[hider=Exarch: Kalon, the Observer of Falsehoods] [center] [img]https://tse3.mm.bing.net/th?id=OIP.02IkfxqFRn7s07jSVO5rMQEjEO&pid=15.1[/img] [sup][sup]A Painting of Kalon within his meditation chamber.[/sup][/sup] [sup][i]”This is how you shall know me: The stars shall fall from the sky, and the ocean shall swallow the world, before Kalon keeps not his word. And my word is thus: You shall suffer for your transgressions.”[/i][/sup] [/center] Name: Kalon Titles: The Observer of Falsehoods, Lord of the Tithing, Guardian of the Sacred Oath, Grand Cleric of the Order of the Justicars Type: Exarch Loyalty: Soraya, Archon of Change Opinions: [hider=Archons] [list] [*] The Archon of Shadow, Kabius Grim: [i]The very hand of Mother Night. I do not know Old Man Grim well, but he has been a dutifull servant of our Empress for as long as she has been an Empress of anything. He has more than earned all of our respect[/i] [*] The Archon of War, Iao: [i]I will admit, I don't much care for Iao's bluster, but I would be a fool to be blinded by it. The man is powerful, intelligent, and loyal, and I respect him.[/i] [*] The Archon of Blood, Kuth Irkalla: [i]He has turned his dominion into a safe harbor for the sorts of people who would violate societal order, and is the last remnant of a people who worshiped the Ancient Ones. I will trust whatever plan Mother Night enacted in making him an Archon, but it should come as no surprise that I do not like him.[/i] [*] The Archon of Change, Soraya: [i]Ah, yes, my... noble liege. She is an endless source of frustration for me. She has been entrusted with the responsibilities of one of the highest positions in the land, and she regularly disregards them. And I have to deal with it. It's infuriating.[/i] [/list] [/hider] [hider=Exarchs] [list] [*] Manuel Skleros: [i]Slime. Scum. A blight upon the land. He twists the rule of law to serve his own selfish desires, and it sickens me to my core. Enough. I will speak of him no more.[/i] [*] Lysvita: [i]Her heart, at least, is in the right place. She believes that the rule of Law should serve the common interest, but is far too lenient. If the Law is not enforced, then it has no power—it is no more than words on parchment. And if Law has no power, than what purpose does it have? What good can it do. She vexes me. Nevertheless, I would be lying if I said I did not have a certain fondness for her.[/i] [*] Vadigar: [i]Much as myself, he saw the sense in kneeling to Mother Night. He has been distant from the seat of his power overlong, but I understand it serves the purpose of unity—which is worthwhile. He is young, like many of the Northern Exarchs, but I think I might grow to like him.[/i] [*] Manius Quinctilus Dolabella: [i]He is flawed. He is too taken with his own perceived superiority. He is too weak of spirit; he should be able to validate himself without the aid of others, and he should be able to take some measure of respectful criticism, let alone the absence of a compliment. Yet he is both loyal and capable. He is also still young—perhaps a decade or two in his current position will do him well.[/i] [*] Sergius: [i]An honest servant. Loyal. Competent. I respect him.[/i] [*] Margaux d'Bois: [i]Her foremost loyalty is, not to Mother Night, but the the Archon of Blood. I know little else about her, but I find this deeply concerning[/i] [/list] [/hider] Appearance: [hider=An Artist’s rendition of Kalon during the Burning of Sanc Tevor] [center][img] http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mbspahmRj71rru5hno1_500.jpg[/img][/center] [/hider] Kalon is not the largest of Izalith’s servants, but his is nevertheless an imposing figure, with a height well above the malnourished common-folk, and a bulk to match. Many are the rumors about the horrid grotesquerie he must have hidden behind his mask, but truthfully his face is rather unremarkable—dark hair, dark eyes, and pale skin from wearing his mask—The Observer of Falsehoods—at all times. The face of the mask is bare of any feature—save a pair of slits through which Kalon sees, though what lay through them is shrouded in darkness—so that the polished silver reflects light. He only ever removes it in private. His head rests deep within the cowl of his cloak, which is made from a heavy, thick, cloth and a small trim of white fur. Beneath the cloak, Kalon will, when fulfilling his duties as Exarch, be dressed as if for battle. Above the waist, this means a thin cloth tunic, for comfort, overlaid with an iron hauberk, in turn overlaid with a padded linen gambeson. Beneath the waist, his tunic and part of his hauberk hang down below the gambeson, covering a portion of his thighs, while iron greaves and leather boots protect everything from the knee down—any exposed skin between the two is protected from irritation by yet more linen, but here too thin to provide much in the way of protection. His hands bear moderatle thick linen gloves. Personality and Drive: Kalon’s worldview is one of strict, hard lines; Loyalty, obligation, duty, and reverence are the fundamental forces of society. At the center is the state, the beating heart of society that is defined by society—that is, the state is the thing to which the people of society are loyal. In return for loyalty, the state is obliged to provide certain protections to the people, in the form of Law. To ward against the transgression of Law, and thus the harming of the people, agents of its enforcement are endowed by the state with the power to wield the power of the state upon any transgressors, but are bound by duty deal honestly on the state’s behalf—what Kalon would call the Sacred Oath. To those agents who do not themselves transgress their duty follows the reverence of a grateful populace. But some such agents do transgress their duty: Graft, Abuse, and Betrayal. Kalon harbors an unmitigated [b]hatred[/b] for any person who transgresses their duty in any of these ways, especially betrayal, to the point that it in large part defines his identity. That is to say, while he can govern without constantly screening for traitors, and while he can enjoy a multitude of pleasures both worldly and spiritual, always in the back of his mind lurks an unabating fury, ready to emerge and exact a tithe of retribution from any who violate their Sacred Oath. Knowing all this, it may not be entirely surprising to learn that Kalon does not desire personal advancement for his own sake. Instead, what he seeks is to see the order of the Law spread to the whole of the world, with all deviations purged, under the aegis of Mother Night. History (I would suggest that, if you’re reading these parts out of order, you at least read the first paragraph of the previous section before this one, as understanding how Kalon conceives of legitimate governance will be of use.): [hider=I Wish I Had A Snappy Title] Kalon did not begin life as a citizen of Mother Night’s empire—and, in truth, the empire had not itself existed for very long at all. He was born, instead, as the eldest son of a family of high status in what is now the far south of Illyrica. He was educated in the numbers, in language, in war, in law, and in governance, in the expectation that he would rule. Time passed without incident. Kalon grew from a boy into a man, and he was given the responsibility of managing some of his family’s land—chiefly, he oversaw the growth and sale of myriad crops. As these responsibilities grew, his own personal status in his land did as well, and he gained a reputation for fair and honest dealing. His father led their family from a place of prominence to a place of leadership. All the while, the shadow of Mother Night loomed as Illyrica expanded. Suddenly, there was a shift, as his father fell ill, and ultimately died, leaving Kalon as head of the family. Now he was not only respected, but sought after. People wanted to know his views on matters of policy. Rapidly, the most pressing matter of policy became Illyrica. They had not yet declared war on those lands, but their expanding borders were coming ever closer, and it was becoming very clear that the Illyrican advance would be more