Project Long-Term

[JMDavis ((Silver))]

(( Because of the, basic, death of the AWR project. I'm going to be moving the races I created in the old one over to this new project I'll be working on.

The page is being adjusted, cultures are going to come after the Laws and Orders of Magic. ))

All names below are in the common tongue of men.

Known kingdoms of men:
Northpeak
Tiir'anbuul
Kairos
Allford
Helheim

Known dwarf holds:
High Home
Forge Mouth
Chasm Deeps
Iron Cavern
Gold Mount
Silver Den
Shale Pointe
Miner's Heart
Steel Hearth
Cairn Peak

Known elf kingdoms(Val'leer):
Dawn's Glory

Known elf kingdoms(Vash'ran):
Spite's Hollow

Magdor and Beast tribe holdings:
Change too often to be documented; longest known holding being Ba-rof's Bane that lasted four months.

(( More will come tomorrow after History homework, we're going to start off with Northpeak! ))

[JMDavis ((Silver))]

Aug 30, 2010 2:28:23 GMT -5 @theredbaron said:

"Long-term projects" never turn out to be so. I suggest you don't jinx it. Or think about it.

Comma is unnessecary after the word basic you got in the first sentence. That destroys your credibility.

*Bashes Walder repeatedly*

Hush.

[JMDavis ((Silver))]

The Orders and Laws of Magic:

The Laws of Magic:

1. Magic of a certain Prime Order cannot mix with other magic of a Prime Order.
2. One cannot 'learn' magic, one can only hone their natural gift for magic.
3. One born with a natural gift can have it extend to hone their ability to encompass a second magic from their Prime Order.
4. Magic is limited, exhaust yourself in a day and you cannot get up for a week.

Four Prime Orders of Magic:

Death Magic - The darkest of the four Orders. Those who practice under the Order of Death magic are able to generate powerful spells at the cost of the burgeoning life around them, and eventually themselves. Practitioners of Death magic are considered the ultimate magical assassins, working with the energies of Shadow and Time.

Unnatural Magic - Though it is only slightly better than Death magic, Unnatural magic does not draw off the life force of the user or the land around them. But, there is a draw back to using Unnatural magic; too much Unnatural magic will cause someone to be exhausted quicker than if they used Natural magic, making their time on a field of battle be shorter than one who just used the Natural energies. Practitioners of Unnatural magic switch between it and Natural magic easily enough. Unnatural magic can give new properties to the energies that fall under it's sway, these being: Earth, Fire, Wind, Water and Metal.

Natural Magic - Better than the first two Orders, Natural magic is almost exactly the same as Unnatural magic, except it cannot effect the energies that fall under its sway in any other way than they appear in nature. The energies that fall under it are: Earth, Fire, Wind, Water and Metal.

Life Magic - The lightest of the four Orders. Those who practice under the Order of Life magic are few and far between, they are able to generate powerful spells of mending, and allow for life to grow and prosper whenever it is used. Practitioners of Life magic are the only known magical healers, they work with the energies of Light and Time.

Eight Minor Orders of Magic:

Time Magic - Only those who do not know how to use Time magic properly would consider it useless. Though it's applications are few in number, it is a powerful force that few are born with. Able to age a person forward into death, able to revert a wound enough to allow someone to live, or at least live long enough for proper healing or a proper good bye. A practitioner of Time magic must be physically touching the object he or she wishes to effect. When fused with Shadow magic it has the ability to instill life into the dead, this is an illegal act of sorcery known as Necromancy. When fused with Light magic it can almost completely heal a person, making a mortal wound no more than a minor one.

Shadow Magic - A sinister form of magic, Shadow magic and its practitioners are cast in an evil light. The general applications of Shadow magic, when used in battle, are making constricting tentacles, slicing blades, or grasping arms from the surrounding darkness.

Light Magic - Considered to be a pure form of magic, Light magic and its practitioners are thought of as saviors by most people. Though it has no battle forms, it can be used to rejuvenate, to mend and to cure. It has some minor defensive capabilities as well, though no offensive.

Fire Magic - In its natural form, it can be doused by water or sand easily enough. In its unnatural form, it can only be tamed by unnatural energies.

