[center][url=https://ibb.co/rffJgbNY][img]https://i.ibb.co/HppQ0N36/Minadra.png[/img][/url][/center]

[b]Welcome to Chronicles of Minadra, a High-Fantasy RP set in the world of ‘Minadra’.  In this RP you will take on the role of an adventurer in a party put together to recover an ancient treasure, though this will turn into something more epic, with the fate of all of Minadra in your hands…  

Because we want to craft an excellent experience for you, there is quite a bit of Lore here, however, for the purposes of creating a character app, reading the ‘Primordial History’ then looking at the information about the race you want to app for will give you enough information to get started.

I’d also highly recommend you join our Discord so we can discuss character concepts!

Finally, there is no 'cap' on characters in the thread and you are welcome to join, even after launch.[/b]
[hr]
[h2] The Grey Mountains, near the City of Ardbenn Solas
Year 4017 of the Age of Steel, three months ago...[/h2]
It was the rockfall that first caught Aderynel’s attention.  It was nothing too unusual in these parts, a natural part of the process of snow falling, melting, then falling again.  This rockfall was no different, though perhaps it had been covered by snow the last time she had flown this way.

It was then that she noticed the door.  Ancient, wooden with bronze hinges weathered green by decades, or perhaps centuries of neglect. It was tall, very tall, 20 or more feet from the bottom to the top.  It lay atop the fallen stones like a sled on a snowdrift.

[i]Curious.[/i]

Aderynel circled the valley where the rockfall lay, letting herself slowly drift down on her black wings, flapping slightly to slow her descent as she dropped to her feet alongside the door.  As she folded her wings behind her back, she studied the door with curious blue eyes.  Now she was closer, the wood looked truly ancient, dark, weathered and shrunken.  She stepped forward, placing a hand on the edge of the door as wind whipped at the edges of her fur lined tunic, tugging at the pins that held her amber-coloured hair back in a tidy bun for flight.

[i]Where have you come from?[/i]

She glanced up, eyes tracing the route of the rockfall and, there, hidden below an overhang that would not have been visible to one of the winged Sylpharim who inhabited these hills, hung the door’s twin and, just to the right, like a smile with a missing tooth, an opening into the mountainside.

The Sylpharim were naturally curious creatures and Aderynel was no exception to the rule.  The gap cried out to be explored.  It would have been a steep climb for one of the other races, barely manageable, but for Aderynel it was little trouble.  She spread her wings, beating them to aid her as she scrambled up the slope, coming to rest, a couple of minutes later, on a small jutting ledge in front of the door.
She paused, to catch her breath, staring into the dark as she let her eyes grow accustomed to the dark interior.

[i]If only I had a torch.[/i] 

There were forms in the darkness.  Tall, hulking, massive stone forms.  Cautiously, Aderynel stepped across the threshold, cocking her head to one side as she listened for anything that might be a threat, though all she heard was the crunch of her boots in the ancient dust.  The forms were statues, massive statues, 18, 20 feet tall.  Huge, bearded figures with long limbs and wiry muscles chiselled from stone.
She paused, staring up at one.  The doorway into the cliffside was the sort of place that might have been built by the dwarves, possibly at the start of the age before they left these mountains, but the figures were too big, too elongated for the squat little dungeon dwellers.
She stepped forward to the nearest statue, the one most clearly illuminated by the sun creeping in through the fallen door.  At the feet of the gigantic figure was an inscription.  She ran a hand across it, feeling the edge of the huge letters.  It was a script she didn’t understand, huge angular letters, cracked into the surface of the stone with monumentally sized chisels.  There was something about them that seemed to speak directly from the elements, as if the earth itself were trying to communicate with her.

Aderynel looked up at the statue again.

[i]Could it be?[/i]

Once the thought dawned on her it became clear what she was looking at.  Far from an ancient dwarf hold, she was gazing up at the weathered features of some ancient Turakindi… one of the giants of the Silver Age.  Who knew what ancient treasures lay deeper in the mountain?
A shuffling noise behind her drew Aderynel out of her reverie with a heart-lurching jolt.

She spun, hand reaching for the seax at her belt.  There were shapes in the darkness, small, hunched shapes, moving, circling.  She drew the long knife, cautiously stepping back towards the entrance.  There were murmurs, a snarl as the creatures realised they had been spotted.  
They wore little more than scraps to cover their pallid, wretched bodies, crabby hands clutching crude spears. Heart racing, Aderynel continued to step back towards the doorway.

She heard the shuffle behind her and reacted instinctively, spinning and slashing at the little troglodyte as it reached for her.  There was a splash of blood and a squeal of pain and in the corner of her eye she saw the others surge forward. Throwing caution to the wind she spun, flapping her wings as she launched herself clumsily towards the doorway.

She felt a hand claw at her leg, trying to drag her back, but they couldn’t find purchase and she tore from their grip, tucking her wings in as she sped through the doorway like an arrow.

She lost control as she did, yelping as she tumbled down the slope in a small avalanche of loose dust and rocks to come to rest atop the huge wooden door that had first caught her attention.  She groaned, rolling over onto her back as she searched for where she had dropped her seax in her fall.  In the doorway a good dozen troglodytes stood hooting and waving their primitive weapons at her though they were reluctant to advance from their dark lair, out into the daylight.

“Little bastards,” Aderynel growled, drawing herself up to a sitting position as she dusted herself off, grimacing at the grazes on the palms of her hands.

Clearly she wasn’t going to be exploring this place on her own.  She’d need to come back with a torch, with some proper weapons and with a party.  She groaned, drawing herself up to her feet as she spotted her seax in the dirt.  She reached for it, sheathing it as the troglodytes slunk back into the old Turakindi ruins.

For a moment she considered continuing her journey to Ardbenn Solas, but it was only a moment.  Despite the wings that made most humans in these parts assume she was from Ardbenn Solas, Aderynel was different, one of the Northern Sylpharim.  The Southern Sylpharim tended to keep to themselves in their mountain towns and villages, though in the North the Sylpharim lived closely with humans, sharing culture, songs and a language.  Humans had strengths Sylpharim did not.  They were stronger for a start and didn’t have a huge pair of fragile wings which, in a place like the Turakindi ruins she had just entered, were likely to be a hindrance, more than a help.

It wasn’t like the local Sylpharim had any claim of ownership of the ruins. She paused, looking skyward, then with a kick and a flap of her wings, launched herself upwards from the valley floor, making for the city of Ealdormuda where, doubtless, she would find some people willing to risk the journey to the mountains in search of gold, glory, artifacts or ancient knowledge…

[b]NB:  When opening the Hiders keep an eye out for Hover Text to help explain some things![/b]
[hider=Map of Minadra]
[url=https://ibb.co/vCC6ckd1][img]https://i.ibb.co/8nnLm9xM/minadra-v2.jpg[/img][/url]

[h2]A Few Significant Places[/h2]
[b]The Plains of Morgador[/b]: The Plains of the Morgador ('Plains of Battle' in the Sidfirian language) have an ancient and significant history dating back to the [abbr=First Age of Minadran History - time of myth]Golden Age[/abbr] where the area was once the heart of [abbr=Ancient, immortal race]Sidfir[/abbr] civilisation.  During the Apocalypse, the place was the site of the Final Battle of [abbr=war that ended the Golden Age]the Apocalypse[/abbr] where the [abbr=the good guys]Graced Peoples[/abbr] defeated [abbr=The Original evil entity of the Cosmos]Brethnor's[/abbr] servants.

In the [abbr=Second Age of Minadran History - time of legend]Silver Age[/abbr], [abbr=Ancient race of giants]the Turakindi[/abbr] built their civilisation upon the ruins of the old Sidfirian cities in this same place, only for their civilisation to similarly be destroyed in the [abbr=war that ended the Silver Age]First Cycle War[/abbr].

Now the Morgador is a place of ancient ruins, largely abandoned, home to ancient secrets and terrible dangers.


[b]The Domain of Vaurinth[/b]:  This is the place where [abbr=Evil entity of unimaginable power - servant of Brethnor]Vaurinth[/abbr] lurks, surrounded by foul creatures.  Nobody who crosses the Raxanor Mountains has ever returned.


[b]The Taurethil Forest[/b]: A great forest filled with strange magical creatures and the hidden cities of the [abbr=Elven races, descended from the Sidfir]Fair Folk[/abbr].  Unless you have been invited and have an escort (or are one of the native races), venturing into the Taurethil Forest is ill-advised and very dangerous.

[b]The Grey Mountains[/b]: The Mountain range where Aderynel, a young Sylpharim Scout, has just found an ancient Turakindi ruin that you are setting out to explore...

[b]Ealdormuda[/b]: A pleasant coastal city of thatched wooden houses and long halls surrounded by a low stone wall and a dyke.  Ealdormuda is the seat of the [abbr=King of one of the Human Kingdoms]King of Eaham[/abbr], who lives in the Great Stone Hall built atop the central hill, guarded by his Housecarls.  This is the location where your party is assembling before setting out...
[/hider]
[hider=Primordial History]
[h1]Primordial History[/h1]
[h2]The Time Before Time[/h2]
In the beginning, there was no space and there was no time.  There was only Eruherion.  Then, Eruherion breathed and breathed life into the first of its creations, a being of its own likeness without form, and it named the creation ‘Brethnor’.  And Eruherion and Brethnor dwelt \in the primeval darkness.

Then Eruherion breathed life into other beings in the darkness.  All were beings of pure spirit without shape or form, yet not rivalled Brethnor in its strength or power.  These beings became known as the ‘First-Born’ in the ages to come.

Then Eruherion created the world, set the boundaries between heaven and earth, and made all the creatures that dwell in the sky, in the sea, on the earth and beneath it.  Eruherion named the world ‘Minadra’ and the First Born descended from the Heavens, took on form and dwelt upon it.

But Brethnor did not take on physical form.  In Brethnor’s pride, Brethnor asked Eruherion which of its creations Eruherion loved the most, for Brethnor was the most powerful.  Eruherion answered that it loved all its creations equally and for the first time, Brethnor felt anger and jealousy.  And on that day, evil was born into the world.
 
[h2]The Golden Age and the Apocalypse[/h2]
Then Eruherion created the Golden-Age races the Jinn and the Sidfir.

The Jinn were people of the elements – earth, fire, water and air.  They were solitary beings that went to dwell in places where they could be near the element of their affinity.  The Sidfir, meanwhile, were a people of mind, magic and spirit who built cities of beauty upon Minadra that have never been surpassed in the ages since.  There was no death amongst the Jinn or the Sidfir and Eruherion walked amongst its people under the guise of many faces and Eruherion was pleased with its creation.
 
It was then that Brethnor took on corporeal form and moved amongst the races.  And Brethnor spread temptation and corruption amongst both the First-Born and the Golden-Age peoples, never creating but twisting and perverting.  Many First-Born fell to Brethnor’s temptation while the Jinn and Sidfir who fell became known as the Gorthaz and Fomori.

In the parts of Minadra under the gaze of Eruherion, all appeared well, yet in the darkness, evil grew, until the time came when Brethnor’s followers thought themselves powerful enough to destroy the Graced people of Minadra and rebuilt it in Brethnor’s twisted image.  In the place now known as the Plains of Mordagor, the vast hosts met and fought and for the first time, blood was shed on the fields on Minadra.  The losses were countless on both sides, but eventually the Graced peoples triumphed and those twisted First-Born, Gorthaz and Fomori who survived fled into the dark and hidden places of Minadra.

The Golden Age lasted 14,840 years.
 
[h2]The Silver Age and the First Cycle War[/h2]
Eruherion saw the suffering and death that had come upon Minadra and created Nalmarin – a place beyond the reach of Brethnor’s corruption, where its Creations could go.  And Eruherion set the First-Born ‘Hirlome’ to guard the gates of Nalmarin so that no creature might enter that would bring corruption to it.  Nalmarin is the place where the souls of the righteous travel after death.

On Minadra, the lines of the Jinn and the Sidfir gave the shoots of new races.  The Turakindi (who are now known as giants), the Gwylfinn (who are now known as the Fae of the Seelie Court) and the Valindor (who are the ancestors of humans).
   
The races of the Silver Age were not immortal like the Jinn and Sidfir – they aged and died and the souls of the righteous among them travelled to Nalmarin.  Similarly, the world was not free of strife, as the Golden Age had been, yet they built great cities and tended the forests and Minadra healed from the wounds of the Apocalypse.

Yet in the darkness, the Evil beings that had survived the Apocalypse of the Golden Age began to multiply and their corruption began to spread among the races of the Silver age.  From the Tarakindi came the race known as the Durgorim, the Unseelie court of the Gwylfinn was founded and the Valindor were corrupted into the Thaurindor.
 
And in the dying days of the Silver Age, the Hosts of Darkness spewed forth onto the land, fighting a war that lasted for 20 years and left Minadra in ruins once again.  Ultimately, the Graced people triumphed for a second time though a mere handful of the First-Born and few of the Golden-Age people survived to remain on Minadra after the First Cycle War.  And the evil creatures retreated into the dark places once again, led by one of the last First-Born on Minadra, a being known as Vaurinth.

The Silver Age lasted for 13,440 years.
 
[h2]The Age of Steel and the Coming Cycle War[/h2]
The Steel Age races sprung forth from the line of the Silver Age races.  The races of the Age of Steel are shorter lived and lack the magical talents of the Silver Age peoples, yet they have multiplied and spread across the face of Minadra, rebuilding again, though not with the same majesty as the races of the Silver Age though in places the cities of the Valindor, the glades of the Seelie Court and the last bastions of the Sidfir remain to provoke awe.