than could be stopped. A council of the most powerful people in the land was called, and as the head of one of the leading families of the realm, Kalon was summoned to the great Fortress-City of Sanc Tevor. The council immediately devolved into petty squabbling over hair-brained schemes and personal pride. It infuriated Kalon, who himself had already settled on what he believe to be the necessary course of action, but was afraid to speak it aloud. Eventually, he had enough. He stood before those assembled, and put forward a motion that they swear fealty to Mother Night. The cacophony that filled the room was magnitudes beyond what it had been moments prior. Once the room had settled, he was able to explain himself. He asked them a question: “What is our purpose here? What is the purpose of this Council? What is the purpose of the State?” their purpose, he told them, was to protect people—the peers, vassals, and employees of those assembled. The inevitable war could have two conceivable outcomes: they would be conquered, or they would not. However, they would not be able to resist being conquered. Even the most sensible plan they had devised, forging an alliance with the untouched realms to the south, beyond the mountains, was ultimately meaningless, because the entire rest of the world could not surpass the armies and personal power of the assembled Archons and Exarchs of the Empire. No matter what they did, their land would become Mother Night’s. But if they bent the knee, if they swore fealty, that same inevitable result would come to pass, yes, but it would do so without the many costs of war. There would be no blighting of the land, no blood, no crops left fallow, and the soldiers who would otherwise die in their defense would live on. It was a hard-fought argument. There was shouting, and slamming of fists. He was called a coward, he called his interlocutors spoiled children. There was a very real possibility that it the Council would rule against his proposal. He had made his piece with that, and if that were the case, he was prepared to fight to the last for his homeland. “That man is a [b]traitor[/b]!” And it all began to fall apart, even if Kalon did not quite understand why. It was the foremost purpose of the state to preserve the well-being of the populace, and his proposal was very clearly devised with that in mind. Even if the others disagreed with him, he didn’t see how what he said could be constued as treason. He began to explain as much, but the other man, a relatively minor landowner, shouted him down. The rest of the room was whipped up into a frenzy. Another voice, Kalon couldn’t make out who exactly, demanded that he should be banished. It was a blur, but another voice said they should divide his property amongst themselves. All this was agreed to. Kalon stormed out of the room. He did not know where was going, but he had to move had to think. And he [i]saw[/i]. It was [i]him[/i] who had been betrayed. Betrayed for petty greed. He was filled with a great and terrible resolve. He would take it out of their flesh– No. No, move too quickly, and it will look like a coup. Move to quickly, and he’ll find himself mired in civil war. More too quickly, and it will all be ten times worse than what he had been trying to avoid. But the resolve hung in his chest like a stone weight. They had made a mockery of the law for their own petty greed, and had tried to unmake him in doing so. So, he decided that he would let them. They would strip him of his lands. They would feast on his crops. They would melt down his plows. They would profit and make themselves fat on his bounty, and then… Months passed. They seized his lands. Cast down his family. Taken what wealth he could not carry. They wore his clothes, ate his livestock, and grew crops in his earth. But there was one thing missing. An eternally unblemished blade longer than his forearm, lashed to a haft of unbreaking wood. They scarcely knew what it was, but they wanted it. It had borne several names while in the hands of his family, but in his exile he renamed it [i]That-Which-Is-Due[/i], for it was the manner by which he would extract a tithe from those who had betrayed their purpose. When the day had arrived, he pulled his hood about his ears, tucked his weapon into a bag underneath some crates in a cart, and drove into Sanc Tevor with a horse. This day there was another council. Today they prepared for war. But today was different. Today the Council that had assembled was one that had cast aside all pretense of duty or honor, and had abused their power for their own betterment. Today the Council that assembled had surrendered its legitimacy. Save for one—but they had banished him. He rode into city, lashed his horse to a post, grabbed his bag, and set off for the fortress where they would be assembled. Where they were no doubt squabbling even now. He drew That-Which-Is-Due from his bag, and planted the blade in the ground. He drew something else from the bag: A polished silver mask, unmarked save for two eye slits, and placed it on his face. Today, he labored not for his own sake—that which had been taken from him was either consumed or spoiled—but for the eradication of treason. He took of That-Which-Is-Due, and began his work. Allies of his, who were waiting in the city, gathered up the supplies in his cart, and began setting the city on fire. Allies of his in the city guard led people outside the city walls. Kalon stormed the fortress, the blade of That-Which-Is-Owed igniting into a ghostly flame, which with every cut would first sever flesh, and then forge it together unnaturally that it would never properly heal. The guards loyal to the council fled before him. He reached the council-room, where the traitors were panicking. Wordlessly, he plunged the blade of That-Which-Is-Due into their table, and held it there until it caught fire. In this way, he set many things in the room alight, and the Councilors fled. He pursued. When they exited the building, they found the guards loyal to him waiting. They were all hurried out of the city. The fortress was truly blazing by the time he emerged. When he exited the walls of the city, it was clear that little would remain. All of the traitors looked on him, and they despaired. One-by-one, he forced the traitors, who now were clapped in irons, to kneel before those who watched the city bun. One-by-one, he plunged That-Which-Is-Due into their backs, and held it there until they caught fire. One-by-one, they burned. Sanc Tevor burned for three days straight. Kalon sent a rider to the capital of Mother Night’s Empire. All of the leadership of their southern neighbors had proven themselves unfit to rule, the messenger said, save one. And Kalon was not interested in a war he could not win. Thus, as soon as he could be assured that the region would not implode on his leaving, he would depart for the Capital to swear his fealty to Mother Night, if she would have him. For his foresight and competence, Kalon was made Exarch of his homeland [/hider] Armaments: [list] [*][hider= The Observer of Falsehoods] The Mask that Kalon wears. In form, it is a single piece of smooth, reflective silver that curves around his face. It bears the same name as his foremost title, and this is because it has grown with him. At the Burning of Sanc Tevor, it was little more than an expensive slab of metal. But today it is something greater. Foremost, the reflective surface of the mask gathers light into his vision, allowing his view o be wholly unobstructed by the mask itself. Second, it filters breathable air out of whatever the wearer is currently surrounded by, be that a cloud of poison, or even water. Third, and this particular function occurs without enchantment, fighting someone whose face is effectively your own image, as happens when their actual face is covered by a reflective mask, is unsettling, and can throw off less experience opponants. [/hider] [*][hider=That-Which-Is-Due] A blade half-again the length of Kalon’s head, affixed to a haft that reaches from his shoulders to the ground, with a circular jutting out where blade meets staff to catch enemy weapons. The blade and disk appear to be made from bronze, but never tarnish or dull, and the haft is made of some unknown wood as hard as iron. In truth, this weapon’s precise history is unclear, save that it is very old. When he was young, Kalon was told that it had been passed down his family line since the War in the Heavens, but it has had no especial effect during those instances where he has used it to battle Vilespawn. When—shortly before becoming a vassal of the Empire—he inquired with a master of laws within the Empire as to whether or not was Antediluvian in origin, which would warrant immediate action, he was told that it was not. What power it [i]does[/i] possess is thus: at the wielder’s command, the head of the spear effuses a ghostly silver flame. This flame serves two functions. First, it acts as one would expect fire to, and can set things alight (though with naturally colored flame) and cauterize flesh. Second, the light of the flame immediately dispels illusions. Kalon has never (knowingly) used it in the presence of the work of the Archon of Shadow, but would not be surprised to learn that it would prove resistant.