Earth Magic - The natural and unnatural forms of this do not have much to distinguish them. Unnatural versions of this can be used to augment the body in different ways, both defensive and offensive.

Wind Magic - In its natural form it can only appear as gusts and strong winds, but in its unnatural form it can be shaped into bolts of vicious lightning or blades of wind.

Water Magic - The natural and unnatural forms of this do not have much to distinguish themselves. Both versions can be shaped into ice and snow.

Metal Magic - The unnatural form of this is molten metal, otherwise it can be used much in the same way as Earth magic and increase the offensive and defensive capabilities of the user.

Primary and Secondary Magic:

Primary magic is the energy you have the most aptitude for, once one has finished learning their Primary magic they can move on to learning a Secondary magic alongside the Primary. A fusion of their Primary and Secondary magic will have interesting outcomes depending on the two fused.

For example: If Wind and Water magic are fused, the mage will be able to create great storms to mire foes and control bursts of lightning to strike into the enemy lines.

The Secondary magic is never as strong as the Primary, and fusing both will only lead to the Unnatural, if they come from that Order of magic.

Divine Magic:

In a class all of its own, Divine magic is gifted by the gods and the extent of the abilities is, altogether, unknown. Some do have minor healing abilities, even smaller than those of the Order of Life Magic. Others can turn into animals, or have a deeper connection with them.

A few are even able to call upon the Divine Wrath of their God to hinder or destroy their foes.

[JMDavis ((Silver))]

Northpeak:

In my travels across the length and breadth of this land of ours, it is the people of Northpeak, and their lands, who are a true throwback to our ancient roots. Only two roads are paved in their lands, both of these directly linked to the capital with only a few villages and towns between. One would hardly think one was walking through civilized lands, for all around the great trees rise to challenge the sky, and the denizens of this shrouded wood walk alongside humans with nothing to fear.

Seeing most of the villagers and townsfolk outside of the capital, in their simple clothing, were indeed similar to other townships throughout the lands, the only difference being that these people also seemed more inclined to barter with goods than trade with any minted currency. Out in the wilds, though, that didn't seem to be too out of the ordinary. Little did I know, this austere decoration and practice of trading goods would continue even within the capital!

Behind the risen walls of Kaltheim, I found the only gold to be emblazoned upon decorations etched upon the weaponry. Even then, it was to a simple degree, and did not appear to have been done for ceremonial weapons. No, all the weapons worn by the people here looked like they would serve well in combat or a celebration. But surely, I thought, this must just be the commoners and guards! The king and his knights will be ornamented and regal!

Gaining entrance to the castle, more of a fortress, was easy enough. Passing through the inner wall of the fortress, I was treated to a rather amusing sight. These hulking warriors in shaggy furs and hides, with only thick breastplates, fighting one another with practice swords, and cloth-bound axes and maces. Asking my guide who these berserkers were, I was treated to find out that these were none other than the Knights of the Four Winds. The elite warriors and wardens of the king.

I could barely contain my look of surprise as I was lead along, past the practice fields and into the throne room of King Gremsson. Even then, his audience chambers resembled the great halls of the old chieftains, with roaring fires in the center that fed their black smoke into the chimneys, two boars that would have made a pony look small turning on spits by four servants. Two more servants stood by each roasting beast to carve off thick slices of the meat, loading two plates with the meat while others hurried along to place down dark brown potatoes.

The plates were meant for the king and I, whose appearance was the final shock of the journey, but that was quashed by the presence the man commanded. Undoubtedly well into his sixties, the northern king was still built like a bear. Stern, ice chips of eyes glowered beneath thick brows of flint. A smile stretched his countenance, revealing teeth gone yellow or missing entirely.

That gap-toothed grin was complimented by a great laugh that echoed throughout the room. But the true shock of his appearance was, to my eyes, the lack of a crown or garments of state. Only when I sat beside the large king, and listened to him speak around mouthfuls of pork and potato did I notice the four spires on his helm. This was no king of court and words, this was a king whose place was on the field of battle. This was a glimpse into the past of the chieftains of old, charging into the fray alongside their vassals and scattering their enemies before them.

