Celeste — Roleplayer Guild

The Kingdom of the Moonlanders



National

Colloquial Name: High Moonlands
Capital: Myezneva
Government Type: Absolute Caesaropapist Monarchy
Motto:"With Moonlight and Starfire"
Currency: Kryzanth
Population: 4.722.000 inhabitants (approximately)
Realm Size: 51 territories
Traits:
Crusader State

Kingdoms born from crusades are, by definition, not quite similar to their more conventional peers. These are countries built over the blood and ashes left behind by the clashes between faiths, and symbolise far more than a crown and a standard to their inhabitants. Noblemen and commoners alike seek these lands, and the salvation and closeness to the divine that they promise. Chivalrous knights that swear eternal devotion to the holy places abound, many of them having come from the most far away countries. And their monarchs, often minor nobles who earned great renown fighting for their holy land, stand above all others, even above the clergy, as the guardians of the places in which the will of the divine manifests.

The Kingdom of the Moonlanders is a near perfect reflection of this norm: It is a perpetually militarised state, the morale of its people is unwavering, and its fortifications are young and strong. Those who choose to wage war against this holy kingdom can expect to face tens of thousands of Moonlandish knights, eager to vanquish the enemies of Yuwan, with millions of faithful ready to follow them into battle.

Every day, countless believers flock to its cities, many of them ready to serve the gods as farmers, craftsmen, merchants, or soldiers. The endorsement from the Circle of Augurs means that few fellow Yuwanist monarchs would dare to antagonise the Moonlandish monarch, and that the legitimacy of the kingdom is not to be questioned.

Flaws:
Rogue State

The support of the Circle of Augurs notwithstanding, the truth is that the Kingdom of the Moonlanders is perceived by many as a threat to the region's stability, if not the whole of Avara's. By now most of the world's monarchs are acquainted with the concept of the Moonlands, and are aware of what it entails: millions of Moonlanders, scattered throughout the world, fantasising about carving out a great, unified Moonlandish empire from the lands they inhabit. Although the Queen of the Moonlanders has not openly called for all Moonlanders to do such a thing, that there currently exists a proper Moonlandish kingdom, with a mighty army and the momentum of an era of many great victories, has made the nobility in many kingdoms feel uneasy, particularly the non-Yuwanists.

The end result of this is that, as beloved as the kingdom may be in some circles, it remains a dangerous presence in the eyes of many of its peers, and thus it is severely lacking in allies, and not lacking at all in potential enemies. Many want to bring a definitive end to the notion of the Moonlands, whereas others covet the holy places it guards. Either way, the Kingdom of the Moonlanders is, for the most part, alone.

Geographical

World-Realm Map:http://i.imgur.com/kSa6sm3.jpg
Geographical Trait:
The Nertessian Highlands and the Moon's Throat



The Kingdom of the Moonlanders owes its colloquial name (High Moonlands) to two of the many historical regions it encompasses: the legendary Nertessian Highlands, and the equally legendary Moon's Throat.

For much of Avara's history, the Nertessian Highlands were a disputed territory, both because of their status as a holy land, and for their strategic value as a trade hub. Thus, the region saw many masters over the centuries, including a short-lived Moonlandish principality and the far more enduring Southern Simariy dynasty. It was during the latter that the grand fortress of Myezneva was built, on the top of the mountain known as the Night Spire, which would become a holy place of its own as time went by, as well as one of the fundamental symbols of Moonlandish irredentism.

Though the large plains that separate the rocky hills and mountains of the highlands are not particularly fertile, the hills and mountains are rich in various ores. The highlands' greatest blessing, however, is how defensible they are. Asides from Myezneva, smaller fortresses and towers are scattered through the high terrain, manned and in good condition, with great visibility in most directions.

The Moon's Throat is the name that has been given since the early days of Yuwanism to the the path that leads through the majestic, though otherwise impassable mountain range known as the Heavenly Cradle, and into the territory of the Drathan Union. For as long as Archeos has stood, the Moon's Throat has been the preferred route for pilgrims, merchants and envoys seeking to avoid the harsh deserts or the dangerous seas.

In light of all this, the Moon's Throat may well be the kingdom's most valuable asset: it attracts plenty of trade and, much like the Nertessian Highlands that precede it, it holds great value as a holy land, and it is heavily fortified. No less than five castle-like gates separate the Nertessian Highlands from the Drathan Union, all of them guarded by some of the kingdom's best and most loyal knights. Because it is so naturally narrow, the Moon's Throat can be nearly impossible to invade even in the best of cases, which is why the Queen of the Moonlanders has made it a priority of her rule to ensure that it is never lost to foreigners ever again, lest she be forced to sacrifice several thousands to reclaim it.

As for the rest of the territory of the Kingdom of the Moonlanders, it is mostly comprised of meadows, grasslands, and the Terstrian Riverlands, the latter being the smallest, yet most fertile. These regions were the last to be properly occupied and stabilised under Moonlandish rule, although they saw many of the Moonlandish crusades' early battles. Thus, they remain relatively underpopulated and underdeveloped, although the Order of the Moonlit Mask (colloquially known as the Masked Inquisition) keeps watch over large parts of these territories.

Internal-Realm Map:http://i.imgur.com/IWzW1Fg.png
Major Cities

Czidier Zevta
Nizha Malikograd
Vinazora
Letozora
Toristrev

Major Castles

Myezneva
Lukovina
Grinsterdov
Nizha Saryvieth
Nizha Methya
Ferapont

Buildings of Interest

The Moonstone Spire of Myezneva
The Constellatory Gardens of Myezneva
The Mausoleum of Risara
The Schools of Spring and Autumn
The Five Gates of the Moon's Throat
The Temple of the Hundred Sepulchres
The Tower of the White Moon
The Tower of the Black Moon

Geographic Features of Interest

The Moon's Throat
The Night Spire
The Nine Rivers of Terstria
The Marowit Forest
The Lethyane Meadows

Racial

Majority Race: Moonlanders
Appearance

Humanity's most ancient historical records are riddled with mentions of willowy people with triangular faces, skin as white as snow, and equally white antlers on their heads. Later on, scholars began to pay closer attention to the features of this legendary race, and so it became a part of the world's common imaginary that these Moonlanders possessed noses that were small, flat and straight; "slanted eyes" with colours that ranged from the most vibrant green, to molten gold, and even a black as dark as night; fine hair that could be either black or bordeaux; and long pointed ears that grew parallel to the sides of their heads. In some areas, rumours spread that some of them grew flowers on their antlers, or painted them on their faces.

All of this, as far as the vast majority of Moonlanders are concerned, remains true. Moonlanders are taller than most humans, and their incapacity to breed with other races means that changes in their appearance since their early days have been few and practically insignificant.

Characteristics

Before their diaspora, Moonlanders were renowned more for their unflinching passivity than for their raw power. They were thus regarded by foreigners as a brittle race, unbending but easily broken, and more concerned with conquering the spiritual and ideal worlds, rather than the real one. Lacking in physical strength, unadaptable when faced with the unexpected, and accustomed to cold climates, they avoided war when possible, scored few victories when they could not, and had much trouble colonising warmer territories.

The Moonlandish diaspora, and the crusades that brought it to an end, brought profound changes in this regard. Moonlandish society and culture became increasingly militarised, and more militant in matters of faith and politics. Moonlanders as a whole became more aggressive and a lot sturdier, both physically and spiritually, as martial strength took precedence over intellectual or artistic endeavours. Chivalry and individual heroism became the norm, to the point that thousands of Moonlandish women, in defiance of ancient customs, joined knightly orders to fight in the crusades.

The Moonlandish race today is one based on a paradoxical combination of chivalry, patriotism, and individualism. There are several unwritten codes of honour that guide the actions of Moonlanders, and their commitment to the ideal of the Moonlands remains as strong as it has always been. However, these coexist with a powerful lust for personal glory. This means that Moonlandish warriors can be somewhat difficult to command, but far more fearsome to confront. To fight a Moonlandish army is to fight thousands of self-proclaimed heroes, eager to prove their worth to Yuwan, and glad to die in the name of the Moonlands.

