FAQ

Goodbye, long-ass intro paragraph(s).

Where do the Homini live?

### *Are there any notable figures in Homini history?*

Nita Smith was the first Homini leader, the one who took stock of their situation on the battlefield, saw that neither of the gods would help her people, and decided, "Screw it, we're going our own way." Nita is something of a Mother Mary figure, taking on the admired qualities relevant to whatever community has taken hold of her, and thus what exactly she symbolizes to the Homini people is arbitrary. (For example, in a walled community she is likely said to be a defender, a warrior, a gladiator who saved her people from danger and threats of harm. In a more idyllic farming community, she would likely be described as patient, methodical, thoughtful, and conscientious of duty and practicality.)

## *​*The Bloodbirth

### ***Where did the Bloodbirth happen?***

West of Salam Lake, northeast of what is now called Hel Fief.

### ***Why is the Bloodbirth called the Bloodbirth?***

There had been a recent slaughter (thanks, war) and the Homini came to life on the battlefield itself. Coming into being + lots of gore and dead = Bloodbirth.

## Halfbloods

What do halfbloods look like?

What would life be like for a halfblood?

### ***Could an Elysian and a Sheolfolk have a child together?***

Culturally that would be seen as an abomination by all sides, but *where there are roleplayers there are exceptions.* Provided one of them isn't infertile, that would be a yes. Shoutout to the kid for having to deal with some messed up heritage. I'll leave deciding how that fallout happened to the player.

### ***Could an Elysian and a Homini have a child together?***

Yes. Some potential situations in which this could happen include: within a Bond (two Bonded partners have a child together), within an Elysian fief (easier, since the Elysian in this question would have a lot more power over the Homini), or potentially within a Homini fief, though that would be a little harder (power balance is different.)

Halfbloods of this type are typically rejected by both sides of their race, though in different ways. If the Homini take the child in, it'd be grudingly and unhappily, they'd view the child as an offense. But they might decide it'd be better to have the halfblood on their side than on the side of their enemy (potentially even going so far as trying to encourage them to pursue a Virtue and gain power) and would accept it. Elysians do not take kindly to halfbloods but are not harsh about it -- or at least, not in a way easily visible, so chiding, bias, and gossip would be expected -- and would bring them into Elysium for teaching, but they'd never truly be accepted as one of their own.

Note: individual circumstances would change accordance to what fief/location the child is at, who their benefactor/guardians are, and whether or not they have any family. Whitehawk can give more detailed ideas, if you're looking for them.

### **Could a Sheolfolk and a Homini have a child together?**

Yes, here are some possibilities for how it could happen, and what the reactions would be like.

### ***Can a halfblood Bond? In what way?***

I have an explanation for it, give an unspecified amount of time for me to dig it up.

### ***Could one race "pass" (disguise themselves) as another race?***

Yes, some would have it easier than others, here are the key features they'd have to cover up or imitate in order to do it.

## Bonding

When did Bonding begin?

Who were the first Bonded?

How is Bonding done?

Who can be Bonded?

Can Bonds be broken?

## The Vices and Virtues

What are the Vice and Virtue opposites?

What does it mean for a Vice or Virtue to be opposite of each other?

How can a follower of a Vice/Virtue tell how far they've pursued it? (Abilities and hemoglobin spectrum.)

What is the hemoglobin spectrum?

## Ahriman

What was Ahriman like?

What did Ahriman think of the Sheolfolk?

What did Ahriman think of the Homini?

What did Ahriman think of the Elysians?

What did Ahriman look like?

What did Ahriman do?

Who could speak with Ahriman?

Did Ahriman give any gifts to the Sheolfolk?

## The Seven Vices and their Sects

aksjdfkjasdflkjalksdfjalf blah blah blaaaah someBODY ONCE TOLD ME

## The Sheolfolk

What do the Sheolfolk look like?

What are some characteristic Sheolfolk features?

Where do the Sheolfolk live?

## Elodi

What was Elodi like?

How accessible was Elodi?

What did Elodi look like?

Where was Elodi?

What was Elodi's opinion on the Homini?

What was Elodi's opinion on the Elysians?

What was Elodi's opinion on the Sheolfolk?

Would Elodi have spoken with Homini?

Who could spend time with Elodi?

## The Seven Virtues and their sects

What are the Seven Virtues?

How do the Virtues operate?

How does one acquire a Virtue?

How would one increase in Virtue?

Are Virtues taught?

How do Virtuous sects interact with each other?

Why is there so much conflict between the Justice and Faith sects?

How many Archangels are there?

Did Elodi choose his Archangels? (Did he handpick them and/or set them up to be Archangels?)

How does wing size relate to Elysians and Virtue?

## The Elysians

Why are Elysians likelier to live longer than Sheolfolk? Are they weaker?

