recursal/Fanatic-Fandom huggingface dataset:
Imperishable Tombs

The **Imperishable Tombs** are an underground complex beneath the rocky Nishma Plateau in Puqwanur, Kalzuranur. The complex is one of the oldest extant structures in Inecuria, estimated to have been first constructed around 2000 BC (500 IOC), during the Age of Titans. The Tombs were relatively undamaged by the Annihilation due to their location, but were plundered several times and were left to decay until King Belqar Ka'Akkaret ordered that they be restored in 187 BC (1313 INC), reinforcing the integrity of the structure and refurbishing most of the decorations.

Who is buried in the Tombs remains poorly understood, as archaeologists have been prohibited from exhuming any of the corpses. Most or all of the dead are almost certainly Gold Elves, since the few inscriptions are in Gold Elvish, and the style of the architecture and art closely resembles Gold Elvish material culture in Chalparna. One folk tradition holds that the Nakkalite prophets are buried in the Tombs, but this has no real supporting evidence, and can never be confirmed unless the state of Kalzuranur permits the bodies to be exhumed.

Even if the Imperishable Tombs do not hold Nakkalite prophets, however, clearly those buried inside it were Nakkalites, or believed in an early precursor form of the religion. Even before King Belqar's restoration, the Tombs were laden with Nakkalite symbolism and imagery - and while none of the inscriptions use the word "Nakkal", all references to the divine clearly only describe a single god.

In modern times, the Imperishable Tombs are closed to the public. The entrance is guarded, and only archaeologists, historians and scientists are permitted to enter with permission from the state. The Tombs are considered too fragile and too culturally valuable to be disfigured by tourists.
Mountain Aurochs

Mountain Aurochs - *Redacoren*

*Bos Epsilucius*

Animal, Bovine

* Largest Recorded Height: 2 metres (bull), 1.7 metres (cow)

* Average Life Expectancy: 24-26 years (but often slaughtered before 20)

* Longest Recorded Lifespan: 29 years

## Description

The Mountain Aurochs is the closest living relative of the ancient Aurochs, and is one of only two extant native Inecurian bovines, the other being the Chalparni Cow; all other types of bovine in Inecuria are imported breeds. Although the Mountain Aurochs is domesticated, there are a small number of wild herds, and the domesticated variant is nearly identical to the wild variant. The wild variant is endemic to Epsilucia, the native country of the animal, and although the vast majority of domesticated Mountain Aurochs live in Epsilucia, there are also populations raised in farms in Avamorica and Raskev (southern Asmocaria).

The Mountain Aurochs greatly resembles the extinct European Aurochs in its basic shape, although they generally stand taller and the udders of females are more pronounced, and they have long, shaggy fur whereas the European Aurochs had short fur. Their fur is not as long as that found in Yaks, but it has a similar shaggy appearance. The domesticated variant tends to have longer hair, which must be trimmed and brushed by the farmers to avoid the fur growing into the eyes and becoming matted on the underside.

Males have black skins and females have brown skins, but both have the same dark brown colour of fur. In combination with the relatively small udders of females, and the fact that both sexes have horns, this means that often the only way to tell males and females apart at a distance is their size, since the males are noticeably larger than the females.

## As Food

Mountain Aurochs taste the same as beef, but with a lighter texture more alike venison. Although the meat of Mountain Aurochs is commonly eaten, they are primarily raised for their milk. Compared to domesticated cows found elsewhere, Mountain Aurochs cows give a smaller quantity of much richer milk, with a very high fat (5.5-6%) and protein (4.2-4.5%) content, and additionally a high concentration of vitamins. The milk of Mountain Aurochs is prized by Epsilucians (and most Inecurians) for use in butter, cream and cheese.

## Conservation

Domesticated Mountain Aurochs are not at all at risk of extinction, since they are managed by farmers, but the wild herds do have very low numbers and are legally protected to ensure their survival.
Eternal Pilgrims

The Eternal Pilgrims were a multicultural group of adventurous pilgrims who set out into the Dreadlands in the hopes of finding the fabled Temple of Eternity, aboard the colossal Jadegas airship *Godseeker*, which at the time was the largest airship ever built. The Eternal Pilgrimage, as their journey was called, began in 947, during the Time of Troubles. *Godseeker* entered into the Dreadlands through a large Dreadstorm that had erupted over the Violet Mountains, which provided a stable (albeit dangerous) opening for such a large object.

*Godseeker* has never officially been heard from since, but Inquisitor Magosan Paselion (an Eshérian Elf) did find and identify the corpse of the airship's captain, Noruchi Shinijo the Elder, in an expedition in 1842. Though the flesh had rotten away, the clothing was immacutely preserved, as was a diary kept on Captain Noruchi's person. Inquisitor Magosan did not speak or read Onshian, but it was translated by his comrade, Inquisitor Hiko Murakami. It was also plain to see in Captain Noruchi's skeleton that he had suffered a great degree of magical mutation; his right leg was a simply unrecognisable shape, and his skull had rough horns scattered unevenly across its surface.

