Information Archive - Do Not Post

Idona is perhaps the smallest recognized nation in the world. This is the fault of the Ayre who would rather go out and fight than stay home to proliferate the small provinces of their tiny peninsula nation. The land shows a surprising resilience to weather, and a small bounty of crops is harvested regularly. The ocean's bounties are also fished up to supply the small city by the sea. Due to Ayren tendencies however, there are far too many Ayre people to inhabit the relatively small country they call home. Instead, most spend their lives in campaigns, following their respective warlords for years and years. Resources of all kinds are traded for hired swordsmen and armies to do the bidding of whoever requests their services. Idona even lacks its own dedicated currency, simply borrowing those of other countries and valuing them based on the actual materials they are made of in most cases, and almost always traded for whatever goods the war-machine needs to keep turning. The only settlement worthy of mention shares it's name with the country, and serves as home to the nation's official leaders. In general, these figureheads are corrupt and only serve as a facade of central government. For the last 4 Ayre generations however, the Arrington family has brought a degree of stability to Idona, with hopes of establishing a more peaceful way of life for all of his people. He is loved by many, but a large portion of Ayre warlords would like to keep things as they used to be in the interest of personal gain.

Idona is a coastal nation with a relatively arid and generally flat environment. It's speculated that the mountain ranges of nearby Arbia catch most incoming moisture and storm systems, as only the most northern areas of Idona get regular rainfall. The coastline is mostly cliffside terrain, with the longitudinal center forming a gentle grade into a small coastline. Just north of this is the Black Coast, which was the first place blasting powder was discovered. The cliffside and much of the sand along this beach is dyed black from the explosive mineral. The mineral vein runs deep into Idona, and several mining installations run in a chain from the coast to the capital city, which sits a mere 20 miles from the ocean.

The city itself is home to all of Idona's government and official buildings, as well as government run farms, training camps, guild halls, and the royal fortress. Important buildings relevant to military operations are listed below:

Guild halls: These buildings are like outposts, forts, and encampments. Throughout the city and surrounding area, armies stage their units here, as well as recuperate during down time when they aren't on a campaign. Depending on it's size, guild halls can shelter several armies at once, although they normally house them in rotation, with one army leaving as another moves in. Jobs tailored to specific needs are sorted through guild halls and offered to armies that specialize in a particular type of work.

Action Reporting Office: Most contracts stipulate an action report after completion. Details regarding the job are given here and filed in a larger central repository to help train future units. It is in this way that Ayren captains stay well-informed of various battlefields and military practices of their adversaries, and are able to shape their armies to deal with specific threats dependent on the needs of their future missions.

Udanaut Library: The central information source for action reporting offices. This building holds decades of contemporary military knowledge, from foreign small unit tactics, to common weather conditions in far off lands. Anything reported from previous campaigns is relayed here. It is quite possibly the most important data source an Ayren captain can use. A constant effort is made to keep the books up to date, and a dedicated staff runs this effort 24 hours a day. Training doctrines for new warriors are based off of the information available here, although it is still primarily a captain's duty to teach from experience. The building is named for Captain Udanaut of Tiber, who was the first to start keeping detailed records of his exploits.

Idona has been around for about as long as Spire, although a massive loss in historical documents during the war with the Drenata keeps their complete origin story in mystery. As long as anyone can remember, they have been a people that thrived on warfare. Their only real relevant history starts after their war with the Drenata, marking a new age of valuing cohesion during times of need. Few events unrelated to perfecting their art of war make it into historical documentation.

Culture: Idonan Ayrens are most easily noted as mercenaries. They will fight for anything they believe is worth having. The actual government is officially a monarchy, but the true power lies with the various warlords and their mercenary armies. Any interests pursued by these warlords can be very bloody, and many conflicts have even pitted Ayrens against their own kin in the event that the opposing army hired a band of Ayren mercenaries to bolster their ranks. To a mercenary, this is part of the business and completely acceptable. This has also garnered a reputation for being sell-outs by other cultures and civilizations, whoring out their lives to fight anyone for anything. Such practices are seen as extreme by most, but useful to those in need of their nigh-unmatched combat prowess and flexibility. Skills and services not found among typical Ayrens are contracted to hired laborers who may or may not be Ayren themselves. Above all, buying and selling of the self is the Ayre way.

To facilitate the amorphous nature of an official-unofficial military life, children are commonly rotated through several families during their upbringing. This improves adaptability in young Ayrens, but conversely causes their people the be somewhat detached in nature. The benefits for making fit warriors are generally accepted to outweigh the social drawbacks outside of their own kind, and the practice shows no signs of stopping anytime soon.

Something the Ayre pride themselves in is their complete equality of gender. Males and females are treated as the same in all regards to matters where gender could have influence. Female Ayren warriors are not few and far between, and male Ayrens are seen laboring in professions generally accepted as feminine. This equal diversity adds to the overall flexibility and resilience of the people.

Ayrens appreciate and understand the need of secrecy for certain contracts. However, the actions must still be reported in order to facilitate growth and development of Ayren tactics. In these cases, the bare facts of engagement are detailed in the Action Reports, while specific people or entities are left out.

Physiology: Full blooded Ayrens are very rare. Because of their wide-spread deployment, many Ayrens end up settling down in their later years and abandoning the mercenary life for an enjoyable retirement, only to send their half-blooded children back to Idona to start the process over again. Anyone boasting to have Ayren blood is likely a warrior in some regard, but there is a glaring physical weakness associated with it. Ayrens have an inexplicable susceptibility to disease. As preposterous as it sounds, their immunities are weak, and any wide-spread illness is almost guaranteed to end the lives of many Ayrens. It is unknown how this weakness came about, as old lore used to suggest immunity against even the most deadly of diseases.

Right of Subjection: Markus of Barto was the first to conceive this now-common practice when his army was hired to start a coup (which ended up failing) in the Sretin provinces. Subjection is an agreement between Idona and the entity who takes out the contract. It states that any repercussions of Ayren military action are the contractors responsibility, and Idona is not to be held accountable for any actions taken by the captain in charge of the operation. It is in this way that a contractor can hire an Ayren army to take on large scale jobs without risking harm to Idona. Of course, this Right is only in an official capacity; it isn't uncommon to see revenge seekers ambushing Ayren armies.
Nowadays, most contracts require the Right of Subjection before they will be approved by a guild hall and released for perusal to Ayren captains. Contracts not bearing the Right of Subjection are almost always forbidden to accept, but a few slip through the cracks and make it to the hands of an ambitious captain.

