middle school, high school, and college; I collected all sorts of role-playing game materials. During this time I was often in one or more active campaigns. Later, the corporate world allowed me little time for this cherished pursuit. After that stage of life concluded, I sought a new balance with plenty of time for reinvigorating participation in this treasured creative delight. Haphazardly across various legal notepads and accounting ledgers, I began to craft my ideal version of the game. Everything was fragmentary, and some years passed with negligible progress.
Alongside ideas about game mechanics, a milieu emerged that could apply to almost any fantasy roleplaying game. Abundant details borrowed from real cultures and histories served to flesh out dozens of fictional civilizations. Original geography helped to weave these notions into a sprawling tapestry of narratives. Ideas accumulated even when handwritten notes no longer did. Then I participated in a spree of campaigns. With interest renewed and refocused, I set out to build a complete world from those scraps of yesteryear.
Roleplaying games have always been an open-ended method of exploring how intelligent beings interact. Favoring provocative campaigns for mature players, I deliberately incorporated elements that intersect with delicate issues like bigotry, religious extremism, and slavery. Adventuring groups with the desire to tell stories featuring moral struggles will find plenty of relevant specifics. This world can serve as a platform for framing complex conflicts involving factions fighting about powerful ideas. Yet campaigns set here do not need to explore any of these themes. From innocent whimsies to elaborate theories, this setting has much to offer that is fit for players and storytellers of all ages.
Atop this foundation I constructed a tale of divine events explaining choices that shaped the history and cosmology of this world. My aim was to facilitate diverse backgrounds for adventure while limiting a rich world of cultural and religious material to a practical scope. Twenty-five gods would collectively influence twenty-five major modern human ethnic groups. As patterns were balanced and details fleshed out, it seemed fitting to name the whole thing after the scheme through which the assembled immortals found harmony together. Thus I present the
Immaculate System.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Preface ↑ → Introduction ← ↓ History ↓
Introduction
The Immaculate System This scroll is intended as a campaign world for roleplaying games and other storytelling activities. Though it is a setting, the global scope of this material constitutes a foundation on which all manner of original places, characters, and communities could be situated. The many organizations and locations mentioned herein are not comprehensive listings. These are only a subset of all the peoples, factions, faiths, and natural wonders this world contains.
Gods and devils know this world as Theatron – an anagram of “not Earth” as well as the ancient Greek word for “theater.” Few of its inhabitants would know it as Theatron. Most assume there are no others and simply refer to it as “the world.” This world serves as a venue for both epic dramas and playful comedies.
Twenty-four centuries into an era preceded by several others, the current state of the world is rich with cultural and religious diversity. Twenty-five major ethnic groups shape human history and the advance of modern civilization. Twenty-four other races join humanity in pursuing all manner of skills and spells. Twenty-five gods remain united in an arrangement that gives them each many opportunities to promote their own beliefs among the mortals of Theatron.
The bulk of this content is dedicated to background information. It is full of suggestions like appropriate weapons for patriotic warriors or various styles of popular music. Apart from the gods themselves, only historical figures are identified by name. This allows for flexibility in the particulars of character development up to and including current heads of state. The Immaculate System is not intended as a substitute for imagination, but a platform from which it may be launched. Repurpose individual elements as you like, or set your entire saga on this global stage.
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The Story of Everything The multiverse contains far more worlds than the number of beings inhabiting the most populous world. Yet few living beings ever venture beyond their native plane of existence. Crossing into an alternate reality is a bewildering and perilous journey for most travellers. Only extremely powerful entities visit new worlds with no more difficulty than stepping through an ordinary doorway. Simultaneously projecting themselves across many alternate realities, deities are best understood as cosmic legions nourished by the spiritual devotion of freethinking mortals.
Much of space and time is uninhabitable. Creative gods labor, building atop the fabric of reality to make places for life. Be it a seed taking root or a wild new outcropping, even death gods will take action to expand the scope of healthy life. After all, souls must exist before they can be reaped. From fleeting winds and rains to seemingly eternal mountains and oceans, divine artisans hone their craft through shaping and reshaping entire worlds. Deities have immense power to manipulate conditions in any earthly habitat. Yet divine consensus holds that generating new forms of life capable of spiritual worship is a distasteful perversion.
Habitually fostering native life wherever they can, deities find this sort of cosmic gardening requires tremendous patience. Such efforts rarely yield much spiritual reward. Always alert for potential worshippers, gods have it in their nature to hear prayers that go unanswered. A little like a bee drawn toward nectar and a little like a shark sensing blood in the water, they are naturally attracted to minds beseeching a higher power for succor. When a faithless race of creatures expresses passionate prayers with the right combination of humility and desperation, a previously unknown world enters the awareness of many deities. Then the celestial floodgates open.
The World Theatron is such a world where pleas for salvation paved the way for actual divine interventions. After more than half a million years of draconic dominance followed by forty-four millennia of fey oppression, humans on Theatron gained access to literacy and arcane lore. They soon discovered spiritual energy and the existence of deities. The first priests on this world were determined to shatter the old order and launch a new age. They did this by willingly acting as brilliant beacons to draw the attention of any god seeking to inspire worship.
Though the gods often refer to Theatron by name, mortals here are largely unaware that other worlds exist. Dragons, some arrogant enough to approach the gods as equals, introduced the name “Theatron” to other mortal languages. Later literary confusion resulted in notable reference materials and some books of scripture muddling this term with a common word for cave. In service to clarity, academic consensus solidified around usage of the generic vernacular (i.e. “the world.”) Even seasoned planar travellers favor this usage when talking about the world while standing in it.
With the arrival of deities, the world became a stage for something Shang-Ti labelled the Thousandfold Drama. Known to most mortals as the Age of Heroes, it was an era wracked by constant conflict. Huge populations suddenly developing religion sparked extraordinarily intense struggles among the gods. A steady stream of hungry newcomers introduced unpredictable disruptions. Efforts to coordinate the spiritual flows of the world could not be stabilized. Among mortals, this took the form of extreme political balkanization along with the proliferation of countless small sects.
Divine Tragedy Gods relentlessly vanquished one another, if not through cataclysmic combat then by means of a wager or contest. Winners grew in power as losers gave up all claim to this world. The final act of the Thousandfold Drama began with a titanic lizard encountering a violent struggle between two very weak and desperate gods. The victor was so enfeebled that he was unable to resist being savagely devoured. Theatron became host to that rarest of cosmic events – divine ascension! With a taste for godflesh, the newly minted murder deity Ma Yuan embarked on a brutal spree of cannibalistic deicide.
A group of old rivals assembled to discuss this growing danger. Ra, Odin, Dagda, Zeus, and Shang-Ti foresaw many lesser gods unwittingly feeding this primitive entity. Released into the wider multiverse, Ma Yuan might become a menace to other divine beings, but he would not be the first. So it was agreed that Shang-Ti would attempt to strike a bargain with this monstrous new god. Ma Yuan would be mentored in the ways of the divine, and in turn he would perform no more deicides on Theatron – after helping a celestial alliance consolidate global control.
The ferocity of Ma Yuan continues to deter divine interlopers much like a guard dog discourages trespassers. Yet Shang-Ti's Immaculate System promotes tranquility in other ways. His divine cunning orchestrated a network of spiritual channels that contains and recycles the energy of prayers on Theatron. Given unanimous support from his two dozen colleagues, this structure prevents the enormous population of religious beings in the world from attracting the attention of deities not already present. At the same time, these reliably abundant flows are particularly suited to satisfying godly appetites.
Modern Life Shang-Ti's Immaculate System also harmonized control over forces of nature, regulated the process of death, and established protocols for gently influencing the course of mortal history. An overwhelmingly human population would see twenty-five ethnic groups rise to prominence. Unique traditions and folklore from each group grew around narratives focused on a distinct pantheon of five deities. Though each god tends to his or her own worshippers individually, multiple bases of power for every participating deity further stabilize the system.
This structure promoted the rise of vast yet coherent empires. Fewer and fewer humans in each generation were born into a warzone. After millennia of negligible progress, real technological advances have been fostered by this Great Consolidation. Aqueducts and sewers make metropolitan areas relatively clean and comfortable. Steel is now produced in quantities sufficient for use in ordinary weapons and armor. Machine tools fabricate clockwork components with consistent precision. Powerful spyglasses are now used by stargazers as well as scouts and mariners. All these things would be marvels in the eyes of an ordinary person from Age of Heroes.
Today educated people generally believe even more wonders will emerge from systematic study the natural world. Scholars catalog and measure all that can be measured and cataloged. Universities often teach sophisticated sciences right alongside traditional subjects like history, theology, and wizardry. Most civilized lands now boast of widespread literacy and at least a few academic institutions, since the value of learned experts is widely understood. Yet it is unclear which particular technologies will be a part of life in the future of this world. Even the most visionary prophets struggle to explain the underlying workings of great inventions.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Introduction ↑ → History ← ↓ Timelines ↓
History
“Sages have written of an ominous lingering presence or mysterious beasts glimpsed while scrying into primordial mists. Curious students peering into magical clouds of empty fog generate such reports at a similar rate. Boredom plays tricks on the mind.”
— Nesrin Halil, Iskreshi vizier |
Primordial Times (beyond 800,000 years ago) Before the rise of the dragons, no minds documented events on the surface of the world. The most powerful mystics peering back through the ages rarely spot anything recognizable through the heavy mists. When they do, it is always a simple plant or beast. Theories about this most distant past are cobbled together from these fleeting glimpses as well as the study of fossils. Some scholars contend that the age of these finds can be established by the layers of earth accumulated above them.
Dinosaurs seemed to be abundant in primordial times. The entire world ran hot, intolerably so in some regions that are presently inhabited. Elsewhere, verdant jungles nourished animals, some familiar while others appear alien. Neither dwarves nor elves nor humans could be found in the uncivilized lands of this time. Earthquakes and epic volcanic events transpired frequently, yet life always rebounded. Somehow, over millennia, the greatest of the great lizards accumulated a little arcane power. The dawn of sentience, and dragonkind, was imminent. Draconic reckoning holds that the first generation of their kind hatched into this world
5,840 molts ago.
Marking the Days The world moves through a consistent annual cycle of 365 days. Modern customs typically divide the year into twelve months of thirty each along with five festival days that are not included in any month. It is also common for people to mark the passage of a seven-day week. One day of liesurely rest per week is known to be optimal for enabling workers or soldiers to recover from assorted hardships. Sometimes work is declared taboo for a full weekday to facilitate participation in religious activities. Yet neither practice is universal.
People best understand age and history through the marking of individual years. Dragons are inclined to think on a grander scale. For them, the molt is an important unit of time. Marked by the passage of 50,000 days, it approximates the interval between natural stages of draconic development. History records the first gods manifesting thousands of years ago, but dragons conceptualize events from that time as slightly more than thirty-eight molts ago. Though they are aware of the concept of a year, most mature dragons have taken longer naps.
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The Age of Dragons (~800,000 to ~50,000 years ago) The first minds to roam the surface of the world found it a lonely place. Modern dragons believe their earliest ancestors were truly enormous, if also somewhat dim and capable of only feeble magic. They achieved progress by turning their magic inward. Early generations of dragonkind traded gargantuan bodies and modest intellects for smaller and more practical bodies housing ingenious minds. They eventually became sophisticated enough to shape entirely new forms of life. Cattle, horses, bison, goats, and swine were created to enrich the diets of dragons. Humans, elves, dwarves, and halflings were created as thralls tending to the needs of dragons, but these sentient beings were also consumed as food.
Across thousands of centuries, draconic supremacy went unchallenged. Even human agricultural techniques could not produce enough warm flesh to satisfy the hunger of populations expanding while the land remained the same size. Quarrels between neighboring dragons became common. Diversifying across a spectrum of five colors only led to greater disharmony. When elves, created to maintain written archives and assist in magical research, established a network of secret schools, it remained unthinkable that any other sort of being might dare challenge a mature dragon.
365 molts ago, the unthinkable happened.
The Imperium Arcanum (~50,000 years ago to 5,224 years ago) Some elves consider the reign of their ancestors a golden age, but popular consensus rests on a different view. It began with centuries of cataclysmic warfare as teams of elven archmagi battled legendary wyrms. A veritable sea of dragons' blood was consumed to energize a global infrastructure of ley lines. Archfey strained the boundaries of magic itself. To wage war they engineered new forms of life including chimerae, dragonborn, gnomes, manticores, ogres, orcs, trolls, and wyverns. Huge fortified cities sprung up with many millions of people taking shelter inside each enchanted bastion. Yet the great fey lords proved nearly as demanding and unforgiving as their draconian predecessors.
“War begets assaults. Assaults beget killings. Brothers and sisters who stand with me in the light, are you prepared to spill elfblood?”
— Helinhend, light fey Prime Overseer |
When dragon sightings became a rare occurence, the elven elite only became more severe. Society was polarized by two extremist factions – one committed to ending violence against dragons and the other dedicated to total extermination. The light fey in their cloud fortresses honed unthinkably intense purification magic. They used this power to hatch the first metallic dragons. Meanwhile the dark fey moved downward, determined to deny any dragon refuge underground. Many elves avoided taking sides, retaining their ancestral coloration and living quietly in harmony with nature. While this growing majority of the elven race dispersed into scenic woodlands, outright warfare erupted between light and dark fey. Their clashes intensified the turbulence of a magical environment that was already prone to wild fluctuations. Imperium Arcanum authorities recorded time in cryptic and possibly inconsistent ways, so there is no scholastic consensus about how to precisely fix events of this era in a historical timeline.
“Does it matter that the Sun will rise again after our people have fallen?”
— Tezcacoatl, doomed king |
The Age of Heroes (5,224 years ago to 2,317 years ago) Only the death throes of the Imperium Arcanum saw breaches of fey taboos against teaching magical lore to other humanoids. When desperate people discovered the potential of prayer, it became the fervent habit of many. Some of these prayers were answered amidst the calamities of the dying magocracy. Quetzalcoatl (now a Dead God) was the first to consistently empower faithful and ordained clergy. Hundreds of deities would follow, encouraging organized worship and supporting all manner of legendary champions. For the earliest generations, violent rebellion was the normal human condition.
Metaphysical Lawgivers Structuring the energies moving through an entire plane of existence is a task too demanding for any single deity. Though the lore of the Wŭshén places five gods in a position to oversee this task, only two are among the true Metaphysical Lawgivers. Shang-Ti controls the structure of the Immaculate System. He takes counsel on related matters from several other deities. Much of this association's business is conducted through exchanges of correspondence. Any adjustment to the order of the heavens is filtered through layers of angelic intermediaries smoothly regulating changes. These holy minions also labor so that the deities themselves take no notice of routine spellcasting and ordinary prayers.
By way of petitions and conferences, each divine advisor gives voice to a crucial agenda. Chung Kuel shapes the rules of evidence, perfecting the group's ability to sort fact from fiction. Arawn is a champion of propriety, insisting that shortfalls be balanced with unwanted surpluses before any personal reserves are tapped. Silvanus advocates for sustainability, condemning anything that degrades the environment mortal worshippers inhabit. Osiris renders opinions about which sacrifices are optimal to resolve otherwise intractable conflicts. Tyr devises penalties harsh enough to be effective yet fair enough to preserve harmony. Shang-Ti may solicit several rounds of input from the entire group before even the smallest amendment to any heavenly portfolio. |
Barely one century after the first divine intervention, no large communities of humans inhabiting the surface were governed by fey authorities. Unholy beings took advantage of this global upheaval. Archdevils, astral warlords, and vampire princes set out to build mighty nations. Each of these regimes was eradicated in spectacular fashion. Tieflings and the rakshasa live on as scattered legacies of two ancient infernal empires. Many great dragons emerged from hidden slumber in the aftermaths of these upheavals. Countless heroic fighters, clerics, magic-users, and thieves rallied to deal with these threats. Thousands of tiny nations and local faiths rose and fell during this time. Historians note dates in this era counting backward from its endpoint, with
1 A.H. immediately prior to
1 G.C.. Thus
504 A.H. indicates
888 years before
385 G.C.
The Great Consolidation (2,317 years ago to the present) The constant feuding of many small kingdoms was not as destructive as the worst strife from eras past, but it obstructed almost every form of progress. Deities clashed in increasingly mysterious ways, eliminating rivals at a pace greater than the influx of new gods. In the end, only the remnants of five esteemed religious traditions would maintain positions in the world, each repesented by five gods. Their divine compact dramatically reduced spiritual turbulence while aligning civilizations toward constructive expansion.
1 G.C. is both the year the Fivesquare Pantheon achieved unanimous consent and the year the Seven Tribes of Truscanny established neutral ground around a cluster of sacred hilltop sites. The city of Septopolis would lead a republic, later an empire, through fifteen centuries of continuous expansion. The regime achieved supremacy over Mainland from coast to coast – Imperial Maximum. Only the hubris to attempt worldwide conquest would reverse this growth. After a failed attempt to invade another continent, the Truscan Empire largely unravelled, leaving a legacy of extraordinary infrastructure.
The Oriental Empire also rose to power early in this era, constructing roads, canals, and dams to nourish surging populations. Not even two centuries old, the Serpian Empire remains locked in struggle with the Truscan Empire while more than a hundred sovereign nations occupy territory farther west. Scholars nonetheless continue to count these years as part of the Great Consolidation. Academic convention is to note dates in this era numbering forward from the Sevenfold Unification of the Truscans in
1 G.C. Mentions of the present refer to the year
2,318 G.C.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ History ↑ → Timelines ← ↓ Geography ↓
“We cannot escape our history. We can improve the trajectory of it.”
— Lydia of Demegara, Thracian sage |
Timelines History prior to the Age of Heroes is an unclear subject. Before that era, none of the Fivesquare Panetheon were aware of this world. Diviners looking back at the most ancient history can make wild errors in reckoning dates. The oldest documents have their origins with dragons or elves, but this historical lore is fragmentary and extremely difficult to verify. As a language, Ancient Elven was cryptic by nature. Imperium Arcanum recordkeeping deliberately muddled some details of times and places to obscure the identities of the Archfey. Most academics look suspiciously on literature that claims specific dates for major events prior to
2,907 A.H. Fortunately, rigorous scholarship supports consensus views about historical timelines spanning the two most recent eras.
“All endeavors are best initiated at a particular a time or season. Experiences teaches the value of correct timing. Learned experts harbor refined opinions about these matters. Yet years give us age, and age gives us death. Thus it is wise to listen when elders speak of their trades and triumphs while you still have time to listen.”
— Doctrine of Contentment, Social Praxis manual |
Early religious leaders gained esteem through reliable calendars. Priests supported and were supported by growing cities insofar as they could provide reliable guidance for seasonal activities like agriculture. The Thousandfold Drama more than lived up to its name, with countless violent conflicts between political or religious factions. Historical preservation became critical to most human regimes as a means to gorify hereditary political power. Kings often funded libraries or bardic colleges to collect and standardize stories. Yet there was little emphasis on using research or magic to confirm the specifics of popular histories during the Age of Heroes. Ancient narratives freely blended fanciful myths with actual events. Today this makes for an endless series of academic inquiries into the actual events featured in popular historic tales.
The rise of modern sciences spread attitudes that favor verifiable accounts of history over myths and propaganda. Some religious or political leaders still promote false histories to build support for their own agenda. Respectable universities, colleges, and libraries denounce these distortions. The most esteemed historians openly criticize narratives that misrepresent the particulars of events in the past. Yet many issues are legitimately open to interpretation. Major differences of opinion prompt conventions of experts assembling to settle the matter through debates and divinations. Well-documented findings become source material for compendiums and modern oral histories. Large governments often operate bureaucracies to promote accurate historical and scientific teachings. Sages no longer dispute the basics of many important events.
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| 2,907 A.H. Archfey imprisoned within the Moon——→ | ▄ | ←——Quetzalcoatl ordains first clerics 2,898 A.H. |
| 2,853 A.H. Zeus sires first demigod——→ | █ | ←——Dragon Kings ally with the Wŭshén 2,842 A.H. |
| 2,806 A.H. Odin empowers first jarls——→ | █ | ←——Ra convenes Conclave of Sphinxes 2,797 A.H. |
| | █ | ←——Rakshasa clans unite under Ravan 2,776 A.H. |
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| 2,602 A.H. Dread Erik crowned Overking of Wotania——→ | █ | ←——Imrathur unites Serpian Old Kingdom 2,609 A.H. |
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| | █ | ←——Ma Yuan becomes a god 2,112 A.H. |
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| | █ | ←——Elatolian warlords unite under Khaan 1,955 A.H. |
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| 1,824 A.H. Helvetican League signs Alpine Accord——→ | █ | |
| | █ | ←——Maharaja destroys Ravanese Empire 1,728 A.H. |
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| | █ | ←——Elatolian Hegemony unites continent 1,620 A.H. |
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| 1,441 A.H. giant statues appear at Titans' Rest——→ | █ | |
| 1,409 A.H. first expansion of Nameless Empire——→ | █ | |
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| | █ | ←——Circe Sultana conquers Serpian Old Kingdom 810 A.H. |
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| 278 A.H. falling stars destroy Nameless Empire——→ | █ | |
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| 166 A.H. God-King Silvanus abandons Holy Sylvan Empire——→ | █ | |
| | █ | ←——Elatolian Khaan surrenders to Celedinese Emperor 101 A.H. |
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| The Year One The first year of the Great Consolidation generated many volumes of alarming historical accounts. 1 G.C. did not start with a proper winter, but some regions suffered unpredictable frosts. The Sun sometimes lingered in the sky for days at a time only to vanish for a similar interval. Conditions over most of the world for most of that year featured a hazy twilight. This climate of uncertainty drove people to seek answers in religion. Only the Fivesquare Pantheon and the Old Faith continued to offer magical healing. Other traditions were quickly rejected. New perspectives on old conflicts drove various political factions and minor regimes to seek unity with greater powers. Nearly all the seasons and days to follow would be normal, but the tone was set for an era of increasing historical coherence. |
Nearly all modern religious calendars number their years from
1 G.C. Just as the gods joined together in a collective that has held together all this time, the Great Consolidation sees many forms of earthly consensus. The concepts of “holy” and “unholy” are no longer connected to good and evil. Instead they note magical energies that respectively reinforce or undermine the spiritual flows of the world. Prayers to Dead Gods can only be answered now by the grace of a patron from the Fivesquare Pantheon. Not all clergy are scholars of religion, but all true scholars of religion are well-versed in the names, portfolios, and core teachings of the twenty-five deities active throughout this era. These gods abstain from leading armies or nations, instead inspiring mortals to influence earthly events.
1 G.C. was as important in the material realm as it was in the spiritual. Precisely as the Immaculate System achieved unanimous consensus, seven Truscan tribes formed a pact that gave rise to the greatest nation in all of human history. Though the Truscan Empire is now an embattled fragment of its former glory, it once seemed poised to govern all the lands of the world. That same year, the warlords of To-Shin signed a compact securing their opulent retirements in exchange for peaceful annexation of the entire archipelago. Histories of the Orient focus on this event while Truscan Unification is the anchor of Mainlander histories. The modern era has no shortage of conflict and drama, though it features longer sustained arcs as larger populations converge and diverge.
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| 1 G.C. Truscan tribes unite——→ | ▄ | ←——To-Shin annexed by Oriental Empire 1 G.C. |
| | █ | ←——Shaba Bhozi built atop ruins of Shackleton 94 G.C. |
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| 169 G.C. Truscan Republic annexes Parthens——→ | █ | |
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| 274 G.C. Truscan Republic conquers Leonopolis——→ | █ | |
| | █ | ←——Truscan Republic conquers Iskreshi Sultanate 337 G.C. |
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| 426 G.C. Victor Tiberius becomes Truscan Emperor——→ | █ | |
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| | █ | ←——Senkhürkhree created by falling star 908 G.C. |
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| 1,221 G.C. Thousand Mile Wall completed——→ | █ | |
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| | █ | ←——Serpian Empire forms 2,169 G.C. |
| | █ | ←——To-Shinese Shogunate forms 2,213 G.C. |
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| | ▀ | ←——present year 2,318 G.C. |
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↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Timelines ↑ → Geography ← ↓ Greater Norland ↓
Geography
[MAPS PENDING]
Dominions After many centuries of rising and falling movements, the history of the world has arrived at a remarkable balance in 2,318 G.C. The Regal Deities now preside over territories containing one-fifth of the religious activity on the surface of the world. Each has ordained a single human homeland to exert strong influences on several of its neighbors. Collectively these clusters of spiritual and civic similarity are known as dominions. Some are dominated by one vast empire. Others are divided into many nations. Greater Norland, Old Silvania, the Truscan Empire, the Serpian Empire, and the Orient – every dominion is practically a world unto itself, united by past events.
These divine territories vary in population, with the greatest religious fervor in the least urban areas. Exchanges of art and trade goods are common across all but the most hostile borders. Ordinary folks usually have some familiarity with other ethnic groups in the same dominion. Distant dominions and their peoples may seem alien. Signage and coins will feature unfamiliar symbols. Language barriers are more likely to create other problems. Customs and laws may be derived from radically different traditions. Trade, education, and adventuring all create valuable opportunities for individuals who know languages and lore enough to thrive across multiple dominions.
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Theatron is a world of dramatic contrasts. One hemisphere is home to large continents while the other is an expanse of ocean where no land consistently rises above the surface. The northern polar region is an uninhabitable ice cap regularly scoured by savage blizzards. A perpetual volcanic eruption radiates enough heat to make the southern polar region equally uninhabitable. Where molten rock meets the ocean, so much steam is generated that all southern lands and seas are obscured by heavy fog. From several perspectives this world might seem an unfit place to make any sort of home.
Yet more than a billion people are spread across two continents – Mainland and the Orient. Both feature diverse terrains and climates. Some regions have been favorably adjusted through divine intervention. Not every act of the gods has been constructive. Their wrath transformed the center of Mainland into accursed wastes periodically giving rise to the most primitive sort of goblinoid hordes. Despite the growth of great nations in modern times, those who seek danger never need travel far. Ancient guardians patrol forgotten ruins, exotic monsters prowl untamed wilds, fiendish menaces spring up without warning, and there is no end to the intrigues of civilized politics.
Governments compete aggressively for the loyalty of the most powerful or influential people. Some religions compete aggressively for the faith of any willing to hear their message. Businesses often compete for the most esteemed trademarks as well as access to the best suppliers. Criminal organizations and occult covens must fight for their own survival while pursuing agendas most bystanders would not support. A person need not plunge into the wilds and battle giant monsters to live a rich life of adventure. Powerful factions are always looking to expand, but there are some places that are simply too perilous to claim.
⨂ THE UNCONQUERABLES Even the most ambitious emperors accept that there are territories it would be futile to attempt ruling. Both polar regions are completely uninhabitable. The north provides no relief from deadly cold while the south is blanketed in boiling steam. Though secret paradises can be found among the Veiled Lands, most of those islands feature dangers from Primordial Times. Mortal visitors in the Moon are always at the mercy of the Archfey, as unpredictable as they are powerful. Guests of the Imperium Maris may face a desperate predicament after becoming dependent on local authorities to breathe. So long as the Scarlands continue to generate hordes of savage monsters, civilized regimes maintain some distance between their frontiers and those blighted wastes.
Alien Nations Human governments dominate the politics of the world's surface. Many of these regimes allow non-humans into their aristocracies, but the mightiest non-human rulers merely govern tribal federations or independent city-states. This is not true below the surface of the world. The Greater Ocean is wracked by epic struggles between the noble houses of an empire blanketing the sea floor. These clashes concern surface folk because rogue waves inevitably doom exploratory voyages venturing far east of To-Shin or well west of Danu. Also, there have incidents of coastal communities swarmed by hostile sea creatures spilling out of undersea conflicts.
Subterranean power is likewise largely reserved for non-humans. Though modern dwarven nations never approach one million in population, mountain dwarves maintain several major complexes where over 100,000 of their kind live. Mining operations fund trade both with humans of the surface and dark elves living farther down. At such depths, a malevolent remnant the Imperium Arcanum persists in the form of a global drow empire. Millions of dark elves and millions more human slaves inhabit a network of huge caverns serviced by magical infrastructure.
Those who dare delve even deeper may enter the Dread Zone. This mysteriously unmappable snarl of tunnels and chambers houses many thousands of nightmarish masterminds protected by greater numbers of guardian constructs and mesmerized thralls. Those who press onward may reach the Sea of Abominations – a surreal expanse of glowing brine. The waters of this deepest sea are home to a menagerie of gibbering mouthers, aboleths, and other profoundly bizarre creatures. The few reports of even deeper layers to Labyrinth are inconsistent and unreliable. Yet scholars ancient and modern alike speculate about the prospect of some great dark secret lurking at the center of the world. |
⨂ The Greater Ocean covers nearly half of the world's surface. It features underwater peaks intermittently piercing the surface. Submersible islands controlled by the social elite sometimes rise up to take in the Sun on calmer days. This entire expanse is ruled by the Imperium Maris, a magical regime of triton aristocrats. Humans and other surface natives in that aquatic jurisdiction are often forced into a form of slavery – forever indebted for the privilege of being allowed to breathe. Imperial authorities, guided by religious law, destroy any structures meant to rise permanently above the sea. Often the water does this work for them, since unpredictable swarms of mountainous waves are common far from any coastal region.
⨂ Hel is both the name and the former home of the world's only living goddess. This frigid featureless region of ice often sees savage winds whipping razor-sharp crystals about. The chill alone is enough to kill most visitors who travel too far north for even the sea to remain unfrozen. Hel is home to no permanent structures. Shifting ice produces frequent tremors, with deep fissures forming in unpredictable locations. Life here is virtually impossible to encounter more than a couple of miles from shore. Hel is known as a dumping ground for legendary items that cannot be destroyed yet should never be found. Extremely powerful beings sometimes use this polar ice sheet as a meeting place sure to be free of interlopers.
⨂ The Moon harbors no life on its surface, nor any medium for life to breathe. Rock and dust there are often punishingly cold. Yet long lunar days sometimes make those same features painfully hot. The only structures are shadowy gatehouses and observation posts, all controlled by the empire below. Inside the Moon, the Archfey hold court as ageless immortals with almost limitless creative power. Extreme hedonism does not stave off cravings for new experiences. Scrying on the lives of ordinary mortals is a common entertainment. Capricious terrestrial fey sometimes entice or trick people into visiting an Archfey court. The luckiest guests return with magical favors, but most spend their final days amidst the reckless revels of unhinged exiles.
⨂ The Scarlands sit north of Mainland's geographic center. Burnt wastes formed here after a rain of falling stars reduced an unholy nation to lifeless cinders. Horrifying abominations continue to rise from that charred region over two thousand years later. Nearby lands appear desolate despite abundant grubs and fungi lurking just below the surface. Hordes of goblins, hobgoblins, and bugbears sustain themselves on such fare. They periodically surpass a critical population density, swarming outward to devour all meat in their path. A buffer zone around the Scarlands sees barbarian tribes maintaining a constant vigil, ready to migrate whenever something wicked is headed their way.
⨂ The Veiled Lands range from pleasant tropical islands to a deadly volcanic furnace. At the bottom of the world, Mount Surtr is a ceaseless fountain projecting magma into the sky above. The surrounding landmass is a lifeless waste shrouded in boiling corrosive fog. As Surtr's lava reaches the ocean, the convergence of elements releases endless torrents of steam. Low visibility in far southern waters creates tremendous navigation challenges. These difficulties become less severe closer to Mainland and the Orient. Countless islands of all sizes lurk within progressively thicker and hotter mists. Secret societies, pirates, and other renegades may build havens or even shrouded cities among these remote and lawless hideaways.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Geography ↑ → Greater Norland ← ↓ Old Silvania ↓
Patron: Odin the Marauder, Chief of the Æsir
Homelands: Darresteg, Fitchland, Joryanland, Lachland, Norland
Precursor: Wotania
Historic Legends: Dread Erik, jötnar, valkyries
Trade Languages: Norish, Fitch
Court Languages: any
Governments: militant earldoms, principalities, and kingdoms
Dynamics: complex alliances with some open warfare
Standard Coins: øre, sceat, mark, kronor, skjöld
Spiritual Census: Odin 24%, Tyr 16%, Loki 11%, Thor 11%, Hel 10%, Arawn 8%, Mannanan Mac Lir 5%, Geb 4%, Oghma 3%, Lei Kung 3%, Ptah 3%, Ma Yuan 2%
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Greater Norland The first thing most outsiders learn about this dominion is that Norish raiding parties pose deadly threats to communities all along the west coast of Mainland. A multi-ethnic coalition participates in these raids today, but outsiders often regard the entire lot as Norish. Various kingdoms, earldoms, principalities, and tribal groups all send representatives to annual Norish Moots. Invariably tense negotiations establish commitments of personnel and funding to launch a fleet of southbound longboats. Most aristocrats in Greater Norland are also accomplished military leaders. Traditions here establish a right to pillage after victory in battle. Marauders generally regarded as villains abroad may serve as role models among their own people.
Inhabitants of Greater Norland are united in their struggles against the elements. Growing seasons here tend to be short and unreliable. Coping with economic instability is a big part of life in this dominion. Fitchlanders thrive thanks to engineering achievements, and Darresteggers can call upon arcane power to fend off starvation. Elsewhere these methods are insufficient to local challenges. Joryanlanders, Lachlanders, and the Norish feel increasing pressure to battle over herds and granaries in lean years. Violent skirmishes are common, and mercenaries can usually find one or two outright wars being waged within this dominion. Banditry is relatively rare thanks to severe winters as well as the fact that marauder fleets offer opportunities for violent renegades.
“I will always fight on the side of my lord and never forget what he has given me. I will not withdraw the smallest measure from any battle where my lord remains on the field. If my lord is slain, I will not stop until his death has been avenged.”
— Wotanian Oath of Fealty |
Personal power is incredibly important in Greater Norland. Bragging and intimidation are common in most social settings. Trial by combat remains a part of many legal systems here. Most laws do not support imperial forms of slavery. Yet unrelated dependents or prisoners of war may be given the status of thrall. Thralls are thought too weak to survive on their own. Their keepers are permitted to compel labors, inflict beatings, and trade thralls as property. Fugitive thralls are rarely pursued, since this status is thought fit only for the defenseless. Fitchland bans this practice, making criminals of anyone who physically attacks a worker. Well-funded national charities allow elderly and disabled subjects to live with dignity in that orderly society.
The Fitch are presently ruled by a woman, though she is not the first female head of state in this dominion. Controversy surrounding a queen's rise to power energized one of the factions that fractured the ancient superpower Wotania. Every ethnic group here has since known women as both great leaders and formidable warriors. Yet, just as with men, position here is a function of bold claims paired with the means to make good on them. From the most refined urban constabulary to the rowdiest band of marauders, fitting in requires confidence. Direct words and direct actions are considered marks of virtuous character. Some authorities attempt to enforce verbal contracts. Glorious death is a popular aspiration. Burials and tombs are exceptions to the norm of a funeral pyre.
Norish Moots Wotanian unity was sustained by annual gatherings where all kings would offer personal tributes to their Overking. When the old Wotanians no longer recognized any supreme leader, these assemblies continued as a venue to negotiate trade and plan southbound raids. At their worst, Norish Moots would erupt into duels that sparked major wars. The modern form is never so violent, but it remains tense. This is especially true when harvests are poor and the only alternative to widespread poverty is a campaign of successful marauder activity.
Darrestygian emissaries attend Norish Moots by projected images and scrying devices. The magocracy refuses to physically attend meetings where international aggression is planned, yet it dispenses abundant arcane support to placate demanding neighbors. Fitch law forbids fighting alongside marauders. Yet Fitch representatives deliver huge sums of gold that ultimately equip and fund these attacks. Meanwhile Joryanlander, Lachlander, and Norish leaders sort out the composition of raiding parties as well as procedures for dividing loot.
A Norish Moot normally convenes at the start of the summer wheat harvest, since plans are quickly put into action at the end of the growing season. Marauders are often keen to be in warmer climes when winter takes a turn for the cruel. Hosting a Norish Moot is an enormous expense endured for the prestige of it. A typical host spends a fortune hoping to emerge with an enhanced reputation. From time to time, a host may profit greatly by influencing ongoing negotiations. Each gathering concludes by selecting the next host at a raucous celebration where remaining points of disagreement are settled through exchanges of poetic invective and/or direct fisticuffs.
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⋈ The Time Before the Gods The Archfey referred to the northwest of Mainland as the Brutal Quarter. Its few fey bastions were modest strongholds. Yet many stone fortifications provided shelters for human armies to train and rest in the field. Almost all nourishment was magically provided by Imperium Arcanum operatives. Many simple formations and lone Standing Stones shaped an intricate network of ley lines. Though this enabled quick teleportation of forces from many garrisons to a single location, it generated interference with magical experiments. Considered an undesirable posting by elven leaders, the only advantage these frigid territories offered was a low frequency of dragon attacks. When the gods exiled the Archfey from the world, it was a wizard in the Brutal Quarter who first violated the ban on human apprentices.
⋈ The Age of Heroes Most people in this area died soon after the fall of the Imperium Arcanum. Famine was everywhere. Eventually a primitive sort of feudalism provided some relief. There was no shortage of sturdy castles. Leaders able to protect a productive territory could keep their subjects alive, their soldiers well-fed, and themselves in power. None did this as effectively as Dread Erik. He forged a superpower dedicated to Odin by beating down many minor kingdoms. As Overking of Wotania, he went on to codify an innovative guild system and establish colonies in distant lands. This regime thrived for a full ten centuries. Then a minor prince questioned the current Overking's ancestry. Wotania dissolved into smaller nations over a series of bloody provincial rebellions.
⋈ Imperial Maximum The remnants of Wotania fell in to a dark age so profound that Truscan scouts reported no lands worth conquering in this dominion. Even the highlands north of Albion seemed to offer more trouble than value, so the Empire marked its boundary with the Thousand Mile Wall. “Norish” was originally a descriptor for anyone from north of that barrier. In distant Hammerstad, traditional Moots gave the struggling peoples of viable kingdoms a way to coordinate misinformation headed south. As harvests in these northern lands took a sustained turn for the better; the ancestors of today's Norish, Lachlanders, Joryanlanders, and Darresteggers united in the pursuit of peaceful expansion through isolation. The people of the Low Towns reached out to Imperial officials in the hopes of stimulating trade, but lack of a suitable harbor foiled those efforts.
⋈ Recent History Some opportunities overlooked by Truscan Emperors have come to fruition. The culture of the Low Towns developed into a great nation, harnessing the wind to transform waterlogged marshes into prime farming country. Their extensive border fortifications and enormous seawalls make Fitchland a haven of peaceful prosperity. Meanwhile other leaders have had limited success developing modern infrastructure. Both in politics and temperature, the climate of Greater Norland interferes with these efforts. Yet where fisheries or river valleys provide enough nourishment, great cities have arisen in each homeland here. Meanwhile Darresteg distinguished itself as a modern magocracy. Powerful spellcasters secured and fostered a prosperous kingdom where practicing wizards are ubiquitous.
“You are a lord. I am a lord. Who will carry our bags?”
— popular greeting at Norish Moots |
⋈ Current Events Darresteg and Fitchland have found effective solutions to the problem of unreliable harvests in this dominion. Yet they continue to participate in Norish Moots in order to manage diplomacy. Neither kingdom provides ships or warriors to marauders. Instead, annual financial tributes from the Fitch support preparations while Darrestygian advisors furnish intelligence reports. These arrangements stabilize key international relationships. Yet those prosperous regimes generate unrest among Lachlanders and the Norish. Especially in their urban centers, controversies raise questions about the value of ancient traditions and the glorification of violence. Leaders must strike a delicate balance between courting popularity with cityfolk and securing territory against rivals.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Greater Norland ↑ → Old Silvania ← ↓ The Truscan Empire ↓
Patron: Dagda the Provider, Chief of the Tribe
Homelands: Albion, Carmatia, Danu, Sivales, Sylvania
Precursor: The Holy Sylvan Empire
Historic Legends: the Archfey, bánánachs, púcas
Trade Languages: Albionish, Silvanian
Court Languages: any
Governments: prosperous kingdoms and republics
Dynamics: loose federation with various internal clashes
Standard Coins: penny, shillling, albus, sovereign, ducat
Spiritual Census: Dagda 24%, Silvanus 16%, Oghma 12%, Mannanan Mac Lir 10%, Dionysus 8%, Arawn 7%, Apollo 5%, Chih Sung-Tzu 5%, Hades 5%, Loki 4%, Hel 2%, Ma Yuan 2%
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Old Silvania No other dominion benefits so much from the handiwork of the gods. People from distant lands know Old Silvania as a bountiful place where even the largest cities maintain some harmony with nature. Hunters here are often as productive as herders. It is likewise with foragers and farmers. The people of these lands generally respect the Old Faith. Druids presiding over ancient rites may share sites and followers with modern clergy. Fey blood runs in many human families here. Indigenous fey thrive in wild forests or make homes for themselves in human cities. All varieties of magic are relatively common here. Yet a uniting force in this diverse dominion is fear of blights brought about by unholy powers. All regimes in Old Silvania provide at least token support to an international group operating a bureau of powerful witch hunters.
The Sylvanian Confederation also dispatches agents to liberate slaves and punish known slavers. This policy does not prevent indentured servitude, even as a penalty for failing to honor a financial debt. Yet it does stop aristocrats from engaging in the capture and sale of civilians after seizing new territory. Though the Confederation cannot prevent war among its members, it facilitates negotiations and peace settlements. Away from the Truscan Empire's Western Front, total war is rare here. Since heavy cavalry units are the standard means of repelling Norish marauders, jousting tournaments provide a way to hone skills with minimal loss of life. Trade disputes and questions of honor are often settled through these festive events rather than outright battle. In this place of plenty, life is more precious than land.
“A full belly on a peaceful evening is all anyone truly needs.”
— motto of the Feastkeepers |
In Old Silvania respect is extended even to the meekest persons. People of all races and ethnicities feel entitled to travel and labor in any harmless way they choose. Some societies even guarantee rights to public gatherings and uncensored speech. Laws here feature minimal gender bias, with almost all military and civic organizations broadly integrated. Even working animals and livestock are afforded levels of respect rarely seen in other lands. Most hunters and butchers pair acts of slaughter with acts of reverence. Apart from the punishment of marauders, murderers, rapists, slavers, warlocks, and witches; cruelty is regarded as a sign of low character across this dominion. Courtesy often requires patience, but it eases peacekeeping efforts everywhere save Carmatia. Even the most polite clans there persistently feud with rivals.
The Sylvanian Confederation The first major rebellions in the Western Flank were coordinated by a secret council of tribal elders and criminal fugitives. Teamwork enabled major victories while misdirecting Truscan Legions. This council expanded into a society of political freethinkers. Operatives would gather information, compromise local officials, and popularize songs of fallen empires. This society grew into an international governmental organization with an eclectic mix of assets as many of these bold heroes went on to have places of honor in new aristocracies.
The Sylvanian Confederation sustains hostility toward the Truscan Empire. Spies and scouts anticipate the movement of western Legions. Irregular rebel forces provide support as needed to defend territories along the front. Drawing assets from across the entire Confederation, these auxiliaries can counter the immensity of full Legions. Confederate agents covertly oppose slavery, organizing escapes and revolts at every opportunity. Some also act as witch hunters. Local officials have the option to make “a federal case” out of any unholy activities they feel unable to deal with on their own terms.
Member states of the Sylvanian Confederation also benefit from its diplomatic corps. Teams of gifted negotiators are available to affiliated powers in conflict. Charged with restoring harmony while minimizing the loss of life, Confederate diplomats rely on everything from arbitration committees to duelling tournaments. Though this leaves the dominion constantly simmering with internal tensions, it preserves prosperity cultivated under Imperial rule. The Sylvanian Confederation sees uneven support across Danu and Carmatia, but it has the backing of almost every major leader from Albion, Sivales, and Sylvania.
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The resources of this verdant dominion are not limitless. Leaders must settle disputes about how their lands will be exploited. Contested borderlands can lead to hostilities, yet neglected borderlands become havens for bandits and other outlaws. Coastal communities face seasonal risk of Norish marauders pursuing quick plunder. Aristocrats across Old Silvania maintain heavy cavalry units to deliver swift counterattacks anywhere in their lands. Tournaments and other exhibitions serve as ways to make the most of these costly investments in times of peace. Some traditional rivalries born in war are celebrated in sport by later generations. In wilder places, especially where the Old Faith is not joined by modern religion, permanent settlements remain rare. Yet druids and clerics openly collaborate in many towns and cities. Funerals tend to be elaborate, and most cemeteries are considered sacred ground here.
⋈ The Time Before the Gods The Imperium Arcanum was founded in southwest Mainland, labelled the Garden Quarter on official charts. In some ways it was the homeland of the Archfey. Rich forests furnished an array of useful spellcasting components. Foraging parties operated under cover of verdant canopies. The oldest Standing Stones were raised here, including the main hub of the ley line network. The Old Faith has its origins in bits of arcane knowledge accumulated by human caretakers stationed at Standing Stone sites. During much of the Imperium Arcanum, dragons were all but eradicated from these lands while other life flourished. Yet when one of the Archfey's ambitious spells went awry, the Garden Quarter was devastated by vengeful dragons employing a scorched earth strategy.
⋈ The Age of Heroes Dagda and his associates were moved by the plight of the land. Though they arrived to answer the prayers of beleaguered forest-dwellers, their greatest miracles revived the forests themselves. Hundreds of minor warlords fought over pockets of green scattered across ashen wastes. Monstrous gods inspired militant nations of orcs. Legends grew of a man with a giant hammer, crushing all in his path. The God of Verdant Wilderness gradually conquered this entire dominion. He united enormous territory under a theocratic regime devoted to venerating nature. Plants and animals from many other planes of existence were carefully seeded by Silvanus. Before the Age of Heroes drew to a close, the Garden Quarter was more splendid than ever before.
⋈ Imperial Maximum God-King Silvanus abdicated his imperial throne a few generations before the Seven Tribes united to form Septopolis. The Truscan Empire's most successful campaigns eventually secured the bulk of this dominion. Under Truscan rule these lands were known as the Western Flank. Though this regime directed enormous quantities of slaves and natural resources back toward the Truscan heartland, indigenous populations benefited from paved roads, municipal waterworks, and modern sciences. Even as great cities swelled, religious influences minimized ecological harm. Alternating zones of farming country and park-like forest radiate outward from most metropolitan centers. At Imperial Maximum, a typical resident of the Western Flank was a proud citizen of the Truscan Empire.
“Please do not allow your mouth to break your nose.”
— traditional Sylvanian rebuke |
⋈ Recent History The push to acquire territory beyond Mainland escalated the demands of Imperial tax collectors. Great druids interfered with aggressive expansion of farming and ranching operations. Then a policy of conscription made soldiers of many citizens and slaves of protesters. Unrest spiraled out of control. Military efforts remained focused elsewhere, giving rebel leaders time to rally popular support. Breakaway states started declaring independence in clusters so that the Legions could not concentrate their forces at each new trouble spot. With more successes than failures, the liberation movement grew. The people of Old Silvania pointedly glorified personal freedom. Successful leaders did less to dictate the circumstances of others' lives and more to create opportunities for advancement.
“Those who love Nature will experience Nature's love in return.”
— Landwardens' Field Manual |
⋈ Current Events Making the most of Truscan innovations, the people of Albion established their own ethnic identity with elaborate legal and financial protocols. On the other side of the Thousand Mile Wall, Carmatian earls struggle to govern contentious clans. Danu faces a different challenge, as hostile fey swarm any community that grows too large. Sivales finds itself both plagued by and enriched by a subculture of opportunistic pirates. Meanwhile Sylvania has become a civic laboratory for the modern world. Traditional kingdoms and tribal federations exist alongside modern republics, economic collectives, and democratic city-states. Their values drive rebellions in western Galloria chipping away at the frontier of Imperial slavery.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Old Silvania ↑ → The Truscan Empire ← ↓ The Serpian Empire ↓
Patron: Zeus the Emperor, Chief of the Olympians
Homelands: Galloria, Helvetica, Thrace, Transmania, Truscanny
Precursor: none
Historic Legends: Victor Tiberius, empousai, titans
Trade Language: Truscan
Court Language: Truscan
Government: Imperial
Dynamics: elite families lobby for influence
Standard Coins: assarius, denarius, victoriatus, aureus, laureate
Spiritual Census: Zeus 24%, Apollo 16%, Ares 11%, Dionysus 10%, Hades 8%, Loki 5%, Thor 5%, Arawn 4%, Ptah 4%, Silvanus 4%, Geb 3%, Osiris 3%, Set 3%
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The Truscan Empire Roughly one thousand years ago the Truscan Empire faced no challenges to its authority over Mainland. The word of the Emperor was law from the Thousand Mile Wall to the harbors of Sonliman. The Truscans spread literacy and modern sciences, with many authors still favoring the Truscan language today. Yet the Truscan regime has been demonized in some societies. Despite intervening centuries, some people in the Orient still resent the Legions' incursion there. Old Silvania aggressively rejects important Imperial traditions and values. Meanwhile the Serpian Empire wages the world's greatest war against its Truscan peer. Students of history know the Truscan Empire came as close as any human government to ruling the world. Today it is a diminished superpower under attack on multiple fronts.
Early Truscan society was strongly patriarchal. Various reforms and a number of popular Empresses made so much progress that even the Legions now recruit and promote without gender preference. Right alongside strength and cunning, Truscans value the ability to work together as a team. Their cities thrived thanks to engineers planning abundant aqueducts, fountains, and sewers. Pacified territories saw farmland and urban centers improving in tandem. Merchants often hauled goods unescorted, and magistrates were almost impossible to bribe. In the interior, where war has not been known for more than a millennium, the Truscan Empire continues to enjoy this orderly prosperity. Along its frontiers this ancient society faces threats from a breakaway empire of equal stature, lesser rebel kingdoms, and monstrous hordes.
“#27. Rank is about leadership, so promote proven leaders.”
— The 99 Maxims of Victor Tiberius |
Loyalty means everything to most Imperial citizens. Custom calls for each to be raised from birth to honor the Emperor and every duly appointed public official. Even slaves may be given comforts and eventual freedom as rewards for dutiful service. Veterans often muster out of the Legions with a frontier farm or a civil service posting. Diligent building inspectors, firefighters, and sanitation workers keep the public safe even where population density is extreme. In almost all lines of endeavor, following instructions and working selflessly generate more recognition than independent actions. Truscan greatness involves not only exploiting the labors of others, but also recognizing the group effort behind major accomplishments. Here, social advances are best obtained by earning praise from others rather than personally boasting.
The Truscan Legions Septopolis was founded by verbal agreement. A key piece of this agreement established military conscription. For any male member of the tribes to be considered an adult, he would need to complete four years of service in a Truscan army. With a convergence of metalworking traditions, the smiths of Septopolis provided these armies with technological advantages. From their first conquest, the Truscan Legions paired rigid military discipline with innovative tactics and equipment. The result was an unstoppable fighting force.
Attacks from the Legions are traditionally preceded by an envoy offering peaceful annexation. Brutal enslavement is the only alternative. Yet many local leaders refused to relinquish power, providing the Truscan homeland with a steady stream of fresh slaves. Abundant forced labor quickly expanded Imperial infrastructure while bringing prosperity to the farms and shops of slave owners. Enthusiasm for conquest intensified. The Senate became unpopular through efforts to restrain the power of great generals. Most citizens saw no reason for restraint.
After completing the conquest of the Gallorians, in 426 G.C. Victor Tiberius marched his personal Legion into Septopolis. Breaking the sacred truce was a great scandal that technically dissolved the republic. Declaring himself ruler of the new Truscan Empire, Victor Tiberius announced plans to conquer all the lands of the world. He presided over thirteen years of severe martial law only to be ambushed and killed during a lengthy battle inside the Senate chamber. Subsequent investigations revealed his most controversial edicts were essential to thwart unholy conspiracies.
Villified Senators saved themselves by appointing the eldest son of Victor Tiberius as Emperor. The Tiberian dynasty has held on to power ever since. Yet the Legions of today bear little resemblance to their ancient precursors. Many classic weapons and tactics are now outdated. Truscan soldiers employ the best modern steel with both religious and arcane support. Every Legion sees men and women fighting side by side. Some also support substantial non-human elements. Personnel are rarely conscripted, though service still involves years of marching to and occupying distant lands. |
Though the Truscans borrowed much of their own culture from Thrace, these people have long seen themselves as a civilizing force in the world. Centuries of debates and reforms leave the Truscan Empire with only the slightest hints of ethnic bias. Even non-humans can enter the Imperial aristocracy. Attitudes about gender have also evolved much in the past two millenia. No government position excludes female candidates. Today there is little doubt that additional participation is beneficial for the Legions and the civilian administration. The state welcomes all earnest and capable efforts to add to its strength. Most Truscans hope for a legacy of honorable service and prosperous kin. Some are entombed within great monuments. More typically, engraved stone markers are placed atop otherwise simple burial sites.
⋈ The Time Before the Gods The first dragons took wing from the Veiled Lands to settle on the Truscan peninsula. It was here that humans, elves, dwarves, and halflings were created. Imperium Arcanum records refer to south central Mainland as the Cradle. It lived up to its name during that era. Unusually social dragons here made use of fertility magic to hide more eggs than elven archmagi could locate. Countless hatchlings individually provided little blood or experience in defeat. Yet some would survive to become new threats to the Archfey's regime. Even when other parts of the world were essentially rid of dragonkind, some legendary wyrms here were unafraid to remain visible while flying well above the horizons of this dominion. Dormant volcanoes offered mazes of tubes large enough to shelter their less bold kin.
⋈ The Age of Heroes With the fall of the Imperium Arcanum, most of these lands returned to the control of dragon tyrants. Even after many of those tyrants were slain by great adventurers, local tribes lived simply. This changed when a gang of titans, acting against an edict from Zeus, taught ancient sciences to Thracian sages from several different councils. The God of the Heavenly Throne removed all titans from the world, but he could not remove humanity's grasp of logic, arithmetic, geometry, and engineering. This enabled thriving Thracian city-states to develop advanced cultures. Helvetica also saw civilization emerge in the form of mining syndicates uniting to support a league of well-funded peacekeepers. The Truscan people were semi-nomadic and barely literate when the Age of Heroes ended.
⋈ Imperial Maximum 1 G.C. was a year of immense heavenly importance and the year seven great Truscan tribes designated the hills of Septopolis as neutral ground. Markets and meeting halls were soon flanked by temples and workshops. Joint armies known as the Legions consolidated the entire peninsula under one government. Seemingly unstoppable growth was driven by a custom of seizing conquered lands and enslaving vanquished peoples. The Iskreshi Sultanate abruptly collapsed just as Truscan Legions were marching into nearby buffer states. The Holy Sylvan Empire had already been reduced to many smaller nations, none able to defend against the Legions. When Imperial scouts reported little of value in Carmatia, the Thousand Mile Wall was constructed to mark the geographic end of civilization itself.
⋈ Recent History Yet in the far east there were still prizes to take. Transoceanic warfare would prove to be the undoing of this enormous superpower. Elite Legions initially met little resistance in Ontolon, conquering a new province to honor an aspect of Ares. Guided by expert calculations, the Celedinese Emperor waited for invaders to become fully invested in this Camuline Occupation before counterattacking. After tremendous losses, the Truscan Empire withdrew to its native continent. Meanwhile, a wave of rebellions in the Western Flank overwhelmed authorities. Little by little, more permissive regimes established themselves along a receding frontier. Even parts of Galloria no longer provide coin to Truscan tax collectors. Yet no loss was greater than the entire Eastern Flank seceding to become the Serpian Empire, an instantly capable rival.
“Return to us with your shield or on it.”
— traditional parting words to Legion recruits |
⋈ Current Events Though the Truscan Empire faces many hardships, its inhabitants also enjoy many privileges. Slaves often have some access to education. Taxpayers are encouraged to attend academic lectures and send their children to excellent public schools. Many private properties have accumulated dozens of generations of improvements. Even when crisis or scandal creates chaos in the markets, well-run Truscan estates remain productive. Away from warzones, opulent abundance is practically the norm in this dominion. Unfortunately, parts of Galloria, Thrace, and Transmania are active warzones. Near the battle lines, the needs of the Legions come before any other concern. Most Legionnaires feel duty‐bound to defend tranquil homelands from violent invaders threatening a noble and just way of life.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ The Truscan Empire ↑ → The Serpian Empire ← ↓ The Orient ↓
Patron: Ra the Luminary, Chief of the Ennead
Homelands: Iskresh, Kohadesia, Serpia, Wabahar, Zintu
Precursors: The Old Kingdom, The Iskreshi Sultanate
Historic Legends: Circe Sultana, nasnas, shades
Trade Language: Iskreshi, Serpian
Court Language: Serpian
Government: Imperial
Dynamics: economic and military gains are rewarded
Standard Coins: nummus, aspron, follis, pyron, solidus
Spiritual Census: Ra 24%, Geb 16%, Ptah 11%, Set 9%, Osiris 8%, Mannanan Mac Lir 5%, Ma Yuan 5%, Oghma 5%, Ares 4%, Chih Sung-Tzu 4%, Chung Kuel 3%, Hades 3%, Lei Kung 3%
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The Serpian Empire Known as the Eastern Flank of the Truscan Empire only seven generations ago, this dominion has become a rival to that superpower. New technologies and engineering feats had long sustained bounties of grain and cattle for export. Tensions grew with the harvests. The tipping point in
2,169 G.C. saw local officials at many ports warned to expect attacks from the Oriental Empire as retaliation for transoceanic warfare. Outoing grain barges were abruptly halted. Legions composed largely of Iskreshi, Serpian, or Zintu personnel disbanded to join rebel armies. It was all the Truscan Empire could manage to secure seditious communities in Thrace and Transmania. Loyalist holdouts in Kohadesia and Wabahar soon negotiated a peaceful merger with the nascent Serpian Empire.
This young regime channels wilder spirits into rapid urban economic development while offering strict military discipline to more regimented types. Extreme population growth followed from an embargo on agricultural exports to Truscanny. Even with flourishing universities and trade guilds, many cities in the Serpian Empire struggle to manage constant flows of ambitious newcomers. While at peace with the regimes of the Orient, the Serpian Empire remains at war with its Truscan counterpart. The Padishah in Septopolis benefits from thousands of years of traditional wisdom for dealing with cultural and religious conflicts. While his deceased great-grandfather continues to be universally admired for establishing this nation, today the imperial administration struggles with many controversies.
“A man cannot be my enemy while he shares my bread.”
— Wabahari proverb |
Generosity is the driving force of this dominion. Ancient deserts, steppes, and jungles offered so few safe havens that hospitality became a traditional expectation. Travel and trade would have been virtually impossible if not for local leaders happy to open their homes to visitors. Though ideal guests would respond with gifts like jewels and spices from distant lands, even the most desperate new arrivals can expect some support for nothing more than reports detailing how the needy travellers met with trouble. Prior centuries saw extreme tension, since Truscan officials enriched their families by manipulating prices and setting high export quotas. Recent generations of domestic prosperity cultivated solidarity among the peoples of the Serpian Empire. Many believe helping one another is the path to a great destiny.
Serpian Conclaves Secrecy was an important part of every successful seccession from the Truscan Empire. Six generations after their initial declaration of independence, top officials of the Serpian Empire continue to convene private meetings on an annual basis. In the early months, each Shah confers with nomarchs to focus on problems specific to their provinces. Later in the year, all nomarchs assemble to hear the Padishah's dictates for the nation. Modern nomarchs rely heavily on their subordinates to maintain smooth operations during absences that can last weeks.
Though all official meetings are held in secure compounds with miraculous countermeasures against espionage, petitioning merchants and diplomats stimulate night life where these conventions occur. Major shipping lines and arms suppliers host lavish feasts hoping to influence procurement plans of huge organizations. Conclaves vary from year to year so that diverse perspectives inform economic plans and infrastructure priorities. When the Padishah speaks, evenings see all manner of specialists conferring about how to translate edicts into actions.
Every Serpian Conclave creates surges of commerce and intrigue. Even where holy protectors ward off all active spies, officials competing for recognition may plot against one another. Every effort is made to prevent the general public from participating in deliberations of Serpian Conclaves. Yet each gathering concludes with a festival where officials announce new policies and field questions posed by ordinary people. These exchanges are traditionally spirited, giving leaders some sense of rising or falling public support in a society that otherwise discourages political critique. |
Hostility toward all things Truscan causes many ethnic Truscans in this dominion to assume Thracian, Serpian, or Iskreshi identities. Individuals with any history of service to the Truscan Empire will be treated with suspicion by Serpian authorities. Legal variations leave women the equal of men throughout most of this dominion while suffering systematic oppression in Kohadesia and Wabahar. After the rebellion, extremely patriarchal traditions in those lands were revived by public officials looking to win support from regional elites. Ordinary people in this dominion mostly desire to be remembered as having done much to help friends and family. While royalty of the Serpian Empire are only entombed after months of ceremony, almost everyone else here is buried promptly after death.
⋈ The Time Before the Gods Dragons would speak of the Thirsty Quarter with disdain. Some river valleys were valuable territories, but isolated watering holes in this arid land rarely produced enough life to sustain a growing wyrm. Unable to feed easily in this land, most of their kind simply avoided it. Here the Imperium Arcanum was quick to purge remaining dragons, then operate large unsheltered workforces nourished by wide open flood plains. Some crafted objects of use to the fey while surplus labor was occupied with constructing enormous stone monuments. When civil war broke out and high elves rallied over Danu, failing enchantments brought some of these great monuments crashing down. Local sphinxes stepped in to guide a new wave of massive projects. Some of these structures would be completed by religious orders.
⋈ The Age of Heroes From peoples who had long lived openly under the Sun, the gods heard a mix of simple prayers. Early Serpian society saw sphinxes receding into obscurity while mentoring kings known as pharoahs. These gifted human protectors nourished and governed peoples of the greatest valleys. Zintu became a target for slavers from as far away as Wotania. Kohaddic kings banned ironworking and literature in service to an intense xenophobia that kept slavers away. Meanwhile the Isks developed their own culture spread throughout expansive steppes by furtive couriers and brash merchants. After a powerful sorceress united this ethnic group and conquered the Serpian Old Kingdom, the Iskreshi Sultanate went on to be the dominant power in the region. On the brink of war with the Truscan Empire, this Sultanate abruptly collapsed amidst an outbreak of political assassinations.
⋈ Imperial Maximum For nearly twenty centuries this region was collectively known as the Eastern Flank. Truscan rulers improved irrigation and urban development across these lands, but the benefits were often directed back toward Septopolis. Many trading hubs flourished yet fell short of their potential. Rural life remained hard, with grueling work the only path to much in the way of comforts. Outside of military service, most opportunities were reserved for citizens with a traditional Truscan education. Defiance was rare, in part because serious crimes were often punished by enslavement and swift relocation into the service of a distant owner. Even with escalating taxes and production quotas, the provinces Eastern Flank remained loyal, unable to imagine any alternative to this
status quo.
“May you be more learned tomorrow than you are today.”
— Serpian salutation |
⋈ Recent History The failure of the Legions to hold ground in the Orient planted the seeds of possibility in Serpian minds. A network of whispered conspiracies was catalyzed when threats from the Oriental Empire left the Eastern Flank caught between two superpowers. Some officials felt a greater duty to defend their own homes and families than to preserve the integrity of Imperial government. Indigenous Legions dissolving into rebel armies provided cover for the entire Eastern Flank to unite under new leadership. Complex negotiations empowered cultural throwbacks to restore ancient oppressive customs in some provinces. Even so, most cities expanded rapidly with benefit of huge agricultural surpluses. Borrowing some traditions and structures from the Old Kingdom, this new Serpian Empire quickly became the equal of its Truscan rival.
“Great leaders do not claim the Gods support their actions. Great leaders hope their actions support the Gods.”
— Darius the Brilliant, first Serpian Padishah |
⋈ Current Events Trustworthy scholars literate in the Serpian language work tirelessly as old archives throughout the Empire continue to be translated from Truscan originals, now considered an undesirable literary form. Serpian law supports slavery. Yet it effectively liberates all slaves who are not subject to periodic registration with the local malik. Slave ownership is defined as a privilege governed by official licensure. Truscan slavers only operate here at great expense, while slave traders of local heritage may find relief through special arrangements with Serpian authorities. The Serpian Empire commands a rich variety of military assets, with bashars and archons encouraged to explore unconventional ideas. Officially the Empire respects all holy religions. Yet tremendous scandal surrounds the Shah of Wabahar's personal veneration of Set.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ The Serpian Empire ↑ → The Orient ← ↓ Metal ↓
Patron: Shang-Ti the Mastermind, Chief of the Wŭshén
Homelands: Celedine, Elatolia, Ontolon, To-shin, Xe-shan
Precursor: The Elatolian Hegemony
Historic Legends: Dragon Kings, pixiu, yōkai
Trade Language: Celedinese, To-Shinese
Court Language: Celedinese, To-Shinese
Government: Imperial with rebellious territory
Dynamics: officials seek promotion through service
Standard Coins: fen, jiaō, tangka, yuan, ryo
Spiritual Census: Shang-Ti 24%, Chung Kuel 16%, Chih Sung-Tzu 12%, Lei Kung 11%, Ma Yuan 8%, Thor 7%, Ptah 5%, Ares 4%, Tyr 4%, Hades 3%, Hel 3%, Osiris 3%
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The Orient Each dominion is like a world unto itself, and the Orient is a world apart from the others. Separated from Mainland by the Lesser Ocean, the cultures of these far eastern realms developed with little outside influence. These lands entered the Age of Heroes with a relatively small human population. Peoples there overcame tremendous hardships to carve out cities and empires from wild places once teeming with monsters. Thoughtful planners made the most of opportunities for growth. Raw military power was once the primary civilizing force in the Orient, but strategic foresight now rules the day. Ambitious investments in infrastructure tamed the elements themselves. What the gods first discovered as a sparsely inhabited dominion has since become the most populous. The upkeep of dams and canals is now essential to sustain many enormous metropolises.
Both the Oriental Empire and the To-Shinese Shogunate emphasize institutional education. Orphans are tested then placed in academy systems focused on future civil or military service. Public institutions offer quality instruction in literacy and civics to all. Affluent parents often spend lavishly to enroll their children in more elite schools. An emphasis on orderly tranquility elevates the value of sagacity over the prestige of battlefield victories in this dominion. Elaborate bodies of regulations can create conflicting imperatives. Most officials do not object to lengthy proceedings in pursuit of fairness. Many subjects make a respectable living as clerks or couriers sustaining the flows of information generated by all this complexity.
“If you make a mistake and do not correct it, you have made two mistakes.”
— inscription featured on some jiaō |
Reputation is incredibly important in the societies of the Orient. Their archetypical role model is a stalwart champion of the gods, the government, and personal relatives. Lies and betrayals generally lower the prestige of individuals throughout this dominion. Yet a spy or assassin could claim an epic deception as a professional accomplishment so long as it was in faithful service to another master. In most trades, honor is accumulated through reliably honest dealings with others. All merchants claim to sell quality wares, and the best will make every effort to substantiate that claim. All scribes claim to produce faithful copies, and the best are diligent about keeping their work free from error. Duelling is rare here, yet it remains a socially and legally acceptable method for settling questions of honor. Little is completely forbidden to individuals granted special authorizations by working through layers of bureaucratic procedure.
Intelligence Ministries A legendary hero of the Celedinese Ascendance, Master Willow, wrote extensively about the strategic implications of spies and assassins. An emperor's generosity enabled the retired general to endow circles of covert operatives with the resources to perpetuate themselves. Early schools of spycraft eventually grew into networks of elite specialists overseen by ministers. Some of these executives have appropriate portfolios like “military cartography” or “border security.” Others hide behind misleading titles such as the Minister of Market Forecasting or the Minister of Cultural Exchange.
A typical intelligence ministry divides operations between an office tower dispensing information to senior officials and a network of remote compounds. Even the locations of these bases may be state secrets. Intruders can expect extreme hostility. Those permitted inside will find top quality training facilities alongside storehouses of exotic equipment. Unlike open warfare, many espionage problems cannot be solved by fielding larger forces. Improving the chances of success requires elite operatives supported with extraordinary resources.
Yet not all intelligence ministries are focused on foreign missions. Some maintain public loyalty or hunt hostile spies. Domestic security services operate large forces of agents trained in covert operations and basic law enforcement. Ideally these organizations keep watch on potential sources of sedition, only acting against confirmed threats to national stability. In the worst cases these organizations spread fear with pervasive networks of informants and severe punishments for even the smallest acts of disloyalty.
The first Shogun of To-Shin banned every intelligence ministry from the archipelago. Today various rōjū each operate an institution performing similar functions. Paired with extensive recordkeeping, intelligence services throughout the Orient create problems for secretive visitors. Missile weapons and large blades may be confiscated for lack of official authorization. Invasive searches and unprovoked interrogations are routine for foreigners of no particular reputation. Most people in the Orient talk of politics only in bland or cryptic terms for fear their words might be documented in an official archive or prompt a formal inquiry. |
When the Elatolian Hegemony controlled an entire continent, patriarchy was part of the cultural fabric of the Orient. The Celedinese Ascendance was no pure meritocracy, but their culture never made gender a relevant criteria in evaluating fitness for military or civil service. The modern Oriental Empire sees ethnic favoratism among the elite while bias against women is regarded as a backward and barbaric attitude. Both the Empire and the Shogunate consider everyone subjects of their governments, eligible for conscription into military or labor groups. When used unwisely, this authority incites sedition it was intended to quell. Here an honorable death is recorded in government archives and acknowledged with a pension for one surviving spouse or child. Funeral rites tend to be extensive public ceremonies ending in cremation.
⋈ The Time Before the Gods The Orient was essentially alien territory to the Archfey. They made minimal investments in ley line infrastructure here. Bastions tended to be small, functioning only as bases for elite dragon hunting teams. Neither large armies nor pools of laborers were installed at these facilities. Charts from the time refer to this dominion as the Outlands. Resident dragons maintained human labor pools to sate their apetites. Many of these groups became isolated tribes when their tyrants were slain. Yet the Outlands were also home to the largest concentration of ancient dragons to outlive the Imperium Arcanum. Some of the most enlightened wyrms were still conducting experiments to create new forms of life here when the prayers of distant humans drew deities to this world.
⋈ The Age of Heroes Known as the Dragon Kings, the most brilliant native residents of the Orient governed their own civilized nations right alongside the first human kings to rise up from these lands. While many lesser dragons and other great monsters fell to adventurous attackers, most of the Dragon Kings lived for centuries as respected rulers. Some ascended to become companions to the gods themselves. When the son of a khaan personally killed the last mortal Dragon King, an entire continent united under a single Elatolian regime. Remote Xe-shanese cities became havens for powerful heroes seeking quiet retirement from lives of struggle. Most cities of the Orient remained small, but Celedinese engineers systematically improved harvests and sanitation until their homeland housed the majority of humanity east of the Lesser Ocean.
⋈ Imperial Maximum The modern Oriental Empire rose abruptly. Barely two centuries passed between the first ethnic uprising and Celedinese jurisdiction spanning the entire continent. Even the historically independent To-Shinese archipelago was integrated into the larger Imperial regime. With no warring states to inflict losses, the Orient experienced impressive vertical expansion. Mayoral palaces looked out over office towers and apartment buildings stretching to the horizon. Universities and religious centers embarked on investigations of epic enigmas. Experienced administrations coordinated agricultural and urban development to maintain stable food prices, reasonable rents, and abundant employment. Even the Truscan invasion of western Ontolon was a problem solved by superior planning.
⋈ Recent History Decisively expelling the Truscan Legions was a matter of making them first feel welcome. Lightly defended communities often accepted initial offers of peaceful surrender. The invasion led to the lucrative and harmonious annexation of a new Truscan province east of the Lesser Ocean. Once the occupiers were heavily invested in new ventures and expansion plans of this Camuline Occupation, the overwhelming might of the Oriental Empire sent Truscan authorities racing to ships that mostly failed to complete the voyage west. Abandoned Legionnaires gave rise to a barbaric subculture that continues to lurk in the jungles of Ontolon. Though this upheaval led to many more losses for the Truscan Empire, it also created an opportunity for To-Shinese separatists to establish an independent Shogunate.
“Do not tally oysters that have yet to enter your basket.”
— Ontolonese proverb |
⋈ Current Events With authorities in Suotien focused on recovering the territory ceded to the Camuline Occupation, To-Shinese nationalists were able to misdirect Imperial crackdowns against seditious activities. Already rebellious communities forged solidarity with unfairly punished neighbors. A declaration of independence that shocked most of the Orient seemed downright inevitable across the archipelago. With loyal rōjū able to wrangle several of the world's greatest gargantua, the To-Shinese Shogunate has turned every Imperial invasion into a costly disaster. Meanwhile the ports of Celedine and Ontolon are crowded by brisk trade, some of it transoceanic. The Oriental Empire is officially at peace with every regime except the To-Shinese Shogunate. Their stalemate is a popular subject of study among modern strategists.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ The Orient ↑ → Metal ← ↓ Assets & Acres ↓
Metal
Exotic Metals Famously indestructible, adamantine is thought to be the remnants of a construct older than the world itself. No mine produces more than a few samples. Each is already pure metal after surrounding materials have been removed. Working with adamantine requires extreme precautions to manage the terrible heat of an adequate furnace. For sufficiently swift and mighty smiths, it is worth the risk to forge fantastically durable items from this material.
Utilized in place of steel by the Archfey, mithral is the product of transmutations that cannot be stabilized in the current magical environment. The precious substance is much lighter and more flexible than steel, yet no less durable. This metal works well with special cold forging techniques. Mithral inlays are a common feature of enchanted equipment. This metal is not produced by mining. Some mithral salvagers also do the work of archaeologists, while others casually trample ancient history in pursuit of riches. |
The first inanimate objects to hold the interest of dragons were shiny gold nuggets. With fiery breath and persistent effort, pure metal could be extracted from these glittering rocks. Dwarves were created to dig up and process the coveted substance. Their smelters also enabled dwarves to produce tools from bronze, copper, and silver. Early human civilizations were quick to make use of metal weapons. Superior methods of working with iron and steel helped superpowers secure control over vast territories. As teams of armed adventurers eliminated monstrous guardians, access to valuable mineral deposits increased.
In the ages of humanity, as with the Age of Dragons, a stockpile of gold conveys prestige based on its size. Yet modern civilization also allows that prestige to be parleyed into purchasing power. Soldiers determine who enforces laws and collects taxes in most lands. Laborers create the improvements that make territory more prosperous. Rallying large numbers of either normally requires substantial spending. Modern finances sometimes involve complex schemes of debts and credits. The ability to deliver physical payments on schedule is necessary to maintain confidence in these schemes. Sometimes there is no substitute for a hefty pouch of genuine currency or a shipment of raw ingots.
Today every major human ethnicity has centuries of smithing traditions featuring steel weapons and armor. Modern metallurgists experiment with alloys to improve the performance of various components. A virtuous cycle of activity sees scientists devising new tools for studying the natural world while tinkers refine crude prototypes into precision instruments. Discoveries established with this technology raise new questions, prompt new experiments, and inspire new apparatuses. There seems no end to the variety of gears, screws, spindles, springs, and wires in demand. Sophisticated metalworking also gives rise to household gadgets and clockwork toys unlike anything from past eras.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Metal ↑ → Assets & Acres ← ↓ Businesses & Bootlegs ↓
Assets & Acres
Power Structures In a world where almost all communication is spoken or handwritten, controlling a large organization poses many challenges. Major governments delegate powers to regional leaders. Great kings entrust loyal families to control duchies and counties far from the capital and its institutions. Empires divide their territories into provinces and districts to be managed by appointed officials. In exchange for faithful support and reliable tax collection, rulers allow their most elite subordinates generous participation in the prosperity of their society.
These relationships have value for both parties. Local leaders can specialize in management challenges particular to their lands. Official status creates an incentive to pass more revenue along to higher authorities. The same is true for compliance with laws and customs. Civil servants often aspire to rise within their hierarchies, while feudal lords focus more on building legacies for their families. Noble heirs and appointeees alike feel pressure to serve as a role models. Governments eliminate the worst internal problems and motivate loyalty among remaining officeholders by exercising their power to revoke titles and estates. |
Land has been the primary source of wealth throughout history. Gold originates in the ground. Crops and livestock require space to thrive. Development adds to the value of land. Free people will pay to live in a nice home. Mills, forges, and workshops can accomplish tasks much more efficiently than temporary facilities. Clusters of residences and businesses create opportunities for trade. Towns and cities accumulate wealth from the labor of their denizens. The greatest dragon hoard never held as much treasure as the shabbiest modern metropolis. From sprawling urban centers to little farming villages, claiming land is seldom as simple as planting a flag or offering money to existing owners. Taking productive ground and holding it usually requires a position among society's elite.
The wealth of the aristocracy is largely derived from lands and businesses in their possession. Government officials may insist on reviewing documentation and assessing fees to certify legal inheritances. They will tend to favor one another in resolving ambiguous claims. Without a politically powerful protector, any obvious profit center becomes a target for economic predators. Individuals who have attained sufficient status in society will enjoy more security. Some command the fealty of lesser nobles, and many control a hereditary fief. Rents from owned land enable a titled leader to fulfill social and military obligations. When people carve out a stronghold from wild land or build up a productive enterprise in settled territory, much honor and privilege often accompanies an offer of ennoblement.
Accepting rank in a government implies loyalty. Titles and lands can be stripped from enemies of the state. Imperial societies expect their appointed officials to be scrupulously honorable at all times. Public integrity is crucial to maintaining stability when a new policy is unpopular. Even small scandals prompt major public apologies and acts of pennance from Imperial officials. Deceptions and vices among feudal nobles only generate unrest in cases of shocking cruelty heaped upon innocent people. Feudal nobles have much more personal freedom yet less economic opportunity. Appointed bureaucrats more easily blur the line between dutiful oversight and self-serving manipulation of trade. Wherever public morale is high, it is generally understood that the most fortunate have a duty to help those who are less so.
| Notable Titles by Rank |
| Norland | Sylvania | Truscanny | Serpia | Celedine | Carmatia | Elatolia | To-Shin | Xe-Shan | Zintu |
| Knight | Knight | Equestrian | Companion | Guān | Chief | Kheshig | Metsuke | Guru | Chief |
| Lendmann | Baronet | Magister | Sheikh | Warden | Laird | Bey | Ōmetsuke | Warden | Obirempon |
| Baron | Baron | Magistrate | Malik | Mayor | Baron | Taishi | Mayor | Zamindar | Tigui |
| Vizegraf | Viscount | Tribune | Bashar | Inspector | | | Bugyō | | Bashar |
| Graf | Count | Legate | Archon | Emissary | Thane | Wang | Daimyō | Talukdar | Archon |
| Margrave | Marquis | Senator | Nomarch | Prefect | | Taiji | Prefect | Thakur | Farba |
| Earl | Duke | Pontifex | Vizier | Minister | Earl | Mirza | Rōjū | Raja | Vizier |
| King | King | Governor | Shah | Governor | | | | Maharaja | Shah |
| Overking | God-King | Emperor | Padishah | Emperor | | Khaan | Shogun | | |
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⩓ Archon Balancing competing interests while advancing massive infrastructure projects and keeping multitudes of civilians mostly happy is a big job. The modern Serpian Empire appoints archons to do that job, though the term originally referred to the sovereign of a Thracian city-state. Archons have broad administrative powers as they manage many bureaus of professionals dedicated to keeping order. The most successful surround themselves with elite experts, then delegate almost everything save a pet project or a major crisis response. Micromanaging not only creates time problems, but it also causes more of the blame for unpopular decisions to fall on the archon's shoulders. Yet when all the pieces come together, an archon presides over a spectacular urban jewel.
⩓ Baron/Baroness Scholars consider the barony the smallest stable unit of feudal governance. These fiefs may encompass a substantial town, an expanse of farmland, or a hub of some precious resource. Barons typically govern small populations while controlling large fortunes. Many barons operate out of a fortified structure to better endure hostility from invaders or malcontents. It normally requires generations of bad management to lose one of these territories through economic failure. This wealth and security enables barons to engage in exotic pursuits. It also plays a part in their obligations to the realm. Barons must maintain a guard to police their own subjects, and they must be prepared to send a substantial military detachment to aid their monarch when called upon to do so.
⩓ Baronet Feudal politics in the southwest often makes it expedient to award this honor that blurs the line between knight and baron. Most baronets receive a minor land grant with no associated military obligation, but neither of those conditions is universal. Wealthy merchants intent on purchasing their own buildings may dabble in politics to attain this honor. It is also bestowed on community leaders in frontier towns to encourage greater development. Typical baronets own a modest block of city apartments or a humble country estate. Because of its versatility and related ambiguities, this title does not always command respect. Yet it does almost always mean a ruler agreed it was wise to keep the family on the payroll of the crown, granting them some hereditary asset of real value.
⩓ Bashar The Serpian Empire's defenses are coordinated by a system of military districts of roughly equal strategic value. The result has some bashars patrolling vast stretches of empty desert while others secure just one portion of a major city wall. Their lifestyles and their followers vary based on the security needs of their domain. They tend to favor the services of spellcasters and other elite specialists over personal luxuries. Most bashars do not live as comfortably as maliks, but all maliks defer to bashars when there is a disagreement about how best to serve the Padishah. Where peace prevails, bashars focus on recruiting and training to strengthen the Serpian military. When trouble is afoot, bashars mount up and lead the charge to eliminate warlords, bandits, and other menaces.
⩓ Bey A herder owning livestock and goods enough to provide a large family with nomadic comforts is known as a bey. A typical bey employs a number of wranglers to mind the animals as well as a gang of servants back at camp. Ancient Elatolians sometimes also applied this term to mercenary or nautical captains able to live the good life while commanding a small group of travellers. In modern times this honorific has further expanded to include resident leaders of highly productive teams. Though some may own prosperous businesses or operate other institutions, this title recognizes the synergy of the group rather than any related structures or land. Custom holds that a bey is a worthy civilian leader who can be trusted to make any team dramatically outperform the sum of its parts.
⩓ Bugyō As the To-Shinese Shogunate achieved independence, a problem emerged about what to do with the many hardened warriors no longer needed to drive off the Empire. The rank of bugyō was created to allow for more flexibility in the administration of governance. Each bugyō is assigned to oversee a specific operation. From directing production at a shipyard to managing the Shogun's kitchen, these roles are thought to require the good judgement of seasoned leadership. Yet each is also a chance to convert a potential renegade or warlord into a useful public servant. Landholding bugyō have status more akin to caretaker than vassal. Yet these titles can be inherited by loyal offspring who prove themselves able and dutiful successors.
⩓ Chief Where clans or tribes remain an important part of the fabric of society, small communities and large families may address a single leader as chief. This title tends to convey absolute power within the applicable group. Chiefs typically command the loyalty of 100-300 followers, and they expect aristocratic treatment. In more civilized realms a tribe or clan may enrich its leader through forestry, herding, or mining. This title is usually a birthright, though some societies allow chieftaincy to be claimed through duelling. On those rare occasions an outsider achieves this status, it typically involves leading a splinter group away from some larger tribe or successfully protecting a group recently stripped of its previous chief.
⩓ Companion The original assassins hail from a land within the Serpian Empire. Attacks against public officials were a constant threat during the early years of that regime. Policies were implemented to establish tight control over who would be allowed in the same room as the Padishah or any shah. Over subsequent generations, this official access became a special privilege distinguishing the lowest rank of government insider from ordinary citizens. Companion status authorizes visits to a variety of protected zones where others are forbidden to enter. All companions receive modest financial support, and access to the halls of power offers further opportunities for personal enrichment. People who respect Serpian authorities will look to companions as role models.
⩓ Count/Countess Though this title refers to an official presiding over a county, the modern concept has evolved. The standard county remains mostly productive land with various towns and cities spread across an expanse that cannot normally be crossed in a single day's ride. Yet some modern counties take on a more institutional focus, such as supervisor of royal mints at several remote locations or proprietor of a royal shipping company with offices in distant lands. Even these specialist counties usually come with an opulent headquarters or a proper castle. Counts require their own bureaucracies to handle the diverse needs of their subjects. Those without major military commitments to the realm normally make up the difference as huge financial supporters of the crown.
⩓ Daimyō Strategic control of To-Shin is maintained from massive strongholds situated at critical locations in each province. Daimyōs are both the keepers of these fortresses and the rulers of those provinces. They have broad power to authorize new infrastructure, conscript idle civilians, and regulate trade. Provincial armies are elements of the Shogunate's national force. Yet each maintains garrisons in the shadow of a mountainous fortress, regularly drilling to prepare for potential invaders. Though supremely powerful in their own domains, there are so many daimyōs that they have little influence outside their own provinces. That changes when they travel with the bulk of their armies, each at least 10,000 strong.
⩓ Duke/Duchess More reach than grasp is a common problem facing ambitious rulers. The most prosperous modern kingdoms solve it by granting dukes huge territories and limited oversight. So long as appropriate tax revenues go to the crown and the duchy remains committed to national defense, all is well. Allowing dukes broad lattitude over criminal justice, religious sponsorship, and trade policy enables regions with different economic circumstances or cultural traditions to live harmoniously as neighbors. Dukes typically maintain standing armies with major heavy cavalry assets to swiftly dispatch marauders or invaders. Where tensions run high, many thousands of footsoldiers also stand ready to fight in service to their duke. In better times a smaller army is led by knights of extroardinary skill.
⩓ Earl Long ago in the northwest of Mainland, historic crises were resolved by small number of god-touched warriors known as jarls. Early kings looking to elevate some nobles above others created the concept of an earl in homage to those legends. A vast expanse containing at least one respectable city, an earldom makes it possible to live like a king. Yet these positions of extreme privilege were reserved for the most powerful allies, popular as well as mighty. Earls could be counted upon to keep order across their own territories, raise large armies in time of war, and contribute political support to their monarch. Without some level of mutual respect, a strong earl might be inclined to declare independence. This has happened so often, sovereign earls now govern most of Norland and Lachland.
⩓ Emissary Those chosen to serve as the voice of the Celedinese Emperor each are granted huge palaces and generous access to Imperial funds. In return they are expected to always put the Empire ahead of any other interest. This makes emissaries both reliable and effective spokespersons. Their own comfort and splendor is acceptable to better host foreign dignitaries and conduct poised public addresses. Some emissaries are pacifists, and most are chosen for guile rather than ferocity. Thus all are assigned elite bodyguards to accompany them on travels. Emissaries make frequent use of magic to communicate with centers located just outside Suotien. In this way they can honor their vow to remain faithful to the will of the Emperor even as new developments come to light.
⩓ Emperor/Empress Three dynasties are far more powerful than any other families on the surface of the world. The Truscan, Serpian, and Oriental Empires each maintain standing military forces surpassing one million soldiers. Reigning emperors impose laws that apply across the entire homelands of multiple major ethnic groups. Each emperor commands a civil service allowing swift coordination of a superpower. Since succession is mostly a function of birthright, emporers vary from brilliant planners able to leave a legacy of great progress to unhinged wastrels with no grasp of leadership. The most revered emperor of all was Silvanus – the god himself presided over the Holy Sylvan Empire. That regime is defunct, but the forests he spread across its expanse remain verdant today.
⩓ Equestrian Truscan law heavily restricts the use of horses in urban districts. Senior officials control licenses to ride mounts on city streets. The typical equestrian was born into a wealthy family and served among the elite cavalry of the Imperial Legions. Yet this honor has also been extended to trusted couriers, valuable advisors, and generous philanthropists. Though equestrian status does not convey monetary benefits, it provides access to networks of Imperial stables and waystations. The entire system is engineered to facilitate the swift transit of key personnel throughout an empire of far-flung metropolitan centers. What was once the birthright of every patrician family is now a special privilege reserved for citizens who have achieved distinction in service to the Empire.
⩓ Farba The Serpian Empire considers the Zintu interior an active warzone. Rather than divide the land into conventional provinces, the Shah selects military leaders to command huge irregular armies. As the officials appointed to lead these forces, each farba receives robust support from the Shah of Zintu. Most tap additional revenue streams through harvesting operations in perilous lands. Their role is to advance civilization into some of Mainland's most inhospitable terrain. A typical farba controls a constellation of communities stretching from a thriving market town to a fortified wilderness base under constant threat from deadly creatures and/or hostile tribes. These bases also support collection of rare herbs, spices, minerals, pelts, and ivories.
⩓ God-King Territorial claims made by Silvanus and his mortal disciples became the Holy Sylvan Empire. Populations were dispersed and relocated such as could be sustained by local ecologies. Small armed forces successfully compelled the surrender of much larger armies. The alternative was to face reinforcements led by a living deity. Scattered peoples mingled in thriving towns and small cities nourished by the lands Silvanus healed. He kept no official schedule, delegating many aspects of governance. After the forests of southwest Mainland were healthier than ever been before, the God-King completely abdicated his political role. Years of debate among senior officials eventually elected someone to serve as Emperor. Even so, the Holy Sylvan Empire fractured into many small regimes before the Age of Heroes came to a close.
⩓ Governor Both Truscan and Oriental empires favor huge provinces with much geographic and economic diversity. Governors oversee areas as vast and complex as major kingdoms. Though each governor must answer to an emperor, they are otherwise superior in rank to all others in their respective empires. Most governors maintain multiple teams of elite agents authorized to operate outside the normal bureaucracy. Governors' palaces are usually connected to sprawling complexes of archives, colleges, and courthouses. Huge provincial budgets are supported by even greater tax collections conducted on behalf of the state. Though bound by complex legal systems and elaborate cultural traditions, governors remain able to influence the course of history through the priorities they set and initiatives they sponsor.
⩓ Graf The first great human cities were capitals of kingdoms spanning many provinces each ruled by a graf. While the customary scope of these fiefs remains unchanged, they are no bigger than a modern county. Grafs in the present time have less power than their ancient precursors. Most are bound by a complex body of feudal law as well as the oversight of a regional earl. Within those constraints, grafs are expected to administer justice, collect taxes, provide security, and develop infrastructure. Some grafs have the authority to create baronies within their own territories, and those not permitted to grant new knighthoods are sure to finance a squad of worthy retainers. Most maintain a large reserve of potential conscripts along with a standing force composed of various elite military units.
⩓ Guān Scholastic excellence has long been an important virtue in Celedinese culture. The modern Oriental Empire recognizes achievement in this realm by awarding special status to individuals able to pass the most demanding Imperial examinations of knowledge and problem-solving ability. This status conveys the authority to take command of any official project not presently supervised. Guāns are often assigned to specific positions in an elaborate hierarchy. Yet those who conduct themselves honorably retain this status while pursuing personal goals or operating independently as troubleshooters. Compensation varies by the particulars of service, but an at-large guān can cover basic travelling expenses by submitting fresh reports on local institutions and commerce.
⩓ Guru No official governing body decides who is a guru and who is not. The title only has meaning in Xe-shan, where the public seems astute enough that imposters are soon subject to public ridicule if not also exile. Spritually aware people who claim this title are welcome guests wherever their stay is brief. Gurus may be expected to share spiritual teachings or tales of past adventures, but some literally live without money and others may act as if they have none. Their duty is to spread esoteric knowledge and do battle with dark forces that would victimize the innocent. Though many priests and monks become gurus, the title can apply to any profoundly englightened being who shifts focus away from the material world to unravel mystical secrets, spread important truths, or remedy sinister corruption.
⩓ Inspector Many Mainlanders hold the rank of inspector as constables tasked with solving mysterious crimes or bureaucrats assigned to oversee compliance with regulations. The title of inspector is reserved for high ranking Imperial officials in the Orient. Their duties likewise involve mysterious investigations and regulatory oversight. Yet these elite officials always convey their reports directly to ministries in Suotien. Each takes a vow to serve as the Emperor's eyes. Imperial diviners periodically scry to corroborate accounts from the field. Inspectors keep their families near the Emperor's Palace, as much to ensure security as loyalty. On the job they face difficult and dangerous missions, but in residence they are welcome to partake in the finest luxuries.
⩓ King/Queen In modern times a king answers to no one. This was not always so, as Wotania was ruled by an Overking and many kingdoms of Sylvania were once ruled by a divine God-King. Today every king and queen is the leader of an independent nation, though not all kingdoms are equal. Some well-established royal families enjoy widespread popular support and stable relations with neighboring realms. Upstarts and failing regimes must contain the ambitions of rival powers while dealing with aspiring usurpers. The smallest kingdoms find ways to preserve the autonomy of one great city and surrounding lands enough to sustain that population center. The largest kingdoms include multiple metropolises and numerous duchies stretching out far from the monarch's personal domain.
⩓ Khaan Clashing cavalry forces kept Elatolia in disarray until the Shimmering Horde rallied to enforce the will of the first Khaan across a realm that eventually spanned the entire continent. The Elatolian Hegemony allowed local rulers much autonomy provided that they did not interfere with soldiers, couriers, and tax collectors. Today the Khaan rules a province that furnishes an endless flow of horses and skilled riders to the Imperial military in exchange for some autonomy of its own. By custom, the royal entourage spends half each year holding court in a city and the other half driving their herds across open range. Imperial authorities have made a low priority of further exploiting this underdeveloped land. The governor posted here is limited to observing and advising the Khaan.
⩓ Kheshig From the dawn of the Elatolian Hegemony, it has been a high honor to be permitted to ride with the Khaan. Both rider and mount must possess extraordinary precision and stamina to be sure the royal entourage moves with sublime grace. Security was also crucial, since this stern regime generated its share of controversies. Today the Khaan's authority once more stops at the frontiers of the Elatolian homeland, and notables of all sorts have been awarded the title of Kheshig. It continues to convey permission to ride alongside royalty and/or atop royal steeds. Yet the honor now goes to scholars, religious leaders, and entertainers as often as it is bestowed upon elite mounted warriors. Kheshig status is easily revoked by any action that earns the Khaan's displeasure.
⩓ Knight Knighthoods are a reward for exceptional service to a ruler. The lowest level of nobility in much of western Mainland, this rank typically conveys respectable income and special privileges without any official landholdings. Old customs require knights to maintain a full suit of battle dress and be prepared to join an armored cavalry unit in time of war. Most modern kingdoms sponsor both military and non-military orders of knights. Artists who make major contributions to public morale or national prestige may enjoy this honor. It is the same for merchants known to have contributed fortunes in tax revenue or made special concessions to royalty. Though knighthoods are not explicitly hereditary, many can be passed on to a worthy squire through mentoring and official sponsorship.
⩓ Laird Most of Carmatia has never been claimed by any king or emperor. Land ownership is a function of ancient tribal claims and modern military advances. Anyone there who has inherited a substantial amount of productive land is considered to be at least a laird. The ability to defend valuable ground over many years automatically conveys respect. Most lairds maintain their holdings through alliances with powerful clans. These commitments sometimes require them to participate in battles elsewhere, but with obligation comes opportunity. Some lairds aspire to become great leaders uniting a vast territory under one banner, but most are content to farm and fight with the turning of the seasons. Almost every laird hopes for two things – a strong heir and a glorious death.
⩓ Legate Though this term once referred to envoys authorized to negotiate on behalf of a general, it now applies to a cadre of Truscan officials who speak on behalf of the Emperor. Legates are selected for their sacrifices to the state, and many are aging combat veterans. In addition to talks with foreign powers, these officials are responsible for negotiating government contracts, commissioning academic studies, and coordinating intelligence gathering. Some operate academies or archives to better train Imperial personnel. Most spend their lives on the move, going to and from provincial capitals in order to see that the Emperor's agenda is respected. Though some patricians regard this post as a political dead end, old centurions often embrace it as an honorable way to continue service.
⩓ Lendmann/Lendlass The earliest thriving human society organized itself around five castes – slaves, yeoman, soldiers, lendmenn, and the royal family. Prototypical vassals, lendmenn administered territories smaller than some modern baronies. Yet it holds true that a lendmann or lendlass is granted ownership of a fief along with the responsibility to keep order and collect taxes in that locale. In urban settings this asset might only amount to a single building, but it is always suitable for generating income. Lendmenn who are not themselves prepared to serve as battlefield knights are expected to sponsor a champion to serve in their place. Some lendmenn manage to operate huge financial empires while limiting their territorial possessions to a few small estates.
⩓ Magister/Magistrix This Truscan honorific indicates a landholder and employer who has no need to personally perform labor. Centuries ago the title was reserved for owners of working slaves, but hiring voluntary labor is considered no less dignified today. Acquiring property under Imperial law is rarely a simple matter, but the state is inclined to reward success. Prosperous proprietors likely to keep their establishments in good condition may be granted ownership to promote long periods of punctual rent payments among other hopefuls. Farmers able to maintain a respectable villa may likewise be recognized with this status. Magisters have broad legal authority to buy and sell properties. In return they are expected to pay substantial taxes and otherwise support public institutions.
⩓ Magistrate Each magistrate is offered generous compensation from the Empire as well as a comfortable estate in a convenient location. This arrangement is meant to prevent corruption, since these officials oversee the judicial and legislative functions of local governments. Everything from accident liability cases to sewer engineering problems may be heard by a magistrate. Their primary duty is to maintain peaceful economic growth, though pressing events sometimes dictate other priorities. Some go on to higher positions in Imperial service while other magistrates stand as steadfast pillars of their communities. Heavily bound by precedents and regulations, these officials quickly become unpopular where they impose Truscan ways on resistant populations.
⩓ Maharaja/Maharani Early rajas of Xe-shan struggled to shelter small domains from hostile giants, voracious rakshasa, and tyrannical bird-kings. The first Maharaja led a team of heroes who cleared many lands for farmers, foresters, and miners. Leaders of this legendary regime never instituted a major standing army. Only a few generations later the Elatolian Hegemony imposed its will across the entire realm. Yet these people are slow to follow outside leaders. Modern governors of Xe-shan are always selected from the royal bloodline in order to rule as the Maharaja. These leaders kneel before the Emperor, but powerful secret societies remain loyal only to indigenous authorities. The present Maharani is permitted to maintain the old aristocracy so long as Imperial tax ledgers remain balanced.
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⩓ Malik These Serpian government officials conduct regular public addresses to spread news and Imperial proclamations among their subjects. Each presides over a small city, large agricultural zone, or center of religious activitiy. The Empire keeps the civilian administration secure by providing each malik with a palace, guards, and heralds. In addition to relaying reports from Theopolis, each malik settles disputes parties wish resolved by Imperial law. These officials rarely do more than advise local constabularies, but it is their duty to see that Imperial justice is administered consistently while minimizing local backlash. Though not responsible for military matters, maliks are expected to host visiting diplomats and trade missions.
⩓ Margave The border territories of some kingdoms convey special status. These fiefs are reserved for accomplished military leaders, and no taxes are collected for the crown. Instead supplemental funds from the national treasury are dispatched as needed to maintain a network of fortifications and a considerable standing army. Each territory is a potential warzone, and defenses sometimes take priority over commercial development. Margraves may even salt fields, collapse mines, or relocate towns in order to make their lands less desirable for potential invaders. Margraves are held in more esteem than grafs, but in peacetime the latter prosper more than the former. When war breaks out, margraves find opportunities for valor and conquest in offensives launched from their land.
⩓ Marquis/Marchioness In parts of southwestern Mainland, international disputes are often settled through competitions that are more festive than destructive. Where all out war with a neighbor seems a remote possibility, border counties are made to be showpieces of opportunity and luxury. Orderly checkpoints and clean inns are maintained at major crossings. Road workers place artful signage and perform cosmetic surface repairs. Border towns are made affluent and home to frequent celebrations. Though a marquis normally retains a group of renowned knights, standing military forces might otherwise be limited to a palace guard and local constabularies. In support of all this, marquises enjoy greater status than ordinary counts as well as special financial arrangements with their lieges.
⩓ Mayor Each Oriental city's wardens answer to a mayor who is responsible for the overall administration of municipal government. Though other societies also employ professional mayors to oversee the administration of some city governments, these are hereditary landholding titles on par with the status of barons in Celedinese and To-Shinese cultures. Some mayors are not particularly wealthy, either because their communities are poor or they dedicate most of their personal funds to charitable endeavors. Others are fabulously rich and powerful, able to influence events at harbors, mills, or markets prominent in the regional economy. The largest city governments employ many bureaus of constables and regulators all ultimately under the command of the local mayor.
⩓ Metsuke Government officials who maintain compliance with Shogunate authorities, the metsuke are the lowest rank of To-Shinese subjects licensed to wield large blades outside of official military activities. Their status often generates hospitality from other loyalists. Some metsuke are assigned to specific duties like auditing the finances of silk producers or assisting constables with fugitive hunts. Others wander from place to place, solving local problems and recording chronicles of the peoples they encounter. Metsuke have the authority to issue and execute summary judgements in service to their duties as peacekeepers. Between their law enforcement powers and their sidearms, few alive on the archipelago of To-Shin would dare to publicly disrespect a metsuke.
⩓ Minister Each governor in the Oriental Empire maintains a council of ministers. Early Celedinese governance saw Minister of Coin, Minister of Harvests, Minister of Justice, and Minister of War as the four most senior advisors to each governor. Today the traditional four are supplemented by additional experts at this rank. A modern ministry will operate offices in every major city of its province while organizing an entire sector of activity in that land. Some work closely with neighboring counterparts while others are guided only by their governors. Ministers may create lavish apartments for themselves at their headquarters, or they may live apart from their place of work. All have generous household budgets to discourage the temptation to pilfer from provincial funds.
⩓ Mirza Along with the current Khaan's living heirs, the most important Elatolian military leaders are granted this princely rank. It conveys extreme privileges, including the right to make pretty much any verbal demand of anyone who is not royalty. Some mirza maintain massive herds and leave vast swaths of heavily-grazed territory in their wake. Others command elite mercenary units, fighting deadly foes abroad then sharing the spoils of war with the regime back home. Mirza status depends on the Khaan's good graces. This may require navigating complex political situations through frequent visits to the royal court. When there is a major threat to security inside Elatolia, mirzas will rally to the Khaan, forming a modern cavalry horde that charges headlong into trouble.
⩓ Nomarch Each province of the Serpian Old Kingdom was governed by a nomarch. A similar position holds the same title in the modern Serpian Empire. Nomarchs tend to be focused on administration and politics rather than war. Yet their authority extends to all bashars, archons, and maliks as well as other Imperial subjects. Beyond managing their own provinces, all 210 nomarchs participate in biennial conventions to advise the Padishah and better know their peers. Even though each of these officials operates within a rigid system, nomarchs tend to be distinctive individuals who surround themselves with extraordinary talent. Their ability to address unusual challenges with gifted specialists helps the Empire to weather regional challenges without national disruptions.
⩓ Obirempon Select Zintu chiefs, often distant relations of the Shah, are granted judicial powers by the Imperial government. This legal authority typically extends beyond one tribal group. The rulings of obirempons may have broad consequences and defy established precedent. Later court processes often condemn and forbid specific punitive actions. Yet many punishments cannot be undone, and the overall effect of an active obirempon usually quells local unrest. The most creative will use fines and forced labor to improve their communities. The most corrupt will enrich themselves in this way. Where people are prosperous and peaceful, the local obirempon may see little demand to address greivances. Instead these officials organize festivals and promote their own popularity to become personally associated with ongoing success.
⩓ Ōmetsuke Elite field agents of the To-Shinese Shogunate's law enforcement and intelligence apparatus, ōmetsuke often travel with their own entourage of specialists and assistants. They file their reports directly with officials in Ōiyōsai. Their tasks sometimes involve matters of great national importance. Each ōmetsuke is supported by a small estate which doubles as a base of operations for an elite team. These centers may become archives, workshops, or schools to pass on skills these investigators and their associates use in their work. Some gain permission to operate small armies for dealing with problems like bandits or monsters. Each of these forces must be fully integrated into the national military chain of command.
⩓ Overking Between his personal might and a truly massive suit of armor, Dread Erik had a well-earned reputation for invincibility. When Dread Erik commanded a dozen other kings to kneel before him in a single ceremony, he became known as the Overking of Wotania. The civilization ruled by Dread Erik and his offspring did much to spread feudalism across Mainland. When Wotania was torn apart by civil war, the last Overking accepted that he had become a mere king. Most Mainlanders who know history are familiar with this story. In areas with heavy Norish influence, some people talk of a glorious future when a new dynasty of Overkings will rise up to rule a superpower. Related tales of salvation and prosperity are popular in regions struggling with violence and hunger.
⩓ Padishah Just after the collapse of the Iskreshi Sultanate, a century of home rule saw the shahs of Serpia redefine the culture of a proud people. Many popular customs and laws did not continue after Truscan annexation. When relatively recent political and economic tensions drove the Eastern Flank of the Truscan Empire to seceed, it became a great empire of its own in search of a non-Truscan identity. The world's newest emperor declared himself Padishah Darius I, installing shahs to create centers of power far from Theopolis. The Padishah quickly restructured the Serpian Empire's armed forces and civil services. With so much less grain and gold flowing west, his new nation was able to maintain its defenses while growing ancient cities into modern metropolitan centers.
⩓ Pontifex For each faith with a major institutional presence in a Truscan province, a single pontifex is appointed to serve as supreme authority. Each pontifex settles questions of theological dispute and renders opinions on important matters of the day. They are expected to support the state. Social critque is traditionally an acceptable form of support, though an overly provocative pontifex may cause a religion to lose favor. In exchange for loyalty, they are themselves supported. Each pontifex is granted a palace seperate from but near to a major center of worship. The Imperial bureaucracy also assigns a large staff of clerks, couriers, and household servants to each pontifex. These titles tend to be lifetime appointments, giving less active pontifices ample opportunity to research, pray, or partake of earthly delights.
⩓ Prefect Each prefecture of the Oriental Empire is an administrative district with no clear subdivisions. The prefectures of the To-Shinese Shogunate are each divided into several provinces. Thus each To-Shinese prefect must work with and through a group of daimyōs while prefects elsewhere in the Orient are free to set up their own administrations as they see fit. Yet in both cases the job involves everything from overseeing a bureau of cultural censors to approving and funding the latest flood control plans. Because of their immense social standing, prefects' families often mingle with the royal family. Some prefects are responsible for more than a million lives, so this post is never awarded to inexperienced or unreliable persons.
⩓ Raja/Rani Though this is the ancient Xe-shanese term for king, a modern raja is regarded as a regional official. Most govern populations smaller than the average duchy. Yet each raja was born into a respected family and raised to rule. They act as extensions of the Maharani's authority into lands that trade little with the isolated capital of Shambala. This makes rajas work as taskmasters over lesser officials, keeping order and harmonizing Imperial oversight with Xe-shanese culture. Most still manage to live like kings, drawing on a seemingly endless supply of lost or hidden treasure caches. With their wealth they transform their own estates into models of prosperity and productivity. Advances in education, enchantment, and farming are selectively copied by subordinate leaders.
⩓ Rōjū Great leaders who have earned the personal trust of the Shogun may find themselves honored with the title of rōjū. With that title comes the authority to act in the name of the Shogun, even to the point of overruling a prefect. Each Rōjū has a unique mix of skills and supporters. Most maintain a fortified base as a personal headquarters, but these adventurous aristocrats spend much of their time travelling. Their duty is to inspect and improve the operations of other government personnel. Be it constantly reinforcing national defenses, making adjustments to optimize economic development, or promoting cultural trends thought to increase public loyalty; every rōjū maintains a robust schedule of official activities.
⩓ Senator The Truscan Senate was once famed as the world's most august deliberative body. That reputation was lost when the Empire accepted dictatorial leadership. Today most senators are travelling advocates speaking on behalf of elite interests in Truscan society. Each appointment carries with it a salary large enough to live like a count. Many senators make the rounds visiting with powerful families, especially those with pending government business. Through both correspondence and personal appearances, senators apply pressure to the bureaucracy. Most have the ear of a governor or the Emperor himself. A senator's duty is entirely focused on communications. The most respected will take to public squares in times of crisis and rally citizens in support of patriotic action.
⩓ Shah Rarely appearing without an array of glittering jewels, these hereditary overseers of the Serpian Empire each control a personal domain of 42 provinces. They relate to the Padishah as a duke might to a king, but each shah commands the influence and wealth of a king. Imperial law applies to them, but it also grants shahs limited power to rule by decree. Official findings not personally certified by the Padishah may be overturned by a shah. Most in these positions shamelessly enrich their families, and some are guilty of further corruption. Yet these authoritarian leaders enjoy dutiful obedience from archons, bashars, maliks, and nomarchs under their jurisdiction. This unity is crucial to the effectiveness and integrity of the world's youngest Imperial regime.
⩓ Sheikh Originally the term for a Wabahari tribal elder, sheikh is now used throughout the Serpian Empire to designate local leaders with a long history of rallying support from their people. Special business opportunities and other privileges induce these popular figures to show respect for Imperial authorities. Yet it is not a term than can be stripped away by any official act. A renegade sheikh may enjoy the status of a folk hero, support growing with every season of continued defiance. Likewise a sheikh with the full support of the Empire may be discredited and shunned in the wake of a sufficiently major scandal. Most who bear this title enjoy financial support from many prosperous houses, and some also act as legal authorities operating outside the Imperial system.
⩓ Shogun To-Shinese independence started with neglect. The bureaucracy noted without alarm that famous families were effectively turning mid-level positions into birthrights. Prefects with an agenda of ethnic nationalism managed to install enough Celedinese immigrants that the idea of hereditary indigenous officials became wildly popular. Crackdowns on minor rebellions were misdirected to bring woe upon innocent communities. Resentment built up until a full rebellion broke out. Able lords fighting for the resistance selected one among them to serve as dictator. Imperial officials were expelled with remarkable swiftness, and the To-Shinese Shogunate declared independence. Even today the Shogun exercises absolute power by way of enormous intelligence gathering and military hierarchies.
⩓ Taiji These distant relatives of the Khaan are considered quasi-royalty. Only mirza and the Khaan himself need not make way for a taiji's procession. Most taiji possess both a family stronghold and an enormous herd of valuable stock. Those strongholds feature a formidable fort overlooking a town full of loyal artisans and merchants. Some taiji improve their community with the profits from livestock while others improve their herd with taxes from the town. Taiji are required to pay some taxes of their own, though these can be mitigated with major contributions of warhorses or trained soldiers. Factors like weather and whimsy often influence the ratio of time these nobles spend on the open range to time spent holding court in a more sheltered setting.
⩓ Taishi While most of Elatolia remains open range, royal land grants remain an organizing principle there. The humblest fiefs are accompanied by the title taishi. Each of these territories contain some tracts of farmland, a thriving town, and/or excellent waters to fish. Any diligent taishi with a small body of followers can live well by protecting and taxing local commerce. Along with the position, successors are expected to inherit the lore of their predecessors. It is only through generations of thoughtful expertise that the realm's valleys and ports provide enough food for the Elatolian homeland. Taishi sometimes channel surplus resources into a college or temple. The most successful grow large prosperous communities by investing in their own domains.
⩓ Talukdar Through special arrangement with the Oriental Empire, the Maharani personally pays taxes for all of Xe-Shan. Much of that revenue is gathered by talukdars operating out of mountainside or hilltop fortresses. They are legal owners of their fiefs, which tend to be the size of counties. Most are speckled with non-human enclaves and exotic monasteries that pose unusual peacekeeping and tax collection challenges. Though talukdars are governed by Imperial law, their authority in areas like work opportunities, housing assignments, and sanitation plans makes it possible to impose new policies on a population. Most talukdars maintain peace and prosperity across their territories without any need for executions, mutilations, or reinforcement from Imperial authorities.
⩓ Thakur The prefects of Xe-Shan are known locally as thakurs. The Maharani and the Imperial bureaucracy negotiate the elevation of these officials from talukdar status, a position they normally resume after leaving office. As Imperial prefects these officials have law enforcement powers, conscription authority, and funding sufficient to maintain a standing army. Thakurs tend to employ a diverse collection of small units with exotic training and tactics. The total numbers of their forces are not imposing, but the capablities of some are legendary. Thakurs respond to complaints from talukdars and zamindars about violent activities or criminal organizations on their fiefs. Thakurs also head into wild lands as needed to conduct monster hunts in service to public safety.
⩓ Thane Carmatian landholders who are defenders of many prosperous towns or at least one respectable city are known as thanes. Though this status sometimes rests on the politics of clans clashing in the area, most thanes are battle-tested. Some are living legends. There is no uniform approach to defending a thanedom in the highlands, so standing forces and ready reserves vary greatly. Likewise with the lands themselves. Few regions produce consistently good harvests, and some offer little working farmland at all. The most infamous thanes are little more than warlords, raiding regularly to restock their own treasuries. The most admired are noble protectors giving many thousands of people a place to flourish. Always they expect to be treated as dignitaries both at home and abroad.
⩓ Tigui Early Zintu adventurers with the wherewithal to lead an expedition into the interior and return with valuable resources would be addressed as tigui. Today the same term is a noble rank that indicates command of an extraordinary operation at work. Tigui landholdings may encompass a large plantation or a productive mine. Yet some of these elites take a more traditional approach. Their estates are secure compounds where supporters can keep homes and raise families in peace. On a seasonal basis, the tigui and key associates make camp in the wild interior. From taking down big game to literal treasure hunting, the group often returns slightly less numerous and much wealthier. Higher officials award this title to give leaders legal authority over their teams while encouraging complete tax compliance.
⩓ Tribune An office bestowed on people of common birth by means of popular vote, tribunes play a unique role in Truscan society. Under the Republic they were outspoken advocates for the welfare of the plebian class. Today most tribunes require the support of elite financiers to win votes for election or retention. Both custom and law holds that tribunes are never to be punished for their public remarks nor barred from entry into any government building. Ideally, it is their role to speak truth to power on behalf of people who have no other voice in the regime. Yet a tribune who makes too much trouble may be replaced. Many serve the state with nothing more than tactful reminders of the costs new policies impose on ordinary citizens and soldiers. Most are rewarded with a respectable salary and modest estate.
⩓ Viscount/Viscountess This title is used little or not at all by some monarchs. Yet others award many of these fiefs that are technically superior to a barony and inferior to a county. This range might encompass a medium-sized city or the entire homeland of a tiny isolated culture. Viscounts who do not live in a proper castle will instead inhabit a lavish palace fit for hosting royalty. These domains are usually lucrative, but each poses its own set of challenges. Some viscounts benefit from family traditions that unlock the secrets of motivating local industries to be more productive. Others maintain the right mix of military and political assets to harmoniously secure an otherwise troubled locale. Some of these officials retain exotic knights specially trained to address the unique difficulties of their viscounties.
⩓ Vizegraf Though most barons maintain a fortified tower or keep for their own protection, by definition a vizegraf's holdings include a proper castle. Their income may be derived from the productivity of surrounding lands or it may come chiefly from a superior's treasury. Every vizegraf accepts a duty to maintain a capable garrison securing that territory against a full invasion. Strongholds durable enough to serve as rallying points in time of crisis make a crucial contribution to social stability. Vizegrafs who are not formidable military commanders in their own right are expected to fund knights able to provide that leadership. These houses often employ masons and engineers to maintain defenses. Provided taxes are not too severe, common folk tend to support these noble protectors.
⩓ Vizier As with the viceroys of the Old Kingdom, most Serpian viziers maintain order and prosperity in outlying lands. They host their shah for official visits, otherwise presiding over headquarters fit for a king. Viziers rarely deviate from Imperial policies. Yet they command tremendous respect ruling on regional controversies while managing the apparatus of government. Some oversee multiple provinces and metropolitan centers. Yet the domain of some viziers is conceptual rather than territorial. One might oversee all minting under a shah while another is responsible for building and maintaining roads. These specialist viziers will be granted palaces and personal estates adequate to host royalty, but their authority is otherwise limited to a category of public endeavor.
⩓ Wang The Elatolian Hegemony arose when the first Khaan systematically conquered dozens of small kingdoms. This ancient word for king now refers to an Elatolian aristocrat who controls a considerable expanse of land including at least one large permanent settlement. The domains of these nobles tend to line river valleys or sit on the edge of forests. Wangs show particular interest in irrigation to expand the scope of productive farmland. Their fiefs account for much of the food production and commerce in modern Elatolia. Many educational and religious institutions owe their establishment to the patronage of a wang. Within their domains these nobles still rule like minor kings. Yet they are expected to furnish the Khaan with enormous financial tribute during official visits.
⩓ Warden This is not an aristocratic title in Mainlander societies, where it is bestowed upon law enforcers ranging over large areas with little or no population. By contrast, wardens of the Orient govern small territories with high populations. Their rank conveys the authority to deputize and arm civilians. These officials are tasked with keeping the peace and overseeing compliance with government regulations. Officials who rise high in the bureaucracy often got their start as popular wardens who brought prosperity and happiness to a troubled neighborhood. In exchange for their salaries and badges, these local leaders are expected to support all Imperial activities taking place in their territories, especially criminal investigations and tax collections.
⩓ Zamindar The original zamindars were tax collectors appointed by a legendary Maharaja. When his royal court cut off contact with the outside world, zamindars went beyond administering censuses and gathering tributes. Today they control their fiefs according to distinctive traditions. Zamindars have broad latitude to reassign farms, alter rents, order labors, and set productivity quotas. Though they collect those rents for themselves and taxes for the Maharani, zamindars have no special authority to impose criminal justice beyond penalties for non-compliance with economic plans. Some still maintain order by applying pressure through the powers within their purview. Other zamindars depend heavily on higher authorities to keep the peace inside their own territories. |
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Assets & Acres ↑ → Businesses & Bootlegs ← ↓ Coins & Currencies ↓
Businesses & Bootlegs
Banks Dragons hoard gold in their lairs because luxuriating in it gives them a sense of blissful ecstasy. Humans pile gold into vaults because it is easier to secure one large treasury than many small repositories. Modern societies typically allow private banking houses as a popular way to build up financial reserves without having an account at a government office or keeping all funds on hand. Complex networks of credit exchange between banks and shipping companies constitute a financial infrastructure within which profits can be concealed from tax collectors and/or shareholders.
Many realms see growing political pressure to regulate lending and other financial practices. Some governments facilitate the worst abuses, enforcing contract provisions no less severe than enslavement. The most honorable banks negotiate compromises with delinquent debtors, while the least scrupulous impose punitive penalties and employ violent collection agents. Long-established banks are safe places to store wealth. They will also lend from their reserves, but only when they are extremely confident of repayment on their terms. |
Once halflings started delivering small items from the territories of different dragons, merchandise joined coins and land as a form of wealth. Sometimes a full purse is no substitute for goods on hand. Providers of secure shipping played crucial roles in the earliest human societies. Caravans grew larger and more frequent. Merchant mariners found adventurous ways to accumulate respectable fortunes. A virtuous cycle unfolded – new commerce supported more specialization, which in turn helped expand trade. Parallel cycles saw many great cities expanding to sustain more than one million people together in a single community. Modern prosperity ripples through surrounding lands. Many working families can afford luxuries like a diverse wardrobe, locking doors, and a few books or musical instruments.
The wealth of a thriving society becomes plunder from a different perspective. Norish marauders launch seasonal raids with financial goals. Pirates and bandits have long preyed upon civilians thought to be hauling ample cargo or treasure. Artisans and shopkeepers must remain vigilant against thieves. Fencing stolen goods can be a lucrative trade. It often involves speedy export, since concerned authorities sometimes employ magic to seek out nearby stolen objects. Even financial enterprises constituted entirely by rented buildings and legal documents must be wary of fraud and embezzlement. Just as criminals target those who accumulate wealth, authorities may use legal means to pursue control. Partnerships and other investment schemes can convert these conflicts into harmonious arrangements.
Major trading corporations admit aristocrats to boards of directors. In return for personal enrichmeent they secure warehouses, satisfy regulators, manage offices, negotiate tax relief, and protect trademarks. Some shipping lines are wholly owned by royal charter. The norm is a partnership allowing some corporate officers to handle politics while others focus on logistics and market analysis. The largest employ many thousands of people spread all over the world. Some go beyond anticipating trends, directly manipulating trade itself. Stockpiling inventories makes it possible to drive up prices of specific goods. Flooding an area with merchandise may cripple competitors, enabling buyouts at extremely favorable terms. Either tactic leaves the corporation in a position to exploit a vulnerable population.
“Nothing written in any spellbook surpasses the power of compound interest.”
— Demeter Sarantos, Thracian Tribune |
Large mercantile companies may enter into exclusive arrangements with suppliers. Either by adding another member to the board or paying rent on production facilities, exporters gain control of sources like the harvest from a famous tea plantation or the goods crafted by a renowned guild. Any well-run commercial enterprise generates value beyond basic compensation for workers. Owners can become fabulously wealthy from surpluses. Some companies even sell shares of ownership to otherwise passive investors. These speculators provide more funds to cover expenses and make acquisitions, participating in subsequent profits and losses. In many lands these financial schemes are subject to little government oversight. Frauds are all too common among smaller operators, while large trading companies sometimes motivate official corruption.
Borders Every nation maintains some sort of surveillance in border lands so that incursions are promptly detected. Some borders see much greater attention, including heavily garrisoned forts and efforts to modify the terrain. The entire boundary between Albionish and Carmatian homelands is a massive stone wall. Where neither tensions nor populations run high, regular security may give way to bandit territory. Yet where trade is brisk, checkpoints and regular patrols make it difficult to move goods in bulk undetected. At borders between hostile powers, any crossing involves an element of risk.
Internal borders can also have bearing on trade. Many cities have strict legal codes that do not extend beyond bowshot of their outer wall. Laws may also vary between fiefs, districts, or provinces. Regulators and tax collectors are a common sight at any secure crossings between different jurisdictions. Back roads and lesser waterways may provide alternatives, though lack of oversight is often exploited by brigands and predators. While border guards are dutybound to prevent smuggling, other obligations place competing demands on their attention. Also, some guards are more dutiful than others. |
Businesses operating out of established premises in a civilized area will require support from local leaders. Many societies do not recognize claims of land ownership asserted by ordinary citizens or subjects. Initially favorable rents tend to escalate after new businesses accumulate inventory, develop a clientele, and invest in their facilities. Working with a commercial landlord often amounts to an unofficial partnership. Some artisans' guilds have legal authority to compel cooperation from upstarts attempting the same craft anywhere in an entire city. Without an aristocratic sponsor, lucrative businesses in populated areas will be seen as prizes to be acquired by society's elite. Only ventures owned by or allied with a titled official can be confident the power structure will support steady accumulation of private profit.
Yet some opportunities involve actively working against officialdom. Luxury trademarks often inspire counterfeit merchandise. Rising taxes generate interest in secret methods of storage and transportation. Rigid regulations leave some producers with large supplies of unapproved goods. Some laws explicitly forbid the possession of particular substances or items. These conditions generate needs served by illicit commerce. Its grave risks pair with tremendous rewards. Criminal syndicates require secrecy. Witnesses to criminal activity can become problems for the group. The number of informed insiders must be kept small. From fearless smugglers sailing treacherous waters to gangs of urchin peddlers plying busy streetcorners, there are many ways to profit while covertly circumventing legal methods of trade.
Running arms and military equipment through hostile territory to embattled forces generates especially lucrative opportunities. Bulky cargoes and aggressive patrols make every warzone delivery challenging. The smugglers' speciality, avoiding interdiction, becomes a matter of survival. Informants can reveal the search plans of diviners. Planting a little incriminating evidence may misdirect authorities away from a larger haul. Fugitive transport often involves eluding trackers while rushing customers to their destinations. The best profits come from trafficking mind-altering substances. These controversial commodities can provoke extreme policies like punishingly high taxes or outright prohibitions. Sneaking this sort compact contraband through borders, harbors, or city gates is the source of many substantial incomes.
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⧫ Animals being bred or transported will attract official attention. Tax assessments may be informed by the size and health of herds. From ecological concerns to religious taboos, some realms have reason to enforce severe penalties for attempts to import specific creatures. Rulers adjacent to wealthy nations may place heavy taxes on the export of livestock and working animals, hoping to retain productive capacity in their own lands. Occasionally a formal declaration recognizes a particular breed as a national treasure or a military asset. These acts can lead to outright bans on activities like exporting, capturing, hunting, or use as food.
Even where there are no controversies or unreasonable tariffs, the live animal trade remains problematic in other ways. Stock usually requires food and water, not to mention plenty of cleanup while housed in barns or aboard ships. This sort of cargo can be difficult to conceal. Many types of animals persistently betray their presence with distinctive smells, sounds, and tracks. Without proper care, animals can develop disease that may spread among their kind or even pose risks to people. Runaways and attacking beasts can create serious hazards. Being caught in a major stampede is an experience that rivals the horrors of war.
⧫ Arms/Armor are subject to government oversight in every civilized realm. Some impose severe restrictions, criminalizing specific equipment for wielders without official rank or license. Even where private use of military weapons is encouraged, informants gather intelligence allowing rulers to monitor the groups, locations, and motives associated with potentially threatening buildups. Arms dealers can run afoul of international conflict when trade with one faction leads to political tensions with a hostile power. Most bladesmiths, armorers, and weapon merchants make a point to work with local authorities so as not to be suspected of working against them.
Groups with official military ties or aristocratic support may oppose upstarts in their communities. Enforcing impractical regulations or plotting to associate a rival with a crime problem can interfere with trade. Guilds in this sector are often willing to work with outsiders, albeit on terms that serve their financial interests. Major population centers usually sustain a robust covert arms trade nearby, with dwarves and/or dark elves operating facilities both literally and figuratively underground. This sort of cargo can prove lucrative for daring smugglers, since bandits and soldiers alike see these hauls as valuable prizes.
⧫ Art/Fashion sees endless fickleness driven by trends. Creative visionaries strive to please their patrons through bold experiments and extreme displays of technical ability. Wealthy consumers will seek similar decor and attire for themselves. Ordinary consumers see elements of the experimental turning up at the markets and shops they frequent. Some clothiers cultivate reputations for practical and durable attire. This sort prospers only a little unless retained to produce uniforms. The greatest profits in this sector involve transforming textiles into the fashions of the season fit to garb aristocrats.
Apart from collecting taxes on trade in the rarest and most prized of raw materials, governments rarely show much interest in this area. The value of many objects of art is subjective. What a vendor might promote to the public as fine robes suited to royal courtiers could be listed as common monastic garb on ledgers meant for official inspection. Also, it is often impractical to establish which items of clothing and decoration are inventory for trade and which are personal possessions. Apart from urban guilds hostile to local independents, literally going out of style is the main hazard of endeavors in this sector.
⧫ Books/Papers are the material component of information channels vital to vast organizations. Logbooks, ledgers, and digests are constantly being duplicated and circulated throughout governments and trading companies. Some cities see more than one-tenth of their inhabitants employed as scribes or clerks. Their ranks may be doubled by adding arcane, religious, and scientific disciplines steeped in literature as well as students in those areas. Roadworthy persons and seaworthy vessels can collect modest fees for carrying mail pouches between civilized communities. Trusted professional transporters earn generous fees by delivering secret reports or magical texts, some actively sought by hostile organizations.
Modern leaders consider archives and libraries among their most precious resources. The upkeep of these facilities requires not only scribes, but also experts in bookbinding and the organization of large collections. Stationery and inks are rarely subject to special taxes, since literacy is immensely popular. Concentrations of books and papers are ideal fuel for a fast-spreading fire. A disastrous loss of knowledge can be compounded by as the conflagration quickly consumes a building or vessel. Yet large shipments of literature are common. No major city lacks multiple booksellers. Also, many libraries share knowledge by exchanging crates of older volumes after penning fresh copies for their own collections.
⧫ Construction requires a building site. In civilized lands this almost always involves permission from or partnership with a landowning aristocrat. Wilder territories pair no government interference with no protection. Homes and businesses in unclaimed lands become targets for attack by monsters and bandits. Independent builders often find opportunities in smaller towns where minor lords encourage commoners to show initiative in land development. Larger cities see strict regulators and local guilds both blocking these efforts. From architects to roofers, working within the established power structure is the only way to make an enduring contribution to an urban skyline.
Construction materials are not normally subject to special taxes. Most regulations are about protecting the land, like banning quarries that undermine inhabited hills or requiring loggers to purchase licenses with limited use. Long distance shipping of these supplies rarely attracts aggression. Slow barges are common for loads of rock or bundles of timber. Only the most exotic stone or wood is handled like valuable cargo. Responsible city governments not only inspect existing buildings, but also guard against the use of damaged or otherwise inferior building materials that could lead to future collapse. Criminal organizations sometimes profit from risky substitutions in the provision of building materials.
⧫ Entertainment is a significant part of every major economy in modern times. Playhouses and concert halls are rarely quiet more than two evenings per week. The most elite eateries and boutiques employ educated musicians to create an ambience for patrons. Common drinking houses often serve up a few pints and a few coins to entertainers who keep a crowd amused late into the night. Even where hardships are intense, the comfort of a familiar ballad or the distraction of an engaging drama may drive people to continue funding performances. Outsiders are often welcomed by local talent. Yet competition can be fierce for the most lucrative opportunities. Some cities impose official censorship and/or criminalize busking without a license.
Many entertainers travel to learn the songs and tales of distant lands. Troubadors spread news of recent events while working a circuit of familiar communities. Famed celebrities tour arenas to participate in huge public spectacles. Many churches and temples sponsor entertainers in efforts to attract outsiders. Yet outspoken clergy have also been known to condemn specific sorts of music or theater. Rulers may be moved to impose legal bans. In many realms it is common for public officials to punish entertainers thought to be challenging authorities. Where political tensions run thick, the timing and momentum of a rebellion can be influenced by charismatic agitators working through artistic performances.
⧫ Grain/Produce is essential for sustained economic development. Immigrants do not flock to hungry cities. Talented professionals normally favor neighborhoods offering a wide variety of food vendors. Surplus goods in this sector may be distilled into valuable spirits. Even tax collectors get their taste of the best harvests. Each growing season is a big investment with uncertain outcomes. Economic planners, landlords, and clergy may all be strong advocates for specific crops or farming practices. Grain storage is often a simple matter of pest control, though fine dust in the air can create a fire hazard at granaries. Barges are used to move these inexpensive and durable commodities over water.
Swifter transport is preferred for more perishable goods. Apart from various nuts and roots, most produce is best consumed within days of harvest. Swift horsecarts transport fresh fruits and vegetables quickly from farm to table. Some teamsters even specialize in hauling both ice and produce from the countryside, allowing the former to preserve the latter. Inspections are common in this sector, since unscrupulous vendors have been known to add filler to sacks of grain or conceal rotten produce under their best samples. Much of the teleportation traffic at urban Standing Stone sites is driven by demand for foreign foodstuffs.
⧫ Leathers/Furs serve as trade goods even in the most primitive communities. Some aristocrats favor cloaks or coats of rare fur on ceremonial occasions. Wherever the weather is capable of delivering bitter cold, heavy fur garments become everyday attire. Extremely rugged clothing can be produced from leathers. Yet the finest of these materials are prized by elite fashion designers. From a basic pair of hiking boots to a literal mantle of royalty, the skins of other creatures are an important part of how most people clad themselves.
Materials sourced from the wild may see hunters requiring special permission to operate in civilized territory. Trapping may be even more heavily restricted, and that practice risks hostility from wild fey or reclusive druids inhabiting untamed wildereness. Finished goods produced or sold in urban environments sometimes require the approval of a local trade guild. Merchants able to walk comfortably among both cityfolk and isolated tribes sometimes accumulate enormous profits by exchanging outland pelts for basic tools and supplies. Though poaching can bring severe penalties, it generates income for sufficiently sneaky hunters.
⧫ Magic Items are always coveted, some valued far more than their own weight in gold. Even self-heating kettles and perpetually-inked quill nibs fetch higher prices than a full suit of non-magical chainmail. Many spellcasters possess the means to discern enchanted objects from ordinary matter, and curiosity is a common trait among them. The rarest of relics have been known to manipulate the minds of guards into disloyal violence. Yet even minor magic items create some risk of pilferage. Caravans and shops with abundant selections require extraordinary security. Only the most legendary vendors can stock and protect a broad assortment of truly powerful items.
Some brokers specialize in acquisition of specific magic items. Through a blend of contacts, divinations, and legwork; these professionals are constantly questing while steering clear of personal violence. Their rewards come in the form of fees collected whenever a hopeful buyer is united with a potential seller. Even magic shops that lack enchanted items will offer an array of spell components and magic item precursors. Imbuing these materials with arcane power requires the correct formula. Since so many formulae are obsolete or impractical, each working process is a closely guarded secret. Some require a quest of their own to earn the trust of a capable teacher or to make sense of details buried inside allegories and riddles.
⧫ Passengers/Pilgrims would be able to purchase a sailing ship outright for the cost of an intercontinental round trip by way of the ley line network. Thus those ships continue to cross the Lesser Ocean since few travellers can afford the magical alternative. Almost every land sees wayfarers in need of guidance and support. Even the poorest people may attempt great journeys for an urgent purpose. Prosperous families sometimes seek new experiences or visit kin by taking vacations in distant lands. Students must attend an institution or live near an instructor to be available for lessons. Some religions require a holy pilgrimage of all worshippers, and many more teach that certain sacred sites offer the prospect of miraculous blessings.
Transporting people poses more demanding versions of the challenges associated with livestock, particularly in terms of feeding and quartering. Passengers may insist on stopping to see the sights, visit a market, or interact with potenatially unfriendly locals. Though wealthy travellers tend to offer generous compensation, they can be targets for skilled robbers and kidnappers if not also assassins. More than a few modern shipping lines offer a regular schedule of passenger service between distant ports. Fees at border checkpoints are customarily reasonable, though inspections may be otherwise. Captains and caraveneers can develop problematic reputations if they become known for transporting fugitives or monstrous-looking persons.
⧫ Tools/Gadgets are crucial to the development of new territories. From gathering resources with axes and picks to surveying boundaries with spyglasses and plane tables, many tools are required to raise buildings and coordinate other labors. When an isolated colony taps a valuable resource, years of lucrative trade opportunities may follow from exporting that commodity in exchange for working tools and household comforts. Speciality shops offer clockwork toys for children of all ages, from mesmerizing displays to hang near a newborn's crib to gambling machines that collect and randomly payout uniform tokens. Yet many people fail to appreciate how delicate the springs and gears inside mechanical devices can be.
As with the original purchase of a gadget, upkeep and repairs can be costly. Well-placed experts grow rich as vendors of precision-crafted components. Rock gnomes are naturally gifted tinkers, and the Apparatus Society shares its lore with agreeable supplicants. Guilds have difficulty monopolizing this complex sector. Innovations are both frequent and unpredictable. Yet tinkers often face unrealistic demands from customers. Workers may blame toolmakers when equipment fails in critical situations. An even greater loss of life is caused by mechanical traps. Though inventors have been awarded fortunes for rigging a vault or fortress with deadly features, some designers have been put to death by paranoid employers obsessed with the secrecy of their defenses.
⧫ Treasure is a powerful motivator for people and dragons alike. Sites known to yield precious metals and/or gems are typically protected by armed guards and mined only by loyal professionals. Many humans see this work as unpleasant toil in an uncomfortable environment. Yet goblins and kobolds work well in dark tunnels. Dwarves share that trait and find it deeply satisfying to extract quality ore from underground. Smelting commonly takes place near precious metal mines. Mints sometimes operate in the vicinity as well. Securing a treasure caravan is always risky work. Where aristocrats are unable to put military commanders on the task, secrecy and misinformation become essential.
Government and corporate payrolls are always targets for daring thieves. Banks are an even greater lure, though successful bank robberies are not at all common. Abundant steel and powerful spells join forces in defense of any major treasure vault. Synod Jewellers maintain a global standard of ethical integrity across commerce in this sector. Precious items not need be sold at unconsecrated establishments for far below their intrinsic value unless they are stolen. Yet some lords legally confiscate or place heavy taxes on treasure hoards recovered inside their territory. Heroic adventurers serving a civilized realm are well-advised to negotiate in advance the status of loot recovered from the lairs and persons of defeated foes.
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℞ Alcohol has been popular for tens of thousands of years. The Archfey personally shaped many varieties of grape in pursuit of the finest table wines. Modern worshippers of Dionysus both covet and revere alcoholic beverages. In one form or another, beer is a common ration as well as a tavern staple. Most modern cultures also have their own winemaking traditions, and many are no strangers to strong spirits. Agricultural surpluses and distillation technology maintain the flow of booze into thirsty cities.
Yet chronic or excessive drunkenness gives rise to serious concerns. Most societies closely regulate and heavily tax the production of alcohol. Bootlegging and smuggling can lead to violent conflicts with authorities. Public drunkenness is rarely punished with more than a turn in the pillory, though some authorities enforce more severe prohibitions. The primary harm from alcohol is not so much the drinking itself as the street fights and other gang activity often fueled by aggressive consumption. Even so, few aristocrats abstain from this pleasure.
℞ Ambrosia is seen by some as a gift given by the gods, while others regard it as a stolen secret. This light foamy foodstuff tastes of honey. A hearty portion is always satisfying yet never fattening. Consumption tends to emphasize feelings of fitness and youth, often accompanied by a general sense of bliss. It does wonders for elevating people out of sad or angry moods. Ambrosia also offers temporary respite from chronic pain and other physical discomforts. There is no excuse for remaining glum at a celebration where this dish is served.
Unfortunately this effect ceases the day after an indulgence. Continuous dosing shortens its duration. Meals of ambrosia must become increasingly frequent to maintain a sense of well-being. Dependent consumers may resort to desperate measures in the quest to fund a habit. Infused with holy magic, genuine ambrosia is typically produced by a team of skilled cooks working with clergy. Churches may freely distribute the stuff on special occasions, but they zealously guard supplies. Most societies have popular laws with severe penalties for the hoarding or resale of ambrosia by persons operating without the support of a respected religious organization.
℞ Cheerpaste is produced by compressing a blend of berries, nectars, and fungi into a sticky gel. Initially it tastes sweet, and if eaten it has a numbing effect that makes all other foods taste sweet. In larger doses, it can cause slurred speech along with colorful staining of the tongue, teeth, and lips. Though cheerpaste can be used to make a bland meal taste like dessert, the substance is consumed primarily by people sitting or standing in an audience. It normally promotes quiet attention, but cheerpaste also seems to amplify the emotional impact of a crowd's shared experience. Tragic moments in a play will seem even darker, while triumphs of art or sport will be profoundly satisfying to witness.
Cheerpaste loses potency within a day or two of its manufacture, so it can be an expensive treat in areas where the ingredients are rare. Yet it is a feature of many Old Faith gatherings, making silences more reverent and howling more fervent. When eaten alone in the absence of any spectacle, the chief effect of the substance is to raise awareness of just how boring the present moment happens to be. Actual cheerpaste is rarely involved in criminal matters, but vendors peddling old or counterfeit cheerpaste may work the crowd at major public events.
℞ Chromestools seem psychedelic on the outside, given the way light plays off the shimmering exteriors of these small mushrooms. When eaten raw, they taste of well-cooked beefsteak. Beyond that, they also alter minds to think in ways both more creative and less orderly. With a moderate dose, all forms of entertainment seem more intense and amusing. A truly heavy dose can produce temporary confusion, hallucinations, and synesthesia. Fringe groups and rebellious youths may eat chromestools to enhance revelry. Some artists and scholars indulge in search of inspiration. Yet many people find the experience unpleasant, and some local leaders go so far as to ban trade in chromesools.
Actual harm involving these mushrooms is likely to be a result of a ban rather than the behavior of users. The heaviest doses can be disorienting or even sickening, but chromestools are not popular with the sorts of people who accept life-and-death responsibilities on a regular basis. The tales of tragedy attributed to chromestools are typically fictions concocted to discourage juvenile experimentation. Being almost as controversial as they are shiny, herbalists normally stock this ware in a secret compartment or opaque container.
℞ Fizzwater is produced with the simplest of magics. Given the correct formula, any beverage can be infused with tiny bubbles that impart both relaxing and refreshing qualities. Some favor it as a substitute for alcohol, since fizzwater binges typically conclude with peaceful slumber. Parties fuelled by fizzwater tend to be quiet and serene, yet no less euphoric than their alcoholic counterparts. Where available, fizzwater is particularly welcome in the aftermath of a great labor or a stressful day. It is often effective in calming disturbed or traumatized individuals.
The chief hazard of fizzwater is its explosive nature. Fizzwater containers must be tightly sealed, as its gaseous infusion will disperse into the air within an hour or two of exposure. Yet if a sealed fizzwater container becomes agitated, the pressure within will increase. Being highly flammable, a strong concentration of those gases can prove downright disastrous. This trade is rigorously taxed, restricted, and licensed. Public backlash is common against any government that fails to protect its citizens from detonations of major fizzwater stockpiles.
℞ Hushbalm is a blend of fragrant oils with a unique and memorable aroma. When deliberately inhaled or applied just under the nose, it produces a profound state of calm. Pain and distress somehow seem to matter little under the influence of hushbalm. Yet it also tends to be disorienting, with even light doses leading to a highly suggestible state. Recreational use typically involves the oversight of a sober minder. Medical experts may administer this substance to sedate the wounded.
Hushbalm is not popular at festive events, but some revelers will use the stuff as a sleeping aid. This can be dangerous. Habitual use will cause a tolerance to build up, and extremely heavy doses of hushbalm can be deadly. Social concern about hushbalm stems from the practice of using rags daubed with the stuff as tools of abduction. Also, less scrupulous suitors may attempt to administer a dose by offering up a medicated flower so that its scent may be sampled. Hushbalm production and sale are tightly controlled in some societies for fear of these abuses.
℞ Mindglass is the product of an alchemical process so exacting that even the weather must be considered when preparing a batch. After proper mixing and cooling, the finished product should have the look of stained glass. No specific color is better than another, but any cloudiness or haze suggests the presence of impurities. When vaporized in a small heated vessel, inhaled mindglass renders a person intensely ecstatic. Consumers report being more able to focus their attention and being free from fatigue. In small doses it may help a person become more diligent in labor or study. Large doses may trigger a frenzy of intense activity.
Consumers also become sleepless, with some prone to incoherent ravings. It is possible to maintain precise dosing given consistent supplies and great personal restraint. Yet variations in purity and mood drive some mindglass users to take larger and larger doses, falling into a spiral of elevated tolerance and deeper desire. Many societies have outlawed mindglass entirely, and elsewhere it is subject to extreme restrictions. Even so, the stuff is popular with mercenaries and other military organizations. Forced marches and late night patrol duties seem less tiring with a good dose of mindglass to stay sharp.
℞ Pipeweed is a naturally occuring plant still found wild in most parts of the world. Modern pipeweed benefits from millennia of magical adjustments and selective breeding. Some varieties are most noteable for causing a strong euphoria. Others are famed for their relaxing effects. Yet all tend to stimulate hunger, promote calm, and remedy nausea. As its name suggests, the herbal material is normally smoked for immediate effect. It is also potent as a food additive. Pipeweed is more popular in some cultures than others, but authorities rarely prohibit the stuff.
Nevertheless, conflict often arises around pipeweed. Though the plant is easily cultivated, special strains able to grow the highest quality product require a convergence of factors. Farms with a reputation for fine crops often face steep taxes. Some governments require growers to be licensed and submit to regular quality checks. Smugglers and illicit growers profit by undercutting heavily regulated suppliers. Though pipeweed smokers tend to be peaceful and harmless, the pipeweed business can get downright brutal when producers and vendors compete for their share of the lucrative trade.
℞ Poppymilk is a concentrated extract taken from a common plant also known for its beautiful blooms. Basic alchemical processes turn sticky white sap into a powerful painkiller and sedative. A small splash of poppymilk in some other beverage will do much to soften the impact of a sorrow or lessen the pain of a fresh injury. Larger doses result in a blissful sense of cosmic awareness. Yet too large a dose functions as a poison, sending its victim off into a peacefully fatal slumber. Some herbalists refuse to sell supplies of poppymilk, instead only dealing with customers willing to have a carefully measured dose administered personally.
Habitual consumers often find it difficult to avoid escalating their dose. Building tolerance demands more of the substance to achieve the same effect. Apart from considerable expense, regularly consuming high doses of poppymilk will cause a person to seem pale and sickly the whole day through. Deadly overdoses sometimes claim those who cannot be weened off the substance. Fortunately these fatalities are uncommon due to expense. Tremendous amounts of raw material must be harvested to fill a small container with finished product. Applicable regulations are easy to enforce and taxes easy to collect because no competent government fails to notice vast swaths of land covered in bright red flowers.
℞ Tea is available in almost every civilized community. Prepared with a boiling vesssel, this beverage is a safe alternative to alcohol in places where the water supply is questionable. Varieties exceed the scope of any catalog, in part because some palaces and temples grow unique teas only available at that particular site. Tea typically has an extremely mild effect on the mind, providing just a little bit more focus and energy. It is an ideal afternoon refreshment for people looking to stay sharp through the end of a workday. A few varieties have a much stronger effect, causing bouts of hypervigilance paired with insomnia. Such brews are popular with guards, teamsters, and other workers with a duty to resist fatigue.
There is no law in the world that prohibits tea consumption. Yet some lands have rigorous laws about the gathering, preparation, and distribution of the stuff. A supply of especially rare tea may fetch a high price. This creates opportunities for counterfeiters who would package low grade leaves as something finer. Elite tea producers are often influential with regional government, so these crimes may generate aggressive responses from authorities. In lands where beer or wine are not customary offerings of hospitality, a hot cup of tea tends to fill that role. Afternoon tea is a daily event in proper Albionish households. Among the To-Shinese, the act of sharing a small pot of tea has become an artform unto itself.
℞ Tobacco is available in as many strains as pipeweed, yet all varieties of tobacco have essentially similar effects on users. Either smoked or chewed and spat out, this intoxicating leaf is simultaneously stimulating and calming. A pipe full of tobacco can make a smoker more alert and less drawn to distractions. Stress is often reduced during consumption. Yet the indulgence easily becomes a habit. Despite the mild effects of consumption, regular tobacco smokers can become severely agitated when deprived of this vice.
Much like tea, tobacco is traded the world over. While flavor and scent are the only major distinguishing features of specific varieties, many smokers develop intense loyalty to a favored type. Tobacco shops offer material from exotic locations. Supportive climates will also see homegrown offerings available in bulk. Civilized locales often feature ash trays and spittoons to manage this otherwise dirty habit. Legal prohibitions on tobacco are rare, though institutions like libraries and art galleries normally ban smoking indoors.
℞ Witchroot is unearthed as gnarly masses of dry fibrous material. The stuff is often powdered before use. In this form it can be consumed by snorting a generous pinch. It can also be administered forcibly by puffing a handful into someone's face. A light dose causes general relaxation while inducing a state of open-mindedness. Potential beliefs or friends will be evaluated from a favorable perspective. Stronger doses bring forth primal instincts. This often includes craving for full contact physical activities ranging from dance to brawling. Small hot beverages infused with witchroot are ideal refreshments at events where inhibitions are unwanted. Yet too much of the stuff can lead to a frenzy that only relents after total exhaustion.
