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  1. THE HYSPIAN NEW PLAYER GUIDE How to Make a Hyspian Issued by the Sovereign Crown 6th of Horen's Calling of 93 D.R. Introducción This guide is created for those intending to make a persona within the Sovereign State of Hyspia, a nation comprised of farfolks and those seeking to make a name for themselves. Based within the desert and badlands, the people of Hyspia, Hyspians, are commonly known for their vibrantly colored fashions and nationalism for their home. The capital of Hyspia, La Dorada, is ruled by the Sovereign family, the de Pelears, also known as the Soberana and Soberano of Hyspia. Their children are known as the Princes and Princesses of this nation. Below, we will touch further upon the cultural aspects and populace of Hyspia, detailing what may need to be known. A depiction of the average Hyspian. The Culture and Dynamics of Hyspia The Hyspian culture is steeped in nationalism and vibrancy, a storied people with a rich history as can be seen in the varying eras of the Hyspian people. From times of schism, to vassalship and to their current place now of independence - the Hyspian people kept themselves going through pure grit, bringing them to where they are today. Linked below are missives that delve deeper into Hyspian traditions and beliefs: On Heritage and History The Common People of Hyspia The History of Hyspia An In-Depth Look Into Hyspian Fashion Hyspian Language Guide Hyspian Independence A Call to All Farfolk The Hyspian Schism The Life of Cesar I The Hyspian Culture The Hyspian Calendar These documents cover a host of traditions and touch on nationality and beliefs. Touching further upon the people's values, family is everything. Hyspia is an extremely family-oriented place, in which large families will be seen living together and taking on the professions of those before them. A love for family and friends alike is had, and the Hyspian people are not afraid to love. Getting Started To get started in Hyspia, there are a few things to do first. First and foremost, when creating your persona, pick a name that fits within the group's cultural identity. Examples of male and female names are provided for ease and convenience: Male Names Santiago Mateo Carlos Andres Miguel Camilo Raul Alonso Cortez Javier Female Names Isabella Maria Daniela Carmen Valentina Martina Elena Catalina Luciana Antonella --- Following your choice of a name, consider your appearance. Hyspians typically have dark hair and a range of eye colors, with clothing mainly consisting of primary and vibrant colors, such as reds, green and blues. They wear flowing fabrics and have sun-kissed features, hinting at their desert heritage. Linked below are free-to-use outfits that work within the fashions of Hyspia: Alternatively, Pinterest has a variety of options. Keywords to utilize in your search can certainly include: traditional mexican outfits, spanish clothing, 1500s spanish fashion and traditional spanish dress. Alongside this, a Pinterest board has been made with references to refer to here. The Hyspian community also harbors a good number of skinners who can be contacted to help you get situated. --- Once your appearance is chosen, and you have an idea of what you wish your persona to be and do, you are already a majority done! Create your persona in /menu, click on an empty slot to set them up, and type in /realm join Hyspia once you are ready. Head down to Hyspia, bind your SS pillar, and contact a Steward within our Discord! To contact a Steward, join the Hyspia Discord and request the citizen role, including your RP name and username. Once allocated the role, you will gain access to more channels, including house-requests and region-and-door perms, where you can request region perms, citizen doors, and the purchase of a household and/or shop. To contact a steward, fill out the form within the channel specifying your budget and ping @Steward along with your form. A Steward will assist you in purchasing a home with in game currency, with the first week of taxes being free. Taxes are collected every Sunday, and failure to pay results in warnings and potential eviction. Signed, HER ROYAL HIGHNESS, Ramona de Pelear, Sovereign Princess of Hyspia, Duchess of Pacazu, Baroness of Arenisca and Del’mar, Lady of Ladorada, Lady of Niseep, Gereon's Hold, and Ciudad de Plata, Gran Maestress of El Orden de Francisco, Protector of the Hyspian People, Protector of the Farfolk, Matriarch of House de Pelear HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS, Dimitri Otto of Korvia, Sovereign Prince-Consort of Hyspia, Duke-Consort of Pacazu, Baron-Consort of Arenisca and Del’mar, Lord of Ladorada, Lord of Niseep, Gereon's Hold, and Ciudad de Plata, Gran Maestre of El Orden de Francisco, Protector of the Hyspian People, Protector of the Farfolk HER EXCELLENCY, Mariposa Murietta, Canciller de la Patria
  2. A good way to keep track of your magical knowledge! Alright, so, last week we (@_Grey_W0lf_ and myself) have posted a spreadsheet, which focuses on the topic of alchemical knowledge and a way to track what you have mastered on your personas! Now- We have promised last week that we are also reworking a old document, which @_Grey_W0lf_ created in the past, which focuses on all the magical forms, spells and feats. And it is finally done! I've reworked the old document and updated it with a new format, checked all of the lore pieces, split some stuff up to make it easier to track and much more! So here it is! An excellent way to keep track of all your Magical Knowledge, the spells you have mastered and even the Feats you have obtained! https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nUEZKO3dnFZ1V8zrwnCFQr9sBFGfyFWeZNBNMeSaAQQ/edit?usp=sharing If we are missing anything or did a mistake, feel free to message @_Grey_W0lf_ and myself (Please add both of us to the message) on the Forums or on Discord! Changelog 02.09.2023 - Adjusted Mysticism Section - Thanks to @TheWhiteWolf
  3. IA GUIDE NAEJOT AELTAROSI WEDDINGS Issued on the 12th, of Laenors Escape of the year 11 AST. Introduction With the series of weddings taking place within Aeltarys, the scholars of the Aeltarosi people have endeavored to create a guide as to the weddings of the Aeltarosi and their people. This is purely a scholarly piece, allowing for the future generations to study on the Aeltarosi wedding ceremony, and written and transcribed in honor of our Prince and his Princess. Through Hot Coals The opening of an Aeltarosi wedding ceremony is of great importance, in which the classes have varying traditions they adhere to. The bride and groom enter from opposite entrances, and walk forward to meet with a Scaleseer who will bless them with opening words. With joined hands, they are to step forward over a bed of hot coals. This time is paramount, they may not venture from the path, whether to look at another or to step off of it. It is once they step off the end of the path that they will find themselves before the Scaleseer once more, and the next part of the ceremony begins. The Blood of Aeltarosi The Scaleseer produces an Aeltarosi steel dagger, first handed to the groom. They are to cut the bride's lips with their dagger, before offering it knelt before them. It is then that the bride accepts the dagger and does the same, cutting their partners lips and kneeling before them. They seal the blood pact with a kiss, in which this brings them to the Ribbon Binding Ceremony. Preparation for the Ribbon Binding Ceremony In preparation for the Ribbon Binding Ceremony, which is touched on in the section after this, the couple must use Athin oils before bathing in small amounts, so they may build up their tolerance for it, starting at minimum a week before their wedding. They must have a healer at hand while doing this so as to not go into shock or hypothermia. The parental figure of the couple would go to the Weaver during this process, who would then embroider a sheer silk scarf, embroidering the dreams and goals the couple wishes to accomplish and in a specific color to represent their bond to each other. The colors can be combined to make or shift to another color. Red - The color of fire that burns and flows where the winds take them. It symbolizes an eternity of devotion and love for each other. It shows that your relationship goes beyond each other and is Divine in the sight of the Dragons which means a bountiful happiness and children. Yellow - The color of the sun, warmth that fills the mind and body giving it energy. It symbolizes life, anew, and strength that the Dragons bless. Perhaps this is your first marriage or a start at a new life away from those who are unfaithful for the cause. Blue - The color of ice and of winter that bites to the bone. It symbolizes loyalty and trust in each other and in religion. It goes beyond flesh and beyond soul and harmonizes yourself and your lover to the Dragons’ truth. It tethers one and one together in a bind not like any other. The Ribbon Binding Ceremony After the Blood of Aeltarosi ceremony, the couple will have their left arms bound by the scarf with beeswax, Athins, Blissfoil, and a mixture of oils that soaks and hardens the scarf to their skin. They then will go to a brazier and light it on fire. In Aeltarosi superstition, it is said that if it takes under thirty seconds to burn, their first child of their union will be a boy and if over thirty seconds to burn, the first child of their union shall be a girl. (Rolling out of 10 from each person will determine the gender of their first baby which is optional. 1-12 is boy 13-20 is girl.) The special embroidery will stain the skin and seal it with the flames of the basin in a permanent tattoo. When apart the couple have their own unique markings all the way up to their elbow. When together a more form fitting appearance will occur that fits their lives together with a once in a lifetime design. As divorce is not a thing, should an Aeltarosi spouse pass away and they remarry, the marriage marking must never touch the previous marriage marking. Their arms will be covered in herbs to snuff out the flames and soothe the pain. This job is done by the Scaleseer. The Embers It is after the ceremony that traditionally the couple will lead their guests to a venue, in which a game will take place. Bags of rice will be pocketed about the tables where handfuls may be gotten and thrown at the couple, in a competition of pelting them until they leave the event. Another Aeltarosi superstition is that the one who had the winning pelting rice will be the one to marry next and suffer as the couple before them did. After the couple leaves, the party still goes on until the time in which the embers of a campfire spark out. Zālagon Jehikagrī, HER ROYAL HIGHNESS, Arabella Valraenos of Pavia, Grand Princess of the Aeltarosi, Princess of Dragonclaw,
  4. Issued on the 12th, of Laenors Escape of the year 9 AST. INTRODUCTION As the Principality of Aeltarys takes its shape and the Aeltarosi people find their new home, it is imperative to understand the foundations of nobility within our realm. This document aims to outline what defines nobility in Aeltarys, the system to reward its individuals or families, and the associated rights and duties bestowed upon them by the Crown. On Defining Nobility In Aeltarys, nobility is not stratified into traditions ranks like Baron or Duke; instead, all nole individuals are encompassed under the title of “Rigle”. This unity fosters an environment where Aeltarosi nobility can continually strive for greater rewards, such as unique titles like the “Flame of Dragonclaw” or land expansions. This system is structured as a feudal meritocracy, encouraging Rigle Aeltarosi households to build their reputation and standing in society. The Crown bestows and may revoke titles at its discretion. These individuals are afforded the rights and privileges to be listed down below, alongside the duties and responsibilities mentioned at the behest of the Crown. The Head of the Household may hold and be referred to by the title itself; other individuals of the family may be referred to as ‘Āeksio/Lord’ or ‘Riña/Lady’. The Heir of the Household may be referred to as a variation of the title, being that of ‘Dārilaros hen/Heir of’ followed by the title itself. It is the right of the Crown to bestow and revoke titles at their discretion. Merit: Each family of Nobility are expected to have merits, proving themselves to be upstanding individuals of society. Extra privileges may be granted with an excess of merit, or rewards given. Demerit: Demerits can be granted towards a family of Nobility, such Demerits being the reason as to certain Privileges revoked or in more extreme cases, a payment set based on the severity of the demerit. Rights and Duties of Nobility All allotted rights and duties listed below are considered inherently the nobilities. Some are listed as rights, which cannot be inherently revoked without the removal of a title; while privileges can be revoked without the removal of a title. With privilege and rights comes responsibility, all those of the Nobility are expected to adhere to these standards and responsibilities. The Senior Rigle The Senior Rigle, or better known as the Senior Noble, is a title granted to one outstanding family via bout of royal challenge. They are considered as the very examples of what nobility should be in the Principality, and thus are given further privileges and benefits as opposed to the rest of the nobility. This, in turn, comes with further duties. Upon the granting of the Senior Rigle title, they may be challenged for the title in question. The challenger must be of a Noble family within the Principality of good standing and reputation. The challenger must first be given permission through the crown. The challenger forfeits their right to a champion upon challenging the current Senior Rigle. A challenge may only be had once every two months. Upon the granting of the Senior Rigle title, they are afforded the right of being referred to as such title within the borders of the Principality of Aeltarys. I.e. Senior Lord, Grand Lord, Senior Baron, Grand Baron Upon the granting of the Senior Rigle title, their head of household is afforded the privilege of the served first policy. This privilege allows for them to be landed first. When the crown is considering families for a reward, or other such matters, they are considered first. The Duties of a Senior Rigle are as follows; The duty follows all Noble duties and responsibilities as detailed in ‘the Rigle’ section below. The duty to maintain and upkeep their appearance and status as the senior nobility within the Principality. The duty to take the nobility's worries and petition the crown as needed. The duty to accept a challenge that is within legal bounds. The Rigle Upon the granting of a title, they are afforded the right of being referred to as such title within the borders of the Principality of Aeltarys. Upon the granting of a title, their head of household is afforded the privilege to a dedicated seat within the Princes Council. This does not give them a position within the Council itself. This privilege can be revoked if it is abused. Upon the granting of a title, they are afforded the right to seek a private meeting with the Princes Council. Upon the granting of a title, they are afforded the right to a Champion in a challenge. Any and all challenges must still have a mediator. Only one champion may be chosen. - The exception to this rule is the challenger of the Senior Rigle challenge may not have a champion. Upon the granting of a title, they are afforded the right to land; The plot of land must be within the borders of the Principality of Aeltarys. The size of the land is 50x50 meters. The location of the land is at the Princes Councils discretion. There may not be an expansion to the land unless rewarded through the merit system. Upon the granting of a title, they have the right to Property outside the capital. It is up to the family to cover all construction costs and labor. They are to manage and care for the Property, ensuring it does not come under disrepair. The property may consist of an Estate, Keep and/or farm unless otherwise rewarded through the merit system. Upon the granting of a title, they have the privilege to take on a Ward. The actions of the Ward will award the warding family in question merits or demerits. This privilege may be revoked if it is found to be abused. The Duties of Nobility go as follows; The duty to be a contributing member of society, such as, government, political, military, faith work or otherwise. The duty to maintain and upkeep their allotted lands and property and not allow it to fall into disrepair. The duty to take up arms during times of strife to protect their home under that of the Crown and not draw arms against the Principality of Aeltarys, keeping to that of upstanding and law-abiding citizens, holding the highest esteem of loyalty to the Crown and the Principality of Aeltarys. The duty to come when called upon during times of great strife or war; providing munitions, people or otherwise upon that of a Levy. The duty to create job opportunities within the Principality via some form of employment, i.e. merchant work, servitude or otherwise. The duty to host activities or events within the Principality to drive foot traffic within our Borders. Ascension to Nobility To ascend to the Rigle class, a family must demonstrate merit through contributions to society, guarding the Principality, being directly warded by a Rigle, or being recommended by an existing noble. Reputation, presence, work aspiration, and maintaining a family history are essential elements to be considered meritable. In conclusion, Aeltarys embraces a unique system of nobility, rewarding those who contribute to the prosperity of the Principality. By adhering to the rights, privileges, and responsibilities outlined, the Rigle Aeltarosi families shape the future of our beloved land. Zālagon Jehikagrī, HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS, Maegor Valraenos of Aeltarys, Grand Prince of the Aeltarosi, Prince of Dragonclaw HER ROYAL HIGHNESS, Arabella Valraenos of Pavia, Grand Princess of the Aeltarosi, Princess of Dragonclaw
  5. This post is meant to serve as a guide to people looking to play a dwarf, to give them a basic sense of dwarven characteristics and common knowledge to help them get started on their roleplay journey. CONTENTS: I. INTRODUCTION A. Dwarves B. The Grand Kingdom of Urguan II. CHARACTERISTICS A. The Dwarven Character B. The Physical Characteristics C. The Curse of Greed III. LANGUAGE A. Dwed B. Names IV. CULTURE A. Creation B. Honour C. Martial V. FAITH A. The Brathmordakin B. Organised Religion VI. POST INDEX Dwarves The Dwarves, also known as the Dwedmar in their tongue, are a religious folk, and take pride in their knowledge of craftsmanship, trade and technology. They are short and stocky, associating themselves with the ground and the earth deeply within their culture. They all descend from Urguan, the progenitor of the Dwarven Race. The dwarves descend from the First Dwarf, Urguan. The founder of their race is highly respected and venerated. Currently there are 7 elder clans who descend from the 7 sons of Urguan. Though all dwarves are descended from Urguan in some way or another.. The Grand Kingdom of Urguan The Grand Kingdom of Urguan is a constitutional monarchy established to unify and represent the Dwarven race, with power given to the King, who is held in check by a bureaucratic council of hand-picked members who perform different duties within Urguan, such as the Lord Justicar who oversees all legal cases within Urguan, and the High Prophet, who is the religious leader of the Brathmordakin worship. The Grand Kingdom has a tremendous history, being the sole nation of the Dwarves for millennia, leading back to the very first dwarf himself, Urguan Silverbeard. Represented through orange and gray, the nation has united the Dwarves under its banner through common religion, culture, and ideals. The religion of the realm, the Brathmordakin, is a polytheistic religion composed of 7 gods, each representing a different aspect of Dwarven culture. Throughout history, Urguan has been best known for its expert craftsmanship, unique clan diversity, beautiful underground cities, engineering capabilities, and wartime strategy. In the continent of Aevos, the Grand Kingdom remains the home of the Dwarves; the ancient realm is found in the southwest. The Dwarven Character Dwarves are strong in spirit, hardy, secretive, and steadfast in both enmity toward their enemies and loyalty to their friends. The Dwarves are notoriously stubborn as a people. They are a martial race, their fury terrible when roused. Beyond this, they are unparalleled by any other descendants in industriousness. Yet equally, they are known for their greed, driving them to commit rash acts at times in their eternal search for wealth. Physical Characteristics Dwarves are short and stocky, standing between 3”5” - 5” ft. They possess beards which typically appear in a young dwarf by the time they become a beardling at around ten. Depending on which sub-branch a dwarf belongs to, the coloration of their skin, eyes and hair can vary. The potential lifespan of a dwarf reaches beyond their eighth hundredth year, but on average, most of the Dwarves perish before this. There are four dwarven subraces. The Mountain, Cave, Forest and Dark Dwarves. Each subrace has its own unique characteristics and appearances. The Mountain dwarves tend to possess a more barbaric culture. They are tall (for Dwarfs) with some coming to the freakishly tall height of five feet have a more fair appearance compared to the rest of their brethren. The Cave dwarves have a tendency to focus on industry and magic. These dwarves are the ones most comfortable with a subterranean lifestyle. Cave dwarves such as the ones from the Starbreaker clan can have grey stoney skin, while others not so much. The Forest dwarves are those who have a close connection to nature, and have adapted to living in the woods, being burly and more tan and rough. The forest dwarves are more communal with each other. The Dark dwarves are a subrace of mountain dwarves, born as a result between the mixing of mountain dwarf and dark elf blood. They are the youngest subrace, but their features are stark, with ashen dark skin and glowing red eyes The Curse of Greed All descendants have a curse, dwarves being no exception. Their curse is that of greed, which most commonly manifests in the obsessive hoarding of wealth. Driven by their greed, the Dwarves are natural hoarders of their wealth. The Dwarves with the greatest hoard and mightiest treasures are looked upon with immense respect, and will treat those who transgress upon their hoard with unbridled fury. They will defend their home and treasures to the death, for nothing is of greater value to them than their treasure. However, the curse can vary between individuals greatly, what ones defines as "treasure" does not necessarily money. The curse differs between bloodlines and groups as well. Mage dwarves tend to have a greed for knowledge and magical power. Slovenly and gluttonous individuals may desire food above anything else. Some may be entirely self centered in their greed while others may be more communal with their close kin. The Curse of Greed is a broad concept, and there are many ways for it to be expressed. It is a central aspect to a dwarf, essentially part of their fibre of being. It is as much a characteristic as it is a cultural trait. Dwed Though the Dwarves speak the common tongue on a day to day basis, many have a grasp of their ancient language often using select phrases in their conversation. Common Phrases: Dwarves = Dwed / Dwedmar - Khazad / Khazadmar Elves = Elger / Elgus Orcs = Ork / Orkos Humans = Umri / Umros Goblin / Goblins = Grobbi / Grobbins Foreign / Foreigners = Yrrok / Yrrommar Hello - Oz Stark Raving Mad - Tagum Example of Dwarven Speech Dwarves tend to struggle to pronounce letters such as ‘h’ and ‘g.’ An example of a regular sentence is as follows: ‘Hello! How are you doing?’ Whilst, a Dwarf would be more likely to say ‘ello, ‘ow ‘re yeh doin’?’ Names Getting the right name for your dwarf is essential, as such here are examples of names you could use for your new character. Male Ogtan, Merren, Ortal, Merdel, Bamar, Thunor, Tharim, Karlen, Wilan, Bhelen, Voltigan, Trian, Merric, Enryn, Kofrin, Turar, Bhelrim, Vondren, Beltharn, Gremmiir, Thurron, Tornir, Broskar, Agnarr, Alfgeir, Arne, Arnfinn, Arngrimm, Borkvard, Bjorn, Dafi, Dag, Darri, Gorm, Gotar, Hakon, Hrane, Iri, Ivarr, Nali, Ornn, Ottar, Skuli, Thorbrand, Thorfinn, Ulf. Female Rala, Osha, Asa, Aedia, Anva, Rana, Genlo, Nara, Nela, Tavlen, Navrin, Nafrinn, Aralinn, Vindra, Tishri, Runri, Braela, Sindel, Medren, Kara, Tara, Ragna, Brosca, Vakre, Gormlaith, Adis, Afrid, Alfhild, Alvor, Bodil, Dagrun, Dagny, Folka, Grunnhild, Gyla, Idunn, Jora, Kraka, Myrun, Rikissa, Rikvi, Svala, Sloveig, Thora, Thordis, Thyra, Ulfhild, Valdis, Yri, Ysra. Creation Devoted to their creator, Yemekar, the Dwarves have an intense desire toward creation. It is this that drives them to seek precious metals beneath the earth, which they work upon. This natural creative spirit has led to the Dwarves being considered amongst the finest smiths, craftsmen, metalworkers and masons amongst the descendants. And this compels them to create their vast halls under mountains. Manifesting in their culture, the Dwarves hold these arts in great respect, many a monarch and paragon excelling in these specific professions. Honour The Dwarves also hold themselves to a strict sense of honor in their dealings amongst themselves and other races. Promises made are not done lightly, and breaking them is dishonorable. To deceive a dwarf is a grievous slight, and such grievances often manifest themselves in grudges. Recompense is often demanded for such breaches of faith, the severity of the supposed crime deciding how great this recompense can be. Martial Aided by their haridness, the Dwarves are naturally a martial folk. Though they do not seek out war on a whim, once roused their fury and demand for blood to settle feuds with other races can be terrible. To serve in the Legion, the military of the Dwarves, is a great honor. To turn away from a fight, or fail to defend your kin is not easily forgiven. Brathmordakin YEMEKAR The Maker Symbol: Hammer & Anvil Domains: Creation, balance, leader, smithing, protection, metalwork, stonework, the Rhun Yemekar is the father and creator of the dwarven race. Honor him by emulating his principles and workmanship in smithing, stoneworking and other tasks. Wisdom is derived from life and tempered with experience. Advance the dwarven race in all areas of life. Innovate with new processes and skills. Found new kingdoms and clan lands, defending the existing ones from all threats. Lead the dwarves in the traditions laid down by The Maker. Honor your clan leaders as you honor Yemekar. ANBELLA The Hearth Mother Symbol: Two Silver Rings Domains: Safety, honesty, home, healing, marriage, family, fertility, records, oaths, rule of law, hearth, nature, peace Anbella is the wife of Yemekar. Just as dwarven souls are forged on Yemekar's Ruhn-Anvil, they are ever warmed and nurtured by the loving embrace of the Hearth Mother. Tend to hearth, home, and land, drawing strength and safety from truth, tradition and the rule of law. Join with friends, kin and clan in common purpose. Do not succumb to the misery of greed or the evils of strife, but always bring hope. health and cheer to those in need. Once an oath is made, Anbella watches over its keeping - to break it is to wound her sorely. Children must be cherished and guarded well from harm, for they are the future of all dwarvenkind. GRIMDUGAN Lord of Avarice Symbol: Obsidian Dagger Domains: Greed, money, merchant, thieves, shadow, tax collectors, miners, raids The wealth of the world was created for those dwarves crafty enough to capture it by any means necessary. Revel in the possession of all wealth that shines or sparkles, for its form was meant to bring you pleasure. Greed is good, for it motivates the possession and holding of all that is precious. Do not seize wealth from the children of the Brathmordakin however, nor conspire against the favored of Grimdugan, for strife in the name of avarice weakens the clan. ARMAKAK Merchant Father Symbol: A Gold Coin Domains: Wealth, luck, chance, negotiation, merchants, cleverness, the sun The truly blessed are those whose enterprise and zeal brings both wealth and good luck. Work hard, be clever, seek the best bargain and the Merchant Father will shower you with gold. Treat others with respect, but shirk not your responsibility to try and strike a better deal for you and for them. BELKA Lady of Passion Symbol: A Lightning Bolt Domains: Love, romance, youth, dancing, courtship, explorers, travelers, seduction, lightning, sailors, stars Be merciful in speech and deed. Temper your anger and hostility with constructive and charitable endeavor. The children of the dwarves must live in safety and propagate. Love with a fiery passion. Embrace the gift of life with courtship and marriage. Belka restores the fertile seed of dwarven life, while Anbella protects the fruit. OGRADHAD The Lore Master Symbol: An Open Book Domains: Scholarship, invention, discovery, knowledge, magic The secrets of the world are waiting to be discovered. Travel widely, broaden your mind at every opportunity, and pursue the life of a scholar. Cultivate the spirit of intrigue among the young and be teachers to all. Seek to recover lost and arcane knowledge of ages past and apply it to the world today. Try new methods of doing things just for the joy of experimenting. Learn a little of everything, for you never know what might be of use to you down the road. DUNGRIMM Guardian of the Mask Symbol: An Iron Mask Domains: Battle, valor, bravery, honor, defense, the dead, the moon The finest hours of dwarven kind come in the thrusts and feints of war. Seize the opportunity to defend your kin and ensure their victory when conflict erupts. Revel in the challenge of a good fight and never waiver in the face of adversity, no matter how ominous. Lives should never be thrown away foolishly, but the greatest honor is to sacrifice oneself for the cause of the field of battle in service to a righteous cause. Honor the dead and death itself and keep the places of the dead inviolate and well tended; the noble ancestors of our race will neither be robbed nor moved through the actions of thieves and defilers. Abide not undead creatures, especially those that take the form of dwarves, thus mocking the creation of Yemekar. ORGANIZED RELIGION The Dwarves, having eons and eons of history, have had many religious institutions that taught the word of the Brathmordakin. However, the one that has been there since the beginning and has withstood the test of time has been Da Kirkja Dverga, or Holy Clergy. Its power comes and goes throughout the decades, however it has remained as part of the dwarven culture. Though overall, dwarves tend to have very open religious customs, with each Clan different in their own beliefs, preferences and rites. Some even worshipping other deities. There can be great variation on the individual level, with some dwarves being druids and paladins. However, one religious constant that all dwarves agree on is that the Seven Brathmordakin must be worshipped above all other deities and gods, and to disrespect the Brathmordakin or their creeds is heresy. Below is a list of relevant posts to help get more of an idea of the specifics of dwarven cultures and traits. OOC I hope this guide has served you well. The intent is to keep it updated overtime, as more guides come out. I also hope you learned something new about the dwarves today with this post.
