The Campaign Builder's Guild

Celtricia, World Of Factions
V 2.1 for CBG
Setting thread--do not post here. Post here (http://thecbg.org/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?39572.last)  I really look forward to every question or comment.[note=Wall of Text Spell]
I totally am aware of the Wall of Text effect.  That's one of the reasons that I rebooted the last time. But I am thinking that I will have to set up a seperate thread for the intro alone.  [/note]
There will be a seperate thread for the Guildschool crunch.
In any question, the wikisite is updated regularly, and that is the best place to see anything about Celtricia.
Celtricia, World of Factions PBwiki (http://celtricia.pbwiki.com/?full_access=ykSciyNGwN&l=S)
Celtrician Primer
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[ic=Opening Montage]The room is large and box shaped,far too large to be lit only by a few thick white candles and a banked fireplace across the room.  The sparce light sources sent crazy shadows racing across the thick, dark beams some fifteen feet over head.  'Upstairs at Bannetti's', the room is called, and during the days it's fifty-one tables and all the places between them are filled with people, talking over each other, messengers with notes being sent, and deals being made.

 

However, at 3rd hour of the new day, hours before the red dawn known as the Sui, the room is cold and the four seated inhabitants are masked by the lack of illumination, though they all know each other.  None of them sit at a table with another, though they are close enough to hear the soft voices each employs.

"My sources inform me that "the Knife" has actually been operating here in Igbar for years, just under the window sill", says a small figure at a central table.  He's the only one at a table between the others, without his back to a wall, and his voice carries a clipped precicision.  The flickering light reveals a dark green, long satin robe, and greying hair.  The robe has muted piping and a black lining, bespeaking a level of quality beyond the reach of many in Igbar.

 

"They've probably been here for decades, Prime" intones the long figure seated at the table behind the hobyt.  The golden-red light of the fireplace comes from behind him, limning and disguising at once.  The silver and ivory lute on the table in front of him speaks more to his identity than any visual representation, and his voice is perfectly modulated, every word hinting at a mastery of tone and timbre.

 

At a table farthest away from the fireplace and close to the kitchen doors, a very tall figure stands up, his darker-than-dark cloak hiding the chain mail the others all know lies beneath it.  His omwo~ face is artistically thin, with large, metallic violet eyes and upward swept eyebows, however, it is now warped in a snarl.  "Years!!? ", he said, spitting the words at the floor, "Decades?!!"  His hand goes to his forhead, and balls to a fist.  "How could none of us have seen this?  Have I been so busy focusing on the Blackstripes that it never occurred to me that there might be another major player hiding out?"

 

"Varkonovich, since they work under the auspice of a Vernidalian Sect," says the small first speaker to the angry Omwo~, "I think they might have been working more in the fashion of the Holders of the Straight Way."

"I...don't...care..., " intones the Omwo~ called Varkonovich harshly, biting off each word.  He looks over at the human in the grey hooded cassock who has not spoken.  "Palimar and I have interests that involve knowing everything that takes place in Igbar."  He shakes his head at the others, his gold and jet straight hair reflecting the fire.  "Kasarack will have my head thanks to these butcher boys of the Green Mother, gentlemen." [/ic]



The Feel of Celtricia
Imagine living on a continent that was so big no one you had ever met knew the size of it, with huge open spaces between settements.  Imagine struggling in an existence where civilized folks crowd together for safety, where tribes of humanoids range around the wildlands between cities, where ferocious predators stalk herds of giant herbivores, and where the night is often terrorized by walking dead searching out the unprotected living.

At the same time, this is no feudal world.  Temples heal the sick as often as not, and magic replaces the need for some technology, and this magic, while not overly powerful, is present enough to allow time for philosophy and politcs.

The last impression that Celtricia should give is the weight of ancient civilizations over everyone.  The most indifferent farmer has heard legends from the past referenced while at temple, and has passed ruins or seen ancient buildings in a town, while scholars pour over the incomplete and patchwork written works of over eight thousand years of recorded history.

The Setting Overview
 
Celtricia is a large world, created for size and depth.  The world was has room to spare so that it can fit a multitude of cultures and clashing ideologies.  The general feeling of most of the setting is one of open space and resources still abundantly available, but also one of danger in the wild areas.  There is also a major theme of layered histories, with cultures going back over ten thousand years.   Open areas that current inhabitants may look on as open space can hide the ruins of major ancient cities, and every child's tale has roots in the tragedies of elder days.


The world itself is almost two and a half times the square mileage of earth, and is a satellite orbiting the binary start system of Tribin and Gerin (so named by the Omwo~ people).  Neither Tribin or Gerin is as hot as Sol (Earth's sun), but together they produce slightly more heat.  Gerin is a smaller, cooler orange/red star, and orbits the larger Tribin in the same period in which the Celtrician planet rotates upon its axis.  Because of these unique solar and planetary mechanics, the Celtrician day dawns red,  when only Gerin's lesser and reddish light illumines the planet's surface.  As the Celtrician planet rotates through its day, Gerin revolves around Tribin, producing a distinctly reddish light again as evening approaches.    In the final 10 days of the Omwo~ month (see calendars), Gerin appears in front of Tribin throughout the day, during which time Gerin is referred to as "the red eye of Tribin."  On the lithe day between the Omwo~ months, Gerin is eclipsed by Tribin and the day has a more yellow dawn and evening.  The Celtrician planet also has two satellites of its own, and therefore two lunar cycles.


As mentioned, Celtricia is over two and a half times the size of our Earth, with 4 major continental groups.  The history of this world (known to the Westic populace as the Tale of Years) is well over ten thousand years old, though the players have only found choice little bits of this.  The History is divided into the Age of Legends, the Age of Heroes, and the Age of Statehood.  Some will say that the Age of Statehood is coming to an end, and that Celtricia is transitioning into the "Age of Culture," but the people who use the Reckoning of Nebler (RON) to mark the date often just call the current period since the time of the founding of the Theocracy of Nebler "The Common Age."

Celtricia is a 'diverse setting', as opposed to a 'concept setting' or 'thematic setting,' in that the scope of the world and history has been created in such a way as to allow for multiple campaign themes.  Even though there is one great history and creation mythos,  there are multiple overarching 'adventure themes', such as:  the search for the lost god Amerer; and also for the broken god of lost causes, Pablar; the rediscovery of the Magic of the Shade; the release of the Dreadwing; and Y'gorl's Curse.


Thematic Elements

With all of those deep and fantastic storylines, it is vital to grasp that the Celtrician setting is a world where the presence and necessity of magic has slowed the growth of technology to a crawl.  The curious and intellectually superior explore the laws of magic, instead of science, and have dicovered ways to bend physics to their wills.  Artificers are paid to create a town clock that can be seen on top of a temple, Earth and Animist mages create the Marcher cow breed that produces an average 8 gallons of milk a day, and Fire and Air mages dominate a battleground... of what use is science here?  Ships are never becalmed and are pushed along the water by Air magic, and major cities can communicate instantly through guilds that specialize in mentalist magic.  Through the ability to channel power and structure it from the eleven sources, daily jobs are made easier, and even miracles can happen.

The 'necessity of magic' comes from a major component of the Celtrician experience, that of the Migration of the Spirit.   The ancient name for Celricia is the 'Waking Dream', and it is considered the space between life and death.  In broad terms, The Celestial Planars let loose spirit enegy into the Well of Life, and this is what inhabits every new birth.  Continuing this journey after death, the souls migrate to the Well of Death, where their merits are judged before they are free to continue through the Well of Death and reabsorbed by a Planar.  However, the key here is that the journey from death is long and difficult, taking decades or centuries, asuming the spirit is free to leave the 'Waking Dream' at all.  Necromantic magics can greatly aid the spirit in freeing itself and travelling through the void, and can also protect it from other forces.  These are called Shriving Necromancies, and while strange and difficult, such practitioners are seeen as beneficial.  Necromacy is also, however, the vehicle for snaring and enslaving spirits, or for those who are not ready to leave Celtricia.  Those who face death in Celtricia may fear it, but more, they fear dying alone, anshriven, their spirit tied to the 'Waking Dream' and an eventual puppet of some unscrupulous Necromancer.


To call Celtricia merely a 'medieval setting' would be inelegant.  The Countries of Trabler and the Bright Lands might be best compared to the Dutch Republic as it moved towards its zenith, with the strong local governments and the plutocratic emphasis.  Gunpowder has not been created due to the availability of magic.  This availability eventually created a fairly modern approach to trade, fully backed by insurance, speculation, guilds and even corporations recently. The Grey March may feature the public wearing of togas, but their enlightened republic, complete with seperate powers of elected Consuls and the Courts of Reason and freedom of religion and emphasis on the rights and responsibilites of the individual, has nothing to do with medieval Europe. So while technology as we view it on Earth is little advanced in Celtricia, magic has advanced far enough that culture, philosophy, communication, monetary policy and political science would be more analogous to our later Age of Enlightenment.

An outsider may see the setting as the 'World of Factions.' Tybalt the Unquenchable from the Campaign Builder's Guild mentioned that the rules have begotten a setting rife with interwoven guilds, churches, secret organizations, and political entities. The short list of what can be considered 'Sacred' would be God, Guild, and Country in that order.  Many of these guilds and organizations are older than countries and at least as powerful.  Churches and religious groups are often very ancient, and the Collegium Arcana is older, more wealthy and better placed than any mere state.


It could be said that the 'factionalism,' and incredible diversity of the politcal, religious, martial, economic, and political entities is what makes Celtricia so vibrant. One should not, however, get the impression that Celtricia is affected by urban sprawl.  Days and weeks of travel can be done without passing a hint of civilization in every country.  The tribal humanoids and wild creatures generally have no shortage of empty, wide-open areas... places where strong creatures have no law but their own.

There are racial issues alive in Celtricia as well. Small Hobyts and the strong Orcash are the most numerous races in Celtricia, followed by the three original clans of the Humans, the ancient Omwo~ (Elven), the Klaxik (Dwarven), the Gnomic, and the Gartier. These races comprise the primary inhabitants of Celtricia that are within the civilized world.  Understand, however, that it is considered an effect of culture to be able to integrate and work with other races, especially in the North-West Cradle areas where Orcash live side-by-side with Omwo~.  Barabarians are tribal, integrated cultures are civilized. So in hyper-integrated cultures, race is considered much less of a divider than Guild or Country, however you will find many areas that hold to their own.

But this very disintegration of racial identity is another dynamic that needs attention.  The Omwo~, the firstborn servants of the Planars, are a race in remmision.  Many ancient writings point to the advent of humans as a replacement for the Omwo~.  The Stunatu, the Klaxiks, Gnomics, and Hobyts, were created to be workers, servants of others, back in the Age of Legends.  In the last five centuries, the humans, who were created to replace the Omwo~ as the stewards of the 'Waking Dream' in most older religious texts, have watched the Hobyts outpace and supplant them with a cheeful, hard-working smile.  And overshadowing that, the even more recent inclusion of many of the the Ogrillite races, the servants and tools created to defend the Cairnhold in the Age of Legends, and the bloody-handed soldiers of Arbor and the Dreadwing throughout the Age of Heroes and the early Age of Statehood, into the sunlit streets, shops, and even governments of today's Celtricia.


Despite the social and intellectual progress, Celtricia is still a world of violence and gritty conflict.  Life can be very cheap in the under-town of Stenron or the dockside of Igbar, especially for those unfamiliar with the local customs.  The wilderness areas that stretch for unbroken miles between settled areas are even more dangerous, with tribal humanoids and wild beasts protecting their own territories.  But even more dangerous are the areas left by ancient civilizations to protect their secrets.   There is mud in the alley ways of Igbar, and under the bright, dappled domes on the street of the gods in fabled Stenron, there are huge sewers, which bespeaks an often unfortunate realism.  Violence and death are daily realities in for the inhabitants of this world.

Celtricia is a world in motion.  Some people seek to rediscover the artifacts and secrets of the Age of Legends, when the world was young.  At the same time, others are forging forward with clumsy and powerful movements, as nations clash and ideologies contest.  





Map of the Celtrician Cradle area

(//../../e107_files/public/1192126594_392_FT0_northwest_corner_.jpg) (//../../e107_files/public/1192126594_392_FT0_northwest_corner.jpg)

Celtricia, World Of Factions
Warning!
Raelifinated Post!!
Questions that might need answering.
Taken from here.Q&A page (http://celtricia.pbwiki.com/how+it+is+played?full_access=ykSciyNGwN&l=S)(Funny, First Tybalt now Raelifin are getting a mention....)
This is from the PBwiki here (http://celtricia.pbwiki.com/how+it+is+played?full_access=ykSciyNGwN&l=S)
A little of this is crunch, and will be repeated on the crunch thread.

Celtrician Rulebook
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Celtrician Rulebook

How does GuildSchool differ from most games

What are the major conflicts in Celtricia?

How do characters progress in a classless system?

But aren't their too many skills for a character to really get good at anything?

What stops a character from taking a really powerful skill specializing in it to unbalance the game?

Is the magic system as different as it seems?

Is Magic closer to technology or miracle?

Is Divine Magic separate from other forms of Spellcasting?

So what is the technological level of Celtricia?

Why do characters really adventure in Celtricia?

Remember one fact when thinking of the Celtrician game.  Celtricia is called the World Of Factions for a reason.  God, Guild and Country is a common phrase, first coined by Churnin Tox Hedjikar in Orbi, in 605 R.o.N., and it defines many things.


[ic]How does GuildSchool differ from most games?
Guildschool is more free-form in character development.  Characters only gain experience in skills they use, so their development is based on what they actually do.  No more getting better at picking locks by killing orcs.  You pick locks to get better at picking locks.

At the same time, characters can learn skills from other guilds that might be good at those skills.  So if a priest of the Church of the Karma of the Night (Darkling) wants to learn Multiple Attack, straight sword, he might go to a friend who is a Tristonian Knight, and beg allowance to learn from the Martial tutors there.

It is also a low-hitpoint/equipment-important system, where charcters cannot take too much damage compared to how much a weapon can dish out, and so armor becomes even more important.  In general, one of the biggest reasons for making a 'system that fit the world' was to create a system with a lot of little power gains, but one that maintained a somewhat more realistic power balance.  There are no PC's that fight dragons by themselves, or that go destroy armies.
When Celtricia was in its gestation period, it was already apparent that the game systems of the time were not a good fit for the world we were trying to create.    Almost every rule was redone, but the major changes came in three areas.

Combat changes

Magic changes

Character developement

[/b]
 
Combat changes and development changes are somewhat ties together, as the major goal was to maintain progress and development for characters, while reducing the ridiculous unrealsistic power of many of the systems of the day.  While many systems went to even more immature, epic-level rules to try to give longevity to a badly desgned ruleset, we wanted a more deadly system that gave constant progress without having world beaters in a few months of play.

Weapons can do a lot more damage, and it is of critical importance to have armor between your character and a weapon.  Larger creatures do more damage, and a we got rid of rounds and use a continuous inititiative system.

The Vancian magic system did not allow for the variety in power sources we wanted to take advantage of.  Much like we got rid of the very linear development of combat skills, upper level spells are harder to cast in Guildschool due to the multiple disciplines they draw from.  Leser spells and cantrips take knowledge in one area of magic, journeyman magic needs ability in two or three areas, but more powerful magics will draw from four, five, or even six different types of knowldge.

We also introduces a Spell success/resistance system, so that just because you can cast it does not mean you succeed.  And casting an Earth Spell on a a black Dragon of Earth is asking for failure.

As, for development, a world of guilds and factions would be tremendously limited by having the same skills and powers avaialble in every fighters guild, and prestige classes did little do mitigate this.  Guildschool uses a skill based set of rules that depends on each organization or guild that a player belongs to or is allied with.  Each of these 'factions' has access to almost any skill, but there is a limited amount of skills that they are good at.  So instead of having a 'fighter', the character may belong to the Scarlet Pilums of Igbar.  And later, may become a Brother of Garcelleti Euridios' School of the White Paladin.

Beginning characters have access to only one major faction and one minor faction, but later development is limited only by the players ability to network, though it is important for GM's to limit access to skills.  Social skills become more imprtant is such a setting.

The unique mechanism that Guildschool uses to determine how good a school is at a skill is the experience modifier.  So every skill a character has will have a column for 'raw experience' and 'adjustedexperience'.  A skill's experience modiefier is also adjusted by the attributes of a character.  So a strong warrior from the Defenders of the Land may have an experience modifier of .35 in basic spear, while an average person who tries to learn that skill may have a .1 experience modifier.  The Defender of the Land will gain levels three and a half times as fast.

[/ic]

[ic]What are the major conflicts in Celtricia?
Civilization versus tribal barbarism, Reason versus Dogma, The old landed classes versus the rise of the Guilds, and Faction versus faction are the most obvious that affect players everyday.  Underneath everything, unseen in the bright light of the day, is the underlying struggle between the civilization of today against the Sins of the Past.
Many times in the history of Celtricia, things were not ended.  And the forces of 'Good' did not always win.  Pablar, the Steel General, was destroyed by daemonic coalition.  Amerer, Grey God of Free Will was banished.  The Dreadwing's ancient prison to the north was cracked open centuries before, and his ancient malevolence is leaking out into the world.[/ic]

[ic]How do characters progress in a classless system?
We call Guildschool skill-based because experience goes into skills that are used instead of into a class.  But each skill has an experience modifier based on what group teaches it, and on helpful attributes.  So unlike many skill based systems, characters can be better or worse at a skill based on their proffesion.  
So this determines the experience modifier.  There is one chart for level breaks, on adjusted experience.  For every level break, a range per level is bestowed.  We don't need differfent Hit dice per level, every level breat is 2-5...but a bad school has a bad experience modifier, and goes up levels slower.[/ic]

[ic]But aren't their too many skills for a character to really get good at anything?
No.  Skills are set into groups, so that learning the base skill of a skillset (say basic traps) gives the character a litle bi in the subskills of find trap, remove trap, and set trap.  However, basic skills have a very small amount gained per level, so that a thief will eventually have to learn the subskills to get really good.

This also allows some characters to be very efficient generalists, as basic level skills are set up to give a little ability in a decent amount of subskills. And many subskills have more subskills.  For the deepest arts, there are often 3 or 4 levsl of subskills.[/ic]


[ic]What stops a character from taking a really powerful skill and specializing in it to unbalance the game?
A few things.  First of all, a player would have to use that skill a lot, as the only ways to gain experience in a skill is to use it or spend a ton of money on tutoring (see General Costing of Skill Kits).

Secondly the experience progression gets very difficult after fifth level.

Third, the basic skills 'above' that skill must remain higher level than the ones 'below' it.[/ic]

 

[ic]Magic seems really different here.
 The magic system has been designed to fit the cosmology.  Too many games create a setting and then plug in a generic magic system.

Spells are powered by channeling different energy source, like the House of Air, The House of Death, the Animal Oversoul, and the Perfect Form.  Spells cost a certain amount of each of these, and how many Spell points a character has in these determines how much power they can channell at a time without recharging.

Spells also have a success%, and casting a difficult spell risks spell failure, though a caster can pour extra spell points in to increase the spell success.

And the spell points come back at a rate that means at lower levels, a caster who uses all thier abilities will get them all back in a day, but as they can cast more and more powerful spells, they might take longer.

Finally, a spellbook was written expressly for the game, not merely plugging a D&D spellbook in.[/ic]


[ic]Is Magic closer to technology or miracle?
Most of the current magics are definitely analogous to technology; many of the best minds of the day go to guilds and universities to study magic.  The magic of the 9th century (R.o.N.) is seen with a brassy optimism, with an unhealthy dose of worship involved with the term progress.  Though not yet common in outskirt village, magic has reached a point where the wealthy are commonly making sure their children get a smattering of magical education with their other learning.  Artificer and Restorative spell skills are the most popular to learn, as healing and the creation of magical tools are popular goals.

However, the great magics of the past, such as the raising of Cooom Isle and Y'Gorl's Curse are the stuff of legnds, and many 'educated folk' today doubt these things ever happened.  It makes no sense in 'today's world of modern magic', so it must be exagerated.[/ic]

[ic]Is Divine Magic separate from other forms of Spellcasting?
No.  Though the churches (as combined guilds, universities, and thouses of worship) are a central feature of daily life in Celtricia, both the way gameplay works and in terms of how magic is viewed, Divine casting does not exist in Celtricia.  The Power sources used for spells that clerical characters specialize in are often a little different, as they normally learn Restorative and Necromantic Skills a lot more often than other groups, but often the House of Chaos and the House of Law are learned by priests as well, as well as the House of Life and the House of Death. Priests of Jubilex can learn chaos magic along with restorative and death magic.[/ic]

[ic]So what is the technological level of Celtricia?
In terms of real technology, very backward.

And in the villages and tribal areas, superstition and a vile level of existence are the rule.

However, the level of magical 'technology', the larger population centers and the wealthy use magic and artificed items to create a level of technology that has started to beat back ignorance, and allow a standard of living that promotes philosophy and a self-satisfied drive for improvement. [/ic]

[ic]Why do characters really adventure in Celtricia?
Celtrician civilizations are old, and there are legends piled upon legends of powerful magics and great wealth left for the bold to find and make their own.   And behind the curtain, these legends are also reaching out from the past to scrape at the windows in the dark of night.

In the last few centuries, philosphies of acculturation as a determinant of civilization have dominated the Kaffeehouses and gatherings, and brought the Orkash and Gartier into the melting pots that are the cities of Celtricia.  Yet the battles of the forces of progress versus the tribal groups, such as the Giantclan Silverworth, the Zyjmanese or the  Firehazers is fighting the good fight.

Guilds and factions demand tremendous loyalty, and are by extension ambitious.  The old social ranks of nobility, while not dissapearing, are making room and alliances with these guilds, and the way to power is no longer restricted to birth alone.
[/ic]

Changed, deleted, moved, folded, spindled, and mutilated.

Celtricia, World of Factions
Worship
 

Worship is an essential part of the puzzle of Celtricia.  Worship is not merely motions to go through, the relationship a person has with the church or churches they belong to says much about their personality. People are expected and encouraged to go to different churches, and while there is a lot of competition, the 'Pact Veritus' of High Priestess Manwessa holds true in all most of the Celtrician continent.

For there is no doubt that the gods are real.  Too often have their avatars made plain their opinions, too often do they nudge events, too plainly do they bicker, and sometime, too obvious are their favorites.  So the pedstrian effects of the many Holy Days and how the rituals of faith infect normal life, is profound.  Every person, every PC sees this every day.  In the hinterlands, superstition and religion run hand-in-hand, but in most 'civilized' areas, worship is a cultured, sophisticated part of everyday life.

[spoiler=Song of Creation]
The Song of Creation

 

Before there was land, before there was water, before there was Air or Flame, before even there was the strife of Order and Entropy, there was Oronath, the '˜Song That is Creation'.

Oronath came from the strife of a place and time that was old and burnt out, the last survivor and damaged from his exit from that failing song. His entrance into the void was without plan, and without hope. Yet there was in his damaged greatness still the Song of Creation, the Music of Life.

And it was some time in this void that the fits and starts of the Song pulsed and faded.

And alone Oronath knew despair, for in his powerful self the keys of the Song were set, yet as he forced the strains out, with more and more force, they fell upon the void and died.

And time and again, he rallied from the disappointment, steeled himself, and forced the Myriad harmony onto the void. And there, it died again and again, and then a thousand times again. In airless silence, the Song of Creations that dwelt in him, and only in him, pulsed out into the void and was swallowed.

And after so many attempts, Oronath of the Music turned from the void and from his trials of the Song. And there he found a reflection of himself, a darker brother formed from his despair, peering back at him. This dark reflection had all the size and much of his determination, yet was cold and empty inside. And when he reached out to this coldness, he felt the Cacophony of discordance rise to his music, pulling down the harmonies of life from the earlier times. And the discord drowned the harmony; dismaying Oronath further and the Music began to die.

And the Shadow creature came forward, gaining in power, and the Discord grew.

Then Great Oronath steeled himself, and thought for the first time in this new version of himself with clear purpose. The song is threatened; the song must be defended.

And the Harmony of life grew in volume, and Oronath stretched forth his strength, and it grew again, and the dark creature drew back. And though the discord still moved around the Song of Creation, the center of the Harmony held strong, and Oronath was pleased.

But the dark copy was a deeper creature than Great Oronath perceived, and the Cacophony changed to notes of minor key that added doubt and trepidation to the Music Oronath had cast into this void with. And yet even as Oronath rose up to create purity in the his Song, the harmony subtly changed around him to something deeper. The sadness of death and the resilience of Life became the great movements of the Music. And Oronath recognized himself in the other orchestrator, in reverse. And thus did Oronath meet the twin he created in his efforts to force the music onto the void, the twin Thanatos, the ender of the old, and the bringer of the new. This dark copy of himself bore a music of somberness and pain, yet that brought the triumph in his own into greater height.

And for time without end, the musics turned and moved. And in the order of the music and meter came the slight idea of creativity, of chaos, and thus did Entropy enter the Song of Creation, and thus did Oronath and Thanatos realize it for what it was.

And this also went on for time immemorial, the movement of Entropy and Order and the Cycle of Life and Death. They circled and moved and grew.

But there was more to come.

The Planars Brought Forth

After much time was spent on this, smaller themes and musics began to grow out of the song, created by the twin forces. And thus was created full grown Madrak the Mighty, from the thought of Oronath, creature of solidity and dependability, Creator and Earth lord.

And Oronath and Thanatos were amazed, as Madrak picked up his part of the music and wove strands of Earth into it. And as those three began to weave the harmonies, The Valiance of Nebler the Defender sprang forth from the thoughts of Oronath, and there were songs of protection in the Music. A beauty of sacrifice danced into the notes, of a nobility of defending unknowing fragile hope with blood, and of satisfaction of this job well done.

And the Emptiness of Thanatos was sparked, and he brought forth Anthraxus, the decayed, the Oinodaemon. Anthraxus brought a dark pathos that made more beautiful the other strains and harmonies. And Thanatos saw this and brought forth Asmodeus, the dark and violent law.

And all of them kept the music building, introducing interludes and melodies of greater power and complexity.

And so Oronath Brought forward Amerer, the balance and the inward facing. And then Pablar, the Steel General, the Patron of Lost Causes. And their music brought forth a power and majesty into the song.

And lastly, Thanatos brought forth Orcus the lord of the Dead, and Jubilex of Black Comedy.

And together, these beings strove to bring the great Music into fruition.

At their heart, despite a conflict of millennia, these great beings understand that the beauty of the whole is lessened without the contribution of the rest, as they heard echo in the void before creation, so that crushing totality of song reverberates in their souls from the beginning.
[/spoiler]

The 'Pact Veritus' states that a person shall not be be held to a church, and no secular penalty or favor can be levied based on a person's religious affiliation. In practise, there is some nepotism, but the 'Pact Veritus' is strong, and all the churches will rush to enforce it.
 
Though there are diffent viewpoints and opinions, almost all belief and faith in Celtricia starts with the Song Of Creation, the story of the creation.

Gods have different aspects, as they are large, old and complex beings, beyond the ken of the Iesuicua (White Omwo~ for 'Earthbound'). There can be no complete knowledge of a being so complex. Madrak is a Lord of the Earth, and of solidity, He a patron of wrestlers and of Gems. The Klaxik viewpoint sees him as a stern father figure, while another view knows him as Minious Stottar, patron of Clan leaders, and of hard choices. Hewecar is the Demon Lord of Blood, and of liquids. Alchemy and poison are some of his bailiwicks, And he is also a God of Transformations.

As such, different churches will focus on the aspects of the deity they feel are the real ones, and it is the incomplete earthbound understanding of these beings that cause this. The Igbarian Church of Grazzt the Redeemer is has a very different view of their deity, and a very different focus, than Onacon's Church of the Sword of Grazzt.

 

 People see what they want to in their Gods. People have imperfect understandings of these beings, and that is one of the underlying themes of the Celtrician mythos.  Simplified, static Churches have no place in a complex world. Nothing is more satisfying than when the mythos is deep enough so the players actually can understand and extrapolate from it, due to the sense of realism. Drono Bidlebee took a seedling from the Stenron PLatrform of Harvest, where they have a huge, old second generation Asslewood tree in the center of the Platform (Asslewood trees are actually from the House of Earth, and even second generation (slightly debased) Asslewood is extremely rare, wonderful and valuable) to the Miston Platform of the Harvest, but it was his idea. It was not a GM setup, or even on my radar. But he knew that it would be tremendously meaningful to the Amristians of Miston.

Some in Celtricia note a level of Moral ambivalence. There certainly is a lack of moral absoluteness in the mythos, and that what be what it actually is.   Gods are rarely all good, or all bad. Grazzt certainly has a noble side in Celtricia, and Abradaxus has an absoluteness of justice that borders on the cruel.

 

Also important in understanding the cosmology is understanding the different power sources in the void, which is also where the Celestial PLanars all hang out, since the Accords of Presence. Daemons live on the House of Death, Devils on the Ninth House, Demons on the Eight House. Spells that use chaos actually pull actually pull from the Well of Chaos on the Eight house. There is a House of Earth and a House of Water, but the House of Fire is no longer, and the Well of Fire was recreated on the Third Station in the Void, but it is still weaker than the original Well on the House of Fire that is no longer.

 

Basic Cosmology
 

There are dozens of major Deities, and probably close to a hundred minor deities in current worship. It is agreed by every major sect that Oronath created the Prime Existence with his brother Thanatos. And while the planets were still globs of mud circling the twin suns, they created their children, the Major Celestial Planars, which were formed in this order; Madrak the Mighty, Nebler the Defender, Anthraxus the Decayed, Asmodeus the Ruler, Amerer the Balance, Pablar the Steel General, Orcus the Shepherd of the Dead, and then Jubilex of Chaos.

These eight beings, while sometimes in great strife, made much of the foundations of Celtricia and the Prime existence.

The Void, the Houses, the Stations
 
 During the time of the Song of Ceation, when the Celestial Planars created the 'Waking Dream' that is Celtricia, they needed to create a framework within the Void to support it. So in the Void, Oronath and his Children of the Song created first the Well of Life, the fount of same, and made the House of Life around it. Then Thanatos led them to make it's opposite, the Well of Death and the Passage of Souls, and he created around them the sharp Plains of Zevashopal, and made the three levels of the House of Death to complete this second anchor point of the Song. Then Madrak the Mighty, Solid and profound, sounded deep notes and rhythm to contruct the Well of Earth. As Madrak labored he was bouyed by the strngth of Anthraxus, who took the earth and strengthened it with rot and repair, and they worked House of Earth around it, thick and immensely deep. Then did Nebler the Defender create the instrument of purification and retribution, the Well of Fire, and Asmodeus the ruler made the House of Fier around it, a place of heat and passion. Then did Amerer the evenhanded create the Well of Air, open and clear, and Sad Orcus added an emptiness to a House of Air around the Well. Lastly, Pablar of Hope and Lost Causes brought forth the Well of Water, and Ironic Jubilesx to aid him in the Making of the House of Water, complicated by all the mixings and creations of liquid.

The Celestial Planars then made nine more smaller houses in the void, dwelling places for them as they tirelessly made their magic and used this Song as framework to bring to life the 'Waking Dream'.

Got that? That's the Song in it's Second Movement, the creation of the Framework. But after that, during the making of the world of Celtricia, and while populating it, there was a lot of conflict. Through great effort, nine 'stations' were created in the void. A station is defined as a construct in the Void that was made after the Second movement of the Song of Creation. So that is the cosmic difference between the Houses snd the Stations.


As the 'Waking Dream' really took shape, the third movement, the unexpected movement as it is sometimes refered to in the few texts that are deep enough to mention it. This created two other 'anchor points' in the Void, so firm up the parts of creation that kept slipping away. The Wells of Order was created on the Ninth station, and the Well of Chaos on the Eighth House. To complicate matters, Later, in a huge celestial battle, part of the Ninth Station was destroyed near the Well of Order, and the First station was built abbutting the Well of Order there, so the Well of Order is actually in both the Ninth Station and the First station (I'm not going to even get into what theological wars have been fought over this stuff on Celtricia...). A similar thing happenned with the Seventh Station being built close to the Eighth House abutting a large part of the Well of Chaos.

But the Third Movement of the Song, the creation of the energies of Order and entropy allowed the Song to move forward.

Later fighting among the Celestial Planars (and including dsome of their greatest servants among the original Omwo~ and Saroids) destroyed the House of Fire, and forced a relocation of the Well of Fire on the third Station. This also happenned to the House of Air, now on the Seventh House.

Now, sometimes people on Celtricia call these different things. The Church of the Theocracy of Nebler is adamant that Nebler defends the Well of Order on the House of Law. It's not wrong, but that is how they see it.


After Celtricia had been arranged, the Celestial Planars dwelt on it. And many of their children were formed. Ceminiar, father of the Omwo~, Zeldar and Wakikchon, the Makers of the Klaxik, Yeenoghu, who made the goblin and gnoll races, Grazzt, father of the Sauroids, and many more. This was the beginning of the Age of Legend, when the Planars walked the earth. The Omwo~ and the Sauroid, their first servants, created the first Douh'is (White Omwo~ for 'Great House') in the Vale of Silence, and the early Omwo~ and Sauroids learned from them.

The Omwo~ created their first legendary city, The White City in what is the first recorded act of the Iesuicua, in what is 'Dadem An' (Common Omwo~ for 'Cycle First'), or -7150 in the Reckoning of Nebler. Keith and his fourteen followers were the first inhabitants, were the sole inhabitants, until the first birthings of the Omwo~, procreation, the gift that took all the planars to conceive of, as it took so many of their attributes, of life, and death, and balance, and more.

After the initial strife and the Accords of Presence were created, the Age of Legends ended and the Age of Heroes began.

 
A few players have recently asked me some questions that a lot of characters in Celtricia should rightfully have some inkling about.  These questions have dealt with the interactions of some of the churches and religions of Celtricia, and the origin and motivations of certain beings.  

        One of the basic concepts the players must understand is that the characters inside Celtricia have a necessarily incomplete perspective on the extra-dimensional creatures and powers.  Also, the more powerful these beings are, the more multi-dimensional and complicated they are. That is why the Church of Nebler the Defender and the Church of the Lawful Triumvirate can exist side by side.  And this is also the reason that truly evil temples of the Entropic Overlords feed Jubilex, who also has a very respected parish in Igbar.  Jubilex is the God of black humor and capricious fate, as well as the Demon Lord of Slime.  

       
        Another popular question has been the difference between Devils and Demons (as well as other creatures).  Devils come from the 9th Station, and pull all their powers from that place.  They are hierarchal and orderly by nature.  Demons come from the 8th House, and all their might is tied to the Well of Chaos there.  They are individualistic and unpredictable, organized only by brute force and coercion.   However, spellcasters can use enchantments sympathetic to the power sources of those places to summon and control both demons and devils.

        Daemons actually are centered in the House of Death, which is also where the undead draw their power from.  Necromancers and Death magics both draw from the House of Death, but Necromancy deals more with Undead side of the coin.

        The Venolvian Empire and the current Empire of Argus both have a history of the Churches of various demons holding some of the reins of power.  The old Orbic aristocracy had patron devils for each house.  And in Current Celtricia, The Argussian Empire and it's holdings worship the Daemons of Zevashopal on the House of Death.


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Celtricia, World of Factions


Igbar, Capital of Trabler

One of the primary areas of play is in Igbar, the capital of the Border country of Trabler.
 Igbar, Capital of Trabler (http://celtricia.pbwiki.com/Igbar%2C+Capital+of+Trabler?full_access=ykSciyNGwN&l=S)
The most updated data on the city is in this link.


(//../../e107_files/public/1192138318_392_FT39571_1182823073_392_ft31806_igbar2sm_.jpg)

Celtricia, World of Factions
Racial Information
 character creation, under construction (http://celtricia.pbwiki.com/Character+Creation?full_access=ykSciyNGwN&l=S)

Primary Integrated races of Celtricia
In the current philisophical mindset of Celtricia, the ability to integrate into a multi-racial culture is seen as one of the determinents of a cultured person.  Though for millenia relationships between the races were the norm, there had been a good amount of racism and discrimination practised, even among allies.  For the enemies of the various city-states and countries, it was often outright ugly.
But a little less than 2 centuries ago, perhaps borne out by the bold, equalizing independence the Guilds were giving the air, the Bright lands plutocrats in Hobyt Inn started trading heavily with the Blacknote Ocash Tribe a few days north of that city.  It is also helpful to note that in Hobyt Inn, Hobyts, Humans, and Omwo~ have had anti discrimination laws for centuries.  Though there was great debate, a philospohical movement began that was predicated on the idea that one of the primary determinants of a civilized society is the ability to become integrated in a multiracial society.
So the Bright Lands were the first to open up citizenship to the Orcash and Gartier.  Technically it includes Ograk, Goblin and Gnolls as well, though this is incredibly rare.  However, in a world where Hobyts and Orcash are the most populous races, almost 10% of the orcash of the world, and almost 25% of the orcash in the Northern Celtricial 'cradle' area, are 'civilized' and integrated.
In the time since then, most of the Northern (cradle) countries have been fired by this theory, and have adopted it, and it has spread to the Lands of Om in the Far South and most of the west, as well.  The Ambrellian and Argussian Empires are also combatting the idea as well.
So though race has a lot to do with cultural identity, it is considered gauche to put race above God, Guild, or Country.

Historical notes on the Races-
Please note that this information is not known in it's entiriety by anyone, sage, scholar, PC or NPC (Excepting Bahamut, Tiamat, and Verkonen Vreeg.  And he's Nuts).  To the players, there are vague legends and tales, many of which are colored by the the sources they came from.  For example, many stories of the origins of the Orcash that came from the Church of Piscos of the Axe and of the Devilkin Churches have them being born of mud, and irredeemable cretinous.  These tales are consdiered foolish  in the salons of the civilized, but are still often held as gospel in the farmlands.  

The Omwo~ were the first servants of the Celestial Planars, and they existed for almost a millenia as the sole 'race' of intelligent creatures on Celtricia.  These first Omwo~ were beings of great lifespan and power, and Keith's great White City was founded and the Douhis' all laid down before another intelligent race was spawned.  The Original Omwo~ had a very strict life, beinig so close to the Celestial Planars at first.  A slight dispassion exists even today in their temprament.

The Sauroids came next, and thoguh they are not a player race, they did found an civilization to the Far North, that Flourished into the Age of Heroes, until the madness of The BArd and Arbor leaked into their settlements, pitting one against the other.

Just over two millenia after the Omwo~ were created, Early in the Age of Heroes, Pablar, the Patron of Lost Causes and the Spirit of Rebellion made the Humans, short lived, and passionate.  Three families of twenty-four he made, House Telman, House Wastri, and House Kalil.  Within a few centuries, Telman went North and became pale, and dwelt near the OMwo~.  Kalil went south, and becasme dark, and vital in their conquering of Desert and swamp.  Wastri went east, and became self-relaint, introspective.

Almost two centuries latyer, still early in the Age of Heroes, Madrak the Mighty, EarthLord and Maker went to his Brother, Nebler the Defender, and they created the Stunatu, the Working Folk.  These were shorter, hardier and built for hard labor and craft.  These were the Klaxik, the Hobyt, and the Gnomic folks.

Eight Centuries later, After the Birth of Verkonen Vreeg but before The Bard Numansongs and Asol Arbor are born, Anthraxus the Decayed, Lord of the Cycle brought forth the Ogrillite peoples.  The Fierce Orcash, the strong Ograk, the organized Goblins, the Giantclan and and the clear-sighted Gartier all were brought forth when Anthraxus was freed on parole from his prison.

Current races.


[ic=Humans]

Humans, known to the Omwo~ as Pablar's toys.  Created originally by the Celestial Planar of Rebellion and Hopeless causes, it is little wonder that humans were the first short-lived race, and their willfullness is legendary still.

 

"The Omwo~ Grow things,

The Klaxik Build them.

The Hobyt's use things,

and the gnomes find how they work.

The Men start things,

leave them, and start something else."

Tel Jas Klaxik, Bard of the Copper Bell, Sembina, 405 RON

 

The original human tribes from the depths of the Age of Heroes were House Telman (northern), House Kalil (southern), and House Wastri (Middle), named by Pablar himself.  They are short lived, normally living up to sixty years, and impatient.  They are also almost as fertile as Orcs, and almost as violent.

Humans organize people.  They do well with governments, and armies.  Most humans are between five and six and a half feet, and have a seventy year lifespan, if allowed to live in peace.  There are as many Humans as Klaxik, and about half as many humans as Orcash and Hobyts.

Human PC variations
01-40 Mixed human
42-52 Southern Human
53-59 Gwynellian Human
60-76 Omnian Human
77-85 Delvan Human
86-96 Grey march Human
97-00 Gesana Human
[/ic]

 

[ic=Gartier]

Gartier is what the Bugbears call themselves, Bugbear being a slang term the Gartier find derisive.  They are the most recently 'inductee' into the cultured world.  It was only fifty years ago that the Gartier started living in settlements with other races, and there is still a great amount of racial tension in some areas. Gartier are quite often the brains of the various humanoid bands, as they are brighter than any other type on there average (brighter than humans, Klaxik, and Hobyts, as well, on the average).

Gartier are large and strong, averaging almost seven feet in height, and have a base HP of 5 instead of the normal 3.  they also have a decent detect scent ability and 30' of darksight.  Their weaknesses lie in their low birthrate, short lifespan (averaging under 50 years), and their incredible sarcasm.  Gartier suffer a large social skill penalty, partially due to their new acceptance into the cultures of the northern Celtrician area, but also due to practised gartier ability to use irony like a club.

Gartier PC Racial Variations
01-55 Mixed Bugbear
56-87 Dexter Bugbear
88-00 New Bugbear
[/ic]


[ic=Orcash]

The Orcash, or orcs in the Common Westic vernacular, are shorter than humans but taller then dwarves, with wide bodies and flatter faces.  They are a descendent of the ancient Ogrillite tribes, from the early Age of Heroes, and were in those ancient times the foot soldiers of the Arch-Lich Arbor.  Orcs have only been part of the 'civilised world' since 740 RON, when the BrightLands began recognizing them based on their behavior, instead of their race.  Most orcs are particularly fond of Hobyts because of this.

Orcs are normally four and a half to five and a half feet in height, and are gregarious and clannish, but often crude and money hungry.   The Orcash and the Hobylatia are tied for the most populous of races.

Orcash PC Racial Variations
01-70 Mixed Orc  
71-00 Zyjman Orc
[/ic]


[ic=Omwo~]

The Omwo~ were the first servants of the Celestial Planars, more ancient than the sauroids, and perhaps almost as arrogant.  Though given to art and culture, the Omwo~ bear the knowledge thet theirs is a race in remission, a shadow of the Xoui Omwo~, the first born that lived a thousand of in splendour.  Elves still take naturally to music and culture, but often are melencholy.

Elves are thin, with piercing eyes.  The more rare elves have hair that is given to metallic tints and eyes that match.  They average six to seven feet in height, and normally live between two and three centuries.  Due to their low birthrates, the Omwo~ and trhe Gartier are tied for the lowest population density of the norther celtrician area.

Omwo~ PC Racial Variations
01-35 Meadow Elf
36-55 Seafaring Elf (Cmao)
56-58 Vale elf (Vanir)
59-83 Wood Elf (Wolden)
84-90 Noble Elf (Huet)
91-00 High Elf(Imo)
[/ic]

[ic=Klaxik]

The tough Klaxik, the short, stout dwarves, dwell in clannish groups.   They are the warriors of the Stunatu, the Celestial Planars workers.  As in legends, these strong beings are miners and earth lovers.  Klaxik are fertile, crossbreeding easily with Gnomes, Orcs, Humans, and Hobyts, and a female Klaxik is almost never satisfied.  Just don't call her fat, that is probably solid muscle, and the woman fight as well as the men.  Klaxik's are normally between three and a half and four and a half feet tall, and live up to a century and a half.

Though they are excellent miners, some black klaxik are also excellent sailors and explorers, and almost all klaxik have a drive to explore and discover.  Klaxik make excellent merchants and earth mages as well.  Klaxik's get along woth almost everyone

Klaxik PC Racial Variations
01-30 Hill Dwarf +
31-50 Hybern Dwarf
51-70 Black Dwarf
71-80 Gastax Dwarf
81-00 Deep (Kann) Dwarf
[/ic]
 

[ic=Hobytalia]

The Hobytalia are the organizers of the Stunatu, created by Madrak and Pablar to keep the houses and the records of the Omwo~ back in the Age of Legends.  The Hobyt's are the laughing folk, and can make any creature feel at home.  They are born socialites and build freindships and relationships easily.  

Hobyt's are also loyal and creative, on the whole.  They average about 3 feet tall, as often shorter as taller.  So they don't really use pole weapons...

