The Ascent of Man [IC|Closed]

by **Ralnis** » Tue Dec 04, 2018 7:13 pm

Xcotl, City of the Dead

The Ancestor-Spirits have been gracious to the Gate Council for the saving of the expeditionary force but the Council had decided against trying again for they couldn't find the wealth to properly fund an exploration.

Instead they decided to work on gaining more magical knowledge and tilling the fields. The debate on using their kin still ensues, mostly on the effect of the expense of life force will be needed and the public order of things. For centuries their work had been slowed down because of people's perception of necromancy but they still had no problems using it on animals, hence the ant-hounds as a major source of food.

Still, they needed to focus more on their food and worry about their arcane studies as the alliance of the Cadmian wizard circle, the Magnum Opus, had started to work with the necromancers on performing new magical studies. It was a goal for the Council to make a school of magic to help their people and the alliance, but all things come in time. For now, they will help share their magical experiences with the wizard circle to work on advancing the studies of magic.

by **G-Tech Corporation** » Wed Dec 05, 2018 1:03 pm

Year 329 of the Common Era

Delisle and Sons: Getting trained explorers to cut mineral wealth from the ground is a hard task of cajoling, but they are, in the end, loyal workers. And the new and strange ore sells well in the streets of Serrith (+Wealth I)

The Magnus Opus: The odd rites and cuttings of the Magnus Opus have born fruit - a ritual called the Geolocus of Craft has been discovered by the mystics of the school. Based on their own knowledge, they devise markings and arrangements of stone and metal that can channel the strength of the earth into the men upon her face, allowing that strength to aid their efforts in creativity and artisanship.

by **Holy Tedalonia** » Wed Dec 05, 2018 2:00 pm

The Imperial Republic of Saladonia
The City of Salli

Lord-Imperator Tibus Rylander gazed at his fathers statue, the details on the statue was nearly exact, and uncanny to his father. The artisans were doing their job approprately, however the job couldn’t have been done without the aid of the foreigners that Tibus had hired to use the Vallenian Marble to create the statue. Hoping while the statue was built it would reveal the secrets to building marble, however his plot ended in failure.

“As you can see, the likeness of the former Lord-Imperator is uncanny,” said the head artisan to the crowd of nobles before him, “men of the city would be able to recognize their first Imperator, for years to come.”

The crowd applauded the head artisan. Tibus joined the clapping, sluggish and slow, but none the less a clap of appreciation. The head artisan stepped off the wooden platform, and began his work on the statue again. Many were happy on the progress of the statue

As the crowd dispersed and Tibus returned to his office, he was greeted by a messenger. The messenger gave the report of the scholars research. Failure, the Imperator sighed. “Let them know they are to drop the research for now, they must begin studying other things,” said the Imperator. He needed to begin work. The Imperator discusses with his advisors on the failures of the other citystate farmers reporting their incapability to travel.

“We need to establish a easy way to travel, clearly our Republic needs to be connected to our locals,” said Tibus.

“Agreed,” said scholar-advisor Flinn Farrenia, “we need to establish a easy way to collect and move individuals from settlement to settlement. Perhaps the creatures from Vallenia can aid us.”

Tibus narrows his eyes, “Those horned beasts? Are you certain the scholars can get that done? You can’t get the ‘Liquid Manus’ project finished.”

“We will see, make sure your scholars don’t mess up, don’t worry about letting them know about Liquid Manus, a messenger is heading there to inform them to stop researching it. Inform them on these instructions.”

“Yes, sir.”

“And with the artisans continuing work on the statue, this meeting is dismissed.”

by **Novas Arcanum** » Wed Dec 05, 2018 3:16 pm

The Magnum Opus

Archmage Severus stood over the giant boulders that had been arranged by the mages in the form of a humanoid figure. A hieroglyph of servitude was written on it. The grey stones glowed in the sunlight

Severus was ambitious if he was to grow the power of the Magnum Opus and aid the Xcotl he clearly needed sources of labor, to increase industry he needed something strong, as strong as the earth, that laid beneath their feet. His wizards were powerful in the ways of earth magicks and thus they got to work in solving this dilemma. He had written extensive books on the possibilities of a "stone golem" a servant simple-minded and stronger than ten men who could do work, with far greater ability than any mere mortal. The Magnum Opus believed this field of magic was promising and pursued it with vigor, eager for success.

"Master we are ready to perform the spell," A hooded mage said.

"Then let us get this done with," Severus said as he raises his hands which glowed with arcane power, the mages raised their hands as well drawing on the life force of the earth, to fill this humanoid being, the hieroglyph of servitude glowed as the magical power flowed into the stone being...

Action: Research golem magic, to raise a stone golem that will serve the Magnum Opus.

by **Saxony-Brandenburg** » Wed Dec 05, 2018 4:23 pm

The Honori Nation

"And there arose an obelisk unlike any other- taller, larger, and more opulent than any that had come before. Standing tall in the square before the grand temple- the hall inwhich the matriarchs ruled from- was a monument to their people's triumph over the desert sands. A beautiful pillar, with hundreds of words that told the story of the Honori, along with scenes which glorified both them and their gods, it was a sight to behold. With a capstone layered in gold, thinly hammered and layered atop each other, at a particular time in the evening, it reflected the rays of the sun like a lighthouse. Opals shimmered in the sun with their veins of a hundred colors, inspiring awe in the scenes they accented. As workers began to raise the monument, they couldn't help but take pride in those beliefs they held dear- of family, of service, and of equality before the law."

