The Campaign Builder's Guild

[ooc]Welcome all!  This is my debut setting (kinda), which centres around the world of Mýr and the extraplanar realms that surround it.

There's a lot of information in each post, so read at your leisure.  No need to take it all in during one sitting.  Updates should be regular, but don't quote me on that.

Iâ,¬,,¢ll eventually have some maps up so that you can visualise where everything is located.[/ooc]
[ic=Voyage]The dirigible rocks erratically under the fierce coaxing of the turbulent winds, and as thunderous spirits howl their challenges into the skies and raindrops like aqueous darts plummet downwards to the churning sea beneath, Sebastian bellows a command that whirls and tumbles in the winds, meeting my ears as a distant murmur: â,¬Å"Orlan! Pull the fucking lever!â,¬Â

With a jolt I am drawn to my senses, averting my eyes from the brilliant white display that dances and darts hypnotically in the air beyond the deck. I reach for the lever, and with a single jerk wrench it downward, stirring the elemental within the balloonâ,¬,,¢s leathered core and urging it up and onward.

With a groan of futile protestation it complies, drawing the vessel higher still, towards the cackling fury of the lightning-wracked heavens.

And staring into that roiling void as the elemental rises in idiot motion towards oblivion, I swear I see an image of my death; fiends of mindless electric fury descending upon the fragile ship, setting the wooden deck alight and igniting the gaseous spirit within in a sudden explosive discharge of destructive glee.

But we rise ever upward, and soon the cacophonous storm is beneath us, a tranquil sea of glistening stars heralding our ascent.

I fall unconscious then.

I wake later, Sebastian grinning overhead and pointing towards the sea below. â,¬Å"Look, boy.â,¬Â

I clamber to my feet in a nauseated stupor, and, shaking the haze of exhaustion from my eyes, follow his hand.

And there it is at last, a maelstrom at the centre of a placid sea, a vacuous darkness resting in the core of a saline vortexâ,¬Â¦ like an impossibly vast pupil, staring blindly into the sky.

An eye. The world is an eye.[/ic]
[ic=Cause for Concern]Hubris, heresy and the characteristic short-sightedness of the anthropoid peoples has wrought a final lingering damnation upon the world.  The waves murmur with an unfamiliar intelligence, and the seas boil and bicker while the weeds and corals wither in droves around us.  Our people move to darker and cooler waters, sinking to the depths beyond the predations of the strangefolk above, and the amphibian alliances are waningâ,¬Â¦
Things are changing.  The sky is a sickly black thing spilled from the bowels of some industrial monstrosity and the sunâ,¬,,¢s light bleeds through the clouds in pitifully meagre quantity.  The birds flock in erratic patterns, the trees shiver in the stillest of winds, and there are creatures that stalk these woods the likes of which we have never seen.
So this is the world we have inherited?  Streets heavy with the stink of decay as thousands upon thousands of shambling, mindless civilians laden with diseases too numerous to count come out into the open air to chant their monotonous litanies to gods whose names are alien to me.  The foundries belch ever greater quantities of that foul-smelling smog into the sky, and sometimes it rains and the diseased howl in blind agony as the caustic fluid purifies their wretched forms.

They say that times are changing though.  That soon we will have an answer to the darkness, and once again the stars in the night sky will be more than a folk memory.  But I cannot find it in myself to believe it.  The engines rumble on, loved ones are still taken in the night by men in masks of scathingly jovial expression to fates I do not wish to contemplateâ,¬Â¦ and there are some who speak of war.

We did not ask for this.
[/ic]
[ooc]Core Ethos
Heaven conquered, the angels scattered, and a nation tearing a path through the planetâ,¬,,¢s coreâ,¬Â¦ we have a lot to answer for.

Who are the Heroes?
They could be mercenaries enlisted in Heavenâ,¬,,¢s Army, fighting the good fight to subjugate the peoples of the Counterfeit Realities and open a rift into the Radiant Realm, or freedom fighters (or their oppressors) in Tammurand, a flying city inside a giant bug that drifts endlessly in and out of reality.

In the plains of Orioclinth they could be from among the Weistarii, nomadic scholar-tribes scouring the ruins of the ancient Dautat Empire for ancient texts and treatises from the golden age of civilization or negotiating trade routes with the fearsome opiliodra or the crystalline whisperers of the Phantom Reach.

They could be scheming nobles or winged-warrior men in the floating Samnast Eyries of Myrth Cannoth, thieves and vagabonds in the City of Eternal Rain, fiend-hunters and swashbucklers on the stormy seas of Gaelbellaine, lifeless legionnaires in the grey cities of the Carrion Lords, or soul-starved sprites from the iron barked razor-forests on the Sundered Isles.

A different kind of adventure can be found beneath the waves.  Cephalopods work insidious flesh-magics to craft abominable living art, bivalves contemplate millennia old mysteries in a static hum of telepathic conversation and the truly enigmatic lodicifera calculate unknowable schemes in dark corridors beneath the ocean floor.

And there are places out of sight and out of time, where creatures existing only in abstract craft kingdoms from the stuff that dreams are made of.  Here wars are fought not for love but in defence of the very concept itself, and the imagination has more substance than reality.

And this all barely scratches the surfaceâ,¬Â¦

Threats, Conflicts, Villains
In Heaven, the Magisters who so long ago usurped the power of the Angelic Host scheme to open a gate to the Radiant Realm of the Divinities (so they can kill them like they killed the Angels).  In Tammurand the capricious gentry subjugate the masses, forcing them to toil endlessly in the bowels of the city to provide it with locomotion.  The Carrion Lords scheme incessantly to expand their influence, guided by the tattered but still-living hand of Se Calobrah, the Mutilated Lord.

Das Dramurr, a highly industrial and expansionist nation ruled by the Praetors and guided by the mysterious asâ,¬,,¢senat (veil-folk), has bored a hole through the seabed which they claim descends to the very core of the planet.  What horror they have drawn from its depths is unknown...

And who knows what the motives of the sea-folk are?  They are at times gregarious and at others highly isolationist and antagonistic.  Tread lightly in dealings with their kind.

Genre
The setting is a mix of genres, and caters to all manner of DMing styles.  It is a place of swashbuckling adventure or near Lovecraftian horror, of high fantasy (sans magic) or gritty noir.  Really, play it how you want.

I personally focus on the setting's dark aspects.  There are many unexplained, alien things in this world, all capable of shattering a man's sanity, and sometimes one feels so terribly, terribly alone...

Nature of Magic
Magic involves the manipulation of the subjective world, causing one's own impressions and understanding of the world to overpower the "true" reality and make what one imagines fact rather than fancy.  However, spellcasters do not simply cast spells on whim, hurling fireballs about.  It is a difficult, taxing and often dangerous task, and if improperly handled can remake or unmake things you wish it didn't.[/ooc]
[size=36][/size]
Mýrshal, as it is understood by philosophers and theologians, encompasses more than just the known world.  Etymologically, the name is a corruption of the word Muersaelle, which in archaic sukamka meant â,¬Å"the world of the Muerâ,¬Â (m-WEH-ur), who were the mythological founders of civilisation in the Phillirum faith.  In modern terms, however, it refers to the entire cosmological sphere within which the corporeal world is centred, which includes the planet itself as well as its eight satellites, the orbital Artifice Worlds, and the parallel reality of the Infernals.

On Corlainth the name of the world is technically Mýr, but this is falling out of fashion in favour of Myrshal. In Das Dramurr the world is called Sibacc, while the name Voldr is common in Ehrune.

The Artifice Worlds are by more accurate cosmological classification considered part of the Counterfeit Realities rather than being analogous of Mýr, but their apparent connection to the world as well as their metaphysical distance from other realms within the Bright Ã' ther warrants their inclusion in Mýrshalâ,¬,,¢s cosmological sphere.  Each of these fourteen demiplanes is structurally reminiscent of Myr, but their climates and ecologies vary wildly, and their respective environments are often inimical to foreign life.

The Conflagrate, the realm of the ever-burning Infernals, exists in strange contrast to Mýr.  Here the world is perpetually aflame with a fire unlike any known to mortalkind, and it lives and thinks and rages like any creature of flesh and blood.  There is but one known passageway into the Burning Lands, which is fortunate, for the fire-folk would love nothing more than to set the world aflameâ,¬Â¦

The World
Looking into the night sky one can see far into the expanse of the Black Aether, where a multitude flickering stars shine in the austere silence of the void.  The Serratic Belt, a sluggish procession of asteroids caught in the planetâ,¬,,¢s gravitational field, makes its way slowly cross the heavens, and the eight â,¬Å"Sistersâ,¬Â, the moons of Mýr, are ever-vigilant as the worldâ,¬,,¢s ancient protectors.

Physically, Mýr is divided into four major landmasses. Orioclinth serves as the intellectual centre of modern civilisation, and is defined as three separate continents: East and West Corlainth, and Yntaroum. West Corlainth boasts the flourishing empire of Baennet Zzar, and its floundering offspring, the traditionalist Calthaire. The sprawling ruins of Dautat, the fallen nation which thrived on the fruits of philosophical endeavour in the first millennium, are the battle sites for the ceaseless conflicts of the warring scholar-tribes of the Weistarii.

In east Corlainth lie the amphibian nations of Drkkâ,¬,,¢snâ,¬,,¢tatt and Sthâ,¬,,¢tkassta, and the Wind Empire of Voht Yaltet.  Aebarophar, the realm of the insect-like lysse, is perhaps the oldest surviving terrestrial civilisation.

Yntaroum is very much a frontier: in the expansive deserts and unnavigable mountain ranges of Qarâ,¬,,¢alal the fearsome thorcaiasæd and towering opiliodra rule, and in the lifeless Desiccated Plains the wycht prism-kingdoms stretch far into extradimensional spectrums and the Obsidian Empire shapes the whispers of the earth into eldritch wonders.

To the west of Corlainth, beyond the Sunset Isles and across the Murkwater Sea, is Chaultine, motherland of humanity.  Civilisation has all but forgotten this place: the remnants of the Dhampiric Empire have fallen prey to the depredation of the ages, and the woods of Aggremoor have given birth to horrors whose very natures defy interpretation.  The eastern coastline is a warped thing, where thoughts are given form and the land itself is a scintillating song.

Beyond that is Ehrune, the Place of Sorrows.  In the east lies Drusil, where the Sleeping Cities forever drift between the realms of the living and the dead.  At the continentâ,¬,,¢s centre is Rhaophann, where the undying Carrion Lords guide mindless corpse legions in pointless conquest under the watchful eye of Se Calobrah, the Mutilated Lord.  To the west lie the nameless lands, where the world ends.

At the worldâ,¬,,¢s apex is Naovine, home of the ice-blooded surst and the Wandering Mountains that patrol its coasts.  The continent is dominated by the Heavenly City, which rests above a mountain so grand it caresses the very stars.

The seas are not so easily categorised, for the allegiances of the oceanic peoples shift with the ebb and flow of the waters. Das Dramurr, mankindâ,¬,,¢s expansionist nation, stretches far across the waves in sprawling cityscapes of smoke and iron. A vast archipelago comprises the uncivilised Sundered Isles, where numerous fledgling races struggle against the authority of Mýr's grander nations.  Geongensia, the empire of the xenophobic cephalopods, spans much of the deeps, while in the unclaimed oceanic territories the chordates strive to eke out a paltry existence in waters tainted by the filth of industry.

[ic=An historical treatise according to Eirqart anâ,¬,,¢Melukk]There are many versions of this planetâ,¬,,¢s history, depending on who you ask.  The Men will tell you of a great war millennia past, in which divine beings of the night and of the hunt tore their own sweeping nation asunder in forty days of maddened slaughter.  The icefolk will surely speak of grand awakenings beneath the frost-laden mountains, where dreams of life spurred winterâ,¬,,¢s chill into the act of first creation.  The dhampir will tell you of a blight born of radiance that pierced the sheltering darkness and defied the sanctity of the night.

Truly, there are more tales to be told of this dark earth than any encyclopedia could hold, or any mind contain.  What follows is the abridged history of Myrshal up to the advent of the Medriatic Era as accurately and thoroughly as my wandering mind could sequence on such short notice.  Liberties have been taken with some of the more esoteric translations and most of the dates specified are approximations.

NOTE:
as by standard epochal notation, years preceded by a hyphen [-] are B.M.E, and years without a hyphen are M.E.

Pre-umbral Era

Also known as the Age of Speculative History, this is the point at which both paleontological record and retrospective divination become useless.  Prior to the modern epoch classification scheme, it was often referred to as the Age of the Wandering Fiend or the Age of Phantoms.

Only through observing geological records, the fluctuating ley lines and tectonic movements can we extrapolate the environment present during this period.  However, the varying results gleaned contradict one another on numerous fronts, leading many to suggest the presence of one or more powerful psionic forces at the time.

(In Elmeit ufâ,¬,,¢Deppatasâ,¬,,¢ work â,¬Å"Maelstrom in the Constructâ,¬Â he proposes the presence of his self-styled â,¬ËChaos Spiritsâ,¬,,¢ as being highly influential during this period)

Umbral Era

(-5â,¬,,¢000â,¬,,¢000 â,¬' -200â,¬,,¢000)
Named thusly by the now defunct historical philosopher Peir sifâ,¬,,¢anâ,¬,,¢Baelum, this era heralds the rising of the first biophages, organisms possessing the (somewhat unrefined) ability to assimilate the very energies of living organisms.  While these creatures fail to establish an ecological niche in other regions of Myrshal, a few of the hardier species thrive on Chaultine, eventually evolving into the dhampir and the family of â,¬Å"vampiric floraâ,¬Â that will dominate the continent in the Moonlit Age.

