recursal/Fanatic-Fandom huggingface dataset:
Black-and-White War

The Black-and-White War was one of the few major military conflicts since the end of the Age of Many Emperors.

## From ancient Grudge to new Mutiny

Tensions between House Ndewane and House Grebenstein had always been high, and unsurprisingly so as both houses considered themselves the pinnacle of creation if for utterly different reasons. But it was only in 2228 ET that those tensions flared into actual warfare.

## Imperial Involvement

Emperor Iskander tried to barter a peace agreement between the two houses. While on a clandestine mission in 2233 ET that he had kept secret even from his own Ruby Guard, Iskander was killed by a random ambush of Grebenstein troops who had no chance of knowing he would attend the meeting.

Upon hearing the news of his death, Empress Lilitu took the crown and swore bloody revenge to everyone involved. While the throne never took an official side in the war, Imperial Forces frequently protected Imperial interests influencing the conflict, like the bombardment of La Roche or the blockade of Shiraz after the Battle of Kalidor. Father Caradini of Temple Belligra vocally opposed the ruthless methods of the Empress, and despite a certrain rapprochement in the years since, their relationship remains strained.

## Escalation

The hostilites ended with House Grebenstein unilaterallly declaring surrender after the Battle of Kalidor, though the conflict officially ended only with House Grebenstein being formally declared extinct in 2234 ET.

## Spoils of War

With House Grebenstein extinct, most of their former holdings were expected to fall to House Ndewane. But by a combination of overstretched resources, unwillingness to antagonize the Empress even further and too many promises made during the war, they ended up with less than a third of them. Most of the remaining planets ended up with House Quetzal and House Cournicova respectively. In particular, losing Shiraz, 'the better Terra', to the Cournicova, is a slight House Ndewane will remember for a long time to come.

* The following planets were awarded House Ndewane after the war
	+ Espen
	+ La Roche

* The following planets were awarded House Cournicova as surviving Grebenstein vassal.
	+ Shiraz

* The following planets were claimed by House Quetzal as reparations
	+ Z'Kamanzi, since then bartered for another planet with House Ndewane

## Snippets

* Siege of Espen, during which the Pebble acted as a blockade runner
* Final Battle of Kalidor in 2233 ET, during which the Pebble rammed the Grebenstein battlecruiser Hohenschwangau
* Barely any combat on Shiraz, but several publicity missions, see the Grand Amadeum

## Other Articles about the Black-and-White War

 Battle of Kalidor La Roche Pebble Siege of Espen Z'Kamanzi
Floor Sweepers

The Floor Sweepers are the planetary Hoverball team of Floor. They are one of the most successful hoverball teams, having won the Imperial Hoverball League three times out of the last ten, in 2251 ET, 2263 ET and 2272 ET. They are highly popular on Floor and beyond, renowned for their excellent equipment, training and medical staff. Team colours are neon-orange and black.

## Team Roster

The current members of the Floor Sweepers are:

* Brian Aldrini - goalgetter, birthday: August 28th
* Tosa Watanabi - left linebreaker, married
* N'tama - right linebreaker
* Katie McGregor - wingguard
* NN - wingguard
* Frederick Moravia - bulwark
* Ingmar Tjorsten - bulwark, girlfriend
* Florence Vidal - goalkeeper, married

Some famous former members include:

* Cassia Hunter - bulwark, now retired on Rayatea with her three husbands
Even Nobles Cry

Even Nobles Cry is the name of one of the most popular and longest-running TV Series (holonovelas) of the Empire.

## Plot

'Even Nobles Cry' revolves around the struggles and love-life of an imaginary noble family of equally imaginary House DuPlessis over several centuries. A shameless tear-jerker and barely veiled pro-nobility propaganda tool, 'Even Nobles Cry' none the less managed to produce some of the most emotional and uniting experiences of the Empire's history, and many quotes both written and visual have entered the common language far beyond the Empire's borders.

## Origins

Even Nobles Cry has been running more or less continuously since the Age of Many Emperors, and it is impossible to retrace its origins. The expression 'holonovela' which is now used for the whole category of soap operas, hints at one of the Almaviva worlds, as does the fact that on many Almaviva worlds, the series is known as 'Cuando lloran los Aristos'.

## Current productions

* Currently produced and filmed on Lagoona, in designated studios near Molani.

## Cultural Impact

* The annual season finale is always broadcast on the first weekend in July, capping the Diwali celebrations. The finale has become a widely celebrated event each year, to the point that it is considered a semi-official, secular holiday. Many commoners seize the opportunity to gather with their friends and families of choice to drink, party and generally be silly and passionate about their interests. It is considered a welcome antidote to the sometimes slightly forced Diwali celebrations among genentic families.

## Trivia

* It is regularly rumored that the writer of the tremendously successfull three-season-arc of 2016 ET to 2019 ET, who was credited only as 'A' in the show's title, was no one less than his August Outrageousness Amadeus Grebenstein himself.
Ewêle

Ewêle is a planet of the Virasana Empire.

## Climate

* former core of a gas giant, covered in giant crytals of tiosilicates and silicon selenide
* unclear how the planet ended up in the system, either has been drifting after the loss of its original sun or has been placed here
* mined for rare superconductors
* thin nitrogen / ammonia atmosphere
* population lives in biodomes
Currency of the Virasana Empire

The Virasana Empire currency is minted in the name of the Virasana Emperor and controlled by the Imperial Chancellery.