Magic:Ayrens hold few things as 'unfair' or 'wrong', and magic is one of them. With no prowess or capability of their own, they generally scorn its use and have little time for Ayrens trying to take advantage of power beyond what is generally called 'natural science'. Magic nearly caused their extinction a mere 300 years ago, and it is widely accepted that magic is a corrupting force that only leads to the downfall of others.

After the breakdown of the war between the Drenata and Ayre, many of Idona's people began to follow the old ways of the Drenata. Such has become true for many Ayrens who spend long periods of time deployed in places abroad. No religion is necessarily looked down upon, nor is any officially taught among them. In their capital city, warfare schools only teach factual history, and encourage students to believe what they want.

Regarding 'warrior's blood':
A trait that most Ayrens boast is their renowned prowess for all things in warfare. While the majority of their technology has been traded to them over the ages, their vigor in battle is a notable trait that seems to follow them outside of the battlefield. This trait can be explained by science, not magic, acts of god/goddess, deity, or all otherwise.
The 'warrior's blood' isn't in their blood at all, although the trait is a powerful gene that follows bloodlines even when an individual's only Ayren ties are through grandparents or great grandparents.
What 'warrior's blood' truly is: Over-responsive adrenal glands in the body stimulate the 'fight or flight' response in individuals with this trait. It happens without warning, without outside stimuli, and have a 'snowball' effect when the individual engages in activities that would normally produce adrenaline. This 'snowball' effect means that when in battle, even more adrenaline is produced and any given individual will unknowingly suppress pain, positive emotions, and nearly every other sense that doesn't pertain to high amounts of physical activity.
Ayrens can grow restless and even violent under the most relaxed and serene conditions because of this. A liquefied solution of Flor has been shown to suppress the effect for Ayrens not active in fighting. Roles in society that would suffer from overactivity are often medicated with this solution. Serotonin (responsible for involuntary functions and a factor in emotional serenity) in an individual's brain is suppressed during this extended release of adrenaline, which caused unusual chemical imbalances for several generations, but has since gone away, and corrected by the aforementioned Flor medication.

What you are left with is a slightly pale skinned, lean, over-excitable person who has been trained for most of their life to fight. Typical Ayrens live shortened life spans because of this. In rare cases, some have died from complete self-produced adrenal flooding in the bloodstream, leading to cardiac arrest in the midst of battle.

Ayrens have no capacity for magic, but instead have a strong sense of ingenuity. Problems are solved with technology, trial and error, and perseverance. They can still be helped and harmed by the effects of magic, but to a slightly lesser degree than races more apt in its use.

The Sildari hail from the island continent of Irrihyánë, though they also occupy the lands known as Vatienne.

Äm
The features of this land, taken as one, speak together with the voice of balance. Here are found mountains, hills, fields, valleys, rivers, woods, forests, farms, towns, cities, and natural wonders. At one time it was Ander, or Mandor, home of the original Sildari--the same race of humans who, fleeing the zeal of the Thendári, went on to establish Vatienne, who in turn spawned Äm, a nation which has prospered for thirteen and a half centuries. An elemental culture, the people of Äm have set aside four locales as representations of the basic building blocks of the Material. For Earth, the high mountains from which spring its two most prominent rivers. For Water, the great lake north of those mountains. For Wind, the hollow valley in between, where the constant rush of air is strong indeed. For Fire, the eastern island, upon which rests an unrelenting volcano. The humans of Äm may keep to themselves, but the few outsiders allowed to enter their country will find no end to the variety and breathtaking wonder of this land.

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Vatienne
Endless, lush and verdant hills and plains of green grass with Olive and Cypress trees litter the ground. In its natural state, the geography of the country is outstandingly beautiful and even in wild state the forests and plains seem tame. To the natives, it was heaven… and the perfect place for the foundation of Vatienne.

Vatienne is composed of many small towns and cities, each having the monopoly of a certain merchandise (for example one trades mainly cotton, while another wheat, etc.), which in turn favors internal commerce and the country is thus, evidently, self-sufficent.

Towards the end of the Vatiennien peninsuela, on the shores of the river of Vaer lies the City of Vatienne. This massive city lays upon the highest hill of the country, over-looking a good part, if not the entirety of the western-section of the country and you can even see the ocean from the very top of the Great Cathedral.

The city of Vatienne is divided into three quarters.
The Slums, the Middle district and the Center.

The Slums and the Middle district are quite self-explanatory, and there is nothing special there.

The Slums are, what you would expect, full of criminals, illegal and/or poor immigrants, the mentally and/or criminally insane and alot of city guards. Basically, most of the citizens there are not real citizens and just decided to settle down in 'The Big City'. The Slums are an unnatural addition to the essential jewel that is the city of Vatienne, built by those 'fake' citizens. The Middle district is where the real city starts. It is where the lower-middle and higher-middle citizens live and have their daily routine. It is the economic and demographic center and heart of the city.

However, the Center is something special. The city itself is in the form of a sort of circle. The Outer Walls (separate the outside from the Slums) are imperfect(in circular shape, is what I mean) and the Middle Barriers (the Slums from the Middle) are somewhat, well, crumbling. The Great Muraille is what seperates the Middle from the enter of the city. The Great Muraille is just a glorified wall, covered with marble on the side of the Center, and simple stone on the side of the Middle. The wall, however, is tall and imposing. (30 meters high)

Now, there is the massive Central Road going from the main gates all the way to the Great Cathedral, which houses the Papus. The Central Road is, what it name suggests, a massive road, home to thousands of merchants, that traverses the entire city.

Once in the Center, the Central Road is suddenly marbled and, since it cuts completely to the other side of the city, halves the city in two. Everywhere in the city, this is of little importance, but in the Center, its of core importance. One side is the Governments side and the other it’s the Papus’s side.

Something else that is to take note of in the Center of Vatienne is the Prusse College. The Prusse College is a giant building that is more of a giant observatory with a lot of big classrooms and meeting rooms more than anything else. It is the intellectual center of Vatienne and it is where Priests train and are brought up, not to mention all of the upper-class intellectuals of Vatienne.

