Ibn Khaldun

UPDATES Basic dictionary of Lughow hil'Kwee'Hayastaani added Commanding, Forbidding verb forms developed.

Instead of arbitrarily trying to get there is a tell, I will utilize it to determine x is y vs. its not fair that we have to have a tell so you'd know I am y! decided, I am curious if we can come up with a solution for at least future or rewritten CAs to not have such widely known identifying markers/tells. Would it not make sense that whenever a new CA is introduced or rewritten, the redlines be hidden and ONLY exposed to Lore Team? And, a "contractual"/mutually agreed term of being on the Lore Team is that you do not play characters who even try to guess at a CA's weakness to preserve that information and leave it up to players to experiment and try to determine the redline/tell that helps identify that Y is Y?

𝅘𝅥𝅮𝅗𝅥𝅘𝅥𝅯𝅘𝅥𝅮 That cube of grey which Maȟpíya spotted from his encamped mesa filled in with detail; red tile roofs and quarried stone layers atop layers swallowed the beating sun and every ray that shared its heat against his forehead. He bade his steed to wander around the walls until he reached a gate - closed and unyielding. He tilted and craned his head like a cat looking around its nuisance of an obstacle, his eyes locked with one of the residents on the opposite side of the closed passageway. "Hinhanni! Why is it that these gates are closed?" "To stop strangers from getting in without due process!" A retort whose content required Maȟpíya's challenge. "How can the gates tell stranger and trader apart? With what mouth can it question the stranger whether their intent is good or ill for the walled-folk inside?" That same resident who Maȟpíya locked eyes with went to fetch for the gate's opening and soon it opened. Maȟpíya crossed the threshold and entered La Ciudad de la Dorada. He followed the resident, inquiring after the leader of her people. Within the end of the morning hour which he arrived to the Hyspian capital, he had an audience with Cesar II. "Hinhanni Malik hil'Hyspiya, my name is Maȟpíya Kwee'Hayastaani and I come from my peoples' modest camp atop one of the many mesas like great tables secured throughout the desert east of your great shihi [city]. We've formed the intention to meet neighbors to the expansive sands we wandered, looking to enter the employ of any who would have us that we may build good relations. Know though that we have no desire nor intent to be fenced in by walls, our way of life enjoys the vastness of the endless desert and the plains and the tundras alike." King Cesar II blinked a few times, taken by the forthrightness of his guest. Maȟpíya rubbed his shoulder, taking a deep breath as he blinked away the walls around him seemingly closing in on him. Cesar II smiled patiently, replying thusly: "Oh? Thankfully you have come here. Hyspia is home to many Farfolk, we have pride in our companionship with our brethren. You have certainly left a good impression on me amigo, we would love to welcome you and your people as we continue to grow. I warn you respectfully though, the Orcs despise those who tread upon these lands." "We fear none nor bear unjustified distrust, we mean to meet with the Hurkaan [Orcs] in order that we may build good relations with them also. I do thank you for welcoming me and appreciate your willingness to listen to me," Maȟpíya rested an open palm against his leather-covered chest.

𝅘𝅥𝅮𝅗𝅥𝅘𝅥𝅯𝅘𝅥𝅮 He laid against the surface of the mesa, having scaled it by midday, and shaded his eyes with a sun-baked hand. Dispensing with the folly of staring too long at slithering mirages, Maȟpíya looked to two great objects whose details he could not discern because of their distance. To the northwest, he saw a great cube of stone grey; he threw back his gaze to the southeast towards a gaping maw of a sandstone arch whose throat appeared lush and green. Before making any decision on which way to embark, he pitched his tipi tent and made quick work of khargush [rabbit] he trapped before his ascent onto the mesa. Maȟpíya ran his fingers to smooth the crinkles out of a letter that he withdrew from one of his leather satchels. He flipped it on its unwritten side against the width of his thigh as he sat. He uncorked an inkpot and worked the tip of a quill while watching the vibrant sunset from his vantage point atop the mesa. "Yr-Solheim Kujalleq [ @Carson ], Tanyan yahipi! Askunu bayna hil'Hurkaan wa Mamlakaan hil'Hyspiya. Kaab saa'tlee'sfiru hila ahna?" [¹] The letter, by wing, road, or seafaring vessel, made its way to its recipient.