This aspect of the Moonlandish race sets a stark contrast to their lives beyond the bloodshed, where a fascination for floriculture and herbalism continues to be the norm. Moonlanders have been infatuated with flowers and medicinal herbs since time immemorial, and their diaspora did little to change this. When they are not riding to battle, most men and women are either tending to their gardens or experimenting with herbs inside their homes. The flowers grown by Moonlanders, as well as their medicines, are held in high regard by Avara's merchants for their exotic beauty and effectiveness, respectively.

Another thing that must be said about Moonlanders is that they are memorious, unforgiving, and tend to live far longer than the average human, with the oldest living Moonlander having lived through two hundred and seventy-seven springs and autumns. These aspects of the Moonlandish race entail many things, both physically and spiritually. For one, that Moonlanders can hold a grudge for over a century, and can fight in the name of that grudge for just as long.

Finally, when it comes to their senses, it should come as no surprise that the eyes and ears of Moonlanders work better in the darkness. In the daylight, their sight and hearing are no better than that of humans, but at night they can see and hear better and further.

Minority Races: Humans (Nertessians, Terstrians, Fivrenks, Vinaks)
Religion and Magic

State Religion: Orthodox Yuwanism
Religious Information
A variant of the Old Ways deeply rooted in Yuwanist nostalgia for the distant past, Orthodox Yuwanism has at times being referred to as a 'paralysed faith'.

Born as a response to a series of reforms undergone by the Circle of Augurs before the advent of the Grand Simariy dynasty, Orthodox Yuwanism aimed to preserve the most ancient rituals and doctrine of the Old Ways. All new theologies were rejected, as were many customs and folklore from non-Moonlandish cultures. The art and architecture of early Yuwanists became the norm, and emphasis was put on the Moon and everything lunar, to the detriment of the reading of the stars. With that said, however, non-Orthodox Yuwanism is widely accepted in the High Moonlands, and orthodox clerics have historically been on good terms with the Circle of Augurs, despite their differences.

Religion Demographics
The vast majority of the inhabitants of the High Moonlands are Yuwanists, but those humans that remained following the establishment of the kingdom show a certain degree of diversity. The approximately one hundred and sixty thousand human Dryadicists that can still be found in the Terstrian Riverlands are at the very least tolerated, their well-being guaranteed by the Masked Inquisition as a reward for their assistance during the crusades. On the other hand, only a few hundreds are brave enough to openly worship Justinian or the Red Pantheon, after the Queen of the Moonlanders granted them a pardon for their sins, the rest choosing exile in Charlin instead.

Holy Relics In Possession

The Heart of Risara
The Relics of Keryel
The Flowered Crown
The Shroud of the First Owl
The Black Books of Nezmenia
The Primordial Starstone

Holy Sites Under Control

The Moonstone Spire of Myezneva
The Constellatory Gardens of Myezneva
The Mausoleum of Risara
The Temple of the Hundred Sepulchres
The Tower of the White Moon
The Tower of the Black Moon

Magical Schools and Curriculum
The Grand Simariy dynasty popularised the use of magic among Moonlanders during its rule, particularly magic applied to medicine and crafting. Later on, during the diaspora and the crusades, some Moonlandish knights trained in the casting of illusions, barriers and weapons. Only a handful of Moonlanders, most of them nobility, chose to study more powerful forms of magic, including almost forgotten arcane practices from the days before the rise of the Grand Simariy dynasty. These days, the Kingdom of the Moonlanders boasts a few dozens of healers, alchemists, knight-enchanters and witches, most of them residing in Myezneva and Czidier Zevta. The Schools of Spring and Autumn, in Czidier Zevta, are considered the best places to learn about magic in the High Moonlands.

Military

Total Military Size: 122.500 active + 338.700 veterans (approximately)
Military Details
National Dramatis Personae

Monarch
Queen Tatyana

Full Name: Tatyana Hryzantema Vikentiy
Titles: Queen of the Moonlanders, Twenty-Seventh Owl, Matriarch of Clan Vikentiy, Guardian of the Moon's Throat
Description
A shrewd woman, with a sharp tongue and the ruthlessness that comes with being a Vikentiy, the Queen of the Moonlanders was born two hundred and twenty-seven springs ago, in the last days of the Kingdom of Nezmenia, and spent most of her life as a nomad. A product of her times, Queen Tatyana is sardonic, devious and unforgiving, only showing a softness of heart to a small handful of relatives and friends.

Much like her mother, she cares little for the gallantry of men, believing that it was reckless gallantry that led to the untimely deaths of her father, her older brother, her husband and her son. She cares even less for the modesty of women, having spent most of her life at war, leading thousands of Moonlanders through a hostile world. In her eyes, a Moonlandish woman unwilling to speak her mind and do what is right for all Moonlanders, specially in the times she herself had to live through, is no true woman.

While she was educated in philosophy and art as a child, according to Moonlandish custom, Tatyana also spent her adolescence and early adulthood training in the use of the bow, the spear and the halberd. By the beginning of the crusades, she was as capable a warrior as she was a gifted administrator, and even as her hair began to grey she continued to personally lead her knights into battle.

Now, as she nears the end of her days, Tatyana's body is becoming weaker. Her once bordeaux hair is almost entirely white, and her golden eyes are losing their spark. Her strength of spirit and cunning mind, however, remain. From her seat in Myezneva, she contemplates the world in flux, and works tirelessly to ensure that the kingdom she founded can prevail. She spends most of her days in the company of the women of her family, and that of her grandson and heir, Radu. The boy in particular he devotes much of her time to, preparing him for the day when he will have to don the Flowered Crown, seat on the Moonstone Throne, and become the Twenty-Eighth Owl.

Queen Tatyana is practical above all else. Though she may not forgive a slight, she understands the world enough to not cling onto unrealistic ideals, and seek the best outcome regardless of the means necessary. Her only priority is the unity and prosperity of all Moonlanders, and her loyalties ultimately lie with her people and her clan.

Ruling Dynasty
Clan Vikentiy


Constable Of The Army
Prince Vamorev

Full Name: Vamorev Lefiriy Vikentiy
Titles: Grand Marshall of the Knights of Nezmenia, Guardian of the Nertessian Highlands, Prince of Fulvograd
Description
Queen Tatyana's youngest brother did not become the leader of the Knights of Nezmenia solely due to his merits as a warrior and commander. Fortune prompted his ascent to the position of Grand Marshall, and he had to prove himself worthy of the title in the years that followed.

Much like his siblings, Vamorev was raised during the most dramatic years of the Moonlandish diaspora, seldom staying anywhere for more than a year. While living on the road, he became enamored with the idea of becoming a valiant knight, the likes of which would always be remembered by all Moonlanders. So it was that, long before he had come of age, King Koryan allowed Vamorev to join the Knights of Nezmenia.

After surviving the disastrous campaigns in which he lost his father and eldest brother, Vamorev roamed Avara with several hundreds of surviving knights, searching for the remaining Nezmenian royals. By the time they found Tatyana, already in the midst of her crusades, Vamorev had become the leader of a legendary host of knights, who had bravely defended thousands of Yuwan's faithful and recruited many of them into their order.

Once the majority of the Knights of Nezmenia regrouped, Vamorev was elected Grand Marshall, and joined Queen Tatyana's main host as they marched towards the Lethyane Meadows. In the years that followed, Vamorev proved his worth with a series of resounding victories over his sister's enemies. His charge against the Nertessian infantry during the battle for the Nertessian Highlands, which broke the enemy host apart and enabled Queen Tatyana to push past them and towards Czidier Zevta, became his crowning achievement as Grand Marshall.