  6. Penned by Illynora Sylvaeri on behalf of Serinwë’s Hand in the 143rd Year of the Second Age. The healing methods described in this compendium adhere to traditional Wood Elven practices, including the intonation of prayers to the Aspects. As such, it does not include more modern surgical practices seen in the lands of Man and Dwarf. This compendium is a companion piece to A Herbalist's Guide to Aevos. Where the reader is instructed to apply a particular poultice or medicine, they should direct themselves to the Herbalist’s Guide. Healing Prayer After imbibing Cerridwen’s essence, sacred attunement springwater, speak these words: “O’ Haelun’Taynan, orlle ay’adiln divcerun’ehya, lae heya elillern’tayna lentera hiyluan’ehya y’ameantaynei. nae heya kae’leh taynan illerale, kae’leh wynan’anuh il’sulwaleh, nae’leh ehya orahernan illera. O’ Haelun’lle, y’kae anoh’suliera, kae ay’nae’leh tilrunhaleral mediera adontere, iyul kae orern nae tilruereh, nae’leh ehya lle’saere karin’ento.” “O’ earth Mother, benevolent to the weak and weary, Who spreads the gifts of life and good health over the emerald wilds. You who gifted me my own life, and their life, Pray for my soul and bless my hands with your healing light. O' compassionate Mother, look down upon me, I ask that you help your dutiful servant, so they may continue to serve you and spread your goodness across the land.” Last Rites If a patient follows the teachings of the Aspects and is about to pass on, or has just recently passed on, speak these words: “O' Haelun, y'kae oerneh suliera. ito suliera, iyul nae'leh illern'taynan ethere, Iyul divhiuw ito lae'leh/hae'leh taliiynan, divcerun'ehya ito hae'leh/lae'leh hiylun. Oerneh nae ito hileia lae/hae myumiera, ciwn'ehya uell. O' Maln, y'kae oerneh suliera. ito suliera iyul nae'leh illern'orran ethere, Iyul leyun ito lae'leh/hae'leh iheiuhii, lae'leh/hae'leh ehya taliiynan feta lentera. Oerneh nae ito Sirame lae/hae myumiera, cerun'ehya uell. nae iyl'hiylun, tenna eth, myumierala karinte, lae'ehya/hae'ehya Meracahe narna. taliyna ito nor, taliiyna ito vallei, tur ito malomii. Ahernal ito.” “O' Mother, look upon me now. See here that your gift of life has ended, That his/her heart is still and his/her Spirit weary. May you bring him/her to peace and slumber eternal. O' Father, look upon me now. See here that your gift of the hunt has ended, That his/her voice is silent and his/her blood grows cold. May you bring him/her to honour and strength undying. You have held this Spirit until the end, And he/she now passes into the Balance. Flesh to soil, blood to water, bone to dust. Blessed be.” Flesh Wounds The healer should wear tight sleeves rolled to the elbow. Wash hands in warm water and boil the necessary tools for half an hour prior to the procedure. Embedded Objects Where an object such as a weapon has been embedded in the flesh, this must be removed before the wound is able to heal. Numb the area with blissfoil poultice, being careful to apply this with a cloth or wooden spatula. If the object is beneath the skin, make an incision with a small knife and remove the object. In the case of embedded swords or arrows, soak a cloth with draugr tongue tonic and apply it to the wound. This will soften the skin. Carefully widen the incision around the sword or arrowhead. Remove the object and treat the wound as usual. Diseased Flesh When a wound has become infected, the skin will be red and shiny and the wound is likely to excrete creamy yellow pus. In advanced cases, the flesh may have mummified and become black, grey, red, and leathery. Numb the area with blissfoil poultice. Cut and scrape away the diseased flesh. In the case of infected wounds, make a small incision and drain the wound of pus. Treat the wound as usual. Treating Wounds Apply pressure to the wound with a cloth until it has stopped bleeding. If the cloth becomes soaked through, do not remove; apply more cloth on top. Where the wound is on a limb, elevate the limb to help slow blood flow. Once the wound has stopped bleeding heavily, clean gently with tepid water and gislocinovi tonic. For deep wounds, use hiding moss to pack the wound before stitching. For shallow wounds, apply tippen’s root salve to stem the last of the bleeding. It is recommended to hold a cloth soaked in peppermint oil over one’s nose and mouth to counteract the smell of the tippen's root. For shallow wounds that do not require stitching, mandragora poultice may be applied to assist with healing. Amberiddle sap can be used to seal shallow wounds. Deeper wounds will require stitching with a bone needle and silk thread. For medium to shallow wounds, use a continuous stitch, which refers to using the same piece of thread along the wound and tying it off at the end. For medium to deep wounds, use an interrupted stitch, which refers to cutting and tying each stitch; these stitches are not connected to one another. Continuous stitches are appropriate for long gashes, while interrupted stitches should be used for deep wounds so that the thread does not break. Apply frost vine salve to the wound for topical pain relief. Bind the wound with bandages, changing the bandages regularly. If there are any signs of infection, administer a dose of grobsnopper syrup (taken orally). Serpent’s stalk tonic can be used to reduce fever caused by infection. The patient may also be given mandragora tea to assist with healing and blood lotus stew to regain strength after heavy blood loss. Once the wound has healed, remove the stitches and apply aqua nymph oil to reduce scarring. Broken Bones There are three broad types of bone injuries. Closed fractures, where the bone is broken but has not pierced the skin; open fractures, where the shards of broken bone have pierced through the skin and are exposed; and dislocation, which is not precisely a broken bone but rather where the bone has been knocked from its usual position. Closed Fractures Apply frost vine poultice to the affected area. The patient can also drink atheros tea for pain relief. For clean breaks, manipulate the ends of the fracture to align them to their original position before splinting or binding. Splinting refers to placing a stick along the limb and securing it in place with wrappings. Binding refers to securely wrapping the limb or digit with bandages. Facial injuries — These fractures cannot be set and must be allowed to heal on their own. Shoulder and collarbone — Create a sling with a triangular cloth close to the body. Ribs — These fractures cannot be set and must be allowed to heal on their own. Do not bind the ribs, as this could lead to the bones healing in a malformed position. Arm — Splint. Fingers and toes — Bind to the neighbouring digit. Hip — Splint extending from the lower back to the knee. Knee — Splint from the hip to the ankle. Ankle — Bind securely, using small splints where necessary. Open Fractures Induce unconsciousness with two doses of nightsap syrup. Rinse the wound with tepid water and gislocinovi tonic. Set the bone by manipulating it into its original position. Treat the area as a wound (see above instructions). Dislocations Pulls should always be slow and steady, never abrupt. One will feel the joint slip back into place with a heavy clunk. The patient may be given atheros tea to reduce pain. Shoulder — Lay the patient on their back with the affected arm away from the body. Hold the hand or wrist and slowly, but firmly, pull the arm until the joint falls back into place. Wrap the arm in a sling. Knee — Stand on the patient’s affected side. Lift the leg slightly up and begin to extend it while pushing the kneecap back into place. This movement may need to be repeated several times. Tightly bind the knee for support. Fingers — Remove any rings to prevent injury due to swelling. Extend the finger and push the joints back into place. Splint to the adjacent digit to reduce movement. Burns Burns can range from minor sunburn on the top layer of skin to serious burns which afflict all layers of the skin. In all cases, carefully remove clothing and jewellery from the affected area. Rinse gently with tepid water, careful not to slough off too much of the burnt skin. Minor Burns Minor burns are characterised by red, inflamed skin. Apply aqua nymph & frost vine salve to the area for pain relief and to heal the burn. Apply aquate root & faerie truffle salve for relief from dry, chapped skin as a result of sunburn or other minor burns. Moderate Burns Moderate burns are characterised by redness, inflammation, and blisters. Boil gislocinovi leaves with shredded atheros root. Stitch the leaves together to form bandages. Apply aqua nymph poultice to the burn and bind with the gislocinovi bandages. Replace bandages as necessary. Serious Burns Serious burns are characterised by white, leathery skin. Numb the area with a blissfoil poultice. Cut away the burnt flesh. From the thigh or back, take a skin graft of the required size. This is achieved by using a small knife to cut a square of skin and lifting it carefully from the donor site. Apply the skin graft to the burn site, treating it as a wound. Clean the donor site with gislocinovi tonic and apply tippen’s root to stem bleeding. Treat it as a wound. Intense Cold Wandering in extremely cold areas without the proper clothing or equipment can lead to injuries and maladies. The first is exposure, where one has grown so cold their body ceases to function. The second is frostbite, where intense cold has restricted blood flow to areas of the body, leading the flesh to blacken and die. Exposure should always be treated before frostbite, as heating the limbs can cause cold blood to flow back to the heart, lowering the body temperature and causing death. The same impacts of exposure can also be induced from drinking too much serpent’s stalk tonic. Exposure Move the patient to a warm, dry location. Do not chafe or massage heat into the limbs. Remove any wet clothing and cover in dry blankets, leaving only the face exposed. Place warm, dry towels on the neck and chest. Brew shade leaf tea and assist the patient in drinking in small sips. This will help to calm the stress of their experience and warm them from the inside. The patient can also inhale steam from a bowl of boiling water to heat the airways. Frostbite Warm the skin in tepid water for half an hour. The skin should turn red or purple during this process. The patient can drink atheros tea to help with the pain from the feeling returning to their limbs. Carefully separate fingers and toes once they have thawed. Elevate limbs to prevent swelling. Where the skin has blackened and died, cut away using the instructions for Diseased Flesh in the Flesh Wounds section. If a digit or limb requires amputation, see the Amputations section. Amputations Amputation of a limb should only be used as a last resort where no other healing methods are appropriate. Administer two doses of nightsap syrup to induce unconsciousness. Clean the amputation site with gislocinovi tonic. Cut through the skin with a small knife then, using a larger knife, cut through the muscle. Sever the bone with a bone saw. Seal the wound by stitching the skin closed to form a stump. This should then be treated as one would a wound. Illness Most illnesses require rest above all else, though there are some medicines which can be administered to speed recovery and alleviate symptoms. Blood lotus stew also assists in recovering strength following an illness. Blocked nose — Bitter reed & coltsfoot tea. Sore throat — Flash fruit syrup. Fever — Coltsfoot tea. Serpent’s stalk tonic. Nausea — Bitter reed tea. Headache — Atheros tea. Muscle aches — Massage with diluted frost vine salve. Fatigue — King’s ivy tonic. Cough — Coltsfoot tea. Sleeplessness — Javens tea. Shortness of breath — Coltsfoot syrup.
  7. Penned by Illynora Sylvaeri on behalf of Serinwë’s Hand in the 143rd Year of the Second Age. To harness the natural power of herbs, one must learn how best to prepare them. This guide draws upon traditional Wood Elven practices for preparing herbs and includes practical wisdom on how best to harvest them. The herbs listed are not exhaustive but cover most of the herbs a healer will ever have cause to use. This guide also has a companion piece, The Healer's Compendium. Harvesting Below is a guide on where to find herbs and the part of the plant which holds medicinal properties. After harvesting, herbs can be preserved by bundling and tying with twine, drying the herb in the sun until the moisture is gone, and hanging in a cool, dark space. The herb may then be stored in tightly sealed jars. Alternatively, Cryptus Mushroom may be dried, crushed into a powder, and sprinkled on herbs in order to dry them quickly. Some herbs are particularly dangerous to harvest. Blissfoil pollen can numb the senses when inhaled and the skin when touched. It should always be harvested wearing gloves and with the nose and mouth covered. Mandragora releases spores which can render one paralysed. There are stories of herbalists drowning in shallow water. When harvesting this herb, one should always travel in pairs and cover the nose and mouth. Beard Weed should always be harvested with gloves to prevent unwanted hair growth on the hands. Other herbs are especially delicate. Aqua Nymph must be wholly transplanted to a pot and brought back to the clinic or prepared at the site, for it is extremely delicate. Damage to any part of the plant will render the medicinal bulbs useless. Hiding Moss expands rapidly when exposed to light. One should either harvest it at night and keep it in a lightless container or harvest it under bright light, ensuring that the container is large enough. Otherwise, the container could break when the moss expands. Amberiddle In the branches of trees. Found in the central plains and the pine forest west of Haense. Stems and leaves. Atheros* Dense forests and jungles, in the undergrowth. Roots. Aquate Root* Around freshwater sources like lakes, ponds, and rivers. Bulbs. Aqua Nymph Swamps and jungles in shallow freshwater such as ponds. Found in the areas surrounding Lurin, Nevaehlen, Amathine, and Balian. Bulbs. Barrier Bush Frozen environments. Found in the frozen lands of the northwest and the tundra north of Norland. Branches and leaves. Beardweed Dense jungles and forests on low branches. Found in the pine forest between Haense and Talar’nor and in the forest north of Nor’Asath. Moss. Bitter Reed Muddy soil around ponds and lakes. Found in the marshland north of Lurin, on the western shore of the lake beneath Númendil, and in the marshland near Balian and Haelun’or. Stems. Blissfoil Growing on or around birch trees. Found in the woods near Veletz and Aaun, with some small patches near Haense and Urguan. Petals. Blood Lotus Deserts. Found all across the southern desert. Flowers, leaves, and stems. Coltsfoot* Along paths and roads. Leaves and flowers. The roots are toxic. Cryptus Mushroom* In caves or crypts growing on rotting bodies. Fungus. Draugr Tongue* Grassy plains and meadows. Flowers. Dwarf’s Pumpkin* Swamps. Leaves. Faerie Truffles Forests, among the roots of trees. Found in the forests and plains surrounding Norland, the forest north of Nor’Asath, and the mushroom grove surrounding Nor’Asath. Truffles. Flash Fruit* In the canopy of jungles or forests. Skin and meat of the fruit. Frost Vine Cold climates. Found in the frozen lands of the northwest, the pine forests surrounding Haense, and the pine forest north of Norland. Vine and leaves. Gislocinovi Found in the southeastern jungles. Stalks. Grobsnopper* Humid forests on the trunk and lower branches of trees. Flowers. Hiding Moss Found in the southwestern swamps. Moss. Javens Sandy soil. Found in the savannah just west of the southern desert. Burrs and seeds. King’s Ivy Grows over large rocks, tree trunks, and ruins. Found along the river running through the southern desert. Flowers. Mandragora Found in the southeastern jungles and the southwestern swamps. Root vegetable. Nightglow Found in the forest north of Nor’Asath and the plains between Haense and Veletz. Flowers. Night Sap Sap found on branches. Found in the plains between Haense and Veletz and the pine forest west of Haense, Sap. Paddfoot Found in the plains between Haense and Veletz. Petals. Serpent’s Stalk Found around the lake east of Aaun. Stalks. Shade Leaf* Shaded areas in forests and woodlands. Leaves. Swamp Blossom* Swamps. Sap inside the stems. Tippen’s Root Growing in and around carcasses. Found all over the continent. Roots. The flowers are what make this plant smell foul. Raw Herbs Some herbs are best used in their raw state, or with very little preparation. Beardweed Promoting hair growth. Blissfoil Numbing and pain relief. This is an incredibly dangerous herb which can lead to permanent loss of feeling. Blood Lotus Can be made into a soup or stew to help replenish strength, particularly after heavy blood loss. Faerie Truffles Healthy eyes, hair, skin, and nails. Hiding Moss Because of its absorbent nature, this herb is used to pack deep wounds. Oils Dry vast quantities of the herb in the sun until the leaves or petals begin to wilt. Shred the herb into a glass jar and cover with a clear, distilled spirit. Place the lid of the jar on tightly and shake for several minutes. Store in a dark cupboard, shaking three times per day. Repeat until the herb loses colour, which could take up to one week. Strain plant material through a cloth, pouring the liquid into a bowl. Repeat the entire process several times using fresh herbs but the same distilled spirit. Place the jar in a dark cupboard and leave for a few days until separation begins to occur. Freeze the jar in an ice room, a frozen river, or in the ocean under the shade of cliffs in winter. The distilled spirit will not freeze, but the oil will solidify. Skim the solid oil from the top of the jar and place into a dark glass bottle. The dark glass will prevent sunlight from weakening the medicinal properties of the oil. Once the oil has fully melted, it is ready for use. Medicinal Oils Aqua Nymph Scarring, when applied to the skin. Dwarf’s Pumpkin* Staving off fungal infections from inhaled spores, if oil is dropped in hot water and the resulting steam inhaled. Smells strongly of garlic. Other Oils Nightglow Glows faintly, meaning it can be used for invisible ink that is only visible in the dark. Paddfoot May be treated with alchemy into an oil that, when applied to footwear, can muffle sound. Poultices Cut the herb into small pieces. Crush using a mortar and pestle, adding water until a paste is formed. If using dry herbs, add more water. Poultices are to be used fresh and are not suitable for storing for later use. Medicinal Poultices Aqua Nymph Burns. Blissfoil Numbing and pain relief. This is an incredibly dangerous herb which can lead to permanent loss of feeling. Always handle with gloves when grinding into a paste. Coltsfoot* Gout. The leaves and flowers of this plant should be used, as the roots are toxic. Frost Vine Topical pain relief. Mandragora Aiding in the body’s natural regeneration, though when applied unnecessarily can lead to painful warts. Tippen’s Root Stemming blood flow on shallow, surface wounds. Smells strongly of rotten eggs. Other Poultices Faerie Truffles General skin care. Salves and Balms Creating salves and balms requires oil; the method of extracting oil from herbs is described above. Melt infused oil with beeswax. Less beeswax will lead to a liquid consistency, which can be considered a salve. More beeswax will result in a solid consistency, which can be considered a balm. Salves and balms can be stored in containers for long periods of time, though they will eventually go rancid. Many of the herbs which can be prepared into a poultice or paste can also be used in salves and balms. It is often worthwhile to combine herbs so that the salve or balm serves a dual purpose. Medicinal Salves and Balms Aquate Root* Dry and chapped skin. Aqua Nymph & Frost Vine Healing burns with added pain relief. Blissfoil & Tippen’s Root Numbing and coagulation of wounds. This salve should never be applied with bare fingers and should be used sparingly. Dwarf’s Pumpkin* Fungal infections. Smells strongly of garlic. Other Salves and Balms Aquate Root* & Faerie Truffle Moisturiser. Tinctures Fill a jar with the herb of choice. Half fill the jar with boiling water. Fill the other half with a clear, distilled spirit. Store the jar in a cool, dark space for one month, shaking daily. Strain the liquid through a fine cloth. Pour into dark glass bottles. The dark glass will prevent the sunlight from weakening the medicinal properties of the tincture. Most teas and tonics can be made into tinctures, although the taste is much stronger and more unpleasant. Medicinal Tinctures Shade Leaf* Calming the body, particularly after a traumatic experience. Teas and Tonics Blot the leaves or flowers dry, then leave to dry fully in the shade. Steam the dried leaves or flowers, then allow the steamed leaves or flowers to fully dry in the sun. Store the dried tea in a wooden box in a cool, dry place. To prepare the tea for use, place two spoonfuls of dried tea in a cloth and allow to steep in boiled water for five minutes. Remove the used tea leaves and discard. To prepare a tonic, boil fresh herbs in water for one day, stirring occasionally. Tonics are not suitable to be stored for long periods of time; instead, a tincture should be made. Medicinal Teas Atheros* Minor aches and pains. Has a bitter taste. Bitter Reed Coughs, colds, and nausea. Coltsfoot* Coughs, colds, flu, and fever. The leaves and flowers of this plant should be used, as the roots are toxic. Excessive consumption can lead to growths. Javens Insomnia. Mandragora Aiding in the body’s natural regeneration, though when consumed unnecessarily can lead to painful ulcers in the throat and stomach. Shade Leaf* Relieves minor stress. Medicinal Tonics Draugr Tongue* When applied with a cloth, this can be used to soften the skin and make removing impaled objects easier. Exposure to open wounds stings terribly. Gislocinovi When boiled, this herb can be used to clean wounds. It is not to be taken orally. King’s Ivy Wakefulness. Serpent’s Stalk Reducing fever, though this herb should be used carefully as three measures will induce hypothermia. Syrups and Saps Create a tonic using the method described above. Add the tonic and honey to a pot. Swamp Blossom sap can also be used for a syrup with a thinner consistency. Stir constantly over a low heat until the mixture develops a thick, syrupy consistency. Allow to cool completely before bottling. Syrups are suitable for storage in a cool, dark place for up to half a year. Medicinal Syrups (taken orally) Coltsfoot* Shortness of breath. The leaves and flowers of this plant should be used, as the roots are toxic. Excessive consumption can lead to growths. Flash Fruit* Numbing a sore throat. Grobsnopper* Fighting infection. Nightsap One measure will result in five hours of calmness and joy; two measures will result in dreamless sleep. Medicinal Saps (applied topically) Amberiddle Sealing wounds. Barrier Bush Repelling moisture.
