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  1. Here you can find the elements of Reinmaren culture
  2. What does Magic of any kind, or its many (usually morally dubious) power sources smell like? Of course, from what I understand substances like liquid Mana/Lifeforce allow for them to be made physical and tangible, does this mean that they have a taste and or smell? What about the taint of the void? Does ice conjured by a Voidal Mage smell any different by the one wielded and imbued by the magic of a Frost Witch? What about flames? Whether it be of Malflame or Dragonfire, or the Holy Light of Paladins and or Templars. Would a flower be any different to the sense after a Druid has tampered with it? Yes, I woke up like an hour ago. Yes, I am aware of the risk I place upon myself of the consequences of such a controversial post. But nontheless, another will one day ask the same question irp and we will all look like fools when we are without answer, the truth must be revealed! On a more serious note, while an emphasis is put on 'smelling', the rest of the senses are equally interesting. Answering that for example a Demi-Djiinn's magic brings about a certain taste akin to that of the mashed potatoes that your grandparent used to make when you were young...Certainly would change one's view on the magic itself. It's also really good for writing if we are being honest, having your character's own organs be roasted by dragonfire, would be a somewhat visceral experience and I do think discussing what the other senses would pick up other than merely the pain caused by it would always be really freaking interesting. And small show of hands, this entire post is inspired by 'In Stars and Time' which I came around all the way back on December and has probably become one of my favorite stories in recent years. Within It's story whenever a certain magic took effect, a heavy smell of Burnt Sugar was noticed by the protagonist, growing all and more denser, potent and terrible as the story progressed, which I personally found really interesting and unique! Certainly made it feel more personal and memorable of an experience for me personally.. (Good game, go play it, but only after you respond to the post!!)
  3. Historia Caeliae I. A Collection of a General History of the Caelian People. GENTE CAELIANVS [A.V.V. I] During the time of Velia, within the walls of Colonia Aeqivm the Contuberniae of Caelianvs and the supporting Cohort were driven out from the walls of the colony. This was after an altercation with a tribe of Ravenous Orcs terrorizing the Velian countryside. Due to an egregious emphasis on patricii the men who would soon be known as Caelians would pledge their support for Caelianvs of Ramneseivs; their pledges were hails of Imperator. Knowing the humbleness of the situation, Caelianvs would deny his title of Imperator and instead insist on the name of Praefectvs simply meaning the man in charge. Whilst the tribes of Caelia were marching from their colony in hopes of finding a new land to settle, the truth of divinity would make itself known to Caelianvs, that being his father who was the God of War Sacra Belldevm. Fighting off the forces of the void the Caelians would find themselves battered and beaten by the terrain and monsters that roamed the wilderness. Their ties to the gods were deepend by such tragedies; this can especially be said after the massacre committed by the Unicornii who stampeded into the Caelian camp and slaughtered the inhabitants of which totaled upwards of hundreds of the only 800 Caelians. Once arriving at what seemed to be a suitable spot for settlement the news of an invasion sweeping all of Atlas reached the Caelian Tribes of which preparations were made immediately. Setting sail the Caelians took a similar treacherous path to the rest of the descendants as they sailed south around Atlas into what would be known as Arcas. The Caelians had made landfall on an island to the south of the rest of humanity, there a harsh desert marked the northern border of their people and life was prosperous. [A.V.V. XVII] All could not be well within Caelia forever as the two sons of Caelianvs whom had grown up along their path in Atlas were now men and greed would soon take the better of them. Out of greed the older son Filione would murder his father in his sleep, the culprit was caught red handed by the Legionnaires as his flee was attempted. A small group of his supporters followed and a clash between those few followers and the Caelian Legion commenced in which the Younger Son Ivllianvs Ramneseivs vanquished his brother having him crucified and was hailed as the next Praefectvs. The Reign of Praefectvs Ivllianvs would last for 6 years before the settlement grew complacent and would become engulfed in a series of raids by bandits; the Caelian legion was routed and the civilians scattered into the Korvassan Desert. Humiliated by the loss Ivllianvs would take his own light upon life, surrendering his soul to the seven skies. [A.V.V. XXIII] CONTINVANDVM HISTORIA CAELIAE SECONDA CAELIA INVICTA SENATVS POPVLVSQVE. CAELIANVM
  4. Caelian Upbringing Customs “The Virtues of Virtus.” INFANTIA: Age 0-7 Birth Upon the birth of a new child, a Caelian Pater should not be present. Instead the Matrona should be surrounded by servants and friends. Regardless of the gender of the child; they are to be washed in oil and prepared for the Pater Familias. The Baby should then be presented to the PaterFamilias after washing, it is then that the PaterFamilias has decision over allowing the newborn into the family. If he declines the newborn; they are to be abandoned or raised as servants outside of the Familias. Naming If the child is accepted into the Familias by the PaterFamilias a naming celebration should be held one God's Day after their birth. It is Imperative that Caelians uphold their traditions by following the Tria Nomina. That is, the Praenomina, Nomina, and Cognomina. The First born male in a Familias should take the names of their Pater. The First born female in a Familias should take the names of their Mater as well. Praenomina The Praenomina is a Caelian’s Personal name, it is an informal name and should be used by their close friends and family members, each Familias should have a list of Praenomina that is used. When signing a Praenomina, it should be signed with an abbreviation (Marcus to M. Tullius to TVL. Lucius to L.) Nomina The Nomina is a Caelian’s Family Legacy, their Gentes. There are bound to be distantly related members of the same Gentes, but it is all one legacy and should be treated as such. Generally there is one Main branch of the original Gentes that has more merit than off branches. Examples of a Patricii Nomina are Ramneseius, Vlastos, Horlenia etc... When Signing a Nomina a Caelian can either write their name as plural or a singular word. (Ramneseius or Ramneseii, Vlastos or Vlastoi) Cognomina The Cognomina is a Caelian’s formal name, and is what glory should be held to. The Cognomina is a sign of legacy and each Cognomina should have a root meaning for it’s use. The Original Cognomina were used as nicknames, and Cognomina are directly transferred down to their first born, whilst new Cognomina are formed for secondary male births. For Women the Cognomina should reflect the order in which they were born. The first Born Girl being Prima/Primvs, second being Secundvs, Third being Tertia etc.. During the naming ceremony the child should be awarded gifts from guests; and an amulet from their Pater Familias. This Amulet is to signify Adolescence and should be worn until adulthood ADVLESCENTIA: Age 7-15 A Caelian child should be given their first Toga at 7 years old, this Toga should have a Purple stripe to signify their protection. It is solely up to the PaterFamilias and his Matrona how involved they are in the upbringing of their children. Schooling A Caelian child leading up to Puberty should be schooled in the affairs of Caelia and the world around them. If the PaterFamilias and his Matrona don't have time for such, It is acceptable to employ a Nurse or Pedagogus to help mold the child for Virtue. It is also acceptable for multiple familias, usually Plebeian, to employ one Pedagogus to teach a multitude of children. Caelian children usually enjoy a multitude of games and activities. Of which includes; War games with wooden weapons. A Game known as Battledore. Where a Pinecone is hit back and forth with paddles Board Games; Including games known as Tabvla and Latrones Sports; including wrestling, racing, boxing, swimming, etc.. Games that can be fashioned with a ball. Usually going into the seventh - twelfth year of a child’s life the Matrona would take a more active role in their daughter’s upbringing, and the Pater with their son’s. Preparing them for adulthood; allowing their children to make decisions and guide their destiny with their parent’s supervision. Once entering adulthood, Boys are expected to join the military, and Daughters marry; though dependent on their upbringing Daughters joining the military is not uncommon. The Values of Virtus are to be instilled and vehemently upheld. VIRTVS; Valor Masculinity Excellence Courage Piety In order for a Caelian to achieve Virtus it must be after they serve in the Legio. However the Values of Virtus can be applied to boys in preparation for Adulthood. Men who achieve Virtus are expected to worship the Gods, Strive to do extraordinary feats; and be the epitome of Masculinity. During the time of Advlescentia, boys are sent out into the wilderness alone with nothing but a Tunic. for a time of at least one week in order to prove their achievements in Virtus. ADVLTVS: 15 Onward Upon reaching 15 years old a Caelian child loses their protective status as an Advlescentia and ascends to the status of Advltvs. Men will be impressed into the military. For Men this is a time of newly found independence, young men are known for being unruly in and around taverns and eateries. It is while under the purview of their own pater familias expected for a young man to move out of their familial home and purchase a home for themselves with their new found grasp on wealth. For both Men and Women in the time of early Advltvs they are expected to undertake a profession along with their normal duties; for men this is sometimes given training in the Legio for trades such as Lumberers, Butchers, Carpenters, Smiths, Tailors, Sappers etc.. But, other professions may include but aren't limited to Farmers, Husbandry, Vintners, Merchants, Sailors, Alchemists, Bakers, Masonry, Apothecary, Fishermen, etc.. For those who seek to have greater success in life, they are expected to learn the trades of scribery so that they may pen documents of their own; since admission to the senate is made possible for anyone who is in the Military for 10 years or more; and would mean public recognition in the local election cycle Marriage is an important part of tradition and Women are expected to get married off once they turn 18; this is a family matter and all marriage is approved by the Pater Familias, marriage is generally used as a political tool between families to leverage alliances and deals with each other, the marriage ceremony is hosted by the groom's side in which they make their intent known and the bride's pater familias hands their daughter over to their new family. It is a status symbol for a new house of a gentes that being the second born son and their family from a familias to forge their own wealth and their own house; for what is more prestigious than the expansion of your clan through familial means. CAELIA INVICTA SENATVS POPVLVSQVE. CAELIANVM.
  5. Klan Vinteki Enters the Horde Sightings of Uruks, Goblins, and Heartlanders began to emerge from the pits of the fallen Klanhold of Kazin’Kul within the past week, shortly after Kazin’Kul abandoned their former mountain pass in favor of returning into Krugmar. Thought to be captured hostages that the Klan abandoned during their exodus, Rex Grommash sent a band of runtz and honoraries to retrieve them and bring them back to the capital for questioning. Dutifully following Rex's orders, they set off to the nearby Klanhold and entered the undergrowth below. Days passed, and nothing was heard of the scouting party. A warband of Uruks and Ologs entered the Klanhold, worried that the Coalition had set up a forward outpost deep inside Iron Horde’s land. What awaited inside was the ruins of the Kazin’Kul, and the product of their abandonment. It has seemed that the entire cave had been converted into a wide array of ritualistic pits and altars, all freshly covered with viscera and meatbags. The runtz had been strung together with rusty wire that threaded inside and between them, forming crude marionettes that tugged at their supports. The new inhabitants had carved the walls and floors of the cave so that the altars would flow into a deep pit and drain in the middle of the cave. It seems that whatever the Kazin’Kul fought to contain from leaving their expansive caves and prisons had escaped and taken over what remained. The honoraries sat lying on top of stone tables with goblins laying on top of them, nibbling and yanking. The warband tried to fight these maddened creatures. Quickly, they were overwhelmed and forced back to the gates of the cave, which slammed shut as they left. The clamor and ruckus quickly calmed as the warband was stunned by how fast the situation in the cave seemed to devolve. Returning back to Krugmar, Rex and Targoth heard about the incident and rode at once to the nearby mountain pass. After a ram was laid outside the crooked gates, and the Horde prepared to breach into their former fortress, a loud, bellowing “NUB!” was heard. A large orc, clad in armor of the former clan of Kazin’Kul, stood at the gates, looking tirely through the holes. The gates began to slowly open and the gargantuan beast stepped out. He called himself Kezmur, and his people the Vinteki. He refused what had happened to the remainder of the former Orc Klan, or where he hailed from. He only wanted to make a deal with the Horde. His and his peoples total fealty and cooperation, at the price of a single condition. Not a single soul would ever enter the Vinteki caves without permission again, Orc or otherwise. As the orc spoke, armor-clad heads began to peek over his shoulder through the darkness, their blades and plate illuminated by torchlight. Soon, a sea of bloody, yellow and orange eyes stared at the Rex, held back by the lone orc who approached out into the sunlight. A deal was made between the two. Klan Vinteki would assist in their war, serve under the Rex, and join the Horde. The former Klanhold of Kazin’Kul would now belong to the Vinteki people and Kezmur. Signage was posted outside the front of the cave, warning of the dangers below. DETAILS OF VINTEKI The Vinteki people emerged from a combination of captured prisoners and native orcs, both who lived deep under the Klanhold of Kazin’Kul. The natives freed the abandoned, starving prisoners, but impressed them into their brutal, rigid culture and formed their own spirit and people. Constant sacrifice and spirit worship of Enrohk is demanded of klan members. Their society is mostly lawless, with the strong and cunning surviving. Each subnetwork of the cave system often is controlled by a particularly unique and influential pitboss, who all submit to the authority of an appointed leader. Night raids on surrounding nations keep the inhabitants fed and supplied to a degree. Cannibalism has been practiced when raiding parties fail to produce. Ritual sacrifice serves as an cathartic outlet to the unforgiving nature of the pits, providing community and singularity in religion. Vinteki Orcs and their honoraries wear large suits of plate and masks to cover up accumulated damage from their training. They are known to be so insecure to the point that they will not remove the plate and coverings even in massive heatwaves in the desert, preferring heatstroke to exposure. Non-Orc Vinteki are not forced to speak blah, but are expected to know the language. Distinct features include bloodshot eyes, chipped plate, large scars and shamanstic markings of white ash. Because of the unforgiving nature of being raised in the Vinteki pits, the Vinteki people have a distinct lack of individuality and a penchant for violence. This leads to them being uniquely weak to the effects of the Blood curse, often entering into a Berserker state even if kept exclusively around other Uruks. Their constant exposure to violence clan infighting, and incredibly close combat in the dark makes those that survive clever tacticians and masterful warriors. The goblins and humans within the Vinteki tribe are seen as a more progressive force, driving towards outwards expansion and technological advancement, while the dominant Uruk ruling class seems content with their current situation. There are little to no present shamans within the Vinteki tribe, which the leadership wishes to change as they want to advance their rituals beyond pure executions. Enrohk is worshiped over all. The Vinteki consider themselves vessels of Enrohk and the rituals usually are dedicated to him. Sacrifices to Krug are occasionally performed as well. The various pitbosses and subklans each perform their own rites of sacrifice.
  6. Manic Stimulant(Rare | T3) Background/Description After years of continued manic study, a young dark elf by the name of Knox would find himself tired of being… well tired. As one casts magic, it consumes mana - be it from the self or the ever-consuming void. This can leave the mage exhausted after a single performance, causing those who practice the arts to space out their studies or risk injuring themself from overdraw. With this in mind, the elf would consult his students who, though they may not have as intimate alchemical knowledge, provided support and feedback. After careful study and testing, Knox would have created the first of many batches of Manic Stimulant Recipe Base: Fresh Liquid Mana Mundane | Order x2 Aether | Clarity x2 Aether | Endurance x3 Aether | Life x 2 Creation Add one-half draw of Liquid Mana, and to that, add 2 part Aether Clarity and 2 part Aether Life. Gently stir, careful not to set off any reaction. In a second container, mix two part Mundane Order and 3 part Aether Endurance with no base. Once thoroughly combined, slowly add a half-draw of Liquid Mana to the mix, one or two splashes at a time. The alchemist should now have 2 mixtures. Slowly pour them into a vial while trying to keep their concentrations roughly equal. Try to create as little disturbance as possible, and do not stir. Effects Upon consumption, the mage would start to feel more antsy and outgoing than what may be usual. Voidal hiccups and small, aura-colored sparks may jump off them or their wand. The mana’s natural draw against doing harm would be strengthened during the duration of the effects causing a mage to be unable to cast any combative spell types. Doing so would cause the potion to immediately fade, and leave the mage drained for the next 15 OOC minutes, and unable to cast any spells at or above tier 3 for an OOC day. Under its effects, one would be able to cast a near endless amount of non-combative magic. So long as the user is able to concentrate one what they are doing, they are able to continue this euphoric experience for up to 1 and a half OOC hours. After the potion fades naturally, the mage would be filled with a final surge of excitement before a small jolt of mana would almost pop within them. This would cause no harm, but would tire the user, making them unable to cast any tier 5 spells for the next 30 OOC minutes. Creatures of mana would feel the effects stronger than their descendent counterparts. Though it would not give any greater advantage to casting, when consumed, they would have a much stronger urge to interact with others, and cast their magic. It could work to calm them to a small extent, but by no means reliably. Additionally, it would free one spell slot from any magic that utilizes them such as bardmancy. If the user has more than one magic that utilizes spell-slots, only one magic's slot may be refreshed. If the user has used no used spell slots, one non-combative slot may be utilized for an hour after its effects have worn off (up to 2 hours after initial consumption). No slots my be utilized until the potion's effects have worn off, but if one uses a combative magic before utilizing the slot, it would disappear and be unable to be used. Redlines -T3 Alchemy required. -Does NOT require ST signage. -This potion is ‘rare’ and must be taught through sufficient roleplay. -Cannot be used in any malicious way including, but not limited to: Sneaking away or towards someone for malicious means, fleeing combat, entering combat, hurting someone, forcing someone to do something against their will, antagonization, ect. Moderators/ST may use their own judgement to include anything not specifically mentioned. -Dark mages/innate-evils are unable to utilize the potion, and would, at most, feel a small shiver. -Requires IRP willingness to be administered, and cannot be forced upon a user. If someone drinks the potion unknowingly or against their will, it's effects would be null, and the potion wasted. -During combat, so long as the mage casts no magic, the potion's effects would fade after 5 emotes, leaving the user unable to cast any tier 5 spell during the encounter plus an OOC hour after -If a mage makes use of the potion three times or more within an OOC day, the user may suffer overdose effects. This would cause their magic to become more erratic, and fuzzy, and leave them overdrawn and unable to utilize their mana for no less than 2 OOC days. -All urges and emotions may be ignored completely. This will not change the potions effects, but an emote must include the resistance towards such. I would like to thank the following people for their contributions and support PestyWarlock, SimpleGlitchBro, creamynoteblock,
  7. De Aetaes Insanis Aetaes Primae In the beginning there was nothing; before the beginning there was an end and that end was Chaos. The Chaos was immense, and the monsters that made up Chaos were in constant struggle for dominance. Of which, creatures of unfathomable machinations were thought up and discarded by those Primordials that could overcome Chaos. All beings made of Flesh and Light would conquer each other, their flesh and source upon life would be the reward. At the time of beginning the monsters had been quelled by the greatest among them, their beings being made of pure light. Ascending from Chaos the first of the Old Gods, Draegivs would seize power. As the other Primordials flew high with their light, Draegivs craved the reward of flesh; his consumption made him a being of massive proportions. Draegivs consumed the Chaos and splitted it up. Chaos was divided into nine parts; seven skies and two planes. Upon dividing the skies from the planes the pressure in between would birth Ovaelia who birthed the other Old Gods and became Draegivs’ wife. The Old Gods birthed from Ovaelia would be Oraevs who commanded the winds, Ovaenia who demanded brutality and insanity, Maechnia whom commanded flame, and Vaegaeus who controlled knowledge from the others. Draegivs would fill the planes with flora and fauna and he did it all in an instant for he had seized time itself. From the mud, Draegivs would create Man and give him the bounty of the world; in a land known as Aegia Their name being Orenivs as well as a wife known as Ivlia. The Other Old Gods Jealous of Draegivs’ divine creation of Mortality would seek to make versions of man themselves; Maechnia, proud of his flame and the iron it wrought would produce a Man known as Pvmillivs. Ovaenia, commanded bloodshed so produced a Warrior known as Crvgivs. Vaegaeus, wanting his knowledge stored by Mortals, produced a man known as Avritvs. As there was peace in Aegia between the four Mortal Brothers; Vaegaeus begot quintuplets with Ovaelia of which Draegivs could not know; Upon their birth they were sent to live alone on an island off the coast of Aegia. The quintuplets would be Ivlioia, Belldevm, Ilia and Marevs. There they lived for half a generation before they returned to Draegivs. Draegivs unhappy with Ovaelia’s unfaithfulness would purge his wife’s light upon life. Sending her flesh hurdling into the sea. Ivlioia would seize the keys to the ports of life and lock Draegivs away into the void; where time would remain stationary. Upon the imprisonment of Draegivs; Tyranny beset the remaining Old Gods. with which they created a being of pure malignancy which Vaegaeus advised against, they were known as Malignivs and were as dark as the Primordials were light. Ivlioia upon realizing the Old God’s Treachery trapped each Old God in their own Prison. The remaining Gods would delegate the responsibilities of the Old Gods amongst themselves whilst Malignivs cloaked themselves among the descendants. Ivlioia; would take up the act of protecting the gateways between realms, which includes the planes, the void and the seven skies. Belldevm would take up the act of war, protecting the seven skies and guiding the descendants on conquest. Marevs would take up the circle of rebirth on the planes; controlling the vast seas dictating the wind, the rain and the harvest. Ilia would beseech themselves the act of protecting the knowledge of man and the immortal gods; their devotion to woman would be greatest of all. Aetaes Lapsae Once beginning had subsided and the Old God’s treachery was dealt with, an age of fallen virtue had befallen upon the descendants of the planes. For each group of the Old God’s creation sought their own tribes and fought their own wars. Malignivs would tempt their deception to the tribes of each descendant; promising power to Crgnivs and Orenivs, knowledge to Avritvs and Wealth to Pvmillivs. Succumbing to lies wrought sickness between the descendants. The powers of the Old Gods flowing through them in wicked ways; unable to secure themselves, Belldevm would descend to the Plane in order to guide the descendents. He told them their swords would be drawn and time would be sought in effects for the Vile beings of the night. That curses have been brought to the lands with corruption and wickedness. Malignivs cloaked in the night would approach Belldevm with contempt in his voice; he would screech out That his word was law and that if there may be those who worship Wealth there be those who worship Malignivs. For he was Greed itself; the Abuse of Power, and Knowledge was his; the treachery within gave him his power. Crgnivs was the first to fight against the curse of Malignivs. Eyes glowing from a wicked black and purple back to that of red and rage. Next was Orenivs who’s eyes glowed yellow then to a deep blue of purity Third, was Avritvs who’s eyes varied back and forth setting on a gray color signifying his infertility. Last, was Pvmillivs who’s eyes glowed black then yellow then to a dark orange signifying their immense greed. The Wavering loyalties of the Patriarchs led Malignivs weakened; his power still remained. He was able to fight back against Avritvs, and Pvmillivs who raised their swords against him. Crvgnivs wrought with rage, sucker punched Malignivs in his gut; sending him flying. The corruption wielding punch would transform the skin of Crvgnivs to a dark green. Orenivs commanded fourth by Belldevm charged with his sword piercing the skin of Malignivs High upon the Seven Skies The gatekeeper Ivlioia watched from up high with his power so mighty. Ivlioia would reach his mighty hands into the void pulling bonding chains from the once chaos. At once the chains pulled upward and then down, spanning the Plane crushing the continents and attaching to Malignivs. The Wealthy One’s screams of agony could be heard as he cursed the planes with suffering and illness. Death to those who besought his name Malignivs the Wealthy One, The Plague bearer; Now banished into the void. Ivlioia would lock his being into the void, being punished the same as Draegivs. There in the void, Malignivs with his command on Greed and Corruption held onto reigns in the Planes. Allowing those who seek his power to be corrupted the same as him; with evil striking fast into those who worship the void. After the battle flew out Aemilia to symbolize the Victory of Man over Evil. Orenivs who was the least corrupted by Malignivs’ power would go on to unite many of his kin into kingdoms of vast renown; bastions from Malignivs’ corruption. The Descendents of Orenivs and his tribes are to be known as Hominae or Man, taking up the mantle of Mortality. Avritvs who was cursed with infertility, would dedicate their long life to scholarly pursuits attempting to harness the blessings of the gods even if it was for nought. Crvgnivs blessed by his strength would be cursed with Rage, his power knowing no bounds; he would murder a great deal under his own thumb without his knowledge. He dedicated his life to controlling his rage and vanished into the seven skies upon losing his light upon life. Pvmillivs whilst not worshiping The Wealthy One outright was cursed with Greed and unknowingly invited the power and corruption of The Wealthy One into his kingdom. Thus it is now the age of Man
  8. Origin/Background/Culture After the birth of the 4 races… Finally, as the land and the terrain began to subside and slowly blended into natural composition, and all was good and done, the Creator let out a sigh. Within almost an instant, the winds gushed through the crooks and cracks, the trees and the shrubs, and swifty blew across the seas, creating waves that swivelled the still and quiet life beneath them. It splashed along the shores and dampened the sand. As it nurtured the world, the soil shook, and a storm began to brew. The clouds were shaped like the hands of the Creator, they were charged with electricity ready to destroy anything in its proximity. The storm shrouded the entire world; the Creator’s embodied defiance to the endless void left him, and rushed beyond it all - beyond the seas horizon - it continued to pick up wind and started to centre within a conjunction of islands called The Meranesian Islands. It accelerated, and shortly reached its climax - DOOM! Thunder roared along the ravines and jagged mountains, the lightning seemed to be at a still; then the gloom of darkness cleared. Flora began to bloom around afterwards, and so, this strike of lightning would eventually be called “Keraunós Kháos”. And then a mould began to form, which slowly separated from the soil. It soon formed into the shape of men, but then it collapsed; all that remained was human bones, and then, nature started to mend the creature, treating it as if it was a torn root; with little to no structure to join upon, life itself began to mould and fill them. Then it was done. Life awaited for its creation, but nothing happened; until the Creator blew a small breeze in which he was intrigued, and for just that one thought, that maybe one more shall do. The breeze swirled across the plains and flushed in as cold as ice, and suddenly, it took a breath - and jumped up! And earth elegantly guided it along the fields, for it too will soon learn how to mould. This being will be known as Terrafornia. To Terrafornia, may you hope for fortune, but it is not given, may your hardship be permanent and handed down to your descendants and more, and may your kind-filled heart be your utter undoing. Skeleforian or Terraforian (Collectively known as Terraforians) Physical Description Their height scales roughly the same as humans, about 4' 4 " - 6 '6”, but in some rare cases they tend to scale way higher. They can adapt to most regions, except extremely hot places like the desert. They are herbivores, and unable to consume meat. They’d preferably want to consume water, milk and honey because plants aren’t necessary during later stages of life. Out of the three, milk is required and is the most important because it is the fuel for their bone structure. Without it, their bones will grow weak and will begin to wither out. If their bones are too weak, they will be unable to produce a healthy body for their kin. They vary exponentially, but they still follow the same body structure from the first of their race, Terrafornia. Curse & Lifespan “To Terrafornia, may you hope for fortune, but it is not given, may your hardship be permanent and handed down to your descendants and more, and may your kind-filled heart be your utter undoing.” Their lifespan stretches from 200 - 1000 years and during their early stages, they tend to be very fragile and easily vulnerable to fire, magma, sharp and/or heavy objects, and magic, especially magic from a necromancer. If one is closeby, they will grow severely ill and become weak, their strong will also tends to weaken the longer they are near it. As they grow older, their body structure continues to grow and become super dense, and in turn they become tougher beings, and more bulk in size. In death, all organic/living vegetation on their body will die out (it depends on the vegetation). They will lose stability and will be unable to move during death; the most peaceful way to put them to rest is immolation, even if its roots were once dense it still won’t be able to withstand the flames due to age and will quickly be put to rest, whereas leaving them to pass on naturally leads to hours of endless pain and agony. Weight Their weight cannot be calculated due to the sheer variety and flexibility of their sizes. It often comes down to where they reside; if born in a snowy region for example, their bone density will increase and they will have even more vegetation growing upon them for warmth. But whereas newborns in regions like the plains, they don’t tend to tap into their adapting mechanism, and so, their body structure will consist mostly of flowers and moss, and more bone. These are the two factors (Bone density/amount & Vegetation variety) that make it difficult to average it, and thus, we are only able to calculate the sizes of newborns due to undevelopment of plant life and more consistency with bone density and amount. An average newborn weighs about 12 lbs (5kg), and ranges between 10 - 20 lbs. Mental Description Peaceful beings, taught by the forests itself; although most of them today don’t have to reside in them, they’re still wise and kind-hearted with experience that has been handed down since the first trees sprouted. When it comes to meeting other races, they are passive, calm-minded, and prefer to make right and undo wrongs. Their mindset becomes very spiritual overtime, and it also becomes protective of the land on which it was born; nature is like their family. Their very carefree perspective makes them easily susceptible to misdeeds, manipulation, and so on. But most of the time, they are cautious, and quickly learn how to avoid traps or dangerous situations. Abilities How they reproduce: During the middle of their lifespan, they’re able to reproduce. And once decided, they will usually find somewhere safe or somewhere close to the forests in order to start their reproduction. They first find an area where there's sand/dirt/gravel that can be dug, and once that hole is about 1.5-2 metres deep, they then go to the bottom of the hole they excavated and start imprinting the shape of their body into the soil. If it is disfigured or out of shape, they will have to manually fix the imperfections in order for their kin to live a healthier life. When this process is done, the being roots itself to soil and begins to produce a sap known as Biosap. This process takes around 2-5 days depending on their health and size of the imprint. They will then disconnect itself from the ground and make final preparations, making sure that nothing has disturbed the process. It then begins pouring the Biosap from its mouth into the imprinted mould. Once the sap fills it in, they take a part of their body and place it in the imprinted head. And then they cover up the hole, and wait for the newborn to sprout. These creatures have to go through quite the effort to produce their newborn. But nowadays they do it in groups and under protected land, so it’s easier for this process to go through. When they pass 650 years of age, they will be unable to produce again. There is also a way to turn deceased human remains into a living Terraforian. The remains must be in fertilised soil and pushed at least half a metre into the ground, then, Biosap will be required to finish the process. Last is to cover the remains in soil and wait for them to transform into their being. The being will not remember its past life. If attempting to reproduce, it must be on any type of dirt, gravel and sand, anything outside these will not work. The dirt must also come from the natural surface, a newborn can’t be born on a pile of dirt/sand/gravel (something placed by a player), and cannot be underground, unless there’s a proper context to it. Adapting mechanism: Terraforians are mostly plant life, so depending on the region they’re at, their vegetation will usually follow the common-life in the area. They will be unable to adapt to hot regions like the desert due to lack of inability to keep proper sustenance, plant development, etc. Or deserts like an ice-filled plains will also be impossible to adapt to for the same reasons. Volcanic regions or any other regions with extreme weather will not be an exception to this inability to the mechanic. The Living Scarecrow: These beings are perfect for harvesting crops and scaring off unwanted pests. They have the ability to grow roots from their legs and feed the soil with healthy nutrition. The crops will be more fresh, and they’ll grow faster as well. This also helps Terraforians develop and grow new vegetation on themselves, for example, flowers, grass etc. Overtime, the individual/s will lose hunger quicker and will require to take breaks. More than two individuals attempting to use this ability on the same crop field will not increase the speed any further. When hunger is 3 bars or lower, the ability will be inactive until food is consumed above this limit. Purpose Lotc hasn’t had any new races since 2011, I think it’s about time to add a new addition. I hope this race will give a more connective & spiritual nature to the environment, and to those who just love to adventure harmoniously. And how this race may be the back pocket to victory for future battles. Biosap, What Is It? Biosap comes from the individual during reproduction period or during hibernation. Not only is this substance used for the creation of newborns, it is also a medicine to cure diseases/illnesses, and it’s also a fertiliser for life/crops. It works like bone meal, but in larger amounts. Reference https://www.lordofthecraft.net/forums/topic/224116-history-races/ https://www.lordofthecraft.net/forums/topic/159728-creation-lore/ https://www.lordofthecraft.net/forums/topic/161535-the-meranesian-islands/ Below are some concepts for the race.
