Fantasy Lore

[TheLoyalAcorn]

Global Events

The Sundering

Once every 3 years begins The Sundering. This is the day Daemons can be summoned into the world during a 33 day long period requiring very little from those that desire to summon the Daemon folk. This is also when the Daemons are at their strongest. The reason why there are a handful of great civilizations named is because these are the only ones that can survive a Sundering and bear very little in terms of substantial damage. Many great empires are created and eventually fall to the sundering. After the sundering Daemons are severely weakened losing all their powers usually and are nothing more than massive beasts. The veil of reality and immaterial is such that many daemons breed with local animals and have offspring creating many of the monsters seen today.

Locations

The Scholar's Palace

Every scholar who devoted himself to his work in his world, reality or realm. That gave their heart to find the truth and were blessed with knowledge and insights. When their time came Salieri gave them on final blessing. A chance to uncover every truth, lie and dream that could ever be imagined. A place to study without hunger, thirst or desire aside from the pursuit of knowledge. The library is filled to the brim with books, and it appears Raebyrn is able to shift the palace at his own whims.

Tyros

A city home to roughly 20,000 people. It makes much of its money though trade. Recently torn apart from civil war, Lord Arisen's family has lost their lives throwing the city in a war with many vying for control. The militia along with those sent by Lord Seth are currently fighting The Sons of the Serpent and Khopesh. Lord Seth has grown increasingly worried over his former long time ally Arisen's legacy falling into ruin and is said to be sending 500 more men to aid Lord Arisen's beleaguered militia men.

Factions

Kvitovia

Briefly mentioned by Raebyrn for necromancers.

Venn'dar

Economy

Main goods-

Grain, wheat, corn, beans, alcohol, rum and lumber

Specialized goods

Iron oak

Crops-

Grain, wheat, corn, beans, various vegetables and potatoes

Livestock-

Grox, sheep, horses, pigs and etc.

Disposition-

A small nation spread across a dozen islands with roughly the same amount of people spread across. They raid heavily on the western coast hoping to create a home on the resource rich main land.

Science

Most advanced Technology

Political- Democracy

Economic- Advanced crop rotation

Travel- Ship building techniques

Military- Cannons

Health- rudimentary first aid

Industry- blacksmiths

Society

Background

The Venn'dar is actually the mixture of two peoples. The people of Vennegore and the Darcinians. Long ago, the City of Venngore was destroyed during a sundering. Their city was destroyed the their people fled to the island now known as Venn'dar. The two groups eventually became one.
While the island could feed the population. It lacked the resources needed to advance society. It had plenty of wood, livestock, fish and hardy men to eventually form raiding parties. United as one country that dominated trade along the west coast. The Venn'dar struggle to maintain their hold without a resource rich land to produce the goods needed to nurture a strong fleet and land army. This leaves the Venn'dar exposed to a multitude of pirate fleets and slavers as they know if they can evade the Venn'dar fleets their homes are relatively speaking under equipped, under strength and rich in food and people.

During a Sundering, the Venn'dar fight many sea daemons. They are forced to fight and win or they will be blockaded/ surrounded for the next 3 years.

People

Their richland allow all who live there to eat plenty. This allows the population to not only avoid malnutrition, but they have the ability to gain weight which in turn gives them a distinct physical advantage over their peers. Men standing on average a head taller than their opponents.

The youth also learn how to build ships until they are old enough to craft their own. This allows each raider a unique advantage of being a ship builder able to make repairs or even build a whole new ship if their ship was harmed in a storm.

Youths become men or women at 16 with men receiving an axe. A woman receiving a spear. They then have 2 years of being a part of the home guard or some service to the overall defense of the island. Afterwards, most youths become fishermen, farmers, raiders or mercenaries.

Population

Around 12 million spread out between dozens of islands.

Ruler

the Council elected every 5 years

Hierarchy

The Venn'dar’s culture adheres to a strict land based approach. Which on itself is democratic. The strength of one's vote is depended on how many acres they own. Due to this, its unsurprising that smaller farms will unite into a clan and clans into a house to increase the speed and efficiency of their votes. This in turn leads to long standing alliances between large areas of the island and power to constantly shift without affecting the overall end result of a ballet in theory as one would know who's house their buyer is.

Whenever an individual dies, the land in his name goes with him returning to the ownership of the council.

Youth/Citizen-

Own no land or reside in another's land and cannot vote. While never stated by a strict law they for the most part remain quiet and neutral in all matters as they don't have a voice in formal politics, they shouldn't voice it in informal discussions.

Freemen-

Those who own 2 acres or more.

First among many-

Those who earn 100 acres. They tend to be leaders of clans and take direct control in politics.

Councilmen-

An individual voted to be apart of the council of 7 in charge of the island nation.

Capital

Darinia

Vassals

Multiple nearby islands

Military

Branches

Navy (250,000)-

The Venn'dar fleet is essential to the protection of the Venn'dar. Every Sundering they fight long and hard knowing every Daemon killed is a potential trade ship or raider not destroyed in the following years. They also actively patrol and hunt down surviving sea monsters and sea Daemons, so the next Sundering won't have the support of previous Sunderings.

The Venn'dar have 3 main fleets. The first fleet raids and pillages for material along the coast. The 2nd fleet is the home based fleet used to protect trade routes and the island nation itself. The 3rd fleet is at the councils command usually doing unexpected tasks and supporting the first two fleets. The navy creates a few basic ships.

Riptide(50)-

for raiding with wide berths to sail up the shallowest of rivers and beach themselves on the roughest terrain. They carry with them self sustaining crews capable of staying out for weeks without resupply.

Sea King(150)-

Deep water ships two rows of weapons capable of staying out at sea for months and dealing out enough damage to shame most other fleets.

Hold (200)-

A large square vessels made to be level with a Sea King to be used with another hold to do repairs while at sea.

Marines(75,000)-

They have three divisions. One for each fleet. They are chosen while they are apart of the home guard. They can decide to join or not but many decide to join the marines for the prestige and promise of land. They regularly engage in battle with pirates, militias and on a few occasions reliably organized armies.

1st Marines (Reapers of the Storm)-

Known for their reapers. They raid whatever they can and frequently are found wielding the most advanced weapons of the nation.

2nd Marines (The Iron Guardians)-

Are known for having some of the toughest bastards. They often wear armor made of iron oak.

3rd Marines (The Old Breed)

Known for their traditions and ceremonial duties.

Each marine can be reliably equipped with an iron oak shield, axe, bolt action rifle and leather vest with steel plates.

Each ship is organized into 2 groups. One for night and one for day of equal portions.

On a Riptide 2 groups of 12 and a Sea King 2 groups of 35.

The marines in comparison to their foes usually other pirates and slavers are highly trained, bloodied and fearless. Besides being funded by a government, the only difference between the marines and pirates is the ability to create shield formations relatively quickly with slightly better shields.

Army(250,000)-

Also known as the home guard. Those 16-18 are forced to serve with volunteers as leaders. Few decide to stay in the home guard as land is not promised, a decent wage and the risk of life is too inconvenient for many. This leads to the marines frequently being disembarked and used to reinforce weaker home guard units that are deemed vital for island defense. Most are equipped with just an axe or spear.

Specialty Unit-

The island lacks enough resources to create a decent sized and uniform elite unit. Those with more successful raids or trades may have their followers armed with slightly better or varied gear but as a whole a well armed Vann'dar warrior has a range weapon, melee weapon and shield. Who specializes in naval and amphibious war.

Airforce-

None

Battle doctrine-

The Venn'dar have no ability to wage a protracted war. Even in a defensive posture, the loss of any war material would be detrimental. In the event of a blockade, the people would eventually regress in technology. They would outlast any siege able to feed themselves but given enough years, their ships would no longer be seaworthy and weapons only axes and shields.

Arms industry-

Traditional blacksmithing capable of crafting cannons with a heavy reliance on stealing any form of advanced weaponry.

The Kvassian Empire

Economy

Main goods-

Foodstuffs, protection, weapons, technology, textiles, minerals, gems and fresh water

Specialized goods-

Adamantium, drugs, gene-enhanced warriors, gold etc

Crops-

Grain, wheat, corn, rice, beans, various vegetables and potatoes

Livestock-

Grox, sheep, horses, pigs and etc.

Disposition-

The Kvassian Empire maintains a strong presence in the south west of Savos. It borders directly with Equititor. The Venn'dar- are the closest island chain to the west.

Science

Most advanced Technology

Political- Advance bureaucracy

Economic- Gene labs

Travel- Motorized Vehicles powered by steam

Military- Tanks

Health- functional hospitals

Industry- Factories powered by steam

Society

Background-

The survivors of a space battle. The Battleship “Wandering Saint” crashed on the Southern region of Savos. The survivors fought the local natives both human and demonic with the help of some of the head engineers and surviving factories. This tale or truth is long forgotten. The battleship shattered in a million pieces and scavenged is now a Imperial Palace unrecognizable of its former glory.

The Empire itself believe themselves natives. Who's ancestors were men beyond their time crafting advanced weapons used today.


People

An Imperial stands taller than a Nysinian but shorter and smaller than a Venn'darian. They are all educated for 5-8 years before they recieve additional training for their craft, trade or specialty.

Population

The Empire stands 33 million strong excluding their vassals a further 13 million. They make up the majority of the human population.

Unfortunately, the Empire is in an unending war with raiders, Daemons and other growing nations. This has drained their resources immensely. Fortunately, the soldier replenishment rate is higher than their losses. Unfortunately, valuable war gear is continually lost leaving many tank brigades with only half the tanks needed to operate.

Ruler

The Emperor is a lab bred leader. Typically 1,000 are created every 5 years and will train until the current Emperor dies. Then the selection begins through harrowing physical, mental and spiritual tests until only one remains.

Hierarchy

A clear class divide exists. The rich nobles ruling their lands with serfs being their property. The only way to truly advance in society is passing the yearly tests after the 5th year and become a bureaucrat, join the military or gain Imperial favor. The Empire runs off a very feudal based system. Within cities, the people are free to work and die in the clogged arteries of the city.

Capital

The Capital

Vassals

The empire has 7 vassal states that are indistinguishable from the actual empire. They act as buffer states from the Sundering.


Military

Branches

Army(3,000,000)-

The common soldier is armed with swords, chainmail and helm. Some parts of the army are able to equip their men with bolt action firearms.

The average soldier will receive 12 weeks of training. This results in soldiers being able to integrate with their assigned unit easily and effectively able to keep up physically and tactically. The empire has one of the best universally trained army.

The army also has access to some light tanks (landships) , cannons, biplanes and grenades.

Navy (75,000)-

The Empire has the strongest naval ships. They are built of metal and have artillery pieces as weapons holding crews in their thousands. The men are drilled to perfection.

Marines (500 000)-

“Red Devils”

Assigned to the navy and trained in amphibious warfare. They recieve 24 weeks of training. They are used as shock troops and reap bloody rolls on enemy forces.

Airforce(250,000)-

The Empire has access to a biplane and zeppelin fleet. Many apart of this force are mostly maintenance men maintaining the fleet of airships.

