recursal/Fanatic-Fandom huggingface dataset:
Souhk Alkhadamat

Soukh Alkhadamat ('services market') is a city on Isfahan, famous for offering almost all services imaginable, including mercenary and procurer outfits.

## Snippets

* The Vigil is a medium sized mercenary outfit operating mostly on Isfahan, specialised on property and close protection. They have a large compound in Souhk Alkhadamat and are well known for their cameraderie and above-avergage social benefits and healthcare.
* Myrmidon is a large mercenary outfit, modeled after a full-scale army and catering to larger operations, often off-planet. Strong branding and self-confidence, middling success rate. Owned by Marshall Aeneas, though the day-to-day business on Isfahan is run by General Callisto
* Daimyo is a mercenary firm that specializes in low-cost, expendable soldiers, fleshbots and similar.
* Vespertilio is a successfull medium-sized Assassins Guild outfit, run by Cielago
* Two of the larger procurer outfits on Isfahan are Ali Baba and Cartouche.
Lindwyrms

Lindwyrms are winged, snake-like animals that stem from Svansgard.

They live in trees and hunt for birds or other small ground animals. Grown lindwyrms are usually no longer than thirty feet (six feet on Lorelei), but old specimens of more than a hundred feet (thirty feet) have been recorded. Their bodies are usually green-blue with a metallic sheen, while their wings can have a wide range of colours that usually remain mostly similar within one tribe. They have average sight, but a stunningly well-developed sense of smell.

Lindwyrms live in loose family clusters, from just a handful of members to several hundred. While relatively dumb as an individual, they have shown a stunning swarm intelligence the larger their tribes grow. Best example is the lindwyrm tribe of Wyrmfels on Lorelei, where the lindwyrms were originally imported from Svansgard as hunting sport. While they remain an invasive species over much of Lorelei, they have integrated with the human population in Wyrmfels and are now living more-or-less peacefully with the humans.
Imperial Standard

Imperial Standard is the official language of the Virasana Empire.

## History

* During the Shangri-La and the Lost Years, countless languages developed.
* Strong concentration during the emergence of the Noble Houses
* No common language during the Age of the Lotus. Nevertheless, growing communication density and cultural exchange between planets sped up a certain alignment. Attempts at creating a common baseline language usually died out after a few years.
* Complete chaos during the Age of Many Emperors
* Under the patronage of Empress Amadeus Grebenstein, Imperial Standard is developed as an artificial mix of the most common languages of the empire and set as official language for all imperial documents, declarations.
* Empress Tamina Quetzal initiated the obligatory use of Standard in all subsidized entertainment media.
* Slow but consistent increase of use in the years since
* Today, almost all people in the empire at least understand Standard, and the overwhelming majority speaks it fluently. Only in the most remote rural regions it might be difficult to get along without another language.
Malena

Malena is the capital of Malicorn, located on the south-eastern corner of the KuneKune Sea, best known for its beautiful beaches along the Rasher, for being the location of the quintannual Swine Swinging Constests, the Saint Cornelius Cathedral and the Saint Cornelius Monastery.

Dominated by the tourism industry, Malena has managed to keep a rather quaint character. Except for a handful of landmark building like the cathedral or the Swinodrome, it is little more than a long stretch of hotels, pubs, restraurants, surf shacks and clubs along the beach.

## Location

* The Sovarian Hills is a vast natural reserve north and east of Malena, mostly hills and shrubland
* While Malena sits on the east of the bay of Malena, the St. Cornelius monastery sits at the southernmost tip, the west is dotted with small towns (Inara, Soleca, San Nura and Menuel)
* To the north of Malena lie the University of Malicorn and several small towns like Magalica

## Landmarks

* The local Psions Guild HQ is notorious for the two giant, three-eyed 'psychic pig' statues flanking its main entrance, a present by Duke Mel.
* It houses the ducal palace of Duchess Malia Ohm Quetzal.
* The Rasher is Malena's beachfront promenade.
* Malena is the main hub of Malicorn's public transportation network, famously the suspended monorail that connects to the spaceport in the southeast and the university to the north.
* There has been a country club in Lower Beachview since before the time of Duke Mel, and it's passionnate enmity towards the relatively new yacht club in the marina is legendary.

## Snippets

* Current mayor of Malena is Richie Favier.
* Vertex Gabriel Ardenberg lives with his family in San Nura, one of the small towns across the bay.

## Other Articles on Malena

 Rasher Richie Favier Saint Cornelius Monastery Seven Immortals University of Malicorn
Ishikawa Kyothari

Ishikawa Kyothari is a human noble of House Kyothari and second son of the Duke of Shang Zhou. As sencond Prince of a Kyothari lord, he is responsible for the military of his father's domain, and is best known for his involvement in The Shang Zhou Shuffle.

## Snippets

* officer in the Shang Zhou military
* following his family's tradition of training the firstborn son for politics, the second born for the military, the third as scholar and the fourth as artist
Psions

Psions are people capable of using Psionics.

Until recently, only cerebral psions were known, employing their powers by concentration and willpower. Only with Yaden Quetzal, the phenomenon of visceral psions has come to light, opening a completely new viewpoint on psionic powers as a whole.

