The Campaign Builder's Guild

As nearly anyone will tell you, accurately describing what it is to be a human is difficult, eliciting as many answers as people you ask. We are cheap, greedy, conniving bastards, but also capable of great acts of goodness and generosity. We are heroic, we are cowardly. Jealous, selfless, and impartial. Incredibly skilled, creative, and talented, but at the same time completely naive, gullible, and at times outright imbecilic.

To be a human, or any member of society, is to be a contradiction. Dilandri is, in many ways, the same. It is a land of incredible beauty and blast-scarred wastes, commercial hubs and backwater provinces, a world of grand exploration and the struggle to tame what has already been taken. It is war, it is peace, it is the uneasy truce. Dilandri is, in short, a land of many moods, as numerous as the moods of those who inhabit it.

Welcome.

Dilandri attempts to emulate a sort of medieval-to-renaissance feeling, with elements of exploration, discovery, and the expansion of trade. On the other hand, it still clings to much of its roots. Racial tensions are still strong, the kingdom is regularly imperiled, and the map still has 'here be dragons' emblazoned upon its outer edges.

[spoiler=Setting Map](http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2010/007/a/6/World_Map_by_stargate525.png)[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Table of Contents and Quick Links]
Introduction (This Post)

[spoiler=Chapter 1: Character Races]
Halfling (http://www.thecbg.org/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?77203)
Human (http://www.thecbg.org/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?76869)
Elf (http://www.thecbg.org/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?77128)
Half-Elf (http://www.thecbg.org/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?102626)
Dwarf (http://www.thecbg.org/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?77025)
Gnome (http://www.thecbg.org/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?77324)
Half-Orc (http://www.thecbg.org/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?77785)
[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Chapter 2: The World]
Cartography and Regions (http://www.thecbg.org/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?76834)
[/spoiler]

Chapter 3: Magic

[spoiler=Chapter 4: Vehicles, Devices, and Wonders]
The Shield (http://www.thecbg.org/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?76777)
[/spoiler]

Chapter 5: Life in the World

[spoiler=Chapter 6: Nations]
Derlontra (http://www.thecbg.org/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?76621)
Drian Confederacy (http://www.thecbg.org/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?76578)
Inveran (http://www.thecbg.org/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?102828)
Itland (http://www.thecbg.org/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?97846)
Lorlot (http://www.thecbg.org/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?102898)
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[spoiler=Chapter 7: Organizations]
Order of Samex (http://www.thecbg.org/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?81984)
[/spoiler]

Chapter 8: Items

Chapter 9: Flora and Fauna

[/spoiler]

[ooc]
Hey, this looks familiar, doesn't it? After realizing that my previous incarnation of this setting was getting bogged down and, to be honest, was going nowhere, I decided to give it a reboot; keep what I still liked about the setting and retool everything else. In short, the major stuff you should expect to see carried over from the previous setting:

*The numeric themes: I liked 'em, everyone else seemed to like 'em. They stay.
*The crystals, as well as most of the basics on trade and commerce.
*Many of the names: They may describe other things, but the majority of them do not.
*The tone: I liked the feeling of available exploration combined with an urban feeling towards the center of the world. I would like to continue to have my setting feel this way.

There are also some things that I would like to accomplish in this setting that I feel I either didn't address or are contrary to the last setting. And those are:

*I would like, as much as possible, for the setting to be system-neutral. It's certainly designed with 3.5 in mind, but unlike the previous setting, I'm not going to muck about trying to rebuild the setting to fit the system, or vice versa.
*Similarly, I would like this setting to be as 'vanilla' as possible while still maintaining the feeling of it being new, fresh, and different. Mainly, this is a desire for any potential players to not have to read the entire setting before playing, instead being able to jump right in and learn it as it comes up.
*Organization. I'll add things to this thread, intermixed with discussion. When 2.0 comes up, hopefully I'll find some way to organize it a bit better.

[/ooc]

Looks awesome. The map totally brings your world to life. Which brings up the question: what program do you use for map building, because that map is beautiful.

*weeps*

It's done in GIMP. I used a couple of other maps for the base (the coasts), and went from there.

There isn't too much here yet, so I can't say too much yet. What I will say, and can say, is that's quite a nice map. :D

Quote from: sparkletwistThere isn't too much here yet, so I can't say too much yet. What I will say, and can say, is that's quite a nice map. :D

Thank you. Let's see if we can rectify that 'not too much' business...


[ic=Excerpt from 'A Dwarf's Guide to Dilandri']When traveling through the Drian Confederacy, one must do their utmost to enter and leave the nation via a port, avoiding the borders. Drian borders are heavily guarded, despite the current peace which prevails throughout the Mist coast and the Core Regions, and travelers are best served to avoid them entirely...

...When one encounters obstacles or impasses in the Drian Confederacy, the intelligent dwarf should first attempt bribery. Officials are corrupt as a rule, and the question is most often a matter of amount than willingness. However, one must take great care to make their offer in an inconspicuous manner; obvious bribes will invariably serve to wound the official's sense of honor, hollow as it most likely is. The most reliable sign of detecting the rare honest official is in this manner; when one's attempts to breach the subject of bribery is obtusely, yet firmly turned to other topics. Drians, and humans in general, are as a rule uncomfortable addressing their faults plainly...
[/ic]

The Drian Confederacy, a conglomeration of three smaller nations, is perhaps the most powerful nation in Dilandri. Although their nation is currently at peace, there are major tensions with nearly every one of her immediate neighbors. Her military is second-to-none, her navy especially so. The Confederacy, in addition, has several holdings in the Dragon Lands and the Seronan Jungle, making her one of the most significant colonial powers in addition to her already formidable home powers. That they have taken this much land is not a major annoyance to other expansionist powers; the prevailing view is that the Confederacy is overextended, and her rivals do not hesitate to insist that the Confederate army and navy keep the peace in her colonies and her trade lanes (what amounts to the whole of the Inland Sea).

Geography: The Confederacy is located in the Core; the central emanating point for the main arcana field in Dilandri. Its weather and climate is typical for the core regions; moist, temperate, nearly idyllic but for the often bitter winters. The northern region is dominated by arable, slightly hilly lands broken by small woods, and is nearly completely divided, settled, and productive farmland. It is from this region that the famous Drian Gold Wheat is grown.

To the southeast, the land turns low-lying and marshy. Much of the land is forested, and the low-lying lands are prone to flooding and swamping. Much progress has been made since the Unification War in the areas of drainage and cultivation, but the land remains vastly untamed to any large-scale agricultural exploits.

The West is dominated by rocky terrain and sharp hills bordering on mountains. The coastline in this region is pocketed, rocky, dominated by sheer cliff-faces, and for all intents and purposes impassable. Though it is largely on the wrong ocean for real trade, it is still a favorite location for smugglers wishing to avoid taxes along the Grand Highway, or bringing in illegal or restricted merchandise. Very little grows here; the land is poor and the terrain makes the most common plant-life in the region grasses and the occasional foolhardy tree.

Statistics
  Population: ~12,200,000
  Area: ~128,500 sq. mi.
Exports: Finished Goods, Textiles, Golden Wheat
Imports: Metal, Lumber, Stone, Luxuries

Politics
  Internal: In theory, the Drian Confederacy is a tight alliance of three nations; Dria (the founding member), Strinas, and Astea, each of which retain their sovereignty and independence. In practice, the royal lines of all three nations have been consolidated to a single Imperial Throne. This Emperor has no real power, instead being directed by the Assembly of Dukes, a collection of the regional lords of Dria (as well as some select Astean and Strinasan provinces) who wield the majority of the real political power in the nation.

The nation as a whole is divided into roughly a quarter-century Provinces, usually ruled by a Duke or Archduke. These are in turn divided into Counties. Governance below the level of the County is governed by no national law or decree, instead left to the whim of the individual Count. Commonly, towns and villages within the county are ruled by a mayor or governor, who is either elected by the nobility of the region or appointed by the Count. By law, all settlements with a immediate population greater than 20,000 are freeholds; not beholden to the county or province in which they reside, and governed by a Duke of their own. The Emperor of the Drian Confederacy is simultaneously the Duke of Dria City. The hierarchical system is hereditary and feudalistic; Counts owe fealty to Dukes who owe fealty to the Emperor. Titles, with very little exception, are passed to the eldest offspring. Females are allowed to inherit, though this is a fairly new and largely contested law.

  Foreign: The Confederacy has an international reputation of being fiercely colonial, highly protective, and a general bully in the international ring. Unfortunately for other nations, their navy controls the Inland Sea and their army controls the Core Isthmus, and by extension most of the trade which takes place between the north and south regions. Their trade mandates, while occasionally difficult, are widely seen as a neccesary annoyance. No nation, with perhaps the exception of Dragoth Gruht and the Crysopolean League, can afford to antagonize the Confederacy and, fortunately, the Confederacy has been too busy with internal squabbles to assert itself overwhelmingly internationally. This results in most nations having a cool opinion towards the Confederacy, at best, but not much worse than that.

Academics: The Confederacy is home to one of the largest, most comprehensive Arcanist schools in any predominantly-human nation, and is home to the largest Arcane Academy in the world, located in Dria on the exact center of the Core arcane field. Anyone with magical talent is found, trained, and produced, providing the Confederacy with the largest magic-using population.

Among the general population, however, education is rather lacking. It is decentralized, unregulated, and in many places non-existent. Although there are several conventional academies, these are generally located in major population centers, and are elitist to a fault, often accepting only nobility. Among the rural population, a town's scribe, high priest, or even merely an elder member of the community serves as the only source of education, and often conveys nothing more than traditions, legends, and folklore.

Religion: There is no state religion in the Drian Confederacy. As such, the populace follows a number of religions; the most common practices being the Five and Twenty-Five, Dwarven Ancestor Worship, and Totemism. Temples are common and ubiquitous; shrines for any number of religions can be found in nearly every village. In the Confederacy, especially in the more rural areas, however, the Five and Twenty-Five is still the most commonly seen temple.

Worship, regardless of religion, is a public affair. Services are held regularly, anywhere from weekly to monthly, and they are attended by the majority of the community. Individual prayer, and worship especially, is frowned upon. Clerics and priests are seen as the center distributors of religious knowledge and experience within the community, and the position often carries significant political power in areas without a strong direct leadership.

Arts and Fashion: Confederate arts are primarily performance rather than material; music, dance, and theater. In rural areas, the works are cooperative and social. Festival celebrations in rural areas often feature dances, sing-alongs, and improvisational theater as central events. These performances are often more creative, with less concern towards technical aspects, themes, or messages of the work. This makes those with urban tastes tend to see these works as simplistic and crude, though they invariably form the basis of the work done in the cities.

Urban art tends towards performance, rather than cooperative methods of displays. Music is performed in recitals in halls, plays are performed in theaters, and dances are seen only in operas and musicals. Very rarely are these artists seen performing in any location that is not reserved for the event, and street performances are essentially unheard of. What urban art lacks in spontaneity it makes up for in competence. Most cities' theaters and music halls are strictly overseen by actors and musicians guilds, allowing only the most proficient and talented to perform for the public and training those who are not yet up to par.

Confederate clothing is conservative; slacks for men, skirts for women, and shirts for both sexes. On men, the shirt is usually worn underneath a vest, cloak or half-cape, and on formal occasions, an ascot. Women tend towards fitted jackets and scarves. Formally, women wear floor-length dresses which tend to expose nothing above the wrists or ankles, and nothing below the beginning of the bust. Work clothing is nearly universal for both sexes; pants and shirts, usually in a neutral, dirt-concealing tone of brown or green, and made of rougher cloth.

Architecturally, Confederate style is simple lines and straight angles. arches are not seen or, when necessary for structural purposes,  disguised as best they can be. Building colors are kept clean and neutral; cream, white, or tan, and the interiors are often decorated with tapestries and rugs to add color to the room. Modern Confederate furniture is conservatively ornate, with flairs of curl and engraving, though the majority is plain.

Technology: The Confederates enjoy some of the most advanced technologies in the world, especially in the realms of engineering and social advances. Although they lack the airships of the Gnomes, the tunneling and ventilation advances of the Dwarves, or the ability to construct the monolithic structures of the Shield Nations, Drians are the foremost road and bridge builders in Dilandri. Their roads are straight, level, and nearly all of them are paved. They are the first to truly ignore the natural flow of the land, having mastered the integration of retaining walls into their road designs. The newly-completed Confederate Highways have reduced travel times by as much as fifty percent due to their tendency to cut through hills and simply bridge ravines and gulleys. Similarly, Confederate farmland is often irrigated from the Drian River, or water is brought in via aqueducts. In places where neither of these methods are practical, deep wells are dug which, in addition to the traditional bucket and rope, are more and more often being fitted with a screw-pump system.

The Drian Confederacy has a postal system, whose efficiency is based mostly on their superior roads more than any inherent efficiency in their organization. Although nowhere near the level of the Gnomes, Drians also enjoy some manner of mechanics, primarily in the industrial level. Mills, foundries, and dyers are benefiting from work-reducing gearwork, and many of these industries are now run on waterwheels or windmills more effectively than ever before.

Economy: The Confederate economy is very much a colonial system. She imports raw goods and exports finished goods. The only major exception to this rule is the Drian Gold Wheat, which is consumed by nearly every nation in tremendous quantities. Internally, the economy is stable, able to produce much of what it consumes. lumber and livestock flows from the southeast, ores and minerals from the west, and  agricultural products from the north. Although efficient, the production of raw materials can not keep up with the internal demand for finished goods, and roughly half of the raw materials that enter the nation never leave it.

Society: Drian society is divided into three classes: The peasants who work land in some manner, either individually or collectively, the middle class of craftsmen, artisans, and businessmen, who generally work for themselves for profit, and the nobility, old money which maintains their wealth via investment, land ownership, or economic monopoly.

Movement between these classes is difficult, but not impossible. There have not been binding serfs for nearly five hundred years, and it is possible for peasants to improve their lot. In a similar manner, wealthy or noteworthy members of the middle classes can purchase or marry into the nobility. Blood matters among the nobility, and a bought title will never be on the same level as even the lowest of inherited titles, but this trend is increasingly being bucked by progressive nobles who care more about financial prosperity (or, in some cases, merely financial security) than the purity of their lineage or the lineage of their spouse.

There is a great emphasis towards performance and prosperity and, with the traditional emphasis on morality and integrity being eroded by the example of most of the Dukes, corruption is rampant within the offices of the government, particularly within the census and excise offices, customs officials, and the judicial system. It has not eroded into extortion as of yet, but getting anything done with any reasonable speed now requires bribing nearly everyone involved at one point or another, usually several times.

Notes For Visitors:

*Keep a significant amount of money on-hand; bribery is by far the most effective way to get out of problems.
*If possible, stay in the couuntryside. Prices there are much less expensive, and the people tend to be more welcoming.
*Stay near the public beaches. Isolated stretches of coast are often used by smugglers.
*Hiring a cab is perhaps the best way to get from place to place, and is inexpensive as well.

