Fantasy Union of the Six (Alternate) Lore

[shadowz1995]

Spoiler: Magic Inheritance

Magic in Linhael comes from one of two places. It comes from within or from a person's surroundings.

The Primal fonts of pure magic energy radiate across the land from their origin and all people born within it, are affected by it in some way. Not everyone is born with magic but the ones who do have the gift are often influenced by two things. The first is where and the second is who.

If an individual was born in the FK (fire kingdom) and has parents who are also from the FK, the chances are immense that the child will be born with fire magic or no magic at all. Magics can not cross with one of another. A child with a WK (Water Kingdom) and an FK parent will have one or the other. Mixed parents born in the FK will most likely have the child born with fire magic. Even one of the parents was from Earth.

The other type of magic is Racial magic or magic that comes from within. This is magic that a certain species or race is born with. For ex. A vampire is generally highly gifted in Blood magic because of their race. Not because of the magic the world is permeated in. This type of magic is more commonly found in monsters but can be found in beings like fae, valkyries, ice elves, mountain elves, and so on.

Spoiler: Pros and Cons of Magic

World magic and Racial/Individual magic both have drawbacks and advantages.

World magic is unique in the way that person draws from the magic or energy of the Divine Font they belong to. The closer a LK (light kingdom) soldier is to his kingdom, the stronger he becomes. This also applies to the Rulers of those kingdoms. Their power is still far beyond anything any citizen of their respective kingdoms could achieve but even they fall under this category. The closer they are to home, the stronger they become. Likewise, when someone starts pushing away from their homeland and into enemy territory, they begin to weaken. This is the main reason that no kingdom has been successful over the many millenia of wars and attempted take overs.

Racial/Individual magic's biggest and most glaring weakness comes from the fact that the magic is reliant on the individual's stamina or energy. The Divine Fonts have no influence on this type of magic and once they are exhausted, casting becomes nearly impossible.

The most glaring issue is also it's one of it's best strengths. Racial magic or abilities are not influenced by the Divine Fonts, which means they also do not weaken in enemy territory. The power stays the same no matter where the individual may go and is only influenced by the training or lack thereof that the individual goes through. In general, it is a weaker magic than World Magic but it does not suffer from environmental influences

Spoiler: Racial/Individual Ability List (as of right now)

Magics outside of the elemental powerhouse magics can more often than not be learned by anyone with enough study. That being said, certain races are more inclined and talented in certain internal magics than others who may be weaker in that field. This is the list we have so far on the discussed races and is updated frequently.

Vampires: The most talented race in blood magic with a minor in necromancy.

Humans: No real disadvtanges but no real talents either. A jack of all trades type of race.

Demons: Specialize generally dark and flame (demonic. Not to be confused with FK power) magic but have a wide range possible abilities. Demons are born with their abilities and cannot learn new ones. This is specific to them.

(To be continued)

Spoiler: Playable Races

This is a list of the races players can choose from. The list is subject to change as more ideas are added from players. Disclaimer: if you want to add a race that is not on the list, it must be confirmed by me first and I do have the final say.

Fairies:

Fairies and they're derivatives are generally very pure creatures that are beloved by all races. They tend to be mischievous with strangers and like to play practical jokes but are otherwise very kind and innocent. They are generally small in stature, ranging between several inches to roughly 2 feet in height, depending on the variant of fairy and have a strong inclination towards the defensive/support based magic. They aren't very long lived, averaging 40-50 years of life across all variants and are capable of reproduction. Reproduction is done via an extensive, intimate ritual where the participants exchange parts of their soul with one another, effectively becoming a part of each other. The bond is for life and when one partner dies, so does the other or they enter a death like state of being. They generally don't mingle with species outside their own but it is said that the Fae species was a result of such a union that continued on their own course of evolution.


Variants:


Elemental Fairies- The most common fairy types. They belong to one of the 5 elements and tend to never leave those zones. They average 6-12 inches in height and live roughly 45 years. Specialties are the defense/support oriented magics of their element.


Pixies- The most mischievous breed of fairy, averaging 5 inches in height and often have a gray skin tone and large, black eyes. They can live up to 60 years and tend to specialize in illusion and charm magics. They cannot use the elemental magic of the realm and are generally seen as pests or vermin.


Hexies- Generally a very malicious breed of fairies who have taken on a purple/violet hue of hair and eyes with pale white skin. They average 1-2 feet tall and usually short-lived. Clocking in at 30-35 year lifespan on average. They are also the only breed of fairy talented in hexes and curses, hence the name and are generally hunted down once discovered due to their spiteful and malevolent nature.


Fae: It is said that the fae were the descendants of a human/fairy pairing that never died out and became its own race thousands upon thousands of years ago. It is unconfirmed but that is generally the accepted theory across Linhael. Regardless, Fae are generally humanoid in appearance and have a far greater variety in physiology depending on their environment than other species with that same adaptability. Elves and all of their different types come to mind. They can be anywhere between 1-10 feet tall and vary immensely depending on the environment. So much so, that it is impossible to put them into an average and they are generally judged by the specific species as opposed to the mother branch of the race.


Variations:


Nymphs- An all female derivative of the fae race, typically falling into one of the 5 categories of magical element. They average 5' 6 in height and live to be approximately 300 years old. They are typically considered to be guardians, as once they come of age, they are sent on pilgrimage from their birth sanctuary to find an area within nature they deem worthy of their protection. These areas tend to be away from civilization and can range from a lake in a forest to a desert to a mountain range if they so please. They can only have offspring once every 100 years and the offspring is always another nymph. Being an all female race, they can mate with a wide variety of males from other species, excluding demons or undead due to the clash of their natural affinities.


Selkies- A sea variant of fae that can transform into seals when they are in the ocean (salt water). They appear to be entirely human and follow the averages of humankind until they get in the water. Selkies are typically born from selkie parents but on the occasion of a mixed breed couple, the child will always be one or the other. Completely. Selkies cannot live away from the sea for an extended period of time and they will gradually start to weaken if they don't have access to salt water. Typically live for 200 years with some variation.


Dryads- Another entirely female race that make their homes within forests, swamplands, and jungles. Wherever there is a concentration of nature is where the dryads will be. Most dryads are found near the Earth Kingdom and it is very rare for them to drift away from their birth forest. They take on very plantlike features and are blessed with control over wildlife, both flora and fauna. They tend to be highly territorial and will often feed on the bodies of unwelcome visitors, usually lumberjacks or hunters that wander too close without the dryad's permission. They are biologically immortal and can live as long as nature persists in their surroundings. The only ever reproduce once, in a very similar fashion to fairies. The only difference being that dryads are even pickier about their partners. They may engage in sexual activities but will almost never commit unless they are absolutely certain. Usually, their partners are elves or human hunters that have earned their favor over the years. Their appearance varies but are always plantlinke in visage.


Summer Fae- TBA


Winter Fae- TBA


Mountain Fae (possible rename)- TBA

Elementals: A race of beings that are made up almost entirely of their respective elements. They very rarely found in a tangible form that can be interacted with without harm to the person. They are not born through two beings conjugating but rather are born as small embers of the Fonts of Power. Their power is nowhere near the level of the rulers but they are a fair bit more potent in magic than the average mage overall. They are limited to their elemental type and are restricted to Font's influence. Should an elemental stray away from the source of their being, they won't weaken like most do but start to wither and eventually perish as a result. Upon death, they leave behind a crystal of pure elemental energy that has a wide variety of uses. Elementals are generally on the rarer side and often refuse to involve themselves in the conflict of the kingdoms nearby. They stand (or float) at roughly 5'5 and are often found near the Fonts but a fair distance away from civilization as well. They are almost entirely composed of their element but some rare instances of them taking a more physical, tangible form have been reported before.

Undead: Exactly as the name of the species suggests. These are creatures that were once members of the living, perished for whatever reason, and were then reanimated through necromancy. In a similar fashion with golems, the lower levels of undead tend to be completely helpless without the command of the necromancer. It is only after time has passed and the lesser undead has consumed a fair amount of flesh that they evolve to a higher state of being, gaining sentience and autonomy. They come in a large plethora of shapes and sizes and rarely are they able to use the magic they once wielded in life. They may be able to retain memories of their time as a member of the living but this is practically unheard of.


Generally, undead have a crippling weakness to fire but as the evolve, the weakness lessens and eventually dissipates altogether Undead gain power through the consumption of living flesh. That can be anything from a rat to a dragon but the stronger the being is, the more the undead grows.


Skeleton (non-playable)- The most basic form of undead. The literal bones of a corpse reanimated to due the necromancer's bidding. They have no sense of perception, cannot consume flesh to gain power, and cannot perform even the most menial tasks without constant instruction.


Lesser zombie (non-playable)- A corpse that has long since been dead. They are very similar to the skeletons before them. The only difference being that the corpse is possibly a decade fresher, as it may still have hair and bits of skin here and there.


Zombie- The most common servant in a necromancer's arsenal. The bodies are usually anywhere between 50 years old to mere minutes after expiration and the physical condition tends to match the age. They are capable of deceptive feats of strength and are generally difficult to kill unless the brain is destroyed. They can follow basic orders and can follow a set pattern of commands. (Ex. Go to the library. Put the books back on the shelves. Return to original position. Repeat ever 10 hours)


This is the stage that an undead can gain sentience depending on what they eat, how often, and it they're allowed. Usually, necromancers keep their zombies on a tight leash and never allow them to consume flesh for fear of them breaking free of their control. It is something of a universal precaution for all necromancers. That being said, the level of control a necromancer has over an undead is dependent on the skill of necromancer and the material used in the ritual. Most undead never get past this stage for a variety of reasons. Even in the unlikely event they gain sentience, it just means that they are now aware that they are unfeeling, unintelligent, slaves to the whims of a self-entitled necromancer.


Ghoul- An undead that has broken its chains of magical subservience, killed its Summoner, and is now scouring the lands in search of sustenance. With the necromancer no longer sustaining the zombie with his mana to keep him tied to the mortal plane of to prevent rot from setting, these undead are ravenous and very dangerous. They are also less susceptible to fire than their previous evolution though it still remains a significant weakness. Obviously, the undead is sentient but often driven mad with hunger and/or the desire to survive. Very rare for an undead to push past this stage. They are hunted relentlessly.


Revenants- An undead who has gained a great deal of power after decades of successful meals and has reached a state of stability in which they can control their urge to consume to a far greater degree. They look less zombie-like and more like whatever they're original race was. They still are clearly undead though. Revenants are considered a scourge to the world despite their higher level of control and sanity due to the fact that it is well known how many lives were lost for an undead to reach that point in their evolution. This is also the stage that an undead starts regain their original magic. If it was a native of the fire kingdom, they regain some of their control over fire although, nowhere near its original level. Speaking of fire, Revenants are still weak to sources of flame but is usually able to work around the weakness with careful planning.


Lich (needs permission)- A revenant that has lived for decades will eventually evolve into a lich. One of the highest forms of undead. Liches are the only beings that can tap into a form of necromancy that allows them to raise the dead (corpses) without the need for rituals like the living require. They are limited to summoning skeleton and lesser undead but can do so on a large scale, able to make small companies of cannon fodder, assuming there are enough corpses in the vicinity. Liches also take on the full visage of how they once looked during life.


Lich King (needs permission)- An undead monarch that is capable of not only raising small armies of zombies (and lower) without ritual but is also capable of using the full extent of whatever their former magic (during life) was. They have stood the test of time and have become what is the apex of the undead. There has only ever been one recorded incident of a lich king and it was the result of a botched resurrection of a former ruler. They are nearly indistinguishable from the normal races apart from the glowing, ethereal eyes they have.



Demihumans: Animorphs. Any human/animal crossbreeds. Reptiles, birds, horses, dogs, cats, etc. Abilities/talents of these species have a broad scope and vary from type to type. It's also possible for members of the same demihuman variant (cats for ex) could have different physical traits and abilities. (Ex. One can look like a lion person or neko. One could have night vision and agility while the other could have strength and flexibility.)