 Angela Inkuwe Athena Ardenberg Ciel Diego Amarosa Elayne Quetzal Florin Lark Frederick Moravia Gabriel Ardenberg Gregorius Quetzal Haakon Cournicova Helen Reinhardt Ian Forlano Margarete (Molly) Weidpfahl Morrigan Myriam Tambô P'tau Tilda Tjure Björndal Ulysses | Visceral Psions

## Some famous Psions include

 Angela Inkuwe Athena Ardenberg Ciel Diego Amarosa Elayne Quetzal Florin Lark Frederick Moravia Gabriel Ardenberg Gregorius Quetzal Haakon Cournicova Helen Reinhardt Ian Forlano Ivan Quetzal Margarete (Molly) Weidpfahl Morrigan Myriam Tambô P'tau Rene Laurent Tilda Tjure Björndal Ulysses Yaden Quetzal
Nach'Tarr

Nach'Tarr is a member of the N'Ptalini Pantheon, revered as the god of Death, Darkness and Deliverance. He is one of the two sons of Y'Bathar and represents the caring, somber and spiritual side of N'Ptalini society.

## God of Death, Secrets and Deliverance

It is unusual to revere a god of darkness as a positive deity. But Nach’Tarr is, if not exactly beloved, deeply respected and revered, second in importance only to Y'Bathar. His main duty is to gather up the souls (spirits, as some theologists insist) of the dead and lead them into the underworld, where they will exist in peace and harmony until the end of time. Similarly, he gathers up all things lost and forgotten, and cares for them as kindly as he would care for the dead. He is the master of all monsters and things that hide in the dark, and will protect his followers from them if they are worthy. Often, he is called the Lonely Mourner, as he stands by the graves of every forgotten creature, praising their life, mourning their passing, and guiding them into the long night.

In stories, he is usually shown as implacably calm, patient, almost omniscient and rarely speaking. Mostly, he appears in legends to calm his raging elder brother Cor'Garun, and to act as voice of reason and compassion. When they disagree, he often concedes the short-term victory to Cor'Garun, knowing full well that he will literally have the last say.

He is also famous for being the one god who has never lied.

Legends know of only one occasion where he was tempted to go into the underworld and bring back one of the dead, when his youngest daughter Lûn died. But even then did he uphold his own rules, reinforcing the image of being the most reliable of all gods.

## Iconography

* Tall and slender, with deep black skin and quills (or hair). No striations.
* Androgynous, occasionally hermaphroditic
* Either ageless or adult
* Clothed in darkness - either a huge dark cloak (of feathers) or literally wrapped in a black, curling around him like the fins of a dancer fish.
* Often depicted as kind companion of the lost and dying, often holding hands and guiding

## Dedicated Holidays

On the longest night of each hemisphere, Nach'Tarr's Night is celebrated all across the empire.

## Common followers

Sinners, spies, assassins, hospice workers

## Notable Followers of Nach'Tarr

Category *Followers of Nach'Tarr* not found
Viidakko

Viidakko is a temperate region on the northern hemisphere of Svansgard, best known for their orchards, produce and frequent leiona attacks. Due to the proximity to the aequatorial jungles, it is considered one of the last inhabitable regions before the local megafauna turns human settlements prohibitively dangerous.

## Snippets

* Peasants have dotted the region with little shrines to the leionas, hoping to appease them.
Kyo

Kyo is a planet of the Virasana Empire, newly colonized by House Kyothari.

## Climate

* one moon
* land / sea ration roughly 50/50, four larger continents
* local flora is roughly similar to Terran species but distinctively different in their glykoid structure, making them indigestible to humans and n'ptalini. Fauna is edible, but not palatable.

## History

* Settled and lost already during the Shangri-La, Kyo has not been terraformed. Instead, the human settlers chose to adapt their organisms to suit the local ecosystem. While these adaptions are mostly on the biochemical level and invisible, the settlers' pigmentation has shifted as a result. Native Kyori now sport lilac to purple skin and eyes in shades of yellow, green and blue with pale pink or lavender hair bleaching to white.
* While living in a non-technological and apparently primitive society, the native Kyori have a highly developed society and deep understanding of the local ecosphere.
* Kyo was re-discovered in 2021 ET and claimed by House Kyothari, making it the first potential granary for the House.
* While initially peaceful, the colonization of Kyo has turned into bloody, asymetrical warfare as soon as the first terraforming efforts were implemented. Since half a century, bloody battles against purple-skinned natives rage incessantly.
* Despite its overwhelming resources, House Kyothari has only managed to properly secure one continent, with two more highly contested and a third one completely under control of the natives. As the native Kyori do not rely on any sort of infrastructure to survive, the usual means of warfare are close to useless.
* Temple Jansahar allied with the natives a few years ago, declaring them souled with full personhood rights. While officially neutral in the way House Kyothari conducts its settlement of the planet, their involvement might be a reason why the Psions Guild has not been charged with large-scale genocide of the natives.

## Culture

Tribal music from Kyo has become increasingly popular over the last years - flutes and tambourines featuring heavily. Native Kyori singer Loanea has recently managed to get off planet and tour the Empire, mesmerizing audiences with her voice and horrifying them with tales of the atrocities commited against her people.

