Kho

Godspeed!

@Amethyst Just in case you didn't see it. Seihdhara just interacted a bit with your island. If you plan to have Rytia respond, lemme know. If not, I'll move Seihdhara's plotline along (probably steal the design of Rytia's race for Seihdhara's upcoming race).

Wherein is Penned a Series of Essays and Confessions on the Essentials of Being; Also titled "Journeys into the Mind of the Quintessentially Verbose"

Name of Nation
The Esher Ríghacd

Government
Elective Tribal Monarchy

Capital
Glenmagar

Species
Human

A General Chronology of the Sidaric Peoples

Men! Wull ye follow me?

_{BGAM - Before the Glorious Age of Man
OGAM - Of the Glorious Age of Man}

• ~8,500 BGAM
  First human habitation.
  

  Detail

  First human habitation is evident from this period when early humans migrated into the area during the last ice age - it is possible that they were escaping threats from the east.
• ~4,000-3,500 BCE
  Dwellings, farming, animal domestication, fishing, waterfaring vessels, ritual burial, polytheistic religion, tribalism, stone circles all present.
  

  Detail

  Stone houses and farming first appear. Denizens of the region kept cattle, farmed barley & wheat, gathered shellfish, and engaged in pole & line fishing from boats. Grooved pottery appeared in the period, and chambered cairn tombs appear to have been developed. The earliest pottery depictions of a female goddess with a head of saffron date back from this time. Even from this early period, people appear to have been very connected, suggesting that clans were present or were at a developed point in their formation. A unique hallmark of early Sidarid culture that has endured are monuments in the form of standing stones, ranging from monuments of one large stone to monuments of hundreds of stones placed in complex shapes and piled on each other to create rudimentary arches. The early function of stone circles may have been to commemorate the end of clan feuds or wars and to honour the war goddess. In the present day they function as shrines to the Bear Mother Seihdhara and to other gods or spirits, as peaceful sanctuaries where arbitration between feuding parties can take place, and as gathering places during festivals, celebrations, and in preparation for war. The Wyndyn as a distinct druido-magickal priestly class emerge in this period, and their discovery and utilisation magic occurs over an absurdly short period of time. The Sdarids believe magic was granted to them via divine means.
• ~2,000 BGAM-1000 BGAM
  The bronze age arrives in Sidara around 2000 BGAM, and hillforts begin appearing from around 1,500 BGAM. Clan hillfort settlements become an established part of Sidarid culture and society by 1,000 BGAM.
  Contact with the eastern Héiswaep traders helped spur Sidarid cultural development. For the longest time Sidarids had been content with their insular existence, from time to time raiding one another or erupting into small clan feuds, but contact with these strange trading people - who would be dubbed 'the Headless Men' - brought about a lust for the strange and wondrous goods bartered - and eventually not just bartered, but bought. The great Héiswaep trader, Eilaegi, and his father, Shruehaem, introduced the concept of currency to the Sidarids. The two Héiswaep merchants hired Sidarid clans to protect their great caravans as they journeyed westward through Sidarid lands and, across the Seihdh-Soul-Sea, on to the lands of the Gwereinmáchlíd - the 'Sunset-Folk'. The warriors in these Sdarid clans served as light infantry and as cavalry, protecting the traders from bandits and hostile tribes along the trading route. The gold coins the clans received in return made a deep impression on their greater tribes, who then sought out Héiswaep minting expertise. The Héiswaepzí gladly provided this technology since it made trade between the two peoples much easier, and soon the Sidarids were striking coins of their own, usually adorned with horses and sheaves of wheat.
  Sdarid tribes made their coins of gold and less often of silver, and very rarely of copper. Bronze or iron coins, common in some of the Héiswaep city-states, were not struck by the Sidarids. Coin-making became a refined art amongst the Sdarids - they very soon eclipsed their Héiswaep teachers and specialised craftsmen were making the dies for the coins. The methodologies developed in this period have remained largely unchanged to the present day.
  First, blanks are made from gold or silver, which are melted and poured into special clay moulds. The die is a two-part affair: the blank is fitted into the heavy lower half, and the upper half then fitted over it. A worker then strikes the die with a heavy iron hammer, smashing the design into the gold or silver of the coin. Sdarid minters are very good at this, and doublestrikes or “smeared” coins, found often in the coinage of the Héiswaepzí and Gwereinmáchlídzí, are unknown among Sdarids.
  Because the Sidarids had no central government, the coinage was easily debased (mixed with inferior metals). Coins were commonly “shaved”: an unscrupulous trader would keep a small container out of sight and use a sharp blade to remove a sliver of gold from the edge of each coin he or she handles, dropping these ill-gotten gains into the container. Sdarid coins rapidly lost their original value, and traders often weighed them or even bit them. Gold mixed with a base metal is typically harder than pure or near-pure metal and so pure gold is very soft and will yield teeth marks if bitten. This remains an issue event to the present day. Powerful tribes usually minted their own coins with the image of their chief or king on them. Some tribes even used the extremely precious sacred-metal, halor, for coinage. However this met with stiff resistance from Wyndyn, who frowned upon the sacred-metal - believed to be the congealed blood of Seihdhara, fallen from the heavens where she does battle - being used for such base purposes.
  
  By 1500 BGAM even silk from Csíbhrògh (later it would be discovered that silk, in fact, came all the way from Cúneacsbhrògh) had found its way into the hands of Sidarid Lairds.
  The quantity traded remained small, and this meant that the acquisition of these exotic goods marked out certain Lairds as a cut above the others. Such status symbols aided them in gaining greater power, and so the clans began to coalesce around ever-more-powerful leaders - leaders chosen from the then-supreme warrior class, for the Wyndyn would not fully expand their powers for some centuries. With this greater power and organisation came the ability to wage war on an ever greater scale, though it would not come to be directed against non-Sidarids until the Iron Age.
• ~900-400 BGAM
  The onset of the Iron Age. Age of forts and defended farmsteads, as well as quarrelsome tribal confederations, petty tribal kingdoms, and the quick rise and fall of tribal warlords.
  

  Detail

  The onset of the Iron Age in Sidara occurs around 900 BGAM, initiating an age of forts and defended farmsteads, as well as quarrelsome clan confederations, petty tribal kingdoms, and the quick rise and fall of clan warlords. Huge numbers of small duns, hillforts, oppida, and ring forts were built on any suitable crag or hillock during this period, moreso than in the past where single hillforts were the norm for a clan. Brochs are also first constructed in this period. Many souterrain underground galleries (functioning as food stores or hiding places during times of strife) and passageways were constructed to ease movement and communications when the surface was compromised or too dangerous. Island settlements linked with land by a causeway, the so-called crannogs, also became common and served a primarily defensive purpose.
  This period saw the swift expansion of Sidarid lands westward, across the Seihdh-Soul-Sea, and eastward into Higape, the lands of the Héiswaepzí - who thought to profit eternally from Sidarid desire for exotic goods from Csíbhrògh, Cúneacsbhrògh, and other far eastern realms. It also saw the rise of the Baevni Empire to the west, which wreaked havoc on Western Sidara (Wesdara).
• 740 BGAM
  A Héiswaep league of western merchant republics elected a Great Merchant to lead the defence of their lands against Sidarid encroachment.
  
  

  
  
  The Héiswaepzí, a Race of Headless Men

  
  
  The newly formed league was both large and wealthy and would have almost certainly put a stop to Sidarid ambitions were it not for bad luck and the hurriedness of the Great Merchant, a man by the name of Gulgalu, who led his force against the Sidarids and faced them in open combat before all the forces of the League were at his disposal. Led by one Laird Aenghas, the Sidarids were enthused by the opportunity to face their prey openly. Unprepared and poorly led, the Héiswaep force was defeated and scattered, and the Great Merchant Gulgalu was slain. His face was cut from his chest and paraded before the victorious Sidarid army.
• 739 BGAM
  Sidarid tribes invaded Higape again led by a Laird named Rhigh. The Héiswaepzí fended off the Sdarids, but could not stop them from moving on into Higape. A force led by the prominent city-state of Buoriga moved to stop them at the pass of Ulaemip, the only useful route southward towards the rich Héiswaep cities. Barbarians the Sdarids may have been, but centuries of trade meant that they knew their neighbour well by now. They bypassed the Buorigzí by using a mountain path commonly used by merchants wishing to avoid the bandits who sometimes lay in wait at the pass of Ulaemip. When the Buorig fleet tried to evacuate the army, the Sdarids launched an attack and a fierce battle broke out at the water’s edge. The Héiswaepzí managed to drive off the Sdarids after heavy losses on both sides. Leaving their dead behind, the invaders headed on toward their real goal, the sacred Tuohimil Oracle.
  For centuries, Héiswaepzí had donated treasures to the Oracle and its god, Fo. The Sdarids now pillaged these riches but were surprised in the course of their looting and desecration by a relieving Héiswaep army. According to Héiswaep writers, the actions of the Sdarids enraged Fo, who smote the thieving raiders with earthquakes and thunderbolts, slaying thousands of them.
  Whatever the case, the Sdarids were harassed by guerrilla strikes from small bands of Héiswaepzí. A nighttime raid also created great confusion, and Sdarid contingents mistakenly fought one another in the darkness. The next day’s fighting against the Héiswaepzí went badly, and Laird Rhigh suffered a serious wound. Shamed by this immense defeat, he followed the Sdarid custom of enlarging the wound to make it more conspicuous, killing himself in the process. The remainder of the Sdarids put their own wounded to death and straggled north, losing still more warriors to Héiswaep attacks along the way. A pitiful remnant returned to their homelands, still loaded with immense treasures.
  One wing of the Sdarid host would go on to found a small pirate kingdom on the shore of the World-Water, which endured for several generations - they raided the Héiswaep cities on the World-Water's coast and gained a fearsome reputation for their habit of sacrificing prisoners. So cruel did the Héiswaepzí consider them that people would commit suicide at the very approach of Sdarid raiders. This greatly amused the Sdarids, who enjoyed marching toward Héiswaep cities just to watch the citizens fling themselves from the walls.
  Another group of the Sdarid host would cross the World-Water to serve as mercenaries on distant islands, eventually founding the long-lived kingdom of Sadeiríya. Still others returned to Higape for decades to come, this time invited as paid swords for hire. But they would never again threaten to conquer Higape.
  
  Though there were undoubtedly Sdarid excursions - such as that of Laird Rhig - that aimed after loot and glory, Sdarid tribes tended more often to migrate due to population pressures. Those same pressures that saw them expand eastward towards Higape saw them also expand westwards towards Gwereinmáchlídbhrógh (lit. Land of the Sunset-Folk). For traders not only brought luxury goods from east and west; they also alerted Sdarids to the existence of rich lands they could plunder and potentially settle...
• 550 BGAM
  'These are not civilised people who will become your ally when you have taken their city, but wild beasts whose blood we must shed or see them spill our own.' - An Anonymous Baevni Military Leader

  
  
  The Gwereinmáchlídzí were organised into a number of kingdoms and republics, all which had early contact with the Sdarids both through trade and due to the Gwereinmáchlíd expansion. Of these republics, the Baevnizí, centred on the city of Baevin, soon formed a lasting alliance with the more easterly city-state of Baxiria to counter the Sdarid threat. Sdarid settlers arrived in the Torg River Valley of Eastern Gwereinmáchlídbhrógh around 550 BGAM and soon invaded the lands of the Kulgum, a Gwereinmáchlíd people neighbouring the Baevnizí.
• 548 BGAM
  Baevni ambassadors tried to arrange peace between the Sdarids and the Kulgum city of Diharc but carelessly took the side of their neighbours against the Sdarids when fighting broke out anyway. The Sdarids emerged victorious from the battle and demanded compensation from Baevin for this breach of the peace.
  Baevin acknowledged the wrongdoing but elected two of the disgraced ambassadors as the new year’s consuls. Taking this for the insult the Baevnizí surely intended, the Sdarids - led by Laird Rhigh (a common leader’s nickname during the period, meaning “king”) - marched on Baevin. At least three tribes took part, Rhigh's own Waégnú tribe and their allies, the Hóeryéfni and Panoagh tribes. Rhigh and his men smashed a Baevni army at the Oragi Moors and pressed on to the city itself.
  Although later Baevni historians recorded great acts of heroism by the ancestors of every prominent family, the Baevnizí could not stop the Sdarids. The invaders burned and pillaged the so-called Sunlit City with great enthusiasm. Only a small Baevni garrison held out on one of the city's fourteen hills, fending off repeated assaults. Unable to force the Sdarids to leave, the Baevnizí negotiated a peace. For one-thousand pounds of gold, the Sdarids would head back east and leave Baevin. When Baevni negotiators protested that the scales were unbalanced, Rhigh famously tossed his sword on the scales to add to the weight and declared: “Janask Jatedi,” in broken Culiv - the language of the Baevni. “Woe to the vanquished.”
  
  

  
  
  Janask Jatedi

  
  
  Rhigh’s victory did not end Sdarid attacks on Baevni lands, and the Baevnizí made sure their own people never forgot the insult. Janask Jatedi became a Baevni watchword and the basis for Baevni policy towards defeated peoples. Every new generation of the Baevni upper classes grew up thirsting for vengeance against those who had sacked their invincible city. A century later, Gijer Dul would still cite the Sdarid sack of Baevin as justification for his atrocities against Wesdarid civilians...
• 548-460 BGAM
  Gulubi, a powerful Héiswaep city peering over the World-Water on the western continental coast, just north of Gwereinmáchlídbhrógh, saw Baevin as a potential rival and funded repeated Sdarid incursions for a half-century after Rhigh's victory. In 497 BGAM, the Baevni consul Fohir Tor defeated a Sdarid Laird in single combat and took his golden torc, greatly demoralising the Sdarids and ending that particular threat to Baevin. In 490 BGAM the tribune Harok answered a challenge and strode forward for the ritual exchange of insults before battle. While he and his opponent berated one another (with neither probably understanding a word), a raven perched on Harok's helmet. The Sdarids took this as an evil omen and swiftly quit the field.
  Almost as though they followed a calendar, about once per generation the Sdarids launched a mass invasion of Baevni lands. Driven by new tribes crossing the Seihdh-Soul-Sea, themselves moved by population increases to the east, the wars continued with neither side able to gain an advantage. Sdarid gains from these movements were balanced by Baevin's increasing dominance over the Culiv-speaking peoples of Gwereinmáchlídbhrógh.
  However Sdarid leaders suffered a key weakness throughout their history in this period: their near-total lack of geographic sense blinded them to larger political realities. They continually passed up chances to attack while Baevin engaged in life-or-death struggles with other Gwereinmáchlídzí, such as the Kulgumzí, Lohinzí, Shumgzí, Ehopzí, in addition to the non-Gwereinmáchlíd Horidjzí from the north who had by now conquered Gulubi and were advancing on Gwereinmáchlídbhrógh. Then, when Baevin had no such distractions, the Sdarids would attack alone. Had they taken advantage of any of these opportunities, which occurred over the course of about one-hundred years, there is little doubt that Baevin would have perished.
  
  When Ungar-Harukin, the glorious Horidj general, led his elephants south against Baevin in 469 BGAM, many Sdarids he crossed on his route - in what is today western Haiho land - joined his forces, but the tribes made no concerted effort to intervene in the war. Instead, they waited until Ungar-Harukin had been defeated and then attacked the Baevnizí. This time, the tribes of western Haiho met their final defeat and came under direct Baevni rule. But conflict between Sdarid and Baevni was far from over - this was only the beginning of an epic and, for the Sdarids, tragic saga.
• 460-403 BGAM
  'To plunder, butcher, steal, these things they misname empire: Mark where their carnage and their conquests cease! They make a solitude, and call it — peace!' — Calgacus, A Laird of Clan Esher of the Culldinoan Tribe

  
  
  The most influential individual in Sdarid history in this period (or perhaps in any other period before) had no Sdarid blood himself. Gijer Dul completely overturned the Wesdarid world in a series of military campaigns designed primarily to enrich himself and increase his political power at home. The destruction of hundreds of thousands of lives, massive property, and nearly a whole civilisation, just happened to be the collateral damage from Dul's ambitions.
• 457 BGAM
  Population movements from Easdara (eastern Sidara) started the chain of events that led to the Baevni conquest. The Auldeahui, a Sdarid tribe allied to Baevin, had long-standing feuds with the neighbouring Afurihn to the southwest of their lands and the Coaduagh to the northeast. The powerful Xunikghza tribe, belonging to a nomadic non-Sdarid people called the Kurgamish, had also been moving southward for some decades already, and had formed an alliance with the Sdarid Rhighacd of Noegaera. The Coaduagh, also friends of Noegaera, used this connection to invite the Xunikghza to cross the River Chjelbui running through Wesdara and help them in their war with the Auldeahui. As the Xunikghza king Curxknga had made himself a friend to Baevin through his alliance with Noegaera, the Baevnizí ignored Auldeahui calls for intervention.
  Things changed when the Huidinogh tribe began to move eastward from their lands in what is now northern-eastern Wesdara. Overpopulation, and the fear of advancing Kurgamishzí, led them to seek new lands to the west. Their Laird, Uorsein-Gator, asked permission to enter Baevni-ruled Wesdara. Gijer Dul, just named proconsul, brought his army up and engaged them, inflicting defeat on them. Unswayed in their determination to find new homes, the Huidinogh sought out a different route.
  
  The Coaduagh, eager to create more problems for the Auldeahui, gave the Huidinogh and their allies, the Baoruio, free passage through their lands and into the Auldeahui territory. The Auldeahui called on Baevin to save them.
  Gijer Dul answered promptly, falling on the Huidinogh as they besieged the Auldeahui capital. He smashed the tribe, selling tens of thousands into slavery. He allowed the Baoruio to return to their homelands. With the Auldeahui saved from one threat, he next turned to Curxknga and ordered him to leave Wesdara. The Kurgamish king refused, and Dul marched quickly to fight him as well.
  The Baevnizí fought the Xunikghza with unusual fury, charging them so fast that the legions did not even throw their javelins before crashing into the Kurgamish shield-wall. The Kurgamish broke under the attack, and Baevni cavalry (many of them Sdarid auxiliaries) rode down the survivors. Curxknga escaped, but the Baevnizí slaughtered both of his wives and most of his children.
  Gijer Dul had what he had come for: a major military victory over an ancient foe of Baevin. He had even fought and won a second major battle over a different enemy, an unexpected bonus. His battlefield skills became the talk of Baevin, exactly what he needed to further his political ambitions.
  Dul returned to Western Gwereinmáchlídbhrógh for the winter, disposing of his profits and engaging in long-distance politicking; he could not re-enter Baevni Gwereinmáchlídbhrógh itself without giving up his proconsulship. Using his new-found wealth, he recruited two new legions among the Baevni settlers and assimilated Sdarids of Toga-wearing Wesdara, as the Baevnizí called the parts of Wesdara they had conquered. He neither requested nor received approval from the Senate to raise these troops, a major breach of Baevni law and custom.
• 456 BGAM
  At some point during this winter, Dul seems to have realised that he could gain even greater profit from a war of conquest in Wesdara. So when the winter ended, he claimed that the Golturae tribe had massed their tribes for an attack on his army, quartered in the lands of the Coaduagh. The Golturae certainly had made ready for war, minting special gold coins to finance the effort and calling in mercenaries from as far away as Northern Easdara. One Golturae clan, the Rhaemigh, tried to defect to the Baevni side. The Rhigh Guilbuo of the Golturae, belonging to the Suosaenu clan, led a huge Golturae army against their capital.
  Gijer Dul sped north, accompanied by his senior staff and, most importantly for his own fortunes, a whole retinue of slave dealers. He rejoined his army and led them on one of his famous forced marches to relieve the Rhaemigh. The Baevnizí caught Guilbuo's army in the midst of crossing a river and inflicted a massive defeat on them. The coalition swiftly began to break up, with individual clans withdrawing to defend their homelands from the Baevni onslaught. The Baevnizí chased down the fleeing clans, killing ten of thousands of their warriors. Shocked by the rapid defeats, the older men and boys left at home to garrison the oppida (a Sdarid form of fortified town) surrendered at the approach of the Baevnizí, often without a fight.
  One Golturae clan, the Magaeruic, vowed to never surrender. Considered the most warlike of the Golturae, the Magaeruic had a reputation for hating Baevni traders, considering them liars and cheats. Taking this vow as the insult to Baevin the Magaeruic surely intended, Gijer Dul quickly marched against their capital.
  But the Magaeruic had studied Baevni ways. They knew that Baevni armies always halted before nightfall to build fortified camps, and would choose ground for defense. The Magaeruic plotted the Baevni march route, predicted where Dul would halt, and, when his men scattered to cut down trees and dig ditches, the Magaeruic were waiting. They swept out of the trees in a silent charge, having put aside their war trumpets and boasting. It was a remarkable display of discipline, and it almost changed history. The Magaeruic got in among the Baevnizí before they could form up to use their devastating close-order tactics and managed to turn the battle into a series of swirling group and individual duels – the sort of fighting at which the Sdarids excelled.
  
  Only the personal leadership of Gijer Dul and Heikus Albintus, the X Legion’s veteran commander, kept the three legions present from being slaughtered. While they held off the Magaeruic and tried to reform their ranks, the other three legions of the army arrived in formation and drove into the Sdarids. The Magaeruic fought furiously, even heaping up their dead to make ramparts, but they finally broke and fled, leaving behind thousands of dead. This time, though, the dead also included a huge number of Baevnizí.
  The campaign ended with the defeat of the Agatugh, who had marched to join the Magaeruic but recoiled from the dangerous ambush plan. Instead, they pretended to surrender their capital and then attacked the Baevnizí. Dul had his men ready, and the Agatugh were crushed. Fifty-three thousand of them marched off to Baevin in iron chains.
  
  Many Easdarid warriors had crossed the Seihdh-Soul-Sea to participate in the war against Dul and the Baevnizí. Most of these fought as mercenaries, paid by the Golturae to help bolster their own forces. Some Lairds of the tribes related to the Golturae also dispatched warriors of their own volition, as the arguments of the Golturae leaders had convinced them that there was more at stake in this war than simply honour or land. The Baevnizí were shocked by the ferocity of these men, and surprised at the much greater proportion of fighting women among them than were found amongst the Wesdarids. Few were taken prisoner as the Easdarids tended to kill themselves first, but the handful who were captured were savagely put to death.
  
  These Easdarids were generally larger than their Wesdarid counterparts and had darker hair and skin, betraying the fact that they were likely mostly of the Culldinoan Tribe of northern Easdara. Those of the Culldinoan Tribe were the most likely among the Sdarids to paint their bodies for combat (usually blue, using azurite clay). Female warriors at times clad themselves in black robes to increase their fearsome appearance; they were also sometimes found as guards sworn to protect religious sites (chiefly, sacred oak groves).
• 455 BGAM
  Gijer Dul spent the winter once again in Western Gwereinmáchlídbhrógh defending his political position. Many in Baevin now feared the power represented by his new-found wealth and private army. When spring came in 455 BGAM, he ordered his legions to start building a fleet of warships on the Seihdh-Soul-Sea's coast. At about the same time, the tribes of Uiwghreim rose in revolt against Baevin.
  During the previous year, the tribes living in what is now south-eastern Haiho accepted Baevni rule without resistance after the fearsome defeats suffered by the Golturae, but during the winter, they had time to reconsider and found they hated the Baevnizí once they got to know them. Led by the Veucioghr, the Sdarid world’s greatest sailors, they now called together their warriors and prepared to attack the Baevnizí.
  The Veucioghr used their fleets to retreat away from oppida threatened by Dul's land forces. The Baevni fleet moved to stop them, and in a great naval battle destroyed Veucioghr sea-power. Using long grappling hooks to shred the rigging of the Sdarid vessels, the Baevnizí immobilised them so they could either board them or set them on fire. With their fleet eliminated, the Veucioghr surrendered. Dul put all of their leaders to death and sold the entire tribe into slavery.
  For his last campaign of the year, Dul marched against the Maorheghn, who lived on the coast of the Haiho Sea in what is now north-eastern Haiho. The Maorheghn, who had not sought this war, did not want to risk the same fate as their Golturae neighbors. They burned their own oppida and withdrew into the deep forests, daring the Baevnizí to follow. Dul tried, but his plan to simply cut down the entire forest proved impractical and he sent his troops into winter quarters with the Maorheghn still free of Baevni rule.
• 454 BGAM
  For several years, Dul had been planning to invade the Culldinoan, across the Seihdh-Soul-Sea in northern Easdara. It would be a great feat of arms to cross the sea, something no Baevni had ever done. Culldinoania - as the land was called by the Baevnizí - had tin, and many Baevni traders wanted to control both these mines and the huge market for Baevni wine that then region had become. Finally, Dul despite his ambitions remained a Baevni at heart, and Baevin never tolerated a threat. The appearance of Culldinoan warriors fighting alongside the Golturae proved that this land needed to be subjugated.
  Before the fleet could sail, however, two Kurgamish tribes, the Huksunkxa and the Twoxtiq, crossed into northern Wesdara. Dul marched to expel them, and the Kurgamish leaders proposed a three-day truce. During the truce, a skirmish broke out between Kurgamish cavalry and Sdarid horsemen serving Dul's army. When the Kurgamish chieftains came to meet with Dul, he used the fight as an excuse to imprison them and then quickly marched his army to launch a surprise attack on the leaderless Kurgamish.
  Believing the Baevnizí would honour the truce, the Kurgamish had no guards posted, and their warriors scrambled to arm themselves even as the Baevnizí began killing their people. Dul ordered that no one be spared: 430,000 Kurgamish men, women, and children were put to the sword. In Baevin, the Senate coldly refused to grant Dul the honours of victory, accusing him of staining the army’s reputation. Something spectacular had to be done to regain the public’s favour.
  A Kurgamish tribe on the other side of the River Chjelbui refused to hand over the survivors who had escaped the massacre. Taking this as pretext for invasion, Dul had his men build a bridge over the Chjelbui, a great feat of engineering. His army then spent eighteen days burning farms and murdering Kurgamish non-combatants before withdrawing back over the river and dismantling the bridge. Another feat would have to be accomplished, and soon.
  While most of his army went after the Maorheghn again, Dul took two legions and invaded Culldinoania. Having spotted the approaching ships waiting for a favourable tide, the Culldinoan donned their blue war-paint and met the Baevnizí right on the beach. Many waded into the surf or drove their chariots into the water to attack the Baevnizí. The outnumbered Culldinoan could not hold for long, though, and eventually Dul's men forced their way ashore and set up a beachhead. Despite this temporary success, Dul found that he was unable to consolidate his position and was forced to withdraw before winter returned.
• 453 BGAM
  'Culldinoania - avoid that unusual and extravagant word as the sailor does the rock.'— Gijer Dul

  
  
  Dul could not allow the defeat to stand, and sold his withdrawal to the Baevni public as merely the planned result of a reconnaissance in force. He spent the winter once again tending to his political position and writing a guide to Culiv grammar, recommending a forceful and direct style. His troops spent the winter building more ships, and, when spring came, Dul found six-hundred vessels ready for his use. In addition, hundreds of traders, slave dealers, adventurers and political lackeys attached themselves to his headquarters. And, to spite his political enemy Durmikio Onbrasokus, Dul brought along an elephant as well. Onbrasokus’ grandfather rode an elephant when he conquered south-western Wesdara for Baevin, and Dul planned to do the same when he added Culldinoania to Baevin's empire.
  Before he could leave, Dul learned of a planned uprising by the Tuiopu, Wesdara's leading cavalry power. He marched quickly to cow their Laird, Eigomar, who handed over two-hundred hostages in a pledge of good behaviour. With that settled, the invasion of Culldinoania could begin in earnest.
  This time, five legions made the trip, along with two-thousand Sdarid cavalry. Dul got ashore without opposition and quickly moved inland to confront the nearest tribe. But once again a storm damaged his fleet. While Dul had spent the winter in preparation, so had the tribes of Culldinoania. Several of those in the south had placed their warriors under the command of Cel-Duibur, Laird of Clan Esher and widely considered Culldinoania's best general.
  Cel-Duibur ordered his men to employ guerrilla tactics against the Baevnizí. They withdrew before major forces and tried to filter behind the Baevni advance guards to fall on supply trains and isolated units of soldiers. While Dul sought a decisive battle, the wily Sdarid drew him ever further away from his ships and the route back to Wesdara. Dul fought his way across the River Dhoium with the help of his elephant, and accepted the surrender of the Tuihroam, an important tribe. But Cel-Duibur now disbanded most of his army, keeping four-thousand chariot-riders and sending many of the rest slipping back past the Baevnizí for a surprise attack on their beachhead. Dul and a small personal guard rushed back to the camp, but by the time they arrived the one legion there had smashed the uncoordinated Sdarid attack.
  With his plan now foiled, Cel-Duibur decided to give up. Gijer Dul took a few hostages and went back to Wesdara before winter storms made the passage impossible. While he declared the mission a great success, the Baevni public was less than impressed. Already, his political hopes seemed to be fading.
  Wesdara had suffered poor harvests in 453 BGAM, and so Dul spread out his eight legions in separate camps for the winter. The Sdarids saw their opportunity and rose in a series of coordinated attacks in the fall of the year with the Magaeruic in the lead. The Eiburion, a Golturae tribe, led by their Rhigh Umberuiss, wiped out one legion and killed half of another. When Dul rushed to relieve one of his legions, he found the Magaeruic building siege works copied from Baevni practice, hacking away at trees and earth with their swords since warriors would never touch a shovel. While he saved that camp, the Sdarids were learning and learning fast.
• 452 BGAM
  This time, Gijer Dul spent the winter among his troops, trying to repair their fading morale and madly recruiting replacements. He raised two new legions, plus a third to replace the lost unit. In addition, he convinced his political ally, Xorna Mrognis (Xorna the Magnificent) to lend him troops from Xorna's army in the lands north of Wesdara. But as the winter progressed, the news got worse: Xorna's wife, Cuia, died in childbirth. He seems to have genuinely loved her, but theirs had been a political marriage – Dul was her father. Soon, that alliance would start to fray.
  The Sdarids remained busy as well, bringing more adherents to their cause. Once again, they launched a winter campaign, striking the Baevnizí at their most vulnerable. Sdarids, considering war a sport, preferred to fight during summertime, but they managed to put aside these practices, and fought in the dreary rains and snow. Baevnizí huddled around their fires learned to fear the dark nights. When spring came, Dul responded, and, in a series of campaigns, managed to subdue the Magaeruic and their allies. Albintus scored a smashing victory over the Tuiopu, and broke their power.
  As the campaign in the north dragged on, however, Sdarids from other regions began to see Baevni vulnerabilities. The powerful, well-organized tribes of Central Wesdara had been bypassed by Dul's earlier campaigns – probably because of Baevni commercial interests there, and because they seemed most apt to assimilate to Baevni ways quickly and easily. They might have stayed quiet, but news from Baevin showed the Republic to be at its end, and this gave new courage to Baevin's Sdarid enemies.
• 451 BGAM
  With Cuia dead, Dul's political alliance with Xorna crumbled. The great Baevni general now had to devote all of his energy to holding his proconsulship since his long list of enemies would quickly destroy him should he lose immunity from prosecution. Baevin's immediate future lay in the relationship between its two greatest leaders, not in its institutions. Sdarid leaders, chiefly the Culldinoan, Cor-Haedeil of the Uraegier, realised this. Haedeil had been one of Dul's hostages during the Culldinoania campaign and now explained to his Wesdarid counterparts just how much the Baevnizí depended on their leader. Agreeing, the Sdarids began their campaign with an attack on the Baevni grain depot at Hurfna, wiping out the garrison and executing many Baevni traders for cheating Sdarids.
  Responding to Haedeil and impressed by the daring assault on Hurfna, 20-year-old chieftain Vercin-Gator of the Orfeinugh led his troop of cavalry out of Baevni service and began to gather tens of thousands of warriors. He then sent a force deep into the western Baevni Wesdara to harass the Baevnizí.
  Gijer Dul sped back and made a daring ride through Sdarid-controlled territory to reach his army in Eastern Wesdara. Showing his usual speed and energy, he marched west to face Vercin-Gator, who ordered the tribes in his path to burn their oppida and fields to deny the Baevnizí food and shelter. In an unusual development for the Sdarids, however, the Baelgund had become attached to their capital, Hoerv. Most agreed it was the most beautiful of all the Wesdarid oppida, and the Baelgund believed its huge walls made it impregnable. Vercin-Gator agreed to its defense, and brought up his army nearby to harass the Baevnizí as they laid siege to the fortress.
  Dul's troops built a pair of huge ramps, each sporting a tall siege tower. Between them, a terrace of tree trunks held up the whole structure. When the ramps approached the wall, a daring Sdarid raiding party managed to slip out of Hoerv one night and set the Baevni siegeworks on fire. The defenders poured out to finish the job, and the Baevnizí counterattacked. After fierce fighting, they pushed the Sdarids back into the town. The next day, helped by a driving rainstorm, they pushed the surviving tower up to the wall and breached the defenses. When resistance finally collapsed, Dul ordered everyone in Hoerv put to the sword.
  Next, the Baevnizí marched on the Orfeinugh capital, Kierkaroafa. Vercin-Gator's army harassed them the entire way. When the Baevnizí reached the oppidum, they found a powerfully-built mountaintop fortress. However, the Orfeinugh had allowed their allies to build walled camps adjacent to their walls, and the Baevnizí easily managed to penetrate these hastily-built lines. When they assaulted the walls, though, a counterattack cut off the raiders and destroyed them. A few days later, Dul withdrew to the east.
  Kierkaroafa was the only defeat the Baevnizí suffered under Dul's direct command, and it had wide-ranging effects. The unbeatable Baevni had been beaten. Tribes that had wavered in their allegiance now rushed to support Vercin-Gator. Even the Auldeahui chieftains, those long-time allies of Baevin, threw their swords at the feet of the young Orfeinugh rhigh. Dul united all ten of his legions and recruited Kurgamish mercenaries to bolster his forces.
  Vercin-Gator now held the initiative – rare for the Sdarids in their struggles with Dul – and attacked western Baevni Wesdara again. Dul, as the Sdarids well knew, had no choice but to head west to defend Baevni territory. The Wesdarids launched a surprise attack on Dul's army with their cavalry, but Vercin-Gator held back his foot soldiers, probably due to his youth and inexperience. What could have been a stunning victory instead led to the loss of thousands of Sdarid horsemen.
  Vercin-Gator withdrew to the nearby oppida of Peilugin, and Dul followed. This time, the Baevnizí constructed elaborate siegeworks to ring the Sdarid town with ditches, barricades, and walls. The Sdarid rhigh sent out clouds of riders to raise all the tribes of Wesdara to come to his aid, and they responded. All of Dul's old enemies marched on Peilugin, including some he had claimed to have exterminated: the Magaeruic, Veucioghr, Huidinogh, Maorheghn and more. In all, forty-three tribes sent warriors. Even the Uraegier of Southern Culldinoania sent four-thousand warriors, and the Wesdarids chose the Uraegier laird Haedeil to lead the relief force.
  While the Wesdarids assembled, Dul's men frantically built a second line of fortifications facing outward. Three times Sdarid attacks failed to breach the Baevni lines, and, after the last one, Baevni and Kurgamish cavalry rode down thousands of Wesdarids. Haedeil could not hold the relief force together, and tribe after tribe defected and went back home. Running out of food, Vercin-Gator decided to surrender. Dul allowed the Orfeinugh and Auldeahui to return home and made the rest slaves, giving one prisoner to each Baevni soldier as a reward.
  Vercin-Gator was made to surrender in an elaborate ceremony and was then sent back to Baevin in chains where he was ritually strangled in Dul's honor six years later.
  After the epic defeat at Peilugin, Haedeil and his diehard Uraegier went west to continue resistance, joining with the Baehlir to attack the Rofnigh, the pro-Baevni tribe in eastern Wesdara. Dul marched east to relieve the Rofnigh once again. He found the Baehlir camped behind a thick swamp, and had his men build portable bridges to cross the wet ground and attack the Sdarids. The Baehlir laird, Caerus, had his men gather huge quantities of brush and sticks and pile them into a massive wall in front of the Baevnizí. When the Baevnizí approached it, they set it on fire and ran in the opposite direction.
  Caerus set up a new ambush for the Baevnizí, but a Kurgamish mercenary betrayed his plans to Dul, who sprang an ambush of his own on the Baehlir. Caerus refused to surrender, hacking down every Baevni who approached with wide swings of his sword. Surrounded by Baevnizí, he still would not give up, and so they stood back and riddled him with arrows.
  Next, Dul headed north to deal with Umberuiss of the Eiburion, who still decorated his house with the heads of the Baevni legates Schubnu and Qitud from his destruction of their legions two years earlier. But Umberuiss took to the woods and conducted a guerrilla campaign, killing isolated Baevni soldiers but refusing to meet them in open battle. Dul chose not to continue the effort in bad weather and sent his troops into winter quarters. After a winter spent defending his political position via letter and messenger, Dul returned to the field and mopped up the Quihuitan, who had a fortress that seemed invulnerable and had laid in huge supplies of food. However, the Baevnizí figured out how to divert the streams that fed the springs on which they depended for water. The Quihuitan surrendered, and Dul ordered his troops to cut off the hands of all who had borne arms against the Baevnizí.
• 403 BGAM
  The ap Morig invade first Baevin and then Sidara, alongside their lumbering, Alluidh-riding green minions - the ap Gynurk.
  

  Detail

  In their eternal hunger for expansion, the ap Morig erupted from across the western sea and utterly destroy Baevin, before extending their hands towards Sidara. The initial invasion by these eldritch beings and their lumbering, Alluidh-riding green minions - the ap Gynurk - was really nothing more than a raid, but eventually hordes of the ap Gynurk landed, led by their eldritch overlords, and the Sidarid clans - disunited and ever embroiled in internal wars and feuds - could do nothing before their dread horror.
• 393-7 BGAM
  The period of Sidarid subjugation to the ap Morig. By 10 BGAM the power of the ap Morig had largely waned, and their last strongholds fell to Sidarid clans in 7 BGAM. Now the ap Morig occupy a position directly opposed to the gods in the Sidarid weltanschauung, and are the manifestations of all things evil. It is said that their descendants dwell even to this day beyond the western sea, plotting and scheming and planning the release of their forefathers and the reconquet of Seihdhara.
  

