Characters in Emoria

[Kathryn Lacey]

Post your character sheets for Emoria here!
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• Bird of Hermes as
  Venteux
  
  
• Buzzwulf as
  Fionu Arquena/Saint
  Lairlossë Arqueno
  
  
• Caleb as
  Raa'Lhen Gestalan
  
  
• Chainlinc3 as
  Xiana
  
  
• Crazy Hobo as
  Allister Breaux
  
  
• Dax as
  Jean Poitiers
  
  
• Gabe as
  Nilus of Izic
  
  
• Gadreille as
  Corbina Obscuracce
  Reyabel Garrin
  
  
• Guilty Carrion as
  Meyul
  Morgarath
  Siade Ayurent
  
  
• Hello Danger as
  Boyd Waters
  
  
• Kalon Ordona II as
  Chälan Irrdánë
  Lantis Ashei
  Tatyana Irrdánë
  
  
• Kathryn Lacey as
  Sailahína Carnil
  
  
• Loki as
  Ja'Dhannar
  M'Raverr
  
  
• Mojave Wanderer as
  Aesir Verevui
  
  
• quakernuts as
  Jarileh Ky'ley
  
  
• Ysopet as
  Alys Rae
  Daciis Arkandis
  
  

  ---

  
  
  
• NPC
  Rya De-Solarius
  
  
  
• Inactive
  
  
  
  
• Inactive
  
  
  
  
• Inactive
  
  

[Kathryn Lacey]

Character Name: Venteux

Species/Race: Ionairus

Physical Description:
Venteux is around five feet tall and has a lithe frame built for flight. Grey feathered wings extend from her shoulder blades and allow her to fly much like a bird does. She has vibrant violet eyes, windswept silver hair, feathery ears and soft ivory skin that is reminiscent of a storm cloud. Like all Ionairus, Venteux never sleeps.

Age: 200 (Appears 20)

Gender: Female

Occupation: Portal Guardian

Skills: Can control the winds, holds a key to the Portal

World-space: Elemental Plane of Air; Venteux lives on the outskirts of the Air Plane in a colony run by the free Ionairus.

Allies: Elemental Planes of Fire, Water and Earth

Enemies: Plane of Shadow, Ion the Lord of the Four Winds and I'naire the Watcher

Religion/Deity: Queen of the Crows

Personality: This Ionairus is very curious like most of her people. When moving on foot, she crouches and sneaks, never ceasing to move. When she stands, she stands tall. When she flies, she flies with grace. Venteux rarely speaks, but when she does it is with an exactness that reveals her true age.

History: Venteux's personal history is much like all of her people's. This Ionairus, like them all, was created approximately two millennia ago by Ion the Lord of the Four Winds from the Matter of the Four Elements. She was freed from the Curse of Petrification by the Queen of the Crows. She had joined the Resistance on her home plane and has recently been initiated as a Guardian of the Portal. Venteux has much to learn of the Material Plane and its peoples.

Table of Contents

[Kathryn Lacey]

Species/Race: Moriquendë

Physical Description: Saint is gaunt and light-boned, like all elves, but unlike the rest of the quendi race, he has spent time within the mountains of shadow, perhaps too close to Morgarath for his own good. As a result, he has become mutated, his skin a dusky color and his hair starkest white. As an elf, he is still taller than a human, with swept back ears, but he has become more and more attracted to the shadow, and it shows in his facial features. His canines have begun to lengthen slightly, and his eyes reflect light in darkness, much like a cat. He keeps his hair fairly short, and generally wears slightly shaded spectacles to protect his eyes from the sunlight.

Saint seems always almost on the verge of laughing, and he generally wears a mocking smirk when conversing. He tends to wear long, thick coats with full sleeves (better to hide knifes in) and mostly dark trousers. Underneath these clothes, he is almost completely hairless, like most of Quendi, but also sports a surprising amount of tattoos, mostly up his left arm and around his elbow. These mark him as a chosen of Morgarath, and he hides them well. These tattoos are mostly red abstract drawings, but some of them settle into shapes vaguely unnerving, like teeth or talons.

By virtue of his race, Saint looks much younger than he is, only appearing to be barely in his late twenties. He is more well-muscled than is average for a member of the Quendi, but still much less than many humans would be, and not stocky by any means. Saint moves with a strange grace, however, almost seeming to dance without trying. He is surrounded by both an aura of scholarly study and an aura of danger, with the slightest hint of madness. He is intensely protective of his younger sister.

His eyes have not mutated fully yet, and are still a vibrant emerald green, but they are beginning to gain slowly growing flecks of red deep within them. Even though Saint smiles or smirks almost constantly, something within his eyes seems tortured. He often travels with a long-bladed spear, pointed at both ends with a lockable hinge in the middle.

Character Bio: Born to the Rácar Herir clan of Hyarya, Fionu was not the most skilled hunter or the most skilled warrior. Everything he knew, he learned from his father, who was rarely around. Fionu had no flare for hunting or fighting, so he helped the clan by being a healer, and supplying herbs and poultices where they were needed. He chafed quickly under the leadership of his mother, who was the Amil Ráca at the time. Fionu never really gave his mother the respect she diserved as the head of the clan, and upon reaching his fortieth name day, he left the clan to join the Cundo Tyalië Cuivëo, where he could be more independent.

When his sister was born, he was allowed to leave the service of the Cundo Tyalië Cuivëo to help her adjust to her new life, as strange as she was. During these few years, Fionu was for the first time truly happy, and quickly gained an attachment such as he had never felt before. When he went back to the Cundo Tyalië Cuivëo, he was no longer devoted to the Game of Life, but to his sister instead. Upon the death of his father while hunting the Drenata, he was struck with greif, and wanted to go console his sister, but was told that the Cundo Tyalië Cuivëo would not allow him another leave for another twenty or so years. He left anyway, deserting his post and journeying through the forests to find his sister.

He was just in time to watch the last of a raiding party of Drenata die, as the arcane energies his sister had contained since her birth ripped out of her into the world. Bodies lay everywhere, Quendi and Drenata alike, torn to pieces or burned beyond recognition by a fire not meant for the material plane. Dark energy cascaded around his sister's body as she laughed giddily, plucking the eyes from the corpses she could find that were still intact enough. He found her, calmed her down, and looked to find any other survivors. There were none, although his mother, the previous Amil Ráca, had apparantly been captured by the Drenata, and perhaps still lived.

His sister, upon finding what she had done, cut herself off from outside contact. She barely spoke to Fionu, and never spoke to strangers. Fionu found himself and his sister hunted by all the tribes, and fled to the shelter of the great library, where the clans had little sway. He managed to get a job as an archivist, promising to share his knowledge of clan lore, and did so to the best of his ability, filling several volumes with previously unheard facts and lore taken from clan mythology.

Along with his job as an archivist, he held an additional practice within the city as an herbalist, healing those without the money to request magical aid. He borrowed some knowledge from within the archives, and learned quickly how to heal a great number of ailments and maladies. He also became a student of anatomy, and frequently studied on corpses he was able to requisition as an archivist, writing several tomes of medicine based on his results. His sister, however, began to deteriorate quickly within the city. No matter what tinctures or teas he gave her, none of them seemed to help.

Within the halls of the Library, he seemed to the other archivists to almost tirelessly search for a cure, or anything that might simply help, but it seemed to Fionu that he was thwarted with every dusty tome. He ventured deeper and deeper within the library, never finding quite what he sought, until he stumbled across ancient books of shadow lore. Within these dusty manuals, he read that within the darkness of the Mountains of Night, there was a cure to every malady, whether of the body or the mind. With his sister in tow, he set off to the mountains, trying to find this cure.

What he found instead was Morgarath, a leader that promised he could help his sister. With nowhere left to turn, he completed a contract, and became something else. As he worked with Morgarath, He was forced to go through horrible rituals, the memory of which was so awful it had to be suppressed. These rituals left him with both tattoos all along his left side and deep scars on his chest, but he felt stronger and faster than ever before. As his body slowly changed, so did he, finding his gifts as a healer could be twisted to harm as well, to craft ingenious poisons. He gained the gift for fighting he had sought as a child, and worked with loyalty to Morgarath's ends wherever he was sent. He remains, however, thoroughly devoted to his sister, even more than to the dark lord he serves.

During his work as Morgarath's servant, he began going by the name of Saint whenever he was forced to work on mercenary contracts. This name became feared quickly throughout the countryside around the Mountains of Night, and Fionu began going by it even over his actual name. Now, the only ones who remember his as the gentle Fionu are those who knew him as an archivist or before.

Age: 154

Gender: Male

Occupation: Previously archivist and Cundo Tyalië Cuivëo, now personal bodyguard

Skills: Saint previously worked as an archivist for the great library of Nolwë. He discovered a great many things inside the library, and became somewhat famous as an apothecary in the city before his mad flight. He retains his knowledge of tinctures and medicines, and has branched into some of the more dangerous herbs now, readily preparing poisons and sleeping droughts. He is hoping to expand his knowledge of anatomy of the various races. Additionally, he still remembers many of the secrets of the library itself, and speaks a great many languages learned throughout his long lifespan (though most have an atrocious accent).

Recently, he has taught himself the art of combat, though he prefers to not fight if it can be avoided. He keeps knifes hidden up his sleeves at all times, and will palm them in his hands with a simple flick of a wrist. He also has learned an exotic weapon, a double-sided spear with a hinge in the center, which can be locked or unlocked easily. He is very good at both styles, and has “practiced” constantly over the last five years.

Finally, due to his life in the mountains of shadow, he has become quite adept at a variety of acrobatics (though mostly climbing). He was graceful before he left the elven court, but now the conditions in which he lives have hardened him, and he has become even stronger for it.

The transformation to Moriquende has also hardened him, making Saint more resistant to pain and stronger than his frame would imply. His muscles have begun to coil upon themselves as a result of his continual mutation, and so sometimes he will have extreme shooting pains, but he is much stronger than the average Quendi or Human.

Allies: Morgarath

Enemies: Nolwë Osto, the clans of Hyarya

Religion/Deity(s): Supposedly Morgarath

Table of Contents

[Kathryn Lacey]

Species/Race: Moriquendë

Physical Description: Lairelossë was born with red eyes, and they stay with her still, accentuating her Moriquendë features. She is short for an elf, and tends to cast her eyes downwards and slouch, making her seem even shorter. She rarely looks anyone in the eyes, though when she does, they can almost sense something horrible slumbering behind her gaze.

When she is not completely cloaked, she wears tight-fitting, dark clothing, and leaves her hair in a short braid. She cuts her hair herself, and does not really take care to make it pretty, preferring to simply keep it out of her eyes. It is rarely kept well, and tends to ride into short strands that hug her scalp. She often pulls at it when she is nervous, and often she will also scratch at herself when she is anxious.

Lairelossë is not very assertive, preferring to let her older brother do most talking. She has only recently gained enough self-confidence to speak for herself, and even when she does, it is generally in an almost-whisper. She does not really joke or laugh, and she is extremely shy and delicate. When she does decide something, however, she generally gets what she wants. She has a will honed from years of battling her own personal demons, and when she becomes convinced of something, her strength of mind is tremendous.

Lairelossë is also very good at using her perceived innocence to her advantage, though not all of it is entirely untrue. She has never really had to fend for herself, and she thinks that it is rather unlikely she would be able to. At her current age, she looks about nineteen, but she is actually much, much older.

Character Bio: “The sky split, and the horrible ringing came from everywhere. Screams erupted from the throats of everyone, both living and dead, and a horrible fire spilled throughout the clearing. I ran as fast as I could, as fast as my legs would carry me. When I opened my eyes, I was the only one left.” -Survivor of the Death of Autumn.

Lairelossë was born as the daughter of the Amil Ráca, and the supposed successor to her title, but her birth was considered an ill omen by many within the clan. Never before had a Quendi been born with red eyes, and even as a child she seemed different than the rest of the clan. She never seemed able to focus on anything, and despite the attentions of almost all of the mothers in the tribe, she seemed to learn in leaps and jumps, not as a normal child might. She forgot things constanly, but seemed to remember things that hadn't yet occurred, and even things that she had no right to know.

These actions seemed to bother almost everyone, even to the point of some people beginning to call her a witch. After she began to talk to herself, the clan decided something had to be done. They sent for Her brother, who had been training with the Cundo Tyalië Cuivëo, and had him brought back to try and settle her down. For a few years, she lived with her brother and father, and slowly began to become better with the attention and love she received. When her brother finally had to leave, however, she began to become worse again.

Eventually, she spiraled out of control, finally revealing some of her channeling ability to horrible effect. When released, the spirits inside her ran amok, ripping down tents and burning some of the wolfs that lived with the village. When the fit subsided, it was decided to send for a member of the Ingolemor. The woman who came was not able to recommend a cure, but was able to identify Lairelossë as both a Turi Aquienmor Nuta and a seer. Not only was she constantly bombarded by visions of the future and the past, but she had at the very least three spirits living inside her, constantly clamoring at her attention. Keeping even the slightest amount of concentration on the present took almost all of her strength. Upon this diagnosis, the fear that the clan had felt turned to pity, and they soon began taking turns looking after Lairelossë.

Everything changed when the Drenata attacked the camp. In the horror of everyone she knew either being taken captive or slain, Lairelossë finally released one of the spirits that lived within her, the least violent of those she knew. The results were devastating. What actually happened in anyone's guess, but the results were telling: the entire village had been burned almost to the ground, and no amount of water would quench the smoldering embers that remained. Oily grass fires spread for days before finally being banished by a group of Ingolemer.

Lairelossë herself seemed entirely unharmed. Dazed and horrified, she stumbled out of the wreckage of the village into the waiting arms of her brother, who secreted them both away to the Quendi library. All the clans now wanted their blood, and quickly the incident began to be known as the “Death of Autumn”. After her brother became an archivist, Lairelossë devoted all of her energies beating down the spirits that seemed even more powerful than ever before. They tore at the insides of her mind more and more strongly, demanding to be let free.

Eventually, Lairelossë learned that if she bargained with them, and gave them just a little free time in the world of the living, they would leave her alone for a time. She would go into the city and allow them brief visits, without her brothers knowledge. Strange things would happen during these visits, and she began to lose more and more of herself to “blank spots”, time she couldn't remember. Lairelossë began to frighten even herself, and soon had shut down completely, not allowing anyone access to her thoughts except her brother.

This wore upon her though, and eventually she confessed to Fionu how close she was to breaking down and letting the spirits loose. He decided that he would pursue a lead that he had found in the library, rather than risk exposure in the city and library, and they quickly set off towards the Mountains of Night. As she began to change slowly under the presence of Morgarath, she noticed that she had achieved an uneasy truce with the spirits that inhabited her body.

Rather than always fighting, she seemed to have achieved some sense of dominance along with the dusky skin and white hair, and could fight the spirits more effectively. She has submitted to all of Morgarath's tests, but while her brother has pledged himself to the dark lord, Lairelossë has made it very clear she intended to do no such thing. While she would still work for the dark lord out of gratefulness if he asked, there is no binding on her, and she will disobey him if she feels she needs to.

Age: 126

Gender: Female

Occupation: Turi Aquienmor Nuta

Skills: Lairelossë is an extremely powerful channeler, perhaps the most powerful to ever live. She is not only capable of channeling multiple spirits at once, she is also completely aware of everything the spirits she lives with feel and want. This is not necessarily always a good thing. While she is not particular good on the finer points of control, in terms of magical strength, she is a giant. However, she has never truly been trained in the ways of channeling, and so when she attempts to use spirits, she does not use them to their full potential.

Her power stems mostly from the spirits living within her, which were part of her even before she was born. There are at least three spirits inside of her, clawing at her sanity, and all of them are extremely powerful.

With all of this power bursting to get outside, however, every day is extremely dangerous for Lairelossë. She has to contain all of these being within her mind, and keep them from getting outside, which takes almost all of her concentration. Making it even more difficult for her is the fact that she sees not only the present, but the past and future all at once.

While she attempts to find the present, it is a never-ending struggle for her. The things she views do not have any particular significance, but she could at any time be viewing years into the past or years into the future. She mainly has to spend her time finding the present, entirely through a process of trial and error, and she has lived through some moments multiple time and never lived through others. Her sight is entirely restricted to her life, and can not extend to a place she has never been.

Also, with her life as a member of a clan, she has learned to do certain things to take care of herself. She can sew and cook as she needs to, and can even hunt if need be, though she has not done so for almost eighty years.

Allies: Morgarath

Enemies: Nolwë Osto, the clans of Hyarya

Religion/Deity(s): Supposedly Morgarath

Table of Contents

[Kathryn Lacey]

Character Name: Xiana

Species/Race: Fae

Physical Description: She's a Fae. See the race's physical characteristics section for most details. Xiana is an exception to the norm in that she never differentiated; her glow remains the light blue of of youth. She's has yet to earn her wings, other than the first pair for reaching adulthood.

Character Bio: Xiana is a young adult by Fae standards, maybe twenty-something in human years. She has had very little experience outside the Citadel, only having spent a little over twenty years being able to leave it's safety. During this period, she's mostly just be the harvesting the world's latent magic, stockpiling it for future use while she got the lay of the land. She feels ready for a real challenge, to earn her wings, and to find something to relieve her boredom. She's currently affiliated with the Fae Vyron.

Age: 104

Gender: Asexual, like all Fae, but she identifies as a female.

Occupation: Wanderer? The Fae don't have a real concept of employment, other than a few within the Citadel.

Skills: She has the basic Fae abilities of flight, shapeshifting, and teleportation, as well as a sizable amount of mana to bend to her will. She does not, however, have any significant practice in controlling this magic, or efficiency in it's usage. As such, she can unleash blasts of energy and create fields of raw magic, but not much more complicated than that at the moment. She has a moderately detailed knowledge of geography; enough to keep from getting lost, but not so much that she can identify most geographical features..

(I'll probably add characters for the leaders of the three Fae clans, but I just don't have the inspiration for them quite yet)

World-Space: The Fae Citadel is the center of Fae civilization, and it's only settlement. Geographically, it's to the south of Arcona, off the map below the central "bay." The easiest way to get there is to have one of the Fae transport you there.

Citadel (the city) is wide, blue and white platform of metal and crystal. In the center of the platform is the actual Citadel (the building and namesake of the city). It's rather fluidly shaped, something like this handy picture:


At the top of the tower is the meeting chambers for the Fae Ring, the Citadel's governing body. Most of the rest is academic-- the Fae have acquired quite a bit of knowledge over the years, and have documented most of it in their libraries. On the ground floor is a marketplace, the only one in the Citadel-- Known only as the Bazaar, it hawks the many and sundry rare goods that the Fae have either acquired or crafted over the years. Radiating outward from the Citadel, various residences, workshops, and meeting halls fill the platform, though none come anywhere near as tall as the Citadel. Surrounding the platform are four, verdant islands, referred to only as the Isles. The Northern Isle holds livestock that the Fae breed for their own entertainment, and for usage on the South Isle. The Southern Isle is an arena of sorts; a wilderness where the Fae release animals they've bred to see what survives. Initially, it was supposed to be a sort of nature reserve, a place where the Fae could commune with the natural world. Now, however, it's closer to a gladiatorial arena, particularly favored among the Fae Nocturne. The Eastern Isle is a fishery, catching and cleaning fish for consumption. The Western Isle is farmland, made fertile by the blessing of the Fae.

The food produced by the Isles is necessary due to the Citadel's large non-Fae residential population. Over the years, the Fae have brought many mortals to the Citadel whom they were fond of. The Citadel's magic elongates most lives by up to 50%; enough time for some of them to breed and lay the foundation for what is now a thriving community with representatives from almost every race and culture. While the mortals are not bound by Fae law in the same sense that the Fae are, they must still obey the core principles; violence in the Citadel is not tolerated, which has, over the years, resulted in a remarkably homogenous society. There are minor schisms between those of differing beliefs, and lingering racism effects a small minority, but it's far better than most places.

The Citadel was created over the years using the waste mana from the creation of new Fae. As energy radiated off, the Fae recaptured as much as they could and used it to support the construction of the Citadel. It's a slow process, but the expansion continues to this day.

Allies: While the Fae don't particularly have allies or enemies, due to the fact that each Fae is allowed a fair amount of freedom in picking it's own allegiance, most of them are on good relations with:
The Veloran- The Veloran practically worship the Fae due to their high levels of magical power, which makes it a rather pleasant place for them. As a result, many Fae would support this nation in battle if the need arose. While the Veloran are not a particularly evil race, most of the Fae enjoy having their ego stroked, which means that even the fickle Fae Nocturne tend to be friendly with them.

The Apahov- Many of the Fae are intrigued by the style of magic practiced by the Weavers. Some have experimented with the style themselves, to little success. Nevertheless, the Fae do harbor some affection for the Apahov people, if for no other reason than curiosity regarding the magic they wield. Furthermore, the Apahov are on good relations with the Veloran, which strengthens the bond along the premise of "My friend's friend is probably my friend." The Fae Nocturne are the exception to this relationship, considering the Apahov to be too "good" for their own tastes.

Enemies: Similar to how the Fae have factions they are mostly on friendly terms with, they also have factions they are more antagonistic towards. Namely:
Shienienaran Trading Confederation- The Veloran are hostile towards them, and a sub-faction of the Fae who are friendly with the Veloran also share this hostility. While this group has of a higher-than-average percent of Fae Nocturne (genocidal wars are right up their alley) it contains representatives of all three clans. To the Fae, this hostility is nothing personal, simply just that "the enemy of my friend is probably my enemy."

Religion/Deity(s): They are strictly atheist, preferring to take matters of morality into their own hands, rather than leaving them to some superior being.

Governing Body: They are ruled by the Fae Ring, which is described below!


The Fae Children (Aka: the Fae)-
Quick note, the race as a whole is called the Fae Children. If I mention a Fae child, I mean a young Fae, not just a singular Fae. So,
Physical Characteristics:
The Fae technically fall into the category of "non-living," with no actual matter as a part of them. Matter is to normal creatures as magic is to them; they are composed entirely of magic, and they derive all sustenance from it. This makes them rather vulnerable to magical disturbances, like direct spells (fireballs, lightning, etc)-- they have to counter the spell with one of their own, because taking even a small amount of magical damage will destabilize them and cause the mana they've stored up to erupt outward in a large explosion, killing them in the process. On the same note, they are magical powerhouses, able to unleash devastatingly powerful spells at a moment's notice, and able to overpower most indirect spells (shields, glamours, etc). Although they have no physical form, their enchantment is bound to a fragile crystal at the core of the Fae. If the crystal is destroyed, the Fae dies in the normal way. Also, due to their lack of true physical form, small tasks, like lifting a walnut, are the extent of their direct strength. The Fae typically appear as little more than a small, glowing, humanoid figure-- roughly three inches tall and silhouetted against the brightness of their own magic. Due to the fact that only their silhouette is really visible, and that their body is consumed in a flare of magic on their death, very little is know about anatomy that their magic presents. The color with which they glow reflects their favored type of magic, which in turn reflects their personality. In their youth, their glows are not differentiated, and thus are a generic light blue. Despite these physical similarities, the Fae can recognize each other using each other's unique magical signature. Wing-like projections of energy protrude from the back of the Fae, and match the color of their glow. These wings are theorized to function like magical batteries, storing magic for future use. The number of pairs of wings varies according to certain events, see the Life Cycle section on how they acquire additional pairs (the first pair is obtained shortly after "birth"). On a final note, they (obviously) do not suffer from hunger, disease, old age, and only need to sleep after exerting themselves.

