The Campaign Builder's Guild

The Lesser Dream-Things[/size]

Much outnumbering the Greater Dream-Things, the Lessers are not so because of strength or their range of influence, but because they do not belong to a "species" shared with other creatures.

[spoiler=Goblins]

Goblins are human-sized things with usually exaggerated but sometimes underdeveloped features that mimic the human form. Once humans themselves, the goblin species is the product of vanity. Their voices have at times almost canine-like qualities, while at others they can seem strained, off-pitch and unnatural. Goblins live through their existences terrorizing mortal realms and at the same time living in their own mockery societies on the other side of the curtain.

[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Wichten]

Mischievous, small, and awkward, wichten are spirits of the earth and forest. They dance gleefully and silently through the thickest of briars and darkest of woodlands. Existing with some un-sourced knowledge of human habits and lifestyles, wichten make an effort to cause trouble for any other creatures they come across, be they mortals, animals, or other supernaturals. Typically seen with things such as small lanterns or other objects of value, they lead their victims for great distances in pursuit of the treasure they hold. Their main weakness is fear of the dark, which can be used to great advantage against them - if one can take their light source from them at night, a wichten will do anything to get it back, including presenting the individual with many wondrous herbs said to cure any disease, and will lead them wherever they want to go. They appear much like small humans with slightly feral features, but seem to be made entirely of the fallen bits of rot and waste of the forest floor such as shriveled leaves, twigs, and bits of moss and pitch.

[/spoiler]

RESERVED 10

Magic[/size]

Magic in Haveneast is a powerful, if mysterious, force. Many folk believe that wielders of these foul powers are everywhere. But what stories are real? Are they just myth, or is there some truth to the rumor? Are there secret cults who practice magic for evil and for good?

The Nature of Magic[/size]

[spoiler=The Nature]

"You already know the feeling of wielding magical power, and you feel it again every time you are happy; whenever your anger drives you mad; when your body and mind are fatigued. Magic is fueled by your emotions and your movements. It is born from your soul and is channeled by your body. Both fuel it and let you reach your true potential. Take good care of both aspects of yourself, and be careful of what you seek to do with the mystic arts as well, for magical effects can just as easily warp your existence as solve your problems."
-Grand Master Ivers

Magic is a diverse entity. It exists everywhere and in everything, binding and shaping the world as it is known. Magic is driven chiefly by those who wield it - without them it is wild but drive-less power, animate only as far as it needs to be to keep everything in balance. Sorcerers and more supernatural beings who wield it put it in motion, and therefore put the world in motion in ways both small and grand.

Magical energy exists in many forms, but the forms as they are most commonly known among mortals are not as one would expect. Mortal methods of practicing magic revolve more around ideas and concepts. One is focused more on a power's how and why, not on its what. This is why Paradigmancy and Witchcraft often cross common ground, or why Demonology, Angelology, Divination, Numerology, Astrology, Geomancy, and Thaumaturgy can all obtain secret or hidden information - though each in its own way.

The one thing that magic cannot easily do is create something from nothing. In general there must be an anchor - a wizard must have a burning flame to hurl fireballs, a thunderstorm must be harnessed to strike down one's enemies with lightning, bars of gold cannot be made from air, etc. However, some of the more malignant methods of acquiring magical power allow these things - albeit at a terrible and painful price.

[/spoiler]


The Forms of Magic[/size]

Demonology and Angelology

[spoiler=     ]
Aspects of the arts demonology and angelology have existed for as long as Myrenia has been inhabited, but the practice of them as individual arts is a product of the Romantic Age of Anselvar, making them both ancient and young. At the beginning of the age there was a steady increase in the number of ancient grimoires discovered and probed by various individuals. They began to wield the magic contained within the tomes to summon demons and wield their power, sometimes bargaining for incredibly powerful and destructive magic, albeit with a terrible price.  In response, those who believed in various forms of Justaism and wielded magic sought out the power of the angels, and angelology was born alongside demonology.

The study of these arts themselves is rather narrow, and its magic consists exclusively of summoning and taking on the qualities of these creatures - though in the case of the former, powerful spirits can often grant other magic to those they deem worthy. Obtaining power from them involves an endless (and sometimes vicious) cycle, where to be seen as worthy of possessing it one must offer sacrifice to demons and prayer to angels so that they may have the power to summon them again to sacrifice or pray for more power. In some of the older pagan faiths, there is no distinction made between who must be celebrated in prayer and who must be in sacrifice - indeed, some of these sects even do both for either side.
[/spoiler]

Necromancy

[spoiler=     ]
The ancient star-worshipers of Calmdais southeast of Siiran were the first practitioners of necromancy. In their time, necromancy was more like the art of divination, with necromancers seeking to speak with the dead; they believed in their time that when one died, they learned the secrets of the universe. Calmdais's sorcerers practiced their benign art for centuries until the fall of their civilization to Urdah.