  Detail

  The period of Sidarid subjugation to the ap Morig. Various parts of the region fell into the power of the ap Morig over the centuries, but never all of Seihdhara at any one point. Their rule was always hindered by constant clan risings and rejection of foreign subjugation, as well as invasions by clan confederations that retained or had re-established their independence.
  One of the early confrontations between the Sidarids and ap-Morig came after the ap-Morig devastated and conquered the south Wesdarid Geihuim tribe.
  
  With the utter devastation of Baevin clear for all to see, and the intention of the ap Morig to invade Sidara clear, the remaining major tribes quietly made their deals with the ap Morig - the Eugein and Uraegier becoming client kingdoms. One rhigh Coalighn would not rest, though, and continued to organise resistance in what is today north-eastern Haiho. The Sheoline of eastern Haiho became fanatical supporters, and an ap Morig grand magicker set out after him with a terrifying horde.
  Coalighn finally was cornered by the grand magicker in 349 BGAM, turning to give them battle to protect the huge column of refugees, mostly women and children, which his army had acquired. ap Morig dread-horror overcame the Sheoline’s fury, and the Sdarid army broke up. The ap Morig fell on the camp followers, slaughtering many and seizing thousands as slaves, including Coalighn’s wife and daughter.
  This disaster seems to have taken the will out of the great Sdarid laird, who instead of falling back with the Sheoline went east across the Seihdh-Soul-Sea in response to an offer of aid from the Builagnh. Their scheming warrior-bhaenrhigh, Mhundacara, promptly threw him into chains and gave him to the ap Morig. Her husband, Fineic, considered this a dishonorable act and open warfare broke out between the royal couple. Mhundacara also began sleeping with her husband’s shield-bearer to deepen the insult.
  Fineic defeated his wife’s faction, and the ap Morig rushed across the Seihdh-Soul-Sea to reinstate their vassal. Meanwhile Coalighn went in chains to the ruins of Baevin, where the ap Morig had established their temporary capital. There Coalighn was pardoned by the mysterious overlord of the ap Morig and sent into exile, where he was reunited with his family.
  
  After Coalighn went into exile, the the ap Morig did nothing, and the Sdarids remained quiet for the next decade. In 335 BGAM, a new grand magicker took charge in the east. An ambitious creature, it aimed to further the conquests of the ap Morig by subjugating the rest of Wesdara and crossing the Seihdh-Soul-Sea. Gathering great hordes in what is today eastern Haiho, near the offshore island of Bui-Ghuilo. The site of the largest Wyndyn groves in Wesdara at the time, the new grand magicjer considered Bui-Ghuilo a hub for rebellious movements. From there, the Wyndyn encouraged resistance to the ap Morig, and there they also trained their “wild women” female warriors.
  The grand magicker mounted an amphibious assault across the narrow channel separating Bui-Ghuilo from southern Haiho, and slaughtered the Wyndyn in their groves. The Wild Women fought ferociously, dying to fulfill their oaths to defend the sacred site. Exiles from ap Morig-conquered areas had gathered there, and these men and women died fighting or were massacred. At least some Oergeinu and Dacuilean tribal warriors from nearby areas fought there as well, but could not stop the Romans from hacking down the ancient, sacred oak trees.
  While the grand magicker engaged the Wyndyn, it received word of a massive rebellion clear across Wesdara, in what today is the southern-most peninsula of Wesdara.
  
  Cliodhna, a Clan Mwryfin warrioress of th Eugein tribe whose husband, Paelug, had decided to submit to the ap Morig rather than fight them, had led her people in a series of attacks on ap Morig colonies, burning several and slaughtering the eldritch settlers. For while Paellug's decision bought Clan Mwryfin and teh Eugein some respite from the incessant ap Morig attacks, it proved exceptionally unpopular with his people. Paelug died under mysterious circumstances, leaving leadership of the tribe to his daughters, and naming the mysterious overlord of the ap Morig co-chief with them. The idea of sharing power - with women! - was clearly viewed as an affront by the ap Morig, and so they struck out to educate the 'savages' on their place in the hierarchy. Cliodhna, to whom the daughters had an obligation of obedience, was now the effective Chieftess, and so was publicly flogged by the ap Morig and her daughters raped. Severeal of Cliodhna's relatives were also sold into slavery.
  Her honour injured and her people thirsting for freedom and revenge, the Chieftess assembled her forces and waged relentless war against the ap Morig, inflicting humiliating defeats upon them and razing to the ground a number of the major cities they had established in Wesdara.
  The timing, and the documented presence of Wild Women among several of the warrior hosts including as a personal guard to Cliodhna, hints that the Wyndyn prompted the uprising in an attempt to divert the grand magicker from his assault on their sanctuary. Cliodhna certainly waited some time between her disgrace and calling for armed resistance. If this was the intent, it failed, for the grand magicker had just accomplished his goals when word arrived of the uprising. It marched quickly back to face the Eugein.
  Cliodhna had assembled a large army, and the grand magicker fell back before her forces and summoned further minions to subdue the upstarts. Cliodhna led thousands of charioteers, who somehow managed to hide their vehicles from the ap Morig invaders.
  She eventually met her match at the Battle of Foul Finn's Field, when the grand magicker had all its forces gathered and was able to face the Chieftess. It turned to face the Sdarids and Cliodhna obliged with a mass charge. Her troops did no better with the tactic than the Wesdarids had a hundred years earlier against the Baevnizí, and tens of thousands of Sdarid warriors perished. Many members of Clan Mwryfin perished and the clan was eventually exterminated in its entirety. Cliodhna's exact fate is undetermined, though it is said the Arwynden know but have refrained from making it public knowledge. It has passed into Sidarid folklore that, having survived Foul Finn's Field with her daughters, the Queen escaped across the veil into the spirit realm and will return with the warriors of Clan Mwryfin when the eschatological final battle against the ap Morig draws nigh.
  
  Despite the many defeats inflicted against the Sdarids, the ap Morig never penetrated far into Easdara and by 10 BGAM the power of the ap Morig had largely waned, and their last strongholds fell to Sidarid clans in 7 BGAM. The memory of this great invasion by foreign forces, and the horror of the ap Morig, has left an indelible mark on Sidarid culture and ways - for the ap Morig occupy a position directly opposed to the gods in the Sidarid weltanschauung, and are the manifestations of all things evil.
• 4-20 OGAM
  The departure of the ap-Morig means that the Sidarids return to doing what they do best - warring with and killing each other. Clan Esher, an important clan in Easdara, emerges as a major player during this period under the leadership of Laird Ruahthain.
• 40 OGAM
  The Haiho Clan's lands are united for the first time and the Haiho Righacd is established to the north of Clan Esher, across the Seihdh-Soul Strait.
• 46 OGAM
  Tensions over the passage of shipping and trade through the Seihdh-Soul Strait leads to conflict between Clan Esher and the Haiho Righacd. Clan Esher loses its Laird of the time, a warrioress by the name of Mhyruih and suffers tremendously, but the appearance of a Wyndyn-Prophet turns the tides. With the strait now secured, a Duthchas (great council of the clans) declares the Esher Laird rightful Rhig (King). The Esher Righachd is established.
• 47 OGAM
  Episode of the Malcontents.
  The newly-ascended Rhig Fhuiric is forced to deal with malcontents who had not cast their votes for him at the Duthchas. The Duthchas becomes the official advisory body representating the clans. In time, the Duthchas become a directly elected parliament. An ancient ritual, called the Hyscadal (‘the Bull’s Vision’), is reinstated after to solidify the Rhig's position and bolster his legitimacy.
  

  Detail

  Bhaenrhig Fhuiric is forced to deal with some malcontents who had not cast their votes for him at the Duthchas. It is agreed that a Duthchas should always be in session to act as an advisory body to the Rhigh/Bhaenrhig and as a permanent representative of the interests of the realm's clans. In time, the Duthchas would grow into a directly elected body (though still referred to as the Duthchas). This would come to be known in Esheran history as the Episode of the Malcontents. An ancient, likely mythological, ritual, called the Hyscadal (‘the Bull’s Vision’), is reinstated after the Episode so as to solidify the Rhig's position and bolster his legitimacy beyond further challenge.
• 58-90 OGAM
  Under the leadership of the legendary Rhiglaird Seihdhos, the south Easdarid Clan Aujvint manages to unite and commence a thirty-year war of Sidarid unification which, by the death of Seihdhos, sees its territories encompass all of southern Easdara from the sea to the Esher Righacd. This enormous empire was dubbed, with Seihdhos' dying words, Great Seihdhar.
• 109 OGAM
  The Rape at Byc.
  The Auldeahui of Wesdara rose against Great Seihdhar together with the Tretuioligh. Their leaders, Suorig and Bion, tried to convince local clans and soldiers to join them. They brought over very few of these men, and relied mostly on a collection of escaped prisoners, tribal warriors, and bankrupted farmers.
  Though the Auldeahui managed to equip their men with weapons and armour, they could not overcome the gap in training and experience. The Auldeahui managed to take the provincial capital, Goelgai but were trapped there. A school there taught the sons of leading Sdarid households the Baevni and Héiswaep classics, rhetoric, and the other fine points that the Rhiglaird wished to inculcate in the Sdaird ruling classes. Almost all of them joined the doomed rebellion. After holding out for several weeks, Suorig and his men set the city on fire, and then killed themselves in a mass suicide.
  The Rhiglaird saw traditional Sdarid education as the root of this rebellion, and banned Wyndyn and bardic schools, overlooking that the most fanatic rebels came from the ranks of students enrolled in the official institutes the state had set up. The Rhiglaird did not abolish the Sdarid religion - such would have been a step too far - only the schools, and both Wyndyn and bards continued their lessons in caves, deep forests, and other out-of-the-way locales. The Rhiglaird believed that the Wyndyn helped spread rebellion. Past Rhiglairds had begun the trend to repress the Wyndyn by forbidding them from gaining citizenship. The new one, facing increasing resistance to centralisation from the Wyndyn, followed through to the logical conclusion of past policy by banning Wyndyn altogether. Wyndyn, he felt, sparked rebellion by challenging his political authority and using their information networks to spread anti-state propaganda. Thus a campaign to sideline and remove Wyndyn, either via execution or by having them renounce their druidic ways, was launched. This first period of persecution culminates in the massacre of a group of Wyndyn near the great town of a’Cheimbyc. Following this, many Wyndyn go into hiding while others flee to other Sidarid lands.
• 136-138 OGAM
  The Treiwynd Rising against the Rhiglaird. Practised human sacrifice. Led to a civil war which resulted in Clan Braeg and its various sub-clans and allies breaking away from Great Seihdhos.
  

  Detail

  The Treiwynd Rising against the rule of the Rhiglaird. A zealous group of Treiwyndyn gathered together a group of clans, foremost amongst them Clan Braeg, under the banner of the 'true and ancient faith' of the Sidaric people. This involved the 'rejuvenation' of human sacrifice, including wicker man burning, hanging, beheading, drowning, and immolation. The Rhiglaird attempted to crush the Rising, but this resulted in civil war. Clan Braeg, with the support of the zealous Treiwyndyn and its various sub-clans and allies, was able to fight off the Rhiglaird and establish independence. Despite this setback, Great Seihdhos would cross into northern Sidara not long after and continue its drive to unite the Sdarid race and rid them of the Wyndyn blight.
• 161 OGAM
  The Great Decree of 161 issued fixing every clan's clan-lands into permanent, untransferrable property of the clan. All land not delineated as clan-land becomes crown land.
  

  Detail

  The Great Decree of 161 is issued after nearly a decade of careful delineation and consultation with every clan in the realm. The Great Decree fixes every clan's clan-lands, and makes these clan-lands the permanent, untransferrable property of the clan as a whole. Individuals from a clan may own and make use of the land, and it may even pass into the hands of those not of the clan, but the land remains clan-land and can at any point be reclaimed and redistributed as the clan sees fit. All land not delineated as clan-land automatically became crown land with the passage of the Decree. Crown land is effectively public property and can be used freely, but the Rhig can ultimately reclaim and redistribute it at will, or designate it be used only for particular purposes (e.g. grazing land, farming land). The Decree is revolutionary and effectively marks the crown's ultimate authority over the clans.
• 214-29 OGAM
  Griffri the Bear of Clan ap-Filigin campaigns against the invaders.
  

  Detail

  Griffri the Bear leads Clan ap-Filigin in one of the first successful campaigns by north Sidarids against Great Seihdhos. His nearly two decades spent fighting the empire would later be canonised in the epic poem known as ih'Griffeada. Griffri became a source of inspiration for the Clan Gweilaerth chieftain Saenuo, who proclaimed himself Griffri reborn. He would go on to establish the Gweilaerth Confederation, with Clan ap-Filigin playing an important role in his successes.
• 230 OGAM
  Establishment of the Gweilaerth Confederation.
• 357 OGAM
  The Rising of Clan ap-Gwynnud against Great Seihdhos. The Esher Righacd, under the heroic Warrior-Rhig, Der-Ilei Bridu, having for some time suffered due to Great Seihdhos' control over the World-Water Strait, took this as an opportunity to strike. Using the ap-Gwynnud cause as its excuse, it landed troops and secured the strait. Fearful that the Esher Righacd's involvement will result in a general collapse of Great Seihdhos - to the benefit of the Esherans - both the Haiho Righacd and Gweilaerth Confederation declared war on Great Seihdhos. The resulting conflict saw the empire's lands reduced somewhat. Ultimately, the uncertainty of its foes, and their distrust for one another ensured it managed to hold onto more of its territories than it otherwise would have.
• 454 OGAM
  The bardic order, the Cumannfil, is formed.
• 527-34 OGAM
  Mad Galam's Rebellion.
  

  Detail

  Mad Galam, son of chief Haeini of Clan MgGrregah, leads a concentrated insurgency in the mountainous regions of the MgGrregah clan-lands. With the mountains to hide in, Mad Galam and his men sow discord in the Haiho Righacd.
  The reason for his uprising has become the subject of jests and legends, but one particularly popular story relates that an Clan Haiho herder stole one of Galam's goats and slaughtered it for food. Enraged by this thievery, Mad Galam then declared his eternal war on the lot of them. Today the phrase "go a' Galam" refers to an, often violent, over-reaction to something or someone - 'Finor tripped up Balar, then Balar gaed a' Galam oan his head'. 'He bolted intae a dyke 'n' hurt his foot, sae he gaed a' galam oan it wi' a hammer'.
• 534 OGAM
  Mad Galam slain at Galam's Stand.
  

  Detail

  Mad Galam is finally slain at what is today called Galam's Stand. The highland warrior had descended from the safety of his mountains to meet with his beloved Ailen in a secret cottage in Aeld Aega's forests off the Blaejays river. Unbeknownst to him a treacherous lumberjack whom Galam had at one point or another humiliated had reported his frequent excursions to the authorities.
  The highland clansman was ambushed there but was able to fight his ambushers off for a time and escape with Ailen. However, the two were eventually cornered atop a hill and there, claymore in hand and loosing the mountain-bear's song, Galam made his final stand.
• 564 OGAM
  The Cumannfil, Sidara's bardic order, welcomes visual artists of all stripes into its ranks and permits their presence at the annual Tionilfil, the great Sidarid gathering of poets and musicians that has taken place since time immemorial.
• 600 OGAM
  Present

Stats

Esher Ríghacd
Land Area: [16 - 10] = 6
Land Fertility: [16 + 4] = 20
Development: 12
Land Power: [15 + 5] = 20
Naval Power: 14
Economy: [5+1] = 6
Magical Reserves: [18+2] = 20
Magical Sophistication: [17 + 3] = 20
Population: 21,780,000

SIDARIC NPCs:

Clan ap-Gwynnud
Land Area: [2+2] = 4
Land Fertility: 7
Development: 1
Land Power: 10
Naval Power: [5-4] = 1
Economy: 2
Magical Reserves: [8+2] = 10
Magical Sophistication: [5+5] = 10
Population (50000 (7 * (4*.55) * (1*.55)): 423,500

Haiho Ríghacd
Land Area: 13
Land Fertility: [18+2] = 20
Development: 8
Land Power: [19+1] = 20
Naval Power: 3
Economy: 3
Magical Reserves: [5+1] = 6
Magical Sophistication: [19+1] = 20
Population (50000 (20* (13*.55) * (8*.55)): 31,460,000

Clan Braeg
Land Area: 8
Land Fertility: 4
Development: [6-5] = 1
Land Power: [7 + 13] = 20
Naval Power: 2
Economy: [11-5] = 6
Magical Reserves: 8
Magical Sophistication: [18 + 2] = 20
Population (50000 (4 * (8*.55) * (1*.55)): 484,000

The Gweilaerth Confederation
Land Area: 6
Land Fertility: [18+2] = 20
Development: 3
Land Power: 5
Naval Power: [19+1] = 20
Economy: 4
Magical Reserves: 4
Magical Sophistication: [12+2] = 14
Population (50000 (20 * (6*.55) * (3*.55)): 5,445,000

Great Seihdhar
Land Area: [8 + 10] = 18
Land Fertility: [16 + 4] = 20
Development: 10
Land Power: [18 + 2] = 20
Naval Power: [7 - 2] = 5
Economy: [11 - 7] = 4
Magical Reserves: [2 - 1] = 1
Magical Sophistication: [2 - 1] = 1
Population (50000 (20 * (18*.55) * (10*.55)): 54,450,000

Notes on the Sidarid Language

Csíbhrògh = Surabhumi
Cúneacsbhrògh = Sanghara
Csízí = Surabhumans
Cúneacszí = Sangharans
bhrògh = land
zí = suffix to make a word plural e.g. Csí = Surabhuman; Csízí = Surabhumans

Masks

'The use of masks dates back several millennia. It is conjectured that the first masks may have generally been used by primitive people to associate the wearer with some kind of unimpeachable authority, such as "the gods" or to otherwise lend credence to the person's claim on a given social role.'
'Ritual masks occur throughout the world, and although they tend to share many characteristics, highly distinctive forms have developed. The function of the masks may be magical or religious; they may appear in rites of passage or as a make-up for a form of theatre. Equally masks may disguise a penitent or preside over important ceremonies; they may help mediate with spirits, or offer a protective role to the society who utilise their powers.'
'In West Africa, masks are used in masquerades that form part of religious ceremonies enacted to communicate with spirits and ancestors. Examples are the masquerades of the Yoruba, Igbo, and Edo cultures, including Egungun Masquerades and Northern Edo Masquerades. The masks are usually carved with an extraordinary skill and variety by artists who will usually have received their training as an apprentice to a master carver - frequently it is a tradition that has been passed down within a family through many generations. Such an artist holds a respected position in tribal society because of the work that he or she creates, embodying not only complex craft techniques but also spiritual/social and symbolic knowledge.'
'Many African masks represent animals. Some African tribes believe that the animal masks can help them communicate with the spirits who live in forests or open savannas. People of Burkina Faso known as the Bwa and Nuna call to the spirit to stop destruction. The Dogon of Mali have complex religions that also have animal masks. Their three main cults use seventy-eight different types of masks. Most of the ceremonies of the Dogon culture are secret, although the antelope dance is shown to non-Dogons. The antelope masks are rough rectangular boxes with several horns coming out of the top. The Dogons are expert agriculturists and the antelope symbolizes a hard working farmer.'
'One of the most beautiful representations of female beauty is the Idia's Mask of Benin in present-day Edo State of Nigeria. It is believed to have been commissioned by a king of Benin in memory of his mother. To honor his dead mother, the king wore the mask on his hip during special ceremonies.'
'The Senoufo people of the Ivory Coast represent tranquility by making masks with eyes half-shut and lines drawn near the mouth. The Temne of Sierra Leone use masks with small eyes and mouths to represent humility and humbleness. They represent wisdom by making bulging forehead. Other masks that have exaggerated long faces and broad foreheads symbolize the soberness of one's duty that comes with power. War masks are also popular. The Grebo of the Ivory Coast and Liberia carve masks with round eyes to represent alertness and anger, with the straight nose to represent unwillingness to retreat.'
'The variety and beauty of the masks of Melanesia are almost as highly developed as in Africa. It is a culture where ancestor worship is dominant and religious ceremonies are devoted to ancestors. Inevitably, many of the mask types relate to use in these ceremonies and are linked with the activities of secret societies. The mask is regarded as an instrument of revelation, giving form to the sacred. This is often accomplished by linking the mask to an ancestral presence, and thus bringing the past into the present.'
'In Indonesia, the mask dance predates Hindu-Buddhist influences. It is believed that the use of masks is related to the cult of the ancestors, which considered dancers the interpreters of the gods. Native Indonesian tribes such as Dayak have masked Hudoq dance that represents nature spirits.'
'Korean masks have a long tradition associated with shamanism and later in ritual dance. Korean masks were used in war, on both soldiers and their horses; ceremonially, for burial rites in jade and bronze and for shamanistic ceremonies to drive away evil spirits; to remember the faces of great historical figures in death masks; and in the arts, particularly in ritual dances, courtly, and theatrical plays.'
'The nō mask is the supreme achievement of Japanese mask-making. Nō masks represent gods, men, women, madmen and devils, and each category has many sub-divisions.'
'Masks have long been used in military connections. A war mask will have a malevolent expression or hideously fantastic features to instill fear in the enemy. The ancient Greeks and Romans used battle shields with grotesque masks (such as Gorgon masks) or attached terrifying masks to their armour, as did Chinese warriors. Grimacing menpō, or half masks (generally covering the face below the eyes), were used by Japanese samurai.'

masks: objects depicting gods or heroes or monsters which, when worn, imbue in the wearer the qualities of the depicted thing. The wearer becomes in many aways an avatar of the depicted thing.

since the world is full of crazy demons and cowpeople, Sidarids need something to even the odds a bit. So this would make it so warriors in warmasks can go blow to blow with your typical monstrosity
It's justified by the magic roll and the land power
for fertility, the abundance of crystals itself has an effect on the land's fertility in my headcanon, but farmermasks likely improve Sidarid farming techniques immensely
and so on across all things
in religious festivals, a Wyndyn can likely communicate with spirits or wear a mask and be possessed by, say, a recently departed person or an ancient sage or whatnot
who can then be spoken to
it can be used in criminal disputes for instance - speak to the spirit of a dead person, or be possessed by it, so that it can bear witness or some such
many possibilities

ON CELTS

Celts organize themselves by family, clan, and tribe, related by blood and marriage. Related tribes often cooperate in war and trade and are sometimes led by temporary kings and queens who have managed to gain influence over other tribes. There are several distinct nations among the Celts, however.
Celtic speech falls roughly into a core group of closely related languages, and several less-closely related tongues spoken on the periphery of the Celtic world. The Gaulish, British, and Belgic languages, as well as that of the Galatians, are mutually understandable. In each case, however, the reluctance of Celts to travel widely means there are many dialects spoken within each region.
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After crushing the rebellion and driving the Egyptians back into their own lands, Antiochus called up twenty elephants from his reserve elephant training center at Babylon and marched against the Celts. The Celts drew up in their usual order of battle, with 80 scythed chariots in the center with their infantry, and their cavalry on the flanks. Antiochus and his generals spread the elephants along their front. The Gauls opened the action with a charge by their cavalry and chariots. The elephants moved forward to meet them, and the horses panicked at the sight and smell. Terrified charioteers drove their vehicles into the mass of Celtic foot soldiers, mowing them down where they stood. The cavalry fled in all directions. Antiochus sent the elephants forward into the disordered Celtic formation, where they wrought havoc on the Celts, tusking and stomping warriors, grabbing others with their trunks to be stabbed by Antiochus’ men riding the beasts. When the Seleucid phalanx (Macedonian veterans settled in Syria) moved forward, the battle was already over. Few of Antiochus’ other troops even drew their weapons. Antiochus therefore gave all honors to the elephants, erecting statues of them all over his kingdom. ...Greeks still hate and fear the Galatians, accusing them of cannibalism, necrophilia, and worse. ... And more than two centuries later, Galatians still hate elephants.
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These Celtic subjects of Rome are subject to rank exploitation, and many are unhappy with their foreign rulers. A common Roman scam undertaken by corrupt officials is to force loans on Celtic chieftains, insisting that they accept money they neither want nor need. Inevitably, the money is soon spent on potlatches and feasts. Then the loans are collected by force, and, when the chieftains can’t pay the debts, the payments are exacted in form of slaves.
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Celtic culture may have originated on the island that the Romans call Britannia, though this development took place over a widespread area including much of the European continent. By 600 BC the technology and practices of the Hallstatt culture had firm roots in the southeastern part of the island.
Britain’s most famous ancient monument, the structure on Salisbury Plain known as Stonehenge, greatly predates the Celts. It is known throughout the Celtic world and is the subject of many legends. However, its religious significance to the Celts at least is much less than later Celtophiles will make it out to be. Most Celts hold it to be proof that giants once walked the earth or at least that the island’s former inhabitants wielded great powers.
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Celtic community has a large number of slaves, usually the personal property of the chieftain. Slaves are considered less than human but cheaper than animals and worked accordingly. They try desperately to escape and, as a result, are usually bound by iron chains for their entire lives. ... Slaves are chattel – the property of their owners – to be disposed of on a whim. An owner can kill a slave with impunity. They are often used as currency... The division between worker and slave is sometimes hard to define, beyond the absence of chains. Neither participates in battle, nor are they allowed to bear arms. They trail along behind the Celtic armies to do the hard work that always accompanies war: making camp, cutting wood, preparing food, tending animals, digging fortifications, and a thousand other thankless, backbreaking tasks. The working Celt wears a heavy cloak with a pointed hood. Women of these classes by definition have no honor. Thus, they cannot be raped. They can marry, but only with permission of their clan or tribal chief. Interbreeding between the classes is considered highly offensive; there are no mixed marriages. They share with their menfolk an utter inconsequence in the eyes of the law. Because of the relatively liberal sexual mores of the Celts, their workers and slaves are at least spared the sexual oppression and repeated rape of slaves in Roman or German hands. A Celtic warrior might cast his eye at a comely serving wench, but would lessen his own honor if he forced himself on her. ...Some workers must serve the warrior and priest class directly as maids, footmen, body servants, and other household employees.
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Celts are not very good bargainers and are thus often cheated. Greek and Roman merchants realize this, and do very profitable business with the Celts. They usually deal directly with the producers and consumers, but in some of the larger oppida there are native merchants. Celts are divided on the question of whether one base-born can handle weapons. Some blacksmiths are commoners by birth, while others are from the warrior class. These warriorsmiths specialize in arms. Some of them work in smithies from an early age, while a handful of them are injured warriors unable to continue in battle. There are a number of other craft workers – weavers, brewers, carpenters – who do no farm work, yet are not warriors or priests. They lack the privileges of the upper class, yet those upper classes realize they cannot treat them with the same callous disregard they do the peasantry. They are unlikely to be speared or chopped in half during a warrior’s drunken rage. But this is a result of need, not respect.
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While the concept of trade is well-known to the Celts, very few of them take up a career as a merchant. Celts don’t like to be separated from their families and tribe. As a result, most trade among Celts is very short-ranged. Foreign traders bring items from far away, some of which are greatly desired by the Celts. Wine tops the list of popular imports. Family and tribal bonds regulate Celtic commerce rather than laws. A tradesman does not cheat his customers because it would be dishonorable to do so, not because he fears punishment by the non-existent government. Roman, Greek, and Carthaginian merchants have found it very easy to cheat the Celts for this reason since they often have no reason to look for dishonesty. However, should a Celt catch a foreigner in a lie, he or she will usually become enraged. Little is more fundamental to a Celt than the power of the truth, and they usually believe themselves honor-bound to kill liars on the spot. These peoples also differ in their definitions of “lie:” what a Celt believes to be a black-hearted deception worthy of death, a Greek might merely describe as a “negotiating tactic.”
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Celts normally do not engage in long-distance trade themselves.
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In the quest for status, ownership of exotic goods helps confirm a leader’s higher order of being. The Celtic elite drink wine rather than ale and also greatly desire the accessories that go with wine-drinking: bronze wine jugs or fine pottery cups – so that any onlookers will know they are drinking wine and not merely ale. For it does no good to spend on luxury if no one sees you do it. Celtic craftsmen make fine clothing and weapons, and the elite enjoy these. But to truly show off their wealth and power, they need luxury goods from lands far away. Luxury goods of obvious foreign origin are greatly desired, and important to maintain status. There is little difference between buying such goods and taking them as loot in wartime; the result in increased status is the same. A Roman trader who can provide these goods will find a warm welcome among the Celts even as the same warriors swear to kill all others of his people. In exchange for these products, Celts sell slaves from among their own tribes. Rome has an insatiable demand for expendable human labor. They also sell metals, both refined and as ores. Cattle and livestock head south, as well as salted and smoked pork (Romans like pork and are amazed by Celtic methods of preservation). Celtic woolen goods are in very high demand: the brightly colored Celtic woolen cloak has become a Roman status symbol. A small amount of grain goes from Gaul to Roman territory... Most Celtic tribes, even those living along the coast, are not sea-faring people. The concept is understood, but Celts rarely look to the waters. There are exceptions. The Veucioghr of Western Gaul, the region that will one day be called Brittany, build huge wooden ships with deep keels. They equip them with cowhide sails and rig them with chains rather than the ropes common in most of the nautical world. These ships conduct trade up and down the Atlantic Coast. Some of the Belgae also maintain smaller ships, conducting limited commerce between Albion and Gaul. Trade has enriched the Veucioghr, one of the handful of Celtic tribes to depend on commerce rather than agriculture. ... Among the Celts, most travelers are out for adventure, trying to gain status by imitating the traveling heroes of adventure stories. Otherwise, travel is unusual. Most Celts never leave an area more than 10 miles from their birthplace except to go to war. In a huge exception, sometimes entire tribes will uproot themselves and migrate to a new homeland. Celtic fertility (both human and agricultural) is easily capable of overpopulating a tribe’s territory, and something has to give. When this happens, the tribe moves out as a whole rather than send out a limited number of colonists. Huge wagon trains trail behind the vanguard of warriors, as 50,000 or more people march across the land. These movements usually spark wars – few tribes are warm to the notion of crowds of strangers wandering through their fields and eating their crops and game. And as the Celts have a very loose grasp of geography, these wandering tribes rarely have a very clear idea of just where they are going; they can march about for years, sometimes in circles, until they find a suitable place that’s either uninhabited or home to a weaker people they can defeat and drive away. This of course puts the losers on the road in the same condition. Such a migration sparked the current war with Rome. The Huidinogh left their Alpine homes during famine in search of greener pastures. The tribes in their path, long-time allies of the Romans (and scorned by other Celts for this reason), called on the southerners for help. Rome has no love for the Celts, even those it calls its allies, but its political factions agreed that the profitable trade with Celtic Gaul could not be interrupted. Roman troops answered the request. Once invited in, the Romans did not leave Gaul. They utterly smashed the Huidinogh, slaughtering or enslaving tens of thousands to such an extent that later historians won’t even be sure if the Huidinogh were Sdarids or Kurgamish.
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At the top of the Celtic social heap is the warrior class. The Romans call them knights, but this is not an accurate portrayal (ownership of a horse has no bearing on warrior status). Chiefs are always chosen from the warrior class, and a man’s ability to wage war effectively is the best test of his fitness to lead. A warrior has the right to bear arms and to wear the status symbols of his or her class: golden torcs around the neck and arm rings (see below) and, for men, the characteristic flowing mustache. Warriors do not belittle themselves with manual labor: when not fighting or training for war, they hunt and sometimes will work metal (considered a noble occupation). And they drink copious amounts of alcohol while discussing their feats. Their privileged status gives them the time and inclination for adventuring; after all, unless their tribe is at war, they have nothing better to do than to try to make themselves into heroes worthy of legend. The more unusual the adventure, the greater the status gained for undertaking it. Celts believe there is magic in the world, and the most desirous adventures involve investigating the unknown. Simply going off and killing something or someone is also enjoyable to the Celtic warrior, but that sort of entertainment can be found close to home. The greatest warriors even change their name, taking on a nickname that somehow relates to their accomplishments. For example, the Orfeinugh military leader Vercin-Gator name translates as “Great Leader of Warriors.” No one knows his real name; this is held secret lest it be used in magical attacks against him. Warriors often busy themselves with minor skirmishes against other tribes and clans. Cattle-raiding is a common pursuit and is not considered a major crime. If the owner wants to keep his or her cattle safe, then he or she should do a better job protecting the herd. While Celts have a definite preference for pork over beef in their diets, there is no glory to be gained in a pig raid. It’s all about the honor. Celtic warriors are usually landowners, but they do no manual labor and give little thought to managing their farms. The farmers are typically sharecroppers, and some realize that the warriors have no conception of crop yields – the shares they turn in are usually much lower than the amount demanded. As long as the ale and mead keep flowing, the peasants can cheat their landlords with impunity. There is no ladder of responsibility between the Celtic warrior and the laborers over whom he or she has dominion. The warrior feels no responsibility to protect them from harm, beyond the practical effect that he or she will run out of food and ale if the peasants are killed by marauding enemies. Likewise, the peasantry provides these goods because the warrior will kill them if they do not. Celtic agriculture is surprisingly productive, and the forests provide rich game as well. This allows Celtic society to support a large class of armed parasites. As many as 20 percent of some tribes fall into the aristocratic category, an astonishing percentage for any era or people. Tribes can therefore field far more warriors than non-Celtic enemies usually expect.
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There are several types of priest within the Celtic World. Some tend the great sanctuaries, stands of ancient trees that remember when gods walked the Earth. Some look after the spiritual needs of the clans and tribes and also serve as healers. Still others wander in search of knowledge. Romans and Greeks refer to all Celtic holy people as “druids,” but this is not accurate. Germans, sharing the Celtic reverence for trees, usually understand the difference.

Druid

Best remembered in the future will be the Druids, though they are numerically a rather small group. The name literally means “oak knowledge,” which refers to deep and profound wisdom rather than specific study of the oak tree. It can be more liberally interpreted as “highly wise.” Druids exist to study nature, and they hold the vital responsibility of determining planting and harvest times. They also serve as veterinarians. Though they cloak their utterings as divine directives and doubtless believe them to be so, the practical effect is that they enforce quarantine of diseased herds of domestic animals and thus keep losses much lower than those suffered by other peoples. They study the weather and stars in their quest for agricultural knowledge and are their tribes’ keepers of this information. Druidic medicine is closely related to the study of nature and plants: they tend the sick with herbal remedies. Disputes are often settled by Druids, and they enforce their decisions by refusing to allow violators to sacrifice to the gods. The gods only recognize sacrifices overseen by Druids; thus these priests can cut off divine favor from those who displease them. Druids do not pay taxes and are exempt from military service, although they are allowed to go to war if they wish. For a Druid to fight against another Celtic tribe is considered a very bad breach, but wielding weapons against a German or Roman is acceptable. Druids come from the warrior class; a commoner cannot easily be elevated to such lofty status. It’s thought that most Druids are women, though few non-Druids ever see enough of these priests to form a useful opinion. In Gaul, one male Druid is elected as Supreme Druid for life and reigns from the territory of the Carnutes tribe in north-central Gaul. In case of disagreement between Druids, he renders the final verdict. A would-be Druid learns the many necessary skills at one of the Druidic gatherings where senior members teach the young. It is a hard course, with massive rote memorizations. There are no school buildings as such: several of the more wealthy tribes host these sessions for the prestige they garner. The teaching itself usually takes place in an oak grove, and the site is often consecrated. Trees are sacred to Druids, especially the oak, but buildings are not. They have no more use for monumental architecture than other Celts. Some have made use of the ancient monument of Stonehenge, which they find interesting, but the site is not holy. Nature is holy to Druids, and Stonehenge is obviously the work of human beings. The Druids are also impressed by the gigantic Great Menhir found in Armorica (latter-day Brittany), but, like Stonehenge, they view it with academic curiosity rather than religious awe. While the future will label Stonehenge and just about every other carved rock in the Celtic lands “Druidic” in origin, the Druids themselves would laugh at such an association. Human sacrifice is not common among the Druids, but it does occur. As a practice, it has died out among all the continental Celts and is only found in Albion. There, the more warlike tribes still propitiate their war gods with the blood of their enemies. Among many tribes, there is a strong belief that the world is constantly threatened by evil, and it is the Druids who hold this evil at bay. High-ranking Druids are often siblings of tribal chiefs, and their counsel is sought in political matters. Druids are whole-hearted supporters of the war against the Romans and a major driving force of the resistance. Romans in turn find their ways barbaric and assault the sacred groves in an effort to stamp out the religion. Romans are not, as a rule, religious bigots: it is the political role of the Druids in stirring up resistance that makes them an enemy. The Romans will eventually be very successful in this effort; Christian Romans a few centuries hence will wipe out most records of the Druidic faith. The latter-day “Druids” found in the 21st Century are a neo-pagan revival incorporating many disparate beliefs in addition to the early Celtic religious system. Druids interact fully in the Celtic social system, attending feasts and drinking themselves silly. They repair to their groves for religious rites, discussions with other Druids, and sometimes for meditation, but they are not divorced from their community.

Vates

A second, and less well known priestly class among the Celtic people are the Vates (literally, “seer”). Vates are rare on the continent and are most often found in Ireland and sometimes in Albion. They interpret sacrifices and natural phenomena to determine the will of the gods. Vates keep the great calendars, and maintain shrines in sacred groves. They have a great practical knowledge of mathematics, but refuse to apply this to worldly pursuits. Instead, they carefully study flights of birds, clouds, dreams, storms, and sticks thrown on the ground to sense divine will. To be touched by the gods is to court madness, and many Vates are not quite right as a result. Unlike Druids, Vates (called Ovates in some Celtic dialects) do not truly fit in with Celtic society. Warriors fear what a drunken Vates might spill and are uncomfortable with their attendance at feasts. Tradition ties a Vates to his or her sacred grove, and they rarely wander from this site. Everyone likes it better this way.