Where do the Elysians live?

What is the role of music in Elysian society?

What do the Elysians look like?

What are some characteristic Elysian features?

What are "wing nubs"?

Are there any myths about wings in Elysian culture? (Being able to fly into the Overrrealm to find Elodi.)

## The Forgotten

What are the Forgotten?

What are the opinions of the Virtuous sects on the Forgotten?

Who can be in the Forgotten?

Who leads the Forgotten? (Commander in chief is Ahsa \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_.)

What do the Forgotten do?

Where are the Forgotten? (Theoretically? Everywhere. But there are deployments in x, x, and x.)

### What is *The Songs of Elodi*?

Though the title may confuse you otherwise, *The Songs of Elodi* is the trademark Elysian history book, taking the reader from the creation of Asphodel (as sung by Elodi) to an unspecified thematic end, wherein Elodi grieves the fate of Asphodel's races, subjected as they are to the conflicted rule of the gods. In ancient copies, it can be observed that it was written that Elodi wept for *all* races, not just the Elysians, as the classical canon specifies.

### What is *Elysium's Tears*?

A book of psalms, ranging in subject matter from pious adoration to the grief of long years spent in war. A section on Bonding, and Bonded partners, makes it a favorite text for Bonding ceremonies.

## Fiefs

What is a fief?

Who made the fiefs?

### ***What does Jehudiel being High Lord of Zion mean?***

Beyond that bit of canon, history wise Zion has helped it's establishment by having a commander in chief to run the fief and city, much like the Homini's council of Lords. There are other people in charge of different portions of Zion and its operations, but the head honcho is Jehudiel. In a bigger sense, it's an establishment of power and the place of command for the Elysians. Jehiliath is the unconquerable military stronghold, but Zion is the head of intelligence for events that happen on the Surface.

Prior to the Sundering, Zion wasn't especially important. Orders came from Elysium and everyone fell suit behind them. With multiple Archangels in each sect, Jehudiel was just a grumpy old man stuck in his fief, strangely deciding that he wanted more power in a time and place where it didn't mean much. Since the Sundering, he's take advantage of his establishment and love of command by making himself the de facto leader of the Elysian forces. It's worth noting that his initial role as High Lord of Zion was put into place by Elodi himself, and thus has remained relatively unquestioned.

## Questions for the creator

### ***Do you have any moderators?***

Two, and those would be Ghouleriee (Kate) and WritingBookworm (Writing, or Alyssa).

### ***Can I harass you for secret info?***

You can always ask as many qs as you want. Questions that go too far (or ones that I can neither confirm or deny) will be met with :)

### ***Can you tell me what other people have planned?***

Go talk to the person you want info from.

### ***How much do I have to tell you about my characters or what they have planned?***

I need to know enough to check for logical consistency. Once you've got the system down, I may ask questions for my own interests but otherwise, you're free to do as you wish.

### ***Why didn't you devise a calendar system for Asphodel?***

If Tolkien can do it, then so can I--Gregorian it is.

### ***Where did the idea for Asphodel come from?***

I wrote a short story a long time ago, something about a knock-off afterlife and unholy angels. A few concepts stayed and I filled in the blanks with some RP building advice from Athena and Omni, along with ideas from Zoroastrianism, Catholicism, Judaism, and Greco-Roman mythology. Concepts from such literature as *The Silmarillion* (J.R.R. Tolkien), *Homestuck* (Andrew Hussie), the *Old Kingdom* series (Garth Nix), *Avatar: The Last Airbender* (Bryan Konietzko, Michael Dante DiMartino), and *The Way of Kings* (Brandon Sanderson) are also present.

### ***Do you have any maps for Asphodel?***

Yes. On this page you can see the current map for all of Asphodel. Maps for both the city and fief of Zion are also under way.

### ***Is Elodi God?***

If you mean the Christian god with the trinity configuration (God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit) then no. They're not supposed to be God as we would know them with our Western-Christian influence. So that concept should be set aside. Their nearest counterpart would be Ahura Mazda of Zoroastrianism, and indeed, they and Ahriman are modeled after the god-pair, though they are not meant to be them.

### ***Is Ahriman Satan?***

See above. Notably, Ahriman is not one of Elodi's Elysians, Archangel or otherwise, fallen from Virtue and turned to Vice, like a transfer of Milton's *Paradise Lost* would have him be. Instead, he is an equal counterpart to Elodi and is as godly as he is, matched in power, wit, ability, and virtually every other facet of being. They are similar in the Chinese philosophical concept of Yin and Yang in the sense that they complement each other, cannot exist without the other, connect, and intertwine -- hence this whole conflict in the first place.

### ***Why are Elodi and Ahriman both guys?***

They aren't. They are. (Are they?) When have beings of infinite power required a system of gender? Their respective "genders" have been assumed.