[/hider] [/list] Abilities: Kalon is possessed of a great number of more mundane abilities—hard-earned skill with both the ordinary longsword and That-Which-Is-Due, understanding of multiple languages, mathematical acumen, and so on—owed either to his privileged education or the long hours of practice he has taken over his tenure as an Exarch, but he still possesses a some considerable magical ability. His foremost magical power is that he can mentally communicate instantaneously with those sworn to his service. In most instances, he will limit this to his most senior of subordinates—his Steward, the Captains of the Guard and of the Garrison, and so on, and even then he keeps it inactive when not in use —but it extends to every person beneath him in the chain of command, over unlimited distance, and until such time as they ae no longer in his service. The sole caveat is that he requires the full name and rank of the servant in question to open the connection, and it would likely behave rather strangely if he had two or more servants of the same name and rank. Additionally, any one of them could communicate with him in the same manner in a moment of crisis, allowing him to be instantly alerted to the problem, with the ability to do this deriving from their link to Kalon, but the power required to do so drawing from the area they are in. In addition, he makes use of magic to apply and redirect mechanical forces. This can take the form of a shockwave as something of a standard attack, but Kalon has trained to use this magic to reduce the impact of blows that land on his person. It has is limits, of course—it would be a drop in the bucket compared to the full force provided by an attack from the Archon of War, for example, and using it too frequently is a good way to leave his preset location mana-starved—but it is more than enough to turn a solid strike from most foes into the equivalent of a glancing blow, which his armor is more than enough to handle. Also, over his time as the ruler of Sanc Valatir, he has learned how to ride griffins, as his servants in the Tithing do, though he does not currently possess a mount. [/hider] [hider=Holdings: Sanc Valatir, Southern Tiranine Mountains] [center][h1] Sanc Valatir[/h1] [h3]”The Fortress of Great Tiran Pass”[/h3] [img]http://i.imgur.com/u8JJ5Ht.jpg [/img][/center] Type: In the most technical sense, Kalon has been entrusted with a significant portion of the Tiranine Mountains to control and defend. In practice, given the accessibility of most of the landscape and the locations where people are actually present, he governs the fortress-city of Sanc Valatir. Culture: Sanc Valatir is an old city. Founded sometime after the War in the Heavens, and has guarded against invasion from south of the Tiranine mountains since before the rise of the Empire of Mother Night, and, unlike most other such fortifications within the Empire, it is unblemished by having been brought into the fold. In all its long history, it has played host to countless warriors, and it has never fallen to invasion. Its people, at least those who could afford to, have always been proud of that fact, even after having been brought to heel by Kalon. They have a strong identity as a center of martial power, which Kalon has seized upon in public statements by calling its inhabitants “The Gatekeepers of the Empire.” Largely as a reaction to the significant Vilespawn populations in the unpopulated portions of the mountains, the citizens of Sanc Valatir take ritual purity very seriously. This began when trading posts began cropping up around the original fortifications, where people would conduct purity rituals in nearby hot spring. As the settlement became a city, walls were built around the hot spring, and a combination bath house-temple was built on top of it, which the city’s Exarch entrusts to the “Priesthood of Waters,” who are loyal to him. As a result of all this, the populace of the city has largely taken well to the worship of Mother Night, who takes upon herself tohe duty of keeping the last of the Ancient Ones in the world imprisoned. Its people are mainly the stock of what Is now southern Illyrica, the city having been founded by those living on the north side of the Tiranine mountains, but it has a notable minority of emigrants from the northern marches of Lesmiana, and the inhabitants have adopted a handful of practices from south of the mountains. A majority speak the native tongue, including the city’s own dialect and that of the region immediately north of it, and those of Lesmianan heritage speak their own natve language, but everyone knows at least enough Illyrican to get by—enough to ask for directions or conduct a basic business transaction. The city’s criers make their announcements first in Illyrican, then the local dialect. There is a small contingent of the upper class, and some tradesmen, who harbor a distinctly anti-Illyrican sentiment, and who see Kalon as having betrayed their people. However, as he cracked down on official corruption and dishonest trade practices immediately on taking control of the city, and has dealt harshly with any who would violate his prohibitions on the same, the Exarch enjoys a good reputation among his citizens For this reason, and the aforementioned zeal for the worship of Mother Night, any anti-Illyrican sentiment is kept hidden. The city’s standard is a golden Griffon in profile, rearing up on its hind legs, talons raised, facing left, with a black spear behind it pointing from the bottom-left corner to the top-right, all over grey field. Description: Sanc Valatir enjoys a position on the eastern side of the Great Tiran Pass, the largest pass through the Tiranine mountains, and one of those which remains open during winter. In addition to its prodigious lifespan, this has made it into a bustling, 52,000 strong metropolis. The city’s water needs are primarily filled by an aqueduct that carries in water from a reservoir east of the city, and which is only accessible by passing by the city itself. All citizens have free access to any of the city’s public fountains, which are distributed roughly evenly throughout, and fed by bronze piping. Its foodstuffs are imported from the prosperous grasslands to the north. [hider=City Layout]The city is surrounded by great walls, with internal walls dividing it into four wards, the oldest of which is Old Valatir. That which is today called Old Valatir was once, long ago, the full extent of Sanc Valatir, back when it only existed as a fortification to guard the GreatTiran Pass. While there are some who reside here—chiefly belonging to people who own land on the Imperial side of the mountains—Old Valatir has largely become an administrative center. Here are the granaries for the Exarch and his subordinates, military or otherwise; the barracks for the city garrison, known commonly as the Mountain; the Eyrie, the command center and “stable” of the Tithing, Kalon’s griffon-mounted