[h1][center][sup][color=lightcoral]House War[/color][/sup][/center][/h1][center][sup][i]A Matchlock/Baroque Fantasy NRP[/i][/sup][/center][hr]

[center][IMG]http://i730.photobucket.com/albums/ww305/Khaosn95/1459832312053.jpg[/IMG][/center]
[center][sup][url=https://youtu.be/rIcinMxNYBc]You were only twelve years old when the madness took you.[/url] 

For days you were confined to your bed; after the first two, your throat had become so raw that you could no longer scream, and after the third, you began (in the moments when you thought yourself still to be sane) to notice plants taking root in your mattress, water streaming from the rafters, blue fire giving off no heat nor emitting any sound engulfing the walls. At first you thought these strange sights to be the products of your mania, but when your mother nearly fainted at the sight, you realized that these things were, in fact, [i]real[/i]. 

A week or so passed, or so you think. You were on the verge of death; your mother had not brought you food or drink for two days, though you often heard her sobbing outside your door. Once, you overheard your father whispering to her about “putting him out of his misery” and the scraping of metal on leather. When you heard that, a branch grew out of the door and beat him over the head; your mother screamed and ran out into the street, begging the gods to save you. 

You fell asleep after that, for how long you don’t remember. 

When next you woke, you thought dimly: [i]I’m going to die[/i].

Suddenly, you heard soft footfalls upon the floorboards. You looked around your chambers. Although it was filthy—the chamber pot overflowing, chicken bones and breadcrumbs on the floor, overturned goblets of milk, strewn medicinal herbs—there were no longer any trace of plants or blue fire. In the corner, you saw something, though exactly what you could not say. The faint smell of pipe weed mingled with chamber pot, medicine, and rotting fruit. The something, perhaps noticing that you were awake, slowly began to move toward you. Out of the gloom emerged not a phantom of delirium, but a man. He was blue-eyed, with a black beard flecked with grey, aquiline nose, and flowing robes of cobalt silk. He had the look of Mezward, with the pendulous turban mounted atop his head. 

“You want it to end, don’t you?” he whispered, though you barely heard him. His voice sound like it came out of the depths of the earth, yet it was distant too, as if he had spoken through a gag. But his eyes were clear. He gazed down upon you with a look of pity. 

Tears filled your eyes. Faintly, you murmured, “Yes.” 

Then, a pain greater than any you had ever known, greater even than the madness that seized you. Screams choked from your lips; blood poured from your eyes; bile rose to your throat; you tumbled from your bed in a shower of feathers and linen and spasmed upon the floor; colors, strange patterns, and images—birds taking flight, a king with a crown of candles, excrement transmuted into gold, overfilling vessels of wine, men turning into ships, women into cards, dancing children—flooded your vision. You fell into the claws of a deeper and more profound madness. Many times, you saw your own body from above. And through it all, the bearded man intoned his soft, droning mantra, its words seeming to penetrate into the darkest corners of your mind.

When you came to it was dawn. Wan sunlight filtered through the drawn curtains, and through the window you could see the sky reddening, and the heavy, purple clouds. Out of the corner of your eyes, you sensed a presence. It was the bearded man, gnawing on a hunk of cheese and poring over an old grimoire by the light of a fat yellow candle. When he noticed you, a wry smile creased his cheeks; he rose, crossed to you, hoisted you up from the floor, and placed you gently back upon the ruined bed. 

Looking down at you, he laughed to himself softly. 

“[i]Ha[/i]! It worked! It worked!” he roared.

Then, he went out of the room and roused your parents. Your mother wept for joy. Your father, wearing a bandage around his head, said nothing, but seemed content enough. When they looked to the stranger, however, a peculiar look passed over them, and they averted their eyes from you. 

It was then that the bearded man told you (because your parents could not bring themselves to admit it) that you were a magus, and you were to coming with him. 

“In a manner of speaking, I’m to be something of a father to you now. No offense,” he said, nodding in deference to your true father with a smirk. 

Only later did you discover that you were the first trial of a newly invented Limiter. By the bearded man’s (whose name you later discovered was Ebisa) own admission, he had expected it to fail. But, with the aid of this state-of-the-art Limiter, he said, vital overflow could be greatly reduced, and a magus’s lifespan increased by as much as two months. 