The art of speaking with the dead was then lost for many centuries more until the rise of the Hydolyn Empire, whose early days saw many explorers and conquerers spread far and wide across the land in search of new territory and magnificent treasures for their king. They uncovered the lost writings of Calmdais's sorcerers, and they were quickly deciphered by the wisest sages. However, an error caused them to believe that they had to raise the dead to speak with them, and, drawing from a source originally linked to demonology and witchcraft, the undead were raised.

Many years later, the wizard Nrakul sought to study the nature of the magic. In his studies, later considered a great advancement in the practice called the Trials of Nrakul, he animated many corpses and used them to seek out more, tapping into the spirit energy transfered each time another was made into the walking dead. He learned many things - how the trapping of an unwilling soul into the painful and maddening existence that is undeath takes place when animating a corpse, how one needs no physical fix to speak with the dead - and most importantly, how life energy was manipulated whenever one wielded necromantic magic. He learned how to sap the life force from others and how to put it back; how to cause the blood to explode from veins and how to separate the soul from the body. Nrakul became one of the most hated and feared individuals in all the world, at least with those who knew him. He is not known to have died.
 
Necromancy in Haveneast[/size], as explained by Mezerous

Imagine a great river. This river flows for great distances behind an ethereal curtain through the universe, and though it is hidden one can easily find it, reaching through the curtain from either side. Lesser rivers, running from places distant and unknown, join with the river and mix waters. At the delta of this river is the mortal world, Haveneast, and at the root of it, in the mountainous heartlands of beyond, is the land of the dead. To know how to travel upriver with one's own soul and interact with and manipulate others is the ultimate test - learning such an ability is not difficult, but being able to survive the physical and mental drain is something only accomplished by the indomitable - and the mad.

What Necromancy Is

Depending on the native philosophy, necromancy has different methods and purposes. Generally, the dark art is the interruption - or in some cases, the corruption - of the cycle of life and death. If the Spirit Veil were indeed a river, the process of death would be the evaporation of the metaphorical sea water - the souls of mortals - into storm clouds. Necromancers halt this process, drawing the water back to the delta. The partial detachment of the necromancer's soul from his body, however, is akin to tearing a deep gash wide and eventually tearing the flesh free, leaving the soul a crippled shadow that lingers over the body.

 Demons and Necromancy

Demonic beings have always had some association with the darkest art. Some amateur practitioners and religious zealots believe that all spirits summoned in place of mortal spirits (merging necromancy and demonology), and they also invade the summonings of less capable sorcerers. Additionally, it is also the demons who teach most power-hungry mortals how to use the magic. All of these factors together would suggest necromancy is traffic with demons, by demons, for demons - but it is not.  

The Creation of a Minion

Perhaps the most coveted of all necromantic powers is the ability to create - or, as might be more appropriate, fuse - an undead being. As the earlier analogy suggests, the process involves reaching with one's own soul into the realm of the dead, and tearing them away from it. This of course is very painful (mostly to the victim soul), and as it is brought back without a physical form it screams and fights uselessly, creating a bit of a mess in some cases. Being able to hold onto this soul is not always easy, requiring a strong will to bring the most useful of entities back - a weaker mind attempting the magic is usually reduced to animal minds, which are scarcely useful for anything but the most simple tasks. This is not always a bad thing - smart souls with the willpower to act on their own are often difficult for their creators.

To fuse a soul to a body, the body must be unobstructed - the corpse is almost impossible to animate when buried or otherwise protected - however most necromancers learn to wield minor magics such as telekinesis to ease obtainment of a proper vessel. It is generally also best to assemble a body with the matching parts beforehand, even if it is just the skeleton (this actually has its advantages), because of the difficulties the soul has adapting to its new form. If a necromancer instead prefers an ethereal minion, the soul must still have an anchor somewhere - usually a small crystal or symbol of importance hidden on the sorcerer's person. In any case, the end result is an angry, tormented, hateful creature to control and use to one's bidding.