personal enforcers and elite troops; and the Valatirine Sanctum, the Palace-Fort that serves as Kalon’s primary residence and as the nerve center of his dominion—this is where the business of governance, both by Kalon and those he employs to share the burden with, is done. The buildings in this part of the city are all made of stone, but whereas the residencies display a measure of the opulence afforded by the wealth of their residents—chiefly in the form of large, publicly visible gardens—all of the civic buildings are bereft of any adornment. All are multiple stories tall, though this additional height naturally plays a different role in the residencies than the civic buildings. Beyond the gates of Old Valatir is a small enclosed plaza, the other end of which has yet more gates on the other end, which open to the Velvet, the next ward of Sanc Valatir. The Velvet Road was the first official expansion on the fortification of Old Valatir, and has people of all sorts living here. The fine homes of the landowners spill out from the gates of the plaza, clustering alongside the inner walls of Old Valatir and the eastern wall of the city. In the center, and along the northern and western walls of the ward, are the residences of a great number of tradesmen, which often incorporate their workshops into their structure—usually, as space is premium in a walled city, with the residential space built atop the workshop. Additionally, most of the administrators under the employ of Kalon live within this part of this ward. The South Wall of the Velvet Road is known throughout the city as being a place some of the city’s poor can find shelter outside of the Crag, and here they live in multi-story tenements. Most buildings in the Velvet Road are made of wood, though a handful of the wealthier residences in the northeastern end are stone. The tenements of the South Wall are in the greatest disrepair of any in the ward, but none are in any danger of collapse. The homes of tradesmen are the shortest of them all, as the tenements were built tall by their owners to fit as many as they legally could, and the wealthy wanted as much space as they could. In contrast, the tradesmen of the district could not afford to build especially large homes, especially with the resources needed to build and maintain their workshops. Exiting through the gates on the Velvet Road’s western wall, one enters the next of Sanc Velatir’s wards, the Baths, located just outside the Gate to the Velvet Road, which plays host to Sanc Valtir’s Grand Market, and the Great Baths, for which the ward is named. The Grand Market rests just outside the gates to the Velvet Road, and plays host to all the merchants who come to Sanc Valatir, which rests on the largest primary overland trade route between the Illyrican heartland and the city states of Charce. North of the Grand Market are the Great Baths, the largest bathing complex in the known world. The Great Baths are built on top of an active hot spring, which has been harnessed by various engineers within the city to feed into the Great Bath’s central pool, which is large, hot, and full of steam at all hours. Furthermore, the Great Baths serve as a sort of temple, where people ritually cleanse themselves of impurities, symbolically restoring bathers to a spiritual state from before the Disjunction. The Baths contain the city’s largest altar to Mother Night, situated in its own room. Several rooms around the hottest (“The Chamber of Steam”) contain smaller pools of water, and the Baths’ upper floors house the Priesthood of Waters and their administrative center. West of the Grand Market are the city’s main storage, the General Warehouse. The remainder of the ward is taken up by the workshops of more tradesfolk, whose homes are much the same as those in the Velvet Road. The main gate into and out of the city is in the Baths’ western wall. Finally, through a gate in the northeastern wall of the Baths, and one in the northwestern wall of the plaza between Old Valatir and the Velvet Road, is the Crag. The Crag is the youngest of Sanc Valatir’s wards, and it was incorporated on the orders of Kalon forty years ago, with the expansion of the walls taking seven years. The denizens of the Crag are largely the working poor, either practitioners of less profitable trades or unskilled laborers. The people here live either in ramshackle huts thrown together on relatively short notice, or in multi-story tenements. The streets in this ward are, by law, wider than those in the other wards, as a means to hamper the spread of a fire should one be fostered in what are, compared to the rest of the city, rather cramped conditions. [/hider] Beyond Sanc Valatir, Kalon’s dominion consists largely of territory uninhabitable to significant numbers of intelligent races. Aside from a handful of registered hermits, the only habitation outside the walls of Sanc Valatir are those forces stationed at the two other, lesser mountain passes—the Lesser Tiran (Solutir, in the local speech), and the Wend (Akatir)[the latter of which is technically a strip of land between the mountains and the sea, but still falls within Kalon’s dominion]—who dwell in their stone fortifications. Each of these are guarded by the Sanc Kalutir and the Sanc Akatir, respectively, fortresses which each hold a commanding position over their respective charge, has had the surrounding woodland cleared out. Laws: Befitting its master, Sanc Valatir has a significant number of laws on top of those of Mother Night and the Archon of Change, and those standard prohibitions on things like murder and theft. Of especial note are the [i] Right to do Business[/i], and the [i]Fine of Service[/i]. The [i]Right to do Business[/i] is the right of a person to sell goods or practice a trade within the walls of Sanc Valatir. It is the natural status of any person to possess this right, and it is only revoked for those originating in a region with which the Empire is at war, or who have had the Right revoked. The [i]Fine of Service[/i] is a measure for when a person found guilty of committing a crime cannot afford to pay their fine at all, or cannot do so without starving themselves. In these cases, the guilty party is pressed into some form of service for the city without pay—if they know a trade, than they perform that trade, if not than they can perform one of a myriad of tasks which do not require skill—until they have worked off what they owe. Of course, Sanc Valatir has a number of less important laws. Here is a sampling. [indent][i]No person shall, in the process of creating any baked good, cut their flour with chalk. Additionally, no seller of flour shall cut their flour with chalk. Any guilty party shall owe the city a fine… Should, during or after the construction of a domicile, that domicile should collapse in whole or in part, and it should be determined that the collapse was due to negligence on the part of the carpenter, the domicile shall be repaired or reconstructed at the carpenters expense, or else shall pay reimburse the injured party should they decline the services of the guilty party. Additionally, the guilty party shall owe the city a fine… All persons practicing a trade within the bounds of the city shall join a trade guild. All members of a trade guild shall imprint upon their creations a mark, registered with their guild, which identifies the object as having been created by them. Violators shall owe the city a fine… [indent]…Additionally, repeat offenders shall, at the discretion of the city, have their Right to do Business revoked for a period… …Additionally, should a trade guild or any members of a trade guild conspire to violate this or any other law governing the practice of their trade, all members involved in the conspiracy shall be immediately have their legal right to do business within the city revoked indefinitely, and any members of the guild leadership involved shall be lose their positions. All conspirators shall owe the city a fine…[/indent] The General Warehouses of the City shall at all times contain a sufficient quantity of food to sustain the population of the