Banfáith

Only women can become banfáith, a sort of combination priest and bard. They share the bard’s abilities with music and song, undergoing training at bardic schools (see Chapter 7). But during their training, it becomes obvious that they have other powers as well: their songs and poetry show a knowledge of future events. Ollamh, those wise master teachers, are always watching for this ability in their students but seldom encounter it. Because this power could be used to political advantage, banfáith pass from the bardic community into the care of the priestly class. They join the Druids in the sacred groves, using their abilities to aid the Druids and vates in their divinations. A banfáith is not allowed to wander like typical bards, and thus some choose to disguise this ability rather than be tied to the Druids.
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Authority in the Celtic world usually descends along bonds known as clientage. An individual or group pledges loyalty to a stronger individual or group, which then in turn pledges to defend the client from harm. These pledges are of course only applicable to people possessing honor and thus able to enter into contracts. While clans are family-based, there is an even more important client bond within them. The sub-chief who leads the clan is the patron of all of its warriors; they in turn are his clients. They follow the sub-chief in battle, and obey his decisions in other matters. The clans are in turn beholden to their tribal chief. This is a permanent bond; a clan does not have the option of transferring its allegiance to another tribe. The chief is typically the greatest warrior of the tribe, or the sub-chief most noted for wisdom. When a chief dies or is forced into retirement, he is often but not necessarily followed by one of his sons. Some bypass the clan system, becoming direct clients of a chieftain. These are often specialist commoners (blacksmiths, brewers etc.) or warriors seeking to attach themselves to an accomplished battlefield leader. There is usually no penalty for leaving a patron’s entourage: if he or she wants to keep a herd of followers, then they should do a better job providing for them. The chief is the living embodiment of the gods’ favor. Though not a god himself, he is a semisacred being. He is symbolic of the land and especially its fertility. If the chief becomes sexually impotent, crops will fail, and he must be replaced. While it is not rigidly enforced that a failed chief must die, he usually will choose to undergo a ritual sacrifice to give up his life and redeem his people in the eyes of the gods. A chief who wishes to maintain power must demonstrate his virility early and often; prowess in love-making is even more important than prowess in battle. Women can become chiefs and subchiefs, though this is unusual. Most female leaders worked their way close to the seat of power through marriage to a former chief. There are no formal rules barring women from power, but the informal ones are not easy to overcome. A chief must have a large retinue of clients. These give him legitimacy, and their swords can be used to force his will on the sub-chiefs. Having flocks of parasites to sing his praises helps as well. A chief ’s clients are individually bonded to him; because this bond usually passes to his children, it gives a dead chief ’s son a powerful advantage in taking his father’s place. Tribes also have clients, in this case other, smaller tribes that seek protection from a larger and stronger group. This is very common in Gaul, where Roman pressure has frightened many small tribes. In these cases, the smaller tribe gives hostages to the larger to assure its loyalty and good behavior. These hostages are young men, up-and-coming warriors from leading families. They fight alongside the tribe’s chief in wartime and often become close friends with him, his family, and the other tribal leaders. It is considered very bad form to openly discuss that these same close friends will merrily slit the throats of the hostages if their client tribe misbehaves. Women are sometimes traded as hostages as well; it is a social violation to demand or offer a female hostage, but it is considered a highly honorable act for a woman to volunteer. She thus gives honor to the tribe accepting the hostages (she is indicating a regard for their honor – that she knows no harm will come to her) and to her own, as her display of bravery reflects on all of her people. Trading hostages is a Celtic tradition to seal bargains between clans or tribes. It is understood that the holder may execute the hostages if the agreement is violated, but this rarely happens. Instead, social bonds are reinforced by the hostage’s stay in much the same manner as fostering children. Arranged marriages between ruling families are another form of hostage-giving, though once again it is bad form to openly suggest that the daughter given in marriage will be killed if her father breaks his word to her new in-laws.
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when a tribe gains a number of other tribes as its clients the dominant tribe’s chief has taken to calling himself “king.” There is no Celtic Empire and very few Celtic states in the modern sense, but this development is pointing in that direction. These kings are much more common in tribal alliances opposed to the Romans, and some of them are beginning to build the trappings of formal government such as regular coinage and officials in charge of organizing the war effort. The concept is so new that there is no accepted process by which a new king is chosen when one dies, or how a king might be deposed. But the Celts are finding that loose coalitions of tribes simply can’t stand up to the Roman military machine. Defeat fractures them, and tribes that feel they are bearing an unfair burden defect to the Roman side. Gallic chiefs now realize that they must surrender some of their power to a higher authority, who can bring the full might of Celtic Gaul to bear against Caesar’s Romans.
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A leader is known by the number and quality of his or her followers. While the Celts have been a settled people for many generations, they still carry cultural memories of their wandering years. Gold and cattle, both of them easily transported, are the measure of wealth. A famous warrior attracts others, some of them hoping to learn or sharpen new skills but most wanting to simply bask in the reflected glory. And a warrior can take no pleasure in great deeds without someone to adore them. It is a symbiotic relationship - in this age long before any form of mass media, heroes need jock-sniffers. These people are called “parasites”; literally, “fellowdiners” (the word will come to have a negative meaning only centuries in the future). To help inspire such adulation, a prospective leader must keep his or her followers in meat and alcohol. Little is more important to the Celtic warrior than hospitality. This is meant both in the modern sense of graciously providing food and shelter for visitors and strangers, and in the sense of keeping a retinue of followers. One achieves greatness through reputation, and one of the unspoken truisms of Celtic life is that a reputation for valor in battle is greatly enhanced by a good dinner spread. The warrior provides the food and drink, and, in return, those who consume it confirm the warrior’s greatness. A warrior can accept hospitality from one of lesser status though never, ever from a slave or peasant. The warrior takes from these people; it is never an option for the peasant to make a gift to a lord. The warrior can’t accept a lesser warrior’s hospitality very often, however, without imperiling his or her own status. For a great warrior to visit the home of an up-andcoming warrior and accept their food and drink is to convey great status on the youngster. To do so too often is to become subservient to the other, and the typical Celt would rather die than give up status. A mediocre warrior cannot become great by handing out lots of good food, but he or she can most certainly gain a reputation for adequacy by these means. Likewise, those who feel slighted in terms of feasting will find their memories of the host’s great deeds in battle becoming ever less great with the passage of time. A skilled bard, preferably one of fili status, helps the guests understand the host’s greatness by composing ballads to their good qualities. As the proper Celtic warrior also recites poetry, the host hopes that these songs of their greatness will stick with the diners and be repeated elsewhere. Bards and fili are perfectly willing to inflate one’s deeds in exchange for a good meal, and a well-fed host of admirers will nod their agreement. However, part of the bard’s code is that they are not required to praise their host; they can sing their song about anyone present. If the host fails to please the bard with food or gifts, inviting him or her to the gathering can very definitely backfire. Part of the bard’s skill is to craft the song of praise in such a manner that the audience is not exactly sure who the subject might be until the very end.
...To truly gain a great reputation, one must host visitors. This gives adventurers a great advantage, for if they are of the proper social standing, warriors across the Celtic world will want to offer them hospitality. The host can then tell the visitors of his or her great deeds and gain the admiration of a new audience. Hopefully, they will be so impressed with their host that they will spread word of his or her greatness. Polite Celtic society will refer to the host’s valor or wisdom rather than the quality and quantity of food and drink, but all know what is really meant. The chance to spread status to other clans and even other tribes – possibly even to foreign peoples – is not to be passed up and is a worthy investment of resources, however. Traveling Celtic warriors will find themselves able to gain food and shelter as in no other setting, real or imagined. The social rules for hosting strangers are very strict. It is extremely bad form to ask a visitor’s business before they have had food and drink. The level of trust involved is very high, and no Celtic warrior would dream of breaking these bonds. Non-Celts feel very differently, and are happy to use this naiveté against the Celts, who will very innocently invite enemies into their midst or enter their lair alone and unarmed. That they would be harmed in the guise of hospitality is literally unthinkable to the Celt. It is a violation so grievous as to be completely alien to Celtic thinking. Similar to the status-related feast is the tradition known as potlatch. Along with food and drink, the host also gives out gifts. These vary depending on the status of the host, but at the top rungs of society they can be very expensive: gold, jewels, well-crafted golden items, exquisite weapons, and the like. Those who accept the gifts – and it is a deadly insult to decline – then are obligated to return the favor at a feast of their own as best they can. Potlatch competition can become fierce, and wealthy warriors are known to become destitute in the search for greater status. At the extreme end, some are known to give away their entire worldly wealth and, at the climax of the feast, stab themselves in the heart with their last belonging, a dagger held back for this purpose. Thus, they die happy, having achieved the maximum possible status among their peers. Older warriors at the end of their run are particularly known for this final act.
A variation of potlatch giftgiving is to bestow one’s possessions on the gods. Richly decorated shields, weapons and other ornate items are buried or thrown in rivers supposedly to honor the gods, but actually to impress other people. Even severed heads are donated in this manner. This yields a sneaky advantage in the race for status: gifts given in a potlatch increase the wealth of those who receive them, thus giving them that many more resources for the competition. Those given to the gods are taken out of the game, and do not benefit rivals. The status-climber can’t do this too often, lest the tactic become obvious, but it can be very effective when chosen at just the right time.
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Silver is not popular among the Celts. Smiths rarely work in it, preferring gold. Silver items found in the Celtic world are usually imports, bought or looted from other peoples. Celts hold silver to be a precious metal; they simply do not find it as alluring as gold. The only Celts to use much silver are the Galatians, and those from Southeastern Europe (the area that will someday be known as the Balkans). Contact with the Greeks and especially the Thracians (known as master silversmiths) has heightened their appreciation for this metal, and they are even known to make torcs and arm-rings from it. Other Celts scorn these decorations as second-rate, but their owners seem quite fond of silver’s brightness.
...Celts like gold, and both men and women like jewelry very much. Most important of these is the torc, a heavy gold neck-piece unique to the Celtic world. As the neck connects the head to the body, so does the torc symbolize the connection of the spirit (embodied in the head) to the material world (the body). When Celts strip off their clothes for battle, the torc always remains in place. If a warrior is not wearing his or her torc when battle breaks out, putting it on is even more important than seizing weapons. The torc is sometimes rather thick; the huge amount of gold embodied in it symbolizes the wearer’s wealth and power. Celtic warriors also wear arm-rings, smaller and thinner versions of the torc placed around the upper arms, about halfway up the bicep. These are usually more for ceremonial use than the torc since a warrior can easily lose his arm rings in battle if he sweats heavily, and a ring tight enough to stay in place is also thought to needlessly constrict the arm muscles while swinging a sword. Like the torc, arm-rings are always made of gold. Both men and women wear rings on their fingers, usually made of gold. A heavy brooch fastens their cloak, and it’s not unusual for a Celt to wear several just to show them off. Sometimes arm-rings are accompanied by a matching set of ankle-rings, though these are usually limited to warriors who intend to fight naked, as otherwise they would be obscured by trousers or tunics. Earrings are the sign of a magician; the typical Celt refuses to wear them. Those few who do call such attention to themselves wear very plain earrings: small, simple hoops of gold. Enemies of the Celts, particularly the Romans, are well aware that fallen Celtic warriors can be the source of great riches. Celts will also loot the dead, but this is considered shameful and is not practiced openly: the looters sneak back to the battlefield after dark. To take a dead hero’s torc lacks the honor of taking his head, but it is a valuable piece of metal and few value their honor over a pound or two of gold if they can get away with it.
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The basic unit in the structure of Sidarid society is the household. This is made up of two parents and their offspring. Each of these parent may have other spouses, and they may in their own right be the founders of another household. Thus one person may be the head of multiple households with different spouses, those same spouses may in their own right head different households also. This creates for an extremely complex basic structure and relations which are multi-faceted, interconnecting, but ultimately tight-knit.
The unit above this is the clan unit, formed of many households - dozens, or even hundreds.
As clans grow, distinct sub-clans begin to form. These sub-clans become full-fledged clans in their own right with time, and the mother clan transitions into a tribe. This process is repeated with the tribe. Once sub-tribes begin to break off from the mother tribe, the mother tribe loses its tribe status and becomes a nation. All the tribes that break off from the mother-tribe-turned-nation identify with that nation and the people belonging to that nation. There can be multiple layers of nationhood - e.g. Clan Esher belongs to the Culldinoan tribe of the Breioan nation, a sub-nation of the Maedior nation.
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A mound of memorial stones found throughout Celtic lands, especially in significant places such as atop mountains. Like the stone slabs called dolmen and the fairy mound, or sídh, the structures were built by persons unknown long before the Celts, probably to mark the sites of graves. Some cairns have inner chambers; these were probably used as burial sites. Also like sídhe and dolmen, the mounds were incorporated into Celtic myths and rituals and became sacred places to the Celtic people.
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Cattle were an important source of food and leather for the ancient Celts, who built stone fences, many of which are still in use today, to keep their herds from straying
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Mid/High Casual - Divinus: The Deity Roleplay Mk.II

@Muttonhawk Whenever you're free for the collab, hit me up
And if anyone is waiting on me for collab, hit me up too

Godspeed!

Don't think there's enough mortals for war atm

Godspeed!

𝔖𝔢𝔦𝔥𝔡𝔥𝔞𝔯𝔞

Seihdhara of the Red Hair, The Crimson Goddess, The Bear Mother, The Flame Eternal, Whose Beginning Is Tears and Teaches Laughter
Level Two Goddess of War(Martial Combat)
Five Might

_{Time: Takes place between one-week and two-weeks after the Day the Gods Came}

Seihdhara landed on one of the thirteen strange spiralling singing islands and looked around. These islands were full of sound and life, so much was clear, and the indelible mark of her siblings was unquestionable. The sound of laughter and merriment reached her, and she smiled at it. And there reached her, carried on the winds, a soft sad tune that inspired within her such a feeling of longing that she could not but help sing out with all her heart. It was a song she knew from long ago, but which she changed ever so slightly - for her circumstances differed now from then.

My children lie over the ocean
My children lie over the sea
My children lie over the ocean
Oh, bring back my children to me...

Bring back, bring back
Oh, bring back my children to me, to me
Bring back, bring back
Oh, bring back my children to me

Oh blow you winds over the ocean
Oh blow you winds over the sea
Oh blow you winds over the ocean
And bring back my children to me...

Bring back, bring back
Oh, bring back my children to me, to me
Bring back, bring back
Oh, bring back my children to me

Her voice had attracted the attention of those who had been singing before, and as her song came to a close she found that they were approaching her curiously. They were small little things, easily dwarfed by the enormous hair-clad goddess. They were very thing and had elongated fingers and toes (which, on closer inspection, were also webbed). Some were pale-skinned with large eyes of deepest honey, others dark with eyes of white, others yet red, their ears were pointed and they had what appeared to be gills on their necks. Their lips were a funny hue of dark red which stood out immediately in those with pale skin, and some had hair which was - to Seihdhara's delight - different shades of orange and red. Others were were blonde, or with hair of blue or green or purple, but that could not be helped - if everyone had red hair it would lose its novelty and sacred nature.

They chittered curiously about her, and one of them reached upwards towards her mouth trying to fathom how she could produce that heart-stirring sound. 'That Promus hasn't gifted everything with speech, eh? That's not nice now, is it little scrumpling?' The nerai only oohed and aahed and, not to be outdone, Dwynen suddenly emerged with a flourish from deep within the goddess' hair, releasing a peel of laughter and squeals. The nerai cried out and jumped after the faery, laughing and squealing. Seihdhara laughed also and looked around, wondering who had made all of this.

Summary

Seihdhara comes to Rytia's island and likes the sound of the island's music.
It reminds her of a song she knows and she sings it.
The sound attracts the nerai and they are amazed by her ability to speak.
Dwynen emerges and dances and plays with them, and Seihdhara wonders who made all this.

Wherein is Penned a Series of Essays and Confessions on the Essentials of Being; Also titled "Journeys into the Mind of the Quintessentially Verbose"

A Goddess Creates

• Laughter

  1 Miracle
  
  When Sebna first made Seihdhara laugh, all beings in the world were taught laughter and joy. As Seihdhara emerged into the world crying and then laughed, she has become known as Whose Beginning Is Tears and Teaches Laughter. This, ironically and arguably and in Seihdhara's philosophy, applies to war also.
• The Immortality of a Faery

  1 Miracle
  
  Dwynyn brought joy to Seihdhara's heart, so the goddess granted the faery immortality and took her for a companion.
• The Taming of a Millipede and the Satiation of its Hunger

  2 Miracles
  
  When Kiko gave Newygnong to Seihdhara, she was a raving, ever-hungering thing. Seihdhara calmed Newygnong and satiated her hunger.
• The Bug is Hero of the God

  1 Might
  
  Newygnog, the giant millipede given by Kiko to Seihdhara, is made into a hero and commanded to go forth and hunt out all the corruptions Larwen brings into the world.
• Ye Three Are Gi'en Prowess in Battle

  1 Might
  
  The heroes of Promus, Azazael, Makaizael, and Halazael, are blessed by Seihdhara with martial prowess. This also gives their wings a reddish hue and makes their hair flame-red.
• That Everything May Know Life and May Live

  1 Might:
  
  Seihdhara takes an enormous number of souls from Kap Gam's Ley and places souls in everything that exists - rocks, trees, animals, streams, mountains. These spirits can be communicated with and, in due time, may be the basis of powerful spirit magicks.
• An Accidental Sullying

  2 Might
  
  Seihdhara created two subspecies of Fae, the Sullied and the Unsullied. Their speech is strange, not emanating from their throats, but reverberating through the very air. It is percieved both through mental and audial means. Generally, more powerful Sullied and Unsullied are larger and 'adult' in appearance, while lesser ones appear young. They appear to be deathless, capable of choosing the moment of their dissipation and return into the earth as spirits that another may rise again. The manner of their birth is purely magical - a powerful 'adult' simply 'wills' a soul to take on the physical shape of a Sullied or Unsullied.
  

  The Sullied
  

  The Sullied emerged first, created accidentally by Seihdhara. The first of them was Asula who escaped before Seihdhara could destroy her and is now considered the foremost Queen of the Sullied. In her wake hundreds and thousands of smaller Sullied were birthed. The Sullied are generally more likely to manifest non-human features and, beyond retaining wings and maintaining a generally humanoid form, are extremely diverse. Unlike the Unsullied, both male and female Sullied have wings.
  The Sullied are predisposed towards mischief and mayhem, and some may exhibit extreme sadism and cruelty. At the same time, they may at times carry out arbitrary acts of kindness or reward those who please them - likewise, they may well punish those who help them, displaying ungratefulness and uncaringness. Though in a state of war with their Unsullied cousins, the Sullied do plant forests and help rivers and lakes to develop - not out of any kindness per se, they do it in the same way humans build cities and grand structures: to live, as a mark of their civilisation, to establish kingdoms and domains. Rivers and forests erected by Sullied will generally harbour more malevolent forces - the spirits are likely to be unfriendly, there are likely to be dangerous creatures, diseases, noxious fumes, and so on.
  Sullied display exceptional martial prowess and appear to be rather attuned with spirits, capable of manipulating or making them do their bidding.
  

  Example Images

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  The Unsullied
  

  Created by Seihdhara to counteract the Sullied she had accidentally created, the Sullied were intended to be benign. Insofar as they are more predisposed towards kindness than their Sullied cousins, this is true, but the Unsullied are far from being the pure, innocent creatures their appearance belies. Tending towards human appearances, particularly children, the Sullied have a deceptively tame appearance - for they have the same capacity for cruelty as their cousins. However, they tend not to pursue chaos and mayhem quite as earnestly, and are more likely to repay kindness with kindness and carry out random acts of generosity for no apparent reason. Male Unsullied do not have wings, but still have the capacity to fly.
  Led by the warrior Brentylwith who wields the mighty sword Seihdhos, as well as their first-mothers Eirgwyn and Dichdorka, they are embroiled in constant war with the Sullied.
  Unlike the Sullied, they are not quite so adept in the martial ways, but that is the reason they were gifted with Seihdhos. Their command over spirits is just as great as that of the Sullied.
  

  Example Images

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• A Sword, A Sword

  2 Might
  
  The First Warsword; Seihdhos Sword of Victory. This mighty divine weapon was created by Seihdhara and gifted to the Unsullied Fae King, Brentylwith, that he may battle the forces of the Sullied. It is intricately crafted and is as deadly as it is beautiful. It cannot harm its wielder and doubles as a an axe also. Whoever wields it, amongst other things, is given unparalleled martial prowess and is almost guaranteed victory. Its pommel has a bear head (rather than the eagle head displayed in the image below).
  

  Image

  
  
  
• From Divine Innards

  2 Miracles
  
  When Seihdhara consumed a Goldari, she didn't like it and vomited it up. With her vomit there emerged tiny creatures, called Yskilg, that thrive on corruption; consuming it, breaking it down to its most fundamental parts, and then ejecting it as healthy foodstuff for other creatures. Not all the corruption is broken down, however, the indigestible parts are stored in a small pocked on each individual Yskilg's back. This is a potent poison, and so any creature that consumes an Yskilg without first removing the pocket will swiftly die.
  The Yskilg are a bright crimson in colour, though the pocket is pure black.
• Blood-heads

  _{Creation - 2 Might}
  

  Blood-heads
  
  
  

  
  
  Name:
  

  The Blood-heads

  
  Description:
  

  Souls blessed by Seihdhara's ichor as she burned. Approximately one in every million souls is a Blood-head. These individuals, wherever they happen to be, defend the defenceless and wage relentless war against vice. While Blood-heads have an affinity for each other, the Blood-heads are not truly a 'holy order', but are more a series of blessed individuals. Some communities may have no more than one or two Blood-heads, while others may host tens, if not over a hundred, which form into Packs (5-10 Blood-heads), Troops (10-40 Blood-heads) or Hordes (40+ Blood-heads).
  
  The only unique distinguishing feature of Blood-heads is their shock of crimson hair, their namesake. A Blood-head may be born with their crimson hair and great powers, or they may become active at a later point in their life. No matter the colouration of their hair before their blessing is activated, they will eventually begin to sprout red hair. Wielding whatever weapons are available to their communities, Blood-heads unceasingly seek to prove their martial prowess through acts of valour against all who make it their business to bring harm wherever they go. Whether by actively eliminating threats on the offensive or besting foes while defending their communities, battling for righteousness is where any Blood-head is most at home. Fiercely independent by nature, Blood-heads will actively dissipate and avoid forming permanent units with hierarchies once their duties in a particular community are over.
  
  Blood-heads are usually individually warriors of impressive skill, attaining and retaining a base level of expertise that puts them on the level of veteran warriors rather easily due to Seihdhara's ichor running in their blood and souls. Those who train diligently despite Seihdhara's blessings and are active in seeking out foes to challenge and defeat will no doubt be capable of considerable feats. Blood-heads do not wield any special magics beyond the norm for their communities or species. While their forte is physical martial combat, individual Blood-heads are not in any way inhibited from becoming as skillful magickers as any.

  
  Appearance:
  

  Beyond their crimson hair, the Blood-heads have no distinguishing features. They dress as they please and armour themselves as each individual feels appropriate. Along with the red hair, however, each Blood-head has the Sign of the Warrior on the back of their left hand.
  War-masks appear to be of great significance to Blood-heads, and it is not unusual to find particularly powerful Blood-heads donning a wooden mask they have carved. These masks represent, it appears, an aspect of the War Goddess, and while donning it they believe they are empowered and become akin to conduits for the Goddess, channelling the aspect of her captured by the war-mask.
  The warmask created from Seihdhara's true face, known as the Warface, is much sought after by the Blood-heads. It floats in the Flame Eternal atop Mount Pervanon and, once donned by a Blood-head, brings the true aspect of Seihdhara the War Goddess into the world. However, this mask cannot be worn for longer periods and inevitably cripples or causes the death of the one who dons.

Godspeed!

@Lauder I am undone

Wherein is Penned a Series of Essays and Confessions on the Essentials of Being; Also titled "Journeys into the Mind of the Quintessentially Verbose"

Historical Snapshots

Men! Wull ye follow me?

• ~8,500 BCE
  First human habitation.
  

  Detail

  First human habitation is evident from this period when early humans made the oversea crossing during the last ice age - it is possible that they were escaping threats on the mainland.
• ~4,000-3,500 BCE
  Dwellings, farming, animal domestication, fishing, waterfaring vessels, ritual burial, polytheistic religion, tribalism, stone circles all present.
  

  Detail

  Stone houses and farming first appear. Denizens of the Isles kept cattle, farmed barley & wheat, gathered shellfish, and engaged in pole & line fishing from boats. Grooved pottery appeared in the period, and chambered cairn tombs appear to have been developed. The earliest pottery depictions of a female goddess with a head of saffron date back from this time. Even from this early period, people appear to have been very connected, suggesting that the clans were present or were at a developed point in their formation. A unique hallmark of early Sidarid culture that has endured are monuments in the form of standing stones, ranging from monuments of one large stone to monuments of hundreds of stones placed in complex shapes and piled on each other to create rudimentary arches. The early function of stone circles may have been to commemorate the end of clan feuds or wars and to honour the war goddess. In the modern day they function as shrines to the Bear Mother Seihdhara and to other gods or spirits, as peaceful sanctuaries where arbitration between feuding parties can take place, and as gathering places during festivals, celebrations, and in preparation for war.
• ~2,000 BCE-1000 BCE
  The bronze age arrives in Sidara around 2000 BCE, and hillforts begin appearing from around 1,500 BCE. Clan hillfort settlements become an established part of Sidarid culture and society by 1,000 BCE.
• ~900-400 BCE
  The onset of the Iron Age. Age of forts and defended farmsteads, as well as quarrelsome clan confederations, petty tribal kingdoms, and the quick rise and fall of clan warlords.
  

  Detail

  The onset of the Iron Age in Sidara occurs around 900 BCE, initiating an age of forts and defended farmsteads, as well as quarrelsome clan confederations, petty tribal kingdoms, and the quick rise and fall of clan warlords. Huge numbers of small duns, hillforts, and ring forts were built on any suitable crag or hillock during this period, moreso than in the past where single hillforts were the norm for a clan. Brochs are also first constructed in this period. Many souterrain underground galleries (functioning as food stores or hiding places during times of strife) and passageways were constructed to ease movement and communications when the surface was compromised or too dangerous. Island settlements linked with land by a causeway, the so-called crannogs, also became common and served a primarily defensive purpose.
• 403 BCE
  Morghul Dominion aka the ap Morig invade Sidara alongside their lumbering, Alluidh-riding green minions - the ap Gynurk (ancient orcs).
  

  Detail

  In their eternal hunger for expansion, the denizens of the so-called Morghul Dominion (whose race is referred to by Sidarids as the ap Morig) extended their hands towards Sidara. The initial invasion by these eldritch beings and their lumbering, Alluidh-riding green minions - the ap Gynurk (ancient orcs) - was really nothing more than a raid, but eventually hordes of the ap Gynurk landed, led by their eldritch overlords, and the Sidarid clans - disunited and ever embroiled in internal wars and feuds - could do nothing before their dread horror.
• 393-7 BCE
  The period of Sidarid subjugation to the ap Morig. By 10 BCE the power of the ap Morig had largely waned, and their last strongholds fell to Sidarid clans in 7 BCE. Now the ap Morig occupy a position directly opposed to the gods in the Sidarid weltanschauung, and are the manifestations of all things evil.
  

  Detail

  The period of Sidarid subjugation to the ap Morig. Various parts of the Isles fell into the power of the ap Morig over the centuries, but never all of the Isles at any one point. Their rule was always hindered by constant clan risings and rejection of foreign subjugation, as well as invasions by clan confederations that retained or had re-established their independence.
  Many myths and legends are told about this period, foremost amongst them being legends of Cliodhna the War-chieftess and the war of vengeance she waged against the ap Morig.
  

  Cliodhna was a Clan Mwryfin warrioress whose husband, Paelug, had decided to submit to the ap Morig rather than fight them. While this decision bought Clan Mwryfin some respite from the incessant ap Morig attacks, it proved exceptionally unpopular with the clan. Paelug would eventually die under mysterious circumstances, leaving leadership of the tribe to his daughters, and naming the mysterious overlord of the ap Morig co-chief with them. The idea of sharing power - with women! - was clearly viewed as an affront by the ap Morig, and so they struck out to educate the 'savages' on their place in the hierarchy. Cliodhna, to whom the daughters had an obligation of obedience, was now the effective Chieftess, and so was publicly flogged by the ap Morig and her daughters raped.
  Her honour injured and her people thirsting for freedom and revenge, the Chieftess assembled her forces and waged relentless war against the ap Morig, inflicting humiliating defeats upon them and razing to the ground a number of the major cities they had established on the Isles. She eventually met her match at the Battle of Foul Finn's Field, and many members of Clan Mwryfin perished. The clan was eventually exterminated in its entirety. Cliodhna's exact fate is undetermined, though it is said the Arwynden know but have refrained from making it public knowledge. It has passed into Sidarid folklore that, having survived Foul Finn's Field with her daughters, the Queen escaped across the veil into the spirit realm and will return with the warriors of Clan Mwryfin when the eschatological final battle against the ap Morig draws nigh.

  
  By 10 BCE the power of the ap Morig had largely waned, and their last strongholds fell to Sidarid clans in 7 BCE. The memory of their first invasion by foreign forces, and the horror of the ap Morig, has left an indelible mark on Sidarid culture and ways - for the ap Morig occupy a position directly opposed to the gods in the Sidarid weltanschauung, and are the manifestations of all things evil.
• 4-20 CE
  Sidara would not be free from foreign presence for long, the first incursions by proto-Anvegadians begin around this time, and various Anvegadian coastal settlements begin cropping up.
• 17 CE
  The first landing of Kratorian settler-explorers in Sidara, coming about as a result of a growing rivalry on the mainland between Kratoria and the Anvegadian realms. A small Kratorian presence is established.
• 40 CE
  Anvegad is united for the first time and the Anvegadian Empire is established.
• 46 CE
  First full-scale invasion of Sidara by Anvegad. The Sidarids resist, but the Anvegadians ultimately gain a larger foothold.
• 50-310 CE
  Kratorian and Anvegadian conquests expand rapidly. Independent elements continued to exist. Clan risings common in conquered areas.
  

  Detail

  Kratorian and Anvegadian conquests expand rapidly. Their progress is hampered due to also fighting each other, but they ultimately expand at the expense of the Sidarids. As with the ap Morig before, the Isles in their entirety are never completely subjugated and independent elements continued to exist, launching campaigns against both invaders periodically. Clan risings were also common in conquered areas.
• 109 CE
  The Rape at Byc.
  The massacre of a group of Wyndyn on Isle a’Cheimbyc during a period of general persecution of Wyndyn by the invaders.
• 136-138 CE
  The Treiwynd Rising against invaders. Practised human sacrifice. Crushed brutally.
  

  Detail

  The Treiwynd Rising against Kratorian occupation. A zealous group of Treiwyndyn appear to have gathered together a group of clans under the banner of the 'true and ancient faith' of the Sidaric people. This involved the 'rejuvenation' of human sacrifice, including wicker man burning, hanging, beheading, drowning, and immolation. The Rising is crushed in a particularly brutal manner.
  It must be noted that Kratoria never considers Sidara to be a major front and dedicates a relatively minute amount of resources to its conquest - much of the conquering is in fact carried out under the auspices of private Kratorian individuals rather than the state itself - though the state permitted, even licensed, their endeavours.
• 314-29 CE
  Griffri the Bear of Clan ap-Filigin campaigns against the invaders.
  

  Detail

  Griffri the Bear leads Clan ap-Filigin in one of the first successful campaigns to have a permanent effect in liberating Sidarids from the foreigners. His nearly two decades spent fighting the Kratorians and Anvegadians would later be canonised in the seventh-century epic poem known as ih'Griffeada.
• 330-456 CE
  Anvegad and Kratoria effectively abandon their Sidarid holdings. Isles back in clan hands by 456 CE.
  

  Detail

  The hold of the foreigners on Sidara wanes, with both Anvegad and Kratoria appearing to have effectively abandoned their Sidarid holdings, and the Isles are completely back in clan hands by 456 CE, when Fife-Aena-Seaside is liberated and the foreigners are thrown back into the sea whence they came.
• 457-1066 CE
  Free period sees rise of various realms. Most influential are the Confederacy of Esher, the Haiho Kingdom, and the Clans of Aujvint.
  

  Detail

  This ensuing period witnessed various wars aimed at unifying the clans, and various petty clan kingdoms and confederations arose - larger than any that existed during the Iron Age. Of these, the most influential were the Confederacy of Esher, headed by Clan Esher, the Haiho Kingdom - under Clan Haiho - and the Clans of Aujvint, wrought together by Clan Aujvint. Hundreds of other clans either held onto their clan-lands and independence or otherwise formed looser alliances to protect themselves.
• 954 CE
  The bardic order, the Cumannfil, is formed.
• 1066 CE
  Emperor Roland of Anvegad invades Sidarid Isles.
  

  Detail

  Emperor Roland of Anvegad landed at Roland's Landing with a mighty force and set about subjugating the Confederacy of Esher. His intention was to achieve something none before had managed: the conquest of the Sidarid Isles in their entirety.
• 1066-70 CE
  Clan Esher and the Esheran Confederation resist Anvegad but are defeated.
  

  Detail

  Clan Esher and the Esheran Confederation wage a bloody war of resistance against the Anvegad incursion but are ultimately defeated. Tales of the tragic Clan Esher hero Der-Ilei Bridu stem from this time.
• 1071-80 CE
  Emperor Roland continues and completes conquest of the Isles.
  

  Detail

  Emperor Roland continues beyond the clan-lands of Clan Esher to the Haiho Kingdom and the Clans of Aujvint. Other minor peoples and major clans are conquered or swayed to side with the invading Emperor. Clan Haiho and Clan Aujvint tales from the period speak of great heroes, great valour, and great tragedy.
• 1127-34 CE
  Mad Galam's Rebellion.
  

  Detail

  Mad Galam, son of chief Haeini of Clan MgGrregah, leads a concentrated insurgency in the mountainous regions of MgGrregah clan-lands. With the mountains to hide in, Mad Galam and his men strike terror and fear into the hearts of Anvegadian soldiers and settlers.
  The reason for his uprising has become the subject of jests and legends, but one particularly popular story relates that an Anvegadian settler stole one of Galam's goats and slaughtered it for food. Enraged by this thievery, Mad Galam then declared his eternal war on the lot of them. Today the phrase "go a' Galam" refers to an, often violent, over-reaction to something or someone - 'Finor tripped up Balar, then Balar gaed a' Galam oan his head'. 'He bolted intae a dyke 'n' hurt his foot, sae he gaed a' galam oan it wi' a hammer'.
• 1134 CE
  Mad Galam slain at Galam's Stand.
  

  Detail

  Mad Galam is finally slain at what is today called Galam's Stand. The highland warrior had descended from the safety of his mountains to meet with his beloved Ailen in a secret cottage in Aeld Aega's forests off the Blaejays river. Unbeknownst to him a treacherous lumberjack whom Galam had at one point or another humiliated had reported his frequent excursions to the authorities.
  The highland clansman was ambushed there but was able to fight his ambushers off for a time and escape with Ailen. However, the two were eventually cornered atop a hill and there, claymore in hand and loosing the mountain-bear's song, Galam made his final stand.
• 1243 CE
  The Blood-head rising, headed by Flame-blessed Aimhirghin of Clan Esher.
  

  Detail

  The Blood-head rising, headed by Flame-blessed Aimhirghin of Clan Esher. The Blood-heads would survive as an underground resistance group sustained and aided by various clans until the successful war of liberation - when they would be formed into an elite regiment of the Sidarid military and eventually expand into the division they are today.
• 1451 CE
  Across the seas, Etresna (which would become a thorn in the Anvegadian side) unites.
• 1453-62 CE
  Great Southern War between Etresna and the Kratorian Empyreum.
  

  Detail

  The newly united Etremaden realm comes into swift conflict with the Kratorian Empyreum. Dubbed the Great Southern War, it would be a brutal encounter between a giant of the time and a plucky, but vicious, newcomer on the scene. Tens of millions would perish in one of the most horrifying conflicts history has ever seen.
• 1494-1559 CE
  Period of instability culminating in rebellion in 1559 spear-headed by the Blood-heads. Blood-head leader, Roinseach of Clan Esher (a descendant of Flame-blessed Aimhirghin) becomes a rallying figure.
  

  Detail

  There is increasing chaos and disorder across the Isles as greater and greater numbers of Sidarids carry out acts of sabotage and murder against Anvegadian targets, culminating in an all-out rebellion in 1559 spear-headed by the Blood-heads. The leader of the Blood-heads, Roinseach of Clan Esher (a descendant of Flame-blessed Aimhirghin), swiftly becomes a rallying figure for people across the Isles.
• 1592 CE
  After three decades of war, Sidara is declared free and a Duthchas (great council of all the clans of Sidara) declares her rightful Bhaenrhig (Queen). The United and God-given Righachd of Sidara is established. Anvegad switches to a naval blockade to contain the threat.
  

  Detail

  After three decades of war, Sidara is declared free and a Duthchas (great council of all the clans of Sidara) is convened. At it, Roinseach is declared the avatar of the goddess of war and rightful Bhaenrhig (Queen). The United and God-given Righachd of Sidara is thus established.
  While Anvegad continues to devote a not inconsiderable amount of effort to putting down the rebellion (for it did not recognise Sidara's independence), piracy by converted Sidarid merchant ships on essential supply depots between Anvegad and Sidara, as well as ongoing Etramaden raids to take advantage of Anvegadian distraction, dictate the reality of force-projection of ground forces, and Anvegad switches to a naval blockade for containment at the time until other threats closer to home are dealt with.
• 1593-5 CE
  Episode of the Malcontents.
  BhaenrhigRoinseach is forced to deal with malcontents who had not cast their votes for her at the Duthchas. Duthchas becomes official advisory body representating the clans. In time, the Duthchas become a directly elected parliament. An ancient ritual, called the Hyscadal (‘the Bull’s Vision’), is reinstated after to solidify the Bhaenrhig's position and bolster her legitimacy.
  

