#the mighty lorekeeper | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

angelsndragons · 4 years ago

Text

Clay Timeline

Or our best guess at it, really. I am trying to reference Matt primarily because it is his world and because Taliesin has admitted to being fuzzy on some details, owing to Caduceus’ own navel-gazing/not paying attention to said details. There is also the chance that Matt swapped things around in the background in the six irl months between Dust and Clay and Family Shatters.

Update as of 130/131: No one can keep track of the Clays and it is hysterical. You know you have a problem when the Lorekeeper has to ask for a family tree.

~545 - Molaesmyr falls to whatever corruption or experiments its elves were running. This corruption is eerily similar to that of the corruption found in Aeor, a floating city once known for having god-killer weapons. Ref. EGtW and the timing of Ludinus Da’leth founding the Cerberus Assembly in A Game of Names.

~735 - The Corruption of Molaesmyr begins assaulting the Blooming Grove. Ref Caduceus and the Clays saying the corruption within the Savalirwood began overtaking the temple about a century before the start of the game.

~715-755 - Caduceus Clay is born. Taliesin has said he is anywhere between 80-120, however the lower numbers have come up more frequently. What is also interesting is that the reference age for Caduceus settled into early 20s/23, down from mid 20s/23-26.

826 - The Gorgon comes to the Menagerie and petrifies the inhabitants. Ref Family Shatters, Eremus Stone confirms he was frozen ten years ago.

826-827 - Constance and Corrin leave the Grove together. Ref. Family Shatters, Constance confirms that they left around 827. Also reference Calm before the Storm.

828 - The last of the Clays leaves the Grove. Ref Family Shatters, Caduceus says that Clarabelle left eight or seven years previously. Also Ref Within the Nest, Caduceus says that one of his sisters was the last to leave, heading East.

- Okay, so Taliesin talks like they left one by one once they had their visions but we know that is not strictly true because of Constance and Corrin. Either way, this timeline lines up with Taliesin’s ‘once every six months the next one would leave’ comments; you can accommodate more individual trips by adjusting the time of year they left. For example, put Constance and Corrin later in 826 for leaving pairs or put them earlier for the rest of the family leaving individually. Remember that the Exandrian calendar only has 11 months.

---Update from Episode 130, Calm before the Storm. Caduceus says that after Corrin and Constance left, Calliope left by herself, followed by Colton (who may have left with Cornelius), Cornelius, and finally Clarabelle.

We also know that the Family Shatters Clay pairs probably did not travel together exclusively throughout their journeys.

- Constance and Corrin arrive separately at the Kiln. They also leave separately, lacking the residuum they need. This was ‘a few years ago,’ according to the Dusts. Ref Jeramiss Dust in Clay and Dust.

- On a maybe relevant note, Corrin is the Clay who comments on Uthodurnian food, stating she likes it a lot better than the Empire’s food in Family Shatters.

- Constance and Corrin arrive at the Menagerie together and are petrified. They came hoping the Stones might have some residuum to use at the Kiln. Ref Family Shatters, Constance confirms they came together and that the trip took ‘quite a few months.’

- At some point, Colton also arrives alone at the Kiln. He leaves like his mother and aunt do, confused and lacking materials. Ref Clay and Dust. Note that we do not know if Colton got there before or after his mother and aunt, he is simply brought up later in the conversation, as though it was easier for Jeramiss to remember Constance and Corrin than him.

- Colton is found with Clarabelle inside the Menagerie Cave, protecting her from something.

- Clarabelle is the most visibly confused of the Clays re Caduceus’ apparent age. She also is not panicked or defensive like Colton is when he awakes. I would guess her lack of darkvision meant that she did not see the statues or the gorgon when she entered the Cave, even if she brought a light source.

- Calliope has a single residuum seed on her when she is restored, indicating she too went to the Kiln at some point and had residuum on her when she did so. Ref Calliope Clay, Family Shatters, she straight-up tells Beau she got it at the Kiln.

- Notably, she is found with Cornelius, who has residuum glass on him but no seed. He states that he got confused when Caduceus shows him his residuum seeds.

- Also notably, Cornelius had spotted Constance and Corrin before he was petrified, indicating that he and Calliope arrived after them.

835, Fessuran 22 - Mollymauk Tealeaf dies.

835, Fessuran 23 - Caduceus Clay has visions of eyes in the trees, sky, spring, and stones in the Blooming Grove. He then sees nine butterflies.

835, Fessuran 24 - Caduceus Clay joins the Mighty Nein.

836, Thunsheer 25 - Cornelius, Calliope, and Constance Clay reunite with Caduceus. Corrin, Clarabelle, and Colton are found but are unable to be restored due to a lack of spell slots.

836, Thunsheer 26 - The Clays reunite as Clarabelle, Colton, and Corrin are all successfully restored. They begin their trek back to the Grove.

Update as of 131: Reani totally dished the deets on the Nein while she escorted the Clays home. Reference Clarabelle asking about the Xhorhaus’ tree when no one mentioned it around her in 96 or 130.

836, Brussendar 19: The latest date the Clays make it home; Jester checks in with Calliope on this date and confirms that they have planted the seeds. They probably have been back for a while at this point, as Colton and Corrin are on a supply run on Brussendar 31 during Calm Before the Storm.