The Home was a vital part of Honori society, being the epicenter of one's business, one's livelihoods, and one's status. Being as that was, homes were relatively simple, and small, as compared to other civilizations. In their construction they were fairly intuitive and basic, using a combination of wood, clay bricks, small stones, and woven plant fibers. To start, a section of land was cordoned off and cleared, with large wooden posts driven into the ground at all corners, and every few feet or so along the future wall. Medium-sized stones bound together with mud or primitive motor were then placed around the base, to give additional structure. The dirt below was compacted, and a hole in the ground was dug for the hearth, and lined with stones itself. Then, the actual construction of the walls would begin, and sticks, branches, etc were woven between the large posts, including along the roof, where some of the strongest wood was laid out. Clay mixed with a variety of things, including straw, was then applied to the walls, until it filled in all gaps, and covered any exposed wood, protecting it from the elements. A hole, left in the wall for a door, was then fashioned with either a primitive door, a curtain, or simply left open. Holes in the upper parts of the walls were made to allow for ventilation and airflow, and keep work bearable during the hardest part of the day. The flat mud and wooden roof was leveled, and a small barrier placed around. A ladder was ever-presently proped against the outside wall, and allowed for easy access onto the roof.

Although a relatively basic design, most Honori lived comfortably in their homes. Most slept on top of their roves, on mats of plant fiber or animal hide, as a family. The roof also served as a sort of gathering place, and often men and women would work doing things like weaving garments or other menial tasks on their roves, usually under a sort of grass-woven canape on wooden legs. The inside of the home was used for a few purposes, including storage, religious activities, family meetings, shelter during harsh weather, and eating. Although much of the eating was done inside, the hearth's were rarely used for cooking, serving more for it's warmth and position in many rituals to honor their ancestors than the making of food, which was more often than not done outside the home, where the smoke of larger fires wouldn't cause issue. Food was then brought in the house, and the family would eat around the hearth on mats or simply on the floor.

Eating as a family was reserved for the evening meal, with the morning and mid afternoon meals being lighter, and consumed whenever time permitted. But in the evening meal, a semi-ceremonial etiquette dictated its proceedings. Everyone gathered around and talked while whoever was cooking finished the meal, and brought it inside the home. Then, the oldest woman in attendance would say a quick prayer to the family's ancestors, in particular any notable figures or recently departed, and cast a portion of the food into the fire as an offering. Then, she would serve herself first, and whoever came next went in accordance to age, until everyone was served, and the meal could begin. Flat corn or wheat flour pancakes were an ever-present staple of Honori society, cooked on hot stones with immense care. Whatever else they had prepared, such as roasted corn, small game like rabbits or birds, roasted cactus, and the like, were eaten communally, using the pancake as a utensil to grab food from large wooden plates or bowls. Watered Agave juice and a watery beverage made from maize was drank often accompanying the meal, and agave hearts were a most often sweet to conclude the meal. The evening meal was almost a key feature of Honori social cohesion, giving the ever-so important close family time to sit and discuss the events of their day. On special occasions, all the members of an extended family, oftentimes upwards of fifty, would gather in a public place to share a meal, typically at the death of a matriarch, on one of the yearly religious holidays, etc, where minor feuds would be settled, large offerings given, and advice or concerns given to the members of the family in the priesthood.

Another key place of Honori societies were semi-large open spaces in the middle of the crowded streets- known as a Metza. Every morning these Metza would be flooded with people buying and selling their wares before the heat of the day came on. These showed the true wealth of the nation, with artisans selling everything from shoes to primitive amalgamations of precious stones one might call jewelry today. To those who could afford it, one could also purchase their morning or mid day meal there- and was typically an easy-to-eat and light snack such as skewered, roasted meat, roasted Agave heart, bread, and the like, often topped with the Honori's favorite dressings- wild berries and thick, syrupy agave nectar. Bartering was the most common form of trade, with smaller trade items such as crude beads of bone or precious metals often used as a form of currency to allow for ease of use. Scribes stood by and watched on, and if there was a tax in place, would record transactions and take the appropriate amount of product or payment. If trades were large enough, they would write a clay tablet for the contract, and save it to be stored in the archives for future record if it so needed to be.

Although the Metza had a whole slew of purposes, one of these was that they were places where the priesthood could conduct it's work with the common people. A key example of this was the grain doll, which was a free, subsidized food ration to those who were deemed unfit or needy. This grain would be gained from the portions of the fields put aside as taxes for the priesthood, and then stored in government buildings for distribution. It came only pre-ground, and so those family who received it were expected to make due with it or add it to their family's food stocks. You might be put on the grain doll if: you are disabled, you were injured and unable to work, you were widowed with children, etc. The grain doll served to alleviate those in society who did not benefit from the extensive labor-intensive economy, and prevent them from not falling through the cracks, or becoming too much a burden on their family as to disrupt social cohesion.

The Division of Labor

by **Nuxipal** » Wed Dec 05, 2018 9:18 pm

The Chosen of Neferkara

The Chosen had arrived in the City-State of Salli only recently. Having asked for and received asylum in exchange for their arcane knowledge and assistance. They established themselves within one of the primarily empty districts of the city. Two of the larger structures were put aside for the Prince and for the Necropolis where the bones of the dead they had accumulated over the past couple of decades could be interred. They would take account of how many complete skeletons they had in the necropolis and then prepare to aid the city in whatever matters seemed most pressing.

Setnakhte walked around and took note at the low population of the capital. Labor would be in short supply in the formative years, he turned to one of his assistants, the Priestess Neferata. "Neferata, we will have to look out for our own district of this city for the time being. Let us start looking into other aspects of death as means by which we can assist this small city."