Battle Doctrine-

The largest army, best equipped and best universally trained suffers from its size. 2 million soldiers are needed to maintain order from policing actions to hunting down raiders. The remainder of the army is busy with missions to protect the vassal States from foreign threat.

On the battlefield they act fluidly. One group will create a strong base of fire. Another will flank their enemy. On the defense, they fight with defense in depth in mind.

Specialty units(125,000)-

Gene Warriors who are already counted in the Army. Their service life span is typically 30 years with 18 years dedicated to training. A strong organization many are thrown directly into combat without further training. There is debate as to which is better a Nysinian Tempered Scion or a Imperial Gene warrior most of this speculation is due to the Nysinian Scion's reputation and the fact Nysinia or The Kvassian Empire have never fought.

Arms industry

A very strong and profitable industry capable of creating biplanes, zeppelins, lasguns, mortars, grenades, flamethrowers, melee weapons, specialty gear, motorized vehicles, tanks, APCs and other gear. The problem is that the empire cannot provide some of the more advanced tech as fast as they lose it.

The City State of Nysinia

Known to have destroyed 2 fallen stars.

The Shield of the Sundered Wastes

A small collection of dedicated mages. They own a small fortress monastery. Thousands strong. They typically are the first to fight the Daemons during a Sundering and hold the tide. The loss of a faction rich in arcane lore and powerful mages would severely hinder any efforts to beat back the Sundering.

Magic

Summoning

While powerful mages can summon. The summon will initially have no reason to obey their summoner. This is usually negated with the summoning ritual having a cage bind to it. This allows the mage to add additional measures to insure loyalty. Lyian holds a summoning tattoo that allows Raebyrn control over him. Usually, one doesn't need to have any additional measure to keep his summons under control. This is because only the one who summoned his quarry can send them back to their world. Summoning is also very unrefined magic. The user can only write down broad characteristics of what they desire to summon eg. Wind mage, soldier or guide. Aside from that, whatever they get is what they have to work with.

Necromancy

A very powerful and misunderstood art. Necromancy is everything from raising, influencing and warding against the dead. They are better known as soothsayers and etc. The speak to the dead to find insight and help lay them to rest. Many ghosts tend to be unaware of their deaths. The dead can effect people who's minds are open and weak. A learned wizard won't be bothered much by a greater shade. Soldiers tend to be strong enough to resist shades. Meanwhile, the commoner is much more vulnerable and open to the influence of the dead.

Ghosts-
Typical no more powerful than their lasting regret. Many ghosts are former soldiers who quickly disappear once the battle is over. Ghosts tend to fade away easily as their last wish is as flimsy as their lifespan on earth. The most they can typically do is influence people via a 6th sense of warning or causing unusual happenstances when they are powerful enough.

Shades-
What many think of ghosts. They are able to influence people via dreams, happenstances and a 6th sense. Unlike ghosts, shades stay in the material realm longer to plague one who usually has wronged them or to watch over one they love. They are able to influence people enough to generate problems like mental illness.

Greater Shades-
Much like Shades greater shade can be used to augment ones magic or at unknown times can cause physical manifestations to harm their foe. This is commonly done via causing people's swords to swing that much slower or sooner. Frequently those affected by Greater Shades chalk it up to a curse rather than bad luck. Those under the influence of Greater Shades can become shells of who they once were.

Revanants-
People who have past on who are just raw magic to a mages eye. Those so hurt and angry when they die that they live in the physical realm. They are exceedingly rare but are the foundation of many boogeyman like stories. They can posses living creates and seek the end of those who they imagine wronged them. Many have long forgotten who and what they are.

Armies

Khopesh

A mercenary group ran by Kekogaard and stationed in New Isca. They are infamous for their collecting of human femurs that they display hanging on their belts. The common mercenary typically only has one femur at his side. The femurs typically have campaigns and names of foes killed. This displays seniority as one with many bones has been apart of many more conflicts than those with only one. Those that are able to use magic will wear helmets that look like skulls, masks with a skull painted on it or skulls themselves as a distinguishing mark. Khopesh is a very violent and deadly group typically hired and paid very well.

The typical arming of the men is the leather chest piece, a belt, short sword, left shoulder guard and nice leather boots that reach the knee to protect the warriors from the elements and arms. By no means are these men heavy infantry. The do well as shock infantry or a skirmishing force. In the streets they wreck havoc intentionally doing a great many things to disturb their foe. They are infamous for burning bodies.
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The Tempered Scions

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Infamous for destroying 2 Fallen Stars. Many hail them as the premier fighting force on Savos with such a fearsome reputation. Unlike many conventional forces, they posses weapons unheard of able to fire as long as the trigger is pulled. This differs much to the forces of Kvass who still use bolt action rifles. Many covet this weapon, but Nysinia jealously guards this secret and refuses to sell the weapon in large enough quantities to any reputable government. While their automatic rifles can still be found across the world. Many find without the logistical supplies of Nysinia. These weapons burn through ammunition and parts too fast to be practical and equip their forces at a large scale.

Kvassian Land ship Corp

Divided into two types, the landships are run off of steam and magic. Each crew requiring a mage to run along with a normal crew. With a world that primarily uses swords, spears and axes, the landships are rarely if ever used. Only a few hundred of them exist and all of them are typically reserved for only Sunderings.

Artifacts

Scroll of Enlightenment(in Verena Possession)

An artifact given to the party. This allows any magic user to create an image of their desire. It's heavily influenced by the mage's magics. The drawing will take the artistic flair of their magic with dark magic making the scroll look like a dark artifact. Meanwhile, a holy magic user is able to make it look like a document of purest form.

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[TheLoyalAcorn]

Sons of the Serpent

History

Created 23 years ago, The Sons of the Serpent have their origins hidden in mystery with few knowing the truth of their founding. Many claim Seth the founder created the group due to religious ties. Others was because Isca hired him to. The origin is truly unknown. What is known is that after 1 year of their formation they started a gang war that almost turned into a civil war in Isca. The event started simple enough with a failed assassination of 5 gang leaders. The war was known simply as The Shadow War. After 3 months of brutality The Sons of the Serpents emerged victorious with almost 2,000 dead in the streets.

After such a devastating war, Seth would go on to pay the local religious cult huge sums of money to help those affected by the war, he created Khopesh and other mercenary companies, he opened up orphanages, bought huge stakes in multiple large companies, and did a hundred more things to earn the respect and loyalty of the city. Very few knew him as the leader of a gang, those that did were openly supportive of it as now the protection fees and other criminal activities were done much more professionally and one could easily ask for street justice from Seth.

After 5 years, Isca exiled Seth for unknown reasons typically aimed at the increase in pressure in nobility wishing to eradicate the Serpents. He founded the city of New Isca and became the mayor of New Salieri. He quickly dominated the criminal underbelly near Isca, New Salieri and New Isca. Rumors grow that he seeks expand further into new towns and cities as the dominate power. This has caused gang tensions to be even higher as Seth is in the public eye seen as cleaning up the streets and on the winning side. Many smaller gangs have united to fight off this new threat. The Serpents serve Seth, and the reason for the success is the creed Seth has laid out that all must abide by.

Recruitment

Recruitment (General)
Sons of the Serpent Are not exclusively male as anyone capable of passing the initial training are allowed to join. New Isca and New Salaeri equally carry the burden of being recruitment grounds.The Serpents seek out those who have the some education as it shows a drive to learn and understand instead of the masses that immediately seek work. They also seek out the less fortunate knowing life experiences is a luxury you cannot train into someone.When recruited the Serpents gain merit marks over their hearts denoting where they were recruited, name, rank and specialty unit.This is for burial purposes and to help insure no one infiltrates the group. Their favorite recruitment locations are schools, orphanages and the streets. Rarely do they seek new members from existing organizations.
Orphanages
A prime spot to recruit. The Sons of the Serpents fund every orphanage in Isca, New Isca and New Salaeri. They use the caretakers to find those that are naturally inclined to make good gangsters, and a place to put orphans who's parents were former gangers. They typically draw large amounts of soldier from here and send those with strong enough aptitude to specialized orphanages that expose them early on to the gang life.
Common Areas
Many welfare housing is somehow connected to the serpents. Whenever jobs are lost, the serpents profit by recruiting young men in these areas that desperately need to support their families.

Streets
Despeate people always find their ways to the street. Drug dealers, prostitutes and other small time criminals make great recruits. Many are recruited or have to pay a tithe to the Serpents. The Serpents allow small gangs to form under their watch. The small time gang violence and wars create a pool of experienced men and women to recruit from and to test their own soldiers on.

Schools
Isca, New Isca and New Salieri all have public funded schools. A breeding ground for kids who wish to break the bonds of society. This could be a phase or not. Either way the serpents profit by selling drugs or recruiting from those cliches that naturally lean towards the mindset that the Serpents desire.

Training

The Academy
Serpents who are sponsored, but their mentor dies, leaves or lacks the time sends their hatching to The Academy. Those who are recruited but no elder steps up to claim is also sent here. Under the guise of a boarding school, the hatchings are expected to learn in the classrooms along with other regular children and train for the day they are send into the real world and their cell. Everyone must attend the final exam including those mentored with the exam occurring once every three months. The hatchlings immediately sent here typically have a large number of broodmates as small as 24 and as large as 94.

Ceremonies

The Marking
Upon formal acceptance into the gang, the new member will be stripped and forced to parade around naked to their mentor, broodmates and clan mates. Afterwards, the new member will typically be tattooed above the heart their first marks. This is wholly dependent on themselves and their mentor.

Once this is completed or not, the new member will be accepted into the Serpents and once again be paraded around so the new member can be inspected of their marks that show the mark of their serpent and mark of their clan. The members will show the new member their own marks. After giving the new member some boon. Many give money or a word of advice. Prestigious members may even give out phrases to use.

This ends the marking and usually a feast is held to welcome the new member. The new member clothed while the older members eat without tops to proudly display the Mark's they've earned.

The First Kill
Similar to hunters, the first kill is a ceremony in which the Serpent will drink from the blood of their first kill. While it isn't enforced those who do earn a mark. Some clans, families or broodmates enforce this ceremony informally.

The Flay
An uncommon ceremony used for those who wish to leave the gang. The member will have his or her marks flayed off them in front of a shadow. Afterwards, the member receives a hefty sum based off of how much noise they made, the amount of marks taken and their status in the gang.

This is also used to exile unwanted members.

The Fang
Another unenforced ceremony. The fang is usually in reference to a senior member gifting a junior member a weapon. This commonly happens after The Ceremony of the Marking. Oaths are typically sworn and bonds formed.
The Bond

Tradition, Lore and Arts

The 3 rules
Respect Power
Never kill another Serpent
Never question or disobey

Interfectis= Put to the Sword
In rare events, Seth will declare an area Interfectis. This means typically a gang war will occur and the local area is a warzone. Only certain serpents or groups will be allowed in to avoid fratricide as those that are currently in the area undercover are told to flee.


“Rus Guł Avî Tæzal”
Their motto is “We Own the Shadows” is not only a term to describe their way of warfare, but the daily life and operation of the serpents themselves. Where thereʼs a trade agreement a Serpent is quietly listening in. Where a politician snorts a line. The material was provided by the Serpents. Construction businesses frequently build apartments to hide bodies of people killed for some wrong committed against the Serpents and the party.

