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HAESENI PEOPLE THE HANSO-RAEV CRUCIBLE VE EDLERVIK TABLE OF CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION II. HISTORY III. PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS IV. WAY OF LIFE V. RELIGION VI. LANGUAGE VII. MONARCHS OF HAENSE VIII. NOTABLE INDIVIDUALS I - INTRODUCTION A BRIEF SUMMARY The Haensic people (also known as Haeseni, Haensetians, or Edlervik in their native Naumariav) are the national and ethnic natives of the Kingdom of Haense, one of the only autonomous highlander states in existence. Their identity can be traced to the waning end of Schismatic Wars in the late 1400s, where the recently-conquered Hansetians were subjugated to Raevir governors and ruling elite. The ethnonym and national name ‘Haeseni’ and ‘Haense’ comes from the canonical city Hanseh, the capital of Saint Joren’s realm and its successor states. Historically, the considered ‘beginning date’ of the Haeseni is usually the coronation of Petyr Barbanov in 1579 to the thrones of Hanseti and Ruska, soon being shortened to Haense in vernacular lingo, though the process of cultural infusion of the lords and commoners started much earlier. Throughout the years prior, Botch was phased out in favor of languages either in Flexio or Marian, and to maintain order in the provinces, the upper class adopted Hansetian customs and legal systems, and especially following the disastrous War of the Ducal Confederation of the late 1510s, began to associate themselves as natives rather than Raevir settlers. As noted by John Macdonough in the 1560s, ‘... when you enter the halls of the crow lords, it is almost baffling to gaze at Sigismund and King Mark sharing motifs, and how no man would ever admit to having more Rusk than Marian in their blood.’ The military remained dominated by the Raevir, and it remained the most stubborn to hansetification, and the nation maintained the unique cavalry traditions and hierarchy, though in recent years the modernist reforms of the heartlands have trickled in. The upper class specifically also maintains a heavy precedence on Karovic lineage and Sigismundic decent, keeping many of the classical clan institutions of its ancestors, albeit more formalized and generally for ceremonial purposes. --- NOTE ON ETYMOLOGY The most common demonym in referring to the culture is ‘Haeseni’, especially popular vernacularly, and ‘Haensetian’. However, the latter has caused confusion among historians, with only a letter difference between ‘Hansetian’ and ‘Haensetian’. In most writings, it is common to see Haensetians referred to as “Haeseni” or “Haensic people”, in order to mitigate this confusion. “Edlervik” is used in Naumariav to refer to Haensetians, transliterating into ‘the Edel folk’. Other, rarer demonyms, include “Hanso-Raevir” (made popular by the writings of Stanimar van Rytsborg at the beginning of the sixteenth century), “Edelites” in reference to the canonical city of Edel, or “Haensian” which is more popular by southern writers and authors. --- PLAYING A HAESENI CHARACTER | OOC There are no special requirements in making a Haeseni and is especially encouraged when playing in the Haense player base. This guide will (hopefully) help you in making such a character and give more flair in roleplaying your character. However, every character is different! Nothing on here is set in stone, and you may act as you wish. This culture is not some ancient people deriving back thousands of years, but an organic population founded almost entirely through roleplayed events and history. Everything is subject to change and it is our belief everyone can add their own little bit to this evolving culture. II - HISTORY OVAREVED SENOEHR AND THE NORTHERN QUESTION [1491-1578] Most historians consider the foundation of Haense at the first settlement of Raevir in Hanseti- namely in Ayr, Hiebenhall, and Drakenborg- during the waning years of the Schism War in the 1490s, when the Kingdom of Aesterwald began to crumble and kossak bands took control of a vast majority of the country-side. Vanderfell itself, the capital of Aesterwald, would fall in 1492 to officially end the Schism War, and in its remnants a puppet state was formed under a Hansetian governor known as Otto Heinzreich. However, the nobility was almost completely replaced by newly arrived Raevir lords, such as the Barbanovs and the Kovachevs, and eventually Otto Heinzreich would be later succeeded by a raev himself, Karl Barbanov. Karl reorganized the state, forming a true ducal realm, and it was decided to be called ‘Haense’, after ‘Hanseh’, from the biblical name of the Joren’s first and capital city during his conquests of the northmen. Karl therefore became the first ‘Duke of Haense’, a title which has suck upon the Barbanov familial holdings for generations. In these early years, the focus was the Third Human-Dwarf War, and the Duchy of Haense became a warzone. Scattered throughout former Waldenian realm lied numerous dwarven outposts, and control of the mining and lumber industries became vital to both side’s war efforts. Famous battles include the Siege of Drakenborg and Karl’s Capture of Hiebenhall, which marked the end of dwarven occupation in the highlander realm. Hiebenhall was reconstructed into Siegrad, the first de jure capital of a Haeseni realm, and it prospered to trade on the rivers. Shortly after war ended, Karl launched new attacks upon the pagans deep in the hinterlands, pushing many out of the region (including future pagan settlers on the isle of Avar). Karl died in the Great Worm Attack of 1518, and the duchy continued into a regency led by the Hansetian Tarcell Othaman. The War of the Ducal Coalition went into full swing following the Wett Massacre, and regent Tarcell declared for Duke Hugo Sarkozic in his bid for kingship. For majority of the war Tarcell remained near Haense, defending against numerous attempts at an invasion. Karl’s son Siguine reached of age near the middle of the war, and when Hugo died mere months after his fourteenth nameday, he was elected the Duke of Adria and Lord Paramount of the Coalition. Many Haeseni soldiers followed Siguine south to Brelus, where Siguine suffered defeats both at the Blackwald then Barrowyk. Brelus soon after was sacked and destroyed by royalist forces, and the Ducal Coalition admitted surrender the following day. Despite this, Tarcell remained stubborn in rebellion and continued to be defiant till his untimely death a year after in 1522. The Haeseni soldiers, now without a leader, fell quickly to an Orenian company led by the northman Jan Kovachev, who later was granted a fair majority of Haense’s ducal lands. This status quo did not remain long, however, and the Horen Restoration in 1526 saw Haense once again reorganized into the rump state of Carnatia, given to the Sarkozic-claimant Otto Sarkozic. The imperial reformation founded a sense of calmness in the land, but soon it once again came to disorder. Throughout previous empires, there has been at least one form of autonomous highlander state, and many looked who it would be led by. The hinterlands during this were split three-way- Carnatia, the heartlander-controlled Courland, and the Horen principality of Alamar. The Duke of Carnatia and Viscount of Alamar came to an agreement known as the Sigismund’s Day Compromise, to form an autonomous realm with the emperor as king. However, they did not include the Duke of Courland, and the proposed government never came to be. The Eighteen Years’ War stretched a good majority of this time, which gained the mixed Raevir-Hansetian Carnatians a military tradition. Two of the war’s most famous commanders, Jan Kovachev and Josef Vladov, came from their ilk. The Capture of Avar under Josef Vladov was also a celebrated success in Carnatia, and the company known as the Carnatian Hussar gained rapid fame throughout the imperial army. What became now known as ‘the Northern Question’ ripped apart relations between the two power-houses of the hinterlands, Haense and Courland. The return of the Barbanov-claimant Petyr to Carnatia and the Duke of Courland’s illegal seizure of Kraken’s Watch (a fief owned by the Vanir family) sparked the bloody Riga War. Command was given to Petyr Barbanov, supported by talented commanders such as Jan Kovachev, Fiske Vanir, and the later Palatine Rickard Barrow. The war ended in a Haeseni victory at the Sacking of Riga in 1564. Petyr look the position of Lord Governor of the North by the imperial government, and he helped lead the pacification of the Krajian Rebellion from 1565 to 1576. Haense’s most famous victories during the entirety of the Anarchy include the Sacking of Riga, which ended the Riga War, the Battle of Krajia in 1570, raiding and looting the de facto capital of the hetmans, and the Standoff at Eroch River, where Rickard Barrow bravely saved the imperial crown prince. Only two years after the submission of the hetmans, Petyr was granted the crowns of both Hanseti and Ruska, to which he called after his ducal seat: ‘Haense’. Historians consider this the founding moments of what is to be the ‘Haeseni people’, a culture that is not wholly Raevir or Hansetian. --- THE FIRST REGIME [1578-1603] With now total legal control over most of the hinterlands, Haense expanded immensely. New fortifications, villages, cities, and estates sprang up overnight. Marian was adopted as the official tongue of the nation (though Raev Iliyric was still used in rare occasions). Karlsborg was constructed as a planned city under the direction of Rickard Barrow, designated to be a true Haeseni royal capital. He also designed the palace of Ottostadt, the first home of the royal family. Petyr only ruled for four years, and though it was a large blow to the nation, his popular son Andrik II took the throne. Haense continued to blossom and thrive, its population boomed, and its culture thrived. In 1585, Andrik II was supposedly disrespected by the reigning emperor at the time, John IV. In rage, he killed the emperor, then fled north to commence the short-lived Deep Cold Uprising. It ended quickly in 1586 by a pro-Imperialist faction led by Sergey Kovachev, the Duke of Carnatia, and he forced Andrik II to abdicate to his infant son Marius. Andrik was later captured by the veterans of the Carnatian Hussar, and he was boiled in milk by the insane emperor Philip. Andrik’s brother and Marius’ uncle Karl Sigmar took power as regent, and unlike his father and elder brother, he could not rally the nobility behind him. His centralization efforts with the military was an intense struggle, and numerous lords were placed in power due to personal relations with the monarchy rather than true talent. By Marius’ accession as king in 1598, the nobility forced him out of court. The nobility of the time was controlled by two main factions- the Sergeyists and the Andrivists, who quarreled for control. A small royalist faction under Stefan Bihar and later Lukas Vanir existed, though it struggled to keep the peace maintained between both sides. Throughout all the political turmoil, Haeseni culture continued into its golden age, producing countless works and the creation of the first proper Haeseni language, known as New Marian. Marius attempted nationalization of his country, and he reached some success, and continued the vast effort of colonizing the Haeseni hinterlands. He founded countless cities, roads, and forts, though majority soon after left abandoned following the coming war. A few short rebellions, such as the Brawn Rebellion in 1600, but the nation resumed a tenuous peace. To the south, the empire had fallen to the Coalition Wars, and was divided amongst the ruling warlords. Due to multiple diplomatic blunder, include the Haeseni councilor Diedrik Barrow’s murder of one of their princes entered Haense into the First Northern War. The military of Haense at this was disorganized and weak, the blunder of Branimar Vanir’s command taken its toll. Both at the battles of Elba and Vasiland, Haense experienced bloody defeat, and soon the monarchy of Marius left in exile to an allied court. --- GREYSPINE REBELLION AND THE RESTORATION [1603-1655] The loss of the nation is perhaps one of the greatest forces which bonded the now divided Haeseni people, when occupied by Heartlander warlords. Much of the nobility fled to the southern city of Mardon, where Marius made his court-in-exile. The lower nobility and minor landowners stayed, however, and there grew a great friction between the highlander natives and now newly-arriving heartlander colonists. In a pact led by the Count of Ayr, Eirik Baruch, and the Rutherns of Metterden, short incursions began, which soon spread wildfire throughout the former Haeseni realm. The exiled government soon took interested, and now in leadership of Stefan Barbanov, they met at the climax of the Second Battle of the Rothswood, where the occupier’s army was annihilated, chased by the soldiers of Harren van Metterden. The first true Karovic duma in years began, and the Karovic houses met to choose a new king. The Ruthern, a primary combatant in the war, wanted their own as king, yet the royalist faction wished for a return of the Barbanovs. In a landslide victory, Stefan won and was elected king, appointed numerous famous officials such as Henrik Bihar and Alessa Grendok. In the beginning, raids by the western pagans were common, though after the brief Battles of Rostig and Alban, they halted further incursions. Palatine Henrik Bihar oversaw the construction of the new capital of Alban (the former Karlsborg was destroyed following the war) and vast reforms spread throughout the state. Despite imperial losses to the south, the Haense state militarily rebounded dramatically, and due to the Pruvian Inheritance the economy boomed. Alban thrived under Stefan and his two successors, Otto I and Otto II, and Haense continued to maintain themselves as one of the dominant powers in the human realms. Barbanov grew to become a wealthy family not only in terms of their own realm and came to exhibit strong influence. Otherwise in the brief conflicts on the Vasiland Coast during the War of the Beards in the Siege of Kraken’s Watch in 1635, Haense remained relatively peaceful, while the south was rocked by scandals such as the Adelburg Coup. Otto II joined the Third Crusade, helping remove the pagan threats to the west, and constructed the new capital, known to the present day as Markev. When his son Otto III took the throne, he greatly expanded both Markev and his new palace of Krepost. However, the cultural golden age was running on fumes, and as tensions increased between the heartlander states and Haense, war came to everyone’s mind. For a decade, no conflict happened, though intense diplomatic meetings did not help the situation. In 1653, conflict broke, and while initial successes were had, the Curon front was decimated by their opponents. Belvitz, one of the main trading partners with Markev and the main breadbasket of humanity, was cut off by embargo from the Horen crown. By 1654, the capital of Markev experienced famine and later the Great Plague of 1654, which decimated the populace. Both Otto III and his heir (though on mysterious circumstances) died due to this plague, which left the realm to his second son Karl II. --- MODERN ERA [1655-Present] Haense experienced multiple losses to their heartlander enemies, though Karl II, joined by his cousin and Palatine Franz Bihar, were able to maintain their overs from crossing the River Czena. Karl II attempted to fix the lack of food by constructing more farms, expanding the wheat production of Haense tenfold. Though with heavy embargo upon Haense’s goods, the economy suffered, and trade was little to be had in Markev. Liberals under a constitutional radical message attempted to overthrow the government late in 1560, though Karl II and his forces were able to beat them off. When Karl himself died in 1666, an intense succession crisis occurred. Nobility expected a duma to be called, but Jakob Bihar, the former Palatine, seized control as king short after. However, he was captured mere days since becoming king, and executed. Now in a status of emergency, Franz’s nephew, Sigmar Lothar, was quickly rushed to the throne to ease tensions. Under Sigmar, he convinced the embargo to be lifted and trade flooded back in, with Markev receiving a short boost in population and wealth. He loosened control on his vassals and pursued policies of weak central authority, which angered his family’s more centralized focus. Sigmar was unable to reverse the military blunders of the past, however, and his army was crushed as the Battle of Karl’s Hill in the beginning of his reign. Soon after, he looked to appeasement with his aggressors, and swore under their monarch Aurelius, forming a new imperial state. Sigmar passed away to the flu, leaving the throne to his son Robert. III - PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS PHENOTYPES In the decades of inbreeding between waves of migrations, settlers, and the natives, there are three basic phenotypes for the Haeseni people - the High Marians, the Low Marians, and the Vezuchet. The average height of a Haeseni man is around six feet, and for women around five foot eight. Vezuchets are the tallest, averaging around six foot one, with High Marians around six foot to six foot and a half. Low Marians are the shortest with an average at five foot eleven to five foot eleven and a half. --- HIGH MARIAN - THE ELDER NOBILITY The High Marians are the elder nobility - namely, the Karovic household. Traits of this phenotype is black or blonde hair, and green or blue eyes. The traditional green-eye with Crow-plume for hair is very common, though intermarriage with Hansetian lordlings put a high desire on the typical blonde-hair, blue-eyed highlander. High Marians remained tall along with their kin, though they are slenderer than the rugged peasants of the frontier, with larger heads compared with the average Haeseni. --- LOW MARIAN - THE LOW NOBILITY AND BURGHERS The middle class of Haense, they display a mix of Hansetian and Raevir features, though favor more towards the former. Brown and blonde hair is the most common, with blue or grey eyes. They are bulkier than the High Marians, though on average shorter, though still maintain a larger head compared to the poorer class of the Vezuchet. --- VEZUCHET - THE COMMONERS, FREEMEN, AND SERFS The Vezuchets are the largest, yet poorest class, and exhibit mostly features such as brown hair and grey to brown eyes. From surviving the hinterlands has made many of them larger than the average High or Low Marian, both taller and larger in size. Their heads are smaller, with longer torso compared to legs. IV - WAY OF LIFE CREMATION OF THE DEAD AND THE ASHERN In highlander tradition, cremation has always played a part in paying respects to the dead, and it continues strong in the Kingdom of Haense. Kinsmen are burned by their family members in great pyres, and their ashes collected in urns called Ashern. Everyone is typically given their own ashern to house their ashes. However, in the higher nobility, it is common for patriarchs and extraordinary individuals to have their ashes collected in the Haucashern, a large urn which is home to the ashes of previous patriarchs of the family. The size of a family’s Haucashern is a symbol of status, and the oldest of families typically have the largest of haucasherns. Both kinds of urns are usually ornately decorated, and the more prestigious a house the better quality of urn. This practice resurged namely after the War of the Ducal Coalition, where it became a trend to carry ashes of the burned dead of Brelus in urns, typically used by knights as a sign of respect and honoring the dead. In the heartlands the fad faded quickly, though the tradition remained strong in Haense. Many veterans and lords of the war requested to be cremated as an honor, and it soon evolved into the norm for last rites. --- THE LAST DRINK OF DEATH Following the funeral ceremony and the cremation of the dead’s body, a solemn feast begins in memory of the fallen kinsman and comrade. At the beginning of the feast, a toast is given to the fallen, called the ‘Last Drink of Death’, to which each pours half the contents of their glass upon the floor. After which, everyone must finish the drink. A prayer is given shortly after, and the feast commences. --- PERMISSION FOR COURTING Although the courting process itself remains similar to the heartlander traditions, Haense maintains a very strict protocol in the asking of permission for a lord or sir to court a lord’s daughter or female kinsman. The man must gather exactly two sheep, a goat, and four chickens, and give them as an offering to the family patriarch. The gifts are taken by the patriarch, and the man in question is invited to a feast in the patriarch’s house. At the end of the dinner, the man is given one of two dishes - the lok (goat intestine filled with pork) or the erkindelir (boiled pig heart). If the man is served lok, then the patriarch has given his permission for the man to court the respective female of his clan. If the man is served erkindelir, however, he is refused permission. If the erkindelir is covered in a spicy sauce known as uli (milk and cream mixed with spices), then the denial is extreme, to a point where the man is forbidden to see his desired female companion again. --- BREAKING THE BREAD It is the commonly-held belief of a naturally enforced peace amongst those eating under the same roof, a common and old highlander custom. Feasts and dinner gatherings are seen as times of house bonding but also a rare instance of vulnerability. And so, it is very common for rivals and enemy parties to ‘break bread’ before a diplomatic meeting, to make the gathering a ‘feast’. Violence of any kind is strictly prohibited, and it is very taboo if it is allowed to go unpunished. In the case of political and diplomatic meetings, it is common to dip the bread afterwards into Carrion Black, and shortly thereafter eaten. --- TRIALS OF ULRIC TIBERAN Published late in the sixteenth century, the Trials of Ulric Tiberan is a collection of children stories all featuring the title character as protagonist. The stories are commonly used by Haeseni parents and teachers in schooling young children. They commonly feature virtues of loyalty, dedication, and humility. Numerous stock characters are used in the tales, such as the twin crowns ‘Alvin and Darren’, the greedy Sir de Viri, and his squire Enoch. He commonly uses ‘Soulstrung’, a bow and his signature weapon. His most famous story is the ‘Trial of the Dragon’, where he slays the frost wyrm Toruug. --- PERISSEM NE PERISSEM - PERSISTENCE At the core of Haeseni lies the chiefest of virtues - persistence. Persistence in the hardships of life. Persistence in the hardship faced by the Haeseni people time and time again. Unlike other realms, Haense boasts a continuous history, filled with peaks and troughs, and through it all, despite all violence against it, the Kingdom of Haense and its people remain. This is commonly shown in the famous Haeseni proverb: “I would have perished had I not persisted.” Time and time again, Haense has been brought to a low position, yet every time it resurfaces and returns to the days of glory and its manifest destiny. Only through persistence and dedication can the Haeseni people live on. --- PERISSEM NE PERISSEM - SELF-RELIANCE Throughout history, Haense has found itself either surrounded with allies or swimming in enemies, and the Haeseni people have attempted to a staunch belief in self-reliance. No matter political affairs of neighboring states and outside world, Haense must focus in relying upon its own to rebuild itself up from any destruction. Many in the world will promise help, and while some will actually give, to depend your entirety on the whims on foreigners never bodes well. --- PERISSEM NE PERISSEM - SELF-ASSURANCE With their concept of self-reliance comes their belief in self-assurance, that no matter what path Haense takes, the people are ready and will stand together to face any threat. Haense must not look at the total outside for their evaluation, but look within, and seeing together as a united Haeseni people. This is embodied in the Haeseni saying, “Lest my shield turn to ash, but I shall not falter.” --- BIHARISM - THE AGRARIAN DREAM Haense has, and for the foreseeable future will be an agricultural society, and with it the social concept of land ownership. It is considered culturally the proper Haeseni way to law ownership to land and live from the bounties of the earth. It has been the cornerstone of the Haeseni political thought of Biharism which is that every freeman of Haeseni stock to own their own farms, provide for their own families, and raise that proper family to follow in the same tradition. --- BIHARISM - JEREMIC LIBERTIES From the beginning of Karl’s first warrior bands in the fledgling Duchy of Haense, the military followed a pseudo-cossack code. Not following many of the traditions, they still maintained the famous concept of the ‘Jeremic Liberties’, which are the freedoms given to each freeman within the realm. These, of course, have been adapted heavily in more Hansetian tradition, though the base meaning remains the same. The liberties are as followed: “To each freeman is his own life, to take it is to be a thief, To each freeman his own time, to take it is to be a slaver, To each freeman his own sword, to take it is to blind him, To each freeman his own wife, to take it is to injure him, And to each freeman his own farm, to take is to make him no man.” These five principles are the core freedoms of each free Haeseni man- rights which, culturally, cannot be taken away. --- BIHARISM - HAESENI DESTINY The Haeseni Destiny is the belief is required colonized of nearby lands, that the homeland of the highland peoples must be expanded to allow for future growth. This has been a common policy carried on by many administrations, and remains a common belief held by the Haeseni public. The hinterlands are wild and dangerous, and it is the Haeseni duty to colonize and bring order to the land which God had given us. --- CURSE OF FRANZ The ‘Curse of Franz’ is the popular belief that misfortune will fall upon lords and kings named Franz. This superstition has begun after three kings with the similar name Franz meeting horrid fates: Franz the Martyr was killed in his own court, Franz the Faultless was executed for his brother’s war, and the Franz the Unfortunate’s murder before even receiving the crown. It is therefore taboo to name heirs Franz, else fall prey to the curse. --- HOLIDAY - SIGISMUND’S DAY 7th of the Sun’s Smile Sigismund’s Day is the national holiday in celebration of Sigismund, one of the patrons of Haense. This is typically a private family affair, and usually involves house and clan unions. During this day, it is tradition for all members of the Karovic household to feast in the halls of the current Karovic Patriarch. Common foods during this meal include veal, iskov (blend of potatoes and vegetables), and restineol (salted horse brain). --- HOLIDAY - BAROVIFEST 2nd of the Amber Cold Barovifest originally was the celebration of Barbov the Black’s victory over the Nzechs at the Battle of the Elks, although in time it has transformed to the largest harvest festival within Haense. It is tradition, after sunset, to burn five large hay crows, with the typical locale playing music and other assortment of activities, such as apple bobbing and squash hurling. Many during this event wearing hand-carved wooden masks, called Maskoe, which are either in the shape of animals or famous individuals (including mockeries of disliked politicians). Throughout the festivities, the staple drink is yopil, a mixture of Carrion Black and fruit (berries and apples). --- HOLIDAY - FEAST OF SAINT TOBIAS THE PURE 15th of the Snow’s Maiden The Feast of Saint Tobias is the celebration of the winter solstice, and typically includes a large feast and play in the village center. Traditionally, the holiday was a very solemn affair, although in recent years it has been combining with the similar traditions of the heartlander Saint Tobias’ Day, which includes traditions of gift-giving and selfless acts. --- HOLIDAY - FEAST OF SAINT JULIA AND THE FIFTY VIRGINS OF PARADISIUS | JULIYEAFEST 21st of the First Seed Juliyeafest is considered the ‘festival of love’ within the Kingdom of Haense, and it is considered a Canonist fertility festival. Marriages on Juliyeafest are very, very common, and it is considered romantic for a male to give their female companion and crown of lilies, known as a Liliekongis. --- CORONATION OF THE KING - GOLDEN BULAVA The first item given to the king during his coronation is the Golden Bulava - the symbol of authority over the army. In the early days of the Duchy of Haense, the military was heavily dominated by the Raevir elite, and in their traditional fashion used the bulava as the sample of hetmanic authority. Eventually, the bulava has been adapted in Haeseni tradition and used as symbol of power for the commandants in service to the royal crown. --- CORONATION OF THE KING - MARIAN SWORD The second item given to the king during his coronation is the Marian Sword - symbol of the people. During the original settlement of the Duchy of Haense, the clear majority of the peasant population remained Hansetian, and so at the opposite of military life rests in the left hand the sword of the people. The sword is reputed to be the sword Gaius Marius, first monarch of Hanseti, and even in battle is worn by the king, in order to always carry the will of the Haeseni people with him. --- CORONATION OF THE KING - CROWN OF BL FRANCIS THE MARTYR The Crown of Haense is known officially as the Crown of Blessed Francis the Martyr, and since the coronation of Petyr I, has been the symbol of the Haeseni monarchy. The eleven jewels on the coronet (six blue and five red) each to signify a martyr of the Franciscan Massacre. --- SIGN OF FEALTY - KISSING THE KNEE In swearing the oath of fealty to a monarch or lord, it is common practice to ‘Kiss the Knee’, which is the literal pecking of the liege’s right knee. This is typically done following the reciting of an oath, such as an Othamanic Oath, and must be done with both knees on the ground. Before kissing, the words ‘Belei doe [name of liege]’ must be recited. --- MILITARY - CAVALRY TRADITION Since the ridings of Jan Kovachev and the warrior-general Alessa Grendock, Haense and the Haeseni people have always maintained a strong cavalry force and tradition. Numerous Haeseni have made names for themselves as horsemen during the countless wars, and it is considered an honor to be allowed to ride in one of Haense’s many horse divisions. Majority of these companies maintain a traditional dress of colorful robes and fur hats, typically accented with feathers. --- ROYAL FAMILY - KAROVIC’S HAND The Karovic’s Hand is the traditional advisor to the Patriarch of Carrion- a tradition which has survived in Haense under the Royal House of Barbanov. For many years, the Karovic’s hand followed the young Bihar line while the patriarchy followed the senior Andrivian line. The Karovic’s Hand maintains the household of the royal family and the integrity of the family in full- in the Karovic’s Hand who monitors and keeps the peace amongst the Karovic household. This, of course, includes not only those of the direct royal line but any family within the borders of Haense which draws male-line descent from the House of Carrion, which includes a plethora of cadet houses and bastard lineages. In times of strife, it is the Karovic’s Hand who calls the Royal Duma in place and organizes what is required, typically the selection of a king. Example of this can be seen when the National Duma was called after the Second Battle of the Rothswald, as the meeting officially proclaimed by the standing Karovic’s Hand at the time, Heinrik Bihar. Typically, the Karovic’s Hand would appoint a Palatine in place, though in recent years the Palatine and Karovic’s Hand have been one in the same. Anyone of the Karovic household can technically be Karovic’s Hand- however, traditionally it has been a cousin or of a specific line which receives the position. --- ROYAL FAMILY - KAROVIC NATIONAL DUMA In times of crisis and the lack of a central figure, the Karovic’s Hand may call the Karovic Duma to meet. The Karovic Duma is a body of elders within the Karovic household- the total sum of those claiming male-line descent from Carrion within the borders of Haense. By a vote of majority, the elders of each branch of the Karovic household select who shall be consider the Velkipadreil, or Karovic Patriarch, and assume the title of king. Even in the extremely Hansetian-influenced Haense, the concept of Karovic blood is still maintained strongly amongst the elder nobility- which almost entirely dominated by Carrion-descended houses. Kingship is, culturally, tied with the concept of being the Karovic Patriarch, and so whoever is the reigning monarch is technically the Lord of Carrion. The voters are typically the recognized patriarchs of respective houses which claim Karovic descent- examples, Kovachev, Ruthern, Sarkozic. Those considered ‘patriarch’ are only so if they are by complete majority recognized by the current standing electors. In some cases, a house that does not have patrilinear Carrion descent can join the electorate in the Duma. This is called a Matedervik Karoveo, or ‘Crow by the Mother’, and is typically restricted to those who have had a line of marriages with the Karovic household. Example of this is Vanir. However, a ‘Crow by the Mother’ cannot wear the Haucvogir feather in their cap during court or during a duma and may not display any Karovic heraldry upon their arms. --- ROYAL FAMILY - HAUCVOGIR PIEREN The Haucvogir Pieren, or the Grand Feather, is the symbol of Karovic lineage in the eyes of nobility. Those of the Karovic household- male-line descendants of Carrion- are granted the privilege of wearing a crow feather in their cap to signify their prestigious lineage. Those of the royal family wear golden crow feathers, while those not of the royal family wear black crow feathers. Each patriarch of the Karovic household can have two feathers, the second being a color of their choosing (typically a color of their house), as well as the Karovic’s Hand, whose second feather is white. The King of Haense, and therefore the Karovic Patriarch, is allowed to wear three feathers, in the colors of yellow, red, and black (original colors of Carrion). V - RELIGION CANONISM The Kingdom of Haense and the Haeseni People follow the Church of the Canon. More information on the Church and the faith of Canonism can be found in their respective subforum. --- SAINTS OF HAENSE Every culture which follows Canonism maintains a set of cherished saints and holy figures, patrons to their homeland and examples to follow by their people. Haense and the Haeseni people are no different, sporting a wide array of specific saints commonly referenced and revered. · Saint Joren of Paradisius · Blessed John Jeremus · Saint Julia of Paradisius · Exalted Sigismund · Saint Tobias the Pure · Saint Wilfriche of Hanseti · Blessed Francis the Martyr · Blessed Demetrius of the Dreadfort · Blessed Frederick of Royce · Blessed Andrew Vydra · Blessed High Pontiff Sixtus III · Blessed William of Herman · Blessed Stephen Himmel · Blessed Vytanis Andruikatis · Blessed Marius of Ayr · Saint Otto the Bald · Saint Emma of Adria · Saint Charles of Haense · Blessed High Pontiff Sixtus IV · Blessed High Pontiff Owyn II · Saint Henry of Haense · Saint John of Ruyter · Saint High Pontiff Everard IV --- PONTIFFS OF HAENSE Haense has also boasted a sizeable number of pontiffs from its own people, one of the largest numbers to sit upon the throne of the Vicar of God. · High Pontiff Theodosius I – Gregor Nikovic van Kvasz · High Pontiff Sixtus IV – Berengar Gotthold van Krinford · High Pontiff Lucien IV – Jan van Luka · High Pontiff Everard III – Bernard Baruek van Ayr · High Pontiff Adrian I – Lothar Sarkoz van Carnatiya · High Pontiff Owyn II – Jan Othaman van Karlsborg · High Pontiff Everard IV – Josef van Alban · High Pontiff Clement III – Jan Amador van Mondstadt VI - LANGUAGE I’ll be honest I can’t be assed to finish this language so here are my notes/Floop’s notes, who helped me work on this. LINK VII - MONARCHS OF HAENSE KOENG PETYR I SIGMAR - HAES BARBOV Petyr var Sigmar | eddywilson2 R. 1578 – 1582 Peter Siguine of Barbanov Petrus Siguinus Carovus Primus Curonicus “The Butcher of Riga, the Founder, the Bold, the Strong Crow” Petrus Curonicus, the founder of the modern State of Haense and its first king, is by far one the most legendary Haeseni figures in its history. Born during the late end of the War of the Ducal Coalition, Petyr was raised in exile following he and kinsmen’s banishment after the Sacking of Brelus. He did not remain outside the Orenian and Haeseni lands for long, however, and in the deal made between Otto Sarkoz and the emperor, Petyr could return. He lived in the rump state of the Duchy of Carnatia, compromising a of a sizeable chunk of Petyr’s family former holding of the Duchy of Haense. The first mention of him in his own right come from the Eighteen Years War, where the young Petyr served as cadet under Josef Vladov and later Jan Kovachev, fighting in the famous brigade known as the Carnatian Hussars. After the Peace of Avar, Petyr returned to Carnatia, where partook in the regional politics, known at the time as the tense Northern Question. He was one of the first supporters of Britanus Vanir following his disposition by the rival heartlander Duke of Courland, where he and famous commanders Fiske Vanir, Jan Kovachev, and Rickard Barrow formed the Carnatian League, kickstarting the Riga War. Petyr successfully commanded numerous battles, including the Siege of Kraken’s Watch and the decisive Battle of Curonswald, though he is mostly remembered for his successful Sack of Riga, which formerly ended the Riga War and left him in control of most of the highlander hinterlands. Petyr furthered showed his talent in the later Krajian Rebellion, successfully subduing rebel hetmans under the pretender Sveneld Ivanov by 1576, later being named Lord High Governor of Hanseti and Ruska. In 1578, under intense pressure by himself and his supporters, Petyr was bestowed the titles of King of Hanseti and Ruska, to which he became crowned as later in the year. In reference to his family’s traditional title, the realm at first was vernacularly called ‘Haense’. Under his rule, countless cities and forts were created, and the population in Haense soared. His military continued to serve under the larger imperial army, and his forces led multiple victories during the concluding dunlander revolts. Petyr’s technical reign as king only last four years, though, and he fell to old age by 1582. By the end of his reign, his kingdom and standing army had reached quadruple the size of their formers, and the first true city- Karlsborg- had been founded. --- KOENG ANDRIK II OTTO - HAES BARBOV Andrik var Petyr | Seannie22 R. 1582 – 1586 Andrew Otto of Barbanov Andreas Otis Carovus Secundus “The Winter King, the Rash, the Black” As son and later crown prince to his father, Andrik was extremely popular by the Haeseni military and nobility alike. He was known for his charismatic nature yet was prone to rash thinking, and in the fledgling kingdom he was cherished as another titan to succeed his father. In 1582, he was crowned to much fanfare, and the groundwork laid by his father and Palatine Rickard Barrow left Andrik a bountiful realm. Andrik was originally remembered fondly for his work in settling new villages and forts throughout his kingdom, as well as first highway between hinterlands and the heartlands. He joined the imperial conquest of the ork peoples, where Andrik as monarch led the vanguard in the famous Siege of San Uruk. Andrik led multiple forced-expulsions of pagans outside his realm, even from his time as crown prince. He commanded multiple army incursions against native territories deep inland and performed numerous successful raids against them and their third-party Avarite supporters. His bold and almost arrogant nature made his movements near impossible to be predicted by his enemies, and he won many conflicts against larger numbers. However, Andrik is most infamously known for his role in the unsuccessful and chaotic Deep Cold Uprising, where he slew the emperor John IV in his court and declared open rebellion. This move was very unpopular with some of his followers, and while half of his lords swore to him (under the leadership of Branimar Vanir), the other half declare Andrik insane. The powerful noble Sergey Kovachev, a staunch imperialist, captured the royal capital of Karlsborg and forced Andrik to abdicate. --- KOENG MARUS ANDRIK - HAES BARBOV Marus var Andrik | Piov R. 1586 – 1611 Marius Andrew of Barbanov Marius Andreas Carovus Primus “The Good, the Beautiful, the Exiled, the Young, Defender of the Faith, the Loyal Dog of the Empire” Marius first succeeded to the throne as a babe, following his father’s abdication during the nation-wide scandal of the Deep Cold Uprising. His government was led by his uncle Karl Sigmar, who acted as Palatine and regent, and left the ultimate raising of the infant sovereign to his aunt Juliya. His uncle was unpopular with the restless nobility, and by Marius’ fourteenth nameday, and was quickly crowned king. As monarch, Marius suffered from a divided cabinet, split between the Sergeyists and the Andrivists, and Marius had a difficult in reach bipartisan compromise between the two. Royalist powers were undermined by both factions at the time, and his officials were most of the time picked for nepotistic and political reasons rather than true talent. During this time, Marius did find success in pacifying rebellions following his father’s mess, including the Brawm Rebellion of 1600 and nativist revolts in the extreme northern regions of the kingdom. His policies of land reform struck well with the commoners, however left his nation in economic strain and unable to fully maintain the standing army of his predecessors. Marius was also a patron of the arts and culture, and sponsored numerous artists, including the young Jakob Madonvik. He opened the first theater, the Gilded Duke, and held the first Edmond Manston play outside of the imperial capital. His patronship included many, such as the author Blakton Alvitz, poet Alistair Wailer, and his famous painter aunts, princesses Juliya and Natalia. Karlsborg became a heaven of Dumatic and proto-Biharist thinkers, encompassing the larger Sanoist movement sweeping the heartlands at the time. In the heartlands, the Coalition Wars destroyed imperial authority, and thanks to multiple diplomatic blunders, a southern coalition of forces declared war upon the State of Haense. The army under Stefan Bihar attempted to strike first, however, yet most fell at the disastrous Battle of Elba, where in only a few years Marius soon fled to exile and left to the realm in occupation. Marius lived out the rest of his life in exile, continuing to style himself as the King of Hanseti and Ruska. --- KOENG PETYR II MARK - HAES BARBOV Petyr var Marus | Pureimp10 R. 1611 Peter Mark of Barbanov Petrus Marcus Carovus Secundus “Prince of Nothing, the Poxed” Petyr II only ever ruled in exile, succeeding his father Marius for only a short time. Before his death, however, the Greyspine Rebellion had begun, and Petyr was prepared to return and become figurehead of the revolt. He died of the pox, however, only three months after his accession, leaving the throne to his brother. --- KOENG STEFAN KARL - HAES BARBOV Stefan var Marus | yopplwasupxxx R. 1611 – 1624 Stephen Charles of Barbanov Stephanus Carolus Carovus Primus “A Foe to All Humanity, the Green, the Duelist” Unlike his elder brother Petyr, Stefan was not raised to ruled by his father nor the court, and traditionally was expected to enter the church as his counterpart took the throne in Haense. His brother’s death to the pox thrusted Stefan to kingship, to which he was elected in heated debate during the Duma of 1610. His candidacy was supported mainly by the established nobility, who wished for a weaker monarch to maintain noble autonomy. First few years of his reign was left mainly to the nobility, and Stefan remained mostly in the heartlands in the fortress of Hochspitze. Through a deal with the Prince of Pruvia, he secured the Pruvian Inheritance, which included not only a large sum but control of many of the famous ‘Pruvian Banks’. This and the shrewd work of his advisor and later Palatine Henrik Bihar, a new army was established in direct control of the crown, which made the nobility more prone to compromise. Karlsborg was destroyed in the First Northern War, and without a capital, the royalist war camp during the Greyspine Rebellion soon evolved into the royal city of Alban- the de facto Haeseni capital. Veterans flocked to the restored state, and despite imperial losses in the Santegian Rebellion of 1617, the Haeseni army gained numerous victories, including the Battle of Asaili. In the spring of 1616, his army under command of Alessa Grendock and uncle Prince Otto Henrik beat back several attempts at raids by natives and Avarite mercenaries, fully pacifying them by 1620. Stefan meddled greatly in heartlander affairs, in contrast to the isolationist views of his predecessors, and was the focal point of many conspiracies and plots. He was first revealed in the Mardon Letter of his plans for a coup d’état of the emperor John V, and later his successful uproar in removing the imperial regent Robert of Marna. There were numerous assassination attempts against his life and he fought numerous duels against political opponents, including against the former heartlander archduke Odo d’Amaury, and his most famous showdown against his rival Robert of Marna, who he fatally wounded and killed. Stefan died a young death in 1624 due to genetic Hodgkin’s disease of his mother’s side, passing the throne to his uncle as he died without trueborn heirs. His reign marked the beginning of an era of regrowth for Haense following the disastrous Coalition Wars, which continued well into the reign of Otto III. His seemingly arbitrary political moves left Stefan a vile reputation in the heartland states, to which he gained his famous moniker by Prince Philip, ‘A foe to all Humanity’. --- KOENG OTTO I HENRIK - HAES BARBOV Otto var Andrik | NJBB R. 1624 – 1627 Otto Henry of Barbanov Otis Henricus Carovus Primus “Hero of Alsaili, the Equestrian, the Elder” Most of Otto’s life was in service to the crown as prince and commandant, fighting in nearly every war since his brother Marius took the throne. The failures of the First Northern War sent Otto reeling, and through most of the period he remained as an outlaw soldier, raiding the occupier’s settlements and supply trains. During the decisive Second Battle of the Rothswald, he commanded the left flank and fought with valor on the field. He and Alessa Grendock commanded the Haeseni cavalry during the numerous imperial wars, such as the Santegian Rebellion, and retained Haeseni forces despite imperial losses. He took the throne after the death of his nephew and ruled a paltry three years. Haense continued its flourish under Stefan and Otto maintained the peace following the transition. His eldest son, also named Otto, would succeed him as monarch. --- KOENG OTTO II GEORG - HAES BARBOV Otto var Otto | Pureimp10 R. 1627 – 1644 Otto George of Barbanov Otis Georgius Carovus Secundus “The Temperate, the Prudent, the Quiet Crow, the Younger” Before his rule, Otto George served as a courtier in the restored Haeseni court and worked as a diplomat under the Palatine Henrik Bihar. He was known for his humility and strict adherence to moral doctrine, which clashed greatly with his cousin’s more extravagant court. Otto maintained a close circle of advisors and friends, mostly of ordained clergy, which included the future pontiff Everard IV. In his father’s three years, Otto served as crown prince with dour respect, creating the record-long sixteen-hour hymn for his elevation as heir. Otto ascended to the throne in 1627, and his reign saw Haense continue its economic and cultural boom. He, as a committed Canonist, created many royal hospitals and institutions of faith within Haense, as well as the first irrigation system stretching across the Rothswald and Wickswald. Lavish donations were bestowed upon canonist charities and orders within Haense, and Otto encouraged a theological revival in Haeseni sciences. To pay for much of this, Otto II cut down spending on the armed forces and military. Haense maintained relatively peaceful throughout his reign, except the brief of Vasiland by dwarven forces in 1635, where the army faced a considerable loss when allied with a coalition of fellow imperial vassals and dwed loyalists. In the beginning, Otto’s management of the army led to few blunders, such as the controversial dismissal of commandant Cullen Valrein, though by the end of his promotion of talented military minds such as Berengar Helvetz and Geralt Rauen led to sizeable martial influence. Otto also joined the Third Crusade in coalition with the heartlander states, successfully sieging and capturing the pagan capital in the process. Towards his final years, he finally unveiled and started construction upon the planned city of Markev- a new royal capital to replace the cramped and poor-looking Alban. This took considerable fortune, though his strategic placement upon the River Czena allowed for better trade through river travel. He died in nthe city he created and was succeeded by his son Otto Stefan. --- KOENG OTTO III STEFAN - HAES BARBOV Otto var Otto | NJBB R. 1644 – 1655 Otto Stephen of Barbanov Otis Stephanus Carovus Tertius “The Haughty, the Defender, the Builder, of the Czena” With a newly-constructed capital from the previous rule of his father, Otto Stefan’s blooming years as monarch were fruitful. Markev prospered under the diligent administration of the newly-appointed Lord Ruslan Amador, with trade along the River Baltas-Czena, especially with the river-port of Belvtiz, making the city one of the wealthiest in humanity. His newly-wed wife Ingrid Sarkoz was popular with the commoners, and since the turmolous beginnings of the Ale Riots in the 1600s, the realm was finally in a state of peace. He reversed funding cuts to royal forces done by his father in a military build-up between themselves and Renatus, putting strain upon the royal treasury. Otto favored the arts and commissioned many public works. He and his Palatine Robert Bihar attempted to modernize the Haeseni nation and reconstruct many of the haphazard sites made following the Greyspine Rebellion. He created the first royal parks and named the black-coat crow the national animal. Universities also continue to flourish, and under Otto especially who gave massive sums to benefit their studies. Arcane arts especially became popular, and under him the first schools of magi were formed. Diplomacy soured between Otto’s government and the heartlander states, such as Renatus and Marna, and in response Haense attempted to form its own coalition under the Czena Confederation. Conflict first broke out in 1653, and in the beginning Haense experienced some success. Under the leadership of commandants Geralt Rauen and Jan Wick, they won strategic victories at both the First and Second Battles of Stallion’s Hill and the Battle of the Dam. Lack of a central leadership within the coalition, however, stopped any progression. Assaults upon Curon, one of the member states, became more frequent, and the ineffective allied troops did little to stop enemy successes. Belvitz, one of Haense’s main export locations and its main importer of grain, was under enemy influence, and soon all trade from the city stopped. The large population of Haense and its lack of consistent farming effort did nothing to help, and by 1654 the city and country were in a national-wide famine. In 1655, the Great Plague broke out, devasting the nation. Otto caught this sickness and died in 1655, along with his heir Otto Josef, leaving the throne to his second son Karl Marus. The final years of Otto’s reign marked the beginning of a string of military defeats by Haense, and its diminished influence in the next few decades. --- KOENG KARL II MARUS - HAES BARBOV Karl var Otto | cruzazul8 R. 1655 – 1666 Charles Marius of Barbanov Carolus Marius Carovus Secundus “The Stubborn, the Unyielding, the Excommunicated” Karl, unlike his father before him, was handed a nation dying of famine and exhausted from war, with a restless nobility. By 1656, the Czena Confederation officially became defunct, as numerous states either left or were conquered, as in the case of the Principality of Curon in late 1655. Haense and the remaining states reformed into an alliance, which began to include non-human and pagan states, much to the ire of Karl’s nobility. He was unable to reverse the military losses from before, and the allied coalition suffered numerous defeats, most importantly the Storming of Cyrilsborg and Siege of Ruriksgrad in 1662. Karl was able to keep the enemies from fully crossing the Czena River and entering Haense proper, creating many dug-out forts along the river in defense. He commanded much of the military works personally and left control of the city in hands of his Palatine Franz Bihar. By 1665 the war had reached a stalemate, and the Karl remained on the defense. The city did little recovery, and Franz Bihar maintained his work in suppressing liberal radicals popping throughout the city. Briefly in early 1666, the palace was stormed by peasantry, though beaten off by soldiers under command of Franz. Karl in 1666 died childless, as he never took a wife, and the state entered a succession crisis. --- KOENG FRANZ II JAKOB - HAES BIHAR Franz var Henrik | Birdnerdy R. 1666 Francis James of Bihar Franciscus Iacobus Carovus Secundus “The Unfortunate, the Unready” Franz seized control of the government shortly following the death of his cousin, and shortly proclaimed him regent. Only after one month, he fully couped the state and proclaimed himself king before the duma could be called. Franz’s history in the capital and the loyalty of the military stationed there allowed him intense sway over the lords, who begrudgingly agreed to his accession. During his coronation, however, the city was surprise-attacked by a sizeable blitzing force, and Franz was captured in the defense. Stating his refusal to bend the knee, he was executed by his captors, and the throne passed to his nephew. --- KOENG SIGMAR LOTHAR - HAES BIHAR Sigmar var Robert | Arkydog R. 1666 – 1681 Siguine Lothar of Bihar Siguinus Lotharus Carovus Primus “The Short, the Shrewd” Sigmar took the throne following the death of his uncle, to which the duma did not contest. He attempted a policy of appeasement with the heartlanders, and through diplomatic work, lifted the embargo on Haense and allowed grain shipment back into Markev. The city recovered from its recession and the economy went positive once again. With the famine relieved, the population slowly began to recover within the urban cities. His attempts at military conquest, despite his success in diplomacy, was not as graceful. Sigmar received a damaging blow at the Battle of Karl’s Hill, and put ravaging repercussions upon the country. He swore under the Renatus state in 1678 and reformed an imperial state, formally ending all hostiles between the two countries. He allowed a freer reign for the nobility, and much of the land was granted or fell under control of powerful barons. Royal power suffered, and the nobility gained massive influence over the affairs on the government. Sigmar would die in 1681 of a disease for the throne to pass to his son, Robert. VIII - NOTABLE INDIVIDUALS OTTO VAR DIEDRIK HEINZREIK Otto Arius Heinzreich | yopplwasupxxx Otto Arius, of the Rovin-Heinzreich clan, was a minor cousin in the Aesterwald royal family, until his defection from his home nation during the Schism Wars of the late fifteenth century. He became an important courtier in the papal court, and with backing from the High Pontiff and Count of Drusco, claimed a majority portion of former Vanderfell following the conclusion of the conflict. He founded numerous towns amidst the ruins, and though not as successfully as his successor, began a policy of unification from the balkanized Hansetian states. During the 1490s, he abducted the twins of his sister, children of the late Emperor Alexander, and kept them in his custody to raise him. When Otto ascended to the seat as Grand Duke of Vanderfell, he groomed Karl for heir, picking him over his own children with Lady Frederique of Savoy. With loss of support by the Count of Drusco, he was forced to abdication following pressure by his liege King Andrik and the blunder of the Petrus Scandal. Following his death in the late 1510s, he was canonized in the Church of the Canon as Saint Otis of Vanderfell. --- KARL VAR ALEKSANDER BARBOV Karl Barbanov | Arkydog Born to the Rovin-scion Princess Annabelle and the Carrion Emperor Alexander, his early life moved him across Oren during the infamous Schism Wars. His mother abducted Karl and his sister when the war began, and during transit was stopped by Otto Heinzreich, who took the children for himself. He raised and named Karl, choosing him to succeed as the Grand Duke of Vanderfell- and later, the Duke of Haense. He also spent much of his childhood with the High Pontiff Daniel I and Emma Vladov, the warrior-female, and garnered huge support from Duchies of Adria and Akovia, both led by former loyalists to his father. Karl led multiple raids against dwed fortifications during the Third Human-Dwarf War, capturing fortifications such as Polaris and Hiebenhall, the latter of which he made his capital and renamed as Siegrad. His accession to the ducal coronet came with much fanfare, and he tightened his grip upon the Hansetian hinterlands, as well as forcing mass conversion upon the native tribes. When he died following the Great Worm Assault upon Siegrad, Haense has become one of the leading powers in Oren at the time. Following his death, he was canonized in the Church of the Canon as Saint Carolus of Haense. --- CARR VAR JULIYUS COLBORN Carr Colborn | Julius55 Carr entered the service of Karl early in his career and became one of Karl’s most loyal lieutenants. His claim to fame comes from his extensive work upon fledging Haense’ infrastructure and economy. He created numerous highways to cut through the hinterlands and expanded the weak mining industry to produce on par with their southern neighbors. The fortune he amassed became notorious throughout the realm, and he was one of the richest, and for a time the richest, peers of Oren, owning a fat monopoly upon Haeseni trade and goods. He was also a known amateur historian, and chronicled numerous novels covering his family’s history and the history of the highlander peoples. Following his death, he left much of his wealth to the state, and his funds later maintained Haense from total financial disaster during the end of the War of the Ducal Coalition. When a sum of his vault came missing, it created a craze throughout the hinterlands, with numerous treasure-seekers, or Geltisaar, settling throughout Carr’s former trading posts, hoping to find the hidden gold upon his former estates. --- TARCEL VAR JAN OTHAMAN Tarcell Othaman | Eddywilson2 Though Tarcell was of Hansetian-blood, he was one of the first to bend to Karl following his accession as Duke of Haense and became commandant of his forces. He spearheaded assaults on numerous dwarven fortifications in the hinterlands during the Third Human-Dwarf War and was a general during the War of the Ducal Coalition. He expanded the military of the duchy greatly, issuing levies upon newly-conquered land on the hinterlands to bolster their numbers. Following Karl’s death, it was Tarcell who became regent, and it was he who commanded the war effort against the Savoyard-led Oren. He won skirmishes on the northern border during a short attempt at invasion in the north, though when Brelus fell at the end of the war he was forced to a defensive position at the Haeseni fortress of Norvik. Throughout the war he raised and helped the young Siguine, who after Hugo’s assassination was elected Duke of Adria alongside being Duke of Haense. Siguine’s disappearance, or to him, his death, left Tarcell distraught and bitter, and remained defiant against crown. His untimely death in 1525 though left his remaining troops in chaos and Norvik eventually fell to a contingent led by Jan Kovachev in the late summer. Tarcell’s military organization would become the basis of the Haeseni royal military. --- SIGMAR VAR KARL BARBOV Siguine Barbanov | Arkydog At the age of fourteen, Siguine was elected as Duke of Adria amid the War of the Ducal Coalition, succeeding Hugo the Headless following his assassination. Though chosen by the lords, he held little authority, and when he left to fight the Savoyards at the Blackwald his army was disorganized and unruly. He was defeated badly in the marshes and retreated to the fortress of Woldzimir where he attempted to push back Oren by a siege defense. He failed, however, and he fled following Woldzimir’s fall. --- JAN VAR VARON KOVACHEV Jan Kovachev | 6xdestroyer Jan rose through the ranks of the Orenian army during the War of the Ducal Coalition, and when he was able to be captured Norvik in 1525, he was granted the castles and the estates he conquered. He supported John Horen during the Horen Restoration, and later became one of his most trusted commanders during the Eighteen Years’ War. Jan commanded the Carnatian Hussars, and with his fellow peer Josef, was the leader of the Haeseni contingent during the war. He served alongside Petyr Barbanov during the Riga War and the Krajian Rebellion, subduing fully the Hansetian hinterlands and helping unify what later became the Kingdom of Haense. His death left him as the Duke of Carnatia and his family to continue as one of the principle Karovic houses within humanity for centuries. His veteran cavalry became a staple of the Haeseni army, and his descendants would continue to dominate the Haeseni army for some decades. He lived well into his nineties, and for it he was called ‘Jan the Old’. --- JOSEF VAR FRANZ VLADOV Josef Vladov | Burkester Along with Jan Kovachev, Josef Vladov was one of the two leaders of the Haeseni contingent during the Eighteen Years’ War, commanding multiple battles as imperial generals. Josef’s crowning achievement is the Battle of Cape Bronson and later the Capture of Avar. His family diminished in influence within Haense following death, though he remains as one of Haense’s and Oren’s more proficient commanders. --- GREGOR VAR NIKOLAS NIKOVIC Georgiy Nikovic - H.P. Theodosius I | Dakota Georgiy was one of the first in a string in Haeseni pontiffs, first serving as the Bishop of Carnatia then being appointed High Pontiff in 1562. His greatest deed was the removal of the Revelation Doctrine which was created by his predecessor Daniel III, and attempted a fail revival of reforemd Raevir Iliryic as the Haeseni holy tongue. He would appoint his successor Berengar Gotthold to his previous position of bishop, and maintained close relations with the hinterland lords. --- EMMA VAS BRITANUS VANIR Emma Vanir | Julischlong Emma was married to an imperial cousin following the attempted peace of the Second Diet of Saltstone, and while at first it kept the peace, it soon fell through. She carried an extramarital affair with one of the rebel hetmans of the Krajian Rebellion and a Savoyard princeling, called the Ancelcourt Scandal, which continued the Anarchy for another decade. --- BRITANUS VAR BIGORN VANIR Britannus Vanir | Pureimp10 The War of the Ducal Coalition left the Vanir family in shambles, and reduced to their fortress of Kraken’s Watch, though Britanus dreamed of one day returning his family’s fortune. He acted as one of the crucibles for the Riga War, which although at first left his homeless, later regained him a large portion of his family’s former estates. In his spare time, Britannus worked as a mathematician, and together with Edmond Manston, discovered the ‘Manston-Vanir Constant’, which is used by modern day architects in constructing arches and domes. --- FISKE VAR BRITANUS VANIR Fiske Vanir | InfamousGerman Fiske the Bloody, a title earned as one of the survivors of the Siege of Seahelm, is one of Haense’s most effective company leaders, having been known for his brutality. He led the vanguard during the Riga War and Krajian Rebellion, as well as throughout the Anarchy of Oren, where he gained a reputation of combat prowess. Following his death, he left his family at its peak as Margraves of Vasiland, as well as one of the only non-Karovic families to be invited to duma. As mentioned, he was called ‘Fiske the Bloody’ for his valor at the Seahelm in the Avarite theater. --- LERALD VAR TEODOR VYRONOV Lerald Vyronov | Flapman Commander of the Carnatian Hussars under Jan Kovachev, Lerald worked his way from his position as serf to a peer of the realm, serving loyally to his realm and gaining the fief of Rytsborg. He fought throughout the Eighteen Years’ War and the Anarchy, later retiring following the coronation of Petyr Barbanov. --- ULRIK VAR ULRIK TIBERAN Ulric Tiberan | Giambro No child in Haense has not heard at least one of the tales of Ulric Tiberan, one of Haense’s most famous knights. Known for his acts of bravery and his slaying of the Dragon Toruug, he has become a local legend to the poorer classes. In his life, he served under the Carnatian Hussars, seeing battle from White Mountain to the Siege of Dunland. His stories are collected in the novels known as the ‘Trials of Ulric’, though there is some variation. He is commonly pictured with two talking crows, named ‘Alvin’ and ‘Darren’, who guide him (and sometimes hinder him) to his next goal. --- ARIK VAR CARR COLBORN Eirik Colborn | Julius55 One of the successors to Carr’s fortune, Eirik Colborn continued his father’s legacy within the mercantile businesses. He founded the colony of Metterden in Erochland following the Peace of Avar and organized a rapid colonization of the Eroch River Valley. Eirik later served under Petyr Barbanov during the Riga War, helping rebuild much of the lost infrastructure after the Anarchy. For his wealth, he was known as ‘Eirik the Rich’. --- RICKARD VAN WOLDIZMIR Rickard Barrow | Arkydog A bastard of lowly origin, though it did not stop him in becoming of the most influential Haeseni politicians. He served as first Palatine to King Petyr, and he laid the foundations of Haeseni administration which continue to present day. He followed a strict policy of land colonization, coining the term ‘Haseni Destiny’, standing for the ideology of full highlander colonization of the hinterlands in its entirety. He oversaw the first royal capital of Karlsborg and the palace of Ottostadt, which became the seat of the royal family. Rickard was also well known in his martial talent, and saw intensive action during the Riga War, and become one of the fiercest proponents for total annexation of the former Duchy of Courland. --- KARL VAR PETYR BARBOV Karl Sigmar Barbanov | Birdnerdy Karl Sigmar became his eldest brother’s Palatine following the latter’s coronation, and he continued his predecessor Rickard’s policies of colonial expansion and centralization. However, when King Andrik II rebelled shortly from Oren and later was forcefully abdicated, Karl was placed as regent for the babe King Marius. In the shambles Karl attempted to rebuild, though the now restless nobility splintered, and Karl became vilified. The nobility pushed hard against his attempts at a centralized army, and when Marius finally came of age, Karl Sigmar left his office in shame. Despite the unpopularity of his attempted policies, they would be continued by his successors in the string of Bihar Palatines, and his ideological thought became the basis for his son’s Biharism during the reign of King Stefan and the Ottovars. --- JULIYA VAS PETYR BARBOV Julia Barbanov | DreamInSpace If there was one-person King Marius always listened to, it was his aunt Julia, who maintained a strong influence over his life. She, along with her good sister Reza, maintained the royal court during the regency and continued to do so well into the reign of her nephew. Julia also painted numerous canvas and scenes, which are displayed in the Royal Haeseni Guild of Art. --- BRANIMAR VAR FISKE VANIR Brynden Vanir | assassinofawsome The good-brother then good-uncle to the King of Haense, the Margrave of Vasiland rose rapidly through the court. He eventually reached the rank of Grand Commandant of the armed force, though because he was picked more from nepotism than true skill, his inefficient leadership weakened the army. By the time of the First Northern War, the Haeseni military was ill-prepared to face the coming battles. After the war, he was captured, where he died in captivity in the court of Aleksandria. --- TATIANA VAS PETYR BARBOV Tatiana Barbanov | Starry Tatiana had married Branimar, one of her brother’s chiefest supporter, and it was to her which kept the remnants of the Andrivist party in line with the crown. Later in life, she remarried to the elder Lord Viktor, sparking short controversy. She was known for her stitching and drawings, with many of her works displayed in the Royal Haeseni Guild of Art. --- SERGEY VAR JAN KOVACHEV Sergei Kovachev | NJBB During King Andrik II’s short rebellion of the Deep Cold Uprising, Sergey stood as the uncontested leader of the Imperial faction within Haense, and rallied loyalists to his cause. He single-handedly marched into Karlsborg during the chaos, forcing Andrik’s abdication and flight, before having his captured by the remnants of his father’s Carnatian Hussars. Even through this strong show of power, he resumed an alliance with the royalists under Palatine Lukas, forming coalition against the squabbling Andrivists under Branimar Vanir. Sergey’s death upset the balance of the Haeseni court, and many attributes his early demise to one of the factors in Haeseni military defeats during the Coalition Wars. For his use of stealth and hit-and-run tactics in the Anarchy, he was referred to by the soldiery as the ‘Ghost of Turov’. --- REZA VAS SERGEY KOVACHEV Reza Elizaveta Kovachev | marques Daughter of the powerful lord Sergey and shortly queen to Andrik II, Reza spent most of her life as Queen-Mother to Marius. However, she set the role as consort and matriarch within the royal family, establishing numerous courtly customs which are followed to this today. To the female body, she became a role-model for the epitome Haeseni lady. --- MARKUS VAR HEKTOR LOTHSTON Markus Lothston | Legoman Markus Lothston, though kinsman to the Brawms, fought for the Kingdom of Haense during the Hounden’s Rebellion, acting as one of King Marius’ commanders on the field. After the short and bloody conflict, Markus served as King Marius’ personal champion. He followed his king into exile and continued to serve the court-in-exile faithfully. He was known far and wide for his skill at the sword, and he was known in life as ‘Markus the Mutt’. --- LUKAS VAR BRITANUS VANIR Lukas Vanir | Pureimp10 Serving as Palatine during the later years of King Marius, he performed numerous capital and law reforms, though was cut short following the Coalition Wars. Forced into exile along with the rest of the royal court, Lukas worked as an author in philosophy, specifically the school of Political Lukasism, and the concept of the ‘Greater Man’. His status left him as a cultural symbol for the occupied nation, and many of his works were smuggled in secret to the native Haeseni population. For his erudite nature, he is commonly referred to as ‘Lukas the Learned’. --- STEFAN VAR KARL BIHAR Stefan Aleksandr Bihar | cruzazul8 Stefan came ahead as the leader of the Royalists following the pseudo-exile of his father, effectively leading a coalition with the Sergeyists. He was the greatest advocate for first action against Courland, and maintained a heated rivalry with Lord Branimar, serving Grand Commandant at the time. Stefan was killed at the Battle of Elba, creating an unavoidable power vacuum in the royal court. --- OSGOD VAR JESPER COLBORN Osgod Colborn | Birdnerdy Osgod Colborn served Haense since the beginnings of the Riga War, and continued to serve well into the years of King Marius. He held commands during the Krajian Rebellion and was one of the Royalist most veteran soldiers at the time. --- DIEDRIK VAN FLOTZAM Diedrik Barrow | Knox A former burgher, he rose through the bureaucratic ranks of the royal state by sheer cunning, becoming one of the leading officials in Marius’ court. Diedrik maintained an underground smuggling syndicate during his tenure as Auditor, using his position to repossess noble land to return to crown control or his personal management. When his assassination of a heartlander prince came to light however, Diedrik was forced to resign and later executed. --- BLAKTON VAR GREGOR ALVITZ Blaxton Alwyn | Marquisalex Blaxton emerged as a knight under the Amador family, operating as a successful bureaucrat and diplomat in their court. He owned multiple companies in the lands of Haense, Mardon, and Pruvia, and began a tradition of warm relations between Pruvia and his home. His works of Memoirs of Alwyn Blaxton has made him of critical historical importance, chronicling a period of lessened literary creation. --- ALISTAR VAR HEKTOR WAILER Alistair Wailer | Flooptroop Alistair led the contingent garrisoning Ottostadt for a short duration, before and after serving as knight in the royal court and proficient swordsman. He also created poetry, publishing numerous works under the alias ‘Chad the Mad’. His greatest work, Ehr Nau, became adapted to the Haeseni royal anthem in the early 1600’s. Alistair’s skill in verse earned him the moniker ‘Alistair the Poet’. --- OTTO VAR ARIK BARUEK Otto Marius Baruch | Kiwikilla Baruch in the Kingdom of Haense up to the Coalition Wars was of middling influence, owning poor estates scattered upon the Shattered Coast. Following Haense’s defeat, Baruch remained from the exodus of higher nobility, and retained their fortresses following occupation. It was thanks to Otto Marius, the Count of Ayr, who first brought together many of the minor Haeseni lordlings into rebellion, leading by example during the Standoff at Ayr. --- HARREN VAN METTERDEN Harren of Metterden | Seannie22 A veteran soldier under the Metterden garrison, the regency of the Count of Metterden left him de facto in control of the affairs of the estate. Along with the Count of Ayr and numerous families, he led the successful Greyspine Uprising, returning the King of Haense to the throne and the land returned to royal control. Harren, however, favored the Count of Metterden as the potential sovereign, and the election of Stefan made him leave the realm. He served in the Imperial Court later in his life and eventually rose to the prestigious position of Archchancellor, where he held a staunch rivalry with King Stefan. For his reputed strength, he is commonly referred to as ‘Harren the Hardy’. --- ARIK VAR HOGMUND RUTHERN Arik Ruthern | Birdnerdy The Greyspine Uprising attracted many mercenaries to each side, and the Ruthern clansman dared not pass up a moment such as it. Arik led the band known as the Black Company, which operated in great success in the Rothsvald against the occupiers. In its aftermath, he struck a deal with the royal-candidate Stefan Barbanov for support in exchange for the County of Metterden, to which he upset the Ruthern political clique by his vocal support during the duma. --- NIKOLAS VAR PETYR RYKOV Nikolai Rykov | maxgemini Nikolai Rykov was Arik’s right-hand man and helped pacify both Metterden and dissenters during Arik’s accession. Following the settlement of Alban, Nikolas took the cloth and was quickly raised to the position of Archbishop of Jorenus. --- JAKOB VAR JAN MADONVIK Jakob Macdonough | Doggedwasupxxx Many have seen the works of Jakob Macdonough, and for his time he was one of the most prolific painters in both Haense and Oren. He has created numerous works, such as ‘The Spanking of Staunton’ and ‘Joys to the Boys of the Rothswald’. Jakob later served politically following his uncle’s selection as Palatine of the Duma, where he succeeded him for three weeks. --- JAN VAR THORMUND OTHAMAN Jan Othaman – H.P. Owyn II | eddywilson2 Othaman, a clergyman, rose to the position of Archbishop of Jorenus then to the throne of the Vicar of God, where he attempted to mend the schism plaguing the church. On a diplomatic mission, however, he was killed by fanatical schismists, becoming a martyr of the faith. --- ANDREY VAR SERGEY KOVACHEV Andrey Kovachev | Soulstrung Following the disastrous Battle of Elba, Andrey was appointed command over the Haeseni military, and took position at Vasiland. He failed, however, in stopping the enemy advance, and the Siege of Vasiland was yet another defeat. He re-emerged a decade after and launched the unsuccessful Horseman's Revolt, which attempted to make Carnatia an independent estate. Andrey, along with his rebel kinsmen, were later killed by Qali mercenaries in the Battle of Carsaca. For his hot temperament, he was called ‘Andrey the Wroth’. --- FREDRIK VAR ODRIN PRUSEN Frederick Augustus Preussen | Dabliusmaximus During both the short reign of Petyr II and the accession of King Stefan, the Prince of Pruvia held vast influence over the king, as well as naming him heir to the large sum known as the Pruvian Inheritance. This, and his willingness to grant trading privileges to the Haeseni trading clans of Amador and Alwyn, Haense experienced an economic boom following its restoration. --- HENRIK VAR KARL BIHAR Heinrik Otto Bihar | Flooptroop Following Haense’s restoration, Heinrik became the new leader of the Royalist faction and took up the mantle as Palatine like his kin before him. Through clever tactics and pacification of a now weakened nobility, Henrik accomplished what his father failed. Henrik’s policies and ideology became known as the chief thought of Biharism- doctrine agrarianism with strong crown authority. He worked efficiently as both a diplomat and a steward and reinvigorated a stagnating Haeseni bureaucracy. Through his tireless work, Alban rebuilt itself from a war camp to a capital, and his plans and designs for Alban were later carried on by the later authorities constructing the later capital of Markev. In his career he stopped many decadent procedures in the Haeseni court, and so he commonly referred to as ‘Henrik the Humble’. Following his death, he was canonized by the Church of the Canon as Saint Henricus of Haense. --- ALESSA VAS ELIZAVETA GRENDOK Alessa Grendock | Eagles Though history is not alien to warrior-women, Alessa emerged not only as a successful fight but also commander, leading successfully time and time again in the heat of battle. For her service, she was raised as a Baroness and Lady Peer, though continued her command of the Haeseni cavalry contingent for decades. The tallest mountain in the Yahtl Wastes, Mount Grendock, is named in her honor. --- FORDSEN VAR EKKARD KYNGSTON Fordson Kyngston | Devland Fordsen joined the court with his brother, being appointed numerous governorships throughout the kingdom and eventually receiving the position of Palatine for a brief few years. He was the main architect for palace of Esenstadt, as well as numerous manors and estates for the nobility, and his style, known as Kyngstonian Architecture, has become a point of study for aspiring royal engineers, and much of his work can be seen today. --- ANTON VAR EKKARD KYNGSTON Anton Kyngston | QuackerCracker Along with his brother, Anton joined the royal court in Alban and served first as a courtier, then later enlisting the armed forces, where he reached position of commandant later in his life. He also served as maer for the capital numerous times, helping violently suppress the turmoil of the Ale Riots of the 1620s. --- JOSEF VAN ALBAN Josef Baldemar - H.P. Everard IV | Piov Josef began his career as a peasant parishioner in the poor Alban diocese, and eventually rose to the seat as Vicar of God. Though his extensive charity work and preaching in the wooden capital of Alban, Josef created a powerful network of allies and contacts within the secular world and the papal court. When he eventually rose the seat of the pontificate, he brought peace following the Adelburg Coup, and re-established a position of clerical authority throughout the land. Following his death, he was canonized in the Church of the Canon as High Pontiff Saint Everardus Quartus. --- KOLTAIN VAR PIPI WICK Coltaine Wick | Hurferdurfer Coltaine belonged to the mysterious Wick clan, which rose sharply to prominence following the accession of King Stefan. He established to the first Magi Circle within Haense, constructing universities to teach theology and the arcane arts. However, in the peak of his power, he was assassinated and replaced by a supernatural entity, which was quickly destroyed by the very magi he created. During his life, he published numerous journals over his extensive studies on the arcane, including the famous Dialectics, which has become an important collection in arcane education. For his mastery of the arcane arts, he was known in life as ‘Coltaine the Elder’. --- JAN VAR KOLTAIN WICK John Wick | Kav Though the son of the famed Magi Coltaine, John pursued a career in the army. He is most famous for his brutal suppression of the numerous Ale Riots of the 1620s and became infamous for his vicious treatment of dissenters against the crown. He, along with his father, was assassinated and replaced by a supernatural entity, where he was swiftly destroyed by Haeseni magi. John was also remembered for his work in exploring the deepest part of the hinterlands called the Yahtl Wastes. For his womanizing ways and his charming looks, the court referred to him as ‘John the Handsome’ or ‘John the Pretty’. --- CULLEN VAR CULLEN VALREIN Cullen Valerin | Blago During the strike of the Metterden veterans, many lowborns rose quickly in the lack of a true officer core, including Cullen. He came quickly into the light of the royal court following his successful command against pagan raiders to the east, and he eventually rose the primacy rose as Commandant. During Otto II’s military reforms, however, Cullen was dismissed, and he retired to the countryside. For his stoic ways, he was known as ‘Cullen the Stern’. --- PETYR VAN ALRICZAN Petyr Barrow | _Gridlock Another veteran of the Black Company, Petyr served under the Palatine Henrik as a personal guard, where he performed numerous acts in service of the crown. He is most famous for being the suspected assassin of the unpopular consort Elizabeth of Courland, as well as being participant and leader of the Three Hand Plot, a conspiracy to assassinate King Stefan. --- SIGMAR VAR OTTO BARBOV Siegmar Otto Barbanov | Blauschlong The second son of Otto II, Siegmar studied in the burgeoning arcane arts, under the tutelage of the master magi Coltaine the Elder. He wrote numerous papers on his studies, mostly over the art of golemancy, and perfected the method of creation known as ‘Sigmarization’. Siegmar also hand a penchant for painting, and created numerous portraits of the royal family and the Karovic household, now maintained by the Royal Haeseni Guild of Art. --- KRISTOFF VAR SALDEMAR STAFYR I GRAUSPIN Kristoff Stafyr | Edel Kristoff was a minor lordling of middling estates of the ancient lineage of Stafyr, and served under the governments of Palatines Henrik Bihar and Josef van Alban in the position of ambassador and later emissary. He wrote numerous political treatises on diplomacy and state affairs, his most famous being Vayrkilar, detailing philosophically the concept of 'fair exchange' or 'geltostrin' and his controversial criticism of the imperial economy of the time. --- RUSLAN VAR ODRIN AMADOR Ruslan Amador | Xarkly Descended from the Amador banking clan, Ruslan continued the family tradition and maintained once again the Royal Amador Bank- the chief banking authority within the Kingdom of Haense. Ruslan was elevated to Steward and Auditor during the reign of Otto III, where he oversaw the construction of the planned capital of Markev. He maintained his grip upon the national reserves for all his life, serving till the death of Karl II. For his risky yet successful business choices, his peers called him ‘Ruslan the Ready’. --- BERENGAR VAR REINHOLT HELVETZ Berengar Helvets | Abeam1 Berengar ascended rapidly through the Haeseni military under Otto II and Otto III, achieving the prestigious rank of Grand Commandant by the end of his tenure. He was known for his quick wit and successes in the open field. After his service in the military, he retired to the colony of Otistadt, where he served as elder and maer till his death. --- INGRID VAS ADRIAN SARKOZ I ULGAARD Ingrid Sarkozic-Ulgaard | Tarrebear Perhaps the most beloved queen of the commoners, Queen Ingrid did her duties diligently as consort to Otto III. Following the example of her former peer Reza, she reinstated many traditional Haeseni customs back into court life, in addition to proficient diplomatic work with neighboring powers. The commoners referred to her as ‘Ingrid the Good’. --- JAN VAR ODRIN AMADOR Jack Amador - H.P. Clement III | bromodan Successor to Everard IV and of Haeseni stock, Jack was known for his humility and piety, yet clear bias towards the Kingdom of Haense. He wrote numerous papers upon different Haeseni saints, collected in the book ‘Yekilonsant’. --- GERALD VAR LERALD RAUEN Geralt Rauen | Pureimp10 A career soldier of Haeseni military, Geralt is well-known for several numerous victories on the field during the later reign Otto III, successfully commanding both the Second Battle of Stallion’s Hill and the Battle of the Dam. However, following setbacks as the conflict progressed and his main patron and liege Otto III dead, Geralt resigned. After the army, he settled deep into the hinterlands and Yahl, where he founded numerous trading posts and villages, including Geraltikev, Maristadt, and Tovikev. --- WULFREY VAR WULFREY SKARPEFANGER Wulffrey Skarpefanger | Wulfrey A settler of Gorundyr descent, Wulffrey Skarpefanger was an officer-favorite during his service in the Haeseni military during Otto III and recruited heavily to maintain manpower during conflicts on the River Czena. Later in his life, he led a colonization effort deeper into the River Czena valley, forming the trading post of Aberrang. Wulffrey was the most adamant in the conflicts in the inner hinterlands, most importantly against a body known as the Vaeyl- a group of supernatural entities, which squabble upon rightful Haeseni clay. The Personification of Haense = | = What truly is Sacrifice? Is it a personal burden each man must carry? Perhaps tis’ permanent or a moment in life that must be given once, or twice, or thrice? A punishment for our greed, and avarice? Is it with the grain or contrary? What truly is Sacrifice? A response to every human vice? Is there only one thing to give or does it vary? Perhaps tis’ permanent or a moment in life that must be given once, or twice, or thrice? Is it esoteric or precise? The focus of life or ancillary? What truly is Sacrifice? Oh creator what is the price? Simply a way to keep us warry? Perhaps tis’ permanent or a moment in life that must be given once, or twice, or thrice? How does one open the doors to paradise? On this I shall wonder till my body they bury. What truly is Sacrifice? Perhaps tis’ permenant or a moment in life that must be given once, or twice, or thrice? -Alistar Wailer, 1580