The Temple of the Sanctus Unus is also housed in Vatienne. Contrary to Vatiennien culture and customs, the temple is not some giant landmark, but more of a place of piety. It is where all of the priests are buried (The Papus’ being buried in the Grand Catehdral itself).
The temple is a large rectangle with a porch on every side, decorated with simple, whit columns. On the inside, it is just one large room with a plain white floor and the walls are equally plain. The only thing in the room is a pond in the middle of it all, with a fist sized golden globe floating in mid air.

Another area of the city that shows the ties of Vatienne with the Thendári. It is an entire section of the city devoted to the elves. The sector, called The Garden by the Vatienniens, was a gift to the elves in the sign of friendship between the two nations of ‘light’.
The Garden is simply littered with trees and elven gazebos and architectural marvels, built by some voluntary elven pilgrims. Dominating the little green circle of Vatienne is an elven castle that renders great homage to the pinnacle of elven architecture and is an important headquarters for the Paladins of the Thendári.

Towering over The Garden, however, is the Imperial palace and the Great Cathedral in the very heart of the city (the Great Cathedral being similar in shape St Peters Basilica… only larger and completely covered in white marble with a golden dome). A garden seperates the two. There lies a small whit white marble Gazebo, with carvings of Imperial Vatienne and Religious Vatienne, simulating the harmony between the two governing powers. The gazebo is also where the Emperor and the Papus have their official and … ‘unofficial’ meetings. Religious and Governmental buildings litter their respective sides.

Sildari History:
The Sildari first appeared on Irrihyánë, some couple thousand years ago, and forged the nation of Mandor. However, after many a millenia of living on the island with tense relations with the Thendari and eventually fled to Talonia, where they founded the nation of Vatienne. After many years of alienation of the Thendari, Vatienne and them finally made peace and their relations floruished. It did so until the point where Vatienne established a colony on Irrihyánë to symbolize its return home. That colony, however, eventually peacefully seceeded for Vatienne's Imperialistic clutches and formed the nation of Am.


Vatienne vs. the Mountains of Night
Illuria, the Kermugnan Sea



Very early in the histories of two peoples, explorers from Vatienne and the Mountains of Night landed on an island south of their respective homelands. The island of Illuria, as it was soon to be known as.

Illuria was found to be relatively large and simply exploding with rich mineral veins of gold, silver and diamond, among others. Due to the shape and sheer size of the island, the people of the Mountains of Night and Vatienne never met.

A couple hundred years after the start of the mining operations, the initial grounds owned by both Explorers League have been depleted. While moving in-land, they made a discovery a hundred times more interesting than a gold vein.

That of each others civilisations.

Though initially polite and friendly, seeing that no agreement could be made on territory concessions, relations quickly deteriorated.

The first Papus of Vatienne, Charles I and Morgarath arranged for a meeting to deal with this situation. The meeting was held in the middle of Illuria, neutral ground.

Once both leaders arrived at the defined meeting grounds, everyone was ordered to leave; leaving the two leaders alone and head-to-head.
The conclusion was disasterous.

Both leaders ended up throwing at each other the worst insults and it even led to the point where swords were drawn.

This fabled meeting has been made a legend by both peoples. Some say that it was the lord of the Mountains of Night that started the insults, others say that it was the Papus of Vatienne that ignited the conflict. The truth, however, has been lost throughout the ages. No one will ever know who started the conflict.
After the meeting and countless tries for the re-opening of dialogue, tensions mounted and finally exploded.

War was upon them.

Fierce navy battles were fought in the sea that separated the two nations and bloody ground battles of steel and magic were waged on Illuria itself.
In fact, on two occaisons of notice, the fight was brought to the very gates of the city of Vatienne. Another time, it was brought to the top of the Mountains of Night, but it always ended up in defeat for the attacker, being forced to retreat because of massive losses.

After 3 Great Wars (the First Great War composed mainly of naval warfare, the Second Great War ended up leading the armies of Morgarath to the gates of the city of Vatienne and the last, and arguably the bloodiest due to additional losses of Vatiennien forces due to dangerous terrain, to the Mountain tops of the Mountains of Night themselves.) and countless smaller wars, the two nations have finally ended the bigger part of the fighting.

Although Illuria is still subject to skirmishes and small-scale battles, war has been avoided... for now.

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In the wars of Illuria. The first war was a war of great naval battles. The second war saw the first march of the Currupted since the time of the Race Wars. Morgarath's army fought it's way to the gates of vatienne itself before they were thrown back.

The third war of Illuria saw an alliance between vatienne and the quendi push all the way to the Dark Tower itself. It was then that Morgarath himself descended from his tower and in a great battle destroyed the Papus of Vatienne and with his power managed to push back the armies. Despite the Mountains of night surviving the war they were weakened greatly and the last 2000 years have passed without more than little incidents from morgarath.

Äm

Twelve senators are chosen to represent the twelve major cities of Äm. These people could be from the lowliest of the low to the richest and most well-to-do Äm. In times of urgency,one Senator is chosen to become the dictator of Äm, but only serves as long as he is needed.

Since there is no set capital city in Äm, the Senators meet atop of Sunrise every month.

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Vatienne
Governing body:
Vatienne is a Republic but with a Head of State, the Papus, and the Head of Government, the Emperor.

Head of State:
The Papus is elected for life by the people of Vatienne. He is the spiritual and cultural leader of the country. He is the supreme ruler of the country, if you want a very simplified explanation. (See ‘Head of State’ in wikipedia)
The papus is the Supreme Leader of the church of Sanctus Unus, and he is, by consequence, the most powerful priest alive.
Papus Gregoire IX is currently in power, he is 84 of age.

Head of Gouvernment:
The Emperor is very much like a Prime Minister, and hence has a Parliamentary style of Government. Elections, normally, are held every 5 years. He is the leader of the government, as says the title. (See ‘Head of Government’ or ‘Prime Minister’ in wikipedia)
Emperor Claudius Fournier is currently in office, he is 76 of age.