(The unknown cause of the sudden appearance of biophagic life forms across the planet has been the source of much scientific debate.  Theories range from the presence of neogenerative energies to the alignment of various astral bodies.  This scientist has reserved judgment)

(Circa -220â,¬,,¢000)
The Angels arrive in Myrshal at the base of the Mdullian Mountains, and in their own tongue christen the site of their landing Ivaâ,¬,,¢eâ,¬,,¢aduraynelindasparen-llmonthâ,¬,,¢eâ,¬,,¢ulvu-sellaennine, which means â,¬Å"the place in which light was born, where the children of Radiant ones ceased their wanderingâ,¬Â.

(Interestingly, the arrival of the Angels and the foundation of The Heavenly City seem to coincide with the bloody foundation of the Geongensian Empire in the Diluvian Ocean.  There does not seem to be any further correlation, however)

(Date Unknown)
The Fell first navigates the ley lines to successfully arrive in Myrshal.  The Angels perceive it as an immediate and irreconcilable threat (mistaking it for the daemons that plague their homeland), and wage a ten year war with the newcomer which results in the destruction of the Twelve Heavenly Bastions.

(Date Unknown)
The Fell stages a retaliative assault on Heaven using construct soldiers â,¬Å"formed from the stuff of absolutionâ,¬Â but is unable to anticipate the movement of the Heavenly Roads.  They fail in their assault, but slay many of the paths before doing so.

Oceanic Era

(-200â,¬,,¢000 â,¬' -130â,¬,,¢000)
â,¬Å"The Ones upon the Earthâ,¬Â, the newly telepathic bivalves, begin communicating with the cephalopod people, and their â,¬Ëdreamsâ,¬,,¢ serve to advance the cephalopodan understanding of mathematics and arcana.

At around the same time the dhampir begin to congregate in small communities, and the chimespeakers (the crystalline denizens of the Desiccated Plain on Orioclinth, also known as the wycht) develop the first known written script.

(This script is often lauded for its surprising complexity: having elaborate phonetic groupings and over a thousand symbols, only the Angelic script surpasses it in intricacy.  The chimespeakers were and are enigmatic at best, and this ever-evolving script is perhaps the greatest insight most will ever have into their psyche)

Age of Shrouds

(-130â,¬,,¢000 â,¬' -50â,¬,,¢00)
The dhampir establish the first land-based empire, calling it Veighasht (which has no known translation).  They capture and subjugate the three sibling races as a source of energy and labour.  The spider folk are almost exclusively an energy source, being too frail for hard labour.  The humans are fit for both labour and consumption, while the stonefolk are effective workers but â,¬Å"inedibleâ,¬Â.

(Circa -100â,¬,,¢000)
The Deep Wars tear the Geongensian Empire apart as the various broods vie for supremacy.

(Circa -99â,¬,,¢500)
The Deep Wars end and the Empire is reunited.  Soon after, the bivalves alert Geongensia to the presence of the lodiciferals and diplomatic discussions begin.

(Circa -99â,¬,,¢000)
For unknown reasons the lodiciferals declare war on Geongensia.  Unattractively termed the Mind-rape Wars, this conflict will endure for quite some time.

(See Bieraterund afâ,¬,,¢Riesâ,¬,,¢ magnum opus â,¬Å"Psychologies of the Deepâ,¬Â for a better understanding of the vast psychological differences between the lodiciferals and the other sapiens aquatica)

(Circa -65â,¬,,¢000)
The Mind-rape Wars end, but the ecology of Myrshalâ,¬,,¢s oceans has been fundamentally reshaped.

Age of Revelations

(-50â,¬,,¢000 â,¬' 0)
In forty days of carnage the Dhampiric Empire is shattered from within, liberating the sibling races.  The muriad and the spider folk become mankind and IoValde, and together they discover agriculture, but the stonefolk numbers diminish for unknown reasons.  Ancient IoValde records state only that â,¬Å"they [the stonefolk] went into the waters and did not return.â,¬Â

(The meaning of this phrase is debated.  It could be that they went across the waters as some suggest, or more curiously that they did indeed descend into them and disappear)

Men and IoValde soon part ways, and the IoValde enter a Golden Age of prosperity through various arcane and technological innovations.  Mankind comes to venerate the IoValde as gods.

(Circa -500)
The IoValde begin diplomatic relations with the Geongensian Empire.  Not long after the two races begin a trade in philosophy-technologies, and the amphibious races are born.

The ulvenir of the Sunset Isles develop extensive unified trade routes, and begin exploration of the Corlainth mainland.

(Circa -495)
The ulvenir encounter the samkha (sandstorm people) and the lysse in Corlainth.

(Circa -100)
The ulvenir, lysse and samkha found the Dautat Empire.  The hybridized language and naming conventions of the collective peoples would serve as the basis for the modern Sukamka (the scholarly tongue).

Medriatic Era

(0 â,¬' Present Day)
The Plasmoclast Cataclysm marks the end of the IoValde civilization, and Aennet Zzar begins to develop in Corlainth while mankind comes to dominance on Chaultine.  In subsequent millennia they would lead the only ever mortal assault on Heavenâ,¬,,¢s Gates, and succeedâ,¬Â¦[/ic]
[ic=Time]The Mýrran calendar is organised according to Imperial Standard, which was first developed during the reign of Dautat over two-thousand years ago.  Its use has since spread across Corlainth and has been adopted by Das Dramurr and the Skywards.  Other cultures go by different calendars, but this is by far the most comprehensive and consistent of them all.

Under the Imperial Standard system, there are 90 seconds in a minute, 50 minutes in an hour, 20 hours in a day, seven days in a week, five weeks in a month, and ten months in a year.  Every odd-numbered year is 350 days long, while every even-numbered year is 351 days long.

Each day of the week corresponds to a certain deity in the Phillirum religion, and each month of the year is attributed to one of the August Kings who ruled the ulvenir in their mythological ancient history.

The Days
Malvir - Named after Melledrom, the Mad God.
Sulvir - Named after Sylvanqallest, the Goddess of Dialogue.
Faenvallir - Named after the Faen, the four sisters said to have outwitted the demigoddess Luembastvallin in order to win their fatherâ,¬,,¢s freedom.
Mkwaldir - Named after Mkaal, the God of Nonsense.
Ivravir   - Named after Icarum, the God of Knowledge.
Belbazzir - Named after Belbazzaremaldramem, the God of Violence.
Ulmir - Named after Ulmer, the God of Truth.
Qyrdanpallax - Literally â,¬Å"the day of omensâ,¬Â, this is the final day of every even-numbered year, and the notorious eighth day of the week.  Unlike the other seven days, Qyrdanpallax is not of Phillirum origin.  It is adopted from the samkhan calendar, and is a day steeped in tradition and superstition.

The Months
Abadeen - The first August King, who gave the ulvenir the gift of speech.
Ioandeen - The second August King, who gave the ulvenir the gift of knowledge.
Melâ,¬,,¢cathad - The third August King, who gave the ulvenir the gift of understanding.
Tesh - Attributed to the unknown fourth king.   
Fendravaar - The fifth August King, who stole psionics from Melledrom and gave it to the people.
Anardoum - The Tragic King, killed by his successor after the whispers of Melledrom sent him mad.
Vallensed - The sixth August King, who slew Anardoum and saved the ulvenir from ignorance.
Wodenn   The seventh August King, who returned magic to Melledrom in order to appease him.
Valsheen - The final August King, who kidnapped Saori, the spirit of Aspiration, and made her weave the Tapestry of Destiny over the ulvenir.  In an act of vengeance, Xamiadri, Saoriâ,¬,,¢s lover, tore Valsheen to pieces and scattered the ulvenir across the Sunset Isles.
Nod - The first Emperor, who bargained with Melledrom for the secrets of psionics and gave the knowledge to the people of Helm.

In Das Dramurr the same structure applies, though the names are changed to reflect the language and culture.  The days are Edmin (Firstday), Domin (Secondday), Dwallmin (Thirdday), Faddmin (Fourthday), Maddmin (Fifthday), Yosmin (Sixthday), Urdsmin (Seventhday) and Cyiddin as the rare eighth day.  They use the same names for months, however, albeit with differing pronunciation.[/ic]

Baennet Zzar

Capital: Glimdarhoum
Population: 13â,¬,,¢000â,¬,,¢000 (48% ulvenir, 23% lysse, 20% samkha, 3% tlaktamet, 1% human, 5% other)
Exports: Agriculture, scientific knowledge, berthstone, luhix

The first and longest standing nation since the ulvenir first landed on Corlainthii shores over two millennia ago, Baennet Zzar is known as the cradle of knowledge.  It is situated on the continent of West Corlainth, and comprises its north-western quarter.  Its name, originally Aennet Zzar, comes from the Prophet Aennet Rud Taphomdaqos who directed the first settlers from their homeland of Zaâ,¬,,¢anauril to the continentâ,¬,,¢s shores in 495 B.M.E.

[ic=History, by Eirqart anâ,¬,,¢Melukk]Prior to ulvenii arrival, West Corlainth was sparsely inhabited, with the lysse thriving in a loose confederacy of semi-nomadic clans to the south.  The north and west of the continent were little more than expansive wildlands, where buhdradda and uruk herds had carved an ecological niche as apex predators, and the east was an expansive desert of blood red sand.

There are numerous conflicting accounts of the early years of Baennet Zzar, but accounts become more consistent as the recorded centuries progress.  For the sake of continuity, I have documented events according to the annals of the Obelisk House, which are arguably the most accurate.

NOTE:
as by standard epochal notation, years preceded by a hyphen [-] are B.M.E, and years without a hyphen are M.E.

Age of Revelations

(-495 â,¬' -485)
The ulvenir, guided by Aennet Rud Taphomdaqos, arrive on Orioclinth and christen it Aennet Zzar, or â,¬Å"The Land Promised by the Prophetâ,¬Â.  Within a year they encounter the lysse, and, unable to negotiate with these strange creatures, declare war on them.  This ten year period of conflict would be known as the Greenblood War.

(-484 â,¬' -300)
[note: The Old Clans]Though the Prophets held the true power, with the death of Eoâ,¬,,¢Nod and the establishing of the Theocracy (see the Zaâ,¬,,¢anauril sidebar) the chieftains of Xamâ,¬,,¢athâ,¬,,¢s ancient clans were once again permitted to flex their muscles after centuries of subservience to the Empire.  The colonisation of Aennet Zzar was a boon to the chieftains, as it was removed from the Prophetsâ,¬,,¢ main focus and therefore a place where the old tribal ways might once again be observed.  However, this was short lived, as the Theocracy eventually instated prophets in an â,¬Å"advisory capacityâ,¬Â to observe and report on the machinations of the clans.[/note]The ulvenir settle in the valleys of the Jalaeli Mountains, and in the plains of Jehelek and Seâ,¬,,¢avrim.  At this point, the Church is still localised in Zaâ,¬,,¢anauril, but the Prophets charged with the administration of Aennet Zzarâ,¬,,¢s fledgling clans begin to assert their independence, and the threat of a civil war arises.  Thankfully, it never comes.

(200 B.M.E)
The ulvenir encounter the maggot people in the Plains of Yeldte to the far north.  Naturally, they make an active effort to never set foot there againâ,¬Â¦

(-100 â,¬' -50)
The continual cooperation between the lysse, ulvenir and samkha results in the first truly multiracial cities along the River Uqvyashastra.  Over time these cities develop into small city states, which eventually unite to form the Dautat (meaning â,¬Å"prudenceâ,¬Â in Veddrad, the language of Old Aennet).  The Prophet Mellethot Rud Alleshte successfully separates Dautat from Aennet Zzar without bloodshed.

(-50 â,¬' 300)
[note: Terminology]In Baennet Zzarâ,¬,,¢s historical context, an apostasy refers to an upheaval primarily concerned with the Church that does not result in the populace itself taking up arms.  By contrast, a civil war involves the entire nation.

The term Rising is ultimately synonymous with Apostasy; the former involves political turmoil after the Civil War, while the latter involves turmoil prior to the Civil War.  In both instances, little action is taken by the populace.

Also, the Civil war is sometimes referred to as the Schism.[/note]Over the course of three centuries, the Vadruchh, Sidruchh and Albuchh clans war in a series of five bloody apostasies as the heretic Aurotoss stages a coup in Zaâ,¬,,¢anauril and the nation has a crisis of faith.  In 220 M.E Glimdarhoum is founded.
[spoiler]Why did this period of turmoil last so long?  Historians are not certain, but it appears that Aurotoss possessed unusual longevity, and was present throughout the entire 350 year period.  While it is certainly possible that he was in fact multiple people, there is ample evidence in support of the theory that he had discovered a supernatural means of self-preservation.  The Phillirum annals make numerous references to the Lich, cursed beings under the service of Luembastvallin, the Deathless One, who were blessed by their goddess and could therefore defy the passing of the ages.  Perhaps Aurotoss was one such Lich?[/spoiler]
Medriatic Era

(300 â,¬' 466)
Iouæn is founded.  Trade is established with the Sundered Isles, and the cephalopods of Geongensia are discovered.  The viskke armada terrorises Aennet Zzarâ,¬,,¢s fleets until a precarious armistice is signed with the Scythling Kings.