## Currency, Denominations and Coinage

* Imperial Creditary Unit (ICU), nicknamed 'Heron' for the symbolic representation of Agami on the back of the most commmon coin. Face of the coin usually bears the face of the Emperor under whose rule the coin was minted.
* One ICU (Heron) is subdivided into ten Decas (Chicks).
* One Deca (Chick) is subdivided into ten Centas (Nuggets).

Minting is the monopoly of the Emperor. Coins minted range from one Heron to one Nugget in an abundance of steps. The most common coin by far is the simple Heron, followed by the single Deca and Nugget coins.

The names os coins vary with location, and often historic local currencies live on, i.e. the Grebenstein ‘Groschen’ for a 10 nugget coin on former Grebenstein holdings.

Depending on the prevalent level of technology on a given world, transactions above ‘a handful of herons’ are either paid by credit-card, IOU’s or the literal ‘chest of gold’. Transactions below one nugget are generally solved via barter.

## Prices and Purchasing Power

Due to the social structure of the Empire (and part of the reason for the very same) is the vastly disparate purchasing power of the three strata.

All goods produced by slaves and required to uphold their negligible living standards (further referred to as ‘slave goods’) have become ridiculously cheap. This applies to simple food, simple housing, simple clothing. ‘Commoner goods’ encompass diverse food, general health care, diverse housing, mass-produced entertainment and clothing and some level of travel and technology. ‘Noble goods’, unsurprisingly, are over-the-top expensive, and encompass any kind of luxury items and services and any access to technology beyond, say, a cell-phone.

For purpose of illustration, one can assume that ‘slave goods’ only cost 1/1000th of the price they would demand in an unbiased economy, while ‘noble goods’ command a thousand times the price. Please note that the differentiation between ‘noble, commoner and slave goods’ is not consciously made within the Virasana Empire, but is visible through all transactions and silently enforced by all those who sufficiently understand the mechanisms.

## Pricing Examples

* a slave meal - 2 nuggets
* a slave's outfit - 2 chicks
* a dead slave - 3 herons
* a commoner meal - 10 herons
* a commoner outfit - 100 herons
* a well bred horse - 1k herons
* a decent monthly commoner salary - 2k herons
* a planetary teleport, one person - 30k herons
* a simple commoner house - 100k herons
* a simple ground car (electric or combustion) - 30k herons
* an interplanetary teleport, one person - 1m herons
* a hoverglider - 20m herons
* a small baronetcy - 50G herons (see note)
* a small to medium spaceship - 500G herons

*Note: Real estate is never for sale, as real estate ownership is the exclusive prerogative of the nobility. Titles, on the other hand, while not freely traded, can occasionally be exchanged for goods and services that one could put a price tag to.*
Cesare Rosa Almaviva

Baron Cesare de la Rosa Espinoza Almaviva was a human noble of House Almaviva.

And I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Cesare de la Rosa Espinoza, who led his forces personally into battle against a different branch of the family in what is known as the “War of the Handkerchief”, and it would go too far to explain how exactly it came to be known as such, but Cesare conducted himself with great personal courage. The war ended when Cesare convinced the opposing leader to meet him in single combat to the death before the ranks. Both received terrible wounds, of which his opponent would succumb. Meanwhile, Cesare, bleeding heavily and feeling himself at death’s door, knelt at his enemy’s body before his enemy’s forces who were all ready to slay him in revenge, when he raised his voice and spoke of love and brotherhood and sacrifice until he had the troops – including his own – reduced to tears. Many lives were saved thus, and Cesare lived to fight another day.

## Other Articles on Riccardo Laurano da Vega Almaviva

Category *Riccardo Laurano da Vega Almaviva* not found
Lûn

Lûn was a member of the N'Ptalini Pantheon, revered as the Goddess of Healing and Hope. She was the youngest daughter of Nach'Tarr and is considered the only God who ever truly died.

## Death

During the war between Cor'Garun and Nach'Tarr, weapons were deployed so terribly that they threatened to tear the universe apart. Lûn sacrificed herself to heal these tears in the fabric of the universe. Her father confirmed that unlike other defeated gods, she had truly passed into the underworld, and was truly dead.

Her death shocked the gods out of their incessant struggle, and all of them agreed on an armistice in her honour. Some assume that said armistice was broken during the Siege of Geshi N'Ptah, but so far, this is a theory only.

## Iconography

* adolescent female, white skin with blue striations, often with blue wings
* usually depicted absent, by an empty chair or a single blue feather on the floor

## Dedicated Holidays

As Lûn is dead, she officially has no dedicated holiday.

## Common Followers

As Lûn is dead, she officially has no followers and no temples. Nevertheless, many people still hold her in high regards and occasionally light a candle in her name or offer similar, tiny devotions.

## In Popular Culture

* The song 'Last Priest of Lûn' by Bobby and the Beetle Eaters deals with irrational hope against all reason.
Goa

Goa is a planet of the Virasana Empire.

## Climate

* Warm, mountaneous, jungle
* rich in mineral resources, but mostly depleted
* some fruit, but terrain makes large-scale agriculture impossible

## History

* second world to be settled by House Medina after Isfahan.
* Friendly contact with House Virasana for centuries, cultural influences still show.
* medium N'Ptalini population
* 40% of the population are slaves, working as farmhands, frequently traded.
Apollonia Mercedes Petrov

Apollonia Mercedes Petrov, also known as 'La Eterna', is a human commoner and one of the most popular and beloved opera singers of the Empire. While technically, her voice is far from perfect, her ability to convey heartfelt emotion in her singing is undisputedly unmatched.