This helps one understand the mind of the organization. Everyone goes by a code name that will usually find its way to the Serpents mask. Many name themselves after animals or folklore but a few retain their original names as a way to show undying devotion to the cause as it is illegal to be a serpent.

Shadows bend the neck to Aeries the Flayed who in turn bends the neck to Seth. The culture within these three factions differ slightly but this is used to create uniformed zones of control and help create a structure that can be fluid and if one part is to be compromised to quickly close it and find solutions. Serpents are bound to fail eventually at some task in a terrible fashion. The response is dependent on his familyʼs policy. The typical punishment for Orochi is the cutting of the first pinky knuckle of the left hand. The Hyksos one usually take a length of skin depending on the seriousness of the crime. Kekoguard is unusual as he forces those that fail to provide a gift to the heads to show how apologetic they are gifts range from heads of enemies to kilos of drugs.

Bending the Neck
A phrase used by many but not official recognized by the high council. It's the act of showing complete subservience to your betters. It's also an insult to tell one they are unable to bend the neck.

Coins
Many Serpents will carry one coin. Stylized by themselves and often in the local currency. The act of giving someone your coin shows that you view your life in someone else's hands. The tradition began when Kekoguaard handed Seth 18 coins one symbolizing each survivor of his gang with the bold claim. "Spend these coins as if they were our lives." Seth handed the coins back and it is said he was so honored by their act of supreme faith in him he wept.

Tattoos
Every Serpent is required to have a tattoo above their breast. The mark of the serpent a simple tattoo meant to show anyone the said individual belongs to the gang.

Masks
A tradition created as many serpents fear for their families and hide their identity to prevent retribution done upon their own flesh and blood. Many draw skulls, daemon faces, flames and other disturbing imagery to hide their identities behind their mask and to help fellow serpents identify their fellows.

Serpent Speak
A term coined by senior members. It's a universal language for all Serpents to hide intentions, goals and information. The language itself is in any chosen language then using jargon, phrases, hand motions and a plethora of other misleading ways. The Serpents speak their true intentions or goals. This is the evolution of military hand and eye movements, and the clever wording of drug deals.

The Three Families

The Factions

Kekogaard (The Old Guard)
This family is seen as one of the smallest family. The family was created from the original 18 men who surrendered to Seth. They used the term family to express their unique station in the gang and Seth granted them the first family charter to be a formally recognized group. They are also seen as a power house as they tend to place quality above all else and arenʼt tied down to one location and its success. The shadows under the old guard tend to be assigned to roving duties or more offensive operations.

The Old Guard looks for loyalty, reliability and martial skill. They believe these skills make the superior Serpent and what all should have. They are famous for political connections, discipline and secrecy. The Old Guard traces its origins back to the elite warriors who guarded the nobility of Isca. After an internal power struggle, the old guard lost their positions with the death of all local nobility and resorted to crime to survive. The first to raise their banners against Seth. They proved to be the only gang capable of beating the Serpents. Their downfall eventually came when they were tied down to defending their weaker allies and their territory. With such a storied past, its no surprise of the 47 SATURN serpents 27 of them belong to this family.

The Old Guard hopes to move away from the gang appearance. Kekogaard while a brutal and loyal serpent wants to make the gang legitimate. In his old age, the birth of his grandson makes him want to leave a good honorable legacy for his children. Many in The Old Guard agree and Kekogaard created Khopesh, Gaard's Construction and a plethora of other legal ventures that do well without the need to resort to illegal means to attain money and these ventures do well enough. The family offers a unique opportunity to rise in society, political connections and a retirement plan. The Old Guard is incredibly prestigious and many die in their trials to get in.



Aeries The Flayed (The Hyksos)
The Hyksos are run by Aeries the Flayed. He controls formally New Salieri. The Hyksos are infamous for their brutal ways, supreme martial ability and roots in the arms trade. The family was created when Aeries was captured and tortured for 3 months. Many of his clanmates and shadows swore to save him and bend the neck to him after he highhandedly saved many of their lives by risking his own. When they arrived, they found Aeries flayed, but he stood victorious over a dozen dead foes. They swore they would create a family with him at its head.

The Hyksos run a wild family. Serpents are encouraged to duel one another with members gaining their family ranking based off their battle prowess. It's not unheard of a junior serpent ordering a elder serpent in this family based off their family standing in the dueling lists. The Hyksos is a highly sought after family with many young serpents seeking to join its ranks. Recently, The Hyksos have expanded large enough to consider starting a new family.

The Hyksos seek to increase the size of the gang itself. Many have infiltrated local militia to recruit new members. The Hyksos offer their members premier arms even firearms, training and security. The family itself has strong ties to The Sons of Blood.

Orochi (The Azure)
Orochi runs The Azure Gambit. He controls Isca and the surrounding farm regions. The Azure are well known for their subtle arts, magical ability and their deep roots in the drug trade. The family was created when Orochi won against the local nobles in Isca a goal many thought only Seth could accomplish. After the street battles. The Serpents in Isca formed bonds created in the forges of blood. Seth's formal recognition as Orochi as the Great Serpent of Isca also gave him the legitimacy required to bring many under his fold.

Unfortunately, Orochi while a master of the subtle arts is hard pressed to find qualifying members for their family. A smaller family that avoids any internal warfare due to their more subservient nature and Seth's own protection. Many view The Azure as a newer less prestigious family. Only recently have they had the numbers to truly control Isca without the need of other Serpents under the control of different families or that of the Orphans.

The Azure's ultimate goal isn't to expand. They focus on the controlling of already held territory. The family has also started to aggressively grow requiring all Elder Serpents to train their hatchlings to ultimately seek membership into the family. This has reached a borderline unethical level with some elders being blackmailed. Many willingly join as The Azure offer money, great magical tomes, safehouses and many other perks required to be a successful assassin, spy or other subtle serpent of the gang.

The Orphans
Belonging to no family, the Orphans rely on brood mates and sometimes clanmates to survive and get their resources needed to survive. While being in a family isn't required those in families have the ability to complain to direct superiors (in the family) and complain without risk of punishment or spreading negative rumors about themselves. While only 22% of serpents join these families. It is seen as a great shame to not be apart of a family if your clan has a strong past in joining families or a specific family.

Ranks and Units

"Council Member" (3-7)
Not recognized by Seth, this is an informal title. This is usually Seth's trusted advisers he leans on for making decisions.

SATURN (47)
A special unit created by Seth aptly called Saturn in reference to an old folk tale. An elite force that only the best can even attempt to try out for. The unit specializes in Assassination, Tactics, Recon, Raids and etc. All are personally trained by Seth and undergo intense training after they are accepted. Rumors say only 47 Serpents currently serve in the unit. The Serpents in this unit only answer to the high council and Seth.

Head/ Lieutenant (12)
Placed in charge of a location in places like New Salieri some heads are directly in charge of 7 heads and upwards to hundreds of wo/men.

The Shadows/Enforcer(60)
Typically placed in charge of a group that stays in a rough area. This is a formal promotion carried out by Seth himself. Shadows control anywhere between a small cell of 4 others to dozens of other serpents.

Specialist(?)
An informal title used to display that the said serpent is specialized in their chosen specialty.

Elder (1,000-1,200)
A formal rank given to those who prove they place the gang first. Elders are also able to elevate people to the rank of Serpent.

Serpent/Soldier (4,000-6,000)
The first rank. This allows them to fall under the Serpent's Creed. This is granted once their mentor believes they are ready for the marking.

Hatchling(?)
A term to refer to a person yet to be fully inducted into the Serpents. They typically train at the Academy or are mentored by an elder. It's also a term used to display ones perception of being junior in rank so much they humbled by the said senior's presence.

Broodmates
Many join the Serpents as orphan who have lost family. This term is formally recognized and used to a great extent. Broodmates are expected to provide, help and rely on one another. This creates a "brood insurance" if a brood mate were to die his broodmates are expected to defend the dad's family both physically, monetarily and emotionally.

It's a grave insult to imply the said individual won't go through with these obligations. If an individual is purposely avoiding these responsibilities a trial is held by Seth himself to decide the punishment of the offender.

Clanmate
Some serpents go on to train hundreds of serpents. All of them are tied by one individual. They are thus clanmates and all are expected to defend one another as distant broodmates. A clan holds a certain prestige with some clans like Lucius being small, yet highly respected. Other like Kekogaard have hundreds under his name seen as prestigious due to the clan forming their own family and being trusted by Seth.

Some prestigious clans are as follows.

Clan Lucius
Clan Kekogaard
Clan Hveti
Clan Aeries
Clan Aquilla
Clan Lygaard
Clan Vulcan
Clan Aurora
Clan Vys
Clan Felix
Clan Julia
Clan Prima
Clan Vita
Clan Victus
Clan Decimus

Diplomacy

Isca
The Sons of the Serpent are feared, loved, hated and above all else treated with respect by Isca. This is due to the odd relationship with Isca. Gangs frequently battled in all hours of the day before the Shadow war. After the riots 23 years ago three days of brutal fire bombings, break ins and murders happened leaving the local populace in a panic before an eerie calm over cane the city. After the Shadow Game, The Sons of the Serpent quickly took over the crime world being the only ones left standing and held strong ties to the local nobility. Isca enjoyed the stability that it brought, but they all know the Serpents own the police force, drugs and protection racket. The Serpents are both heroes, and the very people who break into shops to remind the locals who they kick back to. Isca was once the heart of Serpent activity only now to only hand the lion share of activity to New Isca.

New Isca
New Isca experiences a highly different relationship with the Serpents. They face no protection racket as every business and building has a required payment to the Serpents as Seth owns it. The Serpents police the local area are seen as more of a military presence rather than a organized crime syndicate. Like Isca, everyone is somehow involved with the Serpents. New Isca often takes great pride in the Serpent background and lets the Serpents bury their dead in lawful areas while Iscan Serpents are forced to be buried outside city limits.
The whole town supports the Serpents with shops hiding their true nature of creating guns, armor, grenades, demo kits and a plethora of other war gear needed to keep the Serpents as the premier fighting force it has become. The Serpents here are regarded as professionals to be respected and honored.

New Salieri
New Salieri was built by Seth’s battle brother, but the Serpents never had a part in its creation in hindsight to safeguard Filius from Serpent counter measures. After the battle, Serpents have their specialized SATUR unit to clean up specific targets leaving the city with bitter relations with the Serpents. It’s so bad Aeries the de facto leader of the Serpents after Seth considers it an active war zone and pays volunteers the Bloodied Cost.

Tall Ones
Tall Ones enjoy a special relationship with the Serpents. Serpents protect their buildings and holy sites and respect their sanctuaries. Serpents while they work under the rules of the party are told by Seth to also enforce that of the church within reason. This in turn has the Tall ones give information to the Serpents and act on the Serpents behalf and interests when giving sermons, PR and favors. There has been instances where the priests have willingly turned over people seeking help to the Serpents. The Serpents have also done the same. The Serpent's also consider any crime near the church within 3 blocks a sign of war. The Priest gave repaid the Serpents as best they can but all can agree the priests are lucky the Serpents protect them.