city for five months time at full rations. All remaining space within the Warehouses shall be leased to persons possessed of the Right to do Business. The cost of the lease, frequency of paymeny, amount of space, and all other factors shall be negotiated by prospective lessee and the Warehouse Manager…[/i][/indent] Military: After the Burning of Sanc Torval, one of the first actions that Kalon took to secure the region, to prepare for his impending oath of fealty, was securing Sanc Valatir. The fortress city holds a strategic position overlooking the Great Tiran Pass—Valatir, in his mother tongue—which is the largest such pass through the Tiranine Mountain range. Should an opposing force attempt to pass through without taking the city, it would be child’s play for the defending forces to fall upon them from the rear. [hider=Fortifications] Sanc Kalutir and Sanc Akatir each are protected by walls of approximately twenty-feet in height, and eight feet thick (approximately six meters tall and two-and-a-half meters thick), topped with crenellations, allowing defenders to rain arrow-fire down on any ground-based attackers. Entry into each fortress is through a single gatehouse, either side of which is flanked by a tower an additional seven feet, (approximately two meters) taller than the wall, with a handful of more towers of similar height dispersed throughout the walls. Each garrisons enough men to form several lines within the confines of their passes should they need to. Sanc Valatir itself is protected by walls that are approximately thirty-two feet high and twelve feet thick (approximately nine-and-three-quarters meters, and three-and-a-half meters, respectively), with the internal walls all being of the same dimensions. The walls are divided into sections by a number of towers dispersed throughout—two to each gate between wards, two flanking the gates into the city, and another twenty-two towers spread throughout the city’s interior and exterior walls, which divide them into sections that can be more easily defended should one section fall during an attack. Similarly, the internal divisions of the city by the internal walls allow the garrison to fall back to still-held ward should any of them fall to invaders. All walls are topped by crenellations on both side, allowing defenders to rain arrow-fire down on any ground-based attackers, be they outside the city or in. Additionally, all fortifications are shielded from scrying. [/hider] The primary military forces within Kalon’s domain are conscripted from the city of Sanc Valatir itself. Given the nature of the duties of the garrison, their training primarily focuses on defending the region’s extensive fortifications, which involves use of bows and throwing spears, as well as close-quarters sword-fighting on walls and in towers. That said, they do undergo regular drilling on fighting in formation, so as to actually be able to defend against an army that attempts to just walk past the city. Of especial note are the Exarch’s personal unit of griffin mounted cavalry, the Tithing, who number one thousand warriors. The Tithing maintain positions at a number of the military installations throughout Kalon’s dominion, with the largest easily being the Eyrie in Sanc Valatir, with their presence at the nearby Lake Vala (the source of Sanc Valatir’s water) being second. Their in-battle capabilities are discussed at greater lengths in the relavent section of their sheet. [/hider] [hider=Faction: The Tithing] [center][h1]The Tithing[/h1][/center] Size: Thirteen Hundred Sixty (1360) Total Members, One Thousand (1000) Griffin Mounted Cavalry, Three Hundred Sixty (360) Logistical/Support Personnel [Slaves] Hierarchy and Culture: The official leader of the Tithing is the Lord of the Tithing, a rank which has been held by the Exarch Kalon since the group’s inception seventy years ago. However, the day-to-day business of running the organization falls to whoever holds the rank of Sky Captain, which at the beginning of our story is a man named Cirile Kalaster. Beneath the Sky Captain are five lieutenants, each of whom commands a two hundred-man group called a Loft. Each Loft is divided into ten groups of twenty men called “Wings,” and each Wing is commanded by a Prefect. Each mounted soldier is called a “Rider,” and when in the air, Rider-Griffin pairs are simply referred to as Riders. Of the logistical/support personnel, each Wing is assigned four slaves responsible for the care of five griffins each. They are treated rather poorly by the Riders, and are occasionally killed and partially eaten by their charges. An additional four slaves are assigned to each Wing to tend to their equipment and their meals. Though the five Lofts are all officially equal—as in, no Lieutenant can claim authority over another, nor over any of each other’s troops, under normal circumstances—membership of the “Loft Valatus,” which is stationed in and around Sanc Valatir, is the most prestigious. Of the Prime Loft, the three Wings stationed within the Eyrie in Sanc Valatir (the “Eyrian Wings”) are the most prestigious of all. Two of the other Lofts are assigned to the two other passes (including the coastline) through the mountains (“Loft Kalutus,” “Loft Akarus,”) such that they and the Loft Valatus cover an unbroken stretch of area without overlapping. The remaining Lofts, the “Loft Anterius,” and “Loft Osterius” are assigned specifically to the southern border with Lesmiana. While the ‘territories’ of the three interior Lofts form shorter, broader bands when drawn on a map, the Loft Anterius’ and Loft Osterius' form long, thin bands laid end-to-end stretching across (and overlapping with) each of the three others. In times of peace, up to five Riders can be on leave in the city at any given time, at which time they can either reside within the Eyrie or their own homes. In time of social unrest, anticipation of war, or war itself, this maximum drops to three, and leave for all Riders is less often. Advancement in the Tithing is understood in two ways—transfer into the Loft Valatus (and the Eyrian Wings), and acquiring higher rank. As it is responsible for protecting the region’s only major settlement and largest trade route, the Loft Valatus is composed of the best Riders that the Tithing has to offer, and admission is a testament to one’s skill. Those Riders who show ingenuity, and prove themselves eminently capable of thinking around the problems posed by aerial combat, are marked as candidates for promotion, and added to a list of suitable candidates for the event that a position as a Prefect should open up within the Tithing. Candidates are not required to accept offered promotions, and face no reprisal should they decline. Similarly, the Sky Captain maintains a list of Prefects that might be suitable for the challenges of commanding an entire Loft should a position as Lieutenant open up, and the Lord of the Tithing selects a new Sky Captain from among the Lieutenants should the old one die or retire. Advancement is strictly meritocratic, and the Exarch Kalon harshly punishes any behavior contrary to that rule with immediate expulsion. Reasons for joining the Tithing are varied. Some are the sons of wealthy merchants seeking adventure, others are born to poor laborers and seek advancement in society. Admission is based on how suited an applicant is to the demands of a Rider, which—as even few of Sanc Valatir’s wealthy class actually keep griffins, and only very rarely teach them how to ride—are largely class-neutral. As the number of positions within the Tithing are limited, they are highly sought after by those with Sanc Valatir who wish to enter military service. Training his extensive, covering how to ride a Griffin in the air, on any of the terrain presented by the Tiranine mountains—mountainsides, woodlands, valleys, etc.