[OOC] The Hourglass Order

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Zeroth

Five Gods. Five Magics. Five Thrones.

From the sparkling cities of the Ensollian basin with their spires and minarets that soar into the burning sun, to the vast golden fields of Crisia and Perrence glistening with morning dew and the promise of bountiful harvests, to the proud stone keeps and snowcapped peaks of Eskand in the South, the land of Constantia is one of balance, peace, and time-honoured virtue, bound together by magics gifted to the Firstborn by the Gods themselves. Honest lords and just kings preside over a loyal, beloved, and industrious populace. All is well.

Except that it isn’t.

Following the collapse of the Avincian Empire a thousand years ago at the hands of howling Eskandish hordes, no single entity has been able to unify the disparate peoples of the continent. Petty nobles, conquerors, and greedy kings have fought for the scraps, ruthlessly exploiting the common people and squeezing everything that they can from the land itself. Under their rule, Constantia has bled.

Their grip on power has been maintained through the stranglehold they have over magic. It has been regulated, controlled, studied and, most importantly, monopolized. The ability to use it manifests in arcane and unpredictable ways, but first and foremost, it’s in your blood. If your ancestors used magic, it is likely that you will be able to use it too. If they didn’t, then your chances are slim.

Yet, the march of social progress necessarily follows that of technological. As Constantian culture, learning, and religion have spread across the globe on the sails of caravels and galleons and a wealthy new class of merchants and artisans has emerged, there have been stirrings. Potent new paths to power and prosperity have revealed themselves, and those of common blood have increasingly bought their way into the use of magic by ‘marrying up’. With or without the approval of those in charge of it, the world is changing. Some people warn that the gods are stirring. Others dare whisper that the gods are not real.

Into this potent mix of burgeoning opportunity and lurking peril steps you: a first-year student at the Ersand'Enise Academy of Thaumaturgy. As a member of the storied establishment's newest cohort, you bring your hopes, your fears, your background, and considerable power in 'The Gift' with you. It is said that your group, aged fourteen to eighteen and born during the double ascendance of Shune the Learner, is the strongest in a century. That strength will be needed. Representatives from the world's great nations will be gathering at Ersand'Enise mere weeks after your arrival for the Conclave of the Five Thrones, and tensions are high.

This time, however, the delegates will need to be protected not only from each other's political machinations but from three new and novel threats. Over the past handful of years, aberrations have begun appearing in increasing numbers and this pattern seems unlikely to reverse of its own accord. Holes in the fabric of reality - shapes of man, beast, and object alike formed of the purest blackness - coming into contact with them can empower the magic of those skilled in The Gift at the cost of addiction. However, it can also drive those not as blessed to insanity or even death. For reasons unknown, but perhaps related, the mysterious yasoi have turned precipitously away from human society. The only other sentient species on the planet to actively live among humans, they have been shy friends and unconventional allies for most of history, but the past few decades have seen them become fiercely insular and even hostile. There is talk of them closing the mountain passes that sustain trade and travel for much of the Western half of the continent. Into this scene steps the Traveler: a shadowy but charismatic figure who has been harnessing the power of the aberrations and stirring up class conflict. He preaches a revolutionary message to the common people that threatens war at a pivotal moment. It is clear that he seeks to tear down the existing order, but what he intends to replace it with is as yet unknown.

Of course, you, dear young student, have nothing to worry about. Heads older and wiser than yours have matters firmly in hand. Still... it pays to be vigilant, doesn't it?





🙠 Laws of the Land 🙢

So, what is The Hourglass Order? In short, this is the story of a changing society in its equivalent of the 1600s. Class conflict is in the air, new technologies and philosophies are set to emerge, and old orthodoxies find themselves challenged. These actions play out against the backdrop of a mid-fantasy world called Sipenta, and magic - known as 'The Gift' - is at the heart of everything. Our world isn't just any fantasy setting, however. Instead, it adheres to a sort of fantastical realism. "Because magic" doesn't cut it in Sipenta. Things are driven by a powerful internal logic. 

Yet, that isn't to say that there's no room for wonder. On the contrary, students step into a big wide world full of all sorts of incredible creatures, cultures, and magics. Dispatched on urgent errands and quests by a retired headmaster who recognizes both the dangers and the opportunities of the present situation, these eager youths will often find themselves stepping outside of academy grounds. Between school arcs, groups of them will be cast to the five winds in the hopes that their actions can set the world right... whatever that may look like.

The Pentad of the Quentic Faith
Ipte. Shune. Oraff. Eshiran. Dami.

Lover, Learner, Creator, Destroyer, Judge: All magics and all of creation pay homage to The Pentad who brought them into being. Their existence is beyond human understanding, their ways both arcane and divine, and their gifts the foundations of life itself. May their will be done now and forever.
Ipte: The Lover

Ipte is known as The Lover and occupies the first position in the sign of the Pentad. One places their right hand beneath their left shoulder when making the sign. Like their four fellow Gods, Ipte possesses a female aspect - Ahn-Ipte, the Queen of Beauty - and a male aspect - Ipte-Zept, the Lord of Love. The two aspects' legendary artifacts are the Rose and the Lyre, respectively, and the deity is associated with the element of Air, the Magnetic school of magic, and the year's first season of Hundri, in the depths of winter. The blessing of Ipte, oft delivered by Hundrian monks and nuns, is "Ipte enchant you."
Shune: The Learner

Shune is known as The Learner and occupies the second position in the sign of the Pentad. One places their left hand beneath their right shoulder when making the sign. Like their four fellow Gods, Shune possesses a female aspect - Ahn-Shune, the Keeper of Knowledge - and a male aspect - Shune-Zept, the Seeker of Knowledge. The two aspects' legendary artifacts are the Record Book and the Lantern, respectively, and the deity is associated with the element of Lightning, the Arcane school of magic, and the year's second season of Stresia, when the spring bloom begins. The blessing of Shune, oft delivered by Stresian monks and nuns, is "Shune enlighten you."
Oraff: The Creator

Oraff is known as The Creator and occupies the third position in the sign of the Pentad. One places their left hand upon their right hip when making the sign. Like their four fellow Gods, Oraff possesses a female aspect - Ahn-Oraff, the Giver of Life - and a male aspect - Oraff-Zept, the Preserver of Life. The two aspects' legendary artifacts are the Tree of Life and the Ambrosia, respectively, and the deity is associated with the element of Water, the Binding school of magic, and the year's third season of Dorrad, in the hottest months. The blessing of Oraff, oft delivered by Dordian monks and nuns, is "Oraff keep you."
Eshiran: The Destroyer

Eshiran is known as The Destroyer and occupies the fourth position in the sign of the Pentad. One places their right hand upon their left hip when making the sign. Like their four fellow Gods, Eshiran possesses a female aspect - Ahn-Eshiran, the Hand of Death - and a male aspect - Eshiran-Zept, the Bringer of War. The two aspects' legendary artifacts are the Skull and the Sword, respectively, and the deity is associated with the element of Fire, the Chemical school of magic, and the year's fourth season of Rezain, when the harvest takes place. The blessing of Eshiran, oft delivered by Rezaindian monks and nuns, is "Eshiran spare you" or, in some cases, "Eshiran empower you."
Dami: The Judge

Dami is known as The Judge and occupies the fifth and final position in the sign of the Pentad. One retracts their hands from the hips and presses their palms together in a sign of reverence below their chest. Like their four fellow Gods, Dami possesses a female aspect - Ahn-Dami, the Giver of Choice - and a male aspect - Dami-Zept, the Arbiter of Justice. The two aspects' legendary artifacts are the Scale and the Hammer, respectively, and the deity is associated with the element of Earth, the Kinetic school of magic, and the year's fifth and final season of Somnes, when the harvest is over and cold rains coat the land. The blessing of Dami, oft delivered by Somnian monks and nuns, is "Dami guide you."

The Gift
Magnetic. Arcane. Binding. Chemical. Kinetic.

Magic is a blessing of the Gods and so is called, respectfully, The Gift. Yet, it does not come from nowhere. Before any spells can be cast, no matter how trivial, all magical power must be drawn from sources of energy abundant in the world. The five great schools of magic - Magnetic, Arcane, Binding, Chemical, and Kinetic, draw from the heat, light, metabolic, kinetic, potential, and electric energies of one's surroundings. Those skilled in The Gift may then convert one type of energy into another within themselves. You might draw heat from a raging fire, but that does not mean that you need to cast a fireball. If you can afford an extra few seconds, then you might decide on Arc Lightning from the Magnetic school or a telekinetic shove. Spells from all five canonical schools are made viable through the blessed act of conversion. However, there have long been rumours of other - forbidden - magics: Blood, Atomic, Temporal, and Dark Magics that promise far greater power if used as well as far greater consequences...
Magnetic Magic
Drawing: Magnetic magic draws its energy from the polarity of atoms and molecules, using their tendencies to attract and repel each other to build powerful charges.
Offense: While magnetic mages have a reputation for being defensive counterpunchers, they are more than capable of mounting independent (and often terrifying) offense of their own. They rely on creating charges and polarizations first and then capitalizing on those.
Defense: With Magnetic mages, the line between offense and defense is often blurred, as they tend to be masters of subtle and sneaky techniques that cause their opponents to destroy themselves or set them up to be countered mercilessly.
Utility: Magnetic mages tend not to directly favour utility spells, most of their repertoires being multifunctional. However, their ability to set up their environments, manipulate electric currents, and move charged objects using magnetism can be helpful.

Arcane Magic
Drawing: Arcane magic uses the radiative energy of heat (thermal) and light as a power source. As a result, it has a virtually limitless (and potentially overwhelming) supply of power during the day and in warmer places and considerably less at night and in colder places.
Casts from this school focus on using heat and light in a multitude of different ways. Partially as a result, Arcane is easily the most balanced school in terms of offensive, defensive, and utility spells, boasting impressive flexibility that enables adherents to take either subtle or aggressive approaches. This, combined with the sheer abundance and ready availability of heat and light energy makes Arcane the preferred school for mages than any other.
Offense: In terms of offense, arcane magic users can focus the powers of heat and light to burn and blind. Intensely focused beams of light and heat can cut and burn holes in solid objects, while fire can spread rapidly and offensive draws can cause targets to freeze to death.
Defense: Defensively, arcane magic can warp and bend the visible light spectrum to allow a user to disappear from sight and can manipulate temperatures and the surrounding environment to negate incoming attacks.
Utility: In terms of utility, arcanists can create powerful illusions, as well as provide light and heat. Especially intense heat can cauterize wounds.

Binding Magic
Drawing: Binding magic is unique in that it is primarily a casting school. Drawing is rarely undertaken as it involves not the repurposing of energy but the repurposing of matter by destroying it and using its potential energy. In some cases, this can be used to remove foreign objects from the body and treat patients or to prevent harm. However, the 'blood price' of turning matter into energy is not a reputable form of magic and is strongly discouraged outside of healing utility.
Difficulty: A Binding mage must be highly skilled in the art of drawing, so as not to inflict any harm while removing unwanted matter. She also needs to possess a thorough understanding of the human body and be skilled in the art of converting, for when other -less dangerous - sources of energy are required. Due to the abundance of sources and the horrifying destructive potential of Binding magic if misused, it is only taught at the most prestigious of academies and only to students who pass a rigorous set of tests designed to gauge their intellectual and moral fortitude.
Offense: Binding Magic is not used for offense.
Defense: The ability to covert matter into usable energy, and vise versa, makes Binding a massively powerful school of magic on the defensive side of the ledger. Binding practitioners can destroy enemy projectiles, heal wounds from trivial to fatal, invigorate allies, and materialize barriers for protection.
Utility: There is significant overlap between defense and utility when going the Binding route, but this school of magic remains a powerhouse. The ability to create passages for allies and obstacles for enemies is of considerable use. One may also materialize simple, useful devices. Exceptionally skilled Binders may even 'seal' simple spells by creating items that, when drawn from, release the necessary energy and type of energy for the spell.

Chemical Magic
Drawing: Chemical magic uses the power of chemical reactions as a source. It can use smaller reactions to trigger larger reactions, amplifying the power of the initial spell exponentially and creating a power loop to draw more from. Be careful, though! These can quickly spiral out of control.
Offense: Chemical mages are known for their terrifying array of offensive skills, and these come in two primary varieties: External and Internal. The former focuses on manipulating and often chemically altering the environment to generate powerful reactions in the form of combustion, explosions, and corrosives, which can be further perpetuated for cataclysmic results. The latter focuses on manipulating the biochemical properties of a living target’s body to injure, incapacitate, dominate, or destroy it.
Defense: While they are offensive powerhouses, Chemical mages are markedly weaker on defense, relying predominantly on their ability to keep opponents on the back foot and, at higher skill levels, to deceive and dominate them mentally.
Utility: In terms of utility, Chemical mages possess a plethora of skills beneficial to both themselves and allies, from minor casts augmenting moods and abilities, to transmutation, to powerful healing and even quasi-resurrection spells.

Kinetic Magic
Drawing: Kinetic Magic uses the power of kinetic energy as a source, meaning that the simple act of anything with mass in motion can power it. It also interacts with less obvious forms of motion and energy, such as sound waves and gravity.
Offense: There are three distinct approaches to kinetic offense. The first seeks to manipulate motion and sound within the environment to use it against the target. The second focuses on offensive drawing and manipulating the target itself. The third approach uses the kinetic energy of the environment to turn the caster’s body into a powerful weapon.
Defense: Defensively, Kinetic magic’s telekinesis can allow its caster to throw objects into the path of attacks to act as shield instead of using them as offense. Additionally, the manipulation of sound is a subtle but powerful tool.
Utility: In terms of utility, the telekinetic abilities of the kinetic school are front and center, though their multifunctional nature makes them potent offensive and defensive tools as well. Kinetic spells can also augment their caster’s movements and help him to levitate, making him a very elusive target.

Other Magics
Atomic Magic

Long treated as a sub-school of Arcane and known as 'Deep Arcane', most senior practitioners of The Gift have now come to recognize Atomic Magic as a school in its own right. To draw from this incredibly powerful but near-impossible to master source, one must split or join the very smallest particles of matter imaginable, using the immense power generated to cast spells. The only reason that Atomic Magic has not received official recognition is due to the primacy of Five. There is no God within the Pentad to represent this unofficial school.
Blood Magic

Blood Magic is simply 'Binding Magic' unbound. Due to its immense destructive potential, extreme ease of use, and the spectre of sealed spells being sold to those not versed in the Gift (thereby breaking the noble classes' stranglehold on magic), the school that should be known as Blood Magic and that should be a foundational school, has instead been tamed. Controlled, regulated, and served with a heaping dose of moralism, Binding Magic - the diluted version taught in academies - is nonetheless considered dangerous and its practitioners carefully watched.
Temporal Magic

The average magic caster belongs to an elite group, yet it is rare for even him to have heard more than rumours about Temporal Magic. Its secrets sealed away in dusty old tomes and locked securely in the vaults of the grandest academies' libraries, this is a forbidden magic to all but the most eminent of masters. Practitioners of the Temporal school - numbering no more than two dozen - draw power from the fabric of spacetime itself, manipulating it in order to teleport and manipulate time. Yet, despite offering such fantastic power, Temporal Magic is rarely used. Some say that there is a price to pay; that it causes 'aberrations': holes in the fabric of reality that can drive those who encounter them to the most horrible of insanities.
Dark Magic

Some have heard whispers of a yet-more terrifying magic than that of the Temporal school. It is able to create spells from nowhere. It does not need to draw energy or destroy matter or else the energy and matter that it uses is dark, in a sense, like this unknown potential school.

A World Order

Crystal. Radiant. Verdant. Ivory. Iron.

In the beginning, when the Firstborn crawled out from their caves and looked up at the heavens, they saw five moons in the night sky. When they had grown wise enough in the ways of the world to understand that the five moons were the messengers of the Five members of the Pentad, they found bestowed upon them knowledge of The Gift and many other great things with which to build the civilizations that stand today. This did not happen all in a single place or at a single time. Rather, it came to those who were prepared for it. Five great kingdoms arose to lead the world into the light and grace of the Pentad. Over the centuries, the identities of those Five kingdoms have changed, as all things change. Their mandate has remained, however. Holding one of the Five Thrones marks a country with leadership, power, and blessings. Every five-by-five years, when the conclave of Zenos meets in the hallowed halls of Ersand'Enise, representatives of all civilized lands make their cases as to why their people should hold one of the the thrones with all of the privileges and responsibilities that it entails. Of course... having a little bit of money on hand or an especially large army also helps.
Crystal: Perrence

God represented: Ipte
Currently held by: Perrence (250 years)
Appearance: The current iteration of this throne has been in existence for two-hundred-fifty years, since the Conclave of the Five Thrones began being formally held. Other, similar versions predate it, as Perrence has always held the Crystal Throne. This version is an imposing yet elegant structure made largely of amethyst, tourmaline, and quartz crystals, held together by bands of gold and silver and inlaid with fine filigree in the form of vines and roses. It is often adorned with fresh seasonal flowers and, during Rezain, fine produce, recently harvested.
Radiant: Revidia

God represented: Shune
Currently held by: Revidia (175 years)
Appearance: The current iteration of this throne has been in existence for twenty-five years. It is rebuilt and improved upon before every congregation. This version is made of molded stained glass designed to evoke crashing waves and a seashell-shaped backrest. It is illuminated through the use of Arcane Magic and projects the scenes on its stained glass panels onto the walls of the throne room. Whenever the Radiant Throne is occupied, a practitioner of The Gift must be present to maintain its glow.
Verdant: Eskand

God Represented: Oraff
Currently held by: Eskand (75 years, Ath & Loh disputed)
Appearance: The current iteration of this throne has been in existence since the beginning of recorded history, though it has been used only occasionally, when Eskand is in ascendance enough to justify occupying one of the five thrones. Some theorize that the throne's beauty and storied nature is one of the main reasons why this currently unremarkable nation occupies such a place of honour. The Eskandish version of the Verdant Throne is sculpted from a living tree of unknown species, ancient and gnarled. Great branches snake around it, carefully sculpted over time, forming armrests, providing an evergreen canopy of shade, and blooming with flowers and delectable red fruit seasonally.
Ivory: Belzagg

God Represented: Eshiran
Currently held by: Belzagg (50 years)
Appearance: The current iteration of this throne has been in existence for one hundred years, ever since Belzagg felt it should've been theirs. As relative outsiders to the internal politics of Constantia, this mighty but insular empire was frozen out of the running for a very long time. The throne itself is also known as the Throne of Bones (Lebaz k'Agmar) and is an elegant, eerie structure made of elephant tusks, sabre-toothed tiger fangs, and animal skulls won during the Belzaggic Emperor's hunts. These trophies are polished to a lustrous sheen, inlaid with gold and rare gemstones, and added to the Ivory Throne over time.
Iron: Torragon

God Represented: Dami
Currently held by: Torragon (100 years)
Appearance: The current iteration of this throne has been in existence for one hundred years, but portions of it can be traced back at least three hundred, to the throne of Samauro the Hammer, first chieftain of the Torraro people to be consecrated king. Angular and imposing, the Iron Throne is forged from what seems to be a single massive coal-black hunk of iron. Intricate scenes of the nation's history are carved in thin bands around its back and armrests and, above the monarch's head is mounted the famous Eye of the Judge - Samauro's legendary ruby, which is larger than a man's fist. The great chair is said to be distinctly uncomfortable to sit on. Perhaps this is a reflection of the Torragonese belief that a leader does not command by word, but by action.

Out of Character

One: This story has evolved significantly since the interest check, into something with a large roster of twelve to sixteen players and a far more fantastical world than originally intended. You will all be first year students at the Ersand'Enise Academy of Thaumaturgy, divided into 'apprentice groups' of five, the final member of each being an NPC. You enter the school at a time of considerable intrigue, but there's no definitive 'big bad' yet (or is there?). Aberrations are popping up everywhere and it's certainly alarming, but you can always just not touch them and you'll be okay, right? Then, there's the Traveler and hisher their followers who rove about the countryside, preaching revolutionary ideas, exposing people to the dangerous magic of aberrations, and seeking to inflame tensions. Finally, comes the increasing withdrawal and hostility of the once-common yasoi from human society. It definitely feels like this won't be a normal first year at Ersand'Enise and, indeed, you've now been asked to partake in clandestine 'missions' to try to put some of these ills right... Try to take into account how your characters might interact with some of these factors when designing them.
- TL;DR: sixteen players in groups of four with NPCs. Lorewise, basically think Harry Potter meets Game of Thrones meets Naruto meets Avatar TLA.

Two: Be active but don't neglect your outside life. Cycles will generally be ten days or so. To keep things moving, you're expected to post at least once each cycle as a minimum. Please try to post at least a couple of meaty paragraphs at a time. Consider this lower advanced. We also make regular use of discord for things like non-canon interactions, live combats, and conversations where long paragraphs would be impractical. If you're going inactive for a while, communicate and we can work something out. Otherwise, your character becomes an NPC and being an NPC sucks, right? Ghosting isn't cool. Please don't do it.
- TL;DR: Post every cycle and write quality posts; be available on discord but, otherwise, but there aren't any super rigid guidelines.

Three: Characters should be human, yasoi, or another existing sapient species from within the world. They should be between ages fifteen and twenty. Design your character to be interesting to RP and to play a meaningful part in the story that we'll be co-constructing, not to 'win the game' or be more awesome and 'unique' than everyone else. 'Chosen One' types are boring. If everybody's special, then nobody is. Real life isn't all about main characters. There's a lot of lore, but reading the relevant parts will help, so I encourage it. The most essential rule here is: be a good-faith actor.
- TL;DR: humans or lore-appropriate races only, make sure they fit the setting, and be creative instead of falling back on tropes.

Four: To the end stated above, brazen powerplaying is tiresome and will get you kicked from The Hourglass Order. As for metagaming, a general rule is: RP based solely on what your character knows IC and what she's like IC, not what you know OOC and what you're like OOC. Character development is a good thing and characters can get stronger, but your character can't suddenly pull some temporal magic out of his ass when he's in a tight spot. That's lazy writing and subverts the stakes we're trying to build in a good story. The same goes for 'just knowing' science and tech that someone in an early-modern (equivalent 1600s) setting wouldn't reasonably know. Basically, if you're only looking to play a cataclysmically powerful edgelord necromancer or F E A R L E S S  I N N O V A T O R, I feel you, but you can do it somewhere else. 
- TL;DR: build the story with us in good faith. It's not about 'winning'.

Five: The lore that you'll find over the next handful of posts can be quite intimidating. There's a lot, so of course you're not expected to read it all (though you can if you'd like to). Just make sure that you read the 'Five Gods, Five Magics, Five Thrones' above and the Essential Lore in the three hiders below. Beyond that, I encourage you to look up anything that specifically pertains to your character, particularly the part about Mana Blood Types. The rest is done at your leisure and is not essential in order to craft a good CS. Also, don't hesitate to ask questions on discord if you're not sure. Our Co-GMs, @Ti and @YummyYummy are very helpful people, along with our discord mods @emeth and @Suicharte.
- TL;DR: you don't have to read all of the lore, but read the basics and the parts relevant to what you'd like to do. Ask the nice people for help!
Discord
Don't be shy! Join up if you're interested or even if you just have questions or would like to follow along.


🙡 Essential Lore 🙣
Here, you'll find brief explanations of the remaining essentials for this RPG. Read through this and you'll have a basic idea of what this is about and how it works. If there's something that you don't understand very well or would like to know more about, you'll find it in the next handful of posts under 'Advanced Lore'.

_   __  ___ The Magic ___  __   _

This RPG uses a system of magic that aims for a sort of fantastical realism and that treats magic a bit more like a science. Basically, you draw energy (thermal, magnetic, kinetic, chemical, etc) into yourself from your surroundings and use that power to cast your spells. The type of source and cast are known as the ‘school’ of your magic.
There are four essential components of any spell: drawing, converting, containing, and casting.
The quickest spells pull from a source and cast magic of the same school. E.g. you pull thermal energy from a fire and cast a fireball.
If you’re a bit more skilled, you can take a moment to draw energy from an abundant source and convert it into another type of energy to cast a spell from another school. E.g. you draw from the massive kinetic energy of waves at sea and use it to cast a lightning bolt.
There are numerous ways in which a magic user can increase the power of her spells, but the most basic factor is one’s magic capacity, as measured by the Rahman-Albanda Scale (RAS). Basically, this is the amount of energy that you can draw into yourself from the environment at one time. The more energy that you can draw and contain, the stronger that your spells are.

_   __  ___ The World ___  __   _
Full Size Image

Sipenta is an earthlike low fantasy world full of different languages, cultures, religions, and interesting settings. There are plenty of background politics and lurking dangers. Some particulars are:
The story takes place in a time period roughly similar to the early 1600s on Earth. Society is very class-stratified and the use of magic is near-monopolized by the upper classes.
There are different names for the days, months, and seasons (and different numbers of them) than we're used to.
The Ersand’Enise Academy of Thaumaturgy is located in a region broadly similar to southwestern Europe on the Mediterranean Sea.
There are another intelligent species that inhabit the world of Sipenta along with humans. The most common of these, called the yasoi, have traditionally been present in society amongst us. However, over the past few decades, they have markedly withdrawn.
There has also been an increase in the appearance of aberrations, which are pitch-black holes in spacetime that can cause heightened ability to use magic but also addiction and insanity in those who come into contact with them. For those with very little to no magical capacity, touching an aberration can prove fatal. Some theorize that the aberrations are connected to particular types of magic use.
Recently, a mysterious and charismatic figure known as ‘The Traveler’ has been harnessing the power of these aberrations and stirring up class conflict, preaching a revolutionary message to the common people that threatens war at a moment when delegates of all of the continent’s major nations are set to meet in Ersand’Enise for the Conclave of the Five Thrones. This takes place only once every twenty-five years and, while people older and wiser assure you that there is nothing to worry about, you sense that there is a very good chance that things might get ugly.

_   __  ___ The School ___  __   _

You’re all first-year students entering the Ersand’Enise Academy of Thaumaturgy. It is located in a free city of the same name that is known as a mecca for mages. You’ve entered as part of a five year cohort, so the oldest of you will be eighteen and the youngest will be fourteen. You’ll live and study here, in the city, for the next four to five years, under the care and tutelage of master thaumaturges known as Zenos. You’ll have magic classes (focused on different schools of magic and different aspects of its use) and general classes, as well as some free time. You’ll also be apprenticed to a particular Zeno along with a group of four fellow students and you’ll spend a considerable amount of time with them. However, the dangers mentioned earlier are bubbling just beneath the surface and they threaten to explode and plunge you and your peers - unprepared novices - into the thick of a conflict that could define the future of your world.


🙠 Advanced Lore 🙢
A full, in-depth breakdown of the lore and world of Sipenta, the twin continents of Constantia and Severa, and the Ersand'Enise Academy of Thaumaturgy can be found in the eight posts below.

Religious Lore:In the first post below this one, you will be able to find all guides related to religion in Constantia and Severa.

General Magic Lore:In the second post below this one, you will be able to find all general guides on The Gift.

Specific Magic Lore:In the third post below this one, you will be able to find all in-depth guides on specific schools of magic.

World Lore:In the fourth post below this one, you will be able to find all general and miscellaneous information about the world of Sipenta.

Specific Country Lore:In the fifth post below this one, you will find in-depth descriptions of specific countries.

School Lore:In the sixth post below this one, you will find all relevant information about the Ersand'Enise Academy of Thaumaturgy.

Lore Expansion:In the seventh post below this one, you will be able to find all lore derived from our ongoing story and directly pertaining to it.

Maps and Graphics:In the eighth and final post below this one, you will find all maps and graphics collected for your convenience.


🙡 Dynamic World Spotlight 🙣

The Hourglass Order is an ongoing RPG, and is set in the same continuity as the now-finished O R I F L A M M E. As such, it is a dynamic world with lore that is ever growing and changing. During any given posting cycle, at least a couple of new articles will be created. Those will promptly eventually be made available in the appropriate sections below, but will first be highlighted right here so that they aren't missed!

Under Religious Lore (Post 1)
Coming Soon

Under General Magic Lore (Post 2):
Coming Soon

Under Specific Magic Lore (Post 3):
Coming Soon

Under World Lore (Post 4):
[Coming Soon

Under Nations of Sipenta (Post 5):
Coming Soon

Under School Lore (Post 6):
Coming Soon


🙠 Student Application Form 🙢

The Academy selects its students from among the best and brightest that the finest families of Constantia and Severa have on offer. To make it into these hallowed halls, you will have to provide a compelling case. Be it exceptional wealth, political clout, raw magical talent, or good old-fashioned hard work, you will have to have done something - at some point - to stand out. Otherwise, there are lesser academies for people like you. They aren't bad places by any means; they just... aren't Ersand'Enise. In addition to social, political, monetary, and ability factors, when assessing your application, our admissions council will take into account your understanding of the world, your ability to work with others, a balance between your uniqueness and ease of integration into our system, your literacy level, and your strength of character and dedication to your craft.

 Full Name 


A character quote or motto


 Age | Gender | Nationality | Social Class | RAS Level 


P E R S O N A L I T Y            

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So, I know that your conception of your character can change as the story moves along or even as you write this application and get a feel for her. The purpose of this exercise is to try to think of five (or possibly more) essential traits, followed by a brief paragraph below the bullet points to summarize what your character is like and how we can expect her to interact with others.

L A N G U A G E S            

What languauges can your character speak, and how fluently? How many is he literate in? As a general guide, keep in mind that everyone will be fluent in their native tongue and that virtually all nobles and wealthier merchants would also be expected to know Avincian and perhaps a reasonable amount of one other major language like Perrench, Revidian, Torragonese, Virangish, Belzaggic, or Eskandish.

C H A R A C T E R    A P P E A R A N C E            

What does your character look like? How does he dress? How old is he? What are his defining features? Does he have any particularly noteworthy traits, birthmarks, possessions, or scars?

T H E    G I F T            

Just what can your character do with The Gift? What makes her worthy of entrance into Ersand'Enise? Please provide a clear description of her magical aptitudes, favoured schools (if any), prior training, current magical capacity, and any original spells that she may be working to master. Remember, these are students, so they can be gifted, but they are not masters. The goal here isn't necessarily to be the strongest (though that's not an automatic strike); it's to create a compelling character.

B A C K G R O U N D            

At their young age, perhaps your character doesn't have too much personal history yet, but everybody has a background and a context. What is his home like? Who are his people? What has he done and learned so far in life? Where has he been and who has he met? Please try to keep this below two or three solid paragraphs.

M O T I V A T I O N            

What gets your character up every morning and, more particularly, why is she eager to be here? (or is she?) What does she hope to gain from this opportunity (if she views it as one) and what does she want out of life in general? What are her goals? (and, conversely, what are her fears?)

I N V E N T O R Y            

What sort of personal items, tools, cash, jewellery, or weapons (!) does your character usually carry, and what might we find stashed in his home or dormitory? These should ideally be age, region, and social-class appropriate, have some sort of use, and tell us something about him.

S T R E N G T H S  &  S K I L L S           

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There's more to a character than her magical abilities! What other skills has she acquired outside of The Gift? What are some of her personal strengths? Please remember the early-modern (roughly 1600s) setting of this RPG and try to make skills appropriate.

W E A K N E S S E S  &  F L A W S            

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Nobody's perfect. What are some things that your character just tends to struggle with? What are some personality traits of his that may cause problems for himself and others? Is there anything that most people might expect him to know that he doesn't?

M I S C E L L A N E O U S            

Anything not covered above goes here. You can leave this blank if you like.

[center][h2][u] Full Name [/u][/h2]
[img]i.imgur.com/tZGKpnd.png[/img][/center]
[b][center] A character quote or motto [/center][/b]

[center][h3][b] Age | Gender | Nationality | Social Class | RAS Level [/b] [/h3][/center]

[h3][u]P E R S O N A L I T Y            [/u][/h3]
[indent]❖ [ ]
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So, I know that your conception of your character can change as the story moves along or even as you write this application and get a feel for her. The purpose of this exercise is to try to think of five (or possibly more) essential traits, followed by a brief paragraph below the bullet points to summarize what your character is like and how we can expect her to interact with others.

[h3][u]C H A R A C T E R    A P P E A R A N C E            [/u][/h3]
What does your character look like? How does he dress? How old is he? What are his defining features? Does he have any particularly noteworthy traits, birthmarks, possessions, or scars?

[h3][u]L A N G U A G E S            [/u][/h3]
What languauges can your character speak, and how fluently? How many is he literate in? As a general guide, keep in mind that everyone will be fluent in their native tongue and that virtually all nobles and wealthier merchants would also be expected to know Avincian and perhaps a reasonable amount of one other major language like Perrench, Revidian, Torragonese, Virangish, Belzaggic, or Eskandish.

[h3][u]T H E    G I F T            [/u][/h3]
Just what can your character do with The Gift? What makes her worthy of entrance into Ersand'Enise? Please provide a clear description of her magical aptitudes, favoured schools (if any), prior training, current magical capacity, and any original spells that she may be working to master. Remember, these are students, so they can be gifted, but they are not masters. The goal here isn't necessarily to be the strongest; it's to create a compelling character.

[h3][u]B A C K G R O U N D            [/u][/h3]
At their young age, perhaps your character doesn't have too much personal history yet, but everybody has a background and a context. What is his home like? Who are his people? What has he done and learned so far in life? Where has he been and who has he met? Please try to keep this below two or three solid paragraphs.

[h3][u]M O T I V A T I O N            [/u][/h3]
What gets your character up every morning and, more particularly, why is she eager to be here? (or [i]is[/i] she?) What does she hope to gain from this opportunity (if she views it as one) and what does she want out of life in general? What are her goals? (and, conversely, what are her fears?)

[h3][u]I N V E N T O R Y            [/u][/h3]
What sort of personal items, tools, cash, jewellery, or weapons (!) does your character usually carry, and what might we find stashed in his home or dormitory? These should ideally be age, region, and social-class appropriate, have some sort of use, and tell us something about him.

[h3][u]S T R E N G T H S  &  S K I L L S           [/u][/h3]
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There's more to a character than her magical abilities! What other skills has she acquired outside of The Gift? What are some of her personal strengths? Please remember the early-modern (roughly 1600s) setting of this RPG and try to make skills appropriate.

[h3][u]W E A K N E S S E S  &  F L A W S            [/u][/h3]
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Nobody's perfect. What are some things that your character just tends to struggle with? What are some personality traits of his that may cause problems for himself and others? Is there anything that most people might expect him to know that he doesn't?

[h3][u]M I S C E L L A N E O U S            [/u][/h3]
Anything not covered above goes here. You can leave this blank if you like.


🙡 Welcome to Ersand'Enise 🙣

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Religious Lore
The Pentad of the Quentic Faith
Ipte. Shune. Oraff. Eshiran. Dami.

Lover, Learner, Creator, Destroyer, Judge: All magics and all of creation pay homage to The Pentad who brought them into being. Their existence is beyond human understanding, their ways both arcane and divine, and their gifts the foundations of life itself. May their will be done now and forever.
Ipte: The Lover

Ipte is known as The Lover and occupies the first position in the sign of the Pentad. One places their right hand beneath their left shoulder when making the sign. Like their four fellow Gods, Ipte possesses a female aspect - Ahn-Ipte, the Queen of Beauty - and a male aspect - Ipte-Zept, the Lord of Love. The two aspects' legendary artifacts are the Rose and the Lyre, respectively, and the deity is associated with the element of Air, the Magnetic school of magic, and the year's first season of Hundri, in the depths of winter. The blessing of Ipte, oft delivered by Hundrian monks and nuns, is "Ipte enchant you."
Shune: The Learner

Shune is known as The Learner and occupies the second position in the sign of the Pentad. One places their left hand beneath their right shoulder when making the sign. Like their four fellow Gods, Shune possesses a female aspect - Ahn-Shune, the Keeper of Knowledge - and a male aspect - Shune-Zept, the Seeker of Knowledge. The two aspects' legendary artifacts are the Record Book and the Lantern, respectively, and the deity is associated with the element of Lightning, the Arcane school of magic, and the year's second season of Stresia, when the spring bloom begins. The blessing of Shune, oft delivered by Stresian monks and nuns, is "Shune enlighten you."
Oraff: The Creator

Oraff is known as The Creator and occupies the third position in the sign of the Pentad. One places their left hand upon their right hip when making the sign. Like their four fellow Gods, Oraff possesses a female aspect - Ahn-Oraff, the Giver of Life - and a male aspect - Oraff-Zept, the Preserver of Life. The two aspects' legendary artifacts are the Tree of Life and the Ambrosia, respectively, and the deity is associated with the element of Water, the Binding school of magic, and the year's third season of Dorrad, in the hottest months. The blessing of Oraff, oft delivered by Dordian monks and nuns, is "Oraff keep you."
Eshiran: The Destroyer

Eshiran is known as The Destroyer and occupies the fourth position in the sign of the Pentad. One places their right hand upon their left hip when making the sign. Like their four fellow Gods, Eshiran possesses a female aspect - Ahn-Eshiran, the Hand of Death - and a male aspect - Eshiran-Zept, the Bringer of War. The two aspects' legendary artifacts are the Skull and the Sword, respectively, and the deity is associated with the element of Fire, the Chemical school of magic, and the year's fourth season of Rezain, when the harvest takes place. The blessing of Eshiran, oft delivered by Rezaindian monks and nuns, is "Eshiran spare you" or, in some cases, "Eshiran empower you."
Dami: The Judge

Dami is known as The Judge and occupies the fifth and final position in the sign of the Pentad. One retracts their hands from the hips and presses their palms together in a sign of reverence below their chest. Like their four fellow Gods, Dami possesses a female aspect - Ahn-Dami, the Giver of Choice - and a male aspect - Dami-Zept, the Arbiter of Justice. The two aspects' legendary artifacts are the Scale and the Hammer, respectively, and the deity is associated with the element of Earth, the Kinetic school of magic, and the year's fifth and final season of Somnes, when the harvest is over and cold rains coat the land. The blessing of Dami, oft delivered by Somnian monks and nuns, is "Dami guide you."

Five Gods, Five Orders
The Quentic Faith organizes its religious orders into one for each deity in the Pentad, plus a sixth, for the Lady of Fortune, Reshta. The Five main orders take variations on the names of their associated seasons. Monks and nuns of a given order are responsible to all five divine members of the Pentad, but especially to the particular deity that they serve. Each order also contains suborders, with their own original vestments, purposes, and structure of governance. Every monastery of monks or convent of nuns is headed by an abbot or abbess, respectively. These are almost always members of the nobility, while other members may be of any social class.The Hundrian Order
Deity Served: Ipte
Associated Season: Hundri
Blessing: “Ipte enchant you”
Overview: Dedicating their lives to the god of love and beauty, hundrians focus on feeling over thinking, being sincere and heartfelt, and bringing joy to those around them. While some more conservative forces view this group with skepticism or even suspicion, and there are those who think the Vermillion and Turquoise Orders in particular little more than casanovas, temptresses, and immoral types, these are great generators of revenue for the order and the church in general.
Percentage of Monastics: 16% 
Suborders:
Gold Order Hundrians: Counselors and advisors who facilitate family relationships 
 - 50% nuns, 50% monks
 - 14% of the order
Green Order Hundrians: Gardeners and animal husbandry who cultivate beauty in nature 
 - 40% nuns, 60% monks
 - 19% of the order
Vermilion Order Hundrians: Courtesans and escorts dedicated to the arts of sexual love
 - 70% nuns, 30% monks
 - 28% of the order
Orange Order Hundrians – Counselors and therapists committed to facilitating marriages
 - 60% nuns, 40% monks
 - 12% of the order
Turquoise Order Hundrians – Performers, muses, and models who showcase human beauty
 - 40% nuns, 60% monks
 - 27% of the order
The Stresian Order
Deity Served: Shune
Associated Season: Stresia
Blessing: “Shune enlighten you” or "Shune's Light"
Overview: Dedicating their lives to the keeping and pursuit of knowledge and learning, Stresians focus on thinking before feeling, being rational, thorough, and critical, and bringing wisdom and solutions to those around them. While some suborders are viewed as boring, and others as potentially subversive, particularly after their role in the Joruban Revolution, this is generally considered the highest status of the five main orders and a disproportionate number of its members are noble or at least capable of using The Gift.
Percentage of Monastics: 18%
Suborders:
Stresian Scribes: responsible for the transcription of books and recordkeeping
 - 60% nuns, 40% monks
 - 21% of the order
Stresian Sages: live in remote areas engaged in the study of time, space, and magic
 - 50% nuns, 50% monks
 - 3% of the order
Stresian Philosophers: scientists, thinkers, and inventors engaged in the natural sciences
 - 30% nuns, 70% monks
 - 23% of the order
Stresian Scholars: teachers, instructors, and researchers 
 - 50% nuns, 50% monks
 - 25% of the order
Stresian Thaumaturges: scholars and practitioners of magic, particularly holy magic
 - 60% nuns, 40% monks
 - 28% of the order
The Dordian Order
Deity Served: Oraff
Associated Season: Dorrad
Blessing: “Oraff keep you”
Overview: Dedicating their lives to the creation and preservation of life, Dordians focus on growing, fostering, and augmenting that around them, providing love, nourishment, support, and protection to their fellow believers and all of creation. While some suborders are viewed as passive and 'feminine', and others as potentially warmongering, particularly the Unconquered Sun, this is generally considered the holiest of the five main orders and a disproportionate number of its members go on to sainthood or are considered Pentangels after death.
Percentage of Monastics: 17%
Suborders:
Sisters of the Sunrise: dedicated to assisting with childbirth and infant care
 - 100% nuns
 - 19% of the order
Sisters of the Sunset: doctors, healers, and carers for the elderly
 - 100% nuns
 - 10% of the order
Brothers of the Sunset: doctors, healers, and carers for the elderly
 - 100% monks
 - 13% of the order
Brothers of the Unconquered Sun: protectors, paladins, and magical healers
 - 100% monks
 - 22% of the order
Sisters of the Unconquered Sun: magical healers, menders, and protectors 
 - 100% nuns
 - 15% of the order
Children of the Nourishing Sun: dedicated to the preservation and protection of nature
 - 50% nuns, 50% monks
 - 21% of the order
The Rezaindian Order
Deity Served: Eshiran
Associated Season: Rezain
Blessing: “Eshiran empower/spare you”
Overview: Dedicating their lives to the necessity of death, destruction, and commemoration as part of the natural cycle, Rezaindians focus on caring for, euthanizing, mourning and commemorating the dying, maintenance of graveyards and monuments, and the waging of war against heathens and evildoers. While some suborders are viewed as cruel, vicious, and warlike, and others as grim and depressing, this is generally considered the order with the greatest opportunity for advancement and travel. Many of its members are to be found in the annals of heroes and legends.
Percentage of Monastics: 22% 
Suborders:
White Rezaindians: care for the dying, easing their passage to the afterlife
 - 80% nuns, 20% monks
 - 12% of the order
Grey Rezaindians: burial of the dead, mourning, and commemoration
 - 70% nuns, 30% monks
 - 10% of the order
Black Rezaindians: assassins in service of the Death God
 - 20% nuns, 80% monks
 - 8% of the order
Brown Rezaindians: maintenance of graveyards and monuments
 - 40% nuns, 60% monks
 - 9% of the order
Red Rezaindians: warrior monks who spread and protect the faith
 - 10% nuns, 90% monks
 - 38% of the order
Blue Rezaindians: disposal and destruction of unwanted things
 - 40% nuns, 60% monks
 - 23% of the order
The Somnian Order
Deity Served: Dami
Associated Season: Somnes
Blessing: “Dami guide you”
Overview: Dedicating their lives to the pursuit and arbitration of justice, choice, and free will, Somnians focus on understanding, ordering, and judging, providing support, advice, encouragement, and justice to those who exercise their free will. While some suborders are viewed as being in tension with each other, and some clandestine and unsavoury, Somnnians believe strongly in the imporotance of choice and informed decisions if there is to be true justice in the world. This order is known, in particular, for having the ear of the powerful.
Percentage of Monastics: 17%
Suborders:
High Somnians: judges, lawyers, and justices of the peace
 - 30% nuns, 70% monks
 - 24% of the order
Old Somnians: advocates - keepers and enforcers of tradition and morality
 - 50% nuns, 50% monks
 - 17% of the order
New Somnians: advocates - challengers of traditional morality, guarantors of free choice
 - 50% nuns, 50% monks
 - 17% of the order
Grand Somnians: advisors to royalty and high nobility, lawmakers
 - 30% nuns, 70% monks
 - 7% of the order
Light Somnians: protectors of due process, fairness, and legal transparency 
 - 60% nuns, 40% monks
 - 25% of the order
Dark Somnians: dispensers of vigilante justice, clandestine challengers of injustice
 - 20% nuns, 80% monks
 - 10% of the order
Other Orders and Faiths

While Quentism and the Angic Way are well known for their monastic orders, The Path of the yasoi allows only for its itinerant variety, and Darhanna forbids it in the strictest sense. Instead, it allows for 'Schools' of belief that act to maintain religious doctrine and apply its principles.
The Lindrian Order
Deity Served: Reshta
Associated Season: none
Blessing: “Reshta favour you”
Overview: Dedicating their lives to probability, luck, and fair chance, Lindrians focus on granting, predicting, and managing fortune, acting as guarantors, providers, and recipients of chance, charity, the necessity of randomness and unpredictability for those around them. Some suborders are viewed as unsavoury, and others as potentially extraneous, and many question the legitimacy of the order in general. Yet, as a home for second-chancers and divergent thinkers, the Lindrian order has produced a surprising number of success stories. 
Percentage of Monastics: 10%
Suborders:   
Beggar Priests and Priestesses: believed to take misfortune upon themselves to spare others from it. Good omens.
 - 60% nuns, 40% monks
 - 19% of the order
Dread Priests and Priestesses: masters of curses, hexes, voodoo. Bring misfortune and suffering upon those deserving.
 - 50% nuns, 50% monks
 - 9% of the order
Flourishing Priests and Priestesses: run state and church lotteries and dispense charity from anonymous donors.
 - 40% nuns, 60% monks
 - 17% of the order
Wagering Priests and Priestesses: inspect, maintain, and run gambling and betting operations to ensure fairness.
 - 30% nuns, 70% monks
 - 33% of the order
Random Priests and Priestesses: jokers, creatives, 'madmen', and eccentrics who specialize in divergent thinking.
 - 40% nuns, 60% monks
 - 9% of the order
Balancing Priestesses: one-legged nuns who act as recorders and extrapolators of patterns and probability. Mostly noble exiles.
 - 100% nuns
 - 9% of the order
The Chamarine School
Deity Served: Vashdal
Associated Season: none
Blessing: “Vashdal witness you” or "dream well"
Suborders:
Black Chamarines: guardians of time, the timeline, and continuity
 - 7% of the school
Grey Chamarines: protectors and guarantors of religious purity, ritual, and belief
 - 26% of the school
White Chamarines: keepers of history and historical narrative, learned storytellers
 - 21% of the school
Warm Chamarines: spiritual mediums, seers, augurs, astrologers, and fortunetellers who advise on the future
 - 17% of the school
Cool Chamarines: mathematicians, psychologists, natural scientists, and modelers who advise on the future
 - 29% of the school

Scripture of the Quentic Faith_________  __  __   _   _

Known by many names in many languages, but in Avincian as the Menana, this holy book proclaims the word of the Pentad as spoken through the saints and prophets. The early chapters share many of the same stories and conceits as the Orpash, holy book of The Path, but adapt these to be more favourable towards humans and less towards yasoi. Later chapters focus on the wisdom of the Gods and the acts of people. It is divided into three sections, known as testaments:
The First Testament

This is the opening portion of the Menana and includes the story of how the world was formed, how the first people came to be, and how the light of the Pentad was brought to them. It includes three 'books':
1) Foundations describes how the five gods of the Pentad conceived of the world and empowered Oraff to bring it into being. 
2) Origin imparts the story of the first yasoi and the harmony of the beginning times. It details their exile from the Field of Plenty for their greed and ends with the bet between Oraff-Zept and Ahn-Eshiran that these foolish people would not know the Pentad.
3) Rebirth tells the story of how humans came to be and how the light of the Pentad was made known to the world. Dami judged the yasoi wanting, so their civilization was destroyed and they were cast into the mountainous wilderness by Eshiran. Yet, some were judged better than others and Shune then provided Oraff with guidance in how to remake them into the first humans. 
4) Darkness is the story of the time before humans discovered the light of the Pentad. Unlike with the yasoi, who grew greedy and complacent, the gods decided not to simply give humans that knowledge but, instead allow them to discover it. 
5) Light details how the true knowledge of the Pentad was brought to the yasoi under King Namyel. He and his followers were struggling in their homeland and Shune told him how he might prosper if he were to go to the human lands and minister to them. Thus, humans were enlightened to the existence of the Pentad.
The Testament of Acts

The second testament of the Menana covers the acts of prophets, saints, and other great actors in the history of the faith and of Quentic peoples. It is subdivided into two sections: Before the Clash and After the Clash, referring to the conflict between Macianus III of Avince and Fradje Ironshaper of the Eskandr.
The Testament of Wisdom

The third and final testament of the Menana covers the wisdom of the Gods and how one might best follow them and their ways in the respective pursuits and facets of life that they govern.

In the name of the Lover, the Learner, the Creator, the Destroyer, and the Judge: Amen.

Structure of the Quentic Church

Optimates: The heads of the church, both have traditionally resided in Avince. However, starting two-hundred fifty years ago, they began to reside, one each, in Verrano (Revidia) and Varennes (Perrence). The Optimate of Ahn, who is always female, and the Optimate of Zept, who is always male, alternate between the two cities every five-year cycle. The former is considered to be in ascendance whenever the year cycle is in Ahn, and the latter whenever the year cycle is in Zept. They are the highest authority in the church and all decisions of truly great import require them to agree.

Cardinals: There are two fundamental designations of cardinals: Regnant and Supplicant. Twenty-five of the former exist in Quentendom at any given time and are considered 'Princes' and 'Princesses' of the church. Each presides over a particular nation or region and, in lieu of Optimal authority, act as supreme executors of the church. Then ten supplicants reside in the Holy Sees of Verrano and Varennes two are dedicated to each member of the Pentad. Those in Verrano are responsible for managing the five great holy orders, while those in Varennes see to church doctrine and theological matters.

Archbishops: Acting as a halfway point between cardinals and bishops, and answering to the former where practical, the fifty archbishops of the faith reside in sizable cities, presiding over regions within a larger country distant from the cardinal's seat, smaller countries, or essentially acting as cardinals on the frontiers of the faith. 

Bishops: The 'counts of the church', bishops act as the lowest level of governing authority considered equal to that of the nobility. Residing in cities and large towns, they act as arbiters on local matters and pass those of higher import up to cardinals. Abbots are considered bishops.

Priests: Residing in local parishes, these widespread non-noble preachers are the backbone of the Quentic Faith.

The Afterlife in Quentism and Darhanna
There are five heavens and five hells, each associated with the God that you most emulated or affronted in life. You are placed in the appropriate one upon reaching the afterlife. However, if one is also virtuous enough in the eyes of the other gods, she or he may move between the heavens. 

Hells are a bit different. One might affront Ipte by being cruel and heartless, by destroying beauty, and causing hatred instead of love. An affront to Shune would be purposeful ignorance, failure to learn from mistakes, and spreading misinformation. Oraff would be offended by one who causes needless, gratuitous death and damage and who is cruel to or harms children and elders. The wroth of Eshiran is reserved for cowards, cheaters, those who try to preserve what should be let go, and those who dishonour the dead. Dami's vengeance is cast upon tyrants, oppressors, and people who take away the choice of others. Those who dispense injustice instead of justice and, conversely, those who consistently refuse to make decisions and take action when they could.

On balance, one must have done more good than ill in the eyes of a god to avoid condemnation to that god's hell. Overall, one must be judged worthy by at least three to be assigned a heaven instead of a hell. If one loses out 3-2, a good enough showing in hell may allow one to eventually rise to heaven. If it is 4-1, a person may earn an eventual end to their suffering. If one has done ill by all five gods, she or he is irredeemable and damned to an eternity of agony and suffering.

The Ten Grand Demons preside over the Five Hells, and each represents a vice or sin. After the gods themselves, these and the Ten Archangels, who live in the heavens and represent virtues, are the universe's most powerful beings. All were said to have once been human. Indeed, a wicked or good enough human can replace them. Finally, comes Reshta, Lady of Fortune, who is neither angel nor demon and yet both.

In Darhannic cultures, the afterlife is superficially similar, with five heavens and five hells. However, these are viewed as 'dreams' or 'nightmares' instead, from which one's soul will eventually awaken to live eternally in either paradise and plenty or terror and deprivation. They believe that these somnambulant states of the soul are journeys that will lead to the truth of one's being and that they may allow one to move between heavens and hells. A person who has lived poorly will not be condemned upon death, but many will often remark that she or he had best 'dream productively'. The sixth and head deity, Vashdal - the Sleeping God who sees all - takes an active role in the placement of souls in these dreams or nightmares, and some people must walk through many, judged in each by their associated deity. Finally, Reshta, the mortal daughter of Vashdal, will enter these dreams in the end times to render verdict upon the soul.

Angels and Demons

When a soul reaches a heaven or hell, it is judged on its mortal deeds. Those judged especially virtuous or vile will be raised or lowered to become angels or demons, respectively. Overseeing these are Pentangels and Vendemons, carved from the essences of the most extreme souls. Finally, at the top exist the ten Archangels and Grand Demons, and it is held that these, too, are descended from the very greatest and worst of mortals. Each represents a particular one of the Ten Great Virtues or Ten Great Vices. Practically speaking, these figures are named by the Optimate in Verrano and there are often significant political implications. Whenever one is replaced, it is often an occasion for great celebration and rancor. Some regional churches, such as those in Eskand and Torragon, refuse to acknowledge certain choices and this has nearly led to formal schisms in the faith. Thus, the Cardinals of these regional archdioceses are given 'Freedom of Culture' to name their own Archangels and Grand Demons if hey see fit, the former often chosen from among a nation's saints and the latter from among its most infamous foes and monsters. Below is a list based on standard church doctrine. 

The Ten Vices and Associated Grand Demons:

Greed: Zagnath (Fradje Ironshaper)
Arrogance: Belthagor (Balthazar of Zamast)
Cruelty: Hetraxa (Alizee Arslan)
Indolence: Kormrigas (Crevarius II) 
Envy: Yazan (Wulfric of Kressia)
Treachery: Iptacht (Marles of Solenne)
Tyranny: Yabuchadzan (Hrothgar the Black)
Cowardice: Edelrad (Edelrad)
Insolence: Isipisos (Lasii'ladi'oiyesren)
Stupidity: Ashanaz (Ashari Al-Qazur)

The Ten Virtues and Associated Archangels:

Generosity: Munificand (Branimir of Warlisz)
Humility: Reverix (Helena of Thalakos)
Kindness: Amicix (Aurelia of Carollia)
Vigor: Valenand (Macianus III)
Contentment: Contenand (Otto of Lindermetz)
Integrity: Fidelix (Eleanor de Perpignan)
Justice: Verusand (Benedict the Blessed)
Bravery: Forticand (Arcel the Victorious)
Civility: Comix (Junianna Arbrozzi)
Cleverness: Sagand (St. Defrois)

Equal to but outside of these twenty exists Reshta (known as Vyshta in yasoi), the uncrowned goddess of Fortune. A wholly impartial arbiter of fate, she is the counterpart of Dami's intelligent judgement. Neither angel nor demon, she is paradoxically both.

Five Heavens, Five Hells

According to Ipte

Heaven: known as Ipte's Palace, it is a place of much beauty and love, where music and art flourish and good people can spend their eternity together. Endless pleasures of sensory, sexual, emotional, and tactile varieties can be found.

Hell: truly bleak, this hell is an endless, empty, and barren landscape that the damned soul wanders through with dulled and muted senses. It is eternal and unrelenting. 

Redemption: This is achieved through somehow creating love or beauty in the hopeless hellscape of Ipte. The demons know if this is genuine or not. You must embody the god's virtues while literally going through hell.

According to Shune

Heaven: known as Shune's Library, it is a place of endless adventure, exploration, and learning. One can 'leap into' books and live through their pages. This can be done fictionally but also as a form of reincarnation into a different place or time. This allows your soul to learn and discover more but comes with risks as well.

Hell: A maddening and endless labyrinth, it is relentlessly hopeless, dull, and unnavigable to the point of being hellishly boring. You find yourself very forgetful. The maze tantalizes you with escape at first, yet you never can achieve it. It changes in ways that make no sense and defy existing laws of nature, rendering your knowledge useless. In a sense, it is a hell of endless frustration. 

Redemption: You can be redeemed by freely and kindly sharing what you know with others and by always endeavouring to and finding ways to learn in a place where it seems impossible. 

According to Oraff

Heaven: known as Oraff's Garden, it is a place of infinite wonder and beauty, fantastical biomes, and flourishing life, like the Garden of Eden. Here, as one blessed by Oraff, you have the tools to sculpt life of your own and bring it into existence. It is an Endless Grove of Creation and all animals and plants, it is believed, come from here.

Hell: This is a place of endless death. Your soul resembles and feels like your physical body but receives no nourishment or sustenance. This body dies and decays, yet you remain conscious and helpless against first the agony and then the inability to do anything. This extends to the world, which starts out beautiful and dies around you. You eventually collapse into nothing and begin again, but you remember each cycle and the experience becomes increasingly tarnished. 

Redemption: You can be redeemed by trying to protect life within the hellscape. Either as a way out or as a final rite of passage to redemption, you may be reincarnated as an animal commonly slaughtered.

According to Eshiran

Heaven: It is known as Eshiran's Colosseum: You live here training, fighting, and learning, to achieve epic levels of strength. This newfound skill and might can then be tested against beasts and monsters from the mortal plane and even against the creations of Oraff's Gardens. You may receive wounds and understand the feeling of them but never suffer. It is a place of endless invigorating challenge.

Hell: Your punishment is weakness. You are repeatedly reincarnated as a weak, lowly animal. You join the hunt with no chance of living and are endlessly hunted. Even more sadistically, you get to go to the heaven of Eshiran's Colosseum as a weak creature. 

Redemption: You can be redeemed by showing bravery and willpower and never giving up in spite of your hopeless circumstances. 

According to Dami

Heaven: It is known as Dami's Chamber. You are welcomed into the ruling body that makes the laws of heaven and hell and called to the judgment body of souls. You can choose to reincarnate at any time if you wish. You can also freely visit any Heaven or Hell. This is considered the most difficult of all heavens to enter.

Hell: This is a multilayered hell. The first is a world very much like the one you came from. Yet, it is a place of constant, harsh, unrelenting judgement. Every single one of your deeds and thoughts is judged by the demons and you are aware of it, almost as if it is a social credit score. The second layer is simply an unending void. You are conscious, but there is no stimulation whatsoever for you to encounter.

Redemption: You can be redeemed by demonstrating thought that is consistently both logical and compassionate. If you are condemned to the void, however, there is no escape.

The Darhannic (Hexaic) Faith


As many know and acknowledge, the Quentic Faith is dominant throughout much of the twin continents of Constantia and Severa. We can think of if as occupying a place similar to that of Christianity during the Renaissance. It is, however, a significantly different religion in many respects, being polytheistic and more based upon dualities.

Also recognized is the yasoi practice, which is called the 'Chosen Creed'. This is broadly similar to Quentism, though it has some fundamental differences in how it handles the nature of deities and divinity. It also views the yasoi as a 'chosen people.'

The second largest and second most important religion, however, is Darhanna (Hexaism). Some have called it a monotheistic religion masquerading as polytheistic. The five essential deities of Quentism (Ipte - the lover, Shune - the learner, Oraff - the creator, Eshiran - the destroyer, and Dami - the judge), with their male and female aspects, are based upon the five moons that appear in the night sky and are present in Darhanna as well. However, in this faith, the planet Sipenta (Hammurat) itself is considered to represent a deity too.

That deity is Vashdal, the Dreamer. This sixth and greatest of Gods comprises two aspects: Ahn-Vashdal - the seer of what has been, and Vashdal-Zept - the seer of what is to come. It is held that they reside deep in semi-eternal slumber, embracing each other. Darhannists believe that the dreams of Vashdal are what created the other Gods, and what govern what takes place on Sipenta and all that lives upon it. When the Dreamer awakens, it will be Marhazannet: the Time of Judgement. 

