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Iridos

2009-05-27T16:14:48Z

Kakita Kojiro: reverting from spam

=Iridos, Spectrum City=

Also called Spectrum City, the City of Rainbows. Built of materials colored in any hue that matches the faction of the district that they are built within – red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, or violet.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

Many young artists rejected the idea of colorless crystal and achromic speculums. They wanted some color! Mainstream artisans chided them for their foolish fads. They felt the amateur creations had gaudy hues and... opacity!

The avante-garde formed Spectrum City, a community of rejected artists who categorize everything by colors.

-- by shanoxilt

Spectrum City is not very old. Despite this, the older and/or more conservative citizens have begun to establish regulations and guidelines. Some Spectrum citizens are dismayed, and even enraged, by this hypocrisy. Spectrum City was founded on free-spirited ideals of creativity and non-conformity!

On each side of the city is a large, public area where all the colors freely mix. In these two places, one may find beautiful mosaics and murals. There are markets that sell dyes, make-up, paints, and stained glass. One may, also, spot people who have painted their bodies.

-- by shanoxilt

The people of Spectrum City have recently invented stained glass and shadow puppet theatres.

-- by shanoxilt

==History==

[[Diaphane]] usually attempts to claim credit for the achievements of Iridos. They assert that they split the light of inspiration to reveal a spectrum of creativity. In the past, [[Diaphane]] and [[Narcissus]] did experience a few periods of animosity and conflict. These conflicts were mercifully brief events.

-- by shanoxilt

The truth of the matter has been carefully purged from the histories of [[Diaphane]]. The founding of Iridos had its origin during the Second Shattering. In that time, new advances had been made in tinting glass with vivid hues. New buildings and wonders were made, all of stained and colored glass, and the City of Glass took on translucent hues.

This led to great debates in the [[Diaphane|Crystalline Agora]], as citizens argued that the hues were a perversion of true Translucence. Eventually rabble-rousers whipped mobs of citizens into a frenzy, leading to the destruction of the colored glass in the Second Shattering. The surviving proponents accepted exile under the guise of founding the colony that became Iridos. The records, of course, were purged for the good of all.

The ruined Stained Quarter of [[Diaphane]] was never rebuilt. But it is still inhabited by squatters and the poor, since the broken shards there did not fracture the spirits of the Invisible World as they did in the other places of [[Cities_of_glass_history|Shattering]]. No spirit-storms of invisible shards occur there to strip flesh from bone as they do at the other Shattered places. There are rumors, though, that the seed of the chromatic tree was first found in the Stained Quarter...

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==Cityscape==

Technically, Spectrum City is not so much a city as it is a suburban, gated community. There are seven streets. Each street is color coordinated to correspond to the seven colors of the rainbow (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet). Every house is some hue, tint, or shade of the appropriate color.

The citizens of Red Street, Yellow Street, and Blue Street have a sense of superiority because red, yellow, and blue are the primary colors. Every other street is merely a secondary color, so their neighbors are obviously second class citizens.

-- by shanoxilt

==Geography==

Iridos was founded on a large Island to the South of the Two Cities, in an area famous for its wild flowers and natural rainbows.

-- by stephen_dean

==Culture==

The city is governed democratically, with one faction elected every seven years that is then responsible for running the civic bureaucracy and arranging for civic works. Each faction has its militia, but they often become unruly mobs protesting when another faction is in power.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

In Iridos, there is a small collective of artists who use psychedelic drugs. They claim that they view images of kaleidoscopic wonder. Their paintings are certainly a testament to such visions. It is suspected that they have a terrarium full of colorful, hallucinogenic frogs.

-- by shanoxilt

====The Festival of All Colors====
This holiday was popular in the time up to the Second Shattering, but has fallen to the status of minor festival in [[Diaphane]], while becoming the major annual celebration in Iridos. The Festival is celebrated as the means to enter communion with all the hues.

Food is the focus of the festival, but it is a specific, day-long meal. In each course of the meal, the foods served are always of one dominant color. In Iridos, there are seven full courses. The red course is bloody meats and pomegranite wine. The orange course is tomatos, gourds, orange fruits and their juices. The yellow course is grains and yellow wine. The green course is herbs and leafy vegetables, and bitter absinthe to drink. The blue course is pale seafood, and if poorly prepared is often poisonous (an ill omen, indeed). The indigo course is purple fruits and vegetables -- grapes, aubergines -- and purple wine. The violet course is edible flowers, violets and others with hues of deepest purple.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==Colony Cities==

===Ophalle, sapling colony city===

The only colony city of Iridos was originally established to harvest nacre and pearls from ocean shells. The sea harvesting settlement became a full colony when deposits of opals were discovered in the surrounding Eastern Mountains. The fledgling colony was named Ophalle after the inrush of prospectors and miners to exploit this mineral find. The city is outgrowing its infrastructure faster than new building can be planned, and so instead of the clean division of color as seen in Iridos, in Ophalle there is haphazard juxtaposition of all colors and materials. Mother-of-pearl and opal inlay is obviously the most-favored for decoration, but anything goes – including recent imports of multicolored stained glass from Diaphane.

Ophalle has become a lawless boomtown, and with democratic Iridos unable even agree on imposing any control, the various collective associations of fishermen and miners have a free hand in the city. Although new opal discoveries have been less frequent, another inrush of disaffected or hopeful youth, philosophers, and cultists have begun arriving in the city. The multicolored streets are full of people haranguing or proselytizing in favor of polychromatism, opacity, translucency, or even the clarity of the Clear Prophet. Merchants are moving in to exploit these new arrivals, and both annoy the various collective associations.

Occupations: Diver, Fisherman, Miner, Sailor, Architect, Painter, Merchant
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (Ophalle), Boating, Jeweler, Prospecting, Fishing, Swimming
Social Background: Cultural Familiarity (1 pt., Iridos), Glossa (native language), Literacy
Suggested Quirks: Dreamer, Imaginative, Responsive
Sample Contact Groups: Fishing Collective, Mining Collective
Suggested Spells: Change Color, Block Perception, See Clearly
Rumor: “In the absence of control by Iridos, the navarch of Diaphane is determined annex Ophalle into the Diaphane hegemony. The formidable, crystal-prowed warships of Diaphane are a common sight in the Ophalle harbor, and under orders from the canny navarch, they have subtly blocked the worst excesses of the collectives. Many in Ophalle therefore look favorably on the crystal navy’s presence, and it is possible that Diaphane might be invited to intervene to prevent the infighting and exploitation in Ophalle – which is exactly as the navarch has planned.”

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==Magic==

Spectrum Magic will also reveal a person's aura. The aura reveals many things concerning a subject. It will reveal their personality, their state of mental health, their state of physical health, their soul's health, whether the subject is mundane or otherwise, and it suggests their thematic affiliation.

-- by shanoxilt

====Chromatic Magic====

The Spectrum youth follow a path that is perpendicular to the other three. Color, variety and creativity characterize their newly-develping magics. They can create false illusions, yes. But they also can perform transformations like mud into porcelin or caterpillar into butterfly.

The magic of the Spectrum youth is avant-garde and iconoclastic: diverse, flexible and middle-way in both power and strength compared to the Twin Cities/barbarian axis.

-- by Glyptodont

Color, variety and creativity characterize newly-develping Chromatic Magic. It can create false illusions, yes. But it also can perform transformations like mud into porcelin or caterpillar into butterfly.
Spectrum Magic will also reveal a person's aura. The aura reveals many things concerning a subject. It will reveal their personality, their state of mental health, their state of physical health, their soul's health, whether the subject is mundane or otherwise, and it suggests their thematic affiliation.

-- by shanoxilt

mantra: “perception changes”

spirit-world: [[Spirit_world|Yingarna]]

tools: prisms, kaleidescopes

talent: Chromatic Magic (10 pts/level)

spells:
- ''identify exact color'' (IQ/Average)
- ''change color'' (IQ/Average)
- ''touch rainbow'' (IQ/Hard)
- ''see otherworldly colors'' (IQ/Hard, req. Chromatic Magic 1+)
- ''see auras'' (IQ/Hard, req. Chromatic Magic 1+) (note: allows diagnosis of physical, mental, spiritual, and magical health of a person)
- ''see past visible spectrum'' (IQ/Very Hard, req. Chromatic Magic 2+, at least one other chromatic spell)
- ''see many possible futures'' (IQ/Very Hard, req. Chromatic Magic 3+, at least three other chromatic spells)
- ''refract magic into colors'' (IQ/Hard, req. Chromatic Magic 2+) (note: changes magical attacks into harmless rainbows)
- ''cause natural metamorphosis'' (IQ/Very Hard, req. Chromatic Magic 4+, at least four other chromatic spells) (note: effects such as changing a caterpillar into a butterfly)
- ''cause unnatural metamorphosis'' (IQ/Very Hard, req. Chromatic Magic 5+, cause natural metamorphosis, at least five other chromatic spells) (note: effects such as changing a human into a butterfly)
- ''change color'' (IQ/Very Hard, req. Chromatic Magic 5+, cause unnatural metamorphosis)
note: using chromatic magic to enter the [[Spirit_world|spirit-world]] is generally fatal, as far as is known.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====Magicians of Iridos====

'''Aura-Readers''', Auramancers of Iridos
Aura-readers, or “auramancers,” are skilled magicians who read the health of patients in Iridos by application of chromatic magic. When auramancers look at a person’s aura, they see the colors of his or her souls. The nuances in subtle shades of each of the seven souls reveals to the aura-reader their patient’s personality, physical health, mental health, magical health, and state of their other souls as well. With this information the aura-reader can holistically advise their patient what actions to take or to avoid so as to bring their souls’ colors back in balance. Auramancers are also capable of curing the effects of magic or spirits on their patients, although few citizens of Iridos are afflicted by such things. Because most inhabitants of Iridos are devotees of aura reading, they tend to be extremely healthy, although usually constrained by odd restrictions on their diet or behavior accordingly.

Advantages: Chromatic Magic 2 (20 pts)
Backgrounds: Doctor (social status 1, 5 pts), Comfortable (wealth, 10 pts)
Skills: Thaumatology (chromatic magic), Diagnosis, Esoteric Medicine, First Aid, Pharmacy
Spells: Identify Exact Color, See Auras, Refract Magic Into Colors

'''Halo-Readers''', Halomancers of Iridos
Halo-readers, or “halomancers,” are magicians who read the weather in Iridos by the use of chromatic magic. They watch the upper skies for halos, nimbuses, glories, rainbows, icebows, sun dogs, sun pillars, coronas, green flashes, and other atmospheric phenomena. All of these are predictors of the weather, and by identifying them the halomancers are able to determine what the weather will be. Iridos ships always have halo-readers on board, which enables them to avoid storms that catch other ships unawares.

Advantages: Chromatic Magic 1 (10 pts)
Backgrounds: Average (wealth, 0 pts)
Skills: Thaumatology (chromatic magic), Meteorology, Observation, Weather Sense
Spells: Identify Exact Color, See Otherworldly Colors

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====Auras and the Colors of Souls====

The philosophers of Iridos have proved that humans have seven souls, each of a different color. This is demonstrated each time a criminal is sentenced to death by prism, when his soul is refracted into seven colors, which are recovered for use. The seven souls are as follow (“lower souls” are toward the red end of the spectrum, “higher souls” toward the violet end):

red – soul that gives you desires

orange – soul that keeps you alive

yellow – soul that gives you a self (personality, ego)

green – soul that integrates your other souls

blue – soul that allows you to think (sentience, id)

indigo – soul that gives you a reflection and shadow

violet – soul that interacts with the spirit-world

When an adept of chromatic magic looks at a person’s aura, they see the colors of his or her souls. It is the nuances in subtle shades of these colors that allow a chromatic adept to learn about that person. The exact tincture of the orange soul reveals a person’s health. The exact tincture of the indigo soul reveals whether the person is under the effects of magic. The exact tincture of the violet soul reveals what type of magic, if any, the person practices. Undead seem to lose their higher and lower souls, as all merge into one soul of utter black.

Beings of [[Spirit_world|Yingarna]] may not have all of these souls – or they may have other souls of colors that would be unnatural in humans. Infrared souls that may allow life to be created or restored. Ultraviolet souls that may allow interaction with higher planes of existence.

Chromatic adepts make use of specters that are solitary souls of one color, whether they originate as facets refracted off a human soul, or spirit entities captured in the wild.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

Other kingdoms

2008-05-13T05:10:48Z

Kakita Kojiro:

=Geography and Other Kingdoms=

The closest barbarian tribes are kept in check from the relatively defenseless cities by their deeply held religioius beliefs -- that the sorcerers of the Mirrored City can steal their souls should their reflection fall within their power. They obey and serve out of superstitious fear that the sorcerers will come for their souls, leaving them one of the living undead. None will go to the Mirrored City willingly if unblinded, and those taken there as servants are mourned as though dead -- even if they later return, they are regarded as unquiet ghosts, and driven away.

Although the tribes do not fear sorcery from the Crystal City, they avoid it too -- for it is thought that the inhabitants are the sorcerer's souls exiled from its sister-city, sent away as the price of the sorcerers' powers. This is well-known to be true, for it is said that mirrors are forbidden in the Crystal City because its inhabitants fear being captured by sorcerers once more.

--by Kakita Kojiro

==The Thousand Flowing Waters==

The Ruins of the [[cities of glass history|First Age]] are scattered throughout the world, however the Largest, most dangerous and best preserved Lies in the region known as the Thousand Flowing waters, a Marshland bordering the Ocean that stretches for miles, and littered with islands and estuaries. It is claimed to be where a thousand streams and rivers empty into. The Region is heavily grown over, inhabited by large [[megafauna|aquatic predators]], littered with ruins ranging from piles of sinking stone to well preserved towers, and inhabited by more ghost, shadows, and other things than any other place in the known world. It is also a place where shallow pools lead directly to the [[spirit world|Mirror lands]], and where time acts differently. Stories are told of brave or foolish youth looting the dead cities, and coming back to find everyone who remembered them being dead and gone, and there town unrecognizable. Others claim that the ruins are from the future, not the past. In all the tales, one detail is consistant, and that is that the Twin Sisters originated there, and that things are buried which can make a man wiser than his fellows, or a gibbering fool. The Major rivers are clear for travel, but going further than a few miles into the Tangled Jungle can lead to trouble. The region periodically floods, and many places are covered by the tide, or sink beneath the muck. Some however rise up and fall according to strange magics or half remembered commands from the long dead inhabitants. This Region is far to the East from the Civilized Cities, but the Twin cities do send teams of researchers and explorers to salvage what lore can be found. These are usually well armed, well supplied, and very specific in where they go. Those citizens with wanderlust or a thirst for adventure are drawn to these expeditions, and though dangerous, it a respected and rewarding field.

--by stephen_dean

The Four Cities are dotted like constellations along the intertwining trade routes that provide the raw materials, and are located on high points along the curving paths of great serpantine rivers that snake over a large plain. The Plains are dotted with canyons and cliffs, gradually becoming drier until the Western edges dry into sandy waste and inhabited by nomads and less definable entities. To the East lies the vast sea, clustered in the Marshes and Jungles by the Coast, and edged by mountains that catch the rainclounds, with large passes carved by rivers and edged with ruins. The rivers from the central highlands serve as flowing highways, and the Mountains where the herdsman and small villages of farmers each out an existance in the valleys and glens of the slopes of the towering mountains send forth there goods South. The southern plains stretch to meet the sea, and from this direction, tribute, spices, slaves and raw materials flow, as manufactured goods, cloth, and wonders of the craftsman of the cities are peddled south, and tribute North. The great carvavans, barges and cities to the south allow for large fortunes to gather, and decadence to thrive.

-by stephen_dean

===The Enkidi, people of the marshes===

A small group of villages and hamlets tucked away in the Marshes, near the center of the thousand flowing waters, and hidden in deep with-in ferns and brackish water, far up river. The Enkidu people prize concealment, and are masters of the use of poison blowguns and elaborate traps and deadfalls. They know there home well, and have tamed many species of birds to hunt and guard their watery homes. The people are few in number, and rarely interact with outsiders, outside of raids for slaves, loot or to preserve artifacts from the ruins. Their villages are built in the sinking remains of a large Stone ruins, or around statues with a rounded face of a god, half buried in the marshes, and one of the few large solid structures around to build on. They dress in a large number of bright feathers and fearsome masks, and are feared for there practice of taking the heads of their victims as trophies. They lack any shamans, and claim that magic is left for the Gods alone to know, and so guard the secrets of the ruins in their lands well. The villages are ringed with the severed heads of trespassers, and the beat of there drums they use to communicate with one another, and the shreik of their war cries fills the heart of the unwary exploreres of the region with fear. Those who encounter them are advised to avoid making sudden movements, and the best tools for bribery are any brightly colored fabrics or strong poisons. Some say they are led by an officer of an Iridos military unit sent to explore the region, who went native and is said to no longer be sane.

-- by stephen_dean

===The Tomb Cities of Achrum===
Every schoolchild knows of the drowned ruins in the Thousand Flowing Waters, which are now the tombs of the dead and undead of an ancient civilization. That civilization now lies submerged beneath the rising waters of the Gulf of Achrum, which the Thousand Flowing Waters surrounds and empties into. Few know that these ruins are actually the remnants of several cities, of which very little is known or has been learned. There are names given in old texts – Areatha the City of the Loom, Hipece the City of Waters, Marish the Named and Unnamed City – but none have been defined beyond mere conjecture. The marshes near Astomo and the city of Omphalo are most-accessible, but also the most perilous, as they are haunted by vampires and watched by the Silent Brotherhood. Most explorers who seek out the tomb cities are lucky to return with sight and sanity intact. (There is a note here in the text telling of a Wanderer of the Wastes, who returned from the tomb cities whole in mind and body, but speaking an unintelligible language which no one could fathom, and he unable to learn any other.) (nb. "Achrum" was not the name of that drowned land, but of one of the rivers that flowed into the land. scholars and explorers still attempt to determine which current-day river was once the River Achrum.)

--Kakita Kojiro

===Colossus of Chasus===

The most well-known of the lost cities of the ancients is surely the so-called “City of Statues.” It lies in the waters between the island chain on which Iridos stands, but its location is easily found as some of its largest monuments and pillars still stand above the waves, with their statues above or partly above the water. Largest of all these is the colossus, an enormous statue that once stood astride the harbor entrance of the drowned city. It still stands there, knee-deep in the waterway between two islands, to mark where the City of Statues once was. The colossus was made of bronze, but with a concrete core that has remained as the bronze has corroded and eroded away over centuries. Observers claim that the colossus and other statues slowly change their positions and expressions, the colossus much more slowly than the lesser statues here. It is said to be bad luck to sail between the legs of the Colossus, and the reports of empty ghost-ships which sail the nearby waters on foggy nights are said to have be the remains of those who have dared to do so.

--Kakita Kojiro

==Petty Kingdoms==

===Omphalo, sapling colony city===

Omphalo is a city of many religions. It was founded as the fortress city and headquarters of the Second Great Crusade, and still persecutes the forbidden cult of the Hollow Men. According to legend, this was also the birthplace of the Twin Sisters, and although scholars doubt the veracity, it is still a pilgrimage site for many people. In the time since the Second Great Crusade, other religious cults have come to the city for their own reasons. As have adventurers and scavengers, hoping to glean ancient wonders from the ruins in the marshes.

Each rainy season, Omphalo and the marshes flood when the seasonal rivers of the grasslands flow. Buildings in Omphalo are build on stilts, and during the flood season people get around by flat-bottomed boats. These same boats are used in the marshes as well. Although the city subsists off pilgrimage, it also produces a surplus of crops that require flooded fields. These crops are generally sold to one of the three northern cities. The crusaders of Omphalo have found patrolling the undead-haunted ruins of the Thousand Flowing Waters easier during the flood season, and so when the waters rise boats of armed Silent Brothers set forth for their sacred mission.

Occupations: Crusader, Priest, Boatman, Farmer, Fisherman
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (Omphalo), Boating, History, Religious Ritual, Theology, Occult (vampires)
Social Background: Cultural Familiarity (1 pt., Twin Cities), Glossa (native language), Literacy
Suggested Quirks: Careful, Code of Honor, Vow
Sample Contact Groups: Silent Brotherhood, Seven Sisters, Cult of the Opaque, other Cult
Suggested Spells: Sort Living from Undead (IQ/Average)
Rumor: “It is said that the Opaque Tree, the Tree of Many Shadows, the fourth and dark Crystal Tree, was discovered or hidden in Omphalo. The Cult of the Opaque has become very influential in Omphalo recently because so many of its followers have come to the city seeking their mystic tree.”

--Kakita Kojiro

===Heliade, tributary petty kingdom===

Heliade is known as the Amber Kingdom. It is located on the Pleione river, which flows from the south, and borders on the marsh ruins of the Thousand Flowing Waters. Its inhabitants scour the river and marshes for spells and spirits frozen in amber from ancient times. These talismans are valuable wealth for trade, and Heliade is often subject to tribute to one of the three great cities of the north. Occasionally they go to war over this imposition of tribute, but although their archers are armed with devastating amber-tipped arrows, they are no match for the sorcery of the three cities on the battlefield.

Heliade magicians take dross amber and make use of it in many ways. It is dissolved into amber lacquer that hardens their armor against danger. It is used to trap images within, that may be seen at any time by peering into the amber. It is also melted down and gathered into vats of molten amber – through which, they hope to peer into the spirit-world. There is a belief in Heliade that there is another [[Spirit_world|Crystal Tree]] – this one, of amber, weeping jewels – and the Heliades believe that if it is found, their city will rise to preeminence.

When Heliade marches into a Flower War, its warriors wear amber-laquered armor. They are armed with amber-tipped arrows and spears. Some of their amber arrows hold trapped within them hostile spirits, or ancient lightning-strikes. When these strike an enemy in battle, they cause considerable havoc and panic.

Occupations: Ambergleaner, Archer, Flower-Warrior, Lapidiary, Merchant, Amberwright
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (Heliade), Bow, Current Affairs, Jeweler, Occult (amber)
Social Background: Heliadic (native language), Glossa (accented language), Literacy
Suggested Quirks: Dreamer, Obsessions (amber), Thin-Skinned*
Suggested Spells: Capture Image In Amber (IQ/Average), Smelt Amber (IQ/Hard)
Rumor: In Heliade they have learned to enter the spirit-world through vats of molten amber. Therein they say the spirit-world is upside-down; you walk upside-down with the ground above your feet and the sky below your head. However, they have not discovered how to leave the spirit-world, and as the amber hardens, the explorer is trapped, entombed alive in a block of amber, upside-down.

--Kakita Kojiro

====Amber Magic====
mantra: time is frozen in amber
tools: amber
talent: Amber Magic (10 pts/level)
spells:
''capture image in amber'' (IQ/Average)
''see within amber'' (IQ/Average)
''free from amber'' (IQ/Hard, req. Amber Magic 1+)
''smelt amber'' (IQ/Hard, req. Amber Magic 1+)
''capture magic in amber'' (IQ/Very Hard, req. Amber Magic 2+, capture image in amber)
''capture spirit in amber'' (IQ/Very Hard, req. Amber Magic 3+, capture magic in amber)

--Kakita Kojiro

===Astomo, tributary petty kingdom===

Astomo is called the Mute Kingdom, for long ago it was ruled by priest-kings whose lips were ritually sewn shut. It is still ruled by their inheritors, holy men known as Voices, whose lips are also sewn shut. Astomo lies on the borders of the Thousand Flowing Waters, and believe themselves to be the proper heirs of the ancient civilization that lies in ruins there. The people of Astomo are fascinated by the ancient ruins, and most will study some aspect of the ruins at some time in their life.

The Voices who rule Astomo do so by religious decree. There are a bewildering variety of subsects, all with teachings that confuse outsiders who cannot determine if they are philosophies or religions. As with the priest-kings of old, the Voices have their lips ritually sewn shut. Their ritual asceticisms allow them to survive without the need for food or drink, and to speak without speech, among other wonders.

Occupations: Archaeologist, Interpreter
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (Astomo), Gesture, History, Linguistics, Stealth, Hidden Lore (ancients)
Social Background: Glossa (native language), Backaric (broken language), Literacy
Suggested Advantages: Silence
Suggested Quirks: Cautious, Humble, Obsessions (ancients)
Sample Contact Groups: Sect
Rumor: “The old mouthless priest-kings of Astomo were, in fact, heretical offshoots of the Hollow Men. The Voices who still rule Astomo keep this secret carefully guarded, lest fanatic crusaders hear of it and Astomo be destroyed.”

--Kakita Kojiro

===Pharsus, tributary petty kingdom===

This is the Land of Masks, between the rivers Cephissus and Maiandro, near to the Thousand Flowing Waters. After their coming-of-age, each adult here has at least two special masks, which they wear at all times. Each mask has its own identity and personality – it is the mask that is considered to be the real person, not the body that the mask is wearing. Each mask may have a different job, different spouse and family, different friends, and always different dress and mannerisms. If crimes are committed, it is the mask that is punished or destroyed. And sometimes one mask will fall sick or die, while the others continue on unaffected. Should all of an inhabitant’s masks be lost or destroyed, he or she becomes only another faceless foreigner.

Foreigners can become very confused in Pharsus, believing that they have met someone because they recognize the body, and not realizing that they must be introduced to the new mask. Of course, the people of Pharsus will politely ignore the presence of anyone with a naked face, so outsiders must learn to wear masks if they wish to be acknowledged – and to not change masks, lest they be regarded as a completely different person. Interestingly, Pharsus became a satrapy of the Narcissus hegemony voluntarily after being astounded by the first emissary from Narcissus, who donned a mirror as her mask.

Although they have been a satrapy of Narcissus for centuries, the inhabitants of Pharsus practice no magic of any kind – other than their masking. In some way that baffles magicians, the mask is the person, and any magic affects only the mask – and that magic ends when the mask is removed. Most of the masks of Pharsus are styled after birds or beasts, and mask styles tend to be similar by profession. Generally, a newly-made adult will receive one mask from each parent, but children of important people will be given additional masks by other sponsors.

Occupations: Boatman, Fisherman, Farmer, Maskmaker
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (Pharsus), Acting, Body Language, Fishing, Mimicry (speech), Masking (IQ/Very Hard)
Social Background: Pharsic (native language), Glossa (accented language), Literacy
Suggested Quirks: Personality Change, Staid, Incompetence (magic skills)
Sample Contact Groups: Sponsors
Advantages: Pharsic Mask (Magic Resistance – access requires mask, -10%)
Rumor: “The people of Pharsus claim that they and the Enkidi are distantly related, even though their languages are dissimilar and the Enkidi do not acknowledge any kinship. However, it is known that while the Enkidi will indeed take the heads of trespassers from Pharsus, their masks are always sent back even though the heads are kept.”

-- by Kakita Kojiro
==The Western Mountains and the Deserts of the West==

The Huge birds, such as the [[megafauna|Thunderbirds]], are the scavengers of the Western Deserts and grasslands, and use the gust from the mountains to range over the vast undalating plains in search of the many beast that wander its relativly untouched expanses. The varied terrain is home to vast herds of [[megafauna|gigantic Bison]], the Forest along the Mountains to stranger beast still. However the numbers are thin near the cities, and grow the further afield one goes. The Mountains to the West are the largest in the Known world, and the other side is an area explored at the peril of the unwary, do to the vast spaces inhabited by huge creatures of myth and legend, some claim to be larger than the armored beast that wander the waste. The reason for the lack of habitation is due to the low population following the devastating fall of the previous empires in the past, and the frequent wars between the city-states. The attachment of many people to there principle city-state or ideal, or the threat of strange conditions has led many to stay in the civilized regions, rather than risk expanding to the terrain of the tribes of head-hunters and beast riders beyond the Mountains. It is through the collective resources of the Cities that the walls, pits, and special huntsman keep the lands and tradeways safe. However, recent droughts and a change in climate are causing some stange beast and raider to prey at the edges of the Twin Cities, and the many smaller city-states. For now, these have not been signifigent, however, rumors are spreading of tribes beyond the mountains who ride great beast, and are forming an Empire of the wandering bands to pillage the glittering wealth of the settled peoples. These are rumors however, and cartomancers are exploring to add to the [[Diaphane|Crystal Globe]], to see if these shadows of truth are to be trusted.

-by stephen_dean

===The Sandstone Empire===

As is commonly known, the Sandstone Empire was formed from a series of bordering regions and Kingdoms set between the Spice Kingdoms to the South, and the Twin Cities to the North. While many of the neighboring peoples submitted or were aligned to one of the two spheres of influence, it was the Sandstone region that developed the strange system of a militarized mode of life, and the selection of the majority of it's population for the pursuit of war, and eventually conquest.

The origins of it's founder, a man whose name is lost to history, can be traced to around 600 Years post Darkness. It is known he commanded a group of refugees from the West, a group of soldiers who claimed to be remnants of a large force from the Far West, across a sea, where monuments of stone stood over a city of sleeping elders, dead kings and courts held in perfumed wrapping and served for all eternity, and a great city grew, the largest in all the world, a paradise that faced cataclysm, as the very earth rebelled against them. The strangers swept aside opposition as wheat before a sickle, and subdued the villages and towns of a wide swath of territory, wearing scales of strange metal, in wheeled carts pulled by strange beast.

They enslaved all around them, and expanded their holding with each harvest, more and more land and water beneath there banners, more sons and daughters toiling to create the stone temples where they lay there dead, to sleep until their city rose again. The cities were placed in the dry west, where the earth turns to dust, and sand becomes stone, stone sand. The slaves watched well however, and the helot revolts began first in their lands. All the master's were slaughtered in their beds, their legions of overseers and slave soldiers united in a vision of equality, one night of blood wiping out their rule in the Night of Bitter Waters.

The resulting state, called the Second empire, and the Beggar's empire, was founded on a view of equality through work, a collective society where children and property were to the state, all males were trained to be warriors, and wars were fought to free helots and slaves of the master's lash in all directions. This led to the misguided policy of attacking all slave owners, and getting involved in providing sanctuary and arms in foreign entanglements. The collapse of the 2nd Sandstone Empire in the South can be linked to alliances with the barbarian peoples and complicity in the helot revolts in The Twin Cities at 300 years post shattering. The resulting collapse of the Beggar's Empire, as it was known at the time, and the decree to purge it's mention from from all records following it's cleansing during the second crusade, as well as serving as the sight of the larger battles of the barbarian wars, led to it's decline to it's current state.

Now a poor region of dry lands, burnt and looted ruins of cities, and mud walled sullen villages where the proud decedents of the survivors of that time still scorn the civilized peoples. The are rumors that the so called Seven Legions, who fled west rather than be enslaved again, and who are said to have created a refuge for escaped slaves and helots. Many whisper that the day may come when helots go west, to a new city, where all men walk equal before the other. The bleached bones of that path are well known, so only the truly down trodden make the attempt.

-- by stephen_dean

==Barbarian Tribes==

===The Bammenides, nomadic barbarian tribe===

The Bammenides are one of the nomadic barbarian tribes of the northern taiga. They live on the edges of the northern glaciers. They are known as the “painted men” to the Twin Cities, because they tattoo their bodies, faces, and hands in bright colors. They tend small herds of [[Megafauna|dire elk]], from which they get milk, meat, fur – and most importantly, transportation. Their dire elk are domesticated and trained to pull sleighs large enough to transport an entire Bammenide family and all their goods. Their clans migrate south in spring and summer to graze and mate their herds. As rivers freeze and snow covers the ground, they migrate north and stay the winter snowbound, keeping the herds safe from the hungry predators of the south. In spring many clans gather in huge meetings to mate their herds; this is when the Bammenides trade with outsiders. In winter they live in homes built of snow, while their herds are hidden in sheltered valleys with some vegetation, or forage brought by their herders.

Shamans of the Bammenides work their magic through wands of many kinds. Each shaman has an assortment of wands of antler, bone, or wood, which must be carefully chosen for each specific purpose. Most shamans eagerly trade for wands made of metal from civilization. One of the few spells that shamans need no wand for are their eating magics. When someone in their clan suffers bad luck, or is afflicted by illness, or haunted by ghosts, the clan’s shaman will ritually consume the offending spirit. They can often scare off troublesome spirits with demonstrations of their eating prowess, by eating stones and other formidable things.

Occupations: Herder, Hunter, Trader, Warrior, Shaman
Suggested Skills: Animal Handling, Area Knowledge (tundra), Driving (sleigh), Spear, Survival, Tracking, Occult (spirits)
Social Background: Low TL, Bammenic (native language), Illiteracy
Suggested Quirks: Likes (metal), Humble, Uncongenial
Sample Contact Groups: Clan, Warrior Lodge
Suggested Spells: Eat Anything (IQ/ Hard, req. Shamanic Magic 1+), Eat Ghost (IQ/Very Hard, req. Shamanic Magic 3+)
Rumor: “The slow retreat of the northern ice and its gradual melting has gradually forced the Bammenides away from their ancestral summer and winter lands. Their herds do not thrive in the warming lands, and the remaining cold lands are too barren. The herds do not grow, and so more and more young men become warriors to gain wealth and status – while the defenses of Narcissus and Diaphane are in decline. If they join with other wandering tribes, a barbarian horde may bring the next Shattering from the north…”

--Kakita Kojiro

===The Makhlyes, nomadic barbarian tribe===

The Makhlyes are one of the nomadic barbarian tribes of the western grasslands. Their ancestors followed [[Megafauna|thunder beast]] herds, but the great herds from ancient times are no more, and only solitary beasts survive now. They now follow [[Megafauna|hornbeast]] herds across the grasslands. They are frequent trading partners with the Twin Cities, bartering furs and hides, ivory and horn, in return for civilized goods. Every few generations their warriors band together with other barbarian tribes and raid and pillage into civilized lands.

The shamans of the Makhlyes are known as Inverts because they live their lives as the opposite gender. Because of this, they are regarded as spirits by their people – and also regarded as spirits by spirits. Once each year in the spring, all the hunters will dress as the opposite gender as well, for the sacred Inverse Hunt. Their magic allows the hunters to hunt the now-extinct herds of megafauna as though they still roamed the grasslands. The hunters bring back much meat and many trophies from an Inverse Hunt, but every year one hunter does not return from the hunt. Because of these strange customs, people of the Twin Cities think that all Makhlyes change genders, and take precautions against touching them, lest this is contagious.

Occupations: Hunter, Trader, Warrior, Invert
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (grasslands), Mimicry (animal sounds), Spear Thrower, Stealth, Survival, Tracking, Occult (spirits)
Social Background: Low TL, Makhlyic (native language), Illiteracy
Suggested Quirks: Broad-Minded, Responsive, Tolerant* (not bothered by quirks)
Sample Contact Groups: Clan, Warrior Lodge
Suggested Spells: Hunt Megafauna Ghosts (IQ/Average) (note: penalties if not an Inverse Hunt), Change Gender (IQ/Very Hard, req. Invert, Shamanic Magic 4+)
New Advantage: Invert (5 pts., live as opposite gender, spirits react as though you were a spirit yourself)
Rumor: “The Makhlyes say that when one of the Inverts goes on a spiritquest and returns of the opposite gender, that he or she has not really returned at all. Instead she or he has been replaced by a spirit, that will pretend to be the Invert for the rest of its life, until it pretends to die and returns to the spirit-world.”

--Kakita Kojiro

===The Gorgades, nomadic barbarian tribe===

The Gorgades are one of the nomadic barbarian tribes of the distant steppes to the west of the grasslands and mountains. They are known as the “hairy ones” to most outsiders, because they do not cut their hair. When meeting strangers, they also veil their eyes with their hair so as to not make eye contact, and they will also not look into mirrors. They claim that all these taboos protect them from spirits – and, curiously, they believe that the inhabitants of the Twin Cities are actually spirits who lie about their true natures. They rarely trade with the Twin Cities, but their leather goods often make their way east through trade with other barbarian tribes (such as the Makhlyes).

They have actually domesticated herds of [[Megafauna|megafauna]], and roam the steppes to move their herds to new grazing. Each clan in the tribe typically has its own type of megafauna that it specialized in. Clans often take the opportunity to raid the herds of other clans while nearby, to eat some of their enemies’ beasts instead of their own. Their shamans wear headdresses of the skull and hides of their clan’s beast, and generally know a very odd assortment of spells.

Occupations: Herder, Hunter, Raider, Trapper, Shaman
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (steppes), Animal Handling, Bow, Knife, Leatherworking, Survival, Occult (spirits)
Social Background: Low TL, Gorgadic (native language), Illiteracy
Suggested Quirks: Uncongenial, Vow (do not cut hair, do not look into eyes or mirrors), Unhygienic* (does not bathe)
Sample Contact Groups: Clan, Warrior Lodge
Suggested Spells: Find New Forage (IQ/Average), Foretell Weather (IQ/Average)
Rumor: “Gorgades are not actually human – they are abhumans who were once used as servants by the ancients. They escaped back into the wild after the downfall of the ancients, and still fear civilized men.”

--Kakita Kojiro

===The Nethsras, nomadic barbarian tribe===

The Nethsras are one of the nomadic barbarian tribes of the western Steppe Wastes. They range further west and south than many other tribes, and so while only rumors to the Twin Cities, are better known in the Spice Kingdoms. They specialize in hunting [[Megafauna|hornbeasts]] with bolas from ambush. Their clans roam following the hornbeast herds, living in well-hidden temporary camps. Although they have joined barbarian hordes in times past, they are generally peaceful and not warlike, and usually maintain good relations with neighboring tribes.