Captain Noruchi's diary gives the only insight into the journey of *Godseeker*. At the time of his death, the airship had found no traces whatsoever of the Temple of Eternity, and had simply been aimlessly wandering around the Dreadlands. Noruchi's mutation had begun after they accidentally flew through a powerful Magestream current, which also mutated several other pilgrims. The other mutated pilgrims rapidly turned violent and feral and had to be killed, but Noruchi retained his consciousness - however, he could feel his mind beginning to slip. He appointed a new captain, an Avamorican Elf by the name of Pelias, and exiled himself out of the airship. He wrote in his diary that he brought a dagger to "make it quick", but no dagger was found by Inquisitor Magosan.

No other information about *Godseeker* exists, but plenty of rumours abound of a giant airship that still eternally travels through the Dreadlands, searching for their impossible goal. Some variants of the rumour assert that the crew were rendered immortal by magical mutation, whereas others state that the craft continues to be crewed by successive generations of pilgrims who inherit the task of their forefathers.
Legan Padina

### Occupation

General in Inecurian Republican Army (1839-1844)General in Imperial Army (1847-1850)

Legan Padina was a Republican rebel politician and military commander during the Imperial Civil War, who waged war against the Nesarian Empire until his surrender and arrest in 1844 after his defeat in the Battle of Karotaga. Three years later in 1847, his treachery was pardoned and he was instated as a general in the Imperial Army in order to join the fight against the Dreadfolk - specifically the so-called Eternal Host of Thangor the Eternal.

Though despised as a rebel, Legan is widely seen as one of the most competent and honourable Republican commanders and politicians, and he was highly respected by his Loyalist foes; so much so that when he asked Emperor Jacras for permission to be pardoned so that he could fight the Dreadfolk, many of his former enemies - chief amongst them Field Marshal Paron Varega, his foe at Karotaga - came to his defence. Legan was widely known as a vehement enemy of demons and Dreadfolk, and he had many strong words to say about the Republicans who foolishly made deals with demons to try and turn the tide. He had no love for the Emperor or the Empire, but considered it his duty to side with the mortal world, and so turned back to the banner of the Emperor in 1847 after forsaking it in 1839. Emperor Jacras later remarked after the war that "I would have conferred upon Padina a ceremonial knighthood, were he not a damned traitor".

Legan survived all of his battles without a scratch, but he was assassinated in 1850 by a Succubus that took the form of his wife and got him drunk enough that he would not be able to tell the difference in behaviour. To escape the problematic political connotations, Emperor Jacras waited until after the war was over to commemorate the general with a public funeral, though a small private funeral was permitted before then.
Boglings

**Boglings**, also called **Bogmen** and **Swamplings**, are an intelligent species of amphibians found in several countries of Inecuria, most prominently Raskev, Onshitama and Chalparna, and a distinct sub-race - the Hettans - live in the Eshérian Marsh of Nesaria. As the name would suggest, Boglings dwell in freshwater wetlands and lakes, though they have the means to breathe in air and can survive in salt water for approximately six hours before suffering adverse health effects.
Immortal Great King

The Immortal Great King, also known as the Undying Great King or Kumukh Handughy is a semi-mythical ruler of Asmocaria, believed to be the first Great King of Asmocaria (*Kumukh Asmukhareg*) who conquered his empire some time shortly after the Annihilation. His real name is lost to time, as he was simply known as the Kumukh once he was declared Great King, and after his death he was called the Kumukh Handughy. According to some Asmocarian folk tales, the Kumukh Handughy never died and cannot die; instead, he is merely resting beneath the ground, and when the right time comes he shall rise again to lead Asmocaria to conquer the world.

The traditional folk belief amongst the Asmocarians is that the spirit of the Kumukh Handughy lives on through his successors, and that a little part of the Kumukh Handughy is incarnate in every Kumukh of Asmukhar. Kugemukh Avemiri Simakha was explicitly named as the successor of the Kumukh Handughy, as was her husband Emperor Athdus III.

Although subsequent rulers of Asmocaria would be named Kumukh, the Asmocarians believed that the succession of the spirit of the Kumukh Handughy - i.e. the true Kumukh, the true highest ruler - passed into the line of the Nesarian Emperors, a belief the ruling Nesarians seized upon and heavily promoted. The title of "Successor to the Kumukh Handughy" was only added to the official title of the Emperor by Emperor Adrion I in 1938, but the title had been unofficially used by the majority of Emperors that preceded him.
Minya Anaissa

> "*The injustices thou hast suffered are great. Strong is thy will, boundless is thy hatred, and infinite is thy rage! Yes, thou art a good champion. Go forth and soak these lands in blood in my name!*"
> ― Cavien to Minya, according to the (highly embellished) "History of the Black Elves"
>
>

Minya Anaissa, more popularly known as Minya the Gore-Drenched and Minya the Bloody-Handed, was a Black Elf who lived at an indeterminate time in the early 3rd century BC. She became both dreaded and adored across Roulonne for her exceptionally bloody campaign of vengeance against the Dark Elves who had tortured and traumatised her and murdered her loved ones. Though once hotly disputed, it is now generally accepted by historians that she sought and obtained the aid of Cavien to make her feats of extreme bloodshed possible against such powerful foes.

