[center][h1]World Lore[/h1][/center][hr][hider=World Map][center][h2]The World of Sipenta[/h2][/center]
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/FYHS3Wo.png[/img][/center]
[center][url=https://i.imgur.com/FYHS3Wo.png]Full Size Image[/url][/center][/hider]
[hider=Five Thrones][center][h1]A World Order[/h1][h3]Crystal. Radiant. Verdant. Ivory. Iron.[/h3][/center]
In the beginning, when the Firstborn crawled out from their caves and looked up at the heavens, they saw five moons in the night sky. When they had grown wise enough in the ways of the world to understand that the five moons were the messengers of the Five members of the Pentad, they found bestowed upon them knowledge of The Gift and many other great things with which to build the civilizations that stand today. This did not happen all in a single place or at a single time. Rather, it came to those who were prepared for it. Five great kingdoms arose to lead the world into the light and grace of the Pentad. Over the centuries, the identities of those Five kingdoms have changed, as all things change. Their mandate has remained, however. Holding one of the Five Thrones marks a country with leadership, power, and blessings. Every five-by-five years, when the conclave of Zenos meets in the hallowed halls of Ersand'Enise, representatives of all civilized lands make their cases as to why [i]their[/i] people should hold one of the the thrones with all of the privileges and responsibilities that it entails. Of course... having a little bit of money on hand or an especially large army also helps.
[hr][h3]Crystal: Perrence[/h3]
[b]God represented:[/b] Ipte
[b]Currently held by:[/b] Perrence (250 years)
[b]Appearance:[/b] The current iteration of this throne has been in existence for two-hundred-fifty years, since the Conclave of the Five Thrones began being formally held. Other, similar versions predate it, as Perrence has always held the Crystal Throne. This version is an imposing yet elegant structure made largely of amethyst, tourmaline, and quartz crystals, held together by bands of gold and silver and inlaid with fine filigree in the form of vines and roses. It is often adorned with fresh seasonal flowers and, during Rezain, fine produce, recently harvested.
[hr][h3]Radiant: Revidia[/h3]
[b]God represented:[/b] Shune
[b]Currently held by:[/b] Revidia (175 years)
[b]Appearance:[/b] The current iteration of this throne has been in existence for twenty-five years. It is rebuilt and improved upon before every congregation. This version is made of molded stained glass designed to evoke crashing waves and a seashell-shaped backrest. It is illuminated through the use of Arcane Magic and projects the scenes on its stained glass panels onto the walls of the throne room. Whenever the Radiant Throne is occupied, a practitioner of The Gift must be present to maintain its glow.
[hr][h3]Verdant: Eskand[/h3]
[b]God Represented:[/b] Oraff
[b]Currently held by:[/b] Eskand (75 years, Ath & Loh disputed)
[b]Appearance:[/b] The current iteration of this throne has been in existence since the beginning of recorded history, though it has been used only occasionally, when Eskand is in ascendance enough to justify occupying one of the five thrones. Some theorize that the throne's beauty and storied nature is one of the main reasons why this currently unremarkable nation occupies such a place of honour. The Eskandish version of the Verdant Throne is sculpted from a living tree of unknown species, ancient and gnarled. Great branches snake around it, carefully sculpted over time, forming armrests, providing an evergreen canopy of shade, and blooming with flowers and delectable red fruit seasonally.
[hr][h3]Ivory: Belzagg[/h3]
[b]God Represented:[/b] Eshiran
[b]Currently held by:[/b] Belzagg (50 years)
[b]Appearance:[/b] The current iteration of this throne has been in existence for one hundred years, ever since Belzagg felt it should've been theirs. As relative outsiders to the internal politics of Constantia, this mighty but insular empire was frozen out of the running for a very long time. The throne itself is also known as the Throne of Bones (Lebaz k'Agmar) and is an elegant, eerie structure made of elephant tusks, sabre-toothed tiger fangs, and animal skulls won during the Belzaggic Emperor's hunts. These trophies are polished to a lustrous sheen, inlaid with gold and rare gemstones, and added to the Ivory Throne over time.
[hr][h3]Iron: Torragon[/h3]
[b]God Represented:[/b] Dami
[b]Currently held by:[/b] Torragon (100 years)
[b]Appearance:[/b] The current iteration of this throne has been in existence for one hundred years, but portions of it can be traced back at least three hundred, to the throne of Samaur the Hammer, first chieftain of the Torraro people to be consecrated king. Angular and imposing, the Iron Throne is forged from what seems to be a single massive coal-black hunk of iron. Intricate scenes of the nation's history are carved in thin bands around its back and armrests and, above the monarch's head is mounted the famous Eye of the Judge - Samaur's legendary ruby, which is larger than a man's fist. The great chair is said to be distinctly uncomfortable to sit on. Perhaps this is a reflection of the Torragonese belief that a leader does not command by word, but by action.[/hider]
[hider=Sentient and Near-Sentient Species of Sipenta, Past and Present][center][h2]A Guide to Sentient and Near-Sentient Species of Sipenta, Past and Present[/h2][/center]Sentience on Sipenta began to emerge substantially about a half-million years before the present (BP). It has developed in two overarching branches: among the great apes and particularly the genus 'homo', which presently includes the two yasoi species, humans, hegelans, and the more distantly-related Eeaiko, and among the great serpents, particularly the genus 'colubris', of which sirrahi are the only extant member following the recent extinction of the aquatic Meerami. below is a guide to these evolutionary branches.  

[u][b]Genus Homo and Related Genera[/b][/u]

Homo Sapiens Angustus: Eastern Yasoi (180,000 BP - extant)
Homo Sapiens Ingenium: Humans (210,000 BP - extant)
Homo Sapiens Gracilis: Western Yasoi (220,000 BP - extant)
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Homo Hegelensis Efferus: Constantian and Severan Hegelans (290,000 BP - extant)
Homo Hegelensis Faberus: Callanasti Hegelans (290,000 BP - extant)
Homo Litoralis Furtus: Eeaiko (190,000 BP - extant)
Homo Pernix Arcanum: Smallfolk (330,000 BP - 7,000 BP)
Homo Harpax Horribilis: Trolls (410,000 BP - 38,000 BP)
Homo Pilosus Stultus: 'Hairy Savage Men' (290,000 BP - 42,000 BP)
Homo Immanis Crassus: Ogres (450,000 BP - 11,000 BP)
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Volanopithecus Vespertilius: Ripchik (590,000 BP - 60,000 BP)
Volanopithecus Crinitus: Ermuli (420,000 BP - 45,000 BP)

[u][b]Genus Colubris and Related Genera[/b][/u]

Colubris Trebax: Sirrahi (30,000 BP - extant)
Colubris Natatorius: Meerami (120,000 BP - 1000 BP)
Colubris Simplex: Lesser Sirrahi (240,000 BP - 30,000 BP)
Colubris Infelicis: Djamantese Sirrahi (110,000 BP - 7,000 BP)
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Doloranguis Crusus: Isscor (310,000 BP - 28,000 BP)
Doloranguis Furvus: Mahassi (190,000 BP - 80,000 BP) [/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 Darhannic, (also known as Hexaic), worshiping six Gods instead of the Pentad (they claim that Sipenta itself is a messenger of the Sixth God: 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 stealthily 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 Kerremand 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 Kerremand 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 vast 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 Kerremand 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 Nikan. 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 seemingly 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=The Yasoi][center][h2]A People Apart[/h2]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/lu7UF5P.png[/img][/center]
Unique among the significant peoples of Constantia, Severa, and Tarlon, yasoi (Homo Sapiens Angustus) are not actually human (Homo Sapiens Ingenium). An entirely separate sentient species, they are somewhat closely related to their more common cousins but noticeably visually distinct. Compared to humans, yasoi are considerably (about 30 cm or one foot) taller on average and rather lanky or gangling in appearance. They have high, prominent cheekbones and broader, more prominent nasal bridges. Their large eyes are most commonly found in shades ranging from blue through green, yellow, and orange. These are well-adapted to the dimness of their deep forest lands and reflect the light at night in a manner similar to those of many animals. 