Unlike his sister, Prince Vamorev is not a practical man, nor particularly sharp-tongued. He is, however, astute and strong-willed. Though far from the best tactician or strategist in the High Moonlands, he is nonetheless a capable leader and a fearsome fighter, whose knights are feared throughout the region.

Religious Head
Grand Mystagogue Myvera

Full Name: Myvera va Kyvreiy
Titles: Grand Mystagogue of the Moonlands
Description
A woman who has seen many springs and autumns, although not as many as Queen Tatyana, Myvera va Kivreiy is not as sweet and soft-spoken as one would expect of the semi-official leader of Orthodox Yuwanism. Born and raised in the Moon's Throat, her parents were staunch Yuwanists living under a Justinianist human monarchy, and as such they often found themselves at odds with authorities, and ostracised by their human neighbours.

When she came of age, Myvera abandoned the Moon's Throat, no longer sharing her parents' fervour, and spent the following three decades travelling on her own. Far from home, she dedicated her days to singing, dancing, drinking, and bedding people of all races and genders. In time, however, she found that not all places were welcoming towards Moonlanders, and after a particularly brutal attack by human outlaws, she ended up in a secluded Orthodox Yuwanist temple, under the care of Moonlandish mystagogues. While recovering in the temple, she found her purpose in life, and began her studies to become a mystagogue herself.

In the midst of the Moonlandish crusades, she joined a caravan of pilgrims on their way to the Moon's Throat. Now a mystagogue, she began to preach to Moonlanders and non-Moonlanders alike. All the while she continued to sing, dance, drink and bed people, making her popular among the commoners. When her caravan met with the host of Queen Tatyana, the two women, having already heard of one another, quickly developed a close friendship. Myvera became the Queen's spiritual advisor and confidante, and soon she was blessing the Moonlandish knights before battle, and occasionally marching to battle with them. As the crusaders reached the Nertessian Highlands, people began to whisper about her being named Grand Mystagogue, an office that had been claimed by many in the past, but never with the official endorsement of a monarch of all Moonlanders.

The rumours became true after the fall of the Moon's Throat under Moonlandish rule, as Myvera was proclaimed Grand Mystagogue of the Moonlands. The Temple of the Hundred Sepulchres became her seat, and mystagogues from all over Avara flocked to her and swelled her ranks.

Today, the Grand Mystagogue of the Moonlands is, much like her Queen, a sharp-tongued woman, frank yet prone to sarcasm. Her life as a woman of the faith involves as much praying to Yuwan and reading the night sky as spending leisure time with her faithful. She studies, she preaches, and she enjoys life.

Persons of interest
Crown Prince Radu

Full Name: Radu Azalea Vikentiy
Titles: Crown Prince of the Moonlanders, Prince of Czidier Zevta
Description
Bordeaux hair, and eyes the colour of molten gold, have for centuries been held as outward signs of Vikentiy heritage. In that regard, Queen Tatyana's only grandson is a fine example of Vikentiy blood: His long straight hair is the purest bordeaux, and his curious, eager little eyes shine bright with their golden glow. His blooming still ahead of him, he is a comely and willowy boy, with no antlers on his head as of yet.

In other regards, however, the Crown Prince of the Moonlanders is far from the typical Vikentiy. From the early days of their rule over Nezmenia, the Vikentiy have been renowned for their ruthlessness and sharp wit, traits that Radu so far seems to lack. He is a sweet lad, polite and unassuming, eager to learn, though too shy and humble to be a pedant. He is very loving towards his mother and grandmother, and shows a bit more devotion to Yuwan than many of his peers.

Radu's father, Nizhikor of Clan Lazovert, was a king in exile, with claims to lands in northern Avara, and a modest host of old knights and equally old armed peasants. At first, he seemed a worthy husband for Princess Fimasera, Queen Tatyana's only remaining offspring. The match, however, turned out to be the Queen's most egregious mistake. Crapulent, dishonest and erratic, Nizhikor involved himself in no small amount of scandals, severely hurting his wife's reputation in the process, and endangering the prestige of Clan Vikentiy.

Radu was born from this disastrous union not long before the establishment of the Kingdom of the Moonlanders. Knowing that his wife and son would one day inherit the throne, Nizhikor secluded both son and wife in his estate near Letozora for several years, hoping to be their sole influence. He refused all invitations to visit Myezneva, and denied his son a proper tutor or mystagogue.

In the end, Nizhikor's schemes proved disastrous: For his continued insolence towards the Queen, his vicious nature, and his neglectful treatment and corrupting influence on two members of the royal clan, the Queen attainted him. Nizhikor and Fimasera were stripped of their custody of Radu, who the Queen then adopted. Thus Radu ceased to be a Lazovert and, after symbolically disowning Princess Fimasera, Queen Tatyana proclaimed him Crown Prince of the Moonlanders.

Ever since then, Radu has lived in Myezneva with the Queen and his mother, who dote on him while simultaneously preparing him for the life of a King of the Moonlanders. He spends most of his days with his grandmother in the Constellatory Gardens of the capital. In that sanctuary of sorts, they feast, they play, they listen to music, they study together, and they converse about matters both great and small. In a sense, he is the son his grandmother lost born anew, and Queen Tatyana will go to any lengths to ensure that he lives longer and better than her reckless Marku did, and that he becomes the greatest monarch the Moolanders have ever known.
Princess Vikara

Full Name: Vikara Umizha Vikentiy
Titles: Swan Knight, Princess of Nizha Malikograd
Description
When Prince Ukaryan and Princess Viveka had their first child, they were both nearing the end of their youth. After decades of trying to produce an heir, while watching their older siblings losing their own children, the birth of the baby girl they named Vikara was a miracle in the eyes of all Clan Vikentiy.

Much like her grandmother and aunt, Vikara had a strong character, and lacked the modesty expected from princesses. When she was not riding with her uncle Vamorev, she was training in the use of the spear and halberd with her aunt Tatyana, now Matriarch of Clan Vikentiy. Vikara enjoyed this military education far more than she did the philosophy and politics that her mother tried to teach her, and as she neared her coming of age she began to sneak away day and night to practice with the halberd. Occasionally, she would challenge knights-in-training to mock duels and discuss tactics with Prince Vamorev, bewildering many of Clan Vikentiy's followers, but greatly pleasing her aunt and uncle.

Vikara finally proved her worth as a warrior during the crusaders' march through the Somnus Empire. Disguised as a Knight Stellar of Methya, she helped defend the crusaders' main caravan from a Somnus host, leading a group of armed peasants against the enemy host's flank and single-handedly capturing an officer. Her achievements, and her aunt's endorsement, made it possible for her to fulfill her dream of becoming a knight. She was accepted into the Knights of Nezmenia, to fight alongside her aunt and uncle in their grand campaign to reclaim the Moon's Throat.

Her many deeds in the last years of the crusades made her a hero in the eyes of her fellow Moonlanders, particularly after she saved Queen Tatyana's life during the battle for the Nertessian Highlands. When the Kingdom of the Moonlanders was established at last, Vikara was one of the leading candidates for Queen Tatyana's royal guard, the Swan Knights, and she has served as one ever since.

Princess Vikara possesses her aunt's sharp wit and practicality, but she also maintains the typical Moonlandish knight's sense of honour. She is a loyal confidante of the Queen and the Crown Prince, watching over both every moment of every day.
Grand Inquisitor Leirkev

Full Name: Leirkev Jazmin Alariy va Badrev
Titles: Grand Inquisitor of the Order of the Moonlit Mask, Regent of Grinsterdov, Prince of Badrev (unreclaimed), Patriarch of Clan Alariy (unreclaimed), Patriarch of Clan Simariy (unclaimed)
Description
The Moonlandish Principality of Badrev had stood for over four centuries when it fell into the hands of infidels. The last remnant of the great Moonlandish Kingdom of Varnad, ruled by descendants of the Grand Simariy, the legend of Badrev and Clan Alariy's heritage proved useless against the fire and steel of Karkarth. Most of its Moonlandish inhabitants were slaughtered along with the prince and princess, and its ancient Yuwanist temples were sacked and destroyed.