The exact death toll of Minya's exploits is not known. The ancient stories claim that "thousands" fell by her hands, but historians have long considered this to be a preposterous exaggeration. It is known that she completely wiped out the Larexusa tribe of Dark Elves, which is estimated to have numbered approximately 400-500, but beyond the ancient stories (which are widely regarded to be hyperbolic in nature) there is no confirmation of her killing anyone else. Though Minya's contemporaries praised her massacre of the Dark Elves, the retribution her actions brought about over the following century would be utterly devastating for the Black Elves, who may have lost as much as 1/3 of their entire populace before the Dragons stepped in to almost completely exterminate the Dark Elves.
Inecurian Industrial Revolution

The **Inecurian Industrial Revolution** refers to the advent of industrialisation in Inecuria. It is completely disconnected from the industrial revolution in Britain, which independently occurred at a later date, but had many similarities and led to many similar technologies being developed. The industrial revolution in Inecuria was an almost exclusively Inecurian phenomenon, having virtually no impact beyond Inecuria itself.

The exact period of the industrial revolution is debated; some scholars define the industrial revolution as merely being the onset of industry, whereas others use the term to describe the entire industrial period prior to the Imperial Civil War - after which, industrial development largely ceased and in many cases regressed. Although some historians have identified early precursors of industrialisation in the 15th and 16th centuries, the Inecurian industrial revolution is widely considered to have begun at around the turn of the 17th century, and is thought to have reached its zenith shortly before its end in the Civil War. The lack of Inecurian industrial development following the Civil War is often cited as a major factor in the Imperial defeat in both WW1 and WW2.

Industrialisation was most intense in Chalparna, Onshi and Nesaria, and in the latter two it was greatly advanced by the construction of the Great Imperial Express. Chalparna remains the most industrialised country to this day, but both Onshi and Nesaria have both become much less reliant on industry since the Civil War and possess significantly fewer factories. There was also notable industrialisation in Avamorica, but this was restricted to the north; the south had very little in the way of industry, and this remains the case as of the modern day.
Grand Flame Host

The Grand Flame Host is a fabled army of Dragons prophesied in Draconic religion which is called by the Flame-Bearer, the chief deity of the Draconic pantheon, in order to fight against an existential threat to Dragonkind or the world as a whole. It is, essentially, a Dragon crusade, which all Dragons are obligated to join when called.

Although Draconic tradition holds that there were multiple Grand Flame Hosts called during the Age of Titans, the only one recorded by non-Draconic sources was the final Grand Flame Host called during the War for the World, when the Flame-Bearer rallied the Dragons against the Cosmovores after they initially refused to fight.

The Dragons believe that all those who die while fighting in a Grand Flame Host die as glorious martyrs and have all their sins forgiven, ready to be welcomed into Paradise - but those cowards who can fight but refuse to do so will be permanently damned to the Burning Abyss (i.e. hell) for all time, with no chance for forgiveness or redemption.
Empress Avia

**Empress Avia**, known as **Saint Avia the Great** to Christians, was Empress of Nesaria from 1618 to her death in 1679. She was the first and only Christian monarch of the Nesarian Empire. While she was responsible for a variety of military, diplomatic and economic achivements, she is best known for putting a stop to the persecution of Christians. She was canonised as a saint by the Orthodox Church just ten years after her death, in 1689.

When Avia converted to Christianity is not known, and it is also not known who led her to the faith. For most of her life her spiritual father was a monk named Iveran, but it is known that he was not the one who brought her into the Church. Some Christian scholars have speculated that Avia deliberately did not name the person (or people) who brought her into the faith as they may have requested to remain anonymous and avoid fame. Avia had undoubtedly fully converted by the time she married the Christian Epsilucian nobleman Miklas Kalematten in 1666, as they had a Christian marriage. Because she was of the House of Capilus, Miklas took the name of his wife rather than the standard tradition of the wife joining the man's family.

Avia was not originally in line for the throne, as when the childless Emperor Brano II died everyone - Avia herself included - expected the throne to pass to Avia's older brother Casrion, but Casrion declined the throne as he wished to spend time with his slowly dying wife Sevina. Avia's Christianity had originally been considered a non-issue because she would not inherit, but her coronation created unrest amongst the Elvetan aristocracy - particularly because Avia changed the traditional coronation prayer to speak simply of Astar (God) rather than naming the numerous Elvetan deities.