Speculation on the timeline below -

Updated as of 131: Matt and Taliesin apparently mixed up which sister is the crafty one, aka which one made the armor. Clarabelle is the sensitive artist while Calliope is the warrior but according to 130 and 131, Calliope made Caduceus and her own armor (which honestly was my thought the whole time, the two of them being a matched/equal and opposite set, but the idea of Clarabelle making her siblings’ matching armor is too dang cute). Obviously Calliope can be a warrior and make her own stuff, in fact, it is probably smart on her end considering she wants to go out on her own.

The fact that Calliope has a seed but no residuum and her father has residuum but no seed and seemed confused by Caduceus’ indicates to me that Calliope and Cornelius met up at the Menagerie not too long before they were petrified. Calliope did not have the time to explain to her father how she got the seed or perhaps that she even had it in the first place. I lean towards lack of time because she, like Colton, seems really gung-ho about being the hero of the family/Grove. It seems weird to me that she wants that validation but would withhold the seed from her dad.

Given that Calliope does have a seed but was not mentioned at all during the stay at the Kiln, I wonder if she came in behind Caduceus and made it to the Kiln after the group reforged the sword and left. I thought that Caduceus mentioned he wanted to leave a record of his time there but I cannot find it at the moment. Maybe someone else will or maybe that was all in my imagination. If she actually did come in behind Caduceus, that means that she was aging for the vast majority of her time away from the Grove, as was her father if they met up at the Menagerie. CritRole Stats tells me that the Nein were at the sanctum on 18 and 25 Misuthar, while the Clays are reunited on 25 Thunsheer, two months later. It would be a tight schedule for Calliope to make across the entire freaking continent in that two months but considering that Matt has said that Molaesmyr is only a few days to a week from the Sanctum and the fact that she is a badass, it might be possible.

I think we can reasonably say that Clarabelle found the Menagerie first and that she probably came alone. Colton found her statue when he came and tried to protect it before he succumbed. Or Clarabelle and Colton met up at some point and she wandered off for a hot second before being petrified.

Out of universe, I think Matt just flubbed with which sibling made it to the Kiln and flubbed the girls’ introductions; I think he meant to have Clarabelle and Cornelius together outside and Colton and Calliope inside, esp given the potentially poetic imagery of Calliope and Colton being that close to saving their home before they are taken out of the game. But if mistakes were made, they have yet to be clarified so until then, we just have to deal with what canon gave us.

#caduceus clay #clay family #caduceus meta #my meta #long meta #i seriously word vomited #ran out of steam #but overall good with this #calliope clay #clarabelle clay #look there is a major story #behind each of the clays #and how they got to the menagerie #i feel like there are so many pieces missing with their story #and that folks are just unable to see the subtle horror #and general them-ness

59 notes · View notes

stone-and-light · 4 years ago

Text

Lorekeeper Moot

There was a time, before time we wrote, when the Spinning Lady sang as She wove the designs of Her Brothers and Sisters into life.

From Her Lord Brother Althyk did the frame of time become real - for every story has beginning, middle, and end. From the Sisters of Sun and Moon, did She weave into being stars that would guide us, for none were as beautiful as They...

From the Greenwalker, did She help the design of Life - flora and fauna to feed and sustain us, to give us companionship, protection. From Lord Brother of Thunder’s rumbling song did earth shift and mountains rise, giving way to the waters that would hold life in each drop..

This pleased the Lord of Knowing, who would offer driven routes we call rivers, and who would offer the tomes of knowledge to our hands so we might make something of ourselves...

To His children and students, were we left - the Spinning Lady listening close - as the Navigator and Builder sought to give us tools. Did then, Their Brothers the Lords of Hunt and of the Broken Guard clamor to arm us and make us mighty...

And finally, before knots and the cutting of threads, did the Twin God, of Balance and Wealth, come quietly to Her feet and sigh the stories of soul into the weave that would finally create ourselves. Each of us stepping from a perfectly woven story, our own stories woven by our own hands from then forward..

And so, to now, do we sing as we spin the stories of eld and now - to offer our devotion to our Spinning Lady and leave the stories behind to those who follow when we are dust.

{{ The above is the children’s story told about the Twelve in Lore’s clan. They are devotees to Nymeia, the Spinner, and avid keepers of lore and myth for Eorzea. The clan’s name comes from that devoted aim: Lore is a clan of weavers, scholars, and historians. Faeor’li gave this impromptu story recital at the Lorekeeping moot last evening and it was fun to see everyone else’s performances as well! }}

#keeper's likeness #keeper's tale

6 notes · View notes

kvothbloodless · 9 months ago

Text

For those of you who don't intend to read a three million word long series but want to read an awesome scene

"Imagine having all that power,” I said. “And using it for a godsdamned tiger army. The more Praesi histories I read the less I understand the Empire.”

"Funny thing, power,” Adjutant gravelled. “Never quite as straightforward as you’d think.”

“Preaching to the choir there,” I said. “Used to think that if I could blow up a fortress with a snap of my fingers it would all be so much simpler. Now I can, and so very few of my problems can be solved by that.”

The orc shuffled against the bench.

“The Clans have few written histories,” he said. “Oral tradition is how we pass it all down.”

“Miezans did a number on your people, yeah,” I said. “I remember. They had that nasty habit when conquering places.”

“There was a great repository of scrolls in the lands of the Broken Antlers Horde, or so I was taught as a child,” Hakram murmured. “They put it to the torch. I suppose they had reason to, from where they stood.”

