Armorica

A geographic region and nation on the northwestern coast of the Meropis continent in the Gallia subcontinent's Celtica region, this area is roughly analogous to the Earth region of Brittany, with western portions of Normandy, Main, and Anjou in modern day France. It features prominently in the early portion of *Worlds Away* and is the primary location of the Roleplay *The Guild Wants You!*

The region is geographically diverse, albeit topographically relatively flat, but most prominently features dense forests throughout. A large peninsula, it is bordered by the Jeweled Strait in the northwest and the Cimmerian Ocean to the south. Neustria borders its northern and northeastern territories, with Aquitania to the southeast. It is divided into several distinct regions, or districts; Curiosolita, Redone, Veneti, Osismi, Namnete, Cotentin, Avranchin, Cenomani, Vepelli, Lexovii, and Ys, which are further divided into smaller Counties subject to the Crown. Rolling hills and plains dominate its southeastern portions of Armorica, while its coasts are generally more rugged and ria marked in the north and more prone to pleasant beaches to the southwest. It features many springs, streams, and rivers, fed by northeastern mountains and a massive aquifer beneath much of the territory's rocky crust. This creates a surprisingly large number of swamplands in areas where the surface water drains slowly. The soil is generally rich and good for farming, and the region is known for its fine wines, hearty beers, wide variety of cheeses, and bountiful fishing. It is a major bastion of the Church of the Twelve and One, as are its neighboring states. They are functionally beholden to the Church and Papacy as part of the Holy Reman Empire, with a Bishop in each major population center and an Archbishop in the country's capital, Condate. A Kingdom, Armorica maintains a version of the feudal system common throughout Meropis and the surrounding continents, with various nobles governing territory on behalf of the Crown. The region's economy is driven primarily through agriculture, aquaculture, and resource extraction and processing; dense forests provide timber, clear waters and fertile soil provide fine foods, from seafood to grain to meat and poultry, wines, and cheeses, and valuable ores can be mined from the rocky soil at the risk of possible mine flooding.

Armorica's human population is comprised mostly of Humans, Elves, Dwarves, Halflings, Half-Orcs, Half-Elves, and Turnskins, with Genasi, Dhampir, and Revoj being less represented. Hagspawn, Aasimar, and Tieflings are surprisingly common, but Literals, Drachen, and Moreaus are quite rare, and often mistaken for Monsters or Beasts in the latter cases. The most common Monsters in the region are Goblinoids (particularly Goblins of the Saplin, Bumblin, and Humblin varieties), Harpies, Kobolds, Orcs, Ogres and their kin, Lizardmen, Undead such as Zombies, Skeletons, and Ghosts, and Therianthropes and Entothropes, with a not insignificant number of Dragonkind present as well. Unicorns, Bicorns, Chichevache, Renards, Will-o-Wisps, Hags, and Baphomets have strong associations with the region as well. However, there are a wide variety of less common and less iconic Monsters throughout the region. Its Beasts are often akin to the local fauna of Brittany and France in general, though when one takes into account the presence of its Primeval Wilds and Sealands, these are sometimes quite a bit different than one might expect.

## History

Much of Armorica's history has been lost due to the ravages of the Everwar. The landscape is dotted with ruins and the signs of catastrophic damage wrought by the Sundering of Thule thousands of years ago. It has, in more recent history, been plagued by wars with Neustria, Austrasia to the east, Aquitania, and even Burgogne, raiding and pillaging from Central Thuleans, and internal revolutions, some of which have been religiously motivated, some politically, and others pertaining to the current nature of Monsters. This is to say nothing of the current threat presented by Beasts.

## Government

Armorica is a feudal hereditary monarchy beholden to the greater Holy Reman Empire. Its leaders, members of the Chlodian Dynasty that also rules Neustria, Austrasia, and Burgogne, have been afforded the divine right to rule the Gallian territories by the Church of the Twelve and One for well over a thousand years. However, much of that time has been in dispute, with contending branches of the family claiming greater authority than their peers and seeking to over the other nations of Gallia, leading to a series of wars and the frequent deaths of rulers and government officials.

The center of power in the nation is in Condate in Redone, where the Royal Palace resides. The Crown, Alcide Monserrat du Chlodio II, rules over the district while handing out direct governance to Dukes in the other districts of Ys, Cotentin, Osismi, Curiosolita, Veneti, Namnete, and Avranchin. These Dukes are granted a great deal of autonomy, so long as they show fealty to the Crown, pay their taxes, maintain the crowns laws (overseen by Magistrates appointed by the Crown), and send levies and knights when ordered to.

### Osismi

With its capital in Mogerdwnn, Osismi is a largely autonomous Duchy loyal to the Armorican Crown. While the Duke and his court manage most of the local law enforcement policies, ordinances, and economic decisions, the Condate-appointed Magistrate handles most judicial proceedings. Both factions have their own enforcers; the Duke and his knights, and the Magistrate (essentially one part Sheriff, one part Judge, and one part tax collector) has his constables and guardsmen. Further complicating matters is the presence of a notable force from the Church. The District has a prominent Cardinal who was a childhood friend and distant cousin of the current Popess and has been afforded quite a bit of authority through this connection, including a significant detachment of knights and ostiarii, including some rather exotic specializations, and a branch of the Congregation of Holy Process, which is to say, the Inquisition.

### Ys

Though this District is technically a duchy, it is de facto a separate monarchy from the Chlodian royals in Condate. However, it would be more accurate still to refer to it as a collection of island principalities consisting of the Human royalty backed by various pagan faiths and the Church, and aquatic and semi-aquatic Domains scattered throughout the main island and its splinters. Rulership is handled by a council composed of the rulers of these territories or their chosen representatives, who debate and vote on policies to be implemented within the District as a whole. This can, and does, lead to complicated political situations. Of particular contention are restrictions on the behavior of Monsters in human communities, trade relations with Danbryn in Cymry, the Morvran Neizh project and trade with Mogerdwnn, religious disputes, and property and housing rights for younger generations. That the city historically attracted tourists prior to the rise of the Beasts has also become a decades-long problem, as Ys's revenue streams have been crimped and the immigration it relied upon to keep its population viable has since begun to dry up. It is a District in decline as its population begin to descend into decadence and hedonism and the territory is once again at risk of becoming a single Domain.