Hobyt's are prominent in almost every country, being tied with the Orcash for the largest population on Celtricia.  The Brightlands Plutocracy, while open to all, is dominated by the Hobytalia.  Hobyt's get along with the Orcash extrememly well, as long as they have joined passed the test of civilization.  Hobyt's normally pass back into the void as often after eighty as before it.  Hobyt's have to worry about their weight if they live a sedentary lifestyle.  Fat Hobuyt's are often called 'dumplings' or 'stuffies' by their more athletic fellows.

Hobyt PC racial Variation
01-40 Burrowed Hobyt
41-53 Gastax Hobyt
54-66 Red Hobyt
67-89 Shrum Hobyt
90-00 Underearth Hobyt
[/ic]

 

[ic=Gnomic]

The Gnomes are the faithful of the Stunatu, created by Madrak and Nebler back in the Age of Legend.  The gnomic race have great faith and are the heads of many religions, and are excellent healers.  Hardy by nature, they are almost as good natured as the Hobytalia, with whom they share a great bond, though they get tired of patching up the Klaxik.

Gnomes are short, rarely topping four feet, and are extremely hardy.  The males have beards like the klaxik, and the woen are more slender, looking almost like the Hobyts they are distantly related to, albiet slightly larger.  They are shorter lived than the other Stunatu, being called back to the Void by the end of their sixth decade on average.  Gnomes also tend to put on weight very quickly in a sedentary lifestyle.

Gnomic PC Racial Variation
01-50 Grey Gnome
51-70 Deep Gnome
71-90 Half Orcash Gnome
91-00 Brotherhood Gnome
[/ic]

Celtricia, World of Factions
V2.0 for CBG
Major Factions of Igbar.

"Can you countenance that?  Sure, them Hobbies in the Bright Lands are bankrolling this war, but the rest of them just expect us to house their useless soldiers...and then do most of their fighting for them!!!  Blackhearts from Orbi with thier noses in the air come here to work our honest wages away from us, while we do all their bleeding!  TradeGod take Argus on the back end of his scales!!"
-Overheard in Hostem's House of Hospitality
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The Game
Igbar is one of the oldest playing centers of the Celtrician Game.  Almost twenty five years ago, the first group stopped in that port when fleeing from Neblerian Justicars.  When they took ship to Devens, on Coom Isle, some of them even made it back.

The bustle and vibrant energy of this small city makes it a lively advanture location.  Trading clans and powerful families vie with Guilds and churches. Large portions of Trabler are totally uninhabited, and even older civilizations that dwelt in the area or passed through were small.  In Igbar,  a player can make a mark.

Since then, Igbar has been the most regularly played milieu in the campaign, and the Igbarian Area (link to map) is the setting for the Grey/New Legion campaign, the Ocodig game and the Tani Group.  The Legion group is currently the most active group playing in the setting, only in existence since 2002, but having already inclusive of 11 players and 10 characters (there has been one shared character).


The current state of this center of the Unicorn State is one of fear and turmoil.  The war with the Empire of Argus to the south has been cooling, and the Trablerians were looking forward to a time without war.  Then, without warning, a plague of Undeath has hit Igbar.  Sanctified and protected boneyards explode with the ancestors of the old families of Igbar, crypts under the churches are crawling with skeletal intruders, and the walled city seems infested with horrifying intruders.

IGBAR, the Capital of Trabler

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History and Information
 

Igbar is the capital of the country of Trabler. Trabler is a coastal country, currently a border state of the Stenronian Alliance in its six-year struggle with the Empire of Argus and it's allies.  Trabler was called the 'Northern Argusian March' until Trabler Aptor, Trader Prime of the Winfire Trading Guild, declared it independent a just over a quarter-century ago in a popular uprising.  Before that, the Empire of Argus to the South ruled the Northern Argussian Marches as a fiefdom, under it's laws and Sovereignty.  Igbartown fell to Argus with barely a whimper in 397 R.O.N., and ruled it until Trabler Aptor declared the Unicorn State of Trabler in 870.

The City of Igbar became walled around 610 R.O.N., and is one of the busiest port cities in the northern part of the Celtrician Continent.  Igbar sprung out of an old fortress placed next to a fishing village, and has grown ever since. It's current size is just over twenty thousand inhabitants, mostly still crammed inside the walled area. Since it the southern gate to the war, up to two thousand inhabitants of the town may be '˜at the border' at any given time. But these numbers are made up for in the amount of displaced families from the war-torn southern part of the country.  Igbar is full of the energy of thousands of people going places and having things to do.
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'And so you think this wattle collection is civilized, that you've found culture, because the houses have two stories and the main street has a sewer?   Child, this is culture like that dull excuse for a dagger you carry is a weapon!  Once you've seen the crowded lines of merchant ships at dock in Hobyt Inn, once you've seen the Arcanic Towers of Hagenos in Orbi, or the Street of Worship at the center of gigantic and ancient Stenron, then you can tell me about the finer things, but please, don't call Igbar civilized.'

Raphael Tungstolen, Wolden Omwo~ skald of The Frigid Song, and Priest of Verbren the Hunter.
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As in the whole world, the theme of the Igbarian experience is the 'Factionalism' that ties the city together.  The road to survivial and success is paved through allegiance with the organizations that run everything.  The Bardic guilds spread news and gossip about the wealthy trading guilds and churches, while the knighthoods and martial orders try to create order in the town.  Thieving guilds pay for aid amongst the competing schools of magic, and politcal allies cobble together money to pay off the shadowy assassin's guilds to winnow out their enemies in the moneyed upper class.
The architecture is somewhat mixed, between older stone temples, that shoot up fifty or sixty feet into the sky, and newer wooden buildings, well built, that are normally only two stories high.  The streets are paved, excepting the Royal way and the Dockside area.  The Docks are still dirt, and during the rainy season wagoneers curse making dock pick ups.  The Royal way was white-bricked some fifty years before by the Warden of Northern Argus, before Trabler gained independance.  There are some notable buildings.  Along the Royal Way, there is a building on the opposite side of the Unicorn Keep.  This building has 8 small trees with fire-red leaves (Gwynellian Winter Oak), and the building is of red brick.  Long, white stairs sweep to the double-door entrance, which is a square building topped with 3 levels of circular brick covered with a bronze dome fifty feet wide.  This is the Steel Libram, home of the sage school.

Many of the south-east Harou section of town are built with wooden latticework as extra walls and roofs and porches.  Ivy and Vneersberry grows well in the latticework.

The houses and businesses along the large Royal Way are often bricked or stonework on the bottom level, then topped with a top floor of wood.   The most affluent have small courtyards and lawns, even in the middle of this crowded space.  Many still bear heraldry from the recent regimes of the Northern Argussian Marches, before Trabler wrested the area away.  Both the north and south entrances are now castellated with twelve foot tall black marble Unicorns, where once the double headed eagle of Argus was stationed.

 

Westic is spoken as common language, though mixed with some Argussian words, and a few Harou words as well, as there is a whole section of town where wastrian cultures are represented.  There is also some Orcash and Marcher slang mixed in, as those languages are branches of Westic and have similar makeups and verbage.

 

The Laws will be discussed in detail later, but one curiosity is worth mentioning.  The Grey March, Sembina and the Bright Lands are all matrilineal countries, meaning that descent and family names are generally kept through the mother.  This is due to the fact the tribal clans and the clans of families that have become acculturated are all matrilineal.  However, Argussian Empiric law has always been patrilineal, and Igbar has kept laws of descent, legitimacy and inheritance that way since it has been done that way since the 300's.  However, it often causes a 'clan-vs 'law' dynamic.  Often, two set of records are kept.

 

Igbar is the closest major population center to the fabled Herb Lands of old Astrikon , within a three-day ride. Though a deathtrap for the unwary, the chaotic Herb Lands continuously draw in Druids and others, trying to fill the orders of the wealthy for poultices and reagents. Despite the Herb lands and the size of Igbar, the lands to the West, in Central Trabler, are nearly empty, dotted only by ruins of once-proud Astrikon Traders.

The plains to the east of Igbar are remarkably fertile, and a days travel (about 18 miles) in that direction brings players to the town of Igtiche, primarily the farming center that feeds the capital.  The Zyjmanese tribe of humanoids lives north of Igtiche, crawling through old Astrikon ruins and in the huge forest to the North.

Hobyts take up, as in the world at large, the largest population density, followed by Northern humans, Klaxiks, Acculterated Orkash, Omwo~, and southern humans.  A full quarter of the population is Hobyt.

The weather is softened by a coastal influence, and though it is somewhat wet, Igbar does not get as cold or hot as Igtiche or the Tiche plains to the east of it.  It normally gets to freezing a few Hawaaks into Dumoktis, but rarely drops under 20 degrees.  Snow falls maybe as late as midway through Dumotux,  and by the first of Tokush, all the snow is gone and the buds start coming.
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'Remember, when you are with your friends and colleagues, take Woerter's role every chance you get.  The small hammer that taps quietly wastes little and gains the most.  Smile, remember everyone's name, and be the very incarnation of the Hosting God on Celtricia.'

Jessup Greenlaw, Hobyt Mastergreeter of the Church of of the Host and Magistrate of the Horn Ministry
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 Trabler is a constitutional monarchy, but until 3 years previously, was still ruled by Trabler Aptor, the man who carved this kingdom out of the old Argussian Marches. So it recently came to a bit of a standstill, and was almost retaken by the Argussians, when Trabler Aptor went missing. The old king was nearly replaced with the Minister of Governance, until other members of the House of the Unicorn discovered that minister was actually in the pay of Heliopolis, Assassin king of Coom Isle, an ally of the Empire of Argus. A coup was attempted, but a counter insurgency, led by Julian Sempre Lerianolies of the Order of Stenron, recaptured the governance of Igbar and thus Trabler. Julian was then rewarded by the House of the Unicorn with the title of '˜Steward to the King'. So currently, Julian is acting constitutional Monarch, until the unlikely appearance of Trabler Aptor.

Politically, there are a few different movements afoot.

There is a sentiment afoot that the rest of the Stenronian Alliance has used Trabler poorly, rather as a shield, and while this group is not against the war, they are looking for some reparation if the war ends.  This faction is refered to as the 'Castellots', and many of the working class guilds adhere to this group.

There are 2 opposed groups that argue the legitimacy of the ascension of Julian to the 'Steward' position by the combined House of the Unicorn.  Those that support it go by the name 'Defenders', and those who are against it term themselves the 'Monarchists'.

There is also an underground movement called 'Marchers' that ascribe to the belief that Trabler's break from the Empire of Argus should never have happenned.  Some few old families lean this way, though none admit it openly.  This is called 'Marchism'.

The country is in pretty sound economic shape right now, due to the way power has been shared with the trading guilds.  Like most of the North-western celtrician cradle, the range between poor and wealthy, and between wealthy and rich is gigantic.  Property, deeded property, is still the coveted goal for 90% of the population.  Igbar, again similar to most of the area, is on the Electrum standard. A day's unskilled labor is normally worth an electrum goodwife, though what money can buy (and the conversion rate) runs from copper strips to gold horn.
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'By your countenance, you seem to think that there are more important things than wealth.  According to some philosophers, my stubborn friend, you could be right.  Life, love, and freedom might be seen as more important.  Of course, I can buy freedom.  Anyday.  Love?  Please... I'm sure enough horn and your sister would come begging.  Though looking at you, it might not take horn, some goodwives might do it.  And life?

Fool.  I buy and sell lives everyday.  Every day, every hawwaak.  Wealth, Boy.  If you are going to work with His Eye, understand that life is so, so cheap.'

Varkonvich Von Zap, Omwo~ Seeing Eye of Igbar
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Igbar generally uses the Westic Common calender (The Calenders), though some of the Harou sections in the south east section of town use the Wastrian 12 month variation.

 

There are many groups that vie for power in Igbar; many are Major Factions of Igbar.  Most of them, you will find, are interconnected in some way. The wealth and the old families have power, but all are allied with others as well.   The Populace gains much of their news and opinion through the Free Bards and the bards of the local guilds, writing songs, twisting songs, reporting news and opinion in the bars and hostlries of the town.  The Power of the Bards can be heard nightly in bars like the Silvered Note, Sweet Retreat, Golden Words, The Upper Crust and Hostem's Hospitality, to name some of the most popular.  With all the choices of strong drink, it is a wonder anyone is ever sober in Igbar (What to Drink in Igbar).It is worth mentioning again that much news and political workings are expected to be heard this way, and that though the common folk and the working class know that bards can be bought off (and you can hear the accusation pretty much every night), still the whole mood of the city can be found in these places.

 

The Assassin's guild of Heliopolis, the Blackstripes, are still in town. The Eye, a rival guild from the north, was instrumental in the coup that brought Julian to power.  The Bully boys have been around for decades near the docks, and the old Collegium Tortoris has recently showed signs of life.  Violence from the shadows is a feature of all cities, but is more apparent in this border city than in more civilized climes.  It worth noting again that violence is a daily feature in Igbar, that the wealthy employ bodyguards (often off-duty Scarlet Pilums).  Whereas in Stenron or Hobyt Inn, violence is relegated to the night, in the corners, One never knows when blood might flow in Igbar.

 

The Collegium Arcana is an old, multi-country law unto itself for those who study magic.  In Igbar, the Collegium Arcana bought it's own walled keep 60 years ago, where it takes in the money of young spell casters, and teaches them and protects them in turn.  The Alternative school of magic, run by Samria and Palimar, has opposed them recently.  Still, the Collegium is ancient, rich, and powerful.  Many say it is only a matter of time before it finds the way to extinguish the upstart.   The Steel Library Sages' recent alliance with the Alternative School of Magic has, however, breathed a new life into that group.  The Steel Libram is venerable and unused to the perils of politcking.

 

The knighthoods and fighting schools have flourished in this near-war zone.  The Order of Stenron has a full barracks here.  The Blue Turtles also have a large chapter.  The Bowyers of Ceminiar, and the Order of the White Paladin both show decent sized followings.  There are dozens of fighting schools attached to the various churches in town to boot.  Most knighthoods are not mutually exclusive, so a well-known knight may be a member of three or even more orders.  The local Scarlet Pilums are an order of knighthood who also act as the security force of Igbar.  They were hired some fifteen years earlier as a temporary solution to Igbar's need of a City Watch; they are still there.  Though nearly defunct a decade before, the The Armor of Trade who are the Knights of Ogleic the Lord of the Scales, is rebuilding as a fashionable knighthood.
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'There is only you and your armor, once you take the field against the Zyjmanese or the Firehazers.  Do not believe the Stories of children that these are weak or barbaric people; they are as good with a blade as you are.  Your armor is your first  protection, and your honor is the other.  Make sure both are in perfect order, every day.  Those that are alive in a decade will thank me for my words.  Those that are not did not listen anyways.'

Garcellenti Euridios, Hobyt master Knight of the Order of the White Paladin
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Which brings us to the religious powers in Igbar.  Igbar is a prefect example of the interwoven nature of religion into everyday life, as most guilds and other organizations have a patron or ally in a church or two.  The average Igbarian sticks his head into at least one shrine or Church every day; it never hurts being friends with the flock or the priests, and there is no such thing as having too much divine aid.

To view the current schedule of Holy Days, click here. (http://celtricia.pbwiki.com/The+Calenders)


Many of the major churches have their central temples on the 'Street of Worship', also known as 'Godstrat' (Godstreet) in debased Westic.  It is the mark of a religion on the rise or ina position of power to be able to buy and maintain an edifice on this street.  This is the first left as one enters the North Gate, a wide road whith white-bricking on the ground.  There are three rounded arches all 25' high made of white FidikMarple and blacksteel.  One bears an image of gavel, a scimitar, and a shield, which are the sigils of the Lawful Triumverate.  The second arch has had the carving wiped off it, the third arch has a large scythe carved in it, the sigil of Darkling of Vengeance and Redemption.

 

There are nine major churches in the town, and many more minor ones.  As in most Northwestern lands, it is typical of the folk to honor all gods to some extent, but each person will have a special patron or two.  The now-taken country of the Theocracy of Nebler lies to the east of Trabler, and most of the priesthood escaped into Igbar; but there is also a large church of the Lawful Triumvirate (which includes Nebler, along with Rakastra and Abradaxus the harsh), so those two groups are at odds. The Church of Earth stands next to the Church of the Green Mother, Jubilex of Chaos and Change gathers worshippers next to Belial the True and Clear.  Arlieng the Guide has many shrines in Igbar, as does Ishma the Lucky.  Ogleic, Patron of Trade is worshipped to some extent by all, and Verbren the Tracker needs to be appeased to keep the beasts of the Herb Lands at Bay. The Church of Geryon, Master of the Wild Hunt, opposes the Church of Verbren at all turns.

More recently, the shrine of Woerter, of the Meeting and the Host, has gained a full church Status, and the Shrine of Kiminus the Whole have been gathering a flock.  The Kiminus group is also attracting all the itinerant Inkmisa worshippers.

This is just the tip of the religious iceberg in Igbar

The trading syndicates and old families are another power-center. Almost all of the trade in the area is controlled by one of these groups, and they gather at the 'Grounds of Dismissal', Bannetti's Kaffee emporium in the middle of the city. As in almost any population, the Trading Families and consortiums are not separate from the other political forces; rather they are intertwined with them. A visitor to the '˜Grounds' can barely see the old coffee shop in what has become, in three human generations, almost a city block of mercantile activity. The Vissipee Family, the Winfire Consortium, and the Sceding Tree Associates are the three major speculators, and most of the lesser families fall in line behind them.   The Cowel Family Traders, who specialize in herbs and Medicines, Keluman Associates, who specialize in Leather goods, and the Fennarian Specialties, who traffic in rare reagents, are all examples of lesser trading guilds that owe fealty to one of the 'Big Three'.  There are over two-dozen Trading Guilds of every size in Igbar, and their allegiance is only to the gold horn.

 

In the most current weeks, military action in the southern front has waned. There are soldiers from all over the Stenronian Alliance and the Verkonian Duties taking leave, which leads to a certain amount of confusion and tension between them and the natives. Many merchants are taking advantage of their freedoms and a shortened supply by moving prices up on almost anything.

 

The supply shortage that has been prevalent in the last 10 Hawaaks was due to a band of humanoids, the Firehazer tribe, that were preying on some of the caravans from the North. Recently, The Sceding Tree Trading Consortium and the Scarlet Pilums proclaimed simultaneously that the threat had been eliminated by a collaboration supported by those two groups. Both groups take credit for supporting the Grey Legion, an adventuring band that has been smashing the Firehazer tribes of the Wibble hills.

 

This does not mean there has been a shortage of humanoid activity. The Church of Vernidale has been blocking most pilgrims and merchants from traveling to the Herb lands in the last few months, but they have been coming under heavy attack from the Zyjmanese Tribe, an orkash and Ogre band led by one of the zealots of the original Zyjman . Sir Garcellenti Euridios of the Order of the White Paladin has recently returned from a journey, and lost no time in denouncing both the church of the Green Mother and those that assail it.

 

The Neighborhoods and Wards
Like all cities that have grown organically, Igbar's roads and street wind somewhat confusingly.  Couple that with the small pond and the stream (the Vdalek) in the middle of the west side, and the growth of the city has just 'happened around it', and has not been organized.

The Dockside area is not just the coastal side, it includes mainly the center coastal area where the oldest Docks are, which leads down 'the Keep Way', one of the oldest streets in the city.  The Dockside area has no paving, and most of the buildings are made of wood, many of which are sinking into the ground.  There are a few old captain's houses, mostly Inns now, that show there was some money in this area at one point.  However, the area is mainly bars, inns, taverns, a few businesses, lots of older warehouses, and poverty.

The Royal way is the opposite.  It stretches from the Northern City gates do the Southern Gates, and was conceived by Artic Husamin IV, the sixth Duke of the Northern Argussian Marches.  This whole, wide street is paved in white, and in the center, on the waterside, is the Royal Keep, built by Artic in 680-689 RON.  There is a small park that abutts the Vdalek Pond.  Many of the most wealthy families have their bricked, in-town residences along that road.

The South-Eastern corner of the city is the Harou section of town, where the quaint, introspective social graces of the Harou cultures is observed.  Tea service, outdoor porches, and piinut incense in the air are the staples of the area.

The North Eastern corner of the city is dominated by the 'Street of the Gods', as it is called commonly, though it's proper name is the 'Avenue of Worship'.  Though not all the temples and Churches are their, the Lawful Triumverate, the Church of the Green Mother, The Church of Chaos, and the Platform of Trade.  Also, one of the oldest Boneyards within the city limits, now full to bursting with old headstones, is there.  That boneyard dates back to the early dates of Igbar.  The oldest dates are from ~320 R.O.N.  Around 470 R.O.N., the Igbarians uncovered a long sunken garden to north of the Street of Worship, and that Northern Boneyard is where many of the family Crypts were moved to.

Basic Knowledge of the Area.  This is information that every inhabitant has.

Igbar is a war zone.  Troops from the Stenronian Alliance to the North come through all the time, and since the Theocracy of Nebler and eastern Trabler were taken some 6 years ago, Igbar is the major population area of a salient.

The recent perils of the night, the undead that are wandering in numbers, are a major, major worry.  Even the war has taken something of a back seat.  The Church of Geryon and also the Green Mother have both claimed that the dead from the days when Igbar was part of the Northern Argussian Marches are rebelling against the recent war.

The normal 5.5 day work-hawaak is predominate in the city intself (Dunsak through Monak, with the financial intitutions, including upstairs at Banettis, closing right after noon hour on Monak.  Most priests do fast on Fastak at the end of the Hawaak.  Priests of the Patform of Trade (Ogleic) fast on Monak.

The Blackstripe thieve's guild of Heliopolis is pretty much an underground element of the Blue/White (Argussian) alliance.

The "Pact Veritus' is very strong in Igbar, so no secular penalties or prejudice will be allowed based on the religious afiliation or membership or wanderings of anyone.

Most moneychangers will stay open until fourth hour, and most other businesses until sixth hour.

The herb trade, formerlay great due to the proximity to the Herb Lands, is being strangled by the Vernidalian church.

The Church of Woerter, the God of Hosting is gaining converts quickly.

The Collegium Arcana has recently stepped up their attempts to eliminate the Alternative School of Magic.

Public drunkenness has recently become a crime, passing through both houses of the Unicorn.

The Scarlet

Pilums started as mercanaries, scabs to replace the striking town guard, back almost eighty years before.  Now they are the town militia despite claiming to be independant still.

The armies of the Blue White Alliance (Argussian) to the south are under the Archevault of the Axe, Piscos the War Daemon of the waves.  If complaints are made about the 'Axe-man', or 'Axe-men', this is what is meant.

The music in Igbar, and most of North Western Celtricia, is very important for judging the mood of an area.  People are very interested in music for the story and content, as well as the music.  So the veracity and truth of a bardic creation is critical to how it is received. The bardic guilds control much of the disbursment of information.

The 'Rule of Reach' states that bows and two handed weapons cannot be carried within the city walls without a Scarlet Pilum escort or a letter of examption from the Lower House of the Unicorn.

The Orcash and Klaxik fashion of men shaving their heads which started in the North has reached here recently.

The Gates are open from Sunup to Sundown.  The Scarlet Pilums judge this from the bronze dome of the Steel Libram, and most others people in town do as well, though there are 3 artificed public clocks in town as well.   After Dark, there are bells outside each gate, but only those with official paperwork or who are known to the Scarlet Pilums on duty will be let in.  Most knights and bards from Igbar are known and have paperwork...

Current fashion in the city is running towards 'shiny' fabrics, and women's fashions tend toward gowns that go to mid calf, with a half corset on the outside.  Headgear is a must for the fashionable Igbarian lady, often in a fan shape.  Men's fashion is very martial, with fitted leather armor being normal wear, and a tabard (again in those shiny fabrics for the fashionable Igbarian male) being cinched by a belt.   Please note that female combatants often combine the two to some level, and that this is considered respectable, but not very attractive.  

Notes on the Law of Igbar
The Scarlet Pilums, once a mercenary band hired to fill in for striking town guards, have been the enforcers of the Law in Igbar for over a hundred and fifty years.  When Trabler Aptor's Merchant princes rebelled and wrested the city from the Argussian Empire, it was with the help of the Scarlet Pilums.  Joachim Sheering is the power, of the ancient and honorable Sheering family, in the Scarlet Pilums.

The law itself is based partially on the old monarchal laws of the Empire of Argus, and mixed with newer ideas from the Grey March (hence the upper and lower house of the Unicorn) and the Bright Lands plutocracy.

The North and South gates are open from Sunup to Sundown.

The laws of inheritance and decent are based on the patriarchal rules followed by the Empire of Argus.  This is of interest as most clan laws and the laws of other countries in the Stenronian Alliance (The Grey March, The Bright Lands, Orbi, and Sembina) have matriarchal lines of descent.

The lower courts for most folk arrested is the north or south court, where justicars from the Lower House of the Unicorn and their minions work.  Any case can be retried by the Upper House of the Unicorn if a petition is granted by them (so someone must know someone...only members of the Upper or lower house can bring a petition to the House).  While the Lower Courts is somewhat anonymous due to the volume and preponderance of pettiness, when the Upper House judges a case on Lawsak, it is always newsworthy.

The 'Rule of Reach' in Trabler states than no weapons longer than a person's arm can be carried.  So a bow or a spear carried in a usable (non sheathed or strung) position can send a person to the lockup, or to a fine of up to 5 electrum goodwives.  Note that some organizations can create exemptions for these...




This is a partial list of factions in the City of Igbar.  There are countless smaller factions and more mercantile versions (there are almost thirty merchant factions alone) and about twenty major specialty construction guilds (Cobblers guuild, weavers guild, etc).  Alliances to church and guild and the daily interaction would be dizzying to the uninitiated, but it is taken in stride by the inhabitants.
This is the list of currently player-available guilds for PC;s to use.


I'm currently redoing the entries in the wikisite, but I have included the ones that are current as spoilers, and will update this page as I update the wikipage. page link (http://celtricia.pbwiki.com/Major+Factions+of+Igbar?full_access=ykSciyNGwN&l=S)
CELTRICIAN FACTIONS


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Alchemical
The Green Flame--- Fire mages, and the eye's alchemical branch
[spoiler=The Green Flame]
Guildschool Faction:
 
Area:Igbar
Name:The Green Flame
Affiliation with Larger: The Eye of Igbar is the parent guild.  The Eye members are treated as seniors members.
 
Membership style: Hidden membership.  When pressed, members say they are part of the Alternative school of magic.  They are allied with that group
 
% of starting membership: 40% Attrib bonus: IN (12/2) CD (10/.5)
Mission: To Support the Eye of Igbar and provide magical and alchemical backing for them.
 
Size: 28
History: The Green flame is currently the alchemic branch of the Eye, the local branch of the Thieve's guild centered in far-away Stenron. They Green Flame was actually an independent group of alchemists some 40 years before, squashed by Maf's Dark Brotherhood, and then reincarnated nine years ago by the Eye. They are partially thieves, but skilled makers, able to create poisons and potions and decent scrolls, as well as some minor magical item enchantments. They cannot teach all the spell types well, but have a decent assortment. The do well in Artificer, Fire and Water spell points.

 
 
Current leader: Hoorian Hagr Ventan, Male Gnomic
Current situation: Not known.  Freinds with the alternative school, and some friends in the Steel Libram[/spoiler]
Vasko's Brew--- The blackstripe's poison makers

Archer
Bowyers of Ceminiar--- Martial order of the Ceminiarians

Calling Shot--- Quasi Military group, Official Martial order

Assassin
Collegium Tortoris--- old and tiny (and weird)
[spoiler=The Collegium Tortoris]
Guildschool Faction:
 
Area:Igbar
Name:The Collegium Tortoris
Affiliation with Larger: The mother branch was thought destroyed, and Heliosa was waiting to die.  A recent missive from the Miston Mother Branch has the old men trying to find their feet again.
 
Membership style: Fraternal, and only mixes with the Steel libram or a church
 
% of starting membership: 10% Attrib bonus: IN (12/1) CD (15/3)
Mission: Seemling to be coming to an end, a messenger from the re-awakend north has sent the old men looking for new blood
 
Size: 5
History: The Collegium Tortoris has been a favorite lately. The Guild of Torturers and Executioners started around 188 Reckoning of Nebler, in Winterloo (Later to become Stenron). UNknown to all, they were in possession of The School of Shade Spell. in 221 RON Winterloo had a backlash, and invaded their fortress on trhe Corpusmount, on the edge of the Necropolis. By 225 RON, Venolisia, the sole surviving Master of Pain gathered a few suporters, and in the eaves of the Miston wood, between the evolving State of Winter and the new coastal settlements of the expanding Venolvian empire. He imparted the ramparts with the power of Shade, so the fortress was not seen unless looked for. Being a full Hawaak's ride from the edge of the State of Winter, it was well secluded.
Over the next century, the trade road grew up to pass the Collegium, and a small community of inns and settlemets grew ther, which would become Miston. Due to the magic of Shade, only a few leaders were even aware of the Collegium existing on the edge of their growing forest settlement. At this same time, enough old patrons had been contacted so that many nobles had started to hire one of the masked, felt-cloaked Torturers for their court, as they were trained in diplomacy and strategy, as well as Poisons and the Arts of Truth and Pain.

The local group was started almost two centuries before.  Only 1 omwo~ and four human old men are left.  Yet they are still fell and dangerous.  Hard to qualify for, they have some of the best pure assassination skills in the world.
It Should be Noticed that Heliosa and Gerol both look like aging men, in their late fifties.  Due to a certain effect of the guild, they are both actually well past their first century.
 
 
Current leader: Heliosa, Master of Pain
Current situation: unknown in town, except for the Frigid Song and the Steel Libram.[/spoiler]
Holders of the Straight Way--- Belial's Assassins, Ritualistic

Jocien's Knives--- The blackstripes warrior arm,

Karin Machinations--- The strong arm of the Eye.
[spoiler=The Karin Machination]
Guildschool Faction:
 
Area:Igbar
Name:The Karin Machination
Affiliation with Larger: A part of the Eye of Igbar.
 
Membership style: Private, secret membership only.
 
% of starting membership: 40% Attrib bonus: IN (12/1%) CD (13/2%)
Mission: Three-fold
a)     To protect the members of the Eye and to be their strong, slaying arm.
b)     To destroy the Blackstripe guild of Heliopolis.
c) To maintain the secrecy of all members of the machination.
 
Size: 29
History: The Karin Machination take their name from Karin Beechhurst, (female Hybern Klaxik). She was the leader of a small guild of slayers that allied with the Eye when Kasarak first came to Igbar. She went to the Void back in 890, but her guild has become the strong arm of the Eye of Igbar, part muscle, part knife.
Like most of the Eyes, the 'enforcement' arm is called the 'Searing Eye' within, but the knowledgable of Igbar still call it the Karin Machination.

The machination is especially strong in the Harou districts of Igbar, the Omnian/gwynellian sections populated by expatriated Wastris. Varkovich Von Zap, Vanir Omwo~ Head of the Eye, is partial to the eastern hospitality and afternoon tea services.


Most of the population of Igbar thinks of the Karin Machination as primarily strongarm, but that is a carefully crafted facade. They actually compete with the Holders of the Straight Way and Jocien's Knives in the secret world of political and paid death.

 
 
Current leader: Greta Hodgekin
Current situation: Believed by most to be merely a blunt instrument. They Eye itself is under some political scrutiny.[/spoiler]
 
Bard
Bertrand's Bard School--- drummer warriors. Very Loud and annoying to others, Proud

The Frigid Song--- Warrior Bards from the frozen north
[spoiler=The Frigid Song]
Guildschool Faction:
 
Area:Igbar
Name:The Frigid Song
Affiliation with Larger:Some northern versions, loose affiliation
 
Membership style: Full Skalds only, cannot join other baric
 
% of starting membership: 50% Attrib bonus: IN (12/1) CH (13/1.2)
Mission: To create the present in bardic terms that will become history
 
Size: 41
History: Formerly from the Grey March, came to Igbar from Hobyt Inn in 840 RON.  Has been very politically active, and is in friendly competition with the other barci guilds.  Much news and social commentary is done by bards, so that is taken very seriously.  
 
 
Current leader: Hosta Hab Needleswine
Current situation:Very Popular, friends with other bard guilds.The Frigid Song has been mixed with the Grey Legion and New legion, and as such, is more in the public eye than ever.[/spoiler]
 
Religious-churches
Church of Weaves--- Bamik, weaver god, many Hobbits
[spoiler=Chuch of the Weaves]
Guildschool Faction:
 
Area:Igbar
Name:Church of the Weaves
Affiliation with Larger: This is the mother Church for the worship of the Weaver-God, Bamik.
 
Membership style: full priests or worshippers.
 
% of starting membership: 45% Attrib bonus: WI (9/1)
Mission: To peacefully support all the worshippers of the weave.  To educate the children and to directly Aid the weavers guild
 
Size: 18 priests, some 2000+ full worshippers.
History: The Church of Weaves has been in Igbar for almost 200 years, and is centered near the Weaver's Quarter.  The Church of the Weaves worships Bamik in his incarnation as Weaver of fate, Patron of tradesmen, and of Fine detail work.  The Church of the Weaves also has a cross-over shrine to Minious Stottar (Madrak the mighty, in his guise as the Patron of Hobyt Clan Leaders) and Obliment, Devilkin of Travels.
 It was a very small church in the poor Weavers Quarter back in 701 RON.  The small church was converted into a pretty large on in 757 RON, when Hagji Renteria (male hum) convinced some wealthy benefactors to purchase all their families rugs from the weaver's quarter.
Gerol Sheering made the worship of Bamik more popular, when he was the minsister of finance for the Northern Argussion Marches, in 815 RON.  Since then, the weavers and many of the gemsmiths  and silversmiths have come over to this Church.  The Priests here are generally healers, but are very politcally active.  They are close allies with the Church of the Lawful Triumverate.
Currently they have been speaking out against the protection fees that every merchant pays.  
 Also, the recent topic in many bars is 'The Rights of the Free', by Kalisandros Ogreslayer is also a current topic in the Church of the Weaves.
 
Current leader: Gartiosa Kar Lokkar (female Klaxik Priestess of Bamik)
Current situation: Very well thought of, popular with the working class Igbarians, and the artisan members.[/spoiler]
Church of Belial the True and Clear--- Belialist believee in Order, and in getting what

Church of Change (Jubilex of Chaos)--- Very social, and Chaotic

Church of Direction--- Arlieng the guide,many sages worship here.

Platform Of Trade (Ogleic)--- The Trade God, the scasles,Mercantile church

Church of Fortune (Ishma)--- Goddess of thieves and the hopeful, lucky Ishma

Church of The Living Earth (Madrak the Mighty)--- Huge, solid and Popular

Church of the Green Mother, Igbar  (Vernidale)--- Vernidale, the Green Mother Druidic and neutral
[spoiler=The Church of the Green Mother]
Guildschool Faction:
 
Area:Igbar
Name:The Church of the Green Mother (Vernidale)
Affiliation with Larger: The Mother Church is in Hobyt Inn, in The Bright Lands.  This is the largest branch in Trabler.
 
Membership style: Very closed for a church, but not totally.
 
% of starting membership: 50% Attrib bonus: WI (10/1.5)
Mission: To protect the wilderness and the cultivate the urbal.wilderness interface.
 
Size: 32 members, 650 regular worshippers, not counting the thousands who giver her due.
History: Vernidale's Churches, whether the Serpent Queen or the Green Mother, are thousnads of years old.  The Church of the Green mother came to Igbar in Force almost 3 centuries ago, in 705 RON.  Many of the older families of the Northern Argussian Marches that had already held her in reverence immediately formed major alliances.
 
 
Current leader: Green Mother Palmieri Hestle, Hobyt Female
Current situation: One of the larger churches, probably the third after The Lawful Triumverate and the Chruch of Chaos.  Lately, the interdiction this church has placed on the Herb lands has strained their popularity.[/spoiler]
Church of the Autumn Harvest (Amrist)--- very small, Seasons, harvest,From the North

Church of The Hunt (Verbren)--- The warrior arm of nature

Church of the Lawful Triumverate--- Nebler the Defender, Rakastra the judge, Abradaxus the Harsh--very popular

Messianic Church of the Theocracy of Nebler--- Nebler the Shield Many transplants worship here

Church of the Wild Hunt (Geryon)--- Chaotic and wild, The mighty lawlessness of The woods and fields

Church of Hosting (Woerter)--- Host, and hospitality. The Meeting god

Shrine of Amerer--- very small, neutral mages and beurocrats

The Shrine of the Whole (Kiminus)--- Very small, God of Heroes and fools, of the whole person,

Cooking
Tolmar's Bakery--- 3rd generation, amazing cakes

Bamik's Soups---Children of the Weave eat here often

Cooking, service
Hostem's Hospitality--- The huge and famous restaraunt,

 

 

Druid/ranger
Defenders of the Land--- of Madrak/Vernidale.

Fighter
Terrors of the Knife--- Assassin/Fighters of Vernidale


GovernamentalMinistry of the Unicorn--- School of government
[spoiler=Ministry of the Unicorn]
Guildschool Faction:
 
Area:Igbar
Name:The Unicorn Ministry
Affiliation with Larger: Most career politicians have come from this literal school. Adult education is the norm, though they start classes as young as 12 yrs old. Most merchant families and noble hosues send their boys and girls ehre, and here they build relationships for life. Many appointments and agreements are made due to this brotherhood.
 
Membership style: Collegiate, with more emphasis placed on adult learning.
 
% of starting membership: 30% Attrib bonus: IN (12/1) CH (13/2) soc (20/1)
Mission: To Educate future governmental figures in Igbar.
 
Size: 77 active, 101 including faculty, ot including alumni.
History: The Ministry was actually created by the gentry of the Northern Argussian March Wardens in 799 RON. In 870, when Trabler Aptor, Trader Prime of the Winfire Traders declared the new country Trabler, the ministry, which had become a thoroughly Igbarian entity, just kept on educating.
 
 
Current leader: Beglar Aptor
Current situation: Very well thought of, at worst tolerated. [/spoiler]
 
Kensai/Bard
Martial School of Song--- the "Archers are pansy's" guild
 

Mage
Alternative school of magic ---Independent, Irreverent, and in money trouble
[spoiler=The Alternatie School of Magic]
Guildschool Faction:
 
Area:Igbar
Name:The Alternative School of Magic
Affiliation with Larger: none
 
Membership style: Very Open Membership
 
% of starting membership: 50% Attrib bonus: IN (12/1) WI(10/1.5)
Mission: To create a cooperative magic school that is not under the heel of the huge Collegiom Arcana.
 
Size: 90 active, 9 instructors, 29 students
History: In Igbar, the Alternative School of Magic was begun in 2-31-889, where Palimar, Air mage of Devens and Priest of Madrak and his wife, Samria, sage of the Steel Libram, decided to rebel against the Collegium Arcana in this small, border city.
During the troubles, when the Unicorn King, Trabler Aptor dissapeared, Palimar was already on the Lower House of the Unicorn, Palimar and his friends were instrumental in guiding the city during that dark time, and Palimar was one of the group that discovered HighHand Coomi, ranking member of the Great House of the Unicorn and Venerate of Nebler, was actually a spy for the Argussian Confederation.

 

Note :
Palimar is actually a PC still remotely playing his old character. These sessions were played 1986-1990.
Palimar was voted by the lower House of trhe Unicorn into the Great House, and at that time, to spite the Collegium Arcan that had always impeded his work, used his popularity to create the Alternative school of Magic. Currently, 9 instructors and 29 students study in their halls, and an astonishing 52 other people have memberships and do their spell learning there.

 

 
 
Current leader: Palimar
Current situation: Very low on cash, and very polarizing.[/spoiler]
Collegium Arcana--- The huge, multi national consortium

Red Witches --- Just Outside of Town, blood magic

Shell of defense--- Igbar militia mages.

The Tower-- The Water-mages
 

Martial Artist
Brightblue Limbs--- martial artist from Xamdu hold

Green Dragon Clan-- Draconian and sly

Mysteriarchs of Lathe--- warrior Commando-monks from Gwynell
 

Painting
Goodeval Art school--- From the Stenron branch

Mosaics by Rentan---frescoes, mosaics,and other lifestyle artworks.
 

Ranger
The Hunters of the Shade--- Verbren's Hunters, tracker's non-pariel

Cobranic School---Snake Rangers of the Serpent Queen

Sage
Greta's Words--- sages who specialize in scrolls

Steel Library--- strange old sages' guild.
[spoiler=The Steel Libram]
Guildschool Faction:
 
Area:Igbar
Name:The Steel Libram (Steel Library)
Affiliation with Larger: none
 
Membership style: Fraternal order, not exclusive.
 
% of starting membership: 30% Attrib bonus: IN (12/1.5) WI (13/1)
Mission: To store knowledge and teach the love of lore for the sake of lore.
 
Size: 24
History: The Built in 488 RON, the Steel Library originally came as a branch of the Library of the Orb. The first keeper was Aslow Ostombar. The second keeper was secretly from the Collegium Arcana, Og Antit Antioper, but the son of the first Keeper and a few of the younger members found him out and imprisoned him in the lowest level. This was Alim Vic Ostombar. He and his group took the name Seeker of the Unknown, and many books of knowledge of that time period bear that name. He died in 525RON.  It should be noted that the main building has 3 large levels, and the shallow brass dome on the roof holds a fourth.  The whole place is crammed with books and scrolls, though the rare and magical stuff is on the top two floors.  Therfe are often a dozen or more people studying here, as this is the best collection of books ion Trabler.
 

The current Keeper is Pacae Letsos, a Klaxik Sage. He feels beleagured on all sides. His school currently has 24 members, with a healthy 13 being students. His head of scrolls is Vesaart ol Emptos, a gnomic sage.

 

The teach Mentalist and Artificer well, and have some passing ability in Order magic as well as chaos magic. They teach the scholar skill set better than any in Igbar.  Their members are normallly titleds 'Lettermen', or 'Scriven Letterman'.

 
 
Current leader: Pacae Letsos
Current situation: Hard to miss them, as they are situated on the royal way, just north of the palace.[/spoiler]
 
Sailing
Igbar sails!--- sailing school. Young navy ensigns

Sheering Family Yaght Club---upper crust wealthy yachters.
 

Samurai
Blue turtles--- The honorable enemy of the Red circle
[spoiler=The Blue Turtles]
Guildschool Faction:
 
Area:Igbar
Name:Blue Turtle Honorables
Affiliation with Larger: The Blue Turtles have branches in Most major cities in the Cradle area of the North east.
 
Membership style: Collegiate, with more emphasis placed on adult learning.
 
% of starting membership: 20% Attrib bonus: ST (13/2) HE (10/1) soc (20/1)
Mission: The Blue Turtles were founded to combat knighthoods that threaten the weak and poor.
 
Size: 49
History: The Blue Turtles are the name of an order of knighthood founded to combat the Daemonically sponsored Order of the Red Circle. The originated in the Omwo~ kingdome of the Silverwood, almost 400 years before. They have never gone inactive, but during the War between the Blue/white confederation and the Stenronian Alliance recently, the Blue Turtle Shell has been barely able to keep up with the applications.
They have a strong belief in very heavy armor, and a tremendous practicality. They are allied strongly with the Order of Stenron right now.

Hatchlings, lower level brothers, are never sent out on their own, but always in pairs. Shell swords, shellwatchers, and shell wardens are ranks that the Blue Turtles Aspire to. The Horn Misister of local Ocodig, the town to the North of Igabr, is also a Grand Tortoise.

 
The Bright BLue circular, stylized shell is their sigil.
 
 
Current leader:  Great Tortoise Charn Vor Bekin
Current situation: Very well thought of, a great, well-known knighthood.[/spoiler]
Unicorn Swords--- female -heavy school of spear users

Smith
Collishaw's Ironmongery--- Great place to learn how to mend armor

Social
House of Twazinia--- Harou hospitality school, old orbic version

Parshan House of Chance--- learn how to lose money like a pro

The Grounds of Dismissal--- Banneti's Coffee House
[spoiler=The Grounds of Dismissal]
Guildschool Faction:
 
Area:Igbar
Name:The Grounds of Dismissal (Bannetti's Kaffee House)
Affiliation with Larger: none
 
Membership style: Paid membership
 
% of starting membership:   Attrib bonus: I
Mission: To build the business community og Igbar
 
Size: 6 family members, 29 employees, 71 incorporated groups
History: Igbar has grown by fits and starts, drven heavily by economics and helped rarely by any entity but itself. As such, it is no surprise that the most unique of Igbarian intitutions is a mercantile one.
Bannetti's Kaffee House Openned in 849 R.O.N., in the warehousing section of town. To be precise, in the intersection of Seaward Road and Mungery Way, where the two opposite corners

Though the Kaffee was excellent, it basically held its own for a few years, and bought a pawn shop next door that was not doing so well. 7 black round tables were added. This proved to bee a boon, for though Borg Banneti's wife murmured dire imrecations into his ears about wasting the money, it soon became the meeting place for the warehouse managers, and by the second year, even upper management stopped by to get some of the excellent coffee and talk business.