DICTIONARY *Please note this dictionary is not exhaustive and will be amended with additional words & phrases! Nouns Lisaan - (physical) tongue, language Sama’a - sky Bhoom - land, soil, earth Chattaan - rock, earth Harb - war, battle Shams - sun Qamar - moon Reeh - wind, gust Daar - home Naar - fire Sabeel - road, route Tareeq - path Bhaar - heavy Chaalkha - light (opp. of heavy) Insaan - people No’uw - type, kind Wazn - weight (both measure & abstract) Thanda - cold Garam - hot Bakheel - greedy Tijaara - trade Layla - night Nahaar - day Wajha - face Chica - girl Chico - boy Padreyo - father Madreya - mother Hermanyo - brother Hermanya - sister Tiyo - uncle Tiya - aunt Chiyo - son Chiya - daughter Aswad - black Azrak - blue Akhdaar - green Asfaar - yellow Ahmaar - red Abyaad - white Burtuqal - orange Ahmit - brown Ramad - grey Banafsaji - purple Kabeer - large Taweel - tall, long Sagheer - small Saqrun - hawk Chacal - jackal Khargush - rabbit, bunny Faris - horse Adhbab - bison Kachwa - tortoise Samak - fish Osa - bear Acaln - gold, valuable Ame - forest Amya - tree Ihnsil - spear, lance, pike Thilln - silver, coin Leniel - song, melody Shi’ir - poetry Matn - prose, manuscript Kitaab - book, tome Heial - council, circle Shura’a - consultation Chirr - wolf Sheehi - city Madina - town Qura - village Shivir - camp (general) Mu’askaar - camp (military) Qasr - castle, fort Burj - tower, watchtower Cahokya - mound Gya’anga - totem Otuhan - gift Pimoroo - cow Deyodin - sheep Takotsi - cat Kalab - dog Taynuel - magick Malik - King Malikya - Queen Mamlakaan - Kingdom Aatma - spirit Khabar - news Tipi - tent, abode Junoob - south Ghareeb - west Sharooq - east Shamaal - north Registaan - desert Regis - sand Hajar - stone, rock Tha'aban - serpent, snake Zalzala - earthquake Bazaar - festival Jalaf - rude, coarse Mutakhassis - transcriber, specialist Mystagogue - researcher Zakert - Alchemy Maulana - master, maestro Sa'eed - happiness Muntij - maker, producer Naar - fire, flame Verbs Jalasa - to sit, rest Safara - to travel Shahaada - to watch, to witness Nabaata - to grow Tabba - to perish, to be destroyed Sharaba - to drink Rattaba - to arrange, to create order Banaya - to build Kataba - to write Darasa - to study Sakana - to reside Kwamala - to work, to labor Nasara - to help, to aid Katama - to hide Saraqa - to steal, to pilfer Ha’alama - to know Ha’yalama - to learn Kasara - to break Maradza - to be sick Kasaba - to earn, to gain Faraqa - to separate Ghafara - to forgive Hasa’yana - to be beautiful Kaththara - to multiply Dzaraba - to strike, to hit Qa’atala - to fight, to combat Astaghfara - to ask for forgiveness Hattaba’aya - to follow Da’ayawa - to call Sha’awara - to consult Tayna’ala - to use magic Kama’ana - to ambush Ghazawa - to raid Hadatha - to speak with Tahaya - to greet Ghalaqa - to close Phrases Achcha - Okay, Understood, Nice Shway-shway - So-so, Im half and half (regarding plan, confirmation) Yiskaago iyinya - Take care! Adaa Aholya - Be in good health Wakan Tanka - Incredible! Shabash - Good work! Wopila - Thanks! Wopila Tlaata - Thank you (M) Wuunu - Stand! Kaaru - Lay low! Hinhanni - Hello! Tanyan yahipi - Welcome! Chaleiɳ - Lets go! Yaar - Oi!, Yo!, Hey! Ethnonyms Human - Ins, pl. Insaan Elf - Mal, pl. Malaan Dwarf - Khaz, pl. Khazaan Orc - Hurk, pl. Hurkaan Kha - Culh, pl. Culhaan Houzi - Qird, pl. Qirdaan Nation - Qowm, pl. Qowaam People, Tribe - Ahl, pl. Ahaal Military Terms Khayal - cavalry Qaws - archery bow Ramya - archer Nablee - arrow Tabar - axe Talwaar - sword Escuda - shield Ihnsil - spear, lance, pike Qasr - castle, fort Burj - tower, watchtower Harb - war, battle Liwa - banner Dhol - war-drum Sringa - war-horn Particles Bayna - between Fee - in, within Bee- - with, by, through (prefix) Hataa - until Huuna - here Laakiin - but Hawla - around, throughout Min - from Ha’an - about, away from Ha’ala - on, upon, against Hila - to, towards Mundhu - for Mudh - since Hasha - except Rubba - maybe Hinna - certainly Lakinna - however Bi’anna - because Ka’anna - as though Fowka - above Tahta - under Khalfa - behind Qabla - before Ba’ada - after Ha’anda - with, at, by Maha’a - with, in support of Mithla - like Ba’adza - some (of) Ayy - any, which Kulli - all, each, every Ghayra - other than, non- Nafsa - same Wa - and Bohot - very Ji - Yes Nahiɳ - No Juz' - Part of Interrogatives Kahaaɳ - Where? Kyaa - What? Kon - Who? Kaab - When? Kyooɳ - Why? Kesay - How? Demonstratives Shaaloway - These Ghaaloway - Those Shaalo - This Ghaalo - That Pronouns Tsum/Tsuna - They M/F Tlum/Tluna - You All Tsuwa/Tseeya - He/She Tlaata/Tlaatee - You M/F Ahna - I Chee’nu - We * M:asculine, F:eminine Nouns Cont'd Daravaaza - Gate Risala - letter, message Hazaaza - feud Ri'ayaa - care, nurturing Liwan (s) Alwaan (p) - color Momabati - candle Dowda'a - noise Mitraqa - hammer Zilzala - earthquake, quake Namah, -nama - story, tale, storied Mutahaara - purity, purification 'Amliy - process Pani - water, liquid

Sent you a message on Discord, but a cultural caravanserai can be guaranteed when you ride with me.

