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"Lady Cora," he said, "sometimes one has to do things which are unpalatable. When great issues are involved one can't toy with the situation in silk gloves. No. We are making history." -Mervyn Peake, Titus Groan Introduction to Kloning {Klone - based on Ancient Greek κλών (klṓn, “twig”) Twigs would be cut from trees and grown into identical trees or grafted onto other trees.} It was originally tested on rats and mice, and after much trial and error, was proven successful. It is possible in theory to klone any living thing- even including plants- but one must be warned that not all things will be able to survive the necessary extractions involved with the kloning process. Upon death, one will wake up in their Shell, to put it simply. A Shell is not ‘alive,’ nor does it have a soul. Duplication of the soul does not occur when the body is replicated in this way. A Shell will not perform basic functions of life such as respiration, maintaining internal environment, growth/repair, intake of nutrients, or excretion on its own. When removed from the chamber in which it is grown, it will begin to decay at the same rate as a normal body. By itself, a Shell is in a way, a corpse that was never lived in to begin with. A ‘Hermit Crab’ is a slang term used when referring to someone who swaps bodies relatively often, or in an ongoing cycle, like how a hermit crab swaps Shells. The Procedures The Original When creating a Shell of something, the body it is being made in the image of is called its Original. Because Shells can be produced using other Shells, “the Original” does not always refer to the body in which a person was born of their mother. That would be called the “True Original” to clarify. THE JELLY AND THE SLIVERS The Jelly is the alchemical concoction which keeps a Shell safe and prompts it to grow. A good portion of the Jelly will be recycled to build the body of the Shell itself with no waste product. It varies slightly in color, but is never vibrant, and is transparent but murky. It will be either a red, fatty off-white, pink, bruise-like violet, or something in between. It is smooth to the touch and difficult to wash off skin but not especially sticky in texture. At the proper temperature for use, it is a thick, slimy liquid, but when solidified, it behaves like Jell-O. It smells funky and meat-like, and tastes like raw flesh with an unsavory metallic aftertaste. The slivers are key, basic pieces of differing materials that make up a Shell’s body. In descendents, the most sound Slivers one can use are hair, skin, muscle, blood, and bone. But one can also use various organ tissues (such as liver) as well if removing bits of those organs will not be lethal. The masses of the slivers should be the same or the Shell will have problems in development. These will coalesce into a structure similar to a fetus, and from there will grow by accumulating mass using the jelly surrounding it as mentioned before. Slivers do not need to be enormous, but should be roughly proportionate to or larger than a raisin when dealing with something the size of a human or elf. Required Ingredients Everybody will require a different mixture of ingredients when creating their Shells’ Jelly. However, there are some important guidelines that you must follow. Here, we will use the mass of the Original as a unit of measurement, abbreviated MO. The base of the Jelly is actually made up of two components: +0.1 MO of blood (The amount of blood in your body) from the Original +2 MO of lard +0.005 MO of cerebrospinal fluid from the Original Blood is a very personalized alchemial base, lard is thick and highly caloric, and cerebrospinal fluid is created by the body to protect the brain and spinal cord. In cases where the subject does not have blood and/or spinal fluid, substitute with other vital fluids. (Some experimentation with others of its species may be required to determine how much is safe to remove at one time.) After the base has been created, begin adding reagents. Jelly requires reagents of all four elements, but primarily relies on air and water symbols. The ratio of elements and symbols differs based on the bone structure and other physical or even mental aspects that are unable to be changed naturally. (Bone structure, a mental disorder, race, a genetic disease, etcetera. Not fat, muscle, or opinions.) A relatively large amount of each reagent will be required, considering the volume of the base. Moderate to incredibly rare reagents are all that will suffice. The specifics of which reagents are used varies from subject to subject; one combination of reagents may work for one, but that does not necessarily mean it will work for another. There are two important ‘sets’ reagents in a Jelly recipe can be divided up into. The first set contains the essential symbols for accomplishing the general growth and functionality of the Shell. 2 Symbols of earth (protection, connection) 2 Symbols of fire (warmth, passion) 4 Symbols of water (nourishment, life, rebirth) 4 Symbols of air (movement, perception, precision) The second set contains symbols that vary from subject to subject. This will usually require specific reagents to be used as well. I haven’t listed specific reagents here though so that these examples can still be used as templates but will not be repeated for two characters by accident... I recommend using 4 to 6 extra symbols for these. Here are a few examples: Example 1: A stocky northerner with big bones and an inherited pain and cold tolerance. 2 more symbols of earth (endurance, hardiness) 2 more symbols of fire (pain, courage) 1 more symbol of water (ice or cold) Example 2: A dexterous and lanky elven lad. 3 more symbols of air (grace, fragility, quickness) 1 more symbol of water (clarity) Reagents should be ground to a very fine dust or smooth paste. Kloning the dead? Kloning cannot bring the dead back to life. If their soul has already departed to the soul stream, then it is too late for them. Shells can be generated from corpses if you wish, for some reason, to have more than one corpse of a person. The only thing is that the subject’s soul will not be pulled from the soul stream and deposited into it, and the Shell will not be part of any Shell Pool. (Shell Pools covered more in-depth later on.) Acquiring the Ingredients Many of the ingredients used in Kloning are siphoned from the Original, and if done without care, extractions can be fatal. One must know how much of each substance is safe to remove at a time, and how long they should wait before drawing more. I recommend you read through the links below to learn more about how to accurately roleplay symptoms of losing your precious vital fluids. Be careful when drawing blood from a major blood vessel. Profuse bleeding can easily lead to deadly hypovolemic shock. (About hemorrhages: https://www.quora.com/How-much-blood-can-a-human-lose-before-dying-of-hypovolemic-shock-blood-loss ) (The following cautionary advice applies to descendents only, due to the fact that different creatures are proportioned differently.) it is not recommended that you draw more than 10% of the subject’s blood at a time due to the risk of developing anemia. An average human male has 10-11 pints of blood, while an average human female has 9-10 pints of blood. You can use these mass to blood proportions to determine average amounts of blood in other descendent races. (About anemia: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/anemia/symptoms-causes/dxc-20183157 ) The human brain produces only 500ML of cerebrospinal fluid each day. This fluid is constantly being reabsorbed, so that only 100-160ML is present at a time. Be very careful not to draw too much at a time, because a deficiency in the fluid can have a negative effect on the brain and lead to symptoms from headaches to paralysis. (About cerebrospinal fluid: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerebrospinal_fluid and https://www.cedars-sinai.edu/Patients/Programs-and-Services/Neurosurgery/Centers-and-Programs/Cerebrospinal-Fluid-Leak/CSF-Leak-A-Curable-Cause-of-Headache.aspx ) “GROWING” AND CARING FOR A SHELL “Growth:” Speed and General Appearance Over Time Once you have gathered the proper Slivers and assembled a Jelly mixture, it’s time to combine the two. Completely fill a large jar or other sealable container with the Jelly so that airspace in the top of the capsule is minimized but not necessarily eliminated. Introduce the 5 slivers, making sure to place them close together toward the center. The environment should be dark or dimly lit, and the Jelly should constantly be kept within three degrees Fahrenheit of the Original’s internal body temperature. (98°F or 37°C in humans.) THE FIRST ELVEN WEEK: If conditions are satisfactory, the Slivers will begin to mesh together and form a lumpy blob. All slivers other than skin will group around the sliver of bone before being covered by the remaining sliver of skin. After the Slivers have fused, we finally refer to the single mass they have formed as the Shell. The Slivers’ initial reaction with the Jelly will be a slow one; taking up to an elven day to display any noticeable changes. If this fails to happen, quickly move the Slivers to a different mixture of Jelly. Development is gradual and slow enough that it isn’t apparent to the naked eye from one moment to the next. It would be like watching a plant sprout. During this first week, it is recommended that the recipe used to make the Jelly is recorded exactly, and only a small portion is created to test whether or not it will take to the Slivers. THE SECOND ELVEN WEEK: Over time, the blob of a Shell will increase in size, and take on the grotesque silhouette of an infant version the Original. Rough features begin to form, but no eyes, nostrils, toes, fingers, ears, sexual organs, teeth, or a tongue will have formed. A cord-like structure begins to sprout from the back of the neck. It will take roughly an elven week to reach this point after the Slivers have formed together. THE THIRD ELVEN WEEK: The Shell will begin to grow hair and fingernails, and continue to develop complex body parts like the eyes and fingers. If no mutations are visible by now, it is recommended that a larger quantity of the mixture of Jelly used for the Shell is prepared so that the Shell can be transferred into a more spacious environment. THE FOURTH AND FIFTH ELVEN WEEKS: The Shell begins to refine its digestive, respiratory, circulatory, and nervous systems, in that order. It continues to grow larger and larger, but it is still not prepared to receive a transferring soul (talked about in the Soul Transfer section in further depth) because its underdeveloped organ systems would cause immediate lethal complications if put into use, putting it on par with a Shell that was stabbed to ‘death.’ THE SIXTH TO EIGHTH ELVEN WEEKS: The Shell continues growing larger and refining its vital organ systems, and while still flawed it is technically ready for use. The brain, especially, is still in development, and the areas responsible for higher mental functions such as concentration, planning, judgment, emotional expression, inhibition, creativity, and long-term memory are not ready. (This is also talked about in the Soul Transfer section.) THE NINTH ELVEN WEEK AND ONWARDS: The Shell is now safe for use if its development went as according to plan. It will continue to grow, entering ‘puberty’ at a usual age and adapting to changes. In the long term, a Shell will grow and mature at the same speed its Original grew. It is also bound to a life span, more commonly referred to as its shelf life. It will become unusable and start to dissolve if left in the Jelly as soon as it reaches the age where the Original would have died of old age. Elves, 1000 years, Humans, 100-150 years, etc. Elven Shells + Dying Jelly While an elven Shell will last for the typical 1000 years, the Jelly will not. Jelly lasts for a very long time, but it does not last forever. 100-150 years from its creation, it will go bad and begin to decay. When this happens, it will begin to get lighter in color and more opaque. Eventually, it will begin to liquify any Shell inside of it, and condense into a dry, flaky crust on the inside of its container. To preserve an elven Shell that’ll last longer than its Jelly, the Jelly will need to be completely replaced with new Jelly of the same exact recipe each time it begins to go bad. Are Shells in Any Way Different From the Original? You will notice as time passes that any features of the Original that were not influenced by genes will not appear in the form. This includes scars, belly buttons, callouses, missing body parts, tattoos, other modifications, etc. Shells are built based on the genetic makeup of the Original, and not the soul. This lack of basis on the soul is also why it is possible for a Shell to develop deformities and mutations. The difference between a deformed Shell and a mutated Shell is that the deformed Shell is still genetically identical to the original. A mutated Shell is not. (More on deformities and mutations will be included in the Botched Shells section and the Soul Transfer section.) There is only one non-genetic structure that will form, however. A mysterious, eerie, root-like network will sprout from the back of the neck, and stick to the inner wall of the capsule the Shell is being “grown” in. It seems to serve a similar function to the roots of a plant; idly absorbing surrounding Jelly to be recycled into the mass of the Shell with no waste product. It takes on a ghostly white tint instead of the skin color of the Shell, as it does not have any blood vessels or bones. However, it does has nerve endings throughout it that are linked to the Shell’s lifeless brain. It isn’t clear whether this is even a part of the Shell, or if it is a part of the Jelly, or if it is a third part all of its own. If a major section of it is cut off or strangled, it will cost the Shell valuable time developing until it forms a new cord or is relieved from pressure. Tampering with the roots does NOT expand a Shell’s shelf life. Monitoring a “Growing” Shell There are a few procedures you should follow when monitoring a Shell’s “growth.” It’s important to know as soon as possible if something is going wrong. One should perform routine inspections on a developing Shell. A few things to note when conducting an inspection are as follows: SKIN QUALITY - It is normal for the body to appear paler than usual, as it shouldn’t be exposed to too much sunlight. Watch out for the appearance of dryness, flaking, cracking, appearance of albinism, visibility of muscles, splotches, lumps, sagging, tightness, and anything else unnatural like that. NAILS - Toenails and Fingernails should lengthen at a normal rate. Make sure the Shell isn’t being poked by its nails where the skin might be punctured from repeated scratching. If nails grow too fast, and take on an unnatural color or appear breakable, be warned. HAIR - Hair should also lengthen at a normal rate. Make sure coils of hair do not strangle the root network. Watch out for unusual hair color, unusual hair loss, unusual receding of the hairline, appearance of dryness, and thinning. EYES - Eyes should be open, but appear restful, as if gazing off into space. Watch out for pinpoint pupils, cataracts, redness, unusual eye color, heterochromia, bugging out, and rolling back into the skull. However, it is usual for them to appear sunken. LIPS - Watch out for puffiness and cracking. It is usual for the lips to appear purplish or blue, but a healthy red is optimal. THE ROOTS - Again, make sure they are not being strangled. You may have to move parts of it around to keep it from tangling around itself. Avoid cutting it, but if you must, be careful not to cut off too much. They will usually be squishy like a water balloon; make sure they do not flatten easily or feel empty. When opening the capsule to tend to any unusual things you may see, be careful not to leave the Jelly exposed to the air for too long, and make absolute sure your tools are clean. This can easily be ensured by building tools for manipulation into the interior of its capsule. Leave any things you remove from the Shell in the Jelly at your own discretion. It is recommended to leave behind clipped hair and nails, though, as they will dissolve within an elven day and be recycled. If an eye, ear, or some other structure that doesn’t regenerate normally in members of the Originals race, do not worry. The wound will be sealed over in under an elven day, and blood expelled from the wound will be dissolved and recycled. Some structures will grow back in time, but anything larger than the forearm will not regenerate. Removing these parts in increments is not an option. BOTCHED SHELLS Not every Shell will turn out perfect, and sometimes whether or not one even ends up usable seems to be hit or miss. However, it really isn’t. The conditions a growing Shell must be kept in and the ingredients used to encourage its growth are more specific than researchers had speculated. It is easy to ruin a Shell though, and the topic deserves its own section. If you’re not careful, you’re at risk for botching a Shell at any time in its creation. Make sure to keep equipment and environment sterile any time the slivers, the jelly, or the growing Shell are going to be handled. Dirt, dust, hair, sweat, flakes of skin, and other contaminants, even in small quantities, can throw off your results. Botching Before Growth Once you have assembled your Jelly and gathered your Slivers properly, and you’re sure no contaminants have come in contact with your work, there is still a chance that the Jelly won’t take, and the body will not form. This can be attributed to a number of factors: +Dust/dirt/foreign blood/pollen/lint/etc contamination +Distancing between Slivers (If too far apart, they will not coalesce) +Excessive exposure to sounds exceeding 120 decibels +Intense light +Overexposure to air (Keep in an airtight capsule) +Rough handling and constant movement +Sudden increase or decrease in atmospheric pressure +Unsatisfactory conditions of cold or heat +Strong magical presences nearby, such as a voidal rift or an archon in transcended form If no change is observed within one elven day, you can be sure that the Slivers are being impeded from forming together, or that they have been permanently shocked out of reacting with the Jelly. Be careful not to wait this long though, as some of the Slivers will begin to decay normally if not in the process of growing! If this occurs, they will no longer be usable. If your Slivers are simply being impeded from forming together, quickly remedy poor conditions they may be under, and consider swifter correction by exposing them to the opposite of what had been a problem. (Ex: Exposing Slivers impeded by heat to the cold.) If your Slivers have been permanently shocked out of reacting with the Jelly, you will have to swap out the Slivers. If this happens, you will probably know what went wrong, because it would have had to be very major. (Ex: Dropping down a flight of stairs, rolling down a hill, freezing/boiling, or leaving open to air for a month.) Botching During Growth Do not congratulate yourself too soon after your Slivers form into the Shell. While a Shell will not stop accumulating mass if exposed to the factors mentioned above, they now risk deformity and mutation. Different contaminants and unsatisfactory conditions will cause different effects on the developing Shell. These are mistakes. They will either be neutral or detrimental; never solely helpful. (This will come up again in the Soul Transfer section.) Mutations Mutations encompass all previously known (irl) genetic disorders and can range from slightly differing hair color to horrifically scarring tumors, extra or missing limbs, cancer, and issues with formation of the brain that can cause severe psychological disorders. They can occur randomly in newly forming Shells and must be rolled for. First, roll a D6. If a 6 is rolled, your Shell will have a mutation. Second, roll a D100 to determine the severity of the mutation. Roll results 1-50 will produce a benign mutation. 51-100 will not. To help an appropriate mutation be decided on from each result, here are some example kinds of mutations to give you a feel for what kinds of mutations can come from a certain roll. 1-10 - Extremely minor mutations such as a SLIGHT change in eye color, hair color, hair thickness, and skin color. No differences in bone structure, ear shape, nose shape, etc. 11-20 - More noticeable versions of the mutations from 1-10. Freckles may be gained, eyelashes may be lighter or darker. 21-30 - Extremely noticeable versions of the mutations from 1-10. Albinism not included in the possibilities for change in skin color. 31-40 - Minor differences in bone structure, ear shape, eye shape, nose shape, the way fat is carried, etc. 41-50 - More noticeable versions of the mutations from 31-40. 51-60 - Relatively small non-deadly mutations such as albinism, blindness, color-blindness, deafness, lack of smell, and very minor mental disorders. 61-70 - More serious yet still non-deadly mutations such as moderate mental disorders, marfans syndrome, osteoperosis. 71-80 - “Less aggressive” deadly genetic diseases and mental disorders such as sickle cell anemia.. 81-90 - Serious malformations and terminal genetic diseases such as cancer, progeria, heart disease, conjoined legs, etc. 91-100 - Extremely serious and over-the-top mutations. Extreme coverage in tumors and/or cancerous lumps, grotesque malformation especially in the facial region and torso, progeria, etc. Deformities Missing External Structures - External structures like limbs, digits, ears and noses fail to form early on This deformity is linked to insufficiency in two or more slivers. Sealed Shut - Orifices fail to form early in development. For example, the eyelids are sealed shut over the eyes and eyelashes don’t form, and the mouth and nostrils are also sealed shut. This deformity is linked to excessiveness in the sliver of skin. Pellucid Skin - The skin of Shells with this deformity is reduced to a thin, semi-transparent membrane. This causes the Shell’s blood vessels and other innards to be visible, while being susceptible to skin damage and infection. Melanin is not necessarily absent from pellucid-skinned Shells, but the skin lacks color and is so thin that it will not be able to protect itself from the sun, causing it to burn easily. Because the skin is so insubstantial, hair loss is also common, and callouses cannot form. This deformity is linked to insufficiency of the sliver of skin. “Skin-tight” Skin - This deformity causes a Shell’s skin to grow too slowly to keep up with the rest of the body, resulting in angry stretch-marks and even tears and gashes. This skin is the equivalent of skinny jeans so tight the wearer is fearful of ripping them when sitting down. Any cuts inflicted upon the body will cause the skin to burst apart a little further due to the release of tension, which can prove to be very harmful and dangerous. This deformity is also linked to insufficiency of the sliver of skin. Parched Skin - The skin fails to produce oils, and the pores are tiny due to the lack of oil flow. The lack of natural oils also prevents the skin from holding water effectively. This results in extremely dry skin that is delicate and prone to damage. Dead skin cells can build up and cause congestion, because there is no oil to push them out. This deformity is linked to dust contamination of the Jelly during development. Absolute Baldness - Hair and nails made of a protein called keratin. In Shells with this deformity, keratin will fail to form. This results in weak, flaky nails and a complete lack of hair, including eyelashes, eyebrows, and body hair. (Alopecia universalis.) Note that eyelashes and eyebrows keep dust out of one’s eyes. This deformity is linked to absence or accidental exclusion (placing a sliver too far from the rest, causing it to be excluded during initial formation) of the sliver of hair. Lack of Nails - A varied version of the perfect baldness deformity; the body will only fail to produce keratin around the fingertip and toe area, resulting in a complete lack of fingernails and toenails. Hair remains normal. This deformity is linked to insufficiency of the sliver of hair. Small Pupil - Light intake is restricted, and the eyes will perform best in strong sunlight and optical flares are suppressed. Vision is also very crisp, due to a lack of light refraction. However, the pupil cannot adjust to see very well in the dark. When the light goes out and the sun goes down, you’re essentially blind. This deformity is linked to overexposure to bright light in early stages of development. Enlarged Pupil - Light intake is so great that sunglasses are almost always necessary. Optical flares are very over-pronounced, and sunlight is painful. However, vision at night is very good, even on the darkest of nights. Shells with this deformity are prone to developing nearsightedness, farsightedness, and/or astigmatism. This deformity is linked to extreme absence of light in early stages of development. Clawed Hands - Fingernails grow extremely thick to the point where the distal bones are displaced downwards, compromising fingertip dexterity. The nail still retains the normal growth speed, and will grow blunted, but there is nothing preventing the nails to from being sharpened into points. This deformity is linked excessive use of earth reagents representing tenacity in the Jelly. Nemerta Rooting - The roots of the Shell seem extremely eager to grow, resulting in the umbilical web continuing to grow even outside of the Jelly. Massive complexes grow indefinitely like hair, but are painful to trim due to the nerve wirings running through them. This mutant root will continue to make attempts at sustaining the Shell, meaning that there may be an advantage to allowing this freakish complex to grow. This deformity is linked excessive use of earth reagents representing resilience in the Jelly. Glistening Skin - The skin produces oils and moisture at an extreme rate. This causes to skin to constantly maintain a wet, oily coating akin to the mucus membrane of a fish. Individuals living in a glistening Shell risk severe dehydration if they do not consume enough fluid. “At my most badass I make people want to take a shower.” This deformity is linked to excessive use of water reagents representing nourishment in the Jelly. Hyper-Melanin - The skin and hair is coal black, with a slightly bluish tint. Extreme resistance to sunburn but no notable resistance to skin cancer. Absent Melanin - Classic extreme albinism. Extremely pale skin, snow white hair, and red or light blue irises. Be very careful when going outside in the daytime, even on cloudy days. Luciferase Nodules - Hard nodules form in the flesh around the fingers, toes, and spine containing isolated luciferase enzymes. These enzymes produce bioluminescence, resulting in glowing spots and patterns in the flesh. These enzymes aren't always active, but they are triggered by symptoms of anxiety, fear, lying, and panic. The color of the glow produced ranges from green to indigo, appearing to come from within, underneath the skin. This deformity is linked to overexposure to salty, humid air, thus it is less common than other deformities. Osteogenesis imperfecta: Brittleness - The bones of the Shell lack a critical collagen bond, which results in fragile bone structure due to lacking density. The risk of fracturing bones is high, especially as the Shell ages. This deformity is linked to insufficiency in the sliver of bone. Osteogenesis Imperfecta: Density - The bones form unusually dense and constrict the marrow. This means the Shell will have a more sturdy and heavy skeletal structure, but will have difficulty replenishing blood, as the marrow is responsible for creating new blood cells. The body will bleed at a slower rate, but will suffer difficulty in repairing wounds due to lack of blood flow. This does not mean the body will not recover, but wounds will have a more difficult time clotting and sealing themselves off, and lost blood that would have taken days to replenish in a normal body could instead take months. The lack of rapid blood replenishment also means that the body may take longer to fight infection. Osteogenesis Imperfecta: Stunting - The growth of the bones is stunted, resulting in dwarfism. The adult height of the Shell will range from between ½ and ¾ of the Original’s adult height, depending on the onset of the deformity’s development. Osteogenesis Imperfecta: Gigantism - Growth of the bones is amplified, resulting in the formation of bigger bones. The adult height of the Shell will range from between 1 ⅓ and 1 ½ the original adult’s height, depending on the onset of the deformity’s development. Webbed Digits - The natural skin membrane between fingers and toes may extend to the first knuckle, creating an amphibian-esque web structure. THE SOUL TRANSFER The Shell Pool & The Prioritized Shell No matter how many Shells you have, the soul can and will only inhabit and grant consciousness and ‘life’ (growth, respiration, and other behaviors of life) to one of them at a time. This one shell will be referred to as the Prioritized Shell until the soul changes its home upon death or transfer. Unlike a normal descendent’s soul, the soul of somebody with one or more spare, usable Shells will not be swept into the soul stream upon death. If one of the available bodies were to die, or the currently inhabited body were to die, the soul does not perceive it as death, rather it perceives it as injury. The soul doesn't admit death because from its perspective death did not occur. Then, of its own accord it moves to inhabit one of the already existing bodies because it perceives those as a part of its self. The Soul cannot distinguish between the Original and the Shell unless the Shell is severely mutated. Each of the Shells pull on the Soul all of the time, just a little bit, because the whole is naturally trying to reach an equilibrium and spread the soul out evenly amongst its physically separated parts. However, this can't happen because the Shell Pool isn't actually strong enough to tear the soul apart. Because of these two points, the Shell Pool is created; the theoretical space between all of its available Shells where the soul goes before randomly selecting a new Prioritized Shell. This is not a literal location or space and cannot be visited/pinpointed/etc. (Numbering your character’s Shells however you wish, typically by order of their creation, /roll D<total Shells minus the one the soul just left> to decide upon the new Prioritized Shell.) The soul will constantly resist the pull of the soul stream and instead be pulled to the Shells until all clone bodies are dead and uninhabitable. Each Shell available to a Soul at one time makes up that Soul’s Shell Pool. There are a few reasons why some Shells may not meet requirements to be included. -The Shell has exceeded racial lifespan -The Shell is under 5 years old (more on this later) -The Shell has been left outside of Jelly long enough to be affected by rigor mortis -The Shell suffered a fatal injury and was never adequately repaired -The Shell is not accurate enough to the genetic makeup of the Shell that was just left (This can be affected by serious mutation, or the fact that the Shell in question was based off of somebody else’s Original or Shells.) A representational animated graphic of what happens upon death to the soul of a normal descendent vs. the soul of someone with 3 spare Shells in their Shell Pool: The “Juliet” Potion (Named after the scene in famous playwright Shilliam Wakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, in which Juliet fakes her death to escape with Romeo by drinking a potion that causes her to appear dead.) This potion is an odd and potent brew comprised primarily of earth reagents. It has a dark, inky plum hue-- appearing, like blood, lighter when spread thin on a surface-- and tastes like a sour berry with the burning sensation like alcohol. While not technically lethal, the body will quickly enter a deathlike state for several hours (30 minutes irl time) upon drinking it. It takes effect quickly, starting with a strong burning sensation in your chest, blacked out vision and lightheadedness, gradually worsening for half a minute or so. The heart will stop, consciousness will be lost, and all bodily functions will cease until the potion wears off. It is unclear what happens during the hours it is in effect, but after that time is up, someone with a Shell Pool will awaken in the body of one of the other Shells in their pool just as if they had died. A normal person who ingests the potion will awaken after that time with a great shock as their heart begins pumping again and their senses return one by one. Recipe Base - Aqua Vitae 1 Symbol of air (lightweight) 2 Symbols of fire (disorder, overwhelming) 2 Symbols of water (rebirth, tranquility) 4 Symbols of earth (death, immobility, patience) Night Sap The Priority Hierarchy Not all Shells are created equal-- mutated or underdeveloped Shell aren’t as significant within the soul pool as a ‘normal’ Shell would be. A mutated or underdeveloped Shell will never be prioritized over a ‘normal’ Shell if one is available in a soul’s Shell pool. In the same way, an underdeveloped Shell will never be prioritized over a mutated Shell if one is available in a soul’s Shell pool. Simply, a Shell lower down in the ‘Priority Hierarchy’ (presented below) will never be prioritized by the Soul during death/transfer over one that is higher up. Deformity will not affect a Shell’s priority. 1. ‘Normal’ Shells 2. Slightly mutated Shells 3. Heavily mutated Shells 4. Underdeveloped Shells 5. Mutated Underdeveloped Shells A transfer into an underdeveloped Shell should be avoided because filtering your memories and knowledge through the underdeveloped, lacking brain of such a Shell will cause permanent memory loss. Unlike with an underdeveloped Shell, transferring into a mutated Shell will not cause memory loss unless its mutation would directly affect the brain in a way that would inhibit memory. However, there will be a shift in the priority hierarchy of the Shell Pool. Once the soul has transferred into a mutated Shell, the soul no longer recognizes it as a mutant. Instead, it is seen as the new example of ‘normal,’ and those that were normal previously are seen as the mutants, being genetically different from what would then become the Prioritized Shell. Mortally wounded/critically damaged Shells, Shells belonging to someone else entirely, Shells under 5 years of age, and any other Shell with complications (excluding the surrounding environment) preventing it from being able to support life for more than a few short moments are basically ‘dead’ and cannot be transferred into even if it is the very last Shell left in a Shell Pool. Some damaged Shells may be repaired and used again afterward. Unordinary Souls All unordinary souls, such as corrupted, displaced, ascendeds' souls, archon souls, soul shadows, etc. are all either unable to have a Shell Pool, or in the case of corrupted souls, unable to use their Shell Pools. When a soul is corrupted, a Shell Pool becomes useless because the Shells are unable to take in the unusual soul. Even new Shells created after the corruption of the soul will behave that way. If the soul becomes unordinary for some external reason while involved in a Shell Pool, its Pool will simply become unusable, and the person may feel an ambiguous sense of loss. The body it resided in at the time the soul became unordinary will be the permanent body. The PK Clause When all of the Shells in a soul’s Shell Pool are destroyed or exhaust their shelf life, Juliet potions will work as it would for a regular person. But if death occurs, the soul is finally surrendered to the soul stream upon death, resulting in a permakill. The Cloud Temple monks will not revive a person who avoided death when it was their time and toyed with their soul through kloning. Suicide permakill rules also apply-- but only in the case of a suicide filled with grief and a true longing for peace in death. A soul will rip itself out of its Shell Pool with the power of its will to leave forever and flow into the soul stream. A suicide without that same kind of desire does not propel the soul with enough force to leave its Shell Pool. The only exception would be the scenario at the beginning of this paragraph. OOC GUIDELINES Roleplay Requirements A further alchemy TA will be required to teach someone else how to create Shells, of course. A further alchemy TA will be required to create a Shell of somebody else because the process is so involved with the subject. A further alchemy SA will be required to create Shells or to get someone to make a Shell for you. This cannot be self-taught because the process is too complicated for the experiments to be reproduced exactly without guidance. OOC consent is required to klone someone else's character. A Step-By-Step-ish RP Guide The first step of Kloning is preparation! This includes building airtight vats where the Jelly will be put. 1. Begin drawing blood and storing it in containers, making sure it doesn’t go bad. The first time around, you’ll need to collect more blood than will eventually be used for the Shell’s official creation, to give room for testing. This will cause anemia if rushed. Cerebrospinal fluid drawing should also begin. (Information in the ‘Acquiring the Ingredients’ section.) Gather reagents and pig lard, being sure to collect a little bit extra of these as well. 2. Only after all of your materials for Jelly are gathered should the Slivers be taken. 3. Each person will need their own unique mixture of Jelly, even identical twins, but the possibilities for that mixture can be greatly narrowed down by following the skeletal build of the person’s body. (Muscles, fat, and other things like that that can change shouldn’t be accounted for.) Once a person’s Jelly mixture has been found, it won’t change. -- If it’s the first time someone or something is being Kloned, test the Slivers in different mixtures of Jelly in small jars, writing down the exact recipe for each. 4. Roll a d4 for each jar of Jelly. The first to roll a 4/4 will succeed. (If this is the second+ time the person is being Kloned, a roll is unnecessary, as their Jelly recipe has already been discovered. The first Shell will always be the hardest to make.) The Slivers will coalesce into a lovely little meatball with skin, and you should start reproducing the recipe you recorded for the Jelly used in that jar on a larger scale and moving the newly formed Shell into a larger tank. This can be done gradually, so long as the Shell never gets too big for its tank and risks strangulation by its roots. The first transfer into a Shell can be made through the usage of a Juliet potion or will happen on its own via death. When this happens, your character will forget consuming the potion or how they died as usual but will be able to infer that something happened to result in their awakening in the new Shell. 1. Senses will begin to awaken one by one, starting with a touch, a tingling sensation in the roots making contact with the contained and the jelly and maybe each other. Next will come the taste of the jelly surrounding the body and within its orifices. Shortly after, scent, then hearing, a ringing in the ears as the brain continues its activation. Finally, sight returns, introducing a straining pain in the eyes as they are used for the first time. 2. All muscles in the body, unless somehow exercised (through electric shock therapy, maybe..?) during development, will all be extremely weak. It may be impossible to push oneself out of one’s own container, and it is not recommended to have the container dump itself out as the Jelly should not be wasted. Have someone on standby who will not be phased by your nudity or horrible stench to help. 3. Leaving the container is all around a painful and strange experience. Most notably, the Roots will be torn or cut away, as they are even more painful to separate from the inner surface of the capsule while the body is conscious. They contain lots of powerful nerve endings, so some subjects may even faint from the pain if prolonged for more than a few seconds. 4. A cognat will be temporarily disconnected from their Horror during a transfer. For the connection to the Horror to be reestablished, the cognat must meditate. For the first elven week of its return, the abilities will be practically useless as the minds go through recalibration, though there is no violent mind trial. 5. The first time a Shell emerges from its Jelly, all voids that would have been inhabited by air will be filled with Jelly. Oddly, it is impossible to drown in one’s own Jelly although the weight inside one’s lungs from it will be very uncomfortable and create an illusion of suffocation. Although it isn’t exactly harmful, the body will still try to rid itself of the stuff by vomiting and coughing violently. Occasionally, a seizure can occur at random with first time transfer. ----- If it isn’t the first time the Shell is emerging from the Jelly, there isn’t a risk of seizure, but some Jelly will still have seeped into the body which will be expelled. 6. When there is a chance, the stub from the removed Roots, likely bleeding slightly, should be capped off to prevent them from growing back if the Shell is returned to the Jelly for preservation in disuse. However, this will not have any effect in hindering that if the Shell is afflicted with nemerta rooting. Adjusting to a new Shell takes about two elven weeks. The muscles of never-before used Shells are very weak in the beginning, but will eventually strengthen with use. When not in use for long periods of time though, there is a high risk for a decrease in muscle mass. 1. During the first elven week of a new Shell’s usage, the muscles must be allowed to gain mass, and thus, voidal magic should be used frugally. During the first two elven days, the muscles will be too weak to crawl or to sit up on one’s own. By the third elven day these can be accomplished, and one can move onto standing with a cane or walker. This will be very difficult at first, but by the end of that first elven week, the cane should no longer be necessary. The person will still struggle with physical labor and activities like running, swimming, climbing, etc. for a while afterward. The minimum time (total) for returning to normal is two elven weeks, with enough protein and exercise. 2. It should also be noted that Shells cannot produce gametes, and are permanently infertile by consequence. Only the True Original may be fertile unless it already has complications. RED LINES: -Kloning cannot be used to bring back the dead. -A Shell cannot have any mutation or deformation that is solely helpful. -You cannot have anything but a regular ‘grey’ soul while having a Shell Pool. -A soul transfer will not be successful before your Shell is at least 5 years old. Memory loss and other mentioned mental trauma will still occur until the Shell is 9 years old. -If all of your Shells are destroyed and you die, it’s a perma-kill. -Jelly expires 100-150 years after creation. -You cannot inhabit someone else’s Shell (unless you have some way of husking it with dark magic, but that isn’t the same.) -The alchemest does not directly manipulate the soul, rather they just abuse an anomaly to cause the transfers. -Permakill rules apply as specified in the PK Clause section. A First-Hand Account At first, all that could be produced from the first rudimentary Kloning experiments were tiny, horrific abominations. Barely recognizable to their ratty Originals, which could be accurately viewed as victims, although the removal of rats from ships to use served the same function as a rat-hunting cat would. One cold winter in the early 1600’s, two alchemists created the first perfect Shell of an animal, a grey rat named Polly. After that first triumph, they thought that the worst of the studies was behind them; that the countless days of picking swiftly and delicately through the untouched interiors of the filthy critters over and over again would give way to a groundbreaking success. However, much of that success was in actuality a result of spectacular luck, as mysterious variables that had not been accounted for had miraculously aligned auspiciously for the development of Polly’s Shell. Giant, leathery mitts pluck me squirming and lashing out in protest from my wire box. They hold me at arm’s length as if trying to distance their owner from the sounds of my clear and obvious distress as I did not want to be carried back to the flat, iron tower; the place I was sometimes taken by the mitts.. just sometimes.. but I could sense their intentions somehow. It is the worst place a person can go. Over a vast checkered canyon the giant’s heavy boots carried its body- and myself- to the room that kept the tower; a bleak, metallic platform lipped at the edges to prevent fluids from leaking onto the floors- fluids like red water. The giant’s eyes were set forwards, not looking down at me as I writhed and yelled, but with sinister intention at the door of the tower’s room. I tried to look past him, back where he’d taken me from, as we got closer to it. The gleaming eyes of my fellows winked back at me with little emotion and as we passed through the door they were replaced by hundreds of jars on shelves that lined the towering walls.. Jars containing a thick sludge, and some of them were filled with other people.. But they never moved, and grotesque roots erupted from their necks and blocked them partially from view. Nobody knows if they’re dead, or sleeping, or are part of an elaborate farming scheme.. But I hate them. When people go missing, rumors start to spread that that’s where they ended up… in one of those jars, so the giants-- there are more than one-- can keep them as trophies. For a moment I had been distracted, but then I felt my back and my feet touching the cold iron tower and I lost control, lashing out again and baring my teeth in fright. I hear another giant jump somewhere outside of my field of vision. It says something in the garbled, hostile tongue of the giants, and I know from its voice that it’s the small one that was usually around.. Always somewhere in the room with its awful eye watching… I’m held down and offered a pungent liquid, but as I struggle away from it the scent changes. It smells so wonderful and sweet- but it was a familiar smell that often led to waking up with mysterious scars and portions of my fur shaved off, but a drop had already fallen into my mouth and I could somehow no longer reject the substance. My senses slipped away into a soothing nothingness. But something was wrong.. Something was terribly wrong, I felt, and the darkness that had comforted me only moments before suddenly suffocated me. The taste of flesh rose in my mouth, as if trying to strangle me from within, and I thought it must be my own. Suddenly, a giant’s mitts pluck me out of the thick sludge, but there is no room for air yet in my lungs. A terrible ringing pain shoots down my spine as a tension pulls at the back of my neck like something had been lodged there that was being torn out. I still couldn’t see what was going on through the foul slime coating my eyes although I tried to blink it away. As I cough and retch to rid my system of the stuff, I can begin to see my surroundings just a little.. I’m on the shelf with the jars.. They’re taking me out of one? Then, who am I? I have some memories, yes, but memories are not solid evidence that something was. I see the iron tower across the room. I see someone else there that looks familiar, but I can’t quite make out her face… No… I know who she is. CREDITS Vezzin - Lore writer and artist Dunstan - Co-writer with immense knowledge of alchemy The Pink Lion - Help with ideas, ooc networking, and proofing for inaccuracy The Fire Mind - Help with ideas, ooc networking, and proofing for inaccuracy Tox - Help with ideas and proofing for inaccuracy Beordan - Help with ideas and proofing for inaccuracy SpodoKaiba - Help with ideas + peer editor Whiplash - Peer editor