 [/spoiler]
Paradigmancy

[spoiler=     ]
Paradigmancy has been a secret and little-known magical art for ages both because of its power and the difficulty in wielding it. A hidden cult known as the Sons of the Universe practice it freely, but keep their knowledge and methods well-protected. Paradigmancy is the art of changing the properties of the world - gravity, time, motion, and physical properties of matter are all affected by it. Paradigmancers are a dangerous lot to encounter, being capable of stepping freely through time - and with the ability to shape objects into almost anything they desire, they are never unarmed.
[/spoiler]

Numerology

[spoiler=     ]
Numerology is a lesser form of magic similar to the magic of astrology in that it deals mostly with divination; though it is done through the interpretation of numbers in many things and the use of them as special symbols. Numerology originated in the east beyond Elbarna and Kureg, where after early necromancy fell into disuse, an advanced numbers system was developed and with it came the magic. Its effects are usually subtle and only a few practitioners ever learn to affect the world around them with it directly, instead interpreting and studying systems of mathematics and divining the future from their results. At the height of its use some time ago, students of numerology had determined a meaning and special symbol for every number between zero and one-thousand, though many of these meanings have now been forgotten (and this absence of knowledge is a sign of uncertainty in their place).
[/spoiler]

Astrology

[spoiler=     ]
In essence, Astrology is the same as numerological magic, but its execution, history, and cultural background are what set it apart. Astrology involves divination through heavenly bodies to obtain foresight and understand current or past events. The art is one of the oldest (if not the oldest) of the forms of magic and one of the most widespread - in the earliest days when irrigation was a new concept, small tribes of people practiced it fervently as a source of knowledge. It spread along with them as populations grew and early civilizations rose and fell, until on mainland Myrenia it was forgotten in favor of more powerful magic. However, in Tuban'De Ferr, it is a common practice in both the lower class and the higher class, with at least one member of any family guaranteed to be schooled in the art, as well as its derivatives (such as chiromancy and tarot divination).
[/spoiler]

Druidism

[spoiler=     ]
Druidism at its heart is little more than a religious belief, and isn't tied to magic. Druids form a special priesthood in some cultures, and the name is the common term for most servants of the pagan gods (even though it originally had a more specific meaning). However, certain cults practice sorcerous arts alongside their worship of pagan deities, and the specific powers they wield have been collectively labeled "druidic magic". The powers of sorcerer-druids have strong ties to witchcraft and share many of the magical spells used, but the druids add a unique form of divination: the art of geomancy. The druids who do practice magic still have a primary purpose as spiritual guides and advisers to the people, and they use random lines drawn in dirt to divine counsel for them. Among users of the arcane arts, druids are most recognized and feared for their ability to control the weather.

[/spoiler]

Rune Magic

[spoiler=     ]
Rune magic has always been most used and most well-known in the northern reaches of Haveneast, being spread in ancient times from the far distant east to what would become Hydolyn and then into areas such as Angorad and Vikanocht. Its users can be likened to artists with paintbrushes, creating unique masterpieces with every spell they weave. Rune magic is first and foremost devoted to warding, protecting, and trapping specific areas; sometimes regular practitioners ward their homes with runes inscribed on walls, near windows, and doors to protect against thieves; and many intruders to sacred places have met their ends when runes would explode beneath them or curse them. It also bears some resemblance to enchantment; an old practice of the Rune-Masters of  Angorad was to draw a sigil upon a weapon, carve symbols into armor, or even tattoo one's body to draw magical spirits into them, granting them special powers - and the more intricate the runes, the more powerful the spells.

[/spoiler]

Witchcraft

[spoiler=     ]
Of all of the greater forms of magic, witchcraft is the most widely used, though ironically it has the fewest cults and organizations devoted to its study. It is a fairly old magic capable of charming the minds of others, changing the appearance and form of its wielders, laying curses, and using the natural world against one's enemies. Practitioners, often titled "warlocks" or "witches", have left a lasting imprint upon the societies of Anselvar and Myrenia, being feared and viewed as dangerous and causing extensive superstitions and half-fanciful beliefs to arise all across the land. A witchcraft user's practice is a solitary one, and its need for isolation makes many of the stories told little more than fables. This does not mean, however, that witches and warlocks should be underestimated, as many have used their magic to wreak havoc upon those that would persecute them to generate the fear that they rightly deserve.