  8. VA PURISTS, INTEGRATIONS SE UNDECLARED Issued on the 9th of Laenors Escape of the year 5 AST. WHAT ARE FACTIONS? Upon the arrival of the Aeltarosi to these new lands, they took in the strange sights and the strange people. These locals, as they dubbed them, looked wildly different to what they are used to which soon sparked controversy. Arguments began as to whether to allow outsiders into their community and culture, or to keep to their ways as they have for ages; and thus, the Purist and Integrationist factions were born. It is what has been dubbed as ‘the Prince’s Peace’ that keeps the bloodlust of the factions at bay, primarily within their city. The Prince's Peace allows for challenges to be had to settle disputes, which will be touched on further in this guide. This guide is for those who do not know of these, just how to join them and what each faction stands for in the political system of the Aeltarosi. HOW TO JOIN A FACTION? In order to join one of the factions in question, it is best to first read this guide to have an understanding of their values. Once you have decided on a faction, you will head to one of their recruitment offices or find an established Officer of the faction in question. From there, the Officer will take you through the process of joining your faction, the process itself unique to the faction in question which may be touched on further in what will be issued as the Purist and Integrationist Charters. Once you have been brought into the faction of your choice, you are oftentimes issued a faction badge, a weapons sheath with your faction's colors, a package of rations and an apartment room. THE FACTION CHALLENGES As mentioned in our introduction, a key point to ‘the Prince’s Peace’ is that of faction challenges. Faction challenges have a few sub-sections, in which there are varying types. You have a royal challenge, these are the major challenges that can be issued only by the Royal Household of Valraenos. These challenges are meant for a few things, in which the factions are arguing over which ambassador is sent for a pact, whether a family deserves their title or otherwise. From there, you have the personal challenge. Prerequisites must be hit first in order to issue there, in which a Mediator has been gotten before the challenge is issued. The person who issued the challenge is not the one who decides on what the challenge is, and is instead the person who was challenged who may pick. Challenges can be many things and are not limited to one type, they come under jousts, the solving of riddles, a game of Chess or otherwise. THE PURIST FACTION The Purist Faction, represented by the colors red, purple, and silver. This faction is dedicated to the preservation of Aeltarosi culture and the task of preventing outsiders from corrupting the genes, government, religion, and secrets of Aeltarys. This faction is willing to trade and negotiate with outsiders, but that is about it. THE INTEGRATIONIST FACTION The Integrationist Faction, represented by the colors blue, green, and silver. This faction is made up of the Aeltarosi who believe that after the departure from their old land and arrival upon the new, they should move forward as a culture and community and see what those dubbed as Outsiders have to offer. They believe in things being more free-ranged, overall and that we should open ourselves as a community. THE UNDECLARED AND MEDIATORS While these are not a faction of their own, they still merit a paragraph on just what they are. Those who are considered Undeclared walk a fine line between both factions, sitting in a gray area that allows them to associate with both sides to an extent. If not careful, though, they may find themselves at the wrong side of a faction member. As to Mediators, they are those sworn to never take the faction's oath and remain Undeclared. They have the ability to oversee challenges, to ensure fair play from both sides and make a ruling as needed. The Mediators have a badge as well, with the colors of blue, green and gold.
  9. A Guide to the Marsana Veil Issued by The Barony of Marsana On the 17th of Godfrey's Triumph in the Year of Our Lord, 58 B.A Introduction The veil is a staple fashion within that of Balian, a piece of fabric draped over a woman's head providing a form of shade, circulation and something aesthetic alike in her wardrobe. The Marsana veil is much like it in nature, with the vibrant colors most often shown in Balian but it has its key differences; such as how it's worn, how it looks and otherwise. On Embroidery A trend started initially by the Baroness of Marsana, Mariya, the blind woman had spent much time getting used to the feel and shape of fabrics, needles and such in order to form a hobby. It took time and practice, but soon veils with intricate embroidery only gotten from hours upon hours of work were produced for her daughters to don. If you ask her how she does it, she’d simply smile and say it’s much like the braille her husband has made. The embroidery, though, is nothing simple. It holds symbolism, whether by Marsana flowers that are depicted, water-based creatures such as the Hammerheads Sharks of the Ruthern household or even a mix of the two, such as jellyfish amongst the coral reefs. Each embroidered piece is one-of-a-kind, vibrant and tells a story of its own. On Colors Marsana veils keep to a mix of Raevir and Balian fashion alike, in which you can see a mixture of colors taking place. Whether it is a light gray veil, with intricate and colorful embroidery of black, grays and reds - a crimson red veil with lighter colored embroidery to contrast it - or that of a pastel veil, blues or pinks with golden or deep colored embroidery that makes the modest piece pop, giving it a bit of a pop, or some flare. On Fabrics The fabrics used are that of silk and cotton for the main body and tulle and lace for the detailing's. This by no means is the only thing that may be used, it is simply what is seen by the majority. Silk in particular is useful for its lightweight nature, its ability to regulate temperature and wick moisture, which keeps you dry and comfortable in the heat. As to cotton, it is lightweight, breathable and goes as far as to soak up moisture and allow you to stay cool as heat escapes. Each fabric has its own use, and it must be kept in mind when choosing your veil, as the weight due to the fabric, the embroidery and otherwise can change a multitude of things as to one's outfit. An example of a Marsana Veil. On Donning Your Marsana Veil Here are the following steps as to donning your very on Marsana veil, for those without someone to do it for them; One, you take the veil in question, and drape it rectangularly over your head, with one side longer than the other. Two, pin up both sides of the veil just under your hair, tucking those sections away. Three, flip the longer end of your veil behind your opposite shoulder. Four, flip the same end back to the front of your other shoulder. And then you are done, having donned your Marsana veil! Signed, HIS LORDSHIP, Gaius Rosius var Ruthern, Baron of Marsana, Amiratus of the Kingdom of Balian, Lord Seneschal of the Crown and Chief Minister of the Duana HER LADYSHIP, Mariya Elizabeth Ruthern, Baroness of Marsana
  10. 11th of Godfrey's Triumph, 49 BA Salutations- and welcome to Almaris (or whatever realm we’re in now.. or just LoTC in general). Balian is a great community, developed over a year now between a group of friends that lost a war a long time ago. It is extremely close knit- and very welcoming to any players, old or new. We pride ourselves on our inclusive RP- and our RP that we believe is of quite a high standard. We hope you decide to tag along and enjoy it too, just as we would enjoy having you. - Shmeepicus (Alexander I) In the southern lands of Almaris, a shining desert Kingdom under the grace of GOD stands in stalwart beauty. The Kingdom of Balian, a southern Canonist nation welcomes all visitors from all walks of life to come visit, socialize and reside within its prosperous borders. THE CITY OF ATRUS Atrus, the glistening walled capital of the Kingdom of Balian, is the seat of the Royal Crown of Balian. The Palatio Monterosa, home of the Royal Family is located within the city. The vibrant colors and the marble structures present within the city displays Balian’s colorful and prosperous atmosphere. The city is divided into four districts, each containing structures of importance. KING JOHN’S SQUARE Named after the first king of Balian, John Casimir, the square is the main area of Atrus. Upon entering the city, the first sight a traveler will come upon is the statue of John Casimir. They will then be met by the many distinct bazaars and shops, including the wonderful tavern and casino, and Atrus’s very own bakery. Here in Saint John’s Square the traveler may find many individuals to interact with or many shops to indulge their consumerist tendencies in. THE CHURCH DISTRICT La Sorella Basilica is the main attraction within this district. Its beautiful marble structure, its stained glass windows and its doma styled prismarine roofings is an excellent example of both Balian’s prosperous wealth and dedication to GOD and the canonist faith. The Basilica, cared for by His Eminence, Cardinal Teodosio Tyria, Vice Chancellor of the Church of Canon and the clergy of Balian is the main area for the practitioners of the Canonist faith. Many services, religious sermons and religious events sponsored by the Church and the Royal Duana of Balian are held within the Basilica. The Church District also contains some residential areas beside the La Sorella Basilica. THE THEATER DISTRICT What is a city without entertainment? The Saint’s Lothar theater district contains the official public theater of Atrus, The Saint Lothar’s Theater. Here is where much of Balian’s entertainment happens. One may find performances from the Bards’ College here or from Balian’s very own citizens. The theater district also contains residential homes for the Balianese citizens. The entertainment within the theater never disappoints! Here in Saint Lothar’s Theater is where stars are born! THE MARKET DISTRICT The Market District contains stalls and shops for citizens and traveling consumers alike to indulge in purchasing, haggling or at times even selling products that are grown or handmade in the Kingdom of Balian. Certain exotic products from other nations and settlements throughout Almaris are also sold here. The Market District contains the bulk of the residential homes in Atrus. THE BALIANESE CULTURE The culture of Balian can be described as a mixture of Petrine, Bathalite and Rhenyari influence. Its people tend to be more liberal, and tolerant than other human nations. Freedom of speech and participation in society is highly valued in Balian culture. Each of its citizens are encouraged to speak the truth. Yet, formalities and titles must also be respected. The Royal Family and the aristocracy of Balian are expected to provide for and take care of their fellow commoner citizens. The social ladder within the Kingdom of Balian tends to be a fairer climb than most other canonist nations. Mercantilism is a highly valued economic principle within the kingdom. The three most valued pillars of Balianese identity are: Faith, State, and Prosperity. THE GOVERNMENT OF BALIAN The government of Balian is an absolute monarchy. The Crown of Balian holds absolute authority over the nation and all of its affairs. Under the Crown sits the Royal Duana, the governing body of Balian that is tasked with handling the nation’s affairs. The Duana's body consists of various secretaries that head government offices comprising the Amiratus, Legate, Censor, Magister, Constable, Procurator, Agent-General of the Clergy and the Principal Secretary. THE AMIRATUS Also known as the Seneschal of the Crown- is the head of the Royal Duana and the chief advisor to the King. The Amiratus is considered the penultimate authority in the Kingdom, second to only the Crown. The associate members of the Duana answer to the Amiratus and the Crown. THE LEGATE Also known as the Secretary of Foreign Affairs- is responsible for the world view of Balian as well as the pacts and treaties that the nation holds. They are considered the chief diplomat of Balian. THE MINISTER OF THE INTERIOR Manages the various holdings of Balian. They are responsible for the Ecumene, or land survey of Balian, ensuring that the land as a whole is held to royal architectural standards. They are also the head of the immigration department in Balian. THE PROCURATOR The chief financial minister of Balian, entrusted with all of Balian’s financial matters, procuring more money for the Kingdom and looking over any spending of the nation. THE CENSOR The chief scribe of Balian. They take minutes of important meetings, organize the government press and the Royal Balianese Academy. They also maintain the census and oversee any elections within Balian. THE CONSTABLE The Captain of the Company of Balian, which is the national army of the Kingdom of Balian. The constable is responsible for the maintenance and command of the national army. THE MAGISTER The head of the Balian Judicial system. The Magister oversees most judicial matters within Balian and is the chief justice of the Balian judiciary. The Magister also advises the Crown in appointing judges, known as Kritai, for the Kingdom. THE AGENT-GENERAL OF THE CLERGY Tasked with promoting religious and cultural institutions within the realm. The Agent-General helps ensure that the Kingdom of Balian acts with the interest of the state faith of Canonism, they are the chief representative of Balian to the Church of Canon and to the High Pontiff’s Curia. THE PRINCIPAL SECRETARY Tasked with collecting intelligence and making internal reports within the Duana on potential improvements that may be made within the Kingdom of Balian. They also follow up with the many different offices within the Duana on behalf of the Amiratus and the Crown. THE SUPREME ASSEMBLY OF THE LAZZARI The City of Atrus contains its own local government. The Supreme Assembly of the Lazzari, spearheaded by the Syndic, consists of a member of four concios whom manage and govern the city’s infrastructure. The Assembly and the Syndic meet bi-weekly in the Assembly Hall of Atrus. Even if granted semi-autonomy, they answer to both the Crown and the Royal Duana. THE COMPANY OF BALIAN The standing military of Balian is named The Company of Balian (COB). The Company of Balian is the primary military force of the Kingdom of Balian. The highest authority of the Company is The Crown, followed by the Amiratus and then the Constable. The Company’s culture is one of camaraderie and brotherhood. Much like Balian’s culture, the Company represents Balianese ideals in all of its ranks. The Company is the primary law enforcement and defense force of the Kingdom. Being a member of The Company can be considered a prestige among the Balianese citizens, their work and dutiful commitment to keeping order and safety within the borders of Balian is considered a heroic and respectful service to the Kingdom and The Crown. THE BALIANESE PEERAGE The Peers of The Kingdom of Balian, also known as the Nobility, are among the most prominent families in Balian. Each Noble House has had a heavy hand in the founding, construction, and day-to-day life of Balian. THE COMMITTAL HOUSE OF VUILLER THE COMMITTAL HOUSE OF D’ARKENT THE VISCOMITAL HOUSE OF SARKOZIC THE VISCOMITAL HOUSE OF DARKWOOD THE BARONIAL HOUSE OF RUTHERN THE BARONIAL HOUSE OF GALBRAITH THE BARONIAL HOUSE OF KERVALLEN THE COURT OF MONTEROSA THE GOVERNESS OF THE COURT Tasked with keeping and maintaining the Palatio Monterosa and the court. The Governess is in charge of all events which may take place within the Kingdom of Balian, as well as creating events specifically for the palace court. The Governess is in charge with creating positions within the court and hiring the appropriate people to fill them as they act as a representative of themselves and the Court. The Monterosa Court, headed by the Governess of the Court, is a major hub for events and activities for nobles and commoners alike. The Court of Monterosa, located within the Royal Palace, conducts and maintains activity and many events within the Kingdom of Balian, hosting events such as Royal Court where the citizenry are free to petition the King of Balian or other members of leadership. The Royal Family resides within the Palace and members of the noble peerages often frequent the Palace for meetings and their freetime. Celebrations such as feasts and balls are held within the Palace and everyone within the Kingdom is welcomed to enjoy the sights and grandeur of the Palatio Monterosa. THE ROYAL FAMILY OF BALIAN The Royal Household of Balian are descendants of King John I of Balian who was a Novellen Prince of the Empire of Oren. Having founded the Kingdom of Balian, the Royal Household holds strong ties to Imperial Oren within their bloodline and continues to hold the surname Novellen with d’Atrus (of Atrus) added on to set them apart from other Novellen descendants in the realm. His Majesty, ALEXANDER I, King of Balian, Viscount of Eflen and Anatis, Baron of Brucca,Valens, Malenos and Ciavola, Lord of Atrus and Monterosa. His Royal Highness, HADRIAN CASIMIR, Prince of Monterosa, Duke of Abretta, Heir-Presumptive of the Kingdom of Balian His Royal Highness, ALEXIOS MICHAEL, Count of Pavano Her Royal Highness, ELENA CASIMIRA, Princess Royal of Balian, Countess of Rosemoor Her Royal Highness, LYDIA ANTHEIA, Countess of Caluzzo LOCATION OF BALIAN Balian’s location is situated in the South East of Almaris. The Kingdom can be reached by traveling through South Hub and taking the Camel in front of the Oasis which directly takes the traveler to the entrance of Atrus. Here is a depiction of the camel at the Oasis, the map and location of the Kingdom of Balian: (The Oasis Camel to Balian) (Coordinates: X: 1787, Y:3228)
  11. A TOURIST'S GUIDE TO THE KINGDOM OF AAUN By Fr. Harold; Revised Edition FOREWORD Contained herein, my fellow citizens, is a compilation of all my favorite architectural feats within our most serene nation of Aaun. If you are planning to visit soon, or perhaps are a native looking to see the unnatural beauty of your country, do pay close look to this most blessed of guides, and find your travels nicened by the pleasantry contained herein. t. Father Harold, Renowned Connoisseur of Architectury. THE GREAT SPIRE Crownlands Many guide-makers would try to lead you astray with false presumptions. But me, dear reader? I would do no such thing. I will be honest and quaint with my description; in that we of the Architectural Society of Almaris have no generally agreed consensus on where this structure came from. Some have thought it to be an egg what was layn by a very large dragon, occupied as a building only in recent years. Others proclaim it is a lost spire of olden times, reclaimed by the modern kingdom. Whatever its origins may be, I implore you to visit this great spire within the realm of Aaun. THE WALLED ESTATE Crownlands This estate is the historic seat of House Horen, yet today finds its use as the modern home of a handful of petty merchant-lords. Its beauty is not that which should be ignored, the grandeur only matched by the few surviving descriptions of Imperial palaces of eld. Be sure to stop by this marvel on your vacation to Aaun! HISTORIC FARMHOUSE Crownlands This historic work of architecture is one of the smaller on our list, but we deem it one of the most important despite this fact. This farmhouse, in fact, is the historically preserved farmhouse that Charles Alstion was raised in by his impoverished family. Within you can read excerpts from his diary, wherein he proclaims his juvenile ambitions to found a kingdom. How cute! ANCIENT FLYING MACHINE Crownlands The less curious of curious entries within this guide, there are many theories as to who precisely constructed this ancient technological marvel. Now laying dormant, it is broadly agreed that this wonder of imagination was once a flying machine of sorts, used by ancient peoples of the Crownlands to get from place to place with great speed. Have a correction, concern, or potential addition? Send it to Father Harold! Father Harold 1 Lector Way Arentania, Aaun IX O II I O
  12. THE NOBLE CITY OF ATRUS ‘Things Held in Common’ [Mood] “They say Atrus is the wildflower of the south, watered by the piety of its late King John Casimir. Its petals bloom outward, inviting all to a place of refuge.” Shalasannan Doxos, adventurer, reflecting on his time in the capital of Balian. The cosmopolitan city of Atrus is known for its unique blend of Petrine, Rhenyari, and old Balianite influences. Its streets are lined with white-washed buildings adorned with colorful mosaics and intricate carvings, while the bustling markets offer a diverse array of goods from all corners of the southern continent. Given its location in the desert, Atrus boasts a Mediterranean-like climate with hot summers and mild winters. The city is surrounded by heavy dunes that are also home to a variety of exotic flora and fauna, making it a popular destination for hunters and adventurers. It is a place where old traditions and new ideas come together to cultivate a hardy and innovative society. The Senate of Balian, a once proud institution made up of many former imperial bureaucrats, governed the city in the time of King John Casimir. However, over time, the Senate had grown stagnant and out of touch with the needs and concerns of the people. Seeing an opportunity to empower his people and revitalize his city, King Alexander chartered the First Commune of Atrus, a people's organization that would give the lazzari, or commons of Atrus, a political unit to band together and administer the desert city. The First Commune of Atrus introduces the historic Gradic Rights to the people of Atrus, as well as empowering them to name among them a First Syndic and Vice-Syndic to lead their city. They are afforded the power to self-legislate through the Supreme Assembly of the Lazzari, and it is the King’s hope that these reforms lead to a more agile and dynamic city administration powered by the collective knowledge and expertise of its people. The motto of the First Commune is ‘Things Held in Common’ - a reminder that the wildflower of the south, Atrus, is a gift shared among its people. THE RIGHTS OF OUR ATRUS The Lazzari of Atrus Enjoy The Kings Game The Commune of Atrus is granted privileges under the Gradic Rights which outline their autonomy and freedom from serfdom. The Gradic Rights were given to the Imperial Free City of Felsen during the reign of John II, Holy Orenian Emperor which allowed for greater autonomy to the city through a series of municipal rights. These rights came from a series of laws which gave privileges to the burghers, exemption from serfdom, and the ability for self-governance and self-defense. The Gradic Rights, c.1557 Hitherto the populace of this city shall be referred to as any legal landholder and their immediate family within municipal authority. Hitherto does the populace of this city have the right to waive feudal privilege and govern itself. Hence the city has the right to choose a leader from amongst its own. Hence the city has the right to produce and publish laws and rights regarding itself. Hitherto does the populace of this city have an exemption from serfdom. Hitherto does the populace of this city have the right to freedom of travel. Hitherto does the populace of this city have the right to collect tax, tolls, and impose fees. Hitherto does the populace of this city have the right to freedom of trade. Hitherto does the populace of this city have the right to a trial by judge. Hitherto does the populace of this city have the right to petition its lord. THE GOVERNMENT OF OUR ATRUS THE FIRST SYNDIC OF ATRUS The First Syndic of Atrus serves as the head of the municipal government. They are elected by popular vote by the citizenry every four years, and are expected to appoint a Vice-Syndic to help manage their affairs, as well as up to three commissioners to tackle specific municipal challenges such as construction, event organization, the management of press and publication, or more. THE SUPREME ASSEMBLY OF THE LAZZARI The Supreme Assembly of the Lazzari acts as the collective representation for the citizenry of Atrus. There are six seats within the assembly filled by citizens of the city. The seats are chosen by lottery vote, headed by the Procurator’s office once every four years. The assembly functions as the legislative body of the city and is charged with the creation and amendment of law and judicial statutes. It is named after the lazzari, or commons, in the modern Balian tongue, and one who fills one of the seats of the Supreme Assembly may be addressed as Concio. The commune is unique from other city governments in that while concios are the only ones that can propose a legislation to be voted on, the actual voting is done by all citizens of Atrus. In that way, while the concios guide and moderate discussion, all peoples of Atrus are enfranchised to vote on the bills that will affect them. A citizen of Atrus, is defined as someone who has lived in the city for more than two weeks, and has paid rent on a property in that time or served in one of its state institutions for that time. THE CITY CLERK OF ATRUS The City Clerk of the City of Atrus is appointed by the Procurator’s office and serves indefinitely until sacked by said office. They are the chief financial comptroller of the city, ensuring that royal dues are received to the Crown and chamber, and serve as the Crown’s representative in the city’s administration. If a City Clerk has proven inept, inactive, or otherwise corrupt, the Supreme Assembly can make a motion for impeachment on a two-thirds majority. JOINING ATRUS If the spirit of the concios and lazzari speak to you, then know that Atrus, the precious wildflower of the South, is open to all who seek honor, refuge, and peace. The city gates remain manned by Balian’s own military company, with a thriving and stable royal administration eager to welcome immigrants. Those interested in specific developments within the Commune should reach out to the Procurator’s Office, currently manned by Johanne Vuiller (@tadabug2000) for more information, or leave a reply expressing interest at the bottom of this notice. At the moment, Atrus is seeking an interim Syndic to be appointed by the Crown to lead the first four weeks of government - after that, elections will commence as the commune’s political foundation is established. The first Assembly will also be appointed by the crown, with the first lottery being held two weeks into government. Those who would consider being part of the founding city government should reach out to the existing City Commission of Johanne Vuiller (@tadabug2000), Sarson of Helena (@Cracker), or Gaius Ruthern (@WaveLincoln) for an interview. The city is also experiencing a robust reconstruction project headed by the reputed architect Guillermo Rutledge. Previews of the illustrious build can be found below. [Credit to @VonAulusfor build and @Greenerfor screenshots] For newcomers and veterans alike seeking a fresh opportunity, being part of the groundwork of the First Commune is an excellent opportunity to leave your mark on a realm ascendant. Join us today! [Consider checking out our discord as well to get involved! https://discord.gg/UVnE9uYt8G Announcements involving the interview process to become a concio, along with event and municipal updates can be found above.]