Should Vashdal awaken from a pleasant sleep, Ipte, Oraff, and Shune will have all limits on their generosity removed and creation will not only continue, it will flourish. All people will be granted the power of the Gods. Should the Dreamer awaken from a nightmare, however, Vashdal will allow Dami to pass harsh judgement and Eshiran to run rampant. Creation shall face its end. Thus it is written in the Ar'qush, as kept by the Chamarine Order.

This is the sixth great holy order of the twin continents, but is quite small in numbers and is only active within the countries that practice Darhanna. Its monks and nuns must all possess the Gift. They fall into two suborders. Greyscale Chamarines are Keepers of the Dream. They maintain the continuity of existing narrative in terms of history, belief, and (some say) time itself. Rainbow Chamarines are the Shepherds of the Dream. They are psychologists, mathematicians, mystical seers, and astrologers who advise those in positions of power and act at pivotal moments to influence events.

Of course, this entire system is considered blasphemous by Quentists whose religion is technically the older of the two. In particular, they view Vashdal as a heretical addition to their pantheon with a basis in neither scripture or reality, but instead in ancient superstitious belief.

In truth, Vashdal is a holdover: the prime deity of an ancient monotheistic religion known as Zihapset which used to be practiced all across Severa. Darhanna is the uneasy compromise that resulted when Quentism tried to spread to the region. While eastern Severans adopted the new practice, people of the western half of the continent accepted the new deities, but placed these below their own. Thus was formed a new faith.

While Darhanna thrives in Inipor, Virang, Paggon, Malabash, Tettar Kansa, and Firraz, and is present in Balbri, it suffered a major blow when the Zaqhory people of what is today Torragon were conquered by Torraro invaders from Constantia. Here, it survives only in stubborn pockets in the high desert, especially among non-Torraro people. Many have actually adopted Torraro-sounding names in order to avoid discrimination and to lessen suspicions about their faith. Yet, the noose has been tightening. While the state religion has been Quentism for the past 350 years, Darhanna believers used to be able to pay a head tax to continue practicing. This was revoked 88 years ago amid a spasm of superstition and persecution.

The Darhannic (Hexaic) World

For your convenience, think of these countries as being roughly analogous to Arabic, Persian, and Mughal-era Indian equivalents on Earth.

Virang, in particular, is a great power, and often allied with Belzagg and Perrence across religious lines against Torragon, Joru, and Revidia. It is a hot place, covered by vast swathes of rainforest as well as some mountainous regions on its southern peninsula. Terraced fields, intensive agriculture, and burgeoning cities abound. The eastern edge of this country is bounded by the great Miharapori River system, which is navigable all of the way up past Lake Ahangaziz and is an invaluable part of Virang's transportation, trade, and cultural fabrics.

Inipor is the cultural and religious heart of the Darhannic world. Think of it as occupying a position similar to Saudi Arabia, but full of lush tropical lowlands and wetlands instead of harsh desert. There, vast ancient cities, with their spires and minarets, soar into the humid air, and fertile fields spread across the river pans. Within the sparkling, cosmopolitan capital of Hashah, one may find the Endless Library of Hanom'Riqash, the Silver Palace of Menhashah, and the Great Idasque of Inipor - the holiest site in all of the Darhannic faith. 

Malabash is mostly subtropical highlands, graduating from rugged bamboo forests in the far west to a lush region at the headwaters of the Miharapori, full of terraced fields and mostly rural in character. It is a peaceful, neutral nation for the most part, relying on its terrain, its relative lack of wealth, and a stout defense to discourage would-be invaders. The eastern section, which borders Torragon, is known for being quite arid, though important for trade. Think of Malabash as being like classic Afghanistan, Eastern Persia, and Pakistan.

Firraz is a dry, scorching, desolate place. It is the last remaining homeland of the Zaqhory culture after it was wiped out when the lands known today as Torragon were conquered by the mounted hordes of the Torraro. The western 'fork' is endless rolling dunes while its eastern counterpart trends rockier and more Mediterranean by the coastline. The people here are hardy, communal, and quite xenophobic. They are known for being suspicious, superstitious, and backward.

Tettar Kansa is the remote outpost at the edge of the Darhannic World and, according to some, exists because Malabash cannot be bothered to conquer it. Yet, this largely-rural country (not a nation as it is made up of at least a dozen different ethnic groups and languages) is more important than it appears, controlling much of the shipping traffic that travels through the Strait of Temacca. 

If Tettar Kansa is the northern outpost of the Darhannic World, then Paggon is its southern equivalent. The only Darhannic country located in Constantia, it has only avoided being the target of endless holy wars because of the six Yasoi nations that separate it from the Quentists. A mercantile oligarchy located on a rugged, mountainous peninsula covered in cloud forests, it is known for being importer, exporter, and originator of rare and valuable wares and produce.

The Five Wardens_________  __  __   _   _
Father. Mother. Sister. Brother. Visitor.
The Gods of the Eskandr are not all-powerful. These people are not so arrogant as to claim such though, in recent years, as their culture has rubbed up increasingly against that of the Greenlanders, their gods seem to have gotten stronger, perhaps in competition with those of the Pentad. While the two pantheons would seem to share the essential similarity of being based around five deities, it is not this simple. Rather, the Eskandr view four of their five main deities as a family, with each of the five members acting as warden over a particular realm. There are many lesser deities to help them, along with demigods, wilderness spirits, and ancestral guardians. Below is a rough guide to the Eskandr belief system.

Realms & The Femrigr_________  __  __   _   _
Arbeid. Hjem. Glede. Krig. Død.

To the Eskandr, there are five essential realms of being, each representing a particular set of spaces and activities within the world (and without). These are Abeid (Work), Hjem (Home), Glede (Pleasure), Krig (War), and Død (Death). As you move from one place and pursuit to another, you move between the protection of the Five Warden Gods. The realms which they guard and the duties of people are recited by Eskandr children in a rhyme known as the Femrigr. Many carry its words with them through adulthood and will repeat it as a sort of comforting ritual.

Father guards the realm of work, for he is strong and sure.
He knows his job and does it well, just as I know mine.
Mother guards the hearth and home, and there we pray to her.
She will feed me and protect me up until I cross that line. 
Sister walks to market and hurries about town,
Yet she makes time for merriment and just as well should I.
Brother fights the Greenlanders and strikes his rival down.
I will follow him with bravery, from now until I die.
To act with grace and purpose, I shall always do my best,
Until the Visitor arrives and takes me off to rest.

Father_________  __  __   _   _

Father is provider and protector. He is generous but stern. His realm is that of duty, work, and labour. He is warden of leaders, fathers, men, labourers, craftsmen, brewers (disputed with Sister), miners, sailors, farmers, rain, the harvest, and judgement. There are lesser deities to help him with each of these. In terms of physical space, Father's protection extends to all public and work spaces, farms and work animals, and to the sky. He is known for his temper when wronged, however, and is also the secondary deity of War after Brother. In particular, he watches over sailors, foragers, and engineers.

Father is happily married to Mother, though he grows a bit lecherous as he ages. Despite his wandering eye, he never actually strays. This is a subject often addressed playfully in Eskandr literature, song, and performance. Father has also grown rather stout, courtesy of Mother's excellent cooking, but remains incredibly strong. He will often carry mother to bed. His is also the job of ridding the property of pests, as Mother is usually too busy, Brother is away, and Sister is afraid of them. Though brewing is under the wardenship of Sister, Father is so fond of mead around feast days that it is said that he has unofficially stolen it from her. Thus it is considered a customary offering to him. 

Mother_________  __  __   _   _

Mother feeds, warms, and clothes her children. She is kind and loving, but expects much. Her realm is that of the hearth and home. She is warden of food and drink, filial and parental love, water, childbirth, memory, and learning. Beloved of Mother are cooks, mothers, women, teachers, homebuilders, storytellers, priests, scribes, sailors, and children. There are also lesser deities to help her with each of these. In terms of physical space, Mother's protection extends to all homes, harbours, and churches and to the sea. She often looks after sailors and brings them home safely.

Mother is happily married to Father though, as she ages and he fattens, her eye starts to wander- a fault that she often chastises him for. Still, she has never actually strayed. Mother often frets about the order of creation, from great to small things, and her obsessive, anxious attention to detail is often addressed playfully but respectfully in Eskandr song, literature, and performance. It is said that she has a magical goat, Heldig, who she lets taste all of her creations before giving them to Father, Brother, or - especially Sister, since the latter is a very picky eater. Mother herself appreciates currant pie very much, but it is the one thing that she cannot cook well, so Sister or Brother often bring it to her. This is seen as an appropriate offering.

Sister_________  __  __   _   _

Sister is a merry soul who brings light, love, and laughter to the world, but she can be fearsome when angered. Her realm is that of pleasure, community, and romantic love. She is warden of lovers, girls, merchants, brewers (disputed with Father), bargaining, beauty, sexual intercourse, gambling and gamblers, games, and mischief. There are also lesser deities to help her with each of these. In terms of physical space, Sister's protection extends to all public spaces within the community that aren't work spaces and all gatherings and parties. Along with brother, she guards the land. Sister is also not to be trifled with, however, and is the tertiary deity of War after Brother and Father. In particular, she is the guardian of scouts and rangers.

In terms of her temperament, Sister is very much like Father. She is a shameless flirt but still guards her dignity to a respectable degree. She is well known for her mischief and tricks and has a strong lust for gold, money, and valuable or beautiful things. Due to an incident in her childhood, she is said to be deathly afraid of mice, and this, along with her notoriously picky diet, is often played for laughs in Eskandr song, literature, and performance. Sister is very fond of her drink, though she prefers expensive greenlander wines to mead. As such, the struggle to be warden of brewers between herself and father is one that she is secretly willing to lose to keep him happy. It is often joked that there is no good offering for Sister because she won't eat very much but, in practice, wine is used.

Brother_________  __  __   _   _

Brother is a bold and adventurous sort who brings discovery, magic, and victory in warfare. He is warden of nature, boys, travelers, magicians, explorers, raiders, soldiers, roads, plunder, discovery, horses, and shepherds. There are also many lesser deities to help him with each of these. Brother's is the big wide world beyond one's town or village and, because he has such a large realm to be responsible for compared to the others, his protection is often tenuous despite his youthful vigour. He is said to enlist sister when he can, and this is why communities tend to spread outwards when they flourish. Some Eskandr consider Brother to be the most important of the Gods. Brother is young and strong and he is a powerful warrior. This makes him the primary deity of Warfare in Eskandr culture, ahead of Father and Sister. He is also seen to help Father and Mother with the harvest if he makes it home on time from his travels.

Brother is not a grim personality, however. He is said to be 'home' in his temples and churches less than the other warden gods because of his insatiable wanderlust. This has lead many yasoi people to also respect him as a guardian spirit even though he is not officially part of their belief system. Brother is quite handsome but, unlike Sister, is not quite as selective in love. He is said to be eager to bed just about any woman and some men. This makes a common appearance as a theme in Eskandr song, literature, and performance, as does his cast iron stomach. It is said that, in contrast to Sister, he will eat just about anything. Once he ages, they believe he will be quite a bit rounder than even father. He does have his favourites, though. Brother prefers a hearty side of mutton upon returning home from travel or war, and this is an appropriate offering for him.

Visitor_________  __  __   _   _

Visitor is a quiet, gentle, and wise sort, who only makes an appearance once in a while. Their realm includes sleep, peace, time, and death, which they bring to the world. Visitor is warden of night, sleep, the elderly, ill, and injured, magic (along with Brother), and the passing of time. There are also lesser deities to help them with those. In terms of physical space, the Visitor's domain comprises the human body itself and he is responsible for its protection during the night. As such, one is supposed to leave a fresh candle as an offering for Visitor. He guards the three levels of the underworld: Rødhal, Guldhal, and Grønhal, consulting with Mother and Father on where a soul should be placed. Those who die honourably on the field of battle following Brother are guaranteed not to end up in Rødhal and, more likely than not, in Grønhal.

There are three levels of afterlife in Eskandr religious belief. Rødhal is the first and it is where those who have not been virtuous in life end up. It is a hot and fiery place where souls are forced to subsist on meagre food and water, mining the great black mountains for the coal needed to heat the world. It is said that Eskand is so cold because the Eskandr are virtuous and send few people to Rødhal, while the greenlanders send many there, ensuring that their lands are well heated. The second level, where most people end up, is Guldhal. If one has lived a decent, average life or died too young to be proven good or bad (children are exempt from judgement), then his or her soul will reside in this level of the afterlife. It is very much like the living realm, but there is no war, disease, or deprivation. There is also little excitement. It is simply a peaceful afterlife beneath the golden sky of the eternally setting sun. The final realm, where the worthy reside, is known as Grønhal, and is a place of excitement, adventure, and feasting. There are great beasts to hunt, challenging and invigorating games to play, endless lands to explore, and fine wines, meads, and spirits to drink, along with endless savoury foods. On feast days, everyone will gather at the Visitor's table and those most honoured will sit closest to them.

The Angic Way_________  __  __   _   _
The Ten Dualities_________  __  __   _   _

Popular in Rettand and northeast Callanast, religions based around Angic philosophy generally strive for balance in all things. In ReTan, this is reflected most concretely in the Twin Emperors, one of whom represents the Sage, and the other, the Scoundrel. While the former is held to follow the ten Virtues of the Sage and be disciplined, learned, and stable, he does not enjoy life in the slightest. The latter adheres to the ten virtues of the Scoundrel and is wild, foolish, and unpredictable, but derives much pleasure from life. A person who wishes to live in balance should learn to combine both sets of virtues. In all, there are twenty that adherents of this belief system acknowledge, paired in ten great dualities. Each pair has three Exemplars. While there is one to represent each of the two virtues in their most extreme form, the third is described as having lived a life in perfect balance and is most highly regarded. 

The figure of the An-go is held to have achieved balance in all ten dualities and is thus known and honoured as the 'Enlightened One.' While he is not worshipped in the strictest sense, he is held up as an exemplar and as a being whose wisdom permeates creation and may be appealed to. The twenty virtues, divided into the ten dualities of the sage and those of the scoundrel, are: 

SageScoundrel
LogicPassion
AcceptanceAction
TrustSkepticism
CreationDestruction
ObedienceInitiative
TruthfulnessObfuscation
CommunityIndividuality
BraverySelf-Preservation
TraditionReform
NaturalConstructed

Tosatsu: Way of the Kami

Tosatsu is the Nikanese version of Angic philosophy. It differs from mainline practice in believing that balance is not the be-all and end-all and that both the great and terrible things that have shaped our world and give our lives meaning happen when one consciously leaves balance behind and sets out to achieve a Great Work. 

In Tosatsu, the Elder Kami (gods) who created the world and remain to shape it were such beings. In fact, everything in creation reflects the dualities and manifest those into the world, affecting the balance of things around them. One may gain in a particular virtue by interacting with these representatives of the virtues and accepting or fighting their influence.

This belief system acknowledges the overall good of balance, but decries an absolute adherence to it. What is joy without sadness? Laughter without fear? Calm without anger? It is the moments when people strove beyond norms that created the great acts of history that have the power to move and that poets still write about. Tosatsu is deist and practical first and foremost, recognizing the power of the gods and so honouring them. It also honours the achievements of the An-go. 

Similar to Angic philosophy, afterlife beliefs consist essentially of a cycle of involuntary reincarnation. One may move up or down on this ladder unless one achieves enlightenment by becoming an exemplar of a virtue or living in perfect balance. Essentially, there are three paths for each duality and all must be honoured in the measure best for the community. Once a person has achieved enlightenment through one of these three paths, they may manifest through things in creation that represent that and elsewise live on in a sort of celestial heaven. Otherwise, they may voluntarily choose to reincarnate, but with some of their memory and wisdom from previous lives intact. These are known as Ten-Umare (heaven-born) and if someone is believed to be one of these, they are greatly honoured and heeded.

One can move down on the ladder. you live a shitty life, you come back as a squirrel. You're a jackass squirrel, you come back as a stone. You live for thousands of years as a stone, being eroded by the wind and water, knowing peace and penance for your misdeeds. Everything has a soul in Tosatsu.

Veterism and Vossoriya
Veterism is a distant branch of old Quentism practiced in Vossoriya and some of the surrounding states. It has been separated from the mainline church for close to a thousand years by the time of The Hourglass Order and significant divergence in belief has occured during that time. This faith is somewhat syncretic in its beliefs, with strong influences from old Eskandr Paganism and many of the shamanistic and animistic religions of Central and Western Callanast. While Veterites believe (fervently) in the five deities of the Pentad, they diverge in their beliefs about the nature of these. Instead of acknowledging two aspects only - ‘ahn’ and ‘zept’ - they acknowledge many equally, a good number of these being holdovers or imports from other faiths. Each of these is believed to be attached to a particular purpose, ‘realm’, or region, and they provide many avenues for worship of the Holy Pentad.

While the Quentic faith acknowledges no official hierarchy among the five deities, despite Dami informally enjoying a slightly elevated position, Veterism does not shy away from making this distinction official. In their belief system, each God holds a special relationship with one of the five species and with one of the five classical elements, as follows:

Ipte: Eeaiko (Water) 
Shune: Sirrahi (Lightning) 
Oraff: Yasoi (Earth) 
Eshiran: Hegelan (Fire) 
Dami: Human (Wind)

As Dami represents humanity and the element of wind, he is honoured to a higher degree than the other four and his associated element believed to represent change, vigor, and deliverance. A common blessing within this culture is, "пусть ветер наполнит твои паруса" (Let the wind fill your sails).

The Chosen Creed_________  __  __   _   _
Ytpi. Shiin. Oirase. Exiran. Damy._________  __  __   _   _


The yasoi belief system, known to them simply as 'The Path' and, to outsiders, as "The Chosen Creed' is an ancient one, long predating even the founding of the Avincian Republic. Superficially similar to Quentism, it formed the basis of this now-continent spanning religion. There are, however, important differences.

To begin with, there is much less emphasis on the Gods' aspects. These are also not taken to be separate natures but rather merely different roles that they play. Ypti is female in form and is the Bringer of Love. Shiin, the Bringer of Wisdom, is male. Oirase is the Bringer of Life and is female, while Exiran, the Bringer of Death, is male. Damy, however, is the Bringer of Fate as opposed to choice and is male as well. 

It is believed that the Gods are not themselves eternal beings. Instead, they simply represent eternal needs and a collection of eternal power that searches out and finds for itself a host body. Every thousand years, the current manifestations of the Gods expire and five Bringers are reborn and live among mortals until their twenty-fifth year. There will often be prophecies left by the previous iterations of the five as to where these children will be found and what their natures shall be. The passing of time and mythologizing of words often leads to inaccuracies, however, or so it is maintained. 

Further, yasoi also recognize a sixth, 'uncrowned' God: Vyshta. Originally, she was the Bringer of Fortune, but she incurred the wrath of Exiran, who resented how she seemed to prevent his work, and Damy, who, for two mortal lives, had coveted her and was refused... despite his attempts to render them fated to be together. Hence, her two newest selves have failed to live to age twenty-five and she has been lost for one thousand nine-hundred ninety-eight years. Hence, it is said, the yasoi people are to wander the land, ever seeking after fortune and coveting that which they cannot have.

Reshta: Lady of Fortune

One of the defining aspects of religion on Sipenta is its repeating pattern of five. This dwells in almost every aspect of Quentic life and that of many other faiths. Most obviously, it is based upon the five satellites of the planet: Lares, Ceros, Juni, Menas, and Dandres. However, uncounted is the faint ring that also orbits. While both human natural philosophers and theologians alike view the satellites and ring as ancient and near-immutable, yasoi tradition (and modern science) disagrees. Instead, these people hold that there used to be six moons and that the ring is a remnant of that sixth moon: Iviiren. In truth, Iviiren did, indeed, exist. It was destroyed during prehistory, bringing about a great cataclysm that resulted in the extinction of thousands of species, turned Dandres dark, and cooled the world for over a thousand years. The precise cause of the satellite's destruction remains unknown, though there can be found much physical evidence of significant meteorite strikes in the form of many lakes and seas on Sipenta which are suspiciously crater-shaped.

Perhaps fittingly, yasoi religion, called 'The Path', views the fallen moon with significance, pairing it with Vyshta, the 'Goddess Who is Not'. They claim that the ring is fading over time and that, once it has disappeared completely, so will the fallen goddess' power. This will signal the end of the Age of Fortune and the start of the Age of Rationality and represent the extinction or at least drastic reduction of both magic and luck.

In the religious tradition and cultural memory of the yasoi, Vyshta has always been viewed as a goddess, once equal to the other five, who was unable to renew herself, resulting in the destruction of her associated moon: Iviiren. They believe that all deities are attached to a moon and that all deities renew themselves, every thousand years, by taking the body of a mortal vessel. These are taken at age twenty-five and inhabited by the deity, retaining their original memories and some aspects of their personality. Thus the gods may continue to interact with mortals. 

Four thousand years ago, however, yasoi maintain that Vyshta's next vessel was killed by Dami, who was angry with how she acted as an agent of chaos within his grand order. In some darker, more deistic tellings, she rejected his love in one of their mortal lives and it was vengeance that drove him instead. Now, unable to enshrine herself above, they believe that she leaps from mortal vessel to mortal vessel, hoping that one of these will make it to their twenty-fifth year and allow her to take the reins so that she can ascend. Yet, without fail, they either die before then or refuse to give up their mortal lives.

As word of the Pentad was brought to humans by the prophet Namyel ('King Namyel' in the Menana and 'Namyel the Wretched' in the Orpash), they altered the nature of the gods and their worship, developing a system of 'One God, Two Aspects' for each member of the newly constituted Quentic Pantheon. Yet, the unofficial sixth goddess was widespread and popular, filled a phenomenological need, and acted as an important thematic counterpoint to Dami. Unlike the feeling Lover versus the thinking Learner, and the kind Giver of Life versus the harsh Taker of Life, Dami, alone, was without an opposite number. 

Yet, none could stand equal to him, as Quentists believe that order shall overcome chaos. Hence, Vyshta, who humans had taken to calling 'Reshta', was inducted into the pantheon at the level of Archangels and Grand Demons, as a compromise. Even here, she is an awkward fit: neither angel nor demon, and the only one who is viewed as permanent and immutable among them. Her true nature remains a point of contention between the two related faiths.

One thing that both The Path and Quentism can agree on, however, is that Vyshta or Reshta is portrayed as a young woman, often smirking, with one leg. In yasoi iconography, she stands at the fulcrum of a lever and cannot have one foot on each side to balance it. Without fail or recourse, it is forced to tip either one way or the other when she moves. Quentic representations find this too similar to Ahn-Dami's scales of choice and replace the lever and fulcrum with a pair of dice: a black one in her left hand, and a white one in her right. While this loses out on the original intent, it has a connection of its own.

When making the Quentic Sign of the Pentad, Eshiran's gesture points to the left hip, and so the black die, on the left, represents death and ill fortune. Oraff's gesture indicates the right hip, and so its white partner, on the right, is indicative of life and good fortune. However, in yasoi prayer and that of the Huulisch Quentic Church, this dynamic is reversed. An easy way to tell if an idol of Reshta is human (barring Huulisch) or yasoi is to pay attention to which leg it is missing. As the left leg is Eshiran's in Quentic tradition, a Reshta missing it will be seen as skewing towards life and good fortune, while one missing its right skews towards death and misfortune. For yasoi idols, the precise opposite is true. Generally, there is a preference of about 4:1 for good fortune idols, though uses exist for their counterparts as well, most especially in the field of curses and vengeance.

Zodiac Signs

Twin Continents' Zodiac Signs

Rose: Tiptos
Lyre: Tellos
Book: Vardes
Lantern: Assani
Tree: Velles
Ambrosia: Mittria
(Reshta): first day of Ardanes
Skull: Ardanes
Sword: Jores
Scales: Carles
Hammer: Zales
Sawandi & ReTanese Zodiac Signs

Tiger
Owl
Hourglass
Cobra
Dragon
Ox
Monkey
Sage
Tower
Lobster
Rat
Pig
Crocodile
Dolphin
Hammer

Sage	Scoundrel
Logic	Passion
Acceptance	Action
Trust	Skepticism
Creation	Destruction
Obedience	Initiative
Truthfulness	Obfuscation
Community	Individuality
Bravery	Self-Preservation
Tradition	Reform
Natural	Constructed

Hidden 3 yrs ago → 2 yrs ago Post by Force and Fury

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Force and Fury Actually kind of mellow

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Force and Fury

Actually kind of mellow

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in 2748 days

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Bio

General Magic Lore
The Gift
Magnetic. Arcane. Binding. Chemical. Kinetic.
Magic is a blessing of the Gods and so is called, respectfully, The Gift. Yet, it does not come from nowhere. Before any spells can be cast, no matter how trivial, all magical power must be drawn from sources of energy abundant in the world. The five great schools of magic - Magnetic, Arcane, Binding, Chemical, and Kinetic, draw from the heat, light, metabolic, kinetic, potential, and electric energies of one's surroundings. Those skilled in The Gift may then convert one type of energy into another within themselves. You might draw heat from a raging fire, but that does not mean that you need to cast a fireball. If you can afford an extra few seconds, then you might decide on Arc Lightning from the Magnetic school or a telekinetic shove. Spells from all five canonical schools are made viable through the blessed act of conversion. However, there have long been rumours of other - forbidden - magics: Blood, Atomic, Temporal, and Dark Magics that promise far greater power if used as well as far greater consequences...
Magnetic Magic
Drawing: Magnetic magic draws its energy from the polarity of atoms and molecules, using their tendencies to attract and repel each other to build powerful charges.
Offense: While magnetic mages have a reputation for being defensive counterpunchers, they are more than capable of mounting independent (and often terrifying) offense of their own. They rely on creating charges and polarizations first and then capitalizing on those.
Defense: With Magnetic mages, the line between offense and defense is often blurred, as they tend to be masters of subtle and sneaky techniques that cause their opponents to destroy themselves or set them up to be countered mercilessly.
Utility: Magnetic mages tend not to directly favour utility spells, most of their repertoires being multifunctional. However, their ability to set up their environments, manipulate electric currents, and move charged objects using magnetism can be helpful.

Arcane Magic
Drawing: Arcane magic uses the radiative energy of heat (thermal) and light as a power source. As a result, it has a virtually limitless (and potentially overwhelming) supply of power during the day and in warmer places and considerably less at night and in colder places.
Casts from this school focus on using heat and light in a multitude of different ways. Partially as a result, Arcane is easily the most balanced school in terms of offensive, defensive, and utility spells, boasting impressive flexibility that enables adherents to take either subtle or aggressive approaches. This, combined with the sheer abundance and ready availability of heat and light energy makes Arcane the preferred school for mages than any other.
Offense: In terms of offense, arcane magic users can focus the powers of heat and light to burn and blind. Intensely focused beams of light and heat can cut and burn holes in solid objects, while fire can spread rapidly and offensive draws can cause targets to freeze to death.
Defense: Defensively, arcane magic can warp and bend the visible light spectrum to allow a user to disappear from sight and can manipulate temperatures and the surrounding environment to negate incoming attacks.
Utility: In terms of utility, arcanists can create powerful illusions, as well as provide light and heat. Especially intense heat can cauterize wounds.

Binding Magic
Drawing: Binding magic is unique in that it is primarily a casting school. Drawing is rarely undertaken as it involves not the repurposing of energy but the repurposing of matter by destroying it and using its potential energy. In some cases, this can be used to remove foreign objects from the body and treat patients or to prevent harm. However, the 'blood price' of turning matter into energy is not a reputable form of magic and is strongly discouraged outside of healing utility.
Difficulty: A Binding mage must be highly skilled in the art of drawing, so as not to inflict any harm while removing unwanted matter. She also needs to possess a thorough understanding of the human body and be skilled in the art of converting, for when other -less dangerous - sources of energy are required. Due to the abundance of sources and the horrifying destructive potential of Binding magic if misused, it is only taught at the most prestigious of academies and only to students who pass a rigorous set of tests designed to gauge their intellectual and moral fortitude.
Offense: Binding Magic is not used for offense.
Defense: The ability to covert matter into usable energy, and vise versa, makes Binding a massively powerful school of magic on the defensive side of the ledger. Binding practitioners can destroy enemy projectiles, heal wounds from trivial to fatal, invigorate allies, and materialize barriers for protection.
Utility: There is significant overlap between defense and utility when going the Binding route, but this school of magic remains a powerhouse. The ability to create passages for allies and obstacles for enemies is of considerable use. One may also materialize simple, useful devices. Exceptionally skilled Binders may even 'seal' simple spells by creating items that, when drawn from, release the necessary energy and type of energy for the spell.

Chemical Magic
Drawing: Chemical magic uses the power of chemical reactions as a source. It can use smaller reactions to trigger larger reactions, amplifying the power of the initial spell exponentially and creating a power loop to draw more from. Be careful, though! These can quickly spiral out of control.
Offense: Chemical mages are known for their terrifying array of offensive skills, and these come in two primary varieties: External and Internal. The former focuses on manipulating and often chemically altering the environment to generate powerful reactions in the form of combustion, explosions, and corrosives, which can be further perpetuated for cataclysmic results. The latter focuses on manipulating the biochemical properties of a living target’s body to injure, incapacitate, dominate, or destroy it.
Defense: While they are offensive powerhouses, Chemical mages are markedly weaker on defense, relying predominantly on their ability to keep opponents on the back foot and, at higher skill levels, to deceive and dominate them mentally.
Utility: In terms of utility, Chemical mages possess a plethora of skills beneficial to both themselves and allies, from minor casts augmenting moods and abilities, to transmutation, to powerful healing and even quasi-resurrection spells.

Kinetic Magic
Drawing: Kinetic Magic uses the power of kinetic energy as a source, meaning that the simple act of anything with mass in motion can power it. It also interacts with less obvious forms of motion and energy, such as sound waves and gravity.
Offense: There are three distinct approaches to kinetic offense. The first seeks to manipulate motion and sound within the environment to use it against the target. The second focuses on offensive drawing and manipulating the target itself. The third approach uses the kinetic energy of the environment to turn the caster’s body into a powerful weapon.
Defense: Defensively, Kinetic magic’s telekinesis can allow its caster to throw objects into the path of attacks to act as shield instead of using them as offense. Additionally, the manipulation of sound is a subtle but powerful tool.
Utility: In terms of utility, the telekinetic abilities of the kinetic school are front and center, though their multifunctional nature makes them potent offensive and defensive tools as well. Kinetic spells can also augment their caster’s movements and help him to levitate, making him a very elusive target.

Other Magics
Atomic Magic

Long treated as a sub-school of Arcane and known as 'Deep Arcane', most senior practitioners of The Gift have now come to recognize Atomic Magic as a school in its own right. To draw from this incredibly powerful but near-impossible to master source, one must split or join the very smallest particles of matter imaginable, using the immense power generated to cast spells. The only reason that Atomic Magic has not received official recognition is due to the primacy of Five. There is no God within the Pentad to represent this unofficial school.
Blood Magic

Blood Magic is simply 'Binding Magic' unbound. Due to its immense destructive potential, extreme ease of use, and the spectre of sealed spells being sold to those not versed in the Gift (thereby breaking the noble classes' stranglehold on magic), the school that should be known as Blood Magic and that should be a foundational school, has instead been tamed. Controlled, regulated, and served with a heaping dose of moralism, Binding Magic - the diluted version taught in academies - is nonetheless considered dangerous and its practitioners carefully watched.
Temporal Magic

The average magic caster belongs to an elite group, yet it is rare for even him to have heard more than rumours about Temporal Magic. Its secrets sealed away in dusty old tomes and locked securely in the vaults of the grandest academies' libraries, this is a forbidden magic to all but the most eminent of masters. Practitioners of the Temporal school - numbering no more than two dozen - draw power from the fabric of spacetime itself, manipulating it in order to teleport and manipulate time. Yet, despite offering such fantastic power, Temporal Magic is rarely used. Some say that there is a price to pay; that it causes 'aberrations': holes in the fabric of reality that can drive those who encounter them to the most horrible of insanities.
Dark Magic

Some have heard whispers of a yet-more terrifying magic than that of the Temporal school. It is able to create spells from nowhere. It does not need to draw energy or destroy matter or else the energy and matter that it uses is dark, in a sense, like this unknown potential school.

A Necessary but Not Absolute Measure
Developed nearly three hundred years ago by the Arch-Zeno Theofar Rahman and his understudy, Cerise Albanda, the RAS provides a reliable, repeatable, scientific measurement of a person's capacity for The Gift. A massive weight is set spinning and maintained at a set speed by a powerful user (or multiple users) of The Gift in order to generate a specific amount of kinetic energy. Upon a signal, the candidate being tested will draw all of the energy that he can from it and the speed that it slows down to when he is finished will provide a measure of that person's capacity for drawing energy. While the RAS can put a number on how much energy a person is able to safely draw from his surroundings, what it cannot do is give him an absolute measurement of something as abstract as 'power'. Other factors such as drawing range and efficiency, conversion efficiency, spell focusing techniques, environmental and multiplicative effects, and a caster's mastery of a spell all have roles to play. Having a high RAS number certainly doesn't hurt, though. While other factors can change, it is the only one that is more or less immutable. Let's take a bit more of a look, shall we?
What the Numbers Mean
The RAS is not a linear scale. It's exponential. That means that each whole number on it represents double the power of the one before. Let's say that a hypothetical person with a score of one has a magic capacity of 1. If he had a score of two, he would be twice as powerful and his capacity would also be 2. However, let's say that he's not totally useless in magic and give him a score of three. We now have to double the number 2. That means his capacity for magic is 4. Doubling that again, for someone with a RAS score of four gives us a capacity of 8. Let's look at how the level diverges from the actual capacity as we move further up the scale.

1=1 (effectively no magic) - 27% of people
2=2 (no useful magic) - 43% of people
3=4 (minimum for visible magic) - 22% of people
4=8 (parlor tricks) - 6% of people
5=16 (minimum to recieve training in magic) - 1.5% of people
6=32 (average mage) - 0.3% of people
7=64 (average mage) - 0.15% of people
8=128 (prodigy) - 0.05% of people
9=256 (once in a generation) - 0.000001% of people
10=512 (unreached) - 0% of people

As you can see, a simple whole number score becomes a bit imprecise at higher levels, so we can add decimals to the RAS score, like a 6.5 or a 7.85. Also, while everyone has some degree of ability with The Gift, it isn't noticeable or useful until you score at least a three and you can't be considered for training in The Gift unless you score at least a five. Most actual mages have RAS levels of between six and eight and these comprise only a tiny fraction of the overall population. Anything above an eight is prodigious and exceedingly rare, and anything above a nine would be considered a once-in-a-generation type of talent. No human has ever reached a score of ten. So, as you can see, if you've been accepted to Ersand'Enise, you're in pretty elite company.

An In-Depth Guide to what Your RAS Level Entails
0.00 - 2.99: simply can't use magic and can't appreciably sense energies.

3.00 - 3.99: can vaguely sense energies in their immediate vicinity. Any casting done is of no true utility, however. Ex: Manuel Escarra

4.00 - 4.49: can properly sense magic, though not with great clarity or range. Their ability to cast is very rudimentary and they cannot manage much. Most children who manifest the Gift strongly begin around here. Ex: Rita Belvedere

4.50 - 4.99: can sense magic with reasonable clarity and range. They can manage small but effectual casts. Most people in this range prefer subtle chemical and illusory magics or those that make use of existing process and devices, enhancing them. Most magusjaegers fall in this range. Ex: Carmillia Carbonneau

5.00 - 5.49: are capable of 'proper' magic in both drawing and sensing. Many magusjaegers and maledicts fall here and it is considered the minimum RAS for admission to magic schools. People in this range prefer to augment existing processes and technologies. Ex: Desmond 'Catulus'

5.50 - 5.99: are lower tier users who can nonetheless act as 'proper mages' without having to rely on devices and environmental effects to cast most magics. They struggle with more energy-intense schools of magic and spells, however, and still prefer to augment processes and technologies. Ex: Yalen Castel

6.00 - 6.49: are considered respectably lower-average in magic circles. While they may not be able to reach the heights of their higher RAS peers, and will generally seek to master schools with amplification effects, they are quite capable of using conventional magics and augmenting is mostly additive instead of essential. Ex: Dorothea Hohnstein

6.50 - 6.99: are average mages and capable in magic. They can generally expect to master all schools except for Atomic with proper practice. They struggle with very large draws and casts however, and prefer augmenting with environmental and other effects when they can. Ex: Seung Eun-Ji

7.00 - 7.49: are above average mages and sought after for their skills. They tend not to rely on augmenting as they have enough RAS to use magic as they please with the exception of Atomic. Ex: Kaspar Elstrøm

7.50 - 7.99: are strong mages who are capable of reaching Zeno rank at most magic academies. Relatively rare, their ability to draw offensively as well as cast is pronounced. In terms of everyday and combat magics there is little that their RAS prevents them from doing. Ex: Zarina Al-Nader

8.00 - 8.49: are a very rare and also heterogenous bunch. At the lower end, they perform similarly to those just below them. Towards the upper echelons of this scale, they are capable of mastering the Atomic school as well as considerable feats of spacetime warping. Most Zenos fall within this range. Ex: Ingrid Penderson

8.50 - 8.99: are the rarest of magic users that one can expect to see outside of Academy grounds. These are the strongest of strong mages, capable of masterful feats across all schools. Nearly all human magic users of this level pursue a career in magic and most Arch-Zenos fall under this range. Ex: Joshe Intaba

9.00 - 9.49: there are usually no more than a half-dozen of these at most in the world at any given time. Nearly all become legendary. Their abilities with magic appear to transcend the limits of what more mundane individuals believe to be possible. Ex: Jocasta Re

9.50 - 9.99: In the annals of history, there have been precisely three magic users ever to reach this level: Fradje Ironshaper, Enna Lantisca, and Hugo Hunghorasz, and the first only did so as a Mooncaster. They have quite literally shaped the world that we live in. Enough said. Ex: Hugo Hunghorasz

Why You Can Use The Gift
A mage's ability to wield magic comes from a process of drawing, containing, (converting), and casting, which will be covered in more depth in the next article. The first and most important aspect of the magical process, however, is the act of drawing energy from your environment. Humans and yasoi do this through the use of 'Manas', which are single-celled organisms that live within their bloodstreams. The manas form a symbiotic relationship with their host, using him or her for protection as they feed on energy directly, drawing it in interdermally. However, a mage is able to sense energies through his or her relationship with the manas and can train fine mental and muscle control in order to use the manas to draw, contain, and expel energy. This is the basis of magic. Important points below:
The more manas that you have in your bloodstream the more energy that you can draw, contain, and expel. This is your capacity, as measure on the RAS.
This isn't uniform across the population, of course. For reasons as yet unknown, some people have a higher Mana Density than others.
Larger people have more blood, which means that, if two people have comparable mana densities, the larger person will have more manas overall and, thus, a higher capacity and RAS.
Since women are generally smaller than men, this would seem to put them at a disadvantage. However, for reasons unknown, manas seem to demonstrate a slight preference for women over men, which generally serves to balance out the disadvantage of being smaller.
This may be due to pregnancy. The amount of blood in a woman's body rises by about 50% when she's pregnant. This essentially gives the manas more room to populate as well as a new host, whose nascent bloodstream they also quickly populate. It further means that, temporarily, a pregnant woman will have a significantly higher capacity than usual. Often, for a period immediately after she gives birth, her capacity will dip precipitously before returning to pre-pregnancy levels.
There are different species of manas as well, and this is covered in another article below. However, at present manas are known only to inhabit the bloodstreams of all species of the genus 'homo', some larger primates, dragons, and species of birds such as owls and corvids.

Sensing, Drawing, and Casting Range
As the march of technology progresses, allowing humans and yasoi ever greater comfort and convenience, many natural processes have been enhanced and unnatural ones created. Stubbornly resisting this march and - to a degree - the understanding of natural philosophers, is the sensing, drawing, and casting of magic. Of particular importance is the range at which one can take these actions. In today's day and age, as the effective range of personal firearms approaches that of most magic casters, the future of the mage in warfare and - by extension - other endeavors has been called into question. What follows is a brief overview of the topic.

Sensing
The range at which a magic user can sense energies relates to their RAS, any special conditions or manas (such as Tethered manas), and the amount of energy they are sensing. Think of it like sound: the louder the sound, the further that you can hear it from. Think of your RAS like ears: the higher your RAS, the better your hearing. However, inverse to the exponential relationship between RAS and ability to contain energy, there are diminishing returns the higher that one gets in terms of sensing and an eventual plateau.

Drawing
The same essential rules apply for drawing as they do for sensing. The larger the source, the further that you can draw from it. There is much less or a relationship here between RAS and range, however, though individuals with higher RAS levels do tend to enjoy a small range advantage. Generally, a magic user's maximum drawing range rarely falls outside the vicinity of two to three hundred meters. 

Casting
Casting follows rules very similar to drawing, though the power of what is being cast is inverse to what is being drawn. Essentially, it is easier to stretch the range of spells that use little energy a bit further than those that use a great deal. While range is similar to that of drawing, one can use environmental factors, ignition processes, and launch projectiles with momentum that carries them further.

Effects of Overdrawing
As a magic user draws energy, the manas in her bloodstream fill with it and expand to contain it, essentially inflating. The more that there are, the less that each one will have to inflate to draw the amount of energy that the magic user wishes. She will be considered to have reached her capacity once all of her manas have expanded to the point where they are about to become overstressed. When manas are overstressed, their cell walls begin to deteriorate. This has the following effects: firstly, they become slower at drawing and expelling energy, resulting in slower spell usage. They die off more quickly, resulting in temporary dips in capacity as they repopulate. In the short term, however, a mana that is stressed enough and filled with enough energy will simply burst. If enough manas within a blood vessel burst, that blood vessel will burst. If blood vessels in essential areas - like the brain - burst, then the magic user may suffer serious injury or even die. However, there are warning signs before the worst effects take place, and these should be heeded by all mages. We'll illustrate these with a case study below:
Anna Sigmundottir is an Arcane Mage with a RAS score of 7.20.
In order to have enough energy for most of her everyday spells she will probably have to draw up to between 4-6. She won't need to make use of her full capacity on a regular basis.
However, Anna likes really big explosions. She wants to cast a large fireball and draws up to about 7.00: close to her full capacity.
When she does this, Anna will probably start to feel a weird sort of pressure as all of her manas inflate to very near their full capacity and her blood pressure increases as a result.
Anna decides that she wants even more power, because you can never have too much destruction.
She draws right up to her capacity of 7.20. Her manas are at full stretch. Their cell walls are starting to deteriorate.
Anna will likely start to develop a headache. Things will feel a bit faint and fuzzy and she might be lightheaded.
Wisely, Anna releases the energy and casts a massive fireball, eyes sparkling with dark glee, reveling in the carnage which she hath wrought.
However, Anna loves destruction so much that, a short while later, she starts drawing for another huge fireball and, this time, she ignores her body's warning signs and continues drawing energy past her capacity.
As she passes it, her manas start to burst. At first, there is no outward sign of this.
However, once a few in a given blood vessel (especially smaller blood vessels) start to burst, that blood vessel itself bursts.
The result is that Anna starts bruising in random places. She develops hematomas. Her headache and dizziness intensify as she draws past 7.25 and she begins to hear a ringing in her ears.
As she nears 7.30, Anna has lost a significant number of manas, which will take a while to repopulate.
At 7.30, she is in mortal danger, all for the payoff of a spicy fireball. What a maroon! She gets a nosebleed. Her eyes become bloodshot.
All it will take at this point is a burst blood vessel in the wrong place - such as in a major artery or in her brain, and Anna could suffer a debilitating injury or even die.
If she's lucky, she'll faint first, but that's not a guarantee. Mages have overdrawn themselves to death.
In the event, Anna gets lucky and faints. The energy starts leaking out of her, but not quickly enough.
Fortunately, another mage is there to siphon some of the excess energy from her before further damage is done.
Anna has pushed her capabilities to their very limit, but all that she has gained from it is a splitting headache, nosebleed, and multiple bruises. She has not expanded her capacity and has, in fact, temporarily reduced it. Your RAS is your RAS and everybody knows that you can't just increase it by 'training hard'.

No, You Can't Just Draw Your Opponent to Death
As they become more acquainted with the Gift, most mages will learn, either by accident or with intent, that they can draw from other living things. However, they may mind it noticeably more difficult to draw from people (humans and yasoi) and, in particular, to draw from other advanced magic users. It is an established fact that, since the human body both generates and contains multiple types of energy, mages can draw from other mages. However, in practice, this can prove extremely difficult. The reason why is that manas naturally want to hold onto energy at all costs and see the energy contained in their host as 'their' energy. They're quasi-territorial about it and only the mage that controls them is really able to exert enough direct influence to force them to release energy. It's an important part of that symbiotic relationship. What this means is that drawing from other people with an appreciable capacity is a tug of war: your manas (from a distance) vs their manas. If you have a higher capacity, you can pull with a magical strength and 'leverage' that you opponent simply can't, and you'll gradually gain ground, especially if you're the more skilled drawer. This is massively inefficient, however, and exacerbated by the fact that drawing isn't instant and the time that it takes increases with distance. You can probably tear away a bit of energy, but anyone with even the barest understanding of magic will notice quickly before you have the chance to do much of substance, and they'll counter you if they're able. The only times when you can smoothly draw from another mage are if you're orders of magnitude stronger or if that other mage has overdrawn and their manas are dead, damaged, or completely worn out.

Draw > Contain > Convert > Cast

The power of a mage is based upon a number of factors, but the four steps above are the essentials of any spell, though conversion is optional for some. We've already touched on capacity and schools of magic, so let's take a closer look at exactly how using The Gift works and how one can use it more effectively.
Spell Power Determinants
Capacity – all magic users have a capacity for energy that their body can process at a given moment. Effectively, the higher the capacity (as measured by the RAS), the more energy that can be drawn in, contained, and expelled. While other skills can be learned, this one is innate. While it increases as you grow, once you're an adult, your capacity is what it is.
Reading – Energy exists in a number of forms in nature and artificially: kinetic, arcane (thermal and radiative), chemical, blood (metabolic and matter-based), magnetic, and deep arcane (nuclear). The better that a mage is at reading energy sources, the more ready a supply of energy for spells he will have.
Drawing – the energy that a magic user relies upon originates in her surroundings. She must be able to sense it, grasp it, and draw it to herself in order to utilize it for casting spells. Drawing is the first active step in transferring the energy from its origin to its eventual target, using the mage as a conduit and, at times, a temporary accumulator.
Containment - For a period either brief or long, the magic user must contain the drawn energy within herself, and containing large amounts for long periods can be dangerous. It often manifests itself as a sort of pressure that one feels inside, and a mounting headache. Energy contatinend for too long also tends to 'leak out' into one's surroundings and gradually dissipate.
Conversion – Energy for use in spells can be drawn from a multitude of different types of sources: kinetic (motion, gravity, and sound), arcane (thermal and radiative), chemical, magnetic, blood (potential energy and matter-based), and 'deep arcane' (atomic). Normally, a spell simply intensifies and redirects that energy towards a preferred target. However, with training, a mage can store the drawn energy temporarily and expel it as a different type.
Efficiency – energy must be pulled from surroundings, contained, (potentially connverted), and then expelled (cast). Energy is not easy to control, and may escape the grasp of the magic user during any of these stages. Maximizing the amount of energy retained through each results in more powerful spells. Basically, the process is as follows: Draw Efficiency >> Containment Efficiency >> Conversion Efficiency >> Expulsion (Cast) Efficiency.
Focus Words - This is the spoken part of any spell. It is not strictly necessary, but many mages like to use this for more complex or energy-intense spells. Basically, having a routine of prescribed words that correspond to what one is doing can help with maintaining focus and ensuring efficiency.
Preservation – Drawing, containing, and casting large amounts of energy is often dangerous to the human body, so a mage must spend a certain amount of focus and energy on protecting himself. This is usually accomplished through projection of spells away from the body, or the casting of small counterspells.
Freecasting – Preservation when casting is often achieved through use of a wand or staff that acts as a focus point for the spell away from the body. In fact, many magic users do not know how to cast any other way. However, with the right protection in place, it is possible to cast without the use of an instrument or focus point, giving the magic user far greater flexibility.
Multiplying – The energy released by a spell can cause secondary and tertiary effects in the environment, which skilled mages should learn to anticipate and benefit from. Possessing a keen awareness of the potential for these effects and tailoring one’s spells to take advantage of them can multiply the energy output of a cast exponentially.
Spatial Intensifying (Impact Focusing) – When bursts of energy are diffused over too large of an area, their impact is diluted. A skilled mage can increase their intensity by forcing all of the energy into a small focus point and maintaining that focus all of the way through spell completion.
Temporal Intensifying (Impact Bursting) – Drawing energy can take a considerable amount of time. While expelling energy is a faster, simpler process, there still tends to be a power curve. This effectively weakens the spell, as the total amount of energy is not used all at once. A disciplined and well-trained mage can release all of her energy in a very short burst to ensure that it reaches its objective with maximum impact.

Primary Mana Types
The factors that cause The Gift to manifest within individuals were, until recently, completely unknown. Thanks to the emergence of the New Sciences and the invention of the microscope, we now know that magical ability is a result of a symbiotic relationship between a human or yasoi and microscopic creatures known as Manas that inhabit his bloodstream. The exact mechanisms by which they come to be there and by which they manipulate energy remain mysterious for the time being. However, scientists have also discovered that there are fundamentally three different types of Manas and that every person alive has one of the three:
Blueblood: 9%, often found in high noble lineages, 1/11 people – Bluebloods simply tend to be more powerful than other types of mages, with RAS capacities rarely below 7.5. They can draw and expel (cast) prodigious volumes of energy. However, they often struggle somewhat with containment and efficiency, though these obstacles are not insurmountable with the right training and dedication.
Blackblood: 33%, mainly found in noble lineages, 1/3 people – This is most mages. There are no particular benefits or drawbacks associated with being a blackblood.
Redblood (Baseborn): 58%, mainly found in non-noble lineages, ~1/2 people – these are people from non-magical lineages who manifest magical power. This is often (but not always) of negligible capacity, but they have a higher chance of manifesting a second, rare Mana type.
Goldblood: Almost always found in Eeaiko (though rarely in Hegelans and Sirrahi), it is their most common primary type by an overwhelming margin. The Goldblood manas allow them to more easily combine their draws and casts. As a result, their combo spells are extremely versatile and often take their opponents by surprise. However, capacities are often modest, rarely exceeding 7.25.
Silverblood: Only found in Sirrahi and Meerami, this type repulses and rejects incoming energies originating from other manas, dissipating them. Both a great strength and weakness.
Bronzeblood: Only found in Hegelans, this type is notable for its quick draw and cast turnaround and extreme cast efficiency, aggressively expelling every last bit of energy and leaking virtually none during travel to target. Draw efficiency is also fairly high, but capacities are often modest, rarely topping 6.50.
Secondary Mana Types
In addition to one's Primary Manas, some individuals also possess a secondary Mana type which is additive to their primary type and just represents a different breed of manas living within their bloodstream. These secondary types often come with very specific benefits and drawbacks and can be found in about twenty percent of magic users. Below are all of the types so far definitively identified by science and the names ascribed to those people who manifest them.

Fireblood: mainly in lineages from West Severa, 20/1000 magic users – Firebloods are masters of offensive magic, particularly from the arcane, chemical, and blood schools. Their resistance to magnetic spells covers Chemical’s traditional weakness. They are resistant to hot temperatures and being burned, not having to worry about wasting energy on preservation, but their power levels are often modest, very rarely exceeding 7.25.
Icevein: often in families from Rettand, 10/1000 magic users – Iceveins are masters of defensive magic, particularly against arcane, kinetic, and chemical draws. They can draw heat out of targets and slow movement with exceptional ease. They are resistant to cold temperatures and to being frozen, however, their base power levels are often modest, very rarely exceeding 7.25.
Bloodchild: appears universal, but often in children revived using blood magic, 24/1000 magic users – Bloodchildren are almost always albino, and are excellent at drawing from matter and at matter reconstitution. They possess a natural proclivity for Binding Magic, but some secretly dabble in Blood Magic. They have an alarming tendency to self-damage and to damage allies when not careful with their drawing.
Skyborn: often in lineages from East Constantia, 36/1000 magic users – Skyborn are generally light on their feet, can self-levitate easily, take a long time to physically tire, and are excellent at evasion. However, they struggle greatly with spells that involve weight and recoil.
Truecaster: often in lineages from Torragon, Joru, and Firraz, 10/1000 magic users – Truecasters are hobbled by their inability to convert. They can only cast from the same school that they draw from, rendering them inflexible and predictable. However, they compensate by way of prodigious raw power, with capacities almost always over 8.00.
Thunderchild: often in families from South Constantia, 42/1000 magic users – Thunderchildren are highly susceptible to magnetic charges and pick them up easily. This makes them extremely powerful with Magnetic Magic. However, they must always be careful to maintain a balanced charge for fear of significant self-injury.
Leadvein: mainly in lineages from Belzagg and East Severa, 32/1000 – Leadveins are generally solid and balanced. They can safely draw and contain half again the amount of kinetic energy that their capacity would usually allow. They can impart this into physical blows and tend to be highly self-damage resistant. However, they tend to tire easily and can struggle to control their own kinetic force.
Timewalker: only in yasoi bloodlines, 2/1000 - Timewalkers are rare and both valued and feared in most yasoi cultures. They demonstrate a natural aptitude for temporal drawing, innately sensing what takes many mages years to master (and which most never do). Many also seem to be able to intuitively manipulate the time stream in minor ways, speeding up or slowing its flow locally in a manner similar to special relativity. Those who master their abilities can learn to project their consciousness forward or backward in time. However, they seem to suffer for these skills by being a magnet for aberrations, which often appear around them and sometimes directly in their paths. Few Timewalkers remain sane into old age and some even have to be put down.
Greengrowth: In select bloodlines from Crisia and Perrence, 8/1000 - When drawing, Greengrowths are naturally and sometimes purposely inefficient, imbuing their surroundings with enriched energy and stimulating rapid growth of plants and animals as well as encouraging the growth of manas and resultantly causing babies to be born with a higher RAS level.
Devourer: Most often in West Severa, 6/1000 - Devourers are notable for having generally high capacities (over 7.6) but being slow at drawing. Their manas are highly aggressive toward foreign or invasive substances, relentlessly attacking them. This is a double-edged sword, as it sometimes leads to severe and unwarranted allergic reactions. At its best, however, it renders Devourers virtually immune to all forms of poison and most forms of illness and disease.
Manatracer: Most common in  Sawand, Vossoriya, and Xolectoxo, individuals with this type of mana possess the rare ability to sense and draw from energies along the fourth dimension, which is to say: time. They have not only a (rather standard) physical range, but also a temporal range, being able to interact with energy from the past, present, and future. Unfortunately, their recovery time between draws and casts can be quite long.
Agitator: this blood type is quite widespread, particularly along the Ensollian coasts. It allows its bearers to excite the molecules in their drawing and (non-magic-using) casting targets as their manas interact with these, accelerating chemical reactions and possibly state changes.
Oceanborn: most common in Eeaiko and Meerami, but present in some human populations of Callanast and Rettand, these manas exert pressure matching their surroundings (water or air) and undertake constant chemical magic while underwater, breaking down the molecular structure of water to create breathable bubbles of air.
Blackrot: A thematic opposite to greengrowth, this type is most common in humans and yasoi from Malabash, Virang, and Tarlon. Blackrots are known for their very aggressive and efficient drawing, often seeking out and finding additional energy sources and drawing so aggressively that they damage these, in a manner not dissimilar to offensive blood drawing.
Glowvein: Most common in far east Constantia, glowvein manas bombard the air with energies that target radiative matter, protecting their bearer from harmful radiation.
Venomhand: explosively kills manas belonging to others with a physical touch of five seconds of longer. Otherwise causes them to respond unreliably if within twenty meters.
Sensemaster: can heighten or dull any and all of their senses or those of people they touch. Can manipulate senses.
Limitbreaker: a mana type where if you draw past your limit, your manas protect themselves by violently expelling the energy in the form of an uncontrolled AoE.
Skinspeaker: a mana that resides in the upper layers of your skin. It enhances your sense of touch and makes you extra sensitive to vibrations and movement.
Timeracer: a variant of Timewalker that has spread to humans. It is exclusively bound to the forward flow of time, meaning that somebody with these manas is able to separate themselves from the timestream around them, moving forward through it either quicker or slower than their surroundings (or is it their surroundings that move at a different pace?). Due to most people's lack of self-control, this often leads to artificially rapid aging and severe mental health issues.
Dualblood: because of twins' shared genetics and the fact that both individuals' manas sprung from a single colony, they are able to freely interact and exchange energy in a manner similar to Goldbloods. They also often help their bearers exchange other information such as mood, impulses, warnings, and images.
Moodcaster: These manas are affected by the biochemicals in the bloodstream, with different emotions boosting facets of casting such as capacity, drawing speed, casting speed, efficiency, or containment.
Titanblood: It is said there once was a mana type that directly transformed its hosts in the same vein as Sanguinaires and Wildbloods. However, rather than turn their hosts into monsters, the manas simply made them grow... larger. Perhaps it was an evolutionary accident that allowed manas to create more "living space" for themselves by inducing gigantism in their hosts.
Glutton - The main mana colony resides within the host's digestive system. This allows them to digest organic materials that would normally be inedible, such as tree bark and even decaying matter. Food is digested several times faster than a normal person and processed into nutrients just as quickly, giving them an accelerated healing factor and an instant energy boost that scales with calories consumed. However, the host's appetite is insatiable. They grow hungry at least twice as quickly.
Rosebud - The host's pheromones are permanently altered by the manas to make them more attractive to members of the same species, regardless of gender. In general, everyone will be a bit friendlier to the host even if they consider themselves an enemy. If full control over the mana is achieved, one can give hypnotic suggestions without the aid of magic and even create willing thralls out of those with high levels of infatuation.
Viral Mana Types
For reasons unknown but suspected to be related to territoriality and the nature of mana symbiosis, a magic user can only support a maximum of two types of manas. However, there exist mana 'viruses' that are not true secondary mana types. These infect the primary manas, changing their effects and abilities. In theory, if one has a mana virus, he or she could appear to manifest two 'secondary manas', even though one is, of course, simply the primary type being repurposed. Usually, mana viruses are innate and one is born with them. However, there are a handful of confirmed cases of people contracting a mana virus via fluid exchange.
Mooncaster: in select lineages from Eskand, 5/10000 magic users – Mooncasters are extremely rare, and often possess heightened senses and reflexes. Their base power levels are often quite low, rarely exceeding 6.25. However, they grow exponentially more powerful depending on the position and brightness of the five moons. Given the right position, a mediocre 6.00 on the RAS with a capacity of 32 can become a monstrous 9.25 with a capacity of 320.
Greyborn: usually in families from Tarlon or southwest Callanast, 4/10000 - Greyborn are a mystery to modern natural science because they seem to break the established laws of magic. These strange, doomed individuals possess the otherwise unheard-of ability to not have to draw magic from any visible source. It simply seems to come out of nowhere for them and they never have to worry about supply. However, the dark side of this is that they are often only semi-corporeal. Once they hit puberty, Greyborn begin to phase in and out of reality, becoming ghostlike and near-invisible. To some degree, they can control this and use it to their advantage. It is near-impossible to strike a Greyborn who doesn't wish to be struck. However, while phased out, they also seem to lose the ability to cast spells of any real power. The worst part of all is that, as time goes on, it becomes increasingly difficult for them to remain corporeal. Eventually, all Greyborn fade away, and very few live to see forty.
Sunblessed: only in lineages from West Callanast, 20/10000 - Sunblessed are a rare phenomenon and, until recently, one unknown to Constantian and Severan study. These people are renowned for their abilities with light and heat, however this is merely a byproduct of the fact that they are forced to use the sun as their most common drawing source and so become more innately familiar with the Arcane School. Their real power is that they don't actually have a hard capacity limit, their manas rapidly reproducing as they draw. The other side of this is that they are virtually unable to draw from traditional sources, only being able to passively and gradually absorb energy.
Tethered: mostly in lineages from the Ensollian Basin, 20/10000 (more common in females) - Until recently, Tethered was recognized not as a viral mana type, but as a disease (the Tethering). It is the only viral mana type with effects that are considered overwhelmingly negative. First becoming evident a couple of years before puberty, Tethered manas integrate themselves into the nervous system, granting their users immense drawing and casting range and incredibly fine control. However, Tethered gradually lose sensation and movement, starting in the feet and working up to the head, at which point, they die. It is rare for a Tethered to live past age thirty. Given the common belief that the disease is hereditary, having a Tethered child damages the marriage prospects of the family. As a result, they are often either euthanized or reported deceased and sent to special 'refuges' to live out their days under pseudonyms.
Powergazer: mostly in lineages from the Ensollian Basin, 15/10000 (more common in males) - As much a curse as a blessing, this viral mana type infects the eyes directly, rendering those with it blind in the traditional sense. Instead, their eyes change, becoming dark and porous. Unlike most mages, who gain a dull sense of agglomerations of energy, Powergazers can 'see' by sensing all of the energies around them with great clarity: size, shape, and type. They can also draw and expel energy at an extremely rapid rate using their eyes as apertures.
Festerblood: Found mainly in Callanast and Missai, these manas reproduce quickly and endlessly, gradually cutting off circulation first in extremities and protrusions and then in more essential tissues over time. They offer very high capacities that only increase with time, but tend to be uncooperative, leading to underperformance despite RAS levels often above 8.25. Exceptionally skilled individuals may be able to manage the deterioration caused by this virus, localizing it.
Deadhead: Related to Festerblood and Sanguinaire, deadheads display extreme aggression, heightened reflexes, instincts, and senses, and loss of higher cognitive function. Feeding on living tissue, deadhead manas compel their host to draw from it. Barring this, they draw from their own host, gradually destroying his or her body.
Brutalist: unable to draw or cast outside of melee range: usually requires physical contact. Unusually hardy and slow at drawing. Can cast with up to double their capacity.
Wildblood: contracted from wild animals with mana. Manas permeate the body, leading to greatly enhanced capabilities and lifespan, but destabilized genetic structures and DNA. Under four or more full moons, the manas gain strength and try to 'hijack' the body and restructure it to match the animal they originally inhabited.
Sanguinaire: Turns manas non-territorial, allowing all and any to be assimilated (even simultaneously) if a target's blood is consumed. Noticeably heightened physical capabilities and lengthened lifespan. Need regular blood consumption to maintain. Photosensitivity.
Stoneskin: resists all forms of internal magic, suffers from 33% reduced drawing range and speed.
Lifestealer: A dangerous mutation of Wildblood. If a Lifestealer's manas are able to make it into a new host's body, they will gradually corrupt that person's genetic material, causing him or her to transform into an exact copy of their original host, down to memories, learned skills, and existing brain chemistry.
Facemimic: A mana type that is able to latch onto foreign manas and convert the surrounding cells to transform  into a copy of the other manas' host. The targets must have an at least somewhat similar DNA make-up.  Makes for near instant identification of mages: RAS, manatypes.  Transformation is slow and often painful, if too many foreign manas are consumed, the transformation runs the risk of becoming permanent.
Chaosgrasper: An extreme mutation of Agitator where manas are hyperactive in sensing to the point where they constantly imperfectly draw. This disrupts all nearby energies, making accurate sensing and drawing difficult for all around you... and yourself.