## Culture and Society

### Language

Armorica is a largely multilingual nation, with Koine (the primary language of the Reman Empire) serving as the common tongue and a local language heavily influenced by those of the Five Jewels known as Armorican being widely spoken as well. Both languages commonly use the Koine alphabet. Galli is also widespread, being a direct descendant of the ancient tribal languages of the broader Gallia region. The northern territories of Contenin and Avranchin also commonly speak Nordic due to immigrants from Central Thule, making use of Runes as a common script. Ys has developed its own dialect, which combines elements of Galli and Armorican, with little influence from Koine, making it difficult to understand by most natives of other areas who aren't familiar with both languages.

### Religion

The dominant religion of Armorica is the worship of the Twelve and One. This is also the state religion, though other faiths are tolerated so long as they are not directly hostile to the Church's dominance in the area. Paganism is alive and well in the region, with preference for the individual worship of Saints or the principle deities of the pantheon as personal patrons and lesser offerings being made to the rest of the pantheon being the norm, with many of the Church's Saints being revered in their original forms as the Tuatha De Danann and other deities commonly worshipped in the area prior to the Church's dominance. Worship of the Titans, particularly Prometheus, Gaia, and Ouranos, is widespread as well as faith in the Twelve Crowns of Annwn, particularly among the Vernal and Autumnal Elves. The Gravekeepers hold a prominent place in the region, primarily serving Hades, Ankou, Erecura, Gwyn ap Nudd, Hel, Baldr, and the Morrigan and tending to the many graveyards, battlefields, and catacombs that dot the landscape.

The peoples of Cotentin and Avranchin are more likely to revere the Aesir and Vanir alongside the Twelve and One, or even instead of.

Monsters in this region tend to revere the local deities in their pagan forms rather than as saints, local nature spirits (Elementals, Fey), the Titans (particularly Gaia), and the Overlord or Baphomet. This is especially true in the integrated community of Ys, where it's not uncommon to find even Men worshipping the Overlord alongside the Twelve and One.

### Fashion and Style

Dress in Armorica, as in much of the Western World, represents a curiously anachronistic combination of styles that can vary wildly based on the status of the individual. Among the lower classes price and practicality are paramount, followed closely by comfort... which often overlaps with the first consideration. Among the middle class and the elites and nobility of safe, urban environments however, it's often more important to display one's wealth and power than it is to worry about how pleasant one feels or simple concerns of safety and one's labors.

Tunics of varying cuts, materials, and designs serve as the most common garment for the upper body across class and gender. The higher one's status, the more elaborate the garment, with commoners frequently wearing simple, unadorned tunics featuring only practical design variations (such as reinforced elbows on long-sleeved designs and drawstring, buttons, or lacing to better fit the wearer) and simple dyes if any. As one climbs the social ladder these are expanded upon with more expensive and elaborate dyeing, embroidery on the hems, sleeves, shoulders, and breast, raised collars with similar detail, and sigils for particular businesses or families. At the top of the hierarchy the tunic becomes almost a work of art, made of fine materials in elaborate cuts and adorned with various gold and silver embroidery, precious and semiprecious gems, and complicated needlework. much of which is likely to be magical. The basic materials for this garment, and most others in the region, tend to be wool in winter and linen in summer, with cotton and silks reserved for the wealthier individuals, though burlap is not unheard of for the poorest individuals in need of an outer garment. Tunics also vary in a number of other ways, including hem length (ranging from just below the waist to as low as the ankles though usually somewhere between), the length of sleeves (from nonexistent to long winter sleeves that cover the whole hand and beyond), the presence or absence of a raised collar or cuffs, hoods, mantles, and of slits in the arms, along the sides or back (including to the hem), beneath the armpit, or a full divide in the front. Such open tunics are essentially a type of coat or vest. Tunics are often cinched with one or more belts, an arming or work harness (a leather or cord device designed to hold various pouches, bags, and carry tools or sheathed weapons that normally straps to the waist, legs, and over the shoulders) or a protective modification of the cummerbund that's come into fashion of late in the western world (essentially a leather brace that may be reinforced with studs or wire, chain, or ringmail).

Beneath the tunic one traditionally wears either a shirt or chemise, depending on personal preference. Both are treated as unisex undergarments, and while there's essentially no taboo associated with being seen without an outer garment beyond simply not being seen as dressing their best. In either case there are a wide variety of designs available, similar in many regards to the variety found in Tunics. However, these are invariably thinner garments designed with comfort and practicality and cost in mind, their materials usually being linen, cotton, wool, or silk. They are not for show in the local culture outside of carnal professions, where they can serve as advertisements. These garments are traditionally made from linen or silk (though this latter option is costly). Women most often supplement their undergarments with cloth bindings or breast bands, or slightly more expensive bras (similar to modern designs save that they're usually constructed of cloth or soft cord without plastic, elastic, or metal elements and are normally bound by tying or buttons rather than with hooks). Bodices are also common, particularly among those wishing to show off their bosom. Women with more money and to do so often use corsets for support instead, using the shapewear to alter their figures at the expense of personal comfort.

Male undergarments for the lower body generally consist of braies; essentially loose drawstring boxers that could be quite short or as long as full pants. They are usually the former in the region. Women sometimes wear these, particularly if they engage in physically demanding work that requires significant mobility. This is not precisely taboo but is often considered to be very tomboyish. Female lower body undergarments often consist of simple knickers not all that different from their modern Earthly counterparts, save that these are usually tied rather than bound with elastic. Hose are common leg coverings regardless of gender, including full-length hose that serve as unmentionables in their own right. Male hose of this length usually feature some form of codpiece to conceal the outline of their endowments. In all cases, softer cloth is preferred in these designs, and so linen, wool, and silk are most commonly used for these purposes.

Lower body outerwear generally consists of full-length breeches or hose, which are considered unisex (if tomboyish in the case of women), or skirts, which are normally associated with women. This can lead to some unusual interactions with men from Alba, where the kilt is common among both men and women... often without undergarments. Regardless, breeches are the most common lower body attire of the common folk due to their protective value and relative sturdiness to thinner hosiery. Skirts are made of similar materials and serve a similar function.