  9. [ Obligatory lore submission music ] [ Ambience ] [ Accompanying Inferi Lore ] “True power is not wrought by merit alone, yet from ambition…” Descendants of a scholarly disposition or those with a blinkered lust for power, may be lured to the path of the Naztherak for the promise of forbidden knowledge and unearthly gifts. Little do they realise however, that these prizes are scarcely guaranteed and even those which are, come at a grave price. Such infernal powers stem from the deepest pits of Moz Strimoza, and the nightmarish fiends who dwell there. In these citadels of searing flame, fissures of decaying flesh and sulphuric seas of unfathomable anguish, the Zar’rokul reign with a cruel iron grip, founded upon a single principle: “Ra’drakurz raht roknoth kuul ra’vaznan amol tul.” “The weak are meat and the strong do eat.” Together these five abominable titans comprise Ra’Urdol or “the Pentacle”, a power struggle of cataclysmic proportions, between extremely dangerous superpowers. Each Zar’rokul eternally attempts to gain an advantage over the others, some favouring brute force, while others employ cunning and subtlety in a very high-stakes game of chess. In the prior century Naztherak or ‘False Princes’ were known to perform rituals to attract the attention of a Zar’rokul into a daring negotiation. The price: souls and footholds upon the mortal realm, which many agreed to provide all too eagerly. Yet power-chasing Princes were able to slip through the claws of the Pentacle when the promise of power was elsewhere, and the plots of their beastly benefactors scarcely came close to fruition. But no more.. In an unprecedented move, the Pentacle agreed to convene and together devise a means to ensnare mortal Warlocks to their designs, so that they could never again be left without their dues. They hauled upon the very foundations of Moz Strimoza, stripping the remaining Princes of their gifts, then beat and wrought the powers of the Naztherak into a new shape, the chains of which they could pluck, tug and lash as they pleased. From here they sowed the seeds of discord and corruption far into the mortal plane, upon dark whispers; promised forgotten pieces of creation held within the burning battlegrounds of Moz Strimoza, shards of divinity sequestered in the flesh of Inferi, forbidden knowledges visible only to those who discard mortality entirely, and of course the allure of power beyond the comprehension of ordinary Descendants — these are the bait upon which Warlocks are tricked into this deadly game of infernal chess. Not as Kings and Queens, but as pawns. The Naztherak is blind to this grand scheme, far too preoccupied with their own pursuits and the promise of further spoils, than to see the jaws of the trap surrounding them. Even should a Warlock eventually learn the deck is stacked, it is already far too late, and they are beholden to a sunk-cost fallacy. Having bartered away their very soul, they are already in so deep, that digging deeper into the demonic is of little comparative consequence. ⛧ Synopsis Naztherak Control, authority, power — each of which are desires of the common man, who seeks to submit all under his own thumb. Yet despite the many who seek these gifts, few men of flesh ascend to such a level of power within the courts and councils of their respective provinces, a handful of mortals placing themselves upon thrones of gold, silver, and ivory, the rest are left to grovel at their feet in capitulation. True ambition fuels passion however, granting these lesser peers the unorthodox ability to transcend the feeble capabilities of their mortal coils. Such aspirants as these are known as the Naztherak, Descendants who usher forth their own court in which they may ascend — instating themselves as Princes, Lords of their own infernal domain. To serve under the Pentacle even for power, is a great sacrifice, for they have marked the Naztherak as their own, subjugating the Warlock beneath themselves. As harbingers of Moz Strimoza and ra’Urdol, it is the duty of the Zar’akal to subjugate forces beneath them, or to decimate opposition. Such may be performed upon a consenting mortal, whether or not they know of the Pentacle or akal’s true motives matters not, so long as they are willing. The Zar’akal must then take the mortal and bathe them in a deluge of Malflame, or enact some other means of applying a brand of Urdol — an infernally wrought star with five sides — upon the soul of the mortal, forever marking them as a servant of the Pentacle and thus binding them to its will. This ‘brand’ will forever remain upon the soul of the Naztherak, marking them as one of the Infernal for infinitum. The Prince The Naztherak, or False Princes, are Descendants who have surpassed the barriers of mortal capability, drawing upon infernal powers in order to grant them a greater capacity for might than any common mortal. Such an art permits its practitioners to wield the very powers of the High Hells itself, great feats of heinous origin through a conduit of infernal power known as the Grimoire, a precious relic of demonic conjurerers. Yet such power comes at an immense price — that of the individual's soul; for once one has set even a toe into the diabolic art, there is no escape, their spirit now tainted by the damnable influence of Moz Strimoza, forever a bound vessel of the Pentacle’s will. As a result of their ties to the Pentacle, the Prince takes upon themselves various telling traits which stand testament to their dealings with the infernal. Primarily as a result of their use of Malflame, Princes suffer from physical degradation not unlike that of the Void Magi of yore, for they are scholars and zealots of the Zar’rokul above all else, not typically affluent with the blade. The most immediate and significant change of the Prince however, is the Brand which they receive upon their hand once they have pacted with the Zar’akal, signifying their allegiance to their respective Zar’rokul. The Brand Once the mortal’s pact with the Zar’akal has been sealed and they have begun their pursuit of the Infernal, they shall receive upon themselves a Brand, or Vhiit, marking them as beneath the Pentacle’s influence, and serving as a reminder of their perilous tutelage — for one cannot invest within the Infernal and anticipate a life of mundanity. The further the Prince delves into the empty promises of the Zar’rokul, they will find their Brand to expand and encompass even more of their being, until it becomes that which truly defines the Naztherak in mind and body, as such dedication should. Yet the Brand serves as more than a sign of their being, allowing them to conjure forth that which exists only to cause devastation and agony — Malflame, the ember of the Infernal — as well other capabilities which only those Branded could perform. A Naztherak receives a brand upon their hand when they pact with the Hzakhadlu (Tier 5 Naztherak posessing a TA) who connects them, allowing them to begin their training in the Infernal arts. The brand may appear as a twisted scar, burns, Litchenburg marks, loops, and whorls like fingerprints which may seem obscure or strange to the mundane observer, even granting a passive glow should the Naztherak wish. Regardless, the moment the Naztherak begins to cast their magic, the brand will illuminate brightly with an otherworldly glow. An example of a Brand at Tier One (left) to Tier Two (right) Tier Progression Tier One - The Brand appears insignificant within the palm of the Naztherak’s hand, able to be easily concealed by something as simple as a glove or other hand-covering. Tier Two - The Brand encompasses the Naztherak’s entire hand and part of their wrist, still easy to disguise with a glove, though quite noticeable upon bare skin. Tier Three - The Brand comes to encompass the Naztherak’s entire arm up to their shoulder, now significantly more difficult to conceal, though not entirely. Tier Four - The Brand spreads to the Naztherak’s half-torso which the Brand was initially applied, now impossible to conceal unless one is completely covered, as some of the Brand has even reached the lower portion of the Prince’s neck, requiring true discretion. Tier Five - The Brand has completely covered the Prince, perhaps appearing as strange tattoos or markings which have overtaken their entire form — a grizzly heraldry of true dedication. General Redlines: - It is considered metagaming to assume a person of being a Naztherak by the brand alone, unless they have had genuine roleplay experiences with other Naztherak to inform the character. - While the Brand offers the Naztherak protection from their own Malflame, it will not defend them from the Malflame of others even if it should make contact with the Brand directly. - The Brand will always glow and become noticeable when one casts, even through clothing. Thaznitaka A cruel irony of the Pentacle is making those who subjugate demons become like demons themselves, and thus the Prince is brought only further into the grasp of Ra’Urdol. As the Brand grows to encompass more of the body with a Prince’s progression, it is a strange, twisted mutation afflicted upon the Naztherak, either a byproduct of their dabbling of the Infernal, or a cruel irony wrought of the design of the Zar’rokul. With each pact sealed, the Prince’s soul is further gnawed upon by the flames and influence of Moz Strimoza, similarly to those unfortunate, desolate souls who find themselves cast into such a realm, as their mortal body appears to take on increasingly more devilish traits. While an apprentice may disguise her discoloured flesh with powder, for she has only pacted yet once, a Warlock who has signed his third would reveal fiery, bestial eyes rivalling that of Inferi themselves, having also twisted, vile horns emerge from his temples. For as one delves further into the demonic, they may realize their humanity is truly lost. As the Naztherak commits to further pacts with the Pentacle in the form of slotting additional subtypes, their mortal form will change accordingly, reflecting that of the Inferi they subjugate as members of their court, each pact making them appear more demonic. Of course by means of Infernal Magic such “mutations”, as they are called, are able to be hidden safely by the Naztherak, yet are forced to emerge whenever they seek to cast their wretched magic or practice such godless arts, acting as a distinct tell. Additionally, the corruption occurring within the Prince’s soul leads to a curious symptom experienced not by him, but by the mortals he still maintains social relationships with. For all who make bare-skin contact with the flesh of a Naztherak, will feel a subtle unnerving in themselves, as if a kernel of goodness inside them is disturbed by the wickedness lurking within the Warlock. Stemming from previous distrust between a Zar’akal and a soon-to-be Naztherak, there is a natural layer of unease between the teacher and their student. In a weak attempt to stop potential students from climbing the infernal hierarchy and ascending above their teachers, there is a stipulation inserted into every deal, be it knowingly or not. Every time a Naztherak is connected, their teacher allows the hells to restrict their body and naturally, their strength. Use of the hells is not free. A Naztherak of three pacts. Pact Progression First Pact - [2 slots] - The initial pact a mortal strikes with a Zar’akal on behalf of the Pentacle, establishing them as a Mortal Prince, or Naztherak. Upon casting their magic, their flesh will discolour, their cheeks sinking as their pupils might become only slightly more narrow and slitted. This may be disguised relatively easily through things as makeup or coverings. Second Pact - [3 slots] - The second pact a mortal strikes with the Pentacle, perhaps allowing them the ability to curse and afflict others by means of Malice and infernal magic through things such as idols, cursed trinkets. Upon casting their magic, small horns would appear upon their temples, twisted and gnarled, as their fingernails might elongate, their flesh becoming a distinct discolouration. This may be disguised by complete coverings, and even then, this is hard to do. Third Pact - [4 slots] - The third pact a mortal may strike with the Pentacle, potentially granting them a Striith as a symbol of their dedication. Upon casting their magic, they would possess great twisted horns, their eyes raging like that of fire as they become nearly akin to a demon in all regards, save still distinctly humanoid and mortal. This is impossible to completely disguise even when fully covered. Fourth Pact - [5 slots] - The final pact wrought with the Pentacle, granting true ascension as the Prince is reborn into that of an Inferis, thus establishing them as a Twisted King, a Zar’akal. They will always appear completely demonic and unnatural, as stated in the Zar’akal physical description. General Redlines: - The first and second pacts’ mutations may be hidden or disguised, though the second to a much lesser degree and with much effort taken. The third and fourth pacts cannot be disguised by regular means whatsoever. - This state emerges every time the Naztherak casts their magic, and only when they cast their magic. Upon mutations being visible, the character will be considered a 'revealed dark mage' for the purposes of Holy magics. Once they have finished casting, they will return to appearing as a regular mortal over the course of two emotes. - Mutations will always make one appear noticeably disfigured after the second pact, appearing demonic and twisted and vile. By no means are these excuses to play “cute boys with horns,” but rather, these are distinctly gruesome and wretched forms which would set a Naztherak apart from any mundane mortal upon the sight of such. - Generally speaking as one progresses through pacts, horns grow longer and more twisted, claws turn black, teeth become predatory fangs, eyes appear flaming, skin colour changes to that of Malflame, etc. - Any mutation which occurs offers absolutely no combat advantage. - All Naztherak must also roleplay a sense of unnerving experience in those who make skin-on-skin contact with them. This can be likened to a pang or squirm in the stomach, or a shiver down one’s spine. Other Naztherak are not immune to this. - Even though a Prince is partially infernal, they still require food, water, sleep, must breathe etc. and will grow fatigued and so on as any other mortal character. - A Naztherak will experience an effect that mimics Voidal poisoning experienced by Mages. This limits their ability to obtain substantial muscle mass, meaning although they may swing a sword and so on, they will quickly tire. - They are however capable of wearing half plate and casting while wearing it. Malices of the Prince Upon their birth as a Prince, a Naztherak finds themselves to have acquired a Malice, the driving aspect of the Prince’s newfound nature which grows the further they delve into the Infernal. There are many Malices which the Naztherak may initially follow, each determining how the Prince comes to behave, even going so far as to determine the disposition of the Naztherak’s own court. Ultimately, the Malice will eventually define the Prince as much as the Prince defines the Malice, a dastardly sin wrought by the Pentacle only to further ensnare those which they have bound to them as False Princes. Maleus and the Grimoire Whilst other dark crafts may focus more upon inherent capabilities of their art, the gift of Naztherak is one of great study, appealing to both those of scholarly mind as well as aspirants of raw power, granting knowledge at a price. In order to contain their sum of unearthly knowledge, a Naztherak will often carry around with them what is known as a Grimoire, an bedamned book of blasphemous binding which stands testament to their scholarly nature and study under the infernal. With a Grimoire in hand a Naztherak can become quite formidable, permitting the Naztherak a plethora of capabilities, allowing them to curse others, conjure the damned, and summon forth dreaded hellfire, known by the accursed as Malflame.. This unholy tool indeed makes the Prince a versatile foe, the Grimoire demonstrating a surplus of supernatural abilities which hint towards its godless nature. These may appear however the Naztherak wishes, yet also hold infernal qualities of their own; pages may turn by unseen forces, ghostly whispers may emanate from the scrawled parchments, and perhaps even defy physical restraints such as gravity, hovering within the Prince’s very hand, making them quite discernible from the mundane books and tomes of studious scholars or zealous preachers. These damnable tomes may be forged in all manners of vile means, the most common practice being the use of mortal or infernal flesh as binding, then soaking each page in a mixture of blood and maleus. The Grimoire is an essential tool for the Naztherak, allowing them to perform all of their infernal abilities, from conjuring Malflame to binding and summoning Inferi. To have their spells made accessible, the Naztherak must inscribe the spell’s wording within the pages of the Grimoire using Rakir, an infernal material created from mixing maleus and ink. Once they have inscribed the necessary Ilzakarn wording relating to the spell, whether it be Malflame, Inferi Summoning, or Pacting, they may draw upon these powers by opening their Grimoire and reading the inscription aloud, taking at least a single emote to do such, much like establishing a Voidal connection. Without the Grimoire in their hands or possession, a Naztherak will be unable to cast. Grimoires may possess supernatural qualities, though to the degree of being used for flavor purpose only. It may hover above the Naztherak’s hand, whisper occult ramblings, or possess other mild aesthetics. These of course, do not make the Grimoire more difficult to knock out of the Naztherak’s hand or be stolen. Likewise soul-binding does not prevent such theft or sabotage of the Grimoire, however were it to be found again by the Naztherak who inscribed it, such as on the Auction House, it may be assumed that the Grimoire managed to return to the Prince by some infernal means — though this is never guaranteed. General Redlines: - Without a Grimoire, the Naztherak will be unable to cast. One cannot ‘memorize’ inscriptions. The only exception to this are the Zar’akal who may cast their magic without need for the Grimoire. - Supernatural qualities of the Grimoire, such as opening automatically, floating, etc. exist only for aesthetic and flavorful purpose, and by no means grant any advantage against the Grimoire being removed from the Prince’s possession. - The Grimoire is not impervious to harm. It can still be ripped apart, waterlogged, or destroyed through other means. Grimoires can always be stolen/knocked from a Prince’s hand. - Even with the Grimoire, a Naztherak must still practice the necessary schools to use their spells. A Naztherak who does not possess the Cursing pact would not be able to imbue their Malflame with a Malice, for instance. - Functionally identical grimoires may be made freely by the player as long as they are objects that can be written on / read from. - A Naztherak may emote speaking a spell without physically typing out the name to avoid meta-gaming. - No unique grimoire may be harder to knock out of your hand than a book would be. - If a Naztherak is in an extreme level of pain, even with their Grimoire, they will not be able to cast. While they may be able to cast through things as cuts or scrapes or through movement, excessive dodging, stabs, and maiming will prevent casting still. To cast such wicked demonology, a Naztherak requires maleus, which is a dark and abominable residue, used to fuel a Naztherak’s forsaken spells of devilry and hellfire. Maleus is essential in the scribing of spells within the Grimoire via Rakir — a macabre ink made from maleus and any scribing substance — whilst also being used as a means of supplying the infernal energy for a Naztherak's conjury. Maleus can be found in the blood of Inferi and can be drawn from mortals burnt by means of Malflame, composed of warped soul essence, the result of infernalised spirits doomed to an eternity as an Inferis. Whilst Princes of the past relied upon a Cistern in order to contain this vile substance, now the Pentacle's meddling has enabled a Naztherak’s own hellish nature to contain it within their bloodstream similar to that of Inferi, for indeed they truly lean toward such a foul existence. When harvested, maleus resembles a smoky plasma which seeps from the wounds of Inferi or the Malflame burns of mortals, trailing over towards the Prince in a sickly haze as it seeps into their bloodstream and replenishes them. As opposed to using a Cistern, they now store this within themselves, drawing upon it each time they cast their infernal magic. While it does not hold the exhaustive properties that mana does to a Voidal Mage, if the Naztherak were to deprive themselves of this substance too hastily, should they cast a spell requiring such, terrible Malflame burns would form upon their body, leaving them scarred and in agonizing pain. Attempting to do this further, they will perish as their own soul is consumed from the expenditure. A Prince may will their maleus to their hands, and while doing so their touch will impart a purely aesthetic effect upon weapons, tools or other objects. One [1] emote is required to perform this, and when doing so whatever the Naztherak is holding will take on a darkened ashy appearance, give off faint smoke, embers and cinders as if it were smouldering with fire; these are harmless, give off no heat, nor potential to ignite any material, and the smoke will not impair sight or breathing. This effect does not fade and may be used to make flavourful roleplay items. The following list dictates the amount of maleus a Prince will possess per tier of Naztherak, regardless of how many slots are dedicated. It essentially acts as a base number which may increase depending on how far the Prince delves into the art. [T1] - 10 Maleus [T2] - 15 Maleus [T3] - 25 Maleus [T4] - 30 Maleus [T5] - 35 Maleus Naztherak who have dedicated themselves further to the infernal practices would be bestowed a larger quantity of Malflame for each slot they dedicate, building upon the base pool they inherit initially. [2 Slots] - 20 Maleus [3 Slots] - 35 Maleus [4 Slots] - 50 Maleus [5 Slots] - 85 Maleus Thus, say a novice Naztherak were to only have dedicated two slots, they would have a total of thirty maleus, whereas a master Naztherak who has dedicated four slots will possess eighty-five maleus in total. A Zar’akal, who has both mastered Naztherak and dedicated themselves fully to it, would possess a grand total of one-hundred-twenty maleus, allowing them great feats unlike that which any mere Mortal Prince would be able to perform on their own. Dedicating more slots to the magic does not make one’s Malflame spells more powerful innately, but instead enables the Prince to use more spells from their repertoire, or a few specifically expensive ones. Rakir is a key component in the scribblings of a Prince, for no mere mortal ink is fit for the scholarly and devilish works of the Naztherak. It is the only substance which may be used by a Naztherak within their Grimoire, allowing them to scribe their spells and runes to draw upon them later. It may be created from maleus and any scribing substance such as ink, though far more foul ingredients may be employed if the Prince so wishes, such as the blood of an Inferis. Spells inscribed within the Grimoire without Rakir will bear no effect and will likely be revoked by the Grimoire or burned clean off the page. Infernal Alchemy Lore: Rakir General Redlines: - A Naztherak’s ability to cast depends on how much maleus they possess and they cannot cast without it. Should one attempt to cast after they run out of maleus, their body will be overtaken by Malflame burns, leaving them alive but in terrible pain. Attempting to cast without maleus again before it replenishes will result in their death and thus a PK by suicide rules. - Maleus will naturally replenish over the course of twelve OOC hours, though a Naztherak may restore it forcefully through means of draining maleus from members of their court, their Striith(should they have one), or even inflicted Malflame burns upon mortals to draw the warped soul essence from the infernal wound. Details are listed in each section respectively. - Rakir may be made from mixing maleus with ink or Inferis blood for the purposes of writing in one’s Grimoire or performing Naztherak rituals. This does not require a set quantity of maleus to perform, nor item representation etc., though discretion should be practised. It is the only substance that may be used to inscribe spells within the Grimoire. - A Naztherak may will their touch to cause held objects to take on an ashy appearance, and give off cinders and smoke. This takes one [1] emote to do so and consumes no quantifiable amount of maleus. - This effect is purely aesthetic and serves no function other than to create visually flavourful roleplay items. These items do not require ST signing. - Players may not use this to damage buildings or affect objects they cannot physically lift and so on. It will only affect small objects and personal effects. - More slots dedicated to Naztherak does not increase the power of spells. E.g. The Malflame of a two-slot Naz is as strong as a four-slot Naz. Ilzakarn — The Infernal language Known by Warlocks of demonic cabals merely as the “chaotic tongue” and a language of foul and infernal origin, such is Ilzakarn. This obscure and fel speech is based in the ancient spirit dialect Old Blah, and uses the grammar and script of Al’tahrn-Durngo, a tongue devised by the Greater Spirit of Fear and Insanity, Ikuras. It is thought that it was Ixli who was the one to craft this infernal tongue yet no record can account for the machinations of the Greater Spirit of Forbidden Knowledge. The Naztherak may begin to learn Ilzakarn as they master their occult pyromancy, and most masters and few rare scholars of questionable morals are versed enough to hold conversation in the language. Unlike Al’tahrn-Durngo it lacks the staticy, ear-biting quality when heard, but rather can cause mortal listeners and speakers to feel faint, fleeting pulses of warmth which if prolonged may induce mild sweating akin to the physical of anxiety. Where the Black Language causes exhaustion and stinging in the eyes of those who read it, the Chaotic Tongue induces dryness and agitation in the eyes when its glyphs are read. As well, all markings of Ilzakarn darken upon what they are written, ink or carvings appearing charred or irregular in texture and feel warm to the touch. It is quite possible for certain names, such as those signatures of powerful greater Inferi, to spawn fire upon what they are inscribed and are unsafe to be recorded lest they ignite a hidden tome or scorch a rock face. [Recorded on a separate document to avoid metagaming]. General Redlines: - Ilzakarn may only be read, written, and spoken by individuals who currently study and practice Naztherak or were users of it in the past. - Mortals not studying Naztherak who come to hear the language will feel an uncomfortable warmth and anxiety, and reading it if transcribed would be as if looking painfully into a bright flame, their eyes becoming dry and agitated. Written runes in Ilzakarn may be uncomfortably warm to the touch, though not enough to burn an individual directly. - Inferi may speak Ilzakarn as their native tongue, at will without any side effects. - For a spell to be inscribed within a Grimoire, it must be written in Ilzakarn with Rakir. To then cast the spell, the proper incantation in Ilzakarn must be spoken aloud by the Naztherak. ⛧ Malflame Conjuration “Cursed flame, darkember, the devil’s brand, hellfire — call it what you will..” The most notable and definitive ability of Naztherak beyond that of Infernal Summoning — Malflame Conjuration, which allows the Prince their many great feats, branching off into further, more advanced applications of the infernal. It is a dastardly practice, wringing forth a damnable fire from the depths of Moz Strimoza itself, possessing far more heinous properties than any spark or ember known to the common man. While flame of the material consumes that which is physical, it is the wicked, blasphemous nature of Malflame which targets a far more metaphysical presence within its victims, leaving those touched by its ire in utter torment as their very soul is burned from within them. Such practice is the Prince’s primary tool in combat, as well as being key in numerous other feats such as restoring maleus or as a catalyst in several rituals. Usage and Application Malflame may be summoned forth from Moz Strimoza by a Prince by means of utilizing their Grimoire, consuming the Nazthrak’s maleus in exchange for the infernal flame wrought forth. Whilst the spells and inscribings for such lie within the Grimoire, it is the Prince alone who may bring them forth, as they are the author of such an accursed opus. Its use requires that the individual be able to read and speak aloud the necessary incantation in Ilzakarn, as well as possess the Brand which prevents them from being burned by their own infernal spell. With this in mind, Malflame may be manipulated in a variety of malicious and devilish ways, as the language of the Inferis is one derived from beings of spite and malevolence, allowing dastardly applications of the element that hinge upon the wording used to conjure forth ignoble cinders. Malflame is a fire-like substance which a Naztherak may conjure, the flame itself may have light or it may not, though it has no heat, nor can it burn objects. It may appear in various colours depending upon the Naztherak who wields it, namely being alien colours such as shades of violet, putrescent pink, sickly green, and other vivid colours. Such flame possesses no light, nor has any effect upon the Material Realm on its own, only agonizing the soul upon direct contact with a soul-bearing individual’s