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Cad Goleór Discussion Thread

Started by Seraph, April 20, 2011, 03:04:36 PM

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Ghostman

You could try something like keeping the form of government essentially similar, just colored by local traditions. Eg. one town/tribe/whatever might have odd taboos attached to the ruler, another one might require a line of descent from a particular mythic figure, yet another one might have two siblings as co-rulers taking turns at the helm.
¡ɟlǝs ǝnɹʇ ǝɥʇ ´ʍopɐɥS ɯɐ I

Paragon * (Paragon Rules) * Savage Age (Wiki) * Argyrian Empire [spoiler=Mother 2]

* You meet the New Age Retro Hippie
* The New Age Retro Hippie lost his temper!
* The New Age Retro Hippie's offense went up by 1!
* Ness attacks!
SMAAAASH!!
* 87 HP of damage to the New Age Retro Hippie!
* The New Age Retro Hippie turned back to normal!
YOU WON!
* Ness gained 160 xp.
[/spoiler]

Seraph

Quote from: Ghostman
You could try something like keeping the form of government essentially similar, just colored by local traditions. Eg. one town/tribe/whatever might have odd taboos attached to the ruler, another one might require a line of descent from a particular mythic figure, yet another one might have two siblings as co-rulers taking turns at the helm.
That has some potential.  I know in Celtic myths, kings often had special geasa on them (taboos), and that sometimes there was a "within four generations" to claim descent-thing.  So I might be able to work with that.
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Seraph

Faerie Courts
[ooc]Update, and/or reenvisioning of the faery courts of Annwn.[/ooc]
Faeries are primordial creatures.  Though there is an underlying order that governs their actions, they are utterly wild things.  They are capricious and difficult to comprehend.  Their mentality is often one of extremes, and it has been said that faeries are incapable of feeling more than one emotion at a time.  As such, when one arouses the anger of the fae, it is very difficult to quell their wrath.  However, on the same principle, it is also possible to earn the full intensity of their admiration or love (which is sometimes equally dangerous). 

Fae come in several varieties, and are descended from the primordial elder gods.   They represent forces of nature, and come with a wide variety of powers.  There are faeries of summer, of rivers, and of trees.  There are fire faeries and water fairies, and there are faeries which seem partly or entirely animal.

Animal
Animal Fae are any kind of fae that are partly or entirely animalistic.  This includes "part-animals" like satyrs and merrows, purely animal fae such as the Cwn Annwn and Cat Sith, combination animals like the Griffon and the Hippocampus, and also the shifters that take on animal forms, such as werewolves, pookas, and selkies. 

These are some of the most wild and unpredictable fae.  They tend to be more chaotic, though they often have a pack mentality, and will respond to a clear display of dominance.  Defeating the leader of a group of this class of fae may earn you the loyalty of the rest. 

Animal Fae Types:  Cat Sidhe, Centaur, Cwn Annwn, Garuda, Griffon, Hippocampus, Hippogriff, Kelpie, Merrow, Naga, Nuckelavee, Pooka, Satyr, Selkie, Siannach, Werewolf

Vegetal
These are fae that are either in some way composed of plant matter, or are in some way bound to plants.  This includes dryads, duirdaoine, and the Goddeau—a race of sentient trees. 

These tend to be slow moving and slow thinking.  Their though processes often follow very different and alien paths that humans will never understand.  They rarely take any form of quick action without being roused by one of the Tuatha, or an extremely powerful druid. 

Elemental
These are a class of Fae tied to the four elements.  Some are barely sentient beings of pure elemental energy, almost formless things of immense power.  Also in this category are anthropoid creatures with strong elemental bonds—undines, salamanders, gnomes, and sylphs.  It also includes spirits bound to rivers, lakes, mountains and so forth.  Their powers tend to be connected to these elements in some way.

They tend to be neutral in all aspects, because they do not perceive notions of good or evil, law or chaos, or take sides in anything at all.  They act as it occurs to them to act in any particular moment. 

Elemental Fae Types: Gnome, Nixie, Salamander, Spark, Sylph, True Elemental (Air, Earth, Fire, Water), Undine

Sprites
This is a class of winged fairies.  They are usually small, and often insectile, and include pixies, grigs and Will o' the Wisps.  Many of these can also take on larger forms.

Fomor
These are the Giants.  Everything from ogres to trolls fits into this category.  Their size and bizarre physical proportions lead many to assume they are all brutish and stupid, but some are quite clever, and magically skilled. 

Fomor Fae Types:  Fachan, Fir bolg, Fomorian, Giant, Jotun, Ogre, Titan, Troll

Sidhe
The Sidhe are the most humanlike fae, at least in appearance.  They are descendants of the Tuatha dé Danaan, and were banished along with their godly ancestors to their world beneath the hills.  At certain times of day, at certain times of year, their music can be heard emanating from their faery mounds, and the clever can find their way into the abodes of the Sidhe.

Sidhe are organized into two courts: The Selig or "Seelie" court—a pure and haughty race, and the Onnselig or "Unseelie" court—a mongrel court which takes in a variety of different types of fae.

Sidhe come in many forms, from Aelfar, to Corrigans, to Redcaps and Duergar. 