Neferata started to think on the matter with Setnakhte for some time. The two were far more knowledgeable about necromancy and its nuances than most of the other members of the Chosen. It took a few days before they settled on a plan. They would start work immediately. The two of them sent messages with by passing travelers who happened to stay in their district of the city. Aside from the research, Setnakhte had to still lead the Chosen in this new city and the lands it occupied.

Setnakhte began making regular visits with the Lord-Imperator to discuss various topics as a way of becoming one of the more trusted advisers of the office of Lord-Imperator.

Action : Arcane Research - Reanimated Plantlife

by **Olthenia** » Thu Dec 06, 2018 7:11 am

The City of Fastaqui
Second Day of the Arc of Rains
The First Sitting of Ocanda The Just
The Second Age after the Founding

“So, the old hag is finally dead then,” Shoreg Sure-Sight didn’t even try to keep the satisfaction from her voice. “And here I thought we would never see a funeral pyre for Gorama the Girl-mother until the city was laid low.”

“Everyone dies,” remarked Mfezi. The Speaker of the Younger Tiers folded her hands serenely in her lap. “It is known by all mothers. Some of them, anyway.”

“As ye come from the dream-time, so shall ye return to the dream-time,” Ocanda quoted, “Therefore be not idle, but heed your mothers well, for your time is short.”

Shoreg chuckled. “Exactly.”

The three crones were gathered in the sky-chamber on the roof of the Hall of Many Mothers. Like the rest of the building – and almost all of Fastaqui itself, for that matter – it was raised of fern-wood logged and gathered from the copses of the Skazahad delta. And like all spaces of the Fastaqui government, it had a severe simplicity to it. Where other people in other places might decorate their palaces of the mighty with rugs and beads, porphyry and copper – the Hall of Many Mothers was spare, blank and imposing. A place of wood and words and little more. The sky-chamber at the very top was no exception: three fern-wood chairs at its center was all there was. The rest was a half-circle wall opening to the star-studded sky above and a breathtaking view of Fastaqui below.

There were no idols, no artisan’s carvings or piles of copper ingots. The Fastaqui were sons and daughters of the Skazahad delta. They had no time for such fripperies.

Shoreg walked to the edge of the chamber, leaned a spotted hand against the sky-chambers edge, and looked out over Fastaqui. From the Hall of Many Mothers, perched atop its stilted platform on the Skazahad’s sloping banks, the Speaker of the Elder Tiers imagined she could see forever. Wooden longhouses, their gavels jutting tall and defiant into the starry sky, formed the skyline of the Stilted City almost as far as her old eyes could see. There was the Square of Captains, where men haggled, boasted and brayed, and lowly fishmongers rubbed shoulders with the muddy amber-men who crowded by the exchanges that sold the year’s harvest. There were the slag-heaps of the Coppercut, where so many of the city’s strongest wrenched copper from the cold, red earth. And there was the harbourfront – not yet done, but soon – its spindly jetties rising from the Skazahad waters. In but a few more years, river-rafts and flatboats of many a shape and size would cluster at its berths, spilling silvery catches from the mighty ocean into Fastaquian bellies.

It was such a great sight. And so terribly fragile.

“We need to act on this.” Shored husked. “This word of Monastyr cannot be turned away. We need a market for our wares.”

“Amber and copper,” drawled Mfezi. “Either can, in abundance, mean wealth by itself. But exchanged for other goods, their wealth grows greater in turn.”

Shoreg nodded. “So we must let these men of Monastyr raise a house in our delta. That they might lead our goods to new markets, and the wealth of those new markets to us.”

“Their teachings could be trouble, mind you,” Mfezi remarked. “If our young return from their lands with odd ideas and who-knows-what notions, the Tiers are bound to resent us. These men of Monastyr are not a tribe or a people, related by blood. They have oaths and words instead of hearth and kin.”

“So?” Shoreg demanded. “Have our people never heard men squabble before? By the Word, foreign thoughts and ideas are not harmful to us. Not by themselves.”

“It isn’t merely foreign ideas, though,” Ocanda insisted. “They also want a portion of our profits.”

“Which is fair,” cautioned Shoreg. “If you invite two neighbours to your house to mark a deal between them, a cut of that profit should belong to you. It would not exist otherwise. The Tiers will accept that.”

“Perhaps,” Mfezi allowed. “But what they will be far less willing to accept is the thought of some foreign Monastyr-man walking our streets, swimming in our canals and courting their daughters.”

“Then the solution is simple,” opined Ocanda.

“As simple as what?” wondered Mfezi. “Slicing the manhood off every foreigner that comes within sight of our walls? That will make our goods popular, I’ll bet!”

Ocanda simply slid her a sideways glance. “Just do away with the men altogether,” she explained. “If the thought of some foreign liaison so frightens the Tiers of the Council Hall, tell the envoys of Monastyr that if they wish to have their house in our city-“

“That they must people it with women,” Mfezi mused and scratched her chin. “That way, by law and custom, we known all dealings will be wise and fair. And no children will come of it.”

“None from a Fastaqui womb, anyway,” Ocanda remarked. “Free trade and fair profits for all.”