Hello there! It seems like I’ve been posting an awful lot recently, however this debate is strictly ooc ONLY and in my discord a lot of guys were concerned over this issue, so if you wish to participate I am more than willing to answer questions and debate in the comments down below. The “techlock project” is a project where people are trying to find balanced tools to use within LoTC which has the same technology as the times it is based in. For example, firearms is the most recent topic that has been put up for debate. As shown below, the votes have been flooding in and it seems like the mass majority do not care for guns within LoTC. Personally, I feel guns do not have a place in LoTC. My reasons for this are as follows, please feel free to agree or disagree with backed-up points down below! Banditry/Raids: I feel as if LoTC for many years has been a hub for those who wish to participate in bandit roleplay (as far as my experiences have gone). If you are to bandit someone on the road, you can either rob them or fight them, depending on how they respond to your actions. If guns were introduced to LoTC, I feel like banditting people on the road would become far too easy, using hostages and holding people at gun-point is far more effective than crossbows. This will lead to an imbalance in the bandit-victim success rate, heavily favouring those who are committing crimes. Additionally, Cities will have a large advantage too. The current raid rules state that you must ONLY raid with three or less people, which means it is already difficult to pull off with success. With the addition of guns, it will become near-impossible, with the guards being able to default CRP and hold your party at gunpoint for as long as they wish, possibly increasing the rate of meta rallies coming and slowing down the roleplay that could be happening if they were all using less advanced technology. Larger scale fights: How can we moderate the use of guns in larger scale fights? Currently in LoTC there is a 10+ PvP default rule, however if you were to fight with 9 or less people it would become increasingly difficult to moderate the use of guns within the fights. Would we need to load the guns and use multiple emotes like we do with crossbows? Or can people just have loaded guns all the time, preparing for combat if needed. I feel this will increase the amount of modreqs that go up, leading to more power-gaming, toxicity, and just an overall poor roleplay experience for those involved. The “dodge” mechanic: How does one use this mechanic if there are bullets flying towards your head? For a long time, you are able to /roll or crp dodging attacks, with a larger disadvantage if you lose your roll or the mod/people involved deems your dodge unrealistic. Just like an Olog charging into a human, you would be instantly killed and out of the crp if you were to encounter someone with a firearm, which I feel ruins the whole combat experience entirely and can lead to poor quality roleplay. Now I have expressed my final points, I would like to invite everyone who wishes to get involved to comment below and I’ll respond to you all. Troll/Toxic comments will just be ignored. Thanks, Swifty