“The reasons of conquerors tend to be acceptable only to them,” I said.

In this, I spoke as Callowan.

“Not that,” Hakram said. “The scrolls, most of them were parchment. Human skin.”

I blinked in surprise.

“Your ancestors were certainly a charming bunch,” I said.

“They were what they were,” Adjutant said. “The tragedy, I think, is that we only remember the worst of them. The excesses. We were more, in the dawn of days. And when they ripped out the heart of us they made it so that we could never be that again.”

“It’s getting better, though, isn’t it?” I said. “I remember when I first joined the College. Seeing orcs read and write and talk, like…”

I hesitated.

“Like we were a people whole, and not the hissing shade of our heyday,” Hakram finished gently. “There is something taking shape, Catherine, that is true enough. But it is not what we once were. No more than Callow under your rule is the Callow of the old Alban kings.”

“That’s an old refrain, Hakram,” I said. “The same the Trueblood sang, and the rebels in Liesse. We only remember the golden parts of the good old days. They had their failings too. You can’t look at our own failures and match them to barely remembered victories. The comparison is false.”

“Oh, we were a terrible enough people in those days,” the orc murmured. “Glorious too, at times, but terrible always. But I was speaking of old stories. There is one I remember, that the old raiders past their prime would tell us when the snows kept us in our tents. It is a conversation, between the Warlord Gazog and her son. One of many, though few are remembered. We call it the Riddle of Power, learned from an ancient stele.”

I closed my eyes, leaning back against the stone.

“Tell me,” I said.

He remained silent for a moment, gathering his memories, and when he spoke it was in Kharsum cadenced.

“After her spear had broken and she had grown fat and grey from the tributes of mankind’s kings, Old Gazog took her young son to the great gathering of the thaw, where many clans assembled to trade and prepare the making of war,” he said. “With cups of blood-brew they sat beneath their banner in silence until the sun had passed. Under the dark sky, Old Gazog spoke this: my son, you have witnessed the multitude of our people before you. Young and old, warrior and chieftain, lorekeeper and bronzesmith. I ask you now, where lies power among them?”

Hakram’s voice lightened, as if he were a young boy of his kind.

“Honoured Mother, her son said. This is no riddle, for the answers has always been thus: it lies with chieftain and warlord, for their power is command over all. Old Gazog laughed, her teeth grown soft from many victories. Foolish son, she said. If their power comes from command, then how can their command come from power? How mighty is a chieftain, without obedience given?”

Adjutant clicked his fangs, and his were not soft at all.

“Old Gazog’s son pondered this, and saw her wisdom. In this he was enlightened, and so answered once more. Honoured Mother, he said, power then lies with the lorekeepers. For they hold much wisdom and learning, cunning and law, and in teaching it does their power manifest. Foolish son, she said. What is wisdom, without hand to carry it? Was it a word, without ear to hear it? But wind, and wind is no mother of glory.”

The orc’s voice grew rough.

“Honoured Mother you speak true, her son said,” Hakram said. “The birth of empire is bronze, and so power lies with the bronzesmiths for they alone know the secrets of fire and forge. They hold in their palm the source of war, and only in war can glory be found. Foolish son, said Old Gazog. You learn nothing. The whelping of fire is as wisdom, worthless without hand to wield it. Would a hoard of a thousand axe-blades bear the name of empire?”

He paused and I heard him lick his lips.

“Old Gazog’s son grew wroth, for he did not know of his foolishness. Hateful Mother, he said. You speak many words, yet deny all save the hand. Is this your wisdom, that an empire is naught but swing of blade? All the peoples of the world know this, and there can be no further learning of it. Foolish son, she said. Be silent if you cannot be wise. There is terrible truth beneath the riddle of power, and it I will reveal it to you now.”

Hakram went silent. I did not open my eyes.

“And?” I asked. “What did she say?”

The orc laughed harshly.

“No one knows,” he told me. “You see, the Miezans broke the stele.”

I heard him look up at the sky.

“Sometimes,” Hakram Deadhand said softly, “I think that a truer answer than what was written.”

Once again thinking about PGTE. This time im thinking about how EE Massively improved on GRRM's riddle of power (was it Martins? Does anyone know if theres an older source?). Like the initial premise is excellent and is a very cool way to demonstrate the practicalities of power.

But EE fucking blows it all out of the water with "'No one knows,' he told me. 'You see, the Miezans broke the stele.'"

I mean, I know its not surprising that in a story about stories, epistemology reigns supreme, but. Fuck.

In Varys' riddle the point is that power lies where people believe it lies. And this is a good point! But Varys specifically is using the riddle to Convince others where they should believe power lies. Even within the original (?) source, the Actual answer to the riddle is that power lies with Varys, the riddlegiver.

And then EE takes that point (which isnt explicit in asoiaf, and May not even have been intentional), and uses it as an analog to the violence of colonization and cultural genocide. Power lies where people believe it lies yes, which means that really, power lies with those who shape how people understand power in the first place.