Origins:
Basically, they came into being the same way natural life did. Just as an interesting chemical was formed in some puddle somewhere that was able to make copies of itself, the Fae were formed as a side-effect of a spell cast centuries ago, an enchantment that was able to reproduce itself. From there, it multiplied and mutated until it achieved sentience, thus creating the first Fae. It's evolution, but with magic!

Clans:
Fae Vyron-
The Vyron are the first and largest clan of the Fae, and represent a sort of balance. They are mischief-loving, but also compassionate; destructive, but also creative. They support the status quo, almost regardless of what the status quo might be. Typically, they pass their time harassing mortals, and tend to bond with roguish types-- people who aren't inherently bad, but definitely aren't good.

Fae Illus-
The Illus are the smallest clan of the Fae, representing purity and honor. They are the typical do-gooders, and tend to side with like-minded mortals. The concepts of pain, death, and suffering are not only alien to them, but represent blasphemy against everything they hold true. They can often be found helping the helpless, defending the defenseless, saving small woodland creatures; you get the drill.

Fae Nocturne-
The Nocturne were initially formed by members of the Vyron clan who recognized how the Illus clan was throwing the world out of it's natural balance, and sought to balance it. They represent basically every vice and pleasure of the flesh imaginable; anger, lust, greed, gluttony, envy, it's all under the banner of Nocturne. Ironically, although they were formed in the name of balance, they now more than counter the influence of the Illus, and threaten to tip the scales in the other direction. They typically bond with criminals and murderers-- if there's a famous criminal or outlaw, it's a solid bet that there's a Fae helping him or her.

Life Cycle:
The Fae life cycle is relatively simple. From the moment they leave the Citadel to they day they are slain, they do nothing but meddle with the affairs of mortals. Depending on their affiliation, they may wish to hunt, help, or just harass the other denizens of the world, but they always are in search of bonds. When one of the Fae find someone they take a fancy to, they often decide to tag along-- the different clans of Fae obviously would take a liking to different kinds of people, but, nevertheless, they want to associate themselves with a mortal, for only by developing this relationship can they earn their wings. Every bond formed by the Fae, if it reaches sufficient strength, will grant them a pair of wings and allow them to stockpile additional magic in their bodies. The more experience one of the Fae becomes, regardless of it's number of wings, the more efficient it becomes at using it's magic-- so the Fae can become stronger by practice, or by bonding with mortals. The Fae also have a tendency to whisk those they have bonded with away to the Citadel when their life reaches an end, using the Citadels' latent magic to prolong their life.

Abilities:
Several abilities are "core" to the Fae. Namely, these are the ability to fly, to teleport (both themselves and others), and to shapeshift. Flying is the easiest of the three, as it is the normal means of short distance transport for the Fae-- it is practically instinctive. Teleporting takes a large amount of energy, is limited to going to and from the Citadel, and leaves the Fae in question exhausted for about 24 hours afterwords. Furthermore, the average Fae can safely teleport no more than two other people at once; if they overexert themselves, they run a high risk of killing themselves. Shapeshifting has no such side-effects, but it takes unusual power for a Fae to be able to switch forms within three hours of taking on its current one.

Reproduction:
The Fae are entirely asexual-- many believe them to be female because they often have very effeminate characteristics, but any gender identification is entirely the choice of the particular Fae. Reproduction is a long and arduous process for the Fae-- they need to mass an enormous amount of magic, enough to easily level a small city in the blink of an eye. After the month or so of harvesting raw mana necessary for a small team of Fae to acquire this quantity of energy, it must be "ignited" -- seeded with the enchantment that gives the Fae form. As the enchantment takes form, waves of magic burn off, causing massive devastation to the surrounding areas, meaning that the process is typically handled at sea. This phase continues for a little over a two years, during which the existing Fae must keep feeding the reaction with mana or else risk the creation of a Lesser Fae (see below). As the oceans became more and more populated by seafaring vessels, the Fae constructed a chamber for the process to safely take place in (this chamber was the first structure of what would eventually become the Fae Citadel). When the reaction finally settles down, a new Fae is born, but it will take another three decades before it is able to take on the form of a human or other species and is ready to leave the Citadel. This newborn Fae typically contains an infinitesimally small fraction of the energy that went into it's creation-- the rest was radiated harmlessly away. usually takes another fifty years before one of the Fae has fully differentiated and is considered full grown. There have been attempts to create more reaction chambers, but all the Fae powerful enough to create one respect that if the Fae bred more rapidly it would cause an imbalance of power and jeopardize their fragile position in the workings of the world. Currently, roughly 150 Fae are in existence, and with less than one "birth" a year, every death is sorely grieved. Most unnerving is the fact that the reactions seem to be taking longer and longer; if the problem isn't addressed, it could spell doom for the Fae.

The Lesser Fae are created when a reaction is cut short, and are more numerous than "true" Fae, numbering about 250. They also do not have the power of teleportation or shapeshifting, and do not explode when they are killed. The extent of an adult Lesser Fae's power is hurling a fireball or other elemental attack. Finally, their enchantment is so weak that they WILL eventually die "of old age" after about 400 years, because their enchantment destabilizes and they just kinda... vanish.

The Fae Ring:
The Fae Ring is the closest thing the Fae have to a governing body. They represent the elder Fae, those who have lived long enough and absorbed enough energy to pass the barrier in the entrance-way to the Ring's chamber. If your confused, just roll with it-- I'll explain it in a second. The Fae Ring, when working together, is powerful enough to utilize the oldest relic the Fae possess-- the Crystal Crown. Legend says that the first Fae, after witnessing the growing schisms between fellow Fae, sacrificed itself to create the Crystal Crown. The Crown is a channel by which the Fae Ring can edit the spell that holds all Fae in existence. As such, rules enacted by a majority of the Fae Ring become unbreakable by any Fae-- they literally cannot break them in any way, unless the rule in question is later repealed. The Fae Ring is led by the three members of the High Council, who are the leaders of each of the Fae clans. They set the discussion topics for the Fae Ring, and can halt debates with a two-thirds vote if things are getting too tense. They are also the only Fae who can initiate the usage of the Crystal Crown; without at least one of the High Council backing it, it doesn't matter how many Fae Ring wish to pass a law, it's automatically denied. The first eight laws passed by the Fae Ring are referred to as the Sanctified Code, and are the most core laws of Fae civilization. They are:
1. No Fae with the power to single handedly cause irreversible damage to the outside world are permitted to exit the Citadel and it's surrounding Isles without forfeiting the excess power to be regained upon their return.
2. Fae will not attempt to band together in an attempt to violate the First Law.
3. If one of the Fae should come in violation of the First Law while outside the Citadel shall have it's power drained and stored until it is in compliance without he First Law.
4. Fae will not band together in groups of greater than 13 outside of the Citadel, no matter the cause.
5. No Fae shall turn its power against another Fae.
6. No Fae will violate the sanctity of life by creating lifeforms of their own.
7. No Fae will use magic within the Citadel and it's surrounding Isles with the intent of damaging or destroying the Citadel and it's surrounding Isles.
8. Any Fae who harbors ill intent against it's fellow Fae shall be confined within the Citadel proper.

Also, with a 90% vote, the Fae Ring can use the Crystal Crown to create a Beacon at a location they decide and determine it's area of effect (maximum of a ten mile radius). These Beacons allow the Fae to use a higher extent of their power outside of the Citadel, but only within the Beacon's range of influence-- it would only really effect maybe 20 or 30 of the most powerful Fae, but the rest wouldn't be powerful enough to exceed it's limits. The Beacon itself is very fragile and could easily collapse from a single attack. Finally, only one Beacon can exist at a time. Out of character, I will state that the Fae are never going to come anywhere close to a 90% vote unless you do something that they literally can't ignore, like if you attack and fail to seize the Citadel, and possibly not even then.

Table of Contents

[Kathryn Lacey]

Character Name: Allister Breaux

Species/Race: Veloren

Physical Description: Allister is of a normal height for one of the Veloren, standing at 6'1". His eyes are slightly abnormal, being a light hazel color rather than the dominant eye color of green. His hair is a strawberry blond color that is cut short and groomed well, but often times darkens to a more auburn color during the winters. He has a soft looking face, with the traditionally pale skin of the Veloren yet the skin around his eyes creates a harder look in his eyes. Allister is a thin man, having almost no use for manual labor, but he in no way looks too thin, just a bit lanky. Allister usually wears the uniform of a ballistic mage, although you could find him wearing a variety of different clothes while off duty. The uniform of a ballistic mage is thus: Royal blue slacks with a chain-mail backing just in case, an average looking white tunic and an ascot that bears the marks of rank, a royal blue jacket that is also lined with thin mail that has marks of rank on the cuff, and a pair of goggles that help protect the mages from the bright flashes of light that usually accompany ballistics.

Character Bio: Allister's childhood was nothing too particularly interesting. He was raised by a middle class family in Dyara and had very few issues during the earlier part of his life. Just as every child once they reach the age of ten, Allister was administered a large series of magical tests in order to gauge magical ability and figure out a place for the child in the army if that child ever chose to join the military. Allister's magical ability was gauged at above average, and a place was saved for him among the ranks of ballistic mages.

He had to wait until he was sixteen, but he eagerly took the spot that was saved for him among the ballistic mages. Ballistic mages were often regarded as a very holy and honorable position in the military, so Allister was glad he would be allowed to join them. His military career hasn't been all that interesting. Usually simple border skirmishes with the demons that stalk the borders and diplomatic missions to the Fae and Apahov. Even so, Allister tried his hardest to excel in his military career, and this attitude gained him the position of Ballistic Lieutenant, a position in which he feels great pride. This position also comes with the command of his own squad of ballistic mages as well as a larger focus on completing diplomatic missions rather than be absorbed into small skirmishes.

Age: 26

Gender: Male

Occupation: Ballistic Mage Lieutenant

Skills: Basic command training
Long ranged ballistic magic
Basic diplomatic training
Knowledge of siege weapons
Incredibly basic swordplay.

World Space:
The country of Arad Toman, the Veloren homeland, is predominantly a rolling grassland punctuated with small, dense forest. The capital city of Bael Shala lies nearly in the dead center of the country. It is a very architecturally stunning city with lofty towers inlaid with gold, and every building designed to be aesthetically pleasing as well as serve a function. A large white wall reaching a good 15 meters surrounds the city, and the famed golden plains of Arad Toman stretch forth as far as the eye can see. There are two other major cities in Arad Toman, both of which are ports. Dyara lies on the north eastern shore, directly west of the Miran Isles. Finally, Mur is situated in the south west on the shores of the Bay of Storms. Both these cities, while not as large or as beautiful as Bael Shara, are beautifully built ports that house hundreds of merchant ships each, seeing as the Veloren have almost no navy to speak of.

Physical Characteristics: While a sub-race of human, the Veloren look much different than the average human. First off, they are on average taller than most humans with the men standing an average of 6'2" and the women 5'10". They are mostly pale skinned, but the farther south you move the darker their skin becomes. The most common eye color in Arad Toman is green, and the most common hair color is brown, although both eye and hair color can change drastically from person to person. They Veloren also have slightly shorter lifespans on average than other humans, usually living to 70 years of age.

Culture and Society: The entire basis of Arad Toman society is based around the usage of magic. It is so deeply engrained into their lives that there is practically never a child that is born without some latent magical ability. The Veloren devote most of their time towards the fields of art, music and philosophy, although plenty of Veloren do normal jobs like farming and the like. It's seen as a quite honorable thing to enter into a field of art, music of philosophy, but the Veloren are in no way pushed to focus on those areas, it is just something greatly enjoyed in their country. The Veloren are also by nature relatively peacefully. Although they do have a fully functioning military, they only enter into war or fighting if it is truly deemed necessary.

Government: Arad Toman is governed by a group of twelve appointed officials that come from diverse backgrounds. They are chosen based upon magical ability as well as general skill in leading the country. They serve a life term, but can be replaced if they break a core law. Each official, or Councilor, has equal weight in the Council of Twelve, and all laws must be passed by two thirds vote. Also, the Archmages of the military convene with the Council of Twelve once every six months to hold a meeting that addresses any issues that come to mind, usually being about laws that were passed in the last six months.

Military: Commanded by ten "Archmages", the military is one that consists of purely mages. They assign mages different battle groups based on their magical strengths. Battle mages are mages that specialize in magic that works best in close quarters, they are a last ditch effort and number the fewest in the entire military. Ballistic mages handle the sensitive operations of catapults and other long distance siege weapons. They also function as the equivalent of archers. General mages are the majority of the Veloren military. They are your basic mid distance mage that assaults the enemies with spells as they begin to charge. They would be the equivalent of infantry but they don't operate well in close combat. Earth mages are tasked with the job of slowing down the enemy so the other mages have time to attack with spells before the enemy draws too near. They generally pool their powers to create rifts in the ground or turn the ground into mud. Defensive mages are there as a shield against arrow fire and must work in unison to create a shield that can stop most arrows for any extended amount of time. Their shields are in no way Impenetrable, but they do decrease the potential casualties from arrow fire. The Illusion mages are used to create large scale illusions to confuse enemy troops to help turn the tide of battle. They can also double as general mages if it is necessary Finally there is the healer who comes into play during and after the battle to refresh and heal wounded mages.

Religon: The Veloren religion is based on the idea that magic is the holiest off all things. It created the world and continues to flow through it now, keeping it running. Using magic is considered the holiest of things, and the military is greatly respected for their frequent use of magic. The greater the skill in magic the holier a person is until they are so skilled that the people practically treat them as gods. Those who use little to no magic are unholy heathens in the minds of the Veloren, and must be extinguished from the world in order for Emoria to remain pure.

Skills: As I think you have come to expect, the Veloren heavily rely on magic usage. Their style of magic is not without it's limits, however, for to use magic without limitations would make you a god. The first large limitation on Veloren magic is the fact that it must be spoken. In order to cast any spell words must be chanted in order for the spell to work. The second is that when a Veloren speaks these words of power he or she draws upon the life energy of either themselves or the life energy of non-sentient life around them. This is why the Veloren often live shorter lives than many other humans. The Veloren's find nothing wrong with drawing upon the life energy of surrounding non-sentients, because as they view it every form of life has a destiny, and if you draw on something to use magic that is simply the destiny of the form of life in question. It is also often viewed that converting something's life force into raw magic is a holy event for the life form. There is a third limitation on Veloren magic, that being energy drain. Casting a spell uses up some of the caster's energy and eventually they will tire. A mage tires even more quickly when they cast larger and larger spells.

Courtship and Mating: Courtship is actually handled by the woman in Veloren society. She must woo the male of her choice and lay a bridal wreath at his feet before the couple in question can get married. Mating is an incredibly private affair for the Veloren. They have no mating rituals and hardly ever talk about the act in public. The gestation period for a Veloren female is, like all humans, nine months.

Allies: While only technically friendly at this point, The Apahov. Also the Veloren view the Fae as divine beings and would follow them to the gates of hell.

Enemies: None as of right now.

History of the Veloren: (In Progress. It might be a while. Due to the stuff with Raptorman, a large part of my histories need to be trashed.)

Table of Contents

[Kathryn Lacey]

Character Name: Jean Poitiers

Species/Race: Sildari (parallel species to that of the human)

Physical Description: Standing at 6’2, with dirty blond hair accompanied by deep brown eyes, Poitiers is a sight to see all unto himself.
He wears a white robe, representing his ties with his Church and has an eagle (Imperial Spanish Eagle) pet, named Carbo, to represent his ties with the Senate. Every senator has an eagle of different race, gifted to them by the Emperor himself.
(see portrait)

Character Bio: Born to an aristocratic Senator and a rather strict Priestess, Jean Poitiers was immediately spotted by the Sanctus Unus as gifted in the magical arts. He grew up as an exceptionnal student who never ‘strayed off the path’ too far… most of the time.
Quite frequently, Jean would be caught in a flaming argument or even a brawl with his fellow priests about the policies adopted by the Emperor, Caludius Fournier. Jean is a very devout admirer of Emperor Claudius, and will never shy away from vigourously defending him, his country or his Church from everyone and anyone.

After graduating the Prusse College, he went to work at the Temple of the Sanctus Unus. (see World-Space for more details on these structures)
For 13 years, Jean worked diligently as his duties of a priest. This, of course, ranges from patrolling the city, humanitarian aid and performing ceremonies.
Jean would always be, in his free time, at the Grand Cathedral or at the Imperial Palace itself reading at the Sanctus and Imperial Library respectively. Being the mental sponge that he is, all of these books and his general exasperation of seeing his beloved country run by people that aren't, well, ‘him’ convinced him to pursue newborn passion of his… politics.

At the age of 35, Jean opted to become the elected member of the Senate. He won a staggering victory of about 70%, nearly unheard of for a first-term Senator. Ever since then, Jean has won another term (Senators have a term of 4 years) with some 80% caster votes this time and holds office as member of the Senate all while still being an active priest of the Sanctus Unus. In fact, since Jean won a second term to the Senate, he was gifted an Imperial Eagle, as it is custom. Jean affectionately called him Carbo and the two are nearly inseperable.

Age: 42

Gender: Male

Occupation: Priest/ Senator

Skills: Fiery and driven, this man has little to no physical skills of mentionable valor. What he has, however, is a great and expansive mind.

He is as charismatic and smoothe talker as they come, although sometimes the perfect opposite and very arrogant, he is a natural scholar. He is, when not performing his duties as priest or elected Senator, in the library; reading anything he can get his hands on. Lively and quick-witted, his passion for the art of politics and his religion is boundless.

As a result of his ties to the Sanctus Unus and him being a priest, he wields all the power a regular priest would. (See Religion/Deity(s) )
However, with all of Jeans' free time either going to learning and reading, and considering that a priests power is proportionate to their knowledge on the Power that hey wirld and their own limits, this makes for Jean to be one of the most skilled priests of the Sanctus Unus.

World-Space: Vatienne (Va-tsee-ay-nay)
(for this description, think Italian valleys and plains)
Endless, lush and verdant hills and plains of green grass with Olive and Cypress trees litter the ground. In its natural state, the geography of the country is outstandingly beautiful and even in wild state the forests and plains seem tame. To the natives, it was heaven… and the perfect place for the foundation of Vatienne.

Vatienne is composed of many small towns and cities, each having the monopoly of a certain merchandise (for example one trades mainly cotton, while another wheat, etc.), which in turn favors internal commerce and the country is thus, evidently, self-sufficent.

Towards the end of the Vatiennien peninsuela, on the shores of the river of Vaer lies the City of Vatienne. This massive city lays upon the highest hill of the country, over-looking a good part, if not the entirety of the western-section of the country and you can even see the ocean from the very top of the Great Cathedral.

The city of Vatienne is divided into three quarters.
The Slums, the Middle district and the Center.

The Slums and the Middle district are quite self-explanatory, and there is nothing special there.

The Slums are, what you would expect, full of criminals, illegal and/or poor immigrants, the mentally and/or criminally insane and alot of city guards. Basically, most of the citizens there are not real citizens and just decided to settle down in 'The Big City'. The Slums are an unnatural addition to the essential jewel that is the city of Vatienne, built by those 'fake' citizens. The Middle district is where the real city starts. It is where the lower-middle and higher-middle citizens live and have their daily routine. It is the economic and demographic center and heart of the city.

However, the Center is something special. The city itself is in the form of a sort of circle. The Outer Walls (separate the outside from the Slums) are imperfect(in circular shape, is what I mean) and the Middle Barriers (the Slums from the Middle) are somewhat, well, crumbling. The Great Muraille is what seperates the Middle from the enter of the city. The Great Muraille is just a glorified wall, covered with marble on the side of the Center, and simple stone on the side of the Middle. The wall, however, is tall and imposing. (30 meters high)

Now, there is the massive Central Road going from the main gates all the way to the Great Cathedral, which houses the Papus. The Central Road is, what it name suggests, a massive road, home to thousands of merchants, that traverses the entire city.

Once in the Center, the Central Road is suddenly marbled and, since it cuts completely to the other side of the city, halves the city in two. Everywhere in the city, this is of little importance, but in the Center, its of core importance. One side is the Governments side and the other it’s the Papus’s side.

Something else that is to take note of in the Center of Vatienne is the Prusse College. The Prusse College is a giant building that is more of a giant observatory with a lot of big classrooms and meeting rooms more than anything else. It is the intellectual center of Vatienne and it is where Priests train and are brought up, not to mention all of the upper-class intellectuals of Vatienne.

The Temple of the Sanctus Unus is also housed in Vatienne. Contrary to Vatiennien culture and customs, the temple is not some giant landmark, but more of a place of piety. It is where all of the priests are buried (The Papus’ being buried in the Grand Catehdral itself).
The temple is a large rectangle with a porch on every side, decorated with simple, whit columns. On the inside, it is just one large room with a plain white floor and the walls are equally plain. The only thing in the room is a pond in the middle of it all, with a fist sized golden globe floating in mid air.

Another area of the city that shows the ties of Vatienne with the Thendári. It is an entire section of the city devoted to the elves. The sector, called The Garden by the Vatienniens, was a gift to the elves in the sign of friendship between the two nations of ‘light’.
The Garden is simply littered with trees and elven gazebos and architectural marvels, built by some voluntary elven pilgrims. Dominating the little green circle of Vatienne is an elven castle that renders great homage to the pinnacle of elven architecture and is an important headquarters for the Paladins of the Thendári.

Towering over The Garden, however, is the Imperial palace and the Great Cathedral in the very heart of the city (the Great Cathedral being similar in shape St Peters Basilica… only larger and completely covered in white marble with a golden dome). A garden seperates the two. There lies a small whit white marble Gazebo, with carvings of Imperial Vatienne and Religious Vatienne, simulating the harmony between the two governing powers. The gazebo is also where the Emperor and the Papus have their official and … ‘unofficial’ meetings. Religious and Governmental buildings litter their respective sides.


Allies:
-Aendrel
-Thendári
Friendly:
-Ionairus
Hostile:
I'nak
Enemies:
-Mountains of Night
-Matriarchal Sorceresses of the Marshes

Religion/Deity(s): Religion of the Sanctus Unus, He who created everything. This is a religious state.
The Holy Lord is the one true God.
This god, or the High One, resides, according to legend in the Spirit Plane. There is debate among scholars that are his followers, pondering on whether the High One s, in fact, a conscience being, or something bigger than that.
The only men and women that are elgible to serve in the Sanctus Unus and become priest and, hopefully and eventually, Papus, are the ones that are born with innate magical abilities within them.
These children are taken away from their families and trained to morph their natural magical ability, deemed evil and heretical by the Papus, into that of light, worthy of the Sanctus Unus.
As of result, all magic-wielders of non-light proficiency are deemed heretics and are, for the most part, trialed and executed as heretics.
However, since every priest of the Sanctus Unus has received training in the magical field, the priests are, after the regular Imperial Army, a main peace-keeping force.

