The young Sarkozic Count understands the news with some optimism. "Good to see such rooted from the libraries before corrupting the youth."

The Trophies of Aldersberg

10th of Harren’s Folly, 1920

The County of Aldersberg is rightfully restored to its Raev founders through the inheritance of the late Countess Austina I, her son Markus Marie Sarkozic. In commemoration of this, the new Count of Aldersberg calls for a festival in Velec on the 14th of Tobias’ Bounty, 1921 [Saturday 29th, 3 PM EST]. Leading up to the celebration shall be a series of hunts to collect trophies from across central Almaris.

Tournament

There shall be a great tournament at the festival dedicated to the martial tradition of Adria and in training against the formidable foes of the vile Mori’Quessir. 

The First Bout shall be open to all attendees, from veterans to novices of combat to participate for a chance of a grand prize of a trophy from the preceding hunts and a sum of 200 minas.

The Final Bout shall be a jousting bracket between all who participated in the hunts, with a grand prize of a special forged weapon and a sum of 400 minas, and offered a place of honor within the County of Aldersberg with its own respective rewards.

The Hunts

Thrice a host of hunters shall rally at Velec before riding out to claim spoils, hunting great beasts spotted by scouts. Their hides shall be taken for capes to reward the greatest of hunters, and their claws taken as trophies for Aldersberg. At the end of each hunt, the host shall return to Velec to make merry in the tavern and be compensated by the Count.

The First Hunt shall be the 15th of Horen’s Calling, 1920 [Wednesday April 19th, 2:45 PM EST] in the forests of the Heartlands, testing the courage of the hunters among the darkness of known haunted woods.

The Second Hunt shall be the 15th of Sigismund's End, 1921 [Tuesday April 25th, 3 PM EST] in the rolling hills south of the Cloud Temple, testing the endurance of the hunters under the sun across the wide fields.

The Third Hunt shall be the 15th of Horen’s Calling, 1921 [Thursday April 27th, 3 PM EST] in the snowy fields of the north, testing the spirit of the hunters against the fierce elements of snow and wind.

Count of Aldersberg

Denied. Character PKed.

The young Count of Aldersberg begins to worry about his housing accommodations. 

Markus Marie, the Son of the late Countess of Aldersberg Austina, wonders how his cousin Cressida Marie is doing. The young count determines to write a letter of invitation to her and all folk of Aldersberg, too young to know of whatever politics existed regarding the matter. He was sure to learn quickly.

The Rhun Oathed are the participants in a list of oaths made to the Rhun and the Brathmordakin under the guidance of the Rhun Prophet and his apprentices. They are not the sole sect of dwarven faith, but rather a group of zealots who have placed a dwarven philosophy called “the Rhun” at the center of their faith and history. This leads to a massive emphasis on supreme craftsmanship, inspiration and omens. They are not known to assert themselves over other dwarves, though often in private will describe themselves as the supreme followers of the Brathmordakin, and view skeptics to their  traditions as foolish.

It would not yet be common knowledge the traditions of the Rhun Oathed besides their existence and a rudimentary rumor of what the Rhun was. Students who sought to learn more would be wise to contact the Rhun Prophet Durin Akrakthrein Hammerforge and or his apprentices in their travels. [OOC: Not public info, do not metagame. Contact Nooblius#4534 / Noob3738 or Tabby64#7754 / Taby3738 to join or ask questions!]

THE RHUN OATHED

No Kings but the Silverbeards,

No Gods but the Brathmordakin,

Glory to the works of the Worldmaker.

[Music]

DOCTRINE OF THE RHUN
ᚨᚴᚱᛟᚾ ᛞᚨ ᚴᛁᚱᚴᛃᚨᛗᚨᚱ'ᚢᚱ'ᚱᚺᚢᚾ

Worldmaker and Rhun

When being had not yet become and the only existence was Vuur’Dor and the primordial essences within it, there was no purpose nor design; only disorder. Then came the sound of a terrible boom as the hammer of the Worldmaker fell all at once across eternity. With its fall, chaos was wrought into meaning, and intricate form came upon creation in a design only the Worldmaker could give. The Worldmaker used His infinite might to compose reality into His greater design, and it was the Rhun.