Automatons: Stone, metal, or most inanimate material used to create a golem. They usually are mindless servants much like zombies to a necromancer but they can only gain a sense of self after hundreds of years of continuous operation. There is nothing that accelerates this process. They are unable to use magic unless they sacrifice the very magic that keeps them functional, which will "kill" them without exception. They become unoperational and must be redone, losing any sense of self they had once gained and requiring to wait another century or so to regain it. Even then, any memory of that time is lost. The way golems store energy or where their "core" is located and how functions will obviously vary depending on the construction of the golem. That will boil down to the automata engineer's specific designs.


Elves: One of the more popular races of Linhael. They are rather tall in stature and generally quite beautiful in appearance. Elves are generally able to commune to some degree with their environment and are slightly more sensitive to the magic in their surroundings than most other races. They are generally also able to communicate to some minor degree with animals.


(All that being said, there is a mind boggling amount of variety amongst elves. Too many to concisely write down. So if you would like to introduce a specific race of elves, please let me know and I will write them here specifically. Thank you)

 

[slim]

Origins
Far in the East lies the fiery nation of Igneium that few have ever seen. The land is nothing more than miles and miles of scorched earth from battles upon battles that once raged on between the ancestors of previous rulers. All kinds of dangerous animals lurk and the circle of life claims the weak.

The kingdom originally started out as a small village of dwarves who claimed the mountain Kaji and bit by bit carved it out as years passed and their people prospered and the village grew. They mined =, fashioned exquisite jewelry and weapons, and pursued alchemy. They were peaceful times, until a tribe of Gorgons, or snake people, invaded. Gorgons usually primitive, nomadic hunters that travel and hunt in groups and were often seen as dumb beasts compared to dwarves. However their leader was wielding the ancient power of the Primals. Even the great army of dwarves didn't stand a chance against the extreme power of fire. Ga'neel, the leader of the Gorgons, made the mountain into a volcano by sending magma under the crust of the earth billowing out, causing dwarves to be nothing more than a memory as lava carved through the mountain they had called home.

Their great sculptures that they had used magic to make resistant were the only things left behind to show the dwarves had even existed. The Gorgons moved in and Ga'neel asserted himself as their ruler, for power was measured in strength and none would oppose the one who had removed an entire city's population. The once nomadic people learned how to tend to the land that was now fertile thanks to the volcanic ash left over from the all too short battle. They too mined the earth and found the same pleasure in shiny things and wealth and asserted themselves above the others of their kind. They became obsessed with knowledge as well, seeing it as the path away from their former selves and to greater heights of the self. Ga'neel died and his people immortalized his deeds and he was seen as a god that had been sent to give them a purpose. His child was seen as his reincarnation by the people and as years passed the rulers also became their people's gods whom they prayed to and worshiped.

As years passed and the people of the kingdom they called Igneium grew, the people became more self-absorbed and eager to grow in affluence. They began attacking and raiding small villages and even their own kind who they enslaved along with the rest. As slavery grew along with the kingdom, the differences between the two Gorgons became clear to the point the smaller, nomad Gorgons usually had dark green, brown, or orange scales and were typically slaves as the larger and usually more flashy Gorgons became the elite, who eventually started referring to themselves as Elavatum. Despite their higher positions and love for knowledge and status, they were an extremely violent culture, often starting Fight Games that would go on for days and were hosted by different wealthy citizens in their homes that eventually was moved to the Cage, where Igneium masters could have their slaves entered to fight for the prize money. As the kingdom grew and boundaries became places of wars as nations clashed, the land and people suffered especially with the sheer amounts of damage the rulers wrought. Certain parts of the land became nothing more than cracked earth with veins of lava and charred remains of forests. Still, the people of Igneium continued to grow and prosper despite the wars and now is a wealthy empire.

Untouchable Rights
♦All citizens have rights to trial if accused of a crime.
♦Anyone can visit the Divine Ruler and make a request or complaint without punishment.
♦Any family who has someone serving in the army is sent an amount of gold each month.
♦The right to own slaves who have been marked by the Emperium.
&
♢Damage to another's slave has to be paid with the five slaves of the accused's best.
♢Magic is not to be used to harm unless the wielder has permission or is outside the Kingdom.
♢Theft, abuse, rape and other crimes are worth at least 3 years in jail if accused guilty. Murder is punished by execution or enslavement.
♢Anyone over the age of 20 who is not injured or taking care of another has to serve in the army or pay a fee of 1,000 gold.

**these rights do not apply to slaves.**

♠Culture♠
♤The divide between wealthy and poor is quite pronounced. The castle is inside Kaji while the affluent members of society live in the Northern Ring of the city. Citizens that are lower in status but could still afford the cost of roughly "middle class" homes were in the Middle Ring, and servants and other lower class citizens were in the Southern Ring. Each Ring has a wall built to ensure the separation of the classes and the gates are guarded 24/7. In order for members of the Southern Ring to go into one of the other Rings or a member in the Middle Ring to gain access to the Northern Ring, they needed a written and signed document from their employer or an official in order to gain entry. Slaves aren't confined to a Ring since they stay in their masters home, but they still need documentation of their masters Ring on them on errands and such. Slaves are separated from the rest by the Binding, a process where the slave and the master are bound to each other with magic that ensures the master can locate the slave wherever they are like a scrying incantation, as well as forcing the slave to obey the masters commands. The effectiveness depends on the willpower of the slave which is why new slaves are often tortured into complacency by slave traders before they're auctioned off at the Emperium. The Binding causes black tattoos of the kingdom's crest to form on both of the hands and back of the neck. The binding process takes place when they arrive at the Emperium, which is the giant slave market in the middle of the city in the Middle Ring. Prisoners and slaves that have either been resold or escaped and captured cycle through this building. Slave traders bring their goods to auction off to the highest bidder and wealthy slave traders are often respected members of society. Once purchased, slaves are property and their masters can do whatever they want, as they are not seen as citizens that the Untouchable Rights protect. Cruelty to slaves is unfortunately quite common but the people are so used to it that nobody even bats an eye when a slave is nearly beaten to death in front of them. Slaves rarely can obtain freedom and if they do they have to have their masters confirm it at the Emperium and their tattoos change to a dark red color and the Binding is removed. Even then they can usually only obtain lowly jobs like maids, stable boys, servants, or simply take their chances somewhere outside the city, although leaving means they're free game to slave traders once more.

♤Citizens of igneium often speak Jeliek, the ancient language of the founders of the kingdom that was changed throughout the years. Commoners and slaves often speak with a slang or accent that can easily be recognized from the more formal way Jeliek is spoken. Due to the origins of the language as it comes from Gorgons, there are hints of the hissing tones that remain embedded in the language.

♤Although most citizens think themselves as above others, they still have crude and primitive needs that the city reflects. Brothels are common in the Southern Ring and many wives of rich merchants find their husbands slipping away from their beds to partake in the midnight debauchery. Brothels are mostly made of slaves that the owner purchases at the Emperium, but some are simply free men struggling to make ends meet. The Southern Ring also holds gambling houses, shady taverns and inns, and fighting rings that some commoners even manage to achieve fame in.

♤ The Middle Ring contains the infamous Emperium and the Axon Market where hundreds of vendors crowd the streets to sell their wares from all around the world. It also holds the Cage built underground. The Northern Ring holds large mansions and perfectly sculpted gardens and land. It was where the most reputable citizens reside and their names hold weight, often known across the kingdom. It also contains the Nilth Academy, where scholars all across the kingdom attend to train as mages and hone their skills, as well as compete for one of the spots on the Divine Ruler's elite force.

♤
Although the Divine Ruler is the upmost power, they often put highly ranked generals and mages in governing positions in cities or give them their own estates as rewards. The Divine Ruler is always an only child, since as soon as the child is born the parents sacrifice themselves at what is known as the Anima Festival. Three days after the child is born the parents (along with priests) travel deep down into the tunnels the dwarves carved long long ago to pools of magma, often called the Matur since it was seen as the very life force of the city and its magic. The Rulers relinquish their immunity to their element and sacrifice themselves in the Matur as a symbol of passing on their own power to strengthen their child to ensure a strong leader and in turn, a strong nation. The festival is to honor the Divine Ruler's sacrifice to the kingdom with drinking, eating, and games. The child is advised by the figures their parents put into place and are educated in affairs and trained for battle as soon as they can speak.

• Races
• Military
• Religion
• Landmarks & Cities

• Elavatum, Fire elementals, draconians, ifrits, dark elves, dark fae, and even the rare human inhabit the great kingdom of Igneium.
  **Note: Gorgons and Elavatum both have the chance to have snake heads & torsos instead of the more human-looking ones. They are called Bellua Gorgons and Bellua Elavatum respectively.**
  
• 
  
  
  ✴The Elite Force✴
  Compromised of a mere 200, they wear pure golden robes and are the strongest warriors in the kingdom. They are hand chosen by the Divine Ruler to protect the kingdom and often act as a secret police and enact whatever the Divine Ruler orders without a question. There are rumors once you join your tongue is cut because those who are in the Elite Force are like shadows and when out in public, they never speak or show emotion.
  
  ✴Foot soldiers✴
  Nothing is promoted more than the glory of battle and conquering for the good of your kingdom, so nearly all the youths flock to enlist in the army as regular soldiers. Those who prove themselves can slowly but surely climb the ranks. Very few slaves enter the army since most are seen as too low to even fight and are constricted to tending to their masters.
  
  ✴Mages✴
  Those gifted in the skill of magic are happily welcomed into the army, although most come straight from the Academy desperate to earn a place among the Elite Force.
  
  ✴Weaponry✴
  From battering rams to trebuchets, the fire kingdom has spared no expense outfitting its army for war. The most popular weapon by far is the trebuchets that usually only have containers filled with a mixture of oil and random bits of metal that Phoenix riders can ignite midair to spray fiery chunks on their enemies below.
  
  
  
  
  ✴The Calvary✴
  Most mounts are daimonio, oddly shaped fiery magical creatures that have made the sweltering nation its home and come in an assortment of sizes and builds. They're quite large, usually standing at twice the height of a normal human woman. They are trained from birth since wild Daimanio refuse captivity and will fight off all attempts or are extremely volatile and cannot be trusted in combat. Their hides are impervious to most weapons and of course, fire.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ✴Phoenixes were seen as sacred animals in the past and admired for their beauty but but a few hundred years ago King Garear decided he wanted to weaponize them. They were bred to be much larger so they could support a rider and soon were introduced in small numbers. Since then they've expanded into a whole unit of the best aerial fighters in the kingdom. The riders are typically fire mages who are invulnerable to the flames their steed produces and usually hones the phoenixes flames without exhausting too much of their own power. The riders are usually only armed with bows and arrows so they can fly quickly and travel light but still rain down devastating attacks.
  
  ✴Marksmen✴
  No military is complete without marksmen who are either equipped with bows and arrows or bolts that usually are in the back of the lines.
  
  
  
  
  In addition to the marksmen there is special sub division called the Reapers who have special longbows marked with a enhanced female hormone from one of the native creatures, the Arechid, that sends the males into a frenzy that can be quite fatal once they realize you're not a female Aerchid. The Arechid borrow underground but can smell the hormone from miles away and clamber out to follow the scent. If the Fire kingdom is fighting on their own turf, wild Arechids in the area will rampage wherever the arrow lands. If in a foreign territory, some captive Arechids will be transported and set free once the arrows have been shot at the enemy. It's not uncommon that members of the Reapers have...unfortunate accidents by getting too close or getting even a hint of the hormone on themselves, although if more arrows are concentrated in a single place then its more likely the creatures will head there.
  
  
• 
  ✴The Church of the Divine✴
  The Church teaches the citizens of the rulers and their power that gave them this land and allowed the kingdom to prosper. When their mortal bodies fail them, they are immortal spirits who watch over the people. While all rulers are seen as religious deities, Ga'neel is celebrated mainly, often called the First Divine and celebrated with golden statues and festivals in the summer in thanks. When a ruler dies, their likeliness is captured in a miniature statue and added to the collection in the main chapel of the Church of the Divine where citizens gather for sermons. Their spirits watch over the people and help guide them.
  Citizens are taught that the way to the Naja, or realm of paradise, needs to be earned by amassing wealth and power, for power is everything in the Igneium culture. Many wealthy citizens donate generously in attempts to gain favor with the Divine Spirits or pay to be blessed by the priests. Warriors too are revered by the Divine, and some knights are raised to ranks that of a minor god for their feats in battle.
  