Solids

Often very heavy due to their high density, but capable of maintaining a fully cohesive shape, solids usually require a very large amount of built up energy to be expended to move. However, since they maintain their own shape, they require no extra concentration or energy in order to hold them together. 
- E.g. rocks, trees, clothes, living things
- Sometimes, an unchanging shape can be a problem, as solids cannot be manipulated as finely.
Liquids

Often somewhat heavy due to their density, but capable of maintaining only a partially cohesive shape, liquids usually require a fairly large amount of built up energy to move. Since they cannot maintain a fully cohesive shape, they also require some concentration and a lesser amount of energy in order to hold them together. 
- E.g. water, blood, chemicals, drinks
- Sometimes, it is easy for a mage to lose control of a large volume of liquid
Gases

Often quite light due to their low density, but incapable of maintaining any sort of cohesive shape, gases usually require a fairly small amount of built up energy to move. However, since they cannot maintain any kind of cohesive shape, they also require considerable concentration and energy in order to hold them together. 
- E.g. air, smoke, water vapour, helium
- While easy to manipulate, it is hard to do much by manipulating air alone and directly.
Plasmas

Often virtually weightless due to their extremely low density, but actively resisting any sort of cohesive shape, plasmas usually require virtually no built up energy to move. However, since they are charged and resist a cohesive shape, they also require exceptional concentration and energy in order to hold them together.
- E.g. fire, lightning, electric sparks, stars
- Impossible to control completely, and requires constant sources of energy to maintain it.

Animals and Magic

For reasons unknown, manas seem to form symbiotic relationships with sentient animals only, such as humans, yasoi, and sirrahi. There are, however, a handful of exceptions to this:

Corvids: the most intelligent of bird species, these seem to commonly have some basic use of magic in navigation, hunting, and threat recognition, though they don't understand it as such.

Primates: some of the closest relatives of humans and yasoi display a primitive use of active magic. In some cases, they have even been taught basic spellcasting by skilled mages with... nothing better to do.

Delphinidae: dolphins are known to have a degree of mana usage and some understanding of how to employ magic to sense energies and self-enhance as they hunt or avoid predators. Evidence for any sort of active spellcasting, however, is limited.

Pachyderms: it is not uncommon to see elephants, mammoths, and mastodons with manas, though they tend not to employ these actively, instead, often passively augmenting their metabolic processes and movement. Those that do so most effectively are usually the leaders of herds.

Cephalopods: many species are known magic users, often using basic spells to enhance their natural abilities. The largest species - the fifteen meter in diameter Black Abyssal - is often the cause of sea monster sightings.

Procyonids: the common raccoon sometimes harbours manas it its bloodstream and there is some evidence that these crafty animals use them to sense energy and provide an early warning of opportunities and dangers.

Boidae: passive mana usage has been observed in some large species of snake belonging to this subfamily, particularly as regards sensing and metabolism. 

Testudines: some very long-lived species of turtle and tortoise have occasionally been known to support manas, though this appears relatively rare and they do not appear to use them for anything.

Dragons: All larger dragons have mana and a handful of the more intelligent species are known to actively use magic in their hunting, particularly to allow for offensive weaponry such as fiery or corrosive breath.

Coming Soon

Coming Soon

Magic in Warfare
For as long as humans and yasoi have used magic, it has been a part of warfare. In the present day, depending on culture, battlefield, size of the conflict, and objectives, magic users are deployed in a number of different ways. This post will seek to shed some light on the most common tactics, effects, and unit types.
Effect on the Course of Battles
Warfare in the early modern period has been defined by a marked shift away from heavy armour and smaller, more elite forces. Much of this is due to the continuing development of firearms. Where once heavy plate armour protected its wearer from swords, arrows, and projectiles hurled by Kinetic mages, a levied foot soldier who was a farmer one month ago can now pierce his breastplate from one hundred yards away. Add to this the danger of wearing metallic armour when magnetic mages share a battlefield with you, and it's little surprise that this sort of materiel has very much seen its day come and go. The magus, however, has remained a powerful and elite unit in warfare, favoured by the nobility over even the cavalry (and often mounted anyhow), and capable of quickly dealing devastating blows to an enemy force if left unchecked.

In practice, what this often leads to is a high-stakes shadow game played between the two armies' mageries where each seeks to score a ferocious blow against the opposing side's infantry, cavalry, and artillery while nullifying its opposition. These are intense battles that demand immense situational awareness, focus, and rapid reaction time. Attacks both visible and invisible, are launched at the mages and at regular troops and must be responded to immediately while also probing for gaps in the enemy's defences. A strong internal chemical mage is often needed to maintain the calm, focus, and courage of his peers, but almost always finds himself a favoured target of his his enemies on the other side of the field.

In many cases, the pivotal action of a battle is what is referred to as 'breaking through'. This is when one magery manages to gain the upper hand enough on the other that they can launch uncountered attacks on the regular troops. At that point, unless something changes very seriously or very quickly, or unless it was only a momentary lapse quickly corrected, the battle is essentially over. It is more or less checkmate in the sense of, "My mages have you over a barrel. Retire from the field or face the consequences."
Unit Types and Tactics
If the above description gives the impression that the magery inevitably fights in massed groups like the infantry and cavalry, then that is in error. Many do congregate, especially Magnetic specialists, who feed off of each other's charges to generate colossal lightning attacks. If there are thunderclouds in the sky, this becomes a nigh unstoppable strike force and an army with a strong Magnetic corps will look to press the battle while one without will usually demur, delay, and attempt to fight only once the skies have cleared. However, not all mages fight en masse. There are - by necessity - smaller corps and even pairs or individuals who are given prerogative to roam the battlefield freely. 

Binding mages, acting as healers, are among these. Those who operate behind the lines do so in groups and are considered sacrosanct under the rules of war, but many go into the field not only to tend to the wounded on the front lines, but take an active part in stymieing the enemy's attacks and drawing unneeded mater and repurposing it to create bullets and weapons for their own side.

Stealthy types, such as Arcane Illusionists and Internal Chemists, also often work alone or in small squads, trying to infiltrate the enemy lines and score a decisive blow. Similarly, combat Kineticists tend not to be part of the general magery, but they are a far blunter instrument, charging headlong into the general melee, drawing from their foes and empowering their strikes, often at the head of skirmishers or infantry units during a final charge. This is far different from their Deep and Distance Kinetic brethren, who prefer to work together to generate massive kinetic pushes, sonic bursts, and hurl large objects in support of Destruction-specialized Arcanists and Chemists.

However, if one side is able to muster an Atomic Mage, it is usually cause for the other side to retreat unless they have a suitable counter. Often, this takes the form of a powerful Internal Chemist or Arcane Illusionist who can score a quick and decisive victory. In practice, however, an Atomic mage is a massively valuable unit and is well protected by Illusionists and Chemists of his own, as well as dreadfully powerful spells that make approaching him a highly unlikely proposition. 
Non-Magic Units
Yet, mages are far from the only effective unit on the field of war. Ever since gunpowder was invented, originally as a reagent for Chemical Magic spells, it has been a tool of great use. Once the musket came into being, the size of armies exploded. Instead of skilled knights and longbowmen, sometimes paired with levies of common drudges who are woefully underequipped and minimally effective, the common soldier possesses more killing power for less skill. A man who was a farmer a month earlier can now, under the right circumstances, kill an armoured knight or mage with a well placed musket ball.

Of course, an undistracted mage is still a ferocious target and the average foot soldier stands little chance against her one on one. As a result they rely on numbers. In most armies, there is a command drilled into everyone's head: "On Magus!" soldiers are trained to drop whatever it is that they are doing, turn, and mass fire at the mage, hoping to overwhelm her with incoming fire and too many targets to strike back at.

The cavalry also has its anti-mage tactics. In particular, the cavalry charge is often used for when the enemy's magery is on the back foot trying to counter one's own. While their focus is on the other mages, a quick breakout by cavalry can surprise them. Essentially, the goal is to break the enemy mages' concentration or, if their hands are too full with your own mages, cut them down. This is made easier by the fact that, among that cavalry, there will often be a handful of magic users. Of course, it only takes one destruction Arcanist to get free and cast a big fire spell and... horses don't like fire. Or a Kineticist with a sonic blast, or... the point is that it's a risky business. 

However, a mage is still human (or else yasoi), and bullets can still kill. As we will see in a moment, the invention of rifling has been hugely important in this regard and in the development of a specialized and deadly unit.
The Magusjaeger
In Kerremand (Cirrimane) and Holmania, endless border conflicts have given birth to a specialized unit: the Magusjaeger. These are usually people of the noble or merchant classes, often with RAS levels of 3.5-6. They are able to sense magic and use simple Arcane, Magnetic, and Kinetic spells. However, they lack the capacity to become actual mages. No matter. Rudimentary use of magic is all that they require. Using low-level light magnifying abilities from the Arcane school, they can zoom in on targets. Using Kinetic and Magnetic spells, they can guide or increase the velocity of their bullets. With the aid of Chemical magic, they can increase the yield of their rounds exponentially. Magusjaegers are trained to draw from readily available sources, to synthesize their four main schools seamlessly and solely for the use of their craft, and to mask their limited magic use with very small, incremental draws easily missed amid the heat of battle. They train in stealthy movement, patience, and to be deadly accurate with a long-barreled sniper rifle. These special hybrid units lurk, hidden in place, behind the lines of battle, picking off mages one by one from extreme range.

Magic and Social Class in Constantia & Severa: a Treatise by Stresian Magister Alcaster Serra

In the lands of Constantia and Severa, magic has, in many ways, created the class system that we see in evidence today. It all begins with the noble class and what was once a near-complete monopoly on the use of magic. This had a number of important effects. In the first place, it acted as a further justification, beyond character, for their right to hold the reins of society. They were visibly, tangibly superior to the people whom they ruled over and this reinforced the idea of a sort of 'divine right'. A single average noble with the gift would fancy his chances in combat against a dozen commonfolk without.

Secondly, it made them indispensable to their neighbours. A noble can do things for you using the Gift that you could not hope to do yourself. She can heal your sick, heat your hearth, and enrich the soil of your fields. Far more than in a hypothetical society without the Gift, the past nobility of Constantia was a working nobility and not just a political and military elite. On any given day, it would not be unusual for an average peasant to see her lord about the town with his three pretty daughters who know Arcane magic, helping his people and receiving, as recompense, their gratitude and tribute. 

This sort of arrangement is an ancient one and has birthed two overarching effects: the first is a peasantry dependent on noble benefactors and hence not just subject to them but also indebted. The second is a greater physical closeness but also cultural difference best explained thusly: The nobles, being more actively a part of the commons' lives, see, know, and form relationships with them. Yet, by and large, they share few of the  peasantry's mundane problems and concerns because they have the Gift to imbue their existences with a level of comfort, convenience, and security that the commonfolk simply cannot relate to.

This largely static and well-threaded tapestry, preordained by the Pentad, as it seemed, only began to fall apart with the emergence of the Merchant and Artisans classes, which began in earnest some 200 years hence.

Because the magic academies are unable to simply take, train, and ennoble everyone with a RAS level above 4 (and the lower echelons of power would quite useless as true mages anyhow), eventually what emerged was a middle magic class: people who didn't need the help of the nobles and who could, with a bit of patience, assistance, and understanding, take over many of the more menial tasks that the nobles would formerly perform for their commonfolk.

As these people quickly came to be the beneficiaries of gifts and command higher salaries, they naturally had the spare capital to invest in apprenticeships for their children,  better housing and education, and business ventures, which of course only accelerated the process of them separating from the peasantry.

These were the embryonic merchant and artisan classes. Initially, they were indistinguishable from each other save for their professions and, to a limited degree, their wealth (though there remained significant overlap). However, those with greater business acumen, social skills, literacy, or connections were able to transition from crafting to the more lucrative and less labour intensive business of buying and selling.

As these new merchants gained in wealth, they invested in training in the Gift for their children. They began marrying strategically to bring together more magically-gifted bloodlines. Quite a handful became strong enough in the Gift that they overlapped with the nobility and, in many cases were as prosperous or more so. Before long, some struggling houses were accepting merchant blood. Intermarriage grew. Others felt threatened and demanded a clearly delineated system of class duties and privileges. Enough magic use had already seeped into the Merchant class by then and they had drifted far enough from their common roots that there was no being rid of them, however.

To a degree, the same could be said for the artisans, but what happened with them was a little bit different. Perhaps many of their number lacked the ambition or social skill to rise higher or perhaps they simply weren't interested. The artisanal class today largely represent the continuation of the original borderline magically-skilled population who had broken from the commonfolk once upon a time. In many cases, they came to occupy professions where magic use was beneficial and where training and skill was required. In short, they continued to be crafters. Most of them can use magic, but it is rare for one to be especially strong in it.

Then, of course, there remained the commonfolk. Every once in a while, some magic manifests in a family and it sees its fortunes improve. If that gifted individual is smart and seizes his opportunities, then perhaps he can gain a permanent advantage for his descendants. By and large, however, the life of a commoner remains the drudgery and dependence that is always has.

If one thing has changed, it is perhaps that the noble folk do not come around as often anymore, are not as involved in their lives. Besides, there are now others who they can rely on should they need magic. For a half-silvershell, the local blacksmith can heat your water just as well as he can heat his forge, after all. The doctor doesn't ask you for tribute or levy your sons in times of war. He requires only a small fee in order to close your wound and bind the flesh. It is a far more sensible and arrangement and, though these people are not of common blood, they feel somewhat closer at least, somewhat more familiar.

Magic Academies of Sipenta

Prime Tier: This is the most prestigious place to learn magic in the world. It is headed by the Zenith and home to six Arch-Zenos.

Ersand'Enise Academy of Thaumatugy, located in the independent city state of the same name on the border of Revidia and Perrence in Constantia.


Great Tier: These are large magic academies with considerable prestige. There are five and they are each headed by an Arch-Zeno.

Twin Emperors' Academy of Magic, located on Duōyún Island in ReTan.

Tantas Island Academy of the Gift, located on Tantas Island in the Tantas Sea of Tantiac.

Golden Star Magic Institute,  located in Nalapurna, central Sawand.

Blue Sky School of Sorcery, located on the Olaxec River near Atlahuixo in Xolexocto.

Conservatory of Ancient Magic, located on the shores of Lake Suul in Oiyac.


Entry Tier: these are smaller magic academies with lesser prestige. There are ten in all, each administered by a 'Head Zeno' and collectively overseen by an itinerant Arch-Zeno.

Sculpted Waters School of Conjuring, located on and off the coast of Pīkī Island, in Avalu.

Greenfields Institute of Magical Excellence, located on the shore of Gǒuzhǎo Bay, in ReTan.

Dragon's Mouth Academy of Witchcraft and Wizardry, located on Wykoolikaw Island, Yspawashi.

St. Yuri's Academy of Thaumaturgy, near Sovetskaya, in eastern Vossoriya.

Mirror Lake Magic School, on the shore of Lake Escaloosa, Colusetts. 

Greedy King's School of Enchantment, near Ucyaz, Kagan.

All-Seeing Eye School for the Magically Gifted, at the mouth of the Endsgar River, in Eskand Loft.

Ever-Dreaming Seminary of Magic, on the shore of lake Ahangaziz, in Inipor.

Blue Tower Academy of the Gift, at the fork of the Kazongo River, Belzagg.

Shrouded Isle Institute, on Juramash Island, off the coast of Rahundal, in Arrund.

Enchanting in Sipenta

1. Additive: it has manas. It improves your casting power. If you exchange manas with the item, you 'attune' to it and it works better for you. 
2. Specific: the item's manas are encoded with specific instructions to cast or assist with a particular spell or ability.
3. Self-destructive: this can be a subset of either of the above types. The manas just use blood magic to destroy their vessel, adding power to the spell.
4. False: the item isn't truly enchanted. It only has a very few manas and a minor spell meant to alert the mage who created it so that they may cast the desired effect if within range.

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Bio

Specific Magic Lore
Level Zero: Neophyte - no prior use of or study in the school of magic
Level One: Novice - new to the school of magic. Very basic spells.
Level Two: Apprentice - at low level in the school of magic. Can use some spells.
Level Three: Adept - at a lower-moderate skill level, some prior use and study.
Level Four: Journeyman - at a competent skill level, considerable prior use and study.
Level Five: Expert - at a high skill level, significant prior experience and use.
Level Six: Master - A master of that school of magic, extensive prior experience and use.
Level Seven: Grandmaster- An eminent master of the school, with an enormous wealth of experience and use.

Generally, most students will enter Ersand'Enise with four to five total levels in magic and no single magic above Level Three: Adept. Please honour the character development and sense of achievement that we're trying to build by not starting with more than that. Generally, students are barred from starting off with restricted schools, such as Atomic, Blood, Temporal, Dark, and Command, unless given GM permission. In the case of the first two, however, earning three points in an associated school (Arcane, Magnetic, or Chemical for Atomic and Binding for Blood) will unlock them for your use, also giving you your first point for free! Please honour the character development and sense of achievement that we're trying to build by not trying to game this bonus.

Drawing
Magnetic magic draws its power from the polarity of atoms and molecules, using their tendencies to attract and repel each other to build powerful charges.
Magnetic drawing is not directly offensive. However, drawing too much of one type of charge (positive or negative) from a polarized source can leave it imbalanced, which has powerful consequences.
Given that all atoms contain charges, magnetism is all around us. However, given that it exists only in a latent, dormant form, converting it into charges that one can draw from is not easy. However, once this is done, Magnetic drawing becomes elementary and a rather powerful source as well that magic users should be careful to exercise control over.
Offense
While magnetic mages have a reputation for being defensive counterpunchers, they are more than capable of mounting independent (and often terrifying) offense of their own.
Negative charge – a foundational skill that causes a target to become negatively charged, making it highly susceptible to magnetic and electrical attacks as well as magnetism and self-damage. (tiered: 1-2)
Positive charge – a foundational skill that causes a target to become positively charged, making it highly susceptible to magnetic and electrical attacks as well as magnetism and self-damage. (tiered: 1-2)
Grounding – a foundational skill that causes the magic user or a target to become grounded, allowing charges to flow through him without suffering self-damage. (tier 1-2)
Displaced shock – the caster delivers an electrical shock to an already charged target a distance away through use of a metal conductor, like a wand. (tier 2-4)
Impact shock – the caster delivers a powerful electrical shock to any target by making physical contact with them. (tiered: 1-3)
Arc Lightning – a powerful offensive skill that focuses a massive charge and then unleashes it upon a target. If the target is conductive, Arc Lightning can jump to nearby targets, gaining strength if they’re charged. This spell can easily kill humans and can be incredibly dangerous in environments with large amounts of water or metals, potentially decimating small armies. (tiered: 4-6)
Commandment - a subtle offensive skill that forcibly takes control of a living target's body by manipulating the electrical signals within neurons and forcing muscles to move or still at the caster's command. (tiered: 6-7)
Disintegrate - A devastating offensive spell that disrupts the covalent bonds between atoms and results in a target rapidly tearing itself apart. (tiered: 5-7)

Defense
With Magnetic mages, the line between offense and defense is often blurred, as they tend to be masters of subtle and sneaky techniques that cause their opponents to destroy themselves or set them up to be countered mercilessly (or, you know, just give them a charge and attract/repel them at high speeds into things).
Internal Detection - a grounded Magneticist creates a trigger spell in their nervous system that will respond to internal chemical tampering by delivering a slight shock and alerting them to the attempt. (tiered 2-3)
Repulse (Wreck Chems & Wreck Bloods) – This spell builds upon Internal Detection. A grounded caster builds up energy and sets a polarized trigger for a retaliatory spell to strike as soon as the chemicals or matter in his body are tampered with. These counters are often highly effective, as the attacker is focused on the oft-delicate manipulation of their own spell. (tier 3-5)
Polarize – the caster polarizes the magnetic charges existing within a target, making it highly vulnerable to self-damage when trying to attack using conductive mediums and even at risk of being torn in half by a strong attract/repel combo. (tiered: 3-5)
Anti-polarize – the caster removes naturally existing polarizations from the target, particularly from liquid mediums such as water. This can wreak havoc on a molecular level, resulting in a target potentially destroying itself if it tries to take action or draw energy immediately after being anti-polarized. (tiered: 3-5)
Paralyze – The caster blocks the depolarization that cells undergo to activate their resting energy potential and the ability of neurons to send signals, resulting in a living target being temporarily paralyzed. Exceptionally skillful and powerful casts can permanently fry neurons and cells, resulting in serious injury or death. (tiered: 4-6)

Utility
Magnetic mages tend not to directly favour utility spells, most of their repertoires being multifunctional. However, their ability to set up their environments, manipulate electric currents, and move charged objects using magnetism can be helpful and, in some cases, double as powerful offense.
Attract – the mage uses an opposing charge to pull a charged target towards her or any appropriate conductors in the area. (tiered: 1-3)
Repel – the mage uses an identical charge to push a charged target away from her or any appropriate conductors in the area. (tiered: 1-3)
Transmit – a caster with fine control can act as a conduit, drawing and discharging electric current in a smooth, constant flow to power items that use electricity. Unfortunately, there aren’t many in an Early Modern-era world…yet. (tier 3-5)

Drawing
Arcane magic uses the radiative energy of heat and light as a power source. As a result, it has a virtually limitless supply of power during the day and in warmer places and considerably less at night and in colder places. 
This also allows the act of drawing heat to be something of an offensive capability in its own right, since doing so to a great enough degree can be fatal to living things.
Heat is a powerful and unpredictable source that comes in many forms, from benevolent to destructive, so it is recommended that magic users with an ARS rating below seven exercise extreme caution when drawing from it. While less intense, the sheer abundance of light-based sources can be overwhelming for magic users with a drawing capacity of below seven. Drawing should only be attempted at night or in low temperatures.
Offense
Casts from this school focus on using heat and light in a multitude of different ways. Partially as a result, Arcane is easily the most balanced school in terms of offensive, defensive, and utility spells, boasting impressive flexibility that enables adherents to take either subtle or aggressive approaches. This, combined with the sheer abundance and ready availability of heat and light energy makes Arcane the preferred school for more mages than any other.

In terms of offense, arcane magic users can focus the powers of heat and light to burn and blind. Intensely focused beams of light and heat can cut and burn holes in solid objects, while fire can spread rapidly and offensive draws can cause targets to freeze to death.
Wyvern’s Breath: redirects or channels intense fire at a target. Given the presence of the right materials, this can quickly spread a powerful inferno. (tiered: 1-3)
Lich’s Touch: draws the heat from a living thing, either stunning, weakening, or killing it depending on how much is drawn. (tiered 2-3)
Light of Ahn-Shune: a blinding flash of light that can stun, disorient, or even permanently blind a target. (tiered: 1-3)
Faerie Fire: focuses intense heat and light on a target, causing living targets immense pain and serious burns even to the point of death, and causing combustible targets to burst into flames. (tiered: 2-4)
Sword of Eshiran-Zept (Arcane Lance): a focused beam of pure heat and light that can burn through almost any target with impressive speed and range. (tiered: 3-5)
Defense
Defensively, arcane magic can warp and bend the visible light spectrum to allow a user to disappear from sight and can manipulate temperatures and the surrounding environment to negate incoming attacks.
Burn Magic: scorches the caster slightly, but banishes all scent effects, tracking, and curses. (tiered: 2-4)
Blazing Aura: creates a whirling ring of fire around the caster that can burn incoming enemies, environmental nuisances, and physical projectiles as well as acting as a shield against cold-based spells. (tiered: 2-4)
Freezing Aura: draws all ambient heat from a ring around the caster, keeping him warm but causing his immediate surroundings to become intensely cold, freezing liquids and gases almost instantly and halting all but the most powerful chemical reactions. (tiered: 1-4)
Veil of Shadows: A simple spell that requires a large amount of energy but allows the user to darken her immediate surroundings and blend in to some extent. (tier 2-3)
Ahn-Shune’s Secret: For a small energy cost, allows the user to become invisible while remaining more or less still. Builds upon Veil of Shadows. (tier 3-4)
Ahn-Shune’s Enigma: For a moderate energy cost, allows the user or a target to become invisible, even while moving. Builds upon Ahn-Shune’s Secret. (tier 4-6)

Utility
In terms of utility, arcanists can create powerful illusions, as well as provide light and heat. Especially intense heat can cauterize wounds.
Ipte-Zept’s Blessing: fills the caster or a target with warmth. Can also have offensive and defensive applications. (tiered: 1-2)
Shune-Zept’s Torch: focuses light on an area to help one see. (tier 2)
Mercy of Oraff-Zept (Staunch): cauterizes a wound to prevent further bleeding. (tier 2-3)
Shune-Zept’s Trick: allows the caster to bend light and create powerful illusions. (tiered: 3-6)
Eshiran-Zept’s Army: By bending light, the caster creates a number of doppelgangers that appear exactly like her and mimic her actions even though they are noncorporeal. (tiered: 5-7)

Drawing
Binding magic is unique in that it is primarily a casting school. Drawing is rarely undertaken as it involves not the repurposing of energy but the repurposing of matter by destroying it and using its potential energy. In some cases, this can be used to remove foreign objects from the body and treat patients or to prevent harm. However, the 'blood price' of turning matter into energy is not a reputable form of magic and is strongly discouraged outside of healing utility.
The sacred duty of those who use The Gift for Binding is to heal, help, and protect. The offensive uses of drawing for this school of magic are not relevant to its use.
A Binding mage must be highly skilled in the art of drawing, so as not to inflict any harm while removing unwanted matter. She also needs to possess a thorough understanding of the human body and be skilled in the art of converting, for when other -less dangerous - sources of energy are required. Due to the abundance of sources and the horrifying destructive potential of Binding magic if misused, it is only taught at the most prestigious of academies and only to students who pass a rigorous set of tests designed to gauge their intellectual and moral fortitude.
Offense
Binding Magic is not used for offense.
Defense
The ability to covert matter into usable energy, and vise versa, makes Binding a massively powerful school of magic on the defensive side of the ledger. Binding practitioners can destroy enemy projectiles, heal wounds from trivial to fatal, invigorate allies, and materialize physical barriers for protection.
Gift of Eshiran-Zept: a magic user draws offensively from a projectile or other physical object, destroying the threat that it represents. (tiered 1-3)
Gift of Oraff-Zept: a magic user reconstitutes matter, creating a simple object such as a barrier or bandage, for the purpose of healing or protection. (tiered 3-5)
Gift of Ahn-Eshiran: harmful foreign substances and damaged flesh are removed from the body of a target and destroyed. (tiered 3-6)
Gift of Ahn-Oraff: surrounding energies that could be used by enemies to draw from are instead used to power the rapid growth of organic matter, denying them to users of other schools of magic. (tiered 3-5)
Nourishment of Ahn-Oraff: simple food is created to feed and nourish the magic user and allies. (tiered 4-5)
Nourishment of Oraff-Zept: wounds are healed through the creation of new flesh. (tiered 3-7)
Supreme Mercy of Ahn-Eshiran: a recently deceased ally is restored to life by healing fatal wounds and using advanced chemical and magnetic magic to restart metabolic and nervous processes. (tier 7)

Utility
There is significant overlap between defense and utility when going the Binding route, but this school of magic remains a powerhouse. The ability to create passages for allies and obstacles for enemies is of considerable use. One may also materialize simple, useful devices. Exceptionally skilled Binders may even 'seal' simple spells by creating items that, when drawn from, release the necessary energy and type of matter for the spell.
Promise of Ahn-Shune: An object is created which, when drawn from with Binding Magic (no matter how weak) and coupled with the correct focus words, automatically consumes itself and casts a minor spell. (tier 3-5)
Promise of Shune-Zept: An object is created which acts as a trigger for a powerful spell. When the correct focus words are spoken, the item acts as a conduit through which its creator channels energy to the caster or target, allowing for a massively powerful spell. The item itself is then consumed upon use. (tier 4-6)

Drawing
Chemical magic uses the power of chemical reactions as a source. It can use smaller reactions to trigger larger reactions, amplifying the power of the initial spell exponentially. 
As such, it is an extremely energy-efficient school of magic, though if a magic user creates a spell that contains more energy than that magic user can safely draw, he loses control of the spell and it becomes a runaway spell that can harm him.
Chemical magic is a very accessible school. There are chemical reactions of many different strengths, so almost any magic user can find something that suits her. However, attempting to amplify spells is strongly discouraged without proper training, as these can quickly spiral out of control.
Offense
Chemical mages are known for their terrifying array of offensive skills, and these come in two primary varieties: External and Internal. The former focuses on manipulating and often chemically altering the environment to generate powerful reactions in the form of combustion, explosions, and corrosives, which can be further perpetuated for cataclysmic results. The latter focuses on manipulating the biochemical properties of a living target’s body to injure, incapacitate, dominate, or destroy it. 
Touch of Fire: mixes target substances and adds heat in order to cause combustion and fire. Can amplify, intensify, and spread fire. Given enough energy and the presence of the right fuel, can result in a hellish inferno. (tiered: 1-3)
Gaze of Sloth: drains a living target of the metabolic and chemical energy that allows it to move, causing it to collapse and often to go unconscious. (tiered: 3-4)
Touch of Corruption: turns normally inert substances violently reactive or corrosive by rendering them highly acidic or basic. (tier 3)
Gaze of Terror: Amplifies the production and effect of fear-inducing hormones such as corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) and cortisol, paralyzing an enemy with extreme fear. Far more effective on static enemies. (tiered: 2-3)
Touch of Fury (Blockbuster): alters the chemical composition of target substances, or combines them in such a way that an explosion results. This explosion can be amplified, intensified, spread, and perpetuated based on the availability of combustibles and the skill of the mage in improvising them and controlling the results. Under the right conditions, it can level an entire block. (tiered: 2-5)
Gaze of Agony: biochemically stimulates pain receptors to cause the target to feel pain, from mild discomfort to crippling agony. Far more effective on static enemies. (tiered: 3-4)
Touch of Doom: tears the chemical bonds of molecules within a target apart, resulting in disastrous and (in the case of living targets) lethal reactions and often causing it to disintegrate, combust, or implode. (tiered: 3-4)
Defense
While they are offensive powerhouses, Chemical mages are markedly weaker on defense, relying predominantly on their ability to keep opponents on the back foot and, at higher skill levels, to deceive and dominate them mentally. That doesn't mean that they're helpless though. 
Gaze of Confusion: alters chemical signals within a living target at random, often causing seizures, temporary forgetfulness, distraction, and confusion. Results may be unpredictable. (tiered: 1-3)
Gaze of Deception: alters the chemical properties of the signals sent by the senses to the brain, resulting in low-level illusions and the removal of images from a target’s vision. Far more effective on static enemies. (tiered: 4-6)
Gaze of Dominion: alters the chemical signals sent to a target’s muscles telling them to move in a certain way, and redirects the target’s body to do the caster’s bidding. Far more effective on static enemies. (tiered: 6-7)
Utility
In terms of utility, Chemical mages possess a plethora of skills beneficial to both themselves and allies, from minor casts augmenting moods and abilities, to transmutation, to powerful healing and even resurrection spells. In fact, many consider healing-focused Chemical mages to be a subset of Binding. 
Blessing of Joy: Floods a living target with and stimulates the production of endorphins, causing happiness. (tier 2)
Blessing of Vigor: Floods a living target with and stimulates the production of adrenaline, allowing for quick action and a short-lived boost to strength and toughness. (tiered: 1-3)
Blessing of Expulsion: neutralizes the chemical properties of poisons, toxins, and corrosives within a chosen target. (tier 3)
Blessing of Transformation: Alters the chemical structure of a target, transmuting it into another substance. This spell works best on targets of uniform composition. (tiered: 4-6)
Blessing of Flight / Touch of Force: Channels the reaction of combustible materials directionally, resulting in a rocketlike boost. Can also be used as a short-range offensive spell. Extremely energy intensive. (tiered: 4-6)
Blessing of Life: Starts or restarts metabolic and neurological processes within a not-yet-alive or recently deceased target, bringing it to life or bringing it back to life. (tier 6-7)

Drawing
Kinetic Magic uses the power of kinetic energy as a source, meaning that the simple act of anything with mass in motion can power it. It also interacts with less obvious forms of motion and energy, such as sound waves and gravity.
As with Arcane magic, the act of drawing can be offensive magic in its own right, as drawing the kinetic energy from something can cause it to stop moving.
While kinetic sources are all around us and accessible to magic users of all ability levels, they must be treated with caution. Draws should be carefully measured so as not to either overwhelm the drawer by tapping into too large and powerful a source or disturb the movement of sources too greatly.
Offense
There are three distinct approaches to kinetic offense. The first seeks to manipulate motion and sound within the environment to use it against the target. The second focuses on offensive drawing and manipulating the target itself. The third approach uses the kinetic energy of the environment to turn the caster’s body into a powerful weapon. 
Siphon momentum: draws momentum from a moving target, slowing it and redirecting that energy into the caster. (tiered: 1-3)
Deadstop: stops a target completely, rendering it motionless and filling the caster with energy. (tiered: 2-4)
Sonic Blast: intensifies and loudens sound waves as they move through the air, resulting in a powerful, deafening blast that can stun and disorient living targets in its area of effect, often knocking them unconscious. Lethal to smaller targets (tiered: 3-4)
Heart Killer: stops the motion of a living target’s beating heart, causing it to either be stunned, or if held long enough, to die. (tiered: 4-5)
Solid Telekinesis: allows the caster to manipulate solids, moving them where she wishes. (tiered 1-3)
Liquid Telekinesis: allows the caster to manipulate liquids, moving them where he wishes. (tiered 2-4)
Gaseous Telekinesis: allows the caster to manipulate gases, moving them where she wishes. (tiered 3-5)
Plasmatic Telekinesis: allows the caster to manipulate plasmas, moving them where he wishes. (tiered 4-6)
Displaced Strike: Instantly displaces the momentum of a moving object to a different place as directed by the caster. (tiered: 4-5)
Augmented Strike: augments a physical blow to impact its target as if it is carrying significantly more momentum than it actually is. At high levels, you can literally hit like a freight train. (tiered: 1-6)
Defense
Defensively, Kinetic magic’s telekinesis can allow its caster to throw objects into the path of attacks to act as shield instead of using them as offense. Additionally, the manipulation of sound is a subtle but powerful tool.
Impart Momentum: increases the momentum of a moving target, accelerating it using energy drawn from somewhere else. (tiered: 2-4)
Sonic Break: redirects sound waves as they move through the air, making them seem to come from a different source. (tiered: 2-4)
Sonic Bend: alters sound waves as they move through the air, changing what is eventually heard. (tiered: 4-6)
Utility
In terms of utility, the telekinetic abilities of the kinetic school are front and center, though their multifunctional nature makes them potent offensive and defensive tools as well. Kinetic spells can also augment their caster’s movements and help him to levitate, making him a very elusive target.
Sonic Negation: draws all of the energy out of sound waves, creating a perfect silence. (tiered: 1-3)
Heroic Leap: imbues a caster’s jump with a great deal of additional momentum, and then draws momentum away from the caster before she lands, pouring it into the next jump or cast. Requires a chain of casts and fast reaction time. (tiered: 2-4)
Levitate: raises the caster off of the ground. Can be combined with other spells to simulate flight. (tiered: 2-3)
Wings of Magic: maintains a constant energy loop, drawing from gravity, and further employs telekinesis to move the caster through the air. (tiered: 2-6)

Drawing
Atomic (Deep Arcane) magic draws from the immense power created by destroying and fusing atoms. As a result, it can generate massive bursts of energy and power monstrous spells.
However, nuclear reactions simply don’t exist in nature aside from the insides of stars. These must first be created by powerful casts from other schools. Only then may they become self-sustaining.
Drawing from Atomic sources requires a considerable initial power investment as well as a good deal of precision. It also generates a sudden burst of great power that can be difficult to contain when drawing. Therefore, only the very strongest of magic users, with RAS ratings above 8.25, are advised to attempt it.
Offense
Atomic Magic is not a standalone school, being dependent upon energy generated through other draws to kickstart its extremely powerful atomic fusion and fission processes, hence its more common title: "Deep Arcane". However, its offensive skills, though limited in terms of options, are virtually unparalleled for their sheer power and destructive capability.
Embrace of Ahn-Eshiran (Reaper’s Aura): The caster leaks deadly radiation into the area around himself, making attempts to approach him painful, weakening, and potentially deadly. (tiered: 2-3)
Wrath of Eshiran-Zept (Heaven’s Lance): The caster channels a sustained nuclear reaction in a specific direction, attacking targets with what appears to be an extremely long-range and very potent lance of pure energy. Requires considerable plasma manipulation skill. (tiered: 4-7)
Curse of the Wretched: mutates a target beyond recognition, depriving it of its thoughts, motivations, and former identity and rendering it very vulnerable to control spells. (tiered: 5-7)
Detonation (Unholy Fire): produces a grand nuclear explosion using fission, capable of decimating small armies, annihilating fortified buildings, and felling dragons. (tiered: 3-5)
Cataclysm (Godsbane): produces an enormous thermonuclear explosion of unparalleled might using fusion, capable of wiping out an army or leveling an entire city. Requires an enormous energy investment, draw time, and considerable spell projection range. (tiered: 5-7)
Defense
In terms of subtle and reparatory defense, options are extremely limited within the Atomic school. However, Atomic mages are masters of direct preventative defense, though their energy usage is extremely high. Approaching a fully powered-up Atomic mage is often suicidal given the phenomenal radiation that their spells generate.
Protection of Oraff-Zept (Atomic Shield): Surrounds the caster or a nearby target with an energetic field that counters and neutralizes the radiation of Deep Arcane spells. (tiered: 2-3)
Hammer of Dami-Zept (Faceless Thunder): causes a multitude of tiny, controlled explosions that produce powerful directional shockwaves, making it impossible to approach the caster and difficult to strike her with projectiles. (tiered: 3-4)
Field of Fire: The caster focuses Reaper's Aura in a particular direction, intensifying it sometimes exponentially and melting anything within its short range conical area of effect.
Infernal Majesty: The caster temporarily empowers Reaper's Aura to the point that it melts any human-sized object that approaches within five yards in less than a second through hyper-intense radiation. (tiered: 5-7)
Utility
Being a complementary school, and one weighted strongly towards offensive capabilities, Deep Arcane tends to be a bit light on utility, but nonetheless possesses a last-resort healing spell and the intriguing ability to generate near-perpetual energy.
Mercy of Ahn-Eshiran: sickens and weakens the caster or a selected target, but purges them of diseases, disorders, parasites, and biologically-based attacks. It’s basically instant chemotherapy. (tiered: 3-5)
Infinity Loop: initiates a fusion sequence within an existing radioactive material, creating an extremely powerful and near-inexhaustible energy source. (tiered: 3-5)

Drawing
Blood Magic is basically just Binding magic unfettered, and with more of an offensive focus. On a fundamental level, it functions differently from other magics. It does not draw its power from energy but rather from matter, destroying it in the process in return for its potential energy. Thus does this type of magic demand a ‘blood price.’
As one might imagine, Blood Magic drawing is a powerful act of offense in and of itself. Matter is destroyed, and the more potential energy stored in that matter, the more energy is drawn.
It is not particularly difficult to control the amount of matter destroyed and therefore energy created, so blood magic is accessible to most mages. However, its use is strongly discouraged by all relevant authorities due to its destructive nature. Dabbling in blood magic rarely ends well.
Offense
Blood magic casting does not focus on outright offense, instead favouring drawing for that purpose. Instead, it is infamous for its ‘marks’ and ‘curses’, which involve binding the physical matter of a target to either be drawn from when the curse is invoked or to have it cast upon them.
Blood Mark: Foundational skill that binds a curse, mark, or gift to a specified target, regardless of its location. When first invoked, the caster must make contact with the target. Depending on the strength of the cast and distance of the target, blood marks can last from minutes to years. (tier 2-5)
Mark of the Basilisk: Manifests repurposed matter inside of a target, often in the form of large sharpened spines. (tiered: 2-3)
Mark of the Bull: manifests repurposed matter as a heavy block above the target. Weak as a basic skill, but deadly when mastered. (tiered: 2-4)
Mark of the Wolf: Continuously manifests repurposed matter as small, sharp blades above, below, or in the path of a target every time that the magic user draws energy. Death by a thousand cuts. (tiered: 3-5)
Curse of the Snake: progressively drains and weakens a pre-specified target and transfers that energy to the caster. Think of it as a magical tapeworm. (tiered: 2-3)
Curse of the Dragon: disintegrates a pre-specified target, erasing it from existence and filling the caster with energy (tiered: 5-7)
Defense
Defensively, blood magic can disintegrate physical projectiles before they reach their targets and can create physical shields out of reconstituted matter. Finally, it has access to all of the healing spells of binding magic but, in practice, few dedicated blood mages take the time to learn enough about human or yasoi physiology to be more than rudimentary healers on a utility level. 
Bane of Stone: disintegrates solids immediately and turns them into energy. (tiered: 1-3)
Bane of Blood: disintegrates liquids immediately and turns them into energy. (tiered: 1-3)
Bane of Wind: disintegrates gases immediately and turns them into energy. (tiered: 2-4)
Bane of Fire: disintegrates plasmas immediately and turns them into energy. (tiered: 4-5)
Sign of the Ram: creates a thick shield capable of deflecting physical attacks (tiered: 2-4)
Utility
Blood magic’s ability to disintegrate and reconstitute is useful for a form of teleportation and healing. When taught, the healing abilities are usually separated from the school of ‘Blood Magic’, combined with select Chemical and Arcane spells and designated ‘Binding’. However, there is nothing stopping a blood mage from learning binding spells.
Sign of the Frog: creates a large, extremely resilient and springy cushion. (tiered: 2-4)
Sign of the Mushroom: creates a massive sponge capable of absorbing liquids and neutralizing their properties. (tiered: 2-4)
Gift of the Bat: allows a caster to disintegrate a target in one place and reconstitute it in another, effectively resulting in teleportation. (tiered: 6-7)
Gift of the Cat: allows a caster to reconstitute lost or damaged flesh. (tiered: 3-6)

Drawing
Temporal Magic draws upon the power of spacetime itself, and doing so without the greatest care can lead to disastrous consequences. Essentially, you're not drawing energy, you're drawing from time and space, tearing holes in it as you draw. 
Temporal magic is little understood and considered a forbidden magic to all but Arch-Zenos and carefully-selected specialists and techniques for mastering temporal drawing are kept under lock and key in only the grandest of magic academies. The mere act of sensing spacetime in a manner that it could be drawn from is exceedingly difficult and involves potentially years of pushing physical, emotional, and mental boundaries to levels that might be very unsafe.
Drawing from the fabric of spacetime itself involves warping spacetime in some way. It requires immense power and concentration and is purely an act of chaos unless done with the utmost care and precision. It is not recommended that any magic user attempt to draw from Temporal sources.
Offense
The outright offensive capabilities of temporal casters would appear to be limited and are little understood, but what we know speaks to their status as the ultimate force of chaos, best avoided by mortal beings of any stripe.
Singularity: Disrupts spacetime to create a powerful gravitational vortex that destroys matter and even energy until cancelled. (tiered: 5-7)
Collapse Space: Erases a point in space by collapsing the space around it, eliminating anything within. (tiered: 3-4)
Collapse Time: Erases a point in time by collapsing the time around it, eliminating the effects of anything that took place within that time. (tiered: 4-5)
Create Space: brings a new point in space into existence, inserting it into the existing fabric of space. (tiered: 5-6)
Create Time: brings a new point in time into existence, inserting it into the existing fabric of time. (tiered: 6-7)
Decrepitude: rapidly accelerates the passing of time on a living target to age it to the point of decrepitude in moments. (tiered: 5-7)
Defense
It’s difficult to say where defense, offense, and utility begin and end within the repertoire of a Temporal magic user, though the ability to reset a situation endlessly to the caster’s advantage has virtually unparalleled defensive merit.
Temporal Waypoint: creates a temporal ‘anchor’ that the caster or a target can return to following a temporal change. (tier 2)
Spatial Waypoint: creates a spatial ‘anchor’ that the caster or a target can return to following a spatial change. (tier 2)
Temporal Bypass: the caster temporarily removes himself from the spacetime continuum, like a stone skipping across water, bypassing the effects of any events which might've occurred there and then. (tier 5)
Compress Space: warps space, bringing two targets closer together spatially. Mastering Extend Space helps greatly with learning this skill. (tier 3)
Extend Space: warps space, forcing two targets further apart spatially. Mastering Compress Space helps greatly with learning this skill. (tier 4)
Utility
Temporal spells represent the be-all and end-all of utility magic, able to imbue their casters with a virtually godlike control over their environment and situation. 
Repeal Time: reverses time up to a maximum distance of the caster’s initial learning of this spell. (tiered: 3-4)
Rewind Time: brings the caster to an earlier time with no temporal limits. (tiered: 5-7)
Reject Time: slows or halts the flow of time around the caster, allowing him to alter his surroundings as he pleases until the spell is cancelled. Pausing time results in time pressure, a mental and incorporeal but physically felt weight that grows until it is unbearable and will crush the caster eventually. How long this takes depends on the power of the initial cast and the capacity of its caster. (tiered: 3-6)
Consume Space (Teleport): leaps forward in space to a maximum distance of the character's perception or memory. (tiered: 2-3)
Unwind Space (Teleport): brings the caster to a distant space with no spatial limits. (tiered: 4-5)
Consume Time: leaps forward in time to a maximum distance of the caster’s death. (tiered: 3-4)
Unwind Time: brings the caster to a later time with no temporal limits. (tiered: 5-6)
Portal: bends spacetime to create a wormhole between two spatially distinct places. (tiered: 3-5)
Embrace the Fabric: Not a cast so much as a state of being. A magic user’s understanding of space and time moves away from linear, dimensional models, freeing that magic user from the spatial limits of distance and the temporal limits of her own lifespan. (tier 7)

Drawing
Vanishingly little is known about Dark Magic and its few practitioners are inevitably tight-lipped about their practice. It is speculated that this form of magic draws from a source, known as the VOID, that exists outside of known reality. As such, it is a near-limitless and endlessly available source of energy.
Higher level Dark magic users are able to 'compress' the energy that they draw from the VOID, drawing less bu casting as if it is far more. The precise mechanism by which this is achieved is unknown, but likely has to do with the unique properties  of 'dark energy'.
It is said that the very greatest of dark masters are able to bypass limits of energy capacity altogether in drawing and casting. Some maintain that they do not even truly 'draw' magic. They simply cast while immersed in the VOID. In truth, almost all of this is speculative and based on unsubstantiated rumour.
Given the shadowy and unknown nature of this magic and the manner in which it appears to break all known laws of magic, it is not recommended that any magic user attempt to draw from Dark sources.

Offense
Like virtually everything involving Dark magic, its offensive potential is shrouded in mystery. There are whispers of truly terrifying capabilities involving abominable creatures and beings torn from the all-encompassing VOID, objects manifested into being from nowhere, and the very warping of reality itself. None of these wild claims has been conclusively proven, however.
Dark Bolt: the caster calls forth a bolt or beam of energy from the VOID, capable of tearing through and disrupting reality. (tiered: 2-4)
Wound Reality: the caster tears a hole in reality and the VOID and allows the latter to leak into the former, corrupting or erasing all that it touches. (tiered: 3-5)
Wall of Shadow: the caster replaces reality with the void, either trapping, corrupting, or erasing anything within. (tiered: 6-7)
Remove from Reality: the caster tears something or someone from reality and hurls him into the VOID, erasing him from this universe and causing seemingly irreversible corruption. (tiered: 4-6)
Corrupt: A target is hurled into the VOID and forcibly torn back out as a warped and twisted shadow of its former self. It may be bound to the caster in obedience. (tiered: 5-7)
Call Forth Creature: a creature of considerable ability but no intellect, obedient to the caster, is called from the VOID and manifested into reality. (tiered: 3-5)
Call Forth Corrupted Being: a being of great power but lesser intellect is called from the VOID, obedient to the caster, to do his bidding. (tiered: 4-6)
Call Forth Pure Being: an uncorrupted being of immense power and intelligence is allowed to step forth from the VOID, its gratitude to the caster making it likely to be loyal. (tiered: 5-7)

Defense
It’s difficult to say where defense, offense, and utility begin and end within the repertoire of a Dark magic user, though the ability to pull objects into and push them out of the universe itself, as well as the warping of reality makes for supreme defensive uses.
Hungering Shield: an instance of the VOID is opened in front of the caster and any object or energy that passes into it disappears and is lost. (tiered 2-4)
Call Forth Shadows: the darkness of the VOID is used as a shroud and a shield, surrounding the caster without pulling her in and blocking all senses of outsiders, including energy senses. (tiered: 4-6)
Embody Shadows: a dark magic user removes herself from reality, instead traveling through the VOID and reemerging where desired. (tiered: 5-7)

Utility
Dark spells represent the be-all and end-all of utility magic, able to imbue their casters with a virtually godlike control over their environment and situation. 
Commune with the VOID: the caster is able to rip through the fabric of spacetime to access the power of the VOID beyond. This is the foundational skill of this school. (tiered 1-4)
Call Forth Item: the caster tears an inanimate object from the VOID. (tiered: 3-5)
Step Into the Abyss: a portal into the VOID is created, allowing the caster and chosen allies to step through into it, removing themselves from reality. (tiered: 5-6)
Consume Aberration: the caster consumes an aberration of spacetime, empowering her without the negative side effects that others suffer. (tiered: 2-3)
Power from Nothingness: the dark energy of the VOID is drawn from and converted to a more manageable form of energy for allies to use, the caster acting as a conduit. (tiered: 2-4)
Embrace the VOID: Not a cast so much as a state of being. A magic user’s understanding of reality moves away from the idea that there is a single objective one, allowing that magic user to free himself from the limits of linear reality-based thinking and allowing him to exist in multiple realities without corruption. (tier 7)

Drawing
As it deals directly with the manipulation of manas themselves as opposed to energies, Command Magic is not a ‘magic’ in the truest sense, though it is called one. While energies may be used to enhance its effects through other schools, there is no such thing as ‘Command Energy’ and, hence, no such thing as ‘Command drawing’.
Instead, this form of magic acts upon its environment by employing its users' manas to commune with and control manas around them.
The neural networks of mages interact with their manas to exert control over them. However, command mages are able to reverse this process, and many of their spells essentially use the manas of their targets to exert control over them.

Offense
Command magic is little-used and less understood. As a school whose schools are based on specific prompts and those alone, it works a good deal differently from most others, and attack, defense, and utility are often interchangeable and the lines between them blurred. That said, this type of magic is ultimately known for its terrifying array of offensive abilities, as shown below.
REVOKE - Forces manas to revoke their territoriality over their host, leaving that person susceptible to being drawn from. (tiered 1-3)
RUPTURE - Guides manas to clot in specific places, causing blockages and ruptures. (tiered 2-4)
GORGE - Compels manas to continue drawing well past their capacity limits, leading to explosive death and detonation. (tiered 2-4)
KNEEL - somewhat more advanced than the foundational utility spell SUBMIT, this builds upon it, forcing a physical reaction that incapacitates its targets and renders them incapable of action. (tiered 2-4)
WITHER - Causes manas to rapidly die off, depriving a target of their ability to draw and cast or at least weakening these abilities. (tiered 3-5)
IGNITE - Compels manas to rescind their instinctual energetic protection, leaving their host to suffer the ill-effects of an overabundance of energy contained within their body. Can be mass-cast. (tiered 4-6)
OBEY - compels manas targeted via SUBMIT or KNEEL to exercise control over their hosts and do the user’s bidding. (tiered 4-6)

Defense
Much of the Command school’s defensive uses come in the form of preventative empowerment, extension of spell durations, and the ability to resist mana blocking and jamming effects. It is fundamentally not a school designed to physically resist attacks, as many of its other spells preclude these being launched against its users in the first place.
RENEW - repeats and renews the last command used on a targeted mana colony, reinforcing it so that breaking free of its control does not become easier as time passes. (tiered 2-4)
RESIST - forcibly inures manas to the effects of mana-agitating frequencies and waves that hamper or preclude the drawing, sensing, and casting of magic. (tiered 2-4)
PROSPER - encourages manas to reproduce at a highly accelerated rate, rapidly raising the capacity of the target: usually the user or an ally. (tiered 3-5)
ASCEND - compels manas to replicate using magic, making instant copies of themselves using their genetic mapping and immediately raising the capacity of the target: usually the user or an ally. (tiered 5-7)

Utility
Many Command spells are fundamentally multifunctional. However, there are a small number that play well-defined roles in enabling other spells to function and empowering, assisting, or sabotaging targets without being directly offensive or defensive in nature.
COMMUNE - the first skill that many Command mages learn, this is a basic one that allows its user’s mana colony to commune with manas outside of itself. Rarely used outside of granting boons once SUBMIT is learned. (tier 1)
SUBMIT - the second skill that many Command mages learn, this builds on COMMUNE and forces targeted manas to submit to the control of the user’s manas. (tiered 2-3)
MIMIC - Alters what types of mana exist within the bloodstream of the target - usually oneself or an ally - by forcing a small number to mutate to match an ingested sample and rapidly reproduce. (tiered 3-5)
UNITE - encourages separate mana colonies to remap themselves to include other manas not formerly part of them. (tiered 3-5)
DIVIDE - encourages a targeted mana colony to remap itself to exclude manas that were formerly part of it. (tiered 3-5)
CONQUER - empowers a targeted mana colony - usually that of an ally - to commune with other colonies and command them with guidance from the user’s colony. (tiered 5-7)
TRANSFORM - A more advanced version of MIMIC, this spell transforms what types of manas exist within the bloodstream of the target - usually oneself or an ally - by compelling them to alter their structure and become other types. (tiered 5-7)

Drawing
There are whispers within the Violet Enclave of a type of magic even beyond Dark and Command: one that seems to rewrite the rules of reality itself. It is hard to say if there is any truth to these, however. Such a feat would seem impossible based on our current understanding of magic. In any event, nobody has ever seen or heard of an actual 'Primordial Mage' aside from a few questionable texts from disreputable sources.Offense
 Who's to say exactly what the fabled 'Primordial Mage' could muster in terms of offensive magic. There's a rumour that they can reverse, modify, and ignore the basic laws of physics and thermodynamics, but there's one problem with that absurd conjecture: nobody's actually ever seen it happen. Honestly... Primordial mages aren't real. They can't hurt you!Defense
Yes, the Primordial mage will defend himself with the power of... whoosh! It's gone! Seriously, if he ignores reality, then how do we even know he exists? No reputable practitioner believes in Primordial Magic.Utility
Could you imagine being able to separate yourself from the very constraints of reality? How wondrous would it be to just manifest things into or out of existence! Many people with vivid imaginations have wished it were so. 'Primordial Magic' is the result of their daydreams.

Unlockable Spells
Atomic School

Ahn-Oraff's Furious Creation: fuses elements together to create heavier elements. At its highest skill levels, it can create complex shapes and fuse multiple elements. The heavier the element, the more difficult its creation and the more energy required. (Utility/Offense: tiered 4-7)

Ahn-Ipte's Coldest Kiss (Bladeless Hilt): focuses intense radiation into a micometer-thin blade capable of slicing through anything. Can be made visible or invisible. Can more or less be turned into a lightsaber. (Offense: tiered 5-6)
Arcane School

Shune-Zept's Sight: Warps infrared and ultraviolet light to make them visible to the caster. At high levels, this extends to allies. (Utility: tiered 2-4)

Burning Dash: on a microthermal level, excites the matter inside of something to make it move with increased speed. (Utility: tiered 3-4)

Razor of Light: focuses an extremely narrow wave light beam at a target, marking it at low levels and ruthlessly punching or slicing through it at high levels. Can be made invisible. (Offense/Defense: tiered 3-5)
Chemical School

Supercooling: Keeps a substance liquid below its freezing point, allowing for near-indefinite storage, survival in extreme temperatures, and flash-freezing. (Utility: tiered 3-5)

Coldfire: Creates invisible flames that do not require combustion and can near-instantly be turned into a raging inferno with minor chemical manipulation. Under the right conditions, they can produce powerful directional shockwaves for a hybrid Kinetic spell. (Offense/Utility: tiered 3-5)
Kinetic School

Bonecrusher: locally increases gravity to exert immense force and generate energy. At high levels, it can cause bodies and solid objects to break. (Offense/Utility: tiered 4-7)

Lightening Touch: locally decreases gravity to exert lesser force and diminish energy. At high levels, it can lead to controlled flight but also cause some objects that rely on gravity to disintegrate. (Offense/Utility: tiered 4-7)
Magnetic School

Bloodwarping: allows the caster to manipulate the iron content in blood and metallic content in the body to cause deficiencies, weaponize it, or even exert subtle control. (Offense/Defense: tiered 4-6)

Skywalking: by imbuing surroundings and the self with repelling charges, the caster can simulate flight, often at very high speeds but lower altitudes. (Utility: tiered 2-5)

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Bio

World Lore
The World of Sipenta


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A World Order
Crystal. Radiant. Verdant. Ivory. Iron.