(467 â,¬' 590)
Iouæn falls.  The ulvenir encounter the samkha, and establish trade with the Wind Empire via Dautat.

(593 â,¬' 600)
The Threefold Apostasy causes the Theocracyâ,¬,,¢s teachings to shift from all-inclusive polytheism to bring more focus on the teachings of Icarum.

(865 â,¬' 905)
The Terror of Flesh envelopes Dautat and refugees flee west to Aennet Zzar.  Their arrival causes much dispute among the Prophets, as to whether or not their presence should be tolerated, and this conflict serves as a precursor and catalyst to the Civil War.

(906 â,¬' 928)
The clan chieftains rebel against the Prophets, opposing the Churchâ,¬,,¢s burgeoning trends towards monotheism.  The warlord Uddrelai ohdâ,¬,,¢Ezradda unites the chieftains and incites them to rebellion.  The Civil War tears through Aennet Zzar.

(929 â,¬' 950)
The Civil War ends; a great schism divides Aennet Zzar into Baennet Zzar to the north, and Calthaire to the south.  The Clerics rise to power in Baennet Zzar and the Prophets no longer have administrative power.

(951 M.E)
The ulvenir first encounter the tlaktamet.

(968 M.E)
Diruchh Soel is founded.

(1000 M.E)
Trade is established with the Sunset Isles.

(1012 â,¬' 1024)
The first Starfall occurs, striking the southern provinces.  The Halfway Prince Ogglorukh establishes a kingdom in the provinces of Syumta and Woulltan, but is eventually bested by the hero Adromelech.

(1350 M.E)
Merchants trading in the Sundered Isles encounter human raiders, and defend the native islanders against the human assault.  This bloody encounter will be remembered by both sides as the battle of Ilmasse Dorné.  Following the conflict, Das Dramurr and Baennet Zzar make reparations and trade is established between the two peoples.

(1351 â,¬' 1409)
The Fey Princes of Kaâ,¬,,¢ath reveal the Prophesy of Shadowâ,¬,,¢s Heart to the Clerics.

(2154 â,¬' 2261)
In response to Das Dramurrâ,¬,,¢s continual piracy in the Sundered Isles, Baennet Zzar responds with an attack on the human pirate vessels.  This degenerates into a cataclysmic war between the two nations, now known as the Great War, which lasts over a century.  In the aftermath of this conflict, diplomatic ties are re-established, but there is unease.  In 2236, the Year of Resurrection: the Clerics of Baennet Zzar declare their intent of unravelling the mysteries left unsolved in the wake of Dautatâ,¬,,¢s fall.  This project gives rise to the Weistarii, warrior tribes of historians and archaeologists situated in the Wild, dedicated to rediscovering Dautatâ,¬,,¢s ancient secrets.

(2280 M.E)
As psionic and archaeological evidence contradicting the Phillirum teachings is discovered, the nation becomes embroiled in the First Rising.  In the midst of the upheaval, the Aggrad Daer, Baennet Zzarâ,¬,,¢s most successful brigade, turns renegade.

(2326 M.E)
[note: Who is Vallancarum?]While the High Prophet Iedheâ,¬,,¢Vallancarum has only served in the Clergy for some 120 years, it is suspected that he has been around for much longer than that.  His rare amber eyes and the distinctive crescent scar encircling his right eye are unmistakable, and yet there have been numerous accounts of such a figure throughout the nationâ,¬,,¢s history.  He makes an appearance in most of Baennet Zzarâ,¬,,¢s famous battles: for instance, both he and his sword, Naellthwonde, fit the descriptions of the warrior and blade that bested the heretic psion Ullagratt almost two millennia ago.  Of course, the High Prophet neither endorses these rumours or refutes them.[/note]The Second Rising upsets the balance of power once again, and only the timely intervention of High Prophet Iedheâ,¬,,¢Vallancarum prevents the outbreak of a second civil war.  The Council of Twelve is created to serve as a consistent administrative body beyond the constantly shifting collective of Provincial Clerics (see Government and Politics for details).

(2348 M.E)
The current year.[/ic]
Industries
Baennet Zzar is renowned for its incalculable wealth of scientific texts, and most of Mýrâ,¬,,¢s intellectuals have spent time among the sprawling libraries and annals for which the nation is famed.  Virtually all of Baennetâ,¬,,¢s fertile land is reserved for agriculture, which, while rather unremarkable, produces more than enough cereals, grains and vegetables to sustain its rapidly increasing populace.  It is also known for its vast quantities of luhix, a spice harvested from the iloboro trees that pervade the nation that contains many curative properties when properly administered.

Despite yielding little of its own produce for international trade, Baennet Zzar is easily also the economic centre of the civilised world.  Merchants and adventurers from throughout Das Dramurr, Geongensia and Corlainth frequent its metropolises, selling and trading foodstuffs, arms, exotic wares and even mercenary services.  Once a year the Weistarii also come, bringing the knowledge they have gleaned from the wastes of Dautat to the populace proper.

Life and Society
[note: Starfall]A Starfall occurs when one of Mýrshalâ,¬,,¢s artifice worlds becomes coterminous with Mýr and a breach is formed between the planets.  The inhabitants of that particular artifice world gain entry to Myr, and their arrival is heralded by â,¬Å"falling starsâ,¬Â (which are in fact the ectoplasmic vessels that contain the invaders).  Such extraterrestrial visitors are known as suri.  Starfalls are disastrous occurrences, as the suri proceed to destroy the surround region, spreading ever outward until they have either killed or enslaved the occupants, or they themselves are killed.  Depending on the nature of the suri, they may then either established a state of their own, or roam the land as aimless predators.

Thankfully, Baennet Zzar is well equipped to deal with an encroaching Starfall.  Astronomers scour the skies for foreign stars, and when one is sighted the Ziddrad (see Government and Politics) mobilises its forces in preparation for the conflict.  There have only ever been three Starfalls in Baennet Zzar; the rest occur in the Wild (see The Wild coming soon! for more information on Starfalls).[/note]A third of the countryâ,¬,,¢s populace is rural, and despite continuing advances in technology the life of the average farmer has not gotten much easier.  The innovation of the steam engine nearly a century ago has yielded both a combine harvester and a mechanised plough, but few can obtain such instruments unless donated, so those farmers whose crops do not feed the metropolises must make do with manual labour.

Thanks to advent of rhiddmach technology, access to current affairs is easy for most citizens.  Only the most backwater settlements in Baennet Zzar remain disconnected from the communications network.  Beyond that, the national railway line provides swift and inexpensive travel between major settlements, thus ensuring a conscious populace from which few are alienated.

Unthreatening strangers are quickly welcomed in most towns, especially if they have any knowledge of current events worth sharing.  It is national custom both that residents offer shelter and suitable sustenance for travellers, and that travellers reciprocate in whatever manner they can.  This is fortunate, particularly in the south-eastern provinces, as an undefended village does not last long against the suri and other creatures that prowl the Wild, and Imperial soldiers are often ineffectual in repelling such threats.

Citizens of larger settlements live in close proximity, but not oppressively so.  The multicultural mix of Baennet Zzar, as well as its ceaseless development, results in cities that are a hodgepodge of designs, with architecture hailing from ulvenii, human, samkhan and lysse lands, among others, and even places as far-flung as Ehrune.  The people therein are generally tradesmen and unskilled labourers, but they are markedly different both in disposition and social awareness to those who live in rural communities.  Schooling is free and avidly attended by most, though they are racially segregated, and daily forums occur in which news is announced and discussed and citizens can voice concerns to the aristocracy.  The overall result is an urban populace that is surprisingly well informed, albeit tainted by a mild degree of propaganda.

Multiracial though it may be, Baennet Zzar is still rife with racial tension.  Nearly half the population is ulvenii, and a fifth is samkhan.  This combination is volatile in itself, but interestingly, both groups maintain the restraint necessary to coexist peaceably.  It is the true minorities, such as the humans, tobil and urrum who suffer most: while Clerical law stresses equality of all races, the populace itself does not adhere quite as closely as it should.  Racial violence is rare, but that does not stop shopkeepers spontaneously raising prices when an â,¬Å"undesirableâ,¬Â enters their store.

Fashion
[note: The Industry] Among the general populace, high fashion is not a topic many can relate to.  However, Zzari bourgeoisie and aristocrats are well known for their flamboyance, and for the caprice of their fashion trends.  Eccentric, revealing and often sexually provocative clothing is immensely popular (while notorious prudes, ulvenir associate no stigma with sex, and are both outspoken in matters concerning it and enthusiastic in their acquisition of it), thanks to the continuing dominance of the samkha in the textile industry and many trade avenues.  Once a month in many Baennet cities, gatherings are held to showcase the latest fashions, and these gatherings attract great crowds.[/note]Despite centuries of advancement, the style of dress commonly espoused by the Zzari has not changed much since the Civil War.  Male ulvenir typically wear tunics of black or grey, with a coloured sash or a thick, sturdy belt securing it at the waist.  Beneath the tunic is a white cotton shirt.  Breeches, usually darker than the tunic, are common, with a loose-fitting skirt called a sittrah sometimes worn over them in summer.  For men of high standing, leather padding is often stitched into sleeves and legs of an outfit, and leather pauldrons are worn on the shoulders, as protection in the event that they are challenged to a duel.  Leather gloves and boots are also worn, with steel plates between the layers of fabric if one can afford it.  For females, clothing is much the same, although coloured apparel is more common than monochrome and the extra protection is usually ignored.

Zzari headwear is distinctive, varying from province to province.  Among the western and central provinces, the tasvatt is a popular addition: a short, conical cap with a long flap of fabric covering the back of the neck.  Among children, coloured tassels often adorn the tasvatt, and the Disk of Icarum usually surmounts the caps of clergymen.  To the north, the tasvatt is common among the men, while the martatt is worn by women.  The martatt has two conical protrusions, extending at an upward angle from the head, and the resulting hornlike appearance results in the colloquial name â,¬Å"devilâ,¬,,¢s crownâ,¬Â.  In the south and eastern provinces, a simple hemispheric cap is worn, with beaded threads dangling from its base. Most male ulvenir wear their long hair in dreadlocks, called gaovad, and a male with short hair is often derided as being unmanly.  Females typically have short hair, but it is perfectly acceptable for them to wear it long (they do not, however, have gaovad).

Beyond a single pair of earrings (for both males and females), jewellery is discouraged, as immodest behaviour is considered rude among ulvenir.  However, such propriety is often ignored by the aristocracy, who flaunt their riches.  Though the trend is fading, swords are still a frequent addition to general attire, held in scabbards at the waist, but it is considered excessively militant to have more than a single visible weapon, and as a rule no-one carries sword slung across the back.

For non-ulvenir, the clothing of an individual's native land is generally worn (see the fashion entries of their respective nations for details).  Samkhan attire is popular among the Zzari aristocracy, with its gaudy colours and extravagant accoutrements.

Cuisine
Rice forms the staple of the Zzari diet, and is included in almost every meal.  It is eaten in one of two forms: as teuuâ,¬,,¢reede (dry rice) or gruiâ,¬,,¢reede (wet rice), and when ground into a powder it is often added to many baked goods.  In coastal and riverside settlements (which includes most large cities), it is accompanied by baked, smoked or grilled fish, steamed and salted octopus (squid is considered taboo in many places) or boiled géomagga (a small, many-tentacled amphibian unique to the Zzari coast).  Inland, it is supplemented with ahma, horse, and in the festive season, buhdradd meat, which is typically roasted or steamed.  Rice milk, sweetened with the gasahlt herb, is the most common beverage.

The Arts
Within Baennet Zzar there are few theatres to speak of; rather, Zzari attend open-air concerts, usually one to two hours long, in which performers recount the ancient Sagas of Phillirum through the medium of dance, mime and lengthy poetic verse.  Spoken dialogue is directed at the audience â,¬' there is rarely any discourse between performers â,¬' and though the subject matter stands at the core of the Phillirum faith, a modicum of irreverence is always taken in good stride.  Such concerts are performed once a day, with the exclusion of Ulmir, which is considered a day of rest.

Sculpture has been highly prized by Zzari for centuries, and sculptors shape the colourful berthstone into wonderful, albeit ephemeral works of art.  Because of berthstoneâ,¬,,¢s pliant nature, it can be shaped with utmost precision, and the fact that it retains its integrity for such a short period of time unless reinforced means that it may be easily reused to craft a new sculpture.  Its cheapness also makes it readily accessible to all members of the social spectrum.  More recently, canvass painting has gained popularity among the nobility, and a few individuals in particular have emerged as the true masters of the art.

Music in Baennet Zzar has its origins in the military fanfares of old Aennet, and has evolved over the years to incorporate many instruments and styles from across Mýr.  Kot-gut-sast, a bassy, high tempo style from Sthar, is popular among the masses, while the classical wroatii from the nationâ,¬,,¢s antiquity continues to be reinvented and enjoyed by the aristocracy.