flesh. It ignites the portion of the soul blueprint where upon it strikes a victim, and then inflicts agonizing pain that wracks the body at that point and ebbs at the flesh leaving it blackened, sickly and burning with the Malflame’s afterglow. Spells of malflame scribed in a Naztherak’s grimoire in Rakir take the form of a three part string, a phrase in Ilzakarn glyphs, the same runes which brand inferis to a Prince. These spells are formulated in three parts, the first always the same: ‘rok’ is the core word to malflame spells, ‘fire’ in Ilzakarn. Following ‘rok’ comes the size of the spell added onto ‘rok’, defined as diminutive, small, medium, large, and giant; -maul, -kharv, -kot, -hzak, and -viit. Following the size comes the shape, the form in which the malflame takes on with a hyphen, an instantaneous structure such as a ball or something sustained over time such as a wall. While there are various shapes and applications listed here, not all will be. However, note that any phrase or word not listed may be applied strictly for non-combat purposes. Example spells of malflame written or spoken in Ilzakarn may be: Rokhzak-dhurz , a large malflame ball. Rokkharv-norrvut, a small malfame pillar. Rokkot-niirk vorzhnak, a medium malflame whip laced with Desolation. Size Limitations Malflame may be conjured in four quantities by a False Prince, yet they can only bring forth so much. Even greater feats or quantities may be applied by those with a great amount of natural maleus, often being Inferis or True Princes. These sizes often determine the significance and severity of the spell in question, though some particular shapes may require a particular size for them to function. For example, one would likely not conjure a ‘small’ storm. Maul - Ilzakarn word for ‘diminutive’. Spells which use this root-word are rather harmless in their own right, doing little more than causing distraction or wreaking havoc as opposed to causing true damage. Kharv - Ilzakarn word for ‘small’. Spells which use this root-word are still rather insignificant, though can deal some minor damage, often used to cause pain or torture than outright decimation. Kot - Ilzakarn word for ‘medium’. This is the most commonly used root-word, creating relatively significant spells which can be used to cause moderate damage to victims. Hzak - Ilzakarn word for ‘large’. The least used root-word, often because of how much maleus it costs on its own. It can be used by a high-tiered Prince to conjure anything from waves to storms of hellfire. Most often, these are applied in a more ritualistic fashion, though at times may be used in combat by an individual with a far superior maleus-blood concentration, likely to be an Inferis or True Prince if not multiple Naztherak working together. Non-Combat Casting When in a non-combat circumstance, the Malflame capabilities of a Naztherak know almost no bounds, allowing them to employ their Malflame conjuration in any way which the Ilzakarn language would allow. While they are limited by tier, higher tier Naztherak, especially if in greater number, are capable of performing great feats of hellfire and malice, anything from creating an ember for a visual representation of agony, to decimating an entire landscape in a terrible display — baptizing it in infernal fire. - Malflame may be applied in non-combat in any artistic way the Naztherak wishes so long as it can be invoked through a correlating word in Ilzakarn. While, of course, there is not a word for every shape or form, one might substitute the word ‘rodkar’ if the spell is being used as a small, artistic representation, such as forming a skull out of Malflame in one’s palm. - If combat begins while the Naztherak is casting a non-combat spell, the spell will vanish and they will be forced to fall back to the explicitly listed combat arsenal. - The amount of Malflame a Naztherak can summon is tier-based. A tier-one Prince could not possibly summon a storm of Malflame. Additionally, while emote counts are not explicit in non-combat, reason should be applied. In the event one is trying to summon a Malflame storm, several detailed multi-line emotes would need to be applied, likely around seven or eight at least. Combat Casting While Princes possess more freeform in non-combat, in a more chaotic environment, the Naztherak is drawn to invoke their more diabolical and cruel powers, utilizing only the most wicked spells in their arsenal. Some may find themselves capable of restraint, but typically the Naztherak will find themselves inclined to use spells which cause agony as opposed to outright decimation, though if such is absolutely necessary, the Prince will not hesitate to do what must be done. Kriviir - [T1] [Combat] The first true manipulation of Malflame which a Naztherak is taught, permitting them to invoke a small tongue of flame within their hand, which may be used to burn away at the soul of a mortal within its fleshy vessel. This particular spell yields the greatest crop of maleus from the victim, which may be used to refuel the Warlock’s powers. Mechanics: A Naztherak may create a small, golf-ball sized sphere of Malflame which can be used to drain maleus from a soul-bearing victim upon sustained touch. This particular spell costs only [5] maleus to perform. It requires [2] emotes to charge, and can be sustained for up to [5] emotes, each emote where touch is maintained restoring [5] maleus. For example, sustaining touch for [2] emotes may yield [10] maleus, while [4] emotes restores [20]. Redlines: - Cannot be thrown, must remain in the Naztherak’s hand. - Must have constant contact with the flesh to draw maleus. - If this ability is used to harvest maleus, it may not be NPC’d or ‘happen off-screen.’ It must occur during roleplay with another player-character. - Using secondary personas or throw-away characters to ‘feed’ Maleus to a Naztherak is strictly not allowed. Vhiit - [T2] [Combat] A more combat oriented spell of Malflame which a Naztherak may inscribe, invoking a wreath of Malflame around the Prince’s hand, spiraling up their arm from the elbow. This may be used to burn flesh similarly to that of Kirviir, as well as sending forth cruel punches with minimal burning effect, though nonetheless painful. Mechanics: A Naztherak may create a wreath of Malflame around their Branded hand, which can be used primarily to inflict greater pain when performing physical attacks such as punches. This spell requires an initial [10] maleus to cast, with [2] emotes to conjure the Malflame around the marked hand. It may be maintained for [3] emotes, every additional [3] emotes requiring an extra [5] maleus. Redlines: - Does not draw maleus from contact. - If a Naztherak attempts to wreathe part of their body not covered by their brand, they will suffer Malflame burns and pain just like anyone else. - Cannot be made into a projectile. Rok-Dhurz - [T2] [Combat] A signature spell of Malflame wielders, a result of them compacting their Malflame into spheres of various sizes which they may shoot or lob towards a target, burning any living skin which it touches, yielding a painful wound which many seldom recover from. Mechanics: A Naztherak can create a sphere or ‘ball’ of Malflame which they may cast towards an opponent, these projectiles come in three different sizes; small, which is golf ball sized; medium which is the size of a baseball; and large, which is the size of a standard 3ft diameter beach ball. Each of these requires [2], [3], and [4] emotes to conjure respectively. Projectiles also have ranges of [10], [20], and [30] meters, respectively, before dissipating. The maleus costs for each are [5]/[5]/[10]. Redlines: - Each projectile will travel at about the speed of an overhand baseball throw, regardless of size. - They do not draw maleus upon contact. - The ball of Malflame disperses upon impact and has no ‘splatter'. - By spending [1] extra emote, this spell may have light combustive force added to it. It may dent plate armor, rip cloth, and will cause someone to trip if it strikes their feet. Rok-Heedz - [T3] [Combat] The Naztherak conjures discs of Malflame which they may throw or send whirling towards their target upon the ground. The disc will fly or roll forward at substantial speed and will stop upon coming into contact with flesh or some other hard surface, leaving Malflame burns where flesh it touched. Forming Malflame into a disc requires more fine control than spheres, and those Naztherak with more finesse may find niche uses for a flaming wheel over a flaming ball. Mechanics: A Naztherak can create a disc of Malflame which they may cast towards an opponent, these projectiles come in three different sizes; small, which is the size of a compact disc; medium which is the size of a large dinner plate; and large, which is the size of a bicycle wheel. Each of these requires [2], [3], and [4] emotes to conjure respectively. Projectiles also have ranges of [10], [20], and [30] meters, respectively, before dissipating. The maleus costs for each are [5]/[5]/[10]. Redlines: - Each projectile will travel at about the speed of an overhand baseball throw, regardless of size. - They do not draw maleus upon contact. - The ball of Malflame disperses upon impact and has no ‘splatter'. - Discs and spheres are similar in function, but discs require more fine control of Malflame, thus requiring a higher tier Naztherak to grasp adequately. - By spending [1] extra emote, this spell may have light combustive force added to it. It may dent plate armor, rip cloth, and will cause someone to trip if it strikes their feet. Rok-Kirluk - [T3] [Combat] A better spell for a more detering Naztherak, who seeks to keep his opponents at a safe distance by using the terrible powers of Malflame, creating a funnel of flame which streams towards opponents, searing them so long as they are touched. Mechanics: A Naztherak may create a cone of Malflame which may be projected forwards in the form of a flamethrower. This funnel is no larger than a block in diameter, and cannot exceed ten blocks further than its point of origin, that being the Naztherak themselves. This spell requires [3] emotes to perform, as well as a total of [10] maleus. It may be sustained for up to [4] emotes, requiring an additional [5] maleus every [2] emotes after that. Redlines: - The flamethrower must have its point of origin at the Naztherak themselves, and cannot be conjured anywhere else in proximity. - Cones of Malflame may extend no further than 10 blocks ahead of the user, no wider than one block in width or height. Which is to say Rok-Kirluk may reach a maximum size of 1x10x1 blocks. - A Zar’akal may breathe the Malflame from the mouth or nose etc. by following the same emote count. - This is more intensive on the user than other Malflame spells. They may move at a walk, but any sudden movements such as side-stepping an attack, or ducking behind cover will interrupt the channel. Rok-Ladom - [T3] [Combat] A powerful, foe-deterring spell which can leave those in its wake in utter agony, a wave of hellfire sweeping over them and disfiguring and warping their very flesh. Such a cruel spell is often used as crowd control by the more fiendish Naztherak which wield this hellish fire. Mechanics: A Naztherak may conjure a wave of Malflame which will move towards its targets, holding no solidarity nor force, yet completely dousing any it touches in Malflame. The wave itself has a maximum size of [2] meters tall and [3] meters wide. It requires [3] emotes and [15] maleus to conjure, and will continue to move forward either until it hits something, or it has exceeded a twenty meter distance from its point of origin, dissipating afterwards, not requiring sustenance to be sustained. Redlines: - The point of origin of the wave must be the Naztherak themselves. - The wave has no force whatsoever, and will merely pass over any targets, leaving searing Malflame embers upon any unprotected skin. - After moving toward the target, the wave cannot be controlled such as turned/rotated or raised up etc. - It may travel in any cardinal direction, including up and down, but may only move continuously in that direction. Rok-Argal - [T4] [Combat] A deterring, more defensive barrier of Malflame which a Naztherak may conjure. While a wall of mundane fire may only deter one to a degree, the effects of a wall of hellfire are not to be taken lightly, as walking through it with exposed skin will cause excruciating pain to those who dare to traverse its scorn. Mechanics: A Naztherak may create a wall of Malflame in [3] emotes, which provides a deterring barrier in front of them or another, albeit not very defensive. The wall is purely composed of malflame, scaling up to [3] meters tall, and may be made at a minimum of [3] meters in length, and [1] in depth. It cannot be moved once charging begins, a spot glowing the colour of the Prince’s Malflame appearing in the location it is being conjured The overall cost of the wall is [15] maleus and the length of the wall may be extended by [3] meters for every [10] maleus added to the cost. The wall will last for 5 emotes, and may only be summoned within 16 blocks of the caster as long as they have direct line of sight with the location. Redlines: - A Prince may summon it anywhere within 16 blocks of their current position. - They must have direct line of sight with the location they wish to summon it. - The wall has no force whatsoever, and one may pass through it, leaving searing Malflame embers upon any unprotected skin. - One may not move the wall after casting begins. - Only one wall may be formed at a time. Rok-Norrvut - [T4] [Combat] Columns of flame are not unfamiliar to magickal fire-tamers, but are more often associated with the intervention of Aenguls and Daemons. The Warlock may pervert this likeness, using their wicked flame to create seething pillars as a means to obstruct or deter their foe. Mechanics: A Naztherak creates two pillars of Malflame in front or around them. They cannot be moved once charging begins, a spot glowing the colour of the Prince’s Malflame appearing in the location it is being conjured. They can be conjured in two [2] emotes, and lasts for up to five emotes afterwards. Only two may be conjured at a time by a Prince, and it is only one block in diameter. This spell requires ten [10] maleus to conjure at two blocks high; fifteen [15] maleus at three blocks high and twenty [20] maleus to conjure up to five blocks high. Pillars may not be summoned more than sixteen blocks away from the Naztherak, and they must also have line of sight with the location they intend to summon it at. Redlines: - The pillar must originate from the floor or ground. It may not levitate in mid-air. - It has no mass whatsoever, and may be passed through freely, but will scorch the soul at the location of exposed flesh. - Only one may be conjured at a time by a single Prince. Should they attempt to cast another, the original will collapse in on itself. - A pillar may be conjured at most [16] blocks away from the Naztherak. - One requires line of sight with the position, in order to summon a pillar there. - One may not move the pillar after casting begins. Rok-Niirk - [T4] [Combat] An agile selection of the Malflame spells where a Naztherak may conjure forth a whip or lasso made of cursed flame. While it functions as an intimidating sight for mortals to see and is no less painful than any other weapon in the Prince’s arsenal, its effects upon Inferi are more interesting. Against demonic imps and beasts, the whip or lasso possesses physical mass, and may be used to bind or bring them to heel. Mechanics: A Naztherak conjures a whip or lasso of pure Malflame into their hand. A whip-like conjuration functions as a bullwhip and may be lashed at a foe, while a lasso may be flung with the intention of ensnaring a target over the head etc. Summoning either takes three emotes to fully manifest and costs fifteen [15] maleus. Whips and lassos may be at most [8] metres in length, and last for five emotes. These conjurations naturally possess physical properties, allowing a Naztherak to whip or lasso imps and beasts as well as their mundane counterparts such as descendants or creatures. Redlines: - Zar’ei and greater may be lasso’d, but are capable of breaking free where their lessers are not. - Although the ethereal whip/lasso will burn upon skin contact, it will not bind a mortal player-character. Rok-Krimth - [T5] [Combat] Not unlike the whip-like conjurations of their more novice peers, a master of Malflame manipulation may summon chains of pure Malflame with which to burn and strike continuously against the flesh of mortal men, or to bind infernal adversaries. Mechanics: Similarly to whips and lassos, a Naztherak may conjure chains of seething Malflame into their hands. These may be lashed at a foe in a manner similar to whips, or may be manually placed around the wrists, torso, legs etc. of one’s victim to continuously burn into their flesh. The links of the chain may be as large as the Warlock wishes, but may be no smaller than those of chainmail, and the chain itself may be no longer than [12] metres in length. When used, these chains assume material properties comparable to that of mild steel, providing strong restraints for most demons and nearly all descendants. The conjuration takes four emotes to fully manifest, and consumes [20] maleus whilst lasting for five emotes; this may be extended by spending an additional [5] maleus per two emotes. Redlines: - Imps, Beasts and Zar’ei may be bound with this spell, but Zar’ei/Zezimar may attempt to break free. - Brute Zar’ei may brute force chains to break them, while Malda and Kozun may loosen them to escape. - Although the ethereal chains will burn upon skin contact, it will not bind a mortal player-character. Rok-Zevik - [T5] [Combat] The most powerful and destructive use of Malflame, only able to be performed by creatures whose acumen over fel flame is truly mastered. By conjuring a substantial amount of Malflame, a Prince essentially creates a storm of the accursed fire, which can completely destroy entire groups of men, while leaving the surrounding area virtually unaffected. Mechanics: A mastered Naztherak, may conjure a large storm of Malflame which covers a wide radius of [7] blocks in a dome or column no taller than four [5] blocks inclusive. It must centre around the Prince. This is however, incredibly draining, requiring a large amount of maleus to perform. It costs [35] maleus to perform such a feat, requires [6] emotes to charge, and may be sustained for up to [7] emotes. Redlines: - The firestorm still only burns exposed soul-bearing flesh. - It must centre around the Naztherak and may not be repositioned. - Otherwise the flames pass harmlessly over covered persons. - The storm has no mass and may be passed through easily. General Redlines: - Malflame may only be conjured by a Naztherak, as they possess both the Brand and are able to read the Ilzakarn inscriptions within their Grimoire. One who is not a practicing Naztherak would be unable to conjure Malflame even in the event that they know the Ilzakarn language for whatever reason. - The exception is that Inferi can naturally use Malflame and are immune to only their own Malflame. - A user may move at different speeds while channelling Malflame conjurations depending on the spell tier, but may not employ sudden movement without the spell ending, e.g. dodge-rolling. - May move 4 blocks while channeling T1-3 Spells and 3 blocks during T4 and T5 spells. - While Malflame projectiles do not always have a set range, the more they travel, the more they will weaken. - Naztherak are not immune to the effects of Malflame, only immune to their own when conjured where the Brand is present. - The burning from Malflame is extremely painful, like being pressed against white-hot metal. The pain from such may interrupt casting, and will likely last for several narrative days in the event that the person survives. The effects and pain of Malflame may be alleviated by Holy Magic and may be treated, to a lesser degree, by medicinal painkillers. - Malflame will consume the victim until there is nothing left to consume, as long as there is continuous exposure. Simply landing the hit does not make it an insta-kill. - It may be put out by smothering or submerging in water. - Burns left by Malflame will darken, even blacken in some cases. After healing and scarring, they may still present a subtle glow the colour of the Malflame which caused it. - Malflame cannot burn through cloth, armor, or any other protective material. It must make contact with living flesh or hair on a user in order to be effective. - One may not guide or shoot Malflame through the visor, eyeholes etc. of helms, or similar small gaps in clothing. The skin must be exposed. - Should Malflame conjurations make contact with air evocation spells of T3 or above, they may be blown out or redirected. - Druidic Blight Healing is unable to alleviate the effects of Malflame burns, except in the case of Epiphytes, Soul Trees, or Fae, Treants and animals through the respective Beast-Purging ability. In the case of animals is does not heal the actual wound. ⛧ Demonlore “Oh how they yearn to be freed!” A Prince is naught without a court to call his own, having servants of the Infernal subjugated beneath them in a cruel hierarchy of the Pentacle’s own design. Such a profane practice may be employed with the use of the Naztherak’s Grimoire, much like that of their other enactments of the accursed. With this in mind, the Prince may bind to himself Inferi through the use of Malflame, subjugating them beneath him either by force, or whatever semblance of reason such a heathenous creature holds. However, chaos begotten will yield chaos in turn, often leading to resentment as the very Inferis the Prince has subjugated seldom heeds their words true, for a False Prince is only entitled to false subjects — those who obey in fear by power, yet not righteousness. Subjugation The powers bestowed upon a Naztherak permit them to bind the Infernal and force them to kneel, as a serf to his Prince. Their power is magically bolstered, allowed only by the machinations of the Pentacle, such that even should they be lacking in charisma, will or at least dominance, their Inferi will obey. It is not limitless however, and a weak Prince will find their court may avoid careless or vague commands, loopholing and using half-truths to permit them to act as they please, even sabotaging the Warlock’s plans- all very possible despite a bound Inferis’ inability to directly harm or disobey their master. A Naztherak has two means of dominating an Inferis in order to initially bind it with the powers of their Grimoire. The first is to physically exhaust the Inferis, such as by defeating it in combat, while the second means is to restrain it through mundane or magical means. Neither of these methods are for the faint of heart, and for the scholarly sorts typical of Warlocks, the latter option may be preferable. Subjugate — Shackle [T1] [Combat] The Naztherak summons forth fetters, shackles and chains of Malflame which immediately move to ensnare an Inferis within 10 blocks. These will immobilise a prior-exhausted Inferis, while those who have the strength to fight back can attempt to escape. Attempting to ‘shackle’ an Inferis takes three [3] emotes, one to open the Grimoire, one to speak the incantation and one for the shackles to move to the Inferis and begin binding. Additional emotes after that are more freeform as the Naztherak and Inferis fight. A Prince must expend [20] maleus to shackle and bind an Inferis in such a way. After a successful binding, a new page in the Naztherak’s Grimoire must be filled in with numerous scrawlings about the bound Inferis, and is completed by writing its assigned name at the head of the page. Redlines: - NPC Imps and Beasts may be bound by wrestling them into submission and then Shackle cast upon them. - Imps and Beasts are unable to resist the Shackle spell, but Zar’ei and anything more powerful may attempt to break free. - Player CA Zar’ei and Imps must be roleplayed with, such as bargaining between them and the Naztherak to allow themselves to be bound, or combat to ensue etc. and to then be forcibly bound. - A Naztherak may attempt to bind Inferi which appear in ST events, in which case a player may create a CA to play a Zar’ei bound in such a way. The overseeing ST may refuse and otherwise has discretion about how to handle such cases. - Every attempt to bind an Inferi costs 20 maleus. - This spell does nothing to non-Inferi etc. Alternatively, a Warlock of particularly shrewd bargaining may be able to convince Inferi to be willingly bound. Typically this is only temporary such that the demon and Prince may cooperate toward a common goal, or to wreak havoc in a mutually beneficial fashion. It is only later that each may discover how true to their word the other is. Redlines: - A Naztherak and a CA Inferis may agree to a pact whereby the Inferis is bound in the Grimoire as if shackled. This may be as steeply-priced as the Inferis desires, as long as the agreement is based in RP. - One may also negotiate with Inferi to cease hostilities or otherwise make bargains of a sort in ST events. In which case, the overseeing ST has the discretion to name a price, determine what the Prince receives in exchange etc. They may alternatively reject the chance to bargain. Naz’kuthun Even among False Princes, there are depths to which some may wish to avoid sinking into. Those who are already paving their walkway to damnation may seek other sources of Inferi for their court, those comparatively more dark than other powers possessed by their peers. One such practice among Warlocks is named Naz’kuthun, a ritual which induces the rapid and complete infernalisation of a mortal’s mind, body and soul. Such an act is truly profane, but certainly a practical solution to those Naztherak who seek to bring another into their court, without the legwork of finding stray Inferi. Using Naz’kuthun, a Prince may turn existing player-characters into Inferi, via the corruption of the character in all capacities. The soul warps to a demonic state, with the flesh taking on monstrous mutations, while the victim’s mind is similarly sundered. At the end of the ritual, the character will keep all of their prior memories, but will see the world through a new lens- no longer as a person, but as an abomination. Such an Inferi may regard their prior lives with disgust in such sentimentality or weakness, while others may reflect on their experiences in a new light. In any case the Inferis will now be driven by chaos, spite and the desire to spread turmoil in their wake. This is not to say all will immediately seek to destroy a nearby village, and indeed these Inferi are much like their peers in the capacity for cunning and manipulation. Some will exist as a slow-burning flame, puppeteering great calamities from the shadows, while their more instantaneously gratified counterparts will burn brightly and revel in mayhem and bloodshed. Mechanics: - The victim must be submerged in a bath, basin or pool of blood and gore. A Naztherak may add additional blood and corpses etc. on top of them afterward. - A [T4] Naztherak performing Naz’kuthun will open their Grimoire and begin to read a prepared incantation, whilst infusing [50] maleus into the pool of gore. - The victim will begin to undergo a transformation of mind, body and soul. The process is agonising, but the character is incapable of preventing it at this point. A player must OOCly consent for the ritual to successfully corrupt the character. - Elves, Dwarves, Humans, Orcs, Hou-Zi and Kha will become Zar’ei. - Sprites and similarly small characters will become Imps. - Halflings may choose between the two, but may need to shrink to adhere to Imp size limits. - When the new Inferis emerges from the pool, they are exhausted and easily bound by the Naztherak. At this point the player may create a CA for the playable Inferis. - A Prince may perform the same ritual upon animals to create imps and beasts, acting as sufficient roleplay to justify their later summoning. Redlines: - Only a Naztherak of at least T4 may perform Naz’kuthun. They must be taught the ritual through roleplay. - OOC consent from all parties is required for a Prince to transform a player-character into an Inferis. - Humanoid player-characters, including Kha and Hou-Zi become Zar’ei, and may choose their ‘type’ appropriately. For example an Elf may decide to be either a [Knight] or a [Mage] type, while an Orc may choose to be a [Brute] or [Knight] type etc. - CA Sprites and other small creatures become Imps. - Halflings may choose to become a Zar’ei or Imp, but must abide by all redlines of either, e.g. height limit of Imps. - If an Olog undergoes Naz’kuthun, it may become a [Brute] type Zar’ei, but must adhere to the redlines of Zar’ei, including their height/build restrictions. - The player-character must possess a soul and a body in order to be transformed by Naz’kuthun. Liches, Darkstalkers, ghosts, Sorvians etc. may not be turned into Inferi. - Characters transformed in this way will lose their prior magics. - Being transformed into an Inferi is utterly irreversible. - All Inferi are subject to the redlines and mechanics as outlined in the Infernal Compendium. Invocation By means of invocation through infernal incantation, the Prince may summon forth one of their own bound Inferi which they have subjugated, sending them forward to enact the Naztherak’s cruel will. While demons of greater power may indeed be bound and wrought forth by the Prince, there may be instances in which the Naztherak may have need for a weaker, less significant power to whom they appoint their malice. This practice requires that the Prince had inscribed a rune within their Grimoire associating to the particular Inferis upon their initial binding, thus allowing them to call it forth. A Naztherak may summon a bound, non-playable Inferis as an independent combat summon, though only to a particular tier of demon. Both Imp and Beast Inferi may be summoned interchangeably depending