  Any slander against the Divine Ruler is usually execution unless the Divine Ruler graciously pardons them and gives a less fatal sentence.
  
• 
  
  
  
  Dorthrai is located on the coast and is a bustling port city that receives and ships out most goods to the capital. Slavery is heavily relied on in the capital but in Dorthrai and the others it's not seen as often.
  
  
  
  
  The Ruins of Asho- Once a thriving city, the people of Asho soon became disgruntled in Divine Ruler Karra, who reigned a century ago, because they were tired of sending their crops to aid in the war efforts. Citizens of Asho soon found the army on their doorsteps that burned the kingdom down without a second glance. Their mistakes were broadcasted to the rest of the cities to show the Divine Ruler's power and the fate of any who would oppose it.
  
  
  
  
  Ferr is a heavily fortified city, often supplying troops as well as crops and livestock, as well as being the second oldest.
  
  
  
  
  The great Library of Petrol contains and procure ancient texts and other written works as well as artifacts. It's caretakers are made of retired Elite Force members and young apprentices.

​

 

[Soviet Panda]

The City-State of Oshus

Origins
The principality of Oshus was not always under the rule of the High Auroran. No, for a surprisingly long amount of time, it was independent of any kingdom entirely. No one simply wanted to bother trekking into the mountains with the supplies and men to lay siege to the lone city carved into the very mountain. Tales tell of their ancient god, Holbris, hewing the city out of the rock with one mighty swing of his hammer. The more scholarly explanation was that the original Dwarf peoples stumbled across the entrance to the Hysh nest that sits below them and re-purposed it.

Though no one knows for certain why the Dwarfs decided to settle in what is now known as Mount Equinox, scholars agree on the endless internal war between the two factions, each trying to drive the other out of their home. When Elysium troops inevitably marched on the city, they simply walked through the front door. They soon discovered why it had been so easy to enter. The Dwarf and Hysh were locked in what would be the largest, and last, battle. Elysium troops, not being winded by fighting and in much better order than the other two factions, easily swooped in and secured victory for themselves.

Now under Elysium control, hostilities between Dwarf and Hysh were forcefully ceased, and slaves on both sides were freed. They were then told to get along, and don't cause any trouble. A council of trusted Elysium officials were put in power, to guide the rebuilding of the now destroyed city and to enforce the newly instated laws.

However, the only thing the two people hated more than each other, was to be ruled by someone that wasn't of their own. Unrest within the city was apparent, shrines to Lumin were torn down in broad day light and replaced with ones of Holbris or Fasha, the main deity of the Hysh. Elysian guards were ambushed and dragged into the back alleys before being beaten black and blue, if hey were lucky. Marshal law was put in place, but that did little to quell the rebellion that was brewing. In a state of desperation, the High Auroran allowed Oshus to electe two rulers from among the populace, a Dwarf and Hysh respectively, and essentially wiped their hands of the matter for the time being. They kept their eye on Oshus, that did not change, but they left the ruling to their chosen couple.

Surprisingly, the city was rebuilt faster than anticipated under their rule, and the laws were grudgingly followed. Some how, some way, the elected king and queen of the now city-state of Oshus had done what the High Auroran and hundreds of years of war could not, co-existence. Strained co-existence filled with mistrust and hatred, but co-existence none the less.


The Rulers of Oshus, Blessed by the Gods, King Otrygg and Queen Caralyss
Untouchable Rights
All residents have a right to pursue profit and property.
All residents have the right to worship freely.
All residents have a right to a free trial, either by combat or by their peers.
Laws


Religion and Culture
Holbris and Fasha are the two most represented deities of Oshus. Holbris is the God of the Forge and patron god of the Dwarfs. Fasha the Weaver is the patron god of the Hysh. Holbris has lavish cathedrals made of precious metals and built by masters of the craft. Fasha has shrines, if you can call them that, of elaborately spun silk that covers entire city streets, a silky canopy sprawling across entire portions of the city at a time.

There are two cultures in the city of Oshus. That of the Dwarfs, and that of the Hysh. The Hysh are a matriarchal society, making it unsurprising that the Hysh ruler is a queen. Surprisingly they place a heavy emphasis on family, considering they are often liken to spiders. They often have large family units, and neighbors are seen as relatives. This makes crime rate in majority Hysh areas very low, because nobody wants to steal from, or harm, their own family.

The only similarity Dwarf culture has to Hysh is the large family units, often referred to as clans. They are otherwise a somewhat divided group, each clan vying for supremacy over the other through various means that do include combat. Traditionally, leaders of these clans have been male, making the king a dwarf. Fringe clans do have female clan leaders, and some have been known to interact with Hysh society secretly, though any spy worth their salt can easily witness these interactions first hand. Within the already complex web of clan politics, is another one of honor. Individually, Dwarfs are driven by the need to gain honor for not only themselves, but also their ancestors.

The longer Oshus has remained independent, the more the two races trust and respect each other. It is not a complete trust, but as those of the Old Blood grow fewer and fewer in number, this trust is strengthened.
Races

Dwarfen veteran and survivor of the Home War
Dwarfs:
One of the people residing in Mt. Equinox and Oshus. These hardy people look like a boulder had fallen on an average man and squashed him to half his height instead of killing him. There appear to be no poor Dwarf, all of them well kept no matter their financial standing. Men often support a magnificent crest atop their head, while the women sparkle like gems they wear, though some of those gems are actually just colored glass. Both men and women proudly display the emblem of their clan, though some do it more prominently then others.

Hysh Weaver adding the finishing touches to her contribution to a Fasha shrine
Hysh:
A primarily female race, Hysh have the upper body of a human, with the legs and abdomen of a spider. All Hysh, male or female, have the ability to produce silk, though the smaller male's silk is often of a much lower quality. Hysh naturally have a pale blue color while in their mountain home. As they heat up, their skin tone slowly changes color, primarily a pale white but occasionally a deep purple. The reason for why they turn one of these two colors isn't known. Hair color is either black or white, with no in between.

Military
Though significantly smaller than the Primal Kingdoms, the technological superiority they have over their enemy makes them an intimidating morsel. As intimidating as a rock toad, but something is better than nothing.

Hysh Military

Forsaking any kind of armor and relying on their chitinous exterior, Hysh warriors quickly scuttle across the battlefield in place of the other nations cavalry. Traditionally wielding a short spear and/or sword, Hysh warriors have chosen to equip themselves with a light carbine, adding a ranged option to their otherwise limited arsenal. Compared to the dwarfs, Hysh are fairly primitive in combat. However, Hysh ambushes have been known to be just as effective as artillery.

Dwarf Military

Comprised of primarily riflemen, the dwarven portion of Oshus' military has decided to dig in and stubbornly resist any that has the audacity of attacking their mountain home. There is much more variety to the dwarven army compared to the Hysh, with weapon teams, those that wield the latest and deadliest in Oshus weaponry, dotted throughout the line as well as dwarven artillery (a personal favorite of King Otrygg Dawnhammer).

War Machines

New additions to the Oshus military, and thus few in number, these monstrosities of iron, silk, and magic are more prototype than actual implements of war. However, their potential strength means they must be mentioned.

• Airships
  
  Combining magic and technology, Oshus airships are by far the greatest invention and sign of their strength and skill. Taking the skills of the finest craftsmen of both dwarf and hysh alike, airships take to the skies on wings of silk enchanted with the help of dwarven runesmiths. Because of their complexity, there is only a handful of airships currently in service.
• Primal Weaponry
  Still in early stages of development but showing promising results, primal weaponry is being developed in the hopes of standing toe to toe with a Primal. While this is still seen as a pointless endeavor, development and testing still progresses. So far testing has shown that the only way to contain such raw without exploding with it, is via single shot fire arms. Of course even then, repeated firing risks damaging the firearm and causing a misfire, destroying both the weapon and surrounding landscape. Because of this inherent danger, Primal Weapons are used sparingly.

Imports and Exports
The two major exports Oshus exports are fine gems and Hysh silk. Hysh silk is as strong as steel, yet still flexible enough to be tied into knots. Though they are at first adhesive, proper treatment not very different from tanning leather removes it. And surprisingly, even decade old Hysh silk refuses to catch fire. But with the on going war, arms, armor, and implements of war make for a strong contender.

Oshus imports what one would expect from a city built into the rocky mountains. Food, and lots of it, along with lumber.

 

[shadowz1995]

The Broken Legion

Origins:
The Broken Legion is a recently conceptualized movement that has graced the soils of Linhael. The idea has only been around for roughly 70 years and it started with a single demon's desire for conquest and vengeance. That demon amassed enough strength to not only hold off some of the attacking forces of the main kingdom's but also drive them back behind their walls by using underhanded, gritty, and even ruthless tactics. When this level of success was repeated a few times (albeit with great difficulty) other denizens of the dark began to stir and chose to take up arms under the same ideals.

The namesake came from the fact that these forces are, for the most part, decentralized and divided. There are multiple leaders of monster armies scattered across the lands, all with varying levels of success or failure. A common vision or ideal uniting them across battlefronts. The desire to not only take the fight to their ancient enemy but to carve out a place in this world where they can lay down roots and live free of being systematically hunted down.

There is one thing that is universally respected among The Broken Legion. That is power. Power comes in many different forms but ultimately, power is what makes truth and justice among monsters. Some leaders of the armies are what Light Walkers consider to be the true face of monsters. Merciless, cruel, manipulative, bloodthirsty, murderous, and downright horrifying. A vicious abomination using the ideals of The Broken Legion to pursue their own agendas of carnage and bloodshed. But it is because of their respective power that they have a following. Power is the only way the monsters can win this war of attrition and all the denizens of darkness are fully aware of the fact.

That being said, the original proprietor and crusader of The Broken Legion, the one who started the war and has been its driving force with a collection of cunning and merciless victories, has seemingly switched primary objectives. With two kingdoms destroyed and one on the verge of ruin, the original demon has been focusing his efforts on fixing what is broken and bringing all monster armies under one banner. Whether that be amicably, with negotiations, or by brute force.

Laws of the Legion:
The rules of the dark armies are set by the respective leaders of that specific army. Lord Rubdich has the largest army and following among all of the warlords and is currently uniting all armies under his leadership. The rules for his army shall be listed here but this is not the case for all warlords.

• Followers of Lord Rubdich are guaranteed a fair trial for any severe crimes they may be accused of. They are given a chance to defend themselves. No matter how much evidence is stacked against them.
• The right of open worship of any dieties as long as it is done privately.
• Any and all followers are allowed to challenge the current warlord for the right to lead.
• Attacks on one's person or property without appropriate cause is grounds to several months imprisonment. The sentence can be lengthened or shortened at the Warlord's discretion according to the severity of the damage dealt.
• If evidence of mind control (to commit crimes) is found, the grounds for punishment are severe and often lead to execution.
• Unsanctioned murder is punishable by execution. Usually carried out by the victim's loved ones.
• Slavery is completely outlawed and if one is proven guilty of the owning, creation, or trading of slaves, they will be swiftly put to death once proper interrogation has been performed.
• Falsely accusing others of crimes is punishable by 3 years of imprisonment on top of whatever sentence the victim was accused of. If the sentence was death and was already carried out, the perpetrator will be publicly flayed and tortured before being executed by the victim's loved ones. If the begrieved do not have the heart, the Warlord will carry out the execution him/herself
• Thieves, if caught, is a minimum 2 year sentence of imprisonment on the first offense. second offense is the public removal of a finger and an additional year of imprisonment. Three or more offenses is grounds for banishment or execution at the Warlord's judgement.
• Espionage, treachery, or assassination attempts on the Warlord, if discovered, are grounds for execution. Whether a trial is required or not is at the discretion of the Warlord and the only exception to the first law.
• Duels are to be officially monitored. Any unsanctioned duels can be seen as attempted murder and both parties can be imprisoned up to a maximum of 5 years.
• The Warlord naturally reserves the right to add or remove laws as new information comes to light.

Races:

All manner of monstrous races such as goblins, orcs, vampires, lycans, giants, demons, imps, cyclops, along with undesirable races like hexies or undead, have found a home within The Broken Legion. While it varies between Warlords, Lord Deshwitat is very hesitant to allow "Light Walkers" or members of the kingdom races to join his army for fear of espionage or sabotage.