[/spoiler]

Enchantment

[spoiler=     ]
Where Paradigmancy alters the properties of the world, enchantment is the art of altering or otherwise affecting the individual. It is the magic of the ancient mountain men and trolls who forged great weapons and armor in hidden valleys, the talent of sealing doors with magic and making oneself invisible, and the magic of those that seek to improve their physical power. Inexperienced practitioners sometimes mistake this magic as the same that allows one to control the minds of others, but that skill lies within the magic of Witchcraft.
[/spoiler]

Ritual

[spoiler=     ]
Ritual magic is unique in that unlike the other forms of magic, ritual does not have its own specific effects - rather, it is used to achieve an effect when someone skilled is not present, or even serves as the medium through which many other forms operate - forms such as demonology, angelology, numerology, astrology, and some rune magic regularly evoke ritual magic at the same time they do their respective kinds. Though its methods have differed and continue to differ throughout the ages (in the past, ritual magic gave some cultures the power to do things they had not yet envisioned as separate magical disciplines), all of them have roughly the same effect whether by sacrifice, communal prayer, the drawing of symbols, or other means.
[/spoiler]

Thaumaturgy

[spoiler=     ]
The rarest and most coveted magic of all kinds is thaumaturgy - the art of performing miracles. Thaumaturgy's essence is said to be a secret of the angels, a power so mighty and dangerous that they hide it away, fearing that the world would be doomed were someone to gain control of it. Other variations say that it is the most sacred blessing from the heavens, for thaumaturges can instantly heal the wounds of their comrades, cure diseases and plagues, and even bring one back from the dead. Some skeptics disregard it as anything other than a variant of necromancy (including some necromancers), who claim that it shares many of the same capabilities. True thaumaturges, however, can easily show how different they are, with the ability to fulfill any wish.

[/spoiler]

Real Magic - Practitioners, Secrets, Methods, and Places[/size]

Coming Soon

The Doom of Magic[/size]

Magic is destined to fail, destined to die. The root of its failure lies not in its complexity, nor the power and knowledge required to use it, but the sheer inefficiency of its common use. Magic cannot easily be taught or harnessed, and is a power that is possessed by individuals, whereas scientific and technological advancements yield easily usable and spreadable capabilities. Sorcery is not even as powerful as science overall - one can certainly have great power through magic, but magic drains the life energy, so with each step into greater power the body becomes weaker.

The only advantage magic has over science is that once learned, magic can never be forgotten; a practitioner can not use his powers for years and not recall the information and still cast a spell just as it had been at his "greatest" point, for magic molds to the intentions of the wielder. This "sorcerous memory" results in immortality for a spell-caster in some places, (for those who pursue it) and in others it leaves the body writhe with energy - a condition which results in the terrifying, malignant Witchrot.
-Mezerous

RESERVED 12

Alvanenia: The Sun, The Sword, and the Soul[/size]

As the sun sets the candles are lit, and eyes open in the darkness...

 Map of Alvanenia

Alvanenia is a region of Haveneast rich with history, culture, and superstition - its current kingdoms have existed for centuries; the Eternal House of Light is an ancient and powerful church of The Allegian Heartland that is focused almost exclusively in the region, and the varied ethnic groups that inhabit the area are far from short on stories about the wilder areas of the three kingdoms. People from Alvanenia are rightly known as deeply religious, proud, diverse lot, and many of them have served important positions in the courts of rulers in other countries.

People of Alvanenia[/u]

The Candlelight Kingdoms are inhabited by three primary ethnic groups: the Akaim, who are of Bulwalen descent; the Welnecyk, who are further descendants of the Akaim and Romak races; and the Shotem, who have come recently in small numbers to the region.

[spoiler=     ]

The Akaim

The akaim share much with their Bulwalen ancestors appearance-wise, and philosophically are pagans. They are focused mainly in the outer regions of Vigarth and Chanelce, with only small concentrations found in Cremaria. The akaim were once nomadic but over time they have become more settled, but are known to be very isolationist. Most of Alvanenia's most well-known folklore originates in regions that the akaim frequent, such as Dhamparia in Chanelce. A typical akaim village is actually quite rare - they tend to be spread out and divided by large amounts of forest or farmland - but consists of usually a dozen well-built, simple homes with many charms and symbols decorating their insides. They build shrines for worship and sacrifice only in their villages.

The Welnecyk

The welnecyk are the result of mixing between romak and akaim peoples in the past as well as the introduction of Justaism to the akaim - the welnecyk's primary religion is in the Eternal House of Light. They have features from both sides of their heritage and a distinct, heavy accent known for pronouncing "F" much like "V". Welnecyk people make up the vast majority of Alvanenia's populations, but are concentrated mostly in the central areas where the three countries meet. The Welnecyan Movement is named after them and is the origin of the traditional castle structure that dots the Heartlands, with gothic accents and brilliant stained glass windows being a common sight on most structures barring those of the peasantry.