Sidhe Fae Types: Aelfar, Banshee, Baobhan Sidhe, Bean Nighe, Corrigan, Duergar, Dullahan, Korred, Leanan Sidhe, Leprechaun, Redcap, Sluagh

The Seelie Court
The word Selig, which the Seelie Court uses to describe itself, means "blessed."  They believe themselves to be more beautiful, more virtuous, and more honorable than any other beings in the worlds.  While they are certainly more beautiful, their virtue is worth questioning.  Seelie Sidhe (for the Seelie Court allows only fae of the Sidhe classification into its ranks) are often scheming and manipulative, and will prey on mortals just like the Unseelie do.  The Seelie Sidhe take greater care with their prey, however, and try to avoid killing mortals without reason.  Reason to kill, however, can be as minor as an imagined insult.  Many Seelie Sidhe will, however, offer mortals who offend them the opportunity to make amends, either through a valuable gift, or a significant favor. 

They believe in repaying favors, and rewarding cleverness.  However, they are haughty and aloof, thinking themselves above mortals and other fae.  They take great pride in their godly heritage, and consider the mortal world to be theirs by right.  They take great umbrage to their exile beneath the hills, and largely hate mortals as a whole.  Their sense of virtue and honor prevents them from the wholesale slaughter of humans, however, and they often are satisfied with the occasional act of mayhem, mischief, and killing of a few humans who "deserve it."

Vain creatures, they are known to respond to flattery, and compliments have been known to put off their wrath.  As such, mortals often refer to them as the "Fair Folk" or the "Good People," which has been known to please them, and prevent them from wreaking too much havoc. 

Theirs is the revelrous hall of Caer Fedwyd, the Hall beneath the Hills.  Here they drink, dance, and cavort; wage their wars against the Unseelie, and plot revenge on mortals who have wronged them.  Bands of "Trooping Faeries" seen in the mortal world lead some say they plan to one day storm the mortal world, and take back the realm that once belonged to them.


The Unseelie Court
Contrary to their Seelie Cousins, Onnselig fae are diverse, often solitary creatures.  They are not universally malicious, but the Unseelie hold no love of anything other than themselves.  They often have no code of conduct beyond loyalty to their superiors.  They have no compunctions against cross-breeding with a variety of different kinds of fae, and even mortals from time to time.  The amount of variety in the Unseelie gene pool results in certain genetic problems, and they are often incapable of reproducing with one another, but find—to their great excitement and fascination—that mortals are often able to bear their children, and breed more stable half-fae.  Unseelie Fae are known for replacing human babies with changelings—faeries disguised as babies, who are raised in human societies, or sometimes killed early. 

The Unseelie Court's relations with the mortal world are mixed.  They see humans and their ilk as means to an end, rather than as "people" who deserve respect.  They will feed off of humans, either literally devouring them, draining their energy, feeding off of their emotions, or whatever other sustenance they require.  Humans are disposable.  There are always more, and while they are not above mating with humans as the Selig Sidhe are, they rarely develop feelings for these mortal mates. 

The Unseelie like to think that they understand how everything works, and they see all things as predictable.  They are known for their prophecy, and for their fatalism, chanting out omens of doom, often times with an undercurrent of boredom many find unsettling.  They often appear to mortals, presenting them with omens and prophecies, and watching as the foolish creatures attempt to escape this fate, unwittingly forcing it to occur as predicted.  They find this phenomenon highly entertaining, and view the process as a form of cruel game.  They hate losing, however, and if a human should actually come close to thwarting this prediction, the fae will ensure some change in circumstances takes place to put this human back on track with their doom.

Though it is attended by fairies of both courts, the Wild Hunt holds particular appeal to the Unseelie.  Riding out in force throughout the land of Annwn, venturing into Abred, wielding their power swiftly and mightily against whatever lies in their path.  The Unseelie Court often makes use of the Hunts to gather slaves in Abred.  They capture mortals, and take them back to Annwn, to force them to be their mortal servants.  What's more, not even the dead are free from their mischief, for they have been known to shanghai those of the gray host into their service.

Not every encounter with the Unseelie court need be hostile, however.  The Unseelie are accepting of mortals that know how to wield power, and will aid one who can prove his worth.  They are not above helping mortals when it serves their purposes.  They most certainly do not set such as a goal however.  Mortals should beware: when an Unseelie fae offers aid, it comes at a price
Brother Guillotine of Loving Wisdom
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Seraph

Iscebeal
[note]
Sookie Cliffs Of Moher by ~sookiesooker[/note]Castle: Dun Feicmuir
Government: Clan Council
Population: 23,400
Locations: Fealltach Forest

This city on the coast is about as urban a place as one finds in Glasconai.  It rests high atop a cliff overlooking the sea, with a signal tower which serves double duty as a lighthouse for approaching ships, warning them against a death on the rocky shoals, which might easily be missed due to the fog that wafts up from these coastal waters almost constantly.  The tower welcomes these ships into the bay, though this could just as easily prove threatening to those who wish ill.  A narrow gap in the stone face provides passage for ships, which are then surrounded by high walls of stone before docking on the gravelly shore.  Travelers to Iscebeal from abroad must at this point make the winding hike up the easily 2 or 3 hundred foot high cliff before entering the city proper, though a few fishermen and ship builders greet them at the shore.  Atop the cliff, two great standing stones capped by a flat lintel stone form a doorway into the city. 

The Outskirts are sparsely populated, constituting mostly farmland and cattle-holds owned by the wealthier clans.  The further in one gets, however, the denser it becomes, packed with conical thatched roofs over dry-stacked stones carved out from the cliff face itself.  Most are small, one-room affairs, with enough room for a man and wife to live with their children, but not comfortably.  Only a few scattered buildings add on a second level, and most of those that do are the hostels.