It is an oddity that the Nethsras have no shamans among them, and claim they are never troubled by ghosts. This is because, they say, all Nethsras are the same souls of all the Nethsras who ever were, and those souls reincarnate as Nethsras after their death. They know exactly how many Nethsras souls there are, and each clan tells the others of deaths so that they know which souls to look for when new children are born. In times when their birthrates fall below deathrates, though, they must send scouts to nearby tribes, and even into civilized lands, seeking the newborn children that have souls from their tribe. Once identified, the scouts either buy (from other barbarian tribes) or steal (from civilized lands) these newborns and return them to their true people. The worst thing for Nethsras is when their birthrates rise above deathrates – for children born then will be born soulless. In such times it is traditional for the Nethsras to seek some pretext to go to war, so that there will be souls for the newborns.

Some Nethsras do seem able to recover fragments of past lives – although most never progress beyond achieving strong paramnesia sensations. These hints of past lives are usually cherished and encouraged, so Nethsras may seem erratic and mercurial to outsiders. The few who do manage to recover memories of past lives are the Awakened Ones. They are capable of astounding skills, but must struggle with sorting through a confusing mix of memories and personalities that have no context in their present life. Scouts sent to find wayward reborn souls are always young Awakened Ones.

Occupations: Gleaner, Hunter, Scout, Awakened One
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (steppes), Autohypnosis, Bolas, Camouflage, Stealth, Survival, Forbidden Lore (soul recognition)
Social Background: Low TL, Nethsric (native language), Illiteracy
Suggested Quirks: Delusions (past lives), Likes, Personality Change
Sample Contact Groups: Clan, Past Life
Suggested Advantages: Reawakened (10 pts) (note: may use to learn Blind Fighting, Body Control, Breath Control, Invisibility Art, Light Walk), Split Personality (-15 pts)
Rumor: “Most of the Awakened Ones of the Nethsras are aware that their numbers are slowly dwindling, as each generation a few reborn souls are never recovered. They believe that someone has stolen their secrets of soul rebirth, and so polluted the way to rebirth such that some souls simply become lost in being reborn. They have heard of the distant Twin Cities, and plan to send scouts there to search for reborn Nethsras souls, to bring back, or to kill if they are too old to bring back.”

-- by Kakita Kojiro

=Other Places=

===Labyrinth of Metuse===

North of the Thousand Flowing Waters, in the foothills of the Eastern Mountains, are hidden the miles-long cave system known as the Labyrinth of Metuse, after the goddess that lives there. The goddess Metuse is a gorgon, one of the first spirits who escaped or fled from the spirit-world in ancient days. She is said to be terrible in her beauty – golden scales, brazen wings, and serpents for hair. Any who see her unreflected are turned to black glass. She once had the company of many blindfolded priests, who carved the caves into vast maze with her temple at its heart. Her last known supplicant was in the years of the Great Purge, a mirror sorcerer from [[Narcissus]] who it is said returned to Narcissus to speak prophecies from the gorgon to the Diet, and after all further supplication to the goddess were outlawed he returned to her labyrinth to become her mate and husband. No one who has sought her since has found their way further than the galleries full of statues of black glass...

--Kakita Kojiro

===Lost City of Light===

There is a legend that the Twin Sisters had a prodigal brother, who ventured further than they in seeking enlightenment, and founded a city of his own in the icy wastes of the north where the sun rarely rises. The City of Light, it is said, glows of its own luminescence, lighting the way across the ice plains like a distant lighthouse. The Wandering Peoples of the tundra, however, say that is a city of spirits, and lies in the [[Spirit_world|spirit-world]]. The shamans say that any mortal who finds it in the physical world will soon sicken and die from the city’s unnatural radiance, while anyone who finds it in the [[Spirit_world|spirit-world]] is dead already. Nonetheless there are legends of heroes who journeyed to the City of Light and returned, digits and noses frozen off, but having been given magical lamps which reveal spirits who are within the lamps’ illumination. In all these legends, the hero either dies soon thereafter of tumorous growths, or out of grief after several malformed stillbirths.

--Kakita Kojiro

===Shrine of the Sharp Mother===

In the north of the Loess Plains, on the edge of the tundra, lies this old shrine, which is said no human hand built. The shrine is a ramshackle affair, buildings built of bones of every kind. The structural bones are of [[megafauna]] – aurochs bones, mastodon bones, and older and stranger bones from now-unknown monsters. The walls and roofs are the bones of humans, hornbeasts, and other beasts. The smaller bones of dogs and birds fill in the gaps. There are always only two inhabitants of the shrine – the Sharp Mother, and her oracle child. The Sharp Mother is always a monstrously large [[Megafauna|Bear-Dog]], seemingly unintelligent and untamed, but who permits supplicants to come as long as they do not threaten her child. The oracle is always a human girl-child; when she grows to maturity, the gift of prophecy leaves her and so she leaves, while the Sharp Mother goes to find a new girl-child to bring back to the shrine. Petitioners come bearing gifts of raw meat for the Sharp Mother, and food for her child as well. If pleased, the Sharp Mother allows them to approach her oracle, who enters a seizure-like trance to answer their question. The oracle is never wrong, but her prophecies are also open to different interpretations – and few petitioners have guessed the correct meaning until too late.

--Kakita Kojiro

===Gnomon===

The disreputable [[Religions|Cult of the Opaque]] claims that their adherents have built their own, hidden city, somewhere in the Western Mountains or beyond. This city is said to have been carved out of the ground, out of ashen soil. Aboveground it is marked only by monoliths and angular blades of metal, which serve to cast shadows so as to mark the sun’s passage overhead. Many odd stories are told of this mythical place – that the desert shakes for miles around in sympathetic vibration with the deep music of Gnomon, that the conjunctions of angles and shadows open up ways into the spirit-world inaccessible in the Three Cities, or that there actually is no such city, but it is instead an allegory or tale meant to illustrate the blindness of the Three Cities because of their hidebound traditions.

--Kakita Kojiro

===Stone Forest===

Fragmentary records said to be from ancient days speak of this place, somewhere in the west of the Steppe Wastes. No one since before the Cataclysm has found the place. It is said to be a forest of strange trees, unlike any now known, but all petrified and turned to stone. Nothing living grows in the stone forest, and no water flows there. Some believe that this is the place from whence the Crystal Trees were brought. Others believe that the trees here were a different kind of [[Spirit_world|Crystal Tree]], now lost. The priest-king of Astomo is said to have once had a polished disk of stone wood, proving the existence of this place – but the Voices that rule Astomo now claim it was lost long ago. The Wanderers of the Wastes avidly seek clues as to its location, but the Wandering Peoples of the steppes all say that they know of no such place, and that if it did exist it would surely be haunted by dangerous and powerful spirits. (Actual records recovered from the [[Religions|Wanderers of the Wastes]] seem to show that most of their would-be explorers end up getting eaten by sabertooths, monster birds, or cannibals, long before they find any clue they were seeking.)

--Kakita Kojiro

===Gates of Ivory===

Tales in [[Bachariko]] claim that there is a hidden kingdom in the uttermost west, beyond the southern savannah, past the southern deserts, on the western coast of the southern mountains. In a mountain valley there is a wall of ivory, with gates of ivory, all built of the tusks of countless myriads of [[megafauna|mammoths]]. It is said that this wall is patrolled by strangely-colored people, who speak no known language, and who are unwilling to unbar their gate to any visitor. The last explorer who returned with the location to tell the tale, died while being feasted by one of the god-kings – and after his sudden death the entire court of the god-king was stricken by a strange and sudden illness that caused their blood and tears to run white, followed by death. No one has since sought to find this distant hidden land.

--Kakita Kojiro

Iridos

2008-05-13T01:23:38Z

Kakita Kojiro:

Spirit world

2008-05-09T08:37:26Z

Kakita Kojiro: added Invisible Typhoon

=The Crystal Trees=

There exist large, holy trees with-in the center of the solar temples that produce a clear strong sap, that when flowing can be shaped to produce a very strong and durable building material, however, the trees are a rare species needing a special environment, for instance a large greenhouse. These trees provide the materials to build the soaring cities and supports for the most opulent of buildings. This comes at a price however, as the trees require certain...sacrifices to produce the necessary quantities.

The highest priest in the tallest, clearest tower hear the required sacrifices in the sound of the chimes or in the play of a rainbow across the clear play of water. The Ancient trees, clear of all pigment, made of a strange material halfway between this world and the other, needs to feed on that rarest of materials, the soul. This is the clearest truth the universe offers, and to extract it requires a diligence and steady hand. The Mirror wraiths are the result of this going wrong, but it succeeds, then the trees grow, whispering secrets and producing the materials to let the cities thrive. The price is growing however, as more young men and woman disappear from the edges of the alleys. It is said that some trees develop certain taste, and others will consume the souls of things strange than people. The most anceint tree is said to require the soul of a god, and it grows hungry.

At the heart of each of the five factions there are the crystal trees, that serve as the holy grove of each faith. Initially a very rare species of plant based on silicon and growing at a relativly slow rate, these trees serve as the perfect ideal, a living creation in tune with the spirit and the body. These trees originally grew only in the spirit world, but a few were brought over to the other side of the glass and planted. As has been written before, these trees feed on the souls and spirits of the world to survive and grow, and take on the characteristics of its diet.
(think NWOD spirits, but only for these special trees.) Every city of any note will have a grove of these trees, and the richest citizens may have a small sapling or even a small orchard. The largest city's have ancient trees that have stood for hundreds, even thousands of years, if the sages are to right. The shadows cast are rainbows and each of the four fold paths trees correspond to the ideal of the location. The four subspecies are all offshoots of the original tree, lost somewhere in the spirit world, and if ever found, would allow for the creation of another path. It is because of this that many seek it, and few ever glimpse even a hint of the thing. The void, the great darkness, that which consumes and stifles, is not a tree but a shadow. It is the missing parts or pieces of creation, or lost paths and forgotten dreams. Some say the darkness is truth, and that the light can blind, and it is for this heresy that they are blinded, to forever follow the crooked path they choose, and to be ever denied the joys of the four paths.

--stephen_dean

The spirit tree of [[Iridos]] has an opalescent trunk, iridescent branches, and leaves of every possible color.

--shanoxilt

===Sacrificing===

Many outsiders look to the practice of raising the Sacrifices to feed the crystal trees as an evil act, and say that this path follows towards the void. many make comparisons to the Hollow men and other nefarious groups. However consider for a moment the life of an A future sacrifice. A young mother already has six children, and the seventh happens to have white hair, red eyes and is sensitive to the sun. Rather than suffer a life of pain and squaller, the child is given to the Temple of Clarity to live a life of quiet study, preparation and luxury. Then, perhaps decades later, the child has become a master of an ideal, and willingly walks to be embraced by the world tree, knowing that her soul will guide the city for years. This noble sacrifice is not evil, no more than a soldier fighting the legions of the damned eating away the reality of the world. No, it is beautiful. Would you rather we did like those cities of brick and stone you speak of, and let the child starve in the streets instead? No, no-one starves in the city of Transparency.

=The Nature of the Spirit World=

The spirit world forms, and conforms, according to the particular themes of any given place. Despite this, the goals and basic nature of the spirits and their world are the same in every themed location. Spirits percieve themes simply as a "wardrobe" in which to reveal themselves.

Nobody is sure how or why spiritual objects form. They are brought into the physical world through the mirror fisheries and other magics.

--shanoxilt

===The Nature of Spirits===

Once a spirit is alive, it never truly dies.
Many spirits are created by, and feed on, human emotions.
Any spirit that has not been created, either by accident or on purpose, has existed since the beginning of the world.
Spirits do not seek worship, but they will accept it.
Some spirits choose human forms.
When spirits are not around human influence, most spirits take no form at all.
Some spirits desire to experience the physical world.
Spiritual objects are inanimate, just like mundane objects.
Spirits do not depend on themes to exist.
Spirits choose to conform to a theme, if it pleases them.
The soul resists a spirit's attempt to achieve bodily possession.
Ghosts are incorporeal souls.
Spectres are fragmented souls.
Ghosts and spirits are not the same thing.
All spirits are native to the spirit world. Ghosts and spectres are not native to the spirit world because they are former humans.

--shanoxilt

A spirit may "clothe" itself in new guises or stay the same. The spirit's appearance depends on its choice. This explains why one may see a mirror-wraith in a moonlit pool or in Diaphane's crystal walls.

--shanoxilt

====Spirit Classification====
''regular spirit objects'': inanimate things that are native to the spirit world.

''magical spirit objects'': a spirit object that has magical properties or abilities.

''ghosts'': the incorporeal soul of a deceased human.

''spectres'': a fragmented, incorporeal soul of a deceased human. The fragments share a weakly unified consciousness.

''spirit'' (generic): an incorporeal entity that was never human.

''wraith'': a spirit that is spawned by human emotion.

''the First'': the spirits that have existed since the beginning of the world.

--shanoxilt

==Spirit World of Narcissus: the Other Side==

The Metropolis of [[Narcissus]] is stalked by creatures that live entirely in the reflected world, similar to our own but warped by mirrors of imperfect craftsmanship. The mirrors reflect the worst aspects of the person, or amply fears of the onlooker, and over time, feed a desire for perfection leading to strange alterations. A person can inadvertently become the city's namesake, looking helplessly as every flaw and fear are amplified, until slowly starving to death. The spirit of the person then roams the mirror world forever. The only known non-magical way protect oneself is to catch the creature with it's own reflection in a crystal of fine quality. The resulting crystals are used to power some of the more hidden aspects of the city.

The other world is the world of the reflection, a place embraced by the narcissistic faction and declared heresy by the other. It reveals truths, but ones that are altered or slightly warped, and is inhabited by things other than the mirror wraiths. It is not a true world, but rather like a shadow, existing only as a reflection, but can be used to travel great distances if one is willing to risk the passage from one mirror to another.

--stephen_dean

To enter the spirit world from [[Narcissus]], one does so through mirrors and reflections. Indeed, there are so many mirrors in Narcissus that the borders between worlds have grown thin -- it is possible to enter the Other Side easily, or for things from the Other Side to come through unaided. There are many wonders and horrors on the Other Side, though, which are exploited by the Mirror Fisheries. The mirror-fishers use silver fruits from the mirrortrees to bait their lines.

--Kakito Kojiro

====Mirror-Wraiths.====

Mirror-wraiths are spirits created by the reflection of a person focused on one desire or emotion. They may be created inadvertently from imperfect reflections in places where the mirror-world is easily entered (as in Narcissus). They are also created deliberately by mirror-casters, using reflective magic. Although they are similar to ghosts and specters, they are all different kinds of spirits, despite speculation by theorists such as the Invisible College that they are somehow congruent.

Sorcerers categorize mirror-wraiths by emotion or desire, for each mirror-wraith is utterly focused on only one emotion or desire. Often the way this emotion or desire is expressed is in a distorted form of the personality that the mirror-wraith was cast from. As normally intangible spirits (Insubstantiality), mirror-wraiths usually cannot satisfy their one emotion or desire. They can possess anyone whose reflection is within their grasp of the mirror-realm, and they can also be caught into mirrors or reflective crystals.

Mirror-wraiths who possess people influence them to act out the spirit’s one emotion or desire (Possession). Eventually the will of the possessed host drives out the spirit, or the mirror-wraith is sated and fades away. They require regular experience of their driving emotion or desire, or they will fade away. Although their motives may be predicted by their one emotion or desire, their utter focus is easy to misjudge.

Mirror-wraiths are used in many ways. Narcissus uses them to imbue their soldiers with indomitable emotions for battle, and to afflict enemies with fear. They are also used in Narcissus to temporarily focus on one goal or task. People often use them to explore novel emotions or desires – either as a form of self-exploration, or decadent entertainment. Sorcerers also make use of appropriate mirror-wraiths as messengers to other mirrors, spies to peer through mirrors, scouts into the mirror-world, or for other esoteric tasks.

Skills: Area Knowledge (other side)
Advantages: Insubstantiality (affect substantial, usually on, 128 pts), Possession (spiritual, access only through reflections, sense-based sight, 40 pts), See Invisible (15 pts)
Disadvantages: Dependency (common, -10 pts), Easy to Read (-10 pts), Obsession (-10 pts), Low Empathy (-10 pts), Magic Susceptibility -3 (only vs. reflective magic, -5 pts)

--Kakita Kojiro

=====The Capture and Care of Mirror Wraiths=====
''So you finally caught a mirror wraith in the crystal caves, or perhaps you inherited one with you new Wizard tower. The first question you have to ask yourself is, what is the nature and possibilities of your new boon/problem. The key to understanding the Wraith is that, first, you cannot grasp the motives of an entity focused on one desire. If it is vanity, your wife will certainly look better for awhile, or your husband might head to the spas more, but eventually they may not be the person you fell in love with. If it is anger, well, lets just say that is easier to notice. The key to keeping a Mirror Wraith is a careful and regular mixture of emotions. If well fed, the Wraith can act as a useful source of information, advice and potential favors. The more affuent among you may even have a crystal tree sapling. Now I know your asking youself "why can I not just feed that Anger Wraith to my crystal tree, whats the problem?" Just look to the first shattering. The Crystal trees are clear because they are given only the purest of souls. A wraith is a twisted shard of a person. One aspect of the whole. Feed a Crystal Tree this and you have a real problem on your hands. How do you suppose these laws came into being my good sir. The ruins of the Immaculate Concave make it clear. A crystal tree fed an unwilling supplicant or an impure soul, one who has fear in its heart, or one with hate or spite, will warp the trees into those strange obsidian trees that litter the ruins. Those glass valleys in the deserts of Hubris were once cities of great power, now they are only places without even grass. The madness that comes from these places can be prevented by you. Remember, only you can prevent [[Cities_of_glass_history|Shatterings]].''

--stephen_dean

====Mirror-Wights====

A mirror-wights is much like a normal person's reflection, but of a normal person who had never existed to cast that reflection, but it is rather like a person otherwise. Albeit one that is probably left-handed and writes backwords in mirror-writing. But they can often be hired for work in this world, and blithly ignore mirror wards and suchlike, so they make good spies and thieves.

--Kakita Kojiro

====Doppelgangers====
Dopplegangers are a spiritual "twin" of an individual. They are usually dangerous spirits. Each year, several children die because they summoned a doppleganger in a darkened room.

At other times, they spontaneously appear in a crowded area. When they do this, they do not wantonly kill. Some occultists suspect that they are omens of their human "twin's" death. Some occultists believe that they cause the death of their human counterpart. Yet, other occultists believe that dopplegangers wish to replace the human, whether or not the human lives.

Some citizens suspect that there is one doppleganger for every individual. Anyone who has actually visited the spirit world seriously doubts this.

--shanoxilt

==Spirit World of Diaphane: the Invisible World==

One does not enter the spirit world of [[Diaphane]] -- the Invisible World is already here, all around us, unnoticed and imperceptible. The spiritual enlightenment of Diaphane allows its inhabitants to perceive, somewhat, the Invisible World around them. True masters interact with the Invisible World as though it were the natural world -- and may, in time, fade away completely into the Invisible World (as their city's founder is said to have done). The inhabitants of the Invisible World are considered full citizens of Diaphane, causing much confusion and peril to outsiders to whom they do not even exist.

====Invisibles, the Neighbors====

''It is said that the poor of Diaphane leave their newborn children outside overnight, in case the Neighbors might take them off to a better life. It has never occurred so, but they remain hopeful.''

''“Why are the Neighbors perilous? Once, in the times between the Shatterings, a foolish philosopher asked a question that offended them. In a fit of pique, they tied invisible bells to the tails of every cat in Diaphane. The unceasing cacophony drove everyone – and the cats! – near mad. Eventually the foolish philosopher was able to bare his heart to the Neighbors, to demonstrate there was no malice therein. It was a gruesome enough solution, but it mollified the Neighbors. Contrite for the city’s lost cats, the Neighbors gifted Diaphane with the glass cats. Some lucky families still inherit the small and invisible bells, which fortunately do not bother the glass cats one whit.”''

The spirit inhabitants of the Invisible World in Diaphane are considered full citizens of the city. They are called the Neighbors there, and cause much confusion and peril to outsiders to whom they do not even exist. They are invisible and intangible, live in palaces that are invisible and intangible, and go about their inscrutable business without interacting or apparently noticing the material world around them. When they do notice, they occasionally give strange and wondrous gifts to people, on a whim or following their own inscrutable wisdom. Other times – particularly if offended – they punish people by plaguing them with invisible maladies.

Most people imagine the Neighbors as merely invisible people. Pellucid magic reveals the truth hidden behind outer appearance, and to those that can truly perceive beyond their outer invisibility, the Neighbors are highly variable. The perception of their appearance seems to correspond with the activities they are engaged in. One who is ignoring humans may seem human but with no face, or may seem to be made of crystal revealing pale organs within. One who is observing humans may seem humanoid but instead of a head have a giant eyeball as its face, or may seem human but with hundreds of eyes all over its body. One who is interacting with or trading with humans may have six or seven arms, or speak from mouths in its hands. It is also not easy to identify one from another, as each Neighbor may appear completely different when encountered again.

Despite the perils of dealing with the Invisibles, there are also temptations to do so. They will occasionally agree to trades, taking intangibles such as ideas or memories or dreams, and giving wonders seemingly made of glass or crystal but with magical properties. No one dares cheat the Neighbors on such deals, and it is said that they always get the best of the bargain.

Skills: Area Knowledge (invisible world), Occult (spirits), Thaumatology (reflective magic)
Advantages: Insubstantiality (affect substantial, always on, 120 pts), Invisibility (can carry objects, extended, substantial only, 40 pts), See Invisible (15 pts)
Disadvantages: Cannot Speak (mute, accessibility to See Invisible, ), Colorblindness (-10 pts), Loner (-5 pts), Magic Susceptibility -3 (only vs. pellucid magic, -5 pts), Contrary (-1 pt), Staid (-1 pt)

--Kakita Kojiro

==Spirit World of Iridos: Yingarna==

The spirit realm of [[Iridos]] is accessible through natural rainbows, artificial rainbows, and colored glass.

--shanoxilt

To enter the spirit world from [[Iridos]], one does so through prisms and rainbows... or one would, if one could survive being fragmented into a rainbow of primary spirit-selves. This is considered a humane manner of execution in Iridos, however, so murderers and other heretics are refracted into rainbows, which are then harvested for use. There are a host of strange entities there -- infra- and ultra-colors unseeable by human eyes -- and they all tend to be rather monomaniacal. But it is difficult to exploit this spirit world; you can look, but it's difficult to touch. The scitalis and simorgh emigrated from there, however, so color sages still seek the means to enter safely.

--Kakita Kojiro

====Specters====

Executed criminals whose spirit-selves are not harvested become seven ghosts. These ghosts are fragments of the individual's personality. They share a weakly unified consciousness. They wander Iridos, yearning for wholeness. These ghosts are known as "spectres".

--shanoxilt

After the criminal's death by fragmentation, his or her spectres remain corporeal for one hour. Once that hour has ended, the spectres can never again physically manifest. Harvesters must rapidly capture and process the spectres.

Despite numerous vain attempts, no magic can join the seven souls of a spectre. Only their struggles for peace and unity will unite the souls. This is the source of their pain and the reason for their hauntings.

--shanoxilt

Advantages
doesn't breath [20], doesn't eat or drink [10], doesn't sleep [20], duplication (7 souls; always on -10%; shared resources -40%) [123]; hyperspectral vision [25]; immunity to metabolic hazards [30]; insubstantiality (always on -50%) [40]; invisibility (switchable +10%) [44]; telecommunication (telesend: vague -50%; racial -20%) [9]
Disadvantages
amnesia (partial) [-10] ; confused [-10]; obsession [-10]

--shanoxilt

==Spirit World outside the cities==

Despite their belief in spirits, very few nomads, including shamans, have actually seen a spirit. In the wilds, away from themed cities, spirits are felt as presences. The Wandering Peoples listen with shocked disbelief, when they hear tales of mirror-wights and doppelgangers.

Ghosts, however, have been seen by the Wandering Peoples. As former humans, ghosts do not have the strange habits of spirits. Some shamans suspect that ghosts can not choose their forms as spirits do.

--shanoxilt

Away from the cities, the borders to the spirit world are more fixed, and the spirit world there may shift from the Other Side to the Shadow World or the Invisible World -- or may be a mix of all. There are shamans in the wilds who have a smattering of lore, enough to peer into reflective pools, or see invisible spirits, or perform other tricks considered petty and mundane in the cities. However they are the only ones away from civilization capable of dealing with the escape of a rogue mirror-wight, or of tracking a shadow-beast, or of exorcising an unseeable color.

The followers of the [[Religions|Clear Prophet]] have speculated that a spirit may change its nature if taken from, say, Iridos to Narcissus -- but the only entities capable of answering that question, the invisible citizens of Diaphane, were gravely offended to be asked it, and the questioner disappeared soon thereafter.

Amidst the ruins of the [[other kingdoms|Thousand Flowing Waters]], there is no spirit world of any sort, of course. It was eaten or corroded by the undead in ages long past. There, mirrors are only mirrors, shadows only shadows -- unless one of the [[Religions|Empty Masters]] or a [[Religions|vampire]] is around...

To enter the spirit world of the [[Religions|Cult of the Opaque]], one does so through shadows -- but only particular shadows, special ones formed by the intersection of specific geometries under specific illumination patterns. Most of these have been discovered by accident (when someone goes missing, having accidentally fallen into the Shadow World), but are recorded and kept secret by the Cult of the Opaque. Shadows and opaque things glow there, whereas the sun is black. Spirit entities of the Shadow World seem to be regular creatures, plants, and objects -- but their essential properties are exaggerated. There are apparently no strange entities as there are in the other spirit worlds (e.g., mirror-wraiths, color spirits, etc.)

--Kakita Kojiro

====Ghosts====

Ghosts are the incorporeal remains of a human. They appear as brief glimpses in reflective surfaces. Much to the dismay of the ghost, they are usually mistaken for dangerous doppelgangers.

Unlike spectres, normal ghosts do not have fragmented souls. The seven souls of a ghost are completely integrated. A spectre may become a ghost, if it can ever manage to unify its souls. Normal ghosts appear as the white ghosts of traditional ghost stories.

--shanoxilt

====The Invisible Typhoon====

The Invisible Typhoon is a reflection of a storm from the spirit world that crossed over due to a sacrifice of an unwilling victim, and a misguided Cabal in the [[Bachariko|Spice Kingdoms]], it is said it follows a strange path along the world, appearing and disappearing along the sea, and in and out of season, raining down odd items and high winds, yet with no sounds, producing an area of complete silence, and other times takes the sounds and smells and thoughts of one area, and produces then in another, across time and distance. It dries up lakes, and drowns deserts, however luckily it only affects an area of around a mile, and has never appeared in a city. The voices of the cabal's screams are carried before it, and serve as a warning of its approach.

--stephen_dean

Other kingdoms

2008-05-09T08:33:15Z

Kakita Kojiro:

=Geography and Other Kingdoms=

The closest barbarian tribes are kept in check from the relatively defenseless cities by their deeply held religioius beliefs -- that the sorcerers of the Mirrored City can steal their souls should their reflection fall within their power. They obey and serve out of superstitious fear that the sorcerers will come for their souls, leaving them one of the living undead. None will go to the Mirrored City willingly if unblinded, and those taken there as servants are mourned as though dead -- even if they later return, they are regarded as unquiet ghosts, and driven away.

Although the tribes do not fear sorcery from the Crystal City, they avoid it too -- for it is thought that the inhabitants are the sorcerer's souls exiled from its sister-city, sent away as the price of the sorcerers' powers. This is well-known to be true, for it is said that mirrors are forbidden in the Crystal City because its inhabitants fear being captured by sorcerers once more.

--by Kakita Kojiro

==The Thousand Flowing Waters==

The Ruins of the [[cities of glass history|First Age]] are scattered throughout the world, however the Largest, most dangerous and best preserved Lies in the region known as the Thousand Flowing waters, a Marshland bordering the Ocean that stretches for miles, and littered with islands and estuaries. It is claimed to be where a thousand streams and rivers empty into. The Region is heavily grown over, inhabited by large [[megafauna|aquatic predators]], littered with ruins ranging from piles of sinking stone to well preserved towers, and inhabited by more ghost, shadows, and other things than any other place in the known world. It is also a place where shallow pools lead directly to the [[spirit world|Mirror lands]], and where time acts differently. Stories are told of brave or foolish youth looting the dead cities, and coming back to find everyone who remembered them being dead and gone, and there town unrecognizable. Others claim that the ruins are from the future, not the past. In all the tales, one detail is consistant, and that is that the Twin Sisters originated there, and that things are buried which can make a man wiser than his fellows, or a gibbering fool. The Major rivers are clear for travel, but going further than a few miles into the Tangled Jungle can lead to trouble. The region periodically floods, and many places are covered by the tide, or sink beneath the muck. Some however rise up and fall according to strange magics or half remembered commands from the long dead inhabitants. This Region is far to the East from the Civilized Cities, but the Twin cities do send teams of researchers and explorers to salvage what lore can be found. These are usually well armed, well supplied, and very specific in where they go. Those citizens with wanderlust or a thirst for adventure are drawn to these expeditions, and though dangerous, it a respected and rewarding field.

--by stephen_dean

The Four Cities are dotted like constellations along the intertwining trade routes that provide the raw materials, and are located on high points along the curving paths of great serpantine rivers that snake over a large plain. The Plains are dotted with canyons and cliffs, gradually becoming drier until the Western edges dry into sandy waste and inhabited by nomads and less definable entities. To the East lies the vast sea, clustered in the Marshes and Jungles by the Coast, and edged by mountains that catch the rainclounds, with large passes carved by rivers and edged with ruins. The rivers from the central highlands serve as flowing highways, and the Mountains where the herdsman and small villages of farmers each out an existance in the valleys and glens of the slopes of the towering mountains send forth there goods South. The southern plains stretch to meet the sea, and from this direction, tribute, spices, slaves and raw materials flow, as manufactured goods, cloth, and wonders of the craftsman of the cities are peddled south, and tribute North. The great carvavans, barges and cities to the south allow for large fortunes to gather, and decadence to thrive.

-by stephen_dean

===The Enkidi, people of the marshes===

A small group of villages and hamlets tucked away in the Marshes, near the center of the thousand flowing waters, and hidden in deep with-in ferns and brackish water, far up river. The Enkidu people prize concealment, and are masters of the use of poison blowguns and elaborate traps and deadfalls. They know there home well, and have tamed many species of birds to hunt and guard their watery homes. The people are few in number, and rarely interact with outsiders, outside of raids for slaves, loot or to preserve artifacts from the ruins. Their villages are built in the sinking remains of a large Stone ruins, or around statues with a rounded face of a god, half buried in the marshes, and one of the few large solid structures around to build on. They dress in a large number of bright feathers and fearsome masks, and are feared for there practice of taking the heads of their victims as trophies. They lack any shamans, and claim that magic is left for the Gods alone to know, and so guard the secrets of the ruins in their lands well. The villages are ringed with the severed heads of trespassers, and the beat of there drums they use to communicate with one another, and the shreik of their war cries fills the heart of the unwary exploreres of the region with fear. Those who encounter them are advised to avoid making sudden movements, and the best tools for bribery are any brightly colored fabrics or strong poisons. Some say they are led by an officer of an Iridos military unit sent to explore the region, who went native and is said to no longer be sane.

-- by stephen_dean

===The Tomb Cities of Achrum===
Every schoolchild knows of the drowned ruins in the Thousand Flowing Waters, which are now the tombs of the dead and undead of an ancient civilization. That civilization now lies submerged beneath the rising waters of the Gulf of Achrum, which the Thousand Flowing Waters surrounds and empties into. Few know that these ruins are actually the remnants of several cities, of which very little is known or has been learned. There are names given in old texts – Areatha the City of the Loom, Hipece the City of Waters, Marish the Named and Unnamed City – but none have been defined beyond mere conjecture. The marshes near Astomo and the city of Omphalo are most-accessible, but also the most perilous, as they are haunted by vampires and watched by the Silent Brotherhood. Most explorers who seek out the tomb cities are lucky to return with sight and sanity intact. (There is a note here in the text telling of a Wanderer of the Wastes, who returned from the tomb cities whole in mind and body, but speaking an unintelligible language which no one could fathom, and he unable to learn any other.) (nb. "Achrum" was not the name of that drowned land, but of one of the rivers that flowed into the land. scholars and explorers still attempt to determine which current-day river was once the River Achrum.)

--Kakita Kojiro

===Colossus of Chasus===

The most well-known of the lost cities of the ancients is surely the so-called “City of Statues.” It lies in the waters between the island chain on which Iridos stands, but its location is easily found as some of its largest monuments and pillars still stand above the waves, with their statues above or partly above the water. Largest of all these is the colossus, an enormous statue that once stood astride the harbor entrance of the drowned city. It still stands there, knee-deep in the waterway between two islands, to mark where the City of Statues once was. The colossus was made of bronze, but with a concrete core that has remained as the bronze has corroded and eroded away over centuries. Observers claim that the colossus and other statues slowly change their positions and expressions, the colossus much more slowly than the lesser statues here. It is said to be bad luck to sail between the legs of the Colossus, and the reports of empty ghost-ships which sail the nearby waters on foggy nights are said to have be the remains of those who have dared to do so.

--Kakita Kojiro

==Petty Kingdoms==

===Omphalo, sapling colony city===

Omphalo is a city of many religions. It was founded as the fortress city and headquarters of the Second Great Crusade, and still persecutes the forbidden cult of the Hollow Men. According to legend, this was also the birthplace of the Twin Sisters, and although scholars doubt the veracity, it is still a pilgrimage site for many people. In the time since the Second Great Crusade, other religious cults have come to the city for their own reasons. As have adventurers and scavengers, hoping to glean ancient wonders from the ruins in the marshes.

Each rainy season, Omphalo and the marshes flood when the seasonal rivers of the grasslands flow. Buildings in Omphalo are build on stilts, and during the flood season people get around by flat-bottomed boats. These same boats are used in the marshes as well. Although the city subsists off pilgrimage, it also produces a surplus of crops that require flooded fields. These crops are generally sold to one of the three northern cities. The crusaders of Omphalo have found patrolling the undead-haunted ruins of the Thousand Flowing Waters easier during the flood season, and so when the waters rise boats of armed Silent Brothers set forth for their sacred mission.

Occupations: Crusader, Priest, Boatman, Farmer, Fisherman
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (Omphalo), Boating, History, Religious Ritual, Theology, Occult (vampires)
Social Background: Cultural Familiarity (1 pt., Twin Cities), Glossa (native language), Literacy
Suggested Quirks: Careful, Code of Honor, Vow
Sample Contact Groups: Silent Brotherhood, Seven Sisters, Cult of the Opaque, other Cult
Suggested Spells: Sort Living from Undead (IQ/Average)
Rumor: “It is said that the Opaque Tree, the Tree of Many Shadows, the fourth and dark Crystal Tree, was discovered or hidden in Omphalo. The Cult of the Opaque has become very influential in Omphalo recently because so many of its followers have come to the city seeking their mystic tree.”

--Kakita Kojiro

===Heliade, tributary petty kingdom===

Heliade is known as the Amber Kingdom. It is located on the Pleione river, which flows from the south, and borders on the marsh ruins of the Thousand Flowing Waters. Its inhabitants scour the river and marshes for spells and spirits frozen in amber from ancient times. These talismans are valuable wealth for trade, and Heliade is often subject to tribute to one of the three great cities of the north. Occasionally they go to war over this imposition of tribute, but although their archers are armed with devastating amber-tipped arrows, they are no match for the sorcery of the three cities on the battlefield.

Heliade magicians take dross amber and make use of it in many ways. It is dissolved into amber lacquer that hardens their armor against danger. It is used to trap images within, that may be seen at any time by peering into the amber. It is also melted down and gathered into vats of molten amber – through which, they hope to peer into the spirit-world. There is a belief in Heliade that there is another [[Spirit_world|Crystal Tree]] – this one, of amber, weeping jewels – and the Heliades believe that if it is found, their city will rise to preeminence.

When Heliade marches into a Flower War, its warriors wear amber-laquered armor. They are armed with amber-tipped arrows and spears. Some of their amber arrows hold trapped within them hostile spirits, or ancient lightning-strikes. When these strike an enemy in battle, they cause considerable havoc and panic.

Occupations: Ambergleaner, Archer, Flower-Warrior, Lapidiary, Merchant, Amberwright
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (Heliade), Bow, Current Affairs, Jeweler, Occult (amber)
Social Background: Heliadic (native language), Glossa (accented language), Literacy
Suggested Quirks: Dreamer, Obsessions (amber), Thin-Skinned*
Suggested Spells: Capture Image In Amber (IQ/Average), Smelt Amber (IQ/Hard)
Rumor: In Heliade they have learned to enter the spirit-world through vats of molten amber. Therein they say the spirit-world is upside-down; you walk upside-down with the ground above your feet and the sky below your head. However, they have not discovered how to leave the spirit-world, and as the amber hardens, the explorer is trapped, entombed alive in a block of amber, upside-down.

--Kakita Kojiro

====Amber Magic====
mantra: time is frozen in amber
tools: amber
talent: Amber Magic (10 pts/level)
spells:
''capture image in amber'' (IQ/Average)
''see within amber'' (IQ/Average)
''free from amber'' (IQ/Hard, req. Amber Magic 1+)
''smelt amber'' (IQ/Hard, req. Amber Magic 1+)
''capture magic in amber'' (IQ/Very Hard, req. Amber Magic 2+, capture image in amber)
''capture spirit in amber'' (IQ/Very Hard, req. Amber Magic 3+, capture magic in amber)

--Kakita Kojiro

===Astomo, tributary petty kingdom===

Astomo is called the Mute Kingdom, for long ago it was ruled by priest-kings whose lips were ritually sewn shut. It is still ruled by their inheritors, holy men known as Voices, whose lips are also sewn shut. Astomo lies on the borders of the Thousand Flowing Waters, and believe themselves to be the proper heirs of the ancient civilization that lies in ruins there. The people of Astomo are fascinated by the ancient ruins, and most will study some aspect of the ruins at some time in their life.