When the dust and ashes finally settled, and the blood on the streets dried up, only a small token of Clan Alariy's legacy had survived the carnage: two sickly Moonlandish boys, born with the black hair and green eyes of the Grand Simariy.

Nirkev and Leirkev, the twin sons of the prince and princess, had been spared by the conquerors. Instead of being publicly hanged like the rest of their clan, they were imprisoned within the crumbling walls of their castle, their still growing antlers painfully removed and sent to Djerad Thymar.

In the years that followed, the noble hostages were abused and humilliated on a regular basis. Although the extent of the atrocities inflicted upon them was never truly known, rumours spread quickly among Yuwanists, prompting calls for an expedition to rescue the boys and punish the invaders.

The horrifying tale of the princely twins' imprisonment ended in tragedy only fifteen years after the conquest of Badrev, when Nirkev and Leirkev were still many autumns away from their coming of age. Following a series of events that no scholar, Moonlandish or otherwise, ever managed to fully elucidate, the twins were brutally murdered, and their bodies were thrown into the sea.

For well over a decade, not much else was known about the lives of these descendants of the Grand Simariy, nor did anybody ever find their corpses. With no other claimants to the throne of Badrev, Karkarth's control of the city-state became indisputable, and those Moonlanders who believed in a restoration of the Grand Simariy shifted their attention to other clans with Grand Simariy heritage.

However, that changed not long after the beginning of the Moonlandish crusades, when tales of a Moonlandish prince with no antlers began to circulate in northern Avara. It was said that Phiore hunters had found him on the cold, stony shores of northern Kadulum, miraculously alive despite his grievous wounds. Later on, reports of a growing army of Yuwanist human and Moonlandish exiles rallying behind this prince without antlers reached the ears of nearby sovereigns, followed by whispers of a powerful mage with skin the colour of snow and hair as black as night.

The truth behind these stories was revealed when the army in question marched through the outer provinces of the Somnus Imperium. Their leader indeed was a Moonlander with no antlers, his name was indeed Leirkev Jazmin Alariy va Badrev, and he was indeed a powerful mage.

What the rumours had not mentioned, however, was that while the army he led had began as an agglomeration of exiles and nomads, in the midst of its pilgrimage it had become a reformed Order of the Moonlit Mask. With the secret endorsement of the Circle of Augurs, and the overt support of the Moonlandish crusaders, Leirkev had taken it upon himself to wage war against the enemies of Yuwanism and the Moonlandish race where others could not, and for his efforts he had been named Grand Inquisitor.

While Queen Tatyana's host fought against the Justinianist kingdoms of Adneria and Lethyane in the east, Leirkev's Masked Inquisition led a parallel campaign against the Dryadicist Kingdom of Terstria. Despite taking heavy losses, he succeeded in taking control of the Terstrian Riverlands, and persuaded the rogue Kingdom of Grinsterdov to surrender. Word of his fair treatment of Dryadicists spread almost as quickly as the rumours of the Masked Inquisition's mass torture and execution of Justinianists, Takariens and worshippers of the Red Pantheon.

The Masked Inquisition, and its young leader, became living legends when the time came for the Moonlandish crusaders to reclaim the Moon's Throat. In a series of bloody battles, during which hundreds of the crusades' great heroes lost their lives, Leirkev and his companions fought their way past the Five Gates and raised the banner of Clan Simariy over the Tower of the White Moon, thus signaling the end of the crusades and the restoration of Moonlandish rule in the Moon's Throat.

With the fighting in the south finally over, Leirkev and the Masked Inquisition returned to their new seat in Grinsterdov, and spent the following years guarding the northern borders, helping rebuild the Terstrian Riverlands, and providing aid to Yuwanist refugees fleeing from the Dream Plague.

These days, the young Grand Inquisitor remains almost exclusively in Grinsterdov, away from the political and military intricacies of Myezneva, and devoted entirely to his official duties. He leads the Order of the Moonlit Mask with a deliberate gentleness, his movements small, precise and unambitious. So far he has made no claims beyond his regency over Grinsterdov, and keeps a sparse and mostly perfunctory correspondence with the Queen, the Grand Mystagogue and the Circle of Augurs.

Leirkev's life beyond his duties is a paradoxical matter. He is a discreet person by nature, and few know much about his thoughts or his past, but some aspects of what he does behind close doors are an open secret in Grinsterdov. It is known that he despises all Jahun-ka, with the exception of Khavor the Grey, and it is rumoured that the two planted a moonflower together while fighting in the Marowit Forest. His close relationships with Nedyah and Luminic of Grel have also raised concerns, mostly due to them openly being a Dryadicist and a worshipper of the Red Pantheon, respectively.

Forlorn and quiet is how those who know him tend to describe the leader of one of the most influential institutions in Orthodox Yuwanism. Perceived as sensitive by some, and sentimental by others, he honours the Moonlandish ability to never forget and never forgive. Cautious as he may be most of the time, the flames of powerful emotions are always burning visibly beneath his every word and motion, foremost amongst them being the grief of losing his brother.
Khavor the Grey

Full Name: Khavor Movuris
Titles: Sergeant, Telsword (formerly)
Description
Khavor Movuris was born with horns and skin the colour of dark ash, but it was ultimately his deeds that would distinguish him above other Jahun-ka. While being raised in a Cradle, he proved himself to be a promising warrior and tactician, if perhaps a bit undisciplined. Even worse than his occasional reluctance to obey his superiors, however, was the fact that he lied to others more than once, which earned him no small amount of severe punishments.

Nevertheless, Khavor ultimately survived the rite of passage in the Ash Lands, became an Uskdos, and spent his first years defending the southern borders of Karkarth, near former Badrev. In time, he made it to the rank of Telsword, leading his Hunken to victory in all battles with varying losses. He made a name for himself as an exemplary warrior, brave even when the odds were against him, and earned the respect of his superiors, and the admiration of his subordinates.

When news of Leirkev and his Masked Inquisition reached the Swordcaptain in former Badrev, who had led the original invasion of the Moonlandish principality, he secretly organized an expedition to find and kill the Grand Inquisitor. Fearing the scandal that would ensue if the truth of princely twins' imprisonment and death were to be heard by his superiors, he sought to silence the boy once and for all. Khavor's Hunken was one of the four that comprised this expedition, and served as its vanguard.

The Jahun-ka forces finally encountered the Masked Inquisition's main host, after several months of searching, near the northwestern border of Terstria. In the battle that ensued, the numerically superior, but tactically disadvantaged Masked Inquisition suffered heavy losses, but succeeded in killing most of the Jahun-ka soldiers and capturing those that survived, including Khavor.

Initially, the encounters between Khavor and Leirkev were ugly affairs, with violent outbursts on both sides, and increasingly harsh restrictions on all Jahun-ka prisoners as punishment for Khavor's most hurtful comments.

However, by the time the Masked Inquisition's main host entered the Marowit forest, two other hosts attacking the Terstrian Riverlands from the north, the relationship between the two leaders slowly began to change. Though nobody knows much about their private interactions, the two men soon started to act amicably towards one another in public, and Leirkev often invited the captured Telsword to dine and drink with him and his officers.

As the battle for the Marowit Forest dragged on, Khavor began to advise Leirkev on military tactics, and they would sometimes walk together in the woods, far from the eyes of their respective subordinates. Eventually, Khavor and his soldiers were given freedom of the camp, to come and go as they pleased, so long as they were always within sight of an Inquisitor.

When the forest came under complete control of the Masked Inquisition, giving the order its first relatively stable seat of power, the Grand Inquisitor released all prisoners, offering to pardon those who chose to serve the order of all their sins. Though the rest of the Jahun-ka prisoners chose to return to Karkarth, Khavor stayed, renounced his country and faith, and pledged himself to Leirkev and Yuwan.