Architecture
Coming soon

Transport
A national railroad service connects all of Baennet Zzarâ,¬,,¢s cities as well of many of its smaller settlements, but many find the price of such travel too expensive for long trips.  Thus, traditional transport by ahma or horseback is still common, even along routes traversed by locomotives.  For the truly affluent, airships, dirigibles and carapace walkers refurbished for personal use after the Great War are also available.

Language
[note: Bo Laerda]Because Baennet Zzar lies at the centre of Mýrâ,¬,,¢s global market, Bo Laerda has become prolific throughout the world as the â,¬Å"officialâ,¬Â language.  Because of this, the language is generally referred to as â,¬Å"Tradeâ,¬Â, â,¬Å"Commerceâ,¬Â or â,¬Å"Commonâ,¬Â in foreign nations.[/note]The national language of Baennet Zzar is Bo Laerda, originally a pidgin of Veddrad and Sukamka (the mother tongues of Old Aennet and Dautat respectively).   All citizens speak it, and most merchants making sojourn on its shores know at least enough to facilitate trade.  Many ulvenir also know Veddrad, as that is the language spoken in Calthaire, and Dramsadd is becoming more common as Das Dramurrâ,¬,,¢s influence in Baennet Zzar increases.

Naturally, immigrants bring their own languages with them when they settle in Baennet Zzar, and with a large enough influx of a particular demographic, words from that language enter the Bo Laerda vernacular.  A prime example is the expletive dhrehkta, which originated in the Surat language of the samkha native to Attâ,¬,,¢Sold, but is now ubiquitous throughout the nation after eight centuries of circulation.

Religion
Because ulvenir comprise half of Baennet Zzar, Phillirum is the dominant faith and the nationâ,¬,,¢s laws are based on its principles.  Among the samkha, worship of the Burning Mother and the Flame Kings is prevalent, while the lysse revere the Compact.  With so many races making their home in Baennet, a host of other faiths exist, and the Clerics permit any faith that would not be considered seditious.

Recently, a number of cults dedicated to the Astral Gods have arisen in the borderland provinces, which has prompted amendments to existing laws for Free Religious Practice, but most commonly practiced faiths stand unaffected by such changes.

Technology
For information on Baennet Zzarâ,¬,,¢s technologies, see post #22

Government and Politics
Strictly speaking, Baennet Zzar is a feudal oligarchy.  At the nationâ,¬,,¢s head are the Clerics, one for each of its many fluctuating provinces, and these individuals govern the nation by the principles of the overdeity Icarum.  A clericâ,¬,,¢s term of office is for life, and the death of a cleric or the establishing of a new province results in the appointment of a new cleric by his peers.

A body of clerics known as the Council of Twelve sits above the provincial clerics.  Their numbers are constant, and their replacements are taken from among the provincial clerics, voted in by the Council itself.

For many centuries the Phillirum Church was the highest authority, with the three High Prophets as the guides and final arbiters of justice in Baennet Zzar, and the Prophets (precursors to the Clerics) beneath them.  However, in modern times the High Prophets have little political power, although they are still considered wise beyond compare and their counsel is often sought after.

Individual cities are governed by an aristocratic collective, wherein the various members struggle through blackmail and less frequently, assassination, to rise through the ranks.  These collectives are in turn subordinate to the resident cleric of the province in which the city is situated.

As Baennet Zzarâ,¬,,¢s political forum becomes increasingly secular, the role of the Church in governing the nation becomes ever smaller.  Laws inspired by Phillirum teachings which served the people in good stead prior to the Second Rising are now called antiquated, even barbaric, and many among the aristocracy argue that while the lives of the commonfolk are undeniably better under current reforms, the newfound lenience weakens the spirit of the Baennet.  

Such sentiments spark fears of another civil war potentially as devastating as the Exodus of Calthaire.

[ic=Power Groups]Outwardly, the Clericsâ,¬,,¢ power appears relatively stable: international relations are strong, and the citizenry seem content with their current store.  This is partly true.  While the Clerics have indeed guided the nation well thus far and there are few complaints among the proletariat, the Second Rising dealt a debilitating blow to their power structure.  Many of their most influential and accomplished members were killed or fled into Calthaire or the Wild, and their replacements, while competent administrators, were not as adept as those who had passed.

Because of this, the various aristocratic factions seek to gain a foothold in the political arena, and in these fragile times the internecine social warfare that has always defined Baennet Zzarâ,¬,,¢s high society is worse than ever before, though little blood has been shed.

The Daedathed
As a nation renowned for its intellectual contributions, it is no surprise that its most powerful organisation is one of scholars.  It is by their continual efforts both in their own studies and in the excavation of Dautat that they continue to dominate Mýrâ,¬,,¢s scientific community, therefore maintaining the arcane majesty of Baennet Zzar in the eyes of foreign nations.

The internal operation of the Daedathed is one of perpetual instability.  Opinions on the many theories and proofs that its members constantly produce vary wildly, and the number of worthy scholars killed over disputes concerning the new findings is phenomenal.  The ulvenir are by their nature frank and forthright creatures and vehemently decry secrecy when it pertains to scientific knowledge, but every so often the Daedathed uncovers something that could topple Baennet Zzarâ,¬,,¢s religious institutions (such an event led to the Civil War), and the organisation undergoes an inexplicable culling of its own numbersâ,¬Â¦

The Il Tora
The trade syndicate of the Il Tora remains as efficient and profitable as ever.  Cities within which the Il Tora operates are exceptionally wealthy due to the tithes the organisation demands from merchants who trade within their walls, and the benefits offered to the syndicateâ,¬,,¢s members ensure its continuing popularity among the bourgeoisie.

The clandestine activities of a few of its less scrupulous merchants has garnered the ire of the Daedathed, as there is a huge market for Dautat secrets in private sectors and overseas which many wish to capitalise on.  This is contrary to the designs of government sanctioned scientists, as they do not wish to see such treasures in foreign hands.  If this continues, the two organisations may soon come to blows.

The Ziddra Daer
Baennet Zzarâ,¬,,¢s military arm has not seen much action since the Great War with Das Dramurr nearly two centuries ago.  The peace treaty with Calthaire shows no sign of ending, and while the two Risings in the past century were devastating, there was actually very little violence to speak of.  Most of the Ziddrad forces have been dissembled or assimilated by the Suddrav, and those that remain are concentrated along the borderland provinces.

The Suddrav
Like the Ziddra Daer, the Peacekeepers have little to occupy themselves with in the current political climate.  The economy is faring well across the social spectrum, and the working classâ,¬,,¢ fortunes have increased substantially since the latest reforms, so there are no outcries to suppress.  Of course, there are always troubles in Baennet Zzar no matter the times, and it falls on the Suddrav to live up to their namesake and keep the peace.

The current Lord of the Suddrav is Roâ,¬,,¢orrisouc ohdâ,¬,,¢Yvaggrelaemon, a venerable ex-general of over 200 years who gained acclaim through his actions against the Dramurra in the Great War.  He is outspoken in his disdain for the human presence in Baennet Zzar, but he believes strongly in maintaining civility and would not wish to strain relations with Das Dramurr by acting against them.

The Sylvanst
As always, it remains the duty of the Sylvanst to keep the many cities of Baennet Zzar informed of each otherâ,¬,,¢s activities, and their highest priority is the maintenance of the rhiddmach, the devices through which data can be transmitted over great distances.  In communities that cannot afford a rhiddmach, the Sylvanst have riders who carry messages between villages.

The Sylvanstâ,¬,,¢s ultimate goal is a single unified network of communication stretching across Baennet Zzar, even in the smallest settlements, and given time they hope to extend it even into the Wild.

The Aristocracy
Even in these arguably â,¬Å"immoralâ,¬Â times, an ulvenir is not easily bought.  Their concepts of honour are deeply ingrained, and bribes usually serve only to insult them.  And yet, bribes do occur â,¬' often â,¬' and blackmail even more so.  Wherever possible, the wealthy have bought their way into politics, be it the squabblings of the various merchant factions or the dealings of the ruling aristocracy.  The price of an ulvenirâ,¬,,¢s pride is high, but it can be paid.

There are even rumours of clerics being bought, but that is likely false, as the High Prophets who keep constant counsel with the Clerics are said to see through to the truth of any soul, and no lie can be kept from them.

Of course, where money fails, a dagger in the darkness will often suffice.

The Clerics
Nursing their wounds in the aftermath of the Second Rising, the Clerics are balancing their attentions between relations with Das Dramurr and keeping their own people assured of their Governmentâ,¬,,¢s efficiency.

Expansion into Wild territory has been downplayed by the media, but in truth it is proceeding as rapidly as before.  The Ubliasanghi region has recently come into Baennet Zzarâ,¬,,¢s possession, and Tuellec and Xeklaâ,¬,,¢am are currently in dispute.  Spearheading the expansion is Cleric Baurossoc, whose achievements in the past decade have been remarkable, despite having been relegated to the border provinces for shameful conduct.

The Church
The Phillirum Church always looms over the machinations of the Clerics.  Though it cannot itself pass laws, most ulvenir still hold the Church in high regard, and too gross a deviation from its tenets would be deemed a heresy that might very well tear the nation to pieces.  The current High Prophets, Uedâ,¬,,¢Asthurat, Oodheâ,¬,,¢Styothrug and Iedheâ,¬,,¢Vallancarum, have over 400 years of experience between them, and they have considerable sway over parliamentary votes even though they lack any constitutional power.[/ic]
[ic=Major Settlements]Baennet Zzar is a highly developed nation, and each of its fifty-five provinces (the number fluctuates) contains a city of notable size.  Large cities are surrounded by miles of farmland and the rural communities upon which they depend for sustenance, and as one travels further from the metropolises the villages thin and disperse, giving way to open country.  The largest metropolises are Glimdarhoum, Diruchh Soel and Iouæn.

Diruchh Soel (Metropolis, 1â,¬,,¢030â,¬,,¢000)
Carved deep into the bowels of the majestic Eudlis Mountain in Baennet Zzarâ,¬,,¢s southernmost province of Thyrrindat, the city of Diruchh Soel has seen many incarnations.  It began as the Iron Citadel of the Diruchh, the only clan to refuse involvement in the Civil War.  Their stoic neutrality in the face of brutality from both the puritans and revolutionaries earned the eventual respect of all involved, and the name Diruchh became synonymous with a resolute and unflinching pride to which all ulvenir might aspire.

Though it is a city within a mountain, it is no claustrophobic warren.  Centuries of toil in its dark corridors has carved vast caverns in the mountainâ,¬,,¢s heart, and within these halls the whirring, ethereal architecture weaves deftly throughout itself like a luminescent forest of pale steel, interspersed with grand and ghostly pillars that support the lofty ceiling and whose cores hold the codified secrets of Baennetâ,¬,,¢s last clan.  The city winds upward through the mountain, and the fabled tower of Ould Gemnerron rises through its summit like a shimmering mechanised crown.

There is no day or night in the unearthly twilight of Diruchh Soel, and the city never sleeps, for it is always alive with the bustling motion of its teeming populace.  People come from far across Corlainth; not to trade the earthly wares for which Iouæn is famed, but for the scholarly treasures that truly define Baennet Zzar.  Here, marketplaces are filled with tomes and treatises innumerable, and the calls of merchants and pedlars mingle with impassioned dialogue and philosophical enunciations.

Naturally, the Daedathed has a strong presence in Diruchh Soel.  All of Baennet Zzar relies on their diligent recording of the nationâ,¬,,¢s history and scientific research, and it is within the cityâ,¬,,¢s support pillars that such knowledge is stored.  However, the already fragmentary and vicious politics of the Daedathed are even worse here at the organisationâ,¬,,¢s academic heart, and it has splintered into numerous smaller factions all intent on the elimination (either academically or totally) of the opposition.  This no longer manifests as the horrible street wars that tore apart Diruchh Soel for decades, but relations are still far from peaceable.

Of course, it is not merely a city of the enlightened and intellectual.  The stubborn impartiality of the Diruchh remains, and any who enter the cityâ,¬,,¢s halls are granted sanctuary against all pursuit.  All crimes perpetrated in the world beyond are forgotten in Diruchh Soel, though it is not so forgiving of wrongs committed within.  Hence, all manner of fugitive souls have found a niche within its dynamic social sphere, forsaking their criminal origins for fear of the bloody retribution the authorities visit upon transgressors.

The Diruchh still inhabits the city, and it is by their rule that it continues to prosper.  Adromelech Dir Syrrhan, who became clan chieftain after the murder of her father eight years ago, has finally succeeded in curtailing the violence of the quarrelling Daedathed factions that call the city home.  The populace quailed under Elmeit Dir Hrunnarâ,¬,,¢s hundred year rule, but Adromelech is far more lenient than her father, and it is her wish that all see her city as a haven and a place of free thought and liberty.  Of course, there are many who would like to see the clanâ,¬,,¢s rulership ended.  It is no secret that Merchant-King Jhyndar, whose monopoly on the information trade is eclipsed only by that of the Daedathedâ,¬,,¢s highest echelons and Adromelech herself, wishes to inspire revolution against the Diruchh, bringing the cities governance into the hands of the aristocracy.