 

[TheLoyalAcorn]

The Races of Kvass

Humans

The orgins of humans for the Kvassian people is a well known and famous myth. Each race was crafted by a god. Hveti crafted the dwarves from the world before placing an ember into their souls, Daemons are the living poison of Sphiasis, the elves were crafted from the labors of Lyissian. Humanity was born from a long lost god who was the first to be killed. The name is often disputed as Hu'aan the god of hope, Vian the god of discovery or even Aquilious the god of fire. Humans were born from the very ground itself. The only true natives of the planet not formed with the help of the gods craft, but they were molded by their god with the elements on hand. The loss of their patron god resulted in a race without divine protection.

The legend says that humans were no better than daemon kind. They ate one another and laid without the moral consequences that are now known today. Eventually, Salieri took pity on the wayward children who cried out for their fallen god. She gifted to them a single gift in the form of a light all humans saw and understood. The tales differ as the Nobility believe it was love. The tribesmen claim it was hate and determination to hate daemons and wage the eternal war. The scholars argue it was the intellect for man became smart enough to form their own creation without divine inspiration. Those of priestly persuasion say it was grace. The low born believe it was hope as only humans continue to wage their war against the end without giving up like the dwarven kingdoms.

Humanity once gifted quickly rose up. They carved small kingdoms and bickered with one another. They always rallied against the Sundering no matter what. Eventually, a great leader rose up. Kvass the Deal maker. He was a lowly noble who carved a empire and absorbed all in modern day Kvass. He united all during the destruction of the 1st Fallen Star. The empire was a loose conglomeration of alliances, vassals, or other deals. Kvass didn't make the true single entity, but he created a unified human identity to rally behind and expand his kingdom's influence to the eventual power it would become.

Humanity is currently the largest race on Savos. This is due to their ability to breed like rats and their cunning allowing them to always stay ahead of the sundering. Unlike Dwarves who found themselves with ghost kingdoms unable to procreate as fast as they lost men, the elves who's own racial distinction prevented them from bearing children. Humanity is truly the apex race on the planet because of this. Kvass exploits this by allowing elves and dwarves serve the empire in enclaves protected by their massive armies in exchange for some truly wondrous advances done by their counterparts that serve a subservient role, but an elite core to the betterment of all. It is only recently people have begun to wonder if the prodigious human population growth can be overtaken by the Daemons as Equitor a bastion of human civilization has seemingly fallen to the tide of corruption.

Dwarves

The Dwarves were fashioned by their god in the forges of his great smithy. He gave them the souls they have with a single ember from his greatest fire. Dwarves of course always had a intellect mind and steely disposition. They originally called themselves Hastur's Children. The racial title dwarf was given to them by the first champion of the empire.

Their patron god abandoning them in order to pursue his works in his great forge. The dwarves continued to follow in the pursuits of their patron god. Their kingdom after the war of the heavens left them a great kingdom able to fight the sunderings and win everytime. Unfortunately, Hastur made great beings both strong in mind and spirit but slow in creation and temperament. The dwarves slowly struggled to maintain their population and eventually, the kingdom was filled empty cities. After thousands of years the strong people of Hastur were forced to sign a peace treaty with The Kvassian Empire. The proud dwarves signed away their independence and became an elite caste of scholars, engineers and thinkers.

Today, dwarves are commonly found in the larger cities acting as the scholarly caste of the local city. Many devote themselves to some study and master it giving new and amazing insights to old ideas. Eventually, a dwarf will devote himself to his study much he becomes a recluse. The dwarf after hundreds of years will sometimes disappear to an unknown destination. Those questioned during their obscure journey are simply state they have found the path. Any additional questions are met with confusion and outright scorn at the idea the other cannot comprehend what this illusive path is. Those who continue to follow these older dwarves will eventually lose them during their fanatical journey to "the path"

The dwarven enclaves once filled with bustling activity is now quiet and forlorn. Many claim it's a great conspiracy as they seek their independence. Others claim it's the sound of a dying race. No one truly knows or cares to investigate.

Fey

A catchall term for the "Elven" race that lives on Savos. They were created by Lyssian. The race as a whole seems to be superior in every way to humans, and each a highly unique and independent race. Oddly enough, this is their downfall. Due to their unique nature, it's not guaranteed every elf can bear children with another of their race.

This oddity has forced the elves to never carve out their own empire. Their own fates interwoven with humanity as if they were to leave the protection of humanity. Their race would quickly die out from wars, plagues and sunderings.

Their cultures, traditions and racial identity are almost identical to humanity having been codependent with humanity.

 

[TheLoyalAcorn]

Known Venn'darian Daemons

Ryük and Sea's Bane

View attachment 596912
Ryük
Ryük is one of many known daemons. His marital prowess is of great renown able to use two shorter tridents to reap a bloody reputation. His skill with a trident is only overshadowed by his brilliant strategic mind. His warriors likewise use tridents to vicious effect with the 2nd Marines of Venn'dar swearing blood oaths to slay this daemon for its whole history.

View attachment 596920
The Ship Breakers
Ryük's warband is hailed as the only threat to Venn'dar in both the times of The Sundering and daily. Thousands of his people stand under his banner and obey his words. His warriors are both skilled with the trident and their additional limbs on ships just as agile as a sailor is on the deck if not more so. They use wolf pack like tactics attacking fleets randomly using shock, surprise and overwhelming force.
View attachment 596921
The Lesser Krakens
His last advantage is his monstrous creatures. Few can match these creatures in hand to hand. Injuring one is considered a high honor and proof of ones martial skill. Only a dozen have been seen at one time and they are believed to be a smaller shock force that has to undergo some magical ritual in order to be created.

 

[TheLoyalAcorn]

Known Kvassian Daemons

Drazz and the Doomed Legion

View attachment 597276
Drazz is a infamous Daemonic "General". He is living inferno that is the sundering for many citizens in the Kvassian Empire living near the industrial center of New Isca. A mix between the undead, daemons and the "Dark Folk" no one knows their true origins. During the Sundering, his legion marches to his unnatural cadence. He relies heavily on his sub commanders. A brute of a warrior none have been seen to match him solely in the art of the blade. The warriors in New Isca, Isca, New Salieri and Tyros counter this living maelstrom of death by magic as none of his legion seem to be able to counter the Arch Mages of these cities.

View attachment 597281
The burned officers are covered in flames that drip foul oils that burns all in its path. All are able to use magic unlike Drazz. They use their magic to augment their forces. Many trained in the blade can beat these officers, but their foul magic and flames act as a an ace card killing many would be challengers. The loss of these officers result in a loss of leadership causing lesser warriors to turn on one another. Little more is known about them as they only scream dark unknown words as they engage in battle or order their troops.

View attachment 597283
The Doomed Legion itself is created with a unique set of creatures each different than the rest. What they lack in skill they make up in numbers. They feast on the dead gaining the knowledge strength and power of those eaten. This would usually cause a point in where a lesser daemon will ascend to a burned officer. To counter this, mages learned they can spoil the dead by using holy waters to shower upon the dead poisoning the bodies and greatly reducing the power of these lesser daemons. Despite these precautions, there is a very real risk that these lesser warriors can increase into the strength that would transcend what the cities are capable of fighting.

 

[TheLoyalAcorn]

The Major Gods of The Pantheon of Kvass

The God of Death, Trickery, Mercy and Wisdom

God:
Hasoi

Personality:
Her personality is often described like many other gods as intelligent and a caretaker. Her most startling characteristic is being a trickster when the call arises. Many lesser known and more divided stories tend to point at her while in mortal form being a trusted companion one immediately trusts. A well liked character in many stories who always deals the final blow to both the villain and hero in the tale.

Lore:
Hasoi is said to have been her sister Salieri's strongest supporter in The First Sundering. She reaped a bloody toll across the great platform. After the end of the war and Salieri swore off returning to the platform. Hasoi disagreed with Salieri. She believed that the gods should walk among the mortals and guide their children. Their disagreement and Hasoi’s passionate plea to the other gods and goddesses is what led to many remaining on the great platform.

Being gifted in only bringing death, Hasoi decided that by bringing quick painless deaths. People would be able to find peace as all living things couldn't die unless granted her gift. They would only continue to age and be in excruciating pain. This is why those who worship the old gods will frequently pray to her for death on her time.

Hasoi grew angry at her sister for abandoning the platform. Without Salieri, the light stayed on one side of the platform and night on the other. Hasoi decided to trick her sister, since she knew Salieri still loved to admire the great platform from a distance, by slowly killing everything in not in her sisters light. She did this by crafting her own lantern containing the darkest darkness she was able to contain in a lantern. Salieri upon realizing this every so slowly shifted her light so that nothing would die to Hasoi's poisoning of the world. Hasoi smug she had tricked her sister walked across the world until her third champion abused her powers, and she eternally punished the third champion who is said to still carry the Lantern of the Depths.

Hasoi has many tales of granting merciful deaths to loving elderly couples. Bringing death to terrible monsters and rulers. One of the more popular of the old gods. She frequently plays a part in many tales and because of this she is seen as the main representative of the old gods. Those outside the religion will point out how the main representation of the old gods is nothing but a glorified killer. This of course causes many to forget about other great deeds Hasoi had done in her tales.

Appearance:
View attachment 601546View attachment 601547

Often depicted as tall, meager, rough and dirty when she does walk among men. As a goddess, she's shown to be a skeleton wearing an oversized robe. Unlike many other depictions of death, she holds a type of lantern that contains darkness as she forever walks across the world to trick her sister.

Worship:
Gifts, chants and a few rituals.

Background:
Hasoi is a highly feared and often embraced goddess. Death, autumn and decay are common elements this divine being is associated with.


How people view it:
While a goddess of death, many worship this goddess to grant merciful death and a release from this world.



General Worshipers:
Worshipers are abundant and tend to come in the form of soldiers, mercenaries and healers. She doesn’t have a death cult as its seen as murder is stealing Hasoi’s decision.

Powers:
She known to have power to end life as fast, painful, slow and agonizing as she wishes. Her power is also linked to every living thing. She is known to only ever have 3 champions. Each champion. Their tales and deeds are mostly left unknown, but they are attributed to fighting someone unknown great evil before man could write. It’s said the first held the power to bring back any from the dead. The second killed everything he touched. The third the power to hold Hasoi’s lantern as a punishment for abusing her power.

The Primordial Annihilator

God:
The Great Water Serpent “Sphiasis”

Personality:
A slumbering giant. Those that are able to write about the god as a terrible and insane creature. He is less god and more primordial force. They speak about him as the fabric of the world, yet any word on what he is like has little to no written word. Only that he respects those insane enough to understand his great plan.

Lore:
Sphiasis is the fabled Serpent that sleeps in the deep below. He is said to have come to the dark waters trying to get away from other gods, beasts and demons before the gods came to Savos. A tale speaks of how his venom painted the night black as he fled to Savos after his first war with them. He was said to have protected a great bounty in the deep below that he stole from the gods. The gods who have sought after these prizes have died terrible fates at the hand of the slumbering serpent.