It is now the year 4,017 of the Age of Steel and in the shadows, a darkness is moving again.  Vaurinth has revealed himself after millenia in hiding and a Second Cycle War is now all but inevitable…
[/hider]
[hider=Recent History]
[h1]The Unmasking: Recent History[/h1]
[h2]The Nemrozan Invasion - 3769 AS[/h2]

In the 3,769th year of the Age of Steel, the people from the deep south, known as the [abbr=people from the deep South of Minadra, beyond the mapped world]Nemrozan[/abbr] invaded the [abbr=Empire in the South of Minadra]Empire of Varadaban[/abbr].  The Nemrozan (whom the [abbr=main ethnic group of the Empire of Varadaban]Mitradaevaka[/abbr] viewed as primitives) had lived peacefully alongside the Mitradaevaka for centuries and the invasion came as something of a surprise.  

The young [abbr=Mitradaevaka General, remembered for chivalry, bravery and underestimation of the Nemrozan]General Vahumisa[/abbr], was sent to confront the Nemrozan and raised the Southern levies.  Despite realising he was outnumbered 30,000 to 20,000, Vahumisa was confident of victory, assembling his forces on the Artavara plains South of [abbr=lake in the South of Minadra]the Casm-Dahyu[/abbr]. In the opening phases of the battle, Vahumisa ordered his cataphracts to charge the Nemrozan light cavalry (who formed the largest part of their forces), which they did, though the Nemrozans refused to stand and led Vahumisan’s forces back and forth across the plains until, heavily armoured and riding under the heat of the Southern Sun, they were, exhausted, parched with thirst, scattered and disorganised.  Then, and only then, did the Nemrozan turn to attack.  Vahumisa’s cavalry was destroyed in the ensuing fighting.  Witnessing the unfolding chaos, many of the levies turned and fled, only to be cut down by Nemrozan horsemen.  Vahumisa was slain by an arrow while trying to rally his men.

As the Nemrozan force marched North, looting and pillaging as they went, terror gripped the Mitadaevaka people, many of whom fled to their Capital of Ap-Vio.  Emperor Dahyusah, whom history would remember as ‘the Wise’, commissioned [abbr=General famed as the saviour of the Empire of Varadaban]General Zaranaka[/abbr] to call together the Northern levy and also sent word to King Calion of the [abbr=Immortal people first created in the Golden Age: few remain in the Age of Steel]Sidfir[/abbr], pleading for his aid.

The Sidfir were not generally given to interfering in the ways of the Steel Age peoples, but given their long friendship with the Mitradaevaka, Calion decided to send 2,000 of his finest soldiers to support Zaranaka’s army.  The news of the Sidfir’s support gave hope to the Mitradaevaka army who continued their preparations for battle with renewed zeal.  Traveling with the Sidfir host (led by King Calion) was the [abbr=long lived people who are the ancestors of humans]Valindorian[/abbr] mage, [abbr=most famed mage of the Age of Steel]Calanthor[/abbr], who at 427, had been studying magic amongst the Sidfir for the best part of a century.

Zaranaka assembled his host South of Ap-Vio in the place known as Navavasta, to await their Sidfir allies.  Few Cataphracts had survived the Battle of Artavara and Zaranaka’s force was mostly made up of levy soldiers and a few horse archers.

Perhaps, sensing the danger the Sidfir force presented (it was commonly thought that one Sidfir warrior was equivalent to a score of humans), the Nemrozan rode hard to strike Zaranaka’s army before the Sidfir could arrive.  Realising the danger, Emperor Dahyusah personally led forth his Royal Guard - the finest spearmen of the Empire, helmets wrapped in purple cloth against the heat.  Upon reaching the field and realising the Sidfir were still some way off, Emperor Dahyusah yielded command to the experienced Zaranaka, who placed the guard on the right flank of his host of infantry.

As evening fell the night before the battle, Dahyusah and Zaranaka received word that the Sidfir expected to reach them by the next evening.  Zaranaka’s army numbered no more than 10,000 men, yet they chose to take their stand on the field with prayers to Eruherion for the deliverance of their people.

Shortly after dawn, the Nemrozan attacked.  And through the morning, under a withering hail of arrows and javelins, Zaranaka’s army stood firm.  Sensing his men would not break, the Nemrozan charged, engaging the Mitradaevaka in vicious hand to hand fighting.

For several more hours the Mitradaevaka held until finally, in the late afternoon, the Sidfir were sighted in the West: rank upon rank of riders on white horses with armour that gleamed like the sun.

Many of the Nemrozan fled at that point and the Sidfir came upon them with an unstoppable force, sweeping those that had not fled from the field amidst great slaughter.  The Battle of Navavasta has since gone down in History as the battle that saved the Empire of Varadaban and marks the last time the Sidfir took the field.

Thousands of prisoners were taken that day and after oaths never to make war upon the Mitradaevaka again, were released to return home.  The Mitradaevaka guard their southern border to this day, but the Nemrozan have never since proved to be so dangerous.

Before their release, Calanthor spoke to many of the prisoners, hoping to discern the reason for the seemingly unprovoked Nemrozan aggression.  Quickly, Calanthor began to realise that Vaurinth had been moving amongst the Nemrozan, spreading Envy of the wealth of the Mitradaevaka people and Contempt for their peaceful society.  Darkness, it seemed, was spreading across the lands once again.  Seeking further wisdom, Calanthor rode back with King Calion to consult with the Sidfir mages.


[h2]The Prophecy of Ilmareon - 3790 AS[/h2]  
Calanthor’s message was received gravely by the Sidfir mages.  For many years they pondered what Calanthor had observed and messages were sent to the Kings of the Age of Steel warning of the coming of a Second Cycle War.  Yet few heeded the messages for the threat seemed far off and the thoughts of the peoples of the Age of Steel are fixed in the present.

21 years after the defeat of the Newrozan at Artavara, the ancient seer, [abbr=ancient Sidfir seer born in the Golden Age]Ilmaereon[/abbr] received words of prophecy which he relayed to the other Sidfir mages;

[quote][i]When the seventh dawn shall rise
Upon the golden hills of Arventia,
And the seventh daughter draws her first breath
Beneath the whispering elm of twilight,
An unborn son shall open his eyes to the unseen.
He shall bear the Sight,
A vision unclouded,
And in his gaze shall shine the path
To the Eternal Light,
Who shall wade through shadow and flame
To break the darkness that lies upon the world.
The daughter shall not dwell in marble halls nor in gilded keep,
But where the river bends thrice, and the moonlight kisses the reeds.
Seek her where the night flowers bloom,
And the owl calls thrice before the dawn.[/i][/quote]

The mages set about the task of deciphering Ilmaereon’s words concluding that at some point in the future a leader known as [abbr=prophesied saviour of the Graced peoples who will defeat Vaurinth]‘the Eternal Light’[/abbr] would be born to unite the peoples against the coming darkness.  But to find that leader they would need to find the [abbr=A prophesied seer who can discern the identity of 'the Eternal Light': Septimus Aethelgrim]‘Son who bears the Sight’[/abbr], who was yet unborn, with the prophecy lending information as to the location of his mother.

The exact location she was to be found, or indeed when, remained obscure in the words, yet it would be somewhere in the [abbr=wealthy, peaceful, Southern Kingdom]Regnum Arventia[/abbr].  Equipped with missives from King Calion, Calanthor rode to the Regnum in search of the woman.


[h2]The Division of the Regnum Arventia and War of Arventian Succession - 3791-3803 AS[/h2]  
At that time the Regnum Arventia was ruled over by Rex Sebastianus V Camillus, though he was in his 81st year and his health was waning.  While Sebastianus received the missives of King Calion graciously, he gave little aid to Calanthor save allowing him access to the [abbr=famous library in the city of Segestia]Royal Library[/abbr].

Sebastianus had two sons who still lived (having originally had five and three daughters). Isidorus, who at that point was already 58 years of age, was the first-born and due to inherit the throne.  Isidorus Camillus was a wise and just Prince who was a skilled diplomat and administrator.  His younger brother, the youngest of Sebastianus’ sons, Quintus Camillus, was 30 years of age, a skilled and brilliant military commander, handsome and friend of many in the military.  Quintus harboured a deep resentment towards his brother, seeing him as a decadent wastrel, unfit to rule the Regnum and had begun to speak openly to this effect as his father’s health waned.

Knowing the risk of civil war, Rex Sebastianus decreed that upon his death the Regnum would be split between the Northern Coast (the lands now known as ‘Skeroparalia’), which Quintus Camillus would rule, and the Southern Arventian heartland, which would go to Isidorus.

In 3792 AS, Rex Sebastianus died, Rex Isidorus II was crowned, Quintus rode north to take possession of his dominion and for two years peace reigned.

In 3794 AS, Calanthor’s studies were disturbed by the news from the [abbr=Woodland Kingdom of the 'Firindor' people]Kingdom of Elarion[/abbr] that [abbr=Monstrous, corrupted race of people born from corrupted humans and Firindor]Gurzat[/abbr] warbands had been sighted in the [abbr=dense woodlands in central Minadra: notable home of the Firindor and Gwylfinn peoples]Tuarethil Forest[/abbr].  Suspecting that [abbr=Corrupted Being created before the world, who leads the Host of Darkness]Vaurinth[/abbr] was at work once again, Calanthor temporarily abandoned his quest for the ‘seventh daughter’, riding north to meet King Oronhir of Elarion and provide what counsel he could.

King Oronhir welcomed Calanthor as one who had studied with the Sidfir mages, hoping that Calanthor could help in driving the darkness out of Tuarethil.  Calanthor tracked the Gurzat back to the caves under the [abbr=mountains in the far east of the Tuarethil Forest]Windy Mountains[/abbr].  Realising that the Gurzat from these mountains could raid as easily into the domain of Quintus Camillus as they could into Elarion, he road South, around the coastal road with the hopes of uniting Quintus Camillus and Oronhir in a common cause.

To Calanthor’s dismay, however, upon reaching Skeroparalia it became clear that driven by hatred and Envy, Quintus Camillus had chosen to serve Vaurinth, allowing the Gurzat and other foul beings of darkness to establish themselves in the Windy Mountains.  In exchange they would join forces with his own people in conquering the Regnum Arventia.

Narrowly escaping capture and death, Calanthor fled South to warn Rex Isidorus, at his capital city of Segestia.  He was joined here by emissaries from [abbr=Firindor city-state]Nimrithil[/abbr], [abbr=Firindor city-state]Calenoril[/abbr], [abbr=Gundrukan city-state]Stormfjellheim[/abbr] and [abbr=Sylpharim city-state]Binn Nechtain[/abbr], whom King Oronhir had also sent messengers to, warning of the impending darkness.

In 3795 AS, the Grand Alliance of Segestia was formed to oppose Quintus Camillus and the coming darkness.  It was the first and, thus far, only Alliance formed between humans, Firindor, Gundrukan and Sylpharim.

Theoretically, Quintus Camillus ought to have been easily defeated but a number of factors played to his favour.  The first was the slowness of the Gundrukan armies to mobilise.  The second was disagreement over the right course of action; the humans and Sylpharim favoured forcing the [abbr=The narrow route from the Regnum Arvetia and Skeroparalia]Sea Pass[/abbr] and driving North into Skeroparalia to dethrone Quintus.  The Firindor, however, favoured prioritising the defense of their woodland realms.  The Gundrukan sat on the fence.  Finally, the Sea Pass itself provided a narrow avenue of assault on Skeroparalia which promised to be costly for the Alliance.

Finally though, in 3802 AS, the Alliance forced the Pass in the [abbr=the final attempt by the Alliance to force the Sea Pass in the War of Arventian Succession and deciding battle of the war]Fourth Battle of the Sea Pass[/abbr] and the following year Quintus Camillus took his own life as Alliance forces marched up the coast.

To this day, there are still Gurzat in the Windy Mountains though they do not pose the same threat they once did.

[h2]The Segestia Conclave and War of Gallus Nasica 3803 AS[/h2]  
Sadly the Grand Alliance did not last long.  As the tired soldiers returned home, Calanthor held a conclave of mages in Segestia to decide on the next course of action as it was becoming increasingly clear that Vaurinth’s influence on the Nemrozan was not an isolated incident, but part of a larger strategy.

Relying on the memory of the Gwylfinn and Sidfir, it was decided that an expedition should be mounted to the [abbr=largely uninhabited region of Northern Minadra]Frozen North[/abbr] where Vaurinth had fled after the [abbr=war that ended the Silver Age]First Cycle War[/abbr] and where Gurzat raids had been a problem since the second millenia of the Age of Steel.  Vaurinth, it was feared, was building up his forces once again.

This mission, however, was temporarily delayed by the outbreak of the War of Gallus Nascia which shattered the Grand Alliance.

In the aftermath of the war, Rex Isidorus had settled many retiring soldiers on the border with the Kingdom of Elarion.  Traditionally this land had been more-or-less deserted due to the danger of clashes between humans and Firindor.  Rex Isidorus assumed that his veterans, having fought alongside the Firindor for several years, would be able to avoid confrontation.  However, this was not to be.  Veterans began logging on the edges of the Tuarethil Forest which concerned the Elarions who regarded the forest as the walls of their Kingdom.  Arguments broke out, threats were levelled and on one inauspicious morning, the body of a man named ‘Gallus Nasica’ was found on the edges of the forest, killed by a Firindor arrow.

Passions were inflamed on both sides and war broke out.  Skirmishes on the edge of the Tuarethil Forest went the way of the Elarions.  Isidorus’ General in the North, Galerius Vocula, realised the only way to defeat the Elarions was to push through the forest.  Vocula led a force of 7,000 men through the fringes of the Tuarethil, into the Kingdom’s sheltered farmland, to confront King Oronhir’s army of 5,000 at the [abbr=tragic battle between the Regnum Arventia and Kingdom of Elarion that has led to years of suspicion between the Kingdoms]Battle of the Valinel Fields[/abbr].  The battle was bloody and inconclusive, with around 1,000 Arvenses killed or wounded and 500 Elarions.  The Arvenses retreated to their camp, while the Elarions withdrew to their city.