  Detail

  Bhaenrhig Roinseach is forced to deal with some malcontents who had not cast their votes for her at the Duthchas. It is agreed that a Duthchas should always be in session to act as an advisory body to the Bhaenrhig and as a permanent representative of the interests of the realm's clans. In time, the Duthchas would grow into a directly elected parliament (though still referred to as the Duthchas). This would come to be known in Sidarid history as the Episode of the Malcontents. An ancient, likely mythological, ritual, called the Hyscadal (‘the Bull’s Vision’), is reinstated after the Episode so as to solidify the Bhaenrhig's position and bolster her legitimacy beyond further challenge.
• 1613-18 CE
  First Anvego-Sidarid War. Ends in effective stalemate. Both sides claim victory.
  

  Detail

  With the development of preserved foods and new logistics bases, Anvegad decides the time is right to attempt a full-scale naval invasion to put down its errant colony. New Anvegad Ships-of-the-Line effectively crush the fledgling Sidarid navy at the Battle of Toran Reef and the Battle of Roland's Landing Bay, giving them free reign to land troops.
  However the quality of Anvegad's new navy is not matched by the still hereditary army officer cadre, who anticipated a simple native put-down rather than organised resistance. While the navy and marines inflict serious damage on nearly every coastal city, Anvegad fails to achieve any of its inland objectives, as it is thwarted by Caennard Andras' brutal counter-attacks and containment of near all Anvegadian forces on the Isles. Nevertheless, Anvegadian troops showed immense bravery and mettle at the Battle of Caernyth Hills, and the final stand of the Anvegadian General Aiden Garroway is praised even in Sidarid songs and tales.
  The war would "end" like the original colonial insurrection after Anvegad faced a local brew-up in one of its many vassal states, forcing a recall of its navy with the expedition considered a "victory" in putting down the insurrection, crushing the pirates, and smashing all the ports despite stiff resistance.
  Meanwhile Sidara claimed victory for emerging triumphant in every land battle and humiliating its oppressor. But it is forced to face the grim reality: without a proper navy to resist Anvegad, the threat of invasion will be ever looming and it would be locked always on the defensive. And next time Anvegad's army would likely not be so incompetent.
• 1626 CE
  Crisis of 1626 -- sinking of the Teginaed, Sidara's first attempt to construct a purpose-built ship-of-the-line.
  

  Detail

  Crisis of 1626 -- sinking of the Teginaed off the Rosaec coast by Anvegadian privateers.
  The Teginaed was Sidara's first attempt to construct a purpose-built ship-of-the-line so as to face Anvegad on even terms at sea. After a few early engagements against Anvegadian privateers, the design and her crew seemed successful. In mid-1626, however, a squadron of six privateers descended upon her all at once. Details from the survivors of the Teginaed and the lone surviving Anvegadian privateer commanded by Captain Gora Hawthorne are contradictory, but all are agreed that the Teginaed was sunk by the numerous light ships.
  The sinking of Sidara's prize ship led to crisis in the Duthchas and accusations of treachery against certain clans. A great clan war appeared on the verge of erupting, but swift and fortuitous manoeuvring on the part of the Bhaenrhig of the time, Aelwyd, and Clan Esher ensured the crisis was contained. Instead, the shock and fury caused by the sinking was utilised to push forward the Bhaenrhig's ambitious navy-construction plans. After all, despite its ultimate demise, the Teginaed had proven an astounding success of Sidarid shipbuilding, combining age-old designs with those learned or stolen from Anvegad over the centuries.
  Meanwhile the Anvegadian Admiralty's own after-action review of the Teginaed's sinking judged that the ship sank due to a lucky magazine detonation, and that the era of unrestricted privateers was coming to a close even if they continued to hold the seas for now. With intelligence on the presence of expanded Sidarid shore batteries, the naval raiding strategy of the First Anvego-Sidarid War was untenable and the development of more Sidarid ships-of-the-line could at best be delayed, not prevented. New strategies were devised to ensure victory when Anvegad next decided to put the rebels in their place - but after Anvegad settled the more pressing matter of trade disputes that had arisen with Kratoria.
• 1632 CE
  First contact between Sidara and Faenaria leads to healthy trade and a developing friendship.
  

  Detail

  The Bank of Glass initiates a policy of financing regular trade fleets. Enormous treasure fleets begin to set sail yearly, banding together to share supplies and fight off pirates and sea monsters. Many of these treasure ships head to tried and tested ports, like those of Kratoria, but others exhibit an adventuring spirit and head into the great unknown. In late summer, one such treasure fleet makes first contact with Sidarid fishermen. The clansfolk are stunned by the creatures of myth and legend aboard the ships. Despite the language barrier, the fishermen manage to lead the fleet towards Glenmagar, from where the young Bhaenrhig Parhaigen ruled Sidara. The language barriers were soon traversed, for an Arwyndyn who knew the Faenarian tongue was quickly found. The young Bhaenrhig and many Sidarids were awestruck by the beauty and wealth that the Faenarians brought forth. This would mark the beginning of the first phase in Faenaro-Sidarid trade. The Faenarians would enjoy a near-monopoly on imports and exports (limited in nature as those naturally were at the time). Despite Anvegadian attempts to disrupt this trade and sabotage the newly-forged relationship, trade and commerce between Sidara and Faenaria would continue uninterrupted until the Faenarian Banking Crisis decades later in 1663. The encounter, short-lived though it was, would have a lasting impact on Sidarid approaches to business and trade, and would contribute to the the Sidarid Enlightenment of the eighteenth century and the eventual creation of Clan-Companies.
  The wealth brought back by Faenaria's returning treasure ships is stored in vaults beneath the Bank of Glass.
• 1651 CE
  The Great Decree of 1651 issued fixing every clan's clan-lands into permanent, untransferrable property of the clan. All land not delineated as clan-land becomes crown land.
  

  Detail

  The Great Decree of 1651 is issued after nearly a decade of careful delineation and consultation with every clan in the realm. The Great Decree fixes every clan's clan-lands, and makes these clan-lands the permanent, untransferrable property of the clan as a whole. Individuals from a clan may own and make use of the land, and it may even pass into the hands of those not of the clan, but the land remains clan-land and can at any point be reclaimed and redistributed as the clan sees fit. All land not delineated as clan-land automatically became crown land with the passage of the Decree. Crown land is effectively public property and can be used freely, but the Bhaenrhig can ultimately reclaim and redistribute it at will, or designate it be used only for particular purposes (e.g. grazing land, farming land). The Decree is revolutionary and effectively marks the crown's ultimate authority over the clans.
• 1667-71 CE
  Second Anvego-Sidarid War.
  Rhig Cadfael slain and Aenfys, his infant son installed as new Rhig and made to agree to a treaty of vassalage.
  

  Detail

  Finally able to free up a battle-fleet and finish the new "Skyhammer" class shore bombardment ships using new magical-clockwork recoil systems to manage the giant siege howitzer mounted on their prow, Anvegad initiates the second Anvego-Sidarid War with a bang by directly assaulting its largest naval base and shipyard at Fife-Aena-Seaside. While bad timing and luck results in Sidara's fleet largely being away, Anvegad is able to smash the shore batteries and land troops once again, this time with a heavier proportion of artillery and veteran troops from the border wars against Kratoria.
  Due to the demands of threats closer to home and Sidara's frantic shipbuilding efforts, the Anvegad fleet is forced to fight on near-equivalent terms, while having to defend invasion transports, shore-bombards, and supply ships. With Sidarid ships focusing on preventing further landings and making use of a strategy of lightning raids and ambushes at sea, the clans rallied behind the newly-crowned Rhig Cadfael and sallied against the invasion force under General Whiteforge. 'We'll shaw thaim whit we shawed Garroway!' was the Sidarid cry.
  Unlike Garroway, Whiteforge emphasised an unusual pattern of "strategic offence, tactical defence", rushing to a few specific vital towns and ports ahead of Sidarid forces and entrenching at each strong-point. While taxing on his soldiers, he was able to deny Sidara any decisive victories unless they were willing to pay the crimson price. Taken aback by Whiteforge's aggressive tactics (for they had expected an invasion force to be more cautious on enemy land), the Sidarids suffered numerous setbacks - the worst of them at Eigen's Fort, dangerously close to the Sidarid capital, where Whiteforge had managed to fortify the abandoned hillfort and rained fire and iron on the Sidarid flank when their armies clashed. It was the closest thing to a rout a Sidarid army had suffered since the times of Roland. Rhig Cadfael managed to rally the troops, however, and conducted a somewhat dignified retreat to lick his wounds and work out a new way to dislodge this fearsome invader.
  For a while, Whiteforge was unusually idle despite having a clear path to the Sidarid capital of Glenmagar, but when he resumed the march, Sidarid scouts discovered why: unable to get to the capital before Rhig Cadfael could regroup, Whiteforge instead opted to dismount a pair of siege howitzers from the Skyhammers to use as heavy artillery against the capital's defences. With tactical subtlety out of the window, Whiteforge opted for bringing the biggest hammer possible while freeing up the embattled navy from having to escort the lumbering warships as the vicious sea battle wore on with heavy losses on both sides.
  In the early hours of a winter's day in 1670, as the war raged on land and sea, a motley band made up of men from Clan M'Hnaen and Clan Sirjin, led by Crimson Conn, conducted a daring and now-legendary strike to take out the Anvegadian Skyhammers. Expressly forbidden by the Rhig, the forbidden nature of the mission had only made the band more convinced to do it.
  Crimson Conn and his men had been carrying out raids against the artillery's supply train for months, so much so that the Anvegadians had come to expect them and were much of the time ready for them. However, they had never expected an attack on the Skyhammers themselves - such a thing was as crazy as it was improbable. And that, more than anything, was the reason behind the blazing success of the raid. The explosion of the first Skyhammer could be heard for miles around, and was so big that the other Skyhammer was permanently damaged and had to be abandoned. The battered remains of the abandoned siege gun would one day stand in the Sidarid War Museum in Glenmagar as a monument to the glorious deed. Though Crimson Conn was captured and many of his men died in the blast, the act of foolhardy bravery and unparalleled valour cost Whiteforge his ace in the hole, and bought time for the defenders to be fully prepared for his conventional artillery.
  Despite this, Whiteforge dutifully marched onward and began setting up siege positions on the capital with his regular batteries, before calling the Sidarids to parley. Applauding their courage, resistance, and heroism against the odds, Whiteforge appealed to them to face reality: Anvegad controlled the sea, artillery was on the verge of bombarding their capital, and even without his siege guns he could lay waste to it. If Sidara surrendered and returned to the Empire as a vassal state, rather than a colony, and agreed to military bases, he promised respectable treatment and a degree of home rule. Cadfael would go down in history as a 'true Sdarid man' with his infamous retort: 'A'm Cadfael o' Clan Esher. Gang back tae Anvegad 'n' tell yer masters this- Seihdhara is free!'
  Whiteforge simply responded, "Very well. Master Gunner, open fire."
  Without the Skyhammers, Whiteforge's siege was incomplete and Cadfael was able to get the majority of the civilians and precious treasures out, but the guns took a terrible toll on the defenders nonetheless. When Cadfael was killed by shrapnel from a blast, the remaining forces broke and Aenfys, a mere babe of four years, was installed as the new Rhig and made to agree to the Anvegadian terms.
  Navy-wise, the conflict would end with word of the declaration of negotiation reaching the two forces right after they had disengaged from the worst naval battle of the war, under stormy conditions that cost Anvegad its remaining third Skyhammer even before the battle started and almost flooded several Sidarid warships when they tried to use their lowest gunports. While indecisive, the skill and bravery displayed by both fleets became the basis of mutual respect, furthered by Admiral Tayber's decision to rescue stranded Sidarid sailors instead of letting them drown. "These men deserve a better fate than death by this hellstorm!" The act was mirrored by a few other Sidarid captains - not out of any great concern for Anvegadian lives, but honour demanded it. As it were, Sidara was now once more under Anvegadian rule, to the chagrin of many a proud highlands warrior.
• 1692 CE
  Faenarian vessels escaping the Mad Queen's persecution in Kratoria find safety and refuge in Sidara.

  Detail

  In Kratoria the civil war rages. Loyalist troops seize the Faenarian customs houses and confiscate their goods and coin. Merfolk and Rahuri are killed in anti-Faenarian pogroms while the Summer Trade Fleet is attacked by the Imperial Navy- nine of the twenty-seven ships are sunk, five are captured, and thirteen are forced to retreat, eventually finding their way to the Sidarid Isles for aid and reconstruction. The Anvegadian Military-Governor Whiteforge, known as the Cannon-Forged Governor, was by this time old and ailing, not entirely in control of Sidara. Indeed, the politically intuitive and fiercely intelligent young Rhig Aenfys had managed to run rings around the old man, while managing to delude him into thinking Aenfys to be a pliable and loyal puppet. The Faenarian fleet was welcomed at Baena's Bay and every help and luxury that could be afforded them was. This proved an excellent opportunity for Sidara to re-establish relations with an old friend and secretly study Faenarian ship designs to improve upon the fleet they were building right under Anvegad's nose. Once the Faenarian vessels were repaired and all their sick and injured had been cared for (those that were not beyond saving, of course), they were sent off home laden with gifts and messages of friendship and goodwill. Due to the events that followed in Sidara, the newly rekindled relationship could not, unfortunately, be properly maintained and built-upon.
• 1684-1725 CE
  Tensions as Sidara attempts to secretly militarise in order to break off Anvegadian overlordship.
  

  Detail

  As the Rhig Aenfys grows, he develops a certain distaste for Anvegadians (aided along, no doubt, by his mother's tales of his father's heroic demise fighting Anvegadians to the death). The Rhig at first continued to abide by the vassalage agreement, sending tribute on an annual basis and permitting the Anvegadians unrestricted access to ports and permission to construct military bases. In 1684, the now fourteen-year-old Rhig failed to pay the full tribute for the first time. 'Th' times ur pernicketie, th' economy is suffering,' he excused himself.
  Military-Governor Whiteforge took this first instance at face-value, dismissing any intent of intrigue possibly coming from a "boy", and was also excused by the Throne of Anvegad with a given mandate to focus more on keeping Sidara compliant than profitable, for Anvegad had other fires in the east to put down at the time; war loomed with Etresna. Aenfys on the other hand took a different lesson from Whiteforge's conciliatory response (the old General had even offered some Anvegadian advisers to assist Sidara economically): that it was possible to deceive the Cannon-Forged Governor.
  Aenfys' habit of flouting the tribute requirements would come to a head when Whiteforge was forced to retire in 1693 due to illness and old age, with his replacement, Military-Governor Simon Quade, proving to be a much more tightfisted administrator and far more vigorous in the use of inspectors and spies than his predecessor.
  'Auld Cannon-Forged 'n' ah wur guid mukkers. We hud an understanding, Governor. Ah hawp ye 'n' ah kin git alang weel tae,' the Rhig had told him during their first official meeting. It did not seem like things were going to swing that way, however.
  Quade swiftly managed to obtain copies of certain royal treasury ledgers and shipyard manifests, and while Quade did not connect all the dots on Sidara stockpiling ship timbers and naval building supplies (being a landed noble, not a navy man), he did pick up the financial irregularities and began implementing new taxes. Resistance to these was immediate. Unaware that the Governor had somehow gained sensitive financial information, Aenfys insisted that these taxes were beyond his nation's ability to pay. The Military-Governor rejected these protestations and revealed the ledgers to the Rhig.
  Infuriated at these clear fabrications, the Rhig petitioned the Throne of Anvegad to dismiss the Military-Governor for grave breaches of good conduct and decorum, as well as attempting to engage in spying and espionage activities. Even as he did so, he ordered an unprecedented amount of funds to be redirected from the treasury towards military expansion.
  Eventually this pattern of events would lead to Quade being recalled to Anvehold in 1720 for a "personal accounting of his actions" in an overt gesture of bringing an errant governor to heel. But it was in fact by Quade's direction in order to personally deliver a detailed report to the Throne and Admiralty with further ledger and military supply details he was able to acquire before departing. While it was meant to be a simple situation report and explanation, it became a formal inquest as professional navy officers realised what the pattern of discrepancies, shortages in specific parts of the tribute, and oddities in the merchant marine really meant: Sidara was rearming under their noses and attempting to prepare for a massive surge of shipbuilding. Quade would be ordered back to Sidara, this time with a larger peacekeeping flotilla and three regiments of veteran troops to reinforce the garrison, and orders to make the upstart Rhig know his place.
  The increased garrison and rise in Anvegadian naval activities in the sea around the Isles was received with an odd silence from the Rhig, and for a few months all was tense and quiet. When an early-morning raid was conducted on a secret meeting of 'Sidarid conspirators' in Glenmagar by the Military-Governor's forces, it was only a matter of time before a revenge-strike was conducted - the Military-Governor's palace was subjected to arson not a month later. He was not present there at the time, but the low-level acts of sabotage and insurrection had begun. It was oddly reminiscent of the period preceding the Sidarid war of liberation. Suspecting that the Rhig was somehow behind this growing insurrection, the Military-Governor demanded he put an immediate stop to it. 'Whit kin ah dae, Governor? A'm yer jimmy 'ere, na yin listens tae me.' The response was greater crackdowns, night-time raids, and arbitrary arrests. The Rhig himself was subjected to temporary house-arrest, but the uproar this caused in Glenmagar alone quickly convinced Military-Governor Quade not to take that step quite yet. Nevertheless, he was determined to break this upstart Rhig, and break once and for all the spirit of these island barbarians.
  Quade decided to take decisive action in 1725 when he uncovered proof that the treasury was directly funding some oversized merchantmen at Baena's Bay with the diverted surpluses from the "lost" tribute to be deliberately easy to convert into ships-of-the-line. While dismissing the Rhig's seal on the letters as mere camouflage, it was sufficient justification to send troops down to the shipyards and confiscate them. What happened next was lost in the tumult of events, strikers, angered dockworkers, and gunfire, but the end result was a third of the shipyard being burned down with half of the hulls Aenfys was counting on for the next leg of his plans. While this was a large blow to Aenfys, the Anvegadian garrison ended up divided between Quade's local garrisons and Colonel Hawkens' newer reinforcements over the handling of the situation and unwarranted damage to the productivity of Sidara to Anvegad's Empire. If the Rhig wanted to try something, now was the time, ready or not. The new year came quietly, but it brought with it a tidal wave of clans and human flesh. The Children of Seihdhara raised the war banner high.
• 1726-30 CE
  Third Anvego-Sidarid War. Sidara regains complete independence.
  

  Detail

  Though a considerable portion of his fleet had been destroyed at Baena's Bay, Rhig Aenfys was confident that the many ships he had ordered built with funnelled money would be more than sufficient for the coming bloodshed. His unilateral reneging on the vassalage agreement with Anvegad was followed by a rallying call to the clans, delivered in an impassioned speech at the Duthchas. If his people would not rise up with him, then all would be lost.
  But he need not have doubted. Sidarids hated nothing more than enslavement, and a call to war was never going to be met with rejection - especially not one of freedom against the hated Anvegadians. Cadfael would be avenged.
  Glenmagar was the first to be cleansed of Anvegadian presence, and Military-Governor Quade's head was raised high as a battle-standard as the Rhig's regiments of warrior clansmen marched out to unite with the various other forces gathering to fight once more for Sidarid freedom. Mobilising at far quicker speeds than the Anvegadians could get troops to the Isles, and with various clan chiefs forming their own clan armies and carrying out independent strikes against Anvegadian naval and military bases, Aenfys arrived at the port of Fife-Aena-Seaside in time to witness a major naval engagement between Anvegadian and Etremaden fleets.
  With the Anvegadians distracted at sea, the Rhig was able to review his navy and have the necessary alterations made and artillery pieces installed for them to carry out the military functions they were always intended for.
  'A'm Aenfys son o' Cadfael o' Clan Esher. Gang back tae Anvegad ye lowlund dugs 'n' tell yer masters this- Sidara is aye free.'
  With Anvegad embroiled in war with Etresna, Aenfys was able to sit tight and reorganise his forces, and by 1730 any Anvegadian illusions of reinstating the vassalage agreement were long gone.
• 1735-1820 CE
  The Sidarid Enlightenment and Industrial Revolution, during which clan-companies arise.

  Detail

  The first clan-company - Clan-Company Guinn - is established in 1757. Inspired to a great degree by Faenarian trading and financial practice as witnessed a hundred years back, as well as by an explosion of cultural and intellectual production in the years following 1730 that would become known as the Sidarid Enlightenment (1735-1820). Clan-Company Guinn paves the way forth by opening Sidara up to trade for the first time since the Faenarian expeditions of 1632-1663 CE. Faenarian expeditions had for long since ceased and were only now beginning anew. The Clan-Company, as a concept, was radical and innovative in one major way: it had a strong communal foundation that ensured exceptionally low labour costs - essentially free labour. This was because the entire clan, under the chief's overall leadership, owned the company in common and its riches and success went towards the clan as a whole rather than to individuals. The clan-company is essentially a family business on a baffling scale, made possible by Sidara's highly developed and closely protected clan system. This meant that a clan-company could enjoy far lower start-up costs, contributing to its immediate popularity and success in Sidara. By 1780 nearly every Sidarid clan had set up a clan-company.
  
  The Englightenment and the rise of clan-companies as the foundation of Sidara's modern economy would contribute to the unprecedented and meteoric rise of Sidara economically and politically, taking it from an agrarian economy to one of the first industrialised nations in the world, leading and competing in multiple areas. This expansion saw Sidara re-establish relations with Faenaria, with a Faenarian embassy being the first foreign embassy to be set up on Isle Taobh-Amuigh in Sidara's history. Trade between the two nations started up anew and was very different from the first phase - this time Sidarid clan-companies were in complete control of what entered and what left their island hame. Exposure to Faenarian banking and financial institutions would also inspire the setting up of Sidarid domestic banks. During this period Sidara's naval innovations began to come to light and Faenaria first began to contract Sidarid clan-companies to build naval vessels for its military. This long-running partnership continues to the present.
• 1784 CE
  The Cumannfil, Sidara's bardic order, welcomes visual artists of all stripes into its ranks and permits their presence at the annual Tionilfil, the national gathering of poets and musicians that has taken place since time immemorial.
• 1801-4 CE
  The Etramaden invasion of Kratoria is initiated and eventually repelled by the Kratorians with heavy losses on both sides. The ensuing peace treaty saw Etresna agree to discontinue imperial ambitions in the north. And so the mountain-nation turns its eyes towards the crumbling Anvegad and its southern neighbours.
• 1817 CE
  The Great Game between Sidara, Anvegad, and Etresna begins.
  

  Detail

  The Great Game between Sidara, Anvegad, and Etresna begins. With its ambitions of expansion to the north effectively halted, Etresna, limited by treaty from expansion northwards, turned its gaze elsewhere, seeking to expand its influence in the south through concession regimes, the establishment of influential consulates, different forms of indirect rule and, ultimately, direct rule.
  At first very subtle, by the late 1820s the policy had garnered the attention of both Anvegad and Sidara who expressed their concerns about Etramaden policy in the region. This would ultimately lead to the 1833 Glenmagar Conference aimed at delineating spheres of influence and protecting the Anvegadian and Etremaden interests in the region, as well as the various financial interests of Sidara's clan companies, which had set about incorporating ancient Sidarid clans and territories piecemeal by expanding their economic presence on the claimed islands.
• 1833 CE
  The Glenmagar Conference to discuss a resolution to the Great Game tensions fails.
  

  Detail

  The Glenmagar Conference to discuss Great Game tensions and negotiate a spheres of influence agreement. Despite an initially promising start, the Conference would ultimately be a failure due to the rejection of Etramaden demands in the region, as well as the already present conflicts between Sidara and Anvegad with regards to the legitimacy of the territorial gains Sidara's clan companies had made. Sidara has always insisted these were primordial Sidarid territories and used the fact that Sdarid clans dwelled there as overwhelming evidence and justification for its 'national unification' project.
• 1834-59 CE
  Etresna initiates a more aggressive policy of expansion to dominate and gain power over the various nations in the region. Anvegad and Sidara pursue their own policies to counter-act the power that had risen in the east.
  

  Detail

  With the failure of the Conference, and with both Anvegad and Sidara now fully aware of Etremaden ambitions in the region, Etresna initiates a more aggressive policy of expansion to dominate and gain power over the various nations and territories in the region. Seeing that diplomacy has failed, Anvegad pursues its own policy to counter-act the power that had risen in the east, while Sidara attempts to consolidate and protect its claimed possessions.
• 1860-66 CE
  By 1859, Great Game tensions come to a head and a three-way war breaks out between Etresna, Anvegad, and Sidara. The war swiftly devolves into an anti-Sidarid coalition that sees the Righachd soundly defeated.
  

  Detail

  The War for Guinn Honour
  By 1859, Great Game tensions came to a head and a three-way war breaks out between Etresna, Anvegad, and Sidara. The stroke that broke the camel's back was the sinking of a trading flotilla of Clan-Company Guinn by unidentified ships. Clan-Company Guinn accused Etresna of treachery, but the accusations were flatly denied and compensation for the lives and possessions lost was refused. Sidarid honour and the security of its shipping demanding swift retribution, Sidara declared war on Etresna and initiated a furious war on the sea.
  
  With its empire crumbling seemingly beyond repair at this point as one client state broke away after another, and bitter about the manner in which Sidrara pursued its so-called national unification projects through its clan companies, thus threatening Anvegad's strategic coaling ports, Anvegad saw this war as its chance to hold onto its dominions and reassert its political power against the upstarts. Thus, it soon initiated a military intervention followed by parallel campaigns to assault neighboring former vassals that thought playing the Great Game's other major powers would suffice for their protection and continued independence. This development came as a shock to Sidarid high command. While Anvegad was ever a threat on the sea, Sidara had for long considered its capacity to engage in full-scale war stunted and so did not think it concievable for the waning Empire to strike. The expansion of the war into a general regional conflict had been the last of Sidara's wishes and, suddenly embroiled in war with two powerful foes, it chose to position its navy defensively and deploy forces to its island possessions. With Anvegad entering the fray, an offensive war on the sea was no longer sound strategy.
  
  Thus, rather than a clash against Etresna, the first major engagement of the war was between the Anvegadian and Sidarid navies. Experimental Anvegadian monitors clashed with Sidara's conventional steam frigates and, in a turn of events that sent shockwaves throughout Sidara's naval bosses, annihilated a great number of Sidarid warships. The strange new ships seemed completely invulnerable to cannonfire and were able to both ram and fire at their larger opponents.
  
  Fearful of engaging in further naval battles before they could properly counteract these small, swift monitors, the Sidarid fleets remained largely docked. Thise allowed the s'Etremaden to take the offensive - appearing to have reached some kind of tentative understanding with the Anvegadians - and land troops on numerous islands boasting significant Clan Guinn interests as well as Sidarid populations. Despite being outnumbered by masses of Sidarid troops deployed to defend these islands, the s'Etremaden proved their artillery capabilities once again and were able to repeatedly force the Sidarids from the field with ferocious bombardment.
  
  By 1861, Sidara was able to deploy its first experimental broadside ironclads to counteract Anvegadian monitors. Though the first encounter between these iron behemoths ended in stalemate, Sidarid confidence in their capacity to protect their waters was restored. With Sidara's larger ironclads forcing Anvegad's monitors from the field, attempts were made to dislodge the Etremaden from the various islands they had managed to occupy. The result was disappointment and defeat for Sidara.
  In late 1863, Sidara launched a bold operation intended to land troops on Anvegadian soil and make use of Sidarid superiority on land to swiftly force the crumbling Empire out of the war. However, the Sidarids found that the Anvegadians and s'Etremaden had amassed their fleets and lay in wait for them. The ensuing engagement was the largest of the conflict and would be disastrous for the Sidarids.
  
  Pressing their advantage, the Anvegadians and Etremaden launched landing operations on the remaining contested islands. Meeting with stiff resistance, it would take two years of grueling operations to forcefuly pry the islands from Sidarid hands. Finding itself in an exceedingly vulnerable position, Sidara finally relented and accepted a humiliating peace that saw a huge number of islands restored to Sidarid control by Clan-Companies surrendered to Anvegad and Etresna.
  
  Despite these successes and the strategic islands gained, Anvegad was hurt tremendously by the war and, anger and economic hardship spilling out at last, would experience revolution in 1869.
• 1869-1871 CE
  Anvegadian Civil War rages. Sidara supports the military and collectivist factions. At the end of the war Sidara regains all islands Anvegad conquered in the War for Guinn Honour
  

  Detail

  While Anvegad was successful on the battlefield and on the high seas against Etresna and Sidara, it was a hollow victory for an increasingly hollow empire. Foreign wars were draining manpower and wealth as the Valorgarde royal family were committed to holding all their colonial territories in an increasingly iron-fisted rule. War-weariness from decades of colonial conflicts were taking their toll, not helped by the bloodlust of the Valorgardes against their enemies both foreign and domestic.
  
  The breaking point for the people of Anvegad was “the year without summer”, when the Anvegad territories were subject to unusual weather changes that severely limited the growing season. Yet no relief was made and the Valorgardes ceased neither their noble lives nor the relentless lockdown on the colonies despite taking food from the reserves at home. Coupled with news of atrocities afar and fears of the Kingdom going down a path it could never redeem itself from, multiple rebellions broke out across the Empire.
  
  Weeks into the Anvegadian crisis, Sidara continued to watch the developments with interest. The political and military classes had yet to decide a course of action, however...
  
  The largest urban faction of the Anvegadian rebellion, led by the "Enlightenment", had taken and now held the industrial city of Ferrum despite a crackdown by the Valorgarde loyalists.
  With it, they secured both the largest bastion of Anvegad industry, the biggest spell-cannon forges, and a crucial trade hub. They sent messengers to other nations to declare their intent to overthrow the Valorgardes and set Anvegad on a new course as a Republic.
  
  Receiving this message, Sidara mobilised its navy, seeking to secure its waters against all Anvegadian vessels. Sidarid high command suspected the revolution would soon spread to the Anvegadian navy and wished to be prepared.
  
  Initially supportive of the demonstrations against the royal family, the Etremaden Realm had been largely silent for weeks as unrest plagued Anvegad. With the capture of Ferrum and the declaration of the "Enlightenment" faction, Etresna announced its recognition of the 'New Government of Anvegad'. The Raijen ordered massive food shipments readied for distribution to the populace of Enlightenment-held regions, and sent copious funds to the revolutionaries. Militias and professional military forces were mobilised, and the Second Fleet was redeployed to the southern coast in anticipation of support actions against the Royal Fleet.
  
  Alarmed by Etresna's movements, Sidara warned against meddling in the internal affairs of Anvegad.
  
  The Realm rebuked the statements of Sidara, pointing to their lack of military involvement in the revolution. The Raijen made a statement indicating the deployment of the second fleet is a security measure to protect famine relief shipments and called into question Sidara's objection to the Realm feeding a hungry civilian populace.
  
  Sidara responded by highlighting that the mobilisation of militias indicated a less than humanitarian bent to Etresna's involvement. It requested that Etresna pledge to remain militarily uninvolved in the Anvegadian conflict.
  
  Meanwhile, the Royal Anvegad fleet largely remained loyal to the Valorgardes and withdrew from all fronts to concentrate as a Fleet in Being at the home territories. In the process it stranded a large number of army troops in Anvegad's colonies, particularly those of "unreliable" loyalty.
  
  In response to the withdrawal of the navy, one of the contested island garrisons staffed by the notorious elite 442nd Infantry came to its Sidaran counterpart force on the island with an offer: "Give us sealift back to the mainland, anywhere on the mainland, and we'll get to fighting the real enemy. You'll never see us again, one way or the other. We're done fighting for a king not worth the title."
  Other stranded Anvegad troops soon make similar offers to nearby Sidaran units or passing warships exploiting the lack of Anvegad warships
  
  Receiving such missives from the Anvegadians, the Sidarid military ignored them. However, private Sidarid fleets belonging to various Clan-Companies swiftly began offering to transport these regiments back to the mainland.
  
  The Sidarid-Etremaden diplomatic spat continued with Etresna refusing to make any pledge of the nature Sidara requested, and affirmed its commitment to the success of the revolutionary state in the north of Anvegad. It made clear that should the Revolutionary Government request, military aid was immediately available. But until such time the Realm's forces will not step foot within Anvegadian borders. Simultaneously, the Realm calls out Sidaran naval action in Anvegadian waters.
  
  Arriving in regiments and companies, the Anvegad colonial troops transported by Sidara's clan-companies land in various places in southern Anvegad and rally under General Garroway into a fighting force.
  
  Sidara makes clear to Etresna that its ships are not active in Anvegadian waters but have only moved into its own and international waters to secure them against piracy. It makes clear that it does not recognise the 'revolutionary state' and once more requests that Etresna respect Anvegad's internal affairs and sovereignty.
  
  The Enlightenment faction accepts Etremaden aid, but is hesitant to accept military aid due to both the likely costs of getting it through the Anvegad navy and the need to legitimise their own rebellion. For now, food and lines of funding are sufficient to arm a new model army against the Valorgarde loyalists
  
  Etresna points to the acceptance of the Revolutionary Government of Etremaden aid, and declares that Sidara's lack of recognition of the new government is irrelevant to its actual control of the region and legitimacy.
  
  Individually, the two rebel groups are still outnumbered and outgunned by the Valorgarde loyalists. But qualitatively, they have more professional forces than the royalists. A series of battles open up as the loyalists fight on two fronts to hold their home territory.
  
  Then a third faction emerges from the unrest and chaos in the form of several Collectivist rebel groups in the rural lands.
  
  While lacking the concentrated force or legitimacy of Garroway's troops or Enlightenment's support base, they undermine and sap the royalists strength. However a spree of atrocities against the nobility and rich proceed to sour relations with the other Anvegad rebels.
  
  Etresna condemns the massacres of nobility and rich at the Collectivist hands, declaring that whilst many are no doubt guilty of great crimes against the people, their punishment without due process is a grave crime, and the Collectivist faction must cease such actions.
  
  Nefarious privateers begin targeting Etremaden shipping. Sidara wholly condemns this and suggests that these are Anvegadian mutineers. Sidara, in secret communications, encourages Garroway to establish connections with the Collectivists, supplying his faction with extra weapons, munitions, and foodstuff.
  
  General Garroway grudgingly uses the extra supplies as "recommended" and hunts down the most reliable cluster of Collectivists to support. Ultimately he selects the cells led by Kamina Farell, granting them explosives and arms in exchange for her keeping the rest of the Collectivists in line or dealing with those that push it too far.
  
  In response to the targeting of Etremaden shipping, the Second Fleet is deployed on escort duty alongside all Etremaden commerce vessels. All warships are instructed to open fire on any foreign vessel with hostile intent. The Raijen, in turn, condemns the attacks and makes it clear the Realm will not hesitate to return fire.
  
  The privateers prove extremely skilful - a testament to Anvegadian naval power - and challenge Etremaden warships in very well-organised fleets and squadrons. Inspired by reports of these "unnamed privateers" an Anvegadian naval squadron also attempts a convoy raid, despite holding orders from command.
  
  Sidara offers Etresna aid in dealing with these renegade privateers and suggests it decrease its aid to the Enlightenment until the privateers are completely dealt with to make things easier.
  
  Etresna rebukes Sidara, calling into question the timing and nature of these attacks. Escort strength is increased, and merchant convoys are grouped together with the protection of powerful ships of the line.
  
  In its own secret messages with the Enlightenment faction, Etresna pushes the Revolutionary leaders to accept greater contributions from the Realm. The Raijen indicates the full might of the Second Fleet is available for direct action or support against the Royalists, and the Realm's best artillery crews are on standby should the Revolution need them.
  
  Meanwhile, the mysterious unnamed privateers attempt to establish links with the Royalists so as to begin coordinating their strikes with them.
  
  The overeager Anvegad navy squadron finds and attempts to engage an Etremaden convoy, which in the process of intercepting due to a light fog fail to realize they're running into an Etremaden battleship that was returning from refit. Less than half of the squadron manages to escape, and the flagship falls into Etresnan hands. This includes a logistics and patrol table for most of Anvegad's remaining active ports supplying the loyalist navy.
  
  Meanwhile, Royalist warships are disinclined to heed outsiders such as these mystery privateers, not helped by "Special Advisors" dispatched by the Valorgardes to keep an eye on their actions. A few officers that do try to coordinate actions begin disappearing shortly after.
  
  These privateers then occupy many of the islands abandoned by Garroway's regiments and begin carrying out more and more complex raids and strikes against the Etremaden navy. 'Privateer' forces now resemble a navy more and more. They no longer shy away from engaging heavy Etremaden formations with their own heavy ships.
  
  Meanwhile, Clan-Companies continue supplying Garroway and his Collectivist allies with food, munitions, and weapons, and various private Sidarids present themselves for service as 'mercenaries' and 'advisors'
  
  Etremaden naval command indicates its will to use its full force against the Privateer fleets, and the Realm openly questions the true nature of these privateers, making it clear the Realm is under no delusions as to their solely Anvegadian nature. The Raijen affirms that there will be no direct military action within Anvegadian territory until specifically requested by the Enlightenment government.
  
  Garroway's army politely declines foreign mercenaries in public but steers their representatives to Kamina Farell to stiffen the now less-rabid Collectivists.
  
  Meanwhile the Enlightenment faction makes contact with Garroway and Farrell to plan a major action when Etresna forwards the captured logistics documents to the Enlightenment, a major offensive to knock out the port cities that remain royalist backbones and undercut the logistics of the royalist navy.
  
  The 'private' Sidarids now serving with Kamina Farell focus on training and drilling her forces to ensure they are a more lethal force.
  
