Nymstra

*Within your grasp would be a missive written on southern parchment. Denouncement of Succession A fair Refusal Written by the Patriarch of House de Pelear Zulimar, It’s nice to finally hear of you! I was unaware that you existed up until this saints day, so Hola! ¿Que Tal? Perhaps we could have shared a drink and learned about each other’s upbringings! Sadly, I believe that is not possible. For you are mistaken. My name, Domingo Pascual de Pelear, is in fact on our familia’s tree. I am the son of Oscar Manuel de Pelear, grandson of Augustin Montoya Todd Ruben de Pelear, Great-Grandson of Inigo Andres Manuel Matviy de Pelear, whose mother was Her Sovereign, Ramona. My blood can be traced back to Cesar the First, same as yours. I am NOT a descendant of Queen Xiomora, but that does not change my stance. YOU have not earned the right to call yourself Patriarch. I shall list the reasons below. You Are A Coward who hides behind a pen, writing in a comfortable bed either on a boat, or within your own home. You live far away from the lands that I do. A Pelears service to Hyspia is not just to the crown, but it’s to the PEOPLE. Whether they call themselves Hyspian, Viruvian, or Ipaneman, we are called to help them. We help by giving them a place to call home, protecting that home, and or doing whatever we can to grant them a tomorrow that is better than yesterday, however slight it may be. WHERE WERE YOU, when Ipanema had a vampire coven underneath its roads? You weren’t with the twin dukes, aiding your fellow Hyspian in ridding darkspawn from their home. WHERE WERE YOU when those of Ipanema came down with illness, and began dying out? You weren’t bringing medicine to the city, attempting to fix the infection. WHERE WERE YOU when the walls that protected Ipanemans began to CRUMBLE, allowing darkspawn and other horrors to walk the streets? You weren’t rebuilding the walls that had collapsed, that was the Duke and Ipanemans. You were hiding in your boat, too afraid to say your familia’s name. You Have No Honor, Hiding behind a pen and paper, writing as you do when you have done nothing. What stories do you have of helping your fellow man, of giving them a home? What sacrifices have you made that were painful, that when weighed against all the options was the best one to make? Have you the honor to respect your blood line, and give what you have for those whose ancestors lived under Cesar’s rule? Seeing as I didn’t know your name until today, that is yet to be seen. Our Name Has Begun To Rot, and what have you done to help with that? While I live in Ipanema, serving the people as Alcalde of the city, what do you do? I give the clothes off my back, the mina out of my own pockets, my own bed and food to others. I actively try to bring the honor our name once had back to it. And you? I’ve never heard of your escapades, your good deeds nor your sacrifices. You say you have lived longer than me, so why is it that this familia is almost forgotten, ‘Patriarch’. Your Claims Are Denounced You Have No Right to claim the patriarchal position in our familia, as it's already taken. You can dribble on about blood and birthright based on a queen whose line of lineage has been denounced. If you wish for this title, EARN IT. Pretty words are not enough for you to take what you have NEVER deserved. No coward shall lead this familia, I will renounce myself as Patriarch when you or your children show that my words are no longer reality. If you wish for it earlier, feel free to come to Ipanema and challenge me yourself. El patriarca actual, Domingo Pascual de Pelear, Alcalde da Ipanema, Patriarch of House de Pelear

