The Witch’s Trail (Fantasy, Horror, OOC)

[The Peninsular]

Character Application

Character Name:Jean de Vitt

Gender:Male

Appearance:Standing relatively tall at 1.85 meters, but also quite lanky, Jean is a young city man with a liking for anything blue, wearing a blue coat, blue scarf, blue trousers and a white shirt underneath. His only piece of clothing that would actually lend itself well to venturing into the Shadowlands are his tall leather boots, with which he absconded from his father's estate. He is further characterized by his pale skin, short-ish brown hair and a black tri-corn hat he found during a rainstorm. He wears a leather bag which he stores most of his belongings in, constantly over his shoulder and a somewhat badly maintained saber sheath at his side.

Personality: Jean de Vitt is energetic, exceedingly curious, fascinated with the world around him but also badly unprepared for some of its more violent aspects. Being a journalist by trade, he is also inquisitive and possesses an extensive education in both manners and knowledge, the result of his parents' social and economic status. De Vitt is especially passionate about his political ideas and in this regard can be quick to anger.

Age: 25

Occupation: Journalist, political theorist, amateur adventurer

Likes: Individualism, knowledge, liberal ideas in general

Dislikes: Actual violence, monarchy and exploitation in general, ships (he gets sea-sick)

Skills:

• Good education: Jean has had some quite high-tier education afforded to him by his parents, even going to a university and graduating in 'economics & trade' as preparation for his planned employment at his father's factoria. This education included maths, economics, some political theory and gave Jean the opportunity to study other topics at the side.
  
• Duelist:Being involved in a liberal (and somewhat secret) student's club, Jean also came in touch with saber fencing, a sport/duelling practice which was common among students. As a result, he knows his way around a saber quite well, which can take opponents by surprise in a one-on-one fight.
  
• Sneaky and well-mannered:In the course of his education, Jean was acquainted heavily with the upper-class/noble style of mannerisms, which has served him well acquiring funding for his investigative journalistic works and getting into places he was not supposed to be in (offices and bedrooms alike). Like-wise, he is much more cunning than he looks, getting out of these aforementioned places without ending up in a prison or in front of an angry patriarch.
  
• Investigator:Jean has a knack for investigation, but instead of using these skills for the benefit of a (in his opinion) oppressive and illegitimate government, he instead uses them to uncover scandalous stories and corruption in the upper classes, as well as advancing his personal political agenda.

Items:

• A worn De Vitt family saber, made of steel and grip stylized with (also worn) gold
• A very small pocket pistol (a gift from a friend after he'd almost gotten robbed)
• Several books, concerning witchcraft, political theory and biology (including a manifesto which may or may not be banned in his home state)
• A wooden quill and ink, some lead pencils and a journal
• A compass and a small pair of binoculars

Sexual preference: Heterosexual

Identifying features: None, really, apart from unusually pale skin

Bio: Jean Jacques Louis de Vitt was born to his parents, Jacques and Carline de Vitt, in the city of Ancerry. Jacques de Vitt's family had mostly been lesser nobles, but become increasingly impoverished until his grandfather had to sell off the de Vitt estate and moved to the city. There, he'd gone all in on the new ways of manufacturing, bought a factorium and started producing weapons. This went quite well, and by the time his son Jacques took over the business, the De Vitt factory had been known as an excellent producer of swords, bayonets and even muskets. It was Jacques de Vitt's keen business instincts, however, that propelled the family to the top, swallowing up several competitors and gaining a monopoly on providing the regional guard units and militias with weaponry.

Having re-bought the old De Vitt estate in the countryside of Ancerry, Jacques de Vitt had married and this marriage soon resulted in a daughter: Jeanette de Vitt, who would take after her father's keen economic instincts, and receive extensive education in these fields. Of course, the De Vitts never expected her to take over their business - this was supposed to be the role of their second-born: Jean.

Jean, as well as Jeanette, was pushed in this direction by his education - primarily centered on economics, maths and, to a lesser extent, weaponry design. However, unlike Jeanette, the young boy showed little if any interest in this, in favor of philosophy and storytelling. Jacques de Vitt, who was a very hands-on person with very little appreciation for the likes of philosophy and political theory, generally attempted to push his son away from this and most other non-economic studies (which really did nothing more than make Jean even more apathetic towards his business studies).

By the time the young man was 16, he was sent away to a neighboring city, Olvie-sur-mer, to attend the local trading institute/university. While he did finish his studies by the time he was 19, these three years had had the opposite effect of what the De Vitts had wanted. Jean had involved himself with the liberal political movements among the young students, and, in the last year of his studies, taken up a side job as a writer for a local paper.

When he returned to Ancerry, he was thoroughly charged with new political ideals, and thus caused more than a little trouble for his family. De Vitt's factoria followed the general norm of things, with the employees working long and hard and being paid little in return. In fact, the De Vitt Arms Company had been one of the first companies in the region to take up the practice of spying on their own employees, as well as hiring local thugs to harrass the local workers, much to Jean's horror. The monarchist city government, who were massively profiting from this in the form of taxes, was supportive - something which especially disgusted the young man.

As such, after two years as an employee in the factory administration, which let him witness the misery of the workers there first-hand, Jean quit. This enraged his father severely, who put his much more alike-thinking sister into the position instead, and almost kicked Jean out of the family (something which his aunt was just able to prevent). The next few years were spent writing for several newspapers in the city, earning him a reputation in political and journalist circles as an outspoken critic. He was also almost arrested several times as he had a habit of going after stories concerning the city's elite - something they did not like at all.

This all came to a head when Jean had just turned 24, as he published a particularly savage critique of the system, titled 'On Industrial Centralization'. This article caused a significant uproar, as it not only expressly critiqued the city's ruling nobles and economic elite, but also the nobility in general. Furthermore, in the article, Jean proposed a new political theory, which he had learned about through correspondences with other liberal thinkers. This new ideology, named 'Federal Syndicalization', advocated for the employed lower classes to form collectives and seize control of their economic means - replacing the old guilds, factory or land owners. These would then be run as cooperative enterprises, with each member owning an equal share, and would exist in a confederation with others, effectively creating a loose commonwealth without a centralized government that could oppress its citizens.

This open declaration immediately caused problems for Jean, of course. Not only did this publication incite a major strike in the city shortly after its publication, but the city government saw this as a direct attack on the monarchy. Subsequently, Jean was to be arrested, but a sympathizer in the constabulary warned him. As such, the young journalist absconded from his father's estate in the night, with little but his clothes, some books and a saber. Just to be safe, a friend spirited him out of the jurisdiction of the entire state, fearing he would be declared a criminal in the entire realm.

The next year was spent primarily on the move, visiting a number of like-minded prominent liberals in other kingdoms and writing guest articles in some of the less reactionary-ruled cities. He chose to sever contact with most of his acquaintances back in Ancerry, as to not put them in danger of monarchist retribution, as well as breaking off contact to his family (most of whom were more or less incensed by his actions and opinions). He never learned whether he was actually wanted in his old home kingdom, but chose to stay away either way, occasionally letting travelling friends smuggle in letters addressed to the leaders of slowly-growing 'workers clubs'.