The Voices who rule Astomo do so by religious decree. There are a bewildering variety of subsects, all with teachings that confuse outsiders who cannot determine if they are philosophies or religions. As with the priest-kings of old, the Voices have their lips ritually sewn shut. Their ritual asceticisms allow them to survive without the need for food or drink, and to speak without speech, among other wonders.

Occupations: Archaeologist, Interpreter
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (Astomo), Gesture, History, Linguistics, Stealth, Hidden Lore (ancients)
Social Background: Glossa (native language), Backaric (broken language), Literacy
Suggested Advantages: Silence
Suggested Quirks: Cautious, Humble, Obsessions (ancients)
Sample Contact Groups: Sect
Rumor: “The old mouthless priest-kings of Astomo were, in fact, heretical offshoots of the Hollow Men. The Voices who still rule Astomo keep this secret carefully guarded, lest fanatic crusaders hear of it and Astomo be destroyed.”

--Kakita Kojiro

===Pharsus, tributary petty kingdom===

This is the Land of Masks, between the rivers Cephissus and Maiandro, near to the Thousand Flowing Waters. After their coming-of-age, each adult here has at least two special masks, which they wear at all times. Each mask has its own identity and personality – it is the mask that is considered to be the real person, not the body that the mask is wearing. Each mask may have a different job, different spouse and family, different friends, and always different dress and mannerisms. If crimes are committed, it is the mask that is punished or destroyed. And sometimes one mask will fall sick or die, while the others continue on unaffected. Should all of an inhabitant’s masks be lost or destroyed, he or she becomes only another faceless foreigner.

Foreigners can become very confused in Pharsus, believing that they have met someone because they recognize the body, and not realizing that they must be introduced to the new mask. Of course, the people of Pharsus will politely ignore the presence of anyone with a naked face, so outsiders must learn to wear masks if they wish to be acknowledged – and to not change masks, lest they be regarded as a completely different person. Interestingly, Pharsus became a satrapy of the Narcissus hegemony voluntarily after being astounded by the first emissary from Narcissus, who donned a mirror as her mask.

Although they have been a satrapy of Narcissus for centuries, the inhabitants of Pharsus practice no magic of any kind – other than their masking. In some way that baffles magicians, the mask is the person, and any magic affects only the mask – and that magic ends when the mask is removed. Most of the masks of Pharsus are styled after birds or beasts, and mask styles tend to be similar by profession. Generally, a newly-made adult will receive one mask from each parent, but children of important people will be given additional masks by other sponsors.

Occupations: Boatman, Fisherman, Farmer, Maskmaker
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (Pharsus), Acting, Body Language, Fishing, Mimicry (speech), Masking (IQ/Very Hard)
Social Background: Pharsic (native language), Glossa (accented language), Literacy
Suggested Quirks: Personality Change, Staid, Incompetence (magic skills)
Sample Contact Groups: Sponsors
Advantages: Pharsic Mask (Magic Resistance – access requires mask, -10%)
Rumor: “The people of Pharsus claim that they and the Enkidi are distantly related, even though their languages are dissimilar and the Enkidi do not acknowledge any kinship. However, it is known that while the Enkidi will indeed take the heads of trespassers from Pharsus, their masks are always sent back even though the heads are kept.”

-- by Kakita Kojiro
==The Western Mountains and the Deserts of the West==

The Huge birds, such as the [[megafauna|Thunderbirds]], are the scavengers of the Western Deserts and grasslands, and use the gust from the mountains to range over the vast undalating plains in search of the many beast that wander its relativly untouched expanses. The varied terrain is home to vast herds of [[megafauna|gigantic Bison]], the Forest along the Mountains to stranger beast still. However the numbers are thin near the cities, and grow the further afield one goes. The Mountains to the West are the largest in the Known world, and the other side is an area explored at the peril of the unwary, do to the vast spaces inhabited by huge creatures of myth and legend, some claim to be larger than the armored beast that wander the waste. The reason for the lack of habitation is due to the low population following the devastating fall of the previous empires in the past, and the frequent wars between the city-states. The attachment of many people to there principle city-state or ideal, or the threat of strange conditions has led many to stay in the civilized regions, rather than risk expanding to the terrain of the tribes of head-hunters and beast riders beyond the Mountains. It is through the collective resources of the Cities that the walls, pits, and special huntsman keep the lands and tradeways safe. However, recent droughts and a change in climate are causing some stange beast and raider to prey at the edges of the Twin Cities, and the many smaller city-states. For now, these have not been signifigent, however, rumors are spreading of tribes beyond the mountains who ride great beast, and are forming an Empire of the wandering bands to pillage the glittering wealth of the settled peoples. These are rumors however, and cartomancers are exploring to add to the [[Diaphane|Crystal Globe]], to see if these shadows of truth are to be trusted.

-by stephen_dean

===The Sandstone Empire===

As is commonly known, the Sandstone Empire was formed from a series of bordering regions and Kingdoms set between the Spice Kingdoms to the South, and the Twin Cities to the North. While many of the neighboring peoples submitted or were aligned to one of the two spheres of influence, it was the Sandstone region that developed the strange system of a militarized mode of life, and the selection of the majority of it's population for the pursuit of war, and eventually conquest.

The origins of it's founder, a man whose name is lost to history, can be traced to around 600 Years post Darkness. It is known he commanded a group of refugees from the West, a group of soldiers who claimed to be remnants of a large force from the Far West, across a sea, where monuments of stone stood over a city of sleeping elders, dead kings and courts held in perfumed wrapping and served for all eternity, and a great city grew, the largest in all the world, a paradise that faced cataclysm, as the very earth rebelled against them. The strangers swept aside opposition as wheat before a sickle, and subdued the villages and towns of a wide swath of territory, wearing scales of strange metal, in wheeled carts pulled by strange beast.

They enslaved all around them, and expanded their holding with each harvest, more and more land and water beneath there banners, more sons and daughters toiling to create the stone temples where they lay there dead, to sleep until their city rose again. The cities were placed in the dry west, where the earth turns to dust, and sand becomes stone, stone sand. The slaves watched well however, and the helot revolts began first in their lands. All the master's were slaughtered in their beds, their legions of overseers and slave soldiers united in a vision of equality, one night of blood wiping out their rule in the Night of Bitter Waters.

The resulting state, called the Second empire, and the Beggar's empire, was founded on a view of equality through work, a collective society where children and property were to the state, all males were trained to be warriors, and wars were fought to free helots and slaves of the master's lash in all directions. This led to the misguided policy of attacking all slave owners, and getting involved in providing sanctuary and arms in foreign entanglements. The collapse of the 2nd Sandstone Empire in the South can be linked to alliances with the barbarian peoples and complicity in the helot revolts in The Twin Cities at 300 years post shattering. The resulting collapse of the Beggar's Empire, as it was known at the time, and the decree to purge it's mention from from all records following it's cleansing during the second crusade, as well as serving as the sight of the larger battles of the barbarian wars, led to it's decline to it's current state.

Now a poor region of dry lands, burnt and looted ruins of cities, and mud walled sullen villages where the proud decedents of the survivors of that time still scorn the civilized peoples. The are rumors that the so called Seven Legions, who fled west rather than be enslaved again, and who are said to have created a refuge for escaped slaves and helots. Many whisper that the day may come when helots go west, to a new city, where all men walk equal before the other. The bleached bones of that path are well known, so only the truly down trodden make the attempt.

-- by stephen_dean

==Barbarian Tribes==

===The Bammenides, nomadic barbarian tribe===

The Bammenides are one of the nomadic barbarian tribes of the northern taiga. They live on the edges of the northern glaciers. They are known as the “painted men” to the Twin Cities, because they tattoo their bodies, faces, and hands in bright colors. They tend small herds of [[Megafauna|dire elk]], from which they get milk, meat, fur – and most importantly, transportation. Their dire elk are domesticated and trained to pull sleighs large enough to transport an entire Bammenide family and all their goods. Their clans migrate south in spring and summer to graze and mate their herds. As rivers freeze and snow covers the ground, they migrate north and stay the winter snowbound, keeping the herds safe from the hungry predators of the south. In spring many clans gather in huge meetings to mate their herds; this is when the Bammenides trade with outsiders. In winter they live in homes built of snow, while their herds are hidden in sheltered valleys with some vegetation, or forage brought by their herders.

Shamans of the Bammenides work their magic through wands of many kinds. Each shaman has an assortment of wands of antler, bone, or wood, which must be carefully chosen for each specific purpose. Most shamans eagerly trade for wands made of metal from civilization. One of the few spells that shamans need no wand for are their eating magics. When someone in their clan suffers bad luck, or is afflicted by illness, or haunted by ghosts, the clan’s shaman will ritually consume the offending spirit. They can often scare off troublesome spirits with demonstrations of their eating prowess, by eating stones and other formidable things.

Occupations: Herder, Hunter, Trader, Warrior, Shaman
Suggested Skills: Animal Handling, Area Knowledge (tundra), Driving (sleigh), Spear, Survival, Tracking, Occult (spirits)
Social Background: Low TL, Bammenic (native language), Illiteracy
Suggested Quirks: Likes (metal), Humble, Uncongenial
Sample Contact Groups: Clan, Warrior Lodge
Suggested Spells: Eat Anything (IQ/ Hard, req. Shamanic Magic 1+), Eat Ghost (IQ/Very Hard, req. Shamanic Magic 3+)
Rumor: “The slow retreat of the northern ice and its gradual melting has gradually forced the Bammenides away from their ancestral summer and winter lands. Their herds do not thrive in the warming lands, and the remaining cold lands are too barren. The herds do not grow, and so more and more young men become warriors to gain wealth and status – while the defenses of Narcissus and Diaphane are in decline. If they join with other wandering tribes, a barbarian horde may bring the next Shattering from the north…”

--Kakita Kojiro

===The Makhlyes, nomadic barbarian tribe===

The Makhlyes are one of the nomadic barbarian tribes of the western grasslands. Their ancestors followed [[Megafauna|thunder beast]] herds, but the great herds from ancient times are no more, and only solitary beasts survive now. They now follow [[Megafauna|hornbeast]] herds across the grasslands. They are frequent trading partners with the Twin Cities, bartering furs and hides, ivory and horn, in return for civilized goods. Every few generations their warriors band together with other barbarian tribes and raid and pillage into civilized lands.

The shamans of the Makhlyes are known as Inverts because they live their lives as the opposite gender. Because of this, they are regarded as spirits by their people – and also regarded as spirits by spirits. Once each year in the spring, all the hunters will dress as the opposite gender as well, for the sacred Inverse Hunt. Their magic allows the hunters to hunt the now-extinct herds of megafauna as though they still roamed the grasslands. The hunters bring back much meat and many trophies from an Inverse Hunt, but every year one hunter does not return from the hunt. Because of these strange customs, people of the Twin Cities think that all Makhlyes change genders, and take precautions against touching them, lest this is contagious.

Occupations: Hunter, Trader, Warrior, Invert
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (grasslands), Mimicry (animal sounds), Spear Thrower, Stealth, Survival, Tracking, Occult (spirits)
Social Background: Low TL, Makhlyic (native language), Illiteracy
Suggested Quirks: Broad-Minded, Responsive, Tolerant* (not bothered by quirks)
Sample Contact Groups: Clan, Warrior Lodge
Suggested Spells: Hunt Megafauna Ghosts (IQ/Average) (note: penalties if not an Inverse Hunt), Change Gender (IQ/Very Hard, req. Invert, Shamanic Magic 4+)
New Advantage: Invert (5 pts., live as opposite gender, spirits react as though you were a spirit yourself)
Rumor: “The Makhlyes say that when one of the Inverts goes on a spiritquest and returns of the opposite gender, that he or she has not really returned at all. Instead she or he has been replaced by a spirit, that will pretend to be the Invert for the rest of its life, until it pretends to die and returns to the spirit-world.”

--Kakita Kojiro

===The Gorgades, nomadic barbarian tribe===

The Gorgades are one of the nomadic barbarian tribes of the distant steppes to the west of the grasslands and mountains. They are known as the “hairy ones” to most outsiders, because they do not cut their hair. When meeting strangers, they also veil their eyes with their hair so as to not make eye contact, and they will also not look into mirrors. They claim that all these taboos protect them from spirits – and, curiously, they believe that the inhabitants of the Twin Cities are actually spirits who lie about their true natures. They rarely trade with the Twin Cities, but their leather goods often make their way east through trade with other barbarian tribes (such as the Makhlyes).

They have actually domesticated herds of [[Megafauna|megafauna]], and roam the steppes to move their herds to new grazing. Each clan in the tribe typically has its own type of megafauna that it specialized in. Clans often take the opportunity to raid the herds of other clans while nearby, to eat some of their enemies’ beasts instead of their own. Their shamans wear headdresses of the skull and hides of their clan’s beast, and generally know a very odd assortment of spells.

Occupations: Herder, Hunter, Raider, Trapper, Shaman
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (steppes), Animal Handling, Bow, Knife, Leatherworking, Survival, Occult (spirits)
Social Background: Low TL, Gorgadic (native language), Illiteracy
Suggested Quirks: Uncongenial, Vow (do not cut hair, do not look into eyes or mirrors), Unhygienic* (does not bathe)
Sample Contact Groups: Clan, Warrior Lodge
Suggested Spells: Find New Forage (IQ/Average), Foretell Weather (IQ/Average)
Rumor: “Gorgades are not actually human – they are abhumans who were once used as servants by the ancients. They escaped back into the wild after the downfall of the ancients, and still fear civilized men.”

--Kakita Kojiro

===The Nethsras, nomadic barbarian tribe===

The Nethsras are one of the nomadic barbarian tribes of the western Steppe Wastes. They range further west and south than many other tribes, and so while only rumors to the Twin Cities, are better known in the Spice Kingdoms. They specialize in hunting hornbeasts with bolas from ambush. Their clans roam following the hornbeast herds, living in well-hidden temporary camps. Although they have joined barbarian hordes in times past, they are generally peaceful and not warlike, and usually maintain good relations with neighboring tribes.

It is an oddity that the Nethsras have no shamans among them, and claim they are never troubled by ghosts. This is because, they say, all Nethsras are the same souls of all the Nethsras who ever were, and those souls reincarnate as Nethsras after their death. They know exactly how many Nethsras souls there are, and each clan tells the others of deaths so that they know which souls to look for when new children are born. In times when their birthrates fall below deathrates, though, they must send scouts to nearby tribes, and even into civilized lands, seeking the newborn children that have souls from their tribe. Once identified, the scouts either buy (from other barbarian tribes) or steal (from civilized lands) these newborns and return them to their true people. The worst thing for Nethsras is when their birthrates rise above deathrates – for children born then will be born soulless. In such times it is traditional for the Nethsras to seek some pretext to go to war, so that there will be souls for the newborns.

Some Nethsras do seem able to recover fragments of past lives – although most never progress beyond achieving strong paramnesia sensations. These hints of past lives are usually cherished and encouraged, so Nethsras may seem erratic and mercurial to outsiders. The few who do manage to recover memories of past lives are the Awakened Ones. They are capable of astounding skills, but must struggle with sorting through a confusing mix of memories and personalities that have no context in their present life. Scouts sent to find wayward reborn souls are always young Awakened Ones.

Occupations: Gleaner, Hunter, Scout, Awakened One
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (steppes), Autohypnosis, Bolas, Camouflage, Stealth, Survival, Forbidden Lore (soul recognition)
Social Background: Low TL, Nethsric (native language), Illiteracy
Suggested Quirks: Delusions (past lives), Likes, Personality Change
Sample Contact Groups: Clan, Past Life
Suggested Advantages: Reawakened (10 pts) (note: may use to learn Blind Fighting, Body Control, Breath Control, Invisibility Art, Light Walk), Split Personality (-15 pts)
Rumor: “Most of the Awakened Ones of the Nethsras are aware that their numbers are slowly dwindling, as each generation a few reborn souls are never recovered. They believe that someone has stolen their secrets of soul rebirth, and so polluted the way to rebirth such that some souls simply become lost in being reborn. They have heard of the distant Twin Cities, and plan to send scouts there to search for reborn Nethsras souls, to bring back, or to kill if they are too old to bring back.”

-- by Kakita Kojiro

=Other Places=

===Labyrinth of Metuse===

North of the Thousand Flowing Waters, in the foothills of the Eastern Mountains, are hidden the miles-long cave system known as the Labyrinth of Metuse, after the goddess that lives there. The goddess Metuse is a gorgon, one of the first spirits who escaped or fled from the spirit-world in ancient days. She is said to be terrible in her beauty – golden scales, brazen wings, and serpents for hair. Any who see her unreflected are turned to black glass. She once had the company of many blindfolded priests, who carved the caves into vast maze with her temple at its heart. Her last known supplicant was in the years of the Great Purge, a mirror sorcerer from [[Narcissus]] who it is said returned to Narcissus to speak prophecies from the gorgon to the Diet, and after all further supplication to the goddess were outlawed he returned to her labyrinth to become her mate and husband. No one who has sought her since has found their way further than the galleries full of statues of black glass...

--Kakita Kojiro

===Lost City of Light===

There is a legend that the Twin Sisters had a prodigal brother, who ventured further than they in seeking enlightenment, and founded a city of his own in the icy wastes of the north where the sun rarely rises. The City of Light, it is said, glows of its own luminescence, lighting the way across the ice plains like a distant lighthouse. The Wandering Peoples of the tundra, however, say that is a city of spirits, and lies in the [[Spirit_world|spirit-world]]. The shamans say that any mortal who finds it in the physical world will soon sicken and die from the city’s unnatural radiance, while anyone who finds it in the [[Spirit_world|spirit-world]] is dead already. Nonetheless there are legends of heroes who journeyed to the City of Light and returned, digits and noses frozen off, but having been given magical lamps which reveal spirits who are within the lamps’ illumination. In all these legends, the hero either dies soon thereafter of tumorous growths, or out of grief after several malformed stillbirths.

--Kakita Kojiro

===Shrine of the Sharp Mother===

In the north of the Loess Plains, on the edge of the tundra, lies this old shrine, which is said no human hand built. The shrine is a ramshackle affair, buildings built of bones of every kind. The structural bones are of [[megafauna]] – aurochs bones, mastodon bones, and older and stranger bones from now-unknown monsters. The walls and roofs are the bones of humans, hornbeasts, and other beasts. The smaller bones of dogs and birds fill in the gaps. There are always only two inhabitants of the shrine – the Sharp Mother, and her oracle child. The Sharp Mother is always a monstrously large [[Megafauna|Bear-Dog]], seemingly unintelligent and untamed, but who permits supplicants to come as long as they do not threaten her child. The oracle is always a human girl-child; when she grows to maturity, the gift of prophecy leaves her and so she leaves, while the Sharp Mother goes to find a new girl-child to bring back to the shrine. Petitioners come bearing gifts of raw meat for the Sharp Mother, and food for her child as well. If pleased, the Sharp Mother allows them to approach her oracle, who enters a seizure-like trance to answer their question. The oracle is never wrong, but her prophecies are also open to different interpretations – and few petitioners have guessed the correct meaning until too late.

--Kakita Kojiro

===Gnomon===

The disreputable [[Religions|Cult of the Opaque]] claims that their adherents have built their own, hidden city, somewhere in the Western Mountains or beyond. This city is said to have been carved out of the ground, out of ashen soil. Aboveground it is marked only by monoliths and angular blades of metal, which serve to cast shadows so as to mark the sun’s passage overhead. Many odd stories are told of this mythical place – that the desert shakes for miles around in sympathetic vibration with the deep music of Gnomon, that the conjunctions of angles and shadows open up ways into the spirit-world inaccessible in the Three Cities, or that there actually is no such city, but it is instead an allegory or tale meant to illustrate the blindness of the Three Cities because of their hidebound traditions.

--Kakita Kojiro

===Stone Forest===

Fragmentary records said to be from ancient days speak of this place, somewhere in the west of the Steppe Wastes. No one since before the Cataclysm has found the place. It is said to be a forest of strange trees, unlike any now known, but all petrified and turned to stone. Nothing living grows in the stone forest, and no water flows there. Some believe that this is the place from whence the Crystal Trees were brought. Others believe that the trees here were a different kind of [[Spirit_world|Crystal Tree]], now lost. The priest-king of Astomo is said to have once had a polished disk of stone wood, proving the existence of this place – but the Voices that rule Astomo now claim it was lost long ago. The Wanderers of the Wastes avidly seek clues as to its location, but the Wandering Peoples of the steppes all say that they know of no such place, and that if it did exist it would surely be haunted by dangerous and powerful spirits. (Actual records recovered from the [[Religions|Wanderers of the Wastes]] seem to show that most of their would-be explorers end up getting eaten by sabertooths, monster birds, or cannibals, long before they find any clue they were seeking.)

--Kakita Kojiro

===Gates of Ivory===

Tales in [[Bachariko]] claim that there is a hidden kingdom in the uttermost west, beyond the southern savannah, past the southern deserts, on the western coast of the southern mountains. In a mountain valley there is a wall of ivory, with gates of ivory, all built of the tusks of countless myriads of [[megafauna|mammoths]]. It is said that this wall is patrolled by strangely-colored people, who speak no known language, and who are unwilling to unbar their gate to any visitor. The last explorer who returned with the location to tell the tale, died while being feasted by one of the god-kings – and after his sudden death the entire court of the god-king was stricken by a strange and sudden illness that caused their blood and tears to run white, followed by death. No one has since sought to find this distant hidden land.

--Kakita Kojiro

Other kingdoms

2008-05-09T08:30:41Z

Kakita Kojiro: added Amber Magic

=Geography and Other Kingdoms=

The closest barbarian tribes are kept in check from the relatively defenseless cities by their deeply held religioius beliefs -- that the sorcerers of the Mirrored City can steal their souls should their reflection fall within their power. They obey and serve out of superstitious fear that the sorcerers will come for their souls, leaving them one of the living undead. None will go to the Mirrored City willingly if unblinded, and those taken there as servants are mourned as though dead -- even if they later return, they are regarded as unquiet ghosts, and driven away.

Although the tribes do not fear sorcery from the Crystal City, they avoid it too -- for it is thought that the inhabitants are the sorcerer's souls exiled from its sister-city, sent away as the price of the sorcerers' powers. This is well-known to be true, for it is said that mirrors are forbidden in the Crystal City because its inhabitants fear being captured by sorcerers once more.

--by Kakita Kojiro

==The Thousand Flowing Waters==

The Ruins of the [[cities of glass history|First Age]] are scattered throughout the world, however the Largest, most dangerous and best preserved Lies in the region known as the Thousand Flowing waters, a Marshland bordering the Ocean that stretches for miles, and littered with islands and estuaries. It is claimed to be where a thousand streams and rivers empty into. The Region is heavily grown over, inhabited by large [[megafauna|aquatic predators]], littered with ruins ranging from piles of sinking stone to well preserved towers, and inhabited by more ghost, shadows, and other things than any other place in the known world. It is also a place where shallow pools lead directly to the [[spirit world|Mirror lands]], and where time acts differently. Stories are told of brave or foolish youth looting the dead cities, and coming back to find everyone who remembered them being dead and gone, and there town unrecognizable. Others claim that the ruins are from the future, not the past. In all the tales, one detail is consistant, and that is that the Twin Sisters originated there, and that things are buried which can make a man wiser than his fellows, or a gibbering fool. The Major rivers are clear for travel, but going further than a few miles into the Tangled Jungle can lead to trouble. The region periodically floods, and many places are covered by the tide, or sink beneath the muck. Some however rise up and fall according to strange magics or half remembered commands from the long dead inhabitants. This Region is far to the East from the Civilized Cities, but the Twin cities do send teams of researchers and explorers to salvage what lore can be found. These are usually well armed, well supplied, and very specific in where they go. Those citizens with wanderlust or a thirst for adventure are drawn to these expeditions, and though dangerous, it a respected and rewarding field.

--by stephen_dean

The Four Cities are dotted like constellations along the intertwining trade routes that provide the raw materials, and are located on high points along the curving paths of great serpantine rivers that snake over a large plain. The Plains are dotted with canyons and cliffs, gradually becoming drier until the Western edges dry into sandy waste and inhabited by nomads and less definable entities. To the East lies the vast sea, clustered in the Marshes and Jungles by the Coast, and edged by mountains that catch the rainclounds, with large passes carved by rivers and edged with ruins. The rivers from the central highlands serve as flowing highways, and the Mountains where the herdsman and small villages of farmers each out an existance in the valleys and glens of the slopes of the towering mountains send forth there goods South. The southern plains stretch to meet the sea, and from this direction, tribute, spices, slaves and raw materials flow, as manufactured goods, cloth, and wonders of the craftsman of the cities are peddled south, and tribute North. The great carvavans, barges and cities to the south allow for large fortunes to gather, and decadence to thrive.

-by stephen_dean

===The Enkidi, people of the marshes===

A small group of villages and hamlets tucked away in the Marshes, near the center of the thousand flowing waters, and hidden in deep with-in ferns and brackish water, far up river. The Enkidu people prize concealment, and are masters of the use of poison blowguns and elaborate traps and deadfalls. They know there home well, and have tamed many species of birds to hunt and guard their watery homes. The people are few in number, and rarely interact with outsiders, outside of raids for slaves, loot or to preserve artifacts from the ruins. Their villages are built in the sinking remains of a large Stone ruins, or around statues with a rounded face of a god, half buried in the marshes, and one of the few large solid structures around to build on. They dress in a large number of bright feathers and fearsome masks, and are feared for there practice of taking the heads of their victims as trophies. They lack any shamans, and claim that magic is left for the Gods alone to know, and so guard the secrets of the ruins in their lands well. The villages are ringed with the severed heads of trespassers, and the beat of there drums they use to communicate with one another, and the shreik of their war cries fills the heart of the unwary exploreres of the region with fear. Those who encounter them are advised to avoid making sudden movements, and the best tools for bribery are any brightly colored fabrics or strong poisons. Some say they are led by an officer of an Iridos military unit sent to explore the region, who went native and is said to no longer be sane.

-- by stephen_dean

===The Tomb Cities of Achrum===
Every schoolchild knows of the drowned ruins in the Thousand Flowing Waters, which are now the tombs of the dead and undead of an ancient civilization. That civilization now lies submerged beneath the rising waters of the Gulf of Achrum, which the Thousand Flowing Waters surrounds and empties into. Few know that these ruins are actually the remnants of several cities, of which very little is known or has been learned. There are names given in old texts – Areatha the City of the Loom, Hipece the City of Waters, Marish the Named and Unnamed City – but none have been defined beyond mere conjecture. The marshes near Astomo and the city of Omphalo are most-accessible, but also the most perilous, as they are haunted by vampires and watched by the Silent Brotherhood. Most explorers who seek out the tomb cities are lucky to return with sight and sanity intact. (There is a note here in the text telling of a Wanderer of the Wastes, who returned from the tomb cities whole in mind and body, but speaking an unintelligible language which no one could fathom, and he unable to learn any other.) (nb. "Achrum" was not the name of that drowned land, but of one of the rivers that flowed into the land. scholars and explorers still attempt to determine which current-day river was once the River Achrum.)

--Kakita Kojiro

===Colossus of Chasus===

The most well-known of the lost cities of the ancients is surely the so-called “City of Statues.” It lies in the waters between the island chain on which Iridos stands, but its location is easily found as some of its largest monuments and pillars still stand above the waves, with their statues above or partly above the water. Largest of all these is the colossus, an enormous statue that once stood astride the harbor entrance of the drowned city. It still stands there, knee-deep in the waterway between two islands, to mark where the City of Statues once was. The colossus was made of bronze, but with a concrete core that has remained as the bronze has corroded and eroded away over centuries. Observers claim that the colossus and other statues slowly change their positions and expressions, the colossus much more slowly than the lesser statues here. It is said to be bad luck to sail between the legs of the Colossus, and the reports of empty ghost-ships which sail the nearby waters on foggy nights are said to have be the remains of those who have dared to do so.

--Kakita Kojiro

==Petty Kingdoms==

===Omphalo, sapling colony city===

Omphalo is a city of many religions. It was founded as the fortress city and headquarters of the Second Great Crusade, and still persecutes the forbidden cult of the Hollow Men. According to legend, this was also the birthplace of the Twin Sisters, and although scholars doubt the veracity, it is still a pilgrimage site for many people. In the time since the Second Great Crusade, other religious cults have come to the city for their own reasons. As have adventurers and scavengers, hoping to glean ancient wonders from the ruins in the marshes.

Each rainy season, Omphalo and the marshes flood when the seasonal rivers of the grasslands flow. Buildings in Omphalo are build on stilts, and during the flood season people get around by flat-bottomed boats. These same boats are used in the marshes as well. Although the city subsists off pilgrimage, it also produces a surplus of crops that require flooded fields. These crops are generally sold to one of the three northern cities. The crusaders of Omphalo have found patrolling the undead-haunted ruins of the Thousand Flowing Waters easier during the flood season, and so when the waters rise boats of armed Silent Brothers set forth for their sacred mission.

Occupations: Crusader, Priest, Boatman, Farmer, Fisherman
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (Omphalo), Boating, History, Religious Ritual, Theology, Occult (vampires)
Social Background: Cultural Familiarity (1 pt., Twin Cities), Glossa (native language), Literacy
Suggested Quirks: Careful, Code of Honor, Vow
Sample Contact Groups: Silent Brotherhood, Seven Sisters, Cult of the Opaque, other Cult
Suggested Spells: Sort Living from Undead (IQ/Average)
Rumor: “It is said that the Opaque Tree, the Tree of Many Shadows, the fourth and dark Crystal Tree, was discovered or hidden in Omphalo. The Cult of the Opaque has become very influential in Omphalo recently because so many of its followers have come to the city seeking their mystic tree.”

--Kakita Kojiro

===Heliade, tributary petty kingdom===

Heliade is known as the Amber Kingdom. It is located on the Pleione river, which flows from the south, and borders on the marsh ruins of the Thousand Flowing Waters. Its inhabitants scour the river and marshes for spells and spirits frozen in amber from ancient times. These talismans are valuable wealth for trade, and Heliade is often subject to tribute to one of the three great cities of the north. Occasionally they go to war over this imposition of tribute, but although their archers are armed with devastating amber-tipped arrows, they are no match for the sorcery of the three cities on the battlefield.

Heliade magicians take dross amber and make use of it in many ways. It is dissolved into amber lacquer that hardens their armor against danger. It is used to trap images within, that may be seen at any time by peering into the amber. It is also melted down and gathered into vats of molten amber – through which, they hope to peer into the spirit-world. There is a belief in Heliade that there is another Crystal Tree – this one, of amber, weeping jewels – and the Heliades believe that if it is found, their city will rise to preeminence.

When Heliade marches into a Flower War, its warriors wear amber-laquered armor. They are armed with amber-tipped arrows and spears. Some of their amber arrows hold trapped within them hostile spirits, or ancient lightning-strikes. When these strike an enemy in battle, they cause considerable havoc and panic.

Occupations: Ambergleaner, Archer, Flower-Warrior, Lapidiary, Merchant, Amberwright
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (Heliade), Bow, Current Affairs, Jeweler, Occult (amber)
Social Background: Heliadic (native language), Glossa (accented language), Literacy
Suggested Quirks: Dreamer, Obsessions (amber), Thin-Skinned*
Suggested Spells: Capture Image In Amber (IQ/Average), Smelt Amber (IQ/Hard)
Rumor: In Heliade they have learned to enter the spirit-world through vats of molten amber. Therein they say the spirit-world is upside-down; you walk upside-down with the ground above your feet and the sky below your head. However, they have not discovered how to leave the spirit-world, and as the amber hardens, the explorer is trapped, entombed alive in a block of amber, upside-down.

--Kakita Kojiro

====Amber Magic====
mantra: time is frozen in amber
tools: amber
talent: Amber Magic (10 pts/level)
spells:
''capture image in amber'' (IQ/Average)
''see within amber'' (IQ/Average)
''free from amber'' (IQ/Hard, req. Amber Magic 1+)
''smelt amber'' (IQ/Hard, req. Amber Magic 1+)
''capture magic in amber'' (IQ/Very Hard, req. Amber Magic 2+, capture image in amber)
''capture spirit in amber'' (IQ/Very Hard, req. Amber Magic 3+, capture magic in amber)

--Kakita Kojiro

===Astomo, tributary petty kingdom===

Astomo is called the Mute Kingdom, for long ago it was ruled by priest-kings whose lips were ritually sewn shut. It is still ruled by their inheritors, holy men known as Voices, whose lips are also sewn shut. Astomo lies on the borders of the Thousand Flowing Waters, and believe themselves to be the proper heirs of the ancient civilization that lies in ruins there. The people of Astomo are fascinated by the ancient ruins, and most will study some aspect of the ruins at some time in their life.

The Voices who rule Astomo do so by religious decree. There are a bewildering variety of subsects, all with teachings that confuse outsiders who cannot determine if they are philosophies or religions. As with the priest-kings of old, the Voices have their lips ritually sewn shut. Their ritual asceticisms allow them to survive without the need for food or drink, and to speak without speech, among other wonders.

Occupations: Archaeologist, Interpreter
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (Astomo), Gesture, History, Linguistics, Stealth, Hidden Lore (ancients)
Social Background: Glossa (native language), Backaric (broken language), Literacy
Suggested Advantages: Silence
Suggested Quirks: Cautious, Humble, Obsessions (ancients)
Sample Contact Groups: Sect
Rumor: “The old mouthless priest-kings of Astomo were, in fact, heretical offshoots of the Hollow Men. The Voices who still rule Astomo keep this secret carefully guarded, lest fanatic crusaders hear of it and Astomo be destroyed.”

--Kakita Kojiro

===Pharsus, tributary petty kingdom===

This is the Land of Masks, between the rivers Cephissus and Maiandro, near to the Thousand Flowing Waters. After their coming-of-age, each adult here has at least two special masks, which they wear at all times. Each mask has its own identity and personality – it is the mask that is considered to be the real person, not the body that the mask is wearing. Each mask may have a different job, different spouse and family, different friends, and always different dress and mannerisms. If crimes are committed, it is the mask that is punished or destroyed. And sometimes one mask will fall sick or die, while the others continue on unaffected. Should all of an inhabitant’s masks be lost or destroyed, he or she becomes only another faceless foreigner.

Foreigners can become very confused in Pharsus, believing that they have met someone because they recognize the body, and not realizing that they must be introduced to the new mask. Of course, the people of Pharsus will politely ignore the presence of anyone with a naked face, so outsiders must learn to wear masks if they wish to be acknowledged – and to not change masks, lest they be regarded as a completely different person. Interestingly, Pharsus became a satrapy of the Narcissus hegemony voluntarily after being astounded by the first emissary from Narcissus, who donned a mirror as her mask.

Although they have been a satrapy of Narcissus for centuries, the inhabitants of Pharsus practice no magic of any kind – other than their masking. In some way that baffles magicians, the mask is the person, and any magic affects only the mask – and that magic ends when the mask is removed. Most of the masks of Pharsus are styled after birds or beasts, and mask styles tend to be similar by profession. Generally, a newly-made adult will receive one mask from each parent, but children of important people will be given additional masks by other sponsors.

Occupations: Boatman, Fisherman, Farmer, Maskmaker
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (Pharsus), Acting, Body Language, Fishing, Mimicry (speech), Masking (IQ/Very Hard)
Social Background: Pharsic (native language), Glossa (accented language), Literacy
Suggested Quirks: Personality Change, Staid, Incompetence (magic skills)
Sample Contact Groups: Sponsors
Advantages: Pharsic Mask (Magic Resistance – access requires mask, -10%)
Rumor: “The people of Pharsus claim that they and the Enkidi are distantly related, even though their languages are dissimilar and the Enkidi do not acknowledge any kinship. However, it is known that while the Enkidi will indeed take the heads of trespassers from Pharsus, their masks are always sent back even though the heads are kept.”

-- by Kakita Kojiro
==The Western Mountains and the Deserts of the West==

The Huge birds, such as the [[megafauna|Thunderbirds]], are the scavengers of the Western Deserts and grasslands, and use the gust from the mountains to range over the vast undalating plains in search of the many beast that wander its relativly untouched expanses. The varied terrain is home to vast herds of [[megafauna|gigantic Bison]], the Forest along the Mountains to stranger beast still. However the numbers are thin near the cities, and grow the further afield one goes. The Mountains to the West are the largest in the Known world, and the other side is an area explored at the peril of the unwary, do to the vast spaces inhabited by huge creatures of myth and legend, some claim to be larger than the armored beast that wander the waste. The reason for the lack of habitation is due to the low population following the devastating fall of the previous empires in the past, and the frequent wars between the city-states. The attachment of many people to there principle city-state or ideal, or the threat of strange conditions has led many to stay in the civilized regions, rather than risk expanding to the terrain of the tribes of head-hunters and beast riders beyond the Mountains. It is through the collective resources of the Cities that the walls, pits, and special huntsman keep the lands and tradeways safe. However, recent droughts and a change in climate are causing some stange beast and raider to prey at the edges of the Twin Cities, and the many smaller city-states. For now, these have not been signifigent, however, rumors are spreading of tribes beyond the mountains who ride great beast, and are forming an Empire of the wandering bands to pillage the glittering wealth of the settled peoples. These are rumors however, and cartomancers are exploring to add to the [[Diaphane|Crystal Globe]], to see if these shadows of truth are to be trusted.