TO-DO LIST & EXPANSION PLANS Develop a dictionary for Lughow hil'Kwee'Hayastaani Elaborate on the martial aspect of Kwee' culture Test various builds that can be indicative of Kwee' architecture, Kwee' mounds, & Kwee' totems

THE KWEE'HAYASTAANI 𝅘𝅥𝅮𝅗𝅥𝅘𝅥𝅯𝅘𝅥𝅮 - 𝅘𝅥𝅮𝅗𝅥𝅘𝅥𝅯𝅘𝅥𝅮 Fog-made-steam heated by the lazily rising sun peeled away from streams that teemed with fish. Thickets of cattail and riverreed appeared woven on either side of each stream, each frond and strand stitching water to the banks. The traveling mass of men, women, & children poured in and filled the gaps between each waterway. Some sauntered with baskets full of belongings while others darted cautiously on horseback. Others held children whose arms formed yolks across the necks of their parents while fewer held braided yolks directing and herding all manners of livestock. The streams thinned and the gentle give of the loamy earth beneath their feet began to shift easier & easier. Great mesas of rock towered overhead, the tables from which launched great birds of prey and whose coloration layered reds & oranges atop greys & browns. Dunes began to snake between feet where grass once stood. Save for the buttes & mesas, the remainder of the land stretched vast and unfenced neither by timber nor mountain. “Chee’nu chee’jlusu huuna,” one cried out. “Saachee’jlusu huuna, laakiin chee’shaadu hawla chee’nu!” There the Kwee’Hayastaani remained, unrestrained by encircling walls and undeterred by rising mountains or hills. The people enjoyed the endless stretch of plains, dunes, and steppe. They doubled back only to recover water & reed, bringing both for their nourishment and their insatiable appetite for craft & the written word. They churned water with dry earth and turned out adobe. There in the vastness, something small grew like the infancy of a flame on wood, the makings of a village. First on Aevos, yet not for their ancestors who lived in Almaris. LUGHOW HIL'KWEE'HAYASTAANI The language of the Kwee’Hayastaani is developed particularly from Qalasheen given the origins of the Kwee’Hayastaani from an offshoot of the Fakhri Farfolk who resided in the southern continent of the Almaris landmass. Other language groups that have influenced this younger language are Mihyaari, Hyspian, & Elvish. As it relates to syntax & morphology, Qalasheen is the primary basis of Kwee’Hayastaani whereas the other languages influence are mainly in vocabulary. Verbs In Qalasheen, present tense verbs will be morphed both at the beginning & ending of the words. In Kwee'Hayastaani, different prefixed & suffixed letters are used for conjugation of verbs: Using Jalasa - to sit, rest Qalasheen Present Tense Conjugation Table They ♂: Yajlusuuna They Both ♂: Yajlusaani He: yajlusu They ♀: Yajlusna They Both ♀: Tajlusaani She: tajlusu You All ♂: Tajlusuuna You Both ♂: Tajlusaani You ♂: tajlusu You All ♀: Tajlusna You Both ♀: Tajlusaani You ♀: tajluseena We: Najlusu I: Ajlusu Kwee’Hayastaani Present Tense Conjugation Table They* ♂: Tsaa‘jlusuuna He: Tsee’jlusu They* ♀: Tsaa’jlusna She: Tsee’jlusay You All ♂: Tlaa’jlusuuna You ♂: Tlee’jlusu You All ♀: Tlaa’jlusna You ♀: Tlee’jlusuuna We: Chee’jlusu I: Chaa’jlusu * Kwee’Hayastaani has forgone the dual form, a split from the mother Qalasheen language & more similar to Hyspian The conjugation of past tense verbs will be morphed only at the ending of words: Using Nasara - to help, aid Kwee’Hayastaani Past Tense Conjugation Table They* ♂: Nasardzuu He: Nasara They* ♀: Nasardza She: Nasaradz You All ♂: Nasaradzum You ♂: Nasardzata You All ♀: Nasaradzunna You ♀: Nasardzati We: Nasardzana I: Nasardzatu Regarding the future tense, future tense is rendered by prefixing the present tense verb with saa-. Thus, saatsee’jlusu translates as he will sit. To transform a verb to its commanding form, you render the present tense or future tense (based on intended meaning) with the suffix -pahi. You can only turn 2nd person verbs into commands. Thus, saatlee'jlusuunapahi translates as (I command that) you♀ will sit! To transform a verb to its forbidding form, you render the present tense or future tense (based on intended meaning) with the word Nehi before the verb and remove the ending vowel from the verb itself. Thus, Nehi tlee'jlus translates as (You♂) do not sit! You can only turn 2nd person verbs into commands and you must omit the ending vowel from the verb, because simply putting Nehi before a verb without the vowel omission will just translates as [I, he, she, you, you all, they] are not sitting. Nouns Regarding nouns, Whereas Common segregates and differentiates grammatically between nouns, adjectives, adverbs; Kwee’Hayastaani encapsulates all three categories in one and renders the same syntactical & morphological rules to them. Nominative (Subject) is indicated with the ending -um, -u on definite nouns Accusitive (Direct Object) is indicated with the ending -am, -a on definite nouns Genitive (Indirect Object) is indicated with the ending -im, -i on definite nouns Adjectives must follow the noun it is describing, similar to Qalasheen & Hyspian and the opposite order from Common. Nouns & adjectives will agree in gender, definiteness, & case (nom., accus., geni.) - Example Rajalum Kabeerum translates as A big man (subject of sentence), Hil’Rajala hil’Sageera (The small man, direct object of sentence). Adverbs must follow the verb it is describing. The pronouns of Kwee’Hayastaani is as follows: Kwee’Hayastaani Pronoun Table They* ♂: Tsum He: Tsuwa They* ♀: Tsuna She: Tseeya You All ♂: Tlum You ♂: Tlaata You All ♀: Tluna You ♀: Tlaatee We: Chee’nu I: Ahna * Kwee’Hayastaani has forgone attaching pronouns to indicate subject/object, a split from the mother Qalasheen language, relying more on preposition & particle context to imply whether the pronoun is referring to the subject or object of a sentence. Particles Most particles are borrowed from Qalasheen, Hyspian, & Mihyaari. The only class of particles that