  In secret communications, the Etremaden government urges the Enlightenment government to accept Etremaden military aid, offering to deploy 500,000 combat troops and their best artillery teams.
  
  Aware of the impending rebel offensive, and viewing its privateer operation as having been a success, Sidara declares its intent to destroy the privateers occupying territory so close to its own. The campaign 'lasts a month' after which the islands are firmly under Sidarid control.
  
  Enlightenment leadership send a preliminary agreement for Etremaden direct aid, particularly in heavy artillery to crack the port defenses, pending sufficient openings in the naval blockade to safely get them through. However Garroway catches wind of the request and decides to begin the offensive before Etresnan reinforcements arrive.
  
  To the surprise of many, Garroway succeeds in punching through the largest royalist army group with the aid of Collectivist saboteurs and smashing the Ports of Niccolum and Kalium while the bulk of the navy was away attempting to stall the Etresnan landing forces.
  
  Etremaden fleets immediately mobilise, ambushing and destroying an Anvegadian naval squadron, before steaming for the main ports of Anvegad.
  
  Sidara officially proclaims its support for Garroway and his Collectivist allies.
  
  The Etremaden land forces, already mobilized and needing only permission, arrive faster than many expected, and upon landing commence an assault from the north.
  
  Sidara condemns and decries unequivocally Etresna's invasion of Anvegad.
  
  Enlightenment forces cooperate with the Etresnan landing troops, but run into Royalist reserve units held back in preparation for such a foreign intervention that try to contain the intrusion to the coast. In the process though, it gives Garroway a path straight to the capital of Anveholm, if he can get past the ancient fortress of Anvegarde.
  
  Sidara mobilises its entire navy and blockades Anvegad, preventing further Etremaden landings or aid from reaching the nation by sea.
  
  Etremaden heavy artillery crushes through fortifications previously thought impregnable, and the Realm's army advances at breakneck speed, racing towards the Capital in direct competition with Garroway. Etresna condemns Sidaran action, and informs Sidara that any blocking of their ships will be considered an act of war.
  
  The Etremaden missive does not reach Sidara, ‘unfortunately’.
  
  With only a single functional port base and effectively no reserves of coal or manastone, the remaining Anvegad navy is an effective nonentity at this phase of the conflict at sea. Large numbers of sailors surrender to Anvegad rebel forces.
  
  The Realm openly declares that any forces stopping Etremaden shipping in the region will be considered hostile, and such action will be considered an act of war. Battleships and other naval vessels escort large flotillas of cargo and troop ships, and they commence an assault on the major port city of Cupernum.
  
  Sidarid vessels continue their peaceful blockade, despite the advancing Etremaden vessels and Etresna's threats. Supplies to Garroway and his allies are increased many times over. He is encouraged to seal the conflict and convince the Enlightenment to join with him and officially request Etresna leave.
  
  Garroway eventually succeeds in breaking through Anvegarde with a heavy siege howitzer and an experimental combustion spell, reaching the outskirts of Anveholm a day before the Enlightenment/Etresnan forces. With enemies at the gates, the Valorgardes refuse to surrender and call for a heroic stand of all royalist forces. Instead, one of the Royal Guards stabs the king in the back.
  
  With the capital's defenses in disarray, Garroway dispatches the 442nd to take the royal family into custody. In the process he has to foil a Collectivist scheme to kill them all (not authorized by Farrell). Enlightenment leadership call for a cease-fire and call to negotiation to resolve the civil war.
  
  Sidara offers to host the peace talks at Glenmagar and calls for an immediate ceasefire until they are complete.
  
  Etremaden forces adopt a forced march stance, arriving at the Capital in the midst of the conflict, and prepare for their own assault, as battleships close in on the coast. The Raijen also calls for peace, suggesting talks be held in Pohae, the traditionally neutral negotiating ground.
  
  Garroway agrees to peace and cease-fire, though requesting talks be held at Ferrum to avoid being separated from his troops. Sidara supports Garroway's call for peace talks at Ferrum.
  
  Garroway strong-arms Farrell into the Ferrum peace talks, and the Enlightenment are happy to host alongside Sidaran and Etremaden representatives.
  
  The Anvegad factions come to an understanding of avoiding the sins of the past, though the exact nature of the post-war government runs into hiccups as Farrell dismisses the initial Enlightement republic model as too idealistic, while Garroway is found to have thought little of the post-war society besides wanting to avoid senseless wars.
  
  As an overture to playing nice with other nations, Garroway offers to hand over the Crown Prince and Second Prince to Sidara to stand trial for all the crimes Anvegad had committed against Sidara (plus a not-inconsiderable list of crimes from the second prince in very recent history), while sending the Queen and princesses to the Enlightenment or Etresna for their own judgement (albeit to a lesser degree as the Dalmances were just married into the Valorgardes), pending a final peace treaty to his satisfaction
  
  Etresna declines to host judicial hearings of the Queen and Princesses, declaring that the crimes of the Royal Family should be tried by their countrymen, and no other.
  
  Sidara applauds Etresna's stance and commends them for recognising that Anvegad has never committed any crimes against Etresna worthy of being tried. Sidara thanks Garroway for recognising the crimes of the Anvegadian royal family against Sidara and agrees to try the Prince and Second-Prince
  
  Etresna condemns Sidaran action, declaring that, while the Royal Family committed many offences against the Realm, the magnitude of their foreign infractions is vastly overshadowed by those within Anvegad.
  
  Sidara is offended by Etresna's stance and suggests it read into Sidarid history before preaching.
  
  The Raijen calls for all trials of the royal family to be held within Anvegad, declaring that the crimes of the father do not carry on to the child, and that trying the current family for grievous offences in the past is morally and legally repugnant. To which Garroway replies "got plenty of rope to hang them within their own lifetimes if we're just going by that measure.” The Realm concurs with Garroway, but insists that if the Royal Family will be executed or otherwise punished, it be carried out for their own crimes.
  
  Sidara releases a statement expressing great respect and admiration for the Raijen's opinion. But also states that it will, on this occasion, eschew and refrain from following her well-meaning and sage advice.
  
  A compromise government plan is eventually put together, keeping the original Enlightenment plan to have a parliamentary monarchy with the Roland family at its head as a limited monarch, but throwing out plans for any form of hereditary appointment in parliament as Garroway actively fights any apparent effort to preserve noble privilege.
  
  Sidara puts the matter of the occupied islands on the table. It requests that the Anvegadian revolutionaries consider the return of Sidara's pre-1860 war islands to Sidara, and Sidara offers to return all other islands it has occupied during the civil war to Anvegad
  
  In secret communications, Etresna indicates its support of democratic governmental appointment, insisting that hereditary power cannot end well. They point to the Royal Family in question, asking if such terrible strife would have been averted had they not held such power based solely on their lineage.
  
  Enlightenment and military factions agree to Sidara, though many consider it a largely symbolic gesture as between the damage to the navy and the withdrawal of troops Anvegad can't hold onto them anyway
  Enlightenment leaders are loath to be reduced in status even in victory, but the scope of their war debts is enough to make a majority accept a largely symbolic nobility in order to offload those debts onto the state than themselves. Noble privilege is reduced, though they keep lands and titles as well-off individuals. Lands of the nobility that remained loyalist are split among the Enlightenment and some notable military personnel
  Collectivists recognize the manoeuvre for what it is and begin to harden in anti-Etresnan mentality. Garroway is satisfied with the two-way deal needed to get the Enlightenment to finally step off the path that risked one day causing another Anvegad mad king. Particularly in the lockdown of noble patronage into the military.
  
  Throughout the negotiation process, Sidara makes no secret of its friendly disposition towards Garroway and the Collectivists, the Enlightenment having been effectively sidelined with the removal of their substantive aristocratic privileges. Viewing the military and collectivist factions as the more likely future governments, it delivers a number of declarations of friendship and understanding, as well as pledges of trade and military support. Sidarid naval forces are withdrawn and the blockade ended, Sidarid sailors wave at the Etremaden ships as they head home. Some wave privateer flags about.
  
  Etresna affirms its own allegiance with the urban Enlightenment faction, signing a treaty pledging future food shipments should famine strike again. Etresna offers significant economic investment in Anvegad's urban reconstruction and economic development.
  
  While both Sidaran and Etremaden offers are considered, discussion of reconstruction and reorganization of representation sparks a new problem as representatives of the western and southern Anvegad territories speak up
  Former lands conquered by Anvegad and largely spared from the civil war, instead of further ties to foreign powers they called for referendums to split off and return to being their own states instead of being associated with a new Anvegad state
  Ultimately the Enlightenment and Garroway both accede to their requests for public votes on separation from Anvegad, though Farrell and various minor rebel factions and members within the major groups grumble at both the reasons for separation (such as a few wanting to revert to being minor kingdoms with their noble titles intact or wanting to distance themselves from the debts of the civil war) as well as the lack of solidarity.
• 1865-1873 CE
  Etresna and Kratoria engage in a colonial war over various islands across the globe.
• 1867-1873 CE
  Etresna engages in a programme of land seizures, infrastructural development, and population transfer on the Nine Isles it conquered from Sidara. These 'undeveloped' lands that Etresna seizes are in fact clan lands. The Etremaden do not understand this, and the subsequent outrage from the local population as well as the Sidarid government is not given much notice. Sidara begins aligning itself with Kratoria, contacting Faenaria for support in its efforts to build-up for a liberation war, and attempts to woo Uruk's favour by investing in its arms and heavy industry. By 1873 Sidara's navy and armies are fully prepared to join Kratoria in its war against Etresna, and Sidarid technological support and economic investment means the Uruk military has developed rifled weaponry and more modern war tactics.
• 1873-1877 CE
  The Kratorian-Etremaden war expands into the War of the Fourth Coalition, with Uruk and Faenaria joining Sidara and Kratoria in a war to contain the increasingly threatening and expansionist Etremaden. The war rages for years and involves harrowing naval engagements. By the end of it the once-proud Etremaden navy has been much reduced and Etresna begins a shipbuilding programme. However by this point the war had taken its toll on the population who were increasingly war weary. Still undefeated and able to fight for many years yet, Etresna finally sued for peace out of respect for its people's weariness. The Sidarid Nine Isles were returned according to a status quo ante bellum. This would involve the transfer of Etremaden populations back to Etresna over a one-year period. Wishing to be done with the war, the Etremaden hastily negotiated the matter of the various isles with Faenaria and Kratoria, surrendering some and holding onto others.
• 1910 CE
  Present

• Clan Aelric; The Much Honoured Chief Cathaoir of Clan Aelric
• Clan Agalvae; The Much Honoured Chief Alasdaer of Clan Agalvae
• Clan Agronae; The Much Honoured Chief Braendin of Clan Agronae
• Clan ap-Dhugael; The Much Honoured Chief Padraeg of Clan ap-Dhugael
• Clan ap-Entosh; The Much Honoured Chief Eoin of Clan ap-Entosh
• Clan ap-Fhinnan; The Much Honoured Chief Somhairle of Clan ap-Fhinnan
  
  Clan ap-Fhinnan o' Iwan; The Much Honoured Chief Maol-Choluim of Clan ap-Fhinnan o' Iwan
• Clan ap-Filigan; The Much Honoured Chief Dhomas of Clan ap-Filigan
  
  ap-Filigan o' th'Reaches; The Much Honoured Chief Saenlig of Clan ap-Filigan o' th'Reaches
  ap-Filigan o' Balmaen; The Much Honoured Chief Paedin of Clan ap-Filigan o' Balmaen
• Clan ap-Gwynnud; The Much Honoured Chief Oeghan of Clan ap-Gwynnud
  
  ap-Gwynnud o' Caernmowni; The Much Honoured Chief Mathghaemhain of Clan ap-Gwynnud o' Caernmowni
  ap-Gwynnud o' Caluk; The Much Honoured Chief Faerdorcha of Clan ap-Gwynnud o' Caluk
  ap-Gwynnud o' Clagduff; The Much Honoured Chief Toirdhealbhach of Clan ap-Gwynnud o' Clagduff
• Clan ap-Ilinray; The Much Honoured Chief Riochard of Clan ap-Ilinray
  
  ap-Ilinray o' Dnabree; The Much Honoured Chief Raemonn of Clan ap-Ilinray o' Dnabree
• Clan ap-MgGonnal; The Much Honoured Chief Padrhaegin of Clan ap-MgGonnal
• Clan ap-MgOllman; The Much Honoured Chief Uaithne of Clan ap-MgOllman
• Clan ap-Olaidh; The Much Honoured Chief Tadhfen of Clan ap-Olaidh
• Clan Aujvint; The Much Honoured Chief Feillim of Clan Aujvint
  
  Aujvint o' th'Marshes; The Much Honoured Chief Chu-Mhaedha of Clan Aujvint o' th'Marshes
  Laird-Aujvint; The Much Honoured Chief Bhaethghalloch of Clan Laird-Aujvint
• Clan Beltan o' Tymthean; The Much Honoured Chief Kaelin Laenouvor of Clan Beltan o' Tymthean
• Clan Braeg; The Much Honoured Chief Connell of Clan Braeg
  
  Braeg o' MgIlsen; The Much Honoured Chief Chae-Caenacht of Clan Braeg o' MgIlsen
  Braeg o' th'Braes; The Much Honoured Chief Duaidhe of Clan Braeg o' th'Braes
• Clan Connacht; The Much Honoured Chief Ainrie of Clan Connacht
  
  Connacht o' Cornams-Crest; The Much Honoured Chief Finghen of Clan Connacht o' Cornams-Crest
• Clan Culquown; The Much Honoured Chief Conchobhar of Clan Culquown
• Clan Dhaebidhe; The Much Honoured Chief Manghus of Clan Dhaebidhe
• Clan Dhonnuil; The Much Honoured Chief Celatus of Clan Dhonnuil
  
  Dhonnuil o' Ronnuil; The Much Honoured Chief Nuahdha of Clan Dhonnuil o' Ronnuil
  MgDhonals o' Glencove; The Much Honoured Chief Uoltaen of Clan MgDhonals o' Glencove
• Clan Dochmar; The Much Honoured Chief Vaughan of Clan Dochmar
• Clan Esher; The Much Honoured Chief Kellasdindr of Clan Esher
  
  Rhiglaird Esher; The Much Honoured Chief Ruaidhri of Clan Rhiglaird Esher
• Clan Fhaerchar; The Much Honoured Chief Gearalt of Clan Fhaerchar
• Clan Ghillmhol; The Much Honoured Chief Rhagnall of Clan Ghillmhol
• Clan Ghiuari; The Much Honoured Chief Gealle-Mhuire of Clan Ghiuari
• Clan Grantaeg; The Much Honoured Chief Eiraemhon of Clan Grantaeg
• Clan Guilibraec; The Much Honoured Chief Eoin of Clan Guilibraec
• Clan Guinn; The Much Honoured Chief Gealle-Chriosid of Clan Guinn
• Clan Gweilaerth; The Much Honoured Chief Lownsaech of Clan Gweilaerth
• Clan Haiho; The Much Honoured Chief Fionghuine of Clan Haiho
• Clan Laird Loamainn; The Much Honoured Chief Anfuadan of Clan Laird Loamainn
  
  Laird Loamainn o' Fulfraen; The Much Honoured Chief Cuamhai of Clan Laird Loamainn o' Fulfraen
• Clan M'Hnaen; The Much Honoured Ceannard Chief Cormac Niall of Clan M'Hnaen
• Clan Maengun; The Much Honoured Chief Aemon of Clan Maengun
• Clan Mawleh; The Much Honoured Chief Gealle-Bhaethain of Clan Mawleh
• Clan MgCrae; The Much Honoured Chief Faehrghus of Clan MgCrae
  
  Clan MgCrae o' Raeth; The Much Honoured Chief Dhaemneic of Clan MgCrae o' Raeth
• Clan MgEwaen; The Much Honoured Chief Daethei of Clan MgEwaen
• Clan MgGakel; The Much Honoured Chief Daermoidh of Clan MgGakel
• Clan MgGrregah; The Much Honoured Chief Aechann of Clan MgGrregah
  
  MgGrregah o' Galams-Stand; The Much Honoured Chief Aenric of Clan MgGrregah o' Galams-Stand
• Clan MgIntsaer; The Much Honoured Chief Fhael of Clan MgIntsaer
• Clan MgLabrinn; The Much Honoured Chief Gaervein of Clan MgLabrinn
• Clan MgLachlainn; The Much Honoured Chief Faolan of Clan MgLachlainn
• Clan Mhaeridh; The Much Honoured Chief Diaermodh of Clan Mhaeridh
• Clan Mwryfin (extinct)
• Clan Ol Mirti; The Much Honoured Chief Lochlainn of Clan Ol Mirti
• Clan Oq Haert; The Much Honoured Chief Aonghus of Clan Oq Haert
• Clan Rosaec; The Much Honoured Chief Ruathan Muhrdhaenn of Clan Rosaec
• Clan Sirjin; The Much Honoured Chief Cainneach Iomhar of Clan Sirjin
• Clan Umbruse; The Much Honoured Chief Fionnlagh of Clan Umbruse
  
  Umbruse o' Bruce; The Much Honoured Chief Muraedhach of Clan Umbruse o' Bruce

Wherein is Penned a Series of Essays and Confessions on the Essentials of Being; Also titled "Journeys into the Mind of the Quintessentially Verbose"

Name of Nation
The United and God-given Righachd of Sidara (also: Sidara, the Sidarid Isles, the UGR, Seihdhara, the Righachd)

Government
Unitary Parliamentary Elective Monarchy

Capital
Glenmagar

Species
Human

• Historical Snapshots

  See Here for History
  
  
  
  Men! Wull ye follow me?
• Territory Claims

  
• Government

  Sidara is a unitary parliamentary elective monarchy. The head of state is the Bhaenrhig or Rhig, the Queen or King. The monarch is elected for a life-term, upon the death of the previous monarch, by the parliament of Sidara, known as the Duthchas. Sidara's Great Ritual of State, known as the Hyscadal ('the Bull's Vision'), is carried out by a Treiwynd in order to ascertain who the rightful monarch is. This involves sleeping inside a bull-hide in order to have a vision revealing the identity of the new monarch. While the Hyscadal could theoretically declare anyone in the realm as monarch, it has been the case that only descendants of Roinseach have been chosen (dubbed 'the Royal Family' or 'Royal Bloodline', and who have since formed into Clan Rhiglaird Esher).
  
  Following this, the Duthchas is then expected to vote for the person selected by the dream. The Duthchas has never been known to reject the dream's nominee (doing so could potentially create rifts and divides that would utterly break Sidarid unity and so is, by general consensus, simply not done). If, however, the Duthchas is unanimous in its rejection of a dream's nominee, it is expected that a second Hyscadal would take place and the Duthchas would be invited to vote for the new nominee.
  
  The Duthchas is made up of representatives of Sidara's clans, and the monarch sits as its effective head - though this task can be delegated as necessary. Elections for the Duthchas are held every five years. Each clan has a single representative at the Duthchas, generally its chief. The representative can then select an unlimited number of delegates to attend the Duthchas's sessions and represent the interests of the clan there. For particularly large clans, this system permits the interests of different parts of a clan to be sufficiently represented. When votes take place, each clan has a single vote. The Duthchas is not a legislating parliament as Sidara is governed completely by customary law. Instead, the Duthchas acts as an advisory body to the monarch and votes on non-legislative matters of importance - this includes declarations of war, plans to expand or reduce the size of armed forces, decisions to fund certain aspects of society or endeavours, and, of course, it elects the monarch.
  
  Sidara has no formal judiciary, and the druidic Treiwyndyn play numerous roles, amongst them that of judge and enforcer of the customary law of their particular city, region, or clan.
  
  The monarch, over time, has come to be expected to appoint a five-year Priyetcyn (a Cabinet or Privy Council) whenever a new Duthchas is elected. Priyetcyn members have no formal ministries but are rather delegated the monarch's full authority in a particular area and are free to create, reform, or otherwise dissolve any and all bodies relating to their delegated duties. Priyetcyn members are generally selected for their expertise and are not elected members of the Duthchas. Though the monarch delegates their duties to these individuals, the monarch continues to exercise their full, absolute authority simultaneously, and a direct decision from the monarch is considered to over-ride that of any Priyetcyn member.
• Economy

  Economy - 16+1 (17) - Your economy is well-off, and a majority of what needs to be funded is.
  Production - 11+4 (15) - Your nation is doing well for itself, with excellent production in both farming and manufacturing and good resource exploitation.
  
  

  The Righachd's economy has been going strong and stable for many years now. Its economy experienced a meteoric rise over the later half of the eighteenth-century, essentially dragging the Righachd from the heavily agrarian economy it was to the industrialised economy of the present.
  The long-established clan structure of Sidarid society meant that companies owned and run by clans were quick to crop up in the late eighteenth-century. Communal in nature, these clan companies form the firm foundation of the Sidarid economy. Confident and optimistic, these pioneering companies have been very effective in producing trailblazers whose innovations have ensured that industry has continued to expand all over the realm - indeed, established clan companies grow from strength to strength as they expand their expertise into new areas, carrying themselves up on the back of innovative thinking, pioneering technology, and daring business-plans.
  With government incentives and designations of the best crown lands for farming purposes, the Righachd has managed to maintain food autarky - limited land space has resulted in creativity and efficiency in the use of land with the goal of maximising production. The successes of the Righachd in this department are all too clear - it is an exporter of both grown foodstuff and meat. Iron ore is plentiful, and Sidarid metalsmiths - and the product of its metalworks factories in general - are renown the world over. Being an island nation with one of the most powerful navies in the world, it was able to secure its trade routes despite the ever-present threat of the Anvegadian Navy. The Anvegadian revolution and the close relationship that has grown between Sidara and the revolutionaries has resulted in increased trade traffic generally, contributing to the growth and strengthening of the Sidarid economy.
• Technology

  Tech - 14+4 (18) - Your nation is effectively fully modern, and innovative to boot. It is likely the trendsetter in multiple categories.
  
  

  The Righachd stands proudly as one of the world's premier technological engines, its innovative and progressively-minded people a boon in and of themselves. This is greatly due to the traditional Sidarid education system instilling within the populace from an early age the importance of innovation and independence - innovation strengthens the nation, and it brings wealth and glory to the innovator, which inspires far greater progressiveness and willingness amongst people to be daring in their endeavours. But these are no mere adventuring experimenters, for those do not create a stable and regimented progression that can keep the Righachd as a whole at the forefront of technological advancement. Much of the time these are clan-members working with others in an organised and strategic manner to produce and refine innovations which would be immediately field-tested by a clan company, judged promising or not on the basis of its success, and either refined and expanded or dropped depending on the results.
  The government, for its part, funds research facilities at various universities across the country, as well as being patron to numerous Societies that seek to expand knowledge in various areas (whether it is the National Society of Antiquitarian and Archeological Exploration, the Royal Society of Linguistics, or Her Grace's Aeroflight Society).
  This has meant that even as the population produces natural innovators who can become very successful in their own right, innovation and scientific advancement has effectively been institutionalised and honed into a communal effort across the board.
  The various Arwyndyn holy orders, which have long-established independent universities, form a separate stream. Traditionally more interested in magickal, religious, and esoteric learning, the Arwyndyn have nevertheless engaged in some very interesting research and development projects over the past century. Joint research with mainstream universities have led to breakthroughs in areas ranging from military technology to whether usage of pesticide is morally justifiable according to Sidarid religion. Arwynd scholarly journals are amongst the oldest in Sidara and have led to scholarly journals becoming a staple of the modern Sidarid academic scene. However, despite their greater interaction with society through these publications and joint research projects, the Arwyndyn remain very secretive and reclusive, and there is doubtlessly much that they know and have not deigned to share.
• Culture

  Ideals
  
  
  
  

  Freedom. Independence. Valour. The Clan. Honour. Loyalty.

  
  

  • Honour & Dishonour

    

    
    

    • Highest Honour

      Personal, individual achievement - e.g. displays of valour on the battlefield, honourable conduct, new discovery, pioneering invention etc.
    • Highest Dishonour

      To sacrifice one’s freedom and independence. While knowing one's limits and surrendering or fleeing when the odds are stacked against one is no dishonour, allowing oneself to accept occupation or slavery, for it to enter one’s heart, to defend one's enslaver or cooperate with them sincerely and in that way betray one's self, nation, and clan; that is the highest dishonour. One such as this deserves contempt and death.
  • Setting

    Sidara boasts many mountainous highland regions, lowland vales, ancient forests full of darkness and mystery, green hills rolling on green hills, numerous rivers and lakes (known as lochs); standing freshwater volumes are simply enormous.
    '
    

    Ye kin feast yer een, bit ye cannae hae
    '
    

    
    

    Springs and Hills!
    Stones and Fields and Hills!
    Fields of the Vales!
    Fields of Yellow! Fields of Green!
    Fields and Hills and Lochs and Cliffs!
    Only the Fields of Glory Will See the Light!
    Highland Cattle!
    More Highland Cattle!
    Trains on Bridges!
    Ye Mounts and Torrents!
    Dikes and Sunsets!
    Mounts and Lochs!
    Coastal Castle Ruins!
    Ye Banks and Braes!
    Lochs and Hills and Forests!
    More Lochs, Hills, and Forests!
    Be Stunned!
    Pretty Rocks and Hills on the Horizon!
    HORSES!
    Stone Circles!
    And More Stone Circles!
    
    

    
  • Religion

    
    
    A Saffron-haired Goddess of Love and War

    
    

    • Religion; The Gods

      The Sidarid religion is ancient, with the first recorded worship of a female goddess with a head of saffron dating back over four-thousand years. Worship waned somewhat during the earlier periods of foreign occupation (~400 BCE to ~450 CE), and various foreign religions took root, but there was a resurgence during the period ~500 CE to 1000 CE, followed by a far greater one during the Anvegadian occupation.
      
      Sidarid religion is primarily polytheistic, though it also harbours elements of animism. The major gods are as follows:
      

      • Seihdhara - Head of the Sidarid pantheon. The goddess of war and love (in all its forms from motherly love to pure lust). Believed to be the personification of the Sidarid Isles (the name 'Sidara' is derived from 'Seihdhara', and it is not uncommon for the island realm to be referred to as 'Seihdhara'). She is also known as the Iomaethair (the Bear Mother), the Corcaerdhig (the Crimson Goddess), and the Lasaeroi (the Flame Eternal). The bear is considered her chief sacred animal and symbol. Those born with red hair, or who develop it, are believed to have been blessed by her with general martial and sexual prowess. Indeed, the Blood-heads - a group formed to resist Anvegadian occupation and today making up Sidara's elite and most senior division - are famed for only accepting into their ranks those with red hair. Over the centuries, through the process of natural selection, red hair has become a common - almost universal – Sidarid trait. She is often associated with Elder, Hawthorn, and Birch trees, and the Mistletoe.
      • M'Gruda - God of life, nature, animals, wealth, and the underworld. The Elm and Cedar tree are associated with him.
      • Daegeyda - The father god and de facto ruler of the gods. After Seihdhara, he is by far the most important of all the Sidarid deities - and for some, he is even more important than the fiery-haired chief-goddess. Also referred to as 'The Daegeyda', he is the god of magick, wisdom, and fertility. His talents and skills, from fighting to craftsmanship to magick, are famed to be endless. He has a magical stave that kills with a single strike from one side and restores life with a blow from the other. It is so big that it can injure more than one person at a time. His cauldron provides an endless supply of food for the gods and his fruit trees are always ready to harvest. Of his two swine, one is always roasting upon a spit while the other is always alive. He has mated with Seihdhara and other goddesses and has numerous children.
        He is famed for having slaughtered innumerable ap Morig, but in the middle of the war against them, a short truce was called. The ap Morig decided to get rid of the Daegeyda using his weakness for porridge, his favourite food. They concocted a porridge of superhuman proportions, placing it in a massive crater. It is said that they poured in enough milk to satisfy an entire clan for one year, then added enough fat to supply all of Sidara for two years, and then put enough meal to feed Sidara for three years. For good measure, they threw in a flock of sheep, a herd of goats, and a passel of pigs. The ap Morig challenged and taunted Daegeyda to eat the porridge or die. The great god leaned over the crater in the ground, sniffed at the mixture of ingredients, put one giant finger into the mess and tasted it then, to the amazement of the ap Morig, ate the entire thing. Feeling tired this, he lay down to nap. Frustrated that their plan had failed, they called for a woman to tempt the Daegeyda. If he mated with her, he would die. They hid behind trees to see what would happen. Daegeyda woke briefly to see a young maiden lying beside him and, although he noticed that she was beautiful, he was still sleepy and satisfied from his meal, so he rolled over and went back to sleep. It is believed, however, that the Daegeyda has been largely dormant ever since, still sleeping off the massive meal.
      • Mac Cugail - God of the sky, thunder, wisdom, and Seihdhara's chief consort. He is associated with the Alder tree.
      • Ducyffel - Goddess of horses, the sea, death, and fertility. Associated with the Pine tree.
      • H’Mrorrig - Goddess of poetry, music, spring, dance, fire, inspiration, metalworking, knowledge, and childbirth – the last of which she shares with Seihdhara. Considered the patron goddess of druids (known collectively as Wyndyn, sing. Wynd), and she is sometimes called the Wyndynobhanrhig (the Queen of Druids). Often associated with Fir, Silver Fir, Hazel, Willow, and Oak trees. She tends the cauldron of knowledge and intelligence known as Naethinyb. A trist with the god Braeniyn during his reign produced a son, Raethin, who would become a leading figure in the ap Morig host of his father. After his attempt to slay the smith god Gilbanu failed and led to his own death, the H'Mrorrig mourned her son's death (even though he was of the enemy) with Sidara's first ever keening a loud, wailing cry of sorrow that has since become an aspect of Sidarid funerary rituals.
      • Tymhorau and Raithean – The gods of the seasons, a couple who are born in spring and are children, then becoming young lovers in summer, before becoming each a mother and a father in autumn, and finally wise elderly folk who die with the coming of winter to be reborn at the midwinter solstice, alongside the sun, and greet spring as children again. They are associated with the Yew and Holly trees.

      
      
      Some minor gods include:
      

      • Diabcuraim – Guardian god of the well of knowledge and intelligence, the Naethinyb. H’Mrorrig’s husband.
      • Theia – Goddess of marriage, marital faithfulness, and family.
      • Eh’Myr – A minor god of catastrophe and defeat. God of Eigen’s Fort, where the Sidarids suffered a terrible defeat at the hands of the Anvegadians.
      • Feiyin - A minor goddess and believed to be High Queen of the faeries. She is a goddess of love and fertility, is associated with the moon, crops, farms, and cattle. She is considered particularly important for healers and herbalists, and is believed to be responsible for the body's life force. She is rather vengeful and displays a sadistic pleasure in punishing those who cross her - for instance, anyone who sits on her throne (which appears to normal people as a normal stone, usually located in glens or groves) is in danger of losing their wits, those who sit three times lose their wits forever. It is believed that she was raped by Aeleyl Ulom, an ancient warlord of Clan ap-Entosh. She ripped off his ear trying to protect herself from him and later had her fae soldiers trap him and bring him to her - she tortures him to this day. It is believed that she fell deeply in love with the ancient hero, Dionin, but that her love was unrequited.
      • Aggrona - The goddess of battle and slaughter. Was defeated by Seihdhara and now serves in the chief-goddess' retinue, carrying out various duties for her.
      • Aerameid - A herbalist goddess, she is the daughter of the physician god Diyaneht and the sister of Michlin. Like her father and brother, Aerameid was a gifted healer - causing Diyaneht to become extremely jealous of her and Michlin's talent. When Seihdhara lost her arm in battle, Diyaneht created a new one for her out of gold and iron. But Aerameid and Michlin create another arm out of living flesh. It was so lifelike that Seihdhara was able to regain her throne and position as the chief goddess, even though the injury technically made her unqualified for rulership. Jealousy eating at him, Diyaneht killed Michlin, and Aerameid grieved over her brother's grave. While doing so, she noticed hundreds of plants growing among the flowers on his grave and, realising that they had healing properties, began classifying them. It was monumental mission, for each type of herb had to be picked and sorted in accordance with its medicinal benefits. Just as she was about to finish, the jealous Diyaneht crept up behind her and scattered the herbs to the winds. Aerameid was never able to recover the herbs and so never completed her work. For this reason, the proper uses for the hundreds of healing herbs are unknown to this day, and Wyndyn have has to experiment and exercise their reasoning over the ages in attempts to recreate her lost work.
      • Gilbanu - A god of crafting and smithing. He is famed for using supernatural powers to craft steel weapons in cooperation with two of his sibling gods of crafting in something resembling an assembly line. The speed at which he repairs and forges weaponry with his companions is unparalleled. Weapon's of Gilbaru's making are mighty weapons possessing incredible magickal properties. He is also a god of healing and is said to offer a mead during Embilc which grants whoever drinks of it immortality.
      • Drechwr - A god of victory. Was defeated by Seihdhara and is now part of her retinue.
      • Aengillian - The stunning god of youth, young love, and beauty, known for having coyishly rejected Seihdhara's advances, angering her, before seducing her anyway. He carries a magickal sword and dons a cloak of invisibility, and his kisses take wing and fly away. Four in particular, Ceyin, Piyr, Bleyna, and Aethrar, follow him about in the form of birds wherever he goes. He is known to protect young lovers and cultivate their love.
      • Eirwyn - God of language and eloquence. He is the brother of Daegeyda, the father god. Credited
        with creating the Eirwyncanan and teaching it to the Arwyndyn, who glorify him tremendously even to this day.
      • Babaedna - A goddess of mayhem, slaughter, and battlefield confusion who visits battlefields in the form of a crow and sows utter chaos. She is known to whip warriors into a battle-frenzy - sometimes their frenzy is so great that they do not know friend from foe. She forms part of Seihdhara's retinue.
      • Bellanes - A god of light and the sun. The festival of Beltane derives its name from and honoures him.
      • Sruthyfinn - The river goddess after whom the river Sradfynn is named. Her sacred animal is the cow. She drowned when she tried to drink from the the Naethinyb so as to gain supernatural wisdom, but did not have the permission of either the H'Mrorrig or Diabcuraim. When Sruthyfinn tried to drink from the cauldron, its waters rose up and chased her towards the sea, eventually swallowing her up and leaving the goddess dead in its wake. The waters formed a river leading from the well to the sea, which was named the Sradfynn in honour of the goddess.
      • Beryw - God of therapeutic hot springs.
      • Braeniyn - A son of the goddess Ducyffel and a mortal named Viryn. He grew up exceptionally fast and was of formidable strength and was such a sight that he came to be known as Beautiful Brae. When Seihdhara lost her arm and became unable to rule, the gods crowned Braeniyn chief of the gods and Rhig of Sidara. Though beautiful, Braeniyn was stingy and crude, taxed the cattle and crops so that every clan and household ran short of food and drink, and more or less used the gods as his personal servants. Eirwyn, the god of language and eloquence, was forced to fetch firewood for the entire kingdom, while Daegeyda, the great father god, was put to work constructing forts and defences.
        Braeniyn would bring about his own downfall through his lack of generosity and hospitality. No sounds of music or poetry filled his halls. No feasts or celebrations were held at his court. His guests were offered meagre food and drink. One day a Fili came to visit and suffered greatly. To pay the Braeniyn back, he composed Sidara's first satire. He performed this poem in front of the entire court, describing the paltry food, drink, and shelter, bringing about great shame for the monarch. Finally, the gods rebelled and brought back Seihdhara, forcing Braeniyn from the throne. It is said that it would be Braeniyn, many centuries later, who would return with the ap Morig to wreak vengeance on Sidara and the gods. Though now sealed away with them in the underworld, he will rise again in the end days and a final battle will be had.

      
      
      Each individual clan has a clan god, who is the personification and guardian of that particular clan. It is not unusual for the clan god to be the progenitor of the clan. The major historical regions of Sidara also have patron gods, as do specific sacred locations or locations of historical import, such as places where important battles occurred (for the gods are involved in mortal affairs, and the happenings in the mortal world are a reflection of happenings in the celestial domain). For instance, the patron god of Eigen's Fort, where the Sidarids once suffered a terrible defeat, is Eh'Myr, a minor god of catastrophe and defeat.
      Forces of nature, such as the sun, the moon, the wind, forests, and so on, are sometimes worshipped as gods in non-anthropomorphic terms (the sacred mountain, Caer Seihdhar, is amongst these). Things such as trees are considered alive and to have souls and shrines may be dedicated to them even though they are not necessarily gods. Various animals - particularly the bear, the animal of Seihdhara - are held sacrosanct.
    • Religion; Stone Circles & Monuments and Sacred Groves

      

      
      
      Temples and religious 'buildings' are considered a foreign innovation and not authentically Sidarid. Sidarids strongly favour worshipping in nature beneath an open sky, rather than inside man-made structures of any sort – even worship within the home is frowned upon.
      Sidarids have constructed stone circles or stone monuments to their gods since time immemorial, and these continue to be a staple of Sidarid religion; the only legitimately recognised man-made religious structure. These structures can become exceedingly large and complex, spreading across hills in generally circular patterns. Sacred groves or springs, which are naturally occurring sites considered sacred, are also places where worship and various rituals take place. Such sacred sites and shrines are usually tended to or presided over by a Wynd.
    • Religion; Wynden

      

      
      
      Sidarid religion has no centralised clergy or priesthood in the sacerdotal sense. Instead, they have druids known as Wynden (pl. Wyndyn, sing. Wynd)).
      Due to their close association with nature, Wynden are believed to be able to control the weather and shape-shift into animal form – whether this is true is uncertain and most likely stems from Wynd practice of wearing animal skin or horns or feathers during rituals so as to invoke the animal’s power.
      Wyndyn are a rather diverse group – young, old, men, women, rich, poor, esteemed background, or relatively humble. They have traditionally made up the most powerful class of Sidarid society, though ever since the establishment of the Rigachd their traditional authority has been somewhat tempered by the sweeping powers of the directly elected Duthchas with the Bhaenrhig at its head. The Wyndyn are free to marry – the concept of celibacy being utterly foreign and ludicrous to the Sidaric peoples. Wyndyn often marry other Wyndyn or clan lairds.
      The Wyndyn underwent severe persecution by the Kratorians and Anvegadians during their occupation of Sidara, for they both feared and were jealous of their extensive power and influence, ability to incite rebellion, and their religious sway. Sacred sites where Wyndyn generally gathered were attacked and destroyed, and many Wyndyn were slaughtered. The most famous such attack was on Isle a’Cheimbyc in 109 CE against a large assembly of Tweiwynden, which was so brutal that the event became known as the Rape at Byc. Still, the Wynden persevered and so too did the religion.
      
