Into the Theldesia : The Eight Neighbors in YAMATO (1)

When living this world as an Adventurer, you can't forget the <People of the Land> of <Crescent Archipelago of Yamato>. It is crucially important to cultivate a relationship with them and understand each other.

See also: Into the Theldesia 2, Into the Theldesia 3, Into the Theldesia 4.

## People of the Land / Landers

Adventurers are not the only existence that being affected by the Catastrophe.
Landers used to be mere NPCs that operate according to program. But now, it became clear that they're mankind that have their own will.
From this point, <Into the Celdesia> will introduce the Landers, the closest -- but still mysterious people -- to the Adventurers. This introduction will be divided into 4 separate times for their races.
To live in this different world, having a relationship with Landers is inevitable. I will be delighted if this article helps you to understand Landers and build a friendship with them.
### Good Eight Races

Mankind, including Landers and Adventurers, consists of the <Good Eight Races>: <Human> with the largest population, denizen of forest <Elf>, denizen of mountain <Dwarf>, the three beastmen of <Wolf Fang>, <Werecat>, and <Fox Tail>, and the <Race of Ritual> that was born to manipulate the magic, and posthumous child of extinct <Alv> race, the <Half-Alv>.
This time, <Into the Celdesia> introduces the characteristics, livelihoods, unions, and additional <Race-Skills> of two races; Humans and Half-Alvs.
Please make that useful for the characterizing and strengthening of your PC, scenario creation, and completion of background information.
# Human

Humans are the standard race, and have no special ability. It means you can easily characterize and adapt them. It's up to you what kind of change Humans make.
## Background setting before the Catastrophe

In the <Elder Tale> world, Humans are average and standard race in many ways.
Their greatest features are diversity, versatility, and above all, population.
You can see a large number of Humans in many cities and villages. They have excellent fecundity and the largest population among the Good Eight Races. Humans don't have special background setting, so they were placed to various places as common NPCs. Also their outward appearances are extremely varied and wide-ranging. Humans are the most familiar race to players.
Their appearances are no differences from real human's; that's why they have rich variations. They are about 150cm-170cm tall, and weighed about 55kg-110kg. From concentration of pigment, they have various coloring of hair, eyes, and skin (in Yamato, yellow-white and white are common. Brown skin Landers are often seen in southern regions). They are very unique precisely because they lack salient characteristic appearance.
Regarding the ability, Humans don't have conspicuously good features. However, similarly, they have no noticeable faults. For that reason, Humans can handle a variety of occupations with their dexterity and diversity.
The Race that have standard ability and appearance, and potential versatility and possibility. This is Human.
## Humans of Yamato

In Yamato, Humans are the largest influential group, and thus, they act as the representative of Good Eight Races. They have strong social nature, and account for the majority of nobles. Due to their large population, Humans are seen in many kind of work - farmer, craftsman, merchant, etc.
Humans relatively tolerate with other races, often being mixed together and living in same city. However, in many cases, this tolerance is an expression of composure as the majority and the strongest race.
In Human society, the vocational specialization is accelerated; many occupations gather and form an urban area. There is also active exchange between cities. Unsocial primitive village is almost gone in current Yamato. Their level of culture is fairly high.
On the other hand, Humans are conservative and organized, tending to keep out of danger and look for safety. Humans don't travel much, and therefore, they aren't fit for merchant compared to other races. It can be said that their adventurous spirit is scarce. There are many historical heroes, but Human heroes are not so many.
## Representative settlements

### Maihama

Maihama is the largest settlement of <League of Freedom Cities Eastal>. The urban area has a population of about 30,000. When you include the peripheral villages that are under the authority of Eastal, its population is about 80,000. Since this city faces the sea, fishing industry and shipping business are flourishing. Especially, the concessions of shipping business are backbone of the power of Maihama.
Current ruler is Duke Serjiad Corwen. Corwen Family is one of the distinguished families that can trace their history from the reign of <Westelande Imperial Dynasty>.
It takes two days from Akiba to Maihama by horse, and still, Maihama is one of the nearest Lander Cities to Adventurer City.
Incidentally, under Maihama, there is a large-scaled ruin that was a stage of some Quests. After the Catastrophe, its trackless sections were found; the number of Adventurers who visit Maihama Underground Relics trends upward.
As the nearest Lander's city from Akiba, Maihama is at a turning point with (more gradual than Akiba, but still) unprecedented rapid development. Corwen Family feel heavy responsibility of tiding over this large wave, but various large and small troubles have broken out.
Royal Guard, Glass Greaves, takes the role of protect the people from troubles. As the strongest chivalric order in Eastal, they pledge allegiance to Corwen Family and give the people of Maihama some peace of mind.
#### Column: Members of Corwen Family