EN SENTVORIGEO EDLERVIK ON THE ANCIENT HISTORY OF THE HIGHLANDER PEOPLE Written and compiled by BROTHER ALEXANDER OF THE FIVE LAKES, WHO, by the Grace of God, records these notes to chronicle the histories and myths of the Highlander People, to bestow upon future men the knowledge of their blood. May these texts be used for righteous intention, and any who pollute this message be cursed to eternal damnation, with their ashes grinded and discarded. ON THIS DATE 7 SE 1689 - Dedicated to Sofiya, my once love and now angel of the Skies, for which I don this habit and wield this quill. PROLOGUE Years -1000 to 0 TIME BEFORE TIME or The Four Brothers and the Curse of Iblees In a time before the Four Brothers and contemporary civilization, the world was shapeless and boundless, without form or purpose. Before there was man, elf, ork, dwed, there was His aenguls and daemons, who roamed the world freely and without constraint, and His First Beings, those who He had created yet had not granted True Life. The great cohorts of divine aenguls were said to have shaped the world in His Image, creating the mountains and the seas, while God Himself bestowed His Touch upon all corners. He did not stop till fish teamed every sea, till every valley filled with life, and till every mountain laid buried untold treasures. God left the aenguls and daemons to steward the realm as He created it, entrusting them to maintain what He had created. These angelic beings, however, held their own personal desires and ambitions, and while He loved all, these rotten aenguls quarreled unnecessarily. The greatest of rivalries emerged between His two greatest angels, Iblees and Dragur, who carried on year-spanning clashes in the clouds and enslaved mass armies of mortal creatures to attempt to overtake the other. These included the First Beings, man before sapience, who were nothing more than animals prone to crude and bestial desires, and knew not better the machinations of the aenguls. Specifically Iblees, the most vile of the pair, had forced great numbers to fight in slave armies, wantonly destroying all which He had created. This continued for some time till He Returned and saw the destruction wrought by his children. He saw the death of countless of His First Beings and the sin wrought by His celestial children, and so He punished them. Dragur, the more noble of the two, willingly accepted the punishment, but Iblees stubbornly relented, growing jealous of His Power and Majesty. To His First Beings, who ached from pain of countless deaths, He sought to never be pawns of such evil again, and bestowed upon them True Life as He did his angels. He created the First Man and the First Woman, and through them created the Four Perfect- Malianus. Crucus, Urganus, and the greatest of them, Horonius- to lead his nation known as Man. Each was given a fourth of the new people, where they founded the first great cities of the world. The sinful aenguls were instructed to work not above, but below Man, to teach them how to live and be faithful. The aenguls under Dragur taught Man the Flexio tongue, and worked as advisers and teachers. Dragur himself grew a great love for Horonius, who was the quickest of his brothers, and taught him many things, and Horonius would become even His favorite child. All four realms grew immensely, and the mortal beings all prayed and loved God, and paradise was founded upon the earth. Horonius founded the First City which God called Paradisius, and it became the Favorite of God’s People. All of the brothers took massive harems expect Horonius, who took a single wife Julia, the most pious of the women, and had three sons named Aeternus (Harren), Joraenus (Joren), and Gosvenus (Godwin). Iblees was furious to be subjugated to beings he once considered beneath him, and refused in rebellion. God, though His Love is great, could not be idle at the sinful nature of His son Iblees, and cast him out of the Seven Skies to the mortal plane to repent. In secret, Iblees conspired with his legions of unholy aenguls and daemons who were also defiant against Him, chiefest among them being Metizus and Aerial. Disguised as wanderers, the fallen children traveled to each of the four realms, intent on polluting their teachings with sin. To Malianus, who grew tired of each mate He created to sate his drive, they taught the sin of debauchery and sloth, bestowing upon him shameful lust. To Crucus, who grew bored of the mundane trials upon His world, they taught the sin of murder and blood-lust, bestowing upon him a drive of death. And to Urganus, who grew a hunger for power and and the mundane metals of the earth, he taught the sin of greed and envy, bestowing upon him to want nothing but the trivial treasures of the mortal realm. With each one falling prey to the demonic corruption, the realms quickly followed suit, and sin spread across the population like a plague. Iblees and his cohort were able to confront Horonius four times, each with a different coercion. First, they promised Malianus’ passion for the flesh, but Horonius had his wife Julia, and desired no other. Second, they promised Crucus’ passion for death, but Horonius had love for his people, and sought battle only for benefit. And third, they promised Urganus’ passion for wealth, but Horonius had his care for his realm, and desired only the fruitful bounty for his people. Iblees was wicked though clever, and the fourth time offered eternal life. Horonius at first laughed, for he was His creation, and would live eternally in God, yet Iblees continued, and offered it for his children, for he claimed the children were not of His creation but Horonius’, and that they would not be Loved. Horonius still refused, though he came to doubt God, and unknowingly was bestowed the sin of doubt and questioning the Power of God. In his doubt, he prayed, and God answered, sending Horonius to fast upon the Rock of Gamesh. Dragur and his party, including the beings Tersion and Micahelus, visited down from the Seven Skies, and after three days Horonius was given the heavenly laurels as a crown. God gazed upon His creation and saw the sins of Malianus, Crucus, and Urganus and wept, and so Horonius made covenant with God never to stray from His Love as his brothers had. Though in Horonius’ absence his realm came to be infested with unholy sin, and like its sibling tribes, soon became a haven of chaos. Through the guise of man, Iblees preached and taught the ways of wickedness to the pure tribe of Horonius. Julia, who kept the home in the absence, took the most faithful of men and protected the home of their family, and prayed to God for His son’s return. God heard the prayers of Julia and commanded Horonius to return with the aenguls to his decaying city of Paradisius, where he rallied those who had not fallen, including his faithful wife Julia, who eternally remained faith to God and her husband. Horonius gathered what forces were not under the taint of Iblees, and God granted him generalship of the armies upon the earth. For his position, the daemon Garumdus crafted the Great Axe and Sword of Horonius, embedded with divine power of the Skies. He and the faithful men of God cleared the streets of Paradisius of the wicked followers of Iblees, and restored the temple which laid burdened by heathenish false idols. By this time, Iblees had taken control of nearly half the world and wreaked havoc upon the earth below. His army consisted upon legions of fallen aenguls and daemons, who joined Iblees in horrid rebellion, as well as the corrupted tribes of the fallen three brothers.. The remaining aenguls under the cowardly Xanus, who cared not who won but how they would benefit, sat neutral in the conflict much to the displeasure of God. The war began first as daemons under the malicious Metizus attempted to storm the great doors to the Seventh Sky, only for himself to be cast down to the earth after a duel with the warrior-angel Micahelus. On the mortal plane, great battles were fought, and the world shook for months in great earthquakes and floods, as divine manifests clashed in crescendos of power. Entire cities were destroyed in flashes of light, and many people lost their lives in the ensuing fights of mortals and aenguls. Despite the bravery and valiant deeds of Horonius and his tribe, the corrupted forces of Iblees and the twisted clans of his brothers proved too much, and they made a last stand upon the gates of the Seven Skies. Horonius, who still loved his brothers, met them upon the field, and because of his love and wit, convinced the three to turn away from sin, repent, and follow the Way of God. This came a terrible blow to Iblees, and when Horonius began to chant the name of God, the gates of the Skies shuttered open. God Himself, who could not be seen by His sheer power else be blinded by his glorious light, shattered Iblees in a great deal, before grabbing hold of his unholy body and dragging him below. Before he left the earth, however, Iblees uttered a final curse to the people. To Malianus and his people, he cursed with infertility and for their hedonist desires to never be satisfied. To Crucus and the violent warriors, he burned to give them green skin and deformed teeth and an eternal lust for blood. To Urganus and the greedy miners of the mountains, he hammered each to be half-men and cursed with blinding avarice so no amount of gold would fill the void of their hearts. And finally, to the faithful Horonius and his people, he cursed with lives too short to experience the bounties of God, the greatest curse for the most pious of the brothers. These demented curses created the four modern races of man, elf, ork, and dwed. For five days, the world stood in complete twilight, for even the aenguls felt powerless without the presence of God, and the whole world wept in fear. He drug Iblees to the coldest depth, and instead of killing his son, for He Loved him despite such sin, he imprisoned for eternity in repentance. Many aenguls and daemons followed suit, locked in the void as prisoners, and those mortals who continued to follow Iblees despite all that occurred were forced to wander the void, becoming demonic spirits and unholy beasts. God’s Power radiate throughout the void during His five days, and it has remained in the void as pure energy, later to be utilized by magi in the form of magick. On the fifth day, God returned to the Seventh Sky, and the light returned to the world. The aenguls, daemons, and people rejoiced, and those faithful angels returned to the Skies in glorious triumph, where the heavenly halls lit in jovial celebrations. God allowed this for two days, giving us the seven day week, yet on the eighth day he stopped all and doled upon judgement. To the neutral aenguls of Xanus, he banished from the Seven Skies, to always walk the mortal realm or spend their days in the cold reaches of the void. To the three brothers who casted God aside, he did the same, though he bestowed upon them gifts of mortal longevity, as to enjoy the mortal realm till they suffer punishment in eternal solitude. To Horonius and his tribe, which he called Man, he favored as His Chosen People, and while He did not lift the curse of Iblees, instead allowed His Chosen People to walk the Seven Skies as He and His aenguls and daemons do. Horonius was honored, and God bestowed upon him leadership of the world, and the brothers were subservient to him. This grew a great jealousy between the brothers, for they were once equals, but for the coming decades peace was had. Horonius ruled as King of the World, advised by the aenguls Dragur and Tersion, and remained faithful to God. --- CHAPTER I Year 0 FALL OF PARADISIUS or Death of the First Prophet and the Calling of the Three Sons “And so Harren, Joren, and Godwin, the sons of the Chosen Himself, stood and watched the collapse of their home, by the hands of the once uncle of their kind. Harren cursed the Skies and above, the one of indulgence. Joren bellowed in rage, the one of wroth. And Godwin drank himself blind, the one of acedia. Soon Micahelus came down, the one which guided Horen years before. And he sayeth one phrase, before sending the children to each corner of the world; ‘So is the Darkness That Comes Before, and So is the Light That Comes After.’” -The Book of Saints, Unknown For twenty-five years, the world was at peace. Paradisius, the capital and home of Horonius, grew to immense sizes, with temples spanning to the sky, great halls stretching miles, and divine marvels unknown to our contempory world. Upon the Isthmus of Kramoroe, where Paradisius stood at its mouth, the city bustled, and Horonius’ tribe grew to great numbers and its members spread across the world from the barren north to the bitter south. Aeternus and Joraenus, the two eldest of Horonius’ children, were eventually granted tribes of their own, while the third-son Gosvenus remained steward under the eye of his father. The aenguls Tersion and Dragur remained at the court of the King of the World, advising its ruler and teaching the arts of science and law to Man. In the vastness of the Realm of the World, all paid homage to God, the King of All Kings, and in every corner His Touch reached all. However, Horonius’ brothers, the recently cursed Malianus, Crucus, and Urganus, despised the attention and favoritism given to him. They resented their weakness in falling to the false promises of Iblees, while Horonius prayed to God and remained true, and so many from the tribes of ork, elf, and dwed sought conflict with those of Man. Some even began to consort and pray to the fallen aenguls and spirits for help, who they called gods in mockery of Him. Malianus turned to the forest nymphs, who he took as wives and disrespected the sanctity of love. Crucus turned to the twisted followers of Iblees locked in the void, giving blood sacrifice in exchange for unholy power. And Urganus turned to the selfish aenguls who denied God’s call to war, delivering tribute of treasure in order to fill their meager coffers. But the humans of Horonius were pious and true, and they flourished with children spreading throughout the world. The siblings saw this and they resented the purity of their brother, and swore to correct what they perceived unjust. Crucus devised a devious plan, where under the guise of repentance, he would trick the noble Horonius and corrupt the holiness of Man. He wrote to Horonius about his great, feigned regret for the sins he committed, how he wished to turn back to God, and desired to unite both tribes in prayer and worship. Horonius believed in the goodness of his siblings, and accepted readily, for he wished nothing more than for all the races to live under the Love of God. Crucus promised no weapons, though Iblees cursed him with sinful cunning, and hid his tribal weapons in hay bales given to Horonius as tribute. He brought his son Gorcus, known for his weakness in spirit, to lead his vanguard when he reached the holy walls of Paradisius. Both of Horonius’ eldest sons were not within the city when Crucus and his tribe arrived, remaining in their own tribal lands, though the third-born Gosvenus remained. Julia grew wary of the size of Crucus’ party and warned her husband of her suspicion, feeling wicked intent in disguised piety. Horonius had great love for his brother, however, and denied every thought of believed treachery by a kinsman. Julia in her wisdom turned to the aengul Tersion, who agreed with her and went to the room of Horonius to convince him of the wisdom of Julia’s warnings. Again, since Horonius had great love for his brother, he denied the allegations of the aengul Tersion. Tersion, furious in righteous rage, turned only to the wisest of God’s servants, the Lord Dragur, who agreed on the risk of allowing Crucus such liberties. Dragur left for the room of Horonius, but again Horonius’ love was greater than the reason of the aengul, and he denied all. Julia grew upset, and under the advice of the wise-woman Philipia, she left in seclusion to the Cave of Ari with fifty virgins sworn to maidenhood in their love of God. Horonius held a grand celebration upon the arrival of his brother, where he led personally a great parade of the riches and splendor of Paradisius and the bounties of God. The parade lasted four days and four nights, where upon the fifth day Crucus and Horonius embraced upon the Rock of Gamesh. Horonius attempted to convince his brother soon after to fast with him for the coming four days, though Crucus denied vehemently. The love for his brother blinded Horonius, however, and he thought nothing of Crucus’ denial to prayer. Within the Great Temple of Paradisius, which expanded to the heavens, the brothers held a mass feast and union between the tribes. Man was weary of the green beasts, though they held loyalty to the King of the World, and took them with open arms as brothers. The feasting lasted for four days and four nights, with tables stretching to thousands of seats, headed by the fathers Horonius and Crucus and sons Gorcus and Gosvenus. During the feasts, sports and duels were had between both members of the tribe, and a great rivalry emerged between the weak Gorcus and the valiant Gosvenus. Looking to trickery rather than honor for victory, Gorcus turned to the magick of the twisted spirits, who bestowed upon him unholy strength. Gosvenus was pure and stooped to no ibleeic tricks, for he carried only his love of God, and trusted in Him. In the final bout between the two kinsmen, Gosvenus overcame Gorcus and forced him to submit, and though the dark powers clouded his mind, Gorcus saw the might and valour of Gosvenus, and swore upon him friendship. In a confusing rabble to Gosvenus, he claimed he could not stop what will occur, though his descendants would ‘forever look in companionship with his ilk’. These words troubled Gosvenus, who turned to his secluded mother Julia for guidance. Yet this occurred on midnight of the fourth day, and Crucus executed his diabolical planned attack upon the Tribe of Man. His orks gathered the hidden weapons while the drunken humans feasted within the halls of the Great Temple, and began butchering those who did not submit. Crucus stole the Great Axe crafted by Garumdus and used it to slay his brother as he slept. With the blood of Horonius staining the Great Axe, he called upon the twisted spirits and named the weapon falsely as the Axe of Crucus (Axe of Krug). His soldiers captured the gates of Paradisius, where upon they allowed great hordes of dwed and elves into the holy metropolis, all desiring to pollute the treasure with their sins. Gosvenus and Julia saw the destruction wrought by the three tribes and they wept in the seclusion of the Cave of Ari. Julia bestowed upon Gosvenus the Great Sword crafted by Garumdus, which she called the Sword of Horonius, and instructed to Gosvenus to lead the house of Man from the destruction of its brothers. The third son rallied the soldiers who had not fallen to the parties of orks, dwed, and elves, and left in great hurry to save the tribe from total destruction. Crucus himself led the sacking of the holy city, razing the great stone buildings and killing wantonly. He was assisted by Malianus, who captured men and women for his harems, and Urganus, who melted the great shrines to Him for statues in his own liking. They burned the holy books of the temple in a bonfire dedicated to the twisted spirits and fallen aengudaemons, sacrificing man, woman, and child in ceremonies to taint the holy power of God’s mortal city. Once he gathered the surviving people in the grand chaos, he returned to his mother, who he bade to join into retreating to the Valley of Aaun. Though Crucus had seen Gosvenus and his attempts and he gathered forces to hinder them from retreating. Julia claimed to her son that she must remain and guard the house of her husband, and sent him off. She was joined by the wise-woman Philipia and the other forty-nine virgins, and they prayed in the Cave of Ari. From his scouts, Crucus discovered the cave as the potential location of Gosvenus and the remaining humans and soon arrived, joined by his two brothers Malianus and Urganus. They laid short siege and took the cave with no fight, and rounded up Julia and the women. The three brothers demanded the location of her son and the Tribe of Man, but she refused, and no matter what words they gave, she stayed true to her vows. All three offered themselves as husbands to Julia and their tribe as suitors to the gathered virgins. Malianus offered passions and pleasures immeasurable, though Julia refused, for the only passion she desired was her husband’s. Crucus offered power and control over the lives of slaves and foes, though Julia declined, for the only power she desired was the peace of her people. And finally Urganus offered riches and splendor which rivaled that of the aengudaemons, though Julia refused, for the only wealth she desired was the bounty of humanity. All three brothers grew enraged by the piety of Julia, and offered the same to each woman of Julia’s company, who all stood by their matriarch. The sinful brothers butchered the women after their spurning, where Crucus beheaded Julia in the same fashion as he did to his brother Horonius. He ordered his son Gorcus to give chase to Gosvenus; however Gorcus had given oath to Gosvenus, and deliberately lost the trail of the fleeing men. Crucus claimed the spoils of the city of Paradisius for himself, which came to the anger of Urganus and Malianus, who both wanted the capital of the Realm of the World for themselves, and they soon quarreled. Both the dwed and the mali were cast out by the orks of Crucus, and for five years the three races fought for the spoils of their kinslayed brother Horonius. Tersion appeared to both Joraenus and Aeternus, who were ruling their own tribes in the north and south respectively, and told of what occurred. The three sons of Horonius eventually gathered in the Valley of Aaun, with Aeternus and Joraenus accompanied by their fiercest warriors, and Gosvenus with the remnants of the men and women of Paradisius. The warrior-aengul Micahelus appeared to the three in majestic splendor, and instructed them of the great struggle to come in reclaiming the City of the World. Aeternus, who carried great indulgence and pride, cursed the aengul and questioned why God did not stop the sinful takeover. Joraenus, who carried great anger and jealousy, demanded immediate retribution and march upon Paradisius at once. And Gosvenus, who carried great acedia, grew great sadness at his failure to protect his father and took to wine. However, when Micahelus blew the Holy Oliphant, the sons of Horonius listened, and when their immediate shock passed, planned for divine reclamation of their birthright. They would take five years to gather the armies of men from across the World, in plans of gathering the largest army since the great struggles of God and Iblees. Aeternus would be sent south, to rally the Desert Clans and the Clans of the Jungles under his banner, Joraenus to the north, to bring the Five Great Tribes of the Highlands, and Gosvenus would remain in the Valley of Aaun and call upon the Heartland Folk to gather in its confines. When the plans were made, the aengul Micahelus beckoned them off and gave upon them the graces of God. However, Aeternus, who despised the south and desired the bountiful north of his brother’s tribe, left northward as well, much to the anger of Joraenus, and would cause great conflict in the future. --- GLOSSARY Names, Terms, and Translations