-by stephen_dean

===The Sandstone Empire===

As is commonly known, the Sandstone Empire was formed from a series of bordering regions and Kingdoms set between the Spice Kingdoms to the South, and the Twin Cities to the North. While many of the neighboring peoples submitted or were aligned to one of the two spheres of influence, it was the Sandstone region that developed the strange system of a militarized mode of life, and the selection of the majority of it's population for the pursuit of war, and eventually conquest.

The origins of it's founder, a man whose name is lost to history, can be traced to around 600 Years post Darkness. It is known he commanded a group of refugees from the West, a group of soldiers who claimed to be remnants of a large force from the Far West, across a sea, where monuments of stone stood over a city of sleeping elders, dead kings and courts held in perfumed wrapping and served for all eternity, and a great city grew, the largest in all the world, a paradise that faced cataclysm, as the very earth rebelled against them. The strangers swept aside opposition as wheat before a sickle, and subdued the villages and towns of a wide swath of territory, wearing scales of strange metal, in wheeled carts pulled by strange beast.

They enslaved all around them, and expanded their holding with each harvest, more and more land and water beneath there banners, more sons and daughters toiling to create the stone temples where they lay there dead, to sleep until their city rose again. The cities were placed in the dry west, where the earth turns to dust, and sand becomes stone, stone sand. The slaves watched well however, and the helot revolts began first in their lands. All the master's were slaughtered in their beds, their legions of overseers and slave soldiers united in a vision of equality, one night of blood wiping out their rule in the Night of Bitter Waters.

The resulting state, called the Second empire, and the Beggar's empire, was founded on a view of equality through work, a collective society where children and property were to the state, all males were trained to be warriors, and wars were fought to free helots and slaves of the master's lash in all directions. This led to the misguided policy of attacking all slave owners, and getting involved in providing sanctuary and arms in foreign entanglements. The collapse of the 2nd Sandstone Empire in the South can be linked to alliances with the barbarian peoples and complicity in the helot revolts in The Twin Cities at 300 years post shattering. The resulting collapse of the Beggar's Empire, as it was known at the time, and the decree to purge it's mention from from all records following it's cleansing during the second crusade, as well as serving as the sight of the larger battles of the barbarian wars, led to it's decline to it's current state.

Now a poor region of dry lands, burnt and looted ruins of cities, and mud walled sullen villages where the proud decedents of the survivors of that time still scorn the civilized peoples. The are rumors that the so called Seven Legions, who fled west rather than be enslaved again, and who are said to have created a refuge for escaped slaves and helots. Many whisper that the day may come when helots go west, to a new city, where all men walk equal before the other. The bleached bones of that path are well known, so only the truly down trodden make the attempt.

-- by stephen_dean

==Barbarian Tribes==

===The Bammenides, nomadic barbarian tribe===

The Bammenides are one of the nomadic barbarian tribes of the northern taiga. They live on the edges of the northern glaciers. They are known as the “painted men” to the Twin Cities, because they tattoo their bodies, faces, and hands in bright colors. They tend small herds of [[Megafauna|dire elk]], from which they get milk, meat, fur – and most importantly, transportation. Their dire elk are domesticated and trained to pull sleighs large enough to transport an entire Bammenide family and all their goods. Their clans migrate south in spring and summer to graze and mate their herds. As rivers freeze and snow covers the ground, they migrate north and stay the winter snowbound, keeping the herds safe from the hungry predators of the south. In spring many clans gather in huge meetings to mate their herds; this is when the Bammenides trade with outsiders. In winter they live in homes built of snow, while their herds are hidden in sheltered valleys with some vegetation, or forage brought by their herders.

Shamans of the Bammenides work their magic through wands of many kinds. Each shaman has an assortment of wands of antler, bone, or wood, which must be carefully chosen for each specific purpose. Most shamans eagerly trade for wands made of metal from civilization. One of the few spells that shamans need no wand for are their eating magics. When someone in their clan suffers bad luck, or is afflicted by illness, or haunted by ghosts, the clan’s shaman will ritually consume the offending spirit. They can often scare off troublesome spirits with demonstrations of their eating prowess, by eating stones and other formidable things.

Occupations: Herder, Hunter, Trader, Warrior, Shaman
Suggested Skills: Animal Handling, Area Knowledge (tundra), Driving (sleigh), Spear, Survival, Tracking, Occult (spirits)
Social Background: Low TL, Bammenic (native language), Illiteracy
Suggested Quirks: Likes (metal), Humble, Uncongenial
Sample Contact Groups: Clan, Warrior Lodge
Suggested Spells: Eat Anything (IQ/ Hard, req. Shamanic Magic 1+), Eat Ghost (IQ/Very Hard, req. Shamanic Magic 3+)
Rumor: “The slow retreat of the northern ice and its gradual melting has gradually forced the Bammenides away from their ancestral summer and winter lands. Their herds do not thrive in the warming lands, and the remaining cold lands are too barren. The herds do not grow, and so more and more young men become warriors to gain wealth and status – while the defenses of Narcissus and Diaphane are in decline. If they join with other wandering tribes, a barbarian horde may bring the next Shattering from the north…”

--Kakita Kojiro

===The Makhlyes, nomadic barbarian tribe===

The Makhlyes are one of the nomadic barbarian tribes of the western grasslands. Their ancestors followed [[Megafauna|thunder beast]] herds, but the great herds from ancient times are no more, and only solitary beasts survive now. They now follow [[Megafauna|hornbeast]] herds across the grasslands. They are frequent trading partners with the Twin Cities, bartering furs and hides, ivory and horn, in return for civilized goods. Every few generations their warriors band together with other barbarian tribes and raid and pillage into civilized lands.

The shamans of the Makhlyes are known as Inverts because they live their lives as the opposite gender. Because of this, they are regarded as spirits by their people – and also regarded as spirits by spirits. Once each year in the spring, all the hunters will dress as the opposite gender as well, for the sacred Inverse Hunt. Their magic allows the hunters to hunt the now-extinct herds of megafauna as though they still roamed the grasslands. The hunters bring back much meat and many trophies from an Inverse Hunt, but every year one hunter does not return from the hunt. Because of these strange customs, people of the Twin Cities think that all Makhlyes change genders, and take precautions against touching them, lest this is contagious.

Occupations: Hunter, Trader, Warrior, Invert
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (grasslands), Mimicry (animal sounds), Spear Thrower, Stealth, Survival, Tracking, Occult (spirits)
Social Background: Low TL, Makhlyic (native language), Illiteracy
Suggested Quirks: Broad-Minded, Responsive, Tolerant* (not bothered by quirks)
Sample Contact Groups: Clan, Warrior Lodge
Suggested Spells: Hunt Megafauna Ghosts (IQ/Average) (note: penalties if not an Inverse Hunt), Change Gender (IQ/Very Hard, req. Invert, Shamanic Magic 4+)
New Advantage: Invert (5 pts., live as opposite gender, spirits react as though you were a spirit yourself)
Rumor: “The Makhlyes say that when one of the Inverts goes on a spiritquest and returns of the opposite gender, that he or she has not really returned at all. Instead she or he has been replaced by a spirit, that will pretend to be the Invert for the rest of its life, until it pretends to die and returns to the spirit-world.”

--Kakita Kojiro

===The Gorgades, nomadic barbarian tribe===

The Gorgades are one of the nomadic barbarian tribes of the distant steppes to the west of the grasslands and mountains. They are known as the “hairy ones” to most outsiders, because they do not cut their hair. When meeting strangers, they also veil their eyes with their hair so as to not make eye contact, and they will also not look into mirrors. They claim that all these taboos protect them from spirits – and, curiously, they believe that the inhabitants of the Twin Cities are actually spirits who lie about their true natures. They rarely trade with the Twin Cities, but their leather goods often make their way east through trade with other barbarian tribes (such as the Makhlyes).

They have actually domesticated herds of [[Megafauna|megafauna]], and roam the steppes to move their herds to new grazing. Each clan in the tribe typically has its own type of megafauna that it specialized in. Clans often take the opportunity to raid the herds of other clans while nearby, to eat some of their enemies’ beasts instead of their own. Their shamans wear headdresses of the skull and hides of their clan’s beast, and generally know a very odd assortment of spells.

Occupations: Herder, Hunter, Raider, Trapper, Shaman
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (steppes), Animal Handling, Bow, Knife, Leatherworking, Survival, Occult (spirits)
Social Background: Low TL, Gorgadic (native language), Illiteracy
Suggested Quirks: Uncongenial, Vow (do not cut hair, do not look into eyes or mirrors), Unhygienic* (does not bathe)
Sample Contact Groups: Clan, Warrior Lodge
Suggested Spells: Find New Forage (IQ/Average), Foretell Weather (IQ/Average)
Rumor: “Gorgades are not actually human – they are abhumans who were once used as servants by the ancients. They escaped back into the wild after the downfall of the ancients, and still fear civilized men.”

--Kakita Kojiro

===The Nethsras, nomadic barbarian tribe===

The Nethsras are one of the nomadic barbarian tribes of the western Steppe Wastes. They range further west and south than many other tribes, and so while only rumors to the Twin Cities, are better known in the Spice Kingdoms. They specialize in hunting hornbeasts with bolas from ambush. Their clans roam following the hornbeast herds, living in well-hidden temporary camps. Although they have joined barbarian hordes in times past, they are generally peaceful and not warlike, and usually maintain good relations with neighboring tribes.

It is an oddity that the Nethsras have no shamans among them, and claim they are never troubled by ghosts. This is because, they say, all Nethsras are the same souls of all the Nethsras who ever were, and those souls reincarnate as Nethsras after their death. They know exactly how many Nethsras souls there are, and each clan tells the others of deaths so that they know which souls to look for when new children are born. In times when their birthrates fall below deathrates, though, they must send scouts to nearby tribes, and even into civilized lands, seeking the newborn children that have souls from their tribe. Once identified, the scouts either buy (from other barbarian tribes) or steal (from civilized lands) these newborns and return them to their true people. The worst thing for Nethsras is when their birthrates rise above deathrates – for children born then will be born soulless. In such times it is traditional for the Nethsras to seek some pretext to go to war, so that there will be souls for the newborns.

Some Nethsras do seem able to recover fragments of past lives – although most never progress beyond achieving strong paramnesia sensations. These hints of past lives are usually cherished and encouraged, so Nethsras may seem erratic and mercurial to outsiders. The few who do manage to recover memories of past lives are the Awakened Ones. They are capable of astounding skills, but must struggle with sorting through a confusing mix of memories and personalities that have no context in their present life. Scouts sent to find wayward reborn souls are always young Awakened Ones.

Occupations: Gleaner, Hunter, Scout, Awakened One
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (steppes), Autohypnosis, Bolas, Camouflage, Stealth, Survival, Forbidden Lore (soul recognition)
Social Background: Low TL, Nethsric (native language), Illiteracy
Suggested Quirks: Delusions (past lives), Likes, Personality Change
Sample Contact Groups: Clan, Past Life
Suggested Advantages: Reawakened (10 pts) (note: may use to learn Blind Fighting, Body Control, Breath Control, Invisibility Art, Light Walk), Split Personality (-15 pts)
Rumor: “Most of the Awakened Ones of the Nethsras are aware that their numbers are slowly dwindling, as each generation a few reborn souls are never recovered. They believe that someone has stolen their secrets of soul rebirth, and so polluted the way to rebirth such that some souls simply become lost in being reborn. They have heard of the distant Twin Cities, and plan to send scouts there to search for reborn Nethsras souls, to bring back, or to kill if they are too old to bring back.”

-- by Kakita Kojiro

=Other Places=

===Labyrinth of Metuse===

North of the Thousand Flowing Waters, in the foothills of the Eastern Mountains, are hidden the miles-long cave system known as the Labyrinth of Metuse, after the goddess that lives there. The goddess Metuse is a gorgon, one of the first spirits who escaped or fled from the spirit-world in ancient days. She is said to be terrible in her beauty – golden scales, brazen wings, and serpents for hair. Any who see her unreflected are turned to black glass. She once had the company of many blindfolded priests, who carved the caves into vast maze with her temple at its heart. Her last known supplicant was in the years of the Great Purge, a mirror sorcerer from [[Narcissus]] who it is said returned to Narcissus to speak prophecies from the gorgon to the Diet, and after all further supplication to the goddess were outlawed he returned to her labyrinth to become her mate and husband. No one who has sought her since has found their way further than the galleries full of statues of black glass...

--Kakita Kojiro

===Lost City of Light===

There is a legend that the Twin Sisters had a prodigal brother, who ventured further than they in seeking enlightenment, and founded a city of his own in the icy wastes of the north where the sun rarely rises. The City of Light, it is said, glows of its own luminescence, lighting the way across the ice plains like a distant lighthouse. The Wandering Peoples of the tundra, however, say that is a city of spirits, and lies in the [[Spirit_world|spirit-world]]. The shamans say that any mortal who finds it in the physical world will soon sicken and die from the city’s unnatural radiance, while anyone who finds it in the [[Spirit_world|spirit-world]] is dead already. Nonetheless there are legends of heroes who journeyed to the City of Light and returned, digits and noses frozen off, but having been given magical lamps which reveal spirits who are within the lamps’ illumination. In all these legends, the hero either dies soon thereafter of tumorous growths, or out of grief after several malformed stillbirths.

--Kakita Kojiro

===Shrine of the Sharp Mother===

In the north of the Loess Plains, on the edge of the tundra, lies this old shrine, which is said no human hand built. The shrine is a ramshackle affair, buildings built of bones of every kind. The structural bones are of [[megafauna]] – aurochs bones, mastodon bones, and older and stranger bones from now-unknown monsters. The walls and roofs are the bones of humans, hornbeasts, and other beasts. The smaller bones of dogs and birds fill in the gaps. There are always only two inhabitants of the shrine – the Sharp Mother, and her oracle child. The Sharp Mother is always a monstrously large [[Megafauna|Bear-Dog]], seemingly unintelligent and untamed, but who permits supplicants to come as long as they do not threaten her child. The oracle is always a human girl-child; when she grows to maturity, the gift of prophecy leaves her and so she leaves, while the Sharp Mother goes to find a new girl-child to bring back to the shrine. Petitioners come bearing gifts of raw meat for the Sharp Mother, and food for her child as well. If pleased, the Sharp Mother allows them to approach her oracle, who enters a seizure-like trance to answer their question. The oracle is never wrong, but her prophecies are also open to different interpretations – and few petitioners have guessed the correct meaning until too late.

--Kakita Kojiro

===Gnomon===

The disreputable [[Religions|Cult of the Opaque]] claims that their adherents have built their own, hidden city, somewhere in the Western Mountains or beyond. This city is said to have been carved out of the ground, out of ashen soil. Aboveground it is marked only by monoliths and angular blades of metal, which serve to cast shadows so as to mark the sun’s passage overhead. Many odd stories are told of this mythical place – that the desert shakes for miles around in sympathetic vibration with the deep music of Gnomon, that the conjunctions of angles and shadows open up ways into the spirit-world inaccessible in the Three Cities, or that there actually is no such city, but it is instead an allegory or tale meant to illustrate the blindness of the Three Cities because of their hidebound traditions.

--Kakita Kojiro

===Stone Forest===

Fragmentary records said to be from ancient days speak of this place, somewhere in the west of the Steppe Wastes. No one since before the Cataclysm has found the place. It is said to be a forest of strange trees, unlike any now known, but all petrified and turned to stone. Nothing living grows in the stone forest, and no water flows there. Some believe that this is the place from whence the Crystal Trees were brought. Others believe that the trees here were a different kind of [[Spirit_world|Crystal Tree]], now lost. The priest-king of Astomo is said to have once had a polished disk of stone wood, proving the existence of this place – but the Voices that rule Astomo now claim it was lost long ago. The Wanderers of the Wastes avidly seek clues as to its location, but the Wandering Peoples of the steppes all say that they know of no such place, and that if it did exist it would surely be haunted by dangerous and powerful spirits. (Actual records recovered from the [[Religions|Wanderers of the Wastes]] seem to show that most of their would-be explorers end up getting eaten by sabertooths, monster birds, or cannibals, long before they find any clue they were seeking.)

--Kakita Kojiro

===Gates of Ivory===

Tales in [[Bachariko]] claim that there is a hidden kingdom in the uttermost west, beyond the southern savannah, past the southern deserts, on the western coast of the southern mountains. In a mountain valley there is a wall of ivory, with gates of ivory, all built of the tusks of countless myriads of [[megafauna|mammoths]]. It is said that this wall is patrolled by strangely-colored people, who speak no known language, and who are unwilling to unbar their gate to any visitor. The last explorer who returned with the location to tell the tale, died while being feasted by one of the god-kings – and after his sudden death the entire court of the god-king was stricken by a strange and sudden illness that caused their blood and tears to run white, followed by death. No one has since sought to find this distant hidden land.

--Kakita Kojiro

Megafauna

2008-05-09T03:24:40Z

Kakita Kojiro:

=Megafauna=

In addition to the larger megafauna listed below, the world of the Twin Cities is also populated by prehistoric antelope, deer, goats, swine, and other beasts.

==Megafauna Alphabetically==

'''Auroch''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aurochs] Auroch. Horned cattle that are herd herbivores found in the loess plains and taiga forest. They have been semi-domesticated by some [[Other_kingdoms|Gorgades]] clans, and are domesticated in the Twin Cities.

'''Bear-dog''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amphicyon] Amphicyon. Predator found in the loess plains, taiga forest, and grasslands. The "sharp mother" of the [[Other_kingdoms|Shrine of the Sharp Mother]] is a she bear-dog.

'''Big Neck''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macrauchenia] Macrauchenia. Herd herbivores found in the southern savannah.

'''Bison''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aurochs] Ancient bison. Herd herbivores found in grasslands, steppe wastes. Have been semi-domesticated by some [[Other_kingdoms|Gorgades]] clans.

'''Bow Tooth''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toxodon] Toxodon. Semiaquatic herbivores found in southern rivers.

'''Camelface''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camelops] Camelops. Herd herbivores found in the steppe wastes. Have been semi-domesticated by some [[Other_kingdoms|Gorgades]] clans.

'''Cave Bear''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cave_bear] Cave bear. Omnivore found in western mountains.

'''Dire Elk''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megaloceros] Megaloceros. Herd herbivores found in the tundra. Domesticated by the [[Other_kingdoms|Bammenides]] to pull their sleighs.

'''Dire Wolf''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canis_dirus] Canis dirus. Pack predator found in the tundra, western mountains, loess plains, taiga forest, and grasslands.

'''Giant Armadillo''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glyptodont] Glyptodont. Herbivore found in the southern savannah.

'''Giant Beaver''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castoroides_ohioensis] Castoroides. Semiaquatic herbivore found in the loess plains and northern rivers. Valuable for their fur.

'''Giant Crocodile''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phobosuchus] Deinosuchus. Aquatic predator found in southern rivers and in the marshes of the [[Other_kingdoms|Thousand Flowing Waters]].

'''Giant Sloth''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megatherium] Megatherium. Herbivore found in the grasslands and southern savannah. Very difficult to kill.

'''Giant Snake''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gigantophis_garstini] Gigantophis. Giant constrictor snake found in the southern jungles.

'''High Camel''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alticamelus] Alticamelus. Herd herbivores found in the southern jungles and southern savannah.

'''Hipparion''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hipparion] Hipparion. Small, toed horses. Herd herbivores found in the steppe wastes; primary prey beast in the wastes. Have been semi-domesticated by some [[Other_kingdoms|Gorgades]] clans.

'''Hooftoe''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrewsarchus] Andrewsarchus. Predator and scavenger found in southern savannah.

'''Hornbeast''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synthetoceras] Synthetoceras. Herd herbivores found in the western mountains, loess plains, grasslands, and steppe wastes. Have been semi-domesticated by some [[Other_kingdoms|Gorgades]] clans.

'''Mammoth''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mammoth] Mammoth. Wooly elephant, herbivore found in the tundra, loess plains, and steppe wastes. The legendary [[Other_kingdoms|Gates of Ivory]] in the uttermost west are said to be made of mammoth ivory. A black mammoth figures in some [[Cities_of_glass_history|prophecies]] of the end of the world.

'''Mastodon''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mastodon] Mastodon. Elephantine herbivore found in the taiga forest.

'''Monster Bird''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teratornis] Teratornis. Giant vulture; scavenger found in the western mountains and steppe wastes.

'''Monster Shark''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megalodon] Megalodon. Huge aquatic predator found in the eastern ocean. They terrify all who sail on the eastern ocean. Followers of the [[Bachariko|Anointed King]] hunt them for their teeth and skin, and have concocted noxious depth bombs that occasionally drive them away, but often the monster shark is noticed too late.

'''Raccoon-Bear''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chapalmalania] Chapalmalania. Herbivore found in the western mountains. Nearly extinct.

'''Sabertooth''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smilodon] Smilodon. Ambush predator found in the loess plains, taiga forest, grasslands, steppe wastes, and southern savannah. The [[Narcissus|Hexadactyls]] have a particular religious dread of six-toed Sabertooths.

'''Shovel Tusker''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shovel_tusker] Platybelodon. Elephant-like herbivore found in grasslands, eastern marshes. Domesticated in [[Other_kingdoms|Astomo]] and used as transportation, to transport loads, and also trained for war.

'''Stagmoose''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stag-moose] Cervalces. Herd herbivores found in the loess plains. Nearly extinct.

'''Thunder Beast''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brontothere] Brontothere. Huge, herd herbivores found in the grasslands. Formerly roamed in vast herds hunted by the [[Other_kingdoms|Makhlyes]]; now those herds are no more.

'''Thunder Bird''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argentavis] Argentavis. Giant condor found in the western mountains and steppe wastes.

'''Terror Bird''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diatryma] Diatryma. Flightless predatory bird found in the grasslands.

'''Terror Crane''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phorusrhacus] Phorusrhacos. Flightless predatory bird found in the southern savannah and southern jungles. The [[Bachariko|King of Dust]] has trains them and sharpens their talons for war to protect his people.

'''Whale Snake''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basilosaurus] Basilosaurus. Aquatic predator found in the eastern ocean. They gather in the [[Other_kingdoms|Gulf of Achrum]] to give birth to their calves in the winter, when they are hunted for their oil by the followers of the [[Bachariko|Anointed King]]

==Megafauna by Region==

''Tundra'' – dire elk, dire wolf, mammoth

''Loess Plains'' – auroch, bear-dog, dire wolf, hornbeast, mammoth, sabertooth, stagmoose
''Taiga Forest'' – auroch, bear-dog, dire wolf, mastodon, sabertooth

''Mountains'' – cave bear, dire wolf, hornbeast, monster bird, raccoon bear, thunder bird

''Grasslands'' – bear-dog, bison, dire wolf, giant sloth, hornbeast, sabertooth, shovel tusker, thunder beast, terror bird

''Marshes'' – giant crocodile, shovel tusker

''Jungle'' – high camel, terror crane, giant snake

''Savannah'' – big neck, giant armadillo, giant sloth, high camel, hooftoes, sabertooth, terror crane

''Steppe Wastes'' – bison, camelface, hipparion, hornbeast, mammoth, monster bird, sabertooth, thunder bird

''Northern Rivers'' – giant beaver

''Southern Rivers'' – bow tooth, giant crocodile

''Ocean'' – monster shark, whale snake

-- collectively created by shanoxilt, Kakita Kojiro, stephen_dean, Maltodextrin, and viewers like you

Megafauna

2008-05-09T03:18:48Z

Kakita Kojiro:

=Megafauna=

In addition to the larger megafauna listed below, the world of the Twin Cities is also populated by prehistoric antelope, deer, goats, swine, and other beasts.

==Megafauna Alphabetically==

'''Auroch''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aurochs] Auroch. Horned cattle that are herd herbivores found in the loess plains and taiga forest. They have been semi-domesticated by some [[Other_kingdoms|Gorgades]] clans, and are domesticated in the Twin Cities.

'''Bear-dog''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amphicyon] Amphicyon. Predator found in the loess plains, taiga forest, and grasslands. The "sharp mother" of the [[Other_kingdoms|Shrine of the Sharp Mother]] is a she bear-dog.

'''Big Neck''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macrauchenia] Macrauchenia. Herd herbivores found in the southern savannah.

'''Bison''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aurochs] Ancient bison. Herd herbivores found in grasslands, steppe wastes. Have been semi-domesticated by some [[Other_kingdoms|Gorgades]] clans.

'''Bow Tooth''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toxodon] Toxodon. Semiaquatic herbivores found in southern rivers.

'''Camelface''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camelops] Camelops. Herd herbivores found in the steppe wastes. Have been semi-domesticated by some [[Other_kingdoms|Gorgades]] clans.

'''Cave Bear''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cave_bear] Cave bear. Omnivore found in western mountains.

'''Dire Elk''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megaloceros] Megaloceros. Herd herbivores found in the tundra. Domesticated by the [[Other_kingdoms|Bammenides]] to pull their sleighs.

'''Dire Wolf''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canis_dirus] Canis dirus. Pack predator found in the tundra, western mountains, loess plains, taiga forest, and grasslands.

'''Giant Armadillo''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glyptodont] Glyptodont. Herbivore found in the southern savannah.

'''Giant Beaver''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castoroides_ohioensis] Castoroides. Semiaquatic herbivore found in the loess plains and northern rivers. Valuable for their fur.

'''Giant Crocodile''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phobosuchus] Deinosuchus. Aquatic predator found in southern rivers and in the marshes of the [[Other_kingdoms|Thousand Flowing Waters]].

'''Giant Sloth''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megatherium] Megatherium. Herbivore found in the grasslands and southern savannah. Very difficult to kill.

'''Giant Snake''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gigantophis_garstini] Gigantophis. Giant constrictor snake found in the southern jungles.

'''High Camel''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alticamelus] Alticamelus. Herd herbivores found in the southern jungles and southern savannah.

'''Hipparion''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hipparion] Hipparion. Small, toed horses. Herd herbivores found in the steppe wastes; primary prey beast in the wastes. Have been semi-domesticated by some [[Other_kingdoms|Gorgades]] clans.

'''Hooftoe''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrewsarchus] Andrewsarchus. Predator and scavenger found in southern savannah.

'''Hornbeast''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synthetoceras] Synthetoceras. Herd herbivores found in the western mountains, loess plains, grasslands, and steppe wastes. Have been semi-domesticated by some [[Other_kingdoms|Gorgades]] clans.

'''Mammoth''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mammoth] Mammoth. Wooly elephant, herbivore found in the tundra, loess plains, and steppe wastes. The legendary Gates of Ivory in the uttermost west are said to be made of mammoth ivory. A black mammoth figures in some [[Cities_of_glass_history|prophecies]] of the end of the world.

'''Mastodon''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mastodon] Mastodon. Elephantine herbivore found in the taiga forest.

'''Monster Bird''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teratornis] Teratornis. Giant vulture; scavenger found in the western mountains and steppe wastes.

'''Monster Shark''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megalodon] Megalodon. Huge aquatic predator found in the eastern ocean. They terrify all who sail on the eastern ocean. Followers of the [[Bachariko|Anointed King]] hunt them for their teeth and skin, and have concocted noxious depth bombs that occasionally drive them away, but often the monster shark is noticed too late.

'''Raccoon-Bear''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chapalmalania] Chapalmalania. Herbivore found in the western mountains. Nearly extinct.

'''Sabertooth''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smilodon] Smilodon. Ambush predator found in the loess plains, taiga forest, grasslands, steppe wastes, and southern savannah. The [[Narcissus|Hexadactyls]] have a particular religious dread of six-toed Sabertooths.

'''Shovel Tusker''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shovel_tusker] Platybelodon. Elephant-like herbivore found in grasslands, eastern marshes. Domesticated in [[Other_kingdoms|Astomo]] and used as transportation, to transport loads, and also trained for war.

'''Stagmoose''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stag-moose] Cervalces. Herd herbivores found in the loess plains. Nearly extinct.

'''Thunder Beast''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brontothere] Brontothere. Huge, herd herbivores found in the grasslands. Formerly roamed in vast herds hunted by the [[Other_kingdoms|Makhlyes]]; now those herds are no more.

'''Thunder Bird''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argentavis] Argentavis. Giant condor found in the western mountains and steppe wastes.

'''Terror Bird''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diatryma] Diatryma. Flightless predatory bird found in the grasslands.

'''Terror Crane''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phorusrhacus] Phorusrhacos. Flightless predatory bird found in the southern savannah and southern jungles. The [[Bachariko|King of Dust]] has trains them and sharpens their talons for war to protect his people.

'''Whale Snake''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basilosaurus] Basilosaurus. Aquatic predator found in the eastern ocean. They gather in the [[Other_kingdoms|Gulf of Achrum]] to give birth to their calves in the winter, when they are hunted for their oil by the followers of the [[Bachariko|Anointed King]]

==Megafauna by Region==

''Tundra'' – dire elk, dire wolf, mammoth

''Loess Plains'' – auroch, bear-dog, dire wolf, hornbeast, mammoth, sabertooth, stagmoose
''Taiga Forest'' – auroch, bear-dog, dire wolf, mastodon, sabertooth

''Mountains'' – cave bear, dire wolf, hornbeast, monster bird, raccoon bear, thunder bird

''Grasslands'' – bear-dog, bison, dire wolf, giant sloth, hornbeast, sabertooth, shovel tusker, thunder beast, terror bird

''Marshes'' – giant crocodile, shovel tusker

''Jungle'' – high camel, terror crane, giant snake

''Savannah'' – big neck, giant armadillo, giant sloth, high camel, hooftoes, sabertooth, terror crane

''Steppe Wastes'' – bison, camelface, hipparion, hornbeast, mammoth, monster bird, sabertooth, thunder bird

''Northern Rivers'' – giant beaver

''Southern Rivers'' – bow tooth, giant crocodile

''Ocean'' – monster shark, whale snake

-- collectively created by shanoxilt, Kakita Kojiro, stephen_dean, Maltodextrin, and viewers like you

Megafauna

2008-05-08T06:10:32Z

Kakita Kojiro: added Wikipedia references

=Megafauna=

In addition to the larger megafauna listed below, the world of the Twin Cities is also populated by prehistoric antelope, deer, goats, swine, and other beasts.

==Megafauna Alphabetically==

'''Auroch''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aurochs] Auroch. Horned cattle that are herd herbivores found in the loess plains and taiga forest. They have been semi-domesticated by some [[Other_kingdoms|Gorgades]] clans, and are domesticated in the Twin Cities.

'''Bear-dog''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amphicyon] Amphicyon. Predator found in the loess plains, taiga forest, and grasslands. The "sharp mother" of the Shrine of the Sharp Mother is a she bear-dog.

'''Big Neck''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macrauchenia] Macrauchenia. Herd herbivores found in the southern savannah.

'''Bison''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aurochs] Ancient bison. Herd herbivores found in grasslands, steppe wastes. Have been semi-domesticated by some [[Other_kingdoms|Gorgades]] clans.

'''Bow Tooth''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toxodon] Toxodon. Semiaquatic herbivores found in southern rivers.

'''Camelface''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camelops] Camelops. Herd herbivores found in the steppe wastes. Have been semi-domesticated by some [[Other_kingdoms|Gorgades]] clans.

'''Cave Bear''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cave_bear] Cave bear. Omnivore found in western mountains.

'''Dire Elk''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megaloceros] Megaloceros. Herd herbivores found in the tundra. Domesticated by the [[Other_kingdoms|Bammenides]] to pull their sleighs.

'''Dire Wolf''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canis_dirus] Canis dirus. Pack predator found in the tundra, western mountains, loess plains, taiga forest, and grasslands.

'''Giant Armadillo''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glyptodont] Glyptodont. Herbivore found in the southern savannah.

'''Giant Beaver''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castoroides_ohioensis] Castoroides. Semiaquatic herbivore found in the loess plains and northern rivers. Valuable for their fur.

'''Giant Crocodile''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phobosuchus] Deinosuchus. Aquatic predator found in southern rivers and in the marshes of the [[Other_kingdoms|Thousand Flowing Waters]].

'''Giant Sloth''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megatherium] Megatherium. Herbivore found in the grasslands and southern savannah. Very difficult to kill.

'''Giant Snake''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gigantophis_garstini] Gigantophis. Giant constrictor snake found in the southern jungles.

'''High Camel''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alticamelus] Alticamelus. Herd herbivores found in the southern jungles and southern savannah.

'''Hipparion''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hipparion] Hipparion. Small, toed horses. Herd herbivores found in the steppe wastes; primary prey beast in the wastes. Have been semi-domesticated by some [[Other_kingdoms|Gorgades]] clans.

'''Hooftoe''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrewsarchus] Andrewsarchus. Predator and scavenger found in southern savannah.

'''Hornbeast''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synthetoceras] Synthetoceras. Herd herbivores found in the western mountains, loess plains, grasslands, and steppe wastes. Have been semi-domesticated by some [[Other_kingdoms|Gorgades]] clans.

'''Mammoth''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mammoth] Mammoth. Wooly elephant, herbivore found in the tundra, loess plains, and steppe wastes. The legendary Gates of Ivory in the uttermost west are said to be made of mammoth ivory. A black mammoth figures in some [[Cities_of_glass_history|prophecies]] of the end of the world.

'''Mastodon''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mastodon] Mastodon. Elephantine herbivore found in the taiga forest.

'''Monster Bird''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teratornis] Teratornis. Giant vulture; scavenger found in the western mountains and steppe wastes.

'''Monster Shark''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megalodon] Megalodon. Huge aquatic predator found in the eastern ocean. They terrify all who sail on the eastern ocean. Followers of the [[Bachariko|Anointed King]] hunt them for their teeth and skin, and have concocted noxious depth bombs that occasionally drive them away, but often the monster shark is noticed too late.

'''Raccoon-Bear''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chapalmalania] Chapalmalania. Herbivore found in the western mountains. Nearly extinct.

'''Sabertooth''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smilodon] Smilodon. Ambush predator found in the loess plains, taiga forest, grasslands, steppe wastes, and southern savannah. The [[Narcissus|Hexadactyls]] have a particular religious dread of six-toed Sabertooths.

'''Shovel Tusker''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shovel_tusker] Platybelodon. Elephant-like herbivore found in grasslands, eastern marshes. Domesticated in [[Other_kingdoms|Astomo]] and used as transportation, to transport loads, and also trained for war.

'''Stagmoose''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stag-moose] Cervalces. Herd herbivores found in the loess plains. Nearly extinct.

'''Thunder Beast''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brontothere] Brontothere. Huge, herd herbivores found in the grasslands. Formerly roamed in vast herds hunted by the [[Other_kingdoms|Makhlyes]]; now those herds are no more.

'''Thunder Bird''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argentavis] Argentavis. Giant condor found in the western mountains and steppe wastes.

'''Terror Bird''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diatryma] Diatryma. Flightless predatory bird found in the grasslands.

'''Terror Crane''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phorusrhacus] Phorusrhacos. Flightless predatory bird found in the southern savannah and southern jungles. The [[Bachariko|King of Dust]] has trains them and sharpens their talons for war to protect his people.

'''Whale Snake''': [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basilosaurus] Basilosaurus. Aquatic predator found in the eastern ocean. They gather in the [[Other_kingdoms|Gulf of Achrum]] to give birth to their calves in the winter, when they are hunted for their oil by the followers of the [[Bachariko|Anointed King]]

==Megafauna by Region==

''Tundra'' – dire elk, dire wolf, mammoth

''Loess Plains'' – auroch, bear-dog, dire wolf, hornbeast, mammoth, sabertooth, stagmoose
''Taiga Forest'' – auroch, bear-dog, dire wolf, mastodon, sabertooth

''Mountains'' – cave bear, dire wolf, hornbeast, monster bird, raccoon bear, thunder bird

''Grasslands'' – bear-dog, bison, dire wolf, giant sloth, hornbeast, sabertooth, shovel tusker, thunder beast, terror bird

''Marshes'' – giant crocodile, shovel tusker

''Jungle'' – high camel, terror crane, giant snake

''Savannah'' – big neck, giant armadillo, giant sloth, high camel, hooftoes, sabertooth, terror crane

''Steppe Wastes'' – bison, camelface, hipparion, hornbeast, mammoth, monster bird, sabertooth, thunder bird

''Northern Rivers'' – giant beaver

''Southern Rivers'' – bow tooth, giant crocodile

''Ocean'' – monster shark, whale snake

-- collectively created by shanoxilt, Kakita Kojiro, stephen_dean, Maltodextrin, and viewers like you

Other kingdoms

2008-05-08T04:28:02Z

Kakita Kojiro: added Other Places

=Geography and Other Kingdoms=

The closest barbarian tribes are kept in check from the relatively defenseless cities by their deeply held religioius beliefs -- that the sorcerers of the Mirrored City can steal their souls should their reflection fall within their power. They obey and serve out of superstitious fear that the sorcerers will come for their souls, leaving them one of the living undead. None will go to the Mirrored City willingly if unblinded, and those taken there as servants are mourned as though dead -- even if they later return, they are regarded as unquiet ghosts, and driven away.

Although the tribes do not fear sorcery from the Crystal City, they avoid it too -- for it is thought that the inhabitants are the sorcerer's souls exiled from its sister-city, sent away as the price of the sorcerers' powers. This is well-known to be true, for it is said that mirrors are forbidden in the Crystal City because its inhabitants fear being captured by sorcerers once more.