In the reign of <Westelande Imperial Dynasty>, there were seven dukes. However, most of them were extinct by wars and natural disasters. Only two family lines still remain, including Corwen family that is renowned from Ezzo Empire to Ninetails Dominion.
This column introduces the profile of members of current Corwen Family. If you are an Adventurer of Akiba, you might be able to associate with them.
Serjiad Ain-Arde Corwen
The head of Corwen family, one of the two Dukes of Yamato, ruler of Maihama that is the most powerful city of the <League of Freedom Cities Eastal>, and de facto chairperson of the League.
Being highly regarded as an experienced practical wise ruler, Serjiad developed Maihama as the city of shipping business by renovation of dilapidated Port Maihama and reform of the old traditional tax system.
He performed many meritorious deeds of slaying evil Demi-humans when he was young, but he doesn't hold the sword recently because he is getting old. Serjiad dotes on his granddaughter Rayneshia who closely resembles his departed wife. He's 60 years of age.
Sarariya Tsuleu-Arte Corwen
A daughter of Serjiad, and mother of Rayneshia. She was known as a talented lady, involving with political affairs to help her father in her teens. After the intervention into the world of politics, she got acquainted with Feynail and fell in love with him at first sight. She's 35 years of age, but her beauty that was called "The pearl of Eastal" has not yet faded; she is the object of envy of society.
She rarely attends to state affairs, but carried out various policies as an adviser of Feynail. Above all, the intelligence agency centering on Maihama is operated by her.
Feynail Tsuleu-Arde Corwen
Husband of Sarariya, and father of Rayneshia. He is descended from a noble family of Maihama that have the earlship, and was adopted by his wife's family.
Serjiad have no son. Therefore, it is already decided that Icelus will become his successor. Feynail is the guardian of Icelus.
Feynail is 180cm tall, but he's not good at fighting; he is just a civil service responsible for finance. He’s 40 years of age.
Langrissa Cil-Arte Corwen
A daughter of Serjiad, and aunt of Rayneshia (Sarariya's younger sister). She is unmarried, and spends her days as a nun. Since she sincerity listens to people's worries and politely answers, she is famous as a saint.
She had been a rather naughty lady in her early days, so she has a lot of smart advices for the people in distress. She claims she won't have a love affair with someone anymore. She's 30 years of age.
Risselthea Cil-Arte Jaris
First granddaughter of Serjiad, and older sister of Rayneshia. She was expected to marry into a family of other member of <League of Freedom Cities Eastal> and become a central role of matrimonial diplomacy.
Then, she met a young knight, and married him after a grand love affair and vehement opposition of her family. The relations between Serjiad and Risselthea had gotten deteriorated for a while, but they started restoring it recently.
She has a son, and is received warmly as the good wife of Jaris family. She lost the right of succession when she married, so Rayneshia is the focus of the family's expectation now. She's 19 years of age.
Rayneshia El-Arte Corwen
Second granddaughter of Serjiad, and second daughter of Sarariya and Feynail. Having a strong resemblance to her dead grandmother who was praised as the most beautiful woman in Eastal, she is a sweet girl who is called "The winter rose of Eastal". Irrespective of commoners or civilians or knights, she has absolute popularity as a symbol of Cowen Family.
Among the Landers, there is a legendary anecdote that Rayneshia debated with an Adventurer named Krusty, and argued him down. Although she externally acts as a perfect princess, her lazy real nature loves pajama and bed. It is a worry to Elissa, her personal maid. She's 16 years of age.
Icelus El-Arde Corwen
Younger brother of Rayneshia, and the first candidate for the successor. He is fair-skinned girly-looking boy who yearns for heroic tales and chivalric romances.
Recently he is looking at Adventurers with great interest, saying "I want to live in Akiba with my sister!" and troubling the people around him. He's 8 years of age.
#### Column: Glass Greaves