Kyori cuisine is heavy on fish and the ubiquitous Midori meat, the small ruminants that are raised in giant herds by the local Kyori. Wealthy settlers live almost exclusively from imported or vat-grown food, while the local food, if at all edible, is pointedly considered inferior. Slowly, the mass-grown Terran wheat is trickling onto the local markets, too, enforcing the cultural divide.

Highly popular puppet theaters and circus shows are available on almost every street corner. Apart from that, settlers on Kyo spend their time hunting for either deer or natural resources, or gambling away their hard-won cash in one of the many improvised casinos.
L'jao N'Ptah

L'jao is a N'Ptalini noble of House N'Ptah and one of the currently active Lotus Knights.

## Lotus Knight

* famous for his martial arts skills, both armed and unarmed,
* his broad education, his deep understanding of legal and cultural matters and his analytical mind

## Snippets

* Two daughters, born around 2250 ET
* neighbour to Sir Yaden in the Lotus Pavillion
Pyrokinesis

The ability to create fire or heat through Psionics is called Pyrokinesis.

The word itself is a malapropism, as the creation of heat does not involve kinetic energy per se. (Unless you consider the Brown motion part of kinetic energy.) The proper word would be Pyrogenesis, but so far it has failed to enter common usage.
Jawahir Alttaj

The Jawahir Alttaj are an elite military unit of House Kyothari that also works as their Intelligence Service, with roots in House Medina.

Quite similar to the Imperial Special Forces, the Jawahir are a group of extremely qualified individuals who receive the best possible training in their field. While they can live quite reclusively, some members have chosen to be very public about their affiliation, showing that they are paid extremely well and kept on quite a long leash as long as they perform flawlessly when called upon.

It is unknown what happens to Jawahir when they leave the services of their house, though.

The Jawahir are renowned for their strong preference of unusual talents. Psions, mages, mutants, aliens, cyborgs - the rarer, the weirder, the better.
Spirits

Spirits are a supernatural lifeform encountered all across the Virasana Empire. They are manifestations of concentrated, prolonged emotions revolving around a certain idea, location or item. While they can be arbitrarily small, some spirits, particularly those of larger concepts like 'greed', or 'fire', can be extremely powerful.

An important distinction of spirits is that they have no motivation, no agenda of their own beyond the commands set by the concepts they are based upon. Usually, they only gain a specific agenda when the status quo that gave birth to them is disturbed or threatened. Yet even the most enraged spirit can be appeased by offering them a solution that - in their point of view - resets the world in accordance to their needs.

Despite appearing highly intelligent and capable, spirits are not considered sentient. Some exceptions exist, of course, in the rare cases spirits have gained a soul and Full Personhood Status.

## Snippets

* They are distinct from Ghosts in that Spirits are created by collective emotions and have no personal agenda, whereas Ghosts are remaining imprints of a person's mind and needs, and are nothing *but* an agenda.
* Particularly large spirits can grant shards of their powers to people they believe helpful in setting the world right as they percieve it. Those spirits are usually called 'totems', their gifted followers 'Shamans'.
* Sometimes, a person's values align so closely with those of a spirit that they begin to express an echo of the spirit's powers. Those people are called 'Exemplars'. They differ from shamans in so far as no explicit faith on the side of the exemplar is required.
Om Nyama

Om Nyama is the name of the unique set of standards that define much of the internal politics and worldview of House Ndewane.

Literally, it translates to 'pitch black' or 'THE black', though it is mostly used as in 'the right / good colour'. Nobles who do not adhere to or match up to those standards are generally seen as unfit to rule and are usually ostracized from all social functions, effectively barring them from any political advancement.

Om Nyama encompasses physical as well as psychological traits and is as much a beauty standard as it is a philosophy of life.

Very roughly condensed, the core demands of Om Nyama are as following, from the most basic 'entry level' demands to the highest held values:

* **Physical Perfection** - the entry bar to even being looked at is nothing less than perfection. Flaws like a crooked nose, a round waist, body hair, unclean skin or a receeding hairline are the sign of inferior genetics, and true Ndewane don't have those.
* **Physical Excellence** - Physical fitness is expected of everyone in the house, and each member strives to remain as fit as they can. Many Ndewane are athletes and fighters at the very pinnacle of human capabilities, some even beyond.

Much of these two first tenets is influenced by the teachings of the warrior princesses of Dahomey, both historically and current.

* **Physical Beauty** - Flawless is good, but beautiful is better. This tenet has given birth to a unique style that, after a hundred generations, even genetically sets the Ndewane apart from mere humans. Standing well over two meters tall, with perfectly toned bodies, long limbs, pitch black skin that shines red or purple in the right light, with elongated heads and long earlobes, a true Ndewane is unmistakeable. Circular nostrils, black or golden eyes, long fingers - a million things make up perfect beauty, and each detail counts.
* **Mental Excellence** - With bodies that are flawlessly beautiful and healthy, those who want to truly set themselves apart must deliver more. Intelligence, alacrity and discipline are expected of those who want to rise in the ranks. Every knowledge and skill is valuable, and any member of the House worth their name is expected to at least have a sufficiently broad education to know what others are talking about.
* **Social Competence** - Remaining calm and in control is a skill highly valued among the Ndewane, and those who show their hand lose their face in return. Leaders of men never show weakness, and any sign of insecurity, surprise or hesitation is a damning display of exactly that.
* **Professional Competence** - Highest value is put on professional knowledge and skills. A calm, beautiful warrior will gain immense respect if they are able to argue molecular biology one moment and the finer points of pottery glazes the next.