*Within your grasp would be a missive written on southern parchment. Low Tide A plea to the Church Written by the Patriarch of House de Pelear Contexto histórico Hyspians, and thus Ipanemans, have always had a strong cultural tie to the church. It is ingrained in our history that the worship of DIOS is tradition, it is part of what makes a hyspian a hyspian. Our strong ties to our worship and applying the word of DIOS to our lives is part of our culture, every family partakes in worship. No true Hyspian settlement will be without a church, and the only church in the southern human realm is in Ipanema. To Padre Helfgott It has been some time since a man of the cloth has blessed any in Ipanema, or the south, the privilege of being prayed over. I thank you, truly. I am grateful that DIOS protected your travels through the southern lands and through Ipanema, as up until recently a disease has most likely ravaged our peoples. The fact you have not come down with illness is a blessing anyone can see. Perhaps one day we can meet and I can ask you of your opinion of our Capilla, and its humble glory. However, the words you have put to parchment bring pain to my heart, and the hearts of the people I govern. Does DIOS not still preach to treat your fellow worshipper as if they are your kin? I ask that you hold a service in Ipanema for all of us who worship DIOS and call ourselves canonists, and pray over us once more. Your safety will be guaranteed, as a man of the cloth is not a combatant. To The Church As this war continues to rage, the people of the south seek guidance and safety in their worship of DIOS, of GODAN. However, as Padre Helfgott pointed out, we no longer have a man of the cloth to lead us in worship. It is believed he passed during the era of sickness that fell over our city some time ago. I ask, nay plead, that the church bestow upon our city a member of the cloth, one to lead us in worship throughout this war. To travel outside the realm to practice worship is dangerous, as those who would call fellow canonists enemies will surely strike us down for wishing to continue practicing our rights to worship and prayer in their cities. None have stepped up to take up the cloth, and as violence spreads, persecution does as well. If the church believes that we are not worthy of someone to lead us in worship, will continue to believe that DIOS has not forsaken us. Our continued prayer inside of our Capilla, forsaken by the cloth, will bring us peace until the day one makes themselves known. As I Am, There is only so much one faithful with a pen can do to aid our church. I can only pray that this plea is not thrown out immediately. En nombre de mi pueblo escribo esta súplica, Domingo Pascual de Pelear, Alcalde da Ipanema, Patriarch of House de Pelear