#practical guide to evil #pgte #yea you could Really compare this to Flints speech in black sails huh #something something defined by their histories distorted to fit into their narrative

45 notes · View notes

quotes-from-the-bookery · 5 years ago

Text

"After her spear had broken and she had grown fat and grey from the tributes of mankind’s kings, Old Gazog took her young son to the great gathering of the thaw, where many clans assembled to trade and prepare the making of war,” he said. “With cups of blood-brew they sat beneath their banner in silence until the sun had passed. Under the dark sky, Old Gazog spoke this: my son, you have witnessed the multitude of our people before you. Young and old, warrior and chieftain, lorekeeper and bronzesmith. I ask you now, where lies power among them?”

Hakram’s voice lightened, as if he were a young boy of his kind.

Adjutant clicked his fangs, and his were not soft at all.

The orc’s voice grew rough.

He paused and I heard him lick his lips.

Hakram went silent. I did not open my eyes.

“And?” I asked. “What did she say?”

The orc laughed harshly.

"No one knows,” he told me. “You see, the Miezans broke the stele.”

I heard him look up at the sky.

“Sometimes,” Hakram Deadhand said softly, “I think that a truer answer than what was written.”

#practical guide to evil #the practical guide to evil #pgte #hakram deadhand #the adjudent #quote

17 notes · View notes

housedzemael-archived · 7 years ago

Note

"a librarian who fights with the power of books and knowledge, and also maybe fire" - i'm very interested because this sounds so conflicting it HAS to be awesome, could you please elaborate? Actually, who's a better book loverthan someone who can manipulate fire to save her precious books?

Siata is not just a librarian, but also, a fancy elite spec called a Firebrand. It’s a elite branch of the Guardian class - a class about dealing damage, healing, or protecting allies. Think Paladin but without oaths or Gods - Without getting into the history of the class too much, which @neranishin can confirm if i get into it I will just not stop talking, its a combination of a lot of older classes from the games setting into one more sustainable one. Firebrand takes one aspect of it to a whole new level.

Firebrands are zealous lorekeepers who conjure these magical books that have recordings of great deeds and heros from across the worlds history, and uses the power in their stories to defend, heal, and damage foes in a very direct way. They recall, either verbally or through magical visions, these stories to the people around them causing great magical effects and strengthening the stories themselves.

Lorewise, they are the response of lorekeepers from a land in the game that is currently under a harsh undead dictator. They, being dedicated to keeping the truth out their in essence told him to fuck himself and went off to burn his lies. To them, though fire can be dangerous to books which hold a lot of their knowledge. The fire that books inspire are the greatest weapon against lies in the world.

And now that you mention it, being able to manipulate fire away from books would be mighty helpful in case the priory’s experiments accidentally start a fire.

#slowlymychaos #Guild Wars 2 #gw2 #guild wars children #Helper Siata #Thank you for the ask!

7 notes · View notes

skypxllar · 7 years ago

Note

The winds have rustled Zinnia's cloak for a moment, and a familiar emerald light catches her attention. Rayquaza hovers over her, his head leaning down as if to inspect the lorekeeper, then finally reveals the egg between its fangs. "Take care of this child." What's inside the egg is unknown, but it must be important. (Its a Horsea egg!) - Dracoascending (( CAUSE I DID IT ON THE WRONG ACCOUNT LOL ))

@dracoascending (you’re fine Ammy. I gotchu)

While the Lorekeeper was in the middle of her normal prayer, she HAD NOT been expecting for her Lord to show up. She hadn’t summoned Him, so for Him to come to her now must have been of great importance. The Lorekeeper rose and bowed upon looking at her Lord, and, upon further inspection, had noticed that a strange egg was between His mighty maw.

Without hesitation, the Draconid accepted this egg wholeheartedly. Unlike her normal demeanor, Zinnia spoke serenely and softly. “Thank you for this gift, my Lord. I and my dragons will care for this egg and the child that will hatch from it like one of our own, and will defend this little one with our lives.” Zinnia bowed once more before kneeling and keeping the egg close to her. She didn’t know what could possibly be within it, but it must be important enough for her to be trusted with it.

#muse zinnia #dracoascending #//AAA A HORSEA #//SO CUTE #ammysmusestudio

2 notes · View notes

egossideblog · 6 years ago

Text

@flerpdederp @lostinegomayhem

There’s a turtle in my yard laying eggs

This bitch really gonna dump her kids on me and vamoose

I’m not ready to be a single mom

I know shit about reptiles

#this has some smanti vibes #so i am tagging you mighty lorekeepers

256K notes · View notes

nsmirage · 5 years ago

Photo

Discover the Fascinating Fantasy Books With No Humans At All

Description

“When dragons make war, Krynn can only tremble in the shadow of angry wings.” – Astinus Lorekeeper

Aurican and Darlantan, mighty serpents of gold and silver, have been nurtured in a world of wisdom, meditation, and sublime faith.

On the other side of Ansalon, Crematia, a dragon of red, inherits the Dark Queen’s legacy of betrayal, violence, conquest, and plunder.

The advent of a worldwide war sweeps these powerful beings and many more into desperate strife. Battles rage over Krynn with a fury that threatens to annilhilate nations and whole races – even dragonkind.

As campaigns ebb and flow, generations of lesser mortals come and go, and the great serpents are left to determine the fate of the world.

Their triumphs may create a destiny of all-encompassing light or cast the world beneath the shadow of ultimate darkness.