--by Kakita Kojiro

==The Thousand Flowing Waters==

The Ruins of the [[cities of glass history|First Age]] are scattered throughout the world, however the Largest, most dangerous and best preserved Lies in the region known as the Thousand Flowing waters, a Marshland bordering the Ocean that stretches for miles, and littered with islands and estuaries. It is claimed to be where a thousand streams and rivers empty into. The Region is heavily grown over, inhabited by large [[megafauna|aquatic predators]], littered with ruins ranging from piles of sinking stone to well preserved towers, and inhabited by more ghost, shadows, and other things than any other place in the known world. It is also a place where shallow pools lead directly to the [[spirit world|Mirror lands]], and where time acts differently. Stories are told of brave or foolish youth looting the dead cities, and coming back to find everyone who remembered them being dead and gone, and there town unrecognizable. Others claim that the ruins are from the future, not the past. In all the tales, one detail is consistant, and that is that the Twin Sisters originated there, and that things are buried which can make a man wiser than his fellows, or a gibbering fool. The Major rivers are clear for travel, but going further than a few miles into the Tangled Jungle can lead to trouble. The region periodically floods, and many places are covered by the tide, or sink beneath the muck. Some however rise up and fall according to strange magics or half remembered commands from the long dead inhabitants. This Region is far to the East from the Civilized Cities, but the Twin cities do send teams of researchers and explorers to salvage what lore can be found. These are usually well armed, well supplied, and very specific in where they go. Those citizens with wanderlust or a thirst for adventure are drawn to these expeditions, and though dangerous, it a respected and rewarding field.

--by stephen_dean

The Four Cities are dotted like constellations along the intertwining trade routes that provide the raw materials, and are located on high points along the curving paths of great serpantine rivers that snake over a large plain. The Plains are dotted with canyons and cliffs, gradually becoming drier until the Western edges dry into sandy waste and inhabited by nomads and less definable entities. To the East lies the vast sea, clustered in the Marshes and Jungles by the Coast, and edged by mountains that catch the rainclounds, with large passes carved by rivers and edged with ruins. The rivers from the central highlands serve as flowing highways, and the Mountains where the herdsman and small villages of farmers each out an existance in the valleys and glens of the slopes of the towering mountains send forth there goods South. The southern plains stretch to meet the sea, and from this direction, tribute, spices, slaves and raw materials flow, as manufactured goods, cloth, and wonders of the craftsman of the cities are peddled south, and tribute North. The great carvavans, barges and cities to the south allow for large fortunes to gather, and decadence to thrive.

-by stephen_dean

===The Enkidi, people of the marshes===

A small group of villages and hamlets tucked away in the Marshes, near the center of the thousand flowing waters, and hidden in deep with-in ferns and brackish water, far up river. The Enkidu people prize concealment, and are masters of the use of poison blowguns and elaborate traps and deadfalls. They know there home well, and have tamed many species of birds to hunt and guard their watery homes. The people are few in number, and rarely interact with outsiders, outside of raids for slaves, loot or to preserve artifacts from the ruins. Their villages are built in the sinking remains of a large Stone ruins, or around statues with a rounded face of a god, half buried in the marshes, and one of the few large solid structures around to build on. They dress in a large number of bright feathers and fearsome masks, and are feared for there practice of taking the heads of their victims as trophies. They lack any shamans, and claim that magic is left for the Gods alone to know, and so guard the secrets of the ruins in their lands well. The villages are ringed with the severed heads of trespassers, and the beat of there drums they use to communicate with one another, and the shreik of their war cries fills the heart of the unwary exploreres of the region with fear. Those who encounter them are advised to avoid making sudden movements, and the best tools for bribery are any brightly colored fabrics or strong poisons. Some say they are led by an officer of an Iridos military unit sent to explore the region, who went native and is said to no longer be sane.

-- by stephen_dean

===The Tomb Cities of Achrum===
Every schoolchild knows of the drowned ruins in the Thousand Flowing Waters, which are now the tombs of the dead and undead of an ancient civilization. That civilization now lies submerged beneath the rising waters of the Gulf of Achrum, which the Thousand Flowing Waters surrounds and empties into. Few know that these ruins are actually the remnants of several cities, of which very little is known or has been learned. There are names given in old texts – Areatha the City of the Loom, Hipece the City of Waters, Marish the Named and Unnamed City – but none have been defined beyond mere conjecture. The marshes near Astomo and the city of Omphalo are most-accessible, but also the most perilous, as they are haunted by vampires and watched by the Silent Brotherhood. Most explorers who seek out the tomb cities are lucky to return with sight and sanity intact. (There is a note here in the text telling of a Wanderer of the Wastes, who returned from the tomb cities whole in mind and body, but speaking an unintelligible language which no one could fathom, and he unable to learn any other.) (nb. "Achrum" was not the name of that drowned land, but of one of the rivers that flowed into the land. scholars and explorers still attempt to determine which current-day river was once the River Achrum.)

--Kakita Kojiro

===Colossus of Chasus===

The most well-known of the lost cities of the ancients is surely the so-called “City of Statues.” It lies in the waters between the island chain on which Iridos stands, but its location is easily found as some of its largest monuments and pillars still stand above the waves, with their statues above or partly above the water. Largest of all these is the colossus, an enormous statue that once stood astride the harbor entrance of the drowned city. It still stands there, knee-deep in the waterway between two islands, to mark where the City of Statues once was. The colossus was made of bronze, but with a concrete core that has remained as the bronze has corroded and eroded away over centuries. Observers claim that the colossus and other statues slowly change their positions and expressions, the colossus much more slowly than the lesser statues here. It is said to be bad luck to sail between the legs of the Colossus, and the reports of empty ghost-ships which sail the nearby waters on foggy nights are said to have be the remains of those who have dared to do so.

--Kakita Kojiro

==Petty Kingdoms==

===Omphalo, sapling colony city===

Omphalo is a city of many religions. It was founded as the fortress city and headquarters of the Second Great Crusade, and still persecutes the forbidden cult of the Hollow Men. According to legend, this was also the birthplace of the Twin Sisters, and although scholars doubt the veracity, it is still a pilgrimage site for many people. In the time since the Second Great Crusade, other religious cults have come to the city for their own reasons. As have adventurers and scavengers, hoping to glean ancient wonders from the ruins in the marshes.

Each rainy season, Omphalo and the marshes flood when the seasonal rivers of the grasslands flow. Buildings in Omphalo are build on stilts, and during the flood season people get around by flat-bottomed boats. These same boats are used in the marshes as well. Although the city subsists off pilgrimage, it also produces a surplus of crops that require flooded fields. These crops are generally sold to one of the three northern cities. The crusaders of Omphalo have found patrolling the undead-haunted ruins of the Thousand Flowing Waters easier during the flood season, and so when the waters rise boats of armed Silent Brothers set forth for their sacred mission.

Occupations: Crusader, Priest, Boatman, Farmer, Fisherman
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (Omphalo), Boating, History, Religious Ritual, Theology, Occult (vampires)
Social Background: Cultural Familiarity (1 pt., Twin Cities), Glossa (native language), Literacy
Suggested Quirks: Careful, Code of Honor, Vow
Sample Contact Groups: Silent Brotherhood, Seven Sisters, Cult of the Opaque, other Cult
Suggested Spells: Sort Living from Undead (IQ/Average)
Rumor: “It is said that the Opaque Tree, the Tree of Many Shadows, the fourth and dark Crystal Tree, was discovered or hidden in Omphalo. The Cult of the Opaque has become very influential in Omphalo recently because so many of its followers have come to the city seeking their mystic tree.”

--Kakita Kojiro

===Heliade, tributary petty kingdom===

Heliade is known as the Amber Kingdom. It is located on the Pleione river, which flows from the south, and borders on the marsh ruins of the Thousand Flowing Waters. Its inhabitants scour the river and marshes for spells and spirits frozen in amber from ancient times. These talismans are valuable wealth for trade, and Heliade is often subject to tribute to one of the three great cities of the north. Occasionally they go to war over this imposition of tribute, but although their archers are armed with devastating amber-tipped arrows, they are no match for the sorcery of the three cities on the battlefield.

Heliade magicians take dross amber and make use of it in many ways. It is dissolved into amber lacquer that hardens their armor against danger. It is used to trap images within, that may be seen at any time by peering into the amber. It is also melted down and gathered into vats of molten amber – through which, they hope to peer into the spirit-world. There is a belief in Heliade that there is another Crystal Tree – this one, of amber, weeping jewels – and the Heliades believe that if it is found, their city will rise to preeminence.

Occupations: Ambergleaner, Archer, Flower-Warrior, Lapidiary, Merchant, Amberwright
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (Heliade), Bow, Current Affairs, Jeweler, Occult (amber)
Social Background: Heliadic (native language), Glossa (accented language), Literacy
Suggested Quirks: Dreamer, Obsessions (amber), Thin-Skinned*
Suggested Spells: Capture Image In Amber (IQ/Average), Smelt Amber (IQ/Hard)
Rumor: In Heliade they have learned to enter the spirit-world through vats of molten amber. Therein they say the spirit-world is upside-down; you walk upside-down with the ground above your feet and the sky below your head. However, they have not discovered how to leave the spirit-world, and as the amber hardens, the explorer is trapped, entombed alive in a block of amber, upside-down.

--Kakita Kojiro

===Astomo, tributary petty kingdom===

Astomo is called the Mute Kingdom, for long ago it was ruled by priest-kings whose lips were ritually sewn shut. It is still ruled by their inheritors, holy men known as Voices, whose lips are also sewn shut. Astomo lies on the borders of the Thousand Flowing Waters, and believe themselves to be the proper heirs of the ancient civilization that lies in ruins there. The people of Astomo are fascinated by the ancient ruins, and most will study some aspect of the ruins at some time in their life.

The Voices who rule Astomo do so by religious decree. There are a bewildering variety of subsects, all with teachings that confuse outsiders who cannot determine if they are philosophies or religions. As with the priest-kings of old, the Voices have their lips ritually sewn shut. Their ritual asceticisms allow them to survive without the need for food or drink, and to speak without speech, among other wonders.

Occupations: Archaeologist, Interpreter
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (Astomo), Gesture, History, Linguistics, Stealth, Hidden Lore (ancients)
Social Background: Glossa (native language), Backaric (broken language), Literacy
Suggested Advantages: Silence
Suggested Quirks: Cautious, Humble, Obsessions (ancients)
Sample Contact Groups: Sect
Rumor: “The old mouthless priest-kings of Astomo were, in fact, heretical offshoots of the Hollow Men. The Voices who still rule Astomo keep this secret carefully guarded, lest fanatic crusaders hear of it and Astomo be destroyed.”

--Kakita Kojiro

===Pharsus, tributary petty kingdom===

This is the Land of Masks, between the rivers Cephissus and Maiandro, near to the Thousand Flowing Waters. After their coming-of-age, each adult here has at least two special masks, which they wear at all times. Each mask has its own identity and personality – it is the mask that is considered to be the real person, not the body that the mask is wearing. Each mask may have a different job, different spouse and family, different friends, and always different dress and mannerisms. If crimes are committed, it is the mask that is punished or destroyed. And sometimes one mask will fall sick or die, while the others continue on unaffected. Should all of an inhabitant’s masks be lost or destroyed, he or she becomes only another faceless foreigner.

Foreigners can become very confused in Pharsus, believing that they have met someone because they recognize the body, and not realizing that they must be introduced to the new mask. Of course, the people of Pharsus will politely ignore the presence of anyone with a naked face, so outsiders must learn to wear masks if they wish to be acknowledged – and to not change masks, lest they be regarded as a completely different person. Interestingly, Pharsus became a satrapy of the Narcissus hegemony voluntarily after being astounded by the first emissary from Narcissus, who donned a mirror as her mask.

Although they have been a satrapy of Narcissus for centuries, the inhabitants of Pharsus practice no magic of any kind – other than their masking. In some way that baffles magicians, the mask is the person, and any magic affects only the mask – and that magic ends when the mask is removed. Most of the masks of Pharsus are styled after birds or beasts, and mask styles tend to be similar by profession. Generally, a newly-made adult will receive one mask from each parent, but children of important people will be given additional masks by other sponsors.

Occupations: Boatman, Fisherman, Farmer, Maskmaker
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (Pharsus), Acting, Body Language, Fishing, Mimicry (speech), Masking (IQ/Very Hard)
Social Background: Pharsic (native language), Glossa (accented language), Literacy
Suggested Quirks: Personality Change, Staid, Incompetence (magic skills)
Sample Contact Groups: Sponsors
Advantages: Pharsic Mask (Magic Resistance – access requires mask, -10%)
Rumor: “The people of Pharsus claim that they and the Enkidi are distantly related, even though their languages are dissimilar and the Enkidi do not acknowledge any kinship. However, it is known that while the Enkidi will indeed take the heads of trespassers from Pharsus, their masks are always sent back even though the heads are kept.”

-- by Kakita Kojiro
==The Western Mountains and the Deserts of the West==

The Huge birds, such as the [[megafauna|Thunderbirds]], are the scavengers of the Western Deserts and grasslands, and use the gust from the mountains to range over the vast undalating plains in search of the many beast that wander its relativly untouched expanses. The varied terrain is home to vast herds of [[megafauna|gigantic Bison]], the Forest along the Mountains to stranger beast still. However the numbers are thin near the cities, and grow the further afield one goes. The Mountains to the West are the largest in the Known world, and the other side is an area explored at the peril of the unwary, do to the vast spaces inhabited by huge creatures of myth and legend, some claim to be larger than the armored beast that wander the waste. The reason for the lack of habitation is due to the low population following the devastating fall of the previous empires in the past, and the frequent wars between the city-states. The attachment of many people to there principle city-state or ideal, or the threat of strange conditions has led many to stay in the civilized regions, rather than risk expanding to the terrain of the tribes of head-hunters and beast riders beyond the Mountains. It is through the collective resources of the Cities that the walls, pits, and special huntsman keep the lands and tradeways safe. However, recent droughts and a change in climate are causing some stange beast and raider to prey at the edges of the Twin Cities, and the many smaller city-states. For now, these have not been signifigent, however, rumors are spreading of tribes beyond the mountains who ride great beast, and are forming an Empire of the wandering bands to pillage the glittering wealth of the settled peoples. These are rumors however, and cartomancers are exploring to add to the [[Diaphane|Crystal Globe]], to see if these shadows of truth are to be trusted.

-by stephen_dean

===The Sandstone Empire===

As is commonly known, the Sandstone Empire was formed from a series of bordering regions and Kingdoms set between the Spice Kingdoms to the South, and the Twin Cities to the North. While many of the neighboring peoples submitted or were aligned to one of the two spheres of influence, it was the Sandstone region that developed the strange system of a militarized mode of life, and the selection of the majority of it's population for the pursuit of war, and eventually conquest.

The origins of it's founder, a man whose name is lost to history, can be traced to around 600 Years post Darkness. It is known he commanded a group of refugees from the West, a group of soldiers who claimed to be remnants of a large force from the Far West, across a sea, where monuments of stone stood over a city of sleeping elders, dead kings and courts held in perfumed wrapping and served for all eternity, and a great city grew, the largest in all the world, a paradise that faced cataclysm, as the very earth rebelled against them. The strangers swept aside opposition as wheat before a sickle, and subdued the villages and towns of a wide swath of territory, wearing scales of strange metal, in wheeled carts pulled by strange beast.

They enslaved all around them, and expanded their holding with each harvest, more and more land and water beneath there banners, more sons and daughters toiling to create the stone temples where they lay there dead, to sleep until their city rose again. The cities were placed in the dry west, where the earth turns to dust, and sand becomes stone, stone sand. The slaves watched well however, and the helot revolts began first in their lands. All the master's were slaughtered in their beds, their legions of overseers and slave soldiers united in a vision of equality, one night of blood wiping out their rule in the Night of Bitter Waters.

The resulting state, called the Second empire, and the Beggar's empire, was founded on a view of equality through work, a collective society where children and property were to the state, all males were trained to be warriors, and wars were fought to free helots and slaves of the master's lash in all directions. This led to the misguided policy of attacking all slave owners, and getting involved in providing sanctuary and arms in foreign entanglements. The collapse of the 2nd Sandstone Empire in the South can be linked to alliances with the barbarian peoples and complicity in the helot revolts in The Twin Cities at 300 years post shattering. The resulting collapse of the Beggar's Empire, as it was known at the time, and the decree to purge it's mention from from all records following it's cleansing during the second crusade, as well as serving as the sight of the larger battles of the barbarian wars, led to it's decline to it's current state.

Now a poor region of dry lands, burnt and looted ruins of cities, and mud walled sullen villages where the proud decedents of the survivors of that time still scorn the civilized peoples. The are rumors that the so called Seven Legions, who fled west rather than be enslaved again, and who are said to have created a refuge for escaped slaves and helots. Many whisper that the day may come when helots go west, to a new city, where all men walk equal before the other. The bleached bones of that path are well known, so only the truly down trodden make the attempt.

-- by stephen_dean

==Barbarian Tribes==

===The Bammenides, nomadic barbarian tribe===

The Bammenides are one of the nomadic barbarian tribes of the northern taiga. They live on the edges of the northern glaciers. They are known as the “painted men” to the Twin Cities, because they tattoo their bodies, faces, and hands in bright colors. They tend small herds of [[Megafauna|dire elk]], from which they get milk, meat, fur – and most importantly, transportation. Their dire elk are domesticated and trained to pull sleighs large enough to transport an entire Bammenide family and all their goods. Their clans migrate south in spring and summer to graze and mate their herds. As rivers freeze and snow covers the ground, they migrate north and stay the winter snowbound, keeping the herds safe from the hungry predators of the south. In spring many clans gather in huge meetings to mate their herds; this is when the Bammenides trade with outsiders. In winter they live in homes built of snow, while their herds are hidden in sheltered valleys with some vegetation, or forage brought by their herders.

Shamans of the Bammenides work their magic through wands of many kinds. Each shaman has an assortment of wands of antler, bone, or wood, which must be carefully chosen for each specific purpose. Most shamans eagerly trade for wands made of metal from civilization. One of the few spells that shamans need no wand for are their eating magics. When someone in their clan suffers bad luck, or is afflicted by illness, or haunted by ghosts, the clan’s shaman will ritually consume the offending spirit. They can often scare off troublesome spirits with demonstrations of their eating prowess, by eating stones and other formidable things.

Occupations: Herder, Hunter, Trader, Warrior, Shaman
Suggested Skills: Animal Handling, Area Knowledge (tundra), Driving (sleigh), Spear, Survival, Tracking, Occult (spirits)
Social Background: Low TL, Bammenic (native language), Illiteracy
Suggested Quirks: Likes (metal), Humble, Uncongenial
Sample Contact Groups: Clan, Warrior Lodge
Suggested Spells: Eat Anything (IQ/ Hard, req. Shamanic Magic 1+), Eat Ghost (IQ/Very Hard, req. Shamanic Magic 3+)
Rumor: “The slow retreat of the northern ice and its gradual melting has gradually forced the Bammenides away from their ancestral summer and winter lands. Their herds do not thrive in the warming lands, and the remaining cold lands are too barren. The herds do not grow, and so more and more young men become warriors to gain wealth and status – while the defenses of Narcissus and Diaphane are in decline. If they join with other wandering tribes, a barbarian horde may bring the next Shattering from the north…”

--Kakita Kojiro

===The Makhlyes, nomadic barbarian tribe===

The Makhlyes are one of the nomadic barbarian tribes of the western grasslands. Their ancestors followed [[Megafauna|thunder beast]] herds, but the great herds from ancient times are no more, and only solitary beasts survive now. They now follow [[Megafauna|hornbeast]] herds across the grasslands. They are frequent trading partners with the Twin Cities, bartering furs and hides, ivory and horn, in return for civilized goods. Every few generations their warriors band together with other barbarian tribes and raid and pillage into civilized lands.

The shamans of the Makhlyes are known as Inverts because they live their lives as the opposite gender. Because of this, they are regarded as spirits by their people – and also regarded as spirits by spirits. Once each year in the spring, all the hunters will dress as the opposite gender as well, for the sacred Inverse Hunt. Their magic allows the hunters to hunt the now-extinct herds of megafauna as though they still roamed the grasslands. The hunters bring back much meat and many trophies from an Inverse Hunt, but every year one hunter does not return from the hunt. Because of these strange customs, people of the Twin Cities think that all Makhlyes change genders, and take precautions against touching them, lest this is contagious.

Occupations: Hunter, Trader, Warrior, Invert
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (grasslands), Mimicry (animal sounds), Spear Thrower, Stealth, Survival, Tracking, Occult (spirits)
Social Background: Low TL, Makhlyic (native language), Illiteracy
Suggested Quirks: Broad-Minded, Responsive, Tolerant* (not bothered by quirks)
Sample Contact Groups: Clan, Warrior Lodge
Suggested Spells: Hunt Megafauna Ghosts (IQ/Average) (note: penalties if not an Inverse Hunt), Change Gender (IQ/Very Hard, req. Invert, Shamanic Magic 4+)
New Advantage: Invert (5 pts., live as opposite gender, spirits react as though you were a spirit yourself)
Rumor: “The Makhlyes say that when one of the Inverts goes on a spiritquest and returns of the opposite gender, that he or she has not really returned at all. Instead she or he has been replaced by a spirit, that will pretend to be the Invert for the rest of its life, until it pretends to die and returns to the spirit-world.”

--Kakita Kojiro

===The Gorgades, nomadic barbarian tribe===

The Gorgades are one of the nomadic barbarian tribes of the distant steppes to the west of the grasslands and mountains. They are known as the “hairy ones” to most outsiders, because they do not cut their hair. When meeting strangers, they also veil their eyes with their hair so as to not make eye contact, and they will also not look into mirrors. They claim that all these taboos protect them from spirits – and, curiously, they believe that the inhabitants of the Twin Cities are actually spirits who lie about their true natures. They rarely trade with the Twin Cities, but their leather goods often make their way east through trade with other barbarian tribes (such as the Makhlyes).

They have actually domesticated herds of [[Megafauna|megafauna]], and roam the steppes to move their herds to new grazing. Each clan in the tribe typically has its own type of megafauna that it specialized in. Clans often take the opportunity to raid the herds of other clans while nearby, to eat some of their enemies’ beasts instead of their own. Their shamans wear headdresses of the skull and hides of their clan’s beast, and generally know a very odd assortment of spells.

Occupations: Herder, Hunter, Raider, Trapper, Shaman
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (steppes), Animal Handling, Bow, Knife, Leatherworking, Survival, Occult (spirits)
Social Background: Low TL, Gorgadic (native language), Illiteracy
Suggested Quirks: Uncongenial, Vow (do not cut hair, do not look into eyes or mirrors), Unhygienic* (does not bathe)
Sample Contact Groups: Clan, Warrior Lodge
Suggested Spells: Find New Forage (IQ/Average), Foretell Weather (IQ/Average)
Rumor: “Gorgades are not actually human – they are abhumans who were once used as servants by the ancients. They escaped back into the wild after the downfall of the ancients, and still fear civilized men.”

--Kakita Kojiro

===The Nethsras, nomadic barbarian tribe===

The Nethsras are one of the nomadic barbarian tribes of the western Steppe Wastes. They range further west and south than many other tribes, and so while only rumors to the Twin Cities, are better known in the Spice Kingdoms. They specialize in hunting hornbeasts with bolas from ambush. Their clans roam following the hornbeast herds, living in well-hidden temporary camps. Although they have joined barbarian hordes in times past, they are generally peaceful and not warlike, and usually maintain good relations with neighboring tribes.

It is an oddity that the Nethsras have no shamans among them, and claim they are never troubled by ghosts. This is because, they say, all Nethsras are the same souls of all the Nethsras who ever were, and those souls reincarnate as Nethsras after their death. They know exactly how many Nethsras souls there are, and each clan tells the others of deaths so that they know which souls to look for when new children are born. In times when their birthrates fall below deathrates, though, they must send scouts to nearby tribes, and even into civilized lands, seeking the newborn children that have souls from their tribe. Once identified, the scouts either buy (from other barbarian tribes) or steal (from civilized lands) these newborns and return them to their true people. The worst thing for Nethsras is when their birthrates rise above deathrates – for children born then will be born soulless. In such times it is traditional for the Nethsras to seek some pretext to go to war, so that there will be souls for the newborns.

Some Nethsras do seem able to recover fragments of past lives – although most never progress beyond achieving strong paramnesia sensations. These hints of past lives are usually cherished and encouraged, so Nethsras may seem erratic and mercurial to outsiders. The few who do manage to recover memories of past lives are the Awakened Ones. They are capable of astounding skills, but must struggle with sorting through a confusing mix of memories and personalities that have no context in their present life. Scouts sent to find wayward reborn souls are always young Awakened Ones.

Occupations: Gleaner, Hunter, Scout, Awakened One
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (steppes), Autohypnosis, Bolas, Camouflage, Stealth, Survival, Forbidden Lore (soul recognition)
Social Background: Low TL, Nethsric (native language), Illiteracy
Suggested Quirks: Delusions (past lives), Likes, Personality Change
Sample Contact Groups: Clan, Past Life
Suggested Advantages: Reawakened (10 pts) (note: may use to learn Blind Fighting, Body Control, Breath Control, Invisibility Art, Light Walk), Split Personality (-15 pts)
Rumor: “Most of the Awakened Ones of the Nethsras are aware that their numbers are slowly dwindling, as each generation a few reborn souls are never recovered. They believe that someone has stolen their secrets of soul rebirth, and so polluted the way to rebirth such that some souls simply become lost in being reborn. They have heard of the distant Twin Cities, and plan to send scouts there to search for reborn Nethsras souls, to bring back, or to kill if they are too old to bring back.”

-- by Kakita Kojiro

=Other Places=

===Labyrinth of Metuse===

North of the Thousand Flowing Waters, in the foothills of the Eastern Mountains, are hidden the miles-long cave system known as the Labyrinth of Metuse, after the goddess that lives there. The goddess Metuse is a gorgon, one of the first spirits who escaped or fled from the spirit-world in ancient days. She is said to be terrible in her beauty – golden scales, brazen wings, and serpents for hair. Any who see her unreflected are turned to black glass. She once had the company of many blindfolded priests, who carved the caves into vast maze with her temple at its heart. Her last known supplicant was in the years of the Great Purge, a mirror sorcerer from [[Narcissus]] who it is said returned to Narcissus to speak prophecies from the gorgon to the Diet, and after all further supplication to the goddess were outlawed he returned to her labyrinth to become her mate and husband. No one who has sought her since has found their way further than the galleries full of statues of black glass...

--Kakita Kojiro

===Lost City of Light===

There is a legend that the Twin Sisters had a prodigal brother, who ventured further than they in seeking enlightenment, and founded a city of his own in the icy wastes of the north where the sun rarely rises. The City of Light, it is said, glows of its own luminescence, lighting the way across the ice plains like a distant lighthouse. The Wandering Peoples of the tundra, however, say that is a city of spirits, and lies in the [[Spirit_world|spirit-world]]. The shamans say that any mortal who finds it in the physical world will soon sicken and die from the city’s unnatural radiance, while anyone who finds it in the [[Spirit_world|spirit-world]] is dead already. Nonetheless there are legends of heroes who journeyed to the City of Light and returned, digits and noses frozen off, but having been given magical lamps which reveal spirits who are within the lamps’ illumination. In all these legends, the hero either dies soon thereafter of tumorous growths, or out of grief after several malformed stillbirths.

--Kakita Kojiro

===Shrine of the Sharp Mother===

In the north of the Loess Plains, on the edge of the tundra, lies this old shrine, which is said no human hand built. The shrine is a ramshackle affair, buildings built of bones of every kind. The structural bones are of [[megafauna]] – aurochs bones, mastodon bones, and older and stranger bones from now-unknown monsters. The walls and roofs are the bones of humans, hornbeasts, and other beasts. The smaller bones of dogs and birds fill in the gaps. There are always only two inhabitants of the shrine – the Sharp Mother, and her oracle child. The Sharp Mother is always a monstrously large [[Megafauna|Bear-Dog]], seemingly unintelligent and untamed, but who permits supplicants to come as long as they do not threaten her child. The oracle is always a human girl-child; when she grows to maturity, the gift of prophecy leaves her and so she leaves, while the Sharp Mother goes to find a new girl-child to bring back to the shrine. Petitioners come bearing gifts of raw meat for the Sharp Mother, and food for her child as well. If pleased, the Sharp Mother allows them to approach her oracle, who enters a seizure-like trance to answer their question. The oracle is never wrong, but her prophecies are also open to different interpretations – and few petitioners have guessed the correct meaning until too late.

--Kakita Kojiro

===Gnomon===

The disreputable [[Religions|Cult of the Opaque]] claims that their adherents have built their own, hidden city, somewhere in the Western Mountains or beyond. This city is said to have been carved out of the ground, out of ashen soil. Aboveground it is marked only by monoliths and angular blades of metal, which serve to cast shadows so as to mark the sun’s passage overhead. Many odd stories are told of this mythical place – that the desert shakes for miles around in sympathetic vibration with the deep music of Gnomon, that the conjunctions of angles and shadows open up ways into the spirit-world inaccessible in the Three Cities, or that there actually is no such city, but it is instead an allegory or tale meant to illustrate the blindness of the Three Cities because of their hidebound traditions.

--Kakita Kojiro

===Stone Forest===

Fragmentary records said to be from ancient days speak of this place, somewhere in the west of the Steppe Wastes. No one since before the Cataclysm has found the place. It is said to be a forest of strange trees, unlike any now known, but all petrified and turned to stone. Nothing living grows in the stone forest, and no water flows there. Some believe that this is the place from whence the Crystal Trees were brought. Others believe that the trees here were a different kind of [[Spirit_world|Crystal Tree]], now lost. The priest-king of Astomo is said to have once had a polished disk of stone wood, proving the existence of this place – but the Voices that rule Astomo now claim it was lost long ago. The Wanderers of the Wastes avidly seek clues as to its location, but the Wandering Peoples of the steppes all say that they know of no such place, and that if it did exist it would surely be haunted by dangerous and powerful spirits. (Actual records recovered from the [[Religions|Wanderers of the Wastes]] seem to show that most of their would-be explorers end up getting eaten by sabertooths, monster birds, or cannibals, long before they find any clue they were seeking.)

--Kakita Kojiro

===Gates of Ivory===

Tales in [[Bachariko]] claim that there is a hidden kingdom in the uttermost west, beyond the southern savannah, past the southern deserts, on the western coast of the southern mountains. In a mountain valley there is a wall of ivory, with gates of ivory, all built of the tusks of countless myriads of [[megafauna|mammoths]]. It is said that this wall is patrolled by strangely-colored people, who speak no known language, and who are unwilling to unbar their gate to any visitor. The last explorer who returned with the location to tell the tale, died while being feasted by one of the god-kings – and after his sudden death the entire court of the god-king was stricken by a strange and sudden illness that caused their blood and tears to run white, followed by death. No one has since sought to find this distant hidden land.

--Kakita Kojiro

Narcissus

2008-05-07T08:54:42Z

Kakita Kojiro: added Mirror Fishing, Magicians, Mirrors

=Narcissus, City of Mirrors=

Also called the Reflective City, the City of Mirrors. Built of obsidian, of polished brass and bronze, of silvered glass, and stranger mirrors, and everywhere full of still pools and fountains.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==History==

Unknown ages ago, the Twin Cities were founded by twin sisters.

One sister discovered a piece of reflective obsidian and was enthralled by her image. She gathered a group of artists and craftsmen to design mirrors, so that she may gaze upon herself. She founded the city of Narcissus.

The other sister discovered a quartz crystal. She was fascinated by its clarity and refractive properties. She, also, gathered interested people to craft wondrous, transparent objects. She founded the city of Diaphane.

As the two cities flourished, new materials were discovered that provided the same reflective and refractive properties. The citizens coveted and gathered these materials to glorify their two cities.

Obsidian was soon replaced by polished bronze. As their comprehension of chemistry evolved, mirrors were fashioned of glass coated by tin, mercury, or silver.

Many of the older neighborhoods have not converted to glass mirrors. They still use obsidian mirrors and bronze. They face discrimination because their surfaces are not sufficiently reflective. These citizens are considered too old-fashioned or too poor to be noticed.

Narcissus has, also, utilized glass to created lenses and prisms. Buildings constructed of ice have become a current trend, but only the most pristine ice is considered fashionable.

-- by shanoxilt

The ice buildings are currently in danger of melting! The owners of these frozen building have created a task force to solve this problem. The task force is trying several methods:
contacting the Invisible College for information, researching the most obscure books in the libraries, and travelling to other lands to seek information and aid.

-- by shanoxilt

==Cityscape==

Narcissus is at the furthest navigable part of the River Cephissus, in the foothills of the [[Other_kingdoms|Western Mountains]]. The oldest portions of the city are buildings of polished, black obsidian, whereas the newer buildings are of mirrored glass where not covered by polished brass or copper, silver or gold. Mirrors and reflective surfaces are everywhere in Narcissus, and it is possible to inadvertently step through them into the [[Spirit_world|Other Side]], by accident or carelessness.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====The Mirror Towers====

The first Mirror Towers were built to defend Narcissus during the [[Cities_of_glass_history|Helot Revolts]] that preceeded the [[Cities_of_glass_history|Second Shattering]]. These towers held arrays of mirrors that could focus burning rays of sunlight against attackers. In that time the mirror-smiths who created the Mirror Towers were military sorcerers. These military sorcerers then created mobile burning mirrors that were deployed in the total warfare of the [[Cities_of_glass_history|Shadowdancer Wars]].

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====The Obsidian Foundries====

The district of Narcissus known as the Obsidian Foundries is one of the oldest surviving, dating back to before all the [[Cities_of_glass_history|Shatterings]], almost back to the Founding itself. These were the places where the earliest attempts to exploit the [[Spirit_world|Other Side]] were made – through blocks and sheets of smooth obsidian. The imperfections in these reflections forced the development of glass mirrors for reflective magic. They also led to the spawning of the first mirror-wraiths. As the art of mirror-fishing moved on to newer tools, the art of mirror-casting to deliberately spawn mirror-wraiths began to develop.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====The Mirror Fisheries====

The district of Narcissus known as the Mirror Fisheries has been rebuilt and moved several times – in each Shattering, they were destroyed. The very first Mirror Fisheries were primitive, using slabs of polished metal, frozen pools of glacial ice, or sheets of reflective obsidian. Flaws and imperfections in these reflections created problems and dangers for mirror-fishing. More perfect reflections were needed, and so glass mirrors were developed.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==Geography==

Each of the Twin Sisters walked an equal distance away from the [[Other_kingdoms|Thousand Flowing Waters]], their original homeland, to found their cities. Narcissus at higher altitude, near the glaciers and dormant volcanos of the [[Other_kingdoms|Western Mountains]].

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==Culture==

The city is ruled by many nobles, who convene in a body of government known as the Diet – which is one of the most ineffectual political bodies known. Effectively the city is governed by shifting cabals of the wealthiest nobles and the sorcerers in their employ. The city is defended by many towers housing artillery-mirrors that can cast deadly beams of burning light miles away. It has an army, but its officers are mainly petty nobles who accept commissions for the privilege of wearing the handsome uniforms; they rarely report for duty.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

The ceremonial garb which the nobles of Narcissus wear in Flower Wars includes their mirror armor, round and highly polished metal shields, and their obsidian-edged swords.

These traditional armaments are more suited for the ceremonial combat of Flower Wars, than for in actual battle. Nonetheless, they are preferred exclusively by the nobility, for whom tradition and ostentation are more important than effectiveness. The nobles of Narcissus spend their time planning Flower Wars and sponsoring eccentric projects. Commerce, and the Guilds, are the real power in Narcissus, and they prefer to hire mercenaries rather than rely on the nobility and their odd habits of warfare.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====Navy====

The fleet of Narcissus is mainly a brown-water fleet, although it also ventures into the Gulf of Achrum which is surrounded by the Thousand Flowing Waters. Large, paddlewheel riverboats, whose steam engines are powered by solar furnaces, transport people and goods throughout the river system of the north. Small, swift feluccas patrol the rivers and gulf, propelled by solar sails and armed with burning mirror cannon.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====The Honorable Guild of Mirror-Casters====

Mirror-casting creates mirror-wraiths from the imperfect reflection of a person. (Mirror-casting a perfect reflection calls forth the doppelganger of that person.) The art of mirror-casting influences what kind of mirror-wraith is called forth, by choosing the imperfections of the reflective tool, the illumination upon the reflective tool, the subject it is to be cast from, and what emotions and desires that the subject acts out during the casting. It is an imprecise art, and even with all these planned for, the resulting mirror-wraith may not be what was anticipated.

Mirror-casters prefer to hire skilled actors as their subjects, for they better portray the emotions and desires to be cast into the reflection. Necessity or other factors often force them to rely on using apprentices or clients. The process of casting a mirror-wraith is long, and can be arduous for the subject, which adds to the imprecision of mirror-casting. There is a joke in the guild, about the journeyman who attempts to cast a mirror-wraith of lust, to use upon the object of his desire, who hires a courtesan as his subject and gives her detailed instructions to act out before his copper mirror, only to find he has called forth a mirror-wraith of confusion, all because of his muddled intent and skill.

It is, of course, easier to create random mirror-wraiths, and even possible to create accidental mirror-wraiths (particularly in Narcissus, where the mirror-world is so close). The guild scorns such things, of course. But journeymen mirror-casters often make their living dealing with and unmaking these unintended or accidental mirror-wraiths.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====The Worshipful Guild of Mirror-Fishers====

Mirror-fishing is the art of pulling forth wonders and prodigies from deep out of the Other Side. It is an expensive undertaking – the only reliable lure is mirrorfruit from a crystal tree – and the results are essentially random. Most of the time, mirror-fishing only brings forth dross, the flotsam and jetsam of the mirror-world. Occasionally mirror entities are hauled forth, usually irritated and hostile. Rarely they bring out unique and magical things that mirror-fishers call “ephemera,” which make gambling on the expense and risk worthwhile.