Hey everyone, hope you and your loved ones are well amidst this quarantine. I'm looking to spit ball ideas for a DnD campaign to run for my friends that takes place in Anthos. A few of them are past players, and a few of them aren't. For those of you who played Anthos, what are some story hooks you think would translate well to DnD. For those who didn't play back then, do you have any ideas for a smaller campaign to start, that would then lead into a larger world ending type arche. Also, any DMs in here that have advice for writing compelling, non railroady campaigns? I want them to interact and build there own story similar to what makes the server so great. But I also need things for them to do. I'm familiar with my source material here, and I want the first campaign to take place predominantly in the human realm. I have a good cast of characters I'm familiar with, and location wise I already have a lot written down. If I ever get this ambitious thing done and it goes over well with my players, I'll be sure to share it here for you to run with your friends, imaginary or otherwise. Cheers, love you.

[!] The scroll was sent out to the libraries of Irrinor and Talus, as well as some specific druii. A collection of writings from Sister Orison on the Emerald Way On the Nature of the Tayna Tayna. The soul of life. It is the living energy that contains all. I speak of the balance, of the living, breathing, growing, changing soul, one alive just as you are. You are part of the tayna- connected and one with every living thing on this world. With every moment, ripples and changes cascade outwards as time goes on. Just as any living being, it can be harmed just as you can. But it also can heal, and grow just as you. One can hear these ripples, these... cadences if one tunes themselves into the world around them. The tayna sings these changes constantly, and with a trained ear, one can sense and notice this song. To do this, a disciple must be sensitive to all of the living beings around them, to each and every one, no matter how insignificant they may seem on the surface. Once you do this, you will hear the song of the tayna, and you will know its will. By being in tune with the balance, you will be guided. It will influence your feelings, your instincts, and it will bring you where you are needed most. Follow your instincts, and your feelings, and the balance will show you its will. It will become your own. And now a question we face, a question answered in different ways by the creeds. Are the Aspects like water, formless spirits of nature? Or beings such as you and I, living, breathing, talking? The answer is not so simple, I think. I believe them to be both. They exist within the balance, and I know that the balance is but one living and growing energy within the world. It holds but one soul, in which is held every life as we know it. It makes its presence solid through its various forms. A blade of grass, a boar, a tree, and even the mani themselves. And within this soul, I believe the Aspects dwell as well. Their spirit formless as ours all are, but omnipresent as the tayna. But still, beings that live and breath just as you and I. Must the two be mutually exclusive when dealing with forces as universal and powerful as the tayna and the Aspects? To Strengthen the Three Your body is your tool for your will, and the tayna’s. Your instrument with which to tune the world. It is both your sword and shield that you must use to defend yourself and the balance that we hold so dearly. It is the arrow that reaches its target, and the home that protects you from the biting winter rains. What use is a broken tool? Would you fight with a blunt blade, or a shattered shield? Would you seek shelter inside of a rundown shack? I would think not. As one would sharpen their blade, so too must we sharpen ourselves. And just as one would survey a fortress’ walls, we can leave no part of ourselves unable to withstand the coming battles. This process does not come without pain. To build yourself up in such a way is to undertake great suffering. A necessary suffering to build a fortress from crude beings such as we. This hardiness sits at the core of the Emerald Way. Endurance through all things. In order to become as emerald, the mind, body, and spirit must be trained and hardened to withstand all that a disciple of the Aspects may come across. To become a guardian of the Emerald Way, one must undergo this rigorous conditioning, that they may uphold the balance in the face of the countless threats this world offers the balance. Mind - To be sharp and alert. Aware of the world around you, and of the world within you. To remain calm when confronted with great tragedy and terrible loss. To stand unflinching against unimaginable horrors. Do not let adversity shake you, even when faced with overwhelming odds. Find the calm which keeps your serenity through the darkest of times. A calm, steady mind brings strength, and through strength you will endure. This is what it means to follow the Emerald Way. Body - Let not the frost bite, nor the flame burn. Let not the blade sting, nor the arrow pierce. Make your skin as an ironwood shield, your breath deep and cavernous! Know thy body, and wield it as you would a quill. From now forward, you pen a letter to those above with your life. Spirit - Live in tune with the tayna- the living energy that runs through the veins of the world, and within the veins of every creature that walks it. The energy that both contains us, and that we contain within. For those that live at one with the tayna will be able to bring the Eternal Forest to the earth. Open your eyes, and look within the balance to show you the path ahead. Trust in the will of the tayna, and allow it to guide your actions within the world. To Be in Tune with the Tayna Bring yourself to the present moment. The song does not exist within the past, nor the future. Do not allow your mind to bring you to these places. Do not dwell on the events of the past, nor on what has yet to come. Be mindful of them, but do not allow them to tear you from the present. Do not allow your worries, or your shame to distract you. Focus. It will determine where you are. If you live within the past, then within the past you shall live. If you seek to reach into the future, the moment you are in will slip by without notice. Be now. Keep your serenity. A calm mind brings strength, and through strength you will endure. When you are in tune with the tayna, you will become one with it. It will make its will known to you, deep in your heart. When you are in tune with the tayna, your feelings will guide you towards its will. You will be able to sense its cadences, its ripples. You will be able to read them as one reads a book. Trust in your feelings and in your instincts when you are at peace. It may be the will of the balance making itself known to you. To Fight for Harmony Cities of stone are great wounds upon the earth. Great wounds within the tayna- within the Balance. Picture this place, the bustling roads full of people. Picture the great towers of cut stone that threaten to pierce the sky. Now picture a ruin. A fallen fortress within your mind’s eye. It is overgrown, reclaimed by the life around it. Between the stones in the walls, life stretches between, breaking even the tallest of walls into piles of rubble. Water floods once busy causeways, washing away even the memories of the past into the rivers and into the oceans. This is the power of the tayna when it is allowed to heal. Life reclaims all in due time. These stone palaces can know no permanence when left at peace. When the bustling roads become barren, and the constant fight against the balance ends, the tayna reclaims. As adherents of the tayna, our fight must be to bring this peace to fruition- to end the constant fight against nature, that these wounds may heal on their own. By this, I do not mean to fight against those within cities. I do not intend to end the city as we know it. No, our path lies in teaching harmony to those within cities and stone. Look to Irrinor. Look to Talus, though it is not a city of its own- many people live within its borders. These places are examples of how we may live in harmony and peace with nature. See how the streets themselves are bountiful with life, and the places in which they live provide bounty of their own. In return, they provide protection for the land upon which they rest. The tayna need not fear wounds within their bounds. They work in tandem for mutual benefit. Bring this harmony to the world, and fight against those that would seek to upset it. Fight against those that would have discord and chaos.