Dun Feicmuir, the castle of Iscebeal, is permanently staffed with its own guards, and houses the assembly of clan leaders.  It also serves as the ceremonial house of whichever clan chieftain is currently serving as head of the assembly.  This is voted on any time there is a significant change in the relative power or prestige of the clans, and each chieftain gets a vote as to who will serve as the head--with the stipulation that no chieftain can vote for himself.  While changes in power and prestige are frequent, do largely to infighting and attempts to outshine one another, years can go by without any such changes prompting a vote.

Iscebeal is a rather violent city, with clan infighting being commonplace and accepted.  Carrying weapons in public has been outlawed, however, to reduce the number of killings, and since so much of the fighting is tied to honor, breaking this law to carry out a revenge is often counterproductive.  Therefore, the majority of the city's many clan conflicts are conducted with fist-fights.  This has led many here to study pugilistic arts, and grappling as forms of combat just as worthy as that of the sword. 

The south and eastern borders of Iscebeal are marked off by the Fealltach Forest--a woodland region most people fear to enter.  The folk of this city are possessed of a belief that "The trees lie."  It is commonly believed that the various trees of Fealltach will uproot themselves and move around--causing paths to suddenly lead to different places in an attempt to confuse and trap travelers inside.  The tales of this forest vary in their origins of such deceit.  Some say that the trees themselves are fae creatures playing tricks on mortals.  Others believe that the forest has been enchanted by an ancient and powerful druid who lives within the forest, hiding from the Order, and pursuing dark motives.  The truth is uncertain, but perhaps one day the answer to this mystery will be uncovered...
Brother Guillotine of Loving Wisdom
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Seraph

It is no secret that Cad Goleor is based on the historical Celts, with emphasis on the Irish where possible, but also including the Gauls, the Britons, Picts, Scots, and to some small extent, the celtiberians. 

I have generally been operating under the assumption that much of the world as a whole is made up of an amalgam of information about each of these peoples.  However, I am thinking that it would make a much more interesting and dynamic world, if the differences between these different Celtic cultures were emphasized.

I have not worked out the details of this, but I am thinking that there would be a culture that bleaches and spikes their hair with lime, a culture whose warriors charged into battle naked and painted blue, a group that wears kilts, another robes, and a third that wears short tunics or vests and breeches.  A culture where physical perfection is required of a king, etc.

This might result in having to change established features of certain places, but I think I am ok with this, if it adds to the setting as a whole.
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Ghostman

It would make the CG come across as more diverse and less monolithic. I think a bit of mixing & matching would be a good idea though, to prevent the (sub)cultures from becoming too similar to historical ones.

If you decide to go with this idea you could write some short generalizing snippets on how each group views each other, reflecting their biases, alliances and grudges. This is a common feature in RPGs with heavy focus on factions and politics.
¡ɟlǝs ǝnɹʇ ǝɥʇ ´ʍopɐɥS ɯɐ I

Paragon * (Paragon Rules) * Savage Age (Wiki) * Argyrian Empire [spoiler=Mother 2]

* You meet the New Age Retro Hippie
* The New Age Retro Hippie lost his temper!
* The New Age Retro Hippie's offense went up by 1!
* Ness attacks!
SMAAAASH!!
* 87 HP of damage to the New Age Retro Hippie!
* The New Age Retro Hippie turned back to normal!
YOU WON!
* Ness gained 160 xp.
[/spoiler]

Seraph

Quote from: Ghostman
It would make the CG come across as more diverse and less monolithic. I think a bit of mixing & matching would be a good idea though, to prevent the (sub)cultures from becoming too similar to historical ones.

If you decide to go with this idea you could write some short generalizing snippets on how each group views each other, reflecting their biases, alliances and grudges. This is a common feature in RPGs with heavy focus on factions and politics.
Yes I am going ahead and working on this now. Playing up the variety I feel will make things much more interesting.  I can work in the ways different Celtic groups in the real world were influenced by the cultures they interacted with, each one remaining decidedly Celtic, but noticeably different from one another.  And of course, giving it all a fantasy twist and shaking things up a bit.

I am also working on a magic system involving Oghams.  Or other "runes."  Or both.
Brother Guillotine of Loving Wisdom
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Seraph

#172
[ooc]Here is the first couple, getting in two main cultural "groups" for Gwladwyn (which was previously essentially devoid of information) .  For context, Rymal is a and empire from the continent, which lies beyond the normal scope of the setting.  The people of the islands know little about it, beyond what they gleaned from the invaders, but it is meant to have a rather "Roman" feel.[/ooc]
Eastern Gwladwyn "Cwmvelod"
Power is more centralized in Cwmvelod (COOM-vel-odd) than elsewhere in the Isles.  Here the tribes and clans have been forced by many conflicts to unite against foreigners and north-men out of frozen Niflmawr to choose more stable, permanent leaders, with wider-ranging authority.  A single king here rules from the fortress at Bryn Mawr the lands of Gwystrad and Duvorix, as well as the small sacred isle of Ynys Gryff.  Their battles with the wild savages of the north have hardened the people here, but it is the foreign invasions that have truly shaped and transformed this kingdom into what it is now.

The Rymalan forces conquered and held much of the Isle of Gwladwyn before finally being repelled.  As they established themselves on the island, they built up settlements, outposts, and a degree of infrastructure that they native people had not seen before.  When the invaders were finally turned back, they left behind temples to their own gods, and houses of stone, castles, walls, and roads.  While many of the edifices built by these ousted conquerors were demolished, the materials were reused by the natives, and some features of Rymalan architecture made an impression on the Eastern Gwladwychs.  Their oppida—fortified hilltop settlements—are packed more densely, and arranged more like true cities, with markets, government offices, mints producing actual currency (in contrast to the barter economy of their neighbors), food stores, craft shops, and similar features.  They are typically well-fortified, densely packed with multi-story housing, and connected by proper roads, maintained by tribal governments under the auspices of the king.  