## Appearance

* short and solidly built
* short grey curls, though often dyed in whatever colour she fancied at the moment
* usually dresses in a shalwar kameez and shawl, often richly printed or embroidered

## More articles about Apollonia Mercedes Petrov

Category *Apollonia Mercedes Petrov* not found
Penzance

Penzance is a planet of the Virasana Empire, best known for it's exports of rare produce and spices.

## Climate

* only little landmass, one small continent, many scattered islands
* Tropical maritime, temperature +0,5 TS, can exceed 45°C average rendering some regions barely habitable for humans
* spectacular terraforming has left the planet teeming with unique native species while being hospitable to humans, many plants producing fruit and spices that are sought out delicacies
* local wildlife (and many plants) are highly sensitive to vibrations, especially artificial, sonorous sounds in the lower Hertz range. Critical range seem to be frequencies between one Hertz and one kHz.
* Therefore, many technical appliances, especially generators, engines and mechanic operations, are strictly forbidden planetside. Most transport on the surface is facilitated via pre-industrial means, particularly sailboats.
* A generally high to very high mana level leads to occasional outbreaks of wild magic.

## History

* high N'Ptalini population

## Culture

* Food is mostly ocean-based, fish and several starchy algae form the main parts of the diet
* Spices both from classic as well as oceanic agriculture are sought-out in human and n'ptalinai cuisine
* Almaviva culture has a strong foothold here, even common populace has taken up the carmencita / lucheador gendering
* Bards are exceedingly common, at least one in every tavern or bar in the evenings. They also form an important gossip network.

## Snippets

* Landing of spaceships is forbidden, all ships have to dock at the orbital platform of the planet's orbital lift that leads down to the capital.
* Southern Pearl Sea
* Bloodwhales - in the northern waters, fish(!). Average 20m, with ramhorn, hunting in packs. Love human meat. Lone specimen of up to 40m have been spotted.
Ruby Guard

The Ruby Guard is an elite regiment of the Imperial Army, tasked with the protection of the Virasana Emperor and his family.

They are picked for particular loyalty and skills. Quite unlike their counterparts in service of the Empress, the Malachite Guard, the Ruby Guard is well known and respected for their lawfulness and honour. While generally renowned and even adored for their sterling reputation, the death of Emperor Iskander is a tarnish that has left them hyper-vigilant ever since.

While they only have a nominal headquarter and some training facilities on Emperor's Island, most of them actually live directly in the imperial palace, their officers even with their immediate families. They are near ubiquitous Emperor's Island and quite frequent all over Lagoona, but meeting one of them on other planets is almost unheard of.

## Armour

The deep red, glossy full plate armour of the Ruby Guard is one of the most widely recognized suits of armour in the empire.

* sleek, elegant
* golden details denoting rank
* full face visor always closed while on duty, helmet clipped to belt when off-duty

## Snippets

* Currently under the command of Commander Lady Ashley Quetzal.
Operation Gwaihir

Operation Gwaihir is the name of a widespread military and intelligence effort towards the end of the Urchin War in 1002 ET to retrofit the Excalibur I (recently rediscovered as result of Operation Underhill) to allow her a direct FTL jump into the Geshi N'Ptah system with most of the remaining human fleet in tow.

This operation is still cited as one of the few moments humanity has truly acted as one, and has been the subject of countless movies, books and theatre plays.
Gulgoleth

Gulgoleth is a planet of the Virasana Empire, under quarantine since its rediscovery as its original settlers have mostly destroyed it by atomic, chemical and biological warfare.

## Climate

* arid alpine, nearing the end of a nuklear winter
* mostly uninhabitable, ABC poisoned wastelands
* ecosystem in turmoil as radioactivity and bioagents create a steady stream of mutations

## History

* originally named Gethsemane, it has since been renamed
* Settled independently by several different factions unknowingly of each other, with vastly different philosophies
* highly developed during the Lost Years, but almost completely destroyed by war
* two main factions during the war - one focused on technological and cybernetic solutions, the other one on bioengineering.
* the war left no human survivors, though splinter groups have found other ways to survive - merging with different species, as cybernetic constructs, and so on.
* Upon rediscovery in 2264 ET, the planet was immediately put under quarantine, as the biological agents are still active and pose a significant pandemic threat should they ever reach the empire.
* Gethsemane technology surpassed that of the Virasana Empire in many ways, so despite the deadly conditions dirtside, scouting troops are sent down to salvage what the possibly can. It is feared that looters will try as well, but House Ndewane tries adamantly to keep the planet out of reach.
Soma

Soma is a drug, a mild sedative and anti-depressant that significantly reduces personal desires and ambitions. Its street name is 'MK' because that is what most users say to every order they are given.

It creates only minor physical dependencies, but the psychological ones can be devastating even after only a short-term use. Overdoses are rarely deadly, but in extreme cases can lead to complete loss of sapiency with little hope of recovery.