Governing body: OK, here it goes;
Vatienne is a Republic but with a Head of State, the Papus, and the Head of Government, the Emperor.

Head of State:
The Papus is elected for life by the people of Vatienne. He is the spiritual and cultural leader of the country. He is the supreme ruler of the country, if you want a very simplified explanation. (See ‘Head of State’ in wikipedia)
The papus is the Supreme Leader of the church of Sanctus Unus, and he is, by consequence, the most powerful priest alive.
Papus Gregoire IX is currently in power, he is 84 of age.

Head of Gouvernment:
The Emperor is very much like a Prime Minister, and hence has a Parliamentary style of Government. Elections, normally, are held every 5 years. He is the leader of the government, as says the title. (See ‘Head of Government’ or ‘Prime Minister’ in wikipedia)
Emperor Claudius Fournier is currently in office, he is 76 of age.

To clear this up, the two men are only at the same place at the same time on meetings, or else its either the Papus or the Emperor who takes care of the matter.

Vatiennien Military
Vatiennien military ranks/titles and Chain of Command:

•Maitre Generale - Field Marshal of the theatre, Captain-General of Vatienne (Black Cape with the Seal de La Grande Armee Imperiale de Vatienne on it)
•Maitre Generale des Chevaliers - Master of Cavalry, general (White Cape/Family Armory)
•Maitre Generale de l'Infanterie - Master of Infantry, general (Silver Cape/Family Armory)
•Capitaine Chevalier Federale - Captain of Cavalry Federates (Orange Cape/Family Armory)
•Commandant Brigadier - Brigadier, cavalry squadron commander, Captain of Vatienne (Red Cape/Family armory)
•Commandant du regiment - 'War-tribune', regimental commander, Colonel (Blue cape)
•Chevalier Corporale - Veteran knight, Corporal of Horse, Cornet (Purple Cape)
•Chevalier - Mounted soldier, knight (Orange-Brown Cape)
•Lieutenant Commandant - Company commander, Lieutenant (Green cape)
•Commandant - Platoon commander, Sergeant (Yellow cape)
•Corporale - Veteran, Corporal ( Dark Brown Cape)
•Infanterie reguliere - Full-trained regular soldier, Lance-corporal (No cape)
•Milice - Spearman, militiaman (No cape) (Used for town/city garrison, except for the city of Vatienne itself, where the they have a special elite guard all unto themselves)


Here are their area of command:
Name of commanding force - Number of Men - Commander - Additional Subordinate forces
Squad - 16 - Commandant --
Company - 96-256 - Lieutenant Commandant - 6-16 Squads
Regiment - 500-2000 - Commandant du Regiment - 2-5 Companies + Auxiliaries
Occupying Army - 10 000-25 000 - White or Silver Cape - 5+ Regiments, numerous companies
Army - 20 000-50 000 - White or Silver Cape - Captain-General of Vatienne
Theatre - 50 000+ - Maitre Generale - 2+ Hosts, or Host + Army + Auxiliaries

There are the military ranks, highest at the top, lowest at the bottom. Everything underlined are the high-officers.

The way the chain of command is fairly simple. All man (no women until the High Officer ranks) reports to their immediate and distant superior. Of course they have an immediate superior assigned to them (I.E A Milice reports to a commanding Commandant). A milice does not get orders by the regulars but they are still subject to extreme politeness and courtesy... officially at least, which is nearly never the case in real situations.


Armor and weapons:

Vatiennien Militia : They are lightly armored and has only the basic armor and weaponry. Although in the grand majority they wear a simply helmet and chainmail, their weapons may vary greatly, for they can be either spears, pikes, long swords, short swords or anything they can find useful. They have very good mobility but little defense in their chainmail armor. Uniform is obligated.

Regular Vatiennien Infantry: They have the basic spear, shield and long sword. The whole armor and weaponry is quite heavy, but gives them suitable protection in return for lack of massive mobility. However, if a soldier were to lose/drop their spear and shield, they would gain more agility and ease of movement while using their short sword. All soldiers have a knife on their right (or left, depending if lefty or righty) to serve as last resort, the short sword is sheathed where the knife is not. Although the uniform is not mandatory, it is very, very highly recommended by the Maitre General himself.

A Vatiennien officer: Once hitting the grade Commandant Brigadier, they have a choice of either bringing in their own, personal armor and weapons, or a slightly more polished and garnered armor, based on that of the standard soldier.

Vatiennien Imperial Guard: Elite guard based in the capital of Vatienne, the City of Vatienne. They are an elite breed of guard, charged with protecting the city, its political institutions, the Imperial Palace and the Emperor himself. Some times Squads or Companies of them will be sent to battle fields as use as highly-trained, inspirational shock troops. There is a high rivalry between them and the priests of the Order.

Recruitment:
Recruitment works very simply: Everything is voluntary in times of peace. The second the country is at war, the country’s vast population is called to arms in forced conscription.

Strategies:

Vatiennien military strategies are heavily similar to those of the ancient western imperial civilizations: The Greeks, The Empire of Macedonia and The Roman Empire. They of course cannot put to use some of the strategies used/suggested by those great ancient powers due to lack of situation/equipment, but the basics are mastered and certain branches perfected.

Vatiennien Upbringing

Every child born in Vatienne has a choice to become what he chooses. His or her choice of direction will affect the necessary path. There is a basic education in the arts, mathematics, philosophy and military obligatory for every child for a minimum of 5 years (the first five years are free, you need an extra 7 of basic teachings to be ready to go into two of the three main buildings of learning) to make the total of Basic Training to 12 (completing it is called achieving your Seasons). The choice to continue is theirs. Peasants go on after those five years to live on their farms or markets, bourgeois or noble families go to the Prusse College to learn of philosophy, the Priests to the Cathedral and those who seek the military go to the Academie Imperiale Militaire de Vatienne (AIM). Soldiers can be recruited or join the army after only 5 years of the basic of the basics. It must be noted that, in Vatienne, riding a horse is comparable to riding a bike. Everyone can do it and has learnt it on way or another.

Prusse College

The Prusse College is a giant building that is more of a giant observatory with a lot of big classrooms and meeting rooms more than anything else. It teaches astronomy, astrology, psychology, philosophy, diplomacy, politics, etc. Those who graduate from the 4 years of studying usually go off to becoming high functionaries or Senators. Only those who have done their 12 years of basic training (and optionally the 5 years of teachings of the Cathedral and or AIM)

The Grand Cathedral

The Grand Cathedral is a place where those who aspire to become priests and who have completed their 12 years of basic teachings (and optionally the teachings of 4 years of the Prusse College and those of the AIM which are undetermined). They study for 5 years in which they learn of all the teachings and history of the pas Papus’ and of the Sanctus Unus. The students there also train to harness and master their natural magical abilities into that of the Light.

Academie Imperiale Militaire de Vatienne (Ecole Navale de Vatienne and College de l’Air de Vatienne)

Entry to AIM can, or cannot be, completed with the 12 years of basic training. If you have your Seasons done, you can apply to a desk job after exiting AIM or if you didn’t you immediately get sent into the field. You get assigned wherever you are needed. The AIM basic grunt training is 2 years (heavily reduced in times of war or whenever declared by the Emperor) and the training consists of hand to hand combat, survivability, basic navigation skills and basic bow manipulation. There is a choice to make, at any point during training, to join the Navy school or the Air College branches of the Vatiennien navy. The minimum age requirement is 16 years of age.

Table of Contents

[Kathryn Lacey]

Character Name: Nilus of Izic ((Nye-luss) and (pronounced like the name Isaac)) Ayre men and women alike take the first name of their biological father, which becomes their surname.

Species/Race: Ayre (pronounced 'eye-ruh')

Physical Description: Nilus fits the bill for a full blooded Ayren male. He stands about 5' 10" with somewhat meager bone structure countered by incredibly well-formed muscle mass. His eyes are a deep blue that almost seem violet in color, accented by somewhat-pronounced cheekbones and a sturdy jaw line. His hair is a sandy brown, and is carefully spiked in a traditional Ayren cut. His youth is somewhat evident in his face, which makes others doubt his wisdom in negotiation. Around his neck he wears a white-gold chain, a symbol of his rank. At the base of his collar a black tattoo can be seen peeking out, but only it's uppermost edge is visible while he is in his armor. Various other cuts and scrapes cover his body, a testament to his life of warfare.

His body is covered mostly by a lightweight derivative of silk woven around incredibly fine strands of steel. While very durable and hard to tear or pierce, the material affords very little protection against crushing blows from heavy weapons. Similarly, a strike from a sword wouldn't cut the flesh beneath the armor, but would bruise skin and break bones easily enough. To cover this vulnerability, a simple, light breastplate is worn over the top of the material.

Nilus wears minimal hard armor made of leather over his shoulders and on his forearms, secured in place by metal buckles. His trousers match his upper body garment in color, but because of it's extreme cost and difficulty of production, the material is not the same. His abdomen is partially covered by a tough leather belt secured by a pair of steel buckles. His boots are of the same build, reaching about halfway up his calf, also buckled in place.

Age: 21

Gender: Male

Occupation: Military rank-Guard Captain, Political Rank-Ambassador

Skills: Nilus is most famous for his skills with the bow and arrow, but his main interest of late has been perfecting the use of a strange weapon that found it's way to him by unknown magic. (Explanation below)

World-space: Idona is perhaps the smallest recognized nation in the world. This is the fault of the Ayre who would rather go out and fight than stay home to proliferate the small provinces of their tiny peninsula nation. The land shows a surprising resilience to weather, and a small bounty of crops is harvested regularly. The ocean's bounties are also fished up to supply the small city by the sea. Due to Ayren tendencies however, there are far too many Ayre people to inhabit the relatively small country they call home. Instead, most spend their lives in campaigns, following their respective warlords for years and years. Resources of all kinds are traded for hired swordsmen and armies to do the bidding of whoever requests their services. Idona even lacks its own dedicated currency, simply borrowing those of other countries and valuing them based on the actual materials they are made of in most cases, and almost always traded for whatever goods the war-machine needs to keep turning. The only settlement worthy of mention shares it's name with the country, and serves as home to the nation's official leaders. In general, these figureheads are corrupt and only serve as a facade of central government. For the last 4 Ayre generations however, the Arrington family has brought a degree of stability to Idona, with hopes of establishing a more peaceful way of life for all of his people. He is loved by many, but a large portion of Ayre warlords would like to keep things as they used to be in the interest of personal gain.

Location: Idona is a coastal nation with a relatively arid and generally flat environment. It's speculated that the mountain ranges of nearby Arbia catch most incoming moisture and storm systems, as only the most northern areas of Idona get regular rainfall. The coastline is mostly cliffside terrain, with the longitudinal center forming a gentle grade into a small coastline. Just north of this is the Black Coast, which was the first place blasting powder was discovered. The cliffside and much of the sand along this beach is dyed black from the explosive mineral. The mineral vein runs deep into Idona, and several mining installations run in a chain from the coast to the capital city, which sits a mere 20 miles from the ocean.

The city itself is home to all of Idona's government and official buildings, as well as government run farms, training camps, guild halls, and the royal fortress. Important buildings relevant to military operations are listed below:

Guild halls- These buildings are like outposts, forts, and encampments. Throughout the city and surrounding area, armies stage their units here, as well as recuperate during down time when they aren't on a campaign. Depending on it's size, guild halls can shelter several armies at once, although they normally house them in rotation, with one army leaving as another moves in. Jobs tailored to specific needs are sorted through guild halls and offered to armies that specialize in a particular type of work.

Action Reporting Office- Most contracts stipulate an action report after completion. Details regarding the job are given here and filed in a larger central repository to help train future units. It is in this way that Ayren captains stay well-informed of various battlefields and military practices of their adversaries, and are able to shape their armies to deal with specific threats dependent on the needs of their future missions.

Udanaut Library- The central information source for action reporting offices. This building holds decades of contemporary military knowledge, from foreign small unit tactics, to common weather conditions in far off lands. Anything reported from previous campaigns is relayed here. It is quite possibly the most important data source an Ayren captain can use. A constant effort is made to keep the books up to date, and a dedicated staff runs this effort 24 hours a day. Training doctrines for new warriors are based off of the information available here, although it is still primarily a captain's duty to teach from experience. The building is named for Captain Udanaut of Tiber, who was the first to start keeping detailed records of his exploits.

Culture: Idonan Ayrens are most easily noted as mercenaries. They will fight for anything they believe is worth having. The actual government is officially a monarchy, but the true power lies with the various warlords and their mercenary armies. Any interests pursued by these warlords can be very bloody, and many conflicts have even pitted Ayrens against their own kin in the event that the opposing army hired a band of Ayren mercenaries to bolster their ranks. To a mercenary, this is part of the business and completely acceptable. This has also garnered a reputation for being sell-outs by other cultures and civilizations, whoring out their lives to fight anyone for anything. Such practices are seen as extreme by most, but useful to those in need of their nigh-unmatched combat prowess and flexibility. Skills and services not found among typical Ayrens are contracted to hired laborers who may or may not be Ayren themselves. Above all, buying and selling of the self is the Ayre way.

To facilitate the amorphous nature of an official-unofficial military life, children are commonly rotated through several families during their upbringing. This improves adaptability in young Ayrens, but conversely causes their people the be somewhat detached in nature. The benefits for making fit warriors are generally accepted to outweigh the social drawbacks outside of their own kind, and the practice shows no signs of stopping anytime soon.

Something the Ayre pride themselves in is their complete equality of gender. Males and females are treated as the same in all regards to matters where gender could have influence. Female Ayren warriors are not few and far between, and male Ayrens are seen laboring in professions generally accepted as feminine. This equal diversity adds to the overall flexibility and resilience of the people.

Ayrens appreciate and understand the need of secrecy for certain contracts. However, the actions must still be reported in order to facilitate growth and development of Ayren tactics. In these cases, the bare facts of engagement are detailed in the Action Reports, while specific people or entities are left out.

Right of Subjection- Markus of Barto was the first to conceive this now-common practice when his army was hired to start a coup (which ended up failing) in the Sretin provinces. Subjection is an agreement between Idona and the entity who takes out the contract. It states that any repercussions of Ayren military action are the contractors responsibility, and Idona is not to be held accountable for any actions taken by the captain in charge of the operation. It is in this way that a contractor can hire an Ayren army to take on large scale jobs without risking harm to Idona. Of course, this Right is only in an official capacity; it isn't uncommon to see revenge seekers ambushing Ayren armies.

Nowadays, most contracts require the Right of Subjection before they will be approved by a guild hall and released for perusal to Ayren captains. Contracts not bearing the Right of Subjection are almost always forbidden to accept, but a few slip through the cracks and make it to the hands of an ambitious captain.[/b]

Physiology: Full blooded Ayrens are very rare. Because of their wide-spread deployment, many Ayrens end up settling down in their later years and abandoning the mercenary life for an enjoyable retirement, only to send their half-blooded children back to Idona to start the process over again. Anyone boasting to have Ayren blood is likely a warrior in some regard, but there is a glaring physical weakness associated with it. Ayrens have an inexplicable susceptibility to disease. As preposterous as it sounds, their immunities are weak, and any wide-spread illness is almost guaranteed to end the lives of many Ayrens. It is unknown how this weakness came about, as old lore used to suggest immunity against even the most deadly of diseases.

Regarding 'warrior's blood':
A trait that most Ayrens boast is their renowned prowess for all things in warfare. While the majority of their technology has been traded to them over the ages, their vigor in battle is a notable trait that seems to follow them outside of the battlefield. This trait can be explained by science, not magic, acts of god/goddess, deity, or all otherwise.
The 'warrior's blood' isn't in their blood at all, although the trait is a powerful gene that follows bloodlines even when an individual's only Ayren ties are through grandparents or great grandparents.

What 'warrior's blood' truly is: Over-responsive adrenal glands in the body stimulate the 'fight or flight' response in individuals with this trait. It happens without warning, without outside stimuli, and have a 'snowball' effect when the individual engages in activities that would normally produce adrenaline. This 'snowball' effect means that when in battle, even more adrenaline is produced and any given individual will unknowingly suppress pain, positive emotions, and nearly every other sense that doesn't pertain to high amounts of physical activity.

Ayrens can grow restless and even violent under the most relaxed and serene conditions because of this. A liquefied solution of Flor has been shown to suppress the effect for Ayrens not active in fighting. Roles in society that would suffer from overactivity are often medicated with this solution. Serotonin (responsible for involuntary functions and a factor in emotional serenity) in an individual's brain is suppressed during this extended release of adrenaline, which caused unusual chemical imbalances for several generations, but has since gone away, and corrected by the aforementioned Flor medication.

What you are left with is a slightly pale skinned, lean, over-excitable person who has been trained for most of their life to fight. Typical Ayrens live shortened life spans because of this. In rare cases, some have died from complete self-produced adrenal flooding in the bloodstream, leading to cardiac arrest in the midst of battle.


Allies: Whoever conscripts them for duty. As long is payment is made, Ayrens will fiercely defend their clients. This unfortunately makes them seem untrustworthy, but because they produce almost nothing of their own, this behavior is the result of extreme desperation. Nearly every nation has found some use for at least a handful of Ayren warriors, and the contracts are respectfully kept secret with the client.

Enemies: The Drenata were long-time enemies of the Ayre people, waging intense wars for generations. After almost being driven to extinction, the Drenata stopped their conquest, and the Ayre gladly accepted their peace offering. At present, only the haughtiest Ayrens hold any grudge against the Drenata, who see their current physiology as rightful punishment of their past deeds.

Currently Idona is not waging war against any particular nation, but their contracts made by other nations have Ayre mercenaries deployed across Emoria, fighting against all manner of enemies.

Religion/Deity(s): After the breakdown of the war between the Drenata and Ayre, many of Idona's people began to follow the old ways of the Drenata. Such has become true for many Ayrens who spend long periods of time deployed in places abroad. No religion is necessarily looked down upon, nor is any officially taught among them. In their capital city, warfare schools only teach factual history, and encourage students to believe what they want.

History: Idona has been around for about as long as Spire, although a massive loss in historical documents during the war with the Drenata keeps their complete origin story in mystery. As long as anyone can remember, they have been a people that thrived on warfare. Their only real relevant history starts after their war with the Drenata, marking a new age of valuing cohesion during times of need. Few events unrelated to perfecting their art of war make it into historical documentation.

Magic- Ayrens hold few things as 'unfair' or 'wrong', and magic is one of them. With no prowess or capability of their own, they generally scorn its use and have little time for Ayrens trying to take advantage of power beyond what is generally called 'natural science'. Magic nearly caused their extinction a mere 300 years ago, and it is widely accepted that magic is a corrupting force that only leads to the downfall of others.

Ayrens have no capacity for magic, but instead have a strong sense of ingenuity. Problems are solved with technology, trial and error, and perseverance. They can still be helped and harmed by the effects of magic, but to a slightly lesser degree than races more apt in its use.[/b]
Governing Body: Described mostly above. Warlords have the real power because they control the armies. Idona is the home province with its capital which shares the same name, but other than an overpopulated city with the most basic facilities for sustaining itself, there is little worthy of mentioning.

Among most large mercenary groups, schooling is important. It has been studied and proven that well educated armies fight more efficiently than ones simply shown how to fight. Ayren literacy varies from group to group, but in general the Ayre people understand their own history, as well as the written languages of the world.

About Nilus:
(If this personal history bothers anyone, please let me know. I just chose some places I thought Ayren mercenaries might see action.)
Nilus was nothing more than a common footsoldier at the age of 13. At that time, he was serving under Captain Tratant. Tratant's army had been contracted by Kvatch to bolster their ranks against another group of ambitious Ayrens who had been harassing Kvatch's settlements for several months. While their motivations were unknown, Tratant was happy to accept the contract since his army was running low on supplies.

After a month of hunting the rogue group down, Tratant's forces cornered them against the sea North of Senche. Unfortunately, the group was nearly twice the size they were expecting, and fear proliferated itself through Tratant's ranks. They were outmanned, food was short, and some soldiers were armed with little more than clubs and simple staves. Nilus was among them. The bow he wielded was terribly splintered, and it creaked and sighed with every arrow drawn. The arrows themselves were equally battered, being so old that Nilus didn't dare clean the dirt and rust from them for fear that it was all that was holding them together.

When the morning of the battle came, Nilus found himself among the other young blooded warriors. It was common practice to put the inexperienced fighters in the front to keep them from running away. It also boosted morale in the brave ones to have the honor of being in front, with the veterans shouting encouragement from the rear ranks.

As the archers all drew their bows, Nilus struggled to nock the arrow into the ragged bowstring. When he finally did draw it back, the arrow slipped free of his grip, sending the lone arrow across the field. At nearly the same time, the enemy fired their volley, which checkered the sky and seemed to swallow the lone arrow. Nilus' group shielded themselves from the incoming volley before abandoning the return fire order and drawing their swords. When Tratant's group came within striking distance of the enemy army, they saw that they had all laid down their weapons and had offered a surrender.

Puzzled by this, Tratant warily accepted his enemy's surrender and inquired about it's conditions.
"A single arrow from your brigands felled our Captain before we fired upon you. Seeing what your Army could do with a single arrow we feared the result of continuing the fight."
The rogue Ayrens requested an audience with the young archer who had killed their master. Nilus was brought before their dying leader, who gave him his white-gold chain before passing away.
With no leader of their own, the rogue Ayrens entertained the idea of joining Tratant, who declined adding any more troops to his already under funded army. He instead released Nilus from conscription and gifted him control of the once rogue army.

8 years have passed. Nilus' group has since then been conscripted by King Arrington IV as an elite guard unit tasked with only the most important of missions.

Weapons:
Nilus' primary weapon is a longbow. It's wooden frame is lined with steel interior pins, with the entire exterior wrapped in an oily leather which is baked in a furnace for extra rigidity. Drawing the bow requires great strength, and forearm protection is a must. A bite from the drawstring can rend flesh from a novice's arm.

Over the last 4 years, Nilus has been seen wielding an unusual weapon, unlike anything seen in Ayren skirmishing groups. It resembles a scythe, a common farming tool, but the blade has been angled forward to about 15 degrees from the haft to facilitate a strong slashing strike. The very tip of this blade is so sharp that it can pierce steel with the slightest tap. The weapon is just under 7 feet from tip to counterweight, and is almost completely white. The fastening between the haft and the blade appears to be made of ivory, with the haft having smooth curves throughout it's length, and the blade itself being so well-polished that it seems to glow. This glow is anything but warming; it's a sickly color that sparks uneasy feelings in those in tune with magic.