Shoreg took one last look across the city, then turned from the vista and cracked her knuckles. “Let’s get to work.”

by **G-Tech Corporation** » Thu Dec 06, 2018 4:43 pm

Silvermountain Mine, Steelsworn, Stalheim Hierarchy
22nd of First Seed, Year 331 CE

Below the Hegemon's palaquin the ring of tools on stone echoed loudly throughout the great mine, and the steady crack-crunch of ore prized away from the agglomerations that held it captive. Here and there orange fires leapt up, lurid reds and yellows betraying the firing of new faces with great faggots of wood hauled down the short path from the forest nearby. Gouts of steam followed pillars of smoke as experienced miners directed many soot-stained hands to douse the blazes, and men with long rakes pulled the glowing embers away from the sudden fractured ore-faces to allow their comrades access.

"They will have enough soon?" intoned the lord of the Hvasskyn to his companion, a short bald man who nodded emphatically from where he stood upon the ground near the stolid-faced debt-serfs. Jolinar was a wise man, tight-fisted with coin and a spendthrift, but efficient in all of his dealings and loyal to a fault. For this reason and his brutal honesty had he been placed as the overseer of Steelsworn and her vital metal output.

"Aye Lord Hierarch, you will have your iron. We will be shipping the ore within the next year with a large margin for production delays, so your forges will not sit idle for long."

The bright green eyes of the Sundsvar looked up at the leader of the children of the Father with barely veiled curiosity, curiosity that the well-trained courtier was too polite to voice, but whose natural instinct for advantage and information - a feature he shared in truth with most Keen-Folk - could hardly disguise. It was unusual for the Hierarch and the Palace to directly request such a large shipment of materials, especially metal ores, stranger still for the ores to be explicitly of the highest quality. It would require much testing and winnowing when the ores were given to the fire, but there was only one use for iron of such a grade: weapons.

And weapons, of course, meant a use for those weapons.

Vladimir merely nodded, and smiled at the overseer. "That is good to hear. You may expect, as a sign of our favor, a visit from our personal mages within the coming months- if your quotas are filled as we see they ought to be."

It was a promise, and a threat, which made the man of industry bow low. There was only one possible implication to the offer of the Hegemon's own mages- the offer of treatment with the Light of Time, of incalculably valuable shimmerstone of the highest grade being poured into the veins of one whom the people of Kharbarinth and the Mother looked upon with the highest favor. A gift of more years - who could truly say what more life was worth to a man, the one quantity which all other actions had to be measured against? But... if the quotas were filled. Those weasel words about the margin for production delay had been placed there for Jolinar's protection, and now he was deprived of them at a blow.

Punishment for failure? Not exactly. But to underperform and so lose a chance at immortality, even a taste of it, that was a risk the overseer could not take. As the double line of blank-faced Blackguards and the palaquin of his overlord departed, the portly Sundsvar patrician waddled back down the path into the mine, shouting for his men to redouble their efforts.

Year 331 of the Common Era

by **The GAmeTopians** » Thu Dec 06, 2018 6:01 pm

The Great Zhou Imperium
Year Three of the Second Era

Content forthcoming.

by **Kelmet** » Thu Dec 06, 2018 6:49 pm

The Kingdom of Lordaeron

Year six of the Reign of King Varian Menethil

The people of Lorderon were thrilled when the soldiers of their allied city Xcotl arrived to train their own local forces. In term's of fighting power Lorderon was one of the weaker members of the alliance and King Menethil made increasing their fighting strength a top priority for the kingdom. In gratitude, the Artisans of Brewnwall Will travel to Xcotl to aid them in their struggles.

The construction of a Lumber camp in the northern village of was the foundation of the future shipping industry's of Lorderon, with its completion Lumber will start flowing south to the capital for use in construction. The possibilities with a consistent supply of finished wood were endless. From ships to buildings to simple trade, the people were better off with its completion.

With the great monument nearing competion the King and his council of lords took one last step to honor the people who sacrficed everything so they may survive, the official re-naming of the capital city to Stormwind while the Kingdom would still be named and addressed as Lorderon, the capitals name would change.

And has it has always been, another year blessed by light.

Fluff info for the Holy Light
Users of the Light are divided into three categories, and two organizations.

Clerics - Under the Order of the Silver Hand these blessed individuals who use the light for purley Healing and defensive reasons, they are primarily healers, and supplement the Paladins

Paladins- Fearsome warriors of the Light, They use both defensive and Offensive magic to be a holy weapons against the kingdoms enemy's.

Mages- Under the authority of the Cycle these individuals use the light for purely offensive purposes, a striking sight to see.

Assignments.

by **Pasong Tirad** » Thu Dec 06, 2018 7:57 pm

Ita
Day one of the fifth year of the Chiefdom of Chieftess Bacani

It had worked. A little over a dozen tame goats were now living within the walls of Ita. Some of the younger kids could even be seen playing with the children and the puppies. The first kids born in Ita came to life just the previous year. But Chieftess Bacani knew that they would be filling up the city soon, and they had to leave. They needed a place to roam free, and where the apprentices can study them further. It would take generations to fully domesticate them. But now, rearing tame goats that can provide the city with an extra supply of nutrition can be easier. In a few years, hunger will be a foregone memory. They had to make a pasture. Across the rolling hills, a herd of tame goats that can one day form a strong bond with the Ita. Chieftess Bacani was imagining it and it looked beautiful. They could even breed some of the dogs to aid in the herding of the goats.

She needed to get the Wanderers on board, though. They just couldn't support another expedition so soon after the last one. They were becoming far too strong for her liking, and she had to keep them in control. At the next meeting with the leading families, she had to firmly put her foot down on the issue. "The city cannot support another expedition," she said. "Our treasuries are empty, and the city is fast running out of silver. In order to get more silver to fund your expeditions, we have to make sure the city has enough for itself." An eruption of arguments rose out. Most of the Wanderers wanted to go out once again, excited about the prospects of looting the countrysides they explore. "You will be able to set out on an expedition soon, that I promise you. But we need to do several things first. We need to set up a silver mine, and in order to set up that silver mine we need to make sure our people won't go hungry. Now, if you truly want to help our people I suggest you help us either in our construction efforts or in feeding the city. You will get your expedition. In the name of Tigbalog, I swear it. But not yet. Not now."