Beyond the Diruchh, the Daedathed and the aristocracy, numerous guilds and factions also vie for power.  The Warhand, the elite enforcers of Elmeitâ,¬,,¢s draconian will, has been dispossessed in the wake of Adromelechâ,¬,,¢s ascension.  It is rumoured that many of them, led by Youltainen Dir Classugir, have joined the aristocracy in the struggle against their own clan.  The Machine Faction has gained momentum with new innovations in both ioun and steam technology, and various mentalist collectives are also spreading psionic knowledge throughout the populace beyond the Daedathedâ,¬,,¢s control.  The criminal syndicate known as the Five Eyed Watchers grows bolder under the new regime, as have the numerous cults that now operate in the shadows of the city.

The truth of the cityâ,¬,,¢s origins is a dark one, but it is one that most know and few deny.  When the Diruchh first came to Eudlis by decree of Prophet Mangedellaimon in the first century of ulvenir occupation, the lysse â,¬Å"nationâ,¬Â of Yohnd Veâ,¬,,¢erdgris which had occupied the mountain for centuries (and likely forged it) responded violently to their arrival.  But the righteous fervour of the Diruchh could not be swayed, and the lysse were first forced deep into the mountainâ,¬,,¢s depths, and then, according to historical testimony, eradicated.

Beyond Diruchh Soelâ,¬,,¢s lowest point the ancient tunnels of Veâ,¬,,¢erdgris can still be found.  Here, labyrinthine cave complexes where the lysse once dwelled serve as the sewers for the city above.  Much of the old architecture remains, albeit submerged in the effluvium of an entire metropolis, and there are doubtless many treasures in those tunnels that have been long forgotten by mortalkind.  But be wary, for some say that Yohnd Veâ,¬,,¢erdgris was never truly destroyed, and the lysse linger still.

Despite the genocide on which the city is founded, Diruchh Soel is a vibrant, multicultural centre, where any and all races can find a home.  In fact, by a rather ironic turn foreign lysse find great comfort in its halls.  By Adromelechâ,¬,,¢s benevolence, discrimination is kept at a minimum, and a true hybrid culture exists in Diruchh Soel the likes of which cannot be found anywhere else in Mýr.

Accessing the city is easy, as Thyrrindat is a vast plain without obstruction apart from the crystal river that snakes its way to Lake Ourn.  Eudlis rises beside that lake, and Diruchh Soel syphons water from it for consumption by its inhabitants.  Entrances dot the mountainside all the way to its peak, keeping the cityâ,¬,,¢s air fresh and allowing easy movement in and out.  Diruchh Soel is highly defensible too, as the entrances are easily fortified and hundreds of tunnels provide quick escape in the unlikely eventuality that the city falls.

Iouæn (Metropolis, 780â,¬,,¢000)
[note: The House of Rot]The Maggot Kingdoms of Yeldte have an embassy in Baennet Zzar, albeit in only the most liberal sense of the word.  The Grumnelg appeared quite suddenly in 2023 in an out-of-the-way alley of Iouæn, and for the most part it seemed like little more than an example of the unassuming, sixth-century architecture of Old Aennet.  An anachronistic addition, yes, but within a few months even that would have been forgotten... but for the smell.  Not the cloying stench of rot and effluvium one might associate with the maggot-folk, but a pungent, aromatic spice like that administered to the diseased and dying in the northern Shell Islands, which overwhelmed the earthen smell of the cityâ,¬,,¢s streets and nauseated the neighbours.  And strange people would be seen going entering its broad oaken doors at all hours of the day; scarred folk, broken folk, the wretched and wounded dregs of the city... and when they returned they were whole.  Today, the nearby buildings have been abandoned, and fallen into disrepair.  No-one wants the Grumnelg around, but strangely, no-one will send its occupants packing.[/note]Though it is neither the nationâ,¬,,¢s grandest city nor its capital, Iouæn is easily the most famed of all Baennet Zzarâ,¬,,¢s metropolises.  Few beyond the nationâ,¬,,¢s borders know of the imposing cathedral citadels of Glimdarhoum or the phantasmal halls of Diruchh Soel, but all know the soaring towers and gleaming docks of the Market City, for it stands at the epicentre of Mýrâ,¬,,¢s burgeoning global economy and provides the kind of political clout that force of arms alone cannot.

The city was founded in 300 B.M.E at the mouth of the river Sulos; a small and unassuming community of Phillirum priests and their families, eking out a tenuous existence beneath the watchful eye of the Mad Prophet Guoyadda.  Due to the Prophetâ,¬,,¢s purported insanity, few beyond his own flock trusted him, but his arcane might ensured that none among his peers would dare move against him.  Thus the community prospered, growing under the guidance of a madman and his vassals.

The city would rise and fall over the centuries, coming under siege numerous times as the warring clans of Aennet contested dominance of its waterways and eventually suffering total collapse when the Threefold Apostasy tore through Aennet Zzar in 593 M.E.  Other settlements would come to occupy the site as time wore on, until with increasing trade with the nations of the Sundered Isles and burgeoning commercial relations with Das Dramurr, a vibrant mercantile community developed among the cityâ,¬,,¢s ruins.

Called Iouæn by its denizens, this new market city was a place wherein the many peoples of Mýr could congregate and exchange wares, free of the antipathy and tensions that otherwise plagued the world stage.  Though it was initially part of the province of Zathuris, the political manoeuvring of the Merchant Kings who called Iouæn home resulted in it being declared a province all its own, and in no other province is the designation of Provincial Cleric determined by the local aristocracy.

Today, Iouæn is Bennet Zzarâ,¬,,¢s smallest and most lucrative province, spreading radially from Versemmanon Bay and stretching far along the Baudlorichh Coast.  Its design is a peculiar hybrid, with the gaudy samkhan wind-spires drifting across its skyline and the squat, utilitarian architecture of the ulvenir beneath.  The gutstone monoliths of the lysse jut out of the cityscape like miniature ivory mountains, and the tlaktamet seahouses can be found on and beneath the docks and within the tranquil river Sulos.  Many other designs from various nations and eras further accentuate the cityâ,¬,,¢s unique aesthetic.

Ships load and unload on the sweeping Emerald docks, bringing produce to the countless warehouses of the Holding district or continuing on to Highmarket, the cityâ,¬,,¢s trade quarter.  It is a common saying among the citizenry that â,¬Å"Iouæn is a city blindâ,¬Â, and this is perhaps true, for in the dealings of the merchant class little is taboo.  What was once illegal in a more conservative age of Baennet Zzar is now grudgingly permitted, and much of what remains outlawed is condoned in wake of the authoritiesâ,¬,,¢ apathy and corruption.  Dark artefacts from the Hollow Cities of Ehrune, blood spice and cold iron from the Fey Kingdoms of Kaâ,¬,,¢ath â,¬' even the dreaded viskke razorships are welcomed, trading slaves and the ill-gotten spoils of vicious conquest across the seas.

Highmarket is almost a city in itself, as most of the stalls, tents and shops double as residences for the populace.  When night falls and the lanterns spark, commerce is forgotten and Iouæn rests like any other city.  The watchtowers stationed throughout the metropolis flare to life come evening, generating a sombre orange glow like an endless sunset, and watchful constructs of steel and steam patrol the streets alongside parties of armoured guardsmen.

But this is not enough, and the city is rife with crime and corruption.  Cleric Riennast is doubtlessly in the pocket of the Merchant Kings, and this is hardly surprising, given that he is from among their number.  Because of this, much of the legislation enforced in other provinces is ignored in Iouæn; not because the city is not legally bound to abide by it, but because such laws would prove debilitating to the stable income generated by such laxity, and are therefore simply ignored.

It is difficult to identify the point at which the Merchant Kingsâ,¬,,¢ influence fades and the other criminal elements begin to surface, for the two are inextricably linked.  The slave trade, illegal though it may be, is alive and well, and it survives only through illegitimate tithes paid to the Merchant Kings (and some say the Cleric himself) with each new shipment.  The gambling circle is also extremely profitable; it is technically legal, but its activities extend far beyond mere games of chance.  The lucrative and bloody gladiatorial bouts run by the elusive Bronze Syndicate are also gaining momentum, as is the infamous assassin cult of the Paddsa Daer.

When speaking of Iouæn, Highmarket is perhaps the first thing that comes to peopleâ,¬,,¢s minds, but there are other sights for which the city is known.  The Tower of Words, headquarters of the Sylvanst, can be found in the cityâ,¬,,¢s northern quarter.  Here operators work tirelessly to relay communications across Baennet Zzar through the rhiddmach network.  To the south is the Iron-Tongue Citadel, where the Peacekeepers reside.  The office of Lord Roâ,¬,,¢orrisouc surmounts the Citadel and stands sentinel over Iouæn; crafted from the steely scales of a colossal wyrm, it bears the countenance of a proud dragon in flight.

Iouæn is predominantly a city of ulvenir, but it is home to many races.  The samkha have a strong presence in the cityâ,¬,,¢s commerce, an arena in which their persuasiveness and brutality serves them well.  The lysse thrive on the cityâ,¬,,¢s refuse, and can recycle much of its waste into adequate building material.  The other races are not so well off.  The cityâ,¬,,¢s poorer districts are built beneath and around the wealthier areas, bordering Highmarket and extending to the cityâ,¬,,¢s outskirts, and it is here that the tobil, hennet, jan-jutra and other minorities dwell.  Because of the influence of the Merchant Kings, Iouænâ,¬,,¢s wealth rarely finds its way to those who need it most, so crime is highest among these impoverished souls.

During the Great War, Iouæn was a primary target for dramurrad battlefleets, and the city bears the scars of that conflict.  Buildings less than a century old stand amidst others dating as far back as the first half of the second millennium, replacing structures damaged and destroyed during human attacks.  Along the seaside large sections of earth are missing, with scorched craters and permanently blackened waters standing as testament to the toxic and corrosive weaponry employed by Das Dramurr.  But the city has learned from this, and its defences have increased dramatically.  The Revenant, one of the wind-spires soaring high above the Iron-Tongue Citadel, contains a pair of antique syadravyste cannons which are constantly maintained.  The Merchant Kings also have a fleet of warships at the ready, in the impossible eventuality that the cannons fail to eliminate invaders.

[note: Za'anauril]Known as the Sunset Isles by the people of Baennet Zzar and Calthaire, Zaâ,¬,,¢anauril is the ancient motherland of the ulvenir.  It comprises three large islands: Rheinlaed to the north, Soujinnlaed to the south and Poeddac in the middle.  Before settling in Orioclinth, the ulvenir dwelled in Zaâ,¬,,¢anauril for millennia, and there they warred under the banners of the Old Gods, who, it is said, walked among mortalkind.

The mythological history of the Sunset Isles is preserved in the names of the months, now ubiquitous throughout West Corlainth and Das Dramurr.  Each month echoes an age in the saga of the Phillirum Mythos, and together they serve as an elegy to a forgotten age that spanned over ten thousand years (for more information, see the Phillirum sidebar in Calthaire coming soon!).

Towards the end of this fabled period, the mighty warrior Aeâ,¬,,¢Nod, said to be so skilled in the arts of discourse and warfare that he had bested many of the gods and earned their praise, united the ulvenir in the Divine Empire of Xammuth.  Through his machinations, the Phillirum Church came into dominance and the other faiths of the ulvenir were proclaimed heresy.

In 490 B.M.E, Xammuth was under the rulership of Eoâ,¬,,¢Nod, the fifth and final emperor.  With his dying words he named the Church and its prophets as the sole arbiters of justice in the lands of Nod, and so the empire ended and the Theocracy of Xamâ,¬,,¢ath began.

In 495 B.M.E, the ulvenir first discovered the sea-calming technologies with which to traverse the Iounennion, and so Prophet Aennet Rud Taphomdaqos guided the people of Xamâ,¬,,¢ath to the shores of Orioclinth.  With the passing of the centuries, the religious and political centre of the ulvenir shifted, until Zaâ,¬,,¢anauril served as nothing more than another of Baennet Zzarâ,¬,,¢s many provinces.

In 1982, hordes of suri from the artifice world of Eilleshte spilled forth into Zaâ,¬,,¢anauril, laying waste to the land and butchering or enslaving much of the populace.  A decade later, the Ziddra Daer began efforts to reclaim the Sunset Isles; the endeavour continues today, but the Halfway Princes are formidable foes, and so much of Zaâ,¬,,¢anauril is still under alien occupation.[/note] Glimdarhoum (Metropolis, 500â,¬,,¢000) Called the Starlit Heart by some and the Cathedral Metropolis by many more, Glimdarhoum is Baennet Zzarâ,¬,,¢s religious and political heart.  All citizens of the Great Nation know its name, and it is a point of pride to say that one has spent a moment within the fabled cityâ,¬,,¢s walls.  No place in Baennet Zzar is more heavily fortified; and rightly so, for it houses many of the nationâ,¬,,¢s dearest treasures.

It is not only the proudest city, but also the oldest.  Glimdarhoum had its genesis in the late years of the first century, beginning as a small abbey concealed within a dense wood of ancient iloboro trees alongside the river Ondyashastra.  At the time, Aennet Zzar was enveloped in the upheaval of the First Apostasy, and throughout the fledgling province of Rriedde rebel monks were waging bloody war against their loyalist brethren.  The inhabitants of this abbey (its name is lost to antiquity) alone maintained their faith in Phillirum, transforming their modest establishment into a fortress and repelling the traitorous monks in a two day siege which left but a single survivor on both sides combined (or so the story goes).  In the wake of the Apostasy the abbey was repaired, and in ancient Phillirum tradition it was declared a place of religious significance.