Khavor became Leirkev's bodyguard of sorts after that, fighting alongside him in all his battles, and saving each other's life on many occasions. He also trained some of the Masked Inquisition's recruits in Jahun-ka military techniques, and was Leirkev's champion in the duel that decided the surrender of a Terstrian castle. He nearly died during the last battle for the Moon's Throat, his chest pierced by an arrow, and spent several weeks under Leirkev's care.

To this day, Khavor remains unflinchingly loyal to Leirkev. He is a warm and charismatic man, with a fondness for all forms of merriment that is only matched by his passion as a warrior. He is also as headstrong as most Jahun-ka, and since his days in the Cradle he has come to understand the value of honesty.
Nedyah

Full Name: Nedyah
Titles: Master Healer of Grinsterdov
Description
Even centuries after the collapse of the Southern Simariy dynasty, some elements of Moonlandish culture survived in the overwhelmingly Dryadicist Kingdom of Terstria. Among these elements was the idea that, when someone cannot be said to be male nor female, they should be considered as belonging to a third gender, one with a closer connection to the divine than the other two.

Whether Nedyah was born into this third gender, or became that way later on, nobody can tell. As is the case with most of the Marowit Forests' witches, they are secretive about matters both personal and spiritual, never telling common folk any more than what is necessary. Regardless, what is known is that this human, with silvery lavender hair and porcelain skin, is young, beautiful and powerful.

Nedyah met Leirkev during the Masked Inquisition's campaign in the Marowit Forest, as Leirkev sought to earn the favour of the region's spiritual leaders in the fight against the Terstrian monarchy. At first, the Grand Inquisitor's efforts failed to gain him the support of the witches and druids of the forest, and it was only when the Terstrian monarchy, desperate to bring an end to Moonlandish aggression, turned to the Red Pantheon for help, that Nedyah and their peers joined the Masked Inquisition.

The witch and the Grand Inquisitor became close friends in the months that followed, as they taught one another different techniques for healing and spiritual contemplation. Though they did not convert to Yuwanism, Nedyah openly supported the Masked Inquisition's efforts to drive the Red Pantheon and Justinianism out of Terstria and Grinsterdov, and followed him as the Masked Inquisition joined Queen Tatyana's host in the fight for the Nertessian Highlands.

Today, Nedyah serves as Grinsterdov's Master Healer, charged with overseeing all of the castle's healers, Dryadicist and otherwise. Their loyalties still lie, first and foremost, with the people of their homeland and the teachings of the Great Sage. Nedyah is a child of the forest, happier when surrounded by the green and brown of trees, than when trapped between the grey walls of castles.
Luminic of Grel

Full Name: Luminic Vaucoral
Titles: Castellan of Grinsterdov
Description
Some people see war as the regrettable means to a virtuous end, and thus find passion in the life of a warrior. Others, however, see mass bloodshed as an end in and of itself, and thus relish every moment of the carnage, however cruel.

Luminic of Grel began as the former, only to become the latter as the world became increasingly nonsensical in his eyes. Tall for a human, with pale blond hair and sun-kissed skin, Luminic remains handsome even as the end of his youth nears, but the soul beneath his warm boyish grin is one that thirsts for slaughter.

Many tales had already been told about Luminic's heroic exploits when he first encountered the allegedly dead Leirkev of Badrev, two years before the antlerless Moonlander became the leader of a reformed Masked Inquisition. Being a lifelong worshipper of the Red Pantheon, he did not think much of the Moonlandish nobleman turned Yuwanist pilgrim, but finally decided to follow him, believing that the pilgrimage to the Moon's Throat would prove to be an epic adventure.

Luminic ultimately stayed with Leirkev even when the latter began to persecute other worshippers of the Red Pantheon, his own life spared after pledging to convert to Yuwanism when they reached the Temple of the Hundred Sepulchres. Thus he became one of the Moonlandish crusades' many heroes, slaying hundreds in the name of the Masked Inquisition. His growing savagery in battle became almost as well-known as Queen Tatyana's strategic brilliance, to the point that the leaders of some chivalric orders publicly chastised him for his lack of honour.

Now, years after the end of the crusades, Luminic serves as the Castellan of Grinsterdov, a title granted to him by Leirkev for his merits as a warrior and commander during the crusades, rather than for his virtue, or lack thereof. His standing in the Masked Inquisition, however, remains shaky at best. Despite knowing each other for so long, Leirkev does not trust Luminic entirely, knowing his crueler side better than most. Luminic has yet to fulfill his promise of converting to Yuwanism, and whispers are circulating that he routinely abuses his authority on the few occasions where Leirkev is not in Grinsterdov.

Luminic is boisterous, cynical and often malicious, prone to speaking his mind in the most brutal fashion. Though he once was in love with his own legend, he has grown self-deprecating over the years, although he still does not tolerate criticism from most people.

Cultural

History
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List of Historical Grievances
The Moonlands

The Moonlands are not so much a concrete region of the known world as an abstract idea, based around the belief that the Moonlandish people are not merely a race, but a nation. In other words, the Moonlands have historically been defined, not as an established territory, or even a hypothetical territory, but rather as the union of the entirety of the Moonlandish race.

This definition of the Moonlands, which is still espoused by many, has regularly been used over the centuries as a casus belli against any non-Moonlandish sovereigns who mistreated their Moonlandish citizens. Any wrong committed against a Moonlander was deemed a declaration of war against all Moonlanders, leading to Moonlanders from all over Avara joining punitive expeditions against the culprit.

The original concept of the Moonlands was redefined somewhat after the fall of the Six Kingdoms. Under the hegemony of Nezmenia, all territories where Moonlanders made up the majority of the population, or where Moonlanders held most political power, were regarded as part of the Moonlands. With this new understanding of the idea of the Moonlands, many scholars, monarchs and warlords began to advocate for the unification of all those Moonlands under a single Moonlandish empire.

To this day, the idea that a great war is necessary to unite all Moonlanders under a single empire continues to be upheld by militant factions in many Moonlandish communities, including Queen Tatyana's court. This is one of the main reasons why the Kingdom of the Moonlanders is regarded as a rogue state, and one that threatens the balance of power in the world.
The Fall of the Grand Simariy

To this day, the long rule of Grand Simariy dynasty is believed by many to have been the Golden Age of the Moonlands. During their centuries of cultural and political hegemony, the Grand Simariy built a large and prosperous empire in the cold northern lands where the Moonlandish race had originated, riddled with awe-inspiring masterpieces of architecture and engineering. Of the countless wars they fought, few were lost, and in peacetime merchants from all over Avara flocked to their cities.

The sudden fall of the Grand Simariy, right when it seemed that they reached the peak of their power, was a deeply traumatic event for all Moonlanders. All of a sudden, the powerful dynasty that had guided them for hundreds of years had vanished, its remnants scattered throughout the world, and its lands taken over by foreigners.

In the centuries that followed, many warlords and monarchs sought to reclaim the lands of the Grand Simariy from their foreign occupants, hoping to found a new grand dynasty imbued with the legendary prestige of their predecessors. All their attempts ended in failure, but the Moonlandish people never forgot the significance of those lands.

The current Queen of the Moonlanders has not called for a crusade to reclaim the Moonlandish homeland and restore the Grand Simariy, but there is no shortage of people within her ranks who would have the Feathered Throne returned to the descendants of the Grand Simariy. The value of the Moonlandish homeland is mostly symbolic, but nevertheless great. For a people who have been dispersed for so long, without a place to truly call home, the lands of the Grand Simariy dynasty are a beacon of hope and a reason for unity.
The Breaking of the Moon

Before Justinian's attack on Yuwan, Moonlanders had had a rather ambiguous relationship with their faith, due in part to their long diaspora. The more isolated communities showed little fervour, and many had outright abandoned Yuwan in favour of folk deities. Though most Moonlandish monarchies had continued to be nominally Yuwanist, few had kept close ties to the Circle of Augurs.