THE LIFE OF SER NIKOLAUS KORTREVICH “The Most Distinguished Man to Live” By: Otto Kortrevich “A bull doesn’t concern himself with the opinions of cattle like yourself, Rodrik.” -Nikolaus to Rodrik Kortrevich, 1750 EARLY LIFE CHILDHOOD Nikolaus; born as Nikolaus Halldor, son of my uncle Henrik and aunt Lilliana. From the young beginnings of his childhood, Nikolaus held a tenacious bond with his father more so than his mother. He took prominent appreciation in his father’s expertise in swordsmanship which would later pivot his life in the direction that would land himself years subsequently. Throughout his adolescence he became well-educated on the simple fundamentals of wielding a blade, footwork and drawing a bow & arrow. His enthusiasm was mutual with myself, who together spent a great deal of time with each other as both of our fathers were distinguished within the first order of the Brotherhood of Saint Karl; both of which held the rankings of Master-at-Arms. Training amongst the four of us was commonplace during our early adolescent years as we fervently continued to get better at what we enjoyed most. Several hardships were inevitable and that laid true during both mine and Nikolaus’ childhoods, the major known conflicts that occurred at the time were the ever continuous Vaeyl Wars and The Third Atlas Coalition War among the two of them the Siege of Nordengrad (c. 1690) would take the lives of both my father and uncle. An already stalwart bond between the two of us later strengthened following our fathers passings. After numerous years following the deaths of the renown, heroic warriors of Lukas and Henrik, both Nikolaus and I sought to continue our common interest in following the footsteps of our esteemed fathers. By the time we reached the ages of eighteen[Nikolaus] and twenty-one[Otto] we quickly enlisted ourselves into the Brotherhood of Saint Karl under the direct commandment of Lord Marshal Rhys var Ruthern. Within prompt fashion, we rose through the ranks as we became distinguished in the brotherhood and made our names known amongst our fellow brothers. [see ‘Rise Through The Ranks’] MARRIAGE Through years of training a part of the Brotherhood and defensively taking part in countless raids and skirmishes against the Red City of Markev, the thought of marriage never came across his mind for a foreseeable acquisition but that opinion would soon shift when he was introduced to Lotte. On his excursion to the Imperial capital of Carolustadt he and I made way to the capital in aspiration to register to vote for the Imperial Parliamentary Elections of 1703. Upon our arrival to the capital of The Empire of Man both myself and Nikolaus would later be introduced to Lotte Rosendale who was merely a medic pondering the streets at the time. Soon after the meeting amongst the three of us, I suggested taking the conversation to the nearby tavern at the forefront of the city. Quickly thereafter, Nikolaus and Lotte would soon become well-acquainted and as time progressed their bond grew ever closer which would ultimately lead them to marriage the following winter. The wedding had a good showing as it was open to the general populace of Haense, featuring the attendance of His Majesty, King Robert I and Her Majesty, Queen Elizaveta with the added guard battalion of the Brotherhood and the Knights of Bihar presiding which featured the presence of notable figures like; Ser Henrik Ludovar, Ser Varon Kovachev, Ser Dominic Grimm and Ser Bjolfr Nord. The marriage between the two was unlike any other but faced victim to turmoil as any other marriage does but nevertheless their bond remained lusty and strengthened every day as their family began to grow day by day. BEGINNINGS OF HOUSE KORTREVICH The House of Kortrevich: ( Common: Kortrevich, High Imperial: Kortrevinus ) The House Of Kortrevich was once divided between two families; the Haldors and the Blackwoods up until it was revealed the two families had common relatives. Following this revelation made by my uncle Elijah Haldor, the two families assumed the common surname- Kortrevich{Kortrevinus}. Ever since the family’s first establishment in the Kingdom of Hanseti-Ruska, the ménage has played a significant role apart from the Royal Military where we once held a rather large host of men and women who too bore the colors of Black & Gold. Since the dawn of the famed legends of my father and my uncle our family has held rankings such as Master-At-Arms up through Kaptain until my generation of the family arrived and embarked on our own ventures and aspirations. The generation of my kin would be the very individuals who would continue to hold a large presence in the Royal military and seek to obtain knighthoods, political positions and direct oversight in the Royal government that resided in the Dual-Monarchy. It was only shortly after our family made our name widely known which would be rewarded by the titular enfeoffment of the Barony of Koravia by His Majesty, King Marius I, following our leal service to the crown and the insurmountable amount of due diligence in regards to leading the Kingdom’s army, Kingdom’s knightly system and help aid the Kingdom’s very function within the Duma halls. Our household itself has continued to praise the idealism of remaining committed to the crown and ever-fervent to serving the crown directly by any means necessary. [see ‘House Kortrevich’ post for more information] (*coming soon*) “I’m not questioning your honor nor your merit, Darius. I’m denying its existence outright.” -Nikolaus to Darius Ault, 1699 The Siege of Arberrang, 1691 RISE THROUGH THE RANKS When Nikolaus and I were of our adolescent years we looked to be enlisted soldiers in the Brotherhood of St. Karl in the likes of our fathers. It was only until Nikolaus reached eighteen years of age and I, twenty-one years of age where we would actually be recruited by the young Prince Marius and Lord Jakob Ludovar himself and bare the colors of Black & Gold. Our rise through the rankings was swift in fashion as our expertise with swords in hand outmatched those less skilled. Nikolaus took particular liking to being on the direct front-lines while on the contrary I took to rising through the ranks to become an enlisted officer and have oversight from the rear-lines. Our household during this period of time had a large presence in the standing military at the time which garnered us the respect of the already established nobility houses that have stood for generations. Nikolaus and I continued to rise through the ranks and receive promotions up through till I was granted the honor of being named Lord Marshal by His Majesty, King Robert I for eighteen years where at that point, Nikolaus sought to finally achieve knighthood and bring honor to the House once more. From the very beginning, where both Nikolaus and I were young children, our aspirations were common but despite this being the case we both chose different yet similar paths which would land ourselves years subsequently. KNIGHTHOOD Ever since Nikolaus was but a mere teenager his aspiration to become a Knight became well-known to that of his friends and family. Nikolaus, while fortunate to be born into a rather large common-born household wasn’t privileged to the natural-born right to squire and because of this he sought to prove himself by any means necessary. Varon Kovachev, the incumbent Paramount Knight at the time was one Nikolaus sought to personally prove his worth to yet, it was only until His Majesty, King Robert I himself placed a set of quests and adorous trials for Nikolaus to complete for him to then later be recognized years later by the populace of Haense as a Northern Knight of Hanseti-Ruska. WARS & BATTLES ★= Commanding role Third Atlas Coalition War: >Siege of Arberrang (1691) >Siege of Kal’Tarak (1692) Vaeyl Wars: >Battle of Last Hope ★ (1704) War of the Two Emperors: ( 1715 - 1721 ) >Battle of Upper Rodenburg ★ >Battle of Lower Rodenburg >Battle of Helena Fields >Siege of Helena ★ >Battle of the Rivers >Battle of Leuven >Second Battle of Leuven >Battle of Silversea >Battle of Koengswald Three-Month War: ( 1725 ) >Battle of Tal’Short >Second Battle of Tal’Short Lorrarinian Revolt: ( 1729 - 1730 ) >Siege of Guise ★ War of Orcish submission: ( 1731 - 1737 ) >Siege of Krugland Rubern War: ( 1740 - Present ) >Battle of Hangman’s Bridge >Battle of Reza “Never forget who you are. The rest of the world will not. Wear it like armor, and it can never be used to impair you.” -Nikolaus to Ulric Vyronov, 1716 The Siege of Helena, 1716 THE TROUBLES RODRIK’S BETRAYAL Upon the eruption of The War of the Two Emperors, our cousin Rodrik had his allegiances swayed in full support towards the Imperium Renatum as opposed to his sworn oath and once full-fledged support towards the Kingdom of Hanseti-Ruska, the very Kingdom he himself swore to protect. Following this revelation to the populace of Haense, the once praised Knight Paramount was perceived entirely differently and was now sought to be an oath breaker and one not to be trusted in the slightest of means. Immediate backlash from the denizens of Reza was imminent towards our House as the once esteemed Knighted figure was in actuality part of our nobility household; the Kortrevich ménage. Several prominent figures who dealt with the backlash first hand were; myself, Nikolaus, Duncan, Erik and Martin but from other perspectives within the family, this sudden betrayal of Rodrik’s saw changes in the way some members of the family lived- Sarah, Lotte, Primrose, Emaline and Arabella took more heedful precaution when travelling within side the city and took notable wariness when obligated to travel outside the city to the noble landings of Ayr and Nenzing. Among the many challenges that occurred throughout Nikolaus’ long life, this among any other obstacle was one that would later pivot the outlook on the future of the family. ROYAL ORDER FOR THE APPREHENSION OF RODRIK Rodrik, the incumbent Knight Paramount of Haense at the time before his betrayal was one of if not King Marius’ closest confidantes which was known as Rodrik took attendance in many of the Aulic council meetings during his short-tenure. With this being said, when Rodrik’s allegiance swayed entirely to that of the Imperium Renatum it was imminent that our House would undergo an insurmountable amount of backlash as the once esteemed Knighted figure bared the names of turncoat and traitor by the denizens of Reza at the time. Nikolaus while recently being promoted as Knight Paramount following both Rodrik’s betrayal and the unfortunate death of Ser Dominic Grimm it was Nikolaus’ task as Rodrik’s cousin to carry out the charge demanded by His Majesty, ‘to return Rodrik back to Haense where he’ll receive the proper punishment for treason against the crown’. The order itself came from the words of King Marius and would finally be fulfilled thirty-years subsequently when the two estranged cousins’ crossed paths for a final time. [see ‘Fulfilling a Promise’ for continuation] TUTELAGE OF RODRIK’S CHILDREN Following Rodrik’s immediate dismissal of his own kin during The War of the Two Emperors, Rodrik’s own children were kept under captivity under his sole guardianship. His mind was severely clouded which serves as adequate reasoning for him not allowing his own wife, the mother of his two children the ability to cater to them and raise them amongst a loving family in Haense as opposed to the war-riddled city of Helena under the guardianship of solely Rodrik and his twin brother; Cassius. Each of our family members, especially Nikolaus made it their priority to eventually retrieve the children from captivity despite the ongoing war that scarred the Arcasian plains. It was only a matter of time that Rodrik would retort something in response to the many missives sent by Nikolaus and the family and soon enough upon one early morning two dragon knights arrived swiftly to the gates of Reza on horseback where the two Kortrevich children and one barbanov bastard could be seen being pulled by the trio of stallions. The escort was not in the slightest bit small as accompanied with the two dragon knights, an entire battalion of Red Knights and Ordermen from the Order of the Red Dragon surrounded the escort all the way from the imperial capital of Helena to ensure their safe arrival. Upon their arrival to Reza the children were quickly placed in front of the gates where a singular guard then shouted to the nearest guardsmen in Reza: “Call for Ser Nikolaus, these children are of Kortrevich blood and Ser Rodrik wishes for their utmost amount of safety. . . Ensure they are brought to the hands of Nikolaus.” [!] Attached to one of the children’s baskets would be a tattered parchment signed by his Imperial Excellency, Ser Rodrik Jozsef Kortrevich, "I, Rodrik of Kortrevich hereby give full tutelage of my children to my cousin Nikolaus of Kortrevich, current Knight Paramount of Haense - this message will arrive sooner or later, but I might already be gone, I've sailed, away from this realm, away from this war and away from the fray - I care for the safety of my children and I understand that even after what has happened you all do as-well, The deal is very simple, you may raise them, teach them your ways and treat them as yours, but if anything happens to them, or I hear that they're being treated ill and they do not feel safe with you, the Imperial Crown of the Kingdom of Cascadia shall retrieve them. In brief. allow them to explore, teach them of the perils, but more than anything - let them be free." “So many promises…they make you vow to uphold. Defend the sovereign. Obey the king. Preserve his confidence. Do his bidding. Your life for his. But obey your father. Love your sister. Protect the innocent. Safeguard the weak. Respect the Gods. Be law-abiding. It’s too much. No matter what you do, you’re forsaking one vow over another.” -Nikolaus to Otto Kortrevich, 1706 Lotte Kortrevich laying on her deathbed, 1729 HEARTBREAK DEATH OF LOTTE, 1729 Among the many things that Nikolaus was met with during his life, the death of his dear wife Lotte was one that struck him like no other. Their marriage had its hardships and blessings but one thing that remained true up and till the end was their mutual love for eachother and their children they brought into the world. The eternal bond between the two was recognized by their kinsmen and the extended families abroad which ultimately made her truly one that was arduous to leap over for all who knew her closely. While the tailend of their ever-fruitful relationship did encounter sour turns they remained resilient with each other for the sake of their children, even if that meant for them to live apart from each other for years at end. Both Nikolaus and Lotte had their evident flaws that I personally can list out but despite these flaws at every corner moment they sought to deal with them and overcome the many obstacles that covered their common path. By the end of Lotte’s joyous life, she remembered nought but the few names of those closest to her; Nikolaus and Primrose which saddened her to the longest ends. I myself grew a deep sense of sadness when the day arose when Lotte, a good friend of mine, my cousin’s wife, didn't recall who I was. Despite her sickness, Lotte’s passing was peaceful where she bore no physical harm but the harm of heartbreak. Her death transcended quickly through word of mouth where the likes of many who knew her tried to comprehend the reality that was in front of them. Nikolaus most of all along with his two daughters, Primrose and Emaline were in complete disbelief but ultimately came to a common understanding of what she sacrificed and accomplished throughout her simple life. Memories would be shared but the lasting impact of Nikolaus’ only love ascended to the skies that flew above further struck him down to a pitiful sense of hopelessness as the wars still raged on and saw no end in foreseeable sight. EXECUTION OF ERIK, 1725 Following the unfortunate death of Ser Ulric Vyronov, Erik would soon be held accountable for his death and brought to trial on the felony charge of Involuntary Manslaughter. After the quick guilty verdict by the Lord Justicar; Ser Gerard Stafyr would sentence Erik to death. Just following the verdict was declared to the general public, Nikolaus made an urgent plea to Andrik to be the one to carry out the sentence as he didn’t want to witness his cousin publicly executed in front of what would’ve been a large turnout of commonborn and nobleborn alike witnessing a man pay for his crimes. Andrik would graciously agree to Nikolaus’ request and soon enough moments later Erik was carried down to the cells in the guardhouse district with the assistance of Prince Otto Sigmar and Lord Lerald Vyronov. [4] (embedded link to map) where he then faced his sentence while letting out no last words before his execution. Years subsequent to Erik’s execution, Nikolaus’ initial reaction to his cousin’s beheading was demoralizing to see witness to. While Erik and Nikolaus did not retain a close bond they too were in fact cousins connected by blood which made it truly difficult for Nikolaus to overcome what he was entrusted to do. I noticed a change in his disposition also immediately as he began to remain distant towards his kin which grabbed my attention, the families attention and eventually the King’s attention which resulted in his removal as Royal Executioner after it was made abundantly clear he was in no place to be entrusted with that responsibility. The position itself remained vacant up until Lord Karl Vyronov took seating as the Royal Executioner until he himself was killed and the position remained vacant until recently, where Ser Jonathan Frostfire now stands. KNIGHTLY RECONSTRUCTION Well before Nikolaus took seating as Paramount Knight in Haense, the knightly orders were in a state of royal disarray as they all saw no clear structure and most importantly had no real basis on how exactly a man or woman achieves knighthood. Nikolaus saw immediately the condition of the knightly structure in Haense and sought to completely rework it to an adequate working condition. His first task of business was to clearly outline how one man or woman is able to be knighted. Soon after he outlined how exactly one achieves knighthood he made it well aware to King Andrik that he had avid interest in establishing a new Knightly Order within Haense that acted as a separate entity from the Marian Retinue which would take precedence as the primary Knightly Order in Haense as opposed to before having just the King’s royal guard in function. Nikolaus worked with many people to accomplish his aspirations. Among the lengthy list includes; King Robert I, King Marius II, King Andrew III, King Andrew IV, the grand knights of the deplorable Ser Darius Ault, the vile Ser Uthred Gromach and finally the righteous Ser Dominic Grimm. The many changes Nikolaus would make to the knightly structure in Haense would influence the other human nations and directly influence the construction of new ones under Nikolaus’ personal advice. [see. The Order of the Crow for more information] “THE ORDER OF THE CROW” KNIGHTLY OBLIGATIONS EDICT BOOK OF THE MARIAN RETINUE REAFFIRMATION OF OATHS "You think my life is such a valuable thing to me, that I would trade my merit for a few more years... of what exactly?" -Nikolaus to Rodrik Kortrevich, 1750 The Kortrevichbowl, 1750 FULFILLING A PROMISE Thirty years had passed since the conclusion of the War of the Two Emperors but no remorse was shown by our cousins, Rodrik and Cassius following their betrayal that would lead to the demise of hundreds. Out of all of us who sought to seek revenge for the treacherous actions Rodrik inflicted on the family and the greater Kingdom, it was Nikolaus who was tasked to apprehend the traitor and bring him either dead or alive to the Royal City of Reza on King Marius’ due directive. Decades would pass and the promise taken in my Nikolaus would be forsaken as the war neared its end where Rodrik eventually embarked away from the fray, and away from the likes of his kin. As the coward he was this was a given but nevertheless Nikolaus never sought to forsake his vow he took oh so many years ago. Many missives sent by myself, Duncan, Erik, Martin, Alexander, Sarah and even the likes of my nieces; Primrose and Emaline sent missives to Rodrik where we all plead and demanded he return to his homeland and face the countless punishments for his crimes so our family could finally seek closure. It was only till one day where Rodrik obtained a missive by Nikolaus himself which would finally lead the old-Imperial Knight to beckon his armor once more and ride north to his homeland. [see ‘Summoning a Sojourner’ for continuation] SUMMONING A SOJOURNER A handful of years had passed since the final missive was sent but eventually the arrival of Rodrik would soon stand outside the towering walls of Fort Korstadt. The host of men on either side of the wall stood still as the two estranged cousins shared few words before they would eventually sheath blades of their own and deal out justice for a final time. A period of time later would pass where the two bodies of Rodrik and Nikolaus laid; soon after the fight the garrisoned host of Brotherhood foot soldiers sallied out to motion for Rodrik’s once closest compatriots to disperse. Out of everything that I’ve experienced throughout my long life, to witness my two cousins bring each other to their pitiful end is among the many experiences I will naught forget. Nikolaus lived a fair life, one that retains more accomplishments than many well-renown field-commanders of the past. His legacy will forever live on and be remembered forevermore by the likes of our kin and our nation. Nikolaus and I shared our bountiful amounts of arguments but never did we leave a conversation without a smile on either of our faces. May Nikolaus be remembered as one of the most illustrious men to ever live. May Nikolaus be remembered for his many achievements. May Nikolaus be remembered for every vow he never forsook. My cousin, may he be remembered for the love he shared with his dear wife, Lotte and the family he raised despite his prolonged duties as the Paramount Knight for over thirty-years. My cousin, may he be remembered as one of the most honorable knights in Haense to ever bare the colors of Black and Gold. . Ave Nikolaus, Ave Haense. [see ‘Kortrevichbowl’ for more information] KORTREVICHBOWL “It's the family name that lives on. It's all that lives on. Not your honor, not your personal glory, family.” -Nikolaus to Primrose & Emaline Kortrevich, 1748 Ser Nikolaus Kortrevich “The Strong” (1680 - 1750) Knight Paramount of Haense (1716 - 1750) FULL TITLE The titles of Ser Nikolaus Kortrevich were; The Right Honorable, Ser Nikolaus Kortrevich, Knight Paramount of the Kingdom of Hanseti-Ruska, Commandant Knight of the Marian Retinue, Meyster Knight of the Order of the Crow, Royal Champion of King Andrew III. Published by the House of Kortrevich Written by Otto Kortrevich

[CA Race Lore] - Kharajyr Kharajyr Origin The creation story of the Kharajyr is one not bound to the tomes and tales of old, nor found on any shelves known to the world. It is held within the minds of those scholars who are considered madmen, those who are denounced and forbidden to speak. These men are the wisest and yet they suffer the worst fates. It is one of these scholars who bravely defied his peers and came forth to impart the story of the Kharajyr to the Aelkos, and it has since then been passed down generation-by-generation. The legend tells that in the dark times of old, during the world’s infancy -- a time few people believe existed where powerful Aenguls & Daemons roamed freely -- a time before Iblees’ War, there was an old wives’ tale whispered from the tongues of ancient storytellers. They spoke of a Daemon, one who kidnapped elven babies in the shadows of nightfall from their very homes. Metztli in her humanoid form However, it wasn't an isolated tale and was commonly known to many in their afflicted areas. Despite this, few knew the truth of these tall tales -- a reality unheard in this world: under the cover of silver starlight, the Daemon Metztli would visit lonely farmsteads and hovels in the forests. Called by the cries of infant elves, she would arrive with an intent to steal the children away, even before their parents, brothers, and sisters. Legend has it that Metztli’s form was so beautiful those adults who looked upon her were driven mad. Manic, their parents would tear free their eyes to blind themselves from such an enchanting appearance. Fearing and denying the truth, elders would attribute this phenomenon to the intense grief the parents experienced from their child’s kidnapping rather than an otherworldly being’s influence. However, the reality behind the disappearances unfortunately does not end with the vanishment of children. What followed is the birth of the Kharajyr race -- a race of elves, and a race of feral cats mixed as one. A magical science experiment, one carefully conducted to produce the ultimate result Metztli could manufacture. These elven children were taken far away to a paradise within the blue expanse of ocean waters. Amidst the waves stood an island of extraordinary beauty, giving life to an incredible variety of fauna and flora that stood as a bastion to Metztli’s incredible power, beauty, and control in this world. All that was missing was sentience; Metztli needed a master race. Feral felines that called the island their home were collected by Metztli, and in a series of horrifying magic-ridden experiments, they were crossed with the infants. It took centuries of perfection and genetic tweaking, hundreds of hideous failures discarded into the ocean as vile homunculi, monsters and disgusting atrocities incapable of being considered sentient. Metztli at last created a single white, humanoid feline. This was the first of the Kharajyr, the father; he of the Purest blood. Overwhelmed with joy, Metztli immediately adopted a maternal desire to protect this child of her’s, to nurture him, and to bring forth from him a new race of his kind to this world. After all, she had created what she deemed to be perfection. Desperation overtook her desires to recreate her perfect design, and in spite of countless more failures, Metztli managed to create a hand full of Kharajyr. Just enough for them to spawn an entire race. When her children had matured, she knew that it was time to depart the island paradise and leave her children to thrive alone, to exist and advance as any race in this world would. Although the Daemon’s true intentions for the creation of these people were never revealed, it has been speculated that she wished to recreate a long-lost lover who was stolen away from her in times past. Others say she wished to grant the world a race of beings in her own ultimate image, and still, others suggest Metztli wished only to play the vain game of God and nurture over beings beneath her. Time may tell her true intentions, but for now, the Kharajyr grows. The origin story has been tweaked in order to fit this lore rewrite. Physical Description Kharajyr, often referred to as Metztli’s children are a race created by the Daemon Metztli. Their form is that of a humanoid feline, with their subraces taking on the appearance of different types commonly seen. Their heights vary according to the subrace they belong to. They retain their feline appearance with their tail, pointed and jointed ears, an elongated snout or maw, retractable claws in the toes and hands, and palms in the shape of paws. However, they retained the trait of opposable thumbs from the elves, allowing them the ability to manipulate objects articulately like other humanoids. The feet more closely resemble their feline counterparts and at the ankle, the Kharajyr retain their feline predecessor’s dewclaw, which can become an issue when fitting shoes or socks. Kharajyr receive another boon from their unnatural origin -- the ability to eat nigh anything, including flesh to slight carrion from the bone. Kha’ possess some degree of heightened senses regarding their big cat counterparts, including moderately enhanced hearing, along with more capable photoreceptors within their eyes, enabling a Kharajyr to take a somewhat significant advantage in a darkened environment over any other race. Pelts, Hair, & Eyes: The Kha race retains their feline appearance with their fur coat, appearing with the texture of a real-world cheetah, tiger, panther or leopard, depending on the sub-race they belong to and that of their parents. Head fur as it is called, is a unique thing for kharajyr. While women can grow hair as normal Descendants, males typically can’t and instead grow manes. Kharajyr can braid their manes and hair in order to personalize it, with the addition of non-permanent colorations such as war paint being allowed. Eye color ranges in the colors of normal human eyes along with the coppery yellow, green or orange of cats. Kha’Tigrasi The largest of Metztli’s children and often the strongest. These tend to be the hard workforce of the kharajyr or the common warrior; though they are not limited to such. Tigrasi are adorned with an orange coat accented with black stripes. The Tigrasi, being one of the largest sub-races, reaches between 6.4ft - 7.5ft in height. Kha’Pantera The most cunning of Metztli’s offspring. Almost always, the pelt of a pantera is jet-black, though can be dark grey or might ascend to a dusty grey, either with age or just by an anomaly. Often, due to the coloring of a Pantera’s fur, it can be rather difficult to read their emotions through the subtle movement of their eyebrows or the shaping of their mouths. Following the Tigrasi closely the Pantera reach between 4.5ft - 7ft in height. Kha’Cheetrah The fastest and in turn historically the shortest of Metztli’s children. Those of this sub-race are commonly found to hold jobs such as merchants or the production of daily goods for the Kharajyr. Typically, their fur is a bright to dusted yellow along with brown patches or spots. Being one of the smallest sub-races of Kha’, the Cheetrah reach between 3.6ft - 5.2ft in height. Kha’Leparda The fourth child of the Goddess stands as Her creation for balance, standing near the middle of the four in height and build. While they originally were known for being priests they now branch out to many professions. Their pelts normally are a light tan to darker and medium yellows. The Leparda reaches between 3ft - 6.2ft in height. Red Lines: - A Kharajyr’s coat is thick, allowing them to stay warm; however, this is also a detriment in the war-torn world of LoTC. Armor is difficult to wear, and may cause overheating. - Additionally, a Kharajyr’s dewclaw and digitigrade leg anatomy prevents the wear of common footwear. Any footwear must be specifically created for the Kharajyr. - A Kha’ with a removed or ‘docked’ tail retain minimal ability to balance. All agility is lost should this occur, and the Kharajyr will commonly fall even while standing still without their tail. - A non-Kha’Tigrasi submerged in water retains an incredible water weight given their fur coat. This slows them, and causes great loss of agility after drenched unless dried. - All Kharajyr regardless of age or knowledge will speak with an accent. This is required due to their anatomy of a maw/snout and small incisor teeth alongside large canines. - Kharajyr do not possess manipulable lips like other humanoids and can not easily articulate words regardless of age or knowledge. - A Kha’Cheetrah will never run as fast as their real-life counterpart. It is better comparable to an Olympic sprinter. - Kha’ are incapable of reproduction with other races. No mixed-race offspring are permissible. - Armor, particularly heavy armor, is impossible to come by in Kharajyr culture. Lamellar is an option although it is highly uncommon and, despite its purpose to reduce overheating and maintain agility, it still induces heat stroke with ease. Life Cycle 0-1 years old – Kitten 1'2" - 1'8" In this age range, the Kha’ cannot talk and can only walk on all fours. 1-5 years old -- Kitten 1’8" - 3'0" This is the progression of minor physical maturity. Walking and talking will be very hard, but they still vaguely capable of doing so with some effort. Their teeth will be grown in. 5-16 years old -- Cub 3ft+ During this time they are fully maturing (full maturity reached at 18). 16-450 years old -- Adult At this age, the Kharajyr would continue to grow and are now able to speak fluently, most commonly with a thick Kha’ accent. It is not possible for a Kha’ to speak without one given their anatomy. 451-600 years old -- Old Age After passing the age of 450 they will now begin to age considerably and their movements would begin to slow. They grow physically weak. Once 500 is reached, the kharajyr would now either by very frail or weak, primarily due to the fact the Kharajyr is now entering the last years of its life. Age affects the subraces slightly different depending on the features of the particular individual. For example, larger kha are susceptible to heart and back issues while smaller tend to be joint-related. It is common to see that the members of a pride that have reached this age are taken care of and fed by the younger members of said pride, often living in cots decorated according to their status in their pride. 600 y/o is the natural capacity that the Kha’ can live unless magically assisted. Red Lines: - FTB is only permissible for 20+ Kha’. - Kha’ may not age beyond 600 y/o. This is their biological limit. - Kha’ aged 0-5 must walk on all fours as a typical cat. They may not speak and do not progress the same as elven counterparts would as a child. Progression begins at the age of 10. Crossbreeding Crossbreeding in the Kharajyr race happens only amongst the sub-races of Kharajyr. It, in general, does not change much Kharajyr anatomy other than their fur and the range at which their healthy height and weight can maximize or minimize it. (IE: A half-Tigrasi/half-Cheetrah would be taller and larger built, though typically they will maintain lesser agility to a typical Cheetrah). Crossbreeding does not signal impurity in the race. Mental Description Fanatically religious tribalists, the Kharajyr have a great affinity for the Muun and the greater advancement of their people -- despite the technological plateauing of their entire society at a basic level. This is to the extent of all kharajyr performing a faith trial where they nearly kill themselves in faith that Muuna will allow them to live, by putting their lives in her hands. They also have a great desire to learn about their position in the world, though use little of their knowledge to impact their work. Despite their fanatic point of view, the Kharajyr have minimal interest in indoctrinating other races. The only exception to this has to be approved by a priest to allow a non-kha to be considered a soul kha. The soul kha are honorary kha that observe all Kharajyr beliefs within reason considering their physical race. The reasoning for this allowance is that the kharajyr believes that it is possible that their siblings may have been born in the wrong body, and as such, they wish to have their soul-kin as close to Metztli as possible by allowing them into their society. To receive this recognition is of the highest honor and should this honor be sullied by the actions of this individual, a mercy killing may be performed by a priest. Kharajyr are sometimes innately precarious, similar to their feline counterparts -- however, this is not required and differs between individuals. Precarious Kha’ are careful in all they do, often causing overthinking and the complexification of rather ordinary situations. However, this allows the Kharajyr to prepare for the best and worst of any situation. This sense of caution has also been the effect of the constant persecution made by other races in order to acquire their pelts. Red Lines: - Kharajyr hate loud noises. Their acute sense of hearing causes your typical shout to be almost painfully loud if in close proximity, and are sometimes brought to anger in these instances. - Wealth is not desirable by the Kharajyr, especially their priests. Kharajyr have no purpose in holding material wealth other than for cosmetic appearance, and it is frowned upon by the Kharajyr to hoard massive amounts of riches for little purpose other than to gloat. - Any knowledge obtained by the curious Kharajyr is rarely utilized to advance any methods in Kharajyr culture. Abiding by tradition is law, and it is heavily frowned upon to tinker and attempt to abandon the old ways. - Kharajyr must be taught to enjoy the water. It is a learned concept, bathing with water instead of by the tongue; it is considered rude to clean themselves with their tongue in the company of others, as well. Abilities Despite their divine origin, the Kharajyr have not been granted any unnatural abilities or magical ones. All abilities stem from their natural anatomy. Nightsight A Kharajyr is equipped with the advanced photoreceptors of a feline and therefore have the natural ability to maintain visibility in low light. Total darkness in an enclosed space does not allow vision, however, under the cover of starlight alone, a Kharajyr can see clearly in the dark. - A Kharajyr, if presented with intense light whilst the eyes are focused for nightsight, will be temporarily blinded. - Nightsight incredibly reduces the range of vision. Only nearby light reflected from surfaces will be easily visible unless a higher level light source is distanced. Mechanically, a 16 block distance is visible. - This is a passive ability. Acute Hearing A Kharajyr is equipped with acute hearing and jointed ears, allowing them to turn towards the direction of the desired focus. When rotated in the proper direction, a Kharajyr is capable of superior hearing and can hear #quite chat more easily, including #whispers. - A Kharajyr can be temporarily deafened if a loud noise, such as a firework explosion, occurs within 10 blocks of their person. A shout within 5 blocks will cause pain, but not deafness. - A Kharajyr may only hear #quiet within 12 blocks distance. - A Kharajyr may only hear #whisper within 4 blocks distance. - This is a passive ability. General Red lines/ Restrictions - CA application is required to rp as a Kharajyr of any subrace - Do not actually run as fast as their real-life counterparts. A Kha’Cheetrah is not going to run 60 mph. - Their strength would not surpass that of an olog - The Kharajyr can’t reproduce with other races - Between the ages of 0-29, kha can’t walk or talk properly. - A kha can’t walk properly if its tail has been cut off, thus serving the purpose of allowing them to keep their balance.