The Great Exodus of Ipanema A Theory of Historical Affairs Header This is a personal attempt to answer a phenomenon that took place in Ipanema, where no concrete evidence can be found on the subject to erase speculation. It will contain hypotheses, jumps in logic, and conclusions based on limited evidence and interviews of the populous. As of now, there is no certainty as to why this exodus may have happened that the city has since recovered from. This is not to be considered fact. Introducción and antecedentes históricos (Introduction and Historical Documentation) Dating as early as 10 years ago, a great population change in the Golden State of Ipanema took place. It was one that was either quick and without any warning, or one that was gradual, slow enough to not cause alarm until it was already too late to stop it. This exodus caught my intrigue, and so after becoming Governor of the city, I decided to sift through historical documentation to see if I could find the root cause of this sudden shift in population. From my efforts, I discovered that documentation of any significance under the Duchy and of the city ceased thirteen years before the writing of this thesis. However, from a broader search of not only Ipaneman records but Horde records, more interesting information can be found. It is around this time frame, thirteen years ago, that the Cleansing of Ipanema occurred which was documented by current Rex Torosh’Mak. For those unaware, the Cleansing of Ipanema took place when a coven of Vampyres was discovered underneath one of the manors inside Ipanema. A sizable force of 1000 Ipanemans, led by the Twin Princes Ulisses and Osiris, purged the building and set it ablaze, cleansing the city of this scourge. The remains of this burnt building can still be seen today. Within the same year as the Cleansing and the last changes to Ipaneman ledgers, a winery was opened and advertised publicly. There is little significance to the opening of this winery in context to the exodus, other than it was the last document with any Ipaneman significance to be written from this time period. Eight years pass between this last mention of Ipanema in records and the Edict of Huntshill & Southspire. This edict formally announced the change of hand of the Golden State from House Alencar to now Duke Simon Peter and Duchess Kyhira. In that time, a majority of the population of Ipanema vanished. A fief once able to muster 1000 to purge darkspawn from their borders was reduced to a town with barely 1000 total, with walls that were crumbling not even 5 years ago. What Happened? Teorías (Theories) From the discovered documentation, personal interviews with both citizens and travelers alike, and assumptions based on personal experience in the area, theories can be made to try and explain what happened. These theories will be ordered from most plausible, to least plausible, based on the information at hand. Disease It is well known that House Alencar ceded their titles and lands to Duke Simon Peter, as we can directly point to the Edict of Huntshill & Southspire for this. In this edict, the current Duke notes that Beleth’s decision to revoke the lands and titles from House Alencar was due to “Delayed Construction and Dangers of Sickness”. This mention of sickness seems to indicate that the population of Ipanema at large was suffering from a sort of illness, and with the current medical guild building not being properly ran by any resident medics, one can come to the conclusion that the people of Ipanema may not have left, but died due to lack of treatment for their ailments. Ipanema’s current capabilities do not allow us to properly explore this explanation, since with an almost vacant medical guild, there are no medical records to examine to prove that there was a sickness that wiped out a majority of the population of Ipanema. However, with this disease being mentioned in an official edict from the Belethian Federation, this theory holds the most weight. Disinterest It is very possible that the population of Ipanema began to vacate the city simply due to there not being anything really interesting happening inside the city. The evidence, really, is the lack of evidence itself. With a sickly duke, lack of festivals and family ran activities, lack of active taxation to fund these activities, and the stagnation of construction of critical defenses and other structures inside the feif show that Old Ipanema may not have been offering anything substantial, so its people left for better opportunities. With nothing holding a person in a place, they are going to wander. Fear Darkspawn are a known threat to all descendants across the continent. In the south, darkspawn sightings happen as they do across other nations. We know from the evidence listed above that Ipanema cleansed itself from a known darkspawn hideout, however it may not have been enough to put out the fears that darkspawn were encroaching on the city’s unfinished walls. From personal experience, and the testimonies of other citizens of Ipanema, darkspawn sightings have continued to a lesser extent in the region even after the Cleansing of Ipanema. With a lack of documentation from House Alencar to the public, it’s possible to surmise that without action from the ducal house, the people began to leave due to fears that darkspawn would re-enter the city and weave themselves into not only the population, but the council and ducal house as well. No written testimony or public request was ever made to solidify this. This theory also makes multiple jumps in logic, ignores the fact that darkspawn are spotted everywhere, and attack other cities as well that do not suffer great losses in their population. With nothing concrete tied to this theory beyond speculation, this is the weakest and most extravagant theory. Conclusión While some of these proposed explanations as to what happened do offer a logical conclusion, I believe that we will never know what actually happened in the Golden State of Ipanema those ten to thirteen years ago. With limited documentation and the residents themselves not knowing what caused it, it is my professional opinion that the truth will remain inside a cloud of mystery and speculation. If any who read this do happen to have further evidence; whether it be missives from lands outside of the Golden State, letters between people, or eye witness testimonies, feel free to send me a letter. Signed, Domingo Pascual de Pelear, Alcalde da Ipanema, Patriarch of House de Pelear

Name: Ricardo Augustin Denodadao Address: Sybille Street 6 Seat(s) Desired: Chief Steward

This coming Saint's Week, the beaches of Ipanema will host a day by the waters for the enjoyment of the youth who call Beleth home! Varying events have been planned for a day of fun and excitement! To start off the festivities, the beaches of Ipanema will be divided up for the youth to make the best sandcastles! Each participant will be given thirty minutes to show off their skills and make the best sand castle! The first place winner will be given homemade sweets and twenty mina! Once the Sand Castles have been made, Fishing rods will be handed out to all who wish to take part in a fishing competition! Each participant will be given a fishing rod and 25 minutes to fish up as many fish as they can. Once the time is up, they will present the fish to the judge. The catch will be weighed, and the person with the most will win a first place prize of twenty-five mina! [Friday the 23rd, 6pm EST] Signed, Niño De Hyspii

Ricardo Denodado, the notorious child of Ipanema, would show this missive to his caretaker, @scoobias well "What does all of this mean? I see Eepaneema, does that mean I will have more friends?"

Ricardo Denodado would show this missive to his caretaker, @scoobi"There's a lot of funny words on this paper.. what do they mean?" would look back at the piece of paper and think for a moment "Does this mean anything for Eepaneema?"