This prestigious honour brought the abbey great fame, and so it drew many monks from across Aennet Zzar.  Thus, it grew, until the abbey itself could not contain its numbers and a large township developed around it.  This township expanded to a city as the centuries wore on, but the sacred wood, known as Loyal Heart, remained undisturbed at the cityâ,¬,,¢s centre.  To this very day the city continues its ceaseless growth, and that same modest abbey preserved amidst those ageless trees is Baennet Zzarâ,¬,,¢s strongest symbol of national pride.

It is by no misnomer that Glimdarhoum is called the Cathedral Metropolis, for the city is nothing if not a place of churches.  The cityâ,¬,,¢s epicentre is dominated by the Mourning Hall, famed as both Baennet Zzarâ,¬,,¢s religious centre and its political capital.  It is a cathedral of mythic proportions, rising over a thousand feet like a phenomenal mountain of glass, marble and steel.  A veritable forest of spires extends beyond its summit, and legends speak of an ancient fiendish protector that sleeps within its tallest tower.  The truth of this is not known, but a fierce colony of winged wyrms does guard its heights, and the wind devils that circle the skies above are sworn to the cityâ,¬,,¢s service.

The Mourning Hall is surrounded by the Devoted Circle, a vast complex of monasteries and government buildings colloquially called Faithtown.  Here the architecture is more subdued, ranging from single-story to larger five-story chapels.  Faithtown and the Mourning Hall together house nearly half of the cityâ,¬,,¢s populace, the rest residing in the more metropolitan districts beyond.  The citizenry is most concentrated along the Ondyashastra, which winds its way through the city from west to south and proceeds through the Aider province (of which the city is part) until it converges with the river Thulst and forms the Uqvyashastra.

A steady flow of merchant vessels passes through Glimdarhoum; not nearly as many as the number that greets the docks of Iouæn, but more than enough to support the city's denizens.  Indeed, the city knows virtually no poverty, though it would be a lie to say that all are universally well-off.  Rather, the aristocracy carefully controls the wealth received by the working class, allowing enough that they may subsist in relative contentment but never permitting so much that they might rise above their station.  This arrangement, while certainly calculating and at least a little corrupt, is contested by few, for though many are suppressed, it is achieved with a subtlety and finesse that defies casual observation.

Naturally, Glimdarhoumâ,¬,,¢s citizens are predominantly ulvenir, and it follows that the vast majority are practitioners of Phillirum.  Indeed, less than ten percent of the populace is non-ulvenii, and this demographic is localised to the cityâ,¬,,¢s outskirts.  The people are kept entertained by the monthly Gâ,¬,,¢hualrid festivals staged at the Churchâ,¬,,¢s expense, each event devoted to an era in Phillirum mythology.  Other nationalities are free to indulge their own festivities, as long as they conform to the nationâ,¬,,¢s Standard of Decency.

Though both the Council of Twelve and the High Prophets make their homes in Glimdarhoum, there are many other powers calculating in the undercurrents of Baennet Zzarâ,¬,,¢s political heart.  The aristocracy, whose power would appear weakest where Clerical influence is strongest, is no less ambitious and treacherous here than anywhere else.  The Paleddas and Caleaddrav families are particularly notorious, the former being famed for its quelling of the Lasseau Reif Insurgency in 2026 and the latter having been shamed for its part in inciting the very same conflict.  Naturally, their contempt for each other is quite strong.  The Paddsa Daer assassin cult is also prolific in Glimdarhoumâ,¬,,¢s understated criminal underworld, and ironically, so too are the numerous astral cults that have surfaced in the wake of the latest Starfall.  Both the Government and the Church are making active efforts to stymie the proliferation of such cults: their anarchic message is antithetical to the Phillirum precepts and the Clerics fear social unrest as their influence permeates the city.  The Machine Faction is fighting for its right of practice, but there is much reservation concerning this as their ideologies, while certainly conducive to the technological betterment of Baennet Zzar, border on sedition.[/ic]

Calthaire

The Wild

In mere minutes the caravan has disappeared beyond the horizon, a veritable wall of scarlet dust stirring in its wake.  Steeds like colossal horses thunder across the plains: beasts of burden bearing innumerable men upon their backs or hauling grand war machines that rumble and clatter in a terrifying cacophony as they are driven ever onward.  They are moving west, beyond the barren land of Tyr with its violet skies and its crimson soil.

They leave behind a bloodbath.

The township is empty of life.  Corpses litter the empty streets and crows flit back and forth among the dead, not yet feasting, but cawing their unearthly deathsong in the summons of the wraith-kind.

Beside me my companion Malluk grunts in what could be disgust or frustration, maybe both.  He is crouched over one of the corpses, furiously stirring two dark fingers in the dirt beside him.  A small bone protrudes from the side of his pursed mouth, and it clicks and sputters as he chews pensively upon it.

â,¬Å"There was no battle here.  A massacre.â,¬Â  That I could have deduced myself.  Some of the adults hold swords or spears in their hands, but none of their weapons have blood upon them.  More frequently are those whose hands never reached their hilts or hafts, or whose feet never reached the armoury.

And then there are the children, killed in the same fashion.  Their murderers made no distinction, invariably firing from the front, straight for the heart.

My brow furrows.  Ã¢,¬Å"So nothing was taken?â,¬Â

He shakes his shaggy head.  Ã¢,¬Å"There was something.  I can smell it on the wind.â,¬Â  He sniffs the air brusquely, before nodding in confirmation.  Ã¢,¬Å"Something valuable.â,¬Â  He twirls a matted lock of hair as he contemplates, then rises to his feet and strides across the square in the peculiar lope of the malbuchh.

â,¬Å"What could these nomads have that would be worth the attention of the Aggrad Daer?â,¬Â I call to him, limping behind.  The wound from the suri-suri has long healed, but its poison is virulent, and my leg will never again be whole.  Ã¢,¬Å"This is peacetime.  The Rising is ended and the Edicts go unspoiled.  What reasons have the Dustmen for violence â,¬' against peasants, no less?â,¬Â

Malluk parts the Grand Tent and peers inside, pausing and shaking his head.  As I approach he raises a hand to caution me.  Ã¢,¬Å"Do not come, Sulqain, it is not something you wish to see.â,¬Â  His voice is terse and wavering, laced with quiet fury.  He crouches, picks something up from within the tent, then turns and lopes toward me once more.  His eyes burn with a fire I have seen only once before and had hoped never to see again.  I am reminded for the briefest moment of what he his is and what he is here to do, and there is a sudden coldness that swallows the stifling heat of the desert and sends a chill down my spine.

He is holding something, though I cannot discern its shape.

â,¬Å"This marks the end of the Ych Suddrasch.  The malbuchh will go to war.â,¬Â

Dautat
Yeldte

Vohtâ,¬,,¢Yaltet

When the scarlet sun rises beyond the clawing Ysabti Mountains, its radiance strikes the gilded desert sands and reflects off that glimmering plain in a flash of blinding intensity.  The howling sandstorms that whirl unceasing through the wilderness of Shd il Gyr are illuminated, casting a prismatic haze across the barren reaches that dazzles and dazes like the dance of some ethereal host.

The forgotten palace Sol Stha juts out from the mountainside and curves forth and upward in a bizarre arrangement of bronze and ivory towers that arch and coil their way past the summit and into the violet sky beyond.  With talons of crystal and glass those spires capture that capering brilliance, weaving a coruscating latticework of light that takes flight and streaks far into the lands beyond Yaltet.

Mtomtet strides forth unimpeded, the sands parting before his advance as he sings the sonorous Loresong of the Quiescence.  Sâ,¬,,¢dra and I trail a few yards behind, hands poised above our tulwars, listening for the telltale whistle of a nearby spiral hunter or the bassy thrum of a stalking wtmacht.  We follow his guidance, for we are yet to learn the loresong and the storm obscures our vision.

Sâ,¬,,¢dra speaks: â,¬Å"This is ridiculous, Syui, the Bright Ones will not have us.  You know it, as do I.  Mtomtet is mad to think they will open their gates to any Ashlander, let alone one bearing Azreâ,¬,,¢s Claw.â,¬Â

He is nervous, I can tell, and rightly so.  It is scarcely a day since the assault on our caravan, and omens have only grown darker as the day has progressed.  A lone blightcrow soaring high above us twice over; a cackling corpse burnt through like an offering to the Gods, calling prophetic nonsense as carrion dogs devoured its stinking formâ,¬Â¦

The Bright Ones know we are coming, and they wish to see us gone from this place.

Mtomtet pauses, and halts our progress.  He gestures towards the phantasm above Sol Sotha.  Ã¢,¬Å"Look.â,¬Â  It is subtle thing, but sure enough the image changes, seemingly inchoate configurations of multihued shapes shifting and merging, forming a single undulant image that arches, flexes, and spreads its mighty pinions like a falcon standing sentinel over its unhatched young.

That is the last warning.

We do not heed it.

Attâ,¬,,¢Sold

He is a fabulous creature, shining, flaming and bloody like the crimson sky rendered in brilliant relief behind him.  The golden sand recoils, blackens beneath his taloned step, and the winds whip and hiss as burning grit flies around him in gyrating, lacerative motion.  The wrath of the storm subdues his call, but I hear it still.

â,¬Å"Syui Oaulssthet,â,¬Â the creature says, â,¬Å"you will not have what you seek.â,¬Â

I am kneeling, prostrate before him, and my skin, my eyes, my soul all bleed dark and bitter tears as he takes another purposeful step beyond the threshold.  The atmosphere is thick with hate, with dark and blazing ambition, and flames caper and caterwaul around me, singing his praises and crying my damnation.  But I feel strangely cold.  I have made a fortress of my sorrow, stilled the fires of my own soul, and in the chill of that final bastion I know he cannot hurt me.

There is an aura about him; a passion that transcends mere hatred and soars high into the realms of world-burning fury.  It edges forth from the fractured seams of his warped and magisterial form, and caresses, blisters and ignites the air around him.

In an aeon long past I imagine he was not so different from myself.  He too heard the call of the Burning Mother, and came to this place at the heart of the earth to play supplicant to Her will.  But he did not understand the price â,¬' he could not pay â,¬' and so She took him body and soul and reshaped him to her own fiery design.

Such is an agony from which there is no respite.

But I will not become him; there is power here, and I will take it.  I reach into my robe and retrieve the artefact with which I will defy him.  He sees it, and there is an instant of hesitation in which he eyes the object with a look of surprise and apprehension.  The flames pause in their blazing cavalcade, and all is silent and shockingly cold.

â,¬Å"You have itâ,¬Â¦?â,¬Â

I nod, and raise the aberrant sigil before his startled eyes.  Ã¢,¬Å"I will take the Fires of Aurnak from your lordâ,¬,,¢s lifeless claws.  Tell him this.  I am coming.â,¬Â

He snarls, spittle like magma flying from his fanged maw and striking my naked flesh, and he calls a riotous conflagration down from the midnight skies upon me.

My skin runs smoking, liquid and foul, and my flesh roasts and my bones crack as the screaming inferno consumes me, but I laugh.  Uttering words of eldritch power I seize the flames in my hands and cast them back at the Keeper, and he is cast back beyond the gate, crying a thousand curses as the portal collapses around him.  I have won, and his Lord will see him thrice-damned for his failure.

The moment passes and the light dims, and I open my eyes to find that I am whole.

Drkkâ,¬,,¢snâ,¬,,¢tatt
Sthâ,¬,,¢tkassta

Aebarophar

Qarâ,¬,,¢alal
The Desiccated Plain

The Sundered Isles

Das Dramurr

Capital: Draet Samn
Population: 25â,¬,,¢000â,¬,,¢000 (98% human, 2% other)
Exports: Ships, mercenaries, trade goods

Born in the unholy conquest of the heartless Immortal Kings, and sustained by the ineffable machinations of the scheming, ethereal Asâ,¬,,¢senat, Das Dramurr is a bane upon the other civilised nations of Mýr.  Its vast metropolises extend far across the toxic Murkwater Sea, from the wild and ruinous continent of Chaultine to the south, to the arcane and disparate Sundered Isles to the north.  It is not the most cultured civilisation, nor is it the most advanced, but its unrelenting expansionism and draconian brutality ensure that all who know its name fear its power.

[ic=History, by Eirqart anâ,¬,,¢Melukk]Humanityâ,¬,,¢s birth as a civilised people began in the very first moments of the Medriatic Era, when the Plasmoclast Cataclysm rended Chaultineâ,¬,,¢s eastern coast and liberated them from a confined existence under the enigmatic IoValde.  Their first centuries of development were bloody and destructive, as the many â,¬Å"nationsâ,¬Â of man struggled for dominance in Northern Chaultine, a land swiftly succumbing to a nameless corruption born in the heart of Aggremoor.

Divining the truth in Das Dramurrâ,¬,,¢s dark history is difficult, for man is a creature oft given to myth and hyperbole, but I have had it in mind to write such an informed treatise for many years, and shall proceed undaunted.  Much of knowledge contained herein was uncovered in the ancient ruins of Darkhearth, Kauthgaand and Cross Gath, and required a great deal of persuasion to acquire from the natives.

