Gaius Marius

Hello Urara, As a fellow boomer making my return (albeit just for writing lore this time), I wanted to both apologize if I did anything back in the olden golden days and commend you for your writing. I actually just read the rewrite for the Frost Witches lore and remembered that you originally brought them in the server. Though I observed the Frost Witches from afar, preferring nation and guild roleplay, I found it to an incredibly unique contribution to the server at the time.

Ardashir paced through the library, splitting his attention between scanning the book bindings for their titles and hearing hushed conversations. One such conversation stole his attention from the act of indexing book titles in his mind and brought him down a flight of stairs to a pair of men speaking. Ardashir approached them upon hearing a company of historians and other writers. “Where might I find the gentleman or men who employ these historians? Where do they meet? I might prove a good employee with a refined skillset. My name is Ardashir Shirvanyan.”

Ardashir, on one of his many walks, spotted the Schoolman and hailed him good day.

I voted and am in support of this. If memory serves me correct (and it may not have, it has been years since I’ve been on LotC), Urara first wrote the lore for the Fjarriagua. I absolutely thought the Frost Witch lore read with interest and vivid pliability and I hope, if accepted, those who play the first coven prove to be an invaluable group on the server.

I like it and I voted for it.

Ambience Music A most ethereal cloak shrouded the man from the elements and the disheveled. The cloak barely reached his ankles and fluttered as if the wind inspected it with scrutinizing fingers. A turban sat loosely on his head, leaning and yet keeping shape atop his head. He walked with a pace commanded by poise and looked deeply into the eyes of those he spoke with. Ardashir Shirvanyan, the name he introduced himself as, seemed as Farfolkish as Farfolk got. His appearance commanded intrigue, apprehension, bewilderment; all of which he took in stride and accepted without a frown or an expression of received insult. Ardashir visited libraries and saloons and avoided taverns and brothels. He disdained the institutions, but made sure to smile and greet politely any who crossed his path regardless of their association with these institutions. His travels made him a frequent sight throughout Oren and the lands of Renalia, Irrinor, Aegrothond, & Tongyi-Hu. Everywhere he visited, he’d offer his services in writing and education to any who might venture to take benefit. He would identify himself as a gnostic and encouraged people to take advantage of his skills in oratory, rhetoric, and writing. To the rare man or elf that would pause and have lengthy conversation with him, he explained his gnosticism in further detail. General Overview There are those who, through the myriad of religions, choose to see commonality and abide by them without partisanship. In all fair religions, there is a call to a higher power, and a moral code imposed - the gnostics are well aware and observant of this. However, gnosticism compels adherents to reconcile the man-made religions throughout time with the Ultimate and its act of breathing soul into the Descendents. To this end, gnosticism finds itself compatible with many of the religions throughout Arcas, but places an emphasis with a direct, personal, and awe-inspiring relationship with the Creator. Gnosticism points to the act of creation, in which the Creator blew spirit into the hollow forms of the Descendents, as an endearing moment in which the Creator showed love for the creation. This love is reciprocated by the gnostic longing for reunion. This reunion is not morbidly attached to death, but rather gracefully attached to fervent worship, upright moral life, and beautified adoration of the Almighty. Gnostics find that achieving harmony among the Descendents is a vehicle to impressing and showing love to the Creator. To this end, gnostics rarely contrast the religions, arguing that the name ascribed to the Creator is a moot point and that arguing over such would cause discord and thus disrupt potential harmony among the Descendents. One may find gnostics of different religious backgrounds, but united in underlying philosophy. There is one enemy of the Gnostics: ego. In gnostic soteriology, the ego is like a chain weighing the person down and restraining them from reunion. In moral terms, the ego is the font of all vices including the cardinal among them: arrogance. Arrogance is, to the gnostic, what drives certain Aengudaemons to believe they are superior to the Creator and what drives certain Descendents to be aggressors and oppressors over each other. The gnostic swears oaths to counteract and retribute the arrogant - no matter the race or religion. Many gnostics turn to asceticism as a practice to restrain their own egos. Gnosticism as a philosophy affecting one’s personal faith is obscure in origins. Fierce orthodoxy is a typical and recurring quality of many groups, especially of human populations, who utilize faith as a means to encourage cooperation and brotherhood. The orthodoxy of such groups as the legendary Order of the White Roses, Teutonic Order, and Da Kirkja Dverga usually proves anathema to any challenge to religious orthodoxy and supremacy. For this reason, gnosticism as a philosophy is often kept quiet, yet has found a great number of followers both in clandestine acceptance and proactive promotion and congregation. Sects & Tenets Many gnostics show appreciation for the many religions across Arcas and in past lands including Aegis, Asulon, Anthos, and others. They embrace particularly those religions that have inspired intellectual endeavors including Canonism and the faith of the Brathmordakim while tolerating but distancing themselves from more animistic religions as more elemental and anti-philosophy such as the Shamanism of the Orcs. For these passive gnostics, they still accept a few major tenets that would be generally considered heterodox: The morally just and upright deeds are not done for any reward or to avoid placement in punishment, but rather for an ecstatic closeness to the Creator and to show adoration for the sole creator. As alluded to in the first tenet, those who follow polytheistic religions contend internally that there is a sole creator with multiple avatars. In such cases, the avatars are typically ignored while the sole creator is conscionably revered. There is a recognition that the creator has certain elects or moral paragons within the religious traditions who emphasize virtues over faith and religious jurisprudence. These elects are those who the passive gnostics gravitate to and try to learn from.