on the circumstance and how the Naztherak wishes to apply their court to the situation. To do this, they must speak the incantation correlating to the Inferis they wish to summon, which will then be brought forth. Aesthetic is left up to the Naztherak, allowing them anything from Malflame chains pulling the demon forth from the ground, to the Inferis appearing in an explosion of Malflame. Of course, such creatures must be coaxed, and thus the Prince must offer a certain amount of maleus to bring them forth into the Material World and wreak the havoc both the Prince and their court so desire. Invocation — Zevn [T1] [Independant Summon] [Combat] A Naztherak may call forth a bound imp, assuming they possess one. They may do this in three emotes; one to open their Grimoire to the right page, one to begin the incantation, and one to summon forth the imp, which can take anywhere from one to two emotes. Multiple imps may be summoned at once by taking two emotes for every additional imp, up to two being able to exist at once typically. They will last for up to eight emotes, at the cost of five maleus per imp, and can be sustained further by spending an additional five maleus, unless they are killed or dismissed prior to their maximum duration. While the imps tend to follow the mechanics and behavior as listed in the Infernal Compendium, they do possess some minor differences. Imps summoned, while following the general commands of a Prince, follow them vaguely if at all, causing unnecessary destruction and chaos even in simple tasks. They are rather unintelligent, unable to wield more than rudimentary weapons such as clubs or crude maces, and also have a limited capacity to control Malflame. Redlines: - Zevn may be conjured even if the Naztherak has not bound a player-character imp, though the roleplay of binding the NPC imp should still be present for one to summon it later on. - Zevn summons follow their respective behaviors, redlines, mechanics, and abilities listed in the Infernal Compendium, unless explicitly stated otherwise. - Zevn require five maleus to summon initially per imp. Expending five additional maleus will extend the summon by a further eight emotes. - Although a Naztherak may have at most two imps in combat simultaneously, they may possess up to five under their command in non-combat scenarios. Invocation — Zekul [T2] [Dependant/Independant Summon] [Combat] A Naztherak may call forth a bound Zekul, a beast, assuming they possess one. Only one Zekul may be conjured at once, ranging from the size of a housecat to the size of a warhorse or grizzly bear at the very most. They will last for up to six emotes after initially summoning, though may remain longer should the Prince spend an additional ten [10] maleus, unless they are killed or dismissed prior to their maximum duration. The quantity of Maleus and emotes used varies upon the size of the Beast, with larger Zekul requiring more bribery and coaxing. A Beast up to the size of a dog, may be summoned in three emotes, at the cost of [10] Maleus; a wolf, big cat or horse-sized Beast, may be summoned in four emotes, costing [15] Maleus; finally a Zekul up to the size of a grizzly bear requires six emotes to conjure, and costs [20] Maleus. Redlines: - The roleplay of binding the NPC Beast should be present for one to summon it later on. - Zekul summons follow their respective behaviors, redlines, mechanics, and abilities listed in the Infernal Compendium, unless explicitly stated otherwise. - Zekul between the size of a housecat and dog require [3] emotes and cost [10] Maleus. - Those between the size of a wolf and a horse require [4] emotes and cost [15] Maleus. - Larger Beasts up to the size of a grizzly bear require [6] emotes and cost [20] Maleus. - Although a Naztherak may have at most one beast in combat simultaneously, they may possess up to four under their command in non-combat scenarios. Invocation - Zar’ei [T3] [Non-Combat] Although a Naztherak may not conjure a Zar’ei as they do lesser Inferi such as imps and beasts, they may reconstitute bound ‘Twisted Ones’ who meet their demise by steel and sorcery. A Warlock requires only the most meagre remains of the Inferi in question, such as blood, charred bone or even ashes. Here the maleus does not act as a bribe for the Inferis, but is used to refuel them. This may be performed in no fewer than five emotes; one to open their Grimoire, one to speak the incantation, one to ignite the remains with Malflame and two for the Zar’ei to reform. It may not be performed in combat. Redlines: - The roleplay of binding an NPC Zar’ei should be present for the creation of the player CA later. - Zar’ei follow their respective behaviors, redlines, mechanics, and abilities listed in the Infernal Compendium, unless explicitly stated otherwise. - Zar’ei require [50] maleus to be reconstituted. - Reconstituting a Zar’ei in such a way must follow all rules of Monk Revival mechanics. - One may not use this to summon a CA Zar’ei in combat. - A Naztherak may not have more than three Zar’ei. Invocation — Zentherak [T5] [EVENT ONLY] A skilled Warlock, or perhaps one merely charismatic and lucky enough to have bound a Zentherak to their court, may summon it as they do of Inferi several rungs below a ‘True Prince.’ The devastating power of Infernal beings of this stature however, is not to be taken lightly, and a Prince will likely have only a few permitted uses of such a summoning. To perform such a feat, the Naztherak may do so in six emotes; one to open their Grimoire, one to speak the incantation, then four for the Zentherak to emerge in all its fel glory. Redlines: - The summoning of Zentherak is restricted to event-only encounters. - An ST overseeing the event has the discretion to ask for additional reasonable requirements from the player, in order to summon a Zentherak, such as a living sacrifice, offerings etc. for the sake of fairness. - A summoned Zentherak is permitted to stay for the entirety of an event, unless it is defeated, or withdraws due to injury etc. - This drains the Naztherak’s entire pool of maleus, no matter how great or meagre. General Redlines: - Any aesthetic of summoning cannot change the function nor have any damaging influence, and it must also fit the general theme of Naztherak. It would not make sense to summon Inferi from a snowy portal. - For aesthetic/flavor/environmental purposes, a Naztherak is not limited in the number of Inferi they may have wandering about their lair, though these will serve no combat or RP advantage, acting as NPCs. - A Naztherak may not summon Inferi beyond Zevn and Zekul in combat. They may be accompanied by CA Inferi prior to combat, but these may not be summoned from the Grimoire at whim. - Accompanying CA Inferi contribute to the player cap for raids and other banditry. - Players cannot possess more than three CA Zar’ei in their court. - They may also not have more than five imps, NPC or CA, four beasts and three Zar'ei in their court. ⛧ Narthruzka “Yet the taint of his own spirit was not enough, nae - he had to set the ruin of others as well...” The cruelty of the Infernal Lords knows no bounds, their dominance of lessers absolute. It is of little surprise then that their abominable countenance should pass on to mortal Princes like an infection. Such is the origin of Malices; Infernal inclinations which take root within the Naztherak’s very soul, at their first connection to their Princely Powers. They are not without their uses to those who dabble in devilry, but Malices further warp the Warlock’s mind when adopted as their own. An accomplished Naztherak who takes on a further pact, undertaking tutelage in the art of Curses, will find themselves capable of empowering their Malflame with the ire of their Malice, to further scourge their victims and adversaries. Other Warlocks will discover that a more subtle approach can be equally as devastating, burning the Malice into objects and harrowing their enemies with debilitating curses. Whether a Prince realises so or not, this spreading of cruelty only guarantees more tormented souls for the grinder within Moz Strimoza, such is the nefarious purpose of this spiteful art. Cursed Fire Cursed Idols A Naztherak may also be taught to take objects or ‘idols’ and curse them with profane properties. These are then to be distributed as the Prince sees fit, whether casting them out into the world, sown like seeds of spite to cause misery and turmoil among mortals, or offered to unwitting recipients disguised as harmless gifts. A Prince may even sell or trade such objects to those mortals with a spitefulness akin to their own, who seek to achieve the downfall of their brethren. To create such devilish devices, the Prince must prepare an area for ritual. This may be an elaborate altar with all manner of occult embellishments, or just a corner of a cave in moments of urgency. Preparing the ritual requires a complex pentacle of Ilzakarn script, scrawled in rakir, which details the Malice used and what manner of curse is being placed upon the idol. With an adequately prepared place to perform the deed, a Warlock places the idol in the circle’s centre, then opens their Grimoire and invokes their Malflame as a catalyst, whilst feeding the ritual with maleus to begin the process. Candles may flicker, alien whispers may be heard and other supernatural phenomena occur as the ritual is performed. The ritual burns the Ilzakarn into the object like a circuit board or a set of instructions, and uses the Naztherak’s maleus to initially charge the idol, finalising the curse laid upon it. - Creating a curse requires the ritual as described above, a minimum of four good-quality multi-line emotes, and may not take place during combat. - One’s Grimoire must be present to create a curse, except for a Zar’akal. - Creating a cursed idol consumes forty [40] maleus from the Naztherak per object. Assuming one has enough maleus to do so, multiple objects may be simultaneously imbued with the same curse. - An idol may only be cursed with a single Malice. After this dark ritual is completed, the cursed idol’s effects could be described as passive and continuous, constantly prepared to prey upon soul-bearing creatures. Physical skin-contact with the idol is enough for the curse to begin taking effect, but consistency is required for the curse to progress to its fullest effects. To sustain themselves without the need for a Naztherak to revisit their victim, an idol will siphon off minute slivers of soul essence from their bearer; if they instead possess maleus, the idol will consume this in the same fashion. Over the course of weeks and months, if there is consistent contact with the idol, its curse will grow and develop from mere cinders to an all consuming flame, capable of destroying one’s life. An idol can be difficult to detect, allowing an innocuous possession or even a treasured gift to secretly bring mayhem and suffering into the lives of mortals, without their knowing. Should such an idol be discovered however, Holy magicks can strip it of a curse, or even non-magickal folk may destroy the object in question through mundane means. - Curses provide long-term effects as detailed by the corresponding Malice. They take three [3] IRL days of possessing the idol to ramp up to their most debilitating effects. - They do not require recharging, and sustain themselves by gnawing at the bearer’s soul essence(alternatively maleus) periodically. No emotes are required. - An individual under the effect of a cursed idol may be alleviated of the curse by a Paladin’s purging ability, or any similar ability from other Holy magics. - Idols may be purged of their curse by the Paladin enchantment Sunlight’s Wrath, or a similar ability from other Holy magics, keeping the object itself intact. - The idol itself may also be destroyed by non-magical means. A cursed necklace may be melted down in a forge, a cursed pocket watch can be smashed with a hammer and so on. As long as the Ilzakarn ‘circuit’ upon the idol is destroyed, then the curse is broken. - When destroyed or purged, the dregs of maleus within the idol are released as a small curl of vile smoke, before dissipating entirely. - Although one may begin to realise that their behaviour changes after acquiring the cursed idol, or that they experience supernatural symptoms within its proximity, it’s considered metagaming to simply read the item’s description and immediately know it is cursed. Woe An idol cursed with Woe will cause the bearer to, over the course of the first few IRL hours, become progressively more miserable and depressive. They may merely take to brooding for hours, or may lack the motivation to cook and clean. As this progresses into the second IRL day many will find themselves unable to leave their bed, wallowing in self-loathing and turmoil. They may forgo cleaning, eating or other activities necessary to function. On the third IRL day, victims may not be capable of taking care of themselves, and even forgo activities which once brought them joy. Particularly susceptible personalities may even consider suicide. Lies An idol cursed with Lies will initially cause the bearer to begin responding to yes or no questions incorrectly on occasion. As this progresses into the second IRL day of the curse, a victim may attempt to weave a complex web of lies around themselves or others, which require further deception lest they be revealed as a sham. Developing further into the third IRL day, the cursed individual may even begin to believe their own lies, whether through sheer delusion or out of necessity to maintain this fragile fantasy they’ve constructed. A discovered liar may quickly realise the consequences of crying wolf. Revolt An idol cursed with Revolt will cause the victim to feel a gradually increasing sensation of disgust within themselves. Initially this may begin with merely a nudge to avoid certain individuals, objects, activities or even one’s appearance, as chosen upon creation by the Naztherak. After a second IRL day, this progresses toward an innate aversion to specific things, such as attending church, speaking certain words, or even possessions from one’s home. At its peak, after three IRL days, those cursed with Revolt may feel physically nauseous, skin-crawling sensations and other instinctual responses of disgust from the fixation of their Revolt. Some may be physically incapable of looking at their own reflection, for how utterly repulsive they find themselves to be. Madness An idol cursed with Madness will incite psychological discord within a victim. This begins with only minor symptoms, such as easily dismissed sensory hallucinations, or habitual and ritualistic behaviours. As the curse progresses into the second IRL day, the symptoms exacerbate, until friends and family would certainly notice the victim’s ‘disturbed’ nature from their usual selves. Paranoia may emerge here, along with more complex delusions, such as the belief others can hear their thoughts. After three IRL days the victim’s mental state deteriorates and they may become catatonic, or isolate themselves to avoid the triggers of their specific malady. Removing the curse’s effect with Holy magic will not automatically undo the trauma this Malice causes. There is no quick fix and overcoming this trauma will take IRL weeks. Players are also reminded to be tasteful, and that mental illness is more likely to lead one to hurt themselves rather than others. This Malice should not be used as a means for edgy 'serial killer’ roleplay etc. Desolation An idol cursed with Desolation is a truly spiteful weapon. The first stage occurs within the first IRL day of possessing the idol, where the most recent of memories will begin to degrade in accuracy. This may lead to simple mis-remembering of events, or requiring triggers such as smells, or coaching from others to assist the victim. At this point, it can be easily dismissed as forgetfulness. Upon the second IRL day however, this curse begins to attack memories from further into the past and particularly those which hold significance to the victim, such as birthdays, their wedding day, or even the birth of their children. This likely leads to frustration from others and the victim, that they continuously fail to grasp these important aspects of their past. Finally in the third IRL day, the curse burns away at fundamental pieces of the victim’s personality, such as lifelong skills, names, remembered faces and to a lesser extent even language. In this final stage the victim experiences true Desolation, as they as a person are obliterated, destroyed without a drop of blood spilt. Temptation An idol cursed with Temptation will cause the bearer to become progressively more distracted and preoccupied with their desires. Within the first IRL day they may experience reduced impulse control, resulting in the stealing valuables, if for example one is a material individual, or may become vocally obsessed over a love interest. Moving into the second IRL day of the curse, a victim will experience a degradation of social inhibitions, for example resulting in poor etiquette, not respecting the personal space of a love interest, or even speaking uncouthly of another within earshot. Finally in the third IRL day, a victim of Temptation will find their willpower diminished and are driven by the need to obtain objects of their desire; whether material goods, knowledge or even people. Dread An idol cursed with Dread inspires a growing terror and paranoia within its victim. In the first IRL day of the curse, this creeping fear will be akin to a feeling of being watched and being easily startled by sudden movement in the periphery, or loud noises. Progressing into the second IRL day, anxious symptoms intensify and will fixate upon one of a number of possible triggers, essentially causing the victim to develop a phobia. In the final stage of the curse(after 3 IRL days), this phobia will be allconsuming, the expectation of encountering its trigger will inspire paranoia and delusional thinking, such as an arachnophobe believing their mattress is filled with spiders. At this point the fear is far beyond rational and the victim will abandon almost all reason, save for self-preservation, should they encounter the trigger of their phobia. A Naztherak creating a Dread-cursed idol may choose from the following phobias at creation, and may not change the phobia once the curse is created: Fear of any given animal/creature including dragonkin, chimeras, manticores etc. Fear of a specific inanimate object, as defined by the Prince Fear of confined spaces/being buried alive Fear of germs, dirt or the unsanitary Fear of drowning/deep water Fear of open spaces/crowds Fear of thunderstorms Fear of falling/heights Fear of the dark/night Fear of holy symbols Fear is difficult to assuage in such victims and similar to Madness, even those who receive the help of Paladins or other Holy magics in purging their curse, will require IRL weeks to unlearn the phobia, such is the truly cruel facet of this Malice. Venom An idol cursed with Venom debilitates its victim with extreme symptoms, which mimic those of a toxic snake bite. Within two IRL hours of the curse, a clammy sweat sets in, followed by nausea and discomfort in the joints of the victim. One may easily dismiss these as symptoms of a mundane illness. They can be mitigated some by normal medicinal treatment, but won’t subside. During the second IRL day, the clamminess develops into a fever, accompanied by vomiting and in some cases mild delirium such as hallucinations. Dehydration is a potential danger here. After the third IRL day, the victim will experience difficulty breathing and abnormal functioning of the heart, such as palpitations. Were someone to have pre-existing conditions of the heart or lungs, this would be greatly aggravated and may even lead to death. The curse alone is unable to kill a physically healthy individual unless with OOC consent, otherwise only greatly weakening them. Gluttony An idol cursed with Gluttony is a dark totem indeed. Initially the victim will experience an increase in appetite and thirst, accompanied by nausea, which is a minor inconvenience and easily sated by simply indulging cravings. Upon the second IRL day of their curse they will discover that mundane food and drink cannot satiate this gnawing demand within their body. The aroma or taste of blood will be more appealing than that of wine, and the smell of flesh will prove more appetising than seasoned meats. After three IRL days of possessing the idol, the victim will find their body’s need for mundane food has been replaced by an unnatural hunger for the flesh and blood of their own race. Pestilence An idol cursed with Pestilence is a potent font of disease. Placed upon the person or in the home of one’s victim, it will begin to spread a malaise to those who come into direct contact with it, or those in frequent proximity to where it’s kept. Over the course of the first IRL day, victims experience this malaise as a general feeling of being unwell, accompanied by chills and a rising temperature. At this point, they will likely seek the assistance of a healer for what they believe is a mundane sickness. During the second IRL day, the supernatural plague advances to a persistent cough and shortness of breath, accompanied by blood in the phlegm and a weeping bloody discharge from the eyes and nose, while the temperature rises to a fever. At this point a healer’s attempts to manage symptoms will begin to fail. In the third IRL day of the curse, the prior symptoms persist and likely force the victim to remain in bed due to weakness. Necrosis may additionally begin to spread up the extremities, starting with toes and finger-tips, to begin consuming the victim with rot and disease. If the idol is destroyed, or ‘Holy’ magic is used to cure the curse, tissue death can be reversed if the victim wishes(OOC consent required). Healers are also at risk of becoming cursed, if they enter a victim’s home to treat them while the cursed idol still functions. Misfortune An idol cursed with Misfortune will sabotage the efforts of the Naztherak’s victim in almost all capacities, from the everyday to the magical. During their first IRL day of the curse, the victim may stub their toe, cut themselves shaving or overcook their evening meal, minor inconveniences easily attributed to benign bad luck. Advancing into their second IRL day, alchemists may find their potions have spoiled, Mages fizzle their spells without explanation and mundane mortals may lose their possessions or otherwise encounter numerous and consistent inconveniences. Upon the third IRL day, more dangerous mishappenings will emerge, such as falling down the stairs, windows falling shut upon one’s head and other supernaturally suspicious accidents. In this state, a victim would start to feel like someone was out to get them. It is up to the player to roleplay Misfortune appropriately, whether they choose to roll for the chance of Misfortune striking, roleplay a series of unfortunate outcomes, or indeed succumb to a tragic end during an event etc. Redlines: - Cursed idols require an ST-signed RP item as enchanted objects. They should adhere to the ST’s criteria for enchanted objects. - One may not curse multiple objects with different curses within the same ritual. - One may not stack multiple Malices upon the same object. - Druidic Blight Healing has no effect upon cursed idols. - Creating a curse is not possible in a combat scenario. - Curses are not immediately detectable, but one may roleplay a gradual realisation that the idol is supernatural. - The Paladin Purge ability, or similar abilities in other ‘Holy’ magics, will remove the effects of a curse from its victim. - If the idol is not destroyed, the victim may find themselves cursed again, taking another 3 IRL days to ramp up to its full effects. - The Paladin enchantment Sunlight’s Wrath, or similar abilities in other ‘Holy’ magics, are able to destroy the idol’s curse permanently. - Cursed idols are not immune to damage. They are functionally ordinary objects and can be smashed, melted in lava etc. - If an idol is destroyed, it takes a full 3 IRL days for its curse to pass, unless expedited by ‘Holy’ magics. - Characters may not be used as a cursed idol, e.g. Shapeshifted Izkuthii - Izkuthii and Sorvian masks may also not be cursed, but they can still be affected by Malice-infused Malflame spells. - If an idol is placed within a player’s home, the inventory may not be locked to prevent access for its removal or destruction. - Curses cannot affect constructs and non-soulbearing entities, with the exception of Sorvians, which possess Soul Essence to fuel a curse. - Tree Lords can be affected by curses, but in place of ‘Holy’ magical intervention may be cured by the Purge ability of Druidic Blight Healing. General Redlines: - A Naztherak must reach [T3] to be taught Curses/Nathruztar. - Curses as a subtype has no tier progression, and occupies one [1] slot. - One may teach Curses after [1] month of possessing it. They must also have been taught how to infuse their Malice into Malflame spells and how to create a cursed idol. - The Prince's TA should be updated with this subtype, when the allotted time is reached, should they wish to teach it. ⛧ Pacting “Absolute power corrupts absolutely.” While the practitioners of Naztherak may obtain for themselves power by research and force, their studies will not have gone unnoticed by unseen eyes. For when a Prince makes their first pact, the deal is sealed on behalf of a higher, more diabolical power. At the precipice of a mortal’s descent into the infernal, a Zar’rokul lays claim to slivers of their soul and watches over them, as a beastly benefactor grooming them ever closer to the needs and desires which serve the Rokul’s own ends. The Naztherak is unaware of this patronage, as is the design of their powers as wrought by the Pentacle, lest meek apprentices learn too quickly of their mephistophelean downfall and wrench what remains of their soul beyond the demons’ grasp. Instead the Zar’rokul moves pieces upon a board, creating opportunity or even placing obstacles in the path of their newest toy. It is only when the Prince achieves a level of blinkered, zealous pursuit of further knowledge, or at least jadedness, that they may earn the privilege of contacting their patron. Nizarhuk A Naztherak who has grown further invested in their demonic powers, may seek to open a means of communication with their patron, who until such a point has remained anonymous. To achieve this the Prince must create a pact, not dissimilar to that which they may have initiated at the beginning of their journey upon the infernal path. This pact begins with a ritual to draw the eye of the Prince’s patron such that they can conduct nizarhuk or “communion” with the Zar’rokul. Although the outcome of nizarhuk is typically the same regardless of the Prince and their patron, there may be minor variations in the pact’s smallprint, suited to the Rokul’s specific wants. The Prince must prepare a ritual pentacle drawn in rakir, not unlike those required for Curses, and similarly it may be embellished with candles and other occult objects if one desires. In this case, the Ilzakarn scrawlings call upon the Pentacle of Moz Strimoza to witness it, and in the centre of this pentagram an offering bowl is placed. A Naztherak already in possession of Pacting who is teaching a student, should assist in assembling the ritual to demonstrate each step and such will not impact the ritual itself. Into the bowl, the Prince must offer their own blood such as by cutting the palm. This need not fill the bowl entirely, but the offering must not be wanting. Into this the Prince then wills a sliver of their maleus, to create a rakir of their own blood used only in this ritual. The rakir will shift and bubble as if being heated, until pale plasma-like fluid will appear to separate from the main body of the substance. This swirl of plasma will then form the likeness or name of the Zar’rokul who has chosen the Naztherak, revealing their identity. At this point the Prince must then fill the remaining contents of the bowl with the blood of the animal corresponding with their patron, by means of slitting the creature open and spilling its blood as a sacrifice. A goat for Velkuzat, a bat for Drazhana, a snake for Kiiztria, a crow for Kholidav, or a black cat for Zathairn. Filling the bowl with animal blood, the Naztherak has made their offering and the Zar’rokul will answer, by either manifesting as an avatar before them or speaking through the body of the sacrifice. Drinking their fill of the Warlock’s pool of maleus, the Rokul will then acknowledge the Prince as chosen by them, makes their offer and names their price. The Naztherak may agree or refuse, the latter will cancel the ritual and the Prince receives nothing for their spent blood and maleus. Upon striking their bargain a fresh page within the Prince’s Grimoire will mysteriously become inscribed with the pact. Written entirely in Ilzakarn, it details the terms agreed upon, including the price: a further sliver of the Prince’s soul, allowing the Zar’rokul into their mind, and one permanent mutation. It also lists the prizes one has paid for: a familiar, the Rokul’s own Malice and the knowledge of and ability to use Boons and Banes. Mechanics: - Performing nizarhuk requires the ritual described above, in a minimum of four good-quality multi-line emotes, which may not take place during combat. - The Naztherak’s grimoire must be present throughout, unless they are also a Zar’akal. - The TA-holder teaching the Pacting subtype must be present throughout the ritual and guide the student through the process. - Players are encouraged to have various flavourful supernatural phenomena occur during the ritual, and are permitted to be creative insofar that it is not abused to seriously harm bystanders. - In their bargaining with the Zar’rokul, the Naztherak must allow them to consume the entirety of their pool of maleus, no matter how full or how large their maximum pool. - The Rokul will also demand a further sliver of the Prince’s