[!] The paper this is written on is obviously old and worn. The emblem and heading are faded, as if they were inscribed decades before. The page has multiple tears where there is writing [!] The official Play Place of Ricardo! Signed,

General Information This ledger is to document the cultural traditions of the Denodado Familia. Some of these traditions are shared with our sister house, House Novikov, while some are unique to this house. This ledger is to ensure that no matter how much time passes, our future generations will always know of their traditions, and what truly makes them a Denodado. May this ledger stand the test of time. The Passing of the Horns The passing of the horns is a familial tradition that every Denodado will go through. As a ram becomes an adult, they grow horns of their own to use to defend oneself and fight off those that wish them harm. Like a ram, as a Denodado child grows up and becomes an adult, their parents will instill unto them their two horns. These horns are only allowed to be forged by a Denodado. The first horn is given to the child when they reach the age of five, or first show their aspirations to explore the city. This horn is always a small dagger that the child can carry with them. The dagger signifies the trust given to the young Denodado, a trust that they will stay safe, that they keep themselves out of trouble, and that they will defend themselves if necessary. This is also the beginning of their training in how to both respect a blade, and properly use one. The second horn is bestowed upon the young Denodado when they reach the age of 18. This horn takes the shape of any weapon that the young Denodado wishes to have, be it a Halberd, Longsword, Mace, Etc. By bestowing the Second Horn onto a Denodado, their parents are showing them that they are their own person now, and are free to chase their aspirations and dreams. It is also a sign that the torch has been passed, and that they are now entrusted with the future of the House. This weapon is usually the weapon that the young adult will wield for some time. The Ewe’s Bout This is a tradition that is for the women of House Denodado. When a lady of House Denodado is asked to be wed, the man or woman wishing to court them must prove their strength; they must prove that they are worthy of marrying this Lady. This takes the form of a duel, between the prospect and the father of the Lady. This duel shall take place in public, in the Hyspia Arena, or the arena of the city that the House resides in. This duel will be to first blood. If the prospect is able to draw blood of the Father, then they have proven themselves worthy of marrying the Lady. If they are unable to draw blood of the Father, and instead lose the duel, then it is up to the Father to decide whether or not the prospect is able to marry the Lady. A Dowry must be paid regardless of the result of this duel, if they are allowed to marry the Lady. However, if the prospect wins the duel, the maximum that can be requested will be 100 Mina paid to the House. Decoration of Honors House Denodado is a warrior house, and this is seen through many of the traditions. Scars are seen as honors; they are marks that prove the worth of those who wear them. Each one comes with a story, and this is highly respected. Before any major battle or duel, the Denodados will outline the scars on their body in paints of Blue, Red, White, and Gold. Each color that outlines a scar has a significance to those who painted them. These outlines are worn with honor, and Denodados are encouraged to share the stories behind the scars that are outlined. A gold outline marks a scar of the wound that almost took their life. A White outline marks a scar which they earned in a battle for their Kingdom. A red outline marks a scar which bears shame. A blue outline marks a scar which was earned defending others. After the battle takes place, these outlines are washed away since it is disrespectful to boast about one’s honors more than necessary. Disownment It is rare for a Denodado to be disowned from their family, as familial bonds are a major part in their upbringing. To disown a Denodado, they must have either brought shame and hate to the name, or have turned their backs on their family or children. However, they cannot be immediately disowned. A minimum of two saint years must be given to the accused. This is to give them time to right their wrongs. If the wrongs are not made right, then the head of the house may disown the accused. This disownment is to be made publicly, for all to see. It will take the form of a Writ of Disownment, in which the crimes and shame of the accused is put on display for all to see. At the end of this list, the head of house and others may write their opinions and statements, before the statement of banishment is made. When one is banished, they are to be branded with the surname Cobarde. When they are disowned, all Denodados should cut contact with the branded. We are to turn our backs on those who have turned their backs on us; they did not see the value of their kin, so they will not receive the love and community that family provides. As time continues on, our family will create newer traditions that will need to be added. Traditions are the basis of the cultural identity of houses, and should never be forgotten. Signed, Demitrey Denodado, Professional Granddad, Capitan of the Opal Odyssey.