Vatiennien Upbringing

Every child born in Vatienne has a choice to become what he chooses. His or her choice of direction will affect the necessary path. There is a basic education in the arts, mathematics, philosophy and military obligatory for every child for a minimum of 5 years (the first five years are free, you need an extra 7 of basic teachings to be ready to go into two of the three main buildings of learning) to make the total of Basic Training to 12 (completing it is called achieving your Seasons). The choice to continue is theirs. Peasants go on after those five years to live on their farms or markets, bourgeois or noble families go to the Prusse College to learn of philosophy, the Priests to the Cathedral and those who seek the military go to the Academie Imperiale Militaire de Vatienne (AIM). Soldiers can be recruited or join the army after only 5 years of the basic of the basics. It must be noted that, in Vatienne, riding a horse is comparable to riding a bike. Everyone can do it and has learnt it on way or another.

Prusse College

The Prusse College is a giant building that is more of a giant observatory with a lot of big classrooms and meeting rooms more than anything else. It teaches astronomy, astrology, psychology, philosophy, diplomacy, politics, etc. Those who graduate from the 4 years of studying usually go off to becoming high functionaries or Senators. Only those who have done their 12 years of basic training (and optionally the 5 years of teachings of the Cathedral and or AIM)

The Grand Cathedral

The Grand Cathedral is a place where those who aspire to become priests and who have completed their 12 years of basic teachings (and optionally the teachings of 4 years of the Prusse College and those of the AIM which are undetermined). They study for 5 years in which they learn of all the teachings and history of the pas Papus’ and of the Sanctus Unus. The students there also train to harness and master their natural magical abilities into that of the Light.

Academie Imperiale Militaire de Vatienne (Ecole Navale de Vatienne and College de l’Air de Vatienne)

Entry to AIM can, or cannot be, completed with the 12 years of basic training. If you have your Seasons done, you can apply to a desk job after exiting AIM or if you didn’t you immediately get sent into the field. You get assigned wherever you are needed. The AIM basic grunt training is 2 years (heavily reduced in times of war or whenever declared by the Emperor) and the training consists of hand to hand combat, survivability, basic navigation skills and basic bow manipulation. There is a choice to make, at any point during training, to join the Navy school or the Air College branches of the Vatiennien navy. The minimum age requirement is 16 years of age.

Äm
The people of Äm worship several spirits, but the most prominent would be Alos, the Lord of Light. The other spirits worshiped would include the Fire Lord, the Queen of Winds, the Earth Mother, the King of the Seas and the Highest.

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Vatienne
Religion of the Sanctus Unus, He who created everything. This is a religious state.
The Holy Lord is the one true God.
This god, or the High One, resides, according to legend in the Spirit Plane. There is debate among scholars that are his followers, pondering on whether the High One s, in fact, a conscience being, or something bigger than that.

Äm

In Progress

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Vatienne

Magical Powers - In Progress

The only men and women that are elgible to serve in the Sanctus Unus and become priest and, hopefully and eventually, Papus, are the ones that are born with innate magical abilities within them.
These children are taken away from their families and trained to morph their natural magical ability, deemed evil and heretical by the Papus, into that of light, worthy of the Sanctus Unus.
As of result, all magic-wielders of non-light proficiency are deemed heretics and are, for the most part, trialed and executed as heretics.
However, since every priest of the Sanctus Unus has received training in the magical field, the priests are, after the regular Imperial Army, a main peace-keeping force.

Vatiennien Military
Vatiennien military ranks/titles and Chain of Command:

•Maitre Generale - Field Marshal of the theatre, Captain-General of Vatienne (Black Cape with the Seal de La Grande Armee Imperiale de Vatienne on it)
•Maitre Generale des Chevaliers - Master of Cavalry, general (White Cape/Family Armory)
•Maitre Generale de l'Infanterie - Master of Infantry, general (Silver Cape/Family Armory)
•Capitaine Chevalier Federale - Captain of Cavalry Federates (Orange Cape/Family Armory)
•Commandant Brigadier - Brigadier, cavalry squadron commander, Captain of Vatienne (Red Cape/Family armory)
•Commandant du regiment - 'War-tribune', regimental commander, Colonel (Blue cape)
•Chevalier Corporale - Veteran knight, Corporal of Horse, Cornet (Purple Cape)
•Chevalier - Mounted soldier, knight (Orange-Brown Cape)
•Lieutenant Commandant - Company commander, Lieutenant (Green cape)
•Commandant - Platoon commander, Sergeant (Yellow cape)
•Corporale - Veteran, Corporal ( Dark Brown Cape)
•Infanterie reguliere - Full-trained regular soldier, Lance-corporal (No cape)
•Milice - Spearman, militiaman (No cape) (Used for town/city garrison, except for the city of Vatienne itself, where the they have a special elite guard all unto themselves)


Here are their area of command:
Name of commanding force - Number of Men - Commander - Additional Subordinate forces
Squad - 16 - Commandant --
Company - 96-256 - Lieutenant Commandant - 6-16 Squads
Regiment - 500-2000 - Commandant du Regiment - 2-5 Companies + Auxiliaries
Occupying Army - 10 000-25 000 - White or Silver Cape - 5+ Regiments, numerous companies
Army - 20 000-50 000 - White or Silver Cape - Captain-General of Vatienne
Theatre - 50 000+ - Maitre Generale - 2+ Hosts, or Host + Army + Auxiliaries

There are the military ranks, highest at the top, lowest at the bottom. Everything underlined are the high-officers.

The way the chain of command is fairly simple. All man (no women until the High Officer ranks) reports to their immediate and distant superior. Of course they have an immediate superior assigned to them (I.E A Milice reports to a commanding Commandant). A milice does not get orders by the regulars but they are still subject to extreme politeness and courtesy... officially at least, which is nearly never the case in real situations.


Armor and weapons:

Vatiennien Militia : They are lightly armored and has only the basic armor and weaponry. Although in the grand majority they wear a simply helmet and chainmail, their weapons may vary greatly, for they can be either spears, pikes, long swords, short swords or anything they can find useful. They have very good mobility but little defense in their chainmail armor. Uniform is obligated.

Regular Vatiennien Infantry: They have the basic spear, shield and long sword. The whole armor and weaponry is quite heavy, but gives them suitable protection in return for lack of massive mobility. However, if a soldier were to lose/drop their spear and shield, they would gain more agility and ease of movement while using their short sword. All soldiers have a knife on their right (or left, depending if lefty or righty) to serve as last resort, the short sword is sheathed where the knife is not. Although the uniform is not mandatory, it is very, very highly recommended by the Maitre General himself.

A Vatiennien officer: Once hitting the grade Commandant Brigadier, they have a choice of either bringing in their own, personal armor and weapons, or a slightly more polished and garnered armor, based on that of the standard soldier.