Also distinguishing them from humans are their ears: larger, more sensitive to picking out individual, distant sounds, and pointed at the tips. Their olfactory system is well-developed as well and, in general they tend to be far more sensory-based than their cousins. As a general rule, yasoi skin is notable for being pale, with some individuals sporting an almost greyish undertone. Their fingernails tend to be thick, sharp, and fast-growing compared to those of humans. In general, it is possible for a person to mistake one species for the other from a distance or in rapid passing, but most can readily tell them apart.

Cognitively, culturally, and socially, yasoi are also quite a people apart. Their heavily sensory-oriented nature all-but guarantees that they are experience seekers. Compelled to near boundless curiosity, they are famous (and sometimes infamous) for their travels and their need to collect things of rarity and value only to quickly swap these in distant lands for others. Indeed, it is held by some that these dynamic people have contributed more to human exchange of knowledge and culture than humans themselves. To participate in a yasoi Mette'stiroi (swap festival) is to be part of a visual, musical, olfactory and tactile carnival of delights. Over the span of one week, fortunes are won and lost, alcohol flows liberally, stories and music fill the air, and babies are made by the dozens. There are feasts of everything that the yasoi can gather: tasty or tasteless all, and this is also the only place where traditional 'Tetsoi' (facial and body tattoos) can be earned. Yet, for all of their curiosity and copious use of the Gift in service of their epic wanderlust, the yasoi are often stunningly socially inept by human standards. Judging by these metrics, they are rude and unfiltered, flighty, inconsistent, and either obnoxiously talkative or else withdrawn and antisocial once engrossed in a pursuit. 

Indeed, this extreme dichotomy of focus is both one of their foremost strengths and most crippling weaknesses. When engaged with a pursuit or dedicated to learning a skill or some knowledge, yasoi are utterly, obsessively relentless. Time and other needs will fade to the background and they will achieve or master that thing. Combined with their long lifespans (120 years on average compared to 80 for humans), they often possess skills and knowledge that their cousins simply can't match. On the obverse, yasoi are also eternally restless and often reckless. Unless zeroed in on a particular obsession, it is rare to find a yasoi sedentary or relaxed. Even then, they are often fidgeting, humming, daydreaming, or swapping madly between tasks. Their society is hierarchical, like that of humans, though these hierarchies are generally based on respect for deeds done, magical ability, skills mastered, and others sponsored as opposed to land owned and raw production of goods. A king or queen is generally elderly and finished with traveling. She or he presides over an area and guides it until death. At that point, another family member or close friend who is entering old age will take over. The same process is true for nobility, who are known exclusively as 'Barons'. This is all to say that yasoi society runs on its own sort of organized chaos and functions quite well. However, when this is interrupted by outside action, the results are often catastrophic. 

Interruptions became increasingly common during much of the high medieval period as they established increasingly open and fluid ties with humans. Though yasoi acknowledge ownership over objects and the importance of private spaces, they struggle with notions of owning land. It seems, to them, a queer concept: you, this fleeting little ape-creature, claiming a piece of eternal land exclusively for yourself, regardless of how much you actually use it, and then threatening some form of violence against others who dare walk over it. While, today, nearly all of their people live in the yasoi nations of western Constantia with their towering highland cloud forests or on the cloistered island subcontinent of Tarlon, they historically lived wherever they pleased, often semi-nomadic and changing locations within a general area every handful of years. For millennia, this caused friction with the more rigid human societies that tended to occupy those lands, and yasoi were occasionally viewed as a nuisance who refused to pay taxes, stole fruit and game from private forests, and shirked their duties as people under the protection of a particular lord. Some took this even further and characterized them as a threat due to their unusual nature and powerful way with The Gift.

Indeed, this is something that they weave holistically into their lives, not distinguishing between schools of magic, not beholden to certain numbers or types. There have long existed rumours, however, that they manipulate time and space itself, in the fashion of idiot savants, and that is why they live so long. This knowledge was, in the past, jealously guarded, until it inevitably slipped out roughly two centuries ago into the hands of humans, who have always been sophomoric pracitioners and dangerous dabblers in magic to the yasoi mind.

For reasons not quite understood, the results have been disastrous for the relationship between the two species. 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, Constantian yasoi have become an increasingly uncommon sight in human towns and cities, retreating behind increasingly fortified borders of Mycormi, Oiyac, Hypari, Tanso, Yarsco, and Parmoy. More recently, Tarlonese yasoi hae done much the same, sealing off their island home. 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 thirteen nations remains a deepening mystery to the human world.

[b][u]Countries (by population):[/u][/b] Tantiac, Mycormii, Oiyac, Hypari, Osai, Yarsoc, Parmoy, Yandel, Tanso, Nanoi, Luuntiil, Geluum, Medlac.

[u][b]Major Cities and Regions:[/b][/u] Hyntsax, Marposhy, Anentso, Luxiil, Coiyram, Mycormi, Sasaij, Jyndiin, Oiyac, Hydarbo, Biindach, Iilynash, Nettestiij, Hybaxi, Yrand, Misicoira, Chytariin, Shentabi, Halyeth, Tettabi, Sytelip, Heluula.

[u][b]Common Heraldic Symbols:[/b][/u] Monkey, Sparrow, Eagle, Cloud Bear, Leopard, Rose, Poppy, Serpent, Strangler Fig, Chain, Grand Sequoia, Hooked Blade, Spear, Sun.

[u][b]Naming Customs:[/b][/u] In yasoi cultures, a cognomen is inserted between given and family names and these are separated by apostrophes. Traditionally, this has been something earned due to a trait or exploit, but it can also be inherited. (Given name) (Cognomen) (Family name): Talit'yrash'osmax. Occasionally, two cognomens are given: Ismet'ych'lahin'dichora.[/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, Kerremand, 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=Telling the Time][center][h2]Hours, Minutes, and Seconds[/h2][/center]

Constantia, Severa, and Tarlon enjoy a standardized method of telling the time and, aided by the popularity of Kerreman clockwork, this has spread to Rettan and parts of Callanast over the past century, also becoming commonplace there. In this conception of time, there are 25 hours in a day divided into five sections. 