Shotem

The shotem in Alvanenia are a small population and subject to much racism. They are found almost exclusively in Erkhenyaz and the largest cities in southwestern Chanelce under the Count of Molche. The shotem bring with them a religion that is reminisicent of both paganism and Justaism but the differences are clear; however despite being tolerated by the populace, non-shotem Chanelcans are ignorant of the shotem religions from the east and tend to label them as "two-soul heathens".

[/spoiler]

Chanelce[/u]

Chanelce is the largest of the Candlelight Kingdoms, and is known as the Kingdom of the Soul. It is a feudal monarchy and is divided into countless smaller areas granted to lords of varying levels of power; the most popular and recognizable of these are the County of Molche, owned by Count Ylec; the Duchy of Tronen ruled by Duchess Sammhe; and the County of Corebor ruled by Viscount Domilen. Each of these areas has had particular importance in the past and each hosts a large city.

[spoiler=     ]

Major Cities

Erkhenyaz

The capital of Chanelce, Erkhenyaz is a large city surrounded by ancient walls in the most resource-rich region of the kingdom. With a population of roughly 72,000, Erkhenyaz is a bustling city with a wide variety of goods for purchase in its markets and a number of noble estates to be found within. It has a distinct skyline when viewed from a distance, something that few other cities are known for posessing: The High Cathedral of Chanelce, the Cathedral of Light, and St. Elpeida's Church all extend their towers into the sky, and the two largest hills in the city are crowned by the city's castles and many mansions. Erkhenyaz's inner grounds have never been laid foot on by an invading army since the time of Chanelce's creation ages before today, but it has been laid siege to. People not of Erkhenyaz's population come to Erkhenyaz for one of four reasons: to answer the summons of the king, to trade, to pray, or to be put to death for their crimes.

Kebree

The capital of the County of Molche, Kebree is not where Count Ylec resides but does contain a large abode for when he and his wife make visits. The city is a stronghold of Chanelce's full-time warriors, which consist mainly of those who have been knighted formally by Ylec Molche himself, the king, or by sanctioned saints, and belong to the Souxan Knights. Originally a multitude of many holds of knights whose lands were all taken from the same greater area (which is in turn dominated by peasants' "private" land that they live on and work), Kebree evolved in the southwestern part of this knight-dominion where the land sports more hills, one of which Kebree Castle is situated on. Kebree serves as a major trade center in the westernmost parts of Chanelce and as the primary locale to which serfs must move when summoned for war in the west.

Westhorp

Really a village of roughly 900 governed by Dame Ulmone, Westhorp appears on most maps because it is the last location in Chanelce under strong control in the east and northeast; beyond it, in the large land called Dhamparia and Nikeryv Forest, the akaim hold most sway and there are few nobles or installments of knightly orders such as the Souxans. The village is frequented by various military men and women who pass through, both of robber-baron and monarch sanction heading for the east, and as a result there are several skilled tradesmen such as blacksmiths in the area who cater to their needs.

Duchies[/size]

Gulachyn

The House of Gulachyn is as old as Alvanenia itself and older, as the name Gulachyn (Cholmo-Yettsken for "Shield") originally belonged to a warlord of the Trettevya Hills just south of Erkhenyaz. The Duke of Gulachyn is currently Bromark II, son of Alphein and Martresy of Uhaim in Navelun. Bromark II has suffered from leprosy for some time and grows weak, and Prince Almoren of Trenhoia increasingly is required to sit at his father's seat. The Prince is a wicked but intelligent and politically-minded noble and is well-liked in the courts, but his parents do not want him to become Duke. Nevertheless, Prince Almoren is certain to take the throne as Duke of Gulachyn. The Gulachyn range stretches from Colochek Castle up along the Blovsk to the Hastwanz River and around to Nulemh and Culamna.

Tronen

Tronen is the youngest of the Houses of the Dukes, and also hosts the largest family - Tronen is divided into nine counties which are each further divided into six baronies, and all but a few of these are administered by princes or princesses of the House of Tronen. Tronen traces its origins to a rogue Knight of Llander almost two centuries ago, who abandoned the Holy Empire during a war in favor of the King of Chanelce. Granted the highest office below the King for his loyalty and skill in battle, the Tronen House now serves both as Chanelce's primary first-strike source and also as ambassadors to Vigarth and Cremaria because of their proximity to the borders.

Tronen's lands extend around the western and northwestern parts of Chanelce, ending at Tetobor and the Seven Rivers that snake through the hills there.