are borrowed cleanly from a single language are the interrogatives which are from Mihyaari: Who: Kon What: Kyaa Where: Kahaaɳ* When: Kaab Why: Kyooɳ* How: Kesay * The ɳ is a nasally n consonant Kwee’Hayastaani has its own demonstratives distinct from its mother languages: These: Shaaloway This: Shaalo Those: Ghaaloway That: Ghaalo General Grammar Regarding transforming a noun from indefinite (the default) to definite, prefix the word with hil’- similar to the alif laam (al-) in Qalasheen. Similar to the nisbah function found in Qalasheen where a noun can be transformed into an adjective to indicate a person’s lineage, place of origin, or heritage; the Kwee’Hayastaani innovated the following grammatical conjugation: Prefix the noun with Kwee’- & append the suffix -‘iyahi. Prefixing a noun with Kwee- without the suffix confers the meaning people of ______. Kwee’Hayastaani translates to People of Hayastaani harkening back to the old peninsula their ancestors lived on in Almaris. Rajalum Kwee’Hayastaaniyahi translates to The Hayastaani man (subject of sentence). . . Epithets & Honorifics In the culture of the Kwee’Hayastaani, epithets are typically given at or around the coming of age of a member. These epithets traditionally are used to differentiate members by their lived experience. For example, a young man growing up and happening upon a tarpit one day and stepping in it during a hunt may be known as Blackfoot (Qadimaswad). It is not uncommon that a young man or woman with their new epithets will be referred to sans their first name, only with their epithet. These single word epithets are formed from a noun-adjective or verb-adverb pairing following the rules of the language where the adjective/adverb comes after the noun/verb. A specific class of honorifics are derived from Mihyaari, these are adopted by patriarchs & matriarchs of families and prefixed to their given (first) names. These honorifics are understood to be related to eleven founding guilds of ancient Farfolkish history. These honorifics are: Ur- masonry Shah- equestrian Gund- smithing Azad- chivalry Bhat- textiles Yr- astronomy Gautma- science Ferdows- botany Zerkya- alchemy Jahan- literature Sinha- infantry CULTURE & VALUES Values & Virtues The Kwee’Hayastaani impress as compulsory the virtue of self-sufficiency, expecting men & women alike to be fit, intelligent & organized enough to ensure their needs are met - food, water, shelter, protection. Hunting, weaving, farming, & basic masonry (adobe, brick specifically) are indelible skills. Sustenance farming is the extent by which they learn, but larger scale farming can be managed within families. These folk, carrying on the sophisticated arts of the written word and appreciation for the sciences from their Qalasheen & Mihyaari roots, are expected to keep personal biographies with which they record notable events that have shaped their lives. This practice is understood to ensure that each member of society maintains basic literacy, but they have other similar practices such as competitions in poetry with which they can demonstrate a greater grasp of language beyond mere record-keeping. Understanding themselves to be a less populous cultural group compared to other human societies such as the Haeseni or the Waldenians, the Kwee'Hayastaani strive to enter the employ of greater nations in order to build the reputation of their people. Oftentimes, they look to serve as bodyguards for royal families or scribes of finer institutions. This is not a “set in stone” value however, if the Kwee’Hayastaani decide to live in the confines of a specific nation; they will only serve that specific nation in order to avoid messy politicks. They prefer living in unwalled settlements and those who travel or live in the lands outside their tribal rule abide by this same aversion to wooden palisades and stone walls. It is not uncommon to find a Kwee’Hayastaani finding employment in industries that would give them a place to live outside walled cities; such as living on lumber mills, farms, & ranches. Sales & bartering are treated differently by the Kwee'. For the Kwee' and their sales, it is traditional to ask the buyer of the good to name the price they are willing to buy the good for. This is tied to an axiom the Kwee regarding their sustenance: What is meant for us will be in our grasp no matter the obstacles, what is not meant for us will never be in our grasp no matter how we connive or struggle. This tradition, through travels of the Kwee' outside of the deep desert of the south, seems to be the one most-at-odds with many other human cultures. In bartering though, the Kwee' is free to belabor the terms of X amount of Good A for Y amount of Good B. The difficulty of eking out a living in the desert has given many Kwee' pause to contemplate the difficulties that others may have. This tradition of buyer naming the price of the sold good is to ensure that the purchase does not harm the life or fortunes of the buyer. Practices & Traditions Music & dance are both highly valued skills. They are valued as a means of keeping bodies fit, minds sharp, a gamification of order & discipline necessary to learn the various dances & songs. There are two traditions learned, one internal to the people and performed only for them and one externally performed to visitors & outsiders. The internal: feather dress, spiritual, erratic, ecstatic. The external: wood, metal instruments, disciplined, martial, formal. Dance for Foreigners, Visitors Dance among their own Folk The use of totems to mark territories and to pass on information to other Kwee’Hayastaani is common. The following is a table to indicate what each totem means, totems can be stacked one atop the other to give multiple indications: Saqrun (Hawk) - Kwee’ Land Adhbab (Bison) - Plentiful Hunting Chacal (Jackal) - Enemy Land Kachwa (Tortoise) - Poor Farmland Khargush (Rabbit) - Let us frequent here! Samak (Catfish) - Plentiful Fishing