Vatiennien Imperial Guard: Elite guard based in the capital of Vatienne, the City of Vatienne. They are an elite breed of guard, charged with protecting the city, its political institutions, the Imperial Palace and the Emperor himself. Some times Squads or Companies of them will be sent to battle fields as use as highly-trained, inspirational shock troops. There is a high rivalry between them and the priests of the Order.

Recruitment:
Recruitment works very simply: Everything is voluntary in times of peace. The second the country is at war, the country’s vast population is called to arms in forced conscription.

Strategies:

Vatiennien military strategies are heavily similar to those of the ancient western imperial civilizations: The Greeks, The Empire of Macedonia and The Roman Empire. They of course cannot put to use some of the strategies used/suggested by those great ancient powers due to lack of situation/equipment, but the basics are mastered and certain branches perfected.

The Durake derive from the Islands of Triarch. These islands are primarily volcanoes with little vegetation, but dense in volcanic-dwelling beasts. Ash often clouds the air and soil, and the only real liveable areas of the islands is near the coast where sparse trees and vegetation grow along with the small wildlife. The plants are nearly all poisonous, and the animals have parts in there that are lethal if ingested. The islands are hard to look upon, let alone live on, and kill off those who are not accustomed to the ways of the climate. It takes a special build to survive on these islands, with the heavy mix of ash and poisonous clouds from toxic plants that are disrupted. Barren, destructive, ugly, and home to the Durake.

In Progress

First off, there is no civilization, period. Their numbers range in the low tens of thousands at best. They are more akin to a species than a race because of a lack of centralized government, land, or even territory. The only thing that could be classified as their own land, would have to be the volcanic Islands of Triarch. It is through these islands that their race as a whole is able to reproduce, and the loss of such a land would catastrophically change their way of life, and most likely wipe them out permanently. Each Durake is incredibly solitary, often one Durake not seeing another until the mating ritual, which happens every ten years.

During the mating ritual, which lasts anywhere between 2 to 4 months, every Durake returns unless they are dead, or their contracts forbids them from leaving. Once the mating is finished, the males all leave to further their own ambitions while a handful of the eldest woment remain to teach the new borns through the first five years of their life. there, they learn the fundementals of their life, named, and painted in tattoos that represent what the elder women will believe will help them through their life. It is very much a psychological interview, as the tattoos vary depending on your personality, fighting style, and fundementals. For example, a Durake which has been seen to be very angry, have a beserker fighting style, and cares for nothing but himself will be painted with tattoos that enhance his aggressiveness ten fold.

The women of the race tend to stay within their own continent, although they are far from the weaker sex. They can hold their own in a fight, and are often hired by hulking bruisers of men as hunters, assassins, or straight up fighters. The reason for the lack of absence from the continent is the high fatality rate from the men that leave the land mass. A little less than half the men that leave come back every ten years, and for a hardy race like the Durake, that number is incredibly high. The women typically invoke tattoos of the self-improvement variety.

The men of the race tend to be more risky, or daring as they would call it. They take contracts that not even hardened killers would consider, and often come out on top. The leading cause of death for a Durake is old age, but with the coming of the darkness, death in battle is quickly climbing the ranks. Normally the males tend to not care who they are fighting for, as long as they are fighting something, and often only employ their brains when tasked on how to kill something. Due to this, their tattoos tend to reflect more towards the aggressive side of things, but some of the males have come across the very dark tattoos of the self-inflicting powers. These normally end in the death of the user, much like a suicide bomber, but are incredibly powerful and are capable of enhancing the user so much that little can stand in the way of one until the enhancement eventually kills them.

technology
Technology wise, they are scavengers. They will gather whatever happens to be nearest, and are currently upgrading for something better when the opportunity presents itself. Some of the Durake have developed mild skill in craftsmanship or smithing, but those Durake are incredibly rare even among the Durake themselves. Normally they rely on their wits and their durability to get them by most situations.

Physicality
The Durake are a very hardy, very durable, and nearly indestructible through indirect means. They are bred simply to survive, and through this trait, and this trait alone, have they gotten through the years to gain the wisdom and the knowledge to continue to carry on as a species. Normally the individual Durake is smarter than the average bandit or mercenary, and is an expert in linguistics due to the nature that they fight for anyone and anything.

The Durake have an average height of around 6'0 even, and both men and women are incredibly well built. Their skin varies from a deep black to a light gray, the ash from the volcanoes genetically changing their skin colour through the years. Normally their eyes can take on a variety of colors, but all of them include the ability of limited night vision. They are excellent swimmers due to it being forced on them with their mating grounds being on islands. Both genders of the race are covered in tribal tattoos from birth, and all normally have short hair although there is the one or two exceptions throughout the race's history. A high metabolism and high healing rate actually shorten a Durake's natural life, where the oldest one to ever live expired at an age of 62. A variety of clothing is worn, depending on where a Durake has travelled, so there is no 'normal' attire for a member of this race.

Religion wise, they do not believe in gods, planes, or even the Earth. They believe in one single entity, that being the maker of the Mating Ritual; Geroth. During the very early years of their existance, the Durake were nothing more than wandering husks of survivors. they barely managed to get through their own lives with their body intact, let alone worry about their entire race as a whole. These first years were touch and go with the race as a whole, as the population would dip dangerously, only to spike once the danger had passed for but a moment. Geroth was a Durake who managed to get off of the Islands of Triarch. He managed to find the civilizations of the world, and he saw just what was happening. He saw the people fluorishing, and he knew that in order for his race to survive, he and he alone would have to do something.

So he set off across the continent. He found individual Durake, and he lured them in with the promise of survival and wealth of knowledge. With these words on his lips, he had managed to gather the largest group of Durakes ever assembled, and stood upon the largest Island of Triarch. There, with his new found knowledge and purpose, he labelled things clearly out to the Durake. He pointed out he wasn't going to change who they were, but that he was going to set a ground rule so their race would never come close to extinction ever again. He made the mating ritual, and made every single Durake swear in blood that they would return every ten years. It was here that the security of the race was established, and would be forever held by generations yet to come.

Geroth died of natural causes years later. He managed to oversee the entire mating ritual for a few times before his body finally gave up on him. Due to his nature as being labelled as the saviour of the Durake, they tossed his body in the volcano that rests at the center of the biggest island, and the entire island was renamed 'Geroth' in his honour. Now they worship him as a primarch, and for those who are lost in their path among life, they can be found on top of the volcano talking to it.