The Breaking of the Moon changed that. Being a race that had always seen the Moon as a fundamental part of their identity, Moonlanders reacted to its breaking with violent rage. The King of Nezmenia called for a holy war against Justinian and his followers, and the common folk began to persecute non-Yuwanists. Orthodox Yuwanism experienced a veritable revival during this period, and the eventual fall of Nezmenia exacerbated it. Chivalric orders, which had originally been mostly secular, became militantly zealous. Hundreds of Moonlandish mystagogues took up the lives of warrior-monks of sorts, dedicated to guarding their own holy sites and destroying Justinianist temples.

Two centuries after the cosmic battle that forever changed the night sky, the intense hatred that was born from it remains. Few Moonlanders want any sort of peace with the vile monster who shattered the Moon, or his followers. Even after recovering their holy lands in southern Avara from the clutches of infidels, many feel that they have not yet fulfilled their duty as children of the Moon. To those Moonlanders, the crusades will only end when Justinian lies dead, and his faithful either embrace the Old Ways or join him in the eternal darkness beyond.
The Fall of Nezmenia

The Nezmenian hegemony had never been universally popular among Moonlanders. For centuries, Clan Vikentiy had been held in contempt by many for constantly warring against other Moonlandish nations. Nonetheless, even if not all Moonlanders acknowledged the authority of the Nezmenian monarchs, all felt the fall of the kingdom to Justinianist invasion as what it was: the disappearance of the last great Moonlandish state, with only the feeble Principality of Badrev remaining.

After several disastrous attempts to regain control of Nezmenia, both by Clan Vikentiy itself and usurpers, Moonlanders as a whole gave up on the kingdom. The remaining powerful clans and orders concentrated on preserving the Moonlandish race, and finding new lands to settle.

The success of the crusades, however, elicited a renewed commitment to the restoration of Clan Vikentiy as sovereigns of Nezmenia, with the Knights of Nezmenia vowing to follow Queen Tatyana should she decide to march into the Somnus Imperium to reclaim her birthright. The voices within the Queen's court who favour such a campaign are not few, despite there being very few Moonlanders left in her kingdom who were actually born in Nezmenia.
The Fall of Badrev

Throughout its history, the Principality of Badrev had been valued more as a symbol than as a viable contender for hegemony over the Moonlands. It was both the last legitimate heir of the Great Kingdom of Varnad, and the only state in Avara where descendants of the Grand Simariy still ruled. Its armies were small, its coffers were seldom full, and it wielded little influence in the world stage, but all Moonlanders respected its heritage.

For these reasons, when the forces of Karkarth invaded Badrev and slaughtered the ruling clan, the news were met with despair and fury by the Moonlandish race. Many nobles and commoners cried for vengeance, and it is known that the Knights of Nezmenia would have orchestrated a punitive expedition, had Queen Tatyana not persuaded them to join her in the crusades instead.

Even after the revelation of Leirkev's survival, the fall of Badrev still incensed thousands of Moonlanders, and Queen Tatyana has consistently refused to have any dealings with Karkarth ever since. There is no small amount of prejudice against Jahun-ka in the High Moonlands, and the leaders of some chivalric orders have encouraged their knights to study Jahun-ka military tactics and strategies, in preparation for a war that they perceive as inevitable.

Relations
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Kingdom of Charlin

It took a very unsatisfactory armistice to end the bloody war that broke out between the Kingdom of Charlin and the Moonlandish crusaders when the Paladins of Krax marched on the Lethyane Meadows. Before that, relations between the overwhelmingly Justinianist Charlinites and the Orthodox Yuwanist Moonlanders had been uneasy, but hardly violent.

Although it was far from the most dramatic moment of the crusades, the struggle against the Paladins was a particularly gruesome affair, leaving thousands of Paladins and Moonlandish knights dead, and many more eager for a swift and ruthless retaliation. It took many months and no small amount of effort for Queen Tatyana and King Vrox to come to an agreement that would keep both the Moonlandish knights and the Paladins at bay. Moonlandish pilgrims were allowed to pass through the seas of Charlin, so long as they paid taxes and abided by the Paladins' norms, and the Kingdom of the Moonlanders set up heavily guarded tolls on their northern border.

So far, the armistice has preserved the peace between both kingdoms, but it is a flimsy peace, marred by the growing hostility between the Paladins and the Masked Inquisition, and occasional clashes on the borders. It is an uneasy truce, both monarchies perpetually on the edge of a new war, and doing their best to delay it.
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Kingdom of Karkarth

The animosity that now runs deep between the Moonlanders and the Jahun-ka is not ancient by Moonlandish standards. Before the Southern Simariy dynasty, there had been little to no contact between the two races, or the nations ruled by them. At times, there was even a mutual tolerance of sorts, if only because Karkarth and the Moonlandish nations were almost equal in military strength.

The primordial spark of Moonlandish hatred towards Karkarth and the Jahun-ka was lit in the midst of Karkarth's most expansionist period. As the Southern Simariy was recovering from a severe famine, a Jahun-ka Vanquisher took it upon himself to invade the great Moonlandish state. A great host marched into the Lethyane Meadows and swiftly crushed their defenders, only to be met on the edge of the Nertessian Highlands by the Dynast Ludovika herself, with her own great host behind her.

The battle that ensued ended in a costly victory for the Vanquisher, with almost half of his great host slaughtered, and his supply train hindered by a harsh winter and the Moonlanders' scorched-earth strategies. The war dragged on for almost a decade after that great battle, with the Jahun-ka repeatedly failing to lay siege to Myezneva while their retreat was cut off by unexpected reinforcements from Nezmenia. With his soldiers exhausted and his options dwindling, the Vanquisher tried to push his way through the Nezmenians and return to Karkarth, leading to the complete extermination of his great host, in what was was later on referred to as the Black Rains of Lukovina.

In the centuries that followed, little was done to improve relations between Karkarth and the Moonlandish nations, and so the resentment born from the invasion of the Southern Simariy survived and spread. Nomadic Moonlanders avoided Karkarth when possible, and Moonlandish nations and merchants refused to deal with Karkarth or the Jahun-ka.

However, that ancient mutual dislike ultimately proved to be mild when compared to the violent, visceral hatred that arose among Moonlanders with the invasion of Badrev and the extermination of Clan Alariy. Calls for a great war against Karkarth were as plentiful as the attacks on Jahun-ka outside of their homeland. Many chivalric orders and mystagogues joined the common folk in their sentiment, as well as the noble clans who shared blood relations with Clan Alariy.

Throughout her rule, Queen Tatyana has not been overtly hostile towards her peer in Karkarth, avoiding any sort of contact with King Tiberius when possible and quietly trying to keep Jahun-ka in her territory safe from violence, but her subjects are another matter entirely. In time, not even the Queen of the Moonlanders may be able to contain the bloodlust of her people, and when that day comes, there will be war.
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Cultural Notes
Moonlandish Politics

The political system in the Kingdom of the Moonlanders is both a product of the Moonlandish nations that preceded it, and the circumstances in which it was founded.

For instance, as was the case when the Nezmenian monarchy still stood, the monarchy of the High Moonlands wields nearly absolute power. The nobility has no more authority over the land than that which is directly given to them by the Queen, and with few exceptions, all provinces are administered by her or by her hand-picked representatives. In matters of public policy, nothing is done without her consent.

In that same line, religious institutions within Moonlandish territory are subject to the authority of the relatively secular government. In practice, this means that, while her mandate is popular, rather than divine, Queen Tatyana has control over most matters related to faith. The mystagogues answer to her, as do the Dryadicist leaders in the Terstrian Riverlands.

Although there is no legislative branch of power to speak of, even in unofficial terms, during the crusades many chivalric orders began to meet on an almost regular basis to deliberate on matters of broad military policy. Over the course of these meetings, now referred to as Knightly Conclaves, opposing factions arose, and some of them eventually spread into the Queen's court in Myezneva.