In the aftermath of the Battle, diplomats were able to negotiate an end to the war and the Arvenses withdrew from the Kingdom though mistrust between the peoples remains to this day, particularly amongst the long-lived Firindor, where many veterans of the Battle still live.  


[h2]The Council of Sovetnyj Monastery (3806 AS) and the Bran Eruherion (3807 AS)[/h2]  
Amongst the Segestia Conclave was a mage from the Kingdom of Ledosever by the name of [abbr=Firebrand mage killed at the Battle of the Zurbathul Pass]Velimir Volkhiv[/abbr].  Following on from the Conclave, Volkhiv was dispatched to return home to organise the expedition to the Frozen North, stopping in [abbr=Valindorian city founded to guard the Frozen North]Caryandor[/abbr] on the way, where he picked up an escort of several Valindorian knights.

[abbr=King of Ledosever, killed at the Battle of the Zurbathul Pass]King Bogoslav[/abbr] received Volkhiv graciously and lent him the services of several fine knights to journey Eastwards to discern if Vaurinth was raising the Host of Darkness in the Frozen North.

In the spring of 3805 AS they set out, returning six months later with the dreadful news that Vaurinth was, indeed, forming an Army to the East.

Alarmed, Bogoslav called for a council of nobles, monks and mages, and in the spring of 3806 AS, they came together in at the [abbr=Monstery in central Ledosever]Sovetnyj Monastery[/abbr] to decide on a course of action.  Volkhiv called for a ‘Bran’ (the Ledoseveran word for a Holy War) and though the delegation from Caryandor cautioned them to wait, insisting that Ledosever alone was not enough to defeat Vaurinth, their words were lost in the enthusiasm to drive the corruption from the land.

In 3807, King Bogoslav set forth with a host of 17,000 men, intent on destroying Vaurinth.  Of that host only one man returned to inform the world of the Battle of the Zurbathul Pass where King Bogoslav had been cut off, surrounded, and his men slaughtered, with just the one man allowed to return to tell of the disaster.  Both Bogoslav and Volkhiv were numbered among the dead on that day.

The messenger returned with promises of peace from Vaurinth provided he was left undisturbed.  While Gurzat raids have continued in the North, the Host of Darkness has not spilled forth and, while it is known Vaurinth is active, there has been no appetite for further warfare in the North.  The threat seems far off and the thoughts of the peoples of the Age of Steel are fixed in the present.

[h2]The Prophecy of Ilmareon Fulfilled - 3977 AS[/h2]  
In Segestia, Calanthor stayed on to advise Isidorus and his descendants. Many fine men and women took up the title of Rex or Regina, ruling the land with wisdom and the Arvenses continued to flourish though in the North, the shadow of Vaurinth remained.  Through his years as an advisor, Calanthor never forgot his original mission, to find the ‘Seventh Daughter’ prophesied by Ilmareon all those years before.  He studied hard in the libraries, yet it was by pure chance that, 170 years after the death of King Bogoslav, that he happened to be staying at an inn in the village of Ripae Floriferae.

Ripae Floriferae is a small village in the crook of a riverbank that is shown on no maps.  It was, however, to the eye of the ancient Valindorian mage, a place of incredible beauty with banks covered in wildflowers, attended by a lazy court of bees rising from slow, reed filled waters.  Feeling the place was a respite for his weary soul, Calanthor decided to stay a week.  It was on his final day, walking amongst the moonflowers at night, the seventh night, that he heard the owl call, then again and on the third call he met a young maiden walking the other way, and he understood who she was.

The young maiden’s name was Atronia Arius.  She was tall, with golden hair, which was uncommon amongst the Arvenses and Calanthor decided to befriend her to ensure she remained safe from Vaurinth's minions, not telling her why he was doing so or who she was.

Yet within weeks of coming to Ripae Floriferae, Calanthor realised that a dark presence was lurking in the nearby woods - a Fomorian - a being of terrible, dark power, well beyond his own, was here.  Without needing to be told why, Calanthor instantly knew it had come for Atronia.

With the sun at its highest, a time when the Fomorian would hide away, Calanthor took Atronia and fled Ripae Floriferae, spiriting her away into hiding in the West, in [abbr=far Western Kingdom of Minadra, home of the Eahamingas people]Eaham[/abbr], where she would not stand out amongst the tall, fair, Western folk.
[/hider]
[hider=Other Lore of Minadra]
[hider=Religion]
[h2]Religion[/h2]
While Eruherion is a distant creator in the Age of Steel, this has not always been so and there are entities still alive today who have had very real experiences with the deity, although these are exceedingly scare: a handful of djinn and ancient Sidfir.

Because of this, however, there is no debate as to the reality of Eruherion or how he would prefer his creations to behave - with Prudence, Justice, Fortitude, Temperance and Honour.  Good and evil are inherent aspects of existence and while there is no formal worship of Eruherion, most peoples attempt to live in his ways.  Those who do are referred to as ‘Graced’ people.  Those who do not are referred to as ‘Fallen’.

Amongst the Graced peoples, particularly in the races born in the Age of Steel who have no contact with Eruherion in life, there are some (particularly in some human cultures) who choose to devote their lives to contemplation of the deity, living in secluded monastic communities.  These monks, while usually peaceful, will gladly take up arms against ‘Fallen’ creatures.

In the Golden Age, Brethnor moved amongst creation, tempting peoples away from Eruherion and asking them to worship Brethnor in his place, promising that he could create a world from the ashes of Minadra, where the every-desire of his faithful would be met.  Brethnor tempts by appealing to Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy and Pride.  Those who choose to worship him are, over time and generations, transformed into a twisted version of their former self, driven by impulses to kill and destroy.

Since the Gloden Age, Brethnor has not walked upon Minadra, but he still has many creatures to do his will in the world.  The most powerful of these is the entity known as ‘Vaurinth’, a First-Born from before the creation of Minadra.

Those who have met Vaurinth describe him as exceedingly beautiful, though his exact appearance shifts between encounters.  From accounts of the 1st Cycle War and Apocalypse, Vaurinth is also unimaginably dangerous on those few occasions he chooses to take the field.

[hider=Monastic and Holy Orders]
[h2]Monastic and Holy Orders[/h2]
As mentioned, Monasteries are a part of everyday life in Minadra.  Ledosever, Eaham and the Samotrekan Principality are particularly famous for their monasteries and abbeys, though they exist everywhere.

For the most part, monks or nuns live simple, austere, celebate lives devoted to prayer and contemplation of Eruherion.  Abbets and Monasteries tend to own substantial amounts of land and in some places have become quite wealthy with the buildings themselves transformed into grand statements of faith.

While peaceful, some monks have been known to take up arms against the Host of Darkness and this is not seen as contrary to their monastic vows.  In the Samotrekan Principality, Abbots are expected to provide and arm professional soldiers for the defense of the realm though in other places the monks and nuns remain outside of the affairs of the secular kingdoms.

Jugkrai, and to a lesser extent, Ledosever also host a number of Holy Orders, which is to say bands of Knights sworn to defense of the Graced people against the Host of Darkness.  These Orders draw willing volunteers from across Minadra.  They are led by a ‘Grand Master’, with ‘Priors’ leading the individual chapter houses.  Knights may be ‘Brothers’, who live the life of a monk outside of combat, or ‘Half-Brothers’, who have pledged to join the Order for a certain period before returning to their normal life.

In Jugkrai, most of the Orders have aligned with the Southern Sviatolev dynasty.
[/hider]
[/hider]
[hider=Death, the Afterlife & Ghosts]
[h2]Death, the Afterlife & Ghosts[/h2]
Prior to the Apocalypse that ended the Golden Age, there was no death amongst Eruherion’s children.  This was changed in the events that ended the Golden Age.  Though the souls of all the races of Minadra remain immortal, their bodies do not and can be destroyed, whether by violence, the weathering of time, or in the case of the younger races, the ravages of disease.

With the Apocalypse though, the Djinn and Sidfir cried out for a place to go away from the suffering and destruction of Minadra.  So Eruherion created Nalmarin; a place where the souls of the righteous would travel after death, through the Vale of Mist (or the ‘Nandehise’ to the Sidfir) in the South of Minadra.  Eruherion set Hirlome, the Lord of Mists, to guard the Vale and ensure no unworthy soul should enter.

Sidfir, uniquely, are able to enter the Vale without first tasting death, though they can never return.

Unworthy souls, meanwhile, cannot enter Nalmarin and instead fall into the outer, primordial darkness where their master, Brethnor dwells.

Some souls choose to remain on Minadra after their time, usually if they feel they left business undone.  Living in the cold shadow these souls become corrupted by malice towards the living while the memories and personality they once had drain away into nothingness. These beings become the ghosts, wights and liches of legend.  While hostile, the dead are not creatures of Brethnor, and are as hostile towards Brethnor’s servants as they are to the people of Eruherion. 
[/hider]
[hider=Magic]
[h2]Magic[/h2]
Magic is a strange and powerful supernatural force that flows directly from Eruherion, though this does not mean it can only be used for good means and like Eruherion’s creations, it can be corrupted.  A few beings, particularly those of the elder races are capable of mastering it in various forms.  Certain beings may also be capable of imbuing magical properties on objects such as doors, gates, weapons and armour though in the age of steel magic, in all its forms, is increasingly rare.

[h3]Magical Beings[/h3]
There are a variety of creatures, both sapient and otherwise which are imbued with magical abilities which allow them to circumvent the laws of nature.  The Sidfir and Gwylfinn are able to move across a landscape and leave no trace of their passage, almost as if they were weightless, while the Djinn are composed, in part, of the elements to which they have an affinity.

[h3]Spells and Natural Powers[/h3]
Some creatures are able to use magic in a variety of ways, though with the exception of the First Born and Djinn this is generally in subtle ways that require incantations and arcane rituals, such as the spells that the Gwylfinn use to hide their settlements from the outside world.

While most of the peoples of Minadra have an innate capacity for magic, it takes many decades of study to master the simplest of spells and the longer-lived races such as the Sidfir, Gwylfinn or Valindor tend to produce the most competent mages.  One might expect a mage from one of these societies to be able to produce light in the darkness, manipulate the emotions of others, imbue an object with magical properties, create an illusion with some degree of efficacy, or engage in a battle of wills with their Fallen counterparts to cast or interrupt another mage while they attempt to cast a spell.  In addition, some races excel at certain forms of magic, e.g. the Gwylfinn excel at illusions.

Djinn possess tremendous magical ability, especially in relation to their native elements. Able to manifest great storms, earthquakes, tsunamis and similar, that can alter the landscape around them. They can similarly imbue objects, and even individuals, with elemental abilities.

[h3]Magical Objects[/h3]
Objects such as weapons, armor, doorways etc. can be enchanted (or cursed) to produce an effect in the presence of certain people.  Curses are generally the domain of evil beings.   A weapon might be enchanted to glow in the presence of creatures of the Host of Darkness, or cursed to produce festering wounds or a sense of dread and foreboding.  A door might be enchanted to only open for a person able to speak a pass-phrase.

The physical characteristics of objects can also be manipulated by an enchanter.  Weapons and armour can be hardened to a supernatural level.  Weapons can also be enchanted to slice through armour more easily.  If an enchanted weapon strikes enchanted armour the outcome is dependent, in a large part, on the skill of the enchants who did the work.
[/hider]
[hider=Languages of Minadra]
[h2]Languages of Minadra[/h2]
Most languages in Minadra belong to the ancient ‘Sidfirian’ language group, descending over countless generations from the language spoken by the Sidfir people in the Golden Age (and still spoken by the Sidfir now).

[h3]Chart of the Sidfirian languages[/h3]
[url=https://ibb.co/W4BG8j5R][img]https://i.ibb.co/LX9YjHRs/sidfirian-linguistics-map.png[/img][/url]

Other than the Sidfirian group there is one other, much smaller language group, the ‘Sylpharim’ language group.

‘North Sylpharimese’ is spoken in the Bodeira Mountains and amongst the human population of Truynum Gorleuini.

‘South Sylpharimese’ is spoken in the Grey Mountains and the Ambarones.

The other two languages are Turakindian (spoken by the Turakindi) and Gundrukanian (spoken by the Gundrukan).

In the last three centuries, due to the rising prominence of the city of Segestica, ‘Arventian’ has risen to become the [i]lingua franca[/i] of Minadra.  Most of the more prominent members of society, especially anyone who intend to travel and people who are likely to interact with them (e.g. Innkeepers) will have passable ‘Arventian’, though most peasants will only speak their own local dialect.

Mages, nearly all of whom aspire to be as close to the great Sidfir mages, also tend to have a grasp of the Sidfirian language.

Traders will also often have a grasp of multiple languages.
[/hider]
[hider=Interbreeding between the Peoples]
[h2]Interbreeding between the Peoples[/h2]
While Intermariage between the different peoples of Minadra is extremely rare, it does occur.  Turakindi and Gundrukan generally don’t produce offspring with the other races, however those descended from the Sidfir can interbreed.

In the event of a child being born to parents of different peoples, they will assume the traits of one people or the other, rather than becoming something in the middle.  The most common pairings happen between Humans and Sylpharim in the Truynum Gorleuini, though Humans/Firindor and Humans/Valindor pairings also occur occasionally.

[h3]Human-Sylpharim Offspring[/h3]
In the event that the father is Sylpharim, all sons born will be human (with no capacity to pass on Sylpharim heritage) and all daughters Sylpharim.  These daughters, in turn, will produce offspring who may be either.

In the event that the mother is Sylpharim, all children will be Sylpharim (the sons will have no capacity to pass on human heritage).  Daughters born of this pairing may produce offspring of either heritage.