Witchroot is controversial, but bans are rare since it is an ingredient in a great many useful potions. The stuff also enjoys popularity for purposes of stimulating amorous impulses. Some cultures promote this practice while others explicitly outlaw the administration of witchroot without prior consent. Consumers who overdo it with this substance are usually happy to wait a few days before indulging anew, awaking with assorted aches and pains. Concern about witchroot as a social problem is often dismissed as excessively austere moralizing. Yet some young people plan their entire lives around weekly gatherings where large groups of people take witchroot, make loud music, and frantically writhe together in the shadows. |
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Businesses & Bootlegs ↑ → Coins & Currencies ← ↓ Enemies & Extremists ↓
Coins & Currencies
Personal Wealth Most modern people inhabit a thriving society where common folks live with dignity and comfort. The plight of ordinary people during the Age of Heroes was rarely both comfortable and stable. Constant conflict made broad prosperity fleeting. Then the Great Consolidation set the stage for long periods of stable economic growth. Aqueducts and sewers allowed vast cities to resist plagues. Enormous markets hungered for whatever the surrounding lands could produce. Even tenant farmers now enjoy a little taste of modern prosperity. Ordinary people often have a few pieces of gold hidden away. A talented artisan may profit as much from a single day's labor. Any free adult is likely to regard a single gold piece as an insignificant bribe.
There are many measures of wealth beyond money. Synod Jewellers faclitate fair trade in objects fashioned from precious metals and gems. Land rights, from permission to hunt in a specific forest to title over a personal fief, may generate income and convey social status. Some cultures see livestock, working animals, and slaves as important indicators of means. Adventuring companies and mercantile organizations have been known to offers shares of earnings for logistical or political support. Basic financial awareness is widespread. Esteemed holy orders safeguard the integrity of major currencies everywhere. Yet systems of credit and debt are only reliable to the extent collectors can work within relevant laws and traditions. |
The concept of wealth has changed dramatically through the ages. Like many creatures, dragons are instinctively drawn to shiny objects. Their earliest kin were able to amass troves of gold nuggets simply by exploring and occasionally clawing at the ground. Treasure hoards have always been status symbols, but playing with piles of glittering gold gives dragons an intoxicating satisfaction. When the surface of the world had been scoured for gold deposits, dwarves were created to dig out deeper supplies. Dragons amassed, seized, and inherited wealth; but they had no real concept of trade. The first commercial transaction in the world would give rise to the first coins in the world.
An ancient dwarven mining foreman believed that, if his people had permission to hide in the small tunnels created by their work, they would not be so vulnerable during terrible fits of draconian rage. A volatile tyrant acknowledged this humble request with the condition that the cowering dwarves would die upon leaving the mines unless they each emerged with one hundred new gold objects – a seemingly impossible quota. The first working mint was a bold gambit. It was also a great success, widely copied. Little coins gave dragonkind a whole new way to enjoy their hoards. Even bragging protocols changed, and the wealthiest wyrms invented new numbers to quantify how many pieces of gold they possessed.
Trade remained an extremely rare practice. Illogically, most dragons would part with a large number of skilled workers before they would give up a small number of precious coins. Arcane knowledge was conveyed with some sense of value, but no true medium of exchange existed. Even during the Imperium Arcanum, nothing much resembled a marketplace. The Archfey ordained how resources would be allocated, and their power sustained vast populations. What few mints they operated mostly produced false hoards. Shiny lures containing very little actual gold, ancient fey troves could be effective traps or distractions, yet they would also prove unsatisfying to any dragons able to make a claim.
Commerce in the modern sense was not widespread before the Age of Heroes. Refugees from collapsing Imperium Arcanum strongholds struggled to survive in wilderness areas. This economy of desperate bartering saw many short-lived efforts to sustain a form of currency. The enormous proliferation of gold coins provided the first enduring solution. The earliest dungeoneers recovered treasure hoards that were essentially undefended. There resources provided the means to enter the aristocracy. Emerging local governments endeavored to standardize and stamp currency, promoting trust among merchants and customers. Only a few generations passed before this modern approach to money created the desire for even more gold than long-dead dragons collected for themselves.
Minting Practices The oldest treasure hoards tend to contain strange coins of inconsistent purity. Their precious metal content may vary greatly from one piece to another. With the international trade on the rise in modern times, official currencies have drifted into rigid standardization. Uniform weight and high purity result in predictable purchasing power with simple exchange rates. Yet diverse minting practices create variety in the names and appearances of modern coins.
Cultural values are revealed through the prism of money. The sturdy pewter-mounted skjöld is intended as a fair price for a reliable shield or a week of service from a Norish warrior. Elegantly simple, the Sylvanian ducat is a fitting token of gratitude from an actual duke. Each Truscan laureatus is gilt just enough to emphasize that achievement merits reward. The Oriental ryo is a dull coin meant to draw minimal attention while conveying the value of feeding one person for one month. At the other extreme, the solidus of Serpia bears a scintillating gold fringe in numismatic tribute to the Sun. Each of these platinum coins has equivalent monetary value despite their diverse appearances and origins. |
Mining became a lucrative trade for those with the skills to perform it. Coins of other metals began to circulate. Entire monetary systems took shape. Yet the rise and fall of most currency standards would be a function of politics. Thriving nations would issue valuable coins to enjoy favorable clout in trade with neighboring realms. Failing governments would devalue their currency in the struggle to fund essential institutions. Between all that volatility and the traces of curse or poison lingering on many fey troves, coins found to predate 500 A.H. are often melted or otherwise destroyed to recover precious metal content that rarely matches face values.
| UNITS OF ACCOUNT |
| | Norish | Sylvanian | Serpian | Truscan | Oriental |
| Copper | øre | penny | nummus | assarius | fen |
| Silver | sceat | shilling | aspron | denarius | jiaō |
| Electrum | mark | albus | follis | victoriatus | tangka |
| Gold | kronor | sovereign | pyron | aureus | yuan |
| Platinum | skjöld | ducat | solidus | laureate | ryo |
The chaos of so many nations each managing their own coinage was substantially untangled during the Great Consolidation. Cultural variations linger, but every civilized area accepts currency in a set of several denominations with equivalents all over the world. Synod Jewellers have a sacred duty to be honest about the purity of precious metals they inspect, and Celestial Accountants cannot mark an object with a misleading weight. Major mints and precious metal exchanges often work closely with these holy orders to ensure best practices in the production of coins and trade ingots.
Most likely with some divine guidance, a system of twenty-five currencies became dominant across the five broad cultural groups. Counterfeiters and coin shavers are hunted down by powerful authorities, sometimes helped along by institutions dedicated to maintaining public confidence in circulating currency. Great trading houses and banks rely on their reputations to conduct international business. This makes currency fraud extremely rare, though it also gives upstart financial enterprises much difficulty becoming established or expanding aggressively.
“Even troubles that drive your friends away will not keep your creditors at bay.”
— Albionish proverb |
Convenience and reliability make the money supplies of today optimal for growing small businesses. Modern coinage is almost never counterfeit. Extremely powerful religious organizations are quick to act against anyone whose actions are likely to undermine the integrity of any modern currency. Their role in certifying the integrity of mints provides funding enough for thorough magical investigations guiding fanatical enforcement teams. Governments and corporations feel obliged to support these anti-counterfeiting crusades so the integrity of coins they issue remains beyond doubt.
While the particulars vary, all major societies have some concept of contract law. Cities grow slowly without a reliable system of financing large projects through the lending of money for interest. Many banks make personal loans to fund building improvements, vehicle purchases, and trade missions. The most noble creditors offer reasonable rates and fair terms, but exploitation of debtors is a serious problems in almost every great city. Coercive abuses are especially severe in lands where authorities do not agressively regulate or even fully comprehend the most sophisticated financial arrangements.
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○ albus (pl. albi, value 1 ep) Sometimes simply referred to as “whites,” these distinctive electrum coins present almost no color as they shimmer. Some mints employ an alchemical bath or even a touch of magic to further whiten the alloy without diminishing gold or silver content. A traditional Sylvanian compensation for the untanned hide of healthy deer, albi remain in widespread circulation thanks to the robust trade of hunters and trappers bringing woodland resources to urban markets across southwestern Mainland. A standard albus features the head of an indigenous game animal on the obverse with a detailed tree leaf or flowering plant on the reverse.
○ aspron (pl. asprons, value 1 sp) In ancient times, a vast nation of Isks spread their version of the silver piece across half of Mainland. Their sorcerous aristocracy established hundreds of remote trading posts. The legacy of this network is the distinctive $ symbol marking nearly all the silver coins minted in the Serpian Empire. Some say the overlay of I and S means “Imperial silver,” though the glyph was originally intended to indicate “Iskreshi Sultanate.” Serpian mints continue this tradition, often detailing the iconic symbol to depict a serpent coiling loosely around a staff. The reverse of an aspron normally features a great monument or the image of a thriving modern city.
○ assarius (pl. assarii, value 1 cp) Some consider these humble copper coins fit only for use by slaves. Nonetheless ubiquitous in metropolitan Truscanny, these pure copper coins speckle city streets and clutter the pockets of ordinary citizens. Some shops leave trays of them out to ease purchases made by customers who insist on having exact change. Though Truscan formal wear is designed to incorporate coins so that light fabrics drape properly, it would be unseemly to use assarii for this purpose. Minted today more out of tradition than economic need, the modern assarius features two different perspectives on a single important building or monument.
○ aureus (pl. aurei, value 1 gp) Literally the gold standard, the weight of these coins is so consistent that merchants often use stacks as counterweights in their scales. After annexing Helvetica, the Truscan Empire pioneered precision machine tooling used by modern mints. Sophisticated production techniques were first put to use making these coins more than a millennium ago. Designs are invariably simple, with the name and face of the reigning Emperor on the obverse while the reverse depicts a large flying creature. Eagles, griffons, pegasi, and dragons have all graced this denomination. Precisely thickened edges make it possible to stack these coins into near-perfect golden cylinders.
○ buck (pl. bucks, value 1 gp) Across the land now covered by the Sylvanian Confederation, thousands of years of tradition shape a subculture of prosperous hunters. Previously informal and unregulated, the exchange of golden bucks among these people was a trusted practice. After aristocrats started restricting hunts in their own realms, a few outright democratic regimes rose up to protect what many regard as traditional Sylvanian freedoms. Now bucks are standardized and blessed in modern mints operated by sovereign governments. Yet these coins, typically featuring a proud stag's head opposite the hind end of the same beast, remain a defiant challenge to modern business practices.
○ denarius (pl. denarii, value 1 sp) Incredibly common across the Truscan Empire and its many former possessions, this simple silver piece just might be the most abundant coin in the world. Once the lifeblood of incalculably huge military payrolls and tax collections, many millions of people continue to find a place for it in their coinpurses. Several modern languages derive their word for “money” from the name of this Truscan coin. A typical denarius features the face of a general or governor on the obverse with the full figure of a deity or legendary hero on the reverse. Rare specimens of historic value can be found circulating among common denarii, making this coin a favorite with collectors.
○ drachma (pl. drachmae, value 1 sp) Some of the first efforts to standardize currency involved silver coins in early Thrace. Philosophers applied alchemical standards of precise measurement to the weight and purity of official coins. Consistent currency promoted social integrity and economic stability. Drachmae are no longer widely produced, but some ancient coins remain in circulation, and many more linger in buried stashes. As the conflict between Serpia and Truscanny seems to focus on Thrace, both sides are entertaining the idea of a drachma revival to garner the support of indigenous people. These coins traditionally feature the face of an Olympian deity with a simple rendering of that god's holy symbol on the reverse.
○ ducat (pl. ducats, value 1 pp) Originally minted for use exclusively at aristocratic events, these “coins of the dukes” epitomize dignity and elegance. Ducats are the preferred token of some legendary high stakes gamblers. Simple, round, and platinum; their tasteful heraldic imprints feel smooth to the touch. Yet they feature intricate art that often seems to change depending on the angle of a major light source. Even the most free-spirited of Sylvanians often shows respect for area aristocrats in the hope a ducat might be discreetly bestowed as a token of appreciation. Some of southwestern Mainland's most elite figures refuse to allow any other coins in their purses.
○ fen (pl. fen, value 1 cp) Celedinese traditions emphasize the importance of precise accounting. Though there is little demand for it among merchants and financiers, the local copper piece is nonetheless widespread and in ongoing production. Fen are typically stamped with a Celedinese alchemical symbol on the obverse and a moral platitude on the other side. Many shopkeepers in the Orient offer inexpensive items, like a cup of hot tea or a morsel of fresh fruit, as a means of engaging personally with their customers while justifying few fen of additional expense to end a transaction with an auspiciously round number. This harmonizes precise bookkeeping with convenience.
○ follis (pl. folles, value 1 ep) In modern times, these large thin coins spell out an important Imperial decree on the reverse while depicting the Padishah on the obverse. Older folles featured the Truscan governors of Serpia, while the oldest of these coins picture Pharoahs. Serpian electrum reserves dwindled in the aftermath of cheap gold parting techniques, but these coins continue to be produced at major financial centers. Particularly loyal soldiers or laborers may receive them as a token of encouragement, an echo of the Truscan incentive that substitutes electrum for silver. The follis is vital to international trade as well, since it provides a clear equivalent to common coins like the mark or the guilder.
○ florin (pl. florins, value 2½ gp) These large gold coins glitter enticingly in the hands of recruiters and merchants. Authorities in Fitchland produce them in great quantities. Yet most florins are the result of gold processed by private mints, producing culturally neutral currency to sustain politically delicate trade relationships. Notable for elaborate embossed designs, florins are crafted to draw and hold attention. Mint markings and other details about the issue are always engraved in delicate script around the perimeter of one face, detracting minimally from the coin's florid imagery. Some customs hold that money is an acceptable peacemaking gift so long as it takes the form of well-packaged florins.
○ groat (pl. groats, value 4 cp) Found all over Albion and Carmatia, these undersized silver coins are also known as fourpence. They are popular with farmers and builders who employ temporary low wage workers. Each groat is worth less than a decent meal, but still worth enough to express gratitude for a simple task. Custom fixes the value of each groat at one tavern drink, though prosperous cityfolk often favor less affordable establishments. Because groats have developed a reputation as dirty and common, issuing mints have taken to stamping them with images of local wildlife or natural vistas rather than the faces of dignitaries. Satirists have been known to issue modern groats with caricatures of unpopular leaders.
○ guilder (pl. guilders, value 1 ep) This little Fitch coin has become incredibly popular all around the world. Galleons laden with them constitute that kingdom's tribute to Norish Moots. Round discs of pure gold, they bear a profile of the monarch's face on the obverse while the reverse features a radiant seashell in acknowledgement of the role the merchant marine plays in refilling the treasuries of the homeland. Many Fitch tailors and outfitters have a knack for fashioning hidden pouches and secret compartments sized for concealing quantities of these half-pieces of gold. Some professional guilds pay their apprentices in local silver pieces and their journeymen in guilders issued specifically for that organization.
○ jiaō (pl. jiaō, value 1 sp) These coins are identical to the yuan in every way save for silver composition and different markings. Those markings offer simple yet profound appeals to virtues like industriousness and loyalty. The term “cash” originated to describe coins of this exact shape and size. A central square hole makes it possible to carry many jiaō on a single string or rod. Keen observers have noted that the words on this coin seem directed to motivate laborers or soldiers while loftier language on the yuan appeals to artisans and scholars. Yet both invariably promote traditional Celedinese values, and together as cash they dominate everyday commerce in the Orient.
○ kronor (pl. krona, value 1 gp) Norish kings refuse to put their faces on any coins less valuable than gold. Lesser nobles are welcome to appear on as many marks as they might like. The faces of these “crown coins” are reserved for the monarch of the realm where they originate. New rulers in the region are often eager to melt down old gold currency so that they might see their likenesses spread far and wide. While the obverse is always a clear image of the issuing ruler, the reverse of a traditional kronor features that monarch's s name in bold runic. Those eager to flout custom may instead opt for highly detailed imprints of their own thrones, palaces, or capital cities on the reverse face.
○ laureate (pl. laureatei, value 1 pp) The first major issue of standardized platinum coins was among the many ways the ascendant Truscan Empire signaled dominance. Their traditional design has changed only to accommodate tiny gold inlays emphasizing select details like the Emperor's laurel crown or the soaring dragon featured prominently on the reverse. In some border territories, laureatei will be carried and used as badges to indicate allegiance to Septopolis. By custom they are the amount of wealth a patrician parts with in gratitude for a personal favor. Yet the coin is controversial in some regions, and authorities elsewhere may be quick to convert the metal into ingots or a coin local residents are happier to see.
○ liekki (pl. liekkit, value 1 ep) Despite the frigid climate, hospitality is not an implied expectation from strangers in Lachland. Where food and fuel are scarce, every source of warmth must be protected. Fire is practically sacred to the northernmost among these people. After Lachlander leaders began exploiting abundant electrum deposits, they were quick to produce currency for exchange with outsiders. Liekkit are always engraved with the image of a torch, hearth, bonfire, or pyre. Though normally enough for one night in a private room with a clean bed, by custom these coins are the amount of money one pays for the privilege of spending the night warmed by someone else's fire.
○ mark (pl. marks, value 1 ep) First minted in Transmania, both faces of this electrum alloy coin are stamped to display a simple numeral 1. They were originally intended as accounting tokens, then later used as meal tickets. While Maniacs turned to Truscan currency, the peoples of Greater Norland embraced this design for their electrum pieces. Modern examples typically feature the name of a king or an earl, a royal motto, and mint markings all stamped in a ring around the prominent 1. Even today, the mark retains its customary value of a single hearty meal. It sees widespread use for many sorts of purchases throughout Greater Norland.
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○ noble (pl. nobles, value 1⅔ gp) Ancient aristocrats facing a currency crisis would sometimes produce these uncommonly thick slugs of solid gold. With well above the standard precious metal content for an unadulterated gold piece, a batch of nobles' coins could sustain a large household or a small army even after faltering faith in common currency. With a clear portrait on the obverse and a flower or family crest on the reverse, these hefty coins might also be distributed as badges of affiliation. Nobles stand out as the most collectible coins in the world because so many unique designs saw only one small production run, often just prior to the fall of a great capital.
○ nummus (pl. nummi, value 1 cp) The legions of laborers employed to raise the mountainous monuments of Serpia posed a management challenge. They were kept happy and well-rested with generous evening rations of beer, but uneven distribution created disorder. The original nummi were simply accounting tokens meant to track the number of refills a worker was authorized to collect. When the Imperium Arcanum collapsed and the Serpian Old Kingdom arose, these abundant coins became the basis for the realm's first offical currency. Though nummi have little value today, they are still produced with modern coin faces preserving a few cryptic symbols from the defunct empire of the fey.
○ øre (pl. øres, value 1 cp) When dwarves first taught men to collect precious metals by tunneling deep into solid rock, substantial hauls would often be traded for chests of cheap coins. Bedtime stories teach a preference for the dirtiest gold over the shiniest copper. To reinforce this lesson, children traditionally collect øres in ceramic egg banks. It is a coming of age moment when the delicate vessel is shattered, years of accumulated coins conveying only a little purchasing power. The modern øre typically features the visage of a dangerous monster on the obverse with its full body illustrated on the reverse. Each design is yet another lesson as well as a distinctive gaming token.
○ penny (pl. pence, value 1 cp) Wherever tribal hunter-gatherers trade with more sophisticated societies, they are likely to overvalue the cheapest coins. Early rulers among the Albionians, Sylvanians, Maniacs, and Gallorians exploited this by making “pawns' coins.” Kept clean and burnished to shine, these prototypical pence often fetched goods far in excess of their metal value. Educated people rarely mistake a penny for a valuable object, but these copper coins still develop quite a shine with a little effort. Modern pence often feature a folk hero or spiritual leader on the obverse with a scene of natural beauty or an important monument on the reverse.
○ pound (pl. pounds, value 5 gp) Common across much of Mainland, these small platinum coins are equal in value to one pound-weight of asprons, jiaō, denarii, drachmae, qirshes, sceats, or schillings. They originated with Albionish bankers eager to simplify the process of accepting silver deposits. Now the pound is a widely circulated denomination among the affluent. The little coins are more discreet than typical platinum pieces, and their use is particularly popular wherever great cities authorize local financial institutions to issue their own coinage. Typical imagery on a pound depicts a two different perspectives on an important building from the coin's city of origin.
○ pyron (pl. pyrons, value 1 gp) When Serpian alchemists devised an innovative new method of parting gold from silver, incalculable hoards of old electrum were transformed into shiny new asprons and pyrons. The land somehow seemed richer, though also a more desirable target for Truscan conquest. The original pyron was only produced for a few generations before a foreign empire took total control of Serpia. Soon after, most pyrons were melted down. Yet the same currency that enticed invaders long ago has more recently bankrolled independence for the modern Serpian Empire. These coins present the face of a ruler or historical figure with a little biographical detail on the reverse.
○ qirsh (pl. qirshes, value 2½ sp) These large silver pieces were produced in enormous quantities by the Iskreshi Sultanate. As that regime reached the height of its power, this coin regularly turned up in markets all over the world. Modern trading companies headquarted within the Serpian Empire sometimes produce fresh issues of qirshes so that their mariners, teamsters, and clerks can be paid in coins with no Imperial association. At twenty to a pound, qirshes even sound hefty when clattered in a stack or jangled in a pouch. Most of these coins possess a dull finish with basic mint markings and plain text attribution for the official or corporation behind each particular issue.
○ ryo (pl. ryo, value 1 pp) These oblong platinum coins are in widespread circulation due to Celedinese and To-Shinese treasuries disbursing immense quantities in recent decades. Traditionally representing the amount a host is due after feeding one soldier for one month, the ryo is also the basis for funding projects like dam construction or canal excavation. One face is featureless save for mint markings to substantiate precious metal content. The obverse may bear the portrait of a leader or it may contain a whole paragraph about the specific endeavor motivating the issue of new currency. This practice makes the mints of the Orient places where spies learn of planned government initiatives.
○ sceat (pl. sceattas, value 1 sp) Modern coins retaining the small diameter and substantial thickness of their precursors, the sceat is now the basis of everyday market commerce across Greater Norland. Some priests employed to monitor and certify mints find themselves uncomfortable at facilities converting pillaged silver into new sceats. These durable little slugs are engraved with scenes of heroism involving Odin, Thor, or Tyr. Though some of these pieces are artful, many remain true to primitive imagery derived from ancient stone carvings. A substantial collection of sceats probably contains all the pieces required to play a traditional Norish board game.
○ sestertius (pl. sestertii, value 2½ cp) These tiny pieces of Truscan silver are valued at a rate of four to one denarius. Along with a pair of dice, twelve of these coins provide the equipment for a common Imperial parlor game. Affluent urbane folk often use sestertii to avoid handling the very lowest denomation of coinage. Yet one alone still conveys little value – rarely enough to obtain a snack at a public event or purchase a single arrow. These quarter-pieces of silver still see much use with retailers making change and gamblers intent on keeping the stakes modest. Traditionally the face of this coin bears a portriat of a great war hero while the other side depicts the force that hero fought for.
○ shilling (pl. shillings, value 1 sp) These simple coins are widely produced by vassals throughout the Sylvanian Confederation. Each presents the face of a particular leader with a reverse illustration dedicated to some honor or achievement associated with that person. Some recently elevated to noble rank may issue a batch of these coins as a means of spreading awareness of this new status. In less prosperous times, this coin represented the value of employing one laborer for one day of hard work. Though not conceived as such, some even refer to them as “shills' coins." The shilling may not buy what it once did, but it is still the currency of choice for everyday commerce throughout southwestern Mainland.
○ skjöld (pl. skjölde, value 1 pp) Literal Norish for “shield,” this hefty platinum slug is pressed between two rugged discs of pewter. By custom it is both the cost of a sturdy metal shield and the pay due a basic mercenary after a day of heavy fighting. Swapping pewter faces enables military commanders to cheaply rebrand their payrolls without destroying mint markings on the edge of the platinum. This design of the skjöld also literally shields the precious metal with less valuable material. Foreigners unfamiliar with the coin may mistake it for an object of little value while hastily searching the possessions of fallen or captured Norish marauders.
○ solidus (pl. solidi, value 1 pp) Constantly living under its harsh glare, the people of Serpia practically worshiped the Sun before they ever encountered the concept of a deity. While under Truscan rule, the Serpians began to mint provincial platinum pieces with scintillating gold adornments. Most do not mention Ra by name, but each of these valuable discs is a work of art dedicated to glorifying the Sun itself. This may take the form of a small gold inset or geometric patterns of gilded sunrays. This eyecatching coin played a part in financing the successful secession of the Serpian Empire, and it continues to be presented with pride by paymasters from that regime.
○ sovereign (pl. sovereigns, value 1 gp) When Sylvanian realms started breaking away from the Truscan Empire, actual currency scandals were amplified by effective propaganda. The Sylvanian Confederation formed in part to restore faith in governments and currencies working to keep the Empire at bay. Trust has been restored today, but only through many generations of kings and queens putting their faces on honest and pure gold pieces of varying design. The obverse of a sovereign may range from a close portrait to the image of a leader astride a mount. Reverse imagery customarily depicts Standing Stones or a natural vista from the issuing realm.
○ stuiver (pl. stuivers, value 2½ cp) The least precious of the three coins issued by the Fitch government, one hundred brass stuiver are equivalent to one florin. Stuivers are less common internationally, but they are a staple of commerce on the streets of Fitchland. Known for loud clattering, these hefty coins sometimes serve as improvised percussion pieces for dancers and musicians. Their particular alloy enables the conversion of large shipments of stuivers into raw material for the manufacture of precision tools or durable clockwork. The coins themselves feature the faces of sages or scientists on the obverse with images of marvelous devices on the reverse.
○ tangka (pl. tangkas, value 1 ep) This is not so much a piece of electrum alloy as it is a coin made by fusing together slugs of gold and silver. The two faces of the tangka are plainly different in color, though their principle adornment tends to be identical glyphs or geometric patterns. Unusual optical effects can be created by spinning or flipping these coins. Mesmers the world over favor the tangka when their craft calls for a shiny object. Though this denomination has fallen out of favor with most producers of Oriental currency, Xe-Shanese aristocrats seem particularly fond of making and spending tangka. Also, it provides an equal counterpart for the exchange of albi, folles, guilders, liekkit, marks, and victoriati.
○ victoriatus (pl. victoriati, value 1 ep) Notable triumphs in the Truscan Empire are often commemorated by the issuance of these coins. Most are promptly distributed at the site of the achievement. New designs are unveiled by surprise, with soldiers or other citizens involved in the accomplishment collecting quintuple bonus pay. Taverns and merchants anticipating the completion of a great task may stock up to accommodate free-spending celebrants. The obverse of this coin is usually the same portrait of the Emperor featured on current aureii. Yet the reverse of a victoriatus depicts a scene glorifying the conquest, construction, or competition associated with its issue.
○ yuan (pl. yuan, value 1 gp) The Celedinese rose to power in part because their amassed wealth was sufficient to sustain a ten-to-one custom of using generous payrolls to buy the loyalty of enemy commanders. The modern Oriental Empire has adopted this generic term for coin as the standard denomination of gold, a reminder of how freespending Celedinese paymasters can be. Each yuan features a central square hole for carrying the coins on a string or rod, being one of two types of coin giving rise to the term “cash.” The faces of yuan are decorated with sagacious messages that promote traditional values. Emperors and governors have been known to recall yuan bearing proverbs that clash with an official agenda. |
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Coins & Currencies ↑ → Enemies & Extremists ← ↓ Fights & Forays ↓
Enemies & Extremists
Conflict The Fivesquare Pantheon orchestrated an era of profound peace and prosperity. Inspired leaders built upon the achievements of their predecessors, sparing nations from the ravages of famine, plague, and war. Some regions saw centuries of prosperity uninterrupted by any major crisis. This harmonious order allowed the global population to surpass one billion humans. Yet the Great Consolidation is not entirely tranquil. Empires and major kingdoms struggle with rebels and each other. Armies clash more intensely than ever before, yet warfare largely spares civilians.
Most inhabitants of the modern world know conflict chiefly through the pursuit of personal and professional advancement. The support of influential people often involves performing arduous tasks on their behalf. Elite schools and monasteries are never large enough to educate every hopeful student. Competition can be fierce for the best apprenticeships, market stalls, and duty assignments. In crowded cities a residence that is simultaneously affordable and comfortable is a particularly coveted prize. Negotiations can be tense, sometimes shaped by personal favors as much as money.
Substantial wealth provides a solution to many problems of modern living. Those who succeed financially must worry about theft in addition rivals possibly usurping lucrative opportunities for themselves. People with little material challenges are nonetheless likely to face hardships in their social and spiritual lives. Some groups sustain constant internal clashes, and some face unavoidable hostility from oustiders. Even leaders of largely peaceful organizations tend to be formidable, having endured countless prior conflicts. Of course, not every adversary can be dealt with through words or payments.
Modern international wars are enormous in scope. Raw numbers of combat troops and warzone refugees presently surpass ancient totals. Both groups generate particularly passionate prayers. Far from the lines of battle, even the most well-governed cities always seem be near pockets of wilderness containing outlaws or monsters. Aspiring adventurers easily learn where to find dangers, but it can be difficult to identify which conflicts novices are likely to survive. The advice of a highly experienced benefactor or mentor can do much to shed light on this subject. |
There was a time when the only deadly clashes between rivals involved feuding dragons. Anyone defying their tyranny was seen as a nuisance rather than an enemy. Long after dragons created so many new forms of life, the concept of genocide was introduced to the world by elves. Yet the Archfey did not successfully exterminate dragonkind. Instead their empire splintered, giving rise to new forms of warfare. The coming of the gods introduced religious conflict alongside much more complex political struggles. Those who did not enjoy the protection of an army were likely to become the victims of one. Some say the term “Thousandfold Drama” understates the extent of violent turmoil during the Age of Heroes.
The modern era elevates the scale of warfare to new levels. Three different empires maintain standing armies in excess of one million soldiers. Wealthy kingdoms can afford to deploy thousands of heavily armored lancers on horseback – an unstoppable force on open plains. Combatants of all sorts benefit from thousands of years of martial lore. Even a ragtag band of adventurers can become a legendary squad of slayers with a grasp of sufficiently advanced techniques. Whether heroic or villainous, violent actions tend to attract the attention of organizations with their own capacity for violence. These groups are too numerous to catalog. Yet most fit in to one of six categories that may be understood through the study of individual examples.
‡ CONSPIRATORS Some secret societies quickly murder outsiders who know much about the workings of the group. All create at least a little disorder through covert gatherings, coded messages, countersurveillance magic, and misinformation. Benign secret societies safeguard esoteric lore while helping like-minded people connect in their communities. Sustaining secrecy may involve anything from curfew violations to judicial corruption. Secret societies sometimes support violent rebellions, promote occult studies, or facilitate criminal activity. They may indirectly employ many people while only a small group is fully initiated into the core conspiracy. Truths about the group are only shared with members of proven discretion and value.
‡ Hashāshīns never work through less than two intermediaries between a client and an operative. These professional killers always slay their targets or die trying. When not working or training, Hashāshīns inhabit pleasure gardens where their every desire is satisfied. Fees for their services also support a web of elite brokers and discreet contacts enabling desperate people to fund contracts. While Hashāshīns often strike without warning and leave nothing to identify themselves, they are known to have perpetrated many political murders. Members of this conspiracy are also fanatics, quick to kill others or even themselves before allowing group secrets to be compromised.
‡ The
Highwaymen of Hell are nomadic bandits who employ fiendish iconography and provide protection for unholy covens. Captured leaders of affiliated groups have reported contacts and funding from “the original chapter.” Some theorists believe this original chapter is an association of demonologists and infernal beings. Yet efforts to confirm specifics are misdirected by endless outbreaks of robberies and smuggling perpetrated by Highwaymen of Hell. Only individuals with years of experience leading a violent mounted warband are thought fit for the first of many steps toward initiation in the original chapter – a process purportedly involving death and resurrection.
‡ The
Innermost Circle is believed to be a myth even by most druids. Working from a few secret wilderness bases, the organization purportedly studies ecology on both global and regional levels. Their agenda supports healthy natural balances. This typically involves influencing the leaders of public druidic circles to favor particular priorities in the management of their own territories. Yet tales are told of both light and dark deeds. Some chronicle interventions like heroic sacrifices to thwart cult activities posing risk of environmental devastation. Others imply that the Innermost Circle inhibits population growth by orchestrating major wars.
“Are we free because we can choose which street to walk? Are we free because we can choose what color cloak to wear? What does it really mean to be free? I say our freedom is not real until we can choose what we say to each other, even when what we choose to say is something our rulers would not choose to hear.”
— Monique Verne, Liberationist preacher |
‡ The
Therian Fellowship is a secret society dedicated to supporting the activities of shapechangers. Initial investigations suggest this group is a non-religious alternative to the Arcadian Runners. Informants only discover unusually fit people gathering in natural settings to exercise and frolic with wild beasts. Yet the Therian Fellowship employs experienced abjurers, enchanters, and forgers to create false identities and build trust. The group infiltrates oversight of census taking and monster hunting. It is their mission to understate the number of shapechangers and downplay any associated dangers. Provided they are willing to practice reasonable restraint, murderous lycanthropes may call upon this group for support.
‡ The
Uncensored are committed to the principle of preserving forbidden lore. They maintain secret meeting houses and stashes of banned literature. At regular gatherings, members of this group exchange obscure books and duplicate what writing they can. The popularity of the Uncensored often reflects the attitudes of local rulers. Where governments are especially oppressive, many upstanding families will contribute to a club allowing taboo conversations as well as taboo literature to be shared with others. Especially permissive regimes inspire little participation in this group, driving it to seek support from enthusiasts of occult lore. Most urban centers feature at least one reading room or safehouse secretly dedicated to this organization.
‡ CONSTABLES Operating amidst crowds of bystanders presents a unique challenge. Some law enforcers work the same locations day after day, learning to recognize when anyone new is on the scene or the usual routine is amiss. Others are frequently given new assignments, working with unfamiliar places and faces. In addition to combat techniques, constables are trained to gather information about crimes from witnesses and other informants. Though it is their duty to apprehend or eliminate wanted criminals, decent constables make every effort to spare the innocent from harm. Less honorable members of this trade rely heavily on intimidation, extort protection money from merchants, and/or collaborate with criminals.
“The constables are not here to create disorder! The constables are here to preserve disorder!”
— Richard III of Shamstag in his final public address |
‡ The
Corvang Night Watch is a separate organization from the constabulary responsible for daytime law enforcement. Their duties make it impossible to ignore powerful undead beings roaming those streets after dark. Breastplates and greatswords do not save disrespectful officers from being taken as a vampire's feast. Being funded by a consortium of merchants, the Corvang Night Watch does much to secure property rights. Markets and warehouses require protection. Guards sometimes work with vampiric allies in the pursuit of thieves as well as any renegade bloodsuckers operating without the blessing of the local aristocracy.
‡ The
Festistad Harbor Patrol operates nimble craft in familiar waters. Each officer is issued a rapier and multiple daggers for contested boarding actions. All are trained in many uses of rope as well as the
life rings Fitch vessels use to minimize drowning deaths. When the weather is good this service is primarily occupied regulating traffic in a crowded body of water. When conditions take a turn for the worse, continuing patrols provide emergency assistance to mariners in distress. This service also documents illicit ship-to-ship cargo transfers, forwarding reports to local tax collectors.
“Censorship is about much more than the specifics of any particular ban or rule. It is about limiting imaginations so creative endeavors naturally turn away from destabilizing scenarios.”
— Empress Sun Hua, Ministry of Harmony Charter |
‡ The
Ministry of Harmony is officially a governing body of acceptable practices in music. Outreach across the Oriental Empire enables this group to quickly standardize and popularize favored compositions. Yet the true mission of the Ministry of Harmony is social. Often working indirectly through local officials, agents suppress anything construed as inspiring rebellious sentiment. Even plays and sermons are not free from this editorial pressure. Ministry personnel tend to avoid violence. The tools of their trade are scrolls and journals for reporting seditious content. Only after refusals to comply with citations are soldiers brought to bear.
‡ Spellhölm City Guards operate from a web of
wardhouses where holding cells can be sealed with magical locks and interview rooms make it difficult to deceive. Each is also home to a team of diviners assisting with investigations or a squad of violent spellcasters trained to neutralize powerful threats. Standard issue gear includes a fine cloth uniform, a quarterstaff, manacles, and an S.C.G. badge – a symbol that generates respect for efficient law enforcement. Most of these municipal peacekeepers train to use their staves in defense of others, though some instead specialize in discreet takedowns using poisoned blowgun darts.
Sacrifice Few components contribute more energy to ritual magic than the sacrifice of a living self-aware being. The slaughter of dragons brought the Archfey to power. Sacrifice remains an important part of ritual activity for some advanced spellcasters. Each event unleashes torrents of life and thought energies that may ignite grand reactions unlocking the potential of a large structure or rare cosmic event. Alternatively, these tremendous bursts of energy may be pleasing offerings to otherworldly beings. Sentient sacrifices are always controversial. Where permitted at all, legal rituals must not involve fiendish magic or involuntary offerings.
Beings who inspired largest human sacrifice events from the Age of Heroes have since become Dead Gods. The sorts of clerics popular in modern cities often condemn all forms of ritual killing. Most faiths support no sacred events involving the sacrifice of intelligent beings. Yet the Old Faith and a minority of modern religions do otherwise, sometimes coordinating festivals around the final days of unwilling victims. Though clergy who identify as civilized do not work magic through killings, some promote their faiths by slaying unrepentant heretics or political rebels at public events.
Druids and some pastoral clergy use sacrifices to amplify the power of sacred sites promoting natural growth. The Old Faith teaches that the worst criminals should be caged until the last day of the season, then sacrificed to bring prosperity in the next. Other sacrificial rituals associated with druids are said to infuse gatherings with frenzied euphoria, break curses applied to land, or generate cryptically insightful prophecies. Many modern leaders contend human sacrifice proves the Old Faith is barbaric. The lure of productive fields and thriving herds perpetuates rural support for these deadly traditions.
Witches and warlocks comfortably claim involuntary sacrifices, since many of those practitioners are already outlaws. Techniques range from the quiet exsanguination of a sleeping victim to ordeals most torturous and vile. Most pact patrons reward sacrificial killings, and relatively inexperienced gatherings may be able to draw real power from these rituals. Seasoned constables know that an active coven is a plausible explanation for sudden outbreaks of ritual killings or mysterious disappearances. Though witch hunters perform no sacrificial magic, many accumulate fame and stimulate commerce by turning executions into brutal public spectacles. |
‡ Spirit Regulators need nothing but a walking stick and a personal seal to move freely between Carmatian clans. Almost everyone respects these venerable distillers for their grasp of the arts and sciences behind extremely potent beverages. A Spirit Regulator's stamp of approval is widely regarded as the mark of a quality whiskey. In a land where wily trickery is sometimes celebrated, these master distillers go against the grain with incorruptible authority. None dare risk the shameful loss of this status by leaving a personal mark on a barrel of substandard booze.
‡ FANATICS Unearthly inspiration has driven many people to sacrifice themselves in service to a bigger purpose. Clashing with fanatics is rarely an inconclusive event. Most will never consider faltering in service to their chosen cause. Daily purification rituals are often part of the routine for this sort of combatant. Whether driven by a holy, unholy, or earthly passion; these extremists can be quick to make enemies over minor disputes. Some of these groups splintered away from a mainstream religion or political faction unwilling to match their level of intolerance. Others are valued by a larger community where they are well-integrated as specialists performing a function thought to demand absolute commitment.
‡ Eternal Obelisks have been guarding the greatest monuments of southeastern Mainland since the Archfey ruled the world. These unyielding protectors follow a simple code of honor. Each glyph of their creed is reproduced precisely on hundreds of stone pillars, some older than any religion. Most Eternal Obelisks are tall individuals, and all of them are committed to relentless physical conditioning. Nothing satisfies them more than physically preventing an intruder from gaining entrance to a structure sheltering ancient secrets. Some operate alone, while others act as guards in the service of a sphinx.
‡ The
Numismatic Detectives are often respected by constabularies, but these deadly enforcers only answer to a higher power. Most are devoted to the worship of Ptah, and all believe that widespread faith in modern currency is an essential element of civilization's expansion. Fieldwork is conducted by a capable diviner working with an experienced investigator. Together Numismatic Detectives trace the path of shaved or counterfeit coins back to the party responsible for that offense. Their sacred duties also involve destroying coins unfit for circulation and spot checking mints to verify the integrity of supervising clergy.
‡ The
Shadow Sentinels strive for the privilege of serving as palace guards in Suotien. Many have gone years since last breaching a vow of silence. Most are recruited as orphans, and all are encouraged to avoid forming personal loyalties apart from devotion to the Emperor or Empress. Hopefuls train in graceful martial arts while protecting lesser officials or performing espionage missions. The particulars of their equipment and tactics vary from generation to generation, always a closely guarded state secret. Shadow Sentinels never hestitate to sacrifice their lives for the empire that provided help when they were truly helpless.
‡ The
Temple of the Striped Lotus is a magical mountaintop garden ringed by monastaries preserving seven exotic styles of unarmed combat. Situated where Celedine and Xe-Shan converge, this high altitude training center has repeatedly withstood long sieges by Imperial forces. Recent emperors have suspended legal bans on the monastic orders safeguarding this site. Yet tensions continue, with heroic renegades and rebel leaders employing deadly combat techniques associated with these facilities. The Temple of the Striped Lotus persists through the sheer devotion of so many powerful residents willing to die in its defense.
‡ The
Voices of R'lyeh have communed with beings so bizarre that even the gods find them disturbing to contemplate. Many of these individuals become completely obsessed with a single activity. They are unable to abandon it or explain their motivation. The most gifted Voices of R'lyeh immerse themselves in the study of esoteric lore. They derive profound magical insights from tangles of incoherent theory and meaningless words. Without rhyme or reason, some become eager to share this lore while others kill to protect its secrets. Efforts to study the Voices of R'lyeh are confounded as experts often succumb to the same madness.
“I call upon the sky above to keep my fuel warm, dry, and ready. I call upon the land at my feet to make a place for the blaze both level and clear. I call upon the deepest pits of Hell to unleash an unholy inferno. Three times I call out, and this Circle will come to order as the flames illuminate us all.”
— Constellation Coven convocation |
‡ HERETICS Almost all clerics agree that unholy magic weakens the spiritual fabric supporting growth and progress throughout the Great Consolidation. More than a few also warn that the era is ripe for upheaval. Though some heresies are genuine apocalyptic cults, others may have harmless or even helpful aims. The greatest living witches and warlocks tend to show support for these causes, while witch hunters and religious police violently persecute heretics. Anyone who publicly contradicts an official spiritual authority risks this status. Yet not all official proclamations are popular. Some heresies grow to prompt major reformation within a faith. Others become entrenched subcultures challenging traditional perspectives.
‡ The
Brimstone Body is an association of demonologists, warlocks, and witches operating openly throughout the Empire of Shadows. Leaders of this group are famed both for profound lectures on arcane topics and deadly duels between formidable spellcasters. Members in good standing often enjoy library access and secure lodgings while visiting underground bastions of dark elves. Being so large and well-resourced, the Brimstone Body operates many covert facilities on the surface. Secret safehouses stocked with spell components sustain the most ancient elven traditions. Holy persons often feel obliged to destroy these dens of fiendishness and witchcraft.
“Witch hunters and witches are two sides of the same accursed coin. Both spread terror and outrage in service to greater powers. Both favor malicious torment and gruesome spectacle over fair swift justice. Unholy magic has given rise to no blight more pernicious than the professional perscutors of its practitioners.”
— The Cynic's Guide to Mainland |
‡ A
Constellation Coven consists of thirteen witches and warlocks each capable of travelling by flight. They infiltrate large communities, initiate others in the ways of unholy magic, then flee when they begin to feel personally threatened. Though these practitioners are capable of devastating magic, Constellation Covens operate covertly, showing only enough of their power to entice and educate new contractual spellcasters. Each exodus is covered by fledglings and fiends fighting in the street against witch hunters or religious police. Authorities trumpet success in the aftermath even as other survivors quietly continue to pursue infernal empowerment.
‡ Darkstar Temple was destroyed centuries ago in a violent act of divine intervention. Yet this mountainous complex dedicated to the Great Old Ones was virtually abandoned at the moment of its obliteration. Brilliant researchers deciphered cryptic warnings, then evacuated college after college of minds awakened by occult lore. None of the original masters at Darkstar Temple survive today, but their teachings live on as a distinctive tradition of unholy magic. Behind their wholesome motto, “the Temple lives on in our heads and in our hearts,” lurks a network of secretive spellcasters wielding profoundly alien energies.
‡ Friends of the Henge meet regularly at Standing Stone sites neither too busy nor too remote to be practical as gathering places. The rites of this group test the integrity and courage of initiates, confirming these qualities to their elders. Sacrifices made in the names of the Archfey forge a bond of defiance against sanctimonious spiritual leaders. Most chapters of this group foster a healthy civic counterculture that harmonizes with rural power structures. Yet all take an oath to support pact magic practitioners with Archfey patronage. Wherever Standing Stones come under attack, this group may rally in defense.
Conformity Persons of every adventuring race are normally drawn toward communities. While some are more at home among a small isolated tribe and others in the thick of a great city, building trust with neighbors has long been an important survival strategy. Out in wild places, law enforcement and medical assistance are rarely convenient. Sometimes simple hospitality makes the difference between life and death. Yet where resources are scarce, it is important to avoid overreliance on potential allies in the region. People living far from civilization often value their privacy, making it doubly important to announce any approach with respectful greetings.
Some of these values are inverted among the urbane. Cityfolk are crowded together such that friendly salutations are reserved for family and the closest acquaintances. Most residents want to go about their business while interacting with strangers as little as possible. Able constables are generally available along with institutions offering medical relief and charitable support. Approaching a neighboring residence for aid or protection is considered unseemly. Inhabitants are expected to pay taxes and abstain from violence. Even where they do not result in criminal penalties, fire hazards and sanitation problems often generate backlash from concerned cityfolk.
The moderate density of larger towns and smaller cities generates the most intense pressures to conform. Often the fabric of these communities is held together by a single aristocratic family and/or one dominant faith. People can become outcasts simply for questioning a popular leader or custom. Social status may be closely linked to position in a specific congregation or commercial guild. Some cities see nearly every resident clad in one among a few styles of uniform garb indicating caste or occupation. The most narrow-minded communities tend to stifle free thinkers, though these places are also resistant to corruption from outside influences. |
‡ The
Unity Seekers Alliance supports theists who believe in “the one true God” – a being more powerful than all the Regal Deities combined. They claim known gods interfere, misleading all divinations to deny the existence of such a supreme being. Despite extensive prayer and cosmological research, Unity Seekers only create any appearance of success at practicing the spiritual form of magic through hoaxes. Likewise, no amount of devotion enables affiliated warriors to smite their foes with divine radiance or relieve the afflicted with a holy touch. Even so, the appeal of monotheism as a concept causes a fringe from every generation to embrace this belief.
‡ OUTLAWS Known lawbreakers are hunted by authorities. For some this means maintaining bases in remote places where deadly creatures run wild. For others it means secrecy and stealth must be a way of life. Though outlaws are traditional enemies of constables, the two serve as information sources for one another. Deeper collaborations take place where official corruption is prolific. Though the life of an outlaw is fraught with danger, some bandit leaders live like royalty from the spoils of their minions. Smugglers and major distributors of illicit goods often accumulate secret fortunes. Professional bounty hunters lead lives of adventure capturing or killing criminals condemned by legal authorities.
‡ Instant Couriers rely on conjurations to personally deliver items while bypassing all checkpoints and gates. Some have been known to assist with prison breaks. Travelling aristocrats employ these specialists to maintain vices despite local taboos. What this approach to smuggling lacks in economic efficiency it makes up for in difficulty of detection. Instant Couriers who specialize in trafficking contraband may haul magical containers, turning a personal journey into a significant shipment. By nature furtive and cunning, these teleporting spellcasters almost always keep a little personal power in reserve to escape authorities.
‡ Norish Marauders view themselves as military forces, and some operate with tactical sophistication. Yet they always attack territories where no official state of war exists and no tradition of looters' rights holds sway. In legal terms, these seasonal swarms are highly effective coastal bandits. Small independent forces with varying levels of leadership and navigational ability make the timing and location of raids difficult to predict. Many coastal regimes keep elite heavy cavalry forces at the ready to hunt Norish Marauders lingering in hostile territory. Yet survivors end each season with homecomings enriched by the spoils of pillaging.
‡ Pirates of the Veil use mist-shrouded seas and a network of hidden bases among the Veiled Lands to sustain a campaign of cargo thefts in southern waters. Some fugitives take well to this extremely volatile and violent lifestyle. All three human empires are quick to destroy any pirate bases when located, so most never grow beyond a cluster of ramshackle shelters flanking a crude shipyard. Yet these nautical bandits are always aware of multiple options for unloading stolen cargo or recovering from losses. Pirates of the Veil often use magical fog to obscure their travels, hoping to evade detection outside close range.
‡ The
Pirinşehri Thieves' Guild operates brazenly, even to the extent of sponsoring popular charities. Their speciality involves sophisticated heists employing advanced mechanical contraptions. Professional thieves from distant lands visit in search of top quality training and gear. When the Pirinşehri Thieves' Guild cannot divert blame for a major crime to outsiders, strategic secrets purloined from threatening Legions provide the means to strike a deal. Dispirited local constables often respond to theft complaints with advice about improving locks or money handling practices.
“You say murderers are cowards. You say soldiers are brave. What does a soldier risk to kill – claiming a trophy, earning a bonus, perhaps gaining a promotion? Each murder risks the ultimate punishment. It is only cowardly to stab an unarmed person in the back when the deed is done under color of law.”
— Dremric Lightfoot, Redcap Syndicate enforcer |
‡ The
Redcap Syndicate maintains a reputation for murderous ferocity, though it is much more focused on theft and the shipment of stolen goods to markets in Labyrinth. Favoring goblins for positions of leadership, this organization expects hopeful members to work for years as pickpockets, burglars, grifters, or thugs. Only after committing a planned murder in service to the Redcap Syndicate is the eponymous headwear awarded. Full members are trusted to protect their loot both above and below ground. Savvy thieves and seasoned constables both know this group offers modest amounts of clean cash in exchange for valuable stolen goods.
‡ SOLDIERS Military organizations favor standardization. Personnel will be well-equipped with uniform gear and garb. Movements are often conducted in formation. Camp and facility perimeters will be systematically patrolled by alert guards. Where possible, redundant systems of visual and acoustic signalling will be in place to raise alarms when a unit is under threat. All soldiers are part of an organization that was built to fight. Apart from the greenest troops and least competent commanders, responses will be tactically sound. Yet this can make them predictable. Inside information is sometimes invaluable to those who face opposition from a military unit.
“An army of jackals commanded by a lion would defeat an army of lions commanded by a jackal.”
— Serpian proverb |
‡ Bellerophonian Cavalry may be the most iconic combat assets along the front between the Serpian Empire and the Truscan Empire. Though secessionists were quick to abolish many Truscan traditions, little effort was made to introduce changes into the delicate process of breeding and training pegasi. Both empires use elite pegasus-mounted warriors as couriers, raiders, and scouts. When a large formation of Bellerophonian Cavalry flies together, the spectacular sight may inspire allies and intimidate hostile forces. Yet these units with fantastically valuable mounts will only plunge into large battles as a desperate gambit.
‡ Elatolian Cavalry are a crucial element of many battles in the Orient. In a previous era these warriors were part of the Khaan's Shimmering Horde. While that organization lives on only in the eyes of historical enthusiasts, people and horses from the same steppes now contribute power to modern Imperial armies. With shortbows and large quivers, groups of these horse archers sometimes eradicate substantial enemy units while taking no losses of their own. When innocent lives are at stake, they may instead use their curved swords to carve a path through adversaries. Though they make no attempt at stealth, Elatolian Cavalry excels at intimidation as well as attack.
“The portents warn I will meet my end here today. Yet they also declare Avalon will be a thriving kingdom the likes of which Danu has never seen. Exchanging my life for this dream is a gift I gladly give to my children's children.”
— King Cedric the Wise before his final battle |
‡ The
Knights of the Unbroken Circle are warriors or spellcasters each worthy of serving as generals in the army of Avalon. Their abilities are put to the test by hostile fey posing a constantly changing series of threats to the kingdom. Some crises require traditional border control or victory on an open battlefield. Others demand investigations, abjurations, or deceptions to thwart magical creatures intent on destroying all major military forces on the island of Danu. The Knights of the Unbroken Circle find these endless challenges as rewarding as they are dangerous.
‡ Shamus's Slayers are a famously versatile set of irregular mercenaries. Though they favor skirmishing in light armor, they can perform a hard cavalry charge or defend a fortified position just as effectively. With a smattering of magic and sneaky tactics, each squad of Shamus's Slayers excels as a team. Their commanders often negotiate some political clout alongside generous payment. Rather than take land for themselves, these mercenaries use their influence to seat the most capable and militant prospects from traditional aristocratic families. This network of allies provides a steady stream of future employment opportunities.
“#86. Every general worthy of glory has fought a battle in the mud.”
— The 99 Maxims of Victor Tiberius |
‡ Tiberian Legions remain formidable fighting forces despite relatively inexpensive gear. The studded leather armor, pavise, short sword, and two javelins issued to each Legionnaire are consistent with standard infantry gear used by the Truscan war machine early in its expansive phase. This traditional kit leaves them at risk of being outmatched today, but these intensely patriotic units perform well under pressure. Today this affordable tradition makes efficient use of auxiliary forces while honoring the glory days of the Empire. This makes Tiberian Legions a logical choice for garrisons well away from active warzones.
Tribal Customs The simplest communities often make little use of coins, and even less of legal documents. Nomads are limited by what they can transport. Even tribes with permanent homes rarely accumulate much in the way of material possessions. Tribal libraries and arsenals tend toward tiny collections of varied quality. In harsh lands where no greater civilization could be sustained, tribal groups dedicate much of their energy to gathering food and maintaining shelters. Tribes must engage in some mix of peaceful trade and violent defense to hold their ground in more abundant territories.
Tribal societies typically teach that land cannot be owned. It certainly can be used, and chiefs have the authority to direct the labors of others. Yet the idea of treating the ground itself like a possession seems deeply wrong to most people raised in a tribe. Extremely isolated groups may underestimate the powers and ambitions of foreign visitors. Modern tribes anywhere near a significant city will be informed about the need to protect their ancestral lands if they wish to remain autonomous. Tribes reaching a few hundred members often fracture into multiple communities. Yet aligned tribes can coordinate activities as a formidable federation able to fend off major invasions. |
‡ TRIBES The smallest communities are practically impossible to infiltrate since everyone literally knows every other member. Some tribes avoid outsiders by moving from one hidden locale to another. Others participate in federations where the collective power of many tribes makes it possible to defend the territory of a sovereign nation. Some tribal communities rely on barbaric warriors and uneducated shamans for their well-being. Yet many embrace modern ways, fighting with the finest steel and keeping a household of well-read spellcasters in the mix. To outsiders, a tribe with the most elite martial or arcane traditions may appear no different from any other group of hunter-gatherers.
‡ Communities of the
Angry Remnant blur the lines between warband, cult, and tribe. Descendants of Truscan Legionnaires abandoned during the withdrawal from Ontolon, most among the Angry Remnant now have mixed ancestry with some indigenous blood. Even so, they remain a hostile counterculture only able to survive Imperial eradication efforts by taking shelter in misty jungles and treacherous swamps. With religious leaders exclusively devoted to Ares or Hades, there are few hopeful stories in the folklore of these isolated and beleaguered people. Strangers discovering their hidden camps are sometimes killed on sight.
‡ Rawhide Drovers are a quarrelsome culture of nomadic groups who live by herding and hunting along the frontier of the Scarlands. Many other tribes inhabiting that belt are short-lived, but Rawhide Drovers endure by wrangling both cattle and bison with reliable expertise. They measure wealth in livestock, and equestrian ability is particularly important to them. They rarely maintain camp long enough to operate a proper tannery, so their tents and outerwear are typically fashioned from simple hide. Vigilant scouting patrols and speedy migrations are the secrets of their survival in harsh lands where goblinoid hordes periodically swarm.
‡ The
Silverpoint Nation is a federation of communities under the protection of militant wood elf tribes. Though not particularly religious, these elves harbor an abiding hatred of lycanthropes. Persons hostile to shapechangers may find eager allies or mentors among these gifted fey warriors. While the Silverpoint Nation strictly limits the growth of communities within its territory, each market town is affluent through trade in furs and produce. Tribal warriors not only keep the forests clear of bandits and unwanted settlers, but they provide crucial support to the armed forces of ecologically conservative leaders throughout the Sylvanian Confederation.
“Is there any sadness greater than knowing you have defeated your last rival?”
— Erguth Silverhand, orc general |
‡ The
Soulless Legion is a coalition of orc tribes known for their close family connections and featureless black eyes. Several times they have risen up to carve out their own small nation, sheltering an orcish city-state or pacifying a land packed with deadly monsters. Yet Soulless Legion chiefs are notoriously unwilling to engage in diplomacy. Small conflicts inevitably lead to large clashes, escalating until an inevitable invasion by overwhelming numbers of humans. Survivors typically migrate to an area suitable for peaceful rebuilding. Yet when the Soulless Legion is in top form, it is as powerful as any human army of comparable size.
‡ The
Xhoshanba people inhabit an ancient temple complex deep in the Zintu interior. They speak their own language, practically unknown outside that single locale. This complex was originally dedicated to Huhueteotl and Tlaloc. Their eternal bonfires and perpetual cascades continue to comfort residents. Yet the Xhoshanba have no ancestral link to the builders of those structures, and likenesses of Dead Gods have been replaced by Ma Yuan. Gargantua seem reluctant to tread near the walls of this holy place. This tribe opens its sanctuary to small groups of visitors, though the least fortunate go on to be sacrificed in gruesome rituals.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Enemies & Extremists ↑ → Fights & Forays ← ↓ Gear & Gadgets ↓
Fights & Forays
Killings The Age of Heroes gave hope to ordinary people. No single race or creed dominated all others. Yet it was an era when few lands enjoyed a long span without destructive invasion or tyrannical oppression. Fear of violence was everywhere. The history of the world became less volatile after its spiritual flows were regulated. The modern era sees many cities, towns, and even rural districts where violent deaths have been rare for centuries. For people well away from any warzone or wilderness frontier, a secure uneventful life is a realistic ambition.
Not everyone seeks tranquility. The greatest cities contain so many people that murder claims several victims on an average day despite remaining rare. Practitioners of unholy magic are natural targets of witch hunters. Smugglers, spies, and thieves need not be armed to be attacked by guards. Persistent offenders sometimes face execution. Personal rivalries and family feuds can erupt into violence, especially in societies where duelling is tolerated. Even in the most secure places, conflict is never far from those who go looking for it.
Where duelling is permissible, authorities only interfere to enforce regulations and document proceedings. These killings are not only legal, but sometimes vital to rising within an organization or cultivating the reputation of a great warrior. Such a reputation can draw hostility from other duellists intent on making their names by clashing steel with a renowned foe. Wherever a state of war exists, the slaughter of enemy forces may be strongly encouraged. The most elite assassins command the deadliest attacks, but larger body counts can be claimed by the most decorated soldiers.
The killing of dangerous monsters is rarely controversial. Persons of monstrous appearance need be especially wary in societies where they enjoy no legal protections or those protections are unevenly enforced. Particularly in the aftermath of violence from a horde or warband of similar-looking beings, civilized folk may feel anger toward the monstrous. The persecution of other non-humans as well as human ethnic groups can lead to horrific events. Fortunately, the worst forms of bigotry are not normal. Most people feel that most other people have an intrinsic right to life.
This notion is not normally applied to livestock and wild beasts. Yet their killings can create conflict. Herders and ranchers are quick to defend their property. Some aristocrats criminalize hunting on their lands without an official license. Druids may be inspired to attack hunters so effective or numerous as to threaten the local ecological balance. The most extreme wilderness defenders so despise civilization as to lash out at every stranger they encounter. Though there are other paths to greatness, most legendary adventurers have more than a few killings in their personal sagas. |
People have been trying to kill each other with weapons ever since hunger swept the first failing Imperium Arcanum bastion. Tools originally created for fighting dragons or hunting wild game became instruments of human slaughter. No special knowledge is required to shove a blade into a warm body. Yet skill provides an edge of its own. Extensive training with the most gifted combatants hones this edge. Some boldly adventurous warriors do not work with an instructor. Surviving enough deadly struggles reveals experience to be a fine mentor. Even unschooled combatants eventually develop a personal style, provided they do not die first.
Lore accumulated over thousands of years details countless fighting techniques, martial stances, and tactical insights. From an Imperial officer drilling squads of fresh recruits to a reclusive hermit training a lone student, the best teachers draw on battle-tested traditions. Formal training may be tailored to facilitate group maneuvers, prepare for particular enemies, or make use of specialized equipment. Modern military science emphasizes the Six Qualities that distinguish highly effective warriors. Doctrine holds that competent commanders must learn lessons associated with each of the Six Qualities to better recognize and encourage those traits in subordinates. No doubt each trait is a virtue for anyone in the midst of deadly combat.
† AGGRESSION Great warriors strike with unreserved fury. Inexperienced murderers are sometimes identified as such by small cuts inflicted while hesitating to attack forcefully. Weak attacks can be turned aside by armor or a defensive maneuver. Some weapons only deliver their best results while striking fiercely with the intent to follow through. Profound hostility is a reliable way to motivate mighty attacks. Aggressive warriors put the desire to defeat their foes above any concern about their own well-being. Most evident in the berserk rage of charging
barbarians, aggression swiftly eliminates enemy combatants and other targets, hastening the arrival of victory.
Combatants known for their aggression serve best as assault troops or brutal enforcers. Profoundly enraged attackers deliver devastating offensive pressure. Anger propels these warriors right through volleys of arrows and stones to personally deliver their wrath. This approach achieves victory quickly or not at all. Aggressive forces can be countered with decoys and delays meant to exhaust the best energies of attackers. The right ruse can even turn berserk warriors against each other. Getting the most out of aggressive soldiers requires careful timing and target selection, directing their surges of violence into efficient threat elimination.
∞ COMMITMENT Great warriors kill with unwavering purpose. Some defeats result from failure to overcome superior resolve. Morale during battle has an enormous impact on the effectiveness of participants. Fanatical dedication to the mission at hand is ideal. A holy purpose can intensify militant passion. Yet even atheists are capable of pledging their lives to a cause or crusade. The truly steadfast cannot be turned aside even with bribery or mesmerism. Extremely devoted warriors view their weapons as conduits for deadly fervor, infusing might with a moral imperative.
Paladins embody this quality when they smite foes standing in the way of victory.
An abiding commitment makes an individual ideal for service to principled causes. Depending on their creed, these individuals may be well-suited to law enforcement or tax collection. Such paragons of loyalty are incorruptible whether hunting down sworn enemies or defending a sacred stronghold. Many would sooner die than falter in their duties. This dedication can be exploited. The most committed combatants often have higher priorities than victory in battle. They may be compelled to distraction by threats against an innocent bystander or a sacred taboo. The most effective use of intensely committed soldiers involves harnessing zealous passions by harmonizing core beliefs with official duties.
∅ DISCIPLINE Great warriors relentlessly seek perfection. Physical fitness furnishes the force behind force of arms. This may involve the muscle to move freely inside a metal suit while dishing out punishing strikes, the agility to evade attacks while lashing out with pinpoint precision, or some blend of both gifts. Serious martial artists will train with every spare moment, always striving to improve upon personal bests. Repetition is crucial, since adapting amid the chaos of combat benefits from muscle memory of flawless form. The extensive regimens of
monks exemplify discipline while paving the way to victory with superior execution of advanced techniques.
Military Education Many sovereign nations feature institutions dedicated to training military officers. Even some mercenary companies maintain a war college to formulate and teach superior tactics. In the best cases, these institutions resemble their Imperial counterparts, promoting high standards of conduct and competence. Extreme rigor makes the titles and decorations awarded by their instructors reliable indicators of battlefield capability.
Lack of veterans and funding may seriously degrade a nation's officer corps in times of peace. Academies may be reduced to social clubs for retirees. Neglected war colleges often embrace obsolete lore or unproven new ideas. As peace falls apart, modest establishments struggle with major recruiting or conscription drives. It is rare that a small nation systematically maintains the levels of professionalism and coordination associated with Imperial training. |
Extremely disciplined warriors need neither metal nor magic to be effective in battle. Many cultivate their abilities as part of a spiritual or philosophical path. Others are forged in raw violence, each streetcorner brawl or arena fight one more step on a journey of empowerment. Unarmed enforcers give organizations the ability to project power where authorities would not tolerate armed outsiders. Combatants noted for this quality tend to be highly mobile. That can be countered with cavalry to maintain separation or an enclosed space to prevent it. The most disciplined troops excel at the use of non-lethal techniques to disable their foes.
♠ GUILE Great warriors exploit favorable circumstances. Few people would die in battle if the losing side could foresee the outcome. Violent clashes are innately unpredictable. The tide may turn when a moment of opportunity is recognized and seized by a cunning combatant. More effective attacks follow from orchestrating and exploiting situational advantages. This may involve an unexpected angle of attack or violence concerted with an ally. From concealed snipers to nimble skirmishers, wily warriors make heavy use of hazards, distractions, and cover. The sly tactics of
rogues demonstrate guile, making the most of every opening in pursuit of victory.
Truly guileful combatants work best alone or in small groups. Large formations and rigid procedures inhibit their ability to improvise. Covert operations are their strong suit. The same minds that constantly work all the angles of tactical scenarios often thrive while maintaining false identities and serving multiple agendas. Warriors notable for this quality excel at ambushes and perform unexpected maneuvers throughout the course of combat. These evasions and misdirections may be mitigated by battling on open ground or applying some form of immobilization. Personnel with great guile are particularly suited to tasks involving theft, espionage, or assassination.
Imperial Training Three Emperors personally rule superpowers collectively containing most of the world's human beings as well as most of the world's tax revenue. These vast nations each maintain a standing military force of over one million people – large enough to constitute respectable kingdoms unto themselves. The thousands of officers organizing these huge armies are schooled by networks of service academies and war colleges. Some institutions give junior officers opportunities to interact with living legends. Others focus on specialities like covert reconaissance or artillery operations. These institutions also enable officers to study the latest recommended tactics and drills.
The phrase “Imperial training” implies extensive formal military education. Consistent practices enable any qualified Imperial officer to integrate with any affiliated unit. Officers are likewise prepared to recruit, relentlessly drilling new personnel to achieve proficiency with standard issue equipment. Generations of violence have seen an evolution in each empire's military doctrines. Folk wisdom accumulated during times of peace has been purged to make way for battle-tested insights. Master Willow's Rules of Command, a manual famously authored by the most decorated general to fight for Celedinese Ascendance, contains the earliest reference to the Six Qualities. Today his ancient treatise is highly regarded in every human homeland, and all three superpowers school their officers to identify the Six Qualities of effective warriors. |
♥ TENACITY Great warriors rally and triumph despite injury. Normally one side is defeated when a battle ends conclusively. For any combatant still willing and able to strike, the clash is not over. Seasoned warriors find ways to push through the most difficult struggles and remain effective even when suffering from heavy wounds. Reserves of staying power influence the tempo of battle, sometimes producing a reversal of fortune. The most stalwart soldiers may invite attack, confident they will endure and recover. So long as rugged warriors continue to weather an onslaught, allies may be spared harm. Tenacity is the quality that enables
fighters to overcome setbacks and persevere to victory.
Many commanders emphasize this quality above all others in training. It is the backbone of military service. Regular infantry forces are trained to hold their ground as a unit. Supportive allies give wounded comrades opportunities to recover or fall back. Through training and battle they bond into an enduring collective. The dedicated determination of professional soldiers is crucial to the security of all many regimes. Overcoming this quality requires coordinated attacks to dispatch wounded foes before they can rally and strike back. Truly tenacious warriors are especially effective at defending fortified positions.
✶ VERSATILITY Great warriors avoid strengths and attack weaknesses. Every method of fighting has benefits and drawbacks. Tracking and stalking a foe may shed light on which methods are most effective against that particular target. The best-equipped warriors are walking arsenals, easily adapting from one enemy to the next. Every additional option increases the chance that one will prove suitable, if not ideal, for a given clash. If the weather or some other factor thwarts a plan, a robust set of alternatives may yet save the day.
Rangers display versatility by being prepared to attack weaknesses, seeking the one that will serve as a path to victory.
Able to snipe, skirmish, or plunge into melee; truly versatile soldiers often serve in light cavalry units. Others encounter all manner of potential adversaries while assigned as scouts or sentries. Being prepared for almost anything enables this sort of warrior to live off the land. Less militant rangers make their way by gathering resources from wild places, possibly also acting to prevent poaching and other destructive activities. Limiting their mobility is usually the best way to deal with versatile adversaries, since that also limits their tactical options. This quality enables many to excel at fighting rare monsters and other exotic enemies.
Highway Patrols The greatest cities require robust avenues of reliable trade. Enormous quantities of food and other essentials must be constantly imported. Imperial governments are famously strict about policing major roads. Other regimes gain respect by enabling civilian travellers to feel secure. Small teams of riders make watchful trips to detect threats or assist travellers in distress. Significant bandits and vandals are hunted by larger military units. These efforts promote prosperous commerce, but they also allow rapid mobilization of soldiers by way of clear roads.
As with armies, large caravans employ scouts to prevent the main group from unknowingly moving into danger. Couriers may rush past or sneak around a hazard, then convey warnings they continue forward with their own journeys. Many routes in prosperous territories can be safely travelled by defenseless persons with no escort. Yet prudence and patience are never amiss on the road. Even the safest highways are not completely free of tragedy. Where there has been recent violence or there are credible warnings of future violence, a road may literally swarm with armed authorities keen to protect the innocent. |
Modern times see safe travel across many populated areas. The health and wealth of a society depends on its ability to secure internal trade. Most constabularies are quick to apprehend or eliminate urban murderers on the prowl. Empires and other great nations patrol their own roads enough to make robberies and monster attacks rare along major routes. The dangers of travel can often be minimized through careful planning. Even with preparation, these dangers become unpredictable risks for those who venture away from secure territory. Most wilderness areas are home to fearsome beasts. Some locales teem with deadly creatures. Where a seemingly safe place remains uncivilized, a hidden danger likely lurks. Bandits and dragons are two among many types of cunning threats known to see loners and small parties as potential victims.
Abundant ancient lore about wild places is supplemented today by copious scientific research. Universities pride themselves on galleries of preserved specimens enabling students to look firsthand at plants and animals from distant places. Sufficiently powerful aristocrats may maintain private menageries. Some large cities dedicate sprawling institutions to the public display of exotic animals in captivity. The land itself can be no less deadly than its inhabitants. Much uncivilized territory is so because it cannot support agriculture. Even where they are at risk of becoming food, travellers also require it. Along with sound instincts, accumulated knowledge of the natural world can prove crucial to surviving expeditions far from any inn or waystation.
⨁ BARRENS The heart of the Scarlands provides foul yet edible fungi and bugs to any who persist in digging through its accursed filth. Away from that interior, those blackened wastes offer virtually no nutrition. What surface water can be found is often poisoned by a mix of stagnation and ash. Even when the weather permits clear sight, these gloomy expanses lack for landmarks as well as life. Permanent residents are often powerful exiles who sustain themselves through magic while advancing some pursuit civilized folks find intolerable. Locals fortunate enough to control a spot suitable for gardening are sure to conceal their vulnerable outcropping of greenery. While the outer Scarlands are the most famous barrens in the world, blights and curses have inflicted this status on other areas.
“To walk the Scarlands for yourself, to feel ashes on the breeze, to trod upon dark seething ground, to inhale that awful unrelenting smell . . . while you are out there, it becomes difficult to imagine anything more offensive to the Gods than this product of their own handiwork.”
— Primo Cartesia, Truscan mapmaker |
“Go around,” is the standard advice for travellers contemplating a journey into barren land. Warriors sometimes venture across barrens to prove their courage. Running out of food or water is a dire predicament on this terrain. Though most transits are uneventful, others involve horrific discoveries like goblinoid hordes, undead armies, and lurking fiends. Establishing a benevolent stronghold is an invitation to be overwhelmed by such threats. The boundaries of barrens generate much interest from druids and clerics. Some provide relief to exhausted visitors while others promote processes to heal the land. Walls and forts are common near barrens known to unleash waves of violent monsters. Other areas, like Hel or the surface of the Moon, are technically barrens despite no permanent residents and visits only from incredibly powerful beings.
⨁ DESERTS Water is precious wherever there is none in sight. Hunting and foraging tend to be difficult even for experts in desert terrain. Fortunately relief can be found at oases scattered across otherwise desolate land. An oasis may be a permanent natural watering hole or a pool replenished through magic. Most offer limited hospitality and trade opportunities to visitors. Yet armies and large caravans can deplete these lifegiving sanctuaries. Defenders often include a minor aristocrat working with a team of clerics or druids strongly attuned to the land. A flourishing oasis town might sustain a few small farms and a large temple. Construction is viable in most deserts, though some areas are nothing but dunes in constant gradual motion. The arid expanses between oases and river valleys are often unpatrolled as well as undeveloped.
“After two years in the desert, the sight of a public fountain seemed entirely miraculous.”
— Nigella Leighton, Albionish explorer |
Basilisks, manticores, wyverns, and giant birds of prey sometimes make meals of lone desert travellers. Any dragon hunting over this terrain may be ravenous enough to fight for a meal. Though few serpents and fewer scorpions could devour an adult human, both sorts of creatures have killed many in these climes. Jackals and vultures make quick work of any carrion left to the desert Sun. Some deserts feature enormous burrowing sandworms. Sphinxes are also at home in this environment. Though rarely aggressive outside personal territories, they are demanding by nature. Desert journeys often see teamsters favoring camels or lizards, since horses are less tolerant of long trips without water. With ample supplies, Sun protection, and rest stops; desert travel can be low risk. It takes a turn for the deadly when shifting sands confound navigation or water reserves have been exhausted.
Campfires Members of every adventuring race find it comforting to spend time near a fire before settling down for the night. Tritons new to the surface regard the flavors of cooked food and the warm glow of a hearth as exotic treats. Others are relieved of coldness and wetness while basking in strong firelight. Travellers establishing a campfire send a signal to the group that it is time to rest. They also send a signal to nearby creatures that people are in the area. Most wild animals will keep their distance from outdoor fires. There are techniques to conceal the light and smoke produced by small fires, but it takes a substantial blaze to warm a group of people.
Military scouts keep notes of the positions and times where campfires have been sighted. Bandits and intelligent predators sometimes treat camps as places to loot or feed. Gathering useful fuel for campfires is extremely difficult in the most desolate, cold, or wet terrain types. Underground, an absence of fuel can be compounded by stagnant air unable to clear accumulating smoke. Where the land is thick with dry vegetation or a room is cluttered with old papers, a small ember can quickly give rise to a dangerous conflagration. Even in less volatile conditions, druids and awakened animals have been known to menace campers being irresponsible about fire safety. |
⨁ FORESTS Finding something to eat is never difficult in a forest. The risk for unskilled foragers involves being sickened by unknown fare. Fresh water is often safe to drink here, though wise consumers favor fast flows and falls. Creeks and ponds often offer fish to supplement local berries, eggs, fruits, nuts, roots, and wild game. Tribal cultures can live comfortably in harmony with most forests. Modern nations export resources from forests under their control. Forestry policies can be controversial. Some aristocrats restrict lucrative hunting and logging privileges to personal associates. Thick forests are unfit for travel by horse, and the thickest make progress difficult even for persons on foot. Limited visibility facilitates covert activities in this terrain.
The fey are a strong presence in most forested areas. Elsewhere they may be furtive, but the fey creatures of Old Silvania are generally comfortable around other races. Forest creatures and local druids fight back against any threats to their sylvan way of life. Irresponsible fires, aggressive logging, and permanent construction are all likely to generate hostility. Even where local people are benign, fey tricksters tempt travellers into misfortune. Bears, wolves, and other ordinary residents can be deadly. Many forests are also home to an assortment of giant animals living alongside animated plants and trees. Though wood elves intimidate outsiders with volleys of arrows erupting from hidden platforms in the forest canopy, nothing terrifies quite like the trees themselves rallying to crush a band of destructive intruders.
⨁ GLACIERS Inhospitable sheets of ice pose a constant challenge to all but the most well-adapted creatures. Hel, lands of the extreme north, and the highest mountain peaks all share some of the characteristics of barrens. There is virtually nothing to hunt or forage, though clean water is available to any able to warm enough ice or snow. Weather is almost always extreme, with blinding blizzards that end as suddenly as their onset. Even trained mountaineers see glaciers as terrain to be crossed rather than inhabited. Every step is treacherous, and refreshing rest breaks do not come easily. Some travellers rope themselves into groups, saving each other from deadly falls. In addition to climbing gear, skis and snowshoes sometimes prove useful in these environments.
“To be a successful mountaineer requires two qualities – an extreme love of life and an extreme love of death.”
— Kalsang Dawa, Xe-Shanese explorer |
While there are alpine military specialists, history has nothing kind to say about cavalry doing battle on snowbound wastes. Elephants struggle with the chill, but mammoths thrive on tundra. Goliaths and certain sorts of giants are also comfortable with this climate. Where coastal ice does not prevent all fishing, villages may support human tribes as well. Keeping supplied with food and fuel is a constant struggle for most communities. Well-built structures on mountaintops or in the most frigid parts of the north tend to be operated by reclusive spellcasters or supplied by distant regimes. These secret outcroppings of civilization often serve as prisons or training facilities. An unwelcome approach to one of these structures can be more hazardous than remaining out in the cold.
⨁ GRASSLANDS Flat expanses with short native vegetation are ideal horse country. Human governments often covet these territories since the least arid are also ideal for farming. Where water or Sun are not reliable enough for settled agriculture, plains often become home to large herds of grazing beasts. Skilled riders wrangle these herds and breed for superior stock, giving rise to wealthy nomadic traditions. Fences are rarely practical, leaving herders to respect each other and the land itself or risk overgrazing. Many grasslands are in a transitional state with zones of irrigated farming country or enchanted forest pushing back frontiers of established steppeland. Travellers in wild grasslands may be at risk of unpredictable swarming by monstrous hordes or undermining by gargantuan worms.
“Care for your horse, and your horse will care for you.”
— unknown, possibly of prehistoric origin |
All sorts of travellers can maintain their best speed on this clear flat terrain. Cavalry forces are essential to political power here. Though the landscape can be boring, it is rarely so monotonous as to complicate navigation. Foraging also tends to be effective here, with wild game easy to spot yet difficult to approach. At the extremes, floodplains sometimes risk abrupt inundation while the dryest steppes make it hard to keep any herd fed and watered. Other grasslands tend to provide well for grazing beasts. Peaceful isolated communities can grow to considerable size when surrounded by green pastures. Though wolves and snakes wander these places, harmless animals are far more abudant. The skies above may see griffons and pegasi along with the occasional dragon on the hunt. Many modern aristocratic titles trace back to families who secured a patch of grassland or displaced an indigenous tribe only to develop the land into a lucrative fief.
Burial Mounds Modern practices call for corpses to be destroyed, entombed, or buried under a stone slab. Dead bodies were handled differently by some cultures long ago. Also known as barrows, kurgans, or tumuli; burial mounds were built atop important remains. Complete buildings would sometimes be buried to house ancient aristocrats alongside their most prized possessions. Other burial mounds covered mass graves containing combatants who did not survive a great battle or deadly plague. For many, the event that killed them would not be their final struggle.
Once hallowed and now forgotten, some of these artificial hills send forth savage supernatural defenders when disturbed. Wights and wraiths are particularly common around these features. Other burial mounds eventually erode, exposing human remains liable to arise when next the land is cursed or a Remnant Wrangler pays a visit. Many archaeologists take an interest in ancient burial mounds. Gold, jewels, mithral, and magic can be found together in the most impressive sites. Risks are appropriately dire, since persons receiving great honors in death potentially wield great powers in undeath. |
⨁ HIGHLANDS Hill country is naturally difficult to govern. Every vista offers plenty of nearby slopes able to conceal a smokeless camp. Small caverns and canyons provide convenient lairs for bandits and monsters alike. The terrain often allows for some grazing, though it is far from an ideal environment for cavalry. Farming is likewise possible but limited. Only highlands that have been politically stable for centuries are likely to feature many scenic vales and terraced estates. Elsewhere a low population clusters around scattered mines and other productive sites. Unprotected travellers may become targets for outlaws or monsters, especially at night. The roughest country may be more ominous than barrens with so many possible threats spread across so many changing horizons.
Signal towers are an effective way of spreading the news across this terrain. Drums, fires, flags, and magical lights all can be put to the task of sending coded messages. A network of these towers coordinates military activities during the arduous process of civilizing hillfolk. The absence such a network suggests mutually hostile tribes or clans control any secure communities in the area. Some highlands remain neutral zones between great nations. Dwarven cities are often situated under hill country with a single surface stronghold to facilitate smelting and trade. Some hills provide homes for cyclopes or the simplest sorts of giants. This terrain is also home to ordinary beasts that rise to the level of deadly threats. The wildest badlands see outlaw strongholds hidden among many independent monster lairs.
⨁ JUNGLES Expeditions into the hottest and wettest forests tend to be high on risks and rewards. Even in modern times, much of the Zintu economy is driven by the exports gathered from lands too perilous for permanent development. The challenges of access keep prices high for gems, spices, ivories, and skins unique to jungles. Even the smallest jungle creatures may strike with deadly venom. Yet gargantua are also known to thrive in this terrain. Many of the Veiled Lands are overrun with huge carnivorous reptiles. Jungle tribes rarely endure unless they excel at hiding. Some groups are immediately hostile to outsiders, while others look to prey upon small parties first induced to relax. Though independent upstarts may grow rich presiding over civilized jungle strongholds, these communities are invariably short-lived.
“‘Kill or be killed’ is not the law of the jungle. It is the prevailing condition wherever legal authorities are effectively powerless. It is the absence of law itself.”
— Sigrun Magnusdotter of the One-Handed Legion |
Fey are rare but not always unkind here. Some avoid more settled climes to practice unconventional lifestyles in peace. Jungle druids are not so rare, though most dedicate themselves to the protection of animal allies in the area. Greater abundance of poisons and diseases makes foraging in jungles trickier than conventional forests, though the challenges are otherwise similar. Vegetation is almost everywhere, making most movement difficult. Inhospitable living conditions discourage aristocrats from attempting to govern most jungle territories in conventional ways. Out in the thick of it, survival skills and pure grit matter more than the opinions of distant authorities. Many modern jungles were once territories of interest to Dead Gods. Lost temples and overgrown cities now lurk in these wilds.
≋ LAKES Easy access to clean water and good fishing encourages lakefront development. Great cities often arise near a lake, while even small towns here tend to prosper. Lakes in rural or wild places are often hubs of life. Fish, reptiles, and amphibians inhabit the waters. Grazing beasts and their predators drink from the shallows. Some lakes are protected by local druids, fey, and/or nature spirits. The most formidable will deploy elemental creatures as needed. Securing control of a valuable lake can be more challenging than ridding hill country of bandits and monsters. Smaller villages and some tribal cultures may find ways to live in harmony with wild lakes, offering sacrifices while strictly policing their own fishing and dumping activities. Lakes near large populations require special constabularies to coordinate so much aquatic activity.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I believe we can form a more useful system of government than allowing the selkies who bestow magic weapons to decide which among us will rule.”
— King Cedric the Wise before his coronation |
Most lakes feature clear calm water that is easily navigable. The largest make it possible to venture beyond sight of land. While huge lakes are sometimes turbulent, Mannanan Mac Lir does not treat them as his playthings. Lakeborne travellers are almost never counfounded by devastating waves or wandering points of reference. Many lakes give rise to lore of resident monsters, with some stories substantiated by small populations of huge reptiles or amphibians. Lake lore also features tales of sunken treasures. A fraction of these are based on ancient fey troves or modern submerged caches. Even lakes adjacent to great cities may be unsafe far from shore or at great depth. The deepest and darkest lakes often enable strange creatures to thrive, from inland tribes of alluring aquatic beings to seething pools of unholy abominations.
≋ RIVERS Even where surrounding lands are inhospitable, the flood plains of rivers tend to support excellent farms. Convient access to fresh flowing water irrigates crops and herds alike. River valleys in wild places also tend to be especially rich with life. Plants and animals that might be unable to survive nearby habitats can thrive in pockets of verdant growth. Most rivers contain a diverse array of fish, reptiles, and amphibians. For those who are not able swimmers, the swiftest rapids and deepest channels might as well be oceans. Trolls seem to instinctively hunt near logical river crossings. Major bridges often feature guardposts that collect modest tolls compensating squads formidable enough to defeat those monsters. Where no bridge exists yet fording is impractical, enterprising people may operate a ferry raft.
Checkpoints Major governments control too much territory to place personnel on watch over all places at all times. Power is projected through outposts and garrisons at strategic locations. Established border communities and all major cities shelter within walls featuring no more than a few gates. Travellers passing through face whatever inspections and fees authorities require. Cooperation and patience are useful tools here. Bribery or trickery may also facilitate passage. Where there is no funding for guards at a major bridge or mountain pass, greedy outlaws and deadly monsters hunt for victims in the flow of traffic.
Many checkpoints are staffed by well-mannered local constables, though more remote or dangerous posts typically receive detachments of well-armed soldiers. These outposts often serve as waystations for couriers and government agents. Over time some will grow, perhaps developing huge fortifications. Funds collected locally as tolls and tarriffs are supplemented by investments from senior economic or military planners. An aristocrat in control of a major bridge or border crossing may grow wealthy through oversight of trade even if local agriculture and industry are poor. |
Modern engineers undertake increasingly bold interventions in the flows of rivers. Encouraging alternative natural channels or digging artificial canals makes it possible to irrigate dry lands. Diverted water can operate mills and provide fountains to communities downstream. The largest projects accumulate enormous reservoirs behind mountainous stone walls, enhancing the agriculture and industry of an entire region. Hazards vary widely depending on the surrounding climate and the topography of each flow. A drop over the largest cascades is almost certain to end in death, while the smallest rivers can be traversed at most points by a reasonably cautious human on foot. Local lore is often crucial to safe river navigation, be it keeping a barge clear of sandbars or knowing to portage a small boat around rocky shallows.
≋ SEAS Well west of Danu and far east of To-Shin, the Greater Ocean destroys all who would dare to sail upon it. The God of Briny Depths is keenly focused on events in the Imperium Maris. His whims effectively keep half the world unavailable to those who are not comfortable underwater. The Orient and Mainland are surrounded by many gulfs and minor seas fit for voyages keeping within sight of land. Encounters with other seagoing vessels are common along populated coastlines and inevitable in urban harbors. Even within sight of a coastline, pirates and sea serpents pose serious hazards. The Lesser Ocean and some of the waters around the Veiled Lands are navigable, though constant peril befalls vessels without the charts of a Cardinal Navigator or the inspiration of a Crossbones Corsair.
Far out to sea, dangers abound. Waves and weather seem completely unpredictable without a spiritual link to Mannanan Mac Lir. Ley lines play inconsistently over water, rendering one popular method of navigation unreliable. Krakens and other enormous sea monsters sometimes crush wooden vessels simply out of curiosity. Only a respectable regimen of prayers and preparations enables a captain to avoid the worst hazards of the Lesser Ocean and waters around the Veiled Lands. Even then, minor sea monsters and storms of normal intensity can pose great challenges for mariners. Encounters with other vessels on open water are rare yet fraught with danger. The line between military action and piracy can be unclear to some. Crews running low on critical supplies while far from port may be driven to acts of desperation.
“Anyone can lead horses into a swamp. Getting them back on solid ground is the tricky part.”
— Jerry O'Shannan, Tuathish jester |
⨁ SWAMPS Wetlands are often considered undesirable habitats even when they are surrounded by politically stable territory. Few lucrative resources are abundant in swampland. Yet crocodiles often are, swimming unseen right at the surface of dark waters. Lizardfolk are also drawn to these places, being naturally acclimated and lacking other options at the end of their exodus from the Veiled Lands. This terrain is extremely problematic for construction and other development. Great cities in wetlands tend to be ports at the mouths of rivers channeling endless torrents of cargo to the sea. Otherwise swamps tend to see villages and small towns arise on patches of high ground while other residents lead a tribal life if they exist at all. Fishing, hunting, and some specialized crops provide sustenance.
“Here you either sink or swim. You live longer if you become very good at both.”
— Itztli Snapjaw, lizardfolk monster hunter |
As with jungles, swamps feature many plants and animals containing poison. Also, swampwater is rarely clean – civilized institutions advise both straining and boiling prior to any attempts at drinking the stuff. Decomposition occurs quickly in swamps. Necromancers sometimes conceal their wares in these areas, hiding rotting things in rotting places. Cultists may likewise exploit swampland to perform unholy rites. Some swamps emit dangerous or deadly gasses. These may produce haunting displays of nocturnal light. Swamp fey sometimes imitate these lights, deliberately luring curious onlookers into deadly perils. Hags, ogres, trolls, and other widely-despised monsters regard swamps as havens from civilized authorities. As with barrens, “go around,” is often the best advice for travellers headed into a swamp.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Fights & Forays ↑ → Gear & Gadgets ← ↓ Magic ↓
Scientific Instruments Some metallurgists, glaziers, and toolmakers specialize in precision production. Many guilds calibrate equipment based on exacting duplicates of official measures maintained by a major government. With three different sets of Imperial units and dozens of others featured in the laws of lesser realms, quantifying the material world can be a confounding endeavor. Yet many institutions fund small armies of researchers taking measurements to investigate unproven theories or challenge established beliefs. Significant adventure may follow from efforts to gather exotic specimens or survey locations that have not already been subject to extensive study.
There is no end to variation in the devices researchers use in their specialized work. From the warmth in the air to the loudness of a sound, it seems like any phenomenon can be measured by the correct contraption. A significant slice of the tinkering trade meets demand for the tools of science. Components of some devices require gemcutters to polish lensed crystals, alchemists to synthesize exotic catalytsts, or tanners to treat elastic membranes. The best scientific toolkits are impressive, if not easily resold, concentrations of wealth. They mainly have value to other scholars who might also pay a premium for log books full of information gathered by esteemed experts. |
Gear & Gadgets The Great Consolidation has seen over two millennia of continuous technological progress. While the previous age featured wars and other tragedies that destroyed entire libraries of useful knowledge, modern archivists systematically reproduce and exchange essential literature. Some magical secrets remain closely guarded, but excellent scientific writings are quick to spread across distant lands. Though no global study of animals, plants, or minerals is comprehensive; a tremendous variety of locales have been subject to one form or another of meticulous cataloging. Building upon well-documented particulars and broad theories, each new generation of scholars adds something to the foundations of their ancestors.
The Age of Heroes saw cycles of growth and pestilence or famine in part because economic development was not treated as a serious discipline. The Celedinese defied this norm through calculated investments in canals and dams. By
1 G.C. their concept of a virtuous cycle – investment to create prosperity that funds additional investment – had become the prevailing paradigm of economic stewardship. Truscan engineers improved urban living with efficient ways of directing water into cities and sewage away from them. Many peoples contributed innovative techniques of building roads and bridges. Proper planning and funding utilizes these technologies to grow sprawling cities and productive villages where inhabitants may find safety and comfort. Rising in harmony, urban centers improve profits for nearby farmers and miners while outlying communities reduce costs for raw materials in demand at markets and guilds.
Respectable rulers in modern times almost never destroy bridges, dams, aqueducts, sewers, libraries, or universities. The value of these assets is not controversial among educated people. Attacks against any of these structures give aggressors a reputation as savage warlords rather than civilized leaders. Thriving infrastructure and education require taxpayer support, yet they also enhance a population's ability to pay. Wealthy individuals sometimes sponsor supplemental projects, cultivating prestige through charity. Cities with inadequate or incompetent leadership depend heavily on private efforts to sustain economic development. One measure of a community's well-being is the ratio of charitable resources addressing basic problems, like sanitation or housing, to those supprting loftier goals, like public concerts or scientific inquiry.
The crowding of any modern city is managed by a professional constabulary trained and equipped to suppress criminal activity. Specialists at investigation and detention help these organizations deal with formidable troublemakers. The rigors of the job turn the most experienced law enforcement officers into seasoned adventurers. Yet commanders must also master the art of allocating limited resources based on predicted patterns of criminal activity. General theories of crime prevention and harm reduction must be paired with a deep understanding of local lore to deploy constables effectively. Inadequate policing slows commerce as merchants and shoppers feel insecure. Yet excessive control produces general tension with escalating risks of sabotage and violence. Optimal conditions feature the appearance of justice without an atmosphere of oppression.
The Pressure Problem Many spellcasters have abilities useful in support of scientific inquiry. Yet the ambient energy of the world limits a few forms of technological progress. Sufficient levels of heat and pressure force some transitory magical resources into violent reactions. Fleeting wisps and ethereal particles produce momentary weaknesses in otherwise durable materials. Together these phenomena make it almost impossible to build containment vessels for explosive forces. Many books have been penned about the Pressure Problem as a barrier to certain avenues of scientific inquiry.
Rockets designed to surpass twentyfold the speed of a warhorse always disintegrate in transit no matter how stable the fuel or rugged the vessel. Boilers meant to prepare hot beverages or distribute heat through buildings are relatively safe. Yet where steam lacks adequate outlet, pressure quickly rises toward an explosive level. Magical containment only prolongs a chain reaction, increasing the intensity of the inevitable blast. The Carmatian steam engine may resemble transportation, but those contraptions actually serve as a spectacularly destructive alternative to the battering ram.
Planar travellers have produced enough detailed accounts of working firearms for military scientists to grasp the underlying principles. Yet imported guns and cannons destroy themselves when fired with adequate propellant. Replicas produced from native materials fare no better, thwarting all efforts to protect firing chambers against corrosive and explosive magical phenomena. Among other things, the Pressure Problem prevents advanced technology from competing with traditional metal and magic on the battlefield. |
That approach assumes the goal of a regime is good government. After a hard-fought conquest, some authorities deliberately weaken their own territories. Rulers may even take on a punitive attiude. Where a violent resistance movement already exists, brutal enforcement practices can increase public safety over the long term by thwarting that movement. Some crackdowns facilitate unpopular policy changes, like a new tax or a ban on a popular vice. Harsh governance drives both workers and investors to seek fortune elsewhere – substantial future losses in exchange for a purposeful cultural shift or a short term revenue boost. Scientific analysis of government remains fraught with speculative pontifications. Some other areas of inquiry generate copious data supported by an academic consensus including wizards and priests.
The math behind modern understandings of economics and politics is verified with queries posed to all-knowing sources. Efforts to gauge quantities can achieve precision through systematic use of “is it greater than?” divinations. Detailed sketches or the memories of eyewitnesses can direct scrying toward sights that merit further study. Transmuters create affordable, if temporary, supplies of rare materials to be consumed in alchemical experiments. Summoned minions can collect samples from places too hazardous for conventional exploration. Some of the most sophisticated scientific instruments feature enchanted components. Spellcasters may benefit from empirical observations like a log of local pan evaporation rates or an index of the temperatures at which various materials melt. Magic blends with science blend in all manner of ways.
Practicing spellcasters are often secretive about their most advanced techniques, believing those abilities dangerous in the hands of the unworthy. By contrast, practicing scientists see all lore as worthy of publication so that errors might be corrected and truths popularized. Military science is the exception to this norm. From mechanical calculators assisting trebuchet operators to signaling lanterns only visible through a particular sort of goggles, generals pay well for technology that might give their forces an advantage. Spymasters likewise fund sophisticated crafting endeavors to support operatives tasked with assessing the nature and effectiveness of hostile forces. Both military science and espionage tend to be extremely risky and extremely lucrative areas of technological endeavor.
While some cultures celebrate ancient traditions and treat tinkering as a frivilous pursuit, others glorify accomplished scientists and sustain robust demand for shiny new contraptions regardless of practical value. That said, many modern inventions offer supstantial improvements to quality of life. Once rarely seen outside gnomish kitchens, arsenals of specialized tools and clockwork appliances ease various cooking and washing tasks today. Constant refinments see an array of inexpensive, safe, and effective cleansers contributing to good hygiene and housekeeping. The latest trends in cosmetics, from simple moisturizing lotions to blended pigments that change color over the course of a day, have been known to make fortunes for some alchemists and herbalists. This diversity of goods raises modern levels of trade far above anything sustained during the Age of Heroes.
Poisons Venom predates dragonkind. In the modern era, countless species of plants and animals generate substances with the potential to weaken, sicken, or kill people. Tribes with minimal access to education may nonetheless know how to poison their weapons using these natural substances. Some alchemists and herbalists excel at concentrating dangerous fluids or powders to produce more damaging versions of natural poisons. With the right sort of rare yet fresh ingredients, extremely lethal concoctions can be prepared. This work poses plenty of dangers, including the risk of personal exposure to a toxic brew.
Manufacturers of poison also risk social backlash. Tribal societies may produce poisons from a rare resource that must be conserved to be sustained. More organized societies often punish vendors of poisons used in the commission of other crimes. This drives specialists in the field to associate with secret societies and outlaws. Outright bans on the production of poison are problematic for several reasons. Some officials employ poison for their own security. Many beneficial potions are derived from poisonous precursors. What works well as medicine in small doses may become a poison in greater quantities. Some common wares like inks, paints, and cleansers can kill if quaffed.
Just as poisons are derived from a vast array of substances, their effects are widely varied. Some only do harm after drinking a large amount of a foul-tasting substance. Others can kill with a drop of odorless colorless fluid. The least intense spread on a blade merely nauseates victims, while the most potent can cause death in a matter of seconds. There are poisons with unique tactical applications, such as those that render victims sluggish or altogether immobile. Sufficiently skilled spellcasters with an appropriate formula can create poisons empowered through their own magic. Be they alchemical, herbal, or magical; the most potent poison recipes are well-guarded trade secrets. |
⩺ ALCHEMY Experience with magic helped dragons and elves understand that blending different things together can create a mixture with useful effects. The first true alchemists were concerned with improving inks to better preserve fine detail over time. Huge varieties of medicines and poisons were understood by the time the Age of Heroes got underway. Many alchemical achievements during this era were poorly documented, lost within a generation or two. The Great Consolidation changed all that. The prestige of authoring a popular alchemical formula can open up lucrative opportunities with guilds and large trading houses. Librarians systematically preserve and share the most useful literature in this field. Today alchemy is an immensely popular and practical science studied at every great university.
⩺ Dyes Anyone with an eye for color can mix pigments well enough. Advanced paints allow for this precise color matching while remaining vivid over time. For outdoor surfaces this often means multiple coats of different substances. Upkeep is easy enough that merchants with dirty or faded signs are often thought to be out of business. Likewise, neighborhoods in good repair will sport what colors local custom allows. Most dyers' guilds use alchemical knowledge to turn local supplies into a few distinctive shades slow to fade from cloth even after heavy wear. Whether uniformed or otherwise, the common garb of most communities tends to combine elements from a distinctive regional palette. Some specialized inks fade over time or remain unseen until exposed to an additional substance. Though spellbooks and magical scrolls are often prepared with enchanted ink, top quality precursors are an essential component in that process.
⩺ Explosives Early Thracian alchemists developed a mixture that spreads fire when exposed to air. Its underwater method of preparation was as revolutionary as the incendiary oil itself. Many experimenters have died in the centuries since, some uncovering valuable secrets. Celedinese and To-Shinese organizations preserve the export value of pyrotechnics by jealously guarding techniques of rocket fuel production. Sappers everywhere seal bundles of small charges, such as agitated fizzwater bottles, inside containment vessels meant to deliver the force of them all in a single blast. The most dangerous known explosives are
fusion bombs – sophisticated mechanical devices that quickly blend multiple substances to create an unstable mixture that promptly explodes. Formulae for these devastating devices are researched by scrying the final minutes in the lives of alchemists obliterated by their own experiments.
⩺ Solvents The Archfey so detested the smells of overcrowded fey bastions that soapmaking duties were assigned to a significant part of the non-combatant labor pool. A small variety of ancient cleansers were used almost exclusively until the Great Consolidation inspired new thinking about the importance of hygiene and cleanliness. Well-appointed homes now have cupboards and cabinets full of products made for specific tasks. Some alchemical solvents only destroy specific sorts of stains and grime. Others are much less selective. Reasearch easily turns up formulas for deadly acids, but their safe preparation and handling requires extraordinary skill. Vitriols hurl significant amounts of these costly corrosives as a form of attack. Some artisans and artists use these substances to perform etchings or deposit metal inlays. The right alchemical solvents can even extract perfectly pure deposits of a single metal from batches of alloy plates or crushed ore.
⩺ ENGINEERING While dragons clawed haphazardly, dwarves have an instinct for sound tunneling techniques. Their excavations often benefit from extensive reinforcement. The greatest structures of the Archfey could not remain upright without the assistance of powerful magic. In their aftermath human and dwarven builders devised ways to construct stone fortifications both huge and sturdy. The right combination of digging and building can change the flow of a river. Sophisticated structural supports enable bridges to span huge gaps. The Truscan concept of an aqueduct made it possible to build overland bridges conveying channels of clean water into cities. Rising metropolises created demand for colossal attractions. Churches, theaters, and arenas grew to accommodate crowds bigger than a Legion.
“Just like this sprocket or that lever, each of us alone is a part that can be replaced with a single operation. It is only by acting together that we command the power within this great engine of prosperity. It is our choice . . . our choice to give everything to the corporation and take the pittances we are offered in return . . . our choice to halt production and demand more for our families. Fellow workers, I ask if you want to just make it through today, or if you want to unite with me in pursuit of a better tomorrow!”
— Sartak Jadebrace in his final public address |
⩺ Architecture Alongside spellcasters and warriors, guilds known to train masons have always enjoyed the robust patronage of authorities. Century after century of conflict during the Age of Heroes produced accumulations of lore about construction and demolition. Modernity brings with it scientific methods. Types of stone, wood, and bamboo are graded for durability. Mortars and sealants have been adapted to the particulars of various climates. Cheaper stonework usually produces basic geometric constructions derived from local quarries. Premium fortifications will stand out from the surrounding terrain through both color and elaborate artistry. Though rare, the most advanced buildings in the world rest on frames of large steel girders. These durable towers can attain extraordinary heights.
⩺ Mills The Age of Heroes saw countless small mills slicing timber, crushing ore, or grinding grain; though today's industrial complexes are another matter. Clockwork on a massive scale, some modern mills are unforgiving places with machinery able to inflict certain death. Animals, laborers, water, or wind may provide power to a system. Even when that energy source can be disengaged, momentum causes the works to keep turning for a time. The most sophisticated installations produce valuable wares like precision machine-tooled parts or rolled sheet metal. Though dangerous, employment at large mills is also rewarding to the extent that laborers enjoy the profits from enormous productivity. Alas, some societies allow mill owners to become fabulously wealthy while treating their workers like cogs in the machinery.
⩺ Waterworks Public fountains and underground sewers make the difference between charmingly crowded urban neighborhoods and stinking dens of disease. Priests fight a losing battle to support community health in any metropolitan area without access to clean water. City governments can derive considerable funding from fees paid by owners of private fountains. Some modern irrigation techniques make it possible to work more land with less water than traditional methods. Other techniques employ canals to bring massive amounts of water from far off places. The same canals also open up the possibility of shipping by boat. In recent centuries all educated rulers understand that investing in aqueducts, sewers, canals, and dams will cause local populations to grow and prosper.
“Any person with patience and steady hands can become a tinker. It is fun and easy to assemble new gadgets in a well-stocked workshop. The great challenge lies beyond the assembly of devices already known to be useful. What divine inspiration could be more precious than a vision of how to improve life for people everywhere?”
— Lestin Chipwick, Apparatus Society Bishop |
⩺ MECHANICS Ancient dwarves built collapsible sections into their mines, finding a hard dig less troublesome than some horrors of the era. Dwarves also pioneered smithing and invented many hand tools, but the Age of Dragons saw almost no true tinkering. The earliest complex clockwork was created to repair magical constructs in failing fey bastions. Thus blending magic and mechanics is a tradition that goes back to the dawn of the discipline. Yet the Age of Heroes saw quality builds only emerging from workshops that painstakingly handcrafted every component. Modern tinkers near great cities enjoy affordable access to reliable brass and steel parts adhering precisely to standardized forms. Trade in these components gives inventors more time and energy to innovate new technological wonders.
⩺ Automata Animated figurines can perform considerable activity using only the energy stored in a spring by winding a crank or key. On a small scale, air pressure and steam power can also drive physical actions. Larger creations require something more. Pressure vessels rupture at forces great enough to propel a massive boiler. Apparatus to store manual energy also becomes impractical. Arcane artificers know methods of translating cosmic, draconic, fey, holy, and unholy energies into motion. With permanently enchanted power cores or internal reserves of magical fluids, modern automata incorporate advanced gadgetry into constructs with the strength and durability of golems. Some can be devastating in battle, but these creations are too costly to see combat often.
Fathers of Invention Typical priests encourage reverence among the faithful by embracing ancient traditions. Houses of worship tend to be well-appointed with comforts and spectacles of magical rather than technological origin. Ares, Geb, Lei Kung, Mannanan Mac Lir, Oghma, Ptah, Set, and Zeus encourage a different attitude among their clergy. Known as the Fathers of Invention, these eight deities promote the incorporation of sophisticated gadgetry into holy sites and rituals. Many of their temples feature mills or workshops harnessing the labor of devoted novices.
Alongside spiritual spellcasting, those hard-working novices seek the secrets of constructing the traditional paraphernalia of their faith. Some use technical instruments as holy symbols. In communities without a guild dedicated to tinkering, a congregation devoted to one of these deities is likely to arise as a hub for trade in mechanical components. Unauthorized use of the most sacred trademarks invites the wrath of powerful priests. Yet even the least religious tinkers sometimes incorporate motifs from scriptures devoted to the Fathers of Invention. |
⩺ Toys Wealthy cities often feature wondrous toy shops where people can see various dioramas and puppets come to life. Security may be intense at these establishments, as even the simplest clockwork contraptions cost far more than a cloth doll or a diecast figurine. These costly gifts remain popular both as displays of prosperity and effective methods of keeping children occupied. Many tinkers do a brisk business in toy repair, since wild young hands can inflict damage on delicate moving parts. Mechanical games and puzzles are also popular with adults. Common gambling machines collect individual coins from people hoping a random event will win them a pot where most of those coins accumulate. The most sophisticated locks are secured by arrays of buttons responsive only to a sequential code.
⩺ Traps Some primal beasts excel at placing and exploiting traps. The rise of modern technology has transformed several related arts into a discipline of intruder countermeasures. Primitive rockfalls and pitfalls now exist alongside reliable trapdoors and repeating crossbows. With properly machined components and the application of scientific principles, the slightest motion of the smallest trigger can start a cascade of powerful events. Today no magic is required to turn a corridor or vault into a gauntlet deadly for anyone less than the most capable intruders. Even modern strongboxes may feature poisoned needles to deter unauthorized tampering or incendiary fluid rigged to destroy any documents within unless opened correctly.
⩺ METALLURGY Before any sort of people walked the land, dragons would spit fire at golden nuggets until metal flowed freely from raw ore. Human ranchers discovered copper in the remains of fires sprinkled with malachite by early entertainers. Dwarves invented copper tools, then developed bronze and iron in search of more durable mining implements. Ancient elves manufactured mithral in such quantities that even the foraging parties of the Imperium Arcanum were equipped with that lightweight magical metal. When the world changed to interfere with mithral production, the Age of Heroes saw the return of conventional smithing and the rise of steel. Today every major culture has its own steelmaking traditions, and steel equipment is now standard for soldiers as well as many other professions.
“Only use bad steel to gain possession of a better blade.”
— Commandments of the Apex Predators |
⩺ Alloys Modern alchemical knowledge makes it possible to produce ingots of near-perfect purity. Silvering and gilding is often accomplished through the use of stencils and pastes to deposit precise filigree. Scientists believe copper, gold, iron, nickel, platinum, silver, tin, and zinc are the eight “fundamental metals” – naturally occuring materials that cannot be parted into other substances. Experts blend these metals along with other additives in the pursuit of specialty alloys featuring exotic properties. Brass is popular among precision toolmakers because it resists expansion and contraction, yet it also takes on a remarkable shine when polished. Steels vary widely in quality and cost, though not even the most esteemed iron-based alloys are as light as mithral or as durable as adamantine.
Technological Imports There are other planes of existence where libraries contain accumulations of advanced scientific knowledge. If magic cannot be made to work on site, documents may be obtained and taken to this world for reliable interpretation. Yet particulars of recovered data do not necessarily apply back on this side of interplanar journeys. Some findings of alien scientists have been categorically disproven. Consensus among sages holds that planar exploration for the sake of science is a dangerous folly. Imported lore has no better standing than religious scripture for purposes of informing academic opinions. Reputable scientific scholars only accept new theories after rigorous study and testing in this world.
The consequences of doing otherwise can be disastrous. Firearms and combustion engines consistently self destruct when used as intended on Theatron. Even with fuel and munitions, recovered alien military vehicles are far more useful as exhibits than combat platforms. Some technology imported from other worlds fares better. Yet there are no dedicated vendors of these unique wares. Decidedly non-magical auras and origins make these devices extremely valuable if they produce amazing effects. Such items often lose their abilities soon after arriving in this world. Researchers study the internal workings of these objects in pursuit of advances in the field of tinkering. Non-functional gadgets containing alien technology are numerous enough to support active collectors.
More substantial commerce involves inanimate materials. The most ambitious builders procure stockpiles of large steel girders from other worlds. There are places where powerful alchemical preparations can be bought for less than their weight in silver, and many more where a bag of gold has enormous purchasing power. Legend tells of advanced societies that place little value on any metal while compensating unskilled laborers with diamonds. Unearthly textiles provide a means for the elite to distinguish themselves through fashion. Extraplanar trade is fraught with dangers for parties on both sides of the exchange, but the rewards often justify the princely fees collected by Cosmic Conduits. |
⩺ Furnaces All adamantine forges are magical installations. Only those immune to heat, like some elemental creatures, can work effectively under conditions intense enough to soften the legendary substance. Lesser fires are fine for steelworking, though coal-fueled furnaces equipped with strong bellows are preferred. Large smelting facilities run afoul of the pressure problem during attempts to contain great masses of molten metal. Many brave workers lost their lives in attempts to manufacture huge steel girders or metal cladding intended for a ship. Technological progress has been more rewarding on the level of small batch operations. Quickly pouring as much as two hundred pounds of molten metal into multiple molds enables teams of foundry workers to be extremely productive.
⩺ Mints Technological leaps late in the Age of Heroes paved the way for the marvels that are modern mints. The coining process typically begins when a Synod Jeweller approves a large sheet of the relevant metal. Hardened steel presses cut uniform blanks from these sheets. Each blank is then heated and rolled through a press that shapes the rim to prevent shaving. These blanks become coins when struck in a die imprinting relevant detail. On site inspectors, typically Celestial Accountants and Synod Jewellers, have a sacred duty to withhold or destroy these costly tools if there is any indication outgoing coins are not true to their face value. Across long periods of stable operations, the entire process pays for itself by stimulating robust trade both within and between nations.
⩺ OPTICS Dragons and ancient elves used magic whenever they needed to bend or bounce light. Though primitive silver mirrors saw widespread use early in the Age of Heroes, optics became a true science only in modern times. Thracian insights into geometry were essential to calculating the mathematics of curves. The advanced furnaces of the Truscans took the glazier's art to new levels, creating materials ideal for the manufacture of flawless lenses. The spread of this technology has produced amazing architecture. Some modern buildings sport wall-sized windows, and the most daring designs are almost entirely clad in durable glass. Even ordinary homes are likely to have at least one large glass mirror. Only the grandest or finest arrays of decorative glass objects constitute a real show of wealth to the urbane.
⩺ Mirrors A quality hand mirror is often recommended while packing for an adventure. Under the correct conditions it can serve as a useful signaling device. Much larger mirrors do so on a regular basis. They can be an effective way of relaying messages between ships and coastal facilities. Some shopkeepers install large convex mirrors in the corners of their establishments to better monitor visitors browsing their wares. Mirrors placed behind a bar enable staff to turn their backs while keeping an eye on customers, and these installations also make supplies of liquor appear doubly abundant. The most educated glaziers even know techniques of producing panes that function as mirrors when viewed from one side and windows when viewed from the other.
⩺ Eyewear Modern specialists can produce spectacles to address a variety of serious vision problems. While these efforts can be costly, basic reading glasses tend to be affordable for just about anyone who lives to a ripe old age. It is likewise with sunshades, allowing people to go hatless while dark translucent lenses keep their eyes in shadow. This fashion accessory is also popular with nefarious characters keen on concealing the focus of their gaze. Despite dealing in all manner of precious stones and metals, Synod Jewellers often prize nothing more than their sacred loupes. Featuring an array of lenses each able to be raised or lowered into view, these tools make it possible to spot the smallest flaws in objects that are themselves tiny.
“This marvelous array of lenses will reveal the condition of vessels long before they approach port.”
— Claude Leonidas, telescope merchant |
⩺ Scopes To observe the most minute details of objects, scientists build complex optical arrays atop fixed platforms. When everything comes into focus, it is possible to visualize complex substructures within ordinary materials. Some constabularies allow their criminal investigations to be informed by this microscopic analysis of trace evidence. Tubular arrays put to a different purpose make it possible to visualize distant objects. The smallest can be contained in a folding box no bigger than an adult human hand. While such compact optics are best suited to watching artistic performances from balcony seating, much larger field glasses make it possible to clearly see the faces of persons well beyond longbow range. The grandest of them all allow astronomers to focus clearly on the incredibly distant lights of the night sky.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Gear & Gadgets ↑ → Magic ← ↓ The One Truth ↓
Magic
What is Magic? The modern spellcasting environment is an accumulation countless past events. All living things exude an unseen aura and leave traces of energy where they linger. Because the most voracious among early dragons devoured so many creatures, accumulated concentrations of life force stewed and transformed within their bellies. As they learned to vent and shape this energy, their actions created ripples in the magic of the world.
Increasingly sophisticated spellcasting produced a more complex and turbulent environment. Elves launched their age of dominance by exploiting subtleties lost on their draconian makers. Psychic abilities emerged among strange creatures and the rarest of people. Gods and devils (among other things) opened channels of power to reward spellcasters for completing various rites and observances. Each wave of new influences produced metaphysical snarls in the environment. Magic itself seemed to be destined for incoherence.
The Immaculate System brought some stability, but magic remains an ever-present seething tumult of countless energies and forces. When scholars write of the Seven Sources, this is no reference to specific wellsprings of magic. Each is instead a category energies and forces with related origins. These phenomena often have important properties in common. Individual resources are as abundant and varied as living creatures – of such diversity that no comprehensive catalog is possible.
As a shepherd minds a flock without knowing all there is to know about animals, working spellcasters need not learn all there is to know about magic. Arcane textbooks and treatises document small collections of the most useful resources. Be it inspiration furnished by some higher being, formulae refined through extensive study, or well-practiced lessons of personal experience; spellcasters command the secrets of some invisible powers while remaining mystified by the vast remainder of the world's magic.
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The world appears to have always been a magical place. Life energy permeated the lands, seas, and skies long before any intelligence was apparent here. Dragons later belched and roared their own distinctive contributions to that environment. Ancient elven scholars studied the surrounding convergence of cosmic forces. Their discoveries made it possible to construct a network of stable channels providing global access to fey power. Gods and devils brought with them entirely new conduits – magical pathways more conceptual than spatial.
Mortals find it difficult to focus their attention whenever studying magical energies. The immensity of ambient turmoil defies complete comprehension. Practitioners learn about specific resources as needed for their form(s) of magic and repertoire of spells. Unseen forces can be indirectly detected with knowledge of relevant environmental cues. Much arcane lore informs predictions about the periodic availability of some energies or reveals techniques of calling on otherworldly powers. Given enough practice and sensitivity, it is possible produce a potent reaction by entwining otherwise latent energies.
The most ancient magical formulae no longer function as originally written. Yet they retain value as sources of lore offering clues about the origins, properties, and interactions of esoteric energies. For example, the Archfey did not approve of prayer, but the number nine seemed to have mystical importance in their society. Mortal sages classify magic spells by level of power, with nine being the highest. The arcane environment has undergone two profound upheavals in the past
6,000 years. What scholars describe as the Ninefold Nature of Magic held constant even across these transformative events.
A comprehensive understanding of the Six Forms must be internalized to begin practicing any specific form of spellcasting. Many educational and religious institutions offer sanctuaries devoted to pursuit of this goal. Aspirants may be enlightened and indoctrinated by the same instructors. Since even basic spellcasting is a valuable ability, rulers often make investments to increase the availability of specialists suited to the needs of their people. From horsecart ice vendors to illuminated boulevards, signs of a robust magical administration attract immigrants and tourists. Much greater feats of spellcasting often play crucial roles in matters of political intrigue and national security.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Magic ↑ → The One Truth ← ↓ The Two States ↓
The One Truth⇒MAGIC IS EVERYWHERE IN THE WORLD. All sane people believe magical forces exist. Initiation of a novice spellcaster requires growing awareness of energies constantly seething and coursing through every place and thing. Numerous beyond counting, each phenomenon is a potentially useful resource. Spellcasters must rally their comprehension, dedication, finesse, passion, precision, and sensitivity to craft each effect. Teaching methods are diverse. Yet all aspiring spellcasters must understand a broad array of basic details about the substance of magic. Building up great power first requires establishing this foundation.
“There are many roads to the One Truth.
“You must walk all of them
“to behold the beauty of it.
“Only then will you find the path
“on which your journey can continue.”
— “Spelldove,” a canticle of the Ascended Legends |
Be it methodical study and experimentation, open-minded immersion in nature, or purposeful prayer and meditation; all spellcasters have dedicated ample time to thinking about various phenomena that can be shaped to create magical effects. Some draw power to themselves, preparing personal reserves to be unleashed by subsequent cues. Others call out to holy or unholy beings, volunteering to serve as conduits for the energy of an immensely powerful entity. It is also possible to tap the land for magical power. Observing subtle details of the locale and its inhabitants informs inferences about ambient magical resources. Like air to a fire, energies directed into spellcasting tend to circulate. The environment replenishes quickly.
Magic abhors a void. Even zones that inhibit spellcasting do not altogether lack any magical phenomena. Instead they feature patterns of interference that thwart mortal efforts to control nearby flows of energy. Many spellcasters learn a technique for visualizing this energy, clearly discerning enchanted items and active spell effects from the roiling turbulence of background magic. This visualization is not required to cast spells. Be it knowledge of timing and geometry, sensitivity to environmental indicators, or collaboration with an immensely powerful patron; effective spellcasting taps into pervasive unseen forces to create effects ranging from a flicker of thought to a cataclysmic explosion.
Distinctive magic courses through the blood of all fey, fiends, and tritons. There are a dozen established traditions of racial spellcasting each shaped by a mix of natural tendencies and cultural practices. Children of these races are typically encouraged to play with a magical effect inspired by instinct. This provides a foundation for experienced adults to learn more ambitious spells associated with ancestral traditions. The most advanced practitioners of racial magic can achieve sophisticated effects even if they do not have a grasp on spellcasting in general. Mixed bloodlines and transformative initiations can confer these abilities to individuals of other races. Likewise, there are some adults who never develop any of the spellcasting customary among their kind.
| Races by Innate Spellcasting |
| Race & Form | Cantrip | 1st Level | 2nd Level | 3rd Level |
| Cambions | ★ | Produce Flame | Command | Suggestion | Hypnotic Pattern |
| Drow Elves | ≬ | Dancing Lights | Faerie Fire | Darkness | Nondetection |
| Forest Gnomes | ♣ | Message | Speak with Animals | Animal Messenger | Meld into Stone |
| Firbolgs | ♣ | Resistance | Disguise Self | Pass without Trace | Prot. from Energy |
| High Elves | ∢ | Light | Feather Fall | Levitate | Fly |
| Nymphs | ♪ | Prestidigitation | Charm Person | Misty Step | Gaseous Form |
| Pixies | ≬ | Mage Hand | Color Spray | Invisibility | Haste |
| Satyrs | ♪ | Minor Illusion | Sleep | Enthrall | Fear |
| Sprites | ∢ | Mending | Faerie Fire | Invisibility | Slow |
| Tieflings | ★ | Thaumaturgy | Hellish Rebuke | Darkness | Bestow Curse |
| Tritons | ≬ | Shocking Grasp | Fog Cloud | Gust of Wind | Water Breathing |
| Wood Elves | ♣ | Shillelagh | Entangle | Spike Growth | Speak with Plants |
| | ♣ | Speak with Animals | Speak with Animals | Speak with Animals | Speak with Animals |
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ The One Truth ↑ → The Two States ← ↓ The Three Components ↓
The Two States Change is the essence of magic. Not all spells transmute matter, but they are all the causes of effects that would not otherwise occur. Magic is also powered by change. All magical forces are in some state of flux. Some slowly rise and fall with rhythms as regular as daylight. Others surge with the chaos of storm winds. To exert reliable control over these forces, it is vital to possess some understanding of the Two States.
“Do not wish for smaller challenges. Wish for bigger victories.”
— Kohaddic proverb |
↟ RISING Forces identified by terms such as “growing,” “ascending,” or “intensifying” are most often known as “rising.” Some of the simplest spells produce dramatic effects with the merger of two highly reactive magical flows. The product of these reactions may be a jolt of energy, building to a great peak then fading back to nothing, all in a flash. To shape this energy, the moment of its existence must be understood as intensity rising and falling over time, however short that time may be. Minor common magical phenomena can be depleted to produce useful effects with relatively little effort.
The most successful spellcasting involves aligning intended effect(s) with greater rising magical energies. Many spells require input throughout the duration of a substantial effect. While some may thrive from a single rising channel, such as when a god's will grants a mortal prayer; sustaining others requires a tangle of connections. Energy sources at peak levels are near to falling, perhaps precipitously. Complex spellcasting may require managing redundant flows so that the sum of the inputs remains sufficient even after a portion of those inputs drop away.
The Decline of Magic Some of the earliest human books on the subject claimed that magical forces were waning. This was not true at the time. Yet some authors could not shake this feeling as they walked among the ruins of colossal Imperium Arcanum strongholds that fell when critical enchantments could no longer be maintained. It was truly a dark age in terms of arcane knowledge, but the rise of religious magic more than compensated for the absence of the Archfey.
Modern times see another wave of fashionable publications on the decline of magic itself. Scientific progress in areas like alchemy, clockwork, and optics offer technological alternatives to magic use. Although the total number of active spellcasters continues to rise, their ranks swell so slowly that they diminish as a proportion of the population. Colleges and universities thrive like never before. Yet no major centers of learning remain exclusively devoted to the study of magic.
Measurements systematically recorded by scholars suggest recent centuries have seen a gentle decline in the overall sum of magical energies present in the world. This apparent trend clouds debate about larger matters. There is no evidence that magic is destined to be entirely absent from the world, yet there is also no evidence that this decline is part of a natural cycle. Countless debates see intense clash between speculative predictions. |
At the highest levels of power, the art of the cascade becomes a factor. Some forces intensify as a reaction to the presence or absence of other magical phenomena. Legendary spellcasters orchestrate feedback loops, sculpt containment fields, employ lensing effects, and engage in other manipulations to achieve the most wonderous or terrible outcomes. The tumbling of a single pebble may be the beginning of a great avalanche. True masters of magic can identify these metaphorical pebbles, assemble a complex mix of resources, and guide a chain reaction until the intended result is let loose on the physical world.
↡ FALLING Forces identified by terms such as “dwindling,” “descending,” or “dying” are most often described as “falling.” Though it is easier for students to comprehend the importance of rising phenomena, it is no less important for spellcasters to understand falling magic. All resources used to weave spells will experience a falling stage. For some, like the brightness of the Moon, a cycle of renewal will occur after a nadir is reached. For others, like a shooting star, the fall is an end to existence. Through what scholars term “negative action” the accelerated fall of some minor magical phenomena can produce reactions giving rise to useful magical effects.
Likewise, awareness of presently falling forces may reveal crucial opportunities. Just as a combatant's guard may lower momentarily, a magical environment's normal resistance to action may fade with the dwindling of one force or another. The ability to recognize and act on these instances can make the difference between dabbling in magic and becoming a great spellcaster. Command of falling forces is also vital to counter arcane attacks, break enchantments, remove curses, etc. Ambient magical phenomena will quickly refill any space purged of magic, but a spell can be snuffed out in an instant by quashing the specific flow(s) supplying energy to it.
Many spells can be the cause of a permanent effect, such as killing with a bolt of force. Yet if a spell itself is to permanently generate an effect, some arcane engineering is required. The greatest spellcasters combine magical flows to create create repulsion fields, energy sinks, distribution channels, or other phenomena that impose a strong falling pressure on some concentrations of nearby energy. Such fortification equips a spell to endure erosive forces pervading the environment. Less rugged efforts require constant attention and adaptation to avoid quickly failing from the ordinary wear and tear of magical turbulence.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ The Two States ↑ → The Three Components ← ↓ The Four Elements ↓
Magic Shops The need for material components and spellcasting implements creates lucrative opportunities for specialized merchants. Those with power over magic tend to be reliable paying customers. Metropolitan areas may feature an entire neighborhood of establishments that cater to spellcasters, academics, alchemists, and herbalists. Furnishing supplies to practicioners at the edge of civilization often paves the way for more robust trade once new settlements expand. Maintaining a highly diverse stock of quality goods is not easy. Still the trade is prized because the oldest magic shops in an area often become social hubs for the most powerful local spellcasters.
Some magic shops also deal in genuine treasures. Magic items may be auctioned alongside unique art objects or rare jewels. Where trade is sufficiently brisk, a selection of modest items may be available on demand. Such trade also takes place through procurers and brokers. Agents may be hired to inquire about private owners willing to sell or trade a specific magical item. Yet these investigations take time and money with no assurance of success. Major cities sometimes feature a guild of enchanters eager to produce magic items on commission. Even so, a journeyman artisan purchasing a relatively common variety of magic sword would likely need to spend more than a full year's wages. |
The Three Components The act of casting a spell may be as simple as speaking a syllable while focused on a specific intention or it may be so complex as to require epic ritual incantations and the sacrifice of a small fortune in precious objects. All spellcasters understand that utterances, gestures, and supplies can be used to control magical energy. Taken together, the Three Components categorize all the means by which a mortal might weave magic.
∋ VERBAL Practitioners consider it misleading to speak of “magic words” or “the language of magic.” Words can be powerful triggers, but even the simplest evocations must be backed by intention and understanding. Without understanding, magical energies cannot be gathered and tapped. Without intention, magical effects cannot be directed and shaped. From the most bookish wizard to the most intuitive sorcerer, spellcasting demands an extraordinary pairing of precision with improvisation. Basic utterances often require adaptation with an elaborate grammar of affixes, accents, and emphases. Verbal spellcasting is to “just saying the words” as swordfighting is to “just swinging the blade.”
∋ SOMATIC Physical motion can be instrumental in redirecting magical flows and triggering effects. Many methods of magical attack benefit from bodily expression. The most feared spellcasters need only a quick gesture to kill someone outright. Given normal anatomy, hands are the only features able to perform motions of magical power. Gestures are the primary tool for reconciling the geometry of energy sources and intended targets. Like utterances, these gestures may be subject to complex systems of subtle adaptations to meet the needs of the moment. Some employ snapping or clapping as a sort of punctuation. The somatic component explains why so many war wizards favor the usage “throwing a fireball” over “casting a fireball spell.”
∋ MATERIAL Many spells can only be cast in the presence of a specific object or substance. Some of these items are sacrifices consumed in powering the spell. Others are useful tools of spellcraft serving as focal points for magical energies, catalysts for magical interactions, or templates for magical effects. Material components are typically inexpensive if not also easy to obtain. Yet the some of most powerful spells require gems of immense value and/or an item intensely personal to the intended target. Holy orders, druidic circles, and unholy covens often stockpile supplies needed to work their signature spells. Material components and objects of focus create a special set of mercantile opportunities in areas where many spellcasters are active.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ The Three Components ↑ → The Four Elements ← ↓ The Five Eras ↓
The Four Elements
Elemental Beings The elemental planes are not hospitable to ordinary people. Inhabitants of those planes are composed chiefly of the same elemental stuff. Some spells conjure elemental beings, but this can be delicate business. Such efforts bring forth creatures both bound and eager to complete a short term of service so that they may return to their extraplanar homes. Should the magical bonds of servitude be broken, a sufficiently strong elemental may lash out against a former master or mistress now regarded as a cruel abductor. Dispelled and slain elementals are recycled into the base substance of the plane from which they were drawn.
These elemental planes are unthinkably vast. Raw material appropriated for spellcasting purposes seems to have no impact on this abundance. University libraries often feature atlases of these planes along with lesson plans to help spellcasters harvest the most useful elemental phenomena. Far more books have been written about the possibilities of blending the four elements in magical processes than combining ordinary materials in the manner of alchemists or metallurgists. The elemental planes are not the only reserves of extraplanar matter a spellcaster might tap. Yet they are so convenient and extensively studied that working with alternatives tends to pose greater challenges. |
Early Thracian philosophers asserted that all physical things in the world are composed of four basic elements – air, fire, earth, and water. Scholars of modern science reject that ancient theory, though their inconclusive debates about the basic building blocks of matter are endless. Even if the theory of the Four Elements is not true, magical energies have clear and distinct peaks of effectiveness when focused on related elemental effects. Most spellcasters find study of the Four Elements useful in the advancement of their practice.
Turning magical energy into durable solid material is especially difficult. A common workaround involves tapping other planes of existence for resources. The four Elemental Planes may be limitless in their bounty. Accessing and blending their substances is far less demanding than converting energy into matter. The simplest approaches open a channel through which raw elemental stuff will flow. With advanced techniques, it is even possible to pluck denizens from the Elemental Planes, binding them until they have completed a term of service.
△ AIR Simply taking control of the air's movements may be enough to decide the outcome of a naval battle. Wind also interferes with archers and artillery. Given broader control of the weather, it is possible to impair the effectiveness of specific types of troops without reducing the effectiveness of others. A wise general or admiral pays well for magic that can command the sky. Air is closely associated with coveted powers like flight and invisibility. Simpler applications may push back threats or sweep away fog. Air is an essential constituent of gas clouds, storms, and effects that prevent drowning or suffocation.
Governing Gods: Zeus, Odin, Lei Kung, Oghma, Osiris, Thor
△ FIRE The most destructive of elements, fire is as specatcular as it is unpredictable. Simply directing the smallest wisp of elemental fire is a deadly attack that also ignites combustibles. Uncontrolled fires are always a serious emergency in urban environments as well as wooden vessels. Even armies with no magical personnel find ways to incorporate fire into their attacks. Yet it is also the preferred tool of most war wizards. Such raw power always commands respect. Less violent applications of this element may provide illumination, mesmerize onlookers, or create energetic barriers.
Governing Gods: Ra, Apollo, Ares, Chung Kuel, Loki, Tyr
“You cannot wash under the same cascade twice. The falling water is not the same. Neither is the person cleansed by it.”
— Archinaeus, Thracian philosopher |
▽ EARTH The essence of durability, earth can furnish solid substance otherwise scarce among magical effects. Simple ramparts have their uses, and stone walls provide extradordinary defense. Yet power over this element also serves to breach fortifications. When applied on a personal level, it may petrify an enemy or render an ally exceptionally resilient. Any effects that produce stone, metal, or gems likely make robust use of this element. Prospective applications span the spectrum of power from a disorienting dose of sand in the face to a tremor capable of demolishing buildings.
Governing Gods: Dagda, Geb, Hades, Ma Yuan, Ptah, Silvanus
▽ WATER Essential for life, water is often associated with healing and recovery. It also promotes plant growth, playing a role in many spells cast to support agriculture. Yet water can be destructive, from a great tsunami down to the quenching of an ordinary torch. It offers many ways to reshape the clash of warships. This element plays a vital role in most storms, as well as furnishing the primary constituent of effects producing ice or steam. More exotic water magic includes methods of scrying, distorting images, and creating reflections.
Governing Gods: Arawn, Chih Sung-Tzu, Dionysus, Hel, Mannanan Mac Lir, Set
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ The Four Elements ↑ → The Five Eras ← ↓ The Six Forms ↓
Ancient Magic In the thousands of centuries since the first spell was cast, the fabric of magic has been repeatedly transformed. Techniques developed before the Great Consolidation are likely to fail or produce unexpected results when attempted in modern times. Only a small number of magic items dating back to the Imperium Arcanum have retained power through the intervening millennia. Most are now inert items of value only to archaeologists and collectors. Arcane lore preserved from that era is often incomprehensible, but what can be deciphered is also largely useless today.
Items and spells developed during the Age of Heroes may fare better, as most are less than 5,000 years old. The Great Consolidation began with a sudden sweeping global change. Many spells ceased to function at all, while others behaved differently than before. Likewise, some magical items changed in function or even lost all enchantment. Yet the general trend was toward more stable, predictable, and consistent magic than previous eras. Magical formulae from the Age of Heroes are best regarded as incomplete or flawed – in need of major revision to be effective in modern times. |
The Five Eras The past features several fundamental changes in the fabric of magic. Academics define the top tier of historical boundaries based on these transformative global events. The first spell cast, activation of the ley lines, the first prayer answered by a god, and the Fivesquare Pantheon's consecration of The Immaculate System – each division is marked by a specific event that reconfigured the magical environment worldwide. Even if it were possible to travel into the past, modern practitioners might find it difficult or impossible to weave spells from resources available in previous eras.
I. PRIMORDIAL TIMES There were no signs of intelligence, never mind spellcasting, during this span of history. Lands and seas alike were home to strange beasts. The surface of the world was blanketed in warm heavy mists, yet thick vegetation was pervasive on land. Scrying so far into the past is unreliable and minimally informative. Fanciful speculations abound regarding hidden civilizations thriving in the jungles of the distant past. No solid evidence exists to support such theories.
Little is known about the magic of this time. With life thriving on virtually every available surface, it seems likely the environment teemed with energy that could be tapped to work the spells of druids. Yet time travel is not a reality, and scrying has never turned up evidence of any primordial magical effect save for other efforts to scry from the future. One controversial theory holds that magic created itself, with diviners' efforts to investigate Primordial Times serving as a spark to ignite the fires of the first true magical effects.
II. THE AGE OF DRAGONS The dominant predators of Primordial Times were dinosaurs of colossal size. Over the span of many millennia, intellect slowly accumulated in their reptilian brains. Ravenous feeding habits concentrated the magic of life force in their bellies. The most well-fed developed the power to breathe fire. The most creative developed skill at shaping this power. The progenitors of dragonkind transformed themselves into godlike beings. They also transformed all manner of wild beasts. Cows, goats, horses, pigs, and yaks were each shaped to suit the dietary preferences of great wyrms.
“We were all created to make life easier for tyrants. The best of us choose to make life harder for them.”
— Common Independence, a Liberationist gospel |
Ever wary of threats, these cosmic lizards also used magic to reduce the size of their offspring. Modern chromatic dragons, while comparatively small, eventually wiped out their most ancient ancestors. Yet they also created new forms of life – edible servants to accomplish work they were not industrious enough to perform alone. Humans farmed the land to sustain large herds of livestock. Dwarves burrowed into the ground to extract precious gold. Elves penned libraries to archive arcane knowledge. Halflings, so easily overlooked, were created to serve as unobtrusive grooms and messengers.
For thousands of centuries these races served dragons without any real power of their own. Effective resistance to this tyranny only became possible when elves started compiling secret libraries and stockpiles of rare spell components. While dragons continued to bellow their distinctive form of magic into the world, whispering cabals of elves developed an entirely new manner of spellcasting. They studied nature and the heavens, but their greatest triumph would involve turning the power of dragons back upon itself.
The Three Unholies Clerics and other practitioners of modern religion are deeply troubled by the spellcasting of witches and warlocks. This goes beyond personal taste or cultural bias and into the metaphysics of how these abilities actually work. While masters of the arcane normally manipulate magical forces in the environment around them, occult pacts channel magical power from a greater being. The Immaculate System lives up to its name when regulating the power of prayer. These sorts of bargains, known to theologists as the Three Unholies, allow ungodly powers to exploit alternative methods of channeling energy requested by mortal spellcasters.
★ The Grandfather Clause Hundreds of centuries before gods came into the world, leaders of the Imperium Arcanum harnessed the power of their enemies through sacrifice. Vast quantities of dragons' blood spilled into the appropriate rituals and energized a global network of fey power. This infrastructure of ley lines enabled Imperium response teams to answer any threat against a major stronghold or a nexus of power. The Immaculate System is concordant with this global structure so deeply ingrained that even the gods lacked a practical method of demolition. Echoes of the Archfey reach out like ghosts in the machine. They empower adepts who diligently study the system and boldly praise their memory.
★ The Spiritual Underground Mere scavangers compared to deities, the greatest demons and devils may grant infernal boons when they hear twisted forms of prayer. This unholy energy often travels along dark channels hidden in the shadows of The Immaculate System's sacred flows. Inspired by cryptic clues seeded in works of art, animal behaviors, and the ravings of the insane; some mortals pursue unholy pacts with genuine fervor. Yet diabolic and demonic influences hunger so strongly for a greater connection with this world that sincerity is rarely required of the witches and warlocks they empower. Consorting with demons and devils on any level enhances their ability to manifest on this plane and deal directly with other mortals.
★ The Extraneous Signals There are entities as powerful as gods, devils, or the Archfey; yet completely unlike any of those beings. Their natures and agendas remain shrouded in mystery. Many who investigate such phenomena wind up losing all sanity. Yet some manage to piece together enough lore to attempt useful communion. Profoundly alien beings empowering profoundly alien magic, the Great Old Ones defy classification within The Immaculate System. Their invocations do not register as prayers and their boons lack any signature of divinity. Even cultists who achieve immense power with this path have but fleetingly glimpsed the motives of their alien patrons. Not all religions promote fear of the unknown, but they are in accord about fearing this particular category of mysteries. |
III. THE IMPERIUM ARCANUM The mightiest dragons could only be slain when a squad of elven magi launched a surprise attack. Yet the innate arrogance of dragons thwarted repeated efforts to band together in mutual defense. Many fortified their lairs with lesser monsters or armies of loyal servants. Teleportation was crucial to the downfall of dragons. Having already enchanted monuments facilitating travel to and from their hidden meeting places, elves started to pour the blood of their enemies into rituals forging mystical links between those sites.
One success led to another. Soon a global web of connections was energized by unthinkable amounts of fey energy derived from the blood of defeated dragons. Not only did the Archfey introduce their own form of magic to the world, but they also studied both cosmic and natural power sources. Rising to power through the use of epic enchantments, the leaders of the Imperium Arcanum were able to maintain vast self-contained strongholds complete with food and water enough for millions of people to inhabit the same structure. During this era, the well-governed magical environment made it practical to sustain effects of immense scope.
Yet elven hegemons were also crafty, relying heavily on charms and illusions to maintain morale among the surging human populations within their bastions. Some scholars continue aggressive debates about how much of the Archfey's power was real and how much was mere trickery. Whatever the mix, it was enough to dramatically reduce the world's population of dragons. Life proliferated through arcane experimentation, generating most of the diversity we see in modern fey. Dragonborn and metallic dragons were also the result Archfey initiatives. Increasingly wild experiments caused magical forces to splinter and diverge. Politically and metaphysically, chaos reigned when the Imperium Arcanum collapsed amid internal strife.
IV. THE AGE OF HEROES Struggles to survive after the fall of elven civilization created unfathomable desperation. Multitudes long nourished by the Archfey's glamorous bounty now fought over the modest returns from hunting and gathering. Feudal agriculture slowly elevated humanity out of a savagely dark period. With famines and plagues devastating every major population center, frantic people would look to anyone or anything in search of hope. They even took to prayer, calling out to the cosmos in search of salvation.
So many sentient people with no gods of their own – this is a deity's concept of treasure. Hundreds of new religions inspired their own prophets and evangelists. Holy orders of clerics and paladins became effective spellcasters, calling down power from their divine patrons. Spiritual magic flowed through an increasing number of channels. Also, a new fusion of fey and nature magic emerged. Human caretakers watching over Standing Stones blended animistic beliefs with working remnants of elven arcana. Practitioners of this form called themselves druids, serving a single global organization commited to protecting nature while steering clear of civilized politics.
Elves and their gnomish minions retained considerable magical knowledge, but the greatest arcanists of this era were human. Only truly accomplished magic-users could claim the title of Wizard. Early in this era, only illusionists practiced their speciality, while the most powerful dweomers remained the exclusive province of Arch-Magi. Over time each of the Eight Schools joined the growing list of arcane specialties. The study of magic all but incoherent as new techniques and new phenomena proliferated.
Ambient energies of the era were mentally invasive. Memories were exposed to erosive forces while recollecting magical formulae. New study or prayer would be required after each casting. Preparing spells demanded forethought, and deploying them to good effect required difficult judgements. Meanwhile, the gods themselves fought thousands of battles. Divine clashes sent ripples across every corner of the world. This competition squandered the bulk of a rich spiritual harvest. Social and technological progress stagnated amidst the violence of countless holy wars and territorial conflicts.
V. THE GREAT CONSOLIDATION Centuries before its implementation, events started to set the stage for Shang-Ti's Immaculate System. Warring deities exiled vanquished rivals from this world. Likewise, human politics saw minor tribes and city-states merging to form great nations.
1 G.C. was a year of epic upheaval. Only modern methods of spellcasting continued to function as expected. Wizards normally specialized in one of the Eight Schools while entering an apprenticeship. Only magical phenomena associated with one of the Seven Sources remained useful. Teachings outside the Six Forms failed to improve the capabilities of spellcasters.
“A world without change supports neither life nor magic. Divine power shapes the lands and the seas to make space for life. The action of this shaping, change brought into the world, energizes sparks of vital possibility. Even cataclysmic upheavals that end countless lives can set the stage for a new era of greater growth, growth only made possible through change.”
— Cosmic History, a Temporal Custodian primer |
Entire libraries had to be revised. Yet the loss of old lore was offset by the emergence of new techniques. Increased stability in many common magical flows gives spellcasters greater flexibility. Personal energy can be applied to any preparation, and the process no longer exposes the caster's memory to the scouring forces of arcane turbulence. Cantrips, once dismissed as parlor tricks, now include effects every bit as deadly as weapons in the hands of a skilled warrior. Bards, clerics, druids, sorcerers, warlocks, and wizards refined distinctive approaches to magic. In their own way, each unlocked some secrets at the highest level of personal power available to mortals. Other classes of adventurers, save for barbarians, developed their own limited spellcasting lore and training.
This great upheaval saw the Fivesquare Pantheon establish complete control over all the spiritual magic of the world. Clerical spellcasting can only succeed when supported by one of those twenty-five deities. Good and evil alike, the entire pantheon is considered holy. No one knows how many entities grant power through unholy pacts, but it is no secret warlocks and clerics generally condemn each other. In some lands, pact magic violates laws against witchcraft. Except for warlocks, humanity tends to judge spellcasters by their deeds rather than their favored form of magic. Today, spells play a vital role in the economy and the culture of every civilization on the surface of the world.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ The Five Eras ↑ → The Six Forms ← ↓ The Seven Sources ↓
| Spellcasting Style Each of the Six Forms is a distinctive approach to magic associated with a prominent class of practitioners. These relationships are definitive. They determine which spells might possibly be cast. They formalize the method by which new spells are learned. They even designate which personal attributes influence spellcasting aptitude.
|
| ♪ | Musical (Charisma) ⇒ Bard |
| ✠ | Spiritual (Wisdom) ⇒ Cleric |
| ♣ | Natural (Wisdom) ⇒ Druid |
| ≬ | Visceral (Charisma) ⇒ Sorcerer |
| ★ | Contractual (Charisma) ⇒ Warlock |
| ∢ | Intellectual (Intelligence) ⇒ Wizard |
|
When it comes to a philosophy of magic, many spellcasters follow the institutional teachings of a single college, temple, or guild. Others embrace ancient mystical traditions or pattern their efforts on the work of a legendary practitioner. Profoundly creative individuals may even develop an essentially original approach to the craft. All are united in that every spellcaster grasps some blend of lessons and lore from each of the Six Forms. |
The Six Forms Different magical traditions emphasize different aspects of the craft. Any well-rounded arcane education entails systematic training in each of the Six Forms. While the university experience is not required to work magic, all spellcasters possess some grasp of the principles at the heart of every form. Understanding sufficient to consistently weave an actual spell can only be achieved through the synthesis of basic ideas from all of these diverse perspectives. Any deficiency leaves a student prone to fizzled efforts while at risk of dangerous mishaps.
Countless holy orders, bardic colleges, arcane universities, druidic circles, and secret covens teach distinctive approaches to magic. Like martial arts styles or types of dance, these forms vary in emphasis and technique. Scholars generally believe Shang-Ti's Immaculate System called for five forms of spellcasting. If true, this part of the plan did not execute flawlessly. Spiritual channels engineered to contain and recirculate the power of prayers cast metaphysical shadows. Those shadows shelter channels through which unholy entities connect with mortals seeking empowerment. Thus there are truly six forms of magical practice in the modern world.
★ CONTRACTUAL All magic requires bargaining with mysterious forces. Every respectable spellcaster has an answer to the question, “what have you sacrificed for your power?” Be it years of study, honoring holy vows, or relentless rehearsals; real magical power is always one side of an exchange. Most spells must be prepared by way of study, exercise, meditation, or rite. Some spells also consume precious material contributions. To take hold of magical power, one must first contribute much in time and effort if not also supplies.
There are also concessions required during the act of casting a spell. Circumstances may force a practitioner to improvise adjustments to a formula, substituting some readily available flow of energy for a similar yet absent flow. Subtle tweaks in the timing or composition of a spell may be needed to work around magical interference caused by transient phenomena. Even spell selection may require compromise, since a foe might be immune to a specific type of damage or an especially draining effort might best be reserved for a future challenge.
Making sacrifices and striking bargains is the essence of the contractual form, exemplified by
witchcraft. Contractual magic is best practiced by the guileful, able to present minor acts of service as grand gestures of devotion. Legendary abominations, alien gods, Archfey, demons, and devils may be unmentionable in polite company. Yet mighty boons await spellcasters willing to praise their secret names and act as conduits for their powers. This form is an anethema to many, especially practitioners of the spiritual form.
Magical Formulae The act of spellcasting is often completed with no more than a momentary flurry of syllables and gestures. Yet even the simplest effort to weave real magic requires profound understanding of how to draw upon appropriate energies as well as how to control the spell's effect. Preparing to cast a spell requires so much more than memorizing a few words and motions. Particulars of powering, positioning, and timing cannot be ignored. All manner of inflections and additions must be understood so that each casting can be adapted to the circumstances at hand. From the number of targets to the local wind speed, many variables demand adjustments during casting efforts in the field.