[/spoiler]

Cremaria[/u]

Cremaria is the second largest of the three Alvanenian Kingdoms, and is the Kingdom of the Sun. Ironically, Cremaria is the most stormy and mist-riddled of the three, and though its reputation is that of a land of privilege, power, knowledge, and faith, the people are often overly superstitious and close-minded. There is only one major road through Cremaria, which the capital Horchmedl sits on. It features many castles that line the current borders and stand further inland both as second lines of defense and remnants of past wars when Cremaria's boundaries were nearer to the heart of Alvanenia.

[spoiler=     ]

Horchmedl

Horchmedl is a city that surrounds a small lake, in the middle of which sits an island where the King of Cremaria resides. Despite being near the border, Horchmedl has scarcely been the primary target of invading armies, who tend to favor Rondlam and Trenhosk (which are more easily-taken areas because of their lack of a very difficult-to-reach main castle). Horchmedl is the location of both the High Cathedral of Cremaria and the University that shares the city's name, and is the scientific and philosophical capital of Alvanenia. Horchmedl is divided into three urban fiefdoms each ruled by a noble, and each one of these is divided into three districts. The city is known for being one of the few places in the Allegian Heartlands to possess a district devoted to travelers, drinking, and entertainment called the Tavern District; this area is on the southern end of the Horchmedl's lake.

[/spoiler]

Vigarth[/u]

Vigarth is mountainous, but is so in that its land makes many erratic descents into lowlands, making it very difficult to traverse. This coupled with Vigarth's smaller size and corresponding small population make it an isolated place difficult to attack yet easy to defend. Known as the Kingdom of the Sword, Vigarth's cities such as Nyecka are located in the mountains as part of stronghold-cities governed by monastic knightly orders, some of which swear unfaltering loyalty to the King of Alvanenia in Erkhenyaz and some of which are much more mercenary in nature.

[spoiler=     ]

Nyecka

Once merely a castle of the same name which served as a base for the robber-knights the Stone Lions, Nyecka was eventually overcome (with severe loss) by the Fist of the Third Star, a powerful knightly mercenary order that eventually swore an oath to serve Alvanenian kings until the end of time. Since then it has evolved into a mountain city of roughly 15,000 that is well-protected, sporting four castles overlooking the nearby passes and valleys as well as a wall that doubles as a road and runs from Nyecka to Serba. Most of its population resorts to shepherding and mining as a local resource, as the nearest arable, open land is several kilometers away. Navelun has attacked Vigarth many times in the last decade and attempted to reach Nyecka nearly every time, but the Lord-Knights in Nyecka Castle laugh at these assaults that are pushed back every time long before coming within sight of the city's High Cathedral.

[/spoiler]

Orders of Alvanenia[/u]

[spoiler=     ]

The Souxan Knights

The Souxan Knights are the primary knightly order of Alvanenia, with large concentrations in Chanelce's southwest and Cremaria. They are a multi-talented organization, serving as the region's first and last lines of defense (the Souxan Border Guard and the Souxan Royal Guard respectively), emissaries, and its architects. It is almost guaranteed that any fortified structure or cobbled road through the region somewhere bears the mark of the Souxans' individual company that oversaw construction. The Souxan Knights are a fairly new group, being created by a "rogue" knight that swore allegiance and protection to the King of Alvanenia when relations between Llander and Chanelce became strained. Since then it has evolved into a military power that rivals the Knights of Llander themselves, and many armies that have gone against them have resorted to cowardly tactics such as lines of archers to do battle with them - the Souxans would cut down most typical warriors at close range without difficulty. All Souxan Knights are trained in these military and architectural abilities, as well as effective understanding of the tenets of Justahn, use and encouragement of poetry, and the laws of war.

Membership in the Souxan Knights is selective: to be accepted to them, one must be knighted, which usually restricts them to the nobility and those few they choose to train as knights; one must also possess an exemplary sense of justice and knowledge of courtly manners. The Souxan Knights live by a simple code: be honorable in battle and life; uphold justice; serve another of the opposite sex loyally, and all others of the opposite sex after them; and give your life for your country if the need be. To fulfill this code, a Souxan Knight often participates in courtly and political life as a loyal servant to a higher lord or lady even as adults, and as a personal champion when one's credibility and position is challenged.

In Erkhenyaz, the Souxan Knights occupy a special position as military and crisis advisers, often aiding the king and other nobility with decisions to attack or defend against a country or deal with issues such as emerging plagues. They form the vast majority of any individuals who are given noble status from lower-class upbringings in Cremaria and Chanelce. Most are presented with small pieces of land near Erkhenyaz or other large cities, slowly expanding outward as the ages go by and the estates of older knights are passed down to their offspring, requiring new castles to be built.