Mirror-fishers use flawless glass mirrors, which must be large enough to pass whatever they bring forth. Their lures are reels of steel wire or woven steel cord on mechanical wheels and ratchets. Their lures are always baited with mirrorfruit. Mirror-fishers will cast many baited lures into mirrors at once – success takes time, and even then the results may be dubious. The lured mirror must be watched at all times. If unobserved, the mirror returns to being a mirror, the line is severed and the bait is lost. Apprentices are given the task of watching baited mirrors.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====The Munificent Guild of Mirror-Smiths====

The Great Purge in the aftermath of the Second Shattering demilitarized the mirror-smiths. They formed their guild to further pursue and adapt their reflective sciences. Although they continued to design and maintain burning mirrors for use in warfare, the mage-smiths began to explore and develop other applications of reflective science. Originally they resisted cooperation with the guilds of what they saw as cruder sorceries, such as the mirror-casters and mirror-fishers. By the golden age of the Time of Clarity, however, they willingly combined their arts to create wonders of reflective magic.

The original mirrors created by mirror-smiths were polished obsidian reflectors, polished bronze and copper, and eventually sophisticated and delicate silvered glass. The basic forms of mirrors used by mirror-smiths are: flat mirrors (simple reflections), concave mirrors (reflections converge), convex mirrors (reflections diverge), and mirror arrays (combinations of mirrors). Mirror-smiths are skilled at the delicate science of creating mirrors – which is where apprentices are put to work. Other sorcerers such as mirror-fishers and mirror-casters rely on mirror-smiths to craft the tools and mirrors needed for their arts. However the true art of the mirror-smith lies in designing and installing mirrors and arrays of mirrors, to produce wonders such as the Mirror Towers and heliocamin cannons.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====Founding Day====

Once a year, on the anniversary of Narcissus's founding, their crystal tree darkens to a shade of obsidian black. Travelers and first-time tourists assume it is an omen of misfortune.
In reality, is a confirmation from their founding Twin Sister. Hundreds, if not thousands, of people flock to the tree. If one is patient, one will glimpse her ebony reflection. The crowds hush to hear the whispered words of her ancient dialect. She typically assures the citizens that she will watch them and guard them for eternity.
The stubborn antiquarians state," If obsidian is good enough for her, it should be good enough for you."

-- by shanoxilt

==Colony Cities==

===Liriope, sapling colony city===

Liriope is the daughter-city of Narcissus, a colony called the City of Women because it was founded by women. It is still governed by matriarchy, and only women are allowed to rise to the levels of guild mistress, high priestess, or city matriarch. The city was founded for caravans to depart overland to trade with the roaming tribes of the west, and it remains the trade gateway for the Narcissus hegemony. The culture of the city is very much like that of Narcissus, although more vital and less decadent. Liriopeans study reflective magic, but the city lacks the infrastructure to use advanced sciences such as mirror-fishing, and although the city has many mirrors, they remain only reflections and not gateways into the mirrorworld.

Men in Liriope are regarded as too emotionally unstable to handle important matters. Their role is in contests and war, and in demonstrating their worth to their women, and of course in pursuing women. Only women are regarded as being practical and stable enough to raise children and to rule others. Although men work in all professions, it is always women who are the rulers and leaders. Even the city’s militia is commanded by women, though it is men doing the fighting. Liriopean women claim that they are only following the path made by the Twin Sisters in this. Liriope was founded at the same time as the Seven Sisters order, and most outsiders believe the colony was founded because of a schism in the leadership of that movement; the women who left the Seven Sisters, founded Liriope.

Occupations: Scholar, Scientist, Matriarch, Entertainer, Merchant, Sorceress, Priestess
Suggested Skills (for women): Area Knowledge (Liriope), Current Affairs, Games, Leadership, Teaching, Thaumatology (reflective magic)
Suggested Skills (for men): Area Knowledge (Liriope), Brawling, Carousing, Combat Art, Erotic Art, Thaumatology (reflective magic)
Social Background: Cultural Familiarity (1 pt., Narcissus), Glossa (native language), Literacy
Suggested Quirks (for women): Chauvinistic, Proud, Refined* (dislikes vulgarity)
Suggested Quirks (for men): Congenial, Distractible, Proud
Sample Contact Groups: Matriarch Patron, Cult or Religion
Suggested Spells: Hide Reflection (IQ/Average)
Rumor: “The original founders of Liriope were far more radical than history portrays them, and the first generation after leaving the Seven Sisters the Liriopeans followed a heretical castration cult. Narcissus quickly suppressed the castration cult under the pretext of a flower-war, and all records of the heretics were erased by the newly-appointed matriarchs. Nonetheless the Seven Sisters still have records of that time, which could shame the city matriarchs if revealed. This is why the Seven Sisters are treated very favorably in Liriope, and why the need for this blackmail has never arisen.”

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==Helot Cultures==

===Skops, helot client state===

The Skopses are one of the helot cultures of Narcissus. They were conquered long ago, essentially enslaved for generations, but in the decline and decadence of the City of Mirrors have effectively regained their independence. In earlier eras they often had to be brutally suppressed by Narcissus, as their subversive Cult of the Flensed Man inspired bloody uprisings. Over generations that bloody cult has been supplanted by more acceptable religions, and only survives in their harvest festivals where they burn wicker effigies. Skops is a fertile land from the loess soil left behind by the retreating glaciers of the north. This provides the food that sustains the population of Narcissus, and the Skopses are also another market for the goods produced in the City of Mirrors.

Lurid stories of the Flensed Man cultists say that they wore masks and mantles of the bloody skin of their enemies, and that they could thereby assume the seeming of other people. Their shamans – who were all long ago slain or driven into the wastes – it is said could flense ghosts, and assume the seeming they had in life by wearing the spirit skin. Flensers are Skopsic revolutionaries that wear the bloody skins of beasts to hide their identities from discovery.

Occupations: Helot, Farmer, Herder, Tanner, Trader, Flenser
Suggested Skills: Animal Handling, Farming, Leatherworking, Occult (spirits), Forbidden Lore (Flensed Man)
Social Background: Cultural Familiarity (1 pt., Narcissus), Skopsic (native language), Glossa (accented language)
Suggested Quirks: Nosy, Staid, Vulgar*
Sample Contact Groups: Clan, Cult
Suggested Spells: Hide Reflection (IQ/Average)
Common Names: Andrew, Barbara, Thomas
Rumor: “The Flensed Man still lives, and hides within Skops to ferment unrest and revolution. Its secret is that it is neither a god nor a human – it is a skinwalker that escaped from the mirrorworld long ago in the time of the ancients, and has masqueraded as either or both ever since. It hides among the Skopses now, secretly wearing the skin of a dead man that it pretends to be, while leading the Flensers in rebellion.”

-- by Kakita Kojiro

===Hexadactyls, helot client state===

The Hexadactyls are one of the helot cultures of Narcissus, notorious for having extra fingers and toes. Not every one of them has six fingers and six toes, but enough that being born with only five is considered bad luck for a child. Hexadactyls are obsessed with unusual divinatory practices – including chiromancy (divination by studying lines on the palm), onychomancy (divination by studying reflections off fingernails), and odder methods. Most Hexadactyls adopt superstitious taboos based on these divinatory analyses. They are regarded as odd but innocuous by Narcissus, since they have rarely risen in revolt. There was even a brief period wherein onychomancy became a popular pastime among Narcissus dilettantes, although the fad quickly died out.

One of the reasons that Narcissus does not regard the Hexadactyls as threats is that they train with no traditional weapons, as other helot cultures do. This is because they have a secret, unarmed martial art which has been passed down from generation to generation. Most Hexadactyls know some Cheiration, but devoted students of the art – the “Twelve-Finger Masters” – are deadly unarmed combatants, capable of the Palm Block, Spear Finger, and Blade Hand maneuvers. During the Helot Revolts they were as effective as any armed combatants, but the tales of their martial prowess were later scoffed at as hyperbole, and so the Hexadactyls escaped the harsh reprisals that more heavily armed revolutionaries suffered.

Occupations: Helot, Farmer, Herder, Palmist, Weaver, Twelve-Finger Master
Suggested Skills: Animal Handling, Brawling, Farming, Fortune-Telling, Cheiration (martial art, DX/Hard)
Social Background: Cultural Familiarity (1 pt., Narcissus), Dactyllic (native language), Glossa (accented language)
Suggested Quirks: Habits (divinations), Vow (taboos), Distinctive Features (extra digits)
Sample Contact Groups: Twelve-Finger Sensei
Suggested Advantages (for Twelve-Finger Masters): Unusual Background (power blow, pressure points, finger lock, 5 pts)
Rumor: “The lands of the Hexadactyls are currently being ravaged by a sabertooth half-blind with cataracts that has become a maneater Ordinarily the white-eyed maneater would be hunted down and slain, but it was discovered to be a six-fingered cat itself, and is now considered to be an omen by the Hexadactyls. As its depredations continue, Narcissus has arranged for it to be hunted down – but the Twelve-Finger Masters have surreptitiously arranged for these hunts to fail.”

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==Magic==

Magic in the Twin Cities is learned informally (for petty magics), or most often as an apprentice in a guild. There are schools for advanced study of magic, which confer degrees of magister, or doctor of the eikonic arts.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====Reflective Magic====

Reflective sorcerers rely on mirrors and surfaces. Their magic can be used to defeat enemies by throwing agressive power back upon the attacker. Mirrors also imply detailed self-analysis. Using a magic mirror can allow one to fully understand one's own potential and focus it for maximal benefit. Their are powerful, defensive, introverted and fragile.

-- by Glyptodont

Reflective Magic deals with reflections – which, for all intents and purposes, are the equivalent of souls. It reveals insights into the self, allows entrance into the mirrorworld, and of course protects by reflecting light and magic and other forces.
-- by Kakita Kojiro

mantra: “perception is redirected”

spirit-world: [[Spirit_world|the Other Side]]

tools: mirrors

talent: Reflective Magic (10 pts/level)

spells:
- ''escape from mirror'' (IQ/Average)
- ''hide reflection'' (IQ/Average)
- ''see reflected memories'' (IQ/Hard, req. Reflective Magic 1+) (note: penalties if they are not your memories)
- ''see reflected thoughts'' (IQ/Hard, req. Reflective Magic 1+) (note: penalties if they are not your thoughts)
- ''see reflections of past'' (IQ/Very Hard, req. Reflective Magic 2+, at least two other reflective spells) (note: random; no guarantee of relevance)
- ''see reflections of future'' (IQ/Very Hard, req. Reflective Magic 3+, see into past, at least three other reflective spells) (note: random; no guarantee of relevance)
- ''reflect magics'' (IQ/Very Hard, req. Reflective Magic 1+)
- ''reach into reflection'' (IQ/Hard, req. Reflective Magic 2+, at least one other reflective spell) (note: penalties if using imperfect reflection)
- ''enter reflection'' (IQ/Very Hard, req. Reflective Magic 3+, reach into reflection) (note: penalties if using imperfect reflection)
- ''steal reflection'' (IQ/Very Hard, req. Reflective Magic 5+, enter reflection, at least three other reflective spells) (this is a BAD THING that leaves you at the sorcerer’s mercy, but I do not know why)
note: it is relatively easy for reflective magic to enter the spirit-world, but what is obtained from the spirit-world tends to be random and variable. mirror-fishing pulls back random oddities. mirror-gazing sees quite unrelevant futures most of the time.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

=====Mirror Fishing=====

Mirror-fishing reels in strange wonders from the Other Side. These are always unique – oddities with odd properties. On a rare handful of occasions, however, mirror-fishers have pulled mirrors from out of their mirrors. These ephemeral mirrors were of strange geometries, with strange powers. Whereas most ephemera cannot be duplicated, the mirrorwrights of Narcissus learned to duplicate these few magic mirrors, from the patterns of the originals. These are the most sought-after objects of mirror-fishing – reeling in an unknown magic mirror would win the mirror-fisher untold wealth.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

For some mysterious reason, the ephemeral mirrors are vanishing. One ephemeral disappears for every dozen copies the mirrorwrights craft.

-- by shanoxilt

'''A sampling of a Mirror Fisher's Haul, as written by apprentice Ethereal Fishfolk, second of that name, in the employment of Inscrutable Old Man of the Glass.'''

''9 A.M

Pulled a bottle with a note written backwards, revealed to be half of a riddle in old Glossia.

10.30 A.M

One Sandal, slightly chewed.

11.44 A.M

An cryptic Journal, in what appears to be human skin, of tattoos and symbols linked to Astrology.

12.01 P.M

break for Lunch, second apprentice takes over the lines.

1.45 P.M

A crystal sword whispering the name of a local woman, that shattered when pulled into the room, the Master will not be pleased.

4.00 P.M

Finally, a set of lenses attached to a frame, apparently that when looked through, as tested by the second apprentice, allows one to see the cause of death of each male relative in your family. Unknown as to how far back, as second apprentice began crying, turns out his great grandfather is not the Hero the tales make him out to be.''

-- by stephen_dean

====Magicians of Narcissus====

'''Apprentice Mirror-Caster''', of Narcissus
Advantages: Reflective Magic 1 (5 pts)
Disadvantages: Duty (almost all the time, -15 pts)
Backgrounds: Apprentice (guild rank 1, 5 pts), Poor (wealth, -15 pts)
Skills: Mirror-Casting (IQ/Very Hard), Thaumatology (reflective magic), Acting, Performance
Spells: Hide Reflection

'''Journeyman Mirror-Caster''', of Narcissus
Advantages: Reflective Magic 2 (10 pts), Allies (mirror-wraiths, var.)
Disadvantages: Duty (fairly often, -5 pts)
Backgrounds: Journeyman (guild rank 2, 10 pts), Average (wealth, 0 pts)
Skills: Mirror-Casting (IQ/Very Hard), Thaumatology (reflective magic), Acting, Body Language, Performance
Spells: Hide Reflection, Reflect Magics

'''Apprentice Mirror-Fisher''', of Narcissus
Advantages: Reflective Magic 1 (5 pts)
Disadvantages: Duty (almost all the time, -15 pts)
Backgrounds: Apprentice (guild rank 1, 5 pts), Struggling (wealth, -10 pts)
Skills: Mirror-Fishing (IQ/Hard), Thaumatology (reflective magic), Observation
Spells: Escape From Mirror

'''Journeyman Mirror-Fisher''', of Narcissus
Advantages: Reflective Magic 2 (10 pts), Gadgets (magic mirrors, var.)
Disadvantages: Duty (fairly often, -5 pts)
Backgrounds: Journeyman (guild rank 2, 10 pts), Comfortable (wealth, 10 pts)
Skills: Mirror-Fishing (IQ/Hard), Thaumatology (reflective magic), Observation
Spells: Escape from Mirror, Reach into Reflection

'''Apprentice Mirror-Smith''', of Narcissus
Advantages: Reflective Magic 1 (10 pts)
Disadvantages: Duty (almost all the time, -15 pts)
Backgrounds: Apprentice (guild rank 1, 5 pts), Poor (wealth, -15 pts)
Skills: Mirror-Smithing (IQ/Very Hard), Thaumatology (reflective magic), Glassmaking (IQ/Hard), Metallurgy
Spells: Hide Reflection

'''Journeyman Mirror-Smith''', of Narcissus
Advantages: Reflective Magic 2 (20 pts),
Disadvantages: Duty (fairly often, -5 pts)
Backgrounds: Journeyman (guild rank 2, 10 pts), Average (wealth, 0 pts)
Skills: Mirror-Smithing (IQ/Very Hard), Thaumatology (reflective magic), Engineering, Glassmaking (IQ/Hard), Metallurgy, Heliography Code (fluent language)
Spells: Hide Reflection, Reflect Magics

'''Catoptromancers''', sorcerers-for-hire of Narcissus
Catoptromancers are mirror sorcerers skilled at reading the health of others by studying their reflection. By studying a patient’s reflection in different media and ambient light, they can divine past, present, and perhaps future health problems. This can include illnesses, injuries, and even emotional or mental trauma. Occasionally they can divine injuries or illnesses that have not yet occurred, and are able to proscribe circumstances that might lead to the occurrence. Usually they are only able to determine current illness or injury, and will prescribe various remedies based on the accumulated records of past cases documented by catoptromancers. There is no formal guild of catoptromancy; would-be catoptromancers must seek apprenticeship with another master catoptromancer.

Advantages: Reflective Magic 1 (10 pts)
Backgrounds: Average (wealth, 0 pts)
Skills: Thaumatology (reflective magic), Diagnosis, First Aid, Esoteric Medicine
Spells: Hide Reflection, See Reflections of Health (IQ/Very Hard, req. Reflective Magic 1+)

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====Mirrors and Magic Mirrors====

''Heliograph'': “signal mirrors.” small mirrors used to reflect flashes of sunlight or lamplight to distant observers in coded signals. originally used to coordinate the Mirror Towers, but now used for communication throughout the Narcissus hegemony.

''Heliotrope'': mirror mounted so as to reflect rays of sunlight to any distant point which may be changed. Mirror Towers use heliotropes to aim.

''Heliostat'': mirror mounted so as to reflect rays of sunlight to one fixed point as the sun moves through the day. Mirror Towers use heliostats to supply sunlight throughout the day.

''Heliocamin'': “burning mirrors” or “solar furnaces.” mirrors that focus sunlight into intense heat. originally used to build the Mirror Towers, and later mounted on mobile carts or ships for military deployment as heliocamin cannons. subsequently heliocamins were designed for heating and cooking.

''Solar Sails'': sheets of reflective, mirrorlike material used instead of wind sails on Narcissus’ boats and ships. they are propelled by sun-power instead of wind-power, but are relatively useless without sunlight (moonlight provides negligible propulsion, so unless the ship has trap-mirrors storing sunlight it usually anchors for the night).

''Regressive Arrays'': “trap mirrors.” two flat mirrors facing each other, used with reflective magic to trap images in an infinite regression between them until freed. Mirror Towers use trap mirrors to supply sunlight at night. trap mirrors are also used to store images, to trap mirror-wraiths, and to temporarily seal breaches from the mirror-world.

''Catoptric Arrays'': mirrors placed so as to multiply images cast upon them. arrays can produce visual illusions of what they reflect, such as with mirage ghosts and mirage bowls. catoptric arrays are notoriously easy to fall into the mirror-world through.

''Anamorphic Arrays'': mirrors placed so as to magnify images cast upon them. mirror-casting uses anamorphic mirrors to generate mirror-wraiths, and anamorphic arrays are notorious for spontaneously generating mirror-wraiths or other mirror entities.

''Acoustic Mirrors'': newly developed pseudo-mirrors that focus and reflect sounds. prototypes have been built as whisper galleries and eavesdropping demonstrations. there has been debate in the Diet (the governing body of nobles in Narcissus) whether acoustic mirrors may lead to or may have been inspired by corruption from the Cult of the Opaque.

''Carbuncle Mirror'': mirrored bubble or orb pulled out of the mirror-world, that shows the reflections of distant locations. Clairsentience (clairvoyance, sense-based, preparation required, breakable, 30 pts)

''Gyre Mirrors'': matched set of small mirrors, allowing communication with anyone reflected in one of the matched mirrors. Telesend (sense-based, accessibility only others reflected, preparation required, breakable, 24 pts)

''Möbius Mirror'': twisted loop mirror pulled out of the mirror-world, that reveals the thoughts of anyone reflected therein. Mind Reading (sense-based, sensory only, preparation required, breakable, 24 pts)

-- by Kakita Kojiro

Iridos

2008-05-07T08:49:06Z

Kakita Kojiro: added Magicians

=Iridos, Spectrum City=

Also called Spectrum City, the City of Rainbows. Built of materials colored in any hue that matches the faction of the district that they are built within – red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, or violet.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

Many young artists rejected the idea of colorless crystal and achromic speculums. They wanted some color! Mainstream artisans chided them for their foolish fads. They felt the amateur creations had gaudy hues and... opacity!

The avante-garde formed Spectrum City, a community of rejected artists who categorize everything by colors.

-- by shanoxilt

Spectrum City is not very old. Despite this, the older and/or more conservative citizens have begun to establish regulations and guidelines. Some Spectrum citizens are dismayed, and even enraged, by this hypocrisy. Spectrum City was founded on free-spirited ideals of creativity and non-conformity!

On each side of the city is a large, public area where all the colors freely mix. In these two places, one may find beautiful mosaics and murals. There are markets that sell dyes, make-up, paints, and stained glass. One may, also, spot people who have painted their bodies.

-- by shanoxilt

The people of Spectrum City have recently invented stained glass and shadow puppet theatres.

-- by shanoxilt

==History==

[[Diaphane]] usually attempts to claim credit for the achievements of Iridos. They assert that they split the light of inspiration to reveal a spectrum of creativity. In the past, Diaphane and Narcissus did experience a few periods of animosity and conflict. These conflicts were mercifully brief events.

-- by shanoxilt

The truth of the matter has been carefully purged from the histories of [[Diaphane]]. The founding of Iridos had its origin during the Second Shattering. In that time, new advances had been made in tinting glass with vivid hues. New buildings and wonders were made, all of stained and colored glass, and the City of Glass took on translucent hues.

This led to great debates in the [[Diaphane|Crystalline Agora]], as citizens argued that the hues were a perversion of true Translucence. Eventually rabble-rousers whipped mobs of citizens into a frenzy, leading to the destruction of the colored glass in the Second Shattering. The surviving proponents accepted exile under the guise of founding the colony that became Iridos. The records, of course, were purged for the good of all.

The ruined Stained Quarter of [[Diaphane]] was never rebuilt. But it is still inhabited by squatters and the poor, since the broken shards there did not fracture the spirits of the Invisible World as they did in the other places of [[Cities_of_glass_history|Shattering]]. No spirit-storms of invisible shards occur there to strip flesh from bone as they do at the other Shattered places. There are rumors, though, that the seed of the chromatic tree was first found in the Stained Quarter...

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==Cityscape==

Technically, Spectrum City is not so much a city as it is a suburban, gated community. There are seven streets. Each street is color coordinated to correspond to the seven colors of the rainbow (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet). Every house is some hue, tint, or shade of the appropriate color.

The citizens of Red Street, Yellow Street, and Blue Street have a sense of superiority because red, yellow, and blue are the primary colors. Every other street is merely a secondary color, so their neighbors are obviously second class citizens.

-- by shanoxilt

==Geography==

Iridos was founded on a large Island to the South of the Two Cities, in an area famous for its wild flowers and natural rainbows.

-- by stephen_dean

==Culture==

The city is governed democratically, with one faction elected every seven years that is then responsible for running the civic bureaucracy and arranging for civic works. Each faction has its militia, but they often become unruly mobs protesting when another faction is in power.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

In Iridos, there is a small collective of artists who use psychedelic drugs. They claim that they view images of kaleidoscopic wonder. Their paintings are certainly a testament to such visions. It is suspected that they have a terrarium full of colorful, hallucinogenic frogs.

-- by shanoxilt

====The Festival of All Colors====
This holiday was popular in the time up to the Second Shattering, but has fallen to the status of minor festival in [[Diaphane]], while becoming the major annual celebration in Iridos. The Festival is celebrated as the means to enter communion with all the hues.

Food is the focus of the festival, but it is a specific, day-long meal. In each course of the meal, the foods served are always of one dominant color. In Iridos, there are seven full courses. The red course is bloody meats and pomegranite wine. The orange course is tomatos, gourds, orange fruits and their juices. The yellow course is grains and yellow wine. The green course is herbs and leafy vegetables, and bitter absinthe to drink. The blue course is pale seafood, and if poorly prepared is often poisonous (an ill omen, indeed). The indigo course is purple fruits and vegetables -- grapes, aubergines -- and purple wine. The violet course is edible flowers, violets and others with hues of deepest purple.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==Colony Cities==

===Ophalle, sapling colony city===

The only colony city of Iridos was originally established to harvest nacre and pearls from ocean shells. The sea harvesting settlement became a full colony when deposits of opals were discovered in the surrounding Eastern Mountains. The fledgling colony was named Ophalle after the inrush of prospectors and miners to exploit this mineral find. The city is outgrowing its infrastructure faster than new building can be planned, and so instead of the clean division of color as seen in Iridos, in Ophalle there is haphazard juxtaposition of all colors and materials. Mother-of-pearl and opal inlay is obviously the most-favored for decoration, but anything goes – including recent imports of multicolored stained glass from Diaphane.

Ophalle has become a lawless boomtown, and with democratic Iridos unable even agree on imposing any control, the various collective associations of fishermen and miners have a free hand in the city. Although new opal discoveries have been less frequent, another inrush of disaffected or hopeful youth, philosophers, and cultists have begun arriving in the city. The multicolored streets are full of people haranguing or proselytizing in favor of polychromatism, opacity, translucency, or even the clarity of the Clear Prophet. Merchants are moving in to exploit these new arrivals, and both annoy the various collective associations.

Occupations: Diver, Fisherman, Miner, Sailor, Architect, Painter, Merchant
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (Ophalle), Boating, Jeweler, Prospecting, Fishing, Swimming
Social Background: Cultural Familiarity (1 pt., Iridos), Glossa (native language), Literacy
Suggested Quirks: Dreamer, Imaginative, Responsive
Sample Contact Groups: Fishing Collective, Mining Collective
Suggested Spells: Change Color, Block Perception, See Clearly
Rumor: “In the absence of control by Iridos, the navarch of Diaphane is determined annex Ophalle into the Diaphane hegemony. The formidable, crystal-prowed warships of Diaphane are a common sight in the Ophalle harbor, and under orders from the canny navarch, they have subtly blocked the worst excesses of the collectives. Many in Ophalle therefore look favorably on the crystal navy’s presence, and it is possible that Diaphane might be invited to intervene to prevent the infighting and exploitation in Ophalle – which is exactly as the navarch has planned.”

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==Magic==

Spectrum Magic will also reveal a person's aura. The aura reveals many things concerning a subject. It will reveal their personality, their state of mental health, their state of physical health, their soul's health, whether the subject is mundane or otherwise, and it suggests their thematic affiliation.

-- by shanoxilt

====Chromatic Magic====

The Spectrum youth follow a path that is perpendicular to the other three. Color, variety and creativity characterize their newly-develping magics. They can create false illusions, yes. But they also can perform transformations like mud into porcelin or caterpillar into butterfly.

The magic of the Spectrum youth is avant-garde and iconoclastic: diverse, flexible and middle-way in both power and strength compared to the Twin Cities/barbarian axis.

-- by Glyptodont

Color, variety and creativity characterize newly-develping Chromatic Magic. It can create false illusions, yes. But it also can perform transformations like mud into porcelin or caterpillar into butterfly.
Spectrum Magic will also reveal a person's aura. The aura reveals many things concerning a subject. It will reveal their personality, their state of mental health, their state of physical health, their soul's health, whether the subject is mundane or otherwise, and it suggests their thematic affiliation.

-- by shanoxilt

mantra: “perception changes”

spirit-world: [[Spirit_world|Yingarna]]

tools: prisms, kaleidescopes

talent: Chromatic Magic (10 pts/level)

spells:
- ''identify exact color'' (IQ/Average)
- ''change color'' (IQ/Average)
- ''touch rainbow'' (IQ/Hard)
- ''see otherworldly colors'' (IQ/Hard, req. Chromatic Magic 1+)
- ''see auras'' (IQ/Hard, req. Chromatic Magic 1+) (note: allows diagnosis of physical, mental, spiritual, and magical health of a person)
- ''see past visible spectrum'' (IQ/Very Hard, req. Chromatic Magic 2+, at least one other chromatic spell)
- ''see many possible futures'' (IQ/Very Hard, req. Chromatic Magic 3+, at least three other chromatic spells)
- ''refract magic into colors'' (IQ/Hard, req. Chromatic Magic 2+) (note: changes magical attacks into harmless rainbows)
- ''cause natural metamorphosis'' (IQ/Very Hard, req. Chromatic Magic 4+, at least four other chromatic spells) (note: effects such as changing a caterpillar into a butterfly)
- ''cause unnatural metamorphosis'' (IQ/Very Hard, req. Chromatic Magic 5+, cause natural metamorphosis, at least five other chromatic spells) (note: effects such as changing a human into a butterfly)
- ''change color'' (IQ/Very Hard, req. Chromatic Magic 5+, cause unnatural metamorphosis)
note: using chromatic magic to enter the [[Spirit_world|spirit-world]] is generally fatal, as far as is known.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====Magicians of Iridos====

'''Aura-Readers''', Auramancers of Iridos
Aura-readers, or “auramancers,” are skilled magicians who read the health of patients in Iridos by application of chromatic magic. When auramancers look at a person’s aura, they see the colors of his or her souls. The nuances in subtle shades of each of the seven souls reveals to the aura-reader their patient’s personality, physical health, mental health, magical health, and state of their other souls as well. With this information the aura-reader can holistically advise their patient what actions to take or to avoid so as to bring their souls’ colors back in balance. Auramancers are also capable of curing the effects of magic or spirits on their patients, although few citizens of Iridos are afflicted by such things. Because most inhabitants of Iridos are devotees of aura reading, they tend to be extremely healthy, although usually constrained by odd restrictions on their diet or behavior accordingly.

Advantages: Chromatic Magic 2 (20 pts)
Backgrounds: Doctor (social status 1, 5 pts), Comfortable (wealth, 10 pts)
Skills: Thaumatology (chromatic magic), Diagnosis, Esoteric Medicine, First Aid, Pharmacy
Spells: Identify Exact Color, See Auras, Refract Magic Into Colors

'''Halo-Readers''', Halomancers of Iridos
Halo-readers, or “halomancers,” are magicians who read the weather in Iridos by the use of chromatic magic. They watch the upper skies for halos, nimbuses, glories, rainbows, icebows, sun dogs, sun pillars, coronas, green flashes, and other atmospheric phenomena. All of these are predictors of the weather, and by identifying them the halomancers are able to determine what the weather will be. Iridos ships always have halo-readers on board, which enables them to avoid storms that catch other ships unawares.

Advantages: Chromatic Magic 1 (10 pts)
Backgrounds: Average (wealth, 0 pts)
Skills: Thaumatology (chromatic magic), Meteorology, Observation, Weather Sense
Spells: Identify Exact Color, See Otherworldly Colors

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====Auras and the Colors of Souls====

The philosophers of Iridos have proved that humans have seven souls, each of a different color. This is demonstrated each time a criminal is sentenced to death by prism, when his soul is refracted into seven colors, which are recovered for use. The seven souls are as follow (“lower souls” are toward the red end of the spectrum, “higher souls” toward the violet end):

red – soul that gives you desires

orange – soul that keeps you alive

yellow – soul that gives you a self (personality, ego)

green – soul that integrates your other souls

blue – soul that allows you to think (sentience, id)

indigo – soul that gives you a reflection and shadow

violet – soul that interacts with the spirit-world

When an adept of chromatic magic looks at a person’s aura, they see the colors of his or her souls. It is the nuances in subtle shades of these colors that allow a chromatic adept to learn about that person. The exact tincture of the orange soul reveals a person’s health. The exact tincture of the indigo soul reveals whether the person is under the effects of magic. The exact tincture of the violet soul reveals what type of magic, if any, the person practices. Undead seem to lose their higher and lower souls, as all merge into one soul of utter black.

Beings of [[Spirit_world|Yingarna]] may not have all of these souls – or they may have other souls of colors that would be unnatural in humans. Infrared souls that may allow life to be created or restored. Ultraviolet souls that may allow interaction with higher planes of existence.

Chromatic adepts make use of specters that are solitary souls of one color, whether they originate as facets refracted off a human soul, or spirit entities captured in the wild.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

Diaphane

2008-05-07T08:44:20Z

Kakita Kojiro: added Magicians

=Diaphane, the Crystal City=

Also called the Crystal City, or the Invisible City. Diaphane is built of quartz crystal and clear glass and of transparent substances strong as or stronger than steel.

==History==

Unknown ages ago, the Twin Cities were founded by twin sisters.

One sister discovered a piece of reflective obsidian and was enthralled by her image. She gathered a group of artists and craftsmen to design mirrors, so that she may gaze upon herself. She founded the city of [[Narcissus]].

The other sister discovered a quartz crystal. She was fascinated by its clarity and refractive properties. She, also, gathered interested people to craft wondrous, transparent objects. She founded the city of Diaphane.

As the two cities flourished, new materials were discovered that provided the same reflective and refractive properties. The citizens coveted and gathered these materials to glorify their two cities.

Some antiquarians mourn the advent of glass. They feel that it dilutes the cities's themes. They speculate that the architects no longer enjoy the reflective and refractive qualities, but the glass itself. The antiquarians hoard ancient obsidian and quartz relics to remind themselves of the "glory days of yore" and the cities's "true" themes.

-- by shanoxilt

==Cityscape==

There are degrees of transparency. The elite live in high towers of pure crystal. The middle class live in homes with large windows, some walls of translucent glass block, and maybe a floor of tile painted with a trompe l'oeil mural to make it look like it is floating on clouds. The peasants and tradesmen make do with large windows of paper in the summer months and open roofs in the dry season.

"Transparency" is also an ideal that philosophers and artist strive for, knowing that it lies somewhere beyond our clouded world. Common folk are less concerned with such abstractions and often view glass walls as a means of one-upsmanship against their neighbors.

-- by Glyptodont

It is said that when Diaphane achieves true transparency, it will fade from the material world and join the invisible world. This goal is sought through the city’s architecture, not only in its buildings of quartz, windows, and glass, but in its streets that are also paths in the spirit-world. Straight roads in Diaphane are probably also invisible paths, used by the invisible Neighbors and other invisible spirits. Curved roads, roads that cross water, roads interrupted by gated walls, or crossroads – all hinder invisible spirits, especially ghosts (the many mirrors of Narcissus accomplish the same effect).

Outsiders complain that the streets and buildings of Diaphane shift and change, roads that were crooked now run straight, or vice-versa. This is not so. Citizens know these are simply the effects of invisible paths. As their city develops in its transparency, the invisible world around it grows closer, and it is possible to accidentally wander into the sections where the invisible people dwell, which normally cannot be seen or found. Those who know and can see the right paths – cryptomancers and others – can use them as shortcuts through the City of Glass. Others run the risk of becoming lost in the [[Spirit_world|Invisible World]], or of annoying the Neighbors.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

Diaphane is home to some of the world's best greenhouses.

-- by shanoxilt

====Grand Aquarium====

Diaphane has a grand aquarium of x-ray fish, jellyfish, glass catfish, and icefish.

-- by shanoxilt

====The Crystal Grotto====

When she and her twin sister wandered the lands, the sister who founded Diaphane came to a place near the clear ice of the glaciers, and through which clear waters and winds flowed. She discovered or was led to the sacred crystal cave that no human had ever seen -- and there she found the [[Spirit_world|Crystal Tree]]. That was how she knew where to found her city.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====The Holy Sphere====

Optics are extremely advanced in the three cities, due to the high degree of precision and value placed on lessons, so that the sight of corrective lenses are fairly common,
and this has been expanded to include spy-glasses, and large telescopes and microscopes of large size. It is said that these are used to track the motion of the heavens, predict the weather, the future, and even look into the past. The Guild of the Convex Passions and the Concave Faction work together creating common goods for export, and crafting singular works of art. The Ships of the Twins Cities also have very accurate maps and charts do to the extensive questioning of sources both spirit and material, salvaged maps and surveys from ruins, and taken from the very souls of spies. The largest example of this is a revolving crystal sphere that displays the movements of the clouds and the sky in the Planetarium, made possible by projecting the spirit of the World itself from specially designed lenses and mirrors. The effect is awe inspiring and is used to illustrate the power and ability of Diaphane. The projection is carefully studies with large magnifying glasses, and cities and towns are observed from Afar. It is said that the movement of armies can be tracked by looking for trails of dust, and that as explorers find new lands or ruins, they are added to the Sphere.

-- by stephen_dean

====The Stained Quarter====

During the time of the [[Cities_of_glass_history|Second Shattering]] new advances had been made in tinting glass with vivid hues. New buildings and wonders were made, all of stained and colored glass, and the City of Glass took on translucent hues.

This led to great debates in the Crystalline Agora, as citizens argued that the hues were a perversion of true Translucence. Eventually rabble-rousers whipped mobs of citizens into a frenzy, leading to the destruction of the colored glass in the [[Cities_of_glass_history|Second Shattering]]. The surviving proponents accepted exile under the guise of founding the colony that became [[Iridos]]. The records, of course, were purged for the good of all.

The ruined Stained Quarter was never rebuilt. But it is still inhabited by squatters and the poor, since the broken shards there did not fracture the spirits of the [[Spirit_world|Invisible World]] as they did in the other places of Shattering. No spirit-storms of invisible shards occur there to strip flesh from bone as they do at the other Shattered places.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====The Ghost Quarter====

In, or around, Diaphane there is a literal "ghost town". It is a neighborhood where ghosts dwell. Some of the living neighbors may practice ancestor worship and veneration of ghostly transparency.

-- by shanoxilt

They are more focused on "veneration" than "worship" of the ghosts -- instead of seeking intercession from the ghosts (as one might from a god or worshipped spirit), they are seeking information about the past, and secrets from the past. The ghosts are venerated by flattery and by listening to their opinions and advice. In return the ghosts are persuaded to reveal what they recall, or to act as go-betweens to the much older ghosts who no longer have much connection to the physical world. Ultimately, there is hope of contacting the Founding Sister...