soul, permanently slotting Pacting. - As a result of further corruption of their soul, the Naztherak will inherit a permanent mutation unable to be hidden, which bears a likeness to their patron. Such things may include scales, a bat-like nose, forked tongue, fangs, cat-like eyes, vestigial wings etc., but may not grant any combat or mechanical advantage. - Lastly the Prince must allow their patron into their mind, causing vivid nightmares at least once a week. If one attempts to forgo sleep to avoid these, they will instead manifest as waking hallucinations. Either may be visions of their patron, inferi or Moz Strimoza. These cannot be cured with medicinal aids, only ever granting temporary reprieve. - Upon successful completion of nizarhuk, the Prince may also adopt the Malice associated with their patron. Gluttony from Velkuzat, Dread from Drazhana, Venom from Kiiztria, Pestilence from Kholidav and Misfortune from Zathairn. - After acquiring Pacting, the patron may also telepathically contact the Prince to goad them into certain actions, such as interfering in world events, sabotaging the efforts of a rival Zar’rokul and their servants, or other flavourful means of grooming the Warlock into serving their patron. - Nizarhuk may be performed again for flavour roleplay after acquiring Pacting, or used for ST events where the Prince wishes to consult with their patron, but may not be used to metagame or stall combat etc. - An ST with manager approval may roleplay as a Zar’rokul for the purposes of communion rituals, eventlines or for telepathic communication to a pacted Naztherak. Redlines: - An accepted Naztherak MA, and T3 is required to perform this ritual and thus acquire Pacting. - One may not conduct the ritual during combat. - If an ST member is not available to roleplay the Zar’rokul during the ritual, the teacher is permitted to play them instead only for the purposes of their student acquiring the Pacting subtype. In which case the Rokul is scripted to its offer and price, and may not make unique demands of the Warlock. - After the pact is complete, the player must notify the ST to update their MA appropriately. - One may teach Pacting to another Naztherak after possessing it for 1 IRL month. A TA may be updated accordingly. - The Prince must wait the full 12 hours after the Zar’rokul has consumed their maleus, before it replenishes, as they have no maleus with which to cast kraviir. - Permanent mutations are not able to be hidden and do not respond to casting. They must have some likeness to the Zar’rokul one has pacted under. Again these must be unsettling or grotesque. - The nightmares and subsequent adverse effects upon the Prince must be roleplayed, whether that is as a disturbed mentality, extreme tiredness due to an inability to sleep, or other such symptoms. - Alchemical, magical or herbal sleep aids have a diminished effect upon a Prince’s nightmares, at best working by half their typical strength. This may not be bypassed by taking extra doses. - Pacting consumes one [1] magic slot. - Like all Naztherak subtypes, one may not regain the slot offered to their patron. Ever. - One may teach Pacting after [1] month of possessing it. They must also have been taught the properties of their Striith and how to apply boons/banes. - The Prince's TA should be updated with this subtype, when the alloted time is reached, should they wish to teach it. Infernal Familiars “Every Prince needs a Herald” Although the price of a pact with a Zar’rokul is great, the rewards are not lacking. Perhaps the first of these to manifest is the Naztherak’s familiar, dubbed a striith in Ilzakarn. These creatures take on the appearance of the animal associated with one’s patron, as a disguise for the wicked Inferis concealed beneath the flesh, fur and feathers. Even then this deception is inherently flawed by the truly demonic nature of the striith, exhibited by traits such as albinism, melanism, uncharacteristic size, red or bleeding eyes, enlarged teeth and claws, or other such symptoms of infernal origins. The striith is both a servant bound to the Naztherak, but also a means for the patron to have the Prince under nigh constant observation- for the Zar’rokul did not ascend to their position among the Pentacle, by allowing themselves to be blindsided. It is perhaps ironic that the striith is both jailor and prisoner in some regards, as like all inferi bound to a Prince, they must obey. Striith Psychology Comparable in intellect to that of a Zar’ei, these infernal familiars make for useful advisors and companions upon the dark path of the Naztherak. This intellect, coupled with the inherent power struggle of all inferi, may prove to be one’s undoing, as the striith is inherently manipulative. They will seek to subvert their relationship with the Prince if they can, preying upon fears or a weak will, to dominate the Naztherak for spiteful amusement by tugging upon the few chains they are able to. Should the striith and the Prince be of alike personalities- finding kinship within deceptive, malicious, chaotic mentalities, or at least greed- then they can build a more amiable, symbiotic relationship, aiding each other in their respective endeavours without the explicit instruction of the Naztherak. The pact between the mortal Prince and their Zar’rokul patron is mirrored in their striith too, allowing master and familiar to communicate telepathically as long as they are within whispering distance or within sight. - A striith is given to the Naztherak upon acquiring Pacting. It will invariably be the animal representation of the Zar’rokul; a goat for Velkuzat, a bat for Drazhana, a snake for Kiiztria, a crow for Kholidav and a black cat for Zathairn. - Each familiar will possess demonic physical traits such as melanism, albinism or other unnatural skin/fur/feather discolouration, horns, larger fangs, claws, talons etc. red or bleeding eyes, unnatural size etc. As long as the animal is unmistakable for its representation. - Familiars may emerge from the body of the animal sacrificed during nizarhuk, allowing a one-time transformation into the striith’s form, or it may merely be roleplayed as appearing mysteriously. - The striith may act as a servant for the Prince, akin to a pet or messenger bird, but all usual rules apply. E.g. 3 emotes to ‘bird’ with the striith. - The personality of the familiar can be roleplayed as one pleases, as long as it is of an inherently selfish, chaotic nature. Players are encouraged to treat the striith as a character, not just a pet. - Princes may communicate telepathically with their striith as long as they have line of sight with it, or it is within #w distance. Properties of the Striith In addition to a fellow traveller upon a dark path, the striith is also a potent source of maleus, when burned by Malflame, allowing a desperate Warlock to sacrifice their familiar for a fix of maleus to fuel further casting of their infernal powers. Alternatively it may be harvested for its inferi blood, which acts as a unique form of iridescent rakir the colour of the Prince’s Malflame. This rich striith blood is known to be used by Warlocks in the creation of pacts with mortal man, and the conveying of magical boons and banes onto bodily flesh. Lastly a striith is capable of meagre Malflame conjurations on par with those of an imp. Which is to say they may throw coin-sized balls, or spit small tongues of felfire, but do not possess a Malice of their own to utilise. - Should a Naztherak cast kraviir upon their striith, it will yield the fullest crop of maleus as the spell states in the Malflame section. This will destroy the striith however, and it may not reappear for an IRL week. - The Prince may instead choose to let the blood of their striith, to produce a shimmering rakir the colour of their Malflame. - The quantity of this does not change with the size of familiar, and always yields enough blood to inscribe a boon and a bane, without destroying the striith. If the Prince chooses to extract a further ‘count’ of blood within the same IRL week, they may at the cost of destroying the striith and triggering a 1 IRL week for it to manifest again. - Striith do not like being destroyed and resummoned repeatedly, and will quickly foster hostility and toxicity toward a Naztherak who does so. - If a striith is slain by mundane means, such as during an attack upon their Naztherak by other parties, it will remanifest after 3 IRL days. Redlines: - ST guidelines concerning combat pets must be followed, concerning a striith. One may not use a goat familiar beyond the size of a golden retriever in combat, for example. - Snake familiars must adhere to the ST’s policy for poisons and venoms. - All other rules concerning pets or animal companions must also be followed with one’s striith, such as at least three ‘bird emotes’ to send a message. - One may not use their striith to metagame information. For instance you may not ask the striith who killed you should it have witnessed so. Similarly it may not be used to spout exposition about lore the player-character is not privy to etc. - A striith may possess demonic traits as listed above, or similar, but which may not give it outlandish abilities beyond those of their mundane animal counterparts. - Their Malflame capabilities are on par with those of an imp. - Although familiars are a device to encourage strongly aesthetic flavourful roleplay, one may not roleplay their striith as a totally docile pet. It must always at least be selfish, manipulative and chaotic, with room for them to be plenty spiteful and hostile as well. - Striith who are repeatedly harvested, killed and resummoned by a Prince may not harbour an amicable relationship with their master. - A Prince may cast a single spell of Kraviir upon their familiar to harvest it for maleus, which burns it away into embers and ash. - A Prince may take enough blood from the familiar to create one (1) boon and one (1) bane, or any combination thereof without issue. Should they do so again within an IRL week, this will kill the striith. - Should a striith be slain by mundane methods, it will remanifest after 3 IRL days. It may reassemble itself from ash, or otherwise mysteriously reappear. - If a striith is destroyed by over-harvesting blood or maleus it will take 1 IRL week to manifest itself again. It may reassemble itself from ash, or otherwise mysteriously reappear. Boons & Banes “A Prince's prize is handsome indeed..” Perhaps the greatest reward bequeathed to the Naztherak by their patron, are the means to begin making pacts of their own among mortalkind. For the Inferi Incursion upon Arcas taught the Pentacle the true value of luring Descendants to their side as pawns, with promises of power, trinkets and other such frivolous promises. As a Prince who serves their Infernal Lord however, it is the place of the Naztherak to make these agreements on their behalf, and by now they should be all too familiar with how to bargain for devilish deals. Boons and banes are additional powers a Naztherak may employ in order to begin entangling mortals within their own complex web of pacts. This is the very intention of the Pentacle, to further encourage a mortal Prince to such tendencies, until they not only excel in them, but are far too invested to be concerned with the price for their own powers. A Prince may negotiate a contract with a mortal, promising the power of a boon and assign their own price as they see fit. Even should one still possess a modicum of kindness, or at least nepotism, so as to waive a price, the dark magics of the Pentacle still require a bane to accompany the boon. Like the boon, this bane may be chosen from a list, but continuously gnaws at the bearer’s soul essence, whilst fuelling the boon’s power. To give a boon, the Prince must harvest blood from their striith- enough for one boon and one bane- and expend a sum of their own maleus to enrich it further. At this point such a rakir will virtually crackle and spit with embers, as it is saturated with the potential for wickedness. Using this the Prince may tattoo or draw upon the flesh of their pactee, an inscription in Ilzakarn which names the boon and bane selected. This process is painful and will inflict hot flashes upon the individual who receives it, with a lasting stinging sensation which will only fade after a few days. Upon completion however, they will discover that the boon’s benefits may be enjoyed and the bane’s curse suffered. - A Prince may offer boons to other soul-bearing player characters as a means of bribing them for cooperation, material goods, knowledge, promises of servitude or other such things as the Naztherak finds worthy of trade. - Even if they waive a price for the boon, such as to reward a loyal pawn, each must also be accompanied by at least one bane. A Prince may even choose to place a bane and no boon. - Imbuing their fresh harvest of striith blood costs the Prince a flat [50] maleus per one count of striith blood. They may imbue multiple counts of striith blood at once if they possess enough maleus to do so. - The roleplay for this process is freeform, but it must be roleplayed. Handing out boons and banes without roleplay will be considered OOC magic trading. - After one receives their boon and/or banes, the Naztherak must notify the ST to update their MA with a comment. The comment should detail which boons and which banes the character has been given. - A character may not have more than three boons and five banes at any given time. - Boons and banes have no expiration. The bane feeds on the bearer's soul essence to fuel itself and the boon indefinitely. - If the tattoo of the bane is scored or cut out, the boon will cease to function. - If the tattoo of the boon is scored or cut out, the bane will continue to function. - Boons and banes may also be destroyed by a Paladin’s Purging ability, or similar abilities in other Holy magics. The Naztherak may mark their victim with any of the following boons and banes, and a TA-holder with Pacting may create new ones via lore additions. Boons Banes General Redlines: - Striith blood must be used within 2 IRL hours of harvest unless an appropriate RP item is made and signed by the ST. - When tattooing boons/banes upon a character, both they and the Naztherak must be in close proximity in roleplay. One may not be more than 5 blocks away mechanically or iRP and still receive boons/banes. - One may not NPC the receipt of boons/banes. The roleplay should occur between two player characters. - A character may not have more than three (3) boons and/or five (5) banes. - To roleplay the received boons/banes, there must be a comment on the providing Naztherak's MA which details the boons/banes the player possesses. These may be updated by the ST when necessary. - Although knowledge of boons and banes is magically conferred to the Prince, the TA-holder who is teaching them should also guide a student through the process in roleplay. - To receive boons/banes the player character must have a soul to feed from. This means various constructs such as Sorvians may not receive boons/banes. Refer to the CA’s lore and ask the ST. - An Azdrazi’s inner flame purges the striith blood from the tattoo/marking, thus preventing them from receiving boons/banes. - Boons/Banes may be removed by Paladin purging, or similar abilities from other Holy magics. - Alternatively the destroying of the tattoo/marking, such as cutting it out, will effectively remove it. - If the boon is destroyed, the bane still produces its effect. If the bane is destroyed however, the boon ceases to function. - One may not use banes to remove senses, literacy, or ability to imagine which a character did not already posses. For example, a blind person may not have "Taken Sense" remove the sight they don't have and so on. - Boons/banes have no expiration and may be used indefinitely. - The ST are entirely within reason to blacklist players who repeatedly abuse boons/banes, use them for poor-quality villainy such as roadside banditry(including meme/troll RP), or use them as a means to OOCly harass or bully other players. Algzok Rokol To Smoulder Magic The disconnection ritual. An intense ritual that requires either one Zar’akal and two Naztherak or five Naztherak with two being at least tier five. Not to be taken lightly or as an escape from the hells, this ritual consumes the magic slots given to Naztherak while removing the ability to use the magic, scarring the soul as it does so. To perform this ritual, a group must draw a pentacle with rakir and place the unfortunate Naztherk in the center. From there, each Naztherak would stand within a corner of the pentacle before channeling their malflame and maleus into the center. Once all the flames converge upon the center and then the victim, they would flow over and throughout the brand, burning away the slots of magic and permanently damaging the soul. Redlines ⛧ Ascension Playable [CA] “A Prince becomes a King” All the powers of a Naztherak are created to fulfil numerous goals, from the conjuring of felfire to spread chaos amongst mortals, the sowing of suffering through curses, the trappings of pacts - these all serve the insidious purpose of luring the Prince further into the infernal, expending the slivers of their soul until there is but a final shred of mortality left within them. Small, weak and tainted. It is all which separates the False Prince from the same Inferi which they bind and summon to do their bidding. For those who have already delved deep into demonology and have taken three pacts, there is one step left to take in their pursuit of power, zealous service to the Pentacle, or other blinkered searching for promised forbidden knowledge. Through the performing of a dark and unnatural rite, a Naztherak may surrender the last of their soul to the powers of Moz Strimoza and in so doing, become fully infernalised. Upon achieving this, they take up the mantle of the Twisted King, Zar’akal, and serve their patron Zar’rokul as a harbinger upon the mortal plane. The ‘akal walks amidst mortalkind as a wolf amongst sheep, luring potential Princes from the flock, and preparing the rest for slaughter. A Naztherak who has dedicated four slots to their devilish arts, may take the final leap to dedicate their last to become a Zar’akal. Like all prior pacts, this cannot be reversed and is typically only undertaken by those Princes who have truly lost themselves to the powers of the Pentacle. They are often distinguished above even other Inferi as a commander or templar is over footmen, wreathed in embers and ash, crowned with horns and even some cloaked with vestigial, broken wings. Zar’rovuth - The Twisted Forge The ritual begins not dissimilar to Naz’kuthun, in which a large basin such as a bath or pool is filled with blood and gore. A hopeful Prince then steps into it and must be submerged up to the waist in the grizzly baptism, whereupon they open their Grimoire and speak aloud a prepared incantation. Feeding their entire store of maleus into the bloodbath, the presence of three other Naztherak is required, and for them to also infuse no less than [50] of their own maleus into the pool. The total of four Naztherak leaves the hopeful’s Zar’rokul as a symbolic fifth, thereby representing the Pentacle. As the incantation finishes, the Prince must submerge themselves entirely, which will force their mind, body and soul into becoming totally infernal. This process takes a full IRL day, leaving the character unable to be played during this time. Screenshots of the ritual may be given to an ST for confirmation, and the appropriate Creature Application made on the forums e.g. “[CA] Zar’akal” Mechanics: - Acquiring Zar’akal needs a T5 Naztherak to possess Malflame, Demonology, Curses and Pacting; meaning four of their magic slots must be dedicated to Naztherak. - The ritual above is fairly freeform, but requires a minimum of 4 multi-line emotes of decent quality, and 3 other Naztherak to each offer [50] maleus to complete. - Upon acquiring Zar’akal, the player’s fifth and final slot is consumed, and any other magic which prior occupied that slot is removed. If this is the case, it should be stated in the Creature Application. - The transformation into the CA Zar’akal is irreversible. - If all existing TAs become inactive, the ST is able to connect new Naztherak through eventlines and/or event characters, to encourage the healthy longevity of the magic. This requires managerial approval. - A Zar’akal is considered a ‘category D’ CA. Physicality Zar’akal are no longer Descendants, or even true mortals, and their physical appearance reflects the truly monstrous nature of their beings sufficiently. Mutated even more grotesquely than that of a Naztherak, they resemble large abominable beasts the likes are heard of only in nightmarish fairytales. Twisted Kings are unable to disguise their surrendering to the infernal any longer and all mutations they had prior acquired are not only always manifest, but considerably more hideous and outright offensive. When stepping out from their dark baptism, the Zar’akal may stand taller and broader than before, their prior physical weakness purged to make way for whatever machinations their patron may have for them. Although by no means giants among their kin, a Zar’akal occupies a comfortably balanced position between strength, cunning and sorcery. As part of their transformation, their capacity to create mana is diminished entirely and replaced with a deeper pool of maleus. It will be of no surprise then, that such godless creatures are despised by the Light and those who wield it. No longer capable of ‘innocence,’ a Zar’akal will find themselves vulnerable to Holy magics, such as those of Paladins. Not only will these magics prove more effective against a Twisted King, even burning upon mere contact, but standing within the presence of Holy artifacts or practitioners will offend and discomfort the demon, unable to tolerate such righteousness. Inferi Diet Like other Inferi, Zar'akal are required to adhere to the same diet. They will discover that their vile and warped body is almost exclusively carnivorous, with very little sustenance gained from plant-based foods. Were a Zar'akal forced to survive only upon vegetation, their muscle mass and strength would wane, but they could survive in this diminished state. Like other Inferi, they may consume the flesh, blood and bone of Descendant races without any negative side-effects, and indeed many a Twisted King revels in devouring their foes after playing with their food first. Mechanics: Strengths: - Zar’akal are immune to Malflame. - They may reach peak physical strength for their pre-transformation race. - A larger pool of Maleus means a Twisted King is capable of longer bouts of Naztherak sorcery. - They are functionally immortal. - Do not require a Grimoire to cast. Weaknesses: - Abilities such as Holy Affinity from Paladinism are substantially more painful to a Zar’akal. Even mere contact with Xannic Mist or Tahariaean Light etc. will cause a burning sensation. - A Paladin’s passive aura and similar holy auras, will illicit discomfort in a Zar’akal, akin to instinctual disgust. - For the purposes of Holy magics, a Zar’akal is always considered a ‘revealed dark creature.’ - Zar’akal can also be poisoned in the same fashion as any Descendant might be, such as by Azhl. - This includes thanhium and thanic steel toxicity. - Unable to disguise demonic appearance. Redlines: - Zar’akal are Inferi by definition, but cannot be bound by Naztherak. - They do not need sleep, but must eat, drink and breathe. - If a Twisted King is forced to subsist upon plant-based foods, such as while captured, they may not maintain their peak physical strength. Their appearance may deterioriate to connote this. - Zar'akal are totally sterile and forbidden from sexual FTB. - A Zar’akal may still be knocked out by sufficient force. - Mutations they possessed, including their Brand, carry over from the Naztherak to the Zar’akal. Existing mutations become more severe or grotesque. - If I see a single uwu horned eboy/egirl ‘akal I will strangle you IRL. - One may not use the height boost to go beyond 7ft. Yes I’m talking to you, Toodles. - The character’s prior race informs the peak strength of a Zar’akal. - Zar’akal cannot produce mana and may not use abilities from other magics/feats which require it. - Should thanhium or thanhic steel weaponry be used against them however, it will still have the frostbite/poisonous effects, but cannot corrupt the akal’s mana pool, for it has none. - Zar’akal cannot be harmed by Malflame itself, but may still be effected by any Malice used. - They may also be successfully cursed by Naztherak curses, or those of other magics. - Holy magics are more effective against the Zar’akal, causing a burning sensation upon mere contact and additional pain and burns when struck with spells. - Holy objects, artefacts and auras additionally elicit spiteful scorn from an ‘akal. Mentality With their last vestiges of mortal mundanity wrenched away from them, a Zar’akal is consumed almost entirely by their Malice. Some of their former preoccupations and behaviours may remain out of routine habit, but they are the hollow exterior of an insidious undoing long in the making. Concepts such as kindness or self-sacrifice are far beyond their grasp now, supplanted by nefarious thoughts of self-gain. Any offer from a Zar’akal is certain to have a grave price, so it is that they have devolved to a state not unlike their Zar’rokul patron. All drives of virtue are snuffed out, and the demand of their Malice replaces any zeal for life the Prince had left within them. The whispers and nightmares bestowed upon them by their patron do not fade, and the Twisted King may find that they hear their Zar’rokul more readily now, or are at least merely broken and warped enough to believe they do. In any case, the akal’s mastery of their dark powers culminates with the ability to cast their abilities without the need for a Grimoire, their demonic mind able to comprehend, remember and recall Ilzakarn, and speak incantations without aid. Mechanics: Redlines: - A Zar’akal may not be kind and genuine. They are spiteful, evil creatures. They may ‘feign’ niceties to manipulate others, but not out of genuine goodness. - One will keep their memories in tact, along with all learned skills and so on, but whatever sentimental/emotional attachment they had will be distorted at best and usually totally severed. - A Grimoire is no longer required to use Naztherak abilities, but one may choose to keep one etc. - The emote counts for combat casting remain the same. Abilities As harbingers of the High Hells, it is the Zar’akal who is charged to bring forth a foothold in which the Pentacle may creep into the mortal realm. The Inferi Incursion of Arcas was all too sudden and overt, innately rallying many to oppose it, and learning from this the Zar’rokul have instead opted to weaken the mortal world- not as an invasion, but as an infection. Ra’Ilkgarokk - The Infernal Sickness This infection manifests as taint or corruption which seeks to blot out all that is good and pure. At sites of this despoiling trees are charred, grass rendered ash and the sky is filled with swirls of dark cloud and smoke. Pools of fire and smog can be found throughout this accursed region, the land plagued with sulphur and hailing brimstone. Any flora has been burnt to ash or charred, completely barren of any beauty they may have had within or about them. Animals are either slain or warped into monstrous beasts which roam these forsaken plains, attacking and consuming anything which wanders unwittingly into this scar in the world. Rocks become jagged, waters dried out, and the land becomes scorched or covered in ash which rains from dark clouds in the sky. Mechanics: Redlines: - Players may not create Ilkgarokk upon land they do not own, without RO consent. - Although players may create Ilkgarokk within charters, one may not block access to the corrupted land to prevent players from potentially removing it. For instance, players cannot simply close the gates and lock doors at all times so their corruption can’t be destroyed, there should always be some reasonable avenue to access the blighted ground to allow healthy roleplay. - If it is cultivated underground, the land above will reflect this and become hellish. - Players may not use pools of lava, mouths etc. to attack other characters etc. - The Ilkgarokk cannot be commanded or manipulated, even if it is flesh and sinew with faces etc. It is functionally still terrain. - Imps and beasts may be described in region text, signs etc. to make the corruption more flavourful, but cannot be used to remotely attack players without being actively roleplayed. - By the same token, players may not presume the plot is perfectly safe to traverse, simply because there is no mechanical/player representation of Inferi, or other dangers. Characters would still reasonably have reservations about tromping through a hellscape. Kehrlagashk - The Ritual of Adulteration To despoil the world in such a vile and unholy manner, a Zar’akal requires a fittingly sacrilegious ritual. It begins with a Zar’akal restraining an unwilling mortal victim with chains of Malflame, and while not normally possible the victim will be bound to the ground which is sought to be corrupted. The Twisted King, and any Naztherak or inferi present, must then pour their Malice into the victim. As a host for such dark and profane magics, this victim endures excruciating physical, mental and spiritual anguish, resulting in their soul being ripped from their body. In doing so, the corpse is rapidly consumed by the ground and begins to spread corruption outward, like a godless seed planted in a fetid garden. All nearby Attuned Druids will feel nature wail and scream in turmoil, as it is assailed by the completion of the ritual. To experience this pain through Communion would be deeply unsettling. Other deity users considered 'Holy', such as Paladins or Clerics, would feel a disturbing sensation of dread wash over them. Mechanics: Redlines: - Although the ritual has some