There was still some grumbling from the Wanderers, but it was done under hushed voices. They all left the meeting as soon as the Chieftess put her foot down. Her advisers, sitting behind her, watching with apprehension, were now waiting for orders. "Direct the construction of a pasture, where we can continue breeding the goats and where we can place the wild goats we've captured. Everybody else can continue on the hunt. Make sure the Wanderers are present at the sacrifice, they need to do their part too."

"They're not going to like this, Chieftess," said an adviser as the rest of his comrades went off to follow her orders.

"No, but they'll follow. I've made a promise, and I don't plan to break it."

by **Ralnis** » Thu Dec 06, 2018 8:06 pm

Xcotl, City of the Dead

The Gate Council had started to accumulate wealth from their small agricultural trade and they needed to rely on that as they were poor, too poor in fact. This all came from the lack of people and with the Magnum Opus looking into solving the issue, the Council had deiced that they had no choice in their own matter. The Council had to raise the dead in order to try and have new bodies for the use of work. It will have to be a necessity as the people may grumble, but it must happen for the good of the city.

by **The Grim Reaper** » Fri Dec 07, 2018 1:03 am

Monastyr

In prior years, Father Nestor had begun the work of developing a conceptualization of the world such that he could link Monastyr more clearly to the rest of the world. Though this work had not yet borne fruit, he nevertheless decided to persevere. He knew that, if he wanted to pursue his aim of reforming their philosophy as a fundamental system of shared, universal truths, they would need to work much harder to share and explicate the benefits of a world that could unite varying cosmologies and arcana around a single moral understanding. This was his dream.

For many years, Monastyr had been a centre of thought; for people to develop their understanding of the passed-down philosophical method through application and development, and to support the learning of the highest echelons of their society. However, Father Nestor's ideal was one where all people were able to apply their philosophical musings in their own lives. One where they could step beyond simply adopting the teachings of their elders, and towards placing philosophical conclusions themselves into the personal contexts of them and their relationships. For this, he required something beyond anything he was yet aware of.

He required a university.

Though he was not yet aware of one in existence, the concept of the scriptorium was one that was generally self-evident to all learned people. A system of apprenticeship, where the tools of learning could be expressed from teachers to students through the practical skills of creating, storing, and reading and interpreting the written language. This was not, however, Monastyr's fundamental goal. It was not to create scholars capable of creating lofty advancements, but to express the ideas and theory of the world in dialogue between those who facilitated learning, and those who intended to undertake it. It would place the emphasis on the importance of capable students, prepared to take conceptual advancements and put them into practice in their various trades and civic societies.

And yet, the thought flowed through Father Nestor's mind - he did not yet know how to make Monastyr a force in the world. Though it pained him to say, he nevertheless was for the moment content with this minor undertaking.

[hr]
Edit re: Fastaqui coming up

Action: Monastyr begins working on developing a formal system of Education. Monastyr will also dispatch an all-female Missionary envoy to pursue this development at a permanent Diplomatic Mission in Fastaqui.

by **Elerian** » Fri Dec 07, 2018 2:49 pm

Delisle and Sons, Serris

A great deal if wealth was flowing into the family's coffers since they'd begun shipping the Cassiterite to Serrith's market. Enough that they could recruit and outfit enough men and women to form a second caravan for exploration and mapping. For now though, it would make more sense to use those newly hired workers to continue mining the Cassiterite. There was no telling whether they'd need the wealth on hand for some other venture. Instead, Letho and his outfit of adventurers would mount another expedition into the unknown beyond Serrith. Letho, although meticulous, was proving to be an able explorer. Hopefully his next expedition would prove equally fruitful as the first.

by **G-Tech Corporation** » Fri Dec 07, 2018 8:15 pm

Year 331 of the Common Era

Delisle and Sons: Drawing recruits from the nearby city of Serrith is not difficult, with some moderate funding offered. They are inducted and ready to work by the year's end. Another expedition funded by the organization maps a region south and east of the city-state of Gergan, a wide region of rolling plains adjacent to the sea to the east. Hops grow here in abundance, and deposits of the stone called bauxite. Fish teem along the wide and sandy coast.

The Magnum Opus: The attempts of the mages of the Opus to bring life to the inanimate forms of crude clay and earth they have shaped prove futile; though normal rituals to pour life into the veins of those recently dead are effective, the rites and gestures and cuttings thought to be able of giving artificial life are unfortunately vapid and empty. More work will be required to refine these methods.

Monastyr: A large body of knowledge and teaching material, accumulated over the centuries by the adherents of the First Scribe, sits unused and empty- though the system of instruction and mentoring continues, attempts to codify such a system do not excite the passions of the monastic members of the order.