[ic=An Inverani on visiting Derlontra]
I arrived in Cliffport, expecting to be impressed with the scene presented to me. However, no amount of preparation or expectation could reduce the impact of the wonders which I saw. My journey from the dock ward was via the most impressive and complex array of cables and pulleys I have ever seen, and that was among the most simple of the wonders to be seen in Derlontra.

The people, too, are impressive, walking among and interacting with these devices with remarkable affinity and routine.
[/ic]

Derlontra is the northernmost of the original Gnome nations. Due to her close proximity to the human Core nations, Derlontra is also the most assimilated to foreign culture. A strange mixture of traditional gnome innovation and human cultural contamination, Derlontra is perhaps the most accessible of the Gnome nations.

Geography: Derlontra is a spit of land on the western shore of the Inland Sea, lower in the northwest and rising to sheer, rocky cliffs along the coast. The land is almost completely unsuitable for farming, and the population relies primarily on herding and fishing as a source of sustenance. Like her sister nation, Narado, the largest city is located on what is essentially a cliff face. The remainder of the coastline is all but deserted, choosing to live on the border of the lakes and rivers, or inland on the rocky fields.

Statistics
  Population: ~2,660,000
  Area: ~27,200 sq. mi.
Imports: Foodstuffs, Ores, Crystals, Finished Goods
Exports: Gearwork, Finished Goods, Textiles

Politics
  Internal: Derlontra is an absolute monarchy, ruled very centrally by a truly gigantic bureaucracy. Nepotism is rife within the bureaucracy; if you aren't related to an office-holder or, better, related somehow to the royal family, any decent position is essentially closed.

Despite this, Derlontra is fair and rather light-handed in general. The judicial system, while slow and very centralized, is fair and unbiased. There is no codified law system, but the common law is well established by precedent and custom. Taxes are low, and there is very little reported corruption in their collection or assessment.

Below the Queen and the bureaucrats, the next largest source of political power is, in fact, an economic one. The businessmen and prosperous craftsmen are the ones with power at the local level and, by extension, their unions and trade organizations are the wielders of impressive power at the national level.

  Foreign: In the International sphere, Derlontra is a small fish. It has trading interests with both the Core nations and the Gnome lands, which are protected by a small but surprisingly mobile navy. In general, they stay out of international gameplay, and keep to themselves.

Academics: The only location one can find an Arcane Academy is in Cliffport itself, and even then it is on par with an average local Academy in any of the Human or Dwarf nations. Primarily, the way Derlontrans acquire a magical training is via apprenticeship or natural talent and trial-and-error.

This tendency towards a decentralized education system is not carried through in the sciences and traditional education. Any town with more than a dozen families will have a school of some kind, and the University at Cliffport boasts one of the largest campuses and some of the most acclaimed graduates in the world. As a rule, those educated in the Derlontran system are the broadest, most educated people in the world.

Religion: Derlontran religion is mandated by the state, and follows the beliefs of the reigning monarch at the time. Currently, and for as long as is significant into Derlontran history, the deity of choice has been Quarren. This make sense, considering both the significant part Quarren plays in Gnome mythology, and the fact that Quarren's Archives, the source of one of Dilandri's minor arcana fields and a major pilgrimage site for followers of Quarren and his children. Other religions are tolerated, but are subject to heavy fees and taxes on both followers and the church itself.

Religion in Derlontra is organized and congregational; temples are located in the majority of towns and villages, and every city has at least one major temple. Central to the practice of Derlontran religion is the pentennial pilgrimage to Quarren's Archives. Required by all but the most lax of priests, and excepted for none but the most ill and impoverished, the pilgrimage is designed to bring followers closer to Quarren, and is supposed to be a guaranteed cure for blocks of creativity and inspiration.

Arts and Fashion: Derlontra, like most Gnome nations, is an open melting pot for the arts. One might easily find a painter inspired by ancient Dwarven clan symbols residing next to a sculptor whose work emulates the ruined monuments in the Dragon Lands. Art is also a family affair; schools teach the arts alongside mathematics and grammar, and many adults keep in practice into their adult lives, and teach their children as best they can.

Therefore, fashion is very much a regional, personal taste. Clothes are seen by many as an art form in themselves, resulting in bold colors, patterns, and cuts. Some similarities between the vastly varying styles, however, can be drawn. In casual situations, both women and men tend towards an ensemble of a cap, long tunic, pants cut off between the knee and the ankle, stockings or socks that reach to the knee, and leather or cloth shoes. In formal situations, the men tend towards suits with a high front and long tails, accentuated by high, stiff collars and a flamboyant hat. Women tend to sport incredible, almost impossible dresses in outlandish cuts and styles. There is comparatively less conservatism in Derlontra, allowing dresses to terminate as short as the knee and as low as to expose what is essentially the entire bust. This is the lower limit, mind; the majority of dresses are more conservative than this, and the amount of skin exposed varies wildly based on the tastes of the wearer.

In the realms of architecture and interior design, the standards are eclectic. While buildings conform to the same general style, that of simple stone or wood-and-plaster construction, the interior design is a pure reflection of those living there. Most homes are extensively and lavishly decorated, and it is a nearly-certain bet that none of the artwork in the house is purchased; the art is the product of the family living there, or gifts from relatives and close friends. Every piece has a story, and is lovingly maintained and kept, resulting in the occasional feeling of disjunction, but invariably provides a cozy, welcoming atmosphere in any home.

Technology: Derlontra, while not able to maintain the breakneck advances enjoyed by their Gnome neighbors across the sea, are still the most advanced nation in the Core regions. They are home to the only windship ports on the Inland Sea's western coast, guaranteeing tremendous business in tourists and cargo, and are one of only three nations with a dedicated Air Force.

Domestically, the Derlontrans have completely integrated crystal lighting sources into their designs. Torches, candles, and lamps are essentially obsolete, replaced with crystal shards built into the walls and ceilings, keyed by a touch of a crystal node positioned near doorways. Larger cities are lit at night by crystals on lampposts, which switch on automatically in the evenings, bathing the city streets in soft, vaguely multi-colored light throughout the evenings. In Cliffport, the effect is so strong that on a clear night the light can be seen from Aalst, over a hundred miles away. In the realm of pure mechanics, they are also strong; clockwork is expensive, but accessible, and geared mechanisms are commonplace in mines, foundries, and other production facilities.

Derlontra was one of the original nations in the plans for the Grand Highway, and is still one of its major backers. Though their road building is strictly average, their utilization of these roads is superb. Their postal system is highly efficient, ubiquitous, and international, delivering to any nation in which the Grand Highway runs. It is also one of the few nations to have house numbers in their cities.

Economy: Derlontra is known to the Core nations as the gateway to the southern Inland Sea, and with good reason. Though Orc raids are rare this far south, they are enough of a hindrance to make air travel preferable. Combined with altitude's ability to make even the most forsaken lands seem beautiful, it is a favorite embarkation point for tourists, and conducts a busy set of passenger lines with the other Gnome nations. Along with the tourists flows cargo; goods from the Grand Highway leave to the gnome lands in exchange for toys, devices, and simpler machinery built by master craftsmen in Fennang and Narado.

Internally, the local economy is supported mainly by fish, mutton, and wool. Although the land is rocky, there is little in the way of usable ores or stone veins of any real value; the only quarries are local, supplying a nearby city with common building stone or specifically dug for a particular project.

Society: Derlontran society is set into two classes; those who are in the bureaucracy, and those who are not. Unlike most nations, however, this distinction is one built mostly on political power; economics have very little to do with it. The poorest government clerk is treated with more respect than the richest straight businessman in nearly every situation.

To a Derlontran, family is of paramount importance; those in power will attempt to bring as much of their family as possible along with them, resulting in what others call 'hiring the last name' with Derlontrans. Nepotism is seen as an accepted, and even admirable, practice. Families tend to stay near each other, resulting in entire small cities which are all related to each other within two or three steps. It is only the Gnome's inherent resistance to the effects of inbreeding which allows this model to be sustainable; first cousins, and even siblings are allowed to marry as long as the relation of the parents is not that of siblings.

This tangled family structure, obviously, makes inheritance practices difficult. Thus, Derlontra is the progenitor of the most binding and codified set of inheritance and bequeathment laws, around which the rest of the Derlontran legal code has been built.

The Shield is the single most massive structure on the face of Dilandri. Several hundred miles of walls, hundreds of watchtowers, dozens of fortresses, and legions of soldiers make up this barrier between the Dragon Lands and the Core Nations.

Built nine hundred years ago during the twilight of the Empire of the Seven Stars, the Shield's primary purpose is to act as a retaining wall and first line of defense against the concentrated hordes of kobolds, goblinoids, and abominations which periodically pour from the Dragon Lands into the reicher lands of the Core. Although the Shieldwall itself is the most obvious and impressive peice of the Shield, it is only the last line of a massive proactive defensive line which extends miles beyond the face of the wall. The true first line of defense lies in the deep patrols of guardsmen, watching for gatherings of enemies and destroying trouble spots before they have time to become serious. Behind these patrol lines are the watchtowers, small garrisons placed just within sight of the Shieldwall which support and house the patrols and serve as a warning net for large incursions.

although built by the Core Nations, they no longer pay much attention to the Shield, leaving the maintenance and staffing of the Shield to the three former-colonies directly abutting it; Eula, Argana, and Malita. While they do an admirable job of it, the Shield is still a massive drain on the collective economies of those nations. With no one to assist them, experts affirm that the battle being fought on the Shield is a loosing one; for every two guardsman killed in the line of duty, only one more comes on. Worse, the periodic increase in assaults on the walls (assaults which usually culminate in a fair-size army marching against the wall) has failed to be as large as expected. Though the supporting nations hope that this swelling will merely be less severe, many fear that they are late, and that the hammer will fall all the harder because of it.

The map of Dilandri is circular. This is not because the world is disc-shaped, or otherwise circular in nature; it is because the extent of the world that is habitable and safe for intelligent beings follows the farthest ranges of the Great Arcana Field. Since the world is dependent, literally, on these fields, finding one's way about relies heavily on them.

there are six major arcana fields in Dilandri; the Great Arcana Field, and one aligned to each of the five major deities, emanating from their main temple. These fields interact with the crystals which propagate Dilandri, forcing properly-attuned crystals into alignment with the field. therefore, a set of properly-tuned crystals are are all one needs to triangulate ones position. Unfortunately, not all major arcana fields extend to all parts of the globe, and there are many locations where these kinds of alignment readings are unreliable. Obviously, two points are not enough to triangulate a position, but they are commonly used in conjunction with local landmarks to triangulate on a map. It is impossible to use an arcana field too close to its source, as the strength of the field overwhelms the crystal, sending it into unstable and erratic motions.

There are also smaller Arcana Fields, which emanate from places of power and history; in general, the more powerful the magic that has been channeled through a location, over a longer period of time, the greater the field the area generates. unlike major arcana fields, there is no limit to how close a field can come, and they usually emanate in much more narrowly to crystals. There are some crystals which can be tuned on-the-fly to utilize these smaller emanations, and many of the best maps have the locations and tuning instructions for all minor fields of any size available for the map's area.

The nations of Dilandri can be roughly grouped into five regions based on geography, cultural similarities, and history. These regions are often used in everyday parlance in much the same way that 'Easterners' or 'Midwesterners' is used in the United States.

The first of these is the Core, a group of mainly human nations located in the center of Dilandri on the southern continent. Located on some of the best, most hotly contested land in Dilandri, the Core has a long history which still resonates to this day. People from these nations are referred to collectively as Centrans.

South of these countries, along the coast of the Inland sea, are the Aquilae Nations. These nations, of predominantly gnome and halfling descent, are greatly water-based. The majority of the people here make their living along the coast of the Inland Sea, the banks of rivers, or the shores of lakes and ponds. Although Dragoth Gruht shares the general region, and some of the similarities, it is not included in the Aquilae. Citizens of the Aquilae nations are called Quills.

Clockwise along the rim of the known world, covering the Whiterock mountains as well as the lowlands to the north, are the Dwarfholds. While most of these nations are culturally and racially diverse, they are all dominated politically by the Crysopolean League. Nations not already absorbed into the League are little more than puppets of the League's council, and are an extension of their political clout. People from the Dwarfholds are called either Holders or Sclaues, the former referring to Dwarves, the latter to any other species.

On the opposite side of the world, adjacent to the Core and the Dragon Lands, are the Border Nations. These seven nations are the product of a century of colonization efforts by many of the Core and Aquilae nations nearly 500 years ago. Today, they stand independent and largely ignored, as a buffer zone between the horrors of the Dragon Lands and the Core. They tend to be racially and culturally diverse, and are often considered some of the freest in the world. Citizens of these nations are referred to as Outlanders.

the final region is the harshest, most inhospitable of them all. The Dragon Lands stand as a blight along the north and east sides of the world, dominating the Northern continent. Although some of the civilized species maintain footholds here, especially along the shield and the eastern stretches along the coast, the majority of the area is dominated by Kobolds burrowed into the volcanic mountains, lizardfolk infesting the swamps, hobgoblins and their slaves roaming the plains, and the entirety garrisoned by all manner of other abominations and horrors unclassified and unnamed. People from this area are called Colonists if they are of the civilized species. Else, they are usually identified by nothing more than a terrified shriek and a dying gurgle.

[ic=From the private journals of Colonus Londraticus, Dwarven High Lord]Humans are a bunch of infesting, annoying, and ill-begotten vermin. They take up space, they take up time, they take up resources, and there's nothing interesting about them at all. No matter how thoroughly I exterminate them from my holdings, they flow back in like water from behind a breaking dam.[/ic]

[note=On Terminology]I use 'species' here where most traditional fantasy settings would use 'race.' The variations
heading has forced this, as I needed to re-appropriate the term for its proper definition.[/note]

Physiology: Humans in Dilandri stand from five and a quarter to just over six feet in height, with the average for most regions being roughly five foot seven. Males tend to be taller and more heavily built than females, who are shorter and more fragile in general. Hair and eye color varies, but stays within earthen tones of browns, blacks, tans, and coppr for hair. Eyes are slightly more varied, including blues and greens. With age, hair looses its pigment, turning grey or white, eyes become lighter, though this color change is not nearly as pronounced as some species.

[note=Humans] I was sick of having humans being the versatile, know-everything species, and shunting the others to a narrow, overly-focused characterization of humans. Therefore, I've made them bickering, jealous infighters with a penchant for being greedy bastards on the side. I don't intend for it to come off that pessimistic, of course, but the feeling is there. This should clear the way for each of the species to be unique, without humans overstepping and doing everything better than them.[/note]

Psychology: Universally, humans are described as clannish, thrifty, and fecund. While their only real physical strength is their fantastic endurance, they have a tremendous head for commerce and business, are moderately productive, and breed like the proverbial rabbits. Within a comparatively short amount of time, they have taken nearly complete control of the most fertile lands in Dilandri, and have made serious inroads into most other nations. Only the deepest forests of Serona, Dragoth Gruht, and the wilds of the Dragon Lands remain as lands largely untouched by humans.