#fantasy books #fantasy novel #book rec #book recommendations #bookworm

0 notes

avrorean · 7 years ago

Text

Tag dump! Companions part 1/2, aka how pretentious can fritz be with her labels

#⊰ ☼║ STEN. ∣ The Soldier: As a Boulder Stands Before the Tide ⊱#⊰ ☼║ WYNNE. ∣ The Civilian: Guided By Wisdom and Portent Both ⊱#⊰ ☼║ DUNCAN. ∣ The Martyr: No Sacrifice is Greater ⊱#⊰ ☼║ DAVETH. ∣ The Victim: Dread Which Shadowed His Every Step ⊱#⊰ ☼║ LELIANA. ∣ The Prophet: The Light Shall Lead Her Safely ⊱#⊰ ☼║ MORRIGAN. ∣ The Liar: Weather the Storm and Endure ⊱#⊰ ☼║ ALISTAIR. ∣ The Honest: And His Heart Was Strong ⊱#⊰ ☼║ LOGHAIN. ∣ The Leader: Peace Bore a Heavy Price Which Must Be Paid in Blood ⊱#⊰ ☼║ ZEVRAN. ∣ The Pariah: The Fire in His Heart Ignited ⊱#⊰ ☼║ OGHREN. ∣ The Victor: Mighty of Arm & Warmest of Heart ⊱#⊰ ☼║ HERO OF FERELDEN. ∣ The Messiah: Lift Your Hands Towards the Sun ⊱#⊰ ☼║ SHALE. ∣ The Unshackled: Greater Than Mountains Towering Mighty ⊱#⊰ ☼║ RUNE. ∣ The Hound: Always Loyal Without Pride ⊱#⊰ ☼║ ANDERS. ∣ The Dissident: Voices Beyond Counting Calling for Justice ⊱#⊰ ☼║ NATHANIEL. ∣ The Overcomer: Endure To Be Forged Anew ⊱#⊰ ☼║ VALENNA. ∣ The Lorekeeper: There Is But One Truth ⊱#⊰ ☼║ SIGRUN. ∣ The Undying: She Will Know No Fear of Death ⊱#⊰ ☼║ JUSTICE. ∣ The Just: The Tempered Soul is Everlasting ⊱

0 notes

jiskblr · 7 years ago

Text

Imperial Dwarf (D&D Subrace)

You are the descendant of the ancient dwarven empire, whose roads still connect the cities and towns across the continent. All your family and clan have been trained in tactics of their ancient legions.

D&D 3.5

Imperial dwarves are not taught the racial animosity of some other dwarven families. They lack the racial attack bonus against orcs and goblinoids, and the dodge bonus against giants. They also are not taught in traditional dwarven weapons for tunnel-fighting, and treat the dwarven waraxe and dwarven urgrosh (and other weapons with ‘dwarven’ in the name) as exotic weapons.

Legionary: The old dwarven legions fought shoulder to shoulder behind a mighty shield wall. Imperial dwarves double the AC bonus from shields (not counting enhancement bonus).

Pathfinder

Phalanx Fighter: Some dwarves were taught to fight in the methods of old dwarven legions, shoulder to shoulder behind a shield wall. Double the AC bonus you receive from shields (not counting enhancement bonus). This trait replaces defensive training and hatred.

Legionary: Some dwarves are taught the weapons and skills of the road-building legions, rather than traditional dwarven arms. They are proficient in spears, longspears, and halberds, and have a +2 racial bonus on Knowledge(engineering).

Imperial Dwarves: Imperial dwarves have the phalanx fighter and legionary traits, and usually have the lorekeeper trait. Most are also part of the Exiled Dwarf or Mountain Dwarf subrace.

#D&D #Pathfinder #dwarves #jisk worldbuilds #ratiun #dorfs

4 notes · View notes

kog0ruhn · 8 years ago

Photo

Beneath the shadow of the Pillar of the World, occupying a rather hefty parcel of land that seems to be ever-growing, there exists a small coalition of dragon clans who have come together in support of one another in the face of survival in the harsh land of Dragonhome. Though they have divided their overarching territory into tracts of land to be claimed by each individual clan and tribe, they seem to come and go from one anothers’ property with minimal conflict. Rights of sovereignty are honored, however, and there exists distinct cultures and laws within each group.

They call their confederacy “The Abandoned.”

The Fifteen

The Abandoned are, as a whole, governed by a body known as The Fifteen, all of whom represent one of the clans, cults, or tribes that comprise the Abandoned as their acting leader. With the exception of Clan Elsewhere (who has two representatives due to their size), each clan sends forth their most trusted, exalted member to represent them at council meetings, to negotiate for their subordinates, and represent their best interests. On a monthly basis, these representatives convene in a neutral area at the axis of the Abandoned territories to discuss matters of concern and improvement.

The Fifteen are as follows:

Earthquake and Snap, Clan Elsewhere. Considered by many to be the founders of the Abandoned, the two Guardians are the only pair to represent a single clan. While the official explanation notes the massive size of Elsewhere, the true reasoning lies in an enduring respect for Earthquake. He less represents his clan than he acts as a mediator for negotiations, allowing Snap to speak for their followers while maintaining the peace from a neutral standpoint.

Beast, the Wolves. A former scavenger, Beast is not well-acclimated to the life of a leader, but is a staunch enforcer of the Abandoned’s law. She mostly attends meetings to report findings, advocate for or against the condemned, and has the final say on most codes of conduct implemented by the coalition.