Theme Song: Also TBA

Reason: Having earned the wrath of his father, his home city's constable, and possibly being wanted as an instigator and political opponent of the government (although he doesn't know this for sure), Jean has had to leave his home behind, at least for the forseeable future. Learning about the Shadowlands, his curiosity was once again piqued, and he ventures there to gain knowledge and incredible stories, to propel his journalistic career forwards and also spread his political beliefs further.

[Britanania]

Character Application

Character Name:Jean de Vitt

Gender:Male

Appearance:Standing relatively tall at 1.85 meters, but also quite lanky, Jean is a young city man with a liking for anything blue, wearing a blue coat, blue scarf, blue trousers and a white shirt underneath. His only piece of clothing that would actually lend itself well to venturing into the Shadowlands are his tall leather boots, with which he absconded from his father's estate. He is further characterized by his pale skin, short-ish brown hair and a black tri-corn hat he found during a rainstorm. He wears a leather bag which he stores most of his belongings in, constantly over his shoulder and a somewhat badly maintained saber sheath at his side.

Personality: Jean de Vitt is energetic, exceedingly curious, fascinated with the world around him but also badly unprepared for some of its more violent aspects. Being a journalist by trade, he is also inquisitive and possesses an extensive education in both manners and knowledge, the result of his parents' social and economic status. De Vitt is especially passionate about his political ideas and in this regard can be quick to anger.

Age: 25

Occupation: Journalist, political theorist, amateur adventurer

Likes: Individualism, knowledge, liberal ideas in general

Dislikes: Actual violence, monarchy and exploitation in general, ships (he gets sea-sick)

Skills:

• Good education: Jean has had some quite high-tier education afforded to him by his parents, even going to a university and graduating in 'economics & trade' as preparation for his planned employment at his father's factoria. This education included maths, economics, some political theory and gave Jean the opportunity to study other topics at the side.
  
• Duelist:Being involved in a liberal (and somewhat secret) student's club, Jean also came in touch with saber fencing, a sport/duelling practice which was common among students. As a result, he knows his way around a saber quite well, which can take opponents by surprise in a one-on-one fight.
  
• Sneaky and well-mannered:In the course of his education, Jean was acquainted heavily with the upper-class/noble style of mannerisms, which has served him well acquiring funding for his investigative journalistic works and getting into places he was not supposed to be in (offices and bedrooms alike). Like-wise, he is much more cunning than he looks, getting out of these aforementioned places without ending up in a prison or in front of an angry patriarch.
  
• Investigator:Jean has a knack for investigation, but instead of using these skills for the benefit of a (in his opinion) oppressive and illegitimate government, he instead uses them to uncover scandalous stories and corruption in the upper classes, as well as advancing his personal political agenda.

Items:

• A worn De Vitt family saber, made of steel and grip stylized with (also worn) gold
• A very small pocket pistol (a gift from a friend after he'd almost gotten robbed)
• Several books, concerning witchcraft, political theory and biology (including a manifesto which may or may not be banned in his home state)
• A wooden quill and ink, some lead pencils and a journal
• A compass and a small pair of binoculars

Sexual preference: Heterosexual

Identifying features: None, really, apart from unusually pale skin

Bio: Jean Jacques Louis de Vitt was born to his parents, Jacques and Carline de Vitt, in the city of Ancerry. Jacques de Vitt's family had mostly been lesser nobles, but become increasingly impoverished until his grandfather had to sell off the de Vitt estate and moved to the city. There, he'd gone all in on the new ways of manufacturing, bought a factorium and started producing weapons. This went quite well, and by the time his son Jacques took over the business, the De Vitt factory had been known as an excellent producer of swords, bayonets and even muskets. It was Jacques de Vitt's keen business instincts, however, that propelled the family to the top, swallowing up several competitors and gaining a monopoly on providing the regional guard units and militias with weaponry.

Having re-bought the old De Vitt estate in the countryside of Ancerry, Jacques de Vitt had married and this marriage soon resulted in a daughter: Jeanette de Vitt, who would take after her father's keen economic instincts, and receive extensive education in these fields. Of course, the De Vitts never expected her to take over their business - this was supposed to be the role of their second-born: Jean.

Jean, as well as Jeanette, was pushed in this direction by his education - primarily centered on economics, maths and, to a lesser extent, weaponry design. However, unlike Jeanette, the young boy showed little if any interest in this, in favor of philosophy and storytelling. Jacques de Vitt, who was a very hands-on person with very little appreciation for the likes of philosophy and political theory, generally attempted to push his son away from this and most other non-economic studies (which really did nothing more than make Jean even more apathetic towards his business studies).

By the time the young man was 16, he was sent away to a neighboring city, Olvie-sur-mer, to attend the local trading institute/university. While he did finish his studies by the time he was 19, these three years had had the opposite effect of what the De Vitts had wanted. Jean had involved himself with the liberal political movements among the young students, and, in the last year of his studies, taken up a side job as a writer for a local paper.

When he returned to Ancerry, he was thoroughly charged with new political ideals, and thus caused more than a little trouble for his family. De Vitt's factoria followed the general norm of things, with the employees working long and hard and being paid little in return. In fact, the De Vitt Arms Company had been one of the first companies in the region to take up the practice of spying on their own employees, as well as hiring local thugs to harrass the local unions, much to Jean's horror. The monarchist city government, who were massively profiting from this in the form of taxes, was supportive - something which especially disgusted the young man.

As such, after two years as an employee in the factory administration, which let him witness the misery of the workers there first-hand, Jean quit. This enraged his father severely, who put his much more alike-thinking sister into the position instead, and almost kicked Jean out of the family (something which his aunt was just able to prevent). The next few years were spent writing for several newspapers in the city, earning him a reputation in political and journalist circles as an outspoken critic. He was also almost arrested several times as he had a habit of going after stories concerning the city's elite - something they did not like at all.

This all came to a head when Jean had just turned 24, as he published a particularly savage critique of the system, titled 'On Industrial Centralization'. This article caused a significant uproar, as it not only expressly critiqued the city's ruling nobles and economic elite, but also the nobility in general. Furthermore, in the article, Jean proposed a new political theory, which he had learned about through correspondences with other liberal thinkers. This new ideology, named 'Federal Syndicalization', advocated for workers' unions to seize control of their economic means and runs these as liberal collectives, with each member owning an equal share. These 'syndicates' would then exist in a confederation with others, effectively creating a loose commonwealth without a centralized government that could oppress its citizens.

This open declaration immediately caused problems for Jean, of course. Not only did this publication incite a major strike in the city shortly after its publication, but the city government saw this as a direct attack on the monarchy. Subsequently, Jean was to be arrested, but a sympathizer in the constabulary warned him. As such, the young journalist absconded from his father's estate in the night, with little but his clothes, some books and a saber. Just to be safe, a friend spirited him out of the jurisdiction of the entire state, fearing he would be declared a criminal in the entire realm.