It is not only in architecture and population distribution that the Rymalans left their mark.  The Gaedhelic tribes of the island resorted to many unusual means to drive out their enemies.  They resorted to using bows and slings in battle regularly, finding them necessary to thin out the closely packed formation-fighting tactics of their enemies.  In an attempt to even the odds, they also began to adopt the use of armor—mail for the elite, and boiled leather for the less affluent combatants.  Many wear helmets and carry shields.  Glasconneachs scorn the Cwmvelodi as soft-skinned cowards who fight without honor.

Despite the "softness" of its people, the Kingdom of Cwmvelod is renowned for its horsemanship and excellent horse-breeding practices.  Cwmvelodi horses are a prestigious, and bought by noble families throughout the isles.  The realm also produces large amounts of iron and salt, and their iron-workers make high quality iron weapons and are virtually the only smiths capable of producing the glittering coats of mail they are known for.  These are sought after by nobles and kings, for whom physical perfection is often a prerequisite of ruling.  A maimed or badly scarred king can often be considered unfit to rule, and so armor is highly desirable, despite the stigma attached to it.  

Though many of the temples the Rymalans erected to their gods were torn down, many more were converted into temples for the Tuatha.  Some even mimicked the Rymalans by creating new temples to the gods, though these newer constructions mirror the simpler, undecorated style of the Gaedhelic peoples.  Druids remain important here, maintaining important sacred centers at Llanwrst and Ynys Gryff, but they are fewer in number here than elsewhere in the isles.  Bardic schools are all but unheard of here.

The styles of clothing here were influenced by the Rymalans, and men and women alike tend to drape themselves in voluminous robes, in the fashion of the invaders, which they pin in elaborate patterns with decorative pins.  These are often of fabrics patterned with stripes, checkers, herringbone, or plaids, and in bright colors.  The men are frequently clean-shaven like Rymalans, but keep their hair long.  This combination of long hair and smooth faces encourages the other Gaedhelic tribes to persist in calling the Cwmvelodi "womanish."  Though their appearances may be more androgynous, the Cwmvelodi are not as kind to their women as other tribes.  Women are not allowed the social freedoms men have, such as property ownership and equal protection under the law, and women are not allowed to bear arms.  One legend claims that this prohibition was enacted when the king's mother-in-law complained of the savagery with which she saw women slaying one another in battle.  

Western Gwladwyn  "Prwdardd"
Western Gwladwyn, a land called Prwdardd (Pru-DARTH), was also affected by the Rymalan Campaigns, though not always in a manner consistent with their effect on Cwmvelod.  Instead of a centralized kingship, the Prwdarddi have adopted a quasi-republican form of tribal government, in which the ruling clans from each of the major tribes: the Penarthans, the Dynedians, and the Harixians, all send representatives to an annual council to determine Prwdarddi policy.  And while the leaders of these tribes may call themselves "kings" they cannot boast the power of the King of Cwmvelod.  The battles with the Rymalans brought a continental influence to the realm, but it also fostered closer ties with the neighboring isle of Glasconaí.  

The Rymalan Campaigns threatened to permanently change the lifestyle of the native people, and showed the Rymalans to be a significant enough threat to Glasconaí, that many tribes of that area voluntarily sent over bands of Glasconneach warriors to aid in the war effort.  Some ties between Gwladwyn and Glasconaí still remain: arranged marriages between leading Glasconneachs and Western Gwladwychs are common, especially those from Penarth. These family ties also lead to fostering arrangements, with children sent across the Brine to be raised.  During the campaigns, some of the tribes began to adopt Rymalan phalanx tactics, and armor of boiled leather.  Supplies of iron being less plentiful here than in Cwmvelod, the Prwdarddi rarely use mail armor, but often wear heavy padding, shields, and helmets.  Some rare warriors wear a brigandine armor of leather and bronze.  They like to use massive claymore swords, though many also use long, knotty clubs called shillelagh, which can double as walking sticks for maneuvering the hilly and mountainous highland terrain of Prwdardd.  The Prwdarddi are warlike, and prone to fight over small matters, but in combat lack the pure, utter fury of their Glasconneach cousins.  Though they hate to admit it, they have not lived in the wild for generations.

Men here are often larger than the men of other isles, and tend to wear their hair fairly short.  They more often sport moustaches than beards, but thick muttonchops are common.  They are often noted for their odd lumpy and floppy caps.  Like their Eastern Gwladwych neighbors, they also wear "robes" of a sort: masses of heavy tartan fabric with many practical functions, and are used as anything from a blanket, to a cloak, to a hood as needed.  But the most emblematic, and standard arrangement of this garment is wrapped around their waist and legs, and fastened over one shoulder.  Each major clan has its own distinctive tartan pattern and colors, so a man's allegiance is written all over his clothes.  Women wear long dresses.  In the noble classes, these may sometimes brush the ground, but the lower classes have shorter skirts and dresses so that they may wade through the mud without tripping.  Upper class gowns tend to be form-fitting; designed to better show off the wearer, while lower class dresses are baggy and tied as needed.  Because of the cold climate, furs are often worn, and are frequently integrated into boots, caps, cloaks, and arm-wear.  