The Fist of the Third Star

The Fist is an order of warrior-monks from Vigarth, trained much like the Souxan Knights but with a more isolationist lifestyle. Where the Souxans are those who would apply their knowledge, the Third Star monks are individuals who seek knowledge itself, and delve into battle capability as a secondary talent (even though they are quite good). A monastery of the Third Star is a sacred place where Justahn is worshiped, knowledge is sought and recorded, and discipline learned. Like all other orders it has its own warriors who fight with sword and shield and bear the banners of their land, but each one of them is a strong source of history, philosophy, and law.

Members of the Fist are chosen from very young ages and trained formally from the time they are five. They are taught to speak and read multiple languages well by the time they are ten, and practice continues until they are seventeen. A Fist's first weapon is what he has learned; only through this knowledge will he be able to swing a sword true to its mark.

The Guild of Tradesmen

The Guild is an organization that possesses major bastions in Erkhenyaz, Serba, and Horchmedl and minor outposts in other cities of Alvanenia as well as one in Knoit. An organization run by the wealthiest of the non-nobles (the "Guildites" ), the Guild of Tradesmen not only provides a place to find able, skilled workers, but also is one of the main players in the organization of trade and shipping. The Guild keeps registration lists of individuals in the cities and the abilities they possess, and is a popular location for nobles to find their foremen for construction. The Guild's structures consist of small mansions for major cities, and in the smaller ones is often in a building shared with other small organizations, usually near a market.

The Guild of Tradesmen, despite being an inter-city organization, possesses almost no power outside of city limits, because most craftsmen in the countryside choose to operate outside of Guild regulations and supervision. Even so, there is a steady in-flow of young boys and girls from the countrysides, who are sent by their parents to enter apprenticeships under master craftsmen listed by the guild, which provides some housing to said apprentices. The Guild also sets prices (in coin or in goods) clients must pay to the guildsmen they hire. The Guild does not offer lists of mercenaries or other warriors; it promotes trade and craftsmanship and leaves other organizations and establishments to advertise those who are better with a sword than a tool.

Robber-Barons and Robber-Knights

One of many terms for a noble or group of nobles who have resulted in organized crime or tolling travelers without permission from the King. Some were or continue to be nobles in the royal court of the countries who have ignored and broken laws for power and wealth, while others are mercenaries or criminals who have banded together and tyrannized the area. They often build small but strategic fortresses and towers near rivers or roads, which they can attack shipping from and mount raids on the countryside. Chanelce has a large number of these groups in its northeastern areas, as well as one in the heavily-wooded southwestern portions of the country and Nikeryv Forest. Cremaria is also home to some in its northern reaches, as is Vigarth on the border between it and Cremaria.

The Yellow Knights of the Candle

The Yellow Knights are a small, elite band of warriors organized and led by Sir Domalisc, who chiefly serve as first-assault combatants and law enforcers in Alvanenia, hunting down those who have made crimes against the lords and the land. Most serve as lawmen and advisers to the most prestigious lords of the three kingdoms when not in full battle dress and on the hunt. They can be distinguished by the vestments they wear over their armor (and this image is a widely feared one): a yellow flame on black cloth. In times of war, the Yellow Knights are often fielded as bodyguards for nobles whose lands are under attack.

The Joker's Guild

Laughter has never been so bloody except in the hands of a jester. Begone, butcher.
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The Joker's Guild was once just a collaboration between court jesters in the Golden Years of Alvanenia, ordered by one king of territory to another. After the Chemsa Uprising of 2114, it became a band of highway robbers led by Duchess He'Romaer the Broken. Their trademark is a poem or song, usually consisting of a social commentary, left with the victims of an attack. The Joker's Guild comes as a heavy shock to the societies of the Three Kingdoms, as their methods and mannerisms are alien and borderline psychopathic. Though a noble with several significant relations in royal courts, the Duchess makes no effort to communicate directly with other leaders. The Joker's Guild exists in fairly large numbers along the roads of the Erkhenyaz-Trekcab-Albydec triangle, with raids having taken place as far north as Nyecka.

The Nightmare: The Garden's Edge[/size]

The wheel turns and the lines screech, churning out red and rot...

 Map of the Garden's Edge

On the other side of the mirror, what was known as Alvanenia becomes a twisted mockery on the edge of an endless wild known as the Sundown Garden. Here any semblance of safety is gone, although some "safe" havens do exist to be used - for the right price, or the fortunate. The land in the Garden's Edge becomes wild and random in some places, while in other places it and feels entirely normal except for an air that something is entirely wrong, or that one is being hunted.