The next year was spent primarily on the move, visiting a number of like-minded prominent liberals in other kingdoms and writing guest articles in some of the less reactionary-ruled cities. He chose to sever contact with most of his acquaintances back in Ancerry, as to not put them in danger of monarchist retribution, as well as breaking off contact to his family (most of whom were more or less incensed by his actions and opinions). He never learned whether he was actually wanted in his old home kingdom, but chose to stay away either way, occasionally letting travelling friends smuggle in letters addressed to prominent union leaders.

Theme Song: Also TBA

Reason: Having earned the wrath of his father, his home city's constable, and possibly being wanted as an instigator and political opponent of the government (although he doesn't know this for sure), Jean has had to leave his home behind, at least for the forseeable future. Learning about the Shadowlands, his curiosity was once again piqued, and he ventures there to gain knowledge and incredible stories, to propel his journalistic career forwards and also spread his political beliefs further.

Okay, my only caveat with this is that the urban population is still pretty small, hovering around probably 5%, so Jean's political theories would be very fringe, even among other liberal thinkers, and as this is still the very early stages of the industry, things like unions are probably also not very common or even well developed theoretically.

[The Peninsular]

Okay, my only caveat with this is that the urban population is still pretty small, hovering around probably 5%, so Jean's political theories would be very fringe, even among other liberal thinkers, and as this is still the very early stages of the industry, things like unions are probably also not very common or even well developed theoretically.

Hm... I see two solutions, solution number one being that it only really becomes 'popular' among the growing urban areas, thus still being a pretty fringe ideology but enough for his home city to be pissed at him, or that it's rewritten to call for people to unionize in the first place/for people working in agriculture to sort-of do something similar, mostly by rejecting their feudal/monarchist 'overlords'.

EDIT: I could also probably lean a lot more heavily into the distributism side of things and kind of just mention 'unions' somewhere on the side but not being a big part of the ideology.

[Britanania]

The History of the Sacred Eklessia of Enas: In Brief

Three millennia before the present era, on the continent known as Vesperia a great empire emerged. By subjugating its neighbours, the city-state of Mordia became the dominant power. The citizens of Mordia had a major advantage over its rivals: the Mordians mobilised witches and warlocks to great effect, and the Mordians accepted non-humans into its ranks. As a place where Humans, Elves, Orcs, Goblins, Dwarves, Gnomes, Trolls, Pixies, Centaurs, and Satyrs lived as one, who all believed in the dream that was Mordia, they became a might force that conquered almost the entire continent in a few short centuries.

At the height of the Mordian Empire's power two and a half millennia ago, the god known as Enas descended upon Vesperia and, according to the historians and theologians of the Eklessia, became the Empire's ruler. Enas taught the Mordians many things, and their empire became unparalleled for its advances in technology and alchemy. Before the barrier that cut off the secular and spiritual world formed, Enas gave the people of Vesperia a prophecy: one day He would return and bring again the golden age.

The Mordian Empire could not long sustain itself without its God-Emperor and splintered into various successor kingdoms, at a time when the old magic began to fade and non-humans were brought to the brink of extinction two thousand years before present. The Eklessia, the official church founded by Enas Himself, maintained what little order remained and served as a source of continuity between the various kingdoms. Its preachers proclaimed that these dark times were temporary and that faith to Una was all that could save them. While they could not prevent the fracture of the Empire, the Eklessia could maintain its culture and the successor kingdoms and states looked to the Ekklesia as a symbol of legitimacy. As the dominant religion on Vesperia, its influence became unrivalled and soon spread as contact with other peoples, kingdoms and continents resumed.

The Eklessia's efforts at evangelisation focuses also on removing the influence of the old pagan gods, and by fifteen centuries before present, the Old Gods were regulated to the place of mythology and folklore. Such was the state of Vesperia until the Grey Death arrived four centuries ago, and the subsequent witch trials that took place over the course of that century.

In the present time, the Eklessia retains a place of prestige and power across Vesperia, and it has faced its fair share of threats before.

Structure of the Eklessia

The Eklessia is based in the ancient city-state of Sopdet, once known as Mordia. After the fall of the Empire, as the Eklessia asserted its dominance, it came to dominate the city and its surrounding area carving out a powerful realm in the centre of Vesperia. Its head and absolute authority is the Magnus Pontifex, who according to their sacred texts, is the successor of the man Enas appointed to lead His faithful before His departure. The Mangus Pontifex has absolute doctrinal authority in the Eklessia and appoints all bishops.

The Mangus Pontifex serves for life and is elected by the Concilium Pontificum, the Council of Pontiffs. The Pontiffs are appointed by the Magnus Pontifex, made up (usually) of the most senior bishops, and the Council also serves as an advisory board to the Magnus Pontifex. Assisting with the day-to-day operations of the Eklessia is the vast bureaucracy of the Sopdetian Curia composed of several Secretariats, Congregations, and Councils.

The Eklessia is divided into regional districts known as Sees, which originally corresponded to ancient divisions of the Mordian Empire. The head of the Sees, the bishops, are authorised to teach doctrine and govern in the name of the Eklessia. Each See has its own Curia modelled on the Sopdetian one.

Sees are sub-divided into Chapters, headed by a Cleric. Their duties are to serve the general public in the worship of Enas.

Organisation and Structure of the Curia

Broadly speaking, the Curia is the administrative institutions of the Eklessia. Whilst the Concilium Pontificum serves as an advisory and elective body and the Concilium Episcoporum meets occasionally to assist the Mangus Pontifex, the Curia acts independently of both councils and conducts the Magnus Pontifex's business on a day-to-day level.

The Curia is composed of two main bodies: The Secretariats and the Congregations.

The Secretariats are further composed of the Secretarius Major, which oversees foreign affairs, the Secretatius Economia, which handles the internal workings of the Eklessia, in particular, the city of Sopdet and its surrounding area that is directly controlled by the Eklessia.

The various Congregations, each headed by a Pontiff, serve various functions. While most handle smaller matters, such as education, by far the most important and powerful Congregation is the Ordo Inquisitorum. Headed by the Generalis Inquisitor, its primary role is to promote and safeguard the doctrine on faith and morals within the Eklessia. In a stricter sense, its role is to root out heresy by performing inquisitions. In a formal sense, this involves an investigation, a trial, and a verdict by an Inquisitor, but in a looser sense, it can also involve less tangible actions such as reconnaissance gathering. The inquisitors have no strict hierarchy and answer to no one save the Generalis Inquisitor or the Magnus Pontifex himself. In their service to the Eklessia, they wield immense authority, respect, and fear.

[Naval Monte]

Hm... I see two solutions, solution number one being that it only really becomes 'popular' among the growing urban areas, thus still being a pretty fringe ideology but enough for his home city to be pissed at him, or that it's rewritten to call for people to unionize in the first place/for people working in agriculture to sort-of do something similar, mostly by rejecting their feudal/monarchist 'overlords'.

EDIT: I could also probably lean a lot more heavily into the distributism side of things and kind of just mention 'unions' somewhere on the side but not being a big part of the ideology.

Personally I would say stick more to Distirbutism but than have it mix with his own ideals and those of other Liberal thinkers to create some sort of Neo-Distirbutism? Probably mention creating new unions to replace the old guilds since many of them are now starting to become either like the growing companies of today or are falling apart.