Avia's very first commandment upon becoming Empress was to abolish and reverse the anti-Christian legislation which had been implemented by Emperor Athdus V, abolishing all the restrictions and paying back the fine for conversion to Christianity to any living Christian who had paid it. Avia also spent large sums of money commissioning new churches, the most magnificent of which was Cavana Cathedral in Ascaria, notable for its size and for its distinctive bright white and red colouring - white to represent the purity of Christ, and red to represent His blood. Though she considered Muslims to be infidels, she also thought of them as kin of a kind - albeit of a very distant, wayward kind - and also reversed the laws restricting and targeting them soon after ending the persecution of Christians.
Gazica

Gazica

*Dracofungi Gazica*

Fungus

* Largest Recorded Fruit Height: 0.9 metres
* Average Fruit Width: 3metres
* Largest Recorded Fruit Width: 5metres

* Average Spread: 40metres
* Largest Recorded Spread: 50 metres
* Average Depth: 1metre
* Deepest Recorded Depth: 3metres

## Description

The Gazica is a fungus endemic to High Draconica, which fruits as a platform sticking out from steep inclines typically 80 degrees or more. It grows both on the mountain walls of High Draconica and on Sadicas. Gazicas have a parasitic relationship with Sadicas, but they do not harm the Sadica they grow on, they only take some nutrients.

The top surface of Gazicas are extremely tough, however the underside is softer. They give off a unique smell when they are still alive, which signifies that the Gazica is poisonous. Towards the end of its lifespan and after death, the Gazica loses this smell and it is then eaten by the flying fungivorous Risals. Risals only possess limited resistance to this poison, which is why they wait, but the poison is still lethal to most other creatures after death.

## As Food

Gazicas are highly poisonous, and their poison usually results in death within 4 hours of consumption as a result of paralysis of the heart and lungs.

## Conservation

Gazicas are not endangered in any way and often grow in unwanted places, however they form the foundation of the ecosystem of Draconica, so removing them would not only be expensive and impractical, but extremely destructive to the ecosystem.
National Anthems

The official anthems of the nations of Inecuria differ from most other anthems of the world in that rather than being marches or compositions designed to be anthems, they are almost entirely traditional folk songs with an unclear and ancient origin, and are often shortened forms of heroic poetry put to music. Inecurian anthems are not often actually about the nation, but about heroic figures or events from the nation's history. Inecurian anthems are typically characterised as more melodic, rhythmic and structurally complex than other anthems. Despite this, the vast majority of the populace of any given Inecurian country knows both their national anthem and the Imperial anthem off by heart, as these songs are drilled into them from a young age.

The anthems of Inecuria are listed here in alphabetical order, except the Imperial anthem, which appears first.

## Imperial Anthem

The Imperial anthem is not specific to any country, but is the anthem of the Nesarian Empire as a whole. This is the only anthem of Inecuria that was explicitly written to be an anthem, composed in 1931 at the behest of Emperor Adrion. Earlier under the reign of Jacras II and Faltas V, a variant of the British royal anthem titled "Gods save the Emperor" was used as a *de facto* Imperial anthem, but this was unsurprisingly dropped by the vehemently anti-western Adrion.

The Imperial anthem is titled "Bastion of Hope", and its lyrics concern the ancient and eternal pursuit of the Inecurians to keep the world safe from destruction, celebrating the sacrifice of those who gave their lives against demons and other creatures, particularly in the War for the World and Imperial Civil War. The official version is in Nesarian, but translations in every major language of the continent do exist.

## Epsilucian Anthem

The anthem of Epsilucia is titled "The Lay of the Lone Wolf". The first written form of this song dates to 892, but it is almost certain that it was an established folk song before this time. The modern form of the song used as the official anthem dates to 1747, which is very similar to the 892 version but makes use of more modern language which is intelligible to the modern Epsilucian populace. The Lay of the Lone Wolf is a musical telling of the story of Miklas Luuskäten, better known as Miklas Wolfheart, a figure who is sometimes regarded as mythical by western scholarship but who is believed to be completely real by all Epsilucians and most Inecurians. The tone of the song is somewhat melancholic but is full of reverence for the hero, befitting the tragic but admirable tale of Miklas. It is sometimes noted by commentators that it is somewhat ironic that a nation with a reputation for being jolly has the saddest of all the anthems of Inecuria.

## Roulonnais Anthem

The anthem of Roulonne is titled "The Ballad of Roul". It was originally a folk song with no clear author or date of creation, but its melody and lyrics were standardised in 1833. The Ballad of Roul is a highly condensed musical form of the Saga of Roul, the story of King Roul, the semi-mythical founder of Roulonne and the six royal houses.
Emperor Paravon III

**Emperor Paravon III**, also known as **Paravon the Avenger**, was Emperor of Nesaria from his father's murder in 1851 until his death from blood poisoning in 1875. He is often regarded as one of the Empire's greatest rulers, leading the Empire to victory in the Imperial Civil War and overseeing the reconstruction of Inecuria. However, many historians regard Paravon as a great *commander* rather than a great *ruler*; he was certainly a highly successful strategist and tactician as well as a great warrior, but evidence suggests that he cared nothing for administration, and the supposed efficiency of his rule was mostly down to his luck that his subordinates were so competent.
Celian Iafesa

### Occupation

Student at University of Elifana (68-80)Professor at University of Elifana (92-198)

Celian Iafesa, better known by the Nesarian corruption of his name Calion Yavesa, was an Elvish scholar from Saveria who became famous not only for his scholarly works on magic but also for his instrumental role in helping Emperor Athdus III understand and defeat the Cosmovores, and leading the ritual that summoned the Flame-Bearer. He is often regarded as one of greatest Saverians who ever lived, and is widely believed to rank amongst the greatest scholars in world history.

Celian is also greatly admired by the Ruawi populace for his role in aiding refugees escape the Ruawi Genocide and bringing the atrocity to the attention of powerful foreign actors who could intervene to halt it. His eventual marriage to his close friend Ewa Kaluna may have been the first ever marriage between a Saverian Elf and an Orc, and is often characterised as a watershed moment in improving public relations between Orcs and Elfkin.

## Early Life

Celian was the only son of the Iafesa dynasty which ruled over the small island of Rusiera. Though he was a noble, the diminutive holdings of his family made them poorer than some commoners from larger isles like Elifana - and so it was a substantial sacrifice for his father to pay the tuition fees of the University of Elifana, which Celian insisted upon attending to attain a degree in Magical History. Fortunately, Colien proved to be a naturally talented and diligent student, catching the attention of Professor Aleria Aserion, who began to pay most of his tuition fees out of her own pocket.

Despite his talent, Celian quickly grew exasperated with the tedious lectures, and jumped at every chance he got to go abroad for fieldwork. His most significant trip during this time was to Kuateoha, investigating a report of an ancient magically sealed tomb which Celian believed he could use for his dissertation. It was on this trip that Celian met his future wife, Ewa Kaluna, whilst passing through Roulonne. Celian was able to unseal the tomb and discovered it was the resting place of King Alyan the Slayer, but was not able to report this news back to Elifana for quite some time, as he became distracted by the ongoing Ruawi Genocide and decided to help the persecuted Orcs.
Nesarian War of Succession

Imperial constitution changed to only allow the crown to pass to Capilus members

### Attacker Strength

Numbers very unclear;
Brigesca: Peaked at approx. 60,000 - 80,000
Aberren: Peaked at approx. 60,000

### Defender Strength

Numbers very unclear;
Peaked at approx. 50,000

### Attacker Losses

Estimated 20,000 - 50,000 for both dynasties

### Civilian Casualties

Estimated 580,000 - 1,470,000

The **Nesarian War of Succession**, rarely also called the **War of Three Generations**, was a lengthy civil war in Nesaria over the matter of inheritance to the Imperial throne. Waged over 73 and a half years, it was the second-longest war in Nesarian history behind the Mortian War. Although a civil war by definition, many historians consider it to be the last of the unification wars before the country was finally united under the Nesarian Empire, and thus the last war of the Pre-Unification Period.

The war pitted the Capilus dynasty - the direct heirs of Emperor Mathados IV, and the dynasty controlling the Imperial capital in Ascaria - against the Aberren and Brigesca dynasties. Whilst both these dynasties initially sought the throne for themselves, the Aberren dynasty soon changed its goals to be far more radical, rejecting the Imperial ideology of unity and seeking to shatter the Empire and restore sovereignty to Nesaria's conquered peoples. The Brigesca dynasty wholeheartedly endorsed the Imperial project, but believed the Capilus dynasty was both illegitimate and incompetent.

Estimates for the death toll of the war vary significantly, as the sources are not specific and historians disagree on what should and should not count as directly related to the war - not to mention the disagreement over the population of Nesaria at the time. The lower estimates give a figure of between 8000 and 10,000 deaths per year, whereas the higher estimates range between 15,000 and 20,000. In other words, the total death toll may be anywhere between 588,000 and 1,470,000.

Unlike the longer Mortian War, very few of these deaths were through direct military action; the war did not see the slaughters and atrocities that frequented the later parts (and the aftermath) of the Mortian War, and there were comparatively few field battles with high casualties. Instead, the war was generally characterised by constant sieges and manoeuvres; most military deaths were from disease rather than combat, and the civilian deaths were almost entirely from famine caused by armies eating through local food supplies. This situation was carefully observed by Emperor Athdus III, who came to understand well the nightmarish results of military logistics that were anything less than perfect - and he would go on to become one of the ancient world's greatest logisticians.
Muiglen

The Muiglens (Miglene in Nesarian) were a creature created by the Putrid Ones, formed out of the rotten corpses of their victims. Their name is native Nesarian (likely Infrynic or Cortathian) in origin.

Muiglens were vaguely dog-like animals standing about a metre and a half tall and two metres long. They had brown skin covered in straggly, thin and greasy black fur, which - much like their masters, the Putrid Ones - was covered in sores, cysts, abscesses and pustules which oozed steaming pus, and their flesh rotted on their bones. Unlike their obese creators, however, Muiglens were muscular and lean, and while they certainly stunk, their stench was not putrid enough to make a man vomit with one breath.

Muiglens could not infect someone with mere smell or touch alone, but wounds left by their teeth and claws always became infected very quickly and the infected area had to be amputated within ten minutes to avoid certain death. A Muiglen, upon incapacitating or killing a victim, would drag its festering corpse back to the "garden" of its master for the Putrid One to feed on or make new Muiglens out of. A Putrid One with enough Muiglens at its command never had to leave its garden, allowing it to become even more obscenely fat.

A Muiglen was significantly easier to kill than a Putrid One, but still a difficult challenge, and its corpse had to be incinerated to avoid disease spreading from it. Other Muiglens would always try to recover the body of a killed Muiglen, so they were often used as bait by Inquisitors in order to draw out and deplete the supply of Muiglens a Putrid One possessed, so that their garden would be undefended.
Leviathan

Leviathan - Artamodya

*Megalanguis Morca*

Animal, Marine Reptile

### Behaviour

* Aggressive
* Nomadic
* Solitary
* Competitive
* Untameable

### Physical Characteristics

* Average Length: 60 metres

* Largest Recorded Length: 80 metres
* Average Diameter: 4metres
* Largest Recorded Diameter: 6metres

* Average Life Expectancy: Unknown

* Longest Recorded Lifespan: Unknown - at least 50 years
Murthan

**Murthan**, known as the **Master Artificer**, the **Forge-Master**, the **Engineer of Damnation** and the **Lord of Fire and Metal**, was (or *is*) a Dread Titan. He is often regarded as a rival or counterpart of the Forger of Worlds, being obsessed with invention, production and industry. If the sources are to be believed - and, as is always the case with the Dreadlands, they should not necessarily be believed - Murthan is the Lord of Industry within the Dreadlands, presiding over tens of thousands of factories the size of cities that supply hundreds of millions of demons with the means to wage war.

In the mortal world, Murthan rose to prominence in during the Time of Troubles, and he became extremely significant during the Imperial Civil War as the key supplier of arms, armour and ships for Republican and demonic forces. There is some evidence he may have had influence before then, though the evidence is unclear; there are some demonic cults mentioned throughout the centuries that may have been dedicated to him, but the information is far too vague to draw a conclusion.

The strongest sign of Murthan's influence prior to the Time of Troubles is the Ettimenkian chief god Töriken, who is known as the Lord of Fire and Metal - just as Murthan was known by some of his followers. Ettimenkians strongly reject the idea that the two are the same, and instead deride Murthan as a cruel and crude imitation of the true god's glory.
Ashura Meqalyet

**King Ashura Meqalyet**, better known as **Ashura the Crusader** and **Ashura the Demonslayer**, was a Kalzuranuri Elbaqar known for reconquering Qarohayn from the demons in the 1st century BC. He is considered a national hero by Qarohaynis, and is often mentioned alongside Belqar Ka'Akkaret and Rahera Baqrahanet as one of the greatest Kalzuranuri monarchs.

The Meqalyet dynasty was merely minor nobility ruling lands in the Elwaquri coast before Ashura's conquest of Qarohayn. As a result, Ashura had very little support from the other nobles of Kalzuranur when he marched into Qarohayn and declared himself its King. He was dismissed as illegitimate, having no connection to the original Qarohayni monarchs - despite such a thing being impossible, as the royal line of Qarohayn had been completely exterminated.

The general opinion of Ashura as an upstart beyond his station soon dissipated over the years as he won numerous victories against the demons, reclaiming the old capital city of Mirakur and restoring its ruined greatness. He gained respect as a bold and skilled commander and an indomitable warrior, and came to be recognised as the rightful King of Qarohayn, having proven his worthiness through force of arms.

Ashura gained the respect of the Na'Quahesto in particular; he did not discriminate against them as many other Kalzuranuri kings did, but treated them equally under the law. Ashura welcomed Quahestolek migrants alongside Humans and Harpies, distributing land fairly to repopulate the decimated countryside, and Na'Quahesto formed a substantial minority of his army. Quahesto tradition regards Ashura as the first Elbaqar king to treat them justly.
Blue Ziggurat

The **Blue Ziggurat** is a colossal ziggurat in Nimraqur, central-northern Kalzuranur. It is the largest ziggurat in the world, and was the single largest structure - both in terms of height and volume - in Kalzuranur from its construction in approx. 800 BC to 904 AD, when it was eclipsed by the Grand Temple of Adwan. The Blue Ziggurat is so named for the distinctive blue glaze covering its outer bricks.
Emperor Jacras I

**Emperor Jacras I** was Emperor of Nesaria from 1835 to his murder in 1851, notable for ruling the Empire through the early phases of the Imperial Civil War. He is perhaps most famous for the fact that he was the father of Emperor Paravon III.

Jacras is a somewhat divisive figure amongst Inecurians; while most regard him as personally being of good character, many Inecurians today consider him to be responsible for inflaming the social issues that led to the Civil War through his general inaction and his inability to curb the excesses of his subordinates. However, many historians have argued that Jacras's gullible nature made him relatively easy to mislead, and it is likely that his perceived administrative ineptitude was actually the result of persistent misinformation from his advisors.

Unusually for a member of the Imperial family, let alone the Emperor himself, Jacras married a commoner named Serona. It is not clear how the two met, but before marrying the Emperor, Serona was a maker of gravestones, carving and engraving headstones and other small monuments to commemorate the dead.

Jacras was one of the few Emperors to be murdered; he was killed in the Burning of Capera in 1851, slaughtered alongside the rest of the Imperial family who was present at the Imperial Palace. President Medan Lusion - who was by this point completely given over to demonic mutation, and had completely abandoned any notions of Republican ideology - was responsible for his death, though sources differ on whether Medan was actually the one to kill him or whether he simply ordered it.
Demon Ship

A **Demon Ship** is a naval vessel constructed in the Dreadlands which made its way into this world. Though some scholars have used the term to refer to any ship built by demons, it is typically more narrowly applied to magical ships, which either had magical systems built-in or were bonded to one or more Constructs to make them intelligent semi-autonomous beings, able to essentially automate much of the tedious minutiae of sailing.

As far as is known, seas of any significant size do not exist in the Dreadlands, so most (or all) Demon Ships were built explicitly to invade this world, and they took inspiration from mortal designs. Because demons had little experience with sailing the mortal seas, Demon Ships were usually not captained by demons, but rather by Witch-Pirates - though demons were often part of the crew. This could sometimes lead to disputes, as demons were generally not fond of being commanded by mortals, even if they were empowered by mutation.

Several Demon Ships have become famous in the popular consciousness, mostly from the period of the Imperial Civil War, when Demon Ships arrived in unprecedented numbers. *Phantom*, the ship of Ghostbride Elourie, is arguably the most well-known - probably because Elourie herself is well-known, as a Witch-Pirate turned demon-slayer. *Rotweaver*, the flagship of Poxmaster Bulspag the Jovial, is also famous - or rather, infamous - for its dreaded power in battle and its highly repugnant nature.
Harpies

Harpies are a race (technically a species, but referred to as a race) of hominid known for their avian traits which dwells almost exclusively in Escaria. Harpies were long thought to be a type of Elfkin, but scientists were able to identify them as their own distinct group in the 18th century - though they continue to be considered as "honourary Elfkin" by most. Harpies were adept at air magic when it could still be used, but were incapable of all other types of magic.

Though in English (and throughout most of the western world) they are known as Harpies due to their close similarity to the Hellenic mythical creatures of the same name, the Harpies call themselves the Karaa'i (singular Karaa) and they are generally known by Imperial people as some variation on "Bird-People" or "Bird-Men", which in Nesarian is Aradne (singular Aradno).

Harpies essentially resemble Humans with large feathered wings and bird-like arms and legs; the skin gives way to scales around the elbow and hip joints, and both their arms and feet end in claws. The colour of these scales is yellowish-cream in the sub-race known as the Hawks, and black in the sub-race known as the Crows. Harpies also have a tail of feathers which is typically 1-1.5 metres long. Harpies possess two small and stubby horns protruding from their forehead, coloured light grey to pale brown in the Hawks and black in the Crows. Harpies have larger eyes compared to Humans, and their eyes have strong ciliary muscles which, much like birds, are capable of rapidly altering the shape of the lens to a much greater degree than most mammals. Their bright-coloured, slightly slanted large eyes in combination with their pointed ears is what led many scholars to initially assume they were Elfkin. Harpies also have slightly sharper teeth than Humans, as their digestive system is more geared towards eating flesh. Harpy males stand at an average of 5' 8", and females at 5' 6".

The hair colour of Harpies matches the colour of their feathers. Black, dark to light brown and dark copper-red have been observed as hair and feather colours. The Hawk (cream-scaled) Harpies generally have lighter and more colourful hair and feathers than the Crow (black-scaled) Harpies. Much like with Humans, the hair of older Harpies slowly turns white, but while their feathers do grey a little and turn less vibrant, they do not turn white. Harpies possess olive skin to deal with the warm and sunny climate in Escaria.

The life expectancy of Harpies is 85 years. A Harpy is generally considered to be mature by around age 16-17. Harpies grow inside soft eggs which stay inside the mother for around 2 months before being laid. The offspring will continue to grow inside the egg for another 7-8 months before hatching. The egg is vulnerable in this state and must be kept warm, which Harpy mothers achieve by wrapping the egg in blankets and hugging it close.
Tawasho Bat

Tawasho Bat - Onshicoza

*Pteropus Onshiko*

Animal, Mammal

* Largest Recorded Wingspan: 105 centimetres

* Average Life Expectancy: 20 years

* Longest Recorded Lifespan: 30 years

## Description

The Tawasho bat (lit. "Bat" in Onshian; technically, Tawasho bat means "bat bat") is a type of fruit bat, or flying fox, endemic to Onshi. When they are young their bushy fur is dark brown, almost black, but most of their fur lightens as they grow into a vibrant slightly reddish copper, remaining dark around the face and legs. Tawasho bats feed upon the vast insect population of Onshi, and also upon the various berries and fruits that grow on the trees - although they are known to occasionally scavenge off dead rodents and birds.

Tawasho bats have no natural predators within their ecosystem, which leaves them free to express their curious and friendly nature, traits which make them popular pets amongst Onshians and the Imperial people as a whole. They are about as intelligent as the average dog, and they can rapidly learn basic commands and where their home is, ensuring they always return whenever they fly away - something that experts encourage reluctant pet-owners to do, as a Tawasho bat cooped up inside with no freedom to fly will rapidly go insane.

The friendly nature of the Tawasho bat, combined with its sacred status in the Kadintoan religion, means that unlike in most other cultures, which see bats as a bad omen and associated with death, Onshians see bats as bringers of happiness. The traditional belief is that the Tawasho bats guide and protect the souls of the dead, and keeping the bats healthy and happy is thought to maintain their capability to guide the dead.

Tawasho bats are particularly distinct from other bats within their genus due to their unique eyes, which some scientists argue makes them eligible to be classified in a different genus. Rather than being dichromatic like all the other bats in their genus (that is, possessing two types of colour receptor in their eye), Tawasho bats are trichromatic like Humans, possessing three types of colour receptor which gives them the same visual range as Humans. Unlike most bats, Tawasho bats live in a colourful environment with a high level of light, and so their eyes are suited for this environment - although they are still primarily nocturnal, sleeping throughout the brightest and hottest parts of the day.

## As Food

The Tawasho bat is rarely eaten by people due to its sacred status amongst Onshians - and this is probably for the best, as they can carry diseases which can transmit to people through consumption, although cases of diseases transmitting from Tawasho bats to people through mere contact are no more frequent than in other common household pets such as dogs and cats.

Tawasho bats taste the same as most other bats, which is like a combination between pigeon and goose with a meatier texture.

## Conservation

The species is in no way endangered. Large amounts of domesticated Tawasho bats exist, and they are extremely common wild animals in Onshi and the immediate surroundings.
Maloraptor

**Maloraptor** is a genus of dromaeosaurid dinosaur which inhabits every country of Inecuria except Nesaria, Saveria and Eske Karaa. It is a heavy-built, ground-dwelling, bipedal carnivorous predator. Species of Maloraptor vary in size according to their environment, ecosystem and diet.

Maloraptors are voracious predators and have a reputation for being highly aggressive and extremely dangerous, and prior to the advent of gunpowder weapons they were also notoriously difficult to kill. They have been dreaded by keepers of livestock for millennia, and Maloraptors have even been known to attack and eat humans and other intelligent beings when they became hungry and desperate enough.

Scholars have suggested that the infamous aggressive behaviour of Maloraptors may be a remnant of an older period when the Maloraptor faced much fiercer competition from other large predators; cultivating a reputation for hyper-aggression would have deterred other animals from challenging their territory and stealing their kills, in a similar vein to how poisonous animals deter predators from eating other members of their species.

Though they have never been domesticated, it is not impossible to tame a wild Maloraptor; some species have been known to be pets or even mounts of intelligent beings, though the historical records always describe the relationship between man and beast as tenuous, suggesting that the Maloraptor would tear their master to pieces without hesitation if they were ever treated poorly or stopped receiving food. Tamed Maloraptors were frequently used by their masters as instruments of intimidation and terror, and if ridden into battle they were known to make horses lose all sense out of sheer fright - sometimes to the detriment of the master's own allies.

## Name

Maloraptor approximately translates as "evil thief". It is a combination of dromaeosaurid naming conventions (the "-raptor" suffix being common in these creatures) with the indigenous Inecurian names for the animals; their names frequently refer to them as evil, cruel or brutal in nature.

The Maloraptor is known in Nesarian as *Cormaga* (pl. *Cormage*), which is an Elvicised form of Asmukhareg *Kurmagas* (pl. *Kurmagul*), which approximately translates as "swift monster" or "galloping monster", in reference to the extremely quick sprinting speed of the Asmocarian Maloraptor (*Maloraptor Campus*).

The term *Cormaga* has, in much of Inecuria, come to refer to the genus of Maloraptors as a whole, whereas indigenous names for the Maloraptor are retained for the local species. For example, in Roulonne the term for a generic Maloraptor is *Cormagge* - a corruption of *Cormaga* - whereas the local Western Maloraptor (*Maloraptor Occidentis*) is known by the indigenous name *Mourvie*, a diminutive form of *Mourennavie*, roughly translating as "irredeemably evil" or "one who is irredeemable", a term often used as a euphemism for the evil devourer god Mocavierre by Asarebians. *Mourvie* therefore approximately means "little evil", or when taking its cultural context into account, "spawn of Mocavierre".