flexibility for flavour purposes, it requires one [1] unwilling player-character victim with a soul, one [1] Zar’akal and either five [5] Naztherak or three [3] CA player Zezimar to perform. - The victim need not PK to complete the ritual. - If players are found to be creating throw-away personas, or friends do so, to achieve the ritual, it will be considered an abuse of the CA and grounds for a blacklist. - Similarly if players are found to be providing poor quality conflict RP, such as roadside banditry, to fulfil the requirements for this ritual, it will also be considered an abuse of the CA and grounds for a blacklist. - One may not begin the ritual in a combat encounter. Combat should be settled prior to its initiation. - Players need not do casting or ‘feeding’ emotes to fuel the Ilkgarokk. It will be removed from their Maleus pool passively if it is not actively roleplayed. - Equally however, one may not go inactive for a week and return to a fully-developed plot. Should a player not be active on the Zar’akal persona for more than 72 hours during the Ilkgarokk’s growth, its timer will pause and will develop no further. - When the player is able to roleplay more consistently, such as a few hours a day for 2 consecutive days, the timer will resume. Note that logging in every three days and doing minimal roleplay to avoid the plot's timer pausing is not permitted. - If the Zar’akal does not have the required Maleus to feed the development of the Ilkgarokk, such as when its Maleus is frozen post-revival, the plot's timer is paused. - Again, the corrupted region must have some reasonable access so players may attempt to destroy/cleanse it. Revival With their spirit sundered by the infernal forces of Moz Strimoza, ripped of any remaining virtue, goodness and purity, the warped soul of a Zar’akal is unsalvageable. Too fetid and mutated to reach the touch of healing hands, and often too spiteful and discordant than to even consider seeking Monks, Twisted Kings must reconstitute themselves through their own dark powers. So it is that an ‘akal may fuel the regeneration of their body by gorging upon their pool of maleus, exhausting it for a considerable length of time. This triggers a slow agonising process, which takes place over the space of weeks. Even once complete, it leaves the Zar’akal in a weakened state, their soul incapable of reproducing maleus for the first few months after their body is remade. During this time, the ‘akal will likely lurk and seeth within whatever lair they’ve carved out for themselves, offering its slayers or servants of the Light some time to recover and regroup. Mechanics: Redlines: - Players must still roleplay the fear of death, and may not make references to their revival as a means to shrug off the consequences of being slain. Being destroyed should always be avoided by the character. - Revival should not be used as a means to continuously harass players with poor villainy. This is considered an abuse of the CA and will be grounds for a blacklist. - Zar’akal are not invulnerable and are able to be slain like any other member of their prior race. - Poisons and toxins affect the Zar’akal as they would any other member of their prior race. - Upon death in RP, the Zar’akal takes 24 IRL hours to reconstitute its body, during which they may not be roleplayed. - For the next 5 IRL days, the player’s maleus is frozen at [0]. Upon the expiration of this cooldown, their maleus will be immediately refreshed to their full maximum pool. - Non-raid PVP deaths are exempt from cooldowns. For instance if knights raid a lair and slay the ‘akal, the player must undergo the cooldown; if the ‘akal is subjected to ‘minas or die’ banditry they do not. - If the Zar’akal is slain again during the cooldown on their maleus, it does not restart. - All other resurrection rules apply. ⛧ Tier Progression A player does not progress in the magic, without lessons and practice. One may not go on hiatus at T1 and return in time to be T5 and post a TA and so on. Players are reminded that they do not automatically unlock spells and abilities, and that they must be taught through roleplay. Princeling - Tier 1 - Immediate The Naztherak has sealed their pact with a Hzakhadlu (Tier 5 Naztherak posessing a TA) and is connected to the magic. Their Brand begins as a mere blister upon their palm and when they cast it glows with the sickly colour of their Malflame. The Prince is able to conjure small tongues of felfire to harvest maleus from mortal victims, and may bind and summon imps to their court. They may will their touch to give an aesthetic of ash, ember and smoke to whatever they hold. Maximum Maleus [30] Spells & Abilities Malflame: Kriviir Demonology: Subjugation Shackle, Invocation Zevn Apprentice - Tier 2 - Two IRL Weeks Post-Connection The Prince’s Brand has grown to encompass the entire hand and some of the wrist. At this point they may be taught to wreath their hand in Malflame, conjure wicked balls of spiteful fire and to bind and summon beastly Inferi for their court. When they use any of their dark powers, their cheeks seem to sink and their pupils may become slitted or narrow. Maximum Maleus [35] Spells & Abilities Malflame: Vhiit, Rok-Dhurz Demonology: Invocation Zekul Malice’s symptoms begin to manifest Adept - Tier 3 - One IRL Month Post-Connection With their Brand now covering their arm to the shoulder, the Naztherak may wreath their entire arm in Malflame should they see fit. Additionally they are capable of more pronounced manipulation, leading them to be able to learn how to form discs, cones and even waves of seething soulfire. The Prince may attempt to bind Zar’ei and be taught how to revive them, should they be slain. At this point one may make additional pacts, if they are so inclined to further dark sorcery. Maximum Maleus [45] +[15] per additional subtype Spells & Abilities Malflame: Rok-Heedz, Rok-Kirluk, Rok-Ladom Demonology: Invocation Zar’ei May opt to take Curses and/or Pacting Expert - Tier 4 - Two IRL Months Post-Connection The Naztherak may now be taught the dark ritual of Naz’kuthun, to infernalise not only small creatures and animals, but mortals too, as a means to further bolster their court. With their Brand now enveloping the half-torso of their body upon which it originated, their occult pyromancy makes them capable of summoning barriers, pillars and even whips of Malflame. Maximum Maleus [50] +[15] per additional subtype Spells & Abilities Malflame: Rok-Argal, Rok-Norrvut, Rok-Niirk Demonology: Naz’kuthun Master - Tier 5 - Four IRL Months Post-Connection Capable of conjuring chains and great infernos of Malflame, dealing with even Zentherak and later summoning them for their schemes and plots, the Prince is now a master of their dark powers. At this point the Brand covers their entire body, glowing when they call upon their occult sorcery. If the Naztherak has carefully avoided taking further pacts, they may still blend into mundane society, but the temptation to delve deeper may be all too much to resist. Maximum Maleus [55] +[15] per additional subtype May create a TA. Spells & Abilities Malflame: Rok-Krimth, Rok-Zevik Demonology: Invocation Zentherak Curses and Pacting do not have tier progression, but their effects on the Naztherak’s appearance and the abilities they provide are listed in their relevant section of the lore. ⛧ Purpose The purpose of Naztherak is to fill the niche of Warlockry, demonology and the ‘highway to hell’ sort of theme for characters to pursue. In prior iterations the magic introduced many interesting concepts, some of which have been fleshed out more fully and redistributed across magic slots. Players are now able to take only the ‘basics’ of Naztherak if they want, but those invested in the theme can delve deeper and explore concepts like curses and explore themes of a demonic patron. Malflame has been appropriately redlined and its mechanics reinforced, as it was abused as an ‘instant-kill’ previously, and the purpose of the magic(at least this time) is more to spread long-term misery and despair than straight up combat. Curses is a subtype which offers a character the ability to imbue their Malflame with their Malice for some combative applications, but hopefully more interesting are the hexes one can apply to mundane objects. This might fulfil themes of a shop which sells occult objects, and the Naztherak owner has under-the-counter services for specific clients, or a Prince who just readily sows torment by gifting cursed jewellery to unsuspecting people. These curses take time to reach their full effect, which are often pretty grim, but will not outright kill a target. Pacting was previously almost a ‘must have’ for any really flavourful facets of Naztherak. As a subtype like Curses, Pacting is meant to groom the character toward making pacts of their own, the theme runs throughout in fact given the player must discover their patron and then pact with them to learn the subtype. The Prince receives a familiar and knowledge of boons and banes, which together offer them tools to draw up agreements with mortals to get what they want, in return for some flavourful housemagery-like abilities to the pactee. This also fulfils a tasty non-Faeish niche of “deal with the devil” roleplay, as no boon can be used without a bane. Yes fear not, cursed children are back~ Lastly acquiring Zar’akal no longer requires self-masturbatory ST events of eating demonic souls and heads, but is instead a ‘finalisation’ of the progressive mutations Naztherak experience throughout their study of the magic. This is described as an ‘ascension,’ but really it’s a damnation of the Prince’s last vestiges of mortality for power. The Zar’akal loses the noodle-mage physique of a Naztherak, and the need for a Grimoire, whilst gaining a larger maleus pool and pseudo-immortality, but with punishing revival mechanics. As Inferi, Zar’akal are also weak to Holy magics, because you’re a demon- what did you expect? The Dark and Light should conflict. Oh and uwu demon eboys have been forbidden. We’d like to push for an MA and TA wipe of Naztherak with this submission, because we believe it needs a fresh start. With the Inferi Incursion eventline recently, it presents a good opportunity for a new generation of Naztherak to emerge. Citations Credits Archipelego - Consultation Auric_Saint – Feedback & Balancing Frott - Consultation Jelonny - Consultation Luci/Nivndil - Writing Mordu - Consultation Sorcerio - Writing Sykogenic – Consultation Zacho – Feedback & Proof Reading Zarsies - Consultation Changelong
  10. I am almost certain this post won't gain traction, but I still want to complain for the sake of complaining. Because of this I won't be making sure this rant is formatted correctly or is grammatically correct, simply because I could care less. It is unnecessarily difficult to find lore regarding major religions, cultures, and etc that you know is real or true (especially old lore and such). This difficulty is only heightened for new players. The only significant update that I have noticed on the wiki since when I joined the server (2021) Is the pictures for the races were changed to look cartoonish. The Adunian page from what I have been told hundreds of times by old Adunian players when I have tried to get more involved in Adunian rp is "Ignore the Wiki. It's outdated." Instead, you have to look through the forums for this information. Yet to find this information you need keywords. And even if you use keywords sometimes there just isn't anything, like in regard to Creatorism looking up "Creatorism" gives you zero results. There also isn't any actual way to see if what someone posted is real and legit, or if it is just someone speaking nonsense for the sake of it. As a new player it was confusing and frustrating, and resulted in me just giving up trying to understand any in depth piece of lotc lore. I personally see two solutions to fixing this (reviving wiki team or making lore submissions like magic submissions. But it won't get fix cause seeminly no one on the staff team has remembered about the wiki and wanted to fix that issue.
  11. "Shadows of the Hunt: The Legend of Murag, the Whitewash's Bane" In the ancient land of Krugmar, where the orcs of various clans roamed and thrived, there lived a young green orc named Murag. Born into Clan Lur, a proud and skilled group of hunters, Murag's destiny seemed intertwined with the ways of the hunt. His fierce determination set him apart from others. From a young age, he dreamed of becoming the greatest orc in history, a true legend among his people. Though many laughed at Murag's ambition, his friends stood by him, offering support and encouragement. Murag cared little for the cultural norms and wisdom of his clan, but he never disrespected them. He was driven by a desire to achieve greatness and be remembered for his feats. One fateful day, tragedy struck. Murag's father ventured out on a hunt for a dangerous whitewash—an orc who had turned his back on the traditions and values of their people, committing unspeakable crimes. During the hunt, Murag's father lost his life, leaving his son consumed by rage and grief. Murag's path shifted from joining Clan Lur and taking the traditional test to pursue revenge against the whitewash. Leaving his family and Krugmar behind, Murag embarked on a relentless quest to find the rogue orc responsible for his father's death. He spent years wandering through treacherous lands, honing his skills and growing stronger. Eventually, fate led him to the whitewash he sought—a fearsome creature with scars and trophies of defeated orcs. The winds howled, and the storm raged, mirroring the fury that swelled within him. With a primal roar, he charged into battle, his muscles moving with the fluidity of a river in flood. The battle between Murag and the whitewash was fierce and intense. The whitewash was strong, using his claws to fight with the ferocity of a beast he had once killed. Murag, fueled by his determination and anger, matched his opponent's strength and fought with the skill his father had instilled in him. In the end, Murag emerged victorious, but not without sustaining a grievous wound. The whitewash's claws left a permanent scar on the left side of Murag's face, a lasting reminder of his quest for vengeance. The taste of revenge, however, did not bring Murag the solace he sought. Instead, he found himself haunted by the memories of his father and the pain he had caused to others on his journey. He realized that revenge had not healed his heart, but only fueled more pain. With newfound wisdom and experience, Murag returned to Krugmar, a changed orc. Standing at an imposing 7 feet tall, with new scars adorning his body, and a depth in his eyes that spoke of hard-earned maturity, he took the test and was accepted into Clan Lur. The young orc who once craved fame and recognition was now an honorable and respected member of his clan. He no longer sought titles or accolades; instead, he vowed to protect and fight for his brothers. Over the years, Murag's bravery and wisdom helped his clan grow and prosper. He earned the loyalty and respect of his peers, and many considered him a role model. As the seasons passed, Murag aged gracefully, his life devoted to the code of an honorable hunter. In his heart, Murag knew that death was inevitable, but he refused to let age slow him down. He embraced every hunt as if it were his last, living each day to the fullest. In his final days, Murag ventured on one last hunt, alone but content. Surrounded by the wild beauty of Krugmar. Murag faced a formidable opponent, a creature of immense power. With the ferocity of a warrior in his prime, he battled bravely, not giving in to the passage of time. In the end, Murag fell, surrounded by the echoes of victory and honor, he breathed his last breath, knowing that he had lived a life worth remembering. His legacy lived on, not just in stories of his hunt for the whitewash but in the hearts of his people, who cherished the memory of a once ambitious young orc transformed into a true hero and protector of his kin.
  12. THE MOUNTAIN ALLIANCE Since the founding of Kal’Urguan the mountain dwed have been the foundation of the dwarves, from their many feats to their esteemed Paragons, the sons of Urguan have relied on the skill and determination of the mountain dwed. Back in the days of old, in the city of Kal'Karaad, Bastion Ireheart, Fili Grandaxe and Verthaik Frostbeard signed a bloodpact, bringing the mountain clans into an alliance, forging an unbreakable bond between Urguans kin. Decades later, the pact was renewed between Kerwyr Frostbeard, Fimlin Grandaxe and Gror Ireheart, once again bringing the clans close, and in return, making the Grand Kingdom much stronger than it was before. The pact was once again restored in Almaris between Bakir Ireheart, Kronk Stormheart, Argnos Frostbeard, and Thumbrindal Grandaxe So history shall repeat itself once again in Aevos, the mountain clans of Ireheart and Frostbeard shall sign a bloodpact in accordance with the following terms. 1. Signatories agree to support each other militarily if aggressed upon 2. Clans of the alliance formally agree to never employ hostility to each other, in the case of an act that cannot be ignored, the signatories shall meet to discuss a means of action. 3. Signatories shall not pledge allegiance to any sort of conflict without discussion. 4. Clans of the Mountain Alliance agree to support each other politically. 5. The Signatories of the alliance agree to meet every stone month. Signed, Clan Father of the Irehearts Clan Father of the Frostbeards
  13. Symbol of the spirit Ka'tau, personification of universal law. The Book of Ka’tau Divinely inspired stories and tales of the Rah’mun peoples, translated from the writings and speeches of the prophets, lector priests, and Pharaohs. Translated and Delivered by: Atemu-Ta Amun Prophet, Voice of Ka’tau, Sword of the Ra’tuhmet, Pharaoh of Rah’tuma Book 1: Creation story. The following tale has been passed down in the oral traditions of the Rah’mun peoples, who follow the faith of Ka’tau. Ka’tau is a spiritualist faith which affirms an animistic worldview. Adherents of Ka’tau believe in a single universal law of justice and harmony which binds all of existence together and takes many forms. The various spirits of the faith represent the different faces of Ka’tau, creating an endless list of entities which represent every facet of existence. The main three entities given credence by most practitioners of the faith are the Ra’tuhmet, an eagle-headed lord of eternal sunlight; Hesthor, a cow lady of pure waters, soul preservation, and bovine purging; and Kalthet, a lion-headed lady of grand strategy and Rah’mun battles. This story explains the Rah’mun origin story. The Rah’muns believe that before anything existed the universe was merely a void. Ka’tau herself, the personification of the universal law, brought forth the Ra’tuhmet as the first light which filled the void. The Ra’tuhmet then forged the stars, the world, and everything within it. At the edges of this void emerged Kalthet and Hesthor, who both claimed different aspects of the newly created world. The Creation story contains the emergence of Keop, the mortal enemy of Ka’tau, and Iblees and his general Kazul and their activities against the early descendants. This book is considered the most sacred of all the Rah’mun texts and is essential reading for any followers of the faith. All should read and understand with the fullness of their heart this sacred story. The text [links here]: Book of Ka'tau: Creation. OOC:
  14. The coat of arms of House Vaelaris House Vaelaris is a noble house from the continent of Aeltarys. It is not a large house, nor the oldest. But It is a proud one. They specialize in fishing and are known for selling their high quality crabs. One of the many famous dishes is the Vaelaris grilled crab and pickled herring. unlike most of the nobles houses that has different ancestral swords. House Vaelaris passes on a fishing rod made out of hardwood and a string made out of thin steal. making it almost unbreakable when catching normal fish. The founder of house Vaelaris is Raelor Vaelaris, a simple fisherman that happened to impress the king with his shellfish. So much so that he became one of the main sources of seafood into the king's household. This went on for years and sure enough Raelor made enough money to buy himself a small castle that he named Vaehold, a small castle right above the coastline of Crabcliff bay. all that Raelor needed now was a noble title. and he got one by winning a bet with the king himself. thus giving Raelor the title of Warden of Crabcliff Bay. not the biggest title, but good enough to make him a lord. and so Raelor made a banner for his newly founded house, a white crab on a purple background. Later in life Raelor married and had a son and heir, Daelor. Knowing that the house was a new one and needed to grow stronger, Raelor made sure that his son had the real education of a noble. Daelor learned how to read and write and how to hold a sword. not to mention all the family secrets about fishing. from the age 14 to 16 he became a squire to a minor knight that served under the king. During a Tournament the 17 year old Daelor got to prove himself to his father and the realm by coming 2nd place in the tournament. Once Daelor grew up, he was married and his wife gave birth to twins. They named the boy Daeron and the girl Daera, just a minute apart from each other. 3 years later Daelor´s wife gave birth to another baby girl which they named Aenelyra. In 128 of the second age. A great fire broke out in Vaehold. Killing Raelor, his wife Raena, Daelor as well as his wife, and the mother of his children, Visaena. Two years later, the twins and their younger sister Aenelyra must find a new way to keep their house and beliefs alive. so they put their lives in the hands of Prince Maegor as they sail to Failor and beyond…
  15. Good day fellow role-players, I wanted to address the fundamental flaws of Blade dancing, from the point of view of someone who has attempted many iterations of this lore piece, and its place as a bad lore piece. For those interested this is the passage I will be responding too; This comes from the following article; Now, with that out of the way. I do agree with a lot of this. Blade dancing is an extremely challenging lore piece to balance mechanically as you might struggle to balance weight, weapon mobility, and adequate weakness' for the caster so that they are not so far ahead in using weaponry at range that there is no reason to bother fighting martially. However a line out of this explanation made me realize something extremely important; "While again, a super cool and thematic idea". This line does well to outline the appeal, and reason people want blade dancing at all; it is a cool thematic way to combat opponents. And so I present my reasoning as to why I don't think the idea is fundamentally bad, my solution to the presented problems, and why this piece does not belong in this explanation topic. The goal of blade dancing as a lore piece doesn't necessarily need to put all of the issues that have been laid out into consideration. For example, if Blade Dancing was mechanically identical to LoTC's archery combat, simply reskinned with channeling flying swords instead of knocking arrows and drawing a bow, then they will be no stronger then an archer. We can justify this extremely easy within lore too. I will go through each concern, treating Blade Dancing as a reskinned bow and arrow combat: "What stops the user from not only manipulating blades, but having one of their own?" Alright, instead of knocking the arrow, and a drawing or aiming emote (Emote 1 and 2) we state that player must channel magic into the weapon for 2 emotes before the final, attack emote. The player cannot use another weapon simultaneously because they're too busy holding their hands out focusing on making the flying weapon attack to actually use another blade of their own. "Can they move just fine?" Yes, you can do this with a bow so I don't see why you could not in this instance. You can move up to 4 blocks, and then use a major action to progress channeling the flying-sword-attack, Just like how under the Honor Default combat rules you can move as well as take a major action such as notching an arrow, or drawing the bow. "Are they still strong?" On the cast emote, the strength of the attack is equal to the damage an arrow would have dealt to the target player. You can justify this as a strain caused by using magic at a distance affecting the strength of the flying-weapons swing. This solution would also fix the weight issue; it doesn't matter what weight the weapon is if every weapon deals the same amount of damage towards their opponent. By treating all melee weapons as a mechanically equal weapon, we allow archetypes (Like a rogue using flying knives vs dark knight using a flying greatsword) without their being any power difference between the two choices. "What cost is there to their lore?" If, mechanically speaking, the lore piece is identical to a bow and arrow, there doesn't need to be a cost. Because remember; the hypothetical piece we're making here is simply a reskinned bow and arrow. In exchange for the range these attacks offer us, we have to take longer to make our attack. "How long can they keep it up?" With a bow and arrow you must re-notch and re-draw your arrow each shot, so for Blade Dancing we will say that after the flying sword have swung majestically across the bare chest of the well-oiled barbarian you're fighting; the sword returns to the caster floating in front of them to be re-channeled for a next attack. Again, this is basically a magic-bow-and-arrow. You will be able to use it just as frequently. "What stops them from just stabbing people in the back with undodgeable strikes constantly?" I understand why so many people see this as an issue but it has such an easy solution. The weapon returns to its caster if it ever leaves the casters line of sight. Or even falls out of the air entirely, either works. One might argue that other players will just stand in front of the casters target to break line of sight- and sure. They should become the new target. If this was a bow and arrow they'd get shot instead. And, just a like a bow and arrow, you can utilize things like cover to break a casters line of sight and avoid getting hit. I truly believe that blade dancing's place as a fundamentally flawed concept is only true if you overthink the concepts possible mechanics. And I know this all too well as someone who fell into the same trap. The concept, if made as a reskinned version of the bow and arrows combat mechanics, could exist as a feat that has no further spells. That only exists to give players that unique aesthetic they are looking for. Unfortunately though, now that it is labelled a fundamentally flawed lore piece no one is going to want to try. As in the lore teams own words; "we strongly, strongly suggest not writing these pieces else you wish for a swift denial."
  16. Aylwin Blaxton (Naumarian: Alvin Blakton) was a Haeseni courtier and diplomat serving the majority of the life under the service of the Amador family, as well as numerous ambassador positions. He is most notable for his ‘Memoirs of Aylwin Blaxton’, an autobiographical account of his life. His memoirs record a typically shunned part of history, revealing the complicated political scene of the Marian court and the struggles and exploits of the Haeseni émigrés during the Coalition Wars and brief occupation period. Later in his life, Aylwin settled in Pruvia and retained high positions in the principality and died shortly before the Pruvian Inheritance to King Stefan of Haense. (OOC: Full credit to @MarquisAlex who wrote all of this, posting this for easier access. Links to his originals below: https://www.lordofthecraft.net/forums/topic/157760-the-memoirs-of-aylwin-blaxton-book-1/?tab=comments#comment-1492858 https://www.lordofthecraft.net/forums/topic/157915-the-memoirs-of-aylwin-blaxton-book-2/ https://www.lordofthecraft.net/forums/topic/158112-the-memoirs-of-aylwin-blaxton-book-3/ https://www.lordofthecraft.net/forums/topic/158744-the-memoirs-of-aylwin-blaxton-book-4/ https://www.lordofthecraft.net/forums/topic/158822-the-memoirs-of-aylwin-blaxton-book-5/ https://www.lordofthecraft.net/forums/topic/159307-the-memoirs-of-aylwin-blaxton-book-6/ https://www.lordofthecraft.net/forums/topic/161235-the-memoirs-of-aylwin-blaxton-book-7/ https://www.lordofthecraft.net/forums/topic/157760-the-memoirs-of-aylwin-blaxton-book-8/ ) --- THE MEMOIRS OF AYLWIN BLAXTON WRITTEN BY THE HAND OF AYLWIN BLAXTON PUBLISHED BY HIEROMAR LUDOVAR THE ELDER, SSE --- BOOK I BOOK II BOOK III BOOK IV BOOK V BOOK VI BOOK VII BOOK VIII
  17. Because of the recent FIRE SORD discussions in LOTC story chat, I figured someone should post an amendment to just add it to fire evocation. I have based this on previously allowed ST Signed items that have permitted the spell to be cast with T1 Conjure Flames, with a 2 emote cast time, and then the flame persisting for 6. Please be gentle with me. Thank you. Enwreathe [C] - Allows for a fire evocationist to cover their weapon in a shroud of fire. Mechanics: A fire evocationist may enwreathe the metallic portion of their own weapon in flames. The flames from enwreathe can be any colour, except for blue, white, and black. The fire from enwreathe causes 2nd degree burns on contact with skin. Enwreathe required two emotes to cast [ Connect -> Enwreathe ] and then persists for 6 emotes once cast. Can be learned at T2. Redlines: Enwreathe cannot be used with blue fire or combustion, due to them causing warping and instability of the weapon. Enwreathe cannot be used on non-metal weapons, due to burning/damage to the weapon itself. Enwreathes flames do not bypass or cause burns through armour. Regular clothing does not count as armour. The spell is complete the moment the two casting emotes are done, no longer requiring focus or a connection for the remaining emotes. If enchanted, the spell follows all redlines above.