Culture:
The current has been mentioned but since The Broken Legion is as its namesake, the only thing worth following in a war against the odds like this one is the only thing that will matter in the end. Power. The monster races have a tendency to respect power above all things. Power in whatever form it may take because it is power that will lead the monsters to victory and nothing else. Mercy and benevolence have no place in a war for survival. Those luxuries can only be afforded once victory is firmly held and protected. Only then, will they consider kindness to be an option but until then, they must act like the monsters everyone thinks they are.

(Needs some final touches)

 

[Wandering Grim Hollow]

The Oceanius Empire


ORIGIN
The story of the Empire of Oceanius starts with the story of its first Emperor. Also known as The Great Unifier, Emperor Alto Charles Une, was a mountain fae explorer from Garvus. Stories often told of how he received a vision or a sign from The Mountain God during one of his travels. He warned the young traveler that war will tear the land asunder and that he was chosen to unify the people and lead them into an era of peace.

The young fae returned home and told his village of the vision he received. Gathering up a group of followers, he ventured forth. What followed was a long and bloody chain of war, murders, deception, and diplomacy. By the time an uneasy peace was brokered with the merfolk, Emperor Charles was already in the twilight years of his life. He passed away barely 10 years after he was crowned as Emperor of the Unified Empire of Oceanius. The Une family was entrusted with the task of keeping watch over the young Empire and swore to protect its people.

As the years went by, the Empire's stand of armed peace was slowly twisted by greed and ambition. Like most things really. The Empire turned its eyes towards its neighbours and worked on expanding its borders in the name of bringing order to the region. They started subjugating more lands and its people, spurred on by a jingoist mentality, took on a "with us or against us" stance. The only other nation who didn't face the Empire's ambitious gaze was the Lightning Kingdom, due to an bloodpact signed between the two during the Empire's infancy. One of trade and free passage between the two nations. This pact also gave the Empire a shot at invading their strongest Southern neighbour, the Earth Kingdom. With their Lighting Kingdom counterparts handling the Earth Kingdom's Eastern borders, the Empire steamrolled their way through and claimed the fertile lands for their own.

But their alliance with Lightning Kingdom had an unexpected consequence. When they fell to the Earth Kingdom's counterattack, a surge of Leisham natives flocked to the Empire for safety. In accordance with their treaty, these people were allowed entry and sanctuary within the Empire's borders. While initially welcome, the refugees were seen as parasites and cowards by a notable majority of Oceanian natives. The refugees are shunted aside and forced to live in shoddily constructed shantytowns under close watch by the Oceanius Watchmen. This brought on some disatisfaction among them and crime became rampant as most of the soldiers were out on the front. This all changed when the young Princess Aldo Patricia Une lead her own personal crusade to stamp out crime while incognito. A few years later, after coming of age, the Princess put forward a radical decree. She went about recruiting the refugees and other "undesirables", promising them a better life if they served the Empire. She would call her own army of misfits the Blackscales and with them, went about bringing order back within the Empire's borders. Towards the end of the long war, Oceanius turned its focus to reinforcing its new borders under the Emperor's new orders. Already worn from leading the main army, Emperor Alba Cornelius Une fell ill and was bedridden for the last few months of his life. He is succeeded by his daughter, now referred to as Empress Aldo Patricia Une.

Under her rule, Oceanius was slowly loosening some of its policies. Its rules still strict and unyielding but there is talk of change. For better or for worse is still yet to be seen.

KINGDOM MOTTO
Pride, Strength, Will

UNTOUCHABLE RIGHTS
I) All citizens, hororary or birthright, have the right to a trial.
II) All citizens, honorary or birthright, may own land.
III) No citizen, honorary or birthright shall be treated as a slave or sold into slavery.
IV) All citizens may raise their concerns and queries with the Imperial Court.
V) All citizens, honorary or birthright, have the right to defend their honor.

LAWS
I) The word of the Emperor/Empress is law.
II) All outsiders may only stay at designated areas or cities.
III) All labour shall be paid unless done by slaves.
IV) Only Nobles and Royals may own slaves.
V) All slave owners shall be taxed based on how many slaves they own.
VI) All work should be for the betterment of the Empire.
VII) No outsider, even if they are an honorary citizen, is allowed to be a member of the Oceanian Imperial Court.
VIII) All able bodied 15 year old citizens will be conscripted during times of crisis.
IX) Designated fishing areas and seasons shall be respected and followed.
X) All crime shall be punished in accordance to Imperial Law in an Imperial Court.

RACES
Mountain fae
The fair folk from the mountains. Mountain fae live longer lives than most humans and are gifted with a stronger flair for magic. Highly respected in Oceanius culture.

Humans
The most numerous in number. Humans make up a sizable percentage of the local population. Adaptable and balanced, humans live all sorts of lives within the Empire.

Merfolk
The people of the ocean. Their knowledge of the sea is unparalled along with their mastery of water magic. Most join the Empire's Navy as navigators and cartographers.

Selkies
Often confused with merfolk, selkies see themselves as their own group. Being able to freely transform between a human form and a seal form with the use of their seal skins, selkies are adapt at swimming and can use some water magic. They are often used as scouts, blending in with pods of wild seals to get in close and gather information.

Coastal fae
The fair folk from the coastline. Like their mountain brethren, they have a knack for magic and are long lived. Coastal fae are shunned after their treachery during the War and most stick to their coastal villages or join the Navy for a chance at redeeming their lost honor.

CULTURE
The Oceanians are prideful and nationalistic, a good citizen is based on their dedication and devotion in the Imperium's goals. Xenophobic by nature, Oceanians tend to avoid associating with outsiders unless its for purely business. Exceptions exist but they tend to be rather looked down upon unless they are important enough. Even among the locals, their race can affect their choice of living. The seafolk tend to be treated as 2nd class due to the strained history of conflict between them and those from inland.

There are two major religions in Oceanius. The first being the Highland Church, practiced by those who live inland, they believe in The Mountain God who granted the Une Family a heaven sent mandate to lead the Empire their founder, Emperor Charles the Unifier. The second major religion is the Tideborn Church, practiced by the merfolk and those living in the coastal regions, they believe in the Tide Mother and how she protects them from storms. When a storm does hit, its believed to be a test and many Tideborn believers see it as both a blessing and an omen. A blessing if they survive and an omen if they didn't. Such is their faith.

Within Oceanius, there are 3 main holidays observed. The Autumn Festival, the Day of Remembrance, and Elucidation Day. The first is a simple harvest festival where people give thanks for bountiful harvests with partying and feasting in the evenings. It usually lasts 3 days with the 3rd mostly to sleep off the hangovers. The 2nd is The Day of Mourning, a day to remember the dearly departed and to honor the sacrifices made by the Oceanian military. Candles are left out by the doorway to light the way for the spirits to return home. Bonfires and floating lanterns are also popular. Lastly Elucidation Day is to celebrate the Empire's birth. Parades and fireworks are common during this time with this day being the only day where even Blackscales are respected. Albeit begrudgingly.

MILITARY
The Oceanius Imperial Military is vast with a large number of soldiers serving within the 4 notable branches. The 4 are, in order of size, the Imperial Army, the Imperial Navy, the Imperial Aerial Knights, and the Blackscale Volunteer Corps.

The Imperial Army is the main backbone of the Imperial Military and is largest among the 4. Made up of both regulars and conscripts, the Imperial Army handles day to day peacekeeping and security in the form of Watchmen and Guardsmen. The former being conscripts or the local militia and the latter being made up of career soldiers. The standard arms of an army soldier varies but most are armed with katzbalger arming swords with officers being armed with longswords. In terms of ranged weaponry, the standard Oceanian marksman is armed with the infamous Bolter, a finely machined arbalest with a self-cocking system to allow for rapid semi-automatic firing.

Due to the large size of the Army, it has been divided into 5 distinct groups. The Northern Legion, lead by General Daniel von Halder. The Western legion, lead by General Selene von Vogel. The Eastern Legion, lead by General Hubert von Holst. The Southern Legion, lead by General Jaeger von Rein. The Central Legion, lead by the Empress herself.

The Imperial Navy is the pride and joy of Oceanius. It first made its mark back during the Empire's infancy where it managed to bring the one sided battle with the merfolk to a stalemate, a first in known history. The navy not only handles maritime security but also escorts ships of the Imperial Trade Company and works closely with the Imperial Army by shipping both soldiers and supplies during overseas campaigns. Nowadays, the Navy patrols the shipping lanes between Oceanius and the Lightning Kingdom for any pirates foolish enough to attempt attacking it. The current Fleet Admiral, Lord Jay van Friedrich, is Lost at Sea and following Oceanius customs, will not be considered dead unless the wreck of his ship is discovered. The current Acting Admiral is Prince Consort David Albert James Talver.

The Imperial Aerial Knights are an elite Knightly Order based in Garvus and the capital city of Markovia. These brave and daring knights are usually trained from a young age in the art of taming and riding hippogryphs. Tempremental and wary by nature, hippogryphs are notoriously hard to tame with the taming process requiring a bond of trust being formed between the rider and the hippogryph. A well trained Aerial Knight is said to be equal to an entire squad of Guardsmen. And that is without their mount. The current Lord Aerial Knight is Sir Adam von Riegan.

The last main branch of the military is also the most recent addition. The Blackscale Volunteer Corps, better known as the Blackscales, is formed roughly 14 years ago by then Crown Princess Patricia Une. Its main goal was to solve the influx of refugees and the rise in crime by recruiting volunteers and criminals as her own personal peacekeeping force. With a lack of support due to their status as outsiders and criminals, the Blackscales were initially armed with seemingly cheap equipment like messers and simple plate armour. This soon changed after the successful suppression of the Wallachian Coup D'etat and being recognized as a legitimate military force. The Blackscales have soon increased their ranks and are divided into 5 different Companies based on their specialized roles.

Schwartz Company is the Empress' personal bodyguards and are stationed at Markovia. Named after the very first Company of Blackscales, only the best of the best are handpicked by the Empress are allowed to join and proudly wear the alicorn crest. Its Overseer is Sigdriffa, an elf from Elysium and the Vice-Overseer is Baihe, a human from the Lightning Kingdom.

Rot Company are the elite footsoldiers and are stationed at the Central Region of Oceanius. They're considered to be the 2nd best among the Blackscales and have a minor rivalry with Schwartz Company. Company crest is a hippogryph. Its Overseer is Richter, an Oceanius coastal fae. Its Vice-Overseer is an amnesiac human who is referred to as The Messenger.

Grun Company is the specialized shocktrooper unit of the Blackscales and are stationed at Garvus. Armed with the more exotic weaponry like the Tempest Kriegmesser and Tempest grenades, Grun Company is known for their rapid and brutal style of combat. Company crest is a bear. Its Overseer is Ori, a Wallachian loyalist. Its Vice-Overseers are Kieran, an elf from Elysium, and Marie, a former slave from the Earth Kingdom.

Silber Company are the ranged and seige specialists and are stationed at Wallachia. The members of Silber are notable for being one of the best marksmen in the Empire and are armed with specialist bolters. In addition of marksmen, they also man Tempest flamers, ballistas, and other siege equipment. Company crest is an eagle. Its Overseer is Hilda, a human from Elysium. Its Vice-Overseers are Karel, a merman, and Marina, a selkie.

Lastly, Weiss Company act as instructors and reserve troops and are stationed at Wallachia. Made up of those who are either too old, wounded, or ill-suited for combat, Weiss Company acts as the training and support unit within the Blackscales. Company crest is a crow. Its Overseer is Paska, a human from Oceanius. Its Vice-Overseers are Farsha, a former POW from Ignium, and Sylvain, a mountain fae.

BANNER

IMPERIAL PALACE

CURRENCY
Silver thaler
Gold marks

CAPITAL
Markovia

IMPORTANT CITIES
Wallachia
Garvus
Ryleth

 

[Historical Storyteller]

CAUTION.
UNDER HEAVY CONSTRUCTION.
MEN AT WORK.

Duchy of Falcland.