A magical formula is packed with notes or lessons addressing a wide range of contingencies. Spellbooks, bardic performances, holy scriptures, and occult manuals are all laced with information about the workings of specific spells. Written formulae may be supplemented with charts, diagrams, and sketches. Rhyming verse is popular with spellcasters since it is easily committed to memory. Novices are often amazed to discover well-known doggerels they learned in youth have hidden meanings when interpreted as commentaries about an arcane force. Any effective mnemonic device is an asset to practitioners learning crucial information about new spells or preparing for a fresh day of making magic. |
∢ INTELLECTUAL All magic requires the study of complex interactions among unseen energies. If spellcasting was simple, everyone would do it. Modern arcane experts benefit from progress achieved over thousands of years. Countless scholarly studies and even more magical experiments contribute to a downright awesome breadth and depth of written knowledge. Some academics make entire careers out of testing and documenting the properties of one specific interaction of magical forces. Most focus on distilling wide-ranging expertise down to essential lessons taught to aspiring spellcasters in preparation for an apprenticeship.
Even the most intuitive practitioners must develop some grasp of the energies and synergies that give power to magic. Through the experience of using lesser spells effectively, fresh insights give rise to understandings that unlock more potent techniques. For example, a sorcerer reviewing an ancient book may read that ley lines pulse with four times the frequency of the dominant solar wave, while a bard playing near Standing Stones on a sunny day observes that sounding a double octave seems to weave a connection unifying those two forms of ambient energy. Completely different paths sometimes lead to the same useful knowledge.
Typified by
wizardry, the intellectual form primarily relies on expert study of these interactions. At the heart of it all are arcane formulae and personal observations recorded in writing. The academic demands of this form require a keen mind, as do the complexities of achieving intended results. Yet the right combination of learning and genius has the potential to command the most potent magic accessible to mortals. During the Age of Heroes, this form alone unlocked mysteries at the highest levels of power.
♪ MUSICAL All magic requires patterns of rhythm, melody, and/or harmony be performed artfully. Superb timing is essential for spellcasters intent on deploying instantaneous effects or utilizing transient resources. Every gesture and utterance of a spell must be coordinated with respect to patterns in the magical environment as well as the positions of intended targets. Complex spellcasting may involve crescendos to sculpt rising forces, pitch bends to direct one flow into another, overtones to preserve constituents of a partially completed weave, etc. Spellcasters need not be musicians, but all must be precise with the pacing and intonation of their efforts.
“When performed properly there is a little bit of magic in any music.”
— Connor Fillean, founder of Ayrdee College |
The phrase “practice of magic” is especially meaningful. Reliable spellcasting requires exhaustive rehearsal. The basic pattern of each spell must be deeply ingrained for effortless recall. Without prior rote learning, it is impossible to confidently adapt and improvise as needed during the actual casting of a spell. Being satisfied with the bare minimum is a recipe for failure. Truly effective spellcasting, like truly great musical performance, overlays inspired creative expression atop comfortable mastery of the standard procedure.
The musical form, normally associated with
bards, taps into magical energy through specialized compositions. Effects are triggered by the performance of excerpts from those great works. Star quality is the best indicator of natural aptitude for this approach. The need to rehearse extensively limits the size of each practitioner's repertoire. With a mix of relentless practice and inspiration drawn from personal growth, new magical songs are learned and refined. Some bards even infuse their music with patterns borrowed from other spellcasters' techniques.
Inspired Magic Not all spellcasting is learned from lecturing masters or arcane texts. Some practitioners seize upon sources of inspiration to improve their own magical techniques. Druids learn much from observation and meditation in wild places. Their spells often feature sounds derived from animal calls and gestures based on shapes found in the wild. After all, nature is an excellent teacher offering a global classroom full of valuable lessons. Any spellcaster may benefit from study of the natural form, though it is the essence of druidic magic.
Many religions feature scriptures, and these scriptures contain magical formulae. Yet clerics also draw great inspiration from gospel stories as well as prayer and meditation. The gods are fond of sending signs to their most loyal servants. It is likewise with devils and other unholy entities. They may favor the ominous, like clues buried in the ravings of the insane or remarkable details at the scene of a freak accident. Students of the contractual form recognize these messages as invitations to expand the scope of an occult pact. For those who wish to be led, any magical guidance is a profoundly inspiring experience. |
♣ NATURAL All magic requires awareness of the local environment. The wilderness speaks to those who will listen. Some spellcasters find it especially challenging to clear their minds of distracting thoughts. Receptive attention to one's immediate surroundings reveals much about unseen forces. From the most spectacular birdsong to the simple chirping of a cricket, the presence or absence of specific energies may be indicated through animal behaviors. The same is true of so much else – the clouds in the sky, ripples in a puddle, a flickering fire. This is just as true in a deep dungeon or a crowded city as it is at the heart of a verdant forest. Even the play of shadows over uneven surfaces may indicate specific magical resources are at hand.
Taking control of these resources and directing them with intention is the general method of all spellcasting. Some efforts stand out due to the technical complexity or extraordinary timing of the weave. The greatest feats of natural spellcasting reflect a practitioner's gift for living off the land – sensing and gathering the best available resources for the task at hand. Even while a spell is underway, effective magic requires vigilance enough to pick up on nearby cues. This makes it possible to deal with problematic phenomena in the area before they cause ongoing magic to fail. Environmental awareness is as crucial for the upkeep of a spell as it is for the initial composition of its weave.
The natural form has roots in the primitive shamanism performed by the first
druids. Their lore originated as a blend of the most basic primal techniques with an ecclectic mix of fey arcana. Immersion in and meditation on the beauty of thriving wildlands was a path to enlightenment even then. Perhaps it was only their temperament that caused dragons to overlook this source of power. The true student of nature, tranquil and content, experiences a yearning to comprehend the unseen. Sensitivity and patience are crucial qualities for excelling with this form. Bonding with nature becomes devotional for earnest practitioners. Yet the magic works equally well whether that devotion is dedicated to a god among the Druidfriends or an abstract concept of nature.
“If you believe in things you cannot see and hope for things you do not possess, then you already understand the value of faith.”
— Scrolls of the Aegis Church, NMG version |
✠ SPIRITUAL All magic requires humility in the face of miraculous power. The true mind of a deity is beyond the comprehension of any mortal being. Accepting the mystery with reverent awe is first step taken toward faith-based spellcasting. Heartfelt prayer is essential, though commitments often run deeper. Many holy orders impose strict codes of behavior. Priests are expected to see ceremonial duties as an opportunity to spread the faith or at least deepen their own connection to the divine. Association with a specific religious institution may involve being subordinate to harsh and unreasonable superiors. At the very least, some tracts of sacred verse or holy scripture must be memorized.
In answering the call to serve a god, a personal spiritual connection may form. Motes of divinity itself can be channeled through the body of a true believer. Practitioners of this form also habituate sacred words, gestures, and rites developed to express prayers in ways that satisfy a particular deity. Given proper technique and a sufficiently strong relationship with a godly patron, this holy magic may reach beyond the world to channel power into miraculous effects. Even when priests or philosophers use ambient magical resources to cast relatively simple spells, fidelity to core beliefs remains a thread essential to the structure of their weaves.
Magic Fatigue Casting spells is an effort unlike any other. During the Age of Heroes, spellcasters would open their minds to the magical turmoil of the world, scouring away memory of any formula during the act of its use. This intrusive effect is not at all normal in the modern magical environment. Yet even the most accomplished practitioners can experience magic fatigue. Be it serving as a vessel for divine energy, constantly scrutinizing the area for subtle clues, calculating the progression of a chain reaction, or singing a particularly high note – the act of casting a spell takes a toll.
Untapped magic often seems intent on disrupting spells. Effective magical weaves are strenuously laced together with a caster's purpose. Any success at all is rare without years of relentless training. Effectiveness requires simultaneous awareness of many profound lessons. Experienced practitioners improve their spellcasting potential in both quantity and quality. When that potential is exhausted, the flows of energy empowering spells will seem as elusive and confounding as they always are for struggling apprentices. A good long rest is usually sufficient for spellcasters to recover from the effects of magic fatigue. |
Epitomized by
clerical magic, the spiritual form is all about calling upon some source of higher power. Metaphysically speaking, energy descends through conduits linking believers to the gods. One must be both steadfast and judicious to serve and survive as a living vessel for faith-based power. Yet the channels guiding this energy are equally real to unbelievers. To completely ignore them risks troublesome interference with unrelated spellcasting efforts. Also, each deity has a portfolio within The Immaculate System. Without resorting to earnest worship, any spellcaster may use a gesture or verbiage to show respect to relevant deities. When attempting to conjure a mighty storm, it does no harm for a wizard to offer a tip of the hat to the Sky Gods.
≬ VISCERAL All magic requires strong emotional projection. Just as a warriors use strength to give power to a blade, spellcasters use intention to give purpose to energy. The best effects seem motivated to accomplish their creator's goal. Focus on a simmering hatred can help a magical combatant deliver vicious attacks. Likewise, efforts to heal and restore others are best paired with sincere compassion and concern. Dwelling on the feeling that inspires a casting establishes a pattern to shape and guide constituent energies.
Practitioners of this form look inward for potent fervor. They are driven to generate effects bigger, longer, and stronger than ordinary outcomes. Cultivating the ideal state of mind for a particular magical exploit requires an intimate connection with each spell, so visceral casters learn few. Yet they find ways to strain the limits of each. Advanced techniques support emotional nuance, like sympathy for a bystander caught in the midst of many despised foes. A sufficiently intense feeling of urgency may even enable a spellcaster to use an abridged formula to produce a complete effect.
Sorcerers avidly explore the visceral form. Their greatest results surpass the best efforts of any other practitioners utilizing the same spell. Force of personality and sheer willpower are the attributes that enable emotional impulses to enrich the weave of magic being cast. All spellcasters act with intention to some degree, using personal resolve to set energy in motion. The visceral form goes beyond mere initiation, exploiting passion as a catalyst for arcane reactions. Thus practitioners with the most explosive tempers are literally the cause of the biggest explosions.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ The Six Forms ↑ → The Seven Sources ← ↓ The Eight Schools ↓
Magical Spectra Different minds percieve the same magical phenomena in different ways. Recent centuries have seen growing standardization of the techniques practitioners use to visualize underlying energies. To promote common ground and useful discussion, many modern colleges and cloisters teach the Simple Spectral Structure. This has no bearing on the color of effects produced by spells, but many practitioners find clarity in this consistent approach to analyzing the constituent energies of magic.
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███ Red distinguishes power of draconic origin.
███ Orange indicates personal mental effort.
███ Yellow suggests the presence of a holy spirit.
███ Green marks the vital energy of living things.
███ Blue is characteristic of cosmic energy.
███ Indigo signifies a fiendish force at work.
███ Violet designates power of fey origin.
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Illusions, paint, and puffs of colored powder can be useful in demonstrating the behavior of magical resources. The best spellbooks are illuminated with rare inks enabling small illustrations or diagrams to contain tremendous amounts of information. As teaching techniques, colorful representations shape the expectations of aspiring spellcasters. Both the general study of magic and progress within a particular tradition are well-served by detection approaches that distinguish each of the Seven Sources from one another. |
The Seven Sources In the beginning, there was only life. As they acquired intelligence, dragons formed the first thoughts. Soon after they flooded the world with their own variety of magic. Elves rose to power by converting much of this into a new type of energy. They went on to analyze the heavens and integrate cosmic forces into the arcane environment. Countless gods and devils intervened to directly empower mortal followers. The Immaculate System did much to stabilize and regulate the magic of the world. Even so, it remains a ceaselessly turbulent blend of energies and forces collectively known as the Seven Sources.
Unlike material objects, multiple magical phenomena can occupy the same space simultaneously. Some fields span the globe. Various sorts of waves or rays also cover tremendous areas, like the light from a full moon. Ley lines and holy channels each comprise separate worldwide networks. Other resources are ubiquitous in some environments and scarce in others. For example, clouds and pools of ambient life energy accumulate heavily in thriving forests while comparatively rare and small on icy tundra. Many magical phenomena are the byproducts of prior spellcasting or an event of downright metaphysical importance. Their number is too vast for a complete accounting, but any energies useful for powering magic spells can be categorized among the Seven Sources.
◼ COSMIC Energy from beyond this world constantly flows down from the sky. Its forms are many and mysterious, yet they include sunlight – a magical resource familiar even to the uninitiated. Dozens of cosmic forces take the form of fields or rays covering much if not all of the world. Some even permeate the deepest recesses of Labyrinth. Spellcasters cannot manipulate the whole of such vast phenomena, but local interactions often prove useful. Many fields can be amplified, their energies accumulating around a specific attractor. Also, the correct lenses or reflectors can concentrate widespread energy into a single focal point. Intensified by enough orders of magnitude, invisble rays comfortably experienced by all may be transformed into a brilliant spectacle or a downright deadly power.
A legendary bard once said of spellcasting, “sometimes, it's about the energies you
don't weave.” Plenty of magical effects require shielding from a pervasive cosmic field. Complex arcane reactions may generate byproducts that would be disruptive to other constituents of the same effort. Refraction, reflection, absorption, and dissipation all provide ways to keep unwanted magical energy from interacting with a delicate process underway. Like a cloud passing under the Sun, cosmic fluctuations sometimes sweep across the local magical environment. Maintaining an active spell may require constant adjustment to the mechanisms that shield against disruptive energies.
Transient Magic Gods and devils often package energy channeled through spells cast in their name. These magical resources only exist for the moment of their transmission. Unstable products used in cascading reactions may be similarly short-lived. These transient resources often prove ideal for weaving spells that produce an instantaneous effect. They have been studied extensively despite the fact that they barely manifest long enough to be observed or measured.
The quest to analyze fleeting magic requires peering intently into the deepest mysteries. Millennium after millennium of spellcasting filled the world with arcane echoes. Patterns of interference form where otherwise undetectable ripples converge. Faded remnants of draconic resources may rise abruptly where other forms of magic collide or swirl in particular ways. Wisps and streaks of unidentified energies randomly flicker across a typical scene. The only constant is turmoil. Mainstream scholars generally agree that prolonged continuous scrutiny of background magical phenomena is corrosive to sanity. |
At some point in the journey from novice to archmage, wizards shift their studies from casting spells under normal conditions to spellcasting under extreme conditions. The most ambitious arcane fomulae concentrate or exclude particular forms of cosmic energy, creating tiny instances of these extreme conditions. For example, lightning effects are often launched from a tiny field of static. With an intense magnetic flourish, such a field can be uniformly polarized in the instant before it is tapped. The end result unleashes more destructive energy while providing more control over that energy. Learning the properties of cosmic forces and the techniques for shaping them often makes the difference between basic spellcasting and advanced magic.
◼ DRACONIC When the earliest dragons creatively shaped their own fiery breath, the magical environment of the world was forever marked by their efforts. It is unclear if dragons chose to imbue certain words with mystic power or if their original language was derived from verbal magic discoveries. Either way, the earliest speech was not intended to describe things so much as change them. Popular sentiment associates draconic magic with furious bursts of destructive energy, but arcane scholars understand that the true essence of it is transformative.
Their bodies, their offspring, their lairs, and their prey were all subject to extensive modifications. Before there were dragons, forms of life thrived or perished as a function of fitness for the natural environment. By the time the first generation of spellcasting dragons completely died off, the world was packed with new forms of hooved or humanoid livestock shaped by the will of godlike wyrms. The ease with which dragons tapped into a simple magical environment gave way to turbulent complexity. Volatile interactions between the ambient energies of life and resources forged by dragon magic made reliable spellcasting increasingly difficult.
“One conclusion is inescapable. The only way we live to see tomorrow is by striking today.”
— Palando Silvercrown, the first dragonslayer |
Dragons found themselves unable to shape the world as their ancient ancestors had. Their language of imperatives did not lend itself to the sorts of analytical study needed to command magical resources in a world awash with the echoes of so much prior arcane activity. Many dragons went insane struggling to make sense of magical turmoil. Modern spellcasters can find powerful draconic resources around the jets, vortices, and wakes generated by volatile interactions of other magical phenomena. With proper direction these intense energies can inflate an effect to fill an area, disrupt a spell in progress, or change the shapes of objects and creatures.
◼ FEY Cunning and graceful, it was elvenkind that dragons tasked with making sense of magical inquiry. The first fey used piles of skin and blood to record more information than an adult dragon could carve into an entire mountainside. Soon the elves developed parchment and inks. Bound volumes of arcane lore were second only to mounds of gold coins as status symbols among dragons. As archivists and researchers, elves crafted their own language of whispers and flowing script. Through many generations of serving dragonkind, secret elven lore accumulated into its own sophisticated magical tradition. Little by little, elves grew in power by misinforming their masters and skimming supplies for their own purposes.
Magical Infrastructure Few events altered the history of the world like the ritual that first energized the ley line network. Leaders of the rebellion against dragonkind immediately understood that they would rise to positions of unrivaled power. They organized into the Imperium Arcanum – “the empire of secrets.” Countless mature dragons were sacrificed to build a small web of mystical connections into a robust global network for channeling magical energy. Incorporating flows from both the natural world and the cosmos, ascendant Archfey fortified their network to be self-replenishing and impervious to disruption.
Even today, ley lines influence the availability and behavior of other magical resources. The path of the nearest line as well as the relative location of the nearest convergence are two facts many spellcasters find informative. All druids along with some bards, rangers, paladins, and warlocks cultivate keen awareness of the power coursing through this network. Practitioners may reach out to this energy even when far removed from the nearest ley line. Some merely use knowledge of the network to hedge against the interference it creates. On land, ley lines provide fixed geographical references in a magical environment where constancy is otherwise rare.
Unable to replace or repurpose ley lines, the Fivesquare Pantheon established their own network of magical conduits. Reaching to sources in the heavens, spiritual channels collect holy energy from prayers then return much of it to devoted spellcasters. Any plea for divine assistance may open such a channel. Sacred rituals and consistent prayers cause these links to grow stronger. Priests are often eager to consecrate lands and structures, making it more convenient for a patron deity to furnish magical resources. Fervent worshippers report feeling closer to their patron deity when visiting shrines and temples.
A deep commitment to that patron deity or a related set of beliefs can lead to reliable use of holy power. Devotion functions as a spiritual tether to the broader network. Some practitioners believe holy symbols and readings from scripture help deities to find their mark when channeling energy into unfamiliar territory. Others believe the entire network is less a literal structure and more an association of ideas. This theory holds that declaring and promoting faith introduces a location or person to the mind of a god. It follows that the vast spiritual network is constituted by pathways of divine awareness.
Abominations, demons, and devils have all found ways to reach out through covert magical channels. They employ an unholy underground of occult rituals and cryptic spellcasting techniques. With the proper bargains, the most nefarious warlocks and paladins learn how to call upon magical resources from ungodly patrons. Lurking inside the shadows under holy spiritual channels, these transmissions link the mortal realm to hellish places. The Archfey also do business with such spellcasters, though their resources typically emerge from ley lines. All this channeled power enables both contractual and spiritual spellcasters to spend less time learning magical theories and more worshipping the divine or performing occult rites. |
Those purposes included activating a network of connections that would ease the process of teleporting to or from secret meeting places where elven magi honed combat techniques. Long thought to be invincible, dragons fell by the thousands when the attacks began. Ritual sacrifice of their blood supercharged the elven network, sending new vibrations across the world. Emboldened fey leaders soon looked beyond the world, further complicating the magical environment by exposing it to cosmic energies. As more sources mingled in a cacophony of power, many surviving dragons turned away from spellcasting. Yet the elves only grew more capable.
The greatest magics of the Imperium Arcanum were elaborate towers of colossal size. These impossibly tall bastions provided not only security, but also food, water, and entertainment for the millions of humans housed within each structure. These labor forces helped elves gather and process materials to expand their empire and continue war against dragons. Fey magic now permeates the world, though the most lively concentrations flow along ley lines or circulate near Standing Stones. Often taking the form of hazy wisps or swarms of shimmering motes, remnants of this ancient magic can be used to project phantasms, alter the behavior of creatures, or transform material objects. Capricious and unpredictable, these resources prove especially useful in the production of random effects as well as spells intended to influence luck.
◼ HOLY Quarrels among the gods once made divine energy a disorderly tangle of forces in opposition. Tremendous powers were cancelled out while deities labored to foil one another. The Immaculate System harmonized the world's divine energy, turning bitter rivalries into concerted efforts at popularizing sacred narratives. The same heavenly reforms established a robust infrastructure of channels and protocols. Religious spellcasters now form personal connections with their patron gods. Consecrated observances and consistent prayers serve to reinforce these links as well as the broader network of spiritual conduits. When properly invoked, holy energy is delivered on demand, powering downright miraculous effects.
Without faith and prayer, the best of these resources are not normally available to spellcasters. Yet there is always some chance that a deity invited to support a spell might choose to do so if its purpose is aligned with that god's agenda. Also, all practitioners need to be aware of holy magic since the global network can interfere with some efforts. Wards and veils must be incorporated into vulnerable weaves, sheltering effects otherwise undermined by a holy presence. Yet some arcane casting may interact usefully with ambient holy energy. Basic illumination, warmth, and calm are all effects that can be achieved with spillage – residual traces of overflow from these spiritual channels. The success of The Immaculate System generates considerable surpluses.
For well-connected spellcasters, even greater applications of this energy are possible. It outperforms other sources for effects that restore, protect, or heal. The energy of each deity bears its own unique signature. Yet it all flows along the same shared network, coordinated to prevent conflicts that might generate losses. From the most desolate wastelands to the deepest dungeons, there is no location left untouched by this apparatus of the divine. Faithful clergy maintain their spiritual connections wherever they travel, and religious rites leave traces of holy energy in their wake. The reach of the gods extends to every place an earnest prayer has been given voice.
◼ LIFE Before any spells were cast in the world, the land was covered with living things, and the sea likewise bounteous. All this life is innately magical. Living creatures leave traces of this magic wherever they linger. It tends to coalesce and diffuse in slow cycles governed by the Moon or the seasons. Wild habitats thrive all the more when these energies are recycled through spellcasting that benefits local plants and animals. Life is naturally inclined to proliferate and diversify. Aligning with this process provides harmonious access to abundant magical resources.
Yet this energy may be manipulated in other ways. Some necromancy pulls the life right out of victims, causing creatures to weaken and decay. Infusions of this same energy provide an alternative to the gods as a source of healing. Like the dragons and elves of ages past, the boldest modern spellcasters can manipulate life energy change to the shape of living things. This source also has a particular affinity for the land, the sea, and the elements. With variants beyond the scope of any writing, it is impossible to calculate how many possible combinations of life energy might be woven together.
Awareness of local plants and animals can guide spellcasters reaching out for magical resources. Practitioners may imitate the calls or movements of specific creatures as a means to better tap these resources. In addition to detailed illustrations of related flora and fauna, arcane formulae often feature prose or verse packed with information about techniques for harvesting specific resources. Practitioners with an especially strong connection to nature may maintain vast reserves of these resources. This proves useful for spellcasting in barren lands as well as crowded urban environments where ambient life energy tends to be less diverse.
Pinched Magic Time challenges even the deepest thinkers. Is it a force? Is it an energy? Does it come in waves? With little relevant experimental evidence, modern universities tend to address the subject as a question of philosophy rather than physics. Spellcasters can modify the relative passage of time for substantial targets, but more divergent ratios require greater effort. Anything beyond doubling or halving relative speed of a target is a challenge only the greatest practitioners of time magic might attempt.
Yet this is only true of living beings and material objects. A pair of elementary efforts can alter the relationship between time and one local magical resource. Each of these adjustments creates a feedback loop amplifying the change to its theoretical limit. This process and the extreme effects it can produce are known to arcanists as “pinching” to generate a “flare” or a “hold.”
A resource on hold is effectively inert to magical reactions. The rate of change due to its rising or falling state is indistinguishable from zero. Complex spellcasting often requires putting several resources on hold until a weave is nearly finished. Many arcane formulae list “a pinch” of something to instruct that a constituent energy should be held until the spell's effect is triggered. When a weave is complete, holds are released to coordinate intended magical reaction(s).
“A pinch” may also refer to the act of consuming a magical resource by compressing its remaining existence into a single instant known as a “flare.” A normal candle may offer hours of light and a little bit of warmth. Yet if all that energy could be released in less than a second, the result would be a blinding flash and a small fiery explosion. Consider this technique applied to death echoes – the magical ripples that form in the wake of violent killing. They are sometimes experienced as a slight chill lingering near the site of the slaughter. If a skilled spellcaster recognizes one of these resources then pinches it into a flare, the entire potential energy of the death echo can be tapped to power significant effects producing fear, frost, or necrosis. |
◼ THOUGHT At the heart of every spell is an intention. Even the lengthiest rituals are not shaped entirely by words and gestures. All biology exudes life energy, and all sentient beings generate a second source of magical power. Contemplative creatures develop the potential to project extremely faint yet highly reactive magical phenomena. From a sorcerer spinning a fireball out of a dragon's wake to a cleric reaching out to cure a blind man, it is the delicate magic of thought that conveys intention to other resources in a pending weave.
During the Age of Heroes, rare individuals and several varieties of creature developed extraordinary powers by generating tremendous levels of thought energy. Though some of these psychic creatures still exist, the minds of humans and the other civilized races of the surface world no longer brim with deadly energies. Even for effects like reading minds or scrying, modern spellcasters must pair their intentions with at least one of the other six sources to achieve results. Yet those results can include effects like mind control, paralysis, and telekinesis.
Thought energy phenomena are regarded as tools of the trade, perhaps most akin to harnesses placed on beasts. Wizards and sorcerers perform mental calculations to optimize their spellcasting. A moment of calm reflection helps a cleric or druid administer relief. Passionate expression intensifies the efforts of bards and sorcerers. Humble pleading is essential for clerics and warlocks alike. A quick scan of the area informs wizards and druids of the best resources at hand. Bards and warlocks achieve excellent results by being mindful of aesthetics while performing magic. Unlocking the power of thoughts is the beginning of every practitioner's journey toward effective spellcasting.
◼ UNHOLY Where solid objects block light, shadowy hiding places are the result. Some magical resources defy mortal comprehension. In doing so, they create opportunities for concealment. The Fivesquare Pantheon's network of spiritual channels is so stable as to cast persistent magical shadows. Ungodly powers reach through this darkness to empower students of obscure occult practices. The greatest Archfey, abominations, outsider gods, demons, and devils all channel energy to spellcasters in exchange for assorted pledges and rites performed on behalf of these secret patrons.
Just as with holy magic, unholy channels gain capacity through repeated use. Resistance is eroded by regular transmissions. While unholy magic has been around since early in the Age of Heroes, it only became a reliable source of power in the modern era. Even the holiest of large libraries is likely to house documents containing taboo knowledge. Covens and cults can escalate with alarming speed. Theoretically, any local group focused on unholy power could develop into an apocalyptic crisis. Monstrous beings and social outcasts alike are drawn to the prospect of channeling this forbidden energy. Clergy typically condemn the use of unholy power, and some governments outlaw all practices associated with the term “witchcraft.”
Unholy energy is well-suited to effects that deceive or manipulate others. It is ideal for generating magical temptations. It is also easily woven into spells that do direct damage by inflicting bodily harm or promoting future misfortune. Even where witches and warlocks are not outlaws, they are often feared. Few scholars are versed in the cryptic lore of unholy energy. It sometimes reveals its presence through freakish coincidences as well as disturbing behavior among animals or people. With countless possible patrons, unholy magical resources are extraordinarily diverse. Yet they are alike in leaving an unsettling strangeness in the aftermath of effects primarily energized by this source.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ The Seven Sources ↑ → The Eight Schools ← ↓ The Nine Mysteries ↓
◬ Arcane Honorifics ◬ Magic is such a complex and diverse subject that no expert can claim comprehensive knowledge. Even practitioners with extensive spellcasting ability may know only the basics of other forms and even less about spells outside their personal repertoires. Though wizards tend to be the most particular about titles earned through spellcasting achievements, practitioners of all sorts may be eligible for honorifics based on the ability to consistently generate specific magical effects.
For example, a true Leyforce Sculptor has the power to raise a Wall of Force at least once per day. Those versed in lesser applications of similar techniques might claim to be studying Leyforce Sculpting. Gifted and persistent students of sufficient experience may learn enough to earn the honor. Unworthy claimants to the title risk extreme peril for being unable to perform a crucial duty on command, not to mention extreme hostility from actual Leyforce Sculptors intent on protecting a proud tradition against charlatans.
Though expert spellcasters dispense arcane honorifics through universities, temples, and colleges; independent practitioners do likewise. Even self-recognition is acceptable for thoroughly capable individuals. Arcane honorifics are not regulated by any official bodies. Plunging standards or proliferating frauds can reduce a valuable professional credential to a bit of empty puffery. It is incumbent on legitimate holders of each title to maintain its value by providing reliable services and taking bold action against pretenders. |
The Eight Schools Unlike the elves and dragons before them, many human spellcasters show eagerness to share their theories and techniques. Accumulations of lore provided a foundation to guide more advanced research. Early wizards adopted a system associating each dweomer with one of eight schools of magick. Thousands of years later, the same Eight Schools classify the spells of modern times. All spellcasters possess a basic grasp of this system. Arcane universities tend to require some formal study in each of the Eight Schools. Specialization conveys both power and prestige, so most established wizards show a strong affiliation with one of the Eight Schools.
∢ ABJURATION The wisest spellcasters understand that this school of defensive magic holds the keys to survival in a crisis. Some political leaders keep their most learned abjurer close, since there is no better way to thwart the wrath of a hostile spellcaster. Just as some abjurations disrupt hostile magic, others block conventional attacks. Spells from this school may also generate interference obstructing magical efforts to locate or investigate the target. The most basic abjurations set alarms triggered by danger, while major persistent efforts can fill an entire tower with magical defenses.
◬ Gordian Cleavers specialize in freeing others from magical torments. Most practitioners make heavy use of personal reference libraries to assist in their analysis of unwanted spells, hauntings, and posessions. Novices are discouraged from identifying themselves as Gordian Cleavers, since the title implies the ability to break spells held together by extremely persistent weaves. These rarified experts seldom maintain long term employment, instead shifting their attentions from case to case. The most unscrupulous Gordian Cleavers partner with malicious spellcasters to generate demand for their services.
◬ Hermetic Sappers often carry an arsenal of scrolls to support their diverse repertoires of security-related spells. These popular magical experts install defenses, set alarms, and place weaves to counteract divinations. Hermetic Sappers are often welcome in elite company, since their support makes it possible to conduct business while shielded from magical espionage. They also feature prominently in many military organizations. Their triggered effects may detect, impede, or even assault intruders. Any homes or storehouses owned by Hermetic Sappers are likely to be filled with magical runes poised to harm uninvited visitors.
◬ Starguards are vigilant protectors trained to provide arcane security for persons with extraordinary resources. These professionals typically work in five-person details with powers ready to encircle protectees. Regardless of the angle of an attack, multiple Starguards should be in a position to react. Some make their presence known by adorning tall hats or other attire with five-pointed stars. Most favor discretion, blending in with ceremonial roles and courtly garb. In addition to thwarting attacks, all Starguards are prepared to go beyond abjurations to eliminate nearby threats.
“Would I be up here overseeing a construction crane if I could grant wishes?”
— Sharif Skystrider, djinni laborer |
∢ CONJURATION Many children first learning about magic simply assume the
Wish spell exists. It does, placing the most coveted of all magic in this school. Much conjuration bestows assistance, from the tiny familiar spirits so popular with apprentice wizards to the glorious heavenly allies well-favored clergy may call upon from time to time. Even the most aggressive spells in this school generate indirect threats, like a cloud of poison gas or a cluster of grasping tendrils. This same category of lore helps spellcasters out of harm's way with techniques of movement that entirely bypass the space between departure and arrival.
◬ Leyline Riders are fully proficient in the arcane protocols required to utilize Standing Stone sites as transportation platforms. Many find lucrative work making travel possible for others. With the proper sacrifices a facility requires little energy from its operator, allowing one Leyline Rider to coordinate at least a dozen departures in a single day. Yet these practitioners tend to be a carefree lot. Some use their knowledge to roam the world, enjoying brief stays at one exotic locale after another. Be they residential or itinerant, these spellcasters are famously difficult to confine.
“If all the world were a library, those who do not travel would never see beyond the edges of a single scroll.”
— The Codex of Constructed Marvels |
◬ Primordial Wranglers use extensive knowledge of the elemental planes to conscript and command powerful beings of pure air, fire, earth, or water. These reluctant servants perform feats like working the bellows of an adamantine forge or washing out a vast complex of unkempt stables. Primordial Wranglers sometimes create social tensions when their services undercut labor crews that would otherwise employ many workers to eventually achieve similar results. The boldest of these spellcasters are also quick to take sides in time of war. One battlefield elemental sometimes amounts to decisive reinforcement.
◬ Toxic Terminators tend to favor eyecatching attire treated with fluorescent dyes. This garb is a warning to savvy bystanders. These spellcasters perform pest control in times of peace. Clearing infested cellars or abandoned buildings with clouds of deadly vapors, Toxic Terminators consider it a job well done when they walk away from a totally lifeless space. This same thoroughness applies to their wartime role. The signature blend of poisons conjured by these spellcasters is ideal for sweeping through tunnels and trenches. The most experienced practitioners have killed many opponents without so much as looking at them.
Oracles and Seers There are metaphysical differences between a true claim and a falsehood. When ideas are evaluated as magical thoughts, properties of earnestness and accuracy may become apparent. For questions of present or past conditions, many details can be confirmed with certainty. Fleeting moments of cosmic communion provide diviners with absolute truths normally unavailable to mortals.
Deities deliberately obscure many of their activities. The popularity of myths involving gods adds a general haze of uncertainty around religious inquiries. Some theologists believe spirituality was made nebulous to better generate energy from passionate debates. Mortals can also shield themselves from scrying and divination by employing abjurations or bonding with a special sort of talisman more valuable than a pound of pure platinum. Nothing is truly hidden without magical secrecy.
Even where blind spots do not obstruct efforts to learn about the past or present, it may not be easy to drill down to specifics. Some names are common, and famous people provide inspiration for imposters. History confirmed by magical means is often the result of a spellcasting team dedicating months of effort to a single investigation. Though vital for gathering intelligence, oracles and seers are notoriously vague when called upon to predict the future. No prophecy is certain until it has actually come to pass. |
∢ DIVINATION Magic can be a powerful tool for learning. From illuminating the true meaning of secret messages to conferring with higher powers, this school of spellcasting offers many ways of acquiring information. The future is not fixed by prophecy, so predictive divinations are unreliable, especially when reaching beyond a few moments. Yet many spells can provide absolutely reliable information about present or past conditions. This school can be instrumental in tracking down fugitives or locating dangers in unfamiliar territory. It also enables mortals to connect by thought alone, sharing knowledge without being required to share language.
◬ Metaphysical Arbiters communicate with powerful entities ranging from ancient nature spirits to senior heavenly administrators. These parleys provide opportunities to obtain definitively accurate knowledge. New information is sometimes no more than the confirmation or repudiation of a single claim. Some inquiries generate unclear responses. Yet any decisive results obtained are certain to be true in the present moment. Getting a numerical estimate from Metaphysical Artbitration involves testing a series of “more than” or “less than” propositions. Legitimate practioners only furnish false answers when their service is involuntary.
◬ Psychic Moderators are often motivated by a natural aptitude for reading minds as well as tomes. Fully qualified practitioners can coordinate telepathic conferences allowing several nearby beings to completely transcend language barriers. Novices hoping to become a Psychic Moderator often spend their days using magic to find the meaning of otherwise unintelligible writing. At night they probe minds to gain advantages while carousing and gambling. Aristocrats sometimes keep one of these spellcasters in their entourage so as to be forewarned of hostilities. These mentalists also function as silent, non-violent, yet highly effective interrogators.
◬ Vision Merchants literally sell scrying services to the general public. Private executive councils with the means to do so often obscure their proceedings from just this type of espionage. For large enough payments, these seers may dedicate weeks to observing a group of associates or mapping out the interior of a secure compound. Yet far more often Vision Merchants perform uncontroversial work. Checking on the status of distant relatives, assessing inventory levels at a foreign warehouse, tracking the progress of an expedition in the field – the surveillance these spellcasters provide often functions as instantaneous scouting.
Routine Magic Many minor spellcasters earn a living through professional use of a single technique. Adventurous people see working the same basic spell over and over as a dreary dead end. Such practice often leads to decades without any progress toward greater magical power. Yet for people who enjoy reliable prosperity and security, a day of routine magic feels like satisfying service to the community. Few students of spellcraft do not dream of commanding legendary power, yet many are destined to carry on one of these humble, if useful, arcane trades.
◬ Aura Editors adjust the way energy flows around matter. These efforts conceal or mimic the metaphysical properties of magic items, fey beings, unholy persons, etc.
◬ Gold Bonders create magical locking devices from piles of precious metal. Paired components fuse into a sold gold fixture on contact, parting only under specified conditions.
◬ Lightweavers create perpetual feedback loops that cause an object to emit flickering light. In collaboration with glaziers and tinkers they produce lamps that never need oil.
◬ Locktappers use magic to unlock and safely open otherwise secure containers and doors. Urban areas generate plenty of legitimate demand for this service.
◬ Pigeon Wranglers maintain rooftop facilities accommodating many working birds. Most charge modest fees for delivering a short message to a specific person in a nearby community.
◬ Spellbinders protect authorities by thwarting attacks and halting aggression. Some team with constables, using a magical method of arrest to minimize street violence.
◬ Spirit Bestiaries imbue individiuals with exceptional animal traits. This form of support temporarily boosts performance in areas ranging from hard labor to delicate negotiation.
◬ Vocal Encoders weave a spoken message into a physical object. From magical alarm systems to self-narrating museum exhibits, there are many uses for this enduring effect. |
∢ ENCHANTMENT Using thoughts to manipulate the minds of others gives a symmetrical quality to the weaves of many enchantment spells. Some of these efforts alter attitudes, creating appeal or revulsion of unnatural intensity. Others assert direct control, freezing motor functions or imbuing instructions with unearthly authority. The most powerful application of this school teaches a method of issuing commands that snuff out life itself. Enchanted people often live to discover that their feelings or actions were magically altered. Though some automatically react with violence, many regard the experience like any other form of persuasion or coercion.
◬ Compelling Taskmasters are able to assign even the most reluctant operatives to missions they must carry out under penalty of recurring psychic trauma. Some of these spellcasters serve noble authorities by ordering conspirators and thieves to assist in solving problems associated with their misdeeds. Other Compelling Taskmasters are employed by conquering generals to secure the compliance of key personnel during a difficult regime change. The most infamous of these arcane elites work with cruel lords or murderous secret societies to see dark deeds performed by hopeless perpetrators entirely unwilling and unwitting.
◬ Flesh Puppeteers excel at controlling the actions of others. Some aristocrats favor this sort of arcane protector, since the same power that freezes a charging beast in its tracks also works to humiliate or torment individuals who give offense. As a practical service, Flesh Puppeteers are uniquely qualified to secure chains on ferocious monsters. The bravest wrangle creatures few others would dare approach. Their magic can also alter policies while they are being announced. Somehow, efforts to ban the latter practice never seem to become law. The most vile of these practitioners spark internal conflicts to undermine or destroy groups.
◬ Mnemonic Revisionists have so dedicated themselves to the study of memory that they can tamper with the recollections of others. Some governments outlaw the sale of this service since it can obstruct investigations. Others apply it to serve justice, releasing outlaws with no memory of arrest and interrogation. Though often a serious crime, business negotiators and romantic suitors have been known to employ Mnemonic Revisionists to replace actual first impressions with false memories of more favorable encounters. Associates of these spellcasters should be suspicious if they recall sharing only happy experiences together.
∢ EVOCATION Some fledgling spellcasters follow their first successful experiments with ambitions of unleashing destruction to rival dragon's fire. Those who survive long enough may learn spells from this school for just such a purpose. Evocations can deliver all sorts of energies, including the vital essences required to heal the living. Raw magical force can even be crystalized to create temporary yet solid non-material phenomena. With the right elemental additives, these spells generate massive amounts of substance. The mightiest evokers can direct a rain of falling stars able to destroy buildings outright.
◬ Instant Masons create sturdy walls that quickly cure into permanent structures. A task that would normally require cartloads of materials and a score of bricklayers working all day is instead accomplished through a single spell. Cities undergoing rapid economic development often have plenty of work for these magical builders. The most urgent projects generate extravagent fees. Instant Masons can provide critical support during seiges, patching damaged fortifications before enemies exploit the breach. Some who claim this title learn transmutations needed to integrate their efforts seamlessly into any surrounding architecture.
“You can only cast the spells you have practiced. Each act of training sees the next battle already underway.”
— Ghostquill, Hashāshīn sorcerer |
◬ Leyforce Sculptors study profoundly ancient elven battle techniques. They concentrate and solidify fey magic into unerring bolts able to penetrate even the thickest scales. Esoteric lore and extensive practice make it possible to access great quantities of this coherent energy. Masters of the technique can raise a temporary barrier durable enough to withstand multiple blasts of dragon breath. Leyforce Sculptors thrive while hunting monsters or waging war. At universities where the Imperium Arcanum is extensively studied, staff likely includes at least one expert in what some wizards consider the world's oldest martial art.
◬ Thermoelectrics take their name from
Edwynn Tryffinson's Manual of Thermoelectric Warfare. In the eight centuries since it was penned, this guide to spreading deadly energies over subtantial areas has become fundamental to the education of war wizards. A proper Thermoelectric can eliminate entire squads of soldiers with either fire, frost, or lightning. That trio allows many tactical scenarios to be addressed by one coherent body of elemental lore. Those energies also have assorted practical and scientific applications. Accomplished Thermoelectrics are welcome at universities, trade guilds, and military rallies.
“By night I dream of paradise to remind me of my chance to earn a place in the paradise hereafter. That hope keeps me true to my faith and my people.”
— Inyene Komara, former Shah of Zintu |
∢ ILLUSION People who do not understand magic may dismiss much of it as trickery. The part of magic that actually is trickery can be found in this school. Yet magical illusions go far beyond sleight-of-hand. Spellcasters working only with harmless light and sound can hone subtle techniques of expression. Wizards generally do not regard this school as nefarious, instead recognizing a collection of methods for shaping energy with artistic finesse. Modest exercises of these abilities might leave an audience delighted by dazzling imagery. The most powerful illusions could literally frighten those onlookers to death.
◬ Banner Chameleons are the stuff of generals' nightmares. These experienced spellcasters can alter the appearance of an entire encampment to seem affiliated with a different faction or even a different race. Though these deceptions do not hold up to close inspection, they often allow elite military units to move unchallenged through hostile territory. More than one major coup succeeded because Banner Chameleons enabled key assets to launch direct attacks on political leaders. Practitioners of this technique also help smugglers evade notice, conceal the wealth of merchant caravans, or help refugees escape warzones.
Ultimate Power Aristocrats believe an example of ultimate power would be legal authority to issue a death sentence. Magical scholars consider killing with a word to be a form of ultimate power – a spell nine orders of magnitude more energetic than a cantrip. For mortals, only rituals performed as part of a large spellcasting team could be more intense. Individuals attempting to harness such power are either destroyed instantly in a volatile chain reaction or destroyed gradually by the madness of an obsession with the impossible. Spellcasters content with the highest level of mortal power may claim some of the rarest of arcane honorifics.
◬ Amorphous Bestiaries are individual spellcasters known to do battle by changing into all manner of mighty creatures. It is impossible to overstate the versatility of this fighting style.
◬ Arcane Dungeonmasters can confine others inside weaves of such integrity as to hold indefinitely. They are called upon to rid the land of menaces that cannot or should not be put to death.
◬ Celestial Demolitionists can command the power of falling stars to devastate armies or bombard fortifications. Directing this magic at civilian populations is considered an atrocity.
◬ Cosmic Conduits know how to build a temporary bridge between their location and another plane of existence. They are crucial for diplomacy and trade with otherworldly realms.
◬ Flesh Editors achieve flawless artistry in the alteration of physical forms. Most often employed to restore the youth of aging aristocrats, these spellcasters can also alter gender or race.
◬ Fulfillment Brokers can provide wishes to others. They prefer to work with thoughtful clients, offering alternatives while casting the actual Wish spell only as a last resort.
◬ Immaculate Advisors always seem to know the perfect thing to say. They load brief speeches with guidance to keep an ally clear of folly throughout the day to follow.
◬ Soul Beacons do not require any physical remains to bring a long dead person back to life. They also employ communion or planar travel to reach spirits unable to return from the afterlife. |
◬ Dream Painters enable wealthy and powerful persons to live out their fantasies night after night. Some of these spellcasters work alone, but most utilize the services of actors and other entertainers. As their employers slumber, distinctive magic creates an alternate reality where anything is possible and events unfold as directed. Dream Painters also work as spies or interrogators, staging unreal scenarios in the hope of extracting information from sleeping sources. Malicious practitioners of this art can undermine the effectiveness of others, reaching through the night to plague distant targets with terrifying nightmares.
◬ Spectral Speakers practice projecting images of themselves until they can deliver substantial orations without being physically present. Instead their voices and senses move through these magical projections. Such spellcasters are often appointed to replace public officials struck down by assassins. Spectral Speakers also excel at infiltrating hostile strongholds thought unlikely to spare the life of a conventional emissary or spy. These wily spellcasters often command an array of techniques for getting themselves out of trouble should enemies ever locate the person communicating through these images.
∢ NECROMANCY Never without controversy, necromancy has always held its place as one of the Eight Schools. Unholy power is not required to extract vitality from the living or imbue the dead with new purpose. Those effects may terrify observers all the same. Academics have largely eliminated institutional stigmas associated with this school of magic outside Greater Norland. Even so, many people find the undead deeply disturbing to behold or contemplate. This creates some reluctance for practitioners to identify with this speciality. Basic feats of necromancy produce only minor afflictions or augmentations, while the most ambitious of these spells breach barriers between this world and the afterlife.
◬ Remnant Wranglers excel at animating and commanding the undead. Particularly practical generals value the unsettling yet effective technique of turning fallen warriors into zombified reinforcements. Killing the same enemy more than once creates a feeling of futility. Reanimated soldiers can also assist in handling the most gruesome aspects of a battle's aftermath. Even in urban settings, Remnant Wranglers may be in demand as a source of expendable labor crews. From dredging sewers to probing monster lairs, exploiting undead creatures for horrible or suicidal tasks generates less backlash than ordering living people to perform those duties.
◬ Spirit Revivalists can perform one of the most miraculous feats available to spellcasters. While many healers can pull life back into the body of a person slain moments earlier, a Spirit Revivalist can do likewise even with a corpse that has grown cold, stiff, and foul. Highly accomplished clerics are joined by few others in earning this title. Many decline opportunities for commerce, instead extending the lives of prominent believers in their communities of faith. Any who sell this service cannot afford to do so cheaply. Merely entering a plea with the Court of Souls requires sacrifices on par with those required to create a magic weapon or purchase a fine warhose.
◬ Whispering Reapers are experts at killing with incantations. Many learn other destructive techniques to supplement signature spells that rip the life energy right out of victims. Some wear only black, and even the most cheerful of these spellcasters makes a morbid remark from time to time. Their services are prized by generals who benefit once from the support of lethal spells and a second time from the demoralization of intimidated foes. Some Whispering Reapers find places for themselves as assassins or bodyguards. Then there are those who serve no other, finding the practice of death magic rewarding enough on its own.
The River of Time As a concept, time engages and confounds the most brilliant minds. Unlike wind or stone, time is not an easy target for magical effects. The difficulty and energy demands of a time spell tend to scale upward radically as the extent of the change increases. Simply sensing out of time is complicated mainly by the fact that glimpsed futures are only possibilities – not certain to come to pass. Looking into the past is increasingly challenging as the span of time grows, but even the hundreds of millennia back to the time before dragons is not a barrier to the most capable and persistent seers.
Actually altering the behavior of time is much more demanding. Experienced users of magic may learn to create a modest distortion around one target for a little while. The most powerful spells can create a huge rift between the transmuter's timeframe and the rest of the world, facilitating an unopposed surge of activity. It is also possible to leap forward in time, just a little, though the magic of stepping in and out of other planes is less troublesome. Attempts to physically visit the past have produced one of three results – disappointment, disappearance, or death. There are very few stories about time travellers, and learned people give no credence to them. |
∢ TRANSMUTATION Change is the essence of magic, and this school is all about making changes in the material world. Anything composed of animal, vegetable, or mineral substance is a suitable target for these spells. Modern transmutations are nothing like the epic effects dragons achieved in the earliest days of magic. Yet the versatility of this school is unrivaled, supporting tactics beyond the scope of any catalog. Through the most complex weaves it is even possible to change the way a being relates to time. One grants the caster an instant of blindingly fast activity. Another can transform someone else into a younger version of himself or herself.
◬ Cloud Merchants prove themselves by showing command over air and water. While only the most elite have also achieved the distinction of Weather Controller, every legitimate Cloud Merchant can replenish water towers and other small reservoirs. In battle they impede advancing troops or thwart incoming missile attacks. They are extremely effective at supporting amphibious assaults. Their spells also enable skilled sea captains to execute otherwise impossible maneuvers. All this gives seasoned tacticians a high opinion of this fluid-focused approach to spellcasting.
◬ Mineral Editors apply magic to stone the way some sculptors apply tools to clay. In prosperous times these practitioners are paid to maintain castles and palaces. Their efforts produce consistently-styled stonework rich in decorative detail. Towering statues and other great monuments are often shaped by Mineral Editors working alone or under the guidance of a famed artist. Yet these elite spellcasters are also prized in time of war, as their abilities make it possible to open a passage through almost any wall. Many sieges have been broken by a Mineral Editor motivated enough to risk an approach and create a breach.
◬ Promethean Naturalists embrace their title as an homage the titan vanquished by Zeus for spreading enlightenment among mortals. These spellcasters grant the gifts of intelligence and speech to common animals, doing likewise while also animating ordinary plants. Such faculties are never bestowed lightly, since each act requires a material sacrifice of greater value than an armored warhorse. Many Promethean Naturalists awaken wild creatures hoping to gain informants or travelling companions. Others cater to the wealthy willing to exchange significant treasure for a talking hound or steed.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ The Eight Schools ↑ → The Nine Mysteries ← ↓ Monsters ↓
The Nine Mysteries While religious folklore provides easy answers rooted in myth, the best available scholarship offers no clear answers to some incredibly important questions. Academics refer to the Nine Mysteries when discussing these topics outside the scope of well-established history and science. With sufficient resources, almost any quibble can be settled by turning to reference material, a capable diviner, or an esteemed expert on the subject at hand. The Nine Mysteries are popular topics of conversation precisely because they raise questions even the most knowledgeable sages cannot definitively answer.
Cosmic Context Scholars often refer to their native plane of existence as the Prime Material Plane. This acknowledges a multiverse with countless other worlds which, from indigenous perspectives, could be likewise named. Deities endeavor to cultivate large populations of thinking beings on worlds where magic runs strong. From this spiritual energy, a well-venerated god may feast. Theatron is an unusual natural bounty, since it was a highly populated and magically active world long before the first religious awakening. A divine punster might describe the world as “a prime Prime Material Plane.”
As with so many of those parallel worlds, Theatron is not far removed from the Elemental Planes nor the Ethereal Plane. Even novice spellcasters learn ways of interacting with energies and materials from those places. Yet reality extends much farther. The Astral Plane is a realm of abstraction. Creatures somehow live there, but material beings ordinarily pass through with no interactions during journeys to and from the Outer Planes.
That incomprehensibly vast periphery features many worlds of its own, each shaped by distinctive moral and physicial forces radically different from those that shaped Theatron. Many believe the Outer Planes are the true homes of the gods. Religious scriptures often support this perspective. Enough adventurers have returned from such extreme journeys to confirm that places like Nirvana, Olympus, and Asgard can be found among the Outer Planes. Taken in this broader context, Theatron begins to seem like a downright tiny place. |
⦻ How did the world form? Theatron is a mystery even to the gods. Discovered worlds are rare. Among them, large populations of potential worshippers are rarer still. Great scholars know that all religious folklore about the origin of the world is myth. Yet none can peer past the mists of Primordial Times to witness any process of creation. The world, this plane of existence, and the multiverse in general are all real. No theories explaining how they came to be are supported by anything resembling compelling evidence. Philosophers can only speculate about the origin of the cosmos while scientists still lack ideas about how to approach the question empirically.
⦻ Is the world a sentient being? It is only natural that people anthropomorphisize the world even if it is not alive. Some earnestly believe it is not only alive, but aware and mindful. Many speak of “the way of the world” as if they understand its intentions. Such speculation raises more questions than it answers. Could a world perceive, or perhaps even care about, the actions of individuals on its surface? How would a globe influence events of individual significance? What languages might the world understand? Some claim to have experienced communion with the world. Many learned and powerful experts have failed to duplicate or otherwise verify those experiences. The world does not grant prayers to any formal priesthood, but . . .
⦻ What empowers the Old Faith? Simply invoking “the world” is not an effective approach to natural spellcasting. Yet dedications to “nature” or “the natural world” are effective. Druids do little to channel energy from more powerful beings. Instead, even those druids actively praying to a deity like Silvanus or Dagda will draw most of their spellcasting energy from accumulations of life force residue in the local environment. Only reverence for nature is an absolute requirement. Simultaneously a religion and not a religion, the Old Faith vexes modern theologists and metaphysicians. Some masters of natural spellcasting hold mutually exclusive opinions about the essence of their craft. Thus even their ability to work powerful spells does not settle these debates.
⦻ Could the Imperium Arcanum be restored? In the time of elven domination, most people lived in vast fortresses shielded by layers of amplified magical defense. Bastions clad in colorful feyglass taunted dragons unable to smash the pretty windows and devour human workforces framed therein. When gods brought a new sort of magic into the world, an already fractured Imperium Arcanum quickly fell to shambles. Yet the gods could not dismantle the ley line network. Students of taboo lore continue to channel energy from reservoirs established by the Archfey. Persecution of these “white witches” is motivated by fear that their efforts could bring back the tyranny of the elves. Is such a thing even possible? If so, what would the Archfey be like after five millennia of hedonistic exile?
Secret Realms Faced with lore both confusing and conflicting, academics continue to debate the nature of Feywild and Shadowfell. Spellcasters are able to magically interact with each place, so they must exist. Some argue that they are particular zones of the Outer Planes with a strong connection to this world. Some contend Feywild and Shadowfell join the Elemental Planes to constitute a cluster of conveniently accessible Inner Planes. Another popular theory holds that these are regions of the Prime Material Plane designated as prisons for beings the gods thought unfit to roam the cosmos.
History records the bulk of the Imperium Arcanum's magocracy accepting confinement inside the Moon in 2,907 A.H. With no dragons to hunt, legions of immensely powerful archmagi formed a society dedicated to self-indulgence. Personality clashes led to increasingly intense melodramas across the centuries. Most trips to Feywild involve wandering alone through impossibly beautiful landscapes or having profound conversations with talking animals. Other visitors report being swept up in relentless revelry where overwhelming magical intoxicants and incomprehensibly elaborate dances delight and exhaust participants. Leaders of these lunar courts go by the names of ancient Archfey.
Could these be the same entities? If so, could they possibly return from exile? Also, if Feywild is a prison for the Archfey, might an even greater power be confined in Shadowfell? Intriguing speculation suggests it could be an epic evil imprisoned within the core of the world itself. Returning visitors often report pervasive gloom with little in the way of distinct sights or sounds. Yet a few tell of living shadows populating a kingdom of relentless dread. Denizens of this realm do not communicate willingly with outsiders. More than one team of legendary superheroes failed to return from an expedition to identify the Lords of Shadowfell. |
⦻ Is divinity extremely powerful magic? Academic consensus holds that the Archfey were magic-users who became godlike after participating in the slaughter of so many powerful dragons. Ma Yuan's ascension involved the opportunistic consumption of two wounded gods. One perpsective holds that gods have somehow unlocked magical powers beyond the command of mortal spellcasters, having previously been mortal themselves. No deity has offered public comment on the subject. All sane experts agree that divine ascension is not a reasonable goal. Kings and emperors are not known for limiting themselves to reasonable goals. Developing a personal cult, killing a god on Theatron, battling gods on other planes, negotiating directly with Zeus or Shang-Ti – speculation abounds about potential paths to godhood.
⦻ What are the Great Old Ones? Utterly alien and gratuitously cryptic, even the most powerful servants of the Great Old Ones know little about these beings. As with the Archfey, devils, and gods; the Great Old Ones bundle magical energy for use by mortal spellcasters. Yet they seem to need no infrastructure, conveying mostly cosmic resources from unpredictable angles. No patterns emerge from analysis. Their invocations may be indistinguishable from jibberish. How do they connect with pact partners? Where are they from? Why do they spread both power and insanity? Who or what the Great Old Ones are remains a mystery and a topic of conversation disturbing even to the gods.
⦻ What lurks at the center of the world? Tunneling through the land or even below the sea floor eventually leads to the Dread Zone, a dense layer of iron-bearing minerals where most of the voids are incorporated into one impossibly confusing network of tunnels and caverns. It is the mind-bending maze from which Labyrinth takes its name. Few return from this depth. Those who dared to venture beyond discovered hatches that open over the enigmatic Sea of Abominations. There are too few credible accounts of efforts to tunnel under that sea to reach any conclusions about an even deeper layer. Yet peoples living below and above ground generally believe something ominous inhabits the core of the world. Even today, the area remains an inaccessible mystery.
⦻ Will technology displace magic? The modern era sees human intellects shifting from arcane studies to the pursuit of invention. Optics and machine tools have made life better for millions of people. Though magic remains an integral part of modern living, it is fashionable to speculate about a world where spellcasting is no longer possible and technological wonders abound. Planar travellers have confirmed the existence of more advanced technology on other worlds, but nothing establishes that these advances are inevitable. Also, a high-tech future is not mutually exclusive with continuity in the spellcasting environment. Even if technological progress continues or accelerates, it is as likely to supplement magic as to marginalize it.
⦻ How will the world end? Many religious teachings hold that the world will end when Odin challenges Zeus for the right to sit on the Heavenly Throne. Some sages dismiss this religious prophecy as nothing more than an allegory condemning betrayal. Should a dispute arise among the Regal Deities, it could disrupt The Immaculate System and open the world to a new flood of cosmic interlopers. This would not be the end of the world so much as the beginning of a new era plagued by divine conflicts. Then again, the full power of the gods is unfathomable. It is within the realm of possibility that one day Odin and Zeus will wage war in a manner that literally destroys the world itself. Even if this foretold doomsday never occurs, the idea that the world is eternal is no less strange than the idea that it will eventually end.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ The Nine Mysteries ↑ → Monsters ← ↓ Peoples ↓
“The magic of dragons is the magic of shaping. Even their breath transforms energies it touches. We study Draconic words of power to better configure the spells we cast. Enough study of the oldest magicks reveals the secrets of changing shape. We races made by dragons can exploit ripples of their earliest efforts to take the shapes of dragons for ourselves.”
— Mettius Sirinium, Truscan Amorphous Bestiary |
The gods are among many of the world's notable inhabitants to originate on another plane of existence. Most of these cosmic immigrants are not immortal. Some produce descendants significantly shaped by this world. Reciprocally, many native forms of life reflect patterns that did not start here. It is unclear if dragons borrowed inspiration from other planes of existence or simply happened upon echoes of universal forms. The dwarves, elves, halflings, and humans they created are strikingly similar to those found on many other worlds. It is likewise with with cattle, goats, horses, and swine. Some philosophers believe life naturally takes to a particular set of forms. Others insist this is evidence the world itself grew from a seed planted in an entirely different plane of existence.
Distinctive methods of shaping new life arose successively through the ages. Ancient dragons altered themselves and various wild beasts to suit their needs. These efforts focused on accomplishing practical goals. The Archfey developed more artistically expressive techniques. Early projects completed by the Imperium Arcanum produced graceful forms characterized by intricate beauty. Many centuries of war drove that regime toward a brutal aesthetic. Turbulent struggles between dark and light factions had many unintended consequences. Though the light fey created metallic dragons, the resources to continue those experiments were lost long ago. That tragedy also drove fomorians and firbolgs apart. Once kindred spirits engaged in similar work, they became mutual enemies when only the latter escaped cruel magical mutations.
“All great designs were once unlikely ideas.”
— Lindrew, Imperium Arcanum Prime Overseer |
The Age of Heroes saw new forms of life proliferating as gods manipulated mortals, empowering chosen emissaries and inspiring creative outliers. The greatest curses could transform entire cities through a single ritual. Some religions existed only for the purpose of protecting the population of a fledgling species. Wizards pushing at the boundaries of arcane power attempted all manner of experiments, from infusing creatures with elemental energy to literally grafting unrelated animals together. This form of magical research raises a variety of controversies in most societies. Beings capable of creating an original form of life are not to be challenged by minor authorities. While some are esteemed scholars, others operate secret facilities or remote strongholds to avoid public scrutiny.
SHANG-TI: “The remaining heavenly legions will stand down immediately. Evermore it is their duty to secure and increase the connections binding our worshippers to us. The multitudes of angels are now privileged witnesses of the prayers we collect and privileged bearers of the miracles we bestow. Through their adoring eyes each of us will clearly see the wonders of faith. Through their pure hearts each of us will wholly partake of the rewards we have earned.”
— Minutes of the Wŭshén |
⌖ ANGELS Reliable champions of charity, honesty, and justice; these celestial beings are bound to service in the bureaucracy of the Immaculate System. Most are engaged in operation and upkeep of spiritual channels. Angels gloriously bask in raw divine power while facilitating routine clerical magic. They instantly notify superiors of particularly important prayers. Any earthly encounter with these beings is a sign of cosmic turmoil. Some angels become twisted renegades after centuries of enabling holy evil. Loyal agents of the gods walk the land to hunt these strays along with any threats to the system itself. Lesser angels may disguise themselves to conduct investigations. Senior angels intervene quickly and decisively whenever possible. Each is capable of tremendous destruction in service to the greater good.
⌖ BASILISKS The lairs of these scaly monsters are often littered with fragments of broken statues. Popular myth holds that the mere sight of a basilisk will turn a person to stone. This is only true if the gaze of the creature is held while its jagged crest is upraised. Petrification is an act of purposeful aggression for basilisks. Extremely daring and patient wranglers have been known to raise these excitable killers from hatchlings. With the mind of a simple beast, even a well-behaved basilisk can become a menace. They often struggle to make distinctions between unfamiliar guests and intruders. Mirrors are particularly problematic, as these creatures may regard their own reflections as rivals. Basilisks require little food. Those without victims to slowly consume need only petrify something the size of a pony or a boar several times per year.
“If we do not live in harmony with the land, then we die in harmony with the land.”
— Moya Reese, Innermost Circle heirophant |
⌖ CATOBLEPONES Many aristocrats believe the worst consequence to fear from pollution is a new wasteland where nothing will grow or pay taxes. This is not so. Both agricultural runoff and urban sewers can produce toxic marshes that become breeding grounds for creatures twisted from lives spent drinking befouled water and eating rotten things. Among the most feared of these unfortunate monstrosities is the catoblepas. Large grazing beasts with boar-like heads that always seem to droop from serpentine necks, catoblepones are cursed with keen smell in habitats where almost every odor is harsh. Even the creatures themselves exude repugnant fumes. Misery and decay so permeates their nature that people have been observed spontaneously decomposing during close encounters with a catoblepas.
Socialized Monsters Every large city contains a large number of monsters. Dangerous predators such as dopplegangers, lycanthropes, rakshasa, and vampires hide behind false identities, often with support from otherwise ordinary people. Most large cities are home to persistent struggles between criminal organizations and other secret societies. Important figures in the covert clashes of these factions may also be human-appearing monsters leading public lives. Powerful leaders often enforce strict rules limiting bloodshed so that official backlash remains a manageable problem – never pointing investigators toward senior leadership.
Yet not all citydwelling monsters make a secret of their status. Even a powerful monstrosity may be welcome so long as efforts are made to minimize public disruption and unrest. Many dragons are comfortable assuming human or dragonborn forms. Some societies welcome centaurs, genies, giants, unicorns, and/or exotic fey into their ranks. Dutiful monsters like gargoyles, golems, nagas, and sphinxes may be accepted as support staff for a respected organization. The legal status of sentient plants and awakened beasts is an area of active debate in many realms. There are Sylvanian regimes quick to offer these creatures every opportunity available to human citizens. |
⌖ CENTAURS The first centaurs were gifts from the Olympians to armies practicing their religions. In each case a generation of reliable warriors sired a population of indulgent revellers. They would inevitably be cast out of the city-states their ancestors defended. Wild centaurs adopted a tribal lifestyle, yet they continued to practice sophisticated fighting techniques and develop advanced dweomers. Ordinary adult centaurs can outclass mounted soldiers. The most accomplished centaurs hold their own in battles between superheroes and supervillains. A few centaurs may be accepted in some cities, though costly accommodations are required. They idealize open country with plenty of space to run and plenty of wine to drink. Simultaneously wise and impulsive, these beings often worship Dionysus or practice the Old Faith.
⌖ CHIMERAE Fusing different forms of life together was not a common experiment during the Age of Dragons. Every subsequent era has seen many spellcasters explore this practice. The classic result of these efforts blends parts of a dragon, a goat, and a lion to produce a chimera. As troubled and violent as these three-headed monstrosities are, enough exist to constitute multiple breeding populations. At fabulous expense, agents from the underground empire of dark elves may furnish one of these relentlessly aggressive creatures. Just the sight of a chimera causes most thieves to turn back from a treasure vault. Variations ranging from a basilisk-cobra-jackal combination to an aquatic alligator-shark-squid trio have been catalogued, though it is believed these fused creatures are not able to reproduce.
⌖ COCKATRICES An expression of both whimsy and horror, dark fey archmagi created these monstrosities resembling little dragons with the heads of roosters. Launching into a frantic assault against even the largest threats, a cocktrice knows only to attack until it has struck every potential enemy in motion. The wounds from its bites are rarely fatal, but each carries with it a blight that might temporarily petrify just about any victim. Some ancient elven dragon hunters deployed waves of cockatrices, rendering their targets helpless before personally completing their missions. Almost no one in modern times is willing to capture and sustain enough of these vicious creatures to revive that monster hunting tactic. Ironically, the cockatrice has become one of the most common menaces monster hunters are retained to slay.
“As the great god Hephaestus, Crafter of Many Devices, melted into the earth, he performed one final act of service to his king. The hand of the dying god outstretched toward a village of cyclopes already trained in the ways of the forge. Masters among them could keep Zeus well-armed with bolts of divine power. In celebration, the God of the Heavenly Throne ordained cyclopean disciples, sending them to spread enlightenment among all their kind.”
— Scrolls of the Aegis Church, NMG version |
⌖ COUATL An entire pantheon of Dead Gods employed these winged serpents as minions. They were so abundant that couatls carried on raising new broods and finding new purposes after the last of their divine masters departed this world. Modern people may assume they are deadly monsters, so these heavenly beings often enter and depart communities in the form of a bird or a human. Their auras are unmistakably holy, but the absence of any connection to the Fivesquare Pantheon makes couatls a disturbing presence that can fill clerics with unease. Leaders able to achieve mutual trust with these compulsively honest entities find them useful allies. Couatl excel at gathering information and abducting persons. Some specialize in internal investigations – operating independently to uncover corruption within an organization.
⌖ CYCLOPES Worshippers of Zeus often regard these towering one-eyed beings as sacred. Their ancestors fought valiantly, enduring heavy losses, so that the God of the Heavenly Throne could defeat a challenge to his authority. In banishing titans from this world, Zeus gained so much power that he was able to gift these simple brutes with great cunning and charm. Modern cyclopes still have difficulty aiming at distant targets, but that does not prevent them from hurling deadly bolts of lightning or shaking the ground with waves of deafening thunder. Some are gifted artisans capable of weaving powerful magic into equipment of almost any size. Most live in communities of no more than a few dozen, sustained by herding giant animals. Making a cyclopean enemy was the final mistake of many heroes and at least a few kings.
Monster Cults Especially powerful monsters are often surrounded by lesser allied creatures. These minions handle menial tasks and generate an alert when trespassers are afoot. Such arrangements may be as simple as a pack of scavengers subsisting on the scraps left from the feasts of a major predator. At the other extreme, legendary monsters sometimes find their lairs surrounded by a compex community of fanatical followers. Where intelligence and tool use or magic converge, these communities may become fortified strongholds. Some even collect tributes from nearby farms and villages.
Sentient patrons may be able to bestow special training or equipment on their supporters. Contractual magic is especially easy to empower where routine rituals renew pacts through personal communion. Yet any form of magic can be taught or inspired by the right entities. From alien music to traditional wizardry, any awestruck follower proves unusually quick to learn spells closely associated with the being they revere. If this reverence becomes sufficiently intense, it rises to the level of religious worship. Such cults bring even greater power to the monster at their heart, but civilized authorities invariably see them as a threat that must be eradicated. |
⌖ DEMONS Demons are staunch individualists. It is in their nature to break rules and challenge authorities. Relationships between demons and mortals often begin with some form of temptation. Coveted rewards will be placed just beyond the bounds of propriety, with each new offering breaking another taboo. Demons spread corruption for its own sake. They are indulgent and wasteful by nature. Some channel unholy power for the sheer joy of violating the Immaculate System. Most favor personal relationships with any witches and warlocks they empower. Though demons may rise up and do battle directly, physical desturction forces them to endure decades or centuries of planar exile. Selfish to the last, they will rarely accept that fate when trickery or escape remain viable options.
⌖ DEVILS Many religious leaders share a constant concern about devil worship. Covens dedicated to these unholy entities sometimes give rise to coordinated ritual activity intent on bringing the Immaculate System to an end. Witches and warlocks can cultivate considerable power with minimal bargaining if they are deeply versed in diabolic arcana. The result is an impersonal pact that nonetheless serves a devil's interest by developing unholy channels. Practitioners tend to find one another and form associations for purposes of sharing magical lore. When these gatherings reach a critical mass of mortal support, an apocalyptic conspiracy begins to unfold. Devils taking direct action in this world often do so as part of a large group. Leaders will sacrifice hordes of minions to avoid personal defeat and hellish exile.
⌖ DINOSAURS Most dragons feel contempt for these primitive lizards despite their shared ancestry. Dinosaurs were nearly exterminated throughout the Orient and Mainland even before elves were created. Though abundant in the Veiled Lands, other remaining dinosaur populations are limited to remote stretches of primevil wilderness. Their most powerful predators deliver the slashes and bites of a great dragon. Yet even placid behemoths can destroy small structures simply by passing through the area. Many druids undertake risky expeditions to study these particularly powerful animals. Menageries featuring dinosaurs are prohibitively costly to establish and maintain while being almost impossible to secure. Nevertheless, the modern era has seen a series of plutocrats ruined by precisely this undertaking.
Spellcasting Monsters Any intelligent being possessing freewill, a clear speaking voice, and the capacity for purposeful gesticulation is a potential spellcaster. Nearly all colleges, monasteries, and temples ban the spread of arcane knowledge beyond the adventuring races. This is no problem for monsters with the ability take human form, access a trove of ancient lore, win the support of a renegade mentor, wield intrinsic magical energy, or connect to a greater power. Every class of spellcaster has been documented among exceptional individuals who are clearly not humanoid.
Monstrous magic is typically limited to a repertoire of innate abilities. Still, it is never safe to assume formidable foes have failed to grow beyond the basic powers possessed by all adults of their kind. Gifted individuals from the non-adventuring races may dedicate themselves to cultivating and flaunting spellcasting ability. Similar behavior had a part in raising the legal status of goblinoids, kobolds, minotaurs, and orcs throughout many lands. Naturally brilliant monsters like dragons, genies, rakshasas, and sphinxes have less difficulty attaining the highest levels of magical power than elven spellcasters. Even legendary sorcerers and wizards sometimes learn from these creatures so profoundly steeped in the arcane. |
⌖ DOPPLEGANGERS Also known as changelings, these nefarious creatures have a natural ability to take on the precise physical appearance of other people. With loyalty to no one but their own kind, dopplegangers can rarely be trusted to use their abilities as spies. Yet they often infiltrate organizations, uncovering information needed to plan a major theft before abandoning a set of false identities. Most move between phases of larceny and self-indulgence, living the good life on stolen coin until it runs out. Yet some are even more destructive, ruining relationships and orchestrating murders for their own amusement. Worshippers of Loki sometimes revere dopplegangers, though these shapeshifters themselves are not known for acts of reverence.
⌖ DRAGONS The Imperium Arcanum hunted dragons to the brink of extinction. Then a civil war saw one faction bring metallic dragons into the world. Modern dragons take many forms, comfortably altering their own features from molt to molt. Ordinary dragons are largely out of touch with the arcane environment, breathing and moving as their ancestors did, yet casting no spells. Some of dragonkind continues the most ancient magical traditions. In addition to these potent forms of sorcery and wizardry, some reverent dragons practice spiritual magic. The intellect of dragons is widely respected, and well-mannered individuals may be awarded lofty positions within human aristocracies. Yet civilian authorities generally discourage awe-inspiring displays of a dragon's natural body.
⌖ DRAKES Dragons and elves belittled each other savagely across tens of thousands of years. Verbal efforts sometimes escalated into the realm of the metaphysical. The curses of dragons gave rise to many sorts of atomies and feral fey. Reciprocation was less impressive, since downsized dragons often remained intimidating monsters. Nonetheless, those efforts took place often enough to leave many varieties of drake walking the land today. Though technically dragons, these wingless creatures lack any great spark of magic or intellect. Drakes socialize and fight more like wolves. They form packs in the wild, using teamwork to hunt larger prey. If raised from a hatchling, a drake will imprint on any handler known to provide regular supplies of fresh meat, becoming a vigilant and loyal protector.
“There is no safe amount of wild magic, only greater risks and lesser risks.”
— Risalee, Imperium Arcanum dissident |
⌖ FOMORIANS Originally working together on Imperium Arcanum projects to develop new forms of life, firbolgs and fomorians are now bitter enemies. An arcane cataclysm exposed both giant races to huge doses of wild magic. While firbolgs gained control over their forms enough to blend in with ordinary folk, fomorians had a tragic reaction. Their bodies grew larger in crippling and unsightly ways. This condition spread to kin with no direct exposure to wild magic. Some sky castles were brought down by fomorian mutinies. Modern fomorians almost never develop the grace and wit of their ancient ancestors. Instead they seethe with resentment at their plight, angrily spreading their kind's affliction to others. Civilized peoples see fomorians as a scourge, yet fomorian tribes persist even today in remote caverns or wilderness areas.
“Your prayers should not be requests so much as questions. 'How will I know the righteous path?' and 'What do you desire of me?' are appropriate things to say to a god. Their blessings will only provide for worthy supplicants. Deities are not royal genies patiently waiting to fulfill wishes.”
— Horatio the Red, Jovian Bureau Pontifex |
⌖ GARGANTUA When some giant animals surpass a critical threshold of dietary success, they begin to change in ways observers find downright terrifying. In addition to achieving enormous proportions, most develop entirely new anatomical features. These gargantua are highly resistant to magic. They also ignore many sorts of attacks. Even for experts aware of how to harm these titanic beasts, victory is never an easy or simple matter. In spite of their size, most gargantua move with extreme grace and speed. Many quickly recover from all but the most severe injuries. All are easily able to swallow a person whole. Authorities rarely prioritize anything above efforts to divert wandering gargantua away from cities they might otherwise devastate. The mere sight of one on the horizon completely disrupts normal business.
⌖ GENIES Genies were intensely polarizing figures throughout the Age of Heroes. Some served unpopular rulers, trading decades of personal indulgence for assurances of a secure reign. Others advanced noble causes, granting guidance and useful boons to adventurers struggling for the benefit of others. These incredibly rare and mighty elementals have gone on to sire many lesser beings in their own images. Each still has considerable innate magic, but few ever grow to command spells at the ninth level of power. Individuals with that gift may continue to make themselves indispensable allies of powerful leaders or wealthy merchants. The rest make their way much as human spellcasters might – practicing a peaceful trade or serving as an extraordinary military asset.
Giant Animals Vital energy accumulates in locations with many plants and animals yet little spellcasting. Where it becomes especially thick, this energy permeates local life forms, promoting health and growth. Sometimes especially voracious individuals will accumulate so much magic within their own bodies that it permanently enlarges them. There are also giant animals made so, or descended from those made so, by the efforts of powerful spellcasters. Some of these beasts are harmless curiosities mainly notable for their ecological impact. Others are savage predators or territorial defenders quick to lash out with deadly force.
Civilized authorities work to keep most giant animals far from developed areas. Exhibitors and adventurers can be held responsible for damages caused by beasts in their entourages. Constables may demand payment for permission or official license to bring dangerous animals into their jurisdiction. Sufficiently intimidating creatures will be forbidden altogether, in light of inevitable disruptions caused by their appearance. For the most formidable hunters and herders these massive creatures sometimes provide valuable resources. Beyond the obvious dangers involved, the care and feeding of giant animals poses bigger versions of the problems ordinary wranglers face. |
⌖ GIANTS No amount of eating seems to transform a normal person into a giant. Even so, many varieties of giant exist, and their origins are diverse. The Age of Dragons saw some giants created to test the combat skills of young wyrms. This practice ended soon after the first renegades broke loose. The Archfey recognized this threat and created various sorts of giants to aid in their war with dragonkind. By the Age of Heroes, populations of giants had spread to many lands. Though some are simple brutes, others are learned beings with civilized values. Their destructive potential makes giants unwelcome around human population centers. Even so, some giant villages or strongholds are loyal to human regimes. Independent giants have been known to offer their services as mercenaries. Yet most of these enormous men and women are averse to the company of ordinary people.
⌖ GRIFFONS This fusion of lion and eagle is associated with some of the earliest human leaders. The most ancient Serpian and Thracian histories tell of treasures being stored under griffon rookeries and heroes taming griffons for use as steeds. Success in these efforts results in an aerial mount almost as swift and graceful as a pegasus. Sivales sees so many trained griffon riders that most cities there maintain a quadrant free of horses to avoid problematic encounters. Hungry griffons can be distracted by the smell of horseflesh, and wild griffons are a menace to horse breeders. Highly effective units of griffon air cavalry can fall into disarray when engaging conventional ground cavalry. Many griffon riders prefer to act alone, offering their services as scouts and couriers.
⌖ HAGS When witches manage to cheat death, they often strike bargains that turn them into hags. The deal not only withers their bodies into hideous forms, but it also twists their spirits. Hags cannot help but despise all mortals, and their auras are unmistakably unholy. Most can disguise themselves with illusions, and some are able to assume more pleasing forms on a temporary basis. Though now ageless and unable to starve or drown, hags are driven to advance the goals of fiendish masters. Some spread strife by corrupting religious leaders or distributing occult lore. Others favor isolation, quick to lash out at anyone who wanders too close. Where their numbers are sufficient, hags may gather in covens to better serve their unholy patrons and empower one another as spellcasters. Rarely, hags have been known to mentor mortal witches.
Air Travel Some superheroes and supervillains fly long distances as comfortably as a soldier marches. Many druids find the swiftest journey between two places involves assuming the form of a bird. Air power is a tremendous source of pride for governments able to maintain it. Large armies may breed aerial mounts at dedicated compounds staffed by esteemed experts. Such steeds are also status symbols among adventurous aristocrats. Even small governments often employ a few scouts and couriers capable of swift flight.
Travelling close to the horizon limits visibility, yet it is the safest option for many. Soaring high into the sky reveals conditions across a vast area while also drawing attention from many eyes. The best search techniques require winding routes well above any skyline or canopy. Dragons, rocs, sphinxes, and military air patrols routinely investigate unidentified flying creatures. Their territorial sensibilities are not limited to the ground. Whether skimming treetops or cloudtops, air travel allows for direct transits. Only extreme weather events and hostile flyers create any need to divert from a straight flight at best available speed.
After landing it is another matter. Extraordinary mounts often require extraordinary support. Most winged creatures need extensive feedings to recover from long days spent aloft. Specialized training is required to fight effectively astride a flying steed. Intelligent mounts often demand their riders share a particular moral outlook or provide costly comforts. Even simpleminded steeds can become problematic when subjected to abuse or neglect. Anyone who takes to the sky by virtue of another creature's power of flight is engaged in an act of profound trust. Soldiers in some air cavalries are issued minor magical items to facilitate safe falls from great heights. The rest face certain death if unseated at high altitude. |
⌖ HARPIES The Olympians first dispatched harpies to steal valuables from cities doing too little to support places of worship. Other deities also found these angry bird-women a useful way to motivate reliable tithing. Treasure hoarded at remote harpy lairs lures many to their doom, as does the beguiling magic of these cruel winged creatures. Harpies employ their calls to gather loot, attract mates, and disable prey. Though they can sustain themselves on almost any meat, mature harpies almost always crave human flesh. They experience ecstasy in escalations from trickery to savagery. Some have learned to make use of magic items in their possession. Despised by most other creatures, harpies socialize in flocks that share duties like child care and lair defense. Most range over considerable territory in search of suitable victims.
⌖ HIPPOGRIFFS Magically fusing an eagle with a horse resulted in flying mounts not much more difficult to train and maintain than ordinary warhorses. Many dignitaries are reluctant to take a hippogriff aloft because these creatures are also no more resilient than an ordinary warhorse. Snipers and war wizards often target hippogriffs over the battlefield. The sight of an enemy plunging to the ground is usually good for morale. Though they prefer a varied diet including some fresh meat, hippogriffs can be kept in good health by supplementing common livestock feed with berries, nuts, and roots. If properly trained they respond to any competent riders, making these mounts ideal for transitioning from travel on the hoof to travel on the wing.
⌖ HYDRAE Perhaps the only hunger to surpass that of dinosaurs and dragons is the cravings of hydrae. These dangerous mutants have been transformed by wild magic in a process similar to the creation of trolls. Yet every hydra is empowered by an accident of chance rather than a criminal penalty. These creatures grow huge through a cycle of wounding and surplus recovery. When decapitated, which typically happens several times before a hydra reaches full size, two functional heads and necks replace the lost anatomy. Additional heads may grow even after the body of the hydra no longer does. Such monsters can devour entire herds or villages if allowed to roam near human settlements. Often they favor wetlands where swiming and hiding come naturally to these massive predators.
⌖ LAMIAS The Age of Heroes saw scores of these serpentine seductresses charged with imparting humility to excessively boastful kings. Each doomed monarch would find himself unable to defy a new mistress. He would neglect matters of state to lavish treasures upon her. As his realm crumbled about him, the fallen king would watch his beloved lamia ensnare new servants to provide for her. At the end of their usefulness, victims meet their fate as meals slowly savored by these avaricious monsters. With ruined castles as their natural lairs, lamia offspring either seek out such a place to make their own or infiltrate a royal court in an effort to spread ruin. Over time they fortify their lairs with arrays of mesmerized defenders, deadly traps, and cunning illusions. Many poets on both continents have lamented the temptations of lamias.
“Even though most who feel it perish within a year, it might be worth the risk to know the touch of a lamia.”
— Solon Spiros, Stygian Archivist restorer |
⌖ LEUCROTTAS Seasoned combat veterans recognize a congregation of these foul-smelling predators as a sign battle is imminent. Keeping to the fringes of human populations, leucrottas prey upon wounded individuals then mimic pained outcries to ambush aspiring rescuers. Often appearing weak and harmless at first glance, these contemptible creatures can be quick to lash out with a flurry of violence. Leucrottas are particularly probematic for highway patrols. Their tracks are almost indistinguishable from common game animals. Even when engaged, they are adept at bursting free and escaping into wilderness. They will do so when faced with formidable opposition. Leucrottas regard weaker opponents as prey, perhaps even calling out for reinforcements from the pack before rushing in for a taste of fresh meat.
The Undead All clerics and paladins can bring spiritual power to bear against undead creatures. Holy water also works as a weapon against them. Yet necromancy is not condemned by the Immaculate System. Most universities include the academic study of animating corpses alongside other bodies of arcane and religious lore. Even so, skeletal guards and zombie servants are never welcome on city streets. Communities with religious police will see them quickly dispatching these creatures. Elsewhere, ordinary constables or mob violence address related reports.
Necromancers sometimes use long hooded cloaks or heavy furs to disguise undead in their entourage. Even so, Remnant Wranglers often work by night to minimize encounters with excitable civilians. Even undead not put to work in sewers will tend to emit foul smells. Though flowers and perfumes can miminize the discomfort to bystanders, the stench of death is almost never welcome. Ghosts, poltergeists, and specters avoid this by lurking as invisible odorless spirits. Their hauntings are not rare in older cities. Fortunately, they are normally limited to a single structure, killing ground, or grave site.
The true scourge of undead hunters are intelligent, often ingenious, creatures able to maintain personal followings. Vampires have infiltrated many aristocracies. Ennoblement ceremonies often involve priests precisely because of the dangers posed by these charming bloodsuckers. Aura Editors may enable vampires to pass magical scrutiny. The same cannot be said for liches, whose powerful spells are seldom up to the task of concealing their extensive decay. Often based at a stronghold far from any major city, liches rely heavily on minions. While most serve out of fear or magical compulsion, some evil wizards see liches as esteemed mentors.
Large accumulations of corpses always pose some risk of undead activity. Ancient tombs of the Old Kingdom were stocked with mummified warriors sworn to defend their royal charge throughout eternity. Even the simplest burial mounds may feature ghostly tribal warriors drifting out to challenge potential looters. Neglected battlefields and disaster areas attract spellcasters in need of corpses to practice techniques of reanimation. Some create plagues of hostile undead simply to spread misery on behalf of a Divine Villain or unholy patron. Most civilized people believe the undead are tormented souls, able to receive no greater kindness than the eternal rest of a proper death.
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⌖ LYCANTHROPES These volatile shapeshifters bear a communicable curse. Whenever the Moon is at its fullest, they spend the night transformed into savage creatures. These new forms overwhelm lycanthropes with urges to hunt, kill, and devour. Some literally restrain themselves in anticipation of these cravings. The most ethical may harness them in battles against nocturnal villains. Lycanthropes rarely allow their victims to live. A wounded survivor is likely to develop the same curse. Yet lycanthropy can also be a blessing. It bestows durability, and seasoned lycanthropes learn how to transform without provocation from the Moon. Various holy orders and secret societies exist to support lycanthropes both in ordinary life and as supernatural predators. Other specialists hunt these deadly shapeshifters, sometimes on behalf of ruling authorities.
⌖ MANTICORES The final stages of the Imperium Arcanum saw delicate refinement give way to bold brutalism. The manticore is an embodiment of this aesthetic. They were created to quickly eliminate exposed labor pools, forcing dragons to find their own food. A soar of manticores can quickly annihilate almost any village or caravan. These aggressive creatures thrive in wilderness environments, being natural hunters. Yet manticores are most at home supporting armies or warbands. They are too vicious and undisciplined for regular forces, but these creatures collaborate well with orcs and goblinoids. Favoring a diet of fresh dwarves, elves, humans, and halflings over any alternatives; manticores are only employed by extremely cruel masters. Yet when well-fed, they make inquisitive guards and scouts or devastating shock troops.
⌖ MERFOLK These graceful people are the majority population of the Imperium Maris. Early triton leaders had no trouble subjugating independent tribes equipped with stone tools. Now merfolk serve as artisans, builders, couriers, farmers, gatherers, and household servants; contributing much to the wealth of the imperial aristocracy. Severe limits on education prevent most merfolk from realizing opportunities for independent prosperity. Instead many continue to circulate stories about surface dwellers eager to help aquatic newcomers acquire legs as well as comfortable homes. This results in wandering merfolk making all manner of efforts to be taken aboard by passing mariners. Awkward and uncomfortable on dry land, most wind up swimming back to their former homes.
⌖ MERROW Mannanan Mac Lir assumed control of territory in turmoil when he wrested the seas from rival deities. Unholy mysteries were bubbling up from chasms in the sea floor. Dark waters made it all too easy for covens and cults to operate just outside thriving cities. The Imperium Maris formed quickly so that triton authorities could purge all aquatic communities of unholy conspiracies. Those merfolk who were most severely corrupted became unsightly outcasts in search of a new society. Now most often encountered in coastal waters of the Lesser Ocean, these merrow have been known to raid ships and small ports. Unlike merfolk with freewill, merrow seem compelled to pursue theft over trade and violence over negotiation. Some tritons feel dutybound to hunt and exterminate any merrow colonies they encounter in their travels.
⌖ NAGAS A society of ancient human spellcasters grew fabulously wealthy by selling a service that could bind one of these ageless spirits to a location. Many great adventurers during the Age of Heroes maintained secret treasuries secured by one or more nagas. Manifesting as serpentine bodies with human faces, their venemous bites are a last resort. Most employ magic to deal with trespassers. They are also comfortable communicating, either to engage in reasonable dialogue or to intimidate. Some temples employ nagas to secure their inner sanctuaries, relic vaults, or secret archives. Most of these beings have long outlived their original masters. Presiding over forgotten hoards or abandoned ruins, they may be hostile to all outsiders. A common yet cruel grift involves selling “treasure maps” that lead to a site guarded by aggressive nagas.
⌖ NIGHTMARES Traumatizing dreams of being trampled by a great unholy horse are a recurring theme in withcraft accusations. Victims awake struggling for breath with clear memories of a fiendish equine bearing down on their chests. These creatures are not only real, but they are coveted aerial mounts exclusively loyal to the worst sort of villains. Some unholy powers grant nightmares as boons rewarding exemplary service. Beyond flight, they can breach the boundaries between planes. No terrain or structure blocks this form of travel. Nightmares pose tremendous security risks because they can penetrate any sanctum lacking strong magical protection. Yet riding a nightmare is always a risk. Both steed and rider may be summoned without notice and tasked with service to a profoundly evil patron.
“You think it is a crime to teach an ogre magic? I assure you teaching them to sing is much worse.”
— Orrin Dustwater, halfling jester |
⌖ OGRES The standard penalty for murdering another elf in the Imperium Arcanum involved becoming an ogre. Many great wizards wept as they felt their minds melting away and their muscles surging to grotesque proportions. Captive ogres were bred in large numbers, producing shock troops to assist in attacks against dragon lairs. Both then and today, ogres could be manipulated by cunning handlers able to serve up copious supplies of fresh meat. Across every dominion, wandering ogres were a common menace throughout the Age of Heroes. Some work with brutal warbands, though even orcs are unsettled by the casual violence and explosive fury of ogres. Most cities refuse entry to ogres, and few institutions would attempt to train them. Today they live as loners or members of small tribes, often possessed by a rage they do not understand.
Constructs Animating elaborately crafted objects requires either magical or mechanical lore. Many constructs see arcana and science blended together to make the most of all relevant knowledge. Yet magic remains the most effective and reliable source of power. Some constructs eventually fail when enchanted crystals or vital fluids become depleted. Others are built to renew their own energies from ambient sources. Constructs may also be powered by springs, air pressure, or steam. Yet these purely mechanical automata rarely have much strength or range.
Tribes working with stone tools have been known to produce juggernauts travelling on deadly rollers. Makers with ample resources typically opt for quality materials and flawless fabrication. The most sophisticated mechanical constructs can fight with spring-loaded harpoons, slash with whirling sawblades, climb with spider-like limbs, or deploy a devastating array of alchemical preparations. Some clockwork wonders were designed to demonstrate techniques of combat or serve as sparring partners for formidable warriors. Damaging and destroying constructs is widely regarded as an ethical alternative to using people in similar exercises.
Clockwork technology emerged from efforts to maintain the arcane constructs of a fallen magocracy. Some spellcasters still eschew these mechanical innovations. Secret collections at the most prestigious libraries may contain entire books on the subject of crafting golems. Great wizards often utilize these constructs as both servants and bodyguards. Golems are a popular, if costly, alternative to conventional hirelings.
Extremely powerful spellcasters may take to animating entire arsenals of armor and weapons, if not also nearby rugs and tapestries. Archaeologists often encounter ancient constructs or their remains. When modern experiments cause combative constructs to run amok, they create an urgent need for heroic action. |
⌖ PEGASI A traditional sign of favor from Zeus, these heavenly winged horses have become wildly popular with elites from several societies. Today the most accomplished spiritual spellcasters of any faith may pray for the appearance of such a steed. Others must depend on incredibly costly breeding and training programs. No pegasus tolerates abuse. Preventing escapes requires a team of fun-loving and generous experts working with an endless flow of valuable supplies. Herds will only grow when they are confident their offspring will live a good life. Pegasi will only accept riders when approached with respect. When that respect is mutual, the result is a mount as swift as a racehorse yet more rugged than any warhorse. Of course, even more remarkable are their long distance flight and graceful aerobatic abilities.
⌖ PERYTONS These voracious fusions of deer and eagle were created to make wildlands unsafe for refugees from the Imperium Arcanum. Their proliferation did little to preserve the failing regime, but it added a predator with a hunger for humanoids to the skies over many lands. Perytons combine swift attacks with an innate resilience that minimizes susceptiblity to conventional weapons. Quick to savagely kill any fallen foes, perytons often become terrifyingly gory in the midst of battle. Any known to roost near a populated area will soon generate a bounty for monster hunters. Magic is essential to dispatching a peryton with ease. Though their fanged teeth are the only features distinguishing their heads from those of ordinary stags, many peryton trophies are mounted on walls as evidence of hunting prowess.
⌖ RAKSHASAS The Ravanese Empire was firmly established even before the Elatolian Hegemony. Perhaps that is because immortal spirits with advanced mind control powers served as its aristocracy. Early rakshasa families practiced a tyranny similar to that of dragons – abruptly devouring subjects responsible for displeasure. Ravenese customs evolved into the modern form of slavery after their culture produced respectable cities and a robust intercontinental trade network. Only through mystical warfare was the first Maharaja of Xe-Shan able to expel Ravan from the world and drive his cruel followers into hiding. Today some rakshasas operate secret strongholds funded by illegal slave trafficking. Others hide in plain sight, adopting new human identities every few decades.
⌖ ROCS True gargantua are too massive to fly. The largest birds in the world cannot smash a small fortress with a single footstep nor swallow an adult human whole. Yet rocs remain enormous creatures able to seize and haul giants aloft. Their titanically powerful talons and beak quickly slice most victims to pieces. Rocs have excellent vision even for birds of prey. Thus they often roost on mountain summits where few others can reach and much more can be seen. Giant animals are their preferred prey. Rocs have also been known to strike at wooden ships, merchant caravans, and armored patrols. Some communities form symbiosis with a local roc by regularly staking out offerings from their own herds. This practice spares villagers and their remaining livestock, but it does not convert these enormous avians into dependable defenders.
“As serene as it seems, the smile of the sphinx is often a warning.”
— Kiana Parihep, Dunewalker elder |
⌖ SPHINXES These fierce yet sagacious beings were created by the Imperium Arcanum to guard great monuments constructed in the Thirsty Quarter. After the regime of the Archfey collapsed, some sphinxes remained at their posts. Others roamed the world in search of encounters with the wisest and most learned people. Sphinxes tend to be territorial. Within what they consider to be their territory, unwelcome intruders may be met with deadly aggression. Fortunately, these cunning creatures are curious and playful by nature. They are fond of posing riddles and engaging strangers in mind games. Sphinxes may be persuaded to grant safe passage if their respect can be earned on an intellectual level. Most have accumulated a profound understanding of magic in the millennia they have lived.
“I will coordinate our attacks with the plans and signals of your generals. None of us will carry your banner. We are here to safeguard the forest against dangerous invaders. That is the beginning and the end of politics among my kind. Even this support we grant only because your foresters and hunters have always conducted themselves with due reverence. May the blessings of Nature yet preserve us all.”
— Tower-of-Redheart, treant elder |
⌖ TREANTS Silvanus has not walked the land in many centuries. Still, his efforts to preserve and enrich its forests continue today. His priests and worshippers embrace a holy purpose to promote thriving wilderness. Large forests in all lands are normally home to a small community of mighty animated trees including some as old as the surrounding woods. These treants do not normally engage in acts of worship despite knowing much lore from the Old Faith. Outliers are likely to be relatively young individuals favoring Apollo or Ra depending on how they prefer to take the Sun. All treants share the ability to temporarily awaken the trees around them. When their peaceful ways turn to wrath, even stone forts cannot resist long. Treants do not value wealth enough to engage in mercenary work. Yet they will ally with armed forces acting against a threat to viable woodlands.
⌖ TROGLODYTES A pervasive threat throughout the Dwarfdeep, these filthy savages barely have enough brainpower to be malicious. Yet they seem uniformly so, with no credible accounts of a civilized troglodyte. The very concept seems a contradiction. Their ambush attacks are often anticipated because any area where they linger in a group is sure to reek. Troglodytes do not hesitate to kill simply to acquire meat. Yet there is much modern equipment they can use. Looted weapons and armor typically distinguish leaders of their primitive social groups. Troglodytes have been known to raid human villages, but they never settle above ground since the light of day causes them to suffer. Dwarves must constantly guard their supply caverns and mining parties against the troglodyte menace.
“Sorcerers, concentrate your flames on the trolls. To them, blades are but a tickle and arrows a gentle rain.”
— Otto “Owleyes” Elba, Iskreshi bashar |
⌖ TROLLS The most vile criminals of the Imperium Arcanum were sentenced to become trolls. It would be their fate to rise from one bloody defeat after another until fire prevented their mutated bodies from growing back into shape. Descendants of the most bitter and wicked elven outlaws, modern trolls continue to be notoriously hateful. Some lash out savagely at any persons they happen to encounter. Others delight in sadistic games, using mockery and riddles to toy with vulnerable strangers. Exceptionally sociable trolls will seek out bridges or crossroads where they might menace and extort travellers. Though widely despised, trolls may also be seen as victims. Their ability to survive almost anything makes them valuable captives for use in the cruelest magical experiments.
“To ride a pegasus, griffon, or wyvern is to know the freedom of being detached from the ground. Your enemies cannot follow you up, but you can chase them down. To ride a unicorn is another experience altogether – the freedom of being detached from position itself. As a pair you can advance or retreat over tenfold the range of a longbow in an instant. Unicorns do not fly. What they do is better than flying.”
— Galadon Bluefern, wood elf knight |
⌖ UNICORNS The Archfey assigned these graceful steeds to proven leaders in their totalitarian magocracy. Unicorns enabled overseers and archmagi to survive unplanned dragon encounters. Yet these one-horned horses also served independently as lancers. Entire armies of unicorns fought with distinction until being wiped out in the first Wyrmplague. Populations have yet to recover, perhaps because only the most elusive unicorns survived that event. Even today wild unicorns tend to vanish promptly on encountering people. This may have something to do with the tremendous prices alchemists and enchanters will pay for an actual unicorn horn. Only the most intrepid adventurers, pure of heart and confident in their own abilities, can hope to win the loyalty of these intelligent equines.
⌖ WYVERNS Among the most cruel deeds of the Archfey were curses blighting vast swaths of land so that any dragon eggs therein would hatch malformed and feeble of mind. This attempt to weaken their ancient enemy produced stunted two-legged dragons with bellies that distill much of the energy from their diets into poison for a savage stinger. Though wyverns possess the voracious hunger of dragons, they have the minds of simple predators. Gold does not distract them the way large amounts of fresh meat will. Most wyverns hunt over clear flat or hilly country. Yet their keen senses make wyverns a threat even when forest or fog provides cover. Some of the boldest adventurers find ways to make personal steeds of these vicious dragon kin. Even if these efforts are effective, saddled wyverns are often quick to sting any unfamiliar rider.
“There is no king or emperor who does not kneel before yeti masters.”
— Robert Robertson, Discordian Supergenius |
⌖ YETIS Above the slopes goliaths comfortably tread, yetis seek a peaceful existence as herders of beasts adapted to the glacial environment. Where wind and snow are so common, tracks may not be evident even on ground that is heavily travelled. Thus mountaineers sometimes find their way into territory yeti consider their own. This prompts a fiercely defensive reaction that seems like raw animal aggression. Each tribe has its own rudimentary language full of growls and roars. Some of these tribes guard natural wonders or ancient treasures located at high altitudes. While yeti themselves do not engage in the practice, prudent climbers may secure colorful banners at the boundaries of yeti territory. Respectful offerings placed at the edges of these territories are the best way to attain good relations with a yeti tribe.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Monsters ↑ → Races ← ↓ Bugbears ↓
Peoples
Dwarves, elves, halflings, and humans were created by dragons not long after the latter arose from primitive beasts. Escaped thralls sometimes formed tribes in wilderness areas. Tyrants roaming the sky were quick to destroy any building that did not serve their purposes. The first truly independent communities sheltered in caves where stolen spell components were stockpiled. These resources enabled a conspiracy of elven archmagi to launch a campaign of violence against dragonkind. To fight in the war that followed, a myriad of new life forms would be created. Both the world's magical environment and its population of sentient beings diversified in tandem.
Non-adventuring Races Many millenia of magical experimentation seeded the world with all manner of intelligent life. Humanoids alone make suitable adventurers in part because nearly all of the world's structures are built for humanoid access and use. At least one pair of hands is also essential since any adventurer should be able to hold a weapon or throw a punch. A decent portion of every adventuring race is literate, easing the path toward effective spellcasting. Though twenty-four adventuring races have non-human thought processes, each of them has produced many thousands of individuals at least partially assimilated into human societies.
Insurmountable problems place limits on the scope of adventuring activities for others. Ogres are unwelcome at most learning institutions because they have been known to personally devastate large wooden structures. Their reputation for murderous rampages is well-deserved. Orcs have a similar mindset, but their comparatively manageable tempers and normal stature shift the balance. Given a a civilized introduction or prior acts of local heroism, most orcs can address a crowd in a human city without prompting panic the way an ogre or a troll almost certainly would.
Merfolk and sahuagin exist in sufficiently large numbers, but the Imperium Maris denies them access to many forms of training, and neither race has much history of assimilation into the surface world. Each is a potential adventuring race lacking a critical mass of opportunities and experiences that would give rise to heroic traditions. The world contains many other potential adventuring races. Immigrants from another plane of existence might also pursue this high-risk high-reward lifestyle. If the collective accomplishments of any race are historically significant and sufficiently diverse, a new heroic tradition could emerge. |
Even the elves were sundered, going their separate ways as determined by politics. With fewer and fewer dragons to hunt, debates prompted duels between quarreling leaders. Duels spawned feuds between mighty houses. Along with its tremendous death and destruction, the elven civil war would see the rise of additional intelligent life forms. Yet the Age of Heroes began with exactly seven races capable of contributing to the name of that era. Many others walked the land or inhabited the seas while only dwarves, elves, gnomes, halflings, half-elves, half-orcs, and humans were welcome in most civilized parts of the surface world. Save for humans, even these races experienced limited access to some important institutions.
Restrictions loosened over time, and great heroes began to emerge from races not previously known to produce adventurers. Organizations and communities grew stronger by integrating individuals they did not previously accept. The world gradually became a more inclusive place. Large diverse cities thrived in ways that smaller or more uniform communities could not. At the same time many non-adventuring races were lost as they fell prey to disaster or simply failed to sustain themselves for lack of a secure places to live. Consolidation of the gods coincided with the extinction of some life forms and the proliferation of their rivals.
In 2,318 G.C. there are twenty-five living races fit for the full range of adventuring opportunities. Each has its own gifts and shortcomings. Yet each has given rise to deadly warriors, sagacious experts, cunning renegades, and powerful spellcasters. The mere existence of superheroes and supervillains among each adventuring race gives them a special status in the world. Extremely formidable forces will thwart any effort to exterminate an entire adventuring race. Bigotry remains an effective tool by which the unscrupulous exploit the hatreds of the unwise, but modern calls for genocide go beyond foolishness into the realm of insanity.
Even so, racial acceptance is not universal. In rural quarters and isolated towns, many humans grow to adulthood without having encountered a single individual from most of the modern adventuring races. This will not be the case for a child raised among the population of a great city. Any metropolitan area is probably home to at least one enclave of each adventuring race that is not more broadly assimilated into the local population. Exotic peoples sometimes coalesce into tiny subcultures focused on one particular institution or industry where their kind is known to excel. Racial minorities may forge alliances with local aristocrats. In exchange for displays of loyalty they may be awarded sponsorships to participate in guilds, holy orders, and military units. This support is crucial for eroding racial segregation where it exists. For organizations as large as an Imperial armed force or a global shipping line, cultural and political loyalties matter much more than racial identity.
Freewill Some gods can produce vast legions of heavenly minions eager to do anything for their creator. Even when perfect in form, their worship lacks any of the qualities deities find satisfying or empowering. Some consider it a sickness to encourage this practice so similar to self-adoration. Only the pairing of independent need with passionate devotion makes the substance of prayer pleasing to deities. The Immaculate System employs celestial beings to regulate these spiritual flows rather than originate them.
To better generate input for this system, freedom of thought remains the norm for intelligent mortals in the modern world. Many notable people are outspoken advocates for their core beliefs. Serious transgressions against a moral code can deprive a cleric or paladin of spellcasting capability, but each remains free to make those choices at every juncture. Even non-spellcasters can weave threads of profound spirituality into their lives by drawing inspiration and guidance from a religion or philosophy. When mortals perform actions of great consequence aligned with a set of divine teachings, relevant deities experience an iota of bliss. This is much amplified when explicit reverence or prayer is connected with those deeds.
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All of the adventuring races possess freewill. Pursuits like delving for treasure or rescuing captives may demand bold moral choices. Legends are known for non-violent acts of heroism or villainy as well as triumphs in battle. Aristocrats often prefer associates who share their own goals and outlook on life. Some leaders have the shrewdness to exclude anyone else from their inner circle. Deities and their senior minions never mistake insincere prayers for real devotion. Earnest beliefs are an essential part of the magic they bestow upon clerics and paladins. Be it adaptations to life in new social circumstances or difficult choices made in out the field, actions of real consequence can bring change to the alignment of an individual.
Racial alignments are not fixed values, but instead starting points derived from cultural and physiological predispositions. Some children are not raised according to the norms of their people. Some adults reject their own upbringing. Also, many accomplished adventurers survived profoundly transformative experiences. Despite all this change, racial stereotyping remains widespread in some communities. Others favor more progressive attitudes, regarding prejudgement based on race as a sign of poor character. In all lands, the wisest individuals understand that people of action are themselves defined by those actions while the underlying factors driving these tendencies are also real. Even the call of adventure expresses itself differently among different peoples.
Roughly half of humankind to reach old age never enters any proper class of spellcaster or warrior. Most who do only develop low level skills through service to a faction or institution. Dwarves, gnomes, and halflings each have their own traditions that parallel the human idealization of economic bounty enjoyed within a tranquil community. Elven cultures feature an extended adolescence fraught with restrictions and tedium. These prompt an intense wanderlust in young adults, leaving most surviving elders with powerful abilities. Cambions, half-elves, half-orcs, tieflings, and typhonians mostly live as small populations within human societies. Few avoid entanglement in some sort of adventures during their lives. Other races tend to be more isolated. Any extensive social contact with humans is unusual. These circumstances often involve traditional training and/or treacherous travels leading into a career of adventure.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Peoples ↑ → Bugbears ← ↓ Cambions ↓
Monstrous Appearance Bugbears, dragonborn, goblins, half-orcs, hobgoblins, kobolds, lizardfolk, minotaurs, orcs, and tieflings cannot help presenting a visage fearsome to the sight of ordinary humans. Depending on the context of an encounter, strangers might regard members of these races as dangerous monsters. Many human parents are uncomfortable letting their children interact with any of these people.
Popular beliefs hold that most of these beings are innately cruel and violent. Individuals must struggle to overcome negative preconceptions. Guards pay particular attention to people who stand out. Some merchants refuse to do business with sufficiently odd-looking customers. Fair treatment and basic courtesy are not the usual expectation of these persecuted minorities. Members of other races sometimes modify their own bodies in ways that provoke similar reactions. |
Bugbears This race has such a history of making trouble in civilized lands that “bugbear” has become a term for “tenacious problem.” Though some form spontaneously in the Scarlands, most bugbears were born into tribes lurking near or within populated realms. Small isolated communities of bugbears tend to organize secret lairs and subsist quietly until their numbers reach a tipping point. These groups will avoid outside social contact. They even relocate in response to any systematic search of the area around their lairs.
Yet when they become sufficiently large, these shy tribes abruptly transform into aggressive warbands. Both custom and instinct motivate belligerent bugbears to seek glory through battle. The most well-organized may become mercenary companies or seek integration into a regular army. More typically, a bugbear warband will plunder and slaughter opportunistically until enough losses are sustained that the group reverts to a reclusive tribe.
Children of the Scarlands are primal monsters with mental faculties comparable to wild beasts. Their offspring are not blighted by that territory's curse. Free to choose their own path, some try to make lives for themselves among peaceful folks. Opportunities can be hard to find, since bugbears are widely regarded as dangerous. Both mighty and sneaky by nature, many bugbears who break away from their own kind wind up joining bandits or other outlaw gangs. Efforts to assimilate bugbears into a peaceful and prosperous community have produced more failures than successes, with most of the latter involving military service.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Bugbears ↑ → Cambions ← ↓ Dragonborn ↓
Unholy Persons Cambions and tieflings are fiendish by nature. Their bodies carry the blood of demons or devils. They can be restrained by magic that has no effect on humans. Especially pious individuals sometimes have emphatically negative reactions to members of these races. Yet hostility is not always assured. Outcasts may be drawn to the unholy. Within the mainstream, people of especially charitable demeanor sometimes make it their mission to provide comfort and support for beings they see as blamelessly accursed.
Unholy birth does not dictate that individuals will adopt evil ways. Visibly fiendish people often struggle to find a place for themselves, but glorious deeds can pave the way to glorious status. Despite being extremely rare among the general population, cambions and tieflings are well-represented in heroic adventuring companies. This does not prevent the majority of each race from embracing villainy. Their menacing reputations are perpetuated whenever one of their kind develops noteworthy emnity with a well-respected regime or religion. |
Cambions Succubi and incubi are dedicated to the pursuit of voluntary carnal relations with mortals. Other lustful demons also exploit mortals to sate their desires. Warlocks and witches sometimes seal infernal pacts through intimate congress with visiting entities. When these unions result in a pregnancy; the child may be an ordinary person, the same type of fiend as its parent, or a viable hybrid known as a cambion. Cambions may also be born of a union between one of their own and an ordinary person or the pairing of two cambions. Despite the absence of large cambion communities, this race continues to grow at a rate viewed by scholars as a sign that demonic activity is on the rise in the modern era.
Many cambions are raised in isolation, parents and child shunned by society. Some come to know their own kind from an early age, raised by clergy at specialized institutions meant to redeem persons of unholy ancestry. At the other extreme, there are cambions conceived for an explicitly demonic purpose then raised according to the traditions of a malevolent cult. It is not unusual for an adult cambion to simultaneously maintain relationships with a prominent holy order and an unholy secret society. The former can support integration into civilization while the latter can provide insights into the fiend's heritage. All but the most reclusive individuals are likely to encounter recruitment efforts from both churches and covens.
Unnaturally beguiling, some mature cambions become zealous crusaders for a religion that offers redemption to their kind. Others employ their charm to twist human institution by rising through the ranks with a mix of bluffing, blackmail, and betrayal. Either archetype tends to be a natural leader. The words of a cambion often drip with temptation. In battle their actions are calculated to terrify. Despite their fiendish appearance and ancestry, socially gifted cambions occupy senior positions in many highly respected organizations.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Cambions ↑ → Dragonborn ← ↓ Dwarves ↓
Clans Most dragonborn roam as members of a small independent tribe. Based on the geneology of each tribal leader, these groups also identify with a larger clan. White Talon, Voracious Roaster, Shadow Lash, Brass Fang, and Roaring Curse are a few among these many dragonborn clans. They rarely assemble since this mighty race is especially prone to personality conflicts. Yet tribes of the same clan will reinforce one another, conduct trade, and coordinate migrations. All this is done with an eye toward peaceful coexistence at a respectful distance.
By contrast, the membership of a dwarven clan may exceed 100,000 individuals living within a single subterranean stronghold. During the Age of Heroes, the mightiest dwarven clans were larger still, and their leaders were important vassals to the Overking of Wotania. Modern human rulers normally allow these subterranean settlements autonomy. Peaceful exchange of agricultural products for ingots and ore is a big part of the customary relationship between dwarves and realms of the surface.
Orc clans prize power above all else. Brutality is the preferred form, though orcs respect guile, finesse, and even education to the extent these things are empowering. The most esteemed clans were founded by survivors of epic wars. Legends of old glory sustain hardcore loyalists even when a clan is under siege. Among orcs, bloodlines matter at the level of senior leadership, while affiliation is otherwise a matter of convenience. Most clans accept unfamiliar members after pledging a blood oath. Status is driven by the degree individuals contribute to the effectiveness of the group.
Clans were an important part of many ancient human societies, and there are cultures where they remain relevant today. Most Carmatians affiliate with one among the hundreds of huge extended families whose elders claim official titles and substantial lands. Vanquished peoples do not assimilate well there. Greivances build, old family ties are strengthened, and feuds may rage on for generations. Similar dynamics influence politics farther north in Lachland and Norland. Clan rivalries at the aristocratic level thwart efforts to build nations unifying those ethnic homelands. |
Dragonborn Some dragonborn claim their kind is the oldest of all the humanoid races, but credible histories reveal these beings were relative latecomers. Elder wyrms created creatures that were soft to the touch – tasty treats that could be devoured even with decrepit fangs. While battling back from the Wyrmplague, Imperium Arcanum leaders deployed dragonborn as a sort of “fight fire with fire” approach to raising armies against true dragons. In modern times, members of this race tend to revere at least some varieties of dragons while feeling uneasy around elves and fey creatures. Not only is the feeling mutual, but ordinary humans and most other civilized races rarely relax around anyone with the monstrous appreance of dragonborn.
This discomfort limits the options for permanent settlement. Benevolent dragonborn often hail from nomadic clans, always ready to relocate when faced with dwindling food supplies or increasing hostility from outsiders. This race is particularly adventurous, and their heroes often pursue noble titles. Assorted fiefs held by dragonborn empower them to create local havens for their own kind. Even so, there are no major dragonborn realms of this sort. These creatures are so rare that even the most tolerant lands merely assimilate a small draconic minority.
Almost everyone schooled in the moral contrast between chromatic and metallic dragons also understands that the character of an individual dragonborn is not a function of scale color. That trait may indicate a bloodline and elemental affinity, but it reveals nothing of personality. Unscaled races generally do not find any dragonborn comely – majestic perhaps, if viewed in a favorable light. A few clans have even cultivated a special distinction in the eyes of human authorities, but distrust among the common folk means that even an emperor's favor is not enough to protect and sustain a proper city of this race.
Dragonborn function well in roles that benefit from effective intimidation such as bodyguards, shock troops, and syndicate thugs. Some of the richest individuals among this race made their fortunes as gladiators. Kings and generals mighty enough to ally with a true dragon may employ dragonborn as grooms and attendants. Wild dragons sometimes shelter respectful dragonborn servants. Never willing to hunger for long, the less fortunate clans maintain large herds, pursue migrant beasts, or raid farming communities. The rumors that dragonborn bandits eat their victims are not entirely untrue.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Dragonborn ↑ → Dwarves ← ↓ Elves ↓
Dwarves Dragonkind created dwarves in service to an innate desire for shiny metals and sparkling gems. These rugged little workers found they were spared the worst abuses so long as mines and smelters were productive. The Imperium Arcanum saw dwarves refocused from gold to tin, copper, and iron. Yet dwarves retained little of this bounty for themselves. Like their ancient ancestors, most modern dwarves feel a powerful drive to be industrious. This race came to glory during the Age of Heroes. No longer beholden to any dominant power on the surface, subterranean dwarven communities developed their own feudal hierarchies.
The ancient superpower Wotania made earls of influential dwarven leaders. Great wars were sustained by dwarven treasuries, military reinforcements, and access to subterranean fortifications. Yet modern dwarves are easily overlooked for reasons that go beyond their stature. Almost all of them live underground, often constituting a buffer between the surface and deeper Labyrinth. Some dwarven clans are humble communities, little more than villages set among well-appointed caverns. Others are powerful kindgoms prepared to rally thousands of stalwart soldiers against any external threat. These modern dwarven nations are loathe to become entangled in the conflicts of the world above.
“No less dignity is required to dig a nugget of gold from the earth than to wear the crown it will become. To take the measure of a person, look beyond trappings to size up the potential inside.”
— a teaching of the Fatesmiths |
Even the largest dwarven communities have no trouble parting with enough gold to import abundant food and drink from the surface. Their trading posts are lucrative destinations for merchants able to deliver the goods. Dwarves and humans generally get along well enough in most circumstances. The most affable clans are also the smallest in height, comfortable living and working above ground. Some of these hill dwarves regard diplomacy and trade as pleasant distractions from the important business of mining and metalworking, while others pride themselves gaining advantage through stubborn negotiations. Blessed with slightly taller and much more powerful builds, mountain dwarves gather into huge subterranean clans. Some mountain dwarves feel disoriented by life above ground, leaving them impatient and gruff with surface dwellers.
Dwarves are builders as well as miners. They tend to be diligent laborers and reliable engineers whenever given the opportunity. Deliberate overbuilding produces structures able to withstand significant tremors and substantial undermining. Dwarven steel is not so much one specific alloy as it is a standard of rugged construction paired with quality smithing. Their approach to gemcutting predates the first dwarven alphabet, and they excel at producing durable forms of jewelry. Dwarves living in human cities tend to be well-regarded professionals of one sort or another. Yet the majority of their kind prefer the company of other dwarves along with the stability of life underground.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Dwarves ↑ → Elves ← ↓ Firbolgs ↓
Hidden Communities High elven society is centered around tiny remnants of the Imperium Arcanum. Their enchanted fortresses and hidden cities are shrouded within abjurations and illusions that prevent chance encounters. Teamsters from these communities load and unload teleportation circles rather than drive caravans. Gates in their city walls may have last been opened decades or centuries earlier. Some high elven communities pay tribute to a human regime, but all are essentially self-governing. Within these isolated enclaves, ancient lore is preserved and arcane studies are advanced. Visitors are rarely welcome. Departures are more common, with generation after generation of adventurous young emigrants eagerly abandoning the pale tranquility of their birthplace.
Wood elves take a more festive approach to life. Their tribes roam as nomads or inhabit structures woven into a forest canopy. They remain dispersed enough that their populations can be satisfied through sustainable hunting, gathering, and gardening. They may pledge loyalty to some greater nation, but few sylvan tribes care enough about money to shoulder any significant tax burden. Many participate in federations asserting control over sprawling forests. Others are isolated groups simply seeking to live in harmony with nature. All tend to have minimal impact on the surrounding land, to the point where it is possible to walk right under a wood elven settlement without noticing its presence.
Most dark elves can be found deep underground. Sunlight makes them uncomfortable. Being far removed from the surface world provides a sense of security. Their homeland is the single greatest nation in Labyrinth, and drow metropolises are by far the grandest subterranean cities. These vast urban sprawls are not technically hidden, but few people of the surface know much about the peoples of the underworld. In their own way, each sort of elf occupies territory that remains unseen by most of humanity.
Rarely exceeding three hundred individuals, firbolg communities are also designed to go unnoticed. They know how to make well-used paths appear no different from untrodden wilderness. Firbolg gardens blend seamlessly with natural flora. Be it a humble cavern or a sturdy wooden house, entrances to firbolg dwellings typically lurk under the shade of large trees or benefit from some other sort of natural camouflage. Outsiders are almost never welcome to intrude on an actual firbolg hamlet. Strict secrecy pledges may be exacted from those who manage to penetrate these hidden havens. |
Elves
Many elves insist that their ancestors were privy to the magic of dragonkind because elves alone had the intellect for arcane endeavors. Dragons maintain that elves were selected for being the tastiest and the most pleasant-smelling of all the humanoids created for servitude. Either way, their millennia of living as educated chattel was abruptly reversed by the establishment of the Imperium Arcanum roughly 50,000 years ago.
War with the dragons demanded practical choices, so the global empire of Archfey relentlessly exploited other races. Only after tremendous progress did many elves lose interest. Those weary of warring against dragons settled into sylvan obscurity on the surface of a much safer world. Meanwhile the colossal strongholds of Imperium Arcanum civilization became increasingly divided by politics. Elves committed to completing the genocide of dragons went underground in search of the most remote caverns. Elves enamored with the prospect of draconic redemption built palaces in the sky and created metallic dragons.
Those palaces have long since fallen, but benevolent dragons continue to soar. Another legacy of this era is the division between high elves, wood elves, and drow elves. By far the most numerous, if often underestimated, are the wood elves. Their tribal nations achieve such harmony with nature that outsiders may be completely unaware while travelling through elven territory. Their language, Greenfey, is volatile and passionate in contrast to the clinical and tranquil tones of High Elven. Wood elves are not generally comfortable with much population density, but they otherwise find it easy to assimilate into human communities. Today they are particularly abundant across Sylvania yet virtually unknown in the Orient.
As individuals, high elves are not so adept at blending in. Today their culture is sustained by scattered cities harboring wellsprings of ancient magic. Individual high elves may be welcome elsewhere initially, but many have an air of imperiousness that wears thin on comparatively short-lived beings. The association with light fey from ancient times can only go so far in maintaining goodwill among modern humans.
Drow elves find it even more difficult to achieve acceptance in human societies. The prospect of brutal persecution compounds their aversion to daylight, driving most to turn back from any attempt at assimilation with the surface world. Yet their mighty bastions in Labyrinth are so populous that some drow elves inevitably make their way into the shadows of human communities. The smoothly sibilant Drow language is not widely spoken above ground, but it is the native tongue of millions down below.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Elves ↑ → Firbolgs ← ↓ Gnomes ↓
Firbolgs When the Imperium Arcanum saw a rift forming between light and dark factions, divisiveness was especially intense surrounding questions of how to treat loyal non-elven peoples. Drow elves saw themselves as a superior race with others only fit to serve them. They stopped relying on illusions and enchantments to motivate their laborers, instead embracing overt slavery. High elves took steps toward liberating their subjects. Increasing levels of education and creative freedom facilitated greater contributions to the embattled society of high elves. Along with gnomes, firbolgs gained access to arcane teachings elves had previously been unwilling ot share.
The rise of the firbolg race may be surpassed only by the creation of metallic dragons in terms of the high elves' impact on the modern world. Magical giants keenly attuned to nature, firbolgs feature the heft to wrangle unruly fey creations. They also possess a great aptitude for maintaining secrecy at sites where experimental organisms were being monitored or bred. Firbolg caretakers working at remote locations enjoyed unusual autonomy. Instinctively inclined to manage ecological balances, firbolgs steadily great and spread from a few dozen small communities on Danu to a global populations of menagerie experts.
Longtime allies to druids, the firbolg race eventually produced many accomplished practitioners of the Old Faith. Many firbolgs held important positions in the administration of the Holy Sylvan Empire. Modern regimes see some firbolg families rising to prominence as wildland wardens. Yet few humans today can claim to have known a firbolg. In the wilderness they tend to avoid contact with other civilized peoples. Those who brave urban settings typically maintain disguises from sunrise to sunset, allowing only a few trusted associates to see their true faces.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Firbolgs ↑ → Gnomes ← ↓ Goblins ↓
| Hidden Dwellings Masters of concealment, most gnomes prefer homes that are not plainly visible to outsiders. Forest gnomes generally live inside hollow trees or simple burrows, and their gardens are designed to blend in with nature. Rock gnomes often inhabit voids in urban structures, including the attics or cellars of human homes. Whether they follow the old ways or embrace new ideas, gnomes share a desire for comfort. Their lairs often feature featherbeds and upholstered chairs. Most contain a well-stocked pantry and a stove in good condition. For beings small enough to be untroubled by cramped quarters, gnomish residences in unexpected places may provide a haven for covert relaxation. |
Gnomes Just after the Imperium Arcanum was established, elven archmagi created gnomes to serve as lookouts and scouts. They could comfortably inhabit hidden places small enough to escape notice. Gnomes played an important role in thwarting efforts to organize dragonkind. That role involved enormous sacrifices from these diminutive beings. Loyal service earned these fey access to arcane lore. Elves reserved many secrets for themselves, but experiened gnomish operatives learned magical methods of concealment and misdirection. No gnome could challenge an archmage, but they could hide their own little conspiracies and establish unauthorized refuges in unlikely locations.
The fall of the Imperium Arcanum saw liberated gnomes doing what came most naturally to them – they hid. Many elven tribes made their homes in canopies of robust forests while villages of gnomes carried on just as unobtrusively at ground level. Always guileful, these little people rarely attract trouble and usually have contingency plans to address any plausible threat. Many took to wizardry in the Age of Heroes, and some gnome illustionists achieved immense power. A few even founded royal families, though their kingdoms were fittingly small. Gnomes are typically uncomfortable as the center of attention in company of mixed race. On entry they instinctively evaluate every new location for escape routes and hiding places.
“It is better to live in a pit than die in a palace.”
— gnomish proverb |
A proper gnomish offshoot arose gradually over the past two millennia. Those true to the old ways are known as forest gnomes, retaining the minor magical abilities of their fey birthright. They may practice a trade or run a shop, but forest gnomes typically reside in a hidden place well outside any town or city. Gnomes focused on a new direction never develop their ancestral powers, instead cultivating a modern form of technological mastery. These rock gnomes often inhabit tiny shelters built into much larger masonry structures. They prefer metropolitan life, but if they must live outside city walls their homes tend to be very small caves, some carved into freestanding boulders.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Gnomes ↑ → Goblins ← ↓ Goliaths ↓
Primal Goblinoids Atavistic goblins, hobgoblins, and bugbears rise spontaneously from the accursed earth of the Scarlands. Small groups are sustained by grubs, worms, and fungi teeming in the filthy ground. Thoughtlessly feeding and breeding, they spawn offspring endowed with minds of their own. When nearby populations merge and food becomes scarce, thousands of individuals will leave the Scarlands together as a rampaging horde.
Large military organizations vanquish these monstrous forces. Scattered remnants menace rural communities and overland commerce. Many adventurers launch their careers against goblinoid bands too small to merit the attention of an army. Individual goblins, hobgoblins, and bugbears in proximity to a rampaging horde may feel some desire to join in the destruction. Though the instincts that drive horde behavior are strong, only first generation goblinoids directly arisen from the Scarlands cannot choose their own path. |
Goblins Bedtime stories depicting goblins as sneaky opportunists who devour careless children are a staple of human cultures. In addition to preying upon the sick and injured, goblin raiders have been known to abduct the young. Negative attitudes are reinforced among adults whenever leaders rally support by condemning the pervasive unseen menace of goblinkind. Even where the stereotype proves untrue, people tend to assume individual goblins are dangerous criminals.
Yet goblins born to mortal parents possess freewill. Some go on to become great artists or clergy or even heroes. Many goblin bandits never experienced a genuine opportunity to work in a peaceful trade. Racial prejudice may be a bigger factor than innate tendencies in their predatory behaviors. Troubadours and history books mention many “goblin kingdoms.” Pre-existing cities overrun by goblinoid forces, these peculiar realms usually crumbled within decades of being established. Neither farming nor building are known to be among goblins' great aptitudes. Of course, relentless hostility from neighbors is not the best environment for raising up a new nation.
Whether the underlying cause is the nature of goblins or their unfortunate place in the world, most are anything but heroic. Remnants of great hordes may take refuge in proximity to fierce monsters – hiding out where soldiers are reluctant to patrol. Isolated goblin bands may ally with bandits, yet they are just as likely to clash with other active robbers. Some of the world's wealthiest goblins act as brokers between sellers of stolen goods and buyers in Labyrinth. Those with sufficient wit may strive for acceptance as entertainers or academics, but most goblins find ways to sustain themselves by taking advantage of others.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Goblins ↑ → Goliaths ← ↓ Halflings ↓
Tribes The term “tribe” sometimes refers to a multitude of people, such as a small ethnic group or a federation controlling considerable territory. A more common use refers to a primitive community of 100-300 individuals ruled by the dictates of a single leader. Larger tribes tend to become fractious, while smaller tribes tend to be unsustainable. Sages regard these tribal groups as the first stage of social development in a process that eventually leads to modern civilization.
Tribal leaders must command the personal loyalty of their entire community. Unique traditions may run strong, and the most effective chiefs keep wise counsel. Yet absolute rule by decree is essential to preserve these small groups in times of crisis. Most tribes support themselves by harvesting wild resources. Where other societies encroach, some tribes have converted their lands into trading posts, collective farms, or centers of faith. This can lead to assimilation. Conversely, any small homogenous population may see tribal norms taking hold after a few generations of living in isolation from other cultural influences. |
Goliaths Few in number, goliaths remain a mysterious subject. Historical references are rare and inconclusive. Most of this race reside among the slopes and glaciers of tall mountains where academic researchers are seldom comfortable. Frigid isolation does much to protect the traditions and independence of these alpine people. Though they seem to find dwarves endlessly amusing, goliath tribes are generally unfriendly to outsiders. Each community is ruled with absolute power by a single individual, defied only when a rival calls for mortal combat. Less lethal duels are a popular pastime on days when hunting and gathering does not demand all available daylight.
Subsisting on minimal resources makes life hard for many tribes. Young adults who do not see themselves as contenders for chieftaincy may descend alone to find their fortunes among humankind. The elderly sometimes do likewise as an alternative to starvation. Even in the thick of a great city, Goliaths remain uneasy around others physically formidable enough to be considered rivals. Their mercenary units and social clubs tend to be short-lived organizations. Yet as individuals they are often welcome into groups that seek more muscle and the overt appearance of it. Potential foes always seem to think twice when an adult goliath stands with the opposition.
Though individuals may be well-educated or downright charming, goliaths have a reputation as mannerless primitives suited only to physical labor. Those with other gifts often struggle to overcome prejudices while pursuing training and professional advancement. On the other hand, they are natural fan favorites at jousts and gladiatorial events. Most military organizations are happy to employ goliath veterans as training officers or elite guards. Where legal systems support trial by combat, goliath champions can demand elevated fees. Each in their own way, civilized goliaths remain determined to attain great heights.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Goliaths ↑ → Halflings ← ↓ Half-Elves ↓
Secret Societies Demanding discretion from members is just one small part of what a secret society must do to remain secret. Many priests and diviners can obtain magically correct answers to questions of fact. Controversial or criminal activities should never be attributable to such a group. Contingency plans to misdirect blame or even to feign elimination must be held ready to prevent powerful officials from fully compromising the organization. Some operations place double agents inside governments, thwarting investigations with timely warnings and internal miscommunications.
Yet these challenges are matched by opportunities. Some secret societies facilitate profitable criminal activities (while keeping their own profile low.) Others are social networks through which members help one another advance their careers or practice a craft. Hidden cults praise unholy beings, helping warlocks and witches to find their power. Most secret societies offer great enticements to join. Some maintain their secrecy by eliminating prospects who refuse the offer. Famed for their discretion, halflings are a natural fit for leadership roles in secret societies. |
Halflings After such success at shaping humans, dwarves, and elves for specialized purposes, some dragons endeavored to create less distracting personal attendants. Small soft-spoken grooms were a passing draconian fad. Only the most fortunate individuals survived a subsequent purge when halflings literally went out of style. Some of the survivors subsisted modestly at the fringes of labor pools. Others scattered into the wilderness, making their way by carrying goods and messages between territories. Halflings were of little use to their creators, but they were instrumental in improving the quality of life for humans, dwarves, and elves in draconic servitude. Some halflings were so bold as to burgle dragons' lairs then trade away the loot in distant territories.
Halflings lived as misfits during the Imperium Arcanum. Somehow they moved in and out of secure bastions without difficulty, facilitating barter among humans who felt oppressed by the magocracy. Resourceful survivors, halflings collectively won tolerance for their illicit activities by bargaining with informants in dragon territories. Many achieved a sort of material prosperity, but few knew what it was like to have a permanent residence in a secure place. The Age of Heroes saw tranquil halfling hamlets springing up in all sorts of unlikely locales. These little towns ringed by big farms always seemed to find a way to avoid political turmoil.
Other halflings integrated smoothly into growing cities, blending in as is their way. Trading in favors and information as well as wares, some would rise to become leaders of major institutions. Their tradition of always offering even trade for jewels and gems (while charging for appraisals, cleanings, resizings, etc.) set a standard of fairness now echoed in the scriptures of Ptah. Some of the most important desks in the worlds of finance and shipping sit before an elevated chair designed to accommodate a halfling executive. Yet others among this race crave travel and danger. These little people have made a big splash as spies, assassins, and explorers. It is easy to overlook a halfling, and they instinctively know just how to make the most of that.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Halflings ↑ → Half-Elves ← ↓ Half-Orcs ↓
Half-breeds Love is not limited by race. Sometimes fertility is likewise transcendent. Mixed race couples often produce offspring who are essentially the same race as one parent, inheriting only subtle cosmetic traits from the other. This is much less likely when the pairing involves a human and an elf or an orc. Half-elves and half-orcs are each viable hybrids distinct from either parent race. Neither demons nor devils are a single race, yet cambions and tieflings also fit this description. Any of these four established half-breeds could theoretically populate a great nation of their own kind.
Attitudes vary wildly on the subject of racial integration. Joryanlanders tend to see “pure” heritage as a virtue. Many are unkind even to humans of blended ethnicity. Most Sylvanians embrace the concept of racial equality. Bigots are often shunned there. Opinions vary from individual to individual just as they vary from one homeland to another. Some cities will segregate non-human residents into the least desireable neighborhoods, walled off from “regular” folk. More typically, self-segregation occurs as non-humans choose to be near shops and public houses catering to their tastes. Only the most egalitarian cities see a smooth blend with many non-human minorities spread evenly across all socioeconomic ranks and urban districts.
Half-breeds often encounter stereotypes about their abilities and personalities. This can be a blessing as well as a curse. Some half-elves find preferential treatment among academic faculties or performing arts ensembles. Half-orcs can advance quickly in military organizations and sporting leagues. Some criminal organizations and cults will naturally hold cambions in high esteem. Among elves, half-elves may be expected to volunteer for arduous and risky duties. Orcs may expect half-orcs support an army rather than join the front line. Many people will judge others by their merits. Yet navigating opinions about race is a common complication made doubly challenging for visibly distinct hybrids. |
Half-Elves In human folklore tales of non-human seduction tend to end unhappily unless the other partner is a god or a fey being. Some humans idealize elven grace and beauty, while some elves are drawn to the passionate zeal of humans. Half-elven offspring may wind up occupying any niche in the society of either parent. The least fortunate find themselves outcast as impure or locked into a never-ending struggle for acceptance. Others move easily between communities, exercising their charm as diplomats or entertainers. Some rise to prominence while being socially regarded as a long-lived human or a short-lived elf.
Across most of Old Silvania, elves and humans have been blending for so long that countless human families carry traces of fey blood. Being half-elven in a place like Tintagel or Vergovia merely means being in the middle of the spectrum of ordinary people. Yet in the Orient, elves are rare enough that even a half-elf stands out as an exotic being. There is no truly coherent half-elven culture. Yet many half-elves have made enormous contributions to the arts and sciences of their respective homelands. Perhaps inclusiveness is their hallmark, since exclusively half-elven communities and organizations tend to abandon that exclusivity soon after becoming successful enough to draw wider interest.
It is unclear if there were any half-elves during the Imperium Arcanum, but plenty of half-elven adventurers left their mark on the Age of Heroes. Despite less freedom to pursue opportunities outside racial norms, half-elves were already thriving as clerics, druids, fighters, rangers, rogues, and bards. Today only humankind displays more versatility than these fey kin. Half-elves continue to distinguish themselves in many walks of life, including monster hunting and dungeon delving. Perhaps so few see the need for their own homeland because they integrate into human communities almost as smoothly as halflings.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Half-Elves ↑ → Half-Orcs ← ↓ Hobgoblins ↓
Half-Orcs In the Age of Heroes many half-orcs were conceived while brutal orcish armies occupied human settlements. Believed fit only for rough or sneaky work, half-orcs of the era were often unwelcome in polite company. Those attitudes are no longer widespread, and well-educated people do not share this prejudice. Some orcish conquerers attract human mates by being effective providers rather than using threats and force. Also, modern times see humans and orcs mingling freely in urbane communities. A half-orc today is much more likely to be the product of a healthy stable family than an act of violence.
Yet the race retains a reputation for emotional instability and uncontrolled aggression. From a human perspective, half-orcs resemble dangerous monsters. Even among tolerant populations, levels of unease and distrust are to be expected. Wherever humans are not particularly open-minded, half-orcs are likely to be shunned and persecuted, especially without a “normal” person around to vouch for the group. Orcs can be willing to let an outsider earn a place in their ranks through contests of might, but their first inclination involves assigning half-orcs to tasks like foraging, navigation, and equipment management.
“I AM the law!!!”
— Prince Bulgrûn Steeljaw after disbanding his own Judiciary Council |
Peaceful half-orcs are increasingly welcome among trade guilds, with many thriving as builders or teamsters. They excel in sporting leagues, and some take to the arena as gladiators. Prominent half-orc actors have made careers out of portraying monstrous characters. No other bards are better suited to blending the rumbling gutteral power of traditional orcish music with modern forms of composition and arrangement. Even when half-orcs are trying to be soft-spoken, they may come across as harsh to human ears. Yet pairing their authoritative voices with actual authority oftens requires overcoming prejudices. Their intellects tend to be underestimated by humans, while orcs rarely recognize the full strength of a half-orc.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Half-Orcs ↑ → Hobgoblins ← ↓ Humans ↓
| Goblinoid Hordes Carmatia, Galloria, Iskresh, Joryanland, Thrace, and Transmania all have frontiers along the Scarlands. These homelands face regular incursions from huge hordes of goblins with hobgoblin leadership and bugbear irregulars. Though there is no formal education in the Scarlands, outbound hordes exhibit predictable patterns. Insufficient nutrition in their native land triggers migration, so the first priority is always food. A nourished horde then sets about accumulating equipment. Forces and fortifications might look crudely improvised, but hobgoblin planning and training makes the most of available resources. If a horde survives into stage three, then it has not only the intent to conquer human territory, but the means to do so as well. Civilized powers respond with huge armies as a necessary measure to avoid being displaced by an emergent goblinoid nation. |
Hobgoblins Creatures arisen from the Scarlands tend to be no more intelligent than common wolves. Yet their offspring are capable of speaking and strategizing. Hobgoblins excel at both. They are naturally inclined to organize themselves and any potential allies. Those born into a desolate land of disorderd filth will feel a strong desire to improve conditions and promote large broods. Those born into a crowded horde will be driven to mobilize and equip the group. During a rampage, they network into an effective command structure. Hobgoblins are forever calculating in search of ways to enhance their social standing.
Throughout the Age of Heroes, most humans capable of killing hobgoblins would do so on sight. Despite their intellect, the most noble hobgoblins were merely warlords known for heinous abuses of human captives. Waves of effort to civilize common sorts of monsters saw hobgoblins thriving at several universities early in the Great Consolidation. These initiatives saw mixed results with some students going on to harness arcane knowledge for malevolent purposes. Even so, the consensus against teaching magic to goblinoids ended more than twenty centuries aqo.
Whether they turn their abilities to some good purpose or remain true to traditions of organized violence, hobgoblins always seem to be most comfortable in a clear social hierarchy. Relationships feel best for them when one person is leading and the other following. Though hobgoblins thrive in rigidly stratified military or trade organizations, they are relentless in strategizing for any potential promotion. Hobgoblin warlords regularly rise up to create trouble all over Mainland. Neighboring regimes normally manage to end these upstart realms before they become large enough to be considered rivals.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Hobgoblins ↑ → Humans ← ↓ Kopbolds ↓
The Way of the World It is difficult to overstate how much things have changed through the course of history. Thousands of years ago the world was so divided that no single government could claim the loyalty of one million subjects. Yet solid evidence suggests the Imperium Arcanum once ruled dozens of enchanted bastions each housing over twenty million inhabitants. Today there are many great cities that approach one million residents. More than a hundred surpass that figure, but no single modern community compares with with the colossal dragonproof shelters of the Archfey.
From the way spellcasting functions to the nature of death itself, fundamental aspects of reality have not been consistent across history. Legends from the Age of Heroes tell tales of fighters, bards, druids, monks, and so forth. Yet these archetypes differ in crucial ways from their modern counterparts. As the world around them changed, many ancient enchantments failed, and others began to function in unintended ways. Thoughtful experts concede uncertainty about the future of everything from the technology of warfare to The Immaculate System itself. |
Humans
Humanity is by far the most populous and influential race in modern times. Created to serve as ranchers and farmers, early humans fed dragons in more ways than one. During the Imperium Arcanum, enormous numbers of human beings were sustained by fey magic to be exploited as laborers and soldiers. The Age of Heroes saw humans liberated to form their own nations, but practical concerns prevented cities from maintaining populations much over 100,000. Early in the Great Consolidation, non-magical solutions in areas like crime, housing, sanitation, traffic, and water spread from regional innovations to global standards. Reaching both upward and outward, each modern metropolis makes homes for an enormous number of people.
Humans easily constitute over ninety percent of the sentient beings living on the surface of the world today. In a dance some speculate was choreographed by Shang-Ti's own scheming, twenty-five ethnic groups have become prominent. Each is part of a broader cultural pentad associated with an extant or defunct superpower as well as a specific Regal Deity. There may be thousands of human ethnicities, but almost all are obscure tribes or remnants of nations long gone. Only twenty-five of them currently populate a substantial ancestral homeland with more than one million persons. The most important events of the previous twenty-three centuries have been recorded in the histories of these prominent cultures.
Humans collectively have no racial strengths or weaknesses. Though each ethnic group is associated with certain endowments, these tendencies do not apply uniformly to every individual. Likewise, some of these groups excel at particular trades or skills, but no major ethnicity fully abstains from any essential activity. An unfamiliar individual could be anywhere on the spectrum from reinforcing an ethnic stereotype to completely defying it. Perhaps one advantage of hailing from an obscure tribe or minor ethnic group is a general lack of preconceptions held by strangers. The twenty-five most well-known ethnic groups of humankind are individually detailed in the Homelands section.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Humans ↑ → Kobolds ← ↓ Lizardfolk ↓
The Wyrmplague An Imperium Arcanum project aimed at total genocide of dragonkind sparked a profound political division. Precisely half of the ruling council walked from shadow into light to cast their votes against the proposal. As debate stagnated, dragons became aware of the plan. Still able to bend the laws of magic, ancient wyrms outwitted the Archfey with a quirk of grammar. In time with a traitor's signal, a crucial relationship between prepositions and nouns was altered. Rather than infect all the dragons in the world with a disease that would kill them, the apocalyptic spell afflicted the world with more dragons than its natural environment could sustain.
A substantial portion of the power held within the ley line network was unwittingly utilized to overpopulate dragonkind. Even as they embarked on new millenia of slaughter, the Archfey had to be certain this disaster would never recur. Their solution was a contingency to redefine the term “dragon” as a small and pathetic creature. After a council of ancient wyrms spent centuries rallying enough energy to attempt their own Wyrmplague spell, millions of kobolds spontaneously sprang into existence. The shame of it prevented any further efforts to cause a global plague of dragons. |
Kobolds The genesis of the kobold race marked a reversal of fortune in the global conflict between elves and dragons. Expecting a wave of reinforcements that would overwhelm key Archfey positions, dragons were instead greeted by legions of little servants created in their own image. Kobolds do not smell like food to hungry dragons, and they are of little nutritional value. They also require little effort to feed. Often they subsist by eliminating pests and cleaning up remnants of their tyrant's kills. Some also excavate new tunnels, maintain written libraries, or manage herds of livestock. Pathologically mewling and servile, kobolds became the satisfying dragon attendants that halflings never were.
These traits can drive others to regard kobolds as more of an annoyance than a threat. Some turn relentless politeness into a charming quality. Almost all can honestly profess to be weak and small. None hesitate to grovel and whimper as a distraction. Kobolds envy dragonborn for their breath weapons. Especially cunning individuals may study magic in pursuit of a birthright they feel denied. Even great fighters or rogues of this race are likely to learn a few tricks for use in self-preservation. It is well-documented that kobolds are drawn to public exhibitions of arcane spellcasting. Some serve powerful wizards as if those masters were dragons. Legend holds that any badly botched magical experiment may spontaneously produce a swarm of kobolds.
Most members of this race are irrationally hostile toward elves and downright reverent toward dragons. When not serving such a monster, kobolds are likely to form into gangs of nocturnal bandits striking opportunistically. Even in civilization they normally stick to small close-knit groups. It takes a truly exceptional kobold to stand alone with confidence. Kobold professionals or adventurers rarely stray far from their collaborators. They have trouble relaxing without the security of nearby allies, and they typically prefer non-monstrous persons speak on their behalf. Kobolds are averse to daylight, but comrades find them especially easy to overrule. Though they rarely make great leaders, kobolds have been known to make excellent sidekicks.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Kobolds ↑ → Lizardfolk ← ↓ Minotaurs ↓
Non-human Thinking Humans, elves, dwarves, and halflings were created to serve dragons. They are alike in many ways. Not all of these people feel driven to raise families and perform productive labors; but this is the general stride of their many stable growing communities. Just as elves are known for lore, dwarves for metal production, and halflings for trade; other races note that humans excel as farmers and ranchers. Along with gnomes and half-breeds, these peoples were the primary civilizing forces during the Age of Heroes.
Goblinoids and orcs were created to do battle. They constantly assess the combat effectiveness of everyone around them. Most see dying in a frenzied fight as dignified rather than tragic. Persons of unholy ancestry experience unpredictable flashes of hellscapes and whispers of dark truths from unspeakable realms. No amount of benediction or isolation completely stills the influence of fiendish blood. Dragonborn can be as arrogant and bullying as dragons themselves, while kobolds are equally modest and obsequious. Forged from reptiles lacking a draconian sense of self, lizardfolk are intelligent humanoids with limited emotional faculties. Many only display passion after learning to do so as a calculated choice. |
Lizardfolk Quetzalcoatl led a team of deities who calmed the Veiled lands throughout much of the Age of Heroes. By their power, quakes ceased and volcanoes quietly simmered. These gods endeavored to nurture many peoples from diverse forms of life. Divine benefactors performed patient labor across much of the Thousandfold Drama, working through intermediaries to edit and enlighten a full menagerie of forms. Shang-Ti endorsed Odin's leadership and lightning-quick battle plan when he joined the coalition that defeated Quetzalcoatl's entire pantheon. Wild creatures scavenging untended godflesh became gargantua, and one gargantuan reptile devoured a pair of dying gods to become Ma Yuan. This outcome shaped a consensus supporting Zeus as God of the Heavenly Throne.
It also left lizardfolk residing on increasingly shaky ground. They alone survived desperate oceanic migrations to reach homes beyond the Veiled Lands. Reptiles with no draconic spark of their own, lizardfolk are neither arrogant nor humble. Their passions run as cold as their blood. Lizardfolk intuit the primal ways of plants and animals, and they are rational creatures with normal intellectual faculties. They value relationships for practical reasons. Their interests could rarely be described as whimsical. Associates may be dismayed by the unfeeling calculations of lizardfolk. Nonetheless they form close bonds with others who protect them from danger or advance their personal fortunes. Lizardfolk place great value on formidable allies.