  13. A guide to making a character you'll cry about. You're probably thinking, "You want me to cry over a fictional character I made up? ", and that's fair. And the quick response is yes. The lengthy and complicated response is that I do not trust individuals who do not dip their fries in Wendy shakes, and I do not trust anyone who creates disposable characters without feeling regret for that character's existence. Yes, we are going to fully explore this. Hold on to your seats; if I can, I'll get you to give your all to a character you might not particularly like for, but you'll develop a relationship with that character that will give you a lifetime of memories to reflect on. I'll start by noting that not everyone will approve of you or your persona, but who gives a ****? You are the character. As long as you're considering the welfare of your characters rather than your own OOC expertise, no one else has the right to tell you how to act or behave. This tutorial will assist you with creating a character from beginning to end and provide you with suggestions for improvement as you roleplay. So let's get started by asking, "Who is your character?" Who are they related to? I enjoy playing out characters from beginning to end, so if you haven't tried it yet, I highly suggest looking for families that are seeking for kids. Be reasonable; avoid aiming for nobles or royals; trust me, we'll get to that point. Find individuals with whom you click, even if you have never met them before. Before I played their child, @JoanOfArc , one of the people for whom I play children for, was completely unaware of my existence. I had been given the go-ahead by a close buddy @rukio, who attested to the fact that I wasn't a numbskull and would try to be of assistance where I could. As you advance, your friends and options will also advance, but start small and find your folks. Play whomever you can get your hands on. Alternatively, you may create a whole new family out of NPCs and see if anybody will adopt you if you start off with no family at all. If you assume you'll always be an orphan, you're deluding yourself. If you just let roleplay develop naturally, I've never seen so many individuals in LotC with the largest hearts. If you treat them well, someone could adopt you, and everything might change. Wren Vanvir Ashwood was one of my very first characters. Fenn and the Uliaben family both adopted her because they thought she was too charming and smart to pass up. I wasn't exactly new, but I didn't have the same level of dedication. As a dark elf, all I wanted to do was cause problems. I personally navigated in such a tornado of a plot that people are still approaching me and wondering whether I played Wren Ashwood, which I must now clarify (as there was a wren the second time). Roleplay is vast, and anything can happen, so never lose hope! You can do it! Character Creation! If you know me well, you are aware of my utter nerdiness. I enjoy developing characters. I enjoy creating art. I adore character arcs and skins. I'll outline the exact steps I use while creating a new character for you in this phase. For example, we are going to create a completely new character. I may use this later, I may not. Who knows? Though I've had characters of practically every species, I've recently been playing a lot of humans. Each person has a niche and community of their own. When you believe you have one race under control, a new subculture emerges that you want to investigate. Even I am not familiar with them all. There are so many, but if any reader wants to add their subculture, just leave it here, and I'll include it all. I'll classify this according to how I perceive it: You'll simply have to read about my experiences because they are my own and I genuinely don't have any unfavorable ideas. Deal with it. For a more in-depth read on every race, I suggest you comb the wiki: https://wiki.lordofthecraft.net/index.php?title=Races Races: Human OK, so there are terms you are going to hear thrown around, like heartlander and highlander, and if you've been here a long time, you know what those mean, but in reality, no one really cares too much about which one you are. It is more of a flavor text than anything. People may be interested in whether it is folk or aduian. Haense Haense is a fun community if you like politics and war. I mean that in the nicest way. Sometimes I like to think of them as lumberjacks--kind of scruffy, grumpy, and always mean business. On the female side of it, it's cold and warm at the same time. Everyone is very straightforward. They don't tend to beat around the bush and take action before speaking words. The more you do action-work, roleplay, odd jobs, or even work your way through the military, the more you are rewarded. They stick with their own and are super friendly once you get past the accent. \ Norland The Norland community is very nice. They remind me a bit of the Vikings. Now don't make a Viking character and go straight there. I have no clue what may happen to you. But they are a bit more rough than Haense, but the payout for being in their community is life-long friends that will fiercely And by that, I mean they will cause a shitstorm if you are in trouble. Savoy Savoy is what you get when you mix nobility, Italians, and every German you can find. They're not called German or Italian, but if you look closely, you'll see what I mean. more of a budding nation or city state then, so if you're looking for something a bit fresh but still has players that know history, they will help you out. I don't have much to say about it; the people who like Haense and Oren usually have a good time here. Oren, Aaun, Petra Oren is what you may see as high regency and the exact opposite of Haense. Whereas where Haense is straightforward in their actions, Oren follows that the words hold more power than the sword in most incidents-a wild playground of politics, nobility, balls, and a few poisonings have not been unseen. It is a fast-paced society where everyone seems to have a place that can be dedicated to building themselves to higher ground—not impossible by any means, but gratifying once you achieve whatever it is you achieve. Oasis and Yong ping, Farfolk So you don't want the usual human roleplay; you want to try a different subculture. Most Asian cultures are similar to Yongping, though it is not what most Chinese and Japanese cultures are like in the real world. The same goes for Oasis. Things may sound similar to what they may be in the IRL world. But I promise you, it is nothing scary or anything to worry about. Treat everything as roleplay and quite literally throw any notion of what you think it is out the window, because it is not that. And you'll have more fun if you face it with wonderment rather than trying to be all knowing about it. The Pure mixture Is it a pure mix? What is the pure mix? I refer to the pure mix as a mix of humans who form cities and vassals together with little regard to background and more concern for the families they build along the way. Freimark is a good example, or Rosanina. I hoped I spelled that correctly. They don't care where you come from in the human nations as long as you abide by their rules and family goals. These are great places to start if you have a bit of anxiety when it comes to big crowds. The Medium blend The medium mix—so if a pure mix is mainly humans, what is the medium mix? Mixed-race hubs are regarded by the majority of LotCers as being of moderate mix. These have shown on a few different maps. This is particularly true for humans because Sutica and Elysium's earlier iterations were ruled by them and housed a wide variety of species while preserving a peaceful unity. To be fair, not everyone enjoys these hubs. Your favorite location could not be someone else's favorite. Don't get upset about it and don't take it personally. Every coin has two sides, and it's possible that you don't fully understand the situation. Dwarf Urguan, It is probably your biggest hub for dwarves out there. Holding every subrace of dwarf in one area, ruled by a king that was switched out by diplomacy. They work in their own communities and do things like mining, magic, and smithing. They were builders too, shesh. It gets amazing the further down some of the tunnels you go. It is a place worth experiencing at least once. And above, the forest dwarves have their own farm land that occupies that and the caves above it. There is a unity between the two. Mynebor Sue Me! I'm MENTIONING IT! The main protagonist of most dwarves' stories is Mynebor is a touchy subject for most dwarves, so I don't believe you should ever mention it unless someone brings it up to you that you should join. Now there will always be conflict between the two. Players and dwarves alike, their dwarves hold a book of grudges that lasts for years. So get ready to be a little edgy and a little wholesome if you join up on mynebor. Mostly cave dwarves and dark dwarves in handfuls-quite literally, a very small niche community. Orc. Goblins Goblins are such little spiteful creatures that get picked on quite a bit. Most of them are bloodthirsty little spitfires, and most of them usually live within Krugmar, but they can be seen in some medium mixes. Ologs We love the big dummies of the orcs, and we also fear them. It all depends on the person behind them and their choices in life. This required a CA to play Orcs Orcs are not all the same. Do not even try to kid yourself into thinking about it. In the heat of the moment, getting raided may feel the same to you, but it is not. They may all talk in blah, which is hard to understand. The way I learnedre not all the same. Do not even try to kid yourself into thinking about it. In the heat of the moment, getting raided may feel the same to you, but it is not. They may all talk in blah, which is hard to understand. Placing straws in my mouth while pretending they were tusks allowed me to learn Blah. Blah was to put straws in my mouth and pretend they were tusks and talk. In VC, everyone made fun of me, yet it worked! Orcs operate in their own unique manner. It is comparable to the Slytherin house. Even though they have a bad reputation and are despised by everyone, they are actually incredibly proud and honest people. They will typically accept a Klomp (pvp) to the face with grace. Even if it initially seems more tribal, the more you look at this gem in the rough, the more you could like it. Elf: Elves are a fickle case. Sometimes you don't want to stay in the same spot when you have such a lengthy lifespan. You'll frequently travel away from your primary abode. Never feel guilty—in fact, if somebody makes you feel guilty, let them have it. You may do anything you darn well choose, and it is in your character to do whatever you want. Elvenesse Elvenesse is the hub for elves. Mostly wood elves, but you'll see your fair share of mixed elves there as well. If Orcs are too tribal for you, wood elves, who focus on rituals and aspects of their main religion, may be your next step. Elvenesse is a fun spot if you wish to be involved that way. Druids Another place where all walks of life live. Although I will admit that I notice more wood elf cultures migrating here than I do elfness—something about being in touch with nature drives us all a bit crazy, I think— To dwell inside their groves, though, you do not absolutely need to be a druid, though it is strongly advised. Many of them come from families that never become druids. Fenn The snow elves—I mean the redacted. These high elves carelessly dwell in the frigid air and cold. a close-knit group of people who have persevered through many difficulties and tribulations. Numerous individuals appear to play snow elves and never depart. There, the populace is exceedingly moral. a community that will give you a job if you ask, with a political and military structure entwined with it. Haelunor Everyone has at least once heard about Haeunor. You'll encounter a lot of rumors. Really, just toss them out the window. In contrast to their role, high elves are the complete opposite. This, at times, is pretty humorous. Consider them to be political ravenclaws who will quip you into oblivion and then repeat the precise rule you breached in its entirety. a civilization that is based on ideas that have been successful for them.a culture based on principles that have produced positive results for them. They convey a distinct notion of pure; they are not inherently racist. In all honesty, people don't make as much of a fuss when they keep things inside themselves, therefore I don't see why Haelunor gets a bad name for it. With elves, it's basically the same idea. Perhaps you are the one reading those who think in such words incorrectly. Dark elf Oh, dark elves my babies. There are so many different communities and civilizations among Dark Elves. They are among the most varied elves and are continually evolving. Their communities typically have minor city states or ties to other countries to help them survive. Maybe you'll be the one to bring the ker together in the end? Who knows?.. nors'sath cough Halfling Don't be fooled by the cute face and wholesome rp; halflings are terrifying, bloodthirsty little buggers.Their community is usually super kind and friendly to everyone. The most well-known secret is that you get the halflings to win your wars. They have some of the most memorable events and games, such as shogging. If you've ever wanted to play a hobbit from Lord of the Rings, this could be your chance. Have I provided you with a lot of details? Read it slowly and carefully. I'll be here in the next sentence, waiting for you with patience. <3 So you've got your race and a broad concept of where you'd like to travel. Don't get too hung up on that notion. There is so much of the world to discover; but, your house is only one location. I suggest that wherever you go, most families and settlements have discord. Decide what you want to be after doing some study and looking at their artwork and skins. The community can correct me on this, but (https://sites.google.com/view/skinarchive/home) is the skin archive made with skins from the community to use for free. There are also plenty of people that will make skins, usually for a price, but if you really need a skin, I'll make your first one free if you're joining a new area. But only once! I'm lazy. Don't overwork me please. Make a Pinterest board, and trust me, you can keep it for as long as you want.Usually I keep a pinterest board with face claims, things that remind me of my character or who I want them to be, suggestions for names, clothing, and poems. Something I can do in my off time to connect me to my character. here are some examples of past characters that are now pked: It is surprising what you can accomplish and what ideas you can find when you start to create a character from just pictures. NAMES Now you maybe have a name- maybe you don't? But here are some websites I look for names when I'm looking for something specific. https://www.behindthename.com/names/gender/feminine/usage/ancient-roman (this site has so many names from different cultures and where they show up in history it's nice when you're looking for something meaningful. Ultizie pinterest- they have some great names if you just look. Ask the folks in charge of your family. They'll always be a useful resource to utilize, whether they're regular names or names they wish their children to have. So you have a name, now let's get that character description down to cap. You may now utilize the roleplaying's cosmetic cues with as little work as possible while creating your character card on LotC. The longest card description ever is another option. You are absolutely in control! While other individuals utilize hair or even complexion and skin tones, I frequently use my character's eye color when creating emotes. "Nikita's icy blue eyes flashed, her dark brows furrowing, her back straightening, holding her chin high, moving from her seat to her throne above, the fabric of her velvet crimson dress smoothed out, not a single crinkle to be seen." "Nikita's blue eyes frowned, moving to her seat on the dias, she seemed to be angry." Which sounds better to you? Both of these emotes are decent in a manner, but I'm showing you that I'm painting an image in your minds' eyes that goes beyond what you can see on a single MC skin. I offered you hints by giving you details: cold blue eyes akin to snow, dark eyebrows, probably a character that slouches a lot or has bad posture, in a textured dress of red hues. FLAWS My favorite topic is to give your character flaws! Do it. I'm pressuring you. Give your character a flaw, anything that deviates from their highly idealized persona. Nobody is flawless. Everyone has something to conceal. I assure you that it is extremely valuable to have a clumsy character carry something and just tumble down stairs if your character has an edge and you utilize that in roleplay. Who could be able to save you? Will you be pursued by anyone? Do they laugh and point? For something so easy, you are creating a role-play for everyone else in the room. Because it is such a basic idea, so many people ignore it. Give the feelings and worries of your character. They have their own feelings; they are not puppets. Instead of treating them like the dummies you play with and assume different forms as, treat them like actual individuals. Here is a list of all my flaws. - I got rid of the overused ones. You're capable of more than that. Absent-minded abusive addicted Alcoholic big-mouthed Bigoted blunt Egotistical envious erratic disloyal frugal gullible Humorless Hypocrisy clumsy illiterate impatient, lazy a liar Obsessive overzealous over emotional sarcastic Nosey overprotective Senile shallow squeamish Afraid of ______ stubborn tactless Stutter weak Fatigues quickly passive Attention Seeker Sunburns easily Somehow, it always gets dirty. cracks knuckles or bones constantly. Jumpy or nervous Unable to grow facial hair, They laugh at their own jokes. I hum to myself Eats food in a particular order or picks it apart. Over salt foods A really bad singer/dancer BItes fingernails overly sensitive to odors Attack hugger Overly Shares Crude humor Big eater Gentle giant Condending A psychopath Traumatize them if you don't want a flaw. Trauma bonding is something we all do on a daily basis. Make that worse RP circumstance into a character defect. To protect you in Oren, your grandfather lost his life. You're now blaming the troops who took him into custody and, in your opinion, murdered him. And if you ever find yourself in a difficult place, lash out. They are now afraid of troops who refuse to help them or even approach them. Yes, I used a real RP example. We cherish Elizabeth. Your character is one of many children. I was 4 out of 14. Make friends, adopt a person's family as your own, and harbor resentment because they have a more loving family than you have (tear Nitika ). FULL Send it! Trial and error it all the way! Make the most of the RP you have by running with it! People become more understanding, and you have a better comprehension of your character's motivations as opposed to simply assuming they are bored and acting as they do. Has everyone you've ever loved passed away? Become a doctor so that no one perishes at your hands. Be a helicopter parent and a soldier to defend your family because you don't want anything to happen to your children that may have happened to you. We push the role-playing game; it's like a huge sandbox of possibilities, and you have all the little crystals in your hands. ‘ Build a castle, then someone destroys it? This time, solidify it with water. These examples are what I call "character arcs." From one experience to the next—from one joyful or tragic day in your life to the next. Consider it as constructing your own narrative as opposed to the entire universe. The lead character in your own novel is you. Although you might not be the main character in someone person's book, you can still uphold their beliefs and ideals since you are the main character in your own. Not everything has to be bad.. Build a castle-someone knocks it down? Use water this time and solidify it. Yes I know I said this, but please reread it i said to build a castle. Create the life you wish to lead. It's not necessary for your character to be upset or furious all the time. They have the ability to feel joyful and to take pleasure in even the little things if they so choose. They don't always have to pick disputes with those who treat them unfairly or withdraw and live a lonely life because their wife, girlfriend, or friend passed away. Trauma develops character, but it's up to you to enhance it rather than merely play a part that you'll be associated with for the rest of time. Just because you're depressed doesn't mean you have to portray a depressed character. I am aware that we all put a little part of ourselves into whatever we do, and that this may be sad for both ourselves and our characters. Sometimes they operate only as a reflection of our thoughts and knowledge. Despite our best efforts, there is a power/metagaming rule. It's okay that dealing with it might be really difficult at times. If you followed all of these steps, you'd have a skeleton of a character on your hands, with a deep understanding of things you probably never considered before.And if you have? You are probably a better rper than I am! I'm kind of bottom of the barrel decent. Now to solidify, I suggest you use one of these: copy the doc and reuse it. Also, /cex bio link it. /Cex bio www.dontusethislink.com This is a mixture of templates and character bios I've collected over the years. Some of them are DND based, some of them are simple text docs. Playlist This sounds silly. But do it-once you have any sort of idea of who your character is, it's entirely optional, but I don't like silence. And I really like music. So what I'll do is make a character playlist. What's a character playlist? A character playlist is a playlist of songs that i fit in categories It fits my character. Follow the same pathway or vibe of an rp. Or something I'm striving for in a goal of some sort. My playlists all differ. From folk songs to rap, broadway and slow music, rock country, and other genres, some have songs that are similar to others while others have entirely unique tunes. I'm satisfied with everything I can get my hands on. Here is the music for an episode I presently have on hold for a character. She is one of my sweetest and most reserved characters. So most of the songs here are soft and ukelele-done. Versus Fardir, a member of Mynebor, grew from this sweet child to a lady trying her hardest to succeed in a world she believed despised her and wanted to kill her. This gloomy playlist made my father proud. moral ambiguity and the difference between good and wrong. many moody feelings You don't have to listen to them; each of them evokes completely distinct feelings. However, I often pick a music from the playlist that I think best matches while I'm writing a particular article. I am aware of a few people that pre-plan their PK posts, but I never think it is required unless you adhere to your own set of guidelines. I hope you learnt something new from this. I also hope you made a character you'll later weep over. Here we go with what was mostly a rant I started around six months ago...
  14. Farming Guide Hey there! Do you have a plot of land somewhere on the server? No clue what to do with it? This guide will teach you how to be a farmer and obtain both passive & active income from your farming! PRO TIP: Right click mature crops with a hoe to harvest and auto-replant them! This doubles wheat yields! Contents: ~Field setup~ ~Does lighting matter?~ ~Crops to consider~ ~Selling your crops~ ~Animals are important~ ~Controlling your cattle~ ~Field Setup~ ~Each block of water hydrates a 9x9 square (4 blocks in every direction) around it~ Fields, how do you set them up? By far the most important thing to consider is hydration. Without hydrating your farmland, your crops will grow very slowly! However, if you spam water everywhere, you might miss out on space that could otherwise be planted on with a more efficient water setup! ~Cheeky water-block hiding under the farmland, hydrating the farm without wasting any space to do so!~ On a flat surface, the most efficient water layout is to put 1 block of water in the center of each 9x9 square on the field, leaving 8 blocks of farmland between each water block (not counting the water blocks themselves). However, if you are farming on a slope, you can hide water blocks underneath existing farmland to hydrate everything without any exposed dirt left un-planted! ~Does lighting matter?~ No! Unless you are farming underground (which isn't allowed on LOTC), block lighting has no impact on crop growth. Crops grow based on the SKY light level, not the block light level. The block light level only matters if the sky light level (which remains at 15 even at night if the block is exposed to open sky) is too low for crop growth. As long as the crop can be planted, it will be able to grow there during daytime AND nighttime. Don't believe me? Look below: ~Crops to consider~ Wheat: Wheat is used to craft bread, cake, cookies, and hay bales. Hay bales are useful for healing horses and as a decoration block, and bread is a common travel food. On LOTC, each harvested wheat crop yields 2 wheat, 2/3rds of a loaf of bread. Wheat is easy to process into a sellable form, easy to store by crafting it into hay bales, is vital for horse breeding and horse combat (in hay-bale form), and is needed to breed cows and sheep (high-value animals). This is why wheat is the most common LOTC crop, and thus it's highly worth planting on your LOTC farm. Potatoes: Potatoes can be smelted in a furnace to make baked potatoes, providing 6 saturation and 5 food points just like bread, or fed to pigs to breed more of them. On LOTC, each harvested potato crop yields 2 potatoes, each potato capable of being smelted into a baked potato. Thus, potatoes are 3 times as efficient at producing food as wheat, assuming you have enough fuel to smelt them. If you plan to sell food in bulk, don't have tons of space to farm, and have access to cheap or free fuel, potatoes are worth farming, perhaps even better than farming wheat if you're only producing foodstuffs. If fuel is expensive or otherwise unobtainable, don't bother. Carrots: Used to make golden carrots and breed rabbits and pigs. Carrots themselves are a horrible food item, but golden carrots are the best food item in the game, hands down. Golden carrots provide 6 hunger points and 14.4 saturation, the most saturation out of any item in LOTC (steak only provides 12.8 saturation). Golden carrots heal you faster than any other food item in LOTC as a result, on top of being necessary for horse breeding. Carrots are worth farming if you have access to lots of gold or plan to breed horses. Otherwise, don't bother, you'll just fill up your storage with useless carrots you'll never be able to sell. Only a small carrot farm is necessary to produce golden carrots, as you'll likely be limited by gold instead of carrots, so don't go overboard with carrot farming. Beetroot: Used to craft beetroot soup and red dye or to breed pigs. Unless you need a lot of red dye, there is no reason to farm beetroot. Beetroot soup is nice for feasts at least, but for that purpose even a tiny farm will provide plenty of beetroot. Probably the worst crop in LOTC. Pumpkins: Used to craft jack o' lanterns and pumpkin pie. If you have a lot of eggs and sugar, growing pumpkins is worth it for the pie, which makes for an excellent base food item to make RP-item food with. Useful in October for seasonal decoration. It might be worth stocking up on some for when Halloween season comes around. Melon: Eating this restores 2 hunger and 1.2 saturation. The main use for melon is as glistering melon for potion-making, which isn't a thing on LOTC. Decent decoration block for jungle settings. As a whole, melon is down there with beetroot as a terrible LOTC crop. Only worth farming for variety in feasts, honestly. Sugarcane: S tier crop. Sugar can be used for cakes and pies, but the main reason you want to grow sugarcane is for the paper. 3 paper can be crafted into a book on LOTC. Books are very easy to trade or sell to librarians who always need more bookshelves to expand their libraries. If you plan to do writing on the side for extra minas, sugarcane is a must-have crop, but even if you never write any books or journals, sugarcane is worth growing along any bodies of water near your farm for easy paper. ~Selling your crops~ ~Bread selling on the auction house~ Bread, baked potatoes, and other such travel foods are easy to sell on the auction house. It's common for players to run out of food when traveling and by more from said auction house. If you're producing a lot of wheat and potatoes, auctioning them off is a good way to make some minas. Keep in mind that auction house prices for food are often cheaper than shop prices. Thus, you'll make more minas selling your farm goods in a shop than you will selling them on the auction house. ~A typical bread shop~ Shops that sell bread or potatoes for 0.1 minas each are also a common way farmers unload their goods. Some nation capitals don't have auction houses anymore, and thus players are forced to buy food from these shops, giving the farmers who stock them a good amount of minas in return. If shops are cheap to buy in your nation's capital, it's absolutely worth getting one. PRO TIP: You can sell wheat both as hay bales or as bread. Take a look at the typical prices for each and see what will make you more money. Each hay bale takes 9 wheat and each bread takes 3 wheat, but sometimes hay bales sell for more than 3x as much as bread does. You can also barter your goods directly for things you need. This is especially the case with leather, hay bales, or wool. The next time a traveling merchant enters your city, consider offering them some of your farmed resources in exchange for the weird trinkets they carry. ~Animals are important~ ~Sheep, cows, and a chicken coop~ While crops are cool and all, most of a farmer's money comes from animals instead! You can breed up to 4 animals every restart, so make sure to get the best value out of this limited ability as you can! Some animals provide passive income whereas others only produce valuable goods once killed. PRO TIP: You can breed animals during high serverload by feeding them first and then putting the animals you've fed on leads. The leads re-activates their mob ai and lets them breed! Produces value when killed: Cows: THE MOST VALUABLE ANIMAL! Cows can be killed for leather and raw beef that can be processed into surge PvP gear and steak, a common PvP food, respectively. If you don't know what to do with your 4 animal breeds, just breed cows! You can never go wrong with cows! Since cows don't produce any value until they die, there's no reason to stockpile too many cows at once. A good rule of thumb is to breed up to 8 cows and then kill any adults off past 8. This way you can always breed 4 more cows and receive a steady stream of valuable steak and leather. Pigs: Meh. They provide more food when killed then cows, but since cows drop leather and pigs don't, they are easily outclassed by cows. Rabbits: Rabbits can be bred during high serverload when other animals have their mob ai turned off, so if you only ever log online during peak, weekend hours, it might be worth it to have some rabbits (the pro tip above nullifies this advantage, sadly). You can make rabbit stew from their meat, a pretty decent stew item which sadly does not stack. Otherwise, they're just cows but significantly worse. Produces value when alive: Sheep: Sheep are great for making minas. Wool sells pretty well, since builders need lots of it for decoration and often don't have sheep of their own. Sheep need the following to produce wool: -Serverload isn't on high (mob ai is on) -Grass block for them to eat Sheep's minas-producing capabilities are destroyed by high serverload more than any other animal. Furthermore, grass blocks won't grow during high AND medium serverload, making sheep more of an off-peak sort of animal. To maximize the value of your sheep, give them lots of grass in a big pen so that they don't run out when random tick speed is turned off in medium-high serverload. Chickens: Chickens are the best animal for passive value. Chickens will lay eggs forever even if you completely ignore them, unlike sheep which requires you to shear them on occasion. If you put your chickens on top of a hopper, they will slowly fill the hopper up with eggs. It is worth having chickens in a chicken coop in order to produce eggs without you having to do anything at all. ~Controlling your cattle~ ~Cows well secured behind iron doors and a piston wall~ Breeding animals has its risks and isn't just free, easy minas. There are people who kill other people's animals to fence their stolen innards on the auction house. These people are difficult to stop as they typically strike when you aren't online. KNOW YOUR RIGHTS! Server rules dictate that thieves MUST leave an RP sign behind when killing your animals so that you know the criminal act was committed. Furthermore, they cannot, under any circumstances, kill or let-out animals such that fewer than 2 animals remain in a pen. If you notice a bunch of your animals disappearing without an RP sign left behind OR if all the animals in a pen suddenly vanish, MODREQ IMMEDIATELY! Cows are the most common target of these cattle rustlers, as they drop high value leather when killed. Your cows should be the most secure of all of your animals. Sheep, on the other hand, need lots of grass to produce wool, and don't drop anything too valuable when killed, so it's probably fine to have sheep out in an open pasture (unless the castle rustlers are feeling cruel and kill your sheep just for the heck of it). Your farmer character might want to cooperate with the local guard force to keep your animals safe from thieves. You could even hire mercenaries just to protect your animals, if you have the coin for it. Keep your most valuable animals in a barn if you can, protected by locks, walls, or even traps if you want to try out some redstone. A safe cow is a happy cow (until you kill it yourself, that is)! -jumperhand3, longtime LOTC farmer
  15. when I wake up I don't want this redstone mechanism to have anything left in it. drain it dry, boys.