Heraldric Flags:

Falcland Flag / Falco________________________Canna___________Haul______________________________________

____

Lahelein Flag______________________Auchaindrain Flag__________

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(TO BE CONTINUED. . .)

Origins:

The history of Falcland is exceedingly long and complex. It is a story that spans two thousand years. It tells the tales of many kings and chiefs that ruled wisely and ruled foolishly. It talks about how people lived and died and how life went on. And it is the only place where people could speak about what they believed in. For in the world today, all forms of religion with the exception of Luminosity is banned in Elysium. So, it is with great regret that I must limit myself to events of great importance.

In the first year of the Brithon Era, the Brithons arrived on the Continent with a great number of ships. Their old kingdom was overrun by foreign invaders and ruined by catastrophic natural disasters, and so the survivors built a fleet to escape the ancient horrors of their homeland. The Brithons quickly established settlements along the coasts and encountered the Old Keltic peoples. Their names are known to us as: the Loires of the Valleylands, who by this time were already an ancient, rich and proud people; the Hamish of the Highlands, the fierce clan-like barbarians; the Arans of the lower Plainlands, whose realm was always at war; the Laheleins of the Coastlands, traders and adventurers and pirates were they; and the Evrawcs of the Woodlands, the devout and serious practitioners of the Keltic magics.

At this time there was a centuries-long peace on the Continent, enforced by Elysium, a powerful kingdom wielding the primal light magics. The continued independence of the Kelts was insured by two factors. One was that the land was still incredibly poor and undeveloped, making a prolonged military campaign in Keltica too costly and too dangerous, even for a kingdom as powerful as Elysium. It wasn't possible for a king to just blast every corner of the vast Geill Forest or for all his Lumin Wards for that matter, they couldn't conquer a whole bunch of nothing either and so that was that. To fight Keltica was to fight man, beast and nature, and that by itself was extraordinarily difficlut. The second factor was that the Kelts made alliances with neighboring kingdoms beyond the Continent, across the vast Oceans, where they could call in the support of their armies. So, Elysium was content to leave their pagan neighbors well alone for the time being. Any invasion was seen as quite risky at best and fatal at worst, time would give the Elysians an opportunity to strike, an opportunity they took one day.

The continued independence of the Kelts was insured by other powerful neighboring kingdoms from distant continents. Whenever Elysium invaded Keltica, Elysium was invaded in turn. So, for the meantime, Elysium was content to leave their pagan neighbors well alone. It is in these circumstances that when the Brithons came they were greeted with suspicion and fear. Few knew who they were and why they were here.

When the Brithon peoples came to this untamed land they were greeted with suspicion and fear. Everyone knew well what happened to their kingdom, it was big news, after all having a few volcanic eruptions that blackened the morning sky for weeks and being invaded by hordes of barbarian horsemen caught pretty much everyone's attention. Few didn't know what would happen next as the Brithons settled just near the coast. They brought strange weapons of ancient magical power with them, far superior to iron or even steel, and they had an apocalyptic religion that told stories of just how the end was near. Constantly they prepared for battle, for they were warlike and devoted to their ancient gods, and they always dreamt of seizing their old homeland, a land of war and natural disaster, from the barbarian invader.

But just as they prepared to fight their enemies, they also prepared to fight themselves, and often they did. Their peoples comprised many nations, having different customs, comprised of separate races and cultures. Whenever two tribes had a disagreement or whenever they competed for a scarce resource, they eventually had long, bitter conflicts over that until the whole thing was resolved. A Brithon it seemed, loyal to himself at first then loyal to his family then loyal to his tribe then loyal to his nation. And after his nation, he was loyal to his culture and his religion. And after this, he was loyal to the entire human race, for he seemed intent on saving mankind from destruction. For in his heart, the Brithon saw a great evil beyond the heavens, one that will come to destroy everything that ever existed in the world to establish a wicked universe. And so, the Brithon knew that it was his duty to stop all this in a final battle, one that would decide not only the fate of the human race, but that of other races, and the existence of the entire world.

The Brithons even spoke an altogether different language and had strange customs. Elder Brithon had a reputation of being incredibly difficult to master and to the outside observer it seemed as if the Brithons were speaking in tongues. They did. Elder Brithon is a collection of nearly a hundred known dialects. There were over a hundred words for describing a single object. This generated massive confusion, not just for the Kelts but even for the Brithons themselves. So, the Elder Brithons, their histories and their secrets forever remains a mystery, for nobody except themselves can understand a word they say. Often, the Old Kelts and Elder Brithons simply left each other alone, and it stayed like that for over two hundred years.

Over time the Brithon peoples prospered and made many nations. The most notable of them are: the Iargalons, those who come from the land beyond the sun; Meideland, a realm ruled by queens; the Eithne League, an alliance of great republics; the Kingdom of Anforth, whose people strive for honor and heroism; the Theocracy of Connemara, where witch-kings rule; and Bunratty, the land of robber barons.

In 222 of the Brithon Era, Brithonnia was attacked by a huge alliance of Kelts. Named the Allies, the Kelts' goal was to subjugate the Brithon peoples. In recent years, the nations of Brithonnia (the land of the Brithons) steadily expanded into Keltica, and soon it was believed they would come to dominate the Continent. To save themselves from a slow and long death, King Aeronwen of the Loire gathered a large army and struck Brithonnia as soon as he could. Other rulers, High Chief Gwynn of the Hamish, Queen Meredith of the Arans and King Pryderi of the Laheleins soon joined the conflict much later as the war changed.

For fifty long years the Brithon-Keltic Wars raged, with the Brithons achieving victory against all odds. During the war, they enforced the use of several dialects (out of the hundreds that existed) which we know today as Old Brithon, while still confusing it drastically increased communication among the Brithons. Over 400 military reforms were implemented, transforming the ragtag militias of Brithon into a respectable standing army. A gigantic leap from nearly nothing. The Evrawcs of the Woodlands made a secret alliance with the Brithons and attacked the Allies when they were most vulnerable. All these turned the tide of the war, and soon the Brithons won a peace that was to last generations. The plains of the Arans and the coasts of the Laheleins were given to them. And the Brithons seized control of the Kell river as well. The Evrawcs were rewarded by taking most of the valley from the Loires.

It is in this time, five great lords commanded the Brithon armies. Their names are Graham the Strong, Arthur the Brave, Graal the Wise, Peredur and Brann. Under their leadership the Brithons were able to succeed. Graham and Arthur fought alongside the men, slaughtering man and beast and all abominations. Their feats of valor and martial prowess made them legendary. Graal, Peredur and Brann were the silent workhorses that kept the Brithon war machine going despite heavy pressure, it was their quiet sacrifices, the little moments of humanity that gave the Brithons the strength to fight on.

When the war ended all the Brithon nations unified under one ruler, King Boece Falco, and formed the Kingdom of Avalonia, the first Brithon kingdom to ever exist on the Continent. The five great lords became heroes, the five great heroes of Avalonia. Their last act was to gather a huge army of men and an equally huge number of ships to cross the ocean to reconquer their homeland. No word of them has ever reached the Brithons, who wait and have waited for two thousand years, waiting for their beloved heroes to return. The heroes who saved them countless times before. Instead of giving into sorrow, the Brithon people hope with all their heart, for a miracle to happen. Just like the miracles that happened in the wars they fought.

In about 500 of the Brithon Era, the remaining Keltic tribes were nearly eradicated by the Kingdom of Avalonia, a rich and mighty realm for its time. Forced further inland, deep in wild forest and mountain, the Old Kelts constantly fought a desperate war for independence to no avail. Soon, the vast majority of them were subjugated, their leaders slain, forced into slavery or concubinage. Many ancient bloodlines were extinguished, forgotten, like so many others to come. This age of prosperity saw the death of many old customs and languages, for the Brithons believed they were old-fashioned and they were just too good for them. Increasingly, the Avalonians grew arrogant, convinced of their superiority in wealth, technology and military, they went on foreign adventures, with the desire to conquer more lands. And initially they were successful, managing to defeat some of the neighboring kingdoms.

As the power and pride of Avalonia grew, philosophers and prophets warned them of the consequences of their actions. The Avalonians had become decadent, slothful, greedy and lustful. No longer were they interested in fighting or doing their duty. Instead, they betrayed their gods, they were cruel to all peoples including their own and they lusted after power. And the lone voices that spoke out against the sins of their people were at first silenced, then exiled and later they were tortured and put to death. At some point, the Kingdom of Avalonia reached the point of no return.

Elysium, the ancient kingdom of primal light magic, watched silently as Avalonia expanded its borders. The Avalonians changed completely. Their armies were spread too thin and their soldiers were weak. Their kingdom was vast, but it was sprawling with revolts. Their kings were always dethroned, to be replaced by puppets of the self-serving nobility. The people were unhappy and unable to do anything and soon they turned to whoever claimed to hold the solution to their misery. Soon, Elysium sensed that it was the perfect time to step in, to liberate Avalonia from its oppressors, to destroy its false religion and to finally get rid of a huge thorn on Elysium's side, one that they couldn't get rid of for thousands of years.

The plan was simple. Step into Avalonia and promise to fix things Elysium could easily do. Sweep aside the opposition, arrest them all and throw them in prison. Grant mercy to those asking for forgiveness and give death to all who oppose Elysium. Defeat all the armies Avalonia threw at them, which was a cakewalk. And once the conquest was complete, Elysium had all the lands Avalonia had ever conquered and had the prestige of overthrowing a dysfunctional system. One that grew tyrannical as time passed.

What happened next went against everyone's expectations. The plan went exactly as planned, with thousands of Avalonians rallying towards Elysium's cause, they destroyed the monarchy and the nobility, they defeated the evil armies in open battle, and they quickly secured the estates outside the Continent. Soon, the Sun shined on Elysium and all that was once Avalonia, and everyone lived happily ever after. Until the Elysian king died, leaving only a baby as a heir. And that was when this fairytale ending turned into the bloodiest conflict the world had ever known, one that was so devastating, so pointless and so full of catastrophes that it came to be called at the time as the Great War.



In this age of prosperity the Brithons gradually abandoned their old customs and languages (which they believed was old-fashioned)

When the war ended, the Brithons established the Kingdom of Avalonia, the first Brithon kingdom to ever exist on the Continent. Powerful and fearsome for its time, it practically ruled all of Keltica and Brithonnia. Its first king was Boece Falco, a descendant of the Old Brithon kings. In this time, there rose five great generals whose contributions to battle were key to victory. Their names are Graham the Strong, Arthur the Brave, Graal the Wise, Peredur and Brann. Graham and Arthur led the Confident in their military, these five great heroes, gathered an army with ships and set said for their old homeland across the ocean.

In 500 of the Brithon Era, the remaining Keltic tribes waged a holy war of annihilation against the Kingdom of Avalonia. The Loires of the Valleylands were vanquished a century ago, the

The entire Brithon army was wiped out in a single battle, in the Battle of Lair, where the Kelts ambushed them and cut them all down as they fled. In their rage, the Kelts burned down every building, killed every man and stole every cattle they could find. It is in these dark times that a young woman altered the course of history. Her name is Sliga Falco, descendant of Boece Falco, the first king of the Brithons. With royal blood in her veins she was forcibly married to Chief Achna Sheen, who held great ambitions for his dynasty. At the expense of the Falcos, no less, with the majority of the men slaughtered like animals.

It was then that all the remaining Brithons, the women and children, cried out for vengeance. Peredur, then still a living god by that time, answered the call. He was a wild, bloodthirsty god. A creature of violence. Born of the blood of countless dead men, he rose from the ashes of defeat and led the Brithons into divine victory.

In the first year of the Brithon Era, fleets of Brithon ships landed on the coast of the Continent, fleeing from the destruction of their old kingdom. It is in this time that the Brithons encountered the Keltic people

When one inquires the origins of Falcland the old scribes in their high towers will tell you of an ancient petty kingdom that existed two thousand years ago. It had its own gods and its own laws and the mere mention of these pagan delusions is strictly forbidden in Elysium. The peoples of that old realm called themselves the Brithons, the Kelts and the Gehrmans and they all fought for dominance of the continent. The Brithons sought power and glory and so they hungrily seized land from their Keltic neighbors. And the Kelts in turn gathered to defend their territory from the ambitious invader. And suddenly, in the midst of these events, the Gehrmans came in over a thousand ships from the open sea and their eternal mission was to seek war to please their bloodthirsty gods.