This propensity to propagate leads most families to consist of many, many members; the average couple having twelve children. Although many of these children never make it out of childhood (humans are notoriously fragile and disease-prone), the survivors have still managed to flood the majority of Dilandri with their kind. These families, though much larger than any other species', are fiercely loyal to each other. Blood is everything, a concept which is largely alien to many other species, who adhere to a larger clan or extended relations rather than direct descent.

Variations: Humans vary quite significantly from region to region. Hair and eye color, skin tone, and build are the most telling indicators, but height, facial differences, and even the amount and type of facial hair can mark regional variations.

[note=On races] I tried not to be typical here, but it's very difficult. Africans are that skin color for a biological reason, same for Caucasian and the Mediterranean races  and I tried to slot them into where that kind of trait would naturally occur. i hope I was able to cover most races in at least a small way, without parroting real-world races or being boring.[/note]

The most common race of humans besides the one described above are the Misters, who hail from the nations bordering the southern edge of the Mist Ocean. They are generally taller, paler, and thinner than the average, with tightly brown or black hair and thick beards. Their eyes are almost exclusively grey, blue, or green.

Humans which live among the Gnomes and the Halflings are shorter and thinner than average. Their hair is usually straight and black, with very little facial or body hair. Their most striking feature, however, is their olive-to-almond colored skin. Although the majority hail from elsewhere along the Inland Sea, all members of this race of humans are called the Seroni.

In the deep Dwarfholds, the humans there have become taller, stockier, and tougher from the years of nearly-slave labor under their dwarven superiors. Besides their skin tone, which is incredibly pale, their eyes tend to be dark, with browns and hazels most prominent, and some getting as dark as to be essentially black. Their hair is essentially white, and actually becomes darker with age as it greys. This race's members are referred to as the Dwellers, and are rarely seen outside the Dwarfholds.

In the Border Nations and the Dragon Lands, the race of humans has become dark. While on average as intense a dark as the Seroni, their skin lacks the chartreuse tones which distinguish the Seroni, making them look a darker brown than their southern relatives. Their hair is red or a dark blonde, and usually grows in waves or curls which become more pronounced with length. They are roughly the same size as a typical human, but are built much more thickly. Their eyes are often brown, but are rarely also amber, hazel, or a copper color. Among others, they are called Northlanders, but they call themselves the Zumo.

first off - wow you have alot of information, I haven't even come close to reading it all. Your map is great, I love the circular shape, if a little huge and perhaps too focused on political borders and cities. Some named forests, mountain ranges, deserts, w/e would break it up nicely.

Are you using the whole mapped world as a setting, or just a specific region? On a personal note, the area around the Dragon Lands just seem like they could be really cool, I have no idea why, but they just do. The Flotilla sounds very strange and awesome.

I like your description of humans, especially the point of view through the other races' eyes. Doesn't come off as pessimistic to me, just showing that they have weaknesses in addition to their strengths.

Not sure what to think about the history section. Is that supposed to be objective OOC information for the reader, or does it actually represent what characters in the setting might tell you about their history? It seems very advanced and enlightened to be the latter type, with a very science-y like tone and terms like "archeological record", very much the opposite of a more "Here be Dragons" style of writing.

Quote from: Leetzfirst off - wow you have alot of information, I haven't even come close to reading it all. Your map is great, I love the circular shape, if a little huge and perhaps too focused on political borders and cities. Some named forests, mountain ranges, deserts, w/e would break it up nicely.

Well, the map is high definition (300ppi) so I could print it if I wanted to, which makes it large on monitors. In real-life, printed at the correct size, it's only seven inches. It is mostly political, though, you're right. Do you have any suggestions on how to add those without causing confusion, and without reverting to a more and-drawn look?

Quote from: LeetzAre you using the whole mapped world as a setting, or just a specific region? On a personal note, the area around the Dragon Lands just seem like they could be really cool, I have no idea why, but they just do. The Flotilla sounds very strange and awesome.

The entire map is up for grabs (giving you a total area about the size of Canada), but the idea is to play the Core as 'home' with the further outlying regions being exotic places to explore. As for the Dragon Lands, I'm glad you got that impression, since that's really what I was going for. It's one of the only place on Dilandri where pure hack'n'slash can be done easily.

And I think The Flotilla is pretty cool, myself. ;)

Quote from: GhostmanI like your description of humans, especially the point of view through the other races' eyes. Doesn't come off as pessimistic to me, just showing that they have weaknesses in addition to their strengths.

Oh, good. Glad it wasn't too bad.

Quote from: GhostmanNot sure what to think about the history section. Is that supposed to be objective OOC information for the reader, or does it actually represent what characters in the setting might tell you about their history? It seems very advanced and enlightened to be the latter type, with a very science-y like tone and terms like "archeological record", very much the opposite of a more "Here be Dragons" style of writing.

It's supposed to be leaning towards OOC, but I'm concerned that it doesn't have that kind of feel. I'm drawing in influences from as late as the eighteenth century, so archeology is a profession. Could you give me some examples of where it sounds 'science-y?'

Quote from: Stargate525Could you give me some examples of where it sounds 'science-y?'

Sure...

provably pre-dwarven

which posits a possible origin

In what is postulated to be

The choise of words lends it kind of a modern, academic feel. Not that this is bad for an OOC description. (Or even an IC description, if that is the style of language you'd imagine Dilandri people to use.)

That's what I get for writing these after I read my textbooks.

I've edited it, is that better?

Seems better now :)

[ic=Two Dwarven artists on Gold]"Now look here, the reason all our songs are about gold isn't that's all we care about, it's that gold, gems, iron, and all things artistic is a pain to rhyme."

"That, and it's got far too many syllables."

"Oh aye, that too."[/ic]

[note=Dwarves]I have always had a problem with dwarves. I liked the stoicism, I liked their lawful nature. The problem was I could not reconcile these two views with their seemingly huge amount of creativity implied in them being master craftsmen.

This is my attempt to reconcile it, and hopefully it works.[/note]

Physiology:Dwarves are short, stocky, and pale. On average, they stand at four-and-a-half feet in height; women tend to stand at about the same height and build, while Ferja are slightly larger in all dimensions. Their hair is white at birth, and their eyes are blue, Both hair and eyes collect pigment based on the trace minerals consumed during their lifetimes. The most common minerals are copper, which causes a red-orange hair color and green eyes, Iron, which causes black hair and orange-red eyes, silver, which causes silvery hair and grey-blue eyes, and gold, which results in blonde hair and golden eyes.

Biologically, dwarves are unique for two main reasons. The first of these is their blood, which is a has a unique iridium-copper base. Besides making the blood an orange-pink instead of the more common red, this makes them incredibly sensitive to sunlight. Although not physically painful, sunlight reduces their blood's lifespan considerably, making them tired and mildly ill after prolonged exposure. As a bonus, however, their unique blood chemistry also makes them immune to the poisonous effects of carbon monoxide, a common threat in deep tunnels which need not be worried about (asphyxiation can still be an issue).

The second uniqueness is their reproductive cycle. They have three sexes; a male who provides sperm, a female who provides the egg, and a third sex who acts as a catalyst for fertility and a carrier for the child. The third sex is called a Ferja (plural Ferjan), and has its own set of pronouns in the Dwarven language. In common parlance, the accepted gender used to refer to them is the female form. Ferjan are rather rare; there are usually only a half dozen in any given clan, and are protected jealously. As they rarely leave the company of the innermost members of the clan, and dwarven males and females lack many distinguishing characteristics common among the other species, this has given rise to the misconception that there are no dwarven females.

Psychology: Dwarven psychology is heavily order and law based. With very few exceptions, their outlook is black-and-white, with very little grey in between. As an adaptation to this lack of moral flexibility, dwarves possess a sharp, highly developed sense of logic. This allows them to make quick, logical decisions very quickly for the benefit of themselves and their clan.

Loyalty among dwarves is to the clan, an extended network of roughly half a dozen families which have intermarried heavily and live in the same general area. Families and bloodlines are recorded, though this is more for completeness and a guard against inbreeding than any sort of social significance. Leadership is settled a number of ways, but hereditary inheritance is not one of them. Indeed, the concept of inheriting or apprenticeship based on who your parents were is both alien and illogical to them.

Variations: There are three races of dwarf. The most commonly seen, and by far the most populous, are the sun dwarves. While not confined strictly to the surface, the race is a result of generations of dwarves spending the majority of their lives in direct sunlight. They are incredibly dark-skinned and, due to the comparatively small level of minerals in their diet, their hair and eyes tend to remain white and blue throughout their entire life.

The second most populous, but by far the most stereotypical dwarves, are the stone dwarves, described at the beginning of the section. Although they do spend time above ground, the majority of their lives are spent below ground in mines, underground cities, or burrowed colonies.

The least common and most rarely seen race of dwarves are the so-called deep dwarves. The majority of members of this race will never see sunlight in their lifetimes. They occupy the deepest mines, shafts, and caverns and, due to the unusual minerals they are exposed to, their hair and eyes can be any number of vibrant unusual colors. These colors are heightened by the tone of their skin; an incredibly pale, almost bleach white.

Wow that is a very intriguing and original take on a much-used race.

Quote from: Stargate525The second uniqueness is their reproductive cycle. They have three sexes; a male, a female, and a third sex who acts as an additional parent and acts as a carrier for the child. The third sex is called a Ferja (plural Ferjan), and has its own set of pronouns in the Dwarven language. In common parlance, the accepted gender used to refer to them is the female form. Ferjan are rather rare; there are usually only a half dozen in any given clan, and are protected jealously. As they rarely leave the company of the innermost members of the clan, and dwarven males and females lack many distinguishing characteristics, this has given rise to the misconception that dwarves are only male, and that there are no dwarven females.

Now you'll have to write up a detailed report on dwarven mating positions. Enquiring minds want to know! :-p

Seriously though, how does this three gender deal work? The male gives sperm, the female gives the egg and the Ferja gets pregnant? Or is their role simply that of a wet-nurse?

Quote from: Stargate525There are three races of dwarf. The most commonly seen, and by far the most populous, are the surface dwarves.

Just a suggestion, but perhaps "sun dwarves" would make a more flavourful name (seeing things from the dwarven perspective, exposure to sunlight would seem to be the most significant factor that separates them from the others)

Quote from: GhostmanWow that is a very intriguing and original take on a much-used race.

:D Thanks.

Quote from: GhostmanNow you'll have to write up a detailed report on dwarven mating positions. Enquiring minds want to know! :-p

Seriously though, how does this three gender deal work? The male gives sperm, the female gives the egg and the Ferja gets pregnant? Or is their role simply that of a wet-nurse?

I'm not writing a dwarven sexual mechanics text, damnit. X|

On a biological level, the idea was that in addition to a sperm and an egg, you get a third entity which supplies the necessary trigger for fertilization (in this case, most likely some sort of sperm-like cell) and a place for the resulting embryo to mature. Alternately, the male and the female each give genetic meterial, and the Ferja supplies a 'blank' egg and the womb (but this makes two sexes; male and female, though females supply no genetic material of their own.

Suggestions?

Quote from: GhostmanJust a suggestion, but perhaps "sun dwarves" would make a more flavourful name (seeing things from the dwarven perspective, exposure to sunlight would seem to be the most significant factor that separates them from the others)

I like that. Consider it stolen.

[ic=A letter to a fellow traveler]
...There is persistent rumor that the elves stink of decayed plant matter. While not polite, it is unfortunately true. Elves seem to acquire a unique... head, I suppose, about them. My best advice; find one whose natural stench is at least pleasant.[/ic]

[note=Elves]Like the Dwarves, I wanted the familiar, yet with a twist of the unusual. For the Elves, I took the affinity for nature and extrapolated possible explanations for both it and the seeming disconnect some of them seem to have with other races.

That, and I really like Trill. These are my result.[/note]

Physiology: Standing at six to seven feet in height, the elves share a many characteristics with humans. Their hair and eye color are similar to humans, though their hair is universally straight and their eyes tend more towards the lighter shades. They are so similar, in fact, that the two species can crossbreed with each other. The main differences are their height, their build, which is slim nearly to the point of frail, the ears, which are elongated and end in a point, and their spots, a line of irregular grey-black circles which run from the forehead along the sides of their bodies down to the ankle. They age much the same as humans, but in addition their spots become progressively darker, gaining a slight fuzz at extreme age until they undergo something called 'the Return;' the elf's fungal infection overwhelms the elf, killing him quickly, painlessly, and disappearing the body into the surrounding plant life in the space of roughly a week.

These spots are in fact a persistent, inherited, fungal infection. Although its only visible manifestation is the spots all elves bear, the fungus is pervasive, integrated into the stomach and intestines, lungs, heart, kidneys, spine, and brain. It is a symbiotic relationship; in return for a home and nourishment, the fungus provides the host access to its scent-producing abilities as a relay for information.

The end result of this symbiosis is that elves can sense and detect other specimens of the fungus (both elves and other infected creatures), and can communicate in a limited fashion. To all other species, these communications are simply odd odors, occasionally unpleasant or alluring, but most often hovering just beyond conscious perception. To elves, however, the odor is nonexistent as such, instead conveying emotions, basest thoughts, and general well-being of all of the other elves in their vicinity. To a lesser extent, there is a sympathetic relationship between elves; hurting one severely will cause others to hurt as well, though the link isn't strong enough to kill or incapacitate.

Psychology: Elves live in a real, physical connection with all other elves around them, as well as a significant number of plants and animals in their environment. As a result, elves have a strong aversion to excessive violence or destruction, making them peaceful in general. Though not pacifists, vegans, or similar extreme positions, the elves think carefully about acts of violence, making them seem reserved and overly-dithering to some. The fungus also carries a large brunt of the elven social cues and expressions, making those without it handicapped when attempting any real interaction. On average, a non-elf is missing anywhere between half and three-quarters of the normal social cues exchanged between elves.

Naturally, an elf's concern on a social level is very much centered on the entirety of the community; there is no importance placed on familial lines in any significant sense. There is no inherent concept of marriage or monogamy among elves; women and men couple as the mood strikes, and children are raised communally; everyone is a father or mother to the younger generation, both brother, sister, and spouse to their own, and child to the generations above them. Elven villages and towns are essentially communes.

Variations: Elves have only two variations. The most predominant are the Homelanders, described above. These elves were conceived in the forest, and rarely if ever leave their forests.