Faris (Horse) - Plentiful Livestock Osa (Bear) - We exhort you to fight evil! Mounds often developed to store trinkets, special weapons, and other peculiar goods throughout the continent. These mounds are placed so that warriors and other Kwee’ might, in some situation, be lucky enough to happen upon it and use the housed good(s) to pluck themselves out of said situation. Mounds are developed to be obscure, to blend with the environment, and their locations are memorized in poetic stanzas taught in one’s youth. If someone outside of the Kwee’ are fortunate enough to find a mound and to figure out how to access its internal structure; they are left alone to explore it and to gain its boon - the Kwee’ honoring their sharp sight and ingenuity in navigating the mounds. It is a common pastime for the Kwee’Hayastaani to foster a curiosity for the otherworldly, to this end, most Kwee’ practice basic housemagery (known as jaadoo) and have developed the art of living doll creation in which they develop chimeric entities known to them as katchsina. Men oftentimes battle their katchsina as a form of recreation akin to card-playing, dice-throwing while women will gift their crafted katchsina to one another and with female friends outside the Kwee’Hayastaani. Example of Katchsina from Heard Museum in Phoenix, AZ JOIN THE DISCORD Interested in making a Kwee'Hayastaani character? Want to adopt the culture on an existing character? Otherwise interested in the growing anthology of minor cultures on LotC? Click the Image above and follow the Discord Link!

IGN: IbnKhaldun8 RP Name: Sedullos hal'Cingedoz Persona ID: #82676

Thanks mate. The format visually is a bit askew since I pasted it in from a Google Document, but the overall schematic has been useful for me to track my events that I've planned in the past.

All good! I didn't even realize it had been deleted. Not all of the skins were used, was more of a reference/inspiration if anything.

I've been writing lore for the past couple of days on the Google Drive I made for LotC and went on a bit of a nostalgia tour. I found this document for one of the events that I planned & executed in the previous Almaris map and wanted to share in hopes that, whether for official ST staff or players running player-run events, might find it an interesting template to use in the future. I had a lot of fun running this particular event with the players who happened upon the build in the South Hub region and hope those players too had fun with this event. Cheers! Hayastan The Illusory Hamlet Location: Tile_125 Neighboring Playerbases: Amaethea, Vistulia, Saqr, Hyspia, Helios, Urguan Brief Synopsis: When Marib al-Zanj seized and slew Qahtan al-Habasha, the leader of the Kharasi Farfolk who fled the Sheikhdom, multitudes of artisans & townfolk fled New Chorasmia (located in tile_121) in fear of the bellicose & wicked geoturgist. This diaspora of Farfolk came upon additional refugees still littered across Old Savoy from settlements such as Niseep & San Luciano and came to a small peninsula spreading from the southern continent and facing Elvenesse. They met an Elvish scholar who had sailed across the sea during the First Attack on Amaethea by the Dread Drake Azdromoth. The migrants and this scholar came to an accord to work together to raise the hamlet of Hayastan. The town, quaint & quiet, tends to lend itself to reclusion and the residents are reluctant to welcome large parties of people in. Melodious music fills the labyrinthine corridors, but quiet stillness welcomes night. Hayastan - Inspirations & Visual Content Build Inspiration: MC Escher #1 https://mcescher.com/gallery/impossible-constructions/# Music Inspiration https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iJ7aAzKIHY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qw35UVE--U https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OkxpoKvKZc Art Inspiration: https://warfare.tk/6-10/Sogdian_murals_from_Panjakent-6-8C-10.htm https://www.ee.bilkent.edu.tr/~history/Pictures1/im19.jpg https://warfare.tk/Gorelik-Oriental_Armour.htm https://warfare.tk/14/Baptistere_de_Saint_Louis-a.htm https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b8422967h/f359.highres https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b8422965p/f127.highres https://warfare.6te.net/Turk/Varka_wa_Gulshah-03.jpg https://warfare.6te.net/Turk/Varka_wa_Gulshah-11.jpg https://warfare.6te.net/Persia/StPetersburg-Kulagysh-Dish-soldiers_in_combat-BW.jpg https://warfare.tk/Persia/14/Jami_al-Tawarikh-TSM_Haz_1653-f347a-Mohammed_b_Al-Mahdi_Crosses_the_Nile-lg.htm https://warfare.tk/14/Zoology_of_al-Jahiz-p25a-lg.htm https://warfare.6te.net/12/img/Fatimid_Lustre-ware_plate.jpg https://warfare.6te.net/12/Cappella_Palatina-ceiling-Camel_Rider.jpg https://warfare.6te.net/Ancient/img/Stroganov_plate.jpg https://warfare.6te.net/Turk/Seljuk_bowl-Bahram_Gur_and_Azade_on_a_camel.jpg https://warfare.6te.net/Turk/Seljuk_David_bowl.jpg https://warfare.x10host.com/Turk/th/Varka_wa_Gulshah-20_th.jpg https://warfare.6te.net/14/Nihayat_al-sul-1371-f99.jpg https://warfare.tk/index.htm https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/view-of-ornans-gustave-courbet/agE_sVxqgRz52w https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gond-i_Shahanshah Skin Inspiration: https://www.planetminecraft.com/skin/iron-ogre---scrolls/ https://www.planetminecraft.com/skin/ancient-magic/ https://www.planetminecraft.com/skin/armenian-noble/ https://www.planetminecraft.com/skin/daughter-of-armenia/ https://www.planetminecraft.com/skin/barbarossa-oru-reis/ https://www.planetminecraft.com/skin/lotc-the-birth-of-vasoyevi/ https://www.planetminecraft.com/skin/tambourine-4028012/ https://www.planetminecraft.com/skin/the-gypsy-wizard/ https://www.planetminecraft.com/skin/mongol-lancer/ https://www.planetminecraft.com/skin/cuman-kipchak/ Lore & Narrative The Farfolk of Chorasmia Jadida (trans. New Chorasmia) fled after the geoturgist