Finally, concerning magic, they have none of the flashy stuff that happens to be around the world. They can't control any of the elements, nor can they manipulate them in any way or form. Instead, they happen to use something that has become known as cultural magic over the years. The tattoos that the Durake are painted with during their first few years of life are more than superstitious icons of their race. They originated among a few of the Durake who were near the top of the volcano on one of the smaller islands. Legend holds that they heard a voice from inside the volcano tell them to create certain symbols on their bodies to unlock their full potential. All of them were incredibly doubtful this would work, but how could they deny that of a talking volcano? So, they started painting themselves with the ashes of said volcano, and found that the ash turned into an sludge-like liquid, which once applied to the skin, is nearly impossible to remove save from tearing that skin off of your body. It was through these that they learned the three cultural enhancements, each glowing a different colour when activated.

Red = Aggressive
Blue = Defensive
Green = Self-Improvement

When these Durake tried to talk to the others of their race, they were met with disbelief in the so called volcano god, and prefered to believe that the few Durake were actually shamans of some sort. Preferring not to argue the whole situation over. Three islands were named after each of them; Krelger, Targren, and Isalda. Over the years, Durake found a fourth cultural magic, but upon usage, was deemed to dangerous to be used on the new borns. the fourth, being the dangerous Self-Destructive magic which glowed an unearthly black when activated. An unfortunate Durake by the name of Fraksa Ju'lita happened upon these symbols, and when he was forced to use them to show the other Durake what exactly they did, he became incredibly powerful but died shortly after use. The Durake named the last island after him for his sacrifice in the name of knowledge, and forever labelled those symbols as forbidden to all but the most desperate of Durake. All of these powers activate during times when adrenaline is pumping through the bodies of the Durake, almost like a dam that is broken when too much water hits it. Over the years, Durake can learn to manually start these powers, but it takes intense concentration, and sometimes doesn't activate the right one if a Durake is infused with more than one type of power.

The uses differ in accordance to their names. Aggressive enhances reflexes and strength to untold levels. Stories tell of Durake taking ogres on in hand to hand combat and winning. Defensive hardens the skin, making it impervious to all but the sharpest of blades or the hardest of thrusts. Self-Improvement heals the user of their wounds, and when used properly, can be used on others through physical contact. Self-Destructive grants all of these traits for a short amount of time, the time being when the Durake dies due to the stress on their bodies from the excess amount of energy running through their bodies. They simply can't take it, and their entire body shuts down and dies. These powers also have some side benefits other than these, but these are the main benefits from the powers. Durake can only stand to have two different powers, because much like the Self-Destructive power, their bodies can't handle all of that energy running through their body.

The Fae Citadel is the center of Fae civilization, and it's only settlement. Geographically, it's to the south of Arcona, off the map below the central "bay." It's exact location is unknown to outsiders. The easiest way to get there is to have one of the Fae transport you there.

In Progress

Citadel
Citadel (the city) is wide, blue and white platform of metal and crystal. In the center of the platform is the actual Citadel (the building and namesake of the city). It's rather fluidly shaped, something like this handy picture:


At the top of the tower is the meeting chambers for the Fae Ring, the Citadel's governing body. Most of the rest is academic-- the Fae have acquired quite a bit of knowledge over the years, and have documented most of it in their libraries. On the ground floor is a marketplace, the only one in the Citadel-- Known only as the Bazaar, it hawks the many and sundry rare goods that the Fae have either acquired or crafted over the years. Radiating outward from the Citadel, various residences, workshops, and meeting halls fill the platform, though none come anywhere near as tall as the Citadel. Surrounding the platform are four, verdant islands, referred to only as the Isles. The Northern Isle holds livestock that the Fae breed for their own entertainment, and for usage on the South Isle. The Southern Isle is an arena of sorts; a wilderness where the Fae release animals they've bred to see what survives. Initially, it was supposed to be a sort of nature reserve, a place where the Fae could commune with the natural world. Now, however, it's closer to a gladiatorial arena, particularly favored among the Fae Nocturne. The Eastern Isle is a fishery, catching and cleaning fish for consumption. The Western Isle is farmland, made fertile by the blessing of the Fae.

The food produced by the Isles is necessary due to the Citadel's large non-Fae residential population. Over the years, the Fae have brought many mortals to the Citadel whom they were fond of. The Citadel's magic elongates most lives by up to 50%; enough time for some of them to breed and lay the foundation for what is now a thriving community with representatives from almost every race and culture. While the mortals are not bound by Fae law in the same sense that the Fae are, they must still obey the core principles; violence in the Citadel is not tolerated, which has, over the years, resulted in a remarkably homogenous society. There are minor schisms between those of differing beliefs, and lingering racism effects a small minority, but it's far better than most places.

The Citadel was created over the years using the waste mana from the creation of new Fae. As energy radiated off, the Fae recaptured as much as they could and used it to support the construction of the Citadel. It's a slow process, but the expansion continues to this day.

Allies
While the Fae don't particularly have allies or enemies, due to the fact that each Fae is allowed a fair amount of freedom in picking it's own allegiance, most of them are on good relations with:
The Veloran- The Veloran practically worship the Fae due to their high levels of magical power, which makes it a rather pleasant place for them. As a result, many Fae would support this nation in battle if the need arose. While the Veloran are not a particularly evil race, most of the Fae enjoy having their ego stroked, which means that even the fickle Fae Nocturne tend to be friendly with them.
The Apahov- Many of the Fae are intrigued by the style of magic practiced by the Weavers. Some have experimented with the style themselves, to little success. Nevertheless, the Fae do harbor some affection for the Apahov people, if for no other reason than curiosity regarding the magic they wield. Furthermore, the Apahov are on good relations with the Veloran, which strengthens the bond along the premise of "My friend's friend is probably my friend." The Fae Nocturne are the exception to this relationship, considering the Apahov to be too "good" for their own tastes.