The Rhun is the elaborate form of all creation composed by the Worldmaker Yemekar. All that has design and meaning is a part of the Worldmaker’s intricate plans and greater themes. These themes manifest through divine personas, together making up the Brathmordakin, the highest court of holy authority within the Rhun. Each commands their respective domain, the Worldmaker Yemekar Himself commanding over the domain of creation and craftsmanship, as well as His place as father of the Rhun.

Belief in the Rhun is not only recognizing the greater meaning of creation as designed by the Worldmaker, but also dedicating oneself to be in accord with that great plan. This is referred to in common as the Campaign; a great journey towards realizing the Worldmaker’s Rhun within one’s self and community. All doctrine of the Rhun Oathed is built around the purpose of the Campaign, of edifying creation to be in accord with the Rhun.

Khaz’A’Dentrumm

The last of the Worldmaker’s shaping was the composition of the eternal palace of the Brathmordakin to be placed above the rest of mortal materium; Khaz’A’Dentrumm. Here all honorable souls ascend to feast forever with their patrons and venerated ancestors, gazing on the world beneath them from the shining silver halls. Traditionally the moon is declared to be a sign of Khaz’A’Dentrumm, a distant image of the hallowed halls of the Gods.

The hierarchy of Khaz’A’Dentrumm is headed by the Worldmaker Yemekar and his Brathmordakin, and bolstered by the greatest ancestors of the dwarves; the Paragons. The most ancient of these Paragons who presided over the elder clans and First Era of dwarfdom are referred to as the Ancestor Lords.

Supreme Craftsmanship

Dwarves are placed in a special place in the Rhun as the chosen inheritors of Yemekar’s mission, the greatest of craftsmen amongst the descendents. Their capacity for supreme craftsmanship is not just a blessing, but with knowledge of the Rhun an obligation. Dwarves must reveal the intricacies of the Rhun in all their works, recognizing the deep meaning in all things and never settling for a simple effort.

Omens

The Rhun is not just a matter of cosmic scale, but also the local level in which the dwarves inhabit. It is the duty of the Rhun Oathed not just to know of the places of the Brathmordakin and nature of Khaz’A’Dentrumm, but also to consider the Rhun when witnessing historical events both great and small. 

Because events both fair and foul can be Omens of the Rhun, its cult can determine meaning from Triumph and Anguish. Not all success is earned by the honorable, and certainly not all suffering deserved by atrocious acts. Nonetheless, the more one faces Triumph or Anguish respectively, the more one can be confident of an omen, and therefore the will of the Gods. This teaching thus emphasizes productivity and prosperity, not faith alone, in order to best worship Khaz’A’Dentrumm.

TRADITIONS OF THE OATHED
ᚴᚨᚱᛁᚴ ᛋᛁᚱᚴ'ᚴᚨᚡ ᛟᛉ ᚡᛖᛚᚨᚴ'ᚱᚺᚢᚾ

Obligation

The most important tradition for the Rhun Oathed is the initial oaths to join the group. This is a powerful symbol and recognition of the obligation to the Rhun upon truly acknowledging its existence and importance. If one wishes to orient themselves towards the Rhun and gain the graces and blessings of the Brathmordakin, they must fully partake in the Campaign. This does not mean that their every action must be in direct service to the Rhun Prophet (far from it) but that they must be an active participant so long as they are able in honorable work. This can mean dedicating oneself to their crafts zealously and honoring the Rhun in those crafts, or the more explicit service to the Rhun within the priestly caste. The members of the Rhun Oathed often communicate with another and the higher ranks of the group to keep each other oriented with the Rhun, even if through means beyond the order’s command.

Tome of Triumph

Too often have the dwarves held themselves back and down by fixating on remembering solely the wrongdoings done to their ancestors, and not instead the triumphs and accomplishments! Hard work and success is important to the Rhun Oathed, who thus place a special emphasis on recording the current tasks of its members and remembering their progress. Feats of Glory accomplished by its members, be it the compilation of a long list of tasks or a truly heroic action, are specially notated and celebrated as Triumph within the Rhun Oathed. 