BOUNTY OF THE RAT-TRAP BRIGAND A Bounty Set Issued by the Sovereign Crown 6th of[ Javier’s Justice, 100 D.R. On The Subject of Mouse Traps For two years, warnings have been issued to the public that setting mouse traps inside of the tax office would count as evading taxes. This past Saint's day, Princesa Mona De Honk entered the tax office to discover Twenty mouse traps, set with coins and whistles as bait. This blatant disrespect of Musin and their kind shall not be tolerated within the Sovereignty of Hyspia. FROM HENCEFORTH, the setting of mouse traps inside of the tax office will be counted as the following. I. Attempted Murder II. Attempted Assault of a Government Official III. Attempted Tax Evasion Citations §1 A criminal is an individual who has willingly committed a breach against a law presented either through royal decree or the Lex Hyspia. §1 Harm caused to an individual , intentionally or unintentionally, by another individual which is not permanent. §2 Harm caused to an individual, intentionally or unintentionally, by another individual which is permanent. §4 The killing of an individual, intentionally or unintentionally, by another individual. §8 When an individual fails to pay due taxes and or due rent for an estate owned by the Viceroyalty of Hyspia. IN WITNESS OF SOVEREIGN RAMONA I A bounty of 75 mina has been set on the culprit who has been setting mouse traps. The bounty shall be paid once the individual has been turned in to the Orden De Francisco Alive. Anyone who provides information that leads to the capture of this individual will be paid 25 mina and given a tax exemption token, usable on one property in Hyspia. Viva Hyspia. Signed, HIS ROYAL MAJESTY, Patches, King of Babblebrook HER ROYAL HIGHNESS, Santana Leya de Pelear, Crown Princesa de Hyspia, Duchess de Paraiso HIS EXCELLENCY, Demitrey Denodado, Gran Canciller de Hyspia, Interim Capitan de la Orden De Francisco, Maestro de la Esquela de Veronica, Oficial de Imigracion, Capitan of the Opal Odyssey. HIS EXCELLENCY, Juan Fuentes Justiciero de Hyspia HER HIGHNESS, Renata Alba, Infanta de Hyspia, Baronesa de Clemente

TREATY OF SAND AND KARSTS Issued by the Sovereign Crown 8th of FRANCISCO’S RESOLVE, en el año de nuestro señor, 99 Introducción With the signing and promulgation of this document, the Sovereignty of Hyspia and the Unified Domain of Vortice, henceforth referred to as ‘the signatories’, do agree on their honor to the terms laid forth hereafter. ARTICLE I: Non-Aggression The signatories agree in the absolute to a pact of non-aggression. There shall be no military conflict between either state; nor between their constituent vassals or noble Houses. Any breaches of this term shall be resolved through the appropriate diplomatic channels. ARTICLE II: Sovereignty The signatories mutually recognize the other as the sole sovereign state over their respective lands, and all titles affiliated with their respective styling. ARTICLE III: Trade The signatories mutually agree to give one another a place for trade within their respective capitals. There shall be a limited sale of resources, and a priority set on luxury goods, textiles, and refined products. The signatories shall offer discounted prices on any items traded between themselves hereafter. ARTICLE IV: Duration This treaty shall remain in effect for twenty saint weeks from the signing of this document, and will be reinstated with the approval of the signatories. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this agreement as of the day and year first above written. Signed, HER ROYAL HIGHNESS, Ramona de Pelear, Sovereign Princess of Hyspia, Duchess of Pacazu, Baroness of Arenisca and Del’mar, Lady of Ladorada, Lady of Niseep, Gereon's Hold, and Ciudad de Plata, Gran Maestress of El Orden de Francisco, Protector of the Hyspian People, Protector of the Farfolk, Matriarch of House de Pelear HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS, Dimitri Otto of Korvia, Sovereign Prince-Consort of Hyspia, Duke-Consort of Pacazu, Baron-Consort of Arenisca and Del’mar, Lord of Ladorada, Lord of Niseep, Gereon's Hold, and Ciudad de Plata, Gran Maestre of El Orden de Francisco, Protector of the Hyspian People, Protector of the Farfolk HIS EXCELLENCY, Demitrey Denodado, Gran Chancellor de Hyspia, Maestro de la Esquela de Veronica, Oficial de Imigracion, Capitan of the Opal Odyssey HER HIGHNESS, Lenora Jusmia The 10th Sovereign of the Depths, Monarch of the Unified Domain of Vortice HER NOBILITY, Lady Aerith Maelstorm Matriarch of House Maelstorm, Minister of the Department of Livelihood of Internal and External Affairs of Vortice