[The Peninsular]

Personally I would say stick more to Distirbutism but than have it mix with his own ideals and those of other Liberal thinkers to create some sort of Neo-Distirbutism? Probably mention creating new unions to replace the old guilds since many of them are now starting to become either like the growing companies of today or are falling apart.

I edited it a little, what do you think?

[The Order of the Sovereign Heavens]

• Jacquelyn Vanth - Menschenfleisch: Sleep therapist, mariner, sharpshooter; likes violence.
• Leliel Luria Orev - Nagakawa: Legendary magic-nullifying superbadass who hates one particular family.
• Venusta Navi - Britanania: Good religious Playboy girl, still a ruthless inquisitor.
• Iosef Strana - Laiakia: Revolutionary instigator and dashing outlaw, possible propensity towards authoritarianism?
• Sovadien Ardariach Tholondíl - The Order of the Sovereign Heavens: The only gay guy, noble, and also an utter chav.
• Jean de Vitt - The Peninsular: Journalist, political activist extraordinaire (read: proto-syndicalist).

(Thanks to Menschenfleisch for the awesome character overviews)

[Naval Monte]

• Jacquelyn Vanth - Menschenfleisch: Sleep therapist, mariner, sharpshooter; likes violence.
• Leliel Luria Orev - Nagakawa: Legendary magic-nullifying superbadass who hates one particular family.
• Venusta Navi - Britanania: Good religious Playboy girl, still a ruthless inquisitor.
• Iosef Strana - Laiakia: Revolutionary instigator and dashing outlaw, possible propensity towards authoritarianism?
• Sovadien Ardariach Tholondíl - The Order of the Sovereign Heavens: The only gay guy, noble, and also an utter chav.
• Jean de Vitt - The Peninsular: Journalist, political activist extraordinaire (read: proto-syndicalist).

(Thanks to The Peninsular for the awesome character overviews)

Thank both you and Menschen for making my job easier.

[Laiakia]

Bucharism [Bu (Buu) - Char (Kar) - Ism (Ism)] is a social, economical and political ideology and movement whose ultimate goal is the establishment of a centralized state republic and strong government powers. In addition to this, various smaller undergroups and concepts circulate between members since this ideology is still relatively new. Some of these concepts are equality, equity, class conflict, anti-serfdom, class consciousness, collective leadership, proto-collectivism, proto-common ownership, anti-feudalism, social revolution, worker’s self-management and the revolution of the proletariat being either violent or peaceful, but violence is often the way it goes.

The main idea of Bucharism is the creation and maintenance of a strong government surrounding a centralized republic of the state that protects workers and the lower classes against abuse and destruction by the upper classes and their brainwashed minions. It thus believes in the existence of two classes, the proletariat (the workers), and the bourgeoisie (the capitalist class, the feudalistic class and such type of ruling classes). The classification of the proletariat, according to Bucharism, is that they are the majority of the population and must work to survive in this harsh world. The bourgeoisie are the minority that earns profit from the working class through employment in private ownership, serfdom and other forms of containment of the worker. As such, a revolution would be required to remove and erase the long years of feudalistic, capitalistic and utterly exploitative relationship between the rulers and the workers. Following a theoretical revolution, the working class would be put in power and the social ownership of the means of production would be established.

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Various Information
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Motto: Peasants Of The World, Unite! You Have Nothing To Lose But Your Chains!

Founder: Maximailliam Bucharin

Type Of Movement: Revolutionary Movement

Political Inclination: Authoritarian Left

Legal Status: Ignored in certain countries, while hunted and prosecuted for threats against the ruling government in other nations.

Popularity: Relatively unknown

Purpose: Establishment of a centralized state republic with strong government powers. Protection of peasant rights and end of exploitation and enslavement of the common man.

Newspaper: Revoult (Propaganda Paper)

Banners: Banner 1 Banner 2

Cockade: https://imgur.com/a/pEUTXQB

Flag: https://imgur.com/a/bcwrEwv

IRL Political Equivalent: Jacobinism with a mix of communism.

[The Peninsular]

'Federal Syndicalization' - often somewhat incorrectly referred to as 'communal anarchism' - is a social, political and economical ideology and movement with the ultimate goal of removing national central governments, and replacing it with commonwealths of communally-run syndicates. The ideology is relatively new and still quite niche in many areas, even in more liberally-inclined areas. Nonetheless, it has its proponents, mostly lower-class workers and liberal anti-authoritarian thinkers.

The core of the ideology is formed by 'syndicates'. These are formed by the lower classes through the formation of liberal unions and collectives, replacing the 'corrupt' guilds, land owners and other ruling establishments. Through the dissolution of the central government and the creation of a commonwealth of equals, these syndicates could then prevent state-enacted oppression from occuring - something that Federal Syndicalization sees as inevitable as long as centralized states exist. This commonwealth would primarily serve as a means of defense against outside aggression and as a forum for its member-syndicates. The syndicates themselves would be communally-run, with each member owning an equal share in its production and wealth.

While this ideology does not, in fact, abhor any kind of hierarchy like anarchism does (there would still be a semblance of governmental structure, just at the will of the common syndicate members), it is still oversimplified and viewed by most governments as this. In any case, Federal Syndicalization since its inception has been on the list of 'dangerous ideologies' by most monarchies.

----------------------
Various Information
----------------------
Motto: There is no real united motto; they tend to differ from group to group.

Founder: Not entirely pinned down, leading prominent activists/'co-founders' include Frederick Cardrege, Jean de Vitt and Eruven Felldelring

Type Of Movement: Anti-authoritarian 'revolutionary' movement (type may differ from region to region)

Political Inclination: Libertarian Left

Legal Status: Ignored in certain countries, prosecuted as 'threat to stability' in certain others.

Popularity: 'Known but niche' - a strike-turned-riot in the city Ancerry & de Vitt's own political journalism afforded the ideology a modicum of exposure.

Purpose: Abolishment of a class-based society and centralized government in favor of a 'commonwealth of equals' of communally-run collectives.

Newspaper: No unified newspaper exists for the ideology per say (given that, due to its nature, there is no central organization); prominent newspapers include 'Le Syndicaliste', 'Freiheit!', 'Savot Elveen' among others.

Banners: Banner (Slogans differ from group to group, but the 'shattered crown' is a general symbol for the abolishment of the central government and is the main symbol of this ideology)

Cockade: Differing from group to group

IRL Political Equivalent: A mix of anarcho-syndicalism and non-religious distributism.

[Naval Monte]

Character Name: Alexandria Ashwood

Gender: Female

Appearance: Alexandria is a pale skin woman with long, wavy, raven hair, and gray eyes; she has deep set eyes. Being at a mere 4’9/145 cm she is rather short in stature, which combined with her weight being 150 Ibs/68 Kg, gives her a soft, slightly plump, voluptuous figure with board and short arms and legs, each one having toned muscles, even if the muscles on her thighs has to share space with fat. Her measurements are 35/33/42 or 89/84/107 cm. Alex in general has a matronly look, one that belies her flirtatious personality, and has the look of a person used to a life of general comfort and luxury and used to pleasure. Compared to the malnourished masses of Vesperia, she looks relatively fatter than the average person, a development that does nothing to hide her natural charm and beauty. She could thus be described as a slightly ageing beauty, one who still thinks of herself as the most attractive woman in the world and acts as such.