The Chosen of Neferkara: Blood soaks greenery and the shouts and calls of the men of the Chosen seeking to invoke their patron echo throughout the streets and byways of Salli, but their throats eventually grow hoarse and the mages are left in puzzled bewilderment when considering the expired plant-life they had hoped to return to fecundity. They could resurrect the dead, even dead plants, after the manner of their ancient instruction, but that did not exactly fulfill their desires for a new ritual of greater utility.

by **Saxony-Brandenburg** » Fri Dec 07, 2018 11:13 pm

The Honori Nation

The Honori had no formal calendar at the beginning of the bronze age, and only had a crude understanding of the yearly cycle. They knew of the seasons, the equinoxes, and the phases of the moon, but those were just about it. Still, these alone allowed them to time certain festivals, rituals, and holidays of sorts to approximately the same few days every year. Some of these times, known as 'feast days' or 'fasting days' respectively, were even codified into the law, and although the average citizen would not be punished for feasting on a day of fast, the priestesshood, however, could. Particular families might choose to celebrate certain things at different times, or in different ways, but largely however, these days remained the same across the city.

The year ended with Akra, around the summer solstice, which seems counter intuitive at a glance. But one must remember the climate the Honori people lived in, and their differing seasons in comparison to the other, more coldly based peoples of the world. The rains, that which gave the Honori people respite from their immense drought, also flooded the land, and the entire river basin was unworkable for months at a time. In this way, they understood it to be not only a time of death, but a time of rebirth. It is the harshest time under the desert sun, and the world around them died, and caught fire until the rains came back to the land. The Honori people considered this to be the time of death and rebirth for Silar, the god of the sun. As he died, his pain was lashed out onto the world, which shared his pain and anguish. His blood fell upon the earth in great floods and monsoons, and upon his rebirth, the land accompanied him in the spring to life. The start of the rains was the start of a season for fasting and hardship for upwards of months, before the rains eventually died down, about the time of the fall equinox. Mourning ceremonies would be held in the rain, and a great mourning procession would walk the desert sands in the rain, with hundreds- even over a thousand people participating, before arriving in some distant site the priestesses had chosen to conduct the funeral- sometimes being many, many miles away, and taking several days to reach. This was seen as a sort of penance, with bloody feet, weak limbs, and drenched, yet burned skin, for the trespasses they had committed the previous year.

The Fall equinox, known as Amu, began the planting season, and the 'year', if you will. It was a celebrated time of rebirth, and the end of the fasting season. Homes, shrines, monuments, and even the city gates were decorated in great care, with wildflowers adorning entrances and great heaps of offerings placed upon the alter for blessings in the coming seasons. Celebration in the streets was followed by an all-night vigil for the sun god, who was believed to be reborn on this day. Solemn prayer filled the night, and priestesses, dressed in their finest garments, followed behind the High Priestess, dressed and painted to be as the moon goddess, cradling a newborn baby, whoever had been born closest to the sunrise of that day- who was considered blessed, and acted as a physical manifestation of the Silar, and was similarly adorned and painted to fit his description. They would slowly march, first through the streets, and giving blessings to the homes in the form of sigils painted upon the receiver's face and blessings granted in hushed, kindly voices, until they had made the rounds completely through the city. Then, they would leave the gates, and circle around the city several times, adorning it's walls with sigils of protection and luck in the coming year. They would finally march down to the river, which had begun to recede, and sprinkle the small child's head with some of it's waters, before reciting the following:

Behold, in this mortal child lives thy God!
The ruler of the day, the harbinger of divine wrath!
Upon this day he was born a king, and he will rule the earth with divine supremacy, and all shall bend a knee unto him.
All the men, beasts, and spirits of this land.
May he rule with the power of his thousands of faithful,
and may he bestow his mercy upon our land.

The third major holiday was Assur- named for the dark blue sky that dominated the day. Celebrated on the longest night- the Winter Solstice, this was the festival to Lunda, the mother goddess, the goddess of the moon, of knowledge, of death, and of motherhood. This night the people celebrated with the largest of poetry readings, dances, chantings, and ritual performances, with the so-loved priestesshood's sponsored reenactments being of the most famous, employing a great number of performers, clad in intricate costumes, re-creating stories of the gods, their ancestors, and other mythologies. This was also the day to honor those departed- both recently and far ago- and families would build alters to honor their ancestors inside their homes, where they would dine and perform before the offerings to their dead loved ones, as if sharing an evening of life and joy with them once again.

The fourth and final major holiday was Aren, the Spring Equinox. This marked the beginning of the harvesting season, and a time of great abundance and joy. Most families held their yearly gathering on this day, and would take over a Metza or other public space for the day. There, with many many fires, they would cook more food than they could eat, even gorging themselves, and spending liberally on gifts for one another. Priestesses would return to their families for the day, oftentimes adorned with tied corn husks and crowns of wheat, and lead the family in prayer, in offerings, and in story telling. Amu was a time to rejoice, and celibate the hard work they had done over the year, and the many blessings this incarnation of Silar had given. It was believed to be the time Silar impregnated Lunda, who would inevitably give birth to his next incarnation. This was the day the games were most often held, and feats of strength, endurance, skill, witt, and many more were tested before the gods as a sort of offering.

These were only four of the many holidays celebrated by the Honori, and are in no way comprehensive. However, this should give a glimpse into their yearly traditions, and the most major, and heartfelt beliefs of the people of the Desert Vale. What they valued, what they hoped for, and what they believed would come to them in the afterlife.

The Division of Labor

by **The National Dominion of Hungary** » Sat Dec 08, 2018 3:08 am

The Kingdom of Sera

Two calm, silent years passed within the Kingdom. Not silent in the strictest sense, the wind still rustled the leaves, the birds still chirped, traders hawked their wares by the market stalls and children laughed as they ran about in the streets playing. The Palisade around the Kingdom's capital had been finished and now provided a basic layer of defense for the city and it's people. While it would not do much good against an organized attacking force, it kept most disorganized nomadic bandits and reavers at bay. Another thing that had been finished was the infrastructure supporting the hunters of Sarfuth as they braved the hills, mountains and woodlands in their search for game to feed the village in the north. It was decided that further support was to be given to said hunters and the artisans of the village were once again set to task making weapons, traps and cabins for the hunters to use. In most other parts of the Kingdom however, life went on as usual. The learned men and women of Serrith still worked at improving the farming methods of their people while the workshops and quarries of the capital reverberated with the sounds of labor, as did the clay pits of Sorncost.