Sphiasis is instinctively the most popular divine being. It’s said that while the pantheon is acknowledged everyday. Sphiasis is at a primal level within every beings mind. The reason for this of course is because the planet truly belongs to Sphiasis. The gods only own the sundered platform, but Sphiasis owns the true entirety of the planet. He is the sinking dread of death. The feeling of loneliness and the angst of life. His poison affects more than just the physical, but the emotional, spiritual and mental aspect of all.

Few if any tales speak of Sphiasis directly. The few tales that do speak of him talk about a new world order when he awakens. He would rise from the great below to rule as the god among gods. No one would be able to defeat him and in his own way he would bring about the end of the rule of the old gods, but the rule of beasts and demons. The unnatural would become natural and the world would spin upon new laws of physics.

A tale speaks about how the Fallen Stars are not fallen stars. Instead, they are portals to the serpent's lair. The Daemons and monsters that come forth are no more Daemons as they are his own creations that he creates from the material of his venom that drips down into the ground of his lair and creates new living poison to kill all on the platform.

His tales are usually about those who wish to find and awaken him. Many say that he has champions, but this is a much debated topic. People tend to discredit madmen and terrible men as mentally troubled individuals and not agents of the slumbering god trying to reach out to someone.

Appearance:
View attachment 601548
Worship:
Many lesser beings worship this creature ironically. Those who also have firm beliefs that mortals are ruining the planet worship this god. Many of his worshipers don’t believe in the old gods. Instead, they worship different pantheons, but Sphiasis isn’t bound by a single pantheon. Even the Archmages agree, he is the deep slumbering god that like a serpent shreds his skin to look different and speak a different tale.

Background:
He is frequently associated with dreams, end times, insanity and doom. The unknown and the death of an age.

How people view it:
All people who worship the Kvassian pantheon and Sphiasis don’t see him as a true evil, but a master returning to his home that has been ransacked by the old gods. There’s no tales of beating him only accepting the inevitable.

General Worshipers:
Madmen, his general worshipers are few and far between.

Powers:
The true extent is unknown. It is said the dreams of prophecies and madness are from Sphiasis reaching out to his next champion. Only one of sturdy mind and heart can handle the intrusion of the slumbering god.

The God of Knowledge, Change, Plans and Conflict

God:
The Silent God

Personality:
The Silent god does not speak. Instead, he writes in the air. His words are blunt and simple thus is also the god. He doesn't waste time as time is a valuable resource. His words are quick, directed and focused. His personality is that of a book. Filled with information with little in means of personality which upon itself creates a unique and deep personality. His own nature conflicts with himself with the god contradicting himself or bluntly ignoring the guarantees he gave earlier as there seems to always be an exception to the rule.

Simply enough, he is a book. He answers and and all questions and has a personality formed by the meaningless nuisance that is knowledge. Intelligent, first to admit faults and always there to correct his questioner. The silent god is an odd thing few if any have been able to understand.

Lore:
The Silent god was the only god not to participate in the war. He instead sat on the highest peak and wrote what he saw. Once the war ended, he locked the book away in his grand library before continuing on. Another great novel finished with his worthwhile interest. He watched and wrote as the creations of gods evolved.

His lore is rich as the fact you are reading this is his lore. Everything put onto paper. Every understanding and every theory is his domain. While he rules all knowledge, he jealously guards it all in his Ivory Tower. In fact, all knowledge would have been locked away in his vaults if he could. Unfortunately, Salieri had other plans. She gathered her sister to trick the god.

They pretended to fight for a day and night. When The Silent god emerged to write the new legend, Salieri blinded him with her light and Hasoi killed him. The two then stole all the books they could carry to man so he could learn to read, write and think. The Silent god came back to life of course as one cannot kill knowledge itself. It took him 500 years to heal and by then it was too late. Men had grown wise and they themselves made grand libraries on their own. Intrigued and curious, The Silent god didn't seek retribution instead copying new books to fill his library or test the very writings of the scholars write today. Ironically, he oppressed the races ability to learn and evolve, but the scholars today worship him even knowing he is the one who jealously guards his secrets. This is why people struggle to learn and make technological breakthroughs as its The Silent God himself that prevents it. Whenever knowledge is gained one must humble themselves for The Silent God willed it.


Appearance:
View attachment 601549


Worship:
Relatively unknown many believes it is deeds and good works.

Background:
He is associated with knowledge, the arcane and writing

How people view it:
A lesser god and very unpopular.

General Worshipers:
Scholars, Sons of the Serpent and Seth

Powers:
The true extent is unknown.

The God of Crafts, Creation, Earth and Dwarves

God:
Hastur

Personality:
A loud god who stays in his forge. He is described as shy, loyal and most of all dutiful.

Lore:
Hastur was said not to be born like many of the younger gods by the marriages and love. It was said Hastur simply came into being. His creation being so unusual and odd. Other gods view him as being a superior and better especially since he has been alive longer than many of them. Hastur is described as being afraid of the other gods despite being one of the oldest and well respected always insecure about his height. His own shyness mixed with his creation has caused his own loneliness and inability to relate to many of the gods.

He frequently was found with Salieri who would manage the fire where he worked in his smithery. It is unknown when but he fell in love with the youngest goddess but afraid to say his feelings as timid as he was. He created the great platform upon Salieri's request. Once he created the platform he decided to craft his own mortal race envious of Lyissian’s own creations. Every being he crafted was flawed, ugly and didn’t meet his standard. He eventually formed the Dwarves with an ember from the flame Salieri tended to indirectly making the Dwarves children of Salieri and Hastur.

He was said to have created a race much like him in regard to height, but everything he wished a family was like he poured into this creation. He enjoyed their company and their boisterous attitudes speaking, drinking and singing like he wished he had the confidence to do in front of his fellow gods. It was said his favored son tried to teach his “Craft Father” to woe his love Salieri. A saga that the dwarves sing tell their Craft Father’s mishaps, embarrassments and other such tales that if sung about one's own friend it would stop their heart in embarrassment. The Craft Father heard these tales and would laugh with mighty bellows always glad to be around his sons and daughters. His favored son was said to have always blundered and blusted at these tales and demand duels of honor much to his Craft Father’s amusement.

Ancient Dwarven lore then goes on a hilarious twist of many expeditions and heroes. The Craft Father relented to his children's wishes and allowed them to help him "woe" and find his love during one of Salieri's deep sea dives. Each attempt the dwarves try to and find the materials to craft a gift for Hastur's "one and only true" only for them to stumble on an evil which Hastur would smite with ease and as the dwarves ran to their patron like wayward children. Eventually, the dwarves gave up, bitter they couldn't create a gift for Salieri. They marched back to their homes only to find a beautifully tailored gift made for each dwarf uniquely for them. The dwarves ran out of their homes realizing the gifts were created with the materials they found. The quests a way to give Hastur the time to create the gifts and surprise them. The dwarves fell to their knees begging their god to quickly reforge their gifts, so he could make something for "his one true love" before she returned to the great platform.

It is said his laughter boomed and created thunder. He laughed so hard it rained with great and powerful force before he spoke. He called each dwarf by name and boldly proclaimed they were his deepest treasure and his greatest love. The dwarves fell to their faces weeping unworthy of their patrons love. Hastur would have none of this and demanded his favored son reveal the feast he spent 20 days and nights cooking and the dwarves feasted for days on end with their father.

Hastur spent many years enjoying his family. A golden age was in full swing with the dwarves digging deep into the mountains to show off their prizes to their father who would craft great works to adorn his children. Everyday a grand feast would occur with tales, jokes and plays where Hastur laughed, drank and sang the loudest.

His tale during the war of the heavens are solemn affairs speaking of the squat god emerging from his forge to kill his brothers, sisters and parents out of loyalty to Salieri to protect her from those that wished to steal from her. Meanwhile, his own treasures were robbed from him and spread across the platform. His own race was said to suffer, but remain loyal to their Craft Father and standing by his side always. The mortal dwarves fighting against the spawn of other gods or gods themselves never giving ground in exchange for their lives. The great gifts that once adorned them were reformed into tools of war or stolen off the dead.

Once the war was finished, his favored son died defending him from a mortal blow from the god of wrath. The favored son begged Hastur to craft one last thing for him so he may look upon it. Hastur created a beautiful relic in seconds said to be more beautiful than the sun itself. His favored son laid dead. Hastur cried tears that carved their paths into the mountains. His children lost and unable to comfort him grew to be serious as the stone his tears carved into. Once he gathered his strength he left the great platform. His love for Salieri gone with his favored son. He swore to return to his children when he was worthy of them and their love. The dwarves to this day believe their god didn't abandon them despite their tales clearly pointing to that. Instead, they believe he is returning and he only left to find the soul of his favored son and wrest it from the control of Sphiasis himself.

On a more regular basis. He forged some of the greatest weapons for mortals some in use today if you believe in the old tales. He is said to have been crafting a weapon since he has left the planet to defeat Sphiasis. He labors day and night oblivious to many woes of his children the dwarves as he continues to labor. A strong rumor persists that Hastur will take any dwarf that proves his worth into his forge. It is said only one has only ever been taken. A dwarf named Raelin who crafted the famed Spear of Hastur.

Appearance:
View attachment 601550View attachment 601551
A short god often confused with other forging gods. A strong beard, arms and short stature is all commonly agreed upon in his mortal form. His godly form is said to the fabric of stars. A being so unworldly, he would be barely recognizable from reality.

Worship:
Deeds and workmanship are said to be his forms of worship. Many dwarves don’t worship as Hastur is seen as a ever present to a point that a meal is always sitting on a table waiting for the god to dine with the dwarves once again.

Background:
Often associated with Duty, smithing, and loyalty

How people view it:
He is generally viewed as a well liked god by artisans and craftsmen.

General Worshipers:
Dwarves, craftsmen and artisans

Powers:
Great might enough to sunder the great platform. The ability to craft almost anything into existence.

The God of Life, Light, Knowledge and humanity

God:
Salieri

Personality:
A distant, but a loving god. Salieri is as bright as the sun and is objectively an all around good god. Many of her values line up perfectly for the moral system in Kvass.

Lore:
Salieri is known to be the youngest of the old gods. She is also known as the most curious. The first one to wish to explore the great ocean. The great ocean was too dark for any of the light sources the gods made to truly piece the darkness.

The only light strong enough was said to be deep in the great unknown. Salieri was able to capture a small essence of light from the great unknown and return with it. After 1,000 years of searching and great quests with her companion. The tales differ on who accompanied her. Many say it was a brave mortal, Others her sister Hasoi, a few instead tell a tale of heroic bravery as she did it alone. The stories just agree on one thing. She was able to find a light and use it to help Hastur craft the great platform. The light was also said to be the very thing that bound the fabric of mortals together. Those who abandon her light become twisted monstrous things like the beasts in the great depths or that come from the Sundering.

She was the goddess to dive the deepest, longest and farthest into the great ocean with her light by her side. During the great Sundering, it is said she was exploring the ocean. Others say she caused the war jealous of the rich treasure others found. At the end of the tale she left the mortal realm. Bitter and angry over what transpired. She continued to watch the platform with great interest and love. She frequently sends champions to help change history for the better.