Footwear most commonly consists of leather shoes or boots with pointed or rounded toes, or shoes made from cloth, canvas, rope (rarely), and wood. The are two competing methods of construction commonly employed in the region, resulting in two distinct types of shoes; turnshoes, which are commonly used as "city shoes" and domestic slippers, and welted shoes, which are generally made of sturdier materials and employed for work, travel, and most other activities. While turnshoes are often simple and made entirely of leather, canvas, or cloth, though it's not terribly uncommon for the sole to be of a different material. Welted shoes are generally made of sturdy leather or canvas and usually feature a complex sole, with the insole consisting of either cloth or leather, the midsole of leather or wood (when there is one), and an outsole of either hardened leather or an alchemical rubber produced from **Milkwood** and scored with treads intended to increase friction with the ground. This latter innovation is relatively new, but rapidly gaining in popularity and is said to trace its origins to the footwear common among many Wayfarers. Hose, either short or full-length, serve to protect the foot from the shoes and boots. Pattens are common for protecting the shoes themselves in especially inclement weather.

Jackets, coats, and cloaks are common in the area as winter garments or to establish status... and even as armor, in some cases. While most are made of cloth or oiled canvas and intended to serve as an additional layer of protection from the cold or precipitation, those made from fine furs are also common (particularly cloaks in this regard). Those intended for protective purposes are often made of boiled leather, with jackets often serving as a poor-man's armor and well-made leather coats being some of the most sought after lightweight armor available due to the ease of movement they allow while still affording protection for the torso and legs. In all of the above cases, hoods are common but not present in all cases.

Gloves are usually of either leather or silk, with the former being common among the peasantry and warriors and the latter among the nobility. However, makeshift hand wrappings made from various cloth, rope, or leather strips are actually quite common, as are bracers. Such straps are sometimes used as bindings on trouser, shirt, or tunic sleeves in place.

Hats and headwear are common in Armorica, with the height and complexity of the piece used as a marker of social status and personal wealth. Though there is no uniform, per se, all but the simplest of hats available to common laborers are relatively expensive. Wide brims, shaped crowns, elaborate hatbands, feathers, and other accents are common indicators of wealth; the more elaborate and impractical, the more costly it was to produce and thus the more wealth it conveys. While these sorts of hats are more strongly associated with men, women of high status also wear complicated headpieces known as hennin that often incorporate veils and shaped caps. Those women of lower means often wear wimples (particularly those associated with the Chamberlain or the Daughter), hats, or no head coverings whatsoever. Likewise, it's not uncommon for men to go without, though those expecting to spend a great deal of time outdoors will likely want one for protection from the sun and weather, and those expecting to be seen at high-class social functions will absolutely want something *fancy*.

Bindings and closures common in the area include buckles, buttons, and ties. Pockets are common, particularly on outer garments and sometimes sewn on the inside of cloaks and coats. Reinforcements made to clothing are usually either of the same material layered, or with leather or alchemic rubber.

Ordinary clothing does not generally incorporate Beast materials, though some more extravagant styles make use of such.

Embellishments and accoutrements are common in Armorican attire, with people frequently wearing or carrying personal keepsakes, charms, and personal items significant to them. This extends to displays as well; it's actually common practice to wear such as if they were jewelry, to hang them from belts, strap them to one's arms, wear them as bracelets, and attach them to personal bags and belongings. Even if these objects have little actual value, one commonly sees people wearing pendants made of seashells, interesting stones, wooden carvings, animal bones, claws, and teeth, dried herbs and flowers or small insects trapped in amber, curios in small bottles, and the like. To say nothing of actual jewelry, precious and semiprecious stones.

### Diet and Cuisine

Armorica, like much of Gallia, has a robust food culture stemming from the top of its social hierarchy down to its lowest social strata. Great importance is placed on pairings; wines with particular cheeses and dishes, specific sauces for types of meats and vegetables and the methods in which they're prepared, and a strange sort of Alchemy one should perform to maintain proper health, according to dieticians serving the nobility. Obviously, the poorer one is, the harder it is to come by the ingredients used in such things, but there's still generally an *attempt* at emulating the practices of the elites.

The diet of the working class is much as it is throughout Thule and Meropis; heavy on grains, vegetables, and dairy, relatively light on meat, and very light on fruits. As one rises up the social ladder, meat and fruit become more common. Alcohol is common across the board. The local cuisine strongly favors the use of seafood as proteins, with barley, rye, and wheat as the primary grains.