In the beginning, when the Firstborn crawled out from their caves and looked up at the heavens, they saw five moons in the night sky. When they had grown wise enough in the ways of the world to understand that the five moons were the messengers of the Five members of the Pentad, they found bestowed upon them knowledge of The Gift and many other great things with which to build the civilizations that stand today. This did not happen all in a single place or at a single time. Rather, it came to those who were prepared for it. Five great kingdoms arose to lead the world into the light and grace of the Pentad. Over the centuries, the identities of those Five kingdoms have changed, as all things change. Their mandate has remained, however. Holding one of the Five Thrones marks a country with leadership, power, and blessings. Every five-by-five years, when the conclave of Zenos meets in the hallowed halls of Ersand'Enise, representatives of all civilized lands make their cases as to why their people should hold one of the the thrones with all of the privileges and responsibilities that it entails. Of course... having a little bit of money on hand or an especially large army also helps.
Crystal: Perrence

God represented: Ipte
Currently held by: Perrence (250 years)
Appearance: The current iteration of this throne has been in existence for two-hundred-fifty years, since the Conclave of the Five Thrones began being formally held. Other, similar versions predate it, as Perrence has always held the Crystal Throne. This version is an imposing yet elegant structure made largely of amethyst, tourmaline, and quartz crystals, held together by bands of gold and silver and inlaid with fine filigree in the form of vines and roses. It is often adorned with fresh seasonal flowers and, during Rezain, fine produce, recently harvested.
Radiant: Revidia

God represented: Shune
Currently held by: Revidia (175 years)
Appearance: The current iteration of this throne has been in existence for twenty-five years. It is rebuilt and improved upon before every congregation. This version is made of molded stained glass designed to evoke crashing waves and a seashell-shaped backrest. It is illuminated through the use of Arcane Magic and projects the scenes on its stained glass panels onto the walls of the throne room. Whenever the Radiant Throne is occupied, a practitioner of The Gift must be present to maintain its glow.
Verdant: Eskand

God Represented: Oraff
Currently held by: Eskand (75 years, Ath & Loh disputed)
Appearance: The current iteration of this throne has been in existence since the beginning of recorded history, though it has been used only occasionally, when Eskand is in ascendance enough to justify occupying one of the five thrones. Some theorize that the throne's beauty and storied nature is one of the main reasons why this currently unremarkable nation occupies such a place of honour. The Eskandish version of the Verdant Throne is sculpted from a living tree of unknown species, ancient and gnarled. Great branches snake around it, carefully sculpted over time, forming armrests, providing an evergreen canopy of shade, and blooming with flowers and delectable red fruit seasonally.
Ivory: Belzagg

God Represented: Eshiran
Currently held by: Belzagg (50 years)
Appearance: The current iteration of this throne has been in existence for one hundred years, ever since Belzagg felt it should've been theirs. As relative outsiders to the internal politics of Constantia, this mighty but insular empire was frozen out of the running for a very long time. The throne itself is also known as the Throne of Bones (Lebaz k'Agmar) and is an elegant, eerie structure made of elephant tusks, sabre-toothed tiger fangs, and animal skulls won during the Belzaggic Emperor's hunts. These trophies are polished to a lustrous sheen, inlaid with gold and rare gemstones, and added to the Ivory Throne over time.
Iron: Torragon

God Represented: Dami
Currently held by: Torragon (100 years)
Appearance: The current iteration of this throne has been in existence for one hundred years, but portions of it can be traced back at least three hundred, to the throne of Samaur the Hammer, first chieftain of the Torraro people to be consecrated king. Angular and imposing, the Iron Throne is forged from what seems to be a single massive coal-black hunk of iron. Intricate scenes of the nation's history are carved in thin bands around its back and armrests and, above the monarch's head is mounted the famous Eye of the Judge - Samaur's legendary ruby, which is larger than a man's fist. The great chair is said to be distinctly uncomfortable to sit on. Perhaps this is a reflection of the Torragonese belief that a leader does not command by word, but by action.

A Guide to Sentient and Near-Sentient Species of Sipenta, Past and Present
Sentience on Sipenta began to emerge substantially about a half-million years before the present (BP). It has developed in two overarching branches: among the great apes and particularly the genus 'homo', which presently includes the two yasoi species, humans, hegelans, and the more distantly-related Eeaiko, and among the great serpents, particularly the genus 'colubris', of which sirrahi are the only extant member following the recent extinction of the aquatic Meerami. below is a guide to these evolutionary branches.  

Genus Homo and Related Genera

Homo Sapiens Angustus: Eastern Yasoi (180,000 BP - extant)
Homo Sapiens Ingenium: Humans (210,000 BP - extant)
Homo Sapiens Gracilis: Western Yasoi (220,000 BP - extant)
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Homo Hegelensis Efferus: Constantian and Severan Hegelans (290,000 BP - extant)
Homo Hegelensis Faberus: Callanasti Hegelans (290,000 BP - extant)
Homo Litoralis Furtus: Eeaiko (190,000 BP - extant)
Homo Pernix Arcanum: Smallfolk (330,000 BP - 7,000 BP)
Homo Harpax Horribilis: Trolls (410,000 BP - 38,000 BP)
Homo Pilosus Stultus: 'Hairy Savage Men' (290,000 BP - 42,000 BP)
Homo Immanis Crassus: Ogres (450,000 BP - 11,000 BP)
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Volanopithecus Vespertilius: Ripchik (590,000 BP - 60,000 BP)
Volanopithecus Crinitus: Ermuli (420,000 BP - 45,000 BP)

Genus Colubris and Related Genera

Colubris Trebax: Sirrahi (30,000 BP - extant)
Colubris Natatorius: Meerami (120,000 BP - 1000 BP)
Colubris Simplex: Lesser Sirrahi (240,000 BP - 30,000 BP)
Colubris Infelicis: Djamantese Sirrahi (110,000 BP - 7,000 BP)
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Doloranguis Crusus: Isscor (310,000 BP - 28,000 BP)
Doloranguis Furvus: Mahassi (190,000 BP - 80,000 BP)

Regions

Sipenta is home to a myriad of different cultures based on region, religion, social class, and other identity factors. For the purposes of our RPG, we'll be breaking these down by region and focusing mainly on those of Constantia and Severa, where Ersand'Enise is located and the Quentic faith is predominant.

As a general rule, the lingua franca (common tongue) that most people would speak, similar to how many of us use English as a common medium and how Europeans used Latin in the past, is Avincian: the old language of the Avincian Empire. Most noble and wealthier merchant characters would be expected to have a strong command of this language in addition to their native tongue and perhaps one other major language. 
West Severa: Strange Bedfellows
Politics: The section of the continent made up of everything to the west of the Torragonese narrows is dominated by three great nations: Malabash, Virang, and Torragon, with their smaller neighbours Inipor, Tettar Kansa, and Firraz generally forced to ally or pay tribute, though the storied history of Inipor and its role as a center of religion and trade render it somewhat sacrosanct. Virang and Torragon have reputations as warlike and expansionist states, and Inipor serves as a useful buffer between them.
Language: The dominant language family here is the Inipori, though Torragonese is primarily Avincian-based. There are also smatterings of other Avincian tongues, as well as Belzaggic and Rettanese enclaves.
Landscape: The landscape varies from humid highland tropical in the west, to lowland tropical and mangrove around the mouth of the Arapora, to mountainous in the center, arid in the northeast, and savannah in the southeast.
Racial Makeup: The inhabitants of West Severa are generally what we would consider analogous to Near Eastern, Middle Eastern, and South Asian, though many inhabitants of southeastern Torragon would be closer to southern Europeans. Within Inipor and Torragon, in particular, are sizable expatriate merchant and artistic communities from East Severa that we would consider Black. Virang is home to a large and highly influential enclave of Rettanese who fled there nearly two hundred years ago during a time of dynastic strife in their home country. These people, who we would consider East Asian, have retained a strong sense of their language and culture.
Religion: Unlike in the majority of the twin continents, where the Quentic faith dominates, West Severa is primarily Darhannic, (also known as Hexaic), worshiping six Gods instead of the Pentad (they claim that Sipenta itself is a messenger of the Sixth God: Vashdal, The Dreamer). Miharapori, in the far south of Inipor, is the seat of this religion. Unlike its neighbours, Torragon, conquered centuries ago by nomadic tribes of Constantian origin, is Quentic, and this is the source of considerable tension and numerous casus belli. In theory, this is the religion of state, harshly enforced, but in practice, the Torragonese are practical-minded people. There is room for all religions in their society, so long as the heathens pay their annual head tax and refrain from holding high public positions.
East Severa: Fighting the Power
Politics: Ever since the unification of the Belzaggic peoples under Hazwumi IV (known as 'the Wise'), the Empire of Belzagg has enjoyed overwhelming primacy among the states to the East of the Torragonese narrows. Its military might on the continent is rivaled only by Torragon and its economic clout regularly allows it to dictate trade terms. The closest thing that it has to a rival is the Republic of Joru, which controls the other half of the narrows on land with its ally of convenience, Torragon, as well as the narrows of the Ensollian Sea. The Republic has also managed, through canny political maneuvering, to make allies of Revidia and Segona to the south, and prop up an ecosystem of nominally democratic buffer states between itself and the expansionist powerhouse that is Belzagg.
Language: Belzaggic languages predominate here, though the tongue of the Zagromo Islands to the east has diverged significantly over the centuries, Mezegolese dialects number in the hundreds, and the Joruban language has seen substantial changes to reflect the spirit of the revolution (among the changes, hierarchical language has been reworked and people refer to each other as 'brother' or 'sister'). In port cities, it is also not uncommon to hear a number of Avincian tongues spoken, though the Empire enthusiastically encourages foreigners to learn and use Belzaggic while on Belzaggic soil.
Landscape: The western half of East Severa is primarily savannah, inhabited by much of the flora and fauna that one would expect. Along the coast, the climate is primarily Mediterranean. Eventually, this savannah transitions into fertile floodplains and tropical rainforest before rising into the Mezegol mountains in the far east.   
Racial Makeup: The population of East Severa is overwhelmingly analogous to Black. These people range from what we would consider Somali, Eritrean, and Ethiopian in appearance, to Congolese, Ghanaian, and others. There are also significant expatriate communities of other nations and races in the Republics of Joru and Azjul, but these are much smaller and confined to legally delineated areas in the Empire of Belzagg.
Religion: The population of East Severa is Quentic, though the Belzaggic church does not answer to the Primate of Revidia and appoints its own bishops. In the past, this led to the excommunication of numerous emperors and a discontent among the populace. An agreement was reached whereby the Emperor now does homage and accepts an 'advisor', but retains the rights to his own appointments. In Joru, there is a small but growing movement renouncing religion and embracing a 'New Rationality'. However, this is not officially supported by the authorities of the Republic.
West Constantia: A Place of Our Own
Politics: The entirety of West Constantia, save the Kingdom of Paggon, is yasoi. Very little of this region's internal politics are known to outsiders, though the Paggonians seem to have reached a state of uneasy understanding with their non-human neighbours. In terms of the six yasoi states, it is known that all six occupy a seat at the annual conclave of nations. Yarsoc is largely irrelevant and is actually somewhat aligned with Paggon. Tanso is locked in a long-running territorial feud with Oiyac and often eyes Paggon as a potential target for expansion. Oiyac views itself as the natural leader of the conclave, though other nations regularly joke that they allow Oiyese politicians to claim such because it will keep them happy and shut them up. Parmoy is, in most regards, a vassal of Oiyac, and Hypari has little political interplay with the others as it is a larger nation and its coast is to the south instead of on the Ensollian Sea. Mycormi is the most uneasy member of the conclave, regularly benefiting from human trade and interaction until recently. Many former merchant sailors have turned to piracy in recent years and the government has turned a blind eye.
Language: With the exception of Paggon, all countries within this region speak yasoi languages, which are different from each other but at least somewhat mutually intelligible. In Paggon, a dialect of Virangese - an Inipori language - is spoken.
Landscape: The western half of Constantia is mostly made up of lush highlands and cloud forests, though eastern Oiyac tends more towards fertile coastal lowlands and Yarsoc is distinctly more arid due to the rain shadow effect. Mycormi, in particular, is home to many rivers, lakes, bays, and islands, with beautiful beaches and rolling dunes.
Racial Makeup: Aside from the generally Middle Eastern-analogous population of Paggon, all people in West Constantia are yasoi. While there are occasional human visitors (closely watched by some nations), there are no permanent human residents except for a small community living in the Human Quarter of the city of Cremyris in Mycormi.
Religion: The Paggonian people are Hexaic in their beliefs, while their yasoi neighbours follow the Chosen Creed, which is an ancient form of proto-Quentism more in line with yasoi philosophy and magic use. Its major divergence from the human faith is its insistence that the Pentad were once mortal beings - and yasoi.
East Constantia: The Wolf and the Serpent
Politics: For centuries, the politics of the Ensollian Basin have been defined by the rivalry between the Kingdom of Perrence and the Confederation of Revidia. The former controls a vast territory, with rich farmland, a powerful economy, and a large army and population, making it traditionally the dominant power of the region. The latter is an empire of the sea (think Venice), with strategic control of most of the basin's trade and trade routes, a fearsome navy, a preeminent position in the arts and emerging sciences, and the seat (contested) of the Primate of the Quentic Faith. Recently, however, as tumultuous internal politics occupied the king of Perrence, the Doge of Revidia has managed to bring the Kingdom of Segona under his rule in a personal union, making him the most powerful man in Constantia and possibly the world. For the first time in centuries, the 'Hungry Wolf' of Perrence is on the back foot and its vassal states of Miatto, Crisia, and Ciero have been quietly moving towards greater independence. Meanwhile, the yasoi nation of Mycormi stealthily builds up forces and reopens negotiations with its old ally, the 'Sea Serpent' of Revidia. At the far southern end of the basin, the burghers of Kerremand eye the coming storm, hoping to profit for themselves and their quietly powerful country. Finally, the far-flung maritime republics of Balbri, Medrilan, Dorval, and Arrund watch and wait, taking their share of the trade and silently waiting to see which way the chips fall before throwing their lot in with one side or the other. Their intervention could be decisive.     
Language: With the exception of Arrund, an insular Inipori exclave, all nations of the Ensollian basin speak languages descended from Avician - tongue of the long-dead empire. Only Kerremand and tiny Feska speak languages that are hybrids of the Avincian and Eskandish trees.
Landscape: Aside from the highlands and cliffs of Segona, the northern half of East Constantia consists of rolling hills and innumerable islands, bays, straits, and peninsulas. It is a place where fishing, trade, and piracy all thrive. The climate is distinctly Mediterranean for the most part, though it edges towards tropical as one nears yasoi lands. To the south, the great grasslands and forests of Perrence and Crisia are lush and verdant, the farms of these two nations able to feed many millions of mouths. Rivers and lakes meander across the countryside, wolves and deer inhabit the forests, and vast herds of wild horses and cattle roam the great plains.
Racial Makeup: We would consider the people of Arrund, who migrated to those islands hundreds of years prior, following a cataclysm in their homeland, distinctly South Asian in appearance. Those from Medrilan comprise the only large Black population outside of Severa. Other than these exceptions, the people of East Constantia are what we would consider White, with some appearing closer to Southern Europeans while others might remind us more of Western and Central Europeans.
Religion: The Ensollian Basin is the heartland of Quentism and it is the state religion or, at the very least, overwhelmingly dominant in every country of this region. The Primate himself is located in the independent city of Verrano and, in many ways, he competes with the Zenos of Ersand'Enise for political and moral clout. The faith has a sometimes uneasy relationship with the practice of magic.
South Constantia: The Fallen Empire
Politics: However briefly and long ago, the entirety of South Constantia was once a single great Empire: the Empire of Eskand, and it brought the Avincian Empire to its knees. Those days, however, are long gone. Holmania, Enth, Helbahn, and especially Kerremand have looked increasingly northward over the intervening years. Barth, and the island kingdoms of Juiskarn and Hargelich have broken away, and Eskand itself has fractured: a contested vote in its elective monarchy the culprit, a rift growing into an enduring schism. In such a weakened state, the proud nations of the south have been preyed upon for land, labour, and resources by their northern neighbours. They have by and large lost their ancient beliefs and converted to an uneasy form of Quentism with pagan holdovers. Yet, there is a common language and culture that binds them, and many whisper that, someday, Eskand will rise again.
Language: The people of this region speak languages descended from the ancient Eskandish tongue, though Avincian speech has been increasingly encroaching in the northern lands. In the south, Eskand Ath and Eskand Loh both claim to be the true keepers of the language and fiercely stand by the particulars of their spelling and pronunciation.
Landscape: The north of this region is home to many lakes, rivers and forests. It is a pleasant land of rolling green hills, good for farming. Further south are deep, cool woods of pine, spruce, cedar, and fir, which thin as the altitude rises and the temperature drops. Cold grassland and steppe give way to snow-capped mountains and rugged, rocky coasts, their bays and fjords home to ports and fishing villages.
Racial Makeup: The population of South Constantia is nearly universally what we would consider White. In particular, the vast majority are Northern European in appearance. Only in the northern areas of this region do those of less fair complexions appear in any noteworthy numbers.
Religion: South Constantia is nominally Quentic in its beliefs, though many traditions from the Old Times are still celebrated, often in hybrid form and often in concert with Quentic feasts and rituals. Every once in a while, rumours fly about that there are those who still keep or have returned to the Old Gods - Father, Mother, Sister, Brother, Visitor - and these bring about a halfhearted spasm of persecution. Though largely dismissed, perhaps there is a degree of truth to these tales. When pressed on the matter, some Eskandishmen are known to claim that the Old Gods have not died. They are merely asleep.
Rettand: Crown of the World
Politics: The politics of Rettand are, for the most part, those of Rettan, the country that dominates 93 percent of its area and gives the continent its name. Known for its stability over the ages, this great nation occasionally witnesses periods of internal collapse and strife. The most recent of these was a little bit less than 200 years ago, when the Endou Dynasty collapsed after a catastophic failed invasion of the island nation of Nikan. The refugees of the losing side made their way to Virang and settled there. Meanwhile, power soon coalesced around the current ruling dynasty: the Jehan. Today, the twin emperors rule over a land that they claim is peaceful and harmonious.
Language: There are many local dialects of Rettanese, and these are - for the most part - mutually intelligible. Some populations in the far north and far south (actually on Callanast) are not ethnically Rettanese, but their local languages are in decline. 
Landscape: The far north of Rettan is endless tundra and glaciers: magnificent desolation at its finest. As one moves further south, great herds of elk, yak, and mammoth roam the highland tundra and pick their way through bogs and muskeg. Sparse taiga forest gives way to thick boreal and seemingly endless cultivated lands. Terraced fields hug mountainsides in the south and rice paddies spread across lowland floodplains. Subtropical and then tropical archipelagos echo with the calls of monkeys and birds of paradise as you hack your way through thick jungles and bamboo forests before arriving on the Callanasti mainland.
Racial Makeup: Ethnically Rettanese people are what we would consider East Asian. In the south, they graduate more towards Southeast Asian in appearance. In the far north, they might remind of us Siberian or Inuit populations.
Religion: There are a number of religions practiced in Rettan, including - more recently - the Quentic and Hexaic faiths. A particularly interesting one is the Angic Faith, also known as the philosophy of the Sage and the Fool. It advocates for listening to the wisdom of the sage but not forgetting to enjoy one's self, like the fool.

A People Apart


Unique among the significant peoples of Constantia, Severa, and Tarlon, yasoi (Homo Sapiens Angustus) are not actually human (Homo Sapiens Ingenium). An entirely separate sentient species, they are somewhat closely related to their more common cousins but noticeably visually distinct. Compared to humans, yasoi are considerably (about 30 cm or one foot) taller on average and rather lanky or gangling in appearance. They have high, prominent cheekbones and broader, more prominent nasal bridges. Their large eyes are most commonly found in shades ranging from blue through green, yellow, and orange. These are well-adapted to the dimness of their deep forest lands and reflect the light at night in a manner similar to those of many animals. 

Also distinguishing them from humans are their ears: larger, more sensitive to picking out individual, distant sounds, and pointed at the tips. Their olfactory system is well-developed as well and, in general they tend to be far more sensory-based than their cousins. As a general rule, yasoi skin is notable for being pale, with some individuals sporting an almost greyish undertone. Their fingernails tend to be thick, sharp, and fast-growing compared to those of humans. In general, it is possible for a person to mistake one species for the other from a distance or in rapid passing, but most can readily tell them apart.

Cognitively, culturally, and socially, yasoi are also quite a people apart. Their heavily sensory-oriented nature all-but guarantees that they are experience seekers. Compelled to near boundless curiosity, they are famous (and sometimes infamous) for their travels and their need to collect things of rarity and value only to quickly swap these in distant lands for others. Indeed, it is held by some that these dynamic people have contributed more to human exchange of knowledge and culture than humans themselves. To participate in a yasoi Mette'stiroi (swap festival) is to be part of a visual, musical, olfactory and tactile carnival of delights. Over the span of one week, fortunes are won and lost, alcohol flows liberally, stories and music fill the air, and babies are made by the dozens. There are feasts of everything that the yasoi can gather: tasty or tasteless all, and this is also the only place where traditional 'Tetsoi' (facial and body tattoos) can be earned. Yet, for all of their curiosity and copious use of the Gift in service of their epic wanderlust, the yasoi are often stunningly socially inept by human standards. Judging by these metrics, they are rude and unfiltered, flighty, inconsistent, and either obnoxiously talkative or else withdrawn and antisocial once engrossed in a pursuit. 

Indeed, this extreme dichotomy of focus is both one of their foremost strengths and most crippling weaknesses. When engaged with a pursuit or dedicated to learning a skill or some knowledge, yasoi are utterly, obsessively relentless. Time and other needs will fade to the background and they will achieve or master that thing. Combined with their long lifespans (120 years on average compared to 80 for humans), they often possess skills and knowledge that their cousins simply can't match. On the obverse, yasoi are also eternally restless and often reckless. Unless zeroed in on a particular obsession, it is rare to find a yasoi sedentary or relaxed. Even then, they are often fidgeting, humming, daydreaming, or swapping madly between tasks. Their society is hierarchical, like that of humans, though these hierarchies are generally based on respect for deeds done, magical ability, skills mastered, and others sponsored as opposed to land owned and raw production of goods. A king or queen is generally elderly and finished with traveling. She or he presides over an area and guides it until death. At that point, another family member or close friend who is entering old age will take over. The same process is true for nobility, who are known exclusively as 'Barons'. This is all to say that yasoi society runs on its own sort of organized chaos and functions quite well. However, when this is interrupted by outside action, the results are often catastrophic. 

Interruptions became increasingly common during much of the high medieval period as they established increasingly open and fluid ties with humans. Though yasoi acknowledge ownership over objects and the importance of private spaces, they struggle with notions of owning land. It seems, to them, a queer concept: you, this fleeting little ape-creature, claiming a piece of eternal land exclusively for yourself, regardless of how much you actually use it, and then threatening some form of violence against others who dare walk over it. While, today, nearly all of their people live in the yasoi nations of western Constantia with their towering highland cloud forests or on the cloistered island subcontinent of Tarlon, they historically lived wherever they pleased, often semi-nomadic and changing locations within a general area every handful of years. For millennia, this caused friction with the more rigid human societies that tended to occupy those lands, and yasoi were occasionally viewed as a nuisance who refused to pay taxes, stole fruit and game from private forests, and shirked their duties as people under the protection of a particular lord. Some took this even further and characterized them as a threat due to their unusual nature and powerful way with The Gift.

Indeed, this is something that they weave holistically into their lives, not distinguishing between schools of magic, not beholden to certain numbers or types. There have long existed rumours, however, that they manipulate time and space itself, in the fashion of idiot savants, and that is why they live so long. This knowledge was, in the past, jealously guarded, until it inevitably slipped out roughly two centuries ago into the hands of humans, who have always been sophomoric pracitioners and dangerous dabblers in magic to the yasoi mind.

For reasons not quite understood, the results have been disastrous for the relationship between the two species. Yasoi have been a familiar presence in the world of Sipenta for as long as their human cousins can remember. For all of their differences and the mutual wariness that has characterized many of their interactions, the two species are remarkably similar and have often worked in concert. Over the past couple of centuries, however, Constantian yasoi have become an increasingly uncommon sight in human towns and cities, retreating behind increasingly fortified borders of Mycormi, Oiyac, Hypari, Tanso, Yarsco, and Parmoy. More recently, Tarlonese yasoi hae done much the same, sealing off their island home. Where, once upon a time, one would not bat an eyelash at seeing one of these people, they have morphed into a novelty. Indeed, many who live in small rural villages may now go their entire lives without seeing a yasoi. With the establishment of their own countries and the rumoured introduction of stricter codes and laws, it seems that the once joyful and adventurous yasoi have become cold and insular. Just what is going on behind the strictly-guarded borders of their thirteen nations remains a deepening mystery to the human world.

Countries (by population): Tantiac, Mycormii, Oiyac, Hypari, Osai, Yarsoc, Parmoy, Yandel, Tanso, Nanoi, Luuntiil, Geluum, Medlac.

Major Cities and Regions: Hyntsax, Marposhy, Anentso, Luxiil, Coiyram, Mycormi, Sasaij, Jyndiin, Oiyac, Hydarbo, Biindach, Iilynash, Nettestiij, Hybaxi, Yrand, Misicoira, Chytariin, Shentabi, Halyeth, Tettabi, Sytelip, Heluula.

Common Heraldic Symbols: Monkey, Sparrow, Eagle, Cloud Bear, Leopard, Rose, Poppy, Serpent, Strangler Fig, Chain, Grand Sequoia, Hooked Blade, Spear, Sun.

Naming Customs: In yasoi cultures, a cognomen is inserted between given and family names and these are separated by apostrophes. Traditionally, this has been something earned due to a trait or exploit, but it can also be inherited. (Given name) (Cognomen) (Family name): Talit'yrash'osmax. Occasionally, two cognomens are given: Ismet'ych'lahin'dichora.

An Order to All Things
Among most of the human societies of Constantia and Severa, a shared notion of social hierarchy prevails. In some countries and regions, this is expressed as a rigid quasi-caste system. In others, it takes the form of a sort of feudalism. In still others, it masquerades as a species of meritocracy. While there are increasing tensions within this hierarchy and even nations which have rejected it entirely, it remains the dominant system for organizing human societies.
Royalty
~0.1 - 0.5% of the population

Royalty, in most countries, is simply a subset of nobility, and the highest level of social class. Within Hexaic cultures, it carries an understanding that the monarch was chosen by the gods and, in particular, Vashdal, The Dreamer. Within most Quentic cultures, there is also an element of divine right, though it has increasingly come to be challenged and seen by many more as a marker of merit. In Belzagg, especially, the Emperor has taken to offering public displays of his fitness, power, and keenness of mind so that none may question his rule.
Of course, there are countries with elective monarchies, such as Revidia, Kerremand, and Eskand, where a separate social standing for royalty does not exist. This also applies to the republics surrounding the Ensollian Sea, especially Joru and Arrund, where even the noble prerogative has been challenged or abolished. Where Royalty does enjoy its traditional privileges, however, its ranks are as follows:
Emperor/Empress
King/Queen (Sultan/Sultana)
Archduke/Archduchess (Grand Duke/Grand Duchess)
Prince/Princess (Emir/Emira)

Nobility
~2 - 12% of the population

In all countries but the most radical of republics, nobility is either the highest tier on the social hierarchy or the second-highest. These people are responsible for the political, spiritual, magical, and military leadership of the nation. In the majority of countries, the ranks of nobility are as follows:
Duke/Duchess
Marquis/Marchioness (Margrave/Margavine)
Count/Countess (Earl, Yarl)
Viscount/Viscountess
Baron/Baroness

In the elective monarchy of Eskand Ath, any noble with a rank of Count or greater may stand for election. In Eskand Loh, one must be at least a Marquis. Revidia largely ignores the order of precedence in noble ranks, and the leader is chosen from amongst the nobility for a life term based on a free vote of all propertied adults who belong to a recognized noble house or a trade guild. In most societies, ranking members of the clergy (abbots, bishops, archbishops, and cardinals) are considered members of the nobility and come largely from noble families. Zenos and other ranking members of the magical establishment are also counted as nobility.
Merchant
~2 - 7% of the population
In the most traditional of old feudal states as well as the more conservative Hexaic cultures, there are simply nobility and commoners. However, the majority of Constantian and Severan nations recognize the merchant class as a separate entity: a group below nobility who substitute military, religious, and political leadership for economic and scientific. While some merchants are little more than simple sellers of goods, in many cases - especially in Revidia and the maritime republics - there are those who have become wealthier and more politically powerful than their nominal noble superiors. Increasingly, this has led to a variety of responses:
Intermarriage between the two groups, with nobility gaining wealth and merchants gaining status.
Class antagonism, with nobility actively trying to prevent the rise of merchants to positions of power and merchants actively trying to undermine noble power.
An adjustment of rules and privileges for the two classes to place them on more equal footing but with clearly delineated and separate spheres of responsibility.

Use of The Gift is not uncommon within merchant circles, and is often a marker of status and signal of equality to members of the nobility. It certainly opens up doors that might otherwise be closed, and the majority of merchants should have the means to afford tuition for their children at an academy or at least a tutor. If not, their trade guilds are usually happy to view a loan for that education as a worthwhile investment.
Civil Servant
~1 - 10% of the population
As bureaucracies expand in many countries across the twin continents and monarchs and presidents alike grow wary of the vested interests of the noble and merchant classes, a new social distinction has emerged: that of the civil servant. While accorded similar privileges to artisans in most countries, in a handful, they have become recognized as a distinct social class, with their own rights and responsibilities. In particular, they are highly valued in Belzagg and (outside of the twin continents) Rettan and have a growing role within Revidia and Perrence. In radical republics such as Joru and Arrund, civil servants, though not recognized as a distinct class (these societies do not recognize class itself), are highly regarded, and fill all governmental roles.
As a general rule, few from the civil servant class possess aptitude with The Gift and, if they're trained, it's usually on the dollar of a powerful or wealthy sponsor.
Artisan
~3 - 10% of the population
Always an informal societal role in most cultures, artisans are the group of people employed in skilled trades: the crafters, weavers, brewers, outfitters, and others who create the wares that society needs to function. Generally considered freemen and exempt from being levied as front-line soldiers in times of military conflict, their skills, often passed down from generation to generation, afford them other minor privileges over commoners in most societies. While most artisans are humble people and many are not literate, some particularly prosperous members of this group market their own wares on a larger scale, blurring the line between merchant and artisan. In other cases, clerks, performers, printers, and recordkeepers are considered artisans, and can become quite wealthy should they play their cards right. While use of The Gift is rare within this group, it is not unheard of, though a magically talented youngster will often require sponsorship from her local lord or trade guild in order to afford tuition at a magic academy. Fortunately, many artisans have connections to these people.
Commoner
~50 - 90% of the population
Commoners make up the bulk of every state's population, with the vast majority living in small villages and towns in the countryside and subsisting as farmers. Smaller numbers make their livings as sailors, soldiers, miners, fishermen, and labourers. Though some are yeomen, and free to move about the country, others have obligations to their lords, and still others are serfs - entirely tied to the land on which they were born. Unless enlisted for military service or joining a convent or abbey, very few commoners ever travel more than fifty kilometers from their home during their lifetimes and even fewer are literate. Use of The Gift is virtually nonexistent within this lowest and largest of social classes, and on the rare occasions when it appears, talent scouts from Ersand'Enise or another noteworthy academy are usually quick to recognize it and snatch the gifted youngster up. Such families are usually touted as having been blessed by the Pentad and are ennobled to head off the possibility of class antagonism.
Slave
~5 - 35% of the population
While many countries have outlawed or restricted the keeping of slaves, this reprehensible practice still exists within some. Slaves can come from any previous social class but, in practice, are almost always commoners. Most slaves are adults and children born into slavery are rare. Partially as a result, use of The Gift almost never manifests in slaves and, if it does, is usually hidden or strongly discouraged. Those few in recorded history who've shown exceptional abilities have become the stuff of legend, but there are likely others who were quietly eliminated before they could pose a threat to their masters.

Hours, Minutes, and Seconds


Constantia, Severa, and Tarlon enjoy a standardized method of telling the time and, aided by the popularity of Kerreman clockwork, this has spread to Rettan and parts of Callanast over the past century, also becoming commonplace there. In this conception of time, there are 25 hours in a day divided into five sections. 

HI - The five Hours of Ipte (HI) occupy the latest and most remote part of the night, when most people are in the embrace of sleep and the few who aren't are usually... up to things. 
Example: 2:15 HI

HS - The five hours of Shune (HS) occupy the period from first light into later morning, when most people awaken, start to think,  and become productive. 
Example: 3:30 HS

HO - The five hours of Oraff (HO) occupy the period from late morning through the early afternoon, when life is at its busiest, most flourishing, and most productive. 
Example: 5:48 HO

HE - The five hours of Eshiran (HE) occupy the period from later afternoon until dusk, when the daylight dies and people's main activities conclude along with it.
Example: 1:07 HE

HD - The five Hours of Dami (HD) occupy the period from just after sunset until the later hours of the night, when people go to sleep, reflecting on thier day and what comes tomorrow. 
Example: 2:36 HD

There are fifty seconds to a minute, but each of these is about 1.4 Earth seconds. Hours are fifty minutes long and, as mentioned above, each section of the day has five. These begin at 1:00 and go up to 5:49. Then, it'll be 1:00 in the next section.

The Rule of Five
Days and Weeks

There are five days of the week, and so seventy-three weeks in a year. In different languages, they are known as:
Avincian: Taldes, Pandes, Orredes, Lepdes, Victendes
Revidian: Taldi, Pandi, Orredi, Lepdi, Viddendi
Perrench: Teldi, Pennedi, Hordi, Lipdi, Bianche
Torragonese: Tasses, Pannes, Orrades, Lendes, Blancho
Kerreman: Telltag, Fritag, Hegnstag, Lentag, Vintag
Loh Eskandish: Dallday, Freckday, Higgensday, Stillday, Shonday
Ath Eskandish: Delday, Frickday, Hegensday, Stalday, Thonday
Belzaggic: Tolduch, Parduch, Gorduch, Lebduch, Zarduch
Joruban: Tollu, Parru, Goru, Ledu, Zaru
Virangish: Hāttas, Sarbas, Uhibas, Khabas, Iirbas
Paggonian: Hāttom, Sarbom, Uhibom, Khabom, Elhira
Rettanese: QiDu, QiTi, QiSa, QiJia, QiRu
Tan Keoulean: JiDu, JiTa, JiSul, JiRi, JiEun
Nikanese: Daioshi, Toyoshi, Saioshi, Rihoshi, Aoshi
Xolectoxan: Hoetaztli, Ilihiztli, Zahuatli, Atematli, Xozehuitl
Nashibansek: Nahiin'gzabik, Ihkwaa'gzaabik, Semihaash, Shaans'gzabiik, Bitaase'gzabiik 
Seasons, Months, and Festivals
A year on Sipenta is 365 days long and is divided into five seasons and ten months (two for each season). These months are thirty-six or thirty-seven days long. In different languages, their names are:
Avincian: Tiptos, Tellos, Vardes, Assani, Velles, Mittria, Ardanes, Jores, Carles, and Zales.
Revidian: Tippio, Tello, Varri, Assani, Vellia, Mirrari, Errara, Giorte, Calla, and Zallo
Perrench: Tippe, Tellose, Verdi, Assende, Velle, Metrie, Arres, Jorre, Cheaux, and Seaux.
Torragonese: Tapos, Telosa, Varri, Arrande, Viela, Mata, Hata, Juare, Cali, and Zaron.
Kerreman: Tippe, Telse, Varte, Aste, Valke, Mitte, Harte, Jurre, Kalle, Zaxe
Loh Eskandish: Tiktas, Telkas, Vardith, Asted, Velka, Mittrech, Hedreth, Jarred, Kell, and Zeax.
Ath Eskandish: Tiptas, Telas, Varrdi, Astad, Velath, Mittrich, Hadreth, Jorred, Kol, and Zeax.
Belzaggic: Belgo, Tellaz, Vorrag, Azan, Vela, Mota, Homuch, Yogu, Chell, and Zagg.  
Joruban: Topo, Tilo, Furro, Asante, Vollu, Motu, Huaru, Yogu, Joll, Salé
Virangish: Hasirang, Arfatt, Zehelli, Jahass, Ohimuk, Akbin, Tahara, Elirang, Angkari, Zaha
Paggonian: Hasiron, Erfett, Zehari, Jahang, Homang, Aktir, Tahera, Ehirang, Angeri, Zaha
Rettanese: DuSin, TiSin, SaSin, JiaSin RuSin, HoSin, TanSin, QuSin, XiuSin
Tan Keoulean: DuSe, TaSe, SulIse, RiSe, EunSe, HaSe, TanSe, ChuSe, GyuSe
Nikanese: Daiheji, Toiheji, Saiheji, Riheji, Aoheji, Hinheji, Taneji, Goheji, Danheji 
Xolectoxan: Oholexti, Hlataxa, Atemhatl, Zahuatl, Olemixti, Rezahui, Lotahoelli, Xihuitl, Olaxa, Eloextic
Nashibansek: Maanito'Isgah, Esko'Isgah, Agahad'Isgah, Siimah'Isgah, Meshisek'Isgah, Wagisek'Isgah, Kohiin'Isgah, Shaanase'Isgah, Ibangaweo'Isgah, Tabaawash'Isgah 
Hundri

Associated God: Ipte (the lover)
Months: Tiptos and Tellos
Connection to God: time spent with those you love, importance of love and warmth, many children conceived
Equivalent Months: January - first half of March (January 1 - March 14)
Holiday: takes place in the first week of the year and is a continuation of Somnes’ holiday. It begins with a mass catharsis and celebration on the first day, and tails off over the week, representing the course of love and beauty and how it both lasts and fades. Beautiful decorations and feasting. Ample leftovers to be eaten as the feast continues.
Stresia

Associated God: Shune (the learner)
Months: Vardes and Assani
Connection to God: represents growth and new discovery
Equivalent Months: second half of March - May (March 15 - May 26)
Holiday: takes place in midseason. The day of skills (week of skills for some nobility) in which people hold competitions, concerts, talent shows, and dances. This is a time of pride in one’s accomplishments and skills, particularly in the case of children. This holiday plays very differently depending on class and culture.
Dorrad

Associated God: Oraff (the creator)
Months: Velles and Mittria
Connection to God: height of flourishing, when the world is most alive
Equivalent Months: end of May - early August (May 27 - August 7)
Holiday: There are two during this season: a Mother’s Day at the start, celebrating the giving of life, and a Father’s Day at the end, celebrating the protection and preservation of life.
Rezain

Associated God: Eshiran (the destroyer)
Months: Ardanes and Jores
Connection to God: Harvest is the reaping. Summer ends and leaves fall
Equivalent Months: Second half of August - first half of October (August 8 - October 19)
Holiday: Two of them - day of the dead at the start of the season and a harvest festival at the end. Day of the dead varies depending on what sort of year it was and is informally tied to the preserver’s day immediately beforehand. There is a rising trend among the merchant class of holding masquerade balls.
Somnes

Associated God: Dami (the judge)
Months: Carles and Zales
Connection to God: review of the year, final season is the final say or impression; a sober, somber time
Equivalent Months: second half of October - December (October 20 - December 31)
Holiday: Comes on the last five days of the year. Each day is a year-in-review reflection of how well you served each of the gods, in order, ending with the judge. On that day, you solemnly set your resolutions for the coming year and choose an item to add to your memory box. Every fifth year of your life, you open the box and take an item out each of the five days, reflecting on that instead of the gods. In some cultures, resolutions are between you and Dami, in others, they are discussed and shared around the dinner table, in others, you receive them from people in your life whose roles correspond in some way to each of the gods’. In a few, you only share your resolutions with a single ‘guarantor’, whose job it is to help you stay true to your goals. Your guarantor is usually someone who is senior to you or a responsible peer.
Years
Years on Sipenta work in a rolling system where five years at a time are dedicated to a particular aspect (or both aspects or neither) and also a particular god of the Pentad before both change. There are four aspect types (ahn, zept, ahn-sept, and none) while there are five gods, so any exact combination only repeats after exactly one century. Essentially, there are three components to a year: the aspect name, the deity name, and a number. For example, the very first year after the deposition of the last Avincian Emperor (which marks the start of the current calendar) was Ahn-Ipte 1. The second was Ahn-Ipte 2, then 3, 4, and 5. After those five years passed, the next aspect was Zept and the next god was Shune, so it was Shune-Zept 1, then Shune-Zept 2, and so on. For a better illustration, please take a look here. 

When a five-year cycle honours both aspects of a god, as happens once each century for each god, that god is considered to be in ascendance, as Shune was when the current cohort of students entering the Ersand'Enise Academy was born. Fourteen years have passed so, for reference, the current year is Dami-Zept 54 (or DZ54, for short).

Five Continents
Sipenta is an Earth-sized world with a similar climate, day length, and year length. However, there are a number of subtle but important differences: for starters, the land distribution is somewhat different, with the bulk of temperate land in the global south. A far greater percentage of the overall landmass also falls within the tropics and subtropics as compared to Earth. Though the climate is moderated for the many nations located along the Ensollian Sea, the primacy of more tropical and Mediterranean-style cultures over temperate ones is evident.

A lower percentage of Sipenta's surface area is also made up of land: twenty-four percent compared to twenty-nine percent for Earth. The effect is twofold: the vast majority of major countries border the ocean. In fact, within the triad of Constantia, Severa, and Tarlon, only a single nation - Inipor - is landlocked and, even then, it has an outlet to the sea through the great Arapora River system. This closenness to the sea has played a significant role in encouraging trade and exchange of ideas. From a climactic standpoint, it means that the moderating effect of the ocean is more easily felt. Except for the most inland portions of Callanast, Severa, and Rettand, few regions experience significant and long-lived temperature extremes.
Callanast
Of the five continents, Callanast is by far the largest, with every major biome represented. The central part of the continent, in particular, is home to towering mountain ranges and great steppes, while the eastern arm is home to vast forests and fertile plains. In the south stretches the Neverritsuk Peninsula, as yet undiscovered by Constantian and Severan explorers: frigid, mountainous, and near barren, its furthest reaches constitute the most inhospitable place on the planet. The enormous Olaxec-Kuska-Washawi river system dominates the continent, joining nations as disparate as Chappauri at one end and Sawand at the other. At the very heart of Callanast and of this river system lies the Gods' Eye: a large crater lake nestled amongst the sparkling glaciers of the highest portion of the inland mountain ranges. From these headwaters spring the Olaxec, headed northwest, and the Kuska, headed southeast. Each river sustains a population of millions.
Severa
Next is Severa, marginally larger than its partner to the south: Constantia. For all intents and purposes, these two continents, along with their much smaller partner Tarlon, act as a single entity, sharing much in the way of trade, technology, culture, and religion. Aside from the swampy region of the Arapora Estuary, the western half of Severa is divided roughly equally into coastal highland rainforest, mountains, and the vast desert of inner Torragon and Firraz, graduating to savannah in the south. Its eastern portion is mostly savannah and rainforest as well, with a Mediterranean climate along the southern coast.
Constantia
Constantia is similar in composition, but rife with bays, inlets, lakes, inland seas, and peninsulas. Its irregular coastline is ancient and home to hundreds of archipelagos. Except for the western highlands populated largely by yasoi and the golden fields of southern Perrence, most of its inhabited landmass is relatively close to a coastline. In the south lie the cold, mountainous lands of Eskand, peppered with fjords, glaciers, and taiga forest.
Rettand
Rettand is named after the great country that dominates more than ninety percent of its area. While roughly half of its landmass is above the tree line and covered only with inhospitable tundra and roving herds of muskox and mammoth, thick forests and increasingly rich farmland take over as one moves south. Bays, inlets, and islands support a thriving maritime trade and fishing industry and are home to unique flora and fauna encountered nowhere else in the world.
Tarlon
Tarlon is the smallest of the five continents and, in many ways, simply an extension of the northern part of Severa, though it is geologically and tectonically distinct. Most of it is made of ancient, eroded mountains and rolling hills, similar to the Canadian Shield. Much of the interior is rocky, or else wetlands and forest. The center of this micro-continent is dominated by the Tantas Sea: an enormous lake famous for its megafauna and dark, cloudy water.

Currencies of the Twin Continents

There are many types of coins in use throughout the twin continents, and many quasi-currencies. Most merchants and tithe and tax collectors will still happily accept payment in gold, silver, and other valuable goods and barter systmes are quite common. However, the strangth of currency as the primary medium of economic exchange is unchallenged in most nations, particularly in urban centers. Below is a guide to some currencies by nationality. For reference, 1 Revidian Corona would be equal to about $50 US, and most coinages are still based on the gold standard. 

Revidia: 1 Corona = 25 Coroncina = 25 Alloro
Perrence: 1 Couronne = 25 Diadème = 25 Laurier
Belzagg: 1 Kizan = 12 Gazu = 12 Beggo
Kerremand: 1 Drachen = 10 Natter = 10 Frosch
Torragon: 1 Corona = 100 Lauro
Eskand: 1  Neskal = 50 Konge = 10 Jern = 10 Skat
Joru: 1 Dola = 100 Owo
Rettan: 1 Jīn = 5 Yín = 5 Tóng
Virang: 1 Kurush = 12 Akçe (Asper) = 12 Lira
Helbahn: 1 Mark = 10 Solme = 10 Halper
Huulendam: 1 Drachen = 50 Rook = 10 Melder
Medrilan: 1 Merora = 5 Ember = 25 Imaldo
Kressia: 1 Sind = 25 Ochem = 10 Casting
Nikan: 1 Kinshi = 1000 Yan
Segona: 1 Coroa = 10 Ilmao = 25 Ramba


The most widespread currencies are the Perrench Couronne and Revidian Corona, which are accepted anywhere in the twin continents and often used as reserve currencies. For practical reasons, they are minted at the same gold weight and, pegged to each other, and accepted at a 1:1 ratio. Revidian coins, in particular, tend to find their way all around the twin continents and often across the ocean to Rettan, Sawand, Xolectoxo, and other exotic locations. At home, they must compete with a number of other currencies, as overseas trade is the nation's lifeblood and, ultimately, gold is gold.

The Perrench Couronne gets around nearly as much as its Revidian counterpart, though the Perrench crown and reserve tends to hold onto more of these rather than relying on private bankers. Of particular note is the rotation system used in coins, whereby the tails side always depicts the member of the Pentad in ascendance the year that it was minted. 

Belzagg's currency is functional first and foremost and pegged to the Virangish Kurush, though accepted at a 5:1 rate for the Corona and Couronne. In fact, the government of Belzagg has recently started experimenting with a switch to paper. It also does not like its currency leaving the country so, despite the power of the Belzaggic economy, it is somewhat uncommon to see the Kizan outside of its borders and a handful of merchanting meccas. 

Due to the strength of their economy and outward focus in trade, the Kerremandic Drachen is also widely seen and accepted at a rate of five Drachens per Corona or Couronne. The Royal Mint of Kerremand is a marvel of modern technology, and their coins - embossed with the Dragon of St. Otto - are considered the most beautiful in the land, bar the rare Eskandish Neskal.

The Torragonese Corona is widely accepted as well and is often mistaken for its Revidian counterpart due to their matching names and similar designs. These characteristics are commonly used by swindlers, since the two currency systems are structured in fundamentally different ways and one Revidian Corona is worth five Torragonese. Recently, the Mint of Torragon has begun producing an updated coin, known colloquially as the Espada for the flaming sword of San Cecilia depicted on its tails face. 

In Eskand, the primary unit of currency is the Konge, with its piecrust edges: a pretty but otherwise unremarkable coin only ever seen north of the Haskell River in the hands of traveling Eskandishmen. Far more famous is the rather rare Neskal, which is not actually a coin, though it is legal currency. Instead, Neskals are strawberry-sized figurines in the shape of a human skull. Depending on the member of the Pentad in ascendance, they are handcrafted from different materials (Garnet for Ipte, Lapis Lazuli for Shune, Gold for Oraff, Mammoth Ivory for Eshiran, and Onyx for Dami). While these pieces have a set value by law, in practice, more are minted in some years than others due to the availabiliy of materials and expense of craftsmen's wages. Though a single Neskal is technically worth five Corona or Couronne, to many people outside of Eskand, they are far more valuable (especially the rare varieties, like Lapiz Lazuli) and are considered collectors' items. This has actually led to a problem with Northerners taking Neskals out of circulation for use as display pieces and was a central reason for the discontinuation of the Great Neskal - a larger illuminated gemstone-inlaid currency worth five Neskals that was frequently bought up for collections or defaced for its valuable minerals. The remaining Great Neskals are still accepted anywhere, of course, but nobody is daft enough to actually spend them.

The Virangish Kurush is pegged to the Belzaggic Kizan, but is somewhat more widespread, being commonly found across East Severa, Paggon, Balbri, and Revidia. Most of these coins are square in shape for easy stacking. Once a coin's corners have worn down (but as long as its faces are still legible), any Virangish citizen may exchange it at a bank for a new one. These old coins are then delivered monthly to the mint, melted down, and reforged.

Currency of Ersand'Enise: The Incantor

Partly as a consequence of growing geopolitical uncertainty but also in the name of seizing opportunities that come with being a reliably neutral and dependable tax haven, Ersand'Enise has recently created its own currency, the Incantor (ICR): ⌘. Its greater form is the Magus (Ỽ), while tts lesser forms are the Veneficus (✤) and the Praefator (∝).

1) Magus: worth roughly the same as a Neskal and, in some ways, a shameless imitation of its success, this is a grape-sized figurine shaped like a wizard's hat. Made of gold, amethyst, jade, opal, or blue topaz depending on the member of the Pentad in ascendance, its underside is marked with the seal of Ersand'Enise, year minted, and name of the current Zenith. These pseudo-coins are known informally as 'Hats'. Their symbbol is: Ỽ

2) Incantor:  Roughly half the value of a Corona or Couronne, with ten being equal to one Magus, the Incantor - a simplification of 'Incantator' - is often known as the 'Inky' to those who exchange it, or the 'Hugo'. While one side portrays the bust of the current Zenith, the other honors Hugo Hunghorasz, with his tall bearded figure standing before a swirling portal. It is also notable for its beveled piecrust edges, not dissimilar to the Eskandish Konge. Its symbol is: ⌘

3) Veneficus: Twenty-five of these silver-rimmed bronze coins make up a single Incantor. Their obverse depicts the Revidian founder of Ersand'Enise: Giacomo the Owl, with his namesake bird perched on his shoulder. The silver portion on both sides is stamped with the year of minting, current Zenith's name, and the Avincian words Abscondere Palam: Hide in Plain Sight. These coins are commonly known as 'Owls' or 'Jacks'. Their symbol is: ✤ 

4) Praefator: Twenty-five of these small copper coins are equal to a single Veneficus and, like the Incantor, are stamped with piecrust edges, though not significantly beveled. The figure honoured in this currency is Benedict the Blessed: the great Perrench king who did much to expand the school a century prior. He stands beneath a depiction of the arch named for him. Many people refer to these coins as 'Bennies' or, ironically, 'Fatties'. Their symbol is: ∝

A Guide to Names
In many of the cultures of Constantia and Severa, noble and merchant names follow the simple pattern of (Given name) (Family name): Carmillia Carbonneau. Artisanal family names are often variants on the family profession, and many commoners, particularly in East Severa, simply lack proper family names. In some cases, they will use the name of their hometown instead. (Given name) of/lo/de/te (Place Name): Taiya Lo Hasta.

This is taken a step further in some cultures, however. Among the Eskandish peoples of South Constantia, family names are siimply patronymics or, in some cases, matronymics. Therefore, particularly among non-noble houses, a son will usually carry his father's given name with the appelaation 'son' at the end, while a daughter will sometimes substitute the appelation 'dottir'. (Given name) (father's name + 'son' or 'dottir'): Ingrid Penderson (uses 'son' instead of 'dottir' in spite of gender).

In Drudgunzean (North Eskandish) nations, it is common - especially among nobility, merchants, and artisans - to include a place name as well as a family name, leading to a three part structure. (Given name) (Family name) von/van (Place name): Manfred Hohenfelter von Meckelin-Thandau. 

In yasoi cultures, a cognomen is inserted between given and family names, each separated by apostrophes. Traditionally, this has been something earned due to a trait or exploit, but it can also be inherited and this is becoming more common. In rare cases, two cognomens can be earned. (Given name) (Cognomen) (Family name): Casii'fyret'alan.

However, in the cultures of Rettand and northern Callanast, the name structure is reversed, such that the family name comes first and the given name comes last. (Family name) (Given name): Seung Eun-Ji.

Much of east and central coastal Callanast, however, follow a structure superficially similar to that of Constantia, with a given name and a family name. However, the given name has three parts which are: zodiac sign born under, birth position in family, and shared portion of ancestor's name. (Zodiac-Birth-Ancestor Given name) (Family name): Sulmanwar Khoshi.

In Southern Callanast, where much of the culture is an evolution of that of old Eskand and the explorers who landed there some eight hundred years previous, naming patterns follow those of Constantia but have shifted the patronymic name (with the suffix ovich or ovna) to the middle position and adopted a persistent family name with a gender designator. (Given name) (Patronymic Middle name) (Family name): Natasha Mikhailovna Semenova.

Finally, the lower population densities of some cultures in West and Southwest Callanast have lead to a unique descriptive naming system whereby family names do not exist and names are not necessarily permanent. They are instead based off of traits and exploits and may change over the course of one's lifetime. For example, (Action) - preposition - (Noun): Born-on-Solstice.

The sirrahi's name structure represents the importance of the brood as a family connection, brood name coming first. Second, follows one's hatch number within the brood, followed finally by a personal name. In general, one will be referred to on formal occasions by brood name, by number designator among siblings and less formally, and by personal name only with mates and close friends. Structure: (Brood Name) (Hatch Order Designator) (Personal Name): Diska Nine Sileen.

Eeaiko names are superficially similar to yasoi in that they may change over the course of one's lifetime and represent achievements and recognition by others. The positioning is different, however, and a matronymic/patronymic element is included. Men bear their mother's name while women bear their father's, followed by the suffix 'loon' for eldest children, 'pat' for youngest, and 'heep' for all others. (Project Achieved) (Personal Name) (Matronymic): Aurglykk-ott Heekaun Wellka-loon

Five Moons, Five of Everything

Sipenta is quite unique among inner terrestrial planets in its many moons. The system is quite ancient and is locked in a consistent sequence. It is also possessed of a faint ring made up of the remnants of what was once a sixth moon: a captured asteroid called Tolus. Names for the moons in Avincian and some other languaes can be found below.

Larus: goes full every second night. It is dedicated to Ipte and is a deep red in colour.
Ceros: goes full every fourth night. It is dedicated to Shune and is a brilliant white-gold.
Juni: goes full every eighth night. It is dedicated to Oraff and is white with bluish fissures.
Menas: goes full every sixteenth night. It is dedicated to Eshiran and is cold grey.
Dandres: goes full every thirty-second night. It is dedicated to Dami and is very dark. 

Revidian: Lasso, Ciero, Gionne, Mennaci, Dandrio
Perrench: Laré, Cereau, Junie, Mennase, Dandré
Torragonese: Laro, Sierro, Juani, Menas, Dandro
Belzaggic: Lazo, Zero, Joni, Muna, Dango
Joruban: Azun, Beru, Jolun, Mumbo, Jaddan
Eskandish: Mjardur, Svind, Flokka, Kreya, Fradje
Kerreman: Marder, Sinter, Fleck, Renna, Freide
Virangish: Omzat, Qadder, Jahillah, Mukhtat, Angahar
Mycormish: Luuna, Siiro, Shelen, Myrosh, Doyax

An Embarrassment of Riches

The produce of Sipenta varies widely by region, climate, and cultivation status. Below is an overview of some of the more noteworthy crops.

Melons:


Watermelon: a very sweet and juicy summer treat in many temperate regions, the watermelon is widely cultivated across the twin continents.



Firemelon: popular in Virangish and Torragonese cuisine, these small orangish melons have a sweet-meets-spicy flavour that is a regional favourite.



Terramelon: known for its dense flesh and bold licorice-like flavour, this popular melon is widely grown in Perrence and the surrounding countries.



Cloudmelon: famous for its light and airy texture, almost like cotton candy, the pale cloudmelon is grown only in Paggon and a few of the yasoi nations and is a rare end delectale treat.



Thundermelon: Known for its zestiness and tanginess, the Thundermelon is a juicy, invigotating treat popularly grown in Belzagg and Joru. 



Peppers


White Pepper: The only type of pepper known to grow in climates colder than subtropical, the Eskandish White Pepper, otherwise known as the Snowpepper or Saltpepper, appears most often in areas with high volcanic and hydrothermal activity, being a reasonably common sight around the hot springs of the Thornback Mountains. 

These peppers are unique in that they germinate and flower mostly underground in the leaf litter, and are famous for their very spicy, salty taste and tendencyy to smell slightly of sulfur. These small fruits grow very rapidly in the brief growing season of their habitat, often as low-lying shrubs or creepers. As one might guess, they are ghost white in colour, hence their name.



The Brandæble: Though Eskand is generally a cold land and not much suited to intensive agriculture, it is nonetheless home to a number of notable fruits and vegetables. This is due to the rich volcanic soil present in some regions and the raised ambient temperature of the local microclimates. 

The best-known of these plants, aside from the snepeber (snow pepper) is the brandæble (fire apple), a faintly aromatic plum-sized fruit which is considered a sign of good fortune by many. 

This rare produce ripens to a brilliant purple, often fading to red and orange towards the stem and navel. It grows in small groves on brambly bushes, almost exclusively in areas that are both rainy and heavily volcanic, where it can receive ample heat, water, and nutrients as well as protection from insects. 

Brandæbles are sweet and rich in flavour, with a surprising smoky spiciness. The soft, juicy flesh is very slightly toxic to species of the genus *homo*, lending it some properties of a stimulant, (it is held) an aphrodisiac, and a mild hallucinogen if consumed in large enough amounts. 

It is partially due to Greenlander wariness about these psychoactive properties (which are really quite minor), the difficulty of harvesting good brandæbles, and a lack of awareness outside of Eskandish borders (and even, to some extent, southern Eskand) that the fruit has not spread further and grown in popularity. Perhaps the single greatest factor, however, is the plants' highly specialized environment which, like that of the Feskan spratz, is difficult to replicate successfully elsewhere.

Unlike the spratz, the brandæble is not considered a valuable cash crop and its seeds not treated as property of the growers and rigorously protected. Instead, there is a long tradition that these fruits bring good fortune. As a result, if produce is being shipped a long way, a single brandæble is traditionally slipped into one of the crates. There is nothing luckier than finding a brandæble in yours!

Flora of Sipenta
Water Plants of Sipenta


Balloon Kelp: This species of kelp possesses gas bladders that allow it to grow to incredible heights both below water and above, where these titans can tower almost two hundred feet into the sky, supporting numerous other flora and fauna.

Monkeyvine: A highly active plant known to 'hang' from the leaves and branches of balloon kelp above the water's surface, swinging back and forth and grabbing small animals with its 'arms'. 

Orange Strangler: Dangerous and very fast-growing, this semiaquatic mildly toxic seaweed occurs in semirigid branching tendrils. When contacted, these rapidly and forcefully constrict around prey from fish to sharks and small whales.

Sea Peach: A hardy and slow-growing flowering kelp that produces a sweet and flavourful pinkish fruit. So named because of its 'pit' - a rare and very valuable pseudo-gemstone known as a 'sea sapphire'.

Water Nightshade: A type of drifting seaweed with dagger-sharp hardened purple fruits that are delicious yet extremely poisonous. Often used to coat eeaiko weapons or as weapons in their own right.

Floatmelon: Giant floating sea vines that can stretch for nearly a thousand feet, they provide habitats for seabirds and semi-terrestrial animals on the open ocean and are protected by them. The melonlike fruits, some as big as houses, are tough-skinned, ribbed, and hollow. They are occasionally cut in half when they wash ashore, coated in natural preservatives, and turned into houses or boats.