Unsuccessful at carving out any racial homelands, most lizardfolk live in isolated tribes that shun outsiders. They thrive in otherwise uninhabited swamps and marshlands. Many preserve Old Faith traditions with roots in the Veiled Lands, though others seek guidance in modern religions. Ironically, their insensitivity to social cues sometimes makes attempts to shun lizardfolk ineffective. For them, fitting in with a group merely means logical distribution of hardships and rewards. Though individuals lack much of a personality in the conventional sense, identity is established through the accumulation of knowledge, abilities, and personal interests. The most successful lizardfolk may be admired for the purity of their perspective. These expressionless reptiles are esteemed in some circles for impartial judgements, though they are entirely capable of lying to serve their own interests.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Lizarfolk ↑ → Minotaurs ← ↓ Nymphs ↓
Natural Weaponry Dragonborn, lizardfolk, minotaurs, and undisguised typhonians are able to perform savage attacks with natural abilities posessed by all healthy adults of their kind. This makes them especially coveted as bodyguards and enforcers. Yet it also makes them unwelcome as strangers in secure locations. Some dignitaries refuse to meet with members of these races unless restraints or other precautions are already in place. Without an excellent local reputation, individuals with natural weaponry can expect guards and merchants to remain constantly wary in their presence.
This same concern sometimes averts unwanted attention from ruffians and robbers. Even predatory beasts may give a wide berth to people sporting natural weaponry. These threats are not mitigated by common protocols employed to control steel or magic. Some criminal codes call for cutting off the horns of convicted minotaurs and blunting the teeth of lizardfolk criminals. Enslaved members of these races may be likewise disarmed. Magic to recover from such mutilations is rarely affordable for struggling outcasts. |
Minotaurs After an early Thracian king openly insulted Poseidon, the offended deity caused all the children born in that city-state to inherit the characteristics of a bull rather than those of their natural fathers. The entire society collapsed, all the way up to the royal family. Yet minotaurs endured, even thrived, long after Poseidon became a Dead God. They dispersed throughout Labyrinth and grew into a sustainable race of small independent communities tolerated by the Empire of Shadows. Both above and below ground, minotaurs have proven adept at managing slaves. Even the most liberal-minded minotaurs rarely hesitate to make forceful demands of beings they consider inferior. Unlike hobgoblins constantly scheming for elite status, minotaurs simply assume they were born with it.
Leaders among this race are uncomfortable around rivals. Their typical dynamic sees one individual wielding absolute power over dozens of other minotaurs themselves domineering a non-minotaur majority. Even where groups of minotaurs accept the rule of some outside authority, others will follow cues from the strongest of their own kind. Isolated members of this race are drawn to mighty warriors and dismissive of weaker persons. Constabularies and mercenary companies sometimes have work for these imposing figures. They make excellent soldiers provided that their superior officers are more formidable combatants. The wisest minotaurs understand the value of guile and magic, but a display of raw power is sometimes required to win their respect.
Dependent on a vegetarian diet, their placid eating habits contrast with otherwise aggressive demeanors. The least violent minotaurs often become corpulent. An unfavorable ratio of tyrants to heroes results in widespread villification of this race. These horned terrors now occupy enclaves scattered all across the face of the world, with many more communities lurking below. A distinctive maze-like architectural style helps minotaurs avoid being surrounded or ambushed in their own strongholds. New construction makes navigating the urban sprawl increasingly complicated whenever a city under their control experiences substantial growth. In this as with so much else, minotaurs do as they please while expecting everyone else to adjust accordingly.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Minotaurs ↑ → Nymphs ← ↓ Orcs ↓
Exotic Appearance Some humans find themselves particularly drawn to cambions, nymphs, satyrs, and/or tritons. All of these beings possess an unnatural allure. Most are aware of the influence it has on compatible companions. The source is not so much any single thing as an amalgam of grace, confidence, style, and sensuality. Virtually ageless faces are a factor as well. Where there is work for actors or models, these races often enjoy preferential treatment.
Maintaining this allure entails bold fashion choices and laborious personal grooming. Nymphs have an innate gift for these activities. In the bleakest conditions their personal style adapts to make use of unconventional beauty supplies. They forage accessories and cosmetics as effectively from flourishing wilderness as a well-monied shopper might gather wares from a row of luxury boutiques. As likely to spark a popular trend as embrace one, nymphs show the world that what you have is not nearly as important as how you use it. |
Nymphs Among the gods a singular female has been assigned a position of low esteem. Among mortals no race enjoys greater status than one that is entirely female. This contrast extends to disposition since Hel encourages mortals to wither and die while nymphs are inclined to celebrate and enrich life. Some scholars contend this comely race is descended from nature spirits awakened by wild elven magic to battle dragonkind. Others insist that these charming fey immigrated from another plane of existence. A theory of mixed ancestry is gaining acceptance as an explanation for evidence supporting both origins. Though this debate rages on, only the most alien or hateful onlookers would dispute that modern nymphs embody beauty.
Mature nymphs understand their own beguiling nature. Most have no qualms about bending the will of others for their own benefit. Many nymphs live their entire lives in proximity to a single scenic wilderness location, but those venturing into human communities often adopt an itinerant lifestyle. These scintillating socialites quickly lose interest in familiar art and repetitive activities. Some follow a pattern, bestowing inspiration on a performer, artisan, or spellcaster only to move on once a stagnant career has been infused with fresh creative energy. Others stay true to a band of longtime associates because the entire group thrives on novelty and adventure.
Rural nymphs may ally with other fey beings and druids to protect exceptional patches of pristine land. The negotiations and trickery of nymphs sometimes save formidable beings from the need to violently safeguard sylvan secrets. Nymphs in the city often find themselves navigating a power structure that undervalues their acumen. Most cultivate a circle of admirers and pursue their goals through the agency of others. Individuals more inclined toward direct action may experience favoritism as artists, entertainers, clothiers, or enchantresses. Where prostitution is a respectable trade, nymphs quickly attract the most elite clientele. Yet they do not abide abuse. If a nymph does not flee from a threat, she probably has another plan already unfolding.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Nymphs ↑ → Orcs ← ↓ Pixies ↓
Warbands Some groups of migrant fighters move fluidly between mercenary service and banditry. Known as warbands, these groups are formidable military assets without any aristocratic leader or permanent garrison. Some remain loyal to an authority, raiding and looting only to undermine the enemy. Most warbands are freelancers. This is the default state of an orc tribe.
Warband leaders see being paid to fight as a best case scenario. Pillaging a small community is a way to squeeze some action into an otherwise dry night. The simplest orc warbands are glorified hunting parties averse to any military contact. The most effective orc warbands organize into large alliances then train and equip specialized units coordinated with a combined arms doctrine. At their grandest, an orc warband is an elite military unit leading many others as elements of a sophisticated army no less capable than a modern Truscan Legion. |
Orcs The early years of the Imperium Arcanum were a nightmare of unceasing peril. The entire elven race sacrificed sleep to maintain the security of a few bastions. There was no tolerance for disloyalty. Minor acts of deviance could have severe consequences. Elves found to be undermining the command structure were stripped of their lithe forms and mutated into short-lived brutes to be deployed as soldiers. Though most of these orcs hated their former kin, attacking dragons usually seemed like a better choice than passively being eaten alive.
Renegade orcs were a problem almost from the very beginning. Able hunters could sustain themselves in most climates. When civil war swept across the Imperium, several orc armies affiliated with the dark fey while the rest became independent. The Age of Heroes started with substantial orc populations already menacing many regions of the world. Embracing their own gods, orcs populated a series of nations centered around a culture of sacrifice and devotion. Neither those deities nor those nations survived to see the Great Consolidation. Yet orcs made real progress on other levels.
Peaceful majority orcish cities have arisen in recent centuries. Some prosper to the point of sustaining lucrative guilds and respectable colleges. Paralleling the opportunities in larger human cities, these havens of civilized orcish culture see this race participating in virtually every profession. Yet even the most tranquil orc is capable of murderous fury. Orcish bloodlust is a universal personality trait rather than an unfair stereotype. Even today most orcs are born into a militant tribe, destined for a life of violent struggle.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Orcs ↑ → Pixies ← ↓ Satyrs ↓
“We all know some humans are awful villains. Is it any less likely my client is a helpful goblin?”
— Soubrette Silvertress, pixie Upstanding Counselor |
Pixies Some know the final phase of the Imperium Arcanum as the Age of Atomie Warfare. Localized adaptations of the Wyrmplague spell would flood an enemy stronghold with more little elf-like creatures than the space could contain. The immediate aftermath of these events was invariably horrific. Yet these violent twists in the fabric of magic gave rise to a menagerie of diminutive fey. The two most versatile varieties formed their own cultures complete with arcane traditions and powerful aristocracies. Though both were created by attacks against high elves, pixies and sprites now wage a secret war in a whimsical little echo of the original rift dividing elvenkind.
Non-human Customs The traditions and habits of other races can be disturbing or even terrifying when viewed through human eyes. Dragonborn, lizardfolk, and kobolds sometimes feed on the corpses of their foes, devouring raw flesh and organs. For them this act is a tribute to the strength of a fallen warrior. Many others see it as the barbaric desecration of a corpse. Goblinoids insist that fear of death is a character flaw rather than a sensible attitude. Some will plunge headlong into hopeless battles. Cambions, goliaths, minotaurs, and orcs may initiate brutal duels simply to establish which combatant should yield to the other. Behaviors that might disturb civilized humans can carry deep cultural significance among non-humans.
This is particularly important where sexuality is concerned. It is in the nature of nymphs to be effortlesly seductive. Oppressive societies sometimes allow religious authorities to condemn nymphish temptation. Satyrs combine an openly flirtatious nature with a far more assertive attitude. Some have trouble comprehending that their advances might be unwanted. Where accounts of a questionable incident differ, authorities are not inclined to give satyrs the benefit of the doubt. Pixies also have a troublesome reputation because they are fond of stealing interesting objects and staging annoying pranks. Other thieves and mischief-makers may misdirect suspicion onto these whimsical fey.
Some races even take distinctively non-human approaches to speech. Elves, gnomes, and halflings tend to conduct conversations among their own kind at the minimum volume required for other participants to hear clearly. Comparatively loud interlopers will draw scowls or worse from the group. Firbolgs can be compulsively secretive, shunning associates who broke a confidence they expect kept for all business dealings. Nymphs, pixies, satyrs, and sprites have been known to launch into song whether or not their inspiration coincides with a suitable moment. Some non-humans form a close bond with a minder able to guide them around problems their customary behavior might otherwise cause. |
Pathologically uninhibited, pixies accept entertainment value as justification for almost any course of action short of injuring others. The concept of personal property seems strange and foolish to them. Pixies are natural burglars. Even individuals clever enough to foresee the consequences of their actions might not be deterred from trespass, theft, and vandalism. While they are not inclined toward unprovoked violence, a traditional pixie amusement involves knotting the hair of sleepers. To these brash fey, a messy prank or an act of humiliating grooming is also a test of their ability to push at the boundary between between play and harm.
Some criminal organizations value pixie spies for their ability to operate invisibly. Yet others cannot tolerate the way pixies ignore ownership of their leaders' personal possessions. As happy to give as they are to take, pixies tend to fit in best where robust sharing is the norm. They harmonize well with artistic communes and country estates willing to tolerate some pilferage. Their antics have long been part of routine living on Danu. Pixies pose constant challenges to propriety and dignity. Those without allies to smooth over social complications travel widely, leaving a trail of aggrieved acquaintances in their wake.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Pixies ↑ → Satyrs ← ↓ Sprites ↓
Satyrs During the centuries Silvanus was systematically spreading verdant greenery across much of Mainland, Dionysus was haphazardly reveling in his bountiful wake. Impromptu celebrations would grow into epic festivals only to be abandoned as the God of Drunken Revelry wandered away. So many satyrs were left behind during this time that the forgotten party guests began to form nations of their own. Their tribal federations did not hesitate to clash with the armed forces of elves, humans, or orcs. The most aggressive of these tribes now keep to less accessible environs so they might avoid eradication by civilized armies. Even so, human societies typically regard satyrs as dangerous and destructive renegades.
While their history is not as violent as orcs or goblins, this entirely male race must rely on non-satyr mates to sustain their numbers. Peaceful tribes grow by living the good life and sharing their bounty with women who choose free-spirited hedonism for themselves. Some people idealize satyrs for their openness and confidence. Jealous humans may denounce entirely consensual relationships involving one of these lustful fey. At the other extreme, abduction and captivity are normal elements of family life among violent throwback tribes. Most harboring those attitudes were exterminated long ago, but isolated groups perpetuate the threatening reputation of this race.
Satyr music is enormously popular outside their own culture, having been banned in assorted jurisdictions. No other people so excel at hosting festive events. Most think nothing of smuggling as needed to be sure the best supplies are on hand for celebrants. Some tribes achieve prosperity by gathering wild resources to trade for finished goods. Many brew their own potent beverages to avoid the expense of importing massive amounts of human wine or spirits. Individual satyrs working in human cities may be drawn to breweries, wineries, distilleries, and taverns. Some lone satyrs find work as wilderness guides or bounty hunters. Others join outlaw groups or provide support to a roaming warband. Almost always they endeavor to work only as much as is needed to dedicate the best of their energies to self-indulgent revels.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Satyrs ↑ → Sprites ← ↓ Tieflings ↓
Mortal Fey Elven magic created a diverse array of new life forms during the Imperium Arcanum, from the tiniest atomie to massive metallic dragons. Firbolgs, gnomes, half-elves, nymphs, pixies, satyrs, and sprites join elves in pursuing a complete spectrum of fighting and spellcasting techniques. Gifted elven diplomats drive all major human societies to recognize these creatures as persons subject to and protected by appropriate laws. They are also naturally protected from a few forms of magical manipulation, yet susceptible to some effects that leave humans untouched.
Long time residents of scenic wilderness areas may know a great deal about these fey beings. Druids are particularly well-versed. The strange customs and mysterious ways of the fey provide plenty of particulars for fearmongers to discuss. Their spiritual auras are infused with a distinctive signature produced by traces of arcane power in their blood. Some cityfolk regard these races as weird and possibly dangerous. Religious attitudes are generally hostile toward the Archfey and remarkably diverse on the subject of mortal fey. |
Sprites All sprites are descendants of faeries created by a devastating attack against a high elf stronghold over five thousand years ago. The event that destroyed the last full Imperium Arcanum bastion to levitate above ground also concentrated elven virtues in the form of these diminutive winged beings. Sprites are naturally inclined to wish everyone else well. Their companions can expect thoughtful and dependable support. Sprites have a keen sense of fairness, quick to defend the innocent against aggression. These small fey will proudly protect their own communities and violently persecute mischievous pixies. Yet they are reluctant to collaborate with any but the most upstanding of human constabularies.
Sprite warriors almost never utilize heavy equipment. Despite this, their culture has given rise to several deadly fighting styles. They consider military service honorable wherever the ruling authority is benevolent. Most sprites are also capable scholars. Their greatest dignitaries are accomplished wizards rivalling the most formidable pixie sorcerers. Most sprites are not too proud to take work as a domestic servant or an artisan's assistant, given a respectful employer. Some sprites prefer to wander, moving from place to place as they leave behind a trail of thankful people who had a significant problem satisfactorily resolved. Serious acts of betrayal are not in the nature of sprites, limiting their aptitude for covert work.
Some people welcome these helpful fey at every opportunity. Others may find sprites annoying with their high pitched voices and constant flitting about. There are realms where common folk cannot differentiate between pixies and sprites – a misunderstanding that angers individuals of either race. Both sorts of faeries are well known all across Danu and in portions of many other lands. Famously charitable, sprites can be prime targets for grifters. Their diminutive stature sometimes leads to abduction attempts. Though easily grabbed, sprites are naturally hostile to any captors. The piercing tone of their complaints may continue long after all other resources have been exhausted.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Sprites ↑ → Tieflings ← ↓ Tritons ↓
The Nameless Empire For more than a millennium during the Age of Heroes, an Archdevil made his home on the surface of the world. Initially, he granted immense power to the cultists who summoned him from hellish depths. Their influence grew, and they used it to orchestrate their master's marriage to a beloved princess. After a wave of murders claimed much of the royal family, this regal fiend seized power, setting the stage for a purge to eliminate critics of the new regime. Meanwhile, cunning diplomats expertly deflected attention from the realm. Neighboring states saw no threat from this struggling principality.
One group of Standing Stones was obliterated to make way for a portal direct to a hellish plane of existence. Hordes of devils climbed up through the orifice. Some provided blood for a program of infusions through which citizens could verify their loyalty to increasingly cruel aristocrats. Every day, thousands of humans took the blood of a devil, undergoing subtle changes. More crucially, the children of all who received devils' blood were born as tieflings. Over several centuries, this Archdevil's nation expanded into a proper unholy empire. In 278 A.H., the gods intervened to destroy this thriving society with a rain of falling stars. Today most religions forbid even naming that ancient regime or the diabolic prince so despised by the Regal Deities. |
Tieflings
Around 1,800 A.H., a cult of devil worshippers brought their master into the world through an epic ritual that destroyed one formation of Standing Stones while corrupting several adjacent groups. Surviving cultists labored to make this corruption more potent and resilient, effectively reshaping the magical environment of an entire realm. Warlocks and witches ascended to positions of power, then used those positions to transform every citizen in the region. As many as half a million humans were given systematic infusions of infernal blood. It changed them all, having even more profound effects on their children.
These changes gave them power, but the emergent race mostly thrived by duplicity. Nefarious diplomats were always able to point the finger at a more immediate threat than this isolationist nation wracked by internal dissent against the Archdevil. By 1,409 A.H., the unholy principality was secure within its borders and ready to move against weaker neighboring states. The most detailed surviving accounts of this accursed realm are epic sagas documenting the struggle of great heroes to fend off diabolic hordes. Ultimately, mortals would never succeed at this endeavor. Several nearby powers were assimilated into a thriving yet hellish empire.
A campaign to purge the world of unholy worship built unity among the Regal Deities. The emergent race, now known as tieflings, would be virtually eliminated by the wrath of the gods. Their patron was hurled back into the pits of hell, forever barred from returning to this world. Their homeland suffered a rain of falling stars. The charred and cratered wastes fell quiet only after weeks of being blanketed by fire. Despite this celestial cleansing, unholy corruption remains heavy in the Scarlands. It spontaneously gives rise to vast hordes of aggressive creatures. Most tieflings stay far away from the place where their ancestral homeland used to be.
Modern tieflings are one hundred generations removed from that ancient cataclysm. Their devilish nature is no secret, but it is shrouded in mystery due to strong religious taboos against preserving relevant historical knowledge. Benign individuals and small groups may find tolerance in particularly englightened areas. Also, tieflings of sinister disposition may thrive under the protection of infernal cults or other secret societies at odds with the cultural mainstream. Yet they have no communities of their own bigger than urban neighborhoods or isolated towns. Large institutions are generally not eager to be associated with this race. Even the most noble and kind-hearted adult tiefling must struggle at times to avoid being perceived as a dangerous villain.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Tieflings ↑ → Tritons ← ↓ Typhonians ↓
The Imperium Maris The Great Consolidation saw Mannanan Mac Lir gain sole control of the world's oceans. His portfolio in The Immaculate System directed the sea god to the floor of his domain. Perilous and inefficient trade links between the Orient and Mainland were replaced by much safer and swifter routes across newly calmed waters. Yet the Greater Ocean continues to founder and swallow any vessels that wander over the hemispherical expanse of the Imperium Maris. Complex power struggles see control of the Nacre Throne moving fluidly between five major factions in Imperial society.
⩰ House Lìon trades with land dwellers and gathers resources from the surface of the water.
∮ House Sgaoileadh maintains archives while providing education and arcane services.
⫚ House Gaisgich manufactures arms and offers martial training along with mercenaries.
⪽ House Neamhnaid gathers resources from the sea floor and provides healing services.
⇛ House Leigheas constructs large buildings and crafts useful mixtures. |
Tritons
There are millions of merfolk and almost as many sahuagin in the undersea Imperium Maris. Yet tritons constitute almost all of the aristocracy of the Greater Ocean. The notion that they are a superior race is seldom challenged underwater yet awkwardly borne on land. Their outlook features striking parallels to some ethnocentric human groups. Fortunately most tritons are also instilled with a sense of duty to protect their inferiors. Among humans they tend to be helpful, albeit in condescending ways.
Tritons arrived in this world as soldiers in the army of Poseidon. They thrived like no others during an aquatic Age of Heroes, banishing abyssal foes and sometimes literally turning the tide against monstrous hordes. When selkie operatives simultaneously compromised dozens of undersea centers of faith, poor harvests and other misfortunes ensued. Widespread religious conversions soon followed. Many tritons resented the way Mannanan Mac Lir employed trickery to wrest supremacy from Poseidon. Today they venerate the God of Briny Depths in earnest, yet tritons keep some of their earlier traditions alive in scripture and ritual. Since the Imperium Maris has never been short on dangerous cult activity, aquatic authorities do not divert much time away from lifesaving work to quarrel about these heresies.
In the ocean, tritons are natural leaders with advantages no other adventuring race possesses. Though they remain versatile on land, few of their kind venture far beyond the coast. Tritons are typically welcome aboard ships. Many leave one ocean only to spend their days riding across another or fishing along some scenic coast. Their appearance can stimulate public interest in performances as entertainers or gladiators. A few human regimes control elite triton military units trained and equipped for amphibious warfare. Universities often welcome triton lecturers since the Imperium Maris is full of subjects surface scientists have had little opportunity to study. Colorful tales of undersea life often provide a way for tritons to recover the good graces of people initally put off by an arrogant demeanor.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Tritons ↑ → Typhonians ← ↓ Languages ↓
The Criminal Underground Without law, there can be no outlaws. The original criminals were elven wizards secretly diverting supplies of rare spell components away from their draconian masters. Modern times see three great empires on the surface of the world, two more below, and thousands of lesser sovereign entities. With so many jurisdictions, laws range from the whims of a tribal chieftain to complex regulatory codes spread across sprawling government archives. Yet there are a few common threads to be found among modern criminal organizations.
Personal property is an almost universal notion, so theft is an almost universal crime. In heavily-policed areas, small bands of grifters and thieves operate under false identities, quickly becoming dormant after any big payday. Elsewhere a thieves' guild may operate from a well-known social hub, one faction in an endless citywide cat-and-mouse struggle with the constabulary. Whatever the particulars, professional thieves are likely to know their way around the local criminal underworld.
Witches, warlocks, cultists, and others who delve into the unholy may likewise have outlaw allies. This tends to be true even where their own practices are not explicitly criminal. Then there are the outcast races, struggling to find work or companionship in communities that are not always welcoming. Desperation sometimes drives these individuals to illegal acts. When local criminal syndicates form a rigid hierarchy with its own code of conduct, the structure behind it all sometimes turns out to a Typhonian family. |
Typhonians
While Apollo and Ra share custody of the Sun, Set alone rules the night. His works are often shrouded in secrecy that defies mortal magic. No living person knows precisely how, when, or where the typhonian race was created. The murder of an Iskreshi Sultan in 449 G.C. prompted an investigation containing the earliest historical record of typhonians. With other evidence quick to follow in distant realms, it seems likely that these shapeshifting spawn of Set had already been infiltrating human capitals for several generations. They were most often exposed undermining established religious institutions to promote worship of divine villains. Typhonians quickly, and deservedly, developed a nefarious reputation.
Each modern typhonian family is a secret society unto itself. Bonds of blood are the closest thing to genuine loyalties among this race spawned by a god of betrayal. Organized criminal syndicates are the norm. Unusual typhonian families disperse into vast espionage networks, insinuate themselves into high society, or embrace a holy purpose. Dozens of generations removed from their most infamous ancestors, modern typhonians no longer feel an innate connection to Set himself. Yet their cultural traditions strongly emphasize his veneration while teaching various techniques of trickery and extortion.
This race is drawn to centers of power and wealth. They gain profound satisfaction from exerting personal influence. Artfully blending friendship with coercion, typhonian families seek control of key figures in large organizations. Be they allies or victims, these associates often benefit from the family's machinations. Assets lavished with favors may be coldly abandoned after losing their value. Typhonians excel at misdirecting unwanted attention. Entire families quickly relocate as needed to escape hostile authorities. Typhonian fugitives may be associated with faces and names unrelated to their current identities.
The earliest records of canid typhonians date back almost 2,000 years. Their kind remains the overwhelming majority of this race. Other forms are not so much offshoot subraces as non-hereditary variations on typhonian bodily norms. The existence of cathartine typhonians was documented just a few centuries after the original accounts of this race. Intuitive leaders and judges, cathartines often usurp control of their own families or strike out alone to found new organizations. Leonine typhonians are such a rare and recent development that sages are only beginning to come around to the idea that they are no myth. Leonines tend to become especially feared enforcers in their familial syndicates. Yet some eschew urban living, instead becoming personal protectors of isolated territories.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Typhonians ↑ → Languages ← ↓ Homelands ↓
Languages
“To truly understand languages, you must achieve fluency in more than one.”
— Superintendant Soraya Shahira, Idea Illuminators |
At the dawn of language, spellcasting and speech were not clearly distinct activities. The most ancient dragons had almost unthinkable freedom to tap immense arcane resources in a simple magical environment. A hunger for power drove them to increase their own intellects. They would go on to shape many other forms of life. Some were designed purely for food while others were to provide useful service in the years before consumption. These efforts made the magical environment much more complex. They did likewise for the spoken word.
Labor pools each had their own primitive language, as the most isolated tribes do today. Early elves secretly developed a global tongue, weaving whispers of conspiracy into discussions of magical techniques. Known today as Ancient Elven, this form of speech would become the world's second dominant language. That uniformity gave way to chaos when the great elven empire made war with itself. Humanity survived in isolated pockets mostly hostile to fey authorities. Emergent cultures developed new ways to express their thoughts. Even the elves' own speech diverged into three distinct languages.
| MAJOR HUMAN LANGUAGES |
| Language | Mutual Intelligibility | Jargon Associations |
| Albionish | Carmatian & Sylvanian | banking/finance, plays, poetry |
| Carmatian | Albionish & Sylvanian | distilling, metallurgy, tinkering |
| Celedinese | Elatolion & Ontolonese | accounting, administration |
| Darrestygian | Lachlandic & Norish | modern arcana |
| Elatolian | Celedinese & Ontolonese | equestrian training, herding |
| Fitch | Joryani & Maniac | alchemy, construction, painting |
| Gallorian | Helvetican & Truscan | diplomacy, fashion, winemaking |
| Helvetican | Gallorian & Truscan | gemcutting, minting, mountaineering |
| Iskreshi | Serpian & Wabahari | oceanic exploration, trade |
| Joryani | Fitch & Maniac | siegecraft |
| Kohaddic | Melange & Zintu | construction, stonecutting |
| Lachlandic | Darrestygian & Norish | arctic exploration, fishing |
| Norish | Darrestygian & Lachlandic | pillaging, sailing, smithing |
| Maniac | Fitch & Joryani | brewing, modern sciences, opera |
| Melange | Kohaddic & Zintu | illicit trade, slavery, populist politics |
| Ontolonese | Celedinese & Elatolian | fishing, weaving |
| Serpian | Iskreshi & Wabahari | ancient sciences, construction |
| Sivelsh | none | forestry, monster hunting, sailing |
| Sylvanian | Albionish & Carmatian | forestry, parliamentary procedure |
| Thracian | none | ancient sciences, medicine, philosophy |
| To-Shinese | none | martial arts, plays, poetry |
| Truscan | Gallorian & Helvetican | law, medicine, modern sciences, opera |
| Tuathish | Sylvan | brewing, plays, poetry |
| Wababahari | Iskreshi & Serpian | astrology, desert exploration |
| Xe-Shanese | none | espionage, martial arts |
| Zintu | Kohaddic & Melange | monster hunting, tropical exploration |
There are hundreds of human languages in use today. Many of them have no written form, and only twenty-six human tongues are spoken by more than one million living individuals. Sivelsh, Thracian, To-Shinese, Tuathish, and Xe-Shanese are unique in fundamental ways. They are only intelligible to listeners and readers who know that specific language. The other twenty-one major human languages can be grouped into seven trios. Common root words and some shared history make it possible to attempt communication using different languages within a group. These efforts may not go as smoothly as both parties using the same language, but understanding should be possible with patience and mutual goodwill.
LANGUAGE GROUPS
⪤ Desert Speech (Iskreshi, Serpian, Wabahar) Serpian script, written from right to left, provides the alphabet for all three of these languages. They share roots in the tongue of the Old Kingdom, though even modern Serpian sounds nothing like that ancient speech. Wabahar and Iskreshi likewise have their own distinct cadences and emphases. Modern writing is elegant and flowing with no direct link to ancient Serpian pictograms. Even so, these languages share enough common heritage and similar word roots that all peoples of the eastern deserts are able to negotiate basic interactions.
⪤ Elvish (Drow, Greenfey, High Elven) The vocabulary of Ancient Elven is alive and well in the languages of modern elves. For the most part, they can make themselves understood by kin of a different complexion. Yet many centuries of drift have made three distinct tongues out of the old elven language. Idiomatic content often translates poorly while technical terms remain highly consistent. Scholars of the arcane consider a working knowledge of some elven tongue essential to their pursuit. Though the three modern languages vary enormously in written style, they all rely on the same alphabet of curving glyphs devised roughly
400,000 years ago.
⪤ Fell Speech (Bugbear, Goblin, Hobgoblin) Humanoids rising from the filth of the Scarlands all signal one another with the same limited set of shrieks and babbles. These primal sounds form the basis of native tongues spoken in communities of sentient goblinoids, including organized marauders and mercenaries. Warlords and outlaws sometimes learn a form of Fell Speech for purposes of negotiation or command. Though literature is rare in these languages, each has its own simple alphabet and poetic traditions. Unfamiliar listeners can mistake lively conversations in Fell Speech for the chatter of wild beasts.
⪤ Forester (Albionish, Carmatian, Sylvanian) During his earthly reign, subjects of the God-King Silvanus promoted a blend of elven, gnomish, and human expressions. This mixture matured into a tongue known at the time as Forest Speech. Though proper Forest Speech is a relic of the past, its offspring include Albionish, Carmatian, and Sylvanian. United by quirky grammar and a richly nuanced vocabulary, these three languages are mutually intelligible to the extent speakers can tame their thick regional accents while avoiding modern turns of phrase. Though not identical, Forester alphabets are derived from heavily overlapping sets of Ancient Elven and Old Truscan glyphs.
| NOTABLE NON-HUMAN LANGUAGES |
| Language | Mutual Intelligibility | Spoken By |
| Abyssal | none | cambions, demons |
| Bugbear | Goblin & Hobgoblin | bugbears, mercenaries, warlords |
| Celestial | none | divine emissaries, planar explorers |
| Cyclopean | Dwarven & Giant | cyclopes, engineers |
| Deep Speech | none | deep Labyrinth dwellers, cultists |
| Draconic | none | dragonborn, kobolds, dragons |
| Drow | Greenfey & High Elven | drow elves, Labyrinth dwellers |
| Dwarven | Cyclopean & Giant | dwarves, metallurgists, miners |
| Giant | Cyclopean & Dwarven | firbolgs, goliaths, giants |
| Gnomish | none | gnomes, spies, tinkers |
| Goblin | Bugbear & Hobgoblin | goblins, mercenaries, warlords |
| Greenfey | Drow & High Elven | firbolgs, pixies, wood elves |
| Halfling | none | halflings |
| High Elven | Drow & Greenfey | high elves, sprites, arcane scholars |
| Hobgoblin | Bugbear & Goblin | hobgoblins, mercenaries, warlords |
| Infernal | none | minotaurs, tieflings, devils |
| Merfolk | Sahuagin & Triton | merfolk, mariners |
| Ogrish | Orcish & Troll | ogres, bandits, barbarians |
| Orcish | Ogrish & Troll | orcs, barbarians, warlords |
| Primordial | none | conjurers, elemental creatures |
| Sahuagin | Merfolk & Triton | sahuagin, underwater explorers |
| Saurian | none | lizardfolk, scouts, spies |
| Sylvan | Tuathish | nymphs, pixies, satyrs, sprites |
| Triton | Merfolk & Sahuagin | tritons, sea floor dwellers |
| Troll | Ogrish & Orcish | trolls, brigands |
| Typhonian | none | typhonians |
⪤ Gruntwise (Ogrish, Orcish, Troll) Condemned to serve as shock troops during the Imperium Arcanum, some brutal creatures developed a common language by blending the most vulgar elven slang with a range of original gutteral expressions. Over thousands of years these tongues diversified as speakers went their separate ways. Learned individuals put together written versions of each racial language. All versed in Gruntwise remain able to communicate simple concepts with one another, with more nuanced ideas requiring good faith for clear communication across language lines.
⪤ Heartlander (Gallorian, Helvetican, Truscan) Old Truscan was once spoken by an overwhelming majority of Mainland. Modern Truscan is effectively a different language, altered over the centuries by an urbane and sophisticated people. Gallorian and Helvetican are similarly derived from Old Truscan. Anyone who can read Old Truscan literature will encounter many familiar terms in each of these modern languages, and all use basically the same simple alphabet. Yet education and culture in the provinces increasingly diverges from Truscan norms. Conversing in two different Heartlander languages sometimes requires considerable patience.
⪤ Jade Tongues (Celedinese, Elatolian, Ontolonese) Writing and speech across much of the Orient standardized under the Elatolian Hegemony. Three modern tongues all borrow heavily from Ancient Elatolian. Modern Elatolian, Celedinese, and Ontolonese are inflected in wildly different ways, but many terms have a common root in all three languages. Depending on caligraphic style, some written translations within this group are virtually identical to the original. Yet there is also much variation here, as each language has its own simplified modern alphabet that is a substantial departure from their shared pictographic heritage. Standardized Imperial curricula have successfully promoted convergence among the Jade Tongues, particularly in matters of trade, measurement, and mathematics.
⪤ Low Speech (Fitch, Joryani, Maniac) The people of the Low Towns played a part in the histories of three decidedly different ethnic groups. Their influence was profound enough that the modern language of each people closely resembles the other two. Along with many word roots, a rolling percussive manner of delivery is shared by these three languages. Mutual conversation is usually possible, and readers of one language only need puzzle through grammatical variations to make sense of texts in the other two. Native speakers of these languages will argue that no others are as beautiful, but the rest of the world generally agrees that Low Speech tends to sound unpleasant in any context other than the most skillful singing.
⪤ Mountain Speech (Cyclopean, Dwarven, Giant) Dwarven runes may be older than the first elven bloodskins. Yet scholars have seen little change in the Dwarven language through all that time. Ironically it also serves as the basis for the tongue of giants. Modern giants utilize an especially gutteral language enabling them to converse across substantial distances. A different offshoot was adopted by titans active early in the Age of Heroes, living on today among scattered tribes of cyclopes. That same variant also provides most of the jargon modern engineers utilize when planning extremely large construction projects. Mountain Speech reinforces a peculiar kinship between dwarves and some of the largest humanoids in the world.
“Each language you learn provides a new way to look at the world. Understanding how another people speak sheds light on how those people think.”
— Reading Reality, Stygian Archivist manual |
⪤ Norlandic Tongues (Darrestygian, Norish, Lachlandic) The Wotanian language was proudly spoken by scholars and warriors alike. Surviving texts reveal it is strikingly similar to modern Darrestygian, with virtually no variation in the ancient runic alphabet. Yet Norish and Lachlandic also share many of the same words and idioms. Oral traditions feature heavily in all three cultures. Translations between these languages are sometimes as simple as changing accent marks and affixes. Yet idiomatic variations require patience to be conveyed across the lines between distinct tongues. Some scholars impose a sort of acrolect on the Norlandic Tongues by misapplying rules from ancient Wotanian grammar handbooks.
⪤ Oceanic (Merfolk, Sahuagin, Triton) United by their aquatic habitats, sea-dwelling races learn combinations of chirps and clicks relaying basic information to others who can hear underwater. Non-verbal nuances provide much more detail, though they sometimes create confusion when the style of one race is subject to interpretation under another paradigm. The turmoil of undersea politics can alter meanings in these languages, retroactively changing the terms of contracts and vows. Oceanic script is smooth and flowing despite being inscribed more often than it is inked. These languages provide many ways to say “water” and plenty for “air” as well, but their only term for “fire” is also one of their words for “mystery.” Because Oceanic literature is normally engraved and readable by touch, many blind people make the effort to learn one of these aquatic tongues.
Trade Languages Metropolitan centers, paved highways, and peaceful seas all blend together the cultures of the world. Doing business with a diverse public generally requires buyers and vendors to communicate in some common tongue. No single language enjoys global fluency. Yet there are several widely known beyond the ancestral homeland of their origination. Books and contracts are often written in one of these trade languages. Merchants and scholars typically know at least one such tongue, thereby gaining access to opportunities for trade and study throughout a huge region of the world.
Albionish is widely known among bankers and financiers the world over. Elaborate business contracts often exploit this tongue's rich and nuanced vocabulary. It has been said that deciphering an ancient wizard's spellbook is easier than making sense of the documentation behind a modern investment agreement. Fluency in this language is particularly widespread thanks to the popularity of dramas written by legendary bards from Albion.
Celedinese is the language of all government business in the Oriental Empire. Anyone who wishes a place in the bureaucracy or any form of imperial land grant must be able to speak and write Celedinese. It is also the favored language of scholars and poets across the Orient. Polytheistic temples of the Wŭshén offer lessons in this tongue to students otherwise unable to obtain formal education.
Gallorian is the preferred tongue of diplomats and aristocrats from Mainland. Associated with peace and prosperity, it is a tongue rich with expressions pertaining to food, fashion, and stagecraft. Many idioms in this language have become terms of art in other languages. Schools that teach Gallorian often enjoy esteem that does not attach to rivals lacking this subject. Heavenly Vintners spread this tongue by insisting on wine labels and menus written in elegant Gallorian script.
Iskreshi is the language of commerce across eastern Mainland. The Iskreshi Sultanate provided standardized education to peoples all over its vast territory. Leaders in their sorcerous regime made extensive use of scribes, heralds, and bookkeepers. While Iskreshi is now a native tongue in less than a dozen provinces of the Serpian Empire; it remains popular among merchants, scholars, and mariners with business along the eastern coast.
Norish is popular with military officers and mariners around the world. Many nautical terms derive from this tongue, and its vocabulary of weather conditions is rich with nuance. It is also the prevailing trade language of northwest Mainland. Stray Norish raiders have spread their native tongue to exotic lands, where some modern cloisters and colleges have embraced it. The Mjölnir Church has inspired a recent wave of global interest in Norish speech and writing.
Serpian is the fastest-growing language in the world. As the simplest way to systematically inscribe quantities, Serpian numerals are now the standard for mathematicians and accountants around the world. Geometry, architecture, and optics all rely heavily on terms derived from this language. As the Serpian Empire actively villifies Truscan culture, some academic institutions are replacing libraries full of Old Truscan literature with Serpian translations.
Truscan is the closest thing Theatron has to a true common language. There was a time when almost all literate Mainlanders could read Truscan. Modern scientific terminology is dominated by terms with Truscan roots. Globally, a majority of the most esteemed sages write in an archaic form of Truscan, with translation into other languages reserved for their most popular works. The Aegis Church offers Truscan language schooling to any interested students. |
⪤ Southlandish (Kohaddic, Melange, Zintu) Though they parted ways early in the Age of Heroes, the Zintu and the Kohadesians were once united, farming and building together in the jungles of southeastern Mainland. While these cultures took radically different paths, both languages share many common roots. After so many Zintu were put into chains, Melange evolved from a dialect of their language into a distinct tongue of its own, incorporating slave jargon from every corner of the world. Though still taught to many slaves who receive no other education, it is also popular with urban countercultures seeking emphatic contrast with the local aristocracy. Some groups embrace Melange as an idealistic rejection of all ethnic and racial divisions. All forms of Southlandish feature a mix of suffixes and common terms that allow for a rich variety of rhyming cadences.
ORPHAN LANGUAGES
∉ Abyssal Demons may have their roots in the darkest and least coherent realms of existence, yet their speech is both precise and persuasive. Those who do not comprehend Abyssal may perceive it as a series of enticing secrets encoded in surreal jibberish. Cambions are born with an innate knowledge of this tongue, clearly articulated infantile speech one among their many unnerving traits. Cambion political influence ordinarily prevents legal bans, but authoritarian leaders have been known to persecute Abyssal speakers.
∉ Celestial Though not truly the language of the gods, this tongue functions as a trade language across higher planes of existence. Agents acting in service to a true deity converse in this language as a sign of mutual respect. Scriptures may be written in this tongue, either out of angelic inspiration or to prevent the text from being read by common worshippers. Celestial is not the native language of any substantial population on Theatron. Nonetheless it is popular at centers of learning because of the prestige associated with studying select sacred texts in their original language.
∉ Deep Speech The origins of Deep Speech are shrouded in mystery, with no identifiable link to any language from Theatron or any other known place in existence. Modern minds residing below the Empire of Shadows are likely to be fluent in Deep Speech. Yet these creatures also seem alien and unconnected to the rest of the world. Little effort has been spent scrying into subterranean prehistory. Thus it is theoretically possible that the deepest caves harbored intelligence even before the rise of dragons. Though this language has become entangled in the lore of the Great Old Ones, conflicting results prevent scholars from divining much of anything about those enigmatic entities.
∉ Draconic The first language of the world sees much of its vocabulary still in use by modern dragons. Utterances often trail off into a long growl or hiss that emphasizes a speaker's attitude. Over five thousand molts have passed since the first dragons spoke, and many ancient invocations are now only verbs. The words themselves still reveal much about the nature of magic. Reputable universities consider this language part of a well-rounded arcane education. Dragonborn traditionally use this tongue when addressing their own kind. Winning the respect of an actual dragon is virtually impossible, but being able to converse in Draconic is a start.
∉ Gnomish Created to function as scouts and saboteurs, gnomes quickly developed a language of their own. Though it can be written in elvish script and shares some grammatical conventions, Gnomish reflects a profoundly different perspective on the world. It is a tongue of secrecy, full of double meanings and cryptic idioms. Some say sphinxes learned how to compose riddles from ancient gnomes. Also known as the “Hidden Tongue,” this language is popular with spies and outlaws despite the fact that modern gnomish communities do not normally offer hiding places to human-sized fugitives.
∉ Halfling As far back as the Age of Dragons, halflings had their own worldwide language to facilitate bartering and foraging. Even today, a strong tradition of secrecy prevents halflings from spreading this tongue outside their families unless irresistibly compelled or fabulously compensated.
It relies so heavily on murmurs and whispers that Halfling is a poor choice for hailing distant targets. Yet this same tendency makes halflings almost impossible to overhear when they huddle together in conversation. Some elite halfling operatives shun employers who appropriate their racial language, discouraging espionage organizations from exploiting this otherwise ideal tongue.
∉ Infernal Many priests teach that hell is packed with souls endlessly struggling to communicate while speaking languages derived from an infinite array mortal worlds. Yet there is a single language spoken by nearly all devils to visit Theatron. Teaching this language is forbidden or heavily restricted in many civilized areas, but it remains a tiefling birthright passed on even by those who rebel against their diabolic heritage. Many cults and a few criminal gangs embrace the Infernal tongue as an alternative to the local language. Even in the most open-minded and libertine societies, public performance of an Infernal opera is likely to leave general audiences shocked and disturbed.
∉ Primordial Primordial could be the oldest language in the multiverse. The most credible tales of a much more primitive cosmos feature characters with distinctively Primordial names. Deities have been overhead quarreling in this tongue. Even today it is the most pervasive language of the Elemental Planes. It employs simple grammar and vocabulary. Yet the endless possibilities of compound words allow for vivid and precise Primordial expressions. No population on Theatron has adopted this tongue as their own, but scholars emphasize it for many of the same reasons Draconic is widely taught.
∉ Saurian Lizardfolk communicate using a mix of whispers, hisses, and clicks that sounds nothing like language to most human ears. Often these utterances convey basic information while subtle details are incorporated into a lingering undertone that also expresses mood. Even dragonborn find Saurian an alien language uncomfortable to vocalize. Yet for lizardfolk, everything about it is perfectly natural except the script. Institutional education is rare among their kind. Many are unaware Saurian uses an alphabet and punctuation largely derived from Draconic. This tongue sees some popularity with scouts and spies, since it allows for sophisticated conversation that might pass for background noise in thriving forests or swamps.
Secret Languages Druids and rogues are each privy to specialized forms of communication that often go unacknowledged in academic language studies. One is completely silent, and the other is a way of speaking used in combination with conventional language.
Druidic is composed chiefly of gestures, allowing for lively conversations that do not disturb the sounds of a natural setting. While Druidic features vocabulary voids in areas like metallurgy and tinkering, it supports incredible detail when discussing plants, animals, terrain, climate, weather, and the elements. Druidic also features a lexicon of tiny arrangements, such as distinctively braided twigs or piles of little stones, to be presented as meaningful markings. Like the most subtle urban graffiti, these indicators provide guidance to astute visitors. Druidic markers typically lead to remarkable vistas, prime foraging spots, or ancient monuments. They may also warn of a specific danger or convey general news about a wild place.
Thieves' Cant involves the relentless use of colorful expressions and hidden meanings to speak in clear explicit terms about a sensitive subject while uninitiated ears hear only unrelated banter. This systematic approach to doublespeak allows criminals to discuss their activities without retreating into complete privacy. Thieves' Cant may even enable the planning of an escape or attack while imminent adversaries obliviously participate in the surface level conversation. Individuals schooled in these double meanings are also quick to pick up on whatever sigils and other indicators local criminals use to designate meeting places, known threats, useful resources, etc. Where criminal organizations preside over clearly defined territories, such markings may indicate which factions control which establishments. Savvy people can spot and interpret these unobtrusive signs that are otherwise meaningless. |
∉ Sivelsh While Silvanus encouraged his mortal subjects to conduct dialogue in Forest Speech, he personally preferred a peculiar tongue only his most devoted priests could completely comprehend. Doing their best to address complex nuanced sounds with a simple alphabet, the first Sivelsh scribes often turned brief utterances into words of tremendous length. Their modern counterparts keep this tradition alive. Unabbreviated Sivelsh signposts can be comically long. Outsiders see their prose as all but unreadable. Yet this is a tongue favored by well-educated pirates, since Sivelsh features an excellent vocabulary of nautical terms completely foreign to all other naval traditions.
∉ Sylvan see Tuathish
∉ Thracian Originating among island folk prodigious at herding and trading, this language employs a unique alphabet and mostly original root words. Well-travelled merchants spread this tongue to standardize business practices. The rise of Thracian city-states saw human scholarship innovating clinical terms needed to establish the natural sciences. While once the dominant trade language of Eastern Mainland, it was marginalized during the Iskreshi Sultanate. Today Thracian remains important outside Thrace chiefly because it is the original language of so many sagacious texts from early in the Age of Heroes.
∉ To-Shinese The islands of To-Shin resisted rule by the Elatolian Hegemony despite lacking their own political cohesion. Warring To-Shinese factions only unified as part of the accord annexing the islands into the new Oriental Empire. Efforts to incorporate strong commonalities with the Jade Tongues had a reverse effect, driving the people of To-Shin to celebrate their cultural differences even more intensely. Though Mainlanders see just another exotic language with a syllabic alphabet, many people from the Orient regard the To-Shinese language as a clear indication that the rebel province will never be completely integrated into any larger Imperial regime.
∉ Tuathish/Sylvan Though this is the language of everyday conversation for the people of Danu, Tuathish is also the tongue of fey beings from many planes of existence. Centaurs, nymphs, pixies, satyrs, sprites, and treants are among the many woodland creatures who know this language as Sylvan. To the ear it sounds similar to the Forester languages. Yet Tuathish is incomprehensible to speakers and readers who are not specifically schooled in it, and this schooling provides no ability to understand the Forester languages. Some of the world's most colorful turns of phrase began as Tuathish expressions before finding their way into the plays and poems of other cultures.
∉ Typhonian This language lurked behind a shroud of secrecy and misinformation for centuries. With a striking similarity to Iskreshi spoken in reverse, this cryptic tongue is a little disturbing whether whispered in a quiet corner or bellowed across a battlefield. Warlocks and other occult experts sometimes write in Typhonian since its obscurity and ominous intonations match well with their work. Legal suppression is rare because governments dare not run short on translators and investigators with this knowledge. Modern security services make a point to train at least a few operatives in Typhonian to deal with any conspiracy orchestrated by actual Typhonians.
∉ Xe-Shanese This language sometimes unnerves those who are unfamiliar with its sound or appearance. The application of nuance through heavy grumbles, short chirps, and eerie whistles seems distinctly alien. Also, the Xe-Shanese alphabet of basic geometric shapes bears some resemblance to the content of notebooks written by Inscrutible Observers, though this form of writing is much simpler. Tourists in Xe-Shan sometimes confuse signage with pure decoration. Grand masters of a martial art or spellcasting technique may pen their works in Xe-Shanese because the absence of other cultural influences avoids lexical ambiguities.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Languages ↑ → Homelands ← ↓ Albion ↓
Homelands
Metropolises Twenty of the twenty-five major human homelands feature multiple huge urban centers developed through a virtuous cycle of infrastructure spending, agricultural development, and persistently robust commerce. Aqueducts and sewers wash away the stink and disease that would otherwise blight these dense urban sprawls. Professional constables keep watchful eyes on crowded markets and public squares. Fire captains have the resources to contain and extinguish dangerous blazes. Clergy and guards respond quickly to the worst contagions.
Taken together, these measures make it possible for millions of people to coexist in a single metropolis. Paved roads smooth the constant flow of food toward hungry masses. Thousands of functioning institutions within mutual walking distance generate tremendous cultural and economic opportunities. Some guilds expand to dominate entire neighbhorhoods. Churches, theaters, and stadiums are built for enormous crowds. Colleges and universities find no shortage of able students. When managed properly, metropolitan centers become artistic wonderlands that enrich the economy of entire regions. When managed badly, they become incubators for corruption, plague, and civil unrest. |
At the present time, there are twenty-five human ethnic groups that exceed one million individuals and constitute the majority population of a well-defined homeland. Some of these realms are sovereign nations. Others are politically divided. Most are only a part of some much larger empire. Yet each features a distinctive culture shaped by its own history and circumstances. Knowing where someone hails from might reveal what sort of music they find most comforting or what sort of equipment they would expect a soldier to carry. It probably also indicates a native tongue, thereby suggesting other languages that person is likely to understand.
Immigrants often carry their old traditions with them into a new homeland. Yet second generation immigrants almost always learn the local language. Most societies encourage cultural assimilation. Universities and colleges often place a premium on foreign faculty, seeking diversity in both academic curricula and artistic influences. While heritage cannot be revised, ethnic identity is often defined by an individual's attitudes and lifestyle. Many people spend their entire lives conforming to the standards of a single locale. Others adopt new homes at crucial junctures in their careers. Then there are self-styled “citizens of the world” who claim no particular political or ethnic identity.
♪ Arts & Entertainments Each homeland finds amusement in forms shaped by local traditions. Music, clothes, and cuisine may all seem distinctively foreign after being exported far from their place of origin. Cultural preferences often reflect the values of an ethnic group. Historic tragedies and triumphs echo in popular storytelling. Where a people are divided into many nations, artistic traditions serve as a unifying force. Where a people are one among several ruled by a great empire, artistic traditions preserve unique ethnic identities. The most metropolitan areas see exotic influences fusing with the local mainstream. Though favored forms of self-expression vary widely from one homeland to another, every major ethnic group has made important original contributions to the art of the world.
✠ Belief & Worship Each member of the Fivesquare Pantheon enjoys strong support among five human ethnicities. This divine plan to promote religious stability gives rise to twenty-five distinct bodies of religious tradition. Global sects sometimes adapt sermons to harmonize with local folklore. Divine Villains clash with other gods to weave the narratives of popular gospels. Mainstream groups and countercultures alike illustrate moral lessons through religious parables. Within each homeland, five specific deities are featured prominently in these narratives. There each is worshiped by persistent and influential congregations ranging from spectacularly famous cathedrals to profoundly obscure secret societies.
† Castles & Combat With its own rich history, each of humanity's major homelands inspires distinctive fighting styles. From acrobatic martial arts to heavy cavalry tactics, every ethnic group has found distinctive ways to effect violent action. Different societies will idealize warriors of particular demeanor as well as equipment and technique. Cultural combat styles may also manifest defensively. Each homeland faces a unique situation in terms of standing armies, fortifications, law enforcement, internal conflicts, external conflicts, etc. While most humans live their whole lives untouched by war, others find the sight of a bloody battlefield all too familiar. Even people who have never visited a warzone may still have lost loved ones, encountered traumatized veterans, and struggled with related trade disruptions.
Points of Interest Each major homeland features hundreds if not thousands of inhabited communities. Likewise, each harbors an array of historically significant locations or otherwise remarkable sites. Overviews are provided for several of the most noteworthy locales in each of these territories. These points of interest are marked as follows.
⊛ Capital – sovereign nation's seat of power
⦿ Metropolis – over one million inhabitants
⦾ Major City – 100,000 to one million inhabitants
⨀ Minor City or Town – under 100,000 inhabitants
⨹ Inhabited Site – home to small towns and villages
⨺ Uninhabited Site – no permanent settlements |
§ Decrees & Customs The Great Consolidation sees most of humanity gathered under governments enforcing regulations and criminal penalties consistently across vast territories. Modern regimes tend to operate through elaborate bodies of law. Nuanced legislative debates produce carefully crafted statutes. Even when a head of state issues a simple edict, lesser officials will contribute clarifying language as they rule on particular cases or take specific actions to advance the new policy. Custom also determines much of what is or is not acceptable in a society. In one land it might be rude to cease work for an afternoon nap, whereas disturbing such a nap in another land would give deep offense. Varying notions of what constitutes good manners sometimes cause uninformed travellers to generate unexpected conflict.
Ⓢ Economy & Trade No two homelands contain the same mix of resources. When filtered through factors like infrastructure development, borrowing opportunities, education levels, and relationships with other homelands; each place finds itself in unique economic circumstances. Calm seas and modern methods of navigation link all the world's great port cities. Paved and patrolled roads likewise bring commerce to most landlocked urban centers. A typical homeland produces several notable exports exceptional in either quality or quantity relative to whatever trading partners are able to produce on their own. Centers of industry often import huge quantities of raw materials while sending out smaller shipments of valuable goods. Diplomats and merchants make it their business to stabilize relationships wherever profitable.
⨳ Foes & Perils Danger is never far away for those who seek it out. Most homelands face some sort of problem with renegades. Even lands secure against marauders and rebels still struggle with their worst outlaws. Deadly monsters may be on the prowl in wildlands. Ancient ruins and unexplored caverns seem to be abundant in every human homeland. Such sites often harbor creatures of immense power. In urban quarters, underworld organizations sometimes perpetrate criminal conspiracies. Mysterious disappearances befall unfortunate witnesses. Monstrous incursions sometimes erupt from Labyrinth, the Scarlands, or the sea. Every thriving human society has ample need for adventurers eager and able to confront grave danger. While many are lost, some become great heroes through successive victories fighting to keep a realm safe for ordinary people.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Homelands ↑ → Albion ← ↓ Carmatia ↓
Demonym: Albionians Language: Albionish
Homeland: Albion First City: Galford
Politics: many feudal Sylvanian kingdoms
Elites: fighters, wizards, rogues, bards, druids
Endowments: intelligence and constitution
Complexion: fair to palid
Hair: blonde to dark brown
Eyes: blue, brown, or green
Influential Deities: Dagda, Mannanan Mac Lir, Silvanus, Dionysus, Hades
Borders: Carmatia, Danu, Galloria, Sivales
Popular Instruments: drum, lute, lyre, shawm
Traditional Weapons: morningstar, longsword, lance, longbow
Female Names: Alice, Elizabeth, Eve, Grace, Jane, Jenny, Layla, Margaret, Nicola, Poppy, Rose, Sadie, Susan, Valerie
Male Names: Andrew, Arthur, Charles, Felix, George, Henry, John, Laurence, Paul, Nigel, Ringo, Rupert, Steven, William
|
Albion Bounded on the north by the Thousand Mile Wall, Albion is a constellation of great urban stars amidst a backdrop of gentle hills and parklike forests. This region includes assorted scenic isles off Mainland's west coast as well as the kingdom of Avalon on the island of Danu. Many travellers form their first impression of Albion sailing near the white chalk cliffs that dominate some remarkable stretches of coastline here. Governed by a patchwork of kingdoms and principalities, every regime in Albion supports the Sylvanian Confedaration. Each remains sovereign, but conflicts between neighboring realms rarely escalate beyond the level of a jousting tournament or a trade embargo.
Elven and human populations mingle freely in this peaceful place. Even before their beliefs became known as the Old Faith, this realm was home to many important circles of druids. In modern times, the Albion is also known for quality smiths, metallurgists, and artificers. Mines across this region yield unremarkable ores, but finished goods are often exquisitely crafted and/or forged of speciality alloys. Metropolitan areas support labor-intensive enterprises that combine the productivity of huge work crews with the exactitude of master artisans. Promoting trade guilds and credible financial institutions enables the aristocracy to live lavishly on the spoils of broad prosperity.
Kings and queens of Albion often seek glory and power through wealth. Yet this affluence makes Albion's coastal realms prime targets for Norish marauders. In turn, this justifies the maintenance of large standing armies by these kingdoms. Strategic posturing with forces camped along borders is normally considered an honorable way to apply pressure during negotiations. Yet it is seen as a failure of leadership whenever violence spirals beyond small rulebound clashes agreed upon by both sides. Albionians are famed for their unflappable nature. Stoic attitudes and an innate ruggedness drive them to be well-mannered even under the most adverse circumstances. Their humor is widely regarded as subtle and intellectual. From the wealthiest kings to struggling street urchins, almost all Albionians place a premium on protocol.
The Imperium Arcanum Dragons powerful enough to employ elven archivists were also powerful enough to casually devour a lone wizard. Even the most ingenious of these early fey were regarded as chattel by dragonkind. Simply discussing any method of fighting back required secrecy. “The Whispered Tongue” is how Ancient Elven was known among its progenitors. Their hidden meeting places developed into stockpiles of arcane lore and rare components. Teams of archmagi continued to serve their tyrants as humble librarians while covertly convening to practice battle tactics. What started out as a secret society intent on discussing the idea of killing a dragon exploded into a global regime dedicated to the genocide of dragonkind.
Roughly 50,000 years ago, an intrepid cell of these conspirators was discovered by their territory's presiding dragon. The ancient wyrm believed himself invincible. A well-practiced barrage from these wizards proved otherwise. Participants in this slaying unlocked profound insights about the nature of magic. One among them argued that the only way to survive was to aggressively build upon this success. Lone dragons continued to fall in efforts to eliminate the first real scourge their kind had ever known. Even when alliances formed, organizing efforts were stymied by draconic arrogance. Meanwhile elvenkind rallied behind their most formidable spellcasters. These Archfey would preside over the world's first true empire.
Millions of people were liberated from service to dragons. The blood of slain wyrms poured into rituals that energized global currents of fey magic. Stone structures regulated the geometry of these ley lines on land. Towering bastions of magical glass offered shelter from the wrath of dragonkind. Ubiquitous illusions and enchantments enabled non-fey subjects to experience a false bliss while subsisting on minimal resources in cramped quarters. This embattled magocracy endeavored to rid the world of dragons for tens of thousands of years. The Imperium Arcanum unravelled only after a controversial initiative to create benevolent dragons gave rise to mutually hostile light and dark factions.
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♪ Arts & Entertainments The earliest Albionians peacefully coexisted with remnants of the Imperium Arcanum. Even after elven archmagi were no longer numerous enough to sustain Archfey enchantments, these humans inhabited and preserved many ancient structures. Albionish fashion, literature, and music all reflect elven traditions. Some kingdoms emphasize this heritage while others favor modern styles and turns of phrase. Though urban fortifications loom in dull gray stone, Albionish office buildings and apartment towers take the shape of graceful shards clad in glass or hide. Ptah is not widely worshiped in Albion, but some of the world's foremost Reverend Architects ply their trade here.
Albionish instruments are often quiet, with smooth gentle tones emerging from their strings or reeds. Quartets are popular in both instrumental and vocal permutations. Yet their most esteemed performers are dedicated to drama or comedy. Recent generations of Albionish playwrights have produced masterpieces based on extensive refinements of Thracian theatrical forms. Modern Albionish playhouses promote a sense of community. Common folk crowd together on the floor while aristocrats lounge on luxurious balconies, but class boundaries are freely transgressed in subsequent discussion of noteworthy productions enjoyed by all.
✠ Belief & Worship Popular Albionish scriptures praise the God of Limitless Might for laboring to provide all the world's bounty. The God of Verdant Wilderness and the God of Briny Depths are important lieutenants managing the yields of Albionish lands and seas. The God of Drunken Revelry appears alternately foil or friend, tempting other gods to shirk their duties yet celebrating heartily at their victories. Even the God of Tranquil Death is a respectable figure. His role as divine villain softens through the lesson that burying what is old makes way for what is new to grow. Both Elegant Morticians and Concierge Cleaners the world over tend to favor formal business attire in the Albionish style.
The Old Faith has always been strong among the Albionians. Large and numerous Standing Stone sites, including Glowhenge itself, adorn the land here. Even conventional clerics rarely have a harsh word for druids here. Yet the larger cities of Albion are devoted to modern religion, often raising great cathedrals. Religious tolerance is the norm here. Foreign traditions may be safely practiced so long as they are holy. Witchcraft is another matter. Many Albionish kingdoms provide funding for witch hunters authorized to investigate and punish anyone alleged to participate in an unholy pact. The “white” magic of the fey is sometimes trusted by commoners, but authorities are rarely so open-minded. Popular opinion is overwhelmingly hostile toward bargains with infernal or alien beings. The few actual covens active in this realm form a secretive network that is the backbone of a broad criminal subculture.
† Castles & Combat There is no higher authority in Albion than a king or a queen. Some rule no more than a humble capital and surrounding land enough to feed that city. Others control mighty kingdoms supporting multiple metropolises. Though a few regimes feature parliaments where representatives of the common people voice grievances, monarchs here typically deal only with lesser nobles. In turn, those minor aristocrats handle the work of local governance, tax collection, military security, etc. Even an obscure baron is likely to own a fortified tower or keep for emergencies. More important nobles maintain multiple castles overseeing vast tracts of productive land. Urban centers see banking houses and aristocratic estates secured by cunning blends of metal with magic. Albionish constables are famously professional and well-organized.
The Thousand Mile Wall The Truscan Golden Age is widely considered to have begun when this barrier was completed. Today it constitutes the border between Albion and Carmatia. Originally it was thought to mark the northernmost reach of civilization. Consistent trickery by the Darresteggers and the Norish convinced Truscan conquerors that only frigid wastes with insignificant resources could be found farther north. The Carmatians' barbaric ancestors reinforced this idea while creating a need to shelter peaceful communities just south of the wall.
Today the minor nobles occupying the wall's many fortresses are collectively known as the Granite Viscounts. They prosper by taxing trade that flows through their fortified strongholds. This wealth is essential to equipping and maintaining garrisons sufficient to stop raiding parties and prevent remote stretches of the wall from being exploited as quarries. While the typical Albionish noble occasionally sallies forth to complete the routing of a Norish raiding party, the Granite Viscounts are routinely tested in brutal battles against Carmatian clans. Yet they also embrace aspects of Carmatian culture. Their tables rarely lack abundant whiskey, and feats of strength are a favored form of entertainment in their militant fiefs. |
Monarchs here maintain large well-equipped armies both to keep their rivals in check and thwart coastal raids. Neighbors often answer distress calls in the hope that military solidarity will finally put an end to Norish incursions. Major conflicts here are normally resolved through an elaborate protocol of negotiations and jousting tournaments. Yet these exhibitions only showcase the skills of the elite commanders. Diplomatic protocols drive gradual escalations, to the point that international battles are often limited clashes between comparable assets in an open field on a clear day. Vanquished and victor may share medical resources and dine together while a treaty is drafted reflecting terms more favorable to the triumphant faction.
An armored lancer is the ideal combatant in this land. Knighthoods are often bestowed on warriors contributing to great victories in battle or at tourneys. Some follow a code that sees them dismounting or even discarding weapons to avoid claiming a victory through unfair advantage. For Albionians unable to afford a warhorse and armor, archery remains a popular fighting style. Common folk are not encouraged to own other military weapons, but longbows are ubiquitous in this culture. Many counties hold regular archery exhibitions. Albionish marksmen may be the finest in the world. As with jousting, archery competitions here draw talent from distant lands, and huge crowds form at major events. Even a small Albionish village should be able to muster a few squads of competent archers for its own defense.
Most of Albion's monarchs also field mighty navies. Forces conceived to escort merchant vessels have been hardened by countless clashes with Norish raiders. Now the sailors of Albion command some of the finest warships afloat. Stout hulls carry well-disciplined crews trained as armed combatants. Ships from rival kingdoms easily collaborate given similar traditions and a common foe. Even the merchant ships of Albion typically boast respectable fighting capabilities. In distant parts of the world, Albionish sailors may act as mercenaries or even engage in piracy. In native waters they aggressively hunt Norish raiders while giving no quarter to pirates.
§ Decrees & Customs Recent centuries have seen Albionish lords exerting dominion over wild lands. Areas rich with game and timber are often monopolized or only made available to those willing to purchase expensive licenses. Poaching is a serious crime in some kingdoms. Official power is exercised by wardens or sheriffs out in the open, while educated constables keep the peace in urban areas. Hostile druids and fey are quick to prevent anything beyond light foraging in the wildest parts of this land. Many villages favor the Old Faith over modern religions, and rural folks often follow ancient practices meant to honor indigenous fey.
“Nobles can tell us what is illegal. Priests can tell us what is unholy. No one can tell us what to believe.”
— Margaret, Duchess of East Sangovia |
Albion is not known for advanced gadgetry, but the region boasts highly effective criminal investigators utilizing technology and magic to support uniformed peace officers patrolling the streets. Fairness and formality are both seen as important virtues by the people of Albion. Lawbreakers are punished, but even jailers and executioners go about their work in a respectful manner. Nearly all cityfolk here take an afternoon break to enjoy a hot beverage with a small snack. As with other forms of protocol, it is considered rude to interrupt this respite with work demands, yet it is also thought proper to perform diligently outside these refreshing interludes. Guilds, armies, schools, and religious institutions all keep copious records to better organize the activities of large numbers of people.
Ⓢ Economy & Trade A few of the richest living individuals are Albionish monarchs. The best farmlands here are merely average, and the yields from local mines tend to be ordinary. Yet these basic resources are paired with extraordinary industry. Albion's most prosperous cities are home to enormous artisan's guilds. A web of elaborate relationships connects banks, nobles, and courts of law. Guilds here often finance expansion or modernization with debt. Though this increases productivity, it also entitles creditors to much of the increased profit. These arrangements sustain a substantial middle class of skilled workers even as they enable elites to turn personal treasuries into working capital.
Druids The origin of the Old Faith is uncertain. It could be older than the written word. With so much intrinsic magical power, ancient dragons were not sensitive to the ordinary life energy channeled by druids. The earliest accounts of druids can be found among Imperium Arcanum tomes dismissive of “medicine men” performing minor miracles in service to isolated human tribes.
Some of these rare magical humans were encouraged to act as caretakers at remote Standing Stones. While revering the megaliths as conduits for arcane energy, astute observers were able to incorporate fey secrets into their animistic traditions. By the Age of Heroes, druids were organized in a vast secret society monopolizing its own distinctive form of spellcasting. They remained largely aloof from the political and moral struggles of that era.
The same cannot be said for their modern counterparts. All druids favor nature over artifice, but philosophies vary greatly among individuals. Some cling to the oldest traditions – remaining quietly neutral while living apart from civilization. Many more are intensely polarizing figures. Some are committed to sustaining a healthy blend of wilderness with settlement. Others endeavor to prevent any economic development of their chosen territory. Powerful druids often coordinate with a circle of like-minded peers, sharing knowledge and providing support for allies in need. |
Managing these urban engines of prosperity is always a challenge. The happiest realms see rural folk enjoying minimal taxation, permissive hunting privileges, and good-paying jobs building infrastructure. Yet some Albionish kingdoms see widespread discontent among rural folk burdened with heavy taxes while working modest farms. The worst banking practices convert free landowners into tenant farmers, forever bound to massive debts. Wherever the law supports these practices, swashbuckling bandits may enjoy brief careers as local heroes while robbing bankers and aristocrats. Yet even struggling parts of Albion see urban populations churning out enough tools, small arms, glassware, and textiles to support robust export of finished merchandise.
⨳ Foes & Perils The druids of Albion often take bold moral stances, some allying with kings and heroes while others violently attack strangers entering specific tracts of remote wilderness. Witches and warlocks may practice their dark arts in such primeval places or right in the heart of a major city. The lycanthropes of Albion tend toward discretion, but outbreaks can spread quickly. Borders between kingdoms sometimes provide havens for bandits and organized poachers. Though pirates can also be found in the seas of Albion, Norish raiders are the greater menace, looting coastal communities in seasonal swarms.
Albion is thought to harbor few dragons, with most of those slumbering at any given time. Yet particularly ancient and powerful wyrms lurk among this small population. Dark fey beings, ancient fey creations, and more recent arcane constructs are more often sources of threat. Some Albionish aristocrats maintain eclectic menageries as symbols of wealth and power, so it is not uncommon to find exotic beasts prowling the halls of a fallen stronghold. Also, rumors tell of seemingly desolate islands that conceal large forces of Grim Gallants quietly accumulating both in skill and number.
POINTS OF INTEREST
⊛ Galford was originally the Arcanum Imperium citadel
Gæl Fwy'ord. This great city has been rebuilt from ashes no less than seven times in recorded history. Strategically overlooking the mouth of the River Sterling, Galford became a major commercial hub as the Albionish people developed their own ethnic identity. With esteemed mints, major banking houses, and the headquarters of several global shipping lines; few cities boast a financial sector on the same scale as Galford. Yet it is also a study in economic contrasts. Debtors' prisons and indentured servitude sometimes lead to a sort of quasi-legal slavery for the poorest residents here in the Kingdom of West Sangovia's glittering capital.
Standing Stones Bringing an end to the Age of Dragons required extreme measures. Secret societies of elven archmagi devised a network of ley lines to coordinate efforts at reinforcing embattled comrades. Through arcane rituals, they poured the blood of their ancient enemies right into this network. The energy unleashed drove great megaliths to erupt from the ground. Mostly intact today, each monument visibly confirms a local convergence of these unseen lines of force.
Glowhenge literally shines with power derived from the Archfey themselves. The ritual sacrifice of captive dragons here was already routine when the first Wyrmplague spell was cast. The following centuries saw these stones constantly bathed in fresh dragon's blood. As the hub of a network containing all that energy, Glowhenge is as much a magical construct as a physical structure. Anyone approaching the site today is likely to experience unpredictable and dangerous effects. Those who linger within the innermost ring are sure to emerge forever transformed by the experience . . . if they emerge at all.
Thousands of lesser formations of Standing Stones around the world serve as teleportation circles and reference points for arcane methods of navigation. Visitors often feel a sense of anticipation. Some fear that a band of powerful foreigners might spontaneously appear without warning. Also strongly connected to the magic of druids and rangers, Standing Stones in some realms have been vandalized or even buried by modern congregations hostile to the Old Faith. |
⊛ Tintagel is the picturesque capital of Avalon, the lone Albionish kingdom on the enchanted island of Danu. From here the Knights of the Unbroken Circle, each a legendary general battle-tested against monstrous armies, coordinate their defense of the realm. Supported by druids, wizards, and clerics; these seasoned commanders secure ample territory for many growing towns and countless farms. Some say there is no higher military honor in the world than to be admitted to that military order. Despite excellent security, Avalon is still overrun with minor fey. No visitor would deny that it is a downright magical place.
⦾⦾ Axon & Undis have barely ninety miles between them, but they are the only two institutes of arcane studies that have been in continuous operation since before the Imperium Arcanum abandoned its fey monopoly on arcane spellcasting. Today each carries on as a large university offering instruction in a wide range of sciences right alongside the classics. History, theology, and spellcraft remain the most popular subjects of study and research. Both centers of learning are home to entire galleries of ancient fey artifacts, and the practice of archaeology was pioneered on the ruins buried beneath these prestigious institutions.
⨀ Elgarond, with a population exceeding
50,000, is known as the world's largest high elf stronghold. Sheltered by towering woodlands as well as mighty archmagi, the city itself is practically invisible from beyond the range of archers patrolling the walls. Within, it is a serene community where wealth is abundant and greed is rare. Self-sufficient and wary of outsiders, the elves of Elgarond maintain archives of ancient lore surrounded by schools devoted to modern magical studies. Though known for large families, the city does not grow so much as send wave after wave of young elves out into the world in search of experiences beyond what this sedate and unrelentingly pale society can provide. It is a place wild young fey are keen to leave behind, though elders in their twilight sometimes retire here.
⨺ Glowhenge marks the most energetic convergence in the global network of ley lines. Some see it as a holy site. Others regard it as an arcane mystery, perhaps even older than the network itself. The reverent and the curious brave bursts of wild magic to walk within these concentric megalithic rings shrouded in fluctuating purple light. A common direction finding technique always points toward this location. Just over the horizon from the Duke of Irkannen's stronghold, the site is presently secure against vandals. Yet legends tell of these Standing Stones spontaneously recovering from partial destruction, as if their very forms and positions were dictated by the will of magic itself.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Albion ↑ → Carmatia ← ↓ Celedine ↓
Demonym: Carmatians Language: Carmatian
Homeland: Carmatia First City: Ayrdee (disputed)
Politics: small Sylvanian clans in constant turmoil
Elites: barbarians, fighters, rogues, bards, warlocks
Endowments: strength and constitution
Complexion: fair to palid
Hair: light to dark brown
Eyes: blue or brown
Influential Deities: Dagda, Oghma, Silvanus, Hel, Loki
Borders: Albion, Fitchland, The Scarlands
Popular Instruments: bagpipes, drum, dulcimer, lyre
Traditional Weapons: longsword, greatsword, glaive, maul
Female Names: Ashley, Bonnie, Caroline, Dallas, Iona, Kenzie, Lara, May, Nell, Rhonda, Saundra, Sheena, Tyra, Wendy
Male Names: Bart, Bruce, Connor, Douglas, Duncan, Fergus, Kirk, Lorne, Malcolm, Peyton, Roy, Scott, Tavish, Wallace
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Carmatia The rugged highlands just north of the Thousand Mile Wall are mostly uncivilized. Yet the past millennium has seen dozens of barbarian tribes settle into pockets of security among the craggy hills of Carmatia. Clans each distinguished by a signature plaid pattern now spend more time waging war with their neighbors than fending off humanoid hordes. Much of the violence seems a function of tradition rather than ambition, since conquests are usually short-lived. The terrain and the people are both resistant to any outcome other than loyalty to local leaders based on family bonds.
Yet all this fighting has given rise to some of the most ferocious warriors of modern times. Even when equipped with nothing but a massive sword and relentless aggression, a Carmatian's battle cry tends to inspire great fear. Boisterous in peace as they are bloodthirsty in battle, Carmatian warriors can be found in mercenary groups all over the world. Between the treacherous terrain and the constant skirmishing, this area is also heavy with bandits and other outlaws.
Even so, the more stable clans boast of truly great achievements. Their most refined strongholds are each home to a significant bardic college, and their distilleries produce the most esteemed spirits in the modern world. Delicate clockwork is out of fashion, but local tinkers have been known to experiment with machinery powered by steam. The region is also a hub of activity for masons and architects – enormous quarries service constant demand for building or rebuilding fortifications. Yet most clans maintain small holds, and the largest Carmatian cities are not especially metropolitan. A few clans have established prosperous trade relations with one or more kingdoms of Albion, though rival clans sometimes attack this shipping or even send war parties on raids south of the Wall.
Bardic Colleges Major human cities often feature an institute devoted to musical education. Makers of quality instruments may find their skills valued at such colleges. Aged travellers and eclectic libraries impart both lore and creative inspiration. Because bards play a vital role in spreading news of recent events, bardic colleges are ideal places to gather news from distant lands. Foreign bards are welcome not only for sharing such tales, but also exhibiting their own musical techniques.
In many lands, bardic colleges are dwarfed by nearby universities supporting advanced arcane studies. Yet some are hubs of wizardry. Where other academic institutions do not thrive, bardic colleges are likely to maintain the best libraries and storehouses of arcane supplies. Everywhere they serve as conservators of cultural traditions. To be certified by a particular college, each bard must deliver a verbatim performance of several epic sagas. Gospel narratives, political histories, and local folk tales are all fit subjects for these epics. Such musical canons also establish foundations of rhythms, scales, and harmonic progressions such that bards of the same college find it easy to collaborate. |
♪ Arts & Entertainments Many societies enjoy athletic competitions, but the Carmatians take feats of strength and stamina to extremes. Hurling massive objects, tugging laden sledges, and purposefully tumbling down treacherous hillsides are all considered good sport among these people. Outsiders jest that the one thing more frightening than their athleticism is their music. Carmatian bagpipes often sound piercingly loud. Much popular music here is purely vocal. From anthems to laments to lullabies, almost every traditional Carmatian piece may also be performed as a raucous sing-along.
The most prosperous clans have spent centuries seeking greater refinement. This has given rise to a sophisticated art in which plucked string ensembles perform
harpestries – intricate compositions making extensive use of counterpoint. More than a few Carmatian leaders seek to prove their greatness by bankrolling a respectable bardic college. Yet sculptures and other works of art rarely weather many generations of the region's abundant violence. Only an abiding cultural respect for the beauty of a finely crafted spirit preserves the most precious institutions of this land – distilleries. Locals insist that no one can doubt the making of spirits is an art after sipping well-aged Carmatian whiskey.
✠ Belief & Worship The clans of Carmatia initially relied on druids and witches for magical support, as was the way of their tribal ancestors. The spread of modern religion has driven many indigenous leaders to cast out the Old Faith along with unholy spellcasters. Even small Carmatian towns often raise large churches, in part because those structures are left untouched during attacks from rival clans. Priests now enjoy positions of prestige, although most clans villainize one or more of the five deities commonly revered in Carmatia.
Infinite in the measure Carmatians value most, the God of Limitless Might is worshiped as the supreme being. His inexorable will is often challenged yet never thwarted by the God of Endless Disguises and the Goddess of Cursed Afflictions. Dagda often looks to his allies, the God of Verdant Wilderness and the God of Accumulated Lore, for the understanding needed to overcome opposition. Even the most nuanced Carmatian parable tends to resolve with a variation on the theme of “might makes right.” Ultimately, greater strength saves the day, and sinister schemers must withdraw into the hills.
Despite this consistency, Loki and Hel both enjoy an active following here. The former serves as the patron deity of bandits, though he is openly worshiped by the most aggressive among the settled clans. Witches and warlocks, reclusive yet abundant in the gloomier reaches of Carmatia, often support isolated temples devoted to Hel. While small Standing Stones are common here, well-attended Old Faith observances are not. So much of these windswept highlands is not lively enough to have need of magical protection. Neither druids nor witches are treated as criminals in Carmatian communities, but both are often condemned from popular pulpits.
Stone Construction Durable and fire resistant, stone buildings have sheltered humans from danger as far back as the Age of Dragons. Modern construction techniques involve precise stonecutting along with mortar to bind blocks together. Where available, granite is often the material of choice for stone construction. Abundant and rugged, the dull gray mineral is the primary constituent of countless fortresses and city walls. Skilled masons tend to make a good living wherever populations or wars are on the rise.
Modern architects can design graceful arching structures that provide considerable support at modest material cost. However, there are limits to what non-magical stone can support. For towers taller than 100′, lower levels cannot feature much open space while properly supporting the upper levels. The grandest structures, like the Great Pyramids of Serpia, are almost entirely stone with relatively small chambers of interior space. Where convenient, ruins both recent and ancient are quarried in support of new construction. |
† Castles & Combat When the Truscan Empire originally advanced toward this region, the indigenous barbarians had so little of value that the Thousand Mile Wall was constructed to protect what was thought to be the northernmost worthwhile conquest. The wall still stands, but today it shields the wealthy kingdoms of Albion from being raided by aggressive Carmatian clans. These clans feud constantly with their neighbors, so internal warfare perpetually rages across this rugged territory. Local warriors favor light armor and heavy weapons, always keeping a throwing axe or two handy for those moments when a foe cannot yet be reached. Not only are weapons unregulated here, but all adult males are expected to take up arms in defense of their community when called upon to do so. In Carmatian society, a man who does not long for glorious battle is thought to be of unsound mind.
Construction is a vital part of the Carmatian economy. Many fortifications are in a constant state of repair, periodically damaged by aggressive assaults. Local tinkers have accumulated unique knowledge of steam power, though frequent boiler explosions make self-annihilating siege engines the only useful application of this technology. Proper Carmatian cities only thrive in those rare places where stout walls remain unbreached for generations. Elsewhere embattled populations often huddle into modest keeps, unable to prevent the pillaging of surrounding farms and shops. Warfare is so ubiquitous that virtually every Carmatian adult can name friends and family members fallen in battle.
§ Decrees & Customs This culture remains in flux between tribalism and a more civilized set of norms. Personal conflicts quickly spiral into family feuds. Duelling is encouraged to contain disputes before this takes place. Nonetheless, the honor of each family and the clan it supports will bear no insult. Custom requires any Carmatian sporting weaponry to display the distinctive plaid pattern of their clan, a display that sometimes limits options for travel and social interaction. Foreigners may do well here as traders or bards, since Carmatian lairds are eager for commerce and art, yet many mistreat visitors from rival clans.
With so little unity, much of Carmatian law is an informal matter of local edicts and adherence to tradition. However, the production of spirits here is both science and art, governed by strict codes of purity. Distilleries are among the few significant profit centers in this war-torn region. Whiskey that might fetch a handsome price in a distant market is casually quaffed by ordinary Carmatians looking to lighten their mood. Carmatians are every bit as passionate in their carousing as they are in their battles and their labors. Adults often see sobriety and chastity as character flaws rather than virtues.
Bandits From dragons and giants to undead blights and goblin hordes, the nations of the world face no shortage of deadly monsters. Yet the single greatest killer of human beings is other human beings. War and its aftermath are at the heart of this reality, but violent thieves make their own contribution to the body count. Far from well-policed roads and cities, bandits tend to be a pervasive threat. Be it the most hated outlaw in the land or a popular noble freshly stripped of title and wealth, people who feel they have nothing left to lose may try to make a way of life out of robbing isolated homes and ambushing unwary travellers.
Bandits are rare and short-lived in lands where law enforcement is organized and well-resourced. War zones often see forces too focused on conflict to provide security for civilians. Faltering governments spend less to patrol and maintain major roads. Invading soldiers may seek funds by demanding protection money from travellers in occupied territory. Where all governments are local, bandits have an easier time to fleeing trackers and finding hideouts. Generally unable to cooperate in efforts to secure their shared homeland, feuding Carmatian clans suffer mightily from a proliferation of bandits. |
Ⓢ Economy & Trade Barter remains an important element of the Carmatian economy. Locals are often secretive about significant amounts of money. Large business transactions may see whiskey used as a medium of exchange. As with horse theft, there are severe penalties for watering down spirits in any container with original distillery markings. Prosperous farmers find whiskey reserves a sensible way to store the wealth of their best harvests. Itinerant traders travel freely among the clans, accumulating bottles and casks of local whiskey until a shipment is ready to be peddled at some distant urban marketplace. In this way even the smallest village has access to the spices, literature, and coins of distant realms.
Farms and towns face regular tax collection, yet feuds lead to territorial ambiguity, and the threat of violence is pervasive. The distinction between civics and racketeering can be unclear in Carmatia. Prosperity is slow to develop outside bastions held secure across multiple generations. Unsophisticated financial oversight and the absence of large banks leave investors vulnerable to both fraud and volatility. Carmatian trading ships operate independently, owned by their captains. Where clan struggle rages frequently, badlands see crumbling roads prowled by outlaw gangs. Bandits and struggling chiefs sometimes attempt to raid prosperous communities in Albion. Only the smallest incursions slip past garrisons along the Thousand Mile Wall.
⨳ Foes & Perils One need never travel far across Carmatia to reach the nearest active warzone. Often the line between military aggression and banditry is blurry. Anything of great value is a target if left out in the open, rendering the line between ranch hands and constables equally blurry. The best hunting grounds are home to actual boogeymen along with an assortment of aggressive fey. Mining operations in Carmatia are frequently hampered by troglodytes. Monstrous hordes take shape to the east, though they are rarely drawn into this rugged and sparsely populated land. Ghosts and wraiths emerge at night in some of the most scenic parts of Carmatia. Some specialize in luring innocent people toward falling or drowning deaths. Every Carmatian native seems to know a few cautionary tales about haunted places.
“Never draw your blade when you can settle a dispute with the back of your hand.”
— Tavish McDonald, Thane of Lochlohan |
The most unsightly locales are home to reclusive hags, many in league with Plaguemongers or malicious witches. Even more sociable hags and witches are widely despised since they deal in poisons and curses. With large dark elf cities in Labyrinth below Carmatia, powerful underground organizations covertly exploit the humans above. Mysterious shapeshifters have been known to infiltrate smaller communities and abduct human newborns. Dragon sightings are rare here, but the moors are undoubtedly home at least a few savage wyrms. Some scholars of animal science claim isolated populations of aquatic dinosaurs inhabit the deepest Carmatian lakes, but this intriguing theory is not widely respected.
“Too few words is the best shortage.”
— Carmatian proverb |
POINTS OF INTEREST
⊛ Ayrdee is a remarkably peaceful place right at the heart of this perpetually violent realm. Though it is home to little more than
100,000 residents, the city continues to grow thanks to decades of continuously successful defense. Within the walls of Ayrdee, whiskeys savored the world over are prepared by patient experts. Official Sprit Regulator gatherings are conducted at an ancient lodge within this city. The local library is open to the general public, and it rivals any other Sylvanian library in sheer quantity of preserved documents. A mighty and resourceful enclave of Reverend Archivists stands ready to defend this trove and support defenders of the city itself.
Mercenaries A major standing army is a costly burden. The greatest imperial treasuries can sustain such payrolls, but minor lords rarely have the resources to keep a large force on duty in times of peace. Mercenaries fulfill a crucial need, enabling those with enough coin to project power as needed without incurring long term costs. Already trained and equipped if not also battle-tested, mercenaries provide the means to field assets selected specifically for the task at hand. Whether their purpose is to supplement existing armed forces or carry out an independent mission, skillful deployment of mercenaries has turned the tide of many wars.
Potential soldiers may work as farmers, artisans, or builders in time of peace. An economy quickly becomes strained when a significant fraction of these people are no longer producing tax revenue, instead actively draining the treasury. Even law enforcers typically work in numbers just large enough to maintain public support for authorities. Diverting too many constables to military actions leaves urban centers vulnerable to unrest and mayhem. From a minor warlord with a bandit problem to a great general campaigning against a cunning rival, mercenaries are an essential tool of modern warfare. |
⊛ Terwall serves as the headquarters of the Claymore Clans. This unstable alliance of warlords manages to generate income by training and operating many companies of mercenaries. Paying customers will find their pick of hardened regulars, ferocious berserkers, and crafty skirmishers. Potential recruits must buy their place in one of these companies, though valuable training is provided in return. A towering fortress casts its shadow across this sprawling hub of trade in steel and livestock. Yet Terwall is wracked by frequent power struggles within the alliance, and the place lacks either a bardic college or a respectable distillery.
⦾ Converness is Carmatia's primary port, mired in wetlands where three rivers meet the sea. Ruled by the cunning Gobnee clan, harbormasters here dispatch countless vessels departing full of whiskey only to return with luxuries from distant lands. Despite such brisk commerce, rampant fraud foils the rise of great Carmatian shipping lines. Independent traders may sell shares in their own ships, but savvy locals do not invest in grander schemes. Though the largest and most urbane of all Carmatian cities, many in the region regard Converness as a cultural aberration. This is reinforced by the fact that, while of no relation, an entire neighborhood of goblins enjoys the protection of Gobnee authorities.
⨹ Dubh Tuloch is an ominous peak rising up amidst inhospitable moors and barrens. Popular folklore depicts this jagged mountain as the site of dark deeds, but in reality it is an oasis amidst desolation. Vast caverns provide abundant shelter while productive foothills and vales are refreshed with cascades of glacial runoff. Here small human villages and smaller communities of forest gnomes thrive with little outside contact. The area is a hub of support for the Old Faith in a realm where druids are not widely respected.
⨺ Titans' Rest harbors a mysterious collection of ancient statues. Ranging from
50′-70′ in size, dozens of stone warriors armed and armored in ancient Wotanian style tower over and crumble onto this lifeless plateau. A local legend contends that these are the remains of giants petrified during a battle between Odin and Dagda. Archaeologists agree that the statues are more than a few centuries old, but scientific consensus breaks down when venturing into more specific territory. Likewise, seers' attempts to scry the past at this location are consistently unable to view anything in the years surrounding the appearance of these colossal figures in
1,441 A.H.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Carmatia ↑ → Celedine ← ↓ Danu ↓
Demonym: Celedinese Language: Celedinese
Homeland: Celedine First City: Suotien
Politics: heartland provinces of the Oriental Empire
Elites: clerics, paladins, wizards, rogues, monks
Endowments: strength and intelligence
Complexion: tan to fair
Hair: black
Eyes: brown or green with epicanthic folds
Influential Deities: Shang-Ti, Chih Sung-Tzu, Chung Kuel, Lei Kung, Ma Yuan
Borders: Elatolia, Ontolon, Xe-Shan
Popular Instruments: dulcimer, drum, lute, viol
Traditional Weapons: flail, longsword, glaive, heavy crossbow
Female Names: Chen, Fan, Li, Ling, Mei, Ning, Pan, Ren, Song, Sun, Wen, Xu, Yang, Zhou
Male Names: Bo, Chang, Feng, Guang, Hong, Han, Jian, Lei, Ming, Quan, Shen, Wei, Ying, Zhu
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Celedine During the Age of Heroes, the Celedinese were humble swampfolk easily cowed by the mighty Elatolians. Now the politically dominant ethnic group in the Oriental Empire, the Celedinese owe their rise to great engineers. Basic canals and dams provided flood control, opening more land to farming and permanent settlements. Rising prosperity provided funding for more ambitious projects. Cunning integration tied together a sprawling network of canals, dams, and watermills. With a huge population benefitting from all this economic infrastructure, Celedine had little trouble breaking away to become an independent nation in
206 A.H. Their conquest of the entire Orient would soon follow the annointment of a Celedinese emperor.
These people are famed for their planning and organizational skills, yet their warriors are impressively athletic. Quotations from historic Celedinese philosophers or generals are popular with well-educated Mainlanders. Having invented a technique for mass producing inexpensive paper, the Celedinese now rule by way of sprawling bureaucracy. Government positions are ostensibly awarded based on merit, with aptitude tests an integral part of the civil service. Yet ethnic bias sees this group occupying choice positions all across the Oriental Empire.
Currently, the islands of To-shin are in open rebellion, leading to a crisis of confidence in the Celedinese dynasty. Widespread tension and brutal crackdowns on suspected dissenters have become normal across the Oriental Empire today. Cruel police actions and rising taxes are not sustainable, but at present they are thought necessary to preserve the regime. In spite of it all, this huge society is home to impressive academic institutions, refined creative traditions, and thriving artisans' guilds. Foreigners who avoid becoming mixed up in politics tend to regard Celedine as serene and hospitable. On Mainland, almost all the diplomats and explorers hailing from the Orient are members of this this ethnic group.
The Oriental Empire The final centuries of the Age of Heroes saw the collapse of mighty Wotania, rapid expansion of the Iskreshi Sultanate, transfer of the Holy Sylvan Empire to a mortal ruler, and continued tribal warfare among ancestors to the Truscan people. This period also saw much turmoil in the Orient. The Great Consolidation followed a series of events known as the Celedinese Ascendance.
As far back as 1,800 A.H., Elatolian armies maintained absolute control over the largest landmass of the Orient. Waves of armored archers on horseback eliminated any opposition to the Khaan's will. Fifteen centuries passed without any major rebellion. This period is sometimes known as the Elatolian Hegemony, though Mainlander histories may refer to it as the First Oriental Empire. When the Hegemony was at its peak, the Celedinese were a minor ethnic group struggling against floods and plagues. Canals, dams, aqueducts, and sewers dramatically amplified the prosperity and population of Celedine.
After many generations of careful planning, the Celedinese were prepared to thwart aggressive assaults from the Elatolians' Shimmering Horde. The first claim of independence was answered with monstrous violence, but the Celedinese seemed to have endless reinforcements. Elatolian hordes routed on the battlefield were often bribed into changing banners. By 101 A.H., the last significant army to resist Celedinese authority was defeated and disbanded. After adding the To-Shinese archipelago to its territory, the current Oriental Empire would face no resistance greater than bandit gangs and the occasional renegade general until a Mainlander invasion seventeen centuries later. |
♪ Arts & Entertainments Prizing order as a great virtue, the Celedinese take a systematic approach to everything from a family dinner to a public execution. Some see planning and protocol as highest form of artistic expression. Yet their popular literature is downright conventional. Numerous epic Celedinese storybooks have been translated and widely reproduced across Mainland. These harrowing tales of bold heroes caught in the clash of opposed mystical forces feature exotic twists, yet the archetype of the determined adventurer struggling against adversity is universal.
Celedinese music tends toward gentle and soothing styles. One popular form features bowed and plucked strings weaving harmonious patterns together. Pieces that are not purely instrumental often rely on sparse lyrics poetically referencing history or nature. Much of the Oriental Empire is adorned with distinctive Celedinese statues. Several huge stone armies have been constructed simply to remind nearby subjects of the Empire's powerful reach. With abundant jade in their homeland, the Celedinese have a long tradition of carving semiprecious stones into elaborate decorative objects.
✠ Belief & Worship Celedinese folklore is solidly anchored in historical reality. The God of the Immaculate System is known to be the mastermind who orchestrated the Great Consolidation. His strange alliance with the God of Bloody Murder is the subject of countless tales, some plausible. While that divine monstrosity is not popular with cityfolk, the God of Just Trials is widely revered as the epitome of insightfulness. The God of Gentle Rain is more popular in rural areas. His simple blessings form the basis for Celedinese prosperity. Even the God of Ferocious Squalls, while a legendary menace, is only ambiguously a villain. His aggressive malice drives the upkeep of strong defenses – ultimately as ordained by Shang-Ti.
The orderly gathering and channeling of information is facilitated by a proliferation of Shang-Ti's clergy as officers in the Celedinese bureaucracy. Open worship of any member of the Fivesquare Pantheon is accepted here so long as specific acts are not otherwise illegal. The state encourages adherence to a Celedinese cultural tradition, but it is considered the sign of a healthy mind to be curious about foreign religions. The modern Oriental Empire sponsors many missions of cultural outreach and may offer subsidy to holy orders looking to establish their own missions here. Cities here see proliferations of small temples and churches with few or no worshippers beyond resident clergy and workers.
The Old Faith is not prominent in Celedine, and there are few Standing Stones here that were not buried long ago. Surviving facilities are often closely monitored, since easy teleportation is regarded as a security vulnerability. Farmers and fishers consistently turn to modern clergy with their concerns. Unholy magic is another matter entirely. In centuries past, witches and warlocks were feared and persecuted to the extent of gruesome executions. Today the Celedinese have taken to using all sorts of unholy spellcasters as assets in the fight to reclaim the province of To-Shin. Witches and warlocks willing to aid in the struggle may be rewarded with great wealth or even official rank. Some see this as an affront to Shang-Ti's Immaculate System, but others argue that the system cannot be truly immaculate if unholy pacts were never meant to be exploited.
Infrastructure Modern prosperity simply would not be possible without a range of engineering triumphs. Cities above a certain size require abundant flows of fresh water as well as effective drainage. Trade becomes much less costly when goods can be shipped along paved and patrolled roads. Canals and dams minimize flooding while bringing water to otherwise dry regions. During its peak, the Truscan Empire developed excellent infrastructure across most of Mainland. The Celedinese have done likewise while presiding over the Oriental Empire.
Alongside agriculture, infrastructure creates a need for labor in rural areas. Wise rulers harmonize construction projects with lulls in farming activity, keeping citizens fruitfully occupied throughout the year. The strongest modern economies benefit from centuries of constant infrastructure expansion. This literally paves the way for many thousands of farms to sustain each major metropolitan area. Well-fed cities grow and thrive, enriching rural areas through direct commerce as well as funding additional infrastructure development. Modern rulers understand this virtuous cycle. Only the most barbaric forces intentionally destroy dams, bridges, or aqueducts. |
† Castles & Combat Owning slaves is not legal in the Oriental Empire. Yet conscription into the lowest rung of military or government service is a common criminal penalty. Unscrupulous bureaucrats may orchestrate unrest as a prelude to drafting entire villages into the labor pool for some great project. Yet these workers and soldiers are brilliantly organized and to some degree interchangeable. Roads, bridges, walls, and fortresses spring up promptly according to plan. Ample personnel may then be tasked with holding these strong defensive positions. When Celedinese authorities assert territorial control, they quickly become almost impossible to dislodge.
Conscripts work with whatever equipment is assigned to them, but officers in Celedinese armies favor personalized gear. Significant resources go into equipping the fighting men and women who act as overseers in both military and construction operations. War wizards serve among these officers, facilitating a wide range of special tactics. Military rockets are also common here, though they are more useful as signaling devices and firestarters than antipersonnel weapons. Both in civil planning and military command, elites favor colorful equipment that may also be slightly oversized. Inspiring leadership is crucial to exploiting the superior numbers Celedinese forces often bring into battle.
§ Decrees & Customs A popular form of Celedinese papermaking is far less expensive than other methods of producing books and scrolls. Bureaucrats are encouraged to keep extensive records, and some maintain warehouses just for that purpose. Community leaders and institutional supervisors often announce important news by posting large paper banners in high traffic areas. Written examinations are a big part of many career paths. Ostensibly this is to reward merit and ability, though outcomes often favor Celedinese respondents.
A land already made wealthy through cunning now amplifies that with imperialism. Fine clothes and full bellies minimize complaints from the common folk about abuses of official power. Interruptions in the customary flow of things can create backlash here. Visiting Mainlanders would do well to register a purpose with authorities. Both commercial and cultural exchange are encouraged, though armed adventurers roaming about with no official sanction can expect unwanted attention. World travellers sometimes lament the “Celedinese Paradox” – even small breaches of protocol give great offense, yet it is considered impolite to point out such offenses. Outsiders sometimes generate extreme outrage without any overt signs of growing hostility.
Bureaucrats Particularly powerful people often employ magical methods of communication. For everyone else, the written word is the best way to share information with someone far away. Governments, trading houses, holy orders, and various other major organizations produce constant streams of correspondence. Loose notes are compiled into ledgers and logs before being filed away. Such records are preserved by duplication and summarized for the benefit of senior officials. A tremendous amount of this work is performed by bureaucrats. They are essential to the coherence of sprawling organizations.
The Oriental Empire is served by a bureaucracy like none other. Recordkeeping is eased by widespread literacy and inexpensive paper. Census takers constantly update individual records of births, deaths, property transactions, and criminal deeds. Even inhabitants of remote villages are likely to be represented by a file in the Imperial Archives. From owning weapons to operating a small inn, all sorts of ordinary activities require an official license in the Oriental Empire. In most lands, bureaucrats are unappreciated functionaries serving aristocrats. Here it is not unusual for an efficient and effective bureaucrat rising through the ranks of officialdom to become a leader of great stature. |
Ⓢ Economy & Trade Across the Oriental Empire, almost every profitable activity requires a license. Regulations and fees would be downright oppressive save that officials exercise discretion in support of orderly commerce. A harbormaster's goodwill may carry with it exemption from a major tariff. Government agents may drive vendors' carts away from a prime location to make way for specially licensed traders and cooks. Building owners may transgress stringent safety and occupancy laws by subsidizing the inspection service. Doing business in the Orient often requires more paperwork and protocol than on Mainland. Rigorous oversight dramatically reduces levels of fraud, giving consumers more confidence.
Celedine benefits from control of a vast empire. Ontolonese grain and gems often wind up in Celedinese markets. Xe-Shan contributes tremendous amounts of tax revenue. Elatolia sends horses and riders enough to constitute a major branch of the Imperial armed forces. Many generations of accumulated wealth mean that a typical Celedinese family inhabits a spacious apartment or a large country home. Some family businesses have been in continuous operation for more than a thousand years. Shipping is secure and swift along well-developed networks of roads and canals. For those who can navigate the bureaucracy, Celedine is an extremely stable economic environment.
⨳ Foes & Perils The institutions of the Oriental Empire can be slow to change. Corrupt local officials may falsify reports and hold on to power for decades, ruthlessly exploiting a town or minor district. Outsiders may be bombarded with appeals for relief, but capable law enforcers respond whenever authority is challenged. Away from settled areas, the wilds of Celedine offer much to fear. Aggressive nature spirits harass travellers and drive off settlers. Abandoned mines here often accumulate collections of monstrous creatures, some actively luring treasure-seekers to their doom. Unlike their counterparts on Mainland, zombies of the Orient are swift and resilient.
Oriental dragons are also distinctive. With slender serpentine bodies and only vestigial wings, they seem to slither through the air even when moving at high speed. Yet they rarely attack populated areas, aware that the Empire's response will be swift and deadly. Even the gargantua of this hemisphere never sustain a move against a Celedinese city. While most of the population is secure, this means that chance encounters with such terrible creatures will tend to find them hungry and aggressive. Remote temples of Ma Yuan have taken to abductions in search of ritual sacrifices, yet these acts are permitted as part of the plan to prevent disastrous monster attacks on urban centers.
“If you are planning for more than a year, orchestrate a great harvest. If you are planning for more than a generation, orchestrate a quality education. If you are planning for more than a century, orchestrate a vibrant city.”
— Reverend Hieu Idiz, Providential Preachers |
POINTS OF INTEREST
⊛ Suotien is entirely surrounded by a vast and powerful enchantment known as The Heavenly Bubble. It shields the command center of the Oriental Empire from both uninvited visitors and magical scrying. This mirrorlike dome is named for the way its exterior reflects the sky above. That same property causes the interior to function as an overhead map of the sprawl below, placing nearby landmarks in a broader context. Notable structures include the Emperor's Palace, the College of Generals, the Imperial Archive, the Master Cathedral of the Unlying, and the Five Perfect Gardens. Some of the most powerful people in the world move freely among these wonders, informing and refining plans devised to serve to the Empire.
⦿ Kaohai is situated around a deep bay teeming with commercial shipping. Special tax exemptions are easily obtained here. That long-standing practice has turned this port into the primary conduit for trade between Mainland and the Orient. Every serious global shipping line controls floors of office space in the towers of Kaohai and warehouses near its docks. Opportunists from near and far are drawn to the prospect of great riches. Many wind up toiling as stevedores or pressed into service aboard seagoing vessels, though a few hussle and bargain their way into positions of fantastic wealth. Living like princes, the financial elite of Kaohai control treasuries and other assets of almost incalculable value.
Rocketry Around 1400 G.C., Celedinese alchemists discovered that some explosive compounds, if diluted and burned in a vessel that directs exhaust, could generate great thrust. Without using any magic, rocketeers could launch flares far into the sky, instantly signaling an entire battlefield. Booming displays of colorful pyrotechnics were incorporated into major festivals across the Orient. Producing these rockets is dangerous and exacting work, but patrons seeking public esteem will part with a small fortune to finance a major fireworks display.
Efforts to turn rockets into weapons have had mixed results. Even the most skilled artillerist cannot consistently send a rocket into a distant building. Modern incendiary rockets are effective, showering a substantial area with sparks of alchemically treated burning metal. More powerful explosives tend to deliver little damage on target even if they are stable enough to survive launch. Some generals invest in rockets as signaling devices and/or tools of intimidation. Yet, for purposes of direct attack, a modest war wizard will tend to outperform the best rocket launcher. Formulae for rocket propellants are not well-known on Mainland. There, this technology normally takes the form of imported goods. |
⦿ Junkong is to war what Kaohai is to trade. Here the spires of office space house military planners while the coastline is crowded with shipyards and fortresses. Any well-armed person walking around Junkong without an appropriate uniform is sure to attract attention from suspicious authorities. Even the drinking houses remain orderly for fear of actions sometimes taken by brutal military police. Many military experts employed to train Imperial soldiers and sailors here can be induced to share their skills with foreign students. Also, artificers crafting war machines for the Empire can be privately contracted on the condition their creations are immediately exported. There are few rivals to the concentration of military technology and expertise available here.
⦾ Lianliu maintains the Saffron Lifewall, a project that caused much unrest among locals tasked with constructing a dam much larger than any to have been built before or since. Protests disrupted the original schedule, prompting an enraged Emperor to threaten several villages with extermination unless laborers, at their own expense, earned forgiveness by covering every exposed surface of the completed structure with a rare bright orange paint. At first this only intensified the unrest, but public opinion soon reversed. An integrated complex of watermills transformed the surrounding area into a hub of commerce. This funded a network of canals reaching out from the dam's reservoir. Irrigation turned desolate scrubland around the gorge into prime farming country. Now inhabiting a thriving city, locals are proud to maintain the eyecatching saffron paint on this dam. They call it the Lifewall in recognition of bounteous prosperity bestowed by the gargantuan structure.
⦾ Chengshi radiates outward from the Hall of Reckoning, undoubtedly the largest institution in the world dedicated to the study of mathematics. This mountainside compound intertwines a sprawling Celestial Accountants' temple with a university staffed by secular scholars. In the grand auditorium at the heart of the complex, sages endlessly debate the quantitative relationships and very nature of numbers. Over
200,000 people inhabit a city built in the shadow of this center of learning. Many minor yet prestigious colleges devoted to magic or engineering flourish here. Oriental standard weights and measures are defined by experts at the Hall of Reckoning. Enough coin may commission manufacture of supremely precise machine tools calibrated by objects serving as those official standards.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Celedine ↑ → Danu ← ↓ Darresteg ↓
Language: Tuathish Demonym: Tuathons
Homeland: Danu First City: no large cities
Politics: many small towns influenced by Sylvania
Elites: rogues, warlocks, rangers, druids, bards
Endowments: dexterity and charisma
Complexion: fair to palid
Hair: reddish or brown
Eyes: blue, green, or violet
Influential Deities: Dagda, Arawn, Silvanus, Apollo, Dionysus
Borders: Albion
Popular Instruments: drum, flute, lyre, viol
Traditional Weapons: shortsword, longsword, shortbow, longbow
Female Names: Brenda, Brit, Clare, Colleen, Erin, Finola, Kate, Kerry, Orla, Maeve, Moira, Morrigan, Shannon, Siobhan
Male Names: Brendan, Colin, Daniel, Finn, Gawain, Glenn, Jerry, Kenneth, Merlin, Patrick, Percival, Ronan, Sean, Tristan
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Danu Save for Avalon, a well-defended kingdom of ethnic Albionians, the vast island of Danu features little human governance. This land endured the fallout from many ancient light fey experiments, including the first generation of metallic dragons. Sprites and pixies, not to mention will-o'-wisps and fomorians, are familiar sights to anyone who grew up in this mystical place. Natives of Danu find fey magic as ordinary and natural as the rain or the wind. The place has many fragmented circles of Standing Stones, so flows of magical energy are especially unpredictable on the island.
Tuathish land is a panorama of scenic beauty dotted with little towns and villages. Modest communities thrive even as unpredictable chaos and danger quickly bring ruin wherever military power amasses beyond a small constabulary. Outside Avalon, no force has the might to stand strong against the wild monstrosities of Danu. For those content to live modestly, the random twists and turns of life on the island generally tend to work out for the best. Mild and misty weather nourishes abundant crops. Local artisans often awake to find unfinished tasks completed. The Tuathons themselves are innately comely and graceful. A leaf or two of fey ancestry in the family tree is not uncommon.
Most have learned to take the pranks and gifts of faeries in stride. Warlocks and witches are also abundant in this nearly lawless land. More than a few sages have been driven mad trying to make a formal study of the interplay of magical forces on Danu. Some only grew more powerful after shedding their sanity. Well-travelled arcane masters often form strong opinons about this strange realm. It is easy to abhor so much energy paired with so little discipline, but there are those who revel in fey caprices. A few even theorize that cloud palaces dating back to the Imperium Arcanum still float over Danu – an unlikely belief that persists mainly because wild magic and wilder native creatures conspire to thwart any systematic survey of the skies above this realm.
Towns Between the rustic charm of village life and the constant activity of big city living, towns strive to offer the best of both worlds. Most professions will be represented to a modest extent in a typical town. Instead of a Cobblers' Guild supporting mutiple high end footwear boutiques, there is likely to be one shop where a small number of journeymen shoemakers meet the needs of the community. Few towns house multiple public libraries, but there is likely to be a local collector willing to lend out books to trustworthy readers. Rather than select food from anonymous sources through a vast market, town dwellers are likely to personally know local farmers, millers, and butchers.
Unlike major cities, towns may be lightly defended. Law enforcement also tends to be relaxed. Danu is a unique ethnic homeland in that only modest communities enjoy security here. When a town guard begins to look like a proper army or a growing population pushes past 50,000 residents, sudden disasters inevitably reverse the trend. Tuathish towns are typically within a day's ride of several neighboring communities. Visiting traders cover gaps in the expertise of local artisans. Congregations devoted to different deities may share the same church building or even conduct unified services. No political authority of Tuathons claims sovereignty over more than a single town. |
♪ Arts & Entertainments Staying sane on Danu requires a sense of humor. People here have little use for jesters, since almost all of the indigenous population has a knack for telling jokes or playing the fool. Likewise, Tuathons favor rousing sing-alongs over passive attendance at musical performances. Exceptions are made for
airsong, a style of somber ballad typically performed by a singer with a single instrumental accompanist. Each village has its own rich body of oral history, making Danu a trove of inspiration for poets and songwriters.
There are few Tuathish playhouses, but several noteworthy playwrights hail from this region where the indigenous language is enriched by the color and whimsy of exotic fey perspectives. All but the cheapest Tuathish clothing is adorned by elaborate embroidery. Most of these details feature floral or arcane motifs. Wines and spirits produced on Danu are tinged with subtle hints of wild magic – a pretext for the wild behavior of some imbibing foreigners. Wickerwork is a popular trade here. Such Tuathish creations may range from a charming little footstool to a towering effigy. The burning of the latter may serve as yet another occasion for a festival.
✠ Belief & Worship Folklore here holds that the gods are friends to the Archfey, mingling socially on a regular basis. The God of Limitless Might is said to provide for all, sharing the bounty earned through great deeds performed in primordial times. The God of Verdant Wilderness and the God of Drunken Revelry assist as stewards of the world. The God of the Setting Sun reigns over all the light fey while the God of Final Rewards dominates the dark fey. Together, this pentad gives rise to endless little conflicts and a like number of festive triumphs. Improvisational storytelling is an accepted element of Tuathish religious ministry. Scriptures in this land are uncommonly fluid since popular yarns quickly work their way into tapestries of gospel truth.
Because communities here tend to be small, often a single church will accommodate worship of all five popular deities. The unique Tuathon calender has no fixed year length, though it seems to provide sound guidance for seasonal activities. The main focus of the calendar is the timing of traditional festivals, always offering an imminent excuse for frivolity. Endless local variations ensure that, even when a particular town lacks any ongoing celebration, some nearby community will be holding a festival of its own.
The Old Faith is extremely popular on Danu. Druids may be the only figures able to organize huge religious gatherings without either relentlessly praising the fey or subsequently drawing their wrath. Farmers and ranchers may look to druids or even witches to protect and support their efforts. Some Tuathish towns are suspicious of witchcraft, yet others tolerate it or even hold “white” witches in high regard. Several secret societies devoted to pact magic each have strong decentralized networks spread across this loosely governed island.
“Little steel with much guile beats much steel with little guile.”
— Tuathish proverb |
† Castles & Combat Outside the borders of Avalon, Danu is completely at the mercy of fey whims. In some towns everyone is expected to maintain a relentlessly cheery demeanor because this behavior is rewarded with protection from monsters and the occasional enchanted gift. Communities that attempt to raise a proper army, whether to make war on neighbors or fend off monster attacks, find themselves plagued by all manner of misfortunes – including relentless monster attacks. The locals tell tales of great hunters thriving amidst the chaos, but the underlying reality is never more than a small group of adventurers willing and able to endure constant peril emerging from the magical mists of Danu.
Competent Tuathon warriors are trained to skirmish. Equally favoring the bow and the blade, their fighting style involves exploiting whatever engagement range renders the enemy least effective. Conventional notions of commitment and determination are largely absent in Tuathon warrior culture. Boldly unyielding fighters have short careers here, since fey foes often turn out to be far more deadly than seems apparent at the start of a clash. In a reversal of conventional perspectives, Tuathons hold roguish opportunists in high esteem while stalwart fighters are rarely lionized. Many towns feature a keep or small castle, but attempts to raise larger fortifications outside Avalon are invariably thwarted by destructive fey.
Rogues In the Age of Dragons, humble halfling burglars honed subterfuge techniques sophisticated enough to thwart the extraordinary senses of mature wyrms. During the Imperium Arcanum, elven and gnomish operatives excelled at covertly scouting dangerous locales. Throughout the Age of Heroes, thieves of many races played crucial roles in quests that changed the course of history. Despite widespread disrespect, modern rogues are guided by traditions every bit as venerable as those shaping contemporary fighters and wizards.
Guilds of thieves typically constitute the backbone of whatever criminal underworld a society sustains. Greed is everywhere, and no law enforcement regime is perfect. From lockpick manufacture to selling stolen goods, these organizations provide vital services to outlaws. Smugglers, cultists, and any other group with serious secrets to keep is likely to have some dealings with a local thieves guild. Given sufficient influence, an associate of these organizations might learn these secrets. Given sufficient coin, such an associate might also hire an assassin to be certain a specific secret is never revealed.
While all rogues are familiar with the doublespeak and codes that permeate the criminal underworld, not all rogues are lawbreakers. Many are free-spirited adventurers, always seeking greater thrills and challenges. Well-educated rogues may specialize in delving for treasure amongst monster lairs and abandoned structures. Some even ally with authorities, turning their skills toward espionage or law enforcement. Yet these abilities are also common where urban poverty leaves desperate people surrounded by abundance. In every culture, rogues are more numerous than they seem, since their powers are rooted in secrecy and trickery. |
§ Decrees & Customs As merry and easygoing as they tend to be, Tuathons are downright enthusiastic about human sacrifice. Murderers, along with the occasional rapist or child molestor, meet their ends in all manner of agonizing ways here, often in the thick of an otherwise festive day. Executions blend somber religious proceedings with jubilant cheers drowning out the screams of the condemned. Fortunately, petty criminals never need fear being burned alive or stoned to death. Quirky traditions may cause outsiders, even visitors from neighboring villages, to run afoul of unexpected local laws. Yet lesser offenses typically draw public humiliation or a small fine as penalty, and lawbreakers often have the option of exile as an alternative punishment.
Pranks abound in this land where mischievious pixies and sprites move invisibly through settled areas. Locals often attribute their own covert acts of help or hindrance to the unseen fey. Magical beings openly socialize at human celebrations, sharing in the joy while contributing enchanted food and drink. Though it seems like the time between festivals is largely consumed by preparation for the next celebration, practical work always seems to get done. Most locations are uncommonly clean and scenic. Essentials like food and clothing are widely available at good quality and fair prices. If a humble person can keep in the good graces of indigenous fey, it is possible to live a long happy life on Danu.
Ⓢ Economy & Trade Large public organizations never last long outside Avalon. A Tuathish guild is often no more than the house of a single master with one or two assistants. Traders wander from town to town, some neither selling nor buying anything that cannot be crammed into their own backpacks. With little formal commerce between towns, business is often slow. Local culture encourages abundant leisure. Carefree artisans sometimes return from an afternoon of fishing or feasting to find that fey hands have finished works in progress. Blessed with more time than customers, many makers lavish elaborate decorative details on ordinary Tuathish goods.
The modest population of this chaotic realm participates in little international trade. Yet Danu is a haven for several sorts of tourist. Masters of the arcane find the area rich with enigmatic subjects to study. Creative individuals may visit in search of inspiration to be found in the area's natural beauty or colorful folklore. Aging people looking for a lively and whimsical place to retire may also find a home in some scenic Tuathish village. There is global demand for wines, spirits, and herbs unique to Danu. Yet supplies are not sufficient to sustain systematic mercantile traffic.
⨳ Foes & Perils The Kingdom of Avalon is the only modern success at asserting military control over land on Danu. Other efforts provoke attacks ranging in threat level from goblin tribes to ancient dragons – always escalating until there is no one left for armies to defend. Travellers who keep close to main roads here rarely face worse than an invisible pickpocket or a pixie knotting the hair of those who sleep. Yet they will also be tempted to wander into danger by dancing lights and giggling faeries, some hinting at caches of treasure or magic that usually turn out to be dangerous pitfalls or bogs.
The Danu Protectorate When the Imperium Arcanum fractured into light and dark factions, many enormous bastions were destroyed by battles within. After all true Archfey were imprisoned within the Moon, lesser leaders could not maintain control over a crumbling global empire. Desperate diplomatic efforts granted drow elves protection in sanctuaries deep underground in exchange for a halt on attacks against fair elf communities suspended in the sky. Subsequent to this accord, dozens of floating castles and fortresses converged over Danu. The land below became a haven for all manner of fey creations.
Metallic dragons began to breed cautiously, taking care not to exhaust the abundant wild game of this verdant realm. Prior to this era, firbolgs and uncorrupted fomorians were the most prominent residents of Danu. Their giant bones are still common impediments to excavation on the island. All these mighty beings protected minor fey while providing labor to assist with great works. Towering spires arose in support of almost unthinkable magical experiments. Dark fey largely failed to slaughter creatures populating Danu's surface, but they proved adept at sabotaging the work of laboratories in terrestrial structures.
One arcane disaster after another unleashed chaotic energy into the world, sometimes with such force as to damage nearby Standing Stones. Disrupted ley lines discouraged further attacks, but wild surges of magic afflicted many creatures with strange mutations. Beautiful fey were twisted, and noble beings acquired dark hearts. The Protectorate devolved into a conflict zone where factions of light and dark elves battled through monstrous proxies on the ground. These conflicts continued as divine magic swept across the wider world. The sky castles of Danu came crashing to the ground during the Age of Heroes. Eventually every community on the surface of the world renounced the Imperium Arcanum, leaving the Empire of Shadows as the last remnant of that ancient arcane superpower. |
Purposefully heading into the wilds of Danu may lead to vistas of unrivaled scenic beauty, though it is as likely to lead to the lair of a terrifying creature. From regal giants to ordinary ogres, the island is thick with deadly monsters each guarding its own treasure hoard. Giant animals, some blessed with cunning and speech, run freely over forests and hills here. Rarely, bandits or elven tribes will attempt to claim protection money from persons they encounter. Town living is generally safe, though somehow even the smallest hamlets always seem to harbor an active thieves' guild and a coven of outcast occultists.
POINTS OF INTEREST
⨀ Blarneyston is a popular place in no small part because local custom is to ply all newcomers with whiskey or wine. When it was but a wee hamlet, the community was infiltrated by evil changelings who set family against family. Without committing any murders of their own, cunning dopplegangers made a bloodbath of the place. Now locals use drunkeness and sly questioning to be sure visitors are who they claim to be and harbor no hostile intentions. Mostly this leads to fond yet hazy memories of a wild first night on the town. Tales of especially warm welcomes helped Blarneyston grow into a large community by Tuathish standards.
⨹ Wylddôl is the hallowed gathering place of Danu's wood elves. These people have no permanent homes, roaming freely as nomadic hunter-gatherers. Yet all the island's tribes converge in the meadows of Wylddôl for one ninth-part of each year. These gatherings see much singing and dancing, but they also allow enterprising elves opportunities to collaborate beyond their own tribes in crafting goods or studying new subjects. During the gathering Wylddôl is more heavily populated than any Tuathish town. Yet the elves always disperse in single night, leaving the area's carpet of emerald grass and pastel flowers seemingly untouched.
⨀ Calamesnor is an enclave of roughly
20,000 high elves living under the illusion of a mist-shrouded lake. Transient fey and stray bits of magic do not normally cross into the apparent water. Thus this elven community is a sanctuary of serenity amidst a land full of surprises. Almost every citizen is a scholar of one sort or another. Local elders maintain storehouses of powerful enchanted items. Sometimes these treasures serve as a rewards to outsiders who know the secret of the lake and earnestly vow to never speak nor write of it.
⨀ Fernhaven is a charming town distinguished by its fusion of human and gnome dwellings. Family homes typically feature gnomish quarters, often with concealed entrances. Residents pool resources and efforts, each offering support to the other through times of hardship, despite traditionally dining and sleeping apart. Human-sized guests in a Fernhaven home might remain unaware of gnomes living under the same roof. Local artisans are famed for blending durable construction with fine detail work, typically the result of interracial collaboration.
⨺ The Wailing Vale, formerly known as Giltvale, was once home to a thriving community of great wealth. Though nearby mines are theoretically productive, few dare venture into this area now haunted by thousands of deadly spirits. Intent on urbanization, local leaders took lofty titles and funded an arcane militia that served for decades as an effective shield against increasingly hostile fey. When Giltvale's defenses finally collapsed, banshees and will-o'-wisps quickly exterminated the civilian population. Many of these victims arose as ghosts or wraiths, swarming aggressively toward any intelligent beings bold enough to explore the fallen city's gloomy remnants.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Danu ↑ → Darresteg ← ↓ Elatolia ↓
Demonym: Darresteggers Language: Darrestygian
Homeland: Darresteg First City: Spelhölm
Politics: isolationist Norish kingdom
Elites: wizards, bards, sorcerers, warlocks, fighters
Endowments: intelligence and constitution
Complexion: tan to palid
Hair: blonde, reddish, or light brown
Eyes: blue, green, or brown
Influential Deities: Odin, Hel, Tyr, Arawn, Oghma
Borders: Fitchland, Joryanland, Norland
Popular Instruments: drum, lute, lyre, shawm
Traditional Weapons: shortsword, longsword, blowgun, trident
Female Names: Björk, Birgit, Doris, Elina, Hildisif, Irma, Júdit, Kirsten, Mila, Ripley, Steina, Tanya, Veronika, Vilma
Male Names: Baldwin, Damon, Emil, Fenrir, Henrik, Högni, Ingvar, Kaspar, Melkíor, Rúrik, Sigur, Steinarr, Ulrich, Varmar
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Darresteg This region became an enclave for greater fey seeking shelter from violence in the final years of the Imperium Arcanum. Fallen potentates bargained for their lives by schooling humans in the ways of wizardry. Throughout the Age of Heroes, almost everyone from the indigenous population bore one form of enchantment or another. That is no longer the case, and subsequent conflicts destroyed all the ancient academies. Yet arcane studies remain enormously popular in Darresteg today. Modern development has given rise to huge libraries and esteemed universities.
Though a famously rugged people, Darresteggers tend to be keen and well-read thinkers. With a short growing season and mostly mountainous territory, the citizens of Darresteg rely on arcane support to remain as content and well-fed as they tend to be. These people fiercely defend their borders and their privacy, but they are famously open-minded in peaceful discussions. Unconventionally, their leaders participate in Norish Moots by way of scrying and projected images. This gives them the voice to discourage attacks without accepting any financial obligation.
Save for some bardic colleges and a scattering of isolated teachers, major Darrestegger cities are the only place to pursue advanced arcane studies in Greater Norland. The kingdom is also a nexus for commerce in paper, inks, herbs, and miscellaneous rarities. Bitter winters and angry neighbors often besiege Darresteg, but a stalwart population blessed with brilliant strategists shelters this enchanted kingdom through even the worst hardships. It is anyone's guess what tricks defenders are prepared to unleash against any invaders daring to venture well inside Darresteg's borders.
♪ Arts & Entertainments Spectacles of intense arcane power are a popular form of entertainment here. Momentous events are often marked by exhibitions of great wizardry. Even the most practical of spellcasters likely wears an exotic costume and hones a grand speaking voice in keeping with the archetype. Music in Darresteg sometimes takes the form of huge concerts at venues capable of magical sound amplification. Local bards favor loudness and durability in their instruments. Metal strings are common here, and
lightning metal is a style of popular music that may incorporate bursts of magical pyrotechnics or thunder.
Wizards The earliest wyrms sometimes went insane trying to fathom the complex interactions of magical forces. Their lairs may still bear the increasingly disordered carvings of an ingenious mind struggling to make sense of evolving mystical phenomena. Elven archivists pioneered the practice of spellbook composition. At first this was a great boon to dragonkind, but it would eventually bring an end to their global dominance. The fey also would rule the world only to lose their place when other beings were taught the secrets of wizardry.
Modern wizards take essentially the same approach to spellcraft as the original elves. Scholars of unseen forces, wizards expand the scope of their magic by copying formulae from the writings of other wizards. Often masked in rhyming verse and intricate diagrams, words and gestures of mystic power tap into universal patterns. History can turn on the actions of a single determined archmage. Powerful leaders rarely sustain their positions without at least one formidable wizard as a supporter and advisor.
Rural wizards enrich their communities with feats that would otherwise require teams of laborers. Elemental spells often prove useful to farmers and builders. Some specialists help people accomplish otherwise impossible tasks deep underwater or high in the sky. War wizards are well-known as wildcards on the field of battle. Most cultures regard wizards as learned and respectable folk. For Darresteggers, wizardry encompasses a great many pursuits each respected individually as a prestigious profession. |
Darrestygian playhouses reflect the kingdom's extraordinary affluence. Facilities often offer comfortable seating and well-managed arcane lightning (if not also illusory effects.) General audiences here favor the thrills of shocking and horrific tragedies, though the most sophisticated crowds will opt for subtle dramas probing emotional conflicts within soft-spoken protagonists. The abundance of magical study makes Darresteg a hub for commerce in crystals, both indigenous and imported from other planes of existence. Colorful yet clear stones, some truly huge, adorn the nation's many spires and defensive turrets.
✠ Belief & Worship Darresteggers generally believe their homeland is a gift the God of the Final Battle painstakingly crafted from the bones of primordial giants. With the God of Relentless Crusades joining his labors, the All-Father created a haven where good people could prosper and take shelter from the frigid onslaught of the Goddess of Cursed Afflictions. Darrestygian folklore is full of heroic tales in which Odin and Tyr work together to thwart murderous plots perpetrated by Hel. The God of Final Rewards and the God of Accumulated Lore are also a duo, though as much enemies as allies. Arawn and Oghma are portrayed as immortal sages who personally write the rules of wizardry. Arawn is associated with destructive forces, while Oghma is known as a preserver.
All five deities are openly worshiped across the land. Darresteg is also home to the Union of Concerned Archmagi, a powerful group of atheists who believe Ragnorak, Odin's apocalyptic final battle, is imminent and must be delayed at any cost. They generally denounce (and sometimes thwart) divine efforts to influence world history. The Old Faith enjoys little participation in Darresteg, given enormous arcane support for agriculture and negligible population in wilderness areas. Witchcraft is officially forbidden, though enforcement is inconsistent and many warlocks blend in among the kingdom's wizards by embracing scholarly pursuits.
† Castles & Combat The ability to perform a magical attack is more common in Darresteg than skill with military weaponry. Security personnel often dress as courtiers while standing ready to burn or shock anyone hostile. Darrestegger fortifications are designed to be defended by spellcasters. The most crucial structures incorporate automatic magical defenses. The nation's borders, following the crests of three mountain ranges, are marked by magical towers that detect uninvited travellers and provide support for arcane response teams. Some traders and tourists are welcome, but no other major homeland is as effectively isolationist as Darresteg.
The only martial art associated with this realm is an obscure form practiced by a profession of monster hunters who harvest anatomical features prized by alchemists and enchanters. They capture or vivisect mighty creatures after attacking them with blowguns and poisoned darts. Yet traditional swordplay and archery are also elements of this fighting style. Proper soldiers are often regarded as auxiliary forces here, rarely thought to compare with the power of war wizards. Fortunately, secure borders surround a decidedly peaceful kingdom. This land has seen very little human-on-human warfare since the Great Consolidation.
Libraries The preservation of knowledge has become a science unto itself. Modern libraries systematically organize huge collections of literature, making acquisitions and duplications to better serve authorized users. Some institutions operate small libraries open to the general public. Theft and vandalism of books can be costly, but it is an expense many bear to promote their beliefs or encourage general literacy. At the other extreme, some book collections are so exclusive that only a handful of individuals know how to access the trove. Larger libraries are often intended only for personnel at the surrounding university, supporters of a particular aristocrat, or practitioners of a sponsoring faith.
Books and scrolls are often more valuable than fine clothes. They can be more combustible as well. Librarians are always concerned with security and safety. Sufficiently vast libraries require huge workforces of clerks, scribes, and bookbinders to organize literature and replace damaged works. Some of these institutions are situated at a remote location where looters are unlikely to visit. Others rely on the protection of city walls and urban constabularies. Any respectable library will enjoy some support from spellcasters. Collections known to house legendary works may be actively defended by superheroes. Leaders in the present era see libraries as resources to be controlled and exploited rather than targets for destruction.
Most kingdoms maintain a royal library grander than any other in the realm. Though Darrestegger royalty controls a collection that would be the pride of some other nations, the world's greatest library is headquartered elsewhere in the same city. The Stygian Archive occupies an entire neighborhood of buildings linked by footbridges arcing several stories above the streets of Spelhölm. Those buildings contain the world's most comprehensive collection of arcane knowledge. The depth of their scientific literature is only surpassed where another large institution specializes in a specific subject. The prospect of becoming a Stygian Archivist draws many people to the worship of Oghma. |
§ Decrees & Customs Intellect is the foremost virtue in Darrestegger culture. Almost every child receives an excellent education, and magic is often part of the curriculum. Wizards are unusually common yet highly regarded here. Magical means are the norm for construction projects and infrastructure development. With little manual labor, Darresteggers favor immaculately clean and mended garments along with elaborate headgear or hairstyles. Urban dining halls and taverns routinely enhance their offerings with cantrips. Ordinary household conveniences range from magical lights and enchanted water sources to golems employed as domestic servants. Even citizens who are not spellcasters may be eager to amass magical possessions and seek supernatural powers.
Tourists are generally welcome in the kingdom, but the situation is different for immigrants. Save for those of great magical distinction, foreigners are rarely welcome to take up long term residence in Darresteg. Some locals idealize cultural purity, though the risk of infiltration by hostile foreigners is real. Darrestegger leaders so fear outside threats that they typically rely on projected images rather than in person visits to conduct international diplomacy. Save for dark elves, any large group of foreigners or non-humans here risks oppression from authorities and persecution from common folk.
Ⓢ Economy & Trade In a land where almost every citizen has benefit of basic instruction in the arcane, Darrestygian magic often pairs with labor. Many drinking houses and restaurants use cantrips to chill or heat beverages and embellish the plating of fine dishes. Guards are often unarmed and unarmored, using basic magic when duty demands a fight. More experienced wizards may make a career out of construction work, pest control, or illusory entertainment. A fantastically powerful royal family sponsors several vital institutions, from a network of weather control offices to a council of legendary diviners. These agencies coordinate well to promote peace and prosperity throughout the land.
Darrestegger enchanters are particularly skilled and eager for work. Bulk orders of magical defensive installations sustain this pool of rare talent through times when too few non-governmental customers are commissioning items. Spellcasters from all over Greater Norland may visit Darresteg to stock up on components, inks, and other supplies generally scarce in neighboring societies. Ingenious planning and well-funded public charities have virtually eliminated urban poverty here. The King's generosity provides hot meals and a bunks enough for all ciyfolk in need. Fraud and theft are almost as scarce here, since spellcasting investigators reliably get at the truth behind any major crime.
⨳ Foes & Perils Reclusive and/or deranged wizards here often retreat to isolated towers where they may continue their experiments in peace. Some of these towers have been abandoned by their owners yet remain guarded by powerful constructs and other magical menaces. While border peaks are controlled entirely by the government, the highest mountains of the interior are home to giants, sometimes but not always benevolent. Conspiring bands of thieves and heretics may be brutal in their efforts to eliminate witnesses and obscure evidence, with magically gifted law enforcers quick to act on any indiscretion.
Dragons are rarely a threat here, since dragonslaying is one way for a wizard to gain respect among peers. Sea monsters are more abundant, with seasonal incursions posing threats to fishing boats and merchant vessels alike. Drow are more common here than anyplace else on the surface of the world. While not all of them are evil, their reputation as cunning saboteurs and vicious assassins is well-earned. Yet true heroes sometimes feel obliged to take their side, as dark elves isolated in large human cities risk persecution from racist mobs.
POINTS OF INTEREST
⊛ Spelhölm Darresteg's capital looks like something pulled right out of an idyllic storybook. Spires adorned by enormous crystals tower over scenic estates and vast neighorhoods of nearly identical three-story wooden buildings or five-story stone structures. Even the gutters and streets are normally clean here. Beggars and pickpockets soon find their careers cut short either by royal charities providing relief or magical constables seemingly impossible to outmaneuver. Though arcane libraries are scarce in Greater Norland, Darresteg contains many. This city houses the most impressive of them all – the central Stygian Archive. Further bolstered by prominent universities and thousands of private collections, Spelhölm credibly claims to be the greatest concentration of literature in the world.
⦾ Aachborg Recovering from a brutal civil war, the megastate of Wotania relocated its capital to this site in
1,035 A.H. Secure neutral territory far removed from other Wotanian centers of power, it enabled a series of enlightened Overkings to foster a golden age of peace and economic development. Today Aachborg is a showcase of old Norish culture. Here a modern university struggles to recruit students while formations of Standing Stones draw huge crowds to various Old Faith rituals. Locals value warrior culture, and fine steel weapons pour from the forges of Aachborg. Though considered backward by some in Darresteg, these rugged reactionaries are a loyal and vital part of the kingdom.
Steel Construction Most of the world's steel is created in tiny batches by artisans. Dangerously superheated molten metal can be managed in small enough quantities. While dwarves excel at this craft, not even they have had much success operating furnaces both hot enough and large enough to produce steel construction materials. Steel beams are typically the result of magic – transformed from some less resilient precursor or imported from another plane of existence.
Despite the costs and complexities of building with steel, the practice is not unknown. Unlike stone buildings, huge steel structures can accommodate wide open interior spaces. Ordinarily, a skeletal frame of steel is clad in other building materials. Arcane techniques are required to create sturdy steel welds, but the result approaches true indestructibility. A fire or earthquake may destroy the walls and floors of a steel structure, yet leave the frame intact for rebuilding purposes. Kristalsfar is the world's most famous steel structure, both because it is so large and because most of its exterior is enchanted glass also imported from another plane. |
⦾ Svartgard Few political situations are more difficult to navigate than the arrangement between the Kingdom of Darresteg and Svartgard March. The gloomy district enjoys virtual autonomy. In exchange, reliable dark elf allies amplify the deterrent effect of Darresteg's arcane armies. Ringed by thick forests crawling with hostile beasts, Svartgard itself is a sprawl of black fortresses patrolled by gargoyles and goblinoids. Perhaps as much as one tenth of the city's half million residents are dark elves. Almost nothing is taboo here. Local scholars openly practice the most horrific forms of necromancy and perform experiments inspired by the Great Old Ones. Both the Oracles of Doom and the Deathriders operate gargantuan temple complexes within this sinister city.
⦿ Tablön Blessed with scenic beaches and a perpetual warm weather anomaly, this offshore metropolis is famed for the beauty of its inhabitants. Dignitaries from around the world flock here to obtain the services of Flesh Editors. Some seek to enhance their appearance while others hope to restore their youth. Though remote, Tablön is a global crossroads open to both ethnic and ideological diversity. Many wealthy aristocrats in exile have made new lives for themselves here. As discreet as they are powerful, a seemingly omniscient secret police force preserves the peace in this hedonistic hub. The phrase “trip to Tablön” has become a figure of speech referring to a particularly generous or coveted reward.
⨹ Kristalsfar Often referred to as “The Globe,” this steel-girded crystal sphere is the sort of structure only made possible through the convergence of great magic and even greater wealth. In peacetime it serves as a venue for artistic performances and athletic games. Arcane specialists can project images and amplify sounds enabling a capacity crowd of
45,000 to clearly see and hear what transpires in the central pit. Kristalsfar is located on an isolated hilltop save for the many stables and inns servicing visitors. In time of crisis, the entire facility is converted into a military headquarters where legions of war wizards observe their leadership coordinating the defense of the kingdom.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Darresteg ↑ → Elatolia ← ↓ Fitchland ↓
Demonym: Elatolians Language: Elatolian
Homeland: Elatolia First City: Senkhürkhree
Politics: loyal province of the Oriental Empire
Elites: fighters, rangers, paladins, monks, druids
Endowments: constitution and wisdom
Complexion: fair to dark brown
Hair: black, total baldness is common
Eyes: dark brown with epicanthic folds
Influential Deities: Shang-Ti, Chung Kuel, Lei Kung, Thor, Tyr
Borders: Celedine, Xe-Shan
Popular Instruments: drum, dulcimer, flute, horn
Traditional Weapons: scimitar, lance, shortbow, longbow
Female Names: Altani, Chakha, Cirina, Ghoa, Jaliqai, Khadagan, Maral, Nomolun, Orbei, Sechen, Sokhatai, Temulun, Toragana, Yesui
Male Names: Bogarji, Chimbai, Dayir, Ghunan, Jungsai, Kaishan, Kuchar, Maqali, Molon, Olar, Sartak, Uchikin, Teke, Zayaat
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Elatolia During the Age of Heroes, it was an Elatolian warlord who first consolidated the Orient under a single regime. Then as it is today, their elite cavalry have been known to follow through on orders to annihilate substantial communities, leaving no trace behind. These deadly equestrians are now loyal to a Celedinese ruler, but they remain a crucial and terrifying element of the internal security apparatus suppressing rebellion in the modern Oriental Empire. So long as enough new recruits reinforce Elatolian military units, this province enjoys a special level of autonomy. The Khaan is allowed to address the Emperor with familiar pronoun forms, and the governor's bureaucrats abstain from all tax collection and law enforcement activities in the Elatolian homeland.
Not all Elatolians are mounted warriors. Many continue the nomadic ways of their ancestors, following the migrations of wild grazing beasts or maintaining their own tribal herds. With little useful farmland, the backbone of Elatolia's economy is wealth on the hoof. Their livestock and leather are well-regarded, yet mercenaries are also a significant export from this province. Traditional Elatolians are taught to ride as soon as they can stand, and horses have always been central to their culture.
These hardy and contemplative people often bear rugged complexions passed down from ancestors roaming windswept highlands. Many practice a body of ancient traditions that is stylistically unique, yet functionally a form of the Old Faith. Foreigners witness to these rituals often marvel at the primitive symbolism and strange chants that somehow generate harmonic overtones. The largest Elatolian communities typically accumulate in the foothills beneath grand monastaries rising right out of particularly tall mountains. Imperial officials understand that an Elatolian's first loyalty is likely to a local spiritual leader or a tribal dignitary. The old ways remain strong wherever city life has not shifted Elatolian priorities to align with modernity.
Mounts Equines have been galloping across both Mainland and the Orient since Primordial Times. Human ranchers working to feed dragons were the first to ride on horseback. Selective breeding quickly produced horse varieties adapted to specific tasks. In the Age of Heroes, mounts were a luxury – equestrians automatically received elevated rank in military service. The widespread prosperity of modern times makes horses common outside metropolitan areas where stable berths tend to be more costly than apartments. Civilized human nations feature hackney guilds that rent ordinary riding horses for reasonable fees. Aristrocrats and military leaders may employ marshals to breed and train horses suited to war and/or racing.
Though horses are available anywhere there are roads, many other animals have been harnessed for riding and hauling. Giant lizards are ubiquitous among dark elf communities and dragonborn caravans. Both lizards and camels are suited to long journeys between watering holes. A famed style of dwarven cavalry rides giant boars. Wood elf commanders may enter battle atop giant elk. Giant eagles, hippogriffs, griffons and pegasi provide mobility to elite air cavalry units. Depending on the local climate, elephants or mammoths may serve as both mounts and siege platforms. None of these steeds are as common as horses, but most communities will be able to accommodate well-behaved unconventional mounts. |
♪ Arts & Entertainments Equestrian games are particularly important in this region. Most Elatolians at least dabble in horse archery as a children. Masters of the craft dazzle crowds with feats of speed and precision. Races and a distinctive form of jousting are also popular here. Warriors are expected to keep their skills sharp and their mounts fit through regular participation in these popular activities. Visual arts, from abstract figures painted on cave walls to strikingly realistic sculptures, often focus on cavalry or lone horses. The bond between horse and rider is a recurrent theme in Elatolian poetry.
Elatolian music is seldom heard outside the Oriental Empire. Many singers here employ harmonic overtone techniques, able to simultaneously vocalize two notes. Unfamiliar listeners may regard this
ghost-singing unnatural or even scary, but most Elatolians find it entertaining. They are also fond of energetic puppet shows, putting a childlike perspective on everything from ancient myths to current events. Skits about great heroes defending the homeland do much to generate an early interest in military life. Yet no subject is out of bounds, as custom holds that artists should not be held responsible for the words of their puppets.
✠ Belief & Worship War is a sacred pursuit among the Elatolians. Their deities have stature in relation to military value. The God of the Immaculate System is depicted as a masterful general, able to overcome any problem through guile. The God of Just Trials is his trusted lieutenant, insuring that heavenly forces adhere to plans underway. The God of Ferocious Squalls opportunistically creates disruptions while leading the opposition. Yet these plots are sometimes thwarted by the God of Rolling Thunder, an independent figure eager to protect the innocent. The God of Relentless Crusades appears in almost every parable as a represention of the selfless values mortal soldiers are expected to embody.
The worship of any legitimate deity is accepted here. Yet locals rarely take an interest in religious practices that vary from the venerable mainstream. Elatolian priests are unusually comfortable invoking locally popular deities other than their chosen patron. Most common folk move among faiths as goals and circumstances change. Though Standing Stones are not common here, a distinctive form of the Old Faith is particularly popular with herders and farmers. Any form of magic that enhances the connection between rider and mount is seen as a blessed miracle. Yet warlocks are openly oppressed here, since Elatolian culture lacks the tolerance that has taken root elsewhere in the Orient.
Standing Armies Most communities only employ enough law enforcers to maintain a comfortable order. Redirecting many of these constables to war risks havoc among the civilian population. Minor lords often maintain a personal security force, yet these warriors are rarely numerous enough to constitute an army. Other than a proper nation, few entities can afford to keep thousands of well-equipped and able combatants in full time military service. A huge tax base is almost always the foundation of a huge military organization.
Norish armies often function as raiding parties. Their decentralized command structure is coordinated by agreements reached in annual Moots. The Sylvanian Confederation funds a web of organizations directing elite operatives, but open war in Confederate lands requires coalitions of national armies. Federal forces provide all sorts of expert support, but they require time to mobilize large numbers to a single location. By contrast, the Truscan and Serpian Empires each maintain standing armies surpassing one million trained combatants, with sagacious generals answering directly to their respective emperors. It is likewise in the Oriental Empire, save that their great army benefits from a fusion of Elatolian and Celedinese military traditions. |
† Castles & Combat Fortifications are rare in Elatolia. Power is measured in cavalry tallies. Traditional warriors excel at horse archery, wearing layers of silk under their chainmail so as to improve the likelihood of recovery from puncture wounds. They wield bows fashioned from layers of different types of wood laminated into composite limbs. Their preferred tactic is to fight as aggressive swarms of horse archers, though distinctive Elatolian lances, flails, and scimitars are all adapted for equestrian use. Mobility generally limits the amount of time they spend in close combat.
Small communities often live in tents, ready to migrate as economic or political circumstances dictate. Even large cities often have little more than wooden stockades to delay potential attackers. Yet invasion is not even a memory here – the ancient Elatolians were supreme throughout the Orient, and modern Elatolia exists as a largely autonomous vassal state. Only the greatest monasteries and temples reside within imposing stone walls. These sites often claim a heritage stretching back thousands of years. They provide crucial shelter during monster attacks and other disasters.
§ Decrees & Customs The Khaan of Elatolia need only fulfill quotas of soldiers and horses to continue enjoying the support of the Celedinese Emperor. A special relationship allows the Khaan to be recognized as a head of state. Local custom may take precedence over Imperial law, and all tax revenue remains in the realm. Yet Celedinese advisors and monitors are abundant. Many bands of Inscrutable Observers serve as cultural hubs for Celedinese expatriates. In theory, lax tariffs and inspections would benefit international shipping. Yet Elatolian ports are underdeveloped and nowhere near the most lucrative markets of the Orient.
Economic and cultural isolation leave many Elatolians knowing little about foreign places and ways. Almost all goods to be found in local shops are handcrafted nearby. Some Elatolians hunger for anything exotic, even something as simple a report of news from Mainland. Most are content to live a traditional life, roaming the steppes in tribal groups. Modern engineering feats have produced the infrastructure for several great cities, though locals have been slow to populate these areas. The tendency remains to value livestock and working animals more than precious metals or land grants. Just as some other cultures demonize moneylenders who collect interest from working folks, Elatolians make villains of ranchers who settle in one place and attempt to build fences around a vast tracts of land.
Nomads In areas where farmland is scarce, some communities sustain themselves by staying on the move. Tribes of hunter-gatherers often migrate between various seasonal homes when different resources become available. Other nomads forage indirectly, managing herds able to grow even when presented with only scrubland or patchy grasses. Itinerant social groups typically shelter in tents and accumulate only the most portable forms of wealth. Those who do not follow a seasonal pattern may instead be opportunists, rushing to exploit any tract of land with sufficient water and vegetation.
Such peoples often maintain harsh codes of justice to survive precarious conditions. Fines are rarely practical, and incarceration even less so. Paradoxically, nomad cultures typically promote the value of sharing while treating theft as a severe crime. Notions of property become even more complicated with regard to land. Some nomads do not understand the concept of permanently possessing any particular ground. Friction develops when nomads wander too near urban centers, perhaps overgrazing nearby pastures or poaching valuable game. |
Ⓢ Economy & Trade Mounted warriors and their steeds are the lifeblood of the Elatolian economy. Modern Khaans direct much tax revenue into services meant to improve the health and quality of horses. Meeting Imperial quotas preserves the special relationship between Elatolian authorities and the Imperial government. Many Imperial soldiers send part of their pay to families back home – a vital flow of cash into a society where barter remains common. While many young Elatolians hope to become good enough for Imperial service, some become great enough to hire themselves out as mercenaries. From merchants requiring escort through dangerous wilderness to an embarassed bureaucrat looking to eliminate renegades without appealing to higher officials, employers may pay a premium for the swift and discreet action of a private cavalry unit.
Beyond that, international commerce is modest here. Finished leather and wool items are produced in quantities enough to export, and the area around Lăodu generates abundant silk. What little purchasing power is available for imports mostly acquires metal. Working mines are extremely rare in Elatolia. Permanent settlements typically feature smelters dedicated to recycling metals. Nomads facilitate internal commerce as well as cultural exchange. Foreign merchants and entertainers find it especially difficult to prosper without fully assimilating into Elatolian culture.