Far more rare are the Wanderers, elves who, some time in the past, left their homelands to live elsewhere. The only real difference physically between these and the Homelanders is the color of their spots, which ranges from an emerald green to a sickly yellow. They have a hard time communicating properly with Homelanders, and do not undergo the Return. Instead, the fungus consumes the body slowly, taking months to years to fully destroy it. As such, they have adopted human burial rituals to prevent disease and scavengers.

How complex is social organization among elves? It seems that their unique physiology and psychology could push them toward some kind of concensus-based democracy devoid of significant elements of hierarchy and leadership.

You mentioned one coastal town, so I take it that some level of urbanism is present in elf homelands. This would imply fairly large and concentrated populations, more than one would expect from tribal hunter-gatherers. Do they practice agriculture and animal husbandry? If so, how does this balance with the apparently heavily forested character of their homeland?

Quote from: GhostmanHow complex is social organization among elves? It seems that their unique physiology and psychology could push them toward some kind of concensus-based democracy devoid of significant elements of hierarchy and leadership.

You mentioned one coastal town, so I take it that some level of urbanism is present in elf homelands. This would imply fairly large and concentrated populations, more than one would expect from tribal hunter-gatherers. Do they practice agriculture and animal husbandry? If so, how does this balance with the apparently heavily forested character of their homeland?

Both of those are less racial information and more based on location. The link is not telepathic, it's heavily empathic. They can't form a pseudo hive-mind or anything like that.

I wasn't suggesting anything like a hive mind, just that one would expect to see less emphasis on social pecking order and authority figures than among other races.

Quote from: GhostmanI wasn't suggesting anything like a hive mind, just that one would expect to see less emphasis on social pecking order and authority figures than among other races.

That is very much the case. I'm not certain where you got the former impression.

[ic=Dwarven report on Halfling Prisoners of War]Day 1: Have yet to cope with constant screaming from prisoners over dishonor. Suspect cave wax in the ears will help alleviate this.
Day 3: Cave wax helped, can no longer hear the prisoners.
Day 7: Have discovered prisoners dead, to a man, having impaled themselves on their dinner forks...[/ic]

[note=Halflings]The current incarnation of the Halflings stemmed from what I wanted the half-orcs not to be, which was the standard 'grog smash!' persona. I never much cared for that generalization, and did away with it entirely. To fill the role of a natural-born warrior, I altered the Halflings accordingly.[/note]

Physiology: Halflings stand within a few inches of three feet in height, and are built very strongly; nearly all muscle. Females are thinner and more lithe in general, but are just as tough. Their hair is straight and either brown or black and, like most other species, their hair greys with age. Their skin is coppery from their bright, hot environment.

The eyes of halflings are their most unique feature. Designed to maximize their vision in the lower light levels in the lower jungle, their eyes are more similar to a cat's than they are to any other species. Their pupils being vertical slits, they can open incredibly wide in darkness and, like cats, they tend to reflect light. Their irises are usually gold or yellow. Blues and greens are possible, but rare.

Psychology: Halflings are a product of their environment. More specifically, an environment that has spent thousands of years attempting to kill them in new and interesting ways. This has made them highly cooperative, fiercely defensive, incredibly independent, and highly efficient in all of their actions. Halflings are predators, and both their bearing and their mindset shows them for what they are.

Halflings are perhaps the most familial species on Dilandri. The immediate and extended family is incredibly important, and forms the basis of the halfling clans. Property, housing, and materials are communal to the family, but some individual artifacts, especially those denoting power or honor, are passed down through blood lines. Unlike nearly every other species, there is no concept of land ownership among halflings; there is simply no reason to claim an area of featureless jungle as one's own.

A main basis of a halfling's personality is their strict adherence to honor and respect. Fairness, acting within the bounds of ones obligations, and a strict adherence to the clan's moral and legal code are mainstays of a halfling's expectations. This impulse to gain and preserve honor is so strong that the punishments for all but the most severe crimes are various kinds of public humiliation, punishments which work as well as or better than the more conventional penalties among the other species.

Variations: The halflings described above are the Twiwoku, the landrunners. They live on or very near the floor of the jungle, are the most populous race, and make up the bulk of any halfling army. They also tend to be the seafarers and fishermen of the halfling nation, though there are very few who make their primary living on the water.

The second most populous race of halflings are the Shuding, halflings who for generations have lived above the ground, in the canopy and emergent layers of the forest. They are incredibly lanky, almost freakishly so, and their build is light and thin. Their hair is the lightest shade among halflings, a medium-light brown, and their skin is paler than their counterparts on the ground. They are the main operators of Serona's considerable air force.

The third, least common of the races are the Shangyang, who inhabit the high forests where the trees give way to mountains. They are burlier, thicker, heavier, and shorter than the average halfling. Their hair is universally jet black. They form the elite of the Serona military, the backbone of halflings armies, and theirs are among some of the most honored of all the major clans.

The final race of halflings are the Jufu. These interclan bastards and their children are thrown out of Serona, and account for nearly all of the halfling population outside of the Seronan jungle. Little to no emphasis is placed on lineage among the Jufu, so they tend to be a diverse group, having a mixture of all of the other races. On average, more Shuding find themselves outcast or stuck outside the jungle, so the race tends towards lankiness. No matter the lineage, any halfling born outside of the Seronan jungle has dark chestnut eyes, a color which has never manifested in the jungle.

[ic=Instructions for servants of the Diplomatic Wing]Note to the household: Do not allow the gnomes delegation to linger unsupervised in public areas, and gently discourage any tinkering they may wish to attempt. Please also remember that the storeroom, the smithy, and the entire Mages' Wing are off-limits to the delegation, especially if they have any of our furniture.[/ic]

[note=Gnomes]Gnomes, for me, are difficult to do. One the one hand, I like the tinkering, inventive nature they are normally associated with. On the other hand, I don't like the scorn and derision that they seem to get. I've tried to keep the inventive nature, but remove some of the aspects that make them such a laughingstock.[/note]

Physiology: Gnomes bear a striking similarity to halflings, standing at almost exactly the same height (about 3 feet) and sharing a general build. From a distance, the two species are essentially indistinguishable. However, there are some distinguishing characteristics. Their hair tends to be blonde or red and is never naturally straight, instead growing in curly or in heavy waves. Their skin lacks the reddish-copper coloration of halflings, instead having a more olive-like skin tone. In general, they lack the physical muscle of halflings, but make up for it with intellect and larger heads. Gnomes also can and do grow facial hair, a rare trait among halflings.

A gnome's eyes, however, are their most valuable and unique feature. Slightly larger in comparison to their faces, they are incredibly complex and are pentrachromatic. They see both ultraviolet and infrared to some degree, making their range of visible light nearly double that of humans and most other species. In addition, their eyes are attuned to slight motions and close work; they can focus on objects both incredibly small and incredibly quick-moving. Their 'frame rate' is over twice that of humans.

Psychology: The overriding drive in a gnome's psyche is curiosity, closely followed by a drive to improve the things around them. They place large emphasis on individuality, freedom, and creativity, making them some of the most diverse artists and performers on Dilandri. In addition to their creativity, they have a huge drive and motivation to finish whatever they begin.

Gnomes also have what could be the most highly-developed sense of nationalism on Dilandri. While there is some loyalty to family and friends, the benefit and well-being of the society and nation as a whole is paramount in the mind of a gnome. Below the national level, the strongest loyalty is to the self. Gnome society tends to be cutthroat, with great effort, time, and creativity required to gain any sort of position of influence.

[Variations: The most common race of gnomes are the Faniko,  gnomes which hail from the original three gnome nations. They are described above, and are some of the shortest gnomes on average.

The next most common are the Ganika, members of the gnome-dominated border nations and remnants of the ancient colonies. They tend to be taller, stronger, and heartier than their southern counterpart. Their hair is brown, and is tightly curled.

A small but visible minority of gnomes are the race of wanderers, the Rohonan, who have lived for multiple generations outside traditional gnome lands. They are among the tallest of gnomes, some getting as tall as four and a half feet high. Their hair is also the straightest among gnomes, growing in a gentle wave only visible with longer hair.

I think your halflings are more interesting than the gnomes, the latter seem to lack that final touch to really make them unique. Especially their physiology is rather lackluster, painting them as little more than short smart humans with peculiar eyes, where every other non-human race appears to have at least one truly distinguishing feature.

Perhaps they could have improved vision like the halflings, but different? For artistic and small-scale engineering/artisan work it would be advantageous to have a sharp short-range sight and strong depth perception, and being able to sense a wider spectre of colors. Something like that could help promote the tinkerer aspect.

Quote from: GhostmanI think your halflings are more interesting than the gnomes, the latter seem to lack that final touch to really make them unique. Especially their physiology is rather lackluster, painting them as little more than short smart humans with peculiar eyes, where every other non-human race appears to have at least one truly distinguishing feature.

Perhaps they could have improved vision like the halflings, but different? For artistic and small-scale engineering/artisan work it would be advantageous to have a sharp short-range sight and strong depth perception, and being able to sense a wider spectre of colors. Something like that could help promote the tinkerer aspect.

Ooh, I like that. Thanks.

[ic=From "The Memoirs of a Merchant Captain"]Half-Orcs might be ugly, unruly, dangerous brutes. Thing is, only a fool would sail without one in the crew. A team of them is better, and the wisest among us sail with as many as we can afford. Or course, even the best among us can't match a full half-orc raider, and they pale in comparison to an orc warship.

They are the most dangerous sailors in the world. That, in a clamshell, is why my first-mate was a half-orc.
[/ic]

[note=Half-Orcs]I departed radically with the orcs in Dilandri. Appropriately, the half-orcs have been changed to conform. I've decided to remove the majority of the brutish aspects of the half-orcs, and played up the dichotomy of emotional makeup between orcs and humans.[/note]

Physiology: Half-orcs are built along the lines of their more bestial counterparts; tall, spindly, and lean. Their skin is a pale jade green, and their hair is black or dark brown. Their eyes are nearly always yellow, though they occasionally have flakes of brown, blue, or green. They stand anywhere from six to seven feet in height, and despite their size they almost never weigh more than 200 pounds. Females tend to be shorter and more heavily built than males.

Their most astounding feature is their respiratory system. In addition to the pair of lungs they share with humans, they possess a third lung which is capable of 'breathing' water, as well as a shunt allowing them to use either of the sets as they please. Although it is not efficient as a set of gills, this allows them a limited ability to move and act underwater. The rest of their bodies are also adapted to aquatic activity; their eyes have a secondary transparent lid to protect them, and their hands are partially webbed to make them better swimmers.

Psychology: The half-orcs are at war with themselves mentally, between the violent tendencies of the orcs and the more measured, peaceful aspects granted them by their human half. They tend towards violence and quick anger, tempered by deep-seated remorse and sympathy for those they may harm inadvertently. In short, they have the soul of a compassionate man mated with a near-total lack of self-control and anger management.

They attempt to temper this with strong laws and direction coupled with harsh punishments and swift justice. Half-orc standards of 'harsh' tend to appear incredibly brutal to most races. A bloody wrestling match is probably recreational sport, and a beating could be simple light discipline. This can and does lead to misunderstandings. In most nations they inhabit the prisons and jails in disproportionate number. They also tend to work very well in militaries and mercenary groups, where their occasional bouts of sudden anger are given more leeway, and their penchant for strictness and order is easily satiated.

History: The history of the half-orcs begins a few months after the first orc incusion, when the prisoners and victims of the orcs began giving birth. Seen as abominations by the civilized societies and weaklings to the orcs, they were almost completely exterminated at birth. Those that survived quickly found themselves among the lowest classes of their societies. There, they began to reproduce amongst themselves, their numbers bolstered by offspring from subsequent incursions. They quickly formed a significant majority in slums and shantytowns.

It was not until fairly recently that half-orcs have gained what little respect they now have. During the First Wasteland Campaign, they were recruited to sail ahead of the main fleet and report on orc positions. Instead, they engaged the orc fleet head-on, decimating the orcs and paving the way for the grand invasion.

Since then, half-orcs have become a mainstay of most navies and merchant fleets. Aside from full orcs and reavers from Hal Hadal, they are also the most prevalent source of piracy in both the Mist Ocean and the Inland Sea.

Variations: The above-described half-orcs are the typical, new half-orcs, a direct descendant of a human and an orc. They are the most violent, least well-adjusted of the half-orc races due to their dysfunctional, often impersonal upbringing.

Old half-orcs, the result of an orc somewhere in the family tree further back than direct parentage, are usually a bit more even-tempered (though this isn't saying much). They tend to be less orclike in appearance; their skin is less green in appearance, they tend to be shorter and heavier than their new counterparts, and their eyes are more humanlike colors flaked with yellow, than the other way around. They stand from 5'10 to six and a half feet in height.

The Order of Samex is an ancient, venerable societal order. What began in the area around Ortiano has spread to nearly all of the core nations. Consisting primarily of arcanists and monks, the Order is defined by its philosophical position on personal life. They believe that the more a person is personally enriched, the better off they and those around them become.

While this began as a well-meaning, if somewhat eccentric, backbone to a monastic order, it quickly devolved into an excuse for personal indulgence. Within a century of its founding, the majority of the members of the Order were nobles and aristocrats, who used their so-called philosophical leanings to justify their corruption and greed. Although there is a strong revivalist movement within the Samexian enclaves, their own political influence pales in comparison to their brothers in politics. Despite the fact that many enclaves are still the generous sources of welfare and communal support that they have more or less always been, the sight of a white partial mask in public spheres generally signifies someone of corruption, with influence to spare.

Tradition and Society: The most visible garb of the Order of Samex is the cyan-on-navy clothing and porcelain white half-mask typical among the Samexians who travel abroad. Those who remain in their enclaves wear more subdued, commonly-dyed clothing of a typical monk. Unlike most monastic orders, the Samexians have a strong arcane tradition; crystals are built into structures and accommodated in uniforms and clothing. Additionally, they tend to be very reliant on magical devices built by their members, a dependency which can often spill out into the neighboring countryside as the monasteries use these items to purchase goods.

And purchase goods they do. There is no sparseness in Samexian monasteries. Instead, the cloisters are tastefully and affluently furnished. While hardly affluent (barring the figurehead monasteries in major political capitols), they are on par with the homes of wealthy merchants or 'impoverished' nobility; in many cases, joining the Order of Samex is a step up in the world, economically speaking.

The Mask of Semex: The Mask of Samex is a moderately-powerful magic item, capable of storing beneficial (or, occasionally, harmful) markings similar to tattoos. While most markings of this kind enhance the wearer's speaking skills or charisma, there are other, far more rare, markings which can be quite powerful, and some which have been completely lost to time. Only a Provost of the Order can bestow such a marking, and any given mask can have only one marking placed upon it at a time.

There are no known written records of these markings, and scribed masks defy close examination; knowledge of their inscription is passed down from Provost to Provost via oral tradition and practice. While a secure method of preserving the secret of these markings, it has led to a staggering loss of variety. What once was hundreds, if not thousands of unique markings has been reduced to less than fifty via untimely deaths, lack of use, or sheer forgetfulness.