It is when the Elysians came that these ancient peoples were soundly defeated in battle, one by one, and at last civilization and everlasting peace was brought unto the land. The King of the Brithons, the Kelts and the Gehrmans at this time was Alun Falco, who came from an lineage that existed before written history, and in an act of mercy he was given the title of Duke of Falcland. Falcland literally means the land of the Falcos. It is at this moment in history that power and glory and peace that was so sought by all peoples was finally given by Elysium. It is for this reason that the Falcos and all the Falclan people remain grateful to the Elysians to this day. Without them they could still have been fighting endless wars.

Religion: Luminosity.

Laws and Rights:

The Duchy of Falcland follows all the Laws and Rights of Elysium.

Because it is forced to.

In reality, most punishments are dealt with by local authorities. And usually, if there's no Elysian around, they'll use the local customs that are known to the people. These customs vary depending on where you are. Some customs apply to entire counties and some apply only to certain villages. These are laws not written in books, where they can be conveniently scrutinized. The law is the community. Sometimes, they have an officer to keep the peace, and sometimes the people themselves are responsible for preventing crime from happening. And if they fail, they fail the people who gave them power, they fail the people who they lived for. And this failure brings a profound shame that makes them wish they just died on the spot.

The law itself is profound because it is the most powerful expression of the community's character. Majority of the time, one can guess what kind of people they are by looking at their customs. The Falcos prefer to leave people to fate, they punish people in the most gruesome manner possible and leave them to die alone. Falcos aren't afraid to die because they live. And so they show what death means, in the most literal physical and moral sense, and test a person's will to live. And if that person lives, the Falcos aren't afraid to face that person again, the person who has seen death and conquered it. That is because in the face of life and death, a Falco lives.

The ancient city of Cheverney (now a town) will and can ban people who they deem dangerous to the community. And these people who are banned are banned for good, that is, forever. And if that person wants to come back, he will have to do it with force. He will either have to kill the entire population to do it or kill the ruler of Cheverney. That just shows how serious the Cheverneys are when they ban people. You literally have to wipe them out just so you could take a walk around town. This town used to be a great city, a center of the world, now it lies in ruins because foreign invaders came into the city, ambushed the guards, let their armies in and sacked Cheverney. Not eager to let it happen again, the people of Cheverney are determined to risk their lives and their future to avenge their cruel past.

Culture:

The culture in Falcland differs greatly, as one good guide would say, nothing is more alien to a Falclan than another Falclan. With all that said, the culture depends on where you go. And in everywhere you go there is always bound to be a community of Brithons, Kelts and Gehrmans somewhere. It is enough for a Falclan to feel home anywhere in Falcland.

It is said if you so happen to bump into a pure Brithon, untainted by Keltic or Gehrman blood, he will likely be a man of ambition and status, he will extol the virtues of chivalry and is a devout practitioner of Luminosity. If you encounter a Keltic man he is likely a farmer or a woodsman, he values his independence and prides himself in his own ingenuity. But if, Lumin save you, you encounter a Gehrman pray that he is a loyal Elysian soldier and not a ruthless bandit crying out for your blood. A violent folk until now.

The main days of celebration for the Brithons are: the Landing, the time when the Brithons first landed on the continent; the Departure, the day the five great heroes left to secure their old lost kingdom; and the Crowning, when the regent Boece Falco was finally recognized as King of the Brithons. For the Kelts these are: the Commemoration, to honor the life and death of the old gods; and the Reunion, when the Kelts have a little anniversary with their land. The Gehrmans have no right to celebrate for their festivals are usually violent and considered senseless in Elysium. Still, they do practice it in private.

Counties:

There is a total of six counties, twenty two baronies, eighteen cities and fifteen bishoprics in the Duchy of Falcland. This accounts for a total of sixty one estates. The counties are: Avalonia, Kenelm, Evrawc, Auchindrain, Bute and Lahelein.

The County of Avalonia is many things, it is the capital of Falcland, the home of the Brithons and it is the second richest of all counties surpassed only by Lahelein. All across the land you can see fields of farms, with little to no forest in sight, the woods having been cleared long ago. With lumber being scarce, bands of peasants have taken it upon themselves to plant trees from time to time to allow the land to recover. These areas, where the peasants planted trees, have been designated as woodlands and it is illegal to cut any tree without permission from local authorities.

Avalonia is situated at the mouth of the Kell river and this river serves as a gate of trade and natural disaster, for at least once every year a huge storm crashes into the county, flooding everything for miles. It is under these circumstances that the majority of houses here are at least two stories high and made of stone. Speaking of stone, forts and towers and walls dot the landscape. So many are these fortifications that Avalonia has been known to be the land of castles. While the Avalonians are willing to live in peace they constantly prepare for war.

Kenelm, located deeper inland, is a countryside full of farms, there you will find half of all the food in the Duchy.

Evrawc is a woodland, it is also a badland filled with pagans and bandits that prey on unwary travelers. It is there you will find the old beliefs and magics lost in Falcland.

Auchindrain is a world of sea and seamen, you will find adventurers and their tall tales all around the world there. It is a little cosmopolitan for it is place where foreigners and their foreign ideas are at least tolerated.

Bute is a poor county, barely populated, in ancient times it was the site of many famous battles and it is the graveyard of many fallen kingdoms. Now a ruin, people flock to its empty stone castles to colonize what is left of it.

Lahelein is a pastureland where you will find all the sheep and cows in the realm. Like Kenelm, it is an agricultural land, but in Lahelein you will find fruit, milk, honey and some medicines. But unlike Kenelm it is prosperous, its population huge and many cities dot the landscape. Lahelein is the home of the Kelts who lived here before time.

(MORE LATER . . .)

Locations:

Kell, Falcland: The river that stretches from Avalonia all the way to Lahelein. Many old legends are attached to it. The most famous one is the story of Armagh, King of the Kelts, who was surrounded by a band of Gehrmans so he transformed into a fish and leaped into the Kell river to save his life.

Edgmond, Avalonia: A bishopric near Llandogo, located near the Francatelli Bridge of the Kell River. Here the bishop, Adam Gibbons, runs religious ceremonies, presides over trials and sends reports to the king of Elysium. Over here is stationed a small army of Elysian soldiers and mages, who are quite ready to respond to any emergency that arises. Like any self-respecting estate, there is a town located within the bishopric's walls, complete with barracks and training grounds for the local military here.

Llandogo, Avalonia: The castle of the Falcos. Located within the capital of Avalonia, it is the heart of all administration in the duchy. Llandogo contains several forts, a small palace and a town. Over here you will can find Duke Ermengard Falco in his office hard at work or out in the hall dealing with matters of justice. His wife (Ceri Falco) and some of his kids (Adamar, Arminius, Adele, Augustin) live here too.

Cheverney, Kenelm: A former great city of the Loires (an Old Keltic people) it is now a sleepy little town surrounded by ancient ruins. Ermengard Falco and 413 other individuals have been banned from this city forever.

Tara, Kenelm: The farmstead of the Falco's family friends, the Cannas, who boast a lineage nearly as ancient as the Falcos.

The Badlands, Evrawc: The areas that are crawling with incredibly hostile bandits. Extremely dangerous for travelers. Attacks are always certain to happen, no matter how big your numbers are or well-armed your force is.

Clon, Evrawc: A lone monastery situated in a land of pagans and barbarians. It is a bastion of Luminosity in a faithless land. It is here that the champions of the faith come to do battle with their ancient enemies.

Gruinar, Auchindrain: Often called the city of ships, it is the port of Auchindrain, housing vessels from all over the world. Sometimes, foreigners come to settle within this city, and they form communities of their own here.

Udorf, Bute: The former castle of a robber baron named Udorf, slain by Duke Cadwgan Falco himself, Udorf has lain dead for twenty years. In here lies a garrison of a hundred so men and their families and they live off the land as they please.

(MORE COMING SOON. . .)

Military:

Falcland is an all-rounder, a master of none. Its army is dominated by men of blood and steel, leaving little space for other races. Their finest heavy infantry and crossbowmen come from Avalonia; their best archers and light infantry from Kenelm and Evrwac; their light cavalry and knights come from Bute and Lahelein; and their sailors come from Auchindrain. They take the best of their men and pit them against some of the most monstrous, well-trained and fearsome enemies in the world. And still one-on-one in a fair fight they will usually come out second best, that is, they will lose. That is why over the centuries Falcland has focused on combined arms. By using the entire strength of the army, they will hit the enemy aggressively and as often as possible to secure victory. The point is that they will try to win as unfairly as possible.

Despite being human, it is a fatal mistake to underestimate them. A knight in armor is a tough son of a bitch and he can hold a position really well. A talented archer can pick off all your men from a distance. Cavalrymen are good raiders so watch out for your supply lines. And a tight formation of infantry can take a lot of punishment in the battlefield.

Lacking any magic of their own, Elysium sends mages to supplement their numbers.

There is a captain of the guard for every one of the 61 estates of Falcland. These captains command the local garrisons and are in charge of forming resistance against any invading force. Their strength varies, depending on the force they have. When their community is under attack, they have the right to call upon all able-bodied men at the age of 21 and over to fight for them. And for those who failed to answer the call they are considered deserters and are to be punished harshly by law. Usually, they are sentenced to decades of harsh labor, mutilation, torture, castration and even death at the discretion of the captain. If one wishes to not fight at all, he must select a mercenary to fight in his place. Otherwise, he is to pay a crushing fine to pay for the war effort.

The Duchy of Falcland has six appointed commanders, one for every county. These commanders gather troops from all over the Duchy and mobilize into one powerful army that combines the strengths and talents of the Falclan people. Devenish Malahide is the commander of Avalonia. Baron Rodrick Rochers is the commander of Kenelm. Mayor Edmund Gebhard is the commander of Bute. Bishop Gwynn Hamish is the commander of Evrawc. Lord Mayor Aran Haul is the commander of Lahelein. Baron Gerald Arnfried is the commander of Auchaindrain.

Overseeing the Ducal Army is Marshal Erich Volker whose main duty is to organize the army, suppress revolts, train the troops and research new military technologies for the benefit of Falcland.

Light Infantry Doctrine: The Woodsmen of Kenelm and Evrawc are masters of skirmishing and sabotage. Often they will disappear from the front lines, emerge behind enemy lines and wreak all manner of havoc on the invading army through bold raids. By the time the dust settles, chaos and confusion will paralyze the enemy, leaving him unable to even react to the problem at hand. It is because of this alone many enemies of Elysium are hesitant to attack the Duchy of Falcland, for they will have to make sure their supply lines are secure before they proceed.

Heavy Infantry Doctrine: Avalonia has some of the most disciplined and well-trained soldiers in the world. Every possible formation has been trained, trained, trained and drilled into them until it is second nature to them. The speed in which an officer gives out an order and how it is received by all the soldiers is nearly unparalleled in other armies. The men eat, drink, sleep, play, shit and piss with each other. The army is their family, their only home. And all of them know only one master, the Duke Falco, who provides everything for them. And they in turn are expected to defend the realm and for that they are gladly willing to give their lives. Even under the toughest conditions, a line of Avalonian soldiers will hold and even push back the most fearsome of monsters.

Offensive Doctrine: Attack! Attack! ATTACK!!! In the ancient Gehrman tradition, an attacking army will charge, fight a little, then feint a retreat only to charge again and again and again. This is not a tactic, it is a feat of madness. But it strangely works for the Falclans, it did even better for the Gehrmans. Only the most disciplined and foolhardy of armies can even think of maneuvering like this, which is the army the Falclans exactly have. The Gehrman adventurers and mercenaries who still practice this madness are called the Beasts.

Defensive Doctrine: It is the custom of Brithon armies to build a fortified camp after every day's march. While greatly unpopular with the exhausted troops, it is a sure way of creating a secure supply line in prolonged campaigns. And after gaining experience building these camps, troops become a steady supply of skilled labor for the engineers who can design even more impressive fortifications. It is for this reason you can see many castles of all shapes and sizes and all of varying quality in Falcland and beyond. These defensive structures allow the Falclans to reach far and wide under concrete protection.