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Death's Orchard

The trees here are a magnificent. Even in winter they are leafy green and give the impression that their trunks are solid as stone by all outward appearances. This extends to their fruit, which is always fresh and always hanging from their branches. One must wonder how they would grow so quickly and mightily in the middle of a bleak land. Perhaps it is the remains of the past seeds that riddle the ground that provide the sustenance - their red juices and pale and sickly, but sweet-looking flesh composts at the trees' bases, slowly being absorbed into the ground. Looking at the fresh fruit that grows still on the branches, it is clear that the torn, bloody fragments that grow there can be the only answer.

The Hills of Nod

Where a field should be sits an upland of sand,
Growing forever by chutes from the sky.
When you move you fall into the shifting land,
And your body wishes only to lie.
A struggle to stand leaves you at the top,
And over the hills you can see,
But soon you find you are not alone,
And asleep the others all be.
The night sky above is black and empty,
A fitting blanket for a place so cold,
Where you try to step you fall and fall,
And at once you feel so old.
But hope it seems has given you favor,
For a figure you see approaching.
Dressed in hood and cloak and with staff,
A light in darkness encroaching.
The figure stands on the hill across,
And soon you cry for your god,
For this figure is not your savior,
But a terror known only as Nod.

The Mirror Mounts

From a distance, one might think he were looking at a wall of the land he had already walked and the sky he had already looked at. However, as one draws closer he begins to see his reflection in the jagged terrain, and soon he is standing in the middle of a blindingly bright run of mountains whose glistening betrays any end to them there may be. Every grain of dust here reflects and glows in the sun, and it is accordingly as sharp as glass. Out of it grows plant life when by all reasoning it should be impossible, and animals whose own coats seem to have a hint of brilliance underneath them graze nearby.

The Inverted Forest

Somewhere on the edge of the Pernicious Plains the sky disappears under a hood of earth. For many minutes the walk finds this "cave" barren of anything, but then you find trees and bushes that hang from above you. At once the noises of the forest resume - the birds chirp, branches break, and the wind blows. The light is somewhere, but nowhere that makes sense; even light from the ground would not be wholly unreasonable, but it is not there. The "floor" of the forest begins to move from merely a few feet above your head to ten, then to what could be one-hundred, before it disappears above you in the shadows - and then, you hear branches somewhere above you rustle.

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The Storm

Somewhere in the mountains you find yourself in a cloud. This cloud, known as The Storm, is darker and thicker than any you've ever seen, and at any time you are never able to see more than ten feet. Lightning cackles around you and the rain turns what should be hard, rocky slope into mud and slick stone. As you walk for days, The Storm slowly changes in its nature, and the lightning is no longer lightning but images of people and things that flash and disappear; likewise, the rain begins to appear like a meteor shower. As you head ever deeper the rocky land becomes incoherent and like shallow pools of water that are angled every which way, and your only option is to swim through the mountains.

Nightspire Valley

Once there was sun here, but one evening it went down never to return. From the highlands around it, the Valley rapidly descends into darkness, with pits and ravines that go ever deeper below the cliffs and terraces one may find as they descend. From the depths rise pillars of dark, jagged earth upon which sit lonely, menacing towers, castles, and unholy altars. Lights always shine from the windows of these places, which are difficult to reach - and difficult to leave. Rope and ladders hang from sections of the spires to provide access to caverns, lower levels of the Valley, or simply act as dead ends - and these can be mere feet or kilometers long. The deeper one goes the less "lonely" the land becomes, for things patrol the land with lanterns in hand, searching for something. Could it be you they're looking for?

The Sundown Garden

Here soft lights and cruel intent collide to form the world of the faeries. It seems that for every tree or wild hedge there is a ghostly light that dances of colors that often seem outside the rainbow's spectrum, and there are structures that grow from the ground as if they were the trees themselves. Everything here is oversized, from the mushrooms to the forest creatures to the fallen leaves of the trees. Every few kilometers, faeries dance in the moonlight by a fire, waiting for the foolish to join them so they can whisk them away to their hidden homes - forever.

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Shadow Riders and Dunes of Madness - The East

This is not how we make war.

There are things more sacred than the material. This we know, because Zerem has said so. Even in the midst of battle, of prejudice, and censuring, there is etiquette to follow. These invaders, however, trade everything the world has taught them through its history, masking their cowardice with foolish tactics and underdeveloped strengths. Unlike them, we learn from our experiences, and know what boundaries we can push and where. We make war through calculation, excellence, and knowledge. We make it through understanding and focus. We make it through skill and power.

This is how we make war.
-Ishraam, Siiranian physician

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