  18. The Adunians of Almaris +=+=+=+=+ An anthropological view of Adunians in the Modern Era Foreword by Tarwin Elendil The Seal of the Clahn of Elendil of Brolwic Foreword In the year 1642 of the First Age, the descendant races once again took to the seas as the Axios isles of Tahn, Asul, and Ceru were devastated and made uninhabitable by a cataclysmic storm of thanhic frost. Historians and scholars have named this world ending event the ‘Mordskov Upheaval’, due to speculation that the cause of this deep freeze originated from mysterious ongoings within the aforementioned city nestled in the Greyspine Mountains. Regardless, like realms prior and realms to come, Axios ceased to be viable for life to continue. Those fortunate enough to secure passage with a nation's navy or a sponsor's private vessel ultimately sailed east to settle the continent of Atlas. Others went westward. The colony of Halstaig, under Braehn Elendil an’Hiraeth ‘The Mongrel Knifefighter’, was established to resettle the war ravaged Westerlands as a home to the Adunian people and the remaining Westermen families after the Mordring’s retreat from Axios. When faced with another great migration, Lord Elendil believed that to follow the other races would lead to a continuation of the same devastating trends that lead them to Axios in the first place. Instead, he led his people across treacherous seas to the heavily-guarded coastlines of the continent of Aeldin. Knowing that the Aeldenic Empire refused all foreigners under pain of death, Braehn and his fleet sailed beyond Imperial waters and around the continent before finding sanctuary in the lands of Magna Banardia. It was here that the Free City of Brolwic was founded, a few miles inland on the northern side of the continent. Since its foundation in 1643, the Free City of Brolwic has experienced great successes and deep turmoil. Ancient Adunian institutions such as the Ildician Order of Knights and Pilgrims, and the Thane’s Council were remade, as well as new ones such as the deliberative body known as the Yen Drochsehrin, translating roughly to ‘the Worthy Men’. Art, culture, trade, and tradition prospered in this new Adunian home. Yet the Adunian people, by their nature and curse, cannot escape hardship for long. A fast-growing but also deeply long-lived populace with finite property, inheritance, and opportunity had left many Adunian children without many prospects beyond service. It was not long after the founding of Brolwic that relations resumed with the Holy Orenian Empire and the first ship of migrants sailed Atlas way. Many young Adunian men and women from all walks of life made the journey to the Empire in search of opportunity. The Adunians, by persevering in the face of ancient prejudices, became an influential minority in the Empire with a reputation as industrious and educated people, albeit somewhat duplicitous. A few notable figures in Adunian history rose to the highest levels of Imperial society as both civilians and newly created peers. Even political tensions within the Empire meant well for the Adunians, at least those who chose the winning sides: The liberal and populist-minded Josephite Party was dominated by Adunian leaders and bosses for decades, their grip on Orenian institutions holding firm right until the very end. The fall of the Holy Orenian Empire in 1868 IC and the collapse of human society ended this prolonged period of opportunity for this class of Adunians. Some would return to Brolwic, while others would travel across Almaris and integrate into newfound nations. Eventually, all contact between Brolwic and Adunian enclaves ceased as the state of humanity became even more tumultuous. In 1882 IC, by princely appointment, Mercator Elendil, sovereign of Brolwic, the Brolwic Free Company under Captain Garth Stahl-Elendil was sent to Almaris with the duty of locating and protecting those Adunians who remained in exile. Furthermore, Elendil had demanded that extensive research be done on the state of Almaris, and proper information of Adunian culture, customs and faith be made available to Almarisians, should the concept of Adunianess be lost to the descendant realms. I. What are Adunians? The Adunian people are the twice-cursed children of Harren and Sarai, and are a long-lived but sparsely-populated race of humans originating from the northern reaches of Aegis, with a unique culture woven deeply into the tapestry of history. Adunians, being distantly related to elves through their Mali’dunn predecessors, do fall to several of the same detriments as their related ancestors. Though falling under the curse of Horen and his children, stricken with a shortened lifespan, Adunians - though dilute - do take upon some of Malin’s curse. Not nearly as fertile as other humans, Adunians would struggle to produce offspring as much as their related kin. Though not afflicted to the extent of Malin with years between births and sterility a guarantee, Adunians still suffer from partial infertility as males and females. Though they are mixed blood, new Adunians would not be created by the breeding of elves and humans, given the Adunians have been existent nearly as long as the other descendant races and subraces. Any human-elven offspring, no matter how long the length of a family tree, would be free of Malin and Horen’s full curse. To state plainly, Adunians are humans, not half-elves and elven characteristics are a sign of more recent elven admixtures. An Adunian, unlike all other humans, may live around 200 years. However, there is a common range of the Adunian lifespan. As in, an Adunian will generally live between 150 to 180 years before dying. This is often attributed to lifestyle. A saying often attributed to King Lachlan Mor ‘the Macecatcher’ goes as follows: “No Adunian dies in their sleep.” Their longevity is primarily due to the Wildewynn ancestry of the Mali’dunn mixed with Harrenite blood - producing an increase in lifespan, and a slowing of their aging upon maturity. There are six eras of Adunian history: the Harrenite era, the Fai O’Thuaid era, the Al’Ildician era, the Ildon era, the Kingdom-in-diaspora era, and the Modern era. In the modern era, there are three main types of Adunians that can be found in Aeldin or Almaris: Brolwickers, Nivinese, and Cartrefans. II. Brolwickers: Garth Stahl-Elendil of Brolwic, Captain of the Brolwic Free Company The city-dwelling craftsmen, statesmen, and warriors of Brolwic are the most common Adunian to be found. Largely descended from the families of Old Halstaig, with some even tracing their lineage back to the Kingdom of Adunia or even the city of Ildon under Artorus the Great, these Adunians are born much taller than their Cartrefan counterparts. Darker hair and pale complexions are the most common by far, with the occasional dirty blondes and dark auburns. Their eye color ranges from grey, green, and blue eyes, with green and blue being dominant among the Brolwickers. The more urban of the Adunian groups, the Brolwickers are known for their masterfully crafted goods and sharp tongues to sell them. While Brolwickers are free men by law and by right, social mobility is low back home. Only the most distinguished or the children of Clahn chieftains become Ildician knights or are able to be seated in the Yen Drochsehrin. The best opportunity for the average Brolwicker is found with the Adunian Ranger Corps, the Brolwic Free Company, or one of the seven Brolwicker merchant guilds. The Adunian Ranger Corps is the standing military of Brolwic. Designed for speed and precision, the Adunian rangers operate in small units designed to execute mission objectives. It is often the most action and adventure a home oriented Brolwicker could find, due to the aforementioned exclusivity of the Ildician knights. The Brolwic Free Company exists as a specialized investigative company, often utilized in the tracking and confrontation of special assignments too complicated or bizarre for the rangers or knights. The Free Company exists as a private enterprise as well, often utilized by chieftains, merchants, and sometimes the lord himself. Currently, the main contract of the Company is held by the merchant guilds charging them with the guarding of vessels carrying goods to Almaris. A popular export that finds itself in the liquor cabinets of peers and burghers alike in Aeldin and Almaris is Valdemere scotch, a centuries-old single malt whiskey with a closely guarded recipe. Other exports are but not limited to: Caelliac tobacco products, Douglas arms and armor, Armas wool products and Cercial watches and timepieces. ‘Brolwic, 1867 IC’, by Drannan Viathas Brolwickers are most likely to be practitioners of New Adunian Canonism, otherwise known as Adunian Orthodoxy. Old Adunian is spoken in religious and ceremonial settings, while Common is used most other times amongst the Brolwickers. The Brolwicker accent is described as somewhat flattened, or backed, with long enunciation of vowel sounds that changes the ends of words. Consonant sounds are often pronounced harshly and rather distinctly. (Manchester English) Notable Brolwickers of the modern era are the following: Jonah Stahl-Elendil - Archchancellor of Oren, Josephite philosopher Anastasia O’Rourke - Countess of Halstaig, Magistrate of Providence and famed warrior Kheagan Armas - Vice Chancellor of Oren Frederick Armas - Esteemed statesman, Imperial Founding Father Calan Stahl-Elendil - Author, Poet Quentin Brae - Lord of Du Loc, Venture capitalist Eliza Brae - Diplomat, Stateswoman, Arcanist Edward Napier - anthropologist, Imperial Founding Father Padraig O’Rourke - Count of Halstaig, Politician, Mafioso Oisin O’Rourke - Count of Halstaig, proprietor of the Imperial State Navy Brolwickers can be found anywhere in Almaris and of course, in the Free City of Brolwic. The largest accumulation of Brolwickers in Almaris is Castle Stahl-Elendil in the Blackwald Valley beneath the Arentanian Alps. III. Nivinese Bowies: Unknown Nivinese Man The grey-eyed wagon riders of Nivinor, these Adunians are famous for their deeply poetic music, natural capabilities in field and forest, and their ridiculously large hunting knives. The Nivinese, also known as the Bowie’s, are an itinerant subgroup of Adunians that have held onto their unique cultural practices since their earliest days of Al’Ildic in the lands of Aegis. A quiet and solitary people, the Nivinese are most likely to travel alone or a small group of other families during the warmer months, and always in their painted horse drawn wagons. During the winter, these caravans will grow and make camp by ancestral shrines or specially chosen grounds near Brolwic or friendly villages. When in familiar company, the Nivinese speak almost exclusively in their own unique dialect of Adunian, with a notable musical quality to their accent. (Sutsilvan-Romansch) Nivinese children are expected to learn survival skills such Bow & knife mastery, long distance tracking, herbs, flora, & fauna. Like their Brolwicker counterparts, a Nivinese child matures at the age of seventeen. A week-long celebration begins leading up to this celebration of maturity, culminating in the gifting of the youths' very own Bowie knife. A large weapon, these knives are twelve-sixteen inches long, varying in blade style. Patterns, messages, and symbols are often carved into the handles by elders before the knife is gifted. “A Nivinese family” by Tirna Armas While their solitary and restless nature might be misunderstood as an aloof reservedness and distrust of the outside world, the Nivinese are not without heart or an appreciation for beauty and humanity. Their garments, much like their wagons, are often colorful and mixed and matched with their more rugged and drab traveling clothes. When it comes to Adunian art, it is the Nivinese with most appreciated creations. The Adunian lyric poetry tradition and musical styling known as “Chur'' is believed to have originated with the Nivinese. Popular Adunian songs known to have come from the Nivinese include: Ildon Road, Lady Of Ye Wild Moor, & Pulling On The Sun. “The Nivinese in Song” by Tirna Armas The Nivinese are seldom found in cities but off the highways and side roads of Almaris. They are identifiable by their painted wagons, their distinctive dress of colorful cloaks and garments over practical wear, their grey colored eyes(as most Nivinese are born with grey eyes), and once again…their comically large Bowie knives. A popular story of a Nivinese honor duel fought with said knives, amongst other things, is the Fight at Last Pine. (https://www.lordofthecraft.net/topic/124111-the-fight-at-last-pine-adunian-legend/) A Bowie’s Wagon, by Drannan Viathas IV. Cartrefans: John Marsyr, Shepherd of the Cartrefans It was the great shepherd John Marsyr who welcomed a number of Imperial Adunian refugees into his care following the collapse of Oren. In his holdfast of Cartref Mor, from where the term Cartrefan is derived, did these refugees find true safety for the first time in a long while. Today Cartref Mor lies abandoned, and the Cartrefans divided on the lines of good and evil: between a Necromancer cult and an order of Templar warriors. This ongoing conflict is of great importance to the Brolwic Free Company. Yet who are the Cartrefans? The Adunians of Cartref Mor are most peculiar and fewer of the three groups as they share a closer kindred to Elvenkind than to humanity. Because of this, they are identifiable by their more elf-like appearance: grey/white hair, shorter and sinewy builds, and grey or amber colored eyes. Depending on intensity of Elven lineage and some Cartrefans having little to no contact with the Brolwickers, these features vary from person to person. The Cartrefans are an excitable group known for their close bonds of kinship, which predisposes them to intense feelings of nationalism. Cartrefans have been implicated in several instances of social unrest and political uprisings in the recent decades, such as the most recent Norland rebellion. It is likely this is due to many Cartrefrans believing they were the only Adunians left in Almaris, without a home for their own. Most had never even heard of Brolwic, though John Marsyr is believed to have traveled to the city on a few occassions. The worship of ancestors and patrons is much stronger with the Cartrefans as well, for many lack any connection to the Canonist faith. Cartrefans are known for their oneness with nature, as well as a deep respect and connection to Adunian ancestors and the old ways of patron worship. Their dialect of Adunian is Elven influenced, with several loan words and alterations. Some believe that, due to their Elven connections, they possess a greater talent for the mystic and alchemical arts. “The Grey Magi” by Drannan Viathas Some notable Cartrefans of the modern era include: John Marsyr - Founder and leader of Cartref Mor Aurelion Marsyr - Necromancer Ser Uther the Templar - Templar Knight of Malchaedial V. Adunian Orthodoxy: New Adunian Canonism, or “Adunian Orthodoxy” as it is called colloquially, is the branch of Canonism as practiced by Brolwicker & Nivinese Adunians. Faithful Adunians believe that GOD, in his frustration and disappointment at the sins of humanity, removed his direct presence from the world he created for his children. It is only through willful perseverance, a calm and clear mind, and active pursuance of good works can mankind, especially Adunians, enter the Seven Skies. Somewhat ironically, followers of Adunian Orthodoxy have found common ground with followers of Owynism, likely due to the philosophical similarities. Patron worship and Saint worship are common practice in Adunian Orthodoxy, with patrons of Adunia’s ancient past such as Ryumel the Explorer or Braehn Eli’sehn being invoked often. Newer patrons hailing from a less ancient time are also revered, such as Artorus the Great or Gavin the Knight. It should be noted that Patrons are not Saints, for their great deeds and virtues are remembered for more matters of heart & mind and not a deeper spiritual health(though this is hotly debated), but are still deeply valued and respected. Currently there is a movement of faithful Adunians petitioning the High Pontiff to raise Braehn Elendil an’Hiraeth to sainthood due to his crossing of the broken bridge to lead the Adunians & Westermen in recolonizing the Westerlands of Tahn for the Holy Orenian Empire during the 1500’s. Should this movement prove successful, Braehn an’Hiraeth shall be canonized as the first Adunian Saint in Canonism. VI. Names & Families: Nothing matters more to an Adunian than their name. Clahn’s great and lesser are unique from one another, each with its own traditions, histories, and artifacts that indicate a colorful legacy. Below is a list of known Adunian Clahns, though there are likely to be more. Great Clahns: Elendil, Haryn, Varodyr Delmar, Douglas, Caellach Viathas, Valdemere, Culloch Annion, Wynsehn, Wallas Marsh, Nivin, Cercial Marsyr, Armas, Carthaig Lene, Loyola, Antiachys Lesser Clahns: Seregon, Mors, Ilyn Ilych, Varmir, Darmov Havath, Roke, Falcryn Eithelreach, Kaegh, Ilesca Brae, Napier, Radah Nurra, an’Leod, Stahl, Schote, Rourke VII.What Makes an Adunian?: The Adunian people are an ancient and storied race that has survived through centuries of diaspora & cultural catastrophe brought on by foreign genocidal fervor and, as some believe, their own hubris. Generations experienced great hardship, yet nothing could destroy the Children of Harren. The strength of Adunia comes from a place of hard learned humility and a faithful perseverance to do good works in the mortal world. An Adunian from any walk of life and background is made to understand their odd place in the world as a people often caught in the middle. From Aegis to Axios, from Aeldin to Almaris, the Adunian people have survived and endured, enjoying great triumphs along with great failures. They shall continue to do so until the final end.
  19. Origin/Background/Culture On rare occasions, once every blue moon, a seed or spore slips through a fae ring, entering into the mortal realm from the Fae realm. If it manages to grow, it will appear much like its mundane counterparts. Unlike those; however, it possesses a unique method of spreading its offspring. This Fae organism can be either a fungus or a plant, of both woody and herbaceous varieties. Regardless of whether it is plant or fungi, it will draw people in by calling out to them; much like tales of “Dryads” hearing a voice luring women to trees, or opportunistically nab unknowing Descendants who by coincidence, choose to fall asleep beside the organism. Anyone who falls asleep next to the plant will be quickly cocooned in roots and plant matter. Within the cocoon, the victim’s soul is held as their body is fundamentally remade out of plant matter. In the end, they end up resembling the plant that transformed them, their flesh, organs, bones, and appearance made entirely of the same plant. Epiphytes have always been around in some form. The oldest was by the fae trees, who made Epiphytes commonly referred to as Dryads. Herbaceous plants have made their own Epiphytes in time, which have commonly been known as Bryophytes. While their close relation hasn’t always been recognized, they are, in fact, the same base creature. Finally, the newest form to arise has come from fae fungi that have made their way here. These get referred to as Saprophytes. They are all Epiphytes. Physical Description Epiphytes bear a resemblance both to the plant they are connected to and their original race, especially before their first rebirth. Height and weight should be based on the race of the character becoming and Epiphyte. After their transformation, they bear a strong resemblance to their previous self, save that they are made out of plant matter. The plant in question matches the plant they were changed by. As they are reborn, their individual features may begin to drift away from a strict descendant appearance to something more overtly evocative of the plants they are made up of. As an example, feet could end up more of a mass of roots than something that resembles feet. These small, aesthetic changes cannot be used to grant any sort of advantage, and cannot be actively influenced. That is, an Epiphyte cannot choose to change themselves, they constantly appear as they did from immediately after being reborn, and if desired OOCly, can only change appearance with each rebirth. In spite of being made out of plant matter, the Epiphyte is able to bend and move as well as a descendant. This, unfortunately, compromises the strength of the plant matter they are made of such that they are actually susceptible to being cut more than a descendant. Despite this, they aren’t able to regrow their limbs. Of course, a new Epiphyte born from the rebirth process isn’t limited by their predecessor's injuries, but that doesn’t help the current Epiphyte. This weakening for mobility also seems to eliminate any medicinal or poisonous properties within their body, which is generally a non-issue since they normally have easy access to their plant, which does retain these properties. This also has little effect on flammability, however, as they burn about the same as any well-hydrated plant. Most Epiphytes are herbivorous, though this isn’t a strict rule. Epiphytes from carnivorous plants like pitcher plants are known to be carnivorous, and Saprophytes are known to eat just about anything dead. Epiphytes of the Dryad and Bryophyte variety require regular sunlight like the plants they are based on and will grow ill without it. Saprophytes, on the other hand, prefer shade and will grow sick with too much light, much like the fungi they are based on. Like other creatures created from descendants, the Epiphyte does retain the original race’s lifespan. That said, they also go through a more frequent cycle of renewal and rebirth, this cycle is about 25 to 50 years in length. When they reach the end of a cycle, they go through the process of rebirth mentioned below. At the end of their lifespan, they die for good like any other race. Epiphytes have such a strong connection to their plant, that the state of one will actively affect the other. The Epiphyte can feel and experience physical sensations inflicted onto their plant, and vice versa. For example, if one grows ill, the other will as well. A sickness or injury inflicted onto one will spontaneously appear onto the other. If an Epiphyte’s tree is being burned down, for example, the Epiphyte’s skin will begin to sear and burn. An Epiphyte’s body functions much like a normal Descendant’s. It can still “bleed out,” blood being sap, or some other aesthetic counterpart of the plant the Epiphyte is made out of. Injuries on an Epiphyte can be healed mundanely by a very careful healer who understands the effects herbs would have on a plant-like material. For example, tippen’s root is a coagulant and can still prevent further blood flow from an Epiphyte injury, regardless of not being Descendant flesh. Druids can heal wounded and sick Epiphytes with the blight healing spell “Blooming.” This ability infuses natural life into the Epiphyte’s body, and heals it even up to the point of lost limbs. If an Epiphyte is a druid, they will find themselves unable to blight heal themselves, and will require a separate druid to perform such. An Epiphyte’s wounds do not heal magically over time, and lost limbs do not grow back on an Epiphyte like they would on a plant. An Epiphyte’s body is fully remade, however, when they go through their “rebirth” process, and they can come out of this with as many limbs as they had when first transformed into an Epiphyte. This connection is so deep, it resembles druidic communion, although the truth of the matter is that the connection between Epiphyte and the plant is more so that one is an extension of the other. When in close proximity to the plant, they can speak to it with detail, sharing feelings and experiences in much more detail and depth than any conversation two normal Descendants could have. An Epiphyte cannot use this to metagame, however, by being informed of their own death or asking the plant what it has “seen” (for the latter, expect a response such as this: "Like it was kinda dark and dreary and it sucked and then the sun came out and I was like 'Yes!'") As mentioned, however, an Epiphyte can feel their plant’s pain from any distance, and will always know where it is at. So if a Fae plant is under attack, the bonded Epiphyte must be OOCly online and informed so they may RP the reaction to the inflicted pain. Epiphytes can produce any number of mundane seeds of their plant’s variety, and often spread them around wherever they go. They are also able to produce a single seed of a fae variety of their plant. If they try to produce a second, the first dies and becomes unable to grow. The very nature of Fae plants causes them to emit a noticeable amount of Fae energy, which is only an ambient effect that can be felt by Druids from a single plant. However, if multiple Epiphyte plants are grouped together, in what is dubbed a “Epiphyte Garden,” these energies pool and swirl about in the small, given area. Mimicking the melodies and feeling of being in the Fae realm, some Fae beings may be drawn to make their homes inside of potential Epiphyte gardens. These natural energies can help support and boost the life of mundane plants in the area, causing the garden to be very lively and verdant, and can even bring forth natural wonders which stem from them, such as Fae rings and Kuila crystals. The proper OOC rules enforced by both lore and ST must be followed, however. Fae rings can not be present in an Epiphyte Garden for example, if it is located in a tile that already features a Fae ring. And the presence of Kuila crystals and other ST-regulated items IRPly must still be approved by ST. An Epiphyte reacts poorly to blight. Worse, if either they or their plant is blighted, the blight will spread to the other as well. A blighted Epiphyte is driven mad, attacking on sight and attempting to spread its blight. There is one silver lining to this, where if one gets healed by a Blight Healer, the blight will be healed from the other as well. Unfortunately, going to blight heal the plant usually means having to get passed the Epiphyte anyway. Anyone looking to cleanse the fae plant or the Epiphyte will likely have to fight to subdue the Epiphyte in question. Epiphytes are still generally able to learn magic, with the exception of void magic as the void is toxic to Epiphytes and breaks down their bodies under extended exposure, making its use unfeasible. Mental Description An Epiphyte's priority towards their tree is that of a parent's to their child. An Epiphyte is compelled to treat their tree much like a favorite child of their own. They gain impulses to spend time with, maintain the health of, and defend their plant. An Epiphyte is not a robot entirely, however. Even though an Epiphyte will feel a strong impulse to protect their bonded plant when under attack, strong-willed Epiphytes may be able to juggle their instinct towards this or even resist it, should an extreme circumstance put them in a place where they must risk themselves, others, or their morals for the sake of their plant. Abilities Rebirth Epiphytes go through a 25 to 100 year cycle. As they get near the end of their cycle, they wither and slow. When they reach the end of their cycle, they seemingly pass away, and a new, infant Epiphyte is born from the corpse of the original Epiphyte. This Epiphyte bears some similarities in appearance to the previous Epiphyte. With each rebirth, should it be desired in an OOC capacity, the epiphyte which is born anew during the process will have slight changes to their appearance in the way of more plant-like features. Though it reaches a certain point where not much else is left to be changed, usually around the sixth rebirth. Beyond this point, the Epiphyte has reached the peak of what it can become appearance-wise. They also notably retain the soul and memories of the previous Epiphyte, though to what degree memories are retained is up to the player. They can be anywhere from hazy and distant to just as strong as they were before. Due to the impressionability of the young, personality may shift some. This infant Epiphyte grows incredibly fast, reaching full-grown within the span of a year (irl 1 week). The young Epiphyte is extremely vulnerable during this time, and will often imprint on someone to serve as their guardian until they come of age. While they retain magic, they will not have access to it until they are once again full grown. The span of this cycle translates to the player being able to have their character reborn anywhere between once a year and once every other year at the player’s discretion. It is short enough that characters with the human curse will be able to engage with the ability a few times before dying, and also allow it to happen frequently enough on an irl timescale to be an occasional source of RP. Redlines Becoming an Epiphyte does not erase existing lifespans. Epiphytes will still die of old age at the end of their original lifespan. The original Epiphytes soul is retained through this process, carrying over memories, magic, and curses. Iblees’ curses are always present. Magic goes dormant until the new Epiphyte is fully grown. Memories are up to the player to determine how they carry over. Physical changes to the epiphyte each rebirth period [Things such as feet turning into roots, hair becoming entanglements of vines, the plant they’re made of sprouting from parts of their body, etc.] slow down and eventually stop by the 6th rebirth, meaning beyond this point the epiphyte should appear to be the peak of what they can become. Beyond this point, they should stay relatively the same. Due to no underage magic allowed, magic is temporarily unavailable during the RP year where they are growing up again. This is for the best. As a real-life year is equivalent to about 52 RP years, this means that this process can only be gone through close to twice a real-life year at the most frequent, and should happen once every real-life year at the least frequent. (This range of real-life time is why this length of cycle was chosen) While personality can shift, it doesn’t become the opposite of what it was in the previous life. A total reversal of personality still requires the same amount of extensive RP to justify as it would for any other creature. Connection An Epiphyte holds a strong connection to the fae plant they grew. They are aware of its location regardless of their own location and are able to communicate with it directly when in person. Redlines This ability can’t be used to inform a character of their death. This ability does not allow communion with any plant other than their own. That requires becoming a druid. Fae Seed The Epiphyte is capable of producing a seed in order to grow one fae version of the plant that changed them. If they try to produce a second seed of their fae plant, the first will die and be unable to be coaxed back to life by a Blight Healer. If the plant is destroyed beyond a Blight Healer’s ability to heal or a map change occurs, a new fae seed can be produced. Redlines The Epiphyte can only have one fae plant at a time, and thus can only produce one seed at a time, and can only produce a seed if the old plant is either dead, or it’s a map change. The Epiphyte is driven to place this plant somewhere. They should find a place to plant this. General Redlines/Restrictions An Epiphyte does not give birth. The only “children” they have is the Epiphyte born from the rebirth process. An Epiphyte cannot bind to a plant that is rare enough to require approval or an event to find. Such plants are too rare to find a fae version of outside of the fae realm. An Epiphyte does not retain the medicinal/poisonous properties of their plant. To have access to plant matter that contains those properties, whether from their fae plant, or a mundane plant they have grown or found. An Epiphyte’s fae plant is a fae plant like the one that changed them and is capable of changing new people. Epiphytes can prevent this from happening due to their connection if required. Generally, Epiphytes tend to allow people to come by their plant unless the person is considered a risk, or under agreement with whatever authority they live under. Epiphytes don’t try to force people to sleep beside their plant as doing so puts them and their plant at risk of extermination, which is an unacceptable risk to their altered priorities. Epiphytes can’t learn void magic. Void magic is toxic to their plant bodies. They cut pretty easily. Easier than a descendant. No shrugging off sword slashes. A tree lord can’t become an Epiphyte as their soul is not housed in their husk. The fae plant will not try to change them, and if it were to try, it would simply kill the husk. An Epiphyte, likewise, can’t become a tree lord, though this due to the fact that it would sever the connection to their plant, and that would run directly counter to their post-change priorities. Only descendants can become an Epiphyte. Other creatures like liches, dragons, or animals are not targeted by fae plants. When it comes to the influence of druid abilities, communion, control, or herblore can’t be used on the Epiphyte. The fae plant can be affected, and any normal plant the Epiphyte grows can be affected. Blight healing can be used on the Epiphyte, and can be used to cure blight and heal various injuries, up to and including lost limbs. Purpose (OOC) This lore is meant to serve as the successor to both the Dryad and Bryophyte lore. Both filled the niche of a playable Fae that served as an easy entry point into playable creatures. This lore attempts to overcome the shortcomings of both prior lore pieces. This lore creates a creature that bears a resemblance to both Dryads and Bryophytes, but is open to members of any race and offers a unique experience without severing existing RP bonds. Citations