Et Novi Orbis Terrarum (1912) In Hindsight; Globalization Characteristic of the pre-1914 decades was what we would now call globalization. Trade may have risen from one thirtieth to one third of world production between 1800 and 1913; between 1855 and 1914 investment flows grew 20 times. Europe accounted for nearly two thirds of global trade and even more of global investment, and from the 1890s Europe’s major currencies were fixed in value in relation to each other under the international gold standard. Hundreds of thousands of foreign-born labourers worked in the heavy industries of French Lorraine and Germany’s Ruhr. The British writer Norman Angell in his 1909 best-seller, Europe’s Optical Illusion, maintained that war between advanced modern economies was now irrational. Yet British naval planners saw economic interdependence as making Germany more vulnerable, and the German General Staff considered war remained a viable option, at least if victory came quickly. Democratization A second 19th-century characteristic was democratization. By 1914 all the European Powers had elected lower houses of parliament, and a majority of the adult male population was enfranchised. The press was relatively free, and citizens could form parties and pressure groups. Nonetheless, in Austria-Hungary, Germany, and Russia ministers answered to monarchs rather than to a parliamentary majority, and the military chiefs were not subordinate to civilian statesmen. Moreover, as international tension mounted, public opinion polarized, more moderate and progressive tendencies being offset by nationalism and militarism. Europe’s socialist parties opposed wars of conquest and aggression but were willing to endorse a war fought for just cause and in self-defence, which in 1914 all the governments would claim to be fighting. Military Revolutions The 19th century had also witnessed a succession of military revolutions. At sea, steel had superseded wooden hulls and steam had superseded sail. HMS Dreadnought, launched by Britain in 1906 with turbine engines and 10 12-inch guns, made all existing battleships obsolete. On land, Prussia’s combination of universal liability to conscription, forward strategic planning by a General Staff, and railway-borne mobilization helped win the wars of German unification, and was widely emulated. Breech-loading cannon with rifled steel barrels replaced smooth-bore muzzle-loaders, and infantry rifles replaced muskets. Smokeless high explosive replaced powder in bullets and shells, and the modern field gun fired up to 20 rounds per minute. Yet although on balance these developments favored defenders over attackers, military planners concluded from the 1904-05 Russo-Japanese War that offensive tactics could still prevail, albeit at much higher cost than before. A balance of power? Peace therefore depended on more traditional devices such as the balance of power and deterrence. In the 1870s and 1880s the newly unified German Second Empire under the Chancellorship of Otto von Bismarck was not only the strongest Continental military power but also spun a web of alliances that left France – resentful of its defeat in 1870 – isolated. The Austro-German alliance of 1879 developed into the Triple Alliance (including Italy) in 1882, and Russia too concluded agreements with the German-led bloc. But after Wilhelm II became Emperor he allowed the connection with Russia to lapse, facilitating the formation in 1891-94 of a Franco-Russian alliance. Even so, for a time the two groupings balanced each other, and Russia and France were in rivalry not only with Germany but also (in Central Asia and in Africa) with Britain. So secure did Germany still feel that from 1898 it too challenged Britain through a major program of North Sea battleship building. The beginning of the 20th century After 1904-07, the line-up became more ominous. Russia was weakened for several years after its defeat by Japan. Germany tried but failed to form a German-Franco-Russian bloc excluding Britain. Instead the British compromised over their extra-European disputes with the French in the ‘Entente cordiale’ of 1904 and over those with the Russians in 1907, and began co-operating diplomatically with their former adversaries. In 1902 Italy had reached a separate understanding with France. Germany’s leaders protested that the Triple Entente ‘encircled’ them, while their one remaining reliable ally, Austria-Hungary, was a multi-national empire that was hobbled by inter-ethnic disputes and menaced by a growing confrontation with its neighbour, Serbia, which with Russian encouragement fomented separatism among Austria-Hungary’s South Slavs. After 1905 Europe experienced a succession of diplomatic crises that heightened antagonism between the two blocs. From 1912 the Anglo-German naval race lost impetus, as a land arms race between the Austro-German and Franco-Russian alliances superseded it. In retrospect it is easy to discern the warning signs. But at the time they were less evident, and as late as spring 1914 tensions seemed to be easing. The French Socialist leader, Jean Jaurès, believed the peaceful resolution of so many crises had bred a dangerous complacency. If you have read all this, congratulations! List a U.S state to answer if you have read all the information in Application area.. Nonetheless, a general war was not inevitable until deliberate decisions created it...... It is the time before what people will call the War to end all wars. Europe is at the zenith of it’s true power. It’s colonies spread all across the globe. The United States at this time was seen as a child. It had no true impact on European affairs. Up until this year history as we know it has continued uninterrupted. But things are changing more rapidly than anyone knows. Leaders and government are becoming more prone to listen to outside elements. And slowly but surely history begins to alter. Things will not play exactly as they once had before. Anything is possible within the realm of realism. Will the Archduke actually be shot? What events will lead up to it. Perhaps the German plan changes, what if they had focused elsewhere? Events were so decisive in history that the world gradually fell into world war. World War is almost certainly inevitable. But many various factors changed or removed could drastically alter how and where it was fought. It will be up to the players leading their nations to try to steer its course. One that may present a massive challenge. The various autocratic and democratic governments are pits of intrigue and politics. OOC ((Please Read the entire Thread. very useful information)) This will be a slightly alternate history Forum thread focusing on the start date 1912. Everything up to this point has been the same as regular history. The governments, leaders, and people all exist and lead in the nations you pick. You can of course introduce your own characters and leaders. But they would have to make their way into power, against any ruling family or government. It will be up to you to decide what alliances and deals are forged. You most of course try to stay within the realm of reason. For instance the Germans and Austrians going to war, or British and Ottomans allying would be rather out of line. Of course you may try anything but the responses will be harsh. This FRp focuses on the question of just how a WW1 could be dictated. What if the British stayed out of the war? Or if the Germans did not invade through Belgium? What if France was the one starting the war. There are many questions it will be up to you to ask, and answer. Players will have the option to take control of the great powers at the time. Smaller nations and colonies are not open for application. It will be focused on a small ring of players making the choices that will dictate the world. Great Powers United Kingdom German Empire French Republic Austrian Empire Italy Russia United States Ottoman Empire Japan China Brazil Lesser Nations Potentially Applicable Belgium Netherlands Spain Serbia Bulgaria At the end of each post you will have an Actions section. Here you will outline the contents of your post into bite sized chunks I can then become aware of and react to. Detail what your nation has done for the time. Each turn is half a year. https://scottmanning.com/content/world-war-i-troop-statistics/ ((To give a view on how large each nation’s army is. It’ll be up to the player to find statistics on their army/navy starting size.)) Application Discord Name; Nation of Choice (and why?); Nation’s historical background leading up to 1912 (Would like a paragraph + here giving a full account of your nation's state at the moment. Particularly important if you want to apply for one of the Greater Powers); Nation’s Government Type and Leader/Party; Any special characters you made and want to introduce?; Nation’s relative army/navy statistics (If you can’t find any pm me); Did you read all the information?; Suggestions or feedback?;

Name of Culture: The Keepers Introduction to the Culture: We the Keepers, Protect and Preserve the Lands of the Empire History: It was born in Atlas, It hasn’t gone through any other maps. Language: They Speak English. Common Traits: Clean looking you never know where they are, they are very loving, unless you meet the Keeper of Hostility. Society: They have Nobles, a King, a Queen, and Soldiers, and Medics. Behavior: They are Nice, unless you meet the Keeper of Hostility Festivities: Non. Clothing: Wonderful Clothing, It Stands out. Architecture: No they Do not. Religion: Cannonism, they Worship GOD Military: The Same Military as EOM.