You think that it was a worthy gamble. 

His action taught you a cardinal law of magi: selfishness. Ebisa, who for some time you would idolize, was only pursuing his own research in saving your life. He would have felt little shame if you had died. After all, without him, you would’ve died anyway.

Short to live, fast to die, that’s the life of a magus. 

It would not be a life of glamor, pleasure, or happiness. But even so, you had to go with him. You were to train as a magus; even with a Limiter, your latent Ability had to be tamed, so that it could become Art. 

Ebisa tossed your father a bulging purse of fat [i]riales[/i]. Your parents weren’t poor per se, but they certainly weren’t wealthy. With this sum, however, they would live like kings. 

Ebisa turned and motioned that it was time to leave. Your mother clung to you, sobbing, her fat tears falling on your cheeks. You could barely stand, and scarcely understood what was happening; you simply looked at her, bewildered. Your father embraced you once, and turned away. He was a hard man, not one to show emotion, but he was kind nevertheless. You would miss him. Ebisa started towards the door, but you remained rooted in place. Growing impatient, he clasped your hand and pulled you to his side. You cast one last glance backwards at your father, who had begun to count the coins, and your mother, weeping, imploring you not to go. Then, the blazing light of dawn flooded your vision. 

That was the last time you ever saw them.[/sup][/center][hr]

[h3][sup][center][b]Premise[/b][/center][/sup][/h3]
[center][b]It is the year 1465 N.O.C.[/b][/center] 

[indent][i]In Feolyn, a subcontinent of the vast supercontinent of Otumnos, tensions are palpable. The constellation of fiefdoms left in the wake of the fall of the transcontinental Otumnal Empire vie for territorial and political supremacy. Deep tribal grudges from before imperial dominion still simmer and threaten to boil over, and dreams of expansion, previously dormant, begin to awaken. To the east, the immense Khaganate of Hûy, itself divided by civil war, is a dagger poised to pierce the very heart of Feolyn. Even more worrisome, the steppe-lords have accepted the Penrose Star, Tiavana, a still growing but swift-spreading new faith that has begun to penetrate the borders of Feolyn. In the wine shops and teahouses, whispers of divine retribution and righteous conquest become ever more popular ideas. Pirates harry the coasts, and brigands roam the countryside. Harvests founder and fields lie fallow. And both in the shadows and in plain sight, the great Magi Houses war and plot against one another, to what end none can say. What exactly the future might hold is unknown, and changes with the winds; but what is clear is that a storm is coming to Feolyn, and it will be a whirlwind.[/i][/indent] 

[indent]This is a low fantasy story principally concerned with war, political intrigue, and yes, magick. By low fantasy I mean that there are fantastical elements (such as magick), perhaps some legendary creatures, but they don’t take main stage. You’ll find no fantasy races here. Primarily, I’d like anyone who’s interested in this RP to help tell a human story, concerned with human beings who are caught up in a grand historical event.[/indent]

[indent]Each person will make both a Nation Sheet and a Magi House Sheet. The Nation Sheet will be the vassal state of the Otumnal Empire you choose to roleplay; a list will be provided along with the map. The Magi House sheet will, obviously, be the Magi House (of the Twelve Old Lines) you choose to roleplay. Since all Magi Houses (at least, all of the Twelve Old Lines) are each "patronized" by a state and ostensibly serve that state, and because a great portion of the action will involve Magi Houses, you'll be playing as both the Magi House and the patron state. If this is confusing, there'll be more about this below. In addition, you'll be provided with the option of two character sheets, both a Magus Character Sheet and a Non-Magus Character Sheet, should you wish to fill out the background of a character in your House or State with more depth, or should you wish to play an unaffiliated-character. Want to play a smuggler or a bandit? A mercenary or a courtesan? An actor or a spy? You’re free to. Thus, this won't be strictly speaking an NRP, but more of a hybrid.[/indent]

[indent]This is not completely a sandbox, though. I thought it’d be interesting to set a general endpoint to this timeline: the subcontinent of Feolyn will be embroiled in one of the bloodiest wars in its history due to the use of magickal weapons known as Golems; it will last roughly thirty years (each IRL week will constitute a year in game-time); during its course, the Otumnal Empire will fall and the Khaganate of Hûy will invade. Everything else, how these events took shape, the principal players, the battles, the drama, will all be up to the players to decide. There’ll be the opportunity for vast contests of men and magick, political scheming, espionage, as well as more personal human tales to act out.[/indent]