[h3]Human-Firindor/Valindor Offspring[/h3]
In the event that the father is Firindorian/Valindorian, all children will be human, though if a daughter of this pairing has a child with a Firindorian/Valindorian man, half of their offspring will be Firindorian/Valindorian.

In the event that the mother is either Firindor or Valindor, the sons will be Firindor/Valindor and the daughters human.  If these daughters have a child with a Firindorian/Valindorian man, half of their offspring will be Firindorian/Valindorian.
[/hider]
[hider=Arms and Armour][h2]Weapons[/h2]
The standard infantryman of the Age of Steel tends to go into battle with a spear, a sword or handaxe, a shield, and some form of open-faced helmet.

[h3]Two Handed Weapons and Polearms[/h3]
[b]Atgeir:[/b] A polearm with a side mounted single edged blade with a point.  Can be used for cutting or stabbing.  Used by some wealthier troops in Borearion armies.

[b]Bastard Sword/ Longsword:[/b]A large two handed sword with a blade of around 40 inches in length and grip of 6-12 inches.  Used amongst the Occidarions (particularly the Treuring) and, to a lesser extent, Borearion cultures.

[b]Kontos:[/b] A long, two-handed lance used by cataphracts in the Regnum Arventia and Varadaban Empire.

[b]Lance:[/b] The long single-handed spear favoured by mounted Knights of many culture groups.

[b]Long Axe:[/b] A two-handed axe that can be over five-foot long.  Popular amongst the Huscarls of Eoham.

[b]Sovnya/Fauchard:[/b] A polearm with a curved blade at the end allowing it to be used for cutting and thrusting.  Used by some wealthy Treuring and Borearion soldiers both mounted and on foot.

[b]Spear:[/b] A ubiquitous battlefield weapon, used extensively by cavalry and infantry alike.

[h3]Hand weapons[/h3]
These are normally used as a sidearm.
[b]Arming Sword:[/b] A short double-edged sword with a cruciform crossguard.  Up to around 30 inches long.  Used extensively by Treuring, Hrankrajanie and Samotrekan knights, but not much outside of that.  An effective weapon, but definitely designed as a sidearm.

[b]Axe:[/b] One-handed axes are used extensively, often as a sidearm by poorer soldiers who use the weapon to cut wood as well as fight.

[b]Mace:[/b] Maces are commonly used by the Cataphracts in the Empire of Varadaban, but not in most of the rest of the world.

[b]Military Flail:[/b] An unusual and uncommon weapon used mostly by the Prathmava but also, occasionally by Treuring and Samotrekan cavalry.  The weapon itself is one or more spiked balls on the end of a length of chain.  Hard to parry and unpredictable making it dangerous to both the enemy and the wielder.

[b]Seax:[/b] A long, single-edged, fighting knife (sometimes up to 20 inches long).  Quite common amongst the Occidarion and Borearion cultures.

[b]Spatha (Sword):[/b] The straight, long, double-edged sword that most cultures use.  It can be up to 40 inches long.  Infantry usually use a variant with a sharp, stabbing point.  Cavalry tend to use a variant with a rounded point to avoid stabbing themselves in the foot.

[h3]Thrown weapons[/h3]
[b]Javelin:[/b] A light, throwing spear.

[b]Thowing Axe:[/b] A small axe that can be thrown with devastating effect.  Used extensively by the Stromfolc.

[b]War Dart:[/b] A short, fletched, dart with a lead weight on the end.  Used extensively by the Arvenses.

[h3]Ranged weapons[/h3]
[b]Sling:[/b] A simple weapon made of rope and a small pouch that flings ‘bullets’ (small stones etc.) faster than the eye can see.  Deals a surprisingly large amount of concussive damage and can outrange a shortbow.

[b]Staff sling:[/b] A sling attached to a wooden staff.  Useful for aiming at targets at high angles (such as people on walls).  Also, you can beat people over the head with the staff.

[b]Shortbow[/b]: The most common bow in Minadra.  Three to four foot long, the short bow is a simple-to-make, effective hunting weapon that is also quite dangerous on the battlefield.

[b]Composite bow:[/b] A short, compact, powerful recurve bow, originally designed for horse archery and used by the Prathmava.  The use of this bow has since spread to the Arvenses, Skeropalians and Mitradaevaka.

[b]Longbow:[/b] A 6 to 7 foot long bow with a heavy draw strength.  It takes extensive amounts of time to build up the muscle power to use this bow properly.  Used by the Fair Folk, Valindor and Pellmorwyr culture.

[b]Crossbow:[/b] The slow-firing but powerful ranged weapon preferred by the Gundrukan and Treuring.

[h2]Armour[/h2]
While plate armour is a thing in the setting, it is usually only worn by the ancient Sidfir and Valindor peoples.  Humans wear mail or scale.

[h3]Shields[/h3]
[b]Round Shield[/b]: A round wooden shield with a metal boss, usually around 36 inches in diameter.  This is the basic shield of most soldiers.

[b]Oval shield[/b]: A larger shield used in amongst the Arvenses and Skeropalians.  It is of a similar design to the normal round shield but is an oval, a little wider than a round shield, and up to four feet tall.

[b]Kite shield[/b]: A long, narrow shield with a rounded top that tapers to a point at the bottom.  Usually only around 20 inches with but up to five feet tall.  Originally this was used by Treuring knights, but has also been taken up by the Stromfolc, Eahamingas, Hrankrajanie and Samotrekan peoples.  In recent years the Firidor have also begun using this shield.

[h3]Helmets[/h3]
[b]Conical Helmet:[/b] A tall cone-shape helmet designed to deflect blows away from the head.
[url=https://avalonsibyl.com/image/cache/catalog/product/elmo-normanno-2243-550x650w.jpg]Click for an image[/url] or [url=https://avalonsibyl.com/image/cache/catalog/product/elmo-bizantino-2237-1100x1300h.jpg]another[/url].

[b]Enclosed Helm:[/b]  The Helmet favoured by elite Treuring Knights and Nobles.  Unlike most other designs, the Enclosed Helm covers the face with a steel plate.
[url=https://medieval-armour.com/images/virtuemart/product/e243_b.jpg]Click for an image[/url] or [url=https://avalonsibyl.com/image/cache/catalog/armature/E337s-1100x1300w.jpg]another[/url].

[b]Firindorian Kettle Helmet:[/b] An open faced helmet with a short brim and, sometimes, an ornamental crest.
[url=https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/proxy/hbcMDOqMOIuweEIXDQZZzvuWqRg56pLye1HGBu-7P7BKrGOpd5bo9xRkLKqNNXmMbD7-Lib5q_Tjzwvv9L3cB5GjV8-_krHrMqq1hlVW_Bpdu8ujfVQ7FwltV2YHHbWdvAsf00gfP5sg4pLydj5inSwoDWf0]Click for an image[/url]

[b]Nasal Helmet:[/b] A type of conical helmet with a bar down the front to protect the nose.  Made of a single piece of metal, making it stronger than ridge helmets and spangenhelms.
[url=https://i.pinimg.com/736x/02/3c/24/023c2435943f22175bb194dbc94363ae.jpg]Click for an image[/url] or [url=https://avalonsibyl.com/image/cache/catalog/product/trtr-1100x1300h.jpg]another[/url].

[b]Ridge Helmet:[/b]  A bowl shaped helmet with cheek and neck guards.  The individual pieces are joined together along a prominent ridge along the centre-line of the helmet.
[url=https://i.pinimg.com/736x/34/08/23/340823786fea3bdc7b4c4f9109f261f4.jpg]Click for an image[/url] or [url=https://avalonsibyl.com/image/cache/catalog/armature/1716671400-1100x1300h.jpg]another[/url].

[b]Spanghelm:[/b] A cheap but effective helmet made of multiple sheets of metal held together with metal braces.  Sometimes has cheek flaps, a nose guard or spectacle guard.
[url=https://medieval-armour.com/images/virtuemart/product/ULF-HM-53a.jpg]Click for an image[/url] or [url=https://medieval-armour.com/images/virtuemart/product/e105_b.jpg]another[/url].

[h3]Body Armour[/h3]
[b]Aventail:[/b] Chain neck armour.  Can connect up to the helmet, covering the lower face for extra protection.

[b]Boiled Leather:[/b] Cheap, light armour.  Used to make helmets and breastplates that can be worn over mail for added protection or just on its own.  Sylpharim tend to wear boiled leather in preference to heavier armour so they can still fly.

[b]Gambeson:[/b] A padded jacket worn under mail or scale to soften blows or sometimes as a cheap form of armour, all on its own.

[b]Greaves:[/b] Protection for the shins.  Usually made of lamellar.

[b]Hauberk:[/b] A full-length coat of mail or scale.

[b]Haubergion:[/b] A short male or scale shirt.

[b]Lamellar:[/b]Pieces of armour made of small plates of steel or bronze.  Cataphracts and Prathmava cavalry often wear lamellar vests over their mail.

[b]Spaulders:[/b] Metal plates to guard the shoulders.  Mostly only worn by cataphracts.

[b]Surcoat:[/b]A colourful piece of fabric worn over mail or scale.  Serves the purposes of telling everyone who the wearer is, keeping metal armour out of the sun and looking stylish.[/hider]
[hider=Gender Relations]
[h2]Gender Relations in Minadra[/h2]
Gender relations in Minadra are generally more equitable than one might expect in the Middle Ages.  Women can, and do, train as mages and scholars.  Outside of a few cultures, however, women do not generally participate in warfare.  They are not expected to join levies, are not allowed to become professional soldiers.

The exceptions to this are the Sylpharim (who generally fight as light skirmishers) and the Prathmava human culture.

When it comes to inheritance laws, most cultures follow a variant of the ‘Sidfir Laws’ that give preference to legitimate male offspring in inheritance and assumes that live within a Tribal/Extended-family unit.  Married women are understood to move, with marriage into the Tribal/Family unit of their husband, while any unmarried daughters become the responsibility of their oldest living brother upon their father’s death as does the father’s widow.

This is in contrast to ‘Sylpharim Laws’, which are only practiced amongst the Sylpharim towns and in the Truynum Gorleuini.  Under this legal system all offspring inherit equally regardless of gender or legitimacy.  Older offspring keep any indivisible titles (which is more relevant in the petty principalities of the Truynum Gorleuini than the Republican Sympharim cities) but land is otherwise split up and a bereaved spouse will usually retain all property until their death.  While fairer, this system can lead to infighting between embittered rival siblings.
[/hider]
[/hider]
[hider=Peoples of Minadra]
[hider=Peoples of the Golden Age]
[url=https://ibb.co/9k7684P3][img]https://i.ibb.co/jPSm6wtZ/goldenage.png[/img][/url]
[hider=The Sidfir]
[h2]The Sidfir (High Elves)[/h2]
Main Language: Sidfirian

In the first day of the Golden Age, the Sidfir were formed from the clay of Minadra, by the hands of  Eruherion, who breathed life into its creation.

Immortal, graceful, and fair, the Sidfir stand taller than most of the other races, with the men rarely under 6’6’’ and the women seldom under 6’.  They have fine features, pointed, leaf-shaped ears with grey eyes and fair hair.  A magical race, the Sidfir leave no footprints where they tread, have exceptional low-light vision, but also have considerably more strength than a human of a similar size, the reflexes of a cat and can surpass a human in all five senses.  Sidfir are not all mages, but those that are are the most powerful to have ever lived upon Minadra, some of the more legendary of whom have rivalled the First-Born for power.  All Sdfir are naturally gifted in the use of magic and, as the eldest of the ‘Fairfolk’, Sidfir can communicate telepathically with one another.

On the other hand, Sidfir fertility is extremely low with siblings often born centuries apart.  Sidfir also develop extremely slowly, with a Sidfir only being fully developed at 50 years of age.

In the Golden Age, the Sidfir spread across Minadra, building cities of beauty and grace, unsurpassed in the ages since.  Their Capital was the white city of Telepimas though many other Sidfirian cities rivalled it for beauty.  Telepimas became the heart of art, culture, magic and philosophy.

Despite this, the temptation of Pride lured many Sidfirians to rebel against their maker and embrace the ways of Brethnor, becoming the first Fomori.

In the first days of the Apocalypse that ended the Golden Age, Telepimas was utterly destroyed, with no trace remaining of her or her people.  Occasionally artefacts from her are unearthed, although these are dangerous, as often afflicted by Fomorian curses as they are not.

After the destruction of the city, the Sidfir, Jinn and Graced First-Born, rallied and in the place now known as the Plains of Mordagor, the two armies met.  The Battle of Mordagor was bloody beyond comparison with magic deployed in a manner never seen before or since.  Few survived and in the aftermath, when the Fomori and other enemies had fled to the dark places, many Sidfir cities were left unpopulated and fell into gradual ruin before being lost to time.

The Sidfir population never recovered, though in the Silver Age of Minadra, they remained a significant force, guiding the development of the Silver Age races (the Turakindi, the Gwylfinn and the Valindor), while their Golden Age brethren, the Jinn, remained solitary beings.  When the forces of Darkness rallied again, in the First Cycle War, the Sidfir led the Graced peoples in their resistance against the darkness.

Once again, the war decimated the Sidfir people.  Those who remained retreated to three surviving holdings, Calaquesse, Lomendil and Gwaedhros.  In the wake of the First Cycle War, many Sidfir sages were left feeling that Minadra is hopelessly doomed and that actual hope lies only in ascending to Nalmarin.  Uniquely, Sidfir magic allows them to pass through the Vale of Mist (which they call the Nandehise), travelling to Nalmarin without first dying.  Many Sidfir do so every year, leaving Minadra behind, never to return.