  16. The path of the Aspect's Chosen is not paved with fame and fortune. It is a quiet, woodland stroll, of silent suffering and wordless joy. The service that druids provide to the Balance, and subsequently the Aspects, is a long, storied, and arduous tale. There have existed druids so dedicated and steadfast in their attunement that we continue to pass their teachings on today, tomorrow, and ever more. There have existed druids so disturbed and troubled by their attunement that we pass on the story of their struggles in tandem. This is as it should be, for there is no great spiritual harvest without there also being a great spiritual winter, and the fulfillment of the complex flow of Balance is unachievable without equal portions of joy and lamentations. It is not without great caution that the Verdant Path is offered, yet it should be equally so that great caution is taken when withholding the path from the inhabitants of the realm. In this belief, perhaps the small yet industrious bee may offer their wisdom. The duty of the bee is immense; without the support of its kin the bee would die without the products of the hive. The flowers would go untended, their plants withering without the careful attention of their striped friends. The bear would never know the sweetness of the hive's determined industry, and the bird may never take nourishment that is the sacrifice of the bee. For the continuation of this harmony that is Balance, it is paramount that the role of the Student, the Druid, the Guide, and the Grove is defined to the best of literature's means in which it may serve as the pillars of the Druid's values, goals, and purpose. The Student The King and Peasant are not so much unalike, for both may thirst for the rivers of spiritual knowledge. To take the path of Dedicancy is that which is truly sacred: it is the agreement to learn, to submit one's self to strife and challenge in the hope of achieving deeper understanding of our tumultuous world. The Students are those among us that may make great discoveries, face indescribably challenging conflict, and learn lessons in which they foster a great desire to share. The Student's role is to learn, but it is also their sacred, unsung, and perhaps unintentional role to teach their Guide. To assume that a Student's Guide has experienced every challenge and hardship is not only irresponsible but demeaning for both. The seed is the representation of the potentiality of life, such as the student is the representation of the potentiality of great knowledge. Guides need only to foster their growth, and learn from their journey so that the next seed, or Student, may be just as enriched as their elders. The process itself of becoming a Student is very easy, and can be taken by anyone of good character and pure intent. When a seeker has discovered the inspiring acts of a druid and gained a thirst for deeper understanding, they may beseech the druid for their tutelage. In this gesture, the Student may be unknowingly granting the greatest honor achievable for a Druid: the affirmation of the value of their teachings and a desire to learn from that Druid. From there, their path may begin through a series of tasks and lessons that pertain to real, current duties of the druidic community of the time. The Student will immerse themselves in the realm of Balance's struggle, and gain valuable insight before the Student is attuned into the Great Family. These tasks may range from challenging, quiet, cerebral and physical. In preparation for the Student's body and soul to serve a the greater call of nature, they must incorporate themselves in the daily struggles of existing Druids. This should not be a path unhappily followed, for should a Student find that there is no value in that which is being taught it is just as vital to allow them to stray from the path or seek another Druid. While the desired understanding can and has been attained by a single Guide's teaching, it is an unnatural restriction to expect it totally from each Guide and Student relationship. The Seed, or Student, must be allowed to grow in accordance to what answers they seek, and secrecy will stifle their potential growth to an unknown severity. The Student is the Spring season of the cycle of the Druidic cycle. The Druid To willingly suffer on the behalf of those that cannot speak is to love purely and justly The baptism of a graduated Student in the energies of attunement is a right of passage all within the Great Family have taken. The great equalizer of druids is the process of Attunement, for once the path is taken and endured, they join a family of those that can see, hear, and feel that which was previously unknowable. Every druid, newborn and elder, hears the same voices, delights, and anguish of the natural world. It is the light of perspective that shines upon Druids and allows their individual strengths to blossom, and give a kaleidoscope of culture and meaning to an otherwise overwhelming sense of perception. Elders have often said that the culmination of all hopes, fears, struggles and bonds they have nurtured and severed bombard the mind of the newborn druid like a great tidal wave. Here, the Aspects are presented the soul of the Student and examine the dedication of the oath they have sworn to nature. All unsung accomplishments, the quiet deeds of kindness, and grand victories for the preservation of the Balance are seen and heard by the Mother and Father. If the Student has satisfied the tenets of each Aspect in Balance, they will bathe the Student in the first and most important gift of all of the gifts: Perception. Emerging from Attunement, which is often but not necessarily done within a quiet and secluded pool in a grove or the wilds, is akin to second birth. Where there was silence and lack of life now there is song, color and feeling. Attunement is never ceasing, for it is an eternal state of awareness in the delights and distress of all living things. It can be maddening, even fatally so. This is where the Great Family emerges like the eye of a hurricane for their young brother or sister. Druids have been acutely conditioned to recognize anguish, and some have mastered the arts so finely that they may enlist the help of that very thing they protect to support the newborn druid in kind. Even where druids may not possess the means to sway the song of the world so potently, they may possess other skills or acts of care in which to comfort and support the new Druid. As a mother and father of the physical world would hope that their children care for each other, so too should we assume that the Aspects would hope that their druidic children would care for each other. This is the core concern that arises when Druids murder or maim Druids: it is as symbolic violation of nature itself. The Role of the Druid is to practice. Attunement enables the Druid to reach for the Gifts that have been freely offered to us by the Aspects. While the Gifts can make the task of the Druid easier, it is not that which makes impossible solutions possible. The acquisition of the Gifts does not place the Druid in any state of higher or lower authority over Druids that do not possess the same Gifts, they are truly and simply Gifts. The beauty of receiving a gift in the physical realm is the sense of gratitude and appreciation for the self, and even so the desire to share the Gifts persists among the Great Family of Druids. Abuse of the gifts is an unfortunate reality that most Druids are aware of. It has, as well, created a platform for heated debate among Elder Druids, Students, and every Druid in between. The voice of the Student or Dedicant should never be silenced in a flawed desire to pursue perfect dialogue, for they may offer the most valuable insight and perspective simply unavailable to those who have been Attuned. Allow Students and Druids alike to voice their concerns among the matter of ongoing debates, great or small, difficult or easy. The Druid is the Summer season of the Druidic cycle. The Guide There can be no preservation of the Balance without the guidance of Spring's youth, for Winter always comes for the old. The progression of Druid to Guide is much like observing the flight of the songbird, and knowing that at one point that bird did not know how to fly. Yet, it is still very much a songbird, an equivalent to the bird that is still within its egg, unborn and innocently naive. Much like the adult bird in this scenario, it is the role of the Guide to harbor growth and learning within that unhatched egg, so that one day a songbird may fly onto great things. It is also the duty of the Guide to ensure that a Student does not anguish unnecessarily or cruelly, but to allow them to face challenges in spirit of the Balance and in pursuit of ensuring the next generation may bring renewed sanctity to the journey of Druidism. Should the Guide find their spirit weary by the sheer amount of Students, it is the most honorable choice to refer the Student to another Guide. The Guide is a fount of knowledge both abstract and representational, but varying between Guides. It is not expected for a single river of the realm to offer water to every living thing of the world. Therefore we must allow many streams, or Guides, to quench the thirst of many kinds of students. Perhaps a callow teaching when pondered at first, but it is also of principal value to understand the innate wisdom of the Guide. For one who has lived and seen many things on their journey, it is also their discretion to deny a Student's request to learn. This should not be done without great consideration or reason, for it is an observable fact that when we stifle or prevent the learning from an otherwise valid druidic candidate we invoke the ire of talented minds upon ourselves. The ability to teach should never be conflated with an absolute requirement to teach. Additionally, most Guides are nominated to teach through great meetings between Druids called Moots, but it is by no means a requirement to begin passing knowledge to the next generation. The Aspects, through their notorious silence, have clearly spoken in disinterest as to what a descendant may refer to themselves before taking the Verdant Path. The Guide may offer the Verdant Path to peasants, Kings, men, women, elves, orcs, dwarves etc. The state of existence is of no matter to the Aspects that grant us our abilities. Their chiefest interest in this world is and has always only been the Balance, and it is also the duty of the Guide to ensure that other Guides may hold themselves to the standard in which the Aspects have placed faith into and expect from Druids. The Guide will teach the Guide as fervently and kindly as they would their Student. The Guide is the Autumn season of the Druidic cycle. The Grove The Grove will envelop the weary druid and comfort them, nursing their spirit back into vitality The Grove is perhaps the simplest structure of druidic culture, but has been long and unintentionally involved in political affairs that the Druid should not strive to mingle within. At the core, the Grove is a sanctuary of flora and fauna that provides shelter, nourishment, and physical rest for the Druid. This allows a great many of druids to mingle beneath great canopies and among fantastic creatures, as well as pool the resources of gifts into a convenient place for Students, Druids, and Guides alike to access. Where the more intricate function of the Grove comes in is in management of the site. Typically a grove is maintained by the permanent residence of one or more druids, with some taking on various jobs. Historically, these have been called Archdruids, but there are many names that one may give the caretaker of the Grove such as Raithean, Keeper, etc. Speaking in terms of relevant change that this grants the Druid, there is very little. The Archdruid is granted no additional gifts from the Aspects, nor does their state of awareness within the confines of attunement alter for better or worse. Archdruid, much like Guide, is simply the title of a very important job that facilitates the cooperation of all Druids among the realm. The Grove is a beacon for Druids and Students to come home to, but there must exist one or more to remain and keep the fire lit. Caution is taken when an Archdruid is selected, for it is something that must be agreed upon by many that the person in question possesses the ability to remain steadfast in times of quiet or strife. Groves typically hold vital structures within its suggested borders, including a library or information hub, an attunement pool, memorial grounds, and Moot room. Of course, many groves hold further spaces for other purposes needed for cultural ideas or otherwise, but most have generally followed this list. These give a great feast of tools for the Druids to utilize, particularly on the topic of meetings, public attunement, and historical archives. Arguably the most important function of the Grove is to facilitate the formation of the Moot, or meeting. Students, Druids, and Guides will gather within the Moot area and will discuss threats to the realm, coordinate festivals or events, and consolidate gifts to share with other Druids. There has been a need to discuss any potential harm caused by Druids, for there have existed and will continue to exist those that abuse or otherwise twist nature to serve their own desires. These accursed Druids are known as Draoi, taken from the elvish tongue as a title for an evil or otherwise harmful Druid. While genuine Draoi are fairly few and far between, it is important for Druids to convene and discuss potential conflicts of interest as to better understand how to prevent or rectify the presence of a Draoi. For the Druid, the Grove is a safe haven to rest from the tiring duties throughout the realm. It is not extended only for those that are on the Verdant Path, however, and frequently they have been used to offer refuge for citizens of natural disaster, war, or to simply offer food and comfort for the unfortunate. For this reason, it is a duty for all druids to protect and defend them wherever they may be constructed, be it in the wilds or in the nations of descendants. As nature has given us the means to survive, Druids will continue to offer that survival to all. The presence of one grove or many groves should not indicate a fracture in how the Verdant Path is joined, maintained, and protected. A Grove within the harsh desert serves the same purpose as the Grove within a glade of the mali’ame, a people historically very supportive of the Druidic Mission. Because the main purpose of the Grove is to support Druidic growth, the presence of many groves should serve as a testament to mission success. It should be the ultimate goal of the Druid to exist in harmony with all Groves, and allow the wayward druid to find their calling among all or none should they choose. Welcome, and indeed celebrate the Druid that serves many Groves, for the Balance is granted greater protection through it.
  17. A leather-bound tome lies unattended. The pages are stark and clean, suggesting a recent publishing, or attempts at preservation. You pick it up, curious at the title- what are Long Pigs? The answer is likely not what you hoped. To Cook a Longpig Authored by Barbog, Grubgoth of the Iron’Uzg Translated by the Orcish Cultural Revival And Purity project (OCRAP) For too long, brothers and sisters of the Uruk-hai have been left in the dark by the master butchers and Grubgoths of Uruk society. Perhaps these were never meant to be left secret, or forgotten by the masses, but as times and traditions change, so too has our knowledge of the past. Whilst many brothers may still seek out and butcher the longpig like in days past, there is a distinct lack of etiquette about it, and the dishes prepared (if they can even be called such) featuring longpig are woefully inadequate at best, and a slap in the face of Glutros at worst. I shall do my part in redeeming my misguided brothers, sisters, and any who fancy a decent meal of the most coveted meat. TO BUTCHER A LONGPIG As we all know, there are many types of longpig in the world. From the gamey, lean cutlets of the Mali, to the chewy gristle notable in Dweddish meat. Each variety of longpig brings unique textures and exotic tastes to any dish, but all maintain similar anatomy- and thus, similar cuts. Below is a detailed sketch, drafted by a close friend and confidant- whom I paid in meals, of course! The following parts have been carefully labelled and separated on the drawing; Head, ears, jowl, snout, neck, blades, shoulders, hock, back-fat, arms, hands, ribs, flank, belly, loin, rump, lower hock, leg, shank, and feet. Please take careful note of abnormal, non-descendent races. As one might expect, the belching Wonk or the limber Hou-Zi will undoubtedly be cut differently, as their anatomy grows further from traditional longpig cuts. The Musin shan’t be more than a snack. TO MAKE A MEAL OF LONGPIG Whilst cooking the meat itself is none too dissimilar from a hock of lamb or pig belly, one must be careful when selecting your sides! Longpig has a very distinct tone, and, due to its exotic nature, should not be wasted on unfitting dishes. My personal recommendations are as follows: HUMAN - As time-tested-and-true as beef or pig itself. While certainly a cut above livestock, if not just for the hunt involved in procuring this meat, I personally feel that you have better options. Truly, Longpig is meant to be a rare delicacy, and the abundance of humans leave this rather paradoxical- and the tastes and textures themselves are certainly nothing to write home about. If you were to create a barbaric or uncultured dish, then human meat suits perfectly. Burgers and bacon, perhaps, but leave serving longpig before a king to the Mali or Kha. ELF - As much as they may protest when alive, when you get down to the fundamentals- the flesh itself- they’re really all quite similar. Indeed, the tender, gamey, supple meat of the Mali are among my favorite dishes. I cannot speak highly enough of the feasts I have turned the odd botanist or researcher into. Perhaps it is their natural femininity, or their inclination to bookish things, but elves have an unrivaled, juicy tenderness. The finest of red wines, and the most expensive, outlandish sides could never be enough to compete with the meat itself- but perhaps they may make it better by comparison. DWARF - As the stout, tough race toils hard in their mines and are born with muscles taut as stone, so too is this reflected in their meat. If you wish to cook evenly and deeply with this longpig (or shall we call them shortpig?) , then a good tenderizer and elbow grease is required. I can assure you, though, that they make a most excellent brisket if you do, and there is no better iteration of pulled longpig meat, than that painstakingly torn from the Dwed. HALFLING - While it wounds me as a friend of the Weefolk to have to record an entry that may be mistaken as encouraging their slaughter, I only do so in the highest regard as an objective chef. They are, as one may expect, quite similar to the flesh of the human that some allege they originate from. They have more ‘earthy’ notes to them, which some have suggested come from the divergence of ancestry. This pairs well with heady beers and hard liquors. Should you come across the meat of the half-men, I can only suggest one thing; avoid the feet. They are tough, covered in calluses many, many layers deep, and unlike shucking a clam, does not reward you with good grub. WONK - Their anatomy is, quite simply, repulsive to most casual consumers. Even the meat itself is slick and slimy, and the only cure is to char it into a brick- a cardinal sin that no true cook should ever commit. You have two options when it comes to the Wonk as longpig. You may either attempt to recreate certain seafood dishes with Wonk meat, leveraging that sliminess as one might the slippery raw squid, or slick watery vegetables. This, in my opinion, is the best choice for most of the Wonk’s body… except for their hock, leg, and shank. These are fatty and have a texture somewhere between soft fish and poultry. Best when sauteed and stewed! Fun fact: Wonk legs do not stiffen up as fast as most animals upon their demise, and may even twitch when heated up in cooking! HOU-ZI - An odd choice- and I say that proceeding the Wonk! Whilst there are similarities between the Hou-Zi, and races such as halflings and humans, they are an entirely different beast- No offense to Hou-Zi intended! Truly, they ought not be hunted for their meat, as it is rather bland and chewy in the most unpalatable way. Instead, the true delicacy of the Hou-Zi is in the mind… And I say that in the most physical sense. Chilled Hou-Zi brains. Do not question it, merely enjoy it. KHA - Whilst Kha are very few and far between these days, I would argue that only makes the already-exotic taste of the meat feel only that much more so! Truly, in days where Kha would roam our borders in droves, were days where the Ilzgûl blessed our civilizations. There is something so… utterly indescribably, in the juices of Kha meat. I cannot stress this enough- this meat NEEDS to be served rare, if not raw. Any dangers of undercooked meat are well worth the suffering when beer-basted Kha precedes it. MUSIN - Musin themselves have little meat, and are best served as a side of their own. However, should you find yourself with many little mouse-meals, you may find that they are best incorporated as half-dish. Meals such as a mushroom-and-musin kebab, or a chunky stew, would be a wonderful use for these little snacks. SEZZIKBEKK - While their bodies are quite unappealing at first glance, they hold much meat in their more ‘avian’ parts- the thighs, breast, and (on some specimens with less-twisted appendages), wing-meat. Whilst these may be used as a replacement for more common fowl, such as chicken or partridge, they truly shine when deep-fried. Indeed, while I find few things more delicious in this world than Krugtucky Fried Chicken, I have found their equal in Fried Sezzikbekk. TO PLATE A LONGPIG This will, of course, vary by the meat itself, and how you cook it. Humans, halflings, dwarves, and the like will be suitable as plain affairs- one would not be remiss to see human sliders on a plain ceramic tray, and for good reason. For more ‘exotic’ meats, then rest assured, I recommend firmly to play this up in their presentation. Sauteed wonk with a smooth Teriyaki sauce, Musin kebabs wrapped in palm leaves with carefully-threaded skewers connecting the cutlets, and Deep-Fried Sezzibekk stacked like a tower, with garlic powder and shredded kaktuz sprinkled from high above. All of these are presentations I have seen with my own eyes, and they never cease to entertain and enthrall even the most well-fed of critics. Go with your intuition here, but I must repeat from earlier; do not waste your longpig. The taking of a life is much more special here- a cow or chicken are penned and dumb, and the act of bringing one to your table is of absolutely no note. The battle that wins you a prime dish-to-be of longpig, however, means that the meat itself deserves a higher level of respect. Perhaps you may attempt to recreate aspects of that very battle in your plating, but at the very least it makes an entertaining story to share. AFTERWORD Whilst my advocacy for the consumption and proper preparation of longpig cannot be understated, I do not intend for this book to inspire my brothers and sisters to become butchers for the sake of sport. It is the very act of a well-fought battle that makes the meat taste that much more succulent, the comedy of serving a belly cut deep by your friend’s arrow, that is to truly ‘make the meal’. To turn them into common chattel is right-out. Livestock has grown complacent, boring, and dare I say, a turn-off to many chefs. Respect the intent behind serving longpig, by not abusing the source the Ilzgûl have so generously provided. They are the sustenance after a battle, not some simpering beast to be penned and bred for grub alone. But, above all else; Cook well, my friends. -Barbog
  18. [!] The following excerpts are written in a large scrawl of surprisingly precise Orcish script. [!] On the Races of Krug-Kind As the descendants of Krug grew in numbers over generations, certain lineages and bloodlines became unique among their kin. All brothers and sisters belong to one of three families, with the notable exception of hybrids called Hobgoblins. To know your lineage is a statement of pride, as the blood in every orc’s veins can be traced back to Krug himself. A common feature shared by all descendants of Krug is our vast array of skin colors. Individual tones of our tough and durable skin can provide insight upon our ancestry; as an example, it is common for orcs with red skin tones to be members of the Raguk clan. Our eyes gleam in almost any hue, tusks display prominently upon our faces, and our grukkers are covered with thick dark hair. The life of any descendant of Krug quickly prepares them for battle; a brother or sister will have fully grown into adulthood in both body and mind anywhere between azhty’dub (XII) and azhty’h’gahk (XVIII) cactus weeks. Upon reaching this early age all members of our kind will be peep’d as an adult by the codes of Krug and the spirits. Over many years of combat we will then obtain various scars and marks of honor upon our flesh, slowly becoming storied veterans of honorable Wagh. Around our dub’kinth (CC) year of age some brothers are blessed by the spirits, beginning to grow horns similar in nature to a ram. These originate from a plate of dense bone beneath our forehead and temples, proving study protection from attacks to the head. These horns will continue to curve before, if unfiled, piercing back into the skull around an orc’s futh’kinth (CCCC) year of old age. To see an elder brother with horns is to meet one of great honor; only those with true strength live for so long and through so many battles. Uruks Uruks, commonly called Orcs, are the most numerous and diverse members of Krug-kind. All other bloodlines originate from the first Uruks, though the exact points of diverging ancestry are unclear. Uruks range from H’azh (VI) to H’gahk (VIII) feet in height, and can weigh anywhere between dub’kint (CC) to h’azh’kint (CCCCCC) lbs upon reaching maturity. Significantly stronger than most other descendants, uruks still share a similar level of intelligence with that of an adult humie or stout. Goblins Goblins are the thinkers of Krugkind, the strength of body in combat having been replaced with genius intellect. While a goblin’s slender frame will only grow between futh (IV) to h’azh (VI) feet, their mental abilities surpass the brightest members of the other descendant races. Goblins are known for having wiry frames, prominent noses, and smaller tusks. Curiously, the curse of bloodlust present in all our kind presents itself as a fervent and almost anxious need to tinker or experiment with the ideas whirling through a goblin’s mind. For this reason it is common to see a goblin inventor testing some mad contraption designed for warfare. Hobgoblins Hobgoblins are the unique descendants of Krug created when the bloodlines between Orc and Goblin mingle. While inheriting both the strength of their warrior parentage and the sharp mind of a tinker, their emotions are generally more volatile than either as the curse of our kind affects them in both rage and mad genius. With lean and sculpted forms ranging from H' (V) to H'azh (VI) feet in height, their extraordinary talent is not to be trifled with. Hobgoblins display a blend of features known to Uruk-kind, though the particulars depend on their heritage and family lines. Ologs Towering above all other descendant races, the Ologs stand at a mighty h’futh (IX) to azhty (X) feet. These colossal warriors have stocky, musclebound frames, oversized jaws, and a tendency for developing layers of fat from overeating. What they claim in physical strength is lost in mental fortitude; the average olog matches a kub in intelligence, and the hulking warriors focus on basic needs more than any other concerns. Our gargantuan brothers are commonly seen with their smallest brethren in a form of partnership, acting as physical strength to carry out plans made by the ingenious and more aware goblins.