* **Grains:** Barley, wheat, rye, millet, oats, spelt, bulgar, emmer, buckwheat, sorghum. Wheat, rye, barley, and buckwheat are the most commonly used grains, with the other options usually being used as animal feed. Oats have seen some popularity due to the influence of Wayfarers.
* **Vegetables:** Beans (particularly local green beans and imported haricots), carrots, potatoes (imported but currently being cultivated), tomatoes (imported but currently being cultivated), peas, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts (known as Belgica sprouts or Belgicans), rutabagas, parsnips, turnips, cardoons, artichokes, squash, cabbage, eggplant, chard, leeks, alexanders, radishes, goosefoot, broccoli, kale, kohlrabi, collards, cucumbers, salsify, fava beans, lettuce, spinach, onions, leeks, shallots, skirret, fennel, watercress, beets, garlic, celery.
* **Dairy:** Cow, goat, and sheep are all used for milk and the creation of a wide range of cheeses and butters. Cheese in particular is important to the local cuisine, with a huge number of regional varieties ranging from mild and sweet to savory, smooth, creamy, soft, pungent, aromatic, hard, to crumbly. Cheeses are often made with bits of fruit, nuts, and various herbs and seasonings in them, and are often intended to be paired with specific types of wine and fruit.
* **Meats:** Seafood (including fish, shellfish, octopi and squid, and snails and slugs), chicken, pork, mutton, goat, beef, fowl, boar, venison, rabbit, squirrel, dolphin, porpoise, and whale. Among the shellfish, lobster, mussels, and crayfish are particularly common in this region, with sea bass, monkfish, and herring being major contributors to the local diet. Wild game is comparatively rare and much favored, while beef is relatively uncommon among lower status households except for the bones, which are frequently used in sauce preparations and are relatively affordable. Chicken, pork, mutton, and goat are the most common terrestrial animals consumed. Poultry besides chicken is usually reserved for higher status individuals. There's a robust range of preserved meats as well, primarily in the form of sausages, smoked, salted, and cured offerings. Sea mammals are generally eaten seasonally, with the exception of in Cotentin, where whaling is a viable industry.
* **Fruits:** Figs, watermelon, strawberry, melon, blackberry, raspberry, medlar, peach, cherry, apricot, quince, pomegranate, apple, plum, pear, grape, sorb, carob, bitter orange (imported), lemon (imported), lime (imported), sweet orange (imported), citron (imported), dates (imported). Fruits are something of a treat in Armorica, at least for the poor, and so are often reserved for special occasions or as a dessert in small quantities.
* **Cooking Oils and Shortenings:** Lard, butter, grape seed oil, linseed oil, sunflower seed oil, cottonseed oil, walnut oil, hazelnut oil, hemp seed oil, olive oil (imported). Lard and butter are often the most convenient to use, but the various oils also see heavy use... and due to their relative longevity, a little can go a long way.
* **Sweeteners:** Honey, beet sugar, cane sugar (imported), liquorice, chicory, anise, horehound, cinnamon (imported).
* **Seasonings:** Salt (sea, dried devil's member), pepper (imported), parsley, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, sage, rosemary, lavender, fennel, tansy, pennyroyal, angelica, betony, bistort, chamomile, oregano, thyme, borage, hyssop, horehound, lovage, tarragon, basil, bay, marjoram, chervil, savory, watercress, mustard seed, dill, chives, garlic, onions, leeks, shallots, mustard seed, celery seed, mint, lemon balm (imported), purslane, fiery kiss fronds (boiled).
* **Sauces:** Sauces play an important role in broader Gallian cuisine, frequently being modified and given a variety of names based on those modifications. They are broadly known by their colors, or the colors of their bases, which is not always a good indication of the final flavor of the product, depending on the spices and other ingredients used in their production. The most common bases are provided below:
	+ **Rouge:** A new addition to the sauces of the region, rouge sauce is derived from tomatoes imported from the New World through Hispanian traders, with a robust, acidic taste that is quite popular with the wealthy currently as something of a risky or forbidden food. It has a reputation for being poisonous (as does the tomato itself) however, though none understand why it only seems to affect the nobility in this manner and not the poorer classes. It is often made with a mixture of sweet and savory herbs, garlic, and onion, frequently with a thickening agent (such as finely sieved flour) added to help it stick to dishes. It's commonly served with pork, beef, chicken, and grain dishes with savory cheeses added, and may be made with carrot, pork belly, or veal broth.
	+ **Blanc:** A classic sauce made from milk, flour, and fat, this mild-flavored sauce is easily adapted to a variety of different dishes, taking on savory, sweet, herby, or bitter flavors with relative ease. One can best assume that a Blanc-based sauce will complement the main dish rather than define it.
	+ **Noire:** Made with grape seed oil and crushed grapes and berries, this tart sauce is primarily used with sweets and is often a byproduct of the winemaking process. It is sometimes sweetened with beet sugar, but is more often used as-is on baked sweets, ice creams,
	+ **Verte:** Made from olive or hemp oil and various regional herbs based on availability, as well as crushed garlic and pine nuts or walnuts, this normally bitter and slightly savory, fragrant, herby sauce is frequently used with chicken, fish, and grain dishes.
	+ **Or:** Made from butter, egg yolk, citrus juice (usually lemon), and vinegar, this tart and savory sauce is used commonly used on vegetable dishes.
	+ **Brune:** This hearty, savory sauce is made from a reduced meat stock of roasted bones (often beef, though pork, mutton, and goat are also used) and combined with browned flour and fat, and further seasoned with herbs and mushrooms. It sometimes includes tomatoes. It's most often used with meat and starchy vegetables such as carrots, turnips, parsnips, and potatoes.
	+ **Bleu:** A purplish-blue sauce derived from crushed berries, milk, cream, anise, fennel, liquorice, or roasted chicory and mint, it is commonly used as a cold topping for fruits and desserts, imparting an additional sweetness and fruity flavor to the dish. It is usually prepared and served cold.
	+ **Blonde:** Made from a light stock (such as chicken or fish) and thickened with egg yolks and heavy cream, and further seasoned with citrus juice, Blonde sauce is often paired with lighter meats, particularly pork and poultry or fish.
	+ **Rose:** A pale sauce made from a light stock thickened with flour and fat, Rose sauce is often paired with lighter meats
	+ **Orange:** A spicy sauce made from tomatoes, bitter herbs, garlic, onion, and lightly-boiled and finely shredded fiery kiss, sometimes thickened with browned butter and fat, Orange sauce commonly used with meat and grain dishes. Some versions substitute hot peppers from the New World, imparting a faintly fruity flavor rather than the slight bitterness of the common version.
	+ **Crème:** A cold sauce made from egg yolks, an oil, and either citrus juice or vinegar, Crème sauce is used with a number of savory dishes, imparting a slight tartness to them. It's also commonly used to combine other ingredients into prepared salads due to its thickness and versatile flavor.
	+ **Bijou:** A sauce made by mixing vinegar and oil, combined with light salt and usually some combination of finely chopped garlic, shallots, onions, chives, herbs, and toe beans, Bijou sauce derives its name from the sparkling, colorful appearance it has. It's most commonly used as a marinade for lighter meats or a topping for the same, for vegetables (especially served cold), and grain dishes. It's a normally tart flavor, though spicy versions that incorporate fiery kiss do exist.
	+ **Café:** A bitter, intense sauce made using coffee grounds as an ingredient, alongside milk, flour, and butter, it is often used with sweeter meats such as pork, poultry, and fish, or as a complement to a sweet desert similar to Noire. A relatively exotic sauce, and not overly popular outside of the nobility, it frequently includes roasted chicory or ground hazelnuts and is similar in some respects to many of the experimental coffee drinks cropping up in well-to-do restaurants.
* **Beverages:**
	+ **Non-Alcoholic:** Water, milk, tea (imported), coffee (imported), orgeat (barley milk), floral water, nut milks, berry juices (including Goodberry and Sageberry), tonics (drinks made from vegetable and herb juices), tisanes (usually barley tea). Teas, tisanes, and coffees are usually served warm, while most other drinks are served cold. Many are honeyed or spiced to improve their flavor, and some are infused with fruits for the same reason.
	+ **Alcoholic:** Beer, ale, fruit and berry ciders, wine, mead, absinthe, vermouth. Drinks are often spiced or honeyed to alter their flavor, and wine and mead are sometimes served warmed.
* **Preservation:** Most meats are preserved through salting, smoking, brining, drying, or curing, though pickling is not unheard of. Vegetables are usually either pickled, dried, or honeyed. Fruits are usually honeyed or candied, though they're sometimes dried. Grains are usually stored dry or fermented into alcohol. Sauces are normally dried and rehydrated or sealed in airtight bottles or jars under magically-created pressure. Beans are stored dry. Middle-class and better households often possess iceboxes or cold cellars capable of storing food for much longer thanks to Ice Elementite chilling the storage space.