[h3]The Fomori[/h3]
The immortal Fomori are one of the most terrible of the Cursed races who succumbed to the temptations of Brethnor though, thankfully, in the Age of Steel, their numbers are few.  Fomori are most usually found acting as generals in the Hosts of Darkness or as agents.  

The Fomori have all the strength, grace and magical ability of their Sidfir brothers and sisters and retain their natural beauty, though their eyes have gone from the characteristic Sidfir grey to deep, black pits, without a trace of white.  Those who have looked into the eyes of a Fomor describe it as peering into a black, bottomless pit.  As one of the most corrupted of the Fallen races, the Fomori project an aura of despair and darkness around themselves.

The Fomori see themselves as superior to all other races and are particularly known for their cruelty and sadism towards captured enemies or, indeed, their own underlings if the fancy takes them.
[/hider]
[hider=The Djinn]
[h2]The Djinn[/h2]
Main Language: Telepathic with no natural spoken language.

In the first days of the Golden age, Eruherion created the Djinn.  In those first days there was little to set Djinn and Sidfir apart, but unlike the Sidfir the Djinn made no attempts to modify nature or build cities.  Instead they lived, and continue to live, solitary lives.  The Djinn show a preference for one of the four elements, Fire, Earth, Water and Air and tend to dwell in places where this element is present (the Djinn’s ‘place of power’), perhaps at the mouth of a river, on a high hill top, deep in the earth or in the cauldron of a volcano. 

The Djinn are immortal, semi-corporeal beings, with their bodies seemingly partially formed of the element they are made up of.  They are gigantic, often towering 20 feet or more above the landscape, when they choose to emerge from their place of power, which is rare.  The Djinn are magical beings, with powerful abilities to manipulate the element they have an affinity for.

Due to their solitary nature, almost no Djinn have been born since the first days of the Golden Age, though many of the Silver and Steel Age races are of Djinn lineage.  Preferring their own company, the Djinn do not typically engage with the affairs of the other races though can become stirred to action if their place of power is endangered.

Like the Sidfir, the Djinn are a race prone to pride and, prior to the Apocalypse, the Fire and Earth Djinn, in particular, often fell to the temptations of Brethnor becoming the creatures known as the Gorthaz.

In the deep darkness of subterranean caverns and the shadows of volcanoes, guarded by Fallen Djinn, the hosts of Darkness built up to spill out onto the lands.  Always comparatively few in number, the Djinn were decimated by the Apocalypse.  Those Djinn still loyal to Eruherion retreated to their places of power, while the Fallen Djinn did the same.

Few Djinn participated in the Cycle War, most remained in their isolated places, though those that did proved to be powerful, and terrible allies of the Silver Age races.

In the Age of Steel, Djinn still exist in places of elemental power though they are exceedingly rare and rapidly fading into myth.  The days when every river had a Djinn are gone, remembered only by those few remaining Sidfir, who were born before the apocalypse.

[h3]The Gorthaz[/h3]
It is almost impossible to tell if an elemental entity is a Graced Djinn or a Fallen Gorthaz, yet those that do take delight in destroying those Graced people foolish enough to enter their domain.  In the deep, dark parts of the world, the Gorthaz have had a pivotal role in guarding the places the Hosts of Darkness have used to rebuild after the Apocalypse and the First Cycle War.
[/hider]
[/hider]
[hider=Peoples of the Silver Age]
[url=https://ibb.co/dJgffbbF][img]https://i.ibb.co/Cs2wwJJg/silverage.png[/img][/url]
[hider=The Gwylfinn]
[h2]The Gwylfinn (Fae or Wood Elves)[/h2]
Main Language: Sidfirian

The Gwylfinn, or ‘Fae’ as they are called by the Steel-Age peoples are the diminished descendants of both the Sidfir and the Jinn.  While similar looking to the Sidfir (including the leaf shaped ears), the Gwylfinn are slightly smaller than their immortal cousins, with men standing at an average of 6’2’’ and women at an average of 5’8’’.  Gwylfinn also have a greater variety of hair and eye colours, with a variety of darker shades being seen (though no Gwylfinn has black hair).  Gwylfinn tend to show a natural aptitude for magic and as one of the line of ‘Fairfolk’, can communicate telepathically with one another.

While being immune to diseases and poisons the Gwylfinn are not immortal and will naturally age and die, though their average lifespan is around 7,000 years.  While Gwylfinn still only reach their majority at 50 years, fertility is also higher than the Sidfir, with Gwylfinn able to produce a child around every 100 years, though after 5,000 years of age, they are usually no longer fertile.

Gwylfinn form affinities for particular types of nature, either the subterranean world (underworld Gwylfinn), the land (forest Gwylfinn), the water (water Gwylfinn) or the creatures of the sky (mountain Gwylfinn) and like-minded Gwylfinn will build small settlements in these regions.  Gwylfinn mages are gifted in the control of familiars (associated with their form of nature) and illusion magic, which they use to shelter their settlements from unwanted intrusions.

Forest Gwylfinn can tread as stealthily as the Sidfir on land, Water Gwylfinn can swim indefinitely while floating high in the water, while Underworld Gwylfinn have exceptional low light vision.  All kinds are every bit as graceful, though they lack the strength or magical prowess of the Sidfir.

The Gwylfinn will occasionally come together to form a Court to decide on collective action.  Since the fall of many of their number to the temptations of Brethnor, the court of the Graced Gwylfinn has been known as the ‘Seelie Court’, while that of the Dark Gwylfinn is known as the ‘Unseelie Court’.

The Gwylfinn took on a major role in the First Cycle War, though in the years since, they have retreated to their secret settlements and are seldom seen in Minadra unless they wish to be.  Few settlements are found near those of other races, most being found on rugged, uninhabited shorelines, in deep forests or in the depths of ancient cave systems.

[h3]The Unseelie[/h3]
The Unseelie Fae are driven by an insatiable Envy of their immortal Sidfir progenitors.  Gifted by a twisted form of Immortality by Brethnor, the Unseelie appear haggard and drawn, sacrificing their natural beauty for an eternity in the darkness.

Unlike their Seelie siblings, the Unseelie are not affiliated with nature, but can still control the dark and twisted creatures of Brethnor.  The Unseelie have lost their capacity to create illusions, but have magic capable of cursing the ground they dwell upon and creatures that live upon it, spreading Brethnor’s filth throughout the natural world. 
[/hider]
[hider=The Turakindi]
[h2]The Turakindi (Giants)[/h2]
Main Language: Turakindian

Of the lineage of Djinn, and to a lesser extent, Sidfir, the Turakindi were the first race to try to truly tame Minadra and while their cities were never as beautiful of the Sidfir, the Turakinda were the first to clear forests, damn rivers and carve paths through the treacherous mountain paths.

Turakindi stand tall, taller than that of any of the other Silver age races, with men standing at an average of 12’ and women at an average of 11’.  Turankindi are wiry, muscular creations and while they do not typically cast spells in the manner of the Gwylfinn or the Valindor, they have a unique and unparalleled ability to infuse magic into their creations, creating weapons and armour of the finest craftmanship.  As descendants of the Djinn, over centuries dwelling in a place, the Turakindi will begin to take on the elemental nature of their environment.

The Turakinda live for around 2,000 years, reach their maturity at 50 years and are able to conceive again about every 50 years, once the previous child has reached maturity.

Prior to the Cycle war, the Turakindi built the most prestigious kingdoms of Minadra, building out over the ancient Plains of Morgador and the surrounding territories.  Those that fell from Grace and became the Durgorim were tempted both by Pride at their accomplishments and Rage directed at those who dared to attempt to imitate their greatness.

During the Cycle War, the Turakindi formed the bulk of the forces of the People of Grace and paid a disproportionate toll for their involvement in the fighting.  Many of the arts and construction techniques of the Silver Age Turakindi were lost.  Cities were abandoned, forming ruins which can still be seen millenia later, faded but still standing despite the ravages of time - a testament to their ancient skills.

Small communities of Turakindi can be found in the ruins of their ancient cities or in other isolated communities, trying to relearn the techniques lost to time and rebuild their former glory.  In some regions, Turakindi lead communities of humans or dwarves.  All remain fundamentally opposed to the forces that destroyed their Kingdoms of Old.

[h3]The Durgorim[/h3]
The Fallen Turakindi are creatures of Pride and Rage, hating both the natural world for its perceived imperfection and the creations of ‘Inferior’ races.  The Durogrim are creatures of pure destruction, who have lost all of their creative potential in their fall from Grace though they have retained their ability to imbue magic in objects and many of the fouler curses, that unwary people fall trap to, are the creation of the Durgorim.  

An Durgorim is typically stronger than one of the Turakindi, though coincidentally more uncontrollable and they form some of the more dangerous creatures in the Hosts of Darkness.
[/hider]
[hider=The Valindor]
[h2]The Valindor[/h2]
Main Language: North Valindorian

During the height of the Silver Age, the Valindor were the most numerous race in Minadra.  They stand the same height as the Gwylfinn (an average of 6’2’’ for men and 5’8’ for women) though they lack the leaf shaped ears and in the world today are easily confused with humans (who are their descendants).  Valindor are the direct descendants of the Sidfir, with no Jinn blood and like their forefathers are immune to diseases and poisons, though similar to the Gwylfinn are not immortal and will naturally age and die, though their average lifespan is also around 700 years.  While Gwylfinn still only reach their majority at 50 years, fertility is also higher than Sidir or Gwylfinn, being able to produce a single child around every 30 years, though after 450 years of age, they are usually no longer fertile.  Similar to Gwylfinn and Sidfir, the Valindor are typically a fair race, though they have all the hair and eye colours seen amongst humans.

Valindor lack the grace of the Sidfir, though they possess their strength and are typically much stronger than any Silver or Steel Age race with the exception of the monstrous Tarakindi. The Valindor produce some offspring with strong magical potential though these are few in number and are not as powerful as those with Sidfir or Gwylfinn heritage, though with the exception of the Firindor, no Age of Steel Mage can usually equal a Valindorian.

During the Silver Age the Valindor spread out across the fertile plains of Minadra, building cities that reminded the Sidfir who saw them of the cities of the Golden Age, though they were never quite able to capture the same glory.  More so than any other race of the Silver Age, the Valindor were ready to do battle against the Host of Darkness.  Alongside art and culture, the Valindor have always pursued the military arts, though violence is always restrained by a strict code of Justice, Mercy and Honour.

Like the Gwylfinn, the Valindor fought in the First Cycle War and like the Gwylfinn took catastrophic losses from which they have never recovered.  Cities that were not destroyed in the fighting were abandoned to fall into ruins.  The Valindor, however, did not despair of the world.  While the Valindor withdrew to their more remote strongholds, in these citadels they have found a sense of strength and purpose, celebrating the beauty of Eruherion’s creation while remaining steadfast and ready to take up arms again in the defence of the Graced peoples.

Of particular significance to the realms of the Steel Age peoples is the Kingdom of Thangolad and the great citadel of Caryandor which stands vigil against the gathering darkness in the North.  When the Second Cycle War comes to Minadra, it will first break upon Caryandor.

[h3]The Thaurindor[/h3]
The Thaurindor form the elite divisions of the Host of Darkness.  They are physically more muscular than Valindor with bestial features and skin that ranges from a dark, burned appearance to pallid and corpse like.

The Thaurindor are creatures of Rage and have sacrificed most of their intellect, developing a massive bestial strength in the process.
[/hider]
[/hider]
[hider=People of the Age of Steel]
[url=https://ibb.co/vCqgc4G7][img]https://i.ibb.co/SDyW6w8h/aosraces21.png[/img][/url]
[hider=The Firindor]
[h2]The Firindor (Fading Folk or Low Elves)[/h2]
Main Language: Firindorian

The Firindor, who are often called ‘Low Elves’ by the other races are the diminished descendants of the Forest Gwylfinn and the youngest of the ‘Fairfolk’.  While similar looking to the other Fairfolk (including the leaf shaped ears), the Firindor are not much taller than humans with the men standing an average of 6’ tall and women an average of 5’7’’.  Unlike the other Fairfolk, the Firindor have all eye and hair colours one might see amongst humans although they remain pale in complexion.  While the Firindor do not show an especially strong aptitude for magic (though greater than other Steel Age races) they have retained the ability to communicate telepathically with one another and can still move as silently as their Forest Gwylfinn ancestors, leaving no trace of their passing.

While suffering little disease, the Firindor are not immune to poisons with an average lifespan of only 350 years.  Like other Fairfolk races, Firindor grow up slowly and reach their majority at 50 years, though Firindor fertility is high and they are able to produce a child around every 4 years, becoming infertile after around 250 years.

Firindor retain much of the grace of their Fairfolk counterparts, though are no stronger than a human.  Like the Forest Gwylfin, the Firindor prefer to remain in deep woodland, building their communities there.  These tend to be larger than Gwylfinn communities and the Firindor will clear land for farms, though they almost always leave several miles of woodland as natural camouflage to hide their settlements. While lacking the Gwylfinn aptitude for large-scale illusionary enchantments, when they do take the time to train in the magical arts, Firindor tend to excel at illusion magic.

Firindor are more likely to be found near the settlements of humans and other peoples and are willing to trade and negotiate.  Armed conflict between Firindor and humans tends to be the result of logging Firindor ‘barrier woods’ (Most recently between the Firindor Kingdom of Elarion and the Arvenses in the War of Gallus Nasica in 3803 AS).

The Firindor are known as bow skirmishers, often employing ‘hit and run’ tactics in the woodlands they call home.  They also have some of the finest, heavy spearmen of the Steel Age races, fighting in dense, well coordinated formations.  Firindor Spearmen wear heavy mail hauberks and helmets (usually kettle or ridge helmets).  They carry large kite shields in their offhand, while each warrior also carries a long spear and sword (most commonly a falchion).  These troops are only encountered, however, if the Firindor are forced into a pitched battle, which they try their best to avoid.