—as well as how to transition from the air to the ground, and vice versa, should the need arise. Weapons training primarily focuses on use of the mace and the spear while mounted, with a lesser focus on the use of both while on foot. Aside from the Eyrian Wings, each Wing is stationed within their own tower constructed within Kalon’s dominion, to which supplies are delivered over-land on a regular basis. Riders do not, generally speaking, have much interaction with non-military personnel while not on leave, even those stationed within Sanc Valatir. Camaraderie is nurtured within individual Wings, though the necessarily close quarters of those on-duty have been known to cause tensions on occasion, though this rarely, if ever spills over into operations. Of especial note, however, is the bond between Griffin and Rider, which, as a result of Riders being paired with their mount from the start of their training, tends towards being exceptionally strong. Range: [hider=Territory Maps] Blue = Loft Kalutus Green= Loft Volatus Purple = Loft Akarus Orange = Loft Anterius Yellow = Loft Osterius [hider=Interior Flocks Only] [img] http://i.imgur.com/e0B0fg5.png [/img] [/hider] [hider= All Flocks] [img] http://i.imgur.com/dk61DMw.png [/img] [/hider] [/hider] Goals: The Tithing is charged with defending the air-space of Kalon’s dominion, and with apprehending enemies of their Exarch, Archon, or Empire within their territory. However, they do this at their Exarch’s command, and could feasibly switch to a more offensive role if it was commanded of them. Specialization: War. Specifically, they are a division of elite, Griffin-mounted cavalry. History: The Tithing was founded seventy years ago by the Exarch Kalon, but its roots go back further. Sanc Valatir has a history of Griffin-mounted Cavalry units, several of which have been founded and dissolved in recorded history. There arelegends about Griffin-mounted Cavalry from what are now the Tiranine mountains having fought in the War in the Heavens, but these are unconfirmed at best. Starting from when he seized control fo the region, and took Sanc Valatir for his capital, he knew that he wanted to embrace this tradition himself. His preparations began with construction of the Eyrie—the central headquarters of the Tithing—which ran concurrently with the rearing of young Griffins. Once the Griffins had neared sufficient maturity to be trained, a large recruitment drive began, and the Tithing was born. No invasion has come from the south, so the patrols of the Tithing have gone largely without incident over the years. During each of the Empire’s invasions since it was established, the Tithing has contributed a half Loft’s worth, two Wings from each ordinary Loft, to the invading army. Military Capabilities: The Tithing consist of a single, standard unit: the Rider. The Rider is dressed in a heavy gambeson, which functions both as protection against enemy weaponry and the cold, and is strapped to their mount with leather in multiple places, as are one mace and one spear. Each Rider is issued a bronze helmet, lined with linen, which has been enchanted to allow them to breathe at high altitudes, and to protect their eyes from high-speed winds. Given the impossibility of communicating at high altitudes, individual Riders have a much higher degree of autonomy in the maneuvers they use to carry out their assignments than most soldiers. Riders carry enough food to survive off of for three days without rationing for themselves and their mounts. These Griffins can also carry, in addition to their standard load of Rider and equipment, a load of approximately one hundred seventy pounds (a little under 80 kilograms) in its talons. However, the greater weight limits their endurance, so weights approaching their maximum can only be carried for short distances. Each Griffin is equipped with a type of harness designed to fit their head, a type of saddle that directs the legs of the Rider forward, and out of the way of the wings, and special, hardened leather barding to protect its underbelly and flanks. With only their standard load—that is, not carrying anything in addition to their Rider and their equipment—Griffons average about twenty miles per hour (about thirty-two kilometers per hour), with a redline (max, non-diving) speed of approximately seventy miles per hour (just over one hundred ten kilometers per hour) and a diving speed of one hundred fifty miles per hour (approximately 240 kilometers per hour). Tese Griffins are capable of flying up to eight leagues without rest with a standard load, assuming their average traveling speed, but tire much more quickly at higher speeds. Griffins eat a diet consisting entirely of meat. In terms of battlefield tactics, Riders can serve as effective scouts on locations where scrying spells are blocked, and can utterly demolish disorganized infantry. In the thick of battle, one especially favored tactic is to lift an enemy into the air and drop them on their allies, which is especially effective against cavalry. Additionally, they can engage enemy formations by dropping large rocks on them, or swinging around and landing on their back line and tearing into them with talons and beaks. Griffons are the historical predators of horses, and so their appearance and the sound of their cries, so their presence disrupts enemy ground-cavalry and chariots. Warcry: “Death Descends!” [/hider] [hider=Faction: The Priesthood of the Waters] [center][h1]The Priesthood of the Waters[/h1][/center] Size: Eight Hundred Sixty (860) Total Members—Two Hundred Fifty (250) Standard Temple Priests, Four Hundred Sixty-Three (463) Standard Priory Priests, Fifty (50) Lay Members, Ninety (90) Archivists, Five (5) Members of Leadership (Exarch, High Priestess, Steward of the Waters, Archcurate, Grand Archivist) [hider=Culture & Hierarchy:] Members of the Priesthood of the Waters can be divided into a number of categories. On the broadest level, they can be divided between clergy and laity. Clergy are the “full” members of the order, who have taken oaths and vows, and who carry out ministerial works and conduct their unending fight against the Vilespawn. The lay members are far fewer in number, and consist of any person officially affiliated with the Priesthood who have not taken any vows, and are not being trained for a position which would require them to take vows. Lay members complete various tasks that the clergy either lack the time to complete themselves (as they are too busy performing the Priesthood’s essential functions), or that they are prevented from completing by their vows. Perhaps the most important tasks carried out by the Priesthood’s lay members are those that involve interacting with the outside world, as members of the clergy rarely leave their Priories when not hunting Vilespawn as a means of maintaining ritual purity. Strictly speaking, all lay members are considered to be lesser in rank than the clergy, even the Lay Vicars, who are those lay members entrusted with the responsibility of representing members of the clergy to the public at large, but much of the clergy is thankful to the lay members for the services they provide, and often form strong friendships with them. The bottom rung of the clergy are the Novices, fresh recruits seeking fulfillment, glory, pursuit of extant zeal, to serve society, revenge upon the Vilespawn for some past atrocity, improvement of station and means, or any other sort of motivation. People of all sorts have joined the Priesthood of the Waters, and no matter their age or background, those seeking full membership of the clergy begin here, as Novices. Novices are instructed by their superiors in the various tasks required by the clergy, consisting of lessons of scripture, mace training, the fundamentals of clerical magic, and a handful of other skills. Once their instructors have deemed them prepared, usually after some form of examination, the Novice is promoted to the rank of Acolyte. The Acolyte is the lowest ranking of clergy, but as a position requiring a swearing of vows it is still a full, clerical position. Acolytes take unto themselves the full duties of the clergy, though in a somewhat more limited capacity due to their limited abilities. Acolytes can serve the religious needs of most non-member laity they encounter, are of sufficient ability with clerical magic to mend minor injuries, and accompany larger