The Fae Ring
The Fae Ring is the closest thing the Fae have to a governing body. They represent the elder Fae, those who have lived long enough and absorbed enough energy to pass the barrier in the entranceway to the Ring's chamber. If your confused, just roll with it-- I'll explain it in a second. The Fae Ring, when working together, is powerful enough to utilize the oldest relic the Fae possess-- the Crystal Crown. Legend says that the first Fae, after witnessing the growing schisms between fellow Fae, sacrificed itself to create the Crystal Crown. The Crown is a channel by which the Fae Ring can edit the spell that holds all Fae in existence. As such, rules enacted by a majority of the Fae Ring become unbreakable by any Fae-- they literally cannot break them in any way, unless the rule in question is later repealed. The Fae Ring is led by the three members of the High Council, who are the leaders of each of the Fae clans. They set the discussion topics for the Fae Ring, and can halt debates with a two-thirds vote if things are getting too tense. They are also the only Fae who can initiate the usage of the Crystal Crown; without at least one of the High Council backing it, it doesn't matter how many Fae Ring wish to pass a law, it's automatically denied. The first eight laws passed by the Fae Ring are referred to as the Sanctified Code, and are the most core laws of Fae civilization. They are:
1. No Fae with the power to single handedly cause irreversible damage to the outside world are permitted to exit the Citadel and it's surrounding Isles without forfeiting the excess power to be regained upon their return.
2. Fae will not attempt to band together in an attempt to violate the First Law.
3. If one of the Fae should come in violation of the First Law while outside the Citadel shall have it's power drained and stored until it is in compliance without he First Law.
4. Fae will not band together in groups of greater than 13 outside of the Citadel, no matter the cause.
5. No Fae shall turn its power against another Fae.
6. No Fae will violate the sanctity of life by creating lifeforms of their own.
7. No Fae will use magic within the Citadel and it's surrounding Isles with the intent of damaging or destroying the Citadel and it's surrounding Isles.
8. Any Fae who harbors ill intent against it's fellow Fae shall be confined within the Citadel proper.

Also, with a 90% vote, the Fae Ring can use the Crystal Crown to create a Beacon at a location they decide and determine it's area of effect (maximum of a ten mile radius). These Beacons allow the Fae to use a higher extent of their power outside of the Citadel, but only within the Beacon's range of influence-- it would only really effect maybe 20 or 30 of the most powerful Fae, but the rest wouldn't be powerful enough to exceed it's limits. The Beacon itself is very fragile and could easily collapse from a single attack. Finally, only one Beacon can exist at a time. Out of character, I will state that the Fae are never going to come anywhere close to a 90% vote unless you do something that they literally can't ignore, like if you attack and fail to seize the Citadel, and possibly not even then.

Clans
Fae Vyron-
The Vyron are the first and largest clan of the Fae, and represent a sort of balance. They are mischief-loving, but also compassionate; destructive, but also creative. They support the status quo, almost regardless of what the status quo might be. Typically, they pass their time harassing mortals, and tend to bond with roguish types-- people who aren't inherently bad, but definitely aren't good.

Fae Illus-
The Illus are the smallest clan of the Fae, representing purity and honor. They are the typical do-gooders, and tend to side with like-minded mortals. The concepts of pain, death, and suffering are not only alien to them, but represent blasphemy against everything they hold true. They can often be found helping the helpless, defending the defenseless, saving small woodland creatures; you get the drill.

Fae Nocturne-
The Nocturne were initially formed by members of the Vyron clan who recognized how the Illus clan was throwing the world out of it's natural balance, and sought to balance it. They represent basically every vice and pleasure of the flesh imaginable; anger, lust, greed, gluttony, envy, it's all under the banner of Nocturne. Ironically, although they were formed in the name of balance, they now more than counter the influence of the Illus, and threaten to tip the scales in the other direction. They typically bond with criminals and murderers-- if there's a famous criminal or outlaw, it's a solid bet that there's a Fae helping him or her.

Physical Characteristics
The Fae technically fall into the category of "non-living," with no actual matter as a part of them. Matter is to normal creatures as magic is to them; they are composed entirely of magic, and they derive all sustenance from it. This makes them rather vulnerable to magical disturbances, like direct spells (fireballs, lightning, etc)-- they have to counter the spell with one of their own, because taking even a small amount of magical damage will destabilize them and cause the mana they've stored up to erupt outward in a large explosion, killing them in the process. On the same note, they are magical powerhouses, able to unleash devastatingly powerful spells at a moment's notice, and able to overpower most indirect spells (shields, glamours, etc). Although they have no physical form, their enchantment is bound to a fragile crystal at the core of the Fae. If the crystal is destroyed, the Fae dies in the normal way. Also, due to their lack of true physical form, small tasks, like lifting a walnut, are the extent of their direct strength. The Fae typically appear as little more than a small, glowing, humanoid figure-- roughly three inches tall and silhouetted against the brightness of their own magic. Due to the fact that only their silhouette is really visible, and that their body is consumed in a flare of magic on their death, very little is know about anatomy that their magic presents. The color with which they glow reflects their favored type of magic, which in turn reflects their personality. In their youth, their glows are not differentiated, and thus are a generic light blue. Despite these physical similarities, the Fae can recognize each other using each other's unique magical signature. Wing-like projections of energy protrude from the back of the Fae, and match the color of their glow. These wings are theorized to function like magical batteries, storing magic for future use. The number of pairs of wings varies according to certain events, see the Life Cycle section on how they acquire additional pairs (the first pair is obtained shortly after "birth"). On a final note, they (obviously) do not suffer from hunger, disease, old age, and only need to sleep after exerting themselves.

Life Cycle
The Fae life cycle is relatively simple. From the moment they leave the Citadel to they day they are slain, they do nothing but meddle with the affairs of mortals. Depending on their affiliation, they may wish to hunt, help, or just harass the other denizens of the world, but they always are in search of bonds. When one of the Fae find someone they take a fancy to, they often decide to tag along-- the different clans of Fae obviously would take a liking to different kinds of people, but, nevertheless, they want to associate themselves with a mortal, for only by developing this relationship can they earn their wings. Every bond formed by the Fae, if it reaches sufficient strength, will grant them a pair of wings and allow them to stockpile additional magic in their bodies. The more experience one of the Fae becomes, regardless of it's number of wings, the more efficient it becomes at using it's magic-- so the Fae can become stronger by practice, or by bonding with mortals. The Fae also have a tendency to whisk those they have bonded with away to the Citadel when their life reaches an end, using the Citadels' latent magic to prolong their life.