Attrition Doctrine: The Kelts of Evrawc are master survivalists and natural guerrillas, able to harness the power of nature to sustain them. With skill they can hunt, forage and make food and find the deepest sources of water so they can construct wells. With their herblore they can use the plants of the field to make medicine and make poison of all kinds. And with their knowledge of the landscape and of making traps, they can easily devise ways of setting up an ambush and can chose whether to fight or not. With his sharp eyes and ears, he can see and hear his enemy from afar, so he can know whether to make fight or flight. They can construct their own simple stone tools, create their own rafts and form their own shelters. This skillset alone pretty much guarantees a Kelt to survive in all but the harshest of environments.

Light Cavalry Doctrine: In Lahelein you can find the Dusk Riders, a daring cavalry unit of gentlemen knights. These rich boys ride on some of the fastest and finest warhorses out there and are equipped with handheld crossbows, longbows and some even sport carbines from Oshus. At the sound of their yeehaw's and giddup boy's they will scour the realm to search for their most hated enemies and challenge them to single and mortal combat, which sometimes actually happens. They are more eager than they are skilled, their recklessness is legendary in all of Linhael, leading to many unsurprising defeats and surprising victories. Their youth, their energy and their stupidity (and also their wealth) have led them to become Falcland's greatest scouts and raiders.

Heavy Cavalry Doctrine: The ancient families of Bute still carry the old knightly tradition with them. Almost always they are the descendants of a great king from some land or another and they carry weapons and relics from their ancestor. A magic flute or a magic sword, an enchanted axe that sings songs of battle, a book of forgotten history, maybe they even could have a princess disguised as a frog. They roam the empty land of Bute to complete their quest of redemption. Always in some form or another their ancestor has committed a great sin that has ruined them and their people. And now these lone knights roam like their fathers and their fathers did to search for a way to redeem themselves. And if they are successful, they may restore their people to glory once more. Sometimes, their quest is interrupted as they are called to arms to defend the realm from invaders once again. In battle, like any knight their cavalry charge and prowess in single combat is second to none. But it is their individual feats of courage and heroism, through hellish sacrifices, that they are able to not only withstand fatal blows but fight on until they can do so no longer. All this they do to redeem themselves and yet in spite of all this, they feel it is not enough and they pass their sorrows and their traditions on to the next generation.

Ranged Doctrine: The farmsteads of Kenelm are vulnerable to periodic raids from neighboring kingdoms. Forced to defend itself, Kenelm has enacted a law requiring every man to practice with a longbow for at least three hours a week. This gives them a steady supply of archers that will send any raider fleeing with a flurry of arrows chasing after him. When forced to fight up close, the archers will draw their shortswords and daggers. The shepherds of Lahelein have different weapons. Armed with a sling, which they use to kill wild animals, they can fling heavy stones that smash the balls out of any armored man. And when the shepherds have to fight up close, they use spears and staffs. Since they mostly stay behind to fling arrows and stones, far away from close combat, these men are collectively known as the Auxs or Auxiliaries.

Artillery Doctrine: Through the use of light magics, the mages of Elysium are able to hurl terrifying spells of concentrated light across a vast distance. One archmage with luck on his side is enough to fight off a small army with little support. If you look at history, you can find the Elysians blasting through all the Brithon fortifications, Gehrman armies and Keltic woodlands all in a single week. It is for this reason the Falclans, for all their ancient skill in battle, give true respect to the Elysians for their power. One glaring weakness of light magic is that it requires you to actually see the enemy, so mages are often dispatched to the front lines, at the thick of heavy fighting where they are exposed to enemy attack. Another is that such powerful magic is fatally exhausting, many a mage already having died of fatigue. And so their use in battle is often limited and so they must hit a target with precision. It should be noted not all the mages Elysium sends are of good quality, and so Falcland is forced to make do with what they have. These mages are popularly known as the Shiners, for their light bolts are so shiny they can kill and blind friend and foe.

Naval Doctrine: There is no such doctrine. Falcland barely pays attention to the sea. If they want a naval doctrine they will have to start from scratch.

(MORE LATER. . .)

 

[shadowz1995]

Raitoningu, Empire of Lightning

Long, long ago..... Long before the land had even a name, back when the first settlers of Raitoningu came to the mountains. The land was not covered with snow, nor with the red blossom trees. The land held great beauty of green and life. There the people of Lightning made their homes. Far, far away from all other civilizations. Making it clear that they did not want to be bothered. As time went on and they made their own Empire.... Other Raitoningu tribes began to hate one another. A thirst for blood swept over the land as snow began to fall from the skies.


Day turned into an ever lasting night as the ground covered with snow. the Raitoningu people began to fight one another. They fought for food, land, women.... some fought just to kill.


The world that once held green and beauty now held darkness, cold and blood.


Tribe against tribe, brother against brother.... Nothing lasted for very long... Except the winter...

It had been generations since the trees showed signs of life, generations since the rivers were full of fish, generations since the sun showed itself from the clouds above. The Raitoningu people were bound to either die upon the snow capped mountains, or leave the once beautiful place.


The Raitoningu people gathered to leave, leaving their pain and suffering behind... Leave their hate and thirst for blood.....


Just as the first Raitoningu took his first step, lightning struck a single tree in the center of their camp. The tree came to life, barring red blossom leaves. Some of the leaves floated to the white ground below.... Making it look like nature was bleeding for those that had passed.


The people stood in awe as life was brought back to the land. One tree and lightning strike at a time. soon after the tribe was surrounded by white wolves... All barring red markings.

The tribe was not sure as to what this meant, but they took it as a sign from the Great Wolf God Okami. Sending them a message. that if they would stop the fighting among themselves, the land would provide and they could stay hidden from their true enemies.


The first Emperor stood tall next to the red cherry blossom tree and the white wolf with the red markings. Symbols of their people and power. Letting his lightning strike the land for many days and nights. this brought back life, but the cold still stood. To this day the land flourishes with life, but is covered with snow. The red cherry blossoms bloom all year round, reminding the Raitoningu people of their past.

Spoiler: Untouchable Rights

Freedom of speech.Freedom to choose one's path, not matter the dangers.Right to a fair and just trial before the Emperor. One may also chose trial by combat.The right to protect one's self from harm from another.The rights to equality. Every man and woman of Raitoningu has the right to lay with whom they choose.Freedom to choose whom they trade with and do business with.Freedom to learn.

Spoiler: Laws

No killing.No stealing.Must obey Emperor's law.Must carry a weapon at all times.Must show respect to those who have come into power or titles... as they have earned it and was not given to them.Under no circumstances is one aloud to kill a white wolf with red markings.Unless given permission by the Emperor himself, no outsiders are aloud upon Raitoningu land.Non are aloud to leave Raitoningu without Emperor's consent. while away from the kingdom, thou shall not speak of Raitoningu and her secrets.You can learn but can not teach unless given the title of Sensei.When called upon for war, no one is excluded from the call. Every man, woman and child is expected to fight.Dishonor is the worst of sentences. Not only do you live, but you bring shame to your family and home. To tell someone they bring dishonor to their family is like saying 'fuck you' to the Emperor and the God Okami himself.The right to pray to the Wolf God and to your ancestors.

Spoiler: Religion

The Great Wolf God Okami watches over the people of Raitoningu. His fur white like the snow with red markings to remind the people of the blood they once spilled from their brothers and sisters.


Praying to the God of Wolf and Winter in temples. Lighting incense for their ancestors, while praying for honor and guidance.


Some may spend hours, days or even weeks praying. the temples are always open and everyone is welcome.

Spoiler: Races

Denki:

Denki are much like humans. They look and act like them normally, but they have longer life spans. Living to almost 200 and then some. Non have lived longer than 240 years of age though. They also have the ability to create and harness electricity, or lightning. No one without Denki blood can use Lighting Magic.


Every Denki is born with a black mark on their bodies. A tattoo given to them by their ancestors. Depending on the mark, size, shape, color, detail, lets others know what path the Wolf God has chosen for them. The darker the mark, the more Lightning magic they have been given by birth. The more detailed the design, the more obstacles they will come across in their path ahead of them. The bigger the mark, the bigger mark they will leave in this world after they have gone. Even where the mark is found can even explain something about the person. Most Denki people have a mark bigger than an inch or two and normally the marks are simple with light color.


Only the king and his family have larger marks. Marks almost covering their backs and holding the colors of red and or black.

Also if your your mark is removed, you no longer can wield the magic of Lightning. (Only the Emperor is authorized to do this.)

Spoiler: Samurai

All those wishing to follow the way of the Samurai must go through years of training. Even if all citizens start training to fight at a young age, the way of the Samurai is another step up. Soldiers of the Emperor's army. They are treated with respect and honor everywhere they go.


Once they choose the ways of the Samurai they are sent to the capital for trial. They must pass a series of tests before being able to train. Once accepted they train for years and will not be called Samurai until they have finished their training and are anointed by the Emperor himself.


After he or she is given armor and a sword along with their duty station and who they will be receiving orders from.


Many choose this path as it is most honorable and has brought many good fortune under the God Okami.

Spoiler: Ninja

Ninjas are few but considered the best of the best. When a young Denki chooses this path they leave their village in small groups of three to five. All must find the four hidden Ninja training grounds before taking their trials to join one of them. The way this works is simple.


The pod must all survive the hunt for the training grounds and then as a group they must decide on which camp they wish to join. They are aloud to take the trial more than once, but must wait a month in the wild before trying again. Also they can take the trials of the other camps..... Only thing is... they must all pass. They must pass their individual trails and then as a group.


Once they pass they will stay with their original pod, train and do missions with only their pod. Most Ninja's die as a pod, but their are a few that have returned without their pod or with fewer members. those returning by themselves are either removed from the Ninja ranks and sent back to their village, killed, or set in another pod. It is rare for them to be sent back to the villages and rare to be placed in another pod.


Kuro: Level one of Ninja training grounds. Said to be the easiest and most end up here.

Aoi: Second easiest.

Shiro: Second hardest

Aka: The hardest Ninja camp.

Spoiler: Assasins

Assassins are hard to come by. They are at the bottom of the warrior chain. Their hidden training grounds are the easiest to find and their methods of training are almost lazy in their eyes. (even if an outsider sees their training as a royal bitch and a half.)


But they are only called upon when someone leaves Raitoningu without permission. These more common warriors are trained to blend in with other kingdoms and to carry out their missions without hesitation. They are trackers and use the land for most of their training. Expert marksmen with bows and they mainly use Katanas or other weapons known to the outside world.

Spoiler: Extra

When a child comes of age to choose his or her path a wolf pup is given to them. A guardian chosen by Okami himself, is what's to be believed.

That pup goes with them everywhere. And when the pup is big enough.... These wolves become their means of getting around and extra protection. Warriors ride these wolves into battle, covering them with armor and paint. When a wolf dies, there is no replacement.......

This was created by a player called Novanovass

 

[shadowz1995]

Elysium
The Kingdom of Light


Geography:
The kingdom of Elysium hails from the north along a great mountain range known as Mt Solstace. The sun shines brightly over the kingdom, casting a brilliant warmth over the entirety of Elysium mixing with its elevated position to create a rather cool, dry climate year round. Many of the kingdoms fauna and wildlife are those which have adapted to the mountains high elevation, including animals such as mountain goats, lions, griffons, wyvens and a wide variety of birds and lizards.

Rulers:
Spoiler: Arissa and Felric Camenor

Untouchable rights/Laws:
The laws of Elysium are centered around two main ideals that are the center of Elysium beliefs. Firstly, the wholehearted worship of Lumin, the sun god of which the entire kingdom was built in worship. And second, the growth and betterment of the kingdom and her peoples right to life, liberty and property.

• No citizen may lay harm against another unless it is in a proctored duel between two willing participants.
• No citizen may intrude on, destroy, steal or otherwise benefit from another citizens property without their consent.
• No citizen may be bound to follow the will of another against their own
• Every citizen has the right to form peaceful protest against the government
• Every citizen is a follower of light, and must partake in the rituals and ceremonies that entail in the religion of Luminosity.
• Every citizen must take part in military service for at least two years, in which they will attend mandatory combat training
• Practice in the dark arts is strictly forbidden, and possession of dark paraphernalia is grounds for immediate exile.