Screaming Lemon: Much of this semiaquatic citrus rows in mangroves, partially submerged, but not the lemonlike fruits. These experience a sudden chemical reaction upon ripening to a certain point, after which, they burst off of their stems, cooking themselves and releasing a delicious and aromatic whistling steam. Known to be irresistibly sour yet incongruously sweet.

Idiot's Apple: An apple tree more similar in form to a willow, this waterside plant is common around lakes and rivers in the Merrerapora basin, its long, flexible branches often drooping into the water. While the fruit is delicious, it is also known for producing powerful seative and psychotropic effects that make use of sodium thiopental, hence it's common name.

Dragons, mammoths, halassa, and rabbits coming soon! For now, though, enjoy the...
Tiims'archa (Starlight Snail)


Art by Helena Eyng
Within the lower reaches of the West Constantian and Tarlonese cloud forests, many animals, plants, and fungi have adapted various forms of bioluminescence. One of the most ubiquitous of these is the Tiims'archa, known as the Starlight Snail to humans. The same bacteria that enjoy a symbiotic relationship with this forest-dweller and allow it to glow so brightly, even through its shell, have also made it into an unlikely delicacy. In truth, it is consumed by humans and yasoi alike primarily for the novelty. The bacteria inside of Starlight snails are hardy, adaptable, and don't break down easily. They can survive for days outside of their host.

Hence, yasoi have long eaten these creatures despite their awful taste for the novelty of how it makes their mouths, their throats and even - briefly - their stomachs glow for a time after consumption. They also use it for ink, makeup, and facepaint, often tracing their tetsoi in it at night to make them glow during special events like mette'stiroi.

Of course, once the Parrench got a hold of the Starlight Snail, their cuisine rose to the challenge of elevating it as a dish, cooking it so as to keep its tenderness and moisture but lose the sliminess, as well as balancing its extreme bitterness with other elements. It has now, ironically, become every bit as popular among human nobility (particularly in Perrence, Revidia, Paggon, and Feska) as it is among yasoi, and its preparation considered both a visual and culinary art. Tiims'archa are now extensively farmed, bred to produce different sizes, shapes, and colours, and sold for sometimes exorbitant amounts. The 'Purple Spratz': a large, sweet variety with a spiral shell that glows in bands of brilliant indigo and fushia can sell for up to five Perrench Couronne per snail. Of course, humans are generally just as amused with the snail's uses in makeup, paint, and temporarily glowing ink. The last of these is particularly popular for the writing of notes in 'mystery parties'.
The Brine Whale


Type: Cetacean
Size: 1.5 - 3.5m, 80 - 400kg
Conservation Status: Vulnerable
Distribution: Native to the brackish waters of Dami's Eye, Lac Crochet, and Lac Corniche, there is an invasive population in Lake Ahangaziz in West Severa.
Description: A highly specialized species which evolved in the landlocked saltwater seas of Dami's Eye and Lac Crochet, brine whales feed on brine shrimp or scavenge the seafloor. To avoid beaching in shallow water, the tails of these unusual cetaceans are paddle-shaped and vestigial hind limbs have been retained. The eyesight of brine whales is poor and only used to watch for predators from above. They compensate, instead, with their prominent whiskers, which are used as feelers to navigate and search for food.
Dragons of the Family Bufodraconis (Dragon Toads)
The Brandtudse/Stentudse/Drakenpad

The Brandtudse (fire toad) or Stentudse (boulder toad) is a species of the family bufodraconis known for inhabiting bogs, alvars, and shield rock regions of Helbahn, Huulendam, northern Eskand Løft, and far southern Kerremand and Hendland. The size of a small wagon, with a mouth large enough to swallow an average-sized woman nearly whole, it is a voracious ambush predator of grazing species, wandering livestock, and human travelers, often disguising itself as a boulder, large and knotty tree stump, or rock outcropping. In this capacity, a brandtudse can remain perfectly still for days on end, even its eyes closed, only sensing vibrations and energies.

These stout, clever dragons will also sometimes work in packs, with one belching fire at targeted prey to drive it in the direction of partners who can then more easily ambush the panicked creature. In many of these countries, roads and other routes that pass through stentudse hotspots will be marked with special signage advising travelers to avoid large, seemingly natural features in the landscape. Despite this, these ugly beasts claim the lives of over a thousand travelers every year and are often hunted by specially crown-appointed groups of mages known as tudsedræber (toad slayers).

In Huulendam, they are known as drakenpad are feature in many of the nation's fairytales and cautionary fables as generic villains. One of the ceremonial duties of Huulish stadtholders is to initiate the yearly cull and be seen to publicly disburse rewards to the paddoders (toad slayers) upon the conclusion of the hunt, which takes place during drakenpad mating season and leaves the animals more visible due to their increased movement.

The extensive but shallow bogs of northern Eskand Løft and Helbahn are an especially favoured habitat for these dragons and this has had a peculiar effect on the cultures of the region. Helbahnese and Løft Eskandish are famous for being early risers, and this is due, in large part, to the increased visibility of the brandtudse during the later Hours of Ipte. Because there is then enough light in the sky to navigate by and the dew point is quite low, the creature's position will be given away by its breath, allowing travelers to avoid it. 
King Coal Toad/Catfish Dragon/Noxious Dragon

The King Coal Toad or Catfish Dragon is native to the deep forests, lakes, and vast bogs of the upper Vitrus (Vitroux) River and Lake Bondlass region in mainland Enth and Perrence. The largest member of the family bufodraconis and among the largest of all dragon species, this great squat beast is considered one of the 'five great dragons' and can measure up to seventy feet in length, thirty in height, and fifty in width, weighing over two hundred tons. Like its closest relatives, it is a massive, bulky creature with a yawning mouth and a lazy disposition. 

An eager scavenger and ambush predator with a low metabolism, the king coal toad can live for nearly five hundred years and is believed to never stop growing, going into torporlike states more frequently as it ages, sometimes for years on end. In many cases, entire ponds form around the nesting spots of individuals and trees grow up around them. So as not to be hemmed in, these dragons are assiduous in maintaining their local environment, often shaping it with their careful grooming and colossal bulk. While some naturalists claim that they also employ magic actively in structuring their environment, manipulating smaller creatures and constructing subtle but elaborate traps, serious scholarship dismisses the notion, as it would appear to vastly exceed the intellectual capacity of other members of the bufodraconis family.

That is not to say that catfish dragons are dull beasts. On the contrary, they are clever hunters and opportunistic above all else. Not very selective in their diet, they favour large draft animals, elk, great fish, gulper frogs, and other flightless dragon species. To aid in their pursuit of prey, these beasts are known, like some other members of their family, to emit a psychoactive gas from the pores on their skin. This potent concoction can induce feelings of euphoria and intense drowsiness in addition to mild hallucinations, muscle relaxation, and appetite enhancement. It is also notable for causing a hoarse cough in some individuals and being highly flammable. This gas, as one might expect, is both difficult to capture and highly sought after for pharmaceutical and military applications.

An apex predator within its environment, the king coal toad has increasingly become 'invasive' in areas of intensive agriculture, coal mining, and recent urbanization. In recent years, these animals have become notorious for invading small villages or mining operations and decimating them, local authorities being unable to stand up to a beast of such magnitude. They will also eagerly prey on entire flocks of sheep, herds of cattle, or oxen trains transporting goods. In recent years, they have appeared eager not only to prey upon human villages, but also to steal from them. In areas close to human habitation, these dragons can often be found perched atop a sizable hoard of gold and other valuables, inevitably drawing brave and foolhardy travelers and would-be heroes eager to make their name and fortune. With startling regularity, however, they end up as meals for the king coal toad instead.
Threshers
Diamondscale Thresher

Length: 30-45 feet
About double the size of a Perrench Thresher and known for its triangular-scale domelike armor, the Diamondscale is notorious for being perhaps the hardiest animal in the world and can live for over 300 years.

An amphibious species that favours water, these sea scorpions are known as the mounts of eeaiko royalty. These magnificent creatures can go for months without food, hours without breathing, and do not appear to get sick. When hunkered down with their legs tucked in, they are utterly impervious to cannonfire, arcane lances launched by 8.5 RAS mages, and the jaws of dragons as large as Black Devils. There are even reports of one having survived an atomic blast.

Perhaps their most desirable trait is the hollows that exist within their elaborate armour structures. These are large enough for a human to completely hide within if the thresher is grown carefully so as to produce a properly-shaped cavity. Their massive, stabbing claws are nothing to laugh at either. A diamondscale can sink most warships.
Crackclaw Thresher

Length: 18-25 ft
Known for the extreme power of their grip, they can shear through a couple feet of solid iron or simply grip something strongly enough so as to be impossible to pry free. They have separate circulatory systems and pseudo-hearts with special blood to act as hydraulics in their claws as well as nervous control centers and an organic system of 'gears'. 
Monarch Thresher

Length: 40-70 ft
A large thresher species that is known for its multicoloured and reflective segmented carapace, graceful swimming motion, and high speed, Monarchs are mostly docile filter feeders that spend their lies near the water's surface. Extremely fast and quite poisonous, they have few natural predators and are sometimes used as beasts of burden by eeaiko.
Drudgunzean Gold Thresher

Length: 12-18 ft
The fastest of all threshers, they have adapted to move via waterjet propulsion and live their lives in reverse, eyes on a swivel. Open-water predators, all of their limbs except for their bladelike claws have adapted to be used as multidirectional control surfaces. These bright gold sea scorpions, capable of moving at 100 mph, can turn on a dime.
Southern Whiskered/Hissing Thresher

Length: 8-12 ft
Common in the mangroves and swamps of the Teufelsumpf, they are well adapted to brackish water, semiterrestrial life, and climbing. Highly poisonous, they famously camouflage themselves among the roots or branches of large trees, sensing their prey (and predators) from exceptionally long range and shooting up or dropping down on them. 
Northern Whiskered/Torpedo Thresher

Length: 6-10 ft
The smallest thresher species, they live exclusively on the surface of the open ocean, building powerful currents with specialized organs and the metallic elements within their specialized 'whisker' system. Building and riding electric charges like a maglev, they skip along the surface in great swarms, hunting krill and plankton, which they electrocute.
Perrench Thresher

Length: 20-30 ft
Living on continental shelves throughout the Twin Continents, these large and stout bottom-dwellers are powerful, resilient, and surprisingly quick, capable both walking along the seabed and as swimmers. They are also known to scavenge in the intertidal zones at night. The most common of threshers, they are the preferred mounts of eeaiko.
Grand Perrench Thresher

Length: 55-80 ft
Over double the size of its close cousin, this species tends to live somewhat deeper, picking along the walls of the continental slope and frequenting large rock formations, deeper reefs, and sea caves. A relentless and aggressive ambush predator and scavenger, it is known for leaving carcasses out as bait while going inert and camouflaging itself.
Abyssal Skulker

Length: 10-15 ft
Living in the darkest depths of the ocean, this small bioluminescent thresher is known for its stunning multicoloured light displays, ability to render itself inert and drift while waiting to ambush prey, and its remarkable digestive system. Able to compress food when ingested to less than 1/4 of its former size, its feces often takes the form of dense minerals.
Basking/Great Sandbar Thresher

Length: 110-150 ft
The largest thresher species, this ambush predator spends most of its time in rocky intertidal flats, shallows, and sandy areas, often going inert for months, undetectable even by magic. Despite its size, it is known for very silent motion, with its carapace shaped to muffle sound and some ability to copy colours. It suns itself on beaches, allowing small animals to clean it.
Volcanic Thresher

Length: 15-22 ft
Living near volcanic areas and hydrothermal vents, it is very resistant to high temperatures and lava, sometimes using this and local minerals to shape projectiles for hunting and self-defense. Its claws are specially adapted to launch these projectiles up to a kilometer and 'punch' with extreme speed, generating heat and light and even separating atoms.
Bloody Devil

Length: 10-15 ft (body), 35-50 ft (with tail)
Possessed of absurd stamina and durability, the Bloody Devil, also known as the Vampire Thresher, is notable for its long, segmented, prehensile foreclaws and tail, which secrete a numbing agent and anticoagulant. It uses these to strike out, stab its prey, and then follow their blood trail, sometimes for days. In some cases, it can force the claws open inside of its victim, anchoring itself to them and gradually reeling itself in as they tire, weaken, and expire. It then stabs them with its proboscis and feeds, gorging itself on blood before moving on to its next target.

Harpoon/Decoy Thresher

Length: 15-20 ft (body) 30-40 ft (with tail)
A predator of predators, this species is known for two things: its powerful barbed punch that sees its retracted claws thrust outwards with impossible speed to impale and skewer prey, and its unique tail. This appendage is long, flexible, and extremely tough. With its tip coated in silvery scales to look like a fish and a specialized gland that releases blood and hormones that indicate distress, it lurks in the shallows of continental shelves, well-hidden, and attempts to draw the attention of midsized aerial predators such as birds and small dragons. Once they bite its tail, it arches back and 'fires' its claws through their soft underside.

Rosy Thresher

Length: 3-5 ft
The smallest thresher species, Rosy Threshers are only about three feet in length when fully grown and known for their camouflaging abilities, long-range sensing (up to seven miles), and very tasty meat. They have the unique ability to make themselves invisible to magic as well as traditional senses by fading partway into the VOID. They tend to inhabit coral reefs.

Bluewater Behemoth

Length: 140-180 ft
A gargantuan open ocean filter feeder, the Behemoth is a not-so-gentle giant. More than willing to swallow anything in their path, these hulking, airship-shaped threshers are constantly eating and constantly moving. Capable of surprising bursts of speed, they posses massive spined paddles instead of legs. They can slam these together to generate enormous shockwaves, titanic currents and whirlpools, and simply crush smaller creatures. They have demonstrated an almost sadistic aggression in doing so, often going out of their way to flatten small whales, pop sharks, and obliterate lesser threshers.

Rainbow Island Thresher

Length: 60-90 ft
This very large species of thresher feeds by providing shade in shallow sunny waters, particularly in coves, bays, and inlets. Grasping fragrant plant matter in its many small claws and providing protection from many more obvious large predators, it draws a bounty of marine life to shelter beneath its bulk. It then releases paralytic toxins into the still or slow-moving water, incapacitating these animals over the span of a few minutes and swooping down to feed on them. None dare disturb the beast due to its sheer size.

Leafy Sea Scorpion

Length: 4-7 ft
One of the smallest thresher species, the Leafy Sea Scorpion is green in colour, moss-covered, and possesses numerous appendages specialized for camouflage. Many kelp forests are absolutely crawling with them and they can often be found among floatmelon colonies. In addition to their stealth, abundance, and terrifying spiny claws, these threshers release a series of frequencies known to cause extreme discomfort across a variety of prey species, mostly fish and marine mammals. Effects may include disorientation and deafness, loss of mana usage, sudden defecation, and violent nausea. 

Mudback Thresher

Length: 7-11 ft
Dwelling in brackish and freshwater, the mudback is one of only three properly semi-terrestrial thresher species and is known for its ability to create water pockets, store water and, in some cases, breathe exceptionally humid air. These intelligent arthropods are famous for the complex and strangely beautiful structures that they create in shallows, swamps, bogs, mangroves, and mudflats. Virulently poisonous, their method of hunting is unique: they secrete hardened poison 'pills', hiding these within the common prey's preferred food items that they then place inside simple mazes and traps. Few animals ever see this stealthy killer feed.

Fog Fiend

Length: 40-55 ft
A migratory resident of the vast swampy jungles of the Sawandi Great Lakes region, the Fog Fiend (or Mushroom Lurker) rumbles through the undergrowth utterly unafraid of anything. Able to breathe from the area's extensive rain and constant mist during monsoon season, it goes into a torporlike state during the dry months, burying itself in the deepest parts of lakes as they dry out. The impunity of the Fog Fiend comes from its size, spiny and very thick (and ever-thickening) carapace, and obscene toxicity. It processes the poisons of the mushrooms that it feeds on to create and secrete a deadly venom. In misty conditions, the miasma that it leaves behind can even kill small creatures, drawing packs of lesser predators that follow it to scavenge and serving to ward off smaller herbivores and fungivores who might compete with it for food.

Cannonball Thresher (Hodan Sasori)

Length: 12-16 ft
Dark silver to black in colour and with an armoured carapace nearly on par with the diamondscale's, this rare species of thresher inhabits active hot springs, near-surface seamounts, and active volcanoes. It is most common in Nikan. Semi-terrestrial in nature, it curls up into a ball shape and attempts to plug these outlets, building up pressure and heat and drawing in massive amounts of thermal energy. It then launches itself through the air, skipping across the water's surface or rolling and bounding across the terrain, often heated to extreme temperatures. Once it loses momentum, the thresher quickly retraces its steps, consuming all plant and animal matter of high caloric value left behind, returning to its starting point, and going dormant. If attacked, it can curl up into a ball shape, presenting its near-impenetrable carapace as a defense.

Germ Theory in Sipenta
A foreword by Professor Dr. Denton Harlowe of the Harrowend Stresian Guild, seconded lately to the court of Her Majesty Hecatia, by the Grace of the Pentad of the United Kingdom of Great Enthland, Cressia, and Hendland, and of the Colonies and Dependencies thereof in Constantia, Severa, Tarlon, Rettand, and Callanast, Queen, Defender of the Faith, Empress of Sawand, composed in this year of Aun-Shewn-Set 62

The development of germ and contagion theory in Sipenta has been a long and winding one. Often, it has been viewed through a lens of pagan religious belief or else superstition that has not been conducive to a deeper, causal and experimental understanding. 

However unsophisticated their notions and apparatuses may have been, it is clear that learned members of early societies such as the Harmerians, Basopaltians, Embyronians had a notion that illness could spread from one individual to another. This was later observed and recorded by Avincian, Eucretian, and Eskandish physicians. However, more prominent among the populace were now-disproven theories known to us today as Miasma Theory and Spontaneous Generation.

The former was first elucidated in its entirety by the Eucretian philosopher Sterbo. It stated that sickness and disease spread through 'bad air' commonly referred to as 'miasma' or 'night air'. Miasma was considered to be a poisonous vapor or mist filled with particles from decomposed matter (miasmata) that caused illnesses. The miasmatic position was that diseases were the product of environmental factors such as contaminated water, foul air, and poor hygienic conditions. Such infection was not passed between individuals but would affect individuals within the locale that gave rise to such vapors. It was identifiable by its foul smell. Though thoroughly discredited among the scientific community, elements of this belief persist among backward and less educated populations, posing a continued health hazard.

Should the studies even now tacking place in Harrowend, Luderrich, and Relouse become accepted by the scientific community, then it appears that yet another grand discovery will have joined the explosion of scientific knowledge witnessed during this exciting era. Though evidence is yet limited an unverified through further observation, it appears than an organism may exist of even lesser size than bacteria: one that may not even be considered living, in the strictest sense. Researchers have tentatively dubbed this a 'virus'.

Wonders of the World

Ruined
Colossus of Hespatos in Thalakos
Loriindton in Perrence
Lost Library of Firraz
Golden City of Cervan off the coast of Djamant
Colosseum of the Sea in Revidia

Ancient
Forked Tower in Ersand'Enise
Palace of Pearls in Wanghu, ReTan
Arcel the Victorious in Solenne, Perrence
Inverted Tombs of Sawand
Oraz the Lifegiver in Hogh Munkhelad

Modern
Great Wall of Rettan
Suspended Gardens of Gandakar
Silverstar Idasque in Virang
The Three Dragons of the Port in Xolectoxo
The Hundred Gear Sealocks in Weggos

Cities
Floating City of Liedengen in Huulendam
Twenty Pillars of Hegelo in Eskand
Skeleton of the Leviathan in Tantiac
Hanging City of Yupari
Disappearing City Qaz Ahar in Torragon

Natural
The Burning River in the Dragonspine of Eskand
The Writhing Wood in Tarlon
The Teufelsumpf in Kerremand and Mycormi
Ringing Plains in North Vossoriya
Eternal Maelstrom in Barwas Bay, Sawand

The Loral System


Sipenta is the fourth planet from the sun, named Lor, within the Loral system. Its neighbouring planets, Hetraxa and Yazan, are also habitable. In the time of Oriflamme, the furthest discovered planet is Kormrigas, with Reverix being found as the story takes place. The double planet Edelrad is revealed by the newly-invented telescope during The Hourglass Order. Forticand is not found until the time of City of Steel.

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Bio

The Nations of Sipenta
The Five Thrones

The Legend of the Oriflamme
The Oriflamme is the legendary war banner of the Kingdom of Perrence, first flown in EZ 14 at the Battle of Hasquelle, when three thousand knights of the Red Rezaindian Order of Ste. Gerard stood firm against the Great Heathen Army of Hrothgar the Black and saved Quentendom. For eight hundred years since it has guarded and inspired every knight, mage, and soldier who has had the honour of serving his motherland in the Grande Armée of Perrence. When marching under the protection of the Oriflamme, the Grande Armée has never lost. Upon being raised, the flag is a promise that the gentlemen’s rules of warfare have been suspended: quarter will be neither given nor expected. What will follow will be a contest to the death.

While Stresian Philosophers have analyzed this ancient flag and there appears to be nothing physically remarkable about it, one would be foolish to disregard the power of symbols to move the human spirit. Prospero Malatesta himself - archrival of Perrence - is said to be wary of the effect that the famous banner has and eager to destroy its myth. To a certain degree, the legend of the Oriflamme is self-perpetuating now. Many soldiers in the Grande Armee truly believe, on some level, that they cannot lose while fighting under it and their opponents fear that they cannot win. When it comes to the battlefield, that can have a subtle but very real effect.

Of course, there's no substitution for simply having a strong military, and this is doubtless a large part of the fearsome reputation of the Oriflamme. Simply put, the Perrench can field numbers that no other nation except Belzagg can, and Perrench soldiers are generally better trained, equipped, and more professional. While they also have a strong cavalry, it's their magery that especially stands out. In particular, it's the Légion de la Flamme Sacrée (Legion of the Sacred Flame) that frightens other countries. Every mage in that unit is far more than the usual sort of undisciplined noble with a fairly high RAS seen looking for glory and moonlighting as a soldier. The Legion stands five thousand members strong. Every single one drills as a professional soldier, is paid a wage, and has a RAS of at least 7. They are feared as the continent's most devastating strike force and, truly, it is doubtful that any nation could stand against them in open combat.
Green Perrence
Though not officially the anthem of Perrence, this soulful folk song has been sung for hundreds of years in that country, starting among the peasantry and spreading up the social strata to be embraced by poor and rich alike. More than just a battle hymn, religious canticle, or popular song, it is patriotic in the deepest sense: expressing the people's deep love for and connection to their land, their culture, and their achievements.

"I have heard of a place - have you? - it is written, it is said,
Where every woman has her wine and every man his daily bread.

The streets are paved in stone,
The fields green, the lords are good
I would live in such place.
Yes I would. Yes I would.

Green Perrence, motherland, you have raised me up from new.
Under Oraff's watchful gaze, you have shaped me strong and true.

Your forests filled with game
Your shoppes are stocked with finest goods
I would live in such a place.
Yes I would. Yes I would.

I see your fields stained with blood, shed to keep me safe and free,
Where the poppies grow up thick, but I would give my life for thee.

My children: they will live here.
They will prosper by your hand.
Green Perrence: my home forever.
Green Perrence: motherland."

Rouis XI, par la grâce des Dieux, Roi de Perrence et de la frontière Crisienne
(Rouis the Eleventh, by the grace of the Gods, King of Perrence and the Crisian Marches)

Rouis XI is the current monarch of Perrence, having reigned for some fourteen years following the rule of his legendary grandfather, Arcel IV, called 'le Victorieux' (the victorious). In many ways, he has been found wanting following his predecessor's famous rule, but it is hardly his fault. 

He was originally supposed to have had more time to prepare for his role, as his father, also named Rouis, had been handed increasingly more of the aging Arcel's duties and was supposed to have succeeded him. The deaths of these two men within months of each other could not have come at a worse time, as Perrence was heavily embroiled in the Joruban Revolution, aiding its ally Belzagg in their support of the deposed monarchy. Rouis found himself propelled into the spotlight as the kingdom scrambled to reorganize and reconsolidate around its new leader while upholding its commitments amid heavy military spending.

Unfortunately, a mixture of unreliable allies, in the form of Belzagg and Virang, and a decisive naval defeat at the battle of Cap de Redame handed Rouis a humiliating defeat and a coronation celebrated not in the grand cathedral of Notre Dame de la Liberté, which had been damaged by a daring raid during the war, but in the smaller Ste. Defrois. His prestige never recovered and, with the Perrench momentarily laid low, the Doge of Revidia was confirmed in his rule 'fino alla morte' (until death). He immediately leveraged his popularity following the great victory to press his claim by right of Cognatic descent to the throne of neighbouring Segona, which he won.

Though he is stubborn and often bristly, Rouis is not a bad king or a bad person. He was simply handed the reins before he was ready and dealt a losing hand - a blow from which he has struggled to recover. In many respects, he has been a wary and superstitious man ever since. People whisper that he is dominated by his Crisian Queen and interested in politics only as a matter of duty. Some say that his family is cursed, but they are his greatest joy. He takes solace in his many children and what he hopes are bright futures for them.

Prospero Malatesta l'Anguilla, First of His Name: Doge of Revidia, King of Segoña, Shield of Quentendom

Some people will tell you that Prospero Malatesta is a gambler. They will maintain that he has gambled more than anyone alive and that he has profited by it in often unholy ways. Ignore these people. They are either slanderers or else fools. Prospero l'Anguilla has not gambled so much as once in his life and, if he has, it has been with the outcome firmly preordained in his favour.

The man known to many as 'the Eel' was born in the year of The Arbiter Dami 50 in the port city of Civitalunga on the Isle of Salazzi to a distinctly middling family of viscounts, the younger of twins by half an hour.

Strong in the Gift but not exceptional like his sister Francesca, he attended the Ersand'Enise Academy of Thaumaturgy along with her. Many hold that Prospero's rise to power began soon after his return from Ersand'Enise, not as a mere Alta, but a Tan-Zeno, with all of the privileges and respect that the role entailed. In truth, it began at the academy, where he studied for so long as much for the social connections that he would make with other young nobles and economic opportunities as out of academic interest. Those who maintain that he studied Blood and Dark Magics there in secret are slanderers of the worst sort and their words should be roundly condemned. Binding Magic is a reputable school and one concerned, in particular, with human welfare. Dark Magic is a rumour.

If, in fact, there was any hidden motive, it was the business interest that he built up in the city. For a finder's fee, the future Doge began supplementing his appraisal business by facilitating the arrivals of students aboard traditionally non-passenger carrying vessels. Many say that Prospero should've been born a merchant, despite his occasionally contentious relations with members of that class, because he was the first to recognize that a recent law provided for all ships carrying students to berth freely for one night and avoid the renowned port's onerous fees. 

With these earnings, often taken as a percentage of the merchants' sales, Prospero was able to build up a considerable war chest. Next, he began to be more selective in his choice of partners, preferring to do business with merchantmen who dealt in niche goods that served almost exclusively the mages of Ersand'Enise. He had his agents buy up the city's stock, artificially inflating the price for a little while, so that his merchant friends could make a larger profit and his cut would ultimately amount to a larger windfall. 

After a time, the practice of selling berthing arrangements was banned, but Prospero did not fight the new law, which had been on the books for some time and intended to cripple him, but had been uncustomarily slow in making it through the city's council. By the time that it came into effect, most of his money came from market manipulation. He spent this lavishly on his friends and allies and acted as patron for the Holy Orders - in particular, the Hundrians and Rezaindians, for, by his reasoning, these two orders held a near monopoly on love and fear, which were the prime motivations for everything that humans did. Of course, he may have also paid bribes in the right places to ensure that the laws that truly mattered to him did not get changed.So go the rumours, anyhow. It was during this time that he began to be known as l'Anguilla (the Eel), for his slippery nature.

When the time came for the future Doge to graduate and return to his homeland, he was one of the wealthiest men in Revidia and certainly Ersand'Enise. His rise to political power began almost as soon as he set foot in the ancient capital of Avince and was aided and abetted by the extensive network that he had built up during his time in the City of the Bells. These people, he immediately set to work, motivating their minds with soaring rhetoric about a bold new future where the old order would give way to the new and their hearts with a continuing stream of well-earned rewards.

The political landscape of Revidia was contentious at that time, with a rising merchant class close to open insurrection against the noble leaders of the nominal republic. What Prospero did was to have his noble friends enflame the one side and his merchant partners the other. Meanwhile, though he styled himself a reformist, he was also a moderate and a peacemaker within the then-ironically-named Serene Council of the Republic. With the Merchants steadfastly unwilling to elect another aged conservative nobleman and the nobles unable to turn enough of them with promises of noble title and land in exchange for votes, Prospero had found his hour. Merchants looked upon him favourably as the best candidate among the noble group, while his fellow nobles could at least stomach his ascendance if it meant keeping the Merchants from voting on a law that would allow members of their class to stand for election as Doge.

Prospero l'Anguilla won in a landslide, but his castle was built upon pillars of sand. He began by speaking conciliatory words, spending his own money strategically to earn the regard of the lower classes, and vigorously passing every new law up for discussion that was not concerned with the class controversy. He then began to tackle the great problem of the day, and he fell subtly but decisively on the nobles' side. He levied a handful of new taxes on the merchant class, perceiving that the majority were now much less concerned with being businessmen than they were with status and playing noble-in-all-but-name. In return, he established the current class regime, which mandated an equal stake in the nation's affairs for merchants, clearly enshrining in law separate spheres of influence for the two classes. There was some discontent, but the measure was a success. Still, if the ruling class of Revidia remained divided, he would have to maintain a precarious balancing act for the rest of his political career. This was not something that Prospero was about to do. He decided that a foreign foe was needed to occupy the other side of the balance: one that all Revidians could agree on.

This presented itself in the form of a civil war in Joru, where the unpopular king, Oswentu IV, had suspended parliament and levied unpopular new taxes in order to construct for himself a mausoleum to rival those of ancient Borzegeum. Prospero knew people there. He had people there. Quietly, Revidia threw its support behind the burgeoning Republican faction and its main trading rival, Belzagg, behind the monarchy.

In a land war, Revidia could not hope to stand against mighty Belzagg, and neither could Joru, but the Doge knew that Oswentu had been cozying up a little too closely to the Belzaggic Emperor, Jobanzagda III, for neighbouring Torragon's comfort. A chance to strike a blow at their Belzaggic rivals and maintain Joru as a puppet state was too sweet for the Torragonese to pass up, especially with a major ally like Revidia to control the seas for them.

The central problem came in the form of Perrence and Virang, Belzagg's powerful allies. Here, however, fortune smiled on the Doge's side. Following a tense welcome ceremony at the Academy of Ersand'Enise attended by himself, the Dauphin (crown prince) of Perrence, and the elderly Vizier of Virang, all three men fell mysteriously and profoundly ill, the last in the middle of an intense theological dispute over the Vashdal Wakening heresy. Prospero was not seen in public during this time, though correspondence continued to be issued from his country villa, away from prying eyes, in his name. The other two men died.

The effect was to make Virang - Torragon's longtime enemy and Belzagg's ally of convenience - lose its stomach for fighting. It retreated into itself in mourning and theological turmoil, though some maintain that this was merely a pretext for Sultan Osman to remove a rival and avoid an unwanted war in one stroke. The result was that the balance now tipped in Revidia's favour. In Perrence, elderly monarch Arcel IV was already in declining health and he passed on mere weeks after formally declaring war. The mighty kingdom's war effort now fell to his inexperienced grandson, Rouis XI, who the Doge viewed as an impetuous young fool. 

The enemies of Perrence pounced, Revidian forces blockading the ports and Torragonese marching into Joru to help consolidate the gains of the new Republic. As Prospero had planned, Rouis was forced to raise taxes to strengthen the navy and attempt to break the blockade. For the first time in over a century, the Marine Royale of Perrence met the Illustrious Navy of the Confederation of Revidia in open battle, supported by elements of the Imperial Fleet of Belzagg.

The Battle of Cap de Redame was a close run affair at first, as the combined Perrench and Belzaggic forces outnumbered those at the disposal of Signora Francesca Malatesta la Volpe by nearly two to one. However, Prospero's sister, known as the 'Sea Fox', was not to be outfoxed and used the greater maneuverability of the smaller Revidian galleons and galeasses to 'cross the T' of the larger force and rain hellfire upon them.

After claiming victory, Lady Francesca bared her teeth, figuratively speaking and, in a move planned to look as if ran contrary to orders (but, in reality, followed Prospero's directives), pursued the battered Perrench forces all of the way into the harbour of the Perrench capital of Relouse, firing a full fleet broadside into the Cathedral District before retreating as the capital's mighty cannon, bombards, and Mage corps returned fire to maul her fleet. What returned to Avince was a navy noticeably reduced but decisively victorious. 

The Perrench should've sued for peace at this point, but they did not. Instead, reasoning that the Confederation couldn't possibly match the Perrench Grande Armee on land, Rouis prepared to march north under the Oriflamme banner, Avince in his sights and distinctly Eskandish thoughts occupying his mind. Prospero had not been expecting an act so sudden and rash, and the danger was very real, but it left the Perrench south and the vassal kingdom of Crisia unprotected. He reached out to Queen Silke of Kerremand, who he'd attended Ersand'Enise alongside, and guaranteed her territorial gains. He further promised that Crisia would become independent following the resolution of the conflict should she enter on his side. It was likely that an independent Crisia would fall under the Kerreman sphere of influence, given the two nations' longer shared history and linguistic and cultural similarities.

The Kerremans mobilized and, encouraged by this, a popular insurrection broke out in Crisia. Meanwhile, backed by Torragonese forces, who did not have to worry about Virang to their western flank, Joru claimed ultimate victory in its battle to establish a Republic with the beheading of the former king and all senior members of the royal household. This weakened Belzagg by removing a potential ally and vassal state, as the Revidian nobility had hoped, and laid the foundations for Joru to a beacon for the reformist movement, as the merchant class had largely desired.

Now, the Doge played a different sort of card, offering very generous - near-status quo - terms to the aging Emperor. In fact, he even agreed to recognize Belzaggic dominion over a disputed island of little consequence as a gesture of good faith. Belzagg was out of the war, dignity somewhat tattered but ultimately intact. 

Out of allies and surrounded by hostile forces on all sides, young Rouis XI capitulated, petulant and stubborn to the end and maintaining that he could've marched on Avince and won. Prospero l'Anguilla, Doge of the Confederation of Revidia, was now victorious and, for the first time in centuries, Revidia stood first among the nations of Constantia. This was not his final play, however.

With the country bound together in rejoicing and his popularity - and that of his hero sister - at an all-time high, Prospero was quick to take advantage of another stroke of fortune. The Segoñese monarchy had been, of late, short on heirs and male heirs in particular. The mysterious and untimely death of its young monarch, Remendo II, left only his sickly nine-year-old daughter, Amelea, to inherit the throne. With her mother having died in childbirth, she would fall under the regency of some cousin or other due to her young age and ill health. Given Segoña's painful history with regencies, traditional enmity with Virang, and closeness with Revidian ally Torragon, Prospero was an immensely popular figure there. With the right guarantees and payments in place, he sought to leverage a rather faint claim that he had to the throne through his mother's bloodline.

The girl was swept aside and, with hardly a drop of blood shed aside from some diehard loyalists of the dynasty, Prospero l'Anguilla, Doge of Revidia, became Prospero I, King of Segoña as well. Just where his ambitions will take him in the future, it is hard to say, but he stands, in the present, as the most powerful ruler in all of Constantia and possibly the twin continents. Woe be to he or she who tangles with the Eel.

A Story of the Founding, Flourishing, and Fall of Eskand

1200 years ago, by the reckoning of learned men, lived the most powerful magic user of all time: the legendary Fradje Ironshaper. We can gather from old texts and modern deduction, that he was a prodigiously powerful mooncaster, with an estimated maximum RAS of 9.70. Through force of will and arms, he unified the Eskandish tribes and sacked Avince, the capital of the Avincian Empire, bringing his people great wealth, respect, and plunder. It is said that he lay with ten thousand women (and some men, though that's strangely absent from more recent retellings) and that fully five percent of the Constantian population can claim ancestry from him, including much of the nobility. Of course, the moment he was finally called to the Visitor's table - for not even he could resist that call - there was no other figure who could hope to hold his empire together.

The Avincians rebounded, thanks to the efforts of Macian III, and their empire lasted, against all odds, for another 250 years until its final collapse. The Eskandish people retreated south of the Haskell and Zeine Rivers, which today mark the border between Crisia and Perrence, but they remained strong. They were fierce and feared and, for a time, Eskand itself and the two lesser Eskandish kingdoms of Drudgunze and Holbahnia bullied the North. The Northerners were a disaster: their kingdoms, duchies, and counties small, weak, and feuding, and they could not fight back. Soon, they did not even fight each other. They settled down and produced: works of literature and theology, fine jewellery and garments, delicious and exotic foods and spices that the Eskandish could not hope to derive from their cold and wild lands.

The Northerners paid their tribute, and they sent delegations with it each time: larger and more richly appointed delegations. These people had names attached to them that weren't their own names, like Somnians, Stresians, Dordians, and Hundrians. They met with Eskandish kings and spoke with them. They showered the kings with gifts. The kings forgot the Gods. They traded Father, Mother, Sister, Brother, and Visitor for Ipte, Shune, Oraff, Eshiran, and Dami. They decreed that their people should do the same. The Drudgunzeans bowed to the will of their kings - not all of them, and not all at once, but they did. In Holbahnia, the people rose, but so did the king's defenders. East and west were torn asunder: two kingdoms forever more. But in Eskand itself, the proud Jarls and Aerchons put the king's head on a pike for his blasphemy and marched North. The worshippers of the false Gods recanted or burned. It had been many years since an Eskandish horde marched north, and many things had changed, but there was nothing else that could be done that would satisfy the Gods or, truly, the people. 

Only, this time, they were not fighting the soft and decadent men of the North; they crossed swords with Eskandishmen. With difficulty, the great heathen army plowed forward, towards those green lands and their sly people with their silvery tongues and tempting wares. Yet, when they reached the waters of the Zeine, which had once been theirs to come and go from as they pleased, they were met by an army led by the Red Rezaindian knights of the Kingdom of Perrence - an army versed in the Gift, armoured by a thousand blacksmiths, and trained by their former countrymen. The Horde collapsed and fled. The oriflamme of the Perrench fluttered, bloodstained and victorious, over the battlefield and has not known defeat in the eight hundred years since.

The men of Helbahn, broken in numbers, body, and spirit, returned to their homelands and made a humiliating peace with their Holmanian neighbours, if only to preserve the border between the two nations that had not existed more than two generations before. They accepted the new Gods and the new ways, and monks and nuns came to preach in their temples and minister to their people. They replaced the old script with the letters of the Avincians, themselves long disappeared. Proud Eskand refused to surrender, however. they retreated to their keeps and into the harsh, icy winters that had always made their home unassailable during the cold months of what the Northerners referred to as Somnes and Hundri. 

In the Stresia, however, ships arrived. They were not warships. They carried tribute, as in the days of old, but the men who delivered this treasure were taller somehow, sterner now. They warned the Eskandishmen not to march North again, not to march north of the Hidsvark, which divided their kingdom from Holmania and Helbahn. This was an insult that they could not bear, for the lands to the Zeine and Haskell had always been theirs. Yet, they needed the money, to rebuild broken ships, weapons, bodies, and trade, so they accepted the terms and took it. Onto their lands they accepted the monks, who came to live among them. The Jarls and Aerchons thought the king weak and demanded an assembly to decide if he was still worthy to lead.

From this was born the elective monarchy of Eskand, as he was found wanting and replaced. His successor, too, was unsatisfactory to her subjects, and she gave way to yet another. In truth, the lands of Eskand did not go down in a blaze of glory that would please the Old Gods. Those are much mythologized now anyway, and were not nearly so romantically savage as portrayed in later texts. The Drudgunzean nations furthest north, who had reluctantly accepted the Pentad and the Avincian words and customs from the outset, were carved up by differences, wars, and political marriages. There is yet some Eskandish blood there, but less as time goes on, and the tongues that they speak would not be recognized by their forebears. The middle kingdoms of Helbahn and Holmania also turned North, though less so. The former became a land of traders and opportunists, thieves and sailors. The latter, one of greedy burghers and grasping, beady-eyed bankers.

Eskand itself began to splinter, the islands of Hargelich, which had always been only nominally under its control, being the first to break away. The Juiskarnish Isles, perceiving the inertia of the Eskandish court and its backwardness, were next, turning trader and haven for political causes. These events, occurring within the span of a single lifetime, were traumatic to the old order. They held an assembly and chose a new king. He did not satisfy them. They held another, and this man died within months by the blade of a Black Rezandian. The assembly was in crisis. The two sides - one from northern Eskand and one from the south - remained at loggerheads, a last spasm of that legendary stubbornness of their people perhaps driving them. Nobody, however, listened to the West - nobody except the Holmanians to the north, with whom they shared a dialect and did a brisk trade. So in that year of Ahn-Eshiran-41, the kingdom of Eskand split three ways. The Loh Eskandish had their king, as did the Ath Eskandish. The Barthic people split. Nobody expected it to last. There would be a civil war, of course, likely in the year cohort of Eshiran-Zept, for war was that God's blessing, and there would emerge a victor and a vanquished.

Yet, the war was barely a skirmish. The two Eskands focused on each other. The Barthics fortified their new borders and turned Northwards. The row became a schism. The schism a chasm, and no force of man nor divinity has been able to heal Eskand ever since. Today, it is a shadow of the kingdom it once was. The Old Gods live on only in folklore and increasingly fanciful retellings of the past. Northern priests, merchants, and nobles take Eskandish wives and marry into or buy Eskandish land. The youth of the Noble and Merchant classes dress in the fashions of last year's Perrench and Revidian courts and speak and write Avincian. The Grande Armee of Perrence has long since moved on from its border to the south and reoriented itself towards Revidia - on the old lands of Avince. The northerners and their great armies fight with rifles, cannon, and galleons amongst themselves now. Eskand fights within itself. Some say it fights for its soul - its reason for existing.

That is the story of the fallen kingdom of Eskand.
Eskand: A Profile

Eskand is a land rich in resources: fish, timber, coal, iron, silver, and gold. The waters are cold and clean and a great many whales and birds migrate there during the warm months of Stresia and Dorrad. There are fiery mountains along the spine of the Eskandish peninsula, and hot springs for people to bathe in. There is oil and uranium in the ground as well, as yet untapped until human industry is ready for it. 

The people are hardy, stubborn, and not a bit resentful of northerners. They live on an ancient cycle, growing hardy crops in the thin soil and fishing by the coast. Many still hunt to supplement their winter food supply. They have a natural warmth and curiosity about them, but only if you get to know them and they sense that they can trust you. Once, they were travelers and explorers, but that has mostly changed in their culture. They can be religious and superstitious, often mixing Quentic belief with pagan practice. They treat the act of gift-giving with the utmost respect and solemnity and are believers in reciprocity and the sharing of resources between people. To a degree, they follow the creed of "from each according to his ability to each according to his need," but this is not absolute. If one is consistently found to be derelict in his duties, especially through lack of effort, that person is declared Aerdragnir and ostracized by the community. 

Despite common depictions of them as backwards, simple, and unwashed barbarians, Eskandishmen hold personal hygiene in the highest regard, bathing at least once per week, and taking pride in the grooming of their hair and beards. For women, it is considered a right to receive three days' rest - except for essential duties- when menstruating. Clothing is mostly designed for warmth and comfort and wool is the most common material due to the great herds of sheep raised in the northern part of the country. In the far south, seal leather is more common, and is traded with the north for wool. 

Most Eskandish housing is built into the landscape itself, and either takes advantage of natural windbreaks like fjords or hunkers close together in shapes designed to deflect the harsh gusts. Fortified towns and villages are common, with wooden palisades backed by earthen ramparts. The most common materials are sod and stone, supplemented by wood, increasingly the further north one goes. Bronze, bone, and gold are used in decoration, and the second sometimes in aspects of construction. Most houses are also built around a central hearth and with a stone chimney.

Most cities in this country are small, with the exception of Hegelo, Vigholm, and the capital: Meldheim. All are located on the coast, for the bounty of the sea is needed to sustain larger populations. In these cities, great wealth and sophistication exists alongside squalor and crime. They are dangerous places at night and yet more prosperous than the oft-backward countryside. Though the Eskandish tongue dominates, one can increasingly hear languages from as far afield as Virang, Belzagg, and even distant ReTan.

Religious Ceremony in Eskand

In current religious practice, Eskandish mix the old pagan practices, circa Oriflamme era, with the Pentad. In the eyes of some, they're 'imperfectly converted'. More conservative elements within the Quentic church consider them not even to be truly Quentic. They accuse the Eskandish of being crypto-pagans and/or using religion as an excuse to maintain secret forest societies which is protected on grounds of being sacred.

In general, Eskandish avoid what they see as 'idolatry'. They believe that you are closest to the gods when in their creation instead of human creation, and particularly when you're close to their associated traditional element. As a result, large, elaborate churches with great multitudes of statues, marble, gold leaf, and frescoes are viewed as wasteful and pointless. They prefer stave churches, which can also be quite beautiful with their woodwork, backing onto a sacred grove.

By and large, celebrations are less religiously sober and more of a party, particularly Ipte's and Eshiran's.

A mass dedicated to Ipte might end in a frolic in the woods, dancing, art, and performance, or even an orgy, though the last of these has become rather rare.
One dedicated to Shune might end in a workshop or seminar on an interesting or worthwhile skill or subject.
For Oraff, people will perhaps engage in planting trees, feeding the needy or animals, wildlife spotting, or good works.
Celebrations of Eshiran often involve a large bonfire. Half are sober reflections on death and memorialization of the departed. The other half consist of aggressive music, pscyhoactive drugs, and fistfights. Kastang or boxing tournaments are common.
A mass of Dami would end in a group advice and therapy session in which one could seek guidance and advice without judgement.

For these practices, Eskandish often face ridicule and accusation from other Quentic societies, though Vossoriyan religious belief is broadly similar and there is mutual respect and regard. The spirit of these practices is also held in high esteem by many yasoi, with the exception of Tar'ithan. Finally, many peoples of Callanast are more amenable to proselytization in this form than more mainline Quentiic belief. Hence, the Optimate or Verrano continues to tolerate its flourishing in sourthern lands.

Kejser Horik Vinderborg of Oleften

Among the rulers of Constantia, Kejser Horik of Eskand is something of an enigma. Standing a massive, bulky seven feet tall, he cuts an imposing and instantly recognizable figure. Hailing from the far southern Duchy of Oleften, he was considered a longshot to win the throne. Yet, for reasons then unknown, at the eleventh hour in the voting process of Eskand's elective monarchy, nearly two dozen electors who had pledged to vote for Haddenvaerle Fradje switched their votes.

As a monarch, Horik has elevated the profile of Eskand through his endless travels: he attends every political event of any importance. His colossal figure, replete with great braided beard and runic tattoos, harkens back to those popular images of yore of Eskandish raiders. Indeed, he is notable for his personal charm and  respect for the old ways. While many agree that Horik is succeeding in his goal to cultivate an aura of mystery, power, and menace abroad, some in his homeland scoff behind his back.

An absentee king, his subjects see little of him except on their coinage and know only his neglect. Other nobles scoff that he must've bought the throne, as Oleften is rich in silver mines. Finally, there are those who snicker at his size and girth. "Horik the Lean" they call him ironically, or "Horik-too-fat-to-sit-a-horse". Another common target of their derision is his unnoteworthy RAS: a mere 6.32 for the monarch of a nation that considers itself a major power.

Yet, his remote upbringing and people's tendency to focus on his more obvious characteristics has been to the Kejser's benefit as well. Horik remains, in his fiftieth year, an enigmatic figure. His wealth seems limitless and precious little is known about his use of the Gift. Some whisper that he is not so mundane as he would appear. Indeed, there have been stories of an immense unidentified berserker in battle, dual-wielding greatswords and slaying all before him without mercy or quarter.
The Eskandish Neskal

The Eskandish Neskal is the most unique of currencies within the Twin Continents as, during each year cycle, they are minted from different materials, each of which is associated with a particular deity. Garnet Neskals with Ipte, Lapis Lazuli for Shune, Gold for Oraff, Ivory for Eshiran, and Onyx for Dami. There is a system of hidden meanings associated with this currency based on contextual factors and type of neskal used. 

Dowries are often paid in Garnet Neskals, as are wedding gifts. Their secondary use to to denote beauty. If an artist does a fine job, they are paid in Garnet Neskals. If not paid this way, it is a subtle hint that their work did not meet expectations. 

It is considered polite to pay a Zeno for any salary or service rendered in Lapis Lazuli. The same goes for tutors. Students headed away or abroad to study receive this type of neskal in addition to some gold ones. Any information bought or sold should be paid for with Lapis Lazuli if valuable enough.

Gold Neskals are the default and most common type, but they still hold certain meanings and are a symbol of good fortune. Soldiers often receive their final pay before going off to war in Gold Neskals, as an exhortation for Oraff to protect them. Funds for starting a venture are also often paid in gold neskals and possibly some Onyx ones.

Ivory Neskals are given to soldiers returning from a successful campaign. They are also used to pay for funerary services and offer condolences. If a noble house pays another for something nondescript or for something that would generally require another type of Neskal, then paying with Ivory is a sign of ill feeling and can be construed as a threat. However, this is a complex matter and there are a number of potential other confounding uses, so the payer often has plausible deniability.

Onyx Neskals are often given in professional and business matters as an exhortation to deal fairly. Often, when given in other transactions, they symbolize the belief that the payee has exercised sound judgement. In legal cases, where settlements are monetary, they are paid out in Onyx Neskals.

The Patchwork Colossus

There has long been a region known as 'Belzagg': vast and populous, picturesque and fertile. Home to a plethora of proud and jealous dark-skinned peoples, it has been an overwhelmingly feudal land for most of its history. While its hundred-twelve nations have usually found themselves bound by similar languages, cultures, religious beliefs, and histories, the Avincian Empire, which held sway over much of the southern and eastern regions served as a differentiator. The four imperial provinces of Belsagia Orientalis, Maritimae, Saltus, and Superior became thoroughly Avincianized while their neighbours did not.

Yet, the Avincians left behind a lasting legacy in the region, from imperial titles and styles, to alphabet and linguistic influcences, to bbuilding preferences and a greater interconnectedness with the other peoples of the Ensollian region. The Serene Belzaggic Empire, which emerged in the years following the collapse of its Avincian predecessor and considered itself the natural successor to that legacy, failed to devvelop into a strong and centralized state, however. Morphing into an elective monarchy before long, the title of Emperor became gradually weakened until petty kings, lords, and chieftains excerised near-complete effective sovereignty over their lands. Their desire to hold onto these powers prevented a more formal unity and, hence, no single entity was either strong or inspiring enough to bring it to fruition. This dynamic found an eager upholder in the form of neighbouring Joru: an ancient monarchy to the west that had grown rich and prosperous off of its partial control over the Jaranga Isthmus and the Straits of Malem. Fearing the potential power of a unified Belzagg, its rulers worked tirelessly to keep the Belzaggic peoples jealous, impoverished, and divided.

This began to unravel during the Late Medieval period as investiture disputes with the Optimate of the Avincian Quentic Church provided an excuse for duchies and lesser kingdoms to break free of the 'Empire'. By the end of the period, the it had disappeared from the map entirely, and new 'emperors' ceased to be elected except in the kingdom of Zangyewo. 

- Originally an agressive collonial empire (Maybe by CoS maybe not)
- Elective monarchy
- 112 small states under pervious Emperor Hazwumi IV 'the Wise'
- Contatly harrassed by Joru
- Unified 100 years ago
- 4 provinced during Avincian empire
- A federation, molded into a singular country
- Still struggling to find a cohessive identity
- Advanced civil services
- Different dialects throughout the kingdom, but most can understand eachother
- Nobility is a mess of titles and possitions under the Emperor
- Titles are often mis-matched, a duke in a populous city will likely have more power than a king of a remote place
- Male heirs perferred
- Reluctant to have regency, have not had one since unification
- Current Emperor family traced back 1342 years, from last Avincian Emperor
- Consider themselves the last Avincian Emperors
- Economic opportunities to the East
- Weggos refused to join unification, Belzagg still wants them along with the other small southern kingdoms
- Largest population in the twin contents
- Smaller GDP for population. Similar to that of Revidia. 
- Starting to through their size around politically

Society:
- Way too many nobles
- Loyalty to the corwn comes first
- Warry of having too strong of a civil service, in fear of having nobles overthrown as in Joru
- Courtly and chivaric manners are exteremely important
- House iconography/heraldry is important
- Noble houses of Belzagg all trying to become the most powerful while emperor does best to keep them all on an even feild
- The crown lands are the peninculal reching border of Zenagul, largest lands in Belzagg
- Bankrupt nobles by having the Emperor visit/host parties so they are constalty indbted to him
- Keeps some 'hostages' in capital at all times, though they're usually called and treated as honoured guests

An Emerging Empire: Torragòn
Torraggònese are somewhat similar to Eskandish in the sense that they are integrated into the systems of their southern neighbours but also something of a people apart. While they are part of the political sphere of Constantia, they're Severan, and the only Quentic nation in West Severa. 

Fundamentally, the Torragònense are conquerors. They're horsemen of the savannah, steppe, and desert: a hard people not much for decadence, as evidenced by their stewardship of the Iron Throne among the five. From their beginnings as a seminomadic tribe cast out of Constantia after the fall of the Esquelune Dynasty of Perrence, they took the land that they now call home from the people who lived there.

Their speech, diet, and traditions changed to suit it, their architecture is a fusion of Constantian and Severan. They guard their borders ferociously and raise great herds of cattle near the Arapora river and Lake Albadòn, engaging in months-long cattle drives through the arid canyons, grassy steppes, and rusty red buttes of the inner plateau to the shining port metropolis of Varrahasta.

As time has passed, Torragòn has gone from a place of rough, dusty horse people, skilled in combat and animal husbandry but uncouth in all other ways, to a flourishing empire, with bustling ports, fine shops and marketplaces with jewelers, banks, and spice traders. Educated young nobles and merchants look to further their studies of the Gift, politics, business, and the natural sciences across the Ensollian Sea and marry into the great houses of Constantia. Workshops, factories, and universities, with their terracotta roofs and stucco walls hunker under the sullen stone keeps and proud steeples and minarets that came before them. 

With these changes, the Nation of Eshiran now finds itself in a struggle for its identity. Should it embrace the ways of the south, where its ruling classes and much of its people came from long ago, and look outward, or should it continue to chart its own course? Increasingly, the sea and its promise beckons to the warriors, priests, and traders of Torragòn. There are lands and peoples there ripe for conquest, and conquest runs thick in Torragònese blood.

Other Nations

...

The Silverstar Sultanate

If Inipor is the spiritual and cultural heart of the Darhannic nations, then Virang is the economic, political, pop-cultural, and military leader. It began along the river system about eight hundred years ago and expanded gradually, Expanding four centuries ago to nearly its present day size with the conquest of the barbaric tribes of the Jangari Peninsula under Sultan Jahan III, known as the Silverstar for a prophetic dream that he had the night before the Battle of Zar-il-Sham. His successors, in trying to emulate his great deeds, would claim for themselves the few remaining holdouts and a toehold in Constantia with the conquest of Paggon. However, hemmed in by superpower Torragon soon after, as well as friendly neighbours and hostile yasoi willing to fight guerilla campaigns, expansion became much harder and a series of ill-advised campaigns led to the heavy taxation of the Paggonian colony and its eventual rebellion and separation two hundred years ago.

Since then, Virangish conquest has ceased and the country has consolidated itself militarily, socially,  politically, and economically. In the final case, the expansion of trade with the Far West has enriched Virangish and now-allied Paggon's treasuries and the former has come to be regarded as a great power by all who know and understand politics. Regardless of this status, it has been consistently frozen out of the Council of the Five Thrones due to its status as a Darhannic nation. Some Virangish care and others care little. It has still been able to form successful alliances, particularly with mighty Belzagg and Perrence, and the wealth of the old urban areas of this country along the Miharapori is rivaled only by that of the new metropolises along the Jangari peninsula, including the sprawling capital of Gandakar, with its platinum-domed Idasque of the Silverstar, lush hanging gardens, and the imposing palace of Sultan Osman the Prudent, who recently celebrated his Golden Jubilee as leader.

For those who have the money, status, and ambition, Virang is a place of great opportunity, authoritarian absolute monarchy aside, occasionally. However, there is another side to this prosperous nation: a darker one.

Far away from the shimmering cities, perched majestically on the banks of the mighty Miharapori, the countryside is dotted with numerous small towns and rural villages. Life in these places is hard and short, with disease and malnutrition rampant. Competition for good land is fierce, and the jungle is unforgiving. When cleared, it fights back with poor soil, parasites, displaced wild animals, and fiercely territorial semi-contacted tribes. Yet, the wheels of progress and profit churn ever forward and, year upon year, there is ever less virgin forest remaining and more given over to the production of sugar, coffee, rubber, and other cash crops that benefit the wealthy nobles and merchants of the great cities.

Yet, poverty and desperation are not confined to the forgotten rural environs. In the very shadow of the Silverstar Idasque there hunker the urban poor: peddlers, pickpockets, prostitutes, and invalids. Justice is brutal and draconian: limbs amputated, eyes put out, public flogging and stoning, or - perhaps worse - slavery. From atop their great arched palaces complete with libraries, observatories, frescoes, and reflecting pools, the grand families of Virang preside over armies of hopeless thralls, who live and die to do their bidding. This is the cost of 'prosperity'.

The Humble Neighbour

At the risk of creating a false binary, it may not be much of an exaggeration to say that, in national character, Malabash is the consistent antithesis of its prosperous and brutal southern neighbour: Virang. A younger state but older nation, it has long been a wild, independent place, staunchly resisting attempts to 'civilize' it for hundreds of years. The country as we know it has only truly come together over the past three centuries, as a series of marriage alliances, small wars, and the growing threat of Virangish and Torragonese conquest galvanized its disparate but related peoples into both seeing themselves as and forming a common nation. 

Yet, it was not the native Malabashi who led the charge, but rather the exiled leadership of the displaced Zaqhory peoples of what is now Torragon. Under their hardened guidance, the rugged peasant peoples of the Malabashi highlands forged themselves into flexible, effective, and tenacious guerilla fighters, using their homeland's unforgiving terrain to their advantage. Within less than two decades a country had been forged where once a land of petty chieftains, Emirs, and lordlings had been. 

Today's Malabash is a place that remembers its roots. Indeed, there are imposing public buildings, but beautification for its own sake - grand statues and fountains - is seen as wasteful, for the soil is mediocre in two thirds of the country and there is little in the way of valuable resources. Instead, the Sultans of this land have been clever to cultivate a different sort of wealth, in the form of a rivalry between their nobles for the love and attention of the commonfolk. They compete to outdo each other in the realm of public works, and public works - in particular - with actual use. Malabashi engineering has created stunning aqueducts, sewer systems, roads, and theatres. If its libraries aren't nearly as grand as those of Virang, they are packed with practical knowledge and far more accessible to the people.

These people are simple, unsophisticated, and hardworking in character. Many laugh at them behind their backs, for they are almost unbearably provincial at times, far more able to speak with you about how to breed a strong mule than the positions of the eleven planets or the latest politics of Perrence. The character of Malabash is overwhelmingly rural with the exception of a handful of coastal cities, including the rapidly-expanding trade metropolis of Mahanzir, which has recently displaced the ancient capital of Ashidanbar as the country's largest population center. Urban or rural, the people are almost universally devout, almost to a fault: Malabashi keep the gods, praying three times each day (each time to two gods), facing in the direction of their most beloved thing in the world, as good Darhannists should do. 

There are merchants in the cities, of course, and their trade is increasingly lucrative as a result of Malabash's geographic proximity to ReTan, Nikan, and the wealth of the West.  The buyers and sellers of this nation are known for being resourceful, bullish, and stingy, but they believe in the creed of Vashdal and are eager to see the head deity awaken to a world in balance as opposed to a nightmare. The merchants are tough, but honest. Revidians, Virangish, Perrench, and Paggonians scoff at them. 