[ic=Drian Warmaster]
There are only three things you need worry tourselves about in the war; Inveran Blades, Vestian boots, and Itlandi bows.
[/ic]

Itland is a small nation in the Core, which aside from its fame for producing truly exceptional bows and archers, is otherwise a backwater which keeps out of world affairs. Its geography, almost all swamp, does not help its reputation.

Geography: Itland sits on the lowlands between Lake Vestian and the Inland Sea, a sloping bit of land which is almost completely waterlogged with swamp and marshland. The settlements in the region occupy the driest areas of the country or are built on deeply-anchored stilts. Preferably, both. Their capitol, Aalst, is built on its own remains, as it sinks into the ground at a rate close to an inch every other year.

Despite the annoyance of living there, the country is a refuge for all manner of animals, and a great source of medicinal plants and herbs. In the winter, the freeze even allows some semblance of easy travel. Fall and spring are beautiful, with the plants in bloom and the leaves changing colors, respectively.

Statistics
  Population: ~1,214,500
  Area: ~13,500 sq. mi.
Exports: Medicines, longbows, spices
Imports: Food, metals, stone

Politics
  Internal: Itland is an odd true monarchy, with a royal line extending back to the original royal family of the Empire of the Seven Stars. To avoid inbreeding, their extended family is large, they tend to readily import spouses, and there is no shame in wedlock with commoners. In practice, this means that the royal bloodline is so diluted that their reign is by virtue of their light hand, and the fact that the line has yet to produce a truly terrible monarch.

Immediately below the king or queen are the mayors, appointed members of the royal line who rule a single settlement. These mayors are beholden to the people they rule, and numerous small revolts take place in the towns for anything from taxes being too high to an insulting gesture made at the wrong person. Though the post is a lifelong appointment, the average mayor can expect a decade or so before being ousted and sent to a different location. As the nature of the land make rural taxation difficult, there is no attempt made to collect one. Instead, Itland maintains its treasury via a sales tax on manufactured goods, and a heavy exportation tax on spices and medicines.

  Foreign: Itland is a member of the three-nation anti-Drian bloc, along with Lorlot and Inveran. As a result, their northern border is blocked to trade, and many of the ports of Dria's closest allies are similarly forbidden (despite this, there is a thriving food smuggling industry along the nation's northern border, which is policed at only a token level).

There are royal familial ties with Vestia, as well as several of the League's Protectorships to the west. This gives them a small amount of sway in international politics, though this influence is not useful for anything truly direct.

Academics: Education in Itland is decentralized, practical, and informal. In large cities, some small schools and academies have established themselves, but anyone wanting a truly good education head to Inveran, Vestia, or Dria. Most learning is done by the reliable master/apprentice system, and Itland is the strongest holder to the old traditions of apprenticed arcanists.

Religion: Like most of the Core Nations, Itland follows the Five and Twenty-five officially. Doing away with the ostentatious temples of Dria and Vestia, their places of worship are simple wooden structures with only a cleric of two to service it. The largest temple is in the capitol, a stone structure with twenty clerics and monks to occupy it. It resembles an average temple in Dria's midsize cities.

Arts and Fashion: Itland's cultural scene is, like in many other national aspects, perhaps not as vibrant or diverse as her neighbors. Its small population and scarce resources limit the people's creative expression to rustic, homey methods and styles.

Itlandi clothing is primarily leather or fur hides, with plant weave and imported materials as a distant second. Despite the abundance of natural dye options available, their clothing tends to retain natural colors in all but the most formal outfits, the better to blend in with their surroundings. Decoration is usually done with embroidery, though this is uncommon.

Houses and public places are decorated mainly with crafts; carvings, weaving, or taxidermied animals are mainstays. Occasionally, wealthy merchants may own metal sculpture or stone pieces. Paintings are almost nonexistent, and performance art is limited to nursery rhymes and working tunes.

Technology: On a purely academic level, Itland lacks many of the modern advances and systems which her neighbors enjoy. Considering the terrain, one could very well argue that these developments, such as a central highway or a postal service, would be nearly impossible to implement in the country anyway.

One area in which they excel, however, is bowyering and fletching. Although their long, short, and composite bows are without equal in the world, the true pinnacle of Itland know-how is the compound bow. By using pulley apparatuses originally developed by gnomes and applying them to their composites, Itland's master bowyers have developed a light, powerful weapon capable of matching the vast majority of crossbows in speed and stopping power, while maintaining the firing rate and skills of the traditional archer. Their construction is a closely guarded secret, and only seven men currently know how to make one.

The marriage of gearwork to archery had led to a number of peripheral advances. Block and tackle is used to unstick carts from the perennial muddy earth, crank-style wells are used to tap deep aquifers, and the royal palace has recently installed hand-powered lifts for use in the kitchens.

Beyond the occasional trinket of rare installation, almost no crystal or magic technology is used in Itland apart from the nearly ubiquitous crystalshard personal lamps (that Itland has no crystal deposits of any size is a large contributor to this).

Economy: Itland's economy is almost primitive in its simplicity; with almost no industry to speak of, the economy rests on the backs of hunters and gardeners. The former for food and clothing needs, the latter for the bulk of the nation's exports of medicine and spice. Although highly desired, Itland's compound bows are not a notable export in terms of raw income. There is some money made by commissioners for bows, and the occasional archery tournaments draw some notable income, though these both account for no significant percentage of Itland's economy.

Society: The Itlandi are resourceful, clever, and fiercely independent as a people. Most are experienced woodsmen, and all of them, including the women, are at least familiar with a bow. Most are also rather self-sufficient; the majority of households wear home-made clothing, eat food hunted or grown themselves, and live in a home built by them or their ancestors.

This independence has led to a great deal of indifference to authority. There is a distinct feeling that the royal family is only in power from the sufferance of the people. Had the average Itlandi more free time, the liberalism of the gnomes may well have first blossomed here.

Food in Itland is heavily favored and appetizing, due to the large number of spices which grow in the area. Water is a luxury for drinking; the common beverage is a weak ale flavored with ginger or blackroot.

[ic=Excerpt from Moltin's Bow, Act II, Sc 3]
Moltin: It's not our place to make war or offer offense; we are a peaceful people in our heart, not given to violence or agression.
Edmund: And your reputation as the finest sword in Kraustlandt?
Moltin: I made peace, didn't I? Like I said, a peaceful people.
[/ic]

Physiology: Half-Elves or, as they are called among elves, half-humans, are a species which stands similar in size and appearance to humans. They rarely stand greater than six and a half feet tall, and their build tends to fall between those of an elf and a human. They lack the spots of elves, and with the exception of the slightly pointed ears, they are nearly indistinguishable from a thin human.

Like elves, their most notable distinction is their internal structure. Although not as thoroughly integrated into the body of half-elves, the symbiotic fungus of the elvish homeland flows through their body. In half-elves, this fungus acts as an immuno-booster and aging suppressant. As a result, half-elves benefit from the longest natural lifespans of any civilized species.

A direct human-elf breeding is very, very rarely produces a live child, but once it does, the result breeds true and easily with both humans, elves, and half-elves. There is no functional difference between a person who is 50% elf, 25% elf, or 10% elf. The fungal infection doesn't care about how much was there originally, as it quickly becomes a body-wide symbiosis within months of conception regardless.

Psychology: Half-Elves, as a race, are of two minds. On the one hand, they are compassionate and caring, brilliantly intellectual, and occupy some of the most prestigious academic positions in the world. On the other hand, they have garnered a reputation for being miserly, swindling, and backstabbing. In both respects, this reputation is probably exaggerated, though their intelligence is very real.

As far as relations with other races, the half-elves are rather antagonistic and fatalistic; they have a long, sometimes difficult relationship with the other races and, given their lifespan, these biases tend to fester into prejudice or hatred.

Family among half-elves takes a middle road between humans and elves. Like humans, family is of the utmost importance. Due to their elven nature, and perhaps a lingering effect of the fungus, they bond into large extended tribes which tend to be as feuding a peckish as any large kingdom. Every half-elf has a tribe, either by birth or adoption.

History: Half-elves as a race began during the early years of the first expansion of the Empire of the Seven Stars. Whether it was through pillage, prostitution, or legitimate courtship, thousands of human and elf women became pregnant. Unlike the relative ease of bringing a half-orc into the world, nearly all of these pregnancies ended in the death of the child, the mother, or both.

According to legend, fifteen of these babies survived out of the thousands. These fifteen first half-elves are the progenitors of the original fifteen tribes of half-elves. Although elves and humans were barely fertile with each other, half-elves had no such problems. Whether with elves, humans, or other half-elves, they courted, married, and multiplied.

Eventually half-elves were a common sight throughout the Empire but, like the half-orcs that preceded them, they quickly found themselves the subject of persecution, a bias which expanded to full opression during the waning years of the Empire and the Dissociation. Gradually, restricted curfews turned into walled ghettos which turned into exile in all but geography. When the Shield was re-established, the half-elves took advantage of the rich lands thus opened up.

Since then, the half-elves have adamantly, sometimes violently, defended their new homeland. They are still present in the other core nations and, with the diplomatic power of their nation behind them, the former restrictions on their movement and activity have been largely lifted or outright abolished.

Variations: The half-elves described above are the most common of the half-elves, those that live abroad among human, elf, or other nations. In general, they tend to look much like the humans that live in the same areas, albeit taller and with slightly pointed ears.

Those that live in their homeland tend to be more distinctive. They grow even taller and thinner, much cloer to elves than humans. As they age, they gather an increasing number of spots across their body; these are similar to those found on elves, though placed randomly.

The rarest type of half-elf is those who do not come from a half-elf; the direct offspring of a human and an elf. They tend to have longer, more elf-like ears than older half-elves, and are usually a bit more shortly-lived.

I'm having a little trouble here.

I like the descriptions and the attributes.  I like the details.  I like the racial family descriptions, especially.

I am having trouble with if they are 1/2, or 1/4, or 1/20 elf.

I get that they interbreed with difficulty.  and that a ways back, 15 were around at the same time, but since these 15 each started a tribe, then the 1/2 elves were each interbred with other races. (so the parents have barely fertiel, but the next generation is somehow more able to interbreed?)

And they must breed near true after the first generation, since to create a tribe from 1 person, there must have been a tone of interbreeding from other races from there.  I suppose they could have interbred an exact amount of elves and humans into their line, but somehow, this seems funky.
I guess what you are saying is that the 1/2 elf, difficult to birth in the first place, breeds near true afterwards.

Quote from: LordVreeg the UnsleepingI'm having a little trouble here.

I like the descriptions and the attributes.  I like the details.  I like the racial family descriptions, especially.

I am having trouble with if they are 1/2, or 1/4, or 1/20 elf.

I get that they interbreed with difficulty.  and that a ways back, 15 were around at the same time, but since these 15 each started a tribe, then the 1/2 elves were each interbred with other races. (so the parents have barely fertiel, but the next generation is somehow more able to interbreed?)

And they must breed near true after the first generation, since to create a tribe from 1 person, there must have been a tone of interbreeding from other races from there.  I suppose they could have interbred an exact amount of elves and humans into their line, but somehow, this seems funky.
I guess what you are saying is that the 1/2 elf, difficult to birth in the first place, breeds near true afterwards.

You're also stating the legend as fact. Remember, these people have no more of a grasp on their past than we do, so the fifteen is probably somewhat of an exaggeration.

But yes, the general gist is that a direct human-elf breeding is very, very rarely going to produce a live child, but once it does, the result breeds true and easily with both humans and elves. There is no functional difference between a person who is 50% elf, 25% elf, or 10% elf, as the fungal infection doesn't care about how much was there originally.

See, that helps me.  Hope it helped you...

I've added that paragraph with a few modifications under the physiology heading. Does it make more sense now?

[ic=Creed of the Blades]
This is my sword. There are many like it, but this one is mine. My sword is my life. It must be mastered as my life must also be. Without my sword, I am helpless. My sword, without me, is useless. I will strike true. I will hit stronger and faster than my enemy, who is trying to kill me. I must kill him before he kills me.

My sword is living, even as I, because it is my life. Thus, I will learn it as a brother. I will learn its weaknesses, its strengths, its blade and its hilt. I will guard it against harm as I ever guard my legs, arms, eyes, and heart from damage. I will keep my sword forever clean and ready. My sword and I will be one.

Before my King and my Gods, I swear this oath. My blade and myself are defenders of the Crown. We will master our enemy as we master ourselves. This do I swear, until victory is ours and there is no enemy.[/ic]

Inveran is a medium-sized country in the Core, known for both its tremendously powerful war economy and phenomenal fencing tradition. Perhaps the most famous aspect of her military is her Blades, a corps of soldiers and bodyguards whose skill, expertise, and fame is unequalled.

Geography: Inveran occupies the eastern edge of Lake Vestia, a rich, fertile area of land which transitions to swampland in the north and rocky hills to the south. It is a region blessed by temperate weather and an abundance of rain. This makes the area a nearly perfect area to grow any number of crops, and most of the land is covered in orchard, pasture, or fields.

Statistics
  Population: ~1,494,900
  Area: ~ 14,800 sq. mi.
Exports: Weapons, Metal goods
Imports: Lumber, Luxuries, Textiles

Politics
  Internal: Inveran is an absolute monarchy, though in recent times is has developed some semblance of a parliament. The government is headed by the king, with very little below him in terms of solid hierarchy. Perhaps the next most static source of power is the Conclave, a representative group of all the landowning nobility whose primary purpose is maintaining consistency among local taxes and laws.

On a local level, the ultimate authority is a Count, Knight, or Earl (the title is dependent on the size of the area). This regional lord answers only to the king and, while many of these titles are essentially hereditary, the king has final say over the appointment of these positions. In the majority of regions, there is a Sheriff who organizes the militia, heads the guard, and keeps general order, and an exchequer who handles finances, dues, and taxes both for the lord's taxes on his subjects and the king's dues to the lord.

  Foreign: whether justly or no, Inveran has a reputation for being somewhat of a emrcenary power. This is largely due to the actions of the last King, Roger III, who used his Blades as a backing for his own foreign policy. While hiring out the Blades did bring prosperity and economic stability, it has also given other nations the perception that a large, experienced body of troops can be purchased with a few generous trading deals.

Now, with Roger's son Geoffrey on the throne, this attitude is reversing; Blades are kept closer to home, and the threat of their deployment is wielded with as much regularity now as actual orders were used in Roger's time. This means that although the view of Inveran as a nation of blades for hire has lessened, they are still courted diplomatically for the chance of that power being used again.

Academics: Inveran is strictly average when it comes to education, both traditional and magical. They have universities, though not enough to service all who want to enroll there, and their arcane academies are middle of the road, as well regarded as the majority of academies in the core.

However, their real claim to notoriety lies in their military colleges. These colleges teach military technique, tactics, strategy, and swordsmanship to those who enroll with as much fervor and depth as the gnomes teach mechanics in their own schools.

These colleges typically being educating young children, teaching them the basics of tactics and swordsmanship alongside their reading and writing. This education is strenuous and difficult; nearly ninety percent of those enrolled at the age of five drop out before the program's completion at eighteen. Those that do are some of the most brilliant, flexible soldiers and tacticians in the world. It is from these ranks that the Blades are taken, quite literally the best of the best.

Religion: Like most core nations, the primary religion in the nation is the Five and Twenty-Five, though there is a strong minority of other religions represented. Inveran is the only core nation with a king who is not a Pentagonal (Geoffrey follows the Music), and there is nearly a fifty-fifty split between Pentagonals and Totemists amongst the ranks of the Blades.

Due to the relative diversity of religion in the country, Inveran is one of the few nations which has no state religion. With no support from the government, temples here are in fierce competition with each other for followers and funding. Temples are small, but ornate and built to draw attention to themselves.

Arts and Fashion: Inveran follows dria to a large degree in regards to fashion. Men wear pants, shirts, and a cloak (slit to the shoulders for flexibility and movement) while women wear skirts, shirts, and vests. The commonality of skirts has steadily declined ever since women were allowed to enroll in the military academies. Now, many are adopting pants for their greater practicality when fighting with a sword.

Formal clothes are variations on the military uniforms of Inveran. Cut, colors, and decoration are all played with to create new and interesting articles for debutantes and nobility, with the result that those in the military often find themselves out of place for the plainness of their own formal wear. This fashion causes somewhat of a stir in neighboring countries; woman's wear in Inveran is essentially unique in that it is hardly distinguishable from those of men.

Culturally, they borrow much from their ally Vestia. So much so that in some circles of Vestian nobility, going to court in Inveran is known as 'taking in Little Vestia,' a name no one actually uses in the presence of an Inveran citizen, naturally.

Technology: Similar to many core nations, Inveran's urban systems are relatively modern; sewer and postal systems, planned cities, etcetera. Militarily, they are among some of the best adopters of mechanics and masters of traditional tactics.

Their real strength lies in their metals. They have developed a specialized technique for melding crystal and steel into a single, new substance. Whether this technique involves metalizing crystals, crystallizing metal, or somehow melding the two is known only to Inveran's master smiths and the arcanists that help them. This crysteel, as it is so called, is mainly used in swords, though its unique properties are also being experimented with in armor and more complicated machinery. Gnome and Dwarf smiths are working hard to steal the secret of it, but the crown is jealously guarding it.

Economy: Inveran's economy is strong, centralized, and somewhat brittle. The majority of the nation's economic power lies in its few industrial centers. Its few domestic resources to feed this industry makes the economy fragile; if a mine dries up or a crop fails, the economy can become strained, and a major mine collapse some thirty years ago led to a decade-long economic depression.

However, the ability to build weapons of war makes it a true winner in times of conflict. Inveran weapons are highly sought after, and Inveran makes a killing, figuratively speaking, when others make war.

Society: As a nation of soldiers and war-builders, Inveran society is surprisingly creative and spontaneous, even inside her rather large military. In many ways, the military and her trappings are taken as inspiration for imitation. Army parlance is peppered in every conversations; second-in-commands are called 'lieutenants,' a group of friends might be known as a 'squad' or 'detachment,' and the red light districts of cities are known as places for men to 'go on maneuvers.'

It is, in general, a happy-go-lucky society, which often gives the impression that no one in the country takes war, combat, or anything seriously. This is not the case. The flamboyance is often a way for them to forget their bloody business. Those who know Inverans know that they work as hard as they play.

Notes for Visitors:

*Unless you are very confident, do not offend an Inveran citizen. Most are more than capable of defending themselves.
*Dueling is legal, but must be registered beforehand and presided over by a royally-licensed judge and healer.
*Women do not expect, and can be offended by, receiving the deference to the sex common in other core nations.
*Inveran's largest cities require the peace-binding of swords upon entry, but usually have dedicated dueling fields where grievances are settled. Such fields are one place to register a duel.
*Tip carriage drivers, but not postal officers; the post is state-funded, and the officers' pay does not take tips into account. They are simply not expected.

[ic=Report to Confederate Command during Second Alliance Incursion]
...We then engaged the Lorlot battalion on the fifth morning. Their numbers stood at approximately fifteen hundred while our own strength numbered approximately eight thousand...

...On the ninth hour we achieved victory. Twelve of the Lorlot detachment were captured, the remainder neutralized (reports estimate less than fifty successfully retreated), and our column was reduced to below fighting strength. Our column now numbers 2,530, over half of those wounded...
[/ic]

Lorlot is the third nation of the triple alliance with Inveran and Itland against Dria. Like Inveran and Itland, they are famous for their military. In Lorlot's case, rock solid discipline, ruthlessly effective tactical doctrine, and brutal efficacy in the field make them a true terror on the battlefield.

Geography: Lorlot is a temperate, moist country blessed with a long growing season and large areas of fertile land. Their position along the coast of the Inland Sea gives them long beaches and tempers the harshness that the Core's winters can have. Lorlot lack minerals, however. The rock of Lorlot holds little in the way of ores, and is useful only for quarrying into building supplies.

Statistics
  Population: ~1,710,680
  Area: ~ 14,450 sq. mi.
Exports: fish, weaponry, stone
Imports: ores, luxuries, lumber

Politics
  Internal: Lorlot is a military autocracy led by the Grand General at the behest of the Ruling Lords of Lorlot (who have abdicated their ruling right). The role of the Grand General is similar to that of a king, though much more militaristic and lacking a hereditary component. New Grand Generals are elected by the generals from among themselves. This means that, oddly, Lorlot has one of the most progressive social systems anywhere in the world; a commoner or even criminal can and has risen to become the Grand General and supreme ruler of Lorlot.

The Ruling Lords are all that remain of Lorlot's feudalistic history. This group, made up of the descendants of Lorlot's old ruling class, is entirely ceremonial. They get preferred treatment in some places, and are the only people in the nation to hold the title of 'lord' or 'lady' (titles they rarely actually use). Other than that, they are as influential as any other citizen.

Local towns and cities are ruled by the garrison commander of the region. A large number of sergeants, and all officers have as many domestic responsibilities as they do military ones. The majority of their time is spent more in the role of sheriff, governor, or mayor than a soldier.

Foreign: Foreign relations with other nations are terse, protectionist, and suspicious. Though their alliances with Itland and Inveran is solid and built on three common military struggles, they are the only nations which the powers of Lorlot seem to trust. Others, especially Vestia and Dria, are seen as serious threats to Lorlot's sovereignty and security as a nation. Distant nations, such as the dwarfholds and gnome nations, are treated more warmly, but distance makes trade more seldom. As a result, Lorlot is perceived as an extremely dangerous loner. Many of the countries neighboring her are quietly terrified of them waging a full war, as they possess the capabilities to make a serious endeavor of expansionism, should they undertake it.

Academics: Lorlot has a network of military academies and arcane universities modeled on Inveran's intense military colleges. This pushes out extremely educated, highly competent proto-soldiers. However, as the Inveran system continues to teach non-military subjects to its soldiers, Lorlot abandons this with its officers, focusing more specifically on tactics and military technique.

Outside of the military, Lorlot has one of the most antiquated educational systems in the world. Everything that requires some amount of skill and is not related to the military is taught by experience or apprenticeship, and since guilds and unions are illegal, there is little regulation in the process. For this reason, their literacy rate is among the lowest in the world (though all officers are literate, and often highly diversely educated).

Religion: The Five and Twenty-Five is the state religion, mandated by military decree. Consequently, there is almost no other religious presence in the nation. Those that openly practice other religions are repressed, though not as harshly as in some other nations; there is a curfew, they are forbidden from becoming officers, and they cannot own property. Despite this, there is an underground group of Totemists in the officer core, a practice absorbed mostly from Inveran Blades, though this is kept very much in the closet.

Churches are kept harshly utilitarian and sparse, similar to the rest of the nation. Clerics will often be seen wearing garb similar to the military detachments of chaplains. There are also no other temples; one of the many restrictions faced by the practitioners of other religions is the forbiddance of public worship places.

Arts and Fashion: Military uniforms are the main dictat of fashion in the nation. Unlike Inveran, whose uniforms are fashionable, or Itland, whose uniforms are made from whatever is easiest to procure, Lorlot's uniforms are designed to maximize flexibility and effectiveness; there are copious pockets for all manner of supplies and equipment, the cut is built to maximize flexibility, and they are dyed to blend in with their surroundings. They lack the single, bold color common to most nations. Due to the nation's military predominance, civilian clothing tends to closely imitate these uniforms, and are often made from the remnants of old uniform material.

Architecturally, Lorlot builds for defense. Their walls are thick and strong, and their cities are organized to make their capture a bloody prospect. They build almost exclusively with stone, saving wood for the floors of the tallest buildings. This, along with their lack of embellishments, makes their buildings boring to look at but immediately identifiable.

In the realm of art and performance, they are tolerated and not much else. There is some amount of tradition in performance art, which stems from the creation of anthems and military drills, but anything defined as art is almost non-existent in the region.

Technology: Lorlot is lacking in any technological aspect which doesn't aid their military. However, they are extremely progressive in what aids their military. They are one of the few nations which has mastered acceptable weapons manufacture by way of molding, and their trebuchets (using the ubiquitous gnome gearwork) are some of the lightest and strongest ever designed. Their roads are well-built, nearly as regular as the Grand Highway, and their postal service (handled through the quartermaster's office) is brutally efficient. They have combined and miniaturized many types of mundane equipment to help make their military more mobile. In addition, their war enchanters create many types of cheap, disposable magical gear to increase their effectiveness.

Due to the lack of ores within their territory, metals are expensive and valuable commodities. While officers and specialized shock troops still carry metal weapons, such as swords and axes, and wear metal armor, tremendous advancements have been made in the creation of alternative forms of weaponry. Lorlot quarterstaves are some of the most durable and consistent made anywhere, using a unique coring system to maximize rigidity without making the weapon brittle. These are the primary weapons of Lorlot regular armies. Maces are often made of stone supported by metal bands to cheapen their cost.

Economy: Since their economy supports such a large active military, it is fragile and somewhat stunted when not on a war footing. It's a command economy; the military demands and controls production, and rations both food and basic commodities.

While at peace, a vast amount of the military holds secondary jobs in farming or simple labor, though this is not enough to bring the economy the kind of stability its neighbors enjoy. They have resources, but in general lack the manpower to make good use of them.

Society: Lorlot, as a product of heavy militarism, has a naturally rigid, strict outlook on life. There is a full draft, meaning that all able bodied males have served at least five years of their young adult lives in the military. Despite their large rejection rate, the majority of adults (women can enlist) possess some sort of military experience. This is something which they are extremely proud of and, unlike Inveran, approach with gravitas and ceremony.

To the foreigner, this often seems to be a strange sort of politeness. Sir, ma'am, soldier, and citizen are the common honorifics, and are always used. Laws are strict, but are rarely infringed upon. Deference is given by military rank, and indicated on everyday wear (silver for active military, black for discharged or retired). This stiff politeness quickly turns into icy disregard when protocol is breached or infringed. This makes them often come off as stogy and uptight, despite their often gung-ho nature in battle.

Notes for Visitors:

*Refer to everyone with an active military rank as 'Sir' or 'Ma'am' unless you possess a military rank, in which case you refer to inferiors as 'soldier.' Those with no rank or a black rank are called 'citizen.' Officers with black insignia are always given military honorifics.
*Active soldiers always have precedence. It is impolite, however, to insist on the matter if the soldier refuses the privilege.
*City gates are closed by sunset, and all businesses close at midnight. Walking about after this hour is not illegal, but is discouraged.

Also, I forgot to mention; Anyone who wants a badge and has posted in this thread may take one, with my compliments.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v220/stargate525/DilandriCrystal.png) (http://www.thecbg.org/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?76523)

What sort of weapons and armours do they favour? Given a somewhat weak economy and a lack of native ores, it would seem that the portion of metal in any piece of equipment would be minimized to get the most out of the limited and expensive imports. Perhaps they've come up with sufficient alternatives to metal in some applications (eg. arrowheads)?

There really isn't a suitable substitution for metal (The Inveran crysteel is about as far as that goes, and they aren't giving that up) that works in the area. Obsidian is volcanic, which means you'll only get that in the Dragon Lands and, to a smaller extent, in the Crysopolean League. General infantry would probably be issued spears or quarterstaves... Now that you mention it, I quite like the idea of a highly trained military force that is lethally effective, using only hardwood staffs. Thanks.

EDIT: What section would this go under, you think?

Probably technology.

I've made the appropriate changes. Note that there is metal, it's just that the majority of it is imported from Inveran.

 [ic= creation myth]
In ancient times, the five great Lords of All Things did gather. They said to themselves, 'let us sit together, and forge a land. A land where we may reign together in peace and unity, a land where our children may reign dominant over lesser beings.'

And so the Five did sit together, and upon the high planes they forged their new land. And within it they placed their own mark, so that their children would never forget by whose hand their land had been formed. And the Five set their land in the heavens, a blue-green gem in the sky, and they called it Dilandri...
[/ic]
Dilandri is a world with many, many Gods. Thirty, to be exact. There are the elder Gods, commonly referred to as 'the Five', and there are the Saints, the lesser Gods, Children of the Five, who number five times five.  The Children are grouped with their parent into small pantheons, each of the Five having five Children. This totals five pantheons of six Gods, each controlling a particular aspect of daily life and the world in general.

The Five and Twenty-Five is the largest and possibly most influential religion on Dilandri. It is the result of a massive reorganization effort some three-hundred years ago, and is a collection and restructuring of the massive number of Gods that the Empire of the Seven Stars practiced.

[spoiler=Deities]
the Five
Luminor: The God of all things good. He is known as the Beacon, the Rock, and the Comforter. Humans are his personal creation, although he takes in all those who look to his teachings. He is bitter enemies with Lilnith, and allies with  Moromis.

Lilnith: The Goddess of Destruction and Disaster. Known as the Betrayer, Princess of Aspects, and Dark Mistress, her followers are found amongst the most depraved and dark corners of Dilandri. Legend has it that she attempted to murder her husband, Luminor, on their wedding night. The attempt failed, and she was driven away ashamed. In their night together, Lilnith became pregnant, and legend tells that the child was the ancestor of the Orcish race.
 
Moromis: Known as the Scales, the Great Smith, and the Judge. The Book of the Five mentions him seldomly, although he is always recorded to take the side of the one portrayed to be in the right. He is the creator of the Dwarves, and the five Gods below him are known as The Tools of Moromis. He has also taken in the Halflings after their splinter from Guarren and the Gnomes.

Guarren: Guarren, Chaos-God, Patron of Gnomes, Father of Halflings, and the Celestial Gambler. It is said that when he originally created his race for Dilandri, they were too uniform and predicable for his taste. He split his race into two, one of law and one of chaos. The lawful race he gave as a present to Moromis in exchange for the inventive spark for the chaotic race. The lawful race are the halflings, and the chaotic race are the gnomes. Their size is explained by Guarren's split of their personality, each race half the size of the other races.

Ramanana: Ramanana is the Goddess of Neutrality and Balance. She is known as Mother Nature, The Stabilizer, and The Twilight. She is worshiped world-wide by those who are unsure of their true nature, as well as those who wish to maintain the status-quo. The Elves are her race, designed to be one with nature.

Children of the Five
Children of Luminor
Hyperius: The God of Daylight and the Sun. His symbol is a golden sun with fifteen points. He is favored by many, especially nobility and others in authority. His enemy is Surmann, God of the night.

Eir: The Goddess of healing and medicine. She is worshiped by many doctors and sick, as well as herbalists and apothecaries. Her shrines are more hospitals than places of worship, and to have one in a town is a special blessing. She is enemies with Lor and Dessas, Gods of death and disease. Her symbol is a ivy-covered star.

Consas: God of harvest and natural bounty. His symbol is the pitchfork and the cornucopia. He is favored by most farmers and fisherman, as well as lumberjacks, hunters, and a few miners. His shrines are found mostly in rural areas and farming communities, since there is little need for him inside city walls.

Mineva: Goddess of Magic. Her symbol is a purple crystal. She is favored by nearly all arcanists, adepts, and a few bards. Her shrines are often places of magical renewal and meditation, built on a nexus of arcane energy. Due to the random nature of these nexuses, temples to Mineva can be found in some interesting places, including the middle of a river and the face of a cliff.

Obella: Patron Goddess of Humanity. She is the one who takes in human souls without a patron after their stint in Lor's service is over. She also acts as an arbiter between humanity and the other Gods. Her symbol is an open palm.

Harbingers of Lilnith
Morrig: The God of War and Carnage. His sign is a skull and broken shield. Soldiers who are about to engage in a hopeless battle are often given tokens with his symbol on them, in hopes that he will pass their souls to Lor instead of bringing them to his palace to wage eternal war for his enjoyment. He enjoys impeding Cossiminy, his rival.
 
Lor: The Death God. A genderless god, Lor is responsible for collecting the souls of the dead and delivering them to their patron God. Those souls who do not have a patron go to Lor's domain to serve as a gatherer, one of 3125 who collect souls not important enough to warrant Lor's personal attention. Lor's symbol is a black skull on a silver background. Lor's enemy is Eir, Goddess of healing and medicine.

Surmann: Surmann is the God of Night. His symbol is a black sun. He is often worshiped by thieves and criminals who do their work at night, as well as for protection and benevolence in nighttime dealings. His enemy is Hyperius, God of the Daylight.

Dessas: God of sickness and disease. Few worship this malevolent God, but he has his followers in dark cults and orders bent on death. He is a close ally to Lor, and enemies with Eir. His symbol is a rat's skull.

Umer: God of the Orcs. He is the designated guardian of the orcs, and is credited with teaching the orcs how to master the water. Umer is also the Orcish God of death; Lor does not collect Orc souls. His symbol is a black, tattered sail.

Tools of Moromis
Tyrsis: The God of justice. Known as the Scales and the Great Lawbringer, he is credited with handing down the first set of laws to humans. It is in his name that all courts are convened, and it is on his chapter of the Book of Five that witnesses swear by. He is opposed by Neme, Goddess of Revenge.

Gudruun: God of secrets and hidden things. Worshiped by spies and diplomats the world over, his shrines are mainly hidden safehouses and other places of shadow. He is often harassed by Caed, his brother, for the secrets he possesses. His symbol is a locked book.

Caed: God of knowledge and learning. Worshiped by scholars, educators, and some magic users, Caed has a large following in many cultures. His symbol is an open book, the same locked book which his brother uses as his symbol. Legend has it that if one were to find and open this book, he would become heir of all knowledge ever collected.

Asumai: Patron of the Halflings. Before he was charged with protection of the halfling race, he was the god of love and honor, two virtues he still stands for. His symbol is a sword belted into its scabbard.

Rissandor: God of the Dwarves. Also the god of gemcutting and metalworking, and to a lesser extent all crafts. He has few followers outside of these non-crafting societies. His symbol is a sword inserted into an anvil.

Guarren's Children
Charlainn: The God of Adventures and Quests. He enjoys a large following of adventurers, mercenaries, and travelers. He has no set symbol, the design varying wildly from place to place, but it always contains a diamond somewhere  in it. He is Ganes' twin.

Ganes: The God of Luck. he is known as the Dice, the Fatespinner, and in an occasional dice game, much more derogatory names. He has followers in everyone who gambles or bets, and devout followers in the proprietors of places where the two previous vices are common. His symbol is a pair of ten-sided dice, one showing a 1, the other a ten.

Neme: The Goddess of Revenge and Vengeance. The most emotional of the Gods, there are many reports of Neme herself destroying entire cities that have done wrong in her eyes. Her worship has faded in favor of Tyrsis, but she is still the primary God of law in some areas.

Micas: God of Atrophy and Decay. He is worshiped by barbarians as well as those whose job it is to destroy or tear down. The illegitimate sixth child of Lilnith, he was taken in by Guarren after the death of his fourth son in the hopes of preventing him from becoming a rogue force. It succeeded, and he is now relatively peaceful. His symbol is a ruined tower.

It should be noted that the original Child of Guarren has been lost to history. No one knows his name or what his portfolio was.

Vidac Ni: God of the Gnomes. Also the God of invention and creativity, Gnomes who follow the Five believe his entire name is unfit to be said by all but the most devout of priests, so he is often referred to only by the first word in his name. Vidac Ni's symbol is either a chunk of unworked marble or a half-built ship, depending on the shrine's proximity to the coast.

Children of Ramanana
Peregrine: The god of travel and journeys. Known as the Unending Road and the Flawless Horizon, he is worshiped by many a caravaner and tradesman anxious for a safe journey. Roadside shrines to him can be found anywhere there is significant following of the Five, usually staffed with priests that are happy to aid weary journeymen, for a small donation, of course. His symbol is the falcon which carries his name.    

Cossiminy: Goddess of Trade. Often worshiped with her brother Peregrine by traders and caravaners, as well as shopkeepers and other merchants, she sees that all trades and purchases are fair and just. She is bitter rivals with Morrig, whose wars often impede her work.

Cybine: Goddess of Nature. She is worshiped almost exclusively by druids and rangers. A few farmers call on her to bless their crops, but most of their worship is directed towards Consas. Her symbol is a tree, half withered and half alive.

Phesitas: God of the elements. Like Lor, this God is also genderless. Depending on which aspect is being referred to, he is known as the Burning Heat, the Endless Waters, the Limitless Sky, and the Immovable Earth. He is a popular God amongst druids and a few arcanists. However, both Phesitas and Cybine are charged with the natural maintenance of Dilandri, and there are a few days set aside in their honor. Phesitas' symbol is a gust of wind above a flame above a wave above a curve that represents the earth.

Etorda: Etorda is the God of the Elves. Assigned with the Elves' protection, it is said that he was the one who created the fungus which provides the Elves with an innate sense of their surroundings. He is also the God of forests and woodlands. His symbol is a maple leaf, partly red, orange, and green.
[/spoiler]

Practice and Worship
Practicing the religion of the Five and Twenty Five varies depending on the practitioner's favored deity. In general, worship is a weekly event, and is done in a temple with congregations. Each day a different one of the Five is worshiped, with the sixth day dedicated to whichever deity is the shrine's patron.

Temples are simple constructions, with a large seating area for the congregation facing a central altar. Temples are almost always combined, and often use five sets of temple dressings to depict which of the Five is being worshiped. There is typically a basement beneath the structure which contains cells for monks, apartments for priests, confessionals, as well as other rooms for varying purposes.

Followers are expected to follow the virtues of the God that they favor, and those who follow one of the Five directly are held to higher standards. There is some discrimination between followers of different Gods, but this is never taken far beyond rivalry.

Shrine Hierarchy
The shrines of the Five and Twenty-Five is crawling with implied and implicit hierarchy, from the lowliest novice to the Arch-Incarnate, the highest position of all.

Each shrine has a Priest, who conducts the services, and at least two Acolytes, who assist the Priest. Larger shrines have Novices; Priests-in-training who are not yet ready to join a monastery. Most shrines have other laymen, and the largest are not only shrines, but incorporate monasteries, hospices, and universities in a complex and intertwined hierarchy within itself. The Priest is accepted as the ranking member in a shrine, followed by the Elders, if the shrine has any, followed by the Acolytes and finally any Novices the shrine might have.

Monasteries are sectioned off cloisters of monks and future priests, built in places where a shrine is not needed or wanted. The leader of a Monastery is the Abbot, who reports only to the Deacon of the region. Below the Abbot is the Prior, who is in charge of the physical workings of the monastery; they are expected to produce wealth to support the shrines and charity, or at least support themselves. Below the Prior are several specialized roles, the amount and title depending on the need for the particular monastery. Below this are the brothers of the monastery, ordinary monks that perform the regular duties of the monastery. Monasteries are expected to house Clerics, travelers, and pilgrims; their guest house is often comfortable if sparse, and monasteries are looked at as a welcome relief for those used to the road.

Some priests have no home shrine, instead making circuits of shrines, spreading news and tidings, and delivering dispatches from the High Shrines. These men are called Clerics, and they are a remarkably free order, having no restrictions but to the Deacon of their region. They are the ones expected to do missions to the unconverted, and help to set up new shrine branches. Although separate from the hierarchy, they often assume leadership roles in the shrines they visit, simply from their force of personality.

The High Shrines are the shrines where Deacons, Bishops, Incarnates, and the Arch-Incarnate act as Priests for the shrine. These shrines are often incredibly beautiful and large, as most of the excess wealth collected from offerings pools in these upper echelons. A Deacon has a small region that he is in charge of; it is he who is finally blamed for misconduct or heresy in his region. Deacons report to Bishops, Bishops to Incarnates, and Incarnates to the Arch-Incarnate. Members of the High Shrines can hold many positions, being simultaneously a Priest, Deacon, and Bishop.

Incarnates, unlike Bishops and Deacons, are elected to their position by the general Priesthood for their service and embodiment of their faith. There is one Incarnate for every one of the lesser Gods, making twenty-five in all. An Arch-Incarnate is an Incarnate chosen from the Five Incarnates underneath one of the Five, to represent one of the Five in the Great Councils. They are final authority on all matters of doctrine in their God's worship. The Five Arch-Incarnates meet only to discuss matters of gravest theological matters, inter-clergy squabbles that have gotten out of hand, or to choose a Champion, one to lead a crusade against another religion on behalf of the Five and Twenty-Five. This last has never happened, and the former two only occasionally, perhaps once every fifty years.  The meeting of the Arch-Incarnates takes place in the Cathedral of Astea, the original shrine to the Five and Twenty-Five, and location of the Great Reorganization.

The Blades are Inveran's most feared para-military organization, and with good reason. Made up of the most experienced and highly trained soldiers and swordsmen from across the world, these men have sworn themselves wholly to king and country. Although they would serve as the center corps for any given Inveran conflict, they have traditionally served as royal bodyguards and an expeditionary force moreso than regular soldiers. They are rarely deployed in groups larger than two dozen, but they have participated in an auxilliary function in some of the most bloody and intense wars waged in the recent years.

Tradition and Society:
The head of the Blades is the King of Inveran, a position usually held only as a formality. He leads the Blades and, when he goes into combat, he goes in followed by the Blades. Immediately below him is the Grandmaster, who acts as the organizational and practical head of the blades. He is appointed by the king, and is traditionally chosen from the ranks of the King's personal guard. Headmasters run the training schools and recruiting centers, and are appointed in the same way, usually on recommendation by the grandmaster.

These schools serve both as a academies for Initiates and as bases of operations for full Blades. This keeps the two groups intermixed, and able to learn and train off of one another. There are only two ranks, besides the Grandmaster and the Headmasters; Blade and Initiate. There is an unofficial pecking order based on seniority, but that has never been official and is periodically cracked down on. Initiates, until they have taken their vows, passed their S.C.O.R.E., and are formally adopted into the Blades, can choose to opt out of the program at any time. Unfortunately, many take this escape clause in order to receive training without any long-term requirements or obligations.

The Blades are indiscriminate, and boast a surprising amount of diversity in the ranks of its members, both in race, gender, and religion. Although they come from quite literally across the world, all members of the Blades have sworn an oath to Inveran and her King. Unfortunately, those with both the desire to relocate and the skill required to enter are quite often cuthroats and assassins, on the run from whatever nation they belonged to originally. The worst of these are gnerally washed out, but there are some incidents which have given the Blades a bad name in that regard.

The S.C.O.R.E.: All Initiates, before becoming Blades, must pass five tests, which determine their physical and mental preparedness for the arduous task of becoming a Blade. These trials typically begin after at least five years of intense training, and typically proceed in the order in which they are listed below. This is not a rule, however, and Initiates are allowed, though strongly discouraged, to take them in whichever order they choose.

The Test of Strength
This is the first, and perhaps easiest, of the tests. A simple physical and mental testing, this test is a series of obstacle courses, runs, and applications of skill on par with the advanced courses in any modern military training academy. These are different in that they focus on courtly and social grace, in addition to the swordsmanship and physical conditioning that other similar tests have. In addition, the sections of the test can come at any time once the test has begun, including the middle of the night or in the middle of another section of the test, without announcement of their beginning. This is to measure and refine the Initiate's sense of preparedness and observation of the true nature of the situation around him.

The Test of Courage
A psychological test, this confronts the initiate with an amalgum of his most intense fears. Using a small dose of a paranoia-inducing drug, the Initiate must complete an assigned task while fighting against both his own personal phobias and the intensifying effects of the drug. This test can not be retaken; any more than two or three doses (often required in one test if it begins to wear out) can lead to addiction and permanent brain damage. For this reason, it is also not required to be passed, merely attempted. Those that do pass are said to have a 'high' S.C.O.R.E., while those who attempt but ultimately fail are said to have a 'low' S.C.O.R.E..

The Test of Obedience
A test which is remarkably self-explanatory. Initiates are not told what this test entails beforehand, and Blades are forbidden from speaking of it to any but other Blades. The Initiate is brought before the Headmaster and the three most senior Blades in the academy. Then, in a series of ritualized speeches, the three tell the Initiate that he or she must be executed. The exact nature of the accusation against the Initiate varies, but is consistent in that the charge is exaggerated but plausible, the king commanded it personally, and that failure to submit would break their Oath. Execution commences with one of the three stabbing the Initiate through the heart. He is then revived from the brink of death by a cleric who is standing by, and told of the nature of the test. This test occurs without warning once the tests have been begun and, like the Test of Courage, cannot be retaken. Those who fail to submit are cast out of the Blades, and those who resist violently are killed. This test is one of the largest causes of failure in an Initiate's path to becoming a Blade. Those who pass are left with two distinct scars over their heart, one on the front and back of the torso, which mark them permanently as a member of the Blades.

The Test of Resilience
This test is designed to measure an Initiate's ability to withstand discomfort and inconvenience. The Initiate is told to proceed to a location and meditate for two days. While meditating, the Initiate goes without food, water, or sleep (falling asleep requires the Initiate to retake the test). Exacerbating this difficulty is the fact that the entire academy is allowed to inhibit the taker of this test in whatever means they wish, short of physically harming the Initiate (the Initiate is likewise prohibited from removing these annoyances with violence or its threat), whether by preventing him from reaching his assigned meditation spot, tempting the Initiate with food or water, or heating the room to induce slumber. This test tries the Initiate's patience and temper, and is often stated by Blades as the most demanding and difficult of the tests, above even the test of Obedience.

The Test of Expertise
This test, usually the final test, involves the creation of the Initiate's first personal sword. The first step is the selection of the material; a crystal seed, blade material, and hilt construction must all be selected and gathered at the Intiate's own time and expense. Because these choices are to carry personal significance, the search for these items is often long and expensive, and obtaining the money to purchase them is often a test in and of itself. After the selection, the crystal seed must be grown, a process that can take weeks or even months to complete. During this time, the Initiate is taught by the academy's swordsmith on the proper design and construction of a sword, helping forge and repair the practice swords used in the academy. The training is intense and focused; combined with the basis laid down in the classes the Intiate would have already taken, by the time the crystal is grown the Initiate is skilled enough to forge his own sword.

The master swordsmith creates the crysteel for the Initiate. Once that is done, the rest of the work is the Initiate's. Using a plan he would have previously drawn up, he shapes the metal into his sword, with the swordsmith acting only as an assistant. Once finished, the sword goes to the Blade Mages for its enchantment. If it holds the enchantment, the test is considered completed. If it fails the enchanting process (a common occurence), the sword must be reforged until it is properly made. Some Initiates unskilled with the hammer can be stuck in this test for years, constantly reforging and rebuilding their blade until it can hold the enchatments. Strangely, these poor smiths are commonly held to be the best Blades, once they make it out.

[ic=Preable of the Vestian Constitution]
The Vestian people solemnly proclaim the rights of men and the principles of national sovereignty. By virtue of these principles and that of the self-determination of peoples, the Republic expresses the will to adhere to themselves new institutions founded on the common ideal of liberty, equality and fraternity and conceived for the purpose of their democratic development.
[/ic]

Vestia is one of the two Core Nations witht he size and the power to check Drian expansion. However, this nation is known most for its culture rather than its military prowess.

Geography: Vestia sits on the northern edge of the Seronan jungle; not far enough south to support true jungle, but still warm enough for long summers and mild winters throughout the majority of the country. Vestia has a few of the Astean highlands on its northern border, and mountains on the eastern edge. These regions provide a strong mining base for Vestia. The remainder of the country is mostly temperate hills covered in forests, dotted with farms and vineyards. A large portion of Vestia is untamed-looking and rough, despite rather extensive farming.

Statistics
  Population: ~6,294,420
  Area: ~63,580 sq. mi.
Exports: Wine, lumber, luxuries
Imports: finished goods, textiles

Politics
  Internal: Vestia is one of the few nations which has thrown off all trappings of monarchy. For nearly fifty years Vestia has been a republic. Though sufferage for the vote is still highly restricted, it is regarded as one of the most free nations in the Core.

Nearly all positions of leadership are elected posts, though the majority of the bureaucracy is still nepotistic. The result of this electoral notion is that those with the wealth or connections to do so can buy their position through campaigning. In most cases, this makes Vestia an oligarchy of the rich, though this is not always true, and often subverted at the local level.

  Foreign: Vestia, for the most part, wants to be left alone. Despite their sizable army, they have followed an isolationist policy; they trade with others, but binding treaties and alliances are reliably and heavily avoided. There are tensions along the border with Dria, and it has been heavily fortified since Dria's attempts to restore the throne in the latter stages of the Democratic revolution, fifty years ago.

Vestia's relation with the Crysopolean League, similarly, are somewhat testy. Bordering the League's sphere of influence, they are seen as a threat to the political stability of the Dwarfholds, despite having never made any political moves in that direction.

Academics: Vestia has a strong educational history, both mundane and magical. Education is mandatory to the age of twelve, and during this time the majority of those who show talent are taken and trained. Nearly every town has a school, and most of the larger towns have at least one higher educational facility.

Though is still survives in places, the traditional apprentice system is largely non-existent. Most skilled craftsmen have organized into unions which maintain specialized trade schools, removing the need for an apprenticeship to learn a trade.

Religion: Because freedom of religious practice is guaranteed in Vestia, it is one of the most diverse nations regarding religion. Its predominantly human population assumes a Five and Twenty-Five majority, though the Song, as well as Halfling Totemism and Dwarven ancestor worship, is strong.

The Five and Twenty-Five is, however, the religion of the state. Because of this, they enjoy elevated presence, grander structures, and the influx of funds this position entails. Their buildings are grand, often towering over the rest of the town. Other religious structures tend to be more conservative, though still tend towards a rather large size.

Arts and Fashion: Vestia is a cultural powerhouse. Though often not as advanced or well-regarded as some nations, the fact that Vestia has a strong heritage in all aspects of art is notable in and of itself. Most cities have theaters, art galleries, and music halls, and Vestian painters are some of the most prolific in the world.

Because of this wealth of availability, even lower-class Vestian homes are decorated, and often decorated well. The houses themselves are built in a combination of wood and stone, one to two stories, and with large windows that let in sunlight. Unlike Dria, their houses tend to flaunt arches and curves; many newer houses are actually completely round.

Vestian clothing is loose and thinner than most, made most often from imported silk of home-grown cotton. Men wear shirts loose at the wrist, while women tend towards short sleeves and skirts. On formal occasion, Vestians simply add layers. Men typically wear an undershirt, shirt, over-shirt, vest, and jacket. Women wear several shirts and numerous skirts and underskirts to create a layering effect. Color is vibrant and common; many social circles ascribe to a monthly color for their balls and masques.

Technology: Vestian technology is largely agricultural. Irrigation and horticultural techniques are well-developed and ubiquitous, even making use of magical methods to increase yields. The result of this is that a large amount of the country lies fallow, disguised as wilderness, despite it being more than able to feed their population.

Urban technology, such as building reinforcement and lighting, are beginning to catch on, though such techniques and methods are still incredibly expensive. As a member of the Grand Highway and one of its builders, Vestia has a good road and postal system, though the latter is confined to a centralized depot system; there is no home delivery.

Economy: Despite its cities being the most well known, Vestia's economy is built largely on the basis of agrarian goods. Food, especially expensive items such as wine, cheese, and fruit, make up a large portion of production. Industry is relatively sparse; most finished goods are imported into the country from her neighbors. Vestia also exports lumber; her vast southern forests make this both profitable and desirable as it open up more land for farming.

Although they are one of the few countries which grow cotton, they are weak regarding the creation of their own textiles. It is actually cheaper most times to export the cotton and import the finished textile than it is to produce it in-house.

Society: Vestian society is very freedom-oriented and independent. Ever since the democratic revolution, the commoner has never really lost the sense of dissent that sparked the revolution in the first place. Coupled with the high education rate, the people are very liberalist, open-minded, and just a bit difficult.

Since the government is ruled mostly by the upper financial class, society tends to break along those same lines. The rich tend to socialize with the rich, the middle class have their own locations and celebrations, and the rural population is almost seen as a different country in and of themselves. Recently, however, there is a growing trend towards an almost bohemian kind of living; being deliberately poor or living off of a pension, focusing on art or some other hobby. This movement has spawned a counter-movement from the rich, who see these people as either slackers or a dead-weight on society.

Notes for Visitors:

*Invitations to a theater or recital hall, especially from the upper class, are seldom simply social invitations. As much business is conducted behind box curtains than in offices.
*Do not try to bluff a knowledge of food, especially wine or cheese; the odds are good that someone will see through it.
*Unless you are being intentionally inflammatory, don't speak about monarchies elsewhere except as an unfortunate backwards tradition or necessary evil.

Dilandri is infused with magic; it is, literally, everywhere. It infuses and cohabitates life, so much so that its entire absence is an effective, though particularly cruel, way to end a life.

The Great Arcana Field marks the end of magic; beyond its furthest extent, there is no magic. It serves as a firm, though terrifying end of the world's extent. Though there is land and ground beyond the edge of the field, no life grows there. Similarly, any life which extends beyond it is quickly killed.

Magic within the Great Arcana Field exists as a layer of latent energy called the Aura. It settles on the surface of the land, sticking to it like mist. The aura persists about a mile into the air, and permeates as deep as the deepest dwarves dwell.

It is the source and product of all life. Life maintains and creates the aura, and without the aura, life does not exist. In general, the greater the concentration of life in a particular area, the deeper and denser the aura tends to be.

Magic flows around the world similarly to a liquid. It moves from high areas of density to low. Typically, this means that the aura tends to flow off of the jungles and the oceans onto the land. This movement can cause magical 'storms,' which can interfere with magic.

Arcana Fields are areas of aura affected by places of extreme magical power. this creates a radiant field that extends for some distance beyond the origin of the field itself. While this doesn't create magical potential or aura, it makes the aura within its effect circulate in eddies. Near the ground, aura tends to move towards the center of the field. Once there, it moves upwards towards the clouds, and back out, creating a doughnut-like pattern of circulating aura.

It is this circulation that cartographic crystals pick up on. In addition, sails which are laced with the proper crystals and enchantments can actually catch on this movement; it is these currents which move windships and keep them aloft.

Whereas life and arcana fields tend to make the aura flow and move, crystals act as a block and a damper to these motions.

Crystals are minerals, typically quartz or other similar gems, infused by magical potential. This infusion and their relationship to regular gems is similar to that of magnets and magnetic materials. All crystalline gems have a potential to become a magical Crystal, and artificial Crystals can be made. However, the most powerful Crystals are the natural ones mined from the earth, created by the Great Arcana Field.

Crystals act as friction to the Aura, slowing and blocking it. The large amount of crystal in the ground, even though most of it is very weak, prevents the normal motions of the Aura from blossoming into massive magical hurricanes that would shear all life into oblivion.

In addition, crystals act as a link and a conduit, allowing the races to use magic. Almost all magic-users use crystals (the most powerful can actually turn their bones into makeshift Crystals, negating this need). It is what channels Aura into the magical effects that casters can create.

Arcane magic is drawn directly from the Aura, utilizing the magician's sheer force of will to produce the desired effect. Although most casters can do this to a very limited extent unaided, crystals greatly amplify their abilities. This is the method that most arcane casters use. There are some, though, who do not utilize this method, instead using the emotional and mental states of those around them to produce a desired effect. Most manipulate the aura that beings have already put out; these manipulate the beings that produce it.

Divine magic works in a completely different way. Divine casters receive their spells 'prepackaged' from various sources; from their Deity through special artifacts, others from an effect of the arcana fields themselves. This requires less force of will to perform, but is limited in its creativity and diversity. Getting the energy takes a comparatively long time, and the bundles of energy can't be altered once received.

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The magical tradition of the people of the central regions of Dilandri are very, very similar. It is based on a system of organized schools, with teachers and students, similar in form to the traditional education systems of the nations the schools co-exist with. These academies are loosely connected, governed over by a congress of senior mages from several countries. They police themselves as often as possible, keeping rogue magicians in check and preventing them from becoming major problems for civil authorities. Although specifics vary from area to area, there are 5 laws which, with some variations, are universal to where the academic congress holds sway.

1. Thou shalt not invade the mind of another. This is a prohibition of mind-influencing magic, magical lobotomies, or other similar actions. This does not prohibit magically lying, but direct mental attack.
2. Thou shalt not interfere with Death. This is a ban on necromancy. Primarily, bringing the dead back to life, creating necromatic constructs (zombies, skeletons, etc.), and using life-draining magic to kill.
3. Thou shalt not move against time. The law prevents moving back or slowing in time. This is a fear against causing paradox or otherwise altering the world on a major scale.
4. Thou shalt not control another. This bans magical forcing, such as body-taking, brainwashing, or other means of making unwilling persons submit to your will.
5. Thou shalt not seek beyond the Outer Edge. This law prohibits altering or tampering with the Great Arcana Field, either in attempts to extend it, shrink it, or safely move beyond it.

These laws apply uniquely to magicians, and is not specific to magical heritage; a magician trained outside of the reach of academies is expected to follow these laws when in territory as well. The congress also polices magicians in other, civil crimes, with cooperation from local authorities.

The congress' trained arcanist-hunters, the Aedilis, can sometimes act as a sort of borderless police force. They never hunt those with no magical talent, but their authority is recognized, if not unchallenged, in most of the Core. These hunters are highly-trained, and very good at tracking and nullifying an acranist's abilities.

Beyond law-enforcement, those who come from an academy-dominated culture find themselves in a supportive, though strict support network. Additional training is easy to come by and tutelage, if not nearby, is at least easily located. Magical knowledge is structured and well-documented. Libraries of spells and methods are easy to come by, but face multiple layers of red-tape and formalities to access. Magical accouterments, such as crystals and low-level, common magical items are in high demand.

In exchange for their freedom to study and practice all the magic they wish, those in the area of the academy's influence benefit from some of the most common and accessible magics in all the world.

The Aedilis are the Arcane Academy's internal lawkeepers and bounty-hunters. Composed of magic-users of all description and training, they form a disorganized but highly effective policing force for arcanists. They are respected almost anywhere they go within the Core.

Tradition and Society:
Aedilis officers are typically arranged into groups of four or five, for safety's sake. They are recruited at a younger age, before they can establish a life and career, and provided with training and housing in exchange for their service. Most Aedilis train in special academies for roughly two years as a team, fostering cooperation and trust, before they are made full officers.

Organization:
The Aedilis have safehouses across the civilized lands, which each house a number of officer groups at a time. Their work operates on an assigned bounty system; Aedilis officers are not paid unless they bring in a criminal, at which time they receive the agreed-upon bounty from the Arcane congress. Bounties are only placed for confirmed criminals, so they are moderately rare. However, most bounties, when they are approved, are in the five digit range, setting up Aedilis for years.

Non-officers - the ones who run the safehouses - receive a yearly stipend from local authorities in exchange for using Aedilis officers for investigations and scouting, occasionally as backup for more dangerous criminals.