While Firindor settlements are found throughout the vast Tuarethil Forest, their cities are mainly located South of Lake Calmenen.  The most prominent of these are the cities of Nimrithil and Calenoril, and the Kingdom of Elarion.
  
Sample Archetypes: The Ranger, The Diplomat, The Steward

[h3]Gurzat (orcs)[/h3]
Gurzat is a general term for the hordes of ill-disciplined and frequently cowardly, deformed creatures that make up the bulk of the Host of Darkness.  Believed to be twisted Firindor and Humans, Gurzat prefer darkness to daylight and, where it is an option, will time their attacks for after nightfall.  Gurzat have poor armour and weapons, are slightly smaller than their Graced cousins, are not especially intelligent, though they are cunning.  Gurzat are filled with an incredible capacity for cruelty and are well-known for torturing and devouring anyone unlucky enough to fall into their clutches.
[/hider]
[hider=The Gundrukan]
[h2]The Gundrukan (dwarves)[/h2]
Main Language: Gundrukanian

The Gundrukan (meaning stone raisers in their own language) are the oldest of the Age of Steel races, having been born to the world on the eve of the Cycle War and are seemingly not of the lineage of any of the earlier races.  The Gundrukan, while small in stature, are known for their creativity and adventurous spirits, building impregnable bastions in their mountain homes that burrow as deep into the mountain sides and they extend above them.

With their affinity for construction, the Gundrukan attracted the notice of the Turakindi in the final days of the cycle war, who hoped that their smaller brethren would be helpful in preserving the legacy of their guardianship, though over the course of the first millennium of the Age of steel, the relationship between the two peoples soured due to the perception, on the part of the Turakindi, that the Gundrukan were thieves intent on stealing their ancient techniques, while conversely, the Gundrukan began to feel that the Turakindi saw them as little more than slaves.

Gundrukan males stand an average of around 4’6’’ tall, while the women stand, on average around 4’4’’. Gundrukan are stoutly built, muscular and strong for their size.  Like the Turakindi, Gundrukan magic tends to revolve around enchantment of magical objects and they fashion the finest weapons and armor of the Age of Steel.  The lifespan of one of the Gundrukan is around 210 years.  They reach their majority at around 40 years of age, produce a child around every 2.5 years, and are generally past reproductive age at around 150.

The Gundrukan live in several large and well defended cities in the mountains on either side of the Morgador plains and the old Turakindi realms.  These cities usually go as deep into the mountain as they extend below and are often the gateway to massive and complex mining operations.  The most prominent of these are Fjallborg to the West of the plains and Stormfjellheim to the East.  From these cities the Gundrukan frequently mount expeditions to the ancient Turakindi cities in search of lost treasure and technology.  This often brings them into conflict with the remaining Turakindi.

In combat, the Gundrukan tend to favour a mixture of light infantry armed with javelins and crossbows in support of densely packed formations of heavy infantry militia. 

In their quest of treasure and secret knowledge, some Gundrukan have succumbed to the temptations of Brethnor, often brought down by their Avarice.

Sample Archetypes: The Steadfast Defender, the Fortune-Seeker, the Craftsman/woman

[h3]Fallen Gundrukan and Troglodytes[/h3]
Most Fallen Gundrukan have retained largely similar physical characteristics to their Graced cousins and are equally adept in the same areas (save for a tendency to place terrible curses rather than benign enchantments).  These creatures are known as ‘Fallen Gundrukan’ though a few have become twisted into something entirely different - the Troglodytes of the deep places of Minadra.

Those Gundrukan who have become Troglodytes have lost most magical and creative capabilities.  Their bodies have become twisted, hunched and animalistic.  Their noses have widened and expanded while their eyes have shrunk. Gundrukan craftsmanship is reduced to a mere parody with troglodyte forces armed with but a few crude weapons and wearing only the simplest of clothing.  They are, however, terrifyingly strong, and while their sight poor, can track by scent and sound, making them terrible adversaries in the deep places of the world.
[/hider]
[hider=The Many Cultures of the Humans]
[h2]The Humans[/h2]
The first humans were born from the lineage of the Valindor and dwelt initially in the Plains of Tridanu.  More curious and adventurous than any race before them, the humans spread from their birthplace and can be found from the frozen lands of Ledosever in the far north, to Varadaban by the Vale of Mist in the South and from Truynum Gorleuini in the West to far beyond the Eastern reaches of the Kingdoms of Jugkrai.
Humans are varied in their appearance and culture.  They are generally divided into six main groups (named by scholars at the University of Segestia), who speak similar languages/dialects:

[b]Eldarions[/b]: The first humans.
[b]Borearions[/b]: The Northern peoples.
[b]Oriarions[/b]: The Eastern peoples.
[b]Austarions[/b]: The Southern peoples.
[b]Occidarions[/b]: The Western peoples.
[b]Sylpharions[/b]: Those who speak the Sylpharim language.

[hider=The Prathmava (Eldarion People)]
[h3]The Prathmava of Tridanu (Eldarions)[/h3]
Main Language: Central Valindorian

The Prathmava see themselves as the first humans and still speak a variation of the ancient ‘Central Valindorian’ language.  They are tall people, tanned in appearance with blonde, or reddish hair and fierce, pale eyes.  They live a nomadic lifestyle in the plains of Tridanu where they raise the finest horses in Minadra.  They sell these mounts to many of the other human peoples and in return purchase weapons and armour.  The Prathmava nominally owe loyalty to their King, Ardaros, though in practice the tribes only assemble under the King’s banner in times of peril for all.  The Prathmava are unusual in that, like the Sylpharim, their women fight alongside their men.  The Prathmava are born to the saddle and are the finest horsemen in all of Minadra.

The Prathmava are known for wearing colourful caftans, embroidered sashes and felt hats.  Prathmava knights cover themselves in heavy chain, scale or lamellar armour.

Sample Archetypes: The Horse-Lord, the Herdsman, the Shieldmaiden
[/hider]
[hider=The Hrankajanie (Borearion People)]
[h3]The Hrankrajanie of the Divided Kingdom of Jugkrai (Borearions)[/h3]
Main Languages: North Jugkaraian in the North, South Jugkraian in the South.

Many centuries ago, the Kings of Ledosever became aware of orcs in the Rzhagomir mountains.  Concerned about them spreading South, they sent message to the Rex of the Regnum Arventia who sponsored an expedition to establish fortresses along the Southern border of the Rzhagomir range.  The land to the South, was good, however, and many settlers followed, eventually establishing, around 600 years ago, the ‘Kingdom of Jugkrai’.
Jugkrai quickly eclipsed the motherland in wealth and prestige.  Though in the last fifty years the country has fallen into a dynastic civil war between branches of the ruling Sviatolev dynasty.  Few realise that the Northern Sviatolevs have fallen under the sway of Vaurinth, who preyed upon their Envy and Lust for power, though the Holy Orders that once held the border castles have nearly all aligned with the South.  As it stands, the Southern Sviatolevs are led by Prince Eruherislav, while Prince Voysislav leads the Northerners.  Many long, brutal battles and sieges have been fought, with no end in sight.

The Hrankrajanie have been influenced by the fashion of the Treuring Kingdoms and their men usually wear a long, woolen tunic and hose, while often also wearing a wide, intricately embroidered belt.  Women will usually wear a dress, which, depending upon the wealth and status of the wearer can be colourfully dyed and intricately embroidered.  For the most part, the Hrankrajanie are a fair, ruddy people, often with blonde hair and blue eyes. 

The Hrankrajanie infantry fight in a shield-wall, much like the Ledosevertsy, though they prefer the kite shields and round shields of the Treuring to the square shields of the Ledosevertsy.  Due to the ongoing war, professional soldiers and mercenaries are common in the shieldwall, as well as forming companies of archers.  These soldiers wear mail and usually either a spangenhelm or conical helmet.  Hrankrajanie Lords can also draw on feudal levies and armies may also have a body of poorly armed feudal levies armed with spears, short bows and farming implements.  Like the Treuring, the knights are the core of the army and are every bit as fierce as their Western cousins. Nobles wear colourful surcoats over their mail, mostly to identify themselves in battle.

The Hrankrajanie are great castle builders and still has many prosperous towns in the South, though many areas have been devastated by the war between the Sviatolev princes.  Beggars and refugees are a common sight on their streets.

Sample Archetypes: The Paladin, the Mercenary, the Disinherited Noble
[/hider]
[hider=The Ledosevertsy (Borearion People)]
[h3]The Ledosevertsy of the Kingdom of Ledosever (Borearions)[/h3]
Main Language: Ledoseveran

Ledosever is a harsh frozen land with long, dark winters where the rivers freeze over and short summers.  It is an unforgiving land though starkly beautiful with mysterious lights that shimmer in the skies in the depth of winter.

The people, meanwhile, are known for their warmth, hospitality, storytelling and kindness towards strangers.  The Ledosevertsy make their homes from timber, digging them partially into the earth to provide natural insulation in the harsh winter.  Monasteries are a common sight in the land and often form the seed of a small town. The Eastern border of Ledosever, the Vostoritsa river, is dotted with small, wooden fortifications, which they call ‘Strazhovitsa’ (Sentinel Towers) to guard against the Host of Darkness.

The Ledosevertsy are tall, often blonde, ruddy people.  They tend to favour simple woolen clothing supplemented with furs against the biting cold of their homeland.  Fur hats are almost universally worn in winter.

The Ledosevertsy tend to fight in a shield-wall.  They carry rectangular shields decorated with civic symbols and images of Saints.  The body of the shield wall itself is a mixture of their tribal, warrior class (whom they call the ‘Voiny’) and less well armoured militia.  The Voiny tend to wear a mixture of scale or mail armor, or sometimes just a thick gambeson. Helmets are usually either spangenhelms or conical helmets.  Weapons are usually, a spear and a sword/axe though archers are also a common sight.  While the Ledosevertsy have few cavalry, those whom they do are highly regarded lancers.  These troops form the elite, mounted companions of the Nobles and are known as the ‘Sviatodruzhina’ or ‘Holy Companions’.  

Sample Archetypes: The Paladin, the Storyteller, the Warrior Monk
[/hider]
[hider= The Samotrekan (Borearion People)]
[h3]The Samotrekan of the Samotrekan Principality (Borearions)[/h3]
Main Language: South Jugkraian

South of Jugkrai are a people known as the Samotrekan.  Until the civil war in Jugkrai, the Prince of Samtrekan pledged fealty to the King of Jugkrai, though when war started, the Prince decided not to participate and the Samotrekan have been left to their own devices for the past 50 years.  The principality is a fertile, densely populated land with many cities and castles along the coasts and rivers that has grown wealthy through trade which they ply on the coasts, riverways and Bekhazun Lake in clinker built cogs, often guarded by a detachment of marines.

The Samotrekan are tall people with reddish hair and blue or green eyes.  They dress similarly to the Ledosevertsy - the men usually wear a long, woolen tunic and hose.  Women will usually wear a dress, which, often with bead jewelry to ornament it.  

The Samotrekan do not levy peasants into their armies but rely on the wealthiest amongst the nobles and abbots to raise and maintain ‘Banners’ of professional soldiers when necessary.  This means that their armies tend to be mostly cavalry, with large bodies of lightly armoured cavalry armed with spears and javelins, screening a heavy body of knights.  Those infantry they do field tend to be of high quality.  Kite shields, mail or gambesons, spangenhelm or conical helmets are all commonly used.  Surcoats are usually in the heraldic colours of the noble or abbot who raised the ‘Banner’.  Infantry will usually be either bowmen or heavy spears.

Sample Archetypes: The Abbot-Knight, the Veteran, the Marine
[/hider]
[hider=The Arvenses (Oriarion People)]
[h3]The Arvenses of the Regnum Arventia (Oriarions)[/h3]
Main Language: Arventian

The Regnum Arventia is a large, peaceful Kingdom in the South of Minadra.  The people there are generally olive-tanned skinned with darker hair and eyes than their Northern counterparts who live in well-planned cities studded with soaring domes and marble pillars.  The Arvenses are an industrious people, producing large amounts of luxury goods that makes life within the towns and olive groves of the Regnum is the envy of many.

Because of the fact the Regnum has faced few threats, the Arvenses are poor castle builders, tending to build little more than an earth rampart topped with a low wooden (or occasionally) stone wall in places where they feel a defensive structure is needed, treating them as temporary affairs, rather than structures built to last the ages, as their cities are. 

The Arvenses wear brightly coloured dresses and tunics (white is a favourite colour, though hard to keep clean), embroidered with intricate geometric patterns along with small fur caps.  Most Arveni men choose to be clean shaven.  The Arvenses prize learning and their capital of Segestia is well known for its University.

The industrious nature of the Arvenses has brought them into conflict with the Firindor in the past (most recently in the War of Gallus Nasica in 3803 AS), when they have encroached on the edges of the Taurethil Forest, though generally they are a peaceful people. 

Unlike many of the Northern Kingdoms that rely on levies in warfare, the Regnum’s (small) army is made up entirely of professional soldiers who carry a large oval shield and are issued with mail or scale armour, a ridge helmet, throwing darts, a long sword and a spear. Screening the main body of troops, the Regnum will employ skirmishers armed with javelins or compound bows.  Cavalry come in a variety of forms from light horse archers through to heavily armed cataphracts in banded plate and scale.  Shields are painted in regimental markings while troops are trained to respond to trumpet signals and follow their regimental dragon standard which is carried next to the ‘Ordinarius’ who commands the Regiment.  While often inexperienced, the Regnum’s soldiers are well equipped and have always given a good account of themselves in battle.