The opposite, 'ephukíle' is an epithet for all 'lesser' races.
Siege of Geshi N'Ptah

On January 13th, 2222 ET, a fleet of N'bosoti ships attacked the N'Ptalini homeworld Geshi N'Ptah. Despite their incredible technical superiority, a combined effort led by Saint Cornelius and coordinated by the T'kla M'kan managed to deal a crippling blow to the alien fleet.

The event was considered a tremendous boon for both humans and n'ptalini, much improving the internal relations all across the empire. In consequence, it was also this episode that brought the Empire to the notice of the N'bosoti, maybe attracting more attention than we can survive.

Since then, January 13th has become an empire-wide holiday celebrating the liberation of Geshi N'Ptah.

## Other Articles on the Siege of Geshi N'Ptah

Category *Siege of Geshi N'Ptah* not found
Lopeia

Lopeia is a planet of the Virasana Empire.

## Climate

* Part of the Ithaca system, sharing the same orbit with Yseio
* the gas giant Vathis that shares the same orbit with Yseio and Lopeia is visible as the largest star in the night sky, though not much larger than that
* humid boreal to alpine, lots of lakes but few oceans.
* Much non-settled surface covered with mist forrest
* one of the earliest terraformed planets, basically no native lifeforms left
* natural resources long depleted, but very well balanced, small-scale mix of industry, settlement, farming and forests

## History

* settled by humanity as one of the first planets
* wealthy already during the Shangri-La period
* Barely affected during the Lost Years
* Readily accepted the rule of House Almaviva, recognizing them as descendants of their own settlers.
* medium N'Ptalini population
* highly developed trading centre, not very dogmatic in terms of Almaviva tenets
Skeintilt Buffers

The Skeintilt Buffer is a variation of the Skein Cradle that shifts the direction of gravitation within the field.

While initially seen as little more than a fairground novelty, it took humanity centuries to realize that this narrow application could scale in force with extreme efficiency. These days, Skeintilt buffers are installed on almost every human ship providing both a functional artificial gravity and a highly reliable buffer against acceleration shocks.
Riccardo Laurano da Vega Almaviva

Riccardo Laurano da Vega Almaviva was a human noble of House Almaviva.

It was Riccardo Laurano da Vega who claimed both the inaugural title of “Premier Poet of the Empire”, and you might find that many standing expressions and phrases as well as, seemingly, most of the most memorable lines of a long succession of popular songs and blockbusters go back to his vast oeuvre. He was famously driven half-insane by his attempts to translate his work into bird song.

## Other Articles on Riccardo Laurano da Vega Almaviva

Category *Riccardo Laurano da Vega Almaviva* not found
Lacrimosa Monastery

The Lacrimosa Monastery is a monastery on Tempest, headquarter of Temple Verata and traditional seat of their Archdeacon. It is a renowned centre of learning and philosophy, and home to the Krypta.

## Snippets

* Name means 'the tearful one'. Only half-jokingly attributed to the leaky roofs causing frequent indoor 'tears' running down the walls.
Robert Jacoby

Doctor Robert Jacoby is a human commoner, a brilliant engineer and scientist and the current the head of the Lotus Pavillion R&D department.

## Appearance

* blue eyed, short brown hair, light complexion with a tendency to freckles
* looks a lot younger than his age, always a bit boyish
* usually wears a white labcoat and a slightly startled expression

## Snippets

* close friends with Elisander Quetzal and his pets
* studied under Dr. Katrina Keller
Lotus Throne

The Lotus Throne is the throne of the Emperor, and is often used to symbolise the entire imperial government. It is situated in the Hall of Thousand Splendours on Emperor's Island, and is a much-photographed and well-known symbol of the monarchy.

## Snippets

* The throne is more of a dais, a stylised lotus flower carved from a single block of rose quartz, with gold filigree and green jade tiles surrounding it. The flower's petals are higher in the back, offering a surprisingly comfortable seat with a few pillows.
* While it looks like an ancient Virasana work of art, it has been at least heavily modified under the rule of Empress Amadeus Grebenstein.
Nosoti

Nosoti are a sentient race much older than any others known to humanity, often considered to be one of the first ever together with their brother race, the N'bosoti.

## Distribution

Nosoti are exceedingly rare, and with the exception of Beverly Corusant do not live among humans. It is unknown if the live on any planet at all, many assume that they have created a safe pocket realm where they withdraw to.

If encountered, though, Nosoti are exceedingly companionable and prefer to travel in groups or to join groups whereever possible.

## Anatomy and Physiology

Nosoti are bipedal, four-armed creatures resembling nothing so much as slightly lubberly, smooth-skinned herbivore terran dinosaurs with a shoulder height of a little above 1,5 m. They have a long, agile neck, balanced by a similarly long tail, which most can use to grasp things. Nosoti have no hair, and their skin color is usually an indistinct brown. It is unkown if the faint linear patterns on their skin is natural or decorative.

While they have middling far-range eyesight, their short-range sight and all other senses are exceeding well developed. Their ability to smell good food from a distance is most uncanny.