Famous royal chivalric order of Maihama. It is composed of 80 regular members and 210 yeomans, and their role is to protect Corwen Family. As chosen elites, they are serving as the central core of defence of Maihama.
Glass Greaves is focusing on military actions that have good generalship, and <Extra Move> is essential to join them. They submit themself to the march training and run around the mountain for strengthening the muscular power of the lower half of the body, so they can move speedily on the battlefield.
Emblem of Glass Greaves is a pair of crystal greaves. Its motif is the magic shoes that a hero of Maihama wore, and sometimes you can see the leader of knights is actually wearing it in ceremonies. They inherited an indomitable spirit from the hero. Children admire their sparkling shoes, and their foot, that are running through Maihama, have been respected by the citizens.
### Ikoma

Ikoma is a imperial court city built in the mountains lined with many magnificent residences of the aristocracies. Originally this city was prepared for going to court of central city Kyou, but its significance as a villa was lost when <Westelande Imperial Dynasty> changed into <Holy Empire Westelande>. Currently, Ikoma is the home ground of Itsukinomiya Family and another Duke's family.
The avenue runs from east (leading to Kyou) to west (leading to Minami) in the midst of <Ikoma Mountain Holy Shrine>. Although it's in the mountains, infrastructures like roads in good condition or water for daily use are fully provided. It is extremely comfortable city for nobles, their servants, and Adventurer visitors.
However, <Holy Empire Westelande> is paying a painful price for it. Not a few Landers are imposed labors in Ikoma in lieu of taxes, and they can never return to their native land.
## Typical TRPG Tags for Human Landers

Maihama, Akiba, Ikoma, Kyou, Minami, League of Freedom Cities Eastal, Holy Empire Westelande, Westelande Imperial Dynasty, Glass Greaves, Itsukinomiya Family, Ikoma Mountain Holy Shrine, Ezzo Empire, Fourland Dukedom, Ninetails Dominion, Wet nurse, Vendor, Chimney sweeper, Retainer, Housekeeper, Wig maker, Knight, Aristocrat, Waiter, Shoemaker, Town crier, Negotiator, Miller, Baby sitter, Tailor, Fishmonger, Person in charge of market, Executioner, Mayor, Servant, Barkeeper, Landlord/Landlady, Inquisitor, Washerwoman, Charwoman, Undertaker, Village headman, Magistrate, Tax collector, Apprentice, Butcher, Farmer, Baker, Praetor, Maid, Barber, Fisherman, Chef, Candle maker, Rope maker
# Half-Alv

Half-Alv is unique mutation race that is a blood relative of extinct race. Their upbringing and high affinity for ancient techniques will give your character a dramatic background and a chance of excellent activities.
## Background setting before the Catastrophe

Half-Alvs have the most singular background in <Elder Tale>. Their major characteristics are the mark on their tongues and the high affinity for ancient techniques attributable to their blood.
They are atavistic race of Alv, ancient race that once ruled whole of the world. They are a kind of mutation; their parents' race doesn't affect, and a baby that is born of Half-Alv parents may *not* be a Half-Alv. Moreover, Half-Alv's ability to produce children is rather low.
Their appearances are almost same from Humans. They are about 150cm-185cm tall, and weighed about 55kg-90kg. The same may be said of their coloring of hair and eyes, but there are more light-brown skin than Humans. Anyway, It's quite difficult to distinguish Human and Half-Alv.
Checking their tongues is an infallible method for distinguishing between these two. However, most of Half-Alvs hate it.
They have a high affinity for magic items including ancient Alven ruins. Especially, none but Half-Alvs can start the large magic apparatuses that has authentication mechanism. Also, they are suited for Healer classes and Mage classes.
The race that was born with special power although they look like Humans. This is Half-Alv.
## Half-Alvs of Yamato