Prwdardd consists mostly of mountains and moorlands, which are poor for farming, though there are a number of sheltered fertile valleys that are good for farming.  The rest of the land must be used for sheep and goats.  The realm also profits from its mineral resources in coal, copper, and gold.  The central place of sheep and goats in Prwdarddi agriculture and diet has earned them the pejorative title "Goat-fucker" among the other Gaedhelic tribes.
Brother Guillotine of Loving Wisdom
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Ghostman

Has the relative abundance of iron-based equipment in Cwmvelod borne any metaphysical consequences? Is the presense of the faerie otherworld felt as strongly there as elsewhere in Cad Goleor?
¡ɟlǝs ǝnɹʇ ǝɥʇ ´ʍopɐɥS ɯɐ I

Paragon * (Paragon Rules) * Savage Age (Wiki) * Argyrian Empire [spoiler=Mother 2]

* You meet the New Age Retro Hippie
* The New Age Retro Hippie lost his temper!
* The New Age Retro Hippie's offense went up by 1!
* Ness attacks!
SMAAAASH!!
* 87 HP of damage to the New Age Retro Hippie!
* The New Age Retro Hippie turned back to normal!
YOU WON!
* Ness gained 160 xp.
[/spoiler]

Seraph

#174
Quote from: Ghostman
Has the relative abundance of iron-based equipment in Cwmvelod borne any metaphysical consequences? Is the presense of the faerie otherworld felt as strongly there as elsewhere in Cad Goleor?
Oooh, good question!

I am inclined to say that the faerie otherworld of Annwn is less present there than elsewhere.  The fae hate iron, and tend to avoid it when they can.  This would coincide with the somewhat less prevalent position of druids in the Kingdom.  Cwmvelod would be a somewhat less "magical" place on the whole than the rest of the Gaedhelic isles.  The sacred centers--Ynys Gryff and Llanwrst would be very strange and magical places to a people who were used to a much more mundane existence.  Druids would be concentrated here, and perform group rituals in an attempt to keep the Kingdom in alignment with the will of the gods.  There are many rules for entering these places, designed to protect their sanctity.

Of course, the relative absence of gods and fae does not mean that nothing magical, bizarre, or monstrous can be found there.  The magical power vacuum might well draw in giants, dragons, and other creatures that do not suffer from the iron vulnerability of fae. When fae are encountered here, it is especially terrifying, as these fae are powerful enough that they do not fear simple iron, and only with the specially crafted "Cold Iron" can one hope to defeat them. 
Brother Guillotine of Loving Wisdom
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Seraph

Bryn Mawr: The center of power for all of Cwmvelod, the "Great Hill" of Bryn Mawr is the location of King Dorigern's Court and palatial stronghold.  He and a brotherhood of warrior-nobles occasionally go on quests, as the king gets restless with the tedium of ruling, and needs glories and combat to feel a man.  He also justifies these campaigns as being useful for making his presence felt throughout his kingdom.  When he makes these excursions, he leaves stewards and trusted associates in charge of day-to-day affairs.  They go about, quelling rebellious nobles, hunting beasts and monsters.

Marcuin's Wall: Named for a Rymalan commander and one-time governor of Eastern Gwladwyn, this was a massive wall spanning the border between Cwmvelod and Niflmawr.  It was built by the Rymalans during their reign for the purpose of protecting their conquered lands from the tribes of the North.  The northern tribes were more wild and unruly than the others, and the Rymalans found them intolerable.  But instead of wasting manpower to eliminate them, which due to the frozen climate of Niflmawr would have been disastrous, they simply built a massive wall to keep them out.  They kept a garrison to patrol the wall, and defend it from attack; that is, until the Rymalans were driven out of Gwladwyn.  Since they have been gone, the wall has fallen into disuse, and gradually into disrepair.  The people of Gwystrad living near the wall sometimes steal bricks from the ancient structure for building materials, hastening its dissolution. 

Though the wall is still impressive to behold, it is crumbling somewhat—there are several crannies and chinks in its stones which can be in places be penetrated.  In other places the wall is worn down enough to clamber over.   Thusly do warbands from the north make it into Cwnvelod to harass the Kingdom. 

Caer Orfell: A major castle keep along Marcuin's Wall at the Niflmawr border.  It is constantly manned against invasion from warparties of the North.  It is a major, if not the primary military outpost of the kingdom.  Being so near to Niflmawr, and at the base of Mount Orfell, it is a place of constant cold.  The cold itself is as great a danger as the threat of attack by Northern Barbarians or Jotuns.  More than once have avalanches from off the side of the mountain come down on the keep, trapping the men of the watch inside.  They keep themselves warm by huddling near fires, practicing the arts of war, and telling stories of heroes gone by, and tales of bravery and magic.  Many of these are frightful legends of witches and dark faeries, or cruel spirits of nature.  They remind themselves what they fight against, and the glories of the kingdom they fight for. 
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Seraph

Ardmore
It has been said of the island of Glasconaí that "there is a king in every corner" and this is especially true in the land of Ardmore.  Here every tribal chieftain calls himself a king.  There is a King of Ceann Balor, a King of Torliath, a King at Broch Almhuin who is subservient to a King of Beldangan, but these all pay tribute to King Brogan mac Grania of Drochead.  He rules over them all, and many see him as the man destined to retake the throne at Dun Gorm and become High King of Glasconaí. 