Perhaps the reason for this relative calm was the ever increasing age of Sera's graybearded king Farentor. Perhaps he felt as if his work was coming to an end and he simply wished to enjoy his twilight years in peace and quiet, spending the days with his grandchildren in the palace gardens. His son, Prince Lanlor had taken a much more prominent role in the affairs of the royal court and several Lords belived that this was an attempt by the King to have the Seran aristocracy start getting used to the Crown Prince and his leadership as for several weeks he had been attending Ring meetings in the King's place. Some of the nobles looked forward to the change in leadership and tried to ingrain themselves with the Prince, hoping for advancement when he sits on the throne. Others were careful, indeed, perhaps even fearful of what a new ruler may bring with his new regime...

by **Novas Arcanum** » Sat Dec 08, 2018 9:25 am

The Magnum Opus

Archmage Severus sat in his study pouring over his spellbook calm and collected. His grey eyes shined with wisdom as Severus poured over the centuries-old knowledge of the guild. It was clear that he had high acumen for the arcane, but even with his skill there where still many hurdles to overcome in the Magnum Opus's quest for knowledge and power. All of a sudden a young woman teleported into the study. She wore purple robes of high rank, this was no mere apprentice.

"Master Severus I have found something that would be of great import to you" the young sorceress by the name of Justinia stated. She was gorgeous beyond belief, of Cadmian, and Xcotl heritage and one of the most dedicated members of the guild.

"Yes spit it out, young one" Severus stated intrigued

"I have come up with calculations on the theory of soul transfer by transferring a soul from the host of a living being to the golem I believe that the stones will gain what I would call the Breath of Life, and will soon be a living creature rather than barren and lifeless."

The sorceress handed the papers to the Archmage, these where calculations beyond the comprehension of most mortals, yet the Archmage absorbed the lexicon in a matter of seconds a result of heightened abilities

"This is excellent Justinia! We shall relay this knowledge to the Xcotl Magi, in the meantime. Let us gather the wizards so that we can perform the geolocus of crafting!"

Primary Action: The Magnum Opus performs the ritual of the Geolocus of Crafting to improve the creativity of the guild and the Xcotl

Leader Action: Archmage Severus continues researching golem magic, by killing pests such as rats that infiltrates the Academy's food supply and transfers their souls to smaller, more primitive golem designs to test the theory of Soul Transfer.

by **Kelmet** » Sat Dec 08, 2018 4:54 pm

The Kingdom of Lordaeron

Year eight of the Reign of King Varian Menethil

Tho much work was to be done as they are limited to the technology of their time the new maritime district would give Stormwind the foundation in needed for the future. The Moral victory of the completion of the great monument At the entrance of the city, commemorating the Hero's of Lorderon.

The Council soon turned to what to build next, and against Archbishop Alonsus insistence that A Cathedral be build to the Light and give the church of the holy Light an official home the Xctol advisers insisted that a Training ground then a Barracks would be fundamental to their mission to train the Soldiers of Lorderon. The only thing they could agree on was the construction of a center of learning, in order to turn the masses into organised labor for the good of all in the long term.

Tho a rather heated discussion, the council of lords were all there at the pleasure of the king and after apologizing for any hurt feelings the king invited them to a feast in there honor in recognition to their great service and loyalty to the kingdom.

The Artisans sent to their alliance ally were greeted warmly and took to their task with great determination.

Structure of the Church of Light
The Term "Holy" is not technically in the name but widely used.

Ranks

Assignments.

by **Revlona** » Sat Dec 08, 2018 6:19 pm

City of Lordaeron

Lord Savarian Strong, Headmaster of the Order of the Bright flame was knelt in prayer.

From behind him he heard the door to the ramshackle church slide open, and hear heard the shuffle of feet and the clearing of the throat that signaled a nervous man.

Raising his head and opening his eyes he finished his prayer and stood.

Turning he looked at the man who had entered.

“Brother Ondarion May you walk in the light, pray what makes you disturb my prayer brother?” The Grandmasters said

“May you walk in the light grandmaster, I apologize for disturbing you, but I wished to inform you that the men have departed for the north.” Brother Ondarion said

“Ah, thank you, I shall pray for there success” he said before turning back towards the alter, visibly dismissing Ondarion.

by **Nuxipal** » Sat Dec 08, 2018 11:02 pm

The Chosen of Neferkara

A failure, it seemed that the power of Neferkara was waning once again and they would need to find a new path to power. The city however could easily provide that opportunity for them. While traversing the city's empty streets from time to time Setnakhte noticed portions of the population which seemed to be forsaken by the others. According to locals, they were called Gladium, they were those of the city who failed to uphold their honor or loyalties to the city and were outcasts because of it. Their deaths were not mourned by many and this led Setnakhte to an idea. He sent his people among them to collect their dead. They would begin collecting the fallen Gladium and interring them within the Chosen's complexes. They hoped this would help bring attention to them for keeping the streets clean. However, this was but a side show to the Chosen's activities. They did however, need this city-state to prosper for their own plans to come to fruition.

Searching around the town the Chosen have reported that the city has a great deal of potential in the surrounding area. Setnakhte ordered the Chosen to cultivate the Barley which was in the area around Saladonia. While collecting the Barley, they noticed the Glow Trees and began bringing some seeds from these trees into the city as well, planting them around the makeshift headquarters of the Chosen. In the farmlands around the city, the Chosen of Neferkara worked to successfully cultivate fields of Barley for the city-state, while teaching its population what they knew of crop cultivation from their homeland.

There would be differences, but both regions have large rivers which could easily support the growth of crops. So throughout the year the Chosen worked to cultivate the local barley crop around the city-state looking to increase the effectiveness of the city's population by not having to use as much labor on bringing in food.

by **Olthenia** » Sun Dec 09, 2018 5:35 am

The City of Fastaqui
Twelfth Day of the Arc of Amber
The Second Sitting of Ocanda the Just
The Second Age After the Founding

The landing was alive with song. Slow, swarthy rivermen's songs. The sort you could stomp in time to. And sad, thought Okeer. Desperately so.

The jetties and pontoons of the northern harbor always were; even with the breeze coming in off the Mudmarket and the stilted snarl of poor men's hovels called Ambermen's Lane. Perhaps especially so.

"It smells of piss and poor men's meals," grimaced Adak. He was the second son of a lean, mud-spattered line of ambermen - the sort whose neighbors even now belted out slow, sad riversongs as they hauled packs and bundles of lard and quinoa up the gangplanks. The Mudmarket's scent was in his hair and in his clothes. And in his soul, reflected Okeer. His sort knows poverty, and nothing but.

"You're facing the wrong way, boy," grinned Captain Okeer - and steered Adak's gaze out across the channel. "Where we're heading, you'll smell something else soon enough. Don't doubt it." He may as well have said the same to the other boys. Adak was hardly the only pauper leaving on the Wayward Son this outing. Once news that the Tiers were financing a new expedition had become known, Okeer's clan had signed up close to a dozen of them. Fate knew they'd need the hands.

A fickle river the Skazahad was - sly and red and hungry.

by **Holy Tedalonia** » Sun Dec 09, 2018 9:57 am

The Imperial Republic of Saladonia
The City of Salli

OCC: will add later.

by **G-Tech Corporation** » Sun Dec 09, 2018 11:16 am

Banks of the Great River, Kharbarinth, Stalheim Hierarchy
Nineteenth of Longnight, Year 333 of the Common Era

Garivald carefully tightened the supple leather band, and then stepped back to admire his handiwork. In the dim half-light of the large industrial complex it was somewhat difficult to see all of the details, but the craftsman knew the array that had been assembled here almost by heart. The roaring of the river nearby was essentially silent to his well-adjusted ears; the creaking of the gears as his compatriot threw the machine into alignment not so much. With a great grinding and groaning the axle moved forward, interlocking parts touching to the spindle that carried strength from the immense wheel outside, and then the machines within began to rotate.

A proud smile crossed the engineer's face. It had been a happy day when the designs from the Collegia had been unveiled before his faculty, a paean of industry that had filled the hearts of men with the joy of progress. A tall order to construct, to be sure, requiring the sweat and strain of hundreds for long months to erect. Here, though, was the culmination of those efforts; the gargantuan iron band-saw moved slowly with the creak of gears, but its immense teeth and breadth that would take the arms of a dozen men instead moved given life by the strength of the Great River.

It had been a long and dirty task, but around Garivald the other laborers had smiles on their faces to see such a complex contraption working as it was intended. Something about the pleasure in seeing an objective accomplished after weeks and months of striving toward that end. Of course, the debt-slaves outside the complex probably weren't as happy about the sweat that they had contributed to the structure, but that was the nature of the thing; to give of one's brow in recompense for crime or foolish action, for the good of all, until one's debt was paid to both society and any other creditors. The swarthy Swornlander was well aware that one of his fellows had recently been added to the chain-gang's number, for trying to short a merchant on the weights of sawn timber.

Simple really though. If you didn't want to do the time, you didn't do the crime. A very black-and-white way of viewing the world, but the tawny-haired carpenter had never been one for the moral complexities that the mages and scribes liked to debate into the small hours of the morning. It was a good life, and a straightforward one if you honored the gods and executed the law as a good citizen ought. From where the construction worker stood, watching the amazing triumph of technology bite into the first body of a forest giant that the men had set aside for their initial test, life was good indeed.

by **Ralnis** » Sun Dec 09, 2018 12:50 pm

[align=centerXcotl, City of the Dead][/align]

With the dead rising to the power of Necromancy, there was a surge of approval among the leading mages but the labor shortage was still there. They still needed more bodies, more workers but this also came with a problem. Due to their need for hunger of food and lifeforce, the city-state has drastically reduced to amount of ant-hounds in their pastures. With the hive nearly empty, the Gate Council tasked their exploration guild to go look at getting more ant-hounds in order to have their food and life force and they needed to start looking for a new hive to transplant. Some mages have wanted to start making more pastures for the use of getting more ant-hounds for the sake blood sacrifices without compromising their food supply.

On top of that, the Magi were looking into how to become more efficient with their gathering of life force that can be focused on amplifying spells. It would be difficult to do but they needed to do it if they ever would get better at their craft. Still, they needed to make more farms and need to be able to maximize food production. They also decided to call back their troops thanks to the rise of the Church and the Kingdom taking a stance to being more militaristic and combat focused. This, in turn, allowed for the soldiers to pick up tools and help with building their city.

The Ascent of Man [IC|Closed]

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