By 855, 'meeting at Bannetti's' became synonomous with doing some kind of business, and the 7 tables were getting cramped. Borg bought out the clerk's office upstairs from the Old pawn shop, as well. The upstairs area, where light snacks as well as Kaffee and 'gentlemans' wines were served, opened as the 'Grounds of Dismissal' in 856 R.O.N.

And from the first, the upstairs became the daily office for the Wavesong Family traders and the Winfire Trading groups. They were both there the 'Grounds' part of Bannetti's opened, and that first day, the heads of those consortiums set up shop upstairs. They signed more deals their that year for their guilds than anywhere else, and it became the habit, even that year, for Joachim Kar Klaxik, Trader-prime of the Winfire trading group to get there at second hour, to be followed a few minutes later by the Sreiana Voninimis, Captain of the Wavesong Family. More and more of the tables were taken for hours at a time.

in 860, Bannetti's and the 'Grounds was in the forfront of a major change. The Mungery way had become peppered with office buildings for nearly a block on both sides of the Kaffee haunt, and the upstairs hummed with business until the evening hour, and often even after the l;anterns came out. That year, The Vissippee Trading clan, which was specializing in the speculation of herbland caravans, actually bought a table upstairs for the year, one that no one else could use, and they were the first of the trading groups to become 'incorporated' at Bannetti's, to have their charter written there and stored ther, to have their table with their sigil.

Well, this caught on with the burgeoning trade-lords of Igbar quickly. The Argussian Blue-White laws were subject to the court of Argus opnly, so any trade or contract disputes needed to be refered to the Earl of the Northern Marches, a hawaak's ride to the south even in summer. The heads of the Vissippee, the Winfire, The Rissa family, the Kletthen Klaxiks, the Hojijar sealordsfrom Northern Ocodig, and Borg Banneti all signed off on 'The Precepts of Dismissal', rules for incorporating and adjudicating trade issues. They based it on the Trade Laws of the Bright Lands, and though they did not know it, they had cut a major cord of the authority of the Empire of Argus away.

 
 
Current leader: Borg Bannetti
Current situation: The center of all civilized trade in the city[/spoiler]
 

Thieve's guild
Blackstripes--- Helipolian

Padisha of Pilfering--- independent, real thieves, not political

The Bully Boys--- The dock's underside.

The Eye--- Kasarack's boys.
 

Trade
Wello House of Adornment--- learn the value of everything!

Winfire Trading Consortium--- trading guild

Sceding Tree--- Traders of commodities, one of the largest

Teque Guild of Travelers--- Guild Clan specializing in inns, wagons, land travel
 

warrior
Caleb's Tactical--- Specialized vs humanoids

Lance and Slay--- How to kill on the open plains, great horseman

Order of Stenron--- The largest military order in the North

Order of the White Paladin--- Wear white and like it!

The Armor of Trade--- The Knights of the Church of Trade
[spoiler=the Armor of Trade]
Guildschool Faction:
 
Area:Igbar
Name: The Armor of Trade
Affiliation with Larger: each is attatched to the local PLatform of Trade and under the Authority of the Local Church
 
Membership style: Brotherhood/priesthood
 
% of starting membership: 20% Attrib bonus: ST (11/1) CH (9/1)
Mission: To protect the balance of trade and justice
 
Size: 21
History: The Platform of Trade is the name for the Church of the TradeGod Ogleic, He of the fair deal and of the balance. The Platform of Trade is three quarters Church and a quarter moneylender, a strange aglomeration of worship, prayers, homliy, and sweet dealings.
The Armor of Trade began as caravan guards for the church-sponsored wain-rides that drove from Stenron down to the Argussian Empire, stopping in the Bright Lands, Orbi, aand in the Theocracy of Nebler in between. As these guards became more of a formalized part of the mercantile events, Joran Parle, human ex-knight of the Crying Sun rose to the top of the guards. That was back in 798 R.O.N., and he established the Armor of Trade as the name of the guards of the Church of Trade.

Over the next decades, the guards moved slowly to being more of a Knighthood, but in 841, Gerod Kax Colishaw, Klaxik priest of Ogleic, went from the priesthood into the guards, but with the express idea of making them more like some of more pious knighthoods, Like the Tristonian Brotherhood of the Neblerians. So it came to pass that the Armor of Trade training included philosophy and Restoration, economics and Necromancy, social grace and the nature of Order.

Today's Armor of Trade wear the grey tabard emblazoned with the gold scales proudly, embodying the values of fairness, prosperity, cooperation, and getting what you deserve.

'Chell, Amigal', is the battlecry and all around aoth-word for the knights.  It is Klaxik, meaning "The Scales, my Friends!"  

 

 
 
Current leader: Jom Tersian, Human Male
Current situation: though overly concerned with rules, they are well thoguht of.[/spoiler]
Toffler's Defenders--- Marines for the Navy

Trabler Scarlet Pilums--- Military School of Trabler, heavy into cavalry

Tristonian knights --- The knights of John of Triston, Neblerian

Bone Knights of Orcus--Recently invited to town
[spoiler=The Bone Knights]
Guildschool Faction:
 
Area:Igbar
Name:Bone KNights of Orcus
Affiliation with Larger: Recum is the closest national level headquarters.
 
Membership style: Fraternal, with only Churches being out of bounds
 
% of starting membership: 40% Attrib bonus: ST (10/1) WI (12/1)
Mission: Large-scale, to maintain the sanctity of the resting places of the dead, currently, to beat back the undead in Igbar.
 
Size: 10
History: Death is an inevitable horror in all times and places, and the cheapness of life in Celtricia makes it worse here than most. All religions aere that the sould of the dead, if uncaptured by some necromancer, fly through the void and make a hawaak journey to the House of Death, to Zevashopal, and into the Well of Death. From their, if they make it , they are disbursed to the House or Station of their Patron, assuming he comes to claim them.
Orcus is the Patron of the soul's travel through the Void, and of boneyards and ancestors. In this incarnation, he presides over the Churc of Bone, though the devilkin Duke Oblimet is also a patron of this journey. Prayers and offerings are made to Orcus and the Church of Bone.


The Bone Knights began in 810 R.O.N., In the Orbic city of Billinsonit. They came into being to replicate the Corpusmunt Gardians in Stenron. Originlly priests martially trained to guard the Old Boneyards of Billinsonit and ancient Hagenos, they became the order of knights for the Church of Bone. Their primary mission is still set to guard the boneyards and necropilis, but they have also become almost a necromantic guard, seeking out undead to start their souls back on the proper journey.


Today, they are still a very small order, but their bleached-white armor and grey skull tabard is regularly seen at wealthy funerals, and visiting the tombs of the well-to-do and well born.


The Bone Knights are extremely weak in traditional restorative spell points, but have strong necromantic, Death, and Animist spell ability. They wear heavier armors laquered white. They are a somehwat somber and older, as most join this order later in life as a result of tragedy, though some small amount join when younger, often recomended by the Priests of Bone to their more adventurous and brave members.


They have no church in Igbar, but some 15 members are in town at the recent request of the Church of Chaos (Jubilex), where they are staying.



--the Bone Knights have been called by Patriarch Timlin Hurler of the Church of Chaos, but this is a result of a corsortium of high level priests (Kiminus, the Chuch of the Lawful Triumverate, The Church of the Staright Way) getting together. The undead have been getting into the city, and they need all the help they can get.

 
 
Current leader: Jaxom Har Anteraster, Klaxik captain of the Bone Knights,
Current situation: No one has yet formed a view[/spoiler]

Igbar, the major campaign setting for two of my groups. Added a ton to it recently.
Igbar (http://celtricia.pbwiki.com/Igbar%2C+Capital+of+Trabler?full_access=ykSciyNGwN&l=S)
Still a work in progress, but what questions does it bring up that are not answered?  I am too close and involved, and would like some guidance (other than to finish the damn map, which is taking FOREVER).  What strikes you as worth keeping and what needs to be answered?

recent additions include...

Newer map of Igbar, Additonal info on newer guilds in Igbar, and more data on pupular politcal thought in the city. igbar page (http://celtricia.pbwiki.com/Igbar%2C+Capital+of+Trabler?l=S)

New data on what money is worth and the 'electrum standard', as well as data on various common coinage.what is money worth? (http://celtricia.pbwiki.com/what+money+can+buy?l=S)

WHAT IS MONEY WORTH?

Introduction.
The Electrum Standard & Coinage in Use
 

The Igbarian New Legion recently found 945 Argussian Silver Feng, 805 Silver Brightlands Silver hands, 630 Brightland Electrum Hands, 170 Argussian Gold Erat. There was a silver braided belt with a wolf's head belt buckle (we 5, wo 95GP, Argussian Fenris Traders circa 755RON, +10%lorecheck), Blacksteel francisca (masterwork, +1 damage before divider, we 75, wo 650GP), arrayed around the tattered black velvet in the Klaxik Wight's tomb.

OK. Great. What does this mean in terms of the world at large?  What will it allow the players to do?  Why do players plunder?  What is it for?

One of the ultimate signs of a deeper game is when the adventuring of a group has an economic effect.  Looking to our ancient Greece,  Xenophon lay the foundation for a division of labor and economies of scale.  In Celtricia the precepts of Hugon Zwentiee (Omwo~, -1755 RON) of Silverwood are still read.  They contain in that bookdefence and child-rearing are crucial monetarty priorites for a civilized ruler, and the morality of money.

The Electrum Standard
The northern celtrican cradle is based on the Electrum standard, in that an unskilled villein's work is worth an electrum coin per day. In a city like Igbar, the electrum standard still holds true. Igbarian Drafted soldiers are recompensed an electrum goodwife a day, as well.  Coins are, of course, worth approximately the same amount as the metal would be if that weight of metal was melted down.

So, in terms of the electrum standard,

100 Copper Strips=

10 Silver Children=

1 Electrum Goodwife=

1/2 Gold Horn=

1/10 Platinum Unicorn.

Now, the Scarlet Pilum's Militia pay their beginning recruits 13 silver children a day, and a buck seargent makes 5 Goodwives a day. There is no tax on income in my world, so I always use a rule of thumb for income only think of an electrum as being 50 bucks. It's 6.25 per hour in todays world (literally..50 dollars a day, *5 days, *52 weeks is 13k per year. 250 for a week/40 hours is 6.25).  It is alos very important that the normal Celtrician Work week is 5.5 days in town of the 8 day hawaak, though that is for the upper working class.  Business owners and blue collar workers put in 7 out of 8 days (reserving Fastak only), and the truly poor of course work everyday.

So the most common coin in the Northern Celtrician are is the electrum goodwife, followed by the silver Child, followed by the Gold Horn, followed by the copper Strip. Bars, restaurants, and most normal businesses use Electrum Goodwives and Silver Children almost exclusively. Though I still price things in my head automatically in gold, I have gotten better at responding to all price inquiries in terms of Goodwives, when they are speaking to a merchant. After once glass of wine too many, it gets hard, but answering that 'a new suit of Studded Leather will cost a hundred Goodwives, less 19 goodwives for the ripped-up old suit you are trading in' is the way to go.

It also important to take a medieval/gilded age approach to money, in that there is a tremendous range of incomes, a tremendous range of prices, and a lot of people trying to make money.

Their are flophouses in Igbar, places where a bed is paid for by the night, where they pack 6-10 beds in a room and charge between 5 copper strips and a silver child per bed per night. A crappy room rented for a hawwak (the eight day week) near the docks will be a 10-15 Silver children for the week (1-1.5 electrum goodwives).

A decent Teque Guild Inn rents rooms (with 2 beds) for 5-10 silver Children per night, Hostem's House of Hospitality has rooms from one to seven Goodwives a night, and the Upper Crust's room rates are between ten and forty goodwives a night.

Renting a small apartment for the 60 day month in a poor section of town will be 30-40 Goodwives.  A middle level apartment would be 50-75 goodwives for the same period.  Renting a $2500-$5000 a month luxury apartment would be 100-200 goodwives per 60 day month.

How much does a backpack cost? A decent one runs 1-2 goodwives.
A Tunic? A basic homespun cloth one is 2 silver children, a nice one in a shop maybe 4-7 silver children. Nicer cloth or embroidery will be 5-12 silver children. Silk or Samite? Now we are talking the same range, but in Goodwives. Sharma's Dresssmakers, part of the Vissippe Trading guild, can get 40+ Goodwives for a dress.

Property is huge. Owning (deeded) property is gigantic. Buying an acre of farmland in Igtiche (the farming community just outside of Igbar) runs about 1000 Goodwives, though property is normally done in Gold Horn, so it would be 500 horn. A 2 story house in Igbar would run between 4000 and 10000 gold horn.  That would be the equivalent of buying a brownstone today.

Adventuring costs a ton. Magic and artificed items cost a fortune, since they are rare, and are normally handles in Gold Horn. It is all based on the cost of the spell. Buying a casting only scroll costs normally 25 gold horn(50 electrum Goodwives) a spell point, and a learning scroll will cost approximately 35 gold horn (70 electrum Goodwives per point). Cantrips have 5-10 total spell points, so that should give some idea why magic is where the cast is at. Brother's cure (cures 2-7, can be used once per hawaak) has a total cost of 15 spell points, which means 400 gold horn for a casting scroll, or 525 gold horn for a learning scroll.

Potions have the same effect as scrolls, only since anyone can use them, they cost 50 gold horn per spellpoint cost. A potion of Brother's Cure would cost 750 gold Horn, if there is anyplace selling.


 

Notes on the daily life and calenders used in the Cradle area of Celtricia
calender page (http://celtricia.pbwiki.com/The+Calenders)

Also,
Stenronian Alliance,
Winfire Trading Guild
Herb Lands
Steel Libram
The Church of The Green Mother

'Tale of Years' Reformatted, and updated to include more later history of Igbar and more history of the Dreadwing.

For those who hate reading a list of events, run away.

If you've been reading bits and pices of this setting, this page may give a clearer idea of the growing history of a 25 year old setting that is still being played.  
Played tonight, if the damn Snow and sleet will stop!
 :censored:

Tale of Years Page (http://celtricia.pbwiki.com/Tale-of-Years)

I have what may seem like an odd question, based on all the stuff you've posted so far.

How much do the people of Igbar enjoy factionalism? I mean--do they LIKE it, identify with it? It seems that they take great pride in the opportunities that exist in their city, and indeed there are many, and most of them one way or another are about gathering influence and wealth, which seem synonymous in Igbar.

This may seem like a strange thing to say but I sometimes like to compare one campaign to another. For instance Dark Sun is a more bleak and gritty setting than Greyhawk; it is only the evil of monsters and cruel cults and evil regimes that keeps the world from being a paradise. Ordinary people seem ready enough to identify with good heroes or to cower beneath overlords in Greyhawk. Dark Sun seems to taint everyone with cynicism and desperation.

In the Republic of New Edom itself factionalism doesn't exist to the same extent at all as in Igbar. I think a New Edomite merchant would be shocked at how many guilds there are that are not merely trade guilds but also mercenary guilds, thieves guilds, magical guilds and so on. I think his question would be "How do you RUN this place?"

Of course based on what I know of your campaign alliances are sometimes swiftly made or are invoked by old debts and so on in the face of danger or difficulty. But here is my second question really: is there any chance that any one power block is likely to achieve greater power than the others? Even temporarily?

Er...btw sorry i forgot not to post here--maybe you could move or delete this reply...thanks.

Celtricia, World Of Factions
V 2.0 for CBG
Setting thread--do not post here. Post here (http://thecbg.org/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?39572.last)
There will be a seperate thread for the Guildschool crunch.
Celtricia, World of Factions PBwiki (http://celtricia.pbwiki.com/?full_access=ykSciyNGwN&l=S)

Finally started the page on the beers and wines of the Cradle area, and especially in Igbar.
Much like the thread on calendars, having consistent beverages and items to purchase, as well as the places themselves, helps immerse the players further into the game.
booze of Igbar (http://celtricia.pbwiki.com/What-to-Drink)

Mistonians!

I talk about my Igbarian group quite a bit, since they play more often and are more boisterous.  But I have another group that adventures in Celtricia, about once a month.  They have played longer, about 12 years real time.  They have started to load their old histories onto the Celtricia site, but I thought I'd print the beginning of it here.
mistonian page (http://celtricia.pbwiki.com/Mistonians)
This is still the bare bones, but it makes for an interesting read for a GM, perhaps.  I am promised that they will continue and fill in some of the blanks, but we will see...
This is the players perceptions, so some of is is a little different than my own, but it makes it more interesting in some ways.



The Occupation of Miston


   At the time of the telling of this tale, 894 Reckoning of Nebler, the town of Miston has been under the control of the giants and gnolls for almost five years, since the war with Argus was barely months old. The GiantClan Silverworth struck from the west and surprised the lightly defended border towns.  There are typically 500 gnolls in the town at any given time to keep order. The gnolls keep strict control of the movement of people and the carrying of weapons within town. Citizens are not allowed to carry weapons or wear armor while they are in town. Even when leaving town, a citizen may wear nothing heavier than leather armor. In order to further ensure the populace does not become too bold in resisting the occupation, they will often kill outright 20 villagers if a gnoll turns up dead. Dreaded Giants also occasionally come through town to further ensure the subjugation of the townfolk. The Gnolls also take half of the food that is grown by the town as taxes. Cedric the Turniper of the Turniper's Guild is the liason with the gnolls and giants and delivers the levies the town owes.

 

   Even the best efforts of the gnolls and giants could not quell the seeds of resistance. The town levies funds for the liberation of Miston. The Local Eye, the local branch of thieves guild, brings money back to Stenron to help hire a mercenary army. They also smuggle people between Miston and Stenron and provides a little guerrilla warfare. John of Miston, the last surviving member of the Miston Militia, runs a bar in town. He is an old weapons master, a human in his late forties, and he secretly teaches students the finer arts of fighting with straight swords, curved swords, or mashing weapons. John works with the Local Eye, Recici (the town's metalsmith who runs an underground mages guild), and Harald (the town's bowyer and a fine archer who trains others in town) in the running of covert operations from the town while raising funds to support the war to the south and to hire a group of mercenary soldiers from Stenron. Harald's Bowery helps to run the covert operations by obtaining hunting passes for town members who can then leave town.

 

Hunting passes are often given to the citizens of the town to help keep in check the kobold and orc populations. The gnolls, ogres, and their larger masters find the lesser humanoid tribes amusing, but those tribes steal crops and lives on the outskirts constantly.  To ensure that the food keeps rolling into the coffers of the Silverworths, The town will pay for every orc head or kobold the hunter can bring in, authorized by the Giants. An orc head is worth one silver piece and a kobold pelt is worth 5 silver pieces.

 

  The town recruited pupils from various guilds in the town to form a new hunting party. The group of recruits consisted of Joseph, a priest from The Church of the Lawful Triumverate , Orris Odmurrin and Tojo Lee, archers from Harald's Bowyery, Xia du Ping, a thief from the Local Eye, Hectum Arris, a fighter trained by John, Amber Sweetwater and Tumble Sod, mages trained by Recici, and Grak Dung, an apprentice of the strange Collegium Torturis. Ricici was glad to be rid of Amber and Tumble since they were notorious trouble makers within his school. They were often caught trying to summon imps.

 

  The Church of the Lawful Triumverate provided a pack horse and supplies for the hunting expedition. Some members of the party were upset that they were not also provided with mounts of their own and would have to walk. It was thought that the Church offered to provide the provisions since the Church of the Lawful Triumverate was being of accused of being lazy in the sponsorship of the liberation of Miston. Harald writes up eight hunting passes for the party because of the likelihood of running into gnoll patrols. He tells the party to plan on leaving the following morning. Hectum offers to stop by John's to get some beer for the expedition.

 

It should be notated that most of the group members had not even heard of the Collegium Tortoris.  The resistance leaders had found that this strange old organization had existed in secret for yeas in the Miston, but was willing to aid the resistance.

 

  The party first left town late in the spring of 894 RON. The party headed north out of town and had a rough time of it during the first days since it was rainy and the Church did not provide them with any tents. Tojo found the remains of an old road two days out of town. The group follows the road north through hilly terrain.

 

  While following the road to the north the area becomes more hilly and the forest becomes thicker. The group also has several encounters with groups of kobolds, goblins, and hobgoblins who are members of the Quickson tribe to the north and east. The old road that Tojo discovered splits, and the group notes most of the kobold tracks follow the stone road that splits east.  In each of the battles with the Quickson tribe the party was able to obtain valuable information about the two camps of the tribe and of the strange lights seen at the '˜Ryn', a haunted hill with the stonework to the east. At this section of the trail the group has also noticed ruins of very old watchtowers, hundreds of years old. The group decides to investigate the haunted hills with the strange lights.


  Near the crest of the strange hill, there are remains of an arch made of red marble and there are also a number of bones sticking out of the ground. At the crest of the hill the group sees remnants of an old tower made out of a black stone and skeletal remains all over the place. There are also many rusted medieval shields spiked into the ground. Most of them have a crest with the Anvil of Nebler on them. The shields look over a hundred years old, if not older, and probably mark the graves of about 70 knights. Some of the burial mounds appear to have been opened since the earth is fresher than the normal burial mounds. It appears that about ¾ of the burial mounds have been disturbed. There is also the remains of about 100 bodies around the black stone tower which is now only 10 feet tall. The remains of either a fort or manor house also reveals the site of a huge battle fought in front of it. 200 to 300 skeletal bodies of a garrison are seen around the area. A stairway leads down inside the fort remains. There are skeletal footprints on the stairs as well as footprints of gnolls and an ogre that are over a week old.


  The group descends,and spends several days investigating a complex underneath the hill. They find several interesting artifacts including mapping crystals. They also found documents that were written in a very old language, Venolvian. Several nights during their stay they see the sickly lights that are mainly red and green. They find that the name of the Hill, Ryn et Jubilex,  means the Hill of Jubilex in old Venolvian.  They find notes pertaining to '˜Wizern's Underthrone' and '˜Entropism'.  Almost everything they find pertains to some Venolvian cult of Chaos.  The group notates everything that might need future research, as many things are beyond their experience.

 

The group was finally forced to head back to Miston when their healer, Joseph, was slain during a fight with a couple of ghouls. The group carried Joseph's body back to Miston where he is consecrated by the Church of the Lawful Triumverate so that he does not become a ghoul.  Joseph's death, the many injuries taken, and the huge undead presence in the '˜Ryn Et Jubilex', brings it home to the group the perils of what they are doing.


 

  The party returns to Miston, and through the spring and early summer they recruit new members into the group: Kafka, a pupil of John's who gets along well with Hectum, Susanna, healer of Amrist, and Vintas, a healer of Darkling. The group takes several trips to the complex. They learn that the name of the complex is Wizern's Overthrone and the worshippers were destroyed by Jon Axehand Suprosian back in 502 RON. This complex was part of the Venolvian empire and this complex was a place of worship to the Entropic Overlords. The group finds many symbols of two of the Overlords in the complex: Jubilex and Hewecar, Demon Lord of the Blood Ritual.  The other Major Entropic Overlords are Pazuzu and Orcus.  

 

  In the groups trips to Wizern's they often see a white dragon and luckily are able to escape detection by hiding. They learn from Harald that there used to be a lot of Sauroid activity in the area and there was a dragon settlement to the north. He thinks that some of the dragons eggs may have hatched.  The group has 2 more quick trips in the summer, finding more artifacts and coin, and still slowly uncovering mysteries.  Much of the wealth that the group uncovers goes back to secret accounts in Miston, trying to raise aid to remove the Giantclan Silverworth, and they make sure to bring back pelts and tribal orc heads to keep their status as hunters.

 

  In early days of Summerwane, Harald introduces the group to a simple peasant red hobbit, Drono Bittleby, who is from the Turniper's Guild. Harald wants the group to disrupt the giant/gnoll line of communication. The number of gnolls in the town has recently decreased. They are sending more of the giants and gnolls to the battlefront south of Miston by a few days. There are also a number of Greymarch forces heading towards this area, according to Harald's information.  It is more than the group can hope to defeat the giants and their allies in the Giantclan Silverworth, but they have to try.  So they break off their exploration of the Ryn et Jubilex and Wizern's underthrone to help the town more directly against the invaders.

 

  The group is able to destroy several gnoll/ogre patrols and they are also able to capture several gnolls. Grak and Xia interrogate the gnolls to find out more about there numbers and movements. Most of them are coming from a western encampment and heading to the eastern encampment near Miston. In a major blow to the group, Hectum is killed during one of the battles with a gnolls and ogre patrol. The group does not cover their tracks well and they encounter forest giants one night who are tracking them. Orris is able to lead them off and catch up with the group the following day. Though the group has gotten stronger and been supplied with better arms and armors, they are not ready to mix it up with giants!!!  The group decides to start to head back to Miston. They encounter another gnoll patrol and find them carrying coins of Old Venolvian mintage. Grak and Xia interrogate the gnolls that surrendered and find out that one of their priests sent them to a hill that was actually near Miston to check out some strange green lights that appear at night. The hill is on an old path in the woods, not even a day's walk to the west of the town.  The group decides to investigate the hill and find pillars that have red tridents on them, symbols of Hewecar. The group feels themselves being pulled by something between the pillars, and then find themselves in a very dark area. Vintas and Susannah feel ill from the teleportation. The group finds more symbols of the Entropic Overlords and signs of a Knight of the Red Circle named Anginar. The group goes up a staircase and find themselves in a familiar place'¦they are back in Wizern's Underthrone!! They leave the Ryun et Jubilex and head back to the hill where their pack horses and Hectum's body are. They are able to recover most of their items and Hectum's ripe body.

 

  The group heads back to Stenron to return Hectum's body and give reports on their patrols. They learn that part of the Greymarch army has returned and that a battle with the gnolls is approaching. Amber and Tumble decide to study with Vicol the artificer and Tumble is going to stay a while with Vicol to study House of Air. They get t-shirts that say property of Vicol's, which enrages Amber and Tumbe's former master, Recici.  After they study,The group decides to head right back out.

 

The town would like us to go out and attack more gnolls patrols. A new member, Moroki, an alchemist of Vicol's, joins the group. They head back out on the gnoll road but do not encounter any patrols. They go back to the hill and are transported back to Wizern's Underthrone. The group ends up encountering Anginar's mummy and Susannah is killed in the fight.  The group also finds a book about Meganna, the Faerie Queen. The hobbit figurines that we have are guided toward the book. A couple of days later while investigating a tapestry Moroki was killed by a glyph of lightning that was on the tapesty.  (that didn't last too long'¦)The group sees the sickly lights occur every odd night. The lights are also now arcing towards our nighttime encampment. We separate items to determine what the lights are moving towards. They seem to be bending towards the book about Meganna.

 

  A few days later, back in the underthrone we find a room that has three small tridents on the wall. All three tridents are trapped. Drono disarmed the trap on the first trident. He's turingin into a useful peasant.  We've gotten rid of his pitchfork and gotten him a trident to fight with.No one could disarm the trap on the second trident and Grak activated the trap on the third trident and had to avoid pieces of ceiling that were falling. Kafka picks up the second trident and it adheres to his left arm. The weapon is sentient and is named Harbinger of Joy. The weapon appears to be from the House of Fire and has an extreme hatred of demonic creatures. It is also not happy with Kafka. There is a picture in the room of Angenar and the eyes in the painting are now following Kafka.

It comes to my attention through the attentions of some of the folk here that the threads on the site are WAY behind the wikisite, so I'm trying to update the threads a it.  
Igbar (http://thecbg.org/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?39809.last)

More from the Miston group players...
 Upon leaving the complex the group discovers another group nearby, looking for the underthrone. The are henchmen and friends of Ricici and his daughter is amongst them. Orris and Drono leave the group and set some false tracks leading to the south. Upon the return of Orris and Drono a day later, the group ventures back into the complex. They investigate a very cold room with a huge fireplace. They find a glyph inside the fireplace itself, in the back wall. When Morgan tried to remove it, the group ended up wrenched in space, being transported away. They once again found themselves in an unfamiliar place.

They find themselves in some kind of huge, stone audience room. The group searches the room thoroughly. They end up finding some secret doors in the room along with some obvious doors. Once they leave the audience room they move into wide, long corridors made of ancient stone, some of whcih have a 10' wide sewage channel in the mddle of them.  They encounter ancient,red-boned undead humanoids that are activated by their presence. They are wearing scale mail and carrying crossbows and scythes, and they move more swiftly and surely than any undead the group has seen before. Their helms have an 8 pointed star on them (more signs of the Entropic Overlords). As the group investigates further they see signs of sewage all over the place. They also encounter more of the undead creatures at intersections. Orris is killed during one of these encounters. The group discovers a pit that has four skeletal bodies on the bottom, untouched for literally hundreds of years. The bodies are carrying many valuable artifacts. The group splits these amongst themselves: Grak gets a ring that holds back the blows of enemies,, Xia get a bag of reduction,  Vintas gets a potion of ultimate healing, a great boon to a healer.  Tojo and Drono get armor, Tojo's light and Drono, the former peasant, is mailed in magical chain armor.  Amber gets the Saber of Hanoose, a guard of the great noble hobbit artificer, Telchar.  Morgan gets a marble statue of Hewecar.

The group finally investigates a door in the Audience Chamber that leads to a storage cellar.  They follow a huge stair almost seventy feet upawards, and find themselves in a cellar underneath a bar in the city of Stenron!! They are in the finest magicians bar in Stenron, Cabal. The group gets something to eat and rents rooms for the night. They meet with some people, Viandi and Surge, from a guild called the adventurers guild. They want to take us to meet Kassarak.  Kassarak tells them of a large force that is heading to Miston. Surge has offered to give us horses and supplies so we can catch up to the army. On the seventh day on the road to Miston the encounter the expeditionary force being besieged by about 800 gnolls and 30-40 giants.

The group joined in the fray and the battle swayed back and forth, each gain or small victory for a side bringing a resonse from the opposing force. Amber was able to wreak major havoc with a flaming sphere running around the battlefield, while Morgan's firebolts and Kafka's puissance in arms started to turn the tide. The group ended up killing 4 hill giants, 8 gnoll chiefs, and between 80-90 gnolls. This was a huge battle that stretched the whole afternoon.  But in the end, the occupation forces of the Giantclan SIlverworth were routed.

The party joins up with a mercenary force they fought with in the battle led by Chunk and his lieutenant Crunge. The group stops at a river to wash up before heading into town where there was a celebration of the liberation of Miston.

 

   Chunks group of mercenary forces decide to stay in town. Chunk and his first lieutenant want to stay and help in the creation of a Church of Inkmisa in the town. Leaders in the town vie for positions of a newly formed town council.

 

  The group spends some time in town attending to guild duties. Tumble and Amber are chartered to build a new building for the Collegium Arcana. They envision a conical tower with large amounts of fire pits and set to work planning it. Grak is elevated to the rank of Shard Gatherer First of the martial branch of the collegium. Angus and Xia are also recruited to work with Grak. Vintas is embroiled in a power struggle to gain leadership of the Church of Darkling and needs to gather wealth quickly. He tries to recruit members of the group to go back to the underthrone.

added/changed above...
Raelifinated post
More on Miston Group
What is money Worth?
Religion post

Gbye./  deleted and improved

This is posted on the Wiki and the Celtricia site, but I wanted to open it up in caser I was unintentionally not sharing.

Casting in Celtricia
How does magic feel?
In the world of Celtricia, students who wish to use the void-borne sources of power are tested to make sure they have the aptitude to do so. About one tenth of the population has some affinity for some of the Void-Borne power sources. They are also tested to see if they have the mental strength to create their own resevoir of power, their own source of Spirit. Different power sources feel very differently to casters, and need different mind sets to access. Reaching the House of Earth takes a certain inner gravity, whereas feeling the Well of Death requires a mindset of decay. Becoming a conduit for Air means feeling endless space without boundaries, whereas mastering the hman oversoul requires an inner understanding of emotion and logic. Once the ability is gained, the person can always 'feel' the currents of power from that source. During rest, they recite the mantras of meditation, to strengthen the conduits between themselves and those power sources. When casting a spell, the caster uses their own personal power to activate the spell, and then pulls power from the conduits to the sources they have been taught to find to create the spell. Lesser spells normally use only a little personal power and possibly one source, so the caster must use their own personal strength to activate the spell, then increase the proper mindset to reach a power source and open up a conduit. Even beginning magics often need to be powered from more than one void-borne source, so casting a spell that requires Earth and Fire requires an effort of will to active the spell, then the caster must be of sufficient mental strength to create a mindset that allows both the solidity of the House of Earth and the wild passion that reaches the Well of Fire as well. So this is why more powerful spells that require multiple power sources are much more prone to failure. One-tenth of the population can reach some sort of magic, but less than one tenth of those will ever have the ability to cast more than the most simple of spells. To be able to force one's own energy into a spell, then create a mindset that allows a conduit to the House of Law, hold that in a caster's mind while creating every emotion in their minds to reach the collected subconsious of mentalism...that describes the process of a spell with only a few components. This is why it takes a very special person to be able to cast more difficult spells.

Celtricia:Vors happy welcome
From theCBGWiki

 Vor's Happy Welcome-Ocodig's Strange Common Room
 The Common Room
 Upstairs and Upper-Class
 Cameleye
 
Vor's Happy Welcome-Ocodig's Strange Common Room.  A place where the online players unwind.


On the north edge of the Ocodig town common lies a green lawn, surrounded by 3' high vneersberry shrubs. There is a black metal, ornate gate over a bricked walkway. From the circular, well worn dirt oval that circumnavigates the town Common (often called the 'Oval'), sounds of laughter and music can be heard. These sounds belie the dark and imposing structural nature of the place, as behind the shrubbery looms an ominous, 4 level stone block building that overtops the wooden, low-slung farmhouses that populate the rest of the Oval. Everyone in town knows the Happy Welcome, and any newcomers who look for a publick house will be pointed to it.




 Vor's, a strange meeting place.This is an old stone castle, square and long, sitting on a patch of tended green lawn. Discerning eyes will immediately note the signs that the current owners idea of upkeep is barely to the level of superficial. While at night this is not noticable, in the daylight cornices can be seen to be chipped, some of the black-iron railings are bent, and the somewhat rusty hinges on the door creak in protest wehn the front door is opened. The Roof is slate, and very sharply pitched, and there are three fireplaces coming out the roof. At night, on the seven days out of the eight day week that it is open, Vor's has a lantern hung from the gap in the Vneersberry by the road, and 2 more lanterns hung near the entrance. Laughter and music waft out of the old place: it may not lok like a Bardic Tavern, but it certainly sounds like one.

(//../../e107_files/public/1210816045_392_FT39571_sm20castle2.jpg)
Obviously, this was a place of some wealth and largesse at one point, but now the clamoring din that is heard on the Oval every night betray that is is currently a publick tavern. As most towns and cities turn to their bards for there entertainment, the sounds of music and singing also can often be heard. Though there are other places to eat, or even to gather over a mug, Vor's Happy Welcome garners the lion's share of attention, and almost every Teque Guild caravan or post rider stops by before retiring, to gain news, or share stories, or to go upstairs and hear the bards perform their verbal wizardry.

There are few windows on the bottom floor, and one large wooden door on the bottom levem, very darkly stained, with iron hinges. There is a light blue sign above the door, curving in an arch, that says in Westic, "The Happy Welcome", which is the official name of the establishment. It is often just called Vor's, which is actually the name of an former owner, or 'Vor's Happy Welcome'. Also normally in front of the door is a scarred gnome/orcash cross breed in a chain maille shirt and black overalls, wielding a bhuj axe. his left hand is missing two fingers, and there is little of politeness in this doorwarden. This is the well known Hegin 'half-hand' Torberg, with a gravel voice and a hardened leather strap on his left hand to deliver stinging blows to the less sensible in town. Hegin was drummed out of the Scarlet Pilums militia 6 years before, back in 889, for cruelty and graft. He behaves well here, and still has some friends in 'the Pilums', but a lot of enemies, as well. He is at the door Dunsak through Lawsak, and the place is normally closed on Fastak (see The Calendars). Hegin is easy with a small bribe, but otherwise will keep the lower level from getting too full. Hegin is considered competent in fighting, and has very high protection, but his toughness is the main attribute he brings to the job.




The Common Room
As one passes by Hegin into the place, the floor is all polished greyish slate, originally immaculate, though the beaten up tables in 3 long rows look pretty shabby in comparison. There is a staircase up to the second (musical) level to the right as one enters, but the rest of the main tavern is layed out in front of an entrant. This ground floor area is also called the Common Room. Thick, utilitarian wooden tables, made of some indeterminate dark wood and stained by countless boozy balance-lacking patrons, line the middle of the room, while dark, four foot high bars line the left and right walls. The ancient dark, stone fireplace with a gargoyle face leers from the far wall from the entrance, a huge opening pushing out heat in the winter months. The Huge fireplace has aand it's decorations bespeak an origin of a more gentle atmosphere, but the Common Room area is somehow very welcoming in a well-used sort of way.

 Sugar near the FireplaceMost nights, 'Sugar' works the right side bar, a human dirty-blond vixen in a wide belt she calls a skirt, and the patrons call a good excuse to hang out around her side of the room. She's a human with a pug nose, in her early twenties, somewhat beautiful but a discerning eye will scout a hard edge and a dirk hidden in her high heeled boots. Cute and tough and quick, she makes a mint at the right-side bar nightly. She's a lot of fun to talk to, but really plays up the physical aspect. She has a few boyfriends, but no one she lets get too close, and often on Monak Eve (payday for most of the working folk), she'll stop by the 'Temple of the Whole' and weasel a bargain price for 'Finger of Life' to be cast on her by the First of Kiminus, or by his son Peomir. So she makes her best impressions on the nights new folk come in with goodwives to spend. Not a big surprise that mainly human men hangf out on her side, though she has the pater down pat to flirt with nearly any race, gender, or size, as long as their purse is filled.

The left bar is held down by Feng Jester, an orcash jokester that builds regulars as easily as most people breathe. He's actually an apprentice at the Collegium Arcan during most days, but works at Vor's during the evening. Feng has a wide, open face, thick arms, and is very strong, but he also is quick to jest and has a very ready wit, and is actually doing quite well in his classes, a testimony to his keen insights. His orcash fangs do give him the traditional Orcash lisp. He wears a collection of silk tunics, and ther are normally a bizarre collections of malcontents and disturbed intellectuals swarm around this side of the bar. Leather, lace, eyes touched with krff and lit with baleful magic, all of this can be found on Feng's side of the 'Happy Welcome'. Feng's magicval studies have been heavily into the mentalist schools, and he has been known to cast 'Nonce'

 Feng's side in the eveningThe candles are lit from when the light first fades on , and though 'Sugar', his friendly rival, draws in the boys and the needy men, Feng owns 'the Freaks' and most travelers. Tussles and fistfights break out on Sugar's side more often, bringing Hegin 'half-hand' running, and a few of his boys, but while more civility reigns on Feng's side, when there is an altercation, it is normally ended by steel and blood.

Both bars in the Common Room have the same beers on tap, Omwo~ Ciis, the watery light ale from Silverwood (4 silver Children), Hopitup, the light alcohol Cherry Pilsner from the Grey March (1 silver Child), White Arrow, a half mead/red ale mix from western Grey March (14 Silver Children), and House of Hostem, an orange spiced pale ale made down in Igbar (9 silver Children). All the crockery in the Common Room is ceramic, normally light colored, and large, though with cunning convex bottoms to every cup.

The main Kitchen and employees room is also downstairs, and the kitchen has another fireplace nearly the same size as the Common Room's. Obviously once used to feed the household and the guards of the original owners, this room was enlarged by knocking down a wall, and adding a door to a storeroom/larder behind it.

Upstairs and Upper-Class
The stairs to the right of the entrance lead upstairs to the 'Entertainment Floor', and the landing leading up to this area always has another guard in a chain shirt and a scimitar. He's there to keep the riffraff out of the second floor. Here, men and women of all races mix to listen to Bretton Avedard, the noted songster of the Silver'd Note that slums in Ocodig, or the droll Klaxik Bard Juren Don Faden. On this level, plush chairs and sofas swim a carpet sea with warm colors all around. The walls are a dark wood pannelling, with a few pen and ink landscapes, which are of middling quality. The stair enters an area with a fireplace, but smaller than the one downstairs. There are large, dark beams about ten feet overhead, with 2 large chandeliers in the twenty by 40 foot room, with chandeliers lit with thich white candles enhanced with Lesser Magnification. To the left is a the stage, which is raised only a coupe of steps, creates an intimate feeling. Almost every night of the hwaak, bards perform there, mixing politics, satire and song. Here, Bards weave light magic and strong song, to impress those that pay attention and to invade the minds of those who do not.

 Upstairs at The Happy Welcome.There are rarely more than three dozen folk upstairs here, and two dozen is considered a busy night. There are normally nearly as many women as men. Lawsak and Dunsak are busy evenings, and the beverages are served in glassware. They serve the suprememly average 'Benshin Brown' Vneersberry wine for 2 goodwives a glass, Hobyt Inn Chias, the round red, for 4 goodwives a glass, and Peorni Chias, the spicy fire-wine for 6 goodwives a glass, and they have a specialty cabinet as well.

Cameleye
The current mastermind behind Vor's Happy Welcome is Cameleye,(Klaxik male rank 4, +1 rank social). He's a thick, wiry-haried Klaxik who bought Vor's 10 years ago, and who is over a century old, but sill hale.

other recent additions to the wikis
(mainly just getting older notes transposed and fit in)
Igbar stuff---
[ic]The Steel Libram
History:  Built in 488 RON, the Steel Library originally came as a branch of the Library of the Orb. The first keeper was Aslow Ostombar. The second keeper was secretly from the Collegium Arcana, Og Antit Antioper, but the son of the first Keeper and a few of the younger members found him out and imprisoned him in the lowest level. This was Alim Vic Ostombar. He and his group took the name Seeker of the Unknown, and many books of knowledge of that time period bear that name. He died in 525RON.  It should be noted that the main building has 3 large levels, and the shallow brass dome on the roof holds a fourth.  The whole place is crammed with books and scrolls, though the rare and magical stuff is on the top two floors.  There are often a dozen or more people studying here, as this is the best collection of books ion Trabler.
 

The current Keeper is Pacae Letsos, a Klaxik Sage. He feels beleagured on all sides. His school currently has 24 members, with a healthy 13 being students. His head of scrolls is Vesaart ol Emptos, a gnomic sage.

 

The teach Mentalist and Artificer well, and have some passing ability in Order magic as well as chaos magic. They teach the scholar skill set better than any in Igbar.  Their members are normallly titleds 'Lettermen', or 'Scriven Letterman'.

 
 
Current leader: Pacae Letsos[/ic]

[ic]--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


The Unicorn State
 

 

          Trabler Aptor, former Trader-Prime for the Winfire Trading Group, waited until the Empire of Argus was very busy dealing with their southern borders, and then executed a nearly bloodless coup to install the Unicorn State. From a less-proximate view, this was also an example of the the Merchant guilds exerting infulence over the older families and the traditional power bases. So you would be correct in saying that many older families, especially the Omwo~ Farnnessen clans (the typical Omwo~ lifespan is normally from 200-300 years) and the Sheering family. That being said, all the wealthy older families have invested heavily in the Merchant guilds, and in some case, were founding members. Celtricia, the messy place where nothing is every black and white. The Blurred lands. we could call it.


The unicorn is one of those things none of my PC's have bothered to check out, but that there is a story behind. Trabler Aptor's family crest had a unicorn added to it by his father, Desrin Aptor. Desrin was a Knight of the Order of Stenron and a Blue Turtle Samurai of the Wallington Riders. He fought for the Northern Argussian Marches, but in the Gastax camapign of 831 he and his all fell in battle. He had been left for dead, but his unconsious body had been brought back to the NAM camp on the back of a huge unicorn, and the Aptor's took the sigil of the Unicorn as their own. Desrin left the NAM army then and went into the business of protecting ships.[/ic]

[ic]
Harou Culture in Igbar
 

To the Far East of the Cradle Area lie the lands of Gwynnell, and to the east and South the lands of Om.  These lands live by variations of honor and lifestyle called the 'Harou'.  In the 500's, many southern humans (from Clan Wastri and some Clan Kalil) as well as Klaxiks and gnomics from Om to the South came to settle in Igbar, and this was buttressed by in influx from Gwynell to the east in 805 RON when the disgraced Halom clan moved in to the town.  Most of the Harou live in the south east section of Igbar

 

History
The harou culture came out of the code of honor and hospitality (this code is called 'The Harou') developed between the Omwo~ of the Aspen forest and the Wastrian humans who ended up there.  The two groups trusted little of each other, and developed a codified behavior that became the Harou way.

 

Philospophy of Harou
The harou are very devoted to the gods, but go to worship only on Fastak.  They will have many small shrines in their homes, called Hegres.  They burn a variety of insenses to the specific deities, based on what they wish to get from them or how they wish to honor them.  One from the Harou culture is is especially invested in this (A priest, a penitent, or a holy warrior) will often wear a small ceramic plaque of that diety hung on a tight chain.