[indent]And, just as a final note: this will be an [b]advanced[/b] RP, with all of the expectations that goes with that, and an [b]18+[/b], mature RP. Extreme violence, coarse language, and sexual content (though, please, keep love scenes to the barest of minimums) will be freely allowed.[/indent][hr]
[center][IMG]http://i730.photobucket.com/albums/ww305/Khaosn95/1466117101852.jpg[/IMG][/center] 
[h3][sup][center][b]Notes on the Setting[/b][/center][/sup][/h3]
[indent]Feolyn is very roughly analogous culturally and technologically to Europe during the early-to-mid 17th century. However, this does not mean that it is an exact parallel. While the premise is based upon the Thirty Years War, and the Otumnal Empire bears resemblance to the Holy Roman Empire, the model of governance is similar to China under the Ming and the Qing, and the Celestial Emperor system similar to that of the Japan during the Tokugawa Shogunate. Below will be attached a number of essays on Feolyn that will explain the whole thing in depth; I strongly suggest that you read them.[/indent] 

[indent]In terms of technology and flavor, think: matchlocks, arquebusiers, pikemen, musketeers, tercios, galleons, landsknechts. This is the age of colorful doublets, feathered hats, knee high boots, pointed beards and mustaches. But with magick. Look at a couple of Rembrandt paintings to get the general idea.[/indent] 

[indent]Below will be a topographical map of Feolyn, as well as a very poorly drawn political map and an accompanying list of states to choose from. Aside from the name and the linguistic flair indicated by it, these states are blank slates. Even if the name might imply not-Spain, not-France and so on, feel free to experiment and devise interesting histories and characteristics; I don't want this to end up as an alternate Europe. Be creative![/indent]

[hider=Topographical Map of Feolyn][center][IMG]http://i730.photobucket.com/albums/ww305/Khaosn95/Map%203.jpg[/IMG][IMG][/IMG][/center][/hider]
[hider=Political Map of Feolyn][center][IMG]http://i730.photobucket.com/albums/ww305/Khaosn95/Political%20Map%20of%20Feolyn.jpg[/IMG][/center]
[list]
[*]Dark Beige: [b]Grand Marquisate of Ged[/b]
[*]Black: [b]County Vagón[/b]
[*]Dark Blue: [b]Grand Duchy of Goswelda[/b] 
[*]Light Blue: [b]Grand Principality of Taneld[/b]
[*]Green: [b]Imperial Demesne[/b]
[*]Dark Grey: [b]Cartonate Union[/b]
[*]Light Grey: [b]Jalurid Despotate (tributary to the imperial house)[/b]
[*]Dark Pink: [b]Canton of Tanguy-Façé[/b] 
[*]Light Pink: [b]County Reva[/b]
[*]Light Purple: [b]Mezwar Republic (not a vassal of the imperial house)[/b]
[*]Dark Purple: [b]Landgraviate of Greater Vandt[/b] 
[*]Orange: [b]Grand Marquisate of Lower Ordáz[/b] 
[*]Dark Red: [b]Grand Principality of Dhonte[/b]
[*]Light Red: [b]Kingdom of Lhokduy (not a vassal of the imperial house)[/b]
[/list][/hider]
[hr]
[h3][sup][center][b]Setting Documents[/b][/center][/sup][/h3]
[hider=Excerpt from "A Brief Description of the Lands of Feolyn"][h3][center][sup]Excerpt from "A Brief Description of the Lands of Feolyn"[/sup][/center][/h3]“...The political makeup of Feolyn is at best complex, and, at worst, utterly byzantine to the outside observer. While the many realms that very nearly crowd the land might superficially appear to be sovereign in their own right, they are [i]de jure[/i] merely fiefdoms, vassal states in fealty to the Celestial Emperor and the Imperial Demesne. For all intents and purposes, the vassal states of the Imperial Demesne, or rather the moribund “Otumnal Empire”, are [i]de facto[/i] autonomous entities, completely divorced from imperial supervision. The Grand Duke of Goswelda might pay homage to the Celestial Emperor in public addresses and memorandums to his fellow crowned heads, but it is little else but doctrinal affectation. In actuality, the Celestial Emperor, more than being a mere figurehead, is a prisoner in his own demesne, unallowed to leave even the sanctuary of the palace grounds for fear of inciting the wroth of the Éll, the Lord of the Sky. Within the dark corridors of the palace, he goes about in vestments of white, wears a mask of burnished bronze, and is always accompanied by a slave with a parasol, so that Éll does not find him. 