[b]HI -[/b] The five Hours of Ipte (HI) occupy the latest and most remote part of the night, when most people are in the embrace of sleep and the few who aren't are usually... up to things. 
[i]Example: 2:15 HI[/i]

[b]HS -[/b] The five hours of Shune (HS) occupy the period from first light into later morning, when most people awaken, start to think,  and become productive. 
[i]Example: 3:30 HS[/i]

[b]HO -[/b] The five hours of Oraff (HO) occupy the period from late morning through the early afternoon, when life is at its busiest, most flourishing, and most productive. 
[i]Example: 5:48 HO[/i]

[b]HE -[/b] The five hours of Eshiran (HE) occupy the period from later afternoon until dusk, when the daylight dies and people's main activities conclude along with it.
[i]Example: 1:07 HE[/i]

[b]HD -[/b] The five Hours of Dami (HD) occupy the period from just after sunset until the later hours of the night, when people go to sleep, reflecting on thier day and what comes tomorrow. 
[i]Example: 2:36 HD[/i]

There are fifty seconds to a minute, but each of these is about 1.4 Earth seconds. Hours are fifty minutes long and, as mentioned above, each section of the day has five. These begin at 1:00 and go up to 5:49. Then, it'll be 1:00 in the next section.[/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]Kerreman:[/b] Telltag, Fritag, Hegnstag, Lentag, Vintag
[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
[b]Joruban:[/b] Tollu, Parru, Goru, Ledu, Zaru
[b]Virangish:[/b] Hāttas, Sarbas, Uhibas, Khabas, Iirbas
[b]Paggonian:[/b] Hāttom, Sarbom, Uhibom, Khabom, Elhira
[b]Rettanese:[/b] QiDu, QiTi, QiSa, QiJia, QiRu
[b]Tan Keoulean:[/b] JiDu, JiTa, JiSul, JiRi, JiEun
[b]Nikanese:[/b] Daioshi, Toyoshi, Saioshi, Rihoshi, Aoshi
[b]Xolectoxan:[/b] Hoetaztli, Ilihiztli, Zahuatli, Atematli, Xozehuitl
[b]Nashibansek:[/b] Nahiin'gzabik, Ihkwaa'gzaabik, Semihaash, Shaans'gzabiik, Bitaase'gzabiik 
[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]Kerreman:[/b] Tippe, Telse, Varte, Aste, Valke, Mitte, Harte, Jurre, Kalle, Zaxe
[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.  
[b]Joruban:[/b] Topo, Tilo, Furro, Asante, Vollu, Motu, Huaru, Yogu, Joll, Salé
[b]Virangish:[/b] Hasirang, Arfatt, Zehelli, Jahass, Ohimuk, Akbin, Tahara, Elirang, Angkari, Zaha
[b]Paggonian:[/b] Hasiron, Erfett, Zehari, Jahang, Homang, Aktir, Tahera, Ehirang, Angeri, Zaha
[b]Rettanese:[/b] DuSin, TiSin, SaSin, JiaSin RuSin, HoSin, TanSin, QuSin, XiuSin
[b]Tan Keoulean:[/b] DuSe, TaSe, SulIse, RiSe, EunSe, HaSe, TanSe, ChuSe, GyuSe
[b]Nikanese:[/b] Daiheji, Toiheji, Saiheji, Riheji, Aoheji, Hinheji, Taneji, Goheji, Danheji 
[b]Xolectoxan:[/b] Oholexti, Hlataxa, Atemhatl, Zahuatl, Olemixti, Rezahui, Lotahoelli, Xihuitl, Olaxa, Eloextic
[b]Nashibansek:[/b] Maanito'Isgah, Esko'Isgah, Agahad'Isgah, Siimah'Isgah, Meshisek'Isgah, Wagisek'Isgah, Kohiin'Isgah, Shaanase'Isgah, Ibangaweo'Isgah, Tabaawash'Isgah 
[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=The Landscape][center][h1]Five Continents[/h1][/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.
[h3]Callanast[/h3]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.
[h3]Severa[/h3]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.
[h3]Constantia[/h3]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.
[h3]Rettand[/h3]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.
[h3]Tarlon[/h3]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=Currencies of the Twin Continents][center][h2]Currencies of the Twin Continents[/h2][/center]
There are many types of coins in use throughout the twin continents, and many quasi-currencies. Most merchants and tithe and tax collectors will still happily accept payment in gold, silver, and other valuable goods and barter systmes are quite common. However, the strangth of currency as the primary medium of economic exchange is unchallenged in most nations, particularly in urban centers. Below is a guide to some currencies by nationality. For reference, 1 Revidian Corona would be equal to about $50 US, and most coinages are still based on the gold standard. 

[list][*]Revidia: 1 Corona = 25 Coroncina = 25 Alloro
[*]Perrence: 1 Couronne = 25 Diadème = 25 Laurier
[*]Belzagg: 1 Kizan = 12 Gazu = 12 Beggo 
[*]Kerremand: 1 Drachen = 10 Natter = 10 Frosch
[*]Torragon: 1 Corona = 100 Lauro
[*]Eskand: 1  Neskal = 50 Konge = 10 Jern = 10 Skat
[*]Joru: 1 Dola = 100 Owo
[*]Rettan: 1 Jīn = 5 Yín = 5 Tóng
[*]Virang: 1 Kurush = 12 Akçe (Asper) = 12 Lira
[*]Helbahn: 1 Mark = 10 Solme = 10 Halper
[*]Huulendam: 1 Drachen = 50 Rook = 10 Melder
[*]Medrilan: 1 Merora = 5 Ember = 25 Imaldo
[*]Kressia: 1 Sind = 25 Ochem = 10 Casting
[*]Nikan: 1 Kinshi = 1000 Yan
[*]Segona: 1 Coroa = 10 Ilmao = 25 Ramba[/list]

The most widespread currencies are the Perrench Couronne and Revidian Corona, which are accepted anywhere in the twin continents and often used as reserve currencies. For practical reasons, they are minted at the same gold weight and, pegged to each other, and accepted at a 1:1 ratio. Revidian coins, in particular, tend to find their way all around the twin continents and often across the ocean to Rettan, Sawand, Xolectoxo, and other exotic locations. At home, they must compete with a number of other currencies, as overseas trade is the nation's lifeblood and, ultimately, gold is gold.

The Perrench Couronne gets around nearly as much as its Revidian counterpart, though the Perrench crown and reserve tends to hold onto more of these rather than relying on private bankers. Of particular note is the rotation system used in coins, whereby the tails side always depicts the member of the Pentad in ascendance the year that it was minted. 

Belzagg's currency is functional first and foremost and pegged to the Virangish Kurush, though accepted at a 5:1 rate for the Corona and Couronne. In fact, the government of Belzagg has recently started experimenting with a switch to paper. It also does not like its currency leaving the country so, despite the power of the Belzaggic economy, it is somewhat uncommon to see the Kizan outside of its borders and a handful of merchanting meccas. 

Due to the strength of their economy and outward focus in trade, the Kerremandic Drachen is also widely seen and accepted at a rate of five Drachens per Corona or Couronne. The Royal Mint of Kerremand is a marvel of modern technology, and their coins - embossed with the Dragon of St. Otto - are considered the most beautiful in the land, bar the rare Eskandish Neskal.

The Torragonese Corona is widely accepted as well and is often mistaken for its Revidian counterpart due to their matching names and similar designs. These characteristics are commonly used by swindlers, since the two currency systems are structured in fundamentally different ways and one Revidian Corona is worth five Torragonese. Recently, the Mint of Torragon has begun producing an updated coin, known colloquially as the Espada for the flaming sword of San Cecilia depicted on its tails face. 