The Harou way is quiet and reserved, with honor held sacred.  Hospitality and honor are tied together, and deadly enemies will sup together in private, knowing that if one were to come to harm, great shame would come to the other.   Being loud and overzealous is not done in public.

The resurgence of the God of hospitality, Woerter, has much to do with the leaking of the Harou culture into the cradle area of Celtricia.

 

The Practice of Harou
Drinking tea and tea service, the dance-stories, the zealous over-protection of the inebriated, and duels of honor are paractices seen in the Harou culture.

Daily worship of the household hegres can be seen in any Harou home,and they often travel with a portable hegre as well, often of Oblimet, the Devilkin lord of journeys.[/ic]
[note=Harou]
Clan Wastri is one of the three original clans of the Human people, in legend named by the god Amerer the Grey.  They spread west back in the Age of Heroes, and created a very unique culture.    [/note]
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Gender roles/family life in Igbar
Women take care of most of the child-rearing in Igbar (except in some cases in omwo~ families and the teenage Orcash), but many still work.  It is the custom of grandparents and churches to help watch infants, and for children or walking age and upwards to travel with their mothers everywhere, though the wealthy families have many variations on this.  Farming families in Igtiche will often have father in the field right after 'Red Dawn', but mother and the children will be out with him a few hours later, after the home is taken care of.  Similar patterns are seen in Igbar's merchant shops, where two or three generations, from young child to grandmother, may be found helping in the family business.[/ic]

[ic]
The Herb Lands
 

History
The Astrikon Traders created a collection of city states just north of the Argussian Empire, connecting that civilization to the Arcanic Table of the Orbians, the Theocracy of Nebler and the Omwo~ of the Silverwood some 800 years ago.

At the height of their powers, the EarthWardens of Astrikon, worshippers of Madrak, Ceminiar and Vernidale, created the Great Ritual, with six hundred and sixty six Druids participating in the ceremony.  They were trying to create a small area where all climes and geological temperaments could be fine.  They did this at the southern tip of the Greenwald (later, the Astrikon Forest), some two hundred years later.

However, Six of the participants of the spell were actually acting under orders of the Entropic Overlords, the Chaotic Church of Free Demonism.  And the chaos that bled into the earth magic created an instability that allowed the Dark Angels of the eighth Station, the demons, entrance...

 

the Astrikon Traders are no more.  The dark and wild Herb Lands still maintain almost every climate known in Celtricia, but it is home to creatures foul and powerful.  Only the bravest enter and come back with tales, of the BoneOrc tribe that makes the HerbLands home, of the six foot long scorpions and Diabolic Apes that prey on every wanderer.  Some also come back changed, gibbering about darker things, perversions of life that damage the minds and sould merely if eyes are set on them.
 

Information
The  old rumors of falling asleep next to the hills in the Herb Lands and waking up next to the desert area are actually true.  The Herblands are actually set up on 5 hexagonal 'plates' surrounding a lake, and they are enchanted to actually rotate every evening, though with an incredibly powerful Entropic glamour that does not allow any who are their to notice, even if they stay awake all night.  Each hexagonal plate is about one and a quarter miles across, and is built with 5 'microclimates' on it.


There is a long, flat boat, 60'x200' long in the middle of the lake, with a large white sail.  this can be seen from all the shores, and has been reported on for hunderds of years.

The lake is 1.256 miles across, and the water is actually mildly curative, healing 0-1 Hp if drunk, no more than once per day.

The ancient magic of the Astrikons has not waned one bit.  Every plant that grows here is ultra-healthy, and every rare herb or reagent from any climate can be found here, and in it's most perfect, most potent format.  Merrig, for example, heals 1-3 if found growing wild here, instead of the still-rare version found in the outside world that heals 0-1.

 

However, every baneful creature, every malignant stalker and wicked carnivore, can be found dwelling and competing here, all infected with an entropic energy.

 

Igbar's Church of the Green Mother has recently dispatched the Cobranic warriors to block any without the Green Mother's writ from entering.  Since the Herb lands are such a large economic puzzle-piece for Trabler, this is causing huge strain in the Upper and Lower house of the Unicorn in Igbar.
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[ic]
Timekeeping, expanded
Igbar generally uses the Westic Common Calendar (The Calendars), though some of the Harou sections in the south east section of town use the Wastrian 12 month variation.  The Westic Common Calendar has 6 months, called the Goesi of 60 days, with a leap day in between each month.  The Goesi are Dumotux, Tokush, Tanos, Gosun, Hisio and Dumuktos.  The Hawaak (eight day week) is used here as it is everwhere.  The Waak (days) are Dunsak, Bowak, Vindak, Scaliak, Harvak, Monak, Lawsak, and Fastak.

As Celtricia has twin suns (Gerin and Tribin), the 22 hour day has three different phases.  The Night, the Day, and the Sue (Siu, White Omwo~).  The Sue is the red period in the beginning of the day when the weaker, reddish Gerin is the only light, the 'Red Dawn'.  After 58 minutes, the brighter and more yellow Tribin starts shining, giving the day a more normal cast.  As the binary suns spin around each other very quickly as Celtricia spins, the end of the day, dusk, is spent with 58 minutes without Tribin again.

The shortest day in Igbar's lattitude is 9 full hours, with 7 hours of full light, and 12 hours of darkness.  The longest day is 12 hours of light, with 10 hours of full light, and 9 hours of darkness.
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Krrf
Krrf is a powder made Primarily in Gwynell and the Oms.  It is a strong narcotic, producing a feeling of lessening the ties of the flesh, a deadening of input, and a languor.  As with most Narcotics, there is an effect of tolerances, and greater dosages needed to create the desired effect.  Stronger Krrf (the Black) is very dangerous to those not used to it's effects.  Krrf also increases the personal connection to the Well of Death, so that those affected often claim to see or hear the spirits that have resisted the flight to the Well of Death or those sent back by Retivulus or Orcus the Shepherd of the Dead.

It is normally inhaled or smoked, though it can be put into food as well (and is often in Orbi's , Gorntars, and Om's celebrations of Retivulous and Orcus).  There are as many smoking methods as one can imagine, though I will mention the 'Cathartic school of the Circle of Fire' as particularly spectacular.
 
Krrf comes in 3 varieties, Yellow, white and Black.  A normal use is an ounce at a time.
 

All of them seriously affect the behavior of the user, reducing pain, but also reducing reaction times.

White Krrf adds +1-3 Necromantic spell points to a user.

Black Krf adds +1-4 Necromantic spell points as well as giving the effect of a Corpse Candle, basically making the user an attractor of spirits.
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[ic]
The Armor of Trade, Knights of the Scales
Mission: To protect the balance of trade and justice
 
Size: 21
History: The Platform of Trade is the name for the Church of the TradeGod Ogleic, He of the fair deal and of the balance. The Platform of Trade is three quarters Church and a quarter moneylender, a strange aglomeration of worship, prayers, homliy, and sweet dealings.
The Armor of Trade began as caravan guards for the church-sponsored wain-rides that drove from Stenron down to the Argussian Empire, stopping in the Bright Lands, Orbi, aand in the Theocracy of Nebler in between. As these guards became more of a formalized part of the mercantile events, Joran Parle, human ex-knight of the Crying Sun rose to the top of the guards. That was back in 798 R.O.N., and he established the Armor of Trade as the name of the guards of the Church of Trade.

Over the next decades, the guards moved slowly to being more of a Knighthood, but in 841, Gerod Kax Colishaw, Klaxik priest of Ogleic, went from the priesthood into the guards, but with the express idea of making them more like some of more pious knighthoods, Like the Tristonian Brotherhood of the Neblerians. So it came to pass that the Armor of Trade training included philosophy and Restoration, economics and Necromancy, social grace and the nature of Order.

Today's Armor of Trade wear the grey tabard emblazoned with the gold scales proudly, embodying the values of fairness, prosperity, cooperation, and getting what you deserve.

'Chell, Amigal', is the battlecry and all around aoth-word for the knights.  It is Klaxik, meaning "The Scales, my Friends!"
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[ic]
The place of religion in Igbar, expanded
This is just the tip of the religious iceberg in Igbar.  Religion permeates Celtrician life.  A common greeting is "A Dou~his Ponder Hawaaka?", which tranlates to "Which god's house do you think today?".  This phrase is the equivalent of asking how a person's life is going, or even how they are feeling.  An average Igbarian probably visits a temple (Dou~his) every other day, or two out of three days.  

Someone down on their luck might visit the Dou~his of lucky Ishma, someone depressed might visit Jubilex, the Patron of Irony, and farmers who are planig might visit the Church of the Geen Mother or the Church of the Earth. Stopping by a church or shrine is also a very social event, and carries connotations uniquely Celrician.  Almost everyone is greeted by name, or in the case of travelers with the term "Kerma, Amigal!" (Debased Klaxik for 'Most Welcome, Friend').  Churches always have hot tea in the winters or chilled 'Kerri' (chilled, sweetened, and watered down Vneersberry wine) by the front door, and after respects are made to the icons, there are always sitting areas where elders gather and mothers and youngsters stop by.  
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[ic]
Dockside Area of Igbar
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The Dockside area of Igbar contains some of the earlier buildings in the city.  This area is totally unflagged, and  during any inclement weather, becomes muddy.  The streets are an unplanned warren.  And when the suns gets hot and high, the streets get dusty.  The wagoners and teamsters are down to the docks every day, and they hate every minute of it.

The Town Dock/Seaward Road
Igbar's dockside area has a few major hubs of activity, but the Igbar Town Dock, first built By the Gerulum Family, is one of the busiest areas in the whole town.  The Gerulum's started construction on a Greystone dock back in in 491 RON.   By 494, the original Town dock was in place, and so the independent fishermen and merchants had an inexpensive portage.  In 660 RON, The Town dock was re-shored and enlarged to make it the largest cock in the city port.  Warehouses started to move closer at that point, and the Seaward Road was altered slightly to go almost directly east/west, to go right down to the town Dock.

One block from the Town Dock is the interesection of Mungery Way.  That intersection is where The Grounds of Dismissal is located, as well as the restaurant 'After Dismissal', so wealthy folk come down the Seaward road every day.
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[ic]
Slight change in gate times
The Gates are open from Ma'Sue to Ta'Sue, or Sunup to Sundown.  This is counted from when Gerin, the first sun rises and sets, not the full daylight, which is almost two hours shorter..  The Scarlet Pilums judge this from the bronze dome of the Steel Libram, and most others people in town do as well, though there are 3 artificed public clocks in town as well.   After Dark, there are bells outside each gate, but only those with official paperwork or who are known to the Scarlet Pilums on duty will be let in.  Most knights and bards from Igbar are known and have paperwork...[/ic]

Expansion on the Shadowy Collegium Tortoris.

[ic=Collegium Tortoris-origins]
The Collegium Tortoris


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 The Collegium Tortoris has been a hidden mystery of Celtricia, barely even known in the Libraries and sage-schools. The Guild of Torturers and Executioners started around 188 Reckoning of Nebler, in Winterloo (Later to become Stenron). The original Masters of Pain were Ger Torquas Heteritr and Celiois Hemedia.  They presented a front of diplomatic talents and as bodyguards, they they alos let it be known that they were versed in information recovery.  They were also, unknown to all, in possesion of the Magic of the Shade, a void-borne source of power undiscovered since the Age of Legends.  They stayed small at first, but were used in the North-west in many courts within a few years.

In 221 RON Winterloo had a backlash, and invaded their fortress on the Corpusmount, on the edge of the Necropolis. By 225 RON, Venolisia, the sole surviving Master of Pain gathered a few suporters, and left in secret to the eaves of the Miston wood, between the evolving State of Winter and the new coastal settlements of the expanding Venolvian empire. He imparted the ramparts with the power of Shade, so the fortress was not seen unless looked for. Being a full Hawaak's ride from the edge of the State of Winter, it was well secluded.

Over the next century, the trade road grew up to pass the Collegium, and a small community of inns and settlemets grew ther, which would become Miston. Due to the magic of Shade, only a few leaders were even aware of the Collegium existing on the edge of their growing forest settlement. At this same time, enough old patrons had been contacted so that many nobles had started to hire one of the masked, felt-cloaked Torturers for their court, as they were trained in diplomacy and strategy, as well as Poisons and the Arts of Truth and Pain.

 

However, as legends grew about the cloaked Shardreapers, as their outside agents were called, it became hard to maintain a veil of secrecy.

In 412 RON, Teffud Kartig IV, the Kartig Host Lord of the Northern Ambrell Court, whose Klaxik clan had employed Torturers for 3 court-generations, suffered a grave assassination attempt. The 3 assasins had gotten within the inner court, and thus had few and mainly ceremonial guards to deal with. They threw off their peaceful disguises, robes from Om, and with black-smeared scimitars dispatched the wide-eyed Ambrell Axemen, whirling to the Seat and Dias, and an axe flashed down onto the unarmored, upraised arm of Teffus Kartig II.    The Lord of the Northern Ambrell Court saw his life pass before his eyes as the blade descended.

Said poisoned blade stopped noisily mere inches from that Noble by a thick, three foot rune-carved sword, spinning from under a black-felt robe, mere feet away. None had even seen the Torturer, Hiram, Steward of Pain and Shardreaper, standing feet away, in his Black cloak and mask. "Now you will know Pain.", came ther muffled voice from behind the mask.

The Assassins sent to kill the Host Lord were Masters of their Guilds, and recovered from their mistake quickly. They spun away, then leapt like sinewy snakes back into battle, turning and darting, working a triangle around the long cloak and mask that almost floated in front of them. Swords and daggers flashed, blades met and clashed. The Kartig Host Lord's deep voice roared for aid over the dim, as said lord, unarmed, had to stand back as his single defender discharged well his commision.

In less than a moment, it was over. Hiram bled from both arms where he had been sliced by the envenomed blades, but two of the Master assasins had been chopped expertly by the wide-bladed executioners weapon. The last Asassin gulped in air, as he had also been slightly injured.

"Feel your blood boil, fool. Feel the heat that will burn your blood away in seconds", he hissed through clenched teeth. "Black Sugar is in your blood, we took no chances." Teffud Kartig IV gasped from behind Hiram at the name of the very rare poison made from Black Dragon Acid.

Hiram looked down and as he put weight forward, he said, "I dined on your child's toy nightly by my 10th year, amateur."

Then Hiram buried the thick blade in the Master Assassin's chest, as fast as thought.


Well, you can imagine, once that story was spread, every High Warlock, every noble, every high priest, wanted a toturerer. For the next two centuries, every Assassin guild's worst enemy became the court torturer. Advisor, bodyguard, and extractor of Truth, all in one.


Yet suddenly, in 640, jsut as they were reaching a peak of influence, almost all the court toturers were called back to the Ramparts of the Executioner. The chapter Houses shut their doors, and no messenger could even find them to deliver messages.


Now, centuries later, Venolisi, Master of Pain, has once again sent a torturer out into the world. The invasion of the Giants into Miston has convinced him to unlimber the Bridge of Shade, and quietly, to no fanfare, The Guild of Torturer and Execution has rejoined the world.  The outer branches left to their own devices have been called, and a ShardReaper has been let loose on the unsuspecting world again.
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[ic=The Zyjmanese]
The Zyjmanese People
 

History of this Tribe
(and of the Orcash known as Zyjman)


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Tribes of humanoids go back to the creation of the Ogrillite peoples back in the beginning of the Age of Heroes.   Though they have always threatened the security of the acculterated areas, very few have made any serious mark.

 

However, back in 163 R.O.N., up in the north-east corner of the Grey March, an Orcash named Zyjman (rhymes with Simon) took control of the Bone-ditty humanoids, a truly barbarous crew that rarely got out of their own way, and was more a threat to themselves than any Marcher villages. Zyjman quickly found a young gartier (Bugbear) named Chiller to help him knock heads and plan.

There are some good stories that go with this, but by early 166 R.O.N., Zyjman and Chiller had grabbed a few more loser tribes and welded them into something slightly more dangerous, and certainly.

The real brilliance came when Chiller and Zyjman realized that the Red Pass, a thin strip of mountainous land that connected the North-East of the Grey March with Albinia, the Theocracy of the Gorntar and Shallball, could be controlled by a determined group of defenders.

So Zyjman took the Red Pass that year. A group of Tribal Humanoids took a well-defended pass, which normally does not happen. Better than that, they actually held it. And held it. They started to build onto the old Marcher forts, and began to develop something of a civilization there.


You can imagine that other tribal entities started connecting with the Zyjmanese and emulating them. By the third century of the Common Age (the other name of the Reckoning of Nebler), there were thousands of Orcs, Ogrillons, Ogres, Gartier, Kobolds, and a few lesser giants living in the Zyjmanese strongholds in the Red Pass.

There were 3 major 'reprisal' crusades against them, but as of 895 R.O.N., they have yet to be dislodged.

And Zyjman's children and ancestors would take his name, if they were coming into power. Zyjman VI led a migration into the Oizi vale, where the top of the Tarn Bay meets the borders of The Bright Lands and Orbi.

In 685, A small band of Orcash Warriors, led by Zyman XII, moved into the Astrikon Forest. He and Krellow Had Zyjman, a Gartier priest of The Swift Passage (Orcus) set up shop in an old Astrikon Temple of the Balance (Amerer, Madrak, Pablar, and Ceminiar). They cleaned house, made it defensible, and began the tribal job of making themselves into a bunch of Terrors for the locals.

 

Current Time


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With the war to the south still going on (in it's sixth year), and with the eastern border of Trabler now being held by Argus as well, the Scarlet Pilums militias have been thinned dramatically, and predictably, the Zyjmanese and other humanoid tribes have had a good time of it. Igtiche's outlying farms are more heavily defended, and Igtiche's religeous knighthoods are welcome by the trading families and the farmer, no matter what stripe they are from.

Zyjman's tribe has actually are loosely allied with the Bone Tribe that actually lives in the Herb Lands, and with the Firehazer tribes of the Wibble Hills. Zyjman XIV is leading them know, but there is a crossbreed Orcash/Hobyt Alchemist renegade of the Collegium Arcana and the formidable priesthood of the Swift Passage (Orcus) at the Mother temple in the woods. SLightly to the South of the forest, and North of the Earthwood is the old plateau-town of Kerusad, a old trading fort of the Astrickon Traders, now an armed camp of the Zyjmanese. And Koplow, an Orc Chief (Zyjman XIV's third son) has taken control of Kerumbal's old hermitage, where he and his forces keep an eye on Igtiche, and raid occasional caravans.
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even more updates on the strange faction-filled world of Celtricia...this one for Nomadic, since his new character is primarily from this faction.
(The Uncensored Realms will have to wait).
PLease note that this etry is specific to the Ocodig Branch.

[ic=The Scarlet Pilums of Ocodig]
Guildschool Faction:
 
Area:Ocodig
Name: Scarlet Pilums, Ocodig
Affiliation with Larger: The Scarlet Pilums are an old mercanary band that now has the contract to be the militia of every town or city of Trabler.  The spear-captain of the town is a high ranking member of the Pilums.
 
Membership style: Mercenary contract-cum-military.  Most members are on full, active duty.  Members can be in inactive duty, which are still expected to come to full duty if needed, or those parolled out.
 
% of starting membership: 47% Attrib bonus: ST (12/1) HE (13/2)
Mission: Currently to fulfill their decade contract with Trabler.  Long term, to grow their mercenary brotherhood.
 
Size:  32 (~1300)
History: The Scarlet Pilums were one of the Itinerant Mercenary Brotherhoods, many of which still ply their trade in the Cradle area and the South.  Back in 880, right after the Plague Troubles of the late 70's, The town militia of of the Capital of Trabler went on strike.  Rather than giving them anything, the Horn King, Trabler Aptor, a former merchant prince used to the art of bluff and bargain, hired outright a small mercenary brotherhood from the Grey March with a good reputation, the Scarlet Pilums.  Sen Tom Klaxik, A Black Klaxik from the north was the Spear Captain of the Band.
(there are still some families with connections with the old town militia that was part of the military that bear the Pilums lingering ill-will due to this, especially the Omwo~ Yani family of Igbar and Walker's Glory)
They signed a decade long contract, one of the longest in the Pilum's 60 year history, but the recruiting clause allowed by the Horn King was especially liberal.
Horn King Aptor was especially pleased with his arrangement, and slowly placed contingents of the Pilums in all the settlements of Trabler, creating a military presence in every town loyal to his new reign.   As this went on, the 80-odd members of the small Mercenary brotherhood that had been hired transformed into over 500 by 890.
When the Argussian Blue-White alliance moved in force on the Theocracy of Nebler in 889, the Scarlet Pilums' devotion to the militia job allowed the military of Trabler to concentrate on the defence of the country.
Though there was some friction generated by some of the old families and some of the town military garrisons, the contract was renewed for another decade in 890.   The Pilums number  about 1300 now, and are under the jurisdiction of the Horn Commander of the Army of Trabler, Ven Til Allbright.  Sen Tom Klaxik Carries the title Spear-Commander now.
 
 
Current leader: Spear Captain Sen Towart
Current situation: Slightly beleagured by the outbreak of the roaming undead form the south, the recent incursions of the Blackstripes, the Pilums have becoe slightly more martial in Ocodig.
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from the wiki


[ic=Magic]

Behind the Curtain
Magic is a cornerstone of a fantasy world. Our nearly universal and eternal fascination with magic is part of the 'What If' that makes people play FRP games. Or, to put in other words, Magic is (for the most part) what makes it a Fantasy role playing game, and not merely an exercise in acting. The way magic works and feels and is used and has changed in Celtricia is completely idiosynchratic to the setting, as well as being completely central to it. History, real or imagined, is a series of events that are created by ealier events and which in turn influence later ones. Many intellectual, creative and philosophical movements are the reult of earlier events. Celtricia's early history was often one of survival, of very small settlements doting a huge and wild world, where magic was in the hands of a tiny percentage of the population and the rest served them. It has been the last thre thousand years where magic has become ore formalized, and has allowed the acculturated world some measure of security. As this spread, magic and the creation of spells became geared to solve the problems of the day. The progress of magic is the story of the advance of civilization in Celricia, in the place of technology. It is in the subtleties of the daily existence where it helps with survival and labor. The Marcher breed of cows produce 8 gallons of milk a day, Tempersails use the power of the the House of Air that is No Longer to attract mindless elementals to aid their ships, Evercoal is charged with the power of the House of Fire that is No Longer to burn longer and hotter to allow the Cold North of Celtricia to be populated.

How does magic feel?
In the world of Celtricia, students who wish to use the void-borne sources of power are tested to make sure they have the aptitude to do so. About one tenth of the population has some affinity for some of the Void-Borne power sources. They are also tested to see if they have the mental strength to create their own resevoir of power, their own source of Spirit. Different power sources feel very differently to casters, and need different mind sets to access. Reaching the House of Earth takes a certain inner gravity, whereas feeling the Well of Death requires a mindset of decay. Becoming a conduit for Air means feeling endless space without boundaries, whereas mastering the human oversoul requires an inner understanding of emotion and logic. Once the ability is gained, the person can always 'feel' the currents of power from that source. During rest, they recite the mantras of meditation, to strengthen the conduits between themselves and those power sources. When casting a spell, the caster uses their own personal power to activate the spell, and then pulls power from the conduits to the sources they have been taught to find to create the spell. Lesser spells normally use only a little personal power and possibly one source, so the caster must use their own personal strength to activate the spell, then increase the proper mindset to reach a power source and open up a conduit. Even beginning magics often need to be powered from more than one void-borne source, so casting a spell that requires Earth and Fire requires an effort of will to active the spell, then the caster must be of sufficient mental strength to create a mindset that allows both the solidity of the House of Earth and the wild passion that reaches the Well of Fire as well. So this is why more powerful spells that require multiple power sources are much more prone to failure. One-tenth of the population can reach some sort of magic, but less than one tenth of those will ever have the ability to cast more than the most simple of spells. To be able to force one's own energy into a spell, then create a mindset that allows a conduit to the House of Law, hold that in a caster's mind while creating every emotion in their minds to reach the collected subconsious of mentalism...that describes the process of a spell with only a few components. This is why it takes a very special person to be able to cast more difficult spells.

How Does Magic Work
The history of magic, or the Void-Borne powers, as they are often called (Wuo~ in the White Omwo~ language of the ancients, Woo to many practictioners of the current Celtrician world) is long and varied. In the depths of time, only the Omwo~, the first servants were taught any of it's secrets. They were wild practitioners, using only the internal power of their great and powerful spirits to produce effects. But some of the Planars whispered the secrets of this to the Sauroids and the orcash, so Ceminiar taught the Omwo~ how to channell the power of the House of Earth. Verkonen Vreeg was kicked out of the White City for teaching this to the humans of Clan Teleman. Over the next six centuries, the various voide-Borne power sources were given as gifts and promises to the peoples of the Waking Dream, and the magic slowly trickled inexorably into the lives of all who lived on the world, proof of their worship and worth. Today, most magic is a combination, with casters using their own inner spirit to trigger the spell and then using their developed conduits to the Void-Borne sources. The inner Spirit can be used to power any spell effect, but it is much more draining to use Spirit in the place of the proper power source.

Common Tools
Though artificers create many tools, the bulk of these are simple tools for those who cannot cast magic. Lesser potions of cantrip effect, ropes which knot until released, coals which stay hot for days, locks are almost inmpossible to unlock without the key, garments that heat the wearer, and plows that cut through the earth. Items that affect daily life, perhaps in minor ways, but still profoundly. These items will normally cost 20-50 times as much as an average quality version that is unenchanted, so they are still somewhat rare. Casting aids are also carried by many practitioners. Creating a Staff Ordinaire that will slightly reduce the amount of personal spirit needed to trigger a spell will normally cost about about a thousand Gold Horn in Igbar, plus whatever the material costs. Items that can increase the conduit to a void-borne source are many times rarer. The Arcanic Table of Orbi had legendary torques that reduced slightly the load of personal spirit and every void-borne power source.
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[ic=The Well of Death]
Undeath, the Binding of Spirits
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"On the blessed House of Life, the Well of Life is the fount of '˜All-that-is-to-Come', at once the one source of the spark of the health of those that live and at the same time the gateway for all that is yet to come.  The inscrutable plans of the Celestial Planars, the destiny and life-force of their servants-to-be, all are sourced through the Well of Life before they are transported to their yet unborn vessels in the '˜Waking Dream' that is the living world.

And just as needed in this grand cycle, the Grey and stately House of Death, where Orcus of the Passage helps guard the Well of Death.  All Spirits that depart the '˜Waking Dream' make their way through the Void to the Well of Death on the red and grey plain of Zevashopal.  There they wait for their makers and any others of the Planars that might lay claim to them, for them to cycle back to the unformed stuff that they were before the spirit's trip began.

And at times, the Plains of Zevashopal are ringed by combatants for the possession of a soul that more than one of the Great Planars wish to lay claim to."
-From the Well of Souls, the Book of the Church of Orcus, the Opener of the Way.[/font]

When death comes to end the time spent in the 'Waking Dream', the soul flies through the void to rest in the Well of Death, before it is claimed by the proper patron for '˜Recycling'.  Souls can spend millennia there, or mere minutes.
 
Now, there are three main classifications of undead in Cetricia.  The Mindless, the Cunning,  and the Aware.  There are also different classifications of how the spirit is taken or kept away from the Well of Death.


Mindless Undead are creatures that a necromancer ties a bit of a soul/spirit to.  The necromancer reaches into the Well of Death, reaches a spirit that is not too powerful, and drags some of it back and ties it to a vessel he or she has waiting for that purpose.  It is not the same body that the spirit came from, nor is a whole spirit ever pulled back, so while the automatic familiarity with a body keeps the soul tied to it,. there is no intelligence or motivation.

Mindless undead include animated skeletons such as skeletal legionaires, skeletal animals, skeletal warriors, crypt warriors, crypt captains, and others of the like.  Mindless undead also include creatures with more fleshy content, like Zombies, Red Zombies, Rain zombies, and Zombic Slaves of Terror.  They are by far the most common undead.


The Cunning Undead are creatures whose original soul either was tied to their own body for some reason or their soul was dragged back and imprisoned back in their own body.  Due to the preparation and incompleteness of the soul's rest, these creatures have a modicum of reasoning and passion, but often have incomplete or completely missing memories.  These creatures also have a great hatred for those fully alive, as there is a dim awareness of what they have lost.  Also, some of these are created and some happen without plan, and some can be both. Ghouls and Ghasts (and their greater counterparts), for example, are normally the unshriven or poorly blessed bodies of creatures whose souls are not sped properly on their way, yet a necromancer can warp an area so that the dead around it are more likely to rise.  These creatures normally have little memory or true intelligence, but are clever, quick, and hate the living.  

Emotiona and angst has a place here.  A powerful person who meets their end with a large burden on thier soul can be tied to their body and rise as a wight or wraith, still with the urge to fulfill the conditions that were laid on their soul during their life.


Wights, wraiths, Spectres, Ghosts, and such are examples of greater, more powerful souls that stay with their corporeal forms, though the more powerful they are, the less of their bodies they actually need and keep.  


Powerful necromancers and 'aware undead' can actually call back a soul that is still in the Well of Death. So while the Cunning Undead can occur naturally, they can be created as greater servants as well.  Greater Servants such as this can also override older orders of mindless undead, and will often be found with a group of mindless undead as their minions.  Often Cunning Undead that have been specifically created have some measure of their motivations and memories, and more wicked power to go along with this.
 

Aware Undead are specially prepared specifically to lengthen and continue their time in the 'Waking Dream' past normal boundaries.  They keep their memories and power and in some cases their power is enhanced by their new conditions.  Mummies, Vampyres, and Liches are included here: creatures whose spirits are in their own keeping.  Due to this, they cannot ever cast more than 2/4 of their own spirit in magic, as this will weaken their hold on the Waking Dream and start their delayed trek to the Well of Death.


Understand also that once the soul/spirit of a person has passed out of the Well of Death, nothing short of the Celestial Plnanr that is in possession of it can return it to the mortal sphere.  Raise Dead style spells can reach a soul before it finds the Well of Death, and Ressurection can reach the soul and pull it back from the Well, but nothing short of the grudging will of the Celestial PLanar that owns that soul can bring it back once it has left the Well of Death.
[/ic]

The Reckoning of Nebler
Counting the Years.
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The proper term to the most common way to count years in the cradle area of Celtricia is the Reckoning of the Founding of the Theocracy of Nebler.  This is by far the most common yearly system used.

The current year is 895 in this calendar.  The areas that use it primarily include the countries of Orbi, the Bright Lands, the Grey March, Sembina, the Oaklight and Lapern.


The year 895 RON (in the Reckoning of Nebler), is normally translated to the ninety fifth year of the Ninth century of the Common Age in Trabler, Orbi and the BrightLands.    So the terms 'Common Age' and 'Reckoning of Nebler' are used interchangeably in these areas.  The Igbarian man on the street will oftern term the year 'Ninety five', while Omwo~ that might live a few centuries scrupulously add the century in every utterance.

The Empire of Argus, The Barony of Argus, the New Argussian March, Zent, and Coom Isle use the Argussian 'Blue Axe' Calendar, which was set when The Empire of Argus formally came into existence.  It is 1269 in that Calendar.


The settlements in the Silverwood, while small and insulated, use the oldest calendar in Celtricia.  It is year 7089 since the Founding of the Silverwood, the only settlement founded back in the Age of Legends.

Area:Igbar
Name:Church of the Hosting
Affiliation with Larger: This church is loosely allied with other churches of the Hosting, but is not directly under the authority of any other church.
 
Membership style: priesthood and worshippers
 
% of starting membership: 25% Attrib bonus: WI (10/2) CH 12/2)
Mission: To promote the teachings of the Lord of the Hosting, and to be part of the organic network they believe each population center to be.
 
Size: 6 priests, about 150 devoted worshippers, but maybe three times that as casual worshippers.
History: The worship of Woerter, the Lord of Gatherings, started in the southern lands of Ominol and the Good Land of Om, about 2 centuries before.  It came to Igbar about a decade before, finding a niche in the Harou section of town (which has many expatriated Omnians).  Hestimiak Kartikol, the priest who came from Om to start this church,  moved after about 5 years to the Weavers quarter in the North west section of town, into an abandoned rug shop.  Though never bombastic, as their teachings are to be the perfect host and show humility, the Church of the Party (as it is also called) became part of more and more town celebrations, and due to the increased traffic and corresponding donations, a few Goesi ago Hestimiak and his five other priests have found an old temple of the Living Flame just off the corner of the Unicorn Vex and the Godstraat.  
 
 
Current leader: Hestimiak Kartikol, male klaxik Hierophant
Current situation: The Church of the Hunt and the Tierophan family (members of the Vissippee Trading Family) both have great antipathy for the Church of the Hosting, wheras the Silvered Note Skalds and the Frigid Song Skalds both perform at this church.  They are growing slowly.
 
Notes
The Church of the Hosting was founded a few centuries before to the south, a minor religion that uses the 'Way of the Heart-Sword', an ancient text on Harou social behavior, as one of it's two major texts.  The other is the 'Book of the Hosting', the books of Woerter.  
The Church of the Hosting includes social interaction and social events in it's sphere of inluence.
Woerter is portrayed as a kindly old klaxik, meddling goodheartedly in everyone's affairs as well as taking the role of the spiritual father of a huge interconnected, extended family.  His son, Kallieak, A demi-planar, is shown as a good hearted warrior that gets into trouble, and sometimes needs his father to smooth things over.  The entire 'Book of the Hosting' is full of parables of this nature.
The Church of the Hosting teaches patience and treating everyone as part of an extended family.  Disagreements are seen as temporary, like  a family.  Prestige is gained by acting graciously in all situations.

Opening post on this thread redone.
This reflects conversations dealing with assumptions on the CBG chat, and comments by other members.
Emphasis on racial issues and the actual socio developmental level of the world.
(kudos to Troll and Nomad for this)

Celtrician Tale of Years  
 
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The History of Celtricia

Although Celtricia is not billions of years old, it has a rich and lengthy history of civilization.  Celtricia was brought into being by the Song Of Creation a little over fifteen thousand Celtrician years ago.  Much of that time was witnessed by written history, and in that sense it is very old, and packed with history.

In the broadest strokes, Celtrician history can be divided into three major phases, or ages, although some will say there are four.

The first phase is called the Age of Legends, and it stretches from the beginning of the Song Of Creation until it culminated with the Accords of Presence. The Accords of Presence were put together at the time when the Celestial Planars left the 'Waking Dream' itself to move into their dwelling places in the void, and -5995 Reckoning of Nebler (RON) is the accepted year that this occurred, and the Age of Legends ended. In the Age of Legends, it is said that the gods walked the earth, and the Song of Creation was still sung withing the 'Waking Dream', although subtly changed by its orginators.  Brave, wise Omwo~ served and learned from their masters, writing and recording their powerful lessons.  Mighty, gigantic Sauroids built for their creators and also carried the ancient Omwo~ on their backs.  This was the 'Waking Dream',  until the gods fought over worship.

The second epoch is called The Age of Heroes, and it refers to the time during which the Celestial Planars continued their conflict for worship, but in a proxy war.  By the Omwo~ it is also called the Human Age, as the first Humans appeared right after the Planars left.  The Sauroids first started to change color, and build their Dragon Empire during this time.  It was also during this age that the birth and the growth of the first city-states such as Ambrettus, Winter, Grenwit Hollow, Vicoria, and Seou, to name a few, occurred.  But the Age of Heroes is remembered mainly for the great fratricidal conflict of the Avatar of Amerer, Numansongs the Bard and the Arch-lich Asol Arbor, Champion of of Anthraxus of the Cycle.  This age lasted until approximately -1500 RON.

The Age of Statehood came next; a time where countries and their ideologies were venerated and sacrificed for by men, instead of countries worshipping the ideals of a few individuals.  As this age has worn on and the population of Celtricia has increased dramatically, 'God, Guild, and Country' have become the priorities.  Racial conflicts and the priorities of a select few heroes have receded into the past.  Some also call the founding of the Theocracy of Nebler (Reckoning of Nebler, R.O.N year 0) the beginning of the 'Common Age,' but this fourth division not consistently used.

The current date is 895 RON.  The Age of Statehood is almost twenty four centuries old.  To even the eldest of the Omwo~, with their three hundred or more year lifespan, this epoch stretches back into legend.

[spoiler=Link to full Take of Years]link to full Tale of Years (http://celtricia.pbwiki.com/Tale%20of%20Years)[/spoiler]

Ohy.  I almost forgot.  Index is a WIP, but coming along.
Getting help from my people, as well.
http://celtricia.pbwiki.com/Index

Elder Families of Igbar


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The Old Families of Igbar, also called the Elders of Igbar or 'Istars of Igbar', are families of wealth and influence in this city.   All of this group of Trabler's first citizens are generations old, most claiming cultural and hereditary descent from the Empire of Argus.  Argus controlled Trabler for 473 years from 397 RON, when Argus captured the capital city of Igbar, until  870 RON, when Trabler Aptor took it from them.  Many of them are members of the Church of Vernidale the Green Mother, which has a strong influence in Argus. Many also have cousins and relatives still in Orbi.

 
"Istar" was a harou term coined for the wealthy Igbarian clans in the early 700's RON.   The literal translation means 'gracious father,'  and it was certainly meant as sarcastic, though its common use in all circles now shows an acceptance in the lexicon of the town.  Heral (Breeder) Menken is credited with first using the term in one of his spoken word performances back in the early 700's.
 

All of these family units take their name and honor very seriously, even if they pretend not to: it is how they are brought up.  They all own various properties and businesses, and every one of them, while decrying to each other that the ascendency of the Trading Guilds will be the end of them, is making money in partnership with these same syndicates.  It is a common slur that all the Istar are Argussian sympathizers. But as some of these clans have sprawled into twenty or thirty members over the decades, there are any number of beliefs and political positions.
 

Many of these stalwarts have had much to do in the past with the ordering of the city, and despite the change in the regime, many still do.  Most of them have vast fortunes whose growth are dependent on the city, and they know enough to want to keep a hand on the tiller if possible.  The older families have many members in the Lower House of The Unicorn, so they are, by and Large, very politically active.  Many Igbarian Istar frequent the Bardic Taverns, especially the 'Silvered Note', or often Hostem's House of Hospitality, due to the excellence of the food.

Interesting - they seem to almost be a bit like the Bildeburgers.  Do they play an active hand in moving politics in their favor, and do they even ally themselves with each other, or are they constantly scheming against each other for personal gain, or a bit of both?

Quote from: IshmaylInteresting - they seem to almost be a bit like the Bildeburgers.  Do they play an active hand in moving politics in their favor, and do they even ally themselves with each other, or are they constantly scheming against each other for personal gain, or a bit of both?

Though there is a lot of rivalry, they are more like a social caste that works together without any real organization.  They intermarry heavily within the other families of the class.  If you really want to know where they are patterned, look  here. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_Brahmin)  
Even in terms of accent and schooling, the Istar do it the 'right' way.  Even their rebellions are somewhat predictable.  Howeverm many of them are also brought up 'to serve', looking at their social position as a responsibility.  It was actually a member of this social class who drafted the current hot-button proposal to eliminate the 16 hereditary positions in the Lower Hosue of the Unicorn in Trabler.

And thank you for the question.  Hadn't though of them in those terms, though some of them are members of groups more of that bent.

Area:Igbar
Name:The Alternative School of Magic
Affiliation with Larger: none
 
Membership style: Very Open Membership
 
% of starting membership: 50% Attrib bonus: IN (12/1) WI(10/1.5)
Mission: To create a cooperative magic school that is not under the heel of the huge Collegium Arcana.
 
Size: 90 active, 9 instructors, 29 students
History: In Igbar, the Alternative School of Magic was begun in 2-31-889, where Palimar, Air mage of Devens and Priest of Madrak and his wife, Samria, sage of the Steel Libram, decided to rebel against the Collegium Arcana in this small, border city.
During the troubles, when the Unicorn King, Trabler Aptor dissapeared, Palimar was already on the Lower House of the Unicorn, Palimar and his friends were instrumental in guiding the city during that dark time, and Palimar was one of the group that discovered HighHand Coomi, ranking member of the Upper House of the Unicorn and Venerate of Nebler, was actually a spy for the Argussian Confederation.


Note :
Palimar is actually a PC still remotely playing his old character. The original sessions were played 1986-1990.[spoiler=Palimar DevensHeld]  One of the original Players of Celtricia, PB played Palimar and Erwin Zingo, actually starting in 1985.  Palimar is actually a member of the Old aristocracy of Devens On Coom Isle, which was overthrown a in 976 RON. Irnwin Zingo was a Mysteriarch bodyguard, a companion since childbirth sworn to serve the Devenshold family.  Palimar was a voice of reason among the PC group that started in Onocon of the old Theocracy of Nebler (now taken by Argus), and quickly were outlawed there, and ran through Igbar on their way to take ship to Deven;s on Coom Isle, where they fell afoul of Heliopolis Von Arbor, the Assassin lord of the Blackstripes, and the real power behind the throne in Coom Isle.  PB still controls much of Palimar's actions and large scale plans (along with Palimar's wife, Samria, and their scarred Daughter, Salimar (Earthward)SamriaDaughter) today in 2008.[/spoiler]
Palimar was voted by the lower House of the Unicorn into the Upper House, and since that time, to spite the Collegium Arcan that had always impeded his work, has used his popularity to create the Alternative school of Magic. Currently, 9 instructors and 29 students study in their halls, and an astonishing 52 other people have memberships and do their spell learning there.
The Collegium Arcana makes no bones about their hatred of this upstart guild.  Palimar's Priesthood in the Church of the Living Earth (Madrak) aslo gives him a lot of pull on the Godstraat.
Samria, Palimar's wife (they have an open realtionship) is the other primary figure in the school.  She is a fellow in the Steel Libram, and the Altrnative School and the Steel Libram have a partnership.

 
Current leader: Palimar (And Samria)
Current situation: Very low on cash, and very polarizing.  

New Projects in Celtricia/Updates
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Index page is coming along.  Obviously a long way to go, but I have 2 players helping with project.
Celtrician Index (http://celtricia.pbwiki.com/Index)

Spells page for Guildschool's particular weird spell set is still growing.  The different 'personality' of the spells powered by the different Void-Borne sources of power is showing more and more.  Both the Igbarian and Mistonian groups are beginning to dread running into intelligent undead who have Necromantic and Death magic at their fingertips.
 Guildschool spells (http://celtricia.pbwiki.com/Spell+List)
One that I have sprung on them recently that they particulary hated...
Rotting Spray (http://celtricia.pbwiki.com/Rotting+Spray)

The Notes and Recent Gossip section at the bottom of the Igbar page has expanded, along with more infromation about weather, the Law, the Brewer's Quarter and the Godstraat.The massive mess of Igbar (http://celtricia.pbwiki.com/Igbar%2C-Capital-of-Trabler)

And the Nebler's Shield Mountain/Ruins of abuto adventure
(Nomadic, keep out, and Higgs as well, if we are going to have you back)

hitorical overview (http://celtricia.pbwiki.com/Neblers+Shield+Mountain+History-DM+only)
 main overview of adventure (http://celtricia.pbwiki.com/NSM-Adventure+Page-DM+only)
Abandoned town of Abuto (http://celtricia.pbwiki.com/Abuto%20page-NSM-DM%20only)

(//../../e107_files/public/1222269232_392_FT39571_abuto_lake2.jpg)

Artifice and Magic Items in Celtricia
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Items Wondrous and Enchanted
 
As has been mentioned before, Celtricia has a very different distribution of magic than most other settings.  The world and setting is such that low power magic is somewhat common (1/10 people can learn to touch the Void-Borne power sources, and 1/25 is taught, normally), but due to the way expereince is gained, the amounts of differerent power sources, and the way higher level spells are structured, even medium level magic is rare.

Tied to the way magic affects the world, and the reasons magic-users have not taken over the world, is the presence of artificed items.  Magic items, to use the vulgar term, come in many diffefrent types.  And each affects the world differently, but profoundly.

It should first be noted that in an area of any population, magic is no big surprise.  It is considered part of the world, the same as a house or a weapon, a very important part of the world.  And even non-casters have a pretty basic idea of the way simple spells and cantrips work, as well as having a certain amount of envy for those who can cast.  The concepts of magic are taught in private schools and to all the nobility as well, as it affects them dramatically.   So the more common spells are pretty well known.  Cures, good fortune, crop enhancement, basic combat enhancement, and the daily mundane spells are well known.

There are two basic broad catagories in artificed items.  One is Scrolls and Potions, the other is Enhanced items.
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Scrolls and Potions
For millenia, magic was cast only by the very few.  The Age of Legends and the Age of Heroes were days of magic being a class delineation.  The Stunatu races  were originally created to work, and to serve the spellcasting folk of the world.  So in the Ages past, magic and it's use was a jealously guarded secret.  Less than two in a thousand were taught the Wou, as it is called in the Harou Lands, in the earliest of days.