Reproduction
The Fae are entirely asexual-- many believe them to be female because they often have very effeminate characteristics, but any gender identification is entirely the choice of the particular Fae. Reproduction is a long and arduous process for the Fae-- they need to mass an enormous amount of magic, enough to easily level a small city in the blink of an eye. After the month or so of harvesting raw mana necessary for a small team of Fae to acquire this quantity of energy, it must be "ignited" -- seeded with the enchantment that gives the Fae form. As the enchantment takes form, waves of magic burn off, causing massive devastation to the surrounding areas, meaning that the process is typically handled at sea. This phase continues for a little over a two years, during which the existing Fae must keep feeding the reaction with mana or else risk the creation of a Lesser Fae (see below). As the oceans became more and more populated by seafaring vessels, the Fae constructed a chamber for the process to safely take place in (this chamber was the first structure of what would eventually become the Fae Citadel). When the reaction finally settles down, a new Fae is born, but it will take another three decades before it is able to take on the form of a human or other species and is ready to leave the Citadel. This newborn Fae typically contains an infinitesimally small fraction of the energy that went into it's creation-- the rest was radiated harmlessly away. usually takes another fifty years before one of the Fae has fully differentiated and is considered full grown. There have been attempts to create more reaction chambers, but all the Fae powerful enough to create one respect that if the Fae bred more rapidly it would cause an imbalance of power and jeopardize their fragile position in the workings of the world. Currently, roughly 150 Fae are in existence, and with less than one "birth" a year, every death is sorely grieved. Most unnerving is the fact that the reactions seem to be taking longer and longer; if the problem isn't addressed, it could spell doom for the Fae.

The Lesser Fae are created when a reaction is cut short, and are more numerous than "true" Fae, numbering about 250. They also do not have the power of teleportation or shapeshifting, and do not explode when they are killed. The extent of an adult Lesser Fae's power is hurling a fireball or other elemental attack. Finally, their enchantment is so weak that they WILL eventually die "of old age" after about 400 years, because their enchantment destabilizes and they just kinda... vanish.

They are strictly atheist, preferring to take matters of morality into their own hands, rather than leaving them to some superior being.

Origins
Basically, they came into being the same way natural life did. Just as an interesting chemical was formed in some puddle somewhere that was able to make copies of itself, the Fae were formed as a side-effect of a spell cast centuries ago, an enchantment that was able to reproduce itself. From there, it multiplied and mutated until it achieved sentience, thus creating the first Fae. It's evolution, but with magic!

Several abilities are "core" to the Fae. Namely, these are the ability to fly, to teleport (both themselves and others), and to shapeshift. Flying is the easiest of the three, as it is the normal means of short distance transport for the Fae-- it is practically instinctive. Teleporting takes a large amount of energy, is limited to going to and from the Citadel, and leaves the Fae in question exhausted for about 24 hours afterwords. Furthermore, the average Fae can safely teleport no more than two other people at once; if they overexert themselves, they run a high risk of killing themselves. Shapeshifting has no such side-effects, but it takes unusual power for a Fae to be able to switch forms within three hours of taking on its current one.

Solaria is a beautiful place. Much of Solaria is made up of gently inclined semi-forested hills. Here and there throughout there are larger patches of forest as well. Solaria has 1 great city, the City of Solaria. The nation and city share a name. The city is made from a yellow stone that is found throughout Solaria. It is fire resistant. Since the Flamte use so much fire it is their most common building material. The Great Church of the Ever Burning One is the heart of the city.

In Progress

Their governing body is Theocracy, the High Priest or Priestess is the ruler of Solaria.

The Flamte worship the Ever Burning One (also known as the sun). They believe that their ability is a gift from their god that marks them as chosen people. Their power does come from the sun but there is no evidence that it gave the power to them. The church preaches that all will come to know the holy fire. The church also knows that things take time so they preach but they don't try to force others to convert.

The Flamte also recognize another entity as a being of power. The Deceiving Reflection (the moon) is to them the source of evil. The light from the Deceiving reflection is believed to be corrupting and to change the flamte who use it in any reasonable amount.

The Flamte possess the magic of pyromancy.

Aqualyt Islands, named after the humanoid race of water people whose numbers once greatly inhabited the islands and the surrounding waters. The region consists of five islands and one sea.

Tteżor: Is the last island in the region that is solely inhabited by the Aqualyts. The island is limited to a few beaches due to its coast line of high rising jagged ridged rocks. It is said that within one of the island’s many underwater caverns there is a great Aqualyt treasure that’s prized of many things they have found over the years – things lost to the sea. Tteżor means heart in the Aqualyt language.

Wnjam: Is the smallest of the islands. It means driftwood in the Aqualyt language. It has many beaches, and two coast line cities: Jewelspar and Hollowspar, both of which are neutral pirate havens, and the perfect place for villainy and scum. The interior of the island is filled with uncharted lush jungle.

Adorno, Pothorst, and Erlingsson: Are all named after the Pirating Clan that is held up at each island. They each have many beaches and a lush jungle interior. There is several port towns scattered along their coasts, serving as docking for the clan’s ships, and housing for its men.

In Progress

Each Pirating Clan is run by a Lord that oversees all major decisions. Many years ago there was but one Pirate Clan, ruled by three half brothers. They were born of the same mother but different fathers. With no real guidance, and a mother who couldn’t have cared less, they grew up quick, hard, and ruthless. The three turned to a life of piracy in their early twenties, and by the time they were in their thirties they had close to a hundred ships sailing under their banner.

Power corrupted them tenfold, and the three brothers turned on one another, dividing the clan into three. Each respected brother took their clan and continued running their own operation. The three clans remain, and are named after the founding brother. New Lords have since taken leadership.

Clollrad Mosonn – Lord of the Adorno Clan.

Hon'ar Neess – Lord of the Pothorst Clan.

Ada Voras – Lord of the Erlingsson Clan.

Enemies:
Anyone in their waters. The Pirates are treated much like a storm of the sea, avoided if possible, and if caught in its midst, survive. Not even the largest or most powerful of nations have yet dared challenge the Pirating Clans, knowing full well if they were to combine their forces, their navy would be one of the largest in Emoria.

In Progress

Items or Relics: Bifs ta 'l-Oċean, means Breath of the Ocean. It’s a magical shellfish that lives in a small spiraling shell. They are extremely rare, but have been found before washed ashore. They can be used to breathe under water.