Of all my travels, Northpeak stuck out the most to me... I just wish I had had time to visit their temples!

My Travels,
By Herman Montague

Flag, Symbol, Emblem:
A long, square, piece of cloth representing one of the fierce bears of Northpeak in the foreground, over a half-sun and moon.

Language:
In addition to Common, the people of Northpeak also speak a guttural language known as Nurtarn, a harsh language of growling consonants and loud bellows.

Geography & Climate:
Northpeak is a combination of forest and mountainous. The smallest of the trees in the Dimwald are wide enough around that four men can stretch their arms as far as they can go, with their hands linked, and barely reach the other side.

Four rivers pass through Northpeak, combining into two of the larger flows further south. The Grunbrook, Cairn River, Glacier Flow and Blaumelt are the four rivers, all freezing over to barely a trickle in the Winter, and being known to flood past their banks in the summer.

The climate of Northpeak doesn't shift overly much, the spring and summer are just warm enough to allow for potatoes, wheat, corn, apples, hops and barley to grow. Throughout the middle of the fall and the winter snow blankets the ground and drops to almost fatal temperatures.

Flora & Fauna:
Besides the large trees, only a few hardy, wild berry bushes and nut giving trees grow.

The fauna are also just as few, besides the domesticated herd animals brought from the south, large elks and bison roam through the forests. The lumbering beasts picking at fallen leaves, berry bushes, and the few plots of grass.

Besides these are large predators, the massive Schwarz Bears are at the top of this list. Standing as tall as four men on their shoulders, and as wide across as two men at the shoulders. The great bulk of the beasts is a combination of fat and muscle, it is rumored that these brutes are even able to break through the smaller of the great trees in one of their maddened rushes.

Directly after the massive bears are the Winter Wolves. Beasts both feared and, in the northernmost parts, worshiped by the northerners. The wolves would make a good sized mount, if one was of the mind to try and break in one of the monstrous wolves. The brutes shed their fur each season, their coat changing to better blend in with their surroundings. In the winter, they are the worst, their coats as white as fresh snow. Only when their eyes open are they given away in the thick drifts.

Food & Resources:
Most of the dishes in the north consist of meat, potatoes and bread. Breakfasts are primarily a combination of the above mixed with cornmeal, berries or nuts. Apples are generally used to flavor the cornmeal if something sweet is wanted.

Northpeak's primary, and arguably only real resource, comes from their quarries and mines. Copper, tin, iron, gold and silver mines dot the mountainous landscape. Great quarries have been dug into the rock to haul out granite. From these they export large blocks of stone, and crates full of metallic bars or weaponry.

A minor trade resource is the thick furs of the wild animals that roam about.

Major/Capital City:
Kaltheim

Other Cities:
Dhorheim, Wodan's Way, Loakir's Bosom, Frayas' Climb

All Towns:
Bear Lodge, Wolf's Retreat, Hunting Home, Winter's Breath, Schwarzwald, Eisheim, miscellaneous hunting lodges

Magic:
Most practitioners of magic are priests or the Templars, mystics and magicians are primarily mistrusted by the population at large. There are a few witches who live in remote locations throughout the woods, and rumours abound that these practitioners are more attuned to the world than even the priests and Templars, able to take the shape of the beasts of Northpeak, and even other animals.

Government Type:
Monarchy

Crime & Law:
Crime is at a minimum. Murders rarely do happen and the price for cold-blooded killing is death.

Any thievery is met with the removal of one hand.

The most common crime committed is adultery, and in these cases it is up to the family to decide how the offenders should be treated.

Professions:
Mercenaries, assassins, hunters, miners, blacksmiths, tanners, taxidermists, furriers, bakers.

Trade, Currency, Economy:
Within the communities, most trade between Northpeakers is bartering, trading goods for goods or services for good. Because they only buy a few imported goods, and export most of their own, they have gotten stockpiles of coin to be used if they ever need to.

Market:
Exported - Minerals, furs, weapons, armor, and ale.

Imported - Larger variety of vegetables and fruits, sugar, spices, herbal medicines.