Feat - Golemancy Background/Origin Before the Braveaxe, Firemane and Irongut’s first rediscovered the ancient art of soulbound golemancy, it was first practiced and used by the Scriberfolk, an ancient civilization that existed in Kal’Karik. The Scriberfolk had a much greater understanding of golemancy than those of the present-day Golemancers, knowing golemancy beyond a fundamental level. This knowledge was then lost to the Scriberfolk when the Ironborn took power, as they then caused the blood age and the purging of a great many dwarven secrets, most damaging to past and present Golemancers; how golem cores function. Hope, however, was not lost entirely, with the aforementioned family of Braveaxe spending generations to rediscover some of the secrets of the Anvil of Urguan, leading to the cooperation of Thorik Braveaxe (then to become Thorik Grandaxe), Gotrek Firemane and Hiebe Irongut through experimentation and failure eventually leading to the creation of Grey Vigil, the first soulbound golem of King of Urguan. Following the destruction of Aegis, the descendants arrived in Asulon, it would be in this land that one of the Scriberfolks many secrets would be rediscovered as golemancers learned of lightning-bound golemancy from ancient texts, tablets and more importantly, a functioning lightning-bound golem to whom greeted the dwarves on the discovery of Karik. Over time, Golemancers began to experiment with the idea of applying golems limbs to descendants. While this sort of work did lean more to the macabre, it worked. Those unlucky few that had lost their limbs in battle or otherwise were gifted with one more chance to live a normal life. As with most things, this did come at a cost. Those with golem limbs began to die sooner than expected, or rather before the lifespan of their race suggested. Puzzled, golemancers of the time began to study this, though it may seem morally wrong to use descendants like guinea pigs, it did lead to a better understanding of golem limbs in the future. The golem limbs draw from the soul blueprint of the user, thusly shortening their lifespan. In the realms that followed, Golemancers would slowly begin to get a firmer grasp of the art form, learning many long lost secrets such as the creation of the first thanhic golem; a golem similar to the lightning-bound would make use of a power source that wasn’t a descendants soul, revolutionizing the way golems were made. The thanhic golem was essential as the past repeated itself, Golemancers following in the steps of the Scriberfolk as many of those who knew how to create lightning-bound would pass, their secrets lost to all but a rare few, becoming a lost creation process with thanhic replacing it. Further experimentation led to the development of the first multi-core golems to which were superior to the ones that had come before them. Also came the swift & brawn golems; the swift golem matching the size and stature of a dwarf and able to perform tasks more suited to something of a less cumbersome size, whereas with the brawn golem this led to a creature of massive size, slow and lacking in finesse but able to perform feats of strength akin to Ologs. Later discoveries included the development of anti golem technologies to which would be used by Golemancers to finally have a way to combat their creations should they turn red, or have one of their own go rogue. These technologies were developed from the study and research into the Hammer of Ardol, leading to the creation of poor replicas that would become known as disruption cores that could disable the control of various parts of a Golem. Another revolutionary piece of dwarven ingenuity would be the creation of disrupter spikes, designed to target Golemancers to which could sever their ability to create Golems. Magic Explanation Golemancy is the art of turning inanimate stone into a sentient construct capable of performing tasks commanded by the golem’s Impera. The constant pursuit of the perfect golem, one that will not and cannot disobey its master. While not easy, to learn Golemancy one must seek out an advanced and learned Golemancer, with the ability to teach. To learn the full extent of the art, one may need to learn from different teachers, as not every Golemancer knows every possibility available. The only requirement to begin learning Golemancy is that the prospective student has an undamaged soul and is physically capable of crafting golems. Golemancy is a tedious feat, requiring many hours of practice, pursuing unattainable perfection. Golemancy is not powered by any diety or specific place, but rather by the craft. The runes are powered by the core, which is powered by the soul or thanhium within the core. Golemancy can be learned from anyone with a valid TA, though, if a teacher has not learnt something in the advanced section, they may not teach it. Golemancy users must have a valid MA. While the creation of the mundane, materialistic parts of a golem may be done using magic, such as transfiguration or runesmithing, the golem itself may not be charged or have any magic other than Golemancy bound to it. Abilities/Spells Name: The Body Name: Golemancy Runes Name: Golem Anvils Name: Golem Core Name: Golem Limbs Name: The Soulbound Golem Name: The Thanhic Golem Name: The Swift Golem Name: The Brawn Golem Name: The Multi-Core Golem Name: The Disrupter Spike Name: The Disrupter Core Red Lines While golemancers may be perfectionists, they are not perfect. Golemancy is not only a feat but a pursuit after the perfect servant, the perfect golem. Golemancers will make mistakes and golems will become red. Golemancers ought to roleplay failing more often than succeeding. This concept should be applied to everything in Golemancy, from the sculpting of the torso to the carving of the runes on the core, to the creation of the disrupter spike. Golemancy itself has no restrictions regarding other magics the users have or can have. Teaching It must be understood that everything in Golemancy is taught or experimented. One cannot simply role-play for a bit and say they figured out, on their own, how to craft a Disrupter Spike. Such things must either be taught or sufficiently experimented to learn. Golemancy is the sort of feat where one may learn things out of turn, it is truly up to the teacher and as such there are no tiers, but rather a suggested ‘curriculum’ if you will. Carving and the construction of the mundane parts of the golem. The body and limbs. The runes of the golem, the way that the golem functions and how to apply the runes correctly onto the golem’s surface. Teaching protocols for future use for golemantic constructs. Learning how to make the core, carve the runes, and install the thanhic core into a golem followed by the activation of the golem. Proper installations of a command followed by piloting said golem. How to carve a golem limb for a descendant, lessons on various tools, limb/eye surgery, and measurements. How to then install the small core and various runes onto the limb The attachment of a golemantic limb/optic to a person. Advanced Lessons - This part of golemancy needs to be taught by someone who knows it or experimented to find it. Proper usage of a golem anvil, how it functions. Lessons on manipulating the cores. After several IRL years of practice (2 weeks), they may begin implementing the cores into golem bodies. Understanding the fundamentals of disruptor runes. Learning to carve disruptor runes and craft disruptor cores Imbuing items with disruptor cores before finally capable of crafting disruptor spike Purpose (OOC) This section is where you describe what purpose your lore is serving, what it is bringing to the table that other lore pieces aren’t, and why it fits into LotC’s canon. Golemancy serves as an excellent example of the greed and desire that dwarves have for the most efficient way to achieve their goals. The feat in and of itself is incredibly useful in roleplay when applied in labour and sometimes in combat. Additionally, it adds another dimension to dwarven roleplay that allows for a darker and more mysterious way to play a dwarf. Within Aegis’ society, the soulbound golem became a key way to handle capital punishment for the most horrific of crimes, not only ending the existence of the criminal but forcing them into indentured servitude until the soul is drained or it turns red from damage or age. Citation Spoiler This lore piece draws heavily from Dizzy771’s post on golemancy. Here. Link to the LoTC Wiki on Golemancy. Here. Link to the LoTC Wiki on Golems. Here. Link to the LoTC Wiki on Arcaurum. Here. Link to the LoTC Wiki on Arcaurum/Mage Gold. Here. Link to the forum post on Arcaurum/Mage Gold. Here. Link to the LoTC Wiki on Thanhium. Here. Big thanks to DrHope and Kirrekith for helping with writing and ideas on several topics in the lore.

Golems Physical Description Mental Description ((Reminder: The restrictions on Golems behaviour have been loosened somewhat. This is to allow for a greater enjoyment while playing a Golem character, as they have been rather dimensional and dry in the past. This means that Golems can now adapt and evolve as time goes by. Some may become slightly more intelligent, others may develop rudimentary personalities (bring on the sarcastic golem), and others still may become more nimble. All of these adaptations are, however, rudimentary. Even the smartest Golem is still dumb in comparison to a normal character. Even the strongest Golem still has only a marginal advantage over a regular one. Even the nimblest of Golems still has an over-sized clumsy stone design. No matter what the adaptation, a Golem cannot defy its Impera either.)) General Red lines/Restrictions Golem Types Purpose (OOC) The purpose of this lore is to add specifications and to create a separate post for anything related to Golems and the expectations placed upon those who have decided to play one. In the past, all lore regarding the magic of Golemancy and the creature lore of Golems was lumped together in a pit of confusion and wasted time. Now they are divided and able to streamline the process of finding and learning more about the lore. Citation Spoiler This lore piece draws heavily from Dizzy771’s post on golemancy. Here. Link to the LoTC Wiki on Golemancy. Here. Link to the LoTC Wiki on Golems. Here. Link to the LoTC Wiki on Arcaurum. Here. Link to the LoTC Wiki on Arcaurum/Mage Gold. Here. Link to forum post on Arcaurum/Mage Gold.. Here. Link to the LoTC Wiki on Thanhium. Here.

Korna-Lin Tree Reference Minecraft Korna-Lin Tree (VERY MUCH WIP) Material Name and Description (Raw form) The Korna-Lin tree unlike most natural flora contains a unique, illuminescent sap that often forms bubbles upon its branches. Once a Konra-Lin tree reaches full maturity these excess bubbles of sap will fall gently to the forest floor as new bubbles will slowly begin to grow. These illuminescent bubbles of sap are often buoyant, and if not harvested may simply float away. Though its wood may be useless in harvest, due to the large veins of sap within, the tree has another purpose for its Wonk inhabitants. These tree’s would appear rather tall, with a twisted trunk. The leaves grow upon many layers, with vines slowly descending upon its branches the older it becomes. In some settlements Traditional wonks, and on occasion reformed wonks have also long since incorporated the Korna-Lin within the construction of their everyday homes. Upon the creation of a Tuma-Tuma (A mud hut) Wonks will often plant a Korna-Lin upon its peak. Over time and with great care the tree will eventually overgrow the Tuma-Tuma itself. Within the center of a Tuma-Tuma or at least somewhere notable within the home can be found a large pool of water that the wonk’s themselves work actively to maintain. This pool of water feeds the Korna-Lin, and in return the Korna-Lin purifies this water in order for the Wonk’s to scatter their eggs. This pool also works as an easy to access place for the wonks to hydrate themselves. This symbiotic relationship between Wonk’s and Korna-Lin Tree’s benefits both species, and has become a stable of wonk life. Applications (Raw Form) These tree’s somehow produce a purifying effect upon the waters that surround them. Scholars believe this has something to do with the Konra-Lins unique sap, that may work as an organic filter, that quality controls the waters upon which the unharvested sap floats upon. Because of this unique trait, Wonks often scatter their eggs around the Korna-Lins tree’s base. Red Lines (Raw Form) The Illuminescent sap even when processed will not glow any brighter than a flickering candle. In its raw farm this sap will glow slightly brighter than a simple camp fire, however by no means can this be used to blind, or negatively effect someone. The Sap cannot be suddenly placed on an ocean to purify its waters, these tree’s only purify the direct space around them due to the sheer amount of sap being naturally released by the tree. The tree may not be any larger than your typical oak. usually these tree’s stand anywhere between 20-30 feet before maturing, after the maturing process begins they will reach a typical height of 60-70 feet. These tree’s can grow no taller than 140 feet. If these tree’s grow too tall due the veins of sap flowing through the wood the tree would simply fall apart due to sheer mass. Harvesting Method When harvesting the sap you must wait till the tree is ripe, and the excess bubbles of sap simply float to the ground. These hardened and well ages bubbles of sap may then be taken to a smith, melted down at a low temperature, before being cast into sheets. The tree will drop these naturally but only once or twice a year. Attempting to remove the bubbles prematurely will cause them to burst, and in doing so will released a poisonous gas from within the bubble. This gas will often leave the victim struggling for air, induce vomiting, disorientation, and make the victim extremely light headed. The gas is not fatal, but attempting this too many times may result in a lower form of brain damage. The item in MC that represents these sap bubbles is a honey bottles, and glowstone powder which both come from the tree. Cooked Sap (Honey bottles) will to add to a tea, or brew. This sap can be melted fully into sheets. These sheets can create sap windows (honey blocks). When dealing with raw unrefined sap (Glowstone Dust) represents the Illuminescent sap that hasn’t been melted into sheets. Once the sap has been cast into sheets it looses its glow. (Glowstone powder) represents jewelry made from this raw sap. This unrefined sap still retains its glow. Harvesting Red Lines The sap bubbles that falls naturally from the tree is what may be harvested. This is in the form of honey bottles, and glowstone dust. There are rules in order to using this sap. For a starter the tree’s will only produce this excess sap every so often, maybe even once or twice a year. Taking the sap directly from the tree would render it to shatter and be useless. Only the hardened, dropped excess sap is study enough for harvesting. Material Name and Description (Refined Form) (OPTIONAL) Honey Bottles: Korna-Lin Heated Sap Desc: “This harvested sap from a Korna-Lin Tree has a rather pleasant smell. Upon adding it to a warm brew, the consumer will find their mind at ease as the relaxing texture takes over.” Honey Blocks: Korna-Lin Sap Sheets Desc: “These sheets of hardened Korna-Lin Sap are quite brittle, as if silver glass they must be handled with care. Upon inspecting the sheets one would find that they are rather transparent, and make a perfect window.” Glowstone Dust: Korna-Lin Sap Desc: “This unrefined sap may be used in order to create jewelry, It is highly sought after, and glows dimly in the darkness.” Applications (Refined Form) (OPTIONAL) Traditional Wonks often gather this excess sap, melting it into long, often flat sheets. The now dried sheets of sap are then used to create windows. My carving into the raw, harvested sap one can easily create jewelry, and a whole assortment of decorative items, used by both traditional and reformed Wonks for the aforementioned beauty purposes. If one was to heat the gathered sap at a mildly warm temperature they will be left with a runny, gooey substance that can easily be added to a tea, or warm brew. This sap is extremely relaxing once consumed, and has no negative effects. Red Lines (Refined Form) (OPTIONAL) This sap when hardened into sheets cannot create a blade. At the most at the very far extreme it could be used for arrows. The sap is just too brittle and would easily shatter under and meaningful impact. The sap if raw and carved into jewelry will not glow any brighter than a flickering candle. It must be handled with extreme care, forging the raw sap will cause it to lose its signature glow. When it comes to consumption the sap will not hide the taste of a poison. It simply relaxed the mind, and in taste is just a little sweet. Refining Technique (OPTIONAL) Honey Bottles: Korna-Lin Heated Sap: It is commonly known that stirring Korna-Lin sap in a pot of boiling water will cause it to slowly liquefy into a creamy substance. If over heated, or heated to quickly the sap will quickly turn into a pure liquid and cannot be consumed. Honey Blocks: Korna-Lin Sap Sheets: If Korna-Lin sap is heated quickly in a forge, upon fully liquefying it may be poured into a cast. Once cooled the Sheets of Korna-Lin Sap may be used for windows, or in the creation of art. This sap has no other practical use. Glowstone Dust: Korna-Lin Sap: With a steady hand, and great patience this glowing raw sap may be used to create jewelry. This sap may not be forged into ingots, and cannot endure extreme heat otherwise it will simply turn into a Sheet. Once heated this raw sap will quickly begin to lose its nutral glow if left unchecked. Refining Red Lines (OPTIONAL) When making jewelry the sap is often quite delicate, and cannot be forged into any form of ingot. It can however be carved, but only if great care is taken. The tree may also not be used to make houses. It’s wood is too brittle for construction, and its sap will never be hard enough to create an effective blade. This sap is about as hard as untreated, thin glass once processed Repeat (OPTIONAL) Honey Bottles: Korna-Lin Heated Sap Desc: “This harvested sap from a Korna-Lin Tree has a rather pleasant smell. Upon adding it to a warm brew, the consumer will find their mind at ease as the relaxing texture takes over.” Honey Blocks: Korna-Lin Sap Sheets Desc: “These sheets of hardened Korna-Lin Sap are quite brittle, as if silver glass they must be handled with care. Upon inspecting the sheets one would find that they are rather transparent, and make a perfect window.” Glowstone Dust: Korna-Lin Sap Desc: “This unrefined sap may be used in order to create jewelry, It is highly sought after, and glows dimly in the darkness.” Purpose (OOC) My intent is simple. With wonks starting to create their own buildings, cities, and culture I wish to simply provide a meaningful, good spirited flora that will create positive RP, and may encourage wonks to start using this to help with their professions, and traditional building. I think it would be rather interesting if the wonks villages and cities had such a signature item within them, and would be a great way for the community to have more unique interactions with the wonks. Currently wonks do the following few things. 1: Go to water and moisturize. 2: Screetch at people. 3: Do basically what anyone else does. In my eyes there aren’t many tools in which wonks can use to sell their own natural resources, or create their own cultural RP. They basically do what any other average joe would do with the exception of skreetching and sitting in hot springs all day. Some have even gone into drug dealing because they is literally nothing else unique they can do. My goal with this tree is to incorporate it into an already being built settlement and upon the map itself. I want to full heatedly give the wonks unique things to do. They are such an amazing race, written by such talented writers. They are a blank slate, with only a few fundamental rules to help guide them. With the creation of this species of tree it may very well increase the positive roleplay. I have already been told by a good portion of the wonk player base that there isn’t much to do. They often just walk to different water pools, and wait for RP to happen. They want something unique. This will at least provide that without being a determent the already established wonk culture. After all I think it would be extremely fun if wonks had their own special jewelry that hey they could teach a jewelry to know! Anyone can use this tree, and in hindsight it might very well help establish in character relationships. After all the purpose of the world itself it to help create roleplay. If lore team wishes to make any changes I am more than open to that. This is my first time suggesting lore for the server, and I am bound to have made mistakes.

I was looking back at old forum feuds and suddenly had a nostalgic feeling to try and find a lost Aegis map. Most of my efforts over the forums were to no avail, but apparently a quick search on the Google succeeded. Have fun exploring the past ? (Also might want to update this, https://files.lordofthecraft.net/maps/) [!] A Shaman performing a spirit walk through the lands of Aegis Krugmar

Terrapin This post was inspired by the Tortles race of D&D we would like your feedback on the race and maybe some adjustments and tips for the future. we couldn't fit in many pictures because of forum posts Reason for the post we don't have any kind of reptile race in lotc so we wanted to make one, and what's a better way than starting with some loving giant turtle people, _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Introduction to the Terrapin A lonely beach, with a single fire, crackling away, throwing uneven shadows across the sand. An old Razorback takes a deep breath as he places several skewered fish across the fire before speaking to his son in a deep yet soft voice. “Son, would you like to hear a story?” A short pause ensues as the elder looks out onto the darkened ocean, letting his mind wander back. “Of an old hero, long forgotten by texts yet remaining in our hearts?” The younger terrapin nodded eagerly, longing to hear another of his father’s stories, sitting down on the sand and giving him an expectant look. “It is of an old terrapin, leader of his tribe, back when we had no defined home, wandering from place to place. A strong yet wise, well-spoken chief. Wielding a staff handed down for many generations, along with the knowledge told by his elders, he leads his people through good and bad, pushing forward, no matter the odds for the well-being of our race” The elder Razorback brought out a pipe, filling it with tobacco and lighting it before taking a deep Puff. “Yakatoa was his name, a name that is remembered even today.” The youngling scrambled a bit closer, excited to hear the rest of his story, yet the elder took a short pause to turn the fish on the fire, a savoury aroma filling the nearby area. “Yet there was one obstacle he could not overcome.” The elder suddenly said, making the younger jump. “Some problems could not simply be overcome by sheer strength and dedication. A terrible famine struck, the land was barren and the trees bore no fruit, animals _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ History of the Terrapin In the olden days, terrapin would walk around the lands searching for food and shelter gathering together while they caught fish, ate fruits and made fires, becoming more civilized through the years, building their first houses after a short while. A few young and brave terrapin went on a scouting mission over the sea for several weeks. On their travel, they came across a beautiful piece of land full of beautiful flora and fauna, quickly returning home to give everyone the good news, deciding to follow them to this new land where the terrapin could be reborn and resettle for a new era. Terrapins are cool blooded, not being able to survive in the colder areas of the map, being scared of any mage with ice capabilities. Terrapin lives in all kinds of warm environments from beaches to deserts, yet they still needed to look out for the colder places of the land. As they couldn't stay in these places for a long time. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Religion and Culture Terrapin do not believe in gods, although they do believe that the spirits of their deceased ancestors will guide them. Terrapin come together every so often, putting aside their differences, to drink tea with each other and listen to the elders tell stories of the past, asking them questions and talking about the future of the clans. Elders are chosen by their experience and knowledge. A Terrapin can be as old as time and still know nothing, not becoming a chieftain in the progress. This only count for the flat shells and not for the razorbacks, who still follow their ancestors but in a different way like the orcs would do. Both races spend time sitting around with clan mates, drinking and feasting while listening to stories of their elders about their ancestors and spirits. Sometimes a Clan chief can be changed if both the old chieftain and the people agree, if this happens the next terrapin will be chosen to help and guide their people. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Terrapin Description Terrapin are humanoid tortoises. They walk upright with a ponderous, rolling gait. The creatures have leathery, reptilian skin and shells that cover their backs and bellies. An adult terrapin stands just above 6 feet tall but can not grow bigger than 7 feet and weighs between 700 and 900 pounds. Their hands comprise of three fingers, with long nails. Although being tough and resistant, terrapin move quite slowly and are less agile than most races. Despite their appearance, terrapin cannot breathe underwater and are horrible swimmers due to their weight. Terrapin have no hair, their skin can vary in colouration, from to shades of green to blue hues, red or even jet black, depending on the subrace. Their backshells are usually shinier and darker than their skin, while their front shells tend to be lighter. Terrapin are stocky, but most of their weight comes from their shells, so they tend to weigh the same throughout their adult lives. Terrapin rarely grow plump or skinny, any excess fat becoming a thin layer beneath the skin, giving it a more saggy appearance. Terrapins can only breed every 20 years making them the race with the longest wait time, they can produce 2 to 5 eggs every bale. Terrapin can age up to 800 years, getting a little more cloud headed around 700 years. Their bodies become more saggy and tougher at the age of 500 as their bodies begin become more worn out, taking a lot longer to do most of the activities they did before. An old terrapin will speak a lot slower as well taking a break after every few words. Red lines Terrapin can move in water, yet quite slowly and might have difficulty swimming. Do not RP terrapin as turtles, being able to quickly move in the water. Terrapin are not invincible as their shell will still break after a good few hits with a War hammer. Shells will bend as normal bones would if treated correctly, yet will leave large white marks as scarrings. Terrapin move slower than other races, at the same speeds as golems (Take two emotes for actions) _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Language Terrapin speech is slow and calm, rarely bear any aggression in their voices as they speak out. You can hear them stop every so often while they speak taking a deep breath or searching for a word deep in there mind before further in their sentences. Red lines In RP after every 6-7 words, you stop for a second putting dots where the pause begins. Something like ‘’Hello my name is ... Drazo” and so on. At the age of 500, their speech becomes slower, lowering to 3-4 words between pauses. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Subraces Razorbacks They are the most aggressive of all the Terrapin kinds and the proudest of the terrapin. Their shells are covered in sharp ridges and barbs and are often decorated in paints. The mouth of a razorback represents that of a beak having a sharp point on the top part and mostly having sharp edges around there face. Their skin mostly varies in darker colours such as dark reds, blacks, browns, and dark shades of purple and blue. The Razorbacks are a proud, honour-bound race. Their chief is selected through a gladiatorial match, where all those in the tribe come to watch or participate in. Whoever is left standing is the strongest in both mind and body and becomes the chief of the tribe. A Razorback typically does not bear a name until one is earned. When they finally earn a name, it is usually one describing them or a feat they have accomplished. Razorbacks are not known for practising magic, even being forbidden in some places, as they feel like it’s not an honourable way of combat. However, Razorbacks are fond of magical items as they are a sort of treasure to their tribe. Whoever has earned the title of the chief may wield the most powerful of weapons. Flat Shells These terrapins can be described as the kinder of the two, always helping those in need, being people who just want to enjoy a good cup of tea in the morning sun. But by saying this, this doesn't make them any less dangerous. Their shells are rounded, being smoother to the touch. Their skin mostly variates in the lighter colours englobing tones such as yellows, greens, oranges, and lighter shades of blue and red. The faces of these terrapins are rounded with soft edges. These terrapin are often seen relaxing on a beach, fishing or helping people out with their simple shores, a Flat Shell are known for there interest in magic being able to do things for them and protect those who they are dear. Contrary to the razorback, the flat shells elect their chief through experience, the wisest terrapin being elected to lead the tribe. Most of the Flat Shells will learn to Cook at a young age making all kinds of things from there days of fishing hunting and trading with the locals, Mostly enjoying these with strangers around a campfire. Red Lines When a razorback and a round shell have offspring, the type of shell inherited by the child will be random, for they DO NOT MIX. Same goes for the facial features. Razorbacks can bite and break any material as soft or softer than bones. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Terrapin Cooking book _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Common First Names and Clan Names Common Male: Plug, Dekott, Tu, Gzem, Kod, Tug, Unum, Wurog Common Female: Dappe, Sezle, Tem, Irte, Kia, Lelba, Gazuc, Tig Common Clan Names: Galu, Lanpansi, Brittleback, Rocksmith, Softshell, Flatbeaks _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Apparel Most terrapins wear some kind of pants, regardless of gender, as most of the clothes made by other races not being compatible to their unique body shape. Razorbacks often wear plates of armour and chainmail, making them even more resistant and quite fearsome in battle. Flat Shells, also often don armour if needed, but prefer to wear more loose clothes, using leather straps to carry around their goods. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Writers GodModeGolem ( https://www.lordofthecraft.net/profile/98769-godmodegolem/) Poppycon ( https://www.lordofthecraft.net/profile/98767-poppycon/) Art obtained from ( https://www.reddit.com/user/CuddlySupreme/ )

Origin/Backstory While working on a poison to fit his new creation, the Assassins Blade, Arkean finally found a combination that would work well with the new blades purpose in assassinations and in general combat. Description In short, Dragons Breath is a combination of Corvisange (a herb that can paralyze), Joker’s scum (a plant with a natural acid that can eat through flesh rather quickly), and Concentrated juices from a Desert Berry Bush (which is an extreme poison that will kill if too much is taken in). Its purpose is to paralyze the limb it is put into through the cut from the blade, spread the concentrated poison and cause sluggish movement, while slowly dissolve or eat through the flesh and bone around the area of the wound. Capabilities/effects The poison will slowly spread throughout the body and eventually kill the person if left untreated. if no medic is available, drink lots of water in hopes of diluting the poison in your system. The paralysis will slow down and weaken the targets movements and strikes though will dissipate with time. The acid will cause burns that will be extremely painful and can cause the loss of that limb if not washed off immediately with water. Weakness, nausea, poisoned, slowness, burning-to simulate the burning of acid and makes water actually important for this. curing this should it enter your system is simple: for the poison, simply drink an entire cauldron of water to dilute the poison in your system, then drink milk afterwards. The milk has special proteins to counter the diluted poison. for the acid, simply wash it off with water. the paralysis will fade with time, returning you to full strength and mobility when fully gone. Creation process/preparation Concentrated Desert Berry juice: Extract the juice from the plant carefully. Let juice sit for 24 hours in a cold enviroment then strain for any remaining chunks of stalk. Add sugar and put into a pot/cauldron and let it boil. put it into jars/bottles with a little bit of space at the top. let bottle sit in boiling water for 10 minutes. its now concentrated. Joker’s Scum: extract the juice with extreme caution! put in a bottle. Done. Mix the 2 together, add some water to dilute and cause an excruciatingly slow but extremely painful death. add it to the corvisange resin and mix well. once it is a decent consitancy put it into a bottle for storage, or put into the Assassins Blades’ poison well. Why am I so sadistic, and why it should be added This is for the use of assassins and fighters that want to ensure the death of their enemies. I took the time to find these ingredients and how to combine them into a decent poison/acid combination. Am I a bit sadistic with this creation? Maybe just a little, but it will be fun to see how well it does in an actual fight or assassination attempt.

The Seaglass Marvels of Aegrothond Greater and Lesser Renarias Many distinct cultures upon the Continent maintain traditions of craft which exist solely for the purposes of aesthetic beauty, and the realms of Aegrothond are no exception. While the crafty among the Houses of the Elder Blood may be known primarily for their skill with the smith’s hammer, and in the realms of metallurgy and gemcraft, the greater collective has developed an art which is far less utilitarian in nature, and pleases the eye with its colourful fashions. This art is known as the Mode of Renarion, or renarias in common parlance, after the elf who first promoted its use and caused it to become a mainstay in the cultural fabric of the Elves who dwelt in Aegrothond. In those early days, the seafaring Houses came into common contact with the vibrant stones made smooth by the rolling of the interminable Sea- and it was not long before the aforementioned master of stonecraft began to fit them into various craftworks of his own hand. The decoration of weaponry and other personal effects came first- but ere long it became common for the Households of Aegrothond to inlay their door-frames with intricate designs of seastone and shells which told tales of the Great Sea and the deeds of their forebears. It would be many years before these miniature artworks began to spread into the realm of what a modern observer would consider a “true” mosaic, and due to the difficulty of transportation very few have survived from those elder days. The first among them were placed around oblique menhir, standing-stones which lend themselves poorly to ship travel. In more modern days, the larger mosaics are generally placed upon a flat surface and framed with traditional stonework and carving. Lesser Renarias- The Art of a Seaward People Despite their somewhat diminishing name, “Lesser Renarias” are far more diverse than their “Greater” cousin, and a far larger body of the former exist in the modern time due to their smaller size. In most simple terms, the phrase refers to the practice of fitting small seastones into designs upon weapons, jewelry, furniture, door-frames, and standing structures of importance. Sometimes, these designs are as simple as three stones in a line- but the more extensive among them tend to depict stories and moral fables derived from history. The practice of door-frame renarias are particularly common, with most family homes possessing these stony artworks across and around their central portals- it is believed that such a practice was originally intended to ward off evil sea-borne spirits, but in modern days it is more directly a representation of familial pride. Though the process of creating such designs is varied, the basic methods centrally involve an adhesive agent derived from beeswax. This agent is applied to the carved sockets of the stones, alongside a powder of seashells- together, these components ensure that the stones will not come loose in time. Of course, inlays which need to withstand greater torsion forces and wear will commonly instead be applied with smithing techniques- a fine example of this is the sword-hilts crafted in the Forges of Aegrothond, which are usually inlaid with crimson and golden stones. A common decoration employing renarias in modern days is the depiction of spirits of the ocean, who are myriad and go by many names. These minor deities, and others of a similar nature, are atimes conflated into the realm of the Sea Goddess, who is a religious staple of the Almenodrim. An eldritch figure, she wields a mighty trident capable of calling down thunder and a driftwood crown which allows her to control the Sea itself. While her religion has been lost to time in large part, his influence remains. Greater Renarias- The Mosaics of Aegrothond By far the most famous and acclaimed version of the renarias tradition are the vast mosaics compiled by the citizens of Aegrothond in order to depict the great events and historical deeds accomplished by those that dwell within the bounds of the realm of the Free Elves. Without exception these marvels take several months to complete, and as a result they hold a very special place in the society of the free Principality- and most Elves of Aegrothond who have any skill with craftwork tend to attempt at least one in their lifetime. Some grand examples at the current capital, Caras Sylvadrim, are as follows: Edrahil and the Dragon Depicting the epic combat of Edrahil against the Dragon Ankar, who preyed on the Folk of the Mountains and the Wood in Aegnor’s day. This mosaic was created by Lord Cullas Sylvaeri, inspired by the then-recently discovered third part of the Lay of Aegrothond. It employs red granite stones along with some sandstone and silica fragments, which create the illusion of flame from the dragon’s maw. It is located in the library of Maehr’evar. Illynora Sylvaeri Depicting the legendary healing abilities of the first Princess of Aegrothond in the modern day, Lady Illynora Sylvaeri. The mosaic was also created by Lord Cullas Sylvaeri, to honour the passing of the great healer and to ensure her likeness would inspire others to continue along her path. It is crafted from petty-jade stones and malachite, as well as shale. It is located in the Houses of Healing, in Aegrothond. Sylvaen the Everflame Depicting the forefather of the House Sylvaeri and the first leader of the Almenodrim, who is featured prominently in the beginning chapters of the Lay of Aegrothond. This mosaic was created by Prince Belestram Sylvaeri in the early days of Arcas, but lost until Cullas performed a curation of all of the mosaics and restored it. It is crafted of granite, sandstone, obsidian, gold and red silica, and is located in the upper portions of Aegrothond which are often shut to travelers. A Mural of Kaer’s Fleet Depicting the seafaring ships of Kaer, forefather of the Kaeronin House and descendant of Aearon who was a son of Malin. The mosaic was created by Feanor Kaeronin to honour the ancestor and to try his hand at the creation of one of these marvels, at which he of course succeeded. It is made of various stones, primarily chert and shale, and is located near the upper portions of Aegrothond. Hamatsa, Spirit of Mercy Depicting the mani-god Hamatsa, which is highly regarded among the Almenodrim and considered a guardian of sailors and shipwrights. The mosaic was created by Illynora Sylvaeri, when Aegrothond was first settled, and was wrought of blue seaglass and basalt fragments. It is located outside the citadel, in a small eastward-facing crevasse. The Battle of the Gorge Depicting three comrades in defense of Aegrothond- Cullas, Azdal, and Jorvin- in their fight against a demonic tiger. This mosaic depicts a rather recent event, which occurred in Arcas during the early reign of Feanor I Flameborne. Crafted by Cullas Sylvaeri, it is located near the storehouses, behind the Inn. [To Be Added To]