Dagoth, the Sixth House. While Dagoth is a dark and fearsome thing, he is aged and wise and well-versed in obscure codes of etiquette. His words carry a frightening amount of weight with many, and he has found allies both in the eldest of the Infected and Goetia despite his spotty record.

Shriek, the Outlanders. Shriek is seemingly useless in meetings and often interrupts more than she helps, screaming over others until she’s politely asked to leave. She is, however, quite clever and has successfully solved many of the Abandoned’s problems, primarily in regards to land management and outside trading.

Courier, the Twisted Scales. Well traveled and accustomed to tragedy, Courier has more of an unconventional intelligence than her peers, having been around the block a time or two. The Fifteen consider her input invaluable due to her close ties with various clans of various cultures and her ability to think outside of the box.

Kain, the Council. It is his land on which the Abandoned live, a mighty piece of rocky terrain conquered by him and his now- scattered clan. In matters of siege and defense, there is nobody better suited for the matter than Kain, and his knowledge of the landscape has proved advantageous more than once.

Necrosis, The Infected. The newest of The Fifteen, Necrosis follows in the footsteps of the exalted former leader of The Infected: Ghoul. While he is a welcome addition due to his level head and his willingness to work with others, the reputation of The Infected often sees him treated as an exile. He persists in attending council meetings in an effort to save his people’s good name.

Azel, Shelcoof. Logical to a fault, Azel is often consulted by the others for the sole purpose of deciding just how viable plans, initiatives, and rules happen to be. She is very rarely wrong, though her history proves she’s capable of being destructively impulsive if the right buttons are pushed.

Lampyridae, Coalition of Magicks. A glittering oddity who speaks in prose as purple as her stripes, Lampyridae is the first choice for consultation on matters of magic and mysticism. Be it finding sustainable ways to power a force field or attending to hexes, curses, and magical sicknesses, she is the most knowledgeable of all the Abandoned.

Torque, Clan Carnate. Toque does surprisingly little, but Clan Carnate still elected him as their representative. He does not speak or have strong opinions, simply watching council meetings as they actively try to ignore him. What little input he does have, however, usually pertains to matters of the Shade, making him quite valuable in exceedingly rare instances.

Bifrons, Goetia. He seems to know where to find everything, the secrets of those around him, and has occult knowledge to make some of the Coalition of Magicks blush. While he doesn’t often have strong opinions regarding Abandoned doctrine, save for maintaining Goetia’s privacy and sovereignty outside of their laws, he does respect The Fifteen enough to allow them use of his “talents.

Tremor, Followers of the Pillar. The son of disaster, Tremor has lived a hard life having escaped from a clan that suffered a horrible famine that sent the bulk into hibernation. Having found solace and guidance in the Earthshaker, he now leads a zealous Earthen cult as their priest and prophet. Friendly but fierce, and a good mediator until Ghoul tries to have an opinion.

Mia, the Myrian Six. Although only three of the Myrian Six reside with the Abandoned, Mia is their de facto leader. A motherly figure, many credit her as being one of the primary reasons the coalition has not fallen apart. While Earthquake and Snap enjoy prestige as the Abandoned’s supposed founders, Mia is the soul of the operation.

Fracture, the Lorekeepers. Oddly enough the first- born daughter of Earthquake and Snap, Fracture founded her own “clan” of historians and writers who keep painstaking track of every major event and individual accomplishment of the Abandoned’s members. An indispensable asset in keeping records, meeting minutes, and uncovering the histories of the less savory.

Nerevar, One Clan. Though technically the sixteenth member of the Abandoned and not quite keen on meetings with the Fifteen, Nerevar occasionally will rear his head in times of strife. He is somewhat oblivious of events outside his own clan, but is a natural leader and negotiator. When he does show up, he never fails to impress.

#flight rising #flight rising lore

3 notes · View notes

silver-gm · 7 years ago

Text

The First Federation: Major Factions.

A follow-up from last week, here’s some examples of the various factions that could of formed out of the ruins left by the Reckoning. Feel free to change anything up to suit the needs of your campaign.

The Dwarven Union

History: As the Reckoning approached, the ancient dwarvern Kingdoms built their might strongholds as large as they could in their decayed state. They called all of their troops to their capital of Kor-Khaz-Krak in preperation for their last campaign. Foreseeing this, the dark elf wizard Alleyhan struck the fortress with all of his might, before exhorting a horde of orcs to swarm over it's ruins. Yet, dwarven patience (and, some would say, slowness) proved to be their salvation, as the bulk of their forces had yet to arrive. Still, the strike did all but wipe out dwarven leadership, and many of the surrounding forces would fall in the battles to come. Eventually, only one hold remained. It's lord having perished in battle, there was some question as to who would lead them. It became apparent that it would be the guild leaders, still being recognised authorities. Each unable to exist without the aid of the others, they formed the Economic Board, to co-ordinate and lead them

Government: The Economic Board consists of the major Guilds that form the dwarven economy, including the Smith's guild, Miners guild, Cave Guard guild, among others. Each guild is represented by sending their Board Liaison to the former throne room of the hold, that forms the meeting ground for the Board. The Board serves to control interactions between guilds, such as trade deals an co-operation on larger projects. Within each guild, power is primarily meritocratic. Each level of the guilds power structure has regular elections, where they select the most skilled member of their branch of the guild to be it's leader and represent them in the next level up, up until the guild leader selects his liaison for the board.