In Eskand, the primary unit of currency is the Konge, with its piecrust edges: a pretty but otherwise unremarkable coin only ever seen north of the Haskell River in the hands of traveling Eskandishmen. Far more famous is the rather rare Neskal, which is not actually a coin, though it is legal currency. Instead, Neskals are strawberry-sized figurines in the shape of a human skull. Depending on the member of the Pentad in ascendance, they are handcrafted from different materials (Garnet for Ipte, Lapis Lazuli for Shune, Gold for Oraff, Mammoth Ivory for Eshiran, and Onyx for Dami). While these pieces have a set value by law, in practice, more are minted in some years than others due to the availabiliy of materials and expense of craftsmen's wages. Though a single Neskal is technically worth five Corona or Couronne, to many people outside of Eskand, they are far more valuable (especially the rare varieties, like Lapiz Lazuli) and are considered collectors' items. This has actually led to a problem with Northerners taking Neskals out of circulation for use as display pieces and was a central reason for the discontinuation of the Great Neskal - a larger illuminated gemstone-inlaid currency worth five Neskals that was frequently bought up for collections or defaced for its valuable minerals. The remaining Great Neskals are still accepted anywhere, of course, but nobody is daft enough to actually spend them.

The Virangish Kurush is pegged to the Belzaggic Kizan, but is somewhat more widespread, being commonly found across East Severa, Paggon, Balbri, and Revidia. Most of these coins are square in shape for easy stacking. Once a coin's corners have worn down (but as long as its faces are still legible), any Virangish citizen may exchange it at a bank for a new one. These old coins are then delivered monthly to the mint, melted down, and reforged.[/hider]
[hider=Currency of Ersand'Enise: The Incantor][h2]Currency of Ersand'Enise: The Incantor[/h2]
Partly as a consequence of growing geopolitical uncertainty but also in the name of seizing opportunities that come with being a reliably neutral and dependable tax haven, Ersand'Enise has recently created its own currency, the Incantor (ICR): ⌘. Its greater form is the Magus (Ỽ), while tts lesser forms are the Veneficus (✤) and the Praefator (∝).

1) [b]Magus:[/b] worth roughly the same as a Neskal and, in some ways, a shameless imitation of its success, this is a grape-sized figurine shaped like a wizard's hat. Made of gold, amethyst, jade, opal, or blue topaz depending on the member of the Pentad in ascendance, its underside is marked with the seal of Ersand'Enise, year minted, and name of the current Zenith. These pseudo-coins are known informally as 'Hats'. Their symbbol is: Ỽ

2) [b]Incantor:[/b]  Roughly half the value of a Corona or Couronne, with ten being equal to one Magus, the Incantor - a simplification of 'Incantator' - is often known as the 'Inky' to those who exchange it, or the 'Hugo'. While one side portrays the bust of the current Zenith, the other honors Hugo Hunghorasz, with his tall bearded figure standing before a swirling portal. It is also notable for its beveled piecrust edges, not dissimilar to the Eskandish Konge. Its symbol is: ⌘

3) [b]Veneficus:[/b] Twenty-five of these silver-rimmed bronze coins make up a single Incantor. Their obverse depicts the Revidian founder of Ersand'Enise: Giacomo the Owl, with his namesake bird perched on his shoulder. The silver portion on both sides is stamped with the year of minting, current Zenith's name, and the Avincian words Abscondere Palam: Hide in Plain Sight. These coins are commonly known as 'Owls' or 'Jacks'. Their symbol is: ✤ 

4) [b]Praefator:[/b] Twenty-five of these small copper coins are equal to a single Veneficus and, like the Incantor, are stamped with piecrust edges, though not significantly beveled. The figure honoured in this currency is Benedict the Blessed: the great Perrench king who did much to expand the school a century prior. He stands beneath a depiction of the arch named for him. Many people refer to these coins as 'Bennies' or, ironically, 'Fatties'. Their symbol is: ∝[/hider]
[hider=Naming Customs][center][h2]A Guide to Names[/h2][/center]In many of the cultures of Constantia and Severa, noble and merchant names follow the simple pattern of (Given name) (Family name): Carmillia Carbonneau. Artisanal family names are often variants on the family profession, and many commoners, particularly in East Severa, simply lack proper family names. In some cases, they will use the name of their hometown instead. (Given name) of/lo/de/te (Place Name): Taiya Lo Hasta.

This is taken a step further in some cultures, however. Among the Eskandish peoples of South Constantia, family names are siimply patronymics or, in some cases, matronymics. Therefore, particularly among non-noble houses, a son will usually carry his father's given name with the appelaation 'son' at the end, while a daughter will sometimes substitute the appelation 'dottir'. (Given name) (father's name + 'son' or 'dottir'): Ingrid Penderson (uses 'son' instead of 'dottir' in spite of gender).

In Drudgunzean (North Eskandish) nations, it is common - especially among nobility, merchants, and artisans - to include a place name as well as a family name, leading to a three part structure. (Given name) (Family name) von/van (Place name): Manfred Hohenfelter von Meckelin-Thandau. 

In yasoi cultures, a cognomen is inserted between given and family names, each separated by apostrophes. Traditionally, this has been something earned due to a trait or exploit, but it can also be inherited and this is becoming more common. In rare cases, two cognomens can be earned. (Given name) (Cognomen) (Family name): Casii'fyret'alan.

However, in the cultures of Rettand and northern Callanast, the name structure is reversed, such that the family name comes first and the given name comes last. (Family name) (Given name): Seung Eun-Ji.

Much of east and central coastal Callanast, however, follow a structure superficially similar to that of Constantia, with a given name and a family name. However, the given name has three parts which are: zodiac sign born under, birth position in family, and shared portion of ancestor's name. (Zodiac-Birth-Ancestor Given name) (Family name): Sulmanwar Khoshi.

In Southern Callanast, where much of the culture is an evolution of that of old Eskand and the explorers who landed there some eight hundred years previous, naming patterns follow those of Constantia but have shifted the patronymic name (with the suffix ovich or ovna) to the middle position and adopted a persistent family name with a gender designator. (Given name) (Patronymic Middle name) (Family name): Natasha Mikhailovna Semenova.

Finally, the lower population densities of some cultures in West and Southwest Callanast have lead to a unique descriptive naming system whereby family names do not exist and names are not necessarily permanent. They are instead based off of traits and exploits and may change over the course of one's lifetime. For example, (Action) - preposition - (Noun): Born-on-Solstice.

The sirrahi's name structure represents the importance of the brood as a family connection, brood name coming first. Second, follows one's hatch number within the brood, followed finally by a personal name. In general, one will be referred to on formal occasions by brood name, by number designator among siblings and less formally, and by personal name only with mates and close friends. Structure: (Brood Name) (Hatch Order Designator) (Personal Name): Diska Nine Sileen.

Eeaiko names are superficially similar to yasoi in that they may change over the course of one's lifetime and represent achievements and recognition by others. The positioning is different, however, and a matronymic/patronymic element is included. Men bear their mother's name while women bear their father's, followed by the suffix 'loon' for eldest children, 'pat' for youngest, and 'heep' for all others. (Project Achieved) (Personal Name) (Matronymic): Aurglykk-ott Heekaun Wellka-loon[/hider]
[hider=Sipenta's Moons][h2]Five Moons, Five of Everything[/h2]
Sipenta is quite unique among inner terrestrial planets in its many moons. The system is quite ancient and is locked in a consistent sequence. It is also possessed of a faint ring made up of the remnants of what was once a sixth moon: a captured asteroid called Tolus. Names for the moons in Avincian and some other languaes can be found below.