HOUSE KAERONIN Basic History Kaer was born a long time ago to two elves who followed the prophet Larihei to the golden pools of yore. His Grandfather was a son of Malin by the name of Aearon, a brother of Sylvaen, he was a Mali loyal to the King of elves with an adventurous streak. Kaer and his Grandfather got along well despite the disapproval of his parents. The Young elf learned his respect for the ways of old from his fatherly Grandfather and admired him deeply for it. The day the news of Aearon’s passing reached the rash Kaer, it lead him down a path filled with distraught and the questioning of the meaning of what life could be or offer. He did what he saw was best to stay close to his beloved Grandfather. He privateered a ship and set sail over the waters his Aearon had loved so dearly. Over the years Kaer acquired a crew of elves alike to his ways, including a certain Elfess stunning in looks and cunning. He married an elven lady by the name of Onin, he loved her, and she loved him. There was no one more caring than her. With her they gave life to two sons and Kaer got swept up in his new life, continuing to explore the seas with his new family and kin. Decades had passed before eventually, Onin died. Pushed off the ship by the wind of storm in attempts to usher a crew-member inside for safety. Kaer was broken and for many a year hardly himself. Even when he remarried and had more children, he was never the same man as Onin once knew. Colder and without much joy in his passion. Kaer and all of his crew died. Atleast, that is what is assumed due to their sudden disappearance. His family had long since split, the younger Generation had built a ship of their own and set out to follow their own course. His bloodline remained strong and alive, setting sail to Atlas. Where their voyage ported, but never finished as the lines of Kaer exist to this very day. Residing within the halls of Aegrothond along the Almenodrim, follow Mali of the Sea. they are currently lead by Kailu Kaeroinin The Kaeronin and the Almenodrim The history of interaction between the Kaeronin and the Almenodrim is a long one with various encounters occurring. Once a large battle was fought between the two! The Kaeronin and Almenodrim did some cultural exchange over the many years between then and now but mostly they stayed clear of one another to avoid more bloodshed. That is until the Kaeronin’s arrived in the Dominion of Malin on Atlas, ready to instate there place. The Kaeronin then moved to old Aegrothond in Atlas for a safer home base. The Kaeronin in Arcas wandered for a small bit even creating their own charter by the name of Attica but they eventually found themselves in Aegrothond once again. RELIGION The Kaeran praise their ancestors and a handful of minor entities for their prior ways and deeds. They aim to roam free and follow their hearts to distant shores yet unknown. The Edge, the home of afterlife, where the souls of all Kaeran go and their voyages come to an end to live with those who had previously been brought there. There they live together as they wait for the Ferryman to bring more kin or sail them back to roam the world once more. The most important and influential ancestors are Kaer, Onin and Malin as well as Aearon. Some Kaeronin will follow other religions alongside this belief in their fore-fathers. Followers of the way of the Kaeronin named themselves ‘Kaeran’. Weaponry The Kaeronin do not have a common set of weapons, each Mali preferring their own. Though, reoccurring preferences tend to fall upon nimble blades such as Cutlasses or Sabres. Traditions/Customs 1.) Kaeronin are from day 1 thought to always follow their own path and live with the wind in their backs. If this path guides them to different shores compared to that of their direct family, so be it. It is expected all Kaeronin will support their kin in their voyage to their own life. 2.) The Kaeronin are a caring bunch. Prioritising family and close friends over the masses in any situation and often seek for ways to show their unity. (Such as common colours) 3.) One of the visual traditions of the Kaeronin is the red-beads they proudly wear within their hair. It serves to remind them of who they are, what they follow and what is important to them. 4.) Kaeronin more often than not seek to drown themselves in both physical and magical crafts and arts. From Sailing, Shipbuilding and Weapon Crafting to the Arts of Weapon-Wielding and Magic. 5.) Not as much a tradition as a cultural pass-over; Kaeronin often posses superiority complexes passed down from their founder, Kaer HOUSE RELICS Kaeronin Relics are far and few between. Plenty of tales run within the house, telling of these mythical objects, though none have yet been found. 1.) The Cutlass of Kaer and Aearon. A cutlass of fine elven make, forged by Aearon very long ago and passed down to Kaer to aid him on his journey. The supposed unending sharpness and controllability of this weapon would surpass the common blade by thousands. 2.) Onin’s Cloak. Though Onin was not of any traceable decent. Her love for her family solidified her importance to the Kaeronin only second to Kaer himself within Kaeronin history. Legend has it her cloak, soaked in blood from her death is still floating in the sea, not rotting and free of decay from so long in the salty brine. Special thanks to our lore writers Titanium430 0MN15514H _Fid_ Thank You ❤️ OOC Note

The Gorkil Warrior’s Arsenal “Zteel iz onleh az hozh az dah flezh dat wieldz it, but ah warriur ztill needz hiz toolz” - Mûrak’Gorkil The Philosophy on Armaments An Orc is born into the world with the gift of his race’s evolution and descendance from Krug to be naturally gifted killers. When thinking about an Orc, and their physical condition, they are closer to chimpanzees or gorillas, than Humans, in terms of strength. But even so, there are more beasts in the world that were born with even greater feats of natural, predisposed ability to take the lives of contesting prey. As such, a Blacksmith must look apon the Orc condition as the framework to a killing machine, then with a fine and precise tool, decide what must be added, and what must be protected. A sword, to many Orcs, must be massive, heavy and adorned with numerous spikes along it’s serrated edge. However, such a crude weapon gives little benefit in exchange for a clumsy and tiresome experience for the wielder. The rules of weaponry and armour must apply the same to a Gorkil as it does to the weaker races, who can’t rely on strength alone to keep them alive. Every ounce of steel, serrated spike or gap in the armour must have its purpose. Gorkil swords seem very similar to their Human counterparts, albeit Gorkil swords are proportionally sized to their strength, so that they are not too cumbersome, yet take advantage of being able to be longer. The same applies to armour. Breastplates are only as thick as is necessary to withstand the piercing of bows and crossbows. Helmets as enclosed as possible without causing too much restriction in the eye-sight of the wearer. When such a philosophy is carried out by an Orc, they become an almost unstoppable force of nature. Both physically gifted, and paired with fine-tuned weapons of war Common Weapon-types Military Weapons Shaatii, the Spear The weapon a Gorkil is first taught to use is the spear. Perhaps the most neglected weapon amongst Orcs and many races, however, it has been present amongst the entire duration of history. A spear is longer than the vast amount of weapons carried, far faster, capable of delivering fatal stab-wounds upon first incision, and can be paired with a shield. Such a weapon is most prevalent during hunts, where many beasts, such as Wyverns or Straadoths, may decapitate an Orc with one singular strike. To avoid such a quick demise, it is advised to remain at a distant, outside the beast’s attacking range. However, spears also make exceptionally well at piercing tough hides. If the spear-head is thin, even a Wyvern’s rough hide cannot resist the streamline metal piercing through, sethering arteries and tearing tendons. Poleluzk, the Poleaxe - Similar to the spear in use, a Poleaxe is granted to a Gorkil once they have grasped the fundamentals of using a Spear. With a spike on its head, an axe-head at the front and hammer-head on the back, it’s a highly diverse weapon, but requires more skill, and is best paired to a warrior when fully armoured. Due to the added affixes at the top of the weapon, it needs to be shorter so that its weight is not too far away from the wielder, thus meaning the wielder is then closer to the enemy, and more likely to be hit. Despite the set-back, however, the Poleluzk is often a display of a Gorkil’s prowess in combat. Shaatii-Luzk, the Halberd - Adopted after its use by many Human nations, the Halberd is a two-handed weapon, as long as most spears, but carry an in-wards angled axe-head underneath it’s spike. The weapon is best used on the battlefield, in a formation of Halberds to create an opposing formation that have the capability to both hold off and withstand an enemy for long periods of time, or cause heavy hitting strikes whilst standing at range to deal a surprising amount of casualties. It’s not entirely uncommon for a General to switch-out the use of Spears amongst the main force of his army to use Halberds, if the General believes the enemy will be fielding few archers, or if the General believes the enemy is most susceptible to being over-run and slaughtered in the battle. Leydzult, the Greatsword - Perhaps the rarest sword used by Gorkils that is still documented to be used, the Leydzult is chosen by very few Gorkils, and just as many are skilled in its use. It’s advantage lies within its size, and hitting power, however, such advantages are also gained in other two-handed weapons, but have less downsides. Many Gorkil commanders and strategists have debated over how a Leydzult should be used in battle, but perhaps the most prevalent is their ability to make big, scything swipes against spear or pike formations, batting the weaponry aside so that the opposing side may advance. Despite the weapon’s controversy and rarity, the Leydzult is still considered a noble and honourable sight. Representing the power and strength of the Orcish race, and it’s potential to cut a fighting warrior cleanly in-half during battle when in the hands of an Orc. Side-Arms Longzult, the Longsword - Every Gorkil should be armed well enough to defend himself, and his kin, at all times. Where-as a spear can be cumbersome to carry around during your daily tasks, a longsword can sit more comfortably on the hip. Compared to other sidearms, such as a single-handed axe or mace, the Longsword has impressive range, and is also very agile, whilst capable of delivering immediately fatal blows to foes. The weapon is very well balanced in all aspects a sword can be used for. Thrusting, cutting and even, in many longsword designs, piercing maille. A skilled Longswordsman with a longsword tapered well enough to pierce maille can defeat even a foe in full-plate, so long as they employ half-swording. Kurvedzult, the Saber - Instinctually, for many Orcs once adrenaline has taken over and the bloodlust has sunk in, the natural pre-disposition is to start start wailing and slicing at the opponent. Although such lack of skill and control over the bloodlust is frowned upon by Gorkils, it can be easier for some to use a weapon that emphasize cutting and slicing in it’s fighting style. Thanks to the curved edge of sabers, striking an opponent will cause the edge to slide even more along their body, and due to the curve, the edge of the sword lands with less surface-area. To anybody that knows about physics, something that is sharp, hits hard and has less surface area will pierce deeper than a normal sword with a flat edge, which has more surface area on impact. However, such emphasis and cutting power of sabers comes at the price of more difficult and restrictive stabbing. Depending on the curvature of a Saber, the wielder must angle the weapon at an angle in order to get a clean thrust, and even then, such an angle often makes the thrust less powerful, and make piercing the target more shallowly. The saber, to many Gorkils, is considered a more savage and ruthless weapon. Duf, the Knife - Carried by every Orc almost everywhere, a knife is highly useful in everday life. However, due to the philosophy of always being armed and ready for combat, many Gorkils carry knives that can be used in combat if necessary, or specialized to pierce chainmaille when grappling. A design for combat would be a Messer, a design created by Humans, or a stiletto, excellent at piercing chainmaille. Shakop, the Mace: A fairly uncommon sight amongst Gorkil warriors, the mace is purely designed for striking opponents in armour, or more particularly in the head. A poor choice for a main side-arm, however they can be useful if carried around with another weapon, like a sword, incase fighting an armoured opponent. When compared with the strength of an Orc, however, they can cause devastating blows, snapping bone, mashing flesh into a bloody pulp and caving-in skulls. The mace can also be affixed with sharp flanges surrounding it’s metal-globe, causing it’s force to be centralized on a small surface area, sometimes allowing it to deliver more force upon armoured targets, but more importantly, it also means when used on unarmed foes, the metal flanges may cause deep lacerations on the skin, almost as much as a sword. The Mace is the most crude and bestial of a Gorkil’s arsenal, however, it is often very prevalent amongst ritualistic killings. Ranged Weaponry O’Lig, the Bow - One of the most common ranged pieces of weaponry used by numerous races, an Orc can make far more effective use of it’s simple design. A highly experienced and trained archer may be able to use the Longbow, at most weighing around 110lbs in draw-weight. However, an Orc, far stronger, can pull 200lbs or more, making armours such as chainmail vulnerable to it’s use, aswell as the thick hides of numerous beasts. af-Shaatii, the Javelin - A common ranged weapon used by many infantry and cavalry forces in the Gorkil army, it can be thrown with tremendous power from an Orc, and with the right spear-tip, can pierce targets better than a bow, such as shields. If in desperate straights, it can also be used as a short spear, however the only downside having to carry it around, which is usually only done when expecting conflict. Flakas, the Sling - An ancient weapon, used before Orcs knew how to make bows and used in replacement of throwing rocks. The Sling, despite it’s crude and ancient origins is still an effective weapon when used by the right wielder on the correct target. With the power of an Orc, swinging around the slung rock, or even metal ball, it may be propelled with skull crushing and bone splintering force. An added benefit to the unlikely weapon is it’s incredibly easy to carry size and inconspicuous design. af-Pilik, Tomahawk - An uncommon weapon, only a select few Gorkils choose to carry one or more of these weapons. Ineffective against most armour, and even gambeson is most cases, the Tomahawk, or throwing axe, is a close-ranged throwing weapon that is optimized and specifically made to devastate unarmoured targets. This weapon, however, takes a long time to train with and is limited in it’s use. Krûklak, the Crossbow - A typically unfavoured ranged weapon, due to the fact it generally doesn’t benefit from Orcish size or strength, the Crossbow is still a choice for any Orc. It’s by far the easiest to aim, requiring a small amount of time to practise with and can be pre-loaded to be quickly and readily fired when it may be needed later. However, it suffers from a load and prep time that’s longer than the other forms of ranged weapon, and generally must be done when standing still. Light Armour kaal-Mau, Gambeson - The most common and easily accessible type of armour, many believe Gambeson to be only used by peasants, or that it is next to useless when protecting against weaponry. However, the tightly packed and thick layers of cotton or other fibers creates a very effective form of padding, and can often even restrict blows from Longswords completely, or make their damage on the body minimalized. Not only that, but they are highly effective when worn under another layer of armour, such as chainmaille, plate or even a leather jerkin. It is essential to all forms of warrior, from peasant to fully armoured veteran. horn-Mau, Leather - Typically a rare form of armour, due to its price and usefulness for other more important items, like boots, belts and gloves, it’s a much more common sight amongst Orcs who belong to Clans with it’s own Clan-beasts that have hides more sturdy than common cattle, aswell as going on many hunts against large beasts who may yield a large amount of highly durable leather. When standard cow leather is boiled, it’s durability is on par with standard gambeson, however it typically does not provide as much padding, making it less preferable against blunt weaponry. However, if a beast such as a Wyvern or Jabbernak is slain and skinned, it’s thick and dense leather can sometimes rival the strength of chainmaille. A skilled warrior often chooses such armour as a sign of his prowess. Medium Armour gaium-Mau, Chainmaille - One of the most common armour types used by a Gorkil, gaium-Mau is well-rounded in it’s protection, weight and mobility. Both scouts and warriors can put this armour to good use, paired with gambeson beneath to bring it to its peak potential. Many Gorkils do not increase the thickness of their rings to provide extra protection, but keep them at the same size of a Human’s. This gives them enough protection from most weapons, but makes the armour very light, making long-lasting combat much easier, and allowing the Gorkil to undergo a bloodlust in peak vigour. hiis-Mau, Scalemaille/Lamellar/Coat of Plates - Also called lamellar by some, scalemaille is less common than chainmaille, however it’s design of overlapping plates makes piercing more difficult, as weaponry must first slip through the plates at an awkward angle before passing through. Some instead make the overlapping less tight and compact, allowing more movement to grant the wearer less restriction, but makes penetrating the armour less difficult. More commonly worn by Warboar riders, the design is less heavy than chainmaille, although more-so because it cannot cover as many areas, such as the joints, and so thinner chainmaille is often worn beneath, or segments are wrapped around exposed areas. What truly makes scalemaille popular, however, is due to cockatrice scales. Usually a task of great undertaking and difficulty, elite Gorkil warriors will track down the dangerous beast and slay it on a hunt, collecting each scale from it’s large corpse to make 2 or 3 sets of complete cockatrice scalemaille. Due to how lightweight the scales are, whilst retaining the strength of iron, a Gorkil Warrior with a set of cockatrice scalemaille is a fast, explosive and durable combatant on the field, capable of sustained pro-active combat, or riding with the fastest of the Warboar vanguard. Heavy Armour goth-Mau, Plate Armour - The most expensive, yet most protective armour any could buy. First made by the other races, it’s highly effective design was quickly adopted by the blacksmiths of Clan Gorkil, and serve as a great deed in the name of Azog upon being forged. Such all-encompassing armour slung over the body of an Orc creates an extremely powerful entity of war, and its use is regularly employed. uf-Mau, Bone Armour- Perhaps the rarest type of armour, this armour is primarily and most commonly ceremonial and used as a form of outfit, usually to show of the wearer’s skill in bringing down as many beasts as they would need to in order to make the armour. However, the rare few, often mad or obsessed with the hunt, wear bone armour for combat. In these instances, it’s usually from beasts with bones renown for their strength, such as Wyverns. Since it is bone, it regularly needs to be treated with oils and kept in the right conditions so it does not dry out and become too brittle.