* Soma use is particularly widespread on Yaiciz, where the drug is officially distributed by the government, basically for free.
* Many food products laced with Soma are freely sold all over the Empire, most popular and wide-spread of them Somala.
* Strong doses of Soma inhibit the use of supernatural powers.
House Tô-Genji

House Tô-Genji was one of the Noble Houses of the Virasana Empire. They merged with House Medina at the end of the Dakka War, forming the present-day House Kyothari. Its homeplanet was Shang Zhou, though they moved to Qufu as official seat of their house eventually.

## History

Having grown out of a group of religious extremists who (outwardly) eschewed worldly riches, House Tô-Genji was best known for its rigid social rules, their high intellectual training and their artful, less-is-more style.

Lesser known but just as important to understanding them were their focus on long-term scheming, their deep belief in slavery, misogynism and their own unquestionable superiority.

"We all serve the House." was a common way of ending a conversation among them, and it has remained in use on many Kyothari worlds, even though sometimes in mocking. Somtimes, this line is answered by "And the House serves the Emperor.", but this is even trickier to use without turning it into an insult.

## Coat of Arms

   White, one white, twelve-petaled stylized white tsubaki flower in the lower right corner.

## Style

### Clothes

* flowing robes, simple cuts, ascetic, humble
* women veiled

### Architecture

* reductionist style, less-is-more
* small, 'humble' buildings, natural materials

## Notes

* Two famous military elite units
	+ the Red Tsubaki and the Black Tsubaki
	+ Family lines: Himawari, Ajisai, Shobu, Tsutsuji, Shiragiku, Hinagiku, Ayame, Shirayuri, Sayuri, Suzuran,
	+ Also known as 'House of Flowers', which used to cause a hearty laugh among members of House Medina, among whom 'flower' is a euphemism for daughters, prized prossessions and prostitutes.

 Hanako Tô-Genji Li Lan Tô-Genji | Notable Holdings

## Other Articles on House Tô-Genji

 Black Tsubaki Dakka War Red Tsubaki Shang Zhou
Lotus Pavilion

The Lotus Pavilion is a compound on the western side of Emperor's Island and the official headquarters of the Lotus Knights. The expression is also used to describe the entire staff working for the Lotus Knights.

## History

Originally nothing but a fancy gentleman's club for the Emperor's buddies to hang out, the Lotus Pavilion changed its role the same way the Lotus Knights changed their duties during the reign of Gregorius Quetzal. Over the years, it has turned into a headquarter for the empire's best known noble order, growing year by year. Today, the Lotus Pavilion and its subterranean extensions hold the empire's best-equipped crisis intervention centre as well as the training grounds and equipment of the Lotus Knights.

## Layout

On the surface, the Lotus Pavilion is a walled-off group of buildings and courtyards on the western slopes of Emperor's Island. It comprises the actual Lotus Pavilion, where the main administration of the Lotus Knights is housed, as well as the housing of the various knights and their families, as far as they elect to live on the island.

Like every part of Emperor's Island, the Lotus Pavilion extends deep into the ground with countless rooms for research, design, mission prep, public relations and so on.

The QuestLog is also part of the Lotus Pavilion administration.

## The Lotus Pavilion Staff

#### Command Staff

* Commander of the Lotus Knights: Sir Frederick Hamilton (Army)
* Assistant Commander: Lieutenant Commander Li Ma Kyothari: (Special Forces)

#### Division Heads

* Paramag division: Master Irao Kilian Samara
* R&D division: Doctor Robert Jacoby, specialized in cybernetics and exotic materials.
* Exploration division: Doctor Analise Fishering-Potzimski

#### Other

* Master Kareem Halabi - ParaMag team member, psionics
* Thandia Makubele - ParaMag team member, spiritualism trainer

* Sylvia Fuentes - MissionPrep team member
* K'jal Dhanin - tattoo and bodymod specialist, occultist, female
* Simon Chevalier - Quartermaster
* Rajveer Othi - PR Team, teamleader 'Yaden and Family', with his assistant Amanda
* Doctor al-Murad - cheerful, rotund, in charge of crystal drive research

## Other Articles on the Lotus Pavilion

 Frederick Hamilton Irao Kilian Samara K'jal Dhanin Kareem Halabi Li Ma Kyothari QuestLog Rajveer Othi Robert Jacoby Simon Chevalier Sylvia Fuentes Thandia Makubele
Leionas

Leionas are feline apex predators native to Svansgard, most common to the Viidakko region.

They are crepuscular hunters notorious for their penchant for human flesh which entices them to not only to explicitly hunt humans, but even to lay traps for them. If the latter is a sign of sentience is hotly debated, but doesn't make them any less dangerous.

The local populace has dotted the region with little shrines, hoping to appease them.
Molani

Molani is the regional capital of Kohari, the southern continent of Lagoona , home of most of the empire's entertainment industry.

Molani is also the home of the Princess Aurora Awards, widely recognized throughout the Empire (awarded always on the second weekend of February), and the place where the Empire's foremost soap opera is produced - Even Nobles Cry.

On the last Saturday of January, the Vladimirs are awarded for the best TV Shows of the Empire.
Peach

Peach is a planet of the Virasana Empire, best know as the planet completely overrun by a single plant species, the NutriGourd.