Nowadays, there are five major factions in the court and the Knightly Conclaves:

The Myrenians, founded by the now deceased knight Myrena Sarfoiy, who advocate for an easing of strained relations with the kingdom's neighbours, increased foreign trade, and an emphasis of harmonious and secure internal growth.
The Nertessians, founded by the now deceased Prince Elar Vulgarozh, and currently led by his son, Lika. A faction comprised of southern Moonlandish nobles and knights whose ancestors served the Southern Simariy, they call for further territorial expansion and profound political reforms. Some of them also argue for the eventual restoration of the Southern Simariy.
The Efavorians, founded and led by the knight Efavor Kumoziy, who support the restoration of Clan Vikentiy as monarchs of Nezmenia, and the transformation of the Kingdom of the Moonlanders into a collective monarchy governed by all Moonlandish monarchs in council.
The Ludovikians, founded by Princess Ludovika Jurisa-Vukoya, who favour a holy war against all non-Yuwanists, and the creation of a Moonlandish empire that spans the entirety of Avara, led by a descendant of the Grand Simariy.
The Justicialists, founded and led by the knights Jyan Savariy and Zhamosvor Kuziy. Their core tenet is the punishment of all crimes committed against the Moonlandish people and the innocent non-Moonlanders living in the kingdom, thus their name. They oppose the imperial ambitions of the Ludovikians, the pacifism of the Myrenians, the expansionism and reformism of the Nertessians, and Clan Vikentiy's abandonment of the High Moonlands, as proposed by the Efavorians. They are, in that sense, a conservative faction, fiercely devoted to Queen Tatyana and the preservation of the status quo.


The Moonlandish people, as a whole, have never been a particularly political people. While there have historically been different perspectives on the idea of the Moonlands, and varying levels of militancy in the advocacy for those perspectives, most were comfortable leaving the debates and conflicts in the hands of scholars and monarchs.

The diaspora and the crusades did little to change that. If anything, they strengthened the preexisting consensus, and increased the trust placed on the monarchy to make important decisions. That being said, that does not mean that the monarchy does not care about the will of the people. After all, it was the overwhelming support of the Moonlandish people that Queen Tatyana appealed to as grounds for her coronation as Queen of the Moonlanders.
Moonlandish Labour and Trade

From the very earliest historical records, floriculture and herbalism have been two activities intimately associated with Moonlandish culture. Moonlanders are, for the most part, fascinated by the beauty of flowers and obsessed with discovering the miraculous secret properties of all herbs. The only change brought by the diaspora and the crusades was that many Moonlanders began to prioritise food production as well as the growing of flowers and herbs.

So it is that, in the Kingdom of the Moonlanders, those who are not serving in the chivalric orders or the Masked Inquisition, or living as mystagogues, dedicate their lives to either growing food, flowers and herbs in the countryside, or trading them in the cities.

Craftsmanship, be it of weapons, clothing or furniture, is a line of work often reserved for a small elite under the patronage of nobles, working in highly competitive guilds in the cities. Because of how this, the products of Moonlandish craftsmanship tend to be expensive and of high quality, with much attention paid to details.

The consumption of meat of any sort is not widespread among Moonlanders, so hunting, fishing and animal husbandry are activities Moonlanders rarely dedicate themselves to. Thus, the most prosperous fishermen and ranchers in the High Moonlands are humans.
Moonlandish Morality

The terms 'moral' and 'immoral' appear only occasionally in early Moonlandish historical records and the works of ancient Moonlandish philosophers. For most of their history, Moonlanders distinguished themselves for seldom thinking about most things in such terms. Instead, it was far more likely to find behaviour condemned on the basis of being 'unreasonable' or 'impractical'.

For example, breaking a pact between clans was only worthy of censure if it was done out of caprice, not because breaking such pacts was perceived as wrong.

Attitudes began to change with the rise of the Six Kingdoms, with a strong emphasis put on modesty, self-sacrifice and conformity, only to shift once again with the Nezmenian hegemony. At that point, individualism and patriotism became the norm, with senses of discipline and duty coexisting with the encouragement of being different from others.

With the crusades, that same individualism had to adapt to the religious zeal that was quickly becoming the norm. This led to the birth of parallel moral codes, to be abided by depending on circumstances. For example, a Moonlander was only allowed to marry a fellow Moonlander of the opposite sex, but if they kept secret lovers of any gender or race, they had rituals that they could perform, allowing them to be united with the Moon's blessing. Thus, they could avoid bringing spiritual dishonour upon their family, or becoming oathbreakers under the Moon's gaze, while enaging in what still was, in the eyes of publicly acknowledged moral codes, immoral behaviour.

For a Moonlander, the most grievous sins one could commit would be to lie to oneself and to the divine, to break an oath made under the Moon's gaze, to renounce the Moonlands or Yuwan, or to harm people without reason and without taking responsibility for it. Slavery is also staunchly rejected by Moonlandish culture
Marriage in the Moonlands

Despite some reforms over the course of history, Moonlandish customs in matters of marriage and the raising of children have largely remained the same. For one, marriage is reserved exclusively for Moonlandish couples comprised of a man and a woman, both of whom must be Yuwanists. Any Moonlander who has gone through their coming of age, around the age of fourty-eight, depending on the length of their antlers, can choose to marry.

Arranged marriages in the Moonlands are frowned upon, as it is believed that the couples' decision to marry is ultimately guided by the Moon and, thus, should be left in their hands. That is not to say that the parents of the couples do not interfere, but their power over the union is severely restricted by tradition.

Marriage ceremonies are ideally held under the Moonlight, around midnight, and if possible in fields or gardens where there's moonflowers. Both bride and groom are dressed in black hooded cloaks embroidered with white stars, to be removed and replaced with white cloaks near the end of the ceremony, to symbolise the Moon's blessing of their now united souls.

The ceremonies are traditionally led by two mystagogues, one for each of betrothed, with the family and friends of the betrothed sitting in a circle around them and holding white lanterns or candles. The bride and groom must decorate each other's hair and antlers with flowers they have specially grown for the ceremony, followed by singing a song to each other, and then share kiss, sealing their union under the Moon's gaze.

Divorce is permitted by Orthodox Yuwanism, and if the couple has any children, the mystagogues involved in the process are expected to advise the couple on how to accomodate for the children's upbringing.

For secret lovers, there are some parallel, much simpler ceremonies that can be performed to have the Moon's blessing cast upon their relationship. The most popular of these is planting a moonflower together under the moonlight, and making love beside it. Regardless of the gender, race or number of people involved, any relationship can be blessed through this ceremony, so long as all of the participants are Yuwanists. These unions are seldom acknowledged in public, but they are nevertheless legitimate in the eyes of the faith and, thus, cannot be condemned from a religious perspective, but merely from a personal one.
Gender in the Moonlands

Much like Orthodox Yuwanism, gender in Moonlandish culture could best be described as a 'paralysed' affair. Roles are strict, nearly monolithic, have remained largely the same for thousands of years, and nonconformity is abysmally rare.

Moonlandish men are the farmers, the craftsmen, the hunters and the warriors in Moonlandish society. Manual labour of any sort is reserved for them alone. Men are expected to be physically strong and active, spending their lives working in the fields and gardens, fighting in wars, and teaching their children the value of gallantry, valour and hard work.

The role of women is, of course, the exact opposite. In the Moonlandish culture, women are the merchants, the philosophers, the artists and the politicians. Whereas men are tasked with providing for the household, women are tasked with administering it. Moonlandish women are expected to be thoughtful as well as nurturing. From a very young age, Moonlandish girls are either tutored in their homes or sent to schools, where they studied the history of their people and the works of the great scholars.

Only nobles and those who seek to become mystagogues suffer no restrictions based on their gender.