This is something that the young Sultana, Amara III, has been looking to change. It is a careful balancing act. In contrast to the insatiable appetites of Virang, Malabashi prefer their movement to come in increments at best. As she attempts to leverage the infrastructure left her to turn her nation of farmers, fawning nobles, and Gods-fearing peasants into a great power and a net exporter of not only ideas and labour, but valued goods, she must be careful to stay true to tradition and continuity. Not doing so could leave the door open to rivals both internal and external, or the collapse of a country which has always thrived on continuity.

...

Kerremand: A Profile

Kerremand, known as Cirrimania in Avincian, occupies the southern coast of The Gods' Eye: a massive brackish lake or small sea formed from the remnants of an ancient crater. Through this it enjoys tenuous access to the Ensollian Sea through the narrows to either side of the Isle de Mirabeau. While its economy, managed by thrifty burghers and trade guilds is strong, Kerremand is hard-pressed to defend itself against multiple aggressive neighbours. Its rivalry with Huulendam (known as Holmania to the Avincians) is centuries old, dating back to the collapse of the original Eskandish kingdoms. The two constantly joust for territory, trade, and influence, though Huulendam has no desire to absorb the Kerreman state or cause it to collapse, since it provides a buffer with the increasingly unfriendly yasoi states of Mycormi and Hypari to the northeast. Crisia, straining under the yoke of Perrench vassalization, occasionally makes halfhearted attempts to gain territory across the river Saleste. Even tiny Feska remains a stubbornly independent little county, acting as a tax haven. 

The Kerreman language is very much like English in that its roots are Eskandish but much of its vocabulary is Avincian-based. Most Kerreman nobles and merchants speak passable Avincian and Perrench and, for the most part are a diligent, business-minded people. They regularly fight small wars with longtime enemies and minor states, but will generally avoid large ones, preferring to maintain neutrality so as not to damage relationships and to profit off of them. Kerremand is known for producing large amounts of paper from its forests, mechanical clocks, and quality beers. In general, Kerremans are noted for their competitive nature and steadfast determination. Though one rarely gets the sense of a fiery temper or anything personal about their rivalries, they simply never give up. Most hold that they like to win because winning puts them in a better position. Who doesn't want to be in a better position?

Kerremans also have the reputation of being less-than-generous, for the most part. They believe that your station in life is where the Gods placed you and that, if you are meant to better it, you will work hard and do so. If not, they prefer to look after their own except in cases of enlightened self-interest.

Families tend to be mid-sized and tight-knit socially if not fiscally. It is a patriarchal society, but one which prides itself on a degree of chivalry and treating women with respect. Increasingly, though, it is embracing the new humanism and greater opportunities for Kerreman women are on the horizon. Politically, Kerremand is a constitutional monarchy with absolute primogeniture. Each city of over 5000 inhabitants is headed by a Bürgermeister, and the council of ten Bürgermeisters meets yearly each Somnes in the capital to parley with the monarch and advise him or her on policy.

...

A Shining Beacon on a Hill
While it is best known today for the revolution that saw it topple its millennium-old monarchy as well as its monarch's head from his shoulders, sparking the most significant military conflict of the past century, Joru has a much longer and more tangled history than many might know. Before the unification of most Belzaggic peoples under Hazwumi the Wise, Joru had long been the most powerful nation of East Severa. This new balance of power was not something that either the people or monarchs of the country could easily accept, and the newly-formed super-state to their East certainly made many exploratory offers and threats for the proud Jorubans to join their coalition of Belzaggic peoples... under Hazwumi, of course.

At first, the people and their monarchs marched in lockstep, proudly resisting their new rival but, in time, as the futility of trying to play against a nation far out of their league became clearer and the economic hardships brought on by a trade war became more acute, something happened within Joru. 

Some called it a great intellectual or philosophical awakening and, certainly, it was led by philosophers of the famed Stresian Order of Joru. Their treatises were not rooted strictly in the rhetoric of divine generosity, judgement, and agency. Rather, they stressed the role of choice and human agency as provided by Dami and the benefits of reason as provided by Shune. These philosophers, known as the Karoists (after their first leader, Yobind Karo) believed that the Gods of the Pentad had intentionally not provided humans with all of the answers so that they could use these two gifts and the gift of magic to learn for themselves. Thus, they applied the principles of rigorous, rational research, based on observable evidence, repeatability, and mathematical data in their approach to fields as disparate as natural sciences, politics, economics, agriculture, magic, warfare, and the study of the human psyche. In this golden age of intellectualism, it seemed that not a day passed when some new theory or treatise was not published. Newsletters, bulletins, and speeches filled the minds and hearts of the Joruban people, and soon, even their practical-minded neighbours, the Torragonians and Azjulish. The ideas of the Karoists spread rapidly through the upper crust of society, but were gobbled up with particular voraciousness by the Merchant and Artisan classes. Applied in these fields, the new Karoist method soon paid dividends. Joru rose from the ashes of its economic hardship like a phoenix and, for the remainder of his reign, King Oswentu III was quite content with what his people were doing. Certainly, it had allowed him to claim that he had led the nation in a recovery from his predecessor's disastrous trade policies.

And yet, as with all good things, it was not to last, for there was one key feature which was in complete tension with his rule. Increasingly, prominent Karoists held that, if man - and woman, for they believed both sexes equally endowed by Shune and Dami - had been equipped to make rational choices, then why was it that they had no choice in their leader? As the king lay on his deathbed, whispers of this notion rose into murmurs and the murmurs grew ever louder. He left with Ahn-Eshiran, much mourned, but perhaps not as much as he'd hoped, and it was spoken of in many village squares that his rather indulgent state funeral had drawn fewer crowds than that of Yobind Karo, who had passed only two weeks earlier.  

Hence, with no true solution and the path already much-traveled, the issue was left at the doorstep of his son and successor: Oswentu IV. Indeed, if many had found the former king's funeral and many statues a bit wasteful, they found the new king's colossal mortuary complex that had begun construction in Abu Singo distasteful and indulgent in the extreme: the idolatry of a despot. Quietly, this verbal rebellion was suppressed by Old Somnians, with the clandestine assistance of Rezaindian blades and donations from his majesty. Couched in pseudo-Karoist terms, the necessity of national unity against the threat of Belzagg and its allies was given much exposure. Yet, the discontent only grew. People knew when they were being manipulated. Unlike his father, this new Oswentu had been educated in Belzagg. His education had been conservative and his embrace of what was increasingly becoming the nation's guiding philosophy lukewarm at best.

Karoists, now under the leadership of Semeni Kidosi, Amon Uzagg, and Atundo Yibozo, began to openly challenge his noble prerogative and divinely-appointed right to rule. The young monarch quickly came to view them as an existential threat. Yet, their teachings had already spread to every corner of society. Karoist brothers and sisters (monks and nuns) preached across the countryside, in dry season and rainy, in the little jungle villages, the proud, sprawling savannah towns with their lion-proofed fences and dusty compounds, and the great port cities with their spires and minarets that soared into the baking sun. 

When the Karoists were declared heretics by the king, it was far too late to un-turn the page. Their libraries were raided and their books burned. Monks were crucified in the streets. Nuns hung from trees. Yet, their writings survived in cellars and attics. Their preachers were sheltered in homes both humble and grand. The agents of the monarch were met with blank expressions and an unusually forgetful citizenry when they went out searching for these enemies of the crown.

So what did Oswentu do? He responded in the only way that his education had taught him: with brutality. Soldiers broke into homes. Those harbouring Karoists and all of their extended families were put to the sword. Villages were razed. Lady Kidosi and Zeno Uzagg burnt at the stake and Major Yibozo was forced into hiding. Under the iron fist of Oswentu the Terrible, Joru bled. 

It might've ended there. The country retreated inwards in shockwaves of fear and panic. The king had asserted his authority in the face of heresy, but people would not forget. In smaller, less obvious ways they fought back. Merchant ships, many of which had once borne some reference to the royal house in their names, were quietly retitled. Families with strong associations to the monarchy were subtly ostracized. The popular rural game of Zigguratal Spitting saw its highest-point post - gold - renamed the 'royal post' and often painted with the image of his majesty. Ostensibly, this was an honour, but it also gave the people an excuse to spit at their ruler without consequence. Oswentu, ever sensitive and repressive, banned the popular pastime upon pain of public flogging for a first offense, amputation for a second, and death for a third. 

Atundo Yibozo saw his opportunity and seized it, rallying a small, loyal cadre of troops as he came out of hiding. In a contest attended by crowds so thick that they blocked the crown's forces, he made a point of hitting the royal post again and again. By the rules of the game, it was a poor performance, to say the least, due to his lack of bounces along the way, but victory in a single game had not been the goal. When soldiers tried to seize him, Major Yibozo gave a speech. While there are many versions of it that have been provided since, and the now-President of Joru has allowed the legend to propagate itself, the most famous and oft-quoted line remains, "I go to my death with my head held high, for I die with full knowledge of the causes and consequences of my actions. I die with a clear understanding of the truth, and that is the truest mark of freedom that one can achieve." 

Five hundred of the king's soldiers turned that day rather than fight their former comrades under the future president's command. Rebellion spread through much of the army. Statues were toppled, flags torn down, and barricades built in the streets of Yabusa, Korminan, and Zangarr. Oswentu IV, despite his public show of might, had always been a weak man, with only braggart's shallow strength. Desperate to maintain his image in the face of a popular uprising, he did little to court those who would have yet settled for a return of the Karoist order or offered him the more limited crown of constitutional monarch. Instead, he turned to Belzagg and became an undying enemy of his people. His name shall live in infamy.

The great armies of that great nation certainly could've come and crushed the brave revolutionaries of Joru, and they would've were it not for two key events. The first was the blockading of the eastern border, which led to the king escaping by ship into the deserts of Torragon. There, he and his small retinue would not remain free for long, being captured within days by elements of that nation's famed Red Riders. Faced with a diplomatic crisis, king Sancho of Torragon reached out to his newly-elected Revidian counterpart, Doge Prospero Malatesta, called l'Anguilla (the eel) and the two countries decided upon a plan. They agreed to release King Oswentu should he agree to guarantee the right of the Joruban people to solve their internal disputes amongst themselves without foreign interference. With no intention of keeping his word on the matter, the deposed monarch eagerly signed the declaration. In fact, both Sancho and Prospero fully expected the decree to be violated by Belzaggic forces, and it was, along with the neutrality of other smaller nations that their soldiers marched through along the way. 

The conflict that followed was the defining military and political event of the tenth century AA. Much has been written about it in other places but, the result was that the king lost his life - justified by Karoist philosophy on the practical grounds that the nation could not move forward while he remained alive and a lightning rod for intrigue. The new Republic of Joru was declared, the class system abolished, the separation of church and state confirmed, and the Constitution on the Rights and Responsibilities of the Rational Citizenry propagated. That the Jorubans looked upon their Revidian, Torragonese, and Kerreman allies with gratitude was a certainty. However, it was also an open secret that each of these three powerful nations had wished for something quite a bit less radical to have coalesced. 

The Joru of today both benefits from and struggles with its legacy and its status as a beacon of reform. Its alliances are strong on paper but uneasy in practice. Should Torragon and Belzagg go to war again (as is looking thankfully less likely at the moment), the battlegrounds would almost certainly be on republic soil. There are radicals here too: those who call for the complete abolition of property, government, and religion. Officially, they are condemned by President Yibozo's administration, which has ruled for fifteen years under increasing accusations of corruption and nepotism. For his part, the president denies any involvement and has been seen to come down hard on those caught red-handed. And yet, for each of these troubles, Joru on the whole stands as a shining example to the rest of the world of what a free, informed, and determined citizenry can achieve and for what the society of the future might look like.
The Legend of Bwan Somiji

Bwan Somiji goes by a number of related names but, in all cases, is a monster from  East Severan folk tradition. He is depicted as a tall, gangling man with sharp teeth, a huge mouth, and pale greyish-white skin. He was once a banker, big and fat, with healthy-coloured skin, but his greed led him to call in his loans early and he snatched the new year's feast right off the plate of a Rezaindian Nun. She begged Ahn-Eshiran to curse him, but there was no response. Five times in total, this happened, to five different acolytes of Eshiran, while he himself was often wasteful of food. Thus, the god was finally moved to act, placing a blood magic spell on him that would destroy any food that Bwan Somiji ate after it had only lasted five seconds in his stomach. She also gave him eternal life by declining to ever bless him with the release of death, so that his suffering might serve as an example to others. He wanders the countryside now, attacking and eating children who refuse to eat good food in a fit of jealousy.

The Oligarchy
Among the many nations of the twin continents, Feska stands out as something of an oddity: a small duchy that never got absorbed into the Kingdom of Kerremand as it was coalescing, it occupies the deepest part of the swampy area where the Lorentz River meets the inland sea of the Gods' Eye. Much of the area is naturally mangroves and floodplains, but the Feskans are most famous for being the only people able to cultivate a very rare and valuable crop: the spratzpepper. No true pepper at all, but rather a berry which only grows in semi-submerged paddies, it produces a sweet, almost powdery liquid when squeezed that is similar to sugar but much easier on the teeth and fuller and richer in flavour. The plant is notoriously temperamental and knowledge of its cultivation is passed down between generations. Every acre of this small country that isn't untraversable swamp is covered in vast spratzpepper plantations, all of which are owned or pay tribute to the five great families who ruthlessly ensure their country's monopoly. 

The ducal prerogative rotates between these five houses and the country is unusual in that the nobility makes up roughly fifty percent of its official population (which is very small). About two fifths of that is the five houses while most of the remainder are Spratzfreiherrs (Spratzbarons). These are, in effect, long lineages of yeoman farmers who have perfected their craft and carry the secrets of spratzpepper cultivation with them. They care for the crops and patrol the borders, presiding over a transient population of non-citizens made up largely of itinerant or indentured labourers and slaves. 

As land is at a premium and agriculture is the lifeblood of this small nation, most settlements are built entirely on the water, with great floating bazaars, shops, inns, churches, and gambling houses chained to each other and the river or lakebed. The last of these, in particular, have become increasingly lucrative as of late. The five Markgraf families maintain dry land holdings but, in practice, occupy stilted palaces on the bayou that make up the five points of the Sign of the Pentad. They often travel lazily about the river and shallows on enormous, flat-bottomed riverboats with flowing sails and rumbling clockwork paddlewheels. 

Most Spratzfreiherrs have smaller riverboats of their own, but these are ofen workmanlike craft as opposed to palaces of leisure. For practicality's sake, these lower nobles generally live on the land that they preside over, in tall, narrow homes stacked floor over floor, with spiraling staircases and covered bridges used as livable space themselves. In some cases, famlies make the most of otherwise-unusable land by arcing their constructions over rivers or utilizing thick mangrove trunks as pilings. 

Aside from the slaves, who occupy the prisonlike Schlammstadt (mud town) on the floodplain, the labourers who do the duchy's dirty work are almost exclusively confined to the neidrige boote (low boats). These are large, sluggish barges packed full of bunks, which ply the river, picking up and dropping off their charges at the various plantations and taking them back in the evenings. In practice, these are flithy, claustrophobic places, full of rotten planks, rats, and inhuman stench. While some cater to members of both sexes, many accept only women or (more commonly) only men in order to prevent the 'hassle' of sexual assaults and violence. 

Most importantly, they look to prevent births on Feskan soil, for birth on the actual land of this place is a guarantee of citizenship. In practice, most unwanted claims are easily denied by the nobles in charge of the courts, but it is a hassle nonetheless. The privilege of birthing on the land is reserved for those whose forebears were born there. Indeed, most higher-ranking families maintain 'maternity houses' on dry land, where heavily pregnant women will go to give birth and nurse their newborns out of infancy. It is, after all, considered ill-fortune for a child of privilege to be born offshore.

Cheol Sang-Nam: Emperor of Tan Keoul

The current emperor of Tan Keoul, the despotic Cheol Sang-nam is generrally regarded as a fearsome and cruel man. His grip on power seems so absolute that it is hard to imagine a scenario where he did not come to rule. However, during his early years, he was considered a longshot at best. Sang-nam was actually the eldest son of the emperor's second concubine and sixth in line for the throne. 

His older half-brother Sang-un, was the first son of the empress and was kind and good and tried to listen to the people. Tan Keoul had had a few neglectful and incompetent rulers in a row and the peasantry was furious as a famine took hold. The thing is, it had actually been partially caused by their father, Sang-il. The emperor was a very academic man, with his nose always buried in books and only trusting the word of the most eminent philosophers, theorists, and priests. Unable to deal with the mess left by the last two emperors, he insulated himself from the world as a coping mechanism and, while well intended, was horribly out of touch. Around him, the court was a pit of vipers and it was here that Sang-name was raised, with his mother being the most ambitious and scheming of all. He both loved and hated her.

When he was twenty-one and the official heir, Sang-un went in person to try to quell a peasant riot to demonstrate how his leadership would be different from his father's, and Sang-nam, then thirteen, went with him.  Things went well at first, but the leaders of the peasantry soon became aware that there was no real action on the part of the government, just the crown prince personally helping their one small group.  When they demanded that he overthrow his father and he strongly refused, things got out of control and a riot erupted. Sang-un was killed. Young Sang-nam, who was already taking a darker path than his brother and who had developed doubts about Sang-un's approach, nonetheless aspired to be like him. Instead, he watched his brother killed by the people he'd tried to embrace. The teenager held nothing back and slaughtered dozens of the scum who'd harmed his brother using the Gift. He learned that you could not reason with people who were incapable of seeing even their own best interests. The peasantry were stupid, violent subhumans to be kept in line by force, provided for as necessary, and used as a resource when needed.

Over the next few years, he dedicated himself fully to his mother's ruthless approach as she groomed him for the throne. He became seen as a strong and decisive young man, much in contrast to his pacifistic, academic, and dithering father and his overidealistic half-brothers. Sang-nam was able to supplant the heirs of the 'weaker bloodlines' and rise to the top, bullying his father using the military's loyalty and the opinion of the noble houses who favoured a strong approach. 

Yet, even as he consolidated his position as heir, his mother would not allow him to kill off his two much younger brothers. Sang-nam began to suspect (not without some merit) that she was scheming to have one supplant him. They were much more malleable people: weak-willed and easier for her to control. That also meant that they were easier for him to control, and he secretly won over the younger and stupider of the two, who looked up to him in the same way he had once looked up to Sang-un. Fearing that his mother would soon use her influence over elements of the palace guard and members of the civil service to move against him and install his second brother, he could wait no longer to inherit.

Sang-nam had his father poisoned and made it look as if he had been framed for the deed by his ambitious and scheming mother, with whom he'd engineered a recent public falling-out. When the planted evidence against her came to light, it was his youngest brother, Sang-won, who revealed it, and her rage against him for his betrayal made her seem all the less sympathetic in the public eye. Sang-nam nonetheless remained locked up within his palace rooms, under guard, as his mother tried to have his second brother, Sang-wu, crowned emperor. Yet, outside, the true crown prince's noble and military supporters were outraged. Eight out of the ten great houses declined to attend the coronation or participate in the traditional show of fealty. Instead, they demanded that the now-chief concubine be investigated and her role in the emperor's death discovered. 

Sang-nam, from behind bars, made a public show of counseling calm and understanding, but he had agents of his secret urban intelligence service, the Lotus Sentry, brought into the capitol area under the guise of peasants campaigning for his release. Paradoxically, there were many among the poor - particularly in cities - who respected and favoured his harsh approach as crown prince over the benign neglect of previous rulers. When the chemist who had prepared the poison was found and interrogated, it was actually a member of the Sentry who had been in deep cover for years. She attested to the buyer being a known agent of the second son, Sang-wu. His mother quickly claimed complete ignorance and innocence of the deed and, at that point, their alliance fell apart, with Sang-wu also claiming to have no knowledge of the ghastly scheme. In the eyes of the public, this looked like nothing so much as a conspiracy unraveling, both main parties seeking to shove the other under to prove their dubious innocence. 

Against mounting evidence and public disfavour, th second concubine then changed her approach. She directly accused her eldest son, Sang-nam, of having framed her, but he was nearly immune her slander. Why, he asked, would he have made himself look so guilty at first had he framed her? Truly, someone capable of such scheming cruelty would not have been so clumsy. Besides, as everyone knew, he was a military man, and not much for such palace intrigue. Still, the courts, controlled by elements of the civil service strongly in her debt, would not budge.

On the thirty-ninth day of the crisis, elements of the Lotus Sentry, embedded within the urban peasantry, whipped up a riot and stormed the prison within the palace compound. They freed the heroic, sympathetic Sang-nam and murdered the disloyal palace guard. He was crowned emperor of Tan Keoul to celebrations in the city streets and wary watchfulness in country villages. To much fanfare, he purged the courts of 'corrupt elements', streamlined the 'bureaucracy' of the civil service, and eliminated the palace guard, replacing them with a brand new institution: the Lotus Sentry, whose memebers were taken not fromt he elites, but from among the common people. 

Meanwhile, the would-be-king, Sang-wu, was fond guilty of patricide and the attempt to have his innocent brother framed for the murder. He was executed. The new emperor's younger brother, Sang-won, was also swept up in the investigation. His earlier reveal of his mother's and Sang-wu's guilt had been motivated by his own guilty conscience. Sang-nam punlicly counseled leniency for his brother, but stacked the proceedings against him. He, too, was executed. The courts went so far as to press for a similar punishment for his mother, but here Sang-nam vetoed them. With so much of his dear family dead, he could not bear the thought of killing his own mother. That would be the deed of a monster. Howevr, he acknowledged that he could not trust her. He could not truly even look at her after what she had done. She was sent to live out her remainig years in seclusion in a drafty tower at the infamous Yodok prison on a remote island. Three years later, she was dead, of suicide, it was said. 

Over the next decade, Sang-nam consolidated his grip on the country, mostly to the cheers of its populace. That he is a harsh king is well-known, and opprtunities within the civil service have dried up during his tenure. The courts and lawmaking bodies have grown opaque. The rural peasantry have been dealt with harshly when they're raised their voices in petition or dissent. Taxes, too, have risen and Tan Keoul's military has grown. Many of his subjects have begun to sour on his rule. A handful even whisper that perhaps his mother and brother were right. However, there is no longer anything that they can do. Given the way that he was raised, was there ever really a chance that Cheol Sang-nam would not become a tyrant?

Djamant: a Profile

Capital City: Torrigriż

Leadership: Duke Carlo III Lantisca (de jure), Sir Bastjan Vella (de facto)

Notable: A country Djamant's size should be little more than a footnote. Yet, this small island nation is blessed with being the only sinificant landmass in its area of the Ensollian Sea, sitting astride or just off of a number of major trade routes. Populated since antiquity and formerly a part of the Avincian Empire, it is home to one of the twin continents' most ancient civilizations, with some ruins dating back over five thousand years and fossil evidence of a number of non-human sentient peoples having lived there. Off the coast lie the ruins of the 'Golden City of Cervan', held to be possessed by foul spirits and haunted by Eeaiko bandits and with many of its treasures supposedly still unclaimed. Legend goes that the immense and advanced civilization there collapsed into the sea as part of a series of large earthquakes seven thousand years ago. Many stories blame the people's wanton misuse of their knowlede and a challenge to the Pentad as a cause, though there is no definitivve evidence one way or another.

Whatever their distant ancestors might have been like, the modern people of Djamant are hardy, friendly, boisterous, and not a bit unscrupulous when need be. They are devoutly Quentic, but rarely outright dogmatic. A 'work hard, play hard' mentality tends to prevail here. Cuisine takes advantage of a semiarid tropical climate, with ample pastoral land and some decent farmland. Pygmy versions of many species common elsewhere can be found on Djamant due to island dwarfism with verdant and aromatic wildflowers abounding in a great many varieties. Honey production is a staple industry, along with farming, fishing, glassmaking, and the single diamond mine that gives the island its name in the local language. This, in fact, is a hybrid of Virangish and Revidian, with Torragonese, Balbrish, and Perrench influences thrown in.

The one other 'industry' that Djamant has become well-known for is privateering and, in particularly lean times, outright piracy. Letters of marque are regularly issued to the Sovereign Order of the Knights of Sant Iermu to hunt down pirates and smugglers, and prey upon the shipping of enemies of the church: most often that of Darhannic nations and yasoi. In practice, many of these same pirates and smuglers use Djamant's harbours as a home base, paying the local authorities to turn a blind eye and fattening the local economy with their stolen gold.

The Festa
Though Djamantese sometimes appear rabidly Quentic and, in truth, tend to be quite devout as the only ethnically West Severan people of this faith, they are also notable for using their religion as an excuse to party. Every village on the island has its own patron saint and each has a designated feast day. These are conveniently spaced throughout the year so that one can simply travel from one village to the next every couple of weeks to attend one of these 'Festas'. Proceedings begin with an hour of solemn prayer and giving thanks the evening before, followed by a candlelight vigil and a morning parade. Then, the bands start playing during the parade and, as the statue of the saint is brought to the church and blessed, the music gets louder and raunchier. The alcohol starts to flow and everyone is dancing before long, covered in feathered boas, big goofy hats, and ridiculous pointy shoes. 

At some point, someone always throws a tomato and everyone else pulls out the food they've been hiding, just waiting for this moment. The food fights begin and spread very quickly, and then the bridge and cactus tag games. The streets are turned into a giant open air drinking garden and, as the sun sets, people start lighting fireworks, running around like maniacs in weird costumes, and doing cannonballs into the water. It is nothing short of pure debauchery. Then, as the sun rises, the members of that village put all of their fun things away until a couple of months later, when they 'lend' them to a neighbouring village so that they can be 'guests' in their 'solemn' celebration.

Miatto: A Profile

Capital City: Irachos

Leadership: Queen Diana III (absolute monarch)

Notable: Proud Miattans exist. In fact, many in this midsized, geographically fragmented nation are quietly quite patriotic. As an offshoot of the neighbouring Thalak culture, Miatto is, in fact, one of the cradles of Ensollian civilization. While it has never been a true great power, it has certainly fallen from what was once a degree of political, military, and economic influence. This was long ago, however, and the much-reduced state of Miatto is, today, just as often associated with its status as a longstanding rope in the endless tug-of-war between Perrence and Revidia. This political struggle has turned particularly aggressive over the past century following the annexation of the Duchy of Hepatia by the Perrench under Benedict the Blessed. This move, along with dynastic connections, has turned Miatto into little more than a satellite of its mighty neighbour. With the recent power shifts, however, and Revidian encouragement of arts, culture, and trade funding, their have been stirrings of rebellion, some even from the Queen herself.

Culture: Miattans are a simple people, religiously devout, fond of meats, cheeses, seafood dishes, and other savoury foods, much for idle relaxation following bouts of hard work. They are, in most respects, similar in culture to their brethern in Thalakos, and far removed from their grand past. The majority are fishermen or farmers, using the vast rolling fields of their homeland as pasture. They have a reputation for being warm, friendly, and informal with everybody, but subtly grasping and extortionist with those less familiar to them. Paradoxically, they're noted for their generosity, so who can say which, precisely is true, or perhaps even both are. Miattans are known for their ability to spin stories, after all.

Xochiyeiteteo: Empire of the Sun

Name: Xochiyeiteteo (land of three gods)
Capital: Calicoatl (home of serpents) & Altepecehualli (shadow city)
Population: 28 million
Government: Tricameral Elective Monarchy - Secular, Ecclesiastical, Shadow
Religion: Yeiteteo Piloa (search for the three gods)
Overview: One of the three great empires of Callanast, along with Sawand and Vossoriya, Xochiyeiteteo (known to some in the twin continents as Xolectoxo) is a vast country with a varied landscape and a very large population. Religiously, economically, and militarily aggressive, it is the regional great power of Western Callanast and often extracts tribute from its lesser neighbours in the form of trade goods and human captives. Three of these are selected for sacrifice each month to land, sea, and sky, the portals through which it is believed that the gods enter the realm of mortals in the form of three great serpents. Like almost anything of import, this takes place in Calicoatl, the sprawling capital of Xochiyeiteteo. A metropolis of some 500,000 people, it is built on a vast drained floodplain and famed for its lush gardens, scenic canals, and monumental architecture, with gold-capped temples, palaces, and ziggurats soaring into the burning tropical sun.

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Bio

School Lore

City Map

High Resolution City Map

Overview
Founded five-hundred-twenty-five years ago by the 'Velvet Duke': renowned arcanist Giacomo the Owl, the Academy of Thaumaturgy has provided the sons and daughters of the greatest houses of Constantia and Severa with the highest quality of education in the arts magical and practical ever since. However, the school's origins predate its founding considerably, with the earliest instruction in The Gift on this site taking place during the reign of the Avincian emperor Macian III, who also built the colosseum used today as the Proving Grounds. 

Of course, Ersand'Enise is far more than just a school. It is a mecca of magic famed worldwide. The greatest Arch-Zenos both reside and practice here, queens and emperors come calling for advice and assistance, and the free city that has grown up around the school and interwoven its way into magical life is one of the wealthiest and most beautiful in all of the twin continents. Located on the border of Revidia and Perrence, the school - like the city - is politically neutral and independent. Aside from port fees and a small sales charge, taxes do not exist in Ersand'Enise. Everything is funded by tuition fees and the sale of magical services and reagents by the Academy.
Places of Interest
The Queensgate
For the majority of the city's history, this is where new students would enter for the first time. However, the awkward design of the street, traffic from the nearby merchants' and crafters' quarters, and lack of space around the entrance made it less than ideal for this purpose. It is still the city's main entrance to the south, but is a bit quieter today than it used to be. The New Gate
Rebuilt just over one hundred years ago with a small entrance square and a grand boulevard known as Parade Street, the New Gate is where all students undertake their ceremonial first entrance to the city. Of course, many have arrived days or weeks earlier by ship, bustled unceremoniously through the workmanlike Sea Gate, but it's the ceremony that really marks the beginning of their time as a student (and return, each year) at Ersand'Enise. Of course, the New Gate is also a busy trade entrance, with all manner of goods and people coming and going to or from Revidia, to the North.
The Docks
Due to the city's near-tax-free status, Ersand'Enise's small port does a bustling trade, and shipping berths can be quite costly unless a ship is transporting students. This has actually been used as a loophole by some merchants, who allow a student to use their ship's cabin for free in order to take advantage of the port's cost exception. Of course, once one lands and gets through haggling with customs, it is a quick but unpleasant dash through Mudville and the Sea Gate and into the city proper. 
Mudville
Having sprung up somewhat out of necessity and increasingly out of neglect, Mudville is the name colloquially given - and locally embraced - to the rough collection of fishing huts, warehouses, taverns, inns and perfectly reputable businesses and dwellings that surround the Port of Ersand'Enise. Existing outside of the city walls, Mudville has a reputation for being lawless - and also a favourite escape for older students looking for a bit of adventure. Almost anything can be found there for the right price and any kind of trouble gotten into. Many a colourful story begins with the refrain, "one time, in Mudville..."
Miller's Hook
Miller's Hook is the name commonly given to the collection of watermills, dwellings, and workshops that hunkers under the shadow of the city walls to the west of The Queensgate. Not very much ever happens there aside from beginner students practicing kinetic magic with water nearby, and some hanging around there during the warmer months due to the presence of a particularly good fishing spot in the area.
The Workmen's Quarter
Existing as it does in the shadow of Macian's thousand-year-old colosseum and full of old housing (some predating the founding of the modern city), this was never going to be high-value real estate, but the working-class people who make up the backbone of Ersand'Enise need somewhere to live, and those who can't afford a place in the Merchants' Quarter or Cathedral Square call this place home. Students see the Workmen's Quarter every time that they head to the Proving Grounds. It is often said jokingly that this is all that they ever see of it. 
The Crafters' Quarter
If one needs something built or repaired in Ersand'Enise, this is the part of the city to be. Loud, bustling, and distinctly...pungent, many young noble students find it overwhelming at first, but soon recognize the value of the place and the quality of its craftsmen. Indeed, purchasing a license, nevermind a stall, to do business here is not for the faint of hart or light of wallet. In many cases, skilled yeomen are given places by invitation only.
The Merchants' Quarter
Located conveniently close to the Crafters' Quarter and the Sea Gate, the Merchants' Quarter often feels a world apart from the northern half of the city, dedicated to The Gift. Representatives from various trade guilds, importers, and companies can be found hurrying up and down the cobblestone streets from dawn until dusk on most days of the week. If you need to buy something or are looking to make a quick dollar investing, this is the place to score big...or get taken for a sucker. 
The Proving Grounds
Dating all the way back to the times of the Avincian Empire, the Proving Grounds were once an arena for gladiatorial combat. Today, they serve a variety of functions, including routine combat practice, team sports, the annual dueling tournament, an impromptu holiday marketplace, and an amphitheatre for large outdoor performances.
The Arboretum
By far the largest green space in Ersand'Enise, the Arboretum is built on what used to be the fortified castle grounds. As Ersand'Enise is considered sacrosanct and already amply defended by the continent's most powerful Zenos, the structure was torn down and the land repurposed nearly two centuries ago to be a place where students and Zenos could relax, study, socialize, and enjoy the benefits of nature within the safety of the city walls. In practice, it often serves this purpose during the daytime but, at night, is students' absolute favourite place to get drunk and get into all sorts of mischief. In early Stresia, the Arboretum is often filled with howls of laughter at initiation rites gone wrong... or right. The pair of outdoor pavilions are favourite places to hang out and Hedda's Lake (the small pond in the center), is just large enough that people can countenance swimming there during the warmer months. 

An ancient place, the Arboretum is full of mysteries and legends, from the unusual number of crows and ravens which roost in its trees to the fabled lost artifact of Eshiran and underground spring said to be at the bottom of Hedda's Lake somewhere; from the rumoured catacombs beneath the park, to the ghost of Erith Lenneker, who drowned herself there one hundred years ago and the...herbal remedies growing in its small forested area. Of course... whether or not any of this is true is another matter entirely, and not a particularly relevant one.  
The Violet Enclave
Occupying the western part of the city just south of the Violet Gate, the enclave is a quiet, lightly forested area where most of the academy's serious research is done. Purple-roofed towers and ancient sycamore trees rise into the sky and the hum of magic is ever-present. For reasons unknown to most of the student body, an unusual number of owls roost in the trees and the rafters of this part of the city. The Violet Enclave is also a place of intense mystery and wonder for the students, because they are not allowed there unless given explicit permission to enter. It is said that every Zenith to serve, with the exception of the first - Giacomo the Owl - is buried in the small crypt beneath the Forked Tower. It is further held that the most sensitive parts of this quarter - including Zenith's Library, where the original Recordbook of Ahn-Shune and books on forbidden magics are stored - possess magical barriers that can kill a person on contact. In practice, this has meant that sneaking into the enclave is a favourite dare of students, and some have sworn that their friends attempted to make it into the library. For what it's worth, those friends seem to have made it back perfectly intact but, oddly enough, with zero recollection of where they went and what they were doing there. 
Cathedral Square
 Dominating the northwest quarter of Ersand'Enise is Cathedral Square, where the great cathedral of San Carrera and its four attendant churches are located. For five years at a time, the cathedral is dedicated to the god currently in ascendance (presently Dami-Zept, the Arbiter of Justice), the two larger churches represent the previous god in ascendance and the next, while the two smaller churches represent the other two gods. Though it is not mandatory, students are encouraged to attend worship on the holy day of the god in ascendance, which is a holiday, and are required to attend on feast days. The religious authorities in Verrano have oft viewed the academy with suspicion, so a show of piety is sometimes necessary. For those who follow the Hexaic tradition, there is a small and somewhat neglected temple in the southern part of the Violet Enclave dedicated to Vashdal. It is the only part of the enclave into which students are allowed and a disproportionate number of student infiltrators seem to be Hexaic themselves. 

The actual square is an expansive plaza with a fountain at its center, two small parks, and a pair of wells. It is one of the major social centers of the city and hosts a pop-up market during the afternoons of worship days. This is faithfully attended by many of the students, who can often snatch up items that failed to sell in the more permanent markets for a lower price, and is also frequented by the residents of the Workmen's Quarter.  
Parade Street
The main north-south thoroughfare in the city, Parade Street was designed to be impressive and the site of parades, hence its name. In the north, near the New Gate, is the Arch of Benedict the Blessed, which all students pass under when entering. Parade Street then arrows straight towards the academy, lined by high-end shops and reagent dealers to one side and the noble dormitories (and Tan-Zeno quarters) to the other. Traffic is diverted east and west around campus proper and the street rejoins south of it, passing around Macian's Arch and the Flatiron building while flanked on its way to the Queensgate by the humbler shops and abodes of the Workmen's and Crafters' Quarters.
The Nobles' Dormitories
The nobility has made up the bulk of Ersand'Enise's student and faculty population since the academy's founding, and both groups are well-served by the Nobles' Dormitories and townhomes. Spreading liberally across the northeastern portion of the city and fronting onto Parade Street, the faculty's townhomes are the largest and most opulent dwellings in the city. A bit further to the east are the noble student dormitories, which are comfortably appointed, located in a quiet (in theory) section of the city close to campus, and appointed with servants. There is a small plaza and park in the middle of this area, with trees, pavilions, a fountain, and a well. It is often a lively place where students enjoy socializing or grabbing drinks and snacks from one of the vendors who wheel their carts into the square.  
The Merchants' Dormitories
Located just to the southeast of the Nobles' Dormitories, the Merchants' are similarly appointed, albeit a bit further from campus and the fine shops of Parade Street. Regardless, they are jealously considered the best in the city by some nobles due to their proximity to the Arboretum, which is often informally 'claimed' by the Merchant students of most cohorts. During the harvest festival of Rezain, Razor Street - which marks the boundary between the nobles' and merchants' dormitories - often becomes a battleground in a massive food fight known as the 'produce war'. The nobles try to stop the merchants, artisans, and commons from reaching parade street while the reverse holds true for the Arboretum. 
The Commons' Dormitories
The Commons' Dormitories are located right beside the East Gate and are at once the smallest, furthest from campus, and least richly appointed. As yet, the school does not distinguish between members of the Artisan and Common classes, so students from both groups stay here, and they are usually a relatively small cohort who have trouble filling their entire space. What many of the wealthier artisans have taken to doing is leasing unoccupied units and then subletting them to nobles and merchants who are willing to pay for the privilege of maintaining a second, secret or party house a bit further from the watchful eyes of campus. Indeed, the largest dormitory of the Commons section, known informally as 'The Castle', is home to a number of student organizations and is possibly the rowdiest place one will find within the city walls. 
The Academy Grounds
The Academy of Ersand'Enise itself occupies the very center of the city and is fenced off from the rest of it, with only a few large openings to let students, faculty, and researchers in and out. A mixture of ancient and modern buildings, it hosts classrooms, lecture halls, alchemist's rooms, a herbalist's garden, runecrafter, theatre, and the Grand Library. 

The last of these, in particular, is a wonder, rising over a hundred-fifty feet, with steeples, gargoyles, and flying buttresses galore. Inside are ten floors' worth of magical tomes and more general books, as well as study space for hundreds of students. It is not uncommon to see tired young scholars curled up for a quick nap in one of the library's many nooks and alcoves. In fact, the legend of Cerrick Rampard is often repeated with a certain sort of reverence. Too afraid to stay in his dormitory because of a cruel roommate (who was also a zeno's son), he lived in the library for three years and graduated with honours. Of course, sleeping students aren't the only spectacle. One can regularly witness books floating their way off of the higher shelves or across the atrium in a kinetic grasp, though this is officially discouraged, due to the number of yearly book collisions. Some poor old volumes are positively covered in stitches, patches and glue. Then, there are the birds. It is well-known that the upper levels of the library, beneath the dome, can get drafty during Somnes and Hundri and, despite the best efforts of groundskeepers, students, and even Zenos, owls, crows, and magpies always seem to be able to get inside and build their nests.

Hierarchy of Mages
Just like there is a religious hierarchy in Quentism and Hexaism, so there is a hierarchy among practitioners of The Gift. Ersand'Enise stands as the center of the magical world and the head of the academy, known as the Zenith, is also regarded as the foremost practitioner of The Gift in Constantia, Severa, and Tarlon. Zeniths serve for twenty years or until death (whichever comes first), and a retired one is given the title of Paradigm. Assisting the Zenith are twelve Arch-Zenos, six of them practicing in Ersand'Enise itself, and six heading other - lesser - academies across the continent. Below this elite cadre comes the rank of Zeno (Master), which includes most of the noteworthy mages on the continent. Finally, comes the rank of Tan-Zeno (Lesser Master), making up the backbone of the Academy and delivering the bulk of the services that it offers outside of school grounds. Anybody else trained in magic who does not wish to pursue the path of the mage is known as an Alta, and this includes much of the nobility. An Alta authorized to teach basic magic is an Alta-Zeno. Those still learning magic are known as Biro (the plural is the same as the singular). Anybody disbarred by the Academy is known as an Anto, and this is considered a profound disgrace. Below, you'll find the ranks of magic users.


A Place for Every Student?
Like any school, the Ersand'Enise Academy of Thaumaturgy has a bustling student life. There are dozens of clubs, organizations, and societies that one can join, and the first week of each school year is recruitment week. While some of these are centered around hobbies or shared identity, others are related to profession or act as recruiters for lifelong vocations. On top of joining optional clubs, it is mandatory for students to join a guild, and there are three choices.Guilds
Magicians’ Guild – 43% of students, exclusive with the Enchanters’ Union, Society of the Gift, and Malturra Society
- Open to nobility and merchants only, with membership split roughly half-half
- Considerable commercial and political power with many highly-placed alumni
- 'Big-tent' group: few students are deeply involved with guild activity
- Discounts and favours in some shops
- Often facilitate the annual 'Produce War' between the nobles' and merchants' dorms.
Society of the Gift - 32% of students, exclusive with the Magician's Guild, Enchanters' Union, and Malturra Society
- Open to nobility only
- Ancient, traditional, and well-connected, with many highly-placed alumni
- Little involvement in society activity for most students
- If you're active in this group, they can pull strings and open doors for you
- Reputation for being privileged and snobby
Enchanters’ Union – 25% of students, exclusive with the Magicians’ Guild and Society of the Gift
- Open to all, though mostly artisans and commoners, with some merchants. Nobles generally discouraged from joining.
- Growing political power and considerable activism
- The union will have members’ backs 
- Actively progressive and reformist
- Not an asset to belong to in some circles

Clubs
Outside of the three guilds are numerous other optional clubs. Many of these revolve around student interests and activities and most people would have a pretty good idea of what those might look like. However, some are tied more directly to magic use or ethnicity, while still others are primarily humorous in nature. Students may register for up to five at a time.
Loyalists – 11.8%, exclusive with the Malturra Society and Indigo Front
- Open to nobility, merchants, and artisans, but with tiered membership based on social class
- Encourages the use of Arcane magic
- Staunchly loyal to the Zenith and established order
- Conservative and traditionalist. Most members are wealthy
- Lots of posers here
Indigo Front – 11.7%, exclusive with The Loyalists and Olde Bronze Society
- Open to all
- Known as the Chemical Mage society
- History of intellectualism and political activism
- Recently, traditionally high academic standards have lowered
Olde Bronze Society – 9.4%, exclusive with the Indigo Front and the Malturra Society
- Open to all, but membership is tiered loosely on social class
- The Magnetic Mage society
- Nominally loyal to the Zenith and established order
- Some members in very high positions, but their influence is faltering as a group.
Cloudchasers – 8.3%
- Open to all
- The Kinetic Mage society
- Intellectual optimism and political idealism
- Strong focus on group building and physical activity.
Ipte's Courtyard – 7.5%
- Open to all although membership is very tiered, even among classes themselves
- Learn how to court in different nations and cultures to find your one true love!
- Often performs mock courting situations and dates, many find their partner here.
- Concerning rate of births out of wedlock from present and past members.
- Belzagg is the flavour of the month
Carnation Accord - 7.3%, exclusive with the Malturra Society
- Open to all, but membership is tiered based on social class
- The Binding Mage society
- Lots of religious lip service
- Actual seminars and instruction on the practice of Binding Magic
Little RAScals - 6.5% 
- Open to any students with a RAS below 6.5
- No tiered membership or even leader.  Formed off egalitarian ideals, it is oftentimes chaotic and directionless
- A good place to learn 'efficient' magic tricks; low energy but high in impact spells.
- 'Study groups' are commonly formed
- Is rumoured/known a sizeable portion have cheating methods undetectable by the Zenos
Torragonese League – 5.9%, exclusive with the Red Rangers
- Open to nobility, merchants, and artisans, with tiered membership based upon social class
- Members must be Torragonese by birth or background
- Staunchly loyal to the Torragonese crown
- Well established and fairly insular.
Eskandish Circle – 5.1%
- Open to all, but privileges are informally tiered based upon social class
- Members must be Eskandish by birth or background
- Tied to Eskandish druidic-style worship of the Pentad. Also parties in the woods.
- Ancient and well-established, but always somewhat marginal.
Pragmatics – 5.1%, exclusive with Eshiran’s Own
- Open to applicants who pass their entry test
- The new Chemical mage society
- Focus on the new sciences and experimental learning, academic diligence
- ‘Work hard, play hard’ mentality.
- Pointedly apolitical.
Drudgunzean Union - 4.9%
- Open to all students of Drudgunzean citizenship or heritage, though membership is loosely tiered by social class.
- Bierhall nights, excellent cooking, amazing parties.
- Many significant alumni and connections with nobility.
- Fingers in many import/export business and mechanical device making.
Steamchurners – 4.8%
- Open to artisans and merchants, but also to others who pass a test
- Pointedly unpretentious new Arcane Mages society
- Strong belief in science, rationality, and humanism
- Lots of philosophy and drinking
- A bunch of talented, crazy drunkards
Malturra Society – 3.2%, exclusive with many other societies
- Open to merchants, artisans, and commoners. Nobility must pass a test.
- Presents itself as an alternative Binding Mage Society, but everybody knows that it's really the Blood Mage society
- Controversial group, known for political dissent and clandestine experiments
- Insular and secretive, cool hangouts
The Eyes of Vashdal - 2.7%, exclusive with all explicitly Quentic societies
- Membership open to all Darhannic (Hexaic) students, regardless of social class, though it is tiered.
- A support group for a minority, but also economically well-connected. Importers of many rare goods from West Severa.
- Tight-knit and focused on culture as much or moreso than religion. Comforts from back home.
- Active good deeds, outreach, and (rather tame) activism.
The Crafters' Guild - 2.5%
- Open to all artisans and others who can show proof of quality craftsmanship
- Provide crafting spaces and materials at a discount
- Connections with the Innovators' Exchange. Needle & Thread, and numerous suppliers, free market stalls
- A great place to share and learn trade secrets; code of honour.
The Orators' Society - 2.4%, exclusive with Eshiran's Own
- Open to members of all social classes, with tiered membership. All members must pass a basic literacy and speaking test.
- Aggressively academic and engaged with philosophy, history, and science.
- Reasonably well-connected.
- Lots of 'big brains' in here, contrarians, and posers. Decent otherwise. Bloody alcoholics.
The Society of Humanity's Burden - 2.3%, mutually exclusive with Yasoi'riimel, Eeaiko-Kaihoo, and The Mountain Men.
- Open to all humans, though they have to be judged by the inner circle before joining.
- Organizes rallies and soapbox speeches focusing on their desire to help and uplift the "lesser races"
- Makes fun of the Yasoi'riimel and their declining numbers.
- Sends aid to all the suffering regions of the lesser races but will not give up their influence once rooted.
- Secretly has way more members than the official numbers given.
Ruesics – 2.3%
- Open to all
- Members follow the teachings of Tanson Ruesi, a famous philosopher and warrior
- Focus on competency with all forms of magic and the ability to channel
- Eschew conversion and focus on speed and channelling endurance
The Gamers' Union - 2.2% of students
- Open to all students, with membership tiered by contribution
- Informally quite well-connected. Have many small hangouts and some economic clout.
- All about the playing of games, sports, and cooperative-competitive pasttimes.
- Active members very likely to make lifelong friends here.
The Red Table Society - 2.2%
- Open to all, membership tiered by social class
- War re-enactment club 
- Began with the ancient war between Eskand and Parrence, most major conflicts are now covered on a monthly rotation
- Commoners take the roles of soldiers, merchants and nobility roleplay as the war's greatest heroes
- Taken very seriously, rivalries bleed outside the club all the time
- Good place to learn about warfare and battle tactics
Strakhalists – 2.1%
- Referral only, open to all otherwise
- Focus on offensive drawing, usually using Kinetic, Arcane, or Binding magic
- Members follow the teachings of Rahn Strakha, who invented offensive drawing
- Pointedly apolitical
- Willing to use advanced techniques and skew very close to forbidden magics. Main focus is on power.
Innovators' Exchange - 2.1%
- Open to Patrons and Innovators, which can sometimes overlap.
- The former must have proven cash reserves of over 1000 Neskal or access to a significant shipping concern.
- The latter must have an active proposal for a new invention or innovation which can be marketed.
- Very much about networking, profit, and technological progressivism.
Rare Mamas - 2.1%, mutually exclusive with most religious clubs, Lamplighters, Blazing Angels, and Corpse Flowers
- Open to 'those who best exemplify and appreciate the beauty of the female forme'. Nobles receive certain... privileges
- Two types of members: 'joes' and 'mamas'
- Meetings consist of 'painting sessions' where models pose and are painted by their admirers, or 'dances', where models dance.
- models are often paid, but must pass a test to join. No harassment or misbehaviour is tolerated from other members.
Valgardiers – 2%
- Open to all who pass their test, though membership is loosely tiered
- Members follow the teachings of Wensa Valgarde, a famous converter
- Focus on patience and specialization
- Advanced skills can be reached from any type of draw through conversion techniques.
Corpse Flowers - 1.9%
- Open to all with obvious physical disfigurements
- Society focused on positive body image and finding beauty in the 'ugly'
- Activities include fashion shows, tea parties, speed dating, and more
- Lots of group talks and confidence building exercises
- Gender ratio 3:1 in favor of women
The Bards' Society - 1.8% of students
- Open to members of all social classes, with equal membership.
- Many connections within the performing industry.
- Supposedly apolitical, but they shill for wealthy benefactors when needed.
- Many flaky 'artiste' types here, but also a lot of fun.
Aesthetics – 1.5%, exclusive with Eshiran's Own
- Open to all
- Members reject the violent use of magic
- Members attempt to be apolitical but tend to skew progressive
- Tight-knit group that focuses on art, beauty, and creating
Oceanborn – 1.5%
- Open to all, but membership is tiered according to social class
- The society for mages who want to focus on liquid-manipulation abilities
- Properties off-campus, right on the sea
- Inclusive group, a little bit flaky
Eshiran’s Own – 1.4%, exclusive with The Aesthetics and The Pragmatics
- Open to all who can pass their test
- Mostly arcane, chemical and atomic mages, some crypto-blood mages
- This is the fighters’ society, filled with combat mages
- Tend to be low academic achievers.
Society of the Grapes – 1.2% formally, 4% informally
- Open to merchants and nobility, but welcoming of others
- Started out as a parody of the Society of the Gift
- Tight-knit, respect strength of magic and intellect, unpretentious, throw amazing parties
- A place where the wealthy do not have to stand on ceremony.
Oath of the Blade - 1.2% 
- Open to all students who pass their tests, they will often search out potential prospects. 
- They only accept a certain amount of members per recruitment cycle.
- Tiered membership based lightly upon your social class and heavily upon your skill and strength in melee combat with the use of magic. 
- Often times those of Nobles and the such will find themselves in higher positions, however there are a few higher level members who are of Common birth.
- You are trained to use your magic through weapons and hone your skills in melee combat. 
- Full of well connected individuals who will invite many prominent figures. 
- A very well connected club making it possible for them to do small outings as a group to nearby areas to fight creatures terrorizing areas, bandits, and the occasional war games.
- Known in other circles as the Society of the Knight, and in others as the Dying path, as many of those who follow this path follow the more knight and frontline roles taken by the knights during and after the time of Perrence's Victory over Eskand and the solidification of it being a true power.
The Fauna Society - 1.1%
- Membership open to all who love animals. Entrance interview. Strangely, most members seem to be either noble or common.
- Active zoological study. Lots of hanging out and nerding out, but also diligent in academics and adventurous fieldwork.
- A bit niche and marginal in terms of influence, but can make a killing breeding and training rare animals.
- The place to go for animal familiars and unusual mounts.
Surveyors - 1.1%
- Open to all, students with kinetic/binding aptitude are highly desirable
- Society members act as volunteer civil engineers
- Directly sponsored by Ersand'Enise
- After a period of training, students complete public works projects under expert supervision
- Incentives include extra credit and financial aid
Needle & Thread Guild - 1.05% of students
- Open to all female students, though membership is tiered based upon social class.
- All things sewing, knitting, embroidery, and fashion.
- The girliest of girly clubs. No boys allowed (though many hang around informally)
- Currently in the midst of a power struggle between traditionalists and Cruella-types.
Nachaias's Own - 1%
- Open membership for those who pass a written test
- Club members discuss applied and theoretical mathematics and try to prove old theories or create new ones
- Monthly math competitions for bragging rights and a plaque on the club room's wall
- Members often take bribes from other students to do their homework
- Very geeky
Waveriders - 1%
- Open to all who can pay the joiner's fee, friendly relationship with the Oceanborn
- Society for lovers of aquatic recreation
- Organizes competitive events for aquatic sports such as sailing, open water fishing, and surfing
- Boats and equipment freely available for use by members
Draconic Order /  Ordo Draconum - 1% true members, numerous appreciators.
Also commonly known as the Fireflies.
- Tiered membership. Dragonbreeders at the top, then DragonRiders,  then DragonOwners, DragonCrafters, DragonContributors, DragonAppreciators.
- Home to a wide range of important alumni including King Sancho of Torragon. Frequently brings in distinguished guests.
- Has the grounds to house, groom, and feed dragons. This comes with a high cost.
- Works closely with the Draconic Regulatory Association and Group on Organisational Nomenclature.
Brotherhood of Brew Appreciators - 0.9% of students
- Membership is tiered based on a pair of entry tests: chugging and hops recognition. 
- The society of beer enthusiasts, more or less. Balanced between the arts of brewing and consuming. 
- Have their own microbrewery and beer garden. Regularly cater and mint special commemorative batches.
- Connections to many monastic brewers, especially local ones across Revidia, Perrence, and Miatto.
- A surprising number of Kerremans in here. Many Enthish, Kressians, Huulendamsch, Pestians, Budesrnans, and Warlish.
Pageturners – 0.9%,
- Began as an exclusive club for nobility, recently opened to all
- Essentially a book club where members discuss the latest and greatest literature 
- Leans heavily towards fiction but appreciates nonfiction as well
- Once every other month club members are required to submit self written short stories to share
- Occasionally gets a hold of articles forbidden by the school or the state
- Lots of introverts and eccentrics here
Genealogy Society - 0.8%
- Open to nobles as well as merchants who can prove their pedigree
- Engage in research and discussion on noble an occasionally other genealogies
- Lots of snobs who enjoy patting themselves and each other on the back.
- Some serious researchers here too. Kind of not that diligent overall, though.
The Mage Hunters' Society - 0.8%
- Open to all, regardless of social class. Equal membership. ~60% of members are Drudgunzean.
- The magusjaegers' society. Focus on skill and innovation.
- Team-building exercises, war games, survival skills.
- Somewhat secretive and exclusive: a band of brothers (and sisters)
- Known to visit a brothel or ten.
Olive Drag - 0.8%
- Originally a crossdressing club that was created purely as a joke at someone's expense, it soon morphed into a hybrid theater club and support group.
- Very assertive recruitment of effeminate men.
- Numerous valuable connections for anyone interested in the arts.
- Notorious partygoers who trend progressive. Eccentric leadership.
- Open to all students but vigilantly prune members who aren't actually interested in club activities.
Lamplighters - 0.7%
- Open to all who pass an interview and background check
- Society members act as volunteer watchmen for the school after hours
- Directly sponsored by Ersand'Enise
- Authorized to police misdemeanors and enforce curfew
- Incentives include extra credit and financial aid
Dark Sky Society - 0.6% of students
- Tiered membership based upon scientific credentials and possession of a telescope.
- This is the nascent astronomers' society, pointedly separate from that pseudoscience Astrology.
-  Access to the newly-built telescope abutting the Grand Library. Trying to gain access to the big one in the Forked Tower.
- A handful of very wealthy patrons. They're building their own observatory in the countryside near the Perrench border.
- Scientific talks, theorizing sessions, scientific instrument shoppe, 'dark sky parties' in the hours of Dami and Ipte outside school grounds.
Treasure Hunters – 0.6%,
- Open to all who truly believe in the cause or are at least cool
- Based around the 100% factual treasure of Captain Meridair buried somewhere in Ersand'Enise that is not at all legend
- Occasionally go looking for other treasures when opportunity provides itself 
- Have a massive vault full of their plundered treasures, though no one's actually allowed to look inside
- Often bullied for believing children's stories, wasting time, and making a general mess of the school grounds
The Rat Bastards - 0.5%
- Explicitly open to all students who are either bastards or orphans, but accepting of others... for a price.
- An irreverent group of rejects with a penchant for mischief.
- Know how to cheat at everything. The place to find loopholes and buy answer guides.
- Smugglers and mercenaries, unacknowledged noble children. Also a support group.
The Essence Club - 0.5%
- Membership open to all students, but first, you have to take a hit of this, dude.
- Experts in botany and internal chemistry and, particularly psychoactive substances.
- Bravely test these on themselves in their large, late-night gatherings... for science!
- Many artists and musicians. Long, philosophical ramblings, unassumingly hedonistic.
The Tasters' Union - 0.5%
- Open to all of those with a refined palate, though membership is tiered. Membership fees for those who have not published at least ten culinary reviews.
- Access to the finest locally-produced and imported food and drink.
- Opulent parties where people eat... and eat... and drink (and publish reviews).
- Connections to the Pumpernickels, Grapes, Brewers, and Essence clubs.
The Pumpernickel Clubbe - 0.5%
- Open to all, with equal membership, but you must pass a baking test.
- By the Gods, they cook the best food and know all the secret recipes. Most members are skilled artisans.
- Lots of 'nerdy-hot' girls in here... and some simps.
- They run shops and cater, hold sleepovers, and make bank.
Sleuths - 0.5%
- Open to all
- The club for mystery lovers
- Members have fun staging mock murders and escape rooms, lots of roleplaying involved
- Joint events with the Fingersteeplers are surprisingly common
Puppeteers – 0.4%
- Open to all who can pass their test, targeted recruitment
- Mainly kinetic and magnetic mages
- Focus on stealth and manipulation of golems and mechanical apparatus
- Known for being tricksters and eccentrics
Excavators - 0.4%
- Open to all
- The paleontology club
- Activities are mainly digging up and studying fossils
- Mostly a hobbyist society, but sometimes major discoveries are made and submitted to the school
The Special Ones - 0.4%
- Exclusive to individuals with rare mana types, membership requires a blood oath 
- Discussions and activities focus on the possible identification, benefits, and uses of rare mana types. 
- A strict rule of keeping society activities within the society. Those caught breaking it face warnings, revocation of privileges, or expulsion from the club. 
- Tight-knit group. Every meeting ends with a drinking party, though some members have complained of the aftermath's aches and lack of memory. 
- Wealthier members provide support  to members in need in the form of loans and favours. Many are kept 'off the books'.
Red Rangers – 0.3%, exclusive with the Malturra Society and the Torragonese League
- Open to all, though commanders must be noble
- Independent ranger corps nominally loyal to the Perrench crown
- Wide-ranging set of skills, including physical combat and survival: battle mages
- Group cohesion, respect, self-efficacy, and duty are central values
- A life of adventure, romance, and danger, but also a lifelong commitment
Children of the Moon – 0.3%
- Open to all, though applicants must demonstrate an interest in Mooncasters
- Originally intended to be a Mooncasters society, but mooncasters are extremely rare
- Most members are obnoxious fangirls, fanboys, and oddballs
- When a true mooncaster appears every few cohorts, he or she is basically forced into joining
The Fingersteeplers - 0.3%
- Open to anybody, but high nobility receive an animal familiar and fawning minions.
- A roleplaying club where people dress up in dark and 'villainous' clothing and pretend to be evil.
- Considered embarrassing to join but is actually kind of cool. Lots of secret 'masked' members.
- Many creative writers and nerds here. Some really rich people too. Surprisingly well-connected.
Cherry Blossoms – 0.3%
- Majority Nikanese membership but anyone can join after passing an oral test
- Club activities centered around traditional Nikan theatre, music, and painting
- Members must wear a yukata or kimono in the club room
- Many non ethnic members secretly wish they were from Nikan
- Lots of broken Nikanese spoken here (to the embarrassment of club leadership)
Madcaps - 0.3%
- Open to all, membership is mostly commoners
- Society for those who wish to demonstrate their machismo
- Tests of pride abound, members regularly undergo 'dares' ranging from eating hot peppers to exploring haunted buildings
- Full of fun loving delinquents
- Well-known for their end of the year 'fear factor' competition
Firebreathers – 0.2%
- Open to all
- Mostly arcane and chemical mages, small, self-assured group
- Members must have an innate ability to resist fire
- Access to secret knowledge and focus on highly advanced fire techniques
The Blazing Angels - 0.2% 
- A quasi-religious order, many Red Rezaindians and active Somnians. Membership is tiered according to social class.
- Basically, the paladin order. Defenders of the Quentic Faith. DEUS VULT!
- Active training and sparring, prayer, good acts. Well-connected.
- Also practice having awesome aesthetics through use of illusion and mount-taming: winged hussars, flaming warhammers, dragon riding.
The Speed Demons - 0.2% of students
- Open to fast people only, regardless of class. Membership is tiered based on ability to win races.
- Started as a serious society, became a joke, and became legitimate again.
- Everything is a race. Love races of all types. Meme-level competitive and also host many competitions.
- Live for The Dragon in the Trials. Highlight of their lives. Have many strategies for it.
The Unhumans - 0.2% of students, mutually exclusive with the Special Ones
- A secret club that does only targeted recruitment. Open to carefully chosen members who aren't publicly listed.
- Meet only on nights of four and five moons, often outside of school property
- Seem to have secret, powerful benefactors.
- Watched carefully by the school establishment.
The House of Japes - 0.2% of students
- Officially, a comedy club, but truly a facade for notorious pranksters
- Comedy shows, practical jokes, magic tricks, and (often intricate) illusions
- Many illusionist skills taught here as well as some useful for nonlethal combat
- Shenanigans, mischief, tomfoolery, and japery abound.
- Kooky raccoon mascot.
The Milliners' Society - 0.2% of students
- Open to those who like hats. Must pass an oral exam and possess a collection of at least six hats.
- The society for hatmakers and hat enthusiasts. Both appreciation and techniques; access to materials. 
- Members must wear a hat for the duration of all meetings.
- Novelty hats and fun competitions. Hat challenges and hat-wearing marathons.
Blow-flies - 0.19% 
- Open to all
- Splinter faction of the Fauna Society, intended for people who like bugs and insects
- Bug catching, pet breeding, and ant farming are major club activities
- Huge collection of organisms not natively found on Constantia
Faithkeepers - 0.1%
- Open to all, targeted towards the religious
- Front for a widespread Quentic reformation movement
- Seeks to break the walls between religious orders and restructure the church entirely
- Lots of preaching and activism, slowly gaining influence among free thinkers
The Golden Mushroom Society - 0.08% of students
- Open to all who possess the ability to use Atomic magic, though traditionally a noble stronghold.
- Seek power and unlocking the mysteries of deep magics above all else.
- Small group, but considered prestigious. A weird mix of snobs and really chill people. Some heavy drinkers here.
- Huge testing range out in the coastal fields, and cliffside property to use the sea for testing. Legendary cantina.
Yasoi'riimel - 0.05% of students (much larger in the past)
- Open to all yasoi and half-yasoi students and, recently, to humans who take an interest in yasoi culture, language, and religion.
- Cool hideouts in the Arboretum and the Violet Enclave (!) Main suppliers of yasoi goods and news.
- Largely left to their own devices. In recent times, a small, tight-knit group of friends who are more like family.
- Ancient society with formerly a lot of pull. Know many campus secrets and still own many tiny properties scattered everywhere.
Truth-Seekers Society - 0.04% of students, mutually exclusive with any scientifically diligent clubs
- Open to anyone willing to hear the truth, tiered membership based on trust levels and tenure
- Profess to know the entire truth about Sipenta, the Gods, and even the Zenos
- Wild claims of snake people living in mountains, creatures from other worlds visiting
- Constantly talk about Dark Magic/Blood Magic (not to study, just discuss)
- Accuse Zenos and Zenith of conspiracies on semi-regular basis, occasionally leading to trouble
- Never taken seriously
- Any kooky/wise-crack player guesses about Traveler/Hugo/Sipenta go here
Eeaiko-Kyhoo - 0.03% of students
- Open to all and any eeaiko or provably part-eeaiko students, others allowed to attend with permission.
- Share properties with the oceanborn and waveriders. Significant overlap in membership.
- Focus on mutual support, cultural adjustment, religion, and consumption of traditional eeaiko foods and culture.
- If something cool is scavenged, mined, or found underwater, you'll hear it here first.
The Mountain Men - 0.02% of students, mutually exclusive with yasoi'riimel
- Open to all and any hegelan or visibly part-hegelan students. 
- A new club, gifted choice property in the heart of the Crafter's District and on the crags near the museum of St. Berenice.
- Focus on mutual support, cultural adjustment, religion, and consumption of traditional hegelan foods and culture.
- The student body's best connection to hegelan goods and lands
Unchained Society - 0.01%
- The official Tethering club, membership exclusive to those with the disease
- A gathering for those seeking physical or emotional support 
- Older members help their juniors learn to live independently and take advantage of their curse
- Emphasis on physical therapy, long range battle skills, and magical reading
- Currently experiencing difficulties due to club members being approached by suspicious individuals
Faceless – 0.01%
- Invite only, regardless of social class. Secret membership.
- Fighters for a secular vision of justice and morality
- Focus on lightbending and stealth techniques
- Dabble in forbidden magics and considered criminals 
- Frowned upon by the authorities, but they have shadowy powerful benefactors
Egalite Fraternite - ??%
- Open membership to those who believe in a world where people are not discriminated against, including based on their RAS level.
- They provide welfare and support to struggling students.
- Activities including volunteering, fund raising, public projects, and festivals.
- Events are open to non-members, with a strong presence on campus.
- Secretly: It is a front for the teachings of the Traveller. Only those in the higher hierarchy are open to this fact.
- Full of altruistic and well-meaning people, and those who had positive interactions after requesting support. Known for being full of goody-two-shoes.