Even among his own men, no one really knows how he came into possession of such a strange item. Nilus claims to have had a dream one night where he wielded the weapon through a thousand battles, never once falling to the strongest of enemies. When he awoke, he was holding the very weapon he dreamt of. This story isn't accepted as truth, but no other explanations have been offered about the strange scythe.

When he first used it 4 years ago, the weapon seemed almost weightless. After several months (and battles) later, the weapon was noticeably heavier. It was unknown what caused this at first, but Nilus soon found that with each life it took, the weapon grew ever-so-slightly heavier, increasing the damage it delivered with each blow, but also forcing him to train harder in order to wield it.

It is clearly not a weapon to be trusted, but Nilus has seen every victory easily with this weapon, and he has absolutely no intention of getting rid of it.

Tables of Contents

[Kathryn Lacey]

Character Name: Raa'Lhen Gestalan

Species/ Race: Drenata

Physical Description: Bred from the age of twelve, like all of his people, to be substantial in size and power, Raa'Lhen stands 6'5" about the average size of his people. His frame is massive, but not so large as to make him a sluggish adversary. His purple-grey skin, scarred by the sins of his ancestors, is protected by large and flashy black and gold armor, a symbol of his wealth and power amongst his people, and cloaked in lavish red cloth. His hair, a powder white hue, stands on end due to the unnatural power that flows in his veins and pumped by his heart. He is rarely seen much different than this, in full armor with his trusted obsidian warhammers, also lavishly accented with gold, crossed on his back. When out, he often has his pipe hanging from his lips, though he is mostly seen with while idle or in casual situations. As was always intended since birth, Raa'Lhen stands straight, tall, and imposing.

Age: 26

Gender: Male

Occupation: Drenata Warchief. The Drenata are constantly embattled with their natural foes, the ogres, and with other human races ages ago. Thus, the title of Warchief makes you the figurehead of government.

Skill: The Gestalan line have been Warchief for three generations, and since then have had a policy that every healthy-born male, and volunteer females, are to be trained from youth to fight their enemies, and the royal line is of no exception. Raa'Lhen chose to deviate from the ways of his family and train as a warrior, minoring in weapon-based magic based around glyphs. He is a cunning warrior, though not agile. Not to be taken for slow, either, he makes up for it with quick thinking in battle and a mastery of Earth-shaking surround spells. However, due to a lack of much magic ability, he does not have a wide range for attacks. Getting in close is suicide. He is a master of his weapons, two obsidian warhammers dubbed the Hands of Traemador, crafted by the finest smiths and enchanted with Earth-moving glyphs carved by his father, the former shaman Warchief.
Personality: Raa'Lhen is seen as an eccentric by his people, and his popularity is somewhat polarized by whether each individual agrees with his point of view. The Gestalan line have always been people who believed that the Drenata had a long way to go in terms of intelligence and technological and society progress. Like his fathers, Raa'Lhen is open to the idea of trade and co-operation with other nations, though the Council of Four still has not approved any of his efforts thus far. Raa'Lhen is not only loved by his warriors for his hands-on approach, always on the front lines of a major battle, but also seen as scandalous by the elders and veteran parents for his somewhat indulgent behavior. Though introspective and fair on the inside, he hides this personality with a veil of pride and arrogance.

Culture: The Drenata have since returned to the ways of old. Essentially a race constantly marred and held back from progress due to constant embattlement with their natural enemies the ogres. The most important traits to the average Drenata are pride and honor, so many are very nationalistic, which from time-to-time unfortunately breeds racism. As explained earlier, every healthy born male child is bred from age twelve, as well as volunteer women, to fight against their enemy, while slaves prepared weapons, grew food, and basically upheld the economy and well-being of the Drenata. In the older days, weak children were cast out to die, but since the Gestalan family have taken the throne, children who do not show a propensity towards fighting or whom are not born healthy now occupy the roles once filled by slaves, which the Gestalan family also put an end to.

There is a certain air of humility to the older generation of Drenata, due to an incident which occured six generations ago, in which the Drenata, seeking to gain the upper hand against their new enemy, the (insert cooperating race here) turned from their shamanistic religious lore of harmony with nature to the worship of a dark being from the Shadow Plane who had promised them great power. In exchange for their allegiance, the being from the Plane of Shadow taught the shaman to abandon their elemental-based magic in favor the dark magic which he commanded. Their shaman became warlocks, and in their blood lust they nearly wiped out the (inset cooperating race here), but the side effects of controlling such unnatural power soon made itself clear when the children born that generation were birthed with purple-grey skin, scarred with rune-shaped markings on their face and hair the color of parchment. The parents of these children rose up in anger at the warlock Warchief Therosan, fearing that their children would die or were not even of their race, who used to feature a light brown skin tone. Therosan, in a bloody coup, was assassinated and replaced with Won Gestalan. Warchief Won used his position to broker a treaty between the Drenata and (insert cooperating race here.) The side effects still plague their race, and that unnatural power still courses through their veins.

While desire for revenge against this dark specter still runs deep within the Drenata, their sheer inability to take any action prevents acting upon it. Today, the Drenata are isolationists and self-sustained. A bourgeoning population of ogres threatens their livelihood, and they, despite their arrogance in matters of battle, are losing that war. Those of their race who choose to train in magic have returned to shamanism, believing their ancestors grant them access to their power, but some, still harness the powers they possess from their bloodlines' connection with the Plane of Shadow, though there is debate as to whether these arts should be permitted. Drenata are instructed to practice cautious courtesy towards members of other races and nations when out of their element, but are generally not very hospitable.

World-space: Traemador is a rough, nearly desert-like terrain with random patches of fertile soil and a large river, called Urador, which divides the nation nearly in half. Many describe the land to be simply chaotic and unorganized, with no clear balance or inbalance between the elements there. This affects the specialization of shaman depending on which region of Traemador they come from. The capital city, Won'Thar (named for the Warchief who brought the pilgrimage to Traemador after the territory wars with (insert cooperating race here) is located to the northeast sector of the land, and is of course a hub for royalty and economy, being the largest city as well. It is among the less fertile, desert part of the land, so food and supplies are made in the smaller surrounding cities, called the Halo of Won (comprised of the cities Fraendor, Thur'Khal, and Urzhen.) Fraendor is located across the river directly to the west of Won'Thar and is responsible for food production, commanding herds of cattle, goat, and various other farm animals as well as being nearby a forest region where exotic meat can be obtained to be sold for higher prices.

Thur'Khal is located slightly southwest of Won'Thar, though still on the eastern side of the river, and is responsible for transportation of armory and weaponry from Rendhor, the city across the river that takes up much of the southwest region of the nation. Thur'Khal also transports the food and clothing made in its surrounding cities, given it is closest to Won'Thar. Urzhen, then, of course, produces fine clothing. It is also considered an illustrious rural living place due to this upper-class trade which accommodates mostly the rich. As stated previous, Rendhor produces weaponry and armor and is the main hub for training and housing warriors. It is located right on the edge of ogre territory, though that edge is slowly fading as the ogres are reproducing at an unprecedented rate. Other than this very simple trade route, the smaller villages and cities in Traemodar are largely self-sustained. Trade with other nations is not widespread, but does happen when foreigners venture into Won'Thar, but only on a microcosmic level.

Religion/ Diety: Drenata are mostly shamanistic in their religious beliefs, believing that their ancestors in the Plane of Spirit offer them protecting, and the warrior-shaman harness this energy, though it is only their person interpretation of this power. Some still worship the Almighty One who granted them power from the Plane of Shadow, but this belief has been maligned to cult status and is looked down upon.

Government: Raa'Lhen is a figurehead of the government. His actual power extends about as far as that of the modern day Queen of England. The real movers and shakers are a group called the Council of Four, who make all the real decisions on foreign affairs and economy, as well as in the war effort against the ogres. Raa'Lhen has been very involved with them, however, more than any other Warchief. He has been trying for many years to convince them to make an alliance with a neighboring race to help defeat the ever-imposing ogres.

(Drenata are isolationists... so no Allies)

Table of Contents

[Kathryn Lacey]

Character: Chälan Irrdánë

Age: 402 years

Gender: Male

Species/Race: Thendári

Occupation: Paladin

Physical Description: Chälan stands at 6'2" and wears the garb of a thendári paladin: long-sleeved tunic of dark green silk, and bright, gold-trimmed armor of isildin (metal of steel, silver, and Light, crafted by Alos). In addition to the tunic and armor, Chälan commonly wears leather padding for the armor, white linen underclothes, dark woven breeches and sturdy leather boots. Chälan has blue eyes, and his hair is currently dark blonde. His face is not incredibly handsome by elven standards, but that still leaves him quite good looking.

Skills: A paladin, Chälan is a blademaster. There is little room in a paladin's life for other forms of combat. But there are other skills necessary for a paladin: the ability to think, the ability to learn, the ability to reason, a moral center, a strong sense of justice, a passion for Light. Chälan is a paragon of what it means to be a thendári paladin. Beyond his skills as a paladin, however, Chälan also leads the immortal life of a thendári elf. Artistically minded, Chälan has an exceptional ability to sketch and to paint, as well as a healthy love of music common among thendári. Chälan's instrument is a varnished and polished wooden ocarina, set with a green jewel near the mouthpiece; the ocarina has 12 holes; Chälan carries it with him always.

Family: Chälan's immediate family is unusually large. Most thendári couples have one or two children every seven Cycles (169 years. 7 Cycles would be 1183 years). Chälan's parents have been married for over 3,000 years, and they currently have had 13 children--nearly three times the rate of the average thendári union. Chälan is currently the second youngest, and is well into his third Cycle. Out of his 12 siblings, 2 are brothers and the remaining 10 are sisters. Their genders, from oldest to youngest are: M, F, F, F, F, F, F, F, F, F, M, M, F, with Chälan second to last.
Chälan belongs to the Irrdánë clan, one of the twenty-six Families of the Thendári. His father, Thalien, and mother, Elenda, are neither influential nor uninvolved, but hold that one should always do his utmost for his fellow. Among the first to subscribe to the Vatiennien religious traditions of Sanctus Unus, they live their lives in pursuit of peace and joy, raising their many children along the way. From oldest to youngest, their children follow in their parents' footsteps, though they have branched off toward different areas of thendári society. Tílen, their first, became an ambassador between Aendrel and Fermata to the south. Aíriel, Shana and Linnd--second, third and sixth--are devoted musicians. Tatyana, fourth, is a paladin. Sharel and Laira--fifth and ninth--are weavers. Tahlan, Nena and Elli--seventh, eighth and tenth--have begun their own families; between those three, Chälan currently has eight nieces and nephews, six of whom are older than he is. Hethilien, Chälan's immediate older brother, is also a paladin like Tatyana and Chälan, though he became one after Chälan did. Chälan's youngest sister, currently the only sibling younger than him, is Hana. Still in youthful bliss, Hana is a joy to all. Not yet two Cycles old--only 279 years--Hana is uncommonly close in age to her brother Chälan; it will probably be many centuries before their parents, Thalien and Elenda, have another child.

Thalien Irrdánë, age 4458 years (26.4 Cycles)
Elenda Irrdánë, age 3853 years (22.8 Cycles)
Tílen Irrdánë, age 3366 years (19.9 Cycles)
Aíriel Irrdánë, age 3257 years (19.3 Cycles)
Shana Irrdánë, age 2968 years (17.6 Cycles)
Tatyana Irrdánë, age 2679 years (15.8 Cycles)
Sharel Irrdánë, age 2498 years (14.8 Cycles)
Linnd Irrdánë, age 2323 years (13.7 Cycles)
Tahlan Irrdánë, age 1817 years (10.8 Cycles)
Nena Irrdánë, age 1559 years (9.2 Cycles)
Laira Irrdánë, age 1332 years (7.9 Cycles)
Elli Irrdánë, age 1132 years (6.7 Cycles)
Hethilien Irrdánë, age 816 years (4.8 Cycles)
Chälan Irrdánë, age 402 years (2.4 Cycles)
Hana Irrdánë, age 279 years (1.6 Cycles)

Life: Chälan Irrdánë was born in the year 801 of the Age of Spirit, by thendári reckoning; born in late autumn, he is currently 402 years of age.

Inspired by his sister Tatyana's tenacious success, Chälan pursued his aspiration to the paladins sooner than was commonly allowed. Chälan is only the thirteenth paladin in history to have been directly advanced by Alos himself. These thirteen "chosen" paladins comprise two groups: seven paladins known as the Daystar Council, who truly were hand-picked by Alos to be the first Paladins of Aendrel; and the other six, who were advanced at an earlier age than most because of Alos's direct intervention. The Daystar Council do not lead the paladins; they maintain the standard and bear the responsibilities of their seniority (all seven are between 7,185 and 7,270 years old, each by now in the latter half of their 42nd Cycle). The six others were, in order: Anatar Aeryán (6,844), Shiana Sehril (5,926), Anri Echelan (3,720), Lítha Irrissan (1,493), Tyenn Ashei (658), and Chälan Irrdánë (402). Just as noteworthy, if perhaps less prestigious, is that Chälan is the only Thendári in history to become a paladin before the midpoint of his first Cycle--in other words, at 76, Chälan became the youngest initiate paladin in history.

Over the next 326 years as a paladin, Chälan visited and was stationed at every major Aendrel embassy or Paladin outpost in Talonia, giving him a loose, working knowledge of the northern continent as a whole. Put next to other paladins, however, Chälan simply hasn't lived long enough to achieve comparable merit for noteworthy accomplishments. Nevertheless, Chälan is seen as someone who does and is destined to live up to his significant potential.

World-space: Aendrel, the western half of Irrihyánë, the great western island continent of Emoria, full of lush forests, grassy hills, gorgeous mountains and plentiful rivers. Aendrel is the land of the Thendári, and is mostly covered by forests.

Allies: The Light Plane, Äm, Taulë Arda, Vatienne, Fermata

Enemies: The Shadow Plane, the Mountains of Night

Religion/Deity(s): Sanctus Unus, the highest God of both Vatienne and Äm, said to be the creator of all that is. The Thendári had worshiped this being all along, more or less, but only after the rise of Äm could they ascribe a proper name to the being--rather than simply 'the Highest'--and only recently have they begun on a large scale to subscribe to the religious systems and traditions of Sanctus Unus.

Governing Body: Theocratic Republic. Aendrel is governed by a hierarchy of representatives, with twenty-six elders at its top--the heads of the twenty-six families of the Thendári. These elders answer to none but Alos, Lord of Light. They work together to govern and direct the people. Alos, too, supplies guidance and directives on a regular basis, especially regarding the paladins.

Timeline:

0 A.I. ~ the Age of Illumination begins
c. 300 A.I. ~ Origins of the Sildári, the Rise of Mandor
926 A.I. ~ The Thendári massacre the Sildári, the Fall of Mandor
2,082 A.I. ~ The days of Alos's Forge begin
2,420 A.I. ~ The days of Alos's Forge come to an end
2,421 A.I. ~ Origins of the Paladins of Aendrel
2,421 A.I. ~ Age of Illumination ends

0 A.L. ~ Age of Light begins
2,713 A.L. ~ The ending of the Illuria Wars
2,855 A.L. ~ The Thendári facilitate the return of the Sildári to Irrihyánë
3,361 A.L. ~ The Vatiennien colony declares independence, the Rise of Äm
3,461 A.L. ~ Age of Light ends

0 A.S. ~ Age of Spirit begins
1,252 A.S. ~ present day.

Table of Contents

[Kathryn Lacey]

Character: Tatyana Irrdánë

Age: 2,679 years (15.8 Cycles)

Gender: Female

Species/Race: Thendári

Occupation: Paladin

Physical Description: Tatyana stands at 5'10" and wears the garb of a thendári paladin: long-sleeved tunic of dark green silk, and bright, gold-trimmed armor of isildin (metal of steel, silver, and Light, crafted by Alos). In addition to the tunic and armor, Tatyana commonly wears leather padding for the armor, dark linen underclothes, dark leggings and sturdy leather boots. Tatyana has blue eyes, and her hair is currently white-blonde. Tatyana's long hair extends to her knees; she keeps it together with six light metal clasps: one large between her shoulder blades, four smaller ones spaced evenly downward, until the final long clasp collects all the end hair into a metal tip. Her face is not incredibly beautiful, but that is only by elven standards. To most she is fair and exotic, with eyes that cannot hide her age and experience.

Skills: A paladin, Tatyana is a blademaster. There is little room in a paladin's life for other forms of combat. Through natural talent and centuries of training, Tatyana is a true blademaster in every sense of the word. But there are other skills necessary for a paladin: the ability to think, the ability to learn, the ability to reason, a moral center, a strong sense of justice, a passion for Light. Tatyana possesses these qualities, but more than all else she is extraordinarily determined. Beyond her skills as a paladin, however, Tatyana also leads the immortal life of a thendári elf. Inclined toward the more physical arts, Tatyana had been a dancer in her homeland, flexible and agile.
Family: Tatyana's immediate family is unusually large. Most thendári couples have one or two children every seven Cycles (169 years. 7 Cycles would be 1183 years). Tatyana's parents have been married for over 3,000 years, and they currently have had 13 children--nearly three times the rate of the average thendári union. Tatyana is currently the fourth oldest, and is nearly through her sixteenth Cycle. Out of her 12 siblings, 3 are brothers and the remaining 9 are sisters. Their genders, from oldest to youngest are: M, F, F, F, F, F, F, F, F, F, M, M, F, with Tatyana fourth oldest.
Tatyana belongs to the Irrdánë clan, one of the twenty-six Families of the Thendári. Her father, Thalien, and mother, Elenda, are neither influential nor uninvolved, but hold that one should always do his utmost for his fellow.

Life: Tatyana was born in the year 2,034 of the Age of Light, by thendári reckoning; she is currently 2,679 years of age, surpassing the average Quendi lifespan of 2,500 years. The sum of years eventually takes its toll, causing a sense of constant weariness if left unchecked. Tatyana still has too much to live for to succumb fully to its grasp, but the steady beat of time is a patient adversary.

Tatyana became a paladin extraordinarily early, during her first Cycle. Determination, Diligence, Tenactiy; these three qualities propelled Tatyana through the ranks, and she made a name for herself as one of the deadliest female blademasters in existence, almost single-handedly earning the Irrdánë clan's current high status and reputation among the paladins of Aendrel.

Table of Contents

[Kathryn Lacey]

Character: Lantis Ashei

Age: 515 years (3 Cycles)

Gender: Male

Species/Race: Thendári

Occupation: Paladin

Physical Description: Lantis stands at 6' and wears the garb of a thendári paladin: long-sleeved tunic of dark green silk, and bright, gold-trimmed armor of isildin (metal of steel, silver, and Light, crafted by Alos). In addition to the tunic and armor, Lantis commonly wears leather padding for the armor, white linen underclothes, dark woven breeches and sturdy leather boots. Lantis has deep teal eyes, and his hair is currently white. His looks are young and relatively attractive--which, from an elf, is quite handsome indeed.

Skills: A paladin, Lantis is a blademaster. There is little room in a paladin's life for other forms of combat. But there are other skills necessary for a paladin: the ability to think, the ability to learn, the ability to reason, a moral center, a strong sense of justice, a passion for Light. Lantis possesses these attributes, but they are woven into his quietly curious, peace-loving nature. Beyond his skills as a paladin, however, Lantis also leads the immortal life of a thendári elf. A lover of language, Lantis is interested in books, chronicles, and other forms of writing. He keeps a regular journal, sending them back home whenever he finishes one. His writing hand, by now, lasts far longer than his concentration.

Family: Lantis is the youngest of four siblings, one sister and three brothers. Shar, the sister and eldest, is a high ranking officer of Aendrel's militia, age 2285 (13.5 Cycles). Danath and Darun are twins, age 1236 (7.3 Cycles), are building artisans currently working to develop eastern Aendrel. Lantis himself, a paladin of middling potential, is the adventurous one.
Lantis belongs to the Ashei clan, one of the twenty-six families of the Thendári. His parents, Níl and Aria, spend much of their time in Äm, doing their part to bring the two nations that much closer.

Life: Lantis was born in the year 738 of the Age of Spirit, by thendári reckoning; born near midsummer, he is currently 515 years of age.

Lantis became a paladin during his second Cycle, when he was 261 years old. He has seen enough of the world to know how well the Sretin Providences suit him. He has spent the majority of his career in Sretin, feeling as much at home among the Breale as he does with his own kind back in Aendrel. He sees peace as something worth fighting for, worth protecting, guarding, worth cultivating. In response to the Breale's pacifism, he sees himself as part of a completion of their society, in the form of stolid defense. Thus, even as he enjoys the peace and quiet, the generous and carefree atmosphere, he never takes for granted or loses sight of the value--and vulnerability--of such a paradise.

Lantis is on friendly terms with a huge number of Breale, and--as are most of the thendári paladins in Sretin when breale congeniality combines with thendári longevity--Lantis is even casually acquainted with the breale royalty.

---

Aendrel World-space
Histories of Aendrel
Thendári

. : Thendári Characteristics : .
Thendári are a class of elf. Most are of moderate height, slight build, and high intelligence. Unlike most elves, thendári are immortal. Thendári elves are fair-skinned and golden-haired, with eye colors ranging through different shades of either blue or green. Thendári hair color changes over the course of each elf's life, going through a slow cycle of white, golden, black, golden, and back to white every 169 years. This is a side effect of three combining forces: proximity to the Spirit Plane, atmosphere of the Light Plane during infrequent visits, and the thendári curse of immortality.

The stereotypical thendári is highly legalistic, moderately opinionated, and curious to a fault. One could never accuse a thendári, however, of hypocrisy. They are just as hard on themselves as they are on others, if not more so. Common among their patterns of behavior is a mind-bending temperament of arrogant humility. Thendári are self-disciplined. In addition, being immortal, they are naturally predisposed to philosophy.

. : Thendári Culture : .
One would think that, because of the Rift, the thendári culture would revolve around the Spirit Plane. In a way this is true, since the responsibility of the Rift is always in the back of each elf's mind. Nevertheless, it is not the Spirit Plane but the Light Plane around which the Thendári order their lives. While many thendári now worship Sanctus Unus, the Vatiennien God, their allegiance is to Alos, Lord of Light. The ruler of the Light Plane, Alos has played a central role throughout thendári history.

The Light Plane is centered around creativity, so art, music and other forms of expression are prominent in thendári culture. Singing is less common than playing musical instruments--typically flutes or pipes, though many enjoy the bold sound of horns or trumpets crafted of silver. Most everyone plays at least one instrument. Many are artistically talented, especially in woodcuts, paintings, murals and silken tapestries. Sculptures are less common, with the popular exception of small woodcarvings.

Despite living in the forest, thendári are nearly always well-dressed in fine materials. Most garments are embroidered in some way, near the hems and borders if nowhere else. Creative use of interlocking shapes or emblems are popular, as well as a focus on star-burst patterns. Long-sleeved tunics are the most representative and common of thendári garments.