Ardmore is a land of rolling hills, of mountains, and low wetlands.  The Oppidum at Cnoc Caorán (Knockaron) from which King Brogan rules overlooks vast peat bogs and salt marshes. There are four "Great Hills" of Ardmore that reach higher than the others.  Each hill has a view of at least one other.  These hills are used to light signal fires, calling on the kings of the realm to aid one another in times of trouble and war.  The peace among these kings is tenuous, however, and they frequently clash with one another in small border squabbles or cattle raids.  No year goes by without battle.  Allegiances in these conflicts can shift regularly, and the confusion wrought by this often turns such battles into free-for-alls.  Such battles rarely end in lasting grudges, however, and most in the region feel such outlets of aggression are "healthy."

They take their honor very seriously, following strict codes of conduct, and fighting one another at any insult.  Like most of Glasconaí, the warriors here refuse to wear armor, though this is as much out of vanity as anything else.  The warriors of the other nations would not take them seriously if they donned iron suits for battle.  These warriors wear breeches, and sometimes tunics and cloaks, but they tend to bear their chests for battle and paint designs on their faces and torsos.  These designs are typically unique to their clans or tribes, and can be red or black in color. 

Ardmore holds to a tradition of cremating their dead on impressive funeral pyres.  At the funerals of important noble members of society, the nobles are joined in their journey to the Otherworld with certain belongings, such as their sword, their best clothes, and occasionally even a dedicated slave who will die to be with them.  This is always a volunteer, and is only ever done when one desires to accompany their lord.  Cremating is seen as especially crucial in Drochead, as some fell magic of the boglands of the south is said to make the dead walk again, seeking to pull the living down into the mire.


Chonailar
Historically, geographically, and politically, Chonailar is the center of Glasconaí.  Trade routes from the East and West must pass through here, giving the realm tremendous influence.  Also working in its favor is its famed capitol of Abhainnath.  It commands more material resources than most, and only Clarath surpasses it in military might.  It is said to be the ancient site of the court of the Tuatha during their reign over the island until humans drove them into the Otherworld, and from the Hill of Temaire rules Queen Deichtine at the fortress of Dun Gorm.  Many seek to claim the throne of High King of all Glasconaí that rests in the fortress, but the Queen will not easily give up her own throne.  Any force attempting to approach the hill is met with a greater force commanded by the queen and her army of Fenians.  None with ambitions of conquest are admitted without a fight.  Instead the Queen has a series of tests for would-be High Kings to pass before they may be crowned High King.  None have yet succeeded in passing her tests.

Queen Deichtire is best known for the Battle of Ten Fires, fought soon after she took the throne of Chonailar.  When her father died, her brother Maven was chosen first to be the next king, but he proved so poor a king, that the petty kings and chieftains of the realm under him stood behind her when she seized control from him.  But while she was given a mandate to rule by her people, some of the other kingdoms did not respond well to a woman being given power.  They assumed she would be weak, and that they could seize power from her—perhaps even the throne of High King.  In the Battle of Ten Fires she showed these kingdoms that they had underestimated her.  She met them on the field of Magh Ruadh, and controlled the battlefield with ten massive conflagrations, disrupting enemy movements, spooking their horses, and sowing many kinds of confusion in the forces of her adversaries.  She herself took part in the battle, and proved herself to be a capable warrior, and a keen and clever commander.  The combat was a rout, and she was showered with glory and praise.

Chonailar is a land of open plains, and the vast "Red Plain" of Magh Ruadh was the site of many famous battles, including battles of gods and men and fomorian giants.  The Red Plain is so named for the bizarre hue of the soil, which is said to be so stained with blood that it is permanently colored.  Chonailar's borders are marked with rivers and hills and dense forests.  Though the land is dotted with hilltop oppida, the land here is on the whole much flatter than elsewhere in the island.  It has no major mountains within its borders.  The oppida are linked with river routes and rough paths.  The River Dearg is used to trade between the Hill of Temaire, the city of Abhainnath, and the port town of Cois Muir.  Tulainn and Sluisce, separated by larger expanses of land must be somewhat more self-sufficient, but also gain the benefit of greater autonomy.  The King of Tulainn can call himself a king, and have it mean more than such a title would mean in Abhainnath or Cois Muir.  The Hill of Temaire is the highest point in Chonailar, providing a view of most everywhere else in the kingdom, and sometimes into other kingdoms as far as Iscebeal in the East, Bullrath in the South, Beldangan in the West, and the whole pass of Cill Bearna in the North.

The strong Fenian presence here—a large contingent that is unquestioningly loyal to Queen Deichtire—gives the region a strong military presence.  The Fenians are capable and dedicated to protecting their homeland and queen.  Though the Fenians as a society have historically been exclusively male, the Fenians of Chonailar make no distinctions beyond ability, and incorporate many women among their ranks, many of whom hold ranks as rigfennidi, "king Fenians" commanding 27 warriors apiece.  The constant training of the Fenians and permanent status of dedicated combatants means that much of the kingdom is freed from any real need to ever see combat.  This is not to say that they never do, as battle is an integral part of the culture of the island; they simply channel their aggression into brawls at the public house, and personal contests of honor. 

The Fenians as a standing army are focused on being effective combatants, and are often lightly armored, wearing stiffened leather and shields, and occasionally helms.  They wield swords and shields exclusively, being a more formal military force than any other in the land.  However, since even this force is very characteristically "Glasconneach," the soldiers are too individual to wield the exact same equipment and designs as their comrades.  Some of their swords are long and straight, others short and curved.  Their shields are tailored to personal taste, and bear personal emblems on them.  Armor and helms are strictly elective, and must be abandoned if they interfere with the Fenian's ability to move across country at speed. 