Sample Archetypes: The Tactician, the Veteran, the Scholar
[/hider]
[hider=The Skeroparalioi (Oriarion People)]
[h3]The Skeroparalioi of the Skeroparalia (Oriarions)[/h3]
Main Languages: Arventian in the Southern towns, South Jugkraian in the Northern towns

The Skeroparalioi live on the coast North of the Regnum Arventia and were, at one point, seen as the same people as the Arvenses, both living under the rule of the Regnum Arventia.  There is, and has only ever been one long, lonely coastal road linking Skeroparalia with Arventia and this led to the Skeroparalioi diverging from their Southern neighbours in language and culture, though to look at them, the two peoples appear much the same.

Once, Skeroparalioi was a land of great cities, much like that of Arventia, but the land suffered greatly during the war of Arventian Succession just over 200 years ago and the Skeroparalioi now live mostly in small, but heavily fortified fishing towns and villages that cling to the coast.  There is no central ruler, rather the land is divided up between many petty Kings and Princes.

While Arventia once ruled over the Skeroparalioi, the wounds of the war run deep and the Arventians have not sought to reimpose their rule.  The Skeroparalioi tend to view the Arvenses as the architects of Skeroparalioi demise, while, in turn the Arvenses see the Skeroparalioi as rebels both against the Regnum and Eruherion.

 The Skeroparalioi fight in much the same manner as the Arvenses though with more skirmishers and less cavalry (and no cataphracts).  Skeroparalioi foot soldiers are organised as militia for their respective towns.  They are not as well equipped as their Arvensian counterparts, usually carry javelins in place of war darts, favour the spangenhelm over the ridge helmet, and, since they are required to purchase their own gear, often don’t wear mail, relying only on their helm and shield for protection.  These shields, rather than bearing regimental insignia, are decorated with the insignia of their home town.

Sample Archetypes: The Citizen-Soldier, the Spy, the Sailor
[/hider]
[hider=The Mitradaevaka (Austarion People)]
[h3]The Mitradaevaka of the Empire of Varadaban (Austarions)[/h3]
Main Language: Mitradaean

The Mitradaevaka (or ‘Friends of the Ancient Fair Ones’) migrated in Millenia past to settle around the last homeland of the Sidfir and the Vale of Mist.  The Mitradaevaka view themselves as the friends, pupils and protectors of the Sidfir.  The Mitradaevaka are an honest and plain people, who teach their children to value truth above everything and have a deep respect for history and tradition.

The Mitradaevaka have olive-tanned skinned, curly dark hair and dark eyes.  The men wear long, brightly coloured robes over trousers favouring yellow and purple dye (where it can be afforded).  Women tend to wear long flowing dresses and bejewelled headwear and heavy earrings.

The Mitradaevaka build cities dotted with painted domes, gardens and water features.  While a pale comparison, they are inspired by the Sidfir cities of old.

There is no knightly class amongst the Mitradaevaka, though like the Arvenses they make extensive use of professional soldiers.  Most Mitradaevaka nobles and soldiers fight mounted, either as cataphracts on horse or camel or as lightly armored horse arches.  Cataphracts usually also carry bows, along with their lances, curved swords and small round shields.  Some guards will also fight in the manner of Arvensi infantry, with a spear, sword or mace, and a large round shield.  These men form the backbone of the infantry which is otherwise made up of poorly armed levies.  Occasionally, a Mitradaevaka army will also field one or two of the colossal monsters known as ‘elephants’ which they drape in heavy armour and use to trample their foes. 

Sample Archetypes: The Scholar, the Noble Warrior, the Veteran Soldier
[/hider]
[hider=The Eahimingas (Occidarion People)]
[h3]The Eahamingas of the Kingdom of Eaham (Occidarions)[/h3]
Main Language: Eahamish

The Eahamingas are the descendants of a tribe of Treuring who crossed the Sturmsund Straights 1,000 years ago, at the same time as the Stromfolc, continuing further west along the coast, settling at the mouth of the River before spreading South over time to the Northern fringes of the Varadaban Empire.

Close contact with the Gundrukan of Fjallborg over the centuries has given the Eahamingas a deep interest in metalwork and their brooches and other jewelry are prized across Minadra while their swords and war axes are also regarded as being of an especially high quality.

The Eahamingas appear much like the Treuring (tall, powerfully-built people, often with blonde or red hair and blue eyes) and dress similarly, but with more jewelry (men usually wear a long, woolen tunic and hose.  Women wear dresses, which, depending upon the wealth and status of the wearer can be colourfully dyed and intricately embroidered).  The Eahamingas also tend not to fight mounted (though they do use some light cavalry), instead forming a dense infantry shieldwall of men armed with spears and javelins.  Noble Eahamingas and their knights (whom they refer to as ‘Housecarls’) fight on foot, usually carrying a huge two-handed axe and a sword and often begin a battle by challenging their opponents to honourable, single-combat between the armies.

Eaham is home to many monasteries dedicated to the worship of Eruherion.  These are peaceful places, often filled with beautiful tapestries and illuminated manuscripts.

Sample Archetypes: The Housecarl, the Chronicler, the Warrior-Monk
[/hider]
[hider=The Stromfolc (Occidarion People)]
[h3]The Stromfolc of the Kingdom of the Strommark (Occidarions)[/h3]
Main Language: Stromish

1,000 years ago, two Treuring tribes migrated across the Sturmsund Straights, one of whom went on to found the Kingdom of the Strommark.  The Stromfolc are skilled sailors and shrewd merchants whose shallow-bellied, swift ships trade along the coasts of Minadra from Varadaban to Ledosever.  These ships typically have a single square sail and a bank of oars.

The Stromfolc appear much like the Treuring from whom they are descended: tall, powerfully-built people, often with blonde or red hair and blue eyes.  In battle they prefer to form dense shield walls with a mixture of kite shields and smaller round shields.  When charging, or receiving a charge, a Stromfolc battle line will hurl a volley of thrown axes and javelins before closing.

Stromfolc men usually wear a long, woolen tunic and hose.  Women wear dresses, which, depending upon the wealth and status of the wearer can be colourfully dyed and intricately embroidered.

Sample Archetypes: The Warrior-Sailor, the Merchant, the Shield-Bearer
[/hider]
[hider=The Treuring (Occidarion People)]
[h3]The Three Kingdoms of the Treuring (Occidarions)[/h3]
Main Language: Treurish

The Kingdoms of Schwarzdorn, Drachenfels and Eisengrund are the home of the Treuring.  The Treuring are a tall, powerfully-built people, often with blonde or red hair and blue eyes.  They are a settled people who build cities and castles along the coasts and rivers of their domains and farm the land extensively

Treuring armies tend to be made up of a core of fierce knights and well-equipped nobles (usually wearing mail hauberks with spangenhelm, nasal helmets or very occasionally an enclosed helm) armed with lances, large kite shields and a variety of other hand-held weapons.  These men are supported by professional crossbows and heavy soldiers and, often, a large body of poorly armed feudal levies armed with spears, short bows and farming implements.  Nobles wear colourful surcoats over their mail which both helps protect from the heat and identify the wearer

Treuring men usually wear a long, woolen tunic and hose.  Women will usually wear a dress, which, depending upon the wealth and status of the wearer can be colourfully dyed and intricately embroidered.

Sample Archetypes: The Knight Errant, the Lady of the Court, the Mercenary
[/hider]
[hider=The Pellmorwyr (Sylpharion People)]
[h3]The Pellmorwyr of Truynum Gorleuini (Sylpharions)[/h3]
Main Language: North Sylpharimese

The Pellmorwyr people arrived to the West of the Republic of Republic of Bryncaer around 2,000 years ago and while they had once been a seafaring people, upon landing on the shores of the place now known as Truyum Gorleuini, the Pellmorwyr burned their ships and settled. 

The Pellmorwyr are a tanned people, usually with dark hair and eyes.  Their men trim their beards into long, drooping moustaches.  Their tunics, dresses and cloaks are often woven in intricate plaid patterns and while they are happy to trade with passing Stromfolc, they rarely venture far from shore in their fishing vessels and, aside from the odd wandering troubadour, tend to keep to themselves in the isolated castles and towns of their peninsular.

After centuries of isolation alongside the Republic of Bryncaer, the Pellmorwyr have taken to speaking the Sylpharim language.  Poetry, music and song are valued highly in Pellmorwyr culture.  They do not have a single Kingdom, rather a number of Petty Princes vie for power and internecine warfare is relatively common.

Bryncaer knights largely arm themselves in the manner of the Treuring, carrying lances and kite shields and wearing long mail hauberks, though they favour the ridge helmet for head gear.  They ride short, rugged horses, smaller than those in the south.  The rest of their armies are typically made up of lightly armed levy spearmen and and large numbers of archers who pepper the enemy with arrows at the start of a battle before retreating behind the lines of spears.  Bryncaer archers are well regarded, being seen as the best human marksmen in Minadra and use the longbow extensively.

Sample Archetypes: The Ranger, the Knight Errant, the Troubador
[/hider]

[h3]Gurzat (orcs)[/h3]
Gurzat is a general term for the hordes of ill-disciplined and frequently cowardly, deformed creatures that make up the bulk of the Host of Darkness.  Believed to be twisted Firindor and Humans, Gurzat prefer darkness to daylight and, where it is an option, will time their attacks for after nightfall.  Gurzat have poor armour and weapons, are slightly smaller than their Graced cousins, are not especially intelligent, though they are cunning.  Gurzat are filled with an incredible capacity for cruelty and are well-known for torturing and devouring anyone unlucky enough to fall into their clutches.
[/hider]
[hider=The Sylpharim]
[h2]The Sylpharim (Skyborn)[/h2]
Main Languages: North Sylpharimese in the Bodeira Mountains.  South Sylpharimese in the Grey Mountains and the Ambarones.

The Sylpharim are of the line of the Air Djinn and mountain Gwylfinn and like most of the races of the Age of Steel, have limited magical aptitude, although they have retained a supernatural ability to tame birds and where they have taken the time to perfect a magical craft, tend to show aptitude in the fields of Domaturgy (the binding and control of wild animals), which the Sylpharim themselves call ‘Cuivethir’, and Aeromancy, which the Sylpharim call ‘Súlendur’.

Sylpharim look much like humans, though they also have a large set of wings sprouted from their backs, usually feathered in either black or white, though a variety of brown shades also exist.  Sylpharim can fly and are extremely agile, even when standing on the ground, having lighter bones than most other peoples.  They are also slightly smaller than humans, with the men standing an average of 5’7’’ tall and the women and average of 5’2’’.  This in turn means they don’t tend to be especially strong and can break bones easily.  Sylpharim live and develop in much the same manner as Humans.  

The Sylpharim view themselves as a free people and their society is unusual in that there are no noble classes.  Rather, their citadels, built in the high places of the earth, are governed by elected officials. Also, unusually, Sylpharim women are found in their militia and warbands.

Sylpharim warriors tend to wear only light armour and will attack an enemy force by flying above it and peppering it with thrown or dropped weapons before deciding to either retreat or, if the enemy are sufficiently disorganised/demoralised, diving on them to engage in melee combat.

Perhaps because of their descent from the Air Djinn, despite their freedom loving nature the Sylpharim have not fallen into darkness any more than the other races born in the Age of Steel.

Sylpharim are divided into two groups, the Northern  and Southern Sylpharim.  The Northern Sylpharim founded the Republic of Bryncaer, where most Northern Sympharim still dwell, while their Southern brethren founded the twin Republics of Ardbenn Solas and Binn Nechtain on either side of the plains of Mordagor and the ruined cities of the Turakindi.  

Sample Archetypes: The Liberator, The Magpie, The Renegade

[h3]Harpies[/h3]
Those Sylpharim who have succumbed to the temptations of Brethnor, are known as Harpies.  Harpies have descended closer to a bestial form, sometimes losing their arms or acquiring talons or beaks.  They can be a terrible threat to travellers who inadvertently wander into a place where they have made a home.
[/hider]
[hider=The Vinyalie]
[h2]The Vinyalie[/h2]
Main Language: None.  Gifted at language acquisition.

The Vinyalie (or ‘People of New Growth’) stand as creatures of endless renewal and curiosity. First seeded from the Gwylfinn, the Vinyalie are travellers first and foremost, going out amongst the world and its peoples to tell tales and sing forth the truths of creation.

They take a humanoid form typically, though the plant-like structures of their bodies can lend themselves to abnormal shapes as well. Each Vinyalie is formed from a heart, a seed-like thing perhaps four inches in diameter. From this seed, vines form in sinuous structures bristling with leaves, flowers, thorns, and otherwise. Their faces house facsimiles of human sensory organs, and often they will shape their bodies to possess some abnormal traits and stylings. They possess uncanny senses, able to see in the darkest night and take in all that the world has to offer in its fullest.

The Vinyalie are theoretically immortal, though in reality they undergo a renewal approximately every 40 years. In this renewal, the Vinyalie recedes into their seed pod and emerges with no clear memory or continuity of identity with who they were before. They may remember stories, some language, and sensations from past lives, but for all purposes, they are a new person who could pursue entirely new tastes and interests. New seed pods take multiple years to create, and involve the meeting of multiple Vinyalie to contribute to its creation.

There are small communities and conclaves of Vinyalie, but typically they are found interspersed among the other peoples. They are often itinerant, though sometimes they can find a certain attraction to a certain place where they prefer to remain. They universally love to tell stories and produce art of all sorts, with great ballads and works of beauty in their wake. 

Sample Archetypes: The Bon-Vivant, The Story-Teller, The Pleasure-Seeker

[h3]The Draughlith[/h3]
The Draughlith (meaning ‘Withered Spawn’ in the language of the Gwylfinn are the result of Vinyalie whose beings have been corrupted by Hubris and other temptations of Brethnor.  Their bodies bloom blackened thorns, pallid fungi and trailing, entangling creepers slick with mildew and other filth.  On the breeze they carry the scent of damp soil, rot and mould.