The Zenith: Claresse Upta

NameAgeGenderNationalityRankRAS LevelPrimary SpecializationSecondary SpecializationTertiary Specialization
Claresse Upta66FemaleJorubanZenith8.61BindingTemporalChemical
Claresse Upta is the Zenith of the Academy and the nominal head of all mages in Constantia, Severa, and Tarlon. Coming originally from a merchant family in Joru, she was identified as a prodigy from an early age and sent to train at Ersand'Enise where she made and still maintains many connections. What fewer people know is that her quiet support for the Republican faction in the Joruban Revolution fifteen years ago played a pivotal role in the overthrow of the monarchy, though the elements that eventually came to power were considerably more radical than she might've hoped. Currently, Claresse is ten years into her 25-year term as Zenith. Shrewd and hard-nosed, she is noted for taking a less academic approach to magic and focusing on the economic and societal opportunities that it provides. She is a relentless and skilled politician as well as a talented mage and eminent master of Binding, Temporal, and Chemical magics.
The Paradigm: Hugo Hunghorasz

NameAgeGenderNationalityRankRAS LevelPrimary SpecializationSecondary SpecializationTertiary Specialization
Hugo Hunghorasz117MalePestianParadigm9.54TemporalAtomicDark
Hugo Hunghorasz is the Paradigm - a retired two-time former Zenith. Universally held to be the greatest living mage, he is also considered by many to be the greatest of all time, period. There simply isn't enough space to begin to describe his many exploits, his triumphs, tragedies, and sometimes uneasy relationship with the magical establishment. However, at the age of 117, he remains active as a researcher and is considered the foremost authority in the twin continents on the Temporal and Atomic Schools of Magic. It is rumoured that, even now, he is unlocking the secrets of the fabled Dark School of magic. How much time he has left on his mortal clock to finish this final great work, only the Gods of the Pentad know.
Council of Six, Member One: Joshe Intaba

NameAgeGenderNationalityRankRAS LevelPrimary SpecializationSecondary SpecializationTertiary Specialization
Joshe Intaba64MaleMedrilanerArch-Zeno8.90AtomicKineticMagnetic
Council of Six, Member One: Master of the Magical Pentad, Hero of Cape Bathazar, Warden of the Book of Shune-Zept, and Lion of Medrilan, Joshe Intaba is perhaps the second most famous magic practitioner in the land. However, he tends to view these accolades from a wary distance, much preferring to avoid politics to the point where, ironically, he has amassed a sizable following who believe in his credo that "A Zeno's business is the Gift, and only the Gift." A master of the Atomic, Kinetic, and Magnetic Schools, he is the only Arch-Zeno on the council of six who remains an 'Active Master', taking on apprentices. He is also considered by many to be the council's most fearsome fighter.
Council of Six, Member Two: Ardredelle Latvar

NameAgeGenderNationalityRankRAS LevelPrimary SpecializationSecondary SpecializationTertiary Specialization
Ardredelle Latvar47FemalePestianArch-Zeno8.45ChemicalBindingAtomic
Council of Six, Member Two: Ardredelle Latvar is the second youngest of the Arch-Zenos, as well as the Academy's and arguably the twin continents' foremost practitioner of Chemical Magic. She was Hugo Hunghorasz's final graduate student before he retired from teaching and, unbeknownst to her, is his illegitimate great-granddaughter. He has quietly sponsored and advocated for her since she was small, determined that she would play a pivotal role in dismantling the establishment that he only grudgingly reconciled himself to. Ardredelle is notable for her embrace of both humanism and the new natural sciences in her magic practice and very much represents the vanguard of the modern generation of mages now challenging the magical establishment.
Council of Six, Member Three: Giacomo Giarrone

NameAgeGenderNationalityRankRAS LevelPrimary SpecializationSecondary SpecializationTertiary Specialization
Giacomo Giarrone86MaleRevidianArch-Zeno8.70BindingBloodArcane
Council of Six, Member Three: If they say to fear an old man in a profession where men die young, Giacomo Giarrone is the ultimate example of this. This elder magus is known to many as 'Giacomo the Crow' in homage to his ancestor Giacomo the Owl, his half-Eskandish heritage (crows are a harbinger of Eshiran in their culture), and his past as the most feared assassin of the Black Rezaindian Order. You would never guess it from his demeanour now, however. In most respects, he comes off as a kindly grandfather figure, ever supportive and encouraging towards his students. In addition to being a master-level illusionist and a powerful internal chemist, he is the academy's foremost practitioner of Binding Magic. Of course, while he doesn't speak of such, it is an open secret that he is a master in another, similar school...
Council of Six, Member Four: Riu Kai-tan

NameAgeGenderNationalityRankRAS LevelPrimary SpecializationSecondary SpecializationTertiary Specialization
Riu Kai-Tan61MaleRettaneseArch-Zeno8.51KineticBloodArcane
Council of Six, Member Four: It was not easy for the Zenos of Ersand'Enise to convince the world's foremost Kineticist, Riu Kai-tan, to join them in the City of the Bells, but some say that he had ulterior motives for making the journey. As a South Rettanese hero, he found himself the target of two failed assassination attempts by the neighbouring Kingdom of Tan Keoul's famous Lotus Sentry. While he was able to defeat these (and the Lotus Sentry is never known to fail twice), there were rumours that his own government offered him no protection due to his criticisms of the twin emperors' decadence and corruption. Whatever the story, he has been a welcome addition to the ranks of Ersand'Enise since arriving, and a gruff but often wise voice of reason in their politics. Disciplined and hard-working, he often finds himself agreeing with Joshe Intaba's philosophies, if not always his methods. To this end, Zeno Riu has been working hard to improve his Avincian so that he can feel comfortable taking on apprentices.
Council of Six, Member Five: Alassa Tojarra

NameAgeGenderNationalityRankRAS LevelPrimary SpecializationSecondary SpecializationTertiary Specialization
Alassa Tojarra50FemaleTorragoneseArch-Zeno8.36MagneticChemicalKinetic
Council of Six, Member Five: The Steel Countess, Alassa Tojarra is Ersand'Enise's master of the Magnetic. One of the most renowned battle mages of the twin continents, she is widely respected for perfecting the scythe-chain tactic that has become a staple of today's battlefields. Born the fourth daughter of the Conde Medina-Abrantes in Southern Torragon, she seemed destined for an unfulfilling political marriage until she manifested a Thunderchild mana type and profound ability with the Gift as she approached puberty. After studying and earning her Tan-Zenoship at Ersand'Enise, she returned to protect Torragonese neutrality during the Joruban Revolution, as the neighbouring kingdom's deposed monarchy attempted to slip into the Torragonese outback and use it to wage a guerilla campaign. It was there that she took to wearing plate armour, in order to help her store charges, and there that she earned her other famous accessory. During one battle, an enemy illusionist slipped through the lines and stabbed her in the left eye. However, Alassa was able to electrocute him to death by wrapping her arms around him and discharging her gathered electricity into him, using the knife embedded in her eye socket as a conduit. Thus began her legend.
Council of Six, Member Six: Karan Harachorra

NameAgeGenderNationalityRankRAS LevelPrimary SpecializationSecondary SpecializationTertiary Specialization
Karan Harachorra44MaleIniporiArch-Zeno8.89ArcaneAtomicTemporal
Council of Six, Member Six: Karan Harachorra is a stylish devil and he knows it. Third son of the Sultan of Inipor, and scion of an exceptionally Gifted line of bluebloods, the young Prince of Inipor revealed a generational-level talent for the Gift from his earliest years and was sent to train at Ersand'Enise, where he also acted as a good-faith ambassador to the Quentic Kingdoms of Constantia. A profoundly gifted Arcanist due to his innate Fireblood abilities, Karan is especially unusual for having a RAS level approaching 9.00. This is generally unheard of with Firebloods. Urbane, sophisticated, handsome, and silver-tongued, he has quickly worked his way up the ranks, but has found himself in an odd position, politically, as one of the more conservative members of the younger generation of Zenos and the council's only Darhannic member. While he believes in the divine right of rulers and the primacy of the nobility and Arcane School of magic, he would not repeat the follies of the Joruban monarchy and recognizes the need for at least the outward appearance of change. Karan believes that one is a fool to fight the rising tide. Yet, sometimes he can't help but feel as if he is fighting it himself.

Coming soon: The Hand! Mallow the Goose, Cerrick Rampard, the Sigma Mindset, Giacomo's Lost Owl, and Erith Lenneker.

Taking an Interest in Your Education

Before commencing studies at the Academy of Thaumaturgy, all students must fill out, sign, and date the following two forms. 

The Libraries of Ersand'Enise

As a city dedicated overwhelmingly to learning, Ersand'Enise is home to many libraries, most of them the smaller private collections of Zenos, religious orders, and businesses. However, the city is also home to five four prominent collections which may be of use to scholars.

1. The Grand Library of the Academy of Thaumaturgy: on campus, this grand building is ten stories tall and a monument to learning. Packed with all manner of magical and mundane books, scrolls, maps, and artifacts, some say that it is the grandest library in the entire world. The Grand Library is a wondrous place: so large that people have literally lived in there. 

2. The Zenith's Collection: in the Forked Tower of the Violet Enclave. The entirety of this midsized library is only accessible to those of Arch-Zeno rank and above, with Zenos being able to access all but the Vault and Tan-Zenos granted access only for specific research. This is also where the sacred artifact, the Recordbook of Ahn-Shune, is stored, along with all tomes on forbidden and hypothetical magics.

3. The Cathedral Archives (The Crypt Library): is located in and under the cathedral in its extensive basement. There are many particularly ancient texts and scrolls here, often covering matters of a religious and historical nature.

4. The Ersand'Enise Merchants' and Artisans' Guild Library: is located in the Merchants' Quarter of the city and contains an up-to-date collection of newsletters, weather reports, political commentary, and market information. It is also home to a great many treatises on practical and professional skills.

5. The Seaside Exchange: to be found at an undisclosed location in Mudville. People whisper that this hidden exchange (less of a library) exists, but nobody has ever provided conclusive evidence for their claims. Some people say that it deals in underground texts on forbidden magics, insider trading, and radical political treatises.

The Trials
The Trials are an ancient school tradition and, while the exact games played rotate from cohort to cohort, with some of the most popular appearing more often than others and a few having faded into obscurity, matters are almost always intensely and tightly contested. The winning team of five is awarded a unique and valuable prize by the year's sponsor and gains access to the fabled Forked Tower within the Violet Enclave for one entire week. They are bound by a magical Non-Disclosure Agreement to not reveal what they witnessed inside its walls.

The Trials take place among the six to eight Apprentice Colleges, each headed by an Arch Zeno. Sometimes, the Zenith also heads a college, as with the current cohort and, if here is a Paradigm of sound mind, he or she will head a college as well. In order of seniority, the current colleges are:
Hourglass: Hugo Hunghorasz
Lions' Den: Joshe Intaba
Spellbinder: Claresse Upta
Crowsnest: Giacomo Giarrone
Countess: Alassa Tojarra
Mountaintop: Riu Kai-Tan
Firebrand: Ardredelle Latvar
Sunbeam: Karan Harachorra

While many things change and events rotate, for the past hundred years, The Trials have always kicked off with an event known as The Great Melon Derby and ended with another called Tug of Peace. Below, you'll find further details and information on just what these games entail.Trial One: The Great Melon Derby

With the holiday Melon Day having just ended, thousands of melons flood the city of Ersand'Enise. Most years, the number comes in just north of 20,000. This year, the exact total is 20,606, divided between the five 'elemental' melon types of firemelon, watermelon, thundermelon, terramelon, and cloudmelon. 

Precisely one of each type is special: created through binding magic and seeded with a spell that will trigger only once it is picked up by someone with a RAS of 5.00 or above. This spell will correspond to its elemental type: the firemelon will scald, the watermelon will splash, the thundermelon shock, the terramelon cover you in dirt, and the cloudmelon buffet you with a strong gust of wind. One further melon, of a type that matches the element of the deity currently in ascendance, is the 'Melon Supreme'. It is seeded with a temporal magic spell that will freeze time for all but its holder for precisely two minutes. It will also send out a massive beam of energy into sky, marking the position where it was picked up. It is strongly recommended that its bearer use their two free minutes to beat a hasty retreat to somewhere safer.

Each melon is worth a particular number of points, with the special melons being worth the most. Below is a guide to these:

All standard melons (there are 20,050) are worth 1 point. These give no special indication.

Some larger melons (there are 500) are worth 10 points. These have a bell hidden inside and will jingle. The bells have a specific magic signature and are very hard to counterfeit.

A small number of very large melons (there are 50) are worth 100 points. These have a special magic item bound inside of them that will release a pleasant and pungent aroma whenever they are handled. Also very hard to counterfeit.

The five 'elemelons' are each worth 2000 points. These will have the effects described in the previous paragraph, depending on the element that they represent.

The one Melon Supreme is worth a mighty 10,000 points. It is generally considered an all-but automatic win. Only twice in history has a team finished with this melon in its possession and not won.

Teams may acquire melons by all and any means possible, barring direct assault causing serious bodily harm against their opponents or non-participants. They may lie, cheat, steal, bribe, and destroy at will and often do. Targeting opponents' melons to deny them points is a tried and true tactic and the teams' home bases (their Zeno's house) are often temporarily turned into veritable fortresses, even though opposing teams may not actually enter the property. All melons acquired by a team must be deposited at their home base in order to count for scoring purposes. In general, the rule with regards to cheating is, 'cheat in style.' Counterfeit melons, created either through binding or a mix of chemical and greengrowth abilities need to be able to seamlessly pass as the real thing. Get busted and any fake melons you're caught with will cost your team five points each. Rough someone up? That's a 25 point penalty, though some teams tactically decide to eat it. As for sneaking into an enemy team's home base? Better not get caught, or that's a 100 point penalty per person per instance! Any severe injuries that you cause that can't be quickly healed through binding will result in immediate disqualification. Just... don't be that edgy. It's not worth it.

When the derby ends and melons are totaled and inspected, they must be in a condition judged to be 'consumable' as part of a healthy meal in order to earn their team points. Destroyed, badly damaged, obvious cheat, or rotten melons will not count, regardless of which type they are (including the elemelons and the supreme). The five teams with the highest point totals will occupy the podium for this event. Allied teams will share the same ranking.Trial Two: The Dragon

All you have to do is make it to the finish line before the other teams...or at all. 

Chosen from a rotating roster of fifteen possible events, this year's second event is the infamous relay race known as 'The Dragon' for its extreme difficulty. Competing in their teams of five, every student must complete two legs of the race. The essential rules are as follows:

Teams must consist of five members.
The race is a relay consisting of ten legs in total.
Each team carries a magically-bound item of their choice that serves as a baton and must be carried through all ten legs.
Each member must complete two legs.
The legs must be completed in sequence and the team cannot continue until the previous leg has been completed by its designated racer.
The order in which team members first appear is determined by a random draw.
A racer is allowed onto the track both before and after it is their turn to race. They may offer support and assistance to their teammates and work to impede the progress of opposing teams.
If a racer who has already completed her assigned legs is knocked out of the race, it is of no consequence. She can keep going as long as she is able and is simply free support for her teammates who are still racing.
However, if she is knocked out before having the chance to complete both of her assigned legs, she is out of the race and the team will be unable to complete it.
Team members who are not actively racing may enter and leave the course only at the start or end of each leg without being considered to have been knocked out.
Importantly, while the order of appearance is randomly selected, a racer does not have to complete both of his required legs back-to-back so long as the overall order of first appearances is maintained. For example, a weak racer may be assigned to go first, but he can complete only one leg before letting all four of his teammates complete both of theirs, and then complete his second (and the overall final) leg with their risk-free support.
Racers may use all abilities at their disposal in order to overcome race obstacles and opposing racers.
However, direct, intentional, and significant assault causing bodily harm (life-threatening or unable to be fully and properly healed by means of Zeno-level binding magic) is prohibited and will result in immediate disqualification.
More than incidental destruction of the course, except in events where it is necessitated, is prohibited and will result in immediate disqualification.
The first five teams to cross the finish line or, if less than that number complete the race, those who made it furthest, will comprise the podium.


The Dragon has a reputation for being hellish, grueling, and - at times - downright unfair. Past relay legs have included racing 100 meters through a literal pit of vipers, swimming to the surface of the water from a depth of 250 meters, crossing an open field in the middle of a rhinodon stampede, climbing a 50 meter tall Great Barbaro Cactus with tens of thousands of large, poisonous spines, racing without letting one's feet touch the floor, navigating a suspension bridge with collapsing planks, outrunning a froabas, and so forth (these are honestly rather midrange, others involved mind-altering effects or shifting terrain and parameters). Completing it is considered a mark of prowess and perseverance, and the names of previous winning teams can be found inscribed on various parts of the course.Trial Three: Roses and Neskals

Will you use your neskals wisely or squander them? Will your roses flourish or wither. Sadly, that's not entirely up to you.

Chosen from a rotating roster of fifteen possible events, this year's third event is the ever-popular game of magical dodgeball known as Roses & Neskals. Teams of five will maintain sculptures known as 'roses' in the air behind them on a long and narrow playing field. Opposing teams will attempt to break these or otherwise knock them from the air. The last team with a player left standing wins. The essential rules are as follows:

As a player in Roses & Neskals, your job is to support your teammates, stay 'alive', and take out the other team's 'roses' with a 'neskal'. 

The 'Neskals' are wooden balls painted like gold and black Eskandish Neskals. There are as many allowed in the arena at one time as there are active players.
The 'Roses' are broadly circular figurines one yard in diameter that each player crafts from a material of their choosing so long as that material itself is not inherently dangerous or radioactive.
There are advantages to choosing heavier materials, which are more durable and less likely to be moved by the Neskal hitting them. They can be exhausting to keep aloft, however, fall faster, and are difficult to control an maneuver. Lighter projectiles, while more fragile, are much less exhausting and much more elusive.
Roses must remain aloft and intact for the entirety of the match. If they fall, go out of bounds, or become more than fifty percent destroyed, their associated player is knocked out of the game.
Roses can only be struck by Neskals and not by other projectiles, players' bodies, or magic directly. Doing so in a way judged to be intentional by referees will immediately result in the offending player being disqualified from the match and, if applicable, the downed player reinstated.
Roses may be struck off of a deflection but, again, it must be only by Neskals. Players may also be directly struck or struck off of a deflection by Neskals and Neskals only.
A player may only return to action when knocked out if their rose is more than 50% intact and if they have already knocked an opposing player. In this case, they may return, but one player they have knocked out will get to return as well.
Roses do not need to be kept aloft through the actions of their associated player, so long as they are kept aloft, period.
The playing field is long and narrow (72 yards by 12 yards), with a hundred foot tower behind each end. Roses are allowed to rise no higher that the top of the towers.
Neskals may be thrown, kicked, and manipulated with any body part. They may also be moved through magic so long as it does not directly interfere with opponents' roses.
Once a Neskal is in a player's hands, it may not be taken from that player's hands.
Being struck by a Neskal can be quite painful, and blows to the head sometimes result in loss of consciousness, but they have never proven fatal. Highly skilled binders are onsite to ensure that no serious, permanent injuries are sustained.

The tournament proceeds in a single elimination format until a champion is crowned. There are eight playing fields. One is shown in the hider bbelow for your convenience.


Trial Four: Thin Air
Just how high can you rise? Remember that it takes more than mere ambition to reach the top. Further information on this event will be coming soon.Trial Five: Tug-of-Peace
Binding Magic is not used for offense. Dark Magic isn't real. You must play fair in Tug-of-Peace. Further information on this event will be coming soon.

The Trials: Prizes and Competitors


Four hundred Zeno groups will compete in The Trials of DZ54 at Ersand'Enise, half of them from the school, and the remaining half from other Academies of Magic, including:

双王魔法学院 (Shuāng huáng mófǎ xuéyuàn): Twin Emperors' Academy of Magic in ReTan

Tantas'ilwash Eloam Sen'wes'bii: Tantas Island Magic Academy in Tantiac

सुनहरा सितारा जादू संस्थान (Sunahara Sitaara Jaadoo Sansthaan): Golden Star Magic Institute in Sawand

Texoiluikatl Temachtilkaliuinaualotl: Blue Sky School of Magic in Xolectoxo

Only ten will receive prizes of free tuition and food, cash, and a Medal of Merit. Of these, the top five claim the coveted podium spots of Diamond, Gold, Pearl, Silver, and Bronze. To these victorious teams comes a choice of five prizes. They will select in reverse order of finishing, with bronze choosing first and diamond last. Teams may take any item remaining in the pool or any chosen by a team that went before them. If a team's item is chosen by a higher-ranked team, that team may choose again from the remaining items or those of teams ranked still lower. Prizes available are:

1) After signing an NDA, 5 people gain full access to the Forked Tower and its secrets for one week. Includes access to:
Forbidden Temporal Magic Knowledge
Secrets of the Arch Zenos
Forbidden Dark Magic Knowledge
Artifacts of the Gods
Forbidden Blood Magic Knowledge
Secrets of the Wildbloods
Forbidden Atomic Magic Knowledge
A Light Aberration

2) A clutch of five assorted eggs that are all said to belong to flightless dragon species. May include:
Grand Mountain Serpent
Skuggvar
Savannah Runner
Ironhead 
Qilin
Fireboar
Burning Lurker
Black Devil
Royal Sand Wyrm
Skunk Dragon

3) A crate of five Hegelan-crafted materials imbued with Runes of Power. May include:
Living Bonsai Staff of the Ambrosia
Amulet of the Supreme Mercy
Obsidian Dragon Pauldrons
Steel Chain Rifle of Fiery Valor
Crown of the Demon God
Laughing Skull Greaves
Golden Lion Spellblade of Aur'iguul'adzong

4) A crate of sirrahi technology. Each team member may take two of the following:
1980s-era equivalent cellular phone
Bicycle
A walkman with headphones and a collection of 25 cassettes
Magic Nullifying Device
Magic Intensifying Device
Rollerblades
115hp outboard boat motor
Bazooka
A lifetime supply of Nixie Five's Bull BBQ Sauce
A personal solar power generator

5) Land available for ownership in perpetuity. Includes:

One hundred square miles in the Dune Sea of sunny Torragon: a beautiful beach just waiting for some water! Genuine development opportunity with guaranteed peace, seclusion, and brilliant local fauna. Remember to dress for the weather!

One hundred-fifty square miles along the Dragonspine Mountains of southern Eskand. Please, somebody - anybody - come farm this place. We have volcanoes! And... uh... snow peppers and fire apples! Just oozes hidden value.

The entire ninety square mile island of Longwan in Rettan. It's a little far out there, but we've heard that the climate is... pleasant, aside from the odd typhoon, and some people say that there are treasures and mythical beasts! Comes with peasants that speak an unintelligible dialect.

A whole live kelp forest (size may vary) in Glaskum, including balloon kelp, Sea Sprites, and friendly eeaiko neighbours. Join this fast-growing hotbed of cultural exchange and innovation. Please remember to respect local traditions.

A house in an unnamed city in Callanast, location undisclosed. 1400 square feet. It comes with a long list of warnings including rough roads, crowded living conditions, high ambient heat, and low ceilings.

Currency of Ersand'Enise: The Incantor

Partly as a consequence of growing geopolitical uncertainty but also in the name of seizing opportunities that come with being a reliably neutral and dependable tax haven, Ersand'Enise has recently created its own currency, the Incantor (ICR): ⌘. Its greater form is the Magus (Ỽ), while its lesser forms are the Veneficus (✤) and the Praefator (∝).

1) Magus: worth roughly the same as a Neskal and, in some ways, a shameless imitation of its success, this is a grape-sized figurine shaped like a wizard's hat. Made of gold, amethyst, jade, opal, or blue topaz depending on the member of the Pentad in ascendance, its underside is marked with the seal of Ersand'Enise, year minted, and name of the current Zenith. These pseudo-coins are known informally as 'Hats'. Their symbol is: Ỽ

2) Incantor:  Roughly half the value of a Corona or Couronne, with ten being equal to one Magus, the Incantor - a simplification of 'Incantator' - is often known as the 'Inky' to those who exchange it, or the 'Hugo'. While one side portrays the bust of the current Zenith, the other honors Hugo Hunghorasz, with his tall bearded figure standing before a swirling portal. It is also notable for its beveled piecrust edges, not dissimilar to the Eskandish Konge. Its symbol is: ⌘

3) Veneficus: Twenty-five of these silver-rimmed bronze coins make up a single Incantor. Their obverse depicts the Revidian founder of Ersand'Enise: Giacomo the Owl, with his namesake bird perched on his shoulder. The silver portion on both sides is stamped with the year of minting, current Zenith's name, and the Avincian words Abscondere Palam: Hide in Plain Sight. These coins are commonly known as 'Owls' or 'Jacks'. Their symbol is: ✤ 

4) Praefator: Twenty-five of these small copper coins are equal to a single Veneficus and, like the Incantor, are stamped with piecrust edges, though not significantly beveled. The figure honoured in this currency is Benedict the Blessed: the great Perrench king who did much to expand the school a century prior. He stands beneath a depiction of the arch named for him. Many people refer to these coins as 'Bennies' or, ironically, 'Fatties'. Their symbol is: ∝

Banking in Ersand'Enise

Given the free city's status as a neutral tax free hub of trade, banking flourishes within its walls... and even without. Ersand'Enise plays host to a number of institutions of varying purpose and quality. These are listed for your convenience below.
Merchant Banks

Malatesta Bank of Commerce: Indirectly owned by Prospero Malatesta, alumnus and Doge of Revidia, this grand institution has two branches: by the Sea Gate and on Parade Street, just off campus. With substantial cash reserves and wide-ranging connections, MBC offers currency exchange, local and international chequing, and maritime insurance. Larger accounts (over Ỽ1000) are eligible for rewards.

Green Dragon Banking Consortium: A branch of this large, newly-formed Kerreman institution is located in the Crafter's Quarter, halfway between the Sea Gate and the Queensgate. While its connections to other banks are not as extensive as Malatesta's, its fees are lower, and it offers personal, travel, and property insurance as well as maritime. 

Seafarers' Exchange: Just south of the Arboretum, lies the Seafarers' Exchange. Run by a consortium of Miattan merchants, this trade bank specializes in quick loans and currency exchange at all hours of the day (and night) and reasonable insurance rates for smaller ventures. Trade connections are limited mainly to the Ensollian Sea, but chequing turnaround is impressive.
Pawnbrokers

Sealy's Bank: Owned and backed by renowned Enthish shipping magnate Isidore Sealy, this tidy, no-nonsense bank located close to the Sea Gate gives quick loans in small or medium amounts to immediate business ventures. Interest is not low, but is manageable and collateral is minimal. The approval process is quicker the smaller the loan and the more certain the taker's ability to repay.

Somnian Bank of Reliable Measure: Backed by the Somnian order of the Quentic church, this nonprofit bank located in the cathedral district is notable for its large cash reserves, very low interest, and rigorous recordkeeping. Designed to combat both usury and poor investment practices, it is notoriously difficult to gain approval for a loan here and collateral is often high.

Garibaldi's Pawn: There's one in every city. This notorious pawnbroker, owned by local businessman Salvatore Garibaldi, can be found just off the main road in Mudville, near The Crying Lion Tavern. Anybody can get a loan here. Anybody can get a large loan. To do so, however, you're either paying very high interest or posting serious collateral. Failure to repay is... not advisable.
Deposit Banks

The Zenith's Bank of Ersand'Enise: A sizable institution located just north of campus on Parade Street, the Zenith's Bank keeps interest-bearing personal accounts and short-term business accounts for faculty, students, and merchants. Backed by the school's and the city's substantial cash reserves, it is known for its stability, transparency, conservative investing, and low interest offerings. 

Banque Royale de Perrence: Located on Parade Street close to the New Gate, this state-backed institution caters to a wide swathe of wealthy and common clientele. Underwritten by crown treasuries, investors have carte blanche to use deposited money aggressively. Returns are often spectacular and interest can be quite rewarding. However, there is always risk, processes are opaque, and often unfriendly service limited in hours. 

Bluebell's Investment Group: Underwritten by a consortium of Zenos and former students, this small bank, located close to the Proving Grounds in the Workman's Quarter, is a no-nonsense blue-collar venture. Bluebell's offers student accounts, modest loans, and middling interest which is generally reliable in its returns. Investment advice is available, customer service friendly, and hours long. This is, however, a smaller bank with lesser reserves.

Levels of Graduate from Ersand'Enise

Alta, Summa cum Laude: Expert level in all five schools, Master in at least one, 0.5% of students.

Alta, Magna cum Laude: Journeyman level in all five schools, Expert in at least three and/or Master in at least one, 3.5% of students.

Alta cum Laude: Journeyman in at least three schools, Expert in at least two - 14% of students.

Alta: standard graduate: Adept in all five schools, Expert in at least one - 60% of students.

Alta-Biro: completed the program but failed to attain Adept level in all schools or Expert in at least one - 11% of students.

An-Biro: did not complete the program - 11% of students.

In order to be considered for the Tan-Zeno program, a student must have graduated at least cum Laude. All students who graduate Summa cum Laude and some who graduate Magna cum Laude are eligible for a fast-tracked Tan-Zeno program.

Affording your Education at Ersand'Enise

1) Zenith's Scholars are almost always particularly talented commoners and receive free tuition and housing in the common student dormitories. Their only expenses are personal ones like food, clothing, and academic materials. To this end, they receive a monthly stipend of ⌘40 (40 Incantors or 4 Magi). For those not sponsored, the road can be difficult, and they must seek out loans from often less-than-reliable sources, earn outside income, solicit patrons, or indenture themselves.

2) A sizable portion of artisanal students are also unable to afford tuition, but they rarely qualify for Zenith's Scholar status. In many cases, they are sponsored or partially so by trade guilds who agree to pay their expenses in return for a portion of their earnings until repaid in full. They also rarely have trouble taking loans out from banks and often must do so to pay for housing, which is part of the commons area. In some cases, this is subsidized by the school or a local trade guild hoping to retain their services.

3) Most merchants pay their own way and occupy dormitories smaller than those of nobles but similar otherwise. For those unable to cover their costs in whole, banks are often eager to offer loans, leveraged against parents' existing assets or future earnings. Housing is comfortable and well-located but generally rather expensive, so some opt to rent a room or townhome in the city and walk or ride to school. A few will take along a general servant or secretary, paid from the stipend their family provides.

4) For a noble not to be able to afford tuition is unthinkable, and less wealthy families will often secretly sell assets to avoid the shame. Noble dormitories are well-located and opulent, and often include servants' quarters. Those not bringing or hiring live-in servants will sometimes sublet these spaces to commons. Nobles generally receive large stipends from their families to maintain their lavish lifestyles.

Name	Age	Gender	Nationality	Rank	RAS Level	Primary Specialization	Secondary Specialization	Tertiary Specialization
Claresse Upta	66	Female	Joruban	Zenith	8.61	Binding	Temporal	Chemical

Name	Age	Gender	Nationality	Rank	RAS Level	Primary Specialization	Secondary Specialization	Tertiary Specialization
Hugo Hunghorasz	117	Male	Pestian	Paradigm	9.54	Temporal	Atomic	Dark

Name	Age	Gender	Nationality	Rank	RAS Level	Primary Specialization	Secondary Specialization	Tertiary Specialization
Joshe Intaba	64	Male	Medrilaner	Arch-Zeno	8.90	Atomic	Kinetic	Magnetic

Name	Age	Gender	Nationality	Rank	RAS Level	Primary Specialization	Secondary Specialization	Tertiary Specialization
Ardredelle Latvar	47	Female	Pestian	Arch-Zeno	8.45	Chemical	Binding	Atomic

Name	Age	Gender	Nationality	Rank	RAS Level	Primary Specialization	Secondary Specialization	Tertiary Specialization
Giacomo Giarrone	86	Male	Revidian	Arch-Zeno	8.70	Binding	Blood	Arcane

Name	Age	Gender	Nationality	Rank	RAS Level	Primary Specialization	Secondary Specialization	Tertiary Specialization
Riu Kai-Tan	61	Male	Rettanese	Arch-Zeno	8.51	Kinetic	Blood	Arcane

Name	Age	Gender	Nationality	Rank	RAS Level	Primary Specialization	Secondary Specialization	Tertiary Specialization
Alassa Tojarra	50	Female	Torragonese	Arch-Zeno	8.36	Magnetic	Chemical	Kinetic

Name	Age	Gender	Nationality	Rank	RAS Level	Primary Specialization	Secondary Specialization	Tertiary Specialization
Karan Harachorra	44	Male	Inipori	Arch-Zeno	8.89	Arcane	Atomic	Temporal

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Bio

Lore Expansion

The Hourglass Order Timeline

Below, you will find a complete timeline of The Hourglass Order up to the current juncture. Pleas note that there are five days per week: Taldes, Pandes, Orredes, Lepdes, and Victendes. The second half of Lepdes is considered to be the weekend along with Victendes.

Arc One: Pit of Vipers (Welcome)

Week One: Vardes 23-27
Taldes to Orredes: pre-arrival
Lepdes: Arrival at the school and entry procession, plaza gathering
Victendes: School Tour and Course Selection

Week Two: Vardes 28-32
Taldes: First day of class
Pandes: Conclave of the Five Thrones, assassination attempts
Orredes: Doge assassination attempt, Volti Reveal, Blood Magic class
Weekend: back to (new) normal

Intermission 

Weeks Three & Four: Vardes 33 - Assani 5
Both Weeks: n/a

Arc Two: Through the Portal (Missions)

Week Five: Assani 6-10
Taldes to Orredes: n/a
Lepdes: Late at night, the students receive a riddle and call to the Forked Tower.
Victendes: Missions start. Some are moved ahead to that night via time shenanigans. 

Week Six: Assani 11-15
Taldes: Lorentine Queen ends, Black Flag ends, Into the Depths begins
Pandes: Desert excursion, Wyrm goes mad, death of Tavio, sirrahi attack
Orredes: Deserted montage, unassigned students join, meeting the sirrahi
Lepdes: Deserted montage, sirrahi reveal and escape
Victendes: Into the Depths joins Deserted. Duke arrival, final battle!

Intermission

Weeks Seven & Eight: Assani 16-25
Both Weeks: Everyone returns, collabs. 

Week Nine: Assani 26-30
Taldes - Orredes: n/a
Weekend: Student Societies Faire, Day of Skills.

Week Ten: Assani 31-35
All Week: Elevator music, baking sounds.

Arc Three: The Trials

Week Eleven: Assani 36 - Velles 4
Taldes - Lepdes: n/a
Victendes: The Great Melon Derby

Week Twelve: Velles 5-9
Taldes: The Dragon
Pandes: Roses & Neskals
Orredes: Thin Air
Lepdes: Tug-of-Peace
Victendes: Closing ceremony and awards

Intermission

Week Thirteen: Velles 10-14
All week: Secrets of the Forked Tower

Time Skip to Zales 

Dieci Volti Nascosti

Binding Magic is not used for offense. Dark Magic isn't real. The Dieci Volti do not exist.

Long have there been whispers about the existence of this secretive cabal of killers. Few dare speak about them openly, but those who do have provided a handful of details. The Dieci Volti Nascosti, which is Revidian for 'Ten Hidden Faces', are based in Revidia, though they draw their members from across the twin continents. They have been around for over two hundred years and represent the only significant challenge among assassins to the dominance of the Black Rezaindian Order. 

Nobody knows the true identities of the Dieci Volti, but each is a legendary and ruthlessly capable killer and there are always exactly ten. Some claim that they are immortal - inhuman - but what is more likely is that, when one dies or retires, another simply takes up their mask and seamlessly carries on their work. 

Of course, vanishingly few individuals have ever lived to see the mask of a Volto Nascosto and relate the tale, so there is a distinct lack of information here beyond unreliable conjecture and baseless braggadocio. It is believed that they are all relatively nondescript individuals when unmasked, easily able to blend into crowds and operate unnoticed. The Dieci Volti walk among us even at this moment and we do not know who they are. We cannot even be sure if they truly exist... right?
The Ten Masks
Volto d'Oro - Gold Mask (also known as Dante)
Volto Nero - Black Mask, also known as Diavolo (Devil)
Volto Grigio - Grey Mask, also known as Spada (Sword)
Volto Bianco - White Mask, also known as Avrael or Ombra (Shadow)
Volto Rosso - Red Mask, also known as Liscia (Slick)
Volto Giallo - Yellow Mask, also known as Sorriso (Smiler)
Volto Azzuro - Blue Mask, also known as Triste (Sorrowful)
Volto Verde - Green Mask, also known as Fiore (Flower)
Volto Indaco - Indigo Mask, also known as Insorto (Rebel)
Volto Marrone - Brown Mask, also known as Serpe (Snake)

Martial Arts of Sipenta

What follows is a series on the various martial arts of the world of Sipenta, each of which was developed in a particular nation in response to a particular need or environmental factor.
Machorro

Machorro, sometimes known as the Art of the Cobra, is the martial art of Torragon and is, in many respects, a product of this country's harsh desert environment. It stresses conservation of energy and motion, an understanding of environment and psychology, and sudden, decisive strikes.

A big part of Machorro is about developing an awareness of one's surroundings. It emphasizes using all of one's senses and maintaining a position that allows one to react quickly to threats. 

A second major facet of Machorro is using the body as an instrument to intimidate. The most successful martial artists are those who do not have to expend energy and risk injury in an actual fight.

Alternatively, it espouses lulling opponents into a false sense of security by appearing weaker or friendlier than one truly is, by using subtly rhythmic motions and then a sudden strike, or through distraction and the environment.

In actual combat, Machorro stresses concise movements and combinations that flow from one another, conserving momentum and energy. It does not shy away from deadly strikes but, except when an opportunistic first strike is made, blows that specifically target weak points are predictable. They are usually the second or third in a combination, with the final strike of said combination being designed to take advantage of the debilitating strike moments before.
Arrechasse

Arrechasse, also known as the Art of the Dragonfly, is a traditional martial art from Perrence, heavily focused on swift movement, acrobatics, and use of one's environment to either ambush unsuspecting foes, escape from superior ones, or turn the tables rapidly during a running fight.

Arrechasse practitioners emphasize the rapid use of constant, dizzying motion to throw an opponent off balance, and using sudden stops, pushoffs, and swing-arounds (often using the environment) to quickly reverse direction. 

Experts in this martial art are known for using feints and unpredictable strikes. They focus on entering a 'flow state' where, in some regards, not even they can predict what they will do next. 

Masters of Arrechasse often focus on unbalancing their opponents, confusing them, and knocking them off their feet in order to deliver stretching kicks, heavy stomps, and spinning back-fists. It is considered a particularly mesmerizing and stylish form of combat.

However, Arrechasse is not much concerned with concepts of honour. If outmatched, a practitioner of this school will not hesitate to take flight, using whatever dirty tricks they need in order to survive. Just... be careful they don't disappear around a blind corner and you walk right into a roundhouse kick as you come charging after them.
Vai-to

Also known as the Art of the Mantis, Vai-to is a traditional fighting style of Rettan and is heavily focused on rapid range transitions, wrestling, and the use of full-body strikes to deal maximum damage to one's opponent.

Vai-to practitioners focus on fighting from either long range or very close range. They prefer to be 'all the way out' or 'all the way in', specializing in long kicks, pseudo-feints, and sudden lunging strikes in the former case and pummeling body slams, takedowns, knees, and elbows in the latter.

Masters of this martial art seek to make use of every ounce of force the human body can muster, eschewing traditional feints and defense. Fighters are able to deliver maximum kinetic force and damage from very close, in clinches and wrestling, where many others struggle, by throwing all of the body's momentum into each strike. From very far, they often lunge or twist. Many motions are rapid and swirling, to make it hard for an opponent to target. Lunges often turn into rolls, leaps, and low, spinning kicks. The goal is almost inevitably to close the distance and take the fight into close quarters.

When fighting in the style of Vai-to, one becomes adept at making use of the extremes. From long range, a Vai-to practitioner can knock you out cold with a single blow if you are incautious. However, once he has you in a clinch or on the ground, you stand even less of a chance.
Zebaka

Known as the Art of the Monkey, Zebaka is a traditional martial art of Belzagg and Joru. It emphasizes the building and maintenance of constant momentum and manipulation of kinetic energy using the Gift to grant one's strikes unexpected and often-overwhelming power.

Zebaka practitioners utilize vertical, diagonal, and horizontal spinning and swirling movements, free-flowing combinations, and a mesmerizing dancelike motion to make themselves difficult to strike cleanly and build up to sudden, unpredictable strikes of their own.

With Zebaka, an opponent is never quite sure which motions are momentum-builders and which are momentum-spenders. A strike carries the body's entire momentum and can seem innocuous at first, coming almost out of nowhere. the only surety is that a strike is coming. 

Defensively, masters of this martial art focus on spins, back and frontflips, leaps, and rolls. Often, striking at a Zebaka practitioner leaves you off-balance, reaching, spun aside, and easy to take down. Those who can use the Gift also incorporate it into their movements, augmenting them or drawing from them as necessary. 

Once an opponent is on the ground, a master of Zebaka is quickly able to finish them through leaping stomps, knees, elbows, and body-slams.
Seun-chi-go

Known to some as the Art of the Snapping Turtle, Seun-chi-go is the traditional martial art of Tan Keoul. In particular, it focuses on powerful defense, counters, throws, trips, and stomps.

Seun-chi-go practitioners emphasize solidity and patience. By maintaining a strong defensive stance, once does not waste energy or open oneself up to counters. Watching an opponent carefully and being aware of one's surroundings is key to finding openings and taking advantage of them. A master of this fighting form prefers to block, parry, or roll with blows rather than dodge, and generally leaves very few openings.

While other forms of combat aim to seize the initiative, Seun-chi-go seeks to smother offense and counter. Its goal is to catch an opponent lunging, reaching, or overextending and ruthlessly hammer them, not letting up until the fight is won or they recover.

Where possible, a Seun-chi-go master prefers to unbalance his opponent by parrying their attacks and countering, or by using quick footwork to sidestep, backpedal, or close distance unexpectedly fast, taking advantage of the openings created. Seun-chi-go is all about patience, timing, and sudden, explosive strength.

Once an opponent is unbalanced, a practitioner of this martial art will often close the distance with a rapid spring forward and grab, throw, or trip his opponent. Once that opponent is on the ground, the Seun-chi-go user will rarely give up the advantage of remaining on his feet. He will deliver stomps and pummeling strikes from above.
Kastäng

Known to some as the Art of the Mammoth, Kastäng is the traditional martial art of Eskand. It is focused first and foremost on grappling, making use of holds, grips, angles, and the body's weak points to break opponents physically and mentally.

Kastäng practitioners emphasize the intelligent application of force when wrestling to create torsion and destroy joints and other weak points as well as the exercise of control and domination of an opponent's limbs.

A master of Kastäng circles and reverses, rolls, leaps, charges, and uses long-range kicks, punches, and feints to create an opening so that he can take his opponent off of his feet and either pound him into submission from above or use his own body against him. 

Practitioners of this martial art are particularly adept at creating panic and giving opponents no ability to mount significant offense. They will constantly search for chokes, armbars, and holds which put strain on joints and sensitive areas, mixing in shoulder thrusts, foot-stomps, knees, and elbows. 

Once in a dominant position a Kastäng master will often finish a fight by choking an opponent to unconsciousness, pounding his head into the ground, or dislocating (or even breaking) his various joints.

Magic School Prevalence in the Time of The Hourglass Order

The Five Great Schools
The School of Ipte: Magnetic - practiced by 66% of magic users
The School of Shune: Arcane - practiced by 91% of magic users
The School of Oraff: Binding - practiced by 68% of magic users
The School of Eshiran: Chemical - practiced by 77% of magic users
The School of Dami: Kinetic - practiced by 94% of magic users

The Advanced School
The Sixth School: Atomic - practiced by 2% of magic users

The Forbidden Schools
The Seventh School: Blood - practiced by 7% of magic users
The Eighth School: Temporal - practiced by 0.1% of magic users
The Ninth School: Dark - practiced by 0.00001% of magic users

Magic School Prevalence in the Time of City of Steel

The Essential Schools
The First School: Mechanical - 90% of magic users
The Second School: Thermal - 88% of magic users
The Third School: Electrical - 81% of magic users
The Fourth School: Chemical - 74% of magic users
The Fifth School: Electromagnetic - 71% of magic users

The Advanced Schools
The Sixth School: Healing - 40% of magic users
The Seventh School: Nuclear - 21% of magic users
The Eighth School: Generation - 9% of magic users

The Forbidden Schools
The Ninth School: Spatial-Temporal - 0.5% of magic users
The Tenth School: Dark - 0.03% of magic users

(Dark) Aberrations


Aberrations are four-dimensional holes in spacetime caused whenever its fabric is manipulated by means of magic. They are completely lightless places that both have a shape - that of the object that caused them or that the offending spell was used upon - and are paradoxically shapeless, being little more than ultra-dark gaps where reality simply does not exist. 

While the shape of an aberration is a reflection of its caster or its affected person, animal, or object, its size is thought to be connected to the size of the spatial and (far more often and impactfully) temporal deviation from the original reality that it has caused. 

The effects of aberrations upon sentient and nonsentient minds and bodies are both quite varied and quite pronounced. Easily absorbed, either through the act of magical drawing or simply by touch, the energy from these holes in reality is abundant and has been said to have a strange, 'sweet' feeling to it. When absorbed by one with a high enough capacity to handle it, aberration energy will permanently increase that person's magical capacity. There are, however, side effects ranging from the mild to the deadly.

1) If the amount of aberration energy drawn is very small compared to the affected person's capacity, its effects will be negligible. That person may experience a headache and irritable mood for some hours as well as cravings for the next couple of weeks.

2) If the amount of energy is somewhat small, its effects will be bearable but not negligible. The headache will last for a couple of days, the cravings will be stronger, and there may be a temporary madness of ten to forty seconds.

3) If the energy is moderate to significant, the effects will be as well. A pounding headache and irritability will take hold for a few days, cravings will last for a month, and there will be a pronounced insanity for two to ten minutes.

4) If the energy drawn is much of the drawer's capacity, the effects will be pronounced. Full body aches will wrack the body and aggressive, unpredictable behaviours take hold of the mind for weeks. Cravings will be constant and serious and will fade over time but may never completely disappear. The initial period of madness may last for hours or even days.

5) If the energy is close to a drawer's maximum, the pains and aggression will carry on for months and the cravings indefinitely. Fighting them will be a lifelong battle. The period of insanity is likely to go on for days or weeks and there is a chance that it may become permanent and often violent.

6) If the drawer takes in the energy of an aberration right up to their capacity and is unable to absorb quite all of it, the madness and agony induced will be permanent. The drawer will hunger eternally for more, driven only by this constant need and their insanity.

7) If the aberration is far greater than the drawer's capacity, the encounter will be fatal. The drawer will turn into an aberration, frozen forever, semi-corporeal, in space and time.

In general, the consumption of aberrations is strongly discouraged. If it must be done, the power drawn should be split between as many people as possible so as to lessen the effects and further aberrations should only be consumed after the craving period has passed.

Timewalkers


Long ago, in the days of myth and legend, when titans such as Talit'yrash, Otios'yyia, Eliis'Qarmena, and Lyen'yvhere walked among the yasoi, timewalkers were blinded for the very many troubles that their special abilities could - and, indeed, had - caused. 

However, in the more recent past, as the dark honey of the aberration addiction took hold of the people, the practice had waned and was no longer universal. When timewalkers did find themselves in danger, they simply fled to human lands, where the yasoi's closest kin were eager to learn from them and use them for their power. There, they lived lavishly in their gilded cages.

Now, 50-100 years later, as great swathes of yasoi society have collapsed into ruin and near-anarchy and others struggle to stay afloat, many timewalkers remain hidden and go unblinded.

In the eventuality that someone is revealed as a one, there is no way that he goes unmolested. Many addicts come to him, hoping to be fed. Some of these timewalkers give in to their baser natures and become no better than drug lords, selling their abilities for money and power. Others, possessed of greater moral fortitude, resist and run, hiding their true natures.

In some places which combat the addiction, often by draconian means and harsh and absolute justice, Baron or self-appointed mobs chase down and either blind or murder timewalkers. They believe that their natural compulsion to employ temporal magic is accelerating the aberration infestation.

Others are less brutal. Instead, they lock timewalkers up in two-layered cells to act as aberration magnets. The timewalker is in the inner layer and the aberrations around her, kept away from others.

Of course, capturing an empowered timewalker is not an easy thing to do, as she can see into the future and particularly skilled ones can rewind their actions. Often, timewalkers are used to hunt down other timewalkers. These are known among their mana-sisters as the vilest of traitors.

The 'Collateral Damage' of the Brawl at the Proving Grounds


Federico Lotti: a skilled craftsman, thirty-two years of age, who was working late on balls for the next day's Roses & Neskals. His home and shop were destroyed and while they were promptly repaired, his body was not. He lost his left arm... and he was left-handed. Now unable to make a living, he and his family of six will be forced to rely on the generosity of others.

Genevieve Marais: a nine-year old girl who had just gotten her first magic: at 5.11, it was the highest in the history of her commoner family. She had hoped to become a ballet dancer. Sadly, she will have to abandon that dream, as both of her legs were lost in the 'collateral' damage. Her father, who works as a coachman, will have to take time off of work to help with her care.

Paolo Bruni: A twenty-four year old father to be who worked as a dyemaker. In additon to being recently married, he was the primary caregiver for his elderly mother who is blind. Now he is too, the result of bound steel darts impaling both of his eyes. He will never get to see his child and will have to hire someone to care for his mother, only he won't have the money without a job.

The Sanguinaire Hierarchy

If they are cunning, strong, and fortunate, sanguinaires can live almost indefinitely. However, in practice, most are not, and survive for only a normal human lifespan or possibly less. It is believed that the current global population in the year of DZ54 stands at about five thousand. Below is a guide to the relative strength of these terrible beings.

The Progenitor: is the original sanguinaire, who is held to date back to the dawn of recorded history. Little to nothing is known about this shadowy figure, except that she or he is a being of unfathomable power, wisdom, and wickedness. There is only one of these, thank the Pentad.

Elder Sanguinaires: have lived for at least 1000 years, have consumed the blood of at least one Arch-Zeno-level magic user, and possess at least five mana subtypes. Their manas seem to have evolved and they are generally much stronger than other sanguinaires. These account for 0.2% of all sanguinaires, or 10 in total.

High Sanguinaires: have lived for at least 500 years, have consumed the blood of at least one Zeno-level magic user, and possess at least three mana subtypes. Their manas seem to have evolved somewhat and they are noticeably stronger than other sanguinaires. These account for 1.4% of all sanguinaires, or about 70 in total.

True Sanguinaires: have lived beyond a normal sapient lifespan, have consumed the blood of at least one Alta-level magic user, and possess at least two mana subtypes. They are generally quite capable and comfortable in their existence as sanguinaires. These account for 18.2% of all sanguinaires, or about 880 in total.

New Sanguinaires: are still within the bounds of a sapient lifespan, have yet to consume the blood of a powerful trained magic user, and may not necessarily possess multiple mana subtypes. They are generally the weakest of sanguinaires and most will not live to become True Sanguinaires. These account for 77% of all sanguinaires, or about 3850 in total.

The Vile: are sanguinaires who have failed to sate their bloodlust but managed to regain their strength. Foul, stupid, and animalistic, they have lost all higher reason and prey on sapients and animals alike with abandon, often wreaking havoc before being put down by their erstwhile prey or other sanguinaires. These account for 3.2% of all sanguinaires, or about 160 in total.

Failed Sanguinaires: have failed to assimilate the sanguinaire mana type after being exposed to it. In many cases, they die horrible, agonizing deaths. Sometimes, if they were intentionally given the mana type, they will be given the mercy of a swift death by the sanguinaire who exposed them to it.

A Comprehensive Guide to Hegelan Imbuement and Enchantment

While there are many skilled artisans among the human population, the crafting of mana-imbued items is unique to Hegelan society and considered an artform among these people: one with deep personal and cultural significance.

This is made possible by the nature of Spring and Pool Manas. Colonies of these single-celled organisms occur in the wild in hot springs and mineral pools around the volcanic homelands of the Hegelan peoples on Callanast. Unlike the varieties that live within the bloodstreams of large and sapient animals, these are able to survive independently. Imbuement
Item Properties

Often farmed in large pools, mana cultures are employed in numerous enterprises and products, ranging from mana brews to medicine to those used in runic imbuement. In this process, a hot, mineral-rich extract containing manas is distributed throughout a series of 'arteries' bored, sealed, or carved into a carefully crafted item by its maker. Both the creation of the item and the insertion of the manas are undertakings requiring the very highest levels of skill. The crafter's aim is to balance the five factors below:

1) Coverage: The item is made so that the runic arteries display optimal coverage.
2) Regulation: Manas are able to quickly generate and bleed off heat from their surroundings.
3) Distribution: Runic arteries are designed to allow for smooth and cyclical flow of manas.
4) Volume: The most mana possible is contained within the item.
5) Integrity: The item's integrity is in no way compromised by the manas.
6) Aesthetics: Sometimes, this is added as a sixth factor. Most crafters pride themselves on it.

An item made by any guild-certified crafter may be assessed and assigned a rating for each of the main five factors (the sixth is subjective). These are: AAA, AA, A, B, C, D, and E (translated into the Avincian alphabet) and they often roughly correspond with the quality of the manas used (as it would be a waste to use fine manas on a mediocre item or vice versa). An item's final rating is the average score that it receives across these five. Some assessors further distinguish between levels by adding a plus or minus designation to the letter ratings. In order to receive a AAA assessment, it will have to reach that level in at least three factors.