Marib al-Zanj betrayed their leader Qahtan al-Habasha in the year 60 Second Age. They migrated along the coast by day and past the small towns of Daeland & Alstreim by night to evade notice. These migrants found a small peninsula on the northwestern side of the southern continent which jutted out in the direction of Elvenesse and began to settle. The next couple of years brought additional migrants both from the ominous accident that wrecked San Luciano & Niseep as well as the Azdrazi siege on Amaethea. Farfolk & Southeron humans came in droves, making amends among themselves and combining with the existing encampments on the peninsula. Additionally, an Elvish scholar named Asul ferried across the sea from Amaethea as the Azdrazi’s drake laid waste to the Elvenesse capitol. This eclectic population would reach a synthesis mixing both traditions & languages such as Qali & Hyspian and they eventually began to call their hamlet Hayastan. The hamlet of Hayastan derives its name from the Qali suffix -stan meaning ‘town’ and the first two syllables haya possibly derived from the Qali noun hayaa’ meaning ‘modest’ or from the Elvish hiuw meaning ‘to twitch, to move’. Asul Ilvilinyi (Hayastani for ‘of the Elvenkind’) worked with a few of the Farfolk artisans to create incredibly tall adobe buildings that seem to twist and confuse those approaching the settlement. The town emits a melodic tune, the sound of daf drums & female lulling, pleasant to all who are within earshot. In addition to the intriguing architecture & canorous singing, there are intriguing idiosyncrasies about the hamlet. The buildings, constructed very close together, form a labyrinth for those approaching and the residents are usually reclusive. The observant passerby or pickpocket may find certain effigies carved from malachite depicting a chimeric fusion between a serpentine body and tail and an anthropomorphic torso, arms, & head. The townspeople are blissfully unaware of much of the whimsical illusions that occur overhead and carry about their day in an idyllic calm. Key Points to Remember The sound of daf drums & Zenobia’s singing is being played by the Muse of Music. Its destruction results in the sound no longer being played throughout the hamlet. This is a tweaked form of bardmancy/illusion magic causing the townsfolk to: Mistake Asul for Farfolk, not Elven Create a calm across the town Allow Asul to commandeer the minds of the townsfolk towards violence Cause the townsfolk to ignore the illusion magic making the towering belvederes look like they are swaying or make the murals, reliefs, & paintings appear to be in motion Ignore the occasional presence of the Grivpanavara/Muse of War above ground Let players make the connections, do not “lead them on” through OOC-light cues. This event site is meant to make players think. The following connections must be made by the players themselves: The townsfolk not being familiar with the illusion of the buildings twisting and tilting. The townsfolk not being familiar with the naga figurines besides Seshmidze who is explicitly tasked with seeking them out. What can be led on is that Zenobia’s voice is the same female voice which is playing in the town. This will more than likely be players “hint” that something unsettling is afoot. Storyline Effects & Process [Start of Storyline] [!] Those entering the confines of the labyrinthine Hayastan will be privy to the slow rolling drumming of the daf drum and the melodious singing voices of Farfolk & Hyspian women. [OOC] Reference: Moments for Joy and Mirth (Laylahen) Georgia Ambient - Didavoi Nana (Civilization 6 OST) Kereshme [Introducing Hayastan as In-Game Knowledge] [Event] SilverTheDM, hotbox_ysl, kindEmperor aid in the coincidental prison break of geoturgists Sumfaya il’Tariq & Il’Watar from the Vistulian Isles, resulting in a chance encounter between Marib al’Zanj of the Chorasmian Temple and the trio of players. They are informed that many Farfolk fled Chorasmia when Marib usurped power from the previous leader. He suggests that he is interested to learn where they migrated. [First Year of Event Site] [Event] Players entering by day or night will witness the belvederes twisting and turning as if a crowd turning to an approaching member. Those players who enter Hayastan during the day will be able to interact with NPCs, loot items, and explore the environs. Those players who enter Hayastan at night will chance upon a silent environment with a change of music suggesting something ominous was afoot. ST will /roll 20, if higher than 10, a Dworkin’s Muse [the Warrior Muse, Grivpanavara] will begin lumbering through the maze and if the player encounters the Muse, it will become hostile - [OOC] Music: Core Drive (Westworld Season 2 Soundtrack) [Event] If one of the naga effigies are looted, more NPCs will appear and the town will become more belligerent with new or returning visitors. Seshmidze and other soldiers will patrol the narrow pathways and talk in the town will turn towards the myths surrounding nagas in the sea beyond the town and the Seshmidze NPC will offer quests to interrogate the seas for any findings of the creatures. [Event] If players enter Hayastan aggressively or with clear intent to do harm, 3 Dworkin’s Muses will be unleashed and the character Asul Ilvilinyi will use illusion magic to make the towering dwelling appear to twist and look upon said players angrily. The sensation of the walls closing in will cause confusion as various townspeople will attempt to sneakily stab and harm the aggressors until they leave the confines of Hayastan. [Second Year of Event Site] [Event] Tigranes expands the hamlet, erecting more belvederes and strangely-structured edifices including one based on Impossible Waterfall by MC Escher by which one end of the path will host a glimmer point in which eldritch creatures will be brought into this plane of existance. Characters Skins [Labelled]: https://imgur.com/a/0jyN1l5 