groups of their fellows when hunting smaller some varieties of Vilespawn. The Acolyte is still considered a rank for those still learning, and in addition to continuing to hone their extant skillsets are introduced to tracking creatures in the wild—with an emphasis on tracking Vilespawn, naturally, but the skills involved are more broadly applicable—and various forms of water-based magic drawn from the regional deity Akaeron. Additionally, should an Acolyte show aptitude for other styles of magic which is not divinely inspired, and there is a member of the Priesthood trained in its use who can reasonably instruct the Acolyte fairly regularly, then they will be trained in its use. If the Acolyte’s abilities are particularly potent, then a tutor may even be brought in from the outside. When an Acolyte is judged to have acquired the requisite skills and knowledge—that is, capacity to heal moderate wounds and cure some illnesses, an acceptable understanding of their liturgy, a minimum capacity with divinely-inspired water magic, and the capacity to fight and kill Vilespawn as part of a group—they are elevated in rank to a Brother or Sister of the Priesthood. Most members do not rise above the position of Canons Regular, commonly termed as Brother or Sister, and it is thus this ranks responsible for most of the Priesthood’s business—especially the killing of Vilespawn, especially since a hunting party may include no fewer than two Brothers and/or Sisters per Acolyte. Naturally, Brothers and Sisters continue to hone their abilities throughout their lives, and there is some specialization. A Brother or Sister wishing to specialize in the healing and cleansing aspect of their clerical arts, for example, is made as Canons Agir; one specialized in their divine water magic is made Canons Akar; one who specializes in directly fighting Vilespawn, physical combat and tracking, is made Canons Fer; and one who specializes in some form of arcane magic is made Canons Ver. All of these positions are, hierarchically, the same as Canons Regular, and serve chiefly as a means of identifying practical abilities, and as such are bestowed once abilities are honed. That said, if a Brother or Sister chooses not to specialize, then they will remain Canons Regular with no ill effect of any sort In most cases, above the various Canons is a Prior, who leads the Priory at which they live. The Priory System is the modern organizational structure of the Priesthood, and the Priory itself is their basic organizational unit—the only portion of the Priesthood which varies significantly from the Priory structure is their temple, the Great Baths of Sanc Valatir, which shall be discussed momentarily. The Priors themselves hold a chiefly administrative position, organizing hunting parties and raid on Vilespawn dens, as well as managing various reports and requests from nearby settlements. Priors rarely see combat themselves, but nevertheless maintain the same minimum standard as the Canons. The headquarters of the Priesthood, the Great Baths of Sanc Valatir, functions a little differently. Yes, there are still Lay members, Lay Vicars, Novices, Acolytes, the various Canons, but the Great Baths also serves as the Priesthoods Temple, and as such it has far more members present than any individual Priories, both for its own protection and to manages the various duties of worship incumbent on running a temple. It is dedicated to the god Akareon, the Tirani reflex of the Keeper of Winds, who is worshipped chiefly as a god of fertility and prosperity, who brings the rains that bring the crops. To the Priesthood—who not only do not grow crops, but are based in a temple where it is impossible to crow crops—Akaeron is a god of resounding fury, whose torrents and gales laid low countless Vilespawn and scattered their spirits into disarray, casting them back into the Shattered Waste. There is, of course, one minor caveat: the Keeper of Winds died during the War in the Heavens. The Great Baths are actually built on the site of his demise, and their sacred spring is said to be a font of what remains of his power, still guiding his living servants in the use of the tulval in his service. The room which this font feeds into is restricted to the members of the Priesthood ranking Acolyte or above, Exarchs, Archons, agents of Mother Night, and a list of pre-approved civilians. The reminder of the public are free to use any of the other baths in the massive complex. Water from the spring plays a large role in the rituals of the Priesthood. It is collected into a reflecting pool, deeper in their Temple, where they meditate. They take their oaths naked and immersed in it. On High Holy Days, they are permitted to drink it. Bottles of it are shipped out to the Priories for them to fulfill their functions. The person responsible for entrusted with managing this most sacred of treasures is known as the Steward of the Waters. The Steward of the Waters is, historically, the third-in-command of the Priesthood. The People of the Temple themselves—the Novices, Canons, and so on—are chiefly managed by a person bearing the title of Archcurate. Before the rise of the Priory system, the Archcurate was the center of the Priesthood’s various outposts, and today retains some of that function in addition to serving as the Prior of the temple. However, it is still a valuable position, as the Archcurate is the effective second-in-command of the Priesthood, and has a say in appointing new Priors when the old die or are forced to retire. Beneath the Temple, far from public sight, is the Temple’s storehouse of Vilespawn Taint, which is the largest known to the Priesthood to exist in the whole world. It is known, occasionally, as the Archive of the Enemy. It is managed by a number of Archivists, who regularly inspect its halls for damaged containers, and securely add all new taint brought in by the Priesthood to the collection. Individual Priories have their own underground storehouses, each run by Archivists. The Archivists themselves are members of the Priesthood, and serve as the last line of defense against any threat attempting to breach their Archives. As a whole, the Archivists serve under the Grand Archivists, who resides in the Temple, and officially delegates leadership to various “Chief Archivists” in the various Priories. The Grand Archivist does not have an official role in the leadership Priesthood, but in many ways functions as an unofficial “forth”-in-command. Above all of these, however, is the High Priestess of Akaeron, the effective leader of the Priesthood. The High Priestess has absolute authority over the various functions of the Priesthood, but (sensibly) delegates to her various underlings. Historically, the High Priest or Priestess simply was the leader of the Priesthood, but eighty years ago the Exarch Kalon inserted himself at the top, simply using the title “Exarch,” which itself has religious connotations in addition to the political. However, he has largely delegated the task of running the Priesthood, maintaining the historical chain of command as the effective chain of command. It Is worth noting that, while the Priesthood is dedicated to Akaeron, its priests have been permitted to worship Mother Night since they became subject to her laws. As the figure who protects Ethica during the Long Night, this is seen as appropriate by all and sundry. The Priesthood maintains Priories in Lonassa, Makau, Steia, near Thulthar, and in a number of larger villages around the south. [/hider] Goals: The Priesthood of Waters serves the Exarch Kalon, and follow his commands, but generally serve to minimize the threat that Vilespawn pose to civilization. There is not a person among them who would not like to see the Vilespawn eradicated, but none honestly believe that such a goal is feasible in their lifetimes, if at all. Specialization: The purpoe of the Priesthood of Waters is to kill Vilespawn first, and serve as priests in their communities second. To these ends, they are trained as clerics of the dead god Akaeron, from whose power they are guided towards clerical healing and purification, as