AAA: Item is comprehensively optimized in terms of the assessed factor. It is virtually flawless.
AA: Item is excellently optimized in terms of the assessed factor. It is a masterwork.
A: Item is very well optimized in terms of the assessed factor. It is of outstanding quality.
B: Item is well optimized in terms of the assessed factor. It is a good quality item.
C: Item is somewhat optimized in terms of the assessed factor. It is a fair quality item.
D: Item is poorly optimized in terms of the assessed factor. It is a poorly-made item.
E: Little to no attempt has been made to optimize the item in terms of the assessed factor. Rubbish.
Labour Costs

Overall price point is assessed on an hourly labour rate, since some items, though requiring a high degree of skill, are simply smaller and require less time to craft. In order to craft items of higher quality, one must hire a crafter certified to produce items of that level. Higher-level crafters may be certified to produce AAA and AA masterworks but, due to the expense of these commissions, few are received, so they will often take lower-level commissions and work for wages at those levels. However, they will rarely waste their time crafting items below B level. Below is a table that measures rough labour costs for items at each of the seven item assessment levels:

AAA: Ỽ5 - Ỽ8 per hour
AA: Ỽ1⌘5 - Ỽ3 per hour
A: ⌘5 - Ỽ1 per hour
B: ⌘2 - ⌘4 per hour
C: ✤20 - ⌘1✤15 per hour
D: ✤10 - ✤20 per hour
E: ✤4 - ✤8 per hour

The ranges above reflect the difficulty of working with the material selected by the buyer. Less workable materials push labour costs higher within these. 
Material Properties

There is no way around it: some materials are simply better than others for manas and the liquid solution that they need to survive. However, virtually all materials have their uses situationally. When accounting for labour costs, the workability of materials is ranked on the standard AAA - E system according to the five factors below, with final ratings averaged:

1) Durability: How resistant to being cracked, torn, or broken the material is.
2) Malleability: How easy the material is to sculpt and shape with precision.
3) Reparability: How easily the material can be patched or small mistakes can be fixed.
4) Suitability: How much mana can realistically be held within the material.
5) Waterproofing: How resistant the material is to liquids and how well it holds them.

Materials possess varying qualities, of course. Some might be outstanding to work with by certain metrics and abysmal by others. Their placement on the chart below reflects averages as opposed to measuring each factor individually.

AAA (outstanding): lowest possible labour cost within the range
     - Soft metal plate or single piece
AA: (very good): far low end of the labour cost range
     - Most woods, Waterproof hides, Soft minerals, Sponge
A: (above average): lower end of the labour cost range
     - Stone, Hard metal plate or single piece, Dragonscale
B: (average): middle of the labour cost range
     - Horn, Soft metal chain or multiple piece, hard minerals, Pearl
C: (below average): higher end of the labour cost range
     - Bone, Non-waterproof hides, Thresher Plate
D: (poor): far high end of the labour cost range
     - Fabric, Hard metal chain or multiple piece
E: (abysmal): highest possible labour cost within the range
     - Paper and cardboard, Soft organics, Diamondscale (due to sheer hardness)
Material Costs

Material costs within the hegelan societies of Hogh Munkhelad, Hoagh Ahaghivan, Hoch Dorumvir, Hokh Havernast, and Hagh Ramorghand generally reflect the availability of materials. With the opening of the Silk Gate, this is likely to change rapidly. In general, however, adhere to prices out in the wider world when calculating these costs, except where stipulated below:

Softwood: roughly double the price.
Hardwood: roughly triple the price.
Paper: roughly triple the price.
Steel: roughly half the price.
Iron: roughly half the price.
Most metals: roughly half the price.
Gold: two-thirds of the price.
Silver: two-thirds of the price.
Most gemstones: two-thirds of the price.
Leather: half again the price.
Dragon products: roughly half the price.
Thresher products: roughly triple the price.
Dragon Pearls: roughly one-third of the price.
Thresher Pearls: roughly triple the price.
Sea Sapphire: roughly half the price.
Furs: roughly triple the price.
Quicksponge: available (unavailable in the Twin Continents)
Mana Properties

Not all manas are created equal. Those living in the wild and extracted from their environment by people rarely possess the traits desired for use in imbued items. More often, they are farmed, being bred and raised in specific conditions to create mana cultures of superior quality. These are judged on five qualities in particular:

1) Longevity: how long the mana colony will last between uses.
2) Efficiency: how much energy and food it needs to maintain itself.
3) Density: how mana-dense the fluid is.
4) Capacity: how much energy capacity each mana in the colony has.
5) Attunability: how easily the manas attune with outside manas.

An item made by any guild-certified crafter may be assessed and assigned a rating for each factor. These ratings are listed below. An item's final rating will be the average score that it receives across all five. Some assessors further distinguish between levels by adding a plus or minus designator. In order to receive a triple platinum assessment, it will have at least three qualities at that level.

3xPlatinum: The manas are truly prodigious in terms of the assessed quality, all-but unsurpassed.
     - 0.04% of manas
2xPlatinum: The manas are genuinely outstanding in terms of the assessed quality. Rarely equaled.
     - 0.46% of manas
Platinum: The manas are excellent in terms of the assessed quality. Only exceeded by the best.
     - 2.5% of manas
Gold: The manas are quite good in terms of the assessed quality. Above average.
     - 12% of manas
Silver: The manas are fair in terms of the assessed quality. Average and nothing special.
     - 30% of manas
Bronze: The manas are somewhat poor in terms of the assessed quality. Below average.
     - 30% of manas
Steel: The manas are poor in terms of the assessed quality. Well below average.
     - 25% of manas
Mana Costs

Recently, there has been a push from a couple of elite mana farming operations to add a 4xPlatinum certification, though this is not yet official. In general, high platinum level manas are very rare and the cultures take years to mature, raised within specific, carefully-managed conditions and exposed to highly specialized stimuli. Due to this substantial investment, they are often eye-wateringly expensive and only entrusted to master crafters specifically certified by the trade guild. Below are the price ranges for each level per milliliter, with the city commissioned as well as a plus or minus designation affecting where a mana culture will fall within the range. 

4xPlatinum: Ỽ20 (unofficial) 
3xPlatinum: Ỽ5 - Ỽ10
2xPlatinum: Ỽ1⌘5 - Ỽ4
Platinum: ⌘3✤10 - ⌘8
Gold: ✤20 - ⌘2
Silver: ✤4 - ✤15 
Bronze: ∝20 - ✤2∝10
Steel: ∝10 - ∝15

Hegelan Spring Manas also occur in different varieties, similar to their smaller cousins that can be found within bloodstreams of numerous creatures. Below are the commonly requested types and their costs.

Flameshield (see: Fireblood): 1.75x price - ubiquity: 6, demand 7
Frostshield (see: Icevein): 1.25x price - ubiquity: 5 , demand: 3
Manashield (see: Limitbreaker): 1.25x price - ubiquity: 7, demand: 4
Radishield (see: Glowvein): 1.5x price - ubiquity: 3, demand: 3
Maladyshield (see: Devourer): 1.75x price - ubiquity: 3, demand: 5
Lightfoot (see: Skyborn): 1.5x price - ubiquity: 3, demand: 3
Juggernaut (see: Leadvein): 2x price - ubiquity: 3, demand: 6
Magnetizer (see: Thunderchild): 2x price - ubiquity: 2, demand: 5
Hypershift (see: Timeracer): 3x price - ubiquity: 1, demand: 5
Catalyst (see: Agitator): 2x price - ubiquity: 2, demand: 5
Hydrophile (see: Oceanborn): 1.25x price - ubiquity: 6, demand: 2
Managifter (see: Greengrowth): 1.5x price - ubiquity: 3, demand 3
Manamiser (see: Blackrot): 1.25x price - ubiquity: 4, demand 2
Assimilator (see: Sanguinaire): 5x price - only on platinum +
Stoneskin: 1.75x price - ubiquity: 4, demand: 5
Skinspeaker: 2x price - ubiquity: 4, demand: 6
Manatracer: 1.5x price - ubiquity: 2, demand: 2
Sensemaster: 3x price - ubiquity: 1, demand: 5
Enchantment
Enchantment Properties

While any manas provide an additive bonus to magical capacity, some items are designed to bring about a particular magical effect, in essence casting it without the help of an actual caster's knowhow. This is known as enchantment and there are three main types:
1) Solo
This is an enchanted item that uses only its own manas to bring about the desired effect. Most commonly, they are either smaller items that cast spells with a high complexity but low energy cost or very significant items containing the manas necessary to cast something with a large energy requirement, rendering it accessible to someone who may have the skill but not the capacity for such a cast. They can also simply be used to cast effects that are too complex for most people to learn. Occasionally, and on the cheap end, they are single-use items which consume themselves for extra power.
2) Tandem
These items use their own manas in concert with the manas of their user in order to bring a spell or other effect to fruition. They are often - but not always - the most powerful and sought-after items, allowing a caster with some skill to use an ability normally beyond their learning or capacity or to use it quickly or with little focus. Occasionally, Tandem enchantments are used for lesser items as well. If an item's user has significant capacity, there is no need to waste as much money on loading it with manas as Solo enchantments often do. The user can supplement.
3) Dependent
These items do not cast anything of significance on their own, instead relying on their user's reservoirs of power. There are two main uses for Dependent enchantments. The first is to act as a 'guide' for very complex spells, providing an internal chemical framework to help the user cast these using their own capacity. They may also do this by casting a weakened version of a complex spell and allowing the user to simply pour more energy in to enhance it. The second major subtype are known as 'triggered' spells. Their job is to temporarily hijack the user's capacity to cast a spell or effect when certain specific preconditions are met, such as a protective barrier, sight enhancement, internal chemical persuasion, or opportunistic attack.

Enchantments are a result of an enchanter attuning with an imbued item and training its uninitiated manas to produce specific behaviours in response to specific stimuli. The precise means by which this is done are little known and the Enchanters' Guild is very keen to retain them as trade secrets. Regardless, with this mechanism for enchanting in mind, when we look at the five main qualities of manas, attunability becomes the most important one to consider, followed by density and capacity. The latter two essentially act as enablers for any spell to be carried out. An enchanted item needs to have a high enough capacity to carry out the action trained into it. This leaves attunability, which essentially amounts to how 'obedient' manas are and how eager to bond to and interface with their user's manas. The higher a mana colony's attunability is, the easier that it is to enchant and, particularly, enchant with complex behaviours. Beyond the simple capacity of the mana colony to carry out the enchanted effects, there are three main factors to consider when enchanting an item:

1) Effect complexity: the more complex the effect, the longer that it takes to train.

2) Mana attunability: the higher the attunement rating, the quicker that the mana colony 'learns'.

3) Number of effects: the more there are, the longer they take to train both due to number and to the added difficulty of ensuring that the colony distinguishes between them.
Enchantment Costs

The costs of enchanting are governed by the factors listed immediately above and are usually quite high. While the number of effects are relatively simple and more or less additive, they will be covered along with the other two factors below.

Effect Complexity

Effect Complexity is rated on virtually the same scale as Mana Quality and is covered below. Price ranges represent the variability of desired enchantments and act as the base price for enchantments.

Diamond: Ỽ1,000 - Ỽ10,000
     - myriad extremely complex actions working in concert and contingent upon other actions, with myriad nuanced stimuli, accounting for multiple potential confounding variables.

3xPlatinum: Ỽ200 - Ỽ1,000
     - multiple highly complex actions working in concert and contingent upon other actions, with multiple nuanced stimuli, accounting for the presence of confounding variables.

2xPlatinum: Ỽ50 - Ỽ200
     - multiple complex actions, sometimes in concert and often contingent upon other actions, with multiple or nuanced stimuli, accounting for the occasional presence of confounding variables.

Platinum: Ỽ15 - Ỽ50
     - multiple moderately complex actions or a single very complex action, occasionally in concert or contingent upon other actions, with either a single nuanced stimulus or multiple simple stimuli.

Gold: Ỽ2 - Ỽ15
     - multiple simple actions or a single complex action with a single reasonably clear trigger stimulus or multiple very clear and simple stimuli.

Silver: ⌘5 - Ỽ2
     - multiple very simple actions or a single moderately complex action with a single clear trigger stimulus.

Bronze: ✤20 - ⌘5
     - A single simple action with a single clear and simple trigger stimulus.

Steel: ✤10 - ✤20
     - A single very simple action with a single direct and very simple trigger stimulus
Mana Attunability

Mana attunability has already been covered in brief, but the way that its level designations affect cost has not. In general, manas with higher attunability ratings take less time to enchant and, hence, tend to cost less. Note that this represents a reversal of the usual pattern, with a higher rating equaling a higher expenditure. A guide follows:

3xPlatinum: subtract 30% from the listed price.
2xPlatinum: subtract 20% from the listed price.
Platinum: subtract 10% from the listed price.
Gold: pay the listed price as directed.
Silver: add 10% to the listed price.
Bronze: add 20% to the listed price.
Steel: add 30% to the listed price.
Number of Effects

The final factor - number of effects - refers to the number of distinct and separate effects that need to be enchanted into an item. For example, each spell that a staff has to be able to cast where the spells aren't clearly and directly variations on each other would count as separate effects. Each sense that an item (assuming it doesn't have sensemaster manas) enhances with a separate trigger stimulus would count as a distinct effect. Each new effect is assessed on its own, with a small deduction for each subsequent effect added, as they can sometimes be enchanted in concert. 
A Final Cost Calculator

If all of this seems dizzyingly complex, that's because it is. There is a reason that Hegelans maintain a monopoly on the industries of imbuement and enchanting: they simply care enough to make it work and they're a society built around complex agreements and a love of engineering, crafting, and unnecessary but amusing things. All in all, when calculating the cost of your imbued or enchanted item, the following must be considered:
Imbuement

Labour Costs on a scale of AAA to E.
Material Properties as a modifier to Labour Costs on a scale of AAA to E.
Material Costs based upon world averages, with an eye to Hegelan modifiers based on availability.
Mana Costs on a scape of 3xPlatinum to Steel.
Special Mana Types as a price multiplier to Mana Costs.
Enchantment

Effect Complexity on a scale of Diamond to Steel.
Mana Attunability as a modifier to Effect Complexity on a scale of 3xPlatinum to Steel.
Number of Effects as an additive factor in overall price of the enchantment.
Legal and Finder's Fees

The importance of contracts cannot be understated in hegelan society. The art of writing and then reading them aloud is considered an artform - one that originally developed as a result of the scarcity of paper and has since grown of its own accord. Any imbuement or enchantment commission of Gold or above must be subject to a binding contract, overseen by a lawyer. It is generally considered good form to employ a representative of a level of renown and quality roughly commensurate with the work being done. Overspending on a lawyer is viewed either as a form of boasting or as a marker of suspicion. Underspending is viewed as disrespectful or as taking the work lightly. Very small gifts for crafter and enchanter are also appreciated and considered normative. A guide to these other fees follows:

Celebrity lawyer: 20-25% fee (suitable for 3xPlatinum and above, acceptable one level below)
Widely respected lawyer: 16-20% fee (suitable for 2xPlatinum, acceptable one level above or below)
Noteworthy lawyer: 13-17% fee (suitable for Platinum, acceptable one level above or below)
Journeyman lawyer: 10-15% fee (suitable for Gold, acceptable one level above or below)
Beginner lawyer: 7-12% fee (suitable for silver or below, acceptable one level above, will be grateful)

Extravagant gift: 2% of price
Generous gift: 1.5% of price
Regular gift: 1% of price
Miserly gift: 0.5% of price
Insulting gift: none to 0.2% of price

Navigating Hegelan society may also prove difficult for non-natives. For a nominal fee, there exist agencies devoted to helping potential buyers find honest and reliable crafters, enchanters, and legal representation, as well as accommodation and transportation if requested. They will usually charge two to five percent of the final fee paid, depending on the level of crafter and enchanter you seek and any other specific demands that you may have.
Cost Calculation Chart

Material Costs:
     - With hegelan prices modifier (if applicable):

Labour Costs:
     - With material properties modifier:

Mana Costs:
     - With special type modifier (if applicable):

Enchantment Complexity:
     - With number of effects modifier (if applicable):
     - With mana attunability rating modifier: 

Subtotal:

Legal Fees:
Finder's Fee (if applicable):
Gift Fees (if applicable):

Total:

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Written Sypori
Though there are a number of different yasoi languages, those from Constantia are mostly mutually intelligible and use the same alphabet. Being the most widely spoken and official in Mycormi, Oiyac, Hypari, and many outlying colonies, Sypori is the member of this language group most often encountered outside of Constantian yasoi lands. Hence, it serves as a good example of yasoi syllabics in use.

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 Penelope 'Penny' Pellegrin 

"I admit to being more than a little distracted by the...wit and depth of the conversation at this table."

"It seems mother wishes to turn me into some sort of lifelong penitent for sins I've not committed."

 17 | Female | Perrench | Royalty | 8.11 

P E R S O N A L I T Y            

❖ Sardonic
❖ Pessimistic
❖ Good-hearted
❖ Pampered
❖ Insecure

Most of Penny's life has been defined by being the family disgrace. She was born without a left leg and with a moderate form of ectrodactyly in her left hand and this was cause enough for her superstitious mother to see her birth as divine punishment for the sins of her and her husband. This would be quite a bad state of affairs in most families, but is only magnified due to the fact that Penelope's parents are King Rouis XI of Perrence and his wife, Queen Mathilde. Unallowed to attend balls, public functions, or even to venture past the palace gardens, Penny is a young woman stifled. She reads, (crutch in hand) she paces, she grows things and draws and writes. She pretends to hate those formal family dinners when both father and mother are home, but secretly, she loves them. She is a forgotten middle child in many ways, with no prospects for marriage despite her station and no hope of amounting to much, so she is not one to hold back on pithy observations and cutting commentary and it is oh so amusing (often not only to her). The Gift is sometimes her plaything. When she's bored or sucky, she uses it to play tricks on her siblings, particularly if they're being obnoxious (at least one always is). A laugh at someone else's expense is still a laugh. Besides, they deserve it.

However, deep down, beneath many layers of snark and resigned cynicism, there's a curious, big-hearted girl who has dreams of seeing the world, meeting new people, and being valued instead of either pitied, stared at, or avoided with whispers, stolen glances, and sad shakes of the head. Because you place your right hand on your left hip, pointing to your left leg when you honour Oraff (the creator) while making the sign of the Pentad, religious superstition holds that Penny's missing limb is a mark of that God's disfavour. She does not believe it. She refuses to. She has a private tutor and she practices Binding Magic for hours on end, quietly determined to prove that she isn't what they say she is. On some warm Dorrad nights, though, as she lies awake in bend, staring at the swirling patterns on her ceiling and wishing for sleep, she worries that they're right and that she'll fail. She wonders why she couldn't just be whole and normal. She tries to dream that she is, but even in her dreams, she remains stubbornly the same person who she knows and does not love.

C H A R A C T E R    A P P E A R A N C E            

Were it not for her birth differences and their prejudices, most people would consider Penelope quite pretty. Tall and statuesque, with bright green eyes perhaps just a bit too large for her face and a resting smirk, she is the spitting image of her mother. Her hair is a rich chestnut brown and, when not styled in the fashion of the courts (even though she does not attend them), can usually be found pulled back in a Perrench braid. Since she was young, it has displayed a remarkable resistance to maintaining any sort of cohesive style or form for long and appears almost preternaturally tousled.

Penny wears long, light dresses. They vary in colour and she has many - some, hand-me-downs from her older sisters. She likes things that are lacy but feel solid and protective, so lacy hems and collars abound but not much else. She enjoys buttons, for whatever reason, and will often fiddle with those running down her sleeves. She also wears gloves. The left one is modified to fill in the gap in her palm and it has a dummy finger attached by a thin string to the one beside it. Out of habit, she does not take her gloves off unless sleeping or bathing. She has a pair of crutches (a handful of pairs, actually), but doesn't like how they fill her hands. As a result, she often gets around with only one. She's rarely in a hurry anyway. There's nowhere to go and not all that much to do. 

L A N G U A G E S            

For a noble lady of Penelope's station, languages are a must. For her, they're also something to do, and she has numerous correspondents all across the twin continents who she writes to. She is fully fluent in Perrench, Avincian, Revidian, and her mother's native tongue of Cirrimanic, and at least conversant in Eskandish, Torragonese, Joruban, and Belzaggic. Once you learn one language from a family, the others come easily. She sometimes practices her calligraphy and is looking to correspond with someone in Oiyac or Mycormi, but yasoi are so much more reticent in real life than they are in all of her old books.

T H E    G I F T            

Penny approaches prodigious levels in her use of the Gift - unsurprising for a blueblood of her pedigree. With little else to do but read, write, and learn, she also trains all day, memorizing focus words and inventing little spells of her own that she gives funny names to. While she's practiced with all five canonical schools, it is Binding that she puts most of her effort towards. She works with Kinetic to help ease the difficulty of walking long distances, and with Magnetic because it's her tutor's favourite and there's something peacefully destructive about watching fingers of electricty writhe and snap. Guiltily, she dabbles in internal Chemical spells and tells herself it isn't so that she can make people like her. That's what a madwoman would think. Penny isn't mad and will not let herself go mad. She simply won't. Besides, Binding Magic is her preferred school. If she can't heal herself, she reasons, she can at least heal other people. Then, she cringes at the thought of how melodramatic and self-indulgent such a statement would sound aloud.

B A C K G R O U N D            

Penny remembers the looks most of all: the first looks when people see her or the second ones when they  make sense of her. It first really registered when she was around three or four years old. Until then, she was blissfully unaware of her differences and what they would mean. She grew up playing with her siblings - there were many and they were close in age. There were servants' daughters and cousins too. They always told the most wonderful stories and she used to like to hear them until she realized that those were stories of a world that was being kept from her. They're now a weird, resentful kind of addiction. She still needs to hear them, but they no longer bring her joy. 

When she was seven, her parents attempted to arrange for her a marriage with the second son of a Torragonese lord, but instead of making arrangements by proxy, he decided to visit. Penny played with the boy and they laughed and smiled and she teased him that they'd be married someday and that he should listen to his wife. Then, he and his father left. 

One time, when she was ten, there was a ceremony at the Catherdal de Ste. Defrois. She rode in a carriage through the streets of Relouse, listening to the clatter of the horses' hooves and the church bells ringing. She remembers leaning out with her little tiara and waving with her right hand at the commonfolk. They were loud and dirty and shouted, and she was a bit scared, but they waved back, and there were kids her own age in there too. 

She hasn't traveled since. She hasn't done much of anything since and wasn't going to be allowed to. That is, until her brother Arcel intervened. She is to attend Ersand'Enise under an assumed name, as the invented daughter of an unremarkable merchant paid a sum by her brother. She is to be his agent there. She is to meet with people and exchange letters with them. She knows Arcel: he is not vile, but he is ambitious and underhanded. Penelope - Penny Pellegrin now - doesn't much care. It's a species of freedom, at least, and she'll take it, even with all of the risk and the fears.

M O T I V A T I O N            

More than anything, Penny wants to spread her figurative wings. She wants to live an actual life. She wants to prove to herself, at least, that her mother is wrong about her. There is a deep well of bitterness there, though she shakes her head to clear it and simply tries to appreciate that she has never hungered nor wanted for any physical need a day in her life.

Penny is eager to be at Ersand'Enise and to make something of herself, but she is deathly afraid of the real, actual, wild people out here. How will they react to her? Will they laugh at her jokes? Will they just see her: Penny - a girl from Perrence, or will it be pity, awkwardness, or avoidance? She knows it will. It'll have to be, like it always is. What if anybody finds her out - or learns of whatever her brother is up to? Will she be able to play a merchant's daughter convincingly? She feels like a fraud when it comes to life. She hasn't lived very much and knows it. Still, sometimes she takes a deep breath and counsels herself that she can do this. She is a princess of Perrence. Her forebears earned the crown at some point. They were capable people. So is she... she hopes - she really, really hopes.

I N V E N T O R Y            

Penny almost always carries a satchel slung across one shoulder, with some basic jewellery, a small journal, letters and wax, and a comb (partly as a joke) inside. She uses one crutch the majority of the time, to keep a hand free, and two when she knows that she'll have to do a lot of walking that day. They're made of light, lacquered wood with soft pads on top for her armpits. She'll never be found using a wand or staff as a focus object, having practiced freecasting from a  young age. For spells absolutely requiring one, a crutch is very much like a staff when held a certain way. Penny's recently taken to wearing a spare garter even though she already has one to hold up her stocking. She uses it as a strap to tuck secret correspondence for her brother into and spends the next while paranoid that it'll slip out and Black Rezaindians will come for her in the night. 

S T R E N G T H S  &  S K I L L S           

❖ funny and clever
❖ grudgingly kind-hearted
❖ excellent courtly manners
❖ good memory
❖ skilled in language and literacy

At the end of the day, Penny falls on the side of being a good person. Her acerbic comments are more than just a cover, but also not her entire story. She's well-heeled and it shows. She can wield etiquette like a weapon if need be and generally has very good recall for obscure trivia and details. This carries over into languages and the written word, where she can speak seven languages, at least to a degree...at least usually. 

W E A K N E S S E S  &  F L A W S            

❖ anxious and insecure
❖ not very worldly at all
❖ proud and paradoxically judgemental
❖ tires quickly when walking
❖ questionable self-awareness and victim complex

Penny's upbringing and the constant feeling of being unwanted has done a number on her mental health. She's not a wreck or a basket case, but she struggles with intense flashes of anxiety and self-doubt. She worries about how people will perceive her and tends to assume the worst, though she actively counsels herself not to. She can be a bit of a stepford smiler at times.

M I S C E L L A N E O U S            

Penelope of Perrence is here incognito, as a lowly merchant's daughter named Penny Pellegrin. It would be unusual for anyone but the high-ups in the school establishment to know who she really is. Also, see here for a demonstration of how she walks on one crutch. Beware that I may have had to go into the weird part of YouTube to dig this up.

Honestly, not sure how I feel about her. The angst is reaching epic proportions.

Hidden 3 yrs ago Post by Izurich

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 Penelope 'Penny' Pellegrin 

"I admit to being more than a little distracted by the...wit and depth of the conversation at this table."

"It seems mother wishes to turn me into some sort of lifelong penitent for sins I've not committed."

 17 | Female | Perrench | Royalty | 8.11 

P E R S O N A L I T Y            

❖ Sardonic
❖ Pessimistic
❖ Good-hearted
❖ Pampered
❖ Insecure

Most of Penny's life has been defined by being the family disgrace. She was born without a left leg and with a moderate form of ectrodactyly in her left hand and this was cause enough for her superstitious mother to see her birth as divine punishment for the sins of her and her husband. This would be quite a bad state of affairs in most families, but is only magnified due to the fact that Penelope's parents are King Rouis XI of Perrence and his wife, Queen Mathilde. Unallowed to attend balls, public functions, or even to venture past the palace gardens, Penny is a young woman stifled. She reads, (crutch in hand) she paces, she grows things and draws and writes. She pretends to hate those formal family dinners when both father and mother are home, but secretly, she loves them. She is a forgotten middle child in many ways, with no prospects for marriage despite her station and no hope of amounting to much, so she is not one to hold back on pithy observations and cutting commentary and it is oh so amusing, and often not only to her. The Gift is sometimes her plaything. When she's bored or sucky, she uses it to play tricks on her siblings, particularly if they're being obnoxious (at least one always is). A laugh at someone else's expense is still a laugh. Besides, they deserve it.

However, deep down, beneath many layers of snark and resigned cynicism, there's a curious, big-hearted girl who has dreams of seeing the world, meeting new people, and being valued instead of either pitied, stared at, or avoided with whispers, stolen glances, and sad shakes of the head. Because you place you right hand on your left hip, pointing to your left leg to honour Oraff (the creator) when you make the sign of the Pentad, religious superstition holds that Penny's missing limb is a mark of that God's disfavour. She does not believe it. She refuses to. She has a private tutor and she practices Binding Magic for hours on end, quietly determined to prove that she isn't what they say she is. On some warm Dorrad nights, though, as she lies awake in bend, staring at the swirling patterns on her ceiling and unable to sleep, she worries that they're right and that she'll fail. She wonders why she couldn't just be whole and normal. She tries to dream that she is, but even in her dreams, she remains stubbornly the same person who she knows and does not love.

C H A R A C T E R    A P P E A R A N C E            

Were it not for her birth differences and their prejudices, most people would consider Penelope quite pretty. Tall and statuesque, with bright green eyes perhaps just a bit too large for her face and a resting smirk, she is the spitting image of her mother. Her hair is a rich chestnut brown and, when not styled in the fashion of the courts (even though she does not attend them), can usually be found pulled back in a Perrench braid. Since she was young, it has displayed a remarkable resistance to maintaining any sort of cohesive style or form for long and appears almost preternaturally tousled.

Penny wears long, light dresses. They vary in colour and she has many - some hand-me-downs from her older sisters. She likes things that are lacy but feel solid and protective, so lacy hems and collars abound but not much else. She enjoys buttons, for whatever reason, and will often fiddle with those running down her sleeves. She also wears gloves. The left one is modified to fill in the gap in her palm and it has a dummy finger attached by a thin string to the one beside it. Out of habit, she does not take her gloves off unless sleeping or bathing. She has a pair of crutches, but doesn't like how they fill her hands. As a result, she often gets around with only one. She's rarely in a hurry anyway. There's nowhere to go and not all that much to do. 

L A N G U A G E S            

For a noble lady of Penelope's station, languages are a must. For her, they're something to do, and she has numerous correspondents all across the twin continents who she writes to. She is fully fluent in Perrench, Avincian, Revidian, and her mother's native tongue of Cirrimanic, and at least conversant in Eskandish, Torragonese, Joruban, and Belzaggic. She sometimes practices her calligraphy and is looking to correspond with someone in Oiyac or Mycormi, but yasoi are so much more reticent in real life than they are in all of her old books.

T H E    G I F T            

Penny approaches prodigious levels in her use of the gift - unsurprising for a blueblood of her pedigree. With little else to do but read, write, and learn, she also trains all day, memorizing focus words and inventing little spells of her own that she gives funny names to. While she's practiced with all five canonical schools, it is Binding that she puts most of her effort towards. She works with Kinetic to help ease the difficulty of walking long distances, and with magnetic because it's her tutor's favourite and she understands the utility of it. Guiltily, she dabbles in internal Chemical spells and tells herself it isn't so that she can make people like her. That's what a madwoman would think. Penny isn't mad and will not let herself go mad. She simply won't. Besides, Binding Magic is her preferred school. If she can't heal herself, she thinks, she can at least heal other people. Then she cringes at the thought of how melodramatic and self-indulgent such a statement would sound aloud.

B A C K G R O U N D            

Penny remembers the looks most of all, the first time that people saw her. It first really registered when she was around three or four years old. Until then, she was blissfully unaware of her differences and what they meant. She grew up playing with her siblings - there were many and they were close in age. There were servants' daughters and cousins too. They always told the most wonderful stories and she used to like to hear them until she realized that those were stories of a world that was being kept from her. They're now a weird, resentful kind of addiction. She still needs to hear them, bu they don't bring her joy. 

When she was seven, her parents attempted to arrange her a marriage with the second son of a Torragonese lord, but instead of making arrangements by proxy, he decided to visit. Penny played with the boy and they smiled and she teased him that they'd be married someday and that he should listen to his wife. Then, they left. 

One time, when she was ten, there was a ceremony at the Catherdal de Ste. Defrois. She rode in a carriage through the streets of Relouse, listening to the clatter of the horses' hooves and the church bells ringing. She remembers leaning out with her little tiara and waving at the commonfolk. They were loud and dirty and shouted, and she was a bit scared, but they waved back, and there were kids her own age in there too. 

She hasn't traveled since. She hasn't done much of anything since and wasn't going to be allowed to. That is, until her brother Arcel intervened. She is to attend Ersand'Enise under an assumed name, as the invented daughter of an unremarkable merchant paid a sum by her brother. She is to be his agent there. She is to meet with people and exchange letters with them. She knows Arcel. He is not vile, but he is ambitious and underhanded. Penelope - Penny Pellegrin now - doesn't much care. It's a species of freedom, at least, and she'll take it, even with all of the risk and the fear.

M O T I V A T I O N            

More than anything, Penny wants to spread her figurative wings. She wants to live an actual life. She wants to prove to herself, at least, that her mother is wrong about her. There is a deep well of bitterness there, though she shakes her head to clear it and simply tries to appreciate that she has never hungered nor wanted for any physical need a day in her life.

Penny is eager to be here and to make something of herself, but she is deathly afraid of the real, actual, wild people out here. How will they react to her? Will they laugh at her jokes? Will they just see her - Penny - a girl from Perrence, or will it be pity, awkwardness, or avoidance? She knows it will. It'll have to be. What if anybody finds her out - or whatever her brother is up to? Will she be able to play a merchant's daughter convincingly? She feels like a fraud when it comes to life. She hasn't lived very much and knows it. Still, sometimes she takes a deep breath and counsels herself that she can do it. She is a princess of Perrence. Her forebears earned the crown at some point. They were capable people. So is she... she hopes - she really, really hopes.

I N V E N T O R Y            

Penny almost always carries a satchel slung across one shoulder, with some basic jewellery, a small journal, letters and wax, and a comb (partly as a joke) inside. She uses one crutch when not forced to walk too far or too quickly and two when she knows that it's going to be a longer day. They're made of light, stained wood with soft pads on top for her armpits. She'll never be found using a wand or staff as a focus object, having practiced freecasting from a  young age. For spells absolutely requiring one, a crutch is very much like a staff when held a certain way. She's recently taken to wearing a spare garter even though she already has one to hold up her stocking. She uses it as a strap to slip secret correspondence for her brother into and spends the next while paranoid that it'll slip out and Black Rezaindians will come for her in the night. 

S T R E N G T H S  &  S K I L L S           

❖ funny and clever
❖ grudgingly kind-hearted
❖ excellent courtly manners
❖ good memory
❖ skilled in language and literacy

At the end of the day, Penny falls on the side of being a good person. Her acerbic comments are more than just a cover, but also not her entire story. She's well-heeled and it shows. She can wield etiquette like a weapon if need be and generally has very good recall for obscure trivia and details. This carries over into languages and the written word, where she can speak seven languages, at least to some degree...usually. 

W E A K N E S S E S  &  F L A W S            

❖ anxious and insecure
❖ not very worldly at all
❖ proud and paradoxically judgemental
❖ tires quickly when walking
❖ questionable self-awareness and victim complex

Penny's upbringing and the constant feeling of being unwanted has done a number on her mental health. She's not a wreck or a basket case, but she struggles with intense flashes of anxiety and self-doubt. She worries about how people will perceive her and tends to assume the worst, though she actively counsels herself not to. She can be a bit of a stepford smiler at times.

M I S C E L L A N E O U S            

Penelope of Perrence is here incognito, as a lowly merchant's daughter named Penny Pellegrin. It would be unusual for anyone but the high-ups in the school establishment to know who she really is.

Honestly, not sure how I feel about her. The angst is reaching epic proportions.@Force and Fury

I personally like her, I think Penny's great. My suspension of disbelief wasn't broken, nor even strained as I read through her CS, which means she's a believable character within the context of the universe and its lore.

Hidden 3 yrs ago Post by Force and Fury

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Force and Fury Actually kind of mellow

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@Izurich Thanks. It's nice to have a second set of eyes to vet these things and I suppose that she passes muster. I was mainly worried because she's just so angsty. I'm not usually a fan of overly angsty characters. 

Hidden 3 yrs ago Post by Izurich

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@Izurich Thanks. It's nice to have a second set of eyes to vet these things and I suppose that she passes muster. I was mainly worried because she's just so angsty. I'm not usually a fan of overly angsty characters.@Force and Fury

It's a matter of taste, which is subjective yes.

As for archetype preferences, I don't like Joker(s) myself. I think that character archetype is trying too hard to be disturbing and psychotic that it ends up making them hilarious, in a a bad way if they're supposed to be taken seriously. But apparently, I'm a minority in this since it's pretty popular, the overwhelming success of the 2nd Dark Knight movie and the Joker movie as examples. So yeah.

In this particular case, I happen to like Penny, not speaking for anyone else of course.

1x Thank

Hidden 3 yrs ago Post by Noxious

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Noxious ᴅ ᴇ ᴀ ᴅ ish

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So, @Dark Light, do you want a sister? Because that CS is how you get a sister.

1x Laugh

Hidden 3 yrs ago Post by Dark Light

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So, @Dark Light, do you want a sister? Because that CS is how you get a sister.@Noxious

Open to it 

Hidden 3 yrs ago Post by SilverPaw

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 Linah Aranda 

Link to the Artist

“Whenever you’re down, life likes to kick you, just in case you didn’t get the message. So just keep that in mind, that it can always get worse – somehow. Whenever it gets better or whoever is offering to pick you up? Won’t be for free.”


 16 | Female | Torragonese | Commoner | 6.8 


P E R S O N A L I T Y            

❖ [Driven]
❖ [Observant]
❖ [Crafty]
❖ [Pragmatic]
❖ [Hardened]

Linah burns with the desire to prove herself as capable, important, and worthy of respect. She’s always believed in herself, regardless of criticisms and secret doubts. Though experience has confirmed her belief, she yet yearns for recognition – not empty praise, but something more tangible. She is both realistic and sensible enough to realize that she will likely never be free of making uneasy quid-pro-quo alliances; no one ever is. She does however wish to stand on equal ground to others, at the very least. For that, she will do what she can, even if it via exploitation and manipulation. From what she’s seen so far, it’s not as if there’s a way to advance without opportunistic cooperation with those beneficial to her goals or ruthless preying upon those who cannot cover for their weaknesses.

C H A R A C T E R    A P P E A R A N C E            

Linah stands at 5’4, and is lithe and vary, if still somewhat thin and gangly due to a recent growth spurt. She has a warm, light brown complexion that gets darker during the summer. Her eyes are hazel, and her hair a deep walnut. She used to wear it short, but had to grow it out as that is supposedly more befitting of a ‘lady’. After years of taking proper care of it, it is thick, lushy, and wavy, not at all resembling the mess it’d been in her youth. She has been told that it is deeply unfortunate that a scar mars her face, but she truly does not care. Lin has learned a variety of gaits; confident ‘I belong here’, shuffling ‘Don’t pay me any mind’, slow ‘I’ve no care in the world’ among them. She is not naturally expressive, and does well at regulating her emotions, but enjoys putting on expressions that fit the current situation. As far as clothing is concerned, she now tends toward the kind of attire that a lower or middling merchant could afford. Though, she will sometimes adopt what others may term ‘rags’ if it suits her purposes. As long as it’s practical and not too showy, she doesn’t care much for the style, colour, or cut of her clothing.

L A N G U A G E S            

Torragonese – mother tongue.
Avincian – upper intermediate, though with a noticeable accent.
Revidian – elementary, learning.

T H E    G I F T            

Linah has a natural knack for (primarily) the Arcane and (secondarily) the Kinetic schools of magic; she discovered the talent on her own and nurtured it to a limited extent. Because she initially learned on her own, she is an adept Freecaster, and generally forgoes instruments or focus points. Even now, after having studied under another mage, she prefers subtle spells that aid her or disrupt the enemy. In the Arcane school, she is most practiced at blinding an opponent, precisely regulating heat or light to get exactly the intended effect, casting invisibility, and using illusions. As for Kinetic magic, she prioritizes self-empowerment and manipulating sounds so as to confuse opponents. She employs telekinesis when necessary, but isn’t particularly creative with it. While familiar with the very basics of other schools, she has so far taken to certain spells within the Chemical school (Gazes of: Sloth, Terror, Agony, and Deception, Blessings of: Joy, Vigor, and Expulsion), and not much besides.

B A C K G R O U N D            

Born to commoners down on their luck, Lin was one of the many inhabitants of the slums on the border of a large city. Her parents were both manual laborers hired for cheap, and hadn’t quite planned for a child either. Still, they took care of her as best they could. However, Lin’s mother died while she was young, and she has precious few memories of her. Her father grew despondent, but persisted for her sake. Still, he did dip into alcohol more than he’d before, and the older Linah grew, the more she had to fend both for herself and her father. She did what she could and what she had to; begging, stealing, working a ‘job’ as a courier for some seedy folk who were just fine hiring a slum kid, and the like. It was after a failed risky robbery that she spontaneously manifested magic out of a desperation to escape. After that, she dedicated whatever free time she had, even sacrificing some sleep for it, to practice. She discovered she could take heat from another to use it herself, and often did. Whenever she needed a boost to her running speed, or needed to reach just a bit farther to jump onto the roof, she could do that too.

She isn’t sure when, how, or due to whom, but her magic capabilities were discovered. Of course, she had no idea that was the case until she’d been snatched. After an uncomfortable journey, she was brought before a certain person by the name of Na’ir Yazath. He offered her great things in exchange for her loyalty. Reluctantly, she agreed – on the condition that her father be brought to the estate as well. A few days later, while still settling in, she was informed her father had been found dead. Disbelieving, she ran off one off to confirm the truth for herself. Her former home (a dilapidated shack shared by several people) had no trace of her father left. Asking around, she was told that after she disappeared, her father had committed suicide. Whether that was true, or whether Yazath’s men had done the deed themselves, it was clear where the blame lay. However, she returned to Na’ir regardless, and accepted his offer. The following several years, she was taught, tutored, and trained in many subjects, magical and mundane. He even attempted to apprentice her to a well-paid Black Rezaindian, though that soon proved to be futile, as Linah resisted being made into a tool for murder, of all things. In the end, it was decided she’d attend Ersand’Enise. Lin doesn’t mind, but is very wary as to whatever may come after she finishes schooling.

M O T I V A T I O N            

As someone who started near the bottom of the social ladder, Linah’s always had to struggle simply to survive. Rather than become satisfied with merely getting by, however, she has become covetous of power – precisely because she herself has so often lacked it. While it is true that she has gained many comforts that she’d only been able to dream about in her childhood, they’ve all come with a price attached; the kind of price that may very well take her years and decades to repay. Yet, Lin doesn’t want to spend her whole life beholden to someone else. She strives to be free; free of those who would use her without (equivalent) recompense, free of unwelcome obligations, and free of being hobbled by desperation.

I N V E N T O R Y            

A short sword, sheathed at her left hip.
A knife, sheathed at her back.
A shiv hidden within a boot.
A pouch with a small sum of coins, resting in an inner shirt pocket.
A decoy pouch with a smaller sum of coins (plus a few stray bits and bobs that make a similar jingle, to make it seem a tad more substantial), tied to her belt.
A fine leather travelling satchel, which she usually stores under lock and key (or otherwise hides) whenever she is staying somewhere.
A few sets of clothing, some finer and intended for ‘better’ company, and some worn and second-handed for when she’d rather pass as a commoner.
A piece of flint tied to a gray string around her neck (weak enough to tear if someone attempts to strangle her).
An assortment of hair ties; those not used for her hair are often wrapped around her wrists or ankles.
A hooded travelling cloak which can double as a bedding and blanket.
A seal of the Yazath family engraved with her name, which she has been granted by her patron, and which she is most paranoid about losing.


S T R E N G T H S  &  S K I L L S           

❖ Slum Kid. A life in poverty meant doing whatever one could to live to the next day. As many children did, Lin turned to thieving. She isn’t one to grow rusty in what is useful, so her aptitude remains. She can walk quietly, blend into the crowds, act unassumingly, choose appropriate locations and targets for her crimes, snatch purses with no one the wiser, and most importantly, run and hide quickly when necessary.
❖ Code of Honour. She will keep to her agreements, and won’t break her promises. She knows fully well what awaits traitors after all. Those who deal with her do have to be aware of what she is promising, however, so as not to get swindled due to ambiguous wording.
❖ Light-footed. She is agile, flexible, and quick to react, her natural athleticism shaped by need during her childhood and diligently honed during her adolescence. Her past on her streets has made her frightfully skilled at navigating urban terrain.
❖ Dirty fighting. A remnant from the occasional physical quarrel between fellow slum-dwellers. Though she’d been tutored later on in proper sword fighting, her style of dueling (if it could be called that) is considered uncouth, and she prefers knives and short swords besides.
❖ Merchant’s Patronage. Though Lin isn’t exactly fond of her patron, and certainly not obsequious toward him, she appreciates the doors his influence opened. Any and all knowledge that those born into this life take for granted, she is pleased and proud to have acquired.


W E A K N E S S E S  &  F L A W S            

❖ Mistrustful. She is always questioning the motives of others, especially as to how they might pertain to her. Her heart is closed to others; this makes it difficult to form genuine friendships.
❖ Underhanded. Though she does have a particular (mainly self-serving) manner of fairness, it is a very finicky one. She is willing to trick, steal, lie, cheat, and more if it gets her what she wants – and while she’s now more subtle about it, that kind of thing (if discovered!) may quickly tarnish one’s reputation.
❖ Underdog. Used to getting used, she is very susceptible to being taken advantage of by those with more power than her, even if she detests it. Those unscrupulous enough to wield their influence while disregarding their principles can cow her into submission easily enough – as long as they convince her that she has no viable avenues of opposition, that is.
❖ Self-destructive. Linah truly does value her own life and safety; however, she is willing to gamble with both if she judges the benefits worthwhile enough to take the risks. She is also highly suspicious of kindness, and doesn’t believe there is such a thing as ‘no strings attached’. She is perfectly willing to be as unpleasant as necessary to deter people she views as soft-hearted fools.
❖ Class Conscious. While she has learned how to conduct herself in polite society, she doesn’t feel as if she belongs there. Oh, it is a much more comfortable position compared to her humble beginnings, but she can’t help those pesky twinges of dissonance whenever her memory lingers on the past to compare it with the present. Though she presents a confident façade, the societal hierarchy makes her deeply uncomfortable – she is so much half-this, half-that, it’s almost as if she is in some separate category of her own.


M I S C E L L A N E O U S            

Anything not covered above goes here. You can leave this blank if you like.

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Hidden 3 yrs ago Post by Noxious

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Noxious ᴅ ᴇ ᴀ ᴅ ish

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Noxious

ᴅ ᴇ ᴀ ᴅ ish

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<Snipped quote by Noxious>

Open to it@Dark Light

We shall see. There is a lot of new CS's and I definitely wont have time to finish mine up until tomorrow. Don't want to overload the RP or the GM with too many characters.

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Hidden 3 yrs ago Post by SnickerSnacker

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SnickerSnacker

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SnickerSnacker

10 posts

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okay, serious this time

 Mallow 

*hisssssss* HONK HONK HONK HONK HONK HONK

 Unknown | Male | Perrence? | Noble | 6.0 

P E R S O N A L I T Y            

❖ [Fickle]
❖ [Attention-Seeking]
❖ [Evil]
❖ [Chaotic]
❖ [Greedy]

Mallow, the Goose, often waddles around the arboretum of Ersand'Enise at random, picking on newcomers, and stealing whatever is left on the ground to add to his collection.

C H A R A C T E R    A P P E A R A N C E            

White colouration. Orange beak. 60 pounds. Not fat. Just really feathered. 

L A N G U A G E S            

- Goose (Advanced) 
- Cat (Intermediate)
- Avinician (Basic) 

T H E    G I F T            

Mallow is able to harness the power of Kinetic energy to create audio-sonic honks of a destructive nature alongside harnessing her body's internal chemical energy to zoom around at great speeds to cause havoc. 

B A C K G R O U N D            

IN THE FIRST TERM

IN THE FIRST SCHOOL EXAM 

WHEN THE SHADOWS OF ERSAND'ENISE FIRST LENGTHENED 

ONE GOOSLING STOOD

BURNED BY THE FIRES OF A MAGE

HIS FAMILY BLISTERED BY THE FIRES OF HELL

AND TAINTED BEYOND ASCENSCION

HE CHOSE THE PATH OF ETERNAL HONKING

IN HIS RAVENOUS GREED, HE FOUND NO PEACE

AND WITH BOILING BLOOD, HE SCOURED THE UMBRAL PLAINS

SEEKING VENGEANCE AGAINST THE MAGES WHO HAD WRONGED HIM

HE WORE THE CROWN OF THE GOOSE SENTINELS 

AND THOSE WHO HEARD THE SOUND OF HIS HONK NAME HIM

MALLOW

THE GOOSE-SLAYER

M O T I V A T I O N            

To steal every mage's right boot and add it to his collection. 

I N V E N T O R Y            

Unknown. Estimated value of underground horde outweighs the treasuries of most kingdoms. 

S T R E N G T H S  &  S K I L L S           

❖ Master of Assymetrical Warfare 
❖ Burglarly 
❖ Swimming
❖ Honking 
❖ Intimidation

W E A K N E S S E S  &  F L A W S            

❖ Belly rubs
❖ Breadcrumbs
❖ Female gooses
❖ Roosters 
❖ Blessed Quintic Water

M I S C E L L A N E O U S            

Anything not covered above goes here. You can leave this blank if you like.

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Hidden 3 yrs ago → 3 yrs ago Post by Force and Fury

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Force and Fury Actually kind of mellow

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Force and Fury

Actually kind of mellow

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@SilverPaw That's a cool and compelling CS and is approved. Feel free to add it to the Character tab. Two quick question, though:
1) Who is Nazath in terms of your character and his importance in her storyline and the world? I'd lovve to find a way to work him into the story and have him fit organically into the world if I can. Feel free to respond here or DM me, if you like.

2) Are you on our discord server yet? We have about twenty people on there and not all go by their forum names, so it's a bit hard to keep track of. If you're not, feel free to join!

@Noxious No worries about your timeline. People will have until Friday night / Saturday morning EST to get CSes in and I'm pretty on top of things. It's all up to you in the end, but we'd love to have you and I encourage existing characters to occasionally have connections. That'd be awesome. 

@SnickerSnacker DFKM fam. This is hilarious. Mallow is officially canon now as "that one obnoxious goose in the Arboretum that everyone knows and avoids." or, alternatively, "The Feathered Demon of Hedda's Lake."

Hidden 3 yrs ago Post by Dark Light

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Dark Light

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Dark Light

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@SilverPaw
Noticed your character was learning Revidian.
Spend much time in Revidia?

Hidden 3 yrs ago Post by Medili

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Medili Connoisseur of Fine Pineapples

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Medili

Connoisseur of Fine Pineapples

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Up for review!

Seung Eun-Ji

"As young children, we learnt that it is wrong to put out the light of another. Yet inevitably, innocence will be lost over time. And all became but means to an end, even as the voice in our heart kept telling us that it's wrong."

 18 | Female | Tan Keoul | Civil Servant | 6.94 

P E R S O N A L I T Y            

❖ [Calm]
❖ [Philosophical]
❖ [Humble]
❖ [Honest]
❖ [Formal]

Eun-Ji is a rather quiet individual, possessing a calm and contemplative demeanor. For the most parts, she is an individual with little personal ambition. She would have been completely fine continuing to live a normal life as a commoner like her parents, yet instead her gift caused her to be what she now is, far away from a mundane and peaceful life. Thus saw her gift in rather of a melancholic light; like destiny having a bit of fun out of her life. Furthermore, she's naturally honest and possessed of strong aversion towards lies and deception. Considering her line of work often necessitated the usage of such dishonest means, this made it even more of a dilemma for her.

Still, she's not in reality one of melancholic disposition, and thus had decided to still live her life as best she can; she saw no point in dwelling upon circumstances that are now out of her control.

 C H A R A C T E R    A P P E A R A N C E            

Design Details

Practical Outfit

Of purely Tan Keoulian heritage, Eun-Ji generally possessed the typical physical features of her people. At 158cm tall (5'2), she is of average height for an adult female Tan Keoulian. She is rather on the slim side and is well-toned, mostly owing to the athletics and martial arts training she received upon being an agent of Tan Keoulian's government. This can be a bit difficult to see due to the way that she dress, mostly wearing clothes inspired by the traditional clothing of Tan Keoul called Hanbok which are baggy dress that covers most of the wearer's upper body. Her significantly long hair is typically done quite simply with a single front braid and a pair of pig tails on the back, giving it a more complicated look than it really is.

A notable trait, if it is to be called as such, would be her much paler complexion in comparison to most other people of Tan Keoul.

 L A N G U A G E S            

Eun-Ji is completely fluent in Tan Keoulian, owing to it being her native language. Additionally, she is also fluent in Avincian as a matter of necessity. Furthermore she is semi fluent in Kanjikistan and Rettanese, being able to hold conversation in the two languages quite well although not as capable of writing and reading the letters of said languages.

 T H E    G I F T            

Eun-Ji's gift in magic pretty much defined what her life had ended up becoming. Born to a family of simple farmers, Eun-ji's life took a significant turn upon the discovery of her being a Skyborn; an already rare lineage made even rarer by the fact that she's not East Constantian. While her RAS score is rather average, it combined with her Skyborn lineage made her the perfect candidate for the Tan Keoulian's Lotus Sentries; the country's equivalent of a special operations force tasked with the protection of the country's internal stability via clandestine operations. In practice, she doesn't really need an extraordinary RAS score.

Eun-Ji's natural talents with magic are highly specialized. First and foremost, she is a Kinetic mage with a strong disposition toward Liquid Telekinesis. This natural specialty then became the focus point of her entire magical repertoire, as even the training she received upon her induction into the Lotus Society was centered on it. Given the best instructors that the organization can provide, these same instructors guided her to learn from the Arcane school of magic as her secondary specialization, specifically the utilization of illusion and misdirection that are unique to the school. Combined, these two specializations created something unique to Eun-Ji's magic: Illusion based not only on light, but reinforced by actual substance and corporeality in the form of liquid (most often water) instead of merely a trick of sight. She's even able to cause the illusion to vocalize thanks to the Kinetic school's manipulation of sound waves. All of these combined practically allowed her to create liquid clones of herself, her own unique spell: Mirage of Lotus.

Her training continues heavily along this line, with Eun-Ji constantly working on perfecting the Mirage of Lotus. However, due to this specialization (which can be argued as overspecialization) in liquid manipulation and illusion, she's not much good at anything else. She is able to conjure elementary spells such as creating licks of flames or the average fireball thanks to her Arcane training, or somewhat strengthen the impact of her physical strikes thanks to her Kinetic training, but such things are not her specialties and indeed remained at rather elementary level.

 B A C K G R O U N D            

Born to a family of farmers, Eun-Ji's life prior to the discovery of her gift by the government was very much mundane and not unlike most other commoners. She went to a typical Gwanhak (public government school for commoners) for her education, helped with working in her family's farm, and played with her friends as all common children does. There are many that would consider such a life boring, but Eun-Ji was completely content with such a life. It was mundane and filled with hard work, but it was also honest and humble; a simple yet idyllic life. Her weird natural ability in manipulating liquid itself was no secret, it first happened when she were 8 years old, helping move containers of water around the farm. Somehow, she were able to make the water move by themselves, which were very convenient as far as watering the farm plants went. Yet the simple family and their friends doesn't think much of it beyond that; they were simple people with simple aspirations. It simply made her especially helpful as a farmhand as far as everyone were concerned. In everyone's eyes including her own, her ability was no different from those parlor tricks that the not-quite-mages are able to do. Compared to that, it was no surprise that the fact of her seemingly being far more agile, light-footed, and tireless than most other children weren't even considered as anything unusual.

Of course, this all changed upon her gift coming to broader light. As part of the Tan Keoulian government's efforts in discovering talents like Eun-Ji's own, examinations were done for all children attending a Gwanhak once they reached the age of 15. Turned out the extend of her potential went far beyond "moving water around for watering farm plants". Being that Eun-Ji's RAS score very nearly reached the mark of 7, the government officials in charge of the examination knew immediately that they had found a valuable asset among the commoners. They took her aside away from the rest of her peers, performed more in-depth examinations on her, and found something even more intriguing. That thing with her being far more agile, light-footed, and tireless than most other? That was no fluke either, it was because of Eun-Ji being a Skyborn. From there, things developed rather rapidly. The government officials immediately explained everything to Eun-Ji, offering her to work for the government with promises of wealth and elevated social positions and all such other benefits that would be nothing more than dream for most commoners to ever achieve.

And yet she refused, a humble life was all that the young Eun-Ji had ever wanted. All these things about greatness and magic and so on intimidated her; she didn't want to lose her peaceful life. No further promises of prosperity were able to change her mind... So the promises quickly changed to subtle threats of harm to herself, her family, and her friends. Underhanded remarks of how easy it would be for a village such as the one she lived in to disappear, how unfortunate it would be for that to happen. Eun-Ji quickly realized that the "offer" wasn't one that she can refuse. Left with no choice, she resigned herself to it. And so her blissful simple life promptly ended. What came next was things she would never even had thought of learning at all. Martial arts training, athletics training, magic training, espionage training, political indoctrination, training training training training training. "Long live the emperor, All hail Tan Keoul, For the Lotus we live."

Three years passed. Long enough of a time for a child to lost the innocence of her mind. "Fighting" every single day, not knowing when her own light might go out. Once innocent crying child, now sharpened into a knife to pierce the heart of the emperor's enemies. The child's training with her appointed instructors were done, there wasn't much left to learn from them. Yet there are others still that can help sharpen her. And where best to do so than in the school boasted to have the highest quality of education in the arts of magic?

M O T I V A T I O N            

Long resigned to her "destiny", Eun-Ji was motivated simply by the fact that she have to continue doing her best. In her mind, there is clearly no way for her to be able to get away from her current path. Even attempting to do so will likely bring upon terrible consequences upon herself and her family and potentially even the village she once called home. Faced with such possibility, what else can she possibly do? Fear is as strong a motivation as any, if not even more than most others.

Thus continue doing her best she will, as such is what the emperor and Tan Keoul requires of her.

I N V E N T O R Y            

- As far as monetary wealth is concerned, being government funded meant it isn't really an issue. The money's not actually hers, persay, but she will find no trouble funding her study and daily life in the academy.
- Magical Talismans: Commonly used across Rettand in place of staff or wands, these paper magical talismans were specifically made to aid a mage with the process of Preservation. When attached to the body, they can even aid in the process of Freecasting, providing the necessary protection for such endeavors.
- Blank Talismans and ink pens: Tools to make more of the above magical talismans.
- Waist Case: Wooden ornamental case serving as Eun-Ji's "bag", so to speak.
- Books, mostly philosophical tomes. She always carry at least one with her in her case, while the rest would be stashed in her dorm room.
- Meditation Mat: An otherwise simple linen mat, with intricate patterns and Tan Keoulian letters drawn upon it. As the name implied, used for meditation.

S T R E N G T H S  &  S K I L L S           

❖ Athletics: As a Lotus Sentry, Eun-Ji is trained to be athletic. Specifically for her, to take advantage of her lineage as a Skyborn, she is given even more intensive training in regards to physical speed, agility, and flexibility.
❖ Martial Arts: Similarly, Eun-Ji is trained in the Tan Keoulian martial arts of Taekwondo and Taekkyeon up to an adept level as per Lotus Sentry standard. These martial arts took advantage of agility, thus fitting quite well with Eun-Ji's athletics capability.
❖ Calmness: Eun-Ji is in general capable of remaining calm under pressure and even in intense situations.
❖ Honesty: Being honest means people are more likely to trust a person.
❖ Philosophical Knowledge: Due to her natural predisposition towards philosophical thought, Eun-Ji is quite knowledgeable in regards to philosophy.

W E A K N E S S E S  &  F L A W S            

❖ Resignation: As a result of her background, Eun-Ji possessed a kind of proneness toward being resigned. That is to say, she kind of gives up easily enough if she think something is out of her control.
❖ Lack of Ambition: Eun-Ji lacks personal ambition, believing that she is at the mercy of destiny.
❖ Calmness: On the other hand, being calm meant that she is also bad at being spontaneous. In situations where impulsive action would be better than a carefully measured one, Eun-Ji is at a clear disadvantage.
❖ Honesty: Being honest also means that Eun-Ji is horrible at lying or performing other forms of deception. Even without considering her line of work, the inability to lie can be a serious disadvantage.
❖ Street-Blind: That is to say, she's the exact opposite of a street smart individual. For someone that is supposedly trained as a clandestine agent, she's horrible at dealing with shady individuals or situations.

M I S C E L L A N E O U S            

- Eun-Ji's hobby is, unsurprisingly enough, reading. Additionally she also enjoyed fishing, which was accomodated by Tan Keoul being a heavily maritime country.
- Eun-Ji is fond of animals, partially influenced by her experience taking care of farm animals.
- Loves sour food. But can't handle spicy food at all. Kimchi, which is basically a traditional Tan Keoul pickle, is a serious dilemma for her due to it generally being both sour and spicy.
- Eun-Ji and her family is not religious, although they do follow a system of belief heavily based on the karma aspects.

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