NOTE:
as by standard epochal notation, years preceded by a hyphen [-] are B.M.E, and years without a hyphen are M.E.

Medriatic Era

(0 â,¬' 130)
The people of Chaultine, panicked and confused in the aftermath of the Cataclysm which robbed them of their gods (the IoValde), descend into anarchy and barbarism.  In this Dark Age, new gods arise to fill the void of those who have passed, and the Taint of the Aggremoor spreads outward from the continentâ,¬,,¢s centre.  The vile tribes of Yeot terrorise the east, and their horrific deformity and madness inspires legends of foul spirits from foreign worlds.

(130 â,¬' 135)
The Tyrant King Haelsott rises to power in North Chaultine, launching a vicious campaign against the neighbouring peoples and spreading the word of the Jhorhen faith.  He christens his new kingdom Sorghann.  Meanwhile, the north-eastern tribes of Pesakt and Wrothgatt war for dominance in the ruins of the dhampir city Vaalinsrath.  The Codex Ã' brolumi is discovered therein.

(135 â,¬' 188)
Haelsottâ,¬,,¢s influence spreads outward, defeating the Pesakt and Wrothgatt and bringing order to Northern Chaultine, until his son (whom history does not name) murders him and assumes leadership.  Turmoil envelops the kingdom, and at this point the Dhampiric Remnant strikes, attacking Sorghannâ,¬,,¢s capital in the dead of night and slaughtering its people.  By morning, the Midnight Throne of Oerdariggasht reigns.  In the following years, countless assaults are made on the capital, but to no avail.

(199 â,¬' 299)
The Midnight Throne rules unopposed, and the Taint of Aggremoor spreads ever outward, claiming the southern territories.

(Circa 300)
The sorcerer Aghattan discovers the secrets of sunfire magic, and teaches its power to his kin.  The Sunfire Legion is born, and with their newfound power they cast the dhampir from their midst.  The dhampir King Oerderic escapes, taking the Codex Ã' brolumi with him.  Neither he nor the artefact are ever seen again.

(300 â,¬' 400)
Aghattan is proclaimed Emperor of Sorghann, and Sorghann is renamed Aghatt Urr, the Empire of Aghattan.  A new capital is founded and christened Darkhearth, and six kings are instated to govern the individual kingdoms of the empire.  During Aghattanâ,¬,,¢s one hundred year rule, he discovers an answer to the Taint, colonises the neighbouring Oldra Islands and asserts himself as the true god humanity, and only the continuing predations of the Yeot darken the glory of his reign.

(400 â,¬' 466)
[note: The Darkhearth Throne]Though it sat unclaimed, the Darkhearth Throne remained a symbol of divine power, for the Emperorâ,¬,,¢s will was said to linger within.  It was often said that to pray before it would grant the Emperorâ,¬,,¢s blessing and that to touch it would bring true fortune. Even today, though the city of Darkhearth has been forgotten, the throne is a legend that never ceases to fill a dramurraâ,¬,,¢s heart with wonder.[/note]Suddenly and inexplicably, Aghattan dies.  Having no heir, Aghattan leaves Aghatt Urr in disarray.  The Six Kings war over the Darkhearth Throne, but eventually agree to leave the throne unclaimed.  With the wisdom of the Emperor no longer guiding their actions, the Six Kings descend into corruption and depravity.  Their subsequent delves into the occult lead to their discovery of Ravenous and Metamorphosis Magics, and with this new power they rule the people with an iron fist.

(470 â,¬' 532)
Navigation techniques improve, allowing humanity to cross the Glasswater Sea to the Equatorial Islands.  There they discover the Most Ancient Lord, a monolithic statue of a mysterious horned humanoid.  King Alucard founds the city of Draet Samn at the base of the statue, and the city would grow in influence to serve as the Empireâ,¬,,¢s capital.  Gehenn, a cult dedicated to the mysterious effigy at the cityâ,¬,,¢s centre, begins to proliferate.

(Circa 550)
Tensions between the Six Kings mount once more, as Gehenn spreads throughout the Empire and creates discontent.  It is discovered that King Alucard stands at the heart of the cult, and the other five Kings strike against the city, seeking to end the cultâ,¬,,¢s influence over the people by removing its leader.  King Alucard responds by calling upon the might of the Most Ancient Lord, raining acid, thunder and madness down upon the fleet en route.

(550 â,¬' 612)
[note: The Insurrection]Far from merely being a response to the Kingsâ,¬,,¢ attack on Draet Samn, the Insurrection was the Collectiveâ,¬,,¢s attempt to permanently oust the Kings so that the Emperorâ,¬,,¢s true successor might one day assume the throne.[/note]King Alucard is assassinated by his subordinates within the Gehenn Church (purportedly out of fear of his newfound lust for power), who then strike against the remaining Kings, eventually eliminating them and bringing the Empire entirely under the Churchâ,¬,,¢s control.  The empire is renamed Das Dramurr (His Great Empire), as a tribute to their unnamed god.  The new rulers of Das Dramurr are named the Praetors (unlike the Six Kings, the Praetors are mortal).

(612 â,¬' 1003)
Called the Golden Age of Dramurr, this period heralded the development of rudimentary steam technology, as well as clockwork and golemic power.

(1003 M.E)
Explorers discover Ehrune and are quickly repelled by the natives

(1024 M.E)
[note: Whispers in the Edifice]The true motive for the Murder of Tassiel the Messenger is lost to the sands of time, but it is said that the Most Ancient Lord spoke to the Praetors, warning them against their strange winged visitor.  Whatever their motives, the ensuing conflict is called the most infamous of all wars.[/note]The Angels approach the Praetors with the Gift of Spiritâ,¬,,¢s Resilience, but rather than being welcomed, the ambassador is murdered.  Heavenâ,¬,,¢s retaliation is swift and brutal: in the space of a single day half of Das Dramurr is consumed by flames of the purest white, and among the cities condemned to fiery ruin is Darkhearth.  No further interaction between the two peoples occurs, and the Praetors are forced to devote their resources to the reparation of their wounded nation.

(1025 â,¬' 1027)
[note: Heresy]By the end of Heavenâ,¬,,¢s brief and devastating attack, the Praetors were well aware of the nature of Heavenâ,¬,,¢s inhabitants, and wary of further angering the Angels.  Thus, when Cleaddin proposed an outright assault on Heavenâ,¬,,¢s gates, he was summarily expatriated.  This did not curtail his ambitions, however, and history tells us that his dark desire served him well.

When the Heavenly Host lay slain before him, Cleaddin was not welcomed by the Praetors.  For whatever reason, his success infuriated them even more than his treasonous proclamations, and he was named an enemy of Dramurr.[/note]The dissident Praetor Cleaddin forms a pact with the strange entity Eâ,¬,,¢eldograelmassen, and with the power granted by the alliance he forges an army from the essence of â,¬Å"frost, agony, and forbidden joyâ,¬Â.  Accompanied by this fiendish legion and a thousand men of flesh and blood, he leads an assault on the living pathways of Heavenâ,¬,,¢s Road, and conquers the Angels therein.

(1345 â,¬' 1350)
The Sundered Isles are discovered, and Das Dramurr begins to pillage them.

(1350 M.E)
Das Dramurr and Baennet Zzar meet for the first time on the Haroon Sea, and clash in the conflict now known as the battle of Ilmasse Dorné.  Das Dramurr is repelled, but their piracy in the Sunset Isles continues.

(1442 M.E)
The Praetors conquer the thornkind in Tsotor, and uncover a shard of the Wondrous Edifice.

(1493 â,¬' 1498)
[note: The Sorrow Plague]There is no known cure for the sorrow plague, mundane or otherwise, and any human who contracts it is sure to die within a week.  It has no visible symptoms, and is marked only by the exaggerated melancholy and depression exhibited by its victims a few hours prior to their deaths.  Thankfully, it has not appeared since the epidemic in 1493.[/note]The Plague of Sorrow tears across Das Dramurr, initially contracted through contact with the thornkind.  A full three quarters of the population is killed within five years.

(Circa 1875)
Through the Ritual of Unbecoming, the current Praetors discard their material forms and broadcast themselves into the Ã' ther.  With no fear of death by assassination or the passage of time, they are rendered immortal, and their status is elevated to near godhood.  The new Praetors who rule in their stead proclaim their predecessors Asâ,¬,,¢senat, the immortal servants of the Most Ancient Lord.

(Circa 2002)
During an attack on Kaâ,¬,,¢ath, the Praetors learn the Prophecy of Darkhearth from the immortal sidhe.  Following this revelation, Das Dramurr ceases its assault on the elves, but increases piracy elsewhere in the Sundered Isles.

(2154 â,¬' 2261)
In response to Das Dramurrâ,¬,,¢s continual piracy in the Sundered Isles, Baennet Zzar attacks the human pirate vessels.  This degenerates into a cataclysmic war between the two nations, now known as the Great War, which lasts over a century.  During the war, Dramurrâ,¬,,¢s understanding of ravenous magic serves its military well, but it is surpassed by Baennetâ,¬,,¢s own Syadravyste weaponry.  In the aftermath of this conflict, diplomatic ties are re-established, but there is unease.

(2281 â,¬' 2327)
Advances in qualitative theory lead to the refinement of the previously uncontrollable shadow magic, and the discovery of advanced thermal power.  As a result, steam power is supplemented by the powerful but costly ignition energy.  Extradimensional exploration begins with earnest.

(2348 M.E)
The current year.[/ic]
Industries
[note: Mos Kera]Once the home of the thornkind, the triplet islands of Tsotor were conquered by Das Dramurr in 1442, and renamed Mos Kera.  With the thornkind removed, Mos Kera became one of humanityâ,¬,,¢s primary sources of agriculture (it is even believed by some that the natives themselves served as unwholesome sustenance for the expansionist nation).[/note]Das Dramurr is not a nation of plenty.  The tainted plains of Chaull Sad are inimical to agriculture, and the toxic waters of the Murkwater Sea are home to envenomed creatures the likes of which no human constitution may stand.  The islands of Mos Kera are verdant and fertile, supplying the nation with grains, vegetables and the delicious oddorish seed, but they barely yield enough produce to satisfy the populationâ,¬,,¢s most essential needs.  Rather, Das Dramurr sustains itself through piracy.  For over a thousand years the nationâ,¬,,¢s leaders have directed its marauding â,¬Å"merchantsâ,¬Â against the Sundered Isles, pillaging the native lands and claiming their rich produce as Dramurrâ,¬,,¢s own.  Until recently, the Praetors have been moderate in their piracy, but as the nationâ,¬,,¢s population continues to grow beyond their capacity to sustain them, so too do their attacks grow more desperate.

Life and Society
Life in Das Dramurr is a harsh thing.  Towering mechanical effigies, rusted through by centuries of exposure to the salty air of the Murkwater Sea, spill a toxic miasma from the nationâ,¬,,¢s factories and foundries, into the streets of its many cities.  This poisonous haze colours the sombre scapes a monochromatic hue, and suffuses the lungs of the citizenry.  That very same smog blots out the crimson sun, so that its light greets the eyes like a miniscule pinprick of scarlet, if indeed it is seen at all.

For the most part, citizens of Das Dramurr dwell in the oppressive metropolises that dominate the islands and waters between Chaultine and the Naovine.  Since agriculture is concentrated within Mos Kera, most of the populace in the nationâ,¬,,¢s heart are simple factory workers, consigned to live and work in the bowels of the monstrous clockwork engines that power the mysterious machines which the Praetors seem to hold in such high regard.  Here, only lamplight and the subtle, phosphorescent glow of strange airborne chemicals wards against the darkness, and that is a thankful thing indeed, for the shadows of Dramurr harbour secrets the likes of which the people should never hope to know.

Farther from Draet Samn there is a different kind of terror.  Here, the people are free to live in whatever manner they choose, and the callous Praetors do not care to govern them.  In derelict shanty towns, gangsters, madmen and vagabonds abound, holding the populace under a chaotic sway, and authoritarian prefects lord over isolated townships and foreboding city-states.  The merchant-pirates who supply the nation with its produce plunder Das Dramurrâ,¬,,¢s own settlements as readily as they sack their foesâ,¬,,¢, and so the nation preys upon itself, indefinitely forestalling its own progression.

The Praetors ensure the preservation of Das Dramurrâ,¬,,¢s status quo through the liberal use of propaganda, maintaining a culture that is ignorant and fearful of both its own rulers and the world beyond the nationâ,¬,,¢s borders.  The horrifying hollow men, creatures that were once human but now play host to foul magics and insidious intelligences, walk unseen among the populace, and the slaugh, nimblejacks, banshees and other nightmarish creatures occupy places among dramurrad folklore as the Praetorsâ,¬,,¢ feared agents of control.

Das Dramurr is almost exclusively a nation of humans, and this is as much a result of the publicâ,¬,,¢s own xenophobia as a result of the general contempt most nations have for humanity.  Only a minute portion of the population is non-human, and these folk are concentrated in the northern and eastern prefectures, where trade is most common.  Racial violence varies in frequency depending on the ratio of humans to nonhumans, but Das Dramurrâ,¬,,¢s expansionist proclivities and general fascist ideologies do nothing to help interracial relations.