The tales after this have the goddess act as a side character to many tales. Little more important than a guard is during the saving of a princess. One tale does stand out. Before leaving the mortal realm, the humans a weaker, stubborn and lost people had lost their patron God during the war. Out of guilt, shame or mercy. Salieri had taken a small flicker of light and placed it into the human soul. The tale differs on what she gave the human soul. Hope, love, grace, intellect or even hatred.

Appearance:
View attachment 601552
Worship:
Prayers and rituals

Background:
Salieri is a present god, but rarely mentioned goddess outside the creation tale, and tales of trickery done to her by her sister. She's usually associated with light, life and hope by always shining the most beautiful when the darkness ends.

How people view it:
People often point to Salieri as just a metaphor created to explain the sun, and the great mortals that come once in a blue moon that changes history.

General Worshipers:
Many worship her as Hasoi and Salieri are commonly viewed as the two lead gods of the major gods in the pantheon

Powers:
She has control over light in all its glory. Her boons for her champions are considered the most powerful. They tend to be divided in three main categories. Life champions who have astounding abilities to heal not just physical, but mental wounds. Light champions who use light as a weapon or great shield. Lastly, they have the rarer star champion. Those champions who live short miserable lives and sacrifice their life to bring about a golden age. Only two have ever been recorded.

The God of War, Justice and Peace

God:
The Revanent God

Personality:
Silent, violent and dangerous the Revanent god is pure and simple what he is the god of. He's insane as he wages war and as a war wages inside him rages. One side of the coin that is a quiet professional and reeks of elegance and the honor in undiluted conflict. The otherside is a warmongering, blood thirsting and vicious god void of any godly principles that feeds on the dead and bathes in the blood of his foes.

Lore:
The Revanent God was once the ruler of justice. In the far times before the Sundering, he was lord of right and wrong. The godly wars changed that. The war caused the god to twist and change as his very essence of godhood was in danger. How could justice be served when the murderer continued to murder, this caused the revanent god to go insane as his very fabric ripped against itself. The god realized he enjoyed the death and destruction he caused, and he desired to make the godly war last forever. The more peaceful Justice seeking side of him lost more and more control to the new raw, violent and brutal side of himself.

The god did his best to fight his very nature, and his love for war until one battle he broke. He slayed a minor god and in a howl of rage he consumed the dead god. His strength increased he continued this until the battle was won. People cheered until the truth was learned. The god gave out his punishment for his own sins. He cursed himself to suffer every wound someone suffered in war before their death. Despite being a god, he can only take so many pinpricks of pain before he must stop. If he doesn't, the peaceful justice side of him emerges to dominate the God's mind.
This is why war cannot last forever for the very god who gains power from it can only suffer it for so long. It also explains why there will always be conflict as the Revanent god will always seek a new battle lusting after it.

Appearance:

Worship:
War, battle and personal conflict is how one worships him.

Background:
He is associated with War, mental illness and protection

How people view it:
Fear the Revanent God, what he kills becomes part of him increasing his power.

General Worshipers:
Soldiers, tribals and Equitorian colonists.

Those that worship this god have an odd belief system. Those who have fought in wars and suffer mentally from it are viewed with great respect. They believe these fever dreams are, but the burden of The Revanent God himself. Those who carry the weight of war every night are not seen as mentally unfit, but the worshippers treat them with respect believing the burden was too much for the god himself, so he burdened the said mortal to carry the terrible pains. This has led an odd godly cult that seeks to understand and help those mentally ill rather than mock them or ask a god to heal the problem.

Powers:
He is best known for his personal combat prowess. His champions one would find line the halls of heroes. He has true control over all the natural elements and has slain many a greater daemon.

The Magic, The Elements and The Elves

God:
Lyssian

Personality:
Beautiful, charming and witty. Lyssian is the model of nobility and grace. Whenever she reveals herself its to proclaim a new leader, law or cultural boom. Shes and artist and loves all.

Lore:
Lyssian came to the platform not to find treasures, but she wanted to craft a race that was much like her. She was disappointed in how other gods were absorbed by their very nature. She wanted a race that could relate, gossip and teach. She spent decades before she finally made the fey each unique, beautiful and magically talented. They had long lives to worship their patron. Lyssian enjoyed her time with her creation and created beautiful spiral cities in the deep forests of Kvass.

In time the war would come, the utopia was torn asunder as the elves spent little time preparing for war unlike the dwarves who were fighting daemons regularly to find the rarest of metals. Lyssian fought with the Revanent god and the duo killed many of the thieving gods. Unfortunately, the war ended with the elves decimated. Lyssian did her best to keep the race strong, but their own uniqueness caused issues in the procreation of more elves. She tried to create more only to see the new elves were rarely able to breed with the old elves. She left the great elven cities to try and find a solution. Many believe this is a quest that will not succeed as the elves slowly die off due to the inability to create enough of them to build their own nation.

Appearance:
View attachment 601564
Worship:
Gossip, arcane worship and elven customs.

Background:
She is often associated with anything culturally elven, magic and gossip

How people view it:
She is often seen as a beautiful witty god who cares for her children

General Worshipers:
Elves and magic users

Powers:
It is recorded she killed more than the revanent god himself. She is just as or more powerful only being beaten by Hasoi in a clever battle of magic, wits and trickery.

 

[TheLoyalAcorn]

Kvassian Economy

Kvass while an empire with a regular currency used for trade has not resulted in an economy one would be familiar with in modern times. Trade is usually done via bartering as only the cities regularly mint any substantial amount of coinage to allow those common folk to use. This can cause problems in towns and villages not accepting any coins only bartering or exchange of favors as coins are simply seen as pretty looking trinkets. The issue with bartering is that this has discouraged any standardization of prices, documentation and overall organization for the scribes/ tax collectors of the Empire causing taxes to be nothing more than a blunt collection of due with little to no standard and corruption being rampant.

The common folk will usually see 2 types of coins. A throne or a crown. Thrones are usually the standard for all payment. A simple silver coin with the icon of the Kvassian throne with the back of it displaying the Emperor at the time it was minted. 2 thrones are the standard payment for man menial workers in cities and larger towns. A throne buying a days meal and shelter, 75 thrones a usual payment for a lack luster sword and 500 thrones for a decent horse.

A crown like a throne is a coin made by a plethora of different material from bronze to even simple tin. While a formally recognized currency, many do not accept crowns as a crown alone is what you give a beggar to look sympathetic to their plight. A crown being too small to buy anything unless in larger quantities.

Above is the common coins used by the lower class. Merchants, Nobles and other such occupations usually need to use more valuable coinage to decrease the weight of the currency to quickly count, stack and send such payments. This is done by 4 metrics bronze, iron, steel and golden bars. The Sundering being such an influential event that the materials for war being of such value that is the standard metric. The prices of such a bar always vary based off of the two parties need for the materials of war, or the materials for affluence (gold).

Bartering even influences the actions of nobles. With many of the great houses exchanging favors, soldiers or secrets in exchange of bars of steel, tanks or guns.

 

[TheLoyalAcorn]

Influential Families of Kvass

House Numinos

"Sacrifice is our Duty, Duty is our Sacrifice"

Peerless in combat, House Numinos' origins began in Kvass during the Age of Serenity. Sunderings unheard of, House Numinos reaped a bloody toll fighting other groups and building a small cluster of city states into the mountains. Mountain warfare was an art they excelled in. They were talented in not only using the environment to their advantage, but wage war upon it in such speed and ferocity few believed mere humans were capable of such talents. Their battles were fought in isolated environments or against the mountain itself. The warriors forge in this fire were independent, clever and powerful. A single warrior said to be worth 3 warriors of the plains. The people of the mountains simply called themselves what would be translated now as "The Blood/Mist" believing they were the life blood of the Misty Mountains, and all who could survive there were cut of the same cloth.

In the Misty Mountains only the most rugged people could survive. The traditions, values and beliefs they carried reflected the tough and hardy people in the form of a strict code of honor. Unlike many others, their slaves were able to attain freedom, prisoners were spared and peace was always sought before war. This wasn't due to a high moral stance. It was because having useless members of society would drain what little resources they had. The idea of slaves and prisoners in a mass revolt so dangerous. The Blood simply could not risk a slave based society. This noble trait ironically would be horribly twisted in the years to come along with their own battle prowess.

The Blood while exceedingly deadlier foes than any other people at the time slowly came to realize a new power on the rise. A tribe capable of strong magics and other worldly power worshiping the Cillithian. The Blood found themselves under siege by this new regional power. At first the warriors held strong, but their foes magic simply grew and evolved while The Blood could only adapt and wait as their youths grew old enough to join the battles. Their own slaves were pressed into service as more than pack mules and were expected to act as archers and other support roles.

The Blood had always had the finest warriors, but this was in part because everyone born in the Misty Mountains had magic. This allowed an unheard of advantage for warriors of The Blood. The problem was they could only use the most basic spells and many of which could do little harm to their opponent. They used their magic to trip or feint attacks which was simply a warning and not a concern for their foes. Meanwhile, their besiegers had mages with power unseen before. They could weave spells that summoned other worldly creatures and spells that were said to bring life to undeath itself.

No matter the tactics, battles and weapons implemented. The Blood faced the end for their people. Unwilling to accept destruction, they prayed to any being able to help for help. No one answered. They sacrificed animals and they only heard the quietest whispers. Finally, the war chief of this great host sacrificed himself on the altar. When the blade bit deep slaying the man, a wanderer appeared. She was dressed in exotic clothes and her face was permanently hidden in shadows.

She promised a magic that would increase their physical abilities. They would have to surrender any ability to use magic and the spell would reap a great boon. The only slight cost that they may not expect was to hunger for more than what was promised. The Blood agreed confused by the cryptic warnings and pressed on by their own desperate situation and began the ritual. Once it was completed they fought the enemy tribe. The Blood so completely annihilated their foe. Its said that the tribe was lost forever without one survivor. The Blood rejoiced at their great victory until hunger gnawed at them. No food could satisfy them. Soon no food remained and The Blood fell on one another. The hunger ended when a few clans forced their hunger into submission by eating flesh sparingly or drinking the blood of their kills. A less than optimal situation only those with the best control were able to survive the "Great Hunger"

The clans after surviving the terrible hunger united demanding what was done to them. The sorceress simply laughed and disappeared after warning them "All born in the Misty Mountains" would bear this boon as was her gods will. Grim faced and shamed, The blood shut themselves off to the world disgusted at what they became. They eventually were forced to raid for "The Red Tithe". Soon, the surrounding villages willingly sent their old or dying to the mountains in exchange for protection forming the Sanguine Enclave. The Enclave requiring only a single person from every village when requested.

Times would change as the Empire rose to prominence. The Empire believing the isolated Enclave as nothing more than a myth assaulted the Enclave with a legion. They recieved bottled blood and filet of human meat in return asking why they weren't informed a fine dinner would be sent to them. The Enclave knew such a war would occur accepted it with arms open and with a smugness few could tolerate. The Emperor in his rage rode with 3 legions at his back to subdue this "Charnel Court". He fought the "Sanguinary Reapers" and soon found himself in a war that could end his expansion of his empire.