Ambience Music A most ethereal cloak shrouded the man from the elements and the disheveled. The cloak barely reached his ankles and fluttered as if the wind inspected it with scrutinizing fingers. A turban sat loosely on his head, leaning and yet keeping shape atop his head. He walked with a pace commanded by poise and looked deeply into the eyes of those he spoke with. Ardashir Shirvanyan, the name he introduced himself as, seemed as Farfolkish as Farfolk got. His appearance commanded intrigue, apprehension, bewilderment; all of which he took in stride and accepted without a frown or an expression of received insult. Ardashir visited libraries and saloons and avoided taverns and brothels. He disdained the institutions, but made sure to smile and greet politely any who crossed his path regardless of their association with these institutions. His travels made him a frequent sight throughout Oren and the lands of Renalia, Irrinor, Aegrothond, & Tongyi-Hu. Everywhere he visited, he’d offer his services in writing and education to any who might venture to take benefit. He would identify himself as a gnostic and encouraged people to take advantage of his skills in oratory, rhetoric, and writing. To the rare man or elf that would pause and have lengthy conversation with him, he explained his gnosticism in further detail. General Overview There are those who, through the myriad of religions, choose to see commonality and abide by them without partisanship. In all fair religions, there is a call to a higher power, and a moral code imposed - the gnostics are well aware and observant of this. However, gnosticism compels adherents to reconcile the man-made religions throughout time with the Ultimate and its act of breathing soul into the Descendents. To this end, gnosticism finds itself compatible with many of the religions throughout Arcas, but places an emphasis with a direct, personal, and awe-inspiring relationship with the Creator. Gnosticism points to the act of creation, in which the Creator blew spirit into the hollow forms of the Descendents, as an endearing moment in which the Creator showed love for the creation. This love is reciprocated by the gnostic longing for reunion. This reunion is not morbidly attached to death, but rather gracefully attached to fervent worship, upright moral life, and beautified adoration of the Almighty. Gnostics find that achieving harmony among the Descendents is a vehicle to impressing and showing love to the Creator. To this end, gnostics rarely contrast the religions, arguing that the name ascribed to the Creator is a moot point and that arguing over such would cause discord and thus disrupt potential harmony among the Descendents. One may find gnostics of different religious backgrounds, but united in underlying philosophy. There is one enemy of the Gnostics: ego. In gnostic soteriology, the ego is like a chain weighing the person down and restraining them from reunion. In moral terms, the ego is the font of all vices including the cardinal among them: arrogance. Arrogance is, to the gnostic, what drives certain Aengudaemons to believe they are superior to the Creator and what drives certain Descendents to be aggressors and oppressors over each other. The gnostic swears oaths to counteract and retribute the arrogant - no matter the race or religion. Many gnostics turn to asceticism as a practice to restrain their own egos. Gnosticism as a philosophy affecting one’s personal faith is obscure in origins. Fierce orthodoxy is a typical and recurring quality of many groups, especially of human populations, who utilize faith as a means to encourage cooperation and brotherhood. The orthodoxy of such groups as the legendary Order of the White Roses, Teutonic Order, and Da Kirkja Dverga usually proves anathema to any challenge to religious orthodoxy and supremacy. For this reason, gnosticism as a philosophy is often kept quiet, yet has found a great number of followers both in clandestine acceptance and proactive promotion and congregation. Sects & Tenets Many gnostics show appreciation for the many religions across Arcas and in past lands including Aegis, Asulon, Anthos, and others. They embrace particularly those religions that have inspired intellectual endeavors including Canonism and the faith of the Brathmordakim while tolerating but distancing themselves from more animistic religions as more elemental and anti-philosophy such as the Shamanism of the Orcs. For these passive gnostics, they still accept a few major tenets that would be generally considered heterodox: The morally just and upright deeds are not done for any reward or to avoid placement in punishment, but rather for an ecstatic closeness to the Creator and to show adoration for the sole creator. As alluded to in the first tenet, those who follow polytheistic religions contend internally that there is a sole creator with multiple avatars. In such cases, the avatars are typically ignored while the sole creator is revered. There is a recognition that the creator has certain elects or moral paragons within the religious traditions who emphasize virtues over faith and religious jurisprudence. These elects are those who the passive gnostics gravitate to and try to learn from.