  20. Cooking the Gemeye Way By Basra Gemeye (written by VerminHunter) Preface This cook book has been recently unearthed from the ruins of the Gemeye clan, which lay hidden underground for hundreds if not thousands of years. The Grand Library has restored this book to the best of its ability, and has put it for within its shelves for anyone to learn from. May the cultural legacy of the dwarves be preserved. Miner’s Supper Soup Prepare a rock pot, the type of rock is up to your taste. Add water and bring it to a boil. While your water is boiling prepare Miner’s Helmets. Once the water is at a rolling boil add the mushrooms to the pot. After 10 minutes, or once the mushrooms are tender, remove the mushrooms and let them rest. They will be used for garnish later. While the water is still boiling, add some bone broth to it and stir. Bone broth made of Deep Toad or Hyfowl are prefered, but any bone will do. To make your soup more creamy, dissolve some of your preferred moss paste into the boiling soup. Once it is at your preferred consistency, you may plate and serve. [source] Deep Toad Tongue Steak The fibrous tongue of a Deep Toad is incredibly tough, but it is also delicious. Start by chopping a medallion of the tongue of your desired size. Be sure to drain it of the blood. Blanch your cut, put it into cold water and bring it to a boil. As soon as it reaches a boil, skim the scum and drain the water. The water can be used for your Miner’s Helmet farm. Once the meat has been blanched, sear it upon a salt block. If you are low on lard or oil, this method is great since salt blocks do not need to be oiled. Be careful to slowly heat the salt block since a rapid change in temperature may cause it to explode. Sear the toad tongue till a golden brown. Seasoning can be added at any point during the cooking process. [source] Blind Cave Fish Pickings Blind cave fish possess a great number of bones, so this method is the best way to cook it while not having to worry about choking on bones. Take the fish fillets and simmer, not boil, for 5 to 10 minutes on depending size. Water or broth can be used to simmer it. Once that’s done, remove the fish fillets and let them rest so that the meat can firm up. Once the fish is cooled, pick the meat off the bones along with the grain. Once the meat is picked you may fry it, or mince it to make fish cakes. [source]
  21. Volume I The servants often try to placate my rotten mood, “Oh Great Father, you are so ancient and mighty” they say. I know in truth they mean old and rotten. I see no hope for the Gemeyes, everyone is useless… Only Indra shows talent, she has skill in making golems. I cherish her dearly, but what can I do for her? Nothing. Our caves are crumbling, we have no way out, and the elders are murmuring things about her. They do not realise the situation we are in. They have not spent a day of their worthless lives in the tunnels working for the clan. The stone grows impenetrable around us, our picks turn rusted. The tunnel which we used to enter these caverns has long collapsed. I still curse Shcorl over that. I feel the weight of the walls. The Brathmordakin shun us, I don’t know what to do. Hopefully, once Indra finishes her golems we will be able to escape from here. I’m suffocating. Volume II There was a light in the tunnels. A single floating flame out there. Am I going mad? Did some dwarf tunneler leave a candle? I dared not approach it, but I wanted to, I could feel its warmth from afar. I don’t know what it was. My retinue had searched for me frantically, as I stared at the flame in the dark. They say I was gone for days, but I don’t think I even blinked nor did I feel any hunger or tiredness. What happened? I keep seeing that little light in my mind, its image warms me. Though it does not last long, my darkness snuffs it out. I have to pray to Grimdugan. A Prayer O’ Lord of Avarice, King of the Shade, Your children sleep in your beard of shadows, We keep by us your obsidian blade. We have nothing to fear, The darkness is clear With you here and near. Unmarked Volume Someone went missing in the caverns. Cabo Gemeye, a young lad, vanished. All that was found were a few track marks and a splotch of blood. People have reported chittering in the caverns. What have I done? Is this punishment for my greed? I am sorry. Indra’s golem is complete, and it is strong enough to dig through the bedrock. We will soon leave this accursed place that my foolhardiness brought us to. Volume XI Monsters have started roaming openly and attacking us in the caverns. Gigantic Lurkers besiege us. We have resorted to using our little stocks of wood to make crossbows to defeat them. The end is near I know it, and others do too. Indra came to me weeping, that in a few months they will have a way out, she begged me to come with. But my fate is sealed. I was the greedy fool who had forsaken our other brothers to lead the clan into solitude. I had failed to uphold the creeds of Grimdugan. But I saw his light in the dark, I know he has not abandoned me. I have to remain in this place and atone for my sins. My only hope is that others will manage to escape this onslaught. This will be the last entry of my journal. I doubt it will ever see the light of the surface, but if some spelunker eventually uncovers it, here are my words. Use greed for good, do not let it blind you, Love your brothers, Admit your faults, Have faith. Signed Methysko Gemeye The Ancient Amethyst
  22. HOUSE STAFYR INTRODUCTION & FOREWORD By Arthur K. Stafyr 23rd Lord & Guardian of House Stafyr The legacy of the House of Stafyr is a rich and prestigious one. One of the oldest families in humanity, we Stafyrs have weathered the rise and fall of many an empire and kingdom alike. From windswept Shadowcastle to glacial Nenzing, my family has seen it all. Our eternal virtues of Law, Honor, and Loyalty are what have held us together. Our history is part and parcel to who we are. Yet, in recent years, the several lines of Beorn have been scattered like chaff in the wind. The heritage which we champion has begun to slowly fade from living memory. In an uncertain world, we cannot forget what makes us that which we are. Let the culture, customs, and traditions of the Almannir tribes and of the Stafyr family not go unrecorded. I pen this ethnography and history, the latter of which I have edited and modernized from the works of Leopold, Count of Nenzing and Nikolas Flynn Stafyr so that our name might not be forgotten. Indeed, I further write this compendium with the help of my Uncle Thondorus, and my beloved Elia, so that it may be spoken by living tongues once again. A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE ALMANNIR Almannir Horsemen in the Highlands of Aegis, c. 572 On Almannir History An excerpt about the Almannir people and their history by the current keeper of the Book of Tales, Thondorus II. of House Stafyr Foreword This brief summary shall give the reader some insight in the ancient and thus far very unclear history of the Almannir people. The contents are based on a combination of collected records, fragments of history and a more proper translation of the stories in the Book of Tales. A degree of conjecture is present, but the reader must forgive as this history is many centuries old. Without further ado, I bid the reader an enticing or equally boring read. Overview Etymology and meaning History: Foundation, Aegis, transition into modern records (the Verge) The five Houses Altbaum, Altbom, Oldtree Steinkachel, Stoakachl, Stonetile Weidenfrau, Wiidafrou, Meadowswife Steinfeuer, Stoafyer or Stafyr, Stonefire Rettersmann, Rettersma, Saviour The Galdr The Book of Tales and its stories Closing statement Part 1: Etymology and Meaning Part 2: History: Foundation, Aegis and The Transition into Modern Records (the Verge) Part 3: The Five Houses As described in the preceding part, five Houses led Almania at its peak with the first one being of kingly status. Unfortunately the records are quite limited as to what are their traditions and customs but a few basic pointers may be given. Part 4: The Galdr Part 5: The Book of Tales Closing Statement This brief excerpt should give some insight into the history of the Almannir, their origin and who they were. It is by no means exhaustive and there are many more secrets to be found within the fractured sources spread through the libraries and memories of the people all around. What matters the most, is that the people descending from these heroes of olden days remember their roots and never forget their origin. History is part of who you are. THE HISTORY OF HOUSE STAFYR The Siege of Schattenburg, c. 1435 The Birth of House Stafyr (UNKNOWN - 1353) The Rise of Saint Godwein (1353 - 1426) Clash of Brothers (1426 - 1435) The Golden Age of Stafyr (1435 - 1464) The First Falcon’s Fall (1435 - 1521) Stafyrian Renaissance (1529 - 1718) The Bear’s Regency and the Erichian Era (1718 - 1744) The Second Falcon’s Fall (1744 - 1794) THE THREE LINES OF BEORN An Artist’s Depiction of the Siblings Galtor and Sybilla as Youths The three familial lines of House Stafyr all descend from the children of Beorn Stafyr, the founder of the House. They are aptly named Hanethor, Galtor, and Sybilla. While there have been known to be Stafyrs who have broken the stereotypes associated with their lines in the past, the Three Lines of Beorn are often associated with the particular characteristics and occupations for which they are renowned. Hanethorian Line Galtorian Line Sybillan Line ALMANNIR & STAFYR CULTURE Leana & Katherine Stafyr Riding Horses, c. 1732 By Katerine Ruthern nee Stafyr (@Sirenscall) THE TRADITIONS OF HOUSE STAFYR Over the centuries, House Stafyr has developed for itself a set of unique ceremonies and traditions. Many of these are Almannir in nature, though several are unique to the Stafyrs as an ancient family in their own right. Though the customs and traditions of Stafyr are vast, I shall endeavor to document the most important to which almost all are accustomed. Even among our disparate members and branches, these coming of age rituals are all widely acknowledged. Coming of Age 1.) The Hatching (Age 13) 2.) The First Pilgrimage (Age 16) 3.) The Falcon’s Flight (Age 16+) Almannir Funeral Rites Equestrian Festivals Mummer’s Shows Almannir Lullabies CULTURAL HERITAGE Over the centuries, House Stafyr has developed for itself a set of unique ceremonies and traditions. Many of these are Almannir in nature, although nearly a half millennia of nobility has led to the adoption of some which are unique to the Stafyr family. Traditional Foodstuffs Clothing Jewelry & Regalia The Men of Stafyr The Women of Stafyr THE VIRTUES OF HOUSE STAFYR St. Godwein Imparting the Virtue of Law Unto Ser Edmund, c. 1418 The House of Stafyr is renown for the motto which it has championed throughout the ages, this being the phrase “Licent, Honorem, Pietas.” Roughly translating into “Law, Honor, and Loyalty” in the language of Flexio, a true Stafyr from any branch of the House will always strive to live by these virtues to the best of their ability. To live by these virtues is of paramount importance to any Stafyr. Failure to abide by these virtues will rarely fare well for a Falcon, often proving to be their downfall. This is a recurring theme throughout Stafyr history, as its members strive to emulate the lofty example set by Saint Godwein of Huntshill throughout his life. Though there have been definitive villains throughout the House’s history, those who have remained true to these virtues have thrived and prospered. ‡ LICENT ‡ ‡ HONOREM ‡ ‡ PIETAS ‡ THE LORDS OF STAFYR Ser Edmund and Ser Farley: A Clash of Brothers, c. 1428 Beorn Stafyr Born - Unknown Death - Unknown Titles: 1st Lord of Stafyr and Guardian of House Stafyr. Hanethor I. Stafyr Born - Unknown Death - 1349 Titles: 2nd Lord of Stafyr and Guardian of House Stafyr. Master Thondorus Stafyr Born ~ 1300-1305 Death - 1355 Titles: 3rd Lord of Stafyr, Founder, Master and Bailiff of Rivacheg Master Graveth I. Stafyr Born ~ 1320-1323 Death ~1380-1390 Titles: 4th Lord of Stafyr, Master and Bailiff of Rivacheg Saint Godwein the Honest of Huntshill Born ~ 1360-1365 Death - 1426 Titles: 5th Lord of Stafyr, Marquis of Schattenburg, Baron of Feldkirch, Baron of Huntshill, Lord High Treasurer and Grand Justice of the Holy Oren Empire. After his death sanctified as the Patron Saint of Honesty, Woodworkers, Fungi and Skin-afflictions. Lord Edmund I. Stafyr Born - 1392 Death - 1435 Titles: 6th Lord of Stafyr, Lord of Geminine, Marquis of Schattenburg, Baron of Feldkirch, Lord Privy Seal of the Holy Oren Empire, Noble Ser of the chapter of the Lion, Knight Commander of Renatus. Lord Farley II. “The Young Lord” Stafyr Born - 1431 Death - 1464 Titles: 7th Lord of Stafyr, Count of Shadowcastle, Baron of New Huntshill and Fieldchurch, Lord Privy Seal of the Holy Kingdom of Oren, Warden of the South. Lord Symon “The Bread Count” Stafyr Born - 1445 Death - 1509 Titles: 8th Lord of Stafyr, Count of Werdenberg and Shadowcastle, Baron of New Huntshill, Fieldchurch, Commander of Eastgate and Master Keeper of the Imperium Tertius. Lord Athelstan II. Stafyr Born - 1460 Death - 1535 Titles: 9th Lord of Stafyr, Count of Werdenberg and Baron of Katzburg. Lord Thomas Stafyr Born - 1474 Death - 1515 Titles: 10th Lord of Stafyr, Count of Werdenberg, Baron of Katzburg and Waldstadt Lord Jakob II. Stafyr Born - 1477 Death - 1521 Titles: 11th Lord of Stafyr, Baron of Waldstadt. Lord Altaron II. Stafyr Born - 1529 Death - 1599 Titles: 12th Lord of Stafyr, Baron of Arnaut and Master of Coin for the Archduchy of Lorraine. Lord Eadwulf Stafyr-Thurant Born - 1579 Death -1622 Titles: 13th Lord of Stafyr, Duke of Raetia and Baron of Thurant Lord Kristoff Ludvic Stafyr-Grauspin Born - 1592 Death - 1632 Titles: 14th Lord of Stafyr, Viscount of Grauspin, Ambassador and Emissary of Haense Lord Sergei Heindrik Stafyr-Grauspin Born - 1621 Death -1707 Titles: 15th Lord of Stafyr, Viscount of Grauspin, Baron of Thurant and Lord-Marshal of Haense. Lord Leopold Kristoff Stafyr-Grauspin Born - 1688 Death - 1718 Titles: 16th Lord of Stafyr, Count of Nenzing, Viscount of Grauspin, Baron of Thurant, Lord-Palatine and Chancellor of Haense Lord Erich Stafyr-Grauspin Born - 1712 Death - 1744 Titles: 17th Lord of Stafyr, Count of Nenzing, Viscount of Grauspin, Baron of Thurant, Royal Envoy of Haense, Commandant of the Brotherhood of St. Karl Lord Alaric Leopold Stafyr-Grauspin Born - 1735 Death - 1775 Titles: 18th Lord of Stafyr, Count of Nenzing, Viscount of Grauspin, Baron of Thurant, Commander of the Royal Expedition to Athera (1756) Lord Hektor Stafyr-Grauspin Born - 1755 Death - 1794 Titles: 19th Lord of Stafyr, Count of Nenzing, Viscount of Grauspin, Baron of Thurant Master Damron Stafyr-Beron Born - 1735 Death - 1807 Titles: 20th Lord of Stafyr and Guardian of House Stafyr. Master Morvon Stafyr-Beron Born - 1787 Death - 1856 Titles: 21st Lord of Stafyr and Guardian of House Stafyr. Master Nikolas II. Stafyr-Beron Born - 1827 Death - 1884 Titles: 22nd Lord of Stafyr and Guardian of House Stafyr. Lord Arthur Konrad Stafyr-Beron Born - 1868 Death - 1929 Titles: 23rd Lord of Stafyr, Baron of Thurant, Palatial Secretary, Royal Inquisitor, Chief Jovenaar of Haense Lady Elia Eryka Stafyr Born - 1871 Death - Titles: 24th Lord of Stafyr, Baroness of Thurant, Curator of the Haeseni Crown Jewels Lord Edmund II. Hannes Stafyr-Beron Born - 1895 Death - Titles: 25th Lord of Stafyr, Baron of Thurant Lady Katrin Eryka Stafyr-Beron Born - 1928 Death - Titles: 26th Lord of Stafyr, Baroness of Thurant THE STAFYR HEIRLOOMS The Vault of Old Nenzing, c. 1745 ‡ ANCIENT HEIRLOOMS ‡ ‡ MODERN HEIRLOOMS ‡ APPENDIX OF HISTORICAL WORKS [[THANKS AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:]]
  23. *An old stack of parchment laid hidden within a clay jar in an unkown cave. As the lid of the jar was lifted the paper was exposed to the first light it has seen in hundreds of years. The light illuminated the dusty and worn out paper, most pages had been eroded by time, but most of the cover remained.* The Weight of a Leader’s Name -By Una Mossborn If a historian were to look through the history books of the Mossborn Clan, they would discover that all the chiefs, from the first chief Brak The Leafy to the latest Geraldine The Blooming , that they all possess titles in their names and that their clan surname is never mentioned, not in a single text. At most, you’ll see them referred to without their title. But this is the first misconception that even many forest dwedmar have about the Mossborn Lineage of Chiefs. They are not titles, but their full names. This is because the Mossborn believe in the power related to one’s name and duty. A Mossborn Chief-To-Be is normally named with Mossborn, or if the Chief-To-Be is a child, they are not referred to by any last name. Before the night of their ascension, they pray to a shrine dedicated to Anbella to receive inspiration for their title. This title reflects their character and their duty. A Mossborn Chief’s duty is always to stand by his clan, aiding and nurturing its members. Like how a name is a continuous reminder of one’s identity, the title is a constant reminder of their sacred obligation to take care of one’s people. Once one’s duty is over, either by death or retiring, they may choose to return to their old name, but they will forever be immortalised with their title. Though a title is inspired by the Brathmordkin, in the end it is still chosen by the Chief in question. It is extraordinarily poor form to pick a title that is too flattering, such as “The Mighty” or “The Wise“ as it goes against one of the core pillars of the Mossborn Clan, which is Humility. This new name must be linked to nature as well as Anbella is the patron Brathmordkin of the clan. Thus names such as “The Viney“ or “The Bear” are acceptable. Although typically a prayer is done to Anbella, it is not strictly forbidden to pray to other Brathmordkin. For example, Donachan The Cloudy prayed to Belka. What is strictly forbidden, punishable by exile, is a non-chief dwed performing the naming ritual for themselves. Such an act is a usurpation of the position of Chief and the belittling of the duty one must hold to the clan. It is an act of dishonour and disloyalty. To Conclude, a Mossborn chief’s title is not just a fancy thing to increase their prestige. It is their true name, an ever-present reminder of their obligation to the Brathmordkin and to the people of their clan. It is not something that is taken lightly in the clan.
  24. Felyx F. Colborn, a Voice for Reform! Simple contemporary oil painting of Felyx F Colborn Introduction Felyx, born in the Second age 64, did not come into the world in a noble household. He worked for everything he has gotten so far, and will continue to serve his Kongzem to the best of his ability. The combined efforts of House Colborn now mean that Felyx is granted a unique position to let his voice be heard. As a child, he worked to start the St. Carolus University which still exists today, has participated in medic lectures, climbed to the rank of Armsman and Officer Cadet by now in the BSK Haeseni Army, and is an avid Adventurer and Poet to the Royal Family. Felyx made many friends during his time, be it commonfolk and nobility alike, and has expanded his horizons by carefully listening to minorities such as Orcs and Elves in Hanseti-Ruska. This has given Felyx the confidence he needs to run for Alderman on this day. Aspirations and Pledges I, Felyx Francys Colborn, do so pledge to honour our community of evolving peoples in-tune with their conservative roots by working with the Duma to issue reforms that benefit the Kongzem in the long-term. I will be your elected dreamer of a brighter future for Haense and, with the know-how and tools I have amassed so far, vow to work hard to listen carefully to anyone who would give me feedback or advice, and implement reforms that I deem necessary for the prosperity of Haense to Krusae Zwy Kongzem! More specifically, I, Felyx will pledge to work on Seven primary points: Promote Crown-endorsed reforms to stimulate political interest of the People of Hanseti-Ruska. Introduce non-politically aligned Commonfolk Societies for greater multi-social representation in our Motherland. Stand for greater Diplomatic cooperation, including a Worker’s Exchange Programme between allied nations to foster more open-minded generations who are willing to accept the diversity of Hanseti-Ruska and Almaris as a whole. Promote theological debates led by the Church across various beliefs, using a novel, proposed technique, coined: “Deep Listening”. Work to integrate the aforementioned “Deep Listening” into the Duma, which will hopefully bridge divides between opposite opinions to reach compromises. Introduce a Koeng or Koenas Royal Jubilee, in coordination with the BSK, every 5 years to celebrate the efforts of the Crown. Introduce a “World Pilgrimage” with the consent of the Church, in order to become aware of different and opposing cultures and beliefs, to reinforce Godan’s virtues and learn to live harmoniously with others despite opposing views. These are just a chunk of ideas I have deemed worthy to put to paper. Being a soldier of the BSK, I find it important that we can avoid War as much as possible. However, peacetime is never a reason to stop training and drilling diligently. I will take my discipline and dedication from the Army when pursuing my goals within the Duma. With great Passion Felyx Francys Colborn stands by his values, and hopes to work alongside Duma members with his Aspirations, by the pleasure of the Electorates of Hanseti-Ruska!
  25. Introduction: The most well-known fact about dwarves is their love of alcohol. From ale to rum, brandy to whiskey, the dwarves are undoubtedly masters of their drink. The primitive and defunct Mossborn Clan is no exception to this rule. Though they are well known for their armour, the history of their alcohol industry is no less interesting. This text aims to chronicle their long-lost methods, and the changes in production of their alcohol through time. ❃ First Drink: Being Forest Dwarves, their alcoholic beverages are not typically made of malt, wheat or hops, instead they fermented the produce of their forest such as wild berries and roots. The first Chief of the Mossborn, Brak The Leafy, is credited for the invention of their traditional Hollow Cider. According to Legend, Brak The Leafy wanted to stash a hoard of fruit away for himself. He found a hollow tree in the forest, and deposited all his fruit into it and then sealed it. He later forgot about the stash, only remembering it a few months later. When he rushed to recover the fruit, he discovered that there was a strong smelling liquid inside the tree. This liquid was the very first Hollow Cider. The original Hollow Cider was described as “drinking rotten tree bark” but regardless of this, it was popular because of its powerful inebriating effect. ❃ Improvement: In the year SA 17, the 6th Chief of the Mossborn Clan, Baran The Sappy (a known reveler) wanted to improve the taste of the alcohol in order to drink more cider. He implemented rules prioritising the cultivation of special trees specifically for fermentation and ordered his brewers to experiment with different formulas, flavours and ingredients. This concentrated brewing effort resulted in a much more delicious and fruity Hollow Cider. ❃ Decline: Unfortunately, in the year SA 18, Baran The Sappy plucked a cursed mushroom. When he brewed it into cider and drank it, he began foaming at the mouth and shortly he fell down dead. It was deemed he had an extreme allergic to the mushroom. A few months later, a plague swept through the trees used for Hollow Cider, since those trees were closely grown to each other. This event was known as the Cider Drought, because the plague nearly destroyed their entire Hollow Cider industry. A strict cider rationing was implemented shortly within the clan. ❃ Discovery: This period of drought lasted for 2 years. It was ended when scouts of the Mossborn clan discovered a wagon wreckage containing various alcoholic drinks and ingredients. In the wreckage there were crates of yeast and wheat, alongside barrels of ale. Farmers replanted and grew wheat in the forest with limited success. In the end, they eventually bred their own unique strains of grains to be more suitable to the forest floor. The brewers who worked previously with Baran The Sappy were very experienced and took to brewing these ingredients into new forms of beverages, such as Sweet Moss Ale and Berry Liqueur. However, because of the limited production of wheat, there was only a small increase of alcohol in the clan. When salvaging the wagon wreckage, symbols of axes were discovered engraved onto the barrels and wood. These were preserved in the clan, in order to give thanks for the revitalization of their brewing industry. It is believed that the wreckage belonged to the Grandaxe Clan. ❃ Conclusion: In SA 28, when Chief Eilek The Bramble eloped with his dryad lover, the Mossborn clan descended into civil war, due to prior religious differences. This internal civil was terribly brutal, and resulted in the effective extermination of the tribe, and the destruction of almost all of its relics, including the barrels of the Grandaxe Clan. There currently exists no remaining trace of the alcohol brewed by the Mossborn clan. Though things might change if the clan ever gets revived.
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