Metztli The Daemon of Time “What was time? Before seconds or minutes came to be, how could they have defined When? Simply not. There was no when or past, present or future. Not even sure if it even went forward or in reverse. Did any time even pass before my existence?” A tall, slim feminine figure pondered as she watched the silver glow of her everlasting creation. As she touched the water of the endless stream with her gloved fingers, the water began to display a series of various events. The woman in white was entirely covered so no physical attribute was to be shown of her. A pure white dress with gloves that reaching her upper arms. She wore a hood to hide her physical face in her own realm. Similar to how her river flows, she shift her appearance at will, depending on whom she visited. The race representing the container she would form herself to fill. Here in her own realm, there is no form to take. Here, however, her true form cannot be hidden. Her actual form represented the physical and sentient passing of time. A feature that when mortals laid eyes upon, would drive their minds to insanity. Her attire, beautifully decorated by the white fur of animals, what a diva she was. From behind the darkness she watched the image sequence play out. She watched how the Descendants were at war, how some lived in peace, how some gained magic or accomplished heroic deeds, it gave her a sense of satisfaction as well as fear. . She watched as Descendants had families. Brothers and sisters playing, wives caring for their babies, men working hard on the fields. Slowly, a more negative feeling came to stir within her. She watched how the Descendants worshipped their gods and brought them their sacrifices. The feeling was jealousy. It rose within her akin to a tsunami when she watched the worshipping beings. The descendants worshipped the ones who created them, gave them life, but not worship the one who maintains their world to move forward. As time is not a stable phenomenon, she was envious towards the Descendants. Her work went unnoticed, how she prevented time from going in any direction. She watched the Descendants live their lives in their world… Sigil Origin Metztli is believed to be born when the first second was able to be registered. When time began to move so did Metztli. Metztli is the one who maintains the timeline of the mortal realm. It is her passion to take care of it however watching scenery that has happened in the past with the Descendant races can frighten, make her pity or angry as she cannot fully comprehend the actions or actions enforced by the Descendant’s curses. Regardless of those emotions towards the Descendants, she becomes jealous quickly of not being worshipped as others are for her work. This is in combination with their actions gave her motivation to create a better race that would follow her and repair the world alongside her. They would be the better race without a curse to influence them, they would worship her and satisfy her desire, they would help her maintain the timeline and hopefully help in maintaining the mortal realm itself. Her task As for time, time is definitely not a stable something as it can go in any direction it can choose. It is a wobbly concept and if not maintained, has the potential to stir the world into chaos. Time as we know it goes forward and has special measurements to indicate when what happened. Time is unstable and so it is possible for time on certain places to stop, move forward or backward. Here, time no longer follows the standard laws that we know. The Daemon of Time is what makes it go forward at a constant pace and who fixes it when a time anomaly shows up. However, the endless river that is the timeline she creates is sometimes hard to fully oversee. Especially when it is possible to be easily manipulated. As to why the gift of her magic will also bestow helping her with the maintenance of the timeline. Realm of Desa The home and realm of the Deamon of time. The realm of Desa. The realm is an eternal jungle. When her followers and children die, they have the option to live with her in their afterlife. They form the stars on the eternal night sky in the realm. they can come down from those stars to interact with Metztli, interact with each other or tend the river with her. The realm possess one important element. Through the realm, an endless silver-colored river flows. The river has no subtle waves, a peaceful stream that moves forth calmly with an almost flat surface. The stars giving the river its glow as the river is the representation of the mortal realm’s timeline. It came to be when Metztli and the concept of time were born and clocks were able to tick. The birth of time is represented at the beginning of the river as it also the source of all the water in the river. A waterfall that drops from a cloud of mist surrounding the beginning of the stream. Metztli takes care and sails on this river. With every second that passes in the concept of time, the river grows another inch. Metztli resides on an ominous, ship made out of birch and named Meva. Her ship is slowly pushed by the calm current. On the edge of where the river still grows and the bow of the ship sails is where the vessel itself carves a path which the river shall follow. Metztli is able to steer the instrument and uses it to carve the future. This way, Metztli weaves the timeline of the mortals through her own realm where she can tend to it. With a simple touch on the surface, she can let the water show any past events she wishes to see since all history is stored within the stream. The river’s current should move at the same speed at all time so it is equal to one second passing by. It can occur that somewhere on the river these currents can change as time begins to diverge. This means that in the mortal realm time anomalies pop up. On the river in Desa, these are also represented. The time anomaly can be identified by for example on how fast the current on the spot moves, stands still, reverses, splits off, or suddenly drop down all have an effect on how the anomaly works in the mortal realm. Creation of Kharajyr Those later known as her children. The Kharajyr who she saw fit for the position. She wished to create a better race who would value the beauty of nature and and see the importance of the world in balance but also possess emotions and devotion to her and others. So said, the Daemon entered the mortal realm to create her new master race. Her ability of taking the physical shape of a race helped her greatly. This way, she deceived many Descendants. For she would take on the form of a female variation of the individual focused on. At first, she searched the land for worthy candidates to give conscience to. She found a pack of primates within the jungle. She unlocked the mind of Hou-shen and made the creature sentient. She gave him a crown of jade and the ability to give sentience to all the other primates within the jungle of Asul. However it was Hou-shen who got worshipped and not Metztli for her deed. They began to detest her and in return, any memory of their creation by her was wiped from their memories. Leaving the race with an unending anger for their creator. As the Hou turned their backs to Metztli and left, Metztli continued to experiment. She began to walk among mortals as she gathered intel where to gain her subjects. From that, she kidnapped elven children from their cribs and conducted experiments with the cubs of the ocelot, resulting in hundreds of failed creatures. Then one, of the thousand failures, stood out to her as her perfect being. A humanoid and feline creature with spotless white fur. From this, she wanted more however could not recreate this creature. As a result, she created 4 subraces that could bring forth new generations. However, she was not yet ready to let the world of Descendants see her creation. She did truly treasure the race she had created. She also feared as they were so different from the descendants and were meant for a greater purpose, to which the rest of the mortals that roamed the realm were not ready for, yet. She kept her creations on an island far away where they grew, prospered and through Metztli’s signs, came to know for what they were destined to become. The sign of white fur was nothing but a mere coincidence but such rarity of fur color was praised by the Kha which more or less led to a misunderstanding that those born with white fur, were actually a messenger from Metztli. This was not the case however. The race that she had created satisfied her desires and became something she did not wish to leave this world. She became attached to them giving her the worship she always wanted and as return guided them for the possibility of having a better purpose, assisting her maintaining time and her own creation. However one day, the ego of her creations’ led to their paradise’s demise. She hurled them from their paradise and threw them in the harsh world. As both punishment for neglecting her and showing a frowned upon behaviour. Following Metztli is tasked with the important duty of maintaining the flow of time, for which she does not get the recognition she desires. This makes her more jealous of the fact that other ethereal beings get worshipped instead of her, even though she believes that her task is one of the most important ones. This jealousy is furthered as she has watched countless wars and catastrophic events caused by the Descendants, along with the suffering of their curses. This is what gives her the motivation to create a better race to her own design and a potential group following her ways. To earn her gift to be bestowed upon you, you are not required to be a Kharajyr yourself. The followers who have her magic bestowed upon them are also given the duties of helping her maintain time. However, Metztli becomes jealous quickly due to her desire of being worshipped. As a result, her followers have strict rules of giving sacrifices and only are allowed to worship and follow her religion. Those who break these rules would be stripped of their power as well as not given a place in her realm to accompany her. This goes for all worshipers of Metztli. Present day To this day, Metztli spends her time on the river and giving guidance to her followers as se bathes in the praise she has wished for so long. She is stuck with her eternal duties of tending to the timeline. She is sometimes obligated to enter the mortal realm to handle time anomalies as they are too far out of control to contain in her own realm.

Origin: The creation of this instrument follows suit, The Amber Cold of 1740 was upon the land of Arcas. Tinkering in his little cave abode, Goilard Costa Olivera the Second, alongside his manservant, created what he would call “The Accordion”. Months prior to this, Goilard had been researching and brainstorming ideas on how to make a new instrument. Being a Bard and a musician, his love for the piano heavily influenced his creation. The idea was to create a sort of portable piano, but also not making it a piano at all. When Goilard drafted up the plans on a strip of leather, he brought it to the trade master of Sutica, Mr. Uialben. Once the plans were explained, Mr. Uialben gave a gracious donation of 100 minas for the creation of this new instrument. Appearance: This portable instrument has two almost circular wooden disks being held together by what looks like the folding part of a fire bellow. Embedded in one disk is a miniature piano. On the other disk is several small buttons laid in a few rows and a hand strap. The size is around that of an orc’s skull and can fit comfortably on the lap or in the hands of a regular-sized male highlander ((It resembles more of a concertina, which still falls under the category of an accordion. Sound: The small instrument gives off a rich, reedy, and organ-like sound unlike any of its time. Its sound can envoke emotions of happiness and glee, making the player seem more charming. Purpose (OOC): I have been on LOTC for a long time now and I have never heard or seen someone with an accordion and I have not found 1 post of anyone actually inventing it. I also thought this would add more character to my Bard if he made/played a new instrument. If someone claims to have had an accordion before this post I do not discredit them, this is just an official unofficial post.

There was a poet known only as “The Mad Poet.” He lived a hermit life where his only friend had died years before the disappearance. Last seen he was with Ryia Von Savoia-Dalivous' on his way to Helena when he disappeared. He had willed everything to her, as he knew not many other acquaintances. When he disappeared Ryia looked for a bit but found no trace. It was as if this masked poet of an unknown name had disappeared. His home had seen no use in the years, in fact, it seemed abandoned until he willed it to Ryia, where the first layer of dust finally rose. He has a memorial for all those who want to pay their respects, far from any other places in the wildlands. It is said that the gifts put there disappear, this could be a thief or the mad poet back from the dead. The coordinates of his memorial are -2312 / 41 / -388. What does the memorial service, one might ask? Well, The Mad Poet is said to have a long history, once a soldier, a jester, a spy, and many other things, countless deeds, most bad of course.

Portrait of Princess Karina Sofiya Alimar A portrait of the little Princess Karina at her young ages Oil in canvas, 120cm x 80cm Painted by Darius Morgrain Whisperhood, New Reza, 24th The Grand Harvest, 1740. - Come visit my workshop at New Reza, Blackstreet IV -

Material Name and Description (Raw form) There is no raw form of the Rooted Ingot, it is an ingot (iron ingot as item) that is not found in nature but has strong roots in nature. The ingot is unstable and therefore has unknown effects on the user, even though non-druids can use it, people with a lesser connection to nature tend to experience bigger side-effects. These effects only appear if the ingot is unused, therefore it becomes (more) stable when it is used for making tools or other crafts of the smith. It is not obtainable by any entity that has a bad connection with nature. This connection is not to be confused with how that person is connected with the order, be it friend or foe, but with nature itself. The side-effects when used by such creatures are lethal, be it instant or over time. Applications (Raw Form) The ingot is unstable, therefore it requires a bigger amount to become more stable. One ingot is highly unstable, but when forged into a tool the stability increases due to the cooperation of the ingots and perhaps the wood used for tools. The ingot itself is used for the creation of tools and armour, but the capabilities of these items differ. The ingots should never be used for anything but the creation of armours, tools and weapons for it is a valuable and sacred ingot. All those who do not obey this will be seen as unworthy by nature, and will therefore not be able to use the ingots ever again in their craft. (e.g. if you make bars, doors, levers etc. from the ingot it is seen as non-rp and a disgrace and therefore it can not be used again for future purposes) Red Lines (Raw Form) The ingot can not be used for other crafting than armours, tools, weapons and other direct utilisations (runes, magic and talisman work too). Harvesting Method The ingot is crafted using a special recipe, the recipe is unknown to all but their inventor Xergarok (more below) but anyone can craft it. There are just some requirements. The Druid’s Silver is an item made by an unexperienced wannabe-druid. That being said, the ingot has to be made in the Grove, for the creation requires the druidic aura’s present there. Secondly, one must know about the various plants existing and the Aspects. All basic druid knowledge should be known. This is the custom lore on which the creation is based: Trying to make a connection with nature through meditation (following the neo-druistic lore written by Salmon Druid Petyr), I try to make an unstable connection with the nature reagents I gather (plants etc, roots, flowers), using the druidic aura present in the Grove because I have no ability to conjur anything myself yet. I then bind the plants to a normal piece of metal in the forge present in the Grove. After the process, I forge it into various nature-bound items. MC Presentation: Rooted Ingot This ingot has been infused with materialised nature under the form of plants and herbs. During the process of implementing these herbs into the body of a normal iron ingot, the druidic aura present only in the heart of druidic activity is constantly present. The ingot is highly unstable due to the nature of nature itself, constantly moving and unpredictable. The ingot is slightly more heavy than a normal iron ingot due to the increased mass as a result of adding the herbs which might differ in weight. Those who fail to make a higher connection with nature will bear the consequences of trying to craft this ingot. Those who do not follow the ways of nature will follow the consequences. The ingot is known for being inventive, regenerative and ever changing, giving items crafted with it the same abilities. Harvesting Red Lines / Purpose (OOC) I am a wannabe-druid. The path to become a full fetched druid is long and hard and requires a lot of work. I thought it a niece piece of lore where a rookie tries to experiment with nature and craftmanship. The idea of adding this ingot is to add something which gives a different result when being used in crafting, adds the Aspects more to the world of the items rather than being purely ‘role-play’ and matters of belief and words. I also liked the idea of making it bound to the Grove, which might increase activity there due to the so-called aura’s present (I didn't invent those so thatsfun.)

Hunters of Blood and Flame Followers of the Sanguine Fire Since the birth of the Creed, it has remained an unknown and quiet addition to the culture of Mali’ame and Druids alike. Its teachings reserved only for those who were thought to be wild in their heart and strong of body. That changes now with the creation of this group, our ways becoming open to any who seek to learn the ways of the Sanguine Fire. As the ways of the Creed say, those who follow it are the apex predators and guardians in the Wild. They hunt the corrupt and tainted of the natural world and cut them out, they purify the debris left behind through blood and fire, and they do it all with the very spirit of a Mani in their souls. The Hunters and Warriors Devout Followers of the creed who show their devotion to the Wild Gods through hunts and battle alike. Typically found in the professions of bounty hunting and tests of battle prowess in the ongoing effort of collecting trophies and adding onto their lists of grand testaments. They are not hard to pick out in a crowd due to the common theme surrounding Sanguine dress and armor. Usually found in padded and studded leather or half-plate, covered in trophies and adornments. Another giveaway is the crimson daubs of paint (or perhaps blood) marked upon their varied armor pieces. Heralds of Blood-Fire The Heralds are the attuned druii of the Creed, wielders of kuila-infused black ferrum weaponry and natural communion with the most wild places in the world. Their duties are mostly the same as the Devoted, spending much of their time as hunters and warriors, only with a more spiritual connotation added to their work along with the added duties of watching the Balance constantly before leading the Devoted to purge any taint threatening its sanctity. The Heralds also act as guides for the rest of the devoted Sanguine. There are only ever allowed seven Heralds within the Creed, for too many may cause an imbalance in the strength of the Sanguine just as too many predators tilt the natural life in the wild. When a place opens up in the Heralds, a current Herald takes on a student from the devoted Sanguine to be taught. Current Heralds The Leopard The Raven The Fledglings The uninitiated of the Creed are those not yet tested by the Wild Gods, and thus have yet earned the right to their Sanguine armor and weaponry. They are encouraged to accompany the initiated and the Heralds on their hunts in hopes of being tested. Once tested, the Heralds will decide whether or not the Fledgling has earned their place among the rest of the Sanguine. OOC This group is essentially mandalorian druids. Bounty Hunting, Taint purging, a lot of event seeking and RP! If you want to join the Creed of the Sanguine Fire, come to Irrinor and seek out Miklaeil or Layla Arvellon IRP! IGNs are ThumperJack_ and Numirya!

Portrait of Bo’rok Bo’rok the gentle ogre Oil in canvas, 90cm x 60cm Painted by Darius Morgrain Whisperhood, New Reza, 6th Malin’s Welcome, 1738. - Come visit my workshop at New Reza, Blackstreet IV -

Portrait of Vladrick Barbanov Alimar His Serene Highness, Rickard Heinrik, Black prince of Rubern, Sovereign Protector of the Riverlands, Before the siege of Krugmar circa, 1737 Oil in canvas, 120cm x 80cm Painted by Darius Morgrain Whisperhood, New Reza, 6th Snow’s Maiden, 1738. - Come visit my workshop at New Reza, Blackstreet IV -

When This knife comprised of any kind of pie, pumpkin, strawberry, cake, egg, poop, urin, wood, silver, gold, live ferrets, live bears, live owls, live cats, live bats, a bat, a bear, a cat, or even a blueberry pie, touches a living thing, then that thing will be consumed by the pie and turn the pie into a pie shortsword, then a pie sword, then a pie longsword, then a pie greatsword, then a pie. all with the same properies, except for the pie, which is just a normal cow pie. (pile of cow poop)

The provincial arms of Rubern. Name of Settlement: Province of Rubern Peak Times: Any time between 12PM to 10PM (EST) Population Density: The town of Rubern proper consists of a mostly human populace, with much of that human majority comprising of Highlanders, with a small community of Heartlanders and Farfolk. Brief Description: The Province of Rubern was established via a pact forged between Prince Vladrick Barbanov-Alimar and the Black Reiter Company; the latter swearing fealty to Prince Vladrick in exchange for safe harbor. Where they once served as a mercenary company of global repute, they have since become the elite household guard for the Prince of Rubern. Upon the Ruber River, they established themselves upon the ruins of Leuven, decimated in the aftermath of the War of the Two Emperors. Once a lawless and scarce land, the Prince’s retainers have transformed the territory into a land of prosperity, centered around the newly-erected and flourishing settlement of Rubern proper. The Province of Rubern has described to be a land of opportunity, inhabited by free men who share a common value - to strike out on their arm, and make their own fortune through toil and hardwork. The Province encourages all craftsmen, soldiers-for-hire, and wanderers alike to settle upon the Ruber River and set up shop. Furthermore, any and all citizens are welcome to put themselves forward as aldermen, where they may serve as representatives for their respective guilds or communities. This allows the common man a voice in governing body of the Province; the Duma. Together, under the guidance of the Prince and the Duma, the Province optimistically looks forward to the future. Key Figures and People of Assistance: The Prince and Princess-Consort His Highness, Vladrick Barbanov-Alimar, Prince of Rubern The Prince of Rubern rules the Province of Rubern, delegating tasks to various subordinates to ensure the stability, prosperity, safety, and smooth inner workings of the Town of Rubern and its outlying territories. Her Highness, Ester, Princess of Rubern Lord Chancellor Lord Simon Basrid, Lord Chancellor of Rubern The Lord Chancellor of Rubern is often referred to as the Hand of the Prince; charged with conducting diplomacy and many of the Prince’s most sensitive tasks. Lord Commander Brutus Morr, Lord Commander of Rubern The Lord Commander of Rubern maintains and commands the Black Army of Rubern. The Lord Commander or any of his subordinate captains may be contacted for any able-bodied man or woman looking to serve in His Highness’s Armed Forces. Maer Bailiff Cassian Turo, Maer-Bailiff of Rubern The Maer-Bailiff oversees much of the business transaction and inner workings of the town of Rubern proper - keeping a detailed ledger of property sales, tax, and overseeing the roster of designated stewards. The Maer-Bailiff may be contacted for any inquiries within the settlement’s walls. Stewards Edwin Brooks, Alderman and Steward Yaroslav, Stablemaster and Steward Thondor the Younger, Steward The Stewards may be contacted for any person looking to purchase property within the city, including houses, permits for stalls, and farming plots. Directions: The town of Rubern may be found at the crossroads between the metropolitan hubs of Reza, Ves, and Helena, along the River Ruber. The front gate of Rubern may be found at [X: -144, Y: -1540]