Organizations:
Templars of the Frigid Blast, Templars of the Western Gale, Templars of the Eastern Breeze, Templars of the Burning Gust, Knights of the Bear, Wolf Knights, Knights of the Sun, Knights of the Moon, Priesthood of Soraya, Priesthood of Mont, Cult of the Young Mother, Cult of the Mystic Gypsy, Cult of the High Huntsman, Cult of the Aged Father.

Celebrations & Events:
The Gypsy’s Dance. Celebrated throughout the entire summer, it marks the fact that Northpeak still stands and its people are still unified.

The mark of passage into adulthood for boys and girls is also a time celebrated by the family and town, and sometimes even the city.

The death of a warrior is celebrated, though it is a somber event.

Education:
Very few know how to write, primarily merchants. Other than that, all are taught how to fight with weapons and learn their future trade alongside of this teaching.

Social Class Structure:
The king is at the top, followed by the knightly orders, the clergy, and then everyone else.

Population: 450,000

Calendar:
The Calendar is divided into the four seasons, the end of winter marking the beginning of the new year. Families only keep track of how many seasons their children have lived, and only celebrate their passage into adulthood during the same season of their birth on their fifteenth year.

Mounts & pets:
Horses are the common mounts, though the Wolf Knights and Templars of the Frigid North have been known to ride the savage Winter Wolves.

Dogs are generally the common pets, though dog is a loose term. Most of these animals are brought in from the southern forests and look more like wolves, albeit well trained ones.

Technology & Medicine:
Because of their close relations to the dwarves, the Northpeakers have access to rifles and three shot pistols. They have also learned how to power forges and granaries.

Though most of their medicinal herbs are imported, all of their knowledge on creating medicines comes from both the clergy and the outlying witches. Both of them proving to create powerful potions to alleviate the worst symptoms of debilitating illnesses.

Subcultures:
There is a growing subculture of northerners who want to act more like their neighbors to the south.

Military:
The military of Northpeak is primarily infantry, there are a few archers and gunmen, but the largest blocks are foot soldiers, with the knightly orders and Templars swelling the ranks with a few cavalry units.

Weapons & Armor:
The primary weaponry of the infantry are pikes and halberds, with long swords, bastard swords, hand axes, maces and flails being the secondary weapons to both of these, the secondary weapon is generally paired with a shield.

The knightly orders use a combination of two handed flails, maces, axes and swords.

The Templars generally carry large warhammers.

The armor is standard throughout the three divisions, an iron or bronze breastplate with thick leathers and furs to supplement the rest of the armoring. This is changed in the Templars who choose to wear simple robes beneath their minimal armoring.

Homes:
Within the city, houses are half-timbered. In the towns, villages and lodges, all are completely wooden. Only a few places having half-timbered buildings.

Architecture:
All the buildings are simple and squat, and all are planned building, creating routes that can be blocked off and allow for defenders to plan how they'd face any invaders.

Clothing:
Homespun would be the general term credited to their clothing, imported dyes help to brighten some clothing, but nothing is extravagant or decorative. All the clothing is made to either provide insulation during the fall and winter, or breathability during the spring and summer.

Arts & Literature:
Epic ballads are the most common arts practiced, all are about great deeds performed by knights or Templars, kings’ present or past, or great heroes who are long in the ground.

Entertainment:
Fights between warriors, pitting captured Schwarz Bears against packs of Winter Wolves, or even having warriors take on the fierce beasts are the common entertainment for all. Any warrior who falls against the large animals is assured a place in the home of Mont.

Significant People:
Magnus Bearslayer, the legendary figure who settled Northpeak after slaying the largest of the Schwarz Bears that has ever been seen to this day.

Grand Templar Markus Windcaller, the first Grand Templar and the man who stood alone against a tribe of Magdor, dying when he fell in single combat against their chieftain after slaughtering three-quarters of the tribe.

The Crone, a figure shrouded in myth and said to live to this day. She is a witch of some power and by all accounts influenced Magnus to come to Northpeak and unite the scattered tribes within the lands.

Brief Timeline:
Uniting of the tribes, the day the Crone came to the chieftain Magnus and told him it was his destiny to unite the tribes of these lands and carve for himself a kingdom from the bare rock of the mountains.