As an atavistic mutant, Half-Alv has a very small population and is hardly seen in Yamato.
Birth of Half-Alv is interpreted as the (mostly bad) omen, especially in the superstitious countryside. In addition to this, they are persecuted from those who fear Alv and sometimes forced to leave their homeland at an early age. Even they are born in the noble family, they can't take over the position as the head of their family in most cases; they are confined or forced to marry into other family.
As a result, Half-Alvs can't help but live a life without the bond of local community and the relatives. Therefore, they're very unsentimental about families ties; of course they wouldn't be alive if they weren't hard, but their uninterested way of thinking about a society based on blood relationships leads to conflicts with other people on occasion, and their isolated situation in Human society of Yamato gets worse.
On the other hand, in the big royal courts and densely-populated cities, Half-Alv can pretend to be just a unsociable Human. Moreover, they are sometimes respected as talented person in the place where magic-researching is prosperous.
In Yamato, there is a Half-Alven secret organization named <Cradle of Stars> that was formed for defending Half-Alvs from discrimination and persecution. In this case, 'Secret organization' means 'It isn't generally known'; <Cradle of Stars> is a cooperative association beyond their regions and doesn't do any illegal activity. Half-Alvs aren't good at managing the organization, but the probability that young Half-Alvs will be able to survive after being exiled their country is low.
As a part of the activities, <Cradle of Stars> takes charge of Half-Alven orphans and entrusts to Half-Alv foster parent. Foster parents are called Mastre, and bring up children as pupils. Most of Mastre are magic-related engineers, and thus, foster children often become specialists of magic techniques. This is one of the reasons why Half-Alvs are suited for magic researcher.
### Column: Cradle of Stars

<Cradle of Stars> has a long history. It is said that the nucleus of the organization had been already formed When the existence of Half-Alv started appear in the pages of history. Name of the founder was forgotten, but the old traditions about 'The Witches' that secretly took charge of Half-Alv orphans exist in all the places of Yamato. Most likely, one or few of 'The Witches' was/were the founder(s). Accordingly, the leader of <Cradle of Stars>, called Star-Mother, is a always female by tradition.
Even though they claim that <Cradle of Stars> is a cooperative association, its actual circumstance is a moderate aggregation of some groups. Every group is led by a Mestre, and most of <Cradle of Stars> members never saw other group's members, except for their own Mastre's Mestre and his fellow pupils.
Still, there is a strong bond between them. If two Half-Alvs meet by chance and notice each other that both of them belong to <Cradle of Stars>, they will help each other as a 'Family'. After becoming independent and leaving his Mastre's home, an erstwhile foster child starts a wandering journey for finding Half-Alv orphans and taking them under his protection as his pupils. That's how the history of <Cradle of Stars> is carried over to the next generation.
"Ever-Changing Witch" Sheiola
Compared to former Star-Mothers, Sheiola is slightly young. However, she has a shrewd political skill and un-Half-Alv-ly sociability. Executive members of <Cradle of Stars> judged that young and energetic Mastre is advantageous for external negotiation, and broke with the tradition that Star-Mother must be the oldest female Mastre.
Officially, Sheiola is a professor of "College" of Tsukuba (her specialization is illusion magics) and she makes the most of her position for defending and teaching Half-Alvs. Sometimes she had been coming in contact to Adventurers through the Quests before the Catastrophe. Since Half-Alv Adventurers could see Sheiola's special secret dialogues, some player had recognized that Sheiola has some kind of secrets behind her beautiful face.
*"Have you ever thought about having an eternal dream before?"*
*"A woman has many secrets. A witch like me, much more."*
## Representative settlements