Alex has a heart shaped face even though her cheeks are slighter rounder than those with the usual face shape. She has a button shaped nose and thin lips. She has a beauty mark close to her right eye on her cheek, a few age lines are visible under her eyes. She has long wavy raven hair that reaches the small of her back with side-swept bangs that reach to her breasts and few strands that seem to act on their own accord as they stick out from place, forcing the woman to try and push them back in place, an ordeal that normally fails. A few strands of gray hair are visible, it’s unknown if it’s due to aging or a side effect of a potion she drank.

Her main attire consists of a black-blue dress that shows off her shoulders and wraps around her neck, long, open sleeves that reveal her hands and shoulders, a short skirt with a white frill and long high-heeled boots that curl upwards at the toes. While her attire alone would be considered scandalous and highly questionable, her head gear would be doubly so, as it is a hat stylized after a witch but with the point curling into a spiral pattern. She wears a black choker with a silver pentagram on the center and wears black gloves on her hands. She wears a black hooded cloak over her ensemble whenever it begins to rain or when she wants to hide from others.

Personality: Alexandria is a complex woman: brilliant, erratic, passionate, committed, idealistic, talented, charming, insulting, bold, incautious, arrogant, and sometimes shortsighted when she lets her ambitions on a goal get the best of her. Yet she can also be cold, aloof, and shy to some while also being kind, caring, and even showing motherly qualities as she tends to problems and raises the spirits of others. Both a great companion to have as well as a chore to be around, those are some of the words others have used to describe her. The woman can also have a fiery temper when enraged with her rage becoming frosty when her rage reaches the highest point.

Alex can also be very flirty to others, and at other times she can be sarcastic and sardonic, often to the point that some can never tell if she is taking anyone or situation around her seriously. Alexandria can also be a crafty and conniving woman, she is not above cheating, lying, and using other underhanded methods if it means she gets results. She also likes to toy with people whenever she feels it would help her achieve her goals or if she feels bored.She is also selfish to some extent but often is unaware or unwilling to admit just how selfish she can be until called out on it. She also has a weakness for things she considers to be cute and is a sucker for romance and sob stories. She is also vulnerable to things she considers to be cute, often being distracted by said cute object, the biggest being her daughter who she would gush about for long periods of time if mentioned.

Age: 48

Occupation: Traveling Scholar, Natural Philosopher, Arcanist, Humanist, and Eccentric. Possibly a DnD Bard

Likes: Books, Cute Things, Magic, Attractive People, Knowledge, Adventuring, Tea

Dislikes: Politics, Inquisitors, Ignorance, Nobility, Bigotry, Bitter Stuff, Taxes

Skills:

• Natural Philosophy: Alex possesses well depth knowledge in a variety of fields related to natural philosophy with the main ones being geography, mineralogy, botany, zoology, anatomy, chemistry, astronomy, and physics. While an arcanist by trade and a proud one at that, she strongly believes that both the natural and supernatural halves of the world are one and the same and that understanding one half would not be enough to grant one the clearest picture of how the universe operates
  
  
• Oh, The Humanities: Along with understanding how the world works Alex also studies how humanity operates. To this effect she has taken to learn the humanities; with main fields of interests being anthropology, archaeology, linguistics, history, philosophy, religion, folklore, mythology and literature. She realizes that magic and man have an intrinsic relationship and believes that understanding how humanity works would give her a greater understanding of how magic works. She seems to have some knowledge in law and politics but rarely uses them and doesn't seem to like using them when she is forced to.
  
  
• Medical Knowledge: Her knowledge in botany, mineralogy, anatomy, chemistry, and alchemy grants her a surprising depth of knowledge when it comes to medical care. Not only can she discover the right plants and herbs that can be used to treat different illnesses and injuries but also know which plants are best avoided due to knowing their poisonous properties. Her zoological and mineralogical knowledge can also allow her to know which animal is poisonous and venomous. This, mixed with her botanical knowledge, can allow her to create a variety of poisons that can be used. She also can create different types of drugs that can use for recreational use or to disorient people or to be used for medical or combat use. Her knowledge in the many different types of poisons has caused her to try and take small doses of these poisons to build an immunity towards them so no one can kill her by those methods.
  
  
• Thievery: While Alex sees herself as a scholar and arcanist she understands that knowledge is a valuable commodity and not many would be so willing to part with their secrets. Thus she learned skills that can aid her in acquiring things by less "legal methods". These main skills being sleight of hand, pickpocketing, and lockpicking.
  
  
• Pankration:Alex may be a woman of science but even she knows that in these trying times many would be tempted to turn into criminal behaviors to get buy and the world is not safe for most women. Thus she learned to defend herself by utilizing techniques similar to bare knuckle boxing and wrestling. Alex is willing to use not only her fist but even uses kicks, throws, and chokeholds in a fight. However she is also willing to use less honorable methods in a fight such as biting, thumb jabs, and groin kicks and punches. Any methods to exploit an opponent's weakness and end a fight quickly as she knows that she is not a dedicated fighter and her small size is a major weakness. Yet her small stature does make it easier for her to evade most attacks and to strike quickly.

Magecraft: As an arcanist Alexandria posses an array of esoteric skills that are powerful and vital in this modern age. These skills include but are not limited too:

Ritualist: Utilizing a combination of words, gestures, and materials she can channel and control etheric energies of the world to change the world. Her powers need for her to have the right reagents and rituals in order for them to work, as well as utilizing the right verbal and somatic commands and even the right symbols being used. Her craft can range from spells that work by subtle, almost coincidental manners, such as curses and blessings, to some acts of magic being more obvious such as spontaneous combustion and apportion, however such feats would require much longer rituals to be performed. The ritualistic nature of her magic she often needs others to assist her in preventing her craft from being interrupted as even those with a smaller time to cast would take her a few minutes of smaller ritualized chanting, gestures, and symbol making in order for her to complete a magical operation. It is because of these factors that she uses several foci for quick acts of magic.


• Alchemist: Alex can use alchemy analyze, deconstruct, and transmute different organic and inorganic materials into not only new items but with new properties or to unlock hidden qualities within ordinary items after changing them. This process often has her creating a variety of elixirs, solvents, brews, salves, ointments, philtres, oils, and unguents, reagents, substrates and distilled organic matter, and ect. She can even create alchemical products in the form of baked dough or porridge if she feels inclined to do so, or produce new dyes, inks, and other cosmetic materials. Just like with both Ritual Magic and Foci Crafting she would need both time and preparation for her to perform an alchemical transmutation and the right amount of materials to succeed with the procedure, especially if she is mixing her alchemical skills with the other ones. It’s because of the time, preparation, and material cost that she often makes several alchemical products prepared ahead of time encase she would need them later even if she carries a portable, makeshift, alchemical set for use when she can find a place to rest for the time being.
  