Like the Vinyalie, the Draughlith renew every 40 years, burying their twisted seed heart in a mound of slain people and other creatures.  They emerge with no clear memory of the past but with renewed hatred for the foes of their past life and seething vendettas to pursue.  The Draughlith do not typically appear amongst the armies of Vaurinth but serve his will by spreading fear and suffering, terrorising lonely stretches of road or isolated farmsteads.
[/hider]
[/hider]
[hider=People of the Age to come]
[h2]The Beastfolk[/h2]

Over the past century a tiny percentage of human births have, seemingly randomly, been of creatures which seem to be half-human and half of some other animal (the exact animal varies by region).  Often ‘Beastfolk’ children are killed, sometimes a parent attempts to raise them themselves.  These creatures are generally shunned in human societies even though (at the insistence of the Mages) nearly every Court on the continent has offered them protection.  A few have found their way into their own communities, usually in the wild places where few humans will interfere with them.

Sidfir and Gwylfinn scholars believe that this process is result of Eruherion’s creation of a new race of people, the first of the Age to Come.  As such, Beastfolk are seen by many as heralds of the end of the Age and the coming of a new Cycle War.

Beastfolk are believed to live short lives, probably no more than 50 years, though relatively little is known of them or indeed, whether they are a single race or many.  Typically, Beastfolk are seen as more physically robust than humans, though less intelligent and almost incapable of magic, though only time will tell how true these beliefs are.  

As the Beastfolk are such a new race, no twisted form of them exists so far, though their maltreatment by humans has led to no small number falling victim to the lies of Brethnor and Beastfolk are often found scattered amongst the ranks of Gurzat in the Host of Darkness.

Sample Archetypes: The Outsider, The Noble Savage, The Village Guardian

[h3]The Scale Folk of the Morgador[/h3]
Deep in the most blasted regions of Morgador, hidden amongst the towering ruins of long-abandoned Turakindi cities, live a few small villages of Beastfolk known as the ‘Scale Folk’.  Unlike most other groups, they have been visited by Valindor mages, who have brought back a sketchy picture of what these people are like.

The Scale Folk have long serpent-like tails, no legs and snake-like faces.  They are suspicious and defensive people by nature who will attack those who trespass too close to their settlements but otherwise have never sought trouble with the Nations on the fringes of Morgador.  

The Scale Folk have not only survived, but thrived in the harsh climate of central Morgador with its scorchingly hot days, freezing nights and lack of water.  The Scale Folk have excellent eyesight, seemingly even able to ‘see’ heat, are highly attuned to vibrations in the sand and rock around them, and possess a venomous bite.  
They wear little heavy armor but will use boiled leather where they have access to it.  Their small communities don’t tend to employ much metallurgy and most weapons, whether spears or arrow heads, tend to be tipped with stone rather than iron.
[/hider]
[/hider]
[hider=Thread Rules]
[h2]Thread Rules[/h2]
In short, just have common sense and be courteous to your other RPers and we will have no problems!  But if you want specifics...

[b]Decisions[/b]
My word and the word of any Co-GM is binding. If you don’t like a decision, you can, of course, ask for us to reconsider it. Once. If we made a decision you don’t like, complaining for pages and pages is not going to endear you to anyone. Not me, not the Co-GM and not your fellow writers.

On that note, I intend to run this thread as an anarcho-communist cooperative. This is an unnecessarily complicated way of saying that my word DOES NOT overrule theirs. If there is an appeal and a dispute amongst the Co-GMs we will take a vote on the matter.

[b]Post Quality[/b]
I don’t have a problem with short posts but please use proper spelling (I don’t care what regional variant), grammar etc.

Ideally (this is advise, rather than a rule) also try to include a 'hook' when you write a post, which is to say something that gives other people something to respond to. If your post is something along the lines of 'Bilbo Baggins stayed in his room and read a book while the world was ending', don't be surprised if nobody responds to you.

[b]Posting Commitment[/b]
Nothing is worse than making an RP only for it to die. Please try to make at least one post every 48 hours or so. If you find yourself unable to post, please let me know in the OOC thread or Discord. 

If it looks like you've abandoned a character I might decide to kill them off.  Killing characters is great for the plot, makes the villains seem more of a threat!  So if you want to avoid it, communicate.

[b]Posting Speed[/b]
On the flip side, blitz posting can also be infuriating. So, especially during the important scenes, I recommend giving your fellow players a reasonable time to make a reply. We all have real lives. 

That being said, if someone leaves everyone waiting for an annoying length of time, and the rest of the writers are rearing to go, it’s probably reasonable to continue.  Talk to me or one of the Co-OPs and we’ll work a way through!

[b]OOC thread Manners[/b]
Nothing annoys me more than bad manners on an OOC thread/the Discord. Swearing, passive-aggressive sniping or any other rude behaviour are not welcome. You will be warned once. If you can’t control yourself, slow-downs, temporary bans etc. may be applied on the Discord. If you continue to cause problems these may be made permanent. But we really, really don’t want to do that, so play nice!

[b]IC thread Manners[/b]
Remember, we are writing a story together, not playing to win.

[b]Character Death[/b]
Player death is possible in this RP, though it will be avoidable if you play to your character's strengths, work with your team and don't do anything too stupid. 

As previously mentioned, if you abandon a character, I may decide to kill them off.

[b]Godmodding[/b]
Within the context of this thread, some enemies will be flagged as major threats while others can be treated as mooks (Fallen, Age of Steel races are the mooks).  It will be clearly communicated which is which and which ones will murder you and wear your spleen as a necklace if you try to tangle with them.  Writing that you instantly overcome a dangerous enemy is not okay and I will ask you to change that.  Also, if I communicate that there are too damned many mooks for you to deal with and you ignore my prompt, I will give you the same treatment.

Note that I reserve the right to write that your character has taken an injury.

[b]Banning Players[/b]
I really don’t want to be doing that but reserve the right to do so if you cannot follow the (hopefully, rather simple) rules above.

[/hider]
[hider=Character Application]
There are a few rules to be mindful in creating a character app.

First, we are only allowing you to app as an Age of Steel Race.  This is to avoid a character being too powerful.  You will encounter NPCs from Silver and Gold Age races though.

Second - No mages unless the Co-OP team know you well, trust you to write well and trust that you understand how magic in the setting works.  In practice, if you want to write a mage, we’ll get into a huddle and, if all three of us agree we are happy for you to do that, we’ll give you the go ahead. Show us you understand and we are likely to allow it.

Third - If you’re writing a female character who bucks gender norms for this setting (see the section on Gender relations), try to write it believably.  Characters in literature such as Éowyn in Lord of the Rings or Brienne of Tarth in a Song of Ice and Fire are ones who work.  They have a reason to act, they struggle, they overcome patriarchal structures through guile, perseverance or sheer bloody-mindedness and carve their own path.

Fourth - Lets keep the names thematic.  I really don’t want someone called ‘Blaze Slaughterfest’ or ‘Amethyst Starbright’ randomly strolling into a scene where everyone else has a thematically appropriate name.  They break immersion.  To help you along, I’ve included some name generators and info to help you construct a name for the different races, below.  Most people will use a Patronymic/Matronymic style of naming (e.g. <son’s name> son of <father’s name>/ <daughter’s name> daughter of <mother’s name>), however a few cultures don’t (e.g. the Arvenses).

[hider=Name Generators]
[b]Firindor:[/b] Use Sindarin (LotR) type names, though if you try to give us the name of a famous LotR elf, you’ll be asked to change that for immersion reasons.  So please, no Elrond, Glorfindel, Galadriel, Celeborn, Gil-Galad etc…
[url=https://www.fantasynamegenerators.com/lotr-sindarin-names.php]A name generator[/url]
Examples: Romdaer son of Manadhon, Caelel daughter of Estadis

[b]Gundrukan:[/b] Use Norse type names, though again, no Norse Gods for immersion reasons.
[url=https://www.fantasynamegenerators.com/viking-names.php]A name generator[/url]
Examples: An Armodsson, Asfrid Svertingdottir
[b]NB: Note the ‘son’ and ‘dottir’ instead of ‘son of’ and ‘daughter of’.[/b]
[hider=human cultures]
[b]Prathmava:[/b] Use Sarmatian type names.
[url=https://www.fantasynamegenerators.com/sarmatian-names.php]A name generator[/url]
Examples: Kasais son of  Phaldaranos, Aldi daughter of Borysthenes

[b]Hrankrajanie:[/b] Use old West slavic names (Polabian/early Polish/Bohemian etc.).  Unfortunately I can’t find a suitable name generator, but you can use something like ChatGPT to spit some out for use if you don’t feel like doing research!  This culture uses surnames with male and female variants.
Examples: Milosz Stanek, Dobroslava Stankova

[b]Ledosevertsy:[/b] Use old East slavic names (Kievan, Rus etc.).  Unfortunately I can’t find a suitable name generator, but you can use something like ChatGPT to spit some out for use if you don’t feel like doing research! This culture uses surnames with male and female variants.
Examples: Radomir Draganov, Bogdana Draganova

[b]Samotrekan:[/b] Use old South slavic names (Serbo-Croatian, Bulgarian, Slovene etc.).  Unfortunately I can’t find a suitable name generator, but you can use something like ChatGPT to spit some out for use if you don’t feel like doing research! This culture uses surnames with male and female variants.
Examples: Tihomir Petrovic, Milena Petrovica.

[b]Arvenses:[/b] Use Roman names but just two names, rather than the classic three for Roman men.  When using the name generator, just cut out the middle name for men.
[url=https://www.fantasynamegenerators.com/roman-names.php]A name generator[/url]
Examples: Sextus Vitalion, Aemilia Cato

[b]Skeroparalioi:[/b] Use Byzantine type names with a first name and surname.
[url=https://www.fantasynamegenerators.com/byzantine-names.php]A name generator[/url]
Examples: Callinicus Palamas, Theophilia Lecapena

[b]Mitradaevaka:[/b] Use Ancient Persian style names. Unfortunately I can’t find a suitable name generator (plenty for modern Persian names), but you can use something like ChatGPT to spit some out for use if you don’t feel like doing research!
Examples: Vahram son of Ariaspas, Zarvanta daughter of Aspanda

[b]Eahimingas[/b]: Use Anglo-Saxon style names.
[url=https://www.fantasynamegenerators.com/anglo-saxon-names.php]A name generator[/url]
Examples: Arnulf son of Blaecman, Eanflead daughter of Balethiva

[b]Stromfolc[/b] Use Frankish style names.
[url=https://www.fantasynamegenerators.com/frankish-names.php]A name generator[/url]
Examples: Arnegisel son of Childebert, Herleva daughter of Theodrade

[b]Treuring[/b] Use Old High German style names.
[url=https://www.fantasynamegenerators.com/old-high-german-names.php]A name generator[/url]
Examples: Ulrich son of Dieter, Ehrentraud daughter of Belinda

[b]Pellmorwyr[/b]Use Medieval Welsh style names
[url=https://perchance.org/namegen-historical-cy]A name generator[/url]: note that the ‘ferch <insert name here>’ names for women give the father, rather than a mother.  Roll again to get more female names.
Examples: Tegyn ap Gryffydd, Sissely ferch Gweirful
[b]NB: Note the ‘ap’ and ‘ferch’ instead of ‘son of’ and ‘daughter of’.[/b]
[/hider]
[b]Sylpharim:[/b] The Northerners use Medieval Welsh style names.  The Southerners use Irish-Gaelic style names.
[url=https://perchance.org/namegen-historical-cy]A Northern name generator[/url] : note that the ‘ferch <insert name here>’ names for women give the father, rather than a mother.  Roll again to get more female names.
[url=https://www.fantasynamegenerators.com/irish-names.php]A Southern name generator[/url]: Ignore the surnames
Northern Examples: Galan ap Wid, Enid ferch Madwen
Southern examples: Lughan ap Conuil, Sine ferch Fial.
[b]NB: Note the ‘ap’ and ‘ferch’ instead of ‘son of’ and ‘daughter of’.[/b]

[b]Vinyalie:[/b] Feel free to be more creative with these ones and go for something that seems plantlike… though if you are lacking inspiration:
I have [url=https://www.fantasynamegenerators.com/ent-names.php]a name generator[/url]

[b]Beastfolk:[/b] Again, feel free to be creative and tie the names in with the animal your particular brand of beastfolk are mixed with.  Or if you feel lazy:
I have [url=https://www.fantasynamegenerators.com/warhammer-beastmen-names.php]a name generator[/url]
[/hider]

[hider=Character App]
[h3]Character Description[/h3]
[b]Name:[/b]
[b]Species:[/b]
[b]Race/Nationality:[/b]
[b]Gender:[/b] (N/A if you are Vinyalie)
[b]Age:[/b]
[b]Languages:[/b]Assume Arventian and your native language.  If you are a merchant, scholar or otherwise have a solid reason, you can add some more, but justify why you have these in your backstory.

[b]Appearance:[/b] [hider=appearance](Feel free to describe with text or put pictures in here.  If you are using a picture, I may ask you to change it if it is blatantly anachronistic.)[/hider]
[b]Personal Effects[/b]: (Any personal belongings you have with you - for a warrior this might be your weapons and armour.  For a scholar this might be some scrolls...  No magical artefacts you haven’t cleared with me or a Co-OP, thanks!)
[hr]
[h3][b]Background:[/b][/h3]
[b]Role[/b]:(Are you a knight-errant?  A scholar?  A troubador?)
[b]Backstory[/b]:
[b]Character Intro[/b]: (Write a few paragraphs of your character doing something related to why you are here, in Ealdormuda, looking for treasure.  Get into the mind of your character a bit!)
[/hider]
[/hider]