Asul Ilvilinyi: An erudite scholar in the public eye, but secretly an illusionist who has rediscovered the manufacture of Dworkin’s Muses. He has tuned one such Muse to produce music to augment his efforts in casting a spell over the town populace to imagine him as a Farfolk or Southeron much like themselves and to obey orders when he requires the town population to follow. Makonon Ilbagran: The “town maer” of Hayastan. He is a cordial man of Farfolk descent, versed both in Hayastani & Qali, and an optimistic person. A treat me well, be treated well character in town. Tigranes Arkitekus: The architect and genius behind the labyrinthine layout of Hayastan. Tigranes is the only one to be cognizant of Asul’s identity, pursuit of control, and deception over the townspeople. Asul, as manufacturer of the Dworkin Muses, & Tigranes as architect have a pact in which Tigranes will slowly expand the labyrinth of Hayastan in return for more Muses to be constructed to both protect the town and in a pseudo-scientific ambition to help the Muses achieve sentience by way of traveling the maze and making enough decisions to gain transcendence. The premise is that the Muses will eventually be guided from end to end of the labyrinth by the guidance of the Muse of Music initially, then set off on its own. Those Muses unable to find their way without turning around will be taken apart and reassembled. This Sisyphian task, though Tigranes & Asul are unaware of it being such a task, will be repeated and become more elaborate as the town limits expand. Seshmidze Ilhethmid: This sportsman & falconer works with Tigranes to provide for the defense of Hayastan. The Hayastani typically fight as chain-maille or lamellar armored spearmen armed with shortswords or tabars (wide-head axes) preferring the use of archery, javelins, and clay grenades filled with tar and would combust on impact. Given the labyrinthine layout of their town, they also became astute trap-manufacturers. Seshmidze is tasked with investigating the appearance of cave naga in the coastal areas beyond the Hayastani peninsula. Zenobia Ilbagran: Makonon’s wife possessing an incredibly dulcet voice. Her voice is the one heard throughout the hamlet. She is incredibly reclusive, not speaking except when some situation demands it. Those players who happen upon a situation where she does speak may recognize her voice and query her about how her voice is that of the singing across the hamlet while she is not singing. Zenobia’s voice is being imitated by one the three Dworkin’s Muses - the Muse of Music, Gramophone. The Three Dworkin’s Muses: Dworkin’s Muses lore: https://www.lordofthecraft.net/forums/topic/144203-dworkins-muses/ The Gramophone: This muse is built with the utilities to produce, record, and play music. The Grivpanavara: This muse is heavily armored, dressed similar to a cataphract, with a great scimitar and tower shield. The name is Hayastani for “warrior guarded like a tortoise”. The Aesthete: This muse is built with the creative “mind” of an artist and an acute steadiness allowing the automaton to create paintings, calligraphy, and other visual art forms. Jaqeli Ilhethmid: The oft-delinquent younger brother of Seshmidze, a common face in the teahouse in Hayastan. Distrustful, rude, and ready to use street smarts to doubt and chastise others. Tiribaz Shahanshah: A young scholar and expert in the languages of Hayastani, Hyspian, Mihyaari, & Qali. Tiribaz Lita Cabellut: The wife of Tigranes, charged with watching over and protecting Zenobia. She is aware, as her father is, of the use of Zenobia’s voice recorded by the Gramophone Muse and has mixed feelings regarding the heavy responsibility fallen on her and on Zenobia to keep silent. At the start, she sees no alternative but to continue with keeping mum about what she knows and will boldly give her life if anyone attempts to harm Zenobia. Dhul’Qarnayn & Zaynabou: A couple of Southeron origins. Dhul’Qarnayn is a feisty merchant who peddles exotic animals while Zaynabou is a tailoress. The two are a jovial pair though Dhul’Qarnayn is troubled by his gibbon who is unaffected by the illusion magic cast through the music that plays across the hamlet and often reacts violently when the dirge is heard each night the Muse of War is brought out by Tigranes. Orozartes: A Farfolk cavalryman, is in a small abode on the corner of the hamlet facing the open sea. He is currently with fever and can be heard in a fever dream describing a woman dragged in the water. Forum Posts Post 1 Upon a lone cape extending out to sea, commonly battered by storms spirited across the narrow strait between Elvenesse, Old Savoy, & Urguan, towers a multitude of open and narrow windcatchers. That most strange of sights is made stranger when you approach the small hamlet of towering structures; the windcatchers and open-air galleries appear to twist as if faces looking towards or away from you. As you approach the cramped and narrow thoroughfares beneath the galleries, you hear a consoling series of voices that call out from the recesses of the hamlet. Dulcet voices of Farfolk women singing and the light rap against daf drums swell up over rooftops and verandas. The few townspeople who loiter the labyrinthine paths behave cordially, greeting passerby with Salaams, Holas, & Aapkasihay and exchanging terse prattle. Rows of carpets, rugs, and other woven tapestries wave at you from the towers above you as if aided by the illusory twisting and winding of the galleries. Figurines of malachite and other crystalline minerals manufactured in the shapes of serpents with hominid features decorate set tables, bookshelves, & other furniture visible to those wandering past doorways and portals into the buildings in the hamlet. Remarkable art, both paintings and reliefs, decorate the walls both facing out and enclosed within the hamlet’s maze. A wide bas relief depicting a chimaeric and outlandish biped monster with four arms