⨳ Foes & Perils No sane person relocates to Elatolia for the weather. The wind is rarely calm, and the rainy season brings devastating storms that spawn tornadoes. Even more hazardous are the dust storms arising in the dry season, especially wherever overgrazing has occurred. Nomad clans usually avoid confrontation, but they will kill to protect their livestock. Hostlie druids guard some patches of land recovering from past harm. From time to time, rebel warlords will rise up in the most remote communities. While dangerous, the greater threat is the inevitable cavalry horde dispatched to eliminate the rebellion. Vanquished rebels and failing clans may take to banditry out of desperation and hunger.
While the Elatolian people rarely venture into the region's towering mountains, those slopes are home to both ogres and yeti. The greatest among those peaks are lairs for bird-kings – mysterious and hostile creatures thought to wield vast magical power. Successful climbing expeditions are so rare here that “went up into the mountains” has become an Elatolian euphemism for dying. Dragons are extremely rare here. The scariest Elatolian campfire stories involve tales of gigantic stinging worms bursting from the ground to swallow people and horses whole. These subterranean monstrosities pose an extreme threat to miners and others who would burrow deep under this land.
POINTS OF INTEREST
⦾ Senkhürkhree has become the customary residence for the Khaan during the dry season. Nomadic traditions literally move the seat of government, but for half of each year this shattered mountain is home to the royal court. A shooting star struck here in
908 G.C., leaving behind a horseshoe-shaped remnant where a majestic peak once stood. Within that remnant, Senkhürkhree nestles away from the harsh conditions of this windswept region. Glacial cascades function as natural aqueducts, cleansing and refreshing Elatolia's wealthiest city. Local markets offer premium goods, though cheaper wares can be hard to find. Great libraries, academies, and banks are housed in Senkhürkhree. The surrounding lands are dense with stables and exercise grounds, since the city has no space for most of the horses owned by its inhabitants.
Elatolian Hegemony Almost all regimes during the Age of Heroes governed modest territories. Yet a few aggressively expansionist empires grew to become superstates with authority over a vast swath of the world. What Mainlanders know as the first Oriental Empire is more rightly termed the Elatolian Hegemony. Early warlords found cavalry was indispensable for outmaneuvering opponents, rapidly receiving updates, and skirmishing with hostile infantry. Almost immediately after consolidating into their own national hierarchy, Elatolian forces overwhelmed all Celedinese, Ontolonese, and Xe-Shanese resistance. Mounted couriers ensured the Khaan was well-informed, and swift shock troops responded to defiance with wholesale eradication.
With oppression came order. The Khaan's Shimmering Horde was a revered institution dedicated to eliminating monsters and providing emergency relief to communities in need. Reliable mail service brought a sense of community to the vast empire. Caravans moved about with little fear of bandits. Hubs of peaceful trade soon grew into great cities. More mouths to feed drove increased agricultural development. Over the centuries, successive Khaans grew complacent with their personal wealth and power. Taxes on the Celedinese did not keep pace with growing prosperity driven by innovative infrastructure. Gradual changes deprived the Orient's dominant ethnic group of majority status and financial clout. A century before the Great Consolidation, fearing extermination of the royal bloodline, the Khaan swore fealty to a Celedinese Emperor. |
⦿ Xoëpxot is a sprawling metropolis known across the Orient as “the City of Silence.” It grew from two centers of faith, one devoted to Chung Kuel and the other to Lei Kung. When a much-beloved princess was killed in one of the frequent street fights raging between nearby monasteries, the Khaan decreed execution for all crimes committed in either city. This included minor offenses such as “disturbing public oration” and “spooking a mounted horse.” In the following nine years, support for the monks vanished. This decree was lifted only after an elaborate agreement bound both orders to act as peacekeepers – clashing only in competitions authorized by the royal family. In modern Xoëpxot, excessive noise is punishable by a stiff fine, and rival groups of religious police are always on patrol. Later construction saw the two cities peacefully expanding until unified. Today the unarmed combat tournaments of Xoëpxot are of unsurpassed prestige.
⦾ Lăodu is a remarkable blend of ancient and modern. Formerly a center of power for the Elatolian Hegemony, earthquakes and floods have robbed Lăodu of much architectural heritage. Yet the city remains home to a vast seven-tiered pleasure garden literally overflowing with exotic plants native to distant realms. This enormous institution fuels a brisk trade in herbs and spices that would otherwise be imported. Surrounding lands contain many prosperous orchards and farms, enriched by cultivars not found elsewhere in the Orient. Frequent gentle rains are welcomed by locals, either directly or indirectly benefitting from reliably excellent harvests. So much prosperity has drawn a few of Elatolia's largest financial instutions to Lăodu, and the city also attracts people intent on studying this ancient culture that once ruled over the entire Orient.
⦾ JinJin rose to prominence as the primary conduit for trade between the Orient and Mainland. Unpredictable winds, powerful currents, and gargantuan monstrosities made it unsafe to approach ports south of JinJin without first checking here for recent hazard reports. Prizing security over luxury, a series of ancient Khaans converted abundant tax revenue into a network of enormous fortifications. No unwelcome armada would dare approach JinJin Bay. Today this has less to do with imposing defenses and more to do with poverty. When the currents and winds made Kaohai a more logical shipping hub than JinJin, this community began to wither. Local deforestation compounded this problem, and the docks fell into disrepair. Today the population is less than one tenth its peak level. JinJin's modern residents enjoy spacious palaces and temples of ancient construction. Yet local shortages of food and fuel mean life is comfortable for few in this increasingly obscure Elatolian city.
⨹ Öndör Gazar is a peculiar plateau where warm mists shroud a rain forest unlike any other part of Elatolia. Dense vegetation here is often inhospitable to horses. Narrow and dangerous routes of ascent minimize trade with the jungle's denizens. Many visitors have reported encounters with aggressive human tribes or ferocious dinosaurs. Perpetual cloud cover and the dense rain forest canopy make surveillance difficult. No doubt some outlaw gangs and unholy cults shelter in this strangely hot and wet tableland. Dragonborn lore holds that faltering tribes should travel here in search of recovery or, failing that, assimilation into another tribe. Small groups of dragonborn, some in an essentially feral state, are commonly encountered on Öndör Gazar.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Elatolia ↑ → Fitchland ← ↓ Galloria ↓
Demonym: Fitchlanders Language: Fitch
Homeland: Fitchland First City: Voortervert
Politics: peaceful kingdom and reluctant Norish ally
Elites: clerics, bards, paladins, fighters, rogues
Endowments: intelligence and charisma
Complexion: fair to palid
Hair: light brown or red
Eyes: dark brown or green
Influential Deities: Odin, Loki, Tyr, Geb, Ptah
Borders: Darresteg, Joryanland, Norland
Popular Instruments: drum, dulcimer, flute, viol
Traditional Weapons: shortsword, rapier, halberd, heavy crossbow
Female Names: Anneka, Astrid, Beatrijs, Denise, Esmée, Helena, Ines, Lieve, Margreet, Mieke, Neeltje, Saskia, Tessa, Veerletje
Male Names: Aäron, Albert, Bram, Dirk, Evert, Hans, Jakob, Luk, Ollie, Pieter, Rik, Sebastian, Theo, Willem
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Fitchland In
1 G.C. there was no Fitch language, and the ancestors of today's Fitchlanders inhabited a cluster of impoverished cities known as the Low Towns. Truscan conquests in Galloria and Transmania drove waves of immigrants into the area. The region's expanding economy made it possible to deploy effective flood control techniques. Citizens of the Low Towns no longer endured periodic devastation of their homes. Making an ally of water, they prospered by engineering sophisticated irrigation systems. A friendly and peaceful people, the growing Fitch nation unified into a thriving sovereign kingdom well north of the Thousand Mile Wall.
As technology improved, so did the wealth and power of this kingdom. Windmills became a staple of the Fitch landscape, providing pumping power to enhance a vast network of canals and levees. Improved drainage created more habitable land, particularly along the coast. Huge seaports arose to facilitate trade and travel to all parts of the world. Yet these metropolises remain vulnerable to disastrous floods, sometimes relying on a stone seawall to hold back the tides. Modern Fitchlanders have little tolerance for renegades or violent outsiders, given the damage even a single miscreant could inflict. The term is rarely uttered aloud here, but some know this land as the Sunken Kingdom.
Fitchlanders tend to be prosperous yet modest and well-mannered. Foreigners are often amazed by the immaculately sculpted hedgerows and quietly festive alehouses of this populous kingdom. Fitchlanders are technologically sophisticated, even to the point of making handheld timepieces that are accurate to within a few minutes per day, given proper winding and maintenance. They gently shun most practitioners of arcane magic, but Fitchland otherwise upholds scholarship as a national virtue. Fitch merchant captains ply all navigable seas, exporting spices, glassware, rare textiles, and precision tools. With a reputation for charm and shrewdness, their many successes bolster the ample treasuries of their homeland.
Flood Control The best farmland tends to receive substantial seasonal rainfall. Be it a regular monsoon or an unusual convergence of spring thunderstorms, flooding is a natural hazard in most areas suited to agricultural development. During the Age of Heroes, bold leaders ordered the construction of dams and canals in efforts to prevent deadly floods. The Great Consolidation saw infrastructure networks reliably taming traditional floodwaters, draining historic swamplands, and irrigating vast swaths of new farmland. Larger canals doubled as shipping lanes for livestock and fresh produce.
Fitchland is a nation that owes its existence to flood control efforts. Iconic Fitch windmills work mechanisms to elevate water, clearing accumulations that fall onto soggy ground. Crops selected for their thirst also help to dry the ground after each fresh rain. Overflow channels divert the heaviest rains into reservoirs regulated to drive the flow of larger canals. Even Fitch cities are adapted, with various amphitheaters and paved squares set low to function as public pools when rainfall overwhelms storm sewers. Some ports only manage to hold back the tides with colossal sea walls looming over coastal districts. Most kingdoms were taken through military victories against previous rulers, but Fitchland was built through engineering victories against the element of water itself. |
♪ Art & Entertainments Advanced knowledge of botany and chemistry has given the Fitch people mastery of dyes. Great painters flock here to procure supplies and seek lessons from
realists – painters so gifted that their works seem to capture a moment of reality. Aristocrats from all over the world have spent fortunes on portraits painted by established Fitch masters. Art appreciation is also important here. Great Fitch cities compete to offer the most impressive public galleries and museums. Collections featuring works of diverse traditions and styles are held in particularly high esteem.
Public largess is central to the popularity of the ruling class. Elaborate parks, symphonic music, and celebratory fireworks are all familiar experiences for an urban Fitchlander. Drama, music, literature, sculpture, fashion – much of Fitch culture is a collection of elements adopted from other peoples. Customary norms of quiet humility contrast sharply with emphases on bold creative expression and lavish public entertainments. Foreign entertainers often find Fitchland ideal for seeking exposure to diverse forms of art right alongside opportunities to share their own traditions.
✠ Belief & Worship As with so many other things, Fitchlanders approach religion in a quiet and private manner. Fitch holy symbols are often delicate little pieces of jewelry. Houses of worship tend to blend unobtrusively into the surrounding community. Congregations within often give thanks to the God of the Final Battle for his wise patience in delaying the end of the world. Others focus on praising the God of Solid Ground for simply having a homeland in which to live and work or the God of Forged Marvels for endless opportunities to invent ways of making that life better. The God of Endless Disguises is a patron to misfits and renegades. At the other social extreme, guards and soldiers often revere the God of Relentless Crusades. Morality tales in Fitch folklore focus on contrasts between Loki and Tyr. Odin, Geb, and Ptah are depicted as ambitious builders pestered by Loki the Renegade until Tyr the Lawgiver resolves matters.
Most church leaders work with the government to promote a tranquil social order. Fitch priests value well-staffed orphanges and medical facilities more than towering spires or golden reliquaries. The Old Faith generates little interest in Fitchland. The kingdom's only Standing Stones are clustered on hilltops near the original Low Towns. Unholy pacts draw the death penalty, and the successful witch hunters sometimes rise into the aristocracy. Witches and warlocks must practice covertly here, gathering only in secret. The public has a general distrust of arcane power. Except for bookish diviners, stalwart abjurers, and entertaining illusionists; wizards are regarded with suspicion. Though not truly worshiped, great Fitch inventors are admired as national heroes.
Artillery Arrows and spears do no real harm to respectable stone fortifications. Short of getting up close for demolition work, armies must rely on artillery to breach castle walls. Military commanders prize the expertise required to build and operate a catapult or trebuchet. While these machines can be used to launch fire or pestilence into a fort, their standard application is to hurl heavy round stones at high speed toward enemy defenses. A sustained barrage of these shots will crumble even the toughest masonry. Wooden stockades and pickets are destroyed with even less effort. When artillery attacks are directed against armies moving about in the open, deadly projectiles will take a small toll on the enemy's ranks and a huge toll on their morale.
There are also artillery pieces designed specifically for softer targets. The ballista is essentially a crossbow so large that it must be fired from a fixed installation. Even armored knights fear the prospect of being impaled by one of its massive bolts. Ballistae are rarely effective against stone, but they can wreak havoc on enemy vehicles and siege equipment. Offensive artillery improves an army's chances of storming a fortified position, while defensive artillery amplifies the fighting power of garrisoned troops. The Fitch Royal Army relies heavily on this second effect. Comparatively small garrisons easily repel attacks against sturdy fortifications bristling with well-calibrated artillery. |
† Castles & Combat At the heart of Fitchland's national defense are enormous hoards of gold contributed to Norish Moots. Joryanlanders remain constantly poised to invade their more prosperous neighbor, but this generous Fitch tribute prevents Joryani kings from breaking the peace. Even so, border fortifications are invariably modern, with powerful artillery and walls of cleanly-cut stone. Similar fortresses overlook the harbors of Fitchland's great ports, insuring the orderly flow of traffic through busy shipping channels. Almost all major construction projects here are planned by Reverend Architects to balance aesthetic appeal, efficient design, and structural durability.
By custom, Fitch gentlemen wear a light blade whenever away from home. Duelling is legal here, provided witnesses hear uncoerced mutual consent and precautions are taken to keep bystanders clear. Actual military personnel favor larger weapons. Halberd-wielding warriors are trained to form pickets for protecting the innocent or holding a battle line. Constabularies employ elite crossbow snipers to provide discreet security at public events or effective backup when moving against violent criminals. Not many Fitch soldiers are battle-hardened, but the kingdom has one of the best-equipped regular armies in the world.
§ Decrees & Customs Fitch society is broadly permissive. Yet punishments for actual crimes can be severe. Mere vandalism of public property may warrant exile. Inflexible laws are particularly strong when it comes to contracts. Harsh punishments for fraud help a fair and well-governed financial sector to thrive. Fitch law shows no mercy to people convicted of striking a bargain with an unholy power. Experienced witch hunters actively follow up reports of occult activity, and crowds gather to watch spectacularly cruel executions of witches and warlocks.
Though the same royal family has ruled Fitchland for dozens of generations, the modern realm embraces some democratic concepts. People assemble regularly and choose representatives to advise the local lord. These popular figures then choose some of their own to join the Council of Ministers in Voortervert. The Queen is not bound to act on legislation produced by this deliberative body. Yet public debate is rarely censored, and popular proposals are often signed into law. Various guilds, banks, and shipping lines all pay generously for opportunities to influence members of the Council. Though Fitch law liberates all slaves who set foot in Fitchland, Fitch captains at sea freely engage in human trafficking alongside other acts that are not permitted within the kingdom.
Ⓢ Economy & Trade Warm currents and winds give Fitchland mild winters and a respectable growing season. Local farmers make the most of it with thirsty crops planted in irrigated fields of rich soil. This bounty nourishes the entire population, provisions huge fleets, and facilitates lucrative trade with dwarven communities underground. Yet Fitch commerce is global in scale thanks to several enormous shipping lines headquartered in port cities here. From spices and dyes to clockwork and optics, Fitch cargo vessels supply unique goods to every major coastal marketplace. In addition to money and art, merchant captains return with furs, gems, silks, spirits and other items bound for the orderly shops of Fitch vendors.
Merchant Mariners Every coastal realm achieves some measure of internal trade by shipping along its own shores. Albionish, Fitch, Iskreshi, Norish, Sivelsh, Sylvanian, and Truscan captains each follow distinctive maritime traditions while plying seas far from their homeland. Large cargo vessels designed to exploit the powers of wind and current, each culture's designs feature multiple masts with complex rigging for the control of vast sails. Yet the way these vessels operate is as important as their physical design. Week after week of hard work with minimal provisions requires discipline. Mariners must adapt to the caprices of the sea. Successful commanders balance rigid routine with flexible planning.
Conventional cargo must be valuable enough to recover the expense of the haul yet not so valuable as to justify instant magical transport. A broad range occupies that middle ground. Every respectable cook travels with some imported spices, and prosperous commoners create a large market for imported foods and drinks. Tools, glassware, and other consumer items may be exported from advanced manufacturing centers into areas without that capacity. Furs, leathers, and textiles are often in wide demand beyond regions of natural abundance. Long sea voyages are not without their perils, but savvy captains can amass impressive fortunes while providing loyal crew members with respectable pay and opportunities to visit exotic lands. |
Many Fitch families possess great wealth without any aristocratic title. Fashion favors simple dark suits or dresses along with the smallest of jewels. At art galleries and public concerts, only the most subtle details differentiate a well-groomed laborer from a well-heeled banker. Socially acceptable displays of wealth include funding public entertainments, endowing charitable institutions, and generously compensating loyal employees. These practices ensure that even the least fortunate Fitch youths have access to food, shelter, and education. Sustained peace and prosperity have made the Fitch people almost uniformly healthy and happy. Yet some realms harbor a negative opinion of these people, as Fitch shipping lines have been known to pursue profit with little regard for the well-being of trading partners.
⨳ Foes & Perils While witch hunters are themselves dangerous, their quarry is even more menacing. Infernal pacts are strangely popular here. Major cities are lucky to go a full year without one night when devils prowl the skies. Murderous dark elves are also surprisingly abundant despite no major enclave in Fitchland. Visiting drow can expect aggressive persecution. Fitch internal security is pervasive and vigilant. In communities and along major roads, travellers who are not fluent in the local language may be detained and interrogated. Any efforts to sabotage fortifications or flood control structures can result in summary execution.
In the wilder parts of Fitchland, spirits abound. Forested hills are home to wild dryads and nymphs. Folklore holds that these beguiling creatures are valuable advisors, though scholarship suggests they are as likely to mislead for their own amusement as they are to provide sound guidance. The abandoned ruins of flooded towns may be home to wraiths and ghosts. Small bands of orcs or ogres sometimes live inhabit swamps also known to contain hydrae. Even in the time of the Low Towns, this stretch of coast was known to be the stalking ground for a tribe of malevolent shapeshifters. No doubt some of these monsters have infiltrated the Fitch population.
POINTS OF INTEREST
⊛ Voortervert is a modern scholar's paradise. Art schools, law schools, engineering schools, medical schools – all this is in addition to three excellent universities and a pair of elite military academies. From the kingdom's peak elevation, the cliffside Royal Palace offers a spectacular view of the city below. At the heart of that city, the Dome of Respect shelters huge galleries of keen observers watching debates among the Council of Ministers. Nearby towers house courts, clerks, inspectors, and records orchestrating Fitch governance. Voortervert is proof that, while this nation may rely little on wizardry, it relies heavily on intellect.
Tourism Dragons were once abundant threats with territories closely crowded together. After the Imperium Arcanum dramatically thinned their ranks, the Age of Heroes saw much wild land tamed and put to productive purposes. Modern engineers link great cities with cobblestone highways, permanent bridges, and sprawling wharves. Travel still tends to be stressful and costly, but an armed personal escort is no longer essential for peacetime visits to a huge number of well-policed cities.
A small group can complete a modern sightseeing expedition for about the same expense as purchasing one healthy steed. Well-funded students may go abroad to diversify their studies or deal directly with a particular mentor. Many entertainers tour extensively, finding both new audiences and new inspiration along the way. Some newlyweds travel to share exotic experiences before taking on parenthood. Great cities and natural wonders tend to generate clusters of inns, shops, shrines, and guide services catering to tourists. Yet tourist hubs can be plagued with pickpockets and grifters. A dramatic decline in tourism is an early indicator of faltering governance. |
⦿ Drukkhaven sits just downstream from a cluster of hills rich with timber and coal. These resources feed an industrial powerhouse unlike any other on the west coast of Mainland. Drukkhaven's shipyards produce the bulk of Fitchand's fleets, Royal and corporate alike. Smelters and forges transform loads of raw ore into valuable tools. Honest laborers never sit idle long in this great city. Able and stern constables ensure that dishonest folk face constant scrutiny, with more severe treatment to follow any verified infraction. An overwhelming majority supports strict oversight, since this center of productivity affords a secure and comfortable life for most of its inhabitants.
⦿ Festistad is a destination young aristocrats with modern sensibilities make a point to include on their tours of the world. Though situated at sea level and navigable by a network of canals, Festistad is kept safe by a council of wizards openly contrary to Fitch norms. Their unusual arcane power is matched by an unusually permissive attitude. Loud music, public intoxication, and minor vandalism are tolerated in service to an atmosphere of perpetual celebration. Mariners often prefer to take their leave here because of the extensive vice opportunies available in Festistad.
⦾
The Hogue was once a wooded isle containing the only Truscan fort north of the Thousand Mile Wall. Long ago the last indigenous tree was felled to patch a ship. Now this bald mountaintop towering over the sea serves as headquarters for the Fitch Royal Navy. A prominent feature of Fitch territorial waters is known as the Bay of Tranquility because patrols coordinated by The Hogue so effectively deter piracy. Continued growth of the community has turned the isle into a great center of naval lore. Military and civilian officers alike often venture here to be trained in nautical command.
⨹ Laagsteden, also known as the Low Towns, has been reduced through neglect to soggy ruins visited by sightseers in the day and vengeful sprits at night. The largest concentration of humans residing in the area is a single sprawling fortress sheltering a venerable palace and a modern museum. The County of Laagsteden contains even more dwarves and gnomes. Nearby hills continue to yield an assortment of rich ores along with the occasional gem. Several dwarf clans operate a mining guild in the area, each populating a town above ground in order to survive frequent flooding. Thousands of gnomes also dwell here. Some mingle with dwarves and furnish miners with useful gadgets while others inhabit patchy woodlands, living quietly as their ancestors did.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Fitchland ↑ → Galloria ← ↓ Helvetica ↓
Demonym: Gallorians Language: Gallorian
Homeland: Galloria First City: Arbonne
Politics: conflicted provinces of the Truscan Empire
Elites: fighters, clerics, rogues, rangers, druids
Endowments: dexterity and charisma
Complexion: tan to fair
Hair: blonde to dark brown
Eyes: blue, brown, or green
Influential Deities: Zeus, Apollo, Dionysus, Arawn, Silvanus
Borders: Helvetica, Sylvania, Truscanny
Popular Instruments: drum, flute, shawm, viol
Traditional Weapons: handaxe, rapier, bec de corbin, lance
Female Names: Adèle, Chantal, Élodie, Geneviève, Louise, Manon, Margaux, Michèle, Monique, Odette, Renée, Simone, Sylvie, Zoé
Male Names: Alphonse, Bernard, Étienne, Gaston, Gilbert, Henri, Jean, Louis, Luc, Maurice, Pierre, Serge, Xavier, Yves
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Galloria After annexing Helvetica and Thrace, the Truscan Republic would next set its sights on this verdant region. The first few Truscan Emperors were shaped in the crucible of the Gallorian Campaigns. Yet Gallorians are not particularly violent by nature. Defiant tribes hurling distinctive throwing axes gave way to loyal taxpayers eager for economic progress. Much of the region was quick to adopt an urbane lifestyle. Particular loves for fine food, wine, and art soon gave this provincial culture as much prestige as their civilizing conquerers. Modern eating utensils used by most Mainlanders derive from ancient Gallorian dining practices.
Many centuries of reliable loyalty to Imperial rulers earned these decadent people a high degree of affluence. Yet the empire started to lose control of its westernmost territories while the Truscans were focused on their misadventure in Ontolon. The frontier receded gradually all the way back to Galloria. Some rebel Gallorians embrace more egalitarian values and others resent heavy Imperial taxation. Warzones create swarms of destitute refugees and military deserters scavenging from already-pillaged communities. Secure Gallorian cities continue to offer excellent standards of living and abundant luxuries. Today the place is a study in contrasts. Splendid palaces sit untouched overlooking sprawls of rubble. Elsewhere thoughtful city elders struggle to assimilate waves of indigent immigrants into upscale urban economies.
Gallorian politics can be intensely divisive. Almost everyone has a strong opinion about Imperial authorities, with little tolerance for the opposition. Common folk encourage one another to become more involved in debates rather than to leave it all for their betters to sort out. Even the most liberal kings must be sensitive to public opinion. Stable local governments still face constant critique from rabble-rousers and artistic protesters. Leaders must act quickly to crush armed uprisings and prevent the spread of revolutionary spirit. Yet acting too quickly turns peaceful protestors into martyrs for their cause. Current events in Galloria only reinforce the reputation of these people for pairing elegance with passion.
| Busking Thousands of modern cities and towns are prosperous enough that entertainers can sustain themselves from the coins tossed to indicate approval of a performance. In poorer or less populous quarters, the challenge of busking involves drawing a crowd and holding their interest. Yet in the most affluent and crowded areas, the hardest part may be obtaining permission. Some cities even require licenses for artistic performances in public places. Many institutions will police the area just outside their facilities to preserve the flow of foot traffic. Factor in problems caused by the weather and other disruptions, and this modest source of income becomes unreliable as well. Yet busking a remains common way to hone the skills of fledgeling entertainers, and it often elevates public morale in crowded urban environments. |
♪ Arts & Entertainments High elves continue to practice forms of dress, music, winemaking, and sculpture that have been continuously refined for more than
50,000 years. Yet when humans think of sophistication they are more likely to contemplate fresh trends coming out of Galloria. Some major social events here see professional fashion models displaying the latest wares from designers with celebrity status of their own. Traditional plays, paintings, and dramas are respected in Galloria, but the greatest creative luminaries of this society are driven by
auterism. This philosophy promotes artistic innovation through extreme dedication to a personal vision that stands apart from other influences. Between fearless free spirits and provocateurs with wealthy patrons, many great works of modern Gallorian art are built around a central theme of aggressively defying social convention.
This craving for the avante-garde makes almost anything an artistic medium in Galloria. From acrobats bounding across rooftops to a group of buskers silently playing invisible instruments, public performances often deliver unclear messages at unexpected moments. Some Gallorians react to all this by funding extremes of opulence among more traditional arts. Major churches are architectural wonders, and clergy sponsor elaborate illuminations of scripture. Small well-appointed playhouses and opera companies serve up predictable standards for patrons who crave stability. Yet far more popular are clamorous outdoor concerts weaving dance and music into spectacles enthralling large audiences. Sometimes concluding with fireworks, these extravaganzas attract legendary entertainers from lands both near and far. At smaller venues in some urban quarters, musicians and raconteurs regularly sustain revels until dawn.
Dispensations Major established religions combine the basic edicts of a deity with an elaborate body of theology penned by mortals. Clergy debate the finer points of scripture and lore, praying regularly in their search for guidance. Through hierachies and special councils, new ideas become eternal truths in religious teaching. The product of all this work sometimes takes the form of massive literary supplements clarifying religious doctrines and their practical applications. Priests and worshippers often search through the same language in search of loopholes and other exceptions.
Not all religions offer spiritual dispensations, and most that do so are not working from theology explicitly engineered for profit. Results typically play off a holy order's tendency to reinforce social norms, creating opportunities for revenue through technical exemptions. From blessed brothels where prostitution is sanctified to temporary badges that excuse transgressions against an oath of non-violence, religious leaders have devised all manner of ways to market theological exceptions to basic taboos.
In some faiths these prior dispensations are more lucrative than rites of atonement. Aristocrats provide generous sums to religious leaders willing to bless the revels of an otherwise sinful festival. Some leaders enjoy constant debauchery in their private lives while being credited in public for lavish spending to support a sacred institution. Depite the tremendous variety in actual religious commandments, striking parallels can be seen across the many different ways holy authorities sell indulgences. Where this practice is controversial, it may serve as the spark for a much broader religious conflict. |
✠ Belief & Worship There were always strong pockets of the Old Faith in Galloria. Modest formations of Standing Stones are abundant, joined by a few grander specimens. Druids are widely respected here even though many have been linked to rebels. Another growing religious minority are atheists – people who shun religion and holy spellcasting due to a mistrust of the gods. Witches and warlocks are not welcome to operate openly in Galloria. Yet covert covens wield enough influence that all institutions once devoted to witch hunting have been repurposed to focus on vampires and shapechangers. Despite all this, prevailing religious practices in Galloria are decidedly conservative. The Aegis Church often wields tremendous influence over local leaders and civic institutions.
Gospels here feature many elements borrowed from Truscan lore. Yet the dominant narrative is a litany of praise for the Gallorian homeland. Looking here among his many holdings, the God of the Heavenly Throne set out to create a paradise. The God of the Setting Sun and the God of Verdant Wilderness harmonized to perfect the natural environment. Then the God of Drunken Revelry and the God of Final Rewards together designed the cycle of growing and harvesting, making endless adjustments in pursuit of the finest food and drink. Gallorian teachings contend that one must experience many joys in this life to be worthy of the greatest pleasures the afterlife has to offer. Churches here often sell atonement in advance, issuing certificates of indulgence so that monied revelers who transgress against Gallorian taboos need not let spiritual ramifications spoil the fun.
† Castles & Combat The traditional Gallorian handaxe features a curved head and handle so that the weapon might tumble along the ground as an alternative to being hurled directly. While landing these unusual attacks on target is difficult, that factor is offset by similar problems evading the tumbling and lurching weapon. Axes large and small continue to be traditional symbols of Gallorian power. Yet the region has long been flooded with Truscan steel. Many cityfolk carry rapiers while going about ordinary business. Several Gallorian fencing styles are widely taught in other lands. Aristocratic soldiers are expected to own a set of full battle dress as well as a lance and a steed fit for war. Modern heavy cavalry dominate open field combat here.
Most areas of Galloria have either seen warfare in recent generations or anticipate it in the century to come. Even the most humble senator likely controls a palace within a fortress. Magistrates without their own militarized strongholds are likely raising funds for construction. These projects sustain high demand for both labor and tax revenue. They also prevent the western border of the Truscan Empire from shifting in large increments. Some frontier territories see alternating periods of violent rebel uprisings and draconian martial law. Others are ravaged by open warfare between Imperial loyalists and “free Gallorians” who dream of living under the rule of a comparatively permissive monarch. With support from the Sylvanian Confederation, several of these upstart kingdoms already control substantial territory.
Fighters Working with dwarven smiths, some human armies serving the Imperium Arcanum developed original weapons and fighting techniques. Later dwarven and human armies clad in heavy iron seemed invulnerable to opposing forces, enabling Wotania to become the first superpower in the Age of Heroes. Humanity devised a staggering variety of combat tactics in the warfare of that era. Legendary fighters carved out realms great and small from the chaos. Their stories, and their moves, live on today in the fighting styles and lore of myriad modern martial traditions.
The term “fighter” often implies something more specific than “armed combatant.” Many military trainees still lack the mettle that can emerge in fierce battle. Gifted mentors impose extensive regimens of arduous training, instilling the tenacity to persist despite hardships. Yet even the untrained may find the spark of a true fighter ignited by frequent scuffles with neighborhood bullies or encounters with wild beasts. Proven survivors able to make the most of weapons and armor, these resilient warriors are essential for any organization intent on controlling expansive territory.
Skilled fighters enjoy plenty of employment opportunities, but most involve dire peril. The boasts of great generals often follow from fields covered in blood. Policing remote highways or crime-ridden neighborhoods may require greater reliance on weapons than badges. The most secure posts might allow a guard or soldier to serve for decades with few eventful days. Yet other careers involve a routine of violence with few peaceful interludes. Guilds, banks, caravans, ships, and some shops require formidable defenders to protect valuables. Mercenary companies and gladiator schools are always on the lookout for the best talent to join their ranks. Many accomplished fighters do not live long enough to lay down their arms and settle into a tranquil retirement. |
Defensive fortifications leave unprotected villages and towns hit hard during long seiges. Some regions hoping to sustain or rebuild local agriculture engage in warfare by other means. It is not uncommon to see Gallorians negotiating the bloodless withdrawal of an inferior force even while standing poised for battle. Clashes of equal forces may be resolved with formal duels or jousts among unit champions. Assassins and spies are well-compensated in Galloria. Diviners, illusionists, cryptographers, and smugglers also prove valuable in secret struggles to compromise power structures. Wise rulers continue to protect and fund educational institutions able to infuse their populations with new talent. Long after conventional forces have settled into a stalemate, some Gallorian conflicts rage on in the form of personal feuds between leaders and their henchmen.
§ Decrees & Customs Galloria's many large cemeteries are sacred places where Shrineminders sometimes maintain perimeter walls and collect donations at the gate. Though there are vocal laments about the absurdity of war, most people here accept death as a part of life. Nearly all also insist on wine as a part of life. Regional and local governments impose complex legal codes governing wine production at every level. There are severe punishments for poisoning wine, deliberately spilling large unspoiled supplies, or misuse of prestigious labelling marks. This rigor ensures that even common table wines tend to be excellent in Galloria while choice vintages can command high prices.
Most violent acts are severely punished in Gallorian communities, though these people have a long tradition of duelling. Given responsible public notice and witnessed consent from each party, settling a question of honor is a valid legal defense for a killing. Most of Galloria is subject to Truscan law, with each provincial governor the highest authority this side of Septopolis. Slaves must be closely supervised, since freedom awaits those who cross to the other side of western battle lines. The ethics of slavery, like many other topics, are freely discussed by the common folk of Galloria. Seditious orators may be punished, but the freedom to express any opinion about any subject in private has long been a Gallorian custom that troubles political and religious leaders alike.
Ⓢ Economy & Trade This land is home to both forests seeded by Silvanus and woodlands of older stock. Makers of perfumes, medicines, dyes, or inks all thrive in Galloria due to the high quality and widespread availability of so many useful herbs, nuts, and fruits. Gallorian wines have a reputation as the finest in the world, and sweet spirits are also a popular export from the region. Prosperous Truscans look to Galloria as a scenic and culturally stimulating place to visit. They return with clothing and art from this land, both of which are widely exported. Importers here also service the luxury trades, paying a premium for silk, exotic wools, leathers from distant lands, and all manner of rare foodstuffs.
Great cities see declining populations when armies are lost in battle. Populations surge as refugees flock out of warzones. Urban planners are strained by the challenges of managing these fluctuations. Employment opportunities are plentiful, but problematic for people with crippling injuries or single parents with young children. In some areas extreme opulence sits a stone's throw away from scorched earth and destitution. Rebuilding of razed towns and redevelopment of pillaged farms may be delayed while a lost generation of locals faces constant peril from factions clashing in the area.
Wildlands The surface of the world has never seen larger or more well-developed civilizations than the present era. Even so, enormous stretches of land continue lack many permanent structures. Reclusive tribes may inhabit these places, wary of visitors and hostile to homesteaders. Some wildlands are protected by powerful druids hostile to any people who go beyond subsistence-level hunting and foraging. By far the most common danger in these areas is posed by indigenous fauna. Large territorial beasts may attack to drive humans away from lairs or favored hunting grounds. Lesser creatures also pose all manner of dangers, from the swarming of insect armies to the venom of stealthy serpents.
Major trade routes see frequent patrols ranging into nearby wildlands, clearing any dangers likely to wander into traffic. Yet most journeys well beyond farming country leave travellers exposed to considerable risk from monsters, beasts, and bandits. Even using roads, journeys through wild areas often demand travel as part of a caravan with the fighting strength to drive off local aggressors. Professional hunters and foragers learn the ways of the wilderness. Knowing when to hide, when to run, and where not to tread enables individuals and small groups to be productive in proximity to deadly wild things. Outlaws sometimes inhabit perilous wildlands for lack of any civilized sanctuary. Some powerful individuals find tranquility so far from city life. Yet these untamed places remain so precisely because no ordinary folk would raise families where dangers roam so freely. |
⨳ Foes & Perils War has changed. A Truscan doctrine of total war failed to dominate the people of Ontolon while actually hastening the collapse of the Western Flank. Today Truscan generals and rebel leaders consider it shameful to use pestilence or goblinoid mercenaries here. Unarmed civilians are typically granted free passage out of conflict zones. Still Galloria is thick with military bases and forces, none of which respond well to mysterious inquisitive interlopers. Looters and deserters are also abundant. These outlaws sometimes assemble into mighty bandit gangs. Spies and assassins are not only threats to their targets, but also any witnesses in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Non-human dangers abound here as well. Bears and other lumbering beasts live among the region's bountiful forests. Trolls often attempt to extort tolls at any bridge lacking a regular garrison. Metropolitan constabularies always seem to be investigating deaths perpetrated by vampires and werewolves. Assorted drakes and actual dragons thrive in the chaotic borderland. Huge sea serpents wander along the Gallorian coast. Though this homeland might contain only a single gargantua, its most elevated region is home to the deadliest of them all. Even governors and kings are quick to avoid this supreme incarnation of armored destructive power.
POINTS OF INTEREST
⦿ Arbonne seldom fails to appear on a list of top tourist destinations. The only great city in the region before Truscan conquest, it has since enjoyed continuous growth and become one of the world's most impressive urban jewels. By day every public square becomes a stage for assorted street performers. At night revelers crowd into drinking houses all the more lively for inventive musicians or colorful storytellers. Opulent gambling dens provide an alternative for the well-monied set. Every neighborhood features a market packed with fresh cooking staples. For each exotic dish there is a vendor somewhere in Arbonne who knows how to procure the best available ingredients. Locals tend to be particular about personal appearance. Groups consistently sport fine attire and excellent grooming while each individual maintains a distinctive personal style.
⦿ Huispier occupies the shadow cast by the Arcplagum Occidens, a fantastically large arch commissioned by an early Truscan Emperor to promote migration into the Gallorian provinces. The top of the arch houses the most prestigious Sundown Temple. Clergy there maintain elaborate stained glass arrays that treat the city below to kaleidoscopic light shows just before sunset on clear days. Now an essential stop for Legions marching west and caravans headed east, Huispier epitomizes Truscan stability, order, and prosperity. Yet the locals are mostly Gallorian in blood and in spirit. Labor strikes have been known to disrupt trade, and local authorities dare not risk the backlash sure to follow any brutal crackdown on these passive protests. So long as they are compensated fairly, most residents of Huispier are happy to pay their taxes and enjoy the high living standards of this secure provincial capital.
Superheroes The most successful adventurers tend to become larger than life figures. These living legends often settle into aristocratic comfort. Yet some cannot quiet the longing for new challenges and foes to overcome. They favor fanciful eyecatching garb, sometimes accessorized with a persistent aura or halo. They unleash deadly power with trivial effort. They can endure tremendous violence and keep fighting back. Many fly or teleport as casually as an ordinary person might go for a stroll. Going above and beyond the normal arc of heroic achievement, these superheroes typically act as guardians of a chosen metropolis.
Anywhere people and wealth are concentrated inside towering urban centers is a prime target for the most ambitious forms of greed and nihilism. Great cities must be relatively secure to sustain prosperity. Whenever a threat is more than conventional authorities can handle, a superhero may yet save the day. Approaching gargantua, large cults about to unmask, unguarded portals to dangerous planes, and assassination plots against local leaders are all situations that often end poorly but for the intervention of superheroes. Yet the world also sees its share of superpowered villains. Some cities have mixed feelings about resident superheroes, especially after rivalries with supervillains lead to extensive collateral damage. |
⦿ Marplage is Galloria's primary seaport and a major strategic objective for rebel forces. Ample tax revenue from trade funds an enormous naval presence and military headquarters here. These forces make direct attack implausible, turning Marplage into a city of deadly intrigues. Yet it is also a city of spectacular opportunities. Tourists flock to large gambling establishments and entertainment complexes atop hills overlooking the bay. Major trading companies from distant lands are heavily invested in waterfront development. Locals bold enough to hazard sea monster encounters exploit some of the richest fisheries and pearl beds in all of Mainland's coastal waters. Though uncharacteristically crowded and businesslike for a Gallorian city, Marplage also offers a robust nightlife and plenty of opportunities for performing artists.
⊛ Pierpont has become increasingly vital with the destruction of several other permanent spans along the Inonde River. A city divided by one of the largest bridges ever constructed, Pierpont is presently the tip of the spear plunging into one side of the Truscan Empire. Tolls collected from bridge traffic sustain the treasury of a rebel kingdom. The eastern half of the city is an immense fortress, towering over the surrounding river valley. The western half is a beacon to persons fleeing Imperial oppression. A mix of organizations there are quick to support refugees and former slaves after a successful crossing. While some groups provide charitable relief for needy immigrants, others exploit desperate people willing to labor for the cheapest sorts of food and shelter. Imperial blockades and patrols can make it difficult to approach from the Truscan side. Yet the Champions of Pierpont, a formidable band of superheroes, serve as effective reinforcements to the local garrison while foiling plots against rebel institutions. Their defense of the bridge and the realm serve as an inspiring example to freethinking peoples everywhere.
⨀ Fìônmon claims to have been the site of prototypical wine that grew from experiments conducted in the Age of Dragons. Ancient secrets have given way to modern elven practices, but this mixed community of high elves and wood elves remains inhospitable to most non-fey outsiders. Human students help sustain a local university, and traders are welcome for the duration of their business, but permanent residence is strongly discouraged. Fìônmon is one of the few places in the world where elven mercenaries stand ready for hire. Even greater fame attaches to local wineries producing enchanted beverages with the fey equivalent of Gallorian prestige. The most affordable of these offerings feature nose-tickling bubbles, while the most exotic vintages pair the full effect of rare potions with sensations of sweet satisfaction.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Galloria ↑ → Helvetica ← ↓ Iskresh ↓
Demonym: Helveticans Language: Helvetican
Homeland: Helvetica First City: Verdana
Politics: stable province of the Truscan Empire
Elites: rogues, paladins, rangers, sorcerers, warlocks
Endowments: constitution and wisdom
Complexion: fair to palid
Hair: blonde to light brown
Eyes: blue or green
Influential Deities: Zeus, Apollo, Ares, Geb, Ptah
Borders: Galloria, The Scarlands, Transmania, Truscanny
Popular Instruments: flute, horn, shawm, viol
Traditional Weapons: war pick, poleaxe, spetum, heavy crossbow
Female Names: Anita, Barbara, Brigitte, Clara, Dido, Eva, Heidi, Julia, Lena, Liza, Patricia, Sara, Sonja, Yvette
Male Names: Claude, Didier, Hannibal, Julian, Leon, Lucas, Markus, Nico, Nolan, René, Simon, Stefan, Thomas, Urs
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Helvetica Unlike most mountainous regions, Helvetica tends to be a tranquil place. Lush sheltered river valleys support enough agriculture to maintain hundreds of prosperous villages. These communities are often hidden from view yet treated to their own spectacular vistas. Orderly systems of taxation and mutual defense enabled many small noble houses to co-exist as the mighty Helvetican League during the Age of Heroes. Their homeland only became a Truscan province after a long series of defensive stands inflicting huge losses that the invaders' mighty republic could barely sustain.
The calm disposition of modern Helveticans, along with concern about avalanches, may explain why they are famously soft-spoken and often quick to condemn any unnecessarily loud noise. Yet this stealthy inclination drives few to thievery, since their traditions emphasize respect for personal property as well as the importance of accumulating wealth. Prudence and persistence are upheld as supreme virtues. Helvetican bankers are the most trusted, secure, and secretive in the world. A legendary Helvetican wizard once quipped, “the most powerful magic in the cosmos can be found in the reckonings of financiers.”
As subjects of the Truscan Empire, modern Helveticans enjoy a secure position in the world. Mountainous terrain diverts any Scarland hordes that range so far south, and other Helvetican borderlands are far from any warzone. Many regions are also relatively free of dangerous monsters and outlaws, allowing for safe travel. Traditionally the provincial governor continues to respect the various popular assemblies that provide leadership at the district and municipal levels. So long as revenues remain high in aggregate, local officials are granted some latitude in the particulars of tax collection. Flexibility in the Imperial administration preserves public morale and allows for some eccentric practices that are uniquely well-suited to making the most of life in this affluent alpine homeland.
Jewellers Ordinary people consider one platinum coin significant and a hefty pouch of gold coinage great treasure. Yet most of the world's wealthiest people lack dragonkind's passsion for presiding over a hoard of glittering coins. Many tons of gold might not hold as much value as one bag of the rarest stones. Fitting exceptional gems into well-crafted jewels concentrates great piles of wealth into a single object suitable for display or exchange. So much concentrated purchasing power also makes jewels ideal targets for thieves. Even when broken down into unrecognizable pieces, the loot from a jewelry heist retains much of its value.
Because every great city features multiple shops affiliated with the Synod Jewellers of Ptah, the treasure trade is scrupulously fair in any civilized land. They work with authorities whenever goods known to be stolen turn up, but otherwise the Synodic Creed demands fair exchange of value for value in the trade of gems and jewels. Faithful jewellers take their profits from additional services rendered. Small fees may be assessed for cleanings and appraisals. Valuable scraps are recovered from recutting and resizing jobs. The trade is lucrative enough to fund the strong security measures it always requires. Jewellers are particularly prosperous where raw metals and gems are in good supply. Their workshops convert these supplies into finished marvels treasured for their fusion of reverent artistry with expensive materials.
Though dazzling crowns and glittering necklaces are the fashion with kings and queens, many jewellers serve a less glamorous clientele. Some practice their trade with nothing but a toolkit, utilizing precious materials their customers already possess. Even slaves may accumulate and exchange shiny trinkets as a way of relating to one another. Most free people can afford semi-precious stones in silver settings. Some make prominent fashion accessories of these pieces. Prosperous professionals may have their equipment silvered, gilded, or adorned with precious stones. Sometimes these enhancements prepare an object for enchantment. Though jewellers normally leave a maker's mark somewhere on each creation, the mark of a Synod Jeweller authenticates contemporary markings indicating precious metal content and gemstone quality. |
♪ Arts & Entertainments The highest degrees of certification bestowed on Synod Jewellers are only available from a few sacred sites in Helvetica. Even apprentices here use exacting tools and uphold high standards of precision. Their techniques elevate the artform with more elegant designs and scintillating cuts. A similar blending of engineering with art can be seen in Helvetican clockwork. Their timepieces are a coveted luxury, pushing the boundaries of accuracy and reliability. Mechanical toys fashioned here are popular all over Mainland. From realistically articulated figurines to wind-up music boxes, these delicate wonders are rich with exquisite detail. Though they work largely with imported ingredients, Helvetican confectioners excel at producing boxed sweets of exceptional quality.
Local fashions are generally simple yet clean and neat, with layering common due to daily variations in temperature. Helvetican music is typically pastoral and gentle, with many communities explicitly forbidding the use of drums. These people carry on an ancient tradition of calling out in a voice that moves quickly between falsetto and normal registers. These sounds carry off mountains and glaciers with less risk of avalanche than posed by a sustained bellow. These alpine hails whipping up and down in pitch have evolved into
yoyoing, a remarkable singing style that is not widely enjoyed outside Helvetica. By contrast, both oral and written histories of heroic exploits in the time of the Helvetican League are popular worldwide.
✠ Belief & Worship Some local clergy teach that the God of the Heavenly Throne presides over an august assembly atop the Leibenhorn, a huge fang-shaped mountain virtually impossible to climb. The God of Solid Ground is praised for building such rugged mountains and situating so many fertile valleys in their midst. Credit goes to the God of Forged Marvels for seeding those mountains with abundant gems and precious metals. The God of Untamed Violence is generally depicted as a divine antagonist, lashing out at the other gods and causing the magnificent land they created to tremble. After being thwarted by a foe, the belligerent deity finds the moral of each parable in conversation with the God of the Setting Sun. Zeus, Geb, Ptah, and Apollo are widly praised. Many communities will not allow the construction of temples to Ares, and his veneration is not acceptable in polite Helvetican company.
With very little military presence, the area sees a proliferation of troubleshooters happy to take bounties on any monsters or witches allegedly menacing citizens. Mere talk of pact magic must be a closely guarded secret, and its overt use is a crime in many towns. Though the Old Faith is not outlawed, Helvetican farmers often favor intellectual or spiritual support over natural magic. It was thought the area harbored no Standing Stones until modern ley line scholars studying convergences located dozens of enormous underground chambers, each containing an ancient megalithic ring looming in total darkness. Accessible only by teleportation, these chambers sometimes serve as meeting places for secret societies that claim to exert global influence.
† Castles & Combat Much Helvetican construction reflects the style of Reverend Architects during the Age of Heroes. Whereas modern designs favor perfectly vertical walls and precisely angled corners, castles here tend to lean back as they rise up along granite mountainsides. Though their positions are almost always formidable, these fortifications are modest in scope. The last great war fought here was nearly
1,800 years ago. Modern needs are limited to sheltering from the occassional monster attack. Though slavery is legal here, few Helveticans claim ownership of other people. There are insufficient numbers to constitute a proper slave uprising.
Most guards here wield a long weapon while wearing a breastplate and helm. Small units train to protect their ranks whenever dealing with the most violent foes. Many mountaineers practice a fighting style employing picks that are also effective as climbing tools. Of all the ancient Helvetican folk legends, none are as popular as the saga of Wilhelm Show. He famously saved the life of his own father, a respected chancellor, by shooting a poisoned apple out of his hand just before it touched his lips. While crossbows are particularly popular here, young people thus equipped must be carefully supervised to prevent attempts at re-enacting Wilhelm Show's feat of supreme marksmanship. More than a few Helveticans bear distinctive scars on their hands or cheeks as a reminder of youthful misadventure.
Avalanches Mountains seem eternal, but people who live in their shadow understand how they crumble. The most active features are glaciers accumulating ice and snow in cold months only to pour off cascades of the purest water in warmer weather. As a snowpack acquires more weight than the slope below can support, enormous masses of the stuff may slide right off the mountain. Fences and nets can contain the progress of ordinary showdrifts, but a proper avalanche is essentially unstoppable. Even the smallest of these events poses a serious hazard to people working or travelling in alpine terrain. Major avalanches bury the sturdiest structures and crush the rest. Victims buried under snow and ice rarely survive without a quick rescue.
Avalanches also pose risk of triggering a landslide. These events often follow a tremor in the earth or excessive undermining of a sloped surface. Collapsing rock faces shatter into deadly debris while any soil in motion delivers its own torrent of power. Even stone construction is sometimes scoured away by a powerful landslide. This concern makes Helveticans sensitive to the tension between profitability and safety in mountainside mining operations. Landslides often follow from the prior tragedy of corruption among community leaders. In solving short term problems with increased mining revenue they neglect the need to stabilize the mountain above. In the worst cases, death is simply waiting to be invited by any sufficiently loud noise. |
§ Decrees & Customs These people generally dislike loud noises. In alpine communities where avalanches are a constant risk, that dislike may take the form of laws with severe punishments for disturbing the peace. Helvetican festivities tend to be bright and upbeat without ever quite breaking out into a truly raucous state. Many Helvetican institutions are organized around precise schedules. Punctuality is an important virtue in this culture. Most towns and city neighborhoods feature a large clock tower to accurately inform everyone of the present time, though any chimes associated with these clocks are modest.
Counterfeiting and dishonest jewel appraisals are widely regarded as crimes elsewhere, but Helvetican authorities prioritize these offenses. They dispatch elite investigators and enforce severe, often deadly, penalties when major fraud is confirmed. Here urban thieves rarely get away with more than pickpocketing and the occasional burglary. Bandits only survive with benefit of extreme secrecy like a hideout lurking behind a waterfall or the ability to blend in as upstanding citizens. With ample personnel and few emergency situations, Helvetican constables often find the time to enforce minor local laws like signage regulations and bans on unkempt gardens.
Ⓢ Economy & Trade Despite monthly treasure caravans to satisfy Imperial tax collectors, Helveticans reside in the richest major human homeland. The bounty of their mountains and the skill of their jewellers is enough to keep Septopolis happy. Gold and gems also flow into the realm from assorted luxury trades. In addition to payments for gadgets and sweets, some incoming funds are bound for the famously secure and secretive Helvetican banking system. Sufficiently large deposits can justify almost any arrangement in terms of access options and discretion. Extremely wealthy account holders sometimes retire to Helvetica, building a personal château or joining with many others to take apartments in palatial compounds. These opulent facilities can accommodate visitors with aristocratic tastes and the funds to cover a major bill.
Some Helvetican workshops specialize in one type of component while others concentrate on a particular line of tools or toys. Further division of labor makes it possible to produce tremendous quantities of wares while maintaining high standards of quality. The interdependence of tinkers creates ample opportunity for commerce among the towns and cities of Helvetica. Many routes see couriers with little in the way of arms or armor safely making valuable deliveries. Independent traders trundle those same roads in their wagons, circulating supplies among apothecaries and stimulating interest in goods from other communities.
Scenic Retreats Modern prosperity allows many millions of ordinary people to live comfortably while laboring on a farm or pursuing an urban trade. Yet economic development also has benefits for the most privileged classes. An increasing population of retired aristocrats and monied travellers create demand for residences that combine excellent security with access to fine foods and other luxuries. Lodgings at these costly resorts typically feature balconies looking out on remarkably beautiful vistas. Excellent fishing and hunting opportunities often abound nearby. For those who can afford fees that start at several hundred pieces of gold per month, a scenic retreat can provide the pleasures of a palace with a minimum of personal burdens.
Patronized by elite figures from assorted cultures, the grandest luxury resorts are swirling with intrigues and personal drama. Yet violence is incredibly rare. Formidable sentries are supplemented by guests and residents quick to neutralize any threat. With the prospect of deposed monarchs and retired archmagi in the crowd, only the most subtle forms of mischief can be perpetrated with impunity. These elite retreats generally do not operate near warzones where keeping the peace is no longer practical. Helvetica contains a large number of these establishments, some having been founded in the Age of Heroes. Several ancient resorts that survived Truscan conquest have enjoyed otherwise uninterrupted operations for more than three millennia. |
⨳ Foes & Perils Though Ares is a holy deity and a respected figure in Truscan culture, most Helveticans see his worship as a sign of bad character. The Order Indomitable maintains a network of secret bases where malcontents train as warriors, preparing for a prophecied reconquest of the province. Given how hungry the Empire is for gold and how much the Helveticans have squirreled away in their own treasuries, it is plausible that escalating taxes could create a rebellion that would provoke this predicted Imperial crackdown. Meanwhile, the hunt for O.I. operatives and strongholds occasionally leads to coordinated actions by constabularies from various towns and districts. The Empire does not participate in these operations against religious groups, though it sometimes funds bounties on the worst outlaws.
In addition to the risk of avalanche, many mountain slopes are home to other dangers. From absurdly large birds to surprisingly small dragons, Helvetica's peaks sport plenty of serious threats. The most sociable giants participate in local festivals and perform great labors in exchange for modest tributes. Yet others make much less reasonable demands, threatening to bury towns that do not comply. The greatest adventures and rarest magics in Helvetica are found above the treeline where cargo and constables have no reason to venture. Reaching a summit in this land might only require a frigid test of pure athletic ability or it might involve a gauntlet of fantastic creatures and other deadly hazards. Tragedies are so common on some climbing routes that powerful undead creatures haunt their upper slopes
POINTS OF INTEREST
⦿ Genève is a haven for diplomatic events and deposed aristocrats. Overlooking a spectacular lake of fresh glacial runoff, this sophisticated city sits in the sunniest and warmest part of Helvetica. Gallorian cuisine is the norm here, yet Genève lacks the turmoil and tension of parts farther south. This city is home to an impressive array of luxury compounds willing to rent quarters to visitors. Here it is possible to spend the morning going down a mountainside on skis and the same afternoon comfortably splashing about at a scenic beach. Though Genève has the colleges, galleries, and playhouses one would expect of any large city; everything tends to be luxuriously appointed and uncommonly expensive.
⦿ Toûtevoûte is home to the finest minds in the field of asset protection. Not only are several elite bodyguard services headquartered here, but all of Toûtevoûte's five great banking houses claim to have never been the victim of a major theft. Each family's motto is a variation on the theme of honoring debts. Their facilities supplement layers of magical architecture with vigilant spellcasters working in shifts. The entire city is shrouded in a culture of extreme discretion. Strangers often dismiss personal questions as inappropriate. Toûtevoûtiens consider it barbaric to disclose the particulars of business arrangements with third parties. Absolutely no one is fully informed about the contents of more than one-fifth of the vaults in Toûtevoúte.
Vaults Trade and adventuring both sometimes yield great personal fortunes without a suitably secure stronghold to contain this wealth. Many aristocrats keep some personal funds separate from their official treasuries, the better to fund illicit activities or secure comforts after a fall from power. Ordinary banks maintain constant guard over a vault, but major financial institutions make securing property an industry unto itself. A compliment of alert guards may be supplemented by automated constructs or savage beasts. Elaborate underground complexes lure thieves into dead ends or deadly traps.
The most secure vaults not only rely on prepared defenses, but also depend on teams of diviners and seers. These experts anticipate intruders and coordinate countermeasures. Like a fortress employing concentric walls, the best security arrangements mix layers of magical disruption with zones allowing defensive spellcasters free reign. Many centuries of legendary thieves have inspired countless refinements to techniques of vault design and defense. Only the most well-funded institutions can afford to maintain this level of security. Yet Helvetica's greatest banking houses never lack for coin. Reputable individuals may rent strongboxes or storage alcoves in one of these vaults, though the fees are always substantial. |
⦾ Castrille is the center of Truscan authority in the province. Here the local speakers' council is purely advisory. The governor relies on generals and pontiffs to administer the city and oversee the broader peace. Consistent revenue collections and an abundance of other concerns prevent the Emperor from applying much pressure to Helvetica. Even with a little corruption, Castrille is a city that runs like clockwork. The Imperial garrison is full of individuals from privileged families, most glad to be stationed away from any major battle line. They support traditional Truscan churches and opera houses along with the only major slave markets in the province. Investments in productive dairies and ranches across this relatively flat district help many Truscan soldiers finance a proper Helvetican lifestyle.
⨀ Trésorétat sees an elite of fabulously wealthy halflings and gnomes dominating the politics of this majority human city. Mining operations here yield exceptionally pure ores as well as some exotic minerals of value to alchemists. Farmers and laborers are well-compensated, but a few families own almost every piece of property in the district. Generous wages and prices are largely recovered through steep rents. The Guildmasters of Trésorétat govern as mouthpieces for the plutocracy, holding dozens of festivals each year in efforts to lighten the mood of commoners struggling with expenses. The city features a robust criminal element and a resourceful constabulary. Their clashes produce a fair amount of street violence. One end of town is crowded with shacks where unhappy destitute Helveticans might be recruited for unsavory deeds while the other extreme contains the mansions of diminutive investors known to fund projects on the grandest scales.
⨹ Pétunion is home to thousands of dwarves and at least as many gnomes, but it is otherwise typical of Helvetica's rural districts. Small villages form around every productive mine, cluster of farms, and major crossroads. They are joined by a few workshop communes and one luxury retreat. Each family in residence is entitled to seat one vogt in a local council, and these councils each advance one speaker to the Pétunion Assemblée. Substantial unrest prompts fresh elections that might entirely reconstitute the legislature of the district. From foothills riddled with mines all the way down to a lake full of excellent fishing, Pétunion has no communities larger than
2,000 residents, but each of its villages is a comfortable and peaceful place to live.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Helvetica ↑ → Iskresh ← ↓ Joryanland ↓
Demonym: Isks Language: Iskreshi
Homeland: Iskresh First City: Gergurur
Politics: loyal provinces of the Serpian Empire
Elites: sorcerers, rogues, wizards, rangers, barbarians
Endowments: intelligence and charisma
Complexion: fair to tan
Hair: brown or black
Eyes: brown
Influential Deities: Ra, Ptah, Set, Mannanan Mac Lir, Oghma
Borders: The Scarlands, Thrace, Transmania, Wabahar
Popular Instruments: bagpipes, drum, lute, shawm
Traditional Weapons: scimitar, greatsword, trident, hand crossbow
Female Names: Aliye, Dija, Hadice, Fatima, Irini, Kadira, Manula, Nesrin, Saruca, Samira, Sitti, Tatiana, Yesenia, Zehiya
Male Names: Abdul, Direnc, Estani, Faruk, Hakeem, Iskender, Kosta, Mehmed, Murat, Otto, Salik, Temin, Volkan, Yusuf
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Iskresh The Isks trace their ancestry back to a network of secret couriers transporting messages and small items across largely uninhabited lands. Moving only at night, they hid from aerial predators while traversing the vast expanses known today as Iskresh. This thin network gave rise to a mighty nation during the Age of Heroes. Irrigation slowly turned desolate steppes into productive farmland. Little outposts blossomed into substantial trading hubs. When the Great Consolidation calmed the seas, Iskreshi mariners were quick to expand trade with the Orient. Today they are known as a charming and enlightened people. This reputation helped to establish favorable mercantile relationships in ports all over the world.
Poised and cunning, Isks are famed for turning back threats with dramatic reversals of fortune. Many of the world's greatest wizards and chess masters hail from this land, with a few individuals holding both distinctions. Arcane lore of all sorts is highly respected here. Millennia of experience storing and transporting documents makes the Isks culturally astute librarians. This homeland is also known for copious mines and expert artisans generating abundant supplies of brass. The clockwork devices and navigators' tools from this region are famous for pairing precision with reliability.
The greatest Iskreshi rulers carved out a huge totalitarian empire, pushing right up to the Thracian frontier. Just as the Truscan Republic started annexing nearby city-states, a series of epic betrayals caused this Sultanate to collapse. Continued eastward expansion would see Truscan rule spread across Iskresh. The Isks took well to a new and more permissive order. Great centers of learning flourished at the heart of booming metropolises. Wary of war, Iskreshi compliance with Serpian secession was largely a practical matter. Many Isks of royal lineage sometimes whisper about restoring the Sultanate or even contending for the Solar Throne of the Serpian Padishah.
Correspondence Early halflings discovered the value of conveying messages between thralls in the territories of different dragons. This desperate survival strategy gave way to an elven network of written documents and teleporting couriers. The Age of Heroes saw fresh demand for other ways of conveying information. The Serpian Old Kingdom sent charioteers over paved roads, while farther north Isk riders raced across rugged steppeland. Linking remote population centers gave rise to waystations where riders could change horses or hand off pouches. As early as 2100 A.H., much of eastern Mainland enjoyed reliable mail service. Save for a risky ocean crossing, messages could even be safely conveyed between senders and recipients in the Elatolian Hegemony, the Serpian Old Kingdom, and the expanse of Iskresh.
Large organizations and wealthy individuals have ample access to magical communications today. Imperial networks often employ mutual scrying to facilitate direct conversations between distant officials. From enchanted animals to dream conferences, spellcasters spread the most important news around the world in a matter of days. Reliable teleportation of physical deliveries normally entails substantial cost. Even Pigeon Wranglers tend to be too expensive for routine use by ordinary cityfolk. Thus riding and walking are still mainstays of modern correspondence. Large cities often see rival networks of couriers each offering their own competitive advantage. Along with some private networks, modern Imperial mail services make timely deliveries at affordable prices. |
♪ Arts & Entertainments Traders have always been a respected profession among the Isks, and some see their haggling protocols as an art of its own.
Zilşarki is a popular form of music reflecting the sounds of the marketplace. Blisteringly fast melodies overlap in a clamor regulated by the jangles of tiny brass drums secured with finger straps. Urban centers see this and other exhilarating styles of music inspiring many forms of dance. Much more sedate music prevails in the countryside where villagers meet to hear historic and religious tales accompanied by soothing drones. Cityfolk and rural Isks alike gather to watch plays about all manner of subjects. Iskreshi custom is to produce theater-in-the-round. Their smallest productions simply place colored ropes on the ground to establish the boundary between stage and audience spaces.
Iskreshi caligraphy remains in high demand thanks to fantastic elaborations developed under the Sultanate. Emerging in parallel with this intricate writing style, cadres of Iskreshi illustrators mastered techniques of painting small figures to produce more informative literature. While generating demand for exported books and maps, these innovations also contribute to the prestige of renowned Iskreshi tattoo artists. As with their inks, these people favor colorful attire. Isks who must dress practically during the day still often groom and change into comfortable yet eyecatching evening attire at the earliest opportunity. Most Iskreshi homes feature abundant carpeting and upholstery. Even materials of such heavy and durable weaves tend to feature bold dyes if not also elaborate patterns.
✠ Belief & Worship Though the original Isks often rode by night and took shelter at dawn, the God of the Rising Sun holds a place of supremacy in their religious traditions. Most clergy here have harsh words for the God of Darkest Night, though the Serpian Empire's policy of religious tolerance protects organizations devoted to Set. Prevailing narratives frame morality as a conflict between Set and Ra, with the God of Forged Marvels, the God of Accumulated Lore, and the God of Briny Depths each caught in the middle and forced to make difficult choices. Though witches and warlocks are not as esteemed as other spellcasters, indigenous Isks generally do not support Serpian witch hunters either. These people have a proud tradition of sorcery. Some of the most powerful practitioners surround themselves with fanatical followers forming a cult of personality.
Large arrangements of Standing Stones are rare here, but the land is covered by a remarkably consistent triangular grid of lesser megaliths. Many druids can be found here, either providing support to farming villages or managing the ecologies of wilder places. Small bands of druids, paladins, and rangers maintain ancient waystations that serviced the original Isk courier network and continue to provide respite for travellers in some of Iskresh's more remote expanses. While the Old Faith prevails at those facilities, modern religions dominate Iskreshi cities. Some neighborhoods experience relentless calls to prayer from sunrise to midday. Almost everyone among world's large population of Iskreshi mariners participates in rites performed by priests of Mannanan Mac Lir.
Sorcerers Sages of an earlier age were distressed by the very existence of sorcerers, but they do not vex modern scholars. A myriad of different accidents and experiments initiated sorcerous bloodlines, yet all of these practitioners are alike in dedication to the visceral form of spellcasting. Each has an intensely personal relationship with arcane power. Some sorcerers harbor wellsprings of exotic energies within their own bodies. Others have an unnatural ability to attract and redirect certain types of magical resources. The visceral form resembles a martial art more than any other style of magic because relentless physical repetition is essential to honing greater control.
Like all effective practitioners, sorcerers understand the process behind the spells they work. At least a little intellectual perspective is required to adapt and perform reliably as conditions change. Yet sorcerers focus less on studying magical lore and more on personal experimentation. Most feel a strong drive to accumulate greater power. Their capabilities benefit from exercises like juggling invisible magical phenomena or attempting to weave unfamiliar interactions. Incautious embrace of this approach sometimes sparks unintended effects. While the most prudent sorcerers retain control, all hone their craft by pushing at the limits of every spell in their repertoires.
Although many societies respect sorcerers as if they were self-taught wizards, there are a few realms where tendencies toward independence and irreverence lead to official condemnations of sorcery. Often this is more in rhetoric than action, since no government prospers by making enemies of previously loyal sorcerers. Their social circumstances run the full spectrum from popular aristocrat to despised recluse. Some make a name for themselves through spectacular entertainments. Others are important assets on the battlefield. Sorcerers are especially common across Iskresh thanks to the proliferation of one extraordinary bloodline. |
† Castles & Combat Iskresh is the birthplaces of notable martial styles derived from the light cavalry and heavy infantry trained to serve the Sultanate. These steppelands have given rise to equestrian traditions as refined as those of the Elatolians. Yet no Iskreshi warriors are so fabled or feared as the Hashāshīns who preserve practices established by the world's first assassins' guild. Dozens of far-reaching secret societies continue to train operatives in these techniques. Such versatile and cunning combatants often kill without revealing their position. Yet they remain dangerous to the last, even when coping with confinement or restraints. Despite their elusive ways, Iskreshi Hashāshīns frantically fight to the death, honoring a custom of self-sacrifice in service to the secrecy of their comrades.
Today the Serpian Army maintains a presence all across Iskresh. Generous funding raises up massive forts housing garrisons that secure population centers, patrol outward from major crossroads, or turn back hordes from the Scarlands. Small compliments of Iskreshi sorcerers and wizards do much to amplify the effectiveness of these fortifications. Traditional Iskreshi swords of all sizes feature crescent-shaped blades, some weighted at the far end to deliver forceful chopping attacks. Many warriors here are skilled in a dual wielding style. Some Iskreshi tridents feature stout shafts that double as springboards for acrobatic maneuvers once the weapon has been lodged in a solid surface. Shoppers here willing to pay for premium craftsmanship may obtain hand crossbows with collapsable metal limbs allowing the entire weapon to be concealed up a sleeve when not in use.
§ Decrees & Customs The Serpian Empire asserts legal authority across the whole of Iskresh. Slavery is legal, though heavily regulated. Free citizens have few guaranteed liberties. Tax burdens and regulatory penalties are spread across sprawling legal codes that no sage comprehends in totality. Fortunately, Iskreshi constabularies tend to be pragmatic. Citizens who make a good faith effort to pay their share and comply with the law rarely experience unfair punishments. Surviving descendants of the Sultanate's royal family are explicitly forbidden from holding any titles in the Imperial government. Yet most of them are sorcerers born into wealth, maintaining their fortunes as business proprietors or speculative investors. Though that ancient regime is long gone, its ruling family continues to inspire intense loyalty among Isk nationalists.
Serpian authorities strictly prosecute unholy spellcasters while providing special protections to all sorts of holy spellcasters. Though religious courts are available to hear contested criminal cases, most locals prefer to face Imperial constables and magistrates. Gruesome tortures and mutilations are a significant risk when pennances are drawn from old scripture. Many Isks journey far from home as a traditional rite of passage. Travellers and traders from the dawn of their culture, these people have long expressed wanderlust by taking to the sea. Today their tall black-hulled vessels ply any waters where a profitable route is likely to be found. Iskreshi remains one of the world's most widely-used trade languages.
Ⓢ Economy & Trade Though much of Iskresh is productive farmland, ethnic cartels prioritize nearby metropolitan areas over food exports. Outsiders know little of local cuisine apart from a selection of candies and spices. Yet the weavers and tinkers of this vast realm enjoy robust trade with foreign lands. Iskreshi techniques of producing heavy durable fabrics and complex reliable gadgets are widely respected abroad. Especially in distant lands, rooms decorated with Iskreshi carpets and furnishings are considered prestigious. Here the spyglass is evolving into an astrononomical instrument. Other tools of reconaissance and navigation in their most advanced forms are fabricated by Iskreshi artisans.
The Iskreshi Sultanate As the only stable power in the region, Serpia was quick to annex Iskreshi communities thriving from the expansion of local agriculture. The same roads that kept markets freshly stocked allowed invading charioteers to quickly overpower less seasoned Isk garrisons. The legendary sorceress Circe Sultana changed all of that.
As the child of an efreeti-human pairing, her blood ran hot with primordial energy. Circe's secret visitations motivated generals to change allegiance. Any who dared march against her stronghold would see terrified troops scattering in the aftermath of magical catastrophes brought down upon their front lines. The regime now known as the Old Kingdom entered a steep decline with wave after wave of conflict only adding to the strength of Circe's forces. In 810 A.H. she personally transformed the last Serpian Pharoah into a jackal while annexing the remainder of his territory.
The victorious sorceress continued to rule as an enlightened despot for another three centuries. Circe maintained authority over expansive territory by installing her own children in dozens of key positions. When leadership finally passed to her eldest son, he took the title Sultan of Iskresh. Generations of royalty wielded absolute power over all others while the Sultan or Sultana did not hesitate to execute kin at the first sign of disloyalty. This resulted in an orderly, prosperous, yet intensely oppressive society.
Eleven centuries after the death of Circe, the Sultanate's subjects struggled under the burden of decadent royalty numbering 390,625 at their peak. The prayers of increasingly miserable masses were answered by a spree of assassinations repeatedly decimating the governing family. The chaos that followed prevented this sorcerous superpower from resisting the advance of invading Truscan Legions. |
Trading schemes dominated by individual families have expanded into public exchanges where the most astute financiers can profit from fluctuations in shipping traffic and prices of key commodities. Warehouses and shipyards are among the most important institutions in each of Iskresh's many coastal cities. All this activity generates tremendous tax revenue, but most of what Theopolis takes in is returned through ongoing efforts to fortify the frontier near the Scarlands. Many Isks seem to have natural aptitudes for travel and appraisal. When abroad and inland, they often find work as caravaneers or shopkeepers. With a reputation for being friendly fast-talkers, Isks generally seem happy to negotiate yet irate at the notion of an unprofitable deal.
⨳ Foes & Perils Iskresh is an especially dangerous place to make powerful enemies. Hashāshīns will accept commissions from wealthy patrons with the right connections. Secret intermediaries make it almost impossible to identify the original source of their assassination contracts. Some of the mightiest dragons of the modern era make their lairs in Iskresh, and a few even hold positions in the Imperial government. An unusually large number of human sorcerers also make it wise to maintain a friendly disposition in this vibrant society. Agreeable people generally need fear no worse than pickpocketing street urchins and high pressure hagglers, each threatening coinpurses in their own way. Most cities are heavily policed, but this is rarely problematic for people who are not making trouble.
Away from urban centers, Iskresh is a perilous land. Military patrols regularly sweep major roads, yet unescorted travellers risk monster encounters. Stragglers from goblinoid incursions are common away from the coast. Wilder steppes see wyverns and chimerae prowling the skies. Herders must be poised to drive their stock away from danger, sometimes sacrificing one beast to save the rest. Yet the most horrifying tales of all involve enigmatic creatures of pure shadow purported to roam the night, silently causing innocent people to vanish forever. Divinations sometimes confirm these abductions yet offer no insights as to the fate of the departed.
POINTS OF INTEREST
⦿ Gergurur was founded atop the ruins of a village where the most famed Isk sorceresss was raised. When she heard the place had been burned by an invading army, she returned to the location and vowed to rebuild. Her community grew from an ashen ruin into a gargantuan palace complex at the heart of a bustling urban center. Once known as “Circe's Pride,” this city remains an important provincial capital where strict building codes and abundant sanitation workers keep every street and public garden fit for a pleasant stroll. Busking is prohibited, but street performers may obtain permits and generous stipends if approved by a committee of resident artists. Strict law enforcement backed up by powerful local officials causes some visitors to feel oppressed. Even so, this crown jewel of the old Sultanate is an ideal home for well-mannered people seeking an orderly metropolitan existence.
⦿ Pirinşehri grew from a cluster of mines and workshops exploiting high grade ore deposits in the surrounding hills. While continued productivity now requires working deep tunnels, their output supplies extraordinary concentrations of mints and artisan guilds. This city is a crucial economic powerhouse for the Serpian Empire, and thus a strategic objective tantalizing to Truscan forces. Visiting master tinkers may submit to an apprenticeship and learn techniques from Iskreshi artificers. Despite a competent and pervasive constabulary, this city is plagued by intrigues and organized crime. Local dignitaries are evenly divided by religious affiliation. Devotees of Ra and Set wage a secret war for control of key resources and institutions here.
Ocean Crossings During the Age of Heroes, undersea warfare made every voyage far from land a perilous undertaking. Without an expert to track gargantuan monsters, another to forecast dangerous weather, and several clerics to placate various sea gods; such a voyage was surely doomed. After the Great Consolidation, Mannanan Mac Lir alone controlled the seas. With his caprices washing primarily over the Imperium Maris, Cardinal Navigators unite all the skills and blessings needed for relatively safe transit between continents by way of the Lesser Ocean.
Yet the old hazards are not entirely gone. Lookouts must maintain sharp eyes to spot sea monsters at range enough to avoid encounters. Instruments for monitoring air and water conditions must be tended to no less than eight times daily. Ley lines shift as they traverse deep water, thwarting techniques of reckoning position without landmarks. Sunsets and sunrises provide approximate bearings, but much more detail is required to avoid sailing into doldrums or worse. While the God of Briny Depths supports most efforts to cross the Lesser Ocean, rogue waves or Sunken Saints invariably bring down vessels that voyage far from the shores of the Greater Ocean. |
⦿ Sonliman occupies the easternmost patch of Mainland. It has long been a center of transoceanic commerce. Nearby islands support naval bases that keep the area free from piracy. Some local trading houses have roots that predate the Sultanate. Old money blends with new to fund massive warehouse complexes and modern office towers. Known as “the Heart of Trade,” a great sprawl of bazaars and storefronts offers the most diverse shopping the world has to offer. Events here can have profound ripple effects on the prices and availabilities of goods in distant lands. From the mountaintop vantage of their Grand Rose Temple, senior Cardinal Navigators overlook this thriving urban expanse while compiling charts of winds and currents from the logbooks of visiting priests.
⦾ Barişvadis is often the most violent location along the only land border between two hostile empires. Yet it is a zone of absolute truce between Serpian and Truscan forces. The two great powers are here united against the menace of the Scarlands. Towering over a canyon where two rivers converge, these twin fortresses are forever preparing for the next battle or recovering from the last. The largest goblinoid hordes tend to advance along this path. Defenders enjoy every advantage, but so much relentless violence leaves many veterans of this post haunted by nightmares. Some of these slaughters provide an ironic backdrop for direct negotiations between Imperial officials from opposing regimes.
⨹ Dag Yanan is a small dark mountain rising from dry steppes. It would be unremarkable save for a cluster of perpetual fires spewing from the ground nearby. Historical scrying reveals these unquenchable pillars were once a lesser natural phenomenon now made huge through ancient sorcery. Some faiths believe fires originally lit from the flames of Dag Yanan are sacred. Though never truly quiet, these roaring infernos are prone to dangerous fluctuations of intensity. Local inns and shrines are located in towns miles from the foot of the mountain. Structures any closer face regular sprinklings of embers and rare hails of red hot stones.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Iskresh ↑ → Joryanland ← ↓ Kohadesia ↓
Demonym: Joryanlanders Language: Joryani
Homeland: Joryanland First City: Schamstag
Politics: feudal kingdom seated in Norish Moots
Elites: bards, rangers, fighters, monks, barbarians
Endowments: strength and dexterity
Complexion: fair to pale
Hair: blonde
Eyes: blue
Influential Deities: Odin, Loki, Thor, Lei Kung, Ma Yuan
Borders: Fitchland, Hel, Norland, The Scarlands
Popular Instruments: drum, horn, lute, viol
Traditional Weapons: lance, battleaxe, greataxe, longbow
Female Names: Alia, Brunhilde, Dagmar, Edda, Gertrude, Helga, Ilsa, Isolde, Linda, Mathilda, Mildred, Rosamund, Siglind, Ursula
Male Names: Conrad, Erwin, Fritz, Gunnar, Heinrich, Helmut, Josef, Klaus, Lars, Max, Oskar, Ulrich, Werner, Wolfgang
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Joryanland The most heroic twins from early in the Age of Heroes would grow from Erik and Jor Dahl to Dread Erik and Jor the Giantslayer. As young men they defeated rival families to see their father crowned king. When he was assassinated soon after, the siblings quarrelled about many facets of governance. Out of respect for their father's dying wish that they never do battle on opposing sides, the brothers negotiated an arrangement. Erik would have his pick of their armies then head west to conquer other kingdoms. Jor would have his pick of their treasuries and remain to build an ideal society for their people. Dread Erik went on to establish mighty Wotania while Jor the Giantslayer wiped out entire clans of towering hulks in his own homeland.
Nevertheless, an increasingly dangerous expanse inhibited travel and trade with the Wotanian heartland. Escalating monster attacks drove residents from crossroad markets and tribal villages. The greatest concentration of desperate refugees huddled together in a mass that outnumbered residents of the adjacent capital. Nearing the end of a long life, Jor was unable to plan accommodations for these newcomers. His death led to weeks of neglect following already dire circumstances. A brawl incited a riot. Panicked authorities and doomed outsiders escalated until the latter were entirely slaughtered. Erik sent a team of jarls to punish commanders involved in the mass killing. Joryanland declared independence while establishing a border at the river where those jarls were captured and drowned. A buffer zone thick with trolls and giants enabled the beseiged regime to remain autonomous for generations.
Propaganda Legitimate scholarly opinions are informed by years of dedicated research. Most opinions are not scholarly, formed instead by a much less rigorous process. Ordinary people get much of their news as gossip from friends and neighbors. Some learn most of what they know from religious services and marketplace chatter. Others circulate widely and make an effort to be well-informed, but even enlightened discussion of current events can give way to wild speculation and provocative rumor. Large organizations routinely influence public opinion by sponsoring messages aligned with their agendas. These messages are often presented in ways that generate attention and repetition by way of artful expression.
Spreading songs composed to popularize official versions of recent events is one way for musicians to seek privilege and financial support. Well-funded patrons may promote a cause by distributing batches of handwritten notes or hiring wandering cryers to announce messages. Most neighborhoods feature a public notice board where any legal message is likely to remain visible for a few days. Graffiti and painted banners provide ways for persecuted groups to covertly spread information. Some messages are limited to honest accounts of actual events. More typically they glorify one perspective while marginalizing or villainizing others.
Modern rulers tend to value political messaging. They place powerful officials in charge of maintaining public morale. Though aristocrats and ordinary people may be inspired by different messages, propaganda campaigns can target any or all social classes. They can be used to provoke war as easily as to promote peace. Corporations and guilds employ propaganda to increase the appeal of trademarked wares. Some armies use it to intimidate, hoping to win surrenders without bloody battles. Ambitious politicians use it to enhance their own reputations or bring rivals into disfavor. They may even commission prestigious authors to compose texts containing favorable commentary about personal achievements. |
Even after being annexed in the Wotanian Restoration, rebellions flared up regularly here. When a disputed royal succession reduced Wotania to fragments, this kingdom was quick to assert independence. Joryanlanders endure threats on all sides even today. When clear of towering humanoids, the western frontier acts as a haven for outlaws or a staging area for Norish armies. Long ago the Nameless Empire arose to the east of Joryanland, and now the Scarlands periodically throw monstrous hordes at this kingdom. Though almost lifeless, land to the north spawns savage blizzards that strike with little warning. What was once swampland around the Low Towns has now become a mighty Fitch kingdom to the south. After looking only to themselves for support for so long, Joryanlanders have developed a general distrust of outsiders. Most are zealously patriotic, and some are earnest believers in their own ethnic superiority. Paired with a large army of hardened veterans, that idea can be extremely dangerous.
♪ Arts & Entertainments From the very beginning this realm mingled authority with creativity. Jor was a legendary bard himself. After his death, underlings scrambled to explain their own controversial actions. So began a policy of paying the most skilled Joryanlander entertainers to spread narratives contrived by government officials. Often these stories are misleading, and always they glorify the deeds of patriotic heroes. Skillfully staged plays and powerfully sung anthems reinforce belief in a grandiose ethnic destiny. Performers known to be foreign stuggle to find acceptance outside portrayals of heels and villains. Even some childrens' games reinforce the idea that Joryanlanders are innately virtuous while all outsiders are dangerously corrupt.
Such games often lead to fighting, and violence is also a major theme in Joryanlander art. Great sculptures and paintings often glamorize military scenes. Yet the arts are also considered important academic subjects here. Works of foreign origin are treasured and appreciated even by those who consider them the achievements of inferior peoples. Some vendors prosper by importing art objects to Joryanland, though the kingdom has been known to dispatch violent collection squads after failing to come to terms on major acquisitions. Stern official censorship does not prevent the realm's excellent public galleries and playhouses from elevating morale. Artistic protests are brutally punished here, keeping the most pointed satires and all talk of sedition far from the cultural mainstream.
✠ Belief & Worship Officially the state promotes veneration of the entire Æsir pantheon. None were Dead Gods in Jor's time. Most modern religious activity is focused on hostility toward the God of Endless Disguises. Often conspiring with the God of Ferocious Squalls and the God of Bloody Murder, Loki is depicted as the ringleader behind efforts to corrupt honorable Joryanlanders. Even the God of Rolling Thunder and the God of the Final Battle see their priests in this realm delivering angry sermons teaching that foreigners should not be trusted. One extremist faith has been known to prompt localized ethnic cleansing. It teaches that Lei Kung, Ma Yuan, Odin, and Thor are united against the spread of Loki's corruption. All this hostility confines overt worship of Loki to the many outcasts inhabiting this society.
Minor formations of Standing Stones can be found in most valleys here. Yet druids are rare and often affiliated with bandits. Both need every advantage to survive among monsters prowling these wildlands. The House of Jor holds no official position on the Old Faith. Royal religious police combine the zeal of witch hunters with the authority to act against holy persons. Brutal investigators are drawn to any actions or associations they deem troubling. Their teams of diviners and enforcers work quickly against known outlaws and heretics, while bards on the royal payroll distract from any abuses of power. Many residents simultaneously feel genuine patriotism and fear of persecution. “Hail to the King” has become a routine greeting that preemptively professes national loyalty.
Bigotry Outside of Joryanland, people raised in large cities are likely to be familiar with many different races and human ethnic groups. Centers of culture and trade prosper all the more for embracing diversity. Yet there are exceptions. Some children may be raised entirely within a religious compound or only permitted outside a family estate while travelling with guards. Such limited experiences are more common in the countryside. Smaller towns tend to be less diverse, and many villages are populated entirely by the same sort of people. Young adults from these sheltered backgrounds might not know what to make of foreigners and individuals of a different race. Some families encourage this sort of isolation, teaching that outsiders are not to be trusted.
This hostility for entire categories of people is not rational, but it is nonetheless common in the generations after particularly tragic wars. It can also follow from outright slavery or other extremes of economic exploitation. Bigots not only embrace racial and ethnic stereotypes, but they overstate the best qualities of their own kind while slandering others as inferior beings. Exotic adventurers dealing with rural townsfolk or traditional tribes may encounter resistance from judgemental locals. Some bigots refuse to do business with categories of people they dislike. They may also be selective about helping persons in distress simply out of contempt for their kind.
The politics of bigotry are particularly troubling. Leaders need not personally hold these beliefs to rally popular support by villainizing specific races or ethnicities. As with witches and warlocks, persecuted minorities can be blamed for unrelated social problems. For people inspired by fiery orations, punishing these groups seems to be a way of solving those problems. The very worst cases see the gospels of the Parish Purifiers used to justify a violent purge. Though bigots may be shunned by more open-minded people, they are keen to affiliate with each other. Joryandland is the largest modern society to normalize a form of bigotry that denies many opportunities to outsiders. |
† Castles & Combat Armies are the backbone of Joryanlander society. When the Scarlands are quiet and the threat level from giants is not elevated, large numbers of soldiers take leave to join coastal raids alongside Norish Marauders. Much of their loot funds arms and armor for later use when the homeland is under threat from monstrous invaders. Ordinary veterans of these defensive campaigns tend to be as skilled as the military officers of a great empire. Were it not for the accompanying loss of life, the sheer number of battles would hone the standing armies of Joryanland into a force that could overpower any neighboring realm. Much of the national economy is consumed with recruiting, training, and supporting these armed forces. Even civilian Joryanlanders often assess social standing as a function of how much one contributes to war efforts.
Those efforts refine a diverse array of fighting styles. From relentless holy knights to resourceful monster hunters to screeching barehanded berserkers, the warriors of this realm draw on ancient traditions tested in countless clashes. Modern Joryanlander soldiers are each issued a longbow, a longsword, chainmail, and a shield. Sophisticated fencing styles are popular among the social elite. Yet axes remain a traditional standard – deadly weapons that need no alteration to function as useful tools in times of peace. No settlement in the kingdom is far removed from a decrepit castle or modern fortress. The same bases that enable armies to fend off attacks sometimes become enemy strongholds or monster lairs. Ridding such a site of menacing inhabitants may require a lengthy campaign.
§ Decrees & Customs The House of Jor has always ruled by edict. Early declarations established a civil service engaged in systematic record-keeping. Even arcane studies are respected to the extent they serve the kingdom. Yet soldiers remain the dominant role model. Joryanlander boys and girls are expected to participate in organized daily calisthenics. Basic military pay is substantial, complete with pensions for spouses and children of warriors slain in battle. Numerous intelligence-gathering and internal security services share overlapping responsibilities for public loyalty. Traitorous Joryanlanders are executed amid festivities. Suspected foreign agents may be quietly assassinated or imprisoned and endlessly interrogated.
Here most questions of honor may be settled in a legal duel. Professional champions prosper by standing in while most aristocrats cite offical duties to avoid personal jeopardy. Joryanlander law forbids marriages between persons of differing race or ethnicity. Humans without Joryanlander ancestry may be denied opportunities to own property or work in particular trades. Purebred non-humans maintaining a household entirely of their own kind may enter the aristocracy, but the most privileged positions remain reserved for true Joryanlanders. Disfavor falls quickly on any who contradict the national doctrine of ethnic supremacy. Urban street crime is rare, and modern sanitation practices promote overall public health. If not for a relentlessly oppressive social atmosphere, the cities of this kingdom would be downright pleasant.
Ⓢ Economy & Trade Joryanlander officials always seem to know where supplies of fresh troll blood can be obtained. Though only exported in the smallest quantities, it is more remarkable than the torrents of arms and armor pouring out of the kingdom. The region's mines yield excellent iron ores, and its smiths produce quality wares. Yet the best items are largely reserved for use by native warriors. In addition to their work with Norish Marauders, some Joryanlanders go abroad as mercenaries. Many uphold a creed of “death before dishonor” for fear of shaming their own kind. Siege engines and artillery manufactured here are the most advanced available west of the Truscan Empire, though not easily transported. Even the massive warhorses of this realm are more impressive than counterparts from neighboring lands.
“We can prevent the common folk from rallying to oppose this war effort. Spreading stories about attacks on our homeland will create concern over insecurity. Those who call for peace can be named as villains in songs of cowardice and treachery. If we are effective, the only protests we see will demand our plans go even further.”
— Erwin the Rebel, second King of Joryanland |
Control of several large river valleys gives Joryanland a reliable agricultural base. Famine and accompanying political instability are kept rare by levels of violence that offset population growth. When the seasons are especially punishing, Norish lords have been known to send armies out in the hope of taking some or all of this realm for themselves. The most common outcome of these ventures is failure followed by a brutal punitive counterattack. Recent generations have seen diplomatic efforts at Norish Moots preventing this bloodshed, but the underlying tension remains. When food exports can be negotiated, Joryanlander farmers enjoy extortionate prices. These windfalls ease the burden of otherwise severe taxes extracted from rural areas also coping with an abundance of deadly monsters.
⨳ Foes & Perils Part of the national zeal for defense involves its failures. With so many giants and trolls living nearby, interlopers are a regular occurence in western Joryanland. Meanwhile the east is infested with bugbears even when there is no goblinoid horde pushing at the frontier. As with the horses, some of the local bears grow to unnatural size. In the most remote parts of the kingdom, encounters with furred gargantua have been documented. Little is known about these colossal beasts, though one had the characteristics of a wolf, another a bear, and one resembles a yeti. Those threats and a lack of resources have prevented much development of the northern expanse. Also, the weather there is problematic.
Nationalism Loyalty is the basis of power under all systems of government. Democratic city-states see several regime changes in the span of a single generation. Each requires the support of the citizenry to function effectively. Empires and stable kingdoms have the resources to impose leaders and laws on hostile populations. Yet these impositions are far more costly and troublesome than governing a region that supports its ruler. From placing portraits in prominent locations to putting their faces on coins, many major political figures strive to be recognized at a glance. Lesser officials often make a point of crediting positive results to their superiors, hoping to rise together.
There are cases where the glorification of a great leader does more harm than good. Loyal followers compete to exaggerate grandiose tales of past accomplishments. Outsiders easily mock propaganda derived from these exaggerations. Yet a cult of personality can form around a powerful individual. Social standing and professional opportunities may depend on declarations of loyalty to that individual rather than the broader regime. This despotic form of nationalism creates a rift that isolates a society from its neighbors. It also may generate severe internal security measures that fill some locals with fervor while afflicting others with paranoia.
Few powerful political figures resist the temptation to glorify themselves from time to time. Most pursue a usefully balanced path, being sincere in support for the nation that affords them such privilege. Only the most hardened skeptics believe any amount of nationalism is unhealthy. It may even be necessary for soldiers and constables expected to take great risks in acts of service. Putting principles above personal safety is not always easy. For the average individual, national loyalty is a matter of saying what must be said and doing what must be done to keep out of trouble with authorities. Where nationalism runs strongest, increasingly influential outliers will strive to showcase how extreme their devotion to the state can be. |
In midwinter, no part of Joryanland is safe from biting snows that rage through long dark nights. Sunny summers bring relief limited to lowlands and adjacent forests. In high mountain country and the far north, even the best days can become howling whiteouts with little warning. At the middle gound between frozen wilderness and urbanization is a mix of villages dedicated to farming, hunting, or mining. Some of these villages secretly support outlaws or practice a heresy. Most are extremely unfriendly to outsiders who are not native to the kingdom. Any misfit there risks becoming a scapegoat, punished for troubles that may be entirely unrelated to that individual. Even among sophisticated cityfolk, exotic languages and faces may be met with hostile attitudes.
POINTS OF INTEREST
⊛ Schamstag grew from an rugged ancient stronghold into a picturesque city during Jor's reign. Near the end of his life, a sprawl of impoverished foreigners occupied more land than the walled city that denied them entrance. When this surrounding “City of Beggars” was eradicated by Joryandlander militants, the entire area became known as the “City of Shame.” Having grown into the least diverse metropolis on the surface of the world, the community is known today as Schamstag. Some see it as a reminder that killing the innocent is shameful while others believe being unable to defend yourself is the real shame. Anyone here who is not a formidable warrior probably enjoys the protection of one. The entire valley has been secure for generations. Yet the institutions of the capital beckon to those with dreams of a knighthood or something loftier.
⦾ Sklavenmüle features the largest freestanding mills ever constructed. Ancient giants assembled several huge complexes here, using enslaved laborers as components in machinery no less dangerous than it was productive. Nearly every element in those buildings has been replaced since human conquerers repurposed these enormous facilities. Today the structures operate as both prisons and centers of industry, with the most dangerous tasks performed by convicts. The barons of Sklavenmüle are fabulously wealthy from the profits of processing raw grain, timber, and ore. Much of their wealth goes to compensate hard-hearted guards and install brutal security measures so that any dash for freedom is far more risky than another shift minding the deadly machinery.
⦾ Gärtnerea offers the best markets and restaurants in all of Joryanland. Originally a trading link to the Low Towns, this city grew in tandem with the population of Fitchland. Gärtnerea continues to encourage commerce with foreigners, making it the most hospitable city in the kingdom. Brokers exchange wares from distant lands for crates of surplus military equipment and any agricultural excess available for export. Authorities sometimes engage in brutal crackdowns on a particular style of music or other foreign cultural practice. Yet these acts of oppression are always narrow in scope, minimizing their impact on trade. Some Joryanlanders believe the people of Gärtnerea are degenerates obsessed with money. It remains well-garrisoned thanks to its essential economic role.
⨀ Vogelmoot was once a prime breeding ground for birds of prey that hunted from the arms of giants. The eradication of those birds was an early step toward making the surrounding land safe for people of ordinary stature. Vogelmoot features an array of art schools, bardic colleges, and outdoor theaters spread between a fortified castle and a verdant scenic retreat. Within city walls, resident spellcasters limit winter's touch to decorative snowfalls. Official badges are required to enter through any gate. The Vicegraf of Vogelmoot issues these badges through a famously incorruptible office. Almost every resident who was not born there was originally granted entrance to seek or provide training in traditional Joryanlander artforms.
“What greater offering could Wotan receive than generations of people born and bred to be perfect einherjar?”
— Jor the Giantslayer |
⨹ Kristalröhren is a huge wall of ice featuring many caves formed by runoff channels. Though these glacial voids offer protection from the wind, they are risky shelters. Months or years after each forms, it collapses under the weight of the ice above. All attempts at fortification by way of spell or steel have failed. Without a magical means of escape constantly prepared, residents are likely to be crushed and entombed within the advancing glacier. This makes the site useful for secret projects meant to end with the mass burial of related evidence. Potent demonologists, necromancers, warlocks, and witches in the area live by an unofficial code of mutual non-interference. Joryanlander armies almost never venture near this frigid place where no farmlands, forests, or mineral deposits can be found.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Joryanland ↑ → Kohadesia ← ↓ Lachland ↓
Demonym: Kohadesians Language: Kohaddic
Homeland: Kohadesia First City: Ghomm
Politics: loyal provinces of the Serpian Empire
Elites: paladins, monks, clerics, sorcerers, warlocks
Endowments: strength and constitution
Complexion: dark brown
Hair: black, total baldness is common
Eyes: brown
Influential Deities: Ra, Osiris, Geb, Chung Kuel, Lei Kung
Borders: Serpia, Wabahar, Zintu
Popular Instruments: drum, dulcimer, flute, shawm
Traditional Weapons: whip, warhammer, maul, hatchet
Female Names: Arifa, Chafika, Dunyana, Gharam, Houda, Kenza, Mennana, Nadia, Ouarda, Shabana, Tahani, Tirra, Yasmin, Zuhrah
Male Names: Aziz, Bandar, Ben, Hassan, Jabalah, Mustafa, Omar, Ouahid, Ruhul, Salamah, Samir, Shihab, Tazim, Zarif
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Kohadesia A mighty and determined people, the Kohadesians were once so xenophobic that books were taboo and anyone using steel was regarded with suspicion. Despite the primitive limitations of this ancient civilization, they drove off or killed all major forces of hostile foreigners. Trade was limited to small neighboring tribes that served as go-betweens for sea captains and caravaneers. An extreme polygamous tradition places many in lives of servitude or solitude here. Confident Kohadesians not bound for a leadership role often journey abroad, as they did in ages past. Unsophisticated foreigners sometimes mistake Kohadesians for Zintu and
vice versa, though they tend to have different builds and features. Some resent this ethnic confusion. Others feel solidarity since both groups are especially vulnerable to persecution abroad.
With modern technology and the unification of ancient factions, Kohadesia is now doing more to grow great cities and less to send towering adventurers out into the world. These isolationists were still uneasy with Truscan rule when the crisis of Serpian secession began. Military strength made it essential that Kohadesia join the breakaway regime. The loyalty of key generals and priests was secured through promises that the new imperial order would legalize some contraversial Kohaddic traditions. Ancestral birthrights thought obsolete were asserted anew. The insecurity of war made the protections placed around an elite harem seem more appealing. By the time stability took root in the new Serpian Empire, Kohaddic society had largely reverted to the rampant sexism of a less enlightened time.
“You can buy an army to fight a war, but money alone cannot buy peace.”
— Kohaddic proverb |
Even so, this homeland advances and prospers as a productive region in a stable empire. Most people here focus on earning a little prosperity for themselves. Warlords intent on bringing back even more of the old ways sometimes make trouble by resisting taxes or declaring autonomous strongholds. Stern enforcers constantly investigate potential disloyalty among the inahabitants of every large Kohaddic city. Copious amounts of exotic spices, precious metals, and ivory draw distant traders to markets even when trouble is afoot. Coastal waters here see frequent encounters between merchant vessels, pirate ships, and/or naval forces. Some nearby islands are among the world's finest scenic retreats. Others are wild places populated by savage tribes and deadly monsters.
♪ Arts & Entertainments Most towns and urban neighborhoods in Kohadesia are built around a distinctive form of pleasure garden. Their stone walls and floral hedges are engineered to refresh interior spaces with gently perfumed breezes. Privileged insiders feast among dancers and musicians. Surrounding tents and pavilions see entertainers and cooks plying their trades for ordinary people. Each hopes to be notbiced by the aristocratic household at the heart of the garden. Endless flattery of the wealth, might, and wisdom of the local strongman emanates from the artists of Kohadesia. More primitive times saw loud boasting and militant drummers enjoying the highest levels of patronage. Some throwbacks embrace this style, though modern aristocrats prefer to showcase cultural sophistication with eclectic ensembles.
Patronage Even individuals who possess fantastic wealth are limited by the number of hours in the day. Time constrains their personal achievements. This drives the rich to sponsor other ambitious individuals. From researchers investigating obscure scientific questions to artists spending years crafting a single monument, many aristocrats enhance their reputations by funding prestigious accomplishments. Patrons may fund redundant efforts in pursuit of a fashionable trend, though the wisest see to it that their generosity also makes their communities better places to live.
The most educated sorts of artists and performers often form long term relationships with patrons. These benefactors sponsor advanced studies and epic travels. In return, recipients dedicate their talents to glorifying causes dear to sponsors. Some literally sing praise of the patron himself or herself. Major political leaders fund studios of painters and sculptors to spread their likenesses throughout the land. Families that enjoy the protection of formidable spellcasters often bought that loyalty by funding arcane studies and supporting quests for obscure lore.
Generous patronage of an organized religion often brings with it special privileges including personal attention from senior clergy. Some societies consider it controversial when a political leader is not also a prominent supporter of a well-respected faith. Most temples, churches, colleges, and universities depend on some mix of elite patrons and ordinary tithings or tuitions. Generations of stability can solidify these relationships, driving trends toward authoritarianism and theocracy.
Patronage is particularly prominent in Kohadesia where Imperial officials and local strongmen all seek pretige. The outer walls of Kohaddic pleasure gardens are often crowded with dancers, jesters, musicians, and poets quick to seize the attention of any eyes cast their way. Just the possibility of living in material comfort while dedicated to a creative passion is enough to inspire large numbers of earnest hopefuls. Yet around the world, from royal courts to corporate office towers, great leaders often grant audiences to entertainers and idealists each aspiring for the support of a patron.
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Professional musicians in Kohadesia who are not well traveled still cultivate worldly reputations. Except for some melodic woodwind works derived from the folk music of shepherds, selections of foreign origin dominate popular trends. Drama here is often improvisational, with patrons demanding a new work be staged within days or hours of the whim to view it. Some audiences entertain themselves by giving humiliating directions to performers. One way or another, local theater tends toward farce. Tragic histories and other serious social commentary may take the form of epic poems read in silence more often than given voice. Kohaddic illustrations seem crude and artless at first glance. Yet information is efficiently encoded in diagrams, signage, and seemingly decorative patterns. Its specifics are clear to all who understand a few stylistic conventions.
✠ Belief & Worship Stories from Kohaddic folklore often follow a structure known as the
heavenly procession. Whether appearing personally or represented by mortal characters, the sequence remains the same. The God of the Rising Sun arrives first, setting the stage and shining light on important subjects. The God of Sold Ground appears next, addressing needs with durable creations. The God of Just Trials then studies the situation, declaring these works to be great and glorious. The God of Ferocious Squalls reacts with hostility, lashing out to destroy what the others have built. Then the God of Noble Sacrifice arrives, restoring what he can and setting the stage for a new cycle of creation.
All these gods are openly worshiped, though Lei Kung is far more popular with warlord throwbacks than modern cityfolk. Chung Kuel's veneration is fueled by a blend of local traditions with respect for Imperial authorities. Since the state condemns most Truscan faiths while actively promoting Ra, Geb, and Osiris; that trio has heard a rapid rise in the number of Kohaddic prayers uttered by recent generations. No majestic Standing Stones can be found in Kohadesia. The many ley line convergences here are marked by modest formations of freestanding boulders. The Old Faith enjoys widespread support since druidic circles traditionally exchange gardening expertise for pledges to preserve tracts of wilderness. Witch hunters must tread lightly in this realm. Imperial law forbids unholy pacts, yet some communities support powerful warlocks in leadership positions.
† Castles & Combat Kohadesia has always been a peculiar blend of old and new. These people embraced literature and metallurgy almost immediately after unification. Yet some communities favor stone tools and weapons even today. Imperial bashars here tend to maintain modern military headquarters focused on recruiting and training forces to fight in the borderlands. Most Kohadesians look to a local leader for their own protection. Palatial gardens typically feature nested layers of defense. In an emergency, civilians are invited to take shelter within the outer perimeter while residents secure themselves at the heart of the complex. Draped in greenery and rich with decorative detail, the walls of these gardens are nonetheless functional fortifications.
Their defenders train for different sorts of alarms. When the community is in danger, they will rush to battlements and turrets to secure the compound against outside threats. When an intruder has violated the inner sanctum, those same sentries block every exit and conduct patrols to restore domestic tranquility. The most respected strongmen maintain a cadre of elite warriors also suited to performing small military assaults. Often more capable than the local constabulary, the strength of household guards is a crucial element of their master's status. Some emphasize this status by equipping sentries with intimidating armor and massive mauls. Others leaders opt for light uniforms while issuing whips suitable for discipline as well as defense.
“The strongest warriors cannot defend a leader against the intrigues of a single disloyal servant. All men must sleep. To sleep well, be certain your inner circle lives well and is treated fairly.”
— Omar Okoro, Exemplary Rector |
§ Decrees & Customs Serpian law entitles many Kohaddic leaders to treat their pleasure gardens as tiny nations of their own. The master rules with absolute power. Voluntary entrance to one of these compounds constitutes legal consent for all that follows. This privilege is easily abused, with promises of legitimate business luring outsiders into long term captivity. Extreme patriarchy remains broadly popular here even among less abusive leaders. Most locals look to their neighborhood strongman as a protector and benefactor. Wise strongmen are quick to eliminate menaces and provide relief in the aftermath of tragedy. Entertainers and clergy tend to reinforce positive messages about these leaders. Sentinels and concubines may be generally content with the mix of demands and privileges service entails, even taking pride in their status.
Traditional Kohaddic strongmen often hold Imperial titles. They face consequences from higher authorities only when tax collections or military recruiting outcomes are suspiciously poor. The latter is rare, since many young men and women see joining an army as a desirable alternative to lives of service in a pleasure garden. Though plural marriage is legal throughout the Serpian empire, Kohadesians generally regard polyandry as bizarre despite supporting the leadership of men with impractically large collections of wives. This culture values women primarily for their beauty and childbearing potential. Some may achieve power through partnership with a man who asserts status as needed in this society. Other ambitious women set out for foreign lands where their achievements might be judged more equitably.
Patriarchy Gender roles had little influence before the rise of humanity. Dragon mothers devoted two molts to raising each brood, otherwise living like males of their kind. The Imperium Arcanum assigned leadership roles as a function of spellcasting ability – a trait never known to favor a particular sex. Only during the Age of Heroes did the world see large societies preferring men over women for positions of power. Struggles among the gods of the time had some influence over this. Contemporary literature employs phrases like “the race of men” or “mankind” to reference all of humanity. Despite demand created by widespread religious and political violence, many societies completely excluded women from military service. Most saw supreme power vested in a male ruler with a son designated as sole political heir.
There were notable exceptions. Some ancient cultures made full use of women on the battlefield. When Wotania fragmented during a crisis of succession, the daughter of an Overking led the strongest army in the wars to follow. The original Sultana brought the Serpian Old Kingdom to ruin. A few Thracian city-states excluded men from military service and political office. The Great Consolidation saw scientists compiling volumes of raw data derived from thousands of years of conflict. Across the span of history, it became clear that rigidly-defined gender privilege made societies less likely to fend off invaders or rebuild after disasters. Scholars analyzing and debating those numbers have reached the consensus that patriarchy as policy is both dangerous and inefficient.
Though the Truscans embraced male supremacy during their expansive phase, the influence of successful Empresses ended discrimination against women in military and political service. Now scientific understanding informs all three modern superpowers, though sexist holdouts retain some authority in the Serpian Empire. Isolated tribes may be unaware of this science. Even with access to the latest literature, some monarchies perpetuate rigidly-defined gender roles. Both laws and social expectations can change dramatically at national borders. The revival of special privileges for strongmen able to secure their own gardens sees Kohadesia directly at odds with modern norms. Yet this practice sustains the support of local elites. It is not subject to public debate.
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Ⓢ Economy & Trade While Truscan officials often faced defiance from local leaders, Serpian authorities have found ways to harmonize with the indigenous aristocracy. Much of this region's bounty is now organized under an efficient Imperial regime. Grasslands and hill country see agricultural development keeping pace with the continued rise of great cities. Desert oases are secure and well-maintained. Only the jungles and swamps of this homeland prove troublesome for authorities. Renegade warlords there enjoy the support of loyal communities difficult to assault with conventional forces. Primitive tribes, both human and non-human, pose grave risks to wanderers in those wildlands. Yet strongmen loyal to the Empire also operate bases in these regions, exploiting exotic resources nearby.
In addition to highly productive copper pits, the interior of Kohadesia abounds with rare minerals and useful plants. Kohaddic cuisine benefits from distinctive spices. Alchemists all over the world utilize products derived from this land and what lives upon it. Strongholds able to resist frequent monster attack can employ laborers to gather these components along with precious ivory and skins. The hazards of these locales make it difficult to prevent renegade leaders from selling their harvests through private brokers. All this wealth flows outward through riverside ports that are ancient centers of Kohaddic power. Presiding archons must wrangle an assortment of powerful sheiks and their competing agendas. Tremendous trade revenue makes it possible to solve many disputes with lavish gifts or new construction projects.
⨳ Foes & Perils The deserts of Kohadesia feature spectacular sunsets when they are not obscured by savage sandstorms. Between that danger and cruel genies on the prowl, travellers rarely linger outside of oasis towns there. Western jungles are sometimes flooded by relentless downpours. While those areas feature several varieties of giant ape, true gargantua are not known to menace this homeland. Some jungle strongholds offer safe haven to Imperial loyalists. Others are governed by renegades in business with criminal cartels exporting untaxed goods. Simply learning the location of some of these sites can make powerful enemies. Both jungles and deserts here change so often that even experienced guides find it challenging to navigate without magic.
By contrast, Kohaddic cities adhere to a predictable order. Residents will know the local grid, and uniformed constables happily direct polite visitors. Where the local strongman is an Imperial loyalist, both public officials and private guards will be vigilant against criminal activity. Even so, newcomers may face conflicting demands from Imperial authorities and neighborhood leadership. Though reluctant to enslave their own kind, some Kohadesians relish the chance to impose a criminal sentence of slavery on foreigners. From an offer to dine at the heart of a pleasure garden to a lucrative inducement to commit a harmless crime, Kohaddic invitations are sometimes traps. As a strategy for avoiding trouble, most locals tolerate petty abuses while speaking well of all authorities.
POINTS OF INTEREST
⊛ Ghomm is both the name of an ancient city and the broader plateau on which it resides. Abundant rains replenish local cisterns and hydrate the fabled pleasure gardens of Ghomm. Though numbering in the hundreds today, the original thirty-four of these institutions were palaces for tribal leaders ruling with absolute power. The entire group of traditional adversaries formed an alliance to expel foreign slavers from nearby lands. Ghomm became the center of a civilization where literature and ironworking were taboo. Their struggles generated many legendary heroes who thrived alongside large followings in their own pleasure gardens. Modern Ghomm features paved roads, sophisticated smithies, and a proper university. Yet a traditional strongman dominates the social dynamics of each neighborhood here.
Emergency Shelters Early dwarves excavated secret tunnels where their kind could take refuge from the worst moods of a tyrannical dragon. When the Archfey resisted dragonkind, most of their supporters sheltered within towering magical structures. New civilizations rose and fell in subsequent ages as a function of their ability to secure populations in times of crisis. Military actions, monster attacks, and natural disasters sometimes threaten ordinary homes and workplaces. Survival shelters enable populations to endure great hardship. Countless stone structures persist long after the regimes responsible for their creation.
Even tiny villages sometimes shelter within a stockade or hillfort. Larger communities typically feature intimidating stone walls limiting transit to a small number of gates. Metropolitan walls are actively patrolled along their entire perimeter. The economic value of stable peace motivates massive investments in these barriers. The first sign of some threats is a surge of refugees rushing into the nearest city to gain entrance before the gates must be sealed against danger. Gatehouses and other government buildings often use banners to indicate ongoing conditions such as a quarantine or a siege.
There are also durable shelters within communities. Most political leaders fortify their palaces or maintain a keep shrouded in powerful security measures. Many religious leaders offer sanctuary to those in need as well. Some holy places feature large buildings designed to endure natural disasters. Invaders may be reluctant to violate the sanctity of a church or temple for fear of making enemies among the associated faith. In times of crisis, Kohaddic strongmen may allow entire neighborhoods to shelter behind armed guards and stone walls of their personal pleasure gardens.
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⦿ Golopango retains its ancient status as the greatest concentration of Kohaddic riches. Sprawling over all the high grounds of a river delta, this commercial hub was once a venue where minor tribes of intermediaries facilitated trade with distant nations. Now Serpian authorities track goods flowing through this port. Smugglers and tax collectors match wits every day. Recent generations have seen massive investment in gambling. Staged gladiatorial combats fill the local arenas while deadly bloodsport is featured at private venues catering to wealthy patrons. Non-violent games of chance are the main attraction at many other establishments. A myriad of prosperous guilds and trading houses sustain Golopango's robust night life. Surging tourism further enriches this metropolis famed for pairing risk with reward.
⦾ Nenikika is known as “orc country” in much of Kohadesia. The jungles surrounding this city are home to an extraordinary diversity of human, lizardfolk, and orc tribes. Nenikika proper is a thriving center of trade and industry. Visiting bashars recruit well from this large population of experienced warriors. Its value as a military resource drives authorities to overlook violence and some other forms of criminality among the local tribes. Each camp has its own rules and hierarchy. Comfort inside the city itself usually requires a good relationship with at least one neighborhood strongman. Precious bounties from the surrounding jungle see small eruptions of wealth while terms of export are negotiated. By the time the buzz around one windfall has settled, another is likely to be incoming for a different group.
⨀ Tamaiha was originally an island town of hedonistic tribesfolk who lived well on local fishing and foraging. When Truscan explorers charted a reliable sea route here, the community quickly grew into a luxury retreat unlike any other. Several towering residential complexes overlook spectacular black sand beaches. With few local artisans, many goods are imported. Tamaiha's inland establishments typically showcase fine dining or acrobatic dance troupes. Tourists and wealthy residents are served by locals famed for tribal traditions of affectionate hospitality. Many powerful retired spellcasters in residence coordinate peaceful solutions to local strife. Today the Serpian Empire collects taxes and secures the main harbor here, though this tropical paradise is largely unaffected by events elsewhere in the world.
⨹ Ukuhlingo is a small plateau featuring an ancient meteor crater. Kohaddic custom designates this as a place debates can be conducted without bias and duels can take place on neutral ground. Important figures regularly square off here for all sorts of clashes. Sometimes many strongmen venture beyond their own garden walls, assembling to seek consensus amid controversy. These events see two or more advocates presenting formal cases and performing cross-examinations. On slower days a clashing pair of priests or philosophers might trade words here. Ukuhlingo after dark is normally nothing more than scattered clusters of inns and stables offering shelter to travellers. Yet this place is crowded with revelry for the first few days of each year when an unarmed combat tournament draws legendary brawlers to do battle in the bowl.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Kohadesia ↑ → Lachland ← ↓ Norland ↓
Demonym: Lachlanders Language: Lachlandic
Homeland: Lachland First City: Karilmark
Politics: earldoms and tribes seated in Norish Moots
Elites: druids, rangers, sorcerers, barbarians, warlocks
Endowments: dexterity and constitution
Complexion: tan to fair
Hair: blonde or light brown
Eyes: blue or brown
Influential Deities: Odin, Hel, Tyr, Arawn, Mannanan Mac Lir
Borders: Hel, Norland
Popular Instruments: bagpipes, lyre, pan flute, viol
Traditional Weapons: shortsword, handaxe, battleaxe, heavy crossbow
Female Names: Ádá, Birtá, Delle, Ester, Gáren, Hánná, Katja, Leadnu, Olgá, Ravna, Sari, Sussu, Tildá, Verá
Male Names: Ággi, Dorste, Edvin, Hárri, Juvven, Mikku, Orddot, Ruben, Rudolf, Sálmo, Samuli, Skarild, Tapio, Vuoitu
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Lachland A mixture of rugged evergreen forests and windswept tundra, Lachland is an unforgiving place for anyone who does not adapt to the frigid climate. Without the security of a large community, life this far north is relentlessly demanding. Most Lachlanders consider heavy fur garb an essential possession. Sleds are often favored over wagons. Here the ability to fish or hunt under extreme conditions can be a matter of survival. Lachlanders tend to be hardy and deft, some living in dire circumstances that allow no second chances. At least a few of the world's greatest sharpshooters hail from this icy realm.
Small tribes clinging to life in this part of the world lacked a coherent culture during the Age of Heroes. Modern tools and increased trade with neighboring groups gave rise to a stable economy. Lachlandic trading hubs grew into bustling cities, some providing tributes large enough to earn voting positions in Norish Moots. Local dignitaries went on to adopt titles derived from Norish customs. Yet tribal traditions remain strong, shaping a unique culture that harmonizes with an unforgiving homeland. This region is still widely regarded as the edge of civilization. News from distant places is often slow to reach the people of Lachland.
Many communities here focus intensely on a single resource or industry. Relevant skills are passed on from generation to generation informally, with little support for monopolistic trade guilds. Assorted independent gatherers and artisans stockpile or export goods as seasons allow. When supplies suggest famine ahead, many Lachlandic warriors join Norish marauders in raiding distant lands. Yet Lachlanders do not glorify battle to the same extent as their neighbors. Instead they prize harmony with nature. The most respected Lachlanders carry valuable lessons learned while surviving the worst winters endured by recent generations.
Signs Civilized lands mark every major road intersection with indications of the path and distance to each important community along the way. Typical roadsigns are repainted on an annual basis, sporting large uniform letters on clean surfaces. Yet not all societies take the same approach to marking crossroads. Serpia and Wabahar favor stone obelisks with illustrated carvings rugged enough to endure sandstorms. Elatolian and Iskreshi roadside markers tend to be smaller stones also able to weather severe conditions. In Lachland, cryptic wooden totems tower over crossroads and border crossings. The most informative carvings are placed at the top, remaining visible even after severe blizzards.
Signage is abundant within communities as well. Ambitious towns will make a point to name major streets, though markings may remain informal. Proper cities almost always employ standardized street signs. Most businesses sport prominent signs of their own along with emblems or illustrations of the trades practiced within. Private residences normally lack any such adornment. Yet most large estates and enclaves are identified at major gates. Hazardous locations may feature warning signs, often with eyecatching color. Some deter visitors by indicating the presence of deadly guardians or criminal penalties for trespassing. Others advise of site restrictions like expulsion for excessive noise or a ban on weaponry.
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♪ Arts & Entertainments Towering wooden carvings alert travellers that they have entered Lachland. Ordained Totem Artists produce the most impressive and sacred examples of this craft. Here lesser examples of this artform are as common as signposts in other realms. The most impressive totems cast their shadows over religious gatherings and civic events. Most locals know how to read the information encoded in this art. Widespread woodcarving expertise gives traditional Lachlandic furnishings elaborate detail. Many children are encouraged to whittle on scraps as a creative pastime. Yet building exteriors are rarely ornate. Retaining warmth is always a high priority, so crude but effective approaches are favored over elegant facades.
Some Lachlandic tribes also favor crude performing arts. Their brutal music thunders with relentless percussion, and fireside storytelling often simulates acts of violence. Most Lachlanders have more modern tastes with a fondness for relaxing music. Popular selections often feature long soothing instrumental passages of gentle melody. Some themes recurring in music around the world originate with composers from Lachland. Most large cities here sponsor a college supplementing bardic training with studies in ecology, engineering, painting, sculpture, and taxidermy. Seeking to become all the more desirable places to take shelter from the elements, public establishments often display a few prominent works of art.
✠ Belief & Worship Be it the Old Faith or a mix of new religions, worship is a vital part of life in every Lachlandic community. Prevailing beliefs see the God of the Final Battle struggling valiantly to push back relentless advances from the Goddess of Cursed Afflictions. The God of Relentless Crusades and the God of Final Rewards square off as their respective lieutenants. The God of Briny Depths basks in all this turmoil, whimsically interfering with the plans of other deities. Mannannan Mac Lir's role reflects much of Lachland's reliance on the rewarding yet hazardous work of gathering seafood. Meanwhile the seasons turn as Odin and Tyr annually reclaim the upper hand from Hel and Arawn.
Many religious Lachlanders attend formal church gatherings on a weekly basis. Those practicing the Old Faith prefer less frequent assemblies at outdoor venues, even in the most bitter storms. Druids are generally respected here. They preserve resources that sustain many inland tribes. Some legendary druids have been known to shelter major cities from disastrous weather. Pact magic is less well-regarded. There are few resources to fund career witch hunters, so a great many warlocks and witches live quietly here. Yet when there is a mysterious magical problem, angry mobs may be quick to react violently. Only the most idealistic leaders insist on fair trials before executing or exiling suspected participants in unholy bargains.
“An able huntsman does not blame his weapon.”
— Lachlandic proverb |
† Castles & Combat This part of the Brutal Quarter was buried under miles of ice
10,000 years ago. No trace remains of any structures raised during the Imperium Arcanum. Modern concentrations of Lachlandic wealth fund stone castles and city walls, though these fortifications are often modest by the standards of other realms. Severe winters demand frequent inspections and seasonal repairs along many roads and walls. Many llocal garrisons often rely on expanses of harsh terrain as much as any other physical defense. Though small forces often clash to settle questions of honor, ambitious Lachlandic warlords are more likely to travel south among Norish marauders than wage war for control of territory in their own homeland.
Hunting Except for minotaurs, all adventurers are capable of eating meat to sustain themselves. Most prefer to incorporate it into their diets, and some see large daily portions of roasted meat as a sign of affluence. Dragons created humanity for the purpose of raising healthy crops and herds. Yet just as humans can mine for gold and study magic, persons of other races are able to pursue farming and ranching. The overwhelming majority of food consumed in modern cities is produced agriculturally. Foraging and hunting are regarded as exotic recreational activities by most cityfolk.
Yet many rural areas and nearly all of Old Silvania offer excellent hunting grounds within hiking distance. Food taken directly from nearby wilderness is the most economical option for some families. Professional hunters or gatherers may live well on the bounty they are able to haul to market. Where there is no official policy, other denizens of the hunting ground may be dangerous. Outlaws, isolated tribes, and monsters often roam in places governing authorities do not reach. Most druids are hostile to aggressive overhunting that disturbs natural balances. True extremists may attack any uninvited visitors to pristine wildlands.
Closer to civilization, the challenges are different. Many aristocrats assert personal privilege over hunting grounds in their territories. They hire wardens to patrol wild areas. Some simply regulate hunts, such as to enforce protections for particular types of animals or to prevent irresponsible use of fire. Others impose licensing schemes or comprehensive bans. Where hunting grounds can support many rewarding careers, local leaders usually find some way to collect a share for themselves.
Unauthorized hunting on an aristocrat's land can be extremely risky. Since poachers are often armed and clear of other witnesses, enforcers may unleash deadly violence with no prior warning. Landholders have even been known to lay claim to the fishes in their lakes and streams. Travellers do well to mind applicable laws while attempting to live off the lands controlled by a modern government.
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Efficiently gathering firewood can be an essential survival skill here. A typical Lachlandic warrior supplements a hefty axe with assorted small blades. Some use formidable moose or elk as steeds. Yet the most feared combatants in this land are crossbow snipers. In times of famine a single errant shot can drive off a person's last chance at avoiding starvation. Related skills also support a tradition of stealthy manhunters famed for killing with a single bolt. Even in warmer climes, some Lachlanders make excellent trackers. Though institutional sentries and constables are abundant in cities; armies tend to be small forces of irregulars, often no more than a few adventurers with a coterie of armed followers. Military conflicts tend to be small in Lachland, but they often feature direct clashes between individuals wielding spectacular powers.
§ Decrees & Customs There are no contemporary Lachlandic monarchs. Assassins put a swift end to any leaders in recent history to claim a royal title. Thus the greatest regimes in this land are earldoms. Each is no more than a respectable city surrounded by lesser communities, and most lack neighbors near enough to provoke hostilities. Though the top official of a public institution or small town might be a baron within a formal hierarchy, that title is also claimed by many tribal leaders. These minor potentates demand aristocratic treatment even if they have no history of paying tribute to superior nobles. When competition for scarce resources places leaders in conflict, druids can be quick to arbitrate peaceful resolutions, even if it means enhancing or destroying the controversial resource.
Hospitality is not an expectation strangers are entitled to here, but when Lachlanders open their homes they treat outsiders as kin. Inns can be quick to provide new arrivals with warm blankets and hot beverages. Apart from the height of midsummer, Lachlanders consider it a serious offense when exterior doors are left open. Despite spending so much time crowded together in homes and drinking halls, most Lachlanders favor quiet or even silent companionship to boisterous festivities. Many families here are no stranger to grim tragedy despite minimal domestic warfare. Clerics and druids enjoy widespread support in exchange for their roles in constructing ceremonial pyres and offering other forms of relief for the bereaved.
Ⓢ Economy & Trade A proliferation of productive mines in the region feeds into many small mints to become a steady output of electrum coins. Though Lachlandic furnishings and wooden toys are prized abroad, departing traders have little else to fill their holds. Outgoing currency is the primary draw for imports headed here. The dwarves, gnomes, and humans of Lachland developed advanced techniques for digging in frigid conditions. Some cities see wild swings in food prices when blights or poor harvests interfere with food supplies while payrolls remain steady. Smaller communities are rarely far removed from famine. The ideal Lachlandic home features a cellar crammed with preserved food.
Most summers the ports of Lachland are riddled with recruiters assembling Norish raiding parties. Aspiring marauders can become stranded when those ports become icebound. Skilled fishers and hunters make a good living in this society, but the climate makes this work risky. Meeting the timber and firewood requirements of cities generates endless demand for outdoor labor. Barter remains a common practice even in large cities here. Simple handicrafts are incredibly popular. Independent merchants operating from secure storefronts are the backbone of Lachlandic commerce. Without the structure and standards of powerful guilds, these discerning traders must carefully cultivate relationships with many reliable vendors to keep shelves stocked with goods.
“The driver may command a sled team, but only the lead dog has a different view from the rest of the group.”
— Sálmo Sharktooth, Lachlandic explorer |
⨳ Foes & Perils The rarity of bandits and hostile armies is more than offset by the hazards of the elements here. Cold weather is a major killer in Lachland, particularly during the long nights of winter. The most severe blizzards howl for days, burying ordinary homes under heavy snow. Yet urban Lachlanders are not entirely safe. Some cities push at the brink of their own food supplies. Others suffer plagues spread by the absence of modern aqueducts and sewers. Smaller communities fare no better. It is not unheard of for an entire town of Lachlanders to perish during a winter of isolation. More than once, troublesome spellcasters made zombies of the entire population before thawing roads restored contact with the outside world.
Some Lachlandic tribes are territorial, though others are migratory. Their frequent clashes make many hostile to all unexpected outsiders. Both tribes and cityfolk consider it a serious crime to poach game from hunting reserves marked by appropriate totems. Though large bears and wolves prowl the forests of Lachland, far more people fall victim to resident trolls and ogres. Likewise, deadly sharks and squid roaming the coastline claim fewer lives than sea serpents and kraken known to inhabit those same waters. Murderous shapeshifters have successfully infiltrated some of Lachland's most secure organizations. White dragons occasionally emerge from their glacial lairs to feast on the livestock and inhabitants of a nearby settlement.
Festivals Every major ethnic group embraces a mix of customs elevating several days of religious or historic importance above other annual events. These special occasions often fall near the turning of the seasons. People who cannot reckon calendars still develop associations between some of these celebrations and plantings or harvests. Gatherings may stimulate trade to hasten distribution of perishable goods. Some also rally labor to accomplish communal projects. While unusually somber events require periods of fasting or silence, most holidays involve artful pageantry and boisterous gatherings with large public feasts.
These traditional celebrations offer a chance for families, communities, and a broader people to partake in a shared experience. Businesses and homes may display special decorations. Whimsical attire may be temporarily acceptable in official settings. Where ordinary business is not suspended altogether, it may be disrupted by parades or pranks. The original meaning behind festivals may become obscured as related trends evolve and grow.
For example, Saturnalia began as a Thracian holy day dedicated to a prosperity god. Followers would bring glory to wealth by giving lavish gifts to the poorest cityfolk on the darkest day of the year. After Saturn stood in defense of the titans he became a Dead God by the hand of Ares. Meanwhile, a remote town in Lachland retained its peculiar custom of cladding the ruling archmage in colorful fur trimmed garb and using “Father Saturn” as an official title.
Centuries later, after a series of sadistic Truscan emperors normalized abuses prompting huge slave revolts, a wise successor promoted Saturnalia to restore order. The Truscan state festival encouraged masters spend the day bestowing luxuries upon their own slaves. By Imperial Maximum, Saturnalia had become a widespread tradition involving fine meals shared and gifts exchanged with people of all social ranks. Actual midwinter sleighride toy shipments performed by previous Fathers Saturn inspired legends of worldwide travel by an immortal toy-bearing wizard. People in many cultures employ this legend to make young children more impressed with the gifts of Saturnalia morning.
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POINTS OF INTEREST
⊛ Karilmark is known by popular prophecy to be the capital of a future Lachlandic nation. For now the ruling family maintains earldom status, as past efforts to unite this homeland led to tragedy. Even so, Karilmark demonstrates the best of what Lachland has to offer. Sprawling docks bustle with both fishing and shipping. Upstream, a fertile river valley is the best patch of farming country in all of Lachland. Yet hills above offer excellent logging and mining as well. Karilmark itself leads the way in modernization, with its eponymous college presently growing into a full university. Most subjects of this earldom enjoy the benefits of thriving trade under a permissive regime. Whether or not it ever becomes the capital of a united Lachland, Karilmark is already on the brink of metropolitan status.
⊛ Tänlinak boasts the grandest fortifications in all of Lachland. One border of this earldom is an ancient wall that once marked the western frontier of Wotania. Back in the city of Tänlinak, a mountainside fortress is flanked by sprawling stables and a modern war college. The powerful standing army garrisoned here could easily conquer any other Lachlandic earldom if not for hostile Norish forces poised to annex Tänlinak. Many locals are employed by the mines, quarries, and smithies that support the defense of the earldom. Yet the militant emphasis of this regime sees most subjects living in austere conditions. Concern about espionage motivates a militarized constabulary to maintain intense internal security. High professional standards make it much more difficult to enlist in the Tänlinakian Army than to join up with a marauder band.
⊛ Pitkälhyt is an earldom notable for its racial makeup. Humans are barely a majority in the capital where dwarves, elves, gnomes, goliaths, halflings, orcs, and sprites are completely integrated into the social mainstream. The Old Faith, Totem Artists, and several modern holy orders each sustain large congregrations in Pitkälhyt. Outlying communities may be less diverse, but not to the point that trade becomes uncomfortable. Extremely productive mines in this area supplement precious metals with copper, iron, and tin. Pitkälhyt provides tools and weapons to all the earldoms of Lachland. These wares enrich the people of the city and provide funds for an increasingly impressive array of gargantuan sculptures held together by frames of welded metal. Those ambitious and costly projects stimulate additional trade and even a little tourism here.
⨀ Haltaleto is known in many parts of the world as “Holiday Town.” Warmth from below the ground sustains a thriving forest well north of other natural trees. The community within formed when a splinter group of elven pacifists sought isolation from the crumbling Imperium Arcanum. They hoped to shape a better world by offering all races lessons in wizardry paired with kind moral teachings. Their greatest human apprentices soon surpassed them. One impersonated the god Saturn so artfully that the deity himself approved of the hoax. Ever since this town of cheerful elves has conferred the title of Father Saturn to a series of human rulers. Legend has it that the arctic archmage freezes time itself so that he can deliver toys to every good child in the world on the eve of Saturnalia.
⨹ Tuhatpu Kortorni is an eerie assembly where thousands of large totems have entirely replaced the local forest. A dozen allied tribes shelter in the area. Others know it as a sacred place where rivals may meet under conditions of truce. The most prosperous tribes also see it as a venue for great festivities. The residents of Tuhatpu Kortorni excel at organizing feasts to celebrate weddings. The return of a great warrior from a season of raids or the rise of a new chief are also occasions that prompt gatherings here. Outside the height of midwinter, Tuhatpu Kortorni is likely host to multiple tribes at varying stages of their own extended revels.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Lachland ↑ → Norland ← ↓ Ontolon ↓
Demonym: Norish Language: Norish
Homeland: Norland First City: Hammerstad
Politics: many small realms united by a common culture
Elites: fighters, barbarians, monks, clerics, bards
Endowments: strength and wisdom
Complexion: fair
Hair: blonde to dark brown
Eyes: blue or brown
Influential Deities: Odin, Hel, Loki, Thor, Tyr
Borders: Darresteg, Fitchland, Joryanland, Lachland
Popular Instruments: dulcimer, drum, horn, lute
Traditional Weapons: hammer, warhammer, battleaxe, greataxe
Female Names: Æsa, Agatha, Brigid, Elise, Freya, Gylla, Helga, Idun, Ilona, Sif, Sæunn, Sigrun, Svana, Una
Male Names: Andreas, Balder, Erik, Harri, Leif, Matthias, Nikolas, Ragnar, Roland, Sigurd, Sven, Thor, Ulf, Vidar
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Norland
This part of the world saw the first stable societies with human leadership rising from abandoned garrisons of the Imperium Arcanum. Old farming practices were somewhat effective, but desperate looters and organized bandits made prosperity impossible. Only teams of armored riders operating out of stone fortifications could be consistent in defense of substantial territory. Together, many successful farms and ranches near these strongholds could sustain a central market along with a population of artisans. The first human kings and queens reigned from castles at the hearts of these fledgling nations.
Individually they traded and battled until a single leader rose to unite many monarchs under his banner. The first human superpower, Wotania, was the product of those campaigns. Modern Norish culture continues to glorify the achievements and values of that ancient regime. Nothing generates esteem here quite so much as accomplishment in battle. Great conquerors and marauders are celebrated no less than monster slayers and other heroic protectors. Norish priests and poets tend to settle their disputes with words, but other clashes here often escalate into a brawl or a duel. Some provocations that would not excuse violence in other realms might be accepted as justification for aggression here. Most lords and constables are themselves no stranger to the spilling of blood for honor.
Though famed for their strength, the Norish are also strong-willed people suspicious of sophisticated schemes. Their greatest fortunes are hoards secured in royal treasuries rather than distributed networks of credit and debt. Distrust of wizardry is a common attitude even among cityfolk here. Presently a patchwork of kingdoms, principalities, earldoms, and enclaves; it sometimes seems that conflict is the chief export of the Norish homeland. Annual waves of marauders pour south from Norish ports in search of spoils gained from raids on foreign soil. In desperate times these marauders may strike in such numbers as to devastate distant cities. Their aggression reinforces foreign fears about the Norish people.
Wotania Before the Imperium Arcanum, no human dared to contemplate killing a dragon in combat. Fey magi were always the primary military force of the Imperium, but many races were put to work as soldiers and hunters. Humans bred for warfare were quartered in northwest Mainland. Severe cold kept them dependent on their elven overseers for shelter and sustenance. When the reign of the fey came to an end, the mightiest of human warriors were quick to seize power among the survivors.
Competition for scarce resources was fierce, and the strong decided who would live. A rift between warriors and farmers evolved into a caste system, then feudalism. Nobles governed peasants, and kings governed nobles. In time, the kings themselves would also be governed. Emerging from the haze of warfare, Dread Erik humbled them all. Claiming both divine and giant ancestry, Dread Erik confidently waded through the heart of many battles. His suit of jagged iron provided both ample protection from his enemies and thunderous warnings to them.
In 2,602 A.H. a dozen kings pledged their fealty to Erik, and he declared himself the Overking of Wotania. Neighboring realms were annexed without bloodshed. While much of the world remained in chaos, Wotanian civilization vanquished barbarian hordes, developed artisans' guilds, and colonized much of western Mainland. Rising prosperity gave way to internal conflict within this unwieldy empire. The House of Jor led a series of rebellions. Persistent despite defeats, these troublemakers eventually sparked a conflict that would balkanize the region. Modern Darresteg does not claim to be Wotania, but the fallen empire's final capital is at the center of Darrestegger territory.
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♪ Arts & Entertainments Patrons and the public throughout Norland strongly favor ancient subjects and violent themes. Any unbroken runestones that predate the fall of Wotania will be given a place of respect, with railings or shrubs to deter incidental contact. More recent monuments and sculptures embrace modern artistic techniques and realism, yet most depict long-dead warriors in moments of personal triumph. Many Norish who cannot follow the language still thoroughly enjoy performances of Maniac operas dramatizing key events in Wotanian history or the legends of Thor. Other music here is often raucous. Marching cadences and battle chants are crafted to intimidate others. Drinking songs explore vulgar themes without restraint. Much Norish music incorporates a few good hearty shouts meant to channel raw vocal power.
Bards here train by memorizing a body of epic sagas standardized centuries ago. Journeymen musicians distinguish themselves through highly stylized performances of excerpts from this traditional cannon. Successful masters make their fortunes singing the glories of contemporary leaders. Rather than displays of musicianship, contentious bards here clash through highly entertaining exchanges of poetic insults. Norish warbands value the participation of fierce combatants also able to uplift the spirits of the group through speech and music. The most confident marauders may forewarn of their approach with drums, trumpets, and ferocious singing. Ideally this prompts locals to abandon a pile of loot that can be taken without bloodshed. Norish music only grows somber and gentle for the funeral marches that traditionally accompany ceremonial cremations. The pyres most of the world knows as “a marauder's final voyage” are the standard method of dealing with corpses across much of Greater Norland.
✠ Belief & Worship The absence of Elegant Morticians and graveyards is just one way religion is unusual here. Most Norish priests attain that status through long periods of menial servitude to other priests. Few here take the paths of habitual meditation or intense study of scripture. Those scriptures teach that this world grew from an enormous accumulation of giant bones discarded by the God of the Final Battle in his wars with those beings. The God of Relentless Crusades and the God of Rolling Thunder are his loyal allies in battling all manner of monsters while searching for primordial secrets. The God of Endless Disguises and the Goddess of Cursed Afflictions hatch elaborate plots to defeat this trio of heroic deities. Odin, Thor, and Tyr may quest alone or together. Likewise, Loki and Hel sometimes work as a team and sometimes act as individuals.
Yet always their challenges force the benevolent gods into perilous battles, and often sacrifices must be made to attain victory. Genuinely holy sacraments often involve the slaughter of livestock and ocassionally feature live human offerings. Such practices reinforce the region's global reputation as a barbaric place. While there are some modest formations of Standing Stones in Norland, local druids get little respect outside a minority of rural communities that keep to the Old Faith. Arcane magic is generally treated with suspicion here. Folk wisdom and prominent lore teaches people to distrust powerful spellcasters who do not serve as conduits for the gods. Wizards and sorcerers may be modest or even dishonest about their abilities. Warlocks and witches face extreme hostility from vigilantes as well as authorities if the nature of their magic becomes public knowledge.
“Do not praise the day before the Sun is risen.
“Do not praise the ice before you have crossed it.
“Do not praise the news before you have heard it.
“Do not praise the mead before you have tasted it.
“Do not praise the blade before it has tasted blood.”
— True Laws, Valiant Justiciar scripture |
† Castles & Combat The Imperium Arcanum used this land as a training ground and garrison for conventional armies. At the time the area was desolate and frigid, leaving troops dependent on the Archfey for sustenance. While soldiers prepared for battle, mages honed their craft here through the raising of stone fortifications. Norland features many ancient complexes where imposing towers and walls shelter sprawling barracks and an ancient palace. Many function as hubs of power in modern Norland – some for civilized rulers and others for dangerous villains. Hostile neighboring powers and unpredictable monster attacks are both constant dangers here. Earls and monarchs often maintain substantial standing armies. Many adults serve in local militias or have combat experience from travels among marauders.
Elite units of swift Norish cavalry deal with small incursions before losses of life and property become too severe. Honoring a tradition older than Wotania, many of these riders aspire to aristocratic titles of their own. Standard armed forces here travel on foot, hammers and axes on hand to beat down all who stand in their way. Though constables and bodyguards often wear elaborate uniforms, a typical military unit would be described as irregular. Variations in armor and weapons can make it hard to anticipate and counter Norish forces. Despite the cold climate, some indigenous warriors enter battle wearing practically nothing. Likewise, though this realm's weaponry and fighting styles are formidable, some Norish warriors prove themselves by brawling barehanded against well-armed foes.
“Light tributes bring heavy wars.”
— Norish proverb |
§ Decrees & Customs Norish attitudes blur the barrier between insult and violence. Ambush attacks are considered a sign of poor character if not also a crime. Yet a threat that is not answered with an apology is often considered legal justification to strike. Acknowledging the rightfulness or superiority of another is considered the only acceptable alternative to settling a dispute with direct clash. Though duelling is permitted in many parts of the world, some regimes here leave the practice unregulated. Abuses can occur where witnesses and prior formal consent are not required. Authorities may hold duellists accountable for collateral damage. Nonetheless much of it follows as conversations spontaneously convert to combat. Wise Norish proprietors direct customers to take their disputes outside when words first become heated.
Barbarians The fundamental goal of a warrior is to defeat other warriors. The most straightforward way to do this involves physical injuries that disable or kill the victim. Barbarians favor this sort of direct aggression over other styles of fighting. Swiftly eliminating threats is a sound survival strategy. Yet a keen mind is not required to embark on a frenzy of violence. Raw anger or intense bloodlust can energize a barbarian with heightened lethality. Evasions and other delaying tactics are particularly useful when confronted by these forceful warriors in their worst moods.
Most of these combatants learn how to fight through association with a tribe or warband. Primitive societies often have a kill-or-be-killed attitude about dangerous outsiders. Whether at the vanguard of pillaging Norish marauders or defending a camp at the edge of the Scarlands, barbarians channel power through savagery. Some are able to shroud themselves in energy drawn directly from the land. There are even barbarians who so identify with beasts that they acquire aspects of animal spirits.
Barbaric warriors prepare for battle with frantic dances or forboding chants. Some rush into combat with apparent disregard for personal safety. Barbarians may even make war while wearing somewhat less than ordinary cloth garb. The most militant devote their lives to seeking conflict and battling for glory or loot. Others favor peaceful trades like herding or foraging, quick to channel their outrage when an adversary interferes with routine activites. Wherever they hail from, their rugged ferocity makes barbarians useful operatives just about anywhere that does not require spellcasting ability or social graces.
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No laws in this realm recognize slavery. Yet the status of thrall is not far removed from property. The key distinction is that thralls are free to leave their masters whenever they wish. The relationship is based on using strength to protect the weak rather than power to exploit the powerless. Yet the outcome is often similar, with thralls laboring to make life easier for families headed by a respectable warrior. Beatings and other cruelties are not uncommon, yet many thralls are cared for and given a comfortable life. This is a common status for elderly Norish without offspring able to keep a secure household. Taxation is likewise unorthodox, with superior aristocrats sustained by voluntary tributes from their subordinates. Lavishing gifts on a baron or a graf is the traditional way to lobby for a knighthood here.
Ⓢ Economy & Trade A small number of mines in Norland are fabulously productive, yielding fine gems as well as precious ores of remarkable quality. The kingdoms in control of those mines enjoy funds enough to sponsor modern feats of engineering with the potential to grow great cities. Yet they also finance great armies, leading to devastating wars that have thwarted the rise of a proper Norish metropolis. Banking and speculative investing are rare here. Barter is an acceptable practice even in thriving cities. It is more prominent than currency in regimes without a tradition of mining precious metals. Recruiting mercenaries tends to be especially easy here, since combat is so relentlessly glorified. Smiths, armorers, animal trainers, and shipwrights all live comfortably in Norland if they are able to satisfy the demands of seasoned warriors.
Farming and ranching are both possible in most of Norland, but they tend to be unreliable endeavors. Growing seasons are often short and winters are always harsh. Herds do not last long when they outgrow the capacity of stables and barns. Early freezes or late thaws can reduce already modest harvests. As the Truscan Empire was already losing control of its Western Flank, a conference of Norish rulers organized raids down the coast. Along with fewer mouths to feed back home, the loot possessed by returning marauders served as economic relief. These seasonal raids remain ongoing. When harvests are good they function as temporary exile for troublemakers. When hunger strikes in the north, huge swarms of Joryanlander, Lachlander, and Norish marauders will set sail in search of easy raiding targets south of the Thousand Mile Wall.
⨳ Foes & Perils Outside this dominion, Norish marauders are villified as barbaric criminals. Yet in their own communities, many lead pious and wholesome lives. Intimidation is a frequent problem for the people of Norland. Fights can be avoided with tactful humility, yet publicly humble people might be denied valuable opportunities. Persons of stern resolve can expect to find themselves in an impromptu brawl from time to time, with the worst grudges building toward duels to the first blood or to the death. Dark elves, goblins, and kobolds all have large fortified communities of their own in Norland. These groups make war like any other regime, yet they also rely heavily on spies and wizards.
“With snow-flecked brow the mighty jarl rose silently from his trench. Loping and leaping, the wounded hound of hell fled in a blur. Its fiery ichor melted the cold ground, leaving a well-marked trail. Ulfric and his blade Hrimfing flayed the unholy beast just as a crimson Sun dipped below the horizon.”
—Hellhunter's Journey, Æsir epic |
In open country there is always some risk of encountering giants, ogres, or trolls. They are numerous in the badlands between Joryanland and Norland. Bears, wolves, and serpents all grow to exceptional sizes in Norish wilderness. Forests here are particularly dangerous. Lycanthropes hunt by night while hags in illusory guises seduce by day. Hunters and loggers often work in large teams to avoid becoming prey for these creatures. The wild fey of Norland can be particularly elusive and prone to deadly tricks. Yet others can prove helpful, especially to farmers coping with a harsh winter. Dragons here feed rarely, and some employ networks of underlings to prevent conflicts with armed forces. The eldest among those wyrms are able to share firsthand accounts of events prior to the Great Consolidation. Their lairs hold vast mounds of treasure hidden by magic that few other beings can even comprehend.
POINTS OF INTEREST
⊛ Hammerstad is a thriving river city where Norish Moots traditionally occur. The Earl of Hammerstad strives to remain neutral in the struggles of this land. Thus his capital is enriched by Moot organizers favoring default venues. Many athletic competitions and trade negotiations also take place in this city where belligerents customarily interact as if under truce. Resources from other Norish nations often flow through Hammerstad on the way to consumption or export. Incoming ore and local coal sustain a sprawling district of smithies here. Locals tend to be flush with coin despite the lack of precious metal mining within the earldom. A proliferation of ancient churches and bardic colleges makes it possible to get a respectable education in Hammerstad.
Freeholders Most regimes do not recognize claims of land ownership by persons lacking any official title. Legally acknowledging land ownership outside the aristocracy can be taken as a sign of civil unrest. Even so, this practice is especially common in expanding realms with many triumphant veterans or loyal servants to reward. Freeholders, known in some cultures as yeomen, are expected to be capable combatants both willing and able to defend their claims. Many aspire to greater things, for their offspring if not for themselves.Some governments are generous with this privilege because intrepid freeholders can keep border territories clear of bandits and monsters.
Collecting little or no revenue from these inhabitants allows them to focus their resources on survival and growth. Some freeholder grants merely recognize a right of possession earned through hard years of carving out a comfortable home from wild lands. Others are joined by official funding and oversight to promote the swift rise of thriving towns. As freeholder settlements expand into secure and prosperous communities, residents able to offer sufficient tribute or satisfy tax burdens may be promoted into the aristocracy.