Apart from the Fenians, the Noble clans are the only folk allowed to carry swords.  So in this land, fighters are regularly seen wielding axes, clubs, staves, and long dirks.  Sometimes when farmers go to battle, they bring their pitchforks, wielding them as a primitive trident.  While these "lesser" weapons are somewhat looked down upon, their usage is far from unknown to the people of the kingdom.  They are essentially the only weapons available to the lower castes of society, who must make do with what they can find. 

When the people of Chonailar (apart from the Fenians) engage in battle, they do so with intense fury.  They make great to-do and ritual of painting patterns on their skin in blue woad ink, and spiking or styling their hair with special mixtures.  They take great pride in their elaborate hairstyles both in and out of combat, and enjoy showing them off.  Tunics and cloaks are the fashion.  These cloaks are usually pinned on the right shoulder (Left being thought unlucky) and the tunics often drop below the knee.  Trousers are often added to the outfit in the colder months, as are shirts with full-arm sleeves.  Some of the more proud nobility still follow the ancient tradition of stripping themselves naked for a fight, and indulging in the reckless abandon of their rage.  This has become rare, however, and is associated with the uncivilized "Dark Men" of the south. 
Brother Guillotine of Loving Wisdom
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Seraph

Brother Guillotine of Loving Wisdom
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Humabout

Sounds pretty fae-like already, if you ask me.  Shapeshifting.  Fear gaze.  Wearing people/animal skin.  Perfect fae material in my book.
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Seraph

#179
[ooc]This is an update to the mythic history of the world, specifically of the relationship between mortals and the gods, and the schism between Seelie and Unseelie Sidhe[/ooc]The Creation of Man
The Tuatha Dé Danaan were the greatest of the sidhe.  At once they lived out of space and time, and all was well for them, but in the vacuum of nothingness, they could not sustain themselves.  They created the earth, and rose islands from the seas, but it was not enough.  The Tuatha needed to feed.  The existence of the world was not enough.  So they created men.  Out of stone and earth they built them up, and put fire in their bellies and water in their veins.  They filled their heads with clouds, and their lungs with air, and made them faces out of sunlight.  Grass formed their hair, and moonlight their minds and emotions.  These creatures cobbled together from the basest elements were given intelligence, and hobbled about, doing the will of the gods, loving their parents as infants do.  They Tuatha fed on this love, this worship.  

The Firstmen* lived completely at the will and whim of the Tuatha.  They were simple creatures, and they hardly understood the gods at all, merely fearing and loving them.  The Tuatha travelled throughout Abred, spreading their people over the world, allowing them to develop and guide them.  They became more refined.  

The Invasions
After a time some of these returned to the island kingdoms the Tuatha had left vacant.  Germolon and his people were the first group of these humans to invade the island.  Later came Nemid and his people, and they established a powerful line, in the absence of the gods, who had spread across the continents of Abred.    Later came the small dark Fir Crondu, the race giant Fir Bolg, who carried all their possessions in great bags, and the Fir Donnach, a vile and evil race.

These races each took over a part of Glasconai, and there made their kingdoms, subjugating the humans who had come to live.  Then the Tuatha returned, and took the rule of their kingdoms back from these tribes.  The Fir Crondu and Fir Bolg were banished to the furthest reaches of the island, where they were told to remain or suffer for it.  The Fir Donnach would not yield their lands, and were slain to extinction.  Only a few of their relics remain as testaments they ever existed.  Finally came a race of beings that were powerful enough to challenge even to Tuatha De Danaan--The Fomhoire.

These gods from over the seas swept in with fog and magic, and managed to take the world away from the gods, which was the first time humans had ever seen their gods bested.  The gods were not all powerful.  Those who could attain sufficient power and numbers could overwhelm them and exhaust their resources.  The gods themselves were forced into servitude, performing menial labor.  It was too much for them to bear.  They plotted the downfall of the Fomorians, and with the aid of one called Lugh, who possessed blood of both the Tuatha and Fomorian strains, they succeeded.

Tuatha took over once more, over their more evolved children, no longer firstmen, but true men.  Humanity had evolved though its series of battles, invasions, and series of oppressions.  Humanity was thrilled to see their gods return to them—at first.  The Tuatha did not treat them any better than had the Formorians.  They were made to toil long to give the Tuatha pleasures.  They were taken advantage of, and the land was made beautiful, while humans worked in ditches, and had their crops swept away by the fae, and the rest demanded as tribute to the gods—only the merest specks to live on.  

The Rebellion
Brigantia—one of the Morrigna, meaning "great queens"—a sovereignty goddess among other things, saw that Tuatha did not deserve the kingdom they had taken.  She conspired with her consort Llyr, and her son Oghma to bring an end to their reign.  She made love to a mortal man, and gave birth to a man who would be named Myrddin.  She instructed this man in poetry, teaching him Dagda's magical songs.  Her sister Ceridwen was persuaded to let him drink from the cauldron of inspiration, to learn animal transformations, and Oghma shared with him the knowledge of the mystical runes.  With this he learned all the magic of the gods and became the first druid.  Myrddin belonged to the tribe known as the Milesians, and their king was a man called Gaedhel Glas.  Brigantia bedded this man, giving him her blessing of sovereignty over the island.  She called upon her sister Nemain to teach their champion the Riastradh—the warp spasm that would transform him into a raging battle-hulk.  And Llyr taught them the art of forging weapons of cold iron—the only material capable of harming the Tuatha.  When the time was right, Brigantia gave them the signal, and the Milesians invaded.  

