[center][h1]Advanced Lore: The World[/h1][/center]Here, you will find basically everything that you need to know about the world of Sipenta, down to some of the itty-bitty details and idiosyncrasies of the world. Warning: it's a lot (about 15 pages), but there's also plenty that hasn't been written down or isn't covered here, and there's plenty more that just hasn't been thought of yet. If you have any ideas, I'd love to co-construct some more of this lore with your input!
[hider=World Map][center][h2]The World of Sipenta[/h2][/center]
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/55YITJz.png?2[/img][/center]
[center][url=https://i.imgur.com/rdIxuSx.png]Full Size Image[/url][/center][/hider]
[hider=The Landscape][center][h2]Five Continents[/h2][/center]Sipenta is an Earth-sized world with a similar climate, day length, and year length. However, there are a number of subtle but important differences: for starters, the land distribution is somewhat different, with the bulk of temperate land in the global south. A far greater percentage of the overall landmass also falls within the tropics and subtropics as compared to Earth. Though the climate is moderated for the many nations located along the Ensollian Sea, the primacy of more tropical and Mediterranean-style cultures over temperate ones is evident.

A lower percentage of Sipenta's surface area is also made up of land: twenty-four percent compared to twenty-nine percent for Earth. The effect is twofold: the vast majority of major countries border the ocean. In fact, within the triad of Constantia, Severa, and Tarlon, only a single nation - Inipor - is landlocked and, even then, it has an outlet to the sea through the great Arapora River system. This closenness to the sea has played a significant role in encouraging trade and exchange of ideas. From a climactic standpoint, it means that the moderating effect of the ocean is more easily felt. Except for the most inland portions of Callanast, Severa, and Rettand, few regions experience significant and long-lived temperature extremes.

Of the five continents, Callanast is by far the largest, with every major biome represented. The central part of the continent, in particular, is home to towering mountain ranges and great steppes, while the eastern arm is home to vast forests and fertile plains. In the south stretches the Neverritsuk Peninsula, as yet undiscovered by Constantian and Severan explorers: frigid, mountainous, and near barren, its furthest reaches constitute the most inhospitable place on the planet. The enormous Olaxec-Kuska-Washawi river system dominates the continent, joining nations as disparate as Chappauri at one end and Sawand at the other. At the very heart of Callanast and of this river system lies the Gods' Eye: a large crater lake nestled amongst the sparkling glaciers of the highest portion of the inland mountain ranges. From these headwaters spring the Olaxec, headed northwest, and the Kuska, headed southeast. Each river sustains a population of millions.

Next is Severa, marginally larger than its partner to the south: Constantia. For all intents and purposes, these two continents, along with their much smaller partner Tarlon, act as a single entity, sharing much in the way of trade, technology, culture, and religion. Aside from the swampy region of the Arapora Estuary, the western half of Severa is divided roughly equally into coastal highland rainforest, mountains, and the vast desert of inner Torragon and Firraz, graduating to savannah in the south. Its eastern portion is mostly savannah and rainforest as well, with a Mediterranean climate along the southern coast.

Constantia is similar in composition, but rife with bays, inlets, lakes, inland seas, and peninsulas. Its irregular coastline is ancient and home to hundreds of archipelagos. Except for the western highlands populated largely by yasoi and the golden fields of southern Perrence, most of its inhabited landmass is relatively close to a coastline. In the south lie the cold, mountainous lands of Eskand, peppered with fjords, glaciers, and taiga forest.

Rettand is named after the great country that dominates more than ninety percent of its area. While roughly half of its landmass is above the tree line and covered only with inhospitable tundra and roving herds of muskox and mammoth, thick forests and increasingly rich farmland take over as one moves south. Bays, inlets, and islands support a thriving maritime trade and fishing industry and are home to unique flora and fauna encountered nowhere else in the world.

Tarlon is the smallest of the five continents and, in many ways, simply an extension of the northern part of Severa, though it is geologically and tectonically distinct. Most of it is made of ancient, eroded mountains and rolling hills, similar to the Canadian Shield. Much of the interior is rocky, or else wetlands and forest. The center of this micro-continent is dominated by the Tantas Sea: an enormous lake famous for its megafauna and dark, cloudy water.[/hider]
[hider=The Yasoi][center][h2]A People Apart[/h2][/center]
The yasoi are an intelligent, magic-using species closely related to humans (think elves or dwarves within fantasy or neanderthals for a real-life example). Historically less numerous than humans, they possess a different (and much stronger) sort of connection with magic, weaving it holistically into the very fabric of their society in a multitude of subtle ways. For thousands of years, they have inhabited the towering highland forests of Constantia though, in the last couple hundred, they've consolidated within the eastern arm of the continent, establishing human-style countries of their own: Hypari, Yarsoc, Tanso, Oiyac, Mycormi, and Parmoy.

Within their societies, yasoi tend to be distinctly less communal than humans. From an early age, they are largely independent and are expected to seek out knowledge and purpose. They are near-boundlessly curious, often setting off on long travels in search of adventure, new experiences, and - most importantly - riches. Yasoi are hoarders, with a need to collect rare and valuable things, which they either treasure, seek to sell or trade for even greater prizes, or adorn themselves with. For most yasoi, the mere knowledge that they possess something of rarity or value can put them in a good state of mind. A Mette'stiroi (yasoi swap meet) is an event not to be missed. Fortunes are won and lost, alcohol flows liberally, stories and music fill the air, and babies tend to be made. Following these meets, individuals will generally withdraw into their own pursuits once more, as few things hold a yasoi's attention for long. It is rare not to see them in motion, humming, tapping their feet, or fiddling with something. In rare cases, they might be found in a state of intense focus. They can lose days on a single great task, with little care for other needs. It is in this way - in addition to their natural proclivity - that they become such masters of The Gift. Indeed, most view humans as unskilled practitioners and dangerous dabblers.

Their lifespans also seem to help in terms of magical knowledge. Despite their overall similarity to humans, yasoi tend to live considerably longer, with an average natural lifespan of some hundred-twenty years. It has been theorized that this longevity is due to their subtle, constant use of Temporal Magic. Of course, in practice, many fall victim to their restless natures, meeting with accidents or illness long before they would naturally expire. While they are surprisingly hardy, yasoi are generally long-limbed and lightly built. Their lanky frames tend to make them excellent climbers and they can leap considerably further than humans. While they are not particularly strong, nor are they fast sprinters, they are possessed of excellent endurance and agility. Their eyes - often green, gold, or blue - tend to be narrow and are noticeably larger than those of humans, set above high, prominent cheekbones. Yasoi tend to be pale of skin, with an almost greyish undertone. Their hair is thick and similar to that of humans, though sparse along the sides of their heads and extending along the backs of their necks often past their shoulder blades. Their fingernails and toenails are thick, fast-growing, and sharper than those of humans, and their ears tend to be slightly larger and perhaps a tiny bit pointed.

Overall, yasoi have been a familiar presence in the world of Sipenta for as long as their human cousins can remember. For all of their differences and the mutual wariness that has characterized many of their interactions, the two species are remarkably similar and have often worked in concert. Over the past couple of centuries, however, yasoi have become an increasingly uncommon sight in human towns and cities. Where, once upon a time, one would not bat an eyelash at seeing one of these people, they have morphed into a novelty. Indeed, many who live in small rural villages may now go their entire lives without seeing a yasoi. With the establishment of their own countries and the rumoured introduction of stricter codes and laws, it seems that the once joyful and adventurous yasoi have become cold and insular. Just what is going on behind the strictly-guarded borders of their six nations remains a deepening mystery to the human world.[/hider]
[hider=Cultures, Races, Regions, and Languages][center][h2]Regions[/h2][/center]
Sipenta is home to a myriad of different cultures based on region, religion, social class, and other identity factors. For the purposes of our RPG, we'll be breaking these down by region and focusing mainly on those of Constantia and Severa, where Ersand'Enise is located and the Quentic faith is predominant.

As a general rule, the lingua franca (common tongue) that most people would speak, similar to how many of us use English as a common medium and how Europeans used Latin in the past, is Avincian: the old language of the Avincian Empire. Most noble and wealthier merchant characters would be expected to have a strong command of this language in addition to their native tongue and perhaps one other major language. 
[center][h3]West Severa: Strange Bedfellows[/h3][/center][b]Politics:[/b] The section of the continent made up of everything to the west of the Torragonese narrows is dominated by three great nations: Malabash, Virang, and Torragon, with their smaller neighbours Inipor, Tettar Kansa, and Firraz generally forced to ally or pay tribute, though the storied history of Inipor and its role as a center of religion and trade render it somewhat sacrosanct. Virang and Torragon have reputations as warlike and expansionist states, and Inipor serves as a useful buffer between them.
[b]Language:[/b] The dominant language family here is the Inipori, though Torragonese is primarily Avincian-based. There are also smatterings of other Avincian tongues, as well as Belzaggic and Rettanese enclaves.
[b]Landscape:[/b] The landscape varies from humid highland tropical in the west, to lowland tropical and mangrove around the mouth of the Arapora, to mountainous in the center, arid in the northeast, and savannah in the southeast.
[b]Racial Makeup:[/b] The inhabitants of West Severa are generally what we would consider analogous to Near Eastern, Middle Eastern, and South Asian, though many inhabitants of southeastern Torragon would be closer to southern Europeans. Within Inipor and Torragon, in particular, are sizable expatriate merchant and artistic communities from East Severa that we would consider Black. Virang is home to a large and highly influential enclave of Rettanese who fled there nearly two hundred years ago during a time of dynastic strife in their home country. These people, who we would consider East Asian, have retained a strong sense of their language and culture.
[b]Religion:[/b] Unlike in the majority of the twin continents, where the Quentic faith dominates, West Severa is primarily Hexaic, worshiping six Gods instead of the Pentad (they claim that Sipenta itself is a messenger of the Sixth Gof: Vashdal, The Dreamer). Miharapori, in the far south of Inipor, is the seat of this religion. Unlike its neighbours, Torragon, conquered centuries ago by nomadic tribes of Constantian origin, is Quentic, and this is the source of considerable tension and numerous casus belli. In theory, this is the religion of state, harshly enforced, but in practice, the Torragonese are practical-minded people. There is room for all religions in their society, so long as the heathens pay their annual head tax and refrain from holding high public positions.
[hr][center][h3]East Severa: Fighting the Power[/h3][/center][b]Politics:[/b] Ever since the unification of the Belzaggic peoples under Hazwumi IV (known as 'the Wise'), the Empire of Belzagg has enjoyed overwhelming primacy among the states to the East of the Torragonese narrows. Its military might on the continent is rivaled only by Torragon and its economic clout regularly allows it to dictate trade terms. The closest thing that it has to a rival is the Republic of Joru, which controls the other half of the narrows on land with its ally of convenience, Torragon, as well as the narrows of the Ensollian Sea. The Republic has also managed, through canny political maneuvering, to make allies of Revidia and Segona to the south, and prop up an ecosystem of nominally democratic buffer states between itself and the expansionist powerhouse that is Belzagg.
[b]Language:[/b] Belzaggic languages predominate here, though the tongue of the Zagromo Islands to the east has diverged significantly over the centuries, Mezegolese dialects number in the hundreds, and the Joruban language has seen substantial changes to reflect the spirit of the revolution (among the changes, hierarchical language has been reworked and people refer to each other as 'brother' or 'sister'). In port cities, it is also not uncommon to hear a number of Avincian tongues spoken, though the Empire enthusiastically encourages foreigners to learn and use Belzaggic while on Belzaggic soil.
[b]Landscape:[/b] The western half of East Severa is primarily savannah, inhabited by much of the flora and fauna that one would expect. Along the coast, the climate is primarily Mediterranean. Eventually, this savannah transitions into fertile floodplains and tropical rainforest before rising into the Mezegol mountains in the far east.   
[b]Racial Makeup:[/b] The population of East Severa is overwhelmingly analogous to Black. These people range from what we would consider Somali, Eritrean, and Ethiopian in appearance, to Congolese, Ghanaian, and others. There are also significant expatriate communities of other nations and races in the Republics of Joru and Azjul, but these are much smaller and confined to legally delineated areas in the Empire of Belzagg.
[b]Religion:[/b] The population of East Severa is Quentic, though the Belzaggic church does not answer to the Primate of Revidia and appoints its own bishops. In the past, this led to the excommunication of numerous emperors and a discontent among the populace. An agreement was reached whereby the Emperor now does homage and accepts an 'advisor', but retains the rights to his own appointments. In Joru, there is a small but growing movement renouncing religion and embracing a 'New Rationality'. However, this is not officially supported by the authorities of the Republic.
[hr][center][h3]West Constantia: A Place of Our Own[/h3][/center][b]Politics:[/b] The entirety of West Constantia, save the Kingdom of Paggon, is yasoi. Very little of this region's internal politics are known to outsiders, though the Paggonians seem to have reached a state of uneasy understanding with their non-human neighbours. In terms of the six yasoi states, it is known that all six occupy a seat at the annual conclave of nations. Yarsoc is largely irrelevant and is actually somewhat aligned with Paggon. Tanso is locked in a long-running territorial feud with Oiyac and often eyes Paggon as a potential target for expansion. Oiyac views itself as the natural leader of the conclave, though other nations regularly joke that they allow Oiyese politicians to claim such because it will keep them happy and shut them up. Parmoy is, in most regards, a vassal of Oiyac, and Hypari has little political interplay with the others as it is a larger nation and its coast is to the south instead of on the Ensollian Sea. Mycormi is the most uneasy member of the conclave, regularly benefiting from human trade and interaction until recently. Many former merchant sailors have turned to piracy in recent years and the government has turned a blind eye.
[b]Language:[/b] With the exception of Paggon, all countries within this region speak yasoi languages, which are different from each other but at least somewhat mutually intelligible. In Paggon, a dialect of Virangese - an Inipori language - is spoken.
[b]Landscape:[/b] The western half of Constantia is mostly made up of lush highlands and cloud forests, though eastern Oiyac tends more towards fertile coastal lowlands and Yarsoc is distinctly more arid due to the rain shadow effect. Mycormi, in particular, is home to many rivers, lakes, bays, and islands, with beautiful beaches and rolling dunes.
[b]Racial Makeup:[/b] Aside from the generally Middle Eastern-analogous population of Paggon, all people in West Constantia are yasoi. While there are occasional human visitors (closely watched by some nations), there are no permanent human residents except for a small community living in the Human Quarter of the city of Cremyris in Mycormi.
[b]Religion:[/b] The Paggonian people are Hexaic in their beliefs, while their yasoi neighbours follow the Chosen Creed, which is an ancient form of proto-Quentism more in line with yasoi philosophy and magic use. Its major divergence from the human faith is its insistence that the Pentad were once mortal beings - and yasoi.
[hr][center][h3]East Constantia: The Wolf and the Serpent[/h3][/center][b]Politics:[/b] For centuries, the politics of the Ensollian Basin have been defined by the rivalry between the Kingdom of Perrence and the Confederation of Revidia. The former controls a vast territory, with rich farmland, a powerful economy, and a large army and population, making it traditionally the dominant power of the region. The latter is an empire of the sea (think Venice), with strategic control of most of the basin's trade and trade routes, a fearsome navy, a preeminent position in the arts and emerging sciences, and the seat (contested) of the Primate of the Quentic Faith. Recently, however, as tumultuous internal politics occupied the king of Perrence, the Doge of Revidia has managed to bring the Kingdom of Segona under his rule in a personal union, making him the most powerful man in Constantia and possibly the world. For the first time in centuries, the 'Hungry Wolf' of Perrence is on the back foot and its vassal states of Miatto, Crisia, and Ciero have been quietly moving towards greater independence. Meanwhile, the yasoi nation of Mycormi quietly builds up forces and reopens negotiations with its old ally, the 'Sea Serpent' of Revidia. At the far southern end of the basin, the burghers of Cirrimane eye the coming storm, hoping to profit for themselves and their quietly powerful country. Finally, the far-flung maritime republics of Balbri, Medrilan, Dorval, and Arrund watch and wait, taking their share of the trade and silently waiting to see which way the chips fall before throwing their lot in with one side or the other. Their intervention could be decisive.     
[b]Language:[/b] With the exception of Arrund, an insular Inipori exclave, all nations of the Ensollian basin speak languages descended from Avician - tongue of the long-dead empire. Only Cirrimane and tiny Feska speak languages that are hybrids of the Avincian and Eskandish trees.
[b]Landscape:[/b] Aside from the highlands and cliffs of Segona, the northern half of East Constantia consists of rolling hills and innumerable islands, bays, straits, and peninsulas. It is a place where fishing, trade, and piracy all thrive. The climate is distinctly Mediterranean for the most part, though it edges towards tropical as one nears yasoi lands. To the south, the great grasslands and forests of Perrence and Crisia are lush and verdant, the farms of these two nations able to feed many millions of mouths. Rivers and lakes meander across the countryside, wolves and deer inhabit the forests, and great herds of wild horses and cattle roam the great plains.
[b]Racial Makeup:[/b] We would consider the people of Arrund, who migrated to those islands hundreds of years prior, following a cataclysm in their homeland, distinctly South Asian in appearance. Those from Medrilan comprise the only large Black population outside of Severa. Other than these exceptions, the people of East Constantia are what we would consider White, with some appearing closer to Southern Europeans while others might remind us more of Western and Central Europeans.
[b]Religion:[/b] The Ensollian Basin is the heartland of Quentism and it is the state religion or, at the very least, overwhelmingly dominant in every country of this region. The Primate himself is located in the independent city of Verrano and, in many ways, he competes with the Zenos of Ersand'Enise for political and moral clout. The faith has a sometimes uneasy relationship with the practice of magic.
[hr][center][h3]South Constantia: The Fallen Empire[/h3][/center][b]Politics:[/b] However briefly and long ago, the entirety of South Constantia was once a single great Empire: the Empire of Eskand, and it brought the Avincian Empire to its knees. Those days, however, are long gone. Holmania, Enth, Helbahn, and especially Cirrimane have looked increasingly northward over the intervening years. Barth, and the island kingdoms of Juiskarn and Hargelich have broken away, and Eskand itself has fractured: a contested vote in its elective monarchy the culprit, a rift growing into an enduring schism. In such a weakened state, the proud nations of the south have been preyed upon for land, labour, and resources by their northern neighbours. They have by and large lost their ancient beliefs and converted to an uneasy form of Quentism with pagan holdovers. Yet, there is a common language and culture that binds them, and many whisper that, someday, Eskand will rise again.
[b]Language:[/b] The people of this region speak languages descended from the ancient Eskandish tongue, though Avincian speech has been increasingly encroaching in the northern lands. In the south, Eskand Ath and Eskand Loh both claim to be the true keepers of the language and fiercely stand by the particulars of their spelling and pronunciation.
[b]Landscape:[/b] The north of this region is home to many lakes, rivers and forests. It is a pleasant land of rolling green hills, good for farming. Further south are deep, cool woods of pine, spruce, cedar, and fir, which thin as the altitude rises and the temperature drops. Cold grassland and steppe give way to snow-capped mountains and rugged, rocky coasts, their bays and fjords home to ports and fishing villages.
[b]Racial Makeup:[/b] The population of South Constantia is nearly universally what we would consider White. In particular, the vast majority are Northern European in appearance. Only in the northern areas of this region do those of less fair complexions appear in any noteworthy numbers.
[b]Religion:[/b] South Constantia is nominally Quentic in its beliefs, though many traditions from the Old Times are still celebrated, often in hybrid form and often in concert with Quentic feasts and rituals. Every once in a while, rumours fly about that there are those who still keep or have returned to the Old Gods - Father, Mother, Sister, Brother, Visitor - and these bring about a halfhearted spasm of persecution. Though largely dismissed, perhaps there is a degree of truth to these tales. When pressed on the matter, some Eskandishmen are known to claim that the Old Gods have not died. They are merely asleep.
[hr][center][h3]Rettand: Crown of the World[/h3][/center][b]Politics:[/b] The politics of Rettand are, for the most part, those of Rettan, the country that dominates 93 percent of its area and gives the continent its name. Known for its stability over the ages, this great nation occasionally witnesses periods of internal collapse and strife. The most recent of these was a little bit less than 200 years ago, when the Endou Dynasty collapsed after a catastophic failed invasion of the island nation of Kanjiki. The refugees of the losing side made their way to Virang and settled there. Meanwhile, power soon coalesced around the current ruling dynasty: the Jehan. Today, the twin emperors rule over a land that they claim is peaceful and harmonious.
[b]Language:[/b] There are many local dialects of Rettanese, and these are - for the most part - mutually intelligible. Some populations in the far north and far south (actually on Callanast) are not ethnically Rettanese, but their local languages are in decline. 
[b]Landscape:[/b] The far north of Rettan is endless tundra and glaciers: magnificent desolation at its finest. As one moves further south, great herds of elk, yak, and mammoth roam the highland tundra and pick their way through bogs and muskeg. Sparse taiga forest gives way to thick boreal and seemingnly endless cultivated lands. Terraced fields hug mountainsides in the south and rice paddies spread across lowland floodplains. Subtropical and then tropical archipelagos echo with the calls of monkeys and birds of paradise as you hack your way through thick jungles and bamboo forests before arriving on the Callanasti mainland.
[b]Racial Makeup:[/b] Ethnically Rettanese people are what we would consider East Asian. In the south, they graduate more towards Southeast Asian in appearance. In the far north, they might remind of us Siberian or Inuit populations.
[b]Religion:[/b] There are a number of religions practiced in Rettan, including - more recently - the Quentic and Hexaic faiths. A particularly interesting one is the Angic Faith, also known as the philosophy of the Sage and the Fool. It advocates for listening to the wisdom of the sage but not forgetting to enjoy one's self, like the fool.[/hider]
[hider=Countries][center][h2]Constantia[/h2][/center][center][h3]Perrence[/h3][/center]By land area, Perrence is the largest country in Consantia, so long as you count the two Eskands separately. While its animal of state is the (now-endangered) Perrencian Wolf,(loup Perençais) many liken this powerful nation to a kraken, with its many grasping arms. 
[list][*]Location:
[*]Capital City:
[*]Head of State:
[*]Religion(s):
[*]Animal of State:
[*]Main Language:
[*]Other Languages:[/list]
[/hider] 
[hider=Social Class][center][h2]An Order to All Things[/h2][/center]Among most of the human societies of Constantia and Severa, a shared notion of social hierarchy prevails. In some countries and regions, this is expressed as a rigid quasi-caste system. In others, it takes the form of a sort of feudalism. In still others, it masquerades as a species of meritocracy. While there are increasing tensions within this hierarchy and even nations which have rejected it entirely, it remains the dominant system for organizing human societies.
[center][h3]Royalty[/h3][u][b]~0.1 - 0.5% of the population[/b][/u][/center]
Royalty, in most countries, is simply a subset of nobility, and the highest level of social class. Within Hexaic cultures, it carries an understanding that the monarch was chosen by the gods and, in particular, Vashdal, The Dreamer. Within most Quentic cultures, there is also an element of divine right, though it has increasingly come to be challenged and seen by many more as a marker of merit. In Belzagg, especially, the Emperor has taken to offering public displays of his fitness, power, and keenness of mind so that none may question his rule.
Of course, there are countries with elective monarchies, such as Revidia, Cirrimane, and Eskand, where a separate social standing for royalty does not exist. This also applies to the republics surrounding the Ensollian Sea, especially Joru and Arrund, where even the noble prerogative has been challenged or abolished. Where Royalty does enjoy its traditional privileges, however, its ranks are as follows:
[list][*]Emperor/Empress
[*]King/Queen (Sultan/Sultana)
[*]Archduke/Archduchess (Grand Duke/Grand Duchess)
[*]Prince/Princess (Emir/Emira)[/list]
[hr][center][h3]Nobility[/h3][u][b]~2 - 12% of the population[/b][/u][/center]
In all countries but the most radical of republics, nobility is either the highest tier on the social hierarchy or the second-highest. These people are responsible for the political, spiritual, magical, and military leadership of the nation. In the majority of countries, the ranks of nobility are as follows:
[list][*]Duke/Duchess
[*]Marquis/Marchioness (Margrave/Margavine)
[*]Count/Countess (Earl, Yarl)
[*]Viscount/Viscountess
[*]Baron/Baroness[/list]
In the elective monarchy of Eskand Ath, any noble with a rank of Count or greater may stand for election. In Eskand Loh, one must be at least a Marquis. Revidia largely ignores the order of precedence in noble ranks, and the leader is chosen from amongst the nobility for a life term based on a free vote of all propertied adults who belong to a recognized noble house or a trade guild. In most societies, ranking members of the clergy (abbots, bishops, archbishops, and cardinals) are considered members of the nobility and come largely from noble families. Zenos and other ranking members of the magical establishment are also counted as nobility.
[hr][center][h3]Merchant[/h3][b]~2 - 7% of the population[/b][/center]In the most traditional of old feudal states as well as the more conservative Hexaic cultures, there are simply nobility and commoners. However, the majority of Constantian and Severan nations recognize the merchant class as a separate entity: a group below nobility who substitute military, religious, and political leadership for economic and scientific. While some merchants are little more than simple sellers of goods, in many cases - especially in Revidia and the maritime republics - there are those who have become wealthier and more politically powerful than their nominal noble superiors. Increasingly, this has led to a variety of responses:
[list][*]Intermarriage between the two groups, with nobility gaining wealth and merchants gaining status.
[*]Class antagonism, with nobility actively trying to prevent the rise of merchants to positions of power and merchants actively trying to undermine noble power.
[*]An adjustment of rules and privileges for the two classes to place them on more equal footing but with clearly delineated and separate spheres of responsibility.[/list]
Use of The Gift is not uncommon within merchant circles, and is often a marker of status and signal of equality to members of the nobility. It certainly opens up doors that might otherwise be closed, and the majority of merchants should have the means to afford tuition for their children at an academy or at least a tutor. If not, their trade guilds are usually happy to view a loan for that education as a worthwhile investment.
[hr][center][h3]Civil Servant[/h3][b][u]~1 - 10% of the population[/u][/b][/center]As bureaucracies expand in many countries across the twin continents and monarchs and presidents alike grow wary of the vested interests of the noble and merchant classes, a new social distinction has emerged: that of the civil servant. While accorded similar privileges to artisans in most countries, in a handful, they have become recognized as a distinct social class, with their own rights and responsibilities. In particular, they are highly valued in Belzagg and (outside of the twin continents) Rettan and have a growing role within Revidia and Perrence. In radical republics such as Joru and Arrund, civil servants, though not recognized as a distinct class (these societies do not recognize class itself), are highly regarded, and fill all governmental roles.
As a general rule, few from the civil servant class possess aptitude with The Gift and, if they're trained, it's usually on the dollar of a powerful or wealthy sponsor.
[hr][center][h3]Artisan[/h3][b][u]~3 - 10% of the population[/u][/b][/center]Always an informal societal role in most cultures, artisans are the group of people employed in skilled trades: the crafters, weavers, brewers, outfitters, and others who create the wares that society needs to function. Generally considered freemen and exempt from being levied as front-line soldiers in times of military conflict, their skills, often passed down from generation to generation, afford them other minor privileges over commoners in most societies. While most artisans are humble people and many are not literate, some particularly prosperous members of this group market their own wares on a larger scale, blurring the line between merchant and artisan. In other cases, clerks, performers, printers, and recordkeepers are considered artisans, and can become quite wealthy should they play their cards right. While use of The Gift is rare within this group, it is not unheard of, though a magically talented youngster will often require sponsorship from her local lord or trade guild in order to afford tuition at a magic academy. Fortunately, many artisans have connections to these people.
[hr][center][h3]Commoner[/h3][b][u]~50 - 90% of the population[/u][/b][/center]Commoners make up the bulk of every state's population, with the vast majority living in small villages and towns in the countryside and subsisting as farmers. Smaller numbers make their livings as sailors, soldiers, miners, fishermen, and labourers. Though some are yeomen, and free to move about the country, others have obligations to their lords, and still others are serfs - entirely tied to the land on which they were born. Unless enlisted for military service or joining a convent or abbey, very few commoners ever travel more than fifty kilometers from their home during their lifetimes and even fewer are literate. Use of The Gift is virtually nonexistent within this lowest and largest of social classes, and on the rare occasions when it appears, talent scouts from Ersand'Enise or another noteworthy academy are usually quick to recognize it and snatch the gifted youngster up. Such families are usually touted as having been blessed by the Pentad and are ennobled to head off the possibility of class antagonism.
[hr][center][h3]Slave[/h3][b][u]~5 - 35% of the population[/u][/b][/center]While many countries have outlawed or restricted the keeping of slaves, this reprehensible practice still exists within some. Slaves can come from any previous social class but, in practice, are almost always commoners. Most slaves are adults and children born into slavery are rare. Partially as a result, use of The Gift almost never manifests in slaves and, if it does, is usually hidden or strongly discouraged. Those few in recorded history who've shown exceptional abilities have become the stuff of legend, but there are likely others who were quietly eliminated before they could pose a threat to their masters.[/hider]
[hider=Days, Months, Seasons, and Years][center][h1]The Rule of Five[/h1][/center][center][h2]Days and Weeks[/h2][/center]
There are five days of the week, and so seventy-three weeks in a year. In different languages, they are known as:
[b]Avincian:[/b] Taldes, Pandes, Orredes, Lepdes, Victendes
[b]Revidian:[/b] Taldi, Pandi, Orredi, Lepdi, Viddendi
[b]Perrench:[/b] Teldi, Pennedi, Hordi, Lipdi, Bianche
[b]Torragonese:[/b] Tasses, Pannes, Orrades, Lendes, Blancho
[b]Loh Eskandish:[/b] Dallday, Freckday, Higgensday, Stillday, Shonday
[b]Ath Eskandish:[/b] Delday, Frickday, Hegensday, Stalday, Thonday
[b]Belzaggic:[/b] Tolduch, Parduch, Gorduch, Lebduch, Zarduch
[hr][center][h2]Seasons, Months, and Festivals[/h2][/center]A year on Sipenta is 365 days long and is divided into five seasons and ten months (two for each season). These months are thirty-six or thirty-seven days long. In different languages, their names are:
[b]Avincian:[/b] Tiptos, Tellos, Vardes, Assani, Velles, Mittria, Ardanes, Jores, Carles, and Zales.
[b]Revidian:[/b] Tippio, Tello, Varri, Assani, Vellia, Mirrari, Errara, Giorte, Calla, and Zallo
[b]Perrench:[/b] Tippe, Tellose, Verdi, Assende, Velle, Metrie, Arres, Jorre, Cheaux, and Seaux.
[b]Torragonese:[/b] Tapos, Telosa, Varri, Arrande, Viela, Mata, Hata, Juare, Cali, and Zaron.
[b]Loh Eskandish:[/b] Tiktas, Telkas, Vardith, Asted, Velka, Mittrech, Hedreth, Jarred, Kell, and Zeax.
[b]Ath Eskandish:[/b] Tiptas, Telas, Varrdi, Astad, Velath, Mittrich, Hadreth, Jorred, Kol, and Zeax.
[b]Belzaggic:[/b] Belgo, Tellaz, Vorrag, Azan, Vela, Mota, Homuch, Yogu, Chell, and Zagg.  

[center][h3]Hundri[/h3][/center][center][img]https://thumb.mp-farm.com/0120155/preview.jpg[/img][/center]
[b]Associated God:[/b] Ipte (the lover)
[b]Months:[/b] Tiptos and Tellos
[b]Connection to God:[/b] time spent with those you love, importance of love and warmth, many children conceived
[b]Equivalent Months:[/b] January - first half of March (January 1 - March 14)
[b]Holiday:[/b] takes place in the first week of the year and is a continuation of Somnes’ holiday. It begins with a mass catharsis and celebration on the first day, and tails off over the week, representing the course of love and beauty and how it both lasts and fades. Beautiful decorations and feasting. Ample leftovers to be eaten as the feast continues.
[hr][center][h3]Stresia[/h3][/center][center][img]https://www.islay.blog/images/articles/daffodils-bridgend-woods-islay_5.jpg[/img][/center]
[b]Associated God:[/b] Shune (the learner)
[b]Months:[/b] Vardes and Assani
[b]Connection to God:[/b] represents growth and new discovery
[b]Equivalent Months:[/b] second half of March - May (March 15 - May 26)
[b]Holiday:[/b] takes place in midseason. The day of skills (week of skills for some nobility) in which people hold competitions, concerts, talent shows, and dances. This is a time of pride in one’s accomplishments and skills, particularly in the case of children. This holiday plays very differently depending on class and culture.
[hr][center][h3]Dorrad[/h3][/center][center][img]http://sun-surfer.com/photos/2013/06/Summer-Forest-Herefordshire-England.jpg[/img][/center]
[b]Associated God:[/b] Oraff (the creator)
[b]Months:[/b] Velles and Mittria
[b]Connection to God:[/b] height of flourishing, when the world is most alive
[b]Equivalent Months:[/b] end of May - early August (May 27 - August 7)
[b]Holiday:[/b] There are two during this season: a Mother’s Day at the start, celebrating the giving of life, and a Father’s Day at the end, celebrating the protection and preservation of life.
[hr][center][h3]Rezain[/h3][/center][center][img]https://cache.desktopnexus.com/thumbseg/1159/1159794-bigthumbnail.jpg[/img][/center]
[b]Associated God:[/b] Eshiran (the destroyer)
[b]Months:[/b] Ardanes and Jores
[b]Connection to God:[/b] Harvest is the reaping. Summer ends and leaves fall
[b]Equivalent Months:[/b] Second half of August - first half of October (August 8 - October 19)
[b]Holiday:[/b] Two of them - day of the dead at the start of the season and a harvest festival at the end. Day of the dead varies depending on what sort of year it was and is informally tied to the preserver’s day immediately beforehand. There is a rising trend among the merchant class of holding masquerade balls.
[hr][center][h3]Somnes[/h3][/center][center][img]https://images.pond5.com/winter-walk-forest-rainy-day-footage-147221010_iconl.jpeg[/img][/center]
[b]Associated God:[/b] Dami (the judge)
[b]Months:[/b] Carles and Zales
[b]Connection to God:[/b] review of the year, final season is the final say or impression; a sober, somber time
[b]Equivalent Months:[/b] second half of October - December (October 20 - December 31)
[b]Holiday:[/b] Comes on the last five days of the year. Each day is a year-in-review reflection of how well you served each of the gods, in order, ending with the judge. On that day, you solemnly set your resolutions for the coming year and choose an item to add to your memory box. Every fifth year of your life, you open the box and take an item out each of the five days, reflecting on that instead of the gods. In some cultures, resolutions are between you and Dami, in others, they are discussed and shared around the dinner table, in others, you receive them from people in your life whose roles correspond in some way to each of the gods’. In a few, you only share your resolutions with a single ‘guarantor’, whose job it is to help you stay true to your goals. Your guarantor is usually someone who is senior to you or a responsible peer.
[hr][center][h2]Years[/h2][/center]Years on Sipenta work in a rolling system where five years at a time are dedicated to a particular aspect (or both aspects or neither) and also a particular god of the Pentad before both change. There are four aspect types (ahn, zept, ahn-sept, and none) while there are five gods, so any exact combination only repeats after exactly one century. Essentially, there are three components to a year: the aspect name, the deity name, and a number. For example, the very first year after the deposition of the last Avincian Emperor (which marks the start of the current calendar) was Ahn-Ipte 1. The second was Ahn-Ipte 2, then 3, 4, and 5. After those five years passed, the next aspect was Zept and the next god was Shune, so it was Shune-Zept 1, then Shune-Zept 2, and so on. For a better illustration, please take a look [url=https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1_DCjetLlXgLm3En9R6mJe2AAaDoKyQ2EfLWo6Pf9i5E/edit?usp=sharing]here[/url]. 

When a five-year cycle honours both aspects of a god, as happens once each century for each god, that god is considered to be in ascendance, as Shune was when the current cohort of students entering the Ersand'Enise Academy was born. Fourteen years have passed so, for reference, the current year is Dami-Zept 54 (or DZ54, for short).[/hider]
[hider=Religious Orders][center][h2]Five Gods, Five Orders[/h2][/center]The Quentic Faith organizes its religious orders into one for each deity in the Pentad. They take variations on the names of their associated seasons. Monks and nuns of a given order are responsible to all five divine members of the Pentad, but especially to the particular deity that they serve. Each order also contains suborders, with their own original vestments, purposes, and structure of governance. Every monastery of monks or convent of nuns is headed by an abbot or abbess, respectively. These are almost always members of the nobility, while other members may be of any social class.[center][h3]The Hundrian Order[/h3][/center]Deity Served: Ipte
Associated Season: Hundri
Blessing: “Ipte enchant you”
Suborders:
[list][*]Gold Order Hundrians: Counselors and advisors who facilitate family relationships 
 - 50% nuns, 50% monks
[*]Green Order Hundrians: Gardeners and animal husbandry who cultivate beauty in nature 
 - 40% nuns, 60% monks
[*]Vermilion Order Hundrians: Courtesans and escorts dedicated to the arts of sexual love
 - 70% nuns, 30% monks
[*]Orange Order Hundrians – Counselors and therapists committed to facilitating marriages
 - 60% nuns, 40% monks
[*]Turquoise Order Hundrians – Performers, muses, and models who showcase human beauty
 - 40% nuns, 60% monks[/list][hr][center][h3]The Stresian Order[/h3][/center]Deity Served: Shune
Associated Season: Stresia
Blessing: “Shune enlighten you”
Suborders:
[list][*]Stresian Scribes: responsible for the transcription of books and recordkeeping
 - 60% nuns, 40% monks
[*]Stresian Sages: live in remote areas engaged in the study of time, space, and magic
 - 50% nuns, 50% monks
[*]Stresian Philosophers: scientists, thinkers, and inventors engaged in the natural sciences
 - 30% nuns, 70% monks
[*]Stresian Scholars: teachers, instructors, and researchers 
 - 50% nuns, 50% monks
[*]Stresian Thaumaturges: scholars and practitioners of magic, particularly holy magic
 - 60% nuns, 40% monks[/list][hr][center][h3]The Dordian Order[/h3][/center]Deity Served: Oraff
Associated Season: Dorrad
Blessing: “Oraff keep you”
Suborders:
[list][*]Sisters of the Sunrise: dedicated to assisting with childbirth and infant care
 - 100% nuns
[*]Sisters of the Sunset: doctors, healers, and carers for the elderly
 - 100% nuns
[*]Brothers of the Sunset: doctors, healers, and carers for the elderly
 - 100% monks
[*]Brothers of the Unconquered Sun: protectors, paladins, and magical healers
 - 100% monks
[*]Sisters of the Unconquered Sun: magical healers, menders, and protectors 
 - 100% nuns
[*]Children of the Nourishing Sun: dedicated to the preservation and protection of nature
 - 50% nuns, 50% monks[/list][hr][center][h3]The Rezaindian Order[/h3][/center]Deity Served: Eshiran
Associated Season: Rezain
Blessing: “Eshiran empower/spare you”
Suborders:
[list][*]White Rezaindians: care for the dying, easing their passage to the afterlife
 - 80% nuns, 20% monks
[*]Grey Rezaindians: burial of the dead, mourning, and commemration
 - 70% nuns, 30% monks
[*]Black Rezaindians: assassins in service of the Death God
 - 20% nuns, 80% monks
[*]Brown Rezaindians: maintenance of graveyards and monuments
 - 40% nuns, 60% monks
[*]Red Rezaindians: warrior monks who spread and protect the faith
 - 10% nuns, 90% monks
[*]Blue Rezaindians: disposal and destruction of unwanted things
 - 40% nuns, 60% monks[/list][hr][center][h3]The Somnian Order[/h3][/center]Deity Served: Dami
Associated Season: Somnes
Blessing: “Dami guide you”
Suborders:
[list][*]High Somnians: judges, lawyers, and justices of the peace
 - 30% nuns, 70% monks
[*]Old Somnians: advocates - keepers and enforcers of tradition and morality
 - 50% nuns, 50% monks
[*]New Somnians: advocates - challengers of traditional morality, guarantors of free choice
 - 50% nuns, 50% monks
[*]Grand Somnians: advisors to royalty and high nobility, lawmakers
 - 30% nuns, 70% monks
[*]Light Somnians: protectors of due process, fairness, and legal transparency 
 - 60% nuns, 40% monks
[*]Dark Somnians: dispensers of vigilante justice, clandestine challengers of injustice
 - 20% nuns, 80% monks[/list][/hider]