. : Thendári Customs : .
Thendári males do not wear their hair long, as do many of their elven kin. Instead, they crop it short at the nape of the neck. Thendári females, by contrast, wear their hair long and unbraided. The length of their hair commonly extends to the lower thigh, and often further. If they tie their hair back to keep it together--a common necessity inside dense woods, and mandatory among female warriors--they will normally use metal clasps of varying design.

Table of Contents

[Kathryn Lacey]

Character Name: Ra'Sava

Character Alias: Ja'Dhannar

Species/Race: Khajiiti

Physical Description:
Ja’Dhannar stands at 5’4” and 140 pounds of lean and agile muscle. The markings on his body and tail closely resemble that of a Mountain Lion. His cat eyes are a brilliant crimson that gives him the look of a deadly predator. See here for general description of a Khajiiti. When wandering around in public in the day, he is either in civilian attire or in his Templer uniform. Ja’Dhannar usually follows the sleeping habits of nocturnal creatures by being awake at night where he can move more freely as a Silencer. It is during these hours that he chooses to wear the attire of a Shadowfoot, being black BDU pants and a high-collared black leather jacket with a crimson sash, scarf, mask, and headband.

Weapons:
A Taan'Mar (a cross between a scimitar and a wakizashi) fastened to his sash on his right hip.
A pair of Kukri that are sheathed on the small of his back.
Several throwing knives concealed at various locations on his person.

Character Bio:
Ja’Dhannar started his life outside of the den as a Templer. He worked hard to sharpen his skills in perception and interrogation over the better portion of two decades. Eventually his abilities and dedication to his duty were noticed as a Shadowfoot woke him from his sleep one night to induct him into their ranks. Over the next several decades he continued to excel in all areas that were essential for a Shadowfoot to perform his task with the utmost efficiency and conviction. At the age of 76, he was abducted and taken to a hidden sanctuary located deep within the heart of the capital city. It was there that he was tested in skill and in loyalty for an entire week. The trials were designed to bring the participant well past their limits, many of which are considered to be torture in civilized nations. At the end of the week, Ja’Dhannar was approached by the Listener, himself, and advanced to the rank of Silencer.

Age: 90

Gender: Male

Occupation: Silencer

Skills:
Ra'Vir Mastery - Ra'Vir is a school of martial arts that focuses on disarming, subduing, and killing by targeting pressure points and vital parts of the target's anatomy. This combat style utilizes hand-to-hand techniques and smaller bladed weapons; advanced levels also incorporates illusion magic for especially effective maneubers.

Inquisition - Working as a Templer requires the individual to hone their skills in interrogation, investigation, observation, and forensics. These skills are further developed and improved over time and at increasing rates should the individual advance to the rank of Shadowfoot.

Infiltration - Before a Shadowfoot is assigned to duty, they are trained in the arts of misdirection, lock picking, steath, and stalking. After passing the necessary trials, the individual graduates and is then given missions that are on par with their level of skill. The experience gained from missions allow the Shadowfoot to increase their talents and advance in along the ranks.

Illusion Magic:
Blend - A subtle form of magic that utilizes surroundings and inattentiveness of individuals to remain unnoticed. The gaze of those who are affected tend to unconsciously drift off the user, disregarding them as though they are just another unimportant detail in the background. This magic affects all within a radius of the user, the range of which is proportional to the effort put into the magic and requires focus to maintain. This skill is most effective whenever targets are not actively searching for the individual and the user doesn't do anything that will blatantly cause them to stand out from their surroundings.

Chameleon - One of the few forms of illusion magic that effects the user themself rather than targets. This technique requires constant focus to bend light around the user's body, rendering them invisible. The effort required to maintain this veil is increased drastically if the user is moving, causing flaws within the magic due to the decrease in focus and rapidly changing surroundings. This particular use of illusion is especially exhausting and is usually used whenever Blend ability is no longer effective.

Rend Senses - Focusing magic directly onto the target allows the user to manipulate the perceptive portions of the target's mind. By doing so, the user can either overwhelm or completely shutdown the target's senses and speech either individually or in combinations. The duration of these effects is proportional to the amount of effort the user puts into the ability and doesn't need constant focus to maintain.

Alter Perception - This ability uses principles that are a blend between Rend Senses and Blend abilities. The user can manipulate what targets percieve; either by removing an element that is there or by adding something that isn't. Constant focus is required and the effort needed is increased by the number of targets afflicted.

Paralyze - An advanced version of Rend Senses ability, but requires a lot more skill and effort to accomplish. The user is able to completely shutdown the target's motor skills for a duration that is proportional to the effort used to accomplish the feat.



The Khajiiti

Khajiiti Culture

Map of Kvatch

The Nation of Kvatch

The History of Kvatch

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[Kathryn Lacey]

Character Name: M'Raverr

Species/Race: Khajiiti Panthera

Physical Description:
M’Raverr stands at 7’0” and built with mountains of muscle that only gives a slight indication of his true strength. The markings on his body and tail closely resemble that of an African Lion. His cat eyes are ruby red that glisten with either kindness or ferocity, depending on whom his gaze falls upon. M’Raverr comes from a long line of adept warriors and accomplished Templers. It was only natural for him to be one of the few to receive the status of High Templer from years of service to Kvatch.

Weapons:
A 5' Greataxe kept slung over his back.
Fighting Gauntlets (made from heavy leather with studded iron plates)

Character Bio:


Age: 105

Gender: Male

Occupation: High Templer, Evocator

Skills:
Da-Marr Mastery - A form of martial arts that incorporates hand-to-hand combat with a variety of weapons. These techniques combine melee blows to disable an opponent while quickly being followed by an execution move. One of the more common styles that practices weapons play for conventional armed combat.

Inquisition - Working as a Templer requires the individual to hone their skills in interrogation, investigation, observation, and forensics.

Surpass Limitations - By turning his illusion abilities upon himself, M'Raverr is able to remove the natural restrictions the body has to prevent causing itself harm. In this state, the user will feel neither pain nor fatigue and is able to continue fighting even after receiving a mortal wound that would send any other person into shock. A direct result from exceeding the body's natural limits is that bones, muscles, and tendons can be placed under severe strain causing tissue damage that the user would not feel until after releasing the ability.

Table of Contents

[Kathryn Lacey]

Character Name: Siade Ayurent

Species/Race: Tynir

Physical Description: Standing at 7’8, Ayurent is an oddity for Tynir males. Years of combat and hardship have hardened his body and strengthen his muscles. His onyx black hair has a sense of organized chaos about it, tied up out of his eyes by a purple headband. His face is heavily scarred, and few know the origins of the deep gashes across his face.

His eyes are sharp jade, and seem to pierce the thoughts of those he gazes upon. His expression almost always remains neutral, with only the strongest of emotions managing to break through. Around his neck hangs a small blade, a strange token that he is never seen without. He wears a blackened jacket, with soft purple along it’s trim, at almost all times, some even going so far as to speculate that he never takes it off. How it manages to stay so clean is often beyond most people. A thick belt coils around his waist, with the scabbard of his sword attached to it. Dark pants cover his legs, although no shoes can be seen on the general. All of his clothing seems to shrug off water, the droplets simply running off the sides.

His hands are bandaged, giving many the impression of weakness. This is not the case, as the bandages are covered in small runic markings of great power, which allow him to block blows from the fiercest of blades with nothing but mere cloth protecting his arms.

Character Bio: Siade Ayurent was always considered to be hot-blooded, and shortly after he came of age, the young Tynir left his Kindred and began to wander Korun Otak in search of greatness, understanding, and several other foolish fantasies that all young men have. He dreamt of what lurked beyond the mountains of the razors, and what lived across the sea. As he wandered, he fought both man and beast, Tynir and Khajiiti.

Every battle made him wiser, stronger, and soon he found himself standing amongst the strange buildings of the Shelkon cohabitation, where Tynir, I’nak and Khajiiti met and lived together. At 15, Ayurent quickly began to learn all he could from the people of Shelkon, and before long he had learnt much of common from the Khajiiti traders, and had made many friends amongst the Tynir and I’nak residents. One of his friends always stood apart, the mighty and beautiful Enu’nat. No matter how hard he tried, the girl always managed to best him. His rivalry with her grew and grew, until finally the Tynir decided that he would simply have to train with a weapon that she had never fought until he finally stood triumphant.

With fire in his heart, Ayurent depart into Korun Otak once more, now a man of 25. Around his hands, tight bandages covered in strange runes, a parting gift from a Khajiiti merchant he had known in the cohabitation. The warrior wandered the marshes endlessly, fighting ever foe he could handle, and many whom he couldn’t. Days became months, and months slipped into years, and he stilled had not perfected his craft. No doubt that Enu’nat had been practicing while he had been training, he thought, and she would still be far too strong even with his new found might. Perhaps she was truly unbeatable…

Fate soon showed him it‘s plan, as he bested a mighty Tynir warrior and was awarded with both her mighty blade, and rule over her Kinnat. With no other option, he settled into his role with minimal difficulty. He began to learn to use his new weapon, finding the elegant movements. much to his liking. Time slipped by, and soon he found himself at the age of 100, and the Liel found himself puzzled at life’s strange twists. Had he not set out on this journey to become a great warrior?

Weren’t Liels considered the most powerful of the Tynir warriors? With a thunderous laugh, he announced to his Kinat that he would depart from them for a short while, and return once he had finally settled the score with his old rival.

Once again, Fate intervened. Alone in the marshes, far from the safety of the Under caves, he found a child, no older than 5 sitting amidst the saw grass. Bruised and bleeding, it was clear the runt of a child would not survive the night without his aid, and Ayurent soon found himself a surrogate father for the young girl. He named her Ukarahu

Years slowly slipped by, as the warrior trained his new daughter in the ways of combat, and regaled her with tales of mighty beasts, and fearsome warriors and a particularly powerful I’nak named Enu’nat. The girl was smart, and she learnt quickly from him, and soon her mind began to flood with thoughts of power, and the ability to rule. Determined to outdo her father, Ukarahu declared that she would someday rule over all of the Tynir, and she demanded that when that day came, that her father help her guide them to greatness and glory.

Ayurent agreed.

As she aged even more into a beautiful mature Tynir, Ayurent began to take note of her more…peculiar traits. She could easily over-power the older Tynir, even though her muscles had yet to even fully develop, and she could withstand even the mightiest of his blows. Even his memories of Enu’nat were humbled by the sheer power Ukarahu possessed, and when she reached the age of 20, he found himself unable to compete with her seemingly limitless power.

One night, as the storm clouds above roared and spilt their tears upon the earth, she spoke with him of what was to come.

“We have to leave tomorrow, father. We need to go to your old Kinat, and I will challenge their Liel.”

Curious, he asked her why.

“Because it is time to do what I swore I would do. The time for training is over, father. There is much to be done, and I have a pact that I must see through.”

He could see the fire in her eyes, and he found himself agreeing before he even had time to process what she had said.

In five years, Siade Ukarahu swept across Korun Otak, gathering hundreds upon hundreds of Kinats to her banner. One day, as the Tynir stirred from their sleep, a thunderous horn sounded.

Dressed in strange garb, Ukarahu stood tall amongst her kin, towering over even the mightiest of warriors. And as she spoke to them, she spoke not of war, nor of survival. She spoke of unity, and of glory, and not even the coldest of the Tynir was not stirred by her words. Her voice rose in volume, rival to even the greatest of thunderclap, igniting long dead fires within her followers. They shouted their approval, and rose to their feet like a wave.

As the banner of Ukarahu rose above their heads, the Tynir roared as one, deafening even the rampaging storms above, and causing the creatures of the marshes to flee from the sound. United they would stand. This would be their home, and none would dare to take it from them.

Ayurent could scarcely believe what he saw, as the thousands upon thousands of warriors swore their allegiance to his daughter. It was a feat that he had never dreamed of seeing within his life time. At 120 years old, Siade Ayurent became the first general of Siade Ukarahu.

Soon, metals and rocks and supplies began to pour in, and the Tynir quickly began work on what would be their greatest achievement of their species short existence. Construction progressed rapidly, thanks mostly to the strange designs that Ukarahu had received from the unknown ally. Kamon’Belkar slowly rose upwards into the skies, much to Ukarahu’s approval. Ordering her father to oversee the training of her rapidly growing army, the Tynir ensured that her forces would be strong and capable of defending all that she sought to build for her kind. Before long, Ayurent entered the spire for the first time, at the age of 210.

That night, she summoned her father to the top of the black spire. When he arrived, his daughter revealed who their benefactor was, and the one who gave her all the power she now possessed. Morgarath, the lord of Shadow and master of the Mountains of Night. Alliance was all the Dark Lord sought, she explained, and in exchange for the power to unite her people and guide them into glory, she was more than willing to provide that. The old Tynir understood, and knew all too well what would happen should this become know by the soldiers.

Since that night, the general has done all he can to ensure the true meaning behind their alliance with the Mountains never becomes known, for fear of what it might do to all his daughter has achieved.

Soon after Kamon’Belkar’s completion, Siade Ukarahu was renamed Meyul, which roughly translates to “The Lady”. None but her closest allies and friends know her name, and even fewer dare to speak it in her presence. Ayurent is one of those few, and is often called Nos’hia, meaning “Father” by Ukarahu.

Age: 220

Gender: Male

Occupation: General and Advisor

Skills: Ayurent holds his rank due to his formidable skill in both combat and diplomacy. Near constant battle have honed his reflexes and sharpened his sense, to the point where he can almost pinpoint the weakest point on any man with merely a glance. His fists are his primary weapon, and his whirlwinds of strikes are a sight to behold upon the battlefield. Second, comes his blade, which he wields with one hand despite its great size. Moving with gentle grace and brutal swiftness, his blade moves far too fast for a common soldier to even hope to catch.

In politics, Ayurent is known by his people as a Shekor‘canai, which roughly translates into “Creature of the Silver Tongue.” Having learnt common from his journeys to the cohabitations, he speaks it fluently enough that most would think it is his first language. He serves as the Voice of the Lady when the world needs to listen, and knows all too well that diplomacy is a far different battle than war. The old Tynir often finds himself enjoying the subtle tricks and traps, treating the deadly games as a test of wit to sharpen his mind for the battles to come.

Table of Contents

[Kathryn Lacey]

Character Name: Meyul (Siade Ukarahu)

Species/Race: Tynir (Marsh Sub-branch)

Physical Description: Meyul is a perplexing creature, dwarfing even the tallest of Tynir with her monstrous height of 8’6. Her skin is lighter than the average Tynir, a soft golden colour that is all but unheard of amongst her kind. Her jet black hair is long, reaching well down her back, and mostly undecorated, save for her ‘crown’ which consists of only of several pieces of dark green fabric, held together by small rings of gold with a small ruby dangling down onto her forehead.

Her body is well toned, and although she appears to lack the strength of her larger kin, Meyul’s strength is far beyond that of any other Tynir, a daunting prospect should she ever take the time to fully train her body into it’s peak condition. She boasts a large scar across her shoulder, and several smaller ones litter her frame with little rhyme or reason.

Her gaze rarely shifts from boredom, and she exudes an aura of exotic danger, and destructive curiosity. While she lacks the patience of her adoptive father, Meyul learns quickly, and will waste no time in using her considerable might to get her point across.

Little is truly known about the Lady, as she is reclusive and rarely seen. Even the efforts of the Khajiiti have borne little fruit, and she remains a figure shrouded in mystery.

Character Bio: Meyul’s original Kinnat died when she saw only five years old, although how they died is unknown, simply leaving Meyul as the lone survivor. She was adopted by Siade Ayurent, and raised as his own child, Siade Ukarahu. She was eager to learn, and proved herself to be a formidable student, soon surpassing her father despite her young age. What she lacked in skill, she more than made up for in brutal, un-natural strength.

Ayurent taught her of everything he knew, of the world beyond the marshes, of the great wars of their past, and of their collapse from the greatness in the Shattering. The tales ignited a passion inside her, dreams of seeing the power of her kind unified into something beyond roaming warriors battling to survive. She trained relentlessly under her father, learning of the history of her kind, as her dreams grew greater and greater until the passion drove her into action.

She had no reputation amongst the Tynir, no tales of glory, nor trophies of mighty hunts, but she stood defiant in the face of her daunting task, striking out to challenge one of the strongest Kinnats for her first victory. The Damkha are renowned amongst the Tynir, controlling the intake of fresh blood into the Kinnat to ensure they breed only the strongest of warriors. Damkha Shientai was the leader of the Kinnat, feared for her skill with the blade, and rumoured to have descended from the Kinta who lead the Marsh Tynir from the jungles in ages past.

Only 27 years of age, Meyul was no match for the older female’s skill, but her seemingly endless strength levelled the playing field as the two weaved a deadly dance of sparks and blood, their power and rage silencing even the great storms. Knowing the elder would outlast her in stamina, Ukarahu gambled to strike the decisive blow, allowing the great Kinta to lodge her blade into the young challenger’s side, only to cleave her own sword through the Kinta’s neck.

It was a shock to the proud Kinnat, and for a brief moment, it seemed as though the Damkha would slaughter the victorious Ukarahu, Shientai’s daughter, Ea’kau stepped forward, and congratulated Ukarahu on her victory. Leadership of the Kinnat was hers. Her wounds were treated, and the new Kinta moved her new followers on to gather more of the Kinnats.

Battle became a way of life, as she challenge the many Kinta of Korun Otak’s numerous Kinnats. One by one they were bested, as Ukarahu grew more and more into her awe-inspiring strength. Her mind was honed by the wise teachings of her father, and her hand tempered by combat. While mighty, the Kinta could not truly challenge the young Tynir’s might, and fell rapidly to her. Before long, she stood alone amongst the Kinta, and she gained the title of Meyul.

Soon, construction of Kamon’Belkar began, using materials brought in from the Mountains of Night, part of the secret alliance with the Lord of Shadow, and the Tynir, whilst unused to the work of constructing such a monolith, strove to build it with all their usual tenacity. The ‘great crusade’ of unification complete for now, Meyul seemingly disappeared, appearing to give instructions and address problems, but vanishing shortly afterwards. Rumours of her grew, some Tynir claiming her to be their once great leader reborn, whilst some even claimed her to be the embodiment of Death itself, a goddess amongst them. It is around this time that Kyne appeared in service to Meyul, a loyal ‘runt’ who served her no matter what the task.

Her enigmatic nature has kept her shrouded from the prying eyes of the outside world, even from the Khajiiti, and since it’s completion, Meyul has rarely left the protective spires of Kamon’Belkar, a fact that has soured her personality immensely, and a hunger for battle has settled into her gut that would make most races worried for their safety if they knew of it. Her veil of secrecy is lifting, and she has spent many a year preparing for the world to finally behold the fabled Lady of Korun Otak.

Age: 123

Gender: Female

Occupation: Monarch/Lady

Skills: Meyul is a being few have faced in combat, and the number who have survived are almost non-existent. Her strength is unmatched in the world, and her ever blow threatens to shatter the bones of her foes. Whilst her experience may lack, she makes up for it in raw power, allowing her to compensate for her lack of combat experience.

She speaks Tynir and Common fluently, although she seems to dislike using common unless she has no real choice in the matter. She is well versed in the history of her kind, and years of tutoring under Ayurent and some of the Shadow Lord’s generals have given her a very firm grasp of the battlefield. Diplomacy is not her forte, and though she shows some signs of improvement, she still has a long way to go before being able to handle tender matters without her father.





(Currently under advanced construction)

Species information

Lifespan: Up to 300 years

Height: 7 to 8 feet

Bone structure: The Tynir have the same basic bone structure as other humanoids. However, there are a few distinct differences. The bones of the Tynir are far stronger than those of other humanoids, an adaptation coming from living in the harsh environment where everything is out to kill you. They can take blows that would shatter bones and come away with nothing more than a bruise. The bones of the face are longer and sleeker than humans, with more prominent cheek bones. Tynir have 32 teeth, however it is the front six that draw the most attention. Rather than having just four canines (two on top and two on bottom) they have twelve. This is due to a more carnivorous diet. These teeth do not change the appearance of a smile though, and it often only becomes apparent when the teeth part.

Musculature: Being that the Tynir have a humanoid form, there are little to no differences with the arrangement of the muscles from other humanoids. It is the muscles themselves that are different. The muscle fibres are coiled, thus allowing them to react faster and put more force in the muscle movement. This allows the Tynir to be far stronger than they appear and pack quite the punch.

-An important thing to note about the Tynir. They are a matriarchal species, both culturally and physically, As such the females are taller and stronger than the males.
Epidermis: The skin of the Tynir is thicker than other humanoid races, and even thicker if they are from the Marsh Sub-branch. Darker markings adorn the skin, the patterns closely resembling the stripes of tiger. The patter varies from individual to individual, though it is often hard for other species to tell the difference.

Ocular Features: The eyes of the Tynir are quite sharp, allowing them to pick up the tiniest of details that would often go unnoticed by other species and see extraordinarily well in the dark. The irises come in a verity of bright colors, ranging from blues and greens to reds, purples, and even yellows. One unique feature of the eyes is that they change color depending on the individual’s mood. The pupils of the eye slit, much like a cat, however they slit horizontally, rather than vertically. Due to their time in the marshes, the Tynir have developed a third inner eyelid that serves to protect the eyes while swimming. (Jungle Sub-branch does not have this adaptation)

Proboscis: The nose of the Tynir differs little from that of other humanoids in appearance. However, they have a far keener sense of smell than many of the other species.

Auricle: The ears of the Tynir are quite distinct. They sit much higher on the head than other species, at around temple height. The outer forward edge of the ear is made of a harder cartilage than the rest of the ear. This allows for the ear to swivel, much like a cat, allowing the Tynir to pinpoint sources of noises. The ears are four to five inches long, depending on the individual. The hearing of the Tynir is above that of many humanoids, due to the structure of their ears.

Capillus: Like many humanoids, the Tynir have hair. There is little variation in the coloration of the hair, seeing as it comes strictly in dark browns and blacks. Other than the hair on their heads, the Tynir are utterly hairless; they don’t even have eyebrows.

Reproductive Cycle: The Tynir have a much different reproductive cycle than other species. The females go into a “cycle” which takes place once every 4 months and lasts roughly one to two weeks. The females are fertile only when on the cycle, any other time they simply cannot become pregnant. One interesting note is that the Tynir cannot breed with other species; they can only breed with other Tynir. Gestation lasts for roughly seven months.

Immune System: The Tynir come from a location where there is little to no medicine and the jungle is full of a multitude of nasty diseases. This has led to the adaptation of a very strong immune system. Only the most severe of diseases will kill a Tynir.

Biology: There several differences with the internal systems of the Tynir versus those of other humanoids. The most noticeable ones being that many food other species are capable of ingesting do not sit well with the Tynir, in fact, some are down right toxic. The most obvious examples being alcohol, “domestic” meat (as in cows, sheep, things like that), and dairy. However, most “refined” foods will bother them.