### Regional Classes and Archetypes

* **Archers, Lancers, Fighters, and Guardians:** Very common Classes in the area due to the Crown's position on levies, who are usually pushed into one of these Classes if they show greater martial aptitude than warrants a simple Warrior or Serviceman.
* **Alchemist:**
* **Arcanist:**
* **Barbarian:**
* **Bard:**
* **Beguiler:**
* **Bloodrager:**
* **Brawler:**
* **Brigand:**
* **Cavalier:** Cavaliers are common in Armorica, both of the traditional high-born sort and individuals who've managed to earn their armor through effort rather than lineage. Many are military men serving the Crown or lesser nobles. Regardless, the region's strong connection to the Church and Feudal structure mean that there's quite a lot of room for these individuals to diversify. There are a number of active Orders in the region; the Order of the Blue Rose and the Order of the Eel are particularly favored by Mogerdwnn's Duke Delatavia, the Order of the Flame, Order of the Dragon, Order of the Shield, and the Order of the Cockatrice are popular among commoners who've adopted the Class, the Order of the Guard finds employment as defenders of nobles and royals, the Order of the Hero is welcomed virtually everywhere, the Order of the Lion and the Order of the Scales directly serve the Crown, while the Order of the Land is supported by the Church and used to patrol the roads and shelter the farmers and fishermen that feed the nation. Service in the Order of the Penitent is sometimes offered as a form of restitution for criminals, while service in the Order of the Star is to be a knight in direct service to the Church of the Twelve and One itself. The Order of the Sword is common among nobles and those they patronize. While most Cavaliers of Armorica use the standard version of the Class, Esquires, Gallants, Emissaries, Hooded Knights, Gendarmes, Daring Champions, and Disciples of the Pike are well-represented among low-born Knights, and Courtly Knights among the nobility. Constables tend to serve the local lords as leaders of town watches, while Circuit Judges directly serve the Crown and are stationed at major settlements. The Church and the Crown alike employ Musketeers in small numbers here, while Daring Generals fill a role commonly known as Tutelary Knights or Knights Tutor as well as traditional generals, gathering a collection of knights-in-training that they eventually support into elevation into a higher status.
* **Cleric:** Most Clerics within Armorica are followers of the Church of Twelve and One. Whereas Priests of the faith are normally stationed at specific edifices of the faith, however, Clerics instead more commonly serve as wandering preachers, healers, and general do-gooders working to aid the needy and maintain the faith's reputation through pious service and heroic deeds. They often find work as Adventurers. Most Clerics of the faith have a single patron deity from the pantheon, with a surprising number following "Saints," minor deities, notable heroes, or interloper deities from other local faiths (such as Lugh, Cú Chulainn, Zagreus, Rhadamanthus, Cernunnos, Brighid, Manannán mac Lir, and others).
* **Crusader:**
* **Dread Necromancer:** A surprisingly common Class in the broader Gallia region and beyond, Dread Necromancers began to become commonplace following an outbreak of an especially brutal strain of Influenza that wracked Hispania, portions of Western Thule, and Meropis nearly eighty years ago. The disease was responsible for killing roughly one in ten members of the Races of Man and a surprisingly high number of Monsters besides, peppering the region with mass graves, ossuaries, and catacombs built by the Church, and an unknown number of Plague Zombies that the Church continues to have an active bounty on. The disease seems to have also left behind a necromantic stain in the survivors and some of their descendants, causing the unusual talents of the Dread Necromancer to crop up among the population with a surprising frequency. Most choose to align with Hel's faith, Hades, Thanatos, or Morrigan within the region and use their talents for more beneficial purposes... in part because the Church is prone to violently purging those who don't.
* **Druid:**
* **Gunslinger:** Firearms are not commonly available to the ordinary folk of Armorica, being reserved mostly for those in service to the Church... and even then any gun-wielders of the faith are far more likely to belong to another Class, than Gunslinger. Usually some form of Cavalier, Paladin, or Inquisitor. Instead, the most common Gunslingers overwhelmingly don't use guns at all, being Bolt Aces. Those that do are usually Musket Masters, as that's the firearm most readily available in the region. And even then, it's *still* not very common.
* **Hunter:** A common Class among the Elves, Humans, and even Goblins of the area.
* **Icon:** The trauma wrought by Beasts in the modern era has made this class somewhat more common than it used to be, but it is still rarely recognized for what it is.
* **Inquisitor:**
* **Investigator:** Relatively uncommon, but far from unheard of, Investigators are mostly found in the employ of nobles and magistrates, or as magistrates themselves, where they serve valuable roles in rooting out crime, sedition, conspiracies, and various threats. The region's long history of conflict with the Baphomet's Witch Cults make the Malice Binder and Cult Hunter particularly common, but Cartographers, Majordomos, and Lamplighters also exist, especially in cities. They also frequently find themselves working with local Sheriffs or as Tax Collectors. Other Archetypes are rarer, but not unheard of.
* **Kineticist:** The local area tends to have elemental connections to Water, Wood, Void, and Aether, though the presence of Hags and Coots, and by extension Hagspawn, also makes Arakineticists common in the area.
* **Magus:**
* **Medium:**
* **Mesmerist:**
* **Monk:**
* **Occultist:**
* **Oracle:**
* **Psychic:**
* **Psyphon:** Psyphons are among the most common of Psionicists in the region... which is to say that they aren't very common. However, there are traditions associated with ancient, pre-Reman warbands that practiced this tradition throughout western Meropis and the Five Jewels. This tradition continues to exist throughout the region in a more limited form, with wandering Psyphons traditionally apprenticing talented individuals. Besides the standard form of this Class, the Shock Trooper, Machiavelli, Dominator, Mediator, and Fearmonger are most common, though any Archetype is appropriate.
* **Ranger:**
* **Rogue:**
* **Shifter:**
* **Slayer:**
* **Skald:**
* **Sorcerer:**
* **Spiritualist:**
* **Swashbuckler:**
* **Vigilante:**
* **Warpriest:**
* **Wilder:**
* **Witch:** Witches are surprisingly common in the broader Gallia region, particularly those tied to Hecate and Baphomet, but also those tracing their practices to the Fey and older deities. However, most are reclusive, hiding in the wilderness in small covens. Few operate openly, as the Starry Night Coven in Mogerdwnn does, and even then they do so only when in alignment with the Church of the Twelve and One. The region has had many Witch Hunts over the years due in large part to the perceived negative influence of the Baphomet's followers, especially prior to the current Overlord's reign.
* **Witch Hunter:**
* **Wizard:**
* **Wolfshead:** Most common in Cotentin and Avranchin, Wolfsheads can be found further south as well. The traditions of these two northern territories make them relatively common in the area.

