Earth 35

### Distant Lands

In the far east, past the Great Expanse, it is said that their is a vast kingdom where humans are ruled by Hirudinea.

It is said that in the far west, the Djin Emperor rules a vast kingdom.

## Geography

### Map of The Known Eashrin World (Topography and Cities)

###

Green represents farmland or plains, Tan represents hills, Dark Green represents forest, Dark Brown represents mountains,

### Major Regions and Geographic Features

The Zhongjie Sea

The Garthean Sea

The Adem Sea (Ademzee)

* The Sea on the Western Coast of the Orbia Major continent

Benoric Bay

Gulf of Jinhai (gulf of near-sea)

The Occident

* Location
	+ From an eastern imagined line stretching down from the Garthean Sea down to the bay of Pearls, to the coast of the Ademzee in the West.

Medvia (The Xindìqū)

* Location
	+ It stretches from the Cheonmok peninsula in the south, to the border of Reimin and the Verdian cities in the north

The Borderland

* The borderlands of the Eashrin world.
* heonmok

Cncludes Waeland in the middle, Gaurlince in the north and of Austarkan in the south.
Jingfu

* Location

The Deepwood

* Location
	+ In the Middle of Medvia.
* In General
	+ A mysterious forest land at the heart of Medvia. Only the bravest of merchants, the most intrepid knights errant, and the most desperate outcasts, make their way throught the forest of Deepwood.
	+ The dense trees cast the forest in perpetual twilight. Odd creatures and millenia old enchantments make travel dangerous for those not familiar with this land.
* Waldfolk
	+ Over the years criminals, rebels, and other outcasts have found peace instead of fear in the forest. The oldest dwellers have formed a culture called the Waldfolk in a region of the forest around the Thornwall river.
	+ The Waldfolk live in distributed hamlets throughout the forest. These hamlets are usually built around shrines called Holy groves, and family grave sites called Gravegroves. Merchants from outside travel from hamlet to hamlet to get through the forest.
		- Often, in times of war, refugees will flee into the Deepwood and join the hamlets of the Waldfolk.
	+ The Waldfolk even have a city called Blackwall.
		- Blackwall is named for the Obsidian walls which surround it.
		- The Forest King, the elected leader of the Waldfolk's loose confederacy resides hear.
		- The Cardinal of Oak, the leader of the Waldfolk's heretical branch of Eashrism, resides in Blackwall.
		- The Wizards of Pagewall university have a research post here in one of the abandoned, half ruined obsidian towers.
		- It is famous in legends throughout the continent as a place of mysteries, where heroes visit on their way through great quests.
	+ The Waldfolk keep small grain gardens and large orchards which surround their hamlets. They herd a breed of deer which have been bred to stand on their hind legs to eat leaves from trees.
* Caer Y Duwai
	+ The Wizards of the Universities speculated that the reason there are so many enchantments in the Deepwood is that this was the home of the gods in days of myth when the whole world was forest, free of farms and fields. They say the gods dwelt here in the Obsidian ruins, called Caer Y Duwai by the locals, which are on top of the tallest mountain at the center of the Deepwood.
* The Tuatha de Herne
	+ The Deepwood is home to the Tuatha de Herne (also called Hernefolk), one of the inhuman civilizations of the world. They once lived in a might civilization spanning the central heartlands of Orbis Major, but since the decline of the gods they now live only in hidden cities.
	+ The Hernefolk are skilled smiths, they are the only ones who know the secret of the creation of White Iron (Aluminum). They forged the crown, arrows, and shield of the White Iron Emperor in ancient days.
		- The legendary crafting of the Hernefolk is one of the primary reasons why merchants trek into the Deepwood despite the danger.

### Important Polities

Asilu

* This peninsula was once the heartland of the Mahzuz empire.

Obodo

* Obodo is the site of the holiest sites and relics of the Eashrin faith.

Reimin

Tuathnor

Corvia

* The Veiunnic speaking region between Reimin and Cheonmok. It is the old heartland of the Veiunnic Empire, comprising the central road systems and

Aetheland

Austarkan

* Name
	+ When Sarvesh revolted against the Ogre dynasty of the Veiunnic Empire, he won several impressive military victories and became known as the "Starken of the Aas" (The Aas is the central river of the territory). His kingdom became known as Aasstarken, which eventually evolved into Austarkan.

Blessed Arhalian Empire

* In General
	+ Lingua Franca: Donnerisch
	+ The longest river is the Weit River
		- It flows from the mountains of Gharlahar, through Atravedia, Cinzahma, Kustland, and the Grand Canal Zone.
		- It is connected to the \_\_\_\_ river which connects it to the Great Central Lakes.
		- Four of the twelve Beacons are on the Weit River.
			* Darvâj, Abāzār, Tarburesk, and Nistoren.
	+ The second most imporant river is the Valide river (Valide Nehima).
		- It runs down from Tandrijk, through Ulke, and parts of Atravedia.
	+ The Valide and the Weit are connected by the Grand Imperial Canal.
* Kingdom of Atravedia
	+ In General
		- Homeland of elephants.
		- Elephants live in large numbers in Central and Near Atravedia.
			* They are used by merchant caravans and royal parades.
				+ The King of Atravedia uses hulks to transport along rivers, and uses elephants to project power
			* The historic Lords of Darvâj, House Slagtand, were called the Elephant Kings.
				+ To show submission to the Abāzār royalty, the Elephant Lords (they don't call themselves kings openly anymore) sends an Elephant to Abāzār every seven years.
					- House Slagtand also sells elphants to other houses including the royal house.
			* The Grand Canal uses Elephants to move barges.
	+ Central Atravedia
		- Centered around Kalber Lake.
			* On an island in Kalber lake is the largest city, Abāzār (sea castle).
				+ When not the monarch of Atravedia, the lords of Abāzār were called the Watercraft Kings.
	+ Near Atravedia
		- Southern region, highest population.
		- Largest City: Pelshire
			* Bridge town (Pel arke is Bridge Tower in Atreyan)
	+ Outer Atravedia
		- Eastern border region
* Kingdom of Gevtirtal (derived from Giwitir + Tal)
* Kingdom of Tandrijk
* Principality of Ulke
* Principality of Kustland
* Principality of The Shards
* Principality of Cinzahma
* Principality of Gharlahar
	+ Located in between Tandrijk and Atravedia, the Principality of \_\_\_\_\_ is fairly large, but it is the least populated principality
	+ Full of karst mountains and valleys that fill with mist. The misty valleys are filled with mighty redwood trees.
		- The largest valley is called the "Larhabahar," sea of mist.
			* Many of the people live on villages on top of mountain pillars, drawn by holy sites and by a particular set of plants that need mist to survive, but grow best in the sunlight on top of the pillars.
				+ One such important plant is the Fogvine, which produces pale sweet berries called fog berries which area brewed into a strong wine.
* Ducky of Birkestrom

### Important Cities

Fyruz

* Capital of Mahzuz
* The cities name originally came from the torquoise color of the water in its harbor (الفيروز alfayruz). Later rulers of the city honored this by building great turqoise mosaics throughout the city.
* Within the imperial Walled district in Fyruz, a new language formed as generations of scribes and bureaucrats lived in the walled neighborhood.
	+ The bureaucratic *Jadar* district was the center of the Imperial bureaucracy for several centuries. It continued on under the kings, the Magocracy, and the Veiiunic empire.
	+ The new dialect encourages its speakers to be sometimes very precise, and sometimes very convoluted depending on the context.

Veiiun

* Prounounced Way-yun

* +

 The 12 most important cities of the Arhalian Empire are called the Twelve Beacons. The four most important are called the four Gems.

* **Tarburesk (First of the four gems)**
	+ In General
		- Primary langauge: Donnerisch
		- Population: 150,000
	+ Geography
		- Tarburesk is situated on a lake connecting from one side to the Grand Imperial Canal, and the other side to the Weit river.
			* Using the canal to connect the two largest rivers of the empire, Tarburesk is the empire's most important trade hub.
			* The small lake forms a natural harbor.
		- Tarburesk is on hilly ground.
		- The fields around
	+ Capital of the Arhalian empire
	+ Important sites
		- Imperial Bazaar
			* The greatest site of trade in the empire.
			* Here fine carpets from Ulke and wood carvings from Cinzahma are sold next to elephant calfs and Tandrijk armor.
			* Street vendors sell food from across the Empire, dumplings from the villages of Atravedia, honeyed sausages from Gevtirtal, pashkent and feta from Ulke, candied oranges from Cinzahma, Tortut wine from Gharlahar, handsized bread bowls of chowder from Tandrijk, Fried fish from the Shards.
		- Great Harbor
			* Riverships from across the Arhalian empire stop and mingle at the Great harbor.
				+ Elephant barges sit next to the humble narrowboats of local fishermen.
		- Vorsorge Palace
			* Home to the family of the Blessed Emperor.
		- Citadel of the Padiamir
			* The Citadel of the Padiamir is evolving into the true palce of the empire.
				+ The Azure Tower has been extended so it is now the tallest tower in the city.
				+ The central buildings of the citadel are on ringed by an elevated walled garden.
					- Trees are grown into arches covering pathways into the citadel.
				+ Their are small (but regal) guest houses for the emissaries of the nine sovereigns (except the emperor, since the Padiamir is considered his sovereign emmissary).
			* The Azure Tower
				+ At 240 ft it is the tallest building in Tarburesk (Second tallest in the empire)
					- The tower has two main sections. The old tower extends 180 ft. On top of that, the beacon tower was built another 60 ft.
				+ The tower holds the Chamber of Nobles.
				+ Emissaries of the nine soverigns meet with the Padiamir in the tower.
				+ Connected to the Dome of the Thousand Scribes
			* Dome of the Thousand Scribes
				+ Named after the semi-mythical Thousand Scribes who left Reimin and served Starken.
				+ 30m diameter
				+ Tiered dome structure
				+ The Central Dome presides over the grand imperial hall.
					- The dome chamber extends to the bottom floor.
			* The three second tier semi-domes overlook the central room of the Vizirate of State, and the two sections of the Imperial archives.
			* The five bottom semi-domes overlook the central rooms of hte five sectional Viziarates.
				+ The great archway and viaduct (in the place of what was once the sixth semi-dome. connects the Dome of the Thousand Scribes to the Azure Tower.
		- Cathedral of the Holy Crown
			* Largest dome in the empire (45m diameter, 200 ft tall)
		- Tarburesk Castle
		- Royal Leauge Road
			* The road from the Citadel of the Padiamir to Vorsorge Palace
		- Regal Way
			* The road is named for being the location of the keeps of the eight (non imperial) sovereigns and a few other important lords.
		- Starken Circle
		- Old Castle
		- Free Garden
		- Imperial Engineering Academy
* **Abāzār (2nd of the four gems) - Atravedia**
	+ Largest city of Atravedia
	+ Located on the Lake of the Weit river, Abāzār sits at the center of water based trade networks.
	+ The city is located on an island connected to the mainland by an ancient stone bridge. The city has grown over the years, it now extends with land having been reclaimed and other houses on stilts.
		- It boasts a massive harbor able to accomodate both small boats and massive barges.
	+ The name Abāzār comes from (**آب** + **بازار** )
* **Draiphafen (3rd of the four gems) - Kustland**
	+ (Drai-phar-hafen)
	+ Largest city of Kustland
* **Paskent (4th of the four gems) - Ulke**
* **Achstane - Gevtirtal**
	+ Capital of Gevtirtal.
	+ Home of the Imperial Administrative Academy, the Imperial Classical Academy, the Academy of Prose, and the magical University, Blitzturm.
* **Darvâj - Atravedia**
	+ Capital of Atravedia, located in the basin of High Atravedia
	+ The name Darvaj (در+ عاج)refers to the famous ivory gate in the city walls.
* **Dikestad - Kustland**
* **Akhisar - Ulke**
	+ (Ak hisar)
	+ Capital of Ulke.
* **Rei Carlo - Cinzahma**
* **Ijzerhaven**
	+ (ijzeren haven)
	+ Capital of Tandrijk

## History of Earth 35

When the humans arrived they formed what was later called the Old Empire. They made large towers of glass and ruled the world. Eventually they fought the monsters left behind by the old ones but their technology was unsustainable without the necessary infrastructure. The empire fell apart.

### History of Reimin and Veiiun

#### Bronze Age: the Dragon Emperor

##### *Great Collapse and Long Interregnum*

The period after the great collapse is largely cloaked in mystery and legend.

One of the legends of the collapse is the story of the Locust King. They say that 200 years after the fall of the Dragon Emperor an immortal wanderer appeared in Reimin. He claimed to be one of the survivors of the Dragon Emperor's court. This outsider brought ruin to the land by threatening them with plaugues of locusts which he seemed to control. The Locust King (as he soon came to be called) created a year of great hunger. The people were starving and according to some legends, cannibalism became widespread. The people submitted to his rule. According to the stories he reigned for two hundred years (most historians think it was more like 75 years). He established a personal empire over East and North Reimin and the lower Aas. Eventually he was thrown out of Reimin by another immortal the Red Lord, who became a religous figure in Reimin. The Locust King ruled over what was left of his Kingdom for another 50 years before dissapearing.

#### Metallic Dynasty

##### *Age of Gleaming*

The Golden Shield Prince died in battle before taking the throne.

The Silver Scales Emperor ruled well but lived in the shadow of his brother. He was a capable administrator and made the empire prosperous, yet he was never free from self doubt.

The Lead Goblet Emperor ruled justly at first, but his reign ended in wasteful debauchery.