Ashwood Clan Introduction to the Clan Have you ever heard the vallah phrase? “All is fair in love and war?” Across years of living between humans and elves, It is difficult to find another dark elf kin within Atlas. When you find your kin it is an experience that you can't miss. An ideal that forever bonds you. Ashwood clan is a clan of elves, Primarily dark, to ensure our race will never die out and prevail through the world of vallahs. The White ashwood tree stands for with the blending of the past, present, and future. The ash tree stands for strength, which it gets from its strong roots.The wood of the ash burns with intense heat, even when green. Ashwood symbolises Mastership, power and awareness. “Talonnii Stands proud like a tree and hears the whispers of the world.”-Wren Ashwood ⊱ ────── {⋆⌘⋆} ────── ⊰ History: A history forged between two lovers, loss and a new home. History may be the present that once a little bird left the enclave watching it turn to ash, as another wolf watched his friends die in front of him. Somewhere along the way the two met and married under the vows to Velulaei. It is the past that forges us and the present that helps us pave the word to the future. A history forged with others is better than one left in solitude. Nae il'kae narna kento? To make a better history? ⊱ ────── {⋆⌘⋆} ────── ⊰ Language: Ashwoods speak a variant of elvish common, thus very common within Atlas and most elves today The mixture of elven is more prominent than the common counterpart. The clans leaders are know to be mischievous and use old elven words to confuse a younger elf. Most used elivish words and their meanings: Igne: Flames mayilu:Love karin'ayla ; Good morning maehr'sae: Progress Velulaei: The moon goddess lun'ehya :health fiyem:Reborn bida To drink ⊱ ────── {⋆⌘⋆} ────── ⊰ Common Traits: ⌘ Bold ⌘Protective ⌘Seek Knowledge ⌘Passionate ⊱ ────── {⋆⌘⋆} ────── ⊰ Society: The Ashwood clan follows the leadership of Xavis Ashwood, the father of ashwood as of currently. The clan leader and his celia’lyu. (wife) control the clan, Their chosen will be the next in line for the clan. The chosen leader will go through a series of trails to become a leader. If no Ker decides they want to initiate the trials, it is custom to forgo and the firstborn will hold leadership. There are no know nobles( as of yet) to the Ashwood just the clan itself. The small tiers its follows. Leaders: The clan leader(s) will lead to the clan to safety, and protect the clan at all costs. If that means living in more than one place or following another Family/clan. So be it. They hold all power to add and remove a lomi from the Ashwood clan. The leader(s) At the end of their life, or when retiring, will announce the trial commencement or the leadership passed to Their chosen. Chosen: Chosen are warriors, ones who wish to protect and guide the clan to victory. These ker are the most likely to be of leadership after the following Clan leaders die. Viras: Viras are keepers of knowledge they keep and record the history of the ashwood clan in any way possible. Via: stories, Art, books and song. As long as they are around they hold great value to the clan. Lomi: The rest of the clan in parts is named Lomi: respectively meaning fragments. Lomi is the pieces of the clan that hold/or do not wish to hold any power. They keep the clan going. Possibly branching of the clan. ⊱ ────── {⋆⌘⋆} ────── ⊰ Behaviour: Ashwoods are bold Kers’, They tend to do what's right for family and friends. They don't back down when faced with a threat to their loved ones. An Ashwoods memory isn't as forgetful as one might think, a grudge may be there but never said. Ashwoods can forgive but will never forget. ⊱ ────── {⋆⌘⋆} ────── ⊰ Festivities: Festival of Fairy Triad : Where they grow together it is said that fairies live.! An old tale passed down between Vanvir. *the current celia’lyu* Fairies grow around the white trees to play. For those days they play under they bless. 15th of malins welcome. Shall plant a (birch) ashwood tree at dusk so it can grow with the fairies. Trails of the chosen: hael trails, a festival that can be viewed by the public if wished by the Clan leader. Trials can take up to a week (1 day saint time). Testing Strength, Knowledge and compassion. ⊱ ────── {⋆⌘⋆} ────── ⊰ Clothing: Clan colors are Purple, blue and black. An Ashwood is not restricted to wear the colors on a daily basis. They only time it is required is during a festival or during a Chosen Trial. Ashwood usually laugh at Vallahs, usually for their prudish thinking. Rather shoulders being shown to proudly show scars or paint that they adorn themselves with. Tattoos/face paint: There a few tattoos that are recognized in the clan for different task and ranks among the clan. ⌘Two Light Blue stripes across the face: Is a warrior/chosen of The Clan. The light blue opposed to two white stripes means the next clan leader. ⌘Two white stripes: Representing Warrior of the clan the strong that will protect the clan from threats. ⌘ Roots on the back flowing down the spine: are Viras keeper of knowledge Symbolizing the strong roots of an ash wood tree ⌘ White painted crown: When ashwood is at war, They shall have this white painted crown on their skin. As a way to protect their minds and spirit against their foes. ⊱ ────── {⋆⌘⋆} ────── ⊰ If anyone is interested in joining the Ashwood clan send Tigergiri#0744 or Meteor Dragon#8579a msg. In case of rply finding them: Wren Ashwood or Xavis Ashwood. ⊱ ────── {⋆⌘⋆} ────── ⊰ https://youtu.be/ZW25nrh-mxo

Votar’s Shaati Mission Statement Votar’s Shati, founded on the 20th of The Grand Harvest, 1699, by Burbur’Lur, Farseer and Huntzgrat of the Iron Uzg, exists as a way to honor the Spirits (primarily Votar), to rid the Uzg and lands surrounding it of threats, and to extend the values of the Lur clan to Uruks of all calibers and creeds. Conduct About brotherhood, looting, taming, spiritual stuff, some other stuff. OOC emphasis on the clauses below Brotherhood: The Hunters of Votar’s Shaati above all, are brothers. During hunts conflict must be put aside, fighting with your fellow hunters during hunts will be punished. The life of your fellow hunters will be put above all, should a fellow hunter die in a hunt, any spoils collected will be sacrificed in his name, to aid him in the Stargush. Brothers should wish their brother to become the best he can be, whether it means reporting his crimes, or teaching him something he could do better. By joining and going on hunts with the Votar Shaati you agree to adhere to the conduct set forth and accept any punishments that may come as a result of breaking this conduct. ((Aka punishment clause, by joining this guild and going on hunts you understand that breaking rules will result in IC punishment, the worst penalty being Whitewashed.)) Spiritual Sacrifice: Honoring the Spirit of The Hunt should come above all, therefore loot from every hunt should be sacrificed in the name of 1. Votar 2. Lur and 3. Other Spirits. The members of Votar’s Shaati should strive to honor these spirits, and not be greedy with the amount they take, as it was Votar who allowed them to partake in such a grand hunt. Taming: This guild is not one made for would be druids. Taming wild animals, while they may be used to hunt in the future, or even be made into companions, will never be the objective of a hunt. Nor will hunters of the guild go out of their way to kill any mother of cubs, or any mother carrying cubs, as it is up to these animals to grow up, and reproduce, so that we may continue to hunt. On the off chance that there is a cub left behind, that has little chance of survival on its own in the wild, or a cub of an extremely rare animal that we have the capability of preserving in captivity, caring for the animal, until its eventual adulthood, will be tolerated. Maiming and Death: Scars to many hunters are trophies, proof of their living to tell the tale of their hunt, above the rank of Piil you will see many decorated with these previous wounds. Dying in a hunt, as rare as it may be, to many members is one of the most honorable deaths they may achieve, akin to a warriors wish for a death in battle. Should a hunter die on a hunt, all loot gathered will be sacrificed in his name, to aid him in Stargush. This is not to say you should let your fellow hunters die, if you are able to save them, then it is not yet their time to go, and are not destined to die on this hunt. Should you leave your brother to die when you were able to help him, you will be hunted by all those of the guild. (Above Kasaak maim perms are enforced, above Piil, death perms are enforced. This will be gone over before every hunt to make sure everyone is aware. It is believed by these members of the guild that if a fellow hunter dies, and mysteriously returns to life, that it is the work of Buurzmojo. Note: PK/Maim clauses are not enforceable OOCly, however, if they are not respected you will be barred from the group & such events.) Looting: Loot distribution will be agreed upon by the party beforehand, the types a party can choose are laid out below. Only one spoil from the creature may be taken, and the rest is sacrificed. Leader’s Pick: The leader of the hunting party decides, this has the potential to be an unfair system if the leader is not fair with the distribution of the loot. When under the leadership of a hunter who is known to be unbiased and trustworthy, this is a good system. Vote: The party will vote to determine he who showed the most prowess in the hunt and they will have the pick of one spoil from the creature. Killing Blow - He/She who strikes the killing blow on the beast gets to decide how loot is distributed. The person must be of Zult or higher, otherwise it defaults to leader’s pick. Distribution must be relatively fair or they will be punished, demoted or simply kicked from the guild. If someone waits to strike, in order to steal the killing blow, they will be punished accordingly, if someone is injured or killed because of this mistake, they will be whitewashed from the Uzg, and known as a Kinslayer. Hierarchy The Huntzgrat A title generally assigned by The Rex of The Uzg, this hunter, most of the time a Lur, is tasked with overseeing all of the hunters within the Uzg. His duties include give the go ahead on bounties, recruiting new members, and attending and leading hunts regularly. To this orc, it is a great honor to die on a good hunt, moving on to live with the hunters in the Stargush. | PK Clause The Skrizg | The right hand man of the Huntzgrat, this hunter serves as a second leader of the guild, able to recruit and promote those of the lowest three ranks, as well as demote. This second leader may also give the go ahead on bounties.| PK Clause Shaati (Means Spear) | Veteran hunters of the guild, given permission to lead Votars on the most difficult of prey. These hunters often serve as role models for the lower ranks of the guild, and should strive to set good examples. At any time if the Huntzgrat or Skrizg believes them to not be showing said good examples, they may lose this privilege. | PK Clause Zult | The swords of Votar, these hunters have proven themselves on many previous Votars, and at this point are capable of putting together hunting parties to tackle more dangerous beasts. Often invited to hunt with the Shaati, they are at this point given more specific tasks on the hunt, based on what they have accomplished in past hunts. | These hunters would show off previous wounds with pride, every scar obtained from a hunt, a trophy. (Maim clause will be enforced here, if you for example, lose a finger on a hunt, the monks will not magically regrow it, if you wish to fix it, you must find a way to do so in rp, whether it is having a farseer reattach it with Akezo, a witchdoctor regrowing it as a deformed limb, etc… But no, poof, its back.) (No one will be forced to promote past Piil) Votar’s Piils (Arrows) | Once a Kasaak has been recommended for promotion by another hunter of the guild, they become a Piil, or Arrow of Votar, these are the guild’s halfway members, who have begun to work more with the guild, but have not become full on hunters. | No Clauses will be enforced at this rank Kasaak | True to their name, these are the newbies of the guild. Those of higher ranks have been known to ask those of this rank to go on hunts, only to use them as bait in order to lure the beast out of hiding. Snagas and visitors in most cases, will be stuck at this rank. | This rank has no enforced clauses Note: PK/Maim clauses are not enforceable OOCly, however, if they are not respected you will be barred from the group & such events. Hunting & Bounties Hunts, or Votars are the main focus of the guild, but the Votar’s Shaati have been known to take up bounties from those outside of the guild, and sometimes even outside of the Orcish race. The guidelines to hunts and bounties are laid out below. Random Hunts. Random hunts are able to be lead by anyone above the rank of Kasaak, in which they will go out into the wilderness, and see what they can find. It is advised if they find something out of their parties capabilities of hunting, that they return to the guild in order to make a bounty. Specific Hunts. Specific hunts blur the line between random hunts and bounties, where the party seeks out specific prey, these hunts may often times take longer, and may be discouraging as some animals are not so easy to find. Should a party wish to go on a specific hunt, it is advised they seek the approval of the Skrizg or Huntzgrat, for if they do not, and they go missing, there is little that can be done to help. Bounties: These can range from something as simple as a wolf terrorizing a villages livestock, to a Murûk'Thaguzg that has torn down an entire desert villages with his bare (heh) hands. Bounties may be picked up by teams with the permission of the Skrizg or Huntzgrat, or they may have a team assigned to them. If you wish for something more /specific/ to be hunted, it is recommended that you directly contact the Huntzgrat. To submit a bounty to the Votar’s Shaanti, please use this application. Name: Creature being hunted: Danger Level 1-5 stars: Why should we help?: Location: Enrollment Enrollment in the Votar’s Shaati will be limited to, Uruks, Honorary Uruks, and our spirit worshipping Dark Elf allies. Snagas will be permitted to attend hunts should their master wish to bring them along. Visitors will be permitted to attend hunts should they have an invitation extended to them, as well as the person inviting them providing a valid reason, why they cannot instead bring a member along. To join please fill out this application. You will then be contacted and asked to come to the guild base of operations in order to be interviewed. Application: Name: Race: Age: Discord#:

In the quiet hours of the night, a small, robed figure slowly comes to a halt in front of the statues of Cerridwen and Cernnunos within the Sparrow Grove. She slowly kneels, laying a book on the steps, wrapped in leaves and tied together with handmade rope. Quietly she whispers a prayer, departing. The book has been left behind, for the priesthood. The Emerald Way The Way of Will, The Emerald Path Perfection is unattainable, But it is no excuse not to strive for it, This henceforth is my quest, My ideal, my call. I will try when my arms grow too weary, And face the unbeatable foe. I will bear with unbearable sorrow, And I will right the unrightable wrong, What is sickness to the body of Emerald? What matters pain? For each time I fall, I shall rise again, And woe be unto the wicked! For I am Emerald I will endure all things, and be vigilant in my stand, From this day until the end of my days. The Oath of Emerald, scribed by the Oracle Hurricane The Emerald Way holds no place amongst the annals of history. I, it’s creator, am no ancient mali of yore. Yet the way has taken root within our culture, and it grows now. It began with the pilgrimage of the Oracle Awaiti Aureon, who took to the wilds in search of a solution to bring together the Naelurir of Caras Eldar once again. Over her time in the wilds, she scribed the beginnings of the philosophy, and laid down the framework for the creeds of the wild faith. The Emerald Way was born then as the first creed of the wild faith. From the birth of the first creed, others were motivated to kindle the beginnings of their own creeds. What followed was a renaissance of philosophy within the wild faith, and the birth of the Ichorian Creed, and the Sage Way. Their own separate and unique philosophies. In the darkest reaches of the forests, the Ichorians dwelled, seeking to cultivate raw strength to match the power of the primal wilds. The sages took to their own, focusing on the balance within, ignoring the material need. But those that followed the Emerald Way took a different path. After the exodus of the Ithelanen and the Torena seeds to the Gladewynn Company, the Oracle left her people, leaving the philosophy in the hands of her students.Within the budding nation, her students kept to the ways. To endure, to fight for what is right and just, and to revere the aspects in all things. Core Values Indomitable Will To be understanding, yet absolute. To not bow, or bend, or break. For the Emeraldians know that true strength does not come from the body, but from the will. Great Courage Not to be without fear. But to recognize that there is something more important than fear, something that outshines fear. From this, will is born. Emotional Resilience To stand strong despite unspeakable horror. Despite loss and anger. To be able to think with a clear mind, while the world crashes down around you. Foresight “The Storm Rises” To look ahead, and prepare for the worst. The key is to look forward without becoming fearful or paranoid of what has not yet come. I pray caution. “And Emerald shall rise to meet it.” Philosophy of the Emerald Way The Emerald Way can be summed up in its axiom “To will change upon the self is to change the world. Only through will can all balance be attained” This axiom rests upon several truths. The self is malleable. Changeable. Nothing is untouchable by great change. The world can be changed by the effort of the self. Our actions cause change. Balance is gained through change. Change is obtained through will. Will is forged by choice. As followers of the Emerald Way, we use these truths as a guide for our lives. Cerridwen The Mother. Lady of Life. Bearer of all fruits. Cerridwen. She holds many names, and titles in our faith. She is the mother of life, the shaper of all that is living. She is often depicted as a beautiful woman, carrying a staff. She created all that is living, each and every tree and frog and tiger. It is to her that we owe our fruitful harvests, and it is to her that we thank for the shade of the great elder trees. We shape her trees into homes, that we may be sheltered from the storm. Think of life itself as water. And think of every creature and plant as clay vases. Cerridwen created all of the vases, and filled them with this water of life. In the Emerald Way, we view her as the great unifier. We are all united by these waters of life, and each and every descendant carries this water of life inside of them. Cernunnos The Father. The Horned Lord. Strength. Cernunnos. He holds many names, and many titles in our faith. He is the lord of the hunt, and the father of strength. He is often depicted as a horned man, carrying a bow, or a spear. It is to him that we owe our bountiful hunts, and it is to him that we are granted our strength. We enjoy full bellies, and great feasts because of him. But despite this, many view him as lord over death as well. After all, he chooses what lives and dies by granting strength and taking it. But the Emerald Way views him in a different light. He is instead, the lord of change. Instead of drying the oceans, he is the tide, ever changing the world around him. And he is the current, ever shifting life around. In the Emerald Way, there is no death. There is only life. A corpse feeds the grasses, and enriches that life. Suddenly, more grass arises. We are fed, and we give birth to our sons and daughters. Life never leaves this world. It only shifts from form to form. Think back to the vases and waters in Cerridwen’s passage. Instead of breaking the vases, Cernunnos merely pours water from vase to vase, and shapes new ones. There is great peace in this. I take heart knowing that I will live on this world even when the last elf has fallen. I. Morality as Inner Balance On yesterday's eve, I witnessed a sight most common, though for some unknown reason, it struck me strange. An elk was torn into by a beast, and ripped into, to eat. A common occurrence, yes, this is known. Tis’ the way of nature, the beasts eat the common gazelle, and so on. The predator eats the prey, and the prey feeds on what it can. There is no evil in it, the predator must eat as much as the prey, and the prey must eat what it can, and there is only survival in it. The predator feels naught for devouring its prey, nor does the prey when it grazes upon the grasses, despite life being taken from the world. Such is the unseen way of all natural life. Life passes on and on and through each moving piece of it. There is no evil or good in the natural balance, only what is and what survives. Such also is the way of druidism, our gifts are given without thought of good and evil, but with only this delicate balance of the cycle of life in mind. Druids are expected to be as neutral as nature in this sense, are we not? It is the duty of druids to correct the balance, wheresoever it may be corrupted, without heed for borders. It is our duty to correct it, we must. We have been charged by the aspects above to do our sacred duties, and the order has decided we must do it this way, completely neutrally. But this charge ignores a most fundamental principle of our life as descendants, of how we have grown and developed to live with morality, to have the sense of good and evil, and all in between. It is what makes us what we are, it is what gives us our humanity, and this makes us truly and beautifully unique. We are not a part of this balance the aspects have created for us, but we surely live with it. Though to attempt to live without morality, to attempt to live neutrally and strive to think as the aspects do, without heed of what is good and evil, this is unnatural of our own being. It makes us only as simple as the beasts and prey that are in the balance we seek so desperately to protect. We cannot, and we should not deny what we are, how we think, but we must find a balance of our own, and look over the balance of nature with a sense of right and wrong. To live along with both the balance and the descendants, separately, yet together. In this, we are allowed to exercise our sense of right and wrong and do our duty to protect the balance with great strength. It is not the nature of men to keep out of everything, we, as Malin's kin, must be involved in the survival of our people, and our culture, for surely the theatre of the world seeks to stamp us out yet. One would say it distracts us from our duty, to be a part of a nation. This is not the case, nay. I might even say it better allows us to perform our duties. While we cannot live as neutral, we are able to do our best to spread what is good, and what is just. It is of the utmost importance that druids maintain strong ties to the world they live in and protect, they cannot fly above it all. Neutrality is a disease that leaves men weak, and staggeringly alone, as many beasts are. Fellow priests of the balance, I say to you. Do not catch the disease of neutrality. Hone your sense of right and wrong, fight always for the path of good for you and your people. Do not become unnatural men, stripped of all sense of what is good or evil in the world. In morality, we find our strength together. Apathy is a fate worse than death, for even a rotting corpse feeds new life. II. Will Within Balance We are inherently separate from the thing we protect so dearly, as druii. The balance consists of life around us, the seen and hidden movements of nature ever moving in a circle around us. The birds and trees die out, but there is ever a forest standing, no? Songbirds fill the air, do they not? We are ever surrounded by life, yet death lurks and strikes here and there. No matter how oft or how heavy death’s strikes may be, life ever moves on. Many druii take our duty to protect the balance as a sign that the world is weak. It is the opposite indeed, for the balance of the world knows a will far greater than our own. Life will find a way, no matter how damaged it may be. We druii exist only as a means of preserving the balance’s state, and correcting it where we find imbalance. Yet as I say, we are inherently separate from the balance of the world. Instead, we hold a force of our own within, potentially even equal to this primordial balance of the world. The balance of the self. The Emerald way is, at its core, the way of two balances. One cannot neglect this balance of the self when protecting the balance of the world, for it is far more fragile, and far weaker. This balance, in a way, is even more important than that which the druii are sworn to protect. With this separation from the balance of the world, the circle of life is entirely indifferent to us, to our very being. We have little sway over it, though many druids seem to rely on it for their source of strength. They use their gifts frivolously, and have grown dangerously dependant on them. They fail to realize that to rely on their gifts to do protect is dangerous, and leaves men weak. No man or woman can hope to fully control this primordial force, and they are left with atrophied bodies, defenseless without their gifts. They fail to realize that true strength comes from within, and that in order to change the balance, and protect it, we must cultivate our own will to match the strength of the world’s will. While faith is important, true strength is drawn from our own volition; The power to use your will, which is equally important as obtaining power itself. Never live for the sake of another, or an ideology. Live for yourself, and no other. With that, we empower ourselves to carry out the will of the aspects, to protect the balance. III. The Nature of Will A man can change everything if he is willing to sacrifice for it. The greatest changes require the strongest wills, And we must give much for the salvation of this world. In the beginning, we have nothing. Our privilege is the dirt. In such darkness, our will guides us to light Perspective pierces the veil of dark. Our birthright is our failings, and the pain we suffer. When darkness comes, we can rely on no other to face it for us. Only through our willpower can balance be attained. IV. Beings of the Present Self The balance does not, nor can it be made to be still for long. All things move until they pass on, and even then their energies move ever forward into other forms, other vessels that will move on and on. And from movement, movement is born, ever arching outward. You, druii, are no exception to this commotion. We constantly expend our energies in creating islands of quiet within our lives, trying to still the waves that march ever onward, yet it cannot last. Time encroaches, it consumes all things. Fling yourself to the waves of life, druii, engage in the here and now, and you will find that the key to living is your own will. The will to see life for its flaws, and the will to better it, to create your own waves. One cannot focus on the waves that have long since passed, the echoes of feelings you once felt. The past does hold merit in giving us its teachings, but from there, move on. It holds nothing for you. Let the past die, and use what you have learned to shape your present. With the lessons of the past, we can focus on dealing with what is here and now, with the waves that crash over us. Use what you have learned to enact your will, and shape the waves around you. And perhaps prevent a tidal wave from overwhelming you in the future by dispersing it before it happens. By changing your destiny. There is no lasting stillness. It is impossible. Accept this. Know it in your bones. Watch the world happening around you, and through your will, forge your own echoes, your own cadence in this world. Live in the moment, and your will can shape the future. V. The Balance of the Self My words earlier in these pages were far too simple, I’m afraid, for they leave out a great deal in seeking to express the point, but they failed to truly explain my deeper meaning. Earlier, I stated that the balance within consists of the will to act on the sense of good and evil. Though I do not refute that, I’m afraid that the truer meaning of the inner balance is lost on such words. Good and evil are a point of view, different to each person. I have found better words to explain such a dichotomy. Instead of viewing the inner balance as the senses of good and evil, replace such words with selfishness and selflessness. To act for the self, and to act for others. This opens the situations to all by providing a common meaning. You cannot have one without the other in life. Pure selfishness only harms others, and amassing your own power can lead you to enact your desires as opposed to working toward the balance. Instead, one must use the powers gained from selfishness to act selflessly in life. To sacrifice for the good of others, and of the balance. But beware, lliran. Pure selflessness is just as destructive as pure selfishness. Benevolence for the sake of benevolence leaves you in a worse position than when you started, it weakens you and sacrifices your own strength to help. In addition, it robs others of their struggles, their own opportunities to learn and gain their own strength. Never sacrifice your own strength to rob another of their struggles. As I said before. Recognize the value in letting people fight their own battles, and they will be all the stronger for it. Selfishness for the sake of selflessness… this is how we can protect the balance. By enacting our own will through this, we have the strength to alter the balance and preserve it. This inner balance is not inherent to druids, or even the balance that they protect. It is inherent to the descendants, this ability to act in selfishness and selflessness. It is where inner strength is drawn, the will to enact change upon the world. Such a principle applies to all aspects of life, and so it is important that druids hone their will to act on this sense. A druid who has mastered their ability to act on this sense will go far. A soldier who has mastered it will find his enemies falling before him. A farmer who has mastered it will know only bountiful harvests. It applies to all paths through life. If we cannot find the strength to act on this and hold balance in our sense of selfishness and selflessness, how then can we hope to protect the primordial balance of the world? We cannot. VI. The Absence of Understanding The Lord and Lady have blessed you with eyes to see and ears to hear, and a whole world to experience. Yet we remain blind and deaf to most of it. I remain blind, despite teachings that were meant to open my eyes and help me see the world for what it was. We consider it a great tragedy when one falls to darkness, when they stray away from the teachings of the order, and when they fall into hands that turn them to violence and disparity. Many of our students are failing, falling to darkness in their belief continuously. Those that remain follow blindly to their teachers, like sheep, unable to think past the surface of druidism. Most haven't thought yet to dive in. We are missing something within our teachings. Missing a piece that keeps the ambitious prodigies away from darkness, and a piece that allows others to break their chains and to be free from the slavery of secular thought. The teachings of our order, I find, ignore the dark of the world. They preach only the light, and are blind for it. I have sought the contrast myself, the dark to compliment the light, not to oppose it. I will not tell what I have learned here, only that the current teachings do not hold all of the answers you need. By learning what they have not taught me, I have seen what makes us weak. If you are to truly understand, then you too must seek this contrast, not adherence to this single ideal. To believe in an ideal is to be willing to betray it, to look where it may forbid you to go. It is a lesson of strength. If you do believe in an ideology, then find its opposite, so that you may reinforce it by correcting its flaws. Become what strengthens an ideology, not a slave to it by following it dogmatically. Without this contrast, we are but marionettes, tangled in the strings of weaknesses in our ideologies. VII. The Value of Struggle and Self Reliance Pure benevolence weakens the self, and those to whom it is cast upon. Do not roam the world, dispensing pity and self sacrifice unto others. By giving others the chance to fight their own struggles, internally and externally, we give them the chance to cultivate their own will. Do not be a thief in the night, stealing strength from others where you would mask it with benevolence. If you truly wish to help another, recognize the value in letting them cultivate their strength and will through their struggles. When they triumph, their victory will be far greater than it would be if you would help them. Through your own struggles, cultivate this inner will, and you will find the path to balance. Create a strict reliance on yourself, rather than your connection to the balance, to the thing you protect. Too many druids of our age focus on honing their gifts to better serve the lord and lady above on this earth. I ask you, strip them of their gifts, and what do they become? Only empty shells, incapable of enacting their duty to the balance without the gifts of the aspects. And that is no true disciple of the balance. Without will, we are nothing. This brings us to a fundamental question: If a druid loses her powers, is she still a druid? The way you would answer would depend on your view. If you say no, you believe inherently that only those with the gifts can make a difference in this world, and you are wrong. The devout, druii without gifts, are simply those with greater will. With the proper will, everything can be changed, such is the nature of will itself. Druidism is something greater than simply gifts. Those that would choose death over a life without their gifts are those whose wills are weak, and were unworthy of them in the first place. VIII. The Nature of Life and Death The Mother above creates and cares for life throughout the world, and spreads it over the land. Helps it grow, nurtures it. Heals it. Guides it. The energy of life exists through all living things. Tt surrounds us, penetrates us. It binds the world together, and unifies it all. It is fluid, like the water that carries it. This is known. Death does not exist. This life created by the mother never leaves this world, it merely passes from vessel to vessel. The fallen elk feeds the grasses, and the prey feeds the predator. On and on the cycle moves, life being poured from vase to vase. It holds many different shapes and forms, but at its core, all forms are simply life. We are no exception to this. It is because of this that the role of the father is oft misunderstood, however. He is not death, nor is he the hunt. His name is strength, not for his ability to take life, or hold mastery over it. But for his power to move the energies of life from one vessel to the next. It is from his will that the balance exists. It is from his own will that life moves from vessel to vessel, never stagnating, never finding stillness. It is due to this change that life is truly precious, and each form just as valuable as the last. So where do we lay among all of these vessels? Where does our power come from? We cannot define ourselves by our ability to take life, to control it even or possess it. To do so is to have nothing, truly. Death does not exist, and to define yourself by your ability to usher it, your strength is as fleeting as grains of sand in the wind. But if we define ourselves by our ability to will great change in the world, to move and change the vessels of life as Cernunnos does? That is true strength, lliran. This is what the focus of druii should be. Cultivating the will to usher change. IX. Facing Conflict I speak much against a neutral stance, and this much holds true. One should always act when they have the opportunity to, and when there is greater suffering in the world. But I have not always been clear on what it is to act on, or how one should carry themselves. In my life, I have been through many struggles of my own, and this is the view I have learned thus far, and it is the view I shall give unto the Emerald Way, that others may find a better way to approach their problems. Live your life, and act with great respect and wisdom, for you must be a beacon of change for the world, a fount of knowledge and veneration. Without strong principles to guide us through our own morality, what then can we enact our will from? A principled life, one with a strong basis for which we act is the only life worth living. But what is principle without the perspective to see the world around you as it is? Through rigorous meditation we gain clearer perspective, and can find the solution to any problem. When on your journey through life, take one step at a time, look up from your feet and observe the living world around you. Speak to all you may meet and soak in all the details you can, learn what comes to you. Life is to be savoured, taken slowly. Rashness is the path toward greater suffering. Will. Principle. Perspective. These are three values that the Emerald Way promotes. Through these values, act with a tempered and clear mind, and seek always to see more than what you are shown. From these values, we find the strength to change anything in this world. Even destiny. X. The Place of Gifts and Tools I have said before, the druids rely on the gifts far too much. It overtakes their being, and in some cases, druids cannot function in day to day life without the use of their gifts. It becomes a crutch, one that would leave a druid crippled without it. Such deep rooted dependency is something to be avoided, something to be shut down and moved away from. And even in our divine mission, many rely entirely on this aspect-given gift to do our work. Without them, I don’t doubt that many would fail in their mission, that they would cease to protect the balance without their precious gifts. And I sense an even more sinister plot. That many druids are here only for the power that they may receive from the gifts. Devotion is a scarce thing to see these days, true devotion to the lord and lady above. Many druids fall, and when they lose their gifts, they simply move onto something else that may give them the power they seek to enact their wills. Give many of the druids of the order only silence, and you will truly see who follows the aspects. But you may see this as me having a negative view of the gifts, which cannot be further from the truth. I have only a negative view of druids that rely on such gifts, that depend on them, sometimes to the extent of needing them to live. Such reliance is weakness, and weakens the order as a whole. However, the gifts themselves are not to blame. We have many tools at our disposal to aid us in our mission of preserving the balance of life. Our mind, our physical strength, our charisma, our words, and yes, our gifts. The gifts are but one singular tool with many uses, just like the other tools. You do not need the gifts in order to protect the balance, just like you do not need the gifts in order to be a druid. To believe that one must have the gifts in order to carry out our divine mission is vanity, don’t you see it? I would rather a devout person without gifts that protects the balance to the best of their ability rather than a druid who uses their gifts for personal gain, or one that seeks personal power. The Order should enforce teachings of these inherent tools that we already possess, and their uses in protecting the balance, rather than preparing them to rely on their gifts. Teaching students that only their new power can preserve the balance is a dangerous and self destructive way of thinking, and is the reason behind many of the greatest failings of our order. There is a silent lust for power within our teachings, I think, and we are utterly blind to it. Always, the next step in learning is to master a new gift. At least, this is what I have seen in the world. There is a great flaw in this method. XI. Amongst the Shadows, the Hunter Preys “When the darkness comes, we can rely on no other to face it.” A hard truth that rings out in the Nature of Will. We are alone in this world, and we can rely on no other, be it a nation, or a friend, to protect us from the evils that seek to cause imbalance in ourselves and in the world around us. Sure, others can assist you in your journey to find balance, but ultimately, we are on our own on this path. This includes when the walls of our world come crashing down around us, and when others draw blades in offense. Remember this lesson though, amongst the shadows the hunter preys. Stick to the shadows and become the hunter, not the hunted any longer. The wild hunter works alone, or perhaps in a smaller group, staying away until the moment is right to strike. Be the wild hunter, and stick to the shadows like paste, be they physical shadows or metaphorical. A hunter can navigate through the webs that society weaves just as well as the darkest depths of the forests. Watch always. Strike without warning. Wait for the opportune moment to strike. And train with but a close teacher watching, no others. Do not show others your strength until the last possible moment. Hold your strengths, your tools close to your chest, and they become all the more powerful. When traipsing through society’s webs, blend in. Do not draw attention to yourself. To walk the path of a druid is to live in service to the two balances. Fight for both of them, and little else. Use violence for necessity and defense, never for indulgence or boasting. Survival is key. Balance is key. XII. The Power of Identity In all things, know who you are. Your identity as a person is imperative to the two balances. Control your identity. Form it. Shape it. Let no other have reign over it. For when your identity is controlled, you are controlled, and your ability to serve the balance diminishes. Your name is your own, and no other’s. In terms of your tools, it is among your strongest. Forge a new identity if you must, in order to break the chains placed upon you by others. Take no titles but those you forge for yourself. Self control is the path to true will. XIII. The Importance of Endurance as Mali As mali, our people are fragile. We are few in number, but long lived. Much can happen within our lives, and we must be prepared to face everything. Be it death, war, famine, or genocide. Be it the murders that haunt us, or the misdeeds and sins of the many. Be it our own failures. We must endure through all things. We must stand at the highest peaks, until the wind tears the mountain into the sea. We must live amongst the forests until they no longer stand. We must endure a thousand wars and watch the blood of our brothers and sisters stain the grasses. This is why we must value endurance to the point of zealotry. We must tune the mind and body to last through all these things. We must constantly stand tall, or we are doomed to fail in our mission as druii. As the world changes around you, remain unmoved by it. You have a duty to your brothers and sisters to endure. But more importantly, you have a duty to yourself, and to the aspects to endure. XIV. On Mani I have noticed something that quite disturbs me. It has brought questions that have shaken my being. In the decline of the Dominion, before we were split to the core, I was beginning to see the rise of the worship of mani. At first, I was quite pleased to see it, watching the faithful delve deeper into the mysteries that the aspects laid before us. But before long, I saw trouble brewing. The faithful began directing their prayers only unto the mani. They rose their names higher and higher, and I watched as many began to favor the statues of the mani over those of the aspects themselves. Before long, our faith began dividing itself yet again, its members grouping themselves by their patron mani. When I saw this, I suspected a schism to pass, yet I did little to change the fate I saw before me. And before I knew it, the followers of Morea and Moccus led an exodus from our lands. This disheartens me. Watching my brothers and sisters place others over the aspects themselves. Perhaps it was the natural progression of this faith, I do not know. But even after I watched as many followed down this path, I knew that the aspects are above all. The Emerald Way will hold no mani of its own, that we may show our reverence to the aspects above all else. Revere the mani, yes. Worship the mani, yes. But in all things, the aspects reign over all. The Emerald Path The dedicancy of an aspiring druid is a path that varies greatly between circles, and even between kindred druii. All of our brothers and sisters have been birthed from these various dedicancies, and many great druids have been birthed from it. Yet despite these successes, we’ve been failing our students. I’ve seen two extremes of our failure within the Naelurir. Our students become mindless sheep, unable and unwilling to explore the deeper mysteries of our world. They cannot act until they’re ordered to, and are often the victims of sloth. They do not carry out the tasks required by our priesthood. And the other side are the independent minds. The ambitious ones with their own agenda in mind. Ones that seek power before faith. These are the dark ones that come from our order. We are responsible for them, for their actions as an order. We’ve always blamed them, their own passions and shortcomings, but we’ve never pointed a finger to ourselves. There is great fault in our teachings, a lack of tempering for these minds that leads them to search elsewhere for better answers. Thus, the basic teachings of the Emerald Way; Faith Studies After taking their oath to the aspects in blood, a strong foundation and understanding of the wild faith is important in fostering a deeper understanding from which we can truly become independent thinkers. To pass through the trials, one must have these foundations prebuilt, that they may fully utilize the tasks they’ve been given. Therefore, before tasks can begin, a student should have in depth instruction on at least the following topics, if not further. The Core Teachings Cerridwen, Cernunnos, The Balance, The Mani The History of Mali Taynei’hiylu, Irrin Sirame, Seed Era, Modern History Survival Medicine and Combat Studies of the Mysteries The Eternal Forest, Rituals, Prayers, and Offerings The Insight of Creeds To search for deeper insight. This is the purpose of examining the three creeds of the aspectist faith. It is one thing to know your duties, to perform them to the best of your ability. It is another to fully understand why you do them, and to find a deeper meaning in them that may echo in all of your actions. A creed is not something to tell you how to live your life, nor to tell you how exactly to do your duties. They are simply ways for finding a deeper understanding of druidism and aspectism in your life, and connecting the self to the balance in ways unheard of before. Thus, it should be required of all dedicants that they examine each of them, learn from their heralds about each of them. To understand the contrast betwixt the three creeds is of the utmost importance, even when dedicated to the Emerald Path alone. Path of an Acolyte To further prove dedication to the aspects themselves, and to prove the prowess of the self, dedicants must serve the priesthood as unattuned persons, assisting their guides in protecting the balance through whatever means are required. Whether that be defending a druid during their travels and in their duty, or witnessing a conversion. Through their time as an acolyte, a dedicant should learn how to act as a priest, and how a priest must carry themselves. The Trials After an acolyte has taken the path, and shadowed a priest, the priest overseeing them will announce them to be ready for the trials. The priest must present them either before two high priests, or two oracles to be judged if they are worthy to become priests. If found wanting, they will be returned to the path of an Acolyte. If they have been judged worthy, they will begin their trials to ascend to priesthood. Which trials to be taken are up to the priest overseeing their acolyte. If one has joined a creed, then they may follow the trials of the creed. If not, a teacher may start them on their own trials. If a teacher has not developed their own tasks, they may follow the ones below. Trial of Knowledge: The acolyte must write a thesis on the lessons of the wild faith, and of the Emerald Way to show their understanding and provide a new perspective on either of the three to show critical thinking. If they can find another way to show what they have learned, they may show it that way. It will be left to the judgement of the priest overseeing. Trial of Steel: An acolyte must show great courage and bravery, be it through fighting a great enemy, or facing down against a great evil. Defeating a dark creature, or fighting in a war. Any great feat of bravery must be shown. Trial of Endurance: An acolyte must endure great hardship, struggle, pain, or loss. Be it through battle, or the rending of flesh. Battle scars may suffice. If an acolyte cannot endure loss, or pain, how can they be expected to uphold their own character, and that of the order? Trial of Reflection: Give dedicant peyote or other herb that makes them disoriented. Then, take him to a mountain nearby with a dagger and nothing else to learn about Cernunnos. To feel that longing for food and to experience the grit of the hunt. They must come back with a kill. (OOC NOTE: For this one, make them write a short story about their character’s experience, like a forum post, as making them emote at nothing while they’re on their own in a forest is boring.) Trial of Faith: Perform a public ritual (Wedding/Last Rites/Warpainting/Leading a group offering), with an elder priest to oversee. OR an acolyte may bring two other mali into the fold of aspectism. Or in some way, the dedicant must demonstrate a considerable knowledge of the wild faith. Either will do. GRAND TRIAL: Dedicant comes up with what they want their grand task to be. Guide has to approve it. Must be Grand Attunement “The gifts do not maketh the priest. The priest maketh the gifts.” - The Oracle, Hurricane After their path has been taken, and their trials complete, it has come time for a priest to be attuned, and to undertake the burden of the two balances.