They are slow but astonishingly enduring walkers and seem to be able to digest almost anything.

While they have been observed going for several days without sleep, they seem to prefer frequent naps that can easily add up to the better part of the day.

## Procreation

Almost nothing is known about Nosoti procreation. If asked, Nosoti usually point out that they are 'primarily spirit, not flesh' and that they 'dream up' their offspring. It is unclear if that is simply an evasive answer or an actual description.

## Relations with other Races

While Nosoti are well known for being secretive and reclusive, they have also proven their intention to guide and teach the other races many times over. With the exception of the N'bosoti, all races hold the Nosoti in highest regard, and a Nosoti visit to any occasion is considered a particular blessing.

While their overal agenda and motivations remain unknown, stories abound of individual or small groups of Nosoti joining other races in seemingly mundane activities with great enthusiasm and humility - helping with a harvest, attending wedding feasts, local karaoke nights, buying pastry in a backwater bakery... A particularly famous example is a group of three Nosoti taking the stage during an open mic night in a mid-size harbour town, giving a rendition of 'Two orcs, one lizard' that is still considered the most wonderfully weird, unprofessional and charming version of the sketch.
Lotus Knights

The Lotus Knights are a noble order of the Virasana Empire. Directly under the command of the Emperor, they have come to prominence under the rule of House Quetzal, when they gained the Voice of the Emperor and started to assist the Emperor in humanitarian relief missions. Their headquarters is the Lotus Pavillion on the western side of Emperor's Island.

## History

* Originally a noble order under the Emperors of House Virasana, mostly honorary titles for friends of the imperial family
* Became an order of political players under Emperor Gregorius Quetzal when he gave the Voice of the Emperor to Sir Bernardo Almaviva
* Their crest is a double imperial lotus framed by the outline of a kite shield.

## Mission

They operate all throughout the Empire and beyond, acting both as strategic reinforcements and imperial propaganda tools. Lotus Knights are chosen by the Emperor as much for their outstanding skills as for their impeccable character, and are generally seen as superheroes or demi-gods by the general population.

Most children of the Empire (and many beyond) can recite the Oath of the Lotus Knights and the list of Knights in active duty even in their sleep. 'Becoming a Lotus Knight' ranks right up there with train driver, space pilot and dinosaur as dream jobs of a certain age bracket.

## Popularity and Cultural Influence

There is a whole line of movies, plays, novels and magazines about each Lotus Knight available, followed by a genuine flood of merchandize of which the collectible mugs are by far the best known. The public image of a Lotus Knight is carefully groomed (as far as that is possible) and tailored to attract a different group of fans as to cover as much of the empire's population as possible.

A monthly magzine, the QuestLog, details the adventures and appearances of the Lotus Knights and their crews, supplying the Empire with a sheer endless stream of cheap posters, cards and stickers that can be found even in remote corners of neighboring realms.

## Snippets

* About a century ago, Lady Consuela Almaviva had disappeared for almost a decade and to this day whatever she had done in that time was strictly need to know.
* The first Lotus Knights were instrumental in ending the Dakka War, namely Sir Wilhelm Grebenstein, Sir Li Lan Tô-Genji and Sir Saïd Medina.

## Notable (active) Lotus Knights include

 Haakon Cournicova Inyoni Ndewane L'jao N'Ptah Ragnhild Cournicova Relais Almaviva Tahira Kyothari Takumi Sikhulu Yaden Quetzal
## Notable legendary Lotus Knights include

 Bernardo Almaviva Estefanía Almaviva Hanako Tô-Genji Katrina Keller Li Lan Tô-Genji Ludwig Fürchtegott Grebenstein Saïd Medina Wilhelm Grebenstein
## Other articles on Lotus Knights

 Frederick Hamilton Li Ma Kyothari Lotus Pavilion QuestLog
Jiagong

Jiagong is a planet of the Virasana Empire.

## Flora and Fauna

* while unsuitable for large-scale agriculture, several local plants produce fibres of high quality
* much of the plant fibres today are grown on enormous plantations, resulting in a particularly high number of slaves among the population

## Culture

* based on the local resources, Jiagong has developed a wide-spread textile industry, spanning from harvest, refinement and cloth production to design and fashion in all genres
Slug Ham

Slug Ham is a specialty charcuterie from Leichnam, and well-known and sought-after all across the empire. Ham slugs are bred all over the tropical and temperate regions of the planet. Despite the notorious misanthropy of the Leichnami, it is perfectly acceptable for a snailbreeder to be emotionally attached to their snails and even publicly show affection.

Slug Ham is smoked to preserve the meat against the omnipresent mould spores on Leichnam.
T'cla (social)

A T'cla is the social unit formed by a group of N'Ptalini living together. It is somewhere between a tribe and a household, and can consist of up to two hundred individuals. Depending on their upbringing, many N'Ptalini still reply to the question 'Where are you from?' with their T'cla instead of their city of birth.

## It takes two to make a child, but a T'cla to raise it.

Originally living together in giant T'cla trees, N'Ptalini society was and still is shaped by this kind of communal housing. Many activities are seen as communal, procuring of food and raising children among the first of them.
Voice of the Emperor

The Voice of the Emperor is an oath given by the Emperor to a particular envoy, allowing that envoy to envoke the full authority of the Emperor (to speak with the Emperor's voice) while speaking on a defined cause.