## Climate

* arid alpine, warm in the valleys, frequent precipitation along the mountain sides
* terraforming created perfect conditions for a local plant species that suddenly went into explosive growth and eradicated almost all other plantlife within a few years. Due to its high content of nutrients, it was euphemistically named NutriGourd.
* Importing NutriGourds to any other planet is considered ecoterrorism and an act of warfare under Imperial Law.
* no moons

## History

* NutriGourds form the main ingredient of NutriBars, being harvested all over the planet with massive maschinery
* As the gourds are relentlessly growing and rooting in almost any material, structures that are not protected by energy shields usually last for a few decades max, preventing any larger-scale settlements

## Culture

* Building styles have taken significant inspiration from Serin
Rose Vandermeer

Rose Vandermeer is a human, a former member of the Malachite Guard under Empress Lilitu Quetzal, and current Imperial Chancellor.

## Appearance

* petite, dark-haired, curvy
* heart-shaped face, brown eyes

## Snippets

* an avid fan of Even Nobles Cry
* rumoured to have be an excellent assassin in her youth, her renowned nerves of steel giving credit to this theory
Stördensneks

Stördensneks are predators native to aequatorial jungles of Svansgard.

## Appearance and lifestyle

* They are large, warmblooded predators looking similar to terran snakes, but move rather like centipedes by using their ribs as internal legs.
* Up to 120 feet long
* Can raise the front third of their body and remain entirely motionless for several days, waiting near watering holes to fall like a log onto unsuspecting prey, crushing them.
House Grebenstein

House Grebenstein was one of the Noble Houses of the Virasana Empire, best known for it's rigid manners and firm belief in their cultural superiority. Its homplanet was Shiraz.

## History

Often called the cultural opposite of House Ndewane, the comparison is apt and flawed at the same time.

While House Grebenstein genetically presented an overwhelmingly white, blond and blue-eyed front, it did not consider themselves superior due to any genetic or racial advantages. More aptly put, they were 'cultural racists', and while they wouldn't look twice at the colour of your skin of the number of your eyes, if you ever dared to pick up a tea cup the wrong way, you were out.

But the reverse was true as well - if you managed to appear as one to the manner born, they accepted you as one of their own. Though, considering their sheer amount of etiquette and unspoken rules, it can be safely assumed that this was a theoretical option only.

Things always moved slowly with the Grebensteins, nothing new was good until it had proven itself. But their long-term approach and deep cultural convictions explain how even today, two-hundred years after the house is officially extinct, their planets still bear unmistakeably Grebenstein traits in their day-to-day culture.

## Coat of Arms

Sky blue, white knight on white horse in golden embroidery.

## Style

### Genetics

Blond and blue eyed, wiry and athletic, some gingers. Other adoptions were possible, but exceedingly rare.

### Clothes

White, often uniforms, classic. Very little room for fashion or evolution.

### Architecture

Old-fashioned - classical proportions, archetypical materials, everything that could possibly quote a grand past.

## Notes

* The Blue Gryphons were an elite fighting unit of the House, based in Greifenwald on Shiraz. While disbanded after the Black-and-White War, it still lives on in popular culture.
* While generally hesitant to accept new inventions of any kind, the Grebenstein were unquestioned masters of solar sails. Even many of their larger ships sported sails, best known among them probably the Rheingold and the Havelland and its captain's rig, the Ribbeck.

 Amadeus Grebenstein Friedrich Nikolaus Grebenstein Ludwig Fürchtegott Grebenstein Morgana Grebenstein Wilhelm Grebenstein | Notable former Holdings

## Other Articles on House Grebenstein

 Black-and-White War Blue Gryphons Shiraz
Age of the Lotus

The reign of House Virasana is commonly called the Age of the Lotus, after the lotus flower on coat of arms of House Virasana.

The Era begins with the coronation of Anandi Virasana as the first Virasana Emperor in 1402 ET and ends with the assassination of Bibek Virasana, the last Emperor of House Virasana in 1942 ET .

It was an unprecedented time of consolidation and growth for humanity, but also ripe with mismanagement and internal quarrels.
Knights

Knights (unisex title) are the lowest sovereign noble title of the Virasana Empire under a Baronet.

A Knight's domain usually consists of a single estate, often some sort of manor or castle and an adjacent town.

The Lotus Knights are literally just Knights, but as they also hold the Voice of the Emperor, their word holds much more weight than others.
Hoverball

Hoverball is a heavy contact team sport that is popular all across the empire.

* two teams of eight players each
* played cubic playing field in zero G, 32m each side, standing on one point, clear walls
* each team tries to bring ball into the opponents goal zone, either the top or bottom corner of the cube
* the four remaining corners offer different boni each
* per team there's one goal getter, two bulwarks, two wingguards, two linebreakers, one goal keeper. Usually, the bulwarks have anchors, and the linebreakers propulsion, but this can vary depending on strategy. There are no more than two anchors and two jetpacks per team allowed.

While there are regional and planetary leagues, the best known hoverball competition is the Imperial Hoverball League.

## Other Articles on Hoverball

 Alloy Silverfishes Dahomani Assegai Espen White Knights Floor Sweepers Gui Lin Floating Dragons Hammerfest Hammerfists Isfahan Sugar Puffs Kiruna Slaggers Kismeti Izilwane Lagoona Blockbusters Lorelei Lumberjanes Mali Hogs Nabucco Stallions Serin Tumbleweeds Shibuya Starlights Svansgard Yotuns Teani Stingrays Triticum Harbingers Yaiciz Cyberpunks
Premonition

Premonition is the skill of knowing the future via Psionics. Psions capable of Premonition are calles Oracles.

It is one of the rarer expressions of psionics. While most Oracles can quite precisely predict the probability of a future event, a precise foretelling is unheard of.

Best known oracle was Emperor Gregorius Quetzal. He is rumoured to have avoided making precise foretellings, as it had been their unavoidability that had led to the suicide of his aunt Elayne Quetzal, who had also been an oracle. His abilities are at the root of the so-called Gregorian Letters.
House Cournicova

House Cournicova is one of the Noble Houses of the Virasana Empire, best known for its fierce loyalty and being the only matriarchal house. Their homeplanet is Svansgard, and it is currently governed by Duchess Asa Cournicova.

## Culture

House Cournicova (occasionally Kournikowa or variations) is the only House that strictly clings to a matriarchal line of heritage, claiming that men are too easily controlled by their impulses and any man holding any responsibility is an open invitation for disaster. Thus, Cournicova men are held separate from all ‘important’ dealings and are trained for obedience and beauty from early childhood on. Cournicova women, on the other hand, appear passionate and fierce in public, tall, warlike and unafraid of any challenge. They cherish ‘real’ combat experience and personal skills more than any other house, and a Cournicova baroness claiming she killed at least a thousand warriors is probably just telling the truth, if not underplaying it to be polite.

Unlike any other noble House, the Cournicova respect family ties to a fault, and even the lowest member can expect the support of the entire House if they come asking. On the downside, this means that the House has little internal means of getting rid of the occasional rotten apple, and disagreements can hamper progress over generations.

## Style

### Genetics

* Tall, strong, light-skinned and fair-haired, moderately uniform
* Females have tendency to grow taller than males.

### Clothes

* Showing pride in history and culture, showcasing craftsmanship and personal achievements
* Fur and leathers, natural fibres and materials, simple but of stunning quality. Their outfits invariably show off the skill of local craftsmen, whether those are the armoursmiths of Lorelei or the scaleweavers of Rayatea.
* Women prefer outfits that emphasize their battle skills; Men are dressed 'advantageously'

### Architecture

* Sturdy, defensible, communal. Castles, longhouses, arcologies
* Natural building materials and 'honest' craftmanship preferred

## Notes

* The ducal family of Svansgard also holds the title of Prince of the House. Usually, the Duchess of Svansgard is also the Princess of House Cournicova, but historically many dowager Duchesses have elected to keep the title of Princess until their deaths.
* In honour of their heraldic animal, the wyldebeast, many more traditionally-minded Cournicova dye their hands blood-red for special occasions, particularly weddings. Once they start dyeing their teeth red, you know that they're on the war path.

 Asa Cournicova Haakon Cournicova Ragnhild Cournicova | Notable Holdings
Gregorian Letters

The Gregorian Letters are a set of missives attributed to Emperor Gregorius Quetzal, an oracle. Since his passing, these letters have popped up all across the Empire at seemingly random times and places. They invariably hold a brief instruction or a bit of information, either of which usually will seem random or useless, but will reveal itself to be crucial in the near future.

Historians assume that these letters are a means for Emperor Gregorius to continue his mission to put the empire onto a path of peace and prosperity, making sure individual events unfold they way they need to.

## Snippets

* All Gregorian Letters came in precious lilac envelopes with the Imperial Seal in metallic green lacquer.
* Some of them were delivered by messenger, others were found in absurd places. But even if they came into the hands of their finder seemingly by pure chance, they were all clearly addressed to their finders and carried information personally relevant to them.
P'tole sey

The P'tole sey - or sun griffins - are medium-sized predators native to the coastlines of Geshi N'Ptah.

## Appearance and lifestyle

* four legs, two wings, blue and gold feathers, long narrow tail
* live in large driftwood nests high upon the cliff, dive into the ocean for food
* generally not aggressive if left alone, but can turn into vicious fighters rivalling the Leionas of Svansgard when cornered or when their nests are threatened
* vain, spending much time preening in the sun, more so during mating season

## Snippets

* Considered sacred to Cor'Garun, they are treated with high respect, and many of their main breeding grounds are highly protected natural reserves. Boat tours to observe them from afar are an important tourism element in those areas.
Nandi Makeba Ndewane

Nandi Makeba Ndewane was a human noble of House Ndewane. She was the last contestant of her house for the title of Virasana Emperor at the end of the Age of Many Emperors.

As a token of respect, Emperor Gregorius Quetzal insisted on her to be counted as a Virasana Emperor proper, even though in the end she reliquished her claim in his favour.

## Other Articles on Nandi Makeba Ndewane

Category *Nandi Makeba Ndewane* not found
Space Travel in the Virasana Empire

Space travel technology in the Virasana Empire is almost exclusively subluminal technology. What little superluminal technology exists is either not build by any of the known younger races (Mandalas, Excalibur I, Excalibur II) or isn't a technology at all (Teleportation).

## Subluminal Travel

There are countless drives available for spaceship propulsion these days, with new 'breakthrough technologies' coming onto the market every other week. None the less, there are only three general principles that make up most of the active ship's drives:

* Gravoskein technology: Skein Drive; Skein Cradle and Skeintilt Buffers
* Impulse Drives, either propellant-based or electron-repulsion
* Solar Sails

### Travel Times

The combination of current Skeintilt Buffers and the above mentioned drives results in a maximum average acceleration of 31km/s². So for example, the trip from a planet to its mandala can take from three days (when the Mandala is at perigee, with an average travel speed of approximately 2 million kilometers per hour (app. 580 km/s or 0,193% c) to nine days (when its at apogee).

Travel Times at constant acceleration / deceleration
in AU
in days
in AU
 2 AU
 3 AU
 4 AU
 5 AU

## Superluminal Travel

* Mandalas
* Excalibur I and Excalibur II
* Teleportation via the Psions Guild
Lagoona

Lagoona is a capital planet of the Virasana Empire, home to the Virasana Emperor and the Imperial Palace. It is a cultural and political melting pot, and home to much of the Empire’s entertainment industry.

## Climate

* one moon - Manatu
* neighboring Planet: Trinidad, housing the bulk of the Imperial Fleet
* two main 'continents', that is, archipelagos: Hariman, the largest, with Agami; and Kohari, with Molani and Disari

## History

* high N'Ptalini population
* almost no serfs, app. 10% slaves, almost all of them living as household slaves

## Culture

Lagoona is the empire's beating heart of the entertainment industry - almost all pop music and TV series are produced and recorded here. Besides that, the planet has a thriving independent music scene that is deeply ingrained throughout the countless bars and clubs of the larger cities. Opera plays a big part, with many nobles sponsoring their favourite singers. Apollonia Mercedes Petrov, or 'La Eterna', has been the main voice of Lagoona opera for many decades now and shows no sign of slowing down.

Lagoona is famous for its haute cuisine fusion food (Nesrin's) and elaborate pastries, but it's signature dish is invariably the humble Blob on a Stick - small, deep-fried mollusks with hot sauce that you can buy quite literally on every street corner.

With the Grand Arena, Agami sports the Empire's largest and most famous venue for Gladiator Fights, and it's Hoverball arena, home of the Lagoona Blockbusters, is not much far behind. Besides that, dragon boat races and clubbing are popular ways to spend some free time. And of course, ballroom dancing and duelling are particularly cherished among the nobles of the capital.

A notable tourist destination is the decommissioned Excalibur I - the legendary, derelict flagship of the Imperial Fleet that has been part of human history since its earlierst days. Now, the battered and barely functional ship is in permanent orbit above Lagoona and open for guided tourist tours through the few areas that can still hold atmosphere.

## Notable Lagooni

 Elisander Quetzal Hyperion Quetzal Iskander Quetzal Liviana Quetzal Maruja Quetzal Nimue Quetzal Sequoia Quetzal
## Other Articles on Lagoona

 Agami Blob on a Stick Bobby and the Beetle Eaters Disari Garami Palace Lagoona Blockbusters Molani Sooraj Island
N'Ptalini Language

Even though Imperial Standard is the official language of the Virasana Empire, many N'Ptalini still actively speak their native language and even some humans, depending on the societies they grew up in.

## Distribution

* Official language on Geshi N'Ptah, though almost everyone there speaks at least a smattering of Imperial Standard.
* Almost second official language on planets with high N'Ptalini populations like Gui Lin and Aylian

## Grammar

* Double capitalisation: Double capitalisation around the initial glottal stop is a common honorific.
* Compound nouns: If used in compound nouns, the original nouns are used as aberrated / abbreviated forms.
N'Ptalini pantheon

The N'Ptalini have a pantheon of gods that is deeply ingrained in their culture and daily life. Almost every urchin can name one god they feel particularly aligned to, every household has at least one small corner set aside, and religious festivals like Nach'Tarr's Night have become regular holidays of the empire.

Core of their pantheon is Y'Bathar, the Mother Ocean, with her two warring sons - the luminous Cor'Garun and the chthonic Nach'Tarr. The latter two have children of their own, each one of them a god in their own right. There are countless more minor deities, all of them related to the main family in various degrees.

Since the edict of Saint Cornelius in 2224 ET, the N'Ptalini pantheon has been gaining more and more popularity, emerging both as an alternative and an addition to the human religions.

## Notable Members of the N'Ptalini Pantheon

 Cor'Garun E'Yla Edict of Saint Cornelius Hojima Lûn Nach'Tarr Sons of Cor'Garun Y'Bathar Ynagra
Last Priest of Lûn

'Last Priest of Lûn' is the title of a song by Bobby and the Beetle Eaters. The song is considered one of the most popular Urchin Rock anthems, is widely known across the empire to the point that the refrain 'and yet I / we rise' has entered common use.

The song refers to the death of the N'Ptalini goddess Lûn and the subsequent loss of hope, and the refusal to give up even though there is no logical reason for hope left.
Identified

* tbh make a burn book
* bc that sounds entertaining
* but make it a narrative burn book
* so like the main character writes mean things in this burn book bc they salty af
* and they meet this guy (bc romance)
* that they wrote about in the burn book
* and this dude they meet finds the burn book and he takes his page out from the burn book
* and the mc finds out and they're like wtf ??? where'd the page go ??? and they freak out tryna find the page
* and like a week later the page shows up all over the school
* but instead of the guy's name it's hers
* s o
* she a bit um
* traumatized
* and hey guess what she also has no friends so like she has to take all the posters down by herself in tears
* and the dude finds her and he's like "i think this belongs to you"
* you know what she does
* take the picture and run away crying?
* no
* she slaps him
* like legitimately slaps him
* and he's stands there stunned for like 5 minutes
* but like during those five minutes, she tears the page up, finishes taking the down the posters and leaves
* and dude becomes super interested bc
	+ whOAOAoa she slaps really hard smh
	+ why does she have no friends/why is she such a loner
	+ also htf does she know all this stuff
* so he does what every reasonable human being does
	+ he tries to befriend her
	+ there's a lot more slaps btw
* he doesn't know what he's doing wrong bc he has a bunch of friends and he's an extrovert and he's like ??? how do i get her to actually accept my presence ???
	+ and he realizes step one was probably apologizing for putting the poster up
	+ as you can tell he's v stupid
* okay so plan b
* he stops trying to befriend her
* i n s t e a d
* he does something even stupider and asks her out on a date ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
	+ hey at least he doesn't get slapped this time
	+ but she says no rip
	+ and he's kind of sad but doesn't know why
* so he's asking his female friends and he's like how do you get someone who doesn't like you to like you
* and they're all just looking at him like ?????????????????????
* so now he's on his own
* and then he gets an idea and he's like
* hey
* you know what i should do today
* literally wastes two weeks making a "why you should date me" book
* dude mails it to her bc there's no way she'd let him hand it to her
* does he ever get his date
* the answer is yes
* does it go well
* surprisngly also yes
* but you know what that means
* something has to go downhill
Shamans

Shamans are supernaturally gifted people bartering with Spirits for supernatural powers. As the services demanded in exchange for those powers often bear similarities to religious worship, shamanism is often considered a subclass of Theurgy.

## Snippets

* Normally, only particularly powerful Spirits can lend some of their powers to mortals. In context with shamanism, these spirits are called Totems.
Li Lan Tô-Genji

Li Lan Tô-Genji was a human noble of House Tô-Genji, best known for being one of the first Lotus Knights and instrumental in ending the Dakka War and the creation of House Kyothari.

## Appearance

* very pale skin, slender, long straight black hair. slender
* beautiful face, high cheekbones
* perfers robes

## Legacy

* His romatic marriage to Sir Saïd Medina and Sir Wilhelm Grebenstein is remembered to this day, and the subject to many movies and theatre plays.
Syrah

Syrah is the capital of Shiraz, considered one of the most beautiful cities of the empire and the planet's only city foreigners are allowed to visit without visa.

## Snippets

* the New Amadeum hosts countless artifacts of Virasana Empress Amadeus Grebenstein, at least those that survived the fire that destroyed the Grand Amadeum during the Black-and-White War.
Intelligence Services

Considering the fractitious nature of the Virasana Empire, it comes as no surprise that there are more intelligence agencies than one could shake a spy at. Most of them are beholden to one of the Noble Houses or a branch of those, but there are quite a few organisations that qualify as Intelligence Agencies with entirely different backgrounds.

## Some noteworthy Intelligence Services include

 Black Tsubaki Imperial Intelligence Service Jawahir Alttaj Red Tsubaki
Glenn Gould

Glenn Gould (September 25, 1932 – October 4, 1982) was a Canadian concert pianist of world fame, in particular as a Bach's interpreter. In spite of his masterful performances, he stopped performing publicly at the age of 31, labeling public concerts a "force of evil". At the same time he is reported to have made the following statement: "The justification of art is the internal combustion it ignites in the hearts of men and not its shallow, externalized, public manifestations. The purpose of art is not the release of a momentary ejection of adrenaline but is, rather, the gradual, lifelong construction of a state of wonder and serenity." He was also a writer, broadcaster, conductor as well as a prolific contributor to musical journals. His perfect pitch was noticed by the age of 3 and he could read music before he could read words. Even earlier, as a baby, he used to hum melodies rather than crying. He first performed one of his own compositions publicly in 1938 (at the Emmanuel Presbyterian Church). He was admitted to the Toronto Conservatory of Music (now called the Royal Conservatory of Music) at the age of 10 and passed his final exam with the highest marks ever recorded at 12, after initially being taught music by his mother. Around the same time he injured his back, which is the reason for the adjustable chair he always took with him to perform at concerts. According to Gould himself he rarely practiced at the piano, as he preferred to study music by reading it rather than sitting at the piano. He also had an extraordinary memory and could memorize whole pieces at first sight. His first appearance with an orchestra, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, was in 1945 in a performance of the first movement of Beethoven's 4th Piano Concerto, his first solo recital was in 1947 and his first recital on radio was in 1950 (with the CBC). Gould is well-known for his eccentricities, from his unusual musical interpretations and mannerisms at the keyboard (for example he often swayed his torso in a clockwise motion and also hummed while playing) to aspects of his own lifestyle, like his famous scarf. He liked warm temperatures, for example in his recording studio, and outside he was once arrested while sitting on a bench after being mistaken for a vagrant because of his attire of coat(s), hat and mittens. He also strongly disliked being touched. He received many awards, both before and after hid death, but didn't seem to really care because he loathed competition in music. He is believed to have been autistic in various books, the first being *Glenn Gould: The Ecstasy and Tragedy of Genius* by psychiatrist Peter Ostwald, a friend of Gould's. Other sources are *The Genesis of Artistic Creativity* by Michael Fitzgerald, *Asperger’s and Self-Esteem: Insight and Hope through Famous Role Models* by Norm Ledgin, *Asperger Syndrome and High Achievement* by Ioan James and *Create Your Own Economy* by Tyler Cowen. Read more about the life, achievements, awards and eccentricities of this extraordinary genius on his Wikipedia page,