  19. Welcome to the weekly bloom. Due to the nature of the article, any injuries, pain, or death is responsible to you and you alone. Explore the map at your own risk. --------------------------------------------------------------------- In this weeks article we will be talking about Kings Ivy King's Ivy is a delicate flower found mostly growing in ancient ruins around the world. It is golden and is also found near trees. Kings Ivy has only a couple of uses. In small amounts, its calms down the user, making it a good stress relaxer, while in larger amounts the user becomes more violent and agitated. --------------------------------------------------------------------- (ooc) I know this was short, but it was meant to be. I'm going to try to do this weekly. thanks for reading! ---------------------------------------------------------------------
  20. Hello friends and foes of LoTC! I hope that my post finds you all well, that the new year has been kind to you thus far and that you find yourselves in the best of health. It is my sincere hope that you are all safe and sound with your loved ones (or your pets). With the coming of the new year I found myself back on this wonderful server nearly three years after I took a hiatus. Much has changed and I felt like the type and quality of roleplay that we have had has changed as well, to my pleasant surprise! I grew nostalgic of my early days of playing on the server back in 2014-2015. Alongside the updated mechanics and progress in the world lore, I felt that it was the perfect opportunity to breathe life into House Visconti; which I had the pleasure of representing off and on at earlier times. I plan to compile a Master-guide to Illatian and Visconti roleplay by the end of next week and give the RP announcement about our current position and plans. In order to help me make this a reality, I decided to reach out to you, the LoTC community. I was dissatisfied with the information I was able to collect thus far because: Some key players lost access to their drives and their precious documents. Some key players became inactive and unreachable. Primary-source forum posts are very aged and difficult to follow. Secondary-source information is often skewed and distorted. We have a list of tertiary characters holding the family name who I cannot place in our family tree. I wanted to write this post and ask those of you who have played a House Visconti (or Illatian persona) to kindly reply to this forum post and aid me in my project by sending me links to the documents (or forum posts) that they do have or by contacting me on my Discord: Zoprak#3499. Character sheets and family trees are required. Secondary sources mentioning or referencing the family members and their activities are needed. Documents outlining family activities are appreciated. Miscellaneous documents, photographs, screenshots and skins are not necessary but would help fill in the gaps in the lore. Thank you for your time and assistance, I look forward to roleplaying with you all in the coming weeks. To those of you who are facing an upcoming semester I wish the best of luck and amazing grades. Please do not hesitate to contact me. Best regards, Zoprak (Antonius Mihailo Visconti) (P.S Dear Moderators, I apologise if this is in the wrong section, please transfer it to the appropriate place if need be, I am a returning player and I am still unsure where to place my forum posts that are OOC).
  21. THE LOCATIONS OF KAROSGRAD Newcomer's Guide to the City of the Crows By Brandt Barclay | Jula and Piov, 352 ES _____________________________________________________________________________________ [Painter’s depiction of Karosgrad, adapting a slightly darker and more dramatic outlook, as a Haeseni Squire re-enters te city after finishing his trials.] As you begin exiting the chilly and snowy roads on the way to Haense, before you you notice tall, saturated red walls stretching between a small hill to the right, and the rest of the city walls to the left. Moving further in, you feel the cold wind blowing more gently, the sound of bleating sheep filling your left ear and the sight of the pale yellowish wheat growing on the farms to the right, mixing in with the red of the city walls to the left, where you also see the second gate. In you go! The busy city noise increases, making the sound of the sheep outside unhearable. With merchants selling around their shops, errand boys running around, and the occasional HRA soldier dressed in black and yellow moving about casually, you find yourself in Karosgrad, the City of the Haeseni Crows. To the immediate left as the city gates are passed, a notice board rests, with notices and pamphlets ready for the taing. One of these seems to be a guide to the rest of the city, letting you know where you want to go. [Another painter's depiction of the city of the Crows, showing off the icy Haeseni mountains of the north and its busy alleys] _____________________________________________________________________________________ RESOURCE GATHERING LOCATIONS Mines The central Haeseni mines, filled with ores and other minerals. Accessible only to Haeseni citizens, for one to gain access to these mines they must contact the Lord Seneschal of Haense, currently Mio Mackensen; and it must be kept in mind that trespassing into it without permission is a crime. Location: To the back of the farms, due West after exiting the main gates. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Farms The public farms of Haense, accessible to anyone and everyone who has the skill of gathering the agricultural yields of the northern region that is Haense. Mostly composed of wheat, carrots and potato farms. In the middle rests Karolina Flour Mill, named in memory of Dame Karolina Barclay, who died fighting bravely during the Scyfling War in 1768. Location: Right outside the city’s western and main gate. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Lumberyard Standing outside of the main gates, the lumberyard includes a mix of natural oak and spruce wood coming from the local region. Found around a sawmill, the wood can be collected and processed to be later transported. Additionally, a location where mapletree grow can be found on the road between Haense and the northern hub, Rimeveld, for the skilled carpenters looking to harvest. Location: Lumberyard: To the side of the main road just outside Karosgrad’s outer wall Maple Tree: To the side of the main road near the bridge at Haense’s border _____________________________________________________________________________________ Cotton As happens in most cases, Cotton can be seen growing around the sides of the main roads, with some being closer to Haense, and another good lot near the Maple tree spot near Haense’s northern road. Additionally, another group of these soft materials has been spotted growing to the South-East of Karosgrad near the shore Location: First spot: To the side of the main road near the lumberyard. Second spot: North of the maple tree, just as the terrain lowers. Third spot: North-west of the mines, continue north until you reach the shore, then go north until you see the cotton. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Hunting Spot - Boars Though not many bears have been spotted near the city of Karosgrad, a spot to which some appear attracted to can be found South-west of the capital, above a hill. Conveniently enough, near this hunting spot for the beasts that are the northern bears, a mining spot of Coarse Alum is also found, further confirming the theory of bears being attracted to this material. If you happen to have a plan to come hunt here, don’t forget to get a Ferrum pickaxe with you, so to also mine the alum. Furthermore, it is recommended that quality arms and armor are brought to hunt the bears around this area, as should be obvious to the experienced hunter Location: The large hill southwest of Karosgrad. Go to the mines, take the road south until it ends, then climb up the hill to the top. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Hunting Spot - Bears & Coarse Alum Though not many bears have been spotted near the city of Karosgrad, a spot to which some appear attracted to can be found South-west of the capital, above a hill. Conveniently enough, near this hunting spot for the beasts that are the northern bears, a mining spot of Coarse Alum is also found, further confirming the theory of bears being attracted to this material. If you happen to have a plan to come hunt here, don’t forget to get a Ferrum pickaxe with you, so to also mine the alum. Furthermore, it is recommended that quality arms and armor are brought to hunt the bears around this area, as should be obvious to the experienced hunter Location: The large hill southwest of Karosgrad. Go to the mines, take the road south until it ends, then climb up the hill to the top. _____________________________________________________________________________________ NIKIRALA PRIKAZ - THE ROYAL PALACE Being the singular most impressive and remarkable architectural build in the city of the Crows, Kikirala Prikaz, the royal palace, and the main residence of House Barbanov rests to the east side of the city. Taking a good portion of the capital’s whole size, this palace is debatably the most beautiful and majestic in all of Almaris, whilst including within it a great range of space to be used for different utilities, other than acting as residence for the Royal Family, some of its most notable locations are listed below Location: Walk straight into the city square as you enter Karosgrad from the main gates, then continue walking straight and up the stairs. _____________________________________________________________________________________ The Duma Hall The main wall in which the Haeseni legislative body, the Royal Duma, gathers every year to present, discuss, and vote on bills to improve the Haense and its laws Location: Staircase directly to the right as you enter the palace - be careful to take the staircase that’s to the right of the Gallery, rather than the most visible one, then go up. _____________________________________________________________________________________ The Royal Ballroom The official room in which the royal court holds balls and other celebratory events, featuring a piano and other instruments for quality Haeseni music, and a bar to serve quality Haeseni Carrion Black Location: Enter the throne room by going straight as you enter the palace, then take the door to the left. _____________________________________________________________________________________ The Feast Hall The go-to room for communal feasts, during which the feast is likely to get filled with Carrion Black and other delicious dishes from the Haeseni cuisine. In other cases, the hall may also be used for different meeting places, such as the Knights’ Gatherings for example. Location: Enter the throne room by going straight as you enter the palace, then take the door to the right. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Royal Art Gallery Being still a work in progress as more crates are awaiting arriving from Arcas, the Royal Art Gallery is used to commemorate some of the greatest and significant Haensemen, their companions and their stories; with an example being the magnificent Buckstallion I, Buck Dirtgrub’s trusty steed Location: First door to the right as you enter the palace _____________________________________________________________________________________ The Royal Tiltyard Being positioned right behind the palace, the Tiltyard features three podiums in total, one being utilized by the Crown and other important guests, while the other two podiums to the right and left of the main one allow for the jousting horses to be kept below the seats, and come out in a rather unique way. Location: Take the stairs to the right before entering the palace, then continue the road to get into the royal garden, follow the road to circle around the palace until you find the tiltyard. _____________________________________________________________________________________ The Royal Crypts The underground Crypts at the Palace’s Garden where the royal remains of the Kings of Yore rest; being placed as a place of memorial and commemoration towards the old and bold leaders of Hanseti-Ruska, so that they may forever rest in the land of the realm they helped build. Location: Take the stairs to the right before entering the palace, then continue the road to get into the royal garden, follow the road a bit more until you see a branch leading to the underground crypt. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Palace Library Main Contact: Grand Librarian, Father Alfred Barclay | @repl1ca One of the three major libraries in Haense, the other two located in the NGS Museum and the Academy. It is run by the Grand Librarian of the Royal Court, the library is still waiting to be filled with national books and texts of the Haeseni history, as well as other tomes of different subjects. Location: First door to the left as you enter the palace. _____________________________________________________________________________________ PROPERTIES OF THE CROWN The HRA Barracks Main Contact: Lord Marshal Manfred Barclay | @Coolcod77 The main location of operation of the Haeseni Royal Army and the Brotherhood of Saint Karl , in which the unified military of Haense joins together to hold training, rally, or for the officers and higher-ups to hold meetings, discuss strategies, etc. Featuring a smithy, a killhouse, stables, rooms and beds for the soldiers to sleep in, armory, and many other locations to serve the army. It also serves as one of the main places where the Lord Marshal of Haense can be found, and where those looking to enlist will most likely want to head over to. Location: Take the first turn right once you enter the city, then continue the path. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Bank and Auction Hous Other than simply hosting the only bank and auction house in Karosgrad that are currently operating, the building near the city’s square also serves as a place for the Lord Seneschal and his stewards to occasionally check up with citizens and answer their questions relating their properties Location: Go to the town square by continuing straight from the main entrance, then turn to the right road, the bank is the building to the right _____________________________________________________________________________________ Karosgrad’s City Hall Main Contact: Lord Maer Karl Amador | @Sander / Lord Seneschal Mio Mackensen | @Mio_ Serving as the main centre of operations for both the Maer and Stewards of Karosgrad, their offices can be found in the city hall. Also functioning as a main hub for people to find out who to contact, the Archives of Karosgrad can be found in the City Hall as well Location: The last building to the left as you continue straight from the city’s entrance _____________________________________________________________________________________ Saint Amyas Hospital Main Contact: Surgeon General Eleanor Amador | @madysenb Having saved the lives of many Haeseni in both the older and more recent past of the realm’s history, the main hospital of Karosgrad serves the same purpose as the ones before it, to save lives and cure people of their illnesses. The ideal place for physicians, medics and doctors to put their skills to use towards the wellness of the Kingdom, or for prospective apprentices in such a field to be trained Location: Go to the town square by continuing straight from the main entrance, then turn right and continue the road until you pass the gate arch, the hospital’s to the righ _____________________________________________________________________________________ Juliard Academ Main Contact: Hauchdragus Konstantin | @Xarkly Being a place in which knowledge, skill and information is spread to the younger generation, or at least the more curious of people, the academy Juliard Academy offers classes and courses of many kinds, namely Law, Medical, Music, etc. Truly a great place to get a proper Haeseni education, whether or not they decide to live in the city or the indoor dorms. The academy also offers a grand theatre, in which not only academy events will be hosted once the place is up and running again as we settle better into Almaris, but also public events, such as electoral debates are held every so often. Location: Go to the town square by continuing straight from the main entrance, then turn right and continue the road all the way, the Academy’s to the left _____________________________________________________________________________________ MERCHANT STORES AND STALLS The Old Stout Crow Pub Main Contact: Tarathiel Asul’onn | @altiar1011 The main tavern in which the Haeseni and the visitors of Karosgrad may gather for drinks and food. At times being the most crowded building in all of Haense, it’s the go-to place to find the best Carrion Black in town, filled with the exaggerated strut of the Haeseni culture Wares/ Services Food, drinks, etc. Location: Go to the town square by continuing straight from the main entrance, the tavern’s to the right corner in front of you. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Barclay Bargain Main Contact: Brandt Barclay | @GoodGuyMatt Ran by the Noble House of Barclay, “Barclay Bargains” consists of three main businesses: the “Barclay Waffen”, Smithers the “Edelweiss Diamante”, Jewlerers the “Barclay Weizenbrauerei”, Brewerers As of the migration to Almaris, the store main store is ran by the house in general, trading in a variety of goods whilst the participating businesses have been molten together and trade as one entity. Wares/ Services General goods, weapons, armors, commissioned smithed goods, beverages, jewelry, etc. Location: Fourth shop to the left of the main gates. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Wittenbach Warenhaus and Restaurant Main Contact: Otto Wittenbach | @Etow Wittenbach Warenhaus, The place for quality Liquor in Haense since the year 1761 of the first age! One of Karosgrads largest shops, with all kinds of liquor, foods, leatherwares, books, handcrafted items, gifts, plushies and much much more Wares/ Services Liquor, custom food, custom items, raw materials ,Leather products, books & more Location: Third shop to the left of the main gate. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Ruthern Co. Ltd Main Contact: Maric var Ruthern | @GMRO The stall ran and managed by the Noble Haeseni House of Ruthern. Wares/ Services Plushies, drinks. Location: To the left side of the city square, right beside the city hall. _____________________________________________________________________________________ HRA Army Good Main Contact: Lord Marshal Manfred Barclay | @Coolcod77 Consisting of a small cart located near the centre of the city, the official stall in which the HRA sell their products, such as the soldiers’ ale or other foods is a great way for the average citizen to both donate and help out the local army and soldiers, while also acquiring themselves some quality goods. Wares/ Services Ale, food, etc. Location: To the left side of the square just before climbing the stairs to the palace ____________________________________________________________________________________ The Serpent’s Bite Apothecary Main Contact: Joshua Sirsk | @InkGolem3k Though currently not trading on goods as the members of House Sirsk await for the alchemical tools to come from Arcas and the rest of the things used in such craft to be found in Almaris, the store appears to be interested in trading apothecary wares. Truly a unique business seen in Haense, and surely to be a needed one. Wares/ Services Potions, medical herbs, and other goods one can find at an apothecary. Location: Fourth shop to the right of the main gate. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Mondblume Wild Ware Main Contact: Ozark Mondblume | @0zark / Hildebrand Mondblume | @Zachary725 To the adventurous, a call is made to come on down to Mondblume Wild Wares where we have all your adventure gear for your exploration adventures through Almaris! The wilderness can be harsh and unforgiving, but a well stocked adventurer can conquer mother nature. Wares/ Services Wilderness exploration equipment, bows, strings, arrows, medical herbs, and more Location: Second building to the left of the main gate _____________________________________________________________________________________ Ludovar Mining Company Main Contact: Kazimar Ludovar | @HogoBojo With the stall belonging to the noble House of Ludovar, trading mainly in mining, as they go by the motto “We mine it, you buy it.” Wares/ Services Ores Location: First stall to the right once you enter the square. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Stafyr Färberei Main Contact: Damron Stafyr / Aldrik Kortevich | @Z3r05t4r Following up on the previous establishment of the Stafyr Färberei founded by Altaron II. Stafyr on Axios, the Stafyr family returns to the dye trade. Colors of all kinds and of exquisite quality to suit all your needs for dyes. Wares/ Services Dyes and food supplies Location: Last stall to the left of the square. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Schattenburg Farmed Good Main Contact: Franz Leopold | @Gusano Schattenburg Farmed Goods and Farm Supplies is the #1 vendor of food and other farm supplies to the people of Karosgrad. Wares/ Services Foods, bone meal, cotton, wool. Location: First stall to the right once you enter the square, at the very end corner. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Vykk Co. - Haense Branc Main Contact: Diome Indoren Orlanth | @Orlanth The Vykk Co. Haense Branch serves to provide cheap and easy access to supplies that are often in high demand. If a major order needs to be placed then any branch of Vykk Co. may be contacted, and the request shall be forwarded to the Vykk Co. main branch located in Norland. Wares/ Services Food, Tools and miscellaneous items available at all times. Just about anything on request. Location: First stall to the left once you enter the square _____________________________________________________________________________________ d’Arkent Deal Main Contact: Victoria Anne d'Arkent | @AnonymousAlexa Ran by the Orenian House d’Arkent, their business sells a variety of goods, going with the motto “Almaris Runs on d'Arkent” Wares/ Services Raw materials, tools, custom items and goods Location: At the corner of the first right turn from the gates, facing the gates. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Buckfort’s Anything and Everything Main Contact: William Buckfort | PlagueDocling A general goods store in which you are guaranteed to find something you like, offering anything from toys and sweets to alternative medicine and weaponry Wares/ Services Great variety of goods, including bandages, chocolates, jewelry, flower bouquets, wooden toys, etc. Location: Second shop to the right of the main gate. _____________________________________________________________________________________ PLACES OF INTEREST The City Square Being the center in which the rest of the city is based on, the square consists of a main circle in the middle, in which the Haeseni flag and its black crow has been painted, with market stalls surrounding it in almost every side, and the place right by it. It is usually the busiest outdoors location in Karosgrad during normal days, with people moving about and merchants selling their goods. During the Krugmas season a decorated tree is placed in the middle of the centre circle. Location: Straight ahead from the main gates. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Saint Henrik’s Basilica Main Contact: Bishop Benedict| @Piov Resting in a rather accessible and obvious location, the Saint Henrik’s Basilica, named after the Haeseni Saint Henrik Bihar. Aside from its spiritual value, the Catherdral is also an impressive architectural build. Whilst being possibly one of the biggest and most impressive Basilicas Haense has ever seen; with a beautifully crafted glass floor, it makes this place of worship appear almost as if it’s built twice. With masses being held occasionally, so far this has been the go-to Basilica for all of the spiritual rituals held in Haense Location: Left of the city’s square. _____________________________________________________________________________________ The Northern Geographical Society Museu Main Contact: Celestine | @AndrewTech Although not yet filled with the relics and memories of old, still awaiting full transportation from Arcas, the exterior and interior of the Museum ran by the National Geographic Society has already found itself furnished and ready to accept the history of Haense into it. Having served previously as one of the best places for someone to learn more of and witness the old history of Haense first hand, the current museum is likely to have the same, or at least a similar function. With a considerable amount of space, aside from exhibitions new and old, the building also features an extensive library, able to hold a considerable amount of books and knowledge. This truly has to be a scholar’s dream on a good day. Location: Take the road to the right of the city’s square, pass by the arched gate and then turn left _____________________________________________________________________________________ The Harbor Serving as the most accessible and direct connection of Karosgrad to the largest body of water near it, the Southern harbor, as expected, is a place frequented by sailors, traders, travelers, workers, and a different variety of people. With a weak amount of the south wind blowing inwards the city, the harbor tends to be a rather calm and warm place most days. With warehouses where wood, food, or other materials are stored, the place is filled with boats in and out of it, most of which appear to be Haeseni. The lighthouse found further down the southern road of the harbor offers the wandering ships and boats a guiding light in the dark, whilst also being a rather cozy looking structure. Somewhat oddly enough, the fresh, sweet and interesting scent of natural sugar can be inhaled to those around the harbor, with the source of such smell being the sugarcanes growing along the water-touched land, allowing the locals to harvest them once they’re grown properly. Location: Simply follow the road to the right of the square until you reach the harbor. For the lighthouse, follow the road right once you’re inside the harbor _____________________________________________________________________________________ The Northern Hollow Mountains Stretching along the northern regions of the Haeseni land, white, icy mountains rise up above, making the road to going north both hard and one of the most wondrous views in Almaris. As these mountains grow tall, they also appear to have been growing empty on the inside. Though icy and empty, the land formation seems to be stable enough for now, with structures already constructed to allow for transportation in and out of the mountains safely. Spikes grow off these icy giants, slippery though climbable, allowing for the wandering sightseer to find themselves a truly majestic sight. As normally happens, with ice and snow comes the cold of the mountains, and these ones are no exceptions, differently, these feel even colder, almost like the one where GOD imprisoned Iblees in the time before man. Thus, as goes for the rest of the Haeseni regions, it is recommended that warm clothing is worn around these landscapes. Location: North of Karosgrad (Building at -7, -2800) _____________________________________________________________________________________ CREDITS