This oath is best known for being given to each modern Lotus Knight since Bernardo Almaviva.

Other recipients of the Voice of the Emperor include:

* the Master of the Sands of the Grand Arena in Agami
* the superintendent of the Old Opera in Agami

## Some notable Bearers of the Voice of the Emperor include

Category *Bearers of the Voice of the Emperor* not found
Slaves

Next to commoners and nobles, slaves make up the largest portion of people in the Virasana Empire, if the least powerful.

It is assumed that roughly 25% of the Empire's population are legally slaves, see Society of the Virasana Empire.

## Slaves, Serfs and Pets

* Slaves are all people legally belonging to someone else.
* Serfs are slaves not directly belonging to another person, but through the land they live on.
* Pets are slaves working as personal servants of a noble or rich commoner, and are socially allowed a lot more leeway than other slaves. They are allowed to read and fulfil jobs way above their status, appear on social functions, etc. It is generally assumed that all a pet does is done under the direct and explixit orders of their owner.

## General Notes

* Under the law, all slaves are treated as items, not as people. They can be sold and used as their owner sees fit.
* The Churches see slavery as a secular legal status and accept it as such. The churches allow ownership of another being's body, life and mind, but not their soul. Actions that endanger a slave's soul are considered crimes of the owner.

## Slave Markings

* all slaves are marked as such, either by collars, slave guards or other culturally appropriate markings
* most slaves are marked with a tattoo or branding, depending on tech level of planet of origin
* slaves belonging to a noble or the church are marked with the crest of that noble/church
University of Isfahan

The University of Isfahan, is one of the foremost centres of learning and research of the empire. It's spread over countless facilities and several Soukhs, and one of largest non-guild employers of the planet.

## Snippets

* the paramag faculty is currently led by Master Tresilian
* the history department has close ties with the University of Floor
Imperial Seal

The Imperial Seal of the Virasana Empire is a seal used to authentify important legal documents issued by the Emperor. While it has no legal function per se, it holds much symbolic value and has been in use since Emperor Gregorious Quetzal, and supposedly long before that.

## Snippets

* While it looks like an ancient Virasana work of art, it has been at least heavily modified under the rule of Empress Amadeus Grebenstein.
Vox Populi

The Vox Populi is an empire-wide operating terrorist organization, claiming that the nobility suppresses humanity and that only by public voting in a democratic system true freedom can be reached.

They are known for being well-organized but badly equipped fanatics, not shying away from bloody mass murder to further their goals.

The Vox Populi is a popular antagonist in many movies or books of the empire.
Telepathy

The ablitity to read and manipulate thoughts via Psionics is called Telepathy.
Often appears together with Empathy.

Many Vertexes of the Psions Guild are telepaths, as their ability to connect with other Vertexes is a priceless component of the guild's network. Among those, Ciel is considered the strongest telepaths humanity has ever seen, with a mind-boggling range and bandwidth. Of similar range, her colleague Gabriel Ardenberg is renowned for his mental stability, allowing him to operate even in surroundings with extreme background noise, ie panicked crowds or similar.

## Notable Telepaths

 Angela Inkuwe Athena Ardenberg Ciel Diego Amarosa Florin Lark Gabriel Ardenberg Helen Reinhardt Margarete (Molly) Weidpfahl Morrigan Tilda Tjure Björndal
Monofilament Weapons

Monofilament Weapons are a category of melee weapons characterized by a cutting edge no more than a molecule wide, theoretically able to cut almost any solid material.

## Variants

### True monofil

True Monofil weapons only consist of a true monofilament - a single strand of molecules, often literally a single marcomolecule. To be able to cut anything, these filaments need to be put under some degree of tension - either by adding simple handles (i.e. monofil garottes), weights (i.e. monofil grenades) or having some sort of energy field that keeps them aligned to the edge of a massless 2D blade (i.e. Tangforce monofil).

True monofil can cut through virtually everything, but is difficult to handle due to its lack of weight and can easily snap if put under too much pressure. It offers tremendous destructive powers against unarmoured targets, quite a good offense against armoured ones, and is pretty much useless against any kind of energy shielding.

Their great advantage is that they are virtually weightless and can be disguised easily.

### Monofil Edge

Monofil Edge weapons are those who consist of a material (or tangforce) 3D body with an added monofil edge. They can still cut any material, but only penetrate those that can actually part. They are only slightly less powerful than true monofil weapons against unarmoured targets, much more effective against armoured ones and offer at least some kinetic impact against shielded targets.

## Other Articles on Monofilament Weapons

Category *Monofilament Weapons* not found
MiracleMend

MiracleMend™ is the best known brand of Yingakho Isiphuzo, a wild cocktail of enzymes, minerals, catalysts, proteins and stemcells that in many ways work like a fairy tale healing potion.

A clear, viscous liquid, MiracleMend™ is usually applied directly to wounds, though it can be injected or imbibed if necessary. It rapidly rebuilds lost or damaged tissue, even tentatively fixing broken bones. In professional hands, it can truly work miracles, and even in combat situations it can save countless lives - only then, the healed wounds will often have to be re-opened to properly set the bones and remove grown-in dirt.