Grudgelore

Even the most optimistic of dwarves have a hardened heart and stubborn mind, remembering wrongdoings done to them. Those of the Rhun Oathed are no different in this fundamental tradition, though they vary in execution of Grudgelore. Firstly, dwarves are expected to remember the grudges of their kin and their community before they would those of random dwarves, acknowledging the limits of their bitter memory. If a grudge is so distant that it is forgotten and uncared for, it is dishonorable to pretend to revere it. Grudges are also atypically written in books, and instead carved into the stone of the hold to force the dwarves to actively see that the grudge is resolved else it is forgotten. 

Hierarchy of Kin

THE EIGHT OATHS OF RHUN
ᛞᚨ ᚨᛏᛏᚨ ᛒᚨᚱᚨᛉ'ᛞᚱᛖᚷᛗᚨᚱ ᛟᛉ ᚱᚺᚢᚾ

The Eight Oaths of Rhun serve as an elaborate filter to refine the initiates into the culture. The oaths are centered around the Rhun as a means of honoring the Worldmaker Yemekar. Because the Brathmordakin are divine manifestations of the themes of the Rhun, likewise the Rhun is understood and oathed through their names. Each Oath is a recognition of a member of the Brathmordakin and their place within the Rhun, followed by an obligation to honor their core principles. After the initiate has undergone all oaths, they are officially a full member of the Rhun Oathed, and gain greater access to the hierarchies of the group’s companies and cults.

THOSE ANCIENT DAYS
ᚨᚴᚱᛟᚾ ᛞᚨ ᚴᛁᚴᛃᚨᛗᚨᚱ ᛖᚱᛟᚾ ᚱᚺᚢᚾ

The Old Ways

In those ancient days of reigning Silverbeards and prolific Rhuncraft, the dwarven folk had no need for omens nor prophecies for there was an unbroken covenant with Khaz’A’Dentrumm. Each king succeeding Urguan would inherit the title of Silverbeard and its Divine Authority, and would have access to many of the divine magics of Khaz’A’Dentrumm. Their story is held in special regard by the Rhun Oathed, as they are believed to have been closer to the Rhun in a very real way. [Kings of the Old Realm]

The study of the history of the dwarves is very important to the Rhun Oathed, who see themselves not as a rejection but true fulfillment of its course. They consider the vast story of the Grand Kingdom’s in the context of its shifting neighbors, and lament the War of the Beards as a Second Blood Age. [History of the Dwarves]

The Expedition

The Iron Hills (dw: Khron’Hundmar) is a watershed moment in the history of the Rhun Oathed where they became defined and clearly established as their own group, though with little organization or hierarchy. Lord Overseer Darek Irongrinder led an expedition out to the brutal northern wastes, isolated from any infrastructure out of disdain for the Urguani administration. From these Iron Hills the identity of a unique view of dwarfdom was forged, and in bitter rivalry with the Mountainhome which they self exiled a sense of pride and duty renewed. The shared background of Yemekar’s Workforce amongst the inhabitants further cemented the idea of supreme craftsmanship as integral to the philosophy of the Rhun, as the folk became fixated on projects and hard work as a cornerstone of the culture. [Strike the Earth!]

The fortress would last about two decades before the lack of foundation and preparation came to bite them, and the hold collapsed in failure under the watch of the Rhun Prophet Norli Starbreaker. He went on to resign his post in favor of Durin Hammerforged, proclaiming him ‘Akrakthrein’ and swearing to return with glorious plan and purpose. [The Rhun Redemption]

Current Day

The dwarves of Khron’Hundmar largely returned to the Grand Kingdom of Urguan, and quickly assimilated back into its hierarchy and ranks. This did not happen without controversy, as having returned from a shared mission that many felt was incomplete, there was a divide between those who swore themselves to the Rhun and those who were only just beginning to talk about it. Despite this, the Rhun Oathed do not define themselves as antagonists to the rest of dwarfdom but the self-proclaimed fulfillers of it, and are often working among the other dwarves of Urguan with little issue beyond the occasional religious debate.

Markus Marie scowls as the Official Goblin Courier of the Adrian Duma declares a Canonist League against Adria! "And to think, I considered the warnings of Papozky! Violated holy ground- never again will I doubt my Duke, my papej!"