Fashion
For most dramurra, simple shirts of cotton or hemp with a vertical opening are standard, often secured with buttons or string.  Males typically wear a pair of cotton pants, often with unfooted hose undergarments, and sturdy leather boots.  Females wear skirts varying between mid-calf and ankle length, as well as footed hose and flat leather slippers.  Wealthier dramurra of both sexes generally wear a single-piece ruffed doublet over a linen shirt, with full-length cotton hose (often multicoloured) over the legs.  The mandilion (a hip-length pullover coat, open down the sides) is common during winter, with the nobility privy to gaudier styles, often with a crest or emblem on the front.  Hair is worn short and often slicked back with natural oils, and wide-brimmed hats â,¬' straw for the poor, leather and cotton for the wealthy â,¬' called clionnes are popular.

Piercings and scarification are a common element of the dramurra aesthetic, as acute self-mutilation is central to the teachings of the Gehenn faith.  Earrings and navel rings â,¬' the more the better â,¬' are espoused by many, and elaborate spiral tattoos (actually little more than painstakingly etched scars) identify men who have served time in the dramurrad army.  Nose and nipple rings are generally considered unattractive, but they are not unheard of.

Cuisine
Despite being a predominantly coastal and seafaring nation, seafood does not feature prominently in the dramurrad diet, as the Murkwater Sea is toxic to the human constitution.  What little food that can be safely harvested from the waters must be specially cooked and purified, making such cuisine uncommon.  The primary food in the dramurra diet is therefore gasall, a grain larger in size but similar in texture to rice, pale pink in colour.  It thrives in cool, dry climates, and is native to Mos Kera, where farmland is guarded fanatically against pirates and predators.  Gasall is typically boiled in water and eaten in large quantities with poultry or beef, both of which must be imported from overseas.

The Arts
Among the working class, there is little time for entertainment, and precious few outlets for expression.  What little free time the people have is usually spent at the Oe Beill, local gatherings at which news is exchanged, songs are sung, stories are told, and a general sense of camaraderie is fostered.  Alas, the presence of the Whitehand, the Praetorsâ,¬,,¢ dark enforcers, ensures that all such gatherings are tightly scripted, with no information passing between ears that the Praetors might not allow.

Wealthier dramurra, by contrast, suffer far fewer constraints.  For those who can afford it, various exotic wonders can be acquired from across the seas: berthstone and canvas artworks from Baennet Zzar, fireshaped statues from Vohtâ,¬,,¢Yaltet, and innumerable curiosities from the Sundered Isles.

Architecture
Among the slums (which unfortunately comprise a great deal of any given city), buildings are constructed foremost out of wood, which is a substantial fire hazard, considering the preponderance of ignition technology.  In wealthier areas, brick housing or sandstone architecture is common.

The architectural style (when style can in fact be afforded) might best be described as Gothic, or, as Zzari visitors have termed it, kluepei (clumsy).  It sports a prevalence of pointed arches and sharp spires, sweeping heights, grand sculptural detail and a general ostentatious flair that often detracts from the functionality of the structure.  Demonic motifs are also common.

Transport
As a nation that extends across a vast ocean and numerous archipelagos, ships are essential in Das Dramurr.  On land, the schull serves as the most common transport and general load-bearer, with its various breeds occupying different functional niches.  As steam power becomes more prolific, large (and very cumbersome) locomotives are beginning to appear, but airborne ignition-powered vehicles, a recent innovation, are regarded as the nationâ,¬,,¢s true future in transport.

Language
Dramsall, the Old Tongue, is the official language of Das Dramurr, and all of the aristocrats speak it.  However, the most oft-spoken language is Dramsadd, the Low Tongue, or the language of the â,¬Å"Dregsâ,¬Â.  It is this language that all the populace speaks, as opposed to Dramsall, which is an insular tongue, spoken only by the privileged.  For all its xenophobia, Das Dramurrâ,¬,,¢s trade with other nations has resulted in at least a few foreign phrases entering the language.  However, among the common folk it is not a thing of pride to know the words of a foreign tongue, and such phrases are only spoken as slurs or with a touch of derision.

Religion
The national religion of Das Dramurr is Gehenn, and, despite the prejudice and narrow-mindedness of the nationâ,¬,,¢s culture, it is a surprisingly philosophical and thought-provoking faith.  However, it is far from tolerant of other religions, and within the nationâ,¬,,¢s heart those found practicing foreign faiths are met with brutal retribution.  On the outlying principalities, by contrast, enforcement of this stricture is terribly lax.  On top of that, Gehenn itself is a religion with many faces, and one need not travel far to find a wildly different interpretation of the same scriptures.  This disparity, unsurprisingly, is the cause of much bloodshed.

Technology
Coming soon

Government and Politics
Das Dramurr is, in the loosest sense, a theocracy.  Its highest mortal seat is held by the Praetors, a group of individuals each ruling over one of the nationâ,¬,,¢s thirteen states.  Beneath them, each state is divided into a number of principalities, each with a prince at its head, and those are in turn divided into prefectures, each governed by a prefect.

However, Das Dramurrâ,¬,,¢s true head is the Asâ,¬,,¢senat, who were once themselves praetors, but have transcended the mortal plane and now guide the actions of their subordinates from the Ã' ther.  Through communion with them, the current Praetors draw uncanny powers unseen even amongst sorcerers.

On a local level, the nation is a rather lawless place, which is attributed to the absence of a definite power structure beneath the prefects.  Individual cities and regions are free to determine administrative power as they so choose (prefects and princes may bestow such powers, but seldom do), and so urban politics is a chaotic and bloody thing.  It is not uncommon for a given city to be under the direct governance of a diligent mayor while its neighbour is clutched in the thrall of openly warring criminal gangs.

But while a state of lawlessness is the apparent norm, some order does filter down through the political hierarchy.  The tenets of Gehenn are rigidly touted as the nationâ,¬,,¢s law, and all who fail to abide by its standards meet a violent end at the hands of the Whitehand, the Praetorsâ,¬,,¢ vicious law enforcers.  Thankfully (or perhaps unfortunately), Gehennan law is a loose and malleable thing, and a great many acts are permissible within its strictures that perhaps should not be.   But the laws that are in place are enforced with relentless consistency and cruelty, and many bizarre and obscure laws exist that few are even aware of.  Because of this, citizens often disappear without warning, claimed by the Whitehand for trivial transgressions they did not even realise were criminal.

[ic=Power Groups]As a nation so disordered in its administration, the dominance of the Praetors is seldom visible in Das Dramurrâ,¬,,¢s lower echelons.  The Praetors are more concerned with expanding their borders than with maintaining their current holds, and over the centuries various organisations have risen and fallen in their stead.

The Nas Kurr
Since the Great War, as the recognition of the threat of large scale conflict has increased the nationâ,¬,,¢s wariness, the Praetors have demanded consistent developments in the scientific fields, particularly as pertaining to warfare.  Thus, the Nas Kurr, or Broken Wheel Brotherhood, has constantly striven to further Das Dramurrâ,¬,,¢s understanding of the arcane arts.

The Nas Kurr is an organization steeped in ritual and shrouded in mystery.  It was first founded as a response to the Sorrow Plague in attempts to find a magical cure.  Since then, its members have stood at the forefront of the nationâ,¬,,¢s scientific endeavours.

Currently, the Broken Wheel Brotherhood is focusing on the art of â,¬Å"Fear and Flameâ,¬Â, a meld of ignition power and deadly shadow magic.  It is their belief that with this power they might match Baennet Zzarâ,¬,,¢s military prowess.

The Gnem Dasklien
Chivalry is a difficult thing to uphold in a place so thoroughly corrupt as Das Dramurr, and the very notion of the thing is enough to make many a nobleman scoff.  However, the tenets of Gehenn do espouse a chivalric life, for all that it is neither mandatory nor commonly practised.  The Gnem Dasklien, the Honoured Brothers, are an organisation whose numbers are in the thousands, founded in the 800s when Gehenn was paid more than lip service.

While the Whitehand are the official law enforcers of the Praetors, and theoretically practice a brand of justice as instructed by the precepts, the Honoured Brothers are traditionalist throwbacks to an older age, who uphold the ideas of charity, honour and sacrifice that were once central to Gehenn but have now been all but forgotten.

Their current leader, Elessar Elsedd, directs his brethren throughout the nation to where law is forgotten, bringing fierce but fair justice to those the Praetors have ignored.[/ic]

Chaultine

Geongensia

Swift and sure, as silent as the deeps, we flit from shadow to shadow.  The waters shift and press at our command, propelling us onward at an unnatural pace and masking our approach.  We sense them, the serpent brood.  They have made their home among our ruins, defiling our temples and profaning our altars.  We taste the sickly sweet taste that can only be the blood of our brethren, and we know that we are close.

They come from the higher, colder places, where the seas do not know the will of the cephalopod kind and the earth-men churn the water with their constructs of ice and stone.  With blasphemous magics the serpent kind shape the deeps to their will, so that the darkness is thicker, oppressive, and the chill water numbs our senses.  We would be blind, were it not for the static hum of the Deep Ones that flares and dissipates in frenzied rhythm, guiding our arms.

We reach the edge of the precipice, and Seven-Arms moves to the fore.  He is venerable and fierce, and his hatred of the chordates is strong.  Ã¢,¬Å"Into the crevasse, Far-Caller.  And you, Whisper-and-Sorrow.â,¬Â

We descend.

The chill in the rift threatens to overwhelm me, and I draw upon the lore of the Progenitors, weaving an aura that charges the atmosphere, warming and energising my shivering limbs.  Far-Caller notes my motion and follows suit.

Onward and downward, deeper and darker.  Only instinct and the whispered instruction of Deep Ones guides us now.

And suddenly there is light.  Far-Caller recoils, darting down and backward with a reflexive pulse of her arms.  Something hurtles forward, glowing and humming as it charges once, and then once again.  Far-Caller is struck, and her ovoid figure illuminates for a moment as her assailant collides with her, and burrows deep.

A Flesh-Taker.

I do not waste another moment, and I chide myself for my instant of hesitation.  Far-Caller is taken now; she is a Host, and so far from our brethren there is no hope of reclamation.  I move back into the recess of the crevasse, waving my arms in a gesture of warding.  The waters respond, solidifying before her advance and resonating with the sudden impact.  The ward dissipates, but I am spared enough time to swim past her stunned form.

The words of the Progenitors are clear: there is no mercy for the Taken.  I must kill the host while the Flesh-Taker is within, lest it live to taint another vessel.

I murmur to the Deep Ones, and they heed my call.  Their thoughts become mine, and the ocean shifts imperceptibly as the Memory of Malice awakens within my soul.  Far-Caller turns to face me, though it is her no longer, and her arms splay outward with a promise of aggression.

I give her no quarter.

The blow, when it comes, is fiercer than I anticipated, blossoming from my core, tearing tendons and muscle, and blistering flesh.  The wave strikes Far-Caller with phenomenal force, and her body ruptures in a sickening explosion of blood, ink, and viscera.

It is only then, when the waters have settled, that I notice the preternatural calm.  The serpent brood waits, and in the shadows of the temple they are callingâ,¬Â¦

What they are summoning, I pray we need never know.

I press on.

Drusil

Rhaophann
The Nameless Lands

Naovine

Let me tell you of my city.

It is a wondrous thing, suspended high above a mountain whose peak cleaves the storm wracked sky asunder and pierces the serene quiescence of the dark Ã' ther like a great earthen dagger.  It is a radiant haven in the shivering emptiness of a starlit void, and in the blighted and sun-starved lands beneath, it is a glimmering pale beacon, the brightest star in the night sky.

A hundred thousand paths weave their way from the mountainâ,¬,,¢s base to its summit and into the twilit skies beyond, twining, coiling and weaving their way towards the city like serpents writhing in orgiastic fervor.  And they do move, like serpents or beasts or men, for they are alive, and as diverse and multifarious as all that dwells upon the earth.

These wild and animal paths breed and sleep and hunt in alien spaces, fixed to this plane only in terms of origin and destination.  They meander in the rumbling darkness and blinding tumult of lands beyond our ken, where a manâ,¬,,¢s mind might wander to places where he could never find it.

And these are the roads that bind the city to the world beneath.  They are the only roads.

It is a thing of beauty, the city.  A place of gleaming streets and opalescent spires, sprawling tenements of marble and glass, and verdant gardens which need no sun for sustenance.  In the cloudless sky above, gliding towers caress the stars with a mindless kind of affection, and the Aurmachi, the winged sentinels that watch the city tirelessly through a never-ending night, compose the bittersweet symphony that weeps in perfect harmony with the cityâ,¬,,¢s own song.

We who call it home are envied by those who do not, for it is called perfection.  It knows no sorrow, or so they say, and pestilence, famine and the foul aspirations of men are foreign notions at best.

They call it Heaven.

Now let me tell you of my birth.  I remember it well, for all that there was to remember.  There was pain, and there was blasphemy, and there was the stench of stillborn effluence as the Aurmachi cried in anguished lamentation to the sleepless streets below.  For my birth was a sin, one of countless vile transgressions in a city masquerading under the façade of divine existence.

My father was a man half dead and cursed like so many of us, and he spilled his putrid seed into my motherâ,¬,,¢s virgin womb in an act of forced carnality to make a devil weep.  So I was born dead and screaming.  Dead like the city itself.

This city they call perfection, where angelsâ,¬,,¢ blood stains the stones in prismatic hues and the streets are paved with heresy.

This is my city.