"Viva Hyspia" A begrudging Demitrey Denodado would mutter as he finished the missive "Let the heartlanders play empire in their own corner, away from here"

On the 5th of Cesar’s Gift, en el Año de Nuestro Señor, 97 The Succession of House Denodado To her Sovereign and the esteemed peers of the Sovereign State of Hyspia, I write this letter to confirm my own abdication and recognition of @MyrtheMaria Sofia Denodado as the rightful holder of the Vizconde de Banderas and Le Baron de Sevilla. She has proven her right to hold these titles through strength and cunning, and shall bring House Denodado into a new age. Let it be known that before GOD I cede myself from all landed titles, granting my heir, Maria Sofia Denodado, the responsibility of family patriarch. From the publication of this letter, she assumes all rights and privileges allotted to peers of our great Sovereign. As I stand as Gran Chancellor, I look out at my peers within Hyspia, and recognize that I have become a relic. Long past are the times where I was a young lad fighting alongside brothers and sisters against those who wished to conquer all of Almaris. The common man and woman are no longer of my generation, nor are they of Cesar’s. In my eyes, I have stood as patriarch for long enough, and it is time to allow the new generation to lead. I have no doubt in my mind that Maria will bring a greatness to the Denodado name that I could never achieve. Under her guidance, I see the future which I could never give. Signed, HIS EXCELLENCY, Demitrey Denodado, Gran Chancellor de Hyspia, Maestro de la Esquela de Veronica, Oficial de Imigracion.

Demitrey Denodado would smile as he read the missive "Its time to brush up on mae sailing. This time, ae'll niet crash into a bridge!"

On the 14th of Francisco’s Resolve, 92 The Loss of a Mother It has been a year since the passing of Annika Denodado; A beloved mother, viscountess, and friend to all in Hyspia. After a year of mourning, House Denodado shall be hosting a funeral to properly put her to rest, and allow closure for all who knew Annika. Throughout her life, Annika has been a source of compassion to all that knew her. In her early life, she was the woman that gave the Brotherhood of Saint Karl the courage they needed to continue the fight against the mori, even against all odds. She saw the good in all, including those of the horde. She would befriend anyone and everyone that met her, and not a single bad thing could be said about the compassionate Viscountess. In her later years, Annika became known throughout Hyspia as a mother to all, a friend to outsiders, and someone that would help anyone through anything. To her, there was nothing too little that could be done for someone, and she would always go out of her way to make sure that others were having a better time than they were the day before. To her children and grandchildren, she was the kindest person they had ever met, and a role model to strive to become. To her husband, she was an angel that was taken too soon. The Funeral The funeral is to be held in Hyspia, within La Dorada at the Church of Blessed Francisco in four Saints Days time. All who knew Annika are welcome to attend, including those of her maiden family, House Amador. Signed, HIS EXCELLENCY, Demitrey Denodado Visconde de Banderas, Baron de Sevilla, Gran Canciller de Hyspia, Oficial de Imigracion, Captain of the Opal Odyssey