Founding of Northpeak, the day when Magnus slew the great bear and founded Kaltheim, and the kingdom of Northpeak.

War of the Wastes, two thousand years after the founding of Northpeak, a large tribe of Magdor lead by the chieftain Urfeng was beaten off by a combined effort of Northpeak and the hold of High Home.

War of the Four Winds, five hundred years after the War of the Wastes a large civil war gripped the lands.

Reuniting the Land, the civil war finally ended after two decades of strife with no obvious winner.

Relations with other Cultures:
Friendly with the dwarves, the people of Kairos and Allford. Mistrustful of the Val'leer elves, the people of Tiir'anbuul and those of Helheim.

Enemies of the Vash'ran elves, Magdor and beast tribes.

Religion:
The religion of Northpeak revolves around ten gods. Though only nine are celebrated at a time. Though the religion of these people is shared equally between men and women, only men may serve Wodan and Dhor and only women may serve Lokair and Frayas.

Over-deities -
Soraya is the Sun, she is celebrated as a maternal figure. Though she is also seen as a goddess of war and battle, a goddess of courage and honor. Warriors and mothers pay homage to her.
Mont is the Moon, he is seen as a paternal figure. He rules over the realm of sleep, dreams and dark deeds. Assassins and thieves praise him, for he is abound when their trade is taking place.

War gods -
Wodan, the god of the North wind. He is worshiped in the northernmost reaches of Northpeak, bordering the wastes. Here, the Templars of the Frigid Blast can commonly be seen locked in fierce combat with the beast tribes of the Wastes.

Dhor, the god of the West wind. He is worshiped on the lands bordering Allford. Here, the Templars of the Western Gale are seen as ever present watchers of grim silence.

Lokair, goddess of the East wind. She is worshiped on the lands bordering the Val'leer elves. The Templars of the Eastern Breeze can commonly be seen wandering around to offer blessings to travelers and citizens alike.

Frayas, goddess of the Southern wind. She is worshiped on the southernmost lands, close to the imperialistic Helheim. The Templars of the Burning Gust offer grim blessings to the citizens, and wary silence to outsiders.

Seasonal Gods -
The Young Mother, goddess of birth and youth. She is celebrated through the dregs of winter and the beginning of summer. Many offerings are placed for good soil and weather for planting, as well as good births for the few herds they keep.

The Mystic Gypsy, goddess of celebrations and market days. She is celebrated through the end of spring to the beginning of the fall. Her offerings are revelers, when entire cities and towns gather together to celebrate and dance, for young love to blossom and for families to come together. This is also the time when merchants from the four corners come together from all around to trade and sell wares.

The High Huntsman, god of the hunt and harvest. He is celebrated from the end of summer to the beginning of winter. Offerings heaped on his wilderness altars are the hearts of slain animals, both herd and wild, and crops that families can spare. He is also the god of introspection, where cities, towns and families look inward.

The Aged Father, god of death and rebirth. His celebration is grim silence, only one aspect of him is primarily celebrated during the winter and that is rebirth. His other aspect is honored throughout, offerings given to his priests in a way of assurance that the souls of the departed will pass to the realm of Mont, and not be held in the frigid realms of the Father.

Culture:
The men and women of Northpeak truly are a glimpse into the past. They do not believe in the extravagant ways of their neighbors, their only ornamentation being that of their weapons, and even then these decorations do not hinder the killing power of their arms.

Women and men within the culture are seen as equals, though not many women join into military service and not many men choose to remain at home to watch after children.

Since they are a blunt and simple folk, many take them to be barbarians, backwards, unintelligent or gullible. These accusations are entirely false, and more than one southerner has found their sharp tongue threatened by a sharp blade. Or a hard fist. To make an enemy of a warrior of Northpeak is to gain a great foe. But, to make an ally of one will see you with a powerful friend for life.

Because of their down-to-earth nature, Northpeak shares good relations with the Dwarf Holds.