well as magical control of water. In addition, all members are trained in the use of blunt objects in warfare, usually some form of mace, which inhibits the spread of taint by not making Vilespawn bleed. [hider=History:] Nearer to the time of its founding than today, when it was little more than a small number of buildings clustered around the walls of the original fortress, Sanc Valatir had considerable problems with Vilespawn. What would eventually become the Priesthood of the Waters began as a loosely organized militia dedicated to protecting the burgeoning settlement from the Vilespawn threat. It did not remain a militia for long, as it gained the support of both the Captain of the fortress’ garrison and the regional lord, who paid for the militia to become a full-time fighting force. They regularly enlisted the aid of clerics, who would cleanse the warriors of Vilespawn taint after their battles, and even go over their kills to capture the taint at the source. While all this was going on, a clerical order was being built around a natural hot spring of considerable size not far from the settlement. It has been forgotten what drew people to it, but once it began it only picked up momentum. More often than not, it was the clerics of this order whose aid was enlisted by the above military order. In time, the clerics, and their sacred spring, came to be associated with combating the Vilespawn, and cleansing their taint. As both grew, it was proposed that the two orders should become one, which would provide the services of both. It was eventually decided that the warriors would all train in the clerical arts, and that the clerics could receive martial training if they so wished, but would not be required to (the position of the non-combate cleric has been phased out by the time the game begins). They decided to name themselves the “Priesthood of the Waters,” in reference to the spring which had become central to the majority of their religious rituals. Once the warriors had also become trained clerics, they were able to regularly travel much further afield, as all members of any traveling groups could now reliably be expected to be able to defend themselves. They began setting traps in the wild for larger and more dangerous Vilespawn in the wild, and even conducting raids on smaller Vilespawn dens—usually involving some manner of trickery, like flooding or partially collapsing a system of caverns. As merchants traveling through the Great Tiran Pass spread word of them, requests for aid against Vilespawn trickled in both from their kinsmen to their north and Charce to their south. After some debate, it was decided that they would send aid. Successfully filling these foreign requests caused their reputation to grow further still, especially from their north. They established outposts, what would eventually develop into the modern Priory system, in the settlements of their northern kin so that they could respond more freely, and their reputation grew further still. Sanc Valatir, in time, expanded to encompass the center of their faith, the spring, and it was decided that, now that it was protected by the city walls, their place of worship would be expanded into a proper temple, so that they might service the laity of the city. At its heart is the “Chamber of the Waters,” where the hot water rising up from down below fills a vast, rectangular pool, and the air is filled with steam from boiling pots of the same water tucked beneath holes in the stone tiling of the floors, which are tended to by the various non-warrior priests within the temple, most often the Acolytes. There are other chambers as well—there is one containing a reflecting pool which is often used for meditation, there are two other pools to of lesser temperatures than that in the Chamber of Waters to allow for supplicants to more easily adjust to the hot water, there is a large underground chamber where the essences collected from various Vilespawn over the course of the Priesthood’s history are stored, there is the housing of the priests, the offices of the Priesthoods leadership, and several others. Each room was built to serve some function, be it practical or spiritual. When the Empire of Illyrica began to grow on the horizon, the Priesthood was not especially concerned. Mother Night was no ally of the Vilespawn, and they saw no reason to make themselves enemies of hers, so they had resolved that they would conduct themselves as they had, regardless of whether they did it as citizens of Illyrica or not. But then came the destruction of Sanc Torval. The great walled city has been home to their oldest Priory, and the largest store of Vilespawn essence known to them outside that beneath the Great Baths. Initially, they were deeply concerned that these essences had been released to wreak havoc on the world again, and that their fellows had died in the fire. These fears proved ungrounded, however, as the masked man Kalon was conducted into Sanc Valatir by their Brothers and Sisters from the Sanc Torval Priory, with the entirety of the essence store in tow. The priests and lay vicars spoke of how a contingent of Kalon’s men had come to ensure their safety and that of their dangerous cargo before, during, and after Kalon’s act of destruction, and how they had done so on his orders. It was with this in mind that the Priesthood of the Waters publically supported the city swearing fealty to Kalon, and eventually Mother Night through him. With their reputation within the city, this support won the city over to Kalon’s side. When he was made an Exarch, he took Sanc Valatir as his capital, and inserted himself into the top of the leadership of the Priesthood. This caused no small amount of consternation in many, but it quickly became apparent that he had little interest in actually interfering with their work, save for pushing them to expand further into the Empire, and at making them provide a place for worship of Mother night in their Priories and their Temple. [/hider] Military Capabilities: The standard military “unit” of the Priesthood of the Waters is the Canons Regular, who is trained in the use of a mace, the clerical arts of the god Arkaeron, and some measure of skill in tracking. When out hunting Vilespawn, they move in hunting parties of no less than three, and as many as seven. When purging a Vilespawn den, their numbers may be even higher. They are equipped with one iron mace to use as a weapon, and a round iron shield for defense. The shields are generally smaller than might otherwise be the case for soldiers, to allow for greater mobility in the potentially difficult terrain they may encounter Vilespawn in. For armor, each Canons Regular is provided with a set of gambeson and riveted mail. Additionally, Priests are issues a runic pendant capable of catching a fleeing Vilespawn spirit that passes to close for the wearer, but which cannot serve as a container indefinitely. Some Priests specialize in physical combat and tracking, and are known as Canons Fer. Some Priests specialize in the healing and cleansing aspect of their clerical arts, and are known as the Canons Agir. Some Priests specialize in the water magic gleaned from their fallen god, and are called Canons Akar. All specialized individuals are superior to the Canons Regular in their chosen area of focus, but the Canons Regular is superior in the other two. Additionally, at any time, approximately ten percent of the Combat forces of the Priesthood at any time are Acolytes, who are lesser trained versons of the Canons Regular. Also, the Priesthood trains primarily to fight Vilespawn, and while many of those skills may carry over to one-on-one duels, far fewer correlate to appropriate skills for battlefield tactics. Their discipline matches or surpasses almost any soldier, but they would need considerable training to be battlefield-ready. Critically, they are spread very far out, amongst the Great Baths of Sanc Valatir, and their various Priories. It is not realistically feasible to muster them all into one location. Warcry: “Akaerono dollak sollot!” (“Akaeron’s fury lives in us!”) [/hider]