Marsh Tynir Culture

Society: Since Meyul’s rise to power, she has changed much of the tribal ways of her people, first and foremost amongst it being their more nomadic life-style. Kamon’Belkar functions as the capital of her fledgling nation, numerous dens being built in the shadow of the ominous spire to form their homes. Larger Kinnats have claimed more of the surrounding area for their own, working on their own smaller spires to form the seat of their own Kinnats.

Food is a resource worth more than any amount of gold to the Tynir, and to waste it is something they would never dream of. To ensure the strength of all under Meyul’s banner, all Kinnats contribute to the stores inside Kamon’Belkar, allowing all Tynir, regardless of strength or skill to feed without worry, although they only take what they need to survive, or else they risk upsetting the tender balance they have struck with the surrounding lands. Food is rarely shared willingly between two Tynir, and to be offered food by another Tynir is a deep sign of affection, and is often one of the first steps in fledgling relationships between young Tynir.

Fathers hold a special place in Tynir society, often charged with protecting the young while they scavenge so that the females may focus on their hunts. To attack the pup of a Tynir is foolish, as males will battle ruthlessly and without hesitation to protect their young. They possess ferocity and passion that often scares off would be predators at their simple approach, and many a foolish merchant has lost his life for wandering too close to a Tynir pup.

Most Tynir are part of the Sects, large powerful groups with fearsome reputations, and the number of Kinnats is rapidly diminishing as the Sects consume them to grow in strength. (More information in the Sects section)

Government: Tynir are governed by the Korun’moklai, a council created under the command of Kon’ost Ayurent to help the Lady rule over the Tynir. It is composed as follows:

Meyul: Ultimate and final authority of all Tynir matters, once a final decision has been made by her, it is to be done, with any arguments or protests to be made after the conclusion of the session.

The Kon’osts: Ea’kau and Ayurent hold these ranks, answerable only to Meyul herself. When Meyul is not present, it falls unto the Kon’osts to make decisions for the Tynir, and should they disagree over which course of action to take, it usually falls to ritual combat to decide which course to take.(Rarely do they actually fight, one will normally concede to the other before blows are traded.)

Councillors: Leaders of the Sects that function under Meyul, they speak on behalf of their own personal Sects, for needs, requests, and problems and offer their opinion on matters of the whole group. Notable members are Damkha Ushaul, daughter of Ea’kau and head of the Damkha Sect; Nyit Kyne, honoured servant of Meyul, and head of the Nyit Sect; Borna’Sha’Rai, head of the Reaper Born(working title); Grim Lady Sect(Working Title)

Religion: Marsh Tynir have varied beliefs, here are some common ones.

Guiding Star: A faith which despises the Gods, seeing them as fickle, and those that rely on them for strength as pathetic. The faith believes that each star in the sky is a being that has passed on, and was placed in the sky by Death (Death is not viewed as a god, just a natural force with a disturbing level of sentience), their brightness showing the strength of that creature in life. These Tynir often call upon guidance from their fallen allies, or families, some even calling upon legendary Tynir from ages past. Most other faiths take elements from Guiding Star. Notable Practitioners are Meyul and Siade Ayurent.

Grim Lady: Once members of the Reaper Born Sect, practitioners of this faith now conflict directly with their former brethren over what is truly the Tynir “God.” Those who follow the GL creed view Meyul as the Avatar of Death, or Grim Lady, living representative of Death on the material plane. They are her most ruthless followers, slaughtering any who threaten her reign and hunting down those who dare to abandon their service to her. Where the Reaper Born consume their dead (and any other dead they can get their hands on without causing TOO much trouble), GL only consume the bodies of the betrayers, oath breakers and enemies of the Lady. Once consumed, the GL believe the wayward soul will be eventually ‘purified’ by their acts of worship, and it will be placed amongst the stars when they die if it has been cleansed of its heresy.

Divine Death: The Reaper Born Sect only practices this faith, the bloody worship of Death itself, the grand god of all Tynir. They constantly conflict with the GL, for whilst they honour the Lady as their leader, they follow her only because they believe Death has marked her to lead them the Tynir. Ritual cannibalism is frequent in their faith, and they often consume their own dead in these rituals, although they sometimes take the dead of other Sects, causing numerous conflicts within Kamon‘Belkar, most often with the GL.

Bow before None: All Tynir to some extent believe in Gods/Goddesses, however, the BBN practice no worship of them. They stand free of spirits, demons and beings from above, leading their lives as they deem fit, and often stand in open defiance of what might consider their fate. Notable Practitioners: Kon’ost Damkha Ea’kau

Magic: Tynir are a magically deadened species, not capable of producing it, nor being affected by its sways. To try and cloud their senses is impossible with magical arts, but if one flings a fireball at one, it will burn them as any fire would.

Language:
The language of the Tynir is surprisingly complex given it‘s creators disposition for solving things with violence. Its complexity is due to the fact that half of their language is made up of body language and simple movements, the spoken part of their language is also littered with vocalizations that are hard to reproduce. They can communicate silently and effectively using the body movements, cutting the need for speech while in combat, or even amongst unwanted company. An outsider listening in on a conversation would wind up missing over half the conversation if they paid attention to the vocals alone.


Courtship: A private affair between a female and male, courtship is often done far from the prying eyes of other Tynir. Contact is a heavy focus between courting pairs, as the pair will begin to learn of their partners body extensively, so much so as to the point where they are able to find long healed wounds and ancient breaks in bones with the slightest touch. While other species hold sexual relations till after, for the Tynir it is a common an accepted step of courtship, and it will often occur more than once. No young will be conceived during courtship, although almost all Tynir mate with those they first court. Different Sects use different marks for pairs that eventually become mates, but almost all are ritualized scars placed upon opposite eyelids of the mated pair.

Tynir mates often produce numerous pups, knowing full well that their young might not survive to adulthood. They are a primarily one mate species, and are deeply connected with their mates, often remaining alone should their mate pass on. Those who find a second mate are not scorned by their kin, instead considered lucky to have found such a connection twice in their life.

Death Rites: A single seed, from the Hi’rok’sa is planted in the chest of the fallen, as beacon for death. The Hi’rok’sa is a aquatic shrub found only in the marshes of Korun Otak, whose leaves glow when the plant absorbs the various nutrients found in the Tynir body. The soft red glow of these shrubs lights the many paths of Korun Otak at night, and shine from the depths of its blackened waters. The Tynir believe that the plant guides Death to the soul of the Tynir, freeing it from its body, and the leaves glow as the essence of the fallen flows through it to freedom, before Death weaves them into the tapestry of the sky.

Mates commonly enter a period of solitude after the passing of their partner, as will the young of a fallen parent. Mourning Tynir are given space by others, and the few travelers of Korun Otak know quite well to avoid the haunting songs that echo across the marshes.

Weapons and Armour: As of late, the Tynir have become predominantly armed with steel based weaponry and armours. Spears are most common, followed closely by long swords. These weapons are far larger than that of the average species, and possess edges that are jaggedly sharp. Dressed in armours of blackened metal and violet trim, they have even taken to shields, a defensive weapon almost unheard of amongst their kind, although most Tynir are more than capable of killing something with the blunted edges.

State of Advancement: A fledgling nation, the Tynir are still growing into their own skin as a unified whole, but their growth seems unhindered by their uncertainty. Stonework and Masonry have surged to the fore front of their non-combative skills, with the forging of metal falling just behind it. Metals are rare in their homeland, forcing them to rely on others for their weaponry, although they are using left over, or damaged weaponry to learn the trade. Although they are far from being masters over the forge, those whom have taken to the hammer’s flame are striving to master it without delay.

Table of Contents

[Kathryn Lacey]

Character Name: Bfal ta 'l-Wlma (Boy of the Water)

Alias: Boyd Waters

Race: Human

Physical Description: Standing at a height of 5’10 and weighing in at 180 lbs, Boyd was nearly tattooed from neck to toe. He had a steady, piercing emerald green gaze, and black shoulder length hair that was normally kept behind a dark red dingy bandanna. His attire typically consisted of a bistre colored Highwayman’s coat over a grimy, off-white, open v-cut tunic, and dark brown breeches, which bottoms tucked into knee high black boots. Around his waist an indigo hued sash was tied to take the weight of his dagger and duel flintlock pistols. He wore a wide leather built with a brass buckle that was strapped loose and sheathed his cutlass.


Character Bio: “My fondest of memories are becoming more like distant dreams, for as I grow more indifferent they become harder to recall. They only come to me as I sleep – when I am at my most peaceful. I write in you now, Journal, for I have just awakened from such a memory, and I fear if I do not take it down now, I may lose it forever. I will start from the beginning.

From what I was told, I washed ashore as a toddler on the island of Tteżor. I couldn’t have been any older than three. The Aqualyts had found me. They saved me, and accepted me as one of their own. They named me Bfal ta 'l-Wlma. I was raised by a family of them, a mother and father of one, and her name was Ffjura.

It’s Ffjura, who comes to me as I sleep – reminds me of my innocence. She was the only love I ever knew. I still wear the Bifs ta 'l-Oċean around my neck she gave me to make the great swim. She and I would swim far out past the rocks and coral where we would play and laugh for hours. It was the best times of my life.”

The next several pages are water damaged and unreadable…

“Even with the Bifs ta 'l-Oċean I couldn’t make the journey. I was eight years old, and but human – not built for such a swim. I lost them. I lost Ffjura, and the sea took me once more.

The sound of hardy laughter and cursing woke me the following day. I was on the ship the Dirty Sea Dog, a pirate ship bound for the city of Jewelspar on the island of Wnjam. Captain James Every, and his men had found me floating along to current. They took me in, and more or less took care of me…”

More water damage…

- Entries from Boyd Waters’ Journal

(more coming soon…)

Age: 27

Gender: Male

Magical/Special Items or Relics: Bifs ta 'l-Oċean, means Breath of the Ocean. It’s a magical shellfish that lives in a small spiraling shell. They are extremely rare, but have been found before washed ashore. They can be used to breathe under water. Boyd wore his on a simple string tied around his neck.

Occupation: Pirate, Scoundrel, Thief, and Captain of Her Sanzunetta tal-Saħar (Her Song of the Sea).

Skills: Swordplay, pistoleer, sailor, swagger, devilish charm, and rugged good looks.


World-space: Aqualyt Islands, named after the humanoid race of water people whose numbers once greatly inhabited the islands and the surrounding waters. The region consists of five islands and one sea.

Aqualyts:

A race of intelligent humanoids that have two arms and two legs, and speak their own language. On average they are no taller than a normal human. Their skin is smooth, normally blue or gray, and shimmers like fish scales. They have webbed fingers and toes. Aqualyts live and travel in siskejjel (tribes). They are a monogamous race, and can live up to a hundred years. Aqualyts are most notably seen on the island of Tteżor, but do migrate to various other islands as the season changes, which is called the great swim.

Tteżor: Is the last island in the region that is solely inhabited by the Aqualyts. The island is limited to a few beaches due to its coast line of high rising jagged ridged rocks. It is said that within one of the island’s many underwater caverns there is a great Aqualyt treasure that’s prized of many things they have found over the years – things lost to the sea. Tteżor means heart in the Aqualyt language.

Wnjam: Is the smallest of the islands. It means driftwood in the Aqualyt language. It has many beaches, and two coast line cities: Jewelspar and Hollowspar, both of which are neutral pirate havens, and the perfect place for villainy and scum. The interior of the island is filled with uncharted lush jungle.

Adorno, Pothorst, and Erlingsson: Are all named after the Pirating Clan that is held up at each island. They each have many beaches and a lush jungle interior. There is several port towns scattered along their coasts, serving as docking for the clan’s ships, and housing for its men.

Allies:

Enemies: Anyone in their waters. The Pirates are treated much like a storm of the sea, avoided if possible, and if caught in its midst, survive. Not even the largest or most powerful of nations have yet dared challenge the Pirating Clans, knowing full well if they were to combine their forces, their navy would be one of the largest in Emoria.

Religion/Deity(s):

Governing Body: Each Pirating Clan is run by a Lord that oversees all major decisions. Many years ago there was but one Pirate Clan, ruled by three half brothers. They were born of the same mother but different fathers. With no real guidance, and a mother who couldn’t have cared less, they grew up quick, hard, and ruthless. The three turned to a life of piracy in their early twenties, and by the time they were in their thirties they had close to a hundred ships sailing under their banner.

Power corrupted them tenfold, and the three brothers turned on one another, dividing the clan into three. Each respected brother took their clan and continued running their own operation. The three clans remain, and are named after the founding brother. New Lords have since taken leadership.

Clollrad Mosonn – Lord of the Adorno Clan.

Hon'ar Neess – Lord of the Pothorst Clan.

Ada Voras – Lord of the Erlingsson Clan.

Table of Contents

[Kathryn Lacey]

Character Name: Jarileh Ky'ley

Species/Race: Durake (Der-a-key)

Physical Description: Jarileh stands at an imposing 6'5, and weighs around 220 lbs. Short black hair covers his scalp, and a scar running from his right temple straight down to the right side of his jaw is easily visible. His pupils glow a deep red, and tend to gain intensity when he enters battle. Tribal-like tattoos cover his face and body, so much so that barely any of his natural grey skin can be seen. During times of great stress, anxiety, fear, or anger, these tattoos can be seen to glow an unnatural color of red or blue depending on what the situation is. All of Jarileh's teeth are sharpened to points, with the exception of a few back teeth for grinding his food. His tongue is split, much like that of a snake, but he doesn't have a tendency to lick the air. This particular portion of his anatomy is used to taste for poisons safely.

What he can be seen to be wearing almost all the time is a vest that looks like it has been blackened by hanging over a fire. It is ratty, worn, and yet completely durable. Pockets appear everywhere, and a couple knives hang from the bottom of the vest for easy access. On his arms, which are also covered in tribal-like tattoos, are a couple of armbands on each limb. Each one black, small, and carrying a dagger within it. On his legs are the only form of armour he has ever come to wear. Black pants, with dulled metal greaves tied closely to the limbs. On his hips rests a sword of straight forward design. it is a simple steel katana, but etched into the blade itself are more symbols that are not yet understood by the rest of the world save for the Durake. On his back rests a mighty warhammer, again straight forward in design, but etched with symbols along the actual hammer itself. Well built and bred for combat and survival, Jarileh is the very core of an illusive Durake male.

About the Durake

Physicality

The Durake are a very hardy, very durable, and nearly indestructible through indirect means. They are bred simply to survive, and through this trait, and this trait alone, have they gotten through the years to gain the wisdom and the knowledge to continue to carry on as a species. Normally the individual Durake is smarter than the average bandit or mercenary, and is an expert in linguistics due to the nature that they fight for anyone and anything.

The Durake have an average height of around 6'0 even, and both men and women are incredibly well built. Their skin varies from a deep black to a light gray, the ash from the volcanoes genetically changing their skin colour through the years. Normally their eyes can take on a variety of colors, but all of them include the ability of limited night vision. They are excellent swimmers due to it being forced on them with their mating grounds being on islands. Both genders of the race are covered in tribal tattoos from birth, and all normally have short hair although there is the one or two exceptions throughout the race's history. A high metabolism and high healing rate actually shorten a Durake's natural life, where the oldest one to ever live expired at an age of 62. A variety of clothing is worn, depending on where a Durake has travelled, so there is no 'normal' attire for a member of this race.

Culture

First off, there is no civilization, period. Their numbers range in the low tens of thousands at best. They are more akin to a species than a race because of a lack of centralized government, land, or even territory. The only thing that could be classified as their own land, would have to be the volcanic Islands of Triarch. It is through these islands that their race as a whole is able to reproduce, and the loss of such a land would catastrophically change their way of life, and most likely wipe them out permanently. Each Durake is incredibly solitary, often one Durake not seeing another until the mating ritual, which happens every ten years.

During the mating ritual, which lasts anywhere between 2 to 4 months, every Durake returns unless they are dead, or their contracts forbids them from leaving. Once the mating is finished, the males all leave to further their own ambitions while a handful of the eldest women remain to teach the newborns through the first five years of their life. there, they learn the fundamentals of their life, named, and painted in tattoos that represent what the elder women will believe will help them through their life. It is very much a psychological interview, as the tattoos vary depending on your personality, fighting style, and fundamentals. For example, a Durake which has been seen to be very angry, have a berserker fighting style, and cares for nothing but himself will be painted with tattoos that enhance his aggressiveness ten fold.

The women of the race tend to stay within their own continent, although they are far from the weaker sex. They can hold their own in a fight, and are often hired by hulking bruisers of men as hunters, assassins, or straight up fighters. The reason for the lack of absence from the continent is the high fatality rate from the men that leave the land mass. A little less than half the men that leave come back every ten years, and for a hardy race like the Durake, that number is incredibly high. The women typically invoke tattoos of the self-improvement variety.

The men of the race tend to be more risky, or daring as they would call it. They take contracts that not even hardened killers would consider, and often come out on top. The leading cause of death for a Durake is old age, but with the coming of the darkness, death in battle is quickly climbing the ranks. Normally the males tend to not care who they are fighting for, as long as they are fighting something, and often only employ their brains when tasked on how to kill something. Due to this, their tattoos tend to reflect more towards the aggressive side of things, but some of the males have come across the very dark tattoos of the self-inflicting powers. These normally end in the death of the user, much like a suicide bomber, but are incredibly powerful and are capable of enhancing the user so much that little can stand in the way of one until the enhancement eventually kills them.

Religion wise, they do not believe in gods, planes, or even the Earth. They believe in one single entity, that being the maker of the Mating Ritual; Geroth. During the very early years of their existence, the Durake were nothing more than wandering husks of survivors. they barely managed to get through their own lives with their body intact, let alone worry about their entire race as a whole. These first years were touch and go with the race as a whole, as the population would dip dangerously, only to spike once the danger had passed for but a moment. Geroth was a Durake who managed to get off of the Islands of Triarch. He managed to find the civilizations of the world, and he saw just what was happening. He saw the people flourishing, and he knew that in order for his race to survive, he and he alone would have to do something.

So he set off across the continent. He found individual Durake, and he lured them in with the promise of survival and wealth of knowledge. With these words on his lips, he had managed to gather the largest group of Durakes ever assembled, and stood upon the largest Island of Triarch. There, with his new found knowledge and purpose, he labelled things clearly out to the Durake. He pointed out he wasn't going to change who they were, but that he was going to set a ground rule so their race would never come close to extinction ever again. He made the mating ritual, and made every single Durake swear in blood that they would return every ten years. It was here that the security of the race was established, and would be forever held by generations yet to come.

Geroth died of natural causes years later. He managed to oversee the entire mating ritual for a few times before his body finally gave up on him. Due to his nature as being labelled as the saviour of the Durake, they tossed his body in the volcano that rests at the center of the biggest island, and the entire island was renamed 'Geroth' in his honour. Now they worship him as a primarch, and for those who are lost in their path among life, they can be found on top of the volcano talking to it.

Technology wise, they are scavengers. They will gather whatever happens to be nearest, and are currently upgrading for something better when the opportunity presents itself. Some of the Durake have developed mild skill in craftsmanship or smithing, but those Durake are incredibly rare even among the Durake themselves. Normally they rely on their wits and their durability to get them by most situations.

Finally, concerning magic, they have none of the flashy stuff that happens to be around the world. They can't control any of the elements, nor can they manipulate them in any way or form. Instead, they happen to use something that has become known as cultural magic over the years. The tattoos that the Durake are painted with during their first few years of life are more than superstitious icons of their race. They originated among a few of the Durake who were near the top of the volcano on one of the smaller islands. Legend holds that they heard a voice from inside the volcano tell them to create certain symbols on their bodies to unlock their full potential. All of them were incredibly doubtful this would work, but how could they deny that of a talking volcano? So, they started painting themselves with the ashes of said volcano, and found that the ash turned into an sludge-like liquid, which once applied to the skin, is nearly impossible to remove save from tearing that skin off of your body. It was through these that they learned the three cultural enhancements, each glowing a different colour when activated.

Red = Aggressive
Blue = Defensive
Green = Self-Improvement

When these Durake tried to talk to the others of their race, they were met with disbelief in the so called volcano god, and preferred to believe that the few Durake were actually shamans of some sort. Preferring not to argue the whole situation over. Three islands were named after each of them; Krelger, Targren, and Isalda. Over the years, Durake found a fourth cultural magic, but upon usage, was deemed to dangerous to be used on the newborns. the fourth, being the dangerous Self-Destructive magic which glowed an unearthly black when activated. An unfortunate Durake by the name of Fraksa Ju'lita happened upon these symbols, and when he was forced to use them to show the other Durake what exactly they did, he became incredibly powerful but died shortly after use. The Durake named the last island after him for his sacrifice in the name of knowledge, and forever labelled those symbols as forbidden to all but the most desperate of Durake. All of these powers activate during times when adrenaline is pumping through the bodies of the Durake, almost like a dam that is broken when too much water hits it. Over the years, Durake can learn to manually start these powers, but it takes intense concentration, and sometimes doesn't activate the right one if a Durake is infused with more than one type of power.

The uses differ in accordance to their names. Aggressive enhances reflexes and strength to untold levels. Stories tell of Durake taking ogres on in hand to hand combat and winning. Defensive hardens the skin, making it impervious to all but the sharpest of blades or the hardest of thrusts. Self-Improvement heals the user of their wounds, and when used properly, can be used on others through physical contact. Self-Destructive grants all of these traits for a short amount of time, the time being when the Durake dies due to the stress on their bodies from the excess amount of energy running through their bodies. They simply can't take it, and their entire body shuts down and dies. These powers also have some side benefits other than these, but these are the main benefits from the powers. Durake can only stand to have two different powers, because much like the Self-Destructive power, their bodies can't handle all of that energy running through their body.

Character Bio: Jarileh had the same beginning as the other Durake. He was born during one of the Mating Rituals, and there started his five years of life lessons. He was given the name of Jarileh Ky'ley, roughly translating into "Possessed One" in Durake dialect. His name was given to him because of his calm and reserved manner during anything but battle, when he would turn into a savage animal and rip apart his opponents with brutal efficiency. Jarileh was a rarity among the Durake for his thinking of the race as a whole rather than just himself and his obligation to the Mating Ritual.

Once the five years of learning was up and he had reached maturity, he was off on his own quickly, as was the Durake custom. He started working for the random factions of his home continent first, earning himself some spare coin, equipment, and reputation. There, he lasted ten years, and went to his first mating ritual. When he arrived, he was sorely disappointed what he saw, and what he was forced to confront.

The Mating Ritual was an obligation to their race, but that was it. There was no idle chatter, no sense of wonder or excitement. In fact, had he not seen the bodies with his own eyes, he would have guessed the island to be empty. His way of thinking led him to the fact that they couldn't live like this. They couldn't simply be brainless zombie killing machines. So, after several unsuccessful attempts to talk to some of them, and a couple of death threats from the more aggressive ones, he made a decision that would forever mark him as either a deserter, or a creator of ways.

He left the Mating Ritual, and his native land, and has not gone back since.