“And verily I say unto you, go forth and fear no darkness; for ours is the way of the Light, and no foul evil may turn us away from our Oath.” -Aegnor I Starfinder, first bearer of the Seastone Crown. The Venerable House of Sylvaen Mar’lin Sylvaeri The House of Sylvaen, often known colloquially as the House Sylvaeri, is an ancient Elven bloodline which traces its furthest roots to the ancient homeland of Malinor. Alongside the elder Elves of the House Silma, they serve as representatives of the Elder Bloodlines upon the Continent. While the extent of their early history is best told in the Lay of Aegrothond and other tales, they have made their mark upon modern Elven history as well; many have served as High Princes, Princes, and Lords in Old Malinor, the Dominion, and Aegrothond. The Sylvaeri Despite the great span of years which has passed since their formation as a distinct bloodline, the House has remained generally uniform in appearance and in phenotypic traits. They are almost always possessed of peculiarly grey eyes, akin to their forebear, and this is the surest method of discerning pure blood. They are more varied in the colour of their hair- while the dominant colour has always been dark, the Sylvaeris of the Atlasian era are largely fair-haired. Their skin is also fair, though tends towards tan in those who spend a great deal of time in the sun and sea-spray. The House dresses primarily in shades of crimson and gold- simple garb, and fitted for the active trades. Common also are earthy tones, and sometimes autumnal wreaths, though these are considerably rarer. They are not, despite their other vices, particularly prone to vanity- as such they rarely adorn themselves for the benefit of others, and only do so to their own humble satisfaction. To this end they have a greater appreciation for jewelry, especially in the realm of gold and precious gems- but they love silver best, and pale diamond and opal-stones which are found deep beneath the earth. They are not miners themselves, however, and as a result the House has often made alliance with representatives of Dwarven Mountain Clans; they are welcome in their woodland halls, and the Dwarvish language is commonly learned by their children. The sons of Almenor are with few exceptions proud and haughty, and value personal honour highly; the spirit of fire associated with their ancestor burns true within their hearts, and ire comes more easily to them than to other Elves. Grudges and feuds are seldom left unpunished when slight (perceived or true) has been done upon them- though these resolutions may come many generations later. Some who bear the blood are by this virtue grim, and even dark-hearted- but most tend towards a nobility of spirit, and do no evil. The Forges of the Almenodrim Of all the families of Elvendom the forge-craft of House Sylvaeri may be considered chiefest and greatest; by virtue of their friendships with the Dwarves they long ago grew wiser in the lores of metals and gems, and developed their own styles to better suit their Elven natures. Therefore the steel wrought of their forges is considered to be among the best in the world, and is prominently reinforced with woven natural magics and other, more secret arts which are taught only to few. The Oath of the Seven and Bloodsilver Rings There are few customs which define the House of Sylvaen more clearly than the Oath of the Seven, which is sworn by all of-age members and is considered the rite of passage for young Elves. The Oath, and the accompanying tradition of forging rings made with the blood of the oathkeeper, find their roots in the establishment of the House by the Seven Sons of Sylvaen. This tale, and its meaning, is fully told in the Tale of Dagnir, which is a constituent part of the Lay of Aegrothond. Symbols and Banners Most prominently featured upon the crimson banner of the House are the hammer and anvil of Sylvaen, which are set below a crown; the latter represents the Crown of Malinor, which was worn by their ancestor Eleron, last royarch of that fallen Princedom. The seven stars which flank the arms are of the constellation Narnir’vallei, which is known in Common Speech as ‘The Mariner’. It is beloved of the House, and the grouping can often be found in their works, and even sewn upon their garments. The use of the arms follows the practice of a quintessentially Elven form of feudalism; they can be worn by any sworn to the House and honour of Aegrothond, and as such are not reserved solely for the bearers of Sylvaen’s Elder Blood. Heirlooms of the House Due to the rich tradition of forgework kept by the family, the Sylvaeri clan are possessed of a commensurate amount of relics, artifacts, and jewels of rare and unmatched craft and beauty. Most of these were wrought in the old lands of Almenor, but some are more recent- and with few exceptions are associated with great deeds and Elves of yore. The Necklace of Stars Known also as the “Light of the Almenodrim”, the Necklace of Stars is one of the greatest treasures of all Elvendom, and the work of Sylvaen’s own hand. It is set with a great multitude of diamonds and other gems, cut to perfection by the ancient hosts of Aegrothond. It bore for a time one of the Crown Stones, taken from the circlet of Malin. Belethil- The Star of Morning A gem crafted by the hands of ancient Dwarves, Belethil is steeped in the traditions of Malinor, and greatly treasured. It was lost when Sylvaen cast himself into the sea, and none have seen it since. At times, when the moon is high, it is said that the path which it traces upon the surface of the ocean will lead a traveler to Belethil’s resting-place. The Crown of Storms A younger artifact than the first few, the Crown of Storms is representative of the later deeds of the Almenodrim- most specifically of Aegnor Starfinder and his descendants who dwelt upon the shores of the Sea (and for whom it was made). Though the Crown itself has been lost to time, it was fabled to render unto the wearer the wisdom of the ancient mariners- to render them safe from the furies of the storm, and even to prevent drowning. Whether these tales are true or not, is entirely unknown.

Edrahil and the Dragon Which is the third part of the Lay of Aegrothond, in which the deeds of Edrahil are told. In the elder ages of the world, when the Sun and Moon were bright and untarnished by years uncounted, a fair realm was spread between the mountains and the sea. In those days the paths of the Elves were greatly sundered and broken, and not least of all these rifts was the breaking of faith between the Almenodrim and the Crown of Malinor, of which the Song of Dagnir tells. By this virtue most who departed Tavule had come to follow the Great Houses, which had come together in order for to be known as the wider realm of Aegrothond. For a time they were guided by Sylvaen the Everflame, of whom many a tale is told- but by the time of this telling he had passed into oblivion, and led no longer. Now Prince Aegnor the Starfinder ruled over the holdfasts which had been his father’s, and he took upon his own shoulders the mantle of Lordship of the Almenodrim and the stewardship of the land and the people. Six brothers remained to him, left over from exodus- and each was possessed of a craft and mastery so that their holdfast flourished and grew. Thus they together spread their princely wisdom, and all the lands were glad for it. One among them was foremost in martial skill and ability, and it is he that will feature most prominently in this tale.Lord Edrahil was his name, which is well-remembered, and he was the fourth son of Sylvaen. Great faith he kept in the Oath of his House, and a will indomitable to purge the darkness from the fouler places of the world; to this end he traveled often beyond the far bounds of the realm of the Almenodrim, to seek out all evils and break them beneath the power of his bright will. Thusly were the lands of the Elves kept safe from harm, to grow and be fruitful. Now in the northern mountains in those years the dwarf-manses were in constant strife with all manner of dark creatures which grew and multiplied, having been left behind by the wraths of Iblees and other, older evils which have no name. Chiefest among these at that time was the wyrm Ankar, which had fled to those parts after the first breaking of the Deceiver. From the high peaks this beast commonly ventured to terrorize the peaceful Dwarves- a terrible wrath incarnate, borne upon a sudden wind and a gout of freezing breath. Ere long it came to be that the wyrm’s hunger was not sated with dwarf-flesh and gold, and it began to hunger for the far sweeter meats of the south. The first settlement beneath his wrath was called Myrdaen, a village known for its refining of fine wool and ornamented cloths of all kinds. It came like a cold wind from the north, and tore the land asunder- feasting upon the sheep and cattle, and driving aside the stones of Elvish buildings with brutal force. Of all who dwelt there, few survived- and in great clamour the Lord himself was felled by the snapping jaws of darkness incarnate. Some managed to escape, and hastened to the shores of the Sea where the Court of Prince Aegnor was held. There the beleagured Elves made their plea, and were received in dour mood by the Prince and his lordly brothers. So it came to pass that Edrahil heard of this grey terror of the high mountains, and his mind at once was set with fateful purpose. “By what right doth Ankar claim the mastery of the skies, who was made in mockery of Creation?” he cried aloud, and his eyes shone with a sudden flame. “Too long have we allowed this danger to play upon our borders, and done nothing! Give me leave, brother, and swiftly shall Ankar’s monstrous head adorn your mantel-piece.” And his Company of friends struck their spears against their shields twice with great clamour, calling their assent. But Prince Aegnor sat a while in deep thought, causing even the rowdiest Elves of the Court to fall silent. “Cheaply valued is thy own life, brother, and the lives of thy Company,” he spoke at last, and his eyes grew dark with foretold doom. “Great danger lies upon the paths of the northern mountains, and small comfort will pride be to thy widows if thou art slain in pursuit of this beast. If thy hearts do not know fear, let them at least know wisdom. Death and grim fate shalt thou find in the North, and naught more.” All eyes were upon Edrahil then, who was silent, his eyes aglow behind his golden mask. But it was Erendriel the Bard who spoke, and stood forward from the other nobles with hand upturned- whereupon glimmered the ring of blood-silver, bound and sealed with the Oath of Seven. “Hearken to the rings of our brotherhood, if thou shalt not hearken to the pride of thy brother! For we are not of those who step back from perdition, and stand idly by, while brother-Elves are so cruelly put upon.” And the Prince was given pause, saying- “Rightly dost thou speak, Erendriel, though calamitous doom of one kind or another I presage of you. Wyrms do not tire easily of Elven silver, or turn away from simple cruelty.” Then he stood, and upon his brow the flames of the Seastone Crown glimmered with a ruddy light. “Go forth, then, ye twelve Companions, and as a token of hope take with you the Helm of our Father, who is perished.” And Edrahil received the Helm, and bowed deeply, for it was a high gift. Within the fortnight he set out north, and thusly began the great quest from the citadel of Tamun. Here it will be noted that this citadel was at the very edge of the realm of Old Aegrothond- that is to say, at the juncture shared by the mountains and the lowlands which swept down towards the Great Sea. This was because the Almenodrim (and indeed most Descendant Peoples of that time) kept to the ancient laws set forth by the Four Brothers, who demarcated all the lands of creation for their descendants. Therefore Men were granted dominion over the plains, Orcs over the deserts, Dwarves over the high mountains, and Elves over the broad forested lands wherever they may be found. In keeping with this practice Tamun was raised upon a wooded foothill, not far from the true mountains of the dwarrows, and served as a border-fort for general purposes. In any case, as the northernmost fortress it had been first to receive news of Ankar’s attack on Myrdaen, and thus the mood was high when the crimson banner of Edrahil was seen approaching from the south. Twelve there were in total, alongside their Lord- the aforementioned Company of heroes, and Erendriel the Bard who chose to ride with them. Hardy Elves were they, who had seen many a trial in their time and had sailed west with the Seven when the call was sounded. They had participated in the wars of the old homeland, and knew well the sting of dragon-breath. The keepers of Tamun received them gladly, and informed them of the state of the Northlands. In the time of their marching it seems the wyrm had grown bolder, so that even the fortified cities were no longer safe, and feared him. But Edrahil only smiled, and called for more mead, saying: “It is he who should be trembling, good Elves. Soon, we shall make a fine powder of his ancient bones.” And so it was that the final night in warmth was passed, and there was little trepidation (far less, as you shall soon see, than there should have been.) The dew lay heavily upon the path into the Vale of Tamun as the Company of Edrahil set out, and clung to their scarlet cloaks in silvery droplets which shone in the morning sun like so many stars in a crimson firmament. Well-armed and armoured they were, for each among them bore a sword and a spear, and a shield rendered by the highest arts of the Almenodrim. Upon their faces were fearsome mask-helms of gilded steel, but beneath them the Elves smiled and were merry- for Edrahil led them whom they trusted, and Erendriel seldom ceased to sing and jest. “A score of red-breasted robin-fowl we look!” he laughed in melody, and the songbirds sang along with him in lilting tones. “To pluck the worm from the northern mountains, hear hear!” And a great shout of mirth and joy rose among the Company in march, for they did not know fear. Edrahil ordered then the banner to be lifted, and together the voices of the Elves rang farewell in ancient song as the town sank into the hills behind them. “Again they come, and swift they ride, “For Elvenesse, for Elvenesse!” Their voices rise with ringing pride. And trumpets high above them soar, for elder fathers, dispossessed for many kin, who fought and died, And nations torn and rent by war. For fear is foreign to their hearts, and blades with gladness strike and reave, Through forest air grown thick with darts, And long-spears wrought by Elven arts, Which forest-cloth like needle weave.” And so forth they sang in joy beneath their seven-starred banner of scarlet, as the road turned northwards and the foothills began to grow great and dark to either side. Ere long the heads of the mountains became hidden in the clouds, and the forests of Elvenesse gave way to stone and fallen gravel. As the last great tree faded beyond a ridge the group made camp, and settled in for an unhurried sleep. When the sun rose upon the second day the Company of Edrahil set out once more, though they sang less and spoke sparsely to one another; for the path had become difficult, and in places it wavered and fell into sudden crevasses which had doubtless been the death of many a reckless explorer. All about the road were tall crags of grey stone, interspaced atimes by small springs of clear water too cold for drinking- they had flowed down from the glaciers which crowned these mountains, too high above to be seen. The band stopped for short luncheon at noon, having brought with them a wealth of provision from the grateful Elves of Tamun, and set up a way-camp to rest their weary feet. Some jested that they hoped that the greater part of the journey was finished, but most remained silent- marveling at the broad tallness which was arranged about their fellows. So it was that one of them spotted a small creature crawling upon the rocks far below, which were woven with mists. He called to his companions, and Erendriel nocked a swift arrow in his heartwood bow. “Hark!” the Lord Edrahil cried into the abyss, and the astute Elven eyes of the Company discerned that the creature was in fact a particularly hairy dwarrow of auburn mane and pale complexion. “What business have ye here, in the lands between the forest and the mountain?” But the Dwarf did not reply, instead waving his short arms and swiftly scurrying from sight.“How odd,” remarked Edrahil, “I did not recall the Dwarves to be so fearful of Elves, especially in these parts. I wonder what it was that caused him to flee?” But no sooner had the Lord spoken, than a warbling cry pierced the air alongside many black-hafted arrows. [To be Continued]

The Tale of Dagnir Which is the first part of the Lay of Aegrothond, and the earliest story of the Almenodrim. Among the tales of sorrow and ruin which come to us out of the elsewise forgotten years before the rising of the Moon, there are yet some in which the eldritch dolour is lifted, and a light is shown to endure even beneath its gloaming shadow. Of these histories perhaps the most stark is that of Sylvaen, and of the Almenodrim who were his progeny. It is told fully in the Lay of Aegrothond, the longest of all Elvish ballad-poems, which concerns in its majority the Parting of Kindreds and the many deeds, both fair and ill, of that family in the First Ages of the world. It is retold here in prose to lessen its length, for alike to all Elvish poetry it is prone to elaborate musings which are not conducive to the educational purposes of this text. The Lay begins in the ancient land of Malinor, wherein the great Eternal King kept his court and dwelt undying beneath evergreen boughs of yore; Malin was his name, which is honoured forever, and upon his brow was a crown unquestioned. His sons were as one, their ways unparted, for neither false prophets nor forces of earth and heaven could dislodge the keeping of blood which bound them hence. They loved well the trees and valleys of their realms, and delved in the deepest reaches of the forest to build their villages, being foremost among woodsmen. Among them, firstborn of the Father, walked Sylvaen Everflame, of whom this tale is told. He was tall, and fair of face, and resembled in all ways his father save for his locks, which were of raven-dark hue, and for his gaze, which was of piercing grey akin to the sea-floes of ice in winter. While his kin walked the deep forests he took a different path, and instead traveled to far western reaches of the Kingdom, near-to the mountains which held some erstwhile manses of the young Dwarves. In that land he built his holding, which he named Almenor, and few citadels were fairer in that time, or in any time since. In that place of silver fountains he came to know Serinwe, who would come to be his wife- and together they reared the Seven Sons of oath and legend, who led their people to glory and tribulation in equal measure. Their names were Aegnor, Edrahil, Renarion, Muindir his twin, Ilurien, Vitras, and Erendriel who was youngest of all; and they themselves were fruitful, so that the pillared halls of their kin rang with the laughter of children which the Elves valued more highly than any treasure. This great family was known as the Almenodrim, and they are remembered thusly in many songs, most chiefly by their own descendants. In the days before the Curse they were greatly peopled, so that several distinct Houses sprung up among them- but each bore loyalty to the Everflame and wavered not from their path alongside the Seven, throughout all of their history. Of all the children of Malin Sylvaen was the greatest in forgecraft, and in the tempering of steel and the making of mail he and his descendants were never outmatched, save perhaps by the most great-skilled of the Dwarf-smiths of yore. The hauberks and plate of their forges did not rust, and did not sustain the tarnish of age and weather, shining new-burnished even after an age of wear. All of their works were highly treasured, for they were crafted with arts which were not known to other wrights, and have been forgotten. It must, too, be noted that steel was scarce more than a servant to them- and it was in the working of silver, gold, and precious gems that they truly excelled, ultimately peerless. Made in those elder days were some of the greatest and most beautiful treasures of all noble Elvendom, which were beloved of all the Elder Folk and held in regard even in the furthest reaches of the continent. Among them were the Necklace of Stars, and Mίr n’Ardhon, and of course the great carved gem Belethil which was lost, of which more shall be told in other tales. All which could be wrought by hammer and anvil they excelled in creating- but no weapons, for the sons of Malin had no need for them, save of course for spears of alder and bows of yew, which they used to hunt wild game. In those days there was no strife, and all Elvenkind dwelt in harmony and peace. But even as Sylvaen and the Almenodrim laboured with great zeal and saw no ending to their works, doom of an eldritch sort came to the halls of Almenor. It began, as such things are often wont to, with a falling star, which tore the heavens and fell burning from the firmament. A clash like thunder heralded its coming to the plane of Aos, and a great fire and clamour levelled the forest about its landing- for such was its heat in that time that all which came in contact with it was immolated entirely. With a roar of splitting earth a chasm was opened about it in that wilderness, and there it would have remained if not for the curious whim of fate. It was Aegnor who found it, riding upon the great northern hills with his banners- and ever after for this reason he was oft-called by the name Elpharon, which means ‘star-finder’. Marveling at the desolation, he delved into the blackened cavern at its center- and though it burned his hands, he could not find the will to leave the glede-star behind. All marveled at it, and at its providence, for even the most experienced among them had not seen such ore. Concluding their businesses in those lands the Almenodrim brought it to their home, and though none could foresee it, sealed the fate of their House. For upon that metal lingered an evil which had no name, born of the darkness and vapour of primordial creation and forgotten by Gods and mortals both. At that time Sylvaen, being come to his full mastery and eminence, was filled with new intent and purpose- and growing bored in his lordship over forgecraft the great wright took great interest in the star-iron discovered by his eldest son. Many months after its arrival the metal did not lose its immense heat, and would burn those who laid hand upon it; Aegnor had failed to tame it, and it had scarred the reach of Muindir who was Sylvaen’s most promising student. So it was that at long last the father of the Seven came first to behold this curse of his family, and resolved to make something of it forthwith. But as he took up his hammer to strike upon the ore the smith beheld a great darkness which descended upon the great fires of his forge, alike unto a black grip which sought to take him in vice. And it spoke to him, this being, in a voice alien as the rubbing of coke on steel. “I have seen thee, Everflame, and all thy purposes and works are laid bare before me- but I deem them to be lesser far than those of thy Father, who is Malin. You shall fade, as leaves of autumn in the winter wind, and none shall know thy small name in posterity. As paupers thy sons will be, and grim fate shall find each among them in his time.” And the elf-prince was stricken by sudden doubt, for in his heart stirred a fear which had not been known to any in those blessed years; it was an evil not of this world, but rather of the one which had come before, and was never meant to linger. “By what vile sorceries dost thou speak unto me, creature of darkness, and what false poison dost thou pour upon my mind?” he cried out, and stepped back from the forge-fire which burned not yet so hot as the metal before him. “In skill of hand I have no single peer- all shall remember my works, and those of my sons, who shall be lords when I am gone.” But despite his remonstrance the creature of gloaming had seized upon the core weakness of his being, for though Sylvaen was foremost in cleverness and craft, his brilliant mind of metal and stone had become flawed in its vainglory, and in the obsession with legacy which was to haunt his line forever. “Stay thy despair, my child- for I sense a greatness in thy blood which shall surpass thy brethren,” the fallen star whispered, in tones of dulcet, layered upon with the cloy of paternal sweetness. “I will show thee much of that which thou knowest not, and change the path thou treadst- for great wisdom I see in thee, and a great promise also, which shall change the doom of the world in its stride. In my image thou shalt shape what none hath shaped before, and all shall know thy will, and fear it.” And though Sylvaen was not yet won over, his mind was curious- as all wrights he wished primarily to expand his art, and to craft ever-greater things until he had exhausted all possibilities of matter and shape. It occurred to him that to bind this star to his will would be the greatest achievement of his time, and a fine treasure in the vaults of Almenor; no creation had yet been beyond his ability in all his life, and no metal could give him pause at the height of his expertise. So it was that a fateful artificery began, which would last many days and many nights. Three times the smith began his work, and three times the metal defied his expert hand- for the spirit which perched upon it was possessed of its own design, and did not lend itself to mastery. For many hours they strove in the deeps of the Almenodrin forges, until the anvil of the wright glowed hot, and the smith himself was nearto spent. At last, putting forth all his lores and knowledge, the Everflame made corporeal the doom of his House- but it was not of his design, and the great shadow was upon it. So it came to pass that the first sword was born, and the Gods wept, for in the hand of Sylvaen it was destined to cause great pain and strife. The visage of the blade was as wrought iron, black and cruelly sharp, and it shone with a dull polish which caught and twisted the faces of those who would look into its surface; its guard was alike unto an umbel of upthrust thorns, and its hilt bound in pallid corded wire. Dagnir was its name, which was given to it by its creator, and harshly indeed did he lament its making; deep into Almenor he bade it be taken, and set inside a dark chamber to which no elf went willingly. And there Dagnir lingered, awaiting its fate. Sylvaen and the Seven soon forgot the star-stone in its entirety, and returned to their works of art and craft, growing more fruitful even than they had before. In those days the halls of Almenor were second only to the capital in populace, and greatly rich also, for they continued to trade with the Men and Dwarves who dwelt beyond the borders of the Greenwood. But the peaceful days of the First Ages were swiftly drawing to a close; and darkness festered in the far deeps of the world, marked by none save the delving Dwarrow-kind, who could not comprehend it. For Iblees’ work upon the Nether had been done, and the days trod ever-closer to the great war which would change the course of history forever. [To be Continued]