You just quoted Nappy Roots who went to the same Middle School as I did. You a real one.

Ambience Music Engerraund felt his shoulders snap like the sinews of a slingshot and tasted damp clay, its texture like liver - bland yet heavy in the mouth. The sensation of heat and the illumination of flame snapped the rest of his body back together and he darted upward to find Ardashir on top of him. Another fireball whistled over the gully like onager artillery only to crash a few feet from Ardashir and Engerraund. Ardashir rolled off of him and reached for his bow quiver and one of the many arrows spilled out and lost in the disturbed ground covered in dead leaves. He reached clumsily and rolled over to find his own sword sticking upright in the ground like an Arthurian boon. “Mali’ker in the treeline, I only saw him, but he may have others,” Ardashir quickly indicated to Engerraund. Engerraund leaned into the side of the gully to hide. Another fireball grazed the gully’s edge and fell in, catching a large pile of leaves on fire. Ardashir nocked his arrow and peaked over the edge, letting one off blindly. Both of them walked through the gully and took positions behind trees at the edge of a clearing. Silence fell as the dark elf ceased his assault and Engerraund and Ardashir looked at each other and past one another. The silence lasted for a few minutes with no sound save for the clamor of wildlife in the distance. “I’m not hearing anything or seeing anything. Best if we get back on the road and head for the nearest settlement,” Engerraund whispered, breaking into a brisk pace and gathering his effects from the gully. Engerraund and Ardashir walked back onto the main road, looking north and south, and only finding fog and the cacophony of insects either way they looked. They broke into a jog due south and took a left to find an incredibly tall arch with two gongs hanging and an indiscernible sign hidden in the fog and midnight. They made their way inside and found a light, causing them to duck for a moment, only to realize the light emanated from a lantern hung outside what appeared to them to be a tavern. They made their way inside, careful to close the door behind them.

Damn, did my comment get deleted? Are y'all still taking new players?

Last I checked, the Brits still owe us repayment for the Marshall Plan so Zee must be the correct answer.

Thank you

Ambience Music The long road winded side by side like a snake motioning through desert sands. The direction inevitably pointed south, but it’s winding took them west and east. Engerraund and Ardashir looked at the high cliffs of Irrinor in the distance, stout oaks branching up over the cliff faces. All manners of Elvenkind passed them, some as swarthy as Ardashir, some as pale as Engerraund, and still some as dark as charred wood still smoking in a fire. Dusk began to veil the road and the travellers thinned. Engerraund and Ardashir stepped away from the main road and moved towards one of the cliff faces over which a few cypresses dangled curiously overlooking the land. “If we are lucky, we may find some fallen debris to use for camp Enger,” Ardashir remarked while looking up and taking in the entire height of the Irrinorean flora. “True, but let’s try to find a gully or grove. Somewhere we might better hide, I don’t know what sort of bandits lurk in these parts,” Engerraund replied, scanning the landscape. Engerraund sat and slid into one gully and found its depth acceptable and motioned for Ardashir to follow. They took turns clearing the fallen and decayed leaves to make three spaces: one for their campfire and two for their sleeping. Ardashir leaped out of the gully and went about collecting debris, ducking between trees and through glades beneath the Irrinor cliff face. Engerraund took the blankets and tied them like parachutes, filling the newly formed cavity beneath the fold with leaves to create makeshift pillows for the two of them. In the distance, from the direction of the main road, a flame flickered. Ardashir noticed it as he made his way back to the gully with an armful of branches and tinder. He looked once to Engerraund and found him working in oblivion. The flame danced, as if spooked by Ardashir and grew brighter. Ardashir saw the pale glow of the flame splash across the face of an Elf whose skin appeared so dark that it swallowed the glow whole - tattoos decorated the face of the mysterious mage in a grotesque design. Ardashir dropped his arms and rushed to the gully.