Special Ability: With their entire economy planned under one government, the dwarves are capable of making projects of such magnitude that no other empire can hope to achieve. They have the capability of making wonders that rival the great works of the dwarven masters of old.

The Tor Tribe

History: Before the Reckoning, the Tor had little in the way of centralised government. There were sizable communities of them scattered throughout the villages and districts of cities, no centralised nation. Many were brought together during the Reckoning as armies sought the strength of their soldiers. Thanks to having no major holdings, they weren't individually targeted, but they did suffer sizable casualties in the fighting. After the fighting ended, villages found they were without protection and industry, with there were sizable platoons of Tor mercenaries wandering without cause or supply. Their problems were solved when Captain Leon Scaratan united the scattered Tor under one banner. Gathering existing communities into Clans, and helping wandering individuals to find a place, he created the Tor Tribe, and became it's first king. He took his most loyal followers and founded the city of Scarat, which would serve as his capital.

Government: All decisions are made at a Tribal Moot, at which the chieftains of all the clans meet to discuss matters. Leading the discussions is the King/Queen, who is whichever chieftain is recognised as the strongest. This leads to kings/queens having long reigns, ended abruptly by political power struggles coupled with displays of power. Chieftains are selected in different ways, depending of the clan in question, from meritocratic promotion to monarchic inheritance.

Special Ability: Between gregariousness, natural strength, and general good looks, the Tor have a way with subtlety influencing peoples opinions of others with just a little time. When prodded, they can use this on those around prominent politicians, allowing them to influence relations between factions.

The Elven Council

History: When the Reckoning came, the elves sat just behind the scenes of every fight. They sent rangers to battlefields, spys to political functions, and lorekeepers to magical deals. With so much indirect fighting, they were almost defenceless when a massive hobgoblin army landed in their forests and marched, razing, slaughtering and pillaging all in their path. Their forests lost, their agents throughout the world found themselves without support. The only thing that stopped the elves from being wiped from the face of the world was the hobgoblins supplies suddenly stopping due to a political play in their homeland. That, combined with significant elven sabotage, the hobgoblin legions collapsed onto themselves. The scattered elven survivors attempted to rebuild their great councils of old, but their broken leadership left the elves in the only elven settlement of Alunae under the control of an elaborate plutocracy of spies and nobles.

Government: The elves are under the control of the Shadow Council, a collection of spies, nobles, politicians, and other powerful figures. The only way to earn a seat on the council is to be given one by a group of other council members. The protocol and decision making process the council goes through is so elaborate that only and elven mind could make sense of it, let alone make it run smoothly.

Special Ability: Even after the brutality of the Reckoning, the elves hold the world's biggest spy network (after the dark elves nearly wiped themselves out with infighting). Though it's not what it once was, they can still get policy done in other nations.

The Warforged Republic

History: During the Reckoning, more soldiers were wanted than the world's population could possibly sustain. The richer nations answer to this was to hire artificers to forge soldiers for them. However, they quickly ran into the problem that warforged couldn't repair themselves as easily as flesh-and-blood troops, coupled with the desire for even more troops. The artificer's solution for this was to build some warforged with self-replication capabilities. Soon, millions and millions of artificial soldiers were being created and destroyed in the seemingly endless battles of the Reckoning. As such, it's end presented a problem for them. Without a war to fight, none had need of their services. Without supplies, they couldn't replicate or repair themselves. With nothing better to do, and no personal grudges, the warforged that were still intact banded together for mutal protection. When a series of power struggles over pre-Reckoning power positions made it clear that a military government wouldn't work, they formed a republic, eliminating of relevance of old ranks.

Government: Any decision that allows ample time for debate and protocol is made by the Senate, which consists of senators elected by the people of an Electorate, a space carefully drawn so that all Electorates have roughly the same number of voters. The majority of senators are members of one of the political parties that make up the senate. While shifting alliances and priorities can change the number and makeup of the parties at any given time, there are usually around 4. Whichever party gets the most seats is known as the Ruling Party, and it's considered their job to deal with the other parties in order to get legislation passed.

Special ability: While most legislation can be debated for months in the senate, when a catastophe strikes something they have reason to care about, they can get an efficient and co-ordinated response very quickly, which can provide significant relief to the beneficiary.

Human Church

History: In the time before the Reckoning, the humans were by far the most powerful of all races. Their empires were vast, their wizards powerful, and armies mighty. So great was their dominion that even the spirits learned to bend down to them. When the Reckoning came, this dominion was turned on it's head. After countless wizards sacrificed everything they had for an edge in the war, spirits suddenly had vast amounts of power, while humanity had torn itself to pieces. As many of the last surviving human congregated in the ruins of Alamar, formerly a shining metropolis, all manner of supernatural creatures flocked to the city to stake their claim to power. Of course, as there were so many, alliances needed to be made before anything could be done. This formed the Alamar United Church, commonly abbreviated to The Church, where dozens of spirits compete for power.

Government: All government is controlled by the various Spirits that have seized control of domains. The political power of a spirit is mostly determined by how many followers it has. Changes in a spirit's follower count can lead to them gaining or losing domains. This often leads to spirits sabotaging each other.

Special Ability: Convincing others to flip to their side is a necessary ability for spirits, to the point where each has a sizable corps of preachers for that purpose. Sent to a foreign outpost, they can change their targets' allegiance.