      Wyndyn are of three types. These are non-hierarchical; simply different types of Wyndyn who carry out differing duties. The three types are:
      

      • Tweiwynden – So-called ‘clan druids’.
      • Arwyndyn – So-called scholarly druids, they are split into a number of holy orders.
      • Machwyndyn – So-called military druids.

      
      
      Treiwyndyn

      Clan Wynden - known as Treiwyndyn (sing. Treiwynd -, whose expertise and learning is handed down from one clan Treiwynd to another over generations, have the greatest interaction with people on a daily basis. Treiwynd instruction, unlike that of Arwyndyn, is secret and takes place in caves and forests. Preserving ancient tradition, all religious learning is done orally and in no other way; Treiwynd lore consists of a large number of orally transmitted ‘books’ learned by heart, and so Treiwyndyn are known for their astounding feats of memorisation. It can take up to twenty years of instruction for a Treiwynd to complete their studies.
      Treiwyndyn are present at births to bless newborns, carry out prophetic and divination rituals and give oracles, and are also important religious leaders in the clan hierarchy, legal authorities, adjudicators, preservers of clan tradition, lorekeepers, medical professionals, teachers to the young, and - traditionally - political advisors (indeed, the authority of Treiwyndyn has been such that they have caused feuding armies to turn back and put their weapons aside in the past even against the will of clan chiefs or warlords, and a custom exists that a soldier must hand their weapon to a Treiwynd on demand, even if they happened to be in the midst of battle).
      
      Treiwyndyn are generally responsible for organising and leading worship at stone circles or monuments as well as sacred groves, and also prepare and offer animal sacrifices and lead various rituals. During legal disputes, a Treiwynd is nearly always the arbiter, or the leading member of a team of arbiters. They are exempted from military service and from the payment of taxes though in the past, before the emergence of the Machwyndyn as specialised military Wyndyn, Treiwyndyn generally accompanied armies (particularly if they were marching against occupation forces).
      
      Treiwyndyn, unlike other Wyndyn, hold great immediate power on the lives of individuals, clans, and the nation itself. Treiwyndyn play a critical role in the selection of a Bhaenrhig through a ritual called the Hyscadal (‘the Bull’s Vision’). A ritual from the Sidarid age of gods, heroes, and great Rhigs who ruled the Isles from shore to shore, this ‘Great Divination Ritual of State’ was reinstated during the early reign Bhaenrhig Roinseach after the Episode of the Malcontents (1593-5 CE) so as to solidify her position and bolster her legitimacy beyond challenge. Used to determine who the rightful Rhig would be, the Hyscadal requires a Treiwynd to eat of the flesh of a freshly-slain bull before sleeping enwrapped within its yet-bloody hide so as to divine, through dreams, who the rightful Rhig would be. This ritual usually takes place in a cave on Caer Seihdhar. If the Treiwynd does not have a vision, he is sewn within the bull-hide and placed under a high waterfall to aid him in having it. The Treiwynd in question could theoretically see anybody in his vision, from the lowliest farmer to the most senior members of the royal house. To date, however, the visions have always revealed that the rightful monarch is a member of the royal house. It has not always been the eldest child of the reigning monarch, sometimes it has not even been a child of the monarch, but it has always been within the royal house. Following this ritual, the members of the Duthchas have the opportunity to cast their votes on whether they wish to elect the one nominated by the vision. It has always been the case that the opinion of the Duthchas mirrored the vision. The Treiwyndyn, then, have tremendous influence and immediate power.
      
      Treiwyndyn also have the capacity to strip a person of their rights, barring them from religious ceremony and all clan matters and so rendering them an outlaw without clan or purpose. The Treiwyndyn must have a legitimate reason when they do this, but they are the only ones capable of doing so.

      
      
      Arwyndyn

      There are various holy orders which produce scholarly Wynden - known as Arwyndyn (sing. Arwynd) - dedicated to study and research. They differ from the Treiwyndyn in numerous ways – they, for instance, have for over two-thousand years enjoyed a rich writing tradition. The written language of Arwynden, known as the Eirwyncanan, is a secret language that differs from the written and spoken Sidarid language. It can also be spoken and, interestingly enough, signed with one’s hands (in fact, it is believed that Eirwyncanan as sign language preceded both the written or spoken language). All works authored by the Arwynden have traditionally been in this secret tongue, and all their written, spoken, and signed communications to one another are in it, meaning that their world is completely inaccessible to laypeople and even other Wynden. Over the course of the last century this has changed somewhat as Arwyndyn have elected to engage with the mainstream academic and scholarly scene through the publication of journals in Sidaric and carrying out joint research projects with mainstream universities. This, however, remains a small percentage of their output, and it is thought that there are a plethora of secret journals written in Eirwyncanan that the Arwyndyn make public only in Arwynd circles.
      
      This secret language is believed to have developed during the ap Morig occupation with the goal of preserving Wynd and general Sidaric lore, magick & spells, law, customs, history, literature, political challenges, and so on. While it likely has done so, it has undoubtedly meant that the Arwynden have become the powerful arbiters of which customs have been and will be preserved and which ones will simply be allowed to slip from communal memory. The Arwynden do not have a complete monopoly in this regard, however, for their reclusiveness and general lack of participation in daily rituals – left to the Treiwynden – means the latter have ample space to contest and challenge Arwynd designs.
      
      During the period of dual Kratorian and Anvegadian occupation (~0 CE to ~450 CE) Wynden of all stripes were actively persecuted and active attempts were made to have their books burned. However, the Arwynden of the times were not concentrated in Arwyndenolthighein (sing. Arwyndenolthigh; ‘Arwynden Universities/y) as they are today, and so were easily able to disperse deep into Sidara’s forests, or into the mountains, or to independent clan-lands, preserving the great majority of books. Those that were burned or somehow lost were usually rewritten by groups of Arwynden who had memorised them.
      
      Interestingly, though the Arwyndyn only ever corresponded with one another in Eirwyncanan, not only did they (and do they) correspond with outsiders to their order in the Sidarid tongue, but during the period of occupation they also corresponded with various Kratorians and Anvegadians in the respective tongues of the latter. Such letters – many of them discovered in archives during the liberation of the Isles and since preserved by the Arwyndyn – reveal deep philosophical interaction with foreign ideas and theology, as well as political commentary on the justice of the Sidarid struggle and the injustice of Kratorian and Sidarid ambitions. It is clear that Arwyndyn quickly gained access to various Kratorian and Anvegadian works, mastered the respective languages, and were able to engage generals, philosophers, and theologians in written argumentation.
      The second Anvegadian occupation of Sidara saw a far greater attempt to uproot the Wyndyn entirely, but by that point the Wyndyn had experienced over five-hundred years of uninterrupted development and strengthening, and the strategies of survival and growth of which the Wyndyn availed themselves were beyond anything the Anvegadians – mighty imperial power though they were – could deal with.

      
      
      Machwyndyn

      Each military regiment has a special platoon of military Wyndyn known as Machwyndyn (sing. Machwynd). The Machwyndyn carry out various military and divination rituals, bless troops before battle, prepare battle banners and standards, and also carry out medical duties and play a role in enforcing military law and discipline (a vital duty given the tendency of Sidarid soldiers towards insubordination).
    • Religion; Human Sacrifice

      

      
      
      Human sacrifice has been practised by Sidarids in the past, though it has been out of regular use for nearly 2,100 years. The last recorded human sacrifice appears to have occurred in 137 CE during the Treiwynd Rising against Kratorian occupation. The general view is that human sacrifice was practised by a small minority of clans and never truly became a staple of Sidarid religion. Animal sacrifices, however, are generally accepted and widely practised.
    • Religion; Divination

      

      
      
      Wyndyn generally have the capacity to carry out prophetic, divination, or oracular rituals, gaining inspiration through dreams and various mediums. Wyndyn sometimes seclude themselves in caves or other very dark places so as to facilitate inspiration and be transported beyond their own mind so as to see into the given god or goddess’ own thoughts. This process of inspiration is all about awe and wonder, and the drive to see into the unknown so as to glimpse even a small ray of the ultimate truth.
      It is thought that common people are capable of having certain forms of basic premonition through bodily sensations that tell the future. So for instance if one’s mouth is itching, it is a sign that the person will soon be kissed; if one’s ears are suddenly burning hot, someone somewhere is talking about their character.
      
      However, when actively divining, a Wyndyn (and any interested amateur) has an array of skills and techniques at their disposal, as listed below.
      
      

      • Rhadharc
        ‘The Sight’ is a basic psychic ability present only in females, suspected to flow through the female bloodline from mother to daughter. Though often cryptic and filled with symbolism, the oracles of those with the Rhadharc are taken with absolute seriousness. Treiwyndyn who possess the Rhadarc play an important role in giving children their Faisehd at birth.
      • Dreams
        While a dream may just be that, sometimes it is far more. As a means of divination, they can come spontaneously, be anticipated, or be induced. A person who believes they have had a prophetic dream can go to a Wynd to have it interpreted.
        If a Wynd is actively seeking a dream, or someone has come to them seeking to induce a prophetic dream, the dreamer can prepare by mediating, purifying themselves through fasting, and by having an animal sacrifice carried out for them. In some cases, one may enwrap themselves in the hide of the sacrificed animal (as is the case with the Hyscadal).
        It is also generally good practice to carefully select the location where one decides to sleep. Sleeping in areas like sacred springs, sacred groves, stone circles or monuments – which have greater divine and magickal qualities – is more likely to produce a vision. The time of year is also of relevance, as some part of the year see a greater convergence of the spirit ream on the realm of the living. Moreover, Wynden are generally aware of herbs and can produce concoctions which aid with prophetic dreams – though these can sometimes have strange side-effects.
      • Shoulder Blade Reading
        While the practice of reading entrails is carried out by Wyndyn, reading marks in the shoulder blade of an animal, usually an ox, bear, fox, or sheep, is considered a surer way to see into the future. The lengthy ritual of preparing the bone is passed on from Wynd to Wynd and involves boiling the bone in a special concoction, preparing it, and then reading the marks. Marks can indicate people to be met in future, while holes and indentations could mean death or prosperity depending on their size and location.
      • Omens
        Omens are sought for nearly every activity, but are especially important when beginning a journey. The first animal one sees, its posture, what it is doing, as well as the sex, dress, and actions of the first person one meets on the way all foretell one’s chances of success or failure.
        Moreover, birds are considered especially geared towards foretelling the future. Certain sacred birds, their flight patterns, positions, calls, and other behaviour, are used to divine the future. Depending on these factors, it could mean anything from the imminent arrival of visitors to death and doom for household and clan.
      • Casting Lots
        A group of sticks (made from the sacred woods associated with the gods), or bones, or stones, are tossed and read. The resulting pattern can foretell whether a sickly person would be cured, can identify a potential spouse, or foretell the good or bad fortune of a person.
      • Everyday Divination
        There are numerous other forms of commonplace divination techniques utilised by lay people and Wyndyn alike – these are usually intended to help find love. Things simple as dancing hazelnuts over the fire at Sambane, the pattern in the ashes of the fire on Embilc, or dreaming of one’s love on Beltane. Scrying, or gazing into springs, into fire, or searching for patterns in the clouds, are all common techniques. Young couples in some parts of Sidara have a practice where a shovel is positioned on top of a fire and two grains of wheat placed on it. As the shovel grows hotter the grains edge towards each other, swell, and grow. Eventually they pop off the shovel - if they do so together, the couple should marry, but if they jump separately then the couple are to go their separate ways.
  • Arts; the Filim

    

    
    
    Sidarid visionary poets or bards, known as Filim (sing. Fili) carry out some important roles somewhat unique to Sidarid society. While often mistakenly associated with Treiwyndyn and their forms of magic by foreigners, Filim are in fact very different. Their role is ultimately not religious, but secular.
    Their duties include lorekeeping, versecraft, and the memorisation of vast numbers of traditional and contemporary poems. A Fili’s formal training takes anything between seven to twelve years depending on how gifted the individual in question is. The words of Filim are understood to be so powerful that they are tantamount to magick.
    
    Amongst the functions of a Fili in Sidarid culture and society is to praise or satirise. One praised can expect to be remembered as a great hero or a person of valour down through the ages, their reputation permanently enhanced. If satirised, they would be forever infamous. Satire is considered so damning that people have fallen down dead on learning that they had been satirised. Indeed, the satire of a Fili is considered a weapon in itself, having often been employed by warring clans against each other in the past (and where feuds arise, it still is). The satire of a gifted Fili is thus a serious curse on the one being satirised, and to run afoul of these poets is a dangerous thing indeed to a people who value reputation and honour above life.
    Ancient Sidarid tales speak of Filim actually rhyming people and animals to death, and other tales speak of Fili songs that induce sleep, control emotion, and cause sickness or death.
    
    While praise is for the living, Filim are also expected to compose and recite eulogies on worthy heroes (ancient and more contemporary) and their many valorous deeds. They also memorise the genealogies of their patrons and recite poetry honouring and glorifying past and present heroes of their patron’s clan, their acts of glory, and much else about the patron themselves.
    
    It has traditionally been the case that those considered noble (clan chiefs or others high within the clan hierarchy, as well as those who occupy positions of power generally within a kingdom or confederation) were the butt of Fili satire due to lack of generosity or hospitality, or due to giving bad advice or engaging in dishonourable conduct. Satire has thus often been a manner of holding powerful figures to account and pressuring them into abiding by customs or their own laws. Indeed, Sidarid leaders since time immemorial have been known to sometimes act against their natural inclinations out of fear of satire. This is the case more widely also, for the threat of being satirised has often ensured that everyday people abided by pledges, kept their word, and generally saw the more immediate benefits of keeping to customary ways and laws.
    
    Despite their immense power, Filim are expected to use their tongues with responsibility. Satirising somebody without a legitimate cause is considered a serious crime carrying severe penalties – for doing damage to someone’s honour and reputation is worse even than murder in Sidarid culture and society.
    
    In many ways, Filim have been the national poets or bards of Sidara since time immemorial. The bardic order, the Cumannfil, was formed in the 10th century CE and spelled the first truly pan-Sidarid group to emerge that was involved and concerned with the everyday life of lay people (unlike the Arwyndyn holy orders which, while being pan-Sidarid, were anything but involved with the common person). The Cumannfil contributed immensely to the rejuvenation of Sidarid religion and the preservation of their ways and customs during the Avengadian occupation. Today, the Cumannfil enjoys both state and private patronage and organises the annual Tionilfil, a national gathering of poets, musicians and - since 1784 CE - visual artists of all stripes.
  • The Trosychyn

    

    
    
    The Trosychyn (sing. Trosych) are those exiled from their clan and clan-lands by the Treiwyndyn and who have effectively become outlaws. Individuals may be outlawed in this manner for many reasons: going against the judgement or command of a Treiwynd (whose word is ultimately final), breaking customary law, refusing pay a fine, and various other things. In the pre-unification period, exiled nobles who had clout often raised armies and fought their way back into society. This is no longer an option due to the overwhelming power of the modern state – to attempt to fight one’s way into society is not merely fight one’s clan, it is to fight the entire Rigachd.
    
    Trosychyn tend to live on the wilderness of the open crown lands between clan-lands, though in recent decades a handful have been known to abandon hopes of returning to their clan and have either established themselves in urban centres or departed Sidara altogether. Usually, those who remain on the wild-lands have an established tacit alliance with a local clan for both their protection and that of the clan. Traditionally these agreements have ensured that Trosychen did not prey on the clan in question and could be called upon to fight with the clan and defend it if necessary. In the modern day, however, this is not necessary and these tacit agreements are usually struck so that the clan has someone who is already outside the law to do its dirty work for it – murder, revenge, raids, targeted killings, and so on. Being outside the law and having been denied the benefits of obeying it, the punishment of the law cannot be enforced against them by those they harm. The only way to get justice in such situations is for the aggrieved party to track down the Trosychen and dispose of them personally.
    
    While the Righachd allows things of this nature on a very minor level, it is swift to respond to clan petitions for support where Trosychen have become a true nuisance. The court of the Bhaenrhig and the Duthchas is also generally open to petitions from Trosychen who wish to appeal their exile as unjust or erroneous (it is through such appeals that some Trosychen have been able to establish themselves in urban centres, effectively becoming subject to the laws and customs of Clan Esher).
  • The Elderly & Children

    

    
    
    The elderly generally occupy positions of authority amongst their descendants, viewed as progenitors and akin to chiefs. This is not a formal designation, for each clan has its one clan chief, but one’s age and the number of one’s progeny are a sign of influence and clout (for sons and grandsons are obligated under customary Sidarid law to care for and obey their parents), and one naturally has authority over one's sept.
    The elderly of the leading clan family (generally the elderly amongst a chief’s extended family) are considered clan elders and have leadership roles in the clan hierarchy, usually as members of a clan council of some kind. The leading family usually does not dominate these, however, as clan-wide elections to clan councils have become increasingly commonplace ever since Sidarid unification. It is not unusual for elderly folk to predominate these councils due to the general nature of their authority within their social relations.
    
    The young are considered children of the clan as well as of their parents, and all have a responsibility towards them, to educate them, inculcate within them the clan's particular spirit and ways, as well as a general understanding of Sidarid ways, customs, and laws. Thus raising children is generally the equal and primary responsibility of both parents (not just the mother), followed by immediate family, and then the wider clan.
    
    Different Sidarid clans have different laws regarding lineage – some matrilineal and others patrilineal. Where a couple each comes from a lineage background that conflicts with the other’s, agreement regarding lineage must be arrived at and placed in the marriage contract before the marriage takes place. Lineage is particularly important for matters of inheritance (discussed below) and in ascertaining to whose parent’s side the child is primarily related (important, for instance, for knowing who must seek vengeance if a child is killed, to whom the child goes if both parents are no longer present, amongst other things).
    
    Due to fathers (or their equivalent if the biological father is not present) having to climb Caer Seihdhar while their pregnant wife is giving birth, so as to seek out an omen for the newborn's Ainaim (soul-name), couples tend to move near the sacred mountain around the time of birth. Due to this, the various towns at the mountain's foot have become renown for their midwives and medical innovations. The best hospitals in Sidara, paving the way forward in applied medical technology while holding onto and building upon traditional medical practice, can be found there.
    
    In accordance with general Sidarid custom, if a child is born due to rape or seduction, the responsibility for raising the child falls to the seducing or raping party.
    The father has responsibility for raising the child if the mother is dead, ill, disabled, insane, or exiled from her tribe. An unmarried mother has sole responsibility for the rearing of the child if the father is foreign, or exiled from his tribe. If a woman is impregnated by a man with no income or lands of his own against the wishes of his parents, she is fully responsible for the child. Likewise, if a man impregnates a woman without income or lands against the wishes of her parents, he is fully responsible for the child. Where both parties are landless and without income, and where they carried out the deed against the wishes of both their parents, the child is aborted. Indeed, an unmarried pregnant woman is obliged, according to custom, to either abort or marry. Prostitutes (usually a position occupied by unmarried Treiwyndyn and considered a socially important position) are the exception to this, and they – male or female – are fully responsible for their children.
    Ultimately, Sidarid custom does not recognise and does not allow for ‘illegitimate’ children. All children are ultimately sons or daughters of the clan and are raised raised by it.
    
    Children must undergo a rite of passage, known as the Galontaith Seihdhara (Journey to the Heart of Seihdhara), a six-month period in which the young person must journey through forests, mountains, and through the land of other clans, so as to make the spiritual and traditional transition into adulthood. The exact age at which this rite of passage is carried out differs by clan, though all Sidarids have generally accomplished it by the age of seventeen. This rite of passage is carried out by both males and females, and it is not unusual for a person undergoing the journey to rid themselves of their virginity along the way.
  • Fostering & Adoption

    

    An interesting custom and institution common to all Sidarid clans is that of foster parentage, in which children of a household within the clan are given away to another. This practice is designed primarily to tighten the links between two families, though in ancient times it may have arisen due to a family’s inability to care for a child, and payment was in fact involved. (Though impoverished families no doubt exist, today the clan structure is far more stable than in centuries past and it forms a protective net over all its members, ensuring that those who may be poor receive the aid they require; effectively a clan welfare system).
    
    Fostering means that a child, male or female, spends some part of their childhood in the household of another family, learning a trade, how to fight, or how to govern from them. The child can be sent to the foster family at any time once they have reached the age of one year. The child returns to their blood family on completing their Galontaith Seihdhara.
    During the period of fosterage, the foster family is responsible for the child’s education (facing heavy customary penalties if it is not imparted properly) and is responsible for any harm or injury suffered by the child.
    
    A slightly different species of fosterage exists where a master of a craft takes students in (sometimes for payment, though this is rare). These students are essentially adopted by their masters, though they are not considered heirs. Should a master wish for their adopted student to be considered an heir, a proper adoption ritual not based on the master-student relationship needs to be carried out. Adoption of this latter variety is not too common, though kin (brothers, uncles, grandfathers, and so on) do adopt children if something happened to their parents.
    
    Traditionally, fosterage to renowned warriors was exceptionally important in imparting traditional warrior values and proper training on young Sidarids. Today clans generally take up the responsibility of having the young trained by veteran soldiers, and the state provides different clans with various opportunities to avail themselves of military training.
    Sidarids, depending on clan, begin their training anywhere between the ages of seven and nine (continuing into active military service once they pass into adulthood) and have traditionally been expected to master, amongst other things, the following skills:-
    

    • Dexterity – Proven through various acts, such as juggling swords.
    • Strength
    • Traditional Sidarid martial arts
    • The ‘Six Feats’ – Hurling weights, Running, Leaping, Swimming, Wrestling, and Horse Riding.
    • The Voice – A traditional clan war-cry that differs by clan. This tends to be rather blood-curdling, Anvegadian and Kratorian chroniclers who witnessed it generally confessed that the cry was freakish. The cries of some clans are masterful imitations of the sounds various animals make, while others still are anything but naturally occurring.
    • The ‘Three Hielanman’s Skills’ – Hunting, Fishing, and Hawking.
    • Poetry, Music, Heraldry, Diplomatic skill etc.
    • Rowing, Swimming, and various water-related skills
    • Chess
    • Weapons Handling – This includes weapons traditional and modern (e.g. rifle shooting, archery, javelin throwing, swordsmanship, sword and buckler fighting, quarterstaff handling etc.)
    • The Spear Vault – this is a strange skill where a spear is placed in the ground point-first and the warrior uses that to vault up. This historically saw use by Sidarids when they had to swiftly mount a horse, taking a running start and using the spear as a pole to vault onto horseback.
    • Various other games and sports (for complete list, see Lignsid)

    
    
    At the end of the first phase of their training, before carrying out their rite of passage into adulthood, warriors have to prove their skill. It differs by clan, but examples include participating in a cattle raid from which they must return with proof of their valour – potentially the head of a cow or bull.[/indent ]
  • Inheritance

    Inheritance is a complex affair, particularly since different clans are bound to have slightly different laws and customs on inheritance.
    Generally, children have the same rights of inheritance regardless of any other considerations. So, in a patrilineal system, the son of a chief wife and the son of a lesser wife, or the child produced during a temporary marriage, have equal right to inherit. However, exiles and abandoned children who are in every way children of the clan cannot inherit. Children of prostitutes likewise cannot inherit from their non-prostitute parent.
    Certain land is considered to belong to the clan rather than being personal property. It is granted by the clan to individuals and their progeny for an indefinite period. So while this land can be inherited and split between family members freely, it can never pass out of the clan’s ownership. Land which a person comes to possess, and which is not designated clan land, is considered personal property and cannot ever become clan land, which was fixed by the Great Decree of 1651 CE.
    
    Inheritance seeps somewhat into clan succession also, though rituals and clan-wide elections, in imitation of the way the Bhaenrhig is selected, have for a few centuries over-ridden customary laws of succession.
  • Women, Courtship, Marriage, and Divorce

    
    Three kinds o' men wha fail tae ken wummin: young men, auld men 'n' middle-aged men.

    
    
    The role of women in Sidarid society is odd and often contradictory, largely due to the fact that different clans have different customs and laws regarding women. On the whole, however, women are free to own land, manage their personal finances, engage in trade and business, marry and divorce at will, and join in as combatants during war. Money earned by a married woman, as is the case with a married man, is considered to belong to both.
    
    Women of Clan Ol Mirti established an informal ‘Women’s Code’ in the late period of Anvegad occupation – largely in response to harassment by Anvegadian men. Since then, nearly every clan has a code of this kind largely meant to keep men of foreign clans from harassing a clan’s women.
    
    The Code of the Women of Ol Mirti:
    

    • Don’t blether tae mah breests; you’ll nae be meetin thaim.
    • If ye dae blether tae thaim, you’ll be meetin mah sword.
    • Mah sexual preference is na.
    • Keep this in mynd: mah fowk kin kick yer people’s bahookie any day o' th' week.
    • It's nae th' size o' yer sword that counts, it's- na, wait… size does count.

    
    
    Women have historically played important roles as active participants and leaders in major campaigns and wars, the heroic fury of Sidarid women in battle having become the subject of many epics. Indeed, Anvegadian generals and chroniclers over the ages have often expressed their awe at the primal power of these ‘savage people’s women’.
    
    Largely due to the importance of Seihdhara, goddess of love, clans have tended to be very open about interaction between the sexes, and pre- or extra-marital sexual encounters are normal.
    

    • Marriage

      
      Wid ye lik' tae be buried wi' mah fowk?
      Wid ye lik' tae donder th' tree wi' me?
      _{– Some Sidarid marriage proposals}

      
      
      Marriage is of extreme importance in Sidara. A person of marriageable age who is not yet married is looked upon strangely and can be expected to be the butt of many jokes. The first Monday of the Sidarid month Kyffel, known as ‘Chalk Monday’, is dedicated to playing tricks and pranks on single people. The custom is to creep up on them and subtly mark their back with chalk – it is best to do this in crowded places. If caught the perpetrator/s had better run! As Beltane is drawing near at this time, these pranks are meant to remind the single person of their unmarried state and spur them to marry come Beltane.
      
      Marriages in Sidara are polygamous. This is largely due to the fact that polyamory is a central aspect of Seihdhara's nature; the goddess enjoys multiple consorts and is not in fact married to any of them. The development of the custom of marriage is attributed to the minor goddess Theia. Multiple wives and multiple husbands are not uncommon.
      Marriages are the primary form of legitimate procreation and are set up, to a great extent, for the protection of children and to clarify the rights of the husband and wife. The protection of property rights of both parties also factors in. Importantly, marriages are also a form of social capital and a way to forge alliances and cement friendships. Of course, they can most certainly be for love, but love is believed to be somewhat distinct from marriage (perhaps no where made more clear than in the fact of the goddess of love being separate from the goddess of marriage). Due to marriage’s focus on procreation, the question of same-sex marriage has never arisen, and will likely never arise, in Sidarid society. Beyond this there is no real recognition of or differentiation between hetero- and homosexual relations – sex is sex.
      
      In this vein, Sidarids generally tend to be rather libertine. Fun and dalliances are treated light-heartedly and with innocence. However, it is best not to boast or be open about who one has slept with in cases where someone's spouse is involved, as feuds over these matters are by far the most common. It is also a general custom for women not to bear the child of any other than her official husbands – where accidental pregnancies occur, Sidarids have developed a particularly effective abortifacient which has been used since the Bronze Age; Sidarid mythology attributes its origins to the goddess Seihdhara. Where a woman has multiple husbands or extra-marital affairs, fatherhood is generally established through a Treiwynd ritual. Indeed, ‘marital faithfulness’ is not measured by whether one engages in various sexual dalliances with other partners, but by whether one only allows one’s spouses to mother or father one’s children.
      
      Funnily, the customs of many clans permit an established spouse to murder, or hurt, the new partner of their husband or wife within the first three days of marriage. A small fine may result, but this is recognised as one of their customary rights. This is in fact a growing custom, and clans that were not known to practice it have increasingly adopted it. This has led to the development of a practice where newlyweds go away somewhere together for the first few days of their marriage.
      
      Generally speaking, marriage partners have an obligation to take care of each other and to leave something for each other in their wills. If one’s spouse has other partners, no such obligation exists towards those.
      It is custom for siblings to get married in order of seniority. This puts pressure on older brothers and sisters to marry swiftly so as not to deny their younger siblings. A way around this where an elder sibling does not wish to get married quite yet are so-called temporary marriages that last exactly one year and one day. These are often ‘trial’ marriages that lead to a more permanent union.
      
      Sidarid customary law, with various minor variations, generally recognises the following types of marriage, in order of importance.
      
      

      • A Clan union takes place where numerous members of one clan marry individuals from another clan en masse. It has occurred on a number of occasions in Sidara’s history and is generally done when two clans wish to merge or cement their alliance. The last such marriage occurred before Sidarid unification, but it is still theoretically possible.
      • A common union takes place between partners who bring the same amount of wealth into the marriage. This is the most common form of marriage, and the spouses are considered in all ways equal ‘co-lords’ of their family.
      • An unequal union takes place where one partner has less property than the other. The poorer spouse effectively comes under the financial protection of the richer one. It is a way for poorer individuals to marry into wealth and ensure the wealth of their progeny.
      • A propertyless union is a marriage in which each spouse retains their property separately, rather than having it become family property. The rights of children are safeguarded and they inherit as usual.
      • A flesh union is the mutual consent of the man and woman to share their bodies, but live under separate roofs. Again, the rights of children to inherit are safeguarded.
      • A war union is a marriage where a defeated enemy’s spouse or spouses are abducted. This marriage is valid only as long as the abductor can hold onto the spouse or spouses. It has been practised sporadically during the odd eruption of clan feuds.
      • A warrior’s union is a temporary and primarily sexual union contracted for no more than a night. It is often entered into by soldiers on campaign. The rights of any children that come about are protected, but if the marriage was patrilineal the father is required to formally adopt the child, otherwise the child becomes a child of the father’s clan.
      • A loony union occurs between feeble-minded or insane people. Considered to have been possessed by a spirit, insane people are often paired together. Insane people generally remain in the care of the clan.
    • Conceptions of an Ideal Spouse

      • Fertile - As procreation is one of the primary purposes of a marriage, infertile or impotent men (jestfully referred to as ‘unarmed men’) and barren women cannot enter into a marriage. A person who discovers their spouse is infertile can immediately dissolve the marriage. Indeed, virginity is looked upon with suspicion and a defect in a potential spouse as it may suggest a lack of ability in the bedroom. Those who were or are married and have produced children are thus particularly attractive as their fertility is established.
      • Wealthy - A person without land or income (however small) cannot marry, as they bring no wealth to the marriage.
      • Healthy - A very fat person (measured by waste girth) also cannot marry as they are considered incapable of performing their duties, and it casts doubt as to one’s martial prowess. As a warrior people, the Sidarids are somewhat obsessed with physical prowess, and so being fat is both a disgrace and a punishable offence.
      • Self-sacrificing and Industrious - Generally, an ideal spouse is one prepared to suffer for the sake of the marriage and future children, and industriousness in caring for one’s spouse and children are virtues.
      • Melodious, Intelligent, Brave, and Attractive - An ideal spouse should have a pleasant speaking voice, be able to sing, and should be clever, crafty, brave, and good looking. While it is not as much of a focus for a woman, being a capable fighter is considered more of a virtue in women than in men.
    • Courtship

      Courtship plays an important role in the marriage process for common, unequal, propertyless, flesh, and loony unions. Even though abductions, in the context of war unions, are considered a form of courtship, Sidarid marriages are generally based on consent built over a long or short period of courtship. Only a warrior’s union, if abduction is considered a form of courtship, does not have a courtship process.
      
      Courtship practice differs tremendously by region and clan, and those that exist are more than can be enumerated, however below are two interesting customs.
      
      

      One interesting custom practiced by clans in eastern Sidara is for the person who has identified a potential spouse to go to their house accompanied by a friend and throw their cap (usually a tam o’ shanter or a tartan hat of some kind) through the door when it is opened. If the cap is thrown back by the potential spouse it means they are not interested. One should be careful not to rush in throwing the hat in case the potential spouse is not the one who opens the door – it would be awkward explaining the mistake to one’s potential mother- or father-in-law!
      
      Another interesting custom, practised by clans on the various smaller Isles and the coastal regions of the Home Isle, is that of carving lovespoons for one’s beloved. How this absurd custom emerged and spread is not quite clear, though its practice in coastal regions suggests a link to sailors who, while journeying to far away parts of the globe, would send spoons back to their loved ones. Though sailors no longer do this and have not done so for centuries, it seems to have caught on with lovers generally.
      The lovespoons are intricately decorated with things like keys (symbolising the key to the carver’s heart), wheels (symbolising the promise of industriousness and hard work) and beads (for the the number of children the carver would like).
    • Common Marriage Practice

      It is common practice for each of the spouses-to-be to pay a discretionary amount of money to their prospective mother- and father-in-law, who then divided it with the clan chief. A base sum of money is then paid annually to one’s in-laws.
      
      Marriages are most commonly held during the feast of Beltane. Due to the great number of marriages that take place during the feast, it is not uncommon for couples to be married in groups.
      It is also common, just before the ceremony begins, for the family of the bride to ‘kidnap’ her. The groom and his family must then pursue the ‘kidnappers’ and rescue the bride. Where the marriage is matrilineal, the roles are reversed. In some regions it is believed that whoever actually frees the kidnapped bride would themselves marry on the following Beltane.
      
      Both brides and grooms usually wear the traditional tartan of their clan for the wedding ceremony itself. In some clans it is viewed as a sign of good fortune if the bride’s clothes are accidentally torn before the ceremony. Across the Isles, the ceremony itself takes place in the open air, often in a place of spiritual significance, such as sacred groves, near sacred springs, or at stone circles, and all those in attendance go barefooted.
      
      Wedding vows are almost universal, but their substance differs greatly between clans. The pledge of Clan Braeg o’ MgIlsen is as follows
      

      Ye cannae possess me, fur a'm th' sole possessor o' mah self,
      but while we baith wish it 'n' th' gods decree, ah gie ye that whilk ah kin give.
      You cannae command me, fur a'm free
      but ah wull freely serve ye in a' they ways that ye need
      and th' honeycomb wull taste sweeter comin' freely fae mah hand
      I pledge tae ye that yers wull be th' name ah greet aloud in th' night
      and th' een intae whilk ah smile in th' morn
      I pledge tae ye th' foremaist bite o' mah meat
      and th' foremaist dram fae mah cup
      I pledge tae ye mah living 'n' mah dying, baith o' thaim in yer care
      and tae speak nae tae strangers o' oor griefs
      this is ma vow tae ye, th' pledge o' an equal tae an equal

      
      
      As the newlyweds depart the grove or circle, bagpipes are played and grain is often tossed at them in order to ensure a fruitful union. A recent custom that has spread rapidly expects both newlyweds to throw a handful of coins to children. It is believed that this simple act of generosity ensures wealth and happiness for many years.
      
      A feast usually takes place immediately following the ceremony and every guest is expected to bring food for this. Donations of food or money by those who are unable to be at the ceremony are also commonplace.
      During the feast, either the bride or groom can take steps to ensure marital faithfulness by disappearing midway through the feast and giving the other a drink in secret while whispering to them what is believed to be a charm. A wife may say something along the lines of
      

      This is th' charm ah set oan ye,
      A woman’s charm o' truth 'n' honour:
      Ye mah plough 'n' ah yer field, 'n' we fur na yin else;
      Yer bairns mines 'n' mah bairns yers, as this oor contract binds
    • Divorce

      As marriage is essentially a contract, it can be dissolved by either party at any time, though usually there is some kind of grievance that causes it. There is no social stigma associated with divorce as it is viewed as the dissolution of a contract, like the dissolution of any business agreement. In cases where there is no particular grievance that has caused the divorce but both parties consented to the divorce, the length of the marriage becomes important in ascertaining how property is to be split. Marriages that have lasted seven years and more see all marriage property divided equally between the parties.
      Where one party has not consented to the divorce, or the marriage lasted less than seven years, a team of arbiters carries out an investigation to decide how to split the wealth between them.
      
      Marital faithlessness, defined as siring or birthing the child of one who is not one’s spouse, is sufficient grounds for divorce. Marital faithlessness does not automatically result in divorce however; the aggrieved party must halt sexual relations with the guilty one and then begin divorce proceedings. In cases like this, the aggrieved party generally leaves the marriage with all the wealth they came into it with as well as all wealth the couple accumulated over the period of the marriage. Wealth the guilty one entered the marriage into with is retained, and any wealth earned or primarily owned by the guilty party’s other spouses is not factored in.
      
      Some clans recognise some very odd grounds for divorce, such as a spouse having bad breath. However, more common grounds are things like a spouse being obese or infertile. Not being industrious, or showing a lack of adequate concern for one’s spouse and children are also widely recognised grounds for divorce. Participating in criminal activity is also a legitimate ground for divorce, and a spouse who becomes an exile can be unilaterally divorced (the exile’s wealth is generally split between the clan, the exile’s family, and the divorcing spouse). If a spouse believes they were seduced into into marriage by trickery or magick, that can also be legitimate grounds for divorce.
      
      Betraying one’s spouse to their enemies is also a grounds for divorce, as is dishonouring them (this is very broadly conceived and can include things like telling lies about one’s spouse, telling strangers about their personal problems and grievances, having one’s spouse satirised by a Fili, and so on). While marital rape is not entirely recognised, physical and mental abuse come under not evidencing sufficient concern for one’s spouse, and so can be grounds for divorce (however, in cases like this it is less likely for the abused party to initiate a divorce and more likely to take personal revenge in some way, a customary response to being injured or attacked).
      