Potions
In the Age of Heroes, mages began creating charged liquids that could be drunk and have a spell affect, for their minions.  These are potions, created to allow non-casters the use of spells.  By the use of sympathetic ingredients, small amounts of liquid could be charged to create a spell-affect when the liquid is drunk or used.  Through the use of the binding spell, Create a Potion, and casting the spell intended to be charged into the proper ingredients, an artificer can create a liquid that will hold a single spell use.  Please note that with the proper ingredients, almost any spell can be charged this way.

At the most basic level, potions should be seen as equalizers that allow anyone to cast a spell, talented or not.



(//../../e107_files/public/1223323846_392_FT39571_potions_.jpg) (//../../e107_files/public/1223323846_392_FT39571_potions.jpg)


Scrolls
Scrolls and their use has been the subject of many pages, as their use in the Celtrician mileau is profound.  There is no need to do the whole rehash here.  But it is an important way to understand the way magic functions in Celtricia.  Whereas Potions exist as tools to allow anyone, particularly non-casters to use magic, Scrolls are tools to aid casters in using less resources to cast spells and to allow them to cast spells that are beyond their ability.  Scrolls can also be used to learn spells, so they are very valuable as teaching tools.  Scrolls come in three types, Teaching, Casting and the combination of both.

Scrolls cost 1/20 the casting amount, but a caster has to have every type of power source the spell on the scroll requires.  Also, a caster can cast a scroll that is more powerful than they can cast, but a caster can never cast a spell from a scroll that costs more than twice their maximum ability.

Broadly put, Potions allow anyone to 'cast', while a scroll aids a caster in their casting.
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Enhanced Items
Enhanced items come in Three major formats, and one minor one.  Skill enhancers,  Casting enhancers, items charged with spells, and magic weapons make up these classificatins.

Skill Enhancers
The very most common are items that enhance a skill, normally a few times a day, but sometimes every time they are used.  Broaches that increase the socail skills of a wearer, shoes that increase the dancing skills, lockpicks that increase the appropriate skill...this type of item enhancement is the most common.  Since most skill uses are % based with the level of success or failure ties to the amount under or under one rolls, these are crucial, day-to-day items.  Guilds will almost always have items like this being used, dependent on the wealth of the guild in question.


Magic Enhancers
The second most common type of ensorcelled item is the 'Magic Staff' and it's variations.   These are items that help focus the casters person Spirit and the Void-Borne energies that are woven together to cast spells.  The most common type reduces the amount of personal energy, or Spirit.  This makes all casting easier, and obviously is a huge help to all casters.

More powerful versions are often also linked to other Void-Borne power sources, so the more rare versions reduce the amount of Spirit and other power sources needed to cast a spell.  The Torcs of the old Arcanic Table (the old Orbian government) reduced all types of spell points by one of a spell cast.

Staffs are, however, the most common variation.  Whether it be for a good reason or merely following the old prototype, staffs are the most common variation of this type of artificed item.  The Collegium Arcana's internal name for a member is 'Tamp doen', which is arcanic for 'Staff-bearer', and most of their ceremonial offices include an actual staff.

Whether it is a Torc, a ring, a staff, or a nose piercing, this type of item is almost assumed with any wealthy caster.  Spell-weavers are always scared of running dry their resources, so a tool they delays this and allows them to cast more is worth a hefty price.

Magic Staffs are very, very difficult to make, and luckily, very hard to destroy.  The most simple versions will cost over a thousand electrum goodwives, and better versions can costs tens of thousands.


(//../../e107_files/public/1223324160_392_FT39571_staff.jpg)

Casting Items
The third most common enscorcellment is casting a spell into an item and binding the spell into the item, either with a set number of charges or a set amount of uses a day.   Weapons charged with combat spells like Source Charge, BloodGush or Crystal Edge, goggles with Lesser Eye, armbands with Bull's Strength, these are just a few examples of the spells that are cast into and item ans secured into the item with the Spell Enchant-Artifice an Item.   Most typically, these work once or twice a day, though sometimes there are a set amount of charges, normally between five and ten.

This type of artificed item is very, very uncommon.  The creation of such an item is described fully under the spell, but it needs a very powerful caster to cast the spells 'into' the item after it is prepared.  Due to the near-indestructablity of these items, older ones often last for generations.  And they can be the strangest things, as well.  Jewelry and other worn items are very common, but almost any item imagined can be ensorcelled.

 

Magiced Weapons/armor
These are actually a sub-classification of Skill Enhancers, as they increase a users skill.  Most commonly, they give a bonus on the basci weapon skill of that type (Such as a War Hamme giving a bonus to the 'Basic Blunt Weapon' skill), but often they also add onto the skills of 'Damage Bonus' or 'Initiative Bonus' for that type of weapon.  These are most easily cast on weapons made of materials that take better to magic, like BlackSteel or Ambretton Brass.  These better materials often perform slightly better than common counterparts to begin with.
The same is true with Armors that add onto the Avoidance or Protection skills.

Again, understand that the longevity of such items and their value makes the finding of such an item an event, and no one every questions the fashi9on taste of a warrior dressed in an ancient style, since it normally signifies the armor is better than normal.

Other Created Items
Powerful mages of taoday and days past have often commisioned items than mix the above catagories. The mutability and creativity of the artificers of the past and of the current time has allowed for thousands of clever permutations
[ic=A powerful spear]
Here is an example from an opponent of the Miston group, an Ograk Dragonrider.  He wielded an ancient venolvian Demi-lune.

Demi-lune of Control +19% basic Spear/+2 damagebonus skill, -2 spirit, -2 animist  Lizard Tongue 2/day, Blessings of Snake and Spider 2/day

Note that it has weapon skill enhancement, Magic enhancers, and some charged spells also.[/ic]

I like it, makes sense just fine. The 1/10 being able to touch the void is curious though. What then decides who can and cannot touch the void and use it to cast magic? Also what do you mean by 1/25 being taught normally?

Quote from: NomadicI like it, makes sense just fine. The 1/10 being able to touch the void is curious though. What then decides who can and cannot touch the void and use it to cast magic? Also what do you mean by 1/25 being taught normally?

Compared to earlier times in the Celtrician history, the various guilds that can teach 'the Wou' search out those who can cast, almost as a resource.  A tenth of those born in the 'Waking Dream' can touch the power sources, but not all of them are taught.  As I mentioined in other posts, though many use magic, very few can use past the very basic spells.

Thank you for the feedback, as always!

Scrolls in Celtricia

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Scrolls are one of the most useful tools in a spellcasters arsenal.   They can be used to add a spell into a spell book, or to cast the spell itself with dramatically lower cost.
There are three types of scrolls, Casting Scrolls, Learning Scrolls, and combination scrolls, which do both.


When casting a spell from a scroll, much of the conduit to the power sources of the spell comes from the scroll itself.  So there is normally an extra 3 segment delay.  However, the cost is only 1/10 the cost of casting the spell regularly, rounding up.  And yes, that means if the spell requires less than 6 points in an area, it has no cost using it from a scroll.  However, you cannot use spirit to make up for spell point types you do not have.  You have to understand how the spell is working to cast it out of a scroll.

Most spells also cannot be cast out of a scroll if the cost of the spell is over double what the caster can actually do at maximum.  So you can't grab a scroll of firestorm and cast it as a novice.  This is due to the lack of experience with opening up this big a conduit to a power source.

Scrolls are made with one of the artificer spell versions of '˜Write Scroll', and the spell must be cast onto the scroll BY THE CASTER (or with the ridiculously costly '˜Artificer Interface' spell) right after the scroll is prepared.  Not a huge surprise that 30% of scrolls are for artificer spells, or that almost every Church has members that have some Artificer abilities.

Casting Scrolls are the most common type, and use the least expensive of the Scroll Creation spell.  Learning Scrolls another version that cannot be used for casting.  Only the most expensive, most versatile type can be used for both.  Spells are taught and sold almost exclusivley by scrolls, as copying a scroll from a spellbook ruins the spellbook.

Scrolls are used very extensively by casters, and are big business in Celtricia, as they are so versatile and helpful.  Most casters with the money use scrolls as much as they can, despite the price.


Cost of Spells and Scrolls
=========================================================================================

The Celtrician world of magic has elements of common magic, at the lower levels, and rare, wondrous magic, at the higher ones. Due to the difficulty in getting to higher levels, and as most higher level spells need a caster to be fluent in more than one area, higher level spells are rare.

The cost of spells is based on the amount of total spell points a spell takes to cast. Also, since teaching scrolls are used most of the time, the cost of a teaching scroll is assumed to be the same as a spell costs.

 

A Casting and Learning scroll costs 50 GP, plus 50 GP per spell point.

A Learning scroll costs 50 GP, plus 40 GP per spell point.

A Casting Only scroll cost 25 GP, plus 20 GP per spell point.

Note that these are mitigated by the following, on average.

Own school, same location. *.75.

Own School *.85

Affiliated or allied school, *.9

Potions, since they can be used by anyone, cost between four to five times the same cost of the same spell.

I recall you saying this somewhere... but does Celtricia have wands or staves that can hold magical energy?

Quote from: NomadicI recall you saying this somewhere... but does Celtricia have wands or staves that can hold magical energy?

There are actually quite a few different wands and staves in Celtricia, but yes, there is also a type of staff, called a Staff Incantus, that is normally sentient, and is a conduit for a creature living in a House or a Station.  AS such, the staff recharges up to 10 spell points from that location every 30 hours or so.  But it is sentient, and not always a happy, helpful sentient...

Redone and spindled.

Knighthoods, Brotherhoods, Fighting Cabals, Warriors of Faith...

Celtricia is called the World of Factions for the dizzying array of organizations and interwoven groups that vie and inveigle on a daily schedule. But few slices of this are as misunderstood as the many different warrior groups.  Probably because the differentiation is not made implicit, outsiders and new players often make the assumption that they can all be lumped in together.  And nothing could be further than the truth.
Making this more difficult is that there really are no absolute, clear-cut boundaries, no governing body of armor-wearers, so almost none of them operate on the same wavelength.

This particular entry is going to describe them as they are seen by the populace of Igbar, capital of of Trabler.  Guilds and organizations are considered next to sacred in almost all cities, so almost all the legitimate ones are respected. Totally complicating this is the membership structures that allow for multiple allegiances.

The Scarlet Pilums are the militia of Trabler.  They began as one of the mercenary companies that ply the length of Celtricia (but not the width), groups of fifteen to five hundered that gather and exist under a captain and fight for pay.  The Scarlet Pilums had worked off and on for the Northern Argussian Marches (the former name of Trabler, when it was under the Empire of Argus), but in 880 RON it was hired again to replace the striking militia, and ove rthe last fifteen years, has grown to become the permanent militia for the whole country, and while there are a few miliatry ranks outside of the Scarlet Pilums, thare are for all intents and pruporses, the military of Trabler and the town guards as well.

Much like the Scarlet Pilums were, their are warrior guilds that exist to sell their swords, such as the Kulranik Swords, a guild of mercenary guards, and the Hadjel Bonded Mercenaries, who are the guards of the up-and-coming Teque Guild of Travelers.  These groups are more plebian, and of more varied backgrounds, but their value to the growiong mercahnt powers is unquestionable.
Corobar's Iron Way is like this, but their credo is bonding themselves to the Housholds of the nobility.  Their skill-set encompasses social skills such as Major Domo and Etiquette, bodyguard skills such as the detection skills, as well as combat and martial skills.

There are many international brotherhoods, groups organized for a cause and building chapter houses in many cities.  The largest is the Order of Stenron (OOS, a huge, three-century old knighthood headquartered in Castle Ellis in the Northern Grey March.  The Blue Turtle Samurai, the Knights of the Red Circle. The Order of the White Paladin, these are all orders that control chapter houses, and have internal ranks, but whose bond is one of vows to a lifestyle.  These groups expect members to follow a certain code, but can go out into the world and maintain other memberships.

Church sponsored groups are a huge can of worms, as they can me very different/  Some operate like the multinational groups mentioned above, like the Trsistonian Knights of the Church of the Theocracy of Nebler (also of the Lawful Triumverate), the Defenders of the Land or the Bowyers of Ceminiar.  
The Cobranic School of the Church of the Green Mother, the Bone Knights of Orcus and the Armor of Trade are different, as these groups require more total commitment.  These groups take most of their members in from the youth of their faith, and groom them.
The Defnders of the Land are interesting in that they allow members of a number of faiths into their fold, but they gather as defenders of the Wilderness.

This latest entry is about a guild the PC's seem to be dealing with more and more.  As a sub-dynamic of the Igbarian guilds, I created a guild that was not specializing in an actual material item, but in the act of transport itself.  
Since travel outside of Igbar has always been dangerous, and is worse now with the hordes of Undead, the Teque guild inns are being heavily used by the PC's.
As an aside, the PC's were battered and bruised (and out of spellpoints and almost dead, and all the major fighters had been healed too much and could not be healed without very powerful magics), so they cut across the souther foothills of the Wibble hills to the Recum Road Teque Guild inn, a 3 hour trip instead of the 6-7 hours back to Igbar.  
After hiding from a small horse of skeletal creatures led by an armored wight, they were outside the stockade at 2:40 am.  There, they managed to blow two social CC rolls and argued with the guards who almost did not let them in (can I tell you how much I enjoyed cupping my hands and screeching in a quavering voice, "Go Away!  You're Ghoukin, I know it!").  They were about to threaten buring the stockade down when they finally threw some money over the gate...


[blockquote=Teque Guild of Travelers]

Area:Igbar
Name:The Teque Guild of Travelers
Affiliation with Larger: This is a Trablerian guild, and centered in Wallingford.  The Igbarian branch is very powerful, however, being the largest population center.
 
Membership style: Dedicated members, who have no other major guild affiliations, dominate the Teque workforce.  'Honor' rmemberships  do exist in more powerful members.
 
% of starting membership: 30% Attrib bonus:WI (10/2) CH (9/1.5)
Mission: To gain wealth and power by controlling the means of travel
 
Size:301 dedicated, 31 honor
History: An outgrowth of Geman's Wagon shop back in 881 RON in Wallingford, to the South of Igbar, Hakan as Attabar (clan Kalil human) took his 2 teams and started his own company, The Trio Team, after meeting Teque Guile, a hobyt with is own team.  Teque helped Hakan build strong relationships with the Scarlet Pilums and in 884 they took a day out of their busy scedule to incorporate their new guild at the Grounds of Dismissal, Banneti's kaffee shop. Hakan insisted they name it after Teque, as it was clear that he was the real builder of the guild.
Hakan died in 889 RON, and in 890, Teque created satallite guilds inIgbar and ocodig, and in Igtiche and Walker's Glory in 892, and Recum in 893.  
Jortick Baen Hotak  was actually captured from the Zyjmanese tribe in a raid against the Teque guild back in 889, but since Teque spared his life, he has been devoting all his energy towards build the guild.  He started as a porter, then an assistant driver, then a driver, then a lead teamsman, then a lead caravan master.  It was during his teamman days that he met Scalesman Corvin Gullpepper,  a priest of the Platform of trade.   Once Jortick became a member of this, he moved to to Igbar full time, allying the Church or Trade with his guild.
 
Current leader: Jortick Baen Hotak, Orcash male
Current situation: Since allying with Vinivixias and the Sceding Tree, the Teque guild began a very high-visibility existence.  They have been opening fortified inns about 10-12 miles outside of the three major roads of Igbar.  These are already proving very popular, and since the Teque's are scrupulous in their fairness in their treatment of other guildmembers.  
Their Sigil ia a horseshoe and Wagonwheel[/blockquote]

Sort of reminds me of the Mercantile guild of Karros. So I take it the money got them in. It would have been funny to have the guards go "do you really think bribing me with money will make me let you in where you can kill me and take it back?" Though that would have been mean.

Dreadwing, Replanted
This was actually an explanatory post in the Celtrician 'discussion' post, but it is one of the four central overarching story-arcs that most of the sub-storys nestle into.  SO I thought it deserved to be here.
I wish I had more time to post, but I am in my busy season, crushing the competition and trying to manipulate all sorts of brands from behind the scenes. I clocked 125 in-office hours as well as 6 consults in the last 2 weeks. Add this to the baby, our holiday schedule ( we host thanksgiving for 25 people and normally have a wassail for about 30-40 folks), the 2 gaming groups, and the online group (that has gotten very little out of me lately), and working on the Celtrician Wiki...you can imagine...[spoiler=The small boy]
(//../../e107_files/public/1226501692_392_FT39571_att213968_.jpg) (//../../e107_files/public/1226501692_392_FT39571_att213968.jpg)
[/spoiler]
This is not to say all of us aren't busy: it is more to explain my absence to all of you, my intellectual cousins-of-choice.  I miss you all.

Dreadwing Post, replanted.
______________________________________________________________________________________________

One of the problems with public Wikis where the players contribute is a natural tendency towards some obfuscation.  Couple this with a tendency towards overlarge, connected storylines, and then I am properly on my way to explaining the large storyline that could be called the Progression of Great Enemies.  This is, believe it or not, and extrmemly abridged historical snapshot, very incomplete due to the desired aim of focussing on the story arc, not to delve into the makeup of 'The Park', or the keys, totems, and fetishes around the barrows, or what the ancient Ambrettons were doing there...

However, please feel free to ask any quesions, as we all love to answer questions about our settings.  And a special shout out to Llum for asking about it.

The 'Age of Legends' ended because the competition between the planars was more than the 'Waking Dream' could bear, leading to the "Accords of Presence".  Anthraxus of the Cycle's rebellion and his First Necromantic Night (which lasted five years) was imprisoned. Following end of the 'Age of Legends'...

"The second epoch is called The Age of Heroes, and it refers to the time during which the Celestial Planars continued their conflict for worship, but in a proxy war.  By the Omwo~ it is also called the Human Age, as the first Humans appeared right after the Planars left.  The Sauroids first started to change color, and build their Dragon Empire during this time.  It was also during this age that the birth and the growth of the first city-states such as Ambrettus, Winter, Grenwit Hollow, Vicoria, and Seou, to name a few, occurred.  But the Age of Heroes is remembered mainly for the great fratricidal conflict of the Avatar of Amerer, Numansongs the Bard and the Arch-lich Asol Arbor, Champion of  Anthraxus of the Cycle.  This age lasted until approximately -1500 RON."

Before I go on, it needs to be said, for purposes of greater understanding, that this was a proxy-conflict, a continuation of the 'balance versus the cycle' that had gone on during the 'Age of Legends'.  Even the Sauroid empire of the far north was torn apart by this conflict.  Pino Palladino was a human servant of the Omwo~ Numansongs, a bard of surpassing power himself...but as a human who watched the tortured Numansongs barely age, he was seduced by Asol Arbor, Numansong's sibling and enemy.  Palladino betrayed his friend, and gave up the secret Fastness of Numansongs, the Park.  In the battle for that underground fortress, almost all of Numansongs friends and allies were destroyed, though he escaped.[note=The Park] One group of PC's did find the wreckage of this titanic struggle in the underground castle...then they woke a Machman of the New Police (Oix Quomedi)...and they lost half of their party before they escaped...the powers that contested in the Age of Heroes are beyond the clay feet of those that walk under Tribin and Gerin today[/note]  Then Arbor, the Chanmpion of Anthraxus, found the shattered body of Palladino and used secret magics to make him a Vampyre vassal to the Arch-lich.   By itself, this is a story of base betrayal and tragedy.

The fate of the Bard-lord Numansongs is shrouded in mystery, a miracle that so much has been written and sung about so speculated an event.  But for those who have found out, he was saved by with of his last surviving friends, the original [note=Brother]  There are 3 major siblings in this story arc, Arbor and Numansongs, Lathe and Honor, and Bahamut and Callagistro (Sauroids)[/note]Leader of the Mysteriarchs, Lathe.  
Lathe of Tegel is another tortured figure overshadowed by the Numansongs tragedy, whose brother (Honor of Tegel)had become a servant of Arbor and whose sister had been turned into a living shade.  When 'The Brother' is referenced, it normally is speaking of Honor of Tegel, who escaped from Lathe's durance and betrayed where Numansongs was hiding.  Arbor at long last banished Numansongs to the Void, killing and dismembering the loyal, indomitable Lathe in the process.[note=Mysteriarchs]Yet Lathe had passed on his teachings, and the schools of Mysteriarchs, no matter their differences, all hearken back to him.  In Igbar, the Mysteriarchs are called "The Mysteriearchs of Lathe, millenia later.[/note]
Arbor began work on the Cairn Night at that point, using the power of Y'gorl's Curse to magnify the power of the Well of Death on the 'Waking Dream' itself, multiplying the power of Necromancy.  Even the beginning stages caused terrible havok.  
But before he could finish, an already-ancient omwo~ sage, full of regret and remorse for abandoning Numansongs to his fate, confronted the Arch-Lich.  Verkonenn Vreeg, apostate and founder, refugee of the White city, threw down Arbor in a duel arcane that pulled music directly from 'The Song' itself.  And regretted his late-coming to his senses, once again.

Sixteen hundred-odd years later, in the far North, centered in an old Ambretton mine, The creature known as the Dreadwing (EsioXo~h, White Omwo~) [note] To the Venolvians, later, the Dreadwing was also called 'Hagge-Dekkor', the Wing of Death, often translated as Deathwing in some old Winter-texts[/note] began to extend a powerful undead influence in the north.  A Vampyre of supassing age and Power, he created more and more servants.  This was, in actuality, the now-ancient and powerful Pino Palladino, servant of the fallen Arch Lich Arbor, and once-removed champion of Anthraxus, Lord of the Cycle.  He began to work in the same way as is awful master, and had spent centuries learning those baneful effects.  He re-activated parts of Y'gorl's curse  
At that time in the north, the Igboniat city states were just growing, and were rubbing shoulders with the State of Winter in the north.  Within fifty years, rumors of the presence of undead hordes came to Winterloo, capital of the State of Winter, and within a few centuries, Igboniat and Winter halted their conflict to defend themselves against the ogrillites and undead that the Dreadwing controlled in the far north.  The conflict was brutal and direct, with great names and powerful allies suffering defeat on both sides.  Over a century of cooperation was needed to finally pin the Dreadwing and his captains to their barrow-prisons, caged with a network of keys, locks, and fetishes of Law.  The Igboniats were totally destroyed as well in that struggle, leaving the State of Winter and Winterloo the only power in that northern corner of Celtricia. [note=Vampyres] Why not kill or destroy Vampyres and Liches?  Because powerful ones have too much power in the House of Death, and their souls do not go to the Well of Death.  Their spirits will always return and inhabit a new body.  It takes very specific magic from the House of Life to actually destroy these creatures, and only a magic as powerful as the creature they are attempting to destroy  have any real chance of working.[/note]
And yet the story does not end there, just before the year 0 in the Reckonning of Nebler.  Happy endings are rare in Celtricia, and when the Island Empire of the Venolvians spread to the north-western coast of the cradle area of Celtricia, it was only three centuries after the Igboniats fell creating the barrow-prison of the Dreadwing when Kexiol Texuman, Venolvian Priest of Jubilex, begins exploring the northern barrows, and is caught by Will "Black' Curry, Vampyric servant of the Dreadwing, and is invaded by the power of that awful force.  Kexiol recruited many Venolvians to his cause, some created into undead, many he did not, and there was a re-awakening once again of Y'gorl's curse staining the north.  Sages of the Grey March (formerly know as the State of Winter) discovered the presence of baneful necromantic magic, calling it the Anginarian Necromancy, after the powerful Anginarian clan of the Venolvian entropic priests where they thought the undead were coming from.  The Venolvians discovered the awakenning power of the Dreadwing after Kexiol and his minions had started to remove the powerful totems of Order that were holding the barrow-prison together, and after a five year struggle they resealed the prison.  But using their entropic talents to plug holes in a prison of order would prove fatal arogance.  


Kexiol was still loose, and he was the only Vampyre who was powerful enough to fainlty hear the whispered commands of the Dreadwing in his bondage, and he was sent south, to the Orbian Exiles of the Underdark, in the Wibble Hills.  However, after confounding the Orbian exiles for a decade, his actual strength and nature was discovered, and he was imprisonned himself.  
There are, of course, dozens of major historical movements going around while any of these events are happenning, and one of them is the Arcanic table of Orbi hiring the Venolvian Whiskanis League to find and destroy the Orbic exiles, and much as the Dreadwing and the Barrow prison passed into the mists of legends, so too, the Orbian exiles dissapeared from all but the most hidden of histories.
The Venolvians, in turn, were scourged from the North By Jon of Triston and the Grey March chased them off the continent and spent two decades destroying them in the War of the Shield, ending in 498 R.O.N.  

History does not slow down for an instant, and the next four centuries are eventful, yet the particular storyline we have been following pauses again, until in 890, when the entropic plugs of the Dreadwing's prison, whcih have always been at odds with the 'Prison of Law' that was originally built, start to fail.  Though not by any menas free, the Dreadwing starts to reach out his power to any undead in the area of his prison.
And in the beginning of 895, the Grey Legion inadvertantly released Kexiol Texuman Antroo form the hidden Temple of Mammon hidden within the ruins of the Underdark being used by the Firehazer tribe of the Wibble Hills.

So now, the Mistonian PC's grapple with the resurgent necromantic power in the north, having pillages some of the barrows and weakenned that prison further (yes, they did, though they figured that out later), while the Igbarians to the south are dealing with his servant...
Neither of these groups have yet to understand a 10th of the data given here.

More added to  Igbar, the capital of Trabler (http://celtricia.pbwiki.com/Igbar%2C+Capital+of+Trabler)
More added to Undead (http://celtricia.pbwiki.com/Undead-)

Comments appreciated.  Much love to all that post and read...we will always read and post in response.

/Celtricia--World of Factions

Another good question on the posting thread has created the need to post this properly.

The histroy of the Vale of Silence and the development of that fated place into the metropolis of Stenron, largest city of the world.

Back in -8000 RON, when the Planars first created the Omwo~, it was one of the first jobs of the Omwo~ to create the first dwelling places (Dou~wis)of the Planar's in the Vale of Silence.  They built huge and solemn temples, inspired directly by the Planars themselves.  The PLanars would actually continue to live and appear in the dou~wis built in their name in the Vale, in the White City, and in the Silverwood, for almost 2 millenia.  And right after the last one was emptied, the first humans, Pablar's toys, were sighted.
The most important thing to notate here is that this Vale of Silence was in the Northern area of the Cradle area of Celtricia.


 in -3960, the Vale of Silence was rediscovered by some explorers from the Ambretton city-statesm about a weeks journey from the Vale.  By -3940, whole companies of priests had relocated to be near this spiritual center, where the echoes of the Planar's presence could still be felt.  It was often called the Silent Temple center, or WintreDou~is, at that time.  (It was right after this that the Vicorian Renaissance began, so many of the temples built in this time bear the circular, squat blueprint from this time)

The Ambrettons formalized trade realations to the WintreDou~is soon after, and in -3970, the Tarcleri~ knights, recently banished from trhe White city for their support of a relationship with the Apostate, became the guardians of the WintreDou~is.  Soon after, they built the Jarmin Fortress halfway up the Coriel Mount, above the new temples and the ancient ruins.  

in -3660, the Kal Tober Klaxik tribe began mining in the mountains just south of the settlement, then called WintreDou, and by the Mid -3500s, the large town had overgrown the temple complex of that holy city.  ANd it was then that it began to be caled the City of Winterlou.  It was something of a holy city, with so many temples and religions centered around it, but only the wisest of that time still knew what was buried under the temple area where people walked daily.  It was mainly and OMwo~ and clan Telman human city, with the Suprosian OMwo~ family in autocratic control, a family that had been thrown out of the Silverwood.
A great temple to Amerer was planned a few centuries later, and the Tarcleri knights, in great secrecy, swore the Hierophant of the Grey Chruch to secrecy, then brought him to the already-bruied but still intact ruins of the original Dou~wis of Great Amerer.  The Grand Grey Church of Stenron was built directly over it, completed in -3150.
Over the centuries and millenia grew, and the Ambretton City States fell, the city of Winterlou somehow kept growing and expanding.  By -2300, the Godstraat of Winterlou was a fabled place of wonder, a pilgrims paradise.  The Suprosians beuocracy also grows, and the economy of the area soon includes a dozen suburbs.  There were 2 major competing mage colleges, and though none knew what lay below, still the ancient temples that had first been built on the site of wintredou~is were ancient wonders by then.

To hurry this along, in -420 RON, the Dreadwing began his occupation of the old AMbretton mines to the North of Winterloo (note spelling change), while in -390, the Igboniat prelacy is formed in Teduic, (and old AMbretton fort, actually), in what would now be considered the middle-western Grey March.  By now, though the Omwo~ and humans are still the most numerous, there are a lot of Klaxik and hobyts in Winterloo, while the Igboniats have a hobyt, gnomic, then human population mix.  Thoug rumors of the undead hordes to the north are common, by -228, the Igboniats and the State of Winter and Winterloo enter hostilities, and though there were no huge battle, there were constant ugly skirmishes.  The Igboniats had many early victories, partially due to the overconfidence of the Suprosian-led Winterites, and partially due to the looting of ancient AMbretton places of power, such as the Temple of the Sky.  In -131 RON, Vexel Suprosian, Lord of Castle Ellis, was slain in the battle of the Valewood, just west of Winterloo, which got the Winterite's attention.

But by -126, the skirmishes ended abruptly, and the two united to face the Dreadwing's ogrillite and undead forces to the North.  The Vampyre of Palladino had taken his time, and had regrown much of Y'gorl's curse, enhancing his necromantic reach and the reach of his begotten brood.  This was no quick war, as the power of the Barrow, as it was often called, was great, and his forces were legion, and many talked about the Night of the Cairn come again...
in -105, Paly the Maligned drove the Suprosians from the throne of Winterloo and the State of Winter.  This began the Kingships of Winterloo, and in -64 the PAct Veritus, the peace of worship, was applied to the State of Winter during the reigh of Banir of Gotipan, fourth king.
in -4 RON, the Igboniat forcesm, led by Jericho of the Lance and many of the remaning Tarcleri Knights, manage to imprison the Dreadwing and his strongest leutenants in the barrows where they set up their last defence.  The Igboniats were also broken at the end of this, and their last strength was thrown into the Wards of Life and Law that held the disciple of Arbor in thrall.
Winterloo started a period of growth after year 0 RON, [note=Big Picture] The Vale of Silence was the beginning point of civilization in Celtricia, and on it's ruins a temple complex, WintreDou~wis, was build two millenia later.  This temple complex grew into a town based around the newer temples, then the twon grew into the city of Winterlou, then Winterloo. This process, described above in the previous post, going to year 0 RON, the Founding of the Theocracy of Nebler (the Reckoning of Nebler), covers in brief eight thousand years. [/note] both internally as a city, and as more towns and petty kingdomes came under the sway of the State of Winter.
But in the first couple of decades of this century, the Venolvian island Empire made numerous settlements on the far western coast of the cradle area, in what is now all Grey March territory.  The Venvolvians landed in force, and grew and spread quickly [note=Venolvia]  The Venolvian Empire's growth was greatly aided by pacts made by the Church of the Entropic Overlords with their Planar Patrons.[/note]  They had built 2 large fortresses by 30 RON.
It is worth mentioning that in 35 RON, explorers from the Grey Church found ruins of a temple to a forgotten planar named Kiminus in the second level sewers that abbutted their secret first temple.  This spawned the beginning worship of Kiminus, Patron of Heroes and Fools, and also let out a few rumors to loremasters that there was an underlying reason for their layer upon layer of sewers under Winterloo.
[spoiler=Current Map]

(//../../e107_files/public/1227193235_392_FT39572_celtricia_north_.jpg) (//../../e107_files/public/1227193235_392_FT39572_celtricia_north.jpg)

In this map, you can see the current Grey March, and the Location of Stenron, aka, the original Vale of Silence.  
[/spoiler]

By 75 RON, the Venolvians had a large town known as Tokorum on the hill-ridden Western Coastline of the Marches, maybe 800 miles west of Winterloo itself, but within 300 miles of the Western outposts of the State of Winter, the former Igboniat town of Hopiton.  However, much like the current world, due to the dangers of the Wild and the sparse populations, much of the space in between populations centers was and is completelyu wild.  So it should come as little surprise that the Venolvians went totally around the shore (they were a tremendous sea power) and also discovered the mountains in the northern coastal area of the March area, andf the ancient AMbretton Mines therein, by 100 RON.
 Winterloo was actually trading with the Venolvians at this point, though the Winterites were not aware of the Venolvian presence to the North.  IN 164 RON, Zyjman the first, the Orcash leader of the Bone-Ditty tribe, took the Red Pass from the Winterites.  This is the small pass through the mountainous sliver of land that connects the current Grey March with the 'Eastern Side' of the Celtrician continent.  Losing control of this land Bridge understandably became a major issue for the city-state of Winter, and  so they made many attempts to recapture it.
The Winterites continued growing and trading for the next few centuries, focussing their energies in trying (and failing) to dislodge the Zyjmanese trinbes from the Red Pass.  They were also aware of the growing power of the Venolvian Empire, spread from Coom isle all the way up to their own coast.
IN the 200's, the Corpusmunt necropolis, once 4 miles from the edge of the city, is beginning to get swallowed up as the borders of the city continue to balloon.
By the 300's, the Bright Lands Pluocrats banded together and formed their own coalition to compete with the rapacious Venolvians, and The State of Winter traded heavily with them and the Arcanic Table of Orbi, while still leading reprisals against the Zyjmanese.
In 418, in the north, the Venolvians nearly release the Dreadwing from his bonds, and he does manage to create some new followers before the Venolvians put an entropic bandage on the prison.
In 420 RON, the Arcanic Table of Orbi, once led by the Devilkin-worshipping family clans, becomes a full mageocracy.  In 445, Jon Stenron Tianti becomes the first Consul of Winterloo, removing theKingship and beginning the Rebublic of the Grey March. [note=Tristonian]  Jon of Triston, Jon of the Shield, Saint Jon, the patron Saint of the Tristonian Knights of the Combined Neblerian Faiths, is a great story in his own right[/note]
In 485, Jon of Triston leads the Grey March forces and the KNighthoods on the attack on the Venolvians in area known as Hewecar's Forge, destroying Wizern's Underthrone, the temple complex of the Entropic Overlords and begining the War of the Shield.  By 491 RON, the Venolvians have been totally thrown from the mainland areas, and the Grey March went through the motions of extending the Republic to the towns in the March areas.
In 515, upon the Death of Jon Stenron Tianti, Winterloo took the name of Stenron, in honor of the First Republican, the Bringer of the Public Voice.
 

Crazy question for you. Why are they called the wibble hills? Where did you get the name wibble? Where do you get alot of your names? Off the fly? From ancient resources? etc?

Okay, that is a crazy question.
I have never, ever, had a problem with names.  

No, it depends on what you mean as 'a problem'.  My players, as all will, like to twist my names to annoy me.  The Aslok clan of Kobolds and the Town of Recum are two easy examples...

But most come from a combination of lots of reading and bizarre combinations, and bad puns carefully hidden.  

Added to the Customs, the recent news, the neighborhoods and wards, and the formatting of the Igbar page.
Igbar (http://celtricia.pbwiki.com/Igbar%2C%20Capital%20of%20Trabler)
Also, done some work on the frontpage.

Quote from: Vreeg's Coachwhip.Okay, that is a crazy question.
I have never, ever, had a problem with names.  

No, it depends on what you mean as 'a problem'.  My players, as all will, like to twist my names to annoy me.  The Aslok clan of Kobolds and the Town of Recum are two easy examples...

But most come from a combination of lots of reading and bizarre combinations, and bad puns carefully hidden.  

Ah. I was wondering on the wibble part because a friend of mine told me about something in a redwall book that used wibble as part of an insult. I was curious if that was related at all.

This post is one I just sent to the player who runs Cyriel, a member of the Alternative School of Magic in Igbar.   He is working more on his backstory and motivation (and also probably wondering about Headmistress Samria coming on to his character a bit).

For those of you who have followed Igbar, most of this will make sense, but please ask for any clarification.
 

The Alternative school of Magic has a very interesting and character driven history.  


Palimar Devenshold, human founder (headmaster)of the Alternative school of Magic,  does not spout out his background and history, but it has been obvious to you in your time in the guild that he has an aristocratic bearing and a revolutionary streak.  He was a member of the lower house of the Unicorn, and recently was actually elected to the Greater House of the Unicorn three gosi (months) ago.  He is a driving force in the government for education, taxing profits, and is constantly building alliances.  He is also a lesser Patriarch of the Church of Madrak, and a seeker in the Steel Libram.

Samria Fireheart Kressadaughter is the other headmaster (Headmistress).  She married Palimar a year before they started the school.  She has a southern, argus-like accent.  While Palimar's interests involve heavy politicking, she is focused on the school itself and the day-to-day affairs of it.  She is a human with omwo~ blood somewhere in her past, very athletic but with fine features, wearing her three decades very, very well.  She has very developed artificer abilities.  She makes quite a few scrolls.


Arain Kor K'thom is a gnomic mentalist, and is the other primary (high-level) teacher.  Arain is an older gnome, and seems to have no family but the school.  His right hand is missing it's pinky and ring fingers.  He also knows some earth magic, and has traveled extensively, though he is a bit fragile know.

Very recently, Palimar and Samria's lost daughter, Salimar '˜Earthward' Samriadaughter was returned to them, about 4 goesi ago.  The two of them had kept it quiet, but she had been stolen from them three years ago, right after she was born.  Though few know how she was returned, she came back as a 14 year old girl-woman, very used to taking her own counsel.  And recently, she has disappeared again, which seems to have caused a rift between Palimar and Samria.

The Huge and ancient Collegium Arcana has been trying to reduce or destroy the Alternative school since Palimar started it.   Head Warlock Carl Waresoft of the CA has made it very clear that anyone caught associating with the Alternative school might as well turn in their stripes, though he turns a blind eye to the Steel Libram's association.

Gesiculum Howell, an Istar member of the Collegium, has recently made it quite clear that a member of a mongrel guild has no right to be part of the Greater House of the Unicorn.
 
The Alternative school's functions of artifice are quite expensive, as is the old Mansion they bought behind the Unicorn Vex, so they are extremely tight on money right now.

EXPANDED TALE OF YEARS (http://celtricia.pbwiki.com/Tale%20of%20Years)

Tale of years expanded greatly.

The room is large and box shaped, far too large to be lit only by a few thick white candles and a banked fireplace across the room.  The sparce light sources sent crazy shadows racing across the thick, dark beams some fifteen feet over head.  'Upstairs at Bannetti's', the room is called, and during the days it's fifty-one tables and all the places between them are filled with people, talking over each other, messengers with notes being sent, and deals being made.

However, at 3rd hour of the new day, hours before the red dawn known as the Sui, the room is cold and the four seated inhabitants are masked by the lack of illumination, though they all know each other.  None of them sit at a table with another, though they are close enough to hear the soft voices each employs.

(//../../e107_files/public/1230642920_392_FT39571_tavern.jpg)
"My sources inform me that "the Knife" has actually been operating here in Igbar for years, just under the window sill", says a small figure at a central table.  He's the only one at a table between the others, without his back to a wall, and his voice carries a clipped precicision.  The flickering light reveals a dark green, long satin robe, and greying hair.

"They've probably been here for decades, Prime," intones the long figure seated at the table behind the hobyt.  The golden-red light of the fireplace comes from behind him, limning and disguising at once.  The silver and ivory lute on the table in front of him speaks more to his identity than any visual representation, and his voice is perfectly modulated, every word hinting at a mastery of tone and timbre.

At a table farthest away from the fireplace and close to the kitchen doors, a very tall figure stands up, his darker-than-dark cloak hiding the chain mail the others all know lies beneath it.  His omwo~ face is artistically thin, with large, metallic violet eyes and upward swept eyebows, however, it is now warped in a shadowy snarl.  "Years!!? ", he said, spitting the words at the floor, "Decades?!!"  His hand goes to his forhead, and balls to a fist.  "How could none of us have seen this?  Have I been so busy focusing on the Blackstripes that it never occurred to me that there might be another major player hiding out?"

"Varkonovich, since they work under the auspice of a Vernidalian Sect," says the small first speaker to the angry Omwo~, "I think they might have been working more in the fashion of the Holders of the Straight Way."  The faint candlelight in front of him catches on a silvery cloak clasp in the shape of a stylized tree as he leans back.

"I...don't...care..., " intones the Omwo~ called Varkonovich harshly, biting off each word.  He looks over at the human in the grey hooded cassock who has not spoken.  "Palimar and I have interests that involve knowing everything that takes place in Igbar."  He shakes his head at the others, his gold and jet straight hair reflecting the fire.  "Kasarack will have my head thanks to these butcher boys of the Green Mother, gentlemen.  I need to find out why this happenned now of all the times in the clock of Jubilex."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sometimes, I like to really put on my 'connectionist-model' hat and figure out in my aliances and relationships in Igbar.  The above snippet came from a meeting that I figured had to have happenned on Tokush 20 (Actually the morning of the 21st), after Kiko was captured by the Terrors of the Knife.  No one knows yet that it was Vigor Sheering who is actually the head of the Terrors of the Knife, that set them on the New Legion.

Area:Igbar
Name:The Bowyers of Ceminiar

Affiliation with Larger: This is a huge and ancient knighthood, originating in the Silverwood.  Though there is a Master  Bowyer in the Silverwood, and ranks of honor are given from both the mother guild and the seperate guilds themselves, there is not a strong connection.  More of a disparate, loosely bound brotherhood.
Also, though they are an independant froup, the patriarch of the Church of Amrist currently has lent them aid, so they are very deeply in his debt.
 
Membership style: Very loose, with Masters, Brothers, Journeymen, and apprentices.  
 
% of starting membership: 45% Attrib bonus:CD (12/2.5)
Mission: To protect the Tenets of the Great Woodsman, Ceminiar.  Also, to oppose the servants of Geryon and the Wild Hunt.
 
Size: 49 Full members, 30 more partial members, for 79 total in town, but 38 of them are away at the front lines with the Stenronian Alliance Forces.
History: The Bowyers came into being back in -477 RON, in the Silverwood.  At that time, the Church of the Wood and Path dominated the area, and the Bowyers Oath still includes remanants from that time, esepcially in this paragraph,

They came to Igbar with the Church of the Wood and the Way around 500 RON, but when that church disintegrated they moved over to mainly be asociated with the Chruch of the Autumn Harvest (Amrist).  In the early 900s, they were led by the legendary archer and Argussian military mind Terri Alhou~t (Omwo~ male skald-archer), and at one point the was a barracks in what is now the harou section of Igbar with over two hundred full member bowyers.
 
 
Current leader: Hiliosa Terry (fem Omwo~), older and stout for an High Omwo~(210 yrs), she came to Igbar from Orbi a decade ago.  She is very hands-off.  Her assistant, another Master Bowyer, is Chickle Hentotter, a hobyt male With a Blacksteel Medium Selfbow that thrums when he uses it.

Current situation: Very Low Key, and they are known to do their part in the war, though they have issues with the forces of Geryon of the Wild Hunt.  The Amristians have few enemies, but the Wild Hunt and many Defenders of the Land do not get along well with the Bowyers.

The Cult of the Telekonese Prophesies (http://celtricia.pbwiki.com/Cult%20of%20the%20Telekonese%20Prophesies-Amerer)

this is a hard one to just jump into, for many reasons. One issue is that many of the civilizations of the Early Second age, inhabited by beings that were closer to when the gods walked the earth, had access to great powers, and the White City, and to a lesser extent, Vicoria and Atlantia (long gone and vanished) were seats of learning and power, utilizing magics that are very advanced.  Vicoria had went through a huge rennaisance, and during that time, they were extremely progressive.
The cult is NOT a religion, more like a secret accentuation.  

More added to Igbar (http://celtricia.pbwiki.com/Igbar%2C%20Capital%20of%20Trabler)
More government, weather, wards and neighborhoods, and more current rumors at the bottom.

Opening post redone to match changes on the main wiki.  CBG wiki will come next.  took away some distracting text, added more of the thematic elements.  So please comment on the new opening post of this thread.  Or I swear, I'll make yet another Celtricia thread.

The Mercantile rough-and-tumble continues in Igbar.

The Vissippee Traders recently posted this letter in Parson's Wine and Dine and in the Upper Crust.

[ic=The Importance of the Relationship]

The Financial Industry is certainly a large, but immature industry.  The old joke has always been that the companies may change, but the people stay the same.  Those of us inside this joke are always happy to see talented people get scooped up by new situations.  We also scratch our heads when untalented, pennypushers who have navigated bad courses for multiple companies are given another chance to run aground yet again.  

While staying afloat in a normal economic backdrop can be challenging enough, the real litmus test comes when the public confidence is eroded.  During these turbulent and war-like times, companies that honor their promises and stand by their word can count on others to do the same.  Sadly, it is also during these times that the worst comes out in other companies, when desperation overrules good business sense.