  
• Foci Crafter: Alex has the skills to create magical foci for both her personal use and for others. She knows what materials she would need for the specific functions she would want a foci to have and knows both the right time, rituals, and even symbolic components needed to ensure it will work efficiently. The quality of her foci will largely depend on both the type of materials used in its construction and whether the materials used have a strong symbolic correspondence to what abilities she wants the foci to have. Performing the ritual to create the foci in both an appropriate setting and even astrological sign can help increase the quality and power of the foci. If her foci are of low quality then not only would it eventually run out of power and break after a certain amount of use but it has the potential to unleash a powerful burst of magic that the wielder can't control, injuring them and everything around them. Medium quality foci do not produce self destructive bursts of magic and will last much longer than low quality foci but will eventually run out of magic after repeated use unless she recharges it. High quality foci not only produce greater power than the previous ones but are also nearly indestructible and never run out of magic as they can immediately pull the energy around them, but it comes at the price of them require not only the most elaborate rituals and the most extensive time and resources in construction, but some materials would be highly expensive for the crafter.

Items: Several bags are on her person, each one enchanted in order to carry more weight without causing Alex to become encumbered and to increase the space for the items she carries, though she still can’t place anything too large in them. These bags include:

• Medical equipment and Magical potions for healing
• Scientific and Alchemical apparatus
• Survival gear
• Magical scrolls and book
• Ritual materials, Alchemical elixirs, and a few low to medium quality Foci

Other items are her traveling cloak, a personal journal to record stuff, her staff that she uses for magic, a special potion she takes to help with her eye troubles, and an erotic romance novel she reads to pass the time.

Sexual preference: Pansexual

Identifying features: The mole under her eye, her short stature, pale skin contrast with black hair, the arcane tattoos she had on her back left shoulder and arm. Claims to have terrible scars on her hands that she feels embarrassed on revealing.

Bio:

Much of Alex’s history is unknown. She claims to have been taught by a scholar and arcanist from Carmina but most aren’t sure even if her skills and knowledge in magecraft can’t be disputed. Alex never seems to stay in one place for too long. She often collects whatever information and materials she wants and leaves a location, often only staying longer if she finds someone she fancies to date for a short while before eventually leaving for the next town or city. She is also a mother as the times the topic is brought up she would gush about her daughter endlessly.

Right now she feels a strong pull to travel to the Shadowlands. The stories of the witches living in the dark and swampy woods have caught her interest and she wishes to find out their secrets… as well as seek out some new enjoyments to relieve her boredom.

(I kept her bio vague on purpose because I want her history to be revealed over time in the RP)

Theme Song: Master of the Mystic Arts

Reason: To gather esoteric knowledge and occult power from the witches, to find magical resources that would aid in her craft, and to find a witch waifu/warlock husbando

[Ceystile]

WIP app


Character Application
Character Name: Khimaera Black, Kim for short.
Gender: Female
Appearance: Kim is a tall woman, standing at 6’1 with a slender, wiry build. She’s got warm, deep brown skin the color of fresh gingerbread cake, shoulder length white hair that resembles cotton wool and golden, topaz colored eyes. She’s slim and slender with small breasts and a narrow waist,, although she’s a bit wide in the hips due to having given birth. She usually wears a dark, navy blue trench coat embroidered with the royal symbol of Kemwar on the back in gold, and embroidered on the shoulders in gold are the symbols of the Alchemical College of Kemwar. There are also various alchemical symbols embroidered on the hem of the coat. Under that she wears a vest of a checkered blue and gold pattern on top of a white shirt, khaki colored pants and white boots with gold fastenings.
Personality: Kim is a pretty closed-up individual. She takes her job as Royal Alchemist quite seriously and is devoted to her work and research. Her devotion to the sciences stems greatly from a devotion to her son, as it’s for him that she delved deeper into her work.

Most of the time her face is impassive like a blank canvas, but she is however capable of great emotions. It usually takes a big situation to pull them out of her though, as she is struggling with some internal issues and prefers not to let people know about them. She’s got some issues trusting new people, as she’s been let down by them before in painful ways but she does have a small circle of friends she’s completely relaxed around. Her trust is hard won, but you won’t regret receiving it. If you break it however, that’s it. It’s over for you, never talk to me again. It’s because she really fears losing another person that she cares about, so she tries to have all her relationships warm and solid but not too deep, and always on equal footing.

Age: 42
Occupation: Royal Alchemist to the King of Kemwar
Likes: Apple fritters, her alchemical work, her family, fine clothes, experimenting
Dislikes Her ex-husband (at least a little), being interrupted, people dismissing her line of work, broccoli.
Skills: Healing: Having been raised by her herbalist mother, Kim knows how to make a variety of poultices and use herbs to treat infections/heal wounds. She can also bind wounds and set bones.

Weapons: Has some decent skill with firing guns, training with the princes during childhood. Also keeps a dagger on her for self defense.

Cooking: She can cook rather well, cooking isn’t that different from making a potion really.
Linguist: Can speak both Common and Kemwari.

Magecraft: Alchemy: Kim’s brand of alchemy mainly focuses on the core tenants of transmuting, combining and purifying matter, usually used in the creation of things like weapons and golems for his majesty’s army as well as the making of various potions/chemical substances. A specialty of hers is alchemical fire, a gel like potion that combusts upon contact with air. More things may be added but this is what I have so far. Mainly combining two or more elements into another element...she’s been researching how to create homunculi but hasn’t quite made the headway she would’ve liked. She also uses her alchemy to place enhancements onto already existing items, such as armor, clothing, etc.


Items: She carries a black satchel filled with alchemical supplies, mainly stuff she can use in a pinch such as bottled alchemical fire, golem spikes (spikes of precombined elemental reagents, simply needing to be placed into inorganic material in order to form golems), poisons, reagents, things like that. Also she has the necessities such as food, water, first aid kid, change of clothes...). She also has a gold locket pendant carved with an alchemical lock, a picture of her son is inside. Dual pistols and an alchemically enhanced dagger.

Sexual preference Bisexual (although she doesn’t quite know it yet)
Identifying features Her prematurely white hair was actually born that way, it’s not a sign of early aging. She also has a swirling phoenix tattoo on her left hand.

Bio Well boys and girls, there’s nothing much to tell you. I’m a normal woman who had a normal life, for the most part. But seeing as you’re so insistent, I’ll tell you a little about myself. Growing up as the youngest of three sisters, our mother was a healer and herbalist in service of our bustling Kemwari capital. We never knew our father, some say he was a traveling knight who was killed in battle. Others say he was a merchant, or a married nobleman. I wouldn’t know, trust me. But it’s not like that ruined our childhood, far from it. We had an amazing life, my sisters and I had each other and a loving mother...we couldn’t afford everything we wanted, but we were comfortable and we never went hungry. All in all, I’m happy with my childhood.