[b]Larus[/b]: goes full every second night. It is dedicated to Ipte and is a deep red in colour.
[b]Ceros[/b]: goes full every fourth night. It is dedicated to Shune and is a brilliant white-gold.
[b]Juni[/b]: goes full every eighth night. It is dedicated to Oraff and is white with bluish fissures.
[b]Menas[/b]: goes full every sixteenth night. It is dedicated to Eshiran and is cold grey.
[b]Dandres[/b]: goes full every thirty-second night. It is dedicated to Dami and is very dark. 

[b]Revidian[/b]: Lasso, Ciero, Gionne, Mennaci, Dandrio
[b]Perrench[/b]: Laré, Cereau, Junie, Mennase, Dandré
[b]Torragonese[/b]: Laro, Sierro, Juani, Menas, Dandro
[b]Belzaggic[/b]: Lazo, Zero, Joni, Muna, Dango
[b]Joruban[/b]: Azun, Beru, Jolun, Mumbo, Jaddan
[b]Eskandish[/b]: Mjardur, Svind, Flokka, Kreya, Fradje
[b]Kerreman[/b]: Marder, Sinter, Fleck, Renna, Freide
[b]Virangish[/b]: Omzat, Qadder, Jahillah, Mukhtat, Angahar
[b]Mycormish[/b]: Luuna, Siiro, Shelen, Myrosh, Doyax[/hider] 
[hider=Produce of Sipenta][center][h2]An Embarrassment of Riches[/h2][/center]
The produce of Sipenta varies widely by region, climate, and cultivation status. Below is an overview of some of the more noteworthy crops.

[h3]Melons:[/h3]

Watermelon: a very sweet and juicy summer treat in many temperate regions, the watermelon is widely cultivated across the twin continents.

[img]https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/whole-and-slices-watermelon.jpg[/img]

Firemelon: popular in Virangish and Torragonese cuisine, these small orangish melons have a sweet-meets-spicy flavour that is a regional favourite.

[img]https://specialtyproduce.com/sppics/6348.png[/img]

Terramelon: known for its dense flesh and bold licorice-like flavour, this popular melon is widely grown in Perrence and the surrounding countries.

[img]https://i0.wp.com/theverybesttop10.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Top-10-Weird-and-Very-Unusual-Melons-4.jpg?w=526&ssl=1[/img]

Cloudmelon: famous for its light and airy texture, almost like cotton candy, the pale cloudmelon is grown only in Paggon and a few of the yasoi nations and is a rare end delectale treat.

[img]https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0016/8286/6235/products/image_search_1604527926112_e9c7998e-c6f2-4ccf-85a9-6d6fa9b46189_403x.jpg?v=1620300297https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0016/8286/6235/products/image_search_1604527926112_e9c7998e-c6f2-4ccf-85a9-6d6fa9b46189_403x.jpg?v=1620300297[/img]

Thundermelon: Known for its zestiness and tanginess, the Thundermelon is a juicy, invigotating treat popularly grown in Belzagg and Joru. 

[img]https://i0.wp.com/images-prod.healthline.com/hlcmsresource/images/AN_images/kiwano-melon-1296x728-feature.jpg?w=1155&h=1528[/img]

[h3]Peppers[/h3]

[b]White Pepper:[/b] The only type of pepper known to grow in climates colder than subtropical, the Eskandish White Pepper, otherwise known as the Snowpepper or Saltpepper, appears most often in areas with high volcanic and hydrothermal activity, being a reasonably common sight around the hot springs of the Thornback Mountains. 

These peppers are unique in that they germinate and flower mostly underground in the leaf litter, and are famous for their very spicy, salty taste and tendencyy to smell slightly of sulfur. These small fruits grow very rapidly in the brief growing season of their habitat, often as low-lying shrubs or creepers. As one might guess, they are ghost white in colour, hence their name.

[img]https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Y2I2VanWtx8/WmjqPpWat4I/AAAAAAAAE_Q/CydriA2zDI023oPxTdAY-BA-4ennjMEqgCLcBGAs/s1600/Snow%2Bwhite%2Bpepper.jpg[/img]

[b]The Brandæble:[/b] Though Eskand is generally a cold land and not much suited to intensive agriculture, it is nonetheless home to a number of notable fruits and vegetables. This is due to the rich volcanic soil present in some regions and the raised ambient temperature of the local microclimates. 

The best-known of these plants, aside from the snepeber (snow pepper) is the brandæble (fire apple), a faintly aromatic plum-sized fruit which is considered a sign of good fortune by many. 

This rare produce ripens to a brilliant purple, often fading to red and orange towards the stem and navel. It grows in small groves on brambly bushes, almost exclusively in areas that are both rainy and heavily volcanic, where it can receive ample heat, water, and nutrients as well as protection from insects. 

Brandæbles are sweet and rich in flavour, with a surprising smoky spiciness. The soft, juicy flesh is very slightly toxic to species of the genus *homo*, lending it some properties of a stimulant, (it is held) an aphrodisiac, and a mild hallucinogen if consumed in large enough amounts. 

It is partially due to Greenlander wariness about these psychoactive properties (which are really quite minor), the difficulty of harvesting good brandæbles, and a lack of awareness outside of Eskandish borders (and even, to some extent, southern Eskand) that the fruit has not spread further and grown in popularity. Perhaps the single greatest factor, however, is the plants' highly specialized environment which, like that of the Feskan spratz, is difficult to replicate successfully elsewhere.

Unlike the spratz, the brandæble is not considered a valuable cash crop and its seeds not treated as property of the growers and rigorously protected. Instead, there is a long tradition that these fruits bring good fortune. As a result, if produce is being shipped a long way, a single brandæble is traditionally slipped into one of the crates. There is nothing luckier than finding a brandæble in yours!
[/hider]
[hider=Flora of Sipenta][h1]Flora of Sipenta[/h1][h3]Water Plants of Sipenta[/h3]

[b]Balloon Kelp:[/b] This species of kelp possesses gas bladders that allow it to grow to incredible heights both below water and above, where these titans can tower almost two hundred feet into the sky, supporting numerous other flora and fauna.

[b]Monkeyvine:[/b] A highly active plant known to 'hang' from the leaves and branches of balloon kelp above the water's surface, swinging back and forth and grabbing small animals with its 'arms'. 

[b]Orange Strangler:[/b] Dangerous and very fast-growing, this semiaquatic mildly toxic seaweed occurs in semirigid branching tendrils. When contacted, these rapidly and forcefully constrict around prey from fish to sharks and small whales.

[b]Sea Peach:[/b] A hardy and slow-growing flowering kelp that produces a sweet and flavourful pinkish fruit. So named because of its 'pit' - a rare and very valuable pseudo-gemstone known as a 'sea sapphire'.

[b]Water Nightshade:[/b] A type of drifting seaweed with dagger-sharp hardened purple fruits that are delicious yet extremely poisonous. Often used to coat eeaiko weapons or as weapons in their own right.

[b]Floatmelon:[/b] Giant floating sea vines that can stretch for nearly a thousand feet, they provide habitats for seabirds and semi-terrestrial animals on the open ocean and are protected by them. The melonlike fruits, some as big as houses, are tough-skinned, ribbed, and hollow. They are occasionally cut in half when they wash ashore, coated in natural preservatives, and turned into houses or boats.

[b]Screaming Lemon:[/b] Much of this semiaquatic citrus rows in mangroves, partially submerged, but not the lemonlike fruits. These experience a sudden chemical reaction upon ripening to a certain point, after which, they burst off of their stems, cooking themselves and releasing a delicious and aromatic whistling steam. Known to be irresistibly sour yet incongruously sweet.

[b]Idiot's Apple:[/b] An apple tree more similar in form to a willow, this waterside plant is common around lakes and rivers in the Merrerapora basin, its long, flexible branches often drooping into the water. While the fruit is delicious, it is also known for producing powerful seative and psychotropic effects that make use of sodium thiopental, hence it's common name.[/hider]
[hider=Fauna of Sipenta]Dragons, mammoths, halassa, and rabbits coming soon! For now, though, enjoy the...
[center][h2]Tiims'archa (Starlight Snail)[/h2]
[img]https://cdnb.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/041/241/621/large/helena-eyng-post-vanderson-commission-caracol-bioluminescente-final.jpg?1631145872[/img]
[sub][sup][url=https://www.artstation.com/artwork/q9xG1D]Art by Helena Eyng[/url][/sup][/sub][/center]Within the lower reaches of the West Constantian and Tarlonese cloud forests, many animals, plants, and fungi have adapted various forms of bioluminescence. One of the most ubiquitous of these is the Tiims'archa, known as the Starlight Snail to humans. The same bacteria that enjoy a symbiotic relationship with this forest-dweller and allow it to glow so brightly, even through its shell, have also made it into an unlikely delicacy. In truth, it is consumed by humans and yasoi alike primarily for the novelty. The bacteria inside of Starlight snails are hardy, adaptable, and don't break down easily. They can survive for days outside of their host.
 
Hence, yasoi have long eaten these creatures despite their awful taste for the novelty of how it makes their mouths, their throats and even - briefly - their stomachs glow for a time after consumption. They also use it for ink, makeup, and facepaint, often tracing their tetsoi in it at night to make them glow during special events like mette'stiroi.

Of course, once the Parrench got a hold of the Starlight Snail, their cuisine rose to the challenge of elevating it as a dish, cooking it so as to keep its tenderness and moisture but lose the sliminess, as well as balancing its extreme bitterness with other elements. It has now, ironically, become every bit as popular among human nobility (particularly in Perrence, Revidia, Paggon, and Feska) as it is among yasoi, and its preparation considered both a visual and culinary art. Tiims'archa are now extensively farmed, bred to produce different sizes, shapes, and colours, and sold for sometimes exorbitant amounts. The 'Purple Spratz': a large, sweet variety with a spiral shell that glows in bands of brilliant indigo and fushia can sell for up to five Perrench Couronne per snail. Of course, humans are generally just as amused with the snail's uses in makeup, paint, and temporarily glowing ink. The last of these is particularly popular for the writing of notes in 'mystery parties'.
[center][h2]The Brine Whale[/h2]
[img]https://i.pinimg.com/564x/9a/79/e5/9a79e5337064d791919c864b4f7f8afb.jpg[/img][/center]
[b]Type:[/b] Cetacean
[b]Size:[/b] 1.5 - 3.5m, 80 - 400kg
[b]Conservation Status:[/b] Vulnerable
[b]Distribution:[/b] Native to the brackish waters of Dami's Eye, Lac Crochet, and Lac Corniche, there is an invasive population in Lake Ahangaziz in West Severa.
[b]Description:[/b] A highly specialized species which evolved in the landlocked saltwater seas of Dami's Eye and Lac Crochet, brine whales feed on brine shrimp or scavenge the seafloor. To avoid beaching in shallow water, the tails of these unusual cetaceans are paddle-shaped and vestigial hind limbs have been retained. The eyesight of brine whales is poor and only used to watch for predators from above. They compensate, instead, with their prominent whiskers, which are used as feelers to navigate and search for food.
[hr][hr][h2]Dragons of the Family Bufodraconis (Dragon Toads)[/h2][h3]The Brandtudse/Stentudse/Drakenpad[/h3]
The Brandtudse (fire toad) or Stentudse (boulder toad) is a species of the family bufodraconis known for inhabiting bogs, alvars, and shield rock regions of Helbahn, Huulendam, northern Eskand Løft, and far southern Kerremand and Hendland. The size of a small wagon, with a mouth large enough to swallow an average-sized woman nearly whole, it is a voracious ambush predator of grazing species, wandering livestock, and human travelers, often disguising itself as a boulder, large and knotty tree stump, or rock outcropping. In this capacity, a brandtudse can remain perfectly still for days on end, even its eyes closed, only sensing vibrations and energies.

These stout, clever dragons will also sometimes work in packs, with one belching fire at targeted prey to drive it in the direction of partners who can then more easily ambush the panicked creature. In many of these countries, roads and other routes that pass through stentudse hotspots will be marked with special signage advising travelers to avoid large, seemingly natural features in the landscape. Despite this, these ugly beasts claim the lives of over a thousand travelers every year and are often hunted by specially crown-appointed groups of mages known as tudsedræber (toad slayers).

In Huulendam, they are known as drakenpad are feature in many of the nation's fairytales and cautionary fables as generic villains. One of the ceremonial duties of Huulish stadtholders is to initiate the yearly cull and be seen to publicly disburse rewards to the paddoders (toad slayers) upon the conclusion of the hunt, which takes place during drakenpad mating season and leaves the animals more visible due to their increased movement.

The extensive but shallow bogs of northern Eskand Løft and Helbahn are an especially favoured habitat for these dragons and this has had a peculiar effect on the cultures of the region. Helbahnese and Løft Eskandish are famous for being early risers, and this is due, in large part, to the increased visibility of the brandtudse during the later Hours of Ipte. Because there is then enough light in the sky to navigate by and the dew point is quite low, the creature's position will be given away by its breath, allowing travelers to avoid it. 
[hr][h3]King Coal Toad/Catfish Dragon/Noxious Dragon[/h3]
The King Coal Toad or Catfish Dragon is native to the deep forests, lakes, and vast bogs of the upper Vitrus (Vitroux) River and Lake Bondlass region in mainland Enth and Perrence. The largest member of the family bufodraconis and among the largest of all dragon species, this great squat beast is considered one of the 'five great dragons' and can measure up to seventy feet in length, thirty in height, and fifty in width, weighing over two hundred tons. Like its closest relatives, it is a massive, bulky creature with a yawning mouth and a lazy disposition. 

An eager scavenger and ambush predator with a low metabolism, the king coal toad can live for nearly five hundred years and is believed to never stop growing, going into torporlike states more frequently as it ages, sometimes for years on end. In many cases, entire ponds form around the nesting spots of individuals and trees grow up around them. So as not to be hemmed in, these dragons are assiduous in maintaining their local environment, often shaping it with their careful grooming and colossal bulk. While some naturalists claim that they also employ magic actively in structuring their environment, manipulating smaller creatures and constructing subtle but elaborate traps, serious scholarship dismisses the notion, as it would appear to vastly exceed the intellectual capacity of other members of the bufodraconis family.

That is not to say that catfish dragons are dull beasts. On the contrary, they are clever hunters and opportunistic above all else. Not very selective in their diet, they favour large draft animals, elk, great fish, gulper frogs, and other flightless dragon species. To aid in their pursuit of prey, these beasts are known, like some other members of their family, to emit a psychoactive gas from the pores on their skin. This potent concoction can induce feelings of euphoria and intense drowsiness in addition to mild hallucinations, muscle relaxation, and appetite enhancement. It is also notable for causing a hoarse cough in some individuals and being highly flammable. This gas, as one might expect, is both difficult to capture and highly sought after for pharmaceutical and military applications.

An apex predator within its environment, the king coal toad has increasingly become 'invasive' in areas of intensive agriculture, coal mining, and recent urbanization. In recent years, these animals have become notorious for invading small villages or mining operations and decimating them, local authorities being unable to stand up to a beast of such magnitude. They will also eagerly prey on entire flocks of sheep, herds of cattle, or oxen trains transporting goods. In recent years, they have appeared eager not only to prey upon human villages, but also to steal from them. In areas close to human habitation, these dragons can often be found perched atop a sizable hoard of gold and other valuables, inevitably drawing brave and foolhardy travelers and would-be heroes eager to make their name and fortune. With startling regularity, however, they end up as meals for the king coal toad instead.
[hr][hr][h1]Threshers[/h1][h3]Diamondscale Thresher[/h3]
[b]Length:[/b] 30-45 feet
About double the size of a Perrench Thresher and known for its triangular-scale domelike armor, the Diamondscale is notorious for being perhaps the hardiest animal in the world and can live for over 300 years.

An amphibious species that favours water, these sea scorpions are known as the mounts of eeaiko royalty. These magnificent creatures can go for months without food, hours without breathing, and do not appear to get sick. When hunkered down with their legs tucked in, they are utterly impervious to cannonfire, arcane lances launched by 8.5 RAS mages, and the jaws of dragons as large as Black Devils. There are even reports of one having survived an atomic blast.

Perhaps their most desirable trait is the hollows that exist within their elaborate armour structures. These are large enough for a human to completely hide within if the thresher is grown carefully so as to produce a properly-shaped cavity. Their massive, stabbing claws are nothing to laugh at either. A diamondscale can sink most warships.
[h3]Crackclaw Thresher[/h3]
Length: 18-25 ft
Known for the extreme power of their grip, they can shear through a couple feet of solid iron or simply grip something strongly enough so as to be impossible to pry free. They have separate circulatory systems and pseudo-hearts with special blood to act as hydraulics in their claws as well as nervous control centers and an organic system of 'gears'. 
[h3]Monarch Thresher[/h3]
Length: 40-70 ft
A large thresher species that is known for its multicoloured and reflective segmented carapace, graceful swimming motion, and high speed, Monarchs are mostly docile filter feeders that spend their lies near the water's surface. Extremely fast and quite poisonous, they have few natural predators and are sometimes used as beasts of burden by eeaiko.
[h3]Drudgunzean Gold Thresher[/h3]
Length: 12-18 ft
The fastest of all threshers, they have adapted to move via waterjet propulsion and live their lives in reverse, eyes on a swivel. Open-water predators, all of their limbs except for their bladelike claws have adapted to be used as multidirectional control surfaces. These bright gold sea scorpions, capable of moving at 100 mph, can turn on a dime.
[h3]Southern Whiskered/Hissing Thresher[/h3]
Length: 8-12 ft
Common in the mangroves and swamps of the Teufelsumpf, they are well adapted to brackish water, semiterrestrial life, and climbing. Highly poisonous, they famously camouflage themselves among the roots or branches of large trees, sensing their prey (and predators) from exceptionally long range and shooting up or dropping down on them. 
[h3]Northern Whiskered/Torpedo Thresher[/h3]
Length: 6-10 ft
The smallest thresher species, they live exclusively on the surface of the open ocean, building powerful currents with specialized organs and the metallic elements within their specialized 'whisker' system. Building and riding electric charges like a maglev, they skip along the surface in great swarms, hunting krill and plankton, which they electrocute.
[h3]Perrench Thresher[/h3]
Length: 20-30 ft
Living on continental shelves throughout the Twin Continents, these large and stout bottom-dwellers are powerful, resilient, and surprisingly quick, capable both walking along the seabed and as swimmers. They are also known to scavenge in the intertidal zones at night. The most common of threshers, they are the preferred mounts of eeaiko.
[h3]Grand Perrench Thresher[/h3]
Length: 55-80 ft
Over double the size of its close cousin, this species tends to live somewhat deeper, picking along the walls of the continental slope and frequenting large rock formations, deeper reefs, and sea caves. A relentless and aggressive ambush predator and scavenger, it is known for leaving carcasses out as bait while going inert and camouflaging itself.
[h3]Abyssal Skulker[/h3]
Length: 10-15 ft
Living in the darkest depths of the ocean, this small bioluminescent thresher is known for its stunning multicoloured light displays, ability to render itself inert and drift while waiting to ambush prey, and its remarkable digestive system. Able to compress food when ingested to less than 1/4 of its former size, its feces often takes the form of dense minerals.
[h3]Basking/Great Sandbar Thresher[/h3]
Length: 110-150 ft
The largest thresher species, this ambush predator spends most of its time in rocky intertidal flats, shallows, and sandy areas, often going inert for months, undetectable even by magic. Despite its size, it is known for very silent motion, with its carapace shaped to muffle sound and some ability to copy colours. It suns itself on beaches, allowing small animals to clean it.
[h3]Volcanic Thresher[/h3]
Length: 15-22 ft
Living near volcanic areas and hydrothermal vents, it is very resistant to high temperatures and lava, sometimes using this and local minerals to shape projectiles for hunting and self-defense. Its claws are specially adapted to launch these projectiles up to a kilometer and 'punch' with extreme speed, generating heat and light and even separating atoms.
[h3]Bloody Devil[/h3]
Length: 10-15 ft (body), 35-50 ft (with tail)
Possessed of absurd stamina and durability, the Bloody Devil, also known as the Vampire Thresher, is notable for its long, segmented, prehensile foreclaws and tail, which secrete a numbing agent and anticoagulant. It uses these to strike out, stab its prey, and then follow their blood trail, sometimes for days. In some cases, it can force the claws open inside of its victim, anchoring itself to them and gradually reeling itself in as they tire, weaken, and expire. It then stabs them with its proboscis and feeds, gorging itself on blood before moving on to its next target.

[h3]Harpoon/Decoy Thresher[/h3]
Length: 15-20 ft (body) 30-40 ft (with tail)
A predator of predators, this species is known for two things: its powerful barbed punch that sees its retracted claws thrust outwards with impossible speed to impale and skewer prey, and its unique tail. This appendage is long, flexible, and extremely tough. With its tip coated in silvery scales to look like a fish and a specialized gland that releases blood and hormones that indicate distress, it lurks in the shallows of continental shelves, well-hidden, and attempts to draw the attention of midsized aerial predators such as birds and small dragons. Once they bite its tail, it arches back and 'fires' its claws through their soft underside.

[h3]Rosy Thresher[/h3]
Length: 3-5 ft
The smallest thresher species, Rosy Threshers are only about three feet in length when fully grown and known for their camouflaging abilities, long-range sensing (up to seven miles), and very tasty meat. They have the unique ability to make themselves invisible to magic as well as traditional senses by fading partway into the VOID. They tend to inhabit coral reefs.

[h3]Bluewater Behemoth[/h3]
Length: 140-180 ft
A gargantuan open ocean filter feeder, the Behemoth is a not-so-gentle giant. More than willing to swallow anything in their path, these hulking, airship-shaped threshers are constantly eating and constantly moving. Capable of surprising bursts of speed, they posses massive spined paddles instead of legs. They can slam these together to generate enormous shockwaves, titanic currents and whirlpools, and simply crush smaller creatures. They have demonstrated an almost sadistic aggression in doing so, often going out of their way to flatten small whales, pop sharks, and obliterate lesser threshers.

[h3]Rainbow Island Thresher[/h3]
Length: 60-90 ft
This very large species of thresher feeds by providing shade in shallow sunny waters, particularly in coves, bays, and inlets. Grasping fragrant plant matter in its many small claws and providing protection from many more obvious large predators, it draws a bounty of marine life to shelter beneath its bulk. It then releases paralytic toxins into the still or slow-moving water, incapacitating these animals over the span of a few minutes and swooping down to feed on them. None dare disturb the beast due to its sheer size.

[h3]Leafy Sea Scorpion[/h3]
Length: 4-7 ft
One of the smallest thresher species, the Leafy Sea Scorpion is green in colour, moss-covered, and possesses numerous appendages specialized for camouflage. Many kelp forests are absolutely crawling with them and they can often be found among floatmelon colonies. In addition to their stealth, abundance, and terrifying spiny claws, these threshers release a series of frequencies known to cause extreme discomfort across a variety of prey species, mostly fish and marine mammals. Effects may include disorientation and deafness, loss of mana usage, sudden defecation, and violent nausea. 

[h3]Mudback Thresher[/h3]
Length: 7-11 ft
Dwelling in brackish and freshwater, the mudback is one of only three properly semi-terrestrial thresher species and is known for its ability to create water pockets, store water and, in some cases, breathe exceptionally humid air. These intelligent arthropods are famous for the complex and strangely beautiful structures that they create in shallows, swamps, bogs, mangroves, and mudflats. Virulently poisonous, their method of hunting is unique: they secrete hardened poison 'pills', hiding these within the common prey's preferred food items that they then place inside simple mazes and traps. Few animals ever see this stealthy killer feed.

[h3]Fog Fiend[/h3]
Length: 40-55 ft
A migratory resident of the vast swampy jungles of the Sawandi Great Lakes region, the Fog Fiend (or Mushroom Lurker) rumbles through the undergrowth utterly unafraid of anything. Able to breathe from the area's extensive rain and constant mist during monsoon season, it goes into a torporlike state during the dry months, burying itself in the deepest parts of lakes as they dry out. The impunity of the Fog Fiend comes from its size, spiny and very thick (and ever-thickening) carapace, and obscene toxicity. It processes the poisons of the mushrooms that it feeds on to create and secrete a deadly venom. In misty conditions, the miasma that it leaves behind can even kill small creatures, drawing packs of lesser predators that follow it to scavenge and serving to ward off smaller herbivores and fungivores who might compete with it for food.

[h3]Cannonball Thresher (Hodan Sasori)[/h3]
Length: 12-16 ft
Dark silver to black in colour and with an armoured carapace nearly on par with the diamondscale's, this rare species of thresher inhabits active hot springs, near-surface seamounts, and active volcanoes. It is most common in Nikan. Semi-terrestrial in nature, it curls up into a ball shape and attempts to plug these outlets, building up pressure and heat and drawing in massive amounts of thermal energy. It then launches itself through the air, skipping across the water's surface or rolling and bounding across the terrain, often heated to extreme temperatures. Once it loses momentum, the thresher quickly retraces its steps, consuming all plant and animal matter of high caloric value left behind, returning to its starting point, and going dormant. If attacked, it can curl up into a ball shape, presenting its near-impenetrable carapace as a defense.[/hider]
[hider=Diseases and Illnesses][h2][u]Germ Theory in Sipenta[/u][/h2] [i]A foreword by Professor Dr. Denton Harlowe of the Harrowend Stresian Guild, seconded lately to the court of Her Majesty Hecatia, by the Grace of the Pentad of the United Kingdom of Great Enthland, Cressia, and Hendland, and of the Colonies and Dependencies thereof in Constantia, Severa, Tarlon, Rettand, and Callanast, Queen, Defender of the Faith, Empress of Sawand, composed in this year of Aun-Shewn-Set 62[/i]

The development of germ and contagion theory in Sipenta has been a long and winding one. Often, it has been viewed through a lens of pagan religious belief or else superstition that has not been conducive to a deeper, causal and experimental understanding. 

However unsophisticated their notions and apparatuses may have been, it is clear that learned members of early societies such as the Harmerians, Basopaltians, Embyronians had a notion that illness could spread from one individual to another. This was later observed and recorded by Avincian, Eucretian, and Eskandish physicians. However, more prominent among the populace were now-disproven theories known to us today as Miasma Theory and Spontaneous Generation.

The former was first elucidated in its entirety by the Eucretian philosopher Sterbo. It stated that sickness and disease spread through 'bad air' commonly referred to as 'miasma' or 'night air'. Miasma was considered to be a poisonous vapor or mist filled with particles from decomposed matter (miasmata) that caused illnesses. The miasmatic position was that diseases were the product of environmental factors such as contaminated water, foul air, and poor hygienic conditions. Such infection was not passed between individuals but would affect individuals within the locale that gave rise to such vapors. It was identifiable by its foul smell. Though thoroughly discredited among the scientific community, elements of this belief persist among backward and less educated populations, posing a continued health hazard.

Should the studies even now tacking place in Harrowend, Luderrich, and Relouse become accepted by the scientific community, then it appears that yet another grand discovery will have joined the explosion of scientific knowledge witnessed during this exciting era. Though evidence is yet limited an unverified through further observation, it appears than an organism may exist of even lesser size than bacteria: one that may not even be considered living, in the strictest sense. Researchers have tentatively dubbed this a 'virus'.[/hider]
[hider=Wonders of the World][h2]Wonders of the World[/h2]
[b]Ruined[/b]
Colossus of Hespatos in Thalakos
Loriindton in Perrence
Lost Library of Firraz
Golden City of Cervan off the coast of Djamant
Colosseum of the Sea in Revidia

[b]Ancient[/b]
Forked Tower in Ersand'Enise
Palace of Pearls in Wanghu, ReTan
Arcel the Victorious in Solenne, Perrence
Inverted Tombs of Sawand
Oraz the Lifegiver in Hogh Munkhelad

[b]Modern[/b]
Great Wall of Rettan
Suspended Gardens of Gandakar
Silverstar Idasque in Virang
The Three Dragons of the Port in Xolectoxo
The Hundred Gear Sealocks in Weggos

[b]Cities[/b]
Floating City of Liedengen in Huulendam
Twenty Pillars of Hegelo in Eskand
Skeleton of the Leviathan in Tantiac
Hanging City of Yupari
Disappearing City Qaz Ahar in Torragon

[b]Natural[/b]
The Burning River in the Dragonspine of Eskand
The Writhing Wood in Tarlon
The Teufelsumpf in Kerremand and Mycormi
Ringing Plains in North Vossoriya
Eternal Maelstrom in Barwas Bay, Sawand[/hider]
[hider=The Loral System][h2]The Loral System[/h2]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/KUbQcql.png[/img]
Sipenta is the fourth planet from the sun, named Lor, within the Loral system. Its neighbouring planets, Hetraxa and Yazan, are also habitable. In the time of Oriflamme, the furthest discovered planet is Kormrigas, with Reverix being found as the story takes place. The double planet Edelrad is revealed by the newly-invented telescope during The Hourglass Order. Forticand is not found until the time of City of Steel.[/hider]