### Tsukuba

Located in the east region of Eastal, Tsukuba is well known as a city of magic and knowledge since the academic guilds have great influence in here. Townscape is compartmented in a methodical manner because they are reusing the ruin buildings of <Age of the Gods>. This city had a lot of Quests and items relating to magic before the Catastrophe.
At the center of the city, "College", a large research facility that is composed of about 40 various-sized towers of <Age of the Gods>, exists. Each tower has been governed by a classified academic union and its subordinate unions.
Researchers of "College" are acquainted with Adventurers through the Quests since before the Catastrophe; they started studying about Adventurer's technology and giving each other their technology recently.
By the way, even though it is officially denied, there is a tacit fact that some organizations of dark magic are carrying out inhumane experiments in "College".
Many Half-Alvs live in Tsukuba that has a regard for the knowledge and is not so discriminatory. The fact that many Half-Alvs has been appointed to professorship of "College" is evidence that people of Tsukuba don't have so much prejudice against Half-Alv.
### Ikebukuro

Ikebukuro is one of the largest Lander settlements around Akiba, and also famous for having a Half-Alven community. They, calling themselves the "Excavators", live a quiet life in an abandoned skyscraper named <Tower of Sunshine> and its surrounding areas while excavating and researching.
They are somewhat exclusive and don't want to have relationships with other Landers except when they need to sale the excavated artifacts and buy the necessaries of life. However, they are relatively friendly to the Adventurers who don't have prejudice against Half-Alv and can be their bodyguards.
#### Column: Tower of Sunshine

<Tower of Sunshine> that rises at the center of Ikebukuro is a 60-floor skyscraper ruin of <Age of the Gods>. Inhabitant Landers insist that this tower is a paradise without any monster, but of course there's no such good thing. Areas that can be said safe are only basement floor and 1F-8F.
Basement floor is a mushroom plantation and 1F is a field, so inhabitants can be self-sufficient to a certain extent.
In 2F and 3F, almost all monsters were eliminated by Adventurers, and excavations of magical artifacts are prosperous.
4F-7F are ruins that was already 'dried up', and about 2000 Landers live in here.
8F is <Fortress of Sunshine>, the strongpoint for defending against monsters of higher floors.
Floors above 9F are infested with monsters, so Landers don't dare to get into. However, for Adventurers, this tower is an attractive dungeon because higher floors have many powerful magical items and treasures.
Since inhabitants tend to avoid having interpersonal relationship with outside world, Adventurers will face many difficulties. At first, you must win their trust. Defensive battle with soldiers of <Fortress of Sunshine> and contribution of necessaries sound good. Also, learning their odd sense of values and habits as dwellers of ruins may be a shortcut to befriend with them.
### Village of Oenotheran

There's a rumor about a hidden Half-Alven village located in somewhere of Eastal.
Someone says it is in the depths of the mountains that even beasts don't come near, and another says it is in a desert island that is surrounded by shore reefs. All villagers are friendly and warmly treat the Adventurers that have gone astray. So, only few people can find the dark side of this village.
As descendants of 'Twilight Princess' of Alv, they call themselves Oenotheran and worship the deified Alv princess. They believe their princess will reincarnate to relieve the oppressed Half-Alvs.
The 'relief' of Oenotheran is the vengeance against Mankind and the creation of the Half-Alven utopia. Of course, villagers never talk to you about these secrets. If you witnessed that villagers were hold a weird meeting in the midnight, I exhort you to leave the village secretly. There is no guarantee that villagers won't notice that their secrets were revealed and resort to force.
(This is unreliable information that is recorded on a certain travel literature. The author went missing later on.)

*Note: In Log Horizon TRPG Replay, "Twilight Princess" Tokinagi, one of the Luquinje/Six Scrapped Princesses and a former ruler of Yamato,* truly *reincarnated as the alternative personality of Nagi, a Lander girl of amnesia. However, Tokinagi is unwilling to restart her revenge on the contemporary people (for now). Also, she doesn't have any meta-knowledge about <Elder Tale> and MMORPG.*

## Typical TRPG Tags for Half-Alv Landers

Tsukuba, Ikebukuro, Cradle of Stars, Mastre, Oenotheran, Witch, Star-Mother, College, Excavator, Tower of Sunshine, Fortress of Sunshine, Hermit, Guild staff, Librarian, Tutor, Daihitsuya, Historian, Mathematician, Engineer, Officer of arms, Archivist, Doctor, Scholar, Scribe, Apprentice, Architect
# External link

* Into the Celdesia : The Eight Neighbors in YAMATO (1) Japanese ver.