During this war the Empire resorted to inhumane tactics as he saw his own men supped upon in open view by the Enclave, the Sanguine Enclave remained strong and fought back the invader with a furious rage that not even those heroes of old could compare. The villages were protected to the very last living soul. The "Charnel Court" fighting with a honor unseen and unrecognized as they protected their vassals dying by the dozens to save a family. Those Imperial heroes that showed honor would not be supped on. Instead an honor guard would either return the body or given burial rights where they laid their own heroes.

As war goes, a side must win. The Empire had the numbers and the Enclave was slowly pushed back into the mountains. The empire paid inch by bloody inch and soon they saw the faces of their foes grow younger and younger. They had yet to invade a mountain keep until they reach Paciscor. A town believed to be the site where the curse was cast. This was considered sacred ground, but it was abandoned by many of the clans as its defenses were of the weakest of all their mountain strongholds. The few that stayed behind did so out of a sense of duty to the history left there by their predecessors.

The siege was bloody. 500 Reapers held against 12,000 legionaries. For three days they held. The deeds of heroes done with every clash. The will of the gods pushed aside as if it was nothing more than a mere inconvenience rather than the monumental effort it was. Once the walls fell the Reapers were quickly killed overwhelmed by the numbers and determination of their foe. The wall of shields and swords did little to stop thousands of legionaries charging like a great tide upon the sands of time. After looting the town, legionaries informed the Emperor a sword line of Reapers held out killing a cohort. The Emperor rode to the battle site afraid of losing more men to the ghastly horrors of the Sanguine Enclave. He instead found a sight that shocked him.

Alone, tired and pale as death itself. A young woman of 17 summers continued to fight. She was missing an arm from an unknown earlier battle and bled everywhere forced resort to the drinking of blood of those dead comrade who also were no doubt wounded warriors who took up the sword in a last desperate defense. Despite the odds she faced and hopelessness lodged in her gut, she held her ground refusing to retreat into the cellar. She would only go to the cellar to leave the bodies of dead or what little water and rations she could find the time to bring between her battles. The Emperor amazed at such endurance and honor requested she surrender. Instead, he receiving a challenge to duel to the death. Accepting out of a sense of honor and to spare his warriors from such a battle. The Emperor fought the young woman and blocked her attacks as she fought with the fury of a dragon and the passion of a lion. For an hour she fought, bled and wept until her body failed her. Without fear, she yelled curses until the Emperor placed her in the medical tent. Obsessing over the strength of such a woman and the secret of what she guarded.

A sword line went down into the cellar expecting a treasure trove of artifacts to find survivors armed with brooms, sticks and rocks. The survivors beat back their aggressors twice much to the shame of the Legion and amusement of those onlookers. After trying to starve them out for a week they sent word for the Emperor. He quickly told them to starve them out as the legions rebuilt the town to use as a staging ground for the foray deeper into the mountains. Once again the legion was beaten back. When word reached the Emperor, The Emperor himself decided to treat with the survivors. Claiming he would meet with this fearsome war host of wounded, invalids and petty crooks.

He expected to find wounded warriors or the old and frail who wished to find a warriors death or perhaps slaves confused as to the identity of their saviors. He only found those younger than 10 summers who hadn't eaten in days. Their faces covered in dirt and soot. Their parent slayed by the legionaries weeks ago, and their last guardian stolen from them. The handful of children upon seeing their guardian defeated in battle decided they would fight to the death before surrendering sealing their vow in blood oath. When the Emperor came to treat with them. They demanded their "sister" be returned to them or else they would single-handedly take her back. They didn't ask for food despite their skin clinging to their bones or water with cracks covering their lips. A fire burned brightly in their eyes and their blades shined with the fury of a thousand suns as they swore none would be able to stand before them and their sister.

The Emperor saw the truth of the matter. Their situation was dire so much so one of the orphans had volunteered his blood to his fellows in order to give strength to his "siblings". The Emperor could only watch in shame as the orphans would take turns asking for forgiveness as they took their daily fill. The bloodless orphan delirious begging his parents to return to him. Their resolve was steeled each time they supped upon their friend as they would renew vows to avenge his family if it cost them their lives and their souls. They painstakingly had made the young boy comfortable with what scraps of food, cloth and water they could find. The girls would pretend to be his lost sister, and the young boys a school house friend long ago lost in the fires of war. Each time the bloodless boy would cry himself to sleep unable to separate his hallucinations from reality.

The Emperor wept at the sight of them. The children on the other hand attacked the Emperor. Their strikes were weak, unfocused and inexperienced. The Emperor was able to fight them off with ease. Like the young woman, they refused to accept defeat. Their war cries were those of righteous fury at the man who stole so much from them. Hours later pale, tired and worn. He returned to his legions as a "prisoner" of the "Sanguine Guardsmen". He made a deal he would never return if they "freed". They swore upon a sacred pinky promise. The greatest oath the children could comprehend at their young age. The children didn't accept this truth and said they would watch him for the rest of their lives to insure the Emperor wouldn't break his promise

The children marched out heads held high with rags for armor and broken sticks for weapons believing they had won. The Emperor order every Legionary to bow to his honor guard and address them as guardsmen or the wardens of the Imperial Prisoner. Much to the early amusement of the onlookers, and the silent honoring of future generations. The orphans could barely walk straight each holding the other for strength like they had in the cellar. The sacrificial orphan was carried by his fellows delirious and frail, but he was treated like a lord by his fellow orphans. Each one claiming without his blood the battle would've been lost.

This is how the Sanguine Enclave joined the fold of the Empire. Upon hearing the Blood Orphan's tale, the surviving Sanguinary Reapers cast off their oaths to their lords instead to serve the Emperor claiming the children must be watched less they destroy the Empire without them! As the tides of time do the children quickly learned the Emperor had lied to spare the children. He had allowed them to beat him and hurt him and be imprisoned by them. They swore new oaths later to protect and serve the Emperor bloodline for the great mercy and humbleness of the First Emperor.

To this day, the Enclave keeps its oath and has yet to waver in any loyalty. The Blood Orphans each have grand tales of their service each serving hundreds of years until meeting fate with their heads held high. They named their house Numinos after the orphan who shared his blood. The child Numinos would forever be scarred by his sacrifice. He would be unable to walk and run unaided and was never able to forget the dreams he dreamed while in the cellar. It is unknown when, but he eventually disappeared vowing one day to return. He spoke of a dream everlasting he would finally face to end his horrors. He was last seen in the company of a dwarf sailing past Kvitovia and the last isle. The young woman or "Sister" to the Blood Orphans would eventually marry the Emperor or
Externus and give rise to the Imperial Family. It was a marriage of convenience according to House Numinos. Imperial records will instead write about a man desperately in love with a woman who refused to return his affections. They would go on to have 6 children at the demand of the young woman.

House Phospex

House Phosphex
"Here We Stand"
The House of Phospex was born from their patriarch Phospex. Son of a noble. The word noble loosely used as his family was recorded to own a large amount of land, slaves and goods safe from the warring clans by a unique system of man made rivers. He was educated and trained to protect the lands of his fathers. He was destined to be a rich man and live a opulent life if he so desired. Unfortunately, history was being made with him as a foot note.

During the creation of the Empire, he fought side by side with heroes of old never faltering. House Phosphex being one of the core regions that would join Kvass the Dealmaker. According to the houses lore, Phosphex was a long time friend of what would become the Imperial family. Phospex and Kvass meant to be married only for the two children to be boys. Phospex and Kvass honored the deal by being the closest of confidants and always helping one another in a time of need. When Kvass spoke about an Empire under his rule, Phospex swore his undying loyalty instead of growing jealous like many others. It is recorded that without House Phospex. The Empire would be a unrealized dream.

Early in the days of the Empire Phospex would be called upon to stand by his vow, a great tribe threatened the core regions that would end the great nation in its infancy. Phosphex was ordered to halt the tribe until the Emperor could reinforce him during his war with the Sanguine Enclave. The two men shared a simple meal as they were youth reminiscing on a life. The two were said to say they wished they never began this journey, but they had a duty to their people. The Emperor trusted Phospex to simply hold the line as he saw the man excel in such brutal and honest warfare, and the only general he could trust to fight and hold without possibly surrendering or betraying his cause. Exiled from the honor in the Sanguine Enclave with his family claiming his childhood friend had abandoned him for newer advistors, Phospex quickly made a home on the border doing his best to protect the farthest regions of the Empire yet to learn of their annexation. His faith in his friend unwavering as he gathered only volunteers to create the core of his army and conscripting those young men that lived near the borders of the empire.

The first skirmishes Phospex realized simply guarding imperial land was a death sentence as village by village burned. His army only able to protect a dozen villages as a dozen more were put to the sword. His army was slowly bleeding and his resources draining and the final death sentence being Kvass admitting the war in the Misty Mountains would be a long one. He addressed his men both volunteer and conscript a year into the conflict allowing those to leave. Not one man or woman asked to leave as his army was being stitched together with the survivors of the tribesmen whose villages burned. His army was steeled with the common knowledge of the sights of villages burned. When Phospex asked for warriors to ride with him to take the fight to the tribe not one man faltered in volunteering their lives. Phospex left only the youngest warriors behind and the eldest so a legacy would remain.

A great feast was held with every warrior required to wear a cloak. All wore cloaks and were confused as the feast was on the beginning of spring. It was at night that Phospex told the warriors his intent for the cloaks. He brought out priest to do the final rights of all those who would journey with him. After the final benediction, Phospex told his men to have no fear of death. Their cloaks were to be their death shrouds so none will be left behind by Hasoi's final mercy. He once again offered those another chance to stay behind. This time many slipped back into their tents to hide their cloaks and remain home.

Phospex hunted the illusive tribe as best he could with what few warriors wore his cloak now called Phospex's blessing. The Death shrouds no longer marks of unavoidable death, but a choice to be greater than those left behind yet lesser than all. He won dozens of battles bleeding the tribe and giving a butcher bill worthy of his name. Eventually, the tribe banded together to trap the general and his legion of dead men. One day he found himself surrounded by thousands of enemies on the low ground with only his retinue to support him and the few remaining camp followers.

Alone, isolated and outnumbered. The hero looked to his warriors who campaigned relentlessly for months hungry, thirsty and exhausted. His words are inscribed in the Imperial Legionary grounds to instill the value of what it meant to be a true hero. "Ever Forward" with his back set straight armor dirty and dusty. He led his men to a final charge that allowed those who desired to flee as himself and the most loyal men stood back to hold the line and buy others time to flee. He was shocked to see that none retreated. The camp followers arming themselves with much to large swords or the smallest shield to join the line.