  22. ~ Masters of Potential ~ Part 1: Arcanism The Official Canon Guide to; Written and developed by Sir K Andruske Not applicable ICly Overview Ch.0 Introduction Ch.1 Aura Selection & New Acolytes Ch.2 Introductions to the Specializations Ch.3 Further Learning: State of Energy & Casting Example Ch.4 Further Learning: Specializations Ch.5 Further Learning: Combining Magics, Atronachs & Celestialism Ch.6 Roleplay Examples Ch.7 Key Words Ch.8 Red Lines Bonus Album Ch. 0 Introduction Greetings reader and welcome to the codex of Arcanism. Below you will find a plethora of knowledge pertaining to all things Arcanism related. Warning for all viewers; The depths of the abyss offer unlimited potential to its visitors. Proceed with caution. The imagination. For many it is blocked up, clouded by self-made walls serving only to protect the mind from the unseen. To unlock one’s true power one must awaken their imagination. The arte of the unseen refers to the beginning days of Arcanism when but a few users inhabited the realm. The craft of sculpting arcanic energy into limitless forms, birthed from years of study. Arcanism at its core is a free flowing evocation of pure magical energy. Unlike its elemental counterparts it lacks any worldly element and instead mimics shapes and states of being based on the will of the caster and what they have studied. With the heightened level of Arcanists in the realm it has yet to be studied if each user has uniquely crafted spells they specialize in or if they borrow from each other and that most spells are already catalogued somewhere. Through the replication of magical energy the caster can form a wide arsenal of spells, the list growing as the combination of magical subtypes occur. Despite the size of this arsenal a caster is likely to only choose a handful of spells to master and to mark their individuality each caster’s energy they produce will take on a color unique to them. Their aura color is an inherent trait every descendent or similar being has and it is said the life events and experiences shape one’s aura much like it does to their personality so while auras may differ between people with similar personalities it is not uncommon for those of similar upbringing to have similar auras. For the sake of future teaching and organization the arte has developed several specializations distinctly different from each other. Art, Weaponry, Shielding and Projectiles make up the four basic specializations of Arcanism. Arcanic Life, Arcanic Atronach, Arcanic Enchantments and Celestialism make up the gilded specializations; those that require further involvement and multiple subtypes of magic. Ch. 1 Aura Selection and New Acolytes It is important to accept the aura color given to you and be happy with it due to the fact that it is unlikely to alter unless you go through extreme circumstances. Events that tend to shatter and reforge a person. Your color doesn’t have to exist as a single tone but rather on a spectrum. If purple is your selected color it is not uncommon for it to shift from violets to mauves to magenta even. So if you find that you are stuck casting that same shade of blue perhaps it is time to try a shift in tone. Aura is all around us, exuding from all things, only it is more commonly demonstrated in the mystic artes. As we burn the necessary mana to cast our spells aura is generated like smoke from the internal flame our bodies produce. Normally we do not perceive aura yet magi that have gradually mastered their individual arts tend to produce visible traces of it around their bodies even when not casting. Some beings such as Archons and Celestial Arcanists seem to be a step further in this regard. As a new acolyte it is important to find visible representation of this arte in the form of glass working and observing fumes from various sources. To achieve any spell in Arcanism one must first control the basic understanding of energy wisps which are the individual specks, or particles, that make up all your spells. Each day as you connect to the void in order to bring about these spells you will gather a few more specks, a few more wisps, until you have the power to evoke enough to properly manipulate. Ch. 2 Introduction to the specializations The four basic specializations are Art, Weaponry, Shielding and Projectiles. Each serves its own purpose but are not mutually exclusive in that regard. They are instead loose guides to follow and help developing arcanists find their niche. As a growing spellcaster you will soon find that you are drawn to perhaps one or two different classes within Arcanism but do not want to feel restricted. As you mature in this magic your proficiency with a single spell will grow as you use and meditate upon it more. Meaning while it is unlikely that you will master every shape and spell you are able to relearn, reteach and practice any spell to become proficient in it. The first class, Art, has the attribute of flow and focuses on free-formed shapes of energy. Usually reserved for more ritualistic applications of Arcanism that happen outside of battle seen by many as performances, often including dozens to hundreds of intricate shapes and patterns pending the skill level of the caster. Contrary to this the class of Art can be applied to battle in several less direct uses such as hazing, the act of clouding vision with energy wisps, and streams, in which the spell takes the form of fluids used for controlling distance on the battlefield. As an acolyte your spell are likely to be small intricate patterns and mild hazing of an area. Weaponry refers to the act of evoking replicas of weapons in energy form and has the attribute of strike. Any type of weapon can be replicated upon further study of its details yet this does not give the caster the knowledge of how to wield it. An inexperienced weaponeer will likely forget to solidify their spells, causing them to lack the basic durability to withstand even a single blow. Yet as they begin to master their craft their swords become as hard as steel as well as naturally parrying blows. When struck the weapon grows close to shattering but the opposing blade or object will suffer from the concussive force applied through the spell. With even greater mastery can an arcanist forge a magic blade as sharp as steel that never dulls, At least until the spell fails a few hits later. Many spellblade that follow this path find the size of the weapon gradually increases as they gain knowledge and power. As does the length at which they can keep it formed and the amount of strikes it can take and deal. The third class, Shielding, has the attribute of balance and is the most difficult of the four beginning classes. A shielder must not only become acutely aware of how their mana is used to maintain a constant barrier of energy but also how they manipulate this energy all at once in order to form a completely solid, battle-ready shield. A shield that is lopsided with all its energy being dragged to one side leaves its form in a state of fragility. Those aware of how shielding works have come to understand and seek out this function of balancing energy and those who shield gradually become aware of how you may not only spread the field of energy out evenly but move it around to bolster specific spots, given one's reaction time is fast enough. Should an enemy strike another spot instead the efforts backfire and the damage dealt to the shield is increased. A beginner to this class will work on maintaining small disc sized shields before moving onto non-round shapes and barriers that adhere to all gaps. Possessing the attribute of speed is the fourth class, Projectiles, for it is both the easiest and most challenging class to conquer. Arcane Missiles are the basic spell upon which all other spells are built on. A loose ball of wisps forcefully compressed together that will explode and cause concussive damage upon impact. It is not uncommon for even a beginning magi to evoke multiple missiles at once nor should it be taken likely when a master summons a barrage towards your location. Projectiles gain strength as they gain size and take several different forms with similar, yet magnifying, effects. From arcs that travel in a curved line towards a target to a ray called down from the sky projectiles possess the power to obliterate those unprepared. Though for a beginner a few missiles is likely to wear you out. With any class it is important to know your limits. You will grow and grow but to push beyond your growth is to risk death. Patience is just as important as any other attribute. It is also important to discover who you are as a mage and what spells fit well to your style of life. Ch. 3 Further Learning: State of energy & casting example Arcanism can take on any physical form from solid to gas but it is constantly seeking to disperse into tiny fragments or energy wisps. Anything and everything you make is essentially made up of millions of tiny tiny wisps. So if you were to conjure a blade made purely of arcane energy it could take a more gassy form and break easier or it can be made into a solid that matches your finest iron-made sword. If you were to swing the arcane blade and hit something it is likely the arcane blade would shatter back into all those tiny wisps if your spell is beaten back or cannot outweigh the physical force being returned to it. Energy wisps can be concentrated or spread thin to mimic any state of matter whether it is a fluid, gas or solid. The more solid the spell the harder it usually becomes stronger but harder to maintain. The less solid the spell the more able one is to continuously shape it though doing so also expends more mana. The magic wants to be free and unrestricted which is why non-combative use of the magic is often more expansive. When you are shaping the magic keep in mind the density of the object you are forming. Arcanism has a neutral temperature and does not mix with other evocation. Meaning you cannot mix it with fire evocation to make blue/green/rainbow flames. It can surely take the shape of fire though, and will not burn or be hot. The evocation is also neutral room temperature bu one thing it possesses is a glow. It illuminates the area around you and can create bright flashes when large spells explode. When struck against something the evocation might shatter; In the event of this I like to describe it as a visual explosion meaning it looks like an explosion but the temperature doesn't change as the word implies. What it does do is cause a knock-back and blunt force trauma against whatever it hits. This is referred to as the concussive force of the spell. The more solid the evocation the more concentrated blunt force that is applied. Arcanism’s main two attributes are concussive force and ingenuity. The act of exploding can be a brutal tool in the mage’s arsenal but suffers from the lack of any elemental attribute. Smaller spells and spells with lower mana cost also do not cause as much blunt force. Due to the potential of the magic to outclass anything in terms of physical force many casters are quick to take the offensive in battle. In battle where a fire mage casts their fireball to launch and burn you create physical spells to negate or create physical, impact damage. --- Arcanist evokes energy into their hand. -> Energy builds & pulses -> Energy is released into an arc that trails to it's target -> Target is hit and is knocked to the ground -> Target suffers concussive damage. OR --- Arcanist brings both hands together, energy accumulates. -> Energy continues to build. -> Energy begins to be formed into a shape. -> Energy forms sword, its point briefly sharpened. -> Arcanist manipulates sword to fly and stab towards target. -> Target is mage and is run through, the sharpened energy blade piercing the unarmored individual before fading away, having been broken by the impact. The most important thing to remember is the size of the spell. The larger the spell and the more solid it is the more mana that is being consumed. With that we will break Arcanism down into four specializations to better clarify the different things this magic can achieve. Projectiles, Shielding, Weaponry, and Art. As an initial progression I would pick one specialization at a time. Each Arcanist is unique because your proficiency in each specialization are separate from each other. Ch. 4 Further Learning: Specializations Specializations Projectiles, Shielding, Weaponry, Art Arcanism -> Projectiles Projectiles are the main ranged arsenal of arcanism and can be shaped into many different things. Projectiles almost always have a gas-like form which is what allows them to be projected more easily. Smaller spells create less force, explosion and knockback while larger spells create more. Arcanism spells are rarely one-hit KO and often require repeating spells to incapacitate your foe however they are seen as concussive spells that deal concussive damage. Here are some examples of projectiles; Missiles: Small. Most basic spell. They can be shot off but are weak. Casting a multitude can be effective. They are also easy to control and require little mana to cast and manipulate. Orb: Small. Orbs are a step above Missiles. They are shot slower but give a much greater impact. These are not perfectly round and give off a misty-wisp aura. Tend to shatter like shields. Bolt: Small. This is a quickshot. Expends more mana, is singular but is stronger than other small spells. Disc: Medium. Discs are semi-solid. They are essentially small thrown barriers. They have less explosion but more impact if they hit their target. They do not shatter like shields but can be thrown at angles. These are not quite barrier discs and offer no protection. Arc: Medium. Arcs are trails of energy that curve through the air to their target’s initial location. They are hard to track and look like a line of energy as they travel through the air. Speed matches the bolt, causes an impact equal to an orb but does not seek out its target if it moves and cannot be swayed from its path once fired. Beam: Large: Strongest knockback spell. Creates larger explosion field and will likely hit multiple targets. Longer charge time and fires only in a straight line. The spell will keep going until the mana expended is used up. The farther the beam goes the more mana is used and the less impact it has. Ray: Large: This is a closer range skill. The caster evokes a large amount of mana in the air and calls it down like a pillar onto it’s target. This has longer casting time and requires the most focus to use. Arcanism -> Shielding Shielding is much like ice in water evocation, only much stronger. It is possible to evoke solids, sometimes taking on the shape of barriers and shields. These shields are all translucent which means you can see clearly through them. These barriers are based off the balance of a character. It is quite the feat to be able to hold a solid, let alone watch in amazement as the translucent barrier of magic rebounds incoming physical attacks. Sometimes Arcanists will only use shielding as their form of combat. These barriers can be cast as entire bubbles around individuals and can be used to bash much like a material shield. However it goes further! With this specialization an evoked shield will actually stand toe-to-toe to a real shield and in many cases dominate a clash of shields. Sometimes if the shield shatters it will momentarily remain to send glass shards which can cut those adjacent. Shields take up mana per second for as long as they are cast. The larger the shield the more mana that is being drained. Here is the tier of balanced based on initial mana consumption; Disc: The disc is the most balanced and simple way to keep a solid from degrading back into gassy wisps of magic. It can be expanded to cover a wider field of defense. Flat Shield: Usually used to cover a small area of space. For example it can block a doorway or passageway. It costs more mana because melding to surfaces requires more concentration. Bubble Shield: A full shield around the caster and possibly allies depending on the size. Bash Shield: Requires shield to be already cast. Shield is flexed or moved to physically hit another object. This creates drastic stress on the shield but imposes a large knockback effect. Pulse Shield: This is the only exception in this specialization in terms of solidity. The caster evokes a field of energy directly around them and shoots it out like a shockwave. It can knockback but is not solid. Less effective than a bash but costs less to cast and does not require a shield to be evoked. Trap Shield: A bubble shield that is placed over another person. Caster may decrease the size of the shield to compress onto the target. Shield will cause medium amounts of pain from compression but will eventually break, leaving the target largely unharmed. If the target presses back the shield may shatter. This is used to hold someone but it cannot be used to kill someone. ie- you can't put a shield over someone's head to crush their skull. Your shield loses in this regard. Dual-Shielding: A caster may cast up to two full bubble shields, splitting the entirety of their concentration in half. They became more stationary and the shields have issues moving. Likewise the same effect can be used on a larger multitude of smaller shields. Colossal Shield: This is a spell saved for events and is usually a key moment that comes from specific instances. The Colossal Shield is a shield that expands to cover a wide area. Sometimes a single home and sometimes an entire city. Likewise a Colossal Shield can be created and fueled by more than just one Arcanist. Two or Three Arcanists who have specialized in Arcane Shielding could hold an entire city from conquest for much longer than one could alone. The mage becomes completely stationary and usually will enter a deep meditative state in order to channel the spell. The large amount of mana expunged to fuel the Colossal Shield could leave the mage incapacitated for hours if not days if they allow their entire supply of mana to be used Arcanism -> Weaponry Arcane Weaponry are spells to take on a replica of a regular weapon but with the added benefit to cast weapons as projectiles at the cost of lack of durability and mana cost. A mage can either hold the weapon or shoot it at their foes. They are described as ethereal and are surrounded by a thin veil of wisps, small traces of excess wisps. Weaponry is easier to move around with than other spells and an evoked weapon is weightless to the mage (but equal to an iron sword to others) due to it being made of pure magical energy. Weapons cannot be incredibly detailed and their form is in between the projectile and shielding specializations in terms of density and because of this they are dull and are highly ineffective cutting weapons unless casted by a master to maintain sharpness for a few hits. Impalement is still a possibility though no arcane weapon will be better than an iron weapon. Multiple weapons at once is also possible but the mana consumed is multiplied and like shielding it costs mana to maintain the spell. If a weapon breaks it does not explode or shatter. It simply dissipates. It is important to note that this list can be much more expansive than the other combat oriented specializations. Larger weapons or ones that have a less static form cost more mana. All weapons have up to five hits which means they are no substitute for a real weapon. It is important to note that while a weapon can be cast away from it's caster it can only be done so by throwing it like a projectile. It does not act as a summoned pet that can attack like a conjured summon. All weaponry can be sharpened upon greater feats of focus but only maintained for a handful of hits. Here is a list of weaponry; Tools: The only spell from this specialization that breaks the form is Arcane Tools. Examples being plates, pots, tongs, cups, umbrellas, etc… The tools take on a more solid form that can capture liquid if necessary. If hit they break back into their fluid form. They fade away after use. Sword: Small-to-Large. This includes daggers to greatswords. Not sharp on its own but can be used in multitude to attempt to overwhelm an enemy. Bow: Small-Medium. From shortbow to Longbow the bow shoots Arcane Bolts at a faster rate. Shooting from an arcane bow does not damage it like other weapons. Staff: Small - Medium. From spears to bo staffs. Cannot be sharp but can be thrown. Like any object it has a chance to impale or cause concussive damage to it's target depending on their level of armor (Iron iron would never be pierced by an arcane evo spell). Hammer: Medium-Large. You are granted more impact achieved but the weapons weight is accounted for in terms of mana cost and has even less durability. You can only summon one hammer at a time if it is a two-handed one and an arcane hammer can break in 1-2 hits do to the force needed to swing it adding onto it's already fragile frame. Whip: Medium-Large. A whip is an example of fluid weapon. It costs more to keep cast due to it’s ability to more freely move. Cannot bind target. Chain: Medium-Large. Similar in utility to a trap shield a chain can be used to disable enemies. While not as powerful as a trap shield a chain is faster to cast and can bind a target to a specific location rather than encasing them in a barrier. Arcanism -> Art The most fluid form of the magic and the most open to new creation. Arcane Art is largely used out of battle as the creations are largely non-harmful. The caster for all instances of Arcane Art enter a deep meditative state in the central location of their piece. Due to the lack of any solidity and the mage’s full concentration the piece can become expansive without spending too much mana. Here are some examples; Shroud: Due to the relative nature of Arcanism, it being different levels of condensed mana in the form of mist and wisps, it is possible for the caster to evoke a shroud around themselves to obscure vision. This cannot be incredibly expansive and works less effectively in open spaces where the magic has the opportunity to spread out. The caster can control this shroud but it is unable to cause harm to opponents. This is a specific use of a free-form spell. Installations: This involves casting patterns of energy that stem from them. These streams, rivers, streaks, and other formations can move along any surface without disturbing it’s placement. This spell is unharmful and is the main focus of the specialization. Imagination: Any other non-harmful freeform thing you can think of! Can’t effect anything with it but this specialization gives a lot of leeway so long as you abide by server rules. Ch. 5 Further Learning: Combining magics Further Learning: Conjuration --- Arcane Life & Primordials Arcane Life can both be used for combat and creative arts. It is not conjuration and the evoked forms of energy take on a shell of what it’s replicating. The form varies and depends on the mage to gather research about their imitation of life before they can cast the spell successfully. The imitation also lacks much of the specifics of original and is cloaked in a mist of wisps that can be described as ethereal. The imitation also takes on a very rough form of the imitation so where a conjurationist can give exact details an Arcanist can create a rough outline. The caster can fuel the spell and make the imitation like an arcane projectile but Arcane Life spells do not normally explode when broken unless you cast them to do so which causes them to act like a projectile. They dissipate like weaponry. Here are some examples; Sprites (Animal shapes): Any type of animal, though they lack any sort of detail of the animal they are mimicking. Instead they take on indistinct blob-shapes that are rather unique to this type of magic alone. They are dolls to be puppeted by the caster. They are mainly distractions but can also be flung like projectiles to explode. Using them in combat is more taxing in terms of mana consumption. Primordial conjurations are creatures of any form that take on the properties of energy wisps. These creatures appear as ethereal beings of energy. A cat made from scarlett energy, a minotaur made from azure blue, these puppets serve their casters. Guide: Conjuration Further Learning: Transfiguration --- Enchantments, Arcanist’s Blade & Atronach Forging. All spells may be bound to an enchantment if one is also an avid user of transfiguration. From making a blade expel a charge of energy to having a barrier maintained through a mana gem, transfigurationists give longevity to spells that constantly seek to be unwoven. Two specific iterations are The Arcanist’s Blade & Atronach Forging. Guide: Atronach Forging/Binding Guide: Transfiguration Further Learning: Celestialism --- Masters of Arcanism Celestialism is the act of gaining an aura that appears brighter, more visible and more intense to all but especially those attuned with the void, including voidal inhabitants known as Celestials. With this new found power Celestialists become the summoners of the realm existing to bring forth great magical beasts. While similar in structure to voidal horrors, celestials are docile in nature and are gifted corporeal bodies allowing them to exist within the realm so long as they are bound to their Arcanist stone. More reading on the Masters of Arcanism can be done here; Lore Submission 1: Greater Melding, Celestial Aura, Celestial Familiars, Crystal Gardens Lore Submission 2: Aura tracking, Shade and Blood magic effects, Celestial Guardians Guide: Celestial Familiars [More to be added] Ch. 6 Roleplay examples EX.1 Iatrilemar lifts his right hand, facing his palm out while taking a firm stance. Iatrilemar's palm begins to glow with a bright violet light which pulsates. His cheek twitches up, both eyes wincing. Soon the pulse quickens, more of the violet light gathering towards his palm. Iatrilemar reels back his arm and thrusts forward, expelling a beam of energy outwardly. The beam shoots out with tremendous force, becoming shallower and shallower as it travels through the open air until there is nothing left of it. Iatrilemar smirks as he lowers his hand, the light fading from his palm. EX.2 Iatrilemar sits in the center of a large circular room, taking a meditative position and closing his eyes. His breath drifts into a slight hum as he places both palms flat on the ground. Anyone watching would notice the soft light pounding into the ground. Iatrilemar opens his eyes and at once streams of violet energy spill from his palm onto the floor, flowing like open waterways across the stone. Iatrilemar turns his head the the right; The streams meander to the right before beginning to spiral. The same process is repeated by Iatrilemar turning his head to his left, the spirals now concaving into themselves. Soon the streams of energy fill the entire floor with mosaic patterns that seem to swirl with life. The room; an ocean of intricate twists and concaving swirls. Iatrilemar's palms slowly lift off the ground, his eyes closing once more. Almost as if in rewind the streams rapidly recede, snaking back to Iatrilemar before disappearing into his palm. EX. 3 Iatrilemar’s arm twitches, his arm raised. Iatrilemar narrows his eyes on the area just in front of his hand, adjusting his footing. Iatrilemar takes in a deep breath before a faint purple light emits from his palm. Iatrilemar exhales the breath as a small solid flat circle appears in front of his palm. Iatrilemar clenches his other hand into a tight fist as the circle begins to spread outward in all directions. The substance suddenly disperses as Iatrilemar falls over, incapacitated from fatigue. EX. 4 Iatrilemar holds up his hand flexing his fingers, glancing around to two adjacent trees. A glass-like shield sprouts from the epicenter of his palm rapidly expanding outwards in all directions. The shield continues to expand until it meets the ground and the two trees. The shield shakes violently as it melds to the flat surfaces. Iatrilemar smirks, his shield covering the entirety of the opening between the trees. --- Non-round shapes are usually harder to cast. Shields expand outwards from an epicenter and can meld to any surface to create a perfect seal. The rougher the surface the harder it is to maintain. EX. 5 (Starting off with the shield already evoked) The bandit brings his sword down against the shield. Iatrilemar’s shield shudders as the sword collides with it however the shield withstands the hit causing the sword to recoil off it’s surface. The bandit staggers back due to the recoil of his hit before charging once again swinging his sword down onto the shield. A small crack appears on the shield as Iatrilemar winces however once again the shield withstands the hit with the same outcome. The sword recoils. --- In this example the bandit hits the shield with a sword causing the sword to recoil. This is the concussive effect of Arcanism. The same effect can be applied to shield-bashing, weapon strikes and projectiles. Iatrilemar is also RPing his shield’s status so the other player can see. Example by spell list: Ch. 7 Key Words Arcanist - Practitioner of Arcanism Aura - The residue from exhuasted mana. Usually unnoticeable except in larger quantities, greater feats and special circumstances. Aura Color - Unique color designated to each individual's aura that affects spell color as well. Balance - Each spell has balance over its form. If part of it is struck the rest of the spell is affected as well, meaning a hole cannot be stabbed into a barrier without first breaking the barrier and the focus of the strongest part of the spell is directly influenced by the balance of the spell. Celestial - Docile voidal horrors that seek out Celestialists in order to be bound to the realm. Celestialist - A master Arcanist who has learned the advanced technique to summon Celestials. Concussive - Spells generate strong kinetic force beyond what is considered natural. Strikes from or against spells cause increasing levels of knockback depending on the size and magnitude of the spell. Energy Wisp - Each individual particle that makes up the spells in Arcanism. The unique magical element of this arte. Each exists as a speck barely visible that when collected together form a nearly-infinite variety of spells. Flow - The ability to change shape with ease. Shatter - Spells that possess solid attributes can shatter on impact. When they shatter sharp shards of the spell scatter in the immediate area, lasting only a few seconds before dispersing altogether. Speed - The ability to cast spells, usually smaller ones, in a hastened period of time or the storing of energy for bigger volumes to be unleashed. Strike - Spells specifically designed to hit targets directly and precisely. Voidal Horror - A voidal anomaly that enters the mortal realm. Ch. 8 Red Lines: Mental Magics still go through barriers. You cannot evoke armor. Roleplay Fatigue. No underwater capabilities. No stairs or elevation gained. Line-of-sight required. You roleplay your spells and their effects. Not your opponent. Bonus Album: I realize a few things may be missing from the new guide. Wording may change as well. Enjoy some pictures in the meantime. Link to your friends! If you find something you would like to discuss or you think is important to place on this guide let me know below.
  23. The Great Orcish Mindset And so, along your journey to becoming an Orc you have scoured the forums to amass a great deal of information. You understand the basic concepts of the culture, you know the differences in the races, the clans, and what the general interests of the Uzg are. Or, do you? There is far more to anything than can be expressed in a format such as this, but I will try to best to explore the Orcish Mindset you will come across as you play your character and explore our homeland. I am Smaw, the (as of writing this thread) current Rex of the War Uzg. I've been around for a while, and have implored as best I can to promote a greater sense of depth and RP within the Orcish society. It is my hope with this thread, to assist old and new players alike in understanding how our society truly works; or at least, my understanding of it. There is a common misconception around the community that the Orcs are only interested in PvP. This is understandable, as those outside of the Uzg will only usually see us across Vailor if we are raiding. We tend to stay within our homeland, where we are safe from those that Krug has taught the Orcs to mistrust. Among the current leadership, our main focus is on promoting the vast RP being an Orc can provide, and we are striving to create a balance between RP and PvP; with a focus on the former. If you are interested in joining purely for the combat aspects, or to meme, then you will not be welcome within the Uzg. We are looking for those that seek deeper Orcish RP, and can rise to the challenge of combat when such an event rears its head. With that said, let us explore what it means to be an Orc, and the mindset of those that live upon the blazing sands of the desert. The Mindset of an Orc Honour (An Orc accepting a request to single combat) Honour is THE foundation upon which the Orcs must live. It is the blessing that keeps them in check, and allows them to live in a world where they can fight against the ever-present Bloodlust that threatens to overwhelm them. There are many players that completely neglect this aspect of the RP, and will sacrifice the honour of their Orc in order to gain an advantage. It is ill advised to follow this process, as it will lead to you becoming a Whitewash. Those that take Orc RP seriously, value the honour their character has above all else. It determines your place within Orcish society, as without it, you are nothing. It is a grave mistake to lose your honour. It will cause your brothers to neglect you, and perhaps more importantly, the Spirits. I will detail below what can cause you to become Whitewash, and explain what the perspective of the War Uzg would be on each of this breaches to your internal compass. - Living outside of the Uzg This is seen as Whitewash because Orcs that leave the desert have abandoned their brothers. They have tarnished the hard work of Krug and his descendants, and have defied the age old teachings of unison and solitude from the un-trusted. While activities such as trade and conversation are fine, to live elsewhere entirely is to defy Krug's will. It is unsafe, and the Orcs outside of the Uzg are viewed as pawns to those that house them. - Killing another Orc This should be an obvious rule. Unless an Orc is Whitewash, there is no circumstance in which you are permitted to kill them. It is perfectly reasonable to fight if you wish to settle a dispute, as long as all anger is vented during combat. The aim of klomping (fighting) is to decide upon who is right, and when you are beaten, you must accept that the Spirits favour the correct Orc. - Mating with a Non-Orc The Orcs view this as a Whitewash act because the offspring will have their strong Orcish bloodline diluted with other, weaker genes. This activity causes the Orcs to decline in strength as a whole, and is frowned upon to the highest degree. The Orc in question will be liable to death or castration, in order to prevent further insult to Krug. Half-Orcs are permitted to prove their strength to the War Uzg. If they are shown to have ruling Orc genes, they are allowed to live and fight with the Orcs themselves, so that the half-Orc bloodline can be restored to its former glory. - Stealing from fellow Orcs Life in the Uzg is tremendously difficult, as the desert is sparse of any considerable resources. For this reason, to steal from an Orc is to take from his hard work, and it is seen as weak to acquire items without using your own strength to gain them. It is entirely possible to fight for an item if you are interested in it. This is an acceptable way of earning something, as you are using your power to gain it. - Worshipping Non-Spirits An instant Whitewash act. Krug himself was the greatest Shaman to ever live, and set the foundations for Spiritual worship and balance across the Uzg. Those that look to other Deities directly neglect Krug and his teachings, and appease weaker entities in their arrogance. Strength (As life threatens to crush you beneath its weight, time will strengthen your bones) In Orcish society, strength (in all forms) means everything. It is what has kept the people of the War Uzg alive to this day, and has been their saving grace in a number of situations. The great power they have at their disposal allows them to shape the world around them, and create living spaces they can feel comfortable in. Their combat prowess has given them a fearful reputation, and is what keeps the other descendants at bay. To an Orc, to have strength is to live a life as close to Krug as possible, for he is the embodiment of strength in its many forms; physical, mental and spiritual. Honour and Strength coincide, and so you must uphold both in order to flourish in Orcish society. It is not necessarily dishonourable to lose a fight, but it is dishonourable to refuse one. This is because cowards cause trouble for the Uzg. They take from resources and offer little to no benefit in return. It is also frowned upon because self-belief is taught at a young age. The world will fight against you at every opportunity, and you must believe in your own capabilities if you wish to defy the odds. It is however, acceptable to refuse to fight someone that is considerably weaker than yourself. If you perceive someone to be incapable of defeating you, it is more honourable to spare them than to beat them to within an inch of their life. Allow them to prove themselves among those of a similar stature, and perhaps with time, their strength will match your own. This concept, however, does not apply to those that actively seek to cause grievance to you. Destroy them. Now, progression is a key aspect of Orcish society, and it is to be promoted at all times. For this reason, you must always strive to achieve more. To hunt more, to earn titles, and even to fight for greater homes. The more you have, and the more you can show to prove your strength, and the more respect you will earn among your peers. Solitude (A warning set in the borders of the Uzg, to those not of the Orcish bloodline) Krug, the father of all Orc-kind, was the first to fight with the demon, Iblees. For this, he and his bloodline were cursed with the Bloodlust you are likely aware of at this point. Such an affliction caused the other descendant races to be wary of the Orcs, and for this reason we have been secluded from the world, forced to live in near in-hospitable lands, and attacked frequently in an attempt to control our populations. Naturally, this kind of treatment has left a deep resentment within the Orcish people. They have developed a great mistrust for those outside of the Uzg, especially as they do not have the inherent code of honour that all Orcs must live by. For this reason, they usually remain in the vast Uzg, where they are free to live among their own kin and thrive. The desert is scattered with warning signs to those that would dare enter the land. If you are seen, you will most likely be attacked. This is not because Orcs are interested in your loot, or in causing general grievances. It is a defense mechanism; a means of preventing those they love from coming into immediate danger from the outside world. If a Non-Orc wishes to come into the land, they must first send a message to those of higher stead within Orcish society, whereby they may request entrance to the Uzg. This is usually agreed upon, as long as a "tribute" is paid. A tribute can be any offering of goods, and along with this, weaponry and armour is forfeit as standard. Nowhere is Honour more sacred than within the lands of the Uzg, and for this reason, Orcs are not permitted to kill any living entities that do not have the means to defend themselves. If a trespasser is found upon the land, they are to be guided to the exit; albeit with a mild form of punishment. The Orcs have learnt, over time, that pain is the best method of teaching. This is why raiding parties are often formed. The world must know that the Orcs are strong, so that they will not dare to venture too close to the abode of Krug's children. Orc Role-Play Now that we have established the general mindset of the Orcs, and what you can and cannot do, let us explore the vast and varied world of Orcish RP, and indeed, the different types of RP that can be available to you. So, what exactly can you do as an Orc? The short answer? Everything. You are only limited by your own imagination when it comes to Orc RP. There is a vast and open plot of land surrounding San'Thraka (the Orcish capital) and it can be used so long as the ideas you present are reasonable within the limitations of the lore. I will detail below several avenues of possibility your Orc can venture into. Generally, it is more about RP'ing the Orcish Mindset in every occasion, than in limiting yourself to only those activities you would imagine Orcs to partake in; such as fighting and spirit worship. In truth, there is a great deal of culture to be explored, and laws are much more relaxed out in the Uzg. For instance, you can sit around a fire with some Orcs, smoking cactus green and having extremely dim-witted conversations about the "purple sheep" you can see walking around you. You can hunt with your peers, and prove your strength among one another. You can build and forge, and promote the general progression of the War Uzg. Or, you can watch as several Ologs climb on one another as they reach for a piece of bread, suspended in the air by a rather mischievous Goblin. The list goes on. An indeed, it will. Below. Blarg (Home) RP Ah! Blarg RP, an unexplored realm within the Uzg. Just as with life, your home is where you collect items that remind you of life experiences, or to show to visitors what you have accomplished throughout your lifespan. This is where you will mount your trophies; the heads of your fallen enemies, prized possessions of other cultures, and the relics and unusual items you have come across along your travels. It is well promoted within the Uzg to show off what you are capable of, as it will improve your standing greatly. If you have a home, and your collection has grown, venture out and boast about it. There is nothing more progressive to your character than proving your worth, and this is one exceptional way of doing it. This will attract mates to you, and earn you a great deal of respect among your peers as you display the remains of some of the Uzg's most ferocious creatures. Additionally, if you are shown a Blarg by another Orc and it takes your fancy, you can fight him for it. It is perfectly acceptable within the world of the Orcs to fight for what you want. Mates, homes and even which chair you get to sit on at the dinner table. Really, the Bloodlust can cause some messy family gatherings. Hunting RP (A pair of Uruk, hunting in the Kharajyrian Jungles) So you just beat the living snot out of Tawdnug'Lak and have claimed his Blarg in the city. It's nice, yeah, but it feels empty. Tawdnug took all of his trophies with him and sulked back to the swamp. He's gone back to live with his Evil Popo, who tries to ruin his life at every opportunity. But you? You've been left with very little. So what are you going to do about it? Well, go out and get money trophies to fill the empty space. Generally, pelts, claws and heads are among the most prized of possessions. There are extremely dangerous and rare beasts scattered around the Uzg, but even more impressive are those outside of the desert. When you have amassed a collection of items, there is a place where they can be shown which may help in gaining you the title of Huntsgoth; the most esteemed hunter in the Uzg. The Tavern, the place where drunken oafs go to celebrate the fighting and worship of the day. This is where you can set down your belongings, and gather a crowd to revel in your capabilities. The one with the most trophies may work toward achieving the title of Huntsgoth. When you have enough items to rival the current Huntsgoth, you may challenge him to combat to earn his title. Tavern RP Who says Orcs don't enjoy the occasional drink? In-fact, they partake in heavy consumption of both alcohol and drugs. After a long day in the searing heat, many enjoy the revelry that comes with it. The Tavern is the place to go, where you can enjoy conversation with your brothers, and discuss the days activities. It is here that you may discuss fighting strategies, which Spirit deserves the most worship, which constellation you are born under, and a host of others things. It is also the perfect spot for a band of Orcs to discuss which area will become their next raiding target, for this is the ultimate means of testing their strength against the outside world. Raid RP Is raid RP truly possible? It can be. Generally, raids devolve into PvP-fests because one side will resort to meta-gaming a squad of people that will take every attempt to disrupt a chance at RP. There have been many examples of successful raiding RP in the past. For a time, I used to lead a group of Orcs toward the High Elven settlement. We would break our way inside, and cut one hand from each Elf we captured. This was to pass on a message, and to attempt to generate further RP between the two races. It worked for a time, and we would fashion trophies out of the limbs that we acquired along the way. Similar events can be created by the Orcish community, as long as the environment allows for it. It is a rare thing, but when it is achieved, it can be a good experience for everyone. For instance, you may hunt those that worship different deities, wrangle the group together, and burn their texts before them. You may recite a long speech about how you will not tolerate the worship, before leaving and returning to the Uzg. The general rule of thumb is not to kill everyone at every opportunity. When you kill a character, they lose all memory of any moments leading up to their death. You earn very little reputation for your Orc among the other races, and they receive no character progression from the experience. The idea here is to spread RP to all parties involved, and create a balanced and in-depth scenario. Speaking of depth, let us discuss perhaps the most prominent aspect of Orcish Culture. One that all can partake in, regardless of ability. Spirit Worship (A sacrifice being prepared for Ehnrok, the Spirit of Bloodlust and War) Spirit worship is not as complex as many imagine, and it is not as one-dimensional as sacrificing Humans to every Spirit that happens to exist. In terms of worshiping a Spirit, you must do something that revolves around the domain they control. In the instance of Ehnrok, it is appropriate to provide a healthy sacrifice, as this is what pleases him. However, if you were to try the same thing with Gentharuz, the Spirit of Smithing and Forging, you would make no progress. A more relevant offering would be blades of high quality, adorning a shrine with them. These simple acts can go a long way to benefit an Orcs life within the Uzg, as the Spirits begin to work in your favour. The Orcs worship the Spirits because they have dominance over the realm, and as such embody a significant representation of strength. They uphold balance in the world, and can assist the Orcs of the War Uzg in their endeavours; if they are pleased enough. It is for this reason that Orcs are encouraged to go out and provide offerings for a wide variety of Spirits. In the Orcish culture, there is quite literally a Spirit for everything. You can pick one at random and go on a quest to find a means of appeasing them. If it is the spirit of Artwork, create a display somewhere in the Uzg. If it is the Spirit of Hunting, bring trophies to the shrine. These simple processes can provide unending opportunities for RP with your character, and can eventually lead to you adopting a position as a Shaman. Shaman RP The wisest of Orcs, the Shamans represent restraint and control within the Uzg. They work with the Spirits to maintain balance in nature, and attempt to appease the Spirits so that they may assist the Orcs in their plight with Bloodlust. There are several types of Shamans, each of which have their own unique ways of approaching the subject. Some use the abilities of the Spirits to cause harm to their enemies, while overs try to communicate with them to achieve enlightenment. Whatever the case may be, they are powerful figures within Orcish society, and are often sought in times of tribulation. They have the ability to shape the land mass around them, and protect the Uzg to a greater degree. They are held in a tremendously high esteem, and to become a Shaman is to have an unmatched honour bestowed upon you. Look to them for wisdom and inspiration, for they are among the most learned of Orcs. Exploration RP There is a vast amount of land out there to explore. As long as you remain loyal to the Uzg, you are free to explore all of Vailor and learn from the world, so that you may benefit the Orcs. You can scout potential raiding areas, find out who is worshiping deities outside of the Spirits, learn of Whitewash Orcs, explore ruins, discover new ways of smithing items, etc. The possibilities are endless, really. You can spread the word of Spirit worship, and implore others to partake in it. It is down to your own imagination; as with Spirit worship. The Orcs are allowed to venture outside of the Uzg, they just have to be aware that doing so can be dangerous. It is NOT Whitewash to trade and talk with other races, only to live with them wholly and completely and ignore the land you hail from. Speaking of exploring the land, I will now move onto something of a controversial subject among the community. An aspect of Orcish RP that needs work to become something promising. Znagah (Slave) RP Generally, it is ill-advised to participate in enslavement RP if you're not a well versed Orc. It can be complicated, and difficult to work with. If you do it badly, you can leave a negative impression of the non-Orcs you come across; which extends into an OOC perception. Slave RP can be very good for Orcish RP, as it allows those that are not Orcs to experience the culture, and even, with time, become a part of it. You can take slaves from anywhere, but they must be able to defend themselves fairly before they are captured. The Orcs do not enslave children, nor the crippled. Remember, Honour is a prevalent part of Orcish society; besides, they would be useless anyway. The intention behind slaves is to have them work for the Uzg and build, or to dedicate shrines to the Spirit of Slavery, which has the potential to become a rather large event-arch within itself. (Hint) Honourary RP Being an Orc is a mindset, just as much as it is a physical thing. For this reason, the Orcs are willing to accept other races into their lands if they can prove themselves through a series of intense trials. They generally include a large number of combat and agility exercises, in order to determine if the prospective honourary can keep up with the Orcs. It is an extremely high honour to be bestowed the title of honourary, and if you meet one across your travels, you must show an adequate level of respect. Acknowledge that they have gone through some trying times to get to that position, and that they must hold a deep love and connection to the Orcs in order to pass the tests. They are your brothers and sisters, and will fight alongside you when the rest of the world turns its back. Generally, you can distinguish an honourary through a numbers of physical signs. They are always adorned in several tattoos and markings, to make it immediately obvious that they are honourary. Additionally, they are taught, and use the Blah in order to fit in more with the Orcish society. Ilzhonal RP The Ilzhonal; essentially students of the night sky. They study the constellations above, and believe that being born beneath a specific constellation greatly contributes to the path your life will take. They believe that the Spirits dominate their own constellations, and so to be born beneath one is to have a greater affinity to that Spirit. If you are having trouble creating a personality for your Orc, look to this untapped resource as a means of inspiration. Take note of the month your character is created upon, and use the month on the chart below as a foundation from which to grow your character. https://www.lordofthecraft.net/forums/topic/142093-ilzpaak-the-orcish-zodiac/ As well as following this pattern of thought, you can indeed become one of these masters yourself. Create an area within the Uzg, and watch as Orcs come to you in search of guidance. You can instruct them on how to raise their kubs, based on their birth chart, and can offer general advice to your brothers and sisters. For those that wish to partake in Shamanism, this may be a good first step in showing what you are capable of. With progress, those of the Shaman community may take notice in your advanced RP and offer to teach you more complex aspects of Orcish Culture. Clan RP Of course, it goes without saying that clan RP is among some of the most influential in all of the Uzg. A clan is a group of Orcs with similar goals or features, who work together as a family to survive in the harsh environment of the Uzg. Generally, each has has its own specialisation. Below, I will list the current clans and their niches: Raguk - Mining, Industry and Forging. Braduk - Characterised by larger, stronger frames. Gorkil - Those that acknowledge Bloodlust more as a tool, embracing it almost religiously. Yar - One of the Shaman clans of the Uzg, responsible for a great focus on the Spirits and their worship. Lur - Among the greatest hunters of the War Uzg. Tuk - A predominantly Goblin clan. Fud - A predominantly Olog clan. Each clan is based on an Ancestral Spirit of Legend, a once living Orc that was well known for being the best in their chosen specialisation. For this reason, the clans work in homage to their Ancestor, working to continuously hone their crafts both for themselves and for the united force of the Uzg. There are many titles within a clan, and you can work throughout your Orcs career to make it to the top. When you become the leader of a clan (A Wargoth) you can even challenge the Rex in order to take his position. The potential for RP within a clan is unending, and it is extremely important that you find one as soon as possible, as this is your main way of progressing in society. It is also a way to get a home, more respect, and a means by which to develop a name for yourself. Once you join a clan, you cannot leave. It is a life bond, and must not be broken under any circumstances. You owe everything to your family, and you should risk your life to protect them. A Final Note on Orcish RP and the Mindset You are guided by your internal sense of honour, and it is what allows the community to accept you both IC and OOC. Remember to follow this conduct if you wish to truly delve deeper into Orcish RP, and recognise the importance it has at all times. Acknowledge that there is more to Orc RP than simply fighting. Go out into the world and explore, learn new things and craft your own stories. There are even more resources than those listed above, you just have to take some initiative. Orc RP can be a wonderful thing, and I implore anyone that hasn't already tried, to give it a real go and not become swayed by the occasional memer or PvP head.
  24. A Tribute to Emmett Kelly, the Hobo Clown. So I came up with this goofy RP idea of playing an Orc Clown called Klown. I thought not that many people are playing Jesters, probably because it's pretty dangerous to be one in the medieval community as long as you don't belong to the royal family. I watched a few videos with most known street clown, most lovely are Pepe the Clown and Clown Durilov, which was my compatriot. RIP. The most unfortunate part of this rp is the reacton of other players and their characters. Being a clown requires a decent roleplay skill, acumen and you should be charming. Thought for the most personas you could be funny, or either be scary. The last part brings a lot of trouble to jester. Fooling around in Haense? Be careful, the churchman may claim you as a demon! Juggling in the War Uzg? Woah, I guess now Olog have to juggle with your bones! Well, the best part of it is getting an approval from other players, if they enjoy your rp they will follow it and play with you to make it funnier. Oh and you also could get some coins for giving people a show. A Goof with a Gaff is a Laugh A Laugh with a Goof is a Spoof So, how do you make someone chuckle? Well, just grab your red nose and honk with it, piece of cake. However, if you want a better reaction you should use few items for entertainment, such as: The Costume, that's your daily uniform, deal with it. Cleve the Jester played by @Vege Klown the Clown played by Me. Tambourine, small horn, bells or a red nose to honk with. Sometimes you have to keep your mouth closed, those items will help you to communicate with others. Juggling Equipment. Juggling Balls or Juggling Clubs may save your day. Thought I prefer myself using Spider eyeballs, rotten apples and empty bottles. Rubbered rope or Animal guts. Just because we're in medieval it doesn't mean we can't have twist balloon animals! Misc such as cream and pumpkin pies, fake flowers with a hose, bottled paraffin oil for tricks with fire, acrobatic stunts, etc. Be patient and don't forget to interact with your spectators! Feel free to share your experience or try this unique roleplay! As soon as I will get back to the server, I might open an RP clown school or a circus. Who knows? Probs to Steve-O!
  25. The duo of 'Ox goblins during their combat training. ~-=-~ Children of Krug, Uruks - Enormous outraged beasts whom well known for their strength and bloodlust. However, some of the bloodlines have preferred an intellect instead of gargantuan strength. The Goblins of Krug, lanky beasts who prefer brain over brawn looked to massive war machines and complex devices to counter their lack of muscle. ~-=-~ ~-=-~ Goblins, or Gobbos, live in harmony of their grumpy being, throwing their efforts together to achieve the success. Where is the Peace, there is a War, Gobbos are not built to fight themselves but by using the Warmachines created by them, but when it comes to battle, they have to protect themselves as any living creature must. Unlike Uruks, their smaller brothers can not combat alone, they prefer to stick in small groups of three to six goblins. A phenomenon known as ‘Orcish Bloodrage’ is triggered by receiving pain, it helps warriors resist further pain and serious injury which could threaten their life, at the same time, they can not control their current blood loss, which may cause their death. However, the Goblin Bloodrage works a little differently to that, and its success depends on the number of goblin groups. The Gobbo gets triggered by pain, their eyes become red, and instead of attacking the enemy they start biting their comrades, sharing their bloodrage with others. After a few moments of hurting each other, the Swarm of bloodraged Goblins becomes an unstoppable hurricane of sharp teeth and claws, inflicting dozens of minor blows to their opponents, bringing them down with the sheer number of wounds. After they bring their enemies down, they commit the most unexpected process. The Swarm starts eating their enemy alive... ~-=-~ ~-=-~
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