Its production is a closely guarded secret and only licensed to a few select enterprises, the patents being held by one of the main branches of House Ndewane. Several key ingredients are extracts of plants growing exclusively on Kismet. For example, along the riverbeds of the southern Tpoti plain grows Lokuma - a hard-shelled fruit that contains one of the cure's core ingredients. Most of the areas where these ingredients are grown are firmly in the hands of the Tsepete family line of House Ndewane, though they do not hold the actual patent to the Yingakho.

## Yingakho Tanks

The original application of Yingakho Isiphuzo, these tanks are a widespread application in the best-equipped hospitals all over the Empire.

Flooded with a diluted Yingakho solution and equipped with a state-of-the-art sensor array directing several tribes of nanites, these machines can virtually heal any damage to a human body. While healing straight cuts or simple fractures requires little more technical understanding than using a microwave, complex issues call for a trained medic to avoid catastrophic side-effects.

Patients are floating inside the solution in usually horizontal chambers. The Yingakho solution is breathable, though the first few times can create the sensation of drowning. Disgorging the solution from the lungs is a deeply unpleasant but otherwise harmless process. Insufficient psychological preparation of the patients may result in severe trauma.

As the sedated patients do not truly sleep during the process, it is well known for patients to collapse of fatigue shortly after a prolonged treatment. As a rule of thumb, patients need bedrest for at least as long as they had been floating.
Saint CoCo

Saint CoCo was a human priest of Temple Jansahar, best known for being one of first disciples of Tagore Virasana and her subsequent teachings that even to this day compose much of the theologic backbone of Temple Jansahar. She is still revered as a deeply spiritual teacher and an inoficial patron saint of all misfits.

> "A man, a woman and a child are nothing but three people. Unless they are bound together by love, then, they become a family, and thus are more than the sum of their parts. And this more, this little bit, is what God is among all of us, and the sum of those pieces from all families, from all things there are and all sums that can be drawn, is the entirety of God."
>
>

*From the teachings of Saint CoCo, P:24:15:18*

## Snippets

* a former prostitude and drag perfomer of undisclosed gender
Yseio

Yseio is a planet of the Virasana Empire.

## Climate

* part of the Ithaca system, in the same orbit as Lopeia
* the gas giant Vathis that shares the same orbit with Yseio and Lopeia is visible as the largest star in the night sky, though not much larger than that
* arid boreal, vast steppes, very characteristic rock formations jutting out of the grasslands
* one of the earliest terraformed planets, basically no native lifeforms left
* natural resources long depleted, centralized industrial areas alternate with vast swathes of almost untouched nature

## History

* named for the mythical lovers Penelope and Odysseus
* settled by humanity as one of the first planets
* wealthy already during the Shangri-La period
* Barely affected during the Lost Years
* Readily accepted the rule of House Almaviva, recognizing them as descendants of their own settlers.
* medium N'Ptalini population
* highly developed industrial world, not very dogmatic in terms of Almavia tenets
* at some point during the Lost Years close to collapse of the ecosphere similar to Yaiciz, now balanced again thanks to close cooperation with Lopeia
Y'Bathar

Y'Bathar is a member of the N'Ptalini Pantheon, revered as the Goddess of Creation and Nurture. She represents the impartial, generous yet merciless Mother Ocean and is rarely depicted as a person.

## Goddes of Creation, Nurture and Balance

Y'Bathar is the Sea Mother, embodying the endless generosity and cruelty of nature. She gives, but also takes away again, leaving a narrow margin for her people to live in. She is generally considered a highly benevolent deity, but also far removed from the quarrels of mere mortals. To us, her blessings are truly a gift, and we must not rely on them to remain.

She does not interfere with the disputes among her warring sons, the luminous Cor'Garun and the chthonic Nach'Tarr.

## Iconography

* rarely depicted as a person
* if not abstract, then as the sea or as a huge maritime animal, like a boginsano or a whale
* the iquasini, small marine vertebrae native to Geshi N'Ptah, are considered sacred to Y'Bathar, as their swarms follow large marine animals and live in symbiosis with them.

## Dedicated Holidays

* On July 30th, her followers observe F'oariagi, the day she taught them to speak and walk upright. It is a day for families to gather and celebrate their good fortune.
Isfahan Sugar Puffs

The Isfahan Sugar Puffs (also: Choux-Al-Sukar) are the planetary hoverball team of Isfahan.

* Moderately successful in the Imperial Hoverball League, team colours are ashes-of-roses and gold.
* Renowned for their brilliant technique and beautiful style, very popular to watch but not always effective in terms of winning a match.
* Members of the team are all male.
* The players' spouses are lovingly called the 'Sugarbabes', and are very active sponsoring charities and the arts on Isfahan.
* Their name stems from the time the team was sponsored by the Isfahan Sugar Spinners Guild, and has given rise to the widespread tradition that their fans distribute sweets before and after matches of their team. The name stems from a puff pastry confection that legendarily managed to contain sugar in three different states - gooey boozy caramel, crunchy caramel, and dusted with white powdered sugar.
* Their home is the Mukeibat Al Sukar hoverball arena in Soukh Ateima.