It is no secret that one of the pillars to the Vissipee Consrotium's steady growth is our strong partnerships.  In an industry where we see other companies treat their relationships as disposable, our ties with Sol's Bank of Worth, Truemen's Smithy, Tudzu's Caravans, and other have all lasted over a decade.  It is also easy to look around and see the success other smart companies enjoy that cooperate similarly.    Anyone who works in the Trading industry can test the weather and see the companies who really honor the Syndicate/guild relationships are the ones who are still making headway.  
By contrast, the recent, well publicized struggles and outright failures of many consortiums and Guilds can be attributed in a large part to a failure of this same relationship.  Syndicates  have leveraged dealers to expand in a blind attempt to increase market share with no regard for the welfare of that dealership. Dealers and Merchants have made promises they never intend to keep in an attempt to control access to a Guild.  Both sides are equally guilty in making the short-term sale the goal while ignoring the long-term consequence.

To anyone who still doubts the importance of this relationship, or thinks that if a company is big enough, or the name old enough, these rules do not apply, I submit the example of Pen-Wiggle Traders.  Everyone in this tight-knit community has watched this former juggernaut do everything possible to ruin their partnerships, and despite every warning and decline from the previous year, they regularly show up at the Grounds and are snubbed.  Recently, we were given an even clearer indication of their bad faith and abysmal ignorance of the rudiments of good business practices when one of our loyal clients that we had sent to the Pen-Wiggle Traders  in good faith forwarded us a missive they had received from the Pen Wiggle's including this.

''¦..please consider not working through a broker or Syndicate.  Look at trading or borrowing directly from the firm that is lending the money, for an overall better experience and a better rate.        
 
 
Your Financial Advisor,
Calton Esten Rancelon
Trader and Financier"

  This is an attempt to undermine our relationship with the client, an abuse of basic business principles so blatant that it is not necessary describing.  In the best possible light, this is an unscrupulous attempt by a single individual, but it also serves as a microcosmic example of the importance of the Syndicate/Guild relationship, and where you end up if you don't live up to it.    

In closing, The Vissipee Consortium recommends to everyone in the industry that the best way to weather bad economic times and to succeed in the long run is to build strong, long-lasting Syndicate/Guild relationships.  And we publicly acknowledge and thank our Guilds, Vendors and Partners, new and old, for their commitment to this partnership, and to the success it has brought.
[/ic]

This letter is bringing to a simmer the fight between the three major guilds, but also inadvertantly causing some resentment by some of the guilds that resent the heavy-handed management of the VIssipee, Sceding Tree, and Winfire Syndicates that dominate and control the rest of the institutions.

[spoiler=Winfire] And behind this, the Winfire guild, which was trading and working with the Blackstripes and the Firehazers, has recently hired the Jocien Knives to kill the New Legion, who are agents of the Sceding tree's Leader, Vinivixias.  Vigor Sheering, the Leader of the Cult of Vernidale the Serpent Queen and head of the Terrors of the KNife (and the second most powerful agent of the Antroo Vampyre now ruling the Wibble hills) is egging this on.  [/spoiler]

Any similarity to real financial firms, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Quote from: snakefingAny similarity to real financial firms, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Is it my fault that the suppose 'real world' keeps following the Celtrician themes?  (Thanks for the comment!)

Celtrician Personality

Vigor Sheering

Second son of Harald, of the Vexian Sheerings, husband of Kelli Van Arrium, Master of the Collegium Arcana, Elixeriest of the Collegium Arcana, Priest of the Serpent Queen

 

Vigor Sheering, Born in 852 RON, is a patrician of the first order in Igbar.  Male, human, and whip-thin in his clear-edged gauntness, he comes from one of the oldest families in Igbar.  Vigor is from the Sheering family, specifically from the Vexian side, the Branch of the Family that kept their business away from the dockside, but was very active in the old Argussian governments.

Vigor studied at the Collegium Arcana from 863 and graduated an Artificer and Elixeriest 'Tor Potum', which means 'above satisfaction' in Makerspeak.  He studied under Kenter Dreddletartum while there, and spent most of a year studying Entropic magic, as well.  He was in his Mid twenties graduating, and immediately became something of a rakish figure, travelling with Red Circle Knight Carson De'chian and the young sage, Pacae Letsos.   They were part of many youthful adventures, travelling as far as Fabled Stenron, and into Argus many times.  While not for public consumption, Vigor and Pacae met a very Young Heliopolis and Falathar in 874 RON, when the foursome, along with Shambar Eltrinio and Adam Warlock, searched for Payne's Viola.  

Vigor's life was turned very much upside down in 870, when Trabler Aptor declared the Unicorn State and broke away from Argus.  Though many of the Sheerings understood the reasons why and weathered the change well, Vigor had taken the side of the Double headed eagle rather than the unicorn.

Sir De'Chian was killed in a fight with a Devilkin during that, and a sobered Vigor Sheering returned to Igbar.  In a sudden turn, he followed his grandmother into the Church of the Green Mother, where she was the High Priestess.   Vigor never stopped using his not-insubstantial skills from the Collegium Arcana, but buried himself in his new area of interest, using his family social position and his new popularity to move quickly into the church hierarchy.  The Church of the Green Mother was then moving up on the Godstraat.

Vigor's interests took a turn later, after studying the necromantic arts from Telda Bgat Tennlilg, an Orcash shriver of the Green Mother.  All churches have some level of Necromatic abilities, or close ties with a church that does, so as to shrive the souls of the dead and not leave them abandoned.  Telda initiatiated Vigor into the hidden Serpent Queen Cult.  The Church of the Green Mother decries the serpent queen aspect of Vernidale, but it is an old, hidden cult in many locations, and Igbar's upper hierarchy of the Church of the Green Mother is actually rife with them.  He took his vows as a Priest of the Green Mother officially in 882.

In 881, however, he did meet Kelli Van Arrium, a human with Hobyt blood from the Bright Lands.  Their 15 year marriage has resulted in 2 girls, born in 885 and 890.

The Terrors of the Knife is the name of the assassin's branch of the Serpent Queen Cult, and they have been hiding out in Igbar since 885.  Vigor took over the leadership in 891.  By then, he was dealing with Telling Homintworth, a very rich spice trader from the Winfire Trading guild.  He was an ally of Goerges Coomi, the Horn Magistrate of the High Unicorn Council, who in 892 was elected leader of Tralm when Trabler Aptor dissapeared.  Things were looking every good for Vigor here, as Coomi was in actuality a Blackstripe agent of Lord Falathar, a castelot mole who had pledged to Heliopolis and Falthar years before, and Coomi has already managed to use Baneo Tromb and Glasswar, the heads of the Blackstripes, to clear the docksides for a landing of Argussian ships.  So Vigor was actually uising the Terrors of the Knife to surrpetitiously aid them, and was waiting for the moment of Argus' triumph, when he heard Palimar declare Coomi an agent of the enemy publically at the Upper House of the Unicorn.  He had rushed to the Dockside, only to see Julian Sempre Lerianolies and his allies clear the agents of Coomi from the docks (which is a huge story in itself).  Vigor cursed his poor luck, hating Palimar, but he had managed to hide his links to the failed coup.

Vigor soured here, leaving Grand Green Mother Cheriol to more of her own devices, while he used Telling Homintworth to trade with the Firehazer tribe in the Wibble Hills.   When the Old Vampyre Kexiol Antroo Anginar was let loose by the Grey Legion, and his contacts with the Firehazer's dried up (due the the Vampyre's subjacagtion of the Firehazer'z gartier and fratrecanis leadership), Vigor started heavy scrying of the Wibble hills, and this is where he was caught by Kexiol Antroo.  Vigor was too strong to be totally controlled, but he was impressed enough to offer himself up as a vassal of the ancient and cunning Vampyre Lord.  His already strict nature became even harsher now, and even those who cared about him noticed his driven nature and his long hours away from the public eye.

Vigor now has one of the three rings of Anginarian necromancy, sent to him by Kexiol.  The Revanant Wight Wren the White held one of the other rings, and the most powerful ring is held by the ancient Undead Mage Og Antit Osteoper, the second keeper of the Steel Libram.  Vigopr is acting under Og's orders, as Og is a Greater Mummy of surpassing power, since being raised by Kexiol.  

Vigor has been working and artificing out of his Family tomb in the Sunken Boneyard, but his workshop has been penetrated by the New Legion, and he has retaliated by sending the Terors of the Knife after them, already almost capturing Kiko and injuring George.  Vigor's patrician edge and church position make the group, which has only a few days before realized that he is in some part behind much of their troubles,  loath to accuse him publically.  

A confrontation is close: last time the New Legion ran from his greatest artifice, the Bone Golem.  He has asked and received  some more Necromantic aid from the Mummy Og, who hides in the catacombs that connect the Steel Libram tomb in the Sunken Boneyard and his own tomb in the Sub Basement of the Steel Libram itself.

Omwo~ issues.

No one feels good when they are replaced, or feel like their place in the world is threatened.  Currently in many areas of Celtricia, the merchant guilds are gaining enough power to challenge the nobility and the churches, and this makes the threatened establishments more aware of their situation and sometimes, ofr the more sef-aware, aware of the nature of time.
This is a very small example of an issue that is wrapped up in the whole Omwo~ racial identity.  While racial identities in the current world of Celtricia normally take a subordinate position to cultural, national, or Guild identity, one's early family issues tend to bury themselves deeply in the subconsious.
Over Eight Millenia ago, the Omwo~ were created to be the first servants of the Planars.  They had long lifespans, and acording to almost all major religeous texts, worked directly with the creative forces of the cosmology.  What happened afterwards is the matter of debate and difference, but as the Accords of Presence loomed into possibility, the Omwo~ began a fall from favor, and other races were brought into being.  As this came to pass, the lifespan and power of the Omwo~ began to lessen.  
Many religeous texts, even some that are not taking a side, such as "The Path of Grey", the historical codex of the Amererians, makes reference to the Humans being brought into the 'Waking Dream' due to some Planars unhappiness with the limitations of the Omwo~.

Even though all of that is shrouded into the depths of time, many Omwo~ count their relationship to ancient clans and family as more important than their own current children despite their low birthrate.  Their current lifespan of 200-400 years, is a shadow even of the Omwo~ of a thousand years ago when many lived to see half a millenia, let alone in the depths of time, where some nobility would see both the beginning and end of a millenial phase.

Today's omwo~ either grasp desperately at this heritage, or repudiate it entirely.  Some old families cling to their ancient ways, while most younger Omwo~ live completely in the moment, trying to fit a thousand years of experiences into their truncated existence.  But whether dealt with or not, this position of an ancient, once-great race now in remission affects the psyche of every Omwo~ at some level.

More added to Igbar's Notations.

The Neighborhoods and Wards
Like all cities that have grown organically, Igbar's roads and street wind somewhat confusingly.  Couple that with the small pond and the stream (the Vdalek) in the middle of the west side, and the growth of the city has just 'happened around it', and has not been organized.

 

The Dockside area is not just the coastal side, it includes mainly the central coastal area where the oldest Docks are, which leads down 'the Keep Way', one of the oldest streets in the city.  The Dockside area has no paving, and most of the buildings are made of wood, many of which are sinking into the ground.  There are a few old captain's houses, mostly Inns now, that show there was some money in this area at one point.  However, the area is mainly bars, inns, taverns, a few businesses, lots of older warehouses, and poverty.
 

The Royal way is the opposite.  It stretches from the Northern City gates do the Southern Gates, and was conceived by Artic Husamin IV, the sixth Duke of the Northern Argussian Marches.  This whole, wide street is paved in white, and in the center, on the waterside, is the Royal Keep, built by Artic in 680-689 RON.  There is a small park that abutts the Vdalek Pond.  Many of the most wealthy families have their bricked, in-town residences along that road.
 

The South-Eastern corner of the city is the Harou section of town, where the quaint, introspective social graces of the Harou cultures is observed.  Tea service, outdoor porches, and piinut incense in the air are the staples of the area.  
 

The Godstraat.  The North Eastern corner of the city is dominated by the 'Street of the Gods', as it is called commonly, though it's proper name is the 'Avenue of Worship'.  Though not all the temples and Churches are their, the Lawful Triumverate, the Church of the Green Mother, The Church of Chaos, and the Platform of Trade.  Also, one of the oldest Boneyards within the city limits, now full to bursting with old headstones, is there.  That boneyard dates back to the early dates of Igbar.  The oldest dates are from ~320 R.O.N.  Around 470 R.O.N., the Igbarians uncovered a long sunken garden to north of the Street of Worship, and that Northern Boneyard is where many of the family Crypts were moved to.

(//../../e107_files/public/1238172414_392_FT39571_granary2.jpg)

The GreenSward is an old, wealthy part of town dominated by the Bristle Park, given by Tully Bristle.  There are many older families with homes and estates here.
 

The Brewer's Quarter is the eastern part of two Streets, The Talleyrand Path and the Marcher's Hope.  Here 4 major breweries and a number of smaller ones all contrive to best each other in their crafting of local brews.  None really compete, however, with the Golden Bullette brewery and the gold and red brews it sends out on wagons labelled with their sigil.  The Birchright Quaffer's Guild (named after the old, defunct brewery of the same name) is the largest brewer's Guild, but many of them belong to Chernow's Libations, a guild that covers many mead, wine, and other distillers as well as brewers.
 

The Undeen section of town is just North of the Trio Area, but has a large collection of Argussian and Omnian (read this as southern-based) businesses, including the 'Gardrobe' restaurant and Kalix' Omnian Steels.  
 

The Collar is the organized, well-kept streets across the Unicorn Vex from the Unicorn Seat.  This ares is dominated by walled in estates of the Istari or Guild officers  Most of these are relatively older construction, but few older than three centuries .  The Eastern edge of the Collar abutts 'The Hill' district' and much of the stonewark of 'The Collar' goes up the hill now.


(//../../e107_files/public/1238172466_392_FT39571_down_the_hill_to_the_collar_.jpg) (//../../e107_files/public/1238172466_392_FT39571_down_the_hill_to_the_collar.jpg)

Opposite of the Brewer's quarter on the Unicorn Vex is the 4 street west-bound roads known as the Rip-cut Crucible, where many crafts guilds and manufacturers make their home and ply their wares.  The Street of Carvings is where woodworkers do much of their work in Igbar.
 

The Trio is the area around the South Gate (The Argus Gate), where almost all the streets converge on the small square just inside the gate. It is named because of the three Argussian officials who were hung their by Trabler Aptor when he took over the town.  Many shops are here, as well as teamsters.
 

BravoTown is a long, two street area south of the Godstraat, where mercenaries, both locally born and outlanders, found housing and employment.  The local chapterhouse of the Kulranik Guild is in this area. As these 2 streets near the North edge of the Collar of town, there starts to be a neatening up.
 

Leper's Bastion (or just 'The Bastion') is the southern dock area and slightly inland area typified by slums, Krrfshops, and flophouses.  There actually was a Leper's colony by the water over two hundered years ago, but the name stuck for an area with little hope.
 

North Docks are a collection of 3 small docks and about two-dozen small buildings outside the gates to the north, about 300 yards.  They used to be an area where there were woods, and it was here that smugglers would land back in the days of the Northern Argussia Marches.  It grew to a legitimate dock area for the Bartles & Jamie wine importing group, and has since continued to grow.  There is a Scarlet Pilum's tower in the northern area, in case of attacks.  Many duel masters use this area.
 
The Hill neighborhood is just east of the Collar, a long area built on a rise where many service business' are set up to take service the wealthier areas of Igbar.  Many Gnomes and Hobyts have low houses here, but the middle of the hill is built around the Potentiate of Iron, the monastary of the Church of the Earth.
 
TentMeet is named for for the mazo of tents and ramshackle buildings that once stood in this area.  Now, it is tightly packed with close buildings, but while the architecture has changed, the poverty level is the same.  This section abuts the east wall, and the gurds have to actually use the wall to try to spy on the inhabitants.
 
SouthTown is a spillover zone, a collection of inns, businesses, and new homes growing out of the south wall and to the west of the South Road.  These are all forty years old or less, but there are over 90 building here now, and with the inside of Igbar overbuilt, this overflow has to go somewhere.  The Scarlet Pilums do patrol this area, but only a few times a day, and it is almost a punishment duty.

Redoing the post on Stenron, largest city in Celtricia, Capital of the Grey March.
Stenron (http://celtricia.pbwiki.com/Stenron%2C-Capital-of-the-Grey-March)

Hey Vreeg. I really like how you're fleshing out your setting. Details about what the city is like are very necessary for a gm like me for instance to start getting really interested in what it would be like to run it.

One thing I love is your use of names. You have a great mix of names that are made up and are easy to imagine saying and yet sound exotic. (Igbar, Omwo, etc) On the other hand you also add in names that are in fairly common fantasy use that you put to other uses like Unicorn. Your names also reflect history, like the mention of there once actually being a leper colony in the city. It's really nice to see a campaign world in which names aren't just chosen because it's based on a novel or at random just because.

I love the sense of history you've created with areas like Leper's Bastion and the TentMeet.\

Is duelling illegal in the city??

I know there are a ton of factional conflicts within the city... how are the racial relations, in general?

Tybalt---so glad you are back.  I'll PM you later tonight, if I have the chance.

Steerpike--Here is a quick answer about the duelling, more later.

Dueling, and combats of honor, have a long history in Celtricia.  From the Klaxik 'Walk of Honor' to the Vicorian arcane dueling codes, life has often been seen as cheaper than honor.

The Empire of Argus' Balendjen is hundreds of years old (indeed, it is a variant of the old Hagenos Balendjen duels, also incorporating some features of the Omnian codes of Honor), and since Trabler is only a generation removed from the yoke of the Gryphon Empire, duelling is still part of daily life.  In the Argussian areas, Duelling was a great equailizer, sponsored by the Fane of the Rod and Axe.  Centuries ago, a person of lesser social stature could challenge one of greater stature, and it was cowardly not to fight.  Today, in Argus, the use of proxies protects the wealthy from the more baseborn.

In Igbar, it was made illegal in 879 by the Upper House of the Unicorn.  However, Dueling is still rampant, and many Istar families hold those that hide behind the law as contemptable.  As an illegal act, most of the dueling is actually done up at the North Docks, the dock area north of the walls.  There is also some duelling in Southtown and tentmeet, and a little on the Dockside.

Dueling today is normally only done with the uper classes, or those that pretend to them.  Wealthy merchants and guildsmen will resort to them, as will some of the warrior guilds, though most of the churches follow the word of the law.


The instigator of the duel had best be certain, as the challenged party has choice of weapons and armor, though the challenger does have the right to press for the terms (first blood, until yielding, to the death, etc).  Personal weapons, including magical ones, are allowed, though any spells at all are not.  This means that proxies have seperate prices based on if they are being hired for a challenger or challenged position, and many proxies will not take a contract on anything but 'first blood' for the challenged position.

Lately, heavier one handed swords and fransisca are all the rage amonth the serious duelist, and so the teaching of these weapons is also in demand.

As a quick note, the Duel Arcane, rare in most areas, has been seen a few times in Igbar recently, with the trouble between the Alternative school and the Collegium Arcana.  Still illegal, this is a sight that draws spectators quickly.  

Steerpike,
Racial relations are actually a major 'conflict' in Celtricia, in that I specifically tried to avoid the normal presentations of the races.  And then I placed the normal fantasy presentation of racial identification in the past, and made the present world of Celtricia a place where 'God, Guild and Country' are the major allegiances, and racial identity is a fourth place contender.  There are no 'evil' races.  I wanted to get to a place where I could address the real issue of racism, and at the same time challenge my players to deal with the complications of a world where racism was still real, but slowly receding.
[ooc=from the race page]
 In the current philosophical mindset of the Celtrician setting, the ability to integrate into a multi-racial culture is seen as one of the tenets of a cultured person.  Over millenia, positive relationships between the various races had become quite normal.  However, there had been a good amount of racism and discrimination practised, even among allies until very recently.  Where the enemies of the various city-states and countries were of a different race, it was often outright ugly.
Primary Integrated races of Celtricia.
But a little less than 2 centuries ago, driven in particular by the bold, equalizing, racial independence that the now-powerful and multi-national guilds had brought to the scene, race ceased being a major discrimination point in the Celtrician Cradle area.  The roots of this change can be found in the Bright Lands, where plutocrats in Hobyt Inn started trading heavily with their former enemy, the Blacknote Orcash Tribe a few days north of that city.  By that time within the city of Hobyt Inn, Hobyts, Humans, and Omwo~ had been living with anti-discrimination laws for centuries, although the Orcash were not included.  Though there was great debate, a philospohical movement began in the North-West that was predicated on the idea that one of the primary determinants of a civilized society is the ability to become integrated in a multi-racial society.

Thus, the Bright Lands were the first to open up citizenship to the Orcash and Gartier and also to include Ograk, Goblin and Gnolls as well (this is incredibly rare because of the distribution of the races). However, in a world where Hobyts and Orcash are the most populous races, almost 10% of the Orcash of the world, and almost 25% of the Orcash in the Northern Celtrician 'cradle' area, are 'civilized' and integrated.

In the time since then, most of the Northern (cradle) countries have accepted and adopted this aculturation. The idea has also spread to the Lands of Om in the Far South and most of the west. However, the Ambrellian and Argussian Empires are combating the idea. Some rulers and leaders embrace this change and proselytize it, although many fear it, but nonetheless this tide of change has washed over the lands.

So though race has a lot to do with cultural identity, it is considered gauche to put race above God, Guild, or Country.
[/ooc]
SO when PCs in Celricia run into a band of humanoids, they stop to parley and to discover who they are.

AS for Igbar itself,
[ooc=racial mix of Igbar]
Races
Hobyts make up, as in the world at large, the largest portion of the population density, followed by Telman humans (Often called Clan Telman Humans), Klaxiks, Acculterated Orcash,  Meadow and Wolden Omwo~, Gnomics,and Kalil humans and a few Wastrian Humans and Gartier as well.  A full quarter of the population is Hobyt pureblood or Hobyt dominant-mixed, though many of the Istar (old families) are Omwo~ or Telman Human.
[/ooc]
The animosity between the older families vs the current government, and the guilds vs guild stuff, is much more dangerous and bloddy than racial issues.  Telman Humans, Klaxik, and Orcash are all about the same population density, and while the others rib the telman humans as being the 'whitebread establishment' (while the orcash and klaxiks are 'keeping it real'), everyone looks at the hobyts' as being th real owners of the 'machine', even of they are not always the ones fronting it.
Does that help?

Here's a question: magic has a strong effect on Celtrician culture and technological development (which is one of the main points about your setting--you have deliberately made clear that magic has a profound effect on the kind of society that exists) and so how does that effect the financial industry in its details?

Quote from: TybaltHere's a question: magic has a strong effect on Celtrician culture and technological development (which is one of the main points about your setting--you have deliberately made clear that magic has a profound effect on the kind of society that exists) and so how does that effect the financial industry in its details?

This may be a post I have to go back to a lot.  

My PC's have been involved with many business ventures, and with the mercahnt guilds being so prevalent, this has always been close at hand.  The New Legion is closely allied with  Vinivixias (http://celtricia.pbwiki.com/Vinivixias), Trader Prime of the Sceding Tree, so they are closely enmeshed even now.

The first thing to understand is that all three major merchant syndicates (the Vissipee, the Sceding Tree, and the Winfire) are in the Bardic Broadcasting Network.  This gives the access to daily information sent out by the 8 major broadcasters, as well as the ability to send limited information.  These large, artificed scrying pools can also be used to spy, but that means bringing in a powerful caster from the one of the other guilds.  So information (and some misinformation) travels much more quickly than one might think.  There are also lesser means of sending information through sacred fires or sacred pools (not really sacred anymore, this is the name of the spells based on it's ancient application).  So important news does travel quickly.  And information is the lifeblood of finance.

also, lesser magics are somewhat available, although still expensive.  So this has increased the already fast movement towards guilds in almost all things.  A farmer would never be able to afford a  Sacred Grove  (http://celtricia.pbwiki.com/Sacred+Grove,+Lesser) cast on his property, or a permanent  Unease (http://celtricia.pbwiki.com/Unease),but a number of them could band together and get it done.  Trafficing in goods is also very affected.  I made any teleport spells extremely limited and costly, but almost every trading guild has access to the Air spells that summon and bind creatures from the House of Air (actuallt the Seventh House now...another long story) such as Summon Restil (http://celtricia.pbwiki.com/Summon+Restil), Summon Frennis (http://celtricia.pbwiki.com/Summon+Frennis), and the much more rarely used  Summon Hisshiru (http://celtricia.pbwiki.com/Summon+Hisshiru).  This gives ships a lot more control and speed than they actually had in any age of sail, greatly aiding commerce.

 Obviously, the commerce of magic itself is another great source of finances.  Whether it is the selling of herbs gotten from the  Herb Lands (http://celtricia.pbwiki.com/Herb+Lands), or the selling of  scrolls (http://celtricia.pbwiki.com/Scrolls), or the need to make sure that one is not being affected by the sublte mentalist spells like  Ridicule (http://celtricia.pbwiki.com/Ridicule) or if the inveitable bard in the corner of the room is actually casting  Song of Truth (http://celtricia.pbwiki.com/Song+of+Truth), the fact that magic exists means that guilds and syndicates have to make sure that it is not being used on them.

Question here:
What limits or artifacts are in place to prevent magical counterfeiting of coinage (or other form of currency)?

Presumably that kind of magic would be fairly powerful and expensive, maybe too expensive to be worth it. But if magic is that commercialized, it could potentially have far reaching effects, especially in commodities that would naturally be scarce or difficult to refine. (Don't have access to quicksilver? Magically create it!)

Are there some things that magic just isn't even capable of?

Quote from: snakefingQuestion here:
What limits or artifacts are in place to prevent magical counterfeiting of coinage (or other form of currency)?

Presumably that kind of magic would be fairly powerful and expensive, maybe too expensive to be worth it. But if magic is that commercialized, it could potentially have far reaching effects, especially in commodities that would naturally be scarce or difficult to refine. (Don't have access to quicksilver? Magically create it!)

Are there some things that magic just isn't even capable of?

Magic cannot create from nothing, but magic can transport from the Void.  So theoretically, a caster versed in Earth could literally bring ore from the House of Earth directly to the Waking Dream.  
However, these magics fall into the question of power ratio, and though they are available in theory, very, very few casters could cast such spells, even with enhancers (and thus, almost no one can make scrolls for it).

The power level frequency distribution of magic is such that lower level magic is very avaalable.
speaking of counterfeiting... weight of silver  (http://celtricia.pbwiki.com/Weight+of+Silver-Earth)

But even mid level magic is very scarce, due to the need to pull power from more sources and the increasing difficulty in raising up levels.  I think there are only one or 2 people in Igbar capable of moving to the Void Areas, and that is with magical aids.

How Polytheism feels in Celtricia
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[ic=from the wiki]
Worship is an essential part of the puzzle of Celtricia.  Inhabitants of this "World of Factions" do not just go through the motions of worship.  The Churches and temples are intertwined with the daily life in every town or city.  So the relationship a person has with the church or churches they belong to says much about their personality.

Also, the pantheon of the Celtrician Planars is huge and varied, and both the pantheon and the worship is polytheistic. The People of Celctricia are expected and encouraged to go to different churches, and while there still is competition for worship, the 'Pact Veritus'  that was put together by High Priestess Manwessa holds true in almost of the Celtrician continent.  This pact has brought about a situation where there is little strife and much cooperation between churches in a population center.  Though all folk have their own personal patron, what church to attend is based on events in a person's life.  No matter who a person's patron is, you will probably find them in the Platform of Trade (the Church of Ogleic) if they need help with money.  During the birth of a new child, people will leave offerings in the local churches of Froji or Vernidale, the Green Mother
[/ic]

This is a simplified, big picture.  And it actually is the case for the majority of people in the Celtrician world.  Most inhabitants stop by one temple or another nearly every day, and most often, it is there own patron or someone allied with that church.  It does not, however, mean that there is not tremendous antipathy between different churches.  The origin of the whole Lawful Triumverate religion is not merely one of three peaceful churches getting together because they thought they would work together well, it was a religion born out of conflict and as a response to the resurgence of the church of the Entropic Overlords in Hobyt Inn, around 450 RON.  And while more open disagreements and outward antipathy exist in churches that have major philosophical differences, sects that share a philosophical bias, or worse, a patron deity, are fighting for the same 'client demographic'.[note=from the Igbar page]Religion permeates Celtrician life.  A common greeting is "A Dou~his Ponder Hawaaka?", which tranlates to "Which god's house do you think today?".  This phrase is the equivalent of asking how a person's life is going, or even how they are feeling.  An average Igbarian probably visits a temple (Dou~his) every other day, or two out of three days.

Someone down on their luck might visit the Dou~his of lucky Ishma, someone depressed might visit Jubilex, the Patron of Irony, and farmers who are planing might visit the Church of the Green Mother or the Church of the Earth. Stopping by a church or shrine is also a very social event, and carries connotations uniquely Celrician.  Almost everyone is greeted by name, or in the case of travelers with the term "Kerma, Amigal!" (Debased Klaxik for 'Most Welcome, Friend').  Churches always have hot tea in the winters or chilled 'Kerri' (chilled, sweetened, and watered down Vneersberry wine) by the front door, and after respects are made to the icons, there are always sitting areas where elders gather and mothers and youngsters stop by. [/note]


In the Age of Statehood, the current era of Celtricia, the gods rarely communicate in any way with their worshippers.  So the books are written by people, the sermons are written by people, and the human imperfectino of understanding is imprinted into every church and religion. And this means human foibles and mistakes are made, though most of the common worshippers would never see it that way.  Alliances are made by people and sometimes dogma and belief change, due to people.

The GM bears a big duty to make this real to the players. The interwoven nature of religion has to show its face constantly.  The GM must keep his list of  Holy Days (http://celtricia.pbwiki.com/The+Calendars) close at hand, and make sure the PCs that are members of the clergy are given smatterings of information on the events and what behaviors are expected of them.  making sure the Patriarchs, Firsts, and other leaders of the various churches are known by all the PC's 'because everyone knows them' was also an important step.
Of coursde, some PC's respond to this better than others.  

[ic]
Area:Igbar
Name:The Church of Fortune (Ishma)
Affiliation with Larger: The Mother Church of Fortune is in Hobyt Inn.  The local is on the western portion of the Street of the Gods, towards the Unicorn Vex, Near Sheafe Street.  As with all in this particular sect, there are shrines to Malgoth of Chaos and Saint Pernic of Seau.
The Mother of Fortune here reports directly to the Great Mother of Fortune in Hobyt Inn, and the church rankings are linked to ther Mother Church.
 
Membership style: clergy and followers
 
% of starting membership: 40% Attrib bonus: WI (12/2)
 
Mission: The Church of Fortune gives succor to those that have been burnt by the vagaries of fate, and those that seek to curry favors with luck.  Ishma is also the patron of the spider and of taking making one's own luck.
 
Size: 19 dedicated clergy, 48 adjunct clergy, patronage 6th-9th

History: This church has it's roots in the Henurati (old Bright Lands) church of the Spider's Luck.  Though it has come down through many revolutions, the church of Fortune has downplayed the spider side (though that is important internally).
This parish started in 790 RON, and has often fueded with the Church of Chaos (Jubilex), though they have always been in a subordinate position.  The alliance formed 11 years ago when Timlin Hurler, looking for allies against his suspicions in the Vernidalian Church.
The Church of Fortune counts many worshippers from both the Blackstripes, the Eye, and the Bullyboys.  Inside their walls and in the courtyards, all the various 'denominations' of the underworld are safe from one another, and many who follow the dodgy path who have a religeous bent find their way here.
 
 
Current leader: Mother of Fortune Gretta Homintworth.
Current situation: This church is somewhat below the radar, and this is somewhat on purpose, when you are the church where 50% of the theives in town come around on Fastak.  
The are Allied with the Church of Chaos and the the Platform of Trade.
 
Gretta Homintworth's (Human fem, 43 years old, L10 spirit, l6 chaos, l6 animist) Husband is from The Rotter family, and they do own 2 merchant ships.  Gretta is also head of the Society of the Spider, the inner sect.  She contests heavily with Spear Marshall Sheering, the captain of the scarlet Pilums.
 
Chessa Veersinct (fem hobyt, 27 years old, l5 soc, l6 spirit, l3 chaos, l3 death) is a busty priestess with an Inkmisian bent, but too many people look at her chest without understanding her cunning mind.  She 'spends time' with Benshin Brendan Behan, the popular, muscular skald from Bertrand's bardic school. [/ic]

Adult beverages that are found in the bars and inns of Igbar, expanded.  
Pc's flesh out more when the details of their existence are more known (such as shaken, not stirred) and consistent.  
For example, Kiko has a habit of sending Red Fire Brandy to people at the Sweet Retreat.
http://celtricia.pbworks.com/What-to-Drink

Also, Igbar has gone through some more additions and edits, but if anyone can tell, it's beyond me...

FreeThinkers
-----------------------------------------------
Igbar's Freethinkers is not so much of an organized group as a political persuasion.

Palimar Devensheld, the founder of the Alternative School of Magic, has seemed to gather politcal power effortlessly, while often being at odds with some of the older movers in town.  Palimar came into town and immediately used his position as a high-ranking priest in the Church of Earth as a bully-pulpit[1], forming coalitions where none had been, and coined the term 'Freethinkers' when he was called a maverick by Tierenessa Homintworth (in an admiring way).  He quickly formed a mision in the Leper's Bastion area of Town, wisely including the Church of Chaos into the effort.  This got him elected into the Lower House of the Unicorn as a Horn Magistrate in 890.  

His advantageous position grew when he was the one who found the evidence that Horn Minster of Commerce Coomi was actually acting on behalf of the Blackstripes[2] in 891, and in 892 he was elected to the Upper House of the Unicorn.

The basic tenet of this particular movement is a willing disregard for old alliances and old powers.  Palimar does not begrudge the Istari their wealth,  but the idea that this wealth makes them better than others is forbidden.  Understanding the idea of a politcal 'sunk-cost' is critical for a Freethinker, and removing prejudice is seen as an opportunity.

Freethinkers are often seen as a little too eager to throw of the shackles of older ideas just for the sake of doing so, however, and their detractors say their promises are empty due to their willingness to seek change.

Footnotes

1-As far as the play goes, Peter played Palimar as something of a moral crusader, and a ruthless networker. –²
2-A brilliantly played group of sessions. –²  

[ic= The Terrors of the Knife]
[/b][/size]

Area:Igbar
Name:Terrors of the Knife
Affiliation with Larger:  Only in large populations and where there are some "Serpent Queen" cultists will there be a group of these.  There is no national or extra-territorial organization.
Membership style: Mainly dedicated members, with a few members of this group having graduated to other positions,. but still dedicated to the cult. Fanatical might describe it.
 
% of starting membership: 20% Attrib bonus: cd (12/2) IN (10/1)
Mission: To eliminate enemies of the growth of the Cult of the Serpent Queen without being found out.
 
Size: 16, 6 recently slain by New Legion

History: The Terrors of the Knife were originally a product of the Church of The Circled Snake and Spider (Vernidale, Ishma, and Geryon) in the Astrikon times[1].  They were then a feared branch of assassins who still have some magic named after them.  Later, they served the Chruch of the Serpent Queen until the schism of 575 RON, when the northern churches (north of Argus, that is) became the Church of the Green Mother.  Whereas the Argussian and Omnian churches of the Serpent Queen are open, the cult of the Serpent Queen is hidden in the Cradle Area.
 
 
Current leader: Vigor Sheering.
Current situation: unknown to 95% of the populace, and most of those who know of the existence of such a branch don't think they are active in Igbar.  Some few members of opposing guilds (The staright Way, the Karin Machination) know of their existence but even these know nothing of the inner workings of the Terrors, and their exact tie to the church of the Green Mother (that being that they are actually the Assassin Branch of the Serpent Queen Cultists).
Currently, Vigor Sheering uses the Terrors to advance his agenda.  Green Mother Cheriol is the head of the Church of Vernidale, but she is also in the Serpent Queen Cult.  While she knows Vigor is head of the Terrors of the Knife, she is not aware of his position as Necromancer ally to The Black Hand (Kexiol Antroo, the recently unearthed Vampyre in the Wibble Hills in the hidden temple of Mammon)[2].  He has been pushing her to maintain her interdiction to the Herb Lands through Igtiche, which is allowing the Zyjmanese and the Firehazers to travel easily around the Astrikon plains and even the Tiche Plains[3].
It should be notated that the Firehazer tribe of the Wibble hills is now totally under the command of Kexiol's Black Hand, and he has sent overtures to Zyjman XIV in the Temple of Orcus the Unliving.

Footnotes

1-Obviously, in terms of play, this means that many of the older Astrickon tombs were actually dedicated to the older variation of Snake and Spider. –²
2-and as wearer of one of the three rings of Anginarian Necromancy Kexiol created. –²
3-The Tich PLains denote the breadbasket farming area between Igbar and Igtiche; the Astrikon plains are north and east of Igtiche. They include much of the area that the Astrikon traders claimed as their own. –² [/ic]

The Age of Heroes

The Age of Heroes is the second major epoch in the history of the Waking Dream.  It folllowed the mythic and disputed 'Age of Legends', and gained it's name from the emergence of mortal agents as the prime movers.  It also marks an era of written records become more common, especially towards the end, whereas most old written records dealing with the Age of Legends were actually written in the Age of Heroes, sometimes by Omwo~ eye witnesses, but more often they are examples of scholars putting down the words of an oral tradition.  

The Age of Heroes is generally assumed to have begun as the last of the Celestial Planars left the Waking Dream, due to the Accords of Presence, right after the legends describe the overthrowing of the Cairnhold.  This is placed at five thousand, nine hundred and ninety six years/cycles (-5996) before the beginning of Reckoning of Nebler calendar began.  The current time is year 895 in the Reckoning of Nebler.  The Age of Heroes is generally considered to have ended about fifteen hundred years before year zero, which means that it is generally considered to have lasted about 4500 years/cycles.



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The beginning of the Age of Heroes also marks the coming of the other races into the Waking Dream.  Humans, called Pablar's Toys, were first sighted in recorded history about thirty years after the beginning of the Age.  Soon after this, the secong generation of the Sauroids was born, and then within a Hundred years of that the Stunatu (the working folk) came into the Waking Dream.  The Age of Heroes is considered the age where the other major arces developed.


Much of the following decades (indeed, centuries) involved the integration of the new races (and their small, but growing populations) into the already ancient civilizations of the Omwo~ peoples (Silverwood, the White Deeps, the Diurnal Deeps, etc).  in -5100 RON, the first of the Ogrillite peoples showed up, the new servants of Anthraxus, and a less than a hundred years later, Verkonen Vreeg founded the integrated Ambretton confederacy.


The Vicorian Confederacy started about -4200, and this was the first country to grow quickly and flower, entering into a full-scale renaissance within three hundred years/cycles.  While this was transpiring, Verkonnen Vreeg was born in the White City, the ancient Omwo~ citadel, and a little after -3760, the Temple complex of Winterlou was really coming into it's being, which would grow into the large city of Winterlou, the City State of Winter, and eventually Stenron, Capital of the Grey March.  The Age of Heroes is considered the Age where populations banded together, and the first Nation States really developed.  But it is important to understand that these Nation states were created, championed, and often destroyed by mortal heroes.


The Sauroid civilization was also a thing of the Age of Heroes.   In the Early part of this Age, the first clutches of Sauroid eggs hatched, and by -5100, the Sauroid population had grown to almost 300, in the northen settlement of Heret (Shells,  white Omwo~).  However, there was much fractiousness, and constant bickering made for a number of colonies elsewhere, including the Vernidalian Serpent Queen settlement on the Steel Isle.
 

But despite over four thousand years/cycles of growth and change, there is little contention that the theme of this large section of history is one of the mortal agents of the Planars.  This was there time.  And of these, none shine as brightly, in valor and villainy, in hopeless heroism and valiant despair, as the many-threaded tale of the Bard Himself and his fratricidal Brother, the arch-lich Arbor.  Many of the events that mark the Age of Heroes, the fall of Dragonhome Heret, the renaissance and destruction of Vicoria, the second Night of the Cairn, Vreeg's Damned Choice (still a heroic dirge sung by scholarly bards today), and many more are tied up in this epic tragedy.

Following the Age of Heroes is the Age of Statehood, manifested and demarked by the growth of the importance of Nationhood.

 

The Focus on the Arts and Ancient beauty
-------------------------------------------------

Art in Celtricia is held very dearly.  Famous artists in the Cradle area of Celtricia are viewed with the same veneration as other national heroes, and afficianadoes often know the names of every major work of an artist.

This attitude can be seen even more in the upper strata of society, where the means to purchase famous works and commision current artists is jealously fought over.  In fact, many philosophers argue that the level of artistic achievement a culture has reached, whether in the past or in the present, is the most important measure of that culture (See Harlond's Artistic Measure).

It is also important to note that this level of appreciation carries over to the theatre arts, which makes sense with the continued popularity of the Bardic Taverns.  

Art from ancient empires is especially precious.  In Trabler, the strange metal-wire statuary of the Venolvian Sealords,   the Nature Art of the Astrikon Traders, and the Devilkin-inspired works of the Old Orbic Exiles fetch piles of goodwives.  And many trading syndicates have whole companies involved with this enterprise.

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Tale of Years
Major additions to the tale of years, connecting many dots, and giving more perspective!
(Actually, probably a major-ass wall of text spell)
But at least I am keeping up somewhat with the updates.

Please note that the Year is calculated using the Reckoning of the Founding of the Theocracy of Nebler.  The Location involved is next, followed by the notation.