As I grew older, I was always a curious child. Reading through my mother’s books on herbs and poultices, I was intrigued...but I also wanted to make something more than potions and medicines. For my tenth birthday, my eldest sister bought me my first book on alchemy and I had devoured it within the week. I knew then what I wanted to do, and I begged my mother to find me a suitable tutor. With a laugh she relented, and asked the king’s Royal Alchemist to consider me for one of his students. The old man, Sebastiaan Kettle was a patient but stern teacher, he wanted to make sure that any pupil of his had the talent that met up to his expectations. Being an herbalist, she had a lot of connections and Lord Kettle often bought ingredients from my mother’s shop, so he agreed to test me. I was shaking, I was nervous, even though I’d had two months to prepare. Of course, the end potion wasn’t Grade A material but it was passable, and so my apprenticeship began.

I think I inherited my perfectionist (neurotic, more like) tendencies from my teacher, he was a man who demanded excellence and was hard on failure, even in himself. He gave genuine, if hard-won praise if you were doing your utmost but had no tolerance for slackers...he almost became like the father I never had. During my studies under him, I got acquainted with the royal family and the eldest prince would become my dearest friend (and something more for a time, once we grew up enough to understand what such things meant).
Juggling my studies with Lord Kettle, my normal schooling and my responsibility at home was a lot, but it was the path that I had chosen. And Dharma Black didn’t raise quitters. An alchemist I was, but of course I am still but a mortal woman and one day I succumbed to that most mortal of emotions, love.

At sixteen I began seeing my childhood sweetheart, a close friend of mine and a mage from the Lycaeum Academy, having come here to expand his studies. Even when he went back home, we wrote back and forth and became inseparable. Nobody was surprised when we married four years later. My husband and I had a good marriage, good enough to bring a son into another four years down the line, who would be our only child. I named him Hermes Trismegistus, after a famous alchemy founder I read about in my study texts. Trismegistus meant “thrice-great”, and I had every hope he would grow up to be every bit as great as his namesake. But this must all sound horribly boring and mundane, you can’t say I didn’t warn you. You’re probably waiting on me to get to the exciting bits...patience dear readers, it’s coming up sooner than you think.

The whole mess that had brought me to this suicide mission to the Shadowlands? That actually was almost two decades in the making, but I’m only going now because this avenue has just recently opened up to me.

My darling Hermes had never been a healthy child...but somehow he still managed to be a happy one. I marveled at it, even with what he was going through he was still determined to study magic and become a great mage, marry his boyfriend (a wonderful young man by the way, I’ve pretty much adopted Rafael at this point). A degenerative disease, the physicians said. Nobody knew why this happened to him, but the doctors theorized that it may’ve started in the womb. He was born with it, and even now at eighteen he still lived with it. No mother wants to hear that, I wondered if it were my fault. The physicians weren’t able to do much but give him things to ease the pain and lessen the severity of his attacks, and so I turned to alchemy. I was always interested in the sciences but as a young and brash woman I had first focused all my alchemy to create the Philosopher’s Stone of course, just to see if I could accomplish it. Isn’t that the holy grail of our “unholy” art? And later on, when I researched it and saw exactly what it could do, I strove to use the knowledge I’d gained to try to find some way to cure my son, so unless it was important, very few people entered my laboratory. The Stone could create the Elixir of Life, allegedly able to grant immortality or cure any disease...it was an unlikely lead true, but I really had nothing else to lose. We’d tried everything else at that point, and he was not dying young on my watch.

Preparations to go into the Shadowlands had begun a year ago, after my divorce...that in itself wasn’t particularly curious, people go through divorces all the time. It’s simply a fact of life that relationships don’t work out, that sometimes people grow apart from one another. They’re devastating, life-changing events but most people usually recover from them. They’ll shed a couple of tears, talk shit about their ex to everyone they knew and eventually they’d move on. It wasn’t the divorce that drove me so batty, not in itself. It was the reason for it more than anything, the rearranging of my worldview. If it’d simply happened and I’d remained ignorant of the reason, I probably wouldn’t have taken such measures. You all probably think I’m being dramatic, but hear me out.

It was a normal day like any other when my husband came to me when I was writing a treatise and finally worked up the stones to admit to me that he did not prefer the company of women and never had, that there was someone he wished to marry but he remained faithful to our vows out of honor. My dear, it was ugly. I know one can’t particularly exercise any control over their sexuality, but the life partner you choose is one thing you definitely can control. All sense of rationality flew out of the window, I didn’t think about how he felt (he didn’t seem to think about how I would feel so we’re even). I didn’t think about handling this calmly, all that filled me was this horrid sense of dread, emptiness and waste. Wasting food is bad, wasting alchemical ingredients is worse. But time? Especially over half of one’s life?! Now that was something you couldn’t get back in a million years. Everything else you lose can be replaced, you can obtain new reagents even if there’s some difficulty in doing so, but time and life are finite and permanent. A way of truly reviving the dead and regaining lost time had not yet been discovered, that’s what put the nail in my coffin.

It wasn’t an easy thing to process, but I tried. I tried my damndest, mostly for our son’s sake than anything else. The advice I was given was to hold on to the love, but could one hold on to something that didn’t exist? I couldn’t shake the feeling that two decades of my life had been squandered, it stuck to my brain like a fish hook. I drifted in and out of a roiling sea of indifference and deep despair. I was on this yo-yo of emotions for over a year, until one day I simply couldn’t deal. However, I didn’t have time to lose myself to depression...I had a Stone to make. During the course of my research, I recently heard that a certain alchemical text may have cropped up in the Shadowlands among the lost arts of the old witches. The Emerald Tablets, said to be penned by the first alchemist in history to successfully create the Philosopher’s Stone. It had been thought destroyed in the hunts, and it’s said to have the secrets to successfully making one. The deeper I delved, the lead seemed likely. Or was it that in my hope, I’ve willed it to be more likely than it actually is. No matter, if there’s even the faintest glimmer of hope that it’s out there, I’m willing to do anything to retrieve it...it’s the least my boy deserves.

Theme Song https://youtu.be/XjKLtJkabss
Reason: To find the Emerald Tablets, make the Philosopher’s stone and cure her son.

[Naval Monte]

---

Hi. So far I love what I'm seeing, especially with how it is Kim sharing her bio. As for the alchemy question, yes. Alchemy is consider a part of magecraft even though in the world it is viewed as a form of science, it belongs to a branch called supernatural science. So place alchemy in Magecraft. Also because alchemical works take a while I would suggest for how to not only carry some portable alchemical apparatus and equipment but some of her own elixirs and other products for immediate use. Also the link to the Discord server is on the OP if you want to go there.

[Ceystile]

Thanks OP, will get on that

[Naval Monte]

Thanks OP, will get on that

So out of curiosity what can Kim do with her alchemy? Same thing as Alex or a slight difference due to her focusing on a different aspects of alchemy?

[Naval Monte]

[b]Iosef Strana

Jean de Vitt

Both are accepted. Forgot to make it official. Sorry for that.

[Ceystile]

Thanks OP, will get on that

So out of curiosity what can Kim do with her alchemy? Same thing as Alex or a slight difference due to her focusing on a different aspects of alchemy?