## Geography

### Common Features

Armorica is a heavily forested land, its woodlands sprawling across much of its surface. What isn't covered in forest tends to be natural hills and plains or cleared land for farming. The region has plentiful springs and wetlands, often connected to the massive aquifer beneath much of the region and separated by only thin, porous rock and piled sediment. The territory has many streams and small rivers, with water often pooling in small lakes before pouring out to find the sea or emptying back into the aquifer. The area has relatively little significant elevation differences, it's hills low and no significant mountains to speak of, save in places where the land plunges into valleys cut by glaciation and ancient rivers and streams, particularly near the coast. Such areas sometimes provide remarkably sudden drop-offs, often directly into the Cimmerian Ocean via cliffs.

### Osismi

The westernmost tip of metropolitan Armorica, Osismi is dominated by the heart of the Letavian forest, numerous Primeval Wilds, Sealands, and ruins of Ages past and present, including those stemming from the relatively recent Old Ysian culture. It has many notable beaches, being flanked to the north and west by the Jeweled Strait and the south by the Gallic sea, some of which look out over the Merovech Strait to Ys. In the southeast Osismi is bordered by Veneti, and in the northeast by Curiosolita.

### Ys

A semi-autonomous region that was once part of continental Meropis, Ys was a prosperous port city and its hinterlands prior to the Sundering of Thule.

## Ecology

Armorica's ecology broadly resembles that of its Earthly counterpart. That is to say, it broadly features the same wildlife and plant species as Metropolitan France. This includes a number of species that are extinct on Earth, such as the region's native Ibex... as well as prehistoric megafauna such as mammoths, aurochs, wooly rhinoceroses, cave bears, giant deer, cave lions, leopards, and scimitar-toothed cats. The region's dinosaur population is likewise similar to that of its reflection. However, there are a number of notable distinctions from its earthly counterpart that are noted below.

### "Surfaced" Sea Life

While the whole of the Armorican region was tectonically uplifted hundreds of millions of years ago, it was partially resubmerged during the catastrophe known as the Sundering of Thule a few thousand years ago as the tectonic plates in the region were agitated and realigned. This event expanded upon the fractures already present in the region's crust and slammed much of the coast with a massive tsunami that swallowed whole communities and sucked them back out to sea while simultaneously depositing all manner of unusual sea life and watery Elementite. In places where existing waterways had already formed significant water Elementite deposits, as well as mist Elementite, some of the displaced sea life was able to adapt to the surface, resulting in an extraordinary range of wildlife that simply should not exist and is geographically restricted to certain specific bodies of water within the region; particularly swamps (known as Seawoods) and mires near the coast or in the Letavian Deepwoods, though they can also be found along major rivers and lakes. These organisms are often deep sea life adapted to an amphibious lifestyle at or near the surface, and include everything from Arboreal Squid and Flying Morays and Viperfish to amphibious, quadrupedal sharks and Floating Anglerfish and Jellyfish. Many species of less dangerous fish, as well as corals, anemones, various shellfish, barnacles, sea slugs and snails, and urchins have also adapted to this unusual environment, giving rise to a complex and surreal ecosystem of aquatic life turned avian and amphibious.

These territories provide valuable sources of protein and other nutrients for the Armorican diet, as many of these species are edible, and more common local wildlife have learned to either adapt to the strange interlopers or avoid the Seawoods they inhabit.

Somewhat disturbingly, this event seems to have deposited some families of Monsters as well, resulting in a number of unusual reports in some of the Seawoods... including rumors of an arboreal *Kraken* lurking in a Seawood deep within the Letavian Deepwoods that feeds on the region's megafauna.

### Sand Foxes

A popular regional pet, Armorican Sand Foxes, also commonly called Beachcombers, are descendants of an imported species of fox imported from Irkalla. Originally a desert-dwelling creatures, members of the parent Fennec species were imported as a gift to the Armorican Royal family in Condate. However, a sea serpent destroyed the vessel bearing these creatures en route. They survived the experience, however, and survived and thrived after being washed ashore on the coast. The intervening centuries have seen the species adapt and prosper, with their primary hunting tactics involving them preying on small fish, shellfish, and amphibians caught in tide pools, digging up crabs and crayfish, catching various rodents and small birds, and plundering the nests of sea turtles and ground-nesting birds, with the animals commonly digging dens near the back of the beach. With their keen hearing, natural camouflage, talent for digging, and cautious nature, they've been able to thrive in the region.

### Loggerhead Skink

A large predatory reptile found primarily in the Letavian Deepwoods, but also in other Primeval Forests in the region, the Loggerhead Skink is a voracious carnivore that prefers giant insects as prey and has done quite well since the rise of Beasts. The massive reptile has a strong tendency to become the same, to such a degree that they are often considered to be Beasts by default, though they are in fact not always. Loggerhead Skinks can be found in other regions as well, most notably in Hispania and the Western Thule, but also further into the Meropisian continent. Usually between the lengths of four and ten feet (1.2 and 3 meters), the adult Loggerhead Skink is a highly aggressive, territorial animal noted for its bark-like camouflage and distinctive blue tongue and blood. Despite their size, the creatures are natural climbers who use their rough back-scales and scutes to impersonate distortions in the trunks and branches of Primeval Megaflora or lurking amid the roots and deadfalls. Once potential prey draws near, the creatures lunge forward with a powerful, crushing bite that can easily shatter bone. Their sturdy scales allow them to turn aside most retaliation, allowing them to deliver a crippling initial bite that weakens their prey. Once delivered, they hang back until the victim succumbs from its wounds or loses its ability to resist before moving in to feed. Smaller prey is often swallowed whole. As is common among Skinks, the Loggerhead is capable of detaching its tail as a self-defense mechanism, made more significant in its case due to the creature's toxic blood, which the thrashing tail splatters around as it moves. Loggerheads have been known to turn on creatures that have become sickened by the substance, consuming both them *and* their severed tails. They are quite capable of regenerating these over the course of several weeks.

Loggerhead Skink Beasts tend to grow Poison, Mist, or Wood Elementite Calculi.

### Notable Flora

#### Stoneshroom

A particularly notable form of Primeval mushroom, Stoneshrooms are a common term for two very distinct groups of fungi that have developed a rock-hard, stone-like surface on every part of the exposed structure besides the gills. The two types are cap-growing mushrooms and an opportunistic parasite shelf fungus. These rocky fungi can be found in many of Armorica's Primeval Forests, often serving as a form of shelter and a useful method of climbing into the lower branches and further navigating around the region by creating natural ledges. The cap-forming specie's fruiting body often dies not long after it spreads its spores, with the soft inner fibers being reabsorbed by the mycelium, leaving behind a sturdy, rooted shell of stone-like hyphae that can serve as a cottage when large enough. While these remnants are frequently reused by the mycelium when unoccupied, the colony is capable of sensing movement within the shell and won't use a currently occupied shell, instead choosing to grow a new one elsewhere. These often grown in fairy ring formations and are frequently used by Monsters as homes. Those looking for a place to stay in the Primeval Wilds could do worse for a home than one of these.

#### Greater Northern Milkwood

A species of Milkwood that has adapted to more northerly climates, the Greater Northern Milkwood is frequently tapped by the local population for its white latex. This substance, while an irritant in its natural state, can be alchemically processed to create a form of rubber suitable for use in shoemaking, the construction of handles and grips for various objects, armor, and shields, among a host of other uses. The plant is mostly native to Primeval Wilds, but a smaller mutation of it known simply as the Northern Milkwood can be found near such locations.

#### Blackleaf

A narcotic vine native to Kogaionon, this succulent plant is rumored to grow only in places where death is near; traditionally graveyards, catacombs, sights of ancient battlefields, and the lairs of certain Monsters, particularly the Undead. In truth, the plant *does* grow in places such as this... largely because it draws some of its sustenance from Necrotic Mana. Notable for its thick, dark vines that grow woody with great age and its fat, drooping, five-lobed leaves, it's sometimes known as Hand of the Grave and Dead Man's Hand. The plant's younger vines and its leaves are such a dark shade of green as to seem black, and considering its fondness for shade rather than bright light, the plant's true color is usually only seen after being picked and brought into brighter conditions. Blackleaf has been widely distributed, and though it's usually considered a controlled substance it's something of an invasive weed; the plant roots deep and is hard to kill permanently, and while it's difficult to cultivate from cuttings (it dies if not kept in shady conditions with necrotic energy to help sustain it), its fruit (often called Mummyboxes or Coffins due to their oblong, contoured shape) and seeds can be readily dried and rehydrated... and may do so accidentally if one spills the seeds on their clothes and then enters direct sunlight. Entering water later, or being subjected to rain, is a sure way to spread the rejuvenated seeds... though the local environment may not be suitable for them.

Blackleaf sees extensive use in medicine as an anesthetic; the body tolerates it quite well, requiring excessive amounts of consumption to run the risk of an overdose, and its effects easily last hours, even days, depending on the amount consumed as the body slowly digests it. It is commonly prepared for medicinal use by harvesting the juicy leaves, drying them, and mixing them with honey or anise in the form of a lozenge, as the leaves have an unpleasantly bitter taste that deters most creatures from eating it and the lozenge form draws out the numbing sensation. Recreational users tend to shred and pack the partially dried leaves into small boxes or bags with flavoring agents and chew on them or suck on the plant's juices through their teeth, resulting in a characteristic blackening of the teeth and gums over time. Others have been known to roll the dried leaves and smoke them, filtered by a pipe or directly, which has a similar effect on the teeth, and even to boil the fresh leaves and fruit down into a thick, black syrup that can be dehydrated and mixed with a saline solution to create an injectable drug. In all cases, excessive use has lasting side effects, eventually darkening the cornea to a nearly black color that normally suggests extreme Taint, and even a blackening of the veins and blood. The plant is also subtly addictive; besides a deadening of pain, it has a comforting effect, reducing anxiety, fear, and tension, and while it is slow to addict *chemically*, its utility and effects make it *psychologically* addictive.

It is also somewhat notable that the plant's fruit are particularly potent. These oblong, vaguely angular pods are filled with seeds in an uncharacteristically sweet pulp that's laden with the plant's active chemicals. Adventurers and bandits have been known to eat these as a means of coping with injuries, gaining the ability to press on when they otherwise would have perished... only to end up quickly becoming addicted to the plant. It is widely rumored that those who fall to this plant's addiction and die after their blood has turned black rise as Undead if not burned, and are particularly associated with Zombies, Ghouls, Ghasts, and even the relatively rare Fext. It's said that blackleaf grows in many graveyards and cemeteries throughout Armorica, and that the Church Grims who often guard such sites are just as likely to be warding people away from the plant as from the dead themselves.

#### Devil's Member

This ominously named member of the squash family grows in environments rich in salts and metals, particularly iron, and is of great importance in the overall health of Gaea's population as a valuable source of salts in the common diet. A summer squash, Devil's Member grows distinctly phallic red-and-purple fruit covered in small, sharp, thorn-like protrusions odd knots that make handling the plant challenging without sturdy golves. Its skin is almost metallically hard and ranges in color from a dull, rusty red to deep crimson or bright scarlet, save at the bulbous, knotty purple terminus opposite its stem. The plant's overall color and its remarkable visual similarity to a massive, warty, deformed penis lend it the awkward moniker, as does the white color and extraordinary salinity of the flesh within. However, it is in no way fiendish. The plant has merely adapted a very unusual self-defense mechanism for its seeds, which are essentially preserved in the salty inner flesh of the fruit and shrouded in metal-laced skin that slowly breaks down over time and exposure to the elements and its own salinity. These are spread through water action and animals seeking salt, as the purple "head" of the fruit breaks down first, allowing the flesh and seeds to spill out. Animals treat it as a sort of naturally occurring salt lick.