Yet the life of a freeholder is not always blissful. Local markets may be minimal or non-existent. Access to formal education and organized religion are also limited. When in need of medical assistance or armed defense, most freeholders can only call upon a few neighbors. News is especially slow to reach these outliers. Without advanced warning, most are at the mercy of armies travelling nearby. As freeholders start to accumulate wealth, greedy people will begin to see them as targets. Many already employ professional guards and extensive household staff long before any official ascent into the aristocracy. |
⊛ Blårikby sits at the mouth of the Jertevan River. Enormous quantities of goods from Hammerstad and elsewhere pass through this port, which also serves as the traditional launching point for Norish Marauder fleets. Imported timber sustains a shipbuilding industry featuring a tremendous convergence of skill. Well-travelled mariners often know this as the northernmost stop on a global tour. Trade here would certainly support a metropolis if not for for constant struggles at the borders of the kingdom. Wetlands to the east create a haven for trolls and hags. Goblins upstream regularly harass river traffic. Two thriving earldoms to the west are always looking for signs of weakness from the Kingdom of Blårikby. Large numbers of specialists must work constantly to secure the river, the harbor, hunting grounds, outlying towns, and the capital itself.
⊛ Esterburg offers a clear view of the border with Joryanland. An enormous standing army garrisons a network of towers overlooking the Rolivan River. Another vantage from the city looks out over the sea, a source of reliable bounty that keeps hunger rare here. Military discipline is so pervasive that this community lacks the free-spirited atmosphere of other Norish cities. Dwarves are given special status as a concession to their ancestral claim on the mines that supply Esterburg's mints. Many warriors would idealize a routine of predictable patrols by day followed by lobster dinners each evening. Yet few monstrous menaces in the earldom mean that glories can be easily found here only during wartime. People old enough to remember the last great conflict are not keen to see the next.
⊛ Høytolav sees a dwarven monarch ruling over rugged lands home to various dragonborn, goliath, and orc tribes. For the most part, they are loyal subjects able to offer respectable tributes. The tremendous mineral wealth of the kingdom requires formidable defenders. Some tribes operate their own small mines, and others prosper through service as soldiers or guards. Supplemented by exotic creatures including allied dragons, the national army confronts potential invaders with tremendously intimidating forces. Yet Høytolav suffers from poor relations with neighboring realms, especially when regional famine makes it difficult to maintain robust food imports. Brutal wars have been fought to prevent the dwarfking from annexing some of Norland's best farming country.
⨹ Svovn is known around the world as the Brimstone Fields. Many small villages here subsist off thriving woodlands while accommodating limited tourism. That tourism is motivated by the world's most impressive collection of geothermal features. The grandest geysers produce columns of steaming water taller than any stone tower. The gentlest hot springs provide unique bathing experiences. A myriad of other unusual features draws distant scientists to Svovn. Previous attempts to urbanize the area suffered disaster from a trio of active volcanoes in the region. Today, solidarity amidst natural beauty sees the barons and lendmenn governing Svovn united in peaceful coexistence. Communities share information and resources while elders of most villages endeavor to maintain an atmosphere of comfortable hospitality.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Norland ↑ → Ontolon ← ↓ Serpia ↓
Demonym: Ontolonese Language: Ontolonese
Homeland: Ontolon First City: Kwanchon
Politics: coastal provinces of the Oriental Empire
Elites: druids, monks, rangers, warlocks, barbarians
Endowments: dexterity and wisdom
Complexion: tan to brown
Hair: brown or black
Eyes: brown or blue with epichanthic folds
Influential Deities: Shang-Ti, Chih Sung-Tzu, Chung Kuel, Ares, Hades
Borders: Celedine, Xe-Shan
Popular Instruments: drum, dulcimer, pan flute, viol
Traditional Weapons: broadsword, flail, spear, hand crossbow
Female Names: Cam, Ha, Hien, Huong, Hyunh, Lang, Linh, Mai, Tai, Tien, Trang, Trinh, Tuyet, Xuan
Male Names: Bao, Binh, Chien, Duong, Hieu, Kim, Long, Ngu, Pin, Quan, Thao, Thuc, Toan, Trung
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Ontolon Much of this land was shrouded in sweltering mists until the Age of Heroes was well underway. The turbulence of divine conflict swept those mists away to reveal expanses of lush jungle and rugged hill country. Migrants formed many sorts of tribes. Some farming communities merged into primitive kingdoms. Yet none could resist forces from the Elatolian Hegemony sweeping over the continent. Khaans showed little interest in this territory, a place largely unfit for cavalry operations. At the outbreak of the Celedinese Ascendence, tax collections and communications links were quick to fall apart in Ontolon. Some cities experienced generations of autonomous isolation before being integrated into the emerging Oriental Empire.
Even today, most Ontolonese feel a sense of seperation from the regime that rules them. The most lucrative farms and mines here are typically controlled by Celedinese families. Also, widespread hardships were suffered in an earlier century as part of a plan to permanently drive off Truscan invaders. Known as the Camuline Occupation, this period of brutal foreign exploitation was a sacrifice calculated to permanently neutralize the threat of transoceanic warfare. Descendants of the invading Legionnaires remain a menace in some of the wilder parts of Ontolon. Yet the great cities of this homeland thrive as centers of trade and hubs for a distinctive culture that harmonizes nature with industry and the Old Faith with modern religions.
Ontolon is now regarded as a land of opportunity. Traders from Mainland are drawn to ports that combine huge wholesale markets with famously hospitable seaside inns. Venerable shipping lines and banking houses maintain grand offices here. Upstart captains and speculative investors are always on the lookout for a quick profit. Less fortunate individuals will be eager for almost any form of employment. Yet even the most urbane of the Ontolonese retain some connection to nature. Many are adept at moving unseen through jungles and wetlands. Regarded as particularly graceful and thoughtful, their motions flow smoothly whether performing an ancient dance or weaving through the traffic of a crowded intersection. From bustling cities to vibrant wildlands, these people are at home in environments with the potential to overwhelm the senses.
“You will not know the wise man by the words that he says. Look at the way he lives his life. Does he ignore what he has seen with his own eyes? Does he demand what he does not need? Does he fight when peace is an option? Wise men know better than to do these things.”
—Lang Dang, Providental Preacher reverend |
♪ Arts & Entertainments The first silk producers operated in this region, selling their entire output exclusively to royalty. Modern successors combine immense prestige with surprising affordability. Foreigners may mistake common Ontolonese garb for fine clothes. While young people are normally clad in simple black and white, employment or marriage sees adults sporting bold colors that suggest religious or guild affiliation. Similarly eyecatching are the ceramics of Ontolon. Potters thrived here even during the tribal period. Today the selection of clays, glazes, and tools in circulation allows masters of the craft to draw from a myriad of distinct Ontolonese traditions. From huge durable vessels intended for hauling oil to extremely detailed figurines suited only for display, these artisans transform mud into all sorts of valuable objects.
Theatrical productions here often pair relentlessly percussive music with acrobatic dances meant to tell the story of violent scenes from history. Masked performers rely on elaborate props to simulate attacks and injuries. Crowds socialize during narrative prologues and epilogues at these shows, focusing on the stage only when the action is underway. Small booths and hand puppets provide a way for street artists to act out similar presentations. When not paired with theater, Ontolonese music often lacks drums. Gentle sounds are favored, with some vocal music and most instrumental performances intended as a soothing backdrop to the bustle of a market or gambling hall. Religious music follows this trend, save for the sparing use of huge bells or gongs to represent the grandeur of divine power.
Monasteries Most monks are trained at isolated institutions supervised by powerful spellcasters. Many martial traditions were spawned by authoritarian restrictions on access to weaponry. People who wanted to study physical combat without performing military service often had no choice but to pursue unarmed styles. Monasteries offered the perfect environment for pairing mystical insights with relentless training. Sufficiently dedicated and graceful students are able to stand barehanded against well-armed soldiers.
These monks are often counseled to remain quiet and humble to better conceal their abilities. Most monasteries are incredibly difficult to capture, with nimble residents quick to disable any intruders. Monks tend to be incredibly loyal to their teachers. Anything from menial labors to epic quests can be incorporated into their training. Persons suffering from a lack of purpose may join a monastery as an alternative to military enlistment or outlaw affiliation. These institutions rarely preach outside their own walls, but many notable champions once trained at a sacred monastery. |
✠ Belief & Worship Recent history left a dramatic mark on the religious folklore of these people. Common belief holds that the God of the Immaculate System created a world that was then nourished by the God of Gentle Rain and civilized by the God of Just Trials. The God of Untamed Violence and the God of Tranquil Death are latecomers eager to slaughter the innocent and ravage the land. Though neither deity was widely worshipped here two centuries ago, today some who seek power pray to Ares and some who seek wealth pray to Hades. Their holy orders may be prominent in civilized Ontolonese communities. Yet some are forbidden due to association with the Angry Remnant. Faiths devoted to Shang-Ti, Chih Sung-Tzu, or Chung Kuel almost never generate controversy within the cultural mainstream here.
Many villages welcome support from both clerics and druids. Fey are relatively rare here, but practitioners of the Old Faith are not. Most Standing Stone sites in Ontolon are recent developments raised up to exploit ley lines for transportation purposes. This land sees many spellcasters dedicated to preserving natural conditions and limiting human development. Others, even practitioners of the natural method, reshape the land into gardens and farms optimized for economic yields. These projects only endure if they harmonize with relentless rains. All Ontolonese legal authorities condemn witchcraft. When temporarily driven from cities, ancient occult traditions persist among tribes in wild places. Pact patrons never seem to have trouble finding isolated shamans eager for real power.
† Castles & Combat The first reliable security in this region could be found at religious complexes. Spellcasting priests trained cadres of extremely disciplined protectors. Even without weapons, the best of these monks could do battle with demons. Surrounded by stone walls and novice practitioners, these pairings of muscle and magic could stand against almost any military force. Some saw great cities rise up in their shadow. Others remain isolated strongholds only accessible by way of perilous journeys. Ontolonese styles of unarmed combat combine gentle swaying with precise disabling strikes employing either feet or hands. Watching and betting on competitive brawling is a popular activity here, though matches look nothing like the slugfests Mainlanders favor as sport.
Villages Tiny communities often lack much capacity to defend themselves. The term “stronghold” is more appropriate than “village” to describe scores of people living behind guarded stone walls. Ordinary villages, at most, raise wooden stockades or earthen ramparts to assist with defense. Many barely have the resources to maintain a cluster of freestanding buildings. The most rugged locals may be able to mount an armed resistance, but few villages can stand firm against a substantial military unit. Strategists make note of villages mainly as places to obtain local news, provisions, and untrained recruits.
Yet these little communities offer a form of security rare in large cities. Just about everyone is mutually acquainted in places this size. Thieves and other troublemakers are usually kept in check by the most respected residents. Outsiders draw close scrutiny. Secrets shared with one villager can spread to others with astounding speed. Investigators and manhunters practically announce themselves by posing anything beyond the most subtle questions. Gaining acceptance in a village requires respecting various local standards of conduct. Success opens the way to a peaceful life of quiet obscurity.
Some villages see few breaks from their routine. Tax collections, festivals, and rare emergencies prompt minor aristocrats to visit. Inhabitants otherwise go about peaceful trades at a liesurely pace. Even among non-human villages, there is rarely much racial and religious diversity. Outsiders who look different or object to the prevailing faith can find it especially difficult to integrate. Less sleepy communities are more likely to make exceptions. For example, tribal villages facing pressure from advancing national frontiers often welcome any able combatant willing to stand alongside their own warriors.
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In terrain that allows small irregular forces to harass much larger armies, skirmishing is an extremely popular tactic.
Manticore squads are groups of plainclothed warriors trained to combine cover and confusion with small crossbows. Wherever there are trees or bystanders, these gangs of deadly shooters can instantly disperse into an assortment of inconspicuous individuals. These and other skirmishers may also train with small boats in order to quickly approach and depart over flooded ground. The original Ontolonese royalty equpped their guards with a flail for unseating riders as well as a pair of short swords to facilitate an acrobatic fighting style. Modern refinements keep this style popular among some private security forces. Simple spears remain the favorite of local hunters and most tribal warriors.
§ Decrees & Customs Outsiders consider the Ontolonese a curious people. Even across large differences in social status, they consider probing personal questions acceptable conversation with strangers. Extremely secretive people often have trouble relaxing in social settings here. Most positions of legal authority are held by Celedinese bureaucrats, to the irritation of many indigenous families. Ontolonese elites largely achieve distinction through commerce. Any profitable career generates some esteem. Huge fortunes command considerable influence over public officials. Some economic dynasties are maintained by funding public projects in good times and seeking government support through troubles. Others coordinate smuggling and racketeering by working with officials to minimize conflict.
Seasonal flooding has done much to shape Ontolonese culture. Local festivals often celebrate water in some form. Tradition allows priests to determine how high ground is utilized. The result is an assortment of venerable emergency shelters overlooking riverside towns and villages. Many farmers struggle with drainage enough to make their fields productive. The wealthiest control expanses of terraced land that sheds or retains rainfall as desired. Despite an abundance of menacing groups, civilized Ontolonese people often think well of tribesfolk. Their understanding of the land is highly respected. Also, some tribes have a profoundly ancient, if poorly documented, history. Public unrest may follow after Imperial authorities deal unfairly with a tribe indigenous to Ontolon.
Ⓢ Economy & Trade The Oriental Empire allows limited autonomy to several city-states occupying islands off the coast of this territory. Some traffic in otherwise illegal goods. Some operate slave markets and labor camps that would be forbidden by Celedinese customs. All operate busy ports willing to serve vessels and cargoes officially unwelcome on the Oriental mainland. Yet the ports of Ontolon proper are also thriving hubs of commerce. Fabrics, fashion, and pottery considered ordinary at domestic markets can be sold as exotic wares to Mainlanders. Enterprising vessels that bypass Celedinese ports and nearby islands will find intense competition for new goods coming in to Ontolon. Tax breaks at other ports rarely get passed on to consumers here, so shipments on offer tend to fetch respectable prices.
Disasters The Age of Heroes saw frequent and widespread devastation of divine, mortal, or natural cause. The gods have not conspired to make the modern era free from disaster. Violent earthquakes still rumble up from deep below ground. Falling stars still explode after plunging from the heavens. Between those two lurks a long list of other dangers capable of destroying cities. The Great Consolidation sees losses of life sometimes larger than any event from a previous era. These disasters create opportunities for great heroism . . . and great villainy.
Necromancy enthusiasts sometimes exploit disaster areas for raw materials. The availability of unguarded bodies drives some spellcasters to establish temporary strongholds near recent battlefields or ravaged communities. There are also priests who specialize in offering medical services only to those most able to pay. Some even take advantage of confusion and lawlessness to spread diseases for which they later sell cures. Of course, conventional looting is also a problem. Bandits can be quick to conduct raids on otherwise well-defended communities in the aftermath of a disaster.
Wise leadership works to minimize losses of life and property. Local rulers often have emergency response plans in place to anticipate recurrences of historic disasters. Some armies and holy orders maintain protocols for administering relief to large populations of afflicted or displaced persons. Larger governments can dispatch funds and expertise to hasten recovery efforts. These intense circumstances provide profound inspiration to some spellcasters while giving some warriors their first taste of bloody combat. Some extraordinary individuals are coming to terms with their own newfound abilities in the shadows of every community mourning after massive loss of life.
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Gambling is particularly popular in Ontolon. Each evening taverns fill with ordinary workers eager to occupy themselves with small wagers on games of chance or skill. Palatial casinos extract money from wealthy tourists. Yet the biggest gambles involve distributors supplying urban markets. Powerful merchants and government regulators often clash over efforts to distort prices throughout a particular city or prefecture. Imperial authorities bring ample scholarship and magic to bear on the challenges of harmonious economic growth. While also supporting overall prosperity in spirit, countless private ventures are constantly seeking an angle to exploit. Add international shipping lines, federated trade guilds, and ancient secret societies to the mix; and the intrigues of the Ontolonese business community become endless.
⨳ Foes & Perils Fit young adults, especially those fluent in Mainlander languages, are targets for press gangs. These mariners combine intoxication and coercion to make involuntary additions to their crews. While not unique to this realm, the problem is especially common in Ontolon, where relaxed attitudes among waterfront law enforcers allow many abductions go unnoticed. Yet constables are particularly vigilant about property rights here. Even pickpockets face severe punishments, and major financial frauds often end in public executions. Most cities enforce Imperial restrictions on weaponry. Ontolonese wardens are often less interested in the petitioner's reasoning than the fee collected for issuing a license to bear arms. Yet foreigners who resist will soon find themselves prisoners or outlaws.
In wilder parts of Ontolon dangers abound. Blending in with nature is an essential survival strategy for many tribes. The most hostile among them are threats to civilized folk and other tribes alike. The Angry Remnant is an informal association of hidden camps sheltering warbands descended from Truscan Legionnaires abandoned after the Camuline Occupation. These militant humans and goblinoids often kill outsiders rather than allow observers to return to civilization. Serpents, lions, and giant insects are just a few of the natural hazards lurking in Ontolonese jungles. Magically obscured rakshasa strongholds are thought to occupy a few remote hilltops. Manticores and lesser dragons are sometimes sighted in the sky, while ancient sphinxes dominate the greatest among this land's heavily eroded peaks.
POINTS OF INTEREST
⦿ Kwanchon mounted the only effective resistance to the spread of the Elatolian Hegemony in this region. Today that “old city” is just two wards of this sprawling metropolis. Miles of docks and shipyards are framed by a pair of scenic beaches, making this port inviting to any friendly captains sailing nearby. Venerable Ontolonese silkmaking dynasties continue to control immense wealth here. Some push for fewer legal restrictions and more public input in matters of governance. Others support the Imperial regime through the purchase of special privileges in addition to ordinary tax payments. The commercial frenzy of Kwanchon seems harmonious on the surface. Yet countless personal rivalries and business conflicts converge in an underworld of criminal conspiracies laced with ancient mysticism.
“Where there is rain, there is life.”
—Rain Dancer motto |
⦿ Chomtuk features the largest waterworks in the world. Major streets run in pairs alongside stone canals deep enough to spare the city flooding during sustained downpours. Flows from upstream maintain constant supply to thousands of public fountains even at the height of the dry season. Local architects pride themselves on the design of cascades bounding down facades of major buildings during storms. Rain or shine, Chomtuk is always open for business. Much of Ontolon's agrcultural output moves through markets here. Surpluses provide feed stock for many local distilleries and breweries. Herbalists willing to buy in bulk may find fortune in trade here. Anyone with coin to stake can attempt likewise in the gambling houses of Chomtuk. Charming hosts expertly lower the inhibitions of patrons who flaunt wealth at these establishments.
Bamboo Construction Some plants indigenous to the Orient are capable of producing masts and beams with properties that surpass the strongest timber. Plantations employing basic magic can generate high quality construction materials at a remarkable rate. Office towers and apartment buildings framed in structural bamboo can surpass ten stories. Though the technique is similar to steel construction, bamboo towers require extensive transmutation to be made equally durable. Natural structures will eventually sag and rot, though bamboo can benefit from repair and upkeep in the manner of wooden buildings.
Modern bamboo plantations can be found in Kohadesia, Zintu, and Sylvania as well as the Veiled Lands. Most production still takes place in the Orient, where this strong yet lightweight wood alternative is widely accepted. Mainlanders often judge bamboo construction as exotic and primitive, fit only for decoration. Yet the interiors of modern bamboo buildings are often fashioned of wood planks and panels, appearing no different from conventional establishments. Bamboo is also ideal for temporary structures like scaffolding. Growing cities tend to grow a little faster when they incorporate bamboo into their building practices.
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⦿ Voitran was known in ancient times as “the City Built by Elephants.” Few of its oldest structures still stand, though the economy remains enriched by surrounding plantations and mines where elephant handlers accomplish tasks that would otherwise require large labor crews. The Old Faith is both protected and respected by local officials. A prominent contingent of talking elephants speak well of the Promethean Naturalists to grant their voices. Those sporting distinctive headdresses to distinguish them from simpler beasts are entitled to walk city streets unescorted. The effort they contribute frees up more people to staff the massive workshops and mills of Voitran. Markets here normally see a stable flow of raw materials in and finished goods outbound, generating steady pay for laborers and teamsters.
⦾ Swonsò is widely known as “the Garden of Chains.” The Oriental Empire allows this island autonomy in exchange for cooperation with various intelligence ministries. Thus Swonsò is the closest legal slave market to the great cities of the Far East. Last conquered by a coalition of minotaur and dragonborn warlords, the territory now features a sprawling capital where captives are chained to stone walls lining a maze of twisting and turning streets. Rumors insist that tourists with no guide will soon become lost and added to the inventory of manacled slaves for sale. Yet the waterfront district is a thriving hub of commerce that would be illicit in many other civilized ports. Smugglers and slavers generally consider Swonsò a safe harbor from legal authorities.
⨹ Waddei is a vast grid of broad stone walls raised by followers of a Dead God. The site now features a network of canals and tunnels administered by the clergy of Chih Sung-Tzu. Much of its interior consists of shallow lakes or flooded fields, yet Waddei can be traversed comfortably on foot or by boat. Each intersection of the walls supports a sacred tower. Ornate structures crafted by ancient elementals provide shelter for a blend of humble farmers, colorful traders, and tranquil priests. One of the largest buildings serves as a Floodminder academy for the study of flows and drainage. Yet the center of Waddei, the Palace of Highest Heaven, is controlled by Cloudstriders. Their novices function as the local constabulary, and their council of elders takes to the sky whenever Waddei is in crisis.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Ontolon ↑ → Serpia ← ↓ Sivales ↓
Demonym: Serpian Language: Serpian
Homeland: Serpia First City: Theopolis
Politics: heartland provinces of the Serpian Empire
Elites: clerics, paladins, wizards, bards, rogues
Endowments: dexterity and wisdom
Complexion: tan to brown
Hair: brown or black
Eyes: brown
Influential Deities: Ra, Geb, Osiris, Ptah, Set
Borders: Kohadesia, Iskresh, Thrace, Wabahar, Zintu
Popular Instruments: drum, flute, pan flute, shawm
Traditional Weapons: scimitar, greatsword, lance, longbow
Female Names: Azar, Bita, Daria, Fereshteh, Kiana, Mina, Nasrin, Parisa, Roxana, Rudaleh, Shiva, Soraya, Tamina, Zarine
Male Names: Amir, Basir, Derafsh, Esmail, Farrukh, Kazem, Marduk, Musa, Omid, Pedram, Raza, Sohrab, Turan, Xerxes
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Serpia The deserts of southeast Mainland harbored few dragons during the Imperium Arcanum despite two major river valleys sustaining millions of humans living out in the open. When fey overseers did not require this labor for other projects, workers were kept busy constructing mountainous masonry structures. Most are sand-covered rubble today, but the Great Pyramids of Serpia are still the largest buildings in the world by no small margin. They are highly recognizable symbols of the first human regime to thrive and expand rather than struggle and falter in this region. Invoking a proud heritage far more venerable than Truscan unity, an upstart Serpian dynasty managed to secure the allegiance of several other major ethnic groups during the rebellion that formed the modern Serpian Empire.
The people of Serpia are known to be thoughtful and precise. They tend to be swiftly industrious in groups and creatively inspired by solitude. Dragon chess was invented by a pharoah from their Old Kingdom. Serpian wheelwrights harnessed flows of water to power irrigation systems and well-bred horses to convey charioteers. The Pharoah's armies seemed to be able to call upon inexhaustible reinforcements. They carved out a huge nation united in both trade and faith. This ancient power eventually succumbed to Iskreshi rule followed by many centuries of integration into the Truscan Empire. It was only six generation ago that Serpia broke free as part of a rival superpower. This vast energetic young empire is well on the way to independent cultural and economic development despite prolific corruption. The Padishah remains faithful to Ra, though few doubt his administration is riddled with devotees of Set.
The Old Kingdom Surrounded by inhospitable deserts and steppes, the great river valleys of Serpia were uniquely comfortable during most of the Imperium Arcanum. Dragons avoided this pocket of life far removed from their own lairs. The collapse of the Archfey's regime saw human populations abandoned to sustain themselves. Large numbers of farmers, bakers, and brewers were able to accomplish that on bountiful floodplains. Failing enchantments allowed some monuments to collapse into quarries from which cities would be constructed. Early human builders also took to paving roads here. Freight carts and war chariots extended the reach of authorities.
As more advanced equestrian and toolmaking techniques took hold, the gods looked favorably on this emergent civilization. The Ennead personally operated a religious center to promote their worship. Yet they abstained from comment on politics outside their priesthoods. It would be a warlord known as Imrathur who defeated his last rival to claim the title of Pharoah. With both river valleys united, the Old Kingdom built a network of roads connecting much of eastern Mainland. Most settlements welcomed this new trading partner, though annexation was inevitable, if not by diplomacy then by violence. All other forces in the region were insignificant by comparison.
The armies of the Old Kingdom were widely feared. Yet military might was not the only contribution of this civilization. Their wheels also captured the power of water to elevate that element, replenishing vital irrigation reservoirs. Some priests pioneered the practice of operating mints with a religious devotion to precision. The funerary rites of others saw countless aristocrats mummified before being entombed within monuments from an earlier era. The libraries of the Old Kingdom were the first great institutions of their kind not operated by elves. Archivists there pioneered the use of papyrus as stationery. From its establishment in 2,609 A.H. until its fall in 810 A.H., the Serpian Old Kingdom brought stability and prosperity to millions of people.
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Well-funded aqueducts, bathhouses, and universities elevate the quality of urban life across this land. Many large buildings feature new facades over old Truscan stonework. Communities in the Serpian heartland maintain bright lanterns over every intersection. This promotes public safety, giving the region a unique and booming urban night life. Other imperial capitals may be even more grand, but none see treasuries and skylines expanding as quickly as modern Theopolis. With plains and river valleys that once exported mountains of grain, the region now serves as breadbasket to its own mighty empire. Archons and other public officials struggle with the growing pains of rapid urban expansion. Where those pains are well-managed, surging populations are proudly loyal to the state.
♪ Arts & Entertainments Early Serpians pioneered metalcasting for tool production. Today some artists here see bronze and brass as ways to produce art even more durable than stone. From lifelike sculptures to textured wall panels, much of this art is meant to be touched as well as seen. Even household objects here may be diecast in metal and enhanced with decorative inlays. Bold displays of wealth are fashionable in modern Serpia. Innovative gilding techniques and scintillating jewelry designs drive prosperous people to mark themselves as such. Large ankh pendants simultaneously indicate piety and patriotism. Truly rich individuals may accompany those symbols with an array of weighty jewels and gold chains. By contrast, Serpian garb tends to be practical, favoring thin fabrics due to the hot climate.
Artists of the Old Kingdom covered the interiors of important structures with simple yet colorful paintings featuring pictographic narratives. Modern Serpian painters favor richly detailed elaborations. Some avoid political and religious controversies with a focus on complex geometry or intricate floral themes. Ceramics decorated in this way can acquire great value. Water features surrounded by patterned tiles are the centerpiece of many aristocratic homes and apartment buildings in Serpia. Popular music here often features one dominant woodwind with a meandering melody backed by rhythmic harmonies and percussion. The latter may be produced by shaking handheld racks of sliding metal plates. Some venues welcome the participation of silently seductive dancers, while it is taboo at others to dance in a provocative manner.
✠ Belief & Worship The Serpian Empire is a young nation energized by religious zeal. The Padishah is clear to renounce any claim of divinity, yet many regard the royal family as prophets of Ra. Official teachings credit the God of the Rising Sun with the discovery of this world. He tasked the God of the Solid Earth, the God of Forged Marvels, and the God of Noble Sacrifice with its development. Myth holds that Osiris was originally the God of Flowing Water, but he gave up that domain to prevent the God of Darkest Night from destroying the entire world. Set is widely despised, yet his priests and temples are protected by laws recognizing their holy status. Though other unpopular faiths can also operate openly here, the public face of Set's followers is thought to be a small part of a much larger network.
Standing Stones are rare here, with some sites ablated away or simply buried by desert sands. Most that remain serve as transportation hubs convenient to a nearby city or agricultural district. The Old Faith is likewise a modest presence, with even the smallest villages often turning to modern religions. Imperial authorities condemn witchcraft in rhetoric, but many officials can be persuaded to sell licenses for occult study. Witch hunters normally function as specialist units within constabularies, enforcing laws against violence and malicious spellcasting. They prefer the quiet elmination of confirmed threats over disturbing public specatcles. Within Serpia proper, sorcerers sometimes generate as much suspicion as warlocks. The royal bloodline of the defunct Iskreshi Sultanate is regarded as a political problem with no easy solution.
“The history of this era is shaped by the sword and the spirit. Greater swords win battles, but greater spirits can never be defeated. Let our enemies know no matter how many times we fall we will rise again. To question our resolve is as foolish as doubting the dawn.”
— Darius the Brilliant, first Serpian Padishah |
† Castles & Combat Imperial security is a matter for bashars. These unique officials preside over an incredibly diverse array of territories, and their duties are limited to military command. The most ancient structures are deliberately not used as forts for fear they would be damaged during conflicts. Well-provisioned desert cavalry units are often employed to deal with internal troubles, while huge garrisons of heavy infantry square off against Truscan Legions at the world's longest militarized border. Positions in eastern Thrace keep the Serpian homeland out of reach, though not by any great distance. Some years see more than one battle exceeding
100,000 soldiers clashing in this war of empires. Both sides command an amazing array of magical and monstrous combat assets.
Much of modern Serpian military doctrine pairs tactics developed thousands of years ago with the latest in arms and equipment. Warriors here favor a scimitar and a shield, though some prefer to wield a pair of blades or one huge curved sword. Soldiers also train with longbows, especially useful for modern charioteer units. Regular cavalry often pair the bow with the lance, skirmishing with foes before charging directly at them. All Serpian cities shelter within huge stone walls, often connected to sprawling complexes of barracks and stables. Remote strongholds may be built in tiers, occupants retreating to a higher level as they exploit each layer of concentric defenses. Towns and villages offer little resistance, though they also offer little loot. Active threats to Serpian communities generate swift military responses.
“Plan each day to earn the pleasures of your night. Embrace challenges for the opportunities they present. Luxuries make life sweet, but none are sweeter than those savored after a personal triumph.”
— Soraya Samshidi, Honorable Sunray Archbishop |
§ Decrees & Customs This young superpower rejects many Truscan norms. Patriarchal attitudes are tolerated in public officials and normalized in some outlying provinces. Plural marriage is legal, and some see it as another way to flaunt wealth. Property rights are given great emphasis in Serpian law. Even minor offenses can lead to mutilating punishments. Habitual thieves are often executed. Yet temptation abounds in this society where the avenues glitter with bejeweled pedestrians. The desire to appear wealthy also promotes tax compliance. Few would understate the value of their own slaves or other property. Negotiations are often required to strike a balance between the demands of the state and the pursuit of personal profit.
Most maliks maintain ample staff if not also branch offices to deal with recordkeeping, licensing, and other oversight this regime applies to all sorts of enterprises. Six generations of edicts and rulings have accumulated into a sprawling tangle of opinions. Legal disputes sometimes face long delays while advocates struggle to review copies of official records and cobble together support for their positions from libraries of lawbooks. Many important sites, especially military compounds, are off limits to ordinary civilians. The entry level to the Imperial aristocracy involves gaining authorization to come and go freely from most of Serpia's restricted areas. This insider status is crucial to negotiating advantageous relationships with superior officials. People from all walks of life strive to earn it through acts of loyalty to the Empire.
Caravans Some roads are not safe to travel unescorted. Most wilderness areas are fraught with hazardous creatures if not also dangerous tribes or outlaw gangs. Merchants and other travellers looking to cross unsafe territory often band together into large groups. Aristocrats and important cargo may receive a formidable military escort. Small numbers of mercenaries may be retained to protect ordinary shipments of goods. Livestock, wagons, and chariots create the need for professional teamsters. Their hauls provide a vital lifelines to communities without easy shipping alternatives.
While some caravans will accept any companions willing to pay reasonable fees or perform hard labor at camp, others attack any stranger attempting to enter the group. Most will at least be happy to exchange information about terrain conditions and other news in passing. Though it is possible to rob caravans, bandits often see no cause to take the risk. Refugees and pilgrims may have little means of defense, but they also have little to take. Large payrolls and travelling dignitaries are prime targets, but attackers will face extraordinary capabilities deployed with tactical poise and cunning.
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Ⓢ Economy & Trade Two river valleys in this region generate highly productive floodplains. Ancient irrigation techniques created stable harvests here, while their modern counterparts make Serpia a proper imperial breadbasket. Granaries shelter massive stockpiles of wheat and rice. Most Serpian cities see effective administrations providing inexpensive food and reasonable rents to encourage population growth. These cities generate an abundance of military recruits while quick to utilize new-built guilds, temples, and universities. Forges and foundries are likewise thriving. Cast metal goods remain a significant Serpian export. Local pottery is likewise sold abroad in both practical and decorative forms. Jewels from this land are popular with people who want to make an emphatic statement about wealth.
Serpian markets are always hungry for ink, especially of varieties that are not easily manufactured from local resources. The push to translate vast libraries of academic, political religious writings from Truscan to Serpian has made scribe an especially common occupation. Much of this work is now complete, but institutions continue to produce great masses of literature. While the regime generates official records and propaganda, scholars and holy persons eagerly circulate their own ideas among peers. This robust exchange of fresh texts drives lively debates on all sorts of complex issues. The desire for enlightenment even flows down to children, often welcome to study at a local temple if not enrolled in a prestigious school. Serpian insiders appreciate the economic and military value of educational excellence.
⨳ Foes & Perils The most prominent ruins here are free from bandits and outlaws. This has more to do with the vigilance of sphinxes than the Imperial military. Those cunning winged monsters are quick to deter looters and fugitives from trespassing near ancient monuments. Where sphinxes are absent, mummies may trickle out of abandoned tombs. Other stretches of Serpian sand are home to giant scorpions and even larger serpents. Troublesome genies can also be found there, sometimes riding on sandstorms as their own peculiar form of amusement. Vexxing travellers is another way their kind enjoys passing the time. Oasis towns offer shelter to peaceful visitors. These towns are often protected by powerful priests or warriors able to deal with disruptions to the precarious balance of life in the deep desert.
Clerics The gods amuse themselves by playing minor roles in the lives of heroes and villains, but the Immaculate System prevents modern deities from cultivating famous personae in the mortal realm. Instead they project influence as inspiration. Their most passionate and thoughtful worshippers may be motivated to pursue clerical magic. Not all clerics pray explicitly to a single patron god, but each is bound to one just the same. Each religion or philosophy promotes the spiritual agenda of an individual god while contributing to the overall intensity of mortal conflicts.
Almost every sector of society features a prominent role for clerics. Armies employ them to maintain morale and heal the wounded, though some are worthy warriors too. Their vows and reputations make some priests uniquely reliable scribes and others uniquely credible messengers. Many holy orders offer specialized goods or services to the general public. Other religions focus on organized worship, collecting tithes and fees from supportive congregations. Most people know the whereabouts of the nearest friendly priest the same way they know where to turn when in need of a constable or soldier.
Clerics serve as conduits for magical energy by remaining true to their beliefs. Even clerics who honor no god still find their powers rooted in the core teachings of their philosophy. Connecting to spiritual flows requires a deep and earnest commitment to a body of teachings energized by a member of the Fivesquare Pantheon. Those who lose faith will remain lapsed spellcasters until their old commitment has been renewed or a new belief system has gained their wholehearted devotion. Most clerics adhere zealously to their chosen faith and actively promote it to others.
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The fertile stretches of Serpia are a different matter. Roads there are as safe as any imperial territory. Yet vigilant officials can make trouble for people undertaking secret or criminal missions. Some constabularies here are downright brutal. Justice can be both harsh and swift. Even so, the bustle of metropolitan life is not always secure. Mysterious conspiracies threaten to unravel important organizations. Assassinations can become disappearances when concerned officials suppress public information about a killing. Between Truscan spies, worshippers of Set, Hashāshīns, and ordinary criminal syndicates; many prominent Serpians have reason to fear for their personal safety. Offices and palaces tend to be thick with magical wards and traps to thwart attacks from within.
POINTS OF INTEREST
⊛ Theopolis is built around the oldest continuously active religious center in the world. Sprawl radiates out from a cluster of giant temples created by the Ennead themselves. Those megalithic structures now house galleries of ancient artifacts and libraries of obscure literature. The Padishah's palace and a ring of parkland seperate that sacred core from a crowded metropolis. Modern office towers provide additional workspace for bureaucrats and priests who cannot be accommodated in busy courthouses and temples. Theopolis is also home to the world's most impressive array of religious scholars. Two ancient universities here are joined by three young institions of the same kind. All of it overlooks two waterfront districts, one for rivercraft and the other for seagoing vessels.
⦿ Ipshemm was the political capital of the Old Kingdom. Now it is a modern metropolis in the shadow of ancient monuments. Debate continues about which is the largest building in the world. Shifting sands vary the exposed portion of some structures, creating a semantic issue that even flawless divination cannot settle. Two of the several pyramids contending for that distinction dominate the horizon near Ipshemm. This city was battered by waves of mummy attacks during the Sultanate, but it sees new glory and spectacular growth today. It is home to the Shah of Serpia, traditionally the Padishah's designated heir. Ipshemm sees lavish funding for all manner of social experiments and artistic trends. Workshops and laboratories here likewise push at technical frontiers in pursuit of royal recognition.
⦿ Sehrîbajar was originally known as Aresolensis, a military and administrative capital overseeing the Eastern Flank of the Truscan Empire. It sits near a bridge crucial for overland travel from Serpia to parts farther east. The city continues to flourish through robust channels of commerce and state funding. The names and symbols of military service academies have changed, but the same sorts of training have been offered at those sites for more than a thousand years. Now officers educated in Sehrîbajar serve in the Padishah's armies. Hopefuls rejected from those academies often wind up in the city watch. Tension is inevitable whenever cadets and constables patronize the same drinking halls or dance parlors. Sehrîbajar is oddly unruly for a wellspring of military discipline.
“There will be mercy for the blind, but not those blind in spirit. Some never dare search beyond the tips of their own noses. They do not see that all things are possible. They do not even attempt to become more than they already are. A person blind in spirit is surely damned.”
— Beyond the Tomb, Soul Assessor scripture |
⦾ Ni-emhas has its roots in copper pits that supplied Imperium Arcanum toolmakers. Today this prosperous community of miners and artisans supports a sister city of dwarves living hundreds of feet below the foundations of human buildings. These deeper mines yield precious metals and gems enough to fund all the food, fuel, and luxury shipments the dwarves desire. Above ground, the copper pits continue to supply smelters that generate huge bronze or brass ingots. Though this city is no metropolis, it is an economic powerhouse that contributes substantially to the wealth of the Empire. Synod Jewellers operate their largest training academy here amidst a cluster of working mints. For caravaneers willing to make the trek from the Serpian heartland, the markets Ni-emhas always offer strong demand.
⨺ Hufratshait is an accursed patch of desert with no oases nor other sources of shelter. Sands here shift normally with the wind yet also rumble wildly from time to time. Enormous worms move under this stuff, seeking out any meat or moisture that might enrich their diets of sand. Though larger than most counties, the entire place is considered a deadly trap by Serpian military planners. Adversaries may be lured or driven to their doom here. Only those with recent local knowledge can judge where dunes over bedrock give way to the much deeper sands of the worms' habitat. From time to time, adventurers will be bold enough to seek out valuable sandworm teeth or even attempt to defeat one of these creatures. Most of these efforts end in failure, with devoured victims never to be seen again.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Serpia ↑ → Sivales ← ↓ Sylvania ↓
Demonym: Sivelsh Language: Sivelsh
Homeland: Sivales First City: Llanfynwen
Politics: coastal Sylvanian kingdom
Elites: rogues, druids, paladins, wizards, warlocks
Endowments: wisdom and charisma
Complexion: fair to palid, often freckled
Hair: blonde or red
Eyes: blue, green, or light brown
Influential Deities: Dagda, Mannanan Mac Lir, Oghma, Chih Sung-Tzu, Ma Yuan
Borders: Albion, Silvania
Popular Instruments: drum, dulcimer, lyre, pan flute
Traditional Weapons: net, longsword, spear, lance
Female Names: Ariene, Cerridwyn, Dilwen, Esyllt, Gladys, Gwenifer, Gwynedd, Jinell, Lunet, Megan, Olwyn, Rhianon, Siana, Tanwen
Male Names: Caedfel, Cedric, Gamon, Gareth, Idris, Llwellyn, Lloyd, Myrddin, Penryn, Rhon, Rhys, Tryffin, Tyreke, Wynfor
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Sivales These misty fertile lowlands are home to several enormous cities built atop the remnants of Imperium Arcanum strongholds. Ruin and recovery are recurring themes here. These people have been perpetually rebuilding since before they identified as Sivelsh. During the first Wyrmplague, all fey bastions in this land were melted or shattered by swarms of starving dragons. Later orc kings would ravage local forests while conquering human communities. It took the God of Verdant Wilderness himself to end this destruction. He established a sacred preserve congruent with the boundaries of this modern kingdom. Religious police were much more strict than elsewhere in the Holy Sylvan Empire. Even an untended campfire could be a capital offense. Yet this sparsely-populated area quickly fell to chaos when Silvanus abandoned his earthly throne.
The Truscan Empire invested heavily in this revitalized land. Armies and dragon hunters made much territory safe while urban planners gave rise to spectacular cities. Rebellions and the wars to follow did much damage to the roads and forts built by this younger empire. Monsters proliferated anew. Some cities were lost to plague or fire. The current Sivelsh royal family gained the crown after more than a century of brutal war in an increasingly hostile environment. They retain power by tolerating controversial traditions in key duchies. The alliance holds largely because shared threats from roaming monsters, pillaging marauders, and neighboring kingdoms constantly reinforce the value of unity. This unity promotes a tolerant culture. The Silvesh generally consider it foolish to indulge stereotypes about gender, race, ethnicity, or background.
Others note the Sivelsh typically possess quick and incisive wits. To them, no heroic deed is complete without an apt one-liner. Though they are intrepid, they are not incautious. Sivelsh mariners are among most skilled plying the open sea, smoke from their distinctive pipes floating on the wind. This otherwise free-spirited and irreverent society remains respectful of aristocrats, since great leaders here preserve prosperous havens against terrifying dangers. Luck is an important concept to the Sivelsh, and many maintain a few simple superstitions. Luck is also publicly celebrated whenever Sivelsh archaeologists or monster hunters make news with ancient hoards recovered from forgotten facilities or legendary creatures. For the boldest warriors and spellcasters, this land pairs high risk with high reward.
Archaeology Dungeoneering and treasure hunting have been ongoing since the start of the Age of Heroes. Abandoned structures from the previous era often contained valuable items, esoteric lore, deadly traps, and monstrous inhabitants. Soon enough, the strongholds of forgotten kings and temples of Dead Gods also became places to search for lost riches. Notable guides and handbooks were widely circulated during this time, but adventuring was not considered a science. A methodical approach with extensive recordkeeping about the particulars of every individual piece recovered by an expedition gave rise to that science – archaeology.
Just as architects can ultimately reduce costs by conserving materials and promoting safety, archaeologists can increase rewards by locating more treasures and preserving more of their value during recovery efforts. Objects of historic importance may matter all the more if precise details of location and condition are documented on discovery. What may seem unimportant to the untrained eye can suggest the presence of a hidden cache nearby. The greatest archaeologists have explored tunnels and chambers thousands of years removed from their last visitor.
Yet some of these ancient secrets remain well-guarded. Archaeologists often encounter hostile undead, abruptly animated by curses meant to prevent grave robbers. Constructs may likewise stir to action despite extreme spans of dormancy. Important vaults are often protected by decoys and distractions as well as locks and traps. Knowledge of a fallen civilization or an archaic religion may be required to bypass deadly safeguards. Archaeologists also must be ready to face animals or tribes sheltering at expedition sites. It is no wonder many turn to lecturing careers after a few successful adventures. |
♪ Arts & Entertainments Feyglass can be unearthed from any patch of ground where an Imperium Arcanum bastion fell. Repeated reconstruction efforts make the stuff especially abundant in Sivales where immense draconic power fused recycled shards into unusual color blends. The most exceptional pieces fetch high prices when faceted to scintillate in a mix of unearthly hues. Even ordinary feyglass has the value and appeal of semi-precious stone. Embroidery is a common embellishment here, with forest motifs and Ancient Elven slogans particularly popular on modern attire. Common folk often cannot afford diverse wardrobes, but Sivelsh aristocrats stockpile well-fitting garments in various materials and colors. Tailors and seamstresses able to add tasteful decorative flourishes are often valued retainers.
Yet the skill most prized of all is that of the poet. Sivelsh bards undergo rigorous training, only earning college certification after flawless recitations of three ancient epics. Though few in number, these esteemed practitioners often glorify powerful lords. Their brass-stringed instruments ring out clearly even amidst clamor. Mithral is unusually abundant here, as is equipment made from that ancient metal locals refer to as “elfsteel.” Sufficiently wealthy customers can visit guilds here capable of magically reshaping just about anything. Great heroes may part with fortunes in treasure just to have Sivelsh designers perfect the fit and look of their adventuring gear. Popular art, music, and drama from this realm almost always draw inspiration from the deeds of folk heroes.
✠ Belief & Worship There is no national consensus about many matters of faith here. Did the God of Limitless Might create this world or discover it? Is Dagda only able to rely on support from the God of Accumulated Lore, or is Oghma joined by the God of Gentle Rain and the God of Briny Depths? If Chih Sung-Tzu and Mannanan Mac Lir are renegades, do they support or fear the God of Bloody Murder? Is Ma Yuan truly a Divine Villain, or is he a misunderstood beast who serves an essential purpose? Questions like these are answered differently by different popular faiths. Few make any effort to harmonize religious teachings with indigenous folklore. Only the Crossbones Corsairs, opportunistic mariners who support a mix of rites dedicated to each of those five deities, practice a distinctively Sivelsh religion.
What was once the most sacred land in all the Holy Sylvan Empire is now a realm where Silvanus is rarely worshipped. When the Well of Thorns wound up on the wrong side of a modern political dispute, victorious aristocrats worked to promote the Old Faith and displace priesthoods devoted to Silvanus. Standing Stones were always abundant here, and some formations are supplemented by elaborate carved stonework of more recent installation. Now pilgrims visiting ancient shrines far outnumber resident worshippers of the absent God-King. Alongside this cultural shift, “white witches” have gained widespread acceptance here. The royal treasury subsidizes witch hunters as the Sylvanian Confederation requires, but severe public backlash awaits enforcers who harm spellcasters for no other crime than participation in a fey pact.
“Waiting always seems longer to the people who have to do it.”
— Rhys the Reckless, Sivelsh knight |
† Castles & Combat Well-kept residences situated out in the open inspire fear in Sivales. Only truly powerful entities could keep such a structure secure. Villages and towns rely on hillforts with wooden stockades to protect their populations. Local leaders who are not formidable themselves must recruit allies to oversee defense. Drovers employ scouts to warn of approaching threats. Even so, the occasional sacrifice must be staked out so that the rest of the herd can be wrangled away from the hunger of a wandering warband or a dragon. Cities rely on stone walls and artillery to deter attackers. The wealthiest aristocrats fund heavy cavalry units, though unreliable roads and unpredictable fog often delay emergency responses. Almost every Sivelsh commuity is prepared for a long besiegement.
“The most honorable armies never spill the blood of civilized people.”
— Lloyd Lewison, Sivelsh count |
Constant demand for monster hunters has given rise to some distinctive Sivelsh fighting styles. One teaches teams equipped with spears and nets to cage live creatures few other warriors would dare confront. A more traditional approach sees armored lancers switching to longswords if unable to maintain superior mobility. These cavalry charges route marauders and monsters alike when performed by organized formations. Bards and books glorify tales of lone heroes able to do likewise. Many denizens of Sivales favor a more subtle style, honing small blades and practicing opportunistic techniques. Both legitimate sea captains and pirates employ crews of such combatants. Sivelsh ships tend to be sleek and fast, though they can struggle to turn while at full sail. Many sport prows reinforced to make effective use of ramming speed.
Monster Hunters Whenever possible, aristocrats and their associates deal directly with monstrous threats to communities under their control. The best feel a sense of duty to loyal subjects or citizens. Most know these problems can compound when ignored. Unchallenged monsters may encroach farther or spawn more threats. Victims and their families sometimes complain openly about inadequate protection. Property destruction can generate enormous costs. Immigrants, traders, and tourists tend to avoid areas known for recent monster attacks.
Sometimes an official's most elite guards are not capable of the task at hand. A major conspiracy or conflict may see reliable troubleshooters assigned elsewhere. If a monster on the prowl leaves a community uneasy and normal solutions are not available, monster hunters can solve that problem. The business may be as simple as announcing a bounty on the creature then making good on that promise. Other cases require negotiating the employment of famous individuals with extraordinary abilities. The goal is not only to eliminate the threat, but also to remind the people that their leaders have the power to provide security.
Monster hunters must share the glories of their work, and often also the trophies. Yet many prosper from what anatomy goes unclaimed by aristocratic employers. Specialists will likely know procedures for harvesting the most useful remnants of a kill. Some in this trade are less concerned with public safety than acquiring materials for magic shops. Local leaders may apply hunting laws to collect hefty shares as taxes or licensing fees. Seasoned monster hunters are invariably formidable foes, since less effective combatants do not survive many of these expeditions.
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§ Decrees & Customs The Kingdom of Sivales has laws against piracy. Their record of enforcement is far from consistent. Governments all along the west coast of Mainland see Sivales as a lawless bastion of seagoing bandits. Though piracy is a tiny element of the national economy, it is pervasive enough that stolen goods routinely find their way into large Sivelsh warehouses and markets. International disputes see broadly-worded letters of marque issued, perpetuating this subculture of theft on the high seas. With deadly monsters lurking throughout the kingdom, well-armed persons and exotic creatures are generally welcome wherever they are not deliberately disruptive. Many Sivelsh cities maintain a quadrant free of horses so that griffons employed by scouts and couriers might be stabled peacefully.
The government of Sivales is held together by basic feudal traditions. Even barons can issue edicts applicable to all their subjects if no superior order is contradicted. Counts can overrule their barons, and most oversee tax collection for a substantial territory. Dukes preside over counts while managing large projects defining the priorities of their duchies. Yet even dukes must bow to the monarch. At the other end of the aristocracy, knighthoods have been awarded to artisans, spellcasters, and warriors in hopes past service to the realm will continue. Many knights themselves seek further distinction in the hopes of being promoted into the landed nobility. With so much danger afoot, all aristocrats are expected to defend their territories with capabilities no less impressive than their privileges.
Ⓢ Economy & Trade Sivales is no magocracy, but arcane guilds are influential factions in the great cities where most people live. Some groups traffic in enchanted items produced from recycled relics of ancient fey origin. Others offer spellcasting services from practitioners of legendary power. Gold and jewels recovered from monster lairs are supplemented by a few extraordinary mines operating in this realm. Markets here do brisk trade in items adorned with large colorful stones. Enchanters and alchemists travel great distances to shop for components derived from the bodies of monsters slain here. Rare inks and venoms are also made from the fluids of these creatures. Sivelsh merchants export feyglass and mithral by the literal boatload. Less precious outbound cargoes are often paper, timber, or wool
Merchant captains flying the Sivelsh national flag are welcome to do business in foreign ports. Yet shipyards here have constructed many vessels sporting ominous black flags and compliments of cutthroat pirates. Cargoes they steal often find their way to Sivelsh markets. Plundered treasures are passed between gamblers in fair games until theft is no longer among their last several changes of ownership. There is plenty of work for laborers in Sivales, though agriculture and forestry sometimes require days spent far from any secure shelter. In a reversal of norms elsewhere, Sivelsh clerks and artisans often live modestly while farmers and foragers earn affluence through their labors. Some die tragically in pursuit of a lucrative harvest. Others become adventurers after surviving dangerous encounters.
“I should have used a bigger boat.”
—Gareth the Slayer, failed kraken hunter |
⨳ Foes & Perils The craggy hills, gentle grasslands, and thick forests of Sivales present an endless array of beautiful vistas. They also harbor an endless array of deadly creatures. The Imperium Arcanum never maintained the advantage for long here in their war against dragonkind. Ancient wyrms rest in caverns deep below this land while many younger dragons are active on its surface. Even they fear Sivelsh gargantua, known to include several sea monsters along with at least one wolf and the world's largest spider. Attentive people can hide or flee while those enormous creatures are still distant. Aristocrats employ all sorts of techniques to keep these walking disasters away from population centers.
“Those who serve two masters will never enjoy the full trust of either.”
— Olwyn Sivilmaris, Seeress of the Ponds |
Yet not every threat in Sivales is large. Twisted groves teem with hostile atomies inclined to pickpocket or stab visitors without provocation. Some are incredibly swift, and others are able to go unseen until they strike. Unholy rites have permitted bands of wild imps and an assortment of lone demons to prowl the land. Great numbers of orcs, ogres, and trolls are the descendants of Imperium Arcanum assault forces deployed here long ago. Several wood elf villages have been converted into outposts for the underground empire of dark elves. Ghost and ghouls prowl abandoned places struck by tragedy. Ancient burial mounds are often protected by wraiths. Lycanthropes sometimes stalk the wilderness of Sivales by night and live respectable lives by day. Rural bandits are scarce, but urban populations have no shortage of thieves here.
Money Laundering In a world where magical investigators can explore the history of stolen objects, a successful heist requires more than walking away with the loot. Agents from the Empire of Shadows are often willing to purchase stolen goods for resale in Labyrinth where provenance is less problematic. Great works of art may also be sold to crime lords or distant foreigners to minimize the possibility of complications. Gems are often recut by unordained jewellers, losing value while gaining an identity distinct from source stones. Precious metals can be melted down, fresh ingots bearing no trace of the coins they once were.
A different approach emerged among the pirates of Sivales. Gambling captains observed that winnings acquired in card and dice games sometimes seemed earned rather than stolen when studied by diviners. If the goods have changed possession often enough and the final exchange involved an uncoerced wager on a fair game, they can be presented to spellcasting inspectors or holy jewellers without fear of being regarded as stolen property. After a successful raid, bandits and pirates may be quick to indulge in a binge of gambling conducted to circulate treasure until each piece has passed through many hands.
Presenting stolen goods to legitimate merchants and/or using loot to fund a spree of public debauchery generates unwanted attention. Some outlaw leaders allow their underlings minimal spending cash. This avoids irresponsible acts that risk attracting law enforcement, and it makes those minions slightly more expendable. Tight-knit groups and those fresh off a major victory are more equitable in distributing their spoils. Curious constables and vengeful victims are likely to show an interest unless these criminals make a metaphysical effort to wash their acquisitions of stolen status. Even then, plainly identifiable objects may still be recognized by former owners.
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POINTS OF INTEREST
⊛ Llanfynwen is short for the unpronouncable name of this ancient holy city personally sculpted by Silvanus. It rests on a mountain terraced into a spiral of natural granite walls. The gentle slopes of this rising helix feature deep beds of rich soil sustaining an incredible diversity of plants suited to this temperate climate. The structure narrows as it rises toward a peak dominated by the Emerald Citadel. This magnificent building was fully restored by religious revivalists just before it was seized by the current royal house. Priests of Silvanus have no legal power here today, but the metropolitan population continues to respect greenery beautifying their streets and homes. Much of Sivales happily does business in Albionish or Sylvanian, but Llanfynwenners favor customers and visitors conversant in Sivelsh.
⦿ Leidbalmôr is a port city that never seems to stop growing. Disasters sometimes bring swarms refugees here on rafts. Local leaders are always quick to start expanding city walls and sewers in response. The result is a maze of infrastructure with buildings atop other buildings and countless hidden passages. Other secrets abound as well. Many pirate captains are welcome to dock and trade here. The Original Chapterhouse of the Crossbones Corsairs is a respected establishment in Leidbalmôr. Several international criminal syndicates control warehouses and office towers near the waterfront. Locals affectionately celebrate sea monsters known to massacre hostile foreign fleets. Yet wise captains always make a point to stay alert for signs and steer well clear of those aquatic gargantua.
⦾ Wyrmnyth is regarded as a controversial necessity. Cattle barons working the surrounding land must meet high quotas to satisfy their superiors. Their ranges are relatively safe because that productivity sustains an alliance between the Duke of Wyrmnyth and a dozen powerful dragons. In times of peace they gorge on quality beef between relaxing patrols of the local skies. When invaders or marauders enter Wyrmnyth lands, those well-fed wyrms quickly ravage hostile forces. Much of Sivales is wary of this duchy. Similar dragons are hunted elsewhere in the kingdom. Yet here they are respected for protecting farmers, ranchers, and foresters as their part of the ducal accord. Wyrmnyth is a strong deterrent to Albionish militants who might otherwise attempt to conquer the entire kingdom.
⦾ Gwynfamod spends most of every spring covered in colorful blooms. The city stretches out across rolling hills that were once wooded. Peristent vines still find their way onto the exteriors of buildings here. Few markets can offer anything rivalling the local selections of alchemy supplies and potions. Coveted fashions and cosmetics are also produced here. Though many Gwynfamodders practice the Old Faith, this city is home to little other religious activity. Parks and gardens thrive under the care of druids. Rites praising the Archfey occur regularly here. Some say the Duchess of Gwynfamod is herself a white witch. Outsiders often bristle at public acts of unholiness, but locals stridently defend traditions reaching back to a time before the Age of Heroes.
“Rising from the ashes is easy. The real challenge is to keep the place from burning down again.”
— Erguth Silverhand, orc general |
⨹ Najaggadah has, more than once, been a great city primarily populated by orcs. Silvanus levelled the place when the Holy Sylvan Empire was established. It would later be rebuilt only to be burned to char by human armies. Now it is sacred gound where orcs venerate ancestral glories. Warbands come and go freely, honoring a truce established back in the time of orc deities. Today, temples of the Bloodthirsty perform dangerous initiations amidst this backdrop of ruin and desolation. Dignitaries visit Najaggadah in the hope of employing these priests to keep gargantua far from population centers. Savage Talons are also thought to operate training facilities nearby. Few druids tend to this area, yet they are intensely driven by the need to show kindness to such a tortured land.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Sivales ↑ → Sylvania ← ↓ Thrace ↓
Demonym: Sylvanians Language: Sylvanian
Homeland: Sylvania First City: Vergovia
Politics: loosely allied and highly diverse realms
Elites: druids, rangers, clerics, wizards, barbarians
Endowments: strength and wisdom
Complexion: tan to palid
Hair: blonde to dark brown
Eyes: brown or green
Influential Deities: Dagda, Silvanus, Oghma, Mannanan Mac Lir, Arawn
Borders: Galloria, Sivales, Albion
Popular Instruments: drum, horn, lyre, pan flute
Traditional Weapons: longsword, warhammer, maul, longbow
Female Names: Alma, Boudicca, Fiona, Glenda, Kathleen, Lynette, Morgan, Moya, Oona, Rowena, Sylvia, Tara, Tierney, Yvonne
Male Names: Aiden, Brian, Donovan, Duane, Ferris, Lugh, Melvin, Neil, Nolin, Orin, Robert, Shawn, Torian, Ywain
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Sylvania Some people consider Sylvania a state of mind rather than a place. Nations supporting the Sylvanian Confederation pursue many different paths to it, yet all seek social harmony that achieves peace through abundance. Early Imperium Arcanum successes here made this region an expanse of relatively safe ground for development. Several large Sylvanian forests survived the Wyrmplague. Remnants of these forests still stood when Silvanus started planning his campaign of reforestation. Local ecologies bloomed like never before when the God of Verdant Wilderness personally walked the land. Sylvania was a set of prized provinces in the Truscan Empire. Glories were lavished upon its conquerers and modern infrastructure was integrated into its communities. Even today Sylvania is known as a land of plenty where troubles are few and far between.
Some regimes live up to that reputation, maintaining high levels of both security and prosperity across many generations. Other struggle to manage internal political disputes or relations with hostile neighbors. Seasonal Norish marauding parties scour the Sylvanian coast for loot. A few dense forests harbor ancient evils, and most sustain populations of mighty predators. Sylvania is a land that rewards patience and sound judgement, though it can be unforgiving to fools in the wilderness. The indigenous population is known for that faculty of sound judgement and their powerful builds. An ethnicity once seen as desirable laborers at Truscan slave markets is now better known for the libertine attitudes of its modern rulers. In some cases those rulers are the people themselves.
The many minor regimes of Sylvania constitute a menagerie of governments while also acting as buffers between a few larger nations. Orc aristocrats control an urban stronghold not far from a high elven enclave governed by a council of ancient petrified telepaths. A thriving economic commune operates in the shadow of a towering port rife with financial exploitation. Scholars struggle with official names often at odds with political processes. The Republic of Sylvania is a hereditary monarchy where the People's Parliament merely recommends legislation to the Crown. The Central Sylvanian Kingdom sees its throne frequently changing occupants in votes based on shifting tribal alliances. Yet the diverse breadth of governments active in this land gives rise to the notion that politics itself might one day be studied as a science.
Menageries Keeping exotic animals in captivity has long been a way for leaders to demonstrate power. Some tribal chiefs befriend and feed a great predator in exchange for its usefulness as an intimidating bodyguard. Wealthy individuals may keep a small array of rare creatures for their own amusement or protection. Complexes funded by major aristocrats offer dozens of animal exhibits meant to astound and impress visitors. These largest of these menageries are maintained in conjunction with universities or temples where nature lore is taught. Students benefit tremendously from the opportunity to study exotic creatures, while instructors provide the expertise to maintain the zoo's denizens.
Even if it was not intended as a showcase of organizational ability, a menagerie is likely to place heavy demands on its proprietors. Untrained observers often do not recognize signs of trouble until it is too late for remedy. Without the services of healers, strange diseases can spread at these institutions. Some beasts make routine feeding and cleanup into enormous labors. Others excel at hiding from their handlers or escaping confinement. Creatures only thrive in captivity when given opportunities to exercise and interact as well as consume appropriate foods. Professional zookeepers actively entertain their charges in the hopes that the animals will remain lively enough to entertain visitors.
Most menageries employ metal bars to seperate those visitors from animal habitats. While the worst habitats are featureless little cages, the best may be artfully constructed simulations of an environment where that creature is indigenous. These efforts support the health of the animal while enabling scholars to observe a greater range of natural behaviors. The temples of Beastminders contain unconventional menageries where resident creatures are lavished with appropriate luxuries. Newcomers are initiated into the faith by remaining calm in the presence of deadly animals. Distinguished members of their congregations are honored with a chance to adopt an exotic creature as a personal companion. |
♪ Arts & Entertainments The most ancient human customs here saw people wearing their wealth in one rigid ring secured about the neck. These torcs were constantly being reshaped as amounts of gold were removed or added after major transactions. Often cast in scintillating patterns such as braids or scales, torcs adorn modern Silvanians as jewels not meant for routine alteration. Yet some will make a show of their personal wealth through these objects, affixing precious gems to a hefty neck ring of pure gold. Another display of affluence involves animals. Sylvanians favor thorough and elaborate grooming for any mounts or working animals in their care. Falconry and equestrian events are popular spectator sports here. Dogs are also celebrated in public contests of agility and poise.
Animals both wild and domesticated feature prominently in the performing arts of Sylvania. From fables shared around campfires to elaborate puppet shows staged to entertain the children of cityfolk, many popular stories feature an animal as the main character. Most of the rest feature one or more talking animal sidekicks prominently supporting the protagonist. Sylvanian music tends to be upbeat, with multiple harps and woodwinds weaving complex melodies into a coherent structure. It is sometimes accompanied by frantic dances that see partners constantly shuffling their feet while spinning and swinging in coherent patterns. Though there is some interest in recitations of heroic sagas, the busiest Sylvanian theaters are known for productions full of colorful characters engaged in lively singing and dancing.
✠ Belief & Worship Traditional lore holds that the God of Limitless Might found this world as a featureless plane of lifeless ground. Dagda invited the God of Verdant Wilderness and the God of Briny Depths to prepare the place for habitation. As the world and its magic became more complex, Silvanus and Mannanan Mac Lir were joined by the God of Accumulated Lore and the God of Final Rewards. Though this group debates and sometimes even fights about the particulars of their actions, Dagda enjoys the final say. Backed by his superior strength, his reasoning finds harmonious balance between competing agendas. Few regimes here have an official state religion, but Liberationist preachers are particularly esteemed for their faith's role in spreading rebellion against Truscan rule.
The Old Faith is prominent in Sylvania, in the number and size of Standing Stone sites as well as the land's many druidic circles. Whether working with authorities to keep parkland healthy or working against them to prevent exploitation of pristine forest, Sylvanian druids are not reluctant to make demands backed by threat of magic. These threats are not to be taken lightly, since lone spellcasters have been known to speak for hidden armies of aggressive fey, animated plants, and awakened animals. Yet most druids are welcome members of communities here, mutually supportive of many clerics practicing modern religions. The public tends to be less tolerant of pact magic. A pillar of the Sylvanian Confederation is the idea that nations must set aside their differences to thwart unholy conspiracies.
† Castles & Combat Sylvanian witch hunters are role models to many who despise unholy magic. A large international organization coordinates eclectic squads of witch hunters using a mix of talents to investigate and neutralize practitioners of occult rites. The Sylvanian Confederation also funds its own army. Unable to match the Truscan Empire in numbers, pushing the battle lines all the way into Galloria required outstanding intelligence gathering along with cunning deployment of the many irregular and auxiliary units reinforcing Sylvanian positions. Various national governments each maintain some sort of standing army, though minor city-states may make due with no more than scouting parties and wall garrisons. Larger Sylvanian forces make heavy use of fey creatures and giant animals.
“The hunt for a solution to a problem always seems more challenging than the hunt for a person to blame. Yet blame leaves the original problem unsolved. Companions or neighbors turned to squabbling compound one set of challenges with another.”
— Ferris Primgrall, Seer of the Stones |
Battles here can be savage and unpredictable affairs. There is no ethical stigma associated with tactics like poison gas or goblinoid mercenaries. Reinforcements create reversals of fortune, especially when the forest itself seems to take a side. Fallen spellcasters and other leaders can lose control of key assets. Away from the battlefield, many dignitatries shelter in stone structures with secure entrances. Yet there is no substitute for the ability to dispatch a threat, either with bodyguards or personal action. The archetypical Sylvanian warrior crushes enemies with a weighty maul and forcefully hurls lesser hammers at foes beyond reach. Ancient elven styles of archery and swordplay remain broadly popular in Sylvania as well. Non-lethal clashes here often end with grappling to submission.
§ Decrees & Customs The Sylvanian Confederation excels at dealing with troublesome warlocks and brutal slavers. Most regimes here outlaw both slavery and contractual spellcasting. Even where local law does not criminalize these activities, federal authorities retain the power to investigate and eliminate perpetrators. Most communities here will rally to protect self-declared slaves seeking personal freedom. Working conditions are dignified wherever possible. Constables generally do not regard laziness or backtalk as justification for striking a laborer, even on the order of an employer. Many governments maintain popularity by endeavoring to raise wages and keep rents low for the poorest working families. This support sometimes sparks a virtuous cycle of prosperous productivity.
Rangers The earliest humans were tasked with rounding up wild game. Soon their gardens and corrals developed into farms and ranches. Service, and thus survival, sometimes depended on their ability to protect herds from wild predators. Techniques of mounted travel, long distance signalling, and animal husbandry practiced by ancient drovers would inspire rangers early in the Age of Heroes. Extremely helpful for safe and swift travel through uncivilized territories, these adventurers learned how to exploit knowledge of foes in battle when avoidance or parley were no longer viable alternatives.
Warriors so attuned to the land tend to favor a diverse mix of tactics. Not all rangers revere nature as druids do, but they are all familiar with wilderness and mindful of it. Enough time exploring, foraging, or hunting creates a keen sense of normal conditions. Subtle variations from those norms indicate when something profoundly unnatural roams nearby. Sufficiently resourceful rangers even become sensitive enough to practice the natural form of spellcasting. They also develop a versatile fighting style making the most of a personal arsenal.
Modern rangers often serve as wardens of wild places. Some enforce regulations applicable to hunting and foraging while others attack all trespassers. Many rangers work with armies, bureaucracies, or circles of druids. Others invoke no authority beyond their own residence. Roaming rangers act hunters or scouts, accustomed to tracking and stalking dangerous creatures. Adept at exploiting cover and other terrain features, rangers routinely outmaneuver foes when a clash takes place in their preferred environment. |
Most societies allow debt collectors to confiscate possessions or even compel labors. Silvanians rarely support these practices either by law or custom. Leaders struggling for popular approval may declare a debt holiday, nullifying all personal debts among their subjects. Sustained popularity requires conditions where honest farmers, foragers, and artisans live comfortably on the proceeds of their labors. Though serious crimes in many other jurisdictions, horse theft and cattle theft are both capital offenses throughout most of Sylvania. Even simple beasts are often treated with respect, put to rest with quick clean cuts by reverent hunters or ordained butchers. Talking animals and plants have been known to enlist in armies, vote in elections, and even hold titles in major aristocracies here.
Ⓢ Economy & Trade A population of over one hundred million people is well-fed without placing major strain on the natural environment of Sylvania. Most residents have daily praise for the bounty that sustains them. A few grow rich from the profits of mines newly opened where settlements push into hill country. Many more live comfortably on the bounty of fantastically productive forests and well-managed farms. Poverty is rare outside metropolitan areas, since the land provides for respectful inhabitants. Many aristocrats issue licenses and employ wardens to prevent abusive hunting or harvesting practices. Some go further by charging hefty fees for those licenses. Insiders obtaining these privileges still profit by delivering their wares to markets struggling for sufficient supplies.
As a vast and diverse homeland, Sylvania sees some examples of almost every trade and industry. Enormous quantities of goods constantly come and go from bustling warehouses at dozens of major ports. The finest Sylvanian universities have outstanding reputations, with lesser institutions in every metroplitan center. Many immigrants first arrive in pursuit of free or low cost educational opportunities here. Even indigenous tribal cultures often enroll their youths in years of formal schooling for the advantages literacy and reckoning can provide. Abundant knowledge enables trade guilds to attempt ambitious endeavors. From huge ambulatory clockwork contraptions to Old Faith rituals that require
243 spellcasters to perform in unison, Sylvania's greatest visionaries are responsible for some of the modern era's most amazing achievements.
⨳ Foes & Perils The beaches of Sylvania can be deceptively inviting. There is a measure of truth behind tales of attacks from large sharks and squids. Yet the greater danger involves coastal raiders. Norish marauders may kill small groups of witnesses on first contact, hoping to prevent alarms going out to nearby communities. Gnarly Waveriders have been known to occupy seaside towns until the locals no longer amuse them. Visitors seeking Sylvania's excellent surf should stick to areas patrolled by
swimguards – aquatic constables ready to rescue drowning beachgoers or raise alarm about approaching vessels. Though many Sylvanian constables are adapted to the environment where they work, the colorful swimwear and flotation devices of these athletic enforcers are especially eyecatching.
“Many believe that water rises invisibly from our seas and lakes on sunny days, only to return to us when clouds grow heavy. This scientific view of rain proves that these heavenly blessings, along with every pond and stream, are all connected to the Greater Ocean and the Briny Depths below. Every drink of water is another chance to let a divine spirit flow through you.”
— Yvonne Mervin, Cardinal Navigator |
Other Sylvanian wardens often favor garb that helps them blend in with bushes and trees. They may attack poachers without warning, and the boundaries of wilderness preserves are not always well-marked. Yet stealth is also necessary for survival far from roads and cities here. Bears and wolf packs thrive on abundant small game. Though there are no Silvanian gargantua, giant animals are unusually common here. Druids, fey, and intelligent animals may lash out at people who are irresponsible with fire or cruel to animals in wild places. Ambitious experiments run amok have been known to destroy buildings or rampage through the countryside. Some national borders are patrolled by vigilant armies, while others become havens for brutal outlaws unwelcome even in the most permissive Sylvanian communities.
POINTS OF INTEREST
⊛ Vergovia arose around the Palace of Silver Tongues. In
172 A.H. Sivanus ordained this site to host an assembly that would determine his successor. Even today, this hallowed forum continues to see spirited debate about how federal authorities can best serve the people and the land. That initial process took six years to select Archduke Martel, “the Hammer of Vergovia,” as a mortal ruler for the Holy Sylvan Empire. Differences quickly divided the great nation. Yet the idea of universal respect remained to be invoked by rebels resisting imperious Truscan authorities. Vergovia is now the capital of the United Sylvanian Principalities as well as the headquarters of the Sylvanian Confederation. Several notable military academies surround offices coordinating multinational armies and witch hunters operating across Old Silvania.
The Holy Sylvan Empire The first Wyrmplague brought rapid deforestation to the Garden Quarter. Rebuilding Archfey bastions took priority over healing the land. Later wars between elven, human, and orc factions further devastated the last remnants of Mainland's ancient forests. When Silvanus first beheld the world, his immediate impulse was to collect seeds from dwindling pockets of woodland and import plants from other worlds. Supported by Dagda's might and Shang-Ti's foresight, Silvanus put together a plan to make the Garden Quarter lush once more.
Many small nations fought for control of resources in the least damaged territories here. Early revitalization efforts were often overharvested or burned. This would not stand. Walking among mortals, Silvanus incarnate declared himself ruler of the Holy Sylvan Empire. His huge maul crushed all opposition. Most political matters were delegated to priests bound by sacred commandments to nurture growing woodlands and protect established forests. Druids held no position in this empire. Yet these practitioners of the Old Faith spontaneously proliferated to enrich and strengthen its lands.
Despite some imperial trappings, the regime governed loosely in most respects. Cities remained small, constrained by sacred groves on every dry side. Tribal cultures flourished if they respected their sylvan habitat. The blend of plants and animals brought together by the God of Verdant Wilderness remains a masterpiece of ecological engineering. In addition to the enormous diversity of berries, nuts, flowers, and mushrooms; any healthy forest here looks like paradise through the eyes of a hunter. The Holy Sylvan Empire may be no more, but its effect on the land continues to bear fruit that sustains many modern nations.
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⊛ Gladdârd is situated among some of the tallest trees in the world. Enormous structures weaving through the shady canopy give residents as much floorspace as modern office towers, albeit within textile or wicker walls. Gladdârd does not claim a proper university, but hundreds of personal libraries and accomplished spellcasters make this elevated city an excellent place to study the arcane. Many gnomes, high elves, humans, nymphs, and satyrs all mingle freely with the wood elven majority here. As capital of the Sylvanian Free State, this city hosts the Cornucopian Council. That diverse regime of clerics, druids, and wizards balances the interests of expanding human towns with the need to protect wilderness buffers around exotic fey habitats. They settle conflicts with a doctrine of mutually assured satisfaction.
⊛ Roracsreabadh collects regular shipments of gold ingots from inland mines. Mints here produce steady supplies of coin for both the Sylvanian Confederation and the independent Duchy of the Roralands. Farmers and fishers nearby enjoy great bounties. Yet the Duke's army concerns itself with mines and their caravans, while his navy struggles to interdict pirates. Unchecked coastal raiders motivate many townsfolk to relocate to this capital. Roracsreabadh itself boasts walls and forts enough to resist any raid. Crowded apartment towers see tents placed on rooftops. Beggars are common, and exploitation of laborers may pass without complaint in this city. Yet the port is a fountain of wealth, sending out well-financed fleets to bring back luxuries from distant lands.
⨀ Hearth-Tale was once a small crossroads village where four halfling families each ran an inn. Travellers swapped entertaining stories while resting and restocking their provisions. Gardens and henhouses developed into farms and ranches. Bards built up a college to preserve and teach local storytelling techniques. The town market became an excellent place for passing caravans to buy or sell cargo. The four founding families expanded their operations to warehousing, and each saw at least one scion earn a barony. Today Hearth-Tale is a sprawling community with almost no crowding. Most tenants rent a nice patch of land along with their family homes. Though some bazaars or drinking halls can grow raucous here, locals favor orderly venues where fireside raconteurs preserve the atmosphere of simpler times.
⨹ Bloomhenge is framed by four grand temples each dedicated to a solstice or equinox. Their walls merge to enclose an enormous courtyard containing a unique formation of Standing Stones. Magical visionaries can perceive a column of intense life energy rising from this particular convergence of ley lines. That energy makes Bloomhenge an ideal place to perform healing magic. Aspiring druids and clerics may find an easier path to tapping vital resources here. Accomplished spellcasters can conserve their energy, treating many more afflicted people with each day of effort. Pilgrims travel great distances in search of cures unavailable or too costly in their home communities. The surrounding forest sustains many small towns with some of the finest foraging and hunting the world has to offer.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Sylvania ↑ → Thrace ← ↓ To-Shin ↓
Demonym: Thracians Language: Thracian
Homeland: Thrace First City: Parthens
Politics: loyal Truscan provinces
Elites: wizards, clerics, fighters, monks, sorcerers
Endowments: intelligence and wisdom
Complexion: tan or olive
Hair: blonde to dark brown, little body hair
Eyes: dark brown or blue
Influential Deities: Zeus, Apollo, Dionysus, Osiris, Set
Borders: Iskresh, Serpia, Truscanny
Popular Instruments: drum, flute, lyre, pan flute
Traditional Weapons: shortsword, javelin, trident, longbow
Female Names: Aphrodite, Andromeda, Athena, Cassandra, Diana, Eurydice, Hypatia, Kora, Laetitia, Lydia, Penelope, Persephone, Sappho, Xena
Male Names: Ajax, Creon, Demetrius, Draco, Galen, Hermes, Jason, Leonidas, Leto, Lysander, Perseus, Solon, Telemachus, Zeno
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Thrace
No major human ethnic group has older roots than the Thracians. Dozens of ancient Thracian city-states maintained their independence from the Old Kingdom, and each other, throughout the Age of Heroes. While the Olympians made Thrace their original base of operations, godlike titans also showed favor to these people. They introduced an alphabetic script and unique language that facilitated the teaching of logic and mathematics. Their most advanced students practiced ancient sciences, unlocking sophisticated alchemical and mechanical ideas. Tension between scholars and priests reflected growing hostility that led to a war in which the Olympians destroyed the titans. Though the gods would later vacate this earthly homeland, abundant knowledge bestowed by ancient beings continues to inform and inspire the Thracian people.
Their political unification would only occur in
274 G.C. when the Truscan Empire finished securing this entire homeland as a collection of prosperous provinces. These conquerers quickly adopted and modernized many Thracian ideas, including veneration of Zeus alongside four other Olympians. Thrace was treated like part of the Imperial homeland, with infrastructure investment enough to transform decrepit city-states into vibrant metropolitan centers. Thracian villages thrived across centuries of prosperous peace. At Imperial Maximum, Thrace was a popular destination for students and tourists alike. It continues to offer extraordinary opportunities for artists, arcanists, and historians. Pleasure visits are less common, as Serpian armies now threaten major targets in eastern Thrace.
Famed for both learning and idealism, Thracians often define their concepts of virtue by formulating sophisticated personal philosophies. From debating the smallest points of a scientific finding to pondering the most profound questions of existence, open discussion comes naturally to Thracians. Many of their ancient societies were governed by some mix of elected officials and popular referenda. Even today Truscan authorities strive to maintain loyalty by supporting regular elections for Thracian public officials. Two superpowers are both pouring resources into efforts to influence the population of this territory. Paranoia and intense security focused on Serpian infiltrators is justified by constant activity from real conspirators intent on sabotaging the Legions.
Bards Arcane formulae inscribed by ancient elves or dragons may contain markings to indicate changes in vocal tone. Early Thracians used their understanding of ratios to devise a complete form of written music. Colleges in distant lands later developed their own methods of publishing songbooks and instrumental scores. Other bardic traditions standardized ballads and sagas through relentless repetition. Bards from the Age of Heroes were always accomplished warriors with guile proven through forays into extreme danger. No others were permitted to train in the ways of magical music.
Modern bards must be well-rounded in a different sense. While favoring the musical form of spellcasting, they must attain a holistic understanding of the Six Forms. Not only is this essential for reliable control of any magic, but it enables bards to recognize and borrow useful patterns employed by other spellcasters. Accomplished bards can use their voices to break many enchantments. Even novices can bolster allies with a well-timed quip or instrumental flourish. Longer and more soothing performances serve to make intervals of rest and recovery especially effective.
Though famously versatile, bards are most prominent as entertainers. Modest talent is enough to make a living through a combination of busking and performances at drinking halls. Truly gifted bards may tour the world, each stadium of admirers adding to the celebrity and wealth of that performer. Others focus on diplomacy or espionage, making the most of excellent language skills. Bards loyal to a government may produce propaganda for a powerful patron, while those hostile to a government may sing the glories of rebels. From the bloodiest battlefield to the most serene library, bards can make themselves useful just about anywhere.
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♪ Arts & Entertainments Escaping the troubles of this land is an easy option when the weather is fair. Open air amphitheaters offer affordable seats for viewing dramas derived from the most ancient human forms. A large singing ensemble delivers entertainment during scene transitions in these profound plays. Technicians operating just out of sight produce sophisticated sound effects. Scenery elements may be set in motion with complex clockwork contraptions. The most elaborate have timing mechanisms driven by falling water or sand. Some display an entire animated show, only requiring the addition of narration or character voices from unseen performers. Most Thracian adults are familiar with great works of ancient drama. More intimate playhouses often showcase those classic stories retold with modern characters and settings.
Plays, particularly during choral interludes, are often accompanied by lyres and flutes. At private events and drinking venues, smaller ensembles are popular. Several formats of singing and musicianship are competitive events at the Olympian games. Poets crooning along with their own lyre or weaving flute melodies into readings of their work are popular in some quarters. Many popular venues feature
marsayan music. This form originated by satyrs requires a player of many drums and one performer with a standing lyre joined by at least two other musicians and a lead vocalist. These ensembles mix the latest in carousing music with wild improvisations meant to stimulate intoxicated minds. Though banned in some foreign communities, here it is a traditional artform even elders often enjoy.
✠ Belief & Worship Generations of violence have shifted religious attitudes here. The God of the Heavenly Throne continues to be worshipped above all others. Zeus also smiles upon successful churches serving the God of Drunken Revelry and the God of the Setting Sun. Dionysus and Apollo are both wildly popular with so many injuries to recover from and so many tragedies to forget. Ares and Hades have fallen out of favor among these people so weary of war and death. Some turn to the God of Noble Sacrifice seeking an honorable way to end the struggle of superpowers. Others look to the God of Darknest Night as a path to peaceful security, at least for themselves if not for their communities. Osiris and Set are both widely venerated across Thrace, their Serpian influence protected by religious tolerance laws.
Though the Truscan Empire only supports institutions devoted to Olympian deities, it does not ban any faith or holy magic. Spellcasting philosophers are unusually common in Thrace. Warriors and ordinary civilians also often develop a personal philosophy incorporating nuanced ethical positions. Most Thracians consider occult studies dangerous. Licenses to pursue that form of knowledge are not issued without prior due diligence. Covens here often clash with Imperial authorities and become hunted outlaws. The Old Faith is not officially persecuted, though many cityfolk see it as misguided and outdated. Druids retain stature by ministering to resident fey as well as humans in some outlying villages. Thracian Standing Stones are typically modest formations located well away from any population center.
“Wealth comes and goes, but knowledge is eternal.”
— Plyrrho of Parthens, Thracian poet |
† Castles & Combat Here the Serpian and Truscan empires clash with military forces surpassing any historic power. No gods join their battles, but ancient dragons and legendary heroes lead offensives that bring enormous armies of two great empires into direct conflict. These wildly destructive clashes are often staged away from great cities. Tragedies still follow in their wake. So far, Serpian positions are limited to outposts along the eastern edge of Thrace. Loyalists on the appropriate side of the front lines can easily find work enlisting in or supporting active armies. Diplomacy, espionage, and propaganda efforts are ongoing in most Thracian communities. Though athleticism is celebrated here, many cities are too weary of violence to glorify modern soldiers.
“Not all killers are assassins, but all assassins are killers.”
— Armonder of Parthens, Thracian logician |
The ancient city-states maintained their independence with little more than bronze spears and shields. Some gladiators preserve this fighting style today, albeit with steel equipment. Retarii are likewise popular here, if more as a martial art than a religion. Even before ironworking came to this region, Thracian bows featured graceful recurved limbs able to deliver the power of modern longbows. Fortified Truscan garrisons and training facilities have arisen all over Thrace in recent generations. The long and glorious prosperity of this land now struggles with special taxes and aggressive recruitment efforts thought necessary to thwart invasions. Away from Leonopolis, most indigenous Thracians feel little loyalty to any imperial power structure. Even in the heart of a warzone, they respect academics who abstain from violence.
Voting Most of the world's people have no authority in their own government. Many can be punished simply for making a disloyal speech. Yet many others inhabit societies where robust political debate is a tradition that refuses to be suppressed. Truscan tribunes have always been selected by a free vote conducted among military veterans. Senators were originally selected by any voters willing to pay a hefty poll tax. Ancient Thracian societies pioneered the idea of a civic culture where all free adults are encouraged to offer input. City-states not ruled by a tyrant were often driven by elections involving many thousands of votes. A few went so far as to conduct a democratic vote about every question involving foreign relations or domestic law.
Some modern officials are selected by a similar procedure. A vote may be as simple as simultaneous standing caucuses held across a jurisdiction. Others require casting votes in the form of colored pebbles or marked tokens. The most ambitious elections see complex paper ballots marked by literate voters and preserved by officials for later scrutiny. With enough evidence, diviners are able to investigate the fairness of the process. Popular voting is an increasingly accepted method of selecting local officials. Some Sylvanian rebels make political participation of the common people an inflexible demand.
Other elections focus on a more exclusive constituency. Norish Moots will not seat any delegates holding a title inferior to baron. Many kingdoms, churches, and guilds maintain advisory panels of elite insiders who take votes on matters of policy if not also succession. These groups typically assemble in private. Security arrangements can be challenging when powerful rivals back competing agendas. Ballots may be collected and tallied secretly to preserve the anonymity of each voter. Other assemblies settle matters with voice votes or signed documents. While the particulars vary, all voting processes are meant to guide leaders with the wisdom of the crowd. |
§ Decrees & Customs Almost everyone in Thrace is subject to Truscan law. In pursuit of local support, Imperial authorities strive to conduct respectable popular elections for Thracian senators, tribunes, and magistrates. All free subjects are encouraged to vote in each race. Aristocrats maintain control through campaigns of spending that actually solve some small problems while generating propaganda to take credit for other positive developments. Some say Thracian democracy is alive and well under Truscan rule, though skeptical philosophers have little patience for that perspective. Bemoaning the unenlightened electorate, they note that there are never opportunities to cast votes against hereditary rule, legal slavery, or perpetual war.
Officially, generals of the Legions have broad powers to occupy any ground and confiscate any supplies. As a practical matter, locals are respected and engaged in fair trade. Past emergency measures created public backlash. Today, large tracts of public farmland worked by forced labor ensure the Legions are always well-provisioned. Enslavement is not a rare criminal penalty. Proliferations of spies, traitors, and prisoners of war keep labor pools large enough to meet quotas. Near the lines of battle, Imperial training is readily available for qualifying candidates. Elsewhere the universities and bardic colleges of Thrace combine venerable roots with cadres of gifted scholars. Thrace remains an outstanding place to get an advanced education, at least for those fluent in the indigenous language.
Ⓢ Economy & Trade Unlike most coinage during the Age of Heroes, Thracian drachmae reliably contained their face value. City-states already thriving for centuries understood that their ability to conduct trade was enhanced by the reputation of their mints. Ancient Thracian merchants were welcome in distant ports due to this rigorously standardized currency. Truscan money prevails today, and modern Thracians are not widely regarded as wordly traders. Instead, their reputation for sagacity brings students and pilgrims here from distant lands. Every Thracian metropolis contains at least one major educational institution with roots in ancient history. Students of the oldest human arcana and science study the Thracian language to appreciate primary sources as they were originally written.
Much of Thrace is highly developed, with thriving cities nourished by venerable orchards, vinyards, and ranches. A strong tradition of respect for elders promotes various public institutions providing comfortable retirements for aging locals. Some cities provide pensions for long time residents. Most support special dining halls, social clubs, and public shelters allowing older residents to live in dignity without significant personal income. Students constantly visit these facilities for experience in chronicling stories from the past, and many residents are happy to share personal recollections. Sharing antiquities is another matter. Many Ancient Thracian treasures on foreign auction blocks are stolen from a gallery or museum rather than recovered from a monster lair or lost city.
⨳ Foes & Perils For every Thracian city-state to exist as a modern metropolis, ten more fell to ruin. Some made enemies of a god. Others provoked dragons they could not defeat. Most fallen city-states were overrun by monsters after war or natural disaster left them vulnerable. Heroes often delve into these ancient sites, but few are fully reclaimed by human civilization. Many are haunted by horrible guardians quick to kill all trespassers. Bold warriors and spellcasters still flock to these ruins in pursuit of lost treasures and lore. Chimerae, cyclopes, harpies, lamias, minotaurs, ogres, and satyrs can be quick to settle in ruins cleared of other monsters. The danger they present to nearby communities must be extreme before the Legions will divert forces to solve these problems.
“Music is about connections. It connects us to the timeless rhythms of the universe while also connecting us to the passions of the moment.”
— Sataraxian of Rythrodend, Thracian composer |
The war effort makes trouble for many. Armies on the move can leave storehouses and markets bereft of wares, especially in smaller communities. Any settlements near a major battle risk extensive collateral damage. Deserters and looters are encountered often in the aftermath of these clashes. Military authorities are quick to eliminate any soldiers turned to banditry, but this does not prevent the chaos of war from creating fresh waves of renegades. In autonomous preserves partially exempt from Imperial law; centaurs, cyclopes, nymphs, and satyrs organize their own communities. Some welcome outsiders for spectacular festivals and profitable commerce. Most prefer to keep to themselves, relying on some combination of secrecy, trickery, and violence to remain isolated from the world at large.
Universities Ancient kings understood that a team of learned advisors is even more valuable than one wise counsellor. Groups of sages accumulating and sharing lore would create institutions to preserve and disseminate this knowledge. Thriving regimes were enriched by widespread expertise. Struggling people could turn to archives for the knowledge needed to rebuild. As the Great Consolidation saw human cities growing well beyond historic limitations, leaders desired both the prestige and utility of more advanced centers of learning. A university is a collection of colleges, laboratories, libraries, monasteries, residences, temples, and workshops organized to teach virtually any lore on a single campus.
Modern academics are quick to denounce any “university” that does not offer both arcane and scientific courses of study. Yet the opportunity to learn spellcasting often remains the top draw for an endless procession of gifted students. Newcomers are expected to be literate in the primary language of the institution. Some students only participate briefly for purposes of acquiring specific technical knowledge or a new language. Others embark on a nine year program designed to empower new wizards. Most universities maintain a tranquil environment so that studies and meditations can continue undisturbed. Guest lecturers from distant lands sometimes break up the routine by exhibiting exotic specimens or defending controversial views.
Disruptions can also follow from youthful misadventures. Students of the arts strive to produce amazing spectacles. Some experimenters ignore safety precautions while going well beyond the parameters of proscribed exercises. Many young students enjoy a night or two of intense revelry to unwind after a week of challenging coursework. Marginal minds on the brink of failure or expulsion can lash out in unpredictable ways. Managing a university requires satisfying dozens of dignified intellectuals while governing hundreds or thousands of willful young adults. To balance all these needs, many universities wall themselves off from the surrounding city, relying on their own constables for security. |
POINTS OF INTEREST
⦿ Parthens is centered around the hilltop where titans gave early human scholars lessons in philosophy and physics. Zeus put an end to that practice by ending the titans themselves. The knowledge of their students enlightened this most stable and prosperous city-state of ancient Thrace. Its elevated cluster of temples, libraries, and colleges is widely regarded as the first full university in the world, and it continues to offer diverse curricula. This majestic metropolis is still growing thanks to vigilant Truscan authorities facilitating safe trade across the surrounding waters. Yet its intellectual and cultural contributions continue to be more notable than its economy. Few universities neglect to teach key works written by the first three generations of pioneering Parthenian academics.
⦿ Rythrodend was originally known for its enormous wooden structures. Extensive logging destroyed the last primeval forests nearby. Modern wildlands are well-managed enough to support lucrative foraging, hunting, and timber production. Here the Seers of the Spheres maintain an impressive complex devoted to glorifying their powers and predictions. Pilgrims from far and wide consult these honorable mystics practicing primitive prophecy. Rythrodendritic architecture stands out from other styles in the region by employing elaborate natural motifs. Centaurs, elves, nymphs, and satyrs have been prominent minorities in this community since the Age of Heroes. Productive shipyards and some extraordinary collections of ancient relics make Rythrodend a tempting objective for Serpian strategists.
⦾ Lagnisi was once an island where all men were the property of women. Significant armies of indigenous infantry quickly drove off unwanted incursons from any other city-state. Truscan conquest brought legal gender equality to this society. Locals continue to favor women for military and leadership roles even today. The modern Guardians of Lagnisi are an all-female fighting force that has, more than once, limited invaders to a small beachhead until Legionnaires arrived to complete the victory. Lagnisi's position in the waters between Thrace and Serpia makes it a crucial factor in naval superiority across the surrounding sea. Serpian embrace of old patriarchal customs and laws fosters Truscan solidarity among islanders who might not otherwise see themselves as loyal citizens of the Empire.
⦾ Leonopolis defied the mighty armies of several Pharoahs. This militant city-state exploited rugged terrain and high ground against charioteers. It also exploited slaves by conquering nearby peoples and compelling their labor. Some remember the ancient society for its strength, others for its cruelty. Modern Leonopolis is the easternmost provincial capital of the Truscan Empire. Local recruits proudly march alongside Legionnaires from distant lands. Military academies here are famously demanding. Each has trained a number of legendary heroes. In an echo of the past, most farms in the area provision armies. Many fieldhands suffer routine abuse at the hands of human or minotaur overseers. Yet the profits from all their labor are distributed for the common defense rather than the enrichment of aristocrats.
⨹ Mount Olympus served as a headquarters for Zeus and his allies throughout the Age of Heroes. Today this peak is home to a unique blend of athletic and religious activities. The Forum of the Gods draws swarms of pilgrims up to this lofty place. Further ascent leads to icy ponds and snowy slopes groomed for winter sporting events. Feats of running, jumping, throwing, grappling, and poetry are part of regular competitions at the foot of the mountain. Athletes from all over the world aspire to glory at these Olympian Games. Victors at the most prestigious annual competitions walk away with lavish prizes and enhanced reputations. Yet most visitors to this place only wish to watch the games and visit the holy sites, especially the platform where the Heavenly Throne once rested.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Thrace ↑ → To-Shin ← ↓ Transmania ↓
Demonym: To-Shinese Language: To-Shinese
Homeland: To-Shin First City: Ōiyōsai
Politics: active rebellion against the Oriental Empire
Elites: fighters, rogues, wizards, warlocks, monks
Endowments: strength and dexterity
Complexion: tan to fair
Hair: black
Eyes: dark brown with epicanthic folds
Influential Deities: Shang-Ti, Lei Kung, Ma Yuan, Osiris, Ptah
Borders: none
Popular Instruments: drum, ducimer, flute, lute
Traditional Weapons: shortsword, longsword, greatsword, longbow
Female Names: Aiko, Asuka, Chouko, Hanako, Hinata, Izumi, Keiko, Mizuki, Natsumi, Ren, Shinju, Tamiko, Tsubaki, Youko
Male Names: Akira, Daisuke, Hayato, Ichiro, Kazuki, Ken, Noburu, Osamu, Riku, Ryuu, Shinobu, Shiro, Takeshi, Yoshi, Yuuki
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To-Shin Swords hold extraordinary resonance in To-Shinese culture. Law and custom forbids carrying a long bladed weapon without an official status such as uniformed soldier or deputized constable. Most aristocratic warriors in To-Shin proudly exercise this privilege, and all are bound by an unforgiving code of militant honor. These traditional elites command prestige. Yet during the Age of Heroes they could not protect the To-Shinese from volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, and giant monster attacks devastating this group of huge islands. Celedinese emissaries calling upon divine forces or taking command of arcane powers provided the first sustained stability experienced by To-Shinese society. After the warlords of the archipelago voluntarily disarmed, memory of these miracles inspired many centuries of loyalty to the Oriental Empire.
Oppressive oversight and taxation eventually sparked fresh ethnic tensions in To-Shin. Minor uprisings spread misinformation that saw official reprisals falling upon innocent communities. Indigenous spellcasters assumed the burden of disaster prevention and recovery when Imperial personnel were reassigned elsewhere. Those magical dignitaries soon employed gargantuan beasts and the weather itself to destroy mighty Imperial fleets. Secured by legendary allies, the Shogun of To-Shin seeks to undermine Celedinese royalty by declaring himself the One True Emperor. A war of spies continues while the rebels build military strength and invaders struggle to establish any beachhead. With the threat from Mainland neutralized, officials of the Oriental Empire are keenly focused on this military stalemate with the To-Shinese Shogunate.
Be it swordsmithing or human development, the To-Shinese value a fusion of strength with precision. All forms of training are to be taken seriously. Drunken carousing is acceptable in this society; but dereliction of duty, even in civilian circles, demands atonement ranging from public humiliation to ritual suicide. The severity of these self-inflicted penalties escalates both with the degree of harm caused and the rank of the perpetrator. To-Shin today is awash in efforts to revive its oldest and most honorable traditions. With great economic productivity turning inward, it becomes increasingly plausible that the Shogunate is a rising superpower. Intense genuine nationalism is reinforced by a network of secret police quick to infiltrate and compromise any group hostile to the rebellion.
♪ Arts & Entertainments There is only one artform more esteemed in To-Shin than the tea ceremony. Etiquette as a performance skill often makes no sense to outsiders, but tea ceremony enthusiasts insist there are intricacies beyond anything to be found in dance or sport. These islands are also responsible for the most advanced techniques of lacquerware decoration, miniature engraving, and paper folding. Some Mainlanders believe all To-Shinese illustrations lack depth, though this is not so. Mass production of colorful prints using woodcut stamps accounts for a genre of inexpensive To-Shinese art that typically lacks perspective. Of course, swordsmithing is esteemed above all other artistry. Many honorable To-Shinese warriors venerate their swords as sacred objects.
Music here favors a popular style emulating natural phenomena like a specific season, weather event, or wild animal. Concerts often involve poets and musicians trading focus with minimal pauses. The grandest public events feature a vocalist supported by a large ensemble of musicians. The To-Shinese are not only highly literate, but they are quick to write on almost any surface. Their buildings and their clothes are often covered with artfully painted messages. Most people here are comfortable around sophisticated gadgets. Tabletop automations that depict complete stories are popular, if costly, toys. Puppets that perform a single mechanical trick are more affordable. Both gambling machines and games of skill draw many cityfolk to parlors that clatter with the clockwork and chimes of abundant apparatus.
Warlocks Outsider gods, demons, devils, the Archfey, the Great Old Ones – the origins of unholy power are incredibly diverse. Most prominent religions are quick to condemn magic empowered by patrons operating outside the Immaculate System. Though some females with these abilities prefer to be known as witches, specialists in the contractual form of magic are known collectively as warlocks. Their craft is controversial in most communities and outright illegal in many.
Deception comes naturally to practicing warlocks. Unlike spiritual magic, the power of the pact does not demand heartfelt devotion or adherence to a patron's moral code. Even those who condemn their benefactors sustain a bargain by piloting unholy channels with each new spell successfully cast. Some warlocks identify as sorcerers or wizards, offering publicly acceptable explanations for their magical abilities. Others revel in unholy status, sowing fear among the pious. Then there are those who pretend to have little power at all, disguising their unholy bargains as purely academic study of occult lore.
Warlocks may perform useful services even where their magic is prohibited. Some fight to protect their communities, and some offer shelter to outcasts. Warlocks pretending to be another sort of spellcaster often provide inspiration, even leadership, in times of crisis. Social ambitions are common among persons bold enough to transact with a forbidden power. Yet there are genuinely malevolent practitioners as well. Heroic witch hunters carefully target the real villains behind curses, plagues, and dangerous cult activity. Because the gods deem their works unholy, many harmless warlocks also face abuse at the hands of the most cruel and merciless witch hunters.
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✠ Belief & Worship Celedinese religious norms prevailed here until recent generations. Many temples were burned and sacred sites defiled during the turmoil that gave rise to the Shogunate. Priests loyal to the Emperor in Suotien were executed. The first Shogun only restored order by sponsoring many new religious establishments. The state promotes stories depicting the world as a prison built by the God of the Immaculate System to restrain the God of Bloody Murder. To secure Ma Yuan's captivity, Shang-Ti recruited assistance from the God of Ferocious Squalls, the God of Forged Marvels, and the God of Noble Sacrifice. Sermons devoted to Lei Kung, Ptah, or Osiris each emphasize the importance of duty in their own way. A modern polytheism embracing them all coordinates coastal defenses for the realm.
Controversially, the Shogunate also promotes the view that unholy magic is an inevitable and necessary consequence of holy magic. To-Shinese authorities regard the open practice of pact magic as an acceptable body of studies and services. These spellcasters play a crucial role in countering the tremendous espionage efforts of the Oriental Empire. Some military commanders regard them as assets equal to war wizards. Witches and warlocks remain subject to ordinary laws, yet those same laws protect them from severe persecution. Standing Stones and the Old Faith seem rare here, though both are abundant outside metropolitan areas. To-Shinese druids labor endlessly to promote harvests and protect forests in outlying regions struggling to meet urban demands.
† Castles & Combat Every political decision in To-Shin is made while mindful of security concerns. Sophisticated artillery barges form a perimeter around each island, with concentrations near major ports. Some regions feature enormous stone barriers just a few hundred yards from the beach, delaying invaders' attempts to rush inland. Daimyō maintain personal armed forces trained for both defensive and offensive actions. Less violent service can be rendered in the construction trade. Each regional capital features an immense fortress suitable for securing a much larger army. Modern roads and magical support make it possible to quickly rally a large portion of the archipelago's defenses to a troubled province. Even when harvests are poor, soldiers and builders can expect hearty rations.
Normal conditions see abundance for a people who have adapted to their homeland. Yet gargantua leave paths of destruction wherever they travel, and storms swirling off the Greater Ocean sometimes make landfall with devastating power. These hazards may also be deployed for defense. Legendary assemblages of spellcasters redirect typhoon winds and rampaging gargantua to intercept hostile forces headed for the archipelago. These interventions are highly effective, yet some lead to collateral damage sweeping through parts of rural To-Shin. Hostile analysts have identified tension between surging city populations and limited agricultural capacity as a vulnerability of the Shogunate. So far, attackers have not resorted to militarized pestillence.
Markets Great cities normally distribute water along elevated aqueducts supplying networks of public and private fountains. Food and other merchandise is not so easily channeled. Urban markets are normally situated along boulevards able to accommodate large wagons. Most support stables downwind, refreshing animals driven by teamsters while sheltering the steeds of shoppers. Some waterfront districts see markets receiving goods directly from fishing boats or merchant vessels. All are alike in offering a vast selection of wares at a single location.
Constables are a prominent presence in every market. Both vendors and shoppers are targets for thieves. Also, haggling disputes have been known to lead to violence. Badly managed markets tend to grow crowded to the point that every visit requires pushing through a noisy crush of excitable people. The finest markets restrict access, allowing each vendor ample space for enticing displays. Featuring prominent security and free entertainment like an outdoor art gallery or an ensemble of professional musicians, the best of these venues turn every visit into a pleasant experience.
At some markets the wares on display are mere tokens of much larger cargoes or contracts. Major metropolitan centers operate exchanges where representatives of mercantile organizations place bids on access to new supplies of specific goods. Deals struck in a few minutes of competitive auctioneering can influence the flow of trade for years to follow. Wealthy speculators participating in these exchanges are often willing to pay good coin for insights into the future of a valuable resource. Major financiers stay well-informed through associations with explorers and spies.
Buildings near these grand exchanges will house financial institutions, corporate offices, and courts of law. Ordinary markets are likely to be flanked by additional retail establishments and entertainment venues. From humble pushcarts to elegant eateries, these centers of commerce normally see many vendors serving up snacks and hot meals. Shoppers may walk across a city to visit a spectacular marketplace, but not for basic errands. Almost all neighborhoods feature one or more tiny markets where locals can find constables and public notice boards as well as those fashions and foodstuffs most popular with nearby residents. |
§ Decrees & Customs The aristocracy of the Shogunate is based on ancient traditions from a time when To-Shin was divided by warring clans. An important legal principle insists that all violence must be officially authorized. Though many tools work well enough as small weapons or bludgeons, carrying large blades or missile weapons is illegal without an appropriate rank, badge, or uniform. Reports of To-Shinese society as unwelcoming or hostile often stem from misunderstandings about these traditional “sword laws.” Service to an aristocrat, at least at the level of deputized law enforcement, is required to bypass these strict prohibitions. One sign of faltering local leadership here is the open sale of weapon licenses to anyone who contributes enough cash.
Officials issuing licenses to murderers can he held responsible for those deaths. Accountability is another pillar of To-Shinese law. Even sanitation workers removing horse waste from city streets go about their business with an air of professionalism. Mutual respect is the norm for all who do not exceed their station. Courtesy is common in the countryside and crucial in crowded cities. Large organizations working consistent daytime intervals create great rushes of traffic that sometimes overwhelm the busiest boulevards. Fear of being late to the workshop or office often overpowers fear of being crushed by a flood of pedestrians. Yet busy streets also make for a bustling night life. Drinking parlors, gaming parlors, and thousands of food vendors profit from licenses to refresh and entertain urban populations.
Ⓢ Economy & Trade To-Shinese night life is a radical contrast to the orderly business of daytime hours. While rural areas may find amusements in short supply, some city neighborhoods shine on through the night with magically illuminated signs meant to attract revellers. Despite a robust culture of carousing, professional duties dominate the lives of most workers. Farmers, fishers, and foresters all strive for both quality and quantity in their harvests. Centers of industry see sprawling floors of workstations where goods are manufactured to appear elegant and perform reliably. Office towers house huge hierarchies of clerks and executives managing flows of information critical to the power of officials and tycoons alike. Mornings and afternoons see couriers racing through the streets with urgent dispatches.
Relative to Mainland, To-Shin features the most remote metropolitan ports in the world. These harbors still bustle with foreign trade since the Shogunate offers exotic exports while constantly hungering for steel, gadgets, and medical supplies. Captains brave enough to risk Imperial patrols and treacherous waters often return with plenty of coin plus a full cargo hold. Major global shipping lines establish that status by operating warehouses and offices on the west coast of Mainland as well as the To-Shinese archipelago. Navigating from one location to the other may take years, though many opportunities for gainful trade can be found along the way. Formidable naval forces and upstart shipping tycoons seem to be gestating a new set of nautical traditions rooted in To-Shinese customs.
⨳ Foes & Perils Even where the To-Shinese military is not a visible presence, authorities may be watching. A foreigner simply spending a night outside a port city may trigger an investigation by secret police. Awakened animal informants inconspicuously monitor unusual activities in rural areas. Formidable warriors and spellcasters are often forced to choose between proving their loyalty with an act of service to the Shogunate, accepting exile from To-Shin, or making enemies of powerful enforcers. This applies to indigenous heroes and villains as it does to outsiders. Yet law-abiding supporters of the regime still face risks. Traffic congestion in major cities provides cover for petty thieves. Extreme population density makes it possible for discreet fiends and shapeshifters dine well on outcasts and drunkards.
Armed forces quickly crush any substantial population of bandits here. Lesser gangs and minor warbands still wreak havoc during brief forays from their mountainous refuges. Old battle sites and defiled crypts spawn ghasts and ghouls. These devious undead often shamble like simple zombies only to rush suddenly at overconfident victims. Though terrifying, they are insignificant compared to To-Shin's gargantua. Spellcasters of unsurpassed ability sometimes manage to keep these colossal creatures confined to designated wilderness reserves for decades. They may also be purposefully directed to destroy hostile armed forces or counter gargantua under Imperial control. Yet every movement leads to some destruction. One rampaging gargantua is all it takes to devastate an entire metropolis.
Urban Towers Advanced infrastructure and sanitation can lead to extreme population density. As more people inhabit an area, each must oocupy less space on average. Vertical expansion provides a solution to that problem. Large cities often enforce legal codes dictating vast neighborhoods of similar three, six, or nine story buildings. This enables a many thousands of families to live in proximity to each other as well as assorted employers, schools, temples, and shops. Some metropolitan areas do not attempt any more lofty growth than the best conventional wood or stone structures.
Yet others reach great heights with unconventional materials. Obtaining and fusing together many massive metal objects is a rare accomplishment. If it produces a sound framework of steel beams, that structure can support enormous weight. The best bamboo can deliver a portion of that same advantage while yielding to advanced carpentry techniques. Copious use of magical enhancement can elevate the strength of structural bamboo or wood to approach that of steel. Any buildings raised with these techniques benefit from a profoundly different form of architecture that enables some towers to exceed 300′ tall.
Limited by weight more than space, urban towers are often clad in light materials featuring many windows. Direct sunlight is plentiful above the median skyline. The most prestigious offices and apartments feature huge spaces with high ceilings – a display of wealth that actually reduces the load on key structural elements. These buildings also pose unusual challenges. Some support heavy elevated aqueducts that double as footbridges linking rows of urban towers. Others require laborious transportation of water and waste. Visits to upper floors may require long climbs or magical assistance. Though urban towers fall into disrepair without a dedicated workforce, hundreds of lucrative rents can be collected from a single building.
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POINTS OF INTEREST
⊛ Ōiyōsai looks like a typical provincial capital from a distance. Its imposing fortress casts a shadow over a large city. Yet Ōiyōsai Castle is gigantic relative to its counterparts. Employing an ancient stone pyramid as its foundation, the elegant form of this enormous stronghold enables it to seem ordinary from a great distance. Any approach to this inland metropolis may overwhelm visitors during the final stretch of the journey. The effect is supported by the abnormally large structures lining every major street. Oversized houses serve as apartment complexes with several levels of residences. Colossal temples and office towers only remain upright thanks to transmuted or otherworldly materials. The grandeur of the Shogunate is uniquely expressed by the skyline of Ōiyōsai.
⦿ Yamoto reflects elaborate urban planning as applied to a long streak of economic growth. Great houses of manufacture join shipping and banking organizations to fund enormous buildings. Some rely on bamboo frames to attain heights surpassing twenty stories. Streets here are a constant bustle of activity. Raucous night life proceeds under colorful canopies of arcane light in this place of abundant wizards. The greatest of these spellcasters participate in civic response squads, working in shifts to provide emergency relief so often vital to the city's survival. In addition to earthquakes, tsumanis, and Imperial saboteurs, Yamoto is also threatened by gargantua. Many residents have personally witnessed battles between these towering monstrousities when a protector arrives to drive off a hostile peer.
⦿ Suporu is a city of dramatic contrasts. Most wealthy residents inhabit the central district where glass-clad towers seem to glow with the light of each sunrise. Exclusive emporia and eateries enable some elites to remain indefinitely sheltered within this high society. Detached from ordinary workers, chaos often follows from clashes between their trading houses or political agendas. Glacial cascades provide freshwater to fountains at street level as well those in penthouses. Lesser prosperity is available to anyone truly industrious. The great mills of Suporu constantly churn in production of everything from hand tools to paper. Opportunists busk or hustle throughout the sprawl, hoping to part laborers from their wages. Morale is generally high here after successful defenses of Suporu Bay by the forces of the Shogunate.
⦾ Omakoku sits on a sparsely inhabited island of the same name. The city itself is a modest provincial capital chiefly concerned with protecting the best harbor of an island with many coastal hazards. A harsh mix of mountainous and jungle terrain provides little to sustain residents. Yet inland, often shrouded in mist, sits an array of monastaries each devoted to an ancient style of unarmed combat. Outsiders willing to work hard may earn a place among local students and laborers. Many great boxing champions claim to have trained extensively at such a facility. Martial artists from Omakoku generate respect wherever they travel, and some also attract eager disciples. Imperial planners consider the island a low priority target, since capturing Omakoku City would only draw retaliation from monastic orders still secure inland.
“To challenge an empire is to dance on the rim of a volcano.”
— Shinju Dukāi, To-Shinese philosopher |
⨹ Mount Naiya towers majestically, holding a place on the horizon from many To-Shinese cities. In intervals six generations apart, the great volcano unleashes hellish fury accompanied by a swarm of major earthquakes. Yet it normally epitomizes tranquility, gently belching steam from a picturesque snowy peak. Mount Naiya is widely considered a sacred site, and residing on its slopes is forbidden. Holy orders anchor chains, carve stairs, and construct platforms so that pilgrims might visit the peak and peer into the lofty crater. Routes are quick to take shape after a major eruption, since the most popular trailside shrines and rest stops become lucrative establishments. Priests work in shifts no greater than three days from each eight to consecrate and maintain these facilities.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ To-Shin ↑ → Transmania ← ↓ Truscanny ↓
Demonym: Maniacs Language: Maniac
Homeland: Transmania First City: Corvang
Politics: border territory of the Truscan empire
Elites: barbarians, paladins, bards, druids, sorcerers
Endowments: strength and constitution
Complexion: fair to palid
Hair: blonde, reddish, or light brown
Eyes: brown or blue
Influential Deities: Zeus, Ares, Hades, Thor, Loki
Borders: Helvetica, Iskresh, The Scarlands, Truscanny
Popular Instruments: bagpipes, drum, lute, viol
Traditional Weapons: light hammer, broadsword, greatsword, lance
Female Names: Annika, Bianca, Cecilia, Elvira, Gretel, Ingrid, Miriam, Nadine, Natalie, Petra, Sabine, Teresa, Vanessa, Xenia
Male Names: Arnold, Axel, Carl, Dennis, Ernst, Friedrich, Hansel, Kurt, Ludwig, Manfred, Martin, Peter, Richard, Vlad
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Transmania The ferocity of indigenous peoples inhabiting this land drove early Truscan mapmakers to label this unexplored region “madness beyond.” The Age of Heroes saw relentless brutality here. Both fiendish and undead royalty presided over oppressive regimes. Warfare and wandering monsters were parts of ordinary life for many indigenous communities. Then the Scarlands were created, sending goblinoid hordes south on a regular basis. Centuries of constant peril hardened Maniac warriors to such extremes they could stand against purportedly invincible Truscan Legions. This territory was only annexed after immense Truscan wealth drove many Maniacs to enlist in those Legions. Once epitomized by nearly-naked berserkers wielding impractically huge blades, the modern Maniac soldier is likely to be both well-armored and well-mannered.
Even ordinary Maniacs are often both rugged and muscular. Their warriors continue to have a reputation for incomparable ferocity. Recent centuries of civilizing influences have made them a prosperous and peaceful folk who only display their infamous fury in extreme situations. Today their scholars are held in high esteem, particularly in the areas of engineering, history, and metallurgy. This region contributes a tremendous amount of industry to the Truscan Empire, justifying the cost of its defense. It also holds a prominent place in modern Imperial culture. Maniac bards favor jarring contrasts. Singers and full orchestras practice how to harmonize as quietly as possible in huge concert halls built specifically so that their loudest crescendos can be that much more dramatic.
All of Mainland respects the stalwart defense Transmania mounts against hordes from the Scarlands. The modern reputation of this Truscan region would be unblemished if not for an abundance of indigenous heretics and vampires. Both monster hunters and witch hunters find this land well-stocked with suitable targets. Steel from the region is exported as readily as mercenaries. The sheer scale of Maniac productivity can easily shift the momentum of a war in progress. By constantly sending out both arms and warriors, Transmania projects power in a way that has maintained internal peace for many consecutive generations. Despite this tranquility, carousing in this land often takes a turn for the rough. The extraordinary potency of Maniac beer surprises many foreigners accustomed to gentler beverages.
Vampire Politics From seats of power in Transmania, six lines of vampires control networks spanning the surface of the world and much of Labyrinth. Feared by civilized peoples and despised by most authorities, vampires rely heavily on proxies and secrecy to make comfortable lives for themselves. Keenly aware of how effective vampire hunters can be, each clan polices the creation of new vampires to avoid generating public support for a major purge.
Ⓢ Drobny, The House of the Shining Coin – Vampires of the Drobny Clan excel at conserving resources. Gentle and infrequent feedings enable them to thrive on a single healthy human or sample discreetly from a large group of followers. Their conservative philosophy and long lifespans push them toward the top of the financial sector. Lords of this clan control great banks, while junior members are likely to covet and hoard wealth, possibly acting as predatory lenders. If Drobny vampires ever partake in binges, they are sure to summon Concierge Cleaners before leaving the scene.
◊ Folta, The House of the Ruby Crown – In theory, the organized vampire clans are of equal stature. With an emphasis on leadership and planning, the lords of the Folta Clan tend to take charge at mixed gatherings. Their lives are devoted to cultivating an extensive network of human supporters. Rather than treat them as expendable resources, Folta vampires promote personal growth. They are generous in the provision of education, equipment, and encouragement. Words both graceful and guileful are the means by which the Folta Clan thrives.
⊰ Hlavac, The House of the Chattering Skull – The Hlavac Clan has always been esteemed for contributions to the field of necromancy. Some have made their own bodies hideous through experimentation. These vampires will surround themselves with other sorts of undead, using them for both security and labor. They may also form alliances with warlocks, since unholy magic fascinates Hlavac leaders. Vampires of this clan often take residence in crypts or graveyards featuring the raw materials to mount a necromantic defense.
⊞ Kalista, The House of the Fleeting Wind – Naturally averse to combat, Kalista vampires favor an itinerant lifestyle. They spend most of their time walking alone in the dark. Usually eager to visit with nearby vampires while passing through, members of the Kalista Clan happily circulate news among vampires of all sorts. Their clan's internal affiliations are maintained through gatherings that may take the form of travelling carnivals or theater troupes. Deranged Jester Mob events have been known to serve as feeding grounds for the vampires of Clan Kalista.
⩕ Rezac, The House of the Howling Wolf – By undead standards, Rezac vampires are well-attuned to nature. Beastly menageries accumulate in their strongholds. A Rezac vampire relishes nothing quite like the sport of the hunt. Often their meals are murders that only register among the rural population as a mysterious disappearance or savage animal attack. Some of the Rezac Clan favor modest lairs in natural settings, while others fund proper castles through trade in exotic and dangerous beasts. Yet all are reluctant to venture near metropolitan areas.
⤩ Starek, The House of the Bloody Blade – Starek vampires use their unnaturally long lifespans to become warriors of inhuman prowess. Typically surrounded by well-armed fledglings, many lords of the Starek Clan operate covert mercenary organizations. “Strength in numbers” is an important part of their philosophy. Work sustains the group both financially and by way of providing opportunities to feast on fresh kills. Yet stealth is also crucial, since a civilized population would turn against any leader known to employ vampires.
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♪ Arts & Entertainments Both the oldest and newest forms of Maniac art are characterized by extreme contrasts. Their ancient warrior sagas episodically alternate between tales of horrific gore and halcyon accounts of family life. These sagas and modern stories have inspired Maniac operas, an artform held in high esteem for the refined presentation of brutal narratives paired with bombastic compositions. From the orchestras accompanying those shows to lone musicians busking street corners, Maniac music often features shocking transitions from extremely soft and subtle sounds to swells of aggressive loudness. With a language known to sound particularly harsh, Maniac singers and actors often infuse their efforts with unusually percussive vocals. Skillful performances are required to find the sweetness in this tongue.
Foreigners may continue to imagine Maniacs as shirtless primitives bellowing warcries while wildly swinging greatswords. Yet the modern Maniac tends toward a conservative look even when informal. Outerwear is often a suit or dress of heavy dark fabric, since few Maniacs seek to draw attention to themselves. There is a thoughtful caution evident in many of their efforts. Maniac engineers are famously prudent, buttressing large structures with redundant supports. While their palaces and churches are covered with opulent carvings and paintings, more functional buildings often feature dull brick walls. Unauthorized painting of these surfaces is such a common act, Maniacs have come to regard industrial graffiti as a welcome form of urban beautification. It also enables the public display of subversive messages.
✠ Belief & Worship Maniac creation stories acknowledge that the world existed long before its first divine visitation. The God of the Heavenly Throne is thought to have battled his way to supremacy during the Age of Heroes. Zeus holds supreme being status today, and his churches are the largest buildings inside the walls of any Maniac city. The God of Untamed Violence and the God of Tranquil Death pose constant threats, driving many worshippers to beg for the mercy of being overlooked in times of danger. While Ares and Hades are largely regarded as remote cosmic forces, the God of Rolling Thunder and the God of Endless Disguises are depicted in scripture as playing more active roles. Thor's followers actively intervene in heroic ways while Loki's holy orders prey upon the vulnerable.
Standing Stones are common here, though the Old Faith takes a turn for the sinister. Human sacrifices are conducted often, and some druids have no qualms about using innocent victims for this purpose. Though not all druids in Transmania are evil, the local forests and mountains reflect an unusual corruption pervading Old Faith practices here. Truscan licenses to study occult lore are rare, but so too are state-sponsored witch hunters in these parts. Maniac traditions make little distinction between warlocks, sorcerers, and wizards. Infernal magic and an array of small tiefling communities somehow thrive in the blighted forests near the Scarlands. Devils have been known to take shelter among them, rallying personal power or organizing a doomsday cult while lurking under cover of magical obscuration.
† Castles & Combat Fallen regimes in this land left behind a proliferation of castles and other strongholds. Many were built in service to fiendish or undead aristocrats. Modern armies and adventurers clear these places of monsters only for infestation to resume soon after. Converting these accursed sites to quarries for new construction seems to be the only way to prevent ancient corruption from attracting modern evils. Uniform Truscan fortifications now surround all major population centers and military bases. Citywide alarms are ominous, redundant, and frequent along the Imperial border as well as any areas where monster attacks are common. Though Maniac churches in small towns may be simple wooden structures, some are fortified with powerful magical protections and garrisons of holy warriors committed to their defense.
Modern Maniac militants idealize heavily-armored lancers sporting an arsenal of assorted weapons. Swords here tend to be larger and heavier than normal, as they were when used by ancient Maniacs rushing to protect their homes with desperate frenzies of violence. Today formal training, plate armor, and quality weapons make warriors here less desperate even when no less frenzied. Old orders of Maniac knighthood are not recognized by the Truscan Empire, but some still operate as independent organizations. They defend communities lacking a nearby Legion stronghold, and most knights of Transmania are also renowned monster hunters. In gleaming metal suits atop armored steeds, a company of these courtly combatants may triumph without a casualty against ordinary soldiers or bandits.
§ Decrees & Customs In some parts of Transmania, Imperial rule stands firm. Appointed officials and local dignitaries are united in their efforts to secure a prosperous future for the people in their charge. Where the Legions are less prominent, old Maniac culture may control authorities. Networks of loyalists support a shadow aristocracy of heirs to the baronies and counties of old. Constabularies under their influence neglect Imperial laws while actively enforcing ancient customs. Imperial agents, including notable vampire hunters, work constantly to expose and dismantle these power structures. These enforcers face public protests fueled by a mix of genuine affection for popular families and magical compulsion imposed by unholy powers. This constant clash of cultures drives many modern Maniacs to be remarkably reserved and soft-spoken.
Famously quiet personalities give way to raucous carousing at Maniac festivals. Ancient traditions condemn brewers who do not respect rules stipulating a production process for rich and potent beers. Tourists may find themselves unexpectedly intoxicated when seeking refreshment. Otherwise meticulous and responsible locals sometimes indulge in sloppy drinking binges amidst general celebration. Both old and new wealth create tremendous opportunities in this land where danger abounds. As with their music, the lives of Maniacs are often filled with dramatic contrasts. While no special festivities are underway, guards will be vigilant, laborers industrious, and scholars thoughtful. Maniac platitudes are full of praise for people who provide safety and comfort for their communities. Graveyards in Transmania can be especially ominous, with upright headstones more popular than classical stone slabs.
Secret Identities Many adventurers lead ordinary lives apart from their heroic and/or villainous exploits. Even the most altruistic warriors and spellcasters may choose to seperate their private lives from the emnity and violence of honorable quests. Bold stylized attire and affected mannerisms make it all the less likely they will be recognized while sporting a less flamboyant persona. These individuals may operate under aliases or even cover their faces when actively utilizing their own powers.
Issues of secrecy or legality drive some organizations to conduct anonymous gatherings and identify leadership figures only by title. Maintaining a secret identity often entails concealing personal potential, since displays of great ability can draw attention and generate gossip. When this form of obscurity provides security for loved ones and other associates, powerful persons leading these double lives may take extreme measures to protect the secret of their identity.
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Ⓢ Economy & Trade Merchants and financiers are known for their integrity here. Vengeful vampires binge on the blood of any cheats or frauds undeterred by Imperial authorities. Faced with so many other problems, Truscan officials tolerate, sometimes even collaborate with, Maniac nobility. Together they support economic stability as a source of shared strength. Spending remains a greater factor than taxation in Truscan ledgers, as tremendous quantities of equipment pour out of Maniac forges and workshops and every soldier stationed in the region is paid in a timely manner. Artisans, miners, and tinkers live well here when their skills are put to productive use. Some communities are dominated by the Legions, with military culture permeating everything down to the local drinking halls and playhouses. Favoratism from a military commander can bring steady demand to a business or hireling active in Transmania.
Abundant army surpluses are sold abroad and to local buyers. The mills and foundries of this region can be confoundingly complex, but some are also wondrously productive. Well-calibrated machine tools are for sale in many cities. With their advanced knowledge of mechanics and metallurgy, some Maniac specalists produce unique contraptions of great value to scientists. Mass producing affordable dyes, inks, and paints brings steady streams of wealth to some urban guilds here. Small outgoing shipments of these products often sell at high prices in distant markets. Universities founded by Truscan conquerers who saw the Maniacs as a primitive people are now prestigious institutions attracting scholars from distant lands. Maniac lecturers are also widely respected abroad, especially in the study of modern arts and sciences. Though Maniac mercenaries are popular, abundant Legionnaires limit independent actions in this land. Legally, it is a crime to rally a military force in this territory unless the nearest Truscan garrison has already declined a request for assistance.
Feral Fey Dragons deliberately designed elven minds with qualities of quietude and prudence. Ancient wyrms understood that their impulsive intensity was a barrier to progress in crucial areas of arcane research. Many generations of elven archivists never thought to challenge their tyrants in a magical environment easily overwhelmed by draconic power. As the energies of the world became more complex, dragons struggled to achieve the same results as their ancestors. Meanwhile, the whispered spells of the fey became increasingly formidable. Selfish passions clashed with pure logic at the inevitable outbreak of war between dragonkind and elvenkind.
Millennia of struggle left no race completely untouched. The elves, divided as they are, together developed a distaste for rigid regimes and inflexible enforcers. Modern fey are generally lighthearted and whimsical, yet able to restrain their wildest impulses. It is otherwise for fey bloodlines cursed, diseased, or mutated so as to develop a draconic spirit. These individuals become voracious for fresh meat and greedy for gold objects, lashing out violently at potential sources. Their bodies often seem contorted. Their voices rattle and rumble in frightful ways.
These corrupted fey can be downright sociable around goblinoids, and the reverse may be true as well. Feral atomies often hunt in packs to compensate for their stature. Larger feral fey sometimes attack in concert with wild beasts made more vicious by their own afflictions. Uncorrupted wild fey regard their feral counterparts as unfortunates who must be killed to prevent further suffering. This perspective is also a teaching of the Old Faith. Though some feral fey have produced original magic or art, all attempts to integrate these aggressive creatures into civilized communities have ended in tragedy.
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⨳ Foes & Perils Traditional Maniac childrens' stories are considered inappropriately terrifying in most other cultures. Survival here requires vigilance from an early age. Vampires and werebeasts make meals of the unwary even in the most secure cities. Those creatures are also known to prowl rural environments where hags, ogres, and trolls roam as well. Goblinoids sometimes swarm out of the Scarlands. Bordering lands cannot be consistently secured, leaving havens for powerful dragons and fiends able to avoid the hordes. Violent human tribes also inhabit the region, most surviving in symbiosis with mobile herds. Harsh living in a cruel land makes these tribes difficult to approach. Some are known only for migrations producing dust clouds that warn of monsters beyond the horizon.
Along the border with Iskresh, two Imperial armies clash in brutal battles that sometimes set nearby communities and forests ablaze. Even the wilds of Transmania feel strange to foreign druids. Venemous and bloodsucking creatures are as common as might be expected in tropical jungles. Yet wolves, bears, and giant animals are also encountered as often as they might be in Norish woodlands. Some indigenous fey seem to have been diseased through exposure to the Scarlands. Their delicate features have turned gruesome, and they hunger frequently for fresh meat. From a distance or in poor lighting, these dangerous predators can be mistaken for harmless or even helpful sprites. Night compounds the dangers of Transmania, not only by limiting visibility, but also by comforting dark elves, vampires, and other creatures averse to daylight.
POINTS OF INTEREST
⦾ Corvang is routinely ravaged by waves of plague, frequent murders, and bureaucratic corruption. Many neighborhoods endure a pervasive stench due to inadequate sanitation. Most residents would rather turn a blind eye toward criminal activity than deal with the abusive constabulary. All are prey for vampiric aristocrats presiding over the remnants of ancient clans that once ruled this region. Many among Corvang's roughly
600,000 residents proudly perpetuate old Maniac traditions. Outsiders often envy the city's elaborate gothic architecture, with spacious apartments for the poor and sturdy stone townhouses rented to families of means. The promise of a comfortable shelter is a powerful lure to refugees and fugitives – ideal for nourishing bloodsuckers without further straining the decrepit social fabric of the community.
⦿ Domatia is the most populous city in Transmania and the seat of Imperial power here. This sprawling fortification is a cultural island where Maniac customs and noble titles are widely regarded as foreign. Over
100,000 active Legionnaires reside in this high security metropolis. The city gives soldiers a comfortable place to train while raising their families. The soldiers in residence rush forth like ants whenever a monster horde or rebel uprising creates the need for a military response. Trade here is brisk. Imperial procurement forms the backbone of a Domatian commercial sector thriving under the watchful gaze of so many armed protectors. For those who tolerate a pervasive Truscan presence, Domatia seems like a safe haven at the heart of an otherwise treacherous land.
Plagues The largest cities during the Age of Heroes were perpetual hotbeds of deadly diseases. Support for sanitation and hygiene often fell behind the needs of populations living in increasingly crowded quarters. Along with fire, the great limiter of urban growth was contagion. Vigilant clergy could heal the afflicted . . . up to a point. Even the holiest of magics would be overwhelmed if an initial outbreak went undetected long or a surge of refugees scattered throughout a larger population. Local leaders then faced tough choices. Losing a significant portion of their workforce could be devastating for generations to follow. Yet the same could be true of shutting down trade and travel for a period that might last years.
Experience and technology have produced progress in the battle against disease. Most modern cities feature aqueducts and sewers so that residents have access to clean water and need not live among their own filth. Yet some large cities are still periodically devastated by waves of plague. Even when local officials do not restrict traffic, outsiders will be reluctant to visit and trade with an afflicted city. The worst of these tragedies take root in other communities, killing millions of people throughout a vast region. Fortunately, widespread pestillence is extremely rare in modern times. As in the past, any severe plague outbreak sees survivors emboldened to make the most of less crowded environs.
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⦿ Chrovikov is globally renowned for spectacular buildings, technological innovation, and an avante-garde art scene. Local tinkers are constantly maintaining and improving the city's many mills and workshops. Some of these institutions are as beautiful as they are productive. Experienced sculptors are paid to incorporate ornate features into building exteriors, and a subculture of renegade artists is quick to paint whimsical cartoons on any unguarded wall that is not already vibrantly colorful. Three thriving universities make Chrovikov a modern center of learning, advancing the frontiers of technology while spreading knowledge of traditional subjects. Here a substantial population of gnome families pay rent or perform domestic service in exchange for quarters in the attics of human residences.
⦿ Stalinburg sits downstream from mountains both rich in ore and surrounded by abundant coalfields. Smelters here collectively produce more metal than some nations. Dozens of huge furnace exhaust towers blanket the city in perpetual smog. Yet the view is brightened by colorful spires topping the many religious and cultural centers funded through industry. Metallurgists constantly test new alloys and attempt larger casting techniques here. Sophisticated equipment enables small teams of engineers to produce enormous quantities of standardized components. Conventional smiths and armorers can quickly turn these creations into finished goods ready for use. Welcome and respected by most Stalinburgians, dwarves are abundant among foundry workers, artisans, masons, and representatives of the mining concerns upstream.
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Shadowgash is the deepest canyon on the surface of the world. Some say it extends all the way down to the Empire of Shadows. A proliferation of dark elf outposts nearby is the only credible evidence of this. Most who attempt the descent are turned back by poisonous fog that reeks of brimstone. Others flee after encountering spectral monsters or magical phenemona known to drain the life from all who linger nearby. Presumably these explanations account for the many who never return from a descent into Shadowgash. Though a lure to the inquisitive, this mysterious rift is not known to yield great treasures or forge noble heroes. Outlaws see nearby badlands as a haven from civilized enforcers. Oracles are generally reluctant to share what they see when they contemplate Shadowgash itself.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Tranmania ↑ → Truscanny ← ↓ Wabahar ↓
Demonym: Truscans Language: Truscan
Homeland: Truscanny First City: Septopolis
Politics: dominant provinces of the Truscan Empire
Elites: paladins, fighters, clerics, wizards, bards
Endowments: strength and intelligence
Complexion: tan or olive
Hair: light to dark brown, hirsute bodies
Eyes: brown or blue
Influential Deities: Zeus, Apollo, Ares, Dionysus, Hades
Borders: Galloria, Helvetica, Thrace
Popular Instruments: drum, dulcimer, horn, lyre
Traditional Weapons: shortsword, rapier, javelin, heavy crossbow
Female Names: Agrippina, Aquilla, Aurealia, Claudia, Cornelia, Domitia, Fausta, Marcia, Olivia, Portia, Prima, Septima, Titia, Tulia
Male Names: Antonius, Augustus, Brutus, Decimus, Gaius, Icculus, Julius, Lucius, Mettius, Octavius, Publius, Sextus, Tiberius, Titus
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Truscanny Implementation of The Immaculate System coincided with the Sevenfold Unification – the merging of great Truscan tribes into a single nation. Just as the Fivesquare Pantheon endorsed its own charter, the first Truscan Senate convened. From
1 G.C. to
1,520 G.C., this nation would never end a year with less territory than it held at the start. Though the republic relied on a pair of consuls to make executive decisions, it long remained true to the original vision of thoughtful Senators giving key interest groups voices in civic debates. The Truscan Senate was only marginalized after Victor Tiberius destroyed one executive seat and claimed the remaining Palatine Throne for himself. Westward expansion continued for another eight centuries. At its zenith, this Truscan Empire boasted rule over the entire world.
This regime actually did rule nearly all the great human cities of Mainland. The spread of ironworking, aqueducts, underground sewers, and other technologies made Imperial Truscans the civilizing force they claimed to be. Their language remains widespread across Mainland, especially among scholars. More written languages employ some variation on the Truscan alphabet than any other. Today their regime has been cut down to size, but it remains a bastion of proud traditions and industrious innovators. Most of the greatest fortunes in the world are held by venerable Truscan dynasties. Modern Truscan steelworks operate on a scale not to be found anyplace else. There and in so many other endeavors throughout the Empire, technology and magic are harmonized by collaborations of experts in different fields.
These people are particularly forceful of mind as well as body. Yet their concept of greatness involves service to society rather than pursuit of individual gains. Truscan folklore venerates both military and political leaders who made great sacrifices for the common good. Much of their art and architecture is borrowed from the Thracians. Truscan engineers applied this style to gigantic works of infrastructure and rising metropolitan skylines. Great population density is only sustainable after addressing needs related to water and sanitation. No longer content with prior glories, a Truscan cultural rebirth now drives these people to embrace modern developments ranging from rapiers to pipe organs. Their phrase “Renaissance Man” refers to a person both expert in traditional lore and studied in the modern sciences.
Empires The Truscan Empire, the Serpian Empire, and the Oriental Empire each control huge territories encompassing multiple major ethnic homelands. Non-humans populate two similarly vast nations, the undersea Imperium Maris and the subterranean Empire of Shadows. Taxing enormous populations gives these empires the resources to maintain powerful standing armies as well as formidable bureaucratic networks. All are able to reach across thousands of miles of territory to bring order and enforce standards. The generals and administrators holding senior positions inside Imperial regimes may wield as much power as the sovereign of a significant kingdom. Yet each of the three surface empires is ruled by a hereditary dynasty of emperors and empresses with absolute authority.
Such mighty nations may seem eternal, but history suggests that is unlikely. Wotania, the Holy Sylvan Empire, the Iskreshi Sultanate, and the Elatolian Hegemony each once constituted huge empires in their own right. Today no more than remnants exist of these ancient superpowers, either splintered by internal divisions or conquered by a successor. The Truscan Empire is presently less than one third of its peak size. The Oriental Empire is locked in struggle against a rebel province. While the relatively newborn Serpian Empire has not suffered major loss of territory, it is beset from within by threats to the Padishah's control. From a dragon's perspective, no human empire managed to survive more than twenty-four molts. |
♪ Arts & Entertainments Though urban fountains are often elaborate creations, Truscan designs push the limits of artistry and technology. Water pressure drives mechanisms intermittently obstructing some flows while opening others in cycles of activity. The most advanced household plumbing employs valves so that an incoming channel can be accessed from any of several rooms in the same building, provided other valves are not also open to divide the water supply. Established Truscan communities see the floors and walls of important buildings covered with mosaics. This creative method of recycling assembles many small ceramic shards of differing colors to make a single grand image or legible sign. Artistic techniques used in mosaics also shape spectacular windows with many irregular panes of colorful glass depicting an image.
The additives mixed with sand to achieve these colors are rarely of great value, but the delicate beauty of some completed works rises to the level of jewelry. Using tools and techniques guarded as zealously as the secrets of rocket fuel, some Truscan guilds produce
caged glass. These extremely ornate works of colored glass are often bonded with practical objects like a drinking cup or a hand mirror. The modern music of these people is likewise impressive in its sophistication. Epic compositions requiring dozens of musicians are the centerpiece of public concerts sponsored by the state. Truscan opera houses also feature huge instrumental ensembles playing in support of musical dramas famed for their emotional intensity. Complex theories and rigorous training enable elite Truscan musicians to orchestrate profoundly moving experiences.
✠ Belief & Worship Some Truscan theologists insist that the God of the Heavenly Throne is a deity to the deities and the only supreme being in the cosmos. This teaching sustains constant tension between the Church of Zeus and scholars with a more circumspect view of the divine. Disagreements give way to accord when it comes to the history of the Olympians during the Age of Heroes. The God of Drunken Revels, the God of the Setting Sun, the God of Tranquil Death, and the God of Untamed War are known as the four loyal survivors to help Zeus achieve and maintain his position in the Fivesquare Pantheon. Most Imperial officials venerate Zeus, Apollo, Ares, Dionysus, or Hades as a personal patron while supporting public institutions dedicated to any or all of the five.
Truscan law criminalizes attacks against any holy shrine, temple, or church. Generous subsidy for the preferred pentad makes it difficult for foreign faiths to establish themselves in the Truscan heartland. Unholy pacts are also illegal, and some state-sponsored religious institutions operate elite squads of witch hunters. Yet academic inquiry is subject to few restrictions for people with the right connections. Official licenses to study occult lore are issued prolifically at some universities. Some contractual magic inevitably winds up being practiced by those who analyze and preserve unholy texts. Though Standing Stones are modest and unobtrusive in Truscanny, they are also especially abundant. The Old Faith is likewise not prominent despite being pervasive in rural areas.
Paladins Some of earliest paladins learned prayers dedicated to Chung Kuel, Osiris, or Tyr. A daughter of Zeus and a son of Dagda are among the Dead Gods who also empowered these holy warriors. Their deeds put paladins at the vanguard of the Age of Heroes, slaying menacing monsters then conveying their treasure hoards to charitable organizations. Though always few in number, paladins provided such inspiring examples that a range of evil deities empowered anti-paladins in this time when their faiths were as widely despised as devil worship. Paladins now span the full range of alignments.
Each modern paladin is able to channel divine energy from one patron supporting the same core beliefs. Paladins typically feel an intense commitment to a specific religion. Some gain control of magical energies without any greater reverence than devotion to an earthly cause, such as a pledge to protect a particular wildland or serve a civilized government. Whether consecrated by a priesthood, political regime, or personal crusade; the oaths of paladins are binding. Earnestly honoring these pledges provides access to a higher power able to comfort the afflicted. This connection energizes spiritual spellcasting once it has grown strong enough.
Governments and other large organizations often rely on the unwavering personal commitments made by these holy warriors. Militant paladins make especially effective and loyal officers in standing armies. Traditions focused on monster hunting or witch hunting provide protection for vulnerable civilian populations. Paladins are predictable to those who understand the particulars of their creeds. Where a mission is aligned with an oath, paladins can be counted upon to focus on the goal at hand. Most would prefer death to failure on any quest honoring the pledge at the heart of their spiritual inspiration.
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† Castles & Combat No other human regime has ever controlled as much land as the Truscans did during Imperial Maximum. Rugged Legionnaires employed towering shields and small swords to stand firm against all military opposition. Standardized training made every soldier familiar with maneuvers to sustain a system of rotating cohorts. Extreme military discipline paired with generous rewards for meritorious service made survivors of the Legions into stalwart citizens eager support continued expansion. Veterans in a frontier warzone today enjoy access to excellent armories and stables. Garrisons stationed in the Imperial heartland are more likely to be outfitted in the ancient style. These security forces double as a proud reminder of the centuries when the Truscan Legions only ever gained ground.
Those internal garrisons will often occupy forts near quarries where large forces of slave labor begin a process that builds the roads, walls, dams, and aqueducts of this great empire. Commanders, magistrates, and governors must make efforts to maintain these alert forces. An inadequate garrison creates the prospect of a slave uprising or monster incursion in otherwise tranquil lands. Both in the heartland and on the front lines, Truscan commanders are keen to make use of most magic and technology able to support their efforts. Scouts often also act as snipers. Civilians of equestrian or higher status often train and travel with a rapier to defend themselves against rivals in business or politics. Most aristocrats share their wealth with an entourage of spellcasters able to provide protection and counsel necessary to navigate intrigues.
§ Decrees & Customs The Truscan Empire asserts sovereign control over all the land within its territory. In theory, this control covers the entire surface of the world, and in practice it still covers a vast expanse. Officials assign duties and offer rewards as they see fit, with constant tension between the expediency of corruption and a tradition of integrity. Respected individuals known to have managed a property well or performed some other service to the state may be promoted to a legal status akin to landowner. Some officials are selected by a popular vote conducted among all military and civil service veterans in the jurisdiction. The Emperor's power is absolute, yet Senators continue to openly debate the interests of the elite while some Tribunes boldly champion the common folk.
The Truscan Empire is the world's largest slaveholder. Legions wrangle labor pools as they forage and farm for supplies, prepare camps, raise stockades, and expand infrastructure. Custom sees slaves well-nourished and given clean shelter by default. Abuse for its own sake is considered a sign of poor character. In this society, many slave and master relationships are strangely amicable. Even so, brands and mutilations are among the traditional penalties for attempted escape, theft, or deception. Persistent troublemakers are traded into dangerous work with unforgiving overseers. This institution is vital to the wealth of Truscan society. Authorities have no tolerance for any interference with legal custody of slaves. Freedom is best earned through long and valuable service or funds enough to procure a capable replacement.
Bloodsport The Age of Dragons saw tyrants amusing themselves by compelling thralls to engage in mortal combat. Some powerful wyrms orchestrate this gruesome entertainment in modern times. Cyclopes, demons, devils, genies, giants, and rakshasa have been known to take pleasure from these spectacles, as do some people. Wherever tribal leadership is determined by combat, relevant fighting is likely to be accompanied by great ceremony. Public attention may also be drawn to street duels, with tales of the most notable fights inspiring fresh songs and stories for entertainers to share. Common folk are often averse to violence, yet quick to seek out a suitable position for watching bloody struggles limited to the clash of two consenting combatants.
The most obscure underground gambling pits and the largest public stadiums both feature gratuitous brutality. Gladiatorial shows are especially popular wherever Truscan culture remains dominant. These spectacles often feature exhibitions of acrobats and exotic animals prior to combat. Seasoned professionals know how to put on a good performance, combining planned drama with athletic arena fighting. While these veterans draw large crowds and benefit from an expectation of mercy, novices face an entirely different experience. Their bouts tend to be unpredictable if not also unconventional. Officials often order the killing of vanquished foes. An impressive body count is one path into the elite tier.
Other traditions of sport combat see less death from comparable violence. Bareknuckle brawling is an organized activty at many drinking houses and gambling dens. One popular format sees an accomplished warrior battling challengers in series with little or no rest between each. Ordinary patrons hazard painful beatdowns in the hope of winning a great prize awarded for defeat of the resident champion. Monasteries and sporting clubs also host fighting tournaments, often with an eye toward promoting a particular style or training regimen. Though most are not as dangerous as Truscan gladiatorial entertainment, almost all of these events feature an element of true peril. |
Ⓢ Economy & Trade Though the sale of slaves can bring substantial income, most magisters grant freedom to the adult children of their slaves. The hope is that prosperous offspring will accumulate funds to buy parental liberty later in life. Deliberately breeding slaves for sale is considered unseemly, though it still occurs with some small populations of exotic races. War is the real driver of the Truscan economy. For century after century, more lands and more slaves were gained with each new military action. Now holding the lines against rebels in the west and a rival empire in the east requires a huge national effort. Immense wealth flowing into Septopolis largely leaves as support for armies in the field. Politically savvy merchants profit from the steady demand of long term military contracts.
International commerce is complicated here. Neighboring regimes are generally hostile. Frequent grain shortages often force cityfolk outside the capital to dine on fare they can barely afford. Several Truscan families run huge global shipping lines. Most are headed by ruthless leaders somehow able to turn a profit despite tension with Serpian authorities, pirates in the western seas, and a dangerous crossing to the Orient. For anyone able to afford fine food and personal servants, much of Truscanny offers tranquil bounty. Statistically, there is no more safe or lucrative land to operate a business. Public galleries, lectures, and arena games extend stimulating opportunities to persons of all social classes, even slaves with the free time to partake. Truscan authorities respect wealth, but they reward loyalty and sacrifice.
⨳ Foes & Perils Much of Truscanny is safe for visitors compliant with Imperial laws. Those laws do not apply in various autonomous zones where powerful non-human tribes are granted self-government. Centaurs, cyclopes, nymphs, orcs, and satyrs each inhabit multiple preserves where a local chief rules with absolute authority. Each group has its own ancient customs and sacred traditions. Violating a local taboo may generate hostility from an entire tribe. Most of these zones are popular destinations for festivals, trade, and worship. Yet some of them are also home to dangerous renegades, including ancient monsters protected by holy orders. Trespassers are often killed. This does not discourage intrepid expeditions in search of secrets unique to these legendary lairs.