      In all these instances, the initial wealth of both parties is retained, but the wealth accumulated in the duration of the marriage is split in a discretionary manner by the arbiter/s. The seriousness of the grounds of divorce translates into a greater share of the accumulated wealth going to the aggrieved party.
      
      In the case of temporary marriages lasting one year and one day, divorce takes place at the end of the determined period by placing the couple back-to-back. By then walking away from one another, thy give their consent to divorce. Each person takes their initial wealth with them, and all wealth earned in the year and day since the marriage goes to whoever actually earned it.
  • Festivals

    The Sidarids celebrate numerous festivals, many of them local or specific to a clan or region, but there are festivals that are observed across the Isles, such as those celebrating the coming of the new season – Beltane, Sambane, Embilc, and Lignsid – and those celebrating the solstices and equinoxes.
    
    

    Sidarid Calendar

    

    
    

    • Sambane

      Celebrated on Samonos 1, Sambane marks the beginning of the winter and the Sidarid New Year, and is the festival memorialising the death of the gods Tymhorau and Raithean. Sambane is a reminder that death is the inevitable fate of all, but it death also promises rebirth come Spring. Thus, Semblane is a time to make peace with the inevitability of meeting with death in the end.
      
      On this day, the veil between the realm of the living and that of the dead – the spirit world – is thought to be at its thinnest, and so it is believed that the spirits of the dead can be communed with better than at any other time. Ancestors are remembered and revered – doors are left unlocked so their spirits can enter, meals are prepared for those who have recently passed, and the hearth-fire is kept alight through the night so the spirits can find a place of warmth and light.
      
      However, it is not only the spirit of ancestors that emerge on Sambane. The vengeful spirits of the evil ap Morig also ride out from where they are imprisoned in the deepest pits of the underworld, searching for mortals to possess and ravage. Indeed, it is believed that the spirits of ancestors battle with the ethereal ap Morig, keeping them at bay from their families and clans – and they do so more earnestly the more they are honoured and revered.
      
      Spirits, due to their nearness to the gods, also have knowledge of the future, and so Sambane is a time where divination rituals spike. There are many types, but dancing apple seeds or hazelnuts on a fire are common for those asking about love and health. Some clans have a practice where each member of a household casts a stone into the hearth-fire. If, in the morning, it is discovered to have moved in the ashes, then whoever threw it would not live to see the next Sambane.
      
      Traditionally Sambane, marking the beginning of winter and the darkest part of the year, was also a time of preparation for the coming period of relative inactivity when clans hunker down in the ice and cold and pray they would survive winter. Though wintertime is no longer a period of complete inactivity in Sidara, clans that dwell in particularly cold and rough areas tend to buckle down and do little for the winter.
      Agriculturally, Sambane also marks the end of the growing season, and traditionally the full moon preceding it is called the “crimson moon” because herdsmen must slaughter part of their herd to be able to feed the animals through the sparse winter nights. Nowadays, while this is still done, it is not uncommon for clans to supply clans-folk with enough fodder for all of winter, and some herdsmen even take their herds and travel to warmer climes where forage is no object (indeed, there are designated crown lands dedicated to this purpose).
      
      The hallmark of Sambane is no doubt the clan gathering to light a mighty bonfire. This is believed to dispel ap Morig spirits by both attracting the spirits of ancestors and strengthening them with their warmth and light.
      Importantly, this unites the clan, ensuring camaraderie and clan identity are preserved, while also providing an opportunity to forgive old wrongs and turn a new page. Some clans have a custom of rekindling ever fire in the clan from the bonfire – this practice is more present amongst smaller clans for logistical reasons, though larger clans that insist on this tradition find some very interesting and innovative ways to see it through. Around the bonfire a festive spirit reigns, with men and women, young and old, eating seasonal foods and dancing to keep the ap Morig away and aid their ancestors in holding them at bay. Small sacrifices and wishes are often thrown into the fire in the hopes of earning the favour of the gods.
    • Embilc

      Coming about on Ambanlic 1, Embilc marks the beginning of Spring, the time of ploughing the earth and seeding fields. H’Mrorrig, goddess of spring, is honoured in particular during this festival. A celebration of the strengthening light of the sun, Embilc is also a celebration of feminine mysteries – chief amongst them childbirth, of which the H’Mrorrig is goddess. Having experienced rebirth at midwinter, the gods Tymhorau and Raithean emerge as children in with the coming of Spring, and so Embilc is also a celebration of that.
    • Beltane

      Occurring on Bultaeg 1, Beltane hails the coming of Summer and light, and is the festival of life (both due to the time of year and the fertility of the earth, and life more generally); in this sense it is in many ways the exact opposite of Sambane. It is a fertility festival celebrating the maturation of the gods Tymhorau and Raithean into young lovers and their sexual union, as well as the creative energies and life born from their love-making. These energies are thought to bless the land, animals, and people, bestowing health and fertility on all.
      
      Like Sambane, Beltane is celebrated with great bonfires and revelry. Cattle are driven between the bonfires as a way of blessing and purifying them, and many young couples daringly leap over smaller flames or dance among them to bless and purify themselves also. The daylight hours of Beltane are the most popular time of year to ‘walk the tree’ (that is, get married).
      
      Beltane night is spent, in emulation of the gods, in feverish love-making. It matters little whether the partners know each other, for on that night all women are Raithean incarnate and all men are Tymhorau. It is not mere sex, however, and but a blessed union. Women impregnated on Beltane night are forbidden from aborting, and the child is considered not her child, but an actual child of Tymhorau and Raithean. These Beltane-children do not inherit from their human parents and are instead placed in the care of the clan. Today the clan is able to hand Beltane-children over to the state to be cared for as the children of all of Sidara’s clans. This practice, on-going now for over a century, has resulted in the creation of one of the only truly modern clans: Clan Beltan o' Tymthean. Unlike any other clan, and due to the nature of its inception, Clan Beltan o' Tymthean does not have any designated clan-lands, but the theory is that all clan-lands also belong in some way to the Beltans.
      
      Different clans have differing customs with regards to the selection of the so-called ‘Beltane Rhig and Bhaenrhig’. Some clans choose them and have them perform a pageant before the entire clan, while bolder customs have them take up the role of Raithean and Tymhorau more literally before the entire clan. Some clans do not have this custom at all.
      
      On Beltane, as with Sambane, the veil between the realm of the living and that of the spirits is considered to be nearly inexistent. Rather than spirits of the dead, however, it is the nature spirits that roam free on Beltane – not during the night, but during the day. While many of these spirits are believed to be benign, there are also those that are mischievous – doing things like switching the souls of newborns or beguiling people and animals so as to fool them into a limbo between the spirit realm and the realm of the living where one day is equivalent to centuries in the realm of the living. For this reason, many Sidarids use talismans to ward off mischievous spirits on and around Beltane. Sacred woods are used to light the fire as an additional ward, and offerings of wine, milk, and oats are left outside festival areas to divert and appease any mischievous spirits who might be attracted to the revelry.
    • Lignsid

      Celebrated from Lembiuod 1 to 20, Lignsid marks the end of Summer and the coming of Autumn, and is the harvest festival. In the pre-unification period, Lignsid was known for bringing many regional tribes together to celebrate for the duration of the twenty days, but today it is a national festival that brings together all Sidarid clans from across the realm. From east to west and north to south, hundreds of thousands of people pack up and make for the designated location of festivities for the year.
      
      The festivities begin with the Bhaenrhig appearing in a tartan cloak, combining all the tartans of the Sidarid clans, and cutting the first stalk of wheat, symbolic of first harvest. The cutting of the first stalk also represents the wounding of the gods Tymhorau and Raithean who will die at Sambane to be reborn again at the winter solstice and emerge as children in Spring.
      
      The first harvest is treated with great reverence, and the first fruits are dedicated to the gods and goddesses. With that, the festival erupts into celebration with all manner of massive sporting contests and feats of strength, different clans sending in their best and finest to compete. These annual games are said to have been instituted by the goddess Seihdhara herself and witness an enormous number of pipe bands massing together to release thunderous deliveries of traditional Sidarid music in the opening and closing ceremonies of the festival.
      
      Sporting contests include horse racing, weight throwing, hurling, caber tossing, stone put throwing, sheaf tossing, basket-hilted claymore duelling, Sidarid hammer throwing, lazy stick tussling, various animal fighting sports, weight-over-the-bar throwing, shinty, wrestling, curling, rowing, sailing, canoeing, swimming, ba game playing, Sidarid foot with the ball, rounders, archery, rifle shooting, and Sidarid highland dancing.
      It is also commonplace for clans to pitch teams of one hundred to five hundred clans-folk armed with wooden swords and shields that, once all clan teams have been sorted into one of two or three teams, engage in a massive mock battle with one another. It is commonplace for this annual mock-battle to result in injury, though it is usually nothing serious or permanent (this capacity to practice restraint and not cause as much harm as one can is considered a mark of battle-prowess by Sidarids).
      Beyond these events, dancing, fighting, and other unruly behaviour characterise the feast.
      
      Lignsid is more than an opportunity to take part in sports, however, for it has been and continues to be a time when Sidarids come together to celebrate their identity as a people and their endurance against all the forces that sought to destroy them throughout history. These assemblies are thus important for re-affirming the loyalty of all clans to the Bhaenrhig, the nation, and to other clans, as well as an opportunity for general socialising between clans and people who do not often cross paths. For this latter reason, Lignsid is also a very popular time to engage in temporary marriages lasting one year and one day. Marriage or not, however, Lignsid (for obvious reasons) features stupendous levels of sexual activity.
      
      Unlike Beltane and Sambane, Lignsid is a water festival, and just as being driven between bonfires on Beltane purifies cattle, on Lignsid they are blessed by being driven through shallows or, in the case of horses, making them swim across a river. Other customs includ dressing sacred wells with flowers and the burial of flowers to signify the end of summer.
    • Gaef Solstice

      This is the longest night of the year and occurs around Seihdhos 21 every year. Regional clans tend to gather together to celebrate this night. Many symbols of fire and light are used to encourage the sun to wax stronger once again. On this night, it is believed by Sidarids that Tymhorau and Raithean, who died at Sambane, undergo their rebirth.
    • Earrach Equinox

      This spells one of the two times of year where night and day are in equal balance, and occurs annually around Acagoil 21. However, with the passing of this day, light will begin to eclipse the darkness of night each passing day. The god and goddess Tymhorau and Raithean are both maturing from childhood, but the two have yet to marry and mate (which they will do at Beltane). Raithean journeys across Sidara, waking the land from the slumber of winter and leaving flowers where her feet touch the ground.
      For farmers, the ground has now thawed and it is time for tilling and planting to recommence – thus festivities around this time involve the blessing of tools, seeds, and fields to ensure a bountiful harvest.
    • Haf Solstice

      Midsummer occurs around Mragin 21 and is the longest day of the year. The sun is at the height of power and so are Tymhorau and Raithean. Tymhorau is the young dashing warrior, strong and virile. Raithean is with child, glowing with fertility and permeating the earth with it. Light and fire are the themes of this festival, including fire wheels being rolled down hills and into lochs, symbolising the sun’s strength. This is an auspicious time for Wyndyn to gather herbs, especially magickal ones. The spirits of nature are believed to be especially active.
    • Fomhr Equinox

      Once more, night and day stand equally balanced, but this time night and darkness are waxing mighty. Tymhorau and Raithean were both wounded at Lignsid but will not perish until Sambane. Their power wanes along with the sun. The goddess, heavy with child, reflects the fruits of the harvest in her swollen belly. All around, the animal world prepares for winter and people shore up their defences and fill their stores for the cold, dark nights that lie before them. Deciduous trees erupt into dazzling colour in a final farewell before descending into winter’s dormancy. The cutting of the final sheaf of the harvest, just like the first, is held sacred. While in times past each clan had its own final sheaf, today a particular plot of land is dedicated to it and, as with the first sheaf, the Bhaenrhig cuts the last. This final sheaf is plaited into a “corn dolly” in the shape of an animal or person and kept until the end of the next harvest to be burned when a new one is created.
  • Death

    
    
    A' things ur Faetid t'wards termination

    
    Being a warrior people, the most honourable death possible for a Sidarid is death in battle. Depending on clan custom, a person who dies may be buried, cremated, or have their ashes buried. Graves contain items needed for the next world, such as weapons to engage the ap Morig in battle during Sambane and to generally defend oneself on the journey to the spirit world, as well as food, wine, money, and clothing.
    
    While Sidarids believe in rebirth, they believe this is optional and that one who has led a good life may elect to remain in the spirit world for as long as they pleased, even forever. If reborn, Sidarids believe one can return in any form. The spirit world is believed to be a paradise where the dead wear gowns of silver and gold, and gold bands around their waists and necks, and jewelled circlets on their brows, and they can sally forth on chariots of fire to do battle with the ap Morig on Sambane, and carry out various quests in the spirit world to ensure the safety of the realm of the living.
    
    Funeral customs that require cremation include the sacrifice of sheep and oxen so that their fat can be placed on the body. The carcasses are then placed around the dead person’s body, along with jars of honey and oil. Beloved horses, dogs, and other animals are slain and their bodies are piled on top, and the entire thing is set aflame. The dead are addressed and people wail in mourning. Once the fire is extinguished with wine, the remains are taken out and laid in a golden urn, which is then buried alongside food and weaponry inside a burial cist with a cairn or barrow over it.
    
    Clans with customs that require the burial of the body tend to have the body washed and wrapped in a death shroud before laying it out with burning candles around it inside the home for a period of five to seven days. People visit to lament and mourn the dead person and give praise. Three days after the body is laid out, a small feast is held in their honour featuring sporting events. The body has a bowl placed on their chest into which people place food and coins for use on the journey to the next life.
    
    On the morning of burial, a Treiwynd arrives to measure the body so as to ensure their final resting place is fitted to their size. The Wynd also whispers into the ear of the dead person. What it is that the Wynd says is unknown, though people postulate that they whisper instructions on how to get to the spirit world. The person is then buried supine in a burial cist with their weapons and gifts, and a cairn or barrow is built over them.
    
    If the body of a person could not be retrieved for burial, the family of the deceased can approach a Wynd for an assortment of rituals that will ensure the safe passage of the deceased’s spirit to the spirit world.
  • Warhounds

    

    
    
    Ancient and medieval Sidarids used wolfhounds, amongst the biggest, if not the biggest, dogs in the world, for war and hunting. Modern Sidarids still use them for these purposes – a wolfhound is a terror on the field! The other major Sidarid breed is the Border Collie, by far the most intelligent dog breed. Used primarily as a herding dog, its extreme intelligence also makes it exceptional for various military duties.
• Army

  
  
  Flag of HG's Army of Sidara

  
  
  Army - 18 - Your army is massive, and for every soldier, there are two more to take his place. It is maintained at partial-strength year round with conscription for the rest on a wartime basis. Even at partial strength, it is more than enough to compete with other states.
  
  Her Grace's Armed Forces; Her Grace's Army of Sidara
  

  HG's Army of of Sidara is an enormous well-maintained professional force. During wartime, it can call up reservists - though the professional force is usually enough to deal with anything but the most dire situations. While HG's Naval Forces of Sidara are the major line of defence for the island Righachd, should an enemy ever succeed in landing they would find the Army of Sidara a formidable foe. Along with the Naval Forces of Sidara, they have partaken in the Righachd's ongoing skirmishes and past defensive wars against Anvegadian aggression and ambitions of reconquest and are thus a critical component in the Righachd's security and continued independence. Due to this, Her Grace has highlighted the importance of maintaining the size of the Army of Sidara while also expanding its capabilities in every way. For this purpose, friendship with other technologically advanced nations are to be cultivated, and acquiring functional magickal expertise from friends and through research is of utmost importance.
  
  At present, all soldiers of the Army of Sidara use the standardised, domestically produced Gilwgmul Model 1908 Rifle. (Gilwgmul: lit. "God's Frown"). The rifle's innovative straight-pull bolt action allows the user to pull the bolt straight back to unlock the action and eject the spent cartridge in one motion, and push the bolt forward to chamber a round, cock the striker, and lock the action. This is as opposed to traditional bolt actions, where the user must lift the bolt handle to unlock the action before pulling the bolt back, then return it to place once more in a dual forward-down movement. The Gilwgmul thus provides for a quicker rate of fire than other bolt action rifles. The rifle is roughly musket length with a free-floating barrel and boasts both extraordinary accuracy and durability - functioning just as well in cold, wet, or arid conditions. It has proven extremely successful during marine engagements and short on-land skirmishes with Anvegadian forces over the years.
  Despite the passage of many centuries, the Righachd has maintained an insistent adherence to tradition - a latent patriotic zeal inspired by the nation's wars of national liberation against Anvegad. Thus Sidarid soldiers can generally be found in colourful kilts and knee-length socks, wearing tam o shanters and with dirks at their sides, true highland warriors and soldiers of the vales each and every one of them.
  
  While it is not an official part of the uniform, the great majority of soldiers and officers also carry basket-hilt claymores (traditional claymores being far too large, unwieldy, and impractical in modern warfare). While traditional claymores saw extensive use during the resistance against the Anvegadian conquest and first war of liberation, basket-hilts saw extensive use during the first period of independence as well as the First, Second, and Third Anvego-Sidarid Wars, and all later engagements.
  
  The Army of Sidara makes use of domestically produced regular field artillery, Gatling guns, and machine guns, and the quality of these weapons is attested to the world over.
  
  The Army's mounted troops generally charge into battle with lances 2.97 metres long, before engaging in combat with specially designed basket-hilt cavalry claymores (these boast a curved blade). They are unarmoured and carry with them a manually operated lever-action, 12-shot repeating rifle, produced domestically, called the Catach Repeating Rifle (named after Sidarid inventor Alpin Donnan Catach). It is very effective and easy to use from horseback. They generally also retain pistols or other small firearms. Sidarid military advisors are of the view that the effectiveness of the horse's traditional role in warfare may be rather questionable in the context of modern war. The War for Guinn Honour provided some evidence of this. Despite these concerns, however, cavalry regiments have been retained until more detailed investigations can be carried out.
  
  

  • Size & Organisation

    The Bhaenrhigis the Commander-in-Chief of the Army of Sidara. The Chief of the General Staff is the professional head of the Esharan Army, and is generally a five-star general (an Achaidh).
    
    HG's Army has six major branches. The first is HG's Home Guard, stationed on the Home Isles at all times. The second is HG's Expeditionary Force, which is stationed in the Righachd's neighbouring allied and client states. The third is HG's Royal Legion, the fourth is HG's First Reserve Army, the fifth is HG's Second Reserve Army, and the sixth is HG's Army of Seihdhara. Each of these 'branches' is considered an 'Army' and is headed by a four-star general (a Caennard).
    
    Each 'Army' is split into three 'Corps'. Each of these is headed by a three-star Saenilair.
    
    Each 'Corps' is split into three 'Divisions'. Each of these is headed by a two-star Coitchean.
    
    Each 'Division' is split into four 'Brigades'. Each of these is headed by a one-star Cogaidh.
    
    Each 'Brigade' is made up of three 'Regiments'. Each of these is headed by a Coirneal.
    
    Each 'Regiment' is split into two 'Battalions' and two 'Companies'. A 'Battalion' is headed by a Leifteanant Coirneal while a 'Company; is headed by a Sgiobar. Each regiment also has a 'Platoon' of Machwynden, led by a Leifteanant Machwynd. The numbers are as follows:
    
    

    • Total in a Regiment: 1,535
      
      Machwynd Platoon: 40
      Infantry Battalion: 20 Officers, 600 Regular Infantrymen, 60 Others
      Field Battery Company: 10 Officers, 150 Gunners, 5 Others
      Mountain Battery Company: 10 Officers, 150 Gunners, 5 Others
      Cavalry Battalion: 20 Officers, 400 Dragoons, 65 Others
    • Total in a Brigade (3 Regiments): 4,605
    • Total in a Division (4 Brigades): 18,420
    • Total in a Corps (3 Divisions): 55,260
    • Total in an Army (3 Corps): 165,780
    • Total in the Army of Sidara (6 Armies): 994,680
  • Army Personnel

    
    The Well-born Achaidh Tywsyg Tomaltach Flann (aka Flynn) of Clan Esher, Chief of the General Staff (the Bhaenrhig's nephew)
    
    
    The Much Honoured Ceannard Chief Cormac Niall of Clan M'Hnaen, of HG's Home Guard
    
    
    Ceannard Fergus Eoghan of Clan Haiho, of HG's Expeditionary Force
    
    
    Ceannard Maelmordha Tuathel of Clan MgLachlainn, of HG's Royal Legion
    
    
    Ceannard Donnchadh Maon of Clan Umbruse, of HG's First Reserve Army
    
    
    Ceannard Bearach Ailde of Clan MgGakel, of HG's Second Reserve Army
    
    
    Ceannard Ronan Suibhne of Clan Mawleh, of HG's Army of Seihdhara
  • Uniform of a highland infantryman of the Army of Sidara, along with the Gilwgmul

    
    Dressed in the traditional kilt and tam o' shanter, with a dirk at his side
  • Dragoon

    A Dragoon:
    

    

    
    
    Basket-hilt Cavalry Claymore:
    

    

    
    
    The Catach Repeating Rifle:
    

    
• Navy

  
  
  Flag of HG's Naval Forces of Sidara

  
  
  Navy - 19+1 (20) - Your nation rules the waves. Your merchant fleet is the best out there and your matchless navy seeps with tradition.
  
  Her Grace's Armed Forces, Her Grace's Naval Forces of Sidara.
  

  One of the largest navies in the world, HG's Naval Forces of Sidara come at some five-hundred vessels. Ship names are preceded by a series of letters which identify the ship's type. The nation's vast merchant fleets are generally communally owned by clans, though the government does dabble in trade and provides protection to all the Righachd's shipping. Coastal clans, alongside any merchant fleets, tend to also possess and produce their own military-grade ships which see use as private escorts for clan shipping.
  
  

  • Size & Organisation

    Dreadnoughts: 25
    Battlecruisers: 10
    Armoured Cruisers: 30
    Protected Cruisers: 55
    Scout Cruisers: 15
    Light Cruisers: 20
    Destroyers: 150
    Torpedo Boats: 90
    Submarines:70
    Total: 465
    

    Transport Steamships (non-military): 100

    
    

    • Organisation

      
      A fleet is structured as follows:
      

      Dreadnoughts: 5
      Battlecruisers: 2
      Armoured Cruisers: 6
      Protected Cruisers: 11
      Scout Cruisers: 3
      Light Cruisers: 4
      Destroyers: 30
      Torpedo Boats: 18
      Submarines: 14
      Total: 93
    • Detail

      Her Grace's Naval Forces of Sidara - Total Strength: 465 Military Vessels
      

      Sidarid Home Fleet:

      • 1st Defence Squadron

        HGMD H'Mrorrig, Griffri-class Medium-Dreadnought
        HGLD Mad Galam, Cliodhna-class Light-Dreadnought
        HGBC Mi Chinntaec, Daegeyda-class Battlecruiser
        HGAC Cailuil, Ducyffel-class Armoured Cruiser
        HGAC Naelwyr, Ducyffel-class Armoured Cruiser
        HGPC Hawrorau, Buidoglaeth-class Protected Cruiser
        HGPC Dioghaer, Buidoglaeth-class Protected Cruiser
        HGPC Heofn, Buidoglaeth-class Protected Cruiser
        HGSC Stelcwyr, Hysgut-class Scout Cruiser
        HGLC Gwinna, Melynstreic-class Light Cruiser
        HGLC Tiabha, Melynstreic-class Light Cruiser
        HGTBD , Gyflym-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Gyflym-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Gyflym-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Esgyd-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Esgyd-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Esgyd-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Torrach-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Torrach-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Torrach-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Torrach-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGS , Taibhse-class Submarine
        HGS , Seallaidh-class Submarine
        HGS , Tosaigh-class Submarine
        HGS , Tosaigh-class Submarine
      • 2nd Defence Squadron

        HGMD Roinseach, Griffri-class Medium-Dreadnought
        HGLD Hyscadal, Bhaenrhig-class Light-Dreadnought
        HGAC Mi Thoilicht, Ducyffel-class Armoured Cruiser
        HGAC Neamchinntaec, Ducyffel-class Armoured Cruiser
        HGPC Siaergorm, Buidoglaeth-class Protected Cruiser
        HGPC Morfilhaern, Buidoglaeth-class HGPC Protected Cruiser
        HGPC Cridhstaln, Buidoglaeth-class Protected Cruiser
        HGPC Filwyr, Buidoglaeth-class Protected Cruiser
        HGSC Heliwr, Hysgut-class Scout Cruiser
        HGLC Bethi, Melynstreic-class Light Cruiser
        HGTBD , Gyflym-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Gyflym-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Gyflym-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Esgyd-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Esgyd-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Esgyd-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Torrach-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Torrach-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Torrach-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Torrach-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGS , Taibhse-class Submarine
        HGS , Seallaidh-class Submarine
        HGS , Seallaidh-class Submarine
        HGS , Tosaigh-class Submarine
        HGS , Tosaigh-class Submarine
      • 3rd Defence Squadron

        HGMD Aelwyd, Griffri-class Medium-Dreadnought
        HGBC Rymus, Daegeyda-class Battlecruiser
        HGAC Mi Fhortanach, Ducyffel-class Armoured Cruiser
        HGAC Taenau, Ducyffel-class Armoured Cruiser
        HGPC Caisleanaerd, Buidoglaeth-class Protected Cruiser
        HGPC Tirmawr, Buidoglaeth-class Protected Cruiser
        HGPC Malchdyr, Buidoglaeth-class Protected Cruiser
        HGPC Morfhycal, Buidoglaeth-class Protected Cruiser
        HGSC Edrychllan, Hysgut-class Scout Cruiser
        HGLC Ulirmaen, Melynstreic-class Light Cruiser
        HGTBD , Gyflym-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Gyflym-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Gyflym-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Esgyd-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Esgyd-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Esgyd-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Torrach-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Torrach-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Torrach-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Torrach-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGS , Taibhse-class Submarine
        HGS , Seallaidh-class Submarine
        HGS , Seallaidh-class Submarine
        HGS , Tosaigh-class Submarine
        HGS , Tosaigh-class Submarine

      
      Sidarid 2nd Home Fleet:

      • 4th Defence Squadron

        HGMD Cadfael, Griffri-class Medium-Dreadnought
        HGLD Der-Ilei Bridu, Cliodhna-class Light-Dreadnought
        HGBC Haenterth, Daegeyda-class Battlecruiser
        HGAC Nychryno, Ducyffel-class Armoured Cruiser
        HGAC Saelio, Ducyffel-class Armoured Cruiser
        HGPC Bryd, Buidoglaeth-class Protected Cruiser
        HGPC Hoffrym, Buidoglaeth-class Protected Cruiser
        HGPC Ceartas, Buidoglaeth-class Protected Cruiser
        HGSC Wylfaui, Hysgut-class Scout Cruiser
        HGLC Aennan, Melynstreic-class Light Cruiser
        HGLC Candua, Melynstreic-class Light Cruiser
        HGTBD , Gyflym-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Gyflym-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Gyflym-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Esgyd-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Esgyd-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Esgyd-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Torrach-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Torrach-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Torrach-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Torrach-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGS , Taibhse-class Submarine
        HGS , Seallaidh-class Submarine
        HGS , Tosaigh-class Submarine
        HGS , Tosaigh-class Submarine
      • 5th Defence Squadron

        HGMD Aenfys, Griffri-class Medium-Dreadnought
        HGLD Guinn, Duthchas-class Light-Dreadnought
        HGAC Rhagodion, Ducyffel-class Armoured Cruiser
        HGAC Saethwyr, Ducyffel-class Armoured Cruiser
        HGPC Tymestl, Buidoglaeth-class Protected Cruiser
        HGPC Waywffyn, Buidoglaeth-class Protected Cruiser
        HGPC Dewr, Buidoglaeth-class Protected Cruiser
        HGPC Gaisgyl, Buidoglaeth-class Protected Cruiser
        HGSC Ysbiyo, Hysgut-class Scout Cruiser
        HGLC Orgreith, Melynstreic-class Light Cruiser
        HGTBD , Gyflym-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Gyflym-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Gyflym-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Esgyd-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Esgyd-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Esgyd-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Torrach-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Torrach-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Torrach-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Torrach-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGS , Taibhse-class Submarine
        HGS , Seallaidh-class Submarine
        HGS , Seallaidh-class Submarine
        HGS , Tosaigh-class Submarine
        HGS , Tosaigh-class Submarine
      • 6th Defence Squadron

        HGMD Glenmagar, Griffri-class Medium-Dreadnought
        HGBC Angus, Daegeyda-class Battlecruiser
        HGAC Rhyssed, Ducyffel-class Armoured Cruiser
        HGAC Direadh, Ducyffel-class Armoured Cruiser
        HGPC Mysneachail, Buidoglaeth-class Protected Cruiser
        HGPC Hysgor, Buidoglaeth-class Protected Cruiser
        HGPC Harlych, Buidoglaeth-class Protected Cruiser
        HGPC Coimhlynt, Buidoglaeth-class Protected Cruiser
        HGSC Sceitilh, Hysgut-class Scout Cruiser
        HGLC Fiaerna, Melynstreic-class Light Cruiser
        HGTBD , Gyflym-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Gyflym-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Gyflym-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Esgyd-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Esgyd-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Esgyd-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Torrach-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Torrach-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Torrach-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Torrach-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGS , Taibhse-class Submarine
        HGS , Seallaidh-class Submarine
        HGS , Seallaidh-class Submarine
        HGS , Tosaigh-class Submarine
        HGS , Tosaigh-class Submarine

      
      Sidarid 1st Fleet:

      • 1st Sidarid Squadron

        HGMD Wynd, Griffri-class Medium-Dreadnought
        HGLD Ros, Bhaenrhig-class Light-Dreadnought
        HGBC Aenferth, Daegeyda-class Battlecruiser
        HGAC Meadhbhel, Ducyffel-class Armoured Cruiser
        HGAC Caoilinnlae, Ducyffel-class Armoured Cruiser
        HGPC Maharyn, Buidoglaeth-class Protected Cruiser
        HGPC Piobaire, Buidoglaeth-class Protected Cruiser
        HGPC Dachaegh, Buidoglaeth-class Protected Cruiser
        HGSC Treoryl, Hysgut-class Scout Cruiser
        HGLC Modwynn, Melynstreic-class Light Cruiser
        HGLC Luadha, Melynstreic-class Light Cruiser
        HGTBD , Gyflym-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Gyflym-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Gyflym-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Esgyd-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Esgyd-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Esgyd-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Torrach-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Torrach-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Torrach-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Torrach-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGS , Taibhse-class Submarine
        HGS , Seallaidh-class Submarine
        HGS , Tosaigh-class Submarine
        HGS , Tosaigh-class Submarine
      • 2nd Sidarid Squadron

        HGMD Drechwr, Griffri-class Medium-Dreadnought
        HGLD Loch Manon, Bhaenrhig-class Light-Dreadnought
        HGAC Aoifria, Ducyffel-class Armoured Cruiser
        HGAC Bhranagain, Ducyffel-class Armoured Cruiser
        HGPC Cartryf, Buidoglaeth-class Protected Cruiser
        HGPC Dysglair, Buidoglaeth-class Protected Cruiser
        HGPC Sgoinneil, Buidoglaeth-class Protected Cruiser
        HGPC Tharrcyin, Buidoglaeth-class Protected Cruiser
        HGSC Gwelediad, Hysgut-class Scout Cruiser
        HGLC Velduinai, Melynstreic-class Light Cruiser
        HGTBD , Gyflym-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Gyflym-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Gyflym-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Esgyd-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Esgyd-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Esgyd-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Torrach-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Torrach-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Torrach-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Torrach-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGS , Taibhse-class Submarine
        HGS , Seallaidh-class Submarine
        HGS , Seallaidh-class Submarine
        HGS , Tosaigh-class Submarine
        HGS , Tosaigh-class Submarine
      • 3rd Sidarid Squadron

        HGMD Caer Seihdhar, Griffri-class Medium-Dreadnought
        HGBC Iolaire, Daegeyda-class Battlecruiser
        HGAC Eimear, Ducyffel-class Armoured Cruiser
        HGAC Shuileabhai, Ducyffel-class Armoured Cruiser
        HGPC Myctire, Buidoglaeth-class Protected Cruiser
        HGPC Amhadaidh, Buidoglaeth-class Protected Cruiser
        HGPC Mleiddgwn, Buidoglaeth-class Protected Cruiser
        HGPC Mugylleid, Buidoglaeth-class Protected Cruiser
        HGSC Lyrsinn, Hysgut-class Scout Cruiser
        HGLC Ennawst, Melynstreic-class Light Cruiser
        HGTBD , Gyflym-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Gyflym-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Gyflym-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Esgyd-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Esgyd-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Esgyd-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Torrach-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Torrach-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Torrach-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Torrach-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGS , Taibhse-class Submarine
        HGS , Seallaidh-class Submarine
        HGS , Seallaidh-class Submarine
        HGS , Tosaigh-class Submarine
        HGS , Tosaigh-class Submarine

      
      Sidarid 2nd Fleet:

      • 4th Sidarid Squadron

        HGMD Babaedna, Griffri-class Medium-Dreadnought
        HGLD Parhaigen, Cliodhna-class Light-Dreadnought
        HGBC Wyrthiyo, Daegeyda-class Battlecruiser
        HGAC Aisling, Ducyffel-class Armoured Cruiser
        HGAC Cheanndubhain, Ducyffel-class Armoured Cruiser
        HGPC Aelric, Buidoglaeth-class Protected Cruiser
        HGPC Agalvae, Buidoglaeth-class Protected Cruiser
        HGPC Agronae, Buidoglaeth-class Protected Cruiser
        HGSC Slygheosan, Hysgut-class Scout Cruiser
        HGLC Braesta, Melynstreic-class Light Cruiser
        HGLC Caeryth, Melynstreic-class Light Cruiser
        HGTBD , Gyflym-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Gyflym-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Gyflym-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Esgyd-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Esgyd-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Esgyd-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Torrach-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Torrach-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Torrach-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Torrach-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGS , Taibhse-class Submarine
        HGS , Seallaidh-class Submarine
        HGS , Tosaigh-class Submarine
        HGS , Tosaigh-class Submarine
      • 5th Sidarid Squadron

        HGMD Aggrona, Griffri-class Medium-Dreadnought
        HGLD Teygaen, Duthchas-class Light-Dreadnought
        HGAC Deiradhla, Ducyffel-class Armoured Cruiser
        HGAC Riorman, Ducyffel-class Armoured Cruiser
        HGPC ap-Dhugael, Buidoglaeth-class Protected Cruiser
        HGPC Umbruse o' Bruce, Buidoglaeth-class Protected Cruiser
        HGPC ap-Entosh, Buidoglaeth-class Protected Cruiser
        HGPC Sleagh, Buidoglaeth-class Protected Cruiser
        HGSC Athuair, Hysgut-class Scout Cruiser
        HGLC Ethir, Melynstreic-class Light Cruiser
        HGTBD , Gyflym-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Gyflym-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Gyflym-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Esgyd-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Esgyd-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Esgyd-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Torrach-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Torrach-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Torrach-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Torrach-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGS , Taibhse-class Submarine
        HGS , Seallaidh-class Submarine
        HGS , Seallaidh-class Submarine
        HGS , Tosaigh-class Submarine
        HGS , Tosaigh-class Submarine
      • 6th Sidarid Squadron

        HGMD Sluaghadhan, Griffri-class Medium-Dreadnought
        HGBC Rhyfelwyr, Daegeyda-class Battlecruiser
        HGAC Baerghel o Mochain, Ducyffel-class Armoured Cruiser
        HGAC Annagmer, Ducyffel-class Armoured Cruiser
        HGPC Daelys, Buidoglaeth-class Protected Cruiser
        HGPC Luingear, Buidoglaeth-class Protected Cruiser
        HGPC Trodaer, Buidoglaeth-class Protected Cruiser
        HGPC Brwydrwyr, Buidoglaeth-class Protected Cruiser
        HGSC Hyrial, Hysgut-class Scout Cruiser
        HGLC Essbuar, Melynstreic-class Light Cruiser
        HGTBD , Gyflym-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Gyflym-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Gyflym-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Esgyd-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Esgyd-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Esgyd-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Torrach-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Torrach-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Torrach-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Torrach-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGS , Taibhse-class Submarine
        HGS , Seallaidh-class Submarine
        HGS , Seallaidh-class Submarine
        HGS , Tosaigh-class Submarine
        HGS , Tosaigh-class Submarine

      
      Sidarid 3rd Fleet:

      • 7th Sidarid Squadron

        HGMD Deirdre, Griffri-class Medium-Dreadnought
        HGLD Sdara, Bhaenrhig-class Light-Dreadnought
        HGBC Syghead, Daegeyda-class Battlecruiser
        HGAC Nery Niven, Ducyffel-class Armoured Cruiser
        HGAC ap-Fhinnan, Ducyffel-class Armoured Cruiser
        HGPC Myrthyru, Buidoglaeth-class Protected Cruiser
        HGPC Tonnyn, Buidoglaeth-class Protected Cruiser
        HGPC ap-Filigan, Buidoglaeth-class Protected Cruiser
        HGSC Muanyd, Hysgut-class Scout Cruiser
        HGLC Cuillia, Melynstreic-class Light Cruiser
        HGLC Baeritha, Melynstreic-class Light Cruiser
        HGTBD , Gyflym-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Gyflym-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Gyflym-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Esgyd-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Esgyd-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Esgyd-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Torrach-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Torrach-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Torrach-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Torrach-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGS , Taibhse-class Submarine
        HGS , Seallaidh-class Submarine
        HGS , Tosaigh-class Submarine
        HGS , Tosaigh-class Submarine
      • 8th Sidarid Squadron

        HGMD Mholier, Griffri-class Medium-Dreadnought
        HGLD Claymore, Duthchas-class Light-Dreadnought
        HGAC Maegnhildr, Ducyffel-class Armoured Cruiser
        HGAC Guinnhwfdeain, Ducyffel-class Armoured Cruiser
        HGPC ap-Fhinnan o' Iwan, Buidoglaeth-class Protected Cruiser
        HGPC Rhyddid, Buidoglaeth-class Protected Cruiser
        HGPC Oeran, Buidoglaeth-class Protected Cruiser
        HGPC Breacadh, Buidoglaeth-class Protected Cruiser
        HGSC Saemhach, Hysgut-class Scout Cruiser
        HGLC Thunia, Melynstreic-class Light Cruiser
        HGTBD , Gyflym-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Gyflym-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Gyflym-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Esgyd-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Esgyd-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Esgyd-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Torrach-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Torrach-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Torrach-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Torrach-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGS , Taibhse-class Submarine
        HGS , Seallaidh-class Submarine
        HGS , Seallaidh-class Submarine
        HGS , Tosaigh-class Submarine
        HGS , Tosaigh-class Submarine
      • 9th Sidarid Squadron

        HGMD Wolfound, Griffri-class Medium-Dreadnought
        HGBC Melltreach, Daegeyda-class Battlecruiser
        HGAC Shaemradhain, Ducyffel-class Armoured Cruiser
        HGAC Bronachby, Ducyffel-class Armoured Cruiser
        HGPC Tyrghrae, Buidoglaeth-class Protected Cruiser
        HGPC Nghywirach, Buidoglaeth-class Protected Cruiser
        HGPC Cuimhneamh, Buidoglaeth-class Protected Cruiser
        HGPC Fyrinne, Buidoglaeth-class Protected Cruiser
        HGSC Tawelwch, Hysgut-class Scout Cruiser
        HGLC Finndua, Melynstreic-class Light Cruiser
        HGTBD , Gyflym-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Gyflym-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Gyflym-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Esgyd-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Esgyd-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Esgyd-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Torrach-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Torrach-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Torrach-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTBD , Torrach-class Torpedo Boat Destroyer
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGTB , Ffleimywf-class Torpedo Boat
        HGS , Taibhse-class Submarine
        HGS , Seallaidh-class Submarine
        HGS , Seallaidh-class Submarine
        HGS , Tosaigh-class Submarine
        HGS , Tosaigh-class Submarine
  • Ranks

    • Leifteanant Chinard (Lt Crd) - Second in command on most ships and small shore installations. May sometimes be given command of smaller ships.
    • Chinnard (Cd): A Chinnard may command a light cruiser, torpedo boat, or shore installation, or may serve on a staff. More experienced Chinnards may also be given command of armoured cruisers (aka frigates) and battlecruisers.
    • Sgiobair (Sbr): Sgiobairs with sea commands generally command ships of cruiser size or larger; the more senior the officer, the larger the ship, but ship commanders do not normally hold a higher rank than Sgiobair.
    • Cladhach (Cldh): A one-star rank of the commander of a flotilla. A flotilla is generally composed of a homogeneous group of the same class of warship, such as dreadnoughts, frigates, light cruisers, torpedo boats, submarines etc. The Naval Forces of Sidara standardise flotillas at five ships of the same class. This is generally the smallest unit of ships found operating together - the next smallest would be a solitary ship. These are generally temporary formations which break off from a larger squadron for a particular purpose.
    • Mholier (Mlr): A series of ranks generally given to those who command a squadron or significant divisions of a squadron. A squadron is generally made up of thirty ships of varying classes. This series of ranks is divided as follows:
      
      Cul Mholier (CMlr): A two-star rank. The most junior rank in the series, generally does not command a squadron alone, but divisions within it.
      Leas Mholier (LMlr): A three-star rank. Second in command of any squadron, and capable of commanding one on his own.
      Mholier (Mlr): A four-star rank. Generally to be found in command of a squadron.
    • Mholier of the Fleet (MlrF): A five-star rank. The most senior rank in the Naval Forces of Sidara. Commands a fleet - which is generally made up of two or more squadrons.
    • Commander-in-Chief: Her Grace is the commander-in-chief of the Naval Forces of Sidara. There is no professional head beside her, though she generally makes decisions after considering the advice of senior naval officers. Though not an official rank, it is generally accepted that the most senior naval officer is the Laird Grand Mholier, a title granted by the Bhaenrhig.
  • Navy Personnel

    
    Mholier Iain Frangag of Clan Gweilaerth, Laird Grand Mholier, Mholier of the Fleet
• Air Force

  
  
  Flag of HG's Aerial Warfare Corps

  
  
  Airforce - 9-2 (7) - You have a few biplanes.
  