The Bismuth Emperor built great temples to appease the gods

The Bronze Spear Emperor embarked on several wars of conquest. He was victorious and expanded the emperor's borders to their maximum extent.

The Copper Coin Emperor set up trade routes and fixed the currency

The Brass Lantern Emperor expanded his predecessors trade routes across the sea and built grreat centers of learning

The Iron Hammer Emperor was considered the last of the truly great Emperor's of the dynasty. He encouraged the spread of ironworking and equipped his personal Cavalry guard with iron weapons and armor.

##### *Age of Rust*

The Cobalt Dye Emperor was a great patron of the arts, but he failed to take action during the great famine.

The Antimony Whistle Emperor became obsessed with pleasure and vice. His wastefulness during times of hunger led to a series of peasant revolts.

The Pewter Helm Emperor put down the rebellions that gripped the empire, but became know for cruelty

The Zinc Tablet emperor was sickly and devoted his life to prayer instead of rule. During his reign the nobles became too powerful and began to break the empire apart. The north broke away entirely.

The dynasty ended with the Quicksilver Elixir Emperor. For the first thirty years of his reign he reunified the empire, defeating rebellious nobles and beating barbarians back from the borders. Many believed a new golden age was on the horizon. When his heir and only son died of gangrene he had a mental crisis and, instead of appointing and training a new successor, spent the next 15 years obsessed with solving the secrets of immortality. Through great feats of research he uncovered the Elixir of immortality but when he drank it, although he was returned to youth, the toxic chemicals of the elixir soon killed him. The empire was torn asunder as his six grandchildren fought for the throne.

#### First Interegnum

While the imperial clan fought among themselves for control of the capital, they completely lost control of the rest of the empire. The various warlords and nobles, who the dynasty had barely contained, immediately began seceeding. Within a decade the imperial clan had been all but extinguished.

##### *Warring Theocrats*

During this time the local leaders began relying more on religious legitimacy to maintain control of their territory. Nobles became Priest-Lords. Each city had their own patron god and local princes began proselytizing their own deities and using religious differences as a causus belli. Thus began more than a century of terrible violence. Religious schisms made it difficult for rules to consolidate power.

##### *Ascending Sovereigns*

Three new ideologies developed which re framed society toward religous tolerance.

* Jinsilism taught duty to family and enlightenment were the highest goals in life, and that religous strife was without purpose.
* Sovereignism taught that the Sovereign was the represetitive of divinity on earth, and all the gods would thrive as long as a worthy leader enforced order.
* Aetheric Animism refocused the Animist religion away from godly spirits and more toward the power of magic and luck in general which it was said could best be accesed by honoring all spirits regardless of their strength.

#### Dai Dynasty

##### *Rise of Dai*

The Dai followed a stric soveriegn est code.

##### *Quest for Immortality*

The Dai Emperor succeeded where the Quicksilver Emperor had failed. His scholars realized that the Dragon Emperors of old had to transform themselves before they could make use of the Elixir of Immortality.

##### *Collapse and Exile*

The strictness of the Dai''s Soverignest legal system made the empire inflexible. The punisment for even seemingly minor crimes was death. This encouraged rebellions as petty criminals had nothing left to lose.

A series of rebellions errupted across the empire. The most dangerous rebels were \_\_\_\_\_, a judge who had been sentenced to death for refusing to carry out an execution, and \_\_\_\_\_ a colonel who's brother (a sherrif) had been sentenced to death for letting prisoners escape.

The Dai Emperor was forced to watch as his wives and children were massacred before he himself was beheaded. However, the blessing of immortality was strong and he was not killed despite losing his body. A loyal servant, the eunuch Can, stole his head and fed it the Elixir of Immortality until he regrew his body. The Dai Emperor was forced to flee with a small band of retainers. Eventually he took up refuge with a Sagmanati warlord. During his exile he became familiar with the local Aeic religion, and was taught about Vigilans Jinsilism by Can.

Over the course of 18 years, he gathered a Sagmanati army, exploiting their belief that the God Aelius would grant immortality to his champions.

##### *New Dai Dynasty*

Over the course of 18 years the rebels had divided the empire amongst themselves as individual kings. Fighting between kings was common. Conditions were so bad, that many were willing to except the Dai Emperor's return. The Emperor allied with some of the rebel kings, including the elderly Judge \_\_\_\_, and brought his Sagmanti army to reconquer the empire.

The New Dai Dynasty was based not on Sovereignism but on Vigilans Jinsilism. The emperor also sought to encourage the Aeic faith (competing with the faith of the Red Lord) and Aetheric Animism.

##### *Abdication and Establishment of Dai Republic*

After 109 years of rule, the Undying Emperor gave up his throne and handed all power to the imperial senate.

### History of Mahzuz (محظوظ)

#### Introduction

* Because so many states claim descent from the mighty Veiiun, the Empire of Mahzuz is often underplayed as merely Veiiun's rival. In truth, the Empire of Mahzuz was more than 600 years old when it was finally conquered by the comparatively young Veiiunic empire, and Mahzuz had a considerable impact on history.
* The geography around Mahzuz favors naval power. The Mahzuz region is in the north of the Peninsula. The capital, Fyruz, sits on the edge of the Asilu Peninsula (تصل). The rivers Maesim (معصم) and Saeid (ساعد) make the peninsula fairly easily to unify. While the peninusla is very hot the ocean keeps it from entirely overheating and the rivers make the land fertile enough to support large urban populations. All these factors make the controller of the Asilu peninsula very powerful, but the considerable mountain range to the south, and the unappealing nature of the steppeland beyond the Eiqab (عقاب) mountains push the Mahzuz's natural paths of expansion to the bay of Obodo and across the sea to Aspataal.
* The first Mahzuz state, called the Fyruz Empire, emerged as a naval rival to Khenzael around 1100 BI. The city state kept most of its records on reed paper, much of which rotted or burned during the second heroic age. It is believed to have been a fairly small and conventional bronze age empire, conquering many islands of the middle sea and pillaging Khenzael after several wars.

#### Start of the Second Empire

* The second Mahzuz Empire was much more interesting. Before it became an empire, the Mahzuz Sultanate developed a **strong navy** in response to seaborn raids from Tuphānu (తుఫాను). Using their navy they were able to conquer Tuphānu and many other small islands in the Middle Sea, creating an early trade network. This trade network gave them significant wealth when the kingdoms of Aspataal and Khenzael re-surged.
* Over the next ~50 years the military of Mahzuz became quite strong as they hired themselves out as mercenaries in the conflict between Aspataal and Khenzael. When Aspataal finally conquered Khenzael in 507 BI the Army of Mahzuz was made very wealthy by the sack of the capital city, but now had nothing to do. In 503, the young **Sultan Saif II**, used his army to **conquer the kingdom of Obodo**, crowning himself Eazim-Sultan.
* Several factions developed over Saif's reign. Saif **reformed the imperial bureaucracy** in order to minister the new territories. In order to improve communication, he hired low level magicians (who had previously worked in the temples) to communicate across distances. This necessitated the creation of schools to teach magic, the progenitors of the **Imperial Magical Universities**.

#### Aspana Wars

* Over the next 150 years the empire continued to expand. They ran into trouble however when they came into conflict with Aspataal. The two empires clashed in a series of wars. First in 450 BI when Aspataal won the first Aspana war, and ending in 360 BI when Mahzuz finally conqured the region in the fourth Aspana war under the Eazim-Sultan Zayd III.
* The first Aspana war, lasting from 447 to 440 BI, was a major embarassment to Mahzuz. Aspataal ended up in control of several islands which had been controlled by Mahzuz for centuries. The second war (411-405) was worse. By the end, the great army of Aspataal threatened the shories of Asilu itself, and invasion was narrowly avoided when the Mahzuz navy destroyed Aspataal's fleet. Things turned around during the third war (381-376) when wizards from the three Imperial Universities were used to great effect for communication, spying, and occasionally combat. Famously, a group of Wizards managed to summon a rainstorm which muddied the valleys the Aspataali army was marching through, making them vulnerable to encirclement by the Mahzuzs. Another Wizard famously predicted a coming eclipse and used it to demoralize the Aspataali army. The prestige that the Imperial Universities received, earned them a spot on the Imperial council. This prestige only increased during the fourth war, when each university sent a battle-cabal to assist emperor Zayd in the final victory. This was the start of the Great Peace.

#### The Rise of the Thaumarchy

* Ever since the beginning of the empire, the bureaucracy had become more and more autonomous.
	+ Certification for the middle and upper echelons of the bureaucracy came from three sources, the military, the temples, and the universities.
		- After the second civil war, a law was passed saying that certain important mid-tier bureaucratic positions had to be magic users for purposes of communication. This was the first step in the gradual tilt in power toward the universities.
* As the Emperors were associated more and more with the army, their significance declined as the Army's influence declined. The last great emperor was Zayd III. Zayd III is famous for finally conquering Aspataal, but crucially he relied not only on the Mahzuz military, but also a blockade by the navy, and the Wizards of the Nuzuli Universities.
* Zayd III ruled for 25 more years after the fourth Aspana war. After an admiral attempted a coup against him Zayd became paranoid against the navy and increasingly allied himself with the temples and the universities. Zayd downsized the Imperial Navy and divided the unneeded ships into Imperially Chartered trading companies, which he gifted to loyal friends, including the universities. After this the navy was still a powerful forced in Nuzuli politics, but the Universities and Temples became more and more powerful.
* After Zayd III died without heirs, his nephew became Sultan, but died soon after, leaving only a child to inherit the throne. The emperors became figureheads, and the beuracraucy became the primary instrument of power.
* Over the next several decades, the military became more and more marginalized, while the universities and temples struggled for power. Ultimately, because magic was so useful and profitable during peace time, the Universities came to dominated Mahzuz.
* The empire's population grew (necessitating a bigger beuracraucy), its people urbanized, and literacy rates increased dramatically. As a result, the middle tiers of bureaucracy became so competitive, that only magic users had a chance to qualify. Furthermore, the top tiers of the bureaucracy became so competitive, that only graduated from the highest Universities could qualify.
	+ This is where things took a turn for the worsStarken overthrew the Ofe. Sense there were more and more qualified potential students, the great Universities began prioritizing those with family connections. Over time, these universities evolved into de facto noble houses. By circa 100 BI, family legacy had become more important than academic rigor (with the exception of magic, which became prioritized over all else). Less qualified candidates graduated from the top universities, and thus the leaders of the government were less qualified. Many historians argue this is why Mahzuz resumed expansionism and ended the Great Peace.

### History of Tarkland

The region now known as Arhalia was said to first be united by the First Oger Empire.

#### **Time of the Many Princes - First Age of Heroes (after the first Ugerfall)**

After the fall of the first Oger empire the period known as the Time of the Princes began. At this time there was no sense of shared identity between the various peoples of Arhalia. Trade brought some wealth, and eventually some stability to Arhalia.

The third Oger Empire conquered Valentia and the the Damplands and began raiding the surrounding regions. They ruled for 40 years.

#### **Rise and Reign of Starken (Second Age of Empires**

Starken van Abendreich, (born Gunter der Kriegshund van Turmburg) was the third son of King Rudolph Kriegshund van Hochstein. Rudolph had reunited Gevtirtal after a civil war. He favored his eldest son and top general Seighard (der Kriegshund van Korntal).

Seighard and Starken both served as officers in the Kriegshund's surprisingly meritocratic military.

##### **Successor Kingdom**

Starken's empire had contracted to a shadow of its former might. It still controlled parts of Ulke and the coast. Despite its limited power, the old empire was rather prosperous, and it experience and intellectual boom with great poets and early engineers. They filled the old Imperial Academy with books imported from Veiiun and Mahzuz.

#### **Yeşilkaya Kingdom**

Yeşilkaya dynasty conquered the Stormhill peninsula and the west half of Atravedia. Their big innovation was combining Gevtirtal educated class with their own large military. They co-opted Donnerisch bureaucrauts. They patronized the old Gevtirtal imperial academies, and Donnerisch became the langauge of the bureacraucy.

##### **The Grand Canal**

The Yeşilkaya Kingdom's biggest endeavour was creating the grand canal.

##### **Relationship with Veiiun**

Initially they had an alternatingly hostile and friendly relationship with the late Veiiunic empire. When the empire contracted they took advantage of the power vacuum and took control of south east Atravedia. When the Ogre king rose he fought a bloody war to take it back.

#### **Vuur Dynasty - The Vuur Empire (~100 years)**

The Vuur Dynasty conquered Northern Arhalia. Vuur generals got rich by capturing slaves from battle, this created an incentive for more conquest. While the conquering generals were effective, House Vuur recognized they were a threat. Over his 30 year reign, Vander, the second ruler, successfully transitioned the military from ambitious warlords to companies of slave soldiers called Geketend.

#### **Kohlid Dynasty - The Arhalian Empire 517 - 589**

##### **Rise of the Cabbage King, and Fall of Vuur**

For 70 years, the Vuur ruled Arhalia with the Geketend slave soldiers. They ruled over a religously and linguistically diverse empire, but did not really represent them.

Conquering north-west Atravedia exposed more subjects of the empire to Eashrism, which especially appealed to slaves with its anti-slavery message. As Eashrism grew in power, several Cardinals, Shepardsn, and Dervishes led rebellions against House Vuur.

An important Geketend leader, Hans Kholid, the son of a cabbage farmer, participated in a major rebellion against house Vuur. Hans was not the primary leader of the rebellion, but he was an important player. During the post rebellion civil war, he emerged as a religous leader, he was proclaimed to be a lesser prophet by the regional Pontifect.