[spoiler=Tale of Years]
-14920   all   Song of Creation Begins
-9000   all   Nebler, Pablar, Madrak, Amerer, Asmodeus, Orcus, Antraxus and jubilex walk the earth.
-8250   all   The Omwo~ are created, first servants of the Planars.
-8075   all, Vale of Silence   Planars start to imprint their philosophies onto the Omwo~
-8000   Grey March/Stenron   First born Omwo~ build temples (Douwis) in the Vale of Silence (Winterloo, Stenron) to meet with the Founders.
-7150   White City   Keith and his 14 Omwo! Followers found the White City, and steeps that place in the potent magics of that lost time.
-7100   Sauroid   Bahamut born on Mt. Kender
-7075   Sauroid   Tiamat born in the TeanerRifts
-6750   White City   White city grows to over 200 Omwo~, Douwis being built.
-6475   Vale of Silence   Celestial Planars create the Accords of Presence, the rules of contact with the lesser beings
-6470   All   Anthraxus refuses the Accords of Presence, and the great conlfict begins
-6390   far north   Anthraxus convenes with Orcus and captures him, calliong back spirits and creating the undead soldiers of the CairnHold
-6194   Silverwood   The Republic of Silverwood is founded
-5998      Madrak, Amerer, and Pablar break the great fortress CairnHold, and Anthraxus is thrown down and imprisoned.
-5995   Vale of Silence, Grey March   The Douwis (Origianl House) of Amerer is the last one still inhabited in the Vale of Silence.  The other Old ones have all departed
-5967   Silverwood   Darson Vixoas sights the first humans, Pablar's toys.
-5870   Northern climes   Clutches of Sauroids born to Bahamut and Tiamat, they quarrell
-5855   northern climes   Young Sauroids begin to turn colors based on temprament
-5840   Silverwood   Ceminiar begins contact with the Omwo~ of Silverwood, and has the first Douwis built since the catastophe.
-5820   Silverwood   Aras the Far-seeing becomes Leader of the Silverwood, The Holio of Silverwood.
-5813      Madrak and Nebler create the Stunatu, the working folk.  They are made in three tribes, the Klaxik, the Hobytalia, and the Gnomic
-5760   Barony of Argus   Humans split into three origianl Tribes, House Telman, House Kalil, and House Wastri
-5675   White City   Verkonenn Vreeg born to unknown parentage
-5650   white city   Kenwrought Dilvish Born in White City
-5502   South, Ambrellian Empire   Human House Kalil and Klaxik Krenos Tribe settle near huge river, settlement called Ambrelli
-5457   Oaklight forest   The Oaklight Community is begun
-5433   White City   Gabonix Dragonlord Born
-5370   White city   Kenwrought Dilvish begins to steep himself in the ways of Making, taught by his unlce and a deva of Madrak
-5360   Theoc Gorntar   Gabonix Dragonlord Befriends Jer Ikon Hardt, Gold Dragon.  First to befriend a Sauroid
-5190      Ceminiar Creates Amrist, the first of the Planar births
-5115   Aspen   Omwo~ from the Silverwood travel south and found the Monarchy of Aspen, with Granliaer Omwio as the First King
-5109   White City   The Chalice of the Earth-Wind is created by Kenwrought  Dilvish
-5070   White City   Verkonin Vreeg commits poetry to Music, in the Trochiatic Form
-5037   Vale of Silence   Atros Beasthurion retrieves finds the Lifestone in the ruined and lost Douwis of Madrak, in the Vale of Silence
-5021      Ogrillities are Created by Anthraxus the Decayed, as his servants
-5015   White City   Verkonin Vreeg (the Random Factor) is first person to be kicked out of the White City.
-5002      Escorear retrieves the Airstone from the House of Air.  He becomes the Fist Lord of Air.
-4870   Grey March   Verkonin Vreeg and his Omwo band found what would eventually become Ambretton.
-4855   GreyMarch   Ambrettus Settled, a weeks march from the Vale of Silence (gm)
-4840   Ambretton, grey March   Men of the House of Telman Join the city-State of Ambrettus
-4792   Diunrnal Deeps   The Diurnal Deeps are Founded
-4781   Togford   House Farly of the South and House Telman meet for the first time.  Karley is a sect of the Kalil House
-4435      Human settlement of Grenwit Hollow founded in what is Now Sembina, with the City of Seriombicol setting the pace
-4280      Rakastra Tracks Escorear to the House of Air, and banishes him to the Void
-4245   Vicoria   Vicis Atrippa (Tall Spires) founded on 2 hills
-4205      Lettle Lifebringer becomes first great clan-chief of the Kalxik People
-4130   Vicoria   Vicis Atrippa becomes center of Vicorian City States
-4093   Vicoria   Pendle Eston (growing place) settled 275 miles fom Vicis Atrippa, second major Vicorian city
-4012   Silverwood   Arariol Dilvish born in Silverwood, son of Kenwrought
-3991   Vicoria   Vicorian Artists and writers merge and create the 'Histories of the Song'
-3951   Vicoria   Vicorian Mages create the Society of Engineers, the guild of artificers
-3940   Vale of Silence, GM   Winterlou, The Temple center, really formalized as Omwo~ priests settle
-3910   Vicoria   Vicorian Renaisance begins
-3865   White City   Tarcleri Knights are banished from the White City
-3815   Ambretton/vale of silence/GM   Ambrettus begins supporting/trading with Winterlou temple complex
-3790   Vale of Silence/GM   Tarcleri knights ( Xioui omwo~) Become temple guard for Winterlou
-3760   White City   Ge Numansongs Born to Penton Arbor II,
-3715   Vale of silence/GM   Tarcleri Knights build the Jarmin Fortress in Winterlou
-3660   Winterloo/GM   Kal Tober Klaxiks start mining just south of Winterlou, bringing much traffic
-3630   Vicoria   School of Flame and Flower begun in Vicis Attripa, Vicoria
-3570   Winterloo/Gm   Winterloo (note name) becoming large town, spread out, equal trading with Ambrettans
-3550      Asol Arbor Born to Penton II
-3515   Vicoria   Vicinis Gripina Grows into a large port
-3490   gorntar   Prelacy of the Scrlet Order founded in Heseeml
-3455   Vicoria   Ge Numansongs travels to Vicis Atrippa, and takes in the flowering of Vicoria.
-3275   Vicoria   Duel Arcane becomes all the rage in Vicorian areas
-3150   Winterloo/GM   Great Temple of Amerer, the Grey Temple, built on ruins of old Douhis, Winterloo
-3100      Asol Arbor joins the EinMuse
-3076   Vicoria   New Police attack and Conquer Vicoria
-2981   Ebrasol   Ge Numansongs meets and befriends Paul Gardiner
-2981   White City   NelsonKent kills Keith of the White City
-2970      The warlock Numansongs captures Asol Arbor
-2970      The Warlock Numansongs writes 'The Life Machine'
-2970   Vicoria   Asol Arbor commits patricide,Killing Penton II
-2955      Elen Exeriot Becomes Leader of the New Police
-2902   Atlantia   The first of the Telekonese prophesies written by Humansongs the Bard
-2885   Oblion   Theocracy of Ceminiar's Bounty Founded in Jar-hele (Mainloy Omwo~ and Wastrian Humanss)
-2882      New Police gain Anthraxus the Decayed as Major Patron
-2873      The Screamer (Oix Quumodi) defeats and captures Jack Borroughs
-2865      The Bard blessed by Pablar and Amerer
-2861      Bard writes 'Steel and You'
-2857   Catalina   Purist League join the New Police (PL are Human Extrmists)
-2851   Seou   NewPoilce (Oix Quumodi) attack island of Seou
-2850   seou   New Police take over Seou as their new base of operations
-2839   Jicold City   Smith and the Bard Kill Elen Exeriot and 'The Screamer" in battle
-2815   Oblion   RoseThrone Monarchy of the Serpent Queen Founded  (City of Vernidalici, primary)
-2809      Smith and Jess Lidyard killed by New Police
-2798      The Bard falles in love with a human (Su Wathan)
-2798   Seou   New Police gain the power of Daemonic Replication
-2790      'Replicas'and "I Nearly Married a Human 'written by the Bard
-2744   White City   Arariol Dilvish Creates the Cards of the Dilvish
-2730   Atlantia, Orbi   Pino Palladino,  House Telman Bard and mage, joins 'The Bard' as he moves about Atlantia trying to rouse the people
-2705   all   First great Klaxik Plague, from Arbor
-2671   Gorntar   Kharman Klaxik Tribe ravages Jar-Heely (Theoc Ceminiar)
-2214   Steel Isle   Sauroid and servants settle in Caverns,begin advanced Lizard culture (Caverns of Venolvia)
-2160   Steel Isle   Sauroid culture starts worship of Vernidale, as the Serpent Queen
-2140   Orbi   Pizlos Settles Hagenos, will become capitol of Atlantia (Orbi)
-2119   Orbi   Church of the Redeemer (St. Lewis of Hagenos, of Mammon) begins to rule the Hagenos City state that will become Atlantia
-2087   Hagenos, Orbi   Panis Karik Zharhold creates the Obelisk of Mammon's Law, in Hagenos.
-2050   Atlania   Asol Arbor meets Pino Palladino and bargains, offering  a shard of the lifestone
-2020      Verkonen Vreeg returns to Numansongs side
-2015      Numansongs banished to the Void by the Archlich Arbor
-2010      Asol Arbor, the Archlich, begins workings for second necromantic night
-2010      The Archlich Arbor's spellwork for the second necromantic night are sabatoged, he is badly damaged and entombed by Verkonen Vreeg
-1940   Grey March   Darien gives Tolimaos Terriligio (hobyt) the Crown, the Cloak, and the blade.  Tolimaos founds Underearth.
-1871   Orbi   Harmin Of Earroth Founds the Church of Mephistopholes Karanad in Hagenos.
-1870   orbi   House Antroo becomes the Justicaians of the city of Lesichian
-1819   Orbi   Hagenos Church of the Redeemer throws down the Temple of Trade (Ogleic) in Hagenos
-1466   silverwood   Phoenix Defenders non-affiliated knighthood started in Silverwood
-1250   Abuto, Trabler   Abuto town (mainly Omwo~) settle on Abuto lake, on the western eaves Of Astrikon Forest
-1230   Northern GM   Pixol Oadrient finds the Doomstaff on the mummified body of Atros Beasthurion
-1210   Abuto, Trabler   Kal Van Askedar leads Neblerian kalxiks to Abuto and start working on the mines there
-1130   Hagenos, Orbi   Herd Hsiu Begins the White Hart school of Magic in Hagenos
-1040   Orbi   Atlantia BREAKS into city states, Hagenos, Lesichian, Foeter, and celivivian are the primary
-965   Orbi   Celivivian Mage School, the Trio's Verse, started.
-805   Argus   Argonia Settled with Klaxik and mixed humans
-770   Argus   Fessel Founded South of Brightlaw River, Karkol Family of Clan Kalil humans
-710   Argus   Jarm Tericlow, Fortress of Fessel, Founded 40 miles North of Fessel proper
-612   Bright Lands   Gotipan Founded on the mountainous coast of the Tarn Bay
-607   Shalla-ball   Tarponia founds Church of All (Oronath)
-605   Argus   Fessel and Argonia begin their battles
-477   silverwood   Bowyers of Ceminair established in the Silverwood
-420   GreyMarch   The Vampire of Pino Palladino begins to Haunt the old Ambretton Mines of the North.  He begins to raise other powerful Undead.
-390   greymarch   Igboniat family comes to the fore of that area'¦Coalition of Humans and Hobbits Found the Igboniat Prelacy in Teduic (western GM)
-379   Abuto, Trabler   Plague of the underworld breaks outr in Nebler's Shield Mountain
-375   all   Second Great Klaxik Plague begins.  Would take 3 of 5 in 4 years.
-374   Tariclodia, Argus   The Empire of Argus is officially formed, Joining Webunicci and Argonia into a larger Empire.,blessed by the Oinodaemon and Piscos of the Axe.
-366   Stenron, Grey March   Winterloo begins to hear rumors of the Dreadwing'¦
-349   Grey March   KenjerTown Founded 2 days east of Teduic, by the Templerics of Wakikchon.  It is the second settlement of the Igboniats
-341   Hagenos, orbi   Kardle Jal Dreakret Founds the Earthen Grave Mage School in Hagenos
-305   SteelISle   Amererian Worship on SteelIsle Begins
-303   Astrikon forest, trabler   Treneti of the Omwo~ founded in the Hsieuxa (greatwood).
-290   Bright Lands   Blue Cities of the Plutarch (Hobyt Inn, etc) create trading doctrine, joining together
-228   Northern GM   Igboniats and The State of Winter begin hostilities
-218   Coom Isle   Gar ponder Astik, human pirate, terrorizes shipping in Argonia ocean and Tarn Bay.
-212   Northern GM   Igboniat Lord Hessle finds the Hall of the Sky, Methadras of Ambretton's old Dwelling, loots it
-209   Coom Isle   Gar Pondik Astik, Human Pirate, settles southern Coom Isle, will become Devens
-194   Coom isle   Jereem Veneer (gnome male) Venolvain pirate killed by Lestchian Captain Kellee'¦his treasure has never been found
-131   northern gm   Kel Marwahay of Igboniat Slays Vexel Suprosian of Winterloo, IN the battle of Valewood
-131   Shalla-ball   Manwessa, High Priestess of the Church Of all, Creates the 'Pact Veritus'
-130   Grey March   Winterloo begins to grow into Large City State of Winter (Vale of Silence)
-126   Stenron, Grey March   Igboniat held towns end the skirmishing with Winterloo.  The two unite against the Dreadwing humanoids from the north.
-105   CoomIsle   Teckold Hidiki Takes over Kulranik City.  The Era of the Coom Isle Pirate Lords Begins
-105   Stenron,Grey March   Paly The Maligned drives The Suprosians from Ruling Winterloo and State of Winter.
-94   Steel Isle   Velonici becomes capitol of Steel Isle/Venolvia
-92   Stenron,Grey March   Shalk the Old becomes King of Winterloo and State of Winter.
-90   Lapern   Tom DreddleWraith, Justicar of the Church of the Lock (Abradaxus), ratifies the 'Pact Veritus' in Lapern.
-90   Stenron, Grey March   Ipre Sipros becomes Lord of Winterloo and the State of Winter, called the 'Lord of Order'
-67   Miston, Grey March   Banir of Gotipan, Master of the Northern Winds, is named Successor to the throne of Winterloo and the State of Winter.
-64   Stenron, Grey March   State of Winter, under Banir of Gotipan, Applies the 'Pact Veritus' to Winterloo.
-50   Orbi   Belial and Kiminus give Almore the Orb
-16   Bright Lands   The Dark prophet comes to Gotipan
-16   Steel Isle   Venolvians force the Small country of Tal Irishi to surrender, Meganna forced to Marry Carlk Hotemtep (Venovlian Ship Prince)
-10   Orbi   Devterian Corporatus Families begin their long rule in Orbi
-10   Steel Isle   Meganna of Tal Irishi creates the masks of Tal Irishi, sowing discord secretly
-4   Coom Isle   Capitol of Venovian Empire moves from Velonici to Kulranik City, on Coom Isle
-4   Grey March   Igboniat forces suffer annihialation but trap the Deathwing (Pino Palladino) in the Barrows of Deathwing.
0      Atros Beathurion Founds the Black Forest (Cmedl Usimeoe) and begins the First Great Amnament of the Omwo~
7   Steel Isle, Bright Land, Grey March   Venolvians start to expand, create holdings on West Coast of mainland (BL, GM)
11   Oaklight forest   Meganna escapes to the Oaklight Forest, Becoming the fairy queen
13   Orbi   Vairpieke Killraven Founds his family Manor in the Widfarrow Forestof Orbi
23   Steel Isle   Entropic Religion Becomes very mainstream In Venolvia
30   Stenron/Winterloo.   Heggie Ander (Omwo~) discovers ruins of a Temple to Kiminus, and founds the Church of Volition.
45   Trabler   Astrikon Traders Found Hen Iteron on Lake Oizi.  It starts as trading outpost for all the tribes in the local areas.
72   Grey march   Tokorum Settled as Main Venolvian City on Coast (west GM)
81   Grey March   Venolvian's start mining in North coast (GM), find old Ambretton Mines
101   Igbar, Trabler   Brahman Barastal Builds coastal manor, a hawaak away from Hen Iteron.
115   Trabler   Hen Iteron attracts trading partners of the Killraven, Antroo, Venivile, and Greneti families of Orbi
117   Trabler   Astrikon Earth worshippers go to Kerusad to Contemplate The Herb Paradise (Herb Lands)
157   Lapern   The Wise take over a group of small coastal villages on the Silver Sea, calling it Lapern
164   grey march   Zyjman takes control of bone-ditty humanoids
166   Grey March   Zyjman the First takes the Red Pass with his Orcs
188   Trabler   Astrikon Trader Lead Druids attempt to Create the Druid Paradise: Demonic interderence kills almost everyone, creating the Herb Lands
195   Argus   Knights of the Red Circle founded in Argus
207   Northern gm   Texuman Clan of Venolvia ally with Entropc Church
210   Hobyt Inn, Bight Lands   Sea-Hobyt's of 'The Inn' ply the Tarn Bar area, start trading alliances
223   Stenron, grey March   Collegium Tortoris Attacked and blocked up on edge of Corpusmunt Hill.  Venolisi escapes.
225   Miston, Grey March   Collegium Tortoris settles in Trelli Wood, between Winterloo City State and the newer Venolvian Coatal settlements.  Venolisi imparts the ramparts.
244   Tarn Bay   Venolvian Warships Crush 'The Inn' merchant Fleet bound for Argus
260   Trabler, Igbar   Coth the Unworthy, Venolvian Pirate, builds small wooden fort on Mainland
288   Trabler, Igbar   Vern Setlelman builds the Shedu Inn Near Coth's Hold
305   igbar, trabler   Coth's hold area takes the name of Igbartown, after the Hobyt running the Shedu inn
310   Tarn Bay   'The Inn' and Reculim start heavy trading
342   Wallington, Trabler   Northern Argussian Marches, a Barony of Argus, is established in Wallington
365   Orbi   Arcanic Table Founded in Orbi
378   Trabler   Granitasa Klaxik create the fortress of Reculim, on the corner of the Tarn Bay (will become Recum)
381   grey march   First Zyjmanese Reprisal in GM--total failure
381   Grey March   Venolvian outpost spread heavily to the north coast
381   Igbar, Trab;er   Tregg's Reavers take 2 Argussian warships off of Coom Isle, port in Igbar
385   Igbar, Trabler   Tregg's Reavers burn their ships after losing battle outside Coth's hold, settle In Igabr
390   Bright Lands   Bright Lands Plutocracy Fomerly begun in Hobyt Inn
390   Miston, Grey March   Miston town Grows fat on trade from Winterloo City Sate and Underthrone and Venolvian coastal setlemets
397   Igbar, Trabler   Argus takes Igbar with barely a fight, becomes the new capitol of Northern Argussian Marches
402   Trabler, Ocodig   Orbic main Church of Dispater and Clan Keguman sends group to start Monastary of the Forge, in what would become Ocodig
405   Orbi   -Arald Killraven II begins to move family assets into a secret fastness
409   Trabler,Ocodig   Forge of Dispater's Gold Created in Monastary of the Forge.
412   Hoby Inn, BL   Platform of Trade breaks from Church of Ogleic
412   Orbi   House Killraven Flees Orbi into Exile
412   Trabler, Ocodig   Orbic church of Kostche sends group to Dispater's Monastary of the Forge, to start a sister Church
413   Orbi   House Antroo Flees Orbi
413   orbi   House Oscatel flees Orbi
414   Trabler,Ocodig   Church of Belial sends Clan Keguman Belial group to The Forge of Dispater
415   Trabler   Killraven Manor in Exile Founded
416   Trabler   Orbian Exiles found the Under dark and theTemple Devilkin (Monastary)
418   Igbar, Trabler   Lowell Sheering becomes 3RD baron of Northern Argussian Marches
418   miston, grey march   Venolvians nearly release the Dreadwing, reseal the barrows.  Shield and Eye are in Wizerns
420   orbi   Orbi Becomes a Mageocracy
421   Igbar, Wibble hills   Scylla the Worm (then a young green Sauroid) attacks caravan from Orbian Underdark to the Temple complex, steals 1/2 the key to Oscatel hoard.
422   Trabler/Ocodig   Oblimet worshipers (from the Killraven Clan of Orbi) found Abbey North of Wibble Hills.  (will become Ocodig)
425   Trabler   Kaexiol Antroo (now a vampyre), former Venolvian Entropic, dispatched to Orbian Exiles
455   Igbar-ocodig, trabler   Igbarian's trade with Temple settlement of Ocodig
458   Trabler   Killraven Manor betrayed, conqured by by Venolvian Whiskanis League
460   Trabler   Whiskanis League destroys the Underdark of Orbian Exiles
470   Hobyt Inn, Bright Lands   Trellis of Arras forms the First Parish of the Lawful Triumverate, in Hobyt Inn
470   igbar, trabler   Igbarians begin using old , sunken Astrikon garden as boneyard (Barastal estate garden)
485   Miston, Grey March   John Of Triston leads the Grey March forces in the War of the Shield against the Venolvian 'incursions'
488   Igbar, Trabler   Gerulum Family (human/Hobyt) move from Argus with shibuilding trade
488   Miston, Grey March   John of Tristan finishes destroying the Underthrone of Wizern, temple stronghold of the Entropic Overlords.
490   Igbar, trabler   Density of farms increase on the Tiche Plains, east of Igbar
491   coastal GM   John of Triston and Grey March forces take Wevonichi, 'IronWall', of the Venolvians
491   Igabr, Trabler   Gerulum family of Igbar begins construction of a Town Dock
494   Grey march   Venolvian coastal settlements all destroyed in War of the Shield.
505   Miston, Grey March   Miston Suffers major contraction as it goes from a trade route to an outpost of Winterloo.
512   Igbar, Trabler   Church of the Wood and Way comes to Igbar, Jostem of the Bow presiding
571   Ocodig, Trabler   Minious Stottar (Madrak) worship takes over the decrepit, haunted temple of Dispater in Ocodig.
590   Miston, Grey March   The Collegium Arcana founds a branch in Miston, reporting to the Stenron Branch.
601   Igbar, Trabler   Green Mother Alioni founds the Church of Vernidale in Igbar
606   Igbar, trabler   Beggian Paremetar brings small Lawful Triumverate parish to Igbar
621   Igbar, Trabler   Ven Pon Urgentor Thrown out of Steel Libram
628   Igbar, Trabler   Ven Pon Urgentor and Wren the White form the Bards of the Garish Cloak
631   Igbar, trabler   Herb Lands rediscovered by Tren Hajo, Of Keguman Traders (Trading house from Argus)
633   Igabr, Trabler   Bards of the Garish Cloak perform in the Ceremony of the Green Mother,
637   Recum/Vesalt Trabler   Orbi's  incursion into Northern Argussian Marches
640   Igabr, Trabler   Wren the White Dies (Garish Cloak Bards), they buid tomb in Northern Boneyard
644   Recum/Vasalt Trabler   Orbi halts incursion into NAM once Silverwood upbraiids Solemn Arlim
685   Tiche plains, Trabler   Zyjman XII moves into the Astrikon Forest, using old Astrikon ruins
714   Igbar, Trabler   Caldonian Family arrives in Igbar
720   Igabr Trabler   Trddleway, Tracker priest of The Wood and Way, splits off and creates the Chruch of the Harvest (Amrist)
730   Igbar, Trabler   Scarlet Pilums Mercanaries hired to keep order in Igbar, with the striking of their town watch
731   Igbar, Trabler   Death of Vorsipian Lyambic, High Tracker of the Church of the Wood and the Way, causes a confusian that will destroy this church
737   Igbar, Trabler   Sarlet Pilums become the offical watch and town guard of Igbar
739   Igbar, Trabler   Hostem's Hospitality opens as a mead hall 1/2 way between the docks and the Unicorn Vex
739   Orbi, Hagenos   Collegium Arcana moves from Stenron to Orbi
740   Hobyt Inn, Bright Lands   Blacknote orcash tribe formally asked to join Bright Lands
744   Igbar, Trabler   Bletia Greenhower (omwo~ istar) builds the Greenhower Clocktower in Igbar
749   Orbi, GM   Citizenship openned to orcs who wish to civilize in Orbi and GM
758   Trabler   Citiizenship openned to Orcash and Gartier in Northern Argusian Marches, though not in Argus
781   Miston, GM   Turniper clan begins Commune to south of Miston
795   Bright Lands   FarNessan's join the 66 top families of Bright Lands.  They are a lending family
795   igbar, trabler   Henriessa Hallencoon (south human fem second of Trade spearheads the purchase of the new temple gbar
799   Igbar, Trabler   Lerasto Jurten opens the Dire Tones Bardic School in Igbar
805   Igbar, Trabler   Gerol Granther brings the desgraced Halomu family to Igbar from Gwynell
805   Ocodig, Trabler   Grayse Family comes to Ocodig by sea from Bright Lands,penniless
810   Delvan cont,   Cherio, Miniwheats, Sebastian Greenfinch, Idril the Pulchritudinous, punic, and Ke3ema the Reject join, sponsored by Halex, on Delvan Cont
830   Argus, Gastax   Empire of Argus begins Gastax campaign
830   Igbar, Trabler   Master Lucern Sheering begins Piinut averland trade to Lapern
835   Om   OM and the Good Land of Om beset by internal strife
836   Bright Lands   Tricelnici's form alliance with the FarNessen's in Bright Lands
836   Red Pass, GM   Third Zyjmanese reprisal in GM.
839   Coom Isle   Heliopolis Von Arbor born on Coom Isle
840   Igbar, Trabler   Frigid Song comes to Igbar
840   Igbar, trabler   Wastrian Humans from OM arrive in Igbar/Wallington after Omnian civil war
845   Igbar, Trabler   Collegium Arcana of Igbar buy the 'Sea Keep'.
849   Igbar   Bannetti's Coffee House opens on a humble street corner, near 3 warehouses.
849   Igbar, Trabler   Puiab's Museum Openned in the Dockside of Igbar.  Mainly fishing and whaling
852   Stenron   Vicol Arch Jericho gains Artificarian following in Collegium Arcana
853   Igbar,Trabler   Original Green Flame almost destroyed by Collegium Arcana
856   Abuto, Trabler   Zyjmanese destroy the Omwo~ settlemt of Abuto, now a shadow of it's greatness
858   Silverwood   Heliopolis, Kulrack, Falathar, Androth, Morator, Adam Warlock, Faldren Finious and others Join in Silverwood
860   Igbar   Vissippee Trading Clan first to incorporate at Bannett's Coffee house.
862   Recum, Trabler   Cheswick Lesthian starts the fire of Recum, burning down haldf the town.
865   Miston   Vicol The Artificer comes to Miston
868   Hobbit Inn, Bright Lnads   Adam Warlock betrayed and left for dead by Falathar and Heliopolis
868   Igbar, Trab;er   Tell Gerulum pours salt and ship money into the Sceding Tree, and bringing his name into it
868   Igbar, Trabler   Trabler Aptor becomes Trader Prime of Winfire Trading Group in Argus.
870   Igbar, Trabler   Trabler Aptor, Prince of the Winfire Traders, declares Trabler the 'Unicorn State', with himself the first king.  Igbar will be capitol
871   Igbar, Trabler   Bartim Var Klaxik starts a group of thugs in the Dockside of Igbar, called the Bully Boys.
872   Igbar   Banneti's becomes Grounds of Dismissal
872   Zent   General Clarinia, with the help of the Order of Stenron, breaks the western edge of Zent to form the Gynarchy of Zent
875   igbar   Winfire Trading group Incorporates at Benneti's
877      Plague rans rampant in Trabler, Orbi, and the Theocracy of Nebler
877   Devens, CoomIsle   Shambar Eltrinio is apprenticed under Yero in Collegium Arcana,  Brought into the councils of the Heliopolian Thieves Guild
877   Miston, GM   Vicol ArchJericho contacted by Verkonen Vreeg
879   Coom Isle   Heliopolis finds the Venolvian Port of Entry,gains access to Steel Isle, red isle, Underearth.
879   Igbar   Maf the Ugly killed by Jack the Quick
879   Igbar, Trabler   Trabler Aptor and the Upper House of the Unicorn Outlaw dueling
885   Igbar   Sceding Tree incorporates at Bannetti's
888   Igbar   Gearsar, Palimar, Klantio, Celentor, Irwin Zingo, Bill the Black, Milo Doom, and crew 'escape' to CoomIsle
888   Igbar, Trabler   Gorman Gis Retik Opens 'Arms for Hire' In the Dockside of Igbar.
890   Igbar, Trabler   Julian and Kasarak help Palimar defeat Coomi, who is found to be in the pay of Heliopolis.
890   Igbar, Trabler   Palimar and Samria found the Alternative School of Magic in Igbar
890   Igbar,Trabler   Trabler Aptor dissapears, leaving Igabr in dissaray during the war with Argus
891   Igbar, Trabler   Garcellenti Euridios founds The Order of the White Paladin in Igbar, with Thomasin and Jamesin.
891   Igbar,Trabler   House of the Unicorn (upper council) votes Julian Sempre Lerianolies into Steward to the King, now acting Constitutional Monarch.
891   Miston, GM   Giants see in bands with Ogre Troops in Western Gm wastes
891   Orbi   Shambar Eltrinio becomes the first person in over 175 years to toufh the Orb of Almore
891   Orbi   Shambar Eltrinio Joins the Collegium Arcana of Orbi (which has run the Arcanic Table for years)
891   Red Isle,Grey March Coast   Phidipidies Strepsiades settles Phidipidar, on the 'Haunted' red Isle.
891   Silverwood.   Shambar Eltrinio takes Council with Kalisandros Dragon Slayer,Agent of Verkonen Vreeg
892   Igbar, Trabler   Cher Vanul Guild of Land found to be owned by Blackstripes in Igbar
892   Igbar, Trabler   Upper House of the Unicorn Voted on: next will be 899
892   Miston, GM   Giantkind bubbles out of underearth, captures Miston (GiantClan Silverworth)
894   barrows, grey march    Drono dies in a pit trap in the fifth barrow of the miston group
894   Grey March   Miston Group finishes searching 3rd Barrow (Tegel's)-finishes ID for day
894   Grey March   Stenron group Defeats Tegel in 3rd Barrow
894   Miston, GM   GM forces with Chunk as Leader, retake Miston
894   Miston, Grey March   Chunk becomes military prelate in Miston, as well as major member of the Inkisian Church
894   miston, grey march   Miston group retunrs to miston
894   miston, grey march   Mistonians do question and answer session about missing dreadwing objects
894   miston, north barrows   miston group awakles with spell points
894   Miston, north Barrows   Mistonians go to the 4th barrow (Zenedi Hacioco),
894   miston,north barrows   miston group id's items
894   miston/north   Mistonians finish off Hacioco Barrow (#4)
894   miston/north barrow   Msiton-Iesu uses carpet and gets airiel view of barrows.
894   north of miston   Angus (Miston Group) casts armor of Vicol on Drono
894   north of miston   Group loots Vox chamakar tomb after disposing of the mummy
894   north of miston   Miston Group gets drunk, sings "John's Old Bones" (actually about John of Triston-song was called "Alten Jere" back in Igboniat days)
894   North of miston   Miston group goes to next northeast Barrow (Texumen-old Venolvian Colonel-foe of winterloo-fist and arrow)
894   north of miston   Miston Group wakes 15 degrees clear
894   Ocodig, Trabler   Hsiuh, Zyg, Doglife, Voran, Tef, and Draftern Aster decide to go north to chase the werewolf.  Finally.
894   ocodig, trabler   Voran brought bloody and damaged into Ocodig Group
895      New Legion returns to Sheering tomb, finds a Chimera!
895      New Legion speaks to Vinivixias
895   Igabr, Trabler   Igbar Group leavesoff in COE/at 4 way intersection
895   igabr, trabler   Igbarian New Legion back in town, at ALT School checking items
895   IgabrWibble   Igbarian Grey Legion Returns to COE (Underdark)
895   igbar   Brother Eodl becomes Father Eodl of the Lawful Triumverate
895   igbar   Grey Legion leaves Igbar
895   igbar   Grey Legion leaves Igbar to check on caverns, etc
895   Igbar   Grey Legion meets at Bannetti's Grounds of Dismissal.
895   igbar   Grey Legion runs into Caravan from Green Toad and Pateint ant Guild, spends night with them
895   IGBAR   GREY LEGION SPEAKS TO VINIVIXIAS OF THE SCEDING TREE, HE DESIRES THAT THEY CONTINUE THE CLEANSING OF THE WIBBLE HILLS
895   Igbar   Igbar Group returns to Manor house on hill.
895   igbar   IGBAR group runs into Teque family hoste being built 6 hours ot of Igbar
895   Igbar   Igbarian New Legion splits treasure
895   Igbar,   Igbarian New Legion gets an open writ from the Bank of Stenron 9000 party acct/5500 med acct
895   Igbar, Trabler   Igbarian Grey Legion gathers at the Grounds of Dismissal, Banneti's
895   Igbar, Trabler   Igbarian group loots the officer corpses in the Northern Caverns of Orbian Exiles
895   igbar, trabler   Igbarian New legion fights another chimera
895   IGBAR, TRABLER   Igbarian New Legion fights outside the Hallencoon Tomb in boneyard
895   Igbar, Trabler   Igbarian New Legion Finds Idol of Kostcichi in Sheering Tomb
895   igbar, trabler   Igbarian new legion finds stairwell down to under- sheering family tomba
895   Igbar, Trabler   Igbarian New Legion george buys claws, words of thanks from the Bone Knights
895   Igbar, trabler   Igbarian New Legion gets data on undead/anginarian/figures the 1/3
895   igbar, trabler   Igbarian New Legion goes to Sweet Retreat Bard bar, fences old arguss coins
895   igbar, trabler   Igbarian New Legion in Bardic tomb of the Garish Cloaks
895   Igbar, trabler   Igbarian New legion on level 2 of sheering family tomb
895   igbar, trabler   Igbarian New Legion takes treasuer left in Sheering family Tomb guarded by Chimera
895   igbar, trabler   New Grey Legion finishes second combat in Sheering mausoleum
895   igbar, trabler   New Legion leaves the Garish Cloak Tomb damaged, but with the missing Bone Knights
895   Igbar, trabler   Nietzche cast detect life in Caverns/orbian exiles
895   Igbar, Trabler   Nietzche of Grey Legion decides to go into cloistered study in School of Alternative Magic,
895   Igbar, Trabler   The Grey Legion attacked at night by the Teque Quiderai, now a Vampyre under the command of the GrahaemeAntroo Lord.  Only Eodl and Pharren survive.
895   Igbar, wibble hills   Grey Legion reaches Blue Turtle encampment
895   Igbar, wibble hills   Grey Legion reaches COE again, sees reinforced area, realized they were being scryed, and turns for Igbar
895   igbar, wibble hills   Grey Legion runs into 2 firehazer stone giants, avoids them
895   Igbar, wibble hills   Igabrian Grey Legion runs into ambushing troop of Firehazers, defeats them handily. This is alos day of the Hopeful Harvest
895   igbar, wibble hills   Igbarian Grey Legion  awakes at Manor house
895   Igbar, wibble hills   Igbarian Grey Legion is in front of the well guarded door of the Firehazer cavern
895   igbar, wibble hills   Igbarian Grey Legion rules on Membership changes and picks treasure.
895   igbar,. Trabler   Grey Legioon Reboot
895   Igbar,Trabler   Levy, Nietzche, Eodle, Pharren get spell points back in COE
895   Igbar,Wibble Hills   Igbarian Grey Legion disposes of Firehazer ambush patrol handily
895   Igbar,Wibble Hills   Igbarian Grey Legion sets off for COE, stops at new Blue Turtle watchtower
895   Igbar/old manor   Igbarian Grey Legion and Salimar Samriadoughter Earthward finish Identifying items
895   igbar/wibble   Igbarian group finishes off entry roomto COE (underdark)
895   Miston, GM   Mistonians face odds on top of Wizerns, on the Forge of Hewecar
895   MISTON, GM   Mistonians reach the underthrone
895   Miston, Grey March   Mistonian group back to Miston, licking bloodlet wounds from Wizerns
895   mistonwood, GM   Miston crew spots huge adult white dragon flying to the east, with Rider on it's back
895   mistonwood, GM   Mistonian crew beats the snot out of 9 ogres and a hill giant of the 2nd Ogrillites
895   wibble hills, igbar   Graheame Antroo, Vampyre of Hagenos, spreads his influence around wibble hills
895   wibble hills, igbar   Grey Legion Runs into 2 Vampiric Hill Giant thralls to Grahaeme Antroo, sam perishes in the melee
895   wibble hills, igbar   igbarian grey legion in hidden vault of antroo
895   Wibble Hills, Trabler   Igbarian Grey Legion runs like scared Children From the Antroo Vampire
895   Wibble hills, Trabler   Undead gnolls, Ogres, and assorted attack The Blue Turtle fastness, which barely survives

[/spoiler]

New Map on the Igbar page.
Igbar (http://celtricia.pbworks.com/Igbar,+Capital+of+Trabler)

Lathe did the work. You'll have to save it and look at it at better definition to really appreciate the work.  But I had to put it up. The slightly magnified population centers are really interesting, and make for a good look.

Have you ever estimated how many hours of play-time Celtrica has seen?

Hey, Vreeg, have you ever created some kind of introduction or overview for the setting? Whenever i try to read it I'm always assaulted by the massive amount of information :p

Quote from: SteerpikeHave you ever estimated how many horus of play-time Celtrica has seen?

11,304 was the guestimate about 6 months ago.  Including the truly god-awful early college years, when my setting beat up on my GPA, heavy-duty...  It includes more groups than I can count.   This does not include 500-odd online hours of gametime, or the last 6 months of playing.  
In the early years, the first five or six years, I had trouble telling people no, something I have had to learn.  I had 4 different groups running for 2 semesters.

That's crazy.  Over an entire year of solid playing without breaks; if you were to take breaks simply to eat and sleep that'd probably amount to 3 years or so of uninterrupted, daily play.

Explains why the setting is easily the most detailed on these boards...

Quote from: Cataclysmic CrowHey, Vreeg, have you ever created some kind of introduction or overview for the setting? Whenever i try to read it I'm always assaulted by the massive amount of information :p

Crow, I know.  I really don't know where to start.  One of the problems with a Divset world is a lack of concrete focus.  I love you for telling me this, as it at least tells me people are still interested.  Maybe a thread with a few overview snippets?  

The Royal Way of Igbar
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Good Woerter, Dauphinee, you go down to Unicorn Vex every Fastak, and moon over every carriage and footman.  I swear you know every Istar family by name, and for what?  They're never going to even notice a Bastion girl"

The Unicorn Vex, or the Royal Way, is a huge promenade that draws a nearly straight line from the Recum (north) gate to the Eagle (also called the Trio or south) gate.  It is made of white brick, is almost 60 feet across, and is decorated by swards of greenery and fountains.  In the center of this is the Unicorn Keep, where the old fountain and court of the Argussians still graces the passer's by.

When the first settlement started with Coth the Pirate and the Shedu Inn, back in the late 200's, they found the remains of a circular manor, a sunken garden area, and a strange, white-bricked road that followed past the garden.


When the Argussians took over in 397 RON, much of the white Fidikmarple from the mansion had already been taken for the row of churches that was setting up just south of the sunken garden (which was already a place wher the wealthy were starting to inter their dead).  The Agussian's built their first governmental and defensive castle on the west (ocean) side of the old road, and rebuilt an old fountain in front of it.   This was somewhat in the middle of the religeous areas of the town to the east and the dockside and coasteal areas to the west.

(//../../e107_files/public/1245880691_392_FT39571_huge_73_367914.jpg)
in the next decade, the Eagle Keep of the Northern Argussian court grew, and was joined by the Order of the Steel Libram across the old, wide road.


Over the decades, the old road became the new 'Royal Way', once the docks and seaside part of the town grew to meet the other side, and merged over the Roayl way, and by 510 RON, there was no trace of the seperation of the wards of Igbar. In 560 RON, Parcel Sheering of the Istar Sheering family, added to and widened the white-bricked road.

Centuries later, when Trabler Aptor of the Winfire Trading Guild led the merchant's coup, the road was officially renamed the 'Unicorn Vex'.  This thoroughfare is one of the most desired addresses in the city, and the ride from the Unicorn Vex to the Godstraat on fastak and back is something of a promenade for the well-to-do.

[blockquote=Crow]Hey, Vreeg, have you ever created some kind of introduction or overview for the setting? Whenever i try to read it I'm always assaulted by the massive amount of information[/blockquote]Heh, this is sort of like asking someone from our world to introduce the earth to an alien being.  Not to say its a stupid question, Crow, or anything like that, but just from what I've seen of Celtrica it exemplifies the divset style of world, and resists the ethocentric style fairly resolutely; its hard to boil it down, in the way that you might be able to boil CE or In Gloria or Broken Verge down to a constellation of core themes.

Quote from: Steerpike[blockquote=Crow]Hey, Vreeg, have you ever created some kind of introduction or overview for the setting? Whenever i try to read it I'm always assaulted by the massive amount of information[/blockquote]Heh, this is sort of like asking someone from our world to introduce the earth to an alien being.  Not to say its a stupid question, Crow, or anything like that, but just from what I've seen of Celtrica it exemplifies the divset style of world, and resists the ethocentric style fairly resolutely; its hard to boil it down, in the way that you might be able to boil CE or In Gloria or Broken Verge down to a constellation of core themes.

Speaking of this...I'm thinking about changing up the Igbar page to shrink it down.  With some '...read more here' links for every section....That page keeps growing, and PBworks is starting to bitch about the size of it for editing purposes.  Do we think that would work?

in other news, I am working on a "Bloodletting Katar of Circumcision".  

Quote from: Lord Vreegin other news, I am working on a "Bloodletting Katar of Circumcision".  

can I get that weapon in tiger claws?

Quote from: Nomadic

Quote from: Lord Vreegin other news, I am working on a "Bloodletting Katar of Circumcision".  

Yuck.  
Sure, I can make that change.  And with My luck, George will find them and start using them...

Okay, I'll look this over in more detail tomorrow, but just a couple of things I've noticed:

Is this a wiki? If not, understandable, but if so, please link to places, nations etc when you first mention them in the article.

When the war between the State of Winter and the Venolvians occurred and there were armies passing through daily, did this damage the local economy? You describe it as allowing Miston to grow fat, but generally I think an army (particularly a medieval army) would have the opposite effect - they'd be demanding food from locals for example and throwing their weight around. What was it that brought money in?

Quote from: WensleydaleOkay, I'll look this over in more detail tomorrow, but just a couple of things I've noticed:

Is this a wiki? If not, understandable, but if so, please link to places, nations etc when you first mention them in the article.

When the war between the State of Winter and the Venolvians occurred and there were armies passing through daily, did this damage the local economy? You describe it as allowing Miston to grow fat, but generally I think an army (particularly a medieval army) would have the opposite effect - they'd be demanding food from locals for example and throwing their weight around. What was it that brought money in?

Wen---Thank s for the eyes on this.  This is Wiki, but part of being a Wiki is that a few different people work on it.  this is one of the Pcs work. Ongoing thing,  I'll see about getting some links on there.

The time when Miston was a trade post was before the war, and it really went from nothing to a few thousand inhabitants in a few decades.  And during the war, it still made a profit...but after the Venolvians were destroyed, and Miston became the border (the NW Grey March is totally wild and has been for centuries), that's when the contraction began.  Thanks for giving me that impression, I'll edit it.

Velomance

The Anger of the Gods

 

Velomance has been used in Celtricia for almost all of recorded history, with early records going back to Atlantia, the ancient Mage-confederation where Orbi stands today.  It is a psychoactive powder made of Chias root, especially effective to those sensitive to the Collective unconsious.

 

Velomance enhances emotion, as well as allowing one's emotion state subtly change the way they percieve the "Waking Dream".  It also is addictive (Fort-20% to avoid per use).  It is in a powder form, which is normally consumed in a beverage (alcoholic, often).   Many of the Devilkin religions of old Orbi and the Demonic Hewecar faiths have used it in riuals extensively, and Legends place some famous artists as users.  Creativity and a deep feeling of connectedness are hallmarks of the positive resports from it, yet the few written reports we have from those who survive a bad experience with it describe a paralysis inflicted by the voices of a million consiousness'.

 

Velomance also is quite lethal if overused, and it can drive users to madness. It is very rare, and illegal in all but the most permissive countries.  Hagenos, in Orbi, has a death sentence for any found distributing it.  A cut dose normally sells for 200 Goodwives or more, in Igbar, and a thimbet pure (about an ounce) is closer to 550 Goodwives.

Quote from: Lord VreegVelomance enhances emotion  

Does it change emotions felt by a user, or does it simply make them stronger? What would happen to someone who was feeling deppressed and took some Velomance? Would he just become more deppressed from it?

Quote from: Ghostman

Quote from: Lord VreegVelomance enhances emotion  

Does it change emotions felt by a user, or does it simply make them stronger? What would happen to someone who was feeling deppressed and took some Velomance? Would he just become more deppressed from it?

Absolutely, unless the mood of everyone around him was very happy, as the mentalist/connectionist part of the drug is stronger.  
Plus it's psychoactive, so the literal way the 'Waking Dream" is perceived would chanve with it.

My players crack me up.

Bard Cucino's player (the one from the MArtial school not crippled Bard Pharren from the Frigid Song) and I were doing some work last night, and I promised him, ion the course of a humorous exchange, a small exp bonus if he could meet the challenge of of using a truly horrible musical source to create a song Cucino would perform (probably at the Sweet Retreat).  He came up with this, and it actually works.


We have been moving with the wind since the world began,
The beat is contagious, you cannot resist.
Music for the sadness, music for the madness,
there's music in the way that we kiss, you can't resist.
Moving through the trees, free as Omwo are free,
the sound is getting louder, the sound is getting louder.
Music when we play, when we kneel to pray.
There's music in the sound of the wind.


The source...?  Horrific as it might be,  he fooled me!!! (http://www.elyrics.net/read/v/village-people-lyrics/can_t-stop-the-music-lyrics.html)

[ic=The Calling Shot]

Area:Igbar
Name:The Calling Shot
Affiliation with Larger: The Original Calling Shot began as a Knighthood of Geryon's Hand, in the 400s.  It started in Sembina, and when that church broke apart, the Calling Shot became thoroughly material.  By 715 RON, there was a new Main Chapter House in Lestchian, Orbi.  
The Igbar branch is a loyal, dues-paying branch.  They make a living through mercenary work, and through teaching Bowyery.
 
Membership style: full menbership or learning membership, for a premium.
 
% of starting membership: 45% Attrib bonus: CD (12/2)
Mission: To be owned by no god, but to become the premier bowmen of the Cradle area.
 
Size: 39 full members
History: Pulleio Adreano (Male Omwo~) and his Mistress Veronili (Fem Omwo~) brought their three pupils to Igbar in 790 RON.  They were actually attatched to the Gryphon Court befoer the bloodless coup, though in the 2 decades in between, they have come around to aiding the Scarlet Pilums.
One beautiful advantage of a full member here is the supply of blackwood and omnian steel composite bows, giving a +1 damage bonus to this bow before the divider.
 

Current leader: Renselier Araptor (male Omwo~)
Current situation: seen as unimportant, but ver competent.  Allied currently with the Scarlet Pilums. [/ic]

[blockquote=Vreeg]Music for the sadness, music for the madness,
there's music in the way that we kiss, you can't resist.[/blockquote]I keep picturing Katie Perry singing this.  Yikes.

Quote from: Steerpike[blockquote=Vreeg]Music for the sadness, music for the madness,
there's music in the way that we kiss, you can't resist.[/blockquote]I keep picturing Katie Perry singing this.  Yikes.

I told you, he got me.

I have Igbar this Sunday and Miston The following Saturday.  Looks like close to full attendance on both.  
(MiniVreeg turns 1 on Wednesday...that was fast)

Igbar group needs a breather, but is pretty determined to stay in the Northern Igbar Boneyard until they root out all the dens of the undead.
Miston is actually back in Wizern's Underthrone, trying to find the Totem the Venolvians removed from the Dreadwing's Barow.