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==Geography==

Each of the Twin Sisters walked an equal distance away from the [[Other_kingdoms|Thousand Flowing Waters]], their original homeland, to found their cities. Diaphane is at higher latitude, on the coast of the eastern ocean, a harbor city.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==Culture==

The city is ruled by the Worshipful Archons, dictatorial lawmakers elected for life for the embetterment of all. The Archons see to it that sacrifices are made for the good of all – such as the sacred albinos being pampered so as to benefit the sacred trees. The Archons have abolished both police and military, in favor of the glass golems which enforce peace and trust. To keep secrets, to speak lies, to hide and obfuscate – these are crimes. The city also has a population of invisible citizens that only natives of Diaphane may see. These invisible citizens are part of the Invisible World, the spirit world that is always manifest in Diaphane, but never seen.

The Worshipful Archons are aristocrats anonymously elected to office. Highest in rank are the chief archons – the ''hierarch'' (nominal chief), ''polemarch'' (oversees the city’s military), ''navarch'' (oversees the city’s navy), ''hagiarch'' (oversees religions), ''xenarch'' (oversees foreigners), ''cryptarch'' (oversees relations with the invisible world), and others that have varied over time. Lesser archons serve as judges, magistrates, and officials of the city – and one of the most influential of these officials are those who license magicians for the practice of magic-for-hire in Diaphane.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====Navy====

The fleet of Diaphane is mainly a blue-water fleet. Its huge warships have crystal tree masts, armored in prisms and glass coral, with gossamer sails and cruel rammed prows for boarding. The few river boats of the Diaphane hegemony are glass-bottomed, with sail propulsion.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

The flagship of Diaphane is a ship with [[Spirit_world|Crystal Tree]] mast growing out of a ship armoured in Prisms and edged with clear coral like growths, and gossamer clear sails that are perpetually pushed by the Wind captured by the magicians and priest of the City-State, with long range optics and a ghostly almost otherworldy quality. And really, really big - dwarfing the naval craft of other nations. The ship has a dedicated crew armed for boarding, and a cruel shaped prow for ramming made up of a jagged and fearsome visage of the face of one of the Invisible creatures of the spirit world. The ship has no real long range ability, as the purpose of the craft is to capture and harness those who defy Diaphane. Those who fall into the maw are fused with the craft, becoming twisted clear faces perpetually screaming in silence, and if seen through the spirit world, it is a ship of pure grace and cruelty, used to intimidate those who vie to control the seas. Held out of the water, and a representation of the power and skill of projects, perhaps a relic of the Golden Age.

Those staffing the vessel are of the highest station, and because of its majesty, it has not actually engaged in much fighting, but rather is used as a tool of statecraft to impress the surrounding States, and keep Iridos within the fold.

-- by stephen_dean

====Schools of the Eikonic Arts====

The Invisible College is not the only school for the teaching of the eikonic arts in Diaphane. Because it teaches foreign magic, it is obviously the better known to foreigners – but for the same reason is of questionable reputation in Diaphane. Schools change over time: older schools become unpopular, newer schools schism from established schools, or merge, or even go into exile in one instance. Membership in most of the schools is secret, in theory – only other magicians will recognize the school of another, or know the location of the schools.

'''the Invisible College''': The only school that teaches more than one type of magic is the Invisible College. Originally founded just prior to the Second Shattering, it was an ambitious attempt to unify pellucid, reflective, and chromatic magic. Although that goal was never attained, it is the only place to learn all four types of magic. Its students, having split their studies so widely, tend to be broad generalists rather than thorough specialists.

'''the Paramanteion''': Oldest and most traditional of the schools of Diaphane. Its students learn in the Aeologion – the temple of the wind god. To outsiders they are not distinguished from the temple’s priests, and many of the priests are also students of the Paramanteion. The school’s magisters focus on the philosophical ramifications of pellucid magic, and tend to neglect the practical. The school often accepts foreign students from the Silent Brotherhood or from other friendly cults.

'''the Calyption''': This school meets in the Crystal Grottos, where the crystal trees were first discovered. It disbanded during the Second Shattering, at which time it was known as the “Cryption,” but was refounded after the Third Shattering in its current form. Originally the school studied and tended to the crystal trees, and transplanted groves of crystal trees elsewhere for cultivation. In its current incarnation the school teaches glass-wrights, and led the development of glass golems and similar automata.

'''the Glass Libraries''': The Glass Libraries are not as formal a school as others – it is more a loose alliance of various repositories of lore in Diaphane. By agreement, each allows the students of the others free access to study from the crystalline plates inscribed with various lore. This agreement dates back to the construction of the first helioscopes (which focus sunlight as weapons) before the Second Shattering, and students of the Glass Libraries tend to specialize as lens-wrights and the design of telescopes, microscopes, and helioscopes. It is said that the Glass Libraries stole the idea for their helioscopes and Sun Towers from the Mirror Towers of Narcissus – an accusation that they angrily refute.

'''the Agoric College''': The only school officially sponsored by the Worshipful Archons of Diaphane, and one of the few whose students are known and registered. Its masters teach openly in the Crystalline Agora, and the unlearned who listen nearby are either discouraged, or invited to join as students, according to their aptitude. The school focuses mainly on interacting with the invisible Neighbors that also inhabit Diaphane, and there are always rumors that one or more of the school’s magisters are actually Neighbors made briefly visible.

'''the Skolomanteion''': The only school to have been exiled from Diaphane, in the Time of Clarity when the albino cult was reestablished in the city. The offense or heresy committed by the Skolomanteion was purged from the records of the Worshipful Archons, so none now know what it was. Rumors as to where the school went in its exile are wild and endless, but it is not even certain that the Skolomanteion even survives in any form at all.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====Sky Day====

The city of Diaphane celebrates Sky Day... by going sky-clad. No native of the city wears clothing on that day -- they hide nothing of themselves from the world. Although outsiders and children find the celebration strange and titillating, to citizens it is a solemn occasion for introspection.

It is said that on Sky Day those who shed all concealment to walk naked gain the ability to see what is concealed in the Invisible World, as well -- they can clearly see the invisible spirit-citizens of Diaphane on that day. Outsiders occasionally attempt to participate in the festival, but rarely succeed; they lack the secret lore of transparency that allows natives to comfortably walk unclothed. Sky Day occurs in the dead of winter, and most non-natives who go sky-clad usually see visions because of hypothermia, not enlightenment.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====The Feast of All Colors and None====

This holiday was popular in the time up to the Second Shattering, but has fallen to the status of minor festival in Diaphane, while becoming the major annual celebration in Iridos. Food is the focus of both festivals, but it is a specific, day-long meal. In each course of the meal, the foods served are always of one dominant color. It is said the lesson of the Feast is that it reveals the transience of colors, which all fade into blessed translucence.

The first course is white foods -- generally simply, bland dishes of polished rice. There are fewer following courses; often reduced to red, green, and "blue" courses. But there is another, final course -- the course of translucence. Crushed ices, crystal sugars, gelatins, and delicacies such as rare jellyfishes and transparent cave fish are served with clear and pure water.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==Colony Cities==

===Symeros, sapling colony city===

The colony city of Symeros was founded by Diaphoros the Synesthete, one of the first pupils of the Invisible College from Diaphane. He was blessed or cursed with synisthesia, which has been inherited in many forms by his descendants. As the royal family maintains a prerogative to the first night with any new bride, synisthesia has spread among the Symerides. Symeros is on the Maiandro river downstream from Diaphane, and is the major port of the Diaphane hegemony. Glass-bottom boats ply the river from Diaphane to Symeros and on to Iridos isle, carrying cargo and travelers. Despite its origins, Symeros has never devoted itself to one viewpoint of magic, and all are practiced here – although mainly pellucid and chromatic. Formal training in the magic sciences must be sought in Diaphane or Iridos, however.

The city’s boatmen must navigate their way through the Thousand Flowing Waters and its many perils, and it has been discovered that the city’s synisthetes are somewhat protected from the odd powers of vampires and Hollow Men and other heretics of that ilk. They are in great demand as scavengers of the ruins there, and as crusaders for the Silent Brotherhood. Synisthetes do not often master any kind of magic, for their unique perception interacts oddly.

Occupations: Philosopher, Scientist, Merchant, Boatman
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (Symeros), Boating, Current Affairs, Smuggling, Occult (vampires), Thaumatology (pellucid or chromatic magic)
Social Background: Cultural Familiarity (1 pt., Twin Cities), Glossa (native language), Literacy
Suggested Quirks: Congenial, Imaginative, Addiction (tobacco)
Sample Contact Groups: School, Cult or Religion
Suggested Spells: Identify Exact Color (IQ/Average), See Clearly (IQ/Average)
Rumor: “The Empty Masters secretly plan to subvert one of the synisthetes of Symeros. By mixing synesthetic perception with their blind enlightenment, they hope to find the reason that synesthetes are so effective against them. Should they succeed, the crusade of the Silent Brotherhood would be set back, and Symeros left open to infiltration by the bleak cult of the Empty Masters.”

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==Helot Cultures==

===Gnarides, helot client state===

The Gnarides are the helot culture in the lands near Diaphane. They were the original inhabitants of the area, driven away by the “Witch Sister.” Although once warlike, they have been conquered and subjugated, and now their clans are scattered through several petty kingdoms. They are pastoralists who raise mountain goats and make cheese, although they are known for being good spear hunters, and occasionally hired as mercenary spearmen.

Gnaride culture revolves around their worship of the earth deity, which they view as both male and female. They build lingams – large standing stones representing the phallus of the god. They also have sacred caves – representing the goddess – callen yoni caves. They practice barbaric fertility magic with these, and claim that is why the men of Diaphane fear to build tall structures that cast shadows, and why they will not abide dark caves. Only men deal with lingams and their magic, and only women deal with yonis and their magic. Having the shadow of a lingam stone fall on you is lucky, but also arouses carnal lust and blood lust. Entering the dark yoni cave aids in conception and childbirth. If women fall under the lingam’s shadow, they may become pregnant or barren. If men enter the yoni cave, they may return as women or pregnant. For obvious reasons, both of these actions are taboo. Outsiders rarely benefit from either lingam stones or yoni caves. Their magic-men are called Horned Men because they wear crowns of horns, and while they are good at dealing with female spirits, they are very unlucky with male spirits.

Occupations: Helot, Herder, Weaver, Hunter, Spearman, Horned Man
Suggested Skills: Animal Handling, Farming, Sex Appeal, Spear, Occult (spirits)
Social Background: Cultural Familiarity (1 pt., Diaphane), Gnaric (native language), Glossa (accented language)
Suggested Quirks: Broad-Minded, Proud, Lusty*
Sample Contact Groups: Clan, Former Lovers
Suggested Spells (for men): Incite Bloodlust (IQ/Average), Incite Carnal Lust (IQ/Hard)
Suggested Spells (for women): Increase Fertility (IQ/Hard), Ease Childbirth (IQ/Average)
Common Names: Dwight, Loeis, Amalie
Rumor: “Gnaride spearmen boast that when they capture opponents in Flower Wars, the women want to never go back home, and the men to never face another Flower War again. Telling such tales makes Diaphanides very angry.”

-- by Kakita Kojiro

===Charsides, helot client state===

The Charsides are one of the oldest helot cultures of Diaphane. Their lands had always been extremely fertile, but they claimed this was because of their custom of burying living victims in the soil of their most fertile fields. When they were conquered and civilized this custom was forbidden – which has caused them to be avid supporters of every helot rebellion, so that they might once again feed their hungry fields. “Charse is beating its plows into weapons” is a watchword for revolution in Diaphane.

Following the Second Shattering and the bloody helot revolts that led up to it, Diaphane built Sun Towers throughout the lands of the Charsides – not so much to protect them, as to threaten any revolts with the burning rays of the sun. Since then the Charsides have complained of being plagued by hungry ghosts, but when the Archons sent magicians to investigate, they reported nothing. Finally an extremely clever archon had the Charsides take her to the locations of all the most peaceful haunts – and promptly deputized those ghosts as magistrates to oversee the unruly, hungry ghosts. Ever since the Charsides have gone to complain to the magistrate ghosts, and the Archons have not been bothered.

Occupations: Helot, Farmer, Ghostcaller, Tinker, Woodcutter
Suggested Skills: Farming, Polearm, Smith, Occult (ghosts), Forbidden Lore (field sacrifices)
Social Background: Cultural Familiarity (1 pt., Diaphane), Charsic (native language), Glossa (accented language)
Suggested Quirks: Belligerent*, Incompetence (magic), Proud
Suggested Spells: Feed Ghost (IQ/Average), Identify Ghost (IQ/Hard)
Rumor: “Now that they have been subdued and civilized, the Charsides have been eager to learn pellucid magic, so as to be able to see the invisible and hungry ghosts that plague them. Despite their studies, they all say that these new spells do not show them the invisible ghosts which they know to be there, and so they have complained bitterly. Cryptomancers sent to look into the matter have never seen these ghosts, either, leaving everyone confused and annoyed.”

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==Magic==

Magic in the Twin Cities is learned informally (for petty magics), or most often as an apprentice in a guild. There are schools for advanced study of magic, which confer degrees of magister, or doctor of the eikonic arts.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====Pellucid Magic====

Transparent magicians use their magic, not to respond to assaults, but to allow danger to pass them by harmlessly. Extreme transparency is invisible to the unenlightened. Transparent magic allows one to pass through obstacles and walk without being seen. (Though some claim this concept is dangerously close to the "hidden power" of the Opaque.) Their are powerful, defensive, introverted and fragile.

-- by Glyptodont

Pellucid Magic is the magic of transparency, of invisible things. Transparent magic makes things clearer, reveals hidden things, allows seeing of things that otherwise could not be seen, and allows light into darkness.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

mantra: “perception goes through”

spirit-world: [[Spirit_world|the Invisible World]]

tools: lenses

talent: Pellucid Magic (10 pts/level)

spells:
- ''see clearly'' (IQ/Average)
- ''fade'' (IQ/Average)
- ''see unseen'' (IQ/Hard, req. Pellucid Magic 1+)
- ''see through objects'' (IQ/Hard, req. Pellucid Magic 1+)
- ''see small things'' (IQ/Hard, req. Pellucid Magic 1+)
- ''see distant things'' (IQ/Hard, req. Pellucid Magic 1+)
- ''allow danger to pass through'' (IQ/Very Hard, req. Pellucid Magic 2+, at least one other pellucid spell)
- ''pass through obstacles'' (IQ/Very Hard, req. Pellucid Magic 3+, allow danger to pass through, at least two other pellucid spells)
- ''translucency'' (IQ/Hard, req. Pellucid Magic 2+, at least one other pellucid spell)
- ''invisibility'' (IQ/Very Hard, req. Pellucid Magic 4+, translucency, at least three other pellucid spells)
- ''enter Invisible World'' (IQ/Very Hard, req. Pellucid Magic 5+, invisibility, at least five other pellucid spells)
note: using pellucid magic to enter the [[Spirit_world|spirit-world]] generally makes you permanently invisible and intangible. presumably there is another pellucid spell that would allow you to leave the spririt-world and return to the material world again.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====Magicians of Diaphane====

Only magicians skilled in pellucid magic are licensed in Diaphane – barbarous magics such as chromatic or shadow magic are not prohibited per se, but working them for-hire is against the law. Most licensed magicians hold degrees from one of the schools of the eikonic arts (though rarely at the level of magister or doctor of the eikonic arts). Professions such as lens-wrights or glass-wrights need not be licensed (they create for sale, but are not for-hire).

'''Cryptomancers''', licensed magicians of Diaphane
Cryptomancers see invisible things, and are hired to deal with the Invisible World – particularly, for negotiations with the invisible Neighbors. They are diplomats, negotiators, and go-betweens, and occasionally exorcists if all else fails. Cryptomancers also deal with other invisible spirits than just the Neighbors, as well as other odd invisible phenomena that occasionaly occur in Diaphane. They mediate between the city’s human and invisible citizens, and arrange trades with the Neighbors (as for glass cats, or other wonders of the invisible world). Most cryptomancers are quite odd and strange, suffering from invisible afflictions acquired by annoying the Neighbors or being cursed by other invisible spirits.

Advantages: Pellucid Magic 2 (20 pts)
Disadvantages: Disciplines (ritual purification, -5 pts)
Backgrounds: Licensed (social status 1, 5 pts), Comfortable (wealth, 10 pts)
Skills: Forbidden Lore (Invisibles), Thaumatology (pellucid magic), Carousing, Diplomacy, Savoir-Faire
Spells: See Unseen

'''Optomancers''', licensed magicians of Diaphane
Optomancers see hidden things, and are hired to discern unknown flaws and ailments. They are able to see past the surface of things, to see the truth within. They are hired to look over newly engineered buildings or the works of glass-wrights, to find any hidden flaws which might compromise them (hidden flaws are common in glass, and can be devastating if not discovered). They are also hired to look into people and beasts, to determine what ails them. In this way the medicine of Diaphane excels at finding broken bones, tumors, and other internal injuries (diagnosticians such as this are also known as “iatrists”).

Advantages: Pellucid Magic 2 (20 pts)
Disadvantages: Disciplines (ritual purification, -5 pts)
Backgrounds: Licensed (social status 1, 5 pts), Average (wealth, 0 pts)
Skills: Thaumatology (pellucid magic), Diagnosis, Observation, Engineer or Physiology
Spells: See Through Objects, See Small Things

'''Telemancers''', licensed magicians of Diaphane
Telemancers see distant things, and are hired for a variety of purposes that require crystal-grazing. To a telemancer, distance is only another barrier to perception that may be overcome by pellucid magic. They can convey messages, by reading what is written for them to watch for at distant places, or writing messages for distant telemancers to read. They can learn news from distant places, by watching what occurs there. They watch the weather, as it approaches Diaphane from afar. The Worshipful Archons employ many telemancers to spy on the hegemony’s subject nations, and to keep watch on the city’s ships at sea.

Advantages: Pellucid Magic 1 (10 pts)
Disadvantages: Disciplines (ritual purification, -5 pts)
Backgrounds: Licensed (social status 1, 5 pts), Average (wealth, 0 pts)
Skills: Thaumatology (pellucid magic), Observation, Search, Intelligence Analysis or Meteorology
Spells: See Clearly, See Distant Things

'''Archiatrists''', licensed doctors of Diaphane
Archiatrists are highly-trained optomancers who specialize in not only diagnosing, but also treating internal injuries and ailments. They are more strictly licensed than mere optomancers, for in addition to looking into people to determine what ails them, they will also reach into people to fix them. They must be skilled enough in pellucid magic to ignore solidity so they may pass through barriers as light through glass. Being licensed as an archiatrist requires a degree of magistry in the eikonic arts from one of the schools of Diaphane, so they are usually referred to as “doctor.”

Advantages: Pellucid Magic 3 (30 pts)
Disadvantages: Disciplines (ritual purification, -5 pts)
Backgrounds: Licensed (social status 2, 10 pts), Comfortable (wealth, 10 pts)
Skills: Thaumatology (pellucid magic), Diagnosis, First Aid, Observation, Philosophy, Physiology
Spells: See Through Objects, See Small Things, Allow Danger To Pass Through, Pass Through Obstacles

'''Glass-Watchers''', civic magicians of Diaphane
Since the Second Shattering the City of Glass has employed magicians to watch for problems and enemies, from within or without. They spend their days peering into their scrying glasses, crystal balls and lenses, watching and reporting what they witness to the Worshipful Archons. Although they use optomancy and telemancy in their work, they need not be as formally trained as licensed magicians must – often the failed students of the eikonic schools are recruited as Glass-Watchers.

Advantages: Pellucid Magic 1 (10 pts), Contact (archons group, var.)
Disadvantages: Duty (almost all the time, -15 pts)
Backgrounds: Glass-Watcher (civic rank 1, 5 pts), Comfortable (wealth, 10 pts)
Skills: Thaumatology (pellucid magic), Observation, Intelligence Analysis
Spells: See Clearly, See Distant Things, See Through Objects

'''the Undraped''', naked madmen of Diaphane
The Undraped are thought of as enlightened madmen in Diaphane, although they are more akin to urbanized shamans. They wear no clothes, and live all year sky-clad. Their asceticism of abandoning clothing allows them to interact with the naked spirit-world around them – they are able to see the invisible Neighbors, and other invisible spirits. If citizens of Diaphane cannot afford to hire a licensed magician to deal with invisible woes, they must seek out one of the Undraped. Although generally disapproved of, the Worshipful Archons do not care to deal with the Undraped, or with the other madmen driven insane from living all their lives under scrutiny in the City of Windows (for there is little difference between the two, sometimes).

Advantages: Shaman Magic 1 (10 pts), See Invisible (access while naked, 12 pts)
Disadvantages: Delusions (severe, mitgator while clothed, -9 pts)
Skills: Occult (spirit-world), Exorcism, Forbidden Lore (Invisibles), Observation
Spells: See Clearly, Fade, Block Perception, others
Note: Undraped shamans do not really use pellucid magic at all, but apparently the way they access their magic causes no dissonance with the translucent theme of Diaphane and its spirit world.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====Glass Golems====

Since the first smiths created the primitive glassware many generations ago, there has been the relationship between Man and Machina. This relationship is best represented by the silent watchers who defend our way of life. The Glass Golems not only provide exquisite beauty and an artistic ideal, but also provide defense against the insanity that infects some outlanders into defacing our city. They can never know which piece of art is watching them, or whether the statue of the Thousand Barbed Flowers will skin them for there transgression. We do not debase ourselves with men wandering down the street accosting citizens or thieves lining the watchman's pockets. We are a city of trust, and clarity. Is it not better to know that Justice is always watching. The statues are of a gift from the Temple, and have proven there worth in the past. Of course, some of the other cities has similar creations, however, they are far more base constructions. It is lucky we have so many criminals who are willing to pay for there crime by imprisonment with-in our Constructs. As there are no criminals in our society, many outlanders and heretics make up the majority of those imprisoned with-in them. A perfect sytstem for a perfect city.

-- by stephen_dean

Diaphane

2008-05-07T08:38:55Z

Kakita Kojiro: added Magicians

=Diaphane, the Crystal City=

Also called the Crystal City, or the Invisible City. Diaphane is built of quartz crystal and clear glass and of transparent substances strong as or stronger than steel.

==History==

Unknown ages ago, the Twin Cities were founded by twin sisters.

One sister discovered a piece of reflective obsidian and was enthralled by her image. She gathered a group of artists and craftsmen to design mirrors, so that she may gaze upon herself. She founded the city of [[Narcissus]].

The other sister discovered a quartz crystal. She was fascinated by its clarity and refractive properties. She, also, gathered interested people to craft wondrous, transparent objects. She founded the city of Diaphane.

As the two cities flourished, new materials were discovered that provided the same reflective and refractive properties. The citizens coveted and gathered these materials to glorify their two cities.

Some antiquarians mourn the advent of glass. They feel that it dilutes the cities's themes. They speculate that the architects no longer enjoy the reflective and refractive qualities, but the glass itself. The antiquarians hoard ancient obsidian and quartz relics to remind themselves of the "glory days of yore" and the cities's "true" themes.

-- by shanoxilt

==Cityscape==

There are degrees of transparency. The elite live in high towers of pure crystal. The middle class live in homes with large windows, some walls of translucent glass block, and maybe a floor of tile painted with a trompe l'oeil mural to make it look like it is floating on clouds. The peasants and tradesmen make do with large windows of paper in the summer months and open roofs in the dry season.

"Transparency" is also an ideal that philosophers and artist strive for, knowing that it lies somewhere beyond our clouded world. Common folk are less concerned with such abstractions and often view glass walls as a means of one-upsmanship against their neighbors.

-- by Glyptodont

It is said that when Diaphane achieves true transparency, it will fade from the material world and join the invisible world. This goal is sought through the city’s architecture, not only in its buildings of quartz, windows, and glass, but in its streets that are also paths in the spirit-world. Straight roads in Diaphane are probably also invisible paths, used by the invisible Neighbors and other invisible spirits. Curved roads, roads that cross water, roads interrupted by gated walls, or crossroads – all hinder invisible spirits, especially ghosts (the many mirrors of Narcissus accomplish the same effect).

Outsiders complain that the streets and buildings of Diaphane shift and change, roads that were crooked now run straight, or vice-versa. This is not so. Citizens know these are simply the effects of invisible paths. As their city develops in its transparency, the invisible world around it grows closer, and it is possible to accidentally wander into the sections where the invisible people dwell, which normally cannot be seen or found. Those who know and can see the right paths – cryptomancers and others – can use them as shortcuts through the City of Glass. Others run the risk of becoming lost in the [[Spirit_world|Invisible World]], or of annoying the Neighbors.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

Diaphane is home to some of the world's best greenhouses.

-- by shanoxilt

====Grand Aquarium====

Diaphane has a grand aquarium of x-ray fish, jellyfish, glass catfish, and icefish.

-- by shanoxilt

====The Crystal Grotto====

When she and her twin sister wandered the lands, the sister who founded Diaphane came to a place near the clear ice of the glaciers, and through which clear waters and winds flowed. She discovered or was led to the sacred crystal cave that no human had ever seen -- and there she found the [[Spirit_world|Crystal Tree]]. That was how she knew where to found her city.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====The Holy Sphere====

Optics are extremely advanced in the three cities, due to the high degree of precision and value placed on lessons, so that the sight of corrective lenses are fairly common,
and this has been expanded to include spy-glasses, and large telescopes and microscopes of large size. It is said that these are used to track the motion of the heavens, predict the weather, the future, and even look into the past. The Guild of the Convex Passions and the Concave Faction work together creating common goods for export, and crafting singular works of art. The Ships of the Twins Cities also have very accurate maps and charts do to the extensive questioning of sources both spirit and material, salvaged maps and surveys from ruins, and taken from the very souls of spies. The largest example of this is a revolving crystal sphere that displays the movements of the clouds and the sky in the Planetarium, made possible by projecting the spirit of the World itself from specially designed lenses and mirrors. The effect is awe inspiring and is used to illustrate the power and ability of Diaphane. The projection is carefully studies with large magnifying glasses, and cities and towns are observed from Afar. It is said that the movement of armies can be tracked by looking for trails of dust, and that as explorers find new lands or ruins, they are added to the Sphere.

-- by stephen_dean

====The Stained Quarter====

During the time of the [[Cities_of_glass_history|Second Shattering]] new advances had been made in tinting glass with vivid hues. New buildings and wonders were made, all of stained and colored glass, and the City of Glass took on translucent hues.

This led to great debates in the Crystalline Agora, as citizens argued that the hues were a perversion of true Translucence. Eventually rabble-rousers whipped mobs of citizens into a frenzy, leading to the destruction of the colored glass in the [[Cities_of_glass_history|Second Shattering]]. The surviving proponents accepted exile under the guise of founding the colony that became [[Iridos]]. The records, of course, were purged for the good of all.

The ruined Stained Quarter was never rebuilt. But it is still inhabited by squatters and the poor, since the broken shards there did not fracture the spirits of the [[Spirit_world|Invisible World]] as they did in the other places of Shattering. No spirit-storms of invisible shards occur there to strip flesh from bone as they do at the other Shattered places.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====The Ghost Quarter====

In, or around, Diaphane there is a literal "ghost town". It is a neighborhood where ghosts dwell. Some of the living neighbors may practice ancestor worship and veneration of ghostly transparency.

-- by shanoxilt

They are more focused on "veneration" than "worship" of the ghosts -- instead of seeking intercession from the ghosts (as one might from a god or worshipped spirit), they are seeking information about the past, and secrets from the past. The ghosts are venerated by flattery and by listening to their opinions and advice. In return the ghosts are persuaded to reveal what they recall, or to act as go-betweens to the much older ghosts who no longer have much connection to the physical world. Ultimately, there is hope of contacting the Founding Sister...

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==Geography==

Each of the Twin Sisters walked an equal distance away from the [[Other_kingdoms|Thousand Flowing Waters]], their original homeland, to found their cities. Diaphane is at higher latitude, on the coast of the eastern ocean, a harbor city.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==Culture==

The city is ruled by the Worshipful Archons, dictatorial lawmakers elected for life for the embetterment of all. The Archons see to it that sacrifices are made for the good of all – such as the sacred albinos being pampered so as to benefit the sacred trees. The Archons have abolished both police and military, in favor of the glass golems which enforce peace and trust. To keep secrets, to speak lies, to hide and obfuscate – these are crimes. The city also has a population of invisible citizens that only natives of Diaphane may see. These invisible citizens are part of the Invisible World, the spirit world that is always manifest in Diaphane, but never seen.

The Worshipful Archons are aristocrats anonymously elected to office. Highest in rank are the chief archons – the ''hierarch'' (nominal chief), ''polemarch'' (oversees the city’s military), ''navarch'' (oversees the city’s navy), ''hagiarch'' (oversees religions), ''xenarch'' (oversees foreigners), ''cryptarch'' (oversees relations with the invisible world), and others that have varied over time. Lesser archons serve as judges, magistrates, and officials of the city – and one of the most influential of these officials are those who license magicians for the practice of magic-for-hire in Diaphane.

Only magicians skilled in pellucid magic are licensed in Diaphane – barbarous magics such as chromatic or shadow magic are not prohibited per se, but working them for-hire is against the law. Most licensed magicians hold degrees from one of the schools of the eikonic arts (though rarely at the level of magister or doctor of the eikonic arts). Professions such as lens-wrights or glass-wrights need not be licensed (they create for sale, but are not for-hire).

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====Navy====

The fleet of Diaphane is mainly a blue-water fleet. Its huge warships have crystal tree masts, armored in prisms and glass coral, with gossamer sails and cruel rammed prows for boarding. The few river boats of the Diaphane hegemony are glass-bottomed, with sail propulsion.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

The flagship of Diaphane is a ship with [[Spirit_world|Crystal Tree]] mast growing out of a ship armoured in Prisms and edged with clear coral like growths, and gossamer clear sails that are perpetually pushed by the Wind captured by the magicians and priest of the City-State, with long range optics and a ghostly almost otherworldy quality. And really, really big - dwarfing the naval craft of other nations. The ship has a dedicated crew armed for boarding, and a cruel shaped prow for ramming made up of a jagged and fearsome visage of the face of one of the Invisible creatures of the spirit world. The ship has no real long range ability, as the purpose of the craft is to capture and harness those who defy Diaphane. Those who fall into the maw are fused with the craft, becoming twisted clear faces perpetually screaming in silence, and if seen through the spirit world, it is a ship of pure grace and cruelty, used to intimidate those who vie to control the seas. Held out of the water, and a representation of the power and skill of projects, perhaps a relic of the Golden Age.

Those staffing the vessel are of the highest station, and because of its majesty, it has not actually engaged in much fighting, but rather is used as a tool of statecraft to impress the surrounding States, and keep Iridos within the fold.

-- by stephen_dean

====Schools of the Eikonic Arts====

The Invisible College is not the only school for the teaching of the eikonic arts in Diaphane. Because it teaches foreign magic, it is obviously the better known to foreigners – but for the same reason is of questionable reputation in Diaphane. Schools change over time: older schools become unpopular, newer schools schism from established schools, or merge, or even go into exile in one instance. Membership in most of the schools is secret, in theory – only other magicians will recognize the school of another, or know the location of the schools.

'''the Invisible College''': The only school that teaches more than one type of magic is the Invisible College. Originally founded just prior to the Second Shattering, it was an ambitious attempt to unify pellucid, reflective, and chromatic magic. Although that goal was never attained, it is the only place to learn all four types of magic. Its students, having split their studies so widely, tend to be broad generalists rather than thorough specialists.

'''the Paramanteion''': Oldest and most traditional of the schools of Diaphane. Its students learn in the Aeologion – the temple of the wind god. To outsiders they are not distinguished from the temple’s priests, and many of the priests are also students of the Paramanteion. The school’s magisters focus on the philosophical ramifications of pellucid magic, and tend to neglect the practical. The school often accepts foreign students from the Silent Brotherhood or from other friendly cults.

'''the Calyption''': This school meets in the Crystal Grottos, where the crystal trees were first discovered. It disbanded during the Second Shattering, at which time it was known as the “Cryption,” but was refounded after the Third Shattering in its current form. Originally the school studied and tended to the crystal trees, and transplanted groves of crystal trees elsewhere for cultivation. In its current incarnation the school teaches glass-wrights, and led the development of glass golems and similar automata.

'''the Glass Libraries''': The Glass Libraries are not as formal a school as others – it is more a loose alliance of various repositories of lore in Diaphane. By agreement, each allows the students of the others free access to study from the crystalline plates inscribed with various lore. This agreement dates back to the construction of the first helioscopes (which focus sunlight as weapons) before the Second Shattering, and students of the Glass Libraries tend to specialize as lens-wrights and the design of telescopes, microscopes, and helioscopes. It is said that the Glass Libraries stole the idea for their helioscopes and Sun Towers from the Mirror Towers of Narcissus – an accusation that they angrily refute.

'''the Agoric College''': The only school officially sponsored by the Worshipful Archons of Diaphane, and one of the few whose students are known and registered. Its masters teach openly in the Crystalline Agora, and the unlearned who listen nearby are either discouraged, or invited to join as students, according to their aptitude. The school focuses mainly on interacting with the invisible Neighbors that also inhabit Diaphane, and there are always rumors that one or more of the school’s magisters are actually Neighbors made briefly visible.

'''the Skolomanteion''': The only school to have been exiled from Diaphane, in the Time of Clarity when the albino cult was reestablished in the city. The offense or heresy committed by the Skolomanteion was purged from the records of the Worshipful Archons, so none now know what it was. Rumors as to where the school went in its exile are wild and endless, but it is not even certain that the Skolomanteion even survives in any form at all.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====Sky Day====

The city of Diaphane celebrates Sky Day... by going sky-clad. No native of the city wears clothing on that day -- they hide nothing of themselves from the world. Although outsiders and children find the celebration strange and titillating, to citizens it is a solemn occasion for introspection.

It is said that on Sky Day those who shed all concealment to walk naked gain the ability to see what is concealed in the Invisible World, as well -- they can clearly see the invisible spirit-citizens of Diaphane on that day. Outsiders occasionally attempt to participate in the festival, but rarely succeed; they lack the secret lore of transparency that allows natives to comfortably walk unclothed. Sky Day occurs in the dead of winter, and most non-natives who go sky-clad usually see visions because of hypothermia, not enlightenment.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====The Feast of All Colors and None====

This holiday was popular in the time up to the Second Shattering, but has fallen to the status of minor festival in Diaphane, while becoming the major annual celebration in Iridos. Food is the focus of both festivals, but it is a specific, day-long meal. In each course of the meal, the foods served are always of one dominant color. It is said the lesson of the Feast is that it reveals the transience of colors, which all fade into blessed translucence.

The first course is white foods -- generally simply, bland dishes of polished rice. There are fewer following courses; often reduced to red, green, and "blue" courses. But there is another, final course -- the course of translucence. Crushed ices, crystal sugars, gelatins, and delicacies such as rare jellyfishes and transparent cave fish are served with clear and pure water.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==Colony Cities==

===Symeros, sapling colony city===

The colony city of Symeros was founded by Diaphoros the Synesthete, one of the first pupils of the Invisible College from Diaphane. He was blessed or cursed with synisthesia, which has been inherited in many forms by his descendants. As the royal family maintains a prerogative to the first night with any new bride, synisthesia has spread among the Symerides. Symeros is on the Maiandro river downstream from Diaphane, and is the major port of the Diaphane hegemony. Glass-bottom boats ply the river from Diaphane to Symeros and on to Iridos isle, carrying cargo and travelers. Despite its origins, Symeros has never devoted itself to one viewpoint of magic, and all are practiced here – although mainly pellucid and chromatic. Formal training in the magic sciences must be sought in Diaphane or Iridos, however.

The city’s boatmen must navigate their way through the Thousand Flowing Waters and its many perils, and it has been discovered that the city’s synisthetes are somewhat protected from the odd powers of vampires and Hollow Men and other heretics of that ilk. They are in great demand as scavengers of the ruins there, and as crusaders for the Silent Brotherhood. Synisthetes do not often master any kind of magic, for their unique perception interacts oddly.

Occupations: Philosopher, Scientist, Merchant, Boatman
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (Symeros), Boating, Current Affairs, Smuggling, Occult (vampires), Thaumatology (pellucid or chromatic magic)
Social Background: Cultural Familiarity (1 pt., Twin Cities), Glossa (native language), Literacy
Suggested Quirks: Congenial, Imaginative, Addiction (tobacco)
Sample Contact Groups: School, Cult or Religion
Suggested Spells: Identify Exact Color (IQ/Average), See Clearly (IQ/Average)
Rumor: “The Empty Masters secretly plan to subvert one of the synisthetes of Symeros. By mixing synesthetic perception with their blind enlightenment, they hope to find the reason that synesthetes are so effective against them. Should they succeed, the crusade of the Silent Brotherhood would be set back, and Symeros left open to infiltration by the bleak cult of the Empty Masters.”

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==Helot Cultures==

===Gnarides, helot client state===

The Gnarides are the helot culture in the lands near Diaphane. They were the original inhabitants of the area, driven away by the “Witch Sister.” Although once warlike, they have been conquered and subjugated, and now their clans are scattered through several petty kingdoms. They are pastoralists who raise mountain goats and make cheese, although they are known for being good spear hunters, and occasionally hired as mercenary spearmen.

Gnaride culture revolves around their worship of the earth deity, which they view as both male and female. They build lingams – large standing stones representing the phallus of the god. They also have sacred caves – representing the goddess – callen yoni caves. They practice barbaric fertility magic with these, and claim that is why the men of Diaphane fear to build tall structures that cast shadows, and why they will not abide dark caves. Only men deal with lingams and their magic, and only women deal with yonis and their magic. Having the shadow of a lingam stone fall on you is lucky, but also arouses carnal lust and blood lust. Entering the dark yoni cave aids in conception and childbirth. If women fall under the lingam’s shadow, they may become pregnant or barren. If men enter the yoni cave, they may return as women or pregnant. For obvious reasons, both of these actions are taboo. Outsiders rarely benefit from either lingam stones or yoni caves. Their magic-men are called Horned Men because they wear crowns of horns, and while they are good at dealing with female spirits, they are very unlucky with male spirits.