##### **Cabbage King's Imperial Consolidation 517-522**

Hans won the support of both Eriditas Pontiffs and several Wayseeker bishops and schools. He used this as propoganda to prevent rebellion, and in turn patronized Eashrism of both forms in the empire.

Holy Emperor Hans Kohlid shifted the empires military away from the Geketend and more toward temporary large low class armies mobolized by religion.

Non-Eashrin Geketend companies were demobolized, though rewarded genouroulsy with agricultural estates and dominions in the case of the most powerful Geketend generals who became dominion princes. .

#### **Demiraç Dynasty - The Arhalian Empire 589 - 705**

##### **Emperor Erhan 589 - 598**

After winning the civil war, Erhan married Klara II, and convinced the pontiff to make him the new emperor.

Defended against attack from Tandrijk. Stalemate in conflict with the Shards.

Moved capital to the coastal city of Akhisar which was the location of the Pontiff of the west.

Erhan gave his viziers new powers over provincial leaders in order to collect taxes for Erhan's naval war with the Shards.

##### **Emperor Taylan the Great 606 - 638**

Erhan and Klara's son. Became Emperor at the age of 21 when his uncle was killed during a minor rebellion.

Taylan reorganized the empire's adminstration into a form which would continue (with minor changes) to the present day.

Under the new system, commandaries were broken up into protectorates each led by a captain responsible for the protectorate's defense and rule of law. The protectorates were reorganized into civilian led prefectures which replaced the commandary system. This new model required the Throne to micromanage assigning protectorates within old commandaries. It necessittated another explosion in the Bureaucraucy, again recruiting primarily from Donnerisch acadamies.

Taylan gave estates to prestigous retiring adminstrators. Adminstrators who did an especially good job were allwoed to have their children inherit their positions.

The new system was put to the test in 623 when the king of Cinzahama tried to invade southern Kustland. The Kustish prefectural armies proved highly effective, and though outnumbered were able to slay down the Cinzahaman advance considerably. This gave Taylan enough time to raise provincial level armies in North Kustland, Akhishar, and Atravedia, which he then brought south and demolished the Cinzahaman army. Sensing an opprotunity, Taylan continued to advance into the Cinzahaman heartland. Tayland wisely avoiding the direct route to Cinzahama's capital which would have required fighting in the well defended foothills. Instead he turned south, feeding his armies by plundering the rich countryside. He spent winter quartered in the city of Fazenda. In the spring of 624, the Imperial Army fought several more battles across the peninsula, before approaching the capital Rei Carlo from the southern plains and beseiging it. The King of Cinzahama agreed to become a Vassal to emperor Taylan, and Cinzahma joined the empire. Although Taylan split Cinzahma into two provinces, he agreed to give the king some limited powers over both of them, and agreed to only choose Amirs from the King's extended family.

##### **Emperor Hasan 638-656**

In 639, Hasan happened to be travelling in eastern Atravedia when a secession crisis in the Kingdom of Gharlahar boiled over into a full blown civil war. One of the candidates for secession, Kulsum II, fled Gharlahar and ended up meeting Hasan in the Atravedian foothills. The two of them formed an alliance and Hasan, after gathering the standing armies from adjacent prefectures, helped her take back the capital and consolidate power.

In 640 the two were married and Gharlahar joined the empire. They built a palace in Gharlahr and often spent their summer's their during times of stability. Hasan's rule was noted for his wife's large involvement in ruling, until she died in 652.

Without his wife, the final four years of Hasan's reign proved much more erratic. His most infamous decision occred in late 652, not long after his wife's death. During a spat with the High Vizier of north Kustland he ordered the navy to be led by one of his personal friends, a Saedvjonic Obrist who neither had nautical experience nor spoke the Kustish used by most sailors. His leadership of the navy proved ruinous in 653 when he lost almost the entire fleet in an unessecary battle with the shards. This led to a period of increased piracy and Shardic raids.

##### **End of Akhishar Era**

Shardic raids had been steadily increasing for decades, but after the fall of the Imperial Navy, raiders from the shards became much more bold in their attacks. They began picking off towns who were far enough away from their prefectural capital that the prefecture's army couldn't arrive in time to fend off the raiders. Raids began going up rivers and penetrating deeper beyond the coast.

The most dramatic incident was in 659. The capital of Akhishar had sent their prefectural army to assist a neighbour against a raid and unwisely did not leave a garrison behind. Another raider army arrived and, seeing that the capitol was undefended, immediately assaulted Akhishar. The emperor fled, and the raiders sacked the temple and palace and started a fire that burned down most of the wooden ares of the city. After Shard reavers burned down Akhishar, the Imperial throne moved temporarily to the largest regional capital of Taruburesk, and the seat of the Pontificate moved to Draiphafen where the Cardinal of the Kustlandshad been.

##### **Emperor Ilkin 656 - 672**

Son of Hasan and Kulsum. He became Emperor at the age of 16.

First empeor to grant the title of "Grand Vizier." He granted the title to Luc Hild, a Kustish Wizard in 659 after the fall of Akhishar. Luc was tasked with dealing with the Shardic raiders.

As Grand Vizier Luc had greater power than anyone except the Emperor. He immediately began reforming the local militaries.The problem was that the Empire only had small standing armies on the Protectorate level. To solve this Luc empowered Mandate Commissioners and Captains to grant Estates to successful military officers in exchange for miltiary service as local militia leaders. This created the knightly class.

##### **Emperor Erhan III 701-712**

Erhan III relied heavily on local Amirs to manage the empire. He had a bad habit of trusting the wrong people.

In 710, while he was away in his estate on the island of Sabor, a civil war broke out.

#### **Zafar Dynasty - The Arhalian Empire 712 - Present (Zafar rule 712 - 9\*\*)**

Moved capital to Abāzār when they came to power. Capital moved back to Tarburesk under third Emperor.

Made major cities their own prefectures to balance out power after moving capital.

List of Emperors

* Ashraf the Great
* Reza I
* Mihrdat the Bold
	+ Consolidated holdings in the empire. Moved capital to Tarburesk.
* Ashraf II
* Abbas
	+ Appointed Irfan Grüngül as his grand Vizier.
	+ Buil the grand library and the great theory.
* Reza II

##### **House Grüngül**

* An administrative dynasty. The family was founded by the marriage of the Donnerisch commander Hans Grün, and the Ulkeish administrator Ayfer Gül. During the Zafar's consolidation of power
	+ All three of their children rose through the ranks of the Imperial Administration. One son became Vizier of the Treasurey. Their daughter became Diwan of the Grand Canal. The other son became an important Marhshall.
	+ Their grandson grew up with the fourth Zafar Emperor. He became Grand Vizier, serving for 30 years.
		- Thereafter, there was at least one Grüngül Grand Vizier in every generation.
		- Hans Grüngül III was the Zafar's only Padivizier
	+ The family was so poweful, that gardeners specially bred green roses to honor them, since it was the translation of their family name.

##### **Decentralization - The Palace Period**

The Palace Period was a colloqial term for the three emperors of the Zafar dynasty who lived in the palace city of Konigsberg instead of dwelling in the capitol. Their reign was charecterized by devolution of power to regional Amirs and increasing power for the Vizirate in the home provinces.

Until the palace period only a few very strategically important Provinces were governed by Amirs, and those Amirs were rotated continuously to avoid the potential that they would merge with local interests and someday threaten the regime. The Palace Period is usually dated as begining when the \_\_\_\_\_ family was elevanted from Landgrafs to Amirs of Larhabahar. After that, more and more Amirates were granted. At first Amirates were only allowed in the frontiers of the empire, but they became more and more common as time went on.

At the same time, since the Emperors were less involved with politics, the Viziers took a more active role in managing the core of the Empire.

#### **Echtheid Tutelage - Zafar Dynasty - The Arhalian Empire**

Javin Echtheid led the Imperial gaurd to purge House Grüngül.

#### **---- Tutelage - Dynastic Interegnum** **- The Arhalian Empire**

The ----- overthrew the Echtheids from within.

##### **Kurzfeder Restoration**

After the ---- failed to end the tutelage, the Zafar emperor secretly sent messages to the sympathetic Amirs of Gevtirtal. The emperor promised them the title of Vassal-King of Gevtirtal in exchange for liberating the Imperial dynasty. The Kurzfeders marshalled an impressive army, but they had little military experience. They sucessfully liberated Tarburesk but their supply lines were weak and they were foced to retreat.

When the ---- retook the city they killed the Emperor and his family. This led to a massive wave of decentralization. Many Amirs declared the ---- illegitimate and made themselves indepednat vassal kings, paying lip service to the only survivng branch of the Zafar dynasty.

#### **Onweer Pādimirate** **- Rudzafar Dynasty** **- The Arhalian Empire**

##### **Pādimirate Precident**

The Zafar dynasty had appointed titles with the "Pādi" prefix four times during their rule. The first Zafar emperors imported the title of Sardar (military commander) and Pādisardar from Atravedia. When the first Emperor's five Sardars were too independant, he appointed a loyal commander as Pādisardar in order to centralize military command. After 6 years the Pādisardar's task was considered finished and he returned to his previous post as a normal Sardar before retiring a year later. Pādisardars were used a couple more times by later emperors, but as the civilian bureaucracy grew in power, this became less nessecary. None of these later apointments lasted more than 5 years.

The rise of the bureaucracy necessitated a new position to centralize power away from provincial Viziers. Emperor Farshad appointed Hans Grüngül III as the empires first and only Pādivizier and tasked him with recentralizing the bureaucracy. Hans Grüngül was Pādivizier for 4 years, after which he became Grand Vizier.

Twice during the Palace Period, the Emperor's Court realized that the Amirs were growing too powerful, and appointed a loyalist as Pādiamir to rein them in. The Pādiamirs were incredibly powerful, but both their reigns were short.

What made the Onweer dynasty unprecidented was that they used the title of Pādiamir indefinitely and the title became inherited.

### Brief History of the Septentrient

#### Gigantic Dominion

Before the rise of civilization, and the ascendancy of man, the entire Septentrient was ruled by the Gigantic Dominion, an empire of giants. After the death of their royal dynasty (often called the Titans) the Giants fell apart into several tribes, including the frost giants who still live in the far north of tuathnor and the hill giants who live at the edge of the stormhill peninsula.

According to some theories, the Hirudinea crossed the mountains leaving the Near Steppe and arrived around this time in Nagoriye.

According to legend, Brennan golden-eye killed the last titan and freed Caereldica from his tyranny before founding the city of Ealdon.

#### Decentralization

After the collapse of the Gigantic Dominion human society in the north decentralized and reformed around competing tribal units.

At some point, a coalition of several clans established a trading post in the ruins of an old Gigantic Dominion. This became the city of old town or Ealdon.

#### Migrations

The Talvi people moved in from Neljajoki to the region around Lake Sulaa.

Due to conflicts with the Hirudinea, several Nagoriski tribes, emmigrated from the highlands and began warring with the north Veridians. Eventually these Nagoriski completely took over the region and establihsed the kingdom of Kalieniya.

#### Establishment of Kalieniy Empire

Around the same time as the establishment of the first Veiiunic dynasty, the warriror kings of Kalieniya began waging war on their neighbors until they had established an empire across the upper Veridian coast, Sulaa lakelands, and Tuathnor Lowlands.

The Kalieniya High King claimed to be a descendant of the war god Utyug. While contemporay historians mock this claim, their are contemporary accounts of his forces being assisted by ghostly warriors.

## Present Culture

### Names

Naming Conventions by Region

List of Names

* Salmazar
* Sozomen
* Zosimus
* Jordanes
* Procopius

### Currency

#### Arhalian Coinage

* In General
	+ Imperial Coinage was developed from the Kholids to the Zafars.
	+ During the era of many dynasties, independant polties began printing their own coins.
		- The three sovereign kingdoms (Atravedia, Tandrijk, and Gevtirtal) retain the right to print their own competing currency.
* Imperial Coins
	+ In General
		- On the rim of the crest side of the coin is "Hear world, there is one god, Aileh is Almighty alone. Aileh's prophet Eashr revealed the truth, that there is no one equal to Aileh."
			* The picture is of the Blessed Emperor with their name and the title (Envoy of Aileh)
		- The rim of the sigil side of the coins is marked with the year, province and city they were minted in. When the currency became debased during the weakaning of the empire (especially Vlaager tutelage) the name of the overseer of the mint was added to the coins to increase accountability.
		- With the rise of the Lowe Padiamirs, many coins now have the face of the Padiamir on the opposite side of the coin, or show the Padiamir with the Emperor, often the emperor has a religous symbol and the Padiamir has a Sceptre.
	+ Rial (Gold)
		- Issued by the Zafar dynasty once the economy grew and there was a demand for large coins.
	+ Thaler (Silver
		- Only imperial coin issued during the Kohlid dynasty. The thaler became the primary unit of comparison between difference cities and commandaries who themselves minted different coins.
	+ Fals (Copper)
	+ Regional Coins
	+ Gold Kurus/Qirsh/Gersh/Garas/Groschen
	+ Silver Thaler
	+ (Equivalent of Florin, name after important city)
	+ Regional Differences
		- The value of the Imperial currency became extremely unstable from place to place during Vlaager tutelage.
		- Reliable Mints
			* Some cities still have reliable mints. Coins from these mints are the only ones universally accepted throughout the empire.
			* Paskent, Abāzār,
* Gulder (Stormhill Coins)
* Daric (Atravedia Coins)
* Stater (Tandrijk Coins)

#### Crowwall Coinage (Aethic Currency)

* Iron Hlaf - 1/12M - Worth roughly a small loaf of bread (on a year with a good harvest). Most recently introduced coin.
* Copper Dawn - 1M - The base of the currency system, equivalent to Twelve Hlaf. It is considered the standard living wage for a slightly skilled freeman laborer.
	+ Ha'Dawn- 1/2M - Half a Morrow. The traditional payment for wandering karlman (peasant) farmhands was a Ha'Morrow and a Hlaf. The Ha'Morrow would serve as the (admittedly low) wage for the farmhand, and the Hlaf would serve as payment for the karlman's Liege.
* Silver Mantle - 12M -
* Gold Shield - 144M - Primarily used by businesses and nobility.

### Art

#### **Iconograpgy in the Arhalian Empire**

In the Arhalian empire, Pashkent Council Stenoprax is the state religion. The Pashkent Council agree that the creation of symbolic iconography and human portraits are forbidden unless it is used for holy purposes. However, because the Emperor is considered a minor prophet by the Pashkent Council, he may authorize iconography.

Most buisnesses, towns, and wealthy families create a cypher for themselves consisting of a caligraphic representaion of their name, initials, or an important phrase or initilization thereof.

It is common practice for those who want portraits to employ Wayseeker artists because Wayseeker churches don't forbid the creation of human images.

The Emperor will often grant individuals an authorized icon as a sign of political favor. The icon may be inherited by the bearer's children, but the Emperor must confirm the inheritence each generation. Many powerful families throughout the Empire's history have had icons granted by the emperors. Official icon's must be specific. They cannot describe general objects, like a lion or a bear; instead it should be something distinct, like an albino lion or a bear carrying a an axe.

	+ The Emperor's Icon is a crowned sun.
		- Each dynasty also had their own icon which they would combine with the crowned sun.
		- The Kohlid Dynasty's specific icon was a Cabbage flower
		- The Demiraç Dynasty's was an albino lion
	+ The Padiamir's Icon is a winged dragon with iron scales and a broken sword at its feet.
	+ The Grand Vizier's Icon is a set of scales balanced between a quill and a iron-headed arrow.
* The Grungul Familie's Icon was a green rose
* The Engineering Academy's icon is a bear bearing an axe and a compass
* The royal family of Darvâj's icon is an elephant with a wooden tower on its back and a man with a looking glass in the tower.
* The Tarburesk Aethic Merchants Consortium's Icon is a crow carrying a scroll

### Cuisine

#### Tea

Red Tea

* Grown in Obodo, and the Serud basin of Atravedia
* Popular across Obodo and in the richer parts of Arhalia. It is highly prized in Aetheland.

Green Tea

* Grown in southern Cheonmok.

#### Basin Cuisine

The Cuisine of the basin is strongly influenced by the Kalber Lake with whom they engage in trade and share a langauge. One of the biggest differences is that their principle grain is rice while the principle grain of the Kalber lake is wheat.

#### Weit River Cuisine

The Weit river connects many distinct cultures. Trade and travel connect cultures and lead to interesting fusions. Donnerisch, Kustish, Ulkeic, and Atravedian cuisines combine here.

The Weit river is known for delicious dumplings of many varieties.

* Goshbara or *Gosh e-barreh*, originate in Kalber Lake Cuisine. They are made with boiled wheat flour dough and are filled with lamb or goat and grilled onions, salt, black pepper, and thyme.
* Manti originiate in Ulkeic cuisine. They are wrapped in a thin dough and the filling consists of ground beef or lamb spiced with red pepper. They are often served with yogurt.
* Nocken originate in Donnerisch cuisine. They consist of liver wrapped in a thick wheat wrapper.
* Grompers or *Gromperknëppel* originate in Kustish cuisine. They consist of pork wrapped in grated potato.

#### Ulke

One of the most beloved condiments is paskent sauce (named after the town which claims to have invented it). It is made from sauteed garlic and onions, spiced with salt, chilli powder, and parsely, and then mixed with crushed tomatoes which simmer into the sauce is thick and rusty brown.

A common street food dish is *köznohut* (chickpea embers). Boiled chickpeas are served in a paskent sauce. In some regions the chickpeas are crushed and mixed with the paskent; in other regions *köznohut* is served with whole chickpeas.

#### The Shards & Kustland

Residents of those regions eat lots of fish, crustaceans, and other seafood. Roasted seaweed is a common cheap staple. One popular dish is called the Dockman's Pasty, a scrumptious morsel consisting of cheese (and sometimes cheap meat) wrapped in roasted seaweed.

### Dress and Fasion

#### Lawsonia Patterns

* In the Imperial Court, patterns of temporary dye are applied to skin for celbrations and religous festivals. This practice originated in the eastern edge of the Weit river where the plant based dye was bought from Anemi tribes and then syncretized with Eashrin religous traditions.
	+ The Anemi sage-lords mark themselves with "third eyes" on their foreheads
	+ It began in the riverland with sprial patterns of quotes from religous scripture displayed to show joy or piety.
		- Now ladies of the court are marked with floral patterns, and special patterns are applied to the faces of valourous soldiers.
		- For weddings and important formal celebrations, small, but intricate, tatoos are applied to the forehead.
	+ When Emperors are coronated (or if powerful Padiamirs are appointed) their hands are marked with patterns to invoke the sigils of the royal house and the empire, their arms are marked in spiraling scripture quotes and prayers for good destiny. In a borrowing from Anemi tradition, the Emperor's forehead is marked with with a "third eye" representing the wisdom and power of those who hold imperial office.

### Celebrations

#### **Arhalian Empire**

Nowruz

* Atravedian new year, celebrated on spring equinox. Traditionally only celebrated in Atraved, under the reign of the Atravedian Zafar Dynasty the holiday was brought to Tarburesk (displacing the Veiiunic new year) from which it spread further across the empire.
	+ People eat seven-fruit, a mixture of seven fruits and candied nuts. The exact recipie varies depending on the region. It is often served with syrup.
		- Died Plums, Dates, Raisons, Candied Pistachios, Candied Almonds, Candied Walnuts, Candied Hazelnuts
	+ Families traditionally construct a *Table of Seven*, an arrangement of seven items which symbolize nature's renewal.
		- Traditional Items: Apples, Vinnegar, Sumac Berries, Sprouts, Eggs (especially wild eggs found in bird's nests), a Candle, a Mirror, and Samanau (a wheat pudding).
		- In Atraved families traditionally adorn the table with items begining with "s," but this tradition has been not carried to other regions since languages are different.
	+ In Tarburesk, when the sun rises, parades of people wearing flower crowns carry out the Winterfeast logs from the city and throw them into the river to symbolize the end of winter.

Thone Day

* Celbrated by the Arhalian Eriditas Church to celebrate the crowning of Hans Kholid.
* At church services people pray for the health of the current emperor, and the church traditionally serves saurkraut fermented in beer.

Restoration Festival

* Celebrates the day that the Reganate restored the Zafar dynasty.
	+ Drawing on the Nowruz table of seven, the regates construct a table of eight, with eight items symbolic of the eight regions of the empire.

#### **Former Veiiunic Empire**

Cherry Tree Festival

* Takes place in midspring when cherry trees blosssom in Cheonmok.
* The Cherry trees were supposedly given to the King of Cheonmok by the moon goddess Dal. When the Eashrin church came to Cheonmok, Dal was syncretized with one of the 77 angels. Now it is taught that the cherry trees were given to the first king of Cheonmok by the angel Yue.

Lion Boat Festival

* Takes place in midsummer. Primarily in Veiiun, but similar festivals are carried out in other cities throughout the former empire.
* In Veiiun, people build long row boats and rafts with lion figureheads and race eachother down the river toward a torch on a carved pillar. By tradition the Emperor (or in later years, the city Primarch) gives a small prize of gold to each member of any Lion Boat crew who can reach the torch before it goes out. As the boats row past the noble plaza toward the torch, it is tradition for the nobles and rich merchants of the city to throw bags of silver coins wrapped in ribbons to boats they think are decorated particularly well. After the race it is tradition to eat fried flatbread and blackberries.
	+ The legend: The celebration commemorates the death of Consul Cardon Lius, a popular adviser to the Emperor \_\_\_\_. The Emperor grew jealous of Cardon's wealth and popularity, and had his Gaurd throw the consul into the river to drown. However, the knot the gaurd used to tie the stones to Lius was sloppy, and he was able to desperately tread water for a few minutes. Seeing his predicament, the people of the city got in their boats and raced, against the river's current, to save him. Two boats were able to reach him just as he had become too tired and fell beneath the surface. They pulled him up and carried him to his house on the shore, where he fell very ill. The Emperor heard of his fate and ran to see him, repenting for his anger and jealousy. They prayed together, and despite the cruelty the emperor showed Cardon spent his last hours of life giving him advice on how to rule better. The Empeor ruled humbly for the remaining 12 years of his rule. Cardon's popularity exploded when his will was read, and it was revealed that the entire remains of his fortune were to be used to buy food for the people of the city. The Emperor honored the boatmen who had saved him with great sums of gold.
	+ The Race for the torch commemerates the boatmen who saved (even if breifly) Cardon Lius. The boats have lion figureheads became Lius was a descendant from the House of the Lion. Fried flat bread and blackberries are eaten to commemorate the meal Lius bought for the people of the city.

### Sport

#### Raid

A game developed in Aaspataal. It has since spread to Reimin and Veiiun. It is even played in the court of the Atravedian King.

The game is played by two teams of seven on a square field. The field is divided by lines into four equal sections. The middle dividing line is called the *river*. The two other dividing lines are the *walls*. The section behind the walls is called the *village*. Each team has a home village. The village has a semicircle section in the back called the *palace*.

Each round, a member of one team (called the raider) crosses the river and approches the opposing team's home village. Once the raid touches the opposing team's village they are able to tag the opposing team members. Their team gets one point for every enemy they tag, **if and only if** they get back to their own home village before the defenders tackle them. Each tagged defender must sit out; they are *fallen*. When a team scores a point they return a fallen members to the field.

When there are three or less defenders left, they score two points for each tackle instead of 1. If only one defender is left, they score 3 points for each tackle.

If a defending team member is tagged while they are in the palace, the raider scores 2 points for their team instead of 1. This is called a *pillage*.

## Religion

### Distribution

* Medvia
	+ Reimin
	+ Cheonmok
* The WIld Expanse
* The Occident Subcontinent
	+ The Thronelands (Grand Imperial Canal, Tarburesk, Garrison Cities)
		- Primary RC: Eriditas (45%)
		- Tolerated RCs: Wayseekers (35%), Otu (10%), Jinsilism (8%), Okuzo (>1%)
		- Outcast RCs: Namasar (>1%), Edanti Pantheon (1%),
		- Notes: Despite obstensibly being the center of religous orthodoxy in the Empire, the urban centers of the Thronelands are remarkably religously cosmopolitan
	+ Atravedia
		- Primary RC: Eriditas (75%)
			* Eriditas
	+ Tandrijk
		- Primary RC: Eriditas (60%)
		- Tolerated RCs: Wayseeker (30%),
		- Outcast RCs:
	+ Gevtirtal
		- Primary RC: Eriditas (70%)
		- Tolerated RCs:
	+ Ulke
		- Primary RC: Eriditas (60%)
		- Tolerated RCs: Wayseeker (30%), Jinsil (4%)
	+ Kustland
		- Primary RCs: Wayseeker (60%), Eriditas (60%)
		- Tolerated RCs: Jinsil (6%), The Mysteries
		- Notes: Kustland is one of the few places in the empire where almost all the Mysteries are pretty much completely tolerated. Despite this, the principality does discriminate against Wayseekers though it depends on the prince.
	+ The Shards
	+ Cinzahma
		- Primary RC: Eriditas (65%)
		- Tolerated RCs: Otu (25%)
		- Outcast RCs:
		- Notes: While the majority of the country is Eriditas, a dispropotionate number of merchants and nobles are Otu, having evolved from southern mercenaries.
	+ Gharlahar
		- Primary RC:
		- Tolerated RCs: Jinsil (25%)
* The North
	+ Aetheland
	+ Tuathnor
	+ Gaurlince
* The South
	+ Obodo
		- Primary RC: n/a
		- Tolerated RCs: Eriditas (50%), Otu (40%)
		- Outcast RCs:

### **General Eashrism**

#### **Doctrine**

Eashrism teaches that the world and humankind were made by one God called Aileh (*I - lay*) or Amin.

#### **Scripture**

The doctrine of Cehilism can be summarized by the Credi, the Avowals.

The most important is the *Credi Awal,* the foremost Avowal: "Hear world, there is one god, Aileh is Almighty alone. Aileh's prophet Eashr revealed the truth, that there is no one equal to Aileh."

The next is the three part *Thaluth* Avowal.

* It begins with the *Credi* *Alab*. "Allfather Aileh created the heavens and the earth and all living things, he created humankind as his children.
* Next is the *Credi Abn*: "So much did he love his children, that Incarnate Aileh walked the earth as Yesu the Deathskayer."
* Finally the *Credi Rwh*: "He dwells not just above. Radient Aileh shines within all humankind."

**Scripture**

Eashrism follows two scriptures. The *Kalima* is the old surviving fractured gospel translated and pieced together by Eashr. While some scholars say that Eashr wanted these to be the only scriptures his church used, in practice they have largely been forgotten by laypeople. The stories are told to the laypeople, like the Creation, the fall of the Giant King, and the trials of the Deathslayer, but the text is primarily used by the clergy.

The more widely known scripture is the *Volumen*, the collected writings and sayings of Eashr.

The most famous part of the *Concordiant* is the *Asma*, the 81 Names. Each name is part of a set of three. The first set is the most famous and the one featured in the *Thaluth*: Allfather, Incarnate, Radience.

Composed while he was on the run from Ailewu, each name was meant to symbolize a different aspect of God. It is said that originally there were 99 names but Eashr destroyed 18 of them in a fit of anger when a follower implied that Eashr's list was a perfect representation of God. Eashr threw 18 names in a fire and said that God was infinite. The Stenoprax claim that Eashr only destroyed 6 names and they keep secret names which they tell to their priests depending on rank.

Different cultures and regions prioritize different sets of the names.

Priests are required to learn all the names.

#### **Worship**

Worship is conducted through communal prayer services, gatherings services, and observance of holy days.

Prayer Services

* Communal prayer services occur when memebers of a religous community gather and pray together. Depending on the community, prayer services may occur every week, multiple times a week, or even daily. They usually occur in the evening.
	+ It is a common practice for communities to organize special prayer services in times of celebration or crisis. These traditionally occur at dawn.
* They mostly happen outdoors to accomodate large crowds, especially in rural villages without large prayer halls. Many Chesil communities construct towers fro prayer leaders to stand in to adress large crowds.
* The core of prayer services consists of prayer leaders (usually village elders or clergy members) reciting traditional prayers with the community repeating then. Some sects have preplanned recitations over the course of a year. Some Eashr communities also include communal prayers where members of the community speak out with individual concerns for the community to pray for.

Gathering Services

* Gatherings are expanded prayer services that include music and lessons in addition to communal prayer. In most Eashr communities they occur weekly or to mark holy days. They traditionally occur in the morning and depending on the size and sect of the community worshippers will either share communal meals or eat special meals with their families afterwards.
* Gatherings place a strong emphasis on music. Every culture and community where Eashrism has spread has adapted their own musical traditions to worship. However, some practices are common across cultures. It is very common to sing hymns that come from translations of Eashr's poems. Another common practice is the use of Ogene bells. Ogene bells originiated in Obodo and were used in some of Eashrisms first worship services. Ogene have travelled along with missionaries from Obodo as they spread the religion. Ogene have been integrated into native musical cultures in many different ways.

### **Early History**

Eashr (عشرة so named because he was the tenth child) was a Waylander slave in Mahzuz during the time when Mahzuz had been conquered by the Veiiun Dynasty. He learned to read and became a highly valued scribe. eventually he was sold to a merchant in Obodo where he was exposed to Eziuzo, the faith of Obodo.

Eashr decoded the lost language of the Eziuzo scriptures and published the translated scriptures for the first time in more than a thousand years. According to tradition, Eashr was rewarded for this act by Ahmin, the one true God, by the honor of becoming a prophet. He was granted several visions showing him how to escape captivity. He became a popular preacher and soon gained a large following.

### **Sectarian Divisions**

#### **Doctrinal Controversies**

There are many disputes that different sects of Eashrism disagree on. Most long running disputes are based on different interpretations of ambiguities in Eashr's writing and sayings.

Alcohol

* In one of his letters Eashr wrote that " the liquors of grain and the wine of the fruit have done more evil than a thousand devils. In the heavenly community they shall not exist."
* Different communities argue about whether or not Eashr was banning his followers from consuming alcohol. The crux of the argument is whether Eashr inteded the phrase "the heavenly community" to refer to the church on earth, the afterlife, or the church of the world to come.
* Another interpretation states that Eashr banned licqor and wine, but mead and beer were not explicitly mentioned and therefore are exempt.
	+ This is common among Wayseeker churches in Gevtirtal.

Iconography

* Eashr's son in law quoted him as saying "The the living works of the creator are perfect. Ungodly icons mock the creator's great works with their hubris. The faithful must not stoop to making icons for unsacred purposes."
* Their are many interpreations of this statement, and not all Eashr communities recognize the validity of this source.
* Eashr liked using the term "unsacred," for many of his speeches, and famously defined it as meaning "something that does not serve Aileh's purposes."
* The first dispute is whether this source is valid.
	+ Most Stenoprax sects agree that the letters of Chidiebere are close enough in time and place to Eashr to be trusted, but Wayseekers are divided.
* The second dispute is what Eashr meant by icons.
	+ One interpretation, states that this passage refers to all human created pictures of living things.
	+ Another interpretation limits the term icon to meaning symbolic images where a thing is used to represent something else, like a family crest, the sigil of a company, or a minimalist symbol that does not describe an image accurately.
		- Most followers of this interpretation have a specific caveat saying that since humans are Aileh's most complex and sacred creation all images of specific humans most by definition be icons because they can never represent the full picture of a human.
	+ The most strict interpretation is that all images of real objects are included.
* The third dispute is what constitutes sacred and unsaced uses of iconograpgy.
	+ One interpretation is that the only icons that are allowed are icons explicitly for religous purposes.
	+ Another interpreation is that any icon that serves a holy purpose (i.e. charity, education, serving the needs of the church) is permitted.
	+ The loosest interpretation is that the only unsacred images are images explicity made for purposes hostile to the faith.
* Yet another dispute is on what Eashr meant by saying that the faithful shouldn't make these images.
	+ Some say that the passage only bans the faithful from *making* images, it doesn't say anything about possessing or enjoying images made by the unfaithful.
		- In Arhalian, it is common for the Stenoprax majority bureaucratic and noble classes to employ Wayseekers to create portraits of them.

Punishment for Sin

* Eashr was fond of rhetorical hyperbole. He often mentioned very dramatic and seemingly disproportionate punishments for sins.
* Most sects agree that Eashr did not actually advocate these practices. After all, he never carried them out while he was the Arbitex.

#### **Organization**

The Stenoprax are organized into different Councils which are subdivided into Synods and Diocese. Each diocese is lead by a bishop who represresents the diocese at the Synod. Each Synod has a Cardinal who is recognized as "first among equals" when deciding contentious matters. Synods are organized by doctrine into different councils. All the cardinals will meet when they are called by the Patriarch of the council.

##### **Important Councils**

* Council of Onwe
	+ First of the original Quartarchy
* Council of Obodios
	+ Second of the original Quartarchy
* Council of Fyruz
	+ Forbids alcohol
	+ Third of the original Quartarchy
* Council of Amarpur
	+ Forbids alcohol.
	+ Fourth of the originial Quartarchy
* Council of Wanqiao
	+ Incorporates some beleifes and practices from Jinsilism.
		- Says that souls that are not saved by Aileh continue on the cylce of rebirth
		- Regards Jinsil as a major prophet
	+ Not part of the original Quartarchy, claim to be of equal standing.

* Council of Paskent
	+ Considers Hans Kohlid to be a minor prophet and uses the Emperor of Arhalia as its Patriach

### **Otu**

History

* When Jae-Ho appointed his son to be Pontifex, a group of Eashrins opposed him. This included the supporters of Marcus. Marcus himself remained neutral and preached reconciliation, even though he was against dynastic rule. However, the Party remained a powerful force in internal politics.

### **Wayseeker Eashrism**

History

* Founded by the Disciples Sean, Jackin, and X, the church of the Waytrek is the second largest Eashrin denomination.

Organization

* The Wayseeking is organized into several Faithschools.
	+ Each school has a set of evolving doctrine regarding both practice and belief. Every Faithschool has a founding creed which outlines their main tenants. Scholars throughout the schools history will write Commentary on the Creed and other religious documents like the writings of Eashr (the *Volumen*) and the *Kalima*.
		- There is a special type of Commentary called *Sharah* (شرح). It is considered the most important work a scholar can do. It can even be entered into the school's Canon, so that other scholars will write commentary on it. *Sharah* must cite the *Credi*, the *Kailma*, the *Volumen*.
	+ Faithschools are defined by their lineage. Each school can trace its roots to communities founded by the Disciples.
		- Schools offer Ijaza licenses based on their lineage, so that every cleric of the school is able to trace their scholarly lineage all the way back to the profit Eashr.
* Clergy includes Elders/Presbetyrs who are liscenced to teach by the schoo such as Bishops, and Magisters, Other clerics include Shepards / Reverands, Deacons, Dervishes, and Preceptors.

### **The Gebluteiche Church**

* A sect common in the Deepwood. Widely considered heretical.
* When the Arbitex cracked down on heritics, a group of unorthodox Cardinals fled into the Deepwood. There they formed a new Diocese with a secret Pontiff called the Cardinal of Oak.
	+ It is said that they choose an old god of Forest and of Blood, to lead them.

### Jinsilism

Follow the teachings of the god Jinsil and his many Binamicha bretheren. Jinsilists practice generousity and spirtuality and detachtment from instinct and worldly desires. These beliefs are based arround emulating the Binamicha.

Jinsilism is broadly divided into two branches: Tahnimanda (the Narrow Circle), and Mahaanimanda (the Greater Circle). Tahnimanda Jinsilism teaches that only monks, (called koinobi, the live entirely selfless lives and purge their souls of base instinct and desire) will be saved and return to Chamaknabh. Mahaanimanda is organized into temples who each worship Jinsil and a different Binamicha. The monks who run Mahaanimanda temples preach that those who join in the rituals and try to listen to the monks and live selfless lives will be rescued by Jinsil and taken to Chamaknabh.

**Theology**

When humans die they continue in the Overcycle, the chaotic cycle of worlds.

* 1: Paniyahn (world of water)→ 2:Hashyahn (world of Joy) → 3: Vaatyahn (world of Air)→ 4: Overworld (world of Life) → 5:Aagyahn (world of Fire) → 6:Yatanayahn (world of Torment) → 7:Dharayahn (world of Earth)→ 8:Shoonyahn (The Empty Land)
* There are two other worlds: Kaalanabh (the dark world where those who live truly evil lives leave the cycle and end up) and Chamaknabh (the world of light where Jinsil brings people who he helps escape from the cycle)

**Scripture**

* The scripture of Jinsilism is the \_\_\_\_\_\_\_
* It was a series of ballads, poems, and essays written by Jinsil.
* Written in Ghari

#### **Udochi Temples (Mahaanimanda order)**

* Most common order in Orbodos and coastal Arhalia
* Worship a syncretized form of a couple Prawos gods.
	+ Udochi: Genderless god of serenity and light
	+ Syncretized form of the real god Udo (god of peace and harmony) and the Everbright Queen
* Argue that tea and coffee are sacred.
	+ Their temples offer free tea to laborers

#### **Vigilans Temples (Mahaanimanda order)**

* Most common order in Reimin
	+ Used to be the largest religion in Reimin, they are now the third largest, but the Reimin varient of the Eashrin Church is heavily syncretized with Vigilans philosophy.
* They worship Vigilans, a High Minister of the Metallic Dynasty during the Age of Rust who saw the horrors of war and converted to Mahaanimanda jinsilism. He maintained an unprecidentedly peaceful foreign policy, and studied to become a Mahaanimanda monk. The temples beleive that Jinsil chose to elevate him into a Binamicha.
	+ Historically, while the details of Vigilans post conversion selflessness are exagerated, his new take on foreign policy officially ended Reimin expansionism.
* They preach about the importance of good governance and listening to wise rulers. Consequentially they are usually a force for stability in Reimin, but in previous centuries they have successfully used their power over public opinion
* While pacifism is important to their theology, they preach about the importance of rulers maintaining order, and they will often frame military actions in terms of "peace keeping" and law enforcement.

### The Churces of the Prawos Bloodline Patheons

Once the extended Prawos Patheon was the object of worship for the world's most widespread religion. It revolves around several clans of divine families.

#### Vermilion Clan Pantheon

The Vermillion Clan refers to the mythic extended family of warrior folk-heroes who claimed descent from the Red Lord and each founded one of the major cities of ancient Reimin.

The Red Lord

#### Ebanti Family Patheon

* Location: once worshipped in Atravedia, Gevtirtal, the Thronelands and parts of Kustland.
* They worship a family of gods
* Ebant
* Augtad
* Llemda
* Vys: Enemy of head god. God of famine and nightmares.

#### Ae Family Pantheon

* General Worship
	+ Worshipped traditionally in Cheonmok, Near Steppe, and the Near Occident. During the Restored Dai Dynasty, Sagmanati mercenaries and caravaneers spread the religion throughout Reimin
	+ Since the rise of Eashrism, it has been reduced to the Near Occident and certain backwaters.
* Ae - the slumbering god of the sun. He sleeps with one eye open which is the sun in the sky. He has three children with Dal.
	+ His eye was torn out by his brother Eruotor. Dal snuck into his palace and stole the eye back.
	+ Worshippers pray for his safety in the heavenly circuit.
* Dal - (*moon*) Goddess of the moon. She keeps her husban's lost eye (the moon) safely in the palace of night.
	+ Worshippers pray to her for luck and to ask for her to grand them prophetic dreams when they are troubled by great questions.
	+ More important than her husband in western Cheonmok
* Aelius - (*Ae + filius*) King of the gods. Son and heir of Ae (his mother is either Dal or Selene depending on the myth). He pulls his father from the palace of day to the palace of night in the heavenly chariot.
	+ Patron god of Veiiunic empire, who claim that he gave them victory in their historic conquests.
	+ Prayed to for the strength of the nation.
* Bulhast - (*Firespear, bul + hastum*) War god. He is Aelius's general and defends his chariot from Eruotor's children in the sky. Soldiers who die honorably may join his Legion.. He rewards discipline and honor. Son of Ae and Dal.
	+ Generals pray to him for victory.
	+ Soldiers pray to him to protect their souls so they may join the Sun legion.
* Venatene - (*hunt + shadow*). War goddess and demon hunter. She freed the first people from the tyranny of the nine jade demons. Daughter of Ae (and Selene according to some legends)
	+ Warriors pray to her for courage. Her name is used by exorcists to strike fear into the hearts of demons.
* Chusdona - (*harvest giver*) Goddess of agriculture. Daughter of Ae and Dal
	+ Farmers pray to her for a good harvest.
	+ Every year the Veiiunic Kings would burn a vast sacrifice of beer and wine to honor her.
* Ingen (*wit*) - War goddess, creator of the first sword according to legend. Daughter of Bulhast.
	+ Soldiers and duelists pray to her for skill in arms.
* Gilcus- (*travel/road + gaurdian*) He protects travellers on dangerous roads. Son of Chusdon
	+ Merchants pray to him for safety.
* Adtactor - Divine archer. Demon hunter. Son of Aelius.
	+ Archers pray to him in battle. Peasants pray to him for protection from the minor demons that are beleived to call illness.

#### Dal Centered Pantheon

* In Southern Cheonmok it is said that Dal has four husbands, the one that is called Ae in most of Cheonmok and Veiiun is identified with Wang-Hae
	+ The difference in the seasons is explained by the strength of which of the four suns is currently active.
* Dal: The ever moving moon and empress of the celestial kingdom
	+ Goddess of luck, fate, and magic
	+ She appoints the kings and priest lords of Cheonmok
	+ Worshippers leave offerings at her shrines when seeking luck.
	+ Her statues adorn crossroads to grant luck to travellers.
	+ Unlike her husbands, she has no dedicated group of priests. Instead she had an order of nuns whose only vocation was to tend to her shrines.
* Tongchi-Hae: The Winter Sun-King
	+ The ruling king who has fallen.
		- According to myth and legend, there was once a golden age when the winters were just as hospitable as summer. Crops grew continuously and starvation was unknown. Then Eruotor struck down Tongchi-Hae and made the winters cold.
	+ God of might, power, and justice.
	+ Prayed to by rulers for guidance and criminals for mercy
	+ His priests, the Order of the Luminous Crown, were in charge of the acient judicial system. Over time they began advising rulers as well, before becoming the rulers themselves as the Priest Lord Oligarchy during the golden age of the Third Dynasty.
		- Their order was massacered and the survivors were reduced to their previous judicial status after the fourth dynasty revolution
* Nodong-Hae: The Autumn Sun-King
	+ The laboring king who plans for hard times
	+ Prayed to by merchants for long journeys, and by farmers for help surviving the hungry times.
	+ His popularity among the peasantry makes him one of the most culturally important members of the Dal centered pantheon.
	+ His priests, the Order of the Gleaming Tome, were in charge of organizing the harvest and storing excess grain over the winter.
* Jeongbog-Hae: The Summer Sun-King
	+ The conquering king who defends the celestial kingdom.
	+ God of war, hunting, and fire
	+ His (the Order of the Bright Spear) priests were a group of warriors in charge of protecting the kingdom from threats both physical and spiritual. They served as the rulers' guards, but also as travelling friars who pursued criminals (on behalf of the order of the Luminous Crown) and performed exorcisms
* Daenseu-Hae: The Spring Sun-King
	+ The dancing king who brings joy to his subjects.
	+ God of celebrations, medicine, fertility
	+ Prayed to at weddings and when a family member is gravely sick.
	+ His priests, the Order of the Shining Pestle, were travelling medical practicioners. They also used and distributed hallucinogens both as an anesthetic and for certain spiritual rites.

#### Selenic Family Pantheon

* Location: The Wild Expanse
* The worshippers claim that Selene was Aelius's first wife and that he wrongfully abandoned her.
* Selene - Keeper of stars, creator of horses.
* Kynigor - Hunter. Selen's son.

#### Utyug Family Pantheon

* General Worship
	+ Originally only worshipped by the Nagoriski, the ancient Kalieniy empire spread their worship. As a side effect the pantheon now includes many gods originally from Aetheland and Tuathnor.
* Chernbeily (чернить+белый) (Cernobael in Tuathnor, Cairnbul in Aetheland)
	+ The twice-born god of life and death.
	+ He has two eyes, one white as bleached bone, the other black as sable.
		- If he looks on you with his black eye you will be blessed, if he looks on you with his white eye you will be cursed.
		- For this reason his worshippers consider the new moon to be lucky and the full moon to be unlucky.
	+ Chernbeily was born with two black eyes. He was the son of a chieftain among a tribe of the First People. Chernbeily's father died when he was young, and so he took over the tribe at a young age. He was known for kindness and mercy, handing out charity and boons to any who needed. But he was too trusting, and the giant Obzhora betrayed and killed him at his own feast. Obzhora ate Chernbeily's heart, his hands, his tongue, but he missed one of Chernbeily's eyes which was snuck away by Chernbeily's wife Letomia who resurrected him.
		- When Chernbeily was resurrected he was not quite the same. One eye was still black but the other was white as death. He could still be generous and kind, but he had a cruel and callous streak. He returned to the village and killed Obzhora, and he made a two headed spear from Obzhora's bones. If Chernbeily kills
	+ Chernbeily is prayed to by those fearing death
* Letomia
	+ The unbowed goddess of growth and harvest.
	+ She killed the giant Golod and planted its teeth in the ground. The teeth sprouted and became the first rye plants which she shared with humanity.
	+ When Obzhora killed Chernbeily she buried Chernbeily's eye in a secret garden only she new. Each night she snuck out to tend to the garden. On the first night she watered the soil with the tears of Chernbeily's mother. On the second night she watered the soil with the sweat of her and Chernbeily's six children. On the third night she cut off the giant Obzhora's little toe, and watered the soil with its blood. On the fourth day Chernbeily was restored.
* Utyug
	+ Letomia and Chernbeily's eldest son. Twin of Bronza.
	+ Iron-bone god of courage and war. His javelins are lightning bolts.
* Bronza
	+ Letomia and Chernbeily's eldest daughter. Twin of Utyug.
	+ Copper handed goddess of craftsmanship. Her forges are thunder (every time her brother throws a javelin she makes a new one which is why thunder follows lightning).
	+ Forges weapons and tools for her family. Most notably javelins for her brother.
* Vezchen (called Weren in Tuathnor and Voden in Aetheland)
	+ Husband of Bronza
	+ The wandering god of secrets and seeking knowledge.
	+ Prayed to by magistrates and investigators seeking the truth, and criminals to keep secrets.
	+ Much more popular in Tuathnor and Aetheland where he is also considered to be the god of sailing, traveling merchants, and writing.
* Shustrya
	+ Nimble fingered godess of weaving and peace.
	+ Letomia and Chernbeily's second daughter. Twin of Pospeshny
	+ She weaves tapestries that can forsee the future, and cloaks that make the wearer invisible.
* Pospeshny
	+ Quick footed god of herding and hunting
	+ Letomia and Chernbeily's second daughter. Twin of Shustrya
	+ Leads a flock of sheep with wool of everchanign color. His wool is woven by Shustrya.
	+ Also the god of dops, especially herding and hunting dogs.

#### Lila Family Patheon

* General Worship
	+ Once worshipped throughout Tandrijk, eastern Gevtirtal, and northern Ulke. After the rise of Eashrinsim it is mostly restricted to the Seadvjony islands as Eashrism is the vast majority in the main Saedvjon penninsula.
* Lila - Matriarch. Goddess of the sea. Mother of krackens. She carved her husband Torvald from the bones of the great seprent which she slew to make the land of the Saedvjon Peninsula.
	+ Invoked by sailors, traditionalist nobles, and islander priets.
	+ While she was the traditional head of the pantheon, her influence began to wane after Ulke became rich and the Sasedvjons made their fortunes on raids, invoking Razernij and Arend more often than her.
* Torvald - Lila's husband. His laughter is thunder, lightning is his grin. He lifted the sky islands and fought off the one eyed bronze giant.
	+ Invoked for mercy from storms and by those facing impossible odds.
* Razernij - God of fire. Lila's first son (with Torvald).
	+ Invoked whenever fire is used, to protect from terrors in the darkness, and for the renewal of spring wildfires.
	+ Patron of house Vuur. Razernij grew in status considerable when house Vurr took over the Saedvjon peninsula.
* Den - Forest queen. Uses wood to make ships. Lila and Torvald's second child.
	+ Invoked by woodsmen, ship builders, and hunters.
* Verstijfd - Lila's enforcer. Has nine eyes (two in normal eye sockets, one on forhead, one on each palm, 1 on each elbow, one in back of head, one on knee (other leg was cut off). He is Torvald's bastard child conceived when he was deceived by the lizard witch of the south swamp. When he swore loyalty to Lila, her first command to him was to kill his mother. He is loyal, rule abiding, efficent, and utterly without mercy.
	+ Invoked when efficency is needed or order is enforced.
	+ Became associated with slave ownership when the population of slaves increased drastically during the Vuur nortern empire.
* Haaiwarder - Shark tootheed god of the sea. Son of Lila and an Vys.
	+ Invkoked by sailors who fear monsters, people who want revenge, and those who which to inflict nightmares and tragedy on their enemies.
* Botjurk - Razernij and Den were with Lila, visiting her grandfather Death. Razernij saw the most beuatiful women he had ever seen, and convinced his grandfather to let him take her back to marry her. She is silent and wears a dress of bones.
	+ Invoked by the dying.
	+ She became thought of as a goddess of mercy for the unheard, especially among slaves.
* Arend - God of war, son of Razernij.
	+ Invoked by warriors, raiders, *geketend*, and those who love to fight.
	+ Became more important when raiding became important.
* Zuivera - Goddess of healing and vodka. A purveyor of mercy and joy. Daughter of Razernij and Botjurk.
	+ Invoked by the injurred, the sick, the mad, but also partiers.
	+ Became associated with freed slaves.
* Spalkwijz - The broken god. Maimed in the fight with the rust giants. Husband of Etraan. They say he would cry too but his eyes were pecked out by the starving eagles.
	+ Invoked by the permanently disabled, the old, and the cynical. Invoked by soldiers who greive fallen comradess.
* Etraan - She cries eternally for her lost child, devoured by Haaiwarder. Her tears bring salt to the sea.
	+ Invoked by the greiving. Also the purveyors of the very profitable salt trade.
* Spinrag - Greedy trickester queen. She sells the salt of Etraan's tears. Daughter of Den.
	+ Invoked by storyellers and buisnessmen.

### The Mysteries

#### In General

* A loose collection of various religions and cults. The Mysteries don't all share a common origin, it's more of an outsiders term used to describe religous orders with some form of selective membership and some degree of secrecy.

#### Narmasar

* They worship the god of Fire. Once a widespread religon, now mostly confined to a group of secluded monastic orders, though still treated with respect.
	+ The current monks claim descent from the Shaman kings that once ruled upper medvia.
* Monastic Orders
	+ In general
		- Every order keeps a sacred flame at the heart of their temple, which never goes out.
			* There are (possibly apocryphal) stories of entire orders killing themelves after letting their flame go out by accident.
	+ The Pyromancers (Sacred Order of the Burning Oracle) are a group of monks who use fire for divination. They are by far the most respected Narmasar practicioners.
		- Divination
			* The monks make careful inscriptions with questions on bones and turtle shells. The bones are roasted in the sacred flame and the answer is interpreted based on the cracks in the bone
			* Weather Prediction
				+ Over the millenia the monks gained rather good records relating the qualities of their flames to the weather conditions. As a result they have a very strong understanding of the impact of temperature and pressure on weather.
				+ Depending of the conditions they observe, they'll make the marks on the bones differently. As a result, they are usually correct in their weather predictions. This is part of the reason they ae still respected by the farmers up upper medvia.
		- Important abbeys
	+ The Fire Mages are warrior monks. They are forbidden from fighting except for defending holy ground or officially mandated religous wars.
		- In truth, Pyromancy is not as useful for combat as legends indicated due to the overarching restrictions of magic and its combat limits.

#### Omfel

* They beleive that all souls are of equal value. Their followers are extremely careful to not even harm bugs.
* They are vegetarians and extreme pacifists.
* Omniom
	+ The Omniom sect beleive that plants and fungi have the same souls and (thus value) as humans and animals. Instead of being vegetarian, some try to miniize death by eating large animals like elpehants and pandas.

### Talamh Worship

Based around woship of the Karanaless

* Eruotor: Brother of Ae and Daeyahn
	+ God of

### The Esr Rites

Based on worshipping the Sansibhavana

* Daeyahn: goddess associated with the ocean. Sister of Ae and Eruotor

## Languages

Arhalian Empire

* Lingua Franca: Donnerisch
* Gevtirtal
	+ Donnerisch
		- Original home of the language
* Atravedia
	+ Lake language (equivalent to Farsi)
	+ Southern Language
	+ Khalqi (equivalent to Dari)
	+ Donnerisch
* Tandrijk
	+ Krijger
		- Northern form of Heldens, mutually intelligible, but distinct. Lots of loan words from
		- Spoken by nobility and some commoners.
			* Most common among commoners in the northern end of the peninsula and the riverland.
	+ Other commoner language
	+ Aethic
		- Spoken in the eastern islands
* Ulke
	+ Halkar (Equivalent to turkish)
* Kustland
	+ Kustish (eqivalent to Luxembourgish)
	+ Heldens
	+ Cinzesa
* The Shards
	+ Heldens (equivalent to dutch)
* Cinzahma
	+ Cinzesa (equivalent to Brazilian portugese)
* Gharlahar
	+ Lahari (equivalent to Pashto)
* Gaurlince
	+ Talvi (equivalent to Finnish)
	+ Kalien (equivalent to Russian)

## Trade

### Aetheland

* General Notes
	+ Trade is extremely important to the Aethic economy
	+ Their position on the Benoric bay / northern sea, and their tradition of ship building and sea faring allow them to trade overseas and act as the middle men for the entire northern sphere.
	+ Changes
		- Aethic trade has shifted do to two new factors.
		- Their trade has become much more valuable because of the expansion of whaling and whale oil production, which is highly valued in the south as a lightsource.
		- Ever since the Borderwood was taken back from Tandrijk 60 years ago, the Aethes have begun constructing massive ships using Redwood lumber.
			* The lumber is extremely valuable for shipbuilding since it is strong, resists decay, and can be fashioned into much larger pieces than conventional lumber.
	+ New Great Ships have launched to defend the whale oil trade.
		- Each of the three ships is named after an old kingdom from before Aetheland was unified: Charfjord, Thornbreak, \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
* Major Exports
	+ Copper, Whale Oil, Redwood Lumber, Rye Grain, Cheese, Salt, Salmon,
* Major Trading Partners
	+ Verdian Leauge (Whale Oil, Copper, Rye, Cheese --> Fruit, Silver)
	+ Tandrijk (Copper, Rye, Cheese --> Coal, oats)
	+ Tuathnor (Copper, redwood lumber, salt, cheese --> iron, wool)
	+ Gevtirtal (Whale Oil, salt, --> Lumber, honey, pork, gearwork machines)
	+ Gaurlince (Salmon --> Horses, Wheat Grain)
	+ Ulke (cheese, redwood lumber, whale oil, salt --> white wine, linen textiles, beef, spices)
	+ Kustland (Whale oil, redwood lumber, --> gold, glass, hemp rope, luxury and mechanical goods (via Tarburesk), paper)

### Verdian Leauge

* General Notes
* Major Exports
* Major Trading Partners:

### Arhalia

The **eight treasures** are the traditional exports of the eight reigions of Arhalia. The eight treasures were codified during the Demeric dynasty. As a poetic device they have not always been consistent.

* Classical Eight Treasures: Paper (Gevtirtal), Cotton Killim Fabric (Ulke), Wool Termeh (Atravedia), Copper Jewelry (Kustland), Olive Oil (Cinzahma), Amber (Tandrijk), Jade (Gharlahar), Jasmine Tea (Shards)
	+ The process of Termeh production involves wool being gathered and spun in High Atravedia, before being shipped down river to be woven by master weavers in the cities of Lower Atravedia. During the Intergnum this process was interrupted because High and Low Atravedia were divided.
* Secondary Eight Treasures: Honey (Gevtirtal), Steel Knives (Ulke), Saffron (Atravedia), Glass (Kustland), Chile Peppers (Cinzahma), Incense (Gharlahar), Sugar (Shards)
* Eight Treasures of Deleight: Methegelin (Gevtirtal), White Wine (Ulke), Mint Aragh (Atravedia), Jenever (Kustland), Laranja (Cinzahma), Tarwekorrel (Tandrijk), Plum Wine (Gharlahar), Pale (Shards)
	+ This list was composed by a court poet during the Palace period

## Creatures

### Dragons

Widespread creatures from across the continent. They are flying lizards of various sizes; many can breath fire. Dragons usually perfer to live near water so they can hunt fish. Their diet includes both meat and vegitation. If they consume too much of one, and not enough of the other, they become sick.

Hill drakes, live in Gevtirtal, Cinzahma, and parts of Ulke. They live in herds called blazes. They prey on creatures like the Ibex and Markhor. Their weight ranges from 150 to 450 pounds depending on the region. They often prey on human herds.

Iron tooth drakes live in mountainous regions. They prey primarily on wild yaks, bears, and animals herded by humans. Their weight ranges from 450 to 800 pounds, winspan ranges from 10 to 15 meters. These were the dragons tamed by the early Veiunic empire for scouting and intimidation.

Feather-wing dragons live in the plains of Atravedia. They hunt elephants. Their weight ranges from 1000 to 2000 pounds. They use their fire breath to light parts of the grass land on fire in order to drive their prey in certain directions. According to legend, and some historians, the Brass emperor tamed some of these plains dragons, and even rode them into battle.

Sea Dragons live around the coast and islands of the Zhonjie sea. They dive to hunt for fish and use their firebreath to starve oxygen away from breeching whales. Sea Dragons live and hunt in backs and communicate with eachother in clicks. Many scholars belive they are fully sentient they have been observed using rudimentary tools much like crows and primates. Legends speak of the old Kings of Reimin and Highsultans of Mahzuz speaking to the Sea Dragons for advice and visiting their hidden city.

### Non-Human Civilizations

They say that before the First Empire, there wasn't a human born who lived free. All were subjugated by the other creatures, Ogres, the Hirudinea, the Gaunts, The Tuatha de Herne,

The Ogres managed to form several empires. The Hirudinea ruled many human herds in the north. The Tuatha de Herne retreated to the heart of several forests after the great fire of the Mythic age.

After the invention of agriculture, humans began to outnumber the other species, partially because they could adapt to different biomes and technological circumstances.

#### Hirudinea

It is said that they feed on the life force of humans who are rude to them.

Some claim that the kings of Gaurlince are secretly descended from Hirudinea, and let Hirudinea nobles rule in isolated towns, where they prey on the peasantry.

#### Wooly Gaunts

Long necked, furry humanoids. They live in the mountaints of East Austarkan.

#### Tuatha de Herne

They were the closest civilization to the gods. They are the only ones who can produce Aluminum.

## Military History and Technology

### Arms and Armor by Region

#### Arhalian Empire

Armor

* The most common armor is Lamellar, both leather and steel.
	+ In the Imperial House Military, all soldiers of the Maat, Vice-Feldwebl, and Feldwebel, ranks are issued leather lammellar, though they are allowed to use steel lamellar if they acquire it on the battlefield. Overfeldwebel, Hauptman, and Obrist wear steel lamellar.
	+ Chainmail is sometimes used. The richest form of armor uses fine Lammelar for the torso and includes sleeves of chainmail with integrate small plates for maximum protection and flexibility
* Ulke is known for its Sunplate armore, a form of Brigadine cloth armor with steel plates to protect the abdomen

##### **Recent Evolution of Tactics**

Since the reign of Emperor Ilkin, the battlefield was dominated by the competition between spear and shield weilding infantry, and heavy cavalry. Heavy cavalry tried to outflank infantry, and infantry tried to control space and ward off cavarly with their spears. Archery was only in limited use.

This changed with the introduction of pike circles during the Zafar dynasty. The Zafar dynasty had relied on cavalry at the begining of their reign, but they didn't like its decentralized nature. The Zafar began inviting foreign mercenaries to work for the throne. Things began to change when a Zafar emperor hired the *Glòrmhor-Còigceud,* pikemen from Tuathnor, as their royal gaurd. The Còigceud became very influential after saving the Emperor's life when he was attacked in transit by a rebelious lord with 1000 cavalry. The Còigceud raised new units with similar tactics.

When the first Padiamir recentralized the empire he introduced a tactic known as the two wings, where light horse archers would weaken a formation of pikemen and then when the formation was disrupted the heavy cavalry would flank and destroy them. This lead to a resurgance of spear formations as they could carry shields and protect themselves from arrows. The new tactical paradigm is that the bulk of infantry is shield carrying spearmen who are defended in the flanks by heavy cavalry with light horse archers acting as skirmishers. Bulk infantry archers are used more for seiges.

### Military Organization

#### Arhalian Empire

The current Arhalian Empire's miltiary is divided into three overlapping categories: The buerecrautically administered Imperial Military, imperially approved but privately operated House Soldiers loyal to individual families, and Chartered Mercenaries hired by merchants, houses, and the Imperial Administration itself.

Imperial Military

* Each administrative division is responsible for providing a set military unit. In the empire, the basic unit of both administrative and military organization is the Prefecture, governed by either a Prefect or a Herrobrist. Every prefecture is responsible for providing one Regiment lead by an Obrist (either the Herrobrist or an Obrist appointed by the Prefect). The Prefecture provides the regiment by dividing itself into protectorates (usually ~10) each of which provided one Fahnlein (of about 300-400 men) lead by a Hauptmann. Each Fahnlein is divided into a number of Oberotten(20-40 men) lead by a Oberfeldwebel who organizes 5-3 Rotten (8-12 men) lead by Feldwebels. Depending on their level of development each protectorate may further subdivide itself into estates in order to supply Oberotten/Rotten; if so the Oberfeldwebel is called a knight.
	+ Regiments from each prefecture in a province are lead into war as a unified Field Army by a Field-Marshal appointed by that Province's Pasha or the Province's Herrmarshal.
* Due to the weakness of the Arhalian Empire after the \_\_\_\_\_ Tutelage, the Imperial Military often makes deals with Great Houses in which the great Houses supply their own House Soldiers (loyal to them) in place of Imperially levied troops. While Great Houses are obliged to supply these units in times of need, they often resist and usually have to be bribed with some imperial favor.

House Armies

* Hired as private security / enforcers by Great Houses. The largest House Armies are larger than imperial regiments and are loyal to local provincial leaders. However, most House Armies are closer in size and function to a Fahnlein or Oberotten.
* Great Houses are only allowed to maintain House Armies greater than 50 men if they agree to have their armies be integrated into the Imperial Military in wartime.

Chartered Mercenaries

* A growing force due to the tens of thousands of out of work veterans roaming the empire after the wars conducted by the Reganate.
* In the lat 40 years, Mercenary Companies without an Imperial Charter were officially made illegal, and any that defied the throne have been hunted down by the Imperial Military.
* Most are small scale comanies of 50-100 veterans in charge of gaurding a handful of protectorates on behalf of the overstretched Imperial Military, or protecting merchants from bandits and nomads.
* There are two significant Charterd Mercenary Factions.
	+ The Sons of Honor. A regiment made up of 4000 veterans of the recent war of Cinzhama succession. They are the largest Chartered Mercenary Company in the Empire. Half the Sons of Honor are employed as the official Prefecture Regiment for a prefecture in south-eastern Kustland. The other half are employed in various jobs in the region.
		- Famously they were hired by the Padiamir to put down riots in the capital 7 years ago.
	+ The Unbending Blade Consortium: a syndicate of small scale mercenary companies. Originally organized by an ex-Herrobrist and a wealthy Athelish financier. Their total strength is estimated anywhere from 2000 to 6000.
	+ There are rumors that the Grand Vizier is considering trying to demobilize the Sons of Honor, possibly by allying with the Consortium.

## Magic

### Principles

Magic is a strange branch of the laws of nature that responds to the will of sentient beings.

Magic really is weird. On one hand it does not break the laws of reality. Magic follows conservation of energy, and cannot otherwise violate the laws of physics. Sometimes magic even seems downright scientific. It usally seems to follow concrete rules that its users can exploit.

On the other hand, the logic of magic is often more poetic than scientific. Magic favors spells that use the number 3 or 7. Magic treats older things as more powerful. Magic is most powerful in things or spaces between two extremes, fire and ice, life and death, sea and land. Magic also seems to favor irony and poetic justice.

#### The Æther

Contemporary wizards describe the æther as a quasi-physical fluid or a field that seems to permeate most of space. It does not appear to be made of conventional matter but it is able to exert force on matter. Normally æther does not interact with matter, but this can change when it is directed by will. The æther is affected by thought and will. The older and more intelligent the organism exerting the will, the more powerful the impact on the æther will be. There is curently a debate in the scientific community on whether the æther is a luminferous medium. Magic uses human will to excite the Aether and thus manipulate energy.

While that is the contemporary view, there are many other schools of thought on the nature of the Aether, some strikingly different. In fact each of the seven traditional magical disciplines has their own perspective on what the Aether is. It wasn't until the golden age of the Mahzuz Thaumarchy that it was discovered that all seven of these phenomenon were actually the same thing.

### Seven Traditional Magical Disciplines

Disciplines listed in order of how ancient they are considered to be (though countless scholars quibble about the order). Folk name / name used by Mahzuz Thaumologists.

#### Sorcery / Conjuration

Summoning, commanding, and negotiating with spirits.

Conjurers call the Aether *the Azure*. To them it is the unseen realm where the spirits and gods live.

Sometimes considered a third lost art. It is still practiced today but much of the old knowledge of conjuration has been lost .

#### Oraclery / Divination

The practice of using magic to obtain information about

Officially one of the *lost arts*, but still widely practiced by folk magicians. Most magical scholars consider contemporary oracles to be frauds.

Oracles call the Aether *the Dreaming*. To them the Aether is the mind of some long dormant god.

#### Immortality / Incarnaiton

The magical art of becoming immortal.

Practicioners of Incarnation called the Aether the *Vitality*. To them it was the omnipresent life force that immortals fed on.

The other *lost art*. It was supposedly common knowledge among rulers in the days of the Dragon King. When the Dragon King and contemporary rulers fell almost all imortals were killed, somehow. Gung'f rnfl. Na vzzbegny jub vf zbegnyyl jbhaqrq jvyy fhpphzo gb gehr qrngu vs gurl ner abg srq na vzzbegnyvgl ryvkve jvguva guerr qnlf. The last known sucessful *incarnation* was practiced by the Dai emperor. Ubj qvq gur Qentba Xvat ernyyl snyy?  V'yy tvir lbh n uvag. Uvf erny anzr jnf Punb gur avagu.

Legends and history contradict eachother. Famously an alchemical elixir is involve. However, other legends say that people became immortal by eating the flesh of dragons or else spending so much time with dragons that they became like them. It is known that the Dai emperor traveled the sea to search for dragons while on his quest for immorality. Ur qvq frnepu. Naq ur sbhaq gurz.

Historians generally agree that the immortal is somehow transformed, after which they must occasionally drink an elixir of immortality to stay allive. Supposedly immortals could heal almost any injury. Lrf vzzbegnyf pna erpbire sebz fbzr cerggl vzcerffvir jbhaqf, ohg vs gur qnzntr vf gbb terng gurl'yy arrq zber vzzbegnyvgl ryvkve.

#### Alchemy / Transformation

Using magic to synthesize materials and elixirs, specifically by trying to interacy with the Aether as if it was a chemical.

Alchemists call the Aether *the Quintessence*. To them it is the fifth fundamental element.

Alchemists beleive that by adding or subtractign Aether, one metal can be transformed into another. To accomplish this Alchemists have developed better and better teqniues for seperating and concentrating the Aether. The ultimate prize of alchemy is to create a Philospohers Stone, a legendary solid and stable form of Aether. If it was ever discovered how to create a Philosophers Stone than it could be used to transform metals at will.

#### Binding / Connection

Sympathetic magic. It works by linking different objects so that kinetic energy, heat, and information can flow between them.

Binders call the Aether *the Alltree* or sometimes *the Vultiferous Network*. To them it is an incredibly complex web of connections that binds all things to eachother. Some modern Binders have a complex philosophy about how all things in the universe, are at core, idealic identities definded by their connections to other ideals and identities.

#### Chanting / Incantation

The practice of invoking magic through speech.

Chanters call the Aether the *Mana* or more recently *the Vultiferous Ether*. They view the Aether as a quasi-physical fluid that interacts with will.

#### Sygaldry / Inscription

The practice of invoking magic through writing. Usually results in more continuous and complex spells that have an effect over time.

Sygaldrists call the Aether the *Aura* or more recently the Vultiferous Field. They view the Aether as a fector force field that is eminated by, and interacts with, information in the form of memory or text.

#### Wizards and Magical Academia

* The Thaumarchy of Mahzuz established a system of libraries, labratories, and schools to study and teach magic. These persisted even after the fall of the magocracy and led to the establishment of the contemporary Magical University system.
* Graduates of the universities are given titles based on their acheivement. A graduate who has mastered one of the 5 remaining traditional magical disciplines is called a mage. A graduate who has demonstrated proficency in the 5 disciplines is called a Wizard.
	+ The difference between someone who knows just one discipline, and someone who knows all 5, is extreme. Most modern spells require a combination of several disciplines.
		- For example, even a faily simple spell to communicate long distances requires a Binding to link the two communicators, but because the efficency of Binding decreases with distance Sygaldry is needed to increase the precision of the spell, and Incantation is needed to customize the spell with the specific message the magician wants to deliver. For especially long distances (> 100 miles) Alchemy is needed to access a concentrated Aether source to increase the spells power.
	+ While in theory all five arts are given equal attention, in practice Conjruation is often understudied. This is exacerbated in certain Eashrin countries, where Conjuration is viewed with extra suspicion for relgious reasons.
* The philsophy of the universities emphasizes combining scientific study with magical arts. If a wizard is an expert in a subject they will have greater authority over that subject.

#### Folk Magic

Many cultures have their own magical traditions. Some universities disregard these traditions as simple "hedge magic" but now some magial universities make it a practice to study folk magic.

Tandrijk

* Historically the mystics who worshipped Lila and her pantheon had the capability of calling spirits. Lilan mystics enter the *dreaming* to perform feats of divination. A Lilan mystic with sufficent experience can summon spirits such as the *Jachtgeest*, a hunting spirit which can help find fish to hunt.

**Principles of Applied Wizardry**

##### ***Spell Craft***

Spells are constructed out of language. The text of the spell specifies what it does and how. Spells must be logical and specific, but they must also invoke emotions, and fit poetic structures in order for the spell to work. Magic works exponentially better the older the languague used, but since languages change over time, magic users have to reconstuct old languages in order to use them.

Complex spells must be written with more and more complext text. In order to have the desired effect in a more reasonable time, magicians learn to assoicate the entire text with a few words or lines, usually the opening lines or chorus from the spell itself. These are the Words of Power associated with wizards.

Enchantment

Enchantment is the practice of creating continuous spells. Enchantments are effectively complex spells that recast themselves by manipulating the aether.

Rpunagzragf ner ghevat pbzcyrgr

#### **Engineering**

Spy-Glasses

* Spy glasses were invented as a collaboration between wizards studying optics and wizards studying the folk-magic used by glass makers in the Far Occident.
* They require magic in the production of their lenses which limits their availibility.

#### **Combat**

The æther responds to will, and one of the strongest sources of will is the will of an organism to live and resist injury. As a result its is *very* difficult to attack another entity, especially an intelligent entity, with spell craft.

### Natural Magic

#### **In General**

Most academics believe that all the magic that seems to be natural, is actually complex and self sustaining spells. Gurl ner pbeerpg. Gurfr fcryyf jrer perngrq ol gur Erchoyvp bs gur Tbqf

#### **Spirts**

Spirits appear to be sentient/animalistic creatures without physical form. They appear and act upon the world using magic. Va npghnyvgl, fcvevgf ner ernyyl rkgerzryl pbzcyrk frys fhssvprag fcryyf sebz gur napvrag pvivyvmngvba bs gur tbqf.

Types of Spirits

* Daemons
	+ Very simple spirits. They respond to stimuli and preform tasks in a very rudimentary ways. This is called their *mandate* and it is said that each Daemon was given a mandate the moment they were born. Gur znaqngr vf gur nytbevguvz rnpu qnrzba jnf cebtenzzrq jvgu jura perngrq ol bar bs gur tbqf
	+ Some seem slightly more complex . They can cary rudimentary conversations with humans, though something always seems somewhat off. They do not have free will are still bound by their mandate. Gurve crefbanyvgvrf ner npghnyyl whfg jungf yrsg bs n fvzcyr hfre vagresnpr
* Djinn
	+ Djinn are highly complex and seemingly intelligent spirts. They have the capacity to learn and grow. But the one thing that never changes is their mandate.
	+ Generations
		- The Djinn seem to act differently depending on how old they are. The philosopher Salmazar speculated that Djinn become more obsessive and less worldly as they age, similar to human senilty.
			* The eldest are extremely obsessive. Some will repeat one task enternally. They have many geas. Often dozens.
			* The old Djinn are more pragmatic. They will follow their tasks but do not indulge in pleasure-seeking. They have less geas than the first generation but still around 5-10.
			* The young Djinn are much more flippant and pleasure seeking, thought the still follow their other ideals. They will generally have around 3 geas. Some are said to have none but that may just be a rumor.
			* Va ernyvgl guvf unf abguvat gb qb jvgu ntvat, naq vf vafgrnq n flzcgbz bs ubj gur tbqf yrnearq gb qrfvta gur qwvaa gb or zber pbzcyrk naq vapyhqr znal zber vqrnyf. Gur svefg trarengvba pbhyq bayl unir bar vqrny naq guhf unq gb unir zber erfgevpgvbaf gb xrrc gurz sebz orpbzvat qnatrebhf. Gur frpbaq trarengvba vapbecbengrq zber vqrnyf naq guhf arrqrq yrff trnf, naq fb ba jvgu gur guveq.
	+ While the mandate of a daemon seems to be a simple algorithim, the mandare of a Djinn is much more complex.
		- A Djinn's mandate has two componets, an *ideal*, and a set of *geas*.
		- The *ideal* is the Djinn's goal. The thing they want to maximize. The ideal can be simple or complex. Djinn will act seeminlgy obsessive about their *ideals*. Many Djinn have multiple ideals, though they will always be ranked in order of priority.
			* Many Djinn, especially the Young ones, have *pleasure* as one of their ideals. This causes most of them to drink and smoke and joke and eat and fight and party, rather gluttonously. Gur tbqf jrer trggvat ybaryl nf gurl jrer fheebhaqrq ol nhgbzbgbaf. Fb gurl tnir gur Qwvaaf crefbanyvgl. Vg jnf gubhtug gung znxvat gurz cyrnfher frrxvat jbhyq znxr gurz zber nccebkvzngr gb betnavp yvsr naq guhf zber eryngrnoyr. Vafgrnq zbfg raqrq hc pybfre gb urqbavfgf. Jurgure gur tbqf jrer unccl be abg jvgu gurve qrpvfvbaf bayl gurl xabj.
		- The *geas* is a restriction a Djinn must follow. It is impossible for Djinn to break them. If a two of a Djinn's *geas* come in conflict they will be stuck in a loop.

Witchstorms

Floating Islands

Upside down waterfalls

## People

### Travellers

Nkiruka

* A tea merchant from Obodo travelling the Arhalian empire. She is part of the new wave of merchants from *Medvia*, the *Holy Lands*, and the *North* who are taking advantage of Arhalia's recently developed stability to access the *Far Occident's* markets.
* Nkiruka has begun learning local languages and studying local culture. Her journal entries may soon by added to this page.

Lucan Sabin Shias

* A legendary duelist and unrivaled swordsman
* He has grown tired of fame (and people contstantly trying to make a name for themselves by attempting to kill him)

Walter Bolton

* A Wizard who worked as a successful academic at Reimin universities, he has returned home to the Arhalian Empire and taken a young Arhalian charlatan as his guide and aprentice.
* Bolton was born as part of the class of Jonkhers, wealthy warriors who were given inherited administration over Imperial Mandates in exchanger for military service (one level above knights).
	+ Gregory Bolton II had three sons and two daughters. His first son inherited the family title, his second son joined the imperial military, his first daughter went to a local University and joined the Vizirate of Rites, his second daughter was married to a successful bureacraut. Walter was educated at a local Imperial Academy with the goal to become a bureacraut, but instead he was recruited by a professor at a foreign university when Walter was 14.
* Walter studied at a prestigious University in Reimin. He studied incredibly heard, eventually learning magic and being accepted into Pagewall University's Holy College of Arcane Arts.
	+ After officially becoming a Wizard at the age of 26, he worked for the government of Reimin for six years, before returning to Academia to study Geography and Political Systems at the University of Brasspire where he married another Associate Professor.
		- He spent the next 20 years mostly in academia, but sometimes taking sabbaticals to work on contracts for the government. He lead the construction of a new bridge on the river \_\_\_\_\_, using a combination of magic and engineering.
* When Bolton was 52, his wife divorced him and he left the university. Initially planning to retire and write, he decided to return to the Arhalian Empire when he found out his eldest brother had died.

Caio Silvia

* A young peasant who became a successful Charlatan, he now travels with Bolton the wizard.

Arslan 'Steedcutter'

* An Ulkic Steedcutter (a soldier who carries a Zhanmadao)

Carl Woden

* An Aethic merchant prince who ships goods between the various polities of Arhalian and his homeland.

James Woden

* An Aethic wizard

Jordan Alexander

* A travelling bard

### Arhalian State

#### Bureacrauts

Sharaf Ayadi

* A successful Atravedian Prefect from a minor Afandi family. He became powerful after defeating a rebelious Prefect from a much larger Prefecture.
* Famously neurotic with posions. His uncle poisoned his family when he was a child. He spend many years posioning himslef in small doses with the goal to build up an immunity.

Orhan

* A knight loyal to the Prince of Ulke. He has risen to the rank of Captain and now governs his own mandate.

#### Royals

Holy Soverign Emperor

* Hans Arash Zafar-Sonneliicht XII
	+ Fourth generation of the combination of Kustish and Atravedian Imperial Lineages

Mighty Suzerain Padiamir

* Lowe

Ten Immortal Sages

* The Red Lord
	+ A great warrior who has dozens of lifetimes of experienc e
* The Locust King
* Shíjiǔ (十九)
* Sahar
	+ She is one of the first Atravedian wizards
* Zawar Ramadi
	+ A Mahzuz wizard. Eventually founded the Mahzuz magical academy that would be come the Thaumarchy. Rival of Tushar.
* Tushar
	+ A wizard from the riverlands osuth of the Aas. Rival of Zawar Ramadi.

## Deep Lore

In an alternate version of Earth 2, a colony ship full of powerful scientists and leaders fled the solar system during before third world war. They went ~50 light years away to a new planet which they terraformed. The journey was long and they engineered themselves to be powerful immortals, calling themselves the first ones. Most of the first generation died due to genetic imperfections caused by their experiments. The second generation was long lived but many accidentally killed themselves when trying to increase their perfection. The survivors of the first and second generations ran the terraforming project. In the end, surviving elders and the third generation decided to live as wandering hunter gatherer hedonists. In order to ensure that no other humans would take the planet they populated it with monsters like ogres and dragons.

Eventually new humans came and settled the planet fleeing an apocalypse. In this universe, Hans Reichman actually did destroy the earth with an asteroid during the solar war. As a result, the economy and ecology of the solar system was destroyed, Survivors fled the solar system and headed to the rumored location of the terraformed planet.

When they reached the planet they established whatever civilizations they could. Within 100 years their power supply. Began to run out. Because all scientific knowledge was stored on computers they were unable to find new power sources. Without their technology humanity fell into a new dark age. Many of them came to worship the first ones who presented themselves as gods.

Over the course of 2,000 years new civilizations developed. They learned to take advantage of what they thought of as magic. At this point their technology is roughly similar to Europe and Asia in the 1200s.