The Races of Man have found that this white flesh can be strained and dried to produce usable salt or used directly in brining and pickling. The vegetable itself is effectively inedible on its own.

#### Breastnuts

So named for their nut's resemblance to a large bosom and the milky oil derived from them, this species of Oak is found throughout Meropis and Thule and is also known as the Bollocks Tree, Ball Oak, and Milk Oak. The plant grows unusually large, paired acorns that are rich in a milky oil with a texture similar to actual milk. These nuts, sometimes approaching the size of a golf ball, are used extensively in cooking. Pressed of this oil and ground, they can be used as a flour popular in a number of flat or fried breads, and the oil itself makes a valuable milk substitute notable for its long shelf life even when kept at room temperature (though it is utterly unsuitable for making cheese, butter, or other fermented foods). This product is sometimes called Oak Milk, particularly in areas where the tree is known as Milk Oak. The acorns themselves are perfectly edible in their own right, and are frequently dusted in beet sugar or honeyed and toasted as a cross-cultural sweet, roasted, or eaten raw.

#### Toe Beans

A plant in the capsicum family that is extraordinarily widespread due to the manner in which its seeds are carried, Toe Beans are a popular, mildly sweet and spicy plant in many of Gaea's cuisines. The plant derives its name from its unusually shaped fruit, which is inconsistent even within the singular species, as it's derived from the species that deposited the germinated seeds. Toe Bean seeds can only germinate after having passed through the digestive tract of another organism. This process imparts some of the carrier's Mana to the plant, allowing it to begin the process of growing once it's been deposited in suitable soil. Once the plant flowers and fruits, the peppers it grows tend to resemble the feet of the species that ingested its seeds. The precise reason for this is unknown, but it's theorized that the plant may have originally been a magically cultivated species.

Toe Beans continue to carry the Mana of the species that deposited them, producing a scent that lures similar species to it in order to entice them to eat the fruit and spread its seeds, though other species may freely consume them. The stalks of Toe Beans are generally protected by oily, claw-like thorns that carry this Mana as well, acting as a deterrent to harming the plant proper. Individuals of other species who consume these Toe Beans often find themselves subject to unusual side effects, ranging from heightened senses or physical abilities to partial transformations into the species in question. This makes consuming the plant popular with Adventurers, who can sometimes use it to gain the benefits of certain spells (such as *Bull's Strength* or *Cat's Grace*) without having to cast them or purchase potions. The oily secretion of this plant carries the same sorts of effects but is dramatically more likely to trigger physical transformations. Individuals scratched by Toe Beans associated with a cat may temporarily grow fur at the site, for example. Monsters, like most other creatures, aren't above eating this plant as well. This can result in some patches of it being Tainted, potentially transforming individuals who are susceptible to that type of Taint into Monsters. Excessive consumption in a short period of time or allergies to the plant can also trigger severe transformations, some of which may become permanent.

#### Fiery Kiss

This distinct and troublesome perennial fern is a much-loathed pest to travelers in the Armorican wilderness. In spring, summer, and fall the plant's rhizome sends up beds of distinctive fronds whose jagged edges are marked by a distinct reddish-orange color that resembles certain edible berries at a distance has a vaguely sweet smell. The plant spreads its spores through an unpleasant process using these visually striking fronds; the spores themselves are contained in a painful, oily skin irritant produced by the plant's fronds that rapidly causes an intense burning sensation and painful skin blistering on contact, encouraging creatures who've come into contact with the plant to rapidly flee from it and wash the oily spores from their skin... which spreads the spores effectively, as they prefer dark, moist environments such as those found around many water sources in the region. The plant derives its name from the fact that even a faint brush with it, like the lightest of kisses, can induce intense pain for hours on end if no ready method of cleansing the contact area can be found. Most people know to rely on *Prestidigitation* to remove the contaminant, but for those who lack it and access to water, this plant is miserable. It is especially a threat to children who haven't learned to wield magic effectively yet.

Fiery Kiss is found mostly near water sources, especially in shady areas, and may cover large areas when growing in forests. It has a similar effect on most animals, including Beasts, surprisingly, though most insects and reptiles are immune to its effects. If carefully harvested and boiled, the fronds can impart a spicy, peppery flavor to food akin to chili pepper.

#### Goodberry

*Main Article: Healing Herbs in Gaea*

The plant for which the spell is named, Goodberry are a hardy flowering shrub that's endemic throughout much of Gaea. Rarely growing more than two feet in height, and usually significantly less, it is common in the understory of many forests in the region, and can be found in a wide range of environments besides that. Its unusual properties make it highly tolerant to poor environmental conditions, as the plant draws at least part of its sustenance from ambient Mana. This stored Mana is used for the generation of more plant matter, for while the plant doesn't get very tall, it can easily spread through root sprouts as well as its seeds. The plant flowers and fruits with no particular concern for the season, and is seen as a pest in many areas... but thankfully doesn't root very deep, making it possible to remove fairly readily. However, it remains a nuisance, as it can readily regrow from root fragments and can extend for quite a distance, making controlling it a regular concern. It is susceptible to fire and consumed by a wide range of wild and domestic herbivores. Goats, pigs, sheep, deer, various birds and rodents, and other animals can and will eat various portions of the exposed plant, and moles and other burrowing animals are known to eat the roots. The fruit is both edible and pleasant, with a mild tartness that becomes sweet when fully ripe. However, the defining feature of Goodberries is their ability to induce rapid healing. The plant heals itself with an effect similar to *Cure* magic, passively and unobtrusively performed by the Mana it absorbs from the environment. Its berries impart this benefit on those who consume them, making them critically important to individuals in the wild. Many animals know to exploit this, both to recover their own injuries, and to hunt wounded prey seeking the plants to help recover.

Goodberries are commonly used in local herbal Potions and drinks.