Dwarf Zealot Cult about Supreme Craftsmanship and spreading a philosophy across the dwarves through schemes and indoctrination, and using the group to create massive feats of craftsmanship.

You have my discord, sir.

A younger and foolish magistrate of the trial once told the story otherwise, but after spending a month in Room 101 of the Dwedcorp-sponsored Charles the Bald Ministry of Lore, he now correctly recalls that everything occurred just as the scholars of Clan Hammerfist have documented. 

Denied. Character PKd.

Denied. Character PKd.

Markus Marie Sarkozic's eyes bulge out in cartoonish fashion upon reading about his father's alleged infidelity to his wife and thereafter excommunication.

Accepted. 

depexed (evil) mio

Accepted. 

After thoroughly reading about it and giving it some thought, I consulted my economics homework and have returned with the principle of unintended consequences:

I agree with the principle, and the analysis of the effect the difficulty to attain magic has on making people reluctant to PK. I do also consider Islamadon's analysis that PKing doesn't correlate as strongly to quality RP as we often think.

Nonetheless, the issue is that this doesn't actually help spread lore, just addresses willingness to PK, and not to mention in a way that isn't necessarily good faith as now people are PKing not for story but because they know it has less threat of disrupting the comfort of their RP (they can still do a certain magic, and on the more niche ones they basically get a free ticket back into a community). As Xarkly states, this really does only affect the people who already have "inroads" so to say within Lore groups.

I do think there's an important question to ask about how we spread lore and how the way we manage it logistically effects that spread. On LOTC, mechanics are tied to culture. There's debate whether they should or shouldn't be, and I always find it a bit ironic as the current popular verdict seems to simultaneously be against having a magic tied to a culture while denying magics on the basis of no culture for RP. Due to this dilemna, it's hard to tell people to spread RP when they're also having to make a judgment call about the culture of their community, both OOCly and RPly. 

We can't put the cart before the horse; a culture/avenue of RP is the main goal of magic. But the avenue of RP means aesthetic more than it does actual mechanics, and often it's very hard to deviate into multiple aesthetics within a single magic despite that being an intended goal. Were I making a magic system from the ground up, I would have it be that there are many basic mechanics/spells you can pick and choose from that are altered in aesthetic and minorly impactful capacity by a culture/technique of doing magic. This removes the problem of "gatekeeping" whilst still allowing people to Roleplay cultures and unique aesthetics, but would require a change on a scope larger than the Lore Games (shudder), so it's not a very good solution. 

At the very least, I think self-awareness is the first step in considering a solution to spreading lore, so we need to ask and understand in depth how the player community, magic management systems, lore criteria and lore writing itself all affect lore spread.

On another note I disagree with the idea that magics need to be faster to master because you want as much meaningful character development as possible. Where I would absolutely agree is that it should be made less dependent on a TA to control their student's learning, because frankly it's definitely possible and maybe even better to learn without a TA but instead through the Lore and Guide directly. We on the LT know how many times word-of-mouth lore traditions come around, and we also know the times we've been guilty of it. I'm almost universally opposed regarding this and don't think I've found a single person to agree with me though because it pulls into question our entire system of MA management. I posit that our system provably doesn't work.

of my long time on Staff and previously as NL, I agree with absolutely everything Price has said.

Dropped at T1.

Teacher claims: "learned about what signs and symbols are and how to perform mundane extraction. He learned to make one T1 potion, flash powder"

Accepted. 

Dropped at T1.

Teacher claims: "learned about what signs and symbols are and how to perform mundane extraction. He learned to make one T1 potion, flash powder"

I'm late to the party but I would like to add that from my witnessing a couple of these conversations that it was genuinely something the admins have been concerned with for a while, not just trying to appease people after an outcry. 

There is some sort of necessity for tracking activity to monitor truly dead settlements if we want to have a freeform system where people can create settlements easily. I'm hopeful for the system they're designing, and hope they continue to take into consideration factors like:

Travelers who don't have a home,

Potential adverse side affects of having a plugin automate this more,

Scaling realms next map, don't want to be too generous to where it's very easy to control a lot of land by gaming something alone,

etc.

Accepted. 

Accepted. 

Accepted.