“It was not always thus. During the primacy of the Otumnal Empire in the 8th-12th centuries, the Celestial Emperor was an autocrat invested with supreme power in the realm. He was served by four vassals, known appropriately as the ‘Lords of the Four Directions’, who were something akin to military governors. The Emperor, rather than being immured in his own palace, was known to lead armies. Perhaps the most significant of all emperors, Ildebad IV, “The Shaman-Emperor”, sailed with a punitive expedition to the Mezwar Islands (the first sovereign of the Empire ever to travel on a sailing ship), wrote poetry, raced horses, went around the Empire in disguise, and once even got caught up in a drunken tavern brawl. However, a string of profligates, a madman (Ildebad VII), and two child emperors who died scarcely beyond infancy seeded dissent and distrust towards the Imperial House. A series of poor harvests, the war with the Jalurids, and the outbreak of the Carnation Fever in the north did nothing to assuage the people’s woes. Finally, an ambitious concubine, Lorelei, slit the throat of Emperor Innes-Dalphes III as he slept, seized the imperial heir, and fled the capital. A coterie of disaffected petty lords and burghers in Ged, Cartonbel, and Taneld welcomed her with open arms, and rose in rebellion against the Imperial Demesne. 

The subsequent conflict, known as the Second Otumnal Civil War in modern parlance, would prove to be one of the bloodiest in the history of the continent. In its course, the imperial heir was executed; Lorelei declared herself the “Most August Empress Ratagundis”, gathered a harem of hundreds of male concubines (who she was known to spend weeks at a time with), and established her own kingdom in southern Taneld before being murdered by her own loyalists; hundreds upon hundreds of thousands were killed; thousands more civilians were displaced; and the Carnation Fever, once relegated to the Ectaban Alps, fell upon Feolyn in crimson fury. 

“While the Imperial Demesne was able to reassert its control in the wake of the war, Feolyn was irrevocably changed. To ensure that such vast amounts of men were not again able to muster against the imperial throne, the four large provinces were balkanized along ethnic and linguistic lines. The great lords and families who had previously held power in the provinces were removed and replaced, and new titles were invented to ennoble the burghers and warlords. The strategy adopted by the court was to give each “grand lord” of the new fiefdoms a mélange of vassals from the various regions within their holdings (regionalism has ever been a matter of some import in Feolyn) and the lower castes (burghers, chevaliers, temple clergy), so that occupying themselves with the management of their realm would supersede any notion of going against the Imperial Demesne. In doing so, however, they achieved their ultimate irrelevance. Unwilling to repeat the hecatomb of the Civil War, the court more and more began to adopt a conciliatory posture towards the vassal realms, and those vassals, testing the limits of imperial patience, pushed for ever more concessions and privileges. Eventually, the Imperial Demesne found itself completely isolated. 

“Meanwhile, the Emperor himself became subject to greater and greater constraints. A certain order of clerics who prophesied cataclysmic punishment for the sins of the Emperor and the people of the empire at the hands of Éll (a radical reinterpretation of an obscure ancient text known as [i]The Ovidates[/i]) began to infiltrate the upper echelons of the court. Eventually, they had the ear of the Emperor himself. Thus, the white garments, the mask, the parasols, and the confinement of the imperial person. This shift occurred gradually, over a period of some two centuries, bringing us to the present day. 

“Why then do these fiefdoms remain in vassalage to the Imperial Demesne? Why do they not declare their independence? Why do not the Grand Dukes and Grand Princes cast aside their lowly crowns and name themselves kings? One would certainly not think it to be a repudiation of some sacred and inviolable right; already they have proven themselves most enthusiastic idolaters of imperial sovereignty. The answer (at the least, in my own humble belief) can be summated in two words: faith and legitimacy. 

“The first: faith. One cannot underestimate the depth of religious belief and reverence the people of Feolyn hold towards the Celestial Emperor. Indeed, he occupies a central place in their cosmology, being both the earthly symbol of the God of Endeavor, Leovig, and the inheritor of the lineage He founded millennia ago, when He had not yet ascended to His heavenly seat. Thus, to repudiate the Celestial Emperor is to repudiate the gods. Despite it all, the people of Feolyn, including the crowned heads themselves, are quite pious. Any concerted effort towards dismantling the imperial system would mean overturning the Celestial Emperor, a move not likely to gain the would-be rebel the support of the masses. The people need an idol, and the Celestial Emperor is that idol, a figure of lore made flesh. 

“The second: legitimacy, which in Feolyn is largely equivalent with faith. Although the various fiefdoms of the empire vie for ever greater autonomy, one should not mistake such an ambition with simply minding one’s own. By that I mean that autonomy is not an end in and of itself (at least, speaking generally), but rather a means to achieve the reunification of the Empire under an individual fiefdom’s (and, consequently, its predominant ethnic/cultural group’s) auspices. Certainly, historical precedent exists to justify the idea of sovereign Feol kingdoms, but it is so ancient as to seem dust-caked and ridiculous (after all, the only thing that the ancient kingdoms did was war amongst themselves; ironically, the very same ministers who argue against such warfare bicker with their neighbors over scraps of territory). There are exceptions, of course, notably the Kingdom of Rüdde and the Mezwar Republic, though these lay outside of imperial dominion for most of their history and therefore had well-established models of governance before falling into imperial hands; thus, independence, in their view, was more readily justifiable. To those within the imperial heartland, however, imperial ambition is the most potent of political aspirations. The Empire brought Feolyn to its greatest heights; why should we destroy it? But the problem of the the Celestial Emperor remains. The Celestial Emperor is descended from Leovig Himself—how can we usurp him? Two possibilities present themselves. One lies in the abundance of political marriages between the various noble families of the empire and the imperial house over the past centuries. Previously, the potency of the imperial lineage was thought to derive from its purity; thus, for generations a vast project of interbreeding was devised. Of course, the enterprise terminated in the mongrelization of the line, and a string of incapable, inbred children. To stall further degradation of the blood, the habitual practice of noble intermarriage was undertaken once more. The notable disadvantage of such a custom, of course, is its tendency to produce pretenders to the throne; and although reverence for the Celestial Emperor is great, it is not so great as to prevent claims from cropping up. Thus, the desire to maintain fealty to the Imperial Demesne and press for greater sovereignty is something of a charade; most vassals desire to prop up their own candidates to succeed the imperial line. They purport that their candidates are more closely related to Leovig, more holy, more pure; to be sure, such stories are fabricated. Though for now no great conflict has erupted over such claims (no vassal has seen fit to start one, and the Imperial Demesne is powerless to punish such dissent) they are of critical importance. 

“Another possibility lies in the rising influence of a new faith: Tiavana (a transliteration of its Jyodwar name “Tibana”), the Penrose Star. A missionary, syncretistic religion developed by the mercantile peoples of the the Jyodwar Archipelago, Tiavana enjoys increasing popularity particularly in the coastal fiefdoms of Ordáz, Ludi, and Taneld, as well as the riverine city-states of Cartonbel. Though no such shift has yet emerged, it is clear that Tiavana could come to play a critical role in Feolyn as time progresses. After all, what better way to usurp the gods than offer up new ones in their place?”[/hider]
[hider=Excerpt from "On Magick"][h3][center][sup][b]Excerpt from "On Magick"[/b][/sup][/center][/h3]To the hill-peoples of the Mecava Belt, it is called the “madness of the gods”. To the sea-peoples of the Jyodwar Archipelago, it is known as “the litany of demons”. And to others, those touched by magick are called “the gods’ chosen”. In any case, it is widely considered to be both a blessing (in the mildest sense of the word) and a terrible curse. Its origins are unfathomable, though myth and religion have provided their own explanations. It is, if not exceedingly rare, at the least not prevalent in most human populations. It is transmitted hereditarily, though often many generations will pass in which no magickal person is born. It emerges in the intermediate stages of adolescence, a little before or a little after the onset of puberty. Immediately following its development, the recipient’s life is irrevocably changed. [b][color=lightcoral]Vitae[/color][/b], or magickal energy, begins to rush through the body, and, if not stopped, will quickly overflow, resulting in disastrous consequences both for the individual and their surroundings. Some, who do not have the privilege of being taken in by a Magi House or educated by a hedge mage, will either die (usually taking others with them) or become a deformed creature, commonly called witches. 

However, even when properly controlled and equipped with a magickal [b][color=lightcoral]Limiter[/color][/b], the [b][color=lightcoral]Art[/color][/b] is taxing and often dangerous. Even magi who serve in a mostly scholarly capacity suffer greatly reduced lifespans. Additionally, many magi, especially those belonging to the greatest of the great Houses, are employed as soldiers either in the continental wars of their patron state (as all Magi Houses swear fealty to a sovereign master) or in bloody inter-House warfare. Even so, magick offers great benefits. Natural philosophy and medicine have achieved important advances through magickal intervention.

Over generations of use and study, the magickal arts have been structured into a general hierarchy of various [b][color=lightcoral]Canons[/color][/b], which are classified as either [b][color=lightcoral]Greater[/color][/b] or [b][color=lightcoral]Lesser[/color][/b]. This system was codified and disseminated by House Anselmo, the magi pledged to the Imperial Demesne, during the height of the Empire. [b][color=lightcoral]Anselmo's Omnibus[/color][/b], as it is known, has been adopted by all major and minor Magi Houses. However, the Omnibus is not without its critics. The magickal commentator Deomondel notes, “...In the ancient days a magus might work the Art with abandon, had they the mettle and means. Thus are the exploits of the grand magisters, of Dagobed and Dilö, of Igbeldassa and Lehenna, of Opilbanda and Ibb, are chronicled and studied by all magi of consequence. But the high bloodlines have thinned, and we cannot even work our own Art, given to us by the gods, without the aid of the Limiter. Neither can we work it without the ignoble apparatus, that is to say the “Omnibus”, to confine us. The spark of those ancient magisters has left Feol, I fear, and Magick, perhaps once a veritable Art, is now something far lesser...We cannot very well classify magick as if it were a tree or a flower.” 

But Deomondel’s contemptuous attitude is not shared by the majority, and the Omnibus has generally been considered to be a congenial influence on the magickal arts, if perhaps a less “creative” one than Deomondel might have liked. And, contrary to his claim that the potency of magick has declined over time, one could rather assert that the structure of the Canons allows for deeper study of a given magickal discipline, as a consequence resulting in the creation a more powerful magus. 

The nature of magi is paradoxical. They are both inherently selfish, yet, given their brief and often miserable lives, usually work together to achieve some common goal. All magi strive to achieve the completion of their own personal [b][color=lightcoral]Opus[/color][/b]. An Opus can be anything: the working of a masterful spell, the summoning of a powerful Grand Spirit, the writing of an acclaimed work of magickal scholarship, the creation of one's own magickal artefact, the slaying of a particularly infamous daemoniac or lich, even something as mundane as being recognized by the [b][color=lightcoral]Hierophant[/color][/b] of the House---something, anything, that will make them eternal (immortality, unfortunately, is an impossible, though oft-sought after, ambition). Many magi, of course, never achieve the completion of their own personal Opus. Thus, every House, and every member of a House down to the lowliest [b][color=lightcoral]Novitiate[/color][/b], works towards the achievement of a [b][color=lightcoral]Grand Opus[/color][/b]. As the name implies, these projects are far grander in scope. The ancient House Göbeld, for instance, successfully navigated the No-Plane, the realm of negation and opposites (though nearly every member of the expedition went insane); House Minastre erected a mountain range to protect Ludi from invasion; and so on.[/hider] 
[hider=The Twelve Old Lines][h3][center][sup][b]The Twelve Old Lines[/b][/sup][/center][/h3]The Twelve Old Lines, as their name implies, are the twelve oldest Magi Houses of Feolyn. 

As is the case for the noble houses of Feolyn, the Magi Houses practice their own brand of selective breeding in order to preserve the strength of their house-magick. Magick, of course, is not something that can be bred for as one breeds cattle---it is far too wild, mystical, ineffable, unfathomable. And, indeed, many so-called successors to the Magi Houses have been born without the magickal spark (for the most part, their lives have ended cruelly: smothered in the cradle, abandoned on the streets, gelded and kept as house slaves, or, very rarely, adopted by a noble house). However, there is no doubt that breeding two magickally gifted individuals heightens the potential for the resulting child to inherit their parents’ magickal spark. And as magick is the livelihood of a Magi House, the lives, especially the sexual lives, of the members of the House are carefully ordered and choreographed. Any duplicity, any illicit dalliances with scullery maids or slaves, any foolish notions of “love”, are punished by gelding or death. Magi are short-lived, and although their nature is inherently selfish, they have something larger than themselves to protect. Consanguinity is a consistent issue, and the children of Magi Houses are sometimes physically, if not mentally, handicapped in some way. But inbreeding is becoming less and less common, and many Magi Houses choose to form Breeding Pacts with each other, exchanging seed or wombs along with coin and artefacts. 

Each House pledges fealty to one of the vassal states of the empire, and is skilled in its own brand of magick. They are serviced by their respective Novitiates, magi not of the House bloodline, who act as soldiers, scholars, spies, diplomats, and retainers of the chief House magi. The Twelve Old Lines are not the only Magi Houses of Feolyn, but they are by far the most powerful, both in terms of the potency of their magick and the influence of their magickal scholarship, an oft-forgotten component of the magickal arts.[/hider]
[hider=The Greater and Lesser Magickal Canons (WIP)][h3][sup][center][b]The Greater and Lesser Magickal Canons[/b][/center][/sup][/h3]
[center][h3][i][sup]The Greater Canons[/sup][/i][/h3][/center]

[indent][indent][i][b]Convocation[/b][/i]: Any variety of magick which has to do with the creation of [i]materia[/i] not presently extant in physical reality. However, for all but the most powerful of magi, conjuring [i]materia[/i] from thin air is beyond the realms of possibility. Instead, something related to that which one would like to convoke is gathered, and used as a medium to call a potential [i]materium[/i] into reality. For instance, one must have at least one drop of water to summon a lake, or a single spark to summon a flame. However, the art of Convocation is limited to the creation of [i]materia[/i], that is, objects without [i]anima[/i], or intrinsic spirit.[/indent][/indent] 

[indent][indent][i][b]Evocation[/b][/i]: Similar to Convocation, Evocation concerns the creation or summoning of something not presently extant in physical reality. However, in contrast to Convocation, Evocation concerns the creation or summoning of entities possessed of an [i]animus[/i], or Vitae, which all beings have in some measure. Such beings include various spirits, phantoms, daemoniacs, and other creatures.[/indent][/indent] 

[indent][indent][i][b]Alchemy[/b][/i]: The creation of elixirs and other magickal substances through the combination of various elements, sometimes with the aid of such tools as the alembic, the retort, the crucible, and the aludel. The art of Alchemy is linked intrinsically to the art of Convocation, and most Alchemists are well versed in its precepts. Often called the most powerful magickal art, it is simple to learn but difficult to master.[/indent][/indent]

[indent][indent][i][b]Theurgy[/b][/i]: The investment and modification of the body itself with magickal power in order to achieve some purpose. Other magickal arts are used to achieve some change in something else, but Theurgy deals with the usage of the body itself as the vessel for some change to be effected through magickal intervention. Ancient magi attempted to achieve apotheosis through such means. Nowadays, however, theurgic arts are used for different ends.[/indent][/indent]
[indent][indent][i][b]Divination[/b][/i]: WIP[/indent][/indent]
[indent][indent][i][b]Artificery[/b][/i]: WIP[/indent][/indent] 
[indent][indent][i][b]Mesmery[/b][/i]: WIP[/indent][/indent] 
[indent][indent][i][b]Salutation[/b][/i]: WIP[/indent][/indent]
 
[center][h3][i][sup]The Lesser Canons[/sup][/i][/h3][/center]
[center][b]Lesser Convocative Canons[/b][/center]
[indent][indent][i][b]Elementalism[/b][/i]: Destructive usage of elemental magick.[/indent][/indent] 

[center][b]Lesser Evocative Canons[/b][/center]
[indent][indent][i][b]Necromancy[/b][/i]: The restoration of a given body’s [i]animus[/i], or the attachment of a new [i]animus[/i] to that body.[/indent][/indent]
[indent][indent][i][b]Invocation/Summoning[/b][/i]: Although quite similar to Evoking a lesser spirit, phantom, or shade, Invoking usually refers to the summoning of a Grand Spirit, such as an attendant of a god, or even a human who left behind a particular spiritual resonance.[/indent][/indent] 
[indent][indent][b][i]Ritualism[/i][/b]: The summoning of ritual objects, usually possessed or haunted by a certain spirit, force, or will. These objects might once have existed, but have been destroyed or lost, or they might exist only in myth or legend. On the other hand, one might summon such an object and imbue it with properties different than those it might have originally possessed, but which only that object might be able to accept.[/indent][/indent]
[indent][indent][i][b]Animation[/b][/i]: Forbidden by some Magi Houses, Animation concerns the conjunction of a given [i]animus[/i] to a body or vessel that it did not once belong to or that is in some way alien to it. It can, however, be quite a useful tool---some magi are even capable of tethering their [i]animus[/i] to multiple objects and switching between them at will, though it is exceedingly rare and difficult to achieve.[/indent][/indent]

[center][b]Lesser Alchemical Canons[/b][/center]
	[indent][indent][i][b]Herbalism[/b][/i]: The usage of alchemical elixirs for therapeutic and salutary ends. Often used in conjunction with the Salutary arts.[/indent][/indent] 
	
[center][b]Lesser Theurgic Canons[/b][/center]
[indent][indent][i][b]Transmutation/Transmogrification[/b][/i]: Also known as “shape shifting”, this Canon has to do with the physical transmutation of one form into another, usually for a limited time, but in some cases permanently. It is distinct from Animation in that it does not interfere with a physically extant vessel or body; all transmuted forms are [i]potential[/i], and arise from the template in a given magus’ mind. Usually, a shape shifter will take the form of a great animal, daemoniac, or a spirit, but they have been known to shape themselves into household objects and, in the case of Baldo the Fat, an entire lake.[/indent][/indent]
[indent][indent][i][b]Augmentation[/b][/i]: The endowment of certain parts of one’s body with magickal properties. There are a variety of illustrative examples of Augmentation’s creative applications. For instance, the story of Ilba the Worm, who augmented his lips in such a way as to deliver electric shocks, and assassinated King Ungón of Ordáz by kissing his ring. Or Pilo the Pugilist, who augmented his fists to flame when they struck flesh. One can, with a little thought, imagine the variety of Augmentation’s applications in the bedchamber, about which there are a number of comic anecdotes.[/indent][/indent][/hider][hr]

[h3][sup][center][b]Sheets[/b][/center][/sup][/h3]
[hider=House/Otumnal Vassal Sheet][b]Name[/b]: 
[b]Emblem[/b]:
[b]Magi House[/b]: 
[b]Lesser Vassals (if any)[/b]:
[b]Ruling Family (head, heir, other members)[/b]: 
[b]History[/b]: 
[b]Relations (Who’re your friends, who’re your enemies, what are your allegiances?)[/b]:
[b]Goals & Ambitions[/b]:
[/hider]
[hider=Magi House Sheet][b]Name[/b]: 
[b]Emblem[/b]:
[b]Patron State[/b]: 
[b]Grand Opus (if any)[/b]: 
[b]Ruling Family (head, heir, other members)[/b]: 
[b]History[/b]: 
[b]Relations (Which Magi Houses are your enemies, and which are less of your enemies? Who do you have Breeding Pacts with?)[/b]: 
[b]Goals & Ambitions[/b]:
[/hider]
[hider=Magus Character Sheet][b]Name[/b]: 
[b]Magi House Affiliation (if any)[/b]: 
[b]Opus (if any)[/b]: 
[b]Description (physical and personality; an image is nice)[/b]: 
[b]Character Traits[/b]:
[b]Magickal Speciality (pick one greater and one lesser canon or two lesser canons)[/b]: 
[b]Background[/b]: 
[b]Goals & Ambitions[/b]:
[/hider] 
[hider=Non-Magus Character Sheet][b]Name[/b]: 
[b]Affiliation (if any)[/b]: 
[b]Description (physical and personality; images are nice)[/b]: 
[b]Character Traits[/b]: 
[b]Background[/b]: 
[b]Goals & Ambitions[/b]: 
[/hider]