  Her Grace's Aerial Warfare Corps
  

  Her Grace's Government is still having research conducted into the utility of aircraft for purposes other than reconnaissance and scouting. A small Aerial Warfare Corps has been established in the meanwhile, pending a complete report.
  While military aeroflight has not seen much practical progression, aeroflight theory is at a very advanced level and is all the rage amongst academics and clan company innovators alike. It appears, then, that it will be civilians rather than the state that lead the way forward when it comes to aeroflight technology.
• Traits

  Sdarids Proud and True Are We

  One people, one language, one religion; Sidarids are distinctly aware that they form a unique nation distinct from all others in the world. Despite clan differences and a history of feuds and internal clashes, the Sdarid people identify strongly with one another and have a nearly single-minded desire to see their nation strong, independent, and a beacon that shines blazingly above all the other nations of the world. Due to this national consciousness that inspires all Sidarids - called the Maethceada, the People's Spirit, and considered to be divine in origins - , Sidarids are more likely to excel in whatever it is that the put their minds to. 'Fur th' glory o' oor Sdarid hame!'

  
  Our Mother's Gift

  It is Sidarid tradition that while a woman is giving birth the father (or, where none is present, an uncle, grandfather, or any member of the clan) must leave and climb the sacred mountain, Caer Seihdhar, and seek an omen from Seihdhara. This omen is considered the newborn's Ainaim (soul-name). For instance, if the weather happens to be stormy and the time that of night, the Ainaim may be 'Light in the Night'. If an eagle flies by on a clear day, 'Eagle in Full-Sight'. These Aainaimin are sacred and provide the person with direct connection with the Bear Mother. One without an Ainaim is considered incomplete. Likewise, on birth every Sidarid is given a Faisehd, a warning or prophecy of sorts - e.g. 'you shall die within a week of killing the red-horned ram' or 'do not eat of the fruit of the cherry tree' or 'Be bloody, bold, and resolute; laugh to scorn the power of man, for none of woman born shall harm Macbeth' or 'Be lion-mettled, proud; and take no care who chafes, who frets, or where conspirers are: Macbeth shall never vanquish'd be until Great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane hill shall come against him'. So long as one conforms with their Faisehd (and a person may have more than one, as we see with Macbeth) then they are fine, having greater physical and spiritual strength. One who breaks it, however, is greatly weakened and may ultimately die. 'Aye, ah broke mah Faisehd laddie. Best coupon th' auld reaver lik' a true hielan man eh?'

  
  Children of the Bear Mother

  The peoples of the Sidarid Isles believe the blood of the war-goddess Seihdhara runs in their veins, most potently in those whose hair is red. In war, it is their ultimate purpose to seek out glory, worthy foes to take-on in single combat, engage in valorous deed, and ultimately attain either death or victory. However, this pursuit of individual honour and acts of valour can sometimes lead to a certain propensity towards disobeying commands from above and insubordination, with acts of individual valour and glory being viewed as far more worthy than following commands to the T. 'Ye hielan men! Les sho they degenerates wha comes tae claim thair bides this day!'

  
  Sdarid Ways and Sdarid Laws

  Sidara has no official legal system. The law of the land is custom and any disputes arising that do not fall within the remit of established customary law are dealt with via arbitration. This is in line with Sidarid insistence, in the face of any so-called reformers, on retaining their ancient ways and laws despite the onslaught of modernity. Where arbitration over novel problems fails (a very rare occurence, so much so as to now be largely hypothetical), disputes are ultimately settled through duels between the aggrieved parties so as to avoid family feuds and clan wars. This provides for very swift and cost-efficient administration of justice, and the legitimacy of custom makes for ultimately satisfied disputants (particularly since there is a feeling that the ancient ways have been preserved and authentic Sidarid ways and laws have thus persevered). However, results tend to lack predictability for novel issues or recently-established customs, and the legal system as a whole is utterly decentralised and almost impossible for foreigners to grasp (which is particularly bad for business). Moreover, the non-professional nature of arbiters means that increasingly-complicated disputes might be dealt with incorrectly. 'Wance upon a time thare wis... Sdarid ways 'n' Sdarid laws...'

  
  Wisdom Immemorial

  In the class of scholarly druids known as Arwyndyn, Sidara has a true boon. They have preserved knowledge from the times of the ap Morig to the present in an unbroken chain and continue to be at the forefront of scholarly research into all things (exactly how much they know is a complete mystery). When they deign to allow the light of all that they know to shine forth onto society, wondrous innovations result. However, the Arwyndyn are notoriously reclusive and secretive, there perhaps being no class of people who have maintained absolute secrecy as well as they have anywhere in the world. Thus Sidara can likely never hope to reap the full fruit of their works, only the their crums. 'Ní féidir lyeat dció a scriosaedh. Ní fiyú é seo.'

  
  Clan-Companies

  The Sidarid economy is dominated by clan companies. These behemoths, which have national and international reach, are sturdy organisation with a strong communal foundation that ensures exceptionally low labour costs (essentially free labour). Innovative and competitive, they are one of the cornerstones of Sidarid strength and a key reason behind its meteoric rise to a fully industrialised nation. However, clan companies dominate the Sidarid economy, essentially preventing lone entrepreneurs and the development of a real 'capitalist class' - whether this is good or bad remains to be seen. Moreover, and critically, the competitive nature of clan companies means that price wars, corporate warfare, and aggressive expansion into each other's niches are commonplace, doing significant damage. It is a testament to the solidity of the economy that this state of affairs has not led to complete economic collapse, and the fact that custom is the law means regulating these company conflicts is nigh impossible. The clan companies must either develop customs of cooperation and mutual respect, or their golden age will soon descend into darkness. 'Sae thae ur th' ship designs they Gweilaerths hae bin hiding...'
• Rolls

  Territory - 8 - Your nation is decently sized, with room for a few cities and a decent amount of farmland.
  Tech - 14+4 (18) - Your nation is effectively fully modern, and innovative to boot. It is likely the trendsetter in multiple categories.
  Army - 18 - Your army is massive, and for every soldier, there are two more to take his place. It is maintained at partial-strength year round with a conscription for the rest on a wartime basis. Even at partial strength, it is more than enough to compete with other states.
  Economy - 16+1 (17) - Your economy is well-off, and a majority of what needs to be funded is.
  Production - 11+4 (15) - Your nation is doing well for itself, with excellent production in both farming and manufacturing and good resource exploitation.
  Population - 6 - Your nation's population is small, perhaps it is home to 5-15 million at most.
  Navy - 19+1 (20) - Your nation rules the waves. Your merchant fleet is the best out there and your matchless navy seeps with tradition.
  Airforce - 9-2 (7) - You have a few biplanes.
  Magic - 8-3 (5) - Like a nation that is aware of modern technology, and seeks to acquire it, yet falls far behind, your nation lags in the field, struggling to keep up, and at best keeping pace in a select field. Perhaps, were your nation to pool its resources and brainpower, you could produce one of the contraptions of more magical nations - but it would be a true national effort.
  Mobilisation - 19 - It takes a few weeks to mobilize.
• Other

  • List of Monarchs

    • Bhaenrhig Roinseach, (1519-1605; r.1592-1605)
    • Bhaenrhig Aelwyd, (1557-1631; r.1605-31)
    • Bhaenrhig Parhaigen, (1615-1666; r.1631-66)
    • Rhig Cadfael, (1649-1671; r.1666-71 -- Slain in Battle)
    • Rhig Aenfys, (1667-1736; r.1671-1736)
    • Bhaenrhig Teygaen, (1712-81; r.1736-81)
    • Rhig Sluaghadhan, (1756-1843; r.1781-1843)
    • Bhaenrhig Deirdre, (1819-1864; r.1843-1864 -- Slain in Battle)
    • Bhaenrhig Ros, (1838-Present; r.1864-Present)
  • Her Grace, Bhaenrhig Ros

    
    
    Age: 72 (b.1838)
  • His Grace, Rhig Ruaidhri

    
    
    Age: 77 (b.1833)
  • Styles and Titles

    Bhaenrhig/Rhig - Queen/King, when addressing the monarch
    Amlwyg - Heir Apparent, when addressing the heir
    Tywsyg/Tywsygys - Prince/Princess, when addressing a member of the royal family
    Chief/Laird - When addressing a clan chief
    Hynaf/Rhaig - When addressing the heir apparent of a clan. Hynaf for males, Rhaig for females.
    Larwynd - When addressing Wyndyn, regardless of gender or type.
    His/Her Grace - When referring to the Bhaenrhig and Rhig
    The High-born - When referring to the heir
    The Well-born - When referring to a member of the royal family
    The Much Honoured - When referring to a clan chief/laird
    The Honoured - When referring to the heir apparent of a clan
    The Hallowed - When referring to a Wynd of any type
  • List of Clans and Sub-Clans

    • Clan Aelric
    • Clan Agalvae
    • Clan Agronae
    • Clan ap-Dhugael
    • Clan ap-Entosh
    • Clan ap-Fhinnan
      
      Clan ap-Fhinnan o' Iwan
    • Clan ap-Filigan
      
      ap-Filigan o' th'Reaches
      ap-Filigan o' Balmaen
    • Clan ap-Gwynnud
      
      ap-Gwynnud o' Caernmowni
      ap-Gwynnud o' Caluk
      ap-Gwynnud o' Clagduff
    • Clan ap-Ilinray
      
      ap-Ilinray o' Dnabree
    • Clan ap-MgGonnal
    • Clan ap-MgOllman
    • Clan ap-Olaidh
    • Clan Aujvint
      
      Aujvint o' th'Marshes
      Laird-Aujvint
    • Clan Beltan o' Tymthean
    • Clan Braeg
      
      Braeg o' MgIlsen
      Braeg o' th'Braes
    • Clan Connacht
      
      Connacht o' Cornams-Crest
    • Clan Culquown
    • Clan Dhaebidhe
    • Clan Dhonnuil
      
      Dhonnuil o' Ronnuil
      MgDhonals o' Glencove
    • Clan Dochmar
    • Clan Esher
      
      Rhiglaird Esher
    • Clan Fhaerchar
    • Clan Ghillmhol
    • Clan Ghiuari
    • Clan Grantaeg
    • Clan Guilibraec
    • Clan Guinn
    • Clan Gweilaerth
    • Clan Haiho
    • Clan Laird Loamainn
      
      Laird Loamainn o' Fulfraen
    • Clan M'Hnaen
    • Clan Maengun
    • Clan Mawleh
    • Clan MgCrae
      
      Clan MgCrae o' Raeth
    • Clan MgEwaen
    • Clan MgGakel
    • Clan MgGrregah
      
      MgGrregah o' Galams-Stand
    • Clan MgIntsaer
    • Clan MgLabrinn
    • Clan MgLachlainn
    • Clan Mhaeridh
    • Clan Mwryfin (extinct)
    • Clan Ol Mirti
    • Clan Oq Haert
    • Clan Rosaec
    • Clan Sirjin
    • Clan Umbruse
      
      Umbruse o' Bruce

Wherein is Penned a Series of Essays and Confessions on the Essentials of Being; Also titled "Journeys into the Mind of the Quintessentially Verbose"

Sign of the Warrior

Cʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀ sʜᴇᴇᴛ

ℌ𝔞𝔱𝔢 𝔪𝔢 𝔬𝔯 𝔩𝔬𝔳𝔢 𝔪𝔢 𝔞𝔰 𝔶𝔬𝔲 𝔭𝔩𝔢𝔞𝔰𝔢 - ℑ 𝔞𝔪 𝔫𝔬𝔱𝔥𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔪𝔬𝔯𝔢, 𝔫𝔬𝔱𝔥𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔩𝔢𝔰𝔰, 𝔱𝔥𝔞𝔫 𝔶𝔬𝔲 𝔰𝔢𝔢.

𝔖𝔢𝔦𝔥𝔡𝔥𝔞𝔯𝔞

Seihdhara of the Red Hair, The Crimson Goddess, The Bear Mother

FEMALE

Tʜᴇ Sᴏᴜʟ Rᴇꜰʟᴇᴄᴛᴇᴅ, Oɴ A Gʟɪꜱᴛᴇɴɪɴɢ Bʟᴀᴅᴇ, A Gʀᴇᴇɴ Eyᴇ Pᴇᴩᴩᴇʀᴇᴅ Bʀᴏᴡɴ

^{Above all else, I am a Warrioress
===============================
To Live is to Love. To Love is to Struggle. To Struggle is to Defy. To Defy is to Repel. To Repel is to Fight.
===============================
What am I here for, you ask? I am here for you.
===============================
I have this uncanny capacity to feel - it's really quite stunning.
===============================
I'm not wroth. You say that one more time AND YOU WATCH!
===============================
Ok, fine, maybe I sometimes have a bit too much fun- oh who am I kidding, you can't have too much fun. And hey, it's not like I'm hurting anyone. Quite the opposite, actually.
===============================}

• Dᴏᴍᴀɪɴ & Pᴏʀᴛꜰᴏʟɪᴏ

  War (Martial Combat)
  
  Wars come in different forms and sizes, from military hostilities to economic warfare to political manoeuvrings between factions and individuals, and beyond. Ultimately, however, it is a state of hostile competition between different groups. It is a method of repelling some people by means of others, and for Seihdhara it is a legitimate (sometimes the only) way to prevent and combat injustice. Seihdhara's focus is primarily on this hostile competition when it manifests itself in displays of physical force and violence. Any war of this nature will require individuals with a certain level of martial skill to engage in combat so as to attain victory. Martial Combat thus lies at the heart of military warfare, and it is this that Seihdhara seeks to teach and cultivate. Martial Combat includes armed and unarmed forms of combat, as well as the base bodily strength and health required for optimal performance. Moreover, for Seihdhara Martial Combat does not only involve the skills necessary to defeat opponents, it also involves principles of how such skill is to be used, against whom, and under what conditions. While not fussed by arbitrary notions of honour, clemency and seeking to prove one's martial prowess fairly, blow-for-blow, are more to her liking.
• Aʟɪɢɴᴍᴇɴᴛ

  Neutral Good
• Pᴇʀsᴏɴᴀʟɪᴛʏ

  Headstrong, Independent, Stubborn, Kind, Sensitive, Loving, Merciful, Altruistic, Benevolent, Caring, Protective, Charismatic, Athletic, Assertive, Polyamorous, Passionate, somewhat Volatile, Courageous, Petty, Competitive, Dominating, Emotional, Lively, Rebellious, Adventurous, Romantic, Astute, Disorganised
  
  Seihdhara is - don't you dare tell anyone! - a bit... well, very ticklish. But you better not try anything or she'll actually bash your head in. For real. She'll kill you. Don't tickle her.
  She does enjoy a good laugh though - has a good sense of humour, if she says so herself. A light-hearted story with plenty of jokes is right up her alley and is sure to garner more than a few laughs from her.
  
  

  'While travelling once, I happened on two jimmies - one from Agnee, and another from Shasha. The jimmy from Agnee asked me why people foreign to these villages thought that those Shashans who travelled were jimmies of learning, while those Agneeds who did were not. I turned to him and said, 'well, only fools leave Agnee; as for Shasha, only fools would stay!' Now the Shashan - not too bright a jimmy, truth be told - said I was right about Shashans because, he said, every jimmy that wants to leave Shasha is tested by its chief before he can leave, to make sure he is well-read and canny. If he fails, he's not allowed to leave, but has to go back to his studies. If he wants to leave again, the chief repeats the test; but if he is tested a third time, and then found lacking, he is never allowed to leave Shasha. And so, says this Shashan jimmy to me, none but the canniest and most well-read can leave Shasha. So I turned to him sharp like and said, 'I see - then you must've been smuggled!'

  
  
  Despite her terminological idiosyncrasies, Seihdhara is for the most-part articulate, even if that does not translate into prose poetry. She is expressive and can be charismatic, though her quick smile and readiness to laugh at a good joke quickly tear up any impression of distant genius or esoteric mystery. She is unafraid of exposure in that regard.
  
  When angry or irritated, Seihdhara is quick to slap or thwack the cause of her irritation. She is not vengeful and does not see a reason to hide how she is feeling. She is, however, sensitive to the emotions of others and would regulate her own words and actions as appropriate. While she may yell or strike out when angry, her anger dissipates as quickly as it arises. She is not prone to retreating into herself or being sombre for long periods. This is much the case with all her emotions - she feels intensely in the moment and has no qualms sharing that with whoever is available (whether joy, misery, melodramatic crying session, or what have you). This willingness to expose her emotions does not come from a place of weakness, however. It emerges from the conviction that, ultimately, no one can truly use these emotions against her - anyone who thinks they can would quickly come to realise that she can deal with them quite efficiently. She is, after all, an apex predator, she harms and is not harmed, protects and has no need for protection, renders kindness and asks none for it, frees and can never herself be unfree.
  
  Though gods usually do not - or even, cannot - sleep, Seihdhara chooses to. Sleep comes easy to her, and she will sleep for long hours on end in comfort. A goddess, she can awaken instantaneously and be alert if the need arises, though when there is no such danger force of habit makes her slow to awaken and somewhat petty in the half-hour or so after she has risen. She does not like sleeping alone and will tend to find something to hug - a rock, some animal, or a sentient mortal, preferably a pretty jimmy, though a quinie'll do just fine. Seihdhara doesn't discriminate.
  
  In the same way, Seihdhara is a big eater despite gods having no need for any kind of sustenance. She doesn't much care about what exactly she is eating and will gulp down just about anything placed before her. She's also something of a compulsive gambler, which is no issue given her divine nature - it's pretty much cheating. As a point of principle, however, she only swindles swindlers - they deserve it!
  
  Some terminological idiosyncrasies:
  Mother - mammeh
  Father - pappeh
  Boy - boyo | lad | laddy
  Girl - lass | lassy
  Man - jimmy
  Woman - quinie
• Aᴘᴘᴇᴀʀᴀɴᴄᴇ

  Image

  

  
  She generally takes on the form of a tall, well-built woman. Her hair shifts from dark, sunset orange to a deep, red-brown. Her eyes too shift, from a light green peppered with turquoise and elements of darker green, to a very light honey-like brown. Her complexion is generally olive and freshly-sun-kissed due to her being frequently out and about. Muscular enough to look fairly robust and like she means business in a fight (which she does, and you better know it).
  
  She's no stunner, but smiling comes easily to her - a broad, hearty smile, flashing teeth, that quite easily explodes into a laugh - and she has a pretty enough face (and given her tendency to rolls about in the hay with whoever strikes her fancy, it helps). Her athletic physique is an unabashed celebration of power, sensuality, and the primed feminine form. She flies in the face of the petite, shy, helpless, and virginal little girl (literally, she dwarves near anybody). It makes her less woman more monstrosity in the eyes of some - but what does she care for them?
  
  She sports a tattoo on her back, perfectly in the middle, beginning just below her shoulder blades its centre along her spine, and stopping short of her tailbone. She has another on her periumbilical region representing a mother bear. On the back of her left hand is the Sign of the Warrior, while the palm of her right hand sports the Sign of the Mother.
  
  She tends to be dressed in a loosely tied sleeve-less leather jerkin and a kilt, both light brown to orange. Her hair is a mess of tousled tresses while others have various beads and bits of jewellery tied into them. When necessary, she ties it back in a rough bun to keep it out of her eyes and face. When she actually takes the time to take care of herself properly, she gets to braiding it. Mortal icons of her tend to depict her with long braided hair. When staying in the company of mortals, Seihdhara has no issues with conforming with more conservative dress codes - this is not out of any respect for arbitrary laws or customs or whatnot, she just enjoys getting into the ways and clothes of whoever she happens to be staying with. A simple necklace of red and yellow beads hangs at her neck.
• Oᴛʜᴇʀ

  'Red-haired Folk', as they are known, are those born with red hair or fur, or whose hair or fur abruptly or gradually turns red. Such folk, it is generally known, are favoured by Seihdhara and are marked out from their earliest days as future warriors of renown. Likewise, all Heroes of Seihdhara are red-haired, and those who join any Order dedicated to her can expect for their hair - if it is not already - to become red.

  
  
  

  
• Mᴜsɪᴄᴀʟ Tʜᴇᴍᴇ

Sign of the Mother

---

Seihdhara, Bear Mother

𝔖 𝔢 𝔦 𝔥 𝔡 𝔥 𝔞 𝔯 𝔞

_{Were the aggression of some not repelled by means of others, destruction would surely lay claim to all things.}

_{T I T L E S}

---

Seihdhara of the Red Hair, The Crimson Goddess, The Bear Mother, The Sanguine Protector

_{G E N D E R}

---

Female

_{A L I G N M E N T}

---

Neutral Good

_{V I S A G E}

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Standard Appearance

Seihdhara generally takes on the form of a tall, well-built woman. Her hair shifts from dark, sunset orange to a deep, red-brown. Her eyes too shift, from a light green peppered with turquoise and elements of darker green, to a very light honey-like brown. Her complexion is generally olive and freshly-sun-kissed due to her being frequently out and about. Muscular enough to look fairly robust and like she means business in a fight (which she does, and you better know it).

She's no stunner, but smiling comes easily to her - a broad, hearty smile, flashing teeth, that quite easily explodes into a laugh - and she has a pretty enough face (and given her tendency to rolls about in the hay with whoever strikes her fancy, it helps). Her athletic physique is an unabashed celebration of power, sensuality, and the primed feminine form. She flies in the face of the petite, shy, helpless, and virginal little girl (indeed, she physically dwarves near anybody). It makes her less woman more monstrosity in the eyes of some - but what does she care for Cyclone? them?

She sports a tattoo on her back, perfectly in the middle, beginning just below her shoulder blades its centre along her spine, and stopping short of her tailbone. She has another on her periumbilical region representing a mother bear. On the back of her left hand is the Sign of the Warrior, while the palm of her right hand sports the Sign of the Mother.

She tends to be dressed in a loosely tied sleeve-less leather jerkin and a kilt, both light brown to orange. Her hair is a mess of tousled tresses while others have various beads and bits of jewellery tied into them. When necessary, she ties it back in a rough bun to keep it out of her eyes and face. When she actually takes the time to take care of herself properly, she gets to braiding it. Mortal icons of her tend to depict her with long braided hair. When staying in the company of mortals, Seihdhara has no issues with conforming with more conservative dress codes - this is not out of any respect for arbitrary laws or customs or whatnot, she just enjoys getting into the ways and clothes of whoever she happens to be staying with. A simple necklace of red and yellow beads hangs at her neck.

_{S P H E R E}

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TYPE: Celestial
LOCATION: The Seal
DESCRIPTION: From Galbar, the Seal appears as a fiery nebulous cluster boasting a constellation of stars, which come together to take on the appearance of a great fiery comet tail, or perhaps it is the celestial reflection of Seihdhara's flaming hair whipping across the heavens and visible from horizon to horizon. From within the Sphere, the vastness of space and the Great Dark and the stars can readily be seen, as well as the numerous other Spheres - the closest of which is the desolate Sphere of Veradax.

The Seal, unusually for the Sphere of a goddess of combat, blooms with life. Water dripping down from the World Tree is carried by clouds from So'E into the Seal, bringing with it life. This, along with light from the Lustrous Garden and Heliopolis shining upon the Seal, means that both light and water are available in abundance. Mixing with Seihdhara's natural energy and life, her Sphere blooms and all within it -from plants to animals - compete to become stronger and more majestic and glorious. Trees grow thick and streams flow in the Seal, flowers fight for sunlight and fruits hang lusciously from fruiting trees. Seihdhara's Sphere is saturated with an electric energy and hotness that lights up the fires of ambition and life within all who enter, inspiring them to great feats while within.

This energy is so great that souls rising up to be burned in the Sky of Pyres are empowered by it and given a renewed will to live, and so those souls whose true potential is unlocked by these fires of life and ambition can resist the rise and instead make for the Seal. If they reach it, they are granted the opportunity to struggle for life anew and glory on Galbar.

While Seihdhara's natural passion, optimism, and liveliness are an important factor in bringing about these potent positive energies, they are in no small way bolstered by the Horizon Grotto and Heliopolis. The blood-red and fiery light of these two meets and mixes with the flame-orange of the Seal in a crimson celestial dance and embrace that leaves all on Galbar awed and humbled by the glory of the gods. Along with Seihdhara's natural energy and life that pervades her Sphere, the influence of blood seeping from the Horizon Grotto into the clay of the Seal adds an additional adrenaline and fire in the belly of those in Seihdhara's Sphere, and causes the plants and creatures of the Seal to be more aggressive in their competition. The influence of the Heliopolis - seeping in on brilliant rays that bathe all things - likewise drives those who come to the Seal to seek out their full potential. All things come together in the Seal to drive those who have come before the goddess of Martial Combat towards nothing less than excellence and martial glory.

These energies gathered in one place undoubtedly exude an immense amount of energy, and this can be felt across the Celestial coil. Thus warmth, optimism, vigour, life, and other energies that are so characteristic of the indefatigably joyous Seihdhara seep into Veradax and the So'E from the Seal, a constant call and reminder that a sister who floats in constant life and joy ever holds her hand extended to her grieving or hollow siblings - Let us cry together, and laugh together, and let us feel together. The hopelessness and misery present in these two Spheres also affect those in the Seal, and that great vacuousness and inexplicable misery which seek to force failure and entropy on all things is yet another challenge that all must face in the Seal, that they may rise anew and be made truly glorious.

A path beaten into hardened mud leads from the entrance of the Seal to its centre, where there stands a stone circle. Within said circle is an oak grove, at the centre of which is a particularly majestic oak tree with leaves of burning flame. Cinder and ash fall from it and are carried for a short distance before settling on the warm earth within the circle from which grows grass tall and red. When cut or removed from the earth the grassblades harden tremendously.

The mud path leaves the stone circle in three diverging directions. One carries on straight, another sharply to the left and the last sharply to the right. Each ends by turning in on itself in a wide circle with a diameter of 12 metres. They are proving circles. Those who find themselves in the Seal may boldly step within and face the fury that will break or perfect them. To complete all three circles is to earn Seihdhara's favour and means one may enter the great stone circle and take a crimson grassblade. These blades shine with a divine light. With it at hand one may return to Galbar having earned an unquestionable station of glory or ascend into the Great Dark and conquer the final frontier of the great unknown, the great vacancy: fear itself. The goddess Melantha can expect a constant stream of determined seekers of martial glory to make her Crowning Jewel a place of pilgrimage, that the glorious fires of Seihdhara may shine where nothing else in creation may!

_{P O R T F O L I O}

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Martial Combat

Wars come in different forms and sizes, from military hostilities to economic warfare to political manoeuvrings between factions and individuals, and beyond. Ultimately, however, it is a state of hostile competition between different groups. It is a method of repelling some people by means of others, and for Seihdhara it is a legitimate (sometimes the only) way to prevent and combat injustice. Every social bond manifests war, different forms of communication showcase subtle violence and force. Wherever there is resistance, however small or subtle, it is only in reaction to force or violence coming from elsewhere. This force does not have to be physical, even words that seek to pressure a person into carrying out certain actions are a form of force and violence. Hostile competition saturates everything, it is not an evil or a sign of failure or entropy, but is simply the way all things are from the basic building blocks of the world to the gods themselves. All things are in competition, all things are at war - it is not a sign of entropy, decay, or moral collapse, but of life marching ever onward and upward and of metaphysical ideals and forces struggling for ascendancy.
Seihdhara's focus is primarily on this hostile competition when it manifests itself in displays of physical force and physical violence. Any war of this nature will require individuals with a certain level of martial skill to engage in combat so as to attain victory. Martial Combat thus lies at the heart of military warfare, and it is this that Seihdhara seeks to teach and cultivate. Martial Combat includes armed and unarmed forms of combat, as well as the base bodily strength and health required for optimal performance. Moreover, for Seihdhara Martial Combat does not only involve the skills necessary to defeat opponents, it also involves principles of how such skill is to be used, against whom, and under what conditions. While not fussed by arbitrary notions like honour, Seihdhara does look with approval upon clemency and the quest to prove one's martial prowess in glorious one-on-one combat, blow-for-blow.

_{A B I L I T I E S O F N O T E}

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• Absolute Combat: Seihdhara has achieved the highest level of combat proficiency (armed and unarmed) and is capable of performing exceptional martial feats even for a god. This is a passive ability but can be further enhanced with Might during combat situations.
• Involuntary Shapeshifting: Seihdhara's association with bears is not purely aesthetic. When pushed to her limit or when in grave danger of perishing, the bear that lies dormant within her emerges and lashes out indiscriminately. This consciousness within her is not a separate entity or soul, but is part and parcel of Seihdhara herself, the manifestation of Martial Combat in its pristine, primal form. Perhaps as a reflection of Seihdhara's deeply-rooted principles regarding self-defence and repelling harm, this form only emerges to preserve her life and only exists for the briefest moment so as to repel the danger with force before escaping.
  
  The Primal Visage

  

_{P E R S O N A L I T Y}

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Headstrong, Independent, Stubborn, Kind, Sensitive, Sincere, Honest, Loyal, Loving, Friendly, Caring, Impulsive, Protective, Athletic, Headstrong, Charismatic, Considerate, Assertive, Spirited, Polyamorous, Impatient, Passionate, Merciful, Sympathetic, Open-Minded, Unpunctual, Sensuous, Temperamental, Sentimental, Forceful, somewhat Volatile, Curious, Self-Reliant, Cheerful, Intuitive, Energetic, Forgiving, Individualistic, Courageous, Trusting, Petty, Incurably Joyous, Fearless, Competitive, Optimistic, Warm, Dominating, Emotional, Lively, Altruistic, Rebellious, Adventurous, Romantic, Benevolent, Astute, Disorganised.

In her natural and relaxed state, Seihdhara lives absolutely in the moment, utterly full of joy and life. In that sense, she is more of a force than a living being, bringing her searing aura of good cheer and the fullness of life wherever she dashes. Her actions may appear to onlookers as random and in-the-moment. Such an observation is not far from the mark. The goddess enjoys a good laugh - has a good sense of humour, if she says so herself. A light-hearted story with plenty of jokes is right up her alley and is sure to garner both approval and appreciatve laughs from her. Stories she tells may not necessarily be funny, and perhaps those she laughs at are not humorous enough to warrant such a reaction, but Seihdhara actively seeks joy and will use any excuse to be joyful and cause joy. Despite some of her terminological idiosyncrasies, Seihdhara is for the most-part articulate, even if that does not translate into prose poetry. She is expressive and can be charismatic, though her quick smile and ready laugh swiftly do away with any impression of distant genius or esoteric mystery. She is unafraid of exposure in that regard.

When angry or irritated, Seihdhara is quick to slap or strike the cause of her irritation. Depending on how irritating or infuriating the cause is, this can vary from a playful tap to a more punishing strike. Completely aware of her power relative to other beings, it is highly unlikely for her to do more or less harm to a target than she intends.
Seihdhara is not vengeful, however, and will swiftly forget minor offences - but she does not see a reason to hide how she is feeling, and that can mean she may over-react to minor things in the moment only to return to her friendly and excitable self some time later. Despite seeing no reason to hide how she is feeling about anything in particular, Seidhara is sensitive to the emotions of others and will regulate her own words and actions as appropriate. She also takes on the emotions of others rather easily - thus when speaking with a perosn who is happy she will reflect that happiness, likewise with one who is sad, and numerous other emotions.
While she may yell or strike out when angry, her anger dissipates as quickly as it arises. She is not prone to retreating into herself or being sombre for long periods. This is much the case with all her emotions - she feels intensely in the moment and has no qualms sharing that with whoever is available (whether joy, misery, melodramatic crying session, anger, or whatever else). This willingness to expose her emotions does not come from a place of weakness. It emerges from the conviction that, ultimately, unveiling these emotions so honestly does her and those around her a degree of good and that in any case no one can truly use them against her - anyone who thinks they can will quickly come to realise that she can deal with them quite efficiently. She is, after all, an apex predator; she harms and is not harmed, protects and has no need for protection, renders kindness and asks none for it, frees and can never herself be unfree. She glories in her unrestrained martial prowess and views with approval all those who seek glory by bringing their body to the zenith of martial might.

Though gods usually do not - or even, cannot - sleep, Seihdhara chooses to. Sleep comes easy to her, and she will sleep for long hours on end in comfort. Being a goddess, she can awaken instantaneously and be alert if the need arises, though when there is no such danger force of habit makes her slow to awaken and more petty than usual in the half-hour or so after she has risen. She does not like sleeping alone and will tend to find something to hug - a rock, some animal, a sentient mortal, or some nearby god; Seihdhara does not discriminate when it comes to these things.

In the same way, Seihdhara is a big eater despite gods having no need for any kind of sustenance. She doesn't much care about what exactly she is eating and will appreciatively gulp down just about anything placed before her. She is also something of a compulsive gambler, which is no issue given her divine nature - it is pretty much cheating (though it may well become an issue with a fiend like Chopstick Eyes on the loose!) As a point of principle when it comes to these matters, she only swindles swindlers - they deserve it!

_{O T H E R}

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'Red-haired Folk', as they are known, are those born with red hair or fur, or whose hair or fur abruptly or gradually turns red. Such folk, it is generally known, are favoured by Seihdhara and are marked out from their earliest days as future warriors of renown. Likewise, all Heroes of Seihdhara are red-haired, and those who join any Order dedicated to her can expect for their hair - if it is not already - to become red.

_{M U S I C P I E C E}

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_{C O D E W O R D}

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Seihdhara has been in the tropic region before, but even the monsoons couldn't put out her hair.