Over the course of his life, he has fought, killed, saved, and destroyed more people than any roving band of mercenaries, and his reputation grew to the level of underground. If you needed him, he was there, and when you didn't want him there, he was there. However, a pattern emerged over the years for those who frequently worked with him. He wasn't asking for money, equipment, or even supplies, he kept asking for favors. When asked to do a task, he would simply say; "I do this, you owe me a favor."

Why he is collecting favors, no one knows. It is worrying a few people, as they know he is usually not the most subtle of creatures among Emoria. A few have deemed it to suspicious, and have hired other mercenaries to either find out the reason he is being paid in favors, or kill him before he can collect. One way or another, no one knows, and he refuses to tell anyone about them.

Age: 29

Gender: Male

Occupation: Wandering Mercenary

Skills: Jarileh is accompanied by an assortment of skills that he has managed to hone over the years.

Linguistics: Jarileh has learned all but the most illusive languages in his short life due to a promise to himself to never let himself be counted out of the conversation.

Fighting Prowess: Jarileh is fluent with all close combat weapons. Things such as elemental magic and archery are not among his armory.

Poison-Tasting: A skill that all Durake are born with. Their forked tongue allows them to taste for poisons safely, but not ingest them.

Cultural Magic Red: As stated before, enhanced reflexes and strength along with several side effects/bonuses, such as enhanced situational awareness and increased temper.

Cultural Magic Blue: As stated before, the hardening of the skin along with several side effects/bonues such as clarity of thought, and serenity.

Swimming: Living on islands, a Durake has to be a good swimmer lest they be dragged out to sea and forever forgotten.

High metabolism/Healing rate: High metabolism means they can process foods and other chemicals in their body at twice the rate of a regular human's. The healing rate is accelerated as well, to about half the time it takes a human to heal. Due to these conditions, a Durake's natural life only reaches 55 on average, and they need to eat twice as often as other species in order to keep up with said metabolism.

World-space: The Durake derive from the Islands of Triarch. These islands are primarily volcanoes with little vegetation, but dense in volcanic-dwelling beasts. Ash often clouds the air and soil, and the only real liveable areas of the islands is near the coast where sparse trees and vegetation grow along with the small wildlife. The plants are nearly all poisonous, and the animals have parts in there that are lethal if ingested. The islands are hard to look upon, let alone live on, and kill off those who are not accustomed to the ways of the climate. It takes a special build to survive on these islands, with the heavy mix of ash and poisonous clouds from toxic plants that are disrupted. Barren, destructive, ugly, and home to the Durake.

Allies: TBA

Enemies: TBA

Religion/Deity(s): Geroth the Ritual Maker

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[Kathryn Lacey]

Character Name: Corbina Obscuracce

Familiar: Raven named Gabriel

Species/Race: Human/ Jasidin Sorceress…afflicted with lycanthropy

Age: 24

Gender: female

Lycanthropy: Lycan’s plague the deeper hills beyond the plains, and most avoid the villages, but Corbina had an unlucky run in with a rogue lycan. She killed it, but not before being bitten on the arm and infected with lycanthropy. Most succumb to lycanthropy quickly, turning into crazed wolves and never returning back to true form. The Jasidin have discovered a magic which, if used in good timing, can slow the effects of lycanthropy so that the individual afflicted may adapt to it. Corbina was “saved”, though she will always be part lycan. She cannot turn into a wolf, the magic prevents it. If this magic were somehow broken, she would lose all sense of being and turn into a lycan for good.

Physical Description: Corbina is of medium stature, approximately 5’5”. She has brown hair and amber eyes, which have become a bit redder over time, due to lycanthropy. She wears standard robes of her people, and has two weapons: a crossbow, and two long knives. Her weapons don’t require brute strength as much as finesse and true aim, which she has acquired. With the aid of the special magic of her people, her body has adapted to the disease it carries, and she has become faster, stronger, with finer tuned senses, like an animal. But with this blessing comes a price: she harbors much anger, has lost some of her wisdom as a sorceress and many of the skills she once learned she can no longer accomplish. She still has the power to control some most basic spells: these being enchant (enchanting her weapons with fire) and firebolt (hurling dart of pure fire). She also has a fireball necklace, which she can only use twice any given day: it’s power shoots seven fireballs directly at her enemies.

World-Space: The Jasidins live in the plains surrounding a large swamp. Many actually reside within the swamp, but Corbina, being a fire elemental, prefers the camps of the open plains. There are no large cities, just small villages placed on small hilltops of the plains, a good distance from the looming mountains beyond. Some of the villages are built within the swamp on long posts, given the image that the village is floating on water. Small rafts are used to get from individual homes to the areas of commerce, which are usually connected with wooden bridges. Beyond the swamps is the ocean and the Bay of Flame. There is a port in the Bay that is for trading with the people of Spire. Jasidin have canoes for some sea transportation as well as gathering marine resources.

Allies: Most sects of Jasidin, people of Spire

Enemies: Lycans, Priests of Vatienne

Religion/Deities: Follower of Wee Jas, the goddess of magic, death, vanity, and law. Wee Jas symbol is a skull, usually in the color of the element of the sect.

• Fire Sect = Red Skull
  
• Water Sect = Blue Skull
  
• Earth Sect = Brown Skull
  
• Poison Sect = Green Skull
  
• Healer Sect = White Skull
  
• Prophet Sect = Black Skull
  

Governing Body: Corbina is a member of a sect of fire elemental Jasidin, led by the Jasidin High Priestess of Fire. It is one of many sects which have different emphasis of magic, and there is no leader to govern the sects as a whole. All sects are matriarchal.

The Jasidin have power over fire, water, earth, poison, healing and prophecy. Fire, poison and prophecy are considered “dark” Jasidin, while water, earth and healing are considered “light”. Though all are considered equal, healers are most revered and the High Priestess of Healing has most weight to her words, while prophets are most mistrusted and the High Priestess of Prophecy is feared and seen as mad. Both sects are taken seriously, to be seen in the good eye of Wee Jas. Sorceresses, in their original language, were called "Sorcas", but was eventually replaced by the common word Sorceress (possibly derived from Sorcas). Their male counterparts, the Saves (sah-ves), have access to magic and have complete militaristic control. Their world is limited to the military and work force, and the only position of power they can require is in military rank. They are not, however, allowed to be a part of the Hierarchical Priestess’, because the only thing more mistrusted than a prophet, is a man of political power.

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[Kathryn Lacey]

Character Name: Reyabel Garrin

Species/Race: Breale

Physical Description: Reyabel at one time had long flowing blond hair. It has now been cropped short because she no longer has the means to care for it, and it gets in the way. She is of medium height, about 5’7’’, and about 150 pounds. She has the build of a fighter, but years of non-use have made her weak and clumsy. She has sparkling green eyes, and a beautiful smile, though she never smiles anymore.

Age: 23

Gender: Female

Occupation:Before the attack she was a lowly priestess of Zin, one of many who cared for the gardens surrounding the great tree.

Biography: Reyabel was born in Zin, and trained as a Breale healer. She took up the position of priestess at a young age, and had been serving the gardens of the great tree for many years. She did her duties and never strived for more than what she had, though when she was younger she used to feint sword fighting with her older brother. Violence is condemned in Sretin, so the habit was squashed out of her quickly. Who had known that it was the very habit which would save her life.

most info below was created by Sighlent

General: A born blessing of the four elements, the Sretin Provinces are among the organically richest in the world and thus far the leading suppliers in fruits, vegetables, and livestock. With wide scale farmlands that lead from the edge of the capital city Zin, which is located towards the very east upon a cliff overlooking the Talonian Ocean, further in towards the mainland stopping just along their border leaving the landscape otherwise flat with only one attributable feature; the Noir River (aka the Divided River). The River, the source of irrigation for the Breale, runs straight through the Provinces with several small forks and then one larger fork that curves south of Zin and north of the cliff that Zin resides upon flowing directly into the Sea.

There are currently only three cities within the Sretin Provinces and of those three the capital, Zin, is by far the most beneficiary as the head factor to the Provinces. The other two, Aom and Candridge are typically the working hands that keep the Provinces so wealthy. Aom is home to the largest livestock ranch in the known world, wherein Candridge is home to the largest produce farm.

Zin: Zin was the first of the three cities founded, and was established by Diedric Sretin (said to be one of the first of the Breale). The city is built on top a slopping hill that leads off into a cliff that overlooks the Talonian Ocean, and features architecture that would closely resemble Gothic cathedrals in our society of today (reference the Notre Dame de Paris for an example of said architecture). White towers of fine marble and stained glass windows composed of many different colors that truly bring the city to life with the vibrant characteristics that the Breale are typically known for. Although the castle is one of the largest, oldest, and finest establishments in the Provinces, within the center of the city stands something far greater and older still. A single oak tree. The tree stands about 4 stories high and looks completely normal save for the fact that the trunk is of the purest whites and the leaves are the shade of a vibrant and rich gold. The tree was planted in remembrance of the day that the Providences were founded wherein all of the Breale swore to live lives of peace and love rather than a lives of war and sorrow that so often could be found around Emoria. With the heralding of the great ceremony all of the Brealen gathered around this great tree, but a seed at the time, and with this promise of peace awoke the sleeping giant that came to life within that second and grew to be the fierce oak that still thrives on today.

Aom: Located towards the west of Zin, Aom isn't as grand as the Provinces' Capital, but it is all the same a beautiful city. About half the size of Zin, it is the second largest city and home to the Harvest Festival - a huge celebration every four years in relation with Quendi, wherein all peace treaties and negoations are reinstated. When it comes to architectural design, it is much the same as with Zin only less dramatic and sized down quite a deal. There are stalls all on the outskirts of the city wherein the live stock is kept for certain puposes such as breeding and slaughter and then from there on the city moves inward metting around a giant square that better serves as the market.

Candridge: Located north west of Zin, Candridge is much the same as Aom only slightly smaller however much, much richer and green! Not much is particularly important about Candridge save for the fact that they're surrounded by literally thousands of acres of fields of crops all of which are dotted with various houses in relevation to each particular plot of land.


Racial Breakdown: Saying Breale is as easy as saying "bre-ail" only difference being when you pronounce the "bre-" roll your tongue lightly as you would in a Spanish course. It makes it sound more exotic in my opinion. Ok now further into who and what the Breale are! A Breale is first and foremost a healer, and secondly they are gifted with possessing great abilities bestowed upon them through nature.

If you will, think them as the hippies of this world, in that they're devout beings of peace, and yet still festive and bright and yes they are quite famous for the herbal weed known as 'flor' - the 'r' is practically silent - and it is often used typically as a medicinal herbs by the Breale. Flor is very well known across the map and the usage of it for pleasure is quite often however too much of it is ill advised due hallucinatory side effects...among other things.

Abilities: Able to heal the simplest wounds by using the earth to extend one's own life force and transferring it to another in need. It is very dangerous however, the Breale are taught since birth how to harness this power and know well enough of their own limitations.

* The Breale have a suppressed ability to take strength from their enemy. It is the reverse of their healing power, a power to weaken their enemy while giving them a short burst of strength, no more than a few minutes long. With the strength comes any sicknesses, physical or mental, that the person might possess. These also go away within minutes, but the enemy is weakened for much longer. This skill was suppressed by the peace-loving Breale and quickly forgotten. None living now know of it.

Religion/ Deity: They do worship a single deity whom they call Mira but Mira is more or less the spirit of the earth, mother nature herself. As there is no specific term for their religion those who do refer to Mira are often known as simply the Divine.

What is Mira: Mira is the earth, The spirit of Emoria. She is NOT a person. She is an essence. A great power that moves the seas and heralds the seasons.

Mira to the Breale: Emoria has thus far been portrayed as a world of war and violence, and whether unbeknown or known to them Mira grew tired of being used for such. So, by way of will and the great power that allowed her to create the towering mountains and winding rivers she took the greater two species (Elvin kin and humans) and together molded the first of the Breale. They would be of both worlds and able to walk among them belonging to both while at the same time being of their own people. They would be the peace keepers and healers meant to undo the centuries of damage done to her and one another.

*Alteration by Gadreille

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[Kathryn Lacey]

Character Name: Alys Rae

Species/Race: Valinyx (human)

Physical Description: Alys stands at a height of 5'6", and bears an image of striking beauty. Despite her graceful and elegant demeanor, she is known among her peers to be a fearsome woman. Alys flaunts her beauty, even going as far as wearing clothing that can hardly be regarded as such, in an effort to throw her potential victims off-guard.

Alys carries with her a sword known as Mithrodin. She keeps it in a leather scabbard strapped at her waist. The sword, in her deft hands, has known more kills than any other member of her sect, indeed the entire Order.

On the inside of her left wrist is a birthmark in the shape of a four-pointed star. It is referred to as the Mark of Vallar.

Age: 24

Gender: Female

Occupation: High Sanguine of the Ordis Sect of the Order of Valinyx

Skills: Anyone with the mark of Vallar is granted the ability to create miracles. The outcome of said miracle could be anything from the curing of a minor ailment to the ability to summon a bolt of lightning from the sky. Each miracle comes at a cost. Each person decides how to pay it. But it must be a type of sacrifice.

Even though the Valinyxian race frowns upon harming others there are tales of those who have chosen to sacrifice the lives of others in order to sustain themselves. Alys, as well as the rest of the Sect of Ordis, prefers this method. Each life she takes builds up a store of potential energy, which she can release when ready to perform a miracle. The amount of energy required depends on the relative difficulty of the miracle. When it comes to larger scale miracles praying is also required. It may take a prolonged period of time before the prayer is answered and in some cases it is not answered at all. Some believe that singing hymns also improves the odds, a method Alys scorns.
Creating miracles takes both a physical and mental toll on the individual which usually leads to an early death. For this reason the majority of members of the Order of Valinyx are no older than 30.

World-space: The lands of Valinyx begin at the northern point of the continent and extend towards the center. Those situated near the coast find themselves nestled amongst endless mountain ranges and lush valleys. Game is plenty in these parts and the people have become quite adept at fishing. The humidity is a tad bothersome at times but cool breezes and even snowfall seem to soothe the disgruntled. Grand cathedrals and shrines have begun to appear all over the place, but they pale in comparison to Vallar Cathedral - the home quarters of the Order of Valinyx. It is in this part of Valinyx that the people have most certainly thrived.

The same cannot be said for those in the lower parts of Valinyx. The closer one comes to the border, the more barren and treacherous they will find the land to be. There are no forests, no rivers - nothing but endless empty snowfields. This is said to be because the earth there is scarred. A massive canyon was carved into the rock, one that stretches from the ocean and very near cuts off access to Valinyx altogether. This was the result of a quarrel between Ordis and Vallar, or so the people believe.

Those unfortunate enough to live in this part of Valinyx find themselves facing poverty and succumbing to disease. If ever an invasion occurred they would also be the first to suffer.

Allies: Spire, Suituria, recent unknown affiliations

Enemies:

Religion/Deity(s): The Valinyxian people do not believe in good and evil and instead conclude that every being serves a purpose no matter how malevolent or wicked that being may be. They have two deities - Vallar and Ordis. When praying for miracles it is Vallar who decides the outcome and Ordis who ultimately delivers or punishes accordingly. Some believe that Ordis has ill intentions, but in truth he is only following Vallar’s orders.

Governing Body: No sole person governs in Valinyx, although most will look to the Order for guidance. They are the unofficial rulers of the place and the majority of people are happy enough to listen to what they have to say and do as they are advised. Those from the Order are often seen as peace-keepers and missionaries.

The Order itself has a high priestess and then a council of advisers. Ultimately, the high priestess has the last say. She is the most respected figure in all of Valinyx - an oracle of sorts. Most other members of the Order have no official title, save for what they are best at. (For example, Songstress, Healer, Defender) The Sect of Ordis defers to the high priestess, and though they typically act under her orders, due to the nature of their ways, and the necessary secrecy, they enjoy a larger degree of freedom than the other sects.

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[Kathryn Lacey]

Character Name: Aesir Verevui

Species/Race: The Hyrn (Elvish)

Average life span: 200 years

Maximum life span: 1500 years

Physical Description: Aesir is 5’ 4”. He weighs 87lbs. His hair is short and silver, and he does not take time to fix it so it sticks out in all directions. He has two long pointed ears that shoot up from his hair. His eyes are a light grey color, and his skin is light and pale. He has a scar running down the left side of his neck, which starts under the left side of his jaw and curves to the base of his neck. He usually wears leather armor that weighs little and is thin. Under this he wears a dark blue tunic. A small silver chain is worn about his neck with the old symbol of the Hyrn elves at the end of it. He wears simple boots that are dark brown. He wears a large dark blue cloak that hides him from view when the hood is up, and keeps him out of the sunlight. Most of his equipment is old and worn. He carries two daggers that he usually hides to avoid attention. He also carries a small hand crossbow that he usually coats with simple poisons. He has a small amount of alchemy equipment, letting him only create simple potions and poisons.

Character Bio: Aesir was made an apprentice to and alchemist when he was 8 years of age. He was separated from his family, and was to return when he became a master of alchemy. At the age of 45, the plague hit the land and Aesir was forced to leave the city abandoning all he had known. His master died, and his family was unknown to him. He soon found a small group of survivors who taught him to fight and to survive in the horrors of the land. He is now an alchemist of the Verevui, a high status member of the Verevui city-state.

Age: 142

Gender: Male

Occupation: Alchemist

Skills: Aesir is fast and silent, allowing him to travel great distances unnoticed. His ability to move this way is because he is very light, which also makes him somewhat weak and frail. He has some knowledge of alchemy but is no master. He sometimes tests his knowledge by trying new things which is sometimes harmful towards himself and other. He is very intelligent, but also curious, so he sometimes ends up in harms way. Because his eyes are so light, when the setting around him is highly reflective, it is difficult for him to see.

World-space:

Location: The land of Hyrn is a cold but lush land where soil is very fertile. The land is filled with great forests that are extremely large and dense. Next to most of these forests are large open planes filled with grass. The Hyrn control 7 cities/city-states in their land. The 3 main city-states are Verevui, Finevui, and Myravui. The 4 minor city-states are Pyrian, Leeran, Mygan, and Taran. The whole land was once a whole and was rapidly expanding until the final plague hit.



History: The Hyrn people started as nomadic wood elves that began to group together about 700 years ago. Most of the Hyrn’s history was destroyed and scattered by looters and thieves, so no one knows how the monarchy formed. The first king was Iluvias Hyrn. He ruled for about 200 years most believe and then was killed in an uprising. The second king is unknown to all but they believe he died soon after taking throne due to the first terrible plague that struck the land. The third king Urnalis Hyrn, was thought to have ruled another 300 years until another plague struck. The most recent King Halius Hyrn died in the final most terrible the plagues. The plague caused the hosts body to stop creating any cells whatsoever so many of the Hyrn simply started decaying alive. Those that survived had a mutation allowing them to survive this disease. For unknown reasons, the disease mutated survivors DNA creating immunity to all diseases before it was killed off. The few survivors of this plague began to group up outside of the cities that are now slums and build cities at the edge of them and the edges of forests. These new cities formed into city-states, who are now beginning to fight for control of Hyrn and unite the land and any people who were able to leave are beginning to return.

Culture: The original monarchy of the Hyrn people was destroyed in the final plague. Now the Hyrn live in smaller city-states that fight for control of the land of Hyrn. The cities that still stand are slums that are filled with crime so most avoid them. Because the city-states are so separated, the life style of the people can be different, but is usually surrounded by crime and poverty.

Lore: The Hyrn people have lost all of their tales and legends with the plague. Their religion before the plague was completely wiped out for no one remembers it. For the most part, the land of Hyrn is filled with Atheism, but because many of the Hyrn are returning, many other religions are spread throughout the land.

Powers: The Hyrn people have immunity to all diseases. They believe that they receive this immunity from the most terrible of plagues that struck the land. They believe that when the plague passed through their bodies, it created a natural immunity to diseases.

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[Kathryn Lacey]

Character Name: Dasciis Arkandis

Species/Race: Human of Spire

Physical Description: Dasciis is nearly 6' tall, with spikey blond hair and a scar running down his forehead aligned over his right eye. He is very muscular, and he always wears heavy blue armor, trimmed in silver and covered in ancient engravings.

Character Bio: Dasciis Arkandis joined the Guild of Heroes at the age of 19. Hoping to make a change for the people of Spire, he immediately began training and placing his life on the line to repel the beastly invaders that had taken their world from them.

In the 15 years since he joined the Guild of Heroes, Dasciis has seen combat in many places. He has fought extensively against the beasts that fill the forests and mountains around Spire. He has traveled to Illuria to do battle against the forces of the Mountains of Night for the people of Vatienne.
To be updated soon...

Age: 34

Gender: Male

Occupation: Member of the Guild of Heroes, fighting for the survival of Spire.

Skills: Dasciis excels at combat using two swords, and can still fight proficiently despite his bulky armor.

World-space: The lands of Spire are composed of a nearly impassable chain of mountains, the Minarets, which run north/south along the western coast of Talonia; a single pass winds east through the Minarets. Spire contains only a single city, of the same name, located at the base of an inactive volcano, Adhan, on the western side of the mountain chain. The volcano is surrounded on all sides by verdant forests and fertile soil. The remains of pillaged towns and villages dot the landscape, and the remains of farmers and warriors alike litter the ground. On the eastern side of the Minarets are the Bastilles, a dry and dead land of jagged rocks and cliffs. The Bastilles are the home of the enormous beasts, a mountain variant of the ogres of Traemador, which have driven the Spireans out of the surrounding lands and into the city of Spire itself. The Minarets and the Bastilles are separated by a wide valley, the bottom of which is littered with the trophies and kills of the ogres. West of Adhan is the Bay of Flame. Two rivers, Saif and Qama, connect Adhan to the Minarets. The rivers combine on the west side of Adhan to form Seax, which pours its waters into the Bay of Flames. The meanings of these names have long since been forgotten by the Spireans.

Many of the supplies the city needs come from lands beyond, and Spire's navy is a sight to behold.

The city of Spire itself is enormous. Walls separate the three different districts, and each wall stands at a height of nearly 25 meters at its highest point. The Outer District belongs to the guilds and industries that work to get the city and its people what they need. The Guild of Heroes is stronger than ever before, with the return of the invading beasts and the darkness that fills the mountain pass. The Guild of Heroes travels world-wide, performing as mercenaries to bring money or supplies to Spire.

The Inner District is essentially the residential/entertainment district. This is where the people of Spire go about their lives, refusing to acknowledge how disastrous the rest of their small country has become. Lacking the ability to expand outward, the Inner District has instead expanded upward. The buildings in this district are an average of six-stories high, with a few even taller than that. Many of the buildings here tower over those in the newer Outer District, but they are in turn dwarfed by the buildings in the Fortress, the central area of the city, backed up against the volcano itself.

The Fortress, the general name for the entire central district, is filled with towers, barracks, underground tunnels, and of course the fortress itself. The fortress is built against the steep side of the volcano. The fortress is enormous, and can be seen from the coast, easily towering over the rest of the city. The King resides in the uppermost levels of the fortress, where it is said he is able to oversee everything that goes on in his city.