Preface (OOC) The lore written below is to implement a new neutral Aengudaemon, adding it to the established pantheon on LotC. What we have written hopes to develop just who Lagara is, her realm, and the many beings she has created beneath her. Thank you for reading! Created by: MajesticOwyn, Wulfery, PosidonX7 and xxEnderking Lagara, strumming her harp as she overlooks the serenity of Hastilaegi. (Source) Lagara, Goddess of Lein Hahnu Aengudaemon of Devotion and Ancestry Origin From the beginning of her existence, Lagara relegated herself to the shadows, taking on a role as an outside observer. She watched on in a mixture of envy and horror as her brothers and sisters squabbled over the the mortal realm, each vying for the largest amount of control and power. She secluded herself from them, avoiding any ties or connections, determining it was the safest way to stay out of their endless cycle of conflict. With time these emotions only increased in severity, for Lagara was a being of extremes. Were she to love, it was a deep and boundless one. Were she to hate, it was as if it had taken root into her very soul, coursing through her being. After time, one emotion came to dominate the others. Loneliness. This feeling quickly spread through her, and with it a sense of existential dread. Through this torment Lagara quickly realized that she needed more than to just be the one who watched. She had not forgotten all that she had seen, however, and realized that there was no place for her among the others of her kind. It was their eternal cycle of conflict that she wished to avoid. She desired a realm of her own, one in which she was the most powerful and beautiful. A realm which she would fill with followers and servants who only desired to please her. So, Lagara tapped into her very being, channeling her latent powers into one sole desire: to create a realm of her own. In the beginning, only a seedling; a thought, an idea. Lagara poured every thread of her being into nourishing her creation, smiling upon it as a mother would her babe. As she toiled away, it grew, coursing with her divine power, one which was steadily growing more chaotic. Cradled within her hand, she brought the seed to her chest and planted it into her flesh. With that, the catalyst, which unbound the violent tempest of energy. Thus, Lein Hahnu was born. A Demand of Service Lagara sat at the center of this immense and powerful force as it spread outward, her realm forming before her eyes. The creation was chaotic and uncontrollable, and Lagara soon realized that she may have made a mistake. While she was indeed an Aengudaemon, a divine being of great power, she was immature and inexperienced. What she had forced into existence soon grew out of her control. This was not the only problem, however. She soon realized that her power alone would not be enough to sustain this crucible of creation, and that the realm would only grow in size and complexity until it collapsed, consuming itself. Just as Lein Hahnu was born, so was its death inevitable. Even with this thought on her mind, she did not despair. It was her realm, she would not stand idly by as she had done her entire existence. Lagara began to create. Her thoughts soon materialized in front of her. Landmasses, structures, even other beings, all born out of her love. Though the chaotic tempest that tore at reality loomed in the distance, a brilliant light above, and a roiling darkness below, Lagara had managed to strike a balance in the center. Her sphere of peace pushed back the threatening forces of destruction, creating a sanctuary at its heart. From her soul, she forged several divine beings called Idols. They would tend to her whims and wants, each created with purpose. With her realm and its inhabitants created, her powers were stretched to their limits. For the first time since, her gaze drifted back to the familiar, though this time it fell upon the mortal realm. With her realm unsustainable, she had concluded that the the descendants were a solution to her problem. From them, she would demand their devotion and love. In return, she would offer them a place in her realm, an afterlife for those who remained loyal servants throughout their lives. Not only did this serve to appease her vanity, it also brought a source of power to her realm. These first descendants who would follow and worship Lagara came to be known as the Gorundyr. This came from Lagara’s name for the creator, “Gorund”, who the mortals believed they were the children of. She had created a conduit that would draw in the power of these souls, the most devout of mortals, and which would also gather the threads of their memories. This spiritual energy would course throughout Lein Hahnu in the form of a vast nourishing river, though not one made of water, but instead essence. It infused itself in the realm, an unstoppable and crushing force which connected all things. Lagara now gazed out over her realm from atop the canopies of a massive tree, which towered above all. From her perch, she was able to rule with absolute authority, her song heard by all. She was, however, a prisoner of her own making. The seed which she had planted in her being, which had formed the realm she so desired, also bound her in place. This made her the anchor for all that was to be, and she knew that if she were ever to perish, so too would her realm in a violent fashion. So Lagara commanded the denizens of Lein Hahnu, both descendant mortals who had bound themselves to her, and the Idols she had born of her own flesh. It was these servants that would do what should could not, guided by her iron hand of authority, nourished by her loving heart. Blood Pact As Lagara shifted her gaze to the mortal realm, she began to influence the descendant races of Aegis. Through her powers, she and her servants would manifest before the mortals in many ways, often taking on the forms of animals and other mythological beings. They soon began to worship and appeal to these beings as gods, and while they had little idea of their true nature, their mythos was shaped by these interactions. These early peoples called themselves the Gorundyr, and it was from them that Lagara would draw the most worthy of mortals to serve her. The Gorundyr built shrines and other places of worship devoted to Lagara and the various other “gods” that influenced them. It was these places of power that Lagara and her followers could hone in on, allowing them to watch and observe their fledgling worshippers. Through her early influence, their culture and way of life was heavily shaped. One early gift was that of language. Lagara bestowed upon them the ancient tongue called Jolfmarr’tal, one which is used by the beings of Lein Hahnu itself. After many generations of observation, Lagara realized she could use these mortals to fulfil her own desires and she began making blood pacts with them. A blood-pact binds a Gorundyr to Lagara through direct connection, or with one of her divine servants. Through her will and power alone, these servants are able to manifest in the mortal realm, to be heard, felt, or even seen. While this is possible, it is extremely draining upon her, and the one manifesting has little power while present in the mortal realm. These visits are brief and few, intended to influence the Gorundyr and in a way manipulate them. To appeal to their core values, and to bind them to her will. These blood-pacts offer no benefit to the mortal who undertakes one, only acting as the truest form of devotion and loyalty to Lagara herself. It is only those who undertake the blood-pact whom are taken to her realm upon death. When a Gorundyr bids farewell to its mortal frame, it is guided by the soul stream to Ebrietaes, just as other mortals would be. It is these Gorundyr who have been marked that are allowed into Lagara’s divine realm. The only physical effect of these pacts are the birthmarks that appear upon Gorundyr who are bound under their oaths. These take the shape of varying forms and are usually connected to the soul and personality of said mortal. Lastly, the birthmarks seem to be hereditary. When one undertakes a blood-pact, their bloodline is bound to Lagara for eternity. Blood-pacts can be broken, however, for Lagara only accepts those who uphold their honor and oaths. Should one commit a grave sin, such as kinslaying, or betray the will of Lagara, their pact is broken. They lose not only her favour and love, but their place amongst in her realm. A Seer of Lein Hahnu pictured he ventures throughout the forest, seeking communion with Lagara. (Source) The Seers of Lein Hahnu Seers are those that bind their lives to their gods directly. They do not follow one, nor do they offer their service to the singular. They are vessels for Lagara and her servants to pass their divine will and knowledge onto the realm of the living, making sure that their words will reach those who need to hear them. To become a seer you may not suddenly just embark on the path of service to the gods. Seers are born to be united with Lagara. From the earliest days they are destined to walk the path guided by her will. Only those who are truly chosen may be able to change their fate, whilst others simply have to accept that fact. Taken away from their parents at their first birthday, they are then brought under the care of other Seers, as well as their servants. Treated with care for their youngest years and watched over, they are taught about language, customs, and worship. The sons or daughters of the Gorundyr that are destined to become seers are to be protected and shaped in preparation for their future of duty and servitude. At the age of five they are put under the test which determines what weapon type they are most fit for. Once that is done, the child will learn how fight with only that singular tool of war. They are taught to master it, understand it thoroughly and deeply with hours of training day after day. By the age of fifteen they have to be able to face their teacher in single combat, the outcome of which must at the very least be a draw. Even with weapon and body training, they still continue their lectures about gods, beasts, and connections with the divine. They have their first lessons about tattoos, and creating bonds with the realm of Lein Hahnu, or how to fight against souls that have been stuck in realm of living even after death. The day of their adulthood is also the day during which they have the last chance to become Seers. Whether they are ready for the ritual or not is of no consequence, as they will have to face it anyway. It is intended to test their resolve, willpower, and faith. They will have to withstand painful removal of their eyes, and yet not mutter a single word. All the time keeping themselves in prayer to Lagara. In the last part of the ritual they will have to prove that they are able to witness Lein Hahnu through visions, to prove their connection to Lagara has been established. If yes, they will successfully be taken in as Seers, able to wander off into the world, learning new ways. They are to spread fate and lead those who wish to pass into the realm of the gods upon their deaths. One of the Blessed Isles of Halvengr, floating listlessly through the heavens. (Source) Halvengr - The Blessed Isles At the core of Lein Hahnu is the physical domain of Halvengr, Lagara’s kingdom. It consists of many isles, each home to an array of denizens. These isles are chaotic and ever growing in complexity, thriving with life. There are, however, three main isles which bear the most importance within the realm: Hastilaegi, Alvegen, and Halenlaga. Halvengr was the name that Lagara and her Idols would whisper to the Gorundyr during their blood pacts, etching it into their minds. In that moment, they offer visions of the beautiful paradise that would await them. It is a world that promises eternal life amongst the gods to reward their loyalty and devotion. The river of essence that flows throughout the realm weaves between these islands, made of many condensed threads of memory. These threads are colored differently based on the type of emotion and context of each memory, but each come together and intertwine intimately. Some beings of great power can graze their fingers upon its surface and isolate single threads, catching said memories to be viewed and felt. All of the isles float within the heavenly void, suspended peacefully in the sphere of Lagara’s protection. The void roars all around them, a swirling tempest on the edges of reality. The sky, a dazzling and radiant explosion of light, and the depths below, a pulsing and ever consuming darkness. The Heart-Tree in its moment of creation with Lagara at its center, banishing the encroaching chaos. (Source) Hastilaegi - The Heart Tree Hastilaegi was the first of the isles to be, suspended above the others so as to look down upon them. It is also the smallest of the isles, acting as Lagara’s personal home, and the location of the Heart Tree; born of her divine seed. A gargantuan tree, larger than any ever seen in the mortal realm, dominating the majority of the island. She sits atop it on her throne, clad in a dress of vibrant green made of leaves and ivy. In her hands she grasps a golden harp, which she plays softly, a peaceful but commanding song that fills the hearts of her followers. At the trees base is a peaceful paradise, a collection of gardens and groves that stretch to the edges of the island. It is here that the Daughters of Lagara call their home, humanoid beings of great beauty, headed by Lokaliin. They act as tenders and matrons to all life upon the island. Deep beneath the tree rests a prisoner of great darkness, grasped at by its thick roots, and contained within. This being is guarded by a massive serpent, whose mass is largely burrowed into the earth of the island itself, intertwining with the roots of the tree. Jokull the Burrower he is called, acting as the defender and warden of the Heart Tree. Lastly, we have the resting place of Lagara’s essence conduit, Vakasul. A white tree with blood red leaves which sits in the middle of its own sacred grove, the focus point for the river of essence. It courses through the tree, it’s surrounding network of runestones, and the grove itself. This grove acts as the entrance and exit to Lein Hahnu, which is marked by a large structure made of stone and metal called the Rumdrev. Upon passing under its massive runic engraved gate, you would find yourself within a dome-like room, an ancient device built into the center. It is used by Lagara and her servants as a transporter, harnessing an immense amount of power to send the traveller between the different islands of Halvengr, as well as the mortal realm. Souls delivered from Ebrietaes manifest before Vakasul, wandering the grove in a sort of limbo-like state. After some time, an Idol named Ankou will appear to whisk these souls away to their proper places. The Gates to Alvegen, home to the Sun King and the ancestral land of eternal light. (Source) Alvegen - The Howling Vale Alvegen is the second largest of the islands and the most orderly. A vast landmass of mountains, glaciers, and boreal forests. A large inland sea covers a fourth of the landmass, contained by the rocky exterior of the island. One of the many mountain ranges towers above the rest, home to the Sun King Havardr and his Joriin, a tribe of early Gorundyr who were granted patronage by Lagara. His indomitable fortress, Haemdormr, is built far up on the side of the mountain, its many rooms and passages burrowing deep into the stone. Alvegen is also home to the majority of Gorundyr souls who have been brought to Halvengr over the many generations that have passed. As such, it is the most civilized of the islands. Several cities and settlements spread over the valleys and mountains, all ruled by various Gorundyr Clans, some of which have been long forgotten by their mortal descendants. This land was granted as a gift to Havardr and the Gorundyr and as such resembles their favored homeland. It in some ways mimics what they knew in life, though it has been warped by their own vision of a perfect paradise. Alvegen never falls under the cloak of darkness, an eternal sun looming above. Far in the mountains and the more secluded areas of Alvegen live the giants. Born of the stonefather, Oknar, they vie for the survival of their race against the Gorundyr ancestors that encroach upon them. They are broken into three types, and thus also three tribes. Stone, ice, and flesh. These ancient beings are some of the oldest in Lein Hahnu. One last major being calls Alvegen his home: Auroth. One of Beira’s pups, he is a proud and noble wolf who imposed exile on himself because of internal family conflict. After time, other outcasts and rejects flocked to him for leadership. He now found himself the leader of his own pack, a position he embraced and an oath he gladly swore. The unstable and untameable growth of Halenlaga, hiding a darkness within it’s depths. (Source) Halenlaga - The Primordial Wild Halenlaga was to be the last of the islands and by far the largest. It’s creation was shaped by the violent temporal energies that gave birth to Lein Hahnu. The island is plagued by an unstable verdant growth, utterly uncontrollable and unstoppable in nature. For this reason it is the least inhabited and is often avoided by most, for the depths of the wild are not only fraught with danger, but also a deep and unabiding darkness. In an attempt to tame this realm, or atleast control it, Lagara gifted it to one of her creations, a spirit she had cultivated from her own soul. Andarta, as she was named, tamed small portions of the growth, turning them into serene groves and lush forests. In time, she took in a mate by the name of Belenus, and with this bore many children to inhabit her forest home. They are spirits, able to live in the trees but also take on corporeal forms. Their fight against the untameable nature of Halenlaga is a never ending struggle of survival. It became apparent, however, that the chaotic force of Halenlaga was not the true threat, merely a symptom of a violent birth. A darkness had seeped into its dankest depths, one which steadily encroached on Andarta’s realm, threatening to consume it. Manifestations of ill, demonic beings, and eldritch horrors infested it at its core, born of the chaotic darkness which nipped at Halvengr from below. It thrived in this lawless wilderness, as no light ever strayed beneath the surface. This corruption worried Lagara. She knew that if it were to be left unchecked, it would consume Halenlaga and the rest of her realm. While at its core it could not be destroyed, nor tamed, it certainly could be fought. To do this, Lagara created a being named Beira and gave her dominion over her own wolfpack. A wild hunt was called by her and her children as they descended upon Halenlaga, oathbound to destroy the darkness which threatened all life. The primordial forces of light and dark locked in their eternal struggle. (Source) Beware the Darkness and the Light As Lein Hahnu was born, the inevitable conflict between the light and dark began. Both primordial forces, each unstoppable in their nature, were simply the rule of law. They would always exist, and a balance would always be required if existence were to be. At their extremes, both the light and the darkness are absolute, their nature corruptive. The light instills in someone a sense of absolute justice and purity, while the darkness is chaotic freewill, a force of unbridled destruction. While this was simple fact, it did not matter to a being such as Lagara. These certainties threatened her realm and creation, and so she would deny them as she could, just as all conscious beings do. The Isles of Halvengr exist in a sphere of peace, placed between these two destructive forces. To the light and the darkness, it was nothing more than an anomaly. A void that needed to be filled. With time, it would be so. We begin with the Light, which bore down on this realm from above. To some, reassuring, simply a tool to aid in sight and offer warmth. To others, a captivating power from which they could not tear their gaze. From their fortress in Haemdormr, the Joriin were the first to fall to the invincible Light, their very beings warped by its absolute power. We end with the Darkness, which seeped up from below, infusing itself with all that it touched. A much more obvious threat, less subtle in its destruction. From this darkness many entities were born, heralds and servants of its chaotic power. The land itself bore marks of this corruptive force and from time to time some being or another would stray too far, losing itself to madness. Thus, the beings of Lein Hahnu were in a constant struggle to contend with the two forces of power, for they simply existed to be overrun. They had no stake in this eternal conflict, and no hope of altering fate. (Source) Idol: Beira, the Denmother Animal Avatar: The Direwolf Beira, the fiercest of the Idols and the matriarch of wolves. In her soul Lagara infused her strength, wrath, and motherly nature, creating a worthy warrior and champion. From then on, the Denmother would live by these ideals breathed into her from birth. Beira was tasked with the defense of the realm, primarily from the dark corruption that had slowly began to seep through the protective sphere. She was granted the gift of motherhood in return for her loyalty. From her first litter, only three survived. Rahdonir, the first to take breath and thus the eldest. Now her most trusted and loyal kin and the second in command of her warpack. He is the embodiment of strength and leads with fanatic zeal. Korrigan, who was born into darkness, her soul tinged with the very corruption that she and her kind were tasked to destroy. She hunts alone, always at war with the consuming shadows within her. Auroth, the most noble and proud of the three. He had come to love all of his kin, a point of discontent toward his mother and siblings. Only the strongest bore any worth in the wolfpack, for only strength would protect the realm. Auroth exiled himself from his siblings and gathered his rejected kin into a pack of his own, one which would make up for any weakness through the strength and bond of family. (Source) Idol: Oknar, the Shaper Animal Avatar: The Mouflon Ram Oknar is a gargantuan being created by Lagara to act as her smith and architect. From the early stages of her realm, Oknar was tasked with the creation of the isles, and the shaping of each. He wields his massive hammer Himdah Buld, scouring Lagara’s realm in his unending duty to shape her vision into reality. From the jagged peaks of Alvegen, to the verdant wilds of Halenlaga, and all the isles in between. His desire is creation, and in its beauty he takes fulfillment. To Oknar, his grand dream of perfection will never be realized, for there will always be imperfection. It will be one that he chases until the end of time. He is regarded as the stonefather, though not only because of the valleys and mountains he has shaped, but also the beings he created. Early on, he breathed life into stone in an effort to create others like him, who could shape as he did. Mahmul, who he carved from ice, the first of his creations, born from the purest ice he could find. Gohil, who he hewed from stone, docile in nature. He roams the land, emotionless and slow-natured. Fariik, who he shaped from flesh, the last of his children. While the others showed little ability and desire, Fariik was born with a heart of aggression. In the end, all of his attempts made for poor workers. Oknar abandoned his children to their own devices, returning to his duty. While he was a master at creating worlds, he lacked the necessary spark when it came to conscious beings. Idol: Andarta, the Forest Wraith Animal Avatar: A white-pelted Red Deer Andarta bears perhaps the closest bond with Lagara, created as if to be her other half. Andarta is able to manifest in very many different forms, though her usual being that of an incorporeal spirit. Physically, she bears a lithe humanoid frame, covered in various forms of plantlife. Long brutal claws sprout from her fingers, able to gore with ease. Her face is angular and thin, with her eyes looking as if they were two orbs of polished onyx. Andarta regards herself as the Queen of Halenlaga and has dominion over the chaotic wilds which span its surface. She is distant and cold to outsiders, her desire simply to remain secluded in her forests and sacred groves. The only exception would be her relationship with Beira, as the two have grown close together, a bond forged by their mutual struggle against the darkness which infested the depths of the island. After a time, Andarta grew lonely herself, and took on a husband. A mortal man named Belenus who had lived and breathed the forests and their ways. A man who worshiped Andarta alone, tending to her shrines and offering himself to her will. Together, they created the Children of the Forest Ara, the eldest of Andarta’s children, she takes on the form of a small fawn and prowls around the forests, her true purpose unknown. She is regarded as the Spirit of Springs as she is often sighted near them. Borvo, whom appears as a white-furred bear, lives as a Spirit of the River, prowling the banks and protecting them from harm. Cernu, who was given the task of defending the realm from the darkness that threatened it. From an early age he envied Beira and her pack, choosing to take on the form of a gray wolf, stalking the brushes as they do. Aife, the Spirit of the Oak, who embodies the pride and strength that an oak tree represents. She frolics among the canopies of the trees, taking on the form of a squirrel, her small form often deceptive. Olwen, the Spirit of Luck, whose name many Gorundyr utter, both to curse, and to praise. He takes on the form of a rabbit. Sirona, the Spirit of Mischief, a popular patron of children and the like, who is regarded as a trickster. She appears as a fox spirit and often harasses travellers in the woods. Alastir, the Whispering Wind, a spirit that communes with the trees themselves. It is said that he delivers the words and desires of the forests in the breeze. Alastir is commonly associated with an Owl, with tapestries depicting him as one dating back to legend. (Source) Idol: Maratsu, the Kinslayer Animal Avatar: The Common Raven Maratsu was the first of the sky-gods created by Lagara to defend her realm, the each of them given absolute dominion over the skies. Each had a distinct form, avatars gifted to them, Maratsu’s being that of the raven. Together, they soared throughout the skies of Lein Hahnu, always remaining steadfast in their defense of their matron and creator. There was peace, for a time. Then, it was threatened to all be undone. Maratsu, the stalwart protector, in his naive desire to do good, decided to challenge the darkness which roiled below. He traveled to the very edges of Lagara’s sphere of peace, prowling along the border between serenity and chaos. In his heart, he knew the danger it posed, not only to him but that of the realm as a whole. In an instant, he shifted, plunging himself down into the dark abyss. He had done what no other had ever considered, leaving the sanctuary he had always known to venture into the unknown, to strike at its heart. In an instant, the darkness overtook him, its pure chaotic will infusing with his soul. In his moment of arrogance, the being that was Maratsu ceased to exist. From within the tempest, Maratsu returned, now tainted by an all-consuming darkness. He spread his wings of midnight and called out, a resonating cry which pierced all that heard, full of horror and pain. The chaos that now raged in his mind guided him to Hastilaegi, to the one who dared defy its absolute power. Maratsu, pulsing with shadow, reeked of tumultuous evil and existential dread. He crashed into the serene paradise below, beginning his rampage of destruction. He tore at the pristine fields and the sacred groves, devouring any being that got in his way. Lagara watched in horror as her creations perished before her. With one quick movement, she struck at her harp, a chord that lacked her usual peaceful melody; a call to war. Within moments, the remaining sky-gods arrived, Argal, the eagle and Ankou, the hawk. They struck out at their brother, entering into the fray. Destruction raged across Hastilaegi as they danced in battle, the ferocity in which Maratsu fought only fueled by the chaos that had consumed his soul. As the pair gained the upper hand, Maratsu lashed out at his brother Ankou, piercing him with a brutal talon. Ankou roared out in anguish as he fell back, his form disintegrating in part, as if an acid were eating its way into his flesh. This final strike was interrupted by an ominous and resonating roar, which seemed to come from the depths of Hastilaegi itself. The earth beneath Maratsu quaked and exploded as a massive form erupted from below. Jokull burst forth, his gargantuan form towering above the battlefield.. He gazed down upon Maratsu, yellow serpent-like eyes piercing into him. With a speed impossible for his mass, he struck, jaw unhinging as he devoured the fallen sky-god whole. Jokull carried through with his momentum, burrowing once again into the earth. Maratsu remained within his belly, carried far below the heart-tree, unable to be destroyed. The darkness so infused with his soul rendering him invincible to any attempts Lagara has made to do so. So Maratsu rages, a prisoner bound to the depths of Hastilaegi, a seed of darkness always lingering on the minds of the beings of Lein Hahnu. (Source) Idol: Ankou, the Gatherer of Souls Animal Avatar: The Ferruginous Hawk Ankou the second of the sky-gods, was left scarred and broken by his brothers betrayal, his once proud hawk-form now grotesque and skeletal. As he had writhed in the dirt, dying from the blow delivered from his brother, he had been spared by the one whom created him. Lagara struck at her harp and guided her loving hand outward, purging the little corruption which burned within, replacing it with her divine breath, and with that came new purpose. To Ankou, she gave control of the river of spirit that flowed throughout the realm, and thus made him the master of souls. Tending to the river and all souls within Lein Hahnu is his sole responsibility. When the worthy souls of fallen Gorundyr arrive in the grove of Vakasul, it is Ankou and his minions who welcome them. He is the guiding hand who sees that they arrive where they belong. It is also through Ankou’s power that one may commune with the dead ancestral souls who live upon the Isles of Halvengr. Crypts, grave sites, and other specially prepared monuments to the dead can be used to draw his attention, and that of the souls themselves. It is common for Gorundyr to make each individuals grave a sort of shrine, like the ones dedicated to the gods, so that they may pay respects. Lastly, Ankou is responsible for dealing Lagara’s justice within the realm. Should one of its many beings lose the favour of their mother or commit a grave sin, they are dealt with by him. In this regard, Ankou has an array of minions that assist him in his duties. The Valkyrie, who act as enforcers of Ankou’s will. Perfectly neutral beings who strive to maintain the balance between dark and light. They are situated in both the brightest and darkest places of Lein Hahnu, vigilant watchers and stalwart defenders. The Damned, a procession of souls who have been condemned for crimes such as kinslaying and oath breaking. The large majority of them are bound in a spectral legion which marches endlessly, an eternal prison for lost souls. Should a damned soul somehow escape from Lein Hahnu, Ankou’s wraiths can be sent from the realm to retrieve them so that justice may be delivered. (Source) Idol: Havardr, the Sun King Animal Avatar: The Canada Lynx Harvardr was the first of the mortal descendants to be given divine power by Lagara. In life, he was her most loyal servant, and is largely responsible for influencing her initial followers in their devotion. He formed a tribe of descendants that would be the early Gorundyr, and the first of the clans. While his rule as a king in life was successful, his potential would only increase in death. He was the first mortal to be given divinity in her realm. As he strode through the grove of Vakasul and came before Lagara in her throne, she poured her power into him. As a gift, she allowed him to take a council of his most trusted advisors and bestowed upon him the isle of Alvegen. Here Havardr and the Joriin settled, constructing an impressive stronghold and palace called Haemdormr, built into the side of the isle’s largest mountain. From his table, he was able to see all of the realm, ruling it beneath an eternal sun. This same light, however, was subtle in its nature of corruption. Over time, the light that had always threatened to consume Lein Hahnu from above instead gently seeped into the hearts of Havardr and his Joriin, warping their personalities. They become beings of absolute justice and purity, reinforced by their divine right to rule. Not all were naive to the Light’s seductive power and thus Ankou sent the Valkyries to watch over the Joriin with a careful eye. Were it to ever to reach a catalyst, they would be there to maintain balance. And so the Sun King ruled with a unwavering sense of justice, as did his Joriin. In total they numbered six. Hlifhildr, the Sun Maiden, Havardr’s beautiful bride and loyal queen. In life, she had been a shield-maiden and a fierce warrior in her own right. She was always willing to please her husband and answer to his every whim. Taranis, the Forgemaster. He constructed Havardr’s realm, from its massive keeps, statues, and gates, to his spear forged of light, Dagor’kaen. Rodun, the Master of Knowledge, who constructed the grandest libraries and archives to record the history of the Gorundyr and all else. Not only were these in written texts, but also memories which he extracted from the river of spirit which connected all the souls of Lein Hahnu. Muir, the Dreamwalker, who spent her time living the lives of others, rather than her own. She had become a master at delving into the river of spirit to isolate single threads. The more Gorundyr who ascend to Halvengr, the more she has at her fingertips. Barid, the Unifier, who acted as Havardr’s greatest champion and general. A masterful tactician and fierce warrior, he was the iron fist with which Havardr maintained his rule. Svalinn, the Gleeman, who was not blind to the fate of the Joriin. He was the embodiment of good nature and joy, and a true artist. He spent his time away from Haemdormr, instead visiting the many cities and villages which dotted the hills and valleys around Alvegen, spreading his love for art and joy to the Gorundyr abound. One of the many beings of Halvengr, venturing forth into the realm. (Source) Minor Beings Agantyr A gargantuan sky serpent, twin to Jokull. Agantyr’s form dwarfs some of the isles themselves, floating listlessly through the sky. He is tasked to act as a warden of the skies, protecting Lein Hahnu from any of the latent energies threatening to break in. His final duty is to prevent anyone from making the same mistake as Maratsu by venturing out of the protective sphere and into the chaos outside. Draug An ancient guardian who slumbers beneath the sea which spans over the surface of Alvegen. Draug is rarely ever encountered or seen, though it is said his form is giant, that of a many headed sea monster. He is the patron of sailors and fishermen to whom they pay respect and prayer. They whisper to him for protection, both on Halvengr and in the mortal realm. Argal of the Sky The third and final sky-god and now the last remaining, his form that of a massive eagle. Argal and his brood make their nests on Hastilaegi, placed amongst the branches of the Heart-Tree. They act as defenders of the island itself and guard the realm below from any would-be threat. Mimir and Haenir, Wardens of Lein Hahnu Mimir and Haenir are living manifestations of the river of spiritual energy which flows throughout the realm. Born to protect the Grove of Vakasul, they act as guardians to both the grove itself, and the Rumdrev. Their forms are that of twin colossal bears, shaped of stone by a loving hand. Runes cover their bodies, with the largest being on their foreheads, glowing faintly with blue mist. The runestones around the grove bear the same marks, all of which seem to pulse together, as if a unified heartbeat. Synopsis Lagara and her Idols are attracted by shrines and heavy activity of worship by the descendants. She can focus in on these to locate them. Shrines found in this way can be blessed, indicating they are places where the gods will hear those who pray and offer. These places would feel as if they had been touched by her hand, in many ways. Some examples include a passive aura, a powerful background pulse of energy which can be felt, but not harnessed. Whispers in both common and Jolfmarr’tal delivered on the wind. Passive visions for those who linger too long or choose to sleep there, teasing the wonders of Lein Hahnu and the gods themselves. These dont convey a ton of information, just enough to draw the desire and interest of any descendants. They can visit the Gorundyr in their dreams, or do so physically through apparitions or visions. This follows the current rules of manifesting in the mortal realm by Aengudaemon, and would be used to simply facilitate roleplay. The forms in which they manifest are the listed animal avatar, but can also be their humanoid forms. It is up to the preference of the individual, allowing several options. Blood Pacts offer no benefit to a Gorundyr and only seek to bond them to Lagara and her Idols. The only physical trait being a birthmark based on their personality. (To allow people the freedom to pick something most relevant to them.) Ancestral souls which have gone to Lein Hahnu (and ONLY Lein Hahnu) can be communicated with through shrines of worship in the mortal realm, acting much like ones devoted to the gods. These shrines, often gravesites or crypts, can attract the attention of Ankou, allowing interaction with the souls of fallen Gorundyr. Anyone can worship Lagara and become a Gorundyr. It is simply a group of people and a culture that were shaped due to her influence on their earliest ancestors. Naturally, larger concentrations of worship are more likely to attract her notice. The Rumdrev harnesses the power of the river of spirit within Lein Hahnu to act as a bridge between the Isles of Halvengr and the mortal realm, capable of transporting beings. The River of Memories which flows through Lein Hahnu sustains the realm and Lagara’s power. The more mortals and other beings who reside in the realm, the more the river is strengthened. This is Lagara’s main motivation for seeking mortals for blood-pacts, as it is this power she needs to maintain to keep the forces of chaos from consuming her realm. At a lesser stage, Lagara is a vain and selfish god. She desires to be worshipped and loved by many. To her, she is the most powerful and beautiful being to exist. She is a true neutral Aengudaemon, entirely self absorbed in her own world. The Idols are Lagara’s main servants, and the ones who have influenced the Gorundyr the most. Any beings mentioned under them are minor in nature, simply related to their stories. They are the most powerful beings in the realm, other than Lagara. In the end, the goal of this submission is to create actual gods that can interact with the Gorundyr culture in some way, played by the LT or ET. Unlike most Aengul and Daemon, this submission alone does not seek to give any additional boon or power to the Gorundyr or any other mortal. It is simply to take our belief beyond that of faith and add all sorts of potential for RP. The Children of the Forest are spirits that only hold any power or control within Lein Hahnu itself, and not outside of it. They are simply to add flavor to the deific realm, and do not have any involvement with the aspects or other spirits. It is likely they would not even be able to manifest in the mortal realm, or if they were able, it would be without any ability whatsoever. They could simply act as supplements to an event or messengers of some sort, their only significance being that of their connection to Lagara and her realm. That is all! Thank you for reading and we hope you enjoyed this lore submission. Please feel free to post your feedback, as well as any questions! We would love to hear it.

Ulbyutr uv Jrdolrydr ”Ulvr Jorukr Uv Aesyr!” [!] Cold and wet. That was how the Ulvir could describe his environment currently. He opened his eyes, no longer recognizing his nice warm shack it was a minute ago. Now, he was surrounded in water, unable to see anything. The darkness of the water was too great for his eyes. He glanced around, strangely, he was able to breath. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a movement, quickly turning towards it. Nothing but darkness of the sea. He squinted, before turning. Only to be met with a shark’s head. The size of which, was tremendous. He recognized the type, a Great White Shark. It looked at him with hungry eyes, before he heard it in his head. “Every shark needs a family, Ulvir. I suggest you find yours.” Without another word, the Shark opened it’s maw and swallowed him whole. He awoke in a cold sweat, glancing around hurriedly. The man was back in his home, in his comfortable bed. He let out a relieved sigh, but he knew this was a sign. Immediately, he got up to get to writing. The banner and seal of the Northspawn on it. [!] “Brothers, Sisters, Northspawn, answer my call. I am your Ulvir, Belynr Torunrsson. I have received a vision, from Sigvaldr, our creator. He calls us back to form together again. We must answer him, and obey him. As your Ulvir, I ask all of you to come to us. We are forming to become a single, united Clan. Join us once more, fight for the restoration of your people. -Your Ulvir, Belynr Torunrsson-Yngouf” (^^^A banner that would be raised^^^) ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Intro: Hello, thanks for deciding to click on my post!, perhaps you are interested in what this is all about or you just want to judge if this would be something you would like to join, or your just bored and want to read!, Anyway the following is some info that you may be interested in. If you have any feedback for me or questions feel free to reply to this post and or direct them to my discord. Who are we..? We are called Northspawn, a group of like minded people that enjoy Norse culture and wish to bring it to LOTC in a fun and joyful way. The group is a pact of Northspawn that would rally to the Ulvir’s (Leader of Peoples) call to bring glory to the gods once more since the last of the Northspawn has been scattered back when the Norlanders where still around. As the empire grows stronger, new “Ways” must be born in the ashes. Roles must be filled and warriors born. As new lands are discovered so must new ideals be brought. How or why should I join? We are currently needing more members to fill the roles of our pact, Farmers, Craftsmen, Priests / Priestesses (Not canonist priests.. ^.^), Any walks of life ICly! Now I know what you may be thinking... “Well I kinda want to join, but maybe not.., I’m not even Northspawn.” Well I got news for you, you don’t have to be born into the culture, we will induct you into it!, Although you must seek us out ICly if you wish to join but are not wanting to be born into our lore. If you are wanting more details and or got questions, add me through discord: Dallren#3257 Questions if you wish to apply to join: Minecraft Username: Character Name: Discord Tag: Character Age: Character Race: Profession IC: Any questions once I add you?:

(THESE ARE NOT MY PICTURES NOR DO I CLAIM THEM) Introduction The Southeron people, also known as the Southernos or the Southerners - are inarguably the darkest-skinned of the human subraces/subcultures. Natives to Aegis, the Southerons are known as one of the products of Horen’s Firstborn Son, Harren; alongside the Adunians. Although its a common stereotype to believe they are aggressive, Southeron are quite calm and care-free(although combative). Many of their chief values include but are not limited to : independence, isolationism, unity, family, honour, tradition, and filial piety. Though they are typically associated with tribalism, some Southeron have opted to live in Feudal societies; forming great families or houses. Culture The culture of the Southeron are varied and unique, consisting of a mixture of various tribes that each have their own unique characteristics. Southeron culture is expressed in its art, folklore and religion, clothing, cuisine, music and language. Though Southeron cultures are host to a wealth of diverse subgroups, it is also, when closely studied, seen to have many similarities. For example, the morals they uphold, their love and respect for their culture as well as the strong respect they hold for their elders and their importants (Kings and Chiefs). Traditional Southeron music is as diverse as the various populations. The common perception of Southeron music is that it is rhythmic music centered on the drums.Although the drum does play a central role in many Southeron musical traditions, that is not fully the case. Other important musical traditions also involve strings, horns and very little rhythm. For example, an important instrument to the Mengesha Tribe is the Kora, a twenty-one-stringed guitar-like instrument made out of a halved, dried, hollowed-out gourd covered with cow or goat skin. The strings are made of fishing line. It plays an important role not only in Mengeshan musical tradition, but also folklore and the Mengesha’s rich oral tradition, as the primary tool of Mengeshan griots. Although most Southerons are known to live sedentary in the desert, they prefer tropical environments that boasts water sources such as: desert oasis’, jungles, desert coasts, lakesides, riversides, etc... - the sun is their friend. Due to previous Southeron interactions with general foreign influence(trade, diplomacy, etc...) - it is arguable to say that there are many languages that Southeron’s speak, the most common of them being Caeole, the Common Tongue, and Qalashi. This does not mean that many Southeron are not weary of foreigners – most can easily feel intimidated around groups of people who are unlike them and become more competitive if an event warrants competition. History It is commonly believed that when the world began all Humans appeared largely the same, based off of the image of their father, Horen. Due to Human restlessness, drive for discovery and quickly growing population, various groups split off from the first Human settlements. Some lived in the hot, tropical, and flat plains in the area of what would become Whisper Isles and Al'Khazar. They would be the first Southerons. Living in an excellent climate for farming and the growing of crops meant that Southeron grew to become a people well suited for agriculture. In time they grew taller as a result of excellent nutrition, darker skinned with exposure to the sun, growing harsher physical attributes due to their environment, and built up large cities. The Southeron were once seen as a subrace exclusive from their Farfolk brethren. However, when the change of continents began to arrive - the Southeron began to falter as a people; it seemed as though every time there was a Great Descendant Migration - the population of Southeron people would decrease less and less in size. The first migration being arguably the worse, as the geography and environment of the continent was reversed fatally. This caused obstruction - to many of the Southeron, who mainly stayed in one place for the duration of their lives, the geography reverse of the continent caused them to either adjust for survivability or to accept death. Many of the Southeron people failed to adjust, the few remaining being forced to migrate to live with their Northeron cousins for survivability; slowly assimilating into Northeron society, sometimes mating and procreating with them until sovereign Southeron communities were nearly impossible to find after Asulon. As Great Migrations became more frequent, the Southeron community’s population began to decrease. By Athera the Southeron communities had largely died off - though you did find independent Southeron occasionally. The remaining Southeron that adapted to Northeron society had adopted feudalism and joined various Houses, eventually forming great families of their own in the nations they were with. Places such as The Sultanate of Haria and Empire of Oren had at least one demographic group with Southeron ancestry or heritage. The Southeron people were slowly making a return come Axios, adapting to Feudalism fairly well. It was not until Atlas that many of the surviving remnants of the Southeron people, displaced on the new continent, found themselves divided and separated into disparate tribes adopting their own personal traditions. Tradition In Southeron societies, tradition is a large and important part of the Southeron culture. Filial piety to one's elders and ancestors especially, are one of the most important aspects of Southeron social relations. Social behaviors such as the respect for parents and elders, raising children appropriately, providing hospitality, and being honest, trustworthy, and courageous are highly valued and even revered as virtues one should live by. This plays into traditional religious thought, as morality is associated with obedience or disobedience to Deities regarding the way a person or a community lives. Most traditional Southeron societies worship various spirits as well as veneration of their ancestors. These spirits are believed to serve as intermediaries between humans and deities. Rituals honoring deities and spirits through libation and sacrifice are common across a number of Southeron cultures. A common form of southeron spiritual tradition is through communal ceremonies or divinatory rites in which members of the community, overcome by force, or spirit, are excited to the point of going into a meditative trance in response to rhythmic or mantric drumming or singing. Divination is a common facet of Southeron culture and Diviners are sought out on a regular basis for wisdom as counselors in life and for their knowledge of herbal medicine. Similar to their Human brethren, the Southeron people are victims of the mortality curse casted upon Horen by Iblees. Appearance/Physicality Clothing, as is true of Southeron culture on a whole, is widely Diverse. Each tribe has their own specific cultural garbs and customs. They can range from the Khonma Tribe who are known for their unusually light and sparse clothing, typically consisting of little more than an apron or loincloth, to the Mengesha known for their long white shawl like robes called a “Shamma”. If anything is to be said of the commonality in Southeron dress, it is the use of beads, shells, feathers and pelts as decorations and symbols of wealth and status. Use of color also tend to be common amongst many Southeron groups as well. The Southeron are well known for their dark black skin. This is a commonality shared broadly among the disparate groups, besides those of mixed heritage, where there may be more variance. besides that, there is a wide range of physicality as is the case with any of the human races. The hair of a Southeron ranges from tight coils to free-flowing curls - it isn’t uncommon to have more than a single hair type. Though their hair is typically always black in color unless the persons is of mixed heritage or has dyed. Some Southeron, especially those who live in feudal societies, see jewelry as a sign of wealth or a prestigious rank - other Southeron who live without the need for international currency see them as worthless as rocks. Many tribalistic Southerons, similar to the feudal jewelry, see face paint or masks as a sign of prestigious rank - usually sporting the colors of their tribe through them. Terminology Specific Terminology for the Southeron include but are not limited to : Sun people(Hou-zhi) Sahiri(Ghanyans) Southeron/Southernos(Other) Southeron Prominence Notable Characters - Forrest Sarr - A notable pirate and Steward of Privets Ford Vallero(The Ear-Slicer) - A notable killer and member of the White Rose who typically targeted Elves, ironically settling down with an Adunian. Juumane M’Baku - First Neguš of Ghanyah and one of the first Southeron persons to lead on a national level. Haadi Mubdee - A powerful mage and an Archmage/Founder of the Mages Guild or The Tamed Arcane. Notable Families - House Denaseth - A Harian Noble House House Atatis - An independent Mounsidian Noble House Credits @LicorishLicorish - Co-writer @KribKribbitz - Co-writer @ChamoChamo - Original Lore Writer @MalocchioMalocchio - Original Lore Writer @ViolinoViolino - Advice, Aid, and Info @FordEbonsquire - Advice, Aid, Info, Char Mention @SodaiKamikazeNalatac - Advice, Aid, Info, Mention @FinalAwakenMyLove - Advice, Aid, and Info @Elad™ Elad - Character Mention @Appie Appie - Character Mention

Trolls Trolls are dangerous beasts, distant cousins of Orcs and Ologs. Relicts of the past, Trolls are introverts. Choosing to live with only themselves, it would be uncommon for a Troll to have contact with a descendant unless they were choosing to eat them for a meal. Or, if the person were to infringe on the Trolls’ territory, they would find themselves in a tough situation. Trolls are much like the Orcs, living in isolated tribes from other Trolls. They mainly dwell in caves, or huts they build from rawhide. Unknown to most, Trolls are of primitive intelligence. Smarter than an Olog, yet dumber than a man. They possess the knowledge of basic crafting with things such as flint and stone. A rare prodigious Troll may be able to learn smithing. They can also make their own huts from wood and hide, and know how to properly cook meals. They have a tribal hierachy, led by a Chieftain. Trolls have different breeds, two main types with many subtypes. Troll hide is surprisingly tough, being able to withstand the amount of damage that chainmail can. Blows would have to be made from stabs instead of slashes for them to get through their hide. Trolls also have only 4 fingers on each hand. As well as 4 goes on each foot. The Two Breeds of Troll Forest Trolls Forest Trolls are, as their name suggests, Trolls that dwell in the forests of Atlas. They carry with them a green tint from the moss and mushrooms that may grow upon their backs and arms. Expert hunters and trappers, these Trolls prefer solitary from even themselves. Although there have been a few Trolls Clans that spring up from the ground. The Forest Trolls have the most commonly seen Troll subtypes. Swamp Troll, River Troll, Flatland Troll etc. These type of Trolls stand between 11’”-14”. Rarely going over this. Generally being a stocky breed, in order to stalk their prey. Mountain Trolls Mountain Trolls dwell in mountains and caves, generally being around Dwarves and other creatures of the mountains. The Mountain Trolls are shepherds, for the most part. Choosing to raise Mountain Goats and Iron Rams. These trolls use mainly clubs made from bone, wood, and stone. Sometimes warhammers, which are just large boulders tied onto a stick. Mountain Trolls are slightly taller than their cousins in the Forests. Standing around 12’”-15’”. They use their height and strength to intimidate predators that would try to eat their herds. Mountain Trolls generally have a grey skin tone. Although blacks, pale whites, and darker greys are also found. The most common subtypes of Mountain Trolls are Cave trolls, and Frost Trolls. A Troll’s Mindset Trolls are as stated before, rather introverts. They would gladly avoid descendants of all nature, however when a descendant stumbles into their territory it becomes a problem. Trolls have also been seen on the battlefield, having been paid by factions in livestock and hides. Finding no use for mina, and preferring to trade with others. Trolls choose to live with each other, rather any other faction. Although Trolls may feel a pull towards their cousins, the Orcs. While not retarded like Ologs, Trolls certainly aren’t very smart and can be quite childish. Starting petty arguments over another Troll having one more sheep than they do. As said before, Trolls do not have the intelligence of a normal human man, rather they have the intelligence more suited to children or primitive man. Strengths And Weaknesses - Trollhide - Trollhide is extremely tough, being akin to chainmail and able to withstand just as much. - Strength - Trolls are unsurprisingly strong. Able to crush bone with their hands, as well as pick up large boulders and rocks. This is due to their increased ability to gain muscle mass, much like Orcs. - Intimidation - Trolls use intimidation to hunt and fight others, if they can win a fight by intimidation they will use it. - Sensitive eyes - Trolls’ eyes are sensitive to light, not being able to see very well in the sun. They would require places of shade to see easily. - Low intelligence - Trolls as stated before don’t have very high intelligence. Being less than an average man and more on the point of a 10 year old. - Trolls cannot learn Magic whatsoever. Like Ologs, they do not have the knowledge to do so. Trolls are a CA Only Creature. Meaning they aren’t playable to just anyone.

Warning: In no way is this guide supposed to be accurate when it comes to the art of smithing. It is just a silly, dumb, and fun thing for halflings to indulge in from time to time if they wish. GUIDE TO SHOVEL SMITHING Since the dawn of the halfling race, the halflings have had a natural affinity to the shovel. Perhaps it is due to its small size, or due to its amazing bludgeoning capacity, or maybe due to the halflings' affinity to gardening. Whatever the case may be, we are now left with various halflings seeking out only the finest of shovels for their personal use. This demand in shovels is met by a group of small, specialized halflings known only as THE SHOVEL-SMITHS. Their craft is highly complex and requires an apprenticeship to learn. APPRENTICESHIP In order to learn how to smith shovels, you first must become an apprentice to an existing shovel-smith. This is no easy task, for the Shovel-Smith gives lessons only to the most trusted and capable of people. The apprentice helps the Shovel-Smith by providing him with iron, cleaning his abode, and helping out with the smithing. In return, the apprentice learns this valuable trade along with all of its secrets. THE SMITHING ITSELF The art of smithing shovels is closely guarded by the few remaining Shovel-Smiths. All we know is that it involves a lot of time, effort, metal, and booze to produce. What little we know is shown below: 1: The Shovel-Smith heats up their furnace with wood from apple trees. 2: The Shovel-Smith relies only on the highest quality iron, throwing all the rest away for lesser-smiths to use 3: Only hammers made out of solid cabarum can be used for Shovel-Smithing. 4: When produced, these shovels are some very fine weapons indeed, as well as excellent gardening tools THE FIRST SHOVEL-SMITH It is claimed that the very first Shovel-Smith was taught by none other than Lord Knox himself, with the intent being that this art would serve to protect the halfling-race for the rest of time. It is not known if this story is true or not, but it captures the heart and soul of every Shovel-Smith, every one of them wishing to rival the first Shovel-Smiths mastery of shovels. ((The actual process of Smithing Shovels goes as follows: 1: Ignite the forges using small kindling and a flint & steel 2: Pile Applewood logs into the furnace until it is hot enough to melt copper 3: Using a simple bellows made from cow hide and Gnomish engineering, the furnace is heated up to an even higher temperature 4: An ingot of iron is placed into the furnace to heat up while the bellows are still used to increase the temperature 5: After the ingot has turned red, add more fuel to the furnace, alternating between Applewood logs and Charcoal 6: Once the ingot has heated up further, keep on applying the bellows until the furnace is unbelievably hot 7: Quickly take out the ingot using a pair of tongs, and quench it in a tub of water, letting it rapidly cool. 8: Put it back into the furnace so it may heat up, putting more Applewood logs and Charcoal/using the bellows as needed 9: Quench it again, and repeat the previous steps, heating it up and quenching it until you are satisfied with the resulting iron 10: Heat up the iron once more, using nothing but Applewood logs in the furnace. Once the iron is red, take it out and lay it upon the anvil 11: Slowly hammer the ingot into a shovel-like shape. You may have to re-heat the metal a few times 12: Return to the furnace and heat up another two ingots of metal(edited) 13: Using two bellows at once, and using nothing but charcoal as fuel, slowly heat up the two ingots until they are white in color 14: Take out the two ingots and violently pound them against the anvil as fast and as hard as possible. You should be able to hammer the iron into a slightly smaller shape. 15: Re-heat and re-pound the two ingots as much as needed until you are left with a slightly denser metal. 16: Combine the two ingots into one blob after having heated them up once again 17: Take the old shovel-shape you made and heat it up again in the furnace. Let the denser metal cool in a tub of water 18: Take out the shovel-shaped iron and the cold denser metal and begin pounding the denser metal into the center of the shovel-shaped metal 19: Eventually, you will have combined the two. Now all you need to do is heat up half of an ingot in the exact same manner as you heated up the very first ingot (Quenching it a few times of course) and merge it into the rest of the shovel so that the interior is made entirely of dense metal and the outside is made entirely of non-brittle metal. 20: You have now made a shovel that is heavy enough to give a good whacking yet resistant to shattering under even the most extreme pressures. It is hard to defeat a halfling wielding such a powerful weapon))

~The Duchy of Arbor~ & House Silversteed ((coordinates to Arbor are X: 27 Y: 72 Z: 1563)) I am now unbroken. From this day, until my last, I shall not bow, I shall not bend, I shall not break. Henceforth I will not kneel for any man, not before any lord, or King. Our hearts are where all truth resides, And so I shall place my willing fist above it, in place of a bent spine. I am now undaunted. I shall not fear, what others fear most. I shall not tremble, when ordinary men break ranks. I am the light in the dark. I am the shield endowed with honor, the protector of Arbor and its lands. I am the sword etched with glory, the guardian of light. I swear from this day forth to protect the innocent of all the realms of Atlas, wherever they may be. I swear my life in the name of Arbor and House Silversteed, to protect the true bloodline of the first. I relinquish all title or titles to be to Arbor, for either I shall hold title within its realm, or no title at all. I am of House Silversteed, I am of Arbor. We are retribution. ~The oath of Arbor. ~A poem, written by a musician of Arbor many years ago, which became popular with the Knights and has since become a common hym among the people of Arbor. Since the Kingdom of Arbor, ordained by the Church, merged with Curon nearly 30 years ago, the realms have prospered. The alliance of nations has formed in the pursuit of lasting peace, and the Global Assembly has had unprecedented success in creating an understanding amongst the people of Atlas. Despite this, darkness still presides in this world. I Aragon Silversteed, Lord Paramount of House Silversteed; only son of Avalon Silversteed, the founder of this great house, have dedicated my life to eradicating the forces of darkness that plague all the peoples of Atlas. We the Knights of Arbor, tasked as peacekeepers of the Global Assembly, take it upon ourselves to seek out this darkness wherever it may be and destroy it. The undead, bandits, and the drakes that torment this world will be hunted and eradicated. To this end I swear my life, let God be my witness. Those who wish to fight the darkness of this realm, may sign up here. If one wishes to join the Silver Knights of Arbor however, they must sign up and pass the trials. Only the best and the bravest can hold the honor of becoming a Knight. If one does not wish to attempt the trials, they may join the Black Guard. ~The grand charge against the undead out of Arbor, led by Avalon Silversteed and The Knights of Arbor The Silver Knights of Arbor ~Ser Ajax, Knight of Arbor (left, with shield) blocking an attack on Avalon Silversteed (right) by Bandits and Undead. Ser Ajax saved Avalon's life this fateful day. The Culture of Arbor Arbor began many many years ago, a split off group during the decline of the Kingdom of Norland in the beginnings of Atlas. Lord Avalon Silversteed, first of the House Silversteed, left Norland with much of its population and his house after the bastard child of Javier stole the thrown from his brother the true heir to Norland, whilst his brother was sickly in bed. Fearing a decline which indeed did come, Avalon and his kin left Norland, for a better life. In the early months of Atlas they established a small town, just outside the Cloud Temple. The town grew rapidly, and eventually became a city. Amongst the massive oak trees of those fertile lands, and like a tree itself growing strong out of seemingly hopeless soil, this city was aptly named 'Arbor'. Avalon believed in honor above everything. What he saw in Norland greatly shaped his view in the world. He saw how brothers turned on each other for power. How they spat on basic principles like the freedom to think clearly, or the freedom to follow differing faiths without fear of persecution. It became his drive, his goal in life to renew a spirit of honor within this new world of Atlas. He started with a simple decree. "Gather round my kin, hear me! I dare not take much of your time, you all lead busy lives, but hear me! Never again, shall anyone bow to me! And I shall bow to none! Just the other day an old and humble farming man came to my court asking for grain. Before he even spoke a word, before he even knew my nature, he attempted to bow before me. The pain from the motion that I saw in his eyes, I shall never forget. What right, do I have, does anyone have, to ask for people to bend their pride and honor before them!? To humiliate people, in such a way, just to evoke status. No more. The heart, is from where I wish to speak. From my heart. That is where my truth resides. Where my honor comes from. And as long as it beats I shall never bend my back again, to no man, no lord, no king. And as long as I live, none shall bow to me, or any of my blood!" And so it was. From that day forth the people developed a new show of respect towards each other. Arborians became known for placing their fist over their hearts gently, in place of bowing to one another. As time went by, and the Knights of Arbor were formed, the people of Arbor found it there duty to take on the roles that other cities and nations found beneath them. To aid the small and unlanded peoples that were scattered throughout Atlas. To protect these small communities from bandits, and the undead. To help them went winters were harsh. To supply them, when times were hard. The forgotten peoples of Atlas, were not forgotten by Arbor. Beside a large trade road leading to the Elves of the Dominion, and at the base of the mountain of the mighty Dwarves of Kaz'Ulra, Arbor's wealth swelled. Developing close relations because of this trade with many nations, Arborians began to develop their own culture and identity. Arborians above all value honor. In every interaction Honor is at play. If an Arborian goes back on their word, it is considered a disgrace, and they are often shunned by fellow Arborians for breaking a contract, or manipulating agreements. Arborians developed this sense that Honor and Humility are perhaps the most important attributes in a person, and thus teach it to each generation. Arborians are masters of the horse, and mounted combat. It is common that parents introduce their children to horses before the children can even speak. The horse is a symbol of freedom, of heart, and of loyalty. The vivid green plains and deep forests that surround Arbor are often speckled with wild stallions. As such, Arborians have developed, perhaps more than anything, the determination and willpower, of the very horses they ride. Arborians are a proud people, and there is often a struggle between to balance humility, and the natural pride within all Arborians. The Black Guard Charter of the Arborian Government, ~History~ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Sign up for Citizenship RP Name: MC Name: Do you have a skill, trade, or profession you wish to pursue or put to use within Arbor? Are you interested in one of the above mentioned positions within the Arborian government? If so, which? (Senate, Silver Court, Centurion, etc.) ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Sign up for The Knights of Arbor RP Name: MC Name: Combat Experience (none is fine): If you wish to become a Knight, are you ready to take the oath and attempt the trials? (Do not respond if you wish to join the Black Guard): ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Sign up for The Black Guard RP Name: MC Name: Combat Experience (none is fine, training is provided): ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ((MSG L0rdT0mas, Ajax_Manslayer, or Ye_Haw for further information))

Copies of the Tome are sent to the Libraries of the Naelurir, of the Mother Grove, and to the druii of the Maelstrom for all that wish to read them. They are marked with the Circle of the Emerald Way. The Tome of Strife Writings of Sister Hurricane “To will change upon the self is to change the world. Only through will can all balance be attained.” - The Axiom of Will, Teachings of Sister Hurricane I. The Absence of Understanding The Lord and Lady have blessed you with eyes to see and ears to hear, and a whole world to experience. Yet we remain blind and deaf to most of it. I remain blind, despite teachings that were meant to open my eyes and help me see the world for what it was. We consider it a great tragedy when one falls to darkness, when they stray away from the teachings of the order, and when they fall into hands that turn them to violence and disparity. Many of our students are failing, falling to darkness in their belief continuously. Those that remain follow blindly to their teachers, like sheep, unable to think past the surface of druidism. Most haven't thought yet to dive in. We are missing something within our teachings. Missing a piece that keeps the ambitious prodigies away from darkness, and a piece that allows others to break their chains and to be free from the slavery of secular thought. The teachings of our order, I find, ignore the dark of the world. They preach only the light, and are blind for it. I have sought the contrast myself, the dark to compliment the light, not to oppose it. I will not tell what I have learned here, only that the current teachings do not hold all of the answers you need. By learning what they have not taught me, I have seen what makes us weak. If you are to truly understand, then you too must seek this contrast, not adherence to this single ideal. To believe in an ideal is to be willing to betray it, to look where it may forbid you to go. It is a lesson of strength. If you do believe in an ideology, then find its opposite, so that you may reinforce it by correcting its flaws. Become what strengthens an ideology, not a slave to it by following it dogmatically. Without this contrast, we are but marionettes, tangled in the strings of weaknesses in our ideologies. II. The Value of Struggle and Self Reliance Pure benevolence weakens the self, and those to whom it is cast upon. Do not roam the world, dispensing pity and self sacrifice unto others. By giving others the chance to fight their own struggles, internally and externally, we give them the chance to cultivate their own will. Do not be a thief in the night, stealing strength from others where you would mask it with benevolence. If you truly wish to help another, recognize the value in letting them cultivate their strength and will through their struggles. When they triumph, their victory will be far greater than it would be if you would help them. Through your own struggles, cultivate this inner will, and you will find the path to balance. Create a strict reliance on yourself, rather than your connection to the balance, to the thing you protect. Too many druids of our age focus on honing their gifts to better serve the lord and lady above on this earth. I ask you, strip them of their gifts, and what do they become? Only empty shells, incapable of enacting their duty to the balance without the gifts of the aspects. And that is no true disciple of the balance. Without will, we are nothing. This brings us to a fundamental question: If a druid loses her powers, is she still a druid? The way you would answer would depend on your view. If you say no, you believe inherently that only those with the gifts can make a difference in this world, and you are wrong. The devout, druii without gifts, are simply those with greater will. With the proper will, everything can be changed, such is the nature of will itself. Druidism is something greater than simply gifts. Those that would choose death over a life without their gifts are those whose wills are weak, and were unworthy of them in the first place. III. The Nature of Life and Death The Mother above creates and cares for life throughout the world, and spreads it over the land. Helps it grow, nurtures it. Heals it. Guides it. The energy of life exists through all living things. Tt surrounds us, penetrates us. It binds the world together, and unifies it all. It is fluid, like the water that carries it. This is known. Death does not exist. This life created by the mother never leaves this world, it merely passes from vessel to vessel. The fallen elk feeds the grasses, and the prey feeds the predator. On and on the cycle moves, life being poured from vase to vase. It holds many different shapes and forms, but at its core, all forms are simply life. We are no exception to this. It is because of this that the role of the father is oft misunderstood, however. He is not death, nor is he the hunt. His name is strength, not for his ability to take life, or hold mastery over it. But for his power to move the energies of life from one vessel to the next. It is from his will that the balance exists. It is from his own will that life moves from vessel to vessel, never stagnating, never finding stillness. It is due to this change that life is truly precious, and each form just as valuable as the last. So where do we lay among all of these vessels? Where does our power come from? We cannot define ourselves by our ability to take life, to control it even or possess it. To do so is to have nothing, truly. Death does not exist, and if you define yourself by your ability to usher it, your strength is as fleeting as grains of sand in the wind. But if we define ourselves by our ability to will great change in the world, to move and change the vessels of life as Cernunnos does? That is true strength, lliran. This is what the focus of druii should be. Cultivating the will to usher change. IV. Facing Conflict I speak much against a neutral stance, and this much holds true. One should always act when they have the opportunity to, and when there is greater suffering in the world. But I have not always been clear on what it is to act on, or how one should carry themselves. In my life, I have been through many struggles of my own, and this is the view I have learned thus far, and it is the view I shall give unto the Emerald Way, that others may find a better way to approach their problems. Live your life, and act with great respect and wisdom, for you must be a beacon of change for the world, a fount of knowledge and veneration. Without strong principles to guide us through our own morality, what then can we enact our will from? A principled life, one with a strong basis for which we act is the only life worth living. But what is principle without the perspective to see the world around you as it is? Through rigorous meditation we gain clearer perspective, and can find the solution to any problem. When on your journey through life, take one step at a time, look up from your feet and observe the living world around you. Speak to all you may meet and soak in all the details you can, learn what comes to you. Life is to be savored, taken slowly. Rashness is the path toward greater suffering. Will. Principle. Perspective. These are the three great values that the Emerald Way promotes. Through these values, act with a tempered and clear mind, and seek always to see more than what you are shown. From these values, we find the strength to change anything in this world. Even destiny. V. The Place of Gifts and Tools I have said before, the druids rely on the gifts far too much. It overtakes their being, and in some cases, druids cannot function in day to day life without the use of their gifts. It becomes a crutch, one that would leave a druid crippled without it. Such deep rooted dependency is something to be avoided, something to be shut down and moved away from. And even in our divine mission, many rely entirely on this aspect-given gift to do our work. Without them, I don’t doubt that many would fail in their mission, that they would cease to protect the balance without their precious gifts. And I sense an even more sinister plot. That many druids are here only for the power that they may receive from the gifts. Devotion is a scarce thing to see these days, true devotion to the lord and lady above. Many druids fall, and when they lose their gifts, they simply move onto something else that may give them the power they seek to enact their wills. Give many of the druids of the order only silence, and you will truly see who follows the aspects. But you may see this as me having a negative view of the gifts, which cannot be further from the truth. I have only a negative view of druids that rely on such gifts, that depend on them, sometimes to the extent of needing them to live. Such reliance is weakness, and weakens the order as a whole. However, the gifts themselves are not to blame. We have many tools at our disposal to aid us in our mission of preserving the balance of life. Our mind, our physical strength, our charisma, our words, and yes, our gifts. The gifts are but one singular tool with many uses, just like the other tools. You do not need the gifts in order to protect the balance, just like you do not need the gifts in order to be a druid. To believe that one must have the gifts in order to carry out our divine mission is vanity, don’t you see it? I would rather a devout person without gifts that protects the balance to the best of their ability rather than a druid who uses their gifts for personal gain, or one that seeks personal power. The Order should enforce teachings of these inherent tools that we already possess, and their uses in protecting the balance, rather than preparing them to rely on their gifts. Teaching students that only their new power can preserve the balance is a dangerous and self destructive way of thinking, and is the reason behind many of the greatest failings of our order. There is a silent lust for power within our teachings, I think, and we are utterly blind to it. Always, the next step in learning is to master a new gift. At least, this is what I have seen in the world. There is a great flaw in this method.

Copies of the Tome are sent to the Libraries of the Naelurir, of the Mother Grove, and to the druii of the Maelstrom for all that wish to read them. They are marked with the Circle of the Emerald Way. The Tome of Two Balances Writings of Sister Hurricane “To will change upon the self is to change the world. Only through will can all balance be attained.” - Teachings of Sister Hurricane, the Axiom of Will I. Morality as Inner Balance On yesterday's eve, I witnessed a sight most common, though for some unknown reason, it struck me strange. An elk was torn into by a beast, and ripped into, to eat. A common occurrence, yes, this is known. Tis’ the way of nature, the beasts eat the common gazelle, and so on. The predator eats the prey, and the prey feeds on what it can. There is no evil in it, the predator must eat as much as the prey, and the prey must eat what it can. There is only survival in it. The predator feels naught for devouring its prey, nor does the prey when it grazes upon the grasses, despite life being taken from the world. Such is the unseen way of all natural life. Life passes on and on and through each moving piece of it. There is no evil or good in the natural balance, only what is and what survives. Such also is the way of druidism, our gifts are given without thought of good and evil, but with only this delicate balance of the cycle of life in mind. Druids are expected to be as neutral as nature in this sense, are we not? It is the duty of druids to correct the balance, wheresoever it may be corrupted, without heed for borders. It is our duty to correct it, we must. We have been charged by the aspects above to do our sacred duties, and the order has decided we must do it this way, completely neutrally. But this charge ignores a most fundamental principle of our life as descendants, of how we have grown and developed to live with morality, to have the sense of good and evil, and all in between. It is what makes us what we are, it is what gives us our humanity, and this makes us truly and beautifully unique. We are not a part of this balance the aspects have created for us, but we surely live with it. Though, to attempt to live without morality, to attempt to live neutrally and strive to think as the aspects do, without heed of what is good and evil, this is unnatural of our own being. It makes us only as simple as the beasts and prey that are in the balance we seek so desperately to protect. We cannot, and we should not deny what we are, how we think, but we must find a balance of our own, and look over the balance of nature with a sense of right and wrong. To live along with both the balance and the descendants, separately, yet together. In this, we are allowed to exercise our sense of right and wrong and do our duty to protect the balance with great strength. It is not the nature of men to keep out of everything. One would say it distracts us from our duty, to say, be a part of a nation. This is not the case, I don't think. I might even say it better allows us to perform our duties. While we cannot live as neutral, we are able to do our best to spread what is good, and what is just. It is of the utmost importance that druids maintain strong ties to the world they live in and protect, they cannot fly above it all. Neutrality is a disease that leaves men weak, and staggeringly alone, as many beasts are. Fellow priests of the balance, I say to you. Do not catch the disease of neutrality. Hone your sense of right and wrong, fight always for the path of good for you and your people. Do not become unnatural men, stripped of all sense of what is good or evil in the world. In morality, we find our strength together. Apathy is a fate worse than death, for even a rotting corpse feeds new life. II. Will Within Balance We are inherently separate from the thing we protect so dearly, as druii. The balance consists of life around us, the seen and hidden movements of nature ever moving in a circle around us. The birds and trees die out, but there is ever a forest standing, no? Songbirds fill the air, do they not? We are ever surrounded by life, yet death lurks and strikes here and there. No matter how oft or how heavy death’s strikes may be, life ever moves on. Many druii take our duty to protect the balance as a sign that the world is weak. It is the opposite indeed, for the balance of the world knows a will far greater than our own. Life will find a way, no matter how damaged it may be. We druii exist only as a means of preserving the balance’s state, and correcting it where we find imbalance. Yet as I say, we are inherently separate from the balance of the world. Instead, we hold a force of our own within, potentially even equal to this primordial balance of the world. The balance of the self. The Emerald way is, at its core, the way of two balances. One cannot neglect this balance of the self when protecting the balance of the world, for it is far more fragile, and far weaker. This balance, in a way, is even more important than that which the druii are sworn to protect. With this separation from the balance of the world, the circle of life is entirely indifferent to us, to our very being. We have little sway over it, though many druids seem to rely on it for their source of strength. They use their gifts frivolously, and have grown dangerously dependent on them. They fail to realize that to rely on their gifts to protect the balance is dangerous, and leaves men weak. No man or woman can hope to fully control this primordial force, and they are left with atrophied bodies, defenseless without their gifts. They fail to realize that true strength comes from within, and that in order to change the balance, and protect it, we must cultivate our own will to match the strength of the world’s will. While faith is important, true strength is drawn from our own volition; The power to use your will, which is equally important as obtaining power itself. Never live for the sake of another, or an ideology. Live for yourself, and no other. With that, we empower ourselves to carry out the will of the aspects, to protect the balance. III. The Nature of Will A man can change everything if he is willing to sacrifice for it. The greatest sacrifices require the strongest wills, And we must give much for the salvation of this world. In the beginning, we have nothing. Our privilege is the dirt. In such darkness, our will guides us to light Perspective pierces the veil of dark. Our birthright is our failings, and the pain we suffer. When darkness comes, we can rely on no other to face it for us. Only in our willpower can balance be attained. IV. Beings of the Present Self The balance does not, nor can it be made to be still for long. All things move until they pass on, and even then their energies move ever forward into other forms, other vessels that will move on and on. And from movement, movement is born, ever arching outward. You, druii, are no exception to this commotion. We constantly expend our energies in creating islands of quiet within our lives, trying to still the waves that march ever onward, yet it cannot last. Time encroaches, it consumes all things. Fling yourself to the waves of life, druii, engage in the here and now, and you will find that the key to living is your own will. The will to see life for its flaws, and the will to better it, to create your own waves. One cannot focus on the waves that have long since passed, the echoes of feelings you once felt. The past does hold merit in giving us its teachings, but from there, move on. It holds nothing for you. Let the past die, and use what you have learned to shape your present. With the lessons of the past, we can focus on dealing with what is here and now, with the waves that crash over us. Use what you have learned to enact your will, and shape the waves around you. And perhaps prevent a tidal wave from overwhelming you in the future by dispersing it before it happens. By changing your destiny. There is no lasting stillness. It is impossible. Accept this. Know it in your bones. Watch the world happening around you, and through your will, forge your own echoes, your own cadence in this world. Live in the moment, and your will can shape the future. V. The Balance of the Self My words earlier in these pages were far too simple, I’m afraid, for they leave out a great deal in seeking to express the point, but they failed to truly explain my deeper meaning. Earlier, I stated that the balance within consists of the will to act on the sense of good and evil. Though I do not refute that, I’m afraid that the truer meaning of the inner balance is lost on such words. Good and evil are a point of view, different to each person. I have found better words to explain such a dichotomy. Instead of viewing the inner balance as the senses of good and evil, replace such words with selfishness and selflessness. To act for the self, and to act for others. This opens the situations to all by providing a common meaning. You cannot have one without the other in life. Pure selfishness only harms others, and amassing your own power can lead you to enact your desires. Instead, one must use the powers gained from selfishness to act selflessly in life. To sacrifice for the good of others, and of the balance. But beware, lliran. Pure selflessness is just as destructive as pure selfishness. Benevolence for the sake of benevolence leaves you in a worse position than when you started, it weakens you and sacrifices your own strength to help. In addition, it robs others of their struggles, their own opportunities to learn and gain their own strength. Never sacrifice your own strength to rob another of their struggles. As I said before. Recognize the value in letting people fight their own battles, and they will be all the stronger for it. Selfishness for the sake of selflessness- this is how we can protect the balance. By enacting our own will through this, we have the strength to alter the balance and preserve it. This inner balance is not inherent to druids, or even the balance that they protect. It is inherent to the descendants, this ability to act in selfishness and selflessness. It is where inner strength is drawn, the will to enact change upon the world. Such a principle applies to all aspects of life, and so it is important that druids hone their will to act on this sense. A druid who has mastered their ability to act on this sense will go far. A soldier who has mastered it will find his enemies falling before him. A farmer who has mastered it will know only bountiful harvests. It applies to all paths through life. If we cannot find the strength to act on this and hold balance in our sense of selfishness and selflessness, how then can we hope to protect the primordial balance of the world? We cannot.

Knights ov Doe Liber Orden (Knights of the Free Order) “Reatz Caese Ist Usielligen.” (Our Honour Is Loyalty). Want to slay demons, hunt monsters, capture creatures, command respect, and earn the title of Knight to be the pinnacle of virtuous purpose in Atlas? Join doe Knights ov doe Liber Orden today. Led by a Teutonic Knight. Our Leader, The Great Ser Lion Prince Darius of Hanseti, 1401, The Black Keep, by G.H.H. A prince, a poet, and a good judgement of character, Ser Darius Lion the Horror of House DeNurem is a legendary soldier known for his fierce sense of loyalty, justice, and honour. Today, the Prince, and Father of the Liber Orden (Free Order) dons the helm, sword, and pen once more. Seeking to raise meritable apprentices and squires in the name of liberty, strength, and justice. In an effort to bring a meritocracy back to the title of Knight. The Right and Honourable Centuries ago in the realm of Hanseti. The Teutonic Order raises dozens of knights trained in service to defend Aegis from true evil and to reunite humanity to face the common threat. The Teutonic Knights, known as Sariants, are among a venerated warrior class that once dominated the Realm of Hanseti through strength, loyalty, chivalry, and courage in their fight against Iblees. Among those is the first Hochmeister, Gaius Marius, who has knighted Darius DeNurem. A warrior-elf that has accomplished mastery of weapons, labour, and diplomacy under the education of the Teutonic Order. Later, he is knighted by a new nation, and became a renowned knight of the First Empire of Humanity under Emperor Godfrey thereafter. Forged in Imperial Steel, High Pontiff Pius I anoints the Teutonic Knight as, Ser Lion The Horror, for heroic actions against a murderous assassin that brutally butchered a member of the High Pontiff’s family. The spilling of guts, and the removal of the damned’s head serves as equal punishment for equal crime. Thus becoming the first anointed Holy Knight. Darius ‘Lion’ is also the first full-elven knight in human history, and a dark elf at that. A fact he purposely keeps concealed by wearing armour and his iconic helmet. As to be known by his reputation rather than race. Making his ascent to Holy Great Knight of the Order of the Red Dragon, Emperor Godfrey’s Left Fist, and Court Justice of the Imperial Crown well-earned feats. As Godfrey despised dark elves specifically. Yet, the Lion, and the Imperial Dragon were counted together as close friends. To this day, Lion still honours his oath to Emperor Godfrey. What Is A Knight? A knight’s word is bond. Their oaths and vows held sacred in their hearts. Next to their love of the One True. A knight is the righteous infliction of justice on the convicted, and serves as an ambassador for honour and loyalty. They are fair, and the enforcers of God’s Universal Laws afforded to the Realm of Man. Treating each equally regardless of their title, and being unyielding in the due process of law. This does not mean knights are liberalised socialists living in a multi-cultural society that amounts to the weak and unworthy. Equality does not mean laxity. Equality means we knights execute a murderer whether they’re a King, Pontiff, elf, or a peasant. For none are above God’s Law Universal. Certainly not them, and certainly not any of us in the Liber Orden. Man’s law will not avail you in the Court of Divine Law that the Free Order adheres to. Divine Law has no jurisdiction, and has no compromise. A knight is a reflection of God, and knows well all God’s names; Crown, Wisdom, Understanding, Kindness, Severity, Beauty, Eternity, Splendour, Foundation, and Kingship. The Knight’s Code I will be who I will be. I honour the Creator. My journey begins with wisdom. I honour the Father. My wisdom becomes understanding. I honour the Mother. My understanding will know kindness. I honour the Son. Yet, my understanding will know severity. I honour the Daughter. I will let the light shine through. It is beautiful. I shall be patient and fortitutious in my endurance. I am a leader. I shall be unconscious in the pursuit of constant learning. I am an intellectual. I am the foundation in which the world is built upon. I transmit the light above into my reality below. I will be who I will be. I honour the King. A Knight’s Path Great Knight (Father) Knight Lieutenant (Administration) Knight Sergeant (Keeper) Knight (Action Man) Knight, Errant (Ambassador) Squire (Proven) Pilgrim (Knowledgeable) Student (Initiate member) Bled (Passed Practical) Unbled (Passed Theory) Our Expectations Of A Knight A knight within the Liber Orden ist ov Maria. Meaning that they are well-versed in the language of Marian. Additional to understanding the Marian Tongue, they too will know how to combat all forms of creation, and how to safeguard all forms of creation. They will be strictly law abiding individuals. They will know how to make war, and how to make peace. They will not Lord over others with their title, for a knight is a humble one. They will both be masters of the blade, and the book. They will long live, and live long. They shall always strive and prosper. How To Become A Knight To become a Sariant-Knight of the Liber Orden. All must pass the entrance exams to be considered for knighthood by The Big Boss, Prince Darius, the True Knight Authority. There is both a written, and a practical entrance exam. The written exam may be completed and returned to doe Liber Orden as a form of membership application. It can be found below this. If considered worthy, you will be invited to the household to complete the practical examination. Which consists of a quality assessment of various militaristic and civil skills each applicant possesses. They will be judged on their combat skills and level of competency. If both examinations are completed with merit, the applicant will be invited to be sworn into the Liber Orden as an initiated member. They will be assigned household duties that will prepare them for Knighthood. Duties include military, and civil service, as well as education on all matters relevant to a knight. Such as mage-fighting, strategy, leadership, diplomacy, and production. Standard Examination (Application) Want to be a true knight of the realm? Answer the following questions and reply to this post with your answers: What is a knight? (your answer) What are the duties of a knight? (your answer) What should a knight be skilled in to best serve a purpose? (your answer) What are the virtues of a knight? (your answer) What are the corruptions of a knight? (your answer) *If you'd like to join doe Liber Orden in a civilian role, we have dozens, and actually focus heavily on science RP. Send me a PM here, or in-game @ LatheBiosas. Soon we'll advertise more civilian jobs to do for The Free Order, Doe Liber Orden.

The Poor-Fellow Soldiers of Horen and the Adamantine Cathedral The Order of Saint Lucien of Savoie The Army of the Church of Canon, Soldiers of GOD Pauperes commilitones Horeni et Sanctus Lucianus Follower of the Great Creator be relieved: One day thy loyalty will be rewarded. ____________________________________________________ The Rhodesian Cross. While its origins are unknown, it is a special symbol of the Order of Saint Lucien. How to Join The Order of Saint Lucien is based in the Apostolic Kingdom of Marna’s capital city of Senntisten. Speak to an Orderman about joining or send an application addressed to the Order. Dwarves and Elves not descending from Mali’ker may join the Order of Saint Lucien if they are male. Elves must clip their ears or wear a helmet to hide their elfen characteristics. Fill out the following application. Mission The Order of Saint Lucien, a body of men whom have taken to the call of his holiness, the High Pontiff, has been reformed after centuries of inactivity in order to reform a stable and armed militant wing of the Church of Canon to both defend and enforce the tenets of the faith. As such, the Order of Saint Lucien is not an Order which responds to any secular government, thusly allowing the Order to undertake missions considered unconventional to many. Such missions include expeditions into the corrupted wastes of Iblees’ kin, the hunting of heretics/abominations, the safeguarding of the Clergy and its Missionaries, the escorting of Pilgrims to holy-sites, charitable work and to ultimately educate the masses in the word of GOD. Faith Brothers of the Order are to follow a strict format of the True Faith of the Humans. All are expected to devote themselves to the forgotten sect of Lucienism, after Saint Lucien of Savoie, the patron saint of the Order. They are hence called Lucienists. This faith protects the men of the order from punishment in the afterlife, and, when practiced, provides a sense of monastic servitude. The conservative aspects of the Lucienist ideology forces the Order to be pious representatives of their master on the soil, the High Pontiff. Many Lucienists can be seen in the halls writing books and reprinting various copies of the Holy Scrolls and Church Thesis. A Promise of Rebirth The Order of Saint Lucien, despite a mission to rid the world of heresies through physical means, is unique among all other holy orders, bearing the power to convert and forgive those who cross their way. A last plea for mercy is accepted for criminals, thieves, and heretics who look for a way out of both physical and eternal punishment. Enlistment is for life, unless deemed physically or mentally unfit to continue. In rare occasions, timed servitude can be granted, but this does not allow for one to rise up any more than that of a regular footman. Code and Tenants Tenants Though the origins of the Rhodesian Cross are unknown, it is held as a special symbol of the Order. The arms of the cross represent the four virtues which the order upholds. Prudence, Justice, Fortitude and Temperance. On those four arms are eight points. The eight points of the cross represent the eight beatitudes which which thou must preserve. • Spiritual Joy • • To Weep Over Thy Sins • • To Love Justice • • To Be Sincere And Pure Of Heart • • To Live Without Malice • • To Humble Thyself To Those Who Injure Thee • • To Be Merciful • • To Suffer Persecution • Originally named the Vandorian Order, the Order maintains a few examples of their past, such as their code of honor. Why do Vanders fight? † To fear the Creator and maintain His Church † † To serve the liege lord in valour and faith † † To refrain from the wanton giving of offence † † To live by honour and for glory † † To despise pecuniary reward † † To obey those placed in authority † † To guard the honour of fellow Vanders † † To keep faith † † To at all times to speak the truth † † To persevere to the end in any enterprise begun † † To never to refuse a challenge from an equal † † To never to turn the back upon a foe † History Ranks The Prior’s Flag Senior Command The organization of the Order is key to a strong military force that can respond at any threat to the Faith immediately. Grand Master (Grand-Maitre) Ser Rakim Yar, Knight of Justice The Grand Master of the Order and the ultimate head of Order. He wields absolute authority and has full command of the order. Though keeping most of his legislative work for his priors and council of Bailiffs, all reforms and construction papers need to pass through him. Inner Council of Bailiffs The head military council of the order and the personal advisors to the Grand Master. One must be elected by the Council of Bailiffs and approved by the Grand Master to become one of the Great Bailiffs. If a Grand Master dies then the entire Council is to be kept unless commanded by the new Grand Master. A council member, can be dismissed by the Grand Master freely in any case. Grand Commander (Grand-Commandeur) Ser Bart de Denesle, Knight of Justice The high commander of the order. He is also the main commander of the head commandery of the Order. Wielding the highest authority on the battlefield of the order, only below that of the Grand Master. The Grand Commander is an extremely skilled commander and has proven himself time and time again to be honored with such a significant position. The Head of the Council. Knight Commander (Chevaliers-Commandeur) Ser Balian Crast, Knight of Justice These men are extremely skilled knights which are required to be Knights of Justice. These men have full control over all the knights on the battlefield along with their squires and pages. As the third in command, the knight commander does have authority over the ranks of foot but should only exercise this authority in the absence of the Sergeant Major or in times of emergency. Grand Prior (Grand-Prieur) Prestor Robert “Bob” Rovin, Grand Master Emeritus The Head Priest of the Order and the head representative of the Church. He administrates the Grand Priory of Rhodos and is the senior advisor to the Grand Master. He is the head administrator to the entire order. Although he tends to not occupy himself with the affairs of the military, he is allowed to vote on military decisions to ensure the Order does not stray from the Canon in the midst of war. Sergeant Major (Master-Esquire) Sergeant Major Darwin Alers The Sergeant Major is the overseeing officer of the ranks of foot. The Sergeant Major generally ensures the day to day duties are completed by the Order. They work closely with the Grand Chancellor in keeping records up to date. The Sergeant Major dictates work to the Sergeant-at-Arms. He is the Fourth in Command of the Order of Saint Lucien. The Kaedreni Standard Low Command The lower commanders of the field and reside in the commander of the priories, these men’s duty are to lead the men of the priory to victory in battle if ever called for. These men have proven themselves worthy for such positions of honor. Knight Constable (Chevaliers Connètable) Vacant Though the term Constable is mainly associated with legal authority, the Knight Constable acts as a Lieutenant in the battlefield, only Knights of Justice can hold this office. He serves under the Knight Commander. Only two may serve as Knight Constable. Sergeant-at-Arms (Sergent en Armes) Sergeant-at-Arms Voron II Rovin Sergeant-at-Arms Dunstan Sergeant-at-Arms Alain Eastoft A Sergeant-at-Arms is responsible for leading a small regiment of Lucienists under them. Sergeant-at-Arms are expected to build comradery in their regiment and lead patrols and assign work to members of their regiments. The Rhodesian Standard Ranks of Foot The Ranks of Foot make up the bulk of the Order of Saint Lucien. The higher in rank a brother is in the Order, Brother-Sergeant (Frère-Sergent) Brother Sergeants serve as subordinates to their respective Sergeant-at-Arms. Brother-Sergeants are seasoned Lucienists who have been given the responsibility of mentoring the newly oathed. Brother-Corporal (Frère-Caporal) A Brother-Corporal is a Brother who has served in the Order for no less than 5 years. Brother-at-Arms (Frère en Armes) A newly oathed member. In order for an initiate to become a brother, they must serve in the Order for at least a year as an initiate and be vouched for by two oathed members in the Order of Saint Lucien. Initiate An unsworn member of the Order of Saint Lucien. Initiates are forbidden from wearing the Lucienist Cross on their tabard until they are oathed. Initiates must wait at least a year before being oathed. Knighthood Only the best of the order can achieve knighthood. This is an extremely prestigious position. Knights are also given the authority to command any of the ranks of foot when the Sergeant Major and the Sergeant-at-Arms are not present. Note, their rank of knight generally applies to their level of knighthood in formal situations. For example, a Knight Constable of Justice. Nobles may send their sons to squire in the Order of Saint Lucien without fear of disenfranchising them from their inheritance should they become a Knight of Obedience. In rare instances, knights of other retinue are allowed to join the Order and keep their titles, though they must undergo the same oaths and are expected to provide a levy of five men to become Brothers. Knightly Ranks Knight of Justice A knight that has taken the triple vow. A holy vows that is enforced for one’s life. It consists of the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. Knight of Obedience A knight of noble blood that has taken the oath of obedience. These men are sworn into service for life and a full fledged knight of the Order. They may be married. Knight of Devotion A knight that does not descend from noble blood but has taken the oath of obedience. If a Knight of Devotion has proven himself enough then they may be given the option to become a Knight of Justice. Squire From ages 12-20, a squire apprentices under a Knight of Justice and follows the same vows as a Knight of Justice until they decide on which oaths they will take upon oathing. Should a squire turn 20 and not complete his squireship, they are usually taken into the Order as a Brother with the possibility of receiving training to be an officer. Squires often serve as the equivalent of a Brother when working with the ranks of foot. Page From ages 7-12, a page a young child seeking squireship. Generally they serve the knights of the Order of Saint Lucien by delivering messages and fulfilling errands. By the time they are 12, a knight may choose to take them on as a squire. Pages may not serve as guards like Squires. _______________________________________________________________ Deus Magnus!

Hello my friends. Due to the Forum's templating and general lack of appealing formatting, please refer to this link to view my Character Sheet. Enjoy! https://tinyurl.com/yalkqdq3 Wiki Link; https://wikia.lordofthecraft.net/index.php?title=Prince_Henry_Richard

*among the beaches of atlas there are few of these scattered, in them you'll find a note which reads:*

Southrons During the departure from Vailor towards the isles of Axios two groups of fleeing refugees had their boats swept away from the main convoy of ships. A small contingent of Snow Elves in a boat and a large group of highlanders in a separate boat landed on the southern icy fringes of a new land. The year was 1572 when both ships crashed into ice and rocsk forcing them to leave their vessels. The highlanders were most likely a group of Raevirs and the Snow Elves were a group of religious dissidents who were planning on finding a new homeland anyways. Upon landing both groups were aware of each others presence, but settled on opposite sides of the same snowy valley. The Snow Elves faired well in the cold, but as a group of religious dissidents they did not fair well in catching game. The Raevirs on the other hand had issues in the cold, but with their ample supply of mainly bronze spears they easily hunted boar and seals. Slowly the two groups began to settle closer in the next couple years after landing, both realizing that a mutual relationship would be the only way they could survive the tundra. Around 1583 both groups were well integrated with each other, with the Snow Elves being the leaders of the group and the Raevirs being the workers. In the coming decades a mutt-race of half elves began to slowly be the main force in the population with the last pure snow elves slowly dying off. The Raevir population simply disappeared into the half-elven bloodline with their next of kin breeding into the half elves. By the year 1613 the population of the settlement was purely made of the half-elves with their leader being an aging and mad snow elf. The high elf went by the name Thrandir and made his loyal tribe take part in the religious ceremonies such as the blood duel where two willing participants take part in a deadly duel. However, as Thrandir lost his grip on reality the elders of the tribe staged a coup and threw him into an gorge. The tribe became many different tribes after this moment as their unifying force caused a schism between the elders. Between 1615 and 1631 a period of tribal war began known as “The Time of Trials.” Legends such as Kalvass the Unbroken who killed thirteen members of a rival tribe with a bronze shovel emerged in this period. Many Southrons to this day claim lineage from a hero or legend that performed a great deed in this period. This time period ended in 1631 when a major cold spell caused the tribes to work together to survive. At this time to present day the culture began to flourish with traditions such as the Woad and ceremonial bloodletting beginning in this time. The Southrons began to call themselves this name due to find an elven compass that told them they lived in the south. This land known as Baurgs in their tongue would later become known as Atlas to those that would come later. Culture and Physical Attributes The Southrons dress either in savage furs and mail when raiding or colorful clothes when they are not raiding. The common theme of all of the Southron tribesmen were Woad or tattoos all over their body in order to show their allegiance to their race. All members of the tribe are pale and have blue bloodshot eyes. Due to their mixed race heritage most have slightly pointed ears and lighter hair colors, but it is common for people to have brown hair. They normally stand at 5’7 to 6’4 but are well built with even the skinniest Southrons being toned. Their eyes are always bloodshot due to the amount of snow hitting their eyes and ritual bloodletting in their youth. The reason why so many of the Southrons are well built is not only due to their strong mixed genetics, but due to the harsh conditions they live in. In the Snow, Forests, and foothills of mountains the Southrons thrive being able to live in places no man should...as long it is cold.However, that being said they are not able to thrive in warm and dry environment. In the desert they are very weak and have double the thirst for water than the average man.In the jungle, Southrons will get very ill and contract diseases and die with great speed. Limiting them to living in environments were the temperature is cold or very rainy.Men tend to wear their hair cut in anyway long or short, but women tend to wear their hair in a braid or a bun. Women tend to pierce their ears and nose, some guys do this as well. When at war and at work they wear furs and mail, but in casual wear they wear colorful clothes and fur hats. Both genders wear woad and tattoos in many colors. Unlike human and elven cultures, the Southrons tend to lack the modesty in dress of their ancestors and it would not be odd to see a man walking around with no shirt on. When people converse with Southrons they may notice they only have one name, this is due to a complex religious ceremony where a man loses his family name and becomes one with the tribe. Another odd tradition of the Southrons is adding spice to all foods to combat the bitter bite of the cold. The wealthy men of the south are known to purchase hats made from the pelt of a raccoon. The animal is incredibly rare, and indigenous to the south, its pelt is highly sought after. Language Examples of words…. Dexas: Large amount of land. Capital: Ustin Cow: Longheffer Guard: Sheriff Friend: Partner Greetings: Howdy You all: Y’all Hell/Oblivion: Tarnation Isn’t: Ain’t Invader: Drakkar Dilrusti!: Cheers Goodbye: Uthrec Yes: Yup Religion The pantheon of gods followed by the Southrons are known the Sukkari. Which when roughly translated to common the meaning is something like “Southern Spirits.” The best way to describe this system of worship is a sacrifice and reward system. A man may pray to the daemon Belka to possess the passion to talk with a certain woman, but he may also acquire the side effect of having his Woad turn purple. This odd system causes many Southrons to possess odd traits such a stammer in exchange for good looks, or a goat leg in exchange for good climbing skills. The Sukkari may give rewards, but they also like to amuse themselves. Belka: Daemon of Passion, Lighting, Love, beauty, and Fertility. Desc: Belka is a daemon followed by not only dwarves, but the Southrons as well due to their tendencies to be passionate about what they love. Artists may follow Belka, but even warriors with a passion for battle as well! Her ritual is sacrificing a part of your passion to her along with Magenta dye by tossing it into a fire. Turak: Daemon of Fighting, the violent death, and fury. Desc: Screaming into battle many Southrons praise Turak and hope to slay as of their enemies as possible. If Turak is in a good mood he may grant a warrior a maddening fury in battle….lets just hope he decides to end said fury. Turak ritual is killing another race and throwing their body into an icy gorge. Vortigec: Daemon of Knowledge, learning, and the forbidden secret. Desc: When you wish to learn a subject or some sort of secret you ask Vortigec. However, when you learn said knowledge you are also given another set of answers to something you don’t want answered. Many worshippers of Vortigec are paranoid or mad at the end of their days. His ritual is writing a book then burning it in a fire with redstone. Mira: Daemon of Nature ,the hunt, the forest, and the animals within. Desc: The survivalist will pray to Mira to grant him luck in a hunt. However, Mira loves granting wishes at the expense of a mutation such as a goat leg or a set of ram horns. Many hunters will come back with food for a year, but with an interesting addition to their body. Her ritual involves placing an arrow and a piece of meat under a tree then waiting a day for what is inside the stump. Gicela: Daemon of Ice, Snow, and Water. Desc: Ice and snow surround the southrons for all their life. Gicela gives them their paleness in order to hide in the snow. They way she does this is a bloodletting ceremony when a child reaches ten years of age. This ceremony welcomes them into the tribe, but also gives them bloodshot eyes as a mark of Gicela. These are the five main gods of the Pantheon that constantly push to control the others in the underworld where all Southrons go when they die. The underworld known Ubbock is a warm cave filled with food and women welcoming all enter. That being said there are many minor daemons who are pawns for the major gods to use. These daemons will also try to gain power through finding worshippers among the general populace. Warfare Despite the Southrons being a very warlike culture they really do not have advanced military tactics. They could be more akin to Orcs with disorganized mob tacts and an emphasis on winning in close quarters combat. However there is one tactic they use when attacking, first the Southrons will throw a volley of javelins, then draw blades to attack, with some men in the back firing arrows. In battle they don themselves in even more paint, mail, and fur. Upon victory Southrons are known to take weapons, armor, and body parts from the bodies of their enemies. Wood Elves are favorite target for the Southrons to practice their skills in battle. After any battle, there is a big feast in their current capital with all that were in the battle getting wasted and drunk. The Current Age At the moment the Southrons are dealing with the ramifications of dealing with races they had forgotten about in their long isolation in the southern ice fields of Atlas. The Southrons may have found there “perfect Dexas” or piece of open land to settle in a new city known as Nottingham (a name taken from surviving documents from Vailor). Men such as Miraak and Ruk who survived the time of trials now lead the people in search of new Dexas. The Southrons now must react to their spoiled isolation and must now interact with the outside world. Will the new arrivals in Atlas be a blessing or a curse? Only time will tell for the Southrons.

The Bradách The Bradách are akin to the real world Celts, with an emphasis on the Welsh and Irish, although imagined as a late medieval/renaissance version of themselves in a fantasy setting. Due to this, their arms and armour are akin to the rest of the world’s and their capability at building is also improved, yet it keeps to the Celtic Roundhouse and Hillfort design. They put a heavy emphasis on a man or woman’s capability to fight and the respect they place on their Gods. Their economy is basic, offering nothing in abundance and with little expertise in any particular field, but this is made up by raids and labour of slaves. The goal of the Bradách culture is to create a space for those who enjoy the Celtic culture and want to experience it in a medieval/ fantasy environment. It is suitable for the PVP and RP minded as despite RP being at our hearts, many of the Bradáchs also serve in the Bradách-glass, which is a mercenary band, comprising of the most skilled warriors, wielding claymores, javelins and sparth-axes, whilst wearing hauberk, steel helms and their Clan colours in tartan clothing. Lore The story of the Bradách peoples started with the Daelish and the Pryderi, when some of the members of each group decided to make their own group and govern themselves. This group grew over time, soon becoming it’s own stable fold of peoples. As this group advanced through history, it’s people integrated it’s ideas and beliefs, which transformed over time with each passing generation. Eventually, the Cadeyrn family became the largest amongst the fold and for the first time of it’s existence, the group elected a Cadeyrn named Bendigeidfran Cadeyrn as their leader, claiming legacy from the Pryderi. From this election and his seat as leader, he took to creating their own set of rules and traditions, such as dropping the common form of inheritance, being Primogeniture succession, and instead deciding each leader, who was then named Rí, through an election of all the peoples. Effectively being a democracy, although each election only happens upon the Rí’s death. He also established the pantheon of their Gods, calling it the Bradách Pantheon. With this pantheon, he elected a man named Myrddin to become the Derwydd Rí, leader of the also formed Derwydd, who were also inspired by the Pryderi Druii, who were responsible for sacrifices, Religious events and keeping sacred Groves off-bound to foreigners, although not because they might cause damage, but because it is believed the Gods live in these sacred sights and can injure or kill those that wander. It is because of Bendigeidfran the Bradách peoples can claim their unique culture and is remembered in stories and tales to this day, also considered the Protector God of Clan Cadeyrn. Years later, the Cadeyrn Clan kept it’s seat in power, consistently proving it’s favour for battle, skill in combat and cunning in leadership. To this day, Caratawc Cadeyrn is the leader of the Bradách and hold many of the traits that his Clan are known for. Language Siaradbrách (The Bradách language is based on real world Welsh, whilst using Irish more commonly in naming places or things) Hello: Shwmae, helo Bye: Hwyl Thanks: Diolch Yes: Ydw No: Na Common Traits: Blonde or Light Brown hair - Most commonly amongst the Bradách, they will have blonde or light brown hair, although some might have differing colours due to the mixed heritage of many Bradách. Tall - Many of the Bradách are taller than the average man, many reaching 6’1 or taller, very few ever becoming shorter than is normal for most humans Muscular - Having strong, athletic muscles is very common, some having larger, burly muscles and very few having a less muscular physique than a trained soldier would possess. This is both due to their genes and life with an emphasis on combat. Deep and Confident Voices - Many Bradách have deep voices, but due to society often scorning the weak or timid, as well as because they are capable at fighting, the Bradách will speak words without worry of the reaction and they are rarely brought to a whisper, even if to keep something quiet. Highlanders - Practically all Bradách are Highlanders, although any race is accepted into the Clan, who sometimes stay and continue to sire children. Elves, specifically Dark Elves, are appreciated amongst the Bradách due to their extended lifespans, yet human-like strength and skill at forging weaponry. Society: As is already mentioned, the Bradách are governed by a Rí that is elected by all the Bradách and any race or gender is accepted to become one. Once a Rí has been decided, he will command all the power in the Kingdom, like any other King, even over the Derwydd Rí, but many are not eager to do so, incase they upset the Gods. The Derwydd Rí is responsible for all the religious events and responsibilities in the realm, usually the one to conduct sacrifices and the first to throw the spear in battle. The Derwydd are chosen by the Rí, who help him or her do his religious activities, but can also host various religious events and will usually attend certain events as a symbol of the Gods’ presence. Finally, there is the Brádan, who is chosen by the Rí as his secondhand man, as well as who he desires to be the next Rí, should he be absent, for whatever reason it might be. If a Rí dies but the Brádan still lives, it is most common for the Brádan to be elected. There is no-body officially called nobles in society, although there are sometimes specific families held to high regard, as well as certain peoples respected highly due to their deeds and/or favour from the Gods. The last notable group in society is the Bardds, who write songs, poems and all sorts of entertainment about people or stories. Due to the fact that people’s favours of the Gods, ability in combat and general greatness is so important in society, particularly since it is responsible for making people Rí, the Bardds are a highly respected people in society and they would all find shelter and food from the vast majority within a Bradách society. Behaviour: In terms of behaviour, most Bradách act the same as others in society, particularly Highland folk, although their emphasis on their multiple Gods is very pious, but stranger yet, they are very tolerant of other deities, believing that other Gods exist, such as the Creator, but believe other Gods protect others and that the ones in the Bradách Pantheon are the only Gods that speak for them. Due to this, the Bradách show respect for other Gods as if they were their own, as giving little respect might result in being brought ill fortune, or even being smitten down by the foreign deity. This respect for foreign Gods is all the stronger when in the territory of any Gods’, such as in Canonist cities or the forests of Druids. In these places, it is not uncommon for the Bradách to sacrifice animals or peoples to the local God, even if that God doesn’t typically receive sacrifices. The Bradách are also very comfortable around the dead and death, considering it a natural thing and that inflicting it on others is not un-natural. Due to this, many Bradách will kill someone when the typical person would spare their life. Most commonly the Bradách will cut off a dead body’s head so that their soul can escape their body and if it was their enemy, keep the head as a trophy. Festivities: Gŵylygaeaf - A winter festival during The Deep Cold in which large amounts of sacrifices are made to the Gods, specifically Myrddin, as it is believed the Other World and our world are brought the closest, causing many to accidently wander into the Other World by mistake, typically when wandering too far into the wilderness. Also during this time, it is believed the dead are more likely to rise and attack who ever it sees, or join in with the festivities. Planhadau - A festival held during the month of First Seed in which the planting of the first crops is celebrated and to gain favour from the Goddess Belisama, a large man made from wood, thatch, rope and twigs is constructed, the limbs, body and head hollow and wide enough to contain humans and animals. This is called a Wickerman, or Gwenyn, and is set alight. It is hoped this sacrifice will bring fertility to the soil and keep the crops healthy. Rhyfelwyr - This is a festival held on The Grand Harvest to celebrate the crops harvested, but also to give luck and blessings to the Bradách warriors that head out for war and/or raids they will hold. When they return with slaves and their victims harvest, some of the crops is buried in a large pit and the sacrifices have their throats slit open over the fresh soil, thanking the Gods for giving the rewards of their raid. Clothing: The clothing of the Bradáchs is practically the same as many other nations, although their clothing is decorated in a tartan pattern, typically combining blue and green, but other clan colours are also used. Many wear linen tunics in the summer, or in warmer climates, whilst in the cold, wearing cotton tunics with a woolen cloak over the top, extending down to the waist. The cloak is split down the middle, so the wearer can fold on or both sides over their shoulders when needing to use their hands, or unpin their cloak from their shoulders to fight. Their also usually wear cotton trousers or their tunics instead or as well could extend down to the knees. On their feet, leather and waterproof boots or normal shoes are worn. The hole design of the Bradách clothes is meant to make travel easy and walking through muddy terrain or rivers easy to do as you can simply raise your tunic and keep your feet dry in the water proof boots. Architecture: The build style of the Bradách is based on the real world Britons, using Roundhouses as the main type of housing, and making Hillforts for defence. The capital city of the Bradáchs is a large Hillfort, the walls holding dirt behind making trebuchets very inefficient at breaking through the walls, whilst leaving large amounts of space on the inside for everything needed. Religion: The Bradáchs are a Pagan people, worshipping multiple Gods in the name of different things. If somebody wants the blessings or favour of a particular God, doing something impressive, such as showing no fear in and great skill in battle, or defeating an Orc in a wrestling match, then dedicating the victory to a God, or sacrificing an animal or human to a God will put you in their favour. There are also events and festivals held to honour the Gods. The list and name of the Gods are; Mormaer - Goddess of all the deities. Goddess of Sacrifice and Fortune Belatucadros - God of War, Hunting and the Weather Belisama - Goddess of the Sea, Agriculture and Peace Sirona - Goddess of Fertility, Health and Love Myrddin - God of Knowledge, Wisdom, Planning and Magic. Also the God of the Undead. (Each Clan has 1 God/dess that reflects their values); Cadeyrn’s God - Bendigeidfran - The Giant God of Kings, Resolve and Decisiveness. Military: The military of the Bradáchs is best described as warbands, in which the people will choose someone they trust and if that person has enough followers, they will head out in their warband and conduct raids. These warbands however all answer to the Rí, who himself may have a warband, and usually has the largest. The Rí can call the warbands into his own to create a Fyddin, or army. Since the Bradáchs do not have a standing army, nor professional one, each member is expected supply himself with arms and armour, but may be given what is necessary by somebody else. What is most typical amongst farmers to supply themselves with is gambeson, some owning iron helmets of varying kinds, although all must have at least a spear and roundshield. The seasoned warriors typical own a gambeson and hauberk (short or long sleeved), with a steel helmet. They arm themselves with a shield and spear, but some might choose an especially long spear, with the shield slung on their back, or perhaps using a sparth-axe, or Dane axe. The elite warriors, who are often the members of the Bradáchglass, wear long sleeved hauberks that reach the knees with steel helmets and leather or maille gloves. As weapons, their own a shield (Kite or round), and spear, but it is also very common for them to own a claymore and sparth axe, as well as sometimes even a sword of varying kinds. What is not necessary, but very common amongst all the warriors, except the Bradáchglass, is a bow. Some using longbows, such as the hunters or more dedicated soldiers. Cavalry isn’t too common, but when deployed, they are almost always skirmishing units, throwing javelins and harassing the enemy, or attacking straying opponents so that heavy infantry, such as the Bradáchglass can move in and mop them aside. Military Tactics - The Rí is expected to be a skilled military tactician as the Warriors are in return expected to risk their lives for sakes of glory, loot and path to the Other World. Army Composition - Typically, armies are comprised mostly of skilled warriors, due to the emphasis the Bradách place on combat, but some farmers and such do not have the time to train, although these make up for much less of the army. There are also the elite Bradáchglass, who make up for about a quarter of the army. Archers and slingers are usually taken up by the untrained farmers, but some skilled warriors might choose these weapons. The skilled typically choose the Longbow and get deep in the mix of battle, peeking through gaps and letting a powerful arrow loose into the enemy line, sometimes bursting open maille or dazing men struck in the helm. Cavalry makes up a very small number, also taken up by the skilled, but usually the richer ones, but the Bradáchglass sometimes put their retainers on horseback and arm them with a few javelins. Preparation for Battle - For the Bradách, there is as much emphasis put on the lead-up to battle as during it. Raiding parties will seat out to harass, kill and sabotage enemy scouts, firewood parties and whatnot. This is an area the Bradách are particularly skilled at, most especially in wooden terrain. They will also poison water supplies or gather in large numbers and feign the army’s advance by scaring birds into large sudden flights into the air, as well as blowing horns and beating drums as though to represent the horns blown before battle or drums beaten to keep order on the march. Also, the Bradách will take great expense scouting their terrain, as well as setting their Derwydd to read the skies for the coming weather. Using these, the Bradách will modify their plans to best suit them. Tactics During a Battle - When two armies have met, the skilled warriors will form a long, relatively thin line and charge, hurling their javelins when close enough and dependant on the enemy’s response, as well as other factors like terrain, who has the higher ground and such, they might continue the charge and slam into the enemy, the first row responsible for defending, the second for delivering blows with their spears. If a charge is not advantageous, they will suddenly stop and quickly form a shield wall, then sometimes making a slow advancing into spear range, or waiting for the enemy’s response, all the while remaining silent. During this stalemate, the slingers and bowmen will pear threw the gaps and periodically fire, as a means to goad their opponent into an attacking. During this time, the cavalry might begin flanking the enemy, hurling their javelins, but usually they have too many missile troops, or superior cavalry. If so, they will constantly try to provoke the cavalry into movement, outside of their missile troop’s range and then hurl their javelins when in range. This will repeat until they run out of javelins or the cavalry make an overly determined charge, in which the skirmishing cavalry will suddenly turn and attack their enemy back, the farmers with their spears running into the melee to finish the cavalry with their spears, which is almost invariably the case, due to the advantage spears offers against cavalry. Then, these men will either attack the enemy missile troops or flank the enemy infantry. The cavalry, if still alive, will do the same and use up any remaining javelins they might have. The Bradáchglass - Mercenary and Elite Band - The Bradáchglass are a unique and new addition to the group of warriors amongst the Bradách. These men are funded by the Rí, or sometimes themselves, so that they can afford their equipment, as well as the time they spend from their potential occupations to become elite and highly trained soldiers. These men are usually raiding and plundering, but the Rí may give them permission to seek or accept mercenary contracts from other Lords. Thanks to @Dewper and @OneGhoulyBoi for giving me permission to claim inheritance from both of their cultures. Here's a link to their cultures; Dewper's https://www.lordofthecraft.net/forums/topic/163587-daelish-culture/ GhoulyBoi's https://www.lordofthecraft.net/forums/topic/164652-culture-the-pryderi/

A Red Priest invokes the All Father’s purifying flame to oust the abomination The Father’s Gift Preamble Lore OOC / Not Known Rply RP Lore Mechanics of the Father’s Gift PRAYERS AND PRAYER EFFECTS Guidelines and Redlines A Message to the Lore Team (LT)