With no national borders of its own, the central Truscan homeland only knows war as a remote venture citizens are dutybound to support. A web of political and financial dynasties orchestrates much of the lives of these people. Especially curious or prominent persons are likely to be caught up in the intrigues of powerful families. Any source of great wealth may be subject to taxation or outright confiscation by an official unless the owner already holds an appropriate title. Streets entirely safe by day can become the territory of secret societies or criminal gangs by night. Though this land has been tamed as much as any part of the world, deadly monsters can still be found roaming its mountains and prowling its coastal waters. Dragons of immense age and power continue to inhabit some volcanic wastelands here.
POINTS OF INTEREST
⊛ Septopolis was once credibly considered the capital of the world, being the center of an empire that spanned Mainland from coast to coast. Even as the hub of a diminished Truscan Empire, this magnificent metropolis remains the largest city in the world. Millions of people from all races and ethnic backgrounds each have a place in the local order of patricians, plebians, and slaves. Wealth from afar adds to enormous accumulations controlled by the most influential families. All seven hills flanking the original settlement are now covered in sprawls of stone construction crammed with apartments and shops. City services see to it that no resident need struggle to obtain clean water or fresh bread. Most residents dine on much finer fare while working in support of an academic, artistic, economic, military, or religious institution sponsored by Imperial authorities.
Foundries The Age of Heroes saw the fates of many human nations turn on metalworking technology. Those able to cast large quantities of bronze fielded superior armies, at least until their foes marched into battle with iron armor and steel weapons. Rates of production for ingots and finished metal goods are key economic indicators in the analysis of any society. Though these facilities require substantial investment to construct and operate, foundries make it possible for a small crew to safely generate batches of cast metal objects or attempt more perilous feats of industry.
Even the simplest of these facilities requires expert oversight to manipulate molten metal and control the cooling process. More ambitious foundries often create deadly hazards. Any batch of molten metal large enough to contain an adult human is itself almost impossible to contain. Ambient magical energies drawn to heat and pressure can set the melt splashing or create weaknesses in any vessel light enough for controlled pouring. When risks are properly managed, one foundry produces standardized goods at tenfold the speed of forges occupying the same ground. Most large cities feature foundry storefronts or other merchants selling batches of die cast components useful to metalworkers and tinkers. Individual smiths can produce much greater volumes of merchandise by finishing prefabricated blanks instead of working with raw materials. |
⦿ Sidopolis is the Empire's largest port, sitting directly downriver from Septopolis. Unusually permissive magistrates allow locals to maintain higher levels of vice and corruption than seen elsewhere in the Empire. Sidopolis also boasts productive iron mines nearby – a crucial resource at the start of the modern era. Some local smithies have been operated by the same family for more than a thousand years. Customers willing to pay dearly for the finest steel or elaborate gilding will find appropriate vendors here. It is likewise with seekers of instruction in styles of armed combat. Aristocrats and gladiators may spend fortunes training with the most esteemed swordarms of Sidopolis. Though swift and lacking spectacle, expert exhibitions fought to the first blood are preferred by locals over the more theatrical clashes of traditional arena combat.
⦿ Ragoto presided over an independent island well after the conquests of Thrace and Helvetica. At this time it was a commune known for embracing free speech and free trade as principles. Now an important part of the Truscan homeland, Ragoto and surrounding villages retain relatively libertine customs. Ordinary days see as much outdoor entertainment and street food as a major festival would tend to generate. Actual festivals see a majority of indigenous people participating in somber processions, surreal games, or wild dances. Centaurs, nymphs, and satyrs are common sights all over the island, including this urban environment. Many of its entrances and interior spaces are designed to accommodate visitors on horseback.
⦾ Lapidestrum is situated near mines that made financial dynasties of the city's founding families. Volcanic devastation buried much of what they built. This community is now early in its third cycle of renewal after being largely destroyed by the rushing cinders of a major eruption. Lesser geothermal activity makes excavation perilous here, but extraordinary gem deposits continue to motivate bold efforts. Gambling is a popular pastime in this city with its pervasive element of risk. Enriched soil in the surrounding countryside sustains both quality and quantity in agriculture. Even the slaves of Lapidestrum experience luxuries darkened by days when Mt. Ogygia ominously trembles and belches clouds of ash onto its own slopes.
⨹ Caldera Elegans is more famed than any other tourist destination. Mineral-rich hot springs here feed the original baths that inspired hygienic institutions now common to all large Truscan cities. Generals and senators built opulent estates within walking distance of these features. Seasonal retreats became permanent retirement homes. Continued development turned the area into a haven where anyone with immense wealth could rent a place ideal for rest and relaxation. Privileged patrons support tasteful theaters and high-stakes gambling houses, but local leaders keep population density low. Most structures harmonize with natural terraces of fine marble that constitute this stretch of coastline. Both that marble and the best mineral springs are preserved by strict bans against commercial exports from this region.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Truscanny ↑ → Wabahar ← ↓ Xe-Shan ↓
Demonym: Wabahari Language: Wabahar
Homeland: Wabahar First City: Kahyaddah
Politics: vast desert province of the Serpian Empire
Elites: rangers, barbarians, druids, sorcerers, clerics
Endowments: wisdom and constitution
Complexion: tan
Hair: black or brown
Eyes: brown or blue
Influential Deities: Ra, Osiris, Set, Ares, Hades
Borders: Iskresh, Kohadesia, Serpia
Popular Instruments: drum, horn, pan flute, shawm
Traditional Weapons: whip, scmitar, javelin, lance
Female Names: Barika, Daliyah, Dimah, Farah, Inaya, Jamilah, Nuzhah, Rana, Sabah, Shahirah, Suhailah, Tharwah, Wadha, Zahirah
Male Names: Azzam, Dirar, Faruq, Jamal, Khalil, Latif, Mahdi, Nasir, Nazim, Rashad, Sayyid, Sharif, Talal, Tariq, Waleed, Zafir
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Wabahar
Truscan explorers saw little of value in this territory. Previous regimes did not even attempt to map the expansive deserts of Wabahar. Seaside towns largely functioned as free cities so long as they did not allow pirates to prey on visiting vessels. Wabahar's interior saw small nomadic tribes struggling to maintain modest goat herds in harsh conditions. Imperial engineers planned great cities around sites with abundant flowing water even as they diverted some of these flows to irrigate less sandy stretches of this land. Many herders soon settled into peaceful lives tending farms owned by Truscan officials. Others aspired to more, becoming bandits with their sights set on riches now accumulating in the coffers of foreigners.
Aggressive enforcement efforts drove these outlaws into remote hiding places. Yet Truscan law never fully purged Wabahar of thieving warbands trekking across parched sands with camels. Indigenous members of the Legions largely remained loyal to Septopolis during Serpian seccession, valuing organized protection against these bandits. Only major political concessions motivated Wabahari generals to dissolve their Legions and support the new regime. The threat of unsustainable internal warfare drove the emerging Serpian Empire to tolerate patriarchal policies favored by the new Shahs of Kohadesia and Wabahar. Their appointments would be joined by a slate of reactionary nomarchs, bashars, and maliks.
After the passage of several generations, Wabahari aristocrats continue their fight to eradicate domestic bandits. Worshippers of Set have become increasingly influential, demanding intrusive compliance from ordinary folks while supporting savage crackdowns on all sorts of outlaws. Wabahar is not a land that welcomes free-spirited pubic discussions about politics. Even so, the people are quietly divided between support for brutal enforcement measures or support for the most prominent resistance against an increasingly cruel regime. In a land where recent generations have only seen farmlands grow more productive, skylines grow taller, and treasuries grow fuller; whether or not these trends will continue is an open question.
“Flawless intricacy does not require words to make a bold statement.”
— Latifa Ghazali, Sunlit Singer Director |
♪ Arts & Entertainments The earliest culture credited to these people focused on the fanciful stories of poets who often doubled as spokespeople for their tribes. Folksy raconteurs practicing an extensively improvised art, these individuals maintained oral chronicles in a place where little history was written down. They would employ a blend of recent news and colorful fictions to earn goodwill on arrival. Audiences expressed approval by allowing visiting herds to be fed and watered from local resources. A staggering variety of these tales became the roots of Wabahari literature that proliferated under Truscan rule. Documents often took the form of lengthy scrolls collecting all the anecdotes a single storyteller could share about a particular topic.
Contemporary art here often focuses on displays of great wealth. Small institutions may sport palatial facades. Actual palaces are often sprawling wonders filled with opulent spaces. Mosaics are common on many interior surfaces, typically composed of purpose-made tiles precisely cut and arranged into abstract geometric pattens. Wabahari finery is exotic, built from layers of thinly woven wool and colorful watered silk. These flowing garments are easily cleansed of sand, and they billow dramatically on the breeze. Wealthy individuals often accessorize with gold and gems meant to impress. The most respected jewellers in the region create extremely valuable yet elegant pieces by arranging many small gems of high quality on a single spectacular item.
✠ Belief & Worship People and traditions associated with Truscanny generate less hostility here than seen elsewhere in the Serpian Empire, This results in a peculiar blend of religious influences. Most Wabaharis believe the God of the Rising Sun is a supreme being. Ra illuminates the material world from afar, heating up this crucible of moral challenges. The God of Darkest Night devises dangers and other hardships which the God of Noble Sacrifice observes closely, searching for worthy souls. Priests of Set and Osiris enjoy robust state support alongside those of Ra, though much unrest follows from assignment of official security duties to the Asset Recruitment Corporation and the Forked Tongue Society.
The God of Tranquil Death and the God of Untamed Violence remain widely popular here as well. Despite the new power structure, Silent Razors continue to glorify any bandits able to slay senior Imperial officials. Many families openly worship Hades or Ares, condemning the oppressiveness of authorities devoted to Set. With the Shah himself among Set's worshippers, many Wabaharis find themselves under pressure to support one of two competing evils. These clashes energize webs of political intrigue in all the great cities of the land. Extremists spread condemnations so freely that some sorcerers find themselves persecuted alongside warlocks and witches. Much wickedness is excused in service to calls for violence given voice by religious leaders.
By contrast, modern oasis towns tend to be sedate places. Some continue to practice the Old Faith, employing ancient customs to harmonize clusters of orchards and farms with a fragile ecology. Zealous guardians of natural resources enjoy universal support in communities well aware that survival depends on a single source of water. Thus druids are abundant throughout the deserts of Wabahar despite few Standing Stone sites in the area. Even where an oasis relies on Dunewalkers to provide upkeep, locals typically strive to go about their routines in peaceful simplicity. Pact magic is widely despised, though some practitioners find friends among outlaw groups sheltering in hidden caves or roaming as warbands.
† Castles & Combat Even today, natural caverns provide some of the most secure shelters in Wabahar. Shifting dunes often make it difficult to anchor a foundation on proper bedrock. Even a range of ancient mountains here has been largely scoured away ages of brutal dust storms. Scattered remnants create isolated patches of extremely stable ground rich in iron deposits. Many bandit strongholds lurk within these dark and stony features. The largest communities operate their own mines, smelters, and smithies; thwarting organized efforts to deprive outlaws of serviceable steel. Teamsters and herders know to be especially wary after kicking up dust within sight of any mesas lacking an Imperial military base up on the high ground. ???
§ Decrees & Customs
Ⓢ Economy & Trade
⨳ Foes & Perils
POINTS OF INTEREST
⊛ Kahyaddah
⦿ Point
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↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Wabahar ↑ → Xe-Shan ← ↓ Zintu ↓
Demonym: Xe-Shans Language: Xe-Shanese
Homeland: Xe-Shan First City: Shambala
Politics: loyal province of the Oriental Empire
Elites: monks, sorcerers, clerics wizards, paladins
Endowments: strength and charisma
Complexion: fair to tan
Hair: black or silver, total baldness is common
Eyes: brown or blue with epicanthic folds
Influential Deities: Shang-Ti, Chih Sung-Tzu, Chung Kuel, Hel, Thor
Borders: Celedine, Elatolia, Ontolon
Popular Instruments: drum, horn, pan flute, shawm
Traditional Weapons: bagh nakh, chaktram, lance, longbow
Female Names: Amala, Chewa, Dichen, Dohna, Indira, Jangmu, Kamala, Kitsi, Lasya, Michewa, Opame, Shenden, Tashi, Yanchen
Male Names: Cetan, Chodrak, Denpo, Goba, Jetsan, Kalsang, Kundun, Lobsang, Ngawang, Senge, Skamar, Thekchen, Wangchuk, Yonten
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Xe-Shan Cradled on a vast Oriental plateau rimmed with jagged peaks and yeti lairs, the sun-kissed vales of the Xe-Shan are an unlikely paradise. A great many legendary warriors and magi retired to this land during the Age of Heroes. At that time, Xe-Shan was a sort of magical marketplace where powerful enchantments and items were available to any with sufficient coin. That element of the economy is largely gone, but the place remains a haven for those lucky enough to be born there or brave enough to make the journey. Assorted orders of monks and war priests keep the interior relatively safe for peaceful civilians.
The comingling of countless ancient legendary bloodlines makes the people of Xe-Shan mighty beings, beautiful to behold. Even their streetsweepers and scullery maids tend to have heroic ancestry and a strong sense of adventure. Some of the surrounding peaks are occupied by powerful hermits intent on the greatest level of solitude they can achieve without departing this plane entirely. Many of the oldest mortals in the world inhabit those mountaintops or live among an extraordinary community of indigenous archmagi. These elders placate Celedinese authorities with ample tribute while supporting a high standard of living among the commonfolk of Xe-Shan.
A place that ought to be cold and nearly barren is instead sunny and lush. All manner of crops thrive without regard for compatibility with the soil and climate. Gold and gems flow freely in the local economy, fed by implausibly productive mines. Few locals favor ostentatious displays of traditional wealth, though elaborate craftsmanship is a Xe-Shanese norm. Ornate attire, architectural embelishments, engraved tools – it is remarkable wherever these things are absent in a land some know as the Heavenly Promenade. Apart from bitter cold near the peaks and outbreaks of plague whenever a city is on the brink of outgrowing its walls, little misery is known in this secluded province.
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Faith Xe-Shanese culture is marked by widespread awareness of the greater cosmos. Even common folk tend to be downright sagacious about the existence of other worlds and other planes of existence. Shang-Ti's clerics teach lessons covering the entire Fivesquare Pantheon here so as to better glorify its mastermind. Serene order is prized by all. Chih Sung-Tzu serves this agenda by facilitating abundance and eliminating hunger. Chung Kuel keeps the peace by hearing appeals and bending fate toward justice. Thor is credited as the ultimate hero, an inspiration to the many legendary immigrants this land has welcomed. Hel directs icy winds across the mountain glaciers, and she is blamed for the unpredictable yet deadly blizzards that sometimes threaten populated areas. Mythic folklore is rarely taken seriously by adults, with religious practice instead involving meditation and discussion about how to best serve the gods and how to make the most of their blessings. Huge monastaries in Xe-Shan house legendary relics. Also, some of the most powerful druids ever to have lived now reside as hermits atop remote peaks. Yet ordinary folk rarely feel drawn to the Old Faith here, and Standing Stones are rare.
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Culture All sounds tend to echo in this lofty realm, and Xe-Shanese music resonates with strains of ancient melodies. Gigantic horns serve as both signalling devices and accompaniment to the surreal incantations of local monks. Storytelling is an even more popular sort of entertainment, either in the form of shadow puppet theater or
ataruku – a distinctively violent form of ballet interspersed with spoken dialogue. These shows almost always retell classic tales of ancient heroes defeating villains or monsters of legendary might. While their music and dramas may be weighty, Xe-Shanese architecture and personal adornments favor the delicate. Clothes are often ornately embroidered, and any surfaces suitable for engraving tend to feature elaborate geometric patterns. Some Xe-Shanese even make art from colored sand, carefully creating illustrations that are reduced to memories by the next strong wind.
Military Celedinese authorities see to it that there garrisons in Xe-Shan are never understaffed. The province has no history of rebellion, but Imperial authorities can only speculate what Xe-Shanese archmagi might unleash if sufficiently provoked. Law-abiding visitors who keep clear of the mountains should face little peril in this realm. Guards and militant monks collectively keep bandits and monsters away from civilized communities. The Oriental Empire presently imposes no bans on weapons in this province. Jousting and competitive archery remain popular activities. From time to time, a Xe-Shanese warlord in a remote stronghold manages to raise a personal army that threatens nearby cities. These outbreaks of organized violence are quickly put down by Imperial forces, if only to justify all the Celedinese soldiers and tax collectors stationed in Xe-han.
♪ Arts & Entertainments
✠ Belief & Worship
† Castles & Combat
§ Decrees & Customs
Ⓢ Economy & Trade
⨳ Foes & Perils
POINTS OF INTEREST
⊛ Point
⊛ Point
⊛ Point
⊛ Point
⊛ Point
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Xe-Shan ↑ → Zintu ← ↓ Labyrinth ↓
Language: Zintu Demonym: Zintus
Homeland: Zintu First City: Shaba Bhozi
Politics: loyal provinces of the Serpian Empire
Elites: sorcerers, rangers, monks, warlocks, barbarians
Endowments: strength and dexterity
Complexion: tan to dark brown
Hair: brown or black
Eyes: brown or blue
Influential Deities: Ra, Geb, Set, Chih Sung-Tzu, Ma Yuan
Borders: Kohadesia, Serpia
Popular Instruments: drum, horn, lute, pan flute
Traditional Weapons: net, spear, pike, blowgun
Female Names: Busiswe, Gugu, Jabulile, Kethiwe, Mbali, Nobuhle, Nothembi, Ntombi, Simangele, Sizani, Thabisa, Thandiwe, Zama, Zinhle
Male Names: Ayanda, Bongani, Dingani, Kwanele, Lwazi, Manelesi, Mlungisi, Sakhile, Sifiso, Sizwe, Themba, Vusumuzi, Xolani, Zonke
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Zintu Today this vast peninsula is seen as a land of luxury, coastal cities flanked by scenic beaches. Abundant gems, ivory, and spices flow from the interior. Yet there are no tourist destinations far from the ocean. Treacherous jungles harbor precious resources, along with all manner of giant beasts. Strongholds in the Zintu interior tend to be temporary establishments. Those brave enough to work nearby and lucky enough to survive the ordeal may harvest a fortune suitable for export. The backbone of the modern Zintu economy is this traffic in exotic commodities.
Yet the Age of Heroes saw this land home to extensive human trafficking. Before adopting technologies like metalworking and papermaking, inhabitants of this jungle peninsula were dominated by foreign opportunists. Slavers from distant parts of Mainland financed tribal warfare while claiming the conquered as prizes. Zintus living far from their homeland often occupy unfavorable social positions. Originally only one of many tribes on the peninsula, the Zintu nation assimilated all rivals through a series of bloody conquests concluding in
392 A.H. This regime drove off foreign slavers. Unity prevails here today, but coastal markets still offer orphans and criminals for sale into bondage.
The indigenous people tend to be remarkably strong and precise. Their culture parallels the Truscans by valuing brawn in the context of teamwork rather than individual pursuit of glory. Traditional or modern, Zintu armies are always formidable and often well-equipped to deal with large creatures.
Readiness to cope with monstrosities must have been an early survival strategy, since the interior of their homeland was the cradle of Ma Yuan, among other gargantuan terrors. Lost tribes can be found lurking in the wilderness, preserving traditions older than any foreign influence, often working to drive outsiders away. Only the truly intrepid dare facilitate the flow of ivory, gold, and gems from this hazardous land. New strongholds frequently spring up in the Zintu interior, but most are reclaimed by jungle within a few decades of construction. Only a small part of the indigenous population now lives outside the security of large cities along the coasts.
Arts & Entertainments Ancient Zintu music was primitive and tribal, lacking structure beyond a rhytmic code used to relay messages. Today most Zintu musicians are literate and well-trained in their instruments of choice, but an uninhibited style drives the performance of bold solos incorporating various portmento techniques. Borrowing a little from religious music and typically featuring lyrics about personal hardship,
blue voodoo is a musical style made famous by modern Zintu performers. Today this style enjoys global popularity, with oppressed groups particularly drawn to its distinctive blend of lamentation and celebration.
Slavery The earliest dwarves, elves, halflings, and humans lived as chattle unable to challenge the dominance of dragons. Escapees knew freedom only so long as they were able to flee or hide from overwhelming dangers. When elves ruled the world, their trickery and mind control kept labor pools grateful for the security of Archfey bastions. Genuinely free people were not so rare in the Age of Heroes. Growing cities sustained diverse trade, and some societies recognized land ownership without any accompanying aristocratic title. Even so, most farming and building during that era was performed by lifelong laborers born into or assigned their stations.
Extremes of exploitation continue even today. Some kingdoms maintain ancient traditions obligating people of common birth to pursue the same vocations as their parents. Military emergencies see conscription being practiced by regimes otherwise reluctant to do so. The most covetous aristocrats and corporate paymasters obligate workers with debts they can never hope to repay, effectively confining entire families to urban workhouses or rural estates. These labor pools are not subject to direct sale, but they remain bound to assets that can be acquired by new owners.
Slavery fully reduces people to the legal status of property. Regimes that institutionalize this practice allow slaves to be killed by the actions or orders of their owners. Those lands see authorities viciously hunting escaped slaves, then returning survivors to captivity. Laborers sustained at the lowest possible expense allow for great wealth to be accumulated by their masters. Imperial Maximum was the result of Truscan generals enslaving prisoners of war, then using that labor to develop infrastructure spanning Mainland from coast to coast. Owning people remains an indicator of wealth and prestige in the cultural mainstreams of both the Serpian and Truscan Empires.
Maintaining control is left to slave owners and their supporters. Troublemakers may be sold to mines or mills where armed guards and brutal overseers direct dangerous labors. The least fortunate find themselves trafficked down to the Empire of Shadows, the Sun now only a memory to them. There dark fey elites and minotaur overseers make dilligent service the only respite from wicked torments. Outright sadism is less common in the aquatic Imperium Maris, but many human workers there remain legally bound to debts accrued on accepting magical breathing assistance. Even people enduring conventional forced labor under the open sky dread those fates.
Yet not all slave exploitation is about cruelty. Some domestic slaves partake in a procession of leftover luxuries as companions to their keepers. Even amidst this most oppressive institution, mutal respect can occur. Performing the duties of an advisor, artist, educator, or entertainer may earn a slave great wealth and perhaps also personal liberty. The children of slaves are customarily set free on coming of age. Not only does this extract a parental pledge of loyalty, but offspring often raise the funds to buy freedom for their parents right around the onset of old age. Even cultures that normalize slavery consider it unwholesome to breed slaves for sale.
The Orient sees no Imperial authorities supporting slavery, but the practice of conscription is widely used for both military and economic purposes. All people are seen as a resources meant to serve the state rather than citizens of it. Rebellious communities may be converted into labor camps where workers are forced to toil under difficult conditions. Corrupt officials have been known to conscript workers for personal enrichment. Unwarranted conscription and actual slave trading are major violations of Imperial law in the Orient. The same authorities dutybound to capture and punish fugitive conscripts will break the chains of foreign slaves.
Policies vary across Greater Norland. The Fitch Royal family has long provided pensions to all elderly and disabled subjects while strictly enforcing laws against the physical abuse of workers. Most of the surrounding dominion lacks this level of social progress. Laws rarely recognize slaves or slave trading, but thralls are often enshrined in statute and custom. This concept privileges strong leaders with the authority to discipline followers as they see fit. Given the freedom to defend themselves or simply leave, the abuse of thralls is accepted as part of the social compact that entitles them to security, shelter, and sustenance.
Old Silvania is home to few slaves, as all major governments there are united in outlawing the practice. Using power to compel labor is widely despised across the dominion. The Confederation funds elite bureaus of enforcers to investigate tales of slave trafficking and lead military operations against slaver facilities. Some regimes within Sylvania proper guarantee robust rights to sentient animals and plants as well as all peoples. Yet the practice of indentured servitude persists, with courts in Albion and Sivales quick to criminalize debt delinquencies. This leads to societies that celebrate personal freedom while turning criminals into incarcerated laborers.
Some members of every major human ethnic group and adventuring race have been enslaved. Yet none have a history of being exploited as cruelly as the Zintus. The Iskreshi Sultanate established outposts across the region, exporting chained laborers along with exotic materials harvested from the ungle interior. Not long after Shackleton became Shaba Bozi, .
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Belief & Worship The most ancient Zintu folklore is an oral tradition that anthropomorphisizes various natural forces. When modern religious practice advanced into the area, clergy adopted these popular tales into the current mythos. The stories developed more detail, and new moral lessons have been subtly integrated into traditional narratives. Today these
Heavenly Processions serve as the backbone of Zintu religious teachings. Local clergy may venerate one deity above all others, but they do so by emphasizing a favorite in the context of preaching about the holiness of all five contemporary Zintu deities.
Each sacred narrative follows a similar structure. First, the God of the Rising Sun reveals the venue for the story while laboring to bring light to every corner of the place. Then the God of Darkest Night pushes back from the shadows, relentlessly secretive in his actions. The God of Solid Ground holds firm, patiently enduring while conflict escalates and subsides. Then the God of Gentle Rain arrives to bring comfort and encourage growth. As lush jungles take shape in the end, the God of Bloody Murder assumes his place atop a hierarchy of terrifying predators.
Though only a few outcast cults and renegade warlords openly worship Set, Ma Yuan enjoys much support because his senior priests claim the power to placate or misdirect gargantuan beasts. Human sacrifices are sometimes performed in public – widely tolerated as the price that must be paid to prevent devastating monster attacks. Witches and warlocks are not aggressively hunted here, but they may become scapegoats in the wake of local tragedies. Standing Stones can be found in throughout the Zintu interior. However, the Old Faith sees little support beyond from humble tribes quietly preserving an archaic way of life.
Arts Art and literature from their homeland is often bleak, dramatizing the attacks of terrible monsters or depicting harsh struggle against an unforgiving jungle. Zintu have a reputation as natural dancers, and many traditional forms of Zintu dance live on today either as artistic exhibitions or popular social activities. Several styles of wooden totems and masks are ubiquitous in Zintu, yet pieces of this common folk art may be highly valued in distant lands.
Zintu prowess in dance is also known throughout the world. Ancient practices have given rise to urban spectacles involving thousands of costumed dancers dramatically synchronized. Yet individual Zintu dancers may also be blessed with a distinctive sort of wild and athletic grace. They may be welcome additions to any sort of stage act or travelling show.
Martial Arts Medicine men have an important role to play in combat, as they furnish the powerful poisons delivered by way of Zintu blowguns. Young warriors often practice ambush attacks from concealed positions, techniques useful in both hunting and warfare. Other forms of armed combat still emphasize TTTTT
Military Zintu often regard human combatants as less threatening than the beastly foes that prowl the interior of their homeland. Nets and poison darts may be favored for quick subdual. Yet their weapon of choice is typically a long wooden shaft tipped with jagged blades. The longest of these is meant to keep large monsters at bay while the shorter versions are balanced throwing purposes. Even modern Zintu soldiers who sport shields and armor still tend to favor sidearms that are a variation on the pointy stick. Their training tends to emphasize teamwork, including sophisticated tactics involving misdirection and traps. Valuing the unit above the individual, Zintu warriors rarely hesitate when called upon to sacrifice themselves to save others.
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Obonto
♪ Arts & Entertainments
✠ Belief & Worship
† Castles & Combat
§ Decrees & Customs
Ⓢ Economy & Trade
⨳ Foes & Perils
POINTS OF INTEREST
⊛ Shaba Bhozi was originally a slaver port known as Shackleton. Every structure in this city was reduced to rubble and ash during an indigenous uprising that started in
435 A.H. Despite its ruin, the site became a prize in subsequent warring among Zintu tribal factions. For many generations, Shaba Bhozi was hallowed ground where foreigners were unwelcome. In
1,094 G.C., contrusction began here on a network of walls and fortresses today as mighty as any raised by human hands. This modern bastion of security is also a mercantile hub where traders from all realms are welcome. Sheltered from the monstrosities of the interior, the people of Shaba Bhozi now bask in the wealth of so many precious commodities flowing out through the crowded bay.
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⨺ The Godskull is infuriatingly resistant to divination. Efforts continue because this mountain's south face is over two vertical miles of dolomite strongly resembling the visage of a human skull. From the artwork of a mad elementalist to the cranium of a long dead superdeity, peculiar theories abound about this mysterious stone formation. It confounds all magical study. Frequent quakes ensure any building on the mountain will stand no more than a year. Some cults consider the Godskull a place of immense power, and many priests regard it as an unholy abomination. Yet the most astute scholars concede that no explanation for this terrain anomaly is supported by convincing evidence.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Zintu ↑ → Labyrinth ← ↓ Deities ↓
Labyrinth
Dungeons Even some primitive beasts are capable of excavating networks of tunnels and chambers. Dragons often dig out grand hollows for their lairs. Most dwarven communities make it their business to gather the best ore deposits from hundreds of feet below ground. From the oldest elven bastions to modern human strongholds, secure compounds often feature several levels of rooms and corridors underneath the surface structure. The first delve into any unfamiliar dungeon is usually an unsettling experience.
Some are merely storage space for foods, beverages, and surplus supplies. Others are treasure vaults secured by complex layers of defenses. Some layouts are deliberately confusing to confound intruders. Other are organized to present visitors with a curated collection of rare sights. Many menageries are constructed underground to minimize the prospect of escape. Prisons tend to be built under castles or fortresses for the same reason. The worst of those facilities feature torture chambers for the savage abuse of captives. Unspeakable horrors lurk in all sorts of underground crypts, laboratories, and ritual chambers.
Well-maintained strongholds feature dungeons constantly patrolled by competent guards. Vicious creatures taking up residence in the darkest corners of the lowest sublevels is a sign that a site may be falling to ruin. Abandoned places with many unrecovered bodies sometimes become infested with undead. Violent tribes or warbands can be quick to carve out a home inside any defensible structure. Burrowing beings sometimes expand earlier excavations, creating new space or even a passage into a previously unrelated complex. It is not unusual for a dungeon to develop denizens of many different types as new creatures find their way into suitable locations. |
Humans are often uncomfortable underground. Many become fatigued and disoriented by the absence of well-defined days and nights. Increasing depth creates a sense of isolation from the surface world. Narrow tunnels and tight squeezes intensify personal discomfort. Most of humanity sees the world below ground as a dangerous maze best avoided altogether. Collectively referred to as Labyrinth, these subterranean environments can be understood as a series of layers. Each seems like a strange and frightening place from the perspective of people residing above.
The top levels of Labyrinth are simple monster lairs, crypts, tunnels, and dungeons constructed by surface dwellers. Any sufficiently old fortification or place of worship probably features both active and disused sublevels. Well below the depth at which surface cities might excavate sewers, dwarves inhabit many of the world's mining tunnels. Their skill with stone makes it possible to carve out strongholds with enough space, ventilation, freshwater, and drainage to sustain tens of thousands of individuals in close proximity. Even more impressive are the spacious magical bastions maintained by the Empire of Shadows. There thousands of drow archmagi rule over millions of slavers and slaves.
Even the dark elven lords fear bizarre psychic creatures known to reside in the Dread Zone. Though much smaller than dragons, these gifted tyrants tend to turn anyone they encounter into a servant or a meal. Explorers sent back with false memories of their own travels add to the mysteries of this layer. A few expeditions have ventured deeper still, visiting the Sea of Abominations. Specimens recovered from that glowing brine provide evidence for otherwise unbelievable tales of freakish life forms. People normally experience increasing fear as they move deeper into Labyrinth and immense relief on returning to a familiar environment.
Ω THE DWARFDEEP (200′ to 2,000′ down) Most dwarves live their entire lives underground. Modern populations inhabit some tunnels and chambers hewn during the Age of Dragons. Desire for mining and living space motivated many millennia of excavations since then. Always at risk of literal collapse, multiple pockets of distinctively dwarven civilization thrive under every major human homeland. Though some dwarves prefer life on the surface, individuals with this preference are a rare minority among their own race. The archetypical dwarven ideal involves a cozy family nook with a productive ore vein located a short walk away, all in a Dwarfdeep community organized by experienced elders.
Though they derive satisfaction from mining and metal production, dwarves also have a strong preference for agricultural products from the surface world. Large underground communities operate fortified markets on the surface. These facilities offer ingots of reliable purity in exchange for shipments of food, beverage, textile, or timber. Though dependent on this trade, cities of the Dwarfdeep maintain huge stockpiles to endure long embargoes. Outright invasions from above invariably fail. Entrances are easily closed off, and dwarven sappers can be quick to construct new tunnels through any familiar region of bedrock. Human soldiers rarely perform well in dark caves with low ceilings.
Exotic Magical Environments Spellcasters hailing from an ordinary place often work with assumptions that hold true across nearly the entire surface of the world. Even basic lessons in arcana may not apply on other planes of existence or well removed from sea level. Far above the highest mountaintops, the air becomes so thin that it is no longer possible to speak. The surface of the Moon is an even more extreme void, stripping power from any Archfey who might attempt escape. Deprived of their voices, most spellcasters become much less formidable.
Venturing below ground also entails a different magical environment. Though sunlight is unavailable and some other cosmic phenomena are diminished, spellcasting is largely normal in the Dwarfdeep. The Empire of Shadows sits far below the ley line network, but it maintains connections to the web above. Methods of navigation and long distance teleportation fail at this depth without training in the use of these “shadow” ley lines. Authorities preserve secrecy by forbidding the production of written guides to subterranean apportation. In the Empire of Shadows, much that is forbidden nonetheless transpires.
The Dread Zone keeps its secrets less by destroying relevant literature than by being incomprehensible. No credible theory explains how dozens of large well-appointed chambers can be in a specific location on one day and thousands of miles away the next. The maze of large tunnels running through the iron-rich substance of the Dread Zone seems likewise impossible. Some say the tunnels themselves shift over time. No mapmaking efforts beyond the bounds of a tyrant's stronghold have ever produced useful results. Every journey at this depth requires solving a maze of vast proportions.
In both the Dread Zone and the Sea of Abominations, long distance teleportation is not possible. Magical phenomena common on the surface may be rare or altogether absent. Normally insignificant factors generate problematic interference or major amounts of useful energy at these depths. Whether equipped with many eyes or only two, psychic tyrants from the deepest realms instantly learn about anything unusual observed by their thralls. Powerful spellcasting may enable a victory or a recovery, but it also draws hostile attention from the most aberrant evils known to lore.
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These communities tend to distrust outsiders, though it is possible to cultivate a favorable reputation in the Dwarfdeep. This requires respect for ancient customs as well as contemporary leadership. Experience teaches any long-established rulers that keeping order is key to optimizing productivity as well as surviving a crisis. Official titles must be acknowledged. Courtiers may be obliged to learn lengthy lineages simply to address important clan elders. Even where protocols vary from one community to another, such as the distinctions between working hours and quiet hours, visitors are expected to follow the rules. Outsiders who make trouble will be quickly expelled, then met with armed resistance on any attempt to return.
Dwarven stability sometimes serves as a sort of bedrock for economies above. After disasters, especially any that threaten to reduce harvests, wealthy dwarf lords can be quick to fund relief and recovery efforts. More sociable dwarves tend to be astute observers of commerce. Large underground stockpiles may be expended or expanded in response to human trends. Often these subtle pressures are enough to prevent wild swings that would bring disorder to human and dwarven merchants alike. Some trading corporations exchange information with the most esteemed dwarven brokers since their newsletters and market guides are famously unbiased.
Dwarfdeep custom holds that human law ends at the surface. Respect for the principle of order sees most dwarven elders cordially corresponding with appropriate human officials. In the best cases they promote regional prosperity by planning joint charitable initiatives and coordinating trade. Mercenary forces can be hired from some communities, and many furnish skilled stoneworkers to generous patrons. Complications arise when greed drives dwarven merchants to resist taxes on surface commerce or the same force moves human rulers to impose rents on facilities deep underground. Given intractable conflict, a dwarven community might excavate a cavernous highway right under a national border to open up new trade. In the most desperate cases, elders even look below for allies.
Ω THE EMPIRE OF SHADOWS (2,000′ to 20,000′ down) The Imperium Arcanum came to an end in
2,907 A.H. when a coalition of gods secured the Archfey in their lunar prison. High elves hid their remaining communities from the world while acknowledging the folly of their ancestors. Wood elves had already rejected that society long ago. Yet dark elves preserved a network of traditional strongholds and laboratories located far underground. They also abandoned the strict order that enabled the original elven civilization to survive multiple catastrophic events. Though officially known as the Imperium Umbrum, even the drow themselves favor the more ominous modern phrase “Empire of Shadows” to describe their subterranean homeland.
Dragons hiding from the Imperium Arcanum excavated complexes of vast chambers linked by large tunnels. Today many lesser remnants of these efforts are controlled by vampire lords, minotaur slavers, or fomorian clans. The largest of these vacant wyrm lairs now operate like traditional fey bastions, albeit without the pleasant illusions and sense of personal choice that comforted ancient labor pools. Dark elven archmagi are among the most formidable practitioners of modern magic. This immense power helps them sustain pockets of civilization with minimal support from nature. In territories few others covet, malevolent elven arcanists continue to advance their craft.
Much confusion and uncertainty surrounds this society, in part because much confusion and uncertainty can be found within it. Fey overseers were swept up in the imprisonment of the Archfey. With the Directorate of Oversight entirely stripped of wizards, various interdependent branches of this regime began to pursue agendas at the expense of their peers. Corrupt practices quickly became standard operating procedures. A few supervillains have risen up to declare themselves Emperor of Shadows or Prime Overseer of the Imperium Umbrum. None of these efforts to consolidate government could maintain the loyalty of all major dark elf directorates for more than a century.
The Feywar The Imperium Arcanum remained unified throughout the Wyrmplague and dozens of other catastrophic events. Though their failures and struggles did not divide them, the success of the elves did just that. When the threat from dragons on the surface of the world had been kept at a low level for centuries, fey intellects indulged in greater levels of freethinking. The genocide of dragonkind was no longer a collective goal but instead a topic of debate. Traditionalists wanted to delve deep into the earth and root out the last hiding places of surviving wyrms. Reformers wanted to preserve dragon eggs and mutate unborn hatchlings into future allies.
A large majority of elvenkind wanted no part of either agenda. The ancestors of wood elves strived to attain harmony with forests, the ancestors of dark elves took to hunting dragons in the depths, and the ancestors of high elves conducted magical experiments in huge floating laboratories. Allies of the elevated regime identified as light fey, embracing values of compassion and tolerance. Those loyal to the underground hunters identified as dark fey, believing it right that the strong should dominate the weak. Mutual hostility prompted subtle acts of tampering that escalated into campaigns of devastating sabotage.
Battles between immensely powerful wizards created a new atmosphere of desperation among bystanders. With prayers came gods – beings even the Archfey could not defeat. Yet the immortal leaders of the Imperium Arcanum refused to abandon this world. Enough troublesome clashes motivated a literal army of deities to round up all light fey and dark fey overseers, imprisoning them within the Moon. With no more goals beyond their own amusement, both light and dark factions established a royal courts presiding over perpetual magical revelry. Old arguments about good and evil soon became lost in a haze of unearthly intoxicants.
The distant ancestors of many mortal fey played important roles in the final centuries of the Imperium Arcanum. Today some of those mortals identify as light fey, praising the fairest of the Archfey while striving to make life better in their communities. Others, especially in Labyrinth, identify as dark fey. That attitude encourages pacts with the most wicked Archfey along with the relentless pursuit of power by any other means. As the Archfey are incarcerated and ley lines are indifferent to morality, taking sides on this matter of ancient elven politics is largely a social concern today.
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Today there are eight organizations from the Imperium Arcanum still extremely influential throughout bastions well below the Dwarfdeep. Every compound in the Empire of Shadows has at least two facilities operated by Leyline Riders trained in the supplemental lore required for teleportation at this depth. Caverns of extraordinary length may also link to other communities. Dark elven citizens see most people as potential slaves. Dark fey, fiends, and minotaurs tend to be treated with respect. The same is true for most spellcasters willing to flaunt their powers. This Labyrinthine culture looks favorably on pact magic while condeming spiritual spellcasters. Yet only wizards qualify for leadership roles in the Empire of Shadows.
⋒ The Directorate of Oversight ceased to exist when each and every director was forcibly incarcerated within the Moon. The Archfey and their archmagi officers were denied opportunities to issue parting orders or designate their own successors. Most elves had already abandoned the Imperium Arcanum by this point. The eight remaining directorates struggled to survive and find purpose when the Age of Heroes began. Every attempt to reconstitute the Directorate of Oversight spanned less than one generation of elven history. Yet this institution remains an aspiration for those who seek a coherent dark fey nation.
⩘ The
Directorate of Information Development operates glass palaces where Vision Merchants can be hired to conduct research and investigations. This faction navigates the intrigues of Labyrinth by anticipating dangers and avoiding setbacks. Their prosperity allows them to offer reasonable prices on direct communication by way of mutual scrying at Directorate facilities. Of course, this also makes their staff privy to most information exchanged between distant subterranean communities. Conspiracy theorists believe the Directors of Information Development oversee the Empire of Shadows without actually asserting official authority.
⩗ The
Directorate of Information Deployment was created to map out dragon lairs and plan attacks against mature wyrms. Banner Chameleons disguise large teams of skilled infiltrators venturing above ground. Though the Empire of Shadows is not dedicated to the genocide of dragons, the modern Directorate of Information Deployment retains a network of assets spanning the surface world. Vast underground archives document the inner workings of major criminal organizations, including groups with no history of drow collaboration. Covert mercenary work and the sale of secrets extracted from the world above bring wealth to this directorate.
⩘ The
Directorate of Materiel Development continues to organize foraging and hunting parties as it did when elvenkind was unified. Yet this ancient organization is now more notable for its mining efforts. Exotic techniques are employed to locate deposits of rare gems. Mineral Editors then supervise professional miners in pursuit of stony treasures. With ample tunneling experience, these engineering-savvy wizards also work to expand and connect underground habitats. Some wrangle enormous worms that process bedrock into soil fit for fungal farming. Most secure and deliver precious spell components copiously consumed by active archmagi.
⩗ The
Directorate of Materiel Deployment challenges the modern notion that mints should only be operated by clergy. Relentless collection squads led by Whispering Reapers maintain public trust in this organization. Their primary duty is to make certain payment schedules are honored in a timely fashion. They are also quick to make gruesome displays from the corpses of counterfeiters, coin shavers, and openly defiant debtors. The Directorate of Materiel Deployment accumulates the debts of other directorates, lesser organizations, and individuals. Those obligations create ubiquitous pressure points throughout the subterranean economy.
⩘ The
Directorate of Mutant Development continues traditional fey experimentation to produce extremely dangerous monsters. Breeding populations of basilisks, chimerae, hydrae, manticores, and wyverns are maintained by Flesh Puppeteers at isolated caverns all over the world. So much monstrous power means no rival faction could attempt to dissolve the Directorate of Mutant Development without establishing the conditions for mutually assured destruction. Yet the organization remains volatile, constantly hungering for resources while collecting revenue in sporadic surges of demand for their monstrous wares.
The Night Sky Though dragons took wing even before they could cast spells, it would be elves who first looked skyward in search of additional energies to incorporate into their dweomers. Ancient fey researchers discovered an array of cosmic forces raining down on the world. It became their business to predict the oscillations and other patterns shaping these pervasive phenomena. The Imperium Arcanum monitored both the motions and the relative brightness of many stars to better understand influential waves washing through the magical environment. Ancient astrology was a methodical and exacting discipline.
Scholars now prefer the term “astronomy” to reference methodical studies of the night sky. Unlike previous eras, the Great Consolidation features a myriad of fixed stars – simple points of light scattered across the field of night. Dozens of groupings have been identified as constellations assigned to represent a specific vocation, virtue, or sphere of influence. Their meanings have been standardized through divine communions as well as extensive academic debate. Many people believe every individual is spiritually linked to the fixed stars nearest the first sunrise following their birth.
The rich symbolism of this backdrop provides context for the movements of twenty-five wandering stars persistent throughout the modern era. Some follow predictable tracks while others make unexpected changes of direction or color. Each is believed to be the physical residence of a deity, entirely inaccessible without invitation. Some priests take any unexpected movement or flicker to be a clue about the will of the associated god. Scientists use powerful telescopes to observe and track wandering stars. The most skilled produce detailed sketches by peering through massive optical arrays capable of intense magnification.
Many astronomers compile extensive logs of carefully measured stellar variations over the course of nocturnal careers. Weddings, battles, and ennoblements may be delayed to coincide with a wandering star in a favorable position. Some arcane rites require a specific conjunction of stars or the absence of particular stars. The faithful may pray directly toward the star associated with their patron god. Both scientific and arcane specialists work constantly to better understand the behavior of these celestial spectacles.
Religious authorities condemn the Moon as an unholy object. Most lunar veneration emerges from warlocks and witches uttering ancient incantations in exchange for eldritch secrets. The Moon cycles from new to full and back again thirteen times in a normal year. The modern lunar cycle is subject to Archfey caprices. An unexpected full moon can disrupt the lives of lycanthropes and the adventurers who hunt them. Even predictable full moons are widely regarded as ominous. Sudden new moons are less disruptive, but still cause for concern in some quarters.
The mischief of its imprisoned inhabitants also occasionally imbues the Moon with a hue. A reddish tint makes nocturnal predators especially aggressive, and some vampires take it as a sign to gather. A purplish shade prompts feral fey to rampage destructively while Old Faith adherents gather in vigils at Standing Stone sites. Blue moons indicate elevated levels of cosmic energy, sometimes accompanied by the spontaneous appearance of temporary portals to other planes of existence. Golden moons, often observed near equinoxes, promote plant growth and foretell of bounteous harvests.
Eclipses are of particular note. Rarely, the Moon finds a shadow to hide within, slowly vanishing to all but the sharpest eyes. These events see most fey magic waning while feral fey take to violent rampages. Even in this nadir of power, special opportunities may emerge for pact partners of the Archfey. Still far less common are eclipses of the Sun, where the Moon casts its shadow onto the world. These events reveal stars in daylight, and it is said that they compel shapeshifters to assume their true forms. Though brief and extremely rare, each solar eclipse is a blend of miraculous and ominous that witnesses do not soon forget.
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⩗ The
Directorate of Mutant Deployment manages underground colonies of ogres and trolls. Even with Primordial Wranglers to enforce order, these incredibly violent communities require copious supplies of meat. When a group thrives, some portion of each population becomes fit for mercenary service. A few even develop spellcasting abilities. While less refined monsters may still have value securing vaults or distracting armed forces, elite individuals can become formidable combat assets. Failed ventures are sometimes evacuated toward daylight, unleashing a sudden swarm of ravenous monsters on an unwary part of the surface world.
⩘ The
Directorate of Personnel Development embraces an especially sinister sort of slavery. Hermetic Sappers magically obscure the business of procurement agents. There is often only one way to follow up on their abductions and purchases – the Directorate itself. This organization keeps nearly complete files on captive laborers throughout the Empire of Shadows. For the right price they may be able to liberate an individual and reunite that person with allies. Buyers for this organization actively participate in major slave auctions on the surface. Most of their purchases go underground, never to see daylight again.
⩗ The
Directorate of Personnel Deployment excels at compelling labor from reluctant captives. Fungal farming in the Empire of Shadows is dirty and exhausting work. Subterranean ranching often manages to be more unpleasant. Worker safety is rarely a high priority on building projects here. Demanding Leyforce Sculptors routinely confine slaves with invisible force fields and menace them with unerring bolts of fey power. These techniques drive slaves to satisfy the Empire's agricultural, construction, and sanitation needs. The most compliant and pleasing captives may be sold off into less arduous domestic service. The most troublesome are sacrificed as offerings to tyrants inhabiting deeper hollows.
Ω THE DREAD ZONE (20,000′ to 160,000′ down) All sane beings feel waves of despair when venturing into these depths. The incredibly dense minerals of this layer are difficult to excavate. Small tunnels and chambers at this depth may spontaneously become too hot to inhabit. Yet the Dread Zone contains a network of large cool tunnels as well as many underground complexes controlled by psychic tyrants. These beings are known to converse in Deep Speech when they use words at all. Their subterranean strongholds have no fixed location, mysteriously migrating a vast distance when the ruling resident feels threatened by outside forces. Each is a an unforgiving evil so powerful even archmagi from the Empire of Shadows find it disturbing to parley with their neighbors below.
It is debatable whether unwelcome visitors promptly devoured are more or less fortunate than those converted into slaves. Most of the monstrous lords in the Dread Zone employ labor pools of perpetually mesmerized captives. These workforces maintain the stronghold, gather resources, and assist with experiments. They will also fight to the death in defense of their keeper and the place they have been forced to inhabit. Each tyrant of the Dread Zone has a unique agenda. Even when one is slain, that agenda often remains a complete enigma. Their arcane formulae share much with the lore of the Great Old Ones, but this evidence does not show signs of pact magic.
Most people who know about the Dread Zone also have no desire to be anywhere near the place. Tales of its horrors circulate among slaves in the Empire of Shadows, creating awareness of an even worse fate. Sending captives to a tyrant below serves as a warning to the others and an offering that may open up additional trade. Many Dread Zone strongholds are well-stocked with rare spell components and magical treasure. Some tyrants aspire for a position on the surface, either to replenish their personal storehouses or in the hope of claiming a little sunlit territory for themselves. Effective governments spare no resource to thwart these dangerous incursions.
Religious leaders may dispatch expeditions to this depth as well. Residents have been known to organize monster cults powerful enough to generate concern from priests who claim to commune directly with deities. Perplexing defenses, including the ability to abruptly relocate their bases of operations, often add urgency to these perilous missions. More than a few successful dragonslayers met their end hunting a monster in the Dread Zone. Some tyrants from this depth send out their own teams to acquire items of arcane power or fresh additions to their labor pools. Curiously enough, many freewilled minotaurs also roam this territory. Some even retain their faculties while working as overseers and heralds loyal to a monstrous overlord.
Ω THE SEA OF ABOMINATIONS (below 160,000′ down) There is more speculation than reliable information about conditions this far below the surface of the world. Where access from above is possible, nearby tyrants construct enormous iron hatches to prevent undrinkable water or something much worse from rising into their domains. Reliable reports from the Sea of Abominations speak of repulsive creatures writhing about in a vast body of glowing brine. Even tritons require magic to see and breathe in this alien environment. In a place where almost everything looks like it could be a hostile predator or parasite, many forms of life live up to their appearances. Violent struggles often attract swarms of ravenous monsters that seem to sense anger or fear.
Survivors of a visit to this depth did not linger while they were there. Some barely escaped an endless escalation of attackers. Others moved covertly and with purpose, ending any hostilities within seconds of their initiation. Communions with the dead confirm that combat is a lure to carnivores prowling the Sea of Abominations. More than one superhero met a dark fate battling mysterious monstrosities here. While some of these creatures are nothing but ravenous incoherent masses of eyes, teeth, and tendrils; extraordinary intellects also lurk at these depths. With psychic powers that frighten and confuse even tyrants from the Dread Zone, the greatest beings to circulate in the Sea of Abominations share the ability to enslave lesser minds.
Information about these entities is almost impossible to obtain. Their communication is always calculated to entice or deceive. Many who encounter them vanish forever, not even to be contacted as souls in an afterlife realm. Some are converted into slimy thralls suited to swimming alongside their new masters. One theory holds that prolific magical experimentation by these bizarre acquatic beings accounts for all the strange life forms in their domain. Delves into the Sea of Abominations usually begin with efforts to escape another threat or push at the frontiers of underground exploration. Other planes of existence are rarely as dangerous and disorienting as this ocean of luminous salty fluid. If there is a bottom down there, no one has returned from a visit to it.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Labyrinth ↑ → Deities ← ↓ Apollo ↓
What are the Gods? Some gods began their existence as mortal beings. Ma Yuan was born on this world. Feasting on godflesh triggered his ascension from a primal reptile to a deity in his own right. With guidance from Shang-Ti, Ma Yuan became the God of Bloody Murder in this world as well as a presence in the broader cosmos. Lei Kung was born a mortal human. Sampling fruit from a heavenly plane of existence gave him the power of a storm god long before he first visited this world.
Most gods were born that way, the children of other deities. Some are actually the offspring of primordial forces as old as the multiverse itself. Acting within the Immaculate System, each deity is comfortably sustained by robust flows of spiritual power. In one sense the gods are manifestations of the belief behind prayers. Yet they are also the inspiration for those beliefs. Gods do not so much take on physical forms as project them. The true nature of each is an unimaginable concentration of holy energy.
Prayer provides deities with paths to inspire mortals while also empowering them. Any physical presence is normally provided by intermediaries like angels or talking animals. When gods choose to handle matters in person they can assume just about any form imaginable. Divine grandeur may be expressed as a giant fit to grapple gargantua. Yet all gods are also known to disguise themselves, appearing as weak and vulnerable mortals while administering tests of character or simply observing events on the ground. |
2,317 years ago the Fivesquare Pantheon established complete control over the spritual magic of the world. These twenty-five gods expelled the last of their rivals before joining together in the systematic containment of enormous energy generated by religious activity. Except for Ma Yuan, each of these deities had long been served by major established religions. Divine inspiration shaped new gospels and practices. Many forms of competition gave way to cooperation. Modern scriptures and visionaries guided faiths into well-defined roles constituting a harmonious collective. Some modern religions thrive by filling a social need. Others inspire passionate prayers by generating conflict among mortals.
Each god manages a portfolio containing shares of several spheres of influence. These spheres shape everything from the wonders gods perform to the doctrines governing churches. Divided control enables individual gods to pursue multiple interests while the collective presents greater variety to potential worshippers. Spiritual seekers often take an interest in multiple gods. Some even achieve spellcasting through a polytheistic faith. Others draw power through a philosophy that is not explicitly religious. Regardless of personal belief, all spiritual spellcasters receive the bulk their magical energy from a single divine patron. Those with the proper alignment and core beliefs find their prayers reliably answered by divine power.
◯ Air These deities often send magic on the breezes. Their emissaries may arrive by flight, and the effects of miracles they work are literally cool. Mountainfolk and others seeking relief from cold winds often pray to these gods.
◯ Authority The Regal Deities are so majestic that even most other gods are incapable of direct defiance. Their priests can become tremendously influential. Their faiths are often funded and promoted by political leaders seeking to emphasize their own power.
◯ Balance Some gods are precise by nature. Their wonders harmonize with the natural environment. Followers of these faiths tend to be adept at blending in with their surroundings, and they have a keen understanding of ecological sustainability.
◯ Darkness Those who cannot see in the dark are especially inclined to pray for safety after sundown. Yet these gods are more inclined to celebrate nocturnal dangers. Wickedly evil, their priests contribute to the ominous ambiance of night life.
◯ Earth These deities enjoy a special connection to the land. Their miracles can transform the terrain, and their priests may feel energy welling up from the ground. Temples to these gods are sometimes sheltered by enormous stonework.
“You cannot eat in winter what you did not plant in spring.”
— Blissful Gardening, a Kind Cultivationist primer |
◯ Fire Both useful and destructive, the blessings of this element fill enemies with fear and allies with hope. Burnt offerings are welcomed by these deities. Some of their priests support armies with battle magic worthy of a true wizard.
◯ Harvest Few farms in modern times operate without abundant prayer. The best years elicit grateful thanksgivings, while the worst draw desperate pleas for relief. In any civilized rural area, at least one of these gods is sure to be popular.
◯ Havoc Worship of these deities is forbidden in some places and unwelcome in many others. They are associated with booming voices and music if not outright mayhem as well. Criminals often pray to these gods in hopes of becoming more terrifying or destructive.
Spiritual Channels Each god partakes of the power of prayer in a uniquely personal way. Yet some aspects of the process are universal. The most pleasing prayers are extremely urgent and totally earnest. Hopes and fears bundled together at such a critical moment are a divine delicacy. Quantity matters as well. Gods enjoying daily prayers from huge populations are able to energize much mortal magic while sharing abundant surpluses with their peers.
Like farmers planting seed held back from the year before, the gods return portions of this energy to their most devoted worshippers. These spiritual spellcasters advance a divine agenda through both word and deed. Often they promote general growth and prosperity. Yet conflict also prompts intensely satisfying prayers. Heresies and holy wars pit priest against priest, each fervor escalating the other. The gods produce spiritual delicacies by tampering with the history of the world.
Deities seem all-seeing and ever-present because their outreach only falters on terms dictated by the gods themselves. Spiritual spellcasters who no longer respect the teachings of their own faith or philosophy will no longer be able to call upon its magic. Some lapsed practitioners manage to atone fully. Others convert to a less structured method of connecting with the same patron. The only other way to recover lost access requires a profound outlook adjustment if not also an alignment change, earnestly embracing a new set of beliefs and virtues along with the inspiration of a new heavenly patron. |
◯ Judgement Some of the most thoughtful and eloquent prayers come from leaders deliberating important decisions. Wise rulers tend to support gods known for rational reflections and moral guidance. Their priests occupy important positions in many legal systems.
◯ Medicine Prayer seems to be a natural human response to sickness or injury. All spiritual spellcasters can become healers, but these deities specialize in curative miracles. Donated healing services win many loyal converts for these faiths, while sale of the same generates wealth.
◯ Mischief Some deities inspire disorderly holy orders. Their priests flagrantly disrespect the sacred traditions of others. Illegal activities are common at their gatherings, where sermons challenge traditional values. Stern rulers sometimes condemn or outlaw these religions.
◯ Music Deities operating in this sphere support all sorts of artistic endeavors. Affiliated congregations normally enjoy excellent entertainment. Painters, playwrights, poets, musicians, and sculptors often dedicate their greatest works to these inspiring gods.
◯ Propriety These sternly lawful deities often promote elaborate moral codes. Their religions can serve as unifying political forces. Some of their priests see enforcing the law or serving the aristocracy as a holy duty. They make useful allies for rulers favoring consistent policies.
◯ Prosperity Cityfolk and gamblers running low on money often utter urgent prayers for more. Priests in control of great wealth attract congregations hoping to be likewise blessed. Events organized by these faiths also attract merchants seeking social connections.
◯ Secrecy Some religions motivate the faithful by revealing mysterious lore only to senior clergy. Secretive deities teach their followers to speak cryptically and disguise the size of their organizations. Some of their priests make excellent spies.
◯ Slaughter These deities hear prayers from fishers, hunters, and ranchers intent on reverently killing animals. The same gods also empower supplicants to end the lives of enemies. Ritual sacrifice of persons can be particularly pleasing to these deities.
◯ Storms Deities with this specialty accompany their miracles with heavenly displays of thunder and lightning. Boldly profaning their names has been known to result in death from above. Their priests can provide allies with tactical advantages at crucial moments.
◯ Strategy These gods encourage their followers to plan thoroughly and adapt smartly. Their religions are extremely popular among people involved in warfare or economic development. Many adherents initially find these faiths while searching for non-spiritual counsel.
“Trends show continued convergence of global spiritual shares. Each Regal Deity enjoys 48‰ while the least energized gods take in 34‰.”
— 24th Spiritual Census of the Celestial Accountants |
◯ Vigor Some people constantly strive to become stronger, faster, or tougher. Prayers paired with purposeful exercise provide the prowess to excel in labor or battle. Associated religions emphatically idealize mortal physical forms with exceptional attributes.
◯ Vision These deities encourage their followers to see the world clearly. Their faiths promote literacy and basic education. Philanthropists fund their institutions generously as sources of relief and guidance for communities in need.
◯ Water When a major irrigation system or urban reservoir falters, many voices raise in prayer for this element. Others beg for relief from flooding. Essential lifegiving supplies are often guarded by priests of these deities.
Deities by Spheres
| THE FIVESQUARE PANTHEON |
| Deity | Alignment | Invocation | Spheres of Influence |
| Apollo | CG | God of the Setting Sun | fire, harvests, music, medicine, vision |
| Arawn | LE | God of Final Rewards | harvests, judgement, propriety, prosperity, water |
| Ares | CE | God of Untamed Violence | fire, havoc, mischief, strategy, vigor |
| Chih Sung-Tzu | N | God of Gentle Rain | harvests, medicine, mischief, slaughter, water |
| Chung Kuel | LG | God of Just Trials | balance, fire, judgement, propriety, vision |
| Dagda | N | God of Limitless Might | authority, earth, mischief, slaughter, vigor |
| Dionysus | CN | God of Drunken Revelry | havoc, medicine, mischief, music, water |
| Geb | N | God of Solid Ground | earth, harvests, medicine, secrecy, strategy |
| Hades | NE | God of Tranquil Death | darkness, earth, prosperity, secrecy, slaughter |
| Hel | NE | Goddess of Cursed Afflictions | darkness, havoc, secrecy, storms, water |
| Lei Kung | LE | God of Ferocious Squalls | air, darkness, propriety, storms, strategy |
| Loki | CE | God of Endless Disguises | darkness, fire, havoc, mischief, music |
| Mannanan Mac Lir | CN | God of Briny Depths | mischief, secrecy, slaughter, storms, water |
| Ma Yuan | CE | God of Bloody Murder | balance, darkness, earth, havoc, slaughter |
| Odin | NG | God of the Final Battle | air, authority, slaughter, strategy, vigor |
| Oghma | N | God of Accumulated Lore | air, medicine, music, secrecy, vision |
| Osiris | LG | God of Noble Sacrifice | air, harvests, judgement, medicine, vision |
| Ptah | LN | God of Forged Marvels | balance, earth, propriety, prosperity, vision |
| Ra | NG | God of the Rising Sun | authority, fire, judgement, music, vision |
| Set | LE | God of Darkest Night | darkness, havoc, secrecy, storms, water |
| Shang-Ti | LN | God of the Immaculate System | authority, balance, judgement, propriety, strategy |
| Silvanus | N | God of Verdant Wilderness | balance, earth, harvests, prosperity, vigor |
| Thor | CG | God of Rolling Thunder | air, music, prosperity, storms, vigor |
| Tyr | LG | God of Relentless Crusades | balance, fire, judgement, propriety, strategy |
| Zeus | CG | God of the Heavenly Throne | air, authority, prosperity, storms, vigor |
The Regal Deities Dagda, Odin, Ra, Shang-Ti, and Zeus are all beings accustomed to bending even other gods to their will. Phrases like “lord of lords” and “king of kings” often spill from the lips of their priests. When the spiritual flows of the world were standardized by The Immaculate System, each of these Regal Deities would be joined by four other great gods of similar cultural affiliation. The maturation of this arrangement raised a cosmic barrier to interference from outside deities, at the same time reinforcing wards against the return of any Dead Gods.
Several categories of other entities can empower spellcasters, but all spritual spellcasting is firmly governed by The Immaculate System. Though some hellish or angelic beings personally wield sparks of divine power, only faithful adherence to a religion or philosophy supported by an active god provides access to holy power. Every cleric is passionately connected to a specific patron deity, though some believe their blessings derive from a broader pantheon or an abstract principle. Each of the Regal Deities exerts personal authority when an associate's actions undermine the stability of their collective arrangement. |
Though many divine beings have touched the face of the world, the Great Consolidation drove almost all of them away. Five groups of five gods remain. Some answer prayers directed to their departed peers or even perpetuate worship of their wives by empowering priests and inspiring heroes devoted to those absent godesses. All deities empower one or two polytheistic faiths. Yet there have also been many religious purges. Over
97% of the deities once active in the world are now unable to grant prayers, physically manifest, or otherwise intervene.
All spiritual magic in the modern era is under the control of survivors strengthened by cosmic struggles for control of the world. Five contiguous dominions each embrace a distinct body of traditions inspired by a leader among gods – Odin across Greater Norland, Dagda in Old Silvania, Zeus in the Truscan Empire, Ra in the Serpian Empire, and Shang-Ti across the Orient. Some additional gods survived the Great Consolidation as stalwart allies of these leaders. Others made a place for themselves as adversaries or foils. Collectively, the Fivesquare Pantheon sustains at least
135 bodies of religious magic while empowering no less than
34 spellcasting philosophies.
Within each cultural group, ongoing tensions facilitate narratives priests employ to inspire the faithful and illustrate moral arguments. Highly educated people know which twenty-five gods remain active in the world today, though common folk may struggle to correctly name more than half of the Fivesquare Pantheon. Most human communities are home to clergy eager to promote their faith and provide selective instruction in religious lore. Artists of all sorts can find commissions if they are willing to glorify the sacred stories of a faith ministering to a large congregation.
Each deity answers prayers from a mix of religions along with one or two philosophies. Some forms of worship are governed by earthly organizations that take official positions on even the smallest points of doctrine. Others are loose traditions evolving as exceptional individuals make their mark. Each member of the Fivesquare Pantheon employs layers of unearthly minions to coordinate routine activity along spiritual flows. These intermediaries reward the most pleasing prayers and satisfying sacrifices. Only truly accomplished spellcasters have a chance of calling out directly into the ear of a deity.
Religious Spellcasting The Immaculate System directs the energy from acts of prayer and devotion into twenty-one heavenly fountains. Each god draws incalculable power through connections to five of these features. When a holy plea is expressed by a supplicant in the mortal realm, an opportunity for outreach is created. Granting a miracle in answer to prayer either pilots or deepens a spiritual channel. These channels transmit energy spilling out of heavenly fountains to the places a deity desires successful spellcasting. To benefit from this support, practitioners must be earnest in devotion to an idea if not also a specific god.
Priests typically wish to serve as instruments of a divine being, fully embracing the alignment and teachings of a personal patron. Paladins and even some laypeople may prove so dedicated as to likewise achieve a measure of spiritual spellcasting ability. Sincerity is never optional in these cases. Prayer, meditation, and/or ritual sacrifice become routine activities for every active cleric. Holy orders explicitly forbid certain acts, leaving transgressors without magical support until sufficient atonement has been made.
Even the most flexible philosophies fail a spellcaster who no longer embraces their core values. Some practitioners of spiritual magic recover from every crisis of faith, restoring good relations with their divine patrons. Overcoming great failure can lead to an even stronger religious commitments. Bold action is normally required to validate this renewal. Others who lapse may embrace a completely different set of beliefs. If newfound convictions are heartfelt, a holy person may discover a different path to familiar form power from an entirely new patron. |
∀ Holy orders venerate a single deity as the supreme being, specialized in some areas yet powerful in all. These faiths accept the existence of other gods, but holy orders typically forbid prayer to anyone other than their divine patron. Some holy orders select new members from regular classes of hopefuls put through demanding training and testing procedures. Others carry on without much in the way of infrastructure, inspiring spontaneous conversions through miraculous feats. Participation in ritual activity may be required. Many holy orders feature rigid codes of conduct. Flagrant disregard for these strictures alienates the divine patron as well as others of the same faith. Regaining the grace of a god is often no small endeavor.
Holy orders offer some advantages along with their requirements. More than a few of these groups feature a body of practices and scripture helping them thrive in commerce. These religious trade secrets are always secondary to the sacred purpose each member must pursue passionately. For some organizations, a spiritual commitment to quality work is all the advantage needed to compete with other vendors. Some institutions blur the line between worship and trade. True devotion is the only path into the clergy of these organizations, since oaths cannot be broken often before losing credibility with potential customers. Affiliated priests are involved in many sorts of licensing and inspection processes. Some faiths even support the sale of spiritual privileges to generous congregants.
φ Philosophies are empowered by deities even though reverence and prayers are directed at an abstract entity or general principle. Some scholars believe any philosophy compatible with spellcasting is a holy order that has yet to be defined by its core revelations. Others believe magical philosophies are subtle tools of the gods, piloting spiritual channels without building a rigid addition to the network. Most philosophers gather in small discussion groups or share their knowledge through master-student pairings. Each philosophy dictates a set of values and a general perspective on the world. Yet spellcasting adherents may hold diverse opinions in many areas, including the nature of their own powers. Even for practioners who believe otherwise, these magical philosophers channel the energy of a patron deity.
∈ Polytheisms are systems of belief embracing entire pantheons of deities. Each regal deity maintains one of these religions to preserve the memory of associated Dead Gods. Ancient sacred sites and modern centers of historical education sustain these diverse and moderate religions. Their facilities are often tranquil places consecrated as monuments to the past. Each of these religions concerns itself with a vast body of archaic lore. Priests accumulate eclectic doctrines from a myriad of spiritual teachings. Sacred stories offer so many examples and counterexamples that learned polytheists know just how to undermine excessive zealotry. The institutions of these hugely inclusive traditions are often integrated into large universities or situated near sites of immense consequence during the Age of Heroes.
“The world makes more sense to those who understand it is run by committee.”
— Hassan Sharro, Discordian Pontifex |
Other polytheisms are pentads of modern deities linked by a tradition thriving in a specific human homeland. These faiths work miracles in the name of any associated god. Yet all holy channeling taps resources granted by one among the five, and practitioners must share the alignment of that deity. These spiritual collaborations often seem strange, especially outside their place of origin. Each polytheistic pentad generates constructive avenues for collaboration among deities. Most are linked to governments, social movements, or ancient traditions. Some promote forms of violent extremism. Senior clergy of these faiths often offer extraordianry rewards to heroes performing quests on their behalf. Most of these ethnic polytheisms have a profound influence on the human culture containing their base of support.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Deities ↑ → Apollo ← ↓ Arawn ↓
| THE GOD OF THE SETTING SUN |
Name: Apollo
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Kindred: The Olympians
Wandering Star: Evestar
Chosen People: Tuathish
Lands: Danu, Galloria, Helvetica, Thrace, Truscanny
Also Known As: Helius, Lycoctonus, Phoebus, Sol
Layfolk Spells: Sacred Flame, Healing Word, Flaming Sphere, Daylight
Spheres: fire, harvests, medicine, music, vision
Virtues: charity, consistency, creativity, watchfulness, wit
Vocations: archers, artists, entertainers, farmers, healers
Animals: entwining serpent, serene bird of paradise, vicious wolf
Guises: colorful painter, flawless marksman, knowledgeable musician
Symbols: bow with arrows, classical lyre, laurel crown
Observances: concerts, fall equinoxes, summer solstices
Associations: Chamber of Light, Sky Gods
Honorifics: Master of the Muses, Supreme Prophet, Vanquisher of Empousai
|
Apollo The God of the Setting Sun is especially revered by musicians and archers as well as practitioners of medicine. Though a Truscan deity, Apollo is worshiped in many places people seek relief from their injuries and maladies. His faiths have no formal hierarchical structure. They resolve differences, or at least achieve mutual respect, through cheerful debate. Many freely share education and entertainment with receptive audiences. His clergy are often held in high esteem, and community support tends to be robust. Most evenings his temples are home to huge communal meals accompanied by a mix of sacred and popular music.
Φ CHAOTIC GOOD – As a Sun God, Apollo favors worshippers with reliably giving natures. Warmth and light are to be shared freely. Making a gift of other blessings is commendable in the eyes of these faiths. Those eyes are everywhere, since Apollo's followers also encourage the free exchange of information. Often music serves this cause. Affiliated bards systematically gather and spread tales of recent events. This deity has been inspiring poets for thousands of years, and his personal retinue commands a myriad of creative powers. Worshippers who are not themselves artists of some sort should nonetheless hold a healthy appreciation for the arts.
✠ Magic of the Layfolk – Those passionate enough in their devotion to earn the grace of this god find themselves able to call down searing radiance with a prayer. Understanding the workings of this
Sacred Flame opens channels for delivering heaven-sent help to a nearby creature in need. Use of this
Healing Word provides salvation to someone otherwise in the twilight of life. Further excellence in evening sun worship illuminates the secrets of conjuring and controlling a
Flaming Sphere. As impressive as that deadly orb is, greater esteem attaches to those devotees able to bring
Daylight into the darkest places.
✶ Evestar – The star of Apollo can often be found near the western horizon around dusk, brilliantly reflecting the colors from the Sun's last rays of the day. It always sets before midnight, though exceptional brightness normally makes it the earliest star to become apparent each evening. Some traditions hold that work and travel must cease promptly once Evestar is plainly visible. Departures from its normal path sometimes indicate the time is right for a festival. In celestial conjunctions, this object emphasizes the imminence of related prophecy.
∀ Akesion Institutes are colleges for the study of the healing arts as well as a place where Life clerics work miracles on the afflicted and injured. Offering help to people of all faiths, these Institutes maintain ties to cadres of wealthy benefactors. Requiring robust support services, specialized equipment, costly supplies, and substantial libraries; these facilities are rare outside large cities. This holy order strongly promotes pacificism. Most members arm themselves with nothing but tiny blades, and some take an absolute pledge of non-violence. Past kindnesses typically generate plenty of powerful allies to limit the impact of this vulnerability. All manner of constables as well as other priests may be quick to take up arms whenever there is a threat to a nearby Akesion Institute.
“Apollo reminds us to give thanks at the end of each day by transforming the western horizon into a spectacular painting.”
— Shannon Brannigan, Feastkeeper pastor |
∀ The
Analemmic Harvesters all carry holy symbols that double as instruments for studying the position of the Sun in the sky. Noon and sunset are traditional times of prayer for these Nature clerics. Their observations inform decisions about the timing of agricultural cycles, and their holy books explain the geometry of proper sundial placement. Though not sworn to pacifism, these priests tend to be peaceful and reclusive. Some Analemmic Harvesters band together in small farming communes, while others plan urban gardens to make the best use of available light. Their methods excel at raising quality flowers and produce. The most distinguished members of this order advise great leaders and coordinate agricultural policy to sustain the multitudes of modern nations.
∈ Feastkeepers are the most common sort of cleric on Danu. Adherents to this faith pray to Apollo, Arawn, Dagda, Dionysus, and Silvanus depending on which deity is most relevant. Preached independently in hundreds of small town churches, the gospel of this polytheism is unusually fluid. Contrary to religious norms, Feastkeepers regard fey magic as sacred. They hold positive attitudes about certain sorts of witches and warlocks. Sprites and pixies enjoy places of honor at their rituals. These priests are uniquely suited to officiate events that harmonize holy and fey powers. The most experienced practitioners are also master schedulers. Their traditions teach the cryptic calendar of the Imperium Arcanum. Study of that staggeringly complex scheme makes reckoning dates by any other system an easy task.
Divine Healing In a world of abundant danger and sickness, the miraculous healing accomplished through acts of faith is a vital part of most societies. Many clerics cultivate support in the surrounding community by offering relief to people in poor health. Large organizations often rely on these spiritual spellcasters to keep their members fit and functional. The most gifted healers sometimes attract the patronage of wealthy and powerful figures in need of remedies. In some circles, no application of magic earns greater respect than healing.
All holy orders provide this service to likeminded worshippers and valuable allies. Some also share it with strangers in need, but only a few orders operate facilities explicitly intended for medical purposes. This has long been an important part of promoting and expanding competitive sects. Many sick or injured people will seek clerical remedy. This gives healers an opportunity for outreach when others are at their most susceptible. Yet this practice of recruiting the desperate and downtrodden is not widely criticized. Most people believe the presence of strong organized religions signifies that a locale is a safe place to raise a family. |
∀ The
Lycoctonian Stewards are experts on the subject of lycanthropy. They view the disease as an unholy curse, and they feel sympathy for the afflicted. These Forge clerics build sanctuaries over sturdy stone structures that can confine werebeasts throughout a nocturnal transformation. Though cooperative individuals may earn blessings through this sequestration, their creed obligates members of this holy order to hunt any lycanthropes refusing confinement prior to sundown when a full moon is expected. Major Lycoctonian Steward strongholds also traffic in silvered and magical weapons to support these hunts. Wherever a werebeast menaces the innocent, members of this holy order will be eager to resolve the situation with all the expertise they can muster.
φ The
Sagittarian Way is a philosophy practiced by War clerics specializing in the synergy of spiritual magic with techniques of marksmanship. They find peace and kinship in reverence for the arc of a true shot. They prize precision, yet they seek it through intuitive methods. Seasoned Sagittarians will offer guidance to others, mentoring young warriors. Famed masters may have a coterie of novices honing their ability to find their mark both as archers and as purpose-driven people. Some elves find these beliefs particularly inspiring. Practitioners often earn income as military archers or professional hunters. They draw power by chanting mantras like “one shot one kill.” Such phrases may also be engraved on their bows or inked onto headbands.
∀ Each
Sundown Temple is broadly similar to the others, staffed by Light clerics who offer healing and counsel to supplicants in need. Their customs promote generosity and mercy while upholding enlightenment and education as important values. These temples sometimes serve as the centerpiece of an emerging frontier town, yet they are often eclipsed by less modest religious establishments as urbanization sets in. Individual temples are only loosely aligned, and competing institutions have been known to operate mere blocks apart. As they do much to support public health, other community leaders typically welcome senior members of this holy order. Even so, Sundown Temple congregations have been known to publicly protest political oppression and excesses of preventable poverty.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Apollo ↑ → Arawn ← ↓ Ares ↓
| THE GOD OF FINAL REWARDS |
Name: Arawn
Alignment: Lawful Evil
Kindred: The Tribe
Wandering Star: Wolfglow
Chosen People: Lachlanders
Lands: Danu, Darresteg, Galloria, Lachland, Sylvania
Also Known As: Arubianus, Gwyn ap Nud
Layfolk Spells: Grievous Grasp, Inflict Wounds, Blur, Speak with Dead
Spheres: harvests, judgement, propriety, prosperity, water
Virtues: avarice, consistency, erudition, hedonism, slyness
Vocations: cavalry, constables, farmers, hunters, merchants
Animals: vigilant raven, playful fox, stalking hound
Guises: demanding trader, elegant knight, relentless stalker
Symbols: bloody scythe, hunting horn, sickle with grain
Observances: executions, fall equinoxes, memorials
Associations: Death Gods, Druidfriends, Metaphysical Lawgivers
Honorifics: King of Annwyn, Master of the Wild Hunt, Supreme Reaper
|
Arawn The God of Final Rewards is said to be certain the cruel are tormented in the afterlife even as he schemes to recategorize the souls of heroes. As the Old Silvanian god of death, he has become the recipient of prayers from all around the world whenever people seek to communicate with dead ancestors or plead for their favorable treatment. Since many investigators seek clarity from beyond the grave, priestly intermediation is a valuable service. Some people endure otherwise unbearable conditions through the belief that justice awaits in the next world. Anyone who supports the idea of karmic retribution may find satisfaction in praying to Arawn.
Φ LAWFUL EVIL – Priests of this Death God entice worshippers with tales of an afterlife featuring endless feasts and revels in Annwyn. Known to some as “the blessed hell,” this realm allows souls to reign over their own prosperous fiefs so long as they give Arawn his due. In life, worshippers of this deity exploit others, tempting them to make binding agreements. These faiths encourage mastery of language and the law as a means of exploitation. Arawn's followers may be sympathetic to slavery in lands that do not support the practice. Wherever they reside, the faithful see role models in anyone who lives a life of opulent leisure funded by the labors of others.
✠ Magic of the Layfolk – Arawn extends the hand of death to be taken by those most loyal to their divine patron. Worshippers able to lash out with this
Grievous Grasp may claim enough lives to learn how their own hands might
Inflict Wounds with death magic. Articulate and well-mannered individuals sometimes deliver this brutal spiritual assault as an unexpected surprise. An even deeper commitment to Arawn allows some to
Blur their place between this world and the afterlife. Enough comfort with that crossing enables the most devoted of Arawn's adherents to
Speak with Dead bodies still whole enough to respond meaningfully.
✶ Wolfglow – Though often a faint gray presence in the night sky, this object can be located by the nebula that enshrouds it. Wolfglow illuminates a cosmic cloud vaguely reminiscent of a wolf's head. Arawn's star flares with a silvery light over lands where an undead plague is looming or underway. It also sometimes lingers near constellations associated with recently deceased rulers. This object changes path often, following tracks that look more like straight lines than arcs. Some say its approach signals imminent death among the aristocracy.
“inherited an estate on The Island.”
— Sylvanian euphemism for having died |
∀ The
Deathriders are a scattered order of War clerics dedicated to slaying formidable enemies with lethal magic. Swift steeds enable them to maintain skirmishing distance until their enemies are sufficiently accursed and weakened. Widely feared, they thrive when able to band together as elite mercenaries or find a place among the cavalry of a regular army. Despite murderous ways, Deathriders kill according to an elaborate protocol that eschews surprise attacks. To their way of thinking, the advantage of an ambush is minor compared to the terror that can be inspired by deploying divine wrath in plain view. Their holy purpose is to send spirits into the afterlife so frightened that they will embrace any fate that does not involve return to the mortal world.
Death and Afterlife Five different deities each have a formal connection to death. Each Death God accepted a rigidly defined role on joining the Immaculate System. These roles are reflected in the rites, symbolism, and sermons of clergy. Some worshippers are strongly motivated by the desire to achieve a particular afterlife. Others are driven by fear of eternal damnation. All souls not immortalized or reincarnated eventually wind up in the metaphysical pocket of a Death God.
Hel promotes death by sickness and other gradual methods, including poison. Ma Yuan favors a more direct approach – the violent slaughter of the doomed. Hades oversees passage into the afterlife, consecrating every proper burial. Osiris sits in judgement on the other side, conducting extensive trials before determining an individual's eternal fate. Arawn then settles each departed soul into one of five final resting places.
Θ Aaru is the realm of Osiris. The floodplain of this endless river offers bountiful harvests and hunting to all resident souls. With every neighbor pure of heart and a perpetual abundance of unclaimed land, this realm is a peaceful paradise where luxurious comfort is easily achieved and happily shared.
Θ Annwyn is the realm of Arawn. Souls are awarded an appropriate noble title on arrival here. Some even rise within this afterlife aristocracy. A fall from grace awaits those who fail to follow strict protocols while honoring their liege. These demotions leave no shortage of commoners to perform undignified labors.
Θ Avernus is the realm of Hades. Here souls are chained inside dark and hot caverns. Individuals condemned to this fate face an endless series of inventive physical and mental cruelties. Every respite from brutal torments is consumed by anticpation of the next horror and the dread of knowing that they will never end.
Θ Niflheim is the realm of Hel. Souls experience perpetual chills and hunger here, though the worst abuses they suffer are inflicted by one another. Food and fuel always seem to be a little less abundant than needed. Some find warmth in togetherness while others burn with hatred in this expanse of glacial desolation.
Θ Roucong is the realm of Ma Yuan. Each day souls awake alone and confused in this steamy jungle teeming with perilous predators. Deadly attacks constantly escalate, inevitably eradicating any progress toward shelter or community. Yet the fallen arise elsehwere the next day as prey for a fresh hunt. |
∀ Echo Journalists magically scour the past in the pursuit of historical accuracy. These Knowledge clerics believe spirits cannot achieve final rest while false tales of their lives remain in circulation. Some investigate controversial deaths to compose the most accurate chronicle of underlying events. Those with greater resources scry into the past and commune with the spirits of the dead. The most esteemed Echo Journalists may insert themselves into political struggles with expert opinions about historic events. Their faith demands that each claim of fact in their accounts be verified. Skilled storytellers know that many narratives can be forged from the same set of givens. Despite their editorial flexibility, members of this holy order are regarded as authorities on what really happened in days gone by.
∀ Reconciliators are Grave clerics dedicated to making all transitions into the afterlife smooth and permanent. Where practical, they use public notice boards to post obituaries. Because one of their holy commandments requires diligent adherence to the will of the deceased, they are called upon to settle disputes about estates. For a small fee, Reconciliators work with a living individual to prepare a written guide detailing the particulars of those intentions. For a huge fee, a senior practitioner may interrogate a departed spirit. Yet always their aim is to settle matters with finality rather than sustain unearthly dialogue. Where inheritance leads to intractable conflict, Reconciliators may take up arms for the sacred purpose of putting the matter to rest once and for all.
φ The
Rites of the Medium are a body of hocus pocus facilitating grift of false reports from beyond the grave. Practiced by some Trickery clerics, the underlying philosophy provides a lucrative lifestyle for many. Keen insights and vague reassurances are transformed into a compelling supernatural experience through generous use of ancient lore, basic cantrips, local gossip, and stagecraft. Though many are professional charlatans, practitioners are able to work real miracles by praying to “the spirit realm,” “the other side,” or simply “beyond.” Many people view Mediums as scoundrels because they reserve actual communion for their personal friends and most generous sponsors. These priests support a tranquil afterlife by deflecting many attempts to interrupt the final rest of deceased spirits.
∀ Small cells of reclusive Nature clerics known as
Shrineminders maintain monuments at burial grounds. In darkness they discreetly collect accumulated donations intended for departed loved ones. Their scriptures are rich with specifics on gardening and flower arranging. Shrineminder novices often work as undertakers or stonecarvers. Members of this softspoken holy order reserve their full fury for those who dare to vandalize grave sites. Given sufficient resources, these priests will dutifully organize maintenance and security for nearby cemeteries. They are incorruptible so long as the bereaved continue to show interest. Yet, when memories fade along with donations and visitations, it is said Shrineminders will make their coin from necromancers seeking access to forgotten remains.
φ Solicitous Drafters are experts in the language of legal contracts and traditional forms of obligation. They dedicate themselves to personal enrichment through documents signed and oaths taken. Some exploit severe debtor penalties to acquire stock for slave auctions. Others extend credit to businesses then wage a relentless battle of wits until former owners are reduced to working tenants. Even in cultures lacking institutional support for contract law, honor debts and similar traditions may be brought to bear in these efforts to achieve dominion over others. Solicitous Drafters appeal to the sanctity of agreements as the foundation of all meaningful things, including spiritual magic itself. From their lips, insisting on the terms of a deal may convey the power of prayer.
∈ Totem Artists mingle ancient techniques of carving trees with modern religious imagery devoted to Arawn, Hel, Mannanan Mac Lir, Odin, and Tyr. The resulting monuments tower over hallowed ground, warn of local dangers, or assert territorial claims. Though Totem Artists have been known to practice this distinctive craft wherever forests thrive, their dramatic carvings are a common sight in Lachland. Across that frigid realm, the faithful leave offerings enough to sustain these practitioners. Elsewhere some ally with groups residing in woodlands or find support from patrons willing to fund ominous installations. These spellcasters respond to vandals with violence. Yet popular sites often offer notice boards or local maps to accommodate visitors intent on making marks of their own.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Arawn ↑ → Ares ← ↓ Chih Sung-Tzu ↓
| THE GOD OF UNTAMED VIOLENCE |
Name: Ares
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Kindred: The Olympians
Wandering Star: Ramstar
Chosen People: Maniacs
Lands: Helvetica, Ontolon, Transmania, Truscanny, Wabahar
Also Known As: Camulus, Mars, Toutatis
Layfolk Spells: Firebolt, Burning Hands, Enhance Ability, Fear
Spheres: fire, havoc, mischief, strategy, vigor
Virtues: brawn, industry, savagery, solidarity, supremacy
Vocations: contenders, foragers, infantry, mariners, renegades
Animals: noisy woodpecker, protective wolf, vicious ram
Guises: silent guard, clamorous smith, stalwart berserker
Symbols: crested helm, crossed swords, shield over spear
Observances: conquests, tournaments, parades
Associations: Fathers of Invention, The Profaners, War Gods
Honorifics: Father of the Amazons, Supreme Soldier, Vanquisher of Titans
|
Ares The God of Untamed Violence is worshiped by those in pursuit of physical perfection as well as people inclined toward bloodlust. As his followers tend to resist discipline, large military organizations do not officially encourage this faith. Yet it thrives in covert fellowships where raw displays of brute strength are the focus of wild celebrations. Gladiators and independent warriors hone their most destructive tendencies by embracing one of these religions. Deserters and abandoned soldiers pray to Ares for the strength to survive alone. Role models among these faiths are not only mighty combatants, but also fiercely independent individuals able to thrive without organizational support.
Φ CHAOTIC EVIL – This War God inspires peak performance from his devotees. Fighting, training, and hard labor are all glorified as virtuous endeavors. Sermons tend to promote aggressive behaviors and tactics. Yet all options are acceptable in pursuit of victory. Though followers of Ares will be quick to defend their closest allies, their beliefs idealize dominance over outsiders. Intimidation as introduction, threat as negotiation – adherents to these faiths have famously poor manners. When met with resistance they can be cruel in victory. The paradox of Ares involves craving battle while maintaining menace that discourages opposition.
✠ Magic of the Layfolk – It pleases Ares to see mortal wrath expressed as a deadly attack. Chosen followers may find that their anger can be amplified into a ferocious
Firebolt. Enough experience hurling sparks of aggression may unlock the ability to project a torrent of incendiary intensity through
Burning Hands. The honorific of Spirit Bestiary becomes applicable to worshippers of this war god when they learn the
Enhance Ability spell. Though now a versatile and formidable war machine, the most zealous followers of Ares go on to strike
Fear into the hearts of any who dare stand in their paths.
✶ Ramstar – This brilliant red beacon is normally found in the southern sky in late evenings or early mornings. It often moves with such speed as to leave a trail of glowing energy in its wake. Ramstar is known to rush swiftly toward other stars, then flare up to conceal them with its own light. Sometimes this causes a constellation to appear wounded. Unusual behavior from this star of Ares is seen as a sign that conflicts will escalate. Peace yields to war. Limited war yields to unrestrained aggression. Ramstar shines brightly upon nocturnal military atrocities.
∀ Blazing Dervishes practice frenetic dances to better maintain their bearings in the thick of combat. These Light clerics command an acrobatic fighting style that doubles as spectacular entertainment. Ritual dances bestow physical fitness while serving as acts of veneration. In battle, constant motion makes for difficult targets while enabling arcing attacks from unpredictable angles. Holy power is both weapon and distraction in their hands. During peacetime Blazing Dervishes may dazzle large crowds with exhibitions of illuminated acrobatics, burning off excess energy. Yet these shows also endanger bystanders who stray too close to the action. Right at home in battle, the flourishes and finishing moves of these whirling warriors can be truly explosive.
“To win a fight is glorious. An even greater glory follows from taking treasure for yourself because none dare stand against you.”
— Captain Axel Schmidt, Order Indomitable |
φ Tempest clerics known as
Gnarly Waveriders specialize in nautical warfare. Taking cues from an ancient tales about Aphrodite and Ares intertwined, adherents place personal passions above all other concerns. Their prayers sometimes appeal to “the Wave,” while others can be specific about “swells,” “hollows,” “curls,” “breakers,” and so forth. Yet they never call upon the sea as a larger entity. When not in battle, Gnarly Waveriders can often be found flaunting their physiques at the best convergence of surf and Sun in the area. Most join up with small groups that alternate between wild beach parties and even wilder acts of coastal banditry. When overwhelmed local authorities garner support for enforcement action, these itinerant hedonists slip away in search of calmer waters to disturb.
∀ Martial Manhunters are a secret society of Knowledge clerics who express their devotion to Ares by selecting worthy adversaries then gathering information to achieve tactical advantages. These priests often excel as trackers and investigators. Their holy purpose is fulfilled by accumulating a clearly favorable edge, devising a careful plan, equipping for contingencies, then killing their selected target. Unlike other spiritually-inclined trackers, these aggressive brutes casually employ intimidation and violence in pursuit of their quarry. The hidden training academies where this order shares it secrets are often well-funded. Wealthy individuals facing a bounty on their heads may find a conduit for tithing to this faith just to be sure no Martial Manhunter takes the job.
The War Gods If an outside entity should ever imperil the world itself, Odin would lead a coordinated team featuring Thor, Tyr, Ares, and Lei Kung. The War Gods are pledged to set aside their grudges long enough to drive off any threat to The Immaculate System. As a team they can quickly bring almost any conflict to an outcome both decisive and favorable. While Ma Yuan is a deterrent to lone interlopers, these five formidable deities prevent organized interference with the current spiritual order. The unification of diverse moral extremes in this affiliation serves as an example to promote other divine collaborations.
Though they secure the world from external threats, the War Gods are also actively interested in the politics of mortals. Conventional wars are like games to them, proxies for the direct aggression they cannot perpetrate under the terms of their pact. The passion of conflict generates generous returns on energy invested through inspiration and miracles. These gods guide the course of events in hopes the victorious side sweetens this payback. Triumphant regimes often elevate militant religious institutions in their civic cultures. In playing out so many conflicts, the War Gods have forged both a collegial fellowship and endless lists of personal scores to settle. |
∀ The
Order Indomitable is a fellowship of War clerics who combine aggressive physical training with controversial rituals involving bloodsport and human sacrifice. They think it unseemly to end the day with healing magic to spare, so they conclude ordinary nights with a frenzy of brawling and blade fights. Members of the Order Indomitable are infamous for their volatile moods and extreme tempers. Orcs and minotaurs are particularly at home in the ranks of this group. Their simple scriptures condemn modesty and humility as major sins. Comments about the trail of destruction in their wake often prompt the rebuke, “only the weak hide their tracks.” These priests celebrate gladiators, warlords, and violence for its own sake. Wise innkeepers know to feign a shortage of booze at the sight of an O.I. insignia.
∀ The
Phoenix Phalanx is named for an ancient mercenary army that made extensive use of healing magic to withstand hordes of rampaging demons and legions of elite infantry. Today their traditions live on inside other military units. Vividly painted shields make these spellcasters stand out from their comrades. Adherents happily dish out damage whenever there is no need for healing among allies at hand. Extensive exposure to battlefield trauma teaches these Life clerics as much about anatomy as any classroom could. The goodwill they generate through service only lasts until Phoenix Phalanx medics switch sides in furtherance of their holy purpose – perpetuating violent conflicts. Beneficiaries rarely refuse lifesaving assistance. Their relief pairs with dread in knowing the struggle will not end anytime soon.
∈ The
Transcendent Troika refers to a criminal organization purportedly led by Ares, Hades, and Loki from a hidden base somewhere in Transmania. Some members of the organization work magic in the names of those gods just as wildly violent crusaders against it may derive power from prayers to Zeus and Thor. The Transcendent Troika is feared and respected by other outlaw syndicates even where it has no active personnel. Local leaders in this organization never accept direct compensation for favors. They offer services ranging from the elimination of enemies to the funding of business ventures. Any collaboration is the beginning of an eternal partnership both consecrated and concealed through holy ritual. Respect for mainstream norms is wiped away by pledging one's soul to this trio of divine villains.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Ares ↑ → Chih Sung-Tzu ← ↓ Chung Kuel ↓
| THE GOD OF GENTLE RAIN |
Name: Chih Sung-Tzu
Alignment: Neutral
Kindred: The Wŭshén
Wandering Star: Floodstar
Chosen People: Ontolonese
Lands: Celedine, Ontolon, Sivales, Xe-Shan, Zintu
Also Known As: Chisongzi, Yu Shi
Layfolk Spells: Acid Splash, Create/Destroy Water, Prayer of Healing, Water Walk
Spheres: harvests, medicine, mischief, slaughter, water
Virtues: charity, hedonism, industry, passion, persistence
Vocations: archers, farmers, foragers, healers, mariners
Animals: serene crane, playful monkey, stalking crocodile
Guises: colorful seducer, gentle painter, relentless marksman
Symbols: book of agriculture, simple cup, water sprinkler
Observances: birthdays, spring equinoxes, weddings
Associations: Druidfriends, Sky Gods
Honorifics: Deluge Duellist, Lord of Reflections, Supreme Sower
|
Chih Sung-Tzu The God of Gentle Rain always hears prayers from areas in need of drought relief as well as those facing a flood due to excessive rain. Farmers the world over look to him as the giver of their bounty, and festivals held in his name whimsically celebrate the arrival of seasonal rains. This deity is an essential partner to the Sun Gods in sustaining the life of the world. Chih Sung-Tzu's gift has many applications. Freshwater fish provide a bountiful source of food for many communities. Flowing streams carve out channels and provide the energy for productive mills. Soothing rains bring comfort while filling reservoirs and cleaning streets.
Φ NEUTRAL – Chih Sung-Tzu has the power to move mountains, yet he is by far the most humble of the Sky Gods. His blessings sometimes fall upon reverent practitioners of the Old Faith. His priests are often soft-spoken save for occasional outbursts of energetic revelry or dance. Offerings made in his name may be cast into a pool, river, or lake. Worshippers see nothing barbaric about sacrificing persons in this manner. These religions promote regular washing and bathing not only as a sacred comfort but also in service to grooming and hygiene. Healers channeling the power of this god tend to inspire excellent recoveries.
✠ Magic of the Layfolk – It may seem as if a victim is about to be assaulted with a huge bead clear water when one of Chih Sung-Tzu's favored followers turns hostile. Instead an
Acid Splash of corrosive solvents strikes a target or two. Greater devotion brings with it the ability to
Create or Destroy Water, an essential survival technique in some situations and a useful cleanup technique in others. Even more spectacular and revered is the
Prayer of Healing that sprinkles nearby allies with revitalizing raindrops. Yet the greatest sign of Chih Sung-Tzu's favor is the power to lead companions on a
Water Walk.
✶ Floodstar – A soft sphere of bright blue drifting gently through the night, Chih Sung-Tzu's star finds the center of the midnight sky at the height of each rainy season. With a gentle glow relative to other celestial objects, Floodstar conveys warnings by growing from a tiny sphere to an object with an apparent width as much as one-fourth that of the Moon. When this star is at its most swollen, some populated area is already underwater. Astute observers heed the warning when Floodstar first begins to deviate from its normal diameter.
∀ The
Cloudstriders are a league of Tempest clerics relying primarily on heroic exploits to promote their beloved patron. Most carry supplies of both holy water and flammable oil. These spellcasters provide a flexible array of support options to allied armies or adventurers. They work both proactively and reactively to gain advantage by reshaping clashes. Subtle persistent effort makes the most of their repertoire. Grand master Cloudstriders walk above their battles, raining down blessings and curses as they see fit. An intense surge of new recruiting may follow a public victory earned in this manner. Their novices tend to lash out directly with furious energy, but the journey of a Cloudstrider is a series of lessons revealing the inexorable power of a gentle deluge.
“A single raindrop cannot harm a mouse. Enough raindrops together become a torrent mighty enough to scour cities from the face of the world.”
— The Monkey and the Salamander, Deluvian fable |
∈ Deluvians preach a body of lore cobbled together by Mainlanders left in Ontolon after a transoceanic military withdrawal. Their stories tell of Shang-Ti and Chung Kuel building civilizations before Ares and Hades tear them down. Chih Sung-Tzu decides when the time is right for a fresh start by wiping everything away in a great flood. Deluvians venerate all five deities as ordained by a fusion of Ontolonese and Truscan scriptures. Though it is just as helpful as it is harmful, modern officials persecute this faith since some practitioners see sabotaging flood control measures as a sacred duty. Large congregations persist in less developed areas where living in harmony with seasonal floods is an essential survival strategy.
∀ Floodminders operate small outposts at key junctures along major waterways. Collecting reports from upstream, they keep logs of rainfall and water depth to better warn of deadly floods with time enough to minimize loss of life. Since performing this vital civic function requires only a little attention most days, these Nature clerics minister to nearby fishers and farmers. Improved yields make it possible to afford regular tithes, sparking a cycle of rising prosperity. Wherever they are able to rally a proper congregation, Floodminder boathouses expand into modern churches with attached schools. Some of these outposts keep supplies of rockets or magical signaling devices near the roof, ready to raise the alarm when a dangerous surge is predicted.
Sky Gods Some say the lack of Sylvanian Sky Gods reflects the fact that much of the region is blanketed by a thick forest canopy. Odin, Ra, Zeus, Shang-Ti, Thor, Set, Apollo, Chih Sung-Tzu, and Lei Kung constitute a committee that governs the heavens. A common motif for the interior of domes involves a tableau of these nine deities spread across the ceiling. Legend has it that the Sky Gods convene at midday each solstice and equinox in order to negotiate a plan for the weather in the season ahead.
Presumably these plans are subject to change as subsequent events unfold. Weather Controllers and many other spellcasters create environmental ripples as side effects of their magic. The interplay of these ripples can produce significant changes in future patterns of clouds and winds. The result is a perpetual tangle of problems even a god may struggle to manage. Fortunately, Shang-Ti has eight associates each eager to play an active role regulating the world's winds and clouds. |
φ Maidens of the Grail are not exclusively young women, yet all are Life clerics who seek out places of healing to study the local waters. Obsessed with the sights and sounds of naturally occuring rainfall, they despise no misdeed more than the poisoning of water supplies. They often use the phrase “Water of Life,” though their prayers feature all combinations of “healing,” “livegiving,” “blessed,” and “sacred” with “rains,” “spring,” “lake,” and “bath.” Maidens of the Grail become ecstatic whenever given the chance to sprinkle, splash, or submerge others. Their philosophy encourages drenched individuals to revel as public spectacles. Gatherings take turns delivering oratory that is literally never dry. Though sometimes regarded as frivolous, Maidens of the Grail are widely renowned for their curative powers.
∀ The
Rain Dancers are a broad category of Trickery clerics who, loudly and in public, pray according to local religious custom in order to bring rain where it is needed. With a preamble that sometimes spans days, these priests pick their moment to direct a grand spectacle skyward. Their pageantry often includes praise crediting sponsors for impending drought relief. Even if these prayers involve no dancing, a jig is sure to follow when success is achieved. Watching or joining the rituals of a Rain Dancer group may provide a lively way to spend an afternoon. Some roam the land as vagabonds, while others command exhorbitant fees for their efforts. The most prosperous even raise up temples, turning great wealth into even greater wealth while operating centers for the study of magical dance.
∀ Seers of the Ponds rely on natural bodies of water to perform powerful scrying rituals. Traditionally they remain aloof from political matters, yet they are respected as finders of fact. The holy order is also known for the affordability of their services, as priests may accept a personal favor or a sacred vow in place of the substantial fees normally associated with scrying. That makes these Knowledge clerics a popular choice for those looking to reconnect with old acquaintances or scout out distant locales prior to visiting. If menaced, Seers of the Ponds may also deploy the dreaded ducking stool. This interrogation measure is said to pry the truth from even the most stubborn person. The same apparatus also functions as an undignified method of execution.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Chih Sung-Tzu ↑ → Chung Kuel ← ↓ Dagda ↓
| THE GOD OF JUST TRIALS |
Name: Chung Kuel
Alignment: Lawful Good
Kindred: The Wŭshén
Wandering Star: Purestar
Chosen People: Kohadesians
Lands: Celedine, Elatolia, Kohadesia, Ontolon, Xe-Shan
Also Known As: Chongli, Zhurong
Layfolk Spells: Produce Flame, Cure Wounds, Zone of Truth, Tongues
Spheres: balance, fire, judgement, propriety, vision
Virtues: brawn, consistency, curiosity, honesty, savagery
Vocations: constables, contenders, infantry, herders, officials
Animals: vigilant eagle, vicious drake, protective hound
Guises: demanding knight, gentle stalker, honorable judge
Symbols: book of law, execution axe, inked brush
Observances: coronations, executions, new years
Associations: Chamber of Light, Metaphysical Lawgivers
Honorifics: Meteoric Duellist, Supreme Inquisitor, Vanquisher of Yōkai
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Chung Kuel The God of Just Trials is no less willing to bless a brutal ordeal by fire than he is to sanctify a court hearing bound by rigorous rules of due process. His scriptures and teachings feature a blend of cryptic riddles with profoundly probing questions. Worshippers often particpate in private interviews, confessing transgressions to clergy. These disclosures see some holy orders uniquely well-informed. He is invoked most earnestly by those who hope to make fair decisions. He is invoked most loudly by those who want to seem like they have made fair decisions. This makes Chung Kuel a popular patron among both high-minded authorities and vengeful warriors seeking justice at any cost.
Φ LAWFUL GOOD – This inflexible deity teaches that the truth should be rewarded with blessings while lies should be punished with pain. Intense notions of spiritual purity mean that no torment is too extreme to be administered by Chung Kuel's inquisitors. Their zeal to discipline the dishonest inspires some adherents to these faiths to become esteemed enforcers. Religious literature promotes both sound investigative techniques and the value of physical fitness. Routine exercise is a source of great strength to many who follow this god. Yet they see the uncompromising search for truth as their best hope to illuminate the will of the divine.
✠ Magic of the Layfolk – Chung Kuel's most authentic exemplars often eschew all other forms of torture to focus on cycles of burning an healing. They may
Produce Flame with their own hands, employing it to threaten as well as injure. Accomplished devotees pair this with a magical ability to
Cure Wounds. Expert interrogators also establish a
Zone of Truth so that their torments lead to more than the false confessions of desperate captives. Reliable confirmation relies on repetition. The most esteemed of these zealots go on to develop magical
Tongues, allowing no language barriers to obstruct their relentless search for truth.
✶ Purelight – Even when extraordinary events spread colors across the night sky, this steadfast beacon continues to deliver perfectly white light. Scientists use it to calibrate instruments that measure the colors of other light sources. Chung Kuel's star normally travels along a high arc in the southern sky each night. It never dims save to normalize after glowing more brightly on nights following the orderly coronation of the rightful heir to a major throne. When Purelight is entirely absent from the night sky, it is a sign that corruption has entered the halls of power.
∀ Zealous punishment of liars is the holy mission embraced by Light clerics who call themselves
Beacons of Truth. These relentless inquisitors are drawn to trouble spots where authorities investigate rampant criminal activity or political disloyalty. Each has a unique approach to extracting information, yet there is always a fairness to their methods. It is often joined by cruelty, since these astute interrogators are not troubled when torture bridges the gap between suspicion and confession. Their scriptures teach brutal methods of compelling cooperation. In the worst cases they work healing magic to facilitate more misery than could otherwise be endured. Ritual self-flagellation atones for feelings of guilt while inuring Beacons to the painful suffering they inflict.
Ceremonial Oathtaking Many religious ceremonies leave enduring magical traces on key participants. With an ordained acolyte present, any heartfelt vow sworn to a specific deity may generate this sort of mark. These holy residues are composed of an insignificant quantity of divine energy, not visible to normal sight. Yet any priest with the applicable divine patron is able to percieve them clearly. These marks will gradually fade if an associated commitment is broken.
While they endure, these traces of sacred magic can be detected and identified. Backed by an actual deity, such marks cannot be erased so long as the relevant oath is upheld. Ritual vows and spiritual markings give clergy the means to act in a timely fashion when guidance or inspiration may help one of the faithful renew an important bond with family, community, army, or sect. Clergy may attempt to detect lies with this basic technique, though the approach is only useful when scrutinizing individuals earnestly devoted to the faith. |
∀ Brass Enforcers specialize in the production of equipment for constables and guards. Their scriptures detail many tactics for subduing and handling criminal suspects. These Forge clerics sometimes accept badges authorizing them to supplement the local constabulary. Their headquarters may cast those badges alongside facilities for crafting weapons and armor adapted to urban service. Specialties of this holy order include innovations like lightweight manacles and braided silk nets. Their team combat tactics and prisoner management techniques are likewise sophisticated. Some leaders authorize Brass Enforcers to deal with official misconduct. Wherever these famously honorable priests are shunned by the constabulary, it is likely that standard enforcement practices are corrupt.
∀ Civil Manhunters see it as their holy purpose to apprehend or dispatch criminal fugitives. These Nature clerics spend much of their time tracking down leads and searching for hideouts. Most are comfortable dealing with unsavory characters to collect information from the criminal underworld. They have no sacred duty to enforce laws, only to resolve the danger posed by known fugitives from just authorities. Funded by bounty collection, Civil Manhunters operate recovery centers in most metropolitan areas. Yet these priests will decline opportunities to serve corrupt officials. They sometimes follow captives through any adjudication to ensure a fair legal process. Only after a fugitive has been duly sentenced to death will these priests employ lethal methods against their chosen quarry.
∈ Exemplary Rectors advise major authority figures throughout Kohadesia. These priests draw upon sacred stories featuring Ra, Osiris, Geb, and/or Lei Kung wherein Chung Kuel's perspectives provide a body of coherent moral teachings and legal doctrines. Exemplary Rectors offer their counsel confidentially, leaving recipients free to heed or ignore it as they choose. Outside the aristocracy, this faith is also popular with ordinary people both in and beyond its place of origin. It consistently advocates fairness and honesty. Yet this altruism is marred by support for rigid gender roles, narrow economic elitism, and brutal mutilating punishments. While condoning slavery, this sect condemns arbitrary or sadistic abuses of power even when the victim is legally the property of the abuser.
Legal Procedures Scholars of the law benefit from thousands of years of records and oral histories. In tandem with the rise of great cities and modern science, a consensus arose around the idea that formal processes guided by precedent are beneficial to society. Many aristocrats employ scribes to keep written records of all official proceedings. Spellcasters able to compel candor, investigate memories, or suppress lies may be active at these venues. The most respectable criminal courts only take testimony from witnesses using a seat or platform enchanted to make deception difficult.
Yet not all authorities desire fair inquiries aimed at finding the truth. Simple bribery sometimes secures favoriable judgements. Officials may exonerate the guilty or convict the innocent to please superiors in the power structure. While the theory behind adversarial systems promotes equal justice for all, some give huge advantages to parties employing superior advocates or champions at trial. Whether gentle or violent, impartial or corrupt, public or private, speedy or painstaking; contemporary legal proceedings all endeavor to appear credible for the sake of public morale. |
φ Just Lawgivers feel intense admiration for legal scholars and law enforcers who perform their duties faithfully. Some advance into positions as courtiers to aristocrats or members of a legislative body. Others take up the cause of the downtrodden, organizing protests against arbitrary abuses of power and providing expert legal defense. This varies from one culture to another, as trials by combat are no less common than trials by judicial hearing. Regardless of emphasis, magic derived from this philosophy requires explicit reverence for “righteous compassion,” “fair outcomes,” “equal justice,” or another variation on that theme. Some become wealthy by defending the powerful individuals and popular causes. The most esteemed practioners go on to mount historic crusades against criminality or corruption.
φ Ironically named
Scalpels of the Law seek perfection in the use of huge axes or swords. Their skills and wisdom are both put to use in performing legal executions. Scalpels are honor-bound to minimize the suffering of the condemned. Practioners may become War clerics able to call upon magic through citation of a legal entity and its claim of jurisdiction. They take it as a huge personal failure when carrying out a sentence involves more than a single quick clean cut. Open combat allows for greater flexibility. There, driven by a sense of righteousness, Scalpels' massive blades carve swaths through the forces of wickedness. Adherents of this philosophy remain true to its name, taking up arms only for leaders who act in accordance with their own laws.
∀ The
Unlying are a sect of Knowledge clerics bound by vows to speak only the truth. Though some may be adept at misleading through tone and omission, they have a reputation that makes their testimony beyond reproach in many systems of justice. Unlying priests can be extremely popular with their congregations, as their practice of giving starkly candid personal advice is a unique path to self-improvement. Major dignitaries sometimes sponsor an Unlying priest in their entourage as a means to preserve an honest chronicle and prevent disputes about the particulars of important events. They may also be dispatched abroad, taking advantage of well-funded travel as a chance to spread the faith while relaying reliable reports of conditions in a distant land.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Chung Kuel ↑ → Dagda ← ↓ Dionysus ↓
| THE GOD OF LIMITLESS MIGHT |
Name: Dagda
Alignment: Neutral
Kindred: The Tribe
Wandering Star: Boarstar
Chosen People: Sylvanians
Lands: Albion, Carmatia, Danu, Sivales, Sylvania
Also Known As: Eochaid Ollathair, Rúad Rofhessa
Layfolk Spells: Shillelagh, Faerie Fire, Enlarge/Reduce, Create Food & Water
Spheres: authority, earth, mischief, slaughter, vigor
Virtues: brawn, persistence, leadership, slyness, wit
Vocations: artists, builders, contenders, herders, rulers
Animals: protective badger, playful bear, rampaging boar
Guises: stalwart laborer, ecstatic innkeeper, relentless knight
Symbols: brass harp, bubbling cauldron, oak tree
Observances: coronations, executions, weddings
Associations: Druidfriends, The Profaners, Regal Deities
Honorifics: Chief of The Tribe, Supreme Provisioner, The Unconquerable God
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Dagda The God of Limitless Might is chief among the Sylvanian deities. He is revered not only by the physically strong, from common laborers to legendary warriors; but also by leaders endowed with an iron will. He never launched an attack against Zeus or Odin, but Dagda did not yield on either occasion one of them came for him. He is revered as both survivor and trickster. Yet the antics of this deity do not inflict grave pain or loss, instead robbing victims of their misconceptions along with their dignity. Unlike the other Regal Deities, Dagda is happy to see the Old Faith flourishing in harmony with modern religions. His own faiths blend advanced theology with primitive traditions.
Φ NEUTRAL – Followers of this god tend to be circumspect in most matters. Like their divine patron, Dagda's faithful endeavor to let no others dictate their beliefs. They will try to evaluate an issue from many points of view before acting in service to any, and their ears will remain open to alternatives. Though they can be forceful advocates, Dagda's worshippers also excel at insincere argument. Deceptions and humiliations may be regarded as accomplishments. Backlash is often minimal since these individuals also revere strength. Many participate in traditional sporting activities to maintain exceptional fitness.
✠ Magic of the Layfolk – With irony they seem to savor, the most devoted followers of Dagda are irreverent in word and deed. Some pay homage to his enormous cudgel by swinging a modest walking stick with the force of a
Shillelagh. They emulate his refusal to be manipulated by mischievious fey, applying
Faerie Fire to illuminate troublemakers. Bullying is either prevented or perpetrated when these favored adherents use
Enlarge/Reduce to reshape conflicts. Yet malice is rarely at the heart of abuse from Dagda's followers. The most affable
Create Food & Water to share with friends who can appreciate a strong challenge.
✶ Boarstar – Dagda's star rarely rises far above the horizon. This large reddish-orange object appears to be flanked by a menagerie of lesser stars varying in color and brightness. Their individual significance remains the source of much debate. Some legends hold that Boarstar guides the way to magical treasure. When it actually does ride high, both cosmic and vital energies tend to be more intense, providing bounty of a sort to sensitive spellcasters. Many priests wait for guidance from this light of Dagda before proceeding with weddings or ritual sacrifices.
φ Agents of Equilibrium believe the world depends on constant turbulence blending good with evil and order with chaos. To them, all that makes life interesting or improves the human condition can be traced back to struggles between competing values and different perspectives. This motivates them to act against moral and ethical positions so dominant as to crowd out alternative views. Agents of Equilibrium are as likely to venerate “clash” or “dialectic” as some variation on “balance.” In societies where tolerance and healthy debate allow people of strongly opposed beliefs to coexist in harmony, Agents of Equilibrium may devote themselves to keeping the peace. When they become violent, the morality of their foes does not matter so long as these philosophers do not suppress a minority faction.
The Old Faith The spellcasting of druids and rangers is a verifiable reality. Yet many of them do no more than commune with the natural world to call for miracles. Scholars remain divided about the source of these energies, since the magic is equally effective whether the practioner worships a nature concept like Gaia or merely shows reverence for the myriad forms of life in wild places. Related magical processes may be even older than the arcana of dragons. Alas, its origins, like its true nature, remain controversial even among the foremost experts.
Outside Sylvania, the Old Faith is typically discouraged by national leaders as well as any local officials with grand political ambitions. Standing Stones are ideal venues for Old Faith rituals. Modern zealots have toppled some and repurposed others. Urbane people tend to regard Old Faith teachings as foolish superstition. Some theologists promote the idea that the Old Faith is a vestige from ancient history and somehow inferior to deity worship.
Nonetheless, druids wander anywhere a healthy natural environment flourishes. They often officiate ceremonies and offer personal counsel to people in rural areas where modern religions lack an institutional presence. Druids and rangers may be disrespected or even persecuted when they visit urban centers. Notably, this is untrue across Old Silvania, where worship of the Fivesquare Pantheon harmonizes with reverence for primal spirits. Sylvanian megalithic circles are venerated as hubs for modern communities of faith, and druids perform Old Faith rituals right alongside conventional clergy. |
φ Animism is the belief that the natural world is full of intelligent spirits able to be placated or even motivated by humble supplicants. Adherents may salute a volcano, dedicate festivals to a tree, or make sacrifices to a waterfall. Some believe their locale is controlled by a small pantheon of nature spirits, while others see every stone and shrub as harboring a mind of its own. Scholars in the Age of Heroes believed this primitive religious practice could never produce magical effects. Yet the modern era sees many Animists fully empowered as Nature clerics. The same belief system facilitates the spellcasting of tribal shamans. Practitioners venturing far from home will be keen to meditate in wilderness areas so that they might learn the names of local nature spirits for purposes of prayer.
∀ Artful Squatters move into unoccupied properties at the edges of civilization, driven by a sacred desire to see wildnerness reclaim lost land. These Trickery clerics routinely conceal their true purpose and dispatch false messages in order that neglect should continue until a venue is overrun with vegetation. Yet Artful Squatters are not warlike, and most will vacate before putting up a fight. Their goal is to leave a home or series of homes fit for wildlife that will complete the reclamation they have started. Partially overgrown structures may double as gathering places where Artful Squatter congregations indulge in primal rituals. Though unwelcome in most cities, this holy order sometimes enjoys local popularity after converting a distressed neighborhood into a thriving park.
∀ Landwardens are Grave clerics who share the values and traditions of the Old Faith. They roam wild areas, systematically patrolling a locale. Each embraces a holy mission to prevent the destruction or corruption of thriving natural habitats. Some do this by regulating harmonious economic development, while others simply run off any visitors who overstay their welcome. If destructive newcomers cannot be intimidated, the wilds must be protected with deadly force. Landwardens work easily with actual druids, finding unity in their sense of shared purpose. Yet these priests prefer to worship in conventional chapels and collect tithes from surrounding communities. For some paladins devoted to nature, this sect provides essential guidance and inspiration.
∈ Liberationists were part of the movement to shrug off Imperial control across Sylvania. After encouraging a string of major slave revolts, these priests helped establish a variety of experimental governments. With prayers directed at Dagda, Arawn, Mannanan Mac Lir, Oghma, and/or Silvanus; Liberationists strive to see adults of every adventuring race treated as equals. They abhor slavery and condemn the exploitation of laborers for unreasonable profit. They also preach that livestock and working animals should be treated humanely. Yet they take no position on a host of other moral and ethical questions. Some commit atrocities while acting as freedom fighters. Others strive to build and protect communities where old social divisions no longer hold sway.
The Profaners Most deities possess a grandeur that pairs poorly with comedy. Their places of worship maintain an atmosphere of solemnity. They inspire serious demeanors in priests and paladins to better function as role models. Most gods respond best to prayers that are utterly earnest. Despite their status as immortal beings wielding vast cosmic power; Ares, Dagda, Dionysus, Hel, Loki, Mannanan Mac Lir, Oghma, and Set manage to maintain some humility. Their worshippers experience devotion and awe as with any other deity, but reverence tends to be conditional rather than absolute.
Frivolity is sometimes welcome at their places of worship. Comical depictions of these gods are not taboo, and satirical idols may be displayed openly. Adherents to these faiths often support religious freedom and freedom of speech as important values. When community standards are openly challenged, the Profaners teach that troubles follow because of restrictive norms rather than the challenge itself. Associated scriptures and sermons contain emphatic use of words and ideas meant to push the boundaries of what is socially acceptable.
The special status spiritual spellcasters enjoy in many societies propels the most prominent worshippers of the Profaners into influential positions. Thoughtful rulers may keep at least one such advisor around to benefit from stark candor. Yet parents often discourage their children from association with any faiths related to the Profaners. Their tendency to test limits and transgress taboos is appealing to many on the brink of adulthood. Some theologists contend the Profaners perform a vital role that prevents mortal cultures from growing stale and lacking energy. |
∀ The
Long-Armed Legion is fabled for the persistence of its War clerics. They teach that each choice to fight for a cause should be made with discretion and restraint because the only acceptable outcomes are victory or death. The organization takes its name from the idea of spending years crossing thousands of miles to conclude an interrupted battle with a specific enemy. Their sacred targets are not to be selected for pay, and no creature comfort is to be savored while a hunt is underway. The holy order sustains itself because the recruitment and training of novices is the among the few acceptable reasons to take a long hiatus during an ongoing pursuit. Lapsed Legionnaires may spend years offering lessons in techniques of fighting and tracking people.
∀ Seers of the Stones are Knowledge clerics fond of performing cryptic rituals among ancient monuments. This holy order executes elaborate mystical protocols spanning generations. Druids often assist in sustaining these endeavors. The scriptures of this sect explain methods of tracking time based on celestial alignments, a viable technique for predicting unusual cosmic events. Visionaries in this religion evolve a body of oral traditions purporting to tell the future of the world. Though some sites maintain archives, fresh prophecy is given more credence than older efforts. Seers of the Stones teach that praying for Dagda's guidance is the shortest path to earning his blessings. On rare occasions, they perform ritual sacrifice of condemned criminals in search of that guidance and those blessings.
∈ When gods sympathetic to the fey established control over southwestern Mainland, their earliest devotees simply referred to this pantheon as “
The Tribe.” Dagda and his closest divine associates did not frame the usual conflict between primal and civilized norms. While promoting their own religions, The Tribe restrained emerging cities to preserve natural harmonies. Early in the Age of Heroes, little of their lore took written form. Each gospel of The Tribe is expressed as one or more epic poems several hours in length. These poems were the backbone of an important ancient bardic tradition as well as assorted sylvan religions. Sometimes depicted as a cadre of antlered deities, The Tribe inspires a modern polytheism dedicated to teaching the old epics and performing some of the world's most ancient of religious rituals.
∀ Schooled by scriptures originally written in Ancient Elven, the
Wild Embers are an order of Light clerics who call upon Dagda to work otherwise lost magics through prayers. They often fight like wizards, blazing a trail of destruction as they advance. Some elves see this sect as the traditional faith of their people despite elven culture far preceding any religious practice. This holy order condemns most forms of witchcraft, yet they respect and share a body of lore with contractual practitioners empowered by the Archfey. Wild Embers are drawn to the most ancient ruins, especially those of fey construction. Whenever one among their order feels the need for spiritual renewal, a deep delve in search of lore and treasure may also yield a rewarding catharsis.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Dagda ↑ → Dionysus ← ↓ Geb ↓
| THE GOD OF DRUNKEN REVELRY |
Name: Dionysus
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Kindred: The Olympians
Wandering Star: Thyrsus
Chosen People: Gallorians
Lands: Albion, Danu, Galloria, Thrace, Truscanny
Also Known As: Bacchus, Eleutherios, Iacchus, Liber
Layfolk Spells: Vicious Mockery, Hideous Laughter, Mirror Image, Major Image
Spheres: havoc, medicine, mischief, music, water
Virtues: hedonism, honesty, passion, solidarity, wit
Vocations: artists, entertainers, farmers, foragers, merchants
Animals: playful serpent, stalking panther, noisy bull
Guises: aggressive innkeeper, ecstatic musician, whimsical seducer
Symbols: double flute, drinking cup, fruit hat
Observances: birthdays, concerts, memorials
Associations: Druidfriends, The Profaners
Honorifics: Host of the Thiasos, Keeper of Divine Nectar, Supreme Jester
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Dionysus The God of Drunken Revelry is particularly popular with prosperous cityfolk. Those who can afford to drink as well as they like are often not so far away from finding religion in the depths of a bottle. Beyond the traditional Dionysian springtime fertility festival, followers of this deity are always happy to stage spontaneous celebrations for their own sake. They use their knowledge and connections in the beverage trade to make events more costly rather than less, but seekers of intense celebration will consider it money well-spent. Though Dionysus does not encourage greed, his worship often thrives in prosperous lands where the elite seek uses for their accumulated wealth.
Φ CHAOTIC NEUTRAL – The morality of this god comes naturally to many pleasantly intoxicated people. Revelers often try to amuse one another, building comradery as they spend time together. Rushes of pleasant feelings can lead to raw candor if not also amorous encounters. Followers of Dionysus should imbibe periodically and maintain ample drinking supplies. They counsel moderation only to avoid the most severe effects or conserve dwinding supplies. Some avail themselves of magic to stave off long term harms. Their teachings encourage good cheer in all forms. Followers of these faiths promote other sorts of celebration whenever alcohol is unavailable or emphatically unwelcome.
✠ Magic of the Layfolk – Though Dionysus encourages his followers to speak truthfully, he does not encourage them to respect the limits of propriety. This can lead to
Vicious Mockery energized by a spark of spirituality. Enough use of this spark may grant the power to compel
Hideous Laughter from others within earshot of an incisive remark. Spreading magical levity eventually enables enlightened worshippers to distort the vision of others into
Mirror Images. The most gifted go so far as to warp perceptions with a
Major Image, causing onlookers to both see and hear something that is not really there.
✶ Thyrsus – This briliant object is shrouded in sheets of glowing purplish material. Astronomical sketches resolve detail strikingly similar to an open pinecone. An especially unpredictable star, this beacon of Dionysus weaves and lurches across the sky. Even its normal track is a retrograde path emerging from the sunset and vanishing into the sunrise. Thyrsus's motions are often interpreted as an indication that the time is right for celebration. In conjunction with other signs, it warns of mental impairment or dereliction of duty.
φ The
Blushing Fools are an irreverent variety of Trickery clerics who teach that a good life is lived either pretending to be drunk or in a state of actual drunkenness. Their philosophy favors minimal responsibility and being routinely underestimated as a commoner to carrying the weight of the world and being known as a formidable figure. They have a way of smoothly passing through feasts and parties without invitation. Many jesters and bards take particular interest in wisdom from this sort of philosopher. Some scholars believe this lifestyle offers glimpses of cosmic secrets, while others focus on the paradox of purposefully avoiding any serious purpose. A toast before imbibing is all the prayer these practitioners need to work holy magic.
“In wine there is truth.”
— ancient Truscan proverb |
∀ Heavenly Vintners are Nature clerics with a strict religious approach to winemaking that is at odds with their generally libertine attitudes. Planting, irrigation, tending, harvesting, fermenting, and bottling processes are all dictated by scripture as refined through painstaking theological debates and practical experiments. From aerating the soil to storing sealed casks, each task constitutes an act of worship. Much of their time is dedicated to manual labor at Heavenly Vintner compounds. All agree it is worthwhile, since these priests tend to be drinking the finest wines when they are not busy making them. This holy order also generates revenue by consulting with other vintners and consecrating the facilities of other wineries.
Sacred Intoxication From the passive serenity of the most advanced meditations to the raging fury of a fanatic confronting heresy, religious fervor often produces altered states of mind. Mind-altering substances can hasten or intensify the onset of these profound experiences. No others venerate alcohol to the extent of Dionysus's worshippers, but most major religions have some place for it in their services and celebrations. Small sips of a blessed wine or spirit are elements of many communal ceremonies. Priests may encourage drinking to the point of good cheer on special occasions like birthdays, weddings, and seasonal festivals.
Ambrosia is even more connected to religion than alcohol. Dozens of faiths serve this holy foodstuff at select gatherings. Prior notice of when and where it will be served almost always generates respectable attendance for an event. While the consumers share a general sense of well-being, clergy often encounter opportunities to win the hearts of new converts. Hopefuls returning in search of another taste may be especially eager recruits. From boisterous revels to silent contemplations, many other intoxicants also find use setting the mood for spiritual inspiration. |
∀ Liquid Quartermasters are a popular addition to any military officer corp. Not only are they experts in procuring and shipping beer, but these Knowledge clerics can make the most of valuable wine cellar contents in captured structures. At a glance they can estimate the value and quality of any properly labelled bottle of wine or spirits. When beverage supplies are scarce, their scripture provides excellent guidance on how to balance the priorities of rationing for the long term and indulging to elevate morale. Members of this faith routinely share chronicles of beverage qualities and prices wherever they travel. After other interrogation techniques fail, relieved captives may spill their secrets to a Liquid Quartermaster armed with only cask and cups or a generous flask of some strong spirit.
∈ Rapturous Gourmets see every meal as an act of reverence. If forced to feed on low quality fare, they pray vociferously for mercy or forgiveness while enduring the unappetizing stuff. When presented with delicacies, their voices will rise in gratitude for every mortal involved in the effort. Rapturous Gourmets who are not already cooking experts will incorporate a study of the craft into their lifestyles. This faith is sparse on scripture, though there is a trio of Gallorian cookbooks they consider sacred. Their traditional toast honors Dionysus for the wine, Zeus for the land, Apollo for the light, Silvanus for the seed, and Arawn for the harvest. Spellcasters fully ordained in this faith pray freely to any of those five deities. They can justify almost any act if it advances their holy pursuit of edible excellence.
∀ Sabre Dancers practice a peculiar martial art that involves swaying and lurching about while wielding a sword or two. Their group exercises and martial arts exhibitions are accompanied by wild frenetic music. Fluid yet unpredictable motions pair with inspired intuitions about the best moments to strike, making these War clerics surprisingly deadly foes. Their holy vows do not require intoxication in combat, but part of their training involves wildly swinging blades about in a state of extreme drunkenness. Even members of the order admit that it takes a special sort of crazy to become a Sabre Dancer. For such people, these dangerous antics may double as an extreme form of recreation. Some satyrs are prominent in this faith, both as practitioners and musicians.
“to your health!”
— toast common to many cultures |
∀ Salutary Brigades are loose affiliations of Life clerics who partake vigorously of every available opportunity to celebrate, lingering after to assist with recovery and cleanup efforts. Their magic makes it easy to harmonize heavy drinking with a healthy lifestyle. Yet it can also drive celebrations to the most decadent extremes. In times of peace and prosperity, indulgent nobles will sponsor Salutary Brigades to ensure, at least in their halls, the party never need truly come to a halt. When the land is overcome by turmoil, these groups will bring the festivities to refugee camps and pillaged communities as part of holistic relief efforts. Though many disaster victims wish to mourn or focus on rebuilding, some need an escape from their troubles before the healing can truly begin.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Dionysus ↑ → Geb ← ↓ Hades ↓
| THE GOD OF SOLID GROUND |
Name: Geb
Alignment: Neutral
Kindred: The Ennead
Wandering Star: Ringstar
Chosen People: Fitchlanders
Lands: Fitchland, Helvetica, Kohadesia, Serpia, Zintu
Also Known As: Seb
Layfolk Spells: Poison Spray, Sanctuary, Hold Person, Magic Circle
Spheres: earth, harvests, medicine, secrecy, strategy
Virtues: charity, honesty, persistence, solidarity, watchfulness
Vocations: builders, explorers, farmers, healers, infantry
Animals: protective bull, serene goose, venemous serpent
Guises: honorable smith, modest laborer, stalwart guard
Symbols: bow compass, threshing flail, marble ankh
Observances: conquests, memorials, weddings
Associations: Druidfriends, Fathers of Invention, Keystone Council
Honorifics: Lord of the Boundless Plain, Supreme Architect, Tectonic Duellist
|
Geb The God of Solid Ground is patron to miners, masons, and engineers. Farmers and builders particularly concerned with the condition of the soil may also pray to him, as do people who feel a particularly strong bond with the earth. Various sects are united by Geb's teaching that a battle is not always won by the fighter best at lashing out, but by the fighter who remains standing strong at the end of the clash. Though scriptures devoted to this deity seem simple at first, deeper readings reveal a multitude of hidden meanings. Large buildings often have the mark of Geb above their entrances – a sign that an expert approves of the structure's integrity and durability.
Φ NEUTRAL – As castles give safety to monarchs, this deity's most upstanding worshippers protect and comfort loved ones. Followers of these faiths show contempt for ramshackle construction and shoddy goods. Esteem attaches to works that are durable and useful. Even the most sophisticated theologists devoted to Geb espouse practical moral teachings. Support your family and congregation. Be kind when you have no cause to be otherwise. Speak the truth, yet maintain the confidences of others. Do not associate with profligate liars. Be vigilant and steadfast in your duties. These messages are typical lessons in sermons dedicated to Geb.
✠ Magic of the Layfolk – When remarkably reliable followers of Geb reach the end of their plentiful patience, the ground at the feet of their enemies may rumble and belch up volcanic fumes. The least stalwart victims find this
Poison Spray especially deadly. Chosen worshippers also learn to shelter allies under a metaphysical
Sanctuary that compels aggressors to look elsewhere. More experienced followers gain the ability to root menacing individuals in place with
Hold Person. Yet the most impressive technique Geb inspires among his devotees is the ability to inscribe a working
Magic Circle on the ground.
✶ Ringstar – With dusty clouds radiating outward, this disc of dark material features a perimeter of brilliant light. Proceeding slowly across the heavens, this star of Geb almost never departs from a predictable course. Those rare deviations warn of disasters, especially major earthquakes striking populated areas. Ringstar's glow is normally pure white, with hints of brown observed as if dust constantly fell from its halo. Magic items newly completed while this beacon sports different coloration may be especially powerful or develop unexpected properties.
∀ Bladesmelters combine the power of prayer with earthen furnaces to produce quality steel equipment. Their process is a miraculous version of the simplest techniques for converting raw ore into finished steel. Fire within an earthen mound generates pig iron, then tempers it while ejecting a fountain of sparks. Yet these Forge clerics are more than highly productive smelters and smiths. They worship the earth by studying minerals in all their permutations. Bladesmelter scripture is laced with tidbits of metallurgy, alchemy, and prospecting techniques. They are fascinated with magical gear and eager to produce it as opportunities permit. Though some blacksmiths respect this holy order, others see them as business rivals unfairly exploiting a connection to the divine.
Religious Edifices The array of structures raised for purposes of worship reflects the diversity of religious practice. The Old Faith has its roots in reverence for Standing Stones enchanted long before the first gods were active in the world. The earliest genuine holy sites were marked by crude shrines in secret locations. As spiritual power attracted more clergy and congregants, houses of worship evolved into countless forms. Modern communities often see multiple religious institutions represented on a list of their ten largest structures.
Extremely wealthy sects may develop sprawling complexes with adjunct monasteries and colleges. The largest of these facilities function as cities unto themselves. Heavily organized faiths will divide up territories systematically among senior clergy. Often the aim is to maintain a presence spanning the whole of a society. Remote enclaves may enjoy enough support to become massive strongholds despite no surrounding community of outsiders. Yet not all consecrated construction is the result of a master plan. Smaller places of worship in large cities are often repurposed buildings that blend in with the surrounding neighborhood. Many village churches are the product of labor and supplies donated during an inspired frenzy of community activity. |
∀ An
Earth Mother need not be female, but all are Life clerics who draw power from the ground to heal the afflicted. Their teachings favor support for allies over acts of aggression. Yet they are not absolute pacifists. A great Earth Mother instinctively makes a place of calm sanctuary amidst grave turmoil. Highly accomplished practitioners may establish havens where free healing is available to the poor. Their interiors accumulate colorful objects of folk art, and evenings may provide opportunities to study a craft as part of a small class. Earth Mothers sometimes cast their prayers upward in remembrance Tefnut, Geb's own departed mother. Offering support and guidance to lost persons in need of a nurturing influence is the sacred purpose of this holy order.
φ Mudminders typically wear practical common attire even when not engaged in their chosen work. These Nature clerics find both humility and enlightenment by digging at various spots in soft ground, especially when and where it is wet. They spend long days holding, smearing, and staring at mud. This filthy endeavor informs them about the health of the soil. Systematic study over time allows Mudminders to recommend the best crops and irrigation for a particular patch of ground as well as what precautions are most likely to guard against blights. While some intellectuals belittle this philosophy, it combines simple pragmatism with sophisticated agricultural expertise. Its magic flows from either praise or thanks for the humble hard-working farmers who sustain themselves and so many others.
∀ For major construction projects, the planning of a Knowledge cleric certified as a
Reverend Architect tends to be an excellent investment. Century after century of lore has shaped elements of their theology into a modern science of stone engineering. Their holy symbols double as precision tools for drawing up or evaluating building plans. The considerable fees of a Reverend Architect will be more than offset by savings on material cost, accident avoidance, and upkeep requirements of any huge edifice. For the financier with deep enough coffers, Reverend Architects can supervise the construction of marvels that push the boundaries of what stonework can sustain. The mark of this order sculpted over the entrance to a building indicates construction consistent with a duly consecrated design.
“A proper anvil remains sound even after many hammers falter against its unyielding nature.”
— Bishop Rudaleh Arshiya, Shields of Seb |
∀ The
Shields of Seb are War clerics who provide staying power for the military forces they accompany. It is their preference to disperse among the general rank and file. There they may hold their own as soldiers while helping fallen comrades get back in the fight. Massive expansion of Serpian armed forces created a huge growth opportunity for this sect. It is now among the ten largest in the world by number of ordained clerics, though not by number of practicing worshippers. Shields of Seb are notoriously awkward when ministering to civilians. Their holy purpose may feel unclear without a formal military command structure or associates struggling with the rigors of a soldier's life. Practitioners find their faith is at its fullest on duty in an active warzone.
∈ The
Society of Redeemers has grown beyond its origins as the Fitch national church. While the monarch of that kingdom remains its senior pontiff, this gentle faith sometimes springs up elsewhere as leaders launch major efforts to improve nearby land. Their scriptures contain extensive lessons about drainage, excavation, and earthen construction. Stories involving Geb, Loki, Odin, Ptah, and/or Tyr impart both moral and practical wisdom. Redeemers minister to laborers and planners working on projects like dams, canals, and levees. Where upgrades to a swamp or some barren land gave rise to prosperity, churches dedicated to this faith offer spiritual guidance for local leaders and charitable relief for the downtrodden. Some also conduct vigils supplementing security at critical infrastructure sites.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Geb ↑ → Hades ← ↓ Hel ↓
| THE GOD OF TRANQUIL DEATH |
Name: Hades
Alignment: Neutral Evil
Kindred: The Olympians
Wandering Star: Coalstar
Chosen People: Wabahari
Lands: Albion, Ontolon, Transmania, Truscanny, Wabahar
Also Known As: Aita, Plouton, Pluto
Layfolk Spells: Produce Flame, Sleep, Gentle Repose, Stinking Cloud
Spheres: darkness, earth, prosperity, secrecy, slaughter
Virtues: avarice, erudition, discretion, industry, supremacy
Vocations: artisans, cavalry, hunters, merchants, officials
Animals: spitting serpent, stalking wolf, vampire bat
Guises: ecstatic knight, elegant trader, silent assassin
Symbols: cypress tree, gold disc, skull helm
Observances: fall equinoxes, funerals, memorials
Associations: Death Gods, Keystone Council
Honorifics: King of Avernus, Master of the Erinyes, Supreme Assassin
|
Hades The God of Tranquil Death holds a spiritual monopoly on burial rites. By agreement with all the other death gods, only a priest of Hades can bestow a meaningful blessing on the guest of honor at a conventional funeral. Thus this sinister deity maintains at multiple sacred structures in countless cities. These funerary halls support a network of travelling undertakers servicing almost all civilized communities outside Greater Norland. They excel at officiating quiet, somber, and dignified events. Perhaps more importantly, they are bound by vows to effectively bury human remains deeply enough to prevent casual grave robbing or other tampering.
Φ NEUTRAL EVIL – “To Avernus with you!” is a common Truscan expletive. Worship of Hades promotes the idea that persons most despised in life deserve an afterlife of torment, forever chained in the deepest hell. While these religions promote hateful attitudes, they also emphasize courtesy and respect. They only idealize targeted killings conducted with professional precision. Reverence for the fallen, especially their mortal remains, is central to the veneration of Hades. His worshippers will do battle to prevent the desecration of corpses. Both within and beyond the funerary trade, Hades's faithful often focus on accumulating wealth and social status for themselves.
✠ Magic of the Layfolk – Those who most revere Hades contemplate hellfire until a handful of the stuff manifests for them. These elites can
Produce Flame for use as a weapon or a tool, especially as needed to destroy evidence of incriminating acts. The oblivion of
Sleep is also a tool useful in service to discretion. Enough practice at sending the living into slumber makes it possible to learn the mortician's craft of placing corpses in a
Gentle Repose. Though adept at masking the foul odors of decomposition, the most devoted followers of Hades can also conjure a
Stinking Cloud straight from the depths of Avernus.
✶ Coalstar – The beacon of Hades resembles an charred ember suspended in the night sky. Often it emits a soft orange glow, though at times it may be partially or entirely darkened. These changes in appearance are not known to convey messages, but they do make the object difficult to track. Assassinations and other sudden deaths may be foretold by Coalstar's movements through the heavens. While normally rising in the southeast, this object has been known to unexpectedly turn up almost anywhere.
∀ Extremely shady people always seem to know how to reach out to a
Concierge Cleaner. These fastidious Trickery clerics not only see to the covert disposal of corpses, but they are downright religious about attempting to restore the scene of a death to whatever condition it was in prior to that event. Their scriptures teach that removing all signs of trauma helps communities recover from upsetting events. This holy purpose proves remarkably convenient for violent beings with crimes to conceal. Some Concierge Cleaners also collect respectable fees for helping constables recover dead bodies. An influential secret society in their own right, this sect is privy to the inner workings of many other conspiracies. In realms riddled with secrecy, these priests literally know where the bodies are buried.
Necromancers Necromancers will be the first to explain that their calling is a matter of study and learning, not prayers or pacts. Yet popular superstitions about death and the undead cause some common folk to assume any necromancer is dangerous and evil if not also profoundly insane. Universities often handle the subject as an essential yet unwholesome aspect of wizardry. From zombie hordes to vampire lairs, civilized people generally consider all undead creatures to be menaces deserving eradication by armies or heroes.
Most societies have strict rules regarding the disposal of corpses. Even acting with the best of intentions, a necromancer may become an outlaw by treating a cemetery or a fresh battlefield as a resource. In some realms it may be difficult to obtain instruction in necromancy. Many accomplished practitioners maintain the pretense of being some other sort of spellcaster. Yet very rarely, someone will seek out this macabre means of cheating death as an alternative to reincarnation or resurrection. Either vampirism or lichdom can achieve this goal, though no religious rite can support or enhance these transformations. |
∀ Elegant Morticians must be Life clerics to fully command modern techniques of corpse restoration. They are expected to maintain formal attire while going about their business. The most skilled can give a badly mutilated body the appearance of a peaceful person pleasantly slumbering. The order also has extensive lore about viewings and memorials extending services beyond a simple funeral. While a single gold coin respects what scripture demands, the bereaved sometimes spend a fortune on consecrated shrouds, upholstered coffins, and “afterlife supplies.” Elegant Morticians are well-known wherever people bury their dead, though their numbers are not overwhelming. Even so, this holy order is such a prominent cultural phenomenon that it inspires many disaffected youths to worship Hades.
φ Grim Gallants are War clerics who specialize in the quick and quiet applications of deadly force. Relentless training prepares them to perform well-executed kills with a distinctive blend of precision blade work and ominous maledictions. This philosophy emphasizes etiquette and protocol. Many practitioners seek positions inside an aristocracy. Where ruthless effectiveness in battle can earn such an honor, they have been known to achieve this goal. Past political purges have made Grim Gallants a rare sight nowadays. Some say legions of them are quietly honing their skills because they would face a hostile crusade if the extent of their power was widely understood. Acts of courtesy and appeals to discretion function as prayers when performed by these dark duellists.
∀ Hellfire Preachers strain the concept of “holy” in both conduct and spellcasting. They often smell of brimstone and soot even when at rest. These Light clerics express their displeasure by venting flames directly from the furnaces of the afterlife. Their sermons can be downright excoriating. Incendiary condemnations pervade booming warnings of impending judgement. Even minor transgressions may be characterized as mortal sins. Listeners are called upon to condemn the wickedness of specific persons. When long-simmering hatreds at last boil over, incited onlookers rally to purge the impure from this life and avoid their own eternal damnation. From lynch mobs to rebel riots, Hellfire Preachers are ideally suited to the task of whipping a crowd of non-combatants into a rabble determined to do terrible violence.
“Of course the damned remember their family and friends. When they will never be seen again, when there is only torment ahead; those memories serve to spawn supplementary sorrows.”
— Draco Stavros, 13th Degree Silent Razor |
∀ Knowledge clerics versed in battling all types of undead menace,
Radiant Rekillers believe their holy purpose is to destroy those entities. Students of their elite academies also partake of eclectic studies at other institutions of higher learning. All seek encyclopedic understanding of undead creatures, with particular emphasis on vulnerabilities. Their expertise may make them valuable consultants, but most prefer direct action. Radiant Rekillers see themselves as rampaging destructively against the accomplishments of necromancers, but some members of this holy order become popular heroes due to the happy side effect of increased public safety in the wake of a major slaughter. The best among these holy exterminators collect princely sums after ridding a region of major undead blights.
∈ Silent Razors are as likely to slay by strangulation or poisoning as with a stab or a slash. Yet all of these priests study mystic traditions in a faith focused on tales of Hades stalking the land as the ultimate killer with the full support of Ares, Osiris, Ra, and Set. Their gospels provide insightful perspectives on human nature and infiltration. Their holy mission involves selecting and eliminating socially prominent individuals. Even when their methods are covert, Silent Razors sow terror by making the loftiest halls of power feel insecure. In open warfare they favor decapitations, both figurative and literal. Originally a secret society that ministered to outlaws and rebels across Wabahar, this faith now ordains any practitioners eager to follow the way of ultimate killer.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Hades ↑ → Hel ← ↓ Lei Kung ↓
| THE GODDESS OF CURSED AFFLICTIONS |
Name: Hel
Alignment: Neutral Evil
Kindred: The Æsir
Wandering Star: Lodestar
Chosen People: Carmatians
Lands: Carmatia, Darresteg, Lachland, Norland, Xe-Shan
Also Known As: Hella, Holle, Hulda
Layfolk Spells: Ray of Frost, Floating Disc, Ray of Enfeeblement, Sleet Storm
Spheres: darkness, havoc, secrecy, storms, water
Virtues: discretion, independence, passion, savagery, slyness
Vocations: artisans, artists, explorers, foragers, renegades
Animals: vicious swan, swimming serpent, stalking lynx
Guises: clamorous berserker, flawless seductress, knowledgeable beggar
Symbols: painted face, spotted toadstool, walking cane
Observances: conquests, new years, weddings
Associations: Death Gods, The Profaners
Honorifics: Queen of Niflheim, Supreme Apothecary, Vanquisher of Valkyries
|
Hel The Goddess of Cursed Afflictions spent much of the Age of Heroes at the center of an icy vortex blowing about the region of the world bearing her name. She is also a death goddess ruling over an afterlife realm considered hellish despite less severe levels of cold and desolation. Her portfolio covers plagues, poisons, curses, and progressive infirmities. Hel worship is never widely celebrated, but she sometimes hears relentless pleas for relief from people struggling against age or chronic illness. Her priesthoods draw much of their support from persons who wish to harm their enemies by pairing hatred with holy power.
Φ NEUTRAL EVIL – Patriarchal cultures often inspire pockets of Hel-worship since her gospels relentlessly critique male superiority. Persons of any gender who feel powerless may be drawn to her message that the worst torments in existence are the abuses mortals heap upon each other. Those who reach her realm in the afterlife, Niflheim, can expect everlasting chill, gloom, and hunger. Yet even there, the most miserable souls are the victims of abusive peers. Hel encouragers worshippers to lash out at others in preemptive defense. Yet her scriptures also counsel that offenses demand unforgiving vengefulness.
✠ Magic of the Layfolk – The most intense of Hel's worshippers find themselves wishing bitter cold upon others so often that a
Ray of Frost delivers this desire. The same effect delays pursuers who survive its frigid touch. Enough practice with that technique makes it possible to sculpt a
Floating Disc that transports heavy burdens while gliding on a base of slowly melting ice. Delving deeper into the spiritual nature of affliction reveals how a
Ray of Enfeeblement can impair even the mightiest warrior. Those closest to Hel can conjure up a severe
Sleet Storm, bringing a taste of Niflheim into this world.