Are there any creatures in Celtrica who remember past Ages (anything old enough?)?

Quote from: SteerpikeAre there any creatures in Celtrica who remember past Ages anything old enough?)?

Not like most settings.  Omwo~ now live under 300 years on average, though some live up to 400 or so.  

Sauroids (dragons) still average over a thousand, but the survival rate is ridulously low, since they fight amongst themselves so heavily.

Vampyres live a long time, but there are only 6-7 over a thousand years old in the whole of the setting.

Verkonnen Vreeg may be sorta damaged by his long life, but he remembers the early Age of Heroes.  No one living was there for the Age of Legends, but he's the tragic closest.

Heliopolis Von Arbor has flashes of memory from his ancestor, the Archlich Arbor, but I wouldn't call it memory.  
In that same way, Shambar Eltrinio, Shrum Hobyt and master of the practised drowning, has a lot of ancient memory at his disposal from the Orb of Almore.  So do the holders of Techar's 12 swords and 12 staffs.  but this is not direct memory, and these sentient items don't always feel like sharing.

New posts from the wiki.  Trying to flesh out a lot more terminology.  

----------------------------------------------
Age of Legends.  The Beginning of the Waking Dream.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


The Age of Legends is the First Age in Celtricia.  Shadowy, ancient, steeped in magic and half-remembered fragments, it marks the thousands of years from the Founding of the Music and the Song of Creation to the resolution of the Accords of Presence.  There are no living beings that remember these times that dwell upon the Waking Dream.

Once Anthraxus the Decayed was thrown down and the vaults of the Cairnhold were torn open, the last of the Celestial Planars removed themselves from the Douh'is (or Douwis) were they had lived and taught, and left Celtricia for the homes they had made on the planar stations.


Once the Accords became formalized, the Celestial Planars could only work through their agents, and the Age of Heroes began.   In terms of the common calender, the Age of Legends ended  in -5994 RON.


Omwo~ born during this time could live up to a millenia, and were closer to the Planar power sources than today's Omwo~, who consider themselves a shadow of their former people.  These earlier, less tainted Omwo~ flocked around the Douh'is of the Planars, learned form the directly, and were stunned by their leavetaking.  Some say they changed after this, that the Planars left the Omwo~ behind in frustration.  Today's Omwo~ generally live 200-300 years, though some a bit longer.


Another grim facet of the Age of Legends was Anthraxus' use of Necromancy, his interruption and perversion of the Migration of the Soul, and his first Night of the Undead.


(//../../e107_files/public/1247180787_392_FT39571_gondolin02_.jpg) (//../../e107_files/public/1247180787_392_FT39571_gondolin02.jpg)

The White City

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The Age Of Heroes
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The Age of Heroes is the second major epoch in the history of the Waking Dream.  It folllowed the mythic and disputed 'Age of Legends', and gained it's name from the emergence of mortal agents as the prime movers.  It also marks an era of written records become more common, especially towards the end, whereas most old written records dealing with the Age of Legends were actually written in the Age of Heroes, sometimes by Omwo~ eye witnesses, but more often they are examples of scholars putting down the words of an oral tradition.  

The Age of Heroes is generally assumed to have begun as the last of the Celestial Planars left the Waking Dream, due to the Accords of Presence, right after the legends describe the overthrowing of the Cairnhold.  This is placed at five thousand, nine hundred and ninety six years/cycles (-5996) before the beginning of Reckoning of Nebler calendar began.  The current time is year 895 in the Reckoning of Nebler.  The Age of Heroes is generally considered to have ended about fifteen hundred years before year zero, which means that it is generally considered to have lasted about 4500 years/cycles.

The beginning of the Age of Heroes also marks the coming of the other races into the Waking Dream.  Humans, called Pablar's Toys, were first sighted in recorded history about thirty years after the beginning of the Age.  Soon after this, the secong generation of the Sauroids was born, and then within a Hundred years of that the Stunatu (the working folk) came into the Waking Dream.  The Age of Heroes is considered the age where the other major arces developed.


Much of the following decades (indeed, centuries) involved the integration of the new races (and their small, but growing populations) into the already ancient civilizations of the Omwo~ peoples (Silverwood, the White Deeps, the Diurnal Deeps, etc).  in -5100 RON, the first of the Ogrillite peoples showed up, the new servants of Anthraxus, and a less than a hundred years later, Verkonen Vreeg founded the integrated Ambretton confederacy.

 

The Vicorian Confederacy started about -4200, and this was the first country to grow quickly and flower, entering into a full-scale renaissance within three hundred years/cycles.  While this was transpiring, Verkonnen Vreeg was born in the White City, the ancient Omwo~ citadel, and a little after -3760, the Temple complex of Winterlou was really coming into it's being, which would grow into the large city of Winterlou, the City State of Winter, and eventually Stenron, Capital of the Grey March.  The Age of Heroes is considered the Age where populations banded together, and the first Nation States really developed.  But it is important to understand that these Nation states were created, championed, and often destroyed by mortal heroes.


The Sauroid civilization was also a thing of the Age of Heroes.   In the Early part of this Age, the first clutches of Sauroid eggs hatched, and by -5100, the Sauroid population had grown to almost 300, in the northen settlement of Heret (Shells,  white Omwo~).  However, there was much fractiousness, and constant bickering made for a number of colonies elsewhere, including the Vernidalian Serpent Queen settlement on the Steel Isle.

 

But despite over four thousand years/cycles of growth and change, there is little contention that the theme of this large section of history is one of the mortal agents of the Planars.  This was there time.  And of these, none shine as brightly, in valor and villainy, in hopeless heroism and valiant despair, as the many-threaded tale of the Bard Himself and his fratricidal Brother, the arch-lich Arbor.  Many of the events that mark the Age of Heroes, the fall of Dragonhome Heret, the renaissance and destruction of Vicoria, the second Night of the Cairn, Vreeg's Damned Choice (still a heroic dirge sung by scholarly bards today), and many more are tied up in this epic tragedy.

Following the Age of Heroes is the Age of Statehood, manifested and demarked by the growth of the importance of Nationhood.




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The Government of and in Igbar

More and more added.
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Trabler is a constitutional monarchy, but until 3 years previously, was still ruled by Trabler Aptor, the man who carved this kingdom out of the old Argussian Marches. So it recently came to a bit of a standstill, and was almost retaken by the Argussians, when Trabler Aptor went missing. The old king was nearly replaced with the Horn Minister of Governance, until other members of the House of the Unicorn discovered that minister was actually in the pay of Heliopolis, Assassin king of Coom Isle, an ally of the Empire of Argus. A coup was attempted, but a counter insurgency, led by Julian Sempre Lerianolies of the Order of Stenron, recaptured the governance of Igbar and thus Trabler. Julian was then rewarded by the Houses of the Unicorn with the title of '˜Steward to the King'. So currently, Julian is acting constitutional Monarch, until the unlikely appearance of Trabler Aptor

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Below the King/Steward, there is the Upper and Lower House of the Unicorn.  The Upper House governs the whole country and Igbar, while the Lower House's influence is Igbar and the surrounding territory.  The members of the Upper House are called 'ministers', as you see above.  Note that Horn Ministers of other towns (the ruling position in other towns) are considered members of the Upper House of the Unicorn in abstentia, and do have voting rights if they are in town personally.

Politically, there are a few different movements afoot.

 

 

There is a sentiment afoot that the rest of the Stenronian Alliance has used Trabler poorly, rather as a shield, and while this group is not against the war, they are looking for some reparation if the war ends.  This faction is refered to as the 'Castellots', and many of the working class guilds adhere to this group.

There are 2 opposed groups that argue the legitimacy of the ascension of Julian to the 'Steward' position by the combined House of the Unicorn.  Those that support it go by the name 'Defenders', and those who are against it term themselves the 'Monarchists'.

There is also an underground movement called 'Marchers' that ascribe to the belief that Trabler's break from the Empire of Argus should never have happenned.  Some few old families lean this way, though none admit it openly.  This is called 'Marchism'.

The burgeoning power of the Trading syndicates and Merchant Guilds have created a little backlash, egged on by the older families.  There is no name for it, but it is a sentiment that hearkens back to a time before every egg and wagon was owned or paying tithe to a merchant group.

The 'Free-Thinkers' are another politcal group, one that considers themselves forward thinking, though the policies they back are little more than slightly higher taxes on the wealthy merchant guilds and more distribution to education and the poor.  Understandably, some of the older and wealthier guilds consider them agitators.

 

The country is in pretty sound economic shape right now, due to the way power has been shared with the trading guilds.  Like most of the North-western celtrician cradle, the range between poor and wealthy, and between wealthy and rich is gigantic.  Property, deeded property, is still the coveted goal for 90% of the population.  Igbar, again similar to most of the area, is on the Electrum standard. A day's unskilled labor is normally worth an electrum goodwife, though what money can buy (and the conversion rate) runs from copper strips to gold horn.

While there is more money in Igbar than in much of the rest of Trabler, there is still a very large underclasss, some three quarters of the population survive on that electrum Goodwife a day, or less.  There is at least a tenth of the population that has been sentenced to labor by the Unicorn Courts, and they work much as slaves would, these prisoners and outcasts.

Igbar is a trading hub.  In times of peace, it is a logical port for the trade routes that run from the Bright Lands Plutocracy in the north, down to Coom isle and Argus, and down to Zent and Tobernity.  Igbar's rapid growth has been partially fueled by their exports, and while they cannot compare with Hobyt Inn, they are becoming an economic power.  While not a mining or logging area, the Tiche Plains to the east are fertile and are heavily farmed (and therefor, heavily patrolled, or they were until the war).  But Igbar's main unusual export are herbs from the Fabled Herb Lands.  Though insanly dangerous, life and limb are risked by brave consortiums to collect the rarest and most potent plants in the known world there.

Celtrician Religion


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The Accords of Presence

In the Elder Days, in the Age of Legend, the Celestial Planars walked the same earth we walk on today. They saw the same suns rise, and breathed the same air.

In those days, the Omwo~ built Temples in the Vale of Silence actually housed the Gods, and daily, Keith and the slowly multiplying Omwo~ and Sauroids went about the Douh'is, learning from the Planars and making speech and sport with them.


And as the Sauroid and Omwo~ races grew, they became the object of the attentions of the Planars . At first, it was the younger gods who made plain their interest, and yet still, though the Omwo~ of the Age of Legend were Burnished steel next to the gaudy brass of the Omwo~ of today, still the least Planar was far stronger than the hardiest Omwo~, and even the sauroids learned to fear the jealous controversies of the Planars.  From the outset, any Omwo~ or Sauroid who found themselves in between the attentions of more than one Planar shrank from the horrible choice that were put on them.

And as some of the Great Planars began to take part in the contesting for the attention of the Sauroid and Omwo~, it eventually  erupted into violence.  Zeldar and Wakikchon thrashed sweet Arlieng of Direction, and the eruptions of godly power made waste of the hills they were in.

 

Then the Great God Anthraxus, the decayed, Lord of the wasting death and of the Feeding, stole Tiamat, queen of the Sauroids, and took her to his dwelling, the Cairnhold.

None saw this in the aftermath of the battling, and thought her missing.

In the following day, there were words of sorrow, and acts of contrition. It seemed the black rain that had fallen in the sun-filled times of the Douh'is, and the peace of the Valley of Silence was at an end.  And yet it was not long before Amerer and Asmodeus, the Scales of Balance and the Ruler, saw once again the sidelong glances from their fellows, and saw fear again in the eyes of their children. And these two, both seers, saw more varied children being brought forth, of brilliant, beautiful variety. And they both wept, for they knew that these children would become pawns. Not loving subjects, as Asmodeus argued for at first, but thralls of fear, placemarkers on a board.

So they gathered the other Great Celestial Planars, and drew up the Accords of Presence, of which all the gods must ascribe to or meet the judgment of the rest. The Celestial Planars needed to withdraw from the World of Waking, and would need to seek out dwellings near the Wells of power in the Void.  And while many of the great ones rejected this plan at first, eventually all but Anthraxus agreed.

And thus came the Battles of the First Necromantic night.  Of that, ballads and books aplenty have been written.  Enough here to say that eventually, The Cairnhold of Anthraxus was thrown open and he was wrested from his place of power.

And the Omwo~ and the Sauroids were afraid, miserable without the hands that had guided and steadied them in their first steps.

 

 

The Worship of Hewecar, Entropic Planar of Blood, begins back in Ancient Venolvia and the Venos Pirates of the Steel Isle.  Before that, his worship had been minor, relegated to some shrines and medicinal sects.  It was later, when he was added (by the high ruling body of priests, mind you)  into the worship of the Entropic Overlords, that his star finally rose.

The Venolvians of Steel Isle originally worshipped Vernidale, the Serpent Queen, honoring the sauroids and Histak on the Isle;  and following that, the Church of Direction, or Amerer, the Grey Patron of Balance.  They were also the first culture of the Age of Statehood to Worship Thanatos, The Uncreator and Final End.

Around -100 RON,the primarily Amererian Steel Isle was introduced to the Church of the Entropic Overlords, popular on Coom Isle.  The Entropic Overlords becasme a much stronger worship base in the height of the Power of the Venolvians, and bled into some of the other churches, most notably the Cult of ST. Arbor (which also originated on Coom Isle).

Hewecar is often portrayed as a vassal to Orcus, Guardian of the Passage and of the Undead.  His position on the Eight House, like most, changes often.  He is stronger than an common demon, though a few Balor might give him pause.  His value has been in his lust and obsession for the Blood of worshipers and sacrifices made on the "Waking Dream", and the Power he has been able to derive from it.  Though Hewecar has never reached tremendous heights of power, of the greater entropic Lords, he has been classified as a Demon Lord a few times in the past, and he lusts and schemes to return to that status.  The fall from grace and popular worship of the Entropic Overlords was the end of his greatest power, and it afffected him for more than the other pantheonists, due to his reliance on worship and blood sacrifice.

Today, Hewecar is seeing a modest return.  The budding commercial/industrial revolution in Artificariums is bringing some worship to his aspect as Lord of Potioners and mixers.  Three minor churches have sprung up in the last few decades which feature him as a patron of Blood and healing.  And there is a return to the Entropic Overlords budding on Steel Isle and in other tribal areas, such as the southern Zyjmanese.

His Major weapon is a Trident, and indeeed, his main symbol is a thin, barbed Trident of three tines.   Many of his priests prefer this weapon as well, with extra barbs and rivulets to catch blood in.  His other symbol is a silver triangle, which is often hidden or disguised in designs.

Obviously, as a non-feature deity in many faiths, the different rituals and writings that are inspired by him are varied and disparate.  Humanoid alchemist/priests of Hewecar, wielding blood magic are fearsome humanoid foes.

Quote from: LordVreeg

Quote from: Steerpike[blockquote=Crow]Hey, Vreeg, have you ever created some kind of introduction or overview for the setting? Whenever i try to read it I'm always assaulted by the massive amount of information[/blockquote]Heh, this is sort of like asking someone from our world to introduce the earth to an alien being.  Not to say its a stupid question, Crow, or anything like that, but just from what I've seen of Celtrica it exemplifies the divset style of world, and resists the ethocentric style fairly resolutely; its hard to boil it down, in the way that you might be able to boil CE or In Gloria or Broken Verge down to a constellation of core themes.

Speaking of this...I'm thinking about changing up the Igbar page to shrink it down.  With some '...read more here' links for every section....That page keeps growing, and PBworks is starting to bitch about the size of it for editing purposes.  Do we think that would work?

Ok, I've done this.  Almost every section is now cut down with a link at the end of the section to read more there.  
 Igbar, again,  (http://celtricia.pbworks.com/Igbar,+Capital+of+Trabler)
Not saying this makes it great, just better and not quite so huge...

Working on the transport page for the Cradle area of Celtrica
 Transport in Celtricia (http://celtricia.pbworks.com/Transport-in-Celtricia)

Here is the bulk of it.

[ooc]
Transport in Celtricia

As a world of mercantile influence and travel, where magic has replaced technology, Magic aids travel in many cases in Celtricia.

However, as in many cases, this is still only the case for the wealthy.  Armies still mainly travel on foot and horse, and the donkey, the horse, and the pony are still used by most of the population.

 

Minor magics that enhance travel, such as the animist '˜Beast of Burden' spells are somewhat easily to come by, as well as the air summonning  spells that bring aid to becalmed ships.  Between Ograk rowers and summoned elementals from the Third Station, as much trasport as possible is down by sea, though the magics have retarded the changes in sail and ship design.   The last century has seen major changes in dsign, where even 2 centuries before maercgants still favored the Triremes that had been in favor since the Age of Heroes.   Today, the use of sail has increased, especially with the introduction of the Delvan people to the Cradle area, bringing their advancement in sail design[1].
(//../../e107_files/public/1268492469_392_FT39571_caravel_espirito_santo_brazil.jpg)
 

Lesser spells like 'Weight of Silver' are used to avoid counterfeit, and other mercantile spells aid commerce, which in turn, aids travel.   This mercantile demand sometimes brings faster, but more expensice means of transport into the fray.  Dragonriders, as well as other air mounts are used in almost every major population center, mainly for defence and by members of very powerful guilds.  In Igbar,  Hippogryphs and a few gryphons are used by the Scarlet Pilums and the Hunters of the Shade.  Argussian Wyvernriders are looked down on by some real dragonriders, but few who have faced them in combat would  cast aspersion.  The rare but well-known margical carpets are too valuable and hard to create to waste fo most mercantile use, but they are seen on occasion as well.
 

This is critical, in a world of open spaces, rampant humanoid tribes, dangerous beasts and unchecked undead.  Overland, caravan travel is the most common by far, as safety in numbers is the only way to move across the trackless areas.  Whole guilds of caravan guards make their careers keeping these trains safe, which in turn illustrates the importance of the caravan routes.

 

Legends, fed by scraps found in ancient books, recorfds of fourth-hand accounts, hint at earlier cultures having more immediate transport systems, and scholars point to Ambretton, Vicorian and even some Venolvian ruins that point to permanent versions of the "Recall" spells.  The Daemartificers Guild and the Collegium Arcana both find the idea somewhat infeasible, however.  

Footnotes

1.We'd see this as moving into the Caravel class. –²


[/ooc]

Quote from: LordVreegMinor magics that enhance travel, such as the animist '˜Beast of Burden' spells are somewhat easily to come by, as well as the air summonning  spells that bring aid to becalmed ships.  Between Ograk rowers and summoned elementals from the Third Station, as much trasport as possible is down by sea, though the magics have retarded the changes in sail and ship design.   The last century has seen major changes in dsign, where even 2 centuries before maercgants still favored the Triremes that had been in favor since the Age of Heroes.   Today, the use of sail has increased, especially with the introduction of the Delvan people to the Cradle area, bringing their advancement in sail design[1].

...

1.We'd see this as moving into the Caravel class. –²

How powerful is that wind controlling magic? If they can ensure that you'll have favourable wind most of the time, then sails and rigging wouldn't be following the same developments as happened in our world. When sailing in favourable wind, you'll want your sails to be square-rigged and as large as possible. The only people who would need different sails would be those who cannot afford the magical aids... fishermen and the like.

Can the magic be used to protect ships from rough seas/storm? If so, they would also influence hull designs: hulls would be optimized for carrying capacity (merchants) or speed (warships), no need to make them structurally stronger.

Quote from: LordVreegLesser spells like 'Weight of Silver' are used to avoid counterfeit, and other mercantile spells aid commerce, which in turn, aids travel.   This mercantile demand sometimes brings faster, but more expensice means of transport into the fray.  Dragonriders, as well as other air mounts are used in almost every major population center, mainly for defence and by members of very powerful guilds.  In Igbar,  Hippogryphs and a few gryphons are used by the Scarlet Pilums and the Hunters of the Shade.  Argussian Wyvernriders are looked down on by some real dragonriders, but few who have faced them in combat would  cast aspersion.  The rare but well-known margical carpets are too valuable and hard to create to waste fo most mercantile use, but they are seen on occasion as well.

These big intelligent (trainable) flying animals could provide a way to cross mountains that are too impassable for overland travel and too difficult or dangerous to tunnel through. The biggest problem would be the expense of feeding the beasts and the fact that they probably can't lift a heavy cargo.

The presense of air magics would make hot air balloons extremely useful (if only someone were to invent them!), for obvious reasons.

Quote from: Ghostman

Quote from: LordVreegMinor magics that enhance travel, such as the animist '˜Beast of Burden' spells are somewhat easily to come by, as well as the air summonning  spells that bring aid to becalmed ships.  Between Ograk rowers and summoned elementals from the Third Station, as much trasport as possible is down by sea, though the magics have retarded the changes in sail and ship design.   The last century has seen major changes in dsign, where even 2 centuries before maercgants still favored the Triremes that had been in favor since the Age of Heroes.   Today, the use of sail has increased, especially with the introduction of the Delvan people to the Cradle area, bringing their advancement in sail design[1].

...

1.We'd see this as moving into the Caravel class. –²

How powerful is that wind controlling magic? If they can ensure that you'll have favourable wind most of the time, then sails and rigging wouldn't be following the same developments as happened in our world. When sailing in favourable wind, you'll want your sails to be square-rigged and as large as possible. The only people who would need different sails would be those who cannot afford the magical aids... fishermen and the like.

Can the magic be used to protect ships from rough seas/storm? If so, they would also influence hull designs: hulls would be optimized for carrying capacity (merchants) or speed (warships), no need to make them structurally stronger.

Quote from: LordVreegLesser spells like 'Weight of Silver' are used to avoid counterfeit, and other mercantile spells aid commerce, which in turn, aids travel.   This mercantile demand sometimes brings faster, but more expensice means of transport into the fray.  Dragonriders, as well as other air mounts are used in almost every major population center, mainly for defence and by members of very powerful guilds.  In Igbar,  Hippogryphs and a few gryphons are used by the Scarlet Pilums and the Hunters of the Shade.  Argussian Wyvernriders are looked down on by some real dragonriders, but few who have faced them in combat would  cast aspersion.  The rare but well-known margical carpets are too valuable and hard to create to waste fo most mercantile use, but they are seen on occasion as well.

These big intelligent (trainable) flying animals could provide a way to cross mountains that are too impassable for overland travel and too difficult or dangerous to tunnel through. The biggest problem would be the expense of feeding the beasts and the fact that they probably can't lift a heavy cargo.

The presense of air magics would make hot air balloons extremely useful (if only someone were to invent them!), for obvious reasons.

This was a great response, Ghostman.  Really a pleasure to get.

1) the winds are almost never permanent, since each type of spell is limited by time ( I'd link them, but I'm answering this on my mini, so later for that), the magic (and the limited but real availability of air travel at the very high end)  has had a retarding effect on the technology of sail and hull (millenia of biremes followed by 2000k years of triremes???  Really retarded.), but much of the basics still hold true.  Summoning elementals from the House of Water or the Third Station (Air) is difficult and limited in time scope.  Hence the physics-related development, albeit slow.  Though you make me think they'd keep one big square sail, no matter what.

2) You are dead on about the flying beasts.  Some of the most ancient cities were only reachable that way (the White City, for example).  Magical air travel is very rare, so it dose not affect the equation so much, but Gryphons, Hippogryphs, The Souther Giant Owls, and to a lesser extend Wyvern and Sauroids do exist and are bred at a level to make them a factor.
I think the least expensive was the Hippogryph at around 6000 goodwives, trained (750 goodwives for a hyppogryph egg...if you were wondering), so the wealthier merchant guilds and families do have access to them.  

How much is a giant owl? Max must have one.

Also, are they nocturnal? One would think that would make them less useful. And, as a southern giant owl, does that mean they are southern in the sense of being found where Vox is commonly spoken, or southern in the sense that there is a *more* northerly species that is not tamable? I suppose I could just ask if they are common in the cradle area.

Quote from: TheMeanestGuestHow much is a giant owl? Max must have one.

Also, are they nocturnal? One would think that would make them less useful. And, as a southern giant owl, does that mean they are southern in the sense of being found where Vox is commonly spoken, or southern in the sense that there is a *more* northerly species that is not tamable? I suppose I could just ask if they are common in the cradle area.

The cost of a giant owl depends on the size, but rideable ones are 1200 goodwives and up.  

They only are found south of Argus (Ambrell, Om, etc), but can adopt to northern climes but not breed there.

The Machmen

Still use as Bogey-men in bedtime stories, the Machmen represent an ancient masterpiece of Artifice. The methods used by the Arch-lich Arbor and his servants to blend magic of the Bane and Artifice are still debated in scholarly circles, but their effects are uniformly called terrifying.  Though created back in the Age of Heroes specifically to combat the Bard Numansongs and his followers, dark stories still tell of explorers running afoul of a machmen deep in a Vicorian or Atlantian ruin site.  

Machmen are slightly larger than humans, steel and bone constructs with a grey flesh over it.  Invariably, they were dressed in a long, brown leather jacket, buttoned on both sides and cinched, wearing a strange wide brimmed hat of the same material, and often boots as well.   Their eyeless visage was considered the most terrifying aspect,  The Machmen can appear unarmed, but can call a medium sized, thick hafted scythe from somewhere at will.  
As a side note, these scythes are, in themselves, horrible weapons, permanently charged with rotting spells, reaving ability and vampiric drain.  

A Machmen's man-like appearance and chameleon spells allowed them to make their way into communities after dark, as ancient stories of horror will attest.  An implacably powerful assassin, the Machmen were as likely to kidnap as destroy their victims.  In combat, the infernal speed and precision of their scythe attacks made them a match for almost any group of warriors.  

Historical notes on a legendary figure of the Venolvians.
(from  here (http://celtricia.pbworks.com/Korang-the-Artificer).)


[ooc]Korang Jerupizer was born just before the Founding of the Theocracy of Nebler.  Historically, his name is in what would be considered the pantheon of historical wizards,  known from strange legends to the common folk and his deeds marvelled at by the sages.   While not remembered for pure power or scholarly wisdom, his reknown stems from his tinkering with differfent species in his laboratory.  Owlbears, Minatours, Hyppogryphs, and FratreCanis area few of the succesful crossed species he brought into the waking dream.  His more esoteric works are still being researched in most guilds of Artifice

He was born on the Steel Isle, in the middle period of the Venolvain Empire.  While Gnome/Human halfbreeds were not terribly common, he was a charasmatic if somewhat aloof figure, one that moved up quickly in the Vexchian School of magic.  Within a few decades, he was vying for the position of Archmage of this guild, though the Vexchian Mages Guild was one of the most advanced of it's time.


Korang's Fame grew as his power and the power of the guild increased.  After Vexchian created their own mage colony, his work really began.  He created the Minatours to serve the Venolvians for brute labor and as soldiers, and the Fratrecanis to be their household servants.  
Actually, the Fratrecanis was more his own servants that ended up being used by many of the upper class, with strong pack instincts they bonded to family groups.

Korang also was one of the foremost  artificers of his time, his signature items bonding animist spells to items.  He aslo created armors that enhanced the personal magetism of the wearer.

Korang's end came at the end of a very long (some would say extended) life.  Nearing his one hundred fifteenth year, Korang fell victim to a jealous student's poisoning.[/ooc]

The Index (http://celtricia.pbworks.com/Index) of the Celtrician Campaign is slowly taking shape. Slowly.  There is a long way to go, but especially on the full Index on the bottom, things are coming along.

People often mention getting lost; I am going to reboot probably one more time referring to the Index more often.

The Country of the Bright Lands (http://celtricia.pbworks.com/The-Bright-Lands)
Another piece of the puzzle.  For you Steel Isle guys, you can see the Steel Isle on the map on this page.

Adding another school/guild to SIT.
The  Lyre's Way (http://celtricia.pbworks.com/The+Lyre's+Way+-+Steel+Isle), a bardic group that is very active in building an information network behind their smiling, sociable faces.
(//../../e107_files/public/1284666794_392_FT39571_lyre_23429_lg.gif)

 Units of Measure  (http://celtricia.pbworks.com/w/page/34126218/Units-of-Measure)

The Marcher Measure
The Marcher Measures are actually based on a set of measurements used by the Ancient Ambrettons, at the Wise Owl School of Magic.  It was called Vreegit Ieoe (Vreeg's Hand) mack in Ambrettus, and these measures actually travelled with David Cotney to David's Delvings, to Jerung Folica., Back to the White City with the Dilvish Merchants, and to Vicis Attripa with the White Owl migration, all before -4000 R.O.N..  Small wonder that Vreeg's Hand travelled from the Ambrettons to the City-State of Winter, which grew and changed into the mighty City of Stenron.

As Stenron is the capital of the Grey March, these units (which are well used through the whole Cradle Area) are called the Marcher Measures

Unit            Marcher Name     Equivalent Description
Finger          Telos           3 inches
Hand            Habos           2 telos      6 inches
twohand         Dovhab          4 telos       12 inches
arm             Ar              3 dovhab      3 feet
Running step    Dovar           6 dovhab    6 feet
short race      Tolkar         10 Dovar     60 feet
Long Race       Bankar         10 Tolkar    600 feet
field           Hester         2 Bankar     1800 feet, the plot given to a farmer in Orbi
Merchant field  Respiter       6 Bankar     5400 feet

Social Life in Igbar (http://celtricia.pbworks.com/w/page/35732531/Social-Life-in-Igbar)

Once again, adding to the social Fabric of Igbar, my central play location.  This post and page deals directly with the social information all people share.

It is so hard to instill players with enough knowledge to really immerse.  But I am trying.

Great, great in town session last night.
Social skills, and serious interplay.  The group has had the top floor of the Red Priest Inn rented for them for a Hwaak.
 Red Priest inn (http://celtricia.pbworks.com/w/page/35786631/Red-Priest-inn)

 The Hunters of the Shade (http://celtricia.pbworks.com/w/page/36713527/The-Hunters-of-the-Shade-Igbar)
Verbrens solitary knights...

Corobar's Iron Way... (http://celtricia.pbworks.com/w/page/14955456/Corobar's%20Iron%20Way-Igbar)
this link includes allthe skills and EXPmods


Corobar's Iron Way-Igbar Page history last edited by LordVreeg
Guildschool Faction:
Area:Igbar

Name:Corobar's Iron Way
Affiliation with Larger: The main Chapter House is in Gastax, to the South and east of Argus.  All Chapter Houses are bonded to the Main House, and while they do not have a direct conduit save messenger, they are friendly enough with the Lawfule Triumverate to use their Bardic Broadcasting Channel if need be for contact.  
 
Membership style:Full Members only unless released by chapter Master.  Some few high-ranking members are allowed to split memberships later on if it is the interest of the Way.  It must also be understood that this Guild's purpose is to bond theior full members to noble houses in service, so every graduate is expected to have a split membership with a noble family and the Way of Service.
All members are taken in as apprentices, work under an established member as a journeyman, become a Bonded Warder after that, and after 10 years of service move up to Bonded Master.  A bonded master and a Chapter Master are acually equal, but in different capacities.  There are aslo three awarded positions, and a few operational positions within the guild.
 

% of starting membership: 22% Attrib bonus:HE (12/1) CH (13/2) soc (20/1)

Mission: To create educated, uniquely skilled warriors to grow with a house of nobility, to bring honor to the Way.
 
Size: 21 in Igbar, including Chapter Master, 4 apprentices, and 5 journeymen (11 are actually serving nobility in Igbar)
History: Corobar Sten Greanetsie was born in 785 RON, in Redde.  A Orkash/Klaxik halfbreed, he was shunned by the klaxik families of Redde, and baerly survived getting to adulthood on the plateau towns of that area.  He was fored to the grubbiest mining jobs and grew to an uncomplaining, hard-working soul, but one that expected no good of anyone.  His life made a turn when the mining guild he worked for sold his contract to another Guild, run by a cabal of House Wastri humans.  This group and their heavily socialized (Harou) ways confounded him, but he was even more suprised at the equality of treatment and respect they gave weveryone.  He responded well to this, and after a decade of hard work had moved himself up from Miner to shift leader to Supervisor to positions in the Guild and then major Domo of the guild.
He left and began, with Chruchan Vor Krupta, Klaxik knight of the Straight Way (Belial), the first chapter house dedicated to Way of Service.  This is a codified set of teachings that glorifies growth through service, to an absolute loyalty to a noble house and to growing that house and thereby growing the servant.
Chruchan and Corobar started the first chapter house in 841 RON, and by 844 there were members serving in noble Houses.
 The tenet of the Guild is a humble, harou-oriented service mentality, to grow by growing something bigger than yourself. The oath of loyalty to a noble house is absolute, and Corobar's disciples are a mixture of bodyguard, courtier, steward, and advisor.  They are decent combatents, but very strong tactitions.  There is also a large libary in every Chapter House, and prices on skill kits are generally 25% less than normal, due to the understanding of changing skill sets.  The most noble aspiration is to raise up a noble house through service.
 
 
Current leader: Chapter Master Treneti Worcester, Wastrian Human male.  50 years old, newly joined to the Church of the Hosting

Current situation: The Istari families of Igbar and their power in this burgeoning city make Treneti's job easy, there are more old families looking for housecarls, major domos, and stewards than there are avaialble members of this guild.  The oath involved in the Way of Service has never been broken near Igbar, so it is nearly taken for granted.  
The Unicorn side of the Sheerings have 2 Bonded Warders, and the Vissippee, Winfire, and Sceding Tree Merchant Houses each have one.  Tarquin Malignous (Grey March human male) works as the head of Vigor Sheering's House.
 

 The Tower (http://celtricia.pbworks.com/w/page/14956496/The-Tower-of-Igbar)

Here is the Link to the Tower.  This includes all the skill charts.  Please note that within this, there are a few skills that are different between the Aeromancers and the Ethermages.

Area:Igbar
Name:The Tower
Affiliation with Larger: The Tower is an independent group, descended from the 'Tower of AIr' in Lestchian, Orbi.  They are loosely allied with many of the travelling and shipbuilding guilds in town.

Membership style: Collegiate and fraternal.  Faculty members and students and journeymen.
There are 2 major groups within the tower, Aeromancers (flight group) and The EtherMages (weather magi).

 
% of starting membership: 30% Attrib bonus: IN (12/1) WI (13/2)

Mission: The tower exists to study air and weather magic.  They are a known commodity for all seagoing vessels, being able to summon wind elementals and to change weather patterns.  The tower does not normally involve themselves with the different merchant groups, though each guild tries to make exclusive deals with them.  

 
Size: 116, including partial members, staff, students, and journeymen

History: The Tower has a pretty pedestrian beginning.  In Orbi, the Tower of Air (Lestchian) is an ancient guild.  A Weatherwitch from Orbi, in 540 RON, came down through the golden ship road (the Tarn Bay) and realized Igbar had no organized ship-mages.  His name was Domo Herik, a human.  He started the Tower in the top floor of an inn in the Collar, and took his first apprentices that year.
Since then, The Tower has moved forward and grown slowly.  They took over the Kabin Keep in Coth's Bay in 815 RON.  
There are ferries on the Kabin Isle tat make 4 trips daily from the mainland.  SInce Kabin Isle is only 400 yards off shore, the tower is always in view, and the AerMaesters can actually make the trip without the ferry.

 Here is the page on the Celtricia Wiki (http://celtricia.pbworks.com/w/page/37105036/Cuisine-in-the-Cradle-Lands)

Cuisine in the Cradle Lands
One of the easiest ways to distill what is specific and unique to a culture is to observe their habits around the dining room and kitchen.  Cooking and the feeding of the family are some of the earliest cultural transmitters.

The Cradle area of Celtricia has over ten thousand years of civilization to draw from; and many of the cuisines that the current inhabitants of a land think were brought from far away might have actually originated under their feet and traveled thousands of years and miles, only to return, disguised.

Currently, if one were to go study at Hostem's Hpospitality, in Igbar, one would learn that the main sources of cuisine are classified under Harou/Wastrian, Omish, Blue, Lap, and Ogril.

Harou/Wastrian cooking is derived from the Harou culture, originating from the far eastern land of Gwynell.  Dominated by small, pearl pasta and lentils, this food is nutritious.  It heavily involves fish and pounded meats.  
As is easily learned from the Harou tea services, dinner in the full, traditional Harou form is stylized and full or rules and interdiction.

Omish cooking, coming from the lands of Om to the south.  Fresh game and wild bird are used plentifully here, as are Hassarice in numerous forms.  Red and White Greddle, a spice with a nutty-earthy taste, is used in many dishes, as well.  

Blue is the term used for the simple, thick, and satisfying food found in the Bright Lands, Orbi, and up in the Grey March.  Thick Breads, porridges,  stews and cow meat are staples here, as is chorm.

Lap foods are eastern coastal and island cuisines, heavy on fish and steamed chorm, but with subtle use of fruits and fruit sauces.  Lapern is also a great source of Kafee, and many current chef-scholars think it might be the origin point, though old Vicorian texts to talk about the liquid, as well.
Ogril foods are a newer branch, foods derived from the unacculturated Ogrillite tribal groups.  Thick meat stews, use of tubers and Heddle (a very spicy pepper) make this a fun and useful influence.  The Ogril love to cook over open flame and many eateries take advantage of this in the evenings.

Currently, there is a thread about religion in settings.
Instead if derailing it with Celtricia stuff, I thought I'd make a post about some of the Philosophical and Religious ideas of the Cradle Area of Celtricia.  I'm not sure if this will get any responses, but that thread has made me think of this, and how a well-realized cosmology, history and hisatory of faith, and understanding of religions in a setting really helps the players get into the game and into character.

Though ancient History is full of the doings and positions of the Celestial Planars and their minions, there is next to no direct contact between these beings and those that live on the Waking Dream.  However, this does not mean that faith in Celtricia is completely based on the unknown.  Magic and the use of Void-borne power sources, as well as much necromantic ability and it's limits work within bounds that fit the cosmology as laid out by most faiths.  So while there is a large element of unknowability and interpretation of mortals in each faith; much of the cosmology is heavily agreed upon (though written from differfent standpoints) and is supported by the use of magic today. [note=divine?] Guildschool does not have divine magic, it has many types and power sources, but no typical dichotomy here.[/note]

[ooc=quote]"And as with any institution run by mortals yet fueled by the passion of belief, players in Celtricia find sects, cults, and power-bases in a state of growth, change, or upheaval, as often as in a stable state.  In Argus, the Vernadalian worship takes the form of the Church of the Serpent Queen, while in Igbar the Serpent Queen cult has been banished and repudiated, replaced by the Church of the Green Mother.  The different foci and different morality systems of these related groups creates a conflict more bitter than a typical rival. "[/ooc]

In other words, there is only one real overarching belief system in Celtricia; but because of the ambiguity and lack of direct contact, there are thousands of splintered faiths based on different interpretations and viewpoints.   I am going to go into the Index (http://celtricia.pbworks.com/w/page/14955667/Index) and pull out terms that deal with religion in Celtricia, and the movements and thoughts currently used in the history of the game.  I am not going to list individual faiths, planars, or saints, or anything else, just a few terms that give the flavor of the Faith in Celtricia.

[ooc=From the Celtrician Index ]
Accords of Presence (Term)
•The ancient Planar agreement for all the Planars to leave the 'Waking Dream' and not interfere with it directly.
•The chronological delineator that ended the Age of Legends

Alementary (term)
•Alementism (Historical Term) Vicorian philosophical belief that gained traction later.
•Philosophical belief that the original eight Celestial Planars are the only True Gods and that the later planars are angels.

Avuntic (term)
•Religious and philosophical term for a materialistic bent, as opposed to a fatalistic one.  Avuntic faiths celebrate living and existing in the now as opposed to those that see the time in the waking dream as part of a longer cycle.  Avuntists do not believe in any continuation but a complete reprocessing of the spririt after the trip to the Well of Death.

Celestial Planar (term)
•The Celestial Planars describe the most powerful of the Void Travellers, the Gods of the Waking Dream. These beings embody and through their existence define cerrtain traits and chtracteristics.

Concerted (term)
•Religious term from Om that began use back in -600RON, spread North by about -100RON.
•Religious continuum describing the leve of conflict among planars.  A truly Concerted faith believes that the planars are acting out parts but all work towards the same goal behind the scenes, A totally unconcerted faith believes in heavy conflict between the Planar agencies.

Eminentism (term)
•The belief and philosophy that Oronath and Thanatos have no direct influence or concern over the Waking Dream. While currently this belief is considred fundamental, it has not always been this way.
•Eminentism (Historical Term, opposition) The Belief of the Dark one of the Venolvians was based on the concern and activity of Thanatos.

Godstraat (term)
•Marcher term meaning the Street of the Planars. Originally coined for the huge street of many temples in Storied Stenron, now most cities boast an area known as the Godstraat.

Hogunett (term)
•Celebration of judgement and gift giving in the middle of the winter Goesi, a Holiday.
•Also, the term is often used to desribe a good and wise judgement, as a derivation of the holiday.

Migration of the Spirit (term)
•The description to the travel and process of life energy from the Void (starting at the Well of Life) to the Waking Dream and the struggle back to the Void (to the Well of Death).

Se~oudoxic (term)
•Religious term for a faith or person who venerates saints.
•Se~oudoxical faiths go through cycles of popularity, currently on the rise

Shriving (term)
•The act of communing with a spirit or soul of a deceased creature and removing many or all bounds the Waking Dream has on it, allowing it to start the journer through the Void to the Well of Death. (c.f., Migration of the Spirit)

Song Of Creation (Term)
•The Historical/religeous story that describes the creation of the universe, which can change drastically from text to text.

Stations, the (term)
•The Stations are the slightly smaller places/power sources in the Void.  The inhabitiants of the House of Fire migrated to the Third Station when the House of Fire was destroyed.  The House of Air migrated to the Second Station for the same reason. For that reason those spell sources can fluctuate a bit more

Void, the (term)
•The Void is the interminable place that containes the Houses, the Stations, and the Waking Dream.

VoidBlind (term)
•Term used to describe those who cannot touch the sources of power in the Void (the houses and stations). 95% of the population is VoidBlind.[spoiler=Nom] Like the term 'hardcast', VoidBlind is a term that came from Nomadic and the SIG players....funny how that works.[/spoiler]
Waking Dream (term)
•The Term to describe the Celtrician planet and environs, as opposed to the Void and the Void-borne Houses and Stations.  

Weterlouse (term)
•The term comes from the Hobyt language, and means 'Brothers of the Faith'. It is used to describe very active members of a parish who are not part of the Clergy.[/ooc]



Now, a lot of these have their their own pages of full information, most importantly the text page for the Song of Creation.  But no term really gives the underlying feel of religion and the affects of faith in religion like the Migration of the Spirit.  So I am going to take the time to cast "Wall of Text" and reprint that page here.

[ooc=Migration of the Spirit]

Death, an end to one Journey and the Hopeful Beginning of Another


Even in an existence with a somewhat unified cosmology, the fear of death can be strong, and history is full of myths describing the lengths people have gone to avoid the final end. Couple this with the tangible evidence of the soul and the horrors that can be inflicted on it, by way of undead which walk the Waking Dream, and a reader might get some insight into the particular fear of death and dying alone that lies beneath the surface.

The term "Migration of the Spirit" normally is used to describe the passage of the spirit of a deceased person from the Waking Dream to the Well of Death. It is the returning of the energy spent in the Well of Life to the Void, and of the eventual return of this soul back to the Waking Dream. Different faiths use different legends and perspectives to describe this event, but this passage is described almost universally.  And another phenomena that is universally described is the difficulty a spirit has in making this journey.  Some faiths or legends talk about the power of unfinished labors or relationships, some speak of the hold of collected memories or unnatoned sins, but the evidence of necromancy and the manifestations of bound spirits is obvious to the most cultured cityfolk.

For the personality of a person in Celtricia, this manifests as a fear of dying unshriven. For without the shriving magics, the soul of a creature can be tied to the Waking Dream for decades or centuries.  To die and become the toy of some careless, nefarious necromancer is the not-so secret fear of anyone with intelligence in the Waking Dream, except for a few death worshippers.

Shriving magics are literally magics which can protect a soul from other necromancy, and can aslo speed the journey into the Void to the Well of Death.

This is obviously a reincarnation mechanic, and one that is supported by the ability of some mentalist spells to actually unlock fragmented former life memories. Couple this with the ability of unscrupulous Necromancers to use the spirit wrongly, and this gives you the proper feel of the Migration of the Spirit.  Necromancers can shrive spirits and calm or learn from spirits, but some necromancers also use their powers to enslave these earthbound spirits.

Because of all of this, coupled with this very common and strong cultural fear of undeath is a very large population of undead creatures and undeath, as undead servants can last for centuries or even longer, as well as areas where the large amount of unshriven souls have found twisted, elongated, life hating existences.   Ancient batlegrounds, tribal feuds, barrow-lands, all of these can literally be over-run with dozens or even hundreds of souls unable to leave the Waking Dream finding vessels to continue.    Which makes the shriving priests an important position for most faiths, and the need to deal with undead a serious issue for any population and one of the reasons that in Celtricia, there are no small, isolated population centers. [/ooc]