The Ent Mafia

History: The Ents were once a quite and peaceful people, content to dwell in the forests, trading with the elves for what little they needed. Then, when the Reckoning came, entire forests were logged for warforged and battleships, and to prevent enemies from approaching undetected. In the chaos, some ents began dealing with the humans, allowing them to log the lands of their enemies in exchange for leaving their own territory alone. Soon, their groves were the only ones left standing, forcing all other ents to bow to them. As they regrew their forests in the time after, these various criminal elements began to make contact with one another. Though a combination of alliances and hostile takeovers, soon they had coalesced into the Ent Mafia.

Government: The Mafia is ran by the Don, who delegates their power through his under-bosses. The power of the Don is not quite as complete as any Don in history would admit, due to old dealing guaranteeing his under-bosses some level of autonomy. Besides, they generally spend most of their time laying about enjoying the wealth their position grants. Instead, power is held by the various under-bosses, who each work to further their own agenda. The power of any given under-boss is proportional to their favour with the Don.

Special Ability: The ents quickly learned that the greatest way to gain power over your enemy is with threats, and no threat is easier than that of blackmail. As such, they have quite the collection, they they are willing to share... for a price.

The Hobgoblin Corporation

History: The Hobgoblin Empire was once on of the most feared powers in the world, with massive legions built on the back of millions of slaves, their armed might keeping a stream of plunder flowing into hobgoblin lands. When the Reckoning came, the hobgoblins sent almost all of their armed might out into the world in an attempt to conquer all. They might of succeeded, had a team of assassins not killed the governor left in the emperor's place while he was on campaign, leaving a traitorous magistrate in charge. In an attempt to sieze power, the magistrate cut off supplies to the outer legions, using the resources to raise a private army. Not content with a traitor on the throne, a band of 1000 legionnaires left in the guard stormed the palace, kiled the magistrate, and claimed power themselves. After some debate as to how to run things, they decided that they’d break the profits of their empire into 1000 shares, 1 each, and let each-other do with the shares what they would. 900 of these shareholders proceeded to die under mysterious circumstances. The remaining 100, most of whom now several shares richer, powered their new economy with capitalism. Fortunately for the common folk, after the loss of their legions, many of their further outposts managed to win independence.

Government: Everything in hobgoblin territory must pay various forms of rent to the Corporation, which splits the profit amongst it's shareholders. The Corporation has very little to do with policy, laws instead being written by successful security companies for the benefit of their subscribers. However, in the event the Corporation-wide policies must be implemented, the policy is voted on by the shareholders, each with a number of votes equal to their shares. There are only ever 1000 shares in circulation at any given time. Most of them go to a megacompany with 10-75 shares, though there are plenty of minor ones that can impact the result in large enough number.

Special ability: Say what you will about capitalists, they know how to get the most out of something. They can give allies a boost to their economy just by sending a few advisors

The Troglodyte Legion

History: The troglodytes spent millennia raiding from their swamps deep in the south of the land. When people stopped settling near them, they mastered the art of long range strikes. When the Reckoning approached, the troglodytes sent everything they could spare and a mission to jump from village to village, using their own plunder to spur them on until they reached the richest cities in the world. Mistaking this tactic for the existence of a supply train, a band of wizards cursed the troglodyte swamplands with plague in an effort to slow them down. When that evidently failed, they hired assassins to kill their leaders. As such, when the battered troglodyte armies returned to their homeland, they found it in chaos. Seizing the chance, the supreme commander took direct control of all government, turning the troglodyte into a military state.

Government: All power is held by the Supreme Commander, who delegates resources to the various branches of the military government according to his agenda. The more resources any given branch has, the easier it is for them to affect policy. The agenda changes from time to time based on the situation and changes in troglodyte leadership

Special ability: When everyone has a certain place in a society, it becomes easier to assemble teams of the best. The legion, thanks to elite high-level personnel and high co-ordination, can conduct projects with a precision no other can hope to match.

The Orc Monarchy

History: When the Reckoning came, the orcs rejoiced. War had always been their primary love. Millennia of cultural integration and natural selection left them more war hungry than any other race on the map. The orcs made a mass migration to the battlefields of the world, eager to shed blood. What little they left behind the greatest warchief left in the hands of his most favoured assassin. Realising how temporary her reign would be, this assassin assembled a huge army of like-minded orcs. When what little orc survivors returned from their campaign, the new warchief intended to place himself into power. He was promptly assassinated. The assassin declared that she would decide who served her in what capacity, and any rebels would be promptly assassinated. After the silencing of several opponents, the orcs fell in line, establishing a more organised feudal structure. When the assassin began to grow old, she left her rule to her son, making his the first orc to win power with birthright (aside from the many magical enchantments he needed to protect him from prospective assassins)

Government: Final power is held by the Monarch, a hereditary title. The Monarch then deals out roles to their court of nobles, each with a specific personality. The personality of the noble affects how they carry out the various actions of their stations. Roles often shift rapidly as nobles gain and lose power with the monarch, in addition to constant power struggles.

Special ability: The orcs always had a talent for brining out great, albeit unpredictable, strength at opportune times. When a nation is backed into a corner and it doesn't have much to lose, a little encouragement from some orc 'professionals' can provide help... hopefully in the way you need.

#rpgs #rpg #tabletop rpgs #story #politics

0 notes