[Matteo ((Taed))]

I'm curious, what can 'Natural' magic do that 'Unnatural' magic can't? Isn't all magic sort of unnatural? Like, I'm assuming that Natural Wind magic could do something like make a tornado, right? Because tornadoes exist naturally in nature. Only real tornadoes don't form spontaneously wherever you want them, they rely on specific meteorological conditions, so a tornado spell is actually quite -unnatural-. But then what would Unnatural Wind magic look like? How unnatural is Unnatural?

[JMDavis ((Silver))]

Sept 1, 2010 12:47:10 GMT -5 Matteo ((Taed)) said:

I'm curious, what can 'Natural' magic do that 'Unnatural' magic can't? Isn't all magic sort of unnatural? Like, I'm assuming that Natural Wind magic could do something like make a tornado, right? Because tornadoes exist naturally in nature. Only real tornadoes don't form spontaneously wherever you want them, they rely on specific meteorological conditions, so a tornado spell is actually quite -unnatural-. But then what would Unnatural Wind magic look like? How unnatural is Unnatural?

Unnatural more means abilities that would fall in the sphere of that domain of magic that, in nature, wouldn't actually be formed by Wind. So the lightning example was a good one, though it isn't naturally formed by wind it would fall under the domain of Wind.

It also means that they aren't really affected by natural effects. So you could hurl a fireball underwater, if it was Unnatural, and it won't go out.

The Natural half is more limited than the Unnatural half. To go along with what you mention on tornadoes, a practitioner of Wind magic can shape a tornado, but when shaped with Natural magic there wouldn't be any control over it than the Unnatural half. Right now, I'm seeing Natural magic being used for more mundane purposes, like lighting a fire in a fire place, for example, considering you will eventually want it to gutter out and die without having to employ a second sphere of magic to extinguish it.

[Matteo ((Taed))]

It just seems like Unnatural should have some kind of drawback if it can do everything Natural can do and more. Why would anyone bother with Natural at all? Is it easier to learn? Natural magic seems like a Wiccan standing up against Unnatural magic's Szass Tam.

[JMDavis ((Silver))]

Sept 1, 2010 13:31:04 GMT -5 Matteo ((Taed)) said:

It just seems like Unnatural should have some kind of drawback if it can do everything Natural can do and more. Why would anyone bother with Natural at all? Is it easier to learn? Natural magic seems like a Wiccan standing up against Unnatural magic's Szass Tam.

No matter how many times I see Szass Tam, I'm always awed by him...

And yeah, all of this took about a few days of thinking over, so there is still some fine tuning to be done.

[Matteo ((Taed))]

I was going to say 'Wiccan to Unnatural's Elminster', but Elminster's picture didn't look menacing enough. I settled for second best.

EDIT: Damn, now I want to do something involving Elminster. I need to wrap up my Eberron campaign and go back to Forgotten Realms.

[JMDavis ((Silver))]

Tiir'anbuul:

I wish I had been allowed to write of Tiir'anbuul, but just like Kairos and Helheim, the Council of Thirteen didn't allow me to copy down what I have witnessed!

Flag, Symbol, Emblem:
A brilliant red hand clutching a pair of blue lightning bolts and a half-lidded eye stitched in black is the emblem of Tiir'anbuul.

Language:
Common

Geography and Climate:
The land of Tiir'anbuul is completely flat. The only trees there being those grown by the mystics of the Order of Earth. The climate is always warm and sunny, and rain only falls when an order by the Council is passed.

Flora and Fauna:
Flowers with petals as white as fresh snow, with dark purple centers, twist and turn up from the ground. Each petal as large as a full grown man's chest. The plants are known as White Sirens, the gentle swaying even when their is no breeze, the heady aroma, both act as lures that allow for the Sirens to spring their trap. More than one animal has wandered too close to the grasping roots and bladed leaves to escape. Sirens are not native to Tiir'anbuul, but the magic of the magi has made them adjust.

Occasionally, the great trees of Northpeak can be seen, thick fruits dropping from their branches, an indication of the magical tampering done to some of the imported specimens.

Numerous herbs dot the landscape including Winter Thistle, which can help bring down dangerous fevers. Witch's Wart which is helpful in curing most natural forms of disease, including ones gathered from brothels. Just to name two.