Few have been the instances in which a Moonlander has succeeded in defying the norm, be it male poets or female knights. In the case of female knights, some were considered by their contemporaries as no longer women when they were knighted, and during the Southern Simariy there was a notorious movement of male poets and playwrights who presented as women to earn the respect of their female peers, and were recognised as such. Two notable exceptions to this norm were Queen Tatyana and her niece, Princess Vikara, both of whom fought during the crusades alongside the Knights of Nezmenia. Princess Vikara in particular, after the end of the crusades, became a Swan Knight, tasked with defending Myezneva.

That being said, Moonlandish culture has at times acknowledged the existence of a third gender, commonly associated with a close connection to the divine. People of this third gender do not face much prejudice in Moonlandish society, except in the case of marriage. A Moonlander of the third gender may not marry, although they may engage in one of the parallel ceremonies.

Despite the rigidity of the Moonlandish notion of gender, there are some matters where norms are more egalitarian. In matters of inheritance, for instance, there is no distinction between genders. Be it a farm or a crown, inheritance is passed down to the eldest child of the deceased, unless the child has been attainted.
Moonlandish Sexuality

Two of the aspects of life in which the parallelism of Moonlandish morality becomes palpable are love and lust. Moonlandish culture has profoundly changed its perspective on these matters several times over the centuries, eventually entering the current period of parallel moral values.

Intimacy was approached with practicality above all else before the rise of the Grand Simariy dynasty, much like everything else in Moonlandish culture. Advantageous procreation took precedence over pleasure or love, and any intimacy that did not bring more Moonlanders to the world was decried as wasteful.

With the Grand Simariy dynasty, however, came an entire artistic and literary movement dedicated to celebrating the beauty of eroticism. In time, Moonlanders became more sexually liberated, with commoners participating in lust-filled festivals while nobles spent their leisure time with concubines. Pleasure houses prospered, and countless works of art and literature were produced and distributed all over the lands of the Grand Simariy.

The next sudden shift came with the Six Kingdoms. In line with their belief in modesty, self-sacrifice and conformity, premarital chastity and marital monogamy were encouraged, while sodomy, adultery, polyamory and concubinage were condemned and heavily penalised. Much of the Grand Simariy's erotic art was destroyed, and its literature banned, while a new movement popularised a more romantic view on intimacy, focused on purity and sentimentalism.

During the Nezmenian hegemony, there was a return to the ancient mores, albeit imbued with Nezmenian individualism. Love and lust that could not lead to offspring was frowned upon, but there was no glorification of virginity, and the activities penalised under the Six Kingdoms, while still regarded as unacceptable, were not actively punished by authorities. The exception to this was the Southern Simariy, who maintained the Grand Simariy's views nearly intact for as long as they stood.

The surge of piety that came with the diaspora and the crusades had a noticeable effect on the Nezmenian perception of intimacy, and that of the Moonlandish culture as a whole, though perhaps not the one scholars would have predicted. Yuwanism being an amoral faith, even in its orthodox form, the increasing devotion to it among Moonlanders led to a discreet revival of the licentiousness of the Grand Simariy through the parallel moral codes that came with it.

Moonlanders are not as fertile as humans, their biological cycles making it difficult for their women to become pregnant more than once every six years, which means it is rare for them to have large families. They do have, however, a relatively high libido, meaning that lovemaking is not a rare ocurrence in their daily lives, but rather a constant part of it. Many young Moonlanders experiment with their lust before and after their coming of age, often involving themselves in the sort of relationships that lead to the planting of moonflowers.

Relationships between Moonlanders of the same gender are tolerated in Moonlandish society, and even accepted as customary between knights serving together in chivalric orders, or women studying in schools secluded from the company of men. However, they are also normally subjected to a greater deal of scrutiny than conventional relationships, and expected to be specially decorous in public. People in such relationships may not live as husband and wife, and public displays of affection beyond the holding of hands and embracing one another may be seen as excessive, although they may also be perceived as gestures of bravery and commitment.

Moonlanders cannot procreate with people from other races, but this has not hindered many Moonlanders from choosing non-Moonlanders as their lovers. Relationships of this nature are subjected to even more scrutiny than relationships between Moonlanders of the same gender, and the parents of the Moonlanders involved may disown their children if they are not discrete.
Moonlandish Art

The cultural significance of the night sky and flowers has always been reflected in Moonlandish art. Sculptures, paintings, engravings, architecture, jewelry and coins all prominently feature the Moon, the stars, or flowers.

The aestheticism of the Grand Simariy dynasty, obsessed with every inch of every piece being as beautiful as possible, persevered even after the Six Kingdoms and the Nezmenian hegemony, and even flourished anew during the Southern Simariy dynasty. So it is that most Moonlandish art is highly detailed, although it may often put beauty above realism. Colours are strong, and ornaments are opulent.

Moonlanders tend to depict themselves in their art much in the same way, forgoing realism in favour of making every element of the representation connect and flow seamlessly, and express emotions and ideas with beauty and grace. It is common for the bodies to be depicted in impractical positions and unusual angles, and facial features tend to be smoothed beyond recognition and replaced with embellishments.

The Nezmenian style of art, which arrived to the High Moonlands with the crusades, is more realistic, with a penchant for owls, feathers, sharp angles, and concave curves. So far, it has remained a style favoured mostly by the Nezmenian elite, since Moonlanders of other regions continue to prefer the Grand Simariy and Southern Simariy styles.
Moonlandish Literature and Music

Much in the same way as in the visual arts, sentimentalism and aestheticism have been the norm for Moonlandish literature and music since the days of the Grand Simariy dynasty. The oldest poems and songs spoke of wondrous sights and extravagant characters, described in great detail with soft rhymes, so as to soothe the reader or listener. Most poems and songs told simple tales from the forests and the meadows of the Grand Simariy that involved fate, spells and the Moon.

This tradition was carried on in the eras that followed the fall of the Grand Simariy, even if the stories told changed. The romantic poems and religious hymns of the Six Kingdoms maintained the sentimentalism and aestheticism of the Grand Simariy, as did the cynical cautionary tales of the Nezmenian hegemony and the idealistic epic poems of the Southern Simariy.

During the diaspora, Moonlandish culture experienced a golden age of songwriting, with its crowning achievement being the recovery of poems from before and during the Grand Simariy dynasty, which were then adapted into hymns, folk tunes and sung epics. Their melodies, much like their lyrics, were usually soft, with an equally soft rhythm. The overall tones of the songs were divided between melancholic, soothing and encouraging, with some later being transformed into war songs when the crusades began.

Of the many pieces of Moonlandish literature and music produced throughout history, two pieces in particular of are regarded as being amongst the highest achievements of Moonlandish culture:

'The Fable of the Varu Calesti'. Originally a poem from the third of the Black Books of Nezmenia, the story of the feathered blood mage called the Varu Calesti was later adapted into a hymn in the Nezmenian style to be played during King Koryan and Prince Tamarev's joint royal funerals. In the decades that followed, it became one of the anthems of the diaspora, a promise to Nezmenian irredentists that Clan Vikentiy would rise once more and avenge their lost kingdom. It is said that Queen Tatyana had the Knights of Nezmenia sing this hymn with her before the beginning of the battle for the Moon's Throat.

'The Song of the Ancients'. One of the poems from before the Grand Simariy that were recovered during the diaspora, it speaks of the first Moonlanders and the original ideal of the Moonlands. Originally adapted into a folk tune, the Knights Lunar of Admorieth had it remade it into a battle hymn in the style of the Great Kingdom of Admorieth. Even after the Knights Lunar were exterminated in the second battle against the Paladins of Charlin, the hymn continued to be sung by thousands of crusaders, and became the unofficial anthem of the crusades and the Kingdom of the Moonlanders.

The Black Books of Nezmenia are considered the greatest classics of Moonlandish literature, alongside the Moonlit Romance. The former is a collection of ancient folk tales, some of them from the days before the Grand Simariy, whereas the latter is a massive historical novel of sorts that follows the history of the Moon's Throat through the ages.
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