Meanwhile, to weaken the Tuatha Dé Danaan, Llyr and Oghma devised a scheme.  Lugh Longfingers, the High King of the Tuatha, had no bride, and no heir.  His mother Ethlenn, a fomorian and the daughter of Balor, had given him a geas that he never take a wife of the Tuatha, Fomorian, Human, or any race known on Abred.  Oghma and Llyr offered to help him circumvent this geas.  They crafted him a bride out of the land itself—of earth and grass, clover, and flowers, and named her Blodeuwedd.  Lugh was thrilled, and married her immediately.  But Blodeuwedd had special instructions—to find a way to kill Lugh—for he had another geas upon him, and this one to his benefit: Lugh could not be killed while standing or riding, on land or in water, indoors or outdoors, clothed or naked, and neither during day nor night.  She told him she was confused about his geas, and asked him to show her the conditions under which he could be killed so she could the better protect him from it.  Not fearing any treason, he did as she asked, and at sunset stripped his clothes, and draped a fisherman's net over his body.  He stood under a roof with no walls with one foot on the banks of the river Dearg, and one in the stirrups of his horse.  At this moment she struck.  She had a trio of brothers who bore grudges against Lugh waiting.  They struck him with their weapons.  Lugh was not killed in any permanent way, but he was transformed into an eagle, and lost his throne.  The kingdom was thrown into turmoil.  Lugh was effectively dead, and he had no heir to replace him.  Lugh's father Gwydion took over briefly, but when Blodeuwedd took one of her conspirators as a husband, she argued that by the ceremony he should be king.  The resulting chaos alternation of rule confused loyalties, weakening the Tuatha Dé Danaan.

With the gods having betrayed them, the men of Glasconaí and Gwladwyn were glad to see the Milesians come, and rallied behind them, rising up against the Tuatha.  After long years of oppression, their love of their gods had lessened.  As the gods began to lose the love and worship of mortals, they were slowly weakened, but so gradually they did not even notice.  Myrddin was able to foil the magic of the Tuatha, and allow Gaedhel and his champion Breógan to fight the Tuatha with the only weapons that could destroy them.  The mortals under the yoke of the gods harried them and made trouble, disrupting the gods and the fae.  Breógan invoked the right of single combat to avoid being overwhelmed, and to save his people from wholesale slaughter.

The Tuatha were defeated, and banished by humanity beneath the hills, and across the seas.  The Tuatha became the Aes Sidhe—people of the mounds, and there made the world of Annwn, establishing it as a haven for them—an exaggerated reflection of the mortal world of Abred.  Brigantia, Oghma, Llyr and the others went away with them, willing victims of their own scheme.  Many believe the story ends there, with humanity in triumph, taking the world for their own, forevermore free to choose their own fates.  They pay no attention to the continuing story of the gods themselves.

The Gods in Annwn
The gods, now called Aes Sidhe, or just sidhe, infuriated at losing their world and their primary means of sustaining themselves, turned their rage on the traitor faction Brigantia, Oghma, Blodeuwedd, Aengus (who joined their side out of expediency more than ideology, as he had angered Dagda by tricking him out of his House) and Llyr.  Against them were Ceridwen, who resented being used to her downfall, Lugh, who resented being betrayed and temporarily killed, Dagda, who resented losing Elphame, Donn Cernunnos, and Nuada.  Nemain chooses not to belong to a side.  Instead she is the one who chooses who lives and dies on both sides of the eternal conflict, and wings through the mortal world flying over mortal battlefields.  She is hated by both sides, but the sometime ally of each.  

The gods, stewed in their bitterness and hatred of mankind.  Though they had always looked down upon their creations as necessary lesser beings, much with the disdain with which a king considers a cow, they now inflamed their hatred of the upstart mortals.  Even worse, they were banished from their food source—they were starving.  The people did not worship them, or love them anymore.  But the sidhe began to find that if they could not be worshiped, and if they could not be loved, they could at least survive on fear.  

And so the Sidhe broke into two factions: The Sellig, (Seelie) meaning "blessed"--those Sidhe who once aided mortals overcome the gods, and who still lived on their love, admiration, and gratitude; and The Onnsellig  (Unseelie) meaning "cursed" who must live off of fear, hatred, and humiliation.  The Sellig Sidhe live by a strict code of honor and right action, filled with many loopholes and pitfalls.  They place extreme value on gift-giving, compliments, and insults.  They have a very aristocratic demeanor, and tend to gather in groups, traveling in processions.  They entertain themselves with dances and music, revelrous drinking and tale-telling.  Some, such as Aengus are given to orgies, but the others approach sexuality without shame, but with much more delicacy, and with a series of verbal and nonverbal cues.    The Onnsellig Sidhe by contrast tend much more towards solitude on the whole, though Dagda keeps many about him at all times.  They are territorial and harsh in manner, often living in the wilderness, and their code is that of the predator.  Their entertainment is hunting, games, and destructive acts of mayhem.  

The Unseelie in their hatred of mankind, seek always to make trouble and do them harm.  They destroy property, spook horses and cattle, vandalize, and kill.  Donn Cernunnos leads the Wild Hunt on Samhain Eve, riding his faerie hunters and restless dead through the land of the living, stealing away mortal spirits.  Lugh wanders, seeking out those that are high, and seeking to bring them low, feeding off of pride, and ego's destruction.  Ceridwen feeds on pain, taking mortals prisoner in the form of animals, and eating them alive.  Nuada rides through the dreams of mortals, turning them to nightmares, perverting hopes to fears, which make him powerful.  Dagda brings many about him, keeping many mortal slaves, which he berates and belittles, and takes his pleasure with, feeding off of their shame, embarrassment, and feelings of inadequacy.  

*I don't really like using this term, and will probably change it.
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