Culture:
Brave, daring, and proud, these words define the citizens of Elysium, the great kingdom of light! The culture of Elysium can be defined as competitive and passionate. The people of Elysium are lead to believe from birth that anyone can become anything if they best the challenges of Lumin. Because of this Elysians are notorious among the other kingdoms for their bravery, and strength of will.. as well as their arrogance and self indulgence. A great deal of Elysian culture is focused around Lumin, the sun god of life. The kingdoms heavily religious nature is often reflected in much of Elysian works of art.

The people of Elysium are hard working and determined, when they start a project they aim to finish it, and finish it properly. Even if it may take much longer Elysians are often very careful with their work, and are reluctant to take shortcuts. Everything they make is judged by Lumin, and because of this they want their work done right. On the other side of the coin though.. when Elysians celebrate it is often loud and prideful! The kingdom has holidays and celebrations often, and every year is a challenge to top the last!

Elysians are a very prideful people, and often carry a great sense of patriotism towards their homeland wherever they go. Many see this as snobbish, but Elysians believe that their love for their kingdom is a beautiful celebration and an act of preservation of their own culture.

Religion:
The people of Elysium follow a very strict religion known as Luminosity, dating back to before the kingdoms creation, Luminosity is a very important part of Elysian culture and tradition to this day. The followers of light worship Lumin, the sun, as the god of all life in Linhael. Many interpretations of Lumin depict him as a wisp like creature surrounded in a halo of light. The religions importance is so ingrained within Elysian culture that the Queen of the kingdom also acts as the highest religious authority, otherwise known as the High Auroran.

Luminosity has two core beliefs:

• The value of all life - To the followers of light, everything the suns rays touch is pure. Lumin is the bringer of life and all of his creations are to be protected. Because of this the followers of light are very hesitant to take another life and will only do so under extreme circumstances in self defense. The followers of light believe so strongly in this ideology that many take up a vegetarian diet in order to preserve the life of the local wildlife, Though there are some exceptions for active military personnel. Even in times of war the Elysians are strict to their beliefs, when armies clash the Elysian army comes to battle with an overwhelming amount of troops, giving a strong show of force in hopes of coaxing their enemy to back down and surrender. And even during a battle Elysian soldiers take prisoners whenever doing so would not put them in peril.

• To grow and become stronger - Normally, when times grow tough, people begin to doubt and question the benevolence and omnipresence of the gods... They lose faith, as clearly a merciful god would not let hard times fall upon their subjects, unless they are either evil or lack the strength they are believed to posses. To the followers of light though, Lumin is a benevolent and loving father, but this doesn't mean that their safety and happiness is guaranteed. No... Lumin is smart, he understands that times of peace and prosperity, are also times of laziness and stagnation, and this is not what he wants for his people. This is why Lumin issues challenges to his children, he creates challenges in every followers daily life that tests their character and forces them to prove themselves again and again, each time growing stronger, better, more whole as a person. Lumin wants his children to earn their glory, earn their prosperity, to revel in the fact that they are who they are because of their own hard work and determination. To the followers of light, the poor, weak, and sickly are not people to be pitied, but simply those with stronger spirits, who need a harsher challenge in order to truly shine. The followers of light strive for perfection, because only then can they truly become close to Lumin

Every citizen is expected to practice the religion and those who dare to do otherwise are persecuted as heretics. Practicing the religion involves prayer, public mass and preaching. Followers of Light are expected to read the Book of Light and follows its Guiding Light Principles in order to be the best they can be.

The Book of Light is an important resource for all Followers of Light. It serves as their religious road map and describes the Lumin’s teachings, principles and rules in great detail. The older books are handwritten in the old fae language and often decorated with stunning colorful ink paintings but newer books are in Luminian. Most commoners will have the mass produced versions while nobles with deep pockets might have a copy of the old fae versions in their homes.

Luminosity is very much a religion of empowerment for the Followers of Light. As such there are principles are in place to guide members of the faith towards virtues that are favored by the religion in order to bring them closer to the Light and help foster a sense of self empowerment.

The five principals of Luminosity:

• A Follower of Light must always carry themselves with a sense of honor and purpose
  
  
• A Follower of Light must always look for a way to better themself.
  
  
• A Follower of Light must always be fair to their brethren
  
  
• A Follower of Light must always be ready to challenge their situation, even against unfavorable odds
  
  
• A Follower of Light must devote themselves to spreading the gospel and always be prepared to share their faith with others.

Politics: The Elysian system of government is rather simple. A king and queen together command most power in government, supported by a counsel of advisers with expertise in certain areas of government. Though, when the king and queen grow old and prepare to retire from their duties, the next ruler is not automatically the royal families next of kin. No, instead, in order to keep in line with the most basic Elysian ideal the king and queen choose the next in line to rule from.. anybody, anyone at all that they see fit to rule.
Though this generally goes to the royal families heir the choice is in place to keep the kingdoms greatest belief intact, anybody can become king, with enough work.


Military: Elysium is well known for their strong military. Because each citizen is required to serve there is no shortage of troops. The Elysian army is mostly well known for it's griffin riders. Trained archers skilled in flying, the griffin riders give Elysium incredible air superiority compared to the other kingdoms. The general strategy of the Elysian army is to use range to their advantage. Much of their army consists of greatbow archers, casters, and griffin riders mixed with foot soldiers which gives them a strong ranged advantage against the enemy.


-Military Divisions:

• Footmen - The most populated division, the footmen are the military’s boots on the ground, they use their impressive numbers to overwhelm the opponent with support from the other divisions.
  
  
• Griffon Riders - A rather self explanatory division, the griffon riders specialize in aerial combat using their great mobility and ranged weapons to great length with strong hit and run tactics on unsuspecting foes. They are also often used as scouts thanks to their ability to quickly and easily maneuver over long stretches of terrain with little evidence left behind. Riders are also able to fight close-combat, though it’s preferred not to due to endangering the Griffon

• Wyvern Sentinels - These troops act like the heavy artillery of the Elysian armies air support. The exact opposite of the light, fast and low to the ground Griffin Riders, the Wyvern sentinels fly high in the air and rain explosives and hails of bolts and arrows down on the enemy! Typically the Wyvern sentinals operate in two man groups flying a single Wyvern, one focusing on flying while the other operating the weapons.
  
  
• Lumin Wards (Mages) - What they lack in numbers they make up with the incredible amount of damage they can do to an unprepared foe. The mages often travel with the help of other divisions as they aren’t very strong or mobile alone. They come to the battle prepared with power spells that can turn the tides of a fight and support their fellow divisions.
  
  
• Sol’s Rays - A division of powerful marksmen who travel in groups and utilize large bows to deal damage over extreme ranges. These greatbow archers usually travel in small groups with other divisions much like the mages, though unlike mages these archers don’t need to be near the front lines in order to be effective.
  
  
• The Dusk Rangers - The spies of the kingdom make up this division, they do not fight on the front lines but instead aid the military in a different way. They slip behind enemy lines to steal information and sabotage the enemy, potentially winning a battle before it can even begin.
  
  
• Solar Storm - The kingdoms siege division, these are soldiers who are trained in the use of heavy, squad based, siege engines. The Solar Storm soldiers always travel in a small groups as the machines they operate are very heavy and take more than one man to properly operate. Generally this division will travel with the footmen in order to breach or destroy an obstacle on the battlefield.
  
  
• Dragon Guard - While technically part of the military, the Dragon Guard does not ever see combat vs other kingdoms, instead they act as a defense force against magical beasts and creatures beyond human understanding. The Dragon Guard uses specialized tactics and equipment in order to take down any inhuman threat that comes to the kingdom.
  
  
• Solari - The High Auroran's personal guard. These soldiers are the elites in their division, often transferred over as a symbol of great honor. The Solari are deeply religions and would go as far as to die for their beloved ruler

Races:

-Summer Fae: The summer fae are the predominant race of Elysium, the story goes that the summer fae were created by Lumin when he blessed them with the power of light magic. The summer fae, overwhelmed with joy at the blessing of their god went on to build the golden city of Alisette in his honor, which has since been the capital city for Elysium to this day. summer fae are very similar to their fae brethren except for their affinity for light magic.

The Summer Fae traditionally hold the majority of ruling positions within Elysium because of their history as Lumin's chosen people.

-Humans: Humans are... humans obviously, you know them well, one of the more standard and dominant races in Linhael. Humans make up a large part of the population of Elysium roughly tied with the Summer Fae. In the kingdom of Elysium humans generally occupy the lower/middle class, their physical strength being much greater than the fae makes them great for positions in physical labor. While it is not uncommon for a human to take office in a lower position of government, and it is perfectly within their rights to run for higher offices. Summer fae still dominate many of the higher up positions of government due to long standing traditions.

-Mountain elves: Hidden within the mountains of Elysium is a tribe of elves known as the mountain elves. These are a much stronger breed than normal elves, made rough by the frigid and dangerous landscape. Mountain elves usually stand very tall, up to 6 feet, and generally have a stronger build than most elves are known for.

Though the mountain elves are fairly prevalent within Elysium, they generally stay away from society and stick to their little tribes because of their strong distaste for industrious civilization. They are a very anti social breed, and often do not talk much to outsiders.




Features:

-Cities and Landmarks:

• The Golden City of Alisette - The capital city, otherwise known as the Golden City of Alisette sits atop the highest point of Mt Solstace, it's great towers parting the clouds above in hopes of touching their benevolent creator. The golden city is a very sacred place in Elysian culture, it is their holy city, their place of worship, a testament to their god. Those that have had the great honor to be admitted within the cites walls speak of a great feeling of warmth and determination, as if Lumin himself smiles down upon them. The city is also a great symbol of power, as it's elevated position makes it visible from nearly everywhere in Linhael.
  Spoiler: The city of Alisette

• Mitis, the city in the mountains - The inhabitants of Elysium were quick to discover precious minerals within Mt Solstace. This sparked a rush between the people of Elysium to be the first to find and mine out the precious gold and silver buried deep in order to turn a profit. The city of Mitis formed originally as a small settlement of human miners hoping to make it rich in a new area of the mountain. But when they found an incredible density of rare ore and minerals, the small settlement exploded in population! Mitis is now the largest mining operation within the kingdom, boasting an entire city formed beneath the earth! The city of Mitis is the economic backbone of the kingdom, as well as an emergency holdout for the rulers and royalty of Elysium. The fact that the city proper is actually cut deep into the mountains makes it incredibly well fortified from attacks.
  Spoiler: The City of Mitis

• Alvia - Because of the kingdoms elevation, many cities and towns are build along the steep walls of the mountain. One of the better known examples of this is the city of Alvia, this city is well known as the breeding and training of Griffons and Wyverns. It's well known among the kingdom that the Griffons and Wyverns trained in Alvia are the best of the best, and because of this many are willing to shell out a great amount of money to acquire them.
  Spoiler: The city of Alvia

• The Albion forest - At the bottom of the mountain range lies a great forest that the summer fae of Elysium trace their roots to. The place is an area of great spiritual importance to the fae, and is heavily guarded by the Solari. Many summer fae of Elysium travel to this forest in pilgrimage.
  Spoiler: The Albion forest

-Languages:

• Luminian - A melodic, musical sounding language where words can have different meaning depending on the tone you use when saying them. The written language is symbol based though it is accompanied by a small alphabet. The language is based on a combination of old fae and human tongue combined. Nowadays this archaic language is mostly used in religious ceremonies and celebrations.

• Common tongue - Most Elysians know how to speak and read common tongue in order to converse and trade with the rest of the world.

-Exports:
Because of the kingdoms position, they sit on a great deposit of precious materials atop their mountain which makes them a great source of precious metals to trade. They are also well known for their rare wildlife, animals such as griffins making great methods of travel with the proper training meaning they are always in heavy demand.

-imports:
The kingdoms location in the mountains makes it incredibly difficult for them to grow their own medicinal and alchemical reagents, because of this they are forced to import a great deal from the other kingdoms. Elysians are also a very materialistic and adventurous people, and are often in demand of rare luxuries and exotic foods.

This was created by a player called nogoodname