The animals that dot the landscape are creatures who have been drawn by the magic that is unleashed. The Leeches are some of the worst, serpentine shapes that can cover the ground surprisingly fast, the creatures will latch onto a body with their four mouths and slowly begin to drain it of life and magical energy. A Leech that has recently eaten will give off a brilliant white glow, and the oily skin of it will change to being almost translucent.

The Tikky-Takky bird, the only know predator of Leeches is a... sight to be seen. The large bird stands a little over eight feet in height, it has an almost perfectly circular body with a long tail of brightly colored feathers. It has a wingspan of twenty-four feet. It's head is half the height of its round body, with eyes as large as saucers and a wild crest of multicolored feathers crowning its head. The long neck of the Tikky-Takky is similar to a vulture, though covered in pure white feathers, like the rest of its body, barring the tail and crest. When on the ground, the Tikky-Takky stands on talons that are five feet long and three feet wide. It has long, spindly, legs. All in all, the bird looks extremely odd, almost to the point of being comedic considering the odd running gait it uses to take off to flight.

The Rock Sloths are the final animal drawn to this place by magic, the stony-hide behemoths needing the residual energies given off to breathe easily. The energies also supply the White Sirens with so many nutrients as to have made them perfect for the Rock Sloth's diet. The grasping vines and slicing leaves are no much for the rock-like flesh of the large, slow-moving herbivores. The creatures are twelve feet long and five feet tall at the shoulder. The creatures are also twice as broad as a man at the shoulders.

Besides these unusual creatures there are also a multitude of rabbits and deer, as well as a few species of crows and songbirds.

Food and Resources:
Many enjoy imported foods, though the greater number of magi will eat the soft, tender flesh of the Rock Sloths, enjoy the head-sized eggs of the Tikky-Takky birds, or even the grilled bodies of the Leeches.

No real resources to speak of, excepting the plethora of herbs.

Major or Capital City:
Wizard Keep

Other Cities:
Flamewatch, Mystic's Maze

All Towns:
Brewerville, Kempton, Holloway, Helperbed, Magician's Center, Belmont's Mill, Time-Keeper's Terrace, Sorcerer's Grove, Winding Way, Watcher's Lake

Magic:
All of the Orders of Magic are permitted in Tiir'anbuul, only Necromancy is prohibited from being practiced freely, only under watchful eyes can it be practiced to certain extents.

Government Type:
Elected ruling council.

Crime and Law:
The only crimes that are forbidden is the murder of a teacher, the free practice of Necromancy, and the desecration of tomes whether it be errant marks that are -not- notes or the unwarranted removal of any from their library.

All of the above are dealt with harshly, only the latter of the three having having an allowance for lenience depending on the crime.

Professions:
Mercenaries, assassins, merchants, soldiers, farmers, hunters, scholars, apothecaries.

Trade, Currency and Economy:
Trade is primarily in texts being exported and other items being imported. The currency are are Copper Apprentices, Silver Mystics and Gold Wizards. Their economy primarily booms during times of war when they decide to take a side.

Market:
Export - Herbs, books, potions

Import - Grains, meats, beans, fruits, vegetables, minerals, inks, dyes, cloth.

Organizations:
The Council Guard, the Peoples' Guard, the Spell Guard, the Mystic's Guild, the Merchant's Guild, the Order of the Hourglass, the Order of Long Shadows, the Order of Burgeoning Light, the Order of Fresh Earth, the Order of Ignition, the Iron Order, the Order of Storms.

Celebrations and Events:
None.

Education:
All non-magical Tiirans have enough education to read and write, but otherwise are only taught their future profession.

Magical Tiirans have similar educations, though are also taught complex math, other languages, history, the sciences, the arts, and finally whatever Order of Magic they are going into.

Social Class Structure:
Council Members are the highest ranking citizens, beyond that the breakdown for the ranks and power of the magi are as follows:
Wizards, Sorcerer/Sorceress, Mystic, Magician, Acolyte, Apprentice.
Below Apprentices are the common soldiery (the People's Guard), the merchants and below both of those are the peasantry.

Population:
978,658, and growing.

Calendar:
The calendar is divided into eight months, each month is when one of the differing Orders is at the height of its powers. Each month is divided into an equal number of 40 days. This is the common calendar throughout the three central human kingdoms.

Mounts and Pets:
Common mounts are horses and Rock Sloths, some have managed to saddle and mount the Tikky-Takky bird, though these are primarily those of the Order of Storms, able to help the bird take flight. Self-powered flight is also popular amongst Wind Wizards.

Dogs, cats, toads, bats, owls and ravens are the common pets of both the non-magical and magical Tiirans.

Technology and Medicine:
Considered to be the leading kingdom on medicine, they were the first to come up with quarantining as well as many of the medicines commonly circulating through the five kingdoms of men. As for technology, they are only behind Helheim when it comes to warfare tech, but alchemical technology and medicinal technology is further than any kingdom currently, save maybe the dwarfs.

Subcultures:
There is a small subculture of Necromancers who are pushing for their practice to become a free one, arguing that if it were free to be practiced nothing terrible would come from it.

Military:
Their primary military forces are the Council Guard, the Peoples' Guard and the Spell Guard, including the militias that can be raised. Besides that, their primary strengths come from the numerous magic users in their ranks.

Weapons and Armor:
Weaponry includes swords, staffs, and shields.

Armor is generally full plate for the infantry, with only armored breastplates and helms for the magi.

Homes:
All homes are half-timbered houses.

Culture:
The culture of the Tiirans is centered first around scholarly advancement then upon everything else. Warfare is seen as a necessary part of life and a good source of income if they need it, for advancing their own state and pursuits.

For the non-scholars and non-magi, life is average enough, the primary focus is the family and then the state.

Religion and Spirituality:
Though it is not endorsed fully by the Council, the peasantry and non-magical Tiirans have embraced the ideals of pantheistic religion. Believing in a creation goddess and a destruction god. Neither is considered good nor evil, and both are worshiped in equal measure.

Sy-ree is the goddess, it is believed that in the beginning she and her brother did indeed have battle to find out who would rule what aspects of the world. Sy-ree won and took for herself the powers of creation, and forged the cold shell of the earth. When no life blossomed from it, she turned to her brother for help.

Say-aer agreed to help his sister, granted that she would share a portion of her power. With her powers melding with his, the powers of life were forged into the cold shell, causing the world to become green and water to form.

Architecture:
Most of the architecture that isn't handmade is a fusion of manpower and magic, giving birth to great trees that are hollow on the inside, homes of pure glass that is as strong as steel and tints itself against the light.

Clothing:
Almost all clothing is made of sumptuous silks. Mostly worn by the magi as either robes, or long overcoats. The peasantry does often dress the same, though some can more commonly be seen in linen cloth or breathable cotton.

Arts and Literature:
Literature is had in abundance, works discussing the sciences and history, or even works by bards and fantastical adventures.

As for the arts, they are in abundance and unlimited from plays and paintings to dance and music.

Entertainment:
Plays and symphonies are the primary form of entertainment.

Significant People and Works of the Day:
Bertolis the Red, the current presiding member over the Council of Thirteen.
A Thesis on the Nature of Leeches is the premiered work of the day, and discusses how Leeches are able to draw in and process the magic they drain into nutrients.

Brief Timeline:
Founding of Tiir'anbuul and the changing of it from a desert wasteland into a beautiful, grassy land by the first magi who were outcast from their ancient tribes.

The Founding War, fought between Helheim, Allford and Tiir'anbuul. It allowed for the Tiirans to fully separate from both Helheim alongside it's neighboring country of Allford.

The War of the Crown, a war had between the current ruling monarch of Tiir'anbuul and the future first Council of Thirteen. The thirteen rebels won out and deposed an absolute monarchy in favor of a council designed to check other members and act in the interests of the people.

The Councilor's War, a war between the Council of Thirteen after the presiding member of the council was slain and a new one could not be decided unanimously.

Relations w/ Other Cultures:
Share strained relations with Northpeak, Helheim and Kairos. Are good friends with the people of Allford and the Val'leer elves, and are rather indifferent when it comes to the dwarfs.