The battle cost Phospex everything as those who fled were hunted down and killed. Tales of the horrible executions spread across the land. The North Eastern border laid open to the tribe for months until the Emperor laid the Sanguine Enclave low. When questioned why they never invaded Imperial lands after slaying Phospex the tribe replied. "The Legion of Dead men had fought so hard they were terrified of what other Daemons laid within the Empire's borders"

Phospex, when his men had died, fought on never wavering. The tribesmen said he fought like a lion and when offered to surrender honorably. He pointed to the bodies of his slain men, and the few injured men who could barely stand, and claimed he had five swordsmen to his left and a single dying spearman to his right. With such a large army he could hold the line all day. Enraged the tribesmen continued the fight to find that the terrain had favored Phospex and his final warriors.

After his death the tribesmen honored his bold claim never stepping a step closer to Imperial land as they said "if such a warrior could harm us in life. In death it would be our doom" the tribe bloodied and laid low. They begged only to be granted the honor of meeting the people of the greatest warrior. Kvass agreed unknown to him of the conditions that had befell Phospex's family after the main branch had decided that Phospex was in all but spoken word exiled to the North Eastern border to an honorless task.

They found that Phospex's wife living in a hovel. Her husband's income gone resorted to being a seamstress to earn enough food to feed her children. Their shelter nothing more than the fine silks they could carry and scrap wood. The tribesmen outraged to find the widow in such a state swore to defend, protect and honor the Phosphex family who had stayed true to their vows despite the dishonor placed upon them. The Emperor heard the oath and was moved but nonetheless ordered the deaths of all the tribes people except the children. In an odd twist of fate, the children remembered their parents vows and when they came to age the flooded back to the poor family helping the aging matriarch and growing boys become the house they were fated to be.

To this day the tribe follows this commandment. The Phospex family took the name of their fallen patriarch and honors the tribe in turn. Frequently, the Phospex family married with the tribe and vice versa. Throughout history, the Phospex family spent their lives for the Empire and the tribe. Many tales of trickery involve a Phospex tricking their bodyguards to flee as they follow the steps of the patriarch. In a more humble tale, a young boy went to war and was believed to be killed. When Imperial scouts found his body, they found a mountain of tribesmen bodies on top the boy protecting him from harm. The scouts carried the boy home and when the tribe heard the truth they rejoiced. They swore anew another vow that they would carry on the spirits of their cousins and their forefathers.

Emperor Phospex after the death of his closest friend was said to no longer smile outside the company of his wife. Every year he would lead an expedition to the North Eastern border now what is recognized as Equitor. Every expedition he would disappear and return with red eyes. It is unknown where and what occurs each journey. It is easily assumed Kvass the Dealmaker would pay his respects to his fallen friend. It is also speculated he perhaps killed tribesmen during these expedition to avenge his friend. The boldest tales say that every year the ghosts of Phospex's armies gather to do battle to protect their beloved country "One last time" and that Kvass would come every year to lead Phospex's army like he declared he would before they parted ways. The truth of the matter is only known to the Emperor or Empress in today's time as they continue the tradition every year without fail.

In today's society, a Phospex can be easily spotted by his retinue of tribal bodyguards. A comical sight to many as the tribesmen refuse to let their lord move so much a pinky without them making sure its safe. Unfortunately, the Phospex Family now creates diplomats, merchants and politicians as opposed to what their patriarch once built the foundation of his family on.The family also has a trademark of unorthodox strategy in all areas in their influence. They rarely resort to violence and tend to stay away from any factions aside from royalists in full support of the Emperor. The truth of the matter is they are an ordinary noble family who played the right moves to make them one of the most influential families in Kvass.

A common term is to say one is made of Phospexian Steel meaning that an individual is unmovable on a particular subject. The proto-legions that created the Empire would eventually be taught the Phospexian way in legionary camps.


Real estate: 20% of the Imperial Capital
Military Prowess: They control a mercenary company, loyal retainers and due to political connections 3 legions.
Specialty: Politics, blackmail and trade
Economic Status: Richest Family

The Sacerdos Family

The Sacerdos Family

The roots of the Sacerdos family are rooted much less than those of the Sanguine Enclave/ House Numinos or House Phospex and in fact are called a family because they came into being during the 1st expansion of the Empire. Nonetheless, the family is one of great and powerful influence ruling the religious and internal affairs of many cities with the power that only bureaucracy can bring. Their original founder was a grave digger who's name was simply Sander. Historians believe the wholly unoriginal and simple name as a product of the impoverished origins of such a family. The man had simply cheated fate and became the famous figure he was. He would eventually given a more fitting name Sacerdos Lassim, but many records show he continued to sign Sander and force many who wished to communicate with him to address him as Sander lest they face his famous verbal barbs shaming many and ironically granting him the trust of Empress Timere.

A hideous man with great burns along the length of his face. When he did become an influential man he would force all artist to create their craft showing every blemish and terrible burn upon him. He had no past prior to his job of being a grave digger near the capital and what scant records of his previous life were simple. He was a son to a lesser noble, he fought for a king and found himself in the Kvassian Empire after a terrible tragedy. Historians are unable to prove or disprove any of these facts as this was a turbulent time as this was the beginning of the first great expansion and he could've well fought for one of the dozens of lesser kingdoms or the vassals of the Empire.

What is known without a shadow of a doubt is that this man would go on to dig graves for a time. During the first expansion Empress Timere would send thousands of conscripts to the meat grinder of progress and soon a priest couldn't be reliably called upon for the final rites. Sander a specimen of the ideal warrior was long ago wounded to the point of uselessness of the army was allowed to continue digging graves as he was the only one capable of finishing his allotted quota with little to no issue. One day Sander was requested to say the final rites for a young man. With great reluctance he did praying to the Old and New gods (an oddity of such a man without explanation). Soon more and more people requested he do the final rites. Eventually once a week people would come to the grave yard to hear the humble opinion of Sander. For many especially those parents who lost their children or waited to hear word from them found Sander would give the blunt honest truth of the conditions of war. His honesty helped families prepare for the survivors who would return home with the haunted look.

By the time of the end of the First Great Expansion. Sander had quite a following helping returning warriors find peace alongside him digging graves or perhaps it was because he was a strong figure that could relate to those who couldn't sleep. While other towns suffered a dramatic increase in crime and social upheaval. Sander and the city of Salva only grew to become prosperous and without the same issues. This of course would lead to an investigation to see why it was so successful and ending with Sander being brought into Empress Timere's confidence. Sander would point to a deep spiritual need of the people and would go on to help organize the Kvassian Pantheon into what it is today while spearheading the de-stigmatization of the Revanent God.

Through decades of selfless service and duty Sander would become so entrenched in the noble and peasant plight it would only be naturally he would receive a noble position of protector of Salva. He married a young woman of high birth named Ayra who's family was wiped out during the First Great Expansion. They took a wolf as their heraldry and would rule Salva as great, kind and inspiring leaders. The family was also famous for their patronage to the Revanent God whom they sometimes referred to as the many faced god for the honoring of the birth and creation of their god.

While the Sacerdos family enjoyed a high station it would be no surprise to see them fall from their station in decades after Sander died. Fate had another plan as their children would become influential priests of many sects and they always seemed to find the proper placement as those above them would die in crucial moment where the Sacerdos family would be placed to help not only lead but inspire the masses to great deeds. They currently find a great wealth of power in being "Friends of the Commoners" and the fact they are the only noble house to rule a major city without any Imperial oversight.

Imperial Family

"Strength Through Unity"
Kvass the Dealbroker, the first Emperor of the Empire of Kvass, was the founder of this family. Wielding the might of an "Everlasting Empire" many questions were raised after he married Aviaq the Armless. Their first born Myc, a great warrior, lacked the mental cunning his father had and was almost swallowed whole by the politics of his vassals and many rebellions. If it wasn't for House Phospex's unwavering loyalty during this time. The Kvassian Empire would be a foot note in history.

Meanwhile his sister, Ava the Empress ruled inconsistently while her brother fought against rebellions did exceedingly better holding Kvass by the seams while House Phospex fought alongside Myc. Upon the subjugation of his rebellious vassals, Myc was politely asked to step down. A great debate occurred leading to the question who should rule.

The first born Myc failed in his duties. His sister a woman surpassed any and all expectations, and House Phospex alone provided much of the leadership for the fledgling empire. Surprisingly, Myc provided a solution.

The Imperial Family would breed the next line using ancient magics, gene selection and a wide range of concubines. Myc took a dozen wives and Ava a dozen husbands. Both used magic so their partners could bear children quickly and without need of recovery. All the while mages morphed and changed the newborns in the perfect image of Kvass the Dealbroker.

The result was over 100 children of the royal family within 5 years. The majority being Myc's and only a very small minority being Ava's offspring. This was the first stage as the children were thrown to the wolves. At 6 years old they would be enrolled in various schools as orphans. Trained under differing philosophies from wise men to Legionary camps the children would be treated as lesser purposely dragging the youths in the mud while their parents waited.

When the youngest turned 18, Myc and Ava called forth their children. The children gathered only 70 stood as the others had died along the way. The culling began with various physical tests those deemed of inferior stock were immediately killed leaving only 30 living children. They were tested mentally from politics to the sly cunning required in backroom deals. Only 3 stood by at the end.

Upon greeting the surviving children Myc and Ava spoke to the trio and voted unanimously on the next Emperor. The other two were welcomed into the family and shown before Kvass. This tradition has continued until today with the family slowly getting larger or smaller each generation.

This isn't without its problems. The family coming close to dying many a times. The worst tale being that of the Immortal Empress. Born in the Misty Mountains to breed a perfect immortal ruler. A whole generation was bred this way with only the Empress and three siblings surviving of thousands. Her rule began with a roaring inferno. A golden age of reformations, progress and art began and ended with the First Great Expansion revolutionizing the Kvassian military. By all accounts she was beautiful, intelligent and quite simply a perfect ruler. Men and women begged to serve their blood to sustain her and more begged to bed her.

Her fall came quietly of course. Her cunning was much sharper than even her siblings could match. The curse of the Misty Mountains while granting immortality, strength and power required her to feast on human blood or flesh. She began by drinking the blood sparingly only to be found without a chalice of blood always in her hands. A normal occurence for many of the Sanguine Enclave. It was changed to horror when she was found having a charnel feast on one of her siblings. A great civil war began.

Many argued the benefits of a eternal Empress was much to large to walk away from. Only the Sanguine Enclave, House Phosphex and the Sacerdos Family stood opposed. Eventually, the rebels emerged victorious after 3 decades of war watching the Empress descend to even larger and more depraved meals to sate her appetite. All accounts point toward her being a fair ruler, yet the three great families refused to bow to the Corpse Eater.

After the war, the question arose pointing at the genetic, magical and moral deviance of previous rulers of human purity. Drazz the Dwarf friend was pointed at being too sympathetic to the dwarves and his blame for the loss of cities to appease the dwarves. Frida the Fey was spawn of a human and elf that ended with a rule only 3 short years that almost ended the Imperial Family itself. Lastly, Kvass the Dealbroker was pointed to be a wholly human ruler.

The final decision was made an additional test would be made. A test of humanity. The next rulers would be questioned on their loyalty to humanity, their genetic purity and any potential deviance in physical, mental and spiritual essence that would create another Immortal Empress.

Since then no ruler has lived to cause the same pain. The Imperial family has continued to lead from the front. They have defeated Sunderings and have always stood ready to stand by their vows.