### Current Team Members

* Naval Pabadi - goalgetter, married to Zafiyah Pabadi
* Aidin Sorato - linebreaker, dating Hatice 'Tici' Aksoy
* Kamal Arundati - goalkeeper, engaged to Nilufer Yildiz
* Daryun d'Acosta - wingguard, single
* Yussef Sakurai - bulwark, married to Hatice Sakurai

## Some Members of the Isfahan Sugar Puffs include

Category *Members of the Isfahan Sugar Puffs* not found
Terra Standard Deviation Scale

The Terra Standard Deviation Scale (usually: TerraStandard, short: TerS, unit: TS) is a scale measuring the relative habitability of a given environment. It is mostly used as a shorthand to describe a planet's or area's climate, though it can be used commercially to estimate the costs of potential colonization or terraforming efforts.
The TerS scale is set at zero for a perfectly habitable climate and enviroment, with the range from -1 to +1 denoting still habitable negative and positive deviations. TerS ratings below -1 and above +1 denote climates that are not habitable without appropriate shelter.

There is a long-ranging discussion about the scientific accuracy of this measurement, especially as the value of 'survivability' and therefor 'hospitability' is an arbitrary value and can differ wildly depending on the amount of hardship potential colonists are willing to suffer. None the less, the TerS rating is popular all over the Empire as a shorthand description and is used everywhere from tourism ads to local warnings.

The TerS catalog lists several hundred factors with their -1 to +1 ranges as denominators for survivability, from gravity and temperature to breathability of the atmosphere and background radiation. Usually, only a combined TerS rating is given for any given area, TerS ratings describing a specific factor are always given together with that factor.

## Some example TerS ratings

* Terra, mediterranean regions overall 0 TS
* Del'Morad, overall temperature -1.2 TS
* Kismet, overall temperature +0.6 TS
* Leichnam, airborne spore density +0.9 TS
* Famously, Shiraz is the only planet other than Terra that reaches a clear 0 TS all over, even exceeding Terra in so far as neither the polar nor equatorial regions exceed +1 / -1 TS.
Virasana Empire (realm)

The Virasana Empire denotes both the political entity and the space encompassed under the rule of the Virasana Emperor.

The Empire is, by long distance, the most powerful entity known both in military and economic terms, and while highly diverse, is currently in an overall phase of peaceful consolidation and exploration. It encompasses over 200 worlds with almost 200 billion inhabitants, most of them Humans with a sizeable minority of N'Ptalini.

## History

* Founded in 1402 ET when Anandi Virasana was crowned the first Emperor.
* See History of the Virasana Empire

## Political Structure

* See Nobility of the Virasana Empire, Laws of the Virasana Empire and Taxes in the Virasana Empire
* See Society of the Virasana Empire, Races of the Virasana Empire and Languages of the Virasana Empire

## Economy

* See Economy of the Virasana Empire and Currency of the Virasana Empire
* See Space Travel in the Virasana Empire

## Culture

* See Entertainment in the Virasana Empire and Art in the Virasana Empire
* See Religions of the Virasana Empire and Holidays of the Virasana Empire
* See Food in the Virasana Empire

## Other articles about the Virasana Empire (Realm)

Category *Virasana Empire (Realm)* not found
University of Malicorn

The university of Malicorn  is one of the most renowned universities of the Empire, located a few kilometers north of Malena .

It focusses heavily on technology and engineering, and has historically founded close ties to Temple Belligra and the local nobility. Since its founding, the university has been headed by Beverly Corusant , one of the very few Nosoti  openly living among humanity.

## Snippets

* most courses are booked out for the coming decades and can only be accessed via waiting lists
* all courses hold annual trials offering a small percentage of stipends to particularly gifted students. Stipends are paid from Lady Beverly's personal funds, and she holds the last decision on the annual winners
* the most popular course 'Applied Common Sense', taught by Lady Berverly herself, is only open by personal invitation
* Lotus Knight Takumi Sikhulu is an alumnus of the University of Malicorn
* The university and its propulsion lab in particular maintain a research spaceship, the Satori. It is notorious for being frequently dis- and re-assembled in new configurations to accomodate the most recent experimental equipment.

## Other Articles about the University of Malicorn

Category *University of Malicorn* not found
Ukhoko Necropolis

The Ukhoko Necropolis is a system of valleys near the town of Hamunaptra on Kismet, filled with ancient burial temples, mausoleums and all sorts of tombs housing the most venerated ancestors of many of House Ndewane's most noble lines. The Necropolis is a cultural epicentre for much of House Ndewane and Kismet, as well as a significant draw for tourists from all over the empire.

## Enterred family lines

* Much of the extinct Bhakato line of House Ndewane is buried here, including the legendary King Batsheba.
* The famously antagonistic Tsepete and Igugu family lines are also buried here, in two well-separated arms of the canyon system.

## Snippets

* The necropolis is only (publicly) accessible via one entrance, the 300-feet tall Black Gate.
* The Black Gate is closed from dusk to dawn to deter graverobbers.
* The necropolis pointedly does not have a zombie problem. Those shuffling sounds you hear at night? Graverobbers.
* Most mausoleums and tombs have public rooms where worshippers and descendants can visit, while the actual tombs are sealed and secured with manifold technical and supernatural deterrants against graverobbers.