✶ Lodestar – With a void in the fixed stars of the far north, mariners sometimes depend on this beacon of Hel. If not the northernmost light in the sky, then Lodestar is near to it. Though it wanders, this brilliant ice blue object has never been observed far from the northern horizon. Short of magical navigation, Lodestar is often the best way to become oriented at night. Auroras are sometimes known as “Hel's Veil,” condemned for obscuring Lodestar's position on otherwise clear nights. The most spectacular auroras also herald the coming of blizzards, famines, or plagues.
φ Trickery clerics obsessed with concealing all signs of aging and injury,
Face Painters are employed by aristocrats and prostitutes alike. Their philosophy demands quality in the production and application of cosmetic enhancements. Many refuse to be seen in public without elaborate makeup. Their prayers often call upon “style,” “glamor,” or “allure,” in the search for spiritual power. Face Painters earn goodwill in some communities by donating beautiful masks to people with facial deformities. Others may buy these skillfully crafted masks and gift them as a form of insult. These priests are particularly kind to the elderly and some sorts of outcasts. They will don hoods to stalk and punish any who abuse others on the basis of physical appearance.
“We all know what goes on behind the face is what really matters. Yet the face is all we can see with our own eyes. Each day your visage goes unadorned is a missed opportunity to improve your standing in the eyes of others.”
— Ravna Juttunnen, Face Painter merchant |
∀ The
Mushroom Hunters are Nature clerics studied in much more than mycology, though some seek religious ecstasy through the consumption of consecrated mushroom beverages. Most of these priests cultivate patches of various medicinal precursors near their shrines and homes. Some even harvest venom from wild beasts. Habitually gathering ingredients and brewing concoctions, they serve and support their faith as vendors of poison. Dwarves tend to do well in this holy order that routinely handles toxic substances. Mushroom Hunter scriptures contain many parables instructive in the delicate business of selling supplies to assassins. The most accomplished members of this holy order may branch out into love potions and other elixirs.
∀ Oracles of Doom are Knowledge clerics who do immense damage by sharing warnings of danger with hostile powers able to exploit these prophecies. Where welcome into a community, these priests attempt to incite panic with false warnings of catastrophe. Oracles of Doom also directly curse their foes in both conversation and combat. They seem relentlessly devoted to spreading misery for its own sake. Yet members of this order often avoid mistreatment by calling attention to a more pressing threat than their presence. Some adherents to this religion are dejected thralls. Past tragedy leaves them convinced that loyalty to an abusive Oracle of Doom is the least awful among an array of desperately bleak options. True visionaries struggling to cope with disturbing insights may find peace among this order.
Celestial Patriarchy Scholars of religious history believe active female deities, while still a minority, numbered no less than twelvescore during the Age of Heroes. An important provision of The Immaculate System allowed for one deity to represent a married couple in the emergent pantheon. The wives of several gods voluntarily departed, securing their husbands' places in the new order. These acts of love built momentum toward consolidation. As Hera took leave of Zeus, he attempted to declare an exclusively male global pantheon.
Hel was outraged by this proposal. A dangerous entity responsible for untold death, her eviction could blight the entire world if the process did not go smoothly. She was also a logical addition to Shang-Ti's unfolding scheme. A place was made for Hel, though it was no position of glory. She was assigned to rule gradual aspects of death, and she would sometimes be shunned by otherwise sociable teams of her peers. The Immaculate System may be considered intensely patriarchal since the only female in its divine power structure appears to hold the lowest level of prestige. |
∈ Pactfriends preach that channels of unholy power deserve special reverence as underappreciated wonders of the modern magical environment. The sacred texts of this faith characterize the efforts of occult experts and thriving covens as spillways preserving a dam, protecting the land from greater upheavals. This teaching has theological credibility, but most other faiths regard such doctrines as heresies. Prayers to Hel, Dagda, Loki, Oghma, and/or Silvanus offer real power to these practitioners even though unholy words or symbols are incorporated into each effort. This religion started as a reaction to overzealous witch hunters devastating communities in Carmatia, but it sometimes springs up elsewhere when authorities aggressively enforce laws against unholy spellcasting.
∀ Plaguemongers are widely-despised Life clerics who immerse themselves in the most virulent epidemics. They explain their actions as healers in search of a better understanding of disease. Selectively curing defenders and operatives, practitioners from this sect quickly establish their own support networks inside striken communities. Yet observers have noted that these outbreaks sometimes occur well after a Plaguemonger's arrival. Sages now understand that these priests are driven by a holy mission to cause the largest contagions they can. History judges few as harshly as lords unscrupulous enough to employ this holy order as a means of subjugating hostile cities. Wherever any true religions are forbidden, Plaguemongers are sure to be included in the ban.
∀ Spirit Shepherds pair a reassuring name with a horrifying speciality. These Grave clerics happily minister to intelligent undead. They also manipulate large assemblies of mindless creatures, often driving these hordes into civilized areas. Working in secretive cells similar to warlocks and witches, this order closely guards the content of its scriptures. Some say their holy purpose is to eradicate the undead by orchestrating conflicts with the living. Others believe Spirit Shepherds are motivated purely by the pursuit of destruction. When they are not praying with vampires or steering a skeletal army, these malevolent priests may yet keep a small number of zombified thralls around as disposable servants. Only the most confident necromancers seem more at ease around the undead.
“Any woman who is merely the equal of a man has fallen short of her potential.”
— Hidden Pathways, Pactfriend gospel |
φ Vicious Malefactors believe the world exists to torment its inhabitants. Pracitioners work holy magic by savagely profaning the gods. They do harm to others based on the notion that fulfilling this role will minimize their own suffering. Deceptions, disguises, and minions are favored tools of Vicious Malefactors. The most cunning adherents will unravel great institutions with a blend of betrayals and direct attacks. Despite its pernicious nature, attitudes about this philosophy are surprisingly varied. Some cultures tolerate popular literature skewering the hypocrisies of mainstream religions while promoting a destructive moral outlook. A little like unholy rites hidden in occult texts, the deeper meaning of the most pointed polemics can unlock real magical power for these philosophers.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Hel ↑ → Lei Kung ← ↓ Loki ↓
| THE GOD OF FEROCIOUS SQUALLS |
Name: Lei Kung
Alignment: Lawful Evil
Kindred: The Wŭshén
Wandering Star: Dragonwheel
Chosen People: To-Shinese
Lands: Celedine, Elatolia, Joryanland, Kohadesia, To-Shin
Also Known As: Leigong, Leishen
Layfolk Spells: Firebolt, Bane, Magic Weapon, Wind Wall
Spheres: air, darkness, propriety, storms, strategy
Virtues: avarice, brawn, consistency, solidarity, supremacy
Vocations: archers, artisans, cavalry, contenders, herders
Animals: electric eel, winged drake, rampaging bull
Guises: aggressive knight, clamorous judge, ecstatic smith
Symbols: book of tactics, cloud with lightning, falling hammer
Obervances: conquests, executions, tournaments
Associations: Fathers of Invention, Sky Gods, War Gods
Honorifics: Lord of Disaster, Supreme Smith, Vanquisher of Pixiu
|
Lei Kung The God of Ferocious Squalls is worshiped mainly by wrathful and destructive people. His is not the trouble of anarchy. Those who would destroy only to clear a path for a new and more severe order – Lei Kung strikes with them. His temples are simultaneously bases of support for warmongers and sources of protection against bandits. The most ruthless generals work well with priests of this faith. Where their voices cannot be raised in support of actual war, followers of Lei Kung promote spending and training to maintain a high level of military readiness. Their sermons have a natural appeal wherever people feel under siege.
Φ LAWFUL EVIL – Even in the most remote locations, adherents of these faiths will insist on a formal command structure. They see order as a matter of survival. Authority is to be upheld through cruel discipline. Routine activities may be rigorously scheduled. Civilians under their control often experience oppressive martial law. Some governments actively sponsor zealots of Lei Kung. Harsh and unforgiving forces can make effective invaders. Relentlessly prepared garrisons are ideal along contested borders. Though clearly a Divine Villain in scripture, warriors and spellcasters faithful to this deity sometimes develop heroic reputations.
✠ Magic of the Layfolk – Most people regard explosive outbursts and rigorous discipline as incompatible. Select followers of Lei Kung have an epiphany about the nature of purposeful outrage, throwing furious
Firebolts at faltering friends as freely as foes. In other instances their ire sees these zealots deploying tiny storm clouds as personal
Banes to their enemies. Anger channeled directly into arms or ammunition creates temporary
Magic Weapons of enhanced lethality. Most impressive of all these tactics is the ability to call down a brutal
Wind Wall capable of pushing back enemies or covering an exposed flank.
✶ Dragonwheel – This energetic beacon appears to spin while ejecting huge torrents of flame in opposing directions. Known to linger in the eastern sky just before sunrise, intensification of Lei Kung's star has always been understood to warn of escalating violence. In coastal areas it has also been observed hovering right at the waterline in the hours before a tsunami. Though normally reddish-orange, Dragonwheel may turn pale or take on a bluish cast just before disaster strikes. Spinning pyrotechnics of similar appearance are sometimes ignited to celebrate military victories.
Divine Rivalries Several tensions within the Immaculate System place deities in antagonistic relationships. Where lore and legends about these beings intersect, conflict is inevitable. Adherents to applicable faiths may likewise feel a natural inclination toward opposition. Clashes between great champions of divine rivals tend to be especially spectacular.
Ares vs. Chih Sung-Tzu: “The Blades and Butter Debate” is how scholars describe a classic political struggle. The God of Gentle Rain favors investments to prepare for peaceful prosperity, while the God of Untamed Violence sees value only in endeavors that generate significant military advantage.
Chung Kuel vs. Loki: “The Endless Inquisition” pits stern justice against whimsical caprice. While some authorities strive to punish all heresies, other religious leaders challenge prevailing taboos. Especially intense conflicts between constables and criminals can be inspired by this rivalry.
Arawn vs. Osiris: “Afterlife Appeals” involve powerful magic tipping the balance of cosmic justice in favor of reversing death itself. The God of Noble Sacrifice supports these efforts even after the weighing of the soul, but the God of Final Rewards generally objects to the removal of souls from an afterlife realm.
Ra vs. Set: “The Sunrise Struggle” sees values of candor and kindness pitted against scheming and self-interest. One side contends that full disclosure solves many problems, arguing that daylight is a cleanser. The other insists that personal confidences are essential to coexistence, arguing that darkness is a balm.
Lei Kung vs. Thor: “The Ultimate Rumble” sees a pair of thunderous War Gods clashing about how individuals should relate to groups. While Thor's advocates contend security means little without freedom, Lei Kung's followers insist that harsh discipline is essential to survival in a dangerous world.
Hel vs. Zeus: “Male Superiority” is a reality among the gods not reflected in mortal populations. Zeus stands with chauvinists who tend to treat women as inferior beings. Hel supports female leaders in societies featuring gender equality. She also attacks the social order wherever men dominate positions of power. |
∀ The
Calamitous Thunderbirds are an order of militant Tempest clerics focused on doing as much damage as possible in as little time as possible. They crave mounts and magic to provide additional speed. Archery often supplements their electrical assaults. This holy order favors tactics involving a swift and direct attacks with concentrated destructive power. When a band of Calamitous Thunderbirds strikes in unison, hostile forces can be eliminated in an instant. Survivors of these apparently apocalyptic blitzes may live out the rest of their days trembling at the sound of approaching hoofbeats and nearby lightning strikes. These holy destroyers take the concept of shock troops to all sorts of extremes. The aftermath of their raids often resembles that of a disastrous storm.
∈ The
Crossfire Cordon excels at constructing networks of elevated artillery installations spaced so as to generate a zones of converging fire. Innovative rolling platforms and stabilized barges serve to reinforce these defensive perimeters. This faith reveres
The Book of the Five Kings, a gospel filled with stories of military stalemates between forces of Lei Kung, Ma Yuan, Osiris, Ptah, and Shang-Ti. Morality tales in the text justify any amount of destruction to preserve the territory of an established political regime. Presently the To-Shinese Shogunate provides generous subsidy to this strategically valuable faith. Yet the sacred teachings of the Crossfire Cordon are relevant to any military organization intent on employing specialists in the use of advanced siege weapons.
φ The
Eyes of the Storm are Grave clerics who see life as a competition to win a favorable place in the afterlife. The tally of enemies slain and allies revived from the brink of death is balanced against a litany of personal shortcomings. Adherents to this philosophy carve out places of calm right at the heart of great battles. Many miracles have followed from the rush of religious fervor an overwhelmed squad feels while literally living on a prayer. Said prayers invariably involve bragging about past kills or glorifying deadly intentions. Deaths are common and revelations are rare for this philosophy. It persists because those revelations involve large forces of battle-hardened survivors suddenly grasping that they too have an opportunity to compete for a high score on judgement day.
∀ Recovery Squads present themselves as civic-minded priests eager to help, but these Life clerics take advantage of opportunities created by disasters. In the aftermath these seemingly compassionate spellcasters will provide healing and restoration services – to those survivors best able to finance the costly operations of the Squad, of course. Recovery Squads are dependable in honoring relief agreements once payment has been accepted. Some aristocrats fund them in advance to prevent competing interests from outbidding in time of crisis. This order is often able to establish itself in egalitarian communities through conventional ministry and premium tithing, which is enough to justify subsequent helpful deeds by their creed so long as payments remain up to date.
∀ Stormsmiths often train as blacksmiths and always train as Forge clerics. Charging into battle with hammers in hand, their mix of faith and brawn is famously intimidating. After great victories, they sometimes linger on the battlefield to pound their enemies into flattened remnants. Such gruesome celebrations may thunder on late into the night. When worthy allies are unarmed, these priests can equip them with cold-forged iron called down in a bolt from the sky. Authoritarian regimes and well-organized warlords make natural patrons for these brutal priests. Many Stormsmiths sport heavy suits fashioned from the remains of fallen foes' armor, if not also the foes themselves. This holy order is particularly fervent in their emnity for Thor and his devotees.
∀ The
Tsunami Force seals its scriptures in reliable waterproof containers. That literature is rich with lore about amphibious assaults and ship to ship combat. This holy order of War clerics often trains to support marine combatants. Their sacred purpose is to remind coastal communities that the sea may surge up and overwhelm them with little warning. They do not condone raiding parties, but Tsunami Force teachings strongly favor invaders over defenders. A quick merciless advance is the preferred approach of these militant priests. Though they can channel miracles even in the dryest deserts, frequent prayers for a reunion with the ocean are a must whenever a member of this order begins the day far inland. Where possible, they seek spiritual renewal with a daily swim.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Lei Kung ↑ → Loki ← ↓ Mannanan Mac Lir ↓
| THE GOD OF ENDLESS DISGUISES |
Name: Loki
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Kindred: The Æsir
Wandering Star: Gildstar
Chosen People: Joryanlanders
Lands: Carmatia, Fitchland, Joryanland, Norland, Transmania
Also Known As: Loptr, Lukki
Layfolk Spells: Vicious Mockery, Disguise Self, Scorching Ray, Blink
Spheres: darkness, fire, havoc, mischief, music
Virtues: avarice, independence, savagery, slyness, wit
Vocations: entertainers, hunters, mariners, renegades, scholars
Animals: playful lynx, stealthy serpent, rampaging wolf
Guises: whimsical assassin, whimsical berserker, whimsical musician
Symbols: burning tree, golden apple, tangled net
Observances: birthdays, fall equinoxes, full moons
Associations: The Profaners
Honorifics: Lord of Deception, Supreme Charlatan, The Unbindable God
|
Loki For the God of Endless Disguises, this world is but one of many venues where other deities may be deceived and humiliated. He is especially popular with charlatans, bandits, and other renegades. He is considered a villainous figure not just by the Norish, but nearly all who know the name “Loki.” His congregations often masquerade as other organizations to avoid hostile interference with religious activities. Only outlaws and fringe groups are likely to be open about the worship of Loki. Though they are reliably tricky and selfish, there is little else that can be trusted about followers of these faiths.
Φ CHAOTIC EVIL – Disturbing inconsistency is a distinctive characteristic among devotees of this deity. Loki inspires rulebreaking both for its own sake and to misdirect the might of others. Followers of these religions are comfortable pretending to be who they are not. They advantage themselves by catching enemies off guard. It amuses them to spread strife without any prior animus. Harmless antics may abruptly become extreme displays of sadism meant terrify people into submission. Yet they also delight in quiet violence that leaves behind only a tragic mystery. Volatile whimsies tend to make their true feelings inscrutable.
✠ Magic of the Layfolk – Loki's followers take as much pleasure from wild fabrications as they do from landing insults rooted in fact. The most amusing and irritating among them can deliver
Vicious Mockery adapted to almost any target. Many escape the consequences of their provocations by employing
Disguise Self to attack while wearing a false face or withdraw anonymously into a crowd. Some can express greater hostility in the form of
Scorching Rays that leave victims with savage burns. Yet the highest indicator of Loki's favor is the ability to
Blink in and out of trouble with infuriating unpredictability.
✶ Gildstar – This beacon leaves a trail of scintillating golden motes in its wake, collectively lingering to deface the last constellation in its tracks. Loki's star is wildly unpredictable, though it can be found in the northern sky more often than elsewhere. Despite gleaming like a tempting jewel, Gildstar is generally regarded as an omen of misfortune. Some say it indicates when a powerful ruler has just made a terrible mistake. On rare occasions when this object reddens, a major horde of desperate warriors is on the march toward an inhabited realm.
∀ Deranged Jester Mob is, against all logic and reason, a wildly popular global organization. These Trickery clerics wear bizarre facepaint whenever they are out in public. They often approach strangers in a menacing way only to perform whimsical stunts. These displays of bold impropriety draw the attention of disaffected youths. Gratuitously zany antics performed at Deranged Jester Mob gatherings appeal to ordinary folk hungry for entertainment. A well-defined subculture flocks to their outdoor religious revival events. Known to insiders simply as DJM, in private this sect turns its focus to wholesome sermons and scriptures. Authorities may be alarmed by the presence of this holy order, and public outrage may be intense even when there is no real menace mingling at one of these gatherings.
SHANG-TI: “I too foresee that Loki will be the one to violate our agreement. Yet I do not regard it as a weakness of my divine plan. A weak plan would require managing twenty-four prospective spoilers. One troublemaker is a useful quantum of uncertainty.”
— Minutes of the Wŭshén |
∀ The
Discordians are a sect of Knowledge clerics intent on disrupting any and all forms of government. Before departing this world, the goddess Eris wed Loki in an effort to muddle The Immaculate System. As a result, Discordian priests pray effectively in her name. Each member of this order appropriates the loftiest religious title recognizable across the region. True anarchists, they embrace a holy purpose to challenge every orthodoxy and promote individual self-determination. Memorable encounters with these priests often leave witnesses gushing about passionate insights shared during a brief interaction. Whether unravelling a mighty regime or perpetrating an obscure prank, Discordians take credit for the upheavals they cause by leaving a signature gilded apple behind.
∈ Parish Purifiers have glorified racism to the level of a religious creed. Their holy purpose is to prepare communities for a global war that will only end when one human ethnic group has completed genocide against its last remaining rival. Toward this end the apocalyptic faith establishes and patrols church districts segregated to exclude humans of foreign ancestry. Scripture allows for flexible treatment of most non-human people, though it labels half-breeds as abominations. To ward against Loki's efforts to dilute key bloodlines, Parish Purifiers utter angry prayers to Lei Kung, Ma Yuan, Odin, and Thor. These bigoted beliefs are shared by many Joryanlanders. Elsewhere this religion remains a fringe group limited to small communities where ethnic supremacists take its hateful gospels to heart.
Atheism Doubting that the gods exist is considered insanity. They plainly do exist, and their miracles can be witnessed even by common folk. However, there are those who believe the gods are not actually beings of vast cosmic power playing vital roles in the spirituality of the universe. Some see all clerics as tricksters, divine magic nothing more than the whim of extremely learned alien wizards or guileful demons. A famous philosopher once suggested, “any sufficiently advanced enchantment is indistinguishable from divinity.”
Just as some people make a choice not to eat meat, atheists are individuals who will refuse the benefits of divine magic, thinking it immoral or even unhealthy. In fact, the most strident of atheists talk of “faith dependence” as if repeated exposure to holy benedictions could create a dangerous need for more. There is at least a little evidence this might actually be the case. Extremely pious people who abandon or are cast out of their churches seem especially prone to both mental and physical ailments. |
∀ Also empowered when praying to the Dead God Hermes by another name,
Mercurial Turncoats practice a specialized form of duplicity. These Forge clerics may appear as neutral bystanders tending to the wounded and fallen. They offer vital aid to distract from pilferage of tabards, badges, and other military paraphernalia. Miracles of faith equip them with just the right weapons and armor to complete a uniformed look. Mercurial Turncoats allow personal whims and arbitrary coin tosses to guide their choices when wreaking havoc by fighting for one side or betraying it to another. This sect sees zero demand for mercenary work. No fee actually buys their loyalty. Yet the order continues to recruit from deserters and outlaws unable to find any other sanctuary.
φ Lycanthropes who regard shapeshifters as superior beings are welcome among the
Unbreakable Pack. These Nature clerics venerate werecreatures and other entities not bound to a single form. Wealthy individuals and secretive groups operate hideouts, supply caches, and secure sanctuaries in support of shapeshifters. In some lands they also prepare feeding grounds so that fledgeling werebeasts can develop their skills in relative safety. Members of the Unbreakable Pack experience ecstasy while sacrificing victims to rampaging monsters in residence. Engaging in extensive criminality dictates remote locations for compounds run according to this philosophy. Yet Unbreakable Pack strongholds sometimes become the heart of powerful outlaw communities.
∀ The
Wildfires are a sect of explosively violent Light clerics known for leaving trails of char and ash in their wake. Their primary tactical preference is revealed by the name of their most esteemed gospel,
The Book of Scorched Earth. Some military leaders sponsor these spellcasters because their power can be harnessed to damage enemies, but most people try to keep their encounters with these priests as rare and brief as possible. Wildfires only make matters worse by occasionally immolating strangers over petty grievances. Their holy purpose is to achieve inner peace, yet their teachings advocate attaining this through the incineration of anything that disturbs a priest's personal tranquility. They learn to find peace in whatever flames linger after their troubles have been silenced.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Loki ↑ → Mannanan Mac Lir ← ↓ Ma Yuan ↓
| THE GOD OF BRINY DEPTHS |
Name: Mannanan Mac Lir
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Kindred: The Tribe
Wandering Star: Swaystar
Chosen People: Sivelsh
Lands: Albion, Iskresh, Lachland, Sivales, Sylvania
Also Known As: Mannan, Oirbsiu, Oirbsen
Layfolk Spells: Poison Spray, Fog Cloud, Gust of Wind, Water Breathing
Spheres: mischief, secrecy, slaughter, storms, water
Virtues: curiosity, discretion, passion, slyness, wit
Vocations: entertainers, explorers, mariners, merchants, renegades
Animals: playful otter, protective dolphin, vigilant albatross
Guises: colorful trader, relentless musician, whimsical seducer
Symbols: conch horn, crashing wave, net containing fish
Observances: conquests, parades, new moons
Associations: Fathers of Invention, Keystone Council, The Profaners
Honorifics: Guardian of the Greater Ocean, Supreme Sailor, Vanquisher of Elder Horrors
|
Mannanan Mac Lir The God of Briny Depths hears prayers from almost every mariner. Having driven off many other great sea deities, his personal domain covers more than half the surface of the world. Countless sailors who make no time for churchgoing still know by heart the Prayer of Aquatic Triumph. Once used to beg for mercy in emergencies, the chant is now a matter of morning rote aboard ship. Mannanan Mac Lir's intense interest in the flourishing undersea empire of merfolk, merrow, nixies, sahuagin, and tritons causes the surface of the Lesser Ocean to be much less turbulent than the waters of earlier eras.
Φ CHAOTIC NEUTRAL – These faiths are fluid in nearly every sense of the word. Even holy orders that demand precision in daily rituals encourage free thinking about most questions of morality. Generally speaking, this deity inspires people to live in the moment. Each situation should be assessed based on the here and now. In order for individuals to most effectively fulfill their personal goals, they must go with the flow. Because worship of Mannanan Mac Lir is associated with moral flexibility, the shipping trade is particularly corrupt. Yet that same moral flexibility can be a matter of survival when mariners are faced with a crisis far from any known land.
✠ Magic of the Layfolk – Many of Mannanan Mac Lir's followers smoke a pipe to monitor air movements around their own bodies. With or without participation in that fuming vice, his most intrepid worshippers discover how to exhale a
Poison Spray that assaults one nearby creature with toxic smoke. A much bolder breath can produce a harmless
Fog Cloud large enough to conceal a group moving by foot or small boat. Sufficient practice of that technique may lead to the ability to bellow out a minute-long
Gust of Wind. Even greater dedication of breath to this deep sea deity teaches his most treasured worshippers the art of
Water Breathing.
✶ Swaystar – Wandering the night sky with the least predictable track of any star, this hazy blue object moves along a corkscrew-shaped path. Changes in its general direction can be difficult to track. Swaystar spends much of its time in the daylight sky where no stars are visible. When Mannanan Mac Lir's beacon graces the night, it is said to herald unexpected events. Sources of wild magic become more energetic as this star rises, and waters ahead are unsafe when this wandering star appears over the figurehead of a ship.
∀ Crucial to modern transoceanic trade routes,
Cardinal Navigators are Knowledge clerics constantly sharing information to maintain charts of wind patterns and ocean currents. Their scriptures contain methods for anticipating and avoiding gargantua as well as the worst sorts of storms to form between Mainland and the Orient. Large vessels undertaking these crossings face likely doom without such expertise on board. Some naval officers are ordained in this faith, though a tendency to speak in technical terms while avoiding conflict makes Cardinal Navigators unlikely captains. Traditionally they are quartered and compensated as officers while acting as independent advisors. These priests wear distinctive red robes or coats to discourage attacks against their holy persons during ship to ship combat.
“Heave ho! Up with the timber! x3
Now we ride the breezes.
Heave ho! Out with the cargo! x3
Now we take our payroll.
Heave ho! Down with the whiskey! x3
Now we get our jollies.”
— “Port to Port,” Spinach-Eater shanty |
∈ Crossbones Corsairs typically hail from Sivales. Given a sufficiently swift vessel, they can minimize the dangers of long ocean voyages. Prayers to Mannanan Mac Lir, Chih Sung-Tzu, Dagda, Oghma, and Ma Yuan are joined by an assortment of tiny ritual behaviors. Beyond supernatural protection, these gestures reassure pirate crews that they serve a holy purpose despite seizing other ships for themselves. Though ordained Crossbones Corsairs are able healers, many are proud to sport signs of their old battle wounds. Each vessel they operate tends to become a tight-knit community of its own, as they are unwelcome near most civilized ports. The scope of this faith is difficult to estimate since it has spread to many remote islands and its practitioners share secretive tendencies.
∀ Many old Temples of Poseidon are now operated by
Retarii. These War clerics equip themselves with tridents and nets. Their sacred duty involves preserving a fighting style that was a staple of ancient marine warfare. Rituals among this sect strongly resemble the rites of a Dead God, and they are regarded as heretics by some followers of Mannanan Mac Lir. Aquatic raiders have been known to strike Retarii compounds on land. Yet on the sea floor this holy order serves as the spiritual backbone of the only permanent army in the Imperium Maris. From time to time an individual Retarius manages to promote this divinely-inspired martial art by thriving as a celebrity on the gladiatorial circuit.
Alignment Philosophies Agents of Equilibrium, Just Lawgivers, Merry Hoodlums, Selfless Benefactors, Solicitous Drafters, Sovereign Renegades, Tidal Movers, Upstanding Counselors, and Vicious Malefactors are granted holy blessings by Dagda, Chung Kuel, Zeus, Odin, Arawn, Ma Yuan, Mannanan Mac Lir, Shang Ti, and Hel respectively. Like all philosophers, these spellcasters never need mention any specific god or participate in conventional acts of worship. They channel energy by calling out to an abstract principle or invoking some sort of authority. Many philosophers embrace the intellectual form by becoming well-versed in the reasoning behind their ethical positions. Yet philosophical practice remains fundamentally spiritual. Divine energy only empowers spellcasters bearing the spark of inspiration from relevant beliefs.
Each of these nine philosophies presents moral arguments that remain compelling across all clerical domains. Many practitioners are wellsprings of insight about how to make the most of a commitment to a specific alignment. Alignment philosophers are not obliged to spread their beliefs, but the words and deeds of some are extremely influential. Priests of compatible alignment may enjoy discussing ethics with this type of philosopher. Some are former priests themselves, having parted ways with a rigid holy order. Others are seekers open to a divine calling that they have yet to experience. Most of these philosophers experience power emerging from their inner dedication to core beliefs. Even so, each case of philosophical spellcasting draws on heavenly energy and support supplied by a member of the Fivesquare Pantheon. |
∀ Though it has prior resonance as slang for “sailor,” a
Spinach-Eater is a Life cleric trained for ministering to seafarers. Their name comes from ritual distribution of the plant, known to ward against afflictions common during long voyages. Sailing with such a priest may extend provisions and guard against contagions. If a port lacks one of their distinctive dockside temple-warehouses, locals in the shipping trade should be able to point out a tavern or drinking hall where Spinach-Eaters are known to congregate. Some take full advantage of special jurisdictions in harbor districts, conducting otherwise illicit trade. This holy order often has ties to local outlaws able to facilitate smuggling or the sale of goods stolen in distant lands.
∀ The
Sunken Saints are an order of Nature clerics who take their name from an ancient fellowship of sea creatures who thwarted the rise of an unholy aquatic empire. Sunken Saint scripture includes extensive commentaries on the use of nets and traps, both in contexts of monster hunting and gathering food. Variety and abundance flowing through constant change is a sacred path they pursue to combat any interest in occult powers. Today the terrestrial members of this order minister mostly to fishing villages. Worshippers who tithe generously attain bountiful hauls. The Sunken Saints are much more common throughout the Imperium Maris where rank in their order conveys law enforcement authority. Technically their jurisdiction ends at the water's edge, but these priests are not known for their humility.
φ Tidal Movers contend that life is only at its best in the midst of great change. The singular requirement of their belief system is a search for unfamiliar experiences. Enthusiasts of this philosophy are consistent only in their inconsistency. Drawn to warzones and wilderness areas, Tidal Movers tend to stir up trouble wherever none is afoot. Some deliberately seek outlaw status. To face something entirely new is a treat for these clerics, doubly so if the final outcome is uncertain. Practitioners may be drawn to this philosophy after rejecting a rigid worldview, since one of its core teachings is that mortals will never fully comprehend morality. Spellcasters inspired by these ideas find power faltering only if their prayers or their lifestyles remain constant across a significant span of time.
φ Wild Maelstroms believe drama is so vital to life that they actively seek out conflict and pull their associates into the thick of endless personal struggles. With prayers dedicated to their own ambitions, whimsy constantly reshapes the philosophy of these Tempest clerics. They are quick to act disruptively in order to become the center of attention. Even among equals they may behave as if flanked by a team of sidekicks. Yet others are sometimes drawn to the turmoil that constantly swirls around Wild Maelstroms. Time in their company is rarely dull. Some become eclectic performers, travelling widely and integrating an assortment of influences into their own work. Other practitioners are compulsive adventurers, always on the lookout for dramatic obstacles to overcome.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Mannananan Mac Lir ↑ → Ma Yuan ← ↓ Odin ↓
| THE GOD OF BLOODY MURDER |
Name: Ma Yuan
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Kindred: The Wŭshén
Wandering Star: Deathcloud
Chosen People: Zintu
Lands: Celedine, Joryanland, Sivales, To-Shin, Zintu
Also Known As: Deisaurus, Taotie
Layfolk Spells: Acid Splash, Spider Climb, Alter Self, Vampiric Touch
Spheres: balance, darkness, earth, havoc, slaughter
Virtues: curiosity, hedonism, independence, savagery, supremacy
Vocations: contenders, explorers, hunters, infantry, renegades
Animals: noisy lion, rampaging drake, vicious crocodile
Guises: clamorous stalker, ecstatic berserker, knowledgeable assassin
Symbols: crossed daggers, gruesome maw, stone triangle
Observances: executions, full moons, funerals
Associations: Death Gods, Druidfriends, The Keystone Council
Honorifics: King of Roucong, Lord of the Daikaiju, Supreme Vandal
|
Ma Yuan The God of Bloody Murder is the only member of the Fivesquare Pantheon who is not widely recognized as a deity across many other planes of existence. During the Age of Heroes, Ma Yuan achieved divinity. He then savagely defeated so many rivals that the Regal Deities feared his might could surpass their own. Through patience and sacrifice, the emerging Fivesquare Pantheon harmonized with this primal deity. Now he inspires dark faiths that appeal to cravings for death and destruction. Most of his temples and shrines are in remote locations. Powerful monstrous allies prowl the surrounding zones of wilderness.
Φ CHAOTIC EVIL – Relentless aggression is at the heart of teachings inspired by this god. Ma Yuan's gospels glorify killing for sustenance, killing to assert dominance, and killing to reduce overpopulation. Related religions encourage practitioners to partake of pleasures, but only from positions of power. All signs of fear and weakness are regarded with contempt. Adherents to these faiths are vigilant for such signs calling attention to prospective victims. None who venerate Ma Yuan are troubled by the sight of blood, and some revel in the feel of it. All hunger to better themselves. Their growing powers are always intended for selfish purposes.
✠ Magic of the Layfolk – Even the most beautiful of Ma Yuan's followers has the mindset of an aggressive carnivore. Projectile vomiting a deadly
Acid Splash is profoundly unpleasant, yet also cause for celebration as the first sign a worshipper has been chosen to channel monstrous power. Less vile demonstrations can be provided by those able to
Spider Climb with ease along walls and ceilings. More accomplished exemplars learn to
Alter Self, physically adapting to excel at infiltration or unarmed combat. Most feared of all is the
Vampiric Touch allowing these voracious predators to feed on victims not yet slain.
✶ Deathcloud – This ominous haze of blood red mist is illuminated by a trio of brilliant white stars circulating inside. Ma Yuan's beacon moves to eliminate any new arrivals among the wandering stars. Sometimes it charges headlong into its prey. Others it circles and stalks, maneuvering for a favorable attack. Either way, Deathcloud entirely eclipses the interloper. After lingering for some weeks in that location, the sanguine nebula returns to an unpredictable patrol of the heavens. When all three lights within Deathcloud align, it is said to warn of an ongoing gargantua rampage.
∀ Though the term also applies to a carnivore that is never prey itself, an
Apex Predator may instead be a War cleric devoted to becoming stronger by devouring select body parts harvested from enemies. Many of these priests maintain a set of sacred butchery tools separate from their weaponry. With scripture and prayers keenly focused on Ma Yuan's unconventional method of divine ascension, members of this holy order believe they become something greater through the killing and eating of creatures more powerful than themselves. Some Apex Predators abstain from cannibalism, but their vows require at least one weekly meal made from an unconfined creature personally slain. The spiritual value of each feast is derived from the level of threat or technical difficulty overcome during the hunt.
“Do not show your teeth if you cannot bite.”
— Commandments of the Apex Predators |
∀ The
Bloodthirsty are a sect of Nature clerics operating large institutions in major cities for the purpose of placating or diverting gargantuan monsters. Gruesome rites and perilous duties complicate recruiting. Several heroic orcs in Bloodthirsty scripture serve to draw people with that ancestry to this holy order. Their sacred scrolls feature crucial lessons about how to feed and otherwise pacify terrifying creatures on an active rampage. Bloodthirsty priests track gargantua and study them from afar, sometimes finding fortune amidst the devastation left behind. Scales, teeth, and talons of gargantua may be venerated as relics. Yet their primary income is provided by city leaders willing to pay dearly to prevent the sight of a gargantua on the horizon bringing a halt to peaceful commerce.
The Dead Gods There are documented claims of miraculous occurences following prayers to over ten thousand different entities. During the Age of Heroes, hundreds of gods granted power to a myriad of clerics. Today there are exactly twenty-five gods whose worshippers wield verifiably divine magic. Many deities voluntarily departed from a crowded and contentious pantheon. Others ceded their power in this world after losing the sorts of peculiar wagers or contests that only make sense to immortal beings.
As this Great Consolidation accelerated, some gods took to direct avatar vs. avatar combat. A gargantuan monster named Ma Yuan plunged into these struggles, violently vanquishing deities at an alarming pace. Shang-Ti pledged his support on the condition the ascendant murder god end this spree of wanton deicide. Tales of the Dead Gods continue to resonate in folk tales and history books. Modern religious practices contain enormous amounts of material borrowed from their defunct sects. |
∀ The
Dragon Gang is a global criminal syndicate that employs dragonborn guards, though it is led by a terrifying sect of Knowledge clerics. This outlaw organization is strongest where harsh authorities create the most lucrative opportunities for professional gangsters. Squads of suicidal fanatics enable this secretive religion to project power even into the most well-regulated of quarters. Little is known about their sacred rituals, since the killing of innocent witnesses appears to be a standard practice. Though fear motivates the payment of protection money to this sect, the Dragon Gang will deploy formidable combat assets when their protectees are under threat. Actual dragons number among those assets, though most of dragonkind wants nothing to do with these religious racketeers.
∈ The story of the world's only divine ascension is told from several perspectives in the gospels of
Gargantua Witnesses. In addition to worshipping Ma Yuan, Chih Sung-Tzu, Geb, Ra, and Set; members of this faith revere living gargantua as one step removed from godliness. This religion originated in Zintu, yet spontaneous conversions have been known to occur after close encounters with gargantua in any land. Zealous believers walk the world seeking these encounters, feeling a holy purpose to better know these largest of creatures. For a Gargantua Witness, there can be no greater rapture than to touch one of these enormous beings. These priests admire without attempting to control, and thus provide little help to political leaders alarmed by the approach of a rampaging colossus.
φ Monstrous Reavers equate killing with thriving. These Forge clerics make use of superior weapons to achieve the highest possible body count. Many academics see this “kill or be killed” philosophy as devoid of value, yet it is practiced by some of the wisest goblinoids. Arming and sustaining allies can convert a starving rabble into a burgeoning warband. Other Monstrous Reavers may find their passion for violence prevents them from becoming part of any large group. The healing magic of these practitioners often leaves reminders of injuries even after restoring function and fitness. Most proudly accumulate scars over the course of their careers. Though they prefer to settle disputes with steel, these philosophers channel the power of prayer through gruesome expressions of murderous intent.
“Anything less than total commitment is a source of hope to your enemies. If a course of action gives you fear, do not attempt it. When you pursue a course of action, proceed without fear. Hesitation and doubt reek of failure.”
— Naogo Cinderborn, Savage Talon abbot |
∀ The
Savage Talons are a shadowy sect of Trickery clerics who train monks and assassins at their remote monasteries. These venues instill a code of conduct that demands extremes of subtlety in peace and bloodlust in conflict. Their scriptures are full of fables to impart wisdom and exercises to promote physical ability. Combat capability is a crucial thread in the holy purpose of a Savage Talon. Normally cloaked and furtive, in battle they attack with relentless brutality. Well after victory they may continue to slash and bash the corpses of their enemies. Surviving witnesses are often traumatized by the memory of such attacks. These brutal priests are notoriously difficult to track when they abstain from leaving trails of heavily mutilated bodies.
φ Sovereign Renegades see the world as a collection of resources to exploit however they choose. Their prayers take the form of grandiose proclamations establishing their personal discretion as superior to any other legal or moral authority. Some are dismissive of all critiques, judgements, and advice they do not interpret as supportive. Any literature that prioritizes self-interest above all other concerns may prove inspirational to Sovereign Renegades. No government deliberately fosters this philosophy among its own people, but these teachings sometimes thrive as a reaction to draconian enforcement practices. In oppressive societies, these fiercely independent individuals may become role models to some. Yet everywhere these spellcasters are known, law enforcers regard them as dangerous troublemakers.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Ma Yuan ↑ → Odin ← ↓ Oghma ↓
| THE GOD OF THE FINAL BATTLE |
Name: Odin
Alignment: Neutral Good
Kindred: The Æsir
Wandering Star: Occulus
Chosen People: Norish
Lands: Darresteg, Fitchland, Joryanland, Lachland, Norland
Also Known As: Wotan, Wōden
Layfolk Spells: Ray of Frost, Bless, Shatter, Phantom Steed
Spheres: air, authority, slaughter, strategy, vigor
Virtues: erudition, independence, savagery, solidarity, leadership
Vocations: healers, infantry, mariners, rulers, scholars
Animals: noisy raven, serene wolf, vicious eagle
Guises: elegant sage, honorable berserker, modest beggar
Symbols: engraved spear, horned helm, three interlocking horns
Observances: conquests, executions, winter solstices
Associations: Regal Deities, Sky Gods, War Gods
Honorifics: Chief of the Æsir, Supreme Tactician, Vanquisher of Jötnar
|
Odin The God of the Final Battle is nearly as powerful as Zeus himself. No prophecy is more well-known than Ragnorak, the world-ending clash of those two deities. Odin is particularly popular with generals and other strategists, as he is thought to be forever planning this divine apocalypse. He is often honored at midwinter yule festivals when people come together to express joy at having survived the year. The strong, the quick, the cunning, and the learned all look to Odin as an ideal. In lore he pairs overwhelming might with unconventional problem-solving techniques. He both inspires and embodies the spirit of people enduring despite harsh and unforgiving conditions.
Φ NEUTRAL GOOD – Some see a paradox in Odin's teachings. Scriptures insist that individuals should think for themselves rather than be ruled by the will of others. Yet they also argue that the purpose of mortal life is to make the world a better place for others. Acts of community service are considered important for the benefit they deliver to ordinary people rather than the prestige they convey among elites. Glory may be a useful side effect of heroic deeds, but it should never be the primary motive. Being responsible also demands preparedness. Followers of Odin often work from strong plans of action suppplemented by cunning contingencies.
✠ Magic of the Layfolk – Odin's one great blue eye regularly surveys the world for signs of apocalyptic trouble. Regardless of eye color, devotees of this doomsday deity know they have been singled out when their own gaze projects a magical
Ray of Frost. For some of them, the phrase “Odin
Bless you” is enough to provide allies with actual arcane assistance. More experience brings with it the ability to harmonize optical beams until they make solid objects
Shatter violently. Yet it all builds toward the privilege of being permitted to borrow a
Phantom Steed from heavenly herds of eight-legged horses.
✶ Occulus – This beacon is composed of a large white orb, a smaller yet brighter blue orb, and a dark sphere that is smaller still. Appearing as a disembodied eye in the sky, the constituents of Occulus vary their relative positions to create the impression that it purposefully gazes in a particular direction. This beacon of Odin roams freely yet slowly, seeming to drive indicators of misfortune away from its path. Occulus has been known to stare pointedly at the location of a doomsday cult moving into advanced stages of its plan.
∀ The
All-Father's Shields are an order of War clerics known to accompany barbarians, berserkers, and other bold warriors. In peacetime this holy order promotes war by sermonizing about battlefield heroism and playing out possible scenarios in the form of elaborate tabletop games. These exercises make them formidable strategists. Most advise the leaders of warbands, though some go on to become great generals or admirals in their own right. They meditate often on the capabilities and limitations of their allies. Assorted plans and contingencies enable these priests conceptualize each moment in battle as a puzzle. Solutions to these puzzles are sought through a mix of tactical prayers and calculated analyses.
“Sunrise over a battlefield always brings prayers to the lips of soldiers headed into a fight. Imagine if it was only then they started to gather sticks and stones with which to wage war. The same thing is true for spiritual weaponry. Take time every day to make your relationship with the gods stronger. Only then can you call upon them in your hour of need with the sound of a familiar voice.”
— Ulf “the Butcher” Bloodhand, Gothic Invader |
∈ The
Æsir were a diverse group of deities revered throughout ancient Wotania. Their cosmology characterizes the land as a “middle world” forged from the bones of primordial giants. Children of the first human superpower were raised on tales of Æsir heroism in the face of overwhelming evil. So much of this lore continues to echo all over the world in songs of ancient conflict and battles against ferocious monsters. Æsir clerics preserve shrines housing runes carved thousands of years ago. Many eschew literature in favor of oral traditions that predate any human runic lore. Individual cells of Æsir priests may develop strong yet original beliefs. Larger gatherings often spark intense disagreements. Some of these are settled with friendly competitions, others with deadly duels.
∈ Gothic Invaders pray to Odin, Hel, Loki, Thor, or Tyr as suits the moment. They constitute the spiritual center of Norish marauder fleets. The ancient sagas that serve as their gospels offer many lessons on seige warfare and inshore navigation. With violent preoccupations and kohl-darkened eyes, Gothic Invaders embrace a holy mission to direct unrest away from struggling realms toward more prosperous lands. If these marauders return with spoils of war, then impoverished communities enjoy economic relief. If they do not return at all, contentious violence in the homeland is reduced. Either way, a region with too many warriors and too few opportunities for advancement achieves social stability through these traditions. Of course, all this is normally lost on victims of their coastal raids.
Hermeneutic Variations Different religious teachings promote different views of the same reality. A prominent example of this is Valhalla – an afterlife of endless fighting and feasting to prepare honorable warriors for service in Ragnorak. Reports from the resurrected reveal that each county of Annwyn contains a sprawling Hall of Valor. Some of the dead, especially those who perished in battle, may be fated to knighthoods there. Landholders of Annwyn regularly recruit armies from these Halls of Valor. Victors return in time for evening celebrations. The following day all souls awaken whole again and eager for the next battle. Given the support or absence of Arawn, Odin could rally his prophesied armies from those halls.
Likewise some faiths teach that the mercies of Hades admit souls to the paradise of Elysium. There is no true paradise outside the river realm of Aaru, but a major tributary known as Okeanus is flanked by rich orchards and pastureland consistent with Truscan ideals. Stylistic differences are evident as one moves from Okeanus onto the main channel of Aaru's river. It is likewise with other tributaries sustaining idyllic lands where the most worthy souls find comfortable peace. Each being Osiris accepts is guided toward a community with just the sort of architecture, fashion, cuisine, and entertainment that individual prefers. Yet each of these versions of paradise are part of the afterlife realm managed by Osiris.
The tortures of Avernus go by many names despite clear parallels among religious narratives about the fates of the wicked. Particulars seem to reflect a universal desire to see those who spread misery in life endure an eternity of horrific payback. Niflheim also sees different treatments from clergy of different traditions. The dark gray caverns of its shelters are reminiscent of hells depicted in the gospels of many Dead Gods. Roucong sees little scripture outside the faiths of Ma Yuan, though it resembles one common shamanistic account of a wildly primal afterlife.
Divine emissaries may also be percieved differently by people of varying religious outlooks. Some see all angels as jinn, and others may regard jinn as angels. Nymphs and satyrs acting as messengers for the gods are also often mistaken for other beings. Unholy deceptions and non-magical insanity further complicate these matters. An inspiring voice or a sudden sense of purpose could be part of a god's plan, or it could be something else entirely. Even the talking animals known to convey holy messages can be spoofed by illusions or actual beasts awakened with mortal magic. Almost everything of religious significance is subject to interpretation. |
∀ Italic Engravers preserve the oldest form of a precursor to the Norish runic alphabet. These Forge clerics produce arms and armor heavily adorned with such glyphs. Extensive lore about primitive methods of smelting and smithing is contained in their scriptures. Experts in the production of magical weapons sometimes travel among Italic Engraver temples as pilgrims. They visit reliquaries to transcribe ancient carvings containing pieces of legendary formulae. Senior practitioners in this sect perform some services normally associated with enchanters, especially in realms where wizardry is rare. Their sacred script is a popular cipher for either of two modern alphabets, yet that popularity makes it ill-suited to serious espionage work.
∀ Primal Taskmasters use their blessings as Nature clerics to breed and train working animals. Horses, hounds, and birds of prey are their traditional wares. They are more at ease than druids about adapting wild creatures for urban living. The grandest compounds of this holy order sell exotic creatures, doing what can be done to domesticate such beasts. Senior members of this sect maintain a personal entourage of companion animals. Wild Taskmasters measure their prowess with competitive exhibitions of trick behavior by trained animals. Particularly popular at kennels and stables associated with military units, this ancient holy order maintains a worldwide presence. Many animal trainers turn to this faith for guidance after a major mishap with their work.
φ Selfless Benefactors believe the world exists to help life achieve its potential. They value all literature penned in good faith with the intent of enlightening or entertaining readers. Dedicating themselves to improvement on every level, they personally seek out learning opportunities and sponsor training for others when possible. Healing the sick and injured is also a high priority for these philosophers. In their communities they lead efforts to address neglected problems and promote new development. Where these efforts are rewarded, Selfless Benefactors may keep a comfortable home and some financial reserves, yet their greatest fortunes fund philanthropic efforts. With prayers directed at all manner of virtues, the unifying theme of this philosophy is a commitment to helping others.
∀ The
Truthsayers are an influential sect of Knowledge clerics famed for building absurdly large churches. Normally reserved for worship or ceremonial use, these vast sanctuaries become refuges for the general public when credible omens warn danger is imminent. Scripture charges this sect with a holy mission to warn about invasive threats and natural disasters. The huge havens they hallow gives these warnings great practical value. Though Truthsayers have a reputation for honesty, some have been known to exploit this to good effect when gambling. Many are also gifted visionaries. These priests claim that giving wise counsel to the elite explains generous funding. In exchange, generous rulers happily take credit for the avaiability of sanctified emergency shelters in or near their cities.
φ Warseekers are Grave clerics determined to meet their end in glorious battle. Not only does this involve standing against a worthy foe, but glory requires championing a righteous cause. Some of these philosophers travel from one warzone to another, spending years in searching for a noble general to serve. Others conduct raids and invasions to provide relief for their own impoverished communities. Warseekers do not support destruction for its own sake, but they pillage boldy in celebration of victory. Treasures seized serve to strengthen these spellcasters and their allies while losses motivate the vanquished to mount better defenses in future. Their prayers tend to be variations on warriors' creeds associated with the practicioner's homeland or martial training.
∀ The
Weathermen are not exclusively male, but they are a sect of Tempest clerics devoted to manipulating the sky for purposes of obtaining victory in battle. They consistently venerate Frigga, a Dead Goddess, yet their prayers yield real divine magic. Theologists understand that Odin supports the Weathermen, though it is unclear if this is an act of devotion to his departed wife or an action taken for strategic reasons. Forecasts traditionally issued on the eve of battle by members of this holy order can be unreliable, generating harsh criticism whenever a prediction diverges from actual conditions. Accepting blame so that defeated warriors can retain their own confidence is just one more way to serve the holy purpose of this order.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Odin ↑ → Oghma ← ↓ Osiris ↓
| THE GOD OF ACCUMULATED LORE |
Name: Oghma
Alignment: Neutral
Kindred: The Tribe
Wandering Star: Yeardial
Chosen People: Darrestygians
Lands: Carmatia, Darresteg, Iskresh, Sivales, Sylvania
Also Known As: Ogma
Layfolk Spells: Eldritch Blast, Comprehend Languages, Silence, Dispel Magic
Spheres: air, medicine, music, secrecy, vision
Virtues: creativity, curiosity, erudition, persistence, wit
Vocations: builders, entertainers, explorers, officials, scholars
Animals: noisy owl, serene lion, vigilant lynx
Guises: gentle guard, knowledgeable sage, modest musician
Symbols: inked quill, modern lute, unfurled scroll
Observances: concerts, coronations, summer solstices
Associations: Chamber of Light, Fathers of Invention, The Profaners
Honorifics: Chronicler to the Gods, Supreme Loremaster, Vanquisher of Bánánachs
|
Oghma The God of Accumulated Lore is revered by sages and scholars. He is also popular among bards, particularly those committed to memorizing great works of oral history. Respectable libraries often contain a small shrine to Oghma. Illiterate folk know they can look to Oghma's priests for scribe services as well as healing and spiritual advice. Authors and wizards may seek them out for premium papers and inks or even bookbinding assistance. Some cloisters devoted to these faiths function as dedicated centers for training clerks and archivists within a much larger organization.
Φ NEUTRAL – Neat handwriting is a spiritual virtue for followers of Oghma. They insist on relentless practice for students and exquisite kits for themselves. These faiths also teach that it is important to read tremendous amounts of literature. Their own scriptures are enlightening about the nuances of sorting fact from fantasy. With intense emphases on intellectual inquiry and cutting critique, religions devoted to Oghma have few taboos unrelated to literature. From the most wholesome actions to the most vile, all offer chances acquire new knowledge that can be recorded to share with others.
✠ Magic of the Layfolk – Followers of Oghma derive satisfaction from the successful completion of research tasks. Those most in his favor will be inspired to seek out forbidden lore until they learn the secrets of
Eldritch Blast. Any who make good on this challenge and expand their inquisitive outlook will find that they sometimes magically
Comprehend Languages. Attaining a supervisory position at an archive of Oghma requires some ability to impose
Silence on disruptive visitors. For worshippers devoted enough to become living libraries of arcane lore, it is possible to
Dispel Magic of almost any sort.
✶ Yeardial – Resembling a shiny copper coin suspended in the sky, this beacon normally sports one of eight brilliant lights at its rim. Each has a unique position and color, glowing in rotations that span exactly one year. Advances in the cycle indicate the passage of an equinox, solstice, or the midpoint between one of each. When Yeardial mingles with other signs, it indicates a related prophecy will have long term consequences. Alone this beacon of Oghma is regarded as a sign of long life and great wisdom. Researchers and investigators often look to this star for inspiration.
“∾ Seek out a priest if you need guidance.
∾ Leave all perused items in the study areas.
∾ Offerings may be placed at the central shrine.
∾ Speak with no more sound than quill upon paper.”
— visitors' rules for Reverend Archivist libraries |
∀ The
Captive Keymasters are Forge clerics who operate living archives in the form of jails and dungeons. Scripture demands that they maintain clean cells and see to the health of captives. Their holy purpose is to keep sources alive and available, leaving information extraction to others. This order teaches aversions to sympathy and antagonism, as either can undermine the goal of preservation. They demand professionalism from all colleagues, a strictness shaped by ideals outlined in
The Impersonal Custodian, a prisoner management field manual. Preventing escape is an important duty for Captive Keymasters, so they train and equip for close quarters combat. Practitioners from this sect never seem to run short on chains and restraints.
∀ No organization known to the general public is better at making and breaking ciphers than the
Cryptic Correspondents. These Trickery clerics habitually write and speak in forms full of hidden meaning. Their scriptures plainly focus on various approaches to writing in code. A deeper reading reveals a wealth of information about using emotional tenor, obscure references, and cultural idioms so that a message carries clear implications totally unrelated to its explicit meaning. Given enough shared knowledge with an intended recipient, these layers of hidden meaning might pass undetected even under magical scrutiny. Huge organizations routinely employ Cryptic Correspondents to facilitate secure communications with intelligence operatives. This role makes the holy order a uniquely well-informed faith.
| Scriptures Every holy order designates one or more books of sacred lore as a guide all the faithful ought study. Some sects insist their scripture is flawless and sacrosanct, tolerating only narrow disputes about interpretation. Other faiths teach scripture as allegory meant to provide general guidance rather than explicit commandments. Most religions feature some flexibility while maintaining that their sacred texts are divinely inspired and superior to every alternative. Déjà vu is commonly experienced when perusing holy books, since a huge portion of traditional art and music borrows from major scriptures. Some of these texts are reproduced in staggering numbers as a means of spreading the faith. This also reinforces lore and doctrines among scribes performing these efforts. |
φ Perpetual Students spend nearly all their spare time in proximity to an open book. These Light clerics never allow night to interfere with further reading. They are always eager to trade for unfamiliar literature. Some pledge service to an institution only because doing so grants them privileged access to an excellent library. Most of these philosophers abhor the destruction of literature. They oppose bans on any form of writing or study. Perpetual Students see life as a grand quest to accumulate knowledge. They believe there is never enough time yet it is important to make the most of what is available. These practitioners tend to accumulate an eclectic blend of lore, and their prayers are directed toward knowledge itself or the grandest collections of it.
∀ The
Reverend Archivists are soft-spoken Knowledge clerics who adhere to a rigorous code of conduct. This committment is minimally restrictive on broad questions of morality, but it stipulates an elaborate set of best practices for the duplication, handling, and storage of documents. Such expertise is in demand among great leaders, making Reverend Archivist seminaries well-funded hubs for the open exchange of information about current events. Novices hastily duplicate daily bulletins to be circulated throughout the institution. Seasoned practitioners show their devotion by methodically illuminating much older writings. All of these efforts hone skills while producing new books or pamphlets. Fully ordained graduates are experienced curators as well as calligraphers.
∈ Stygian Archivists revere the world's greatest library as its most holy institution. Though most people think of the Stygian Archive as a sprawling complex in Darresteg, branches exist in many other lands and planes of existence. Adherents to this faith believe the key to paradise is a well-indexed collection of every informative volume of literature ever written. Where their talents are turned to the service of a lesser institution, Stygian Archivists maintain strict standards of document handling and storage. Subtle variations in their official badges indicate each priest's affiliation with Oghma, Arawn, Hel, Odin, or Tyr. Their respective departments handle duplications, contributions, preservation efforts, personnel management, and security.
“Money makes the world go around. Books make the world move forward.”
— Hildisif Dagmar, Stygian Archivist |
∀ The
Whispering Seekers are an order of Nature clerics with an unsurpassed reputation for being able to track down fugitives and missing persons. Many keep a companion hound or bird to assist in searches. Their scriptures teach many methods of coordinating activities with local fauna. From appropriate offerings of food to useful acts of manual effort, the texts double as references for exchanging favors with various species. Though these priests are not forbidden to lie, their reputations as honest brokers of observations from the wilderness create much demand for them to serve as spies and scouts. Near their hushed cloisters, Whispering Seekers maintain networks of familiar and reliable animal informants. Many end the day soliciting the help of a nocturnal creature or two as lookouts.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Oghma ↑ → Osiris ← ↓ Ptah ↓
| THE GOD OF NOBLE SACRIFICE |
Name: Osiris
Alignment: Lawful Good
Kindred: The Ennead
Wandering Star: Starswan
Chosen People: Thracians
Lands: Kohadesia, Serpia, Thrace, To-Shin, Wabahar
Also Known As: Asar, Serapis
Virtues: brawn, charity, honesty, independence, persistence
Vocations: farmers, healers, herders, hunters, officials
Layfolk Spells: Cosmic Veil, Feather Fall, Lesser Restoration, Revivify
Spheres: air, harvests, judgement, medicine, vision
Animals: playful carp, rampaging ram, serene falcon
Guises: flawless judge, honorable sage, stalwart guard
Symbols: gleaming scalpel, ivory ankh, crossed crook and flail
Observances: new moons, new years, weddings
Associations: Chamber of Light, Death Gods, Metaphysical Lawgivers
Honorifics: King of Aaru, Master of the Seasons, Supreme Physician
|
Osiris The God of Noble Sacrifice is served by remarkably charismatic preachers. Followers of this deity advocate an extreme and unyielding morality, but the particulars of it make them well-respected in most civilized lands. Osiris is regarded as the embodiment of cyclical life, death, and renewal. Autumn harvest festivals are consecrated in his name, and his worshippers customarily give thanks in prayer before eating a proper meal. Despite high ethical rigor, the doctrine of Osiris also allows for forgiveness and spiritual rebirth – a fresh start after repudiating and condemning prior bad acts. Even harsh judgements must be sacrificed when spiritual redemption is true and good.
Φ LAWFUL GOOD – Peaceful orderly co-existence is an ideal advocated by these faiths. Amid the struggles of the mortal world, individuals should try to set positive examples while helping others in service to harmony. The faithful are obliged to protect the innocent, assist the less fortunate, and obey legal authorities. Where these duties come into conflict, thoughtful judgements are required. As the judge of all souls seeking paradise, Osiris and his priests see many moral questions as crucial concerns with profound spiritual consequences. Most will go to great lengths for purposes of rehabilitating the corrupt and redeeming the wicked.
✠ Magic of the Layfolk – Mercy takes many forms. The most thoughtful worshippers of Osiris understand that even death can be a gift when its appointed hour has arrived. They learn a soothing form of
Cosmic Veil for easy transitions into the afterlife. Yet salvation is more typical of their miracles. Experiences teaches many to keep
Feather Fall at the ready for doomed persons yet to embark on their final adventure. More seasoned exemplars of Osiris can remedy a range of dire infirmities with
Lesser Restoration. Those most faithful to his selfless teachings may even
Revivify persons moments after they have been slain.
✶ Starswan – Nine lights that move in a tight group, this beacon of Osiris is widely regarded as a sign of redemption and renewel. Resembling a pale bird with outstretched wings, Starswan maintains its formation as if each small star were set within a larger unseen structure. At varying speeds, this object always takes a direct path toward a sign of trouble, even if that sign is not itself evident yet. When Starswan graces tragedy, recovery efforts may be spurred by new hope. The lights of this formation blush red at the best times for harvests and hunts.
φ Kind Cultivationists are practicing Nature clerics famed for agricultural expertise. They collect lore about the best times for the of planting and harvesting various crops in various regions. Terms for “sow” and “reep” focus their prayers on an essential cycle that must be perpetuated to nourish large populations. Their beliefs hold that all other worthwhile things rest on this foundation. Farmers looking to recover from blight or work new land may turn to a Kind Cultivationist seed bank for advice as well as supplies. The same venues promote festivals encouraging the exchange of labor and produce in acts of goodwill rather than commerce. In urban areas, these philosophers sometimes work as inspectors authorized to punish food vendors caught using spoiled supplies.
“May my heart be light and my words be true.”
— creed of the Martyrs of the Sunrise |
∀ The
Martyrs of the Sunrise are War clerics who believe the road to paradise involves dying in service to a righteous crusade. They are obsessed with spiritual purity, and like-minded paladins are drawn to this order. The Martyrs of the Sunrise teach that sacrifices to good causes are essential justification to partake in the pleasures of this life or the next. They persevere through arduous duties by telling one another glorious tales of heavenly paradise. From Imperial generals to isolated warlords, many military leaders finance temples to this order so that they might send reliable combatants on high-risk operations, including suicide missions. When integrated into larger military forces, these holy warriors encourage units to remain steadfast in the face of overwhelming opposition.
Cosmic Loopholes The Court of Souls empowers the Death Gods to capture the spirit of every person to die in Theatron. Instead of a final rest in the broader cosmos, each is destined for an afterlife realm connected with this world. Within the Court of Souls, the newly dead are often subject to rigorous tests and trials. Some experience months or years of grueling procedures. Yet, from a mortal perspective, each adjudication takes precisely ten days. While spirits remain on trial, intercession is possible through techniques known to thousands of experienced spellcasters. The Old Faith gives accomplished druids the power to grant individuals new life in entirely different bodies. Divine magic enables priests of comparable experience to bring an intact corpse back to life.
The wisest and holiest of clergy possess the means to revive persons from remains long dead. This is much more demanding than conveying a valid plea to the Court of Souls. Osiris and Arawn personally deliberate over each instance of full resurrection. Initiating these these proceedings can generate a spiritually traumatizing rebuke. Yet a true Soul Beacon conducts Afterlife Appeals so smoothly as to finish unscathed while reaching back through generations, awarding a long-dead person life in a perfect copy of their original body. Regime change sometimes requires the allegiance of prominent religious figures until the return of a slain leader would no longer be enough to destabilize the new order. |
∀ There are no healing specialists more respected than the
Order of Ouroboros. If one of their temples does not harbor a Life cleric able to perform the greatest of miracles, the senior priest will at least know how to send a message to a distant specialist in the application of this most miraculous power. Like Osiris himself, recipients of this sacred gift return from death to life renewed. Though temples bearing the OoO sigil offer healing services, many only open their doors to the most generous patrons and esteemed heroes. The rites of this order honor Isis alongside Osiris. Its novices often act as midwives in order to better understand how life enters this world. Those gifted enough to resurrect the dead may be eager to swaddle and comfort disoriented beneficiaries of their miracles.
∈ Seers of the Spheres maintain religious traditions from the Golden Age of Thracian culture, when the seeds of modern science were planted. With praise for Osiris, Apollo, Dionysus, Set, and Zeus; this religion promotes a discredited cosmological theory asserting the heavens are concentric shells of crystal rotating in divine harmony. The movement of these vast spheres is thought to shape the content of the sky while influencing events across all mortal realms. Despite their archaic beliefs, many Seers of the Spheres have a deep understanding of arcana. Some scientists mock this religion for perpetuating misconceptions about the heavens. Yet the faith also sees kind treatment by historians, since its earliest adherents made great contributions to works formalizing studies of geometry, logic, and physics.
∀ Soul Assessors claim to be able to forecast particulars of an afterlife by reviewing a person's actions and accomplishments. Their scriptures double as a sound scholastic foundation for the study of legal and philosophical perspectives on morality. Harsh yet fair rulers may employ Soul Assessors as judges. This shifts the burden of issuing controversial death sentences from aristocrats to famously scrupulous priests. The holy purpose of these Knowledge clerics prevents them from condemning people they know to be innocent, but they embrace the endeavor of enforcing settled laws as a means of preserving order. Traditionally organizing themselves around conferences of exactly forty-two ordained members, this holy order mentors various scribes and constables with an eye toward promptly filling vacancies.
∀ Spirit Wrestlers use their abilities as Grave clerics to hasten the deaths of condemned enemies and save the lives of trusted allies. Rather than issue judgement after extensive study and analysis, these militant priests make life-and-death determinations with snap decisions in the heat of conflict. Even so, their spiritual authority is often sufficient to deliver salvation or ultimate doom. Spirit Wrestlers conduct themselves more like independent warriors than religious leaders. They typically wield weapons in battle. The name of their order references moments of cosmic effort when an ally is grabbed and pulled back from the brink or an enemy is forcibly ejected from this mortal coil. What appears a fleeting gesture in the material world may be an epic struggle in the spiritual realm.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Osiris ↑ → Ptah ← ↓ Ra ↓
| THE GOD OF FORGED MARVELS |
Name: Ptah
Alignment: Lawful Neutral
Kindred: The Ennead
Wandering Star: Hedron
Chosen People: Helveticans
Lands: Fitchland, Helvetica, Iskresh, Serpia, To-Shin
Also Known As: Sokar, Tatenen
Layfolk Spells: Produce Flame, Identify, Heat Metal, Spirit Guardians
Spheres: balance, earth, propriety, prosperity, vision
Virtues: avarice, consistency, curiosity, honesty, industry
Vocations: artisans, artists, constables, mariners, merchants
Animals: protective ram, serene bull, vigilant falcon
Guises: colorful smith, flawless painter, honorable trader
Symbols: hooked scimitar, jewelled ankh, brass-framed lenses
Observances: birthdays, conquests, coronations
Associations: Chamber of Light, Fathers of Invention, Keystone Council
Honorifics: Supreme Inventor, Treasurer to the Gods, Vanquisher of Nasnas
|
Ptah The God of Forged Marvels is popular with bankers, tinkers, and all sorts of smiths. With intense emphasis on precision, artisans faithful to Ptah show religious devotion in their feats of crafting. His priests are reliable sources of information about where to find the best tools and materials in the area. Contributions to these holy orders may also be rewarded with candid assessment of which local merchants practice fair trade and which misrepresent the value of their wares. Most governments find a role for these priests in the minting of currency. Their congregations provide venues for honorable business rivals to socialize and provide mutual support.
Φ LAWFUL NEUTRAL – Devotion to this deity carries with it passions for precision and quality. From the purification of metals to the mixing of potions, the faithful take every measurement with great care. This tendency enables some to accomplish pioneering work involving technology and the sciences. Quality pairs with quantity as a source of pride. Worshippers of Ptah do their best to fill idle time with productive endeavors. Yet each sees no greater challenge than the crafting of the self. This god inspires vigorous efforts to cultivate esteem in the community. Most are eager to acquire wealth through any honest and legal method.
✠ Magic of the Layfolk – Profoundly inventive devotees of Ptah constantly improve their own gear. Some succeed in the safe operation of a personal system to
Produce Flame for purposes of both combat and crafting. Their grasp of how equipment functions is so enlightened that many correctly
Identify unfamiliar magic items after a brief examination. Continued progress reveals methods of projecting warmth without fire, making it possible to
Heat Metal from afar. Those most able to fuse an aptitude for the arcane with study of the technological employ
Spirit Guardians to fire beams of pure light at nearby aggressors.
✶ Hedron – Dazzling scintillation makes this beacon of Ptah notoriously inscrutible despite its predictable path. Observations reveal it to be a crystalline object with a faceted surface. Flares of intense light dazzle and disorient telescopic viewers. Those same pulses are only spectacular twinkles to the naked eye. The rhythm and color of these flares sometimes indicates the perfect moment to complete great feats of spellcasting or artisanship. The glow of Hedron's brightest flashes momentarily lingers when observed through a precious gemstone that has been cut properly.
∀ The
Apparatus Society maintains a network of sacred workshops to support all manner of tinkers, technologists, and engineers. Optics and stargazing are popular interests among these Knowledge clerics. Their gospels elaborate on the workings of machines fabled for perfect exactitude in shaping parts for other machines. This faith sees a fair number of gnomes in its congregations, with some holding positions of clerical seniority. Uninitiatied outsiders may be unwelcome since they have been known to interfere with delicate assembly procedures. Visitors must follow a strict code of conduct regardless of faith. Workshops of the Apparatus Society are consecrated ground, while display and sale of finished products occurs at separate shops where all sorts of customers are welcome.
Funding the Faith Custom holds that one-tenth part of a worshipper's income ought be tithed to a temple or church. The Forked Tongue Society is financed almost entirely by the tithing of well-compensated killers for hire. Some militant holy orders operate units of mercenaries, supporting the ministry with tithed spoils of war. Many religions make it their mission to help local farmers and artisans. These more prosperous folk make greater contributions when they attend religious services.
Some funds from outside the sect are considered donations in support of a sacred purpose, but others are openly regarded as the price of a good or service. Cardinal Navigators and Reverend Architects can be hired by anyone, but their terms always require freedom to perform applicable rites. Elegant Morticians are trained to tolerate all manner of prayers at a funeral, so long as the God of Tranquil Death is not disrespected (and his earthly representative is given at least one gold coin.) Heavenly Vintners and Mushroom Hunters are vendors by religious calling, though often they reserve the best stock for like-minded worshippers. Religious finance is nearly as diverse as the practice of faith itself. |
∀ Cloudgazers are an order of Tempest clerics aspiring to develop new techniques of predicting the weather. Keeping journals with sketches and extensive descriptions of clouds is a devotional act for them. Competing models of pattern formation are refined through endless Cloudgazer debates as well as a growing array of experimental instruments that sample the environment. Scientific measurements inform their predictions, though druids can achieve superior accuracy without benefit of any technology. Still, many of the faithful are happy to attend long seminars and invest in costly equipment only to make educated guesses about the next day or two of weather. Of course, the forecasts of senior Cloudgazers are
100% accurate when powerful prayers reshape conditions to match their predictions.
φ Fatesmiths claim to have one eye for metal and the other for mettle. These Forge clerics often have a role in supervising the training and equipping of military units. They take great satisfaction from personal relationships with warriors they believe linked to a great destiny. Willing beneficiaries can expect blessings and moral guidance in addition to methodical training. They refine and share martial manuals interlaced with profound spiritual lessons. Their blessings blend old military proverbs with cryptic riddles or bold proclamations of destiny. Some Fatesmiths claim credit for providing kings and generals with the steel to succeed. Others benefit the community by counseling ruffians and outlaws into fighting on the side of civilized authorities.
∈ Gravity Guardians emerged from an ancient tribal Helvetican technique of triggering avalanches during battles. While modern law strictly forbids this practice, priests keep related customs alive by planning and blessing mechanical traps. From the simplest pitfalls to sealed rooms that fill with poison gas, the modern scriptures of this religion feature technical examples spanning all levels of sophistication. Ptah, Apollo, Ares, Geb, and Zeus are each credited as the inspiration for innovative designs. Gravity Guardians have adopted judicious application of these countermeasures as their sacred duty. To secure treasuries and armories, even the most brutal traps are considered appropriate. Outsiders never wander long near temples of this sect unescorted, since practitioners hone their skills on those grounds.
“There is a perfect size for all things.”
— Temo Wildeyes, Synod Jeweller Bishop |
∀ Shining Steelmongers are a trade association led by a brawny sect of War clerics. Their holy book has much to say about furnaces and smelting, but it is also packed full of guidance on preparing and working with rare alloys and magical formulae. Their churches are often ringed by smelters and forges designed for exotic materials. Typically these priests live out a holy quest to procure and flaunt the best custom-made weapons and armor they can produce, commission, pillage, or purchase. Dwarves make strong contenders for the top prize at Shining Steelmongers' glittering pageants of heavy combat gear. Though they may use textile greatcloaks for concealment, members of this holy order refuse any application of filth or paint to dim the reverently-polished surfaces of their gear.
“The Sun gives us the light to see the world. When we make a lamp, we give that gift to ourselves.”
— Manual of Forged Marvels, Apparatus Society text |
∀ Synod Jewellers are governed by an incalculably wealthy hierarchy of Light clerics who teach a spiritual approach to working with precious metals and gemstones. Notable halflings hold senior positions in this organization. These priests stringently enforce standards of business integrity on worshippers' shops as well as their own. This keeps pricing in the treasure trade fair, since establishments seeking a cut of each exchange can only compete by dealing in stolen goods. The Synod minimizes jewel and gem theft by identifying stolen items and working with appropriate law enforcers. The faith prospers from value gained when new pieces are crafted and materials lost when pieces are cut or resized. The jewellers' loupe so vital to their trade often doubles as a holy symbol.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Ptah ↑ → Ra ← ↓ Set ↓
| THE GOD OF THE RISING SUN |
Name: Ra
Alignment: Neutral Good
Kindred: The Ennead
Wandering Star: Mornstar
Chosen People: Serpians
Lands: Iskresh, Kohadesia, Serpia, Wabahar, Zintu
Also Known As: Re
Layfolk Spells: Sacred Flame, Color Spray, See Invisibility, Mass Healing Word
Spheres: authority, fire, judgement, music, vision
Virtues: charity, consistency, leadership, supremacy, watchfulness
Vocations: archers, entertainers, healers, rulers, scholars
Animals: noisy tiger, protective lion, serene ibis
Guises: clamorous musician, elegant marksman, gentle sage
Symbols: red disk, golden ankh, jagged morningstar
Observances: concerts, coronations, summer solstices
Associations: Chamber of Light, Keystone Council, Sky Gods
Honorifics: Chief of the Ennead, Supreme Scheduler, Vanquisher of Shades
|
Ra The God of the Rising Sun is chief among the Serpian deities, worshiped by seekers of enlightenment and moral guidance. Once an overwhelming presence spanning all of Serpia, his worshippers dwindled first during Imperial Maximum and again during a flurry of spectacular betrayals by pontiffs turning to Set. Even in harsh times, priests of Ra tend to remain men and women of good cheer, always eager to help those who pair real need with no ill intentions. They excel at time management, advising relief for the overworked and rigor for underachievers.
Φ NEUTRAL GOOD – Ra's devotees tend to be passionate about education and child care. They teach that a good beginning in life is the least costly way to set a soul on a righteous path. Most are also early risers, eager to personally greet the sunrise, hoping for a satisfying start to each day. These faiths idealize light that warms and soothes the innocent while burning and purifying the wicked. Though their priests are giving by nature, they are also driven to outshine the works of other notable clergy in the area. The sights and sounds of a community leave no doubt about it wherever the worship of Ra is popular with local officials.
✠ Magic of the Layfolk – New opportunities for progress arrive with each new day. Ra's most dedicated worshippers use some of each to contemplate the Sun. A deep and holistic understanding gives rise to a technique for calling upon
Sacred Flame. Some press beyond this holy power to project the full beauty of sunrise as a dazzling
Color Spray. Despite all this exposure to brilliant lights, Ra's chosen worshippers remain keen-eyed. The most dilligent develop the means to
See Invisibility. Even greater devotion eventually unlocks the secrets of
Mass Healing Word – a spell enabling entire teams to rise up from their darkest moments.
✶ Mornstar – Both large and bright, this beacon is almost always the last visible star as the morning Sun follows it up from the eastern horizon. Some customs hold that work or travel ought to be underway before the final glimmers Mornstar yield to daylight. Though it rarely fluctuates, when this object does brighten or dim, each change is instant. The sight of Ra's star far from its usual track is often interpreted as some hint of a great scientific, historical, or arcane discovery about to transpire. Joined with other signs, it suggests a complex puzzle at the heart of the issue.
∀ Dawnlords are a flamboyant order of Trickery clerics known for the huge glittering domes featured prominently atop their sunspire temples. Mirrors and lenses on these domes shimmer with many colors on a clear day. Some children are told that these priests are personally responsible for bringing the Sun up each morning. Their temples often offer lessons in assorted musical and theatrical techniques. Displays of dance and acrobatics blend seamlessly with their worship services. Dawnlords favor dazzling spectacles, even to the point of integrating pyrotechnics and magical lighting sequences into pageantry for special events. Some spread their faith by taking to the streets as buskers. Pairing humor with magic, they promote kind moral teachings without sanctimonious preachings.
The Chamber of Light Apollo, Chung Kuel, Oghma, Osiris, Ptah, Ra, and Tyr convene whenever the activities of Divine Villains escalate to a level that might unbalance the Immaculate System. This team of especially generous and learned deities is well-suited to addressing the complexities of spiritual turmoil. They also shape doctrines related to unholy powers. While some in the Chamber of Light sympathize with the Archfey, others consider those entities no better than Archdevils. As with their heavenly patrons, priests of these gods can be zealous in debates related to witchcraft. Some are even more zealous in its violent persecution.
Affiliated priests may be as quick to act against destructive holy orders as unholy covens. Initial efforts by this group inspire waves of mortal heroes to launch themselves into the heart of a crisis. Bolder interventions are performed reluctantly, especially if escalations could lead to direct conflict between deities. Yet the Chamber of Light will not rest so long as any major doomsday prophecy is actively unfolding. When the eight stars associated with these deities converge, the resulting beacon is a clear alarm about some threat to the stability of magic itself. |
∀ Dunewalkers use their abilities as Nature clerics to survive even in the harshest desert conditions. Their gospels emphasize the importance of conserving water, though they share the ability of most spiritual spellcasters to pray for a supply of this essential resource. In the wild they pair relief for weary travellers with long cryptic lessons that weave ancient religious lore with personal insights. Dunewalkers may seek tranquility and revelation on extended walks through unforgiving barrens. Some also track and study exotic creatures known to roam open sands. This sect supports little in the way of urban institutions, but any remote oasis is likely to feature a shrine to Ra serviced by visits from these priests. Reliable offerings ensure the watering hole will remain usefully large and clean.
∈ Though subject to many evolutions, the most popular pantheon in eastern Mainland during the Age of Heroes was anchored by a group of nine constant deities. The much larger group is still known today as the
Ennead. Various fellowships and brotherhoods, some reflecting the historic patriarchy of ancient doctrine, preserve towering archives of pictographic scrolls originally penned long ago. These clerics are faithful guardians of sacred monuments and secret treasures as well as that ancient lore. Gatherings of Ennead priests tend to be collegial, with tolerance for almost any opinion that does not jeopardize holy relics. Some even support the archaic practice of mummification. When a great pyramid or ancient library is under threat, members of this faith rally in its defense.
∀ Honorable Sunrays often carry nothing beyond sandals, a robe, a staff, and a holy symbol. Yet these few trappings tend to be elaborate if not also enchanted. Their abilities as Light clerics make them formidable guards, uniting to dispatch foes in a blaze of divine energy. Circles of Honorable Sunrays may be assigned as personal protectors securing important Serpian officials. Teams may also coordinate vigils at treasuries, tombs, and other sites with special security concerns. The sacred purpose of this sect is to bring Ra's light to any place it might prove helpful. Its greatest heroes have delved the deepest dungeons or returned from the darkest planes of existence. Yet this order presently faces a string of controversies involving service to unpopular leaders enforcing draconian edicts.
The Sun Gods At the height of the turmoil preceding the Great Consolidation, sun priests were common on the battlefield. It was not easy to overlook their holy radiance and fiery onslaughts. As conditions on the ground stabilized, Ra remained in command of a strong team while Zeus was protective of his loyal ally Apollo. Fortified Thracian cities turned back hordes of Ra's zealots as wave after wave rolled westard, but Apollo's crusaders fared no better on their many eastward campaigns. The conflict seemed intractable.
In a bargain fully fathomed only by the gods themselves, a truce was forged designating Ra “God of the Rising Sun” and Apollo “God of the Setting Sun.” Though there is still a little tension between followers of these two deities, it is nothing compared to the savage holy wars of an earlier era. Today these benevolent gods smoothly share their duty to illuminate the world. Some cities even see unified sun worship complexes where different holy orders take shifts praising the world's primary source of light and warmth. Modern devotees of either Sun God tend to have charitable and tolerant attitudes.
|
φ Idea Illuminators are all professional educators as well as Knowledge clerics. They value any effort to spread literacy, numeracy, and other forms of enlightenment. Though famously precise and stern, practitioners of this philosophy tend to be well-liked by people of all ages. Most use spare time to copy popular books into formats meant for young hands, and some work magic through classic literary quotes. These philosophers serve the community by operating schools and providing excellent personal tutelage to aristocrats. Nostalgic loyalty drives prolific patronage of their institutions. Idea Illuminators exert global influence even though their numbers are relatively small. The effectiveness of their methods tends to generate respect at colleges and universities.
∀ The
Radiant Shields are an order of War clerics who constitute formidable units of heavy infantry. Their distinctive gilded shields attract attention individually while presenting a dramatic image in formation. Experienced members of this order may take to gilding their armor and weapons as well. Though this impressive appearance may inspire allied forces, it is backed up by rich traditions of battlefield valor and civic responsibility. Radiant Shield scriptures are composed of two collections, one dedicated to military operations and the other focused on spiritual virtue. Their holy mission does not require service to the state, but some consider it heresy to neither hold nor seek rank in a military organization supported by one of this order's Archbishop-Bashars.
∀ Sunlit Singers are Life clerics committed to delivering five loud vocal performances between sunrise and sunset each day. Sacred music is preferred, but any heartfelt song is acceptable. Some of their churches features rooftop theaters for directing choral performances skyward. Even their smallest temples feature a minaret where a Sunlit Singer might climb to personally serenade the day. Much like a rooster crowing, the earliest of these musical prayers can be controversial in some quarters. This sect once collected tithes from a large majority of Serpians. Today it remains a major force for good in a part of the world plagued by growing darkness. While each is an act of devotion, their vocal performances also double as tools to attract lost and weary persons in need of charitable support.
“The Sun's intensity guides our eyes back toward the world it brightens and sustains.”
— Raza Jaleh, Sunlit Singer Firekeeper |
∈ Triumphant Invincibles must endure severe penance after any admission of defeat. These priests of Ra, Geb, Osiris, Ptah, and Set believe the Serpian Empire is destined to unify the entire world under a single human regime. Some seek out trouble spots where corruption or disloyalty weakens their beloved superpower. Others rally around the strongest institutions to better glorify them. Yet all Triumphant Invincibles preach a set of prophetic gospels predicting the global hegemony of their regime. In some social circles their, “as with the Sun, so shall we rise,” salutation is ubiquitous. This faith is not explicitly racist, and it welcomes all sorts of adherents. Yet the upper levels of its ecclesiastical hierarchy are staffed entirely by humans from southeastern Mainland.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Ra ↑ → Set ← ↓ Shang-Ti ↓
| THE GOD OF DARKEST NIGHT |
Name: Set
Alignment: Lawful Evil
Kindred: The Ennead
Wandering Star: Neverfall
Chosen People: Iskreshi
Lands: Iskresh, Serpia, Thrace, Wabahar, Zintu
Also Known As: Seth, Suetekh
Layfolk Spells: Poison Spray, Expeditious Retreat, Darkness, Bestow Curse
Spheres: darkness, havoc, secrecy, storms, water
Virtues: avarice, discretion, industry, slyness, supremacy
Vocations: cavalry, foragers, merchants, renegades, scholars
Animals: stealthy serpent, stalking jackal, vigilant ram
Guises: aggressive trader, gentle assassin, silent stalker
Symbols: dark hood, folding dagger, obsidian ankh
Observances: conquests, funerals, winter solstice
Associations: Fathers of Invention, The Profaners
Honorifics: Father of Typhonians, Lord of Shadows, Supreme Spy
|
Set The God of Darkest Night is so widely despised that hostility toward Hel and Loki seems tame by comparison. Some priests of Set pointedly exploit religious tolerance laws to maintain temples in plain sight, knowing full well that this undermines the authority of permissive leaders. Yet the overwhelming majority of worship and organization among these faiths remains covert. Sometimes masquerading as a different sort of group, sometimes assembling in total secrecy, the followers of this malevolent deity often turn out to be surprisingly abundant in lands where they lack any public presence.
Φ LAWFUL EVIL – Newcomers to these religions are taught to regard trust as sacred. Their ability to keep confidences will be tested, and they may be subject to all sorts of social manipulation. A deeper grasp of Set's teachings reveals that trust is really just the means to an end. Betrayal is the conversion of trust to value as well as the real purpose of exerting influence over others. Each follower demonstrates worth to superiors at every opportunity, the better to guard against being sold out. In this way groups devoted to Set thrive and grow through an intense internal order even where they endure outlaw status.
✠ Magic of the Layfolk – Never shy about spewing vitriolic venom to undermine others, the most duplicitous devotees of this deity may gain the ability to spit a
Poison Spray of deadly mist. Always ready to withdraw from a vulnerable position without regard for allies, especially treacherous worshippers can perform an
Expeditious Retreat at extreme speed. Yet stronger worshippers seeking to be hide from hostility may spread supernatural
Darkness throughout an area. Some so excel at the art of duplicity that they can even
Bestow Curses temporarily causing victims to be betrayed by their own bodies.
✶ Neverfall – Deceptively resembling the last sight witnessed by victims of falling stars, this beacon of Set varies from a subtle point of light to a brilliant ball trailing a fiery wake. Neverfall may appear anywhere in the night sky. Astronomers and priests alike believe it is present every night, often lurking overlooked among clusters of fixed stars. In its full glory, Neverfall can be a terrifying image. A series of increasingly menacing appearances headed in a clear direction stirs public unrest despite no history of this star actually striking the ground.
∀ The
Asset Recruitment Corporation is a global web of Knowledge clerics specializing in extortion and infiltration. As priests supported by tremendous financial reserves, these spellcasters often start relationships by providing a valuable service or lucrative yet easy jobs. After gaining the confidence of a target, the next step is to achieve leverage. The Asset Recruitment Corporation field manual contains guides to uncovering shameful secrets, orchestrating criminal complicity, sowing seeds of mistrust, and inspiring others with false hope. Be it through coercion or temptation, recruited assets feel compelled to do the bidding of their handlers. Based on prior activity, it seems A.R.C.'s holy mission is to compromise elite institutions then destroy them through internal conflicts.
Divine Villains Arawn, Ares, Hades, Hel, Lei Kung, Loki, Ma Yuan, and Set are all enemies of the gods according to mainstream religious narratives. They pursue malicious goals and bring ruin to many mortals. Their priests may be downright monstrous in every sense of the word. Yet their real relationships are much more complex. These gods infuse parables and sermons with integrity useful to illustrate moral contrasts at the heart of spiritual arguments. Evil deities are widely feared and hated, but on some level they are also needed.
Some of their religions enjoy widespread social acceptance. Cityfolk in most societies routinely employ Elegant Morticians when putting a corpse to rest. All the Death Gods see some of their clergy specialized in pairing valuable skills with unique holy vows. Some Divine Villains inspire mercenaries or regular armed forces with terrible destructive power. Devotees of these deities may rise within governments by solving problems with methods so cruel their peers would hesitate to do likewise. Major leaders loyal to a Divine Villain invariably face problems with public morale.
Less popular evil religions face a landscape of attitudes ranging from social persecution to major criminalization. Driven into obscurity, these sects persist behind false fronts, lurk as secret societies, or operate at sites beyond the grasp of civilized armies. Despite all this contempt, evil spiritual magic is still considered “holy” in contrast to “unholy” phenomena like contractual magic, aberrations, fiends, and the undead. Some societies consider all holy persons deserving of special protections, regardless of which deity they worship. |
∀ False Witches are not necessarily women, but they are all Tempest clerics who masquerade as practitioners of the contractual form of magic. Their scriptures offer abundant insights into unholy channeling and occult lore. Members of this holy order often maintain alternate identities for purposes of infiltrating covens or starting panics. After actual unholy spellcasters have been exposed or aggressive witch hunters commence work nearby, False Witches revert to a pious, humble, and seemingly harmless persona. A common interpretation of their holy purpose focuses on unraveling dangerous cults from within. Yet this systematic treachery is not directed only at those who would consort with devils. Some say the true goal of these imposters is to popularize severe enforcement practices by elevating levels of public terror.
∀ The
Forked Tongue Society is an order of War clerics known for operating secret monasteries attended by elite assassins, guards, and spies. These priests impart mystical insights unlocking spectacular martial capabilities, especially in younger and fitter students. This holy order does not orchestrate individual murders, but the Forked Tongue Society is in the business of matching skilled covert operatives with potential employers. Pupils who go on to become elite henchmen provide tithes enough to build and maintain obscure training centers. Though this faith is not outlawed in most lands, backlash sometimes follows from the deaths of prominent figures at the hands of former students. Even a tenfold advantage would make an ordinary army wary of orders to storm a facility occupied by this organization.
φ Lieweavers tell the truth only when it suits their purposes. Though deception comes naturally to many people, these Trickery clerics see it as both an art and a science. Most spellcasting philosophers embrace a coherent body of beliefs they are eager to defend in honest clashes of ideas, but the actual beliefs of Lieweavers are never easy to pin down. What passses for prayer among them is the expression of misleading personal information. Some find excitement in the challenges of maintaining separate narratives or identities in different social circles. Yet these philosophers make poor spies since their reports can never be completely trusted. Former acquaintances may struggle with confusing mysteries long after a practitioner has moved on in search of new victims to manipulate.
∀ Nightcrawlers are Nature clerics so named for an initiation that induces self-loathing enough to feel like a mere earthworm. They are also predominantly active at night – the unseen eyes vagabonds and cat burglars feel upon them in especially unsettling moments. Their sacred mission is to facilitate endeavors so sinister that they could not be sustained in the light of day. Most Nightcrawlers are enamored with conspiracies, crimes, and cults. They worm their way through the darkest parts of the underworld in order to weaken the fabric of society. It is only where leaders are cruel and domineering that members of this holy order might openly support authorities. These priests believe no expression of religious devotion is more extreme than an entire life dedicated to truly loathsome acts.
“To evade pursuit, enter a shadow wearing one face then leave wearing another.”
— Deadly Silence, Forked Tongue Society manual |
∈ Shadowriders teach that Set was first among all the gods, as light has no meaning if not to sweep aside darkness. This most ancient faith of the Isks embraces Ra, Ptah, Mannanan Mac Lir, and Oghma right alongside the God of Darkest Night. The sacred sagas of this sect detail the adventures of legends who travelled by night and rested by day, all the while saving innocent people and defeating savage monsters. Modern churches of this faith are hubs of nocturnal activity. Shadowriders support and are in turn supported by all manner of rogues and other secretive figures. Yet most of these priests personally abstain from lawless activities. Their holy mission is to assist all serious endeavors underway in after dark. Adjuncts containing a stable and a tavern are common features of temples devoted to this religion.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Set ↑ → Shang-Ti ← ↓ Silvanus ↓
| THE GOD OF THE IMMACULATE SYSTEM |
Name: Shang-Ti
Alignment: Lawful Neutral
Kindred: The Wŭshén
Wandering Star: Halfstar
Chosen People: Celedinese
Lands: Celedine, Elatolia, Ontolon, To-Shin, Xe-Shan
Also Known As: Lăotiānyé, Shangdi, Tian
Layfolk Spells: Ray of Frost, Mage Armor, Calm Emotions, Clairvoyance
Spheres: authority, balance, judgement, propriety, strategy
Virtues: consistency, discretion, erudition, leadership, watchfulness
Vocations: builders, constables, officials, rulers, scholars
Animals: stalking ram, vicious lion, vigilant crane
Guises: elegant judge, flawless sage, gentle beggar
Symbols: bonsai tree, book of philosophy, spoked wheel
Observances: half moons, memorials, new years
Associations: Keystone Council, Metaphysical Lawgivers, Regal Deities
Honorifics: Architect of Heaven, Chief of the Wŭshén, Supreme Planner
|
Shang-Ti The God of the Immaculate System is also the architect of the Fivesquare Pantheon. He convinced the other Regal Deities that twenty-five major gods were the perfect number for this world. As the pool of competing candidates dwindled, Shang-Ti studied their tangle of agendas and formulated a plan for global divine harmony. He defined and assigned each of the portfolios now governing spheres of divine influence. He is the patron of bureaucrats and organizers, appealing to anyone fond of developing elaborate schemes or studying orderly abstractions. He is also popular with academics struggling to come to terms with the immensity of creation.
Φ LAWFUL NEUTRAL – Forethought is at the heart of Shang-Ti's teachings. Worshippers are directed into silent contemplation until their minds are free to accept heavenly inspiration. Inner harmony is promoted through systematic approaches to education, trade, and leisure. Followers tend to be well-groomed and maintain their surroundings fastidiously. Extensive learning is considered virtuous by these faiths, but there is no substitute for deep and reflective analysis. From the structure of an army to the arrangement of furniture in a room, believers seek to determine and assign the ideal places for all things.
✠ Magic of the Layfolk – Devout worshippers of Shang-Ti are often bothered when it seems that things are out of place. The most stern may employ a
Ray of Frost to prevent troublemakers from moving where they are not wanted. Some develop such precise control over unseen energies that they can fit people with functioning
Mage Armor. True understanding of Shang-Ti's discipline establishes an exquisite inner harmony that may
Calm Emotions in others. The deepest searches for communion with the world reveal unity so profound as to awaken
Clairvoyance in the most thoughtful individuals.
✶ Halfstar – This large sphere is composed of light and dark materials swirled together in equal measure. It always presents some mix of brilliance and shadow. The cycle never falters from rising and falling intensities that peak twice each fifty-nine days. Though this beacon of Shang-Ti never surprises with its brightness, Halfstar can change direction to chase away troubles. Its approach to an indicator of disorder, struggle, or death often forecasts how much time will pass before the crisis is resolved. In conjunction with other signs it suggests a harmonious outcome. Conspiracy or rebellion is afoot when Halfstar is long absent from the night sky.
∀ Celestial Accountants are Light clerics with a strong command of mathematics. Their vows require them to be accurate in the numbering of all things. Ordination opens up opportunities as keepers of bankbooks, inventories, and other important ledgers. Using distinctive racks of sliding beads, these priests perform complex calculations at a speed other mortals cannot match. Their collective goal is to count all the stars of the sky. New instruments continue to reveal fainter heavenly objects, increasing the scope of this challenge. Celestial Accountants are regarded as the ultimate authority on units of measure. Their places of worship also feature installations with local navigation data, depictions of planar relationships, and precise water clocks.
“Ledgers and inventories are but a small part of life. Of what use is knowing the price of everything if you know the value of nothing?”
— Meditations of the Celestial Accountants |
∈ The
Dragon Kings were an assortment of ancient wyrms who became allies of early gods active in the Orient. Venerable survivors of war with the Imperium Arcanum, these extraordinary draconic tyrants accepted restraints on their territories and behaviors. In exchange they enjoyed the blessings of the gods and peaceful relations with emergent human kingdoms. Some were martyred in heroic battles and others ascended to become companions to the gods. Obscure congregations sustain this religion where the Dragon Kings are venerated right alongside a vast company of Shang-Ti's present and former divine associates. Small in numbers and fame, this priesthood somehow maintains a far-flung array of monuments and shrines dedicated to sacred beings from a bygone era.
∀ Impeccable Strategists never pass up an opportunity to assimilate unfamiliar military lore. These War clerics express their religious devotion through endless planning and analysis of combat options. From maneuvers employed in a common brawl to the ploys of legendary generals, these priests seek the wisdom of the cosmos in the outcomes of life and death struggles. Their scriptures teach it is just for winners write prevailing histories, since defeat is evidence enough that a faction harbors foolish beliefs. The most revered Impeccable Strategists have reputations as gifted battlefield commanders. Yet even novices understand the basics of conscription, training, and deployment of soldiers. Their holy purpose is to test ingenious methods in combat against challenging adversaries.
Heavenly Portfolios Debate rages on about many details, but modern theologists agree that 42 energetic channels constitute the primary structure of the current spiritual environment. Half are intakes powered by the devotion of mortals striving to follow the teachings of their faith. The other half project godly power across spheres of influence spanning the mortal world. The Immaculate system links each deity to five virtue channels and five spheres of influence. Each blend services the unique preferences of an individual god, while manifold redundancy makes for a stable structure.
Modern populations generate abundant surpluses of spiritual energy. This eases sharing so that less popular deities need not be shortchanged. All have their parts to play in clashes that motivate passionate prayers. Godly minds never need idle while there are multiple avenues to advance the popularity of their gospels or the scope of their miracles. Conflicts of interest can be resolved with a change in focus rather than escalating hostilities. From the Regal Deities to the Divine Villains, every member of the Fivesquare Pantheon enjoys a virtuous cycle of rising religious activity and greater energy to empower the faithful. |
∀ Inscrutible Observers are a ubiquitous order of Trickery clerics who wear dull yet fine clothing and frequently take notes on events transpiring nearby. This discreet journaling involves a cryptic code known only to ordained members of the faith. Their intentions are so enigmatic, some speculate they must have a sacred duty to provoke questions and draw people toward the faith through mystery. They are meticulous, law-abiding, and respectful; yet they are also almost always passive monitors. Inscrutible Observers tend to be secretive and evasive, though they rarely utter falsehoods. Where legal authorities request it, these priests give accurate accounts of their recollections. Yet the times and locations they choose to chronicle are a function of spiritual inspiration.
∀ Providential Preachers are Knowledge clerics dedicated to promoting public health. Stable harmonious expansion is their wish for every community supporting their churches. They minister selectively in efforts to organize intricate schemes. Transportation, security, prices, wages, harvests, trades . . . there is no limit to the factors that might be incorporated into their plans. Providential Preachers use both sermons and personal outreach to exert influence. The successes of this holy order create virtuous cycles of endeavor where prosperity begets even more prosperity. Their faith teaches that a steady rise together is the only secure path forward. Its sacred texts specify severe punishments for efforts to spread disease or poison among the general public. Hygienic rituals constitute prayer for this health-conscious holy order.
φ Social Praxis is a popular philosophy among Imperial subjects. It elevates government service above personal and familial concerns. Adherent Life clerics feel bound only by laws and official orders, not taboos and holy commandments. They idealize the harmony of government and citizen acting in perfect concert. Though less important than the state, family loyalty is also emphasized. Social Praxis dictates duties to respect ancestors and support offspring. Consistent nourishment and quality education are thought to be essential elements in the upbringing of an ideal citizen. Professional bureaucrats sometimes feel drawn toward this belief system. Strict dedication to this philosophy enables some paladins and clerics to work magic through declarations of service to an earthly political regime.
“Only historians should cling to the past.”
— Flowing Forward, a Temporal Custodian primer |
∀ Temporal Custodians are charged with a sacred mission to ensure that each life ends precisely when ordained in the heavens. These Grave clerics roam from one adventure to another, sometimes plunging headlong into bedlam. Where need be, they confront peril to preserve leaders and heroes yet to perform their greatest works. Temporal Custodians also use their power to kill, joining battles against monstrous menaces or deadly outlaws to resolve related social unrest in a timely manner. The sprawling gospels of this sect teach that murder and mayhem stimulate institutions essential to keeping the peace among mortals. The gods drive civilization forward through a precise balance of danger with security. Priests of this holy order endeavor to better calibrate that balance.
| The Keystone Council The turning of the world is essential for life, yet it is also subject to pressure from magical energies. Shang-Ti engineered a cosmic structure placing the relevant flows in precise balance. With help from Geb, Hades, Mannanan Mac Lir, Ma Yuan, Ptah, Ra, and Silvanus; the God of the Immaculate System has put an end to unpredictable variations in the lengths of seasons and days. This constancy is reassuring to many mortals, and it eliminates a source of potential conflict among the gods. On rare occasions the Keystone Council assembles to fine tune this stabilizing apparatus. Some say their vigilance also serves to maintain a cosmic prison for unspeakable horrors confined at the center of the world. |
φ Upstanding Counselors can be found wherever common people are permitted to employ clerics as legal representatives. They revere nothing above the duly proclaimed laws of the land. Practitioners of this philosophy excel at respecting authorities while making pointed arguments. Some can appeal to fairness or protocol so emphatically as to work magic with their words. The complex ethical system of this philosophy may make it difficult for outsiders to engage an Upstanding Counselor. They will not support frauds, and most expect to be well-compensated for their time. Once business is underway, these advocates become bound by an inflexible commitment to maintain the secrecy of confidential information and avoid service to any conflicting interest.
∈ Worship of the
Wŭshén was once the prevailing faith of the Celedinese people, and it remains a folk religion valuable for the preservation of traditional lore. It holds that Shang-Ti reserves direct communication for his four divine ministers – Chih Sung-Tzu, Chung Kuel, Lei Kung, and Ma Yuan. Each in turn works through lesser deities and layer after layer of subordinates down to the level of minor spirits listening for prayers and working the smallest wonders. Ancient temples devoted to the Wŭshén spread literacy across Celedine. Most continue to operate respectable academies and archives today. Modern theologists see this faith as quaint and misguided, yet this priesthood offers inviting opportunities for young people unable to obtain a more elite education.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Shang-Ti ↑ → Silvanus ← ↓ Thor ↓
| THE GOD OF VERDANT WILDERNESS |
Name: Silvanus
Alignment: Neutral
Kindred: The Tribe
Wandering Star: Starswarm
Chosen People: Albionish
Lands: Albion, Carmatia, Danu, Galloria, Sylvania
Also Known As: Selvans, Silenas
Layfolk Spells: Coiling Creeper, Entangle, Spike Growth, Plant Growth
Spheres: balance, earth, harvests, prosperity, vigor
Virtues: charity, creativity, discretion, industry, watchfulness
Vocations: archers, artisans, explorers, foragers, hunters
Animals: noisy wolf, playful ram, vigilant owl
Guises: aggressive marksman, modest innkeeper, stalwart stalker
Symbols: mistletoe sprig, oak leaf, wooden pan flute
Observances: birthdays, spring equinoxes, summer equinoxes
Associations: Druidfriends, Keystone Council, Metaphysical Lawgivers
Honorifics: Keeper of Divine Ambrosia, Supreme Gardener, Vanquisher of Púcas
|
Silvanus The God of Verdant Wilderness joins Dagda in supporting the Old Faith while encouraging sects devoted to his own worship. No being has done more to restore the wounded land after so much devastation during ancient conflicts. Forest dwellers everywhere utter prayers to Silvanus. He is also popular with travellers, herbalists, and carpenters. Artists inspired to depict great scenic beauty often dedicate their works to him. Though many grand temples have been consecrated in his name, any pristine grove of healthy trees feels holy to followers of these faiths. Cityfolk may turn to Silvanus in the hopes of a stronger connection with a natural world they feel isolated from.
Φ NEUTRAL – These religions teach that it is never wrong to act in defense of unspoiled wilderness. They extol lifestyles focused on hunting and foraging in harmony with the environment. Most view city life as both unpleasant and unwholesome. Though reverence for wild plants and animals is much more important to them, an intellectual grasp of relevant lore also brings esteem. Some say the theology inspired by Silvanus is an explicit version of the informal traditions binding the Old Faith. Both sorts of congregations comingle harmoniously at sacred sites. These faiths limit moral condemnation to acts of animal cruelty or ecological disruption.
✠ Magic of the Layfolk – Silvanus exploited every available resource while striving to reforest much of Mainland. His worshippers sometimes recieve insights into the nature of fey powers, including the means to launch an
Coiling Creeper. Imaginative wielders of this power can
Entangle potential foes with a sudden eruption of strong vines from just about anywhere. Sufficient practice at this technique sheds light on how to cultivate
Spike Growth clusters nutritious enough to sustain a group in captivity. The most accomplished of these exemplars promote miraculous
Plant Growth to generate dense thickets and bountiful harvests.
✶ Starswarm – Against a nebulous green backdrop, the light of Silvanus features scores of small glowing objects that shift between hues of orange and yellow. None appear dominant, yet the swarm moves together in a perpetual dance within the wandering cloud. This beacon is often visible just after dark and rarely seen just before dawn. Seeds planted on a night when Starswarm lingers later than usual are thought to be destined for exceptional growth and productivity. It suggests healing and recovery when interpreted in conjunction with other stars.
∀ Beastminders are Forge clerics who oppose trade in exotic animals despite maintaining impressive menageries of their own. In recent centuries, the old way of fighting trappers and inhumane breeders gave way to a practice of freely placing exotic pets with patient and dutiful keepers. This sect abruptly achieved widespread popularity as a result. These priests can be extremely selective when bestowing animal companions because large congregations compete to be proven worthy. Beastminders also promote zoological learning by welcoming outsiders into their temples for limited interactions with rare creatures. From martial artists studying the movement of a predator to scientists illustrating rare plumage, these menageries are popular with all sorts of visitors.
“Behold the pony in yon' field
With burr in its saddle concealed.
When a rider hops on
One great thrash and he's gone.
It could be some days 'til he's healed.”
— Tuathish poem, author unknown |
∀ Blossoms of Mercy are Life clerics who supplement their magic with an extensive knowledge of natural remedies. Studying their gospels is not unlike a university course in herbalism. The content of their sacred gardens varies by climate, yet each provides a bounty of raw materials for basic medical supplies and more potent elixirs. Blossoms of Mercy are known for dressing in vibrant colors and emitting fragrances from the diverse collections of flora packed inside their pockets and pouches. Some become wealthy through trade in rare spices, recreational substances, and healing potions. Yet their holy purpose remains the cultivation of rare plants. Profitable operations drive temples to expand rapidly, spreading seeds to new ground to increase production of wares.
φ On some levels
Nature Worship is almost indistinguishable from the Old Faith. There are no gospel scriptures or uniform rituals. Nonetheless, some clerics are able to wield the power of prayer through appeals to “the Spirit of the Land,” “Mother Nature,” “the Force of Nature,” and variations on that theme. Nature Worship often involves extensive meditation in unspoiled wilderness. Practitioners feel a duty to prevent the destruction or corruption of thriving natural habitats. Many identify with a particular animal totem or seek wisdom from the study of animal behaviors. Even so, Nature Worship bestows a distinctly spiritual form of magic. This philosophy also enables assorted tribal priests and some barbarians to draw holy power from reverence for the natural environment.
Animal Spirits Though all living things are animated by the same vital energy, plants and beasts seem incomplete from a spiritual perspective. People, dragons, fey, fiends – intelligent creatures have the power to go beyond instinct to make calculated choices and take purposeful actions. The ratio between willpower and vital energy in a simple animal means that beasts are far less able to transcend basic drives. Only a Promethean Naturalist knows techniques required to elevate an animal out of its primal existence by sparking the fire of personhood.
The best evidence from resurrected individuals suggests that only these awakened animals proceed like people into an afterlife realm. Yet this scholarly understanding is no barrier to priests. Many teach that deceased animal companions will be happy to reunite with their beloved keepers in the afterlife. Plants and animals that never undergo a proper spiritual awakening are still susceptible to other magical manipulations. The Old Faith and some modern religions offer extensive teachings about techniques spellcasters can employ to alter the behaviors and bodies of natural flora and fauna. |
∀ The
Well of Thorns is an organization of War clerics adept at using archery along with concealment and primitive traps. Most live as formidable hunters, assembling to support the defense of forests and other wild places. Some paladins are proud to accept guidance from this holy order, and firbolgs hold places of prestige in its ranks. The Well of Thorns was once an important part of the military serving the Holy Sylvan Empire. Now it lives on in hidden centers of worship scattered throughout every major forest of Mainland. These priests refuse mercenary work, but they will join defenders against any invaders who might disregard the health of flourishing woodlands. Known to travel in coordinated squads, this holy order is as feared as any for its use of ambush tactics.
∀ Wicker Dancers are Light clerics with a fondness for watching things burn. Dancing around a raging bonfire is an act of worship for them, and these priests experience ecstasy in the presence of a towering effigy set alight. Because these combustible creations are constructed over the course of days or weeks, they tend to draw crowds. Wicker Dancers deliver evening sermons to waiting witnesses while demanding tithes from vendors drawn to these events. Celebrations of music and dance begin hours before the big moment. When the time is right and the Sun has nearly set, the figure is set alight. A ring of insiders whirls around the fire, keeping newcomers out of the danger area. The wicker man eventually joins the dance, swaying and heaving until everyone collapses together in blissful exhaustion.
∈ The
Wyrding Way is the source of much controversy in Albion. As a religion that embraces all forms of magic, including druidry and witchcraft, it is unpopular in major population centers and persecuted in particularly intolerant areas. Yet this faith remains hugely popular in many towns and small cities. Adherents pray to Silvanus, Dagda, Dionysus, Hades, and Mannanan Mac Lir in their search for revelations about every form and source of magic. Such searches are far more intuitive than scholastic. These priests work from ancient gospels focused on archaic methods of spellcasting. Diverse lessons about the fundamental nature of magic allows pracitioners to cultivate a keen awarenss of all the resources surrounding them.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Silvanus ↑ → Thor ← ↓ Tyr ↓
| THE GOD OF ROLLING THUNDER |
Name: Thor
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Kindred: The Æsir
Wandering Star: Luckstar
Chosen People: Xe-Shanese
Lands: Elatolia, Joryanland, Norland, Transmania, Xe-Shan
Also Known As: Donar, Vingthor
Layfolk Spells: Shocking Grasp, Thunderwave, Spiritual Weapon, Fly
Spheres: air, music, prosperity, storms, vigor
Virtues: brawn, creativity, hedonism, independence, passion
Vocations: archers, artists, artisans, contenders, infantry
Animals: playful swan, rampaging falcon, vicious ram
Guises: aggressive berserker, elegant seducer, relentless smith
Symbols: red apple, rising hammer, winged helm
Observances: concerts, tournaments, weddings
Associations: Sky Gods, War Gods
Honorifics: Bearer of Mjölnir, Lord of Triumph, Supreme Gambler
|
Thor The God of Rolling Thunder is a popular patron among warriors, gamblers, and anyone else inclined toward sudden and decisive action. He can be a destructive force, but the wicked have far more to fear from him than the innocent. Loki and Lei Kung have each narrowly survived multiple battles with Thor. He is a role model for countless heroic warriors acting alone or as part of an independent squad. Where there is devastation, Thor's evangelists preach of better days to come. Where there is opulence, holy persons use his name to promote artistry and athleticism. Always their messages of hope for a better tomrrow are entangled with ambitions of personal glory.
Φ CHAOTIC GOOD – This deity promotes a fusion of freedom and fairness. The faithful have a duty to protect the innocent. Yet Thor's primary teaching is that one should not be bound by strict doctrine, so his followers are inclined to act on impulse. They may relocate or switch profession with little forethought. The lore of these religions also encourages abruptness from moment to moment. It is the sudden unexpected action that an adversary will be least able to counter. Not all of Thor's faithful must indulge in combat. Yet his gospels emphasize the importance of staying strong and well-equipped to remain at liberty.
✠ Magic of the Layfolk – Followers fortunate enough to enjoy Thor's favor find their hands tingling with electricity when they become excited. An aggressive jolt from this
Shocking Grasp injures even the most well-armored opponents. Accumulating much more of this energy for a violent blast sends a booming
Thunderwave out to clear a path for the faithful. Especially daring worshippers eventually forge their own
Spiritual Weapon, relentlessly battering foes with a conjured construct resembling the hammer of Thor. Yet the greatest sign of favor among his chosen grants the ability
Fly through the power of prayer.
✶ Luckstar – The star of Thor rises in an unpredictable location on those nights when it rises at all. Astronomers make wagers on the particulars of its next appearance. Trailing a pair of hazy winglike structures from its flanks, the whitish gold orb of Luckstar crosses the heavens with graceful arcs. It is considered a sign of good fortune or a modifier suggesting favorable interpretation of other signs. Gambling parlors offer special deals on nights when Luckstar is prominent early, eventually recovering expenses from optimistic bettors.
∈ The
Ascended Legends are hundreds of ancient heroes believed to have attained immortality only to depart this world and continue their adventures on higher planes of existence. In scriptures derived from cryptic lyrics, this religion promises blessings to those who perform great works in the name of Thor, Chih Sung-Tzu, Chung Kuel, Hel, and Shang-Ti. In Xe-Shan, atop the highest peaks in the world, shrines devoted to the Ascended Legends feature puzzles containing cosmic insights of a most profound nature. Some turn to this faith in the quest for personal immortality, while others dedicate themselves to a particular site, becoming caretakers as their holy purpose. With the greatest revelations only available in scattered fragments, the lore of this sect plays a part in many epic quests.
“Lightning finds the tree that grows tallest. Some see this as a reason to remain bowed low. Others see it as a reason to make ready to survive a strike. If you are the sort who stands tall and takes risks, read on.”
— Making Your Own Luck, Opportunity Knocker guide |
∀ Hammers of the Gods are War clerics who aggressively smite devils, demons, and any other godless creatures that stand in their way. They despise atheists. They are generally happy to collaborate with all sorts of priests, regardless of alignment. Evangelical paladins who favor blunt weaponry may identify with this order. The holy mission of these priests is to facilitate all other holy missions. They favor heroism over villainy, but their creed forbids acting against holy power in service to any indifferent or unholy cause. The most revered Hammers of the Gods tend to have planar travel experience. They are willing and able to lead expeditions into hell itself. No other faith has produced so many superheroes, each calling down divine fury upon unholy threats to cities under their protection.
∀ The largest and most pervasive of all modern religions, the
Mjölnir Church is an organization of Tempest clerics riding a wave of modern evangelical success. Equally venerating Thor and Sif, their halls of worship often manage to be large yet overflowing. Far-flung missionaries venture to every corner of the world where Thor's worship is not already an established practice. These cultural exchanges spread Norish customs to distant lands. The Mjölnir Church also brings back modern expertise in areas of finance and science – hallowed halls accommodating studies that might otherwise be considered improper in some lands. Affiliated orders of paladins and colleges of bards work with these priests to keep their communities secure and in good spirits.
Weather Magic Some farmers pray rain will revitalize dusty fields. Others pray ongoing deluges will cease before flooding occurs. Sea captains want the wind at their backs, and many find spells to alter the course of uncooperative breezes. Military commanders understand that lives can be saved or lost depending on battlefield conditions. Even pontiffs and kings are not above beseaching a deity for an auspiciously sunny day to deliver an important public speech. Miraculous meteorological spectacles framing major events are often the result of actual miracles.
Constant interventions create ripples of uncertainty. This severely limits the reliable forecasting of weather. Yet its study and manipulation are both important disciplines, since history has been known to turn on control of the skies over a crucial conflict. Even the ears of an emperor remain open to the words of clerics able to complete spells at the eighth level of power. Highly experienced druids and wizards contribute similar capabilities to weather control efforts. The Sky Gods and their minions labor endlessly to restore natural flows in the aftermath of so much modification by mortals. |
φ Opportunity Knockers believe vigorous labor is the key to making the most of every opening in life. It also enables these Forge clerics to equip themselves adequately even in the most desolate places. Most develop intimidating physiques while embracing a philosophy that discourages idle hands. Only holy festivals and celebrations of accomplishment are thought to justify relaxing to partake in pleasures. They regard gambling less as a pleasure and more as another venue for achievement. Opportunity Knockers work magic with utterances of discovery, sometimes as simple as “aha!” They are happy help others, especially when an unconventional approach presents itself. From the bazaar to the battlefield, these energetic individualists are always looking for constructive ways to better their fortunes and reputations.
∀ The
Stormriders are an organization of Grave clerics who seek out turmoil to provide comfort and relief. Some travel a circuit of small communities while tending to those in need. They also consecrate ceremonial pyres for mourners intent on conducting a traditional Norish funeral. An element of their sacred mission is to leave no demand for holy rites unfulfilled. Stormriders also excel at emergency field medicine, making them popular among adventurers and other travelling groups. A relatively small team from this sect can work wonders to reinforce an army suffering heavy casualties. Yet this holy order rarely affiliates with military organizations. Its teachings idealize a pattern of rushing into trouble spots, solving problems, then quietly riding away.
∀ The
Winds of Salvation are Life clerics on a holy mission to wander the world, offering assistance to the downtrodden and oppressed before making their way to another destination. These priests often work closely with other holy orders, coordinating disaster relief efforts and evangelical outreach. Yet the Winds of Salvation rarely take to the pulpit themselves. Nearly all their relationships are fleeting, and they value contact with unbelievers no less than the loftiest holy persons. The most accomplished members of this order become famous and wealthy for their prowess as healers by answering to summonses from the elite. All devote themselves to the twin pleasures of anticipation when a new need arises and satisfaction when a recovery is well underway.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Thor ↑ → Tyr ← ↓ Zeus ↓
| THE GOD OF RELENTLESS CRUSADES |
Name: Tyr
Alignment: Lawful Good
Kindred: The Æsir
Wandering Star: Helmstar
Chosen People: Elatolians
Lands: Darresteg, Elatolia, Fitchland, Lachland, Norland
Also Known As: Cheru, Tiwaz, Zie
Layfolk Spells: Shillelagh, Heroism, Warding Bond, Remove Curse
Spheres: balance, fire, judgement, propriety, strategy
Virtues: consistency, honesty, persistence, solidarity, watchfulness
Vocations: builders, cavalry, constables, herders, officials
Animals: protective bear, vicious tiger, vigilant drake
Guises: honorable knight, modest laborer, stalwart guard
Symbols: engraved sword, erupting geyser, visored helm
Observances: conquests, funerals, parades
Associations: Chamber of Light, Metaphysical Lawgivers, War Gods
Honorifics: Supreme Wrangler, Tamer of Ma Yuan, Vorpal Duellist
|
Tyr The God of Relentless Crusades is a patron popular with anyone who must remain far from home for an extended time. Veterans of foreign wars constitute the bulk of his worshippers. His veneration is also popular among herders, including nomads who live their whole lives with no fixed home. Tyr is the divine embodiment of loyalty, dedication, and sacrifice. Generals often encourage his worship in the ranks, since Tyr's scripture teaches that laconic obedience is a great virtue. Chaplains preaching his gospels simultaneously comfort war weary soldiers and promote discipline that enhances unit effectiveness. Emphasis on honorable public service also makes Tyr the patron of many law enforcers.
Φ LAWFUL GOOD – These faiths heavily emphasize the duty of those with power to protect the powerless. Adherents are instructed to be truthful and reliable in all dealings with others. To avoid misunderstandings, clear communications and fair bargains are expected practices. Followers of Tyr are constantly on the lookout for trouble. There is no hesitation when they must defend their families or communities. They embrace collaboration whether acting as impromptu vigilantes or serving together in a venerable army. Reliable teamwork enables followers of this religion to form groups far more effective than the sum of their members.
✠ Magic of the Layfolk – Followers of Tyr believe the determination to strike in support of justice is more important than the particulars of weaponry. Some test their resolve by setting aside swords and doing battle wielding only a
Shillelagh recently fashioned from local wood. Worshippers so favored may bring confidence to others through various inspiring acts of
Heroism. Those most willing to give of themselves unlock the secrets of a
Warding Bond that shields companions through sacrifice. The most fair-minded of all these chosen followers may even
Remove Curses if they impose unjust penalties.
✶ Helmstar – This beacon of Tyr seems to sport a row of vertical slits. More detailed observations reveal a belt of dark monoliths circling an otherwise pure white light. Though commonly found in the northern sky, Helmstar may be drawn elsewhere to indicate an army has mobilized for a just cause. It grows brighter with triumphs and dimmer with defeats. Sometimes these variations are required to settle debates about which side of a conflict enjoys Tyr's blessing. Displays of peak brightness coincide with interference that weakens channels of unholy power.
φ Bushido Blades are War clerics devoted to a philosophy that emphasizes personal honor above all else. They draw power by calling upon the virtues of honesty, courage, compassion, respect, integrity, insight, loyalty, and self-discipline. Some also invoke the honor of famous ancestors or a noble patron. They refuse to serve corrupt or cruel lords, but many are dependable retainers of righteous officials. Bushido Blades known to have transgressed against their code are expected to commit ritual suicide. They balance the violence of battle with tranquil arts like poetry, calligraphy, and interior design. Many warriors follow this philosophy without committing deeply enough for spiritual spellcasting. Famous adherents inspire others by setting examples as well as writing reflective books of personal observations.
Witch Persecution Warlocks and witches are regarded with at least a little suspicion in every major society. Those that consort with fiends and aberrations are particularly reviled. Many apocalyptic cults had their roots in modest covens. Even a lone practitioner can be consumed by the madness of a powerful patron, twisted into a malevolent murderer. When a confirmed witch is not accused of doing any specific harm, humiliation and exile are considered light punishments for the crime of making an unholy bargain. Where incriminations fill the air, vigilante mobs can become downright deadly.
Clergy of most faiths, from the gentle to the savage, typically support the brutal persecution of witches. The very nature of witchcraft undermines the system of channels governing the flow of spiritual energy. Most modern religions regard all pact magic as an anathema. Also, witches are easy scapegoats for afflictions caused by other influences. Witch hunters are respected professionals in some societies, though the least honorable murder social outsiders then claim credit for slaying vile menaces. Priests willing to actively encourage witches and warlocks are likely heretics or followers of specific faiths sponsored by Apollo, Dagda, Hel, Oghma, or Silvanus. |
∀ The
One-handed Legion lives to honor Tyr's sacrifice when his hand was bitten off while restraining Ma Yuan long enough to complete the agreement underlying the Immaculate System. Across old Wotania this holy order maintained networks of kennels and stables to ensure frontier villages were warned against dangerous beasts and able to send out for emergency relief. Many of these Nature clerics still operate popular chapels in small villages where dangerous predators might roam. Though they deal directly with threats from the wildernesss, these priests also tame and train working animals. Their warhorses are famed for both fearlessness and speed. Many hunters and rangers find reliable allies in the One-handed Legion, especially when dangerous quarry is afoot.
∀ Peerless Profilers arose to keep order in communities troubled by large groups of violent marauders resettling into civilian life. Their holy purpose is to calm unrest and prevent injustice by quickly identifying the actual perpetrators of major crimes. These Knowledge clerics study gospels rich with lore about human nature and violent behavior. Though willing to act as judges, they are more inclined to serve as investigators and advocates. Peerless Profilers will relentlessly defend the innocent and fearlessly accuse the guilty. Yet their aim is to enforce the law while abstaining from executions wherever possible. Lethal wrath is reserved for operatives acting to obstruct justice and fugitives unwilling to face legal judgement. Their creed designates those foes as righteous kills.
∈ The
Shimmering Horde was once an army of mounted warriors responsible for maintaining the absolute power of the Elatolian Hegemony. Venerated thousands of years later, the term now applies to followers of a religion teaching that Tyr, Chung Kuel, Lei Kung, Thor, and Shang-Ti are actually indigenous beings. Their lore holds that a series of immortal generals assumed divine identities during the Age of Heroes. In theory the modern Shimmering Horde is an earthly army commanded by these five deities. Their gospels blend excerpts from ancient military field manuals with fanciful accounts of historic battles. Priests of this faith tend to favor heavy mounts and eyecatching armor. Yet they are more likely to join non-lethal historical re-enactments than a fighting force on an active battlefield.
“It is true that Harri and Sigrun are our best fighters. Yet we would have starved without the traps Ruben set, and those villagers would never have traded with us if not for Tanya's translations. There is much more to our quest than shoving a burning blade into a great beast.”
— The Fall of the Largest Troll, Valiant Justiciar saga |
∀ Valiant Justiciars are Light clerics dedicated to imposing a high-minded version of fairness and spiritual purity on the world. Their holy mission is to root out and destroy disruptive forces in their own societies. In realms with little bureaucracy, these self-styled paragons of virtue may act as law enforcers or even judges and executioners. They fight zealously alongside any witch hunters willing to verify unholy corruption before any killings occur. Valiant Justiciars take an oath to avoid using their holy authority for personal gain. They may brag about charitable efforts, but tradition discourages them from accumulating more possessions than a squire and two mounts can carry. Members of this order are friends to principled paladins everywhere.
∀ The
Veterans' Alliance is a network by which Life clerics reach out to old soldiers in need of healing or other support. Though this group is unobtrusive, the sheer number of wounded veterans, with more emerging from each new war, has grown the VA into an enormous institution with pervasive medical and spiritual outreach. Their efforts are also often instrumental in motivating regimes to follow through with promised rewards of bonuses or land grants for veterans. Since the organization ministers to a mix of active military personnel and retired soldiers, gatherings feature plenty of oral history regarding warfare and armed service. Most major political leaders speak well of the VA. The most honorable of them back those words with generous financial support from the treasuries they control.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Tyr ↑ → Zeus ← ↓ Deities by Virtues etc. ↓
| THE GOD OF THE HEAVENLY THRONE |
Name: Zeus
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Kindred: The Olympians
Wandering Star: Diadem
Chosen People: Truscans
Lands: Galloria, Helvetica, Thrace, Transmania, Truscanny
Also Known As: Dios, Jove, Jupiter
Layfolk Spells: Shocking Grasp, Command, Suggestion, Call Lightning
Spheres: air, authority, prosperity, storms, vigor
Virtues: erudition, hedonism, passion, supremacy, leadership
Vocations: builders, cavalry, constables, herders, rulers
Animals: playful bull, rampaging eagle, vigilant wolf
Guises: aggressive seducer, clamorous knight, demanding judge
Symbols: golden crown, medusa on shield, lightning bolt
Observances: coronations, new years, weddings
Associations: Fathers of Invention, Regal Deities, Sky Gods
Honorifics: Bearer of the Aegis, Chief Olympian, Supreme Leader
|
Zeus The God of the Heavenly Throne is widely regarded as the most powerful being in the world. As an especially deadly deity, Zeus was a logical choice to rule over the other gods. Even to them, he is an intimidating yet majestic figure. King of the Gods was a familiar role to him, and Zeus was easily enlisted in The Immaculate System. He is both chief among the Truscan deities and foremost of the Sky Gods. His wrath has littered the land with corpses, and his lust has conceived many mortal heroes. Zeus is invoked by those who claim or aspire to great titles. His priests tend to assert superior authority during spiritual clashes.
Φ CHAOTIC GOOD – Organizations dedicated to the veneration of Zeus usually see fierce competiton for senior positions. Scriptures teach that challenging authority is a vital function binding merit to power. Role models among the faithful typically pair a commanding presence with an aristocratic way of speaking. Decadent public celebrations of personal privilege are considered virtuous acts, inspiring ambition in others. Individuals are encouraged to freely indulge their wildest whims. Imposing those whims on other people is regarded as an accomplishment. Devotees of Zeus aspire to complete great achievements with the support of their own awestruck followers.
✠ Magic of the Layfolk – Those who have been touched by Zeus will never forget miraculously surviving a bolt from the blue. Some bear jagged scars marking that moment. All carry enough energy to deliver a
Shocking Grasp with their own hands. Internalizing this power and using it to speak with heavenly authority is so challenging, even a single word
Command is considered a great success. Experienced users of this technique eventually learn to articulate detailed instructions as a compelling
Suggestion. The most well-known and rare sign of Zeus's favor conveys the ability to
Call Lightning down on personal enemies.
✶ Diadem – This heavenly beacon has been known to surpass the full Moon in brightness. Though normally less intense and always much smaller, Diadem remains one of the night sky's most striking features when it is above the horizon. This bright golden ring sports exterior wedges that sometimes flash with sudden bursts of energy. Viewed without a telescope, the golden twinkle of Zeus's beacon dominates any other stars nearby. When Diadem aligns with another star, the importance of its meaning is greatly emphasized while framed in the hollow of this object. It is normally high in the southern sky, though likely to go unseen for a time after a great ruler suffers a crisis of confidence.
∀ The
Aegis Church is a sprawling organization of Life clerics venerating Athena almost as much as her father Zeus. Once the largest religious faction in the world, it has fallen out of popular favor in many regions. Nonetheless it remains a global organization with elaborate hierarchical governance and immense resources. Standardized buildings and opulent pageantry allow this sect to offer a touch of old Truscanny for travellers far from home. Spiritual dispensations, miraculous cures, and educational services are all on offer as needed to maintain enormous urban cathedrals. Where well-tithed, the Aegis Church also supports witch hunters investigating unholy activity and missionaries dispatched to suppress emerging cults. Many distinct groups of paladins take guidance from this faith.
Marriage Customs The modern concept of marriage is incredibly diverse. In all lands any two otherwise unmarried people may be recognized as husband and wife. Yet it is normal for dignitaries in the Orient to keep vast harems sanctified by priests unwilling to do so for ordinary people. Serpian tradition allows for plural marriage even among common folk. Oriental, Serpian, Truscan, and Norish laws all have different things to say about the relationships between spouses and slaves, including a sort of slave-spouse caste applicable in some cases. Outside Kohadesia and Joryanland, legal language supports both men and women occupying any role in these asymmetric relationships.
Yet the people of Sylvania are staunchly against all forms of slavery, and many there simply do not know what to make of plural marriage. Any marriage blessed by an authentic holy person will leave a lingering trace of divine magic for as long as both partners live to honor their wedding vows. This common phenomenon is well-understood and accepted as legal evidence in most societies. Even where veneration of Zeus is otherwise unpopular, Binders of the Sacred Lace may thrive as matchmakers and wedding officiants. Zeus is patriarchal in many things, but clergy of this order are happy to consecrate an earnest marriage between partners of any gender. |
∀ Agents of Wrath are Tempest clerics trained in techniques of inspiring terror. However, their mission is not malicious. Status in this order is established through competitive displays of intimidating spectacle. They make it their business to serve as enforcers wherever oppressive regimes lash out against their own people. With attacks so full of sound and fury, very little destruction need be inflicted to satisfy official outrage. Even when such a ruse is uncovered, the arrangement may continue, since these alarming displays reinforce the idea that a regime is powerful without doing much damage to permanent structures and productive capacity. Agents of Wrath may also function as a military auxiliary, generating ominous signs to lower the morale of hostile forces.
∀ Arcadian Runners often gather bands of urchins as they plunge headlong into wilderness, roaming and hunting like wild beasts. Actual beasts may run with such energetic packs of priests. These Nature clerics move freely between opulent and rough living. Their holy purpose is to immerse themselves in the contrasts between civilization's finest luxuries and nature's most primal experiences. Though capricious and self-indulgent, Arcadian Runners are happy to share their pleasures with agreeable newcomers. Various fey inclined toward modern religion find this faith appealing. A spiritual commitment to frequent running keeps the fitness level of this sect particularly high. It is normal for adherents to convert to a different faith when settling down to retire or start a family.
∀ The
Binders of the Sacred Lace are Knowledge clerics venerating the marriage of Zeus and Hera. They are famously savvy about affairs of the heart. Some cultures employ these priests as matchmakers. Demand is even more widespread for their services as wedding officiants. The scriptures of this religion offer profound insights regarding courtship and compatibility. Professionals from dressmakers to florists may tithe this order, hoping for a steady stream of lucrative referrals. The Binders of the Sacred Lace specialize in counseling couples intent on improving the quality of their own marriages. Many of their temples are annexes to Aegis Church facilities. Where the Binders of the Sacred Lace stand alone, that presence typically takes the form of a shrine at some scenic spot or a luxury retreat at a decidedly romantic locale.
Immortal Incarnations With help from Zeus, each member of the Fivesquare Pantheon resides within a Wandering Star. Those twenty-five unobtainable destinations give the gods secure positions as they partake of the world's abundant spirituality. In addition to hearing prayers and empowering miracles, deities sometimes interact more directly with mortals. In modern times this is accomplished by projecting avatars into the world. While no mere illusion, each projection is best understood as a powerful magical effect rather than a god's primary being.
Each deity favors several animal forms that may inconspicuously convey divine messages or engage in subtle interventions. The gods also enjoy assuming humanoid forms. Sometimes they appear as humble observers or boisterous revelers. Other projections assert themselves as grand manifestations of godly power. In theory these manifestations can be killed, though it is unclear how, if at all, this might be accomplished. Some have grown large enough to overbear gargantua. Some have eradicated entire armies with a single gesture. One recovered after a coordinated attack from forty-two Sultanate sorcerers each casting spells at the ninth level of power.
Theologists believe milliennia of immersion in modern spiritual flows have elevated the power of the gods beyond anything known during the Age of Heroes. Then deities were often weakened by struggles with their peers. The most precious objects in the modern world are the fragmentary remains of Dead Gods. Some are now relics especially holy to worshippers of the victor in a divine struggle. Others are treasured as potential sources of insight into the nature of divinity. Ma Yuan's ascension by way of feasting on ample portions of godflesh seems unthinkable today. When Tyr sacrificed a measure of himself to advance Ma Yuan from godling to equal, the entire Fivesquare Pantheon transcended flesh while securing enormous renewable supplies of spiritual energy. |
φ Destiny Lords do not worship Zeus, perhaps because they are totally devoted to extolling their own personal greatness. These Forge clerics deliver effective prayers by glorifying their own past accomplishments and predicting future triumphs. They tend to maintain a body of loyal followers through a combination of self-aggrandizing oratory and generous compensation. Flanked by well-equipped warriors, Destiny Lords may seek fame and fortune through service to an established aristocracy or by carving out their own domains. These grandiose philosophers rarely travel alone, quick to trade equipment for protection wherever possible. The most stalwart and successful among them eventually accumulate armies of formidable supporters.
∈ The
Jovian Bureau answers directly to the Truscan Emperor. Their Pontifex Maximus in Septopolis is the government's most outspoken moral authority. Ordained priests spend most of their careers as field agents authorized to investigate all religious and civic institutions under Imperial jurisdiction. Their pentagram badges convey the authority of Zeus, Apollo, Ares, Dionysus, and Hades. The Jovian Bureau has a reputation for rigid enforcement, but its priests often deal in tangles of contradictory rules. Wise judges and agents render opinions that tailor policy to be a good fit with local circumstances. Both feared and respected across Truscan territory, this faith serves the sacred purpose of adapting the world's most powerful regime to the needs of its citizens.
φ Merry Hoodlums believe they serve a greater good when they address injustice through criminal activity. These clerics idealize festive abundance where even the least fortunate members of a community live comfortably. Their teachings hold that most social unrest has its roots in an unfair or corrupt authority. In the face of oppression, they feel driven to bold action. Merry Hoodlums disguise their identities with common cloaks and hoods. Some pray for “mercy” or “relief” while others invoke concepts like “freedom” and “rights” in the working of spiritual magic. These philosophers are rarely without good cheer. In time of struggle they delight at the thought of helping others. More tranquil settings let them bare their smiles and openly celebrate harmonious prosperity.
∈ The
Olympians were a dozen deities worshiped throughout Thrace during the Age of Heroes. Five of these gods remain active in the world today. Yet the original twelve and further divine associates are collectiely venerated by a religion reflecting the culture that produced the first great human philosophers. In hilltop halls of ancient marble, Olympian clerics dedicate their lives to debating a body of lore that interprets spiritual traditions through logic. Institutions devoted to this faith typically generate little outside interest beyond the archives of pre-Truscan literature they maintain. Yet there are some great cities where the most gifted Olympian advocates engage in lively dialectic on the stages of crowded amphitheaters, blending education with entertainment.
∀ Terminal Threadcutters are Grave clerics who see history as a divinely ordained tapestry. Guided by scriptures that extol mercy and charity, they accept a holy purpose to end the lives of excessively cruel leaders. Some also invert these principles, pledging themselves to protect powerful individuals known to liberate the oppressed. Terminal Threadcutters use their influence over life and death to edit the tapestry of mortal events. Many pray for a golden age when all share in peaceful abundance. Some focus on a more immediate future shaped by new and improved ideas about social progress. This faith is often controversial since its adherents do not allow any mortal authority to dissuade them from crimes up to and including regicide.
↟ Contents ↟ ↡ Index ↡ ↑ Zeus ↑ → Deities by Virtues etc. ← ↓ Index of Topics ↓
Deities by Virtues
| THE FIVESQUARE PANTHEON |
| Deity | Alignment | Invocation | Favored Virtues |
| Apollo | CG | God of the Setting Sun | charity, consistency, creativity, watchfulness, wit |
| Arawn | LE | God of Final Rewards | avarice, consistency, erudition, hedonism, slyness |
| Ares | CE | God of Untamed Violence | brawn, industry, savagery, solidarity, supremacy |
| Chih Sung-Tzu | N | God of Gentle Rain | charity, hedonism, industry, passion, persistence |
| Chung Kuel | LG | God of Just Trials | brawn, consistency, curiosity, honesty, savagery |
| Dagda | N | God of Limitless Might | brawn, persistence, leadership, slyness, wit |
| Dionysus | CN | God of Drunken Revelry | hedonism, honesty, passion, solidarity, wit |
| Geb | N | God of Solid Ground | charity, honesty, persistence, solidarity, watchfulness |
| Hades | NE | God of Tranquil Death | avarice, erudition, discretion, industry, supremacy |
| Hel | NE | Goddess of Cursed Afflictions | discretion, independence, passion, savagery, slyness |
| Lei Kung | LE | God of Ferocious Squalls | avarice, brawn, consistency, solidarity, supremacy |
| Loki | CE | God of Endless Disguises | avarice, creativity, independence, slyness, wit |
| Mannanan Mac Lir | CN | God of Briny Depths | curiosity, discretion, passion, slyness, wit |
| Ma Yuan | CE | God of Bloody Murder | curiosity, hedonism, independence, savagery, supremacy |
| Odin | NG | God of the Final Battle | erudition, independence, leadership, savagery, solidarity |
| Oghma | N | God of Accumulated Lore | creativity, curiosity, erudition, persistence, wit |
| Osiris | LG | God of Noble Sacrifice | brawn, charity, honesty, independence, persistence |
| Ptah | LN | God of Forged Marvels | avarice, creativity, curiosity, honesty, industry |
| Ra | NG | God of the Rising Sun | charity, consistency, leadership, supremacy, watchfulness |
| Set | LE | God of Darkest Night | avarice, creativity, curiosity, discretion, slyness |
| Shang-Ti | LN | God of the Immaculate System | consistency, discretion, erudition, leadership, watchfulness |
| Silvanus | N | God of Verdant Wilderness | charity, discretion, industry, savagery, watchfulness |
| Thor | CG | God of Rolling Thunder | brawn, creativity, hedonism, independence, passion |
| Tyr | LG | God of Relentless Crusades | honesty, industry, persistence, solidarity, watchfulness |
| Zeus | CG | God of the Heavenly Throne | erudition, hedonism, leadership, passion, supremacy |
Deities by Cultures
| THE FIVESQUARE PANTHEON |
| Deity | Alignment | Invocation | Cultural Prominence |
| Apollo | CG | God of the Setting Sun | Danu, Galloria, Helvetica, Thrace, Truscanny |
| Arawn | LE | God of Final Rewards | Lachland, Danu, Darresteg, Galloria, Sylvania |
| Ares | CE | God of Untamed Violence | Transmania, Helvetica, Ontolon, Truscanny, Wabahar |
| Chih Sung-Tzu | N | God of Gentle Rain | Ontolon, Celedine, Sivales, Xe-Shan, Zintu |
| Chung Kuel | LG | God of Just Trials | Kohadesia, Celedine, Elatolia, Ontolon, Xe-Shan |
| Dagda | N | God of Limitless Might | Sylvania, Albion, Carmatia, Danu, Sivales |
| Dionysus | CN | God of Drunken Revelry | Galloria, Albion, Danu, Thrace, Truscanny |
| Geb | N | God of Solid Ground | Fitchland, Helvetica, Kohadesia, Serpia, Zintu |
| Hades | NE | God of Tranquil Death | Wabahar, Albion, Ontolon, Transmania, Truscanny |
| Hel | NE | Goddess of Cursed Afflictions | Carmatia, Darresteg, Lachland, Norland, Xe-Shan |
| Lei Kung | LE | God of Ferocious Squalls | To-Shin, Celedine, Elatolia, Joryanland, Kohadesia |
| Loki | CE | God of Endless Disguises | Joryanland, Carmatia, Fitchland, Norland, Transmania |
| Mannanan Mac Lir | CN | God of Briny Depths | Sivales, Albion, Iskresh, Lachland, Sylvania |
| Ma Yuan | CE | God of Bloody Murder | Zintu, Celedine, Joryanland, Sivales, To-Shin |
| Odin | NG | God of the Final Battle | Norland, Darresteg, Fitchland, Joryanland, Lachland |
| Oghma | N | God of Accumulated Lore | Darresteg, Carmatia, Iskresh, Sivales, Sylvania |
| Osiris | LG | God of Noble Sacrifice | Thrace, Kohadesia, Serpia, To-Shin, Wabahar |
| Ptah | LN | God of Forged Marvels | Helvetica, Fitchland, Iskresh, Serpia, To-Shin |
| Ra | NG | God of the Rising Sun | Serpia, Iskresh, Kohadesia, Wabahar, Zintu |
| Set | LE | God of Darkest Night | Iskresh, Serpia, Thrace, Wabahar, Zintu |
| Shang-Ti | LN | God of the Immaculate System | Celedine, Elatolia, Ontolon, To-Shin, Xe-Shan |
| Silvanus | N | God of Verdant Wilderness | Albion, Carmatia, Danu, Galloria, Sylvania |
| Thor | CG | God of Rolling Thunder | Xe-Shan, Elatolia, Joryanland, Norland, Transmania |
| Tyr | LG | God of Relentless Crusades | Elatolia, Darresteg, Fitchland, Lachland, Norland |
| Zeus | CG | God of the Heavenly Throne | Truscanny, Galloria, Helvetica, Thrace, Transmania |
Deities by Vocations
| THE FIVESQUARE PANTHEON |
| Deity | Alignment | Supreme | Associated Vocations |
| Apollo | CG | Prophet | archers, artists, entertainers, farmers, healers |
| Arawn | LE | Reaper | cavalry, constables, farmers, hunters, merchants |
| Ares | CE | Soldier | contenders, foragers, infantry, mariners, renegades |
| Chih Sung-Tzu | N | Sower | archers, farmers, foragers, healers, mariners |
| Chung Kuel | LG | Inquisitor | constables, contenders, infantry, herders, officials |
| Dagda | N | Provisioner | artists, builders, contenders, herders, rulers |
| Dionysus | CN | Jester | artists, entertainers, farmers, foragers, merchants |
| Geb | N | Architect | builders, explorers, farmers, healers, infantry |
| Hades | NE | Assassin | artisans, cavalry, hunters, merchants, officials |
| Hel | NE | Apothecary | artisans, artists, explorers, foragers, renegades |
| Lei Kung | LE | Smith | archers, artisans, cavalry, contenders, herders |
| Loki | CE | Charlatan | entertainers, hunters, mariners, renegades, scholars |
| Mannanan Mac Lir | CN | Sailor | entertainers, explorers, mariners, merchants, renegades |
| Ma Yuan | CE | Vandal | contenders, explorers, hunters, infantry, renegades |
| Odin | NG | Tactician | healers, infantry, mariners, rulers, scholars |
| Oghma | N | Loremaster | builders, entertainers, explorers, officials, scholars |
| Osiris | LG | Physician | farmers, healers, herders, hunters, officials |
| Ptah | LN | Inventor | artisans, artists, constables, mariners, merchants |
| Ra | NG | Scheduler | archers, entertainers, healers, rulers, scholars |
| Set | LE | Spy | cavalry, foragers, merchants, renegades, scholars |
| Shang-Ti | LN | Planner | builders, constables, officials, rulers, scholars |
| Silvanus | N | Gardener | archers, artisans, explorers, foragers, hunters |
| Thor | CG | Gambler | archers, artists, artisans, contenders, infantry |
| Tyr | LG | Wrangler | builders, cavalry, constables, herders, officials |
| Zeus | CG | Leader | builders, cavalry, constables, herders, rulers |
| Deities by Layfolk Spellcasting |
| Deity & Alignment | Cantrip | 1st Level | 2nd Level | 3rd Level |
| Apollo | CG | Sacred Flame | Healing Word | Flaming Sphere | Daylight |
| Arawn | LE | Grievous Grasp | Inflict Wounds | Blur | Speak with Dead |
| Ares | CE | Firebolt | Burning Hands | Enhance Ability | Fear |
| Chih Sung-Tzu | N | Acid Splash | Create/Destroy Water | Prayer of Healing | Water Walk |
| Chung Kuel | LG | Produce Flame | Cure Wounds | Zone of Truth | Tongues |
| Dagda | N | Shillelagh | Faerie Fire | Enlarge/Reduce | Create Food & Water |
| Dionysus | CN | Vicious Mockery | Hideous Laughter | Mirror Image | Major Image |
| Geb | N | Poison Spray | Sanctuary | Hold Person | Magic Circle |
| Hades | NE | Produce Flame | Sleep | Gentle Repose | Stinking Cloud |
| Hel | NE | Ray of Frost | Floating Disc | Ray of Enfeeblement | Sleet Storm |
| Lei Kung | LE | Firebolt | Bane | Magic Weapon | Wind Wall |
| Loki | CE | Vicious Mockery | Disguise Self | Scorching Ray | Blink |
| Mannanan Mac Lir | CN | Poison Spray | Fog Cloud | Gust of Wind | Water Breathing |
| Ma Yuan | CE | Acid Splash | Spider Climb | Alter Self | Vampiric Touch |
| Odin | NG | Ray of Frost | Bless | Shatter | Phantom Steed |
| Oghma | N | Eldritch Blast | Comprehend Lang. | Silence | Dispel Magic |
| Osiris | LG | Cosmic Veil | Feather Fall | Lesser Restoration | Revivify |
| Ptah | LN | Produce Flame | Identify | Heat Metal | Spirit Guardians |
| Ra | NG | Sacred Flame | Color Spray | See Invisibility | Mass Healing Word |
| Set | LE | Poison Spray | Expeditious Retreat | Darkness | Bestow Curse |
| Shang-Ti | LN | Ray of Frost | Mage Armor | Calm Emotions | Clairvoyance |
| Silvanus | N | Coiling Creeper | Entangle | Spike Growth | Plant Growth |
| Thor | CG | Shocking Grasp | Thunderwave | Spiritual Weapon | Fly |
| Tyr | LG | Shillelagh | Heroism | Warding Bond | Remove Curse |
| Zeus | CG | Shocking Grasp | Command | Suggestion | Call Lightning |
| Mannanan Mac Lir | Create/Destroy Water | Create/Destroy Water | Create/Destroy Water | Create/Destroy Water |
Deities by Traditions
↟ Contents ↟ ↑ Deities by Virtues etc. ↑ → Index of Topics ← ⇊ FINIS ⇊