The rivers have been shaped by the people of Spire, now winding through each district to provide water to every major area.

Allies: Trades with the sorceresses to the south.

Enemies: The large beasts driving them out of the mountains and the forests. The Mountains of Night.

Religion/Deity(s): There is no formal religion, though many citizens practice religions from distant lands, depending on their needs or beliefs.

Governing Body: A monarchy; iron will of the King enforced by the military.

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[Kathryn Lacey]

Character Name
Sailahína Carnil
The í in “hína” ((i with an accent mark)) is formed by holding Alt and typing 0237.

Nickname
Saila

Species/Race
Half-Quendë; Half Human
Elves are known as the Quendi ((or the singular Quendë)).

Physical Description - Subject to Change Upon Portrait Completion
Sailahina Carnil stands at an average height of five feet and five inches despite her Quendi heritage. Her softly waving hair is platinum blond and extends to the base of her back. She often keeps it free-flowing, but will occasionally braid it if she feels it needs to be kept from her face. Leaf-shaped ears are her most prominent Quendi feature.

Her eyes are an average blue in colour and topped with dark blond brows with a decent, pointed arch. High cheek bones accentuate a slightly heart-shaped face with a very slightly upturned nose that extends down the center of her face. Beneath this is a pair of lips of average fullness.

Overall, she looks remarkably like her Quendi father in both her fair colouring and in the bone structure of her face. However, she has the physical build and the lips of her Sretin mother. While she is thin and fit, she hosts an almost pear-shaped figure with an average bust and a slightly larger bottom half.

A tiny but dark freckle dots just above the left side of her upper lip beside the point, and a small, hardly-raised mole graces her face almost beneath her left cheekbone. At the base of Saila’s throat on the right is another mole. A horizontal scar cuts across the back of her left hand, and a vertical scar slashes along her outer right thigh, both caused by training accidents with fighting fans.

Saila’s favorite colours to wear are blue and silver, for they compliment her colouring very nicely. She is rarely seen without a book or a scroll in hand, and she never leaves home without her fighting fine strapped at her hip as a precaution. She also keeps a dagger stashed in her boot.

Though she is forty-three years of age, the average lifespan of her general breed ((half Quendë, half human)) is one thousand years ((as opposed to the average twenty five hundred years for a full Quendë)), so she only appears to be in her mid twenties.

Age
Forty-Three

Gender
Female

Occupation
Archivist and Scribe for the Great Library of Nolwë

Skills - Subject to Change if Anyone Wants Saila to know their country’s language…
Knowledge of Defensive and Fighting Styles with a Fighting Fan
Limited Knowledge of Healing
Limited Knowledge of Dagger Use
Memorization
Organization
Speaking and Writing in Several Global Languages
- Quenya: the official language of Taurë Arda
- Common: the common language of the world
- Thendári: the official language of Aendrel
- Vadier: the official language of Vatienne
- Voltalic: the official language of the Ionairus

Biography
Sailahína Carnil was born from the Quendë Envinyatar Carnil of Forya in Taurë Arda and the human Ailith of Aom in the Sretin Providences. The unlikely pair met at one Yávië Meren ((Harvest Festival)) that is held in the Sretin Providences to celebrate bountiful harvests and the wonders of nature.

Envinyatar noticed Ailith of Aom before she ever saw him, and he was immediately interested. Her skin was not as dark as those who are usually from that area though she had the usual characteristics of dark hair and dark eyes. Her stature was also much shorter than his own. He found her humanly beauty to be quite enthralling but not nearly so much as her voice. It may not have had the same melodic flow as the voices of his own people, but it had its own appeal just as she did.

He sought her company, but was initially denied. Ailith was shy of his elven beauty, and was not sure how someone like him could be interested in herself, so she avoided him. Envinyatar was persistent, and he eventually won her to his side. By the end of the Festival, the Quendë man stayed behind to see more of Ailith.

It soon became apparent that she was not quite like her people. She didn’t enjoy the harsh, open air of Aom, and she wandered to the forest edge as often as she could. After a year had passed, Envinyatar and Ailith were wed before their families, and he took her to live with him in Forya.

Sadly, Ailith was even less happy among the closeness of the trees. As a compromise, they moved to the city/state of Nolwë Osto where there would be both open air and plenty of trees. Two years after their marriage, Ailith gave birth to a girl-child who they named Sailahína ((wise child)) in honor of the City of Knowledge in which they lived.

They lived happily for a long while, but time passes more slowly for Quendi than for humans, and Ailith began to age more rapidly than her husband. Though she had been eighteen when Saila had been born, by the time the young girl reached Quendi adult-hood, her mother was already past her prime.

Envinyatar, with his healing magicks, helped to keep Ailith from aging too rapidly, and the human woman took very good care of her health.

Due to the difficulties of watching her mother age in such a way, Saila moved into her own home when she turned thirty ((the age of adult-hood for Quendi)). It was widely known that half-Quendi only live about half as long as full-Quendi, but that it still far longer than a human life span, and it is difficult to watch a parent grow near death with every passing year.

At the point in which she had moved, Sailahína was already an archivist and a scribe for the Great Library of Nolwë, and she had learned several languages of the world. She has lived up to her name in every way she can.

Of course, she would often immerse herself so heavily in her work that she would abandon her social life and her family for long periods of time.

Only when her employers would urge her to go home to her family would she leave her beloved work - for she truly does love it - to see her aging mother and her still-young father. Knowing that it makes them happy to see her makes her remember that it’s important to see them more, but that doesn’t stop her from working all she can.

One day, about one week ago, Saila discovered a secret panel in one of the library book cases in a small section that contained information on the Planes of Existence. It contained yellowed scrolls that described the portals and the Material Plane’s portal’s location beneath the library. However, it did not detail how to access the way to the Portal, so she has not been able to discern whether this scroll was written factually. Despite this, she has found that she truly believes it to be truth, and she has been trying to discover a way to prove it without others knowing.

~*~*~*~*~*

World-Space
Taurë Arda
The land of Taurë Arda where the Quendi live is generally hilly with forests in every direction a few miles outside of the city. The exception is the North where the elevation slowly gains as it progresses into the mountain range of Senda Oroni at the edge of the country. In the forests, other clans of Quendi choose to live peacefully with one another. The western territory is Hyarya, the eastern is Forya, the Northern is Inga, and the Southern is Undu. The forests are divided by four roads that come from the Northeast, Northwest, Southeast, and the Southwest portions of the country. All of those roads lead directly to the city/state of Nolwë Osto for those who wish to travel there. This is both for the benefit of the Quendi who are not particularly fond of outsiders in their territories and for the safety of foreign travelers.

Hyarya - The Western Forest Territory
((Described in Buzzwolf’s Character Sheet))

~*~*~*

Undu - The Southern Forest Territory
Physical Characteristics:
Dark Eyes
Slightly Tanner Skin
Dark Hair

Government:
Ruled by five elected council members.
- Capalinda ((female))
- Fëon ((male))
- Losson ((male))
- Náriel ((female))
- Sendapeleron ((male))

Specialty:
Military Knowledge
Weapons Crafting

~*~*~*

Forya - The Eastern Forest Territory
Physical Characteristics:
Light Eyes
Fair Skin
Light Hair

Government:
Ruled by the elected Lady Isilwen and Lord Anar

Specialty:
Healing Magick
Herbal Healing

~*~*~*

Inga - The Northern Forest Territory
Physical Characteristics:
Dark Eyes
Fair Skin
Light Hair

Government:
King Anarton and his Queen Roitana

Specialty:
Fabric Crafting
Glamour Magick
Jewelry Crafting

~*~*~*

Nolwë Osto - The Central City/State
In almost the exact center of Taurë Arda, there is a large city called Nolwë Osto that revolves around the pursuit of knowledge. Standing in the center of that city is the Great Library of Nolwë which has gathered works and information from all over Emoria to be displayed in one massive building. This city/state began as a project of the Quendi from all over the country, and as it grew and more knowledge was obtained, other races and species from all over the world also became interested in the project, so they all helped to contribute.

Eventually, a large, elaborate, and elegant building was constructed at the center of the city to house information from all over the world and even some information regarding the other seven Planes of existence. Of course, many from the current Material Plane feel that the other Planes do not truly exist as few have traveled between them.

The location of the ancient library was strategically placed, for The Portal of the Material Plane is located in a secret chamber ten stories beneath the library, far into the earth. There is a secret entrance within the library to a stair that leads underground, but finding the chamber that houses the Portal is difficult. The way is a bit of a maze, and there are many secret ways that must be taken to reach it. Only those who rule the city, those who own the library, and those who guard the Portal are aware of its existence. Not even those who work in the library or live within the city/state know of it.

The geography of Nolwë Osto is rather lovely. A river that runs all the way from the Oroni Sendë mountain range at the very North of Taurë Arda cuts through the Northeastern side of the city. This Northern river is called Sirë Poica for the cleanness of its waters.

Another one that begins horizontally, moving from west to east, flows at the Southern end just outside the city but eventually curves to travel South. This river is called Sirë Úra for its very large width and depth. Sirë Poica eventually joins Sirë Úra to become one river. There are other small streams and creeks that travel through the rest of the country.

A lake is located at the west of the city/state that provides much of the water for crops in that direction.

Outside of the city/state on all sides are small fields where vegetables and Orë ((a special Quendi grain that is similar to wheat)) are cultivated, but they are nowhere near as expansive as the country to the east ((the Sretin Providences)) from where the Quendi import other nutritional goods.

Allies
Aendrel of Irrihyánë
Äm of Irrihyánë
Sretin Providences
Vatienne
More Pending…

Enemies
Traemador
The Mountains of Night
More Pending…

Religion/Deities
Nolwë Osto hosts a vast cultural diversity due to people from all over the world choosing to live here, so citizens often worship the deities of their own cultures. These other cultures and other deities are all respected, so no one has need to feel that they must assimilate to another culture or religion.

However, the official deities of the city and of the Great Library are Gods and Goddesses of Knowledge - namely, the Goddess Nólehirë and the God Istahirno.

Throughout the rest of the country, the Quendi themselves tend to revere the God Vemenel and the Goddess Olvandilë who are believed to have created the trees and all things. Trees are revered by the Quendi as lesser deities and are believed to be semi-sentient beings who house great wisdom.


Governing Body
The citizens elect a council of ten to rule the city/state of Nolwë Osto.

All of the other four territories of the Quendi country of Taurë Arda are governed by their own monarchs, lords and ladies, or councils. It just depends to which of the four forests one travels.

Table of Contents

[Kathryn Lacey]

Character Name: Morgarath

Species/Race: Quasi-Immortal being

Physical Description: Morgarath is shorter than most humans, roughly five feet in height.He keeps his face mostly hooded, and rarely reveals it. His presence, however, is truly imposing, a feeling of a dark pressure all around him. Something about Morgarath himself seems shrouded in darkness, and shadows tend to behave unnaturally in his presence, seeming darker and more twisted. His eyes glow a bright yellow. They stare out of darkness with a terrifying intensity. His hands are usually covered by gloves of black silk and he carries a large unlabeled tome with him at all times.

Morgarath lacks a true physical body, but this avatar is how he chooses to appear most of the time. Some have noticed in his presence that he does not appear to breathe, and never eats or sleeps. It has even been supposed that the real Morgarath may be dead, and that the current incarnation is a vengeful ghost or imposter. Regardless of his living or dead state, he is unbelievably dangerous.

Morgarath generally wears long flowing robes of an indeterminate material, though certainly of something more malleable than normal cotton. It seems to hover just above the surface of his body, mostly obscuring what is beneath it.

When Morgarath speaks, he does not have a booming, powerful voice, but rather one that simply demands attention. Somehow all his words seem whispered, as if speaking of secrets centuries old, but seem to worm their way through any other conversation, regardless of loudness. When he is thinking deeply, he often touches his chin or holds his hands crossed. He particularly likes music, though the things he keeps around to produce it are some of the most tortured souls in Emoria.

Character Bio: Under construction

Age: Unknown. Even the oldest historical accounts mention him somewhere, and Morgarath himself isn’t willing to divulge this.

Gender: Male

Occupation: Dra’neth ka Morgarath is his official title, though it has not been used in centuries. Some call him the Lord of the Black. He is content with simply “Morgarath” or “my lord Morgarath.”

Skills: Morgarath is THE most powerful practitioner of magic in Emoria. He is also one of a very few who remembers the old magics, and one of the very few who also control the shadows. While he is not restricted to shadow magic, he favors it very heavily, and many of his abilities are based from it. He also is capable of shadowwalking, essentially meaning he can teleport himself to anywhere there are many shadows. Because he is of both the shadow and material plane, Morgarath also possesses the power to travel from the plane of Shadows to the Material plane without a portal. This process can cause rifts in the fabric of the universe.

In addition to his unparalleled magical strength, Morgarath is simply very difficult to kill. In the past, there are legends of his disembowelings, beheading, and the like, both from heroes of the light and followers who decided to take his place. He has weathered them all, and still lives. While there may be a secret to killing him, none yet have discovered it.

World-space: Morgarath rules over the Mountains of Night. A dark land eternally shrouded in shadows where the sunlight never breaks through and the perpetual light is much like twilight. The Land is covered in massive mountains that stretch nearly a mile up into the sky and the clouds of shadows swarm eternal around them. It is believed that the gate to the fabled plane of shadows lies in the center of the mountains. Some have also speculated that the Mountains really are the plane of shadows overlapping the world. The cities here are grand with spiraling architecture and spires that stretch towards the sky in many places.

The Capital city is more a fortress than a city and is normally referred to simply as the Dark Tower. It lies in the very center of the Mountains atop the tallest of them all. The Dark Tower seems to sprout from the mountain itself and is a black color that is unlike any other on Emoria. It seems that darkness pulses out from it as if the tower were alive.

To the north and the south of the Mountains the massive North and South walls have been raised in more recent years. They only came into being after the last Illuria War III when Morgarath realized the risks of under defended borders. He raised them from the earth the same way he called forth the Dark Tower. To the South of the South wall itself lie the Razors a nearly impassable mountain range. These mountains due to their nature serve as a primary barrier to invasion from the south.

Allies: Many of the southern countries, some pirate clans

Enemies: Vatienne, Taurë Arda, Aendrel

Religion/Deity(s): Morgarath is worshiped as a god.

Governing Body: Tyranny, centered around himself

Local Species/Minions of Morgarath

Ordingaunt


Ordingaunt Origin
Ordingaunt are not a true species, nor are they truly living beings in the conventional standards of the word. In the dark reaches of the world, exist Shadow Veins, pits of black, shadowy matter from which crawl the Ordingaunt, the endless tide which composes the bulk of Morgarath’s horde. They are beings born of need, and tossed aside without care by their infernal master. Seemingly limitless in number, great swaths will toss themselves into the gates of oblivion, forcing foes into a battle of attrition that no force can hope to win against the screeching horde.

Ordingaunt Appearance
Ordingaunt have a body that speaks of their unnatural design. Standing on double jointed hind legs, a set of arms sprouts from their waist to balance and give them extra speed when their four limbs work in unison to propel them across the ground. Their upper half consists mostly of their bulky upper arms, ideal for grappling and scaling fortifications. Their head juts out of their chest sharply, and massive trios of tusks sprout out from the sides of their mouths, which are lined with rows of razor sharp teeth. Their skin comes in various shades of dirty, earthen brown, and it darkens the longer the Ordingaunt has survived.

Ordingaunt ‘Culture’
When left to their own devices, Ordingaunt are surprisingly harmless, finding refuge in caves, mines and in rarer cases, deep forests. Functioning in small herds, they carve out small areas for their own, and rarely stray from it, unless something threatens the group, in which case they will either fight the invader or flee in search of a new nest. Without the presence of an Orfardin, Ordingaunt are rarely dangerous to anything with proper combat training.

Ordingaunt Powers
Ordingaunt possess strength just below that of the average human male, making them fairly harmless in single combat. Their true strength lies in numbers, and in the fact that they do not need to eat nor sleep to function, capable of endlessly marching without the fatigue that plagues most armies. They also possess a natural instinct to arm themselves with whatever they can scrounge, making it a common sight to see some carrying tree branches whilst others are hefting axes, as Morgarath makes no effort to arm the tide.


Orfardin
(To Be Revealed)

Sythen

Origin
In a time long before the great wars of Illuria, and the great rise of shadow, there existed the Sythen, or as they were once know by the primitive species of the world, krisshauth. As thick as a man, and fast as a worg, krisshauth relentlessly slithered through the catacombs and pathways of the Mountains of Night, always seeking the necessary food to sustain them. Despite the absence of legs, they could easily scale up the sides of mountains, and tunnel their way through solid rock, thanks to the reptile’s naturally occurring earth magic, fastening their frames to the mountain or allowing them to push through solid stone as if it was loose sand.

When Morgarath claimed the mountains as his own, he saw the krisshauth and their power, and the dark lord deemed them fit for his designs. With a patience only a being of darkness could possess, he began to corrupt, and change the krisshauth into what would become the Sythen. Countless generations passed, and slowly, the serpents began to sprout arms, and move more upright, and their magical talents grew darker and more inspired by their corrupter.

As the first glimmers of sentience entered their mind, Morgarath appeared before them, announcing himself as their creator, and the great god that raised them out of savagery. He cast of their old title, and renamed them the Sythen, the children of Shadow. They believed his words, and drank the poison of his promises eagerly, learning great and potent dark magicks in exchange for their unwavering loyalty. Since their creation, they have worked tirelessly in his name, and are his most loyal of servants.

Appearance
Sythen still look much like their serpentine ancestors, their bodies barely humanoid enough to recognize the intent, but still more than mostly alien to the other species of Emoria. Their heads are broad and long, with thin ‘fin’ like crests sprouting out just behind their ear hole. They possess a forked tongue, although these have the disturbing ability to seemingly ‘fold’ into a single tongue, enabling them to speak common without difficulty should they be so inclined. Their upper torso resembles that of a human, save for the absence of any breasts and/or nipples, as the Sythen are of reptilian descent. They are covered in thick scales from head to toe, that range from light black, to ashen grey. Sythen have thin ‘fin’ crests on the top of their skull, which flare up when they are threatened and also when using their magic. These crests are often varying shades of crimson. Males also possess a set of crimson scales that runs down the center of their back, and is one of the few ways to tell the gender of a Sythen.

As a whole, Sythen rarely wear clothing, as they are most comfortable in their own skin, and there is really nothing to see, as all their reproductive organs are internal until in use, making clothing a truly pointless affair.

Culture
The Sythen live in large groups in the numerous cave systems of the MON, happy to move amongst ash fall and their own kind.

Fervent worshippers of the dark lord, the Sythen eagerly seek to gain his favour however they can, be it through the completion of his tasks, capturing of slaves, or even ritualistic sacrifice. Their prayers are spoken in a tongue no species can understand naturally, and it is not uncommon for people to feel…unsettled in the presence of a praying Sythen.

Despite their ‘evolution’, the serpents still breed slowly, an adaptation from their early existence they are incapable of overcoming. When a female Sythen is fertilized, she lays dozens of eggs, but most of these eggs serve as decoys. Two or three eggs will actually be fertilized, whilst the others are meant to simply increase the odds of those eggs surviving long enough to hatch. As such, Sythen do not practice ‘mate’ exclusivity, instead breeding freely with others to ensure the survival of the species as a whole. Most Sythen have what is known as a Melding, their equivalent to a marriage or a mating rite.

Melding occurs between Sythen pairs

Melding is a process which, through the use of the Sythen’s potent magicks, allows the Melded full access into their partner’s minds. The two become linked permanently, able to sense the thoughts of their partner, feel their emotions, some even capable of experiencing the pain and pleasure of their partner. Thanks to the Melding, despite the ‘unfaithful’ ways of the Sythen, it allows the two to truly feel connected unlike any other, and it is only amongst Melded that any ‘recreational’ sex occurs, as normally, Sythen simply lack the drive.

Powers

Under construction(suggestions are welcome, as I am drawing a total and absolute blank)

Liches

(To Be Revealed)

Sirens(working title)

(To Be Revealed)


Information to be updated as relevant.

Table of Contents

[Kathryn Lacey]

Character Name: Rya De-Solarius

Species/Race: The Flamte are a sub-species of humanity who are different in a few ways. The flamte are all pale with reddish hair. Most have greenish eyes but a few that are changed by the Deceiving Reflection have white eyes and silvered hair. The Flamte have fragile bones that break easily when struck and they are a cautious race because of that. They have a physical and magical reaction to the sun and moon. -nervous face- That will be talked about later if it is ok.

Physical Description: Rya is of average height for a Flamte at 5'6. She has red hair and large green eyes. On her head she wears the feathered headpiece of the priests and priestesses of the Ever Burning One. Rya has the normal pale skin of a Flamte. Her hands and feet are small and delicate. Rya wears orange and red mottled silk gloves on her hands and finely made coverings for her feat of the same color and make. She wears the normal mottled orange and yellow robes of a flamte priest or priestess.

Character Bio: Rya was born to a loving upper middle class family of Flamte. Her family was a part of the Church of the Ever Burning One. Custom is that the children of priests and priestesses would become the same themselves. Rya was not forced into her life though, she was a born priestess it seemed. Rya was always interested in the worship of the Ever Burning One, and she was always kind and helpful to others. When Rya was 15 she was sent to the Great Church in the city of Solaria to be given her education in the finer points of the faith. Rya loved it there and flourished in her training. In the last few years Rya has felt a stirring to take the news of the Ever Burning One to new places. -smiles- I hope this is ok too. I feel like it is too short.

Age: 30

Gender: Female

Occupation: Priestess Missionarius (Missionary Priestess) of the Ever Burning One.

Skills: Rya is skilled in the innate magic of pyromancy that Flamte possess. She is a skilled negotiator and her calming demeanor helps smooth over fights. Rya also can sew and cook. She does not cook very well.

World-space: Solaria is a beautiful place. Much of Solaria is made up of gently inclined semi-forested hills. Here and there throughout there are larger patches of forest as well. Solaria has 1 great city, the City of Solaria. The nation and city share a name. The city is made from a yellow stone that is found throughout Solaria. It is fire resistant. Since the Flamte use so much fire it is their most common building material. The Great Church of the Ever Burning One is the heart of the city.

Allies:

Enemies: I do not know yet.

Religion/Deity(s): The Flamte worship the Ever Burning One (also known as the sun). They believe that their ability is a gift from their god that marks them as chosen people. Their power does come from the sun but there is no evidence that it gave the power to them. The church preaches that all will come to know the holy fire. The church also knows that things take time so they preach but they don't try to force others to convert.

The Flamte also recognize another entity as a being of power. The Deceiving Reflection (the moon) is to them the source of evil. The light from the Deceiving reflection is believed to be corrupting and to change the flamte who use it in any reasonable amount.

Governing Body: Theocracy, the High Priest or Priestess is the ruler of Solaria.

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[Kathryn Lacey]

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