Mainly she focuses on transmuting and purifying matter like in classic alchemy, usually used in the creation of things like weapons and golems for his majesty’s army as well as the making of various potions/chemical substances. A specialty of hers is alchemical fire, a gel like potion that combusts upon contact with air. More things may be added but this is what I have so far. Mainly combining two or more elements into another element...she’s been researching how to create homunculi but of course she can’t do it yet.

[Naval Monte]

So out of curiosity what can Kim do with her alchemy? Same thing as Alex or a slight difference due to her focusing on a different aspects of alchemy?

Mainly she focuses on transmuting and purifying matter like in classic alchemy, usually used in the creation of things like weapons and golems for his majesty’s army as well as the making of various potions/chemical substances. A specialty of hers is alchemical fire, a gel like potion that combusts upon contact with air. More things may be added but this is what I have so far. Mainly combining two or more elements into another element...she’s been researching how to create homunculi but of course she can’t do it yet.

Homunculi is possible but the methods in doing so are time consuming and resource heavy, and depending on some methods she lacks the necessary equipment to make one. So very much like Alex save for the fact she can mix her alchemy with foci crafting and ritual magic. I have a feeling those two would get along well.

[Ceystile]

Alright OP, finished the app.

[Naval Monte]

Khimaera Black

Accepted. Discord link is on the OP unless you want me to TG you the link.

[Menschenfleisch]

Khimaera Black

Accepted. Discord link is on the OP unless you want me to TG you the link.

tbh I think the Discord link could stand to be larger and more visible

[Naval Monte]

Accepted. Discord link is on the OP unless you want me to TG you the link.

tbh I think the Discord link could stand to be larger and more visible

Done. Now with that out of the way I will join in the political lore dump since you guys got me in the mood to do so.

---

Advantism: Advantism, or Industrial Liberalism as some refer to it, is a political and social ideology that can trace its intellectual roots back to Carminan writer and arcanist inventor Enrico Fermis. Advantism is a relatively young political system as it is born from the recent phenomenon of rising technological advancement, increased presence of industry, and the industrialization of modern magic. The seminal work that gave birth to the movement. "Industry and Ascension'', outlines the core beliefs of the Advantist movement. These being the progression of scientific, technological, and thaumaturgical advancement for all people's and culture regardless of creed, class, and gender, the elimination of old traditions and all other barriers that would hinder the progress of humanity and to remove any obstacles that would prevent the alleviation of the less fortunate, all to eventually usher in a technologically and thaumaturgically advanced, fully automated society, so all people can strive for personal and societal enlightenment instead of working to improve upon material conditions.

In general, Advantists are highly supportive of social progression, economic liberalism, and constitutionalism, as they believe these ideals will achieve the goals of eliminating old traditions that would oppress their citizens and regress society back into the dark ages. However, Advanistis are willing to work with traditionally conservative political systems so long as they follow the constitutional model such as constitutional monarchies and republics.

As an ideology heavily tied to industrialization and supportive of it's spread throughout the continent, they find most members within the growing middle class class, the rich elites, the industrialists, and the arcanists in the academy, the birthplace of Advantism. It is these factors that most current strains of Advanistim defend private property, the accumulation of wealth by private individuals, compulsory education for children, and the support of wide state authority for "the good of industrial development". Whilst championing the cause to increase the rights of minority groups and their causes, this has alienated large swaths of industrial and agrarian workers, who often turn to far left ideologies as a result. Moreover, many criticize the seemingly utopian ideals of Advantism and find their support of social progression hollow, if not deceitful, when contrast against the inhumane conditions that many alchemy factories force their workers to endure, the constant injustices committed by powerful guilds and immortal industrial lords, and the devastation wrought by both pollution and war caused by the new technologies. The apparent hypocrisy of the movement not only caused more potential believers to turn to other ideologies, but some supporting anarchist or technological regressive ideals.

More autocratic states have utilized Advantist inspired policies in their pursuit to modernize their countries but often this simply means installing many pro-industrial policies and weakening traditional power structures that autocratic felt would challenge their powers, often neglecting or ignoring any political and social reforms attached to the movement. Similar to autocratics many guilds and powerful economic forces also use Advantist ideals to amass more wealth and technological wonders that they either sell to the highest bidder or hoard these wonders for themselves, never giving anything back to the people below other than poverty and misery.



----------------------
Various Information
----------------------
Motto: "Industry and Ascension" is the most popular motto

Founder: Enrico Fermis is credited as being the one to popularize Advantism to the masses but other members in the Academy are also credited in it's creation.

Type Of Movement: Social Progressivism, Pro-Industrial, Science, and Magic Movement, Economic Liberation movement, Supporter of Natural Rights.

Political Inclination: Moderate-Far Left (varies from nation to nation, individual to individual)

Legal Status: Supported to some extent by most modern nations, even if some aspects are ignored. Even countries that despise Advantism social and political reforms like it for it's pro-industrial views.

Popularity: Very much well known by all people from all classes and is enjoyed by many powerful and wealthy individuals. Those below are more mixed as others still cling to the promised future envisioned by it and others despise it and it's believers as con artists and deluded fools

Purpose: To increase the advancement of technology, industry, and magic to the point that society would have little concern for material needs and comforts and instead turn towards developing themselves on a personal and societal level.

Newspaper: The Golden Dawn and Clockwork Future are two centralized newspaper organizations that help spread Advantist agendas but numerous other publishing houses and printing machines are used.

Banners: A black background made to represent both the blackening purpose of an alchemical work as a material is being decomposed before transmutation as well as the dark age Advantist which to free people from. In the center a white cross would appear to symbolize the enlightenment the restoration has brought to Vesperia with two golden arrows within the cross. The one pointing to the right symbolizing the forward progress of technology, industry, and magic, and the one pointing to the top symbolizing societal, cultural, and political reforms. At the center of the two arrows is a gear. The outer edges are gold but the inner parts are red due to a magic circle with a pentagram at the center of the gear. The gear is the symbol of industry and technology, the pentagram is both magic and man. This final symbol represents the Academy's goal of shedding off the negative image that magic still has and to make people see magic as a force that can be used for great good.

Official banner
Commoner variant


Cockade: Official cockade
White background


IRL Political Equivalent: Classical Liberalism, Progressive, and some elements of Technocracy

---

I thank The Order of the Sovereign Heavens for the wonderful flag and cockade for this lore piece.

[Riysa]

Is there room for a weird magical engineer who is a hybrid of a techpriest and Smeagol?

[Naval Monte]

Is there room for a weird magical engineer who is a hybrid of a techpriest and Smeagol?

Yep. Just a reminder but everyone is human, no hobbits. But you can play as a midget.

[Britanania]

Wanted to point out, after discussing this with Naval, that "in this setting, given its temporal context, no one is "homosexual" insofar it is a separate "category" of being. Categories like homosexual and heterosexual presupposed a scientific and psychological classification that didn't exist before the late 19th century, so they don't really have an opinion on something that technically doesn't exist. That said, because we need to use some type of vocabulary most people understand, the Eklessia views homosexual acts as perverse although not technically illegal (granted, individual kingdoms and states might have their own laws).