can be found in the center of the town limits. An air of aesthetic and artistic stamina can be determined from a brief survey of the various homes and halls found here. Do you decide to wander to this placid hamlet? Post 2 A swarthy hand tipped the ornate tumbler back and the man took a swill of its contents. A wince and an exhalation full of burning breath broke the silence between him and the elf opposite him. A scene built around them casting the two in a pristine lodge with the man sitting in a bar stool and the elf wiping down another glass standing behind the bar itself. The Farfolk man set his tumbler down gently and slid it courteously towards the elf before continuing. “You ask me who I love most, do you? I would have to confess my truest love to my wife Zenobia,” the Farfolk man recounted with growing fondness. “She supported me when none of my kith or kin could bear to rest a hand on my shoulder. She trusted me when I decided to leave the old Kharasi Oasis with those who fled to Chorasmia and later still when we fled Chorasmia for this humble abode.” “Makonon, aper, this is very touching,” the elf admitted before being cut off as the man continued in a trance. “She has a most beautiful voice, like that of a songbird’s pleasantness, and not a protest can be made of its melody. She mesmerizes and she toys, how I am proud to be the hawk watching over my nightingale.” “Makonon, aper, I did not realize this and I shy from suggesting I be an audience to this. I take it this would be an offense to your sensibilities as both man and Farfolk,” the elf mused, a cocked brow surveying Makonon’s reaction. The Farfolk, leaning against an elbow resting on the bar, looked unamused. “Ilvilin, I’d caution you to be careful how you address my wife,” Makonon stated flatly. The elf held up his hands as if surrendering, lowering his head with an amused grin hidden beneath the crook of his nose. “I dare say, I might like to. . .suggest a use for that voice,” the elf parlayed in a low voice. Makonon’s face folded from displaying distaste to reluctance and he began to stand up. Both the barstool and the bar seemed to shrink away through Makonon’s eyes. He watched as the bar slid back into a dusky nothingness and his feet felt a fleeting sensation of buckling as the stool shrank to the proportions of a common crate one might find on a pier or port. He teetered as the surrounding scenery melted back into the actual environment around him; he found himself standing only a few feet away from the elf on a sparse sandspit with two crates sat upon the shore. Creak and echo suggested something screened in the darker shadows beneath a thick palm tree nearby. The elf turned, expectantly, to face the silhouette breaking its veil as a metallic head leaned out from underneath the flora as if inspecting their conversation. Post 3 A single sloop sauntered along the choppy waters off the coast of Old Savoy; fishermen begged and pleaded with tangles of nets intending to cast them off their boat. One net managed to cooperate and the sailors threw it across the water's edge and its full length stretched fully. The light rocking of the boat, par for course, took no notice for what evaded the eyes of the fishermen whose sight saw little past the surface at dusk. More and more men cajoled their nets into cooperating and casted them out on opposite sides of their small vessel. As the lattice pattern of the nets descended deeper into the waters, one such segment of the net bulged. A reptilian eye peeked from between the criss-cross stitch of the net at the fishermen, one of the anglers peering back at it and panicked. The creature disappeared back into the depths; the net followed it for a short time before idling in the waters. Each fisherman began withdrawing their nets and tossing them randomly upon deck. The panicked man tripped and fell onto his back, peering up to see a distant belvedere seemingly swivel to lock gazes with him. The entire group of fishermen erupted with anxiety as more found the belvedere spying on them. They cried out orders to take up oars and furiously rowed and watched the belvedere snap back into its constructed position as the object dwindled with distance put between them.

I rock wit you. Banter aside, I'm surprised I'm even midway on the list having not moderated for a few months now. Cheers @Phersades for the pleasant response. I will always treat mature players like mature players and be civil in my moderation & in my discussions with said players. Invariably, a lot of improvements needed on the server require a culture change which is simultaneously difficult to get a community of gamers (whose ages, real world experiences vary) & cannot be created by regulations (moderation, rule changes). PS: Some more banter to cheer your day up!

This is a really good observation and one that I hope other Realm leaders and/or players currently thinking to gun for a realm take into consideration. If you are sincerely interested in trying to roll a snowball into an avalanche & introduce a substantive & lasting culture or polity, playing as a vassal ensures you have a source of active players to interact with and let members of your culture/polity develop characters vis-a-vis interactions with said larger pool of active players (the nation you are a vassal under). In terms of game mechanics, it is referred to as being a "vassal", but the in-game understanding doesn't have to follow a linear medieval lord-vassal contract. The entire time that my friends & I had the Cingedoz active on the server, we continuously played as vassals with "migrations" explaining who we attached to at any given time on the Almaris & Aevos maps. There was one short period, maybe a month, where we had a lair but I wanted the players involved with the Cingedoz at the time to feel the burn from the stovetop so to speak and learn that even lairs aren't the best method for instantiating an in-game entity on the server.