Occupations: Helot, Herder, Weaver, Hunter, Spearman, Horned Man
Suggested Skills: Animal Handling, Farming, Sex Appeal, Spear, Occult (spirits)
Social Background: Cultural Familiarity (1 pt., Diaphane), Gnaric (native language), Glossa (accented language)
Suggested Quirks: Broad-Minded, Proud, Lusty*
Sample Contact Groups: Clan, Former Lovers
Suggested Spells (for men): Incite Bloodlust (IQ/Average), Incite Carnal Lust (IQ/Hard)
Suggested Spells (for women): Increase Fertility (IQ/Hard), Ease Childbirth (IQ/Average)
Common Names: Dwight, Loeis, Amalie
Rumor: “Gnaride spearmen boast that when they capture opponents in Flower Wars, the women want to never go back home, and the men to never face another Flower War again. Telling such tales makes Diaphanides very angry.”

-- by Kakita Kojiro

===Charsides, helot client state===

The Charsides are one of the oldest helot cultures of Diaphane. Their lands had always been extremely fertile, but they claimed this was because of their custom of burying living victims in the soil of their most fertile fields. When they were conquered and civilized this custom was forbidden – which has caused them to be avid supporters of every helot rebellion, so that they might once again feed their hungry fields. “Charse is beating its plows into weapons” is a watchword for revolution in Diaphane.

Following the Second Shattering and the bloody helot revolts that led up to it, Diaphane built Sun Towers throughout the lands of the Charsides – not so much to protect them, as to threaten any revolts with the burning rays of the sun. Since then the Charsides have complained of being plagued by hungry ghosts, but when the Archons sent magicians to investigate, they reported nothing. Finally an extremely clever archon had the Charsides take her to the locations of all the most peaceful haunts – and promptly deputized those ghosts as magistrates to oversee the unruly, hungry ghosts. Ever since the Charsides have gone to complain to the magistrate ghosts, and the Archons have not been bothered.

Occupations: Helot, Farmer, Ghostcaller, Tinker, Woodcutter
Suggested Skills: Farming, Polearm, Smith, Occult (ghosts), Forbidden Lore (field sacrifices)
Social Background: Cultural Familiarity (1 pt., Diaphane), Charsic (native language), Glossa (accented language)
Suggested Quirks: Belligerent*, Incompetence (magic), Proud
Suggested Spells: Feed Ghost (IQ/Average), Identify Ghost (IQ/Hard)
Rumor: “Now that they have been subdued and civilized, the Charsides have been eager to learn pellucid magic, so as to be able to see the invisible and hungry ghosts that plague them. Despite their studies, they all say that these new spells do not show them the invisible ghosts which they know to be there, and so they have complained bitterly. Cryptomancers sent to look into the matter have never seen these ghosts, either, leaving everyone confused and annoyed.”

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==Magic==

Magic in the Twin Cities is learned informally (for petty magics), or most often as an apprentice in a guild. There are schools for advanced study of magic, which confer degrees of magister, or doctor of the eikonic arts.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====Pellucid Magic====

Transparent magicians use their magic, not to respond to assaults, but to allow danger to pass them by harmlessly. Extreme transparency is invisible to the unenlightened. Transparent magic allows one to pass through obstacles and walk without being seen. (Though some claim this concept is dangerously close to the "hidden power" of the Opaque.) Their are powerful, defensive, introverted and fragile.

-- by Glyptodont

Pellucid Magic is the magic of transparency, of invisible things. Transparent magic makes things clearer, reveals hidden things, allows seeing of things that otherwise could not be seen, and allows light into darkness.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

mantra: “perception goes through”

spirit-world: [[Spirit_world|the Invisible World]]

tools: lenses

talent: Pellucid Magic (10 pts/level)

spells:
- ''see clearly'' (IQ/Average)
- ''fade'' (IQ/Average)
- ''see unseen'' (IQ/Hard, req. Pellucid Magic 1+)
- ''see through objects'' (IQ/Hard, req. Pellucid Magic 1+)
- ''see small things'' (IQ/Hard, req. Pellucid Magic 1+)
- ''see distant things'' (IQ/Hard, req. Pellucid Magic 1+)
- ''allow danger to pass through'' (IQ/Very Hard, req. Pellucid Magic 2+, at least one other pellucid spell)
- ''pass through obstacles'' (IQ/Very Hard, req. Pellucid Magic 3+, allow danger to pass through, at least two other pellucid spells)
- ''translucency'' (IQ/Hard, req. Pellucid Magic 2+, at least one other pellucid spell)
- ''invisibility'' (IQ/Very Hard, req. Pellucid Magic 4+, translucency, at least three other pellucid spells)
- ''enter Invisible World'' (IQ/Very Hard, req. Pellucid Magic 5+, invisibility, at least five other pellucid spells)
note: using pellucid magic to enter the [[Spirit_world|spirit-world]] generally makes you permanently invisible and intangible. presumably there is another pellucid spell that would allow you to leave the spririt-world and return to the material world again.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====Magicians of Diaphane====

'''Catoptromancers''', sorcerers-for-hire of Narcissus
Catoptromancers are mirror sorcerers skilled at reading the health of others by studying their reflection. By studying a patient’s reflection in different media and ambient light, they can divine past, present, and perhaps future health problems. This can include illnesses, injuries, and even emotional or mental trauma. Occasionally they can divine injuries or illnesses that have not yet occurred, and are able to proscribe circumstances that might lead to the occurrence. Usually they are only able to determine current illness or injury, and will prescribe various remedies based on the accumulated records of past cases documented by catoptromancers. There is no formal guild of catoptromancy; would-be catoptromancers must seek apprenticeship with another master catoptromancer.

Advantages: Reflective Magic 1 (10 pts)
Backgrounds: Average (wealth, 0 pts)
Skills: Thaumatology (reflective magic), Diagnosis, First Aid, Esoteric Medicine
Spells: Hide Reflection, See Reflections of Health (IQ/Very Hard, req. Reflective Magic 1+)

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====Glass Golems====

Since the first smiths created the primitive glassware many generations ago, there has been the relationship between Man and Machina. This relationship is best represented by the silent watchers who defend our way of life. The Glass Golems not only provide exquisite beauty and an artistic ideal, but also provide defense against the insanity that infects some outlanders into defacing our city. They can never know which piece of art is watching them, or whether the statue of the Thousand Barbed Flowers will skin them for there transgression. We do not debase ourselves with men wandering down the street accosting citizens or thieves lining the watchman's pockets. We are a city of trust, and clarity. Is it not better to know that Justice is always watching. The statues are of a gift from the Temple, and have proven there worth in the past. Of course, some of the other cities has similar creations, however, they are far more base constructions. It is lucky we have so many criminals who are willing to pay for there crime by imprisonment with-in our Constructs. As there are no criminals in our society, many outlanders and heretics make up the majority of those imprisoned with-in them. A perfect sytstem for a perfect city.

-- by stephen_dean

Diaphane

2008-05-07T08:37:13Z

Kakita Kojiro: added Ghost Quarter

=Diaphane, the Crystal City=

Also called the Crystal City, or the Invisible City. Diaphane is built of quartz crystal and clear glass and of transparent substances strong as or stronger than steel.

==History==

Unknown ages ago, the Twin Cities were founded by twin sisters.

One sister discovered a piece of reflective obsidian and was enthralled by her image. She gathered a group of artists and craftsmen to design mirrors, so that she may gaze upon herself. She founded the city of [[Narcissus]].

The other sister discovered a quartz crystal. She was fascinated by its clarity and refractive properties. She, also, gathered interested people to craft wondrous, transparent objects. She founded the city of Diaphane.

As the two cities flourished, new materials were discovered that provided the same reflective and refractive properties. The citizens coveted and gathered these materials to glorify their two cities.

Some antiquarians mourn the advent of glass. They feel that it dilutes the cities's themes. They speculate that the architects no longer enjoy the reflective and refractive qualities, but the glass itself. The antiquarians hoard ancient obsidian and quartz relics to remind themselves of the "glory days of yore" and the cities's "true" themes.

-- by shanoxilt

==Cityscape==

There are degrees of transparency. The elite live in high towers of pure crystal. The middle class live in homes with large windows, some walls of translucent glass block, and maybe a floor of tile painted with a trompe l'oeil mural to make it look like it is floating on clouds. The peasants and tradesmen make do with large windows of paper in the summer months and open roofs in the dry season.

"Transparency" is also an ideal that philosophers and artist strive for, knowing that it lies somewhere beyond our clouded world. Common folk are less concerned with such abstractions and often view glass walls as a means of one-upsmanship against their neighbors.

-- by Glyptodont

It is said that when Diaphane achieves true transparency, it will fade from the material world and join the invisible world. This goal is sought through the city’s architecture, not only in its buildings of quartz, windows, and glass, but in its streets that are also paths in the spirit-world. Straight roads in Diaphane are probably also invisible paths, used by the invisible Neighbors and other invisible spirits. Curved roads, roads that cross water, roads interrupted by gated walls, or crossroads – all hinder invisible spirits, especially ghosts (the many mirrors of Narcissus accomplish the same effect).

Outsiders complain that the streets and buildings of Diaphane shift and change, roads that were crooked now run straight, or vice-versa. This is not so. Citizens know these are simply the effects of invisible paths. As their city develops in its transparency, the invisible world around it grows closer, and it is possible to accidentally wander into the sections where the invisible people dwell, which normally cannot be seen or found. Those who know and can see the right paths – cryptomancers and others – can use them as shortcuts through the City of Glass. Others run the risk of becoming lost in the [[Spirit_world|Invisible World]], or of annoying the Neighbors.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

Diaphane is home to some of the world's best greenhouses.

-- by shanoxilt

====Grand Aquarium====

Diaphane has a grand aquarium of x-ray fish, jellyfish, glass catfish, and icefish.

-- by shanoxilt

====The Crystal Grotto====

When she and her twin sister wandered the lands, the sister who founded Diaphane came to a place near the clear ice of the glaciers, and through which clear waters and winds flowed. She discovered or was led to the sacred crystal cave that no human had ever seen -- and there she found the [[Spirit_world|Crystal Tree]]. That was how she knew where to found her city.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====The Holy Sphere====

Optics are extremely advanced in the three cities, due to the high degree of precision and value placed on lessons, so that the sight of corrective lenses are fairly common,
and this has been expanded to include spy-glasses, and large telescopes and microscopes of large size. It is said that these are used to track the motion of the heavens, predict the weather, the future, and even look into the past. The Guild of the Convex Passions and the Concave Faction work together creating common goods for export, and crafting singular works of art. The Ships of the Twins Cities also have very accurate maps and charts do to the extensive questioning of sources both spirit and material, salvaged maps and surveys from ruins, and taken from the very souls of spies. The largest example of this is a revolving crystal sphere that displays the movements of the clouds and the sky in the Planetarium, made possible by projecting the spirit of the World itself from specially designed lenses and mirrors. The effect is awe inspiring and is used to illustrate the power and ability of Diaphane. The projection is carefully studies with large magnifying glasses, and cities and towns are observed from Afar. It is said that the movement of armies can be tracked by looking for trails of dust, and that as explorers find new lands or ruins, they are added to the Sphere.

-- by stephen_dean

====The Stained Quarter====

During the time of the [[Cities_of_glass_history|Second Shattering]] new advances had been made in tinting glass with vivid hues. New buildings and wonders were made, all of stained and colored glass, and the City of Glass took on translucent hues.

This led to great debates in the Crystalline Agora, as citizens argued that the hues were a perversion of true Translucence. Eventually rabble-rousers whipped mobs of citizens into a frenzy, leading to the destruction of the colored glass in the [[Cities_of_glass_history|Second Shattering]]. The surviving proponents accepted exile under the guise of founding the colony that became [[Iridos]]. The records, of course, were purged for the good of all.

The ruined Stained Quarter was never rebuilt. But it is still inhabited by squatters and the poor, since the broken shards there did not fracture the spirits of the [[Spirit_world|Invisible World]] as they did in the other places of Shattering. No spirit-storms of invisible shards occur there to strip flesh from bone as they do at the other Shattered places.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====The Ghost Quarter====

In, or around, Diaphane there is a literal "ghost town". It is a neighborhood where ghosts dwell. Some of the living neighbors may practice ancestor worship and veneration of ghostly transparency.

-- by shanoxilt

They are more focused on "veneration" than "worship" of the ghosts -- instead of seeking intercession from the ghosts (as one might from a god or worshipped spirit), they are seeking information about the past, and secrets from the past. The ghosts are venerated by flattery and by listening to their opinions and advice. In return the ghosts are persuaded to reveal what they recall, or to act as go-betweens to the much older ghosts who no longer have much connection to the physical world. Ultimately, there is hope of contacting the Founding Sister...

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==Geography==

Each of the Twin Sisters walked an equal distance away from the [[Other_kingdoms|Thousand Flowing Waters]], their original homeland, to found their cities. Diaphane is at higher latitude, on the coast of the eastern ocean, a harbor city.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==Culture==

The city is ruled by the Worshipful Archons, dictatorial lawmakers elected for life for the embetterment of all. The Archons see to it that sacrifices are made for the good of all – such as the sacred albinos being pampered so as to benefit the sacred trees. The Archons have abolished both police and military, in favor of the glass golems which enforce peace and trust. To keep secrets, to speak lies, to hide and obfuscate – these are crimes. The city also has a population of invisible citizens that only natives of Diaphane may see. These invisible citizens are part of the Invisible World, the spirit world that is always manifest in Diaphane, but never seen.

The Worshipful Archons are aristocrats anonymously elected to office. Highest in rank are the chief archons – the ''hierarch'' (nominal chief), ''polemarch'' (oversees the city’s military), ''navarch'' (oversees the city’s navy), ''hagiarch'' (oversees religions), ''xenarch'' (oversees foreigners), ''cryptarch'' (oversees relations with the invisible world), and others that have varied over time. Lesser archons serve as judges, magistrates, and officials of the city – and one of the most influential of these officials are those who license magicians for the practice of magic-for-hire in Diaphane.

Only magicians skilled in pellucid magic are licensed in Diaphane – barbarous magics such as chromatic or shadow magic are not prohibited per se, but working them for-hire is against the law. Most licensed magicians hold degrees from one of the schools of the eikonic arts (though rarely at the level of magister or doctor of the eikonic arts). Professions such as lens-wrights or glass-wrights need not be licensed (they create for sale, but are not for-hire).

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====Navy====

The fleet of Diaphane is mainly a blue-water fleet. Its huge warships have crystal tree masts, armored in prisms and glass coral, with gossamer sails and cruel rammed prows for boarding. The few river boats of the Diaphane hegemony are glass-bottomed, with sail propulsion.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

The flagship of Diaphane is a ship with [[Spirit_world|Crystal Tree]] mast growing out of a ship armoured in Prisms and edged with clear coral like growths, and gossamer clear sails that are perpetually pushed by the Wind captured by the magicians and priest of the City-State, with long range optics and a ghostly almost otherworldy quality. And really, really big - dwarfing the naval craft of other nations. The ship has a dedicated crew armed for boarding, and a cruel shaped prow for ramming made up of a jagged and fearsome visage of the face of one of the Invisible creatures of the spirit world. The ship has no real long range ability, as the purpose of the craft is to capture and harness those who defy Diaphane. Those who fall into the maw are fused with the craft, becoming twisted clear faces perpetually screaming in silence, and if seen through the spirit world, it is a ship of pure grace and cruelty, used to intimidate those who vie to control the seas. Held out of the water, and a representation of the power and skill of projects, perhaps a relic of the Golden Age.

Those staffing the vessel are of the highest station, and because of its majesty, it has not actually engaged in much fighting, but rather is used as a tool of statecraft to impress the surrounding States, and keep Iridos within the fold.

-- by stephen_dean

====Schools of the Eikonic Arts====

The Invisible College is not the only school for the teaching of the eikonic arts in Diaphane. Because it teaches foreign magic, it is obviously the better known to foreigners – but for the same reason is of questionable reputation in Diaphane. Schools change over time: older schools become unpopular, newer schools schism from established schools, or merge, or even go into exile in one instance. Membership in most of the schools is secret, in theory – only other magicians will recognize the school of another, or know the location of the schools.

'''the Invisible College''': The only school that teaches more than one type of magic is the Invisible College. Originally founded just prior to the Second Shattering, it was an ambitious attempt to unify pellucid, reflective, and chromatic magic. Although that goal was never attained, it is the only place to learn all four types of magic. Its students, having split their studies so widely, tend to be broad generalists rather than thorough specialists.

'''the Paramanteion''': Oldest and most traditional of the schools of Diaphane. Its students learn in the Aeologion – the temple of the wind god. To outsiders they are not distinguished from the temple’s priests, and many of the priests are also students of the Paramanteion. The school’s magisters focus on the philosophical ramifications of pellucid magic, and tend to neglect the practical. The school often accepts foreign students from the Silent Brotherhood or from other friendly cults.

'''the Calyption''': This school meets in the Crystal Grottos, where the crystal trees were first discovered. It disbanded during the Second Shattering, at which time it was known as the “Cryption,” but was refounded after the Third Shattering in its current form. Originally the school studied and tended to the crystal trees, and transplanted groves of crystal trees elsewhere for cultivation. In its current incarnation the school teaches glass-wrights, and led the development of glass golems and similar automata.

'''the Glass Libraries''': The Glass Libraries are not as formal a school as others – it is more a loose alliance of various repositories of lore in Diaphane. By agreement, each allows the students of the others free access to study from the crystalline plates inscribed with various lore. This agreement dates back to the construction of the first helioscopes (which focus sunlight as weapons) before the Second Shattering, and students of the Glass Libraries tend to specialize as lens-wrights and the design of telescopes, microscopes, and helioscopes. It is said that the Glass Libraries stole the idea for their helioscopes and Sun Towers from the Mirror Towers of Narcissus – an accusation that they angrily refute.

'''the Agoric College''': The only school officially sponsored by the Worshipful Archons of Diaphane, and one of the few whose students are known and registered. Its masters teach openly in the Crystalline Agora, and the unlearned who listen nearby are either discouraged, or invited to join as students, according to their aptitude. The school focuses mainly on interacting with the invisible Neighbors that also inhabit Diaphane, and there are always rumors that one or more of the school’s magisters are actually Neighbors made briefly visible.

'''the Skolomanteion''': The only school to have been exiled from Diaphane, in the Time of Clarity when the albino cult was reestablished in the city. The offense or heresy committed by the Skolomanteion was purged from the records of the Worshipful Archons, so none now know what it was. Rumors as to where the school went in its exile are wild and endless, but it is not even certain that the Skolomanteion even survives in any form at all.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====Sky Day====

The city of Diaphane celebrates Sky Day... by going sky-clad. No native of the city wears clothing on that day -- they hide nothing of themselves from the world. Although outsiders and children find the celebration strange and titillating, to citizens it is a solemn occasion for introspection.

It is said that on Sky Day those who shed all concealment to walk naked gain the ability to see what is concealed in the Invisible World, as well -- they can clearly see the invisible spirit-citizens of Diaphane on that day. Outsiders occasionally attempt to participate in the festival, but rarely succeed; they lack the secret lore of transparency that allows natives to comfortably walk unclothed. Sky Day occurs in the dead of winter, and most non-natives who go sky-clad usually see visions because of hypothermia, not enlightenment.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====The Feast of All Colors and None====

This holiday was popular in the time up to the Second Shattering, but has fallen to the status of minor festival in Diaphane, while becoming the major annual celebration in Iridos. Food is the focus of both festivals, but it is a specific, day-long meal. In each course of the meal, the foods served are always of one dominant color. It is said the lesson of the Feast is that it reveals the transience of colors, which all fade into blessed translucence.

The first course is white foods -- generally simply, bland dishes of polished rice. There are fewer following courses; often reduced to red, green, and "blue" courses. But there is another, final course -- the course of translucence. Crushed ices, crystal sugars, gelatins, and delicacies such as rare jellyfishes and transparent cave fish are served with clear and pure water.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==Colony Cities==

===Symeros, sapling colony city===

The colony city of Symeros was founded by Diaphoros the Synesthete, one of the first pupils of the Invisible College from Diaphane. He was blessed or cursed with synisthesia, which has been inherited in many forms by his descendants. As the royal family maintains a prerogative to the first night with any new bride, synisthesia has spread among the Symerides. Symeros is on the Maiandro river downstream from Diaphane, and is the major port of the Diaphane hegemony. Glass-bottom boats ply the river from Diaphane to Symeros and on to Iridos isle, carrying cargo and travelers. Despite its origins, Symeros has never devoted itself to one viewpoint of magic, and all are practiced here – although mainly pellucid and chromatic. Formal training in the magic sciences must be sought in Diaphane or Iridos, however.

The city’s boatmen must navigate their way through the Thousand Flowing Waters and its many perils, and it has been discovered that the city’s synisthetes are somewhat protected from the odd powers of vampires and Hollow Men and other heretics of that ilk. They are in great demand as scavengers of the ruins there, and as crusaders for the Silent Brotherhood. Synisthetes do not often master any kind of magic, for their unique perception interacts oddly.

Occupations: Philosopher, Scientist, Merchant, Boatman
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (Symeros), Boating, Current Affairs, Smuggling, Occult (vampires), Thaumatology (pellucid or chromatic magic)
Social Background: Cultural Familiarity (1 pt., Twin Cities), Glossa (native language), Literacy
Suggested Quirks: Congenial, Imaginative, Addiction (tobacco)
Sample Contact Groups: School, Cult or Religion
Suggested Spells: Identify Exact Color (IQ/Average), See Clearly (IQ/Average)
Rumor: “The Empty Masters secretly plan to subvert one of the synisthetes of Symeros. By mixing synesthetic perception with their blind enlightenment, they hope to find the reason that synesthetes are so effective against them. Should they succeed, the crusade of the Silent Brotherhood would be set back, and Symeros left open to infiltration by the bleak cult of the Empty Masters.”

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==Helot Cultures==

===Gnarides, helot client state===

The Gnarides are the helot culture in the lands near Diaphane. They were the original inhabitants of the area, driven away by the “Witch Sister.” Although once warlike, they have been conquered and subjugated, and now their clans are scattered through several petty kingdoms. They are pastoralists who raise mountain goats and make cheese, although they are known for being good spear hunters, and occasionally hired as mercenary spearmen.

Gnaride culture revolves around their worship of the earth deity, which they view as both male and female. They build lingams – large standing stones representing the phallus of the god. They also have sacred caves – representing the goddess – callen yoni caves. They practice barbaric fertility magic with these, and claim that is why the men of Diaphane fear to build tall structures that cast shadows, and why they will not abide dark caves. Only men deal with lingams and their magic, and only women deal with yonis and their magic. Having the shadow of a lingam stone fall on you is lucky, but also arouses carnal lust and blood lust. Entering the dark yoni cave aids in conception and childbirth. If women fall under the lingam’s shadow, they may become pregnant or barren. If men enter the yoni cave, they may return as women or pregnant. For obvious reasons, both of these actions are taboo. Outsiders rarely benefit from either lingam stones or yoni caves. Their magic-men are called Horned Men because they wear crowns of horns, and while they are good at dealing with female spirits, they are very unlucky with male spirits.

Occupations: Helot, Herder, Weaver, Hunter, Spearman, Horned Man
Suggested Skills: Animal Handling, Farming, Sex Appeal, Spear, Occult (spirits)
Social Background: Cultural Familiarity (1 pt., Diaphane), Gnaric (native language), Glossa (accented language)
Suggested Quirks: Broad-Minded, Proud, Lusty*
Sample Contact Groups: Clan, Former Lovers
Suggested Spells (for men): Incite Bloodlust (IQ/Average), Incite Carnal Lust (IQ/Hard)
Suggested Spells (for women): Increase Fertility (IQ/Hard), Ease Childbirth (IQ/Average)
Common Names: Dwight, Loeis, Amalie
Rumor: “Gnaride spearmen boast that when they capture opponents in Flower Wars, the women want to never go back home, and the men to never face another Flower War again. Telling such tales makes Diaphanides very angry.”

-- by Kakita Kojiro

===Charsides, helot client state===

The Charsides are one of the oldest helot cultures of Diaphane. Their lands had always been extremely fertile, but they claimed this was because of their custom of burying living victims in the soil of their most fertile fields. When they were conquered and civilized this custom was forbidden – which has caused them to be avid supporters of every helot rebellion, so that they might once again feed their hungry fields. “Charse is beating its plows into weapons” is a watchword for revolution in Diaphane.

Following the Second Shattering and the bloody helot revolts that led up to it, Diaphane built Sun Towers throughout the lands of the Charsides – not so much to protect them, as to threaten any revolts with the burning rays of the sun. Since then the Charsides have complained of being plagued by hungry ghosts, but when the Archons sent magicians to investigate, they reported nothing. Finally an extremely clever archon had the Charsides take her to the locations of all the most peaceful haunts – and promptly deputized those ghosts as magistrates to oversee the unruly, hungry ghosts. Ever since the Charsides have gone to complain to the magistrate ghosts, and the Archons have not been bothered.

Occupations: Helot, Farmer, Ghostcaller, Tinker, Woodcutter
Suggested Skills: Farming, Polearm, Smith, Occult (ghosts), Forbidden Lore (field sacrifices)
Social Background: Cultural Familiarity (1 pt., Diaphane), Charsic (native language), Glossa (accented language)
Suggested Quirks: Belligerent*, Incompetence (magic), Proud
Suggested Spells: Feed Ghost (IQ/Average), Identify Ghost (IQ/Hard)
Rumor: “Now that they have been subdued and civilized, the Charsides have been eager to learn pellucid magic, so as to be able to see the invisible and hungry ghosts that plague them. Despite their studies, they all say that these new spells do not show them the invisible ghosts which they know to be there, and so they have complained bitterly. Cryptomancers sent to look into the matter have never seen these ghosts, either, leaving everyone confused and annoyed.”

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==Magic==

Magic in the Twin Cities is learned informally (for petty magics), or most often as an apprentice in a guild. There are schools for advanced study of magic, which confer degrees of magister, or doctor of the eikonic arts.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====Pellucid Magic====

Transparent magicians use their magic, not to respond to assaults, but to allow danger to pass them by harmlessly. Extreme transparency is invisible to the unenlightened. Transparent magic allows one to pass through obstacles and walk without being seen. (Though some claim this concept is dangerously close to the "hidden power" of the Opaque.) Their are powerful, defensive, introverted and fragile.

-- by Glyptodont

Pellucid Magic is the magic of transparency, of invisible things. Transparent magic makes things clearer, reveals hidden things, allows seeing of things that otherwise could not be seen, and allows light into darkness.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

mantra: “perception goes through”

spirit-world: [[Spirit_world|the Invisible World]]

tools: lenses

talent: Pellucid Magic (10 pts/level)

spells:
- ''see clearly'' (IQ/Average)
- ''fade'' (IQ/Average)
- ''see unseen'' (IQ/Hard, req. Pellucid Magic 1+)
- ''see through objects'' (IQ/Hard, req. Pellucid Magic 1+)
- ''see small things'' (IQ/Hard, req. Pellucid Magic 1+)
- ''see distant things'' (IQ/Hard, req. Pellucid Magic 1+)
- ''allow danger to pass through'' (IQ/Very Hard, req. Pellucid Magic 2+, at least one other pellucid spell)
- ''pass through obstacles'' (IQ/Very Hard, req. Pellucid Magic 3+, allow danger to pass through, at least two other pellucid spells)
- ''translucency'' (IQ/Hard, req. Pellucid Magic 2+, at least one other pellucid spell)
- ''invisibility'' (IQ/Very Hard, req. Pellucid Magic 4+, translucency, at least three other pellucid spells)
- ''enter Invisible World'' (IQ/Very Hard, req. Pellucid Magic 5+, invisibility, at least five other pellucid spells)
note: using pellucid magic to enter the [[Spirit_world|spirit-world]] generally makes you permanently invisible and intangible. presumably there is another pellucid spell that would allow you to leave the spririt-world and return to the material world again.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====Glass Golems====

Since the first smiths created the primitive glassware many generations ago, there has been the relationship between Man and Machina. This relationship is best represented by the silent watchers who defend our way of life. The Glass Golems not only provide exquisite beauty and an artistic ideal, but also provide defense against the insanity that infects some outlanders into defacing our city. They can never know which piece of art is watching them, or whether the statue of the Thousand Barbed Flowers will skin them for there transgression. We do not debase ourselves with men wandering down the street accosting citizens or thieves lining the watchman's pockets. We are a city of trust, and clarity. Is it not better to know that Justice is always watching. The statues are of a gift from the Temple, and have proven there worth in the past. Of course, some of the other cities has similar creations, however, they are far more base constructions. It is lucky we have so many criminals who are willing to pay for there crime by imprisonment with-in our Constructs. As there are no criminals in our society, many outlanders and heretics make up the majority of those imprisoned with-in them. A perfect sytstem for a perfect city.

-- by stephen_dean

Religions

2008-05-07T08:35:27Z

Kakita Kojiro: added Cenoby, Flesh Men

=Cults=

===Cult of the Opaque===

There is a new cult appearing in the hinterlands. Their creed says that both reflection and transparancy are abominations. They claim that only that which is hidden has power. They build temples of stone with no windows and their priests cover their faces with cloth when they go out in public. It is feared that some of the leaders of the petty kingdoms sympathize with this Cult of the Opaque.

-- by Glyptodont

Opaque magic may not, however, be dismissed as forever inelegant and second-rate. Legends say that an opera singer can use the power or her voice to shatter a wine glass. Now, rumors circulate that the Cult of the Opaque is exploring the use of sound as a magical weapon. Large pieces of glass come into resonance with low-frequency sounds, often below the range of human hearing. If the Cult of the Opaque masters the technique of shaping and directing low-frequency sound, they may be able to attack the glass cities at will, from a considerable distance, without being detected.

-- by RPG_Dad

A splinter faction of the cult has decided to create their own city. They already daydream of echoing valleys, canyons, and opera houses. They use the password "sonance".

-- by shanoxilt

The Cult of the Opaque is distrusted by the majority of citizens, but the cult has made public denouncements of their involvement with the Empty Masters.

"Opacity is a natural obfuscation of sight outside the observer; Blindness is the lack of [in]sight from the observer. The former is a phenomenon that inhibits perception, whereas the latter is a phenomena that deprives perception."

-- by shanoxilt

The Cult of the Opaque has constructed a series of monoliths and megaliths. These structures have several purposes: to mark astrological events, to allow entry to the spirit world, and to venerate the concept of opacity.

-- by shanoxilt

====Shadow Magic====

The magic of the Twin Cities would be ancient and nuanced with generations of tradition and refinement. The magic of the Cult of the Opaque is raw, illiterate and still in its infancy.

The Cult of the Opaque use magic that is blunt and simple. Broken mirrors lose their powers of reflection and blackened glass is a fragile and visible target. Darkness, defacement and damage are the themes of Opaque magic.

-- by Glyptodont

Shadow magic is the magic of opacity. It hides things, protects them from being revealed, protects your soul from being reflected (and stolen), protects you from being seen, brings darkness where there is only light.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

mantra: “perception stops”

spirit-world: [[Spirit_world|the Shadow World]]

tools: (eclectic variety of tools used: things to smash with, things to make loud noises with, things to cast shadows with... whatever is at hand)

talent: Shadow Magic (10 pts/level)

spells:
- block perception (IQ/Average)
- cast shadow (IQ/Average)
- see in shadow and darkness (IQ/Hard, req. Shadow Magic 1+)
- block pellucid magic (IQ/Hard, req. Shadow Magic 2+)
- shatter reflective magic (IQ/Hard, req. Shadow Magic 2+)
- mute chromatic magic (IQ/Hard, req. Shadow Magic 2+)
- enter shadow world (IQ/Very Hard, req. Shadow Magic 3+, see in shadow and darkness) (note: penalties to enter shadow world, except at specific times and places)
- travel through shadow world (IQ/Very Hard, req. Shadow Magic 3+, enter shadow world) (note: penalties to enter shadow world, except at specific times and places)
- reveal invisible things (IQ/Hard, req. Shadow Magic 3+, block pellucid magic, at least two other shadow spells) (note: attack against spirits of pellucid magic)
- break mirrored things (IQ/Hard, req. Shadow Magic 3+, shatter reflective magic, at least two other shadow spells) (note: attack against spirits of mirror magic)
note: although possible, it is much more difficult to use shadow magic to enter the spirit-world, except at special locations and under special conditions. knowledge of these locations and conditions is difficult to discover.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

===Cult of the Sun===

But what of the sun? This is the one unifying priciple that all Three Cities revere. A mirror cannot reflect without light. A crystal's purpose is to transmit light. The spectrum is the separated elements of light. Even the Opaque acknowledge the primacy of the sun--shadows can only be created with light. If there is no light, then there are no shadows--only uniform darkness (an important distinction in Opaque theology). The Twin Cities, the Spectrum youth and the Opaque agree on the importance of the sun, but debate about its true spiritual purpose.

-- by Glyptodont

The Cult of the Sun worships the sun as their only god. To give credence to their beliefs, they have added the symbolism and dogma of the Immaculate Principle of The Sublime Joy. The Cult of the Sun is swiftly gaining followers and gaining power. Now, it is nearly a minor religion.

-- by shanoxilt

===Cults of the Twin Moons===

The various factions look to the heavens for astronomical symbolism. The city of [[Narcissus]] takes the Inner Moon as its icon. As the largest mirror in the sky, it reflects the most light upon the world. The smaller Outer Moon is the totem of the city of [[Diaphane]]. It is a crystal sphere shimmering at night. (The Inner Moon couldn't be crystal or else we could see through it when it eclipsed the Outer Moon--or so say the astrologers.) [[Iridos]] chooses the multicolored stars as its totem, and the Cult of the Opaque claim they represent the inky darkness between the stars.

-- by Glyptodont

=Religions=

==Shamanism==

Many nomads, immigrants, and young Twin Citizens practice some form of traditional shamanism or some form of urban shamanism. Traditional shamanism is perceived as a necessary practice to the Wandering Peoples. It placates and rebukes the spirits and their ghostly ancestors. It is used to prevent and reverse misfortune. Every nomad of the Wandering Peoples knows a handful of minor chants to dissuade or distract malevolent spirits, but each tribe has a shaman. The shaman has many duties: perform funerary rites, perform marriages, heal the sick, ward the tribe against spiritual assaults, craft amulets for the tribespeople, craft the tribe totem, and others. Though the shamans are an integral part of their society, they are also outcasts. The tribespeople perceive them as mentally unbalanced, like the strange citizens of the Twin Cities.

Despite their belief in spirits, very few nomads, including shamans, have actually seen a spirit. In the wilds, away from themed cities, spirits are felt as presences. The Wandering Peoples listen with shocked disbelief, when they hear tales of mirror-wights and doppelgangers. Ghosts, however, have been seen by the Wandering Peoples. As former humans, ghosts do not have the strange habits of spirits. Some shamans suspect that ghosts can not choose their forms as spirits do.

Urban shamanism is practiced by immigrants and the jaded youth of the cities. It is a syncretist religion that acknowledges many minor chants, oblations, and philosophies. Followers of this faith keep a shrine in some section of their home.

-- by shanoxilt

tools: fetishes (varies by tribe)

talent: Shamanic Magic (10 pts/level) (choose six spells for this talent to apply to. this talent does not fulfill prerequisites for spells that require a specific magic talent.)
spells: as per tribe, or any others that may be learned.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==Religious Orders==

Three large religious orders dominate the trade routes, tributary and client states of the Three Cities, and are pushing further afield. The Three orders are outside the concepts that define the Cities, and rather embrace the religious nature of all people.
-- by stephen_dean

===The Seven Sisters===

Formed after the first shattering, this female only religious order, named after the seven aspects of the Moon, serve as oracles, healers and mystics, and worship the natural cycles of the tide, the reflective qualities of the night sky, and the wanderings of the Heavens. They oppose the forces of the void as a corruption of the shadow, and help usher the sick into the afterlife if they so choose. They also care for the disfigured and maimed, claiming that just as the Moon is eaten and born anew, so does each person go through 7 lifetimes, until being reborn to start the cycle anew. They were founded in The city of Mirrors, and spread outward into areas plagued by various evils. Their highest Oracles can weave fate itself to there will.

-- by stephen_dean

===The Silent Brotherhood===

A religious order formed in the aftermath of the first Shattering devoted to hunting down mirror-wraiths, Hollow Men, and other horrors, and which accepts only Men. The members take a vow of silence to never utter of the horrors they see, and have an elaborate sign-language and codex for communicating among one another. They also experience limited precognition, and sensitivity to false images or other mirror magic. The Order embraces poverty and service, and those who have commited a grave betrayal, or shown cowardice or committed sins can put on the grey robes of the Brothers and rid the world of that which should not be. They have chapters in most cities or a few brothers, and a large compound in a Valley deep in the Mountains. This Citadel holds the worst secrets and forbidden objects deep in its bowels, perpetually guarded, and the brothers never lack for recruits among the brave and forsaken peoples. The Brothers are respected and given lodging and resources for the valuable service they render.

-- by stephen_dean

===Wanderers of the Waste===

The Wanderers of the Waste are the Traders, Merchants and Explorers of the wider world, and travel far and wide to understand the mysteries of the past, the possibilities of the future, and the pleasures and profits of the present. These men and woman are unified by a common vision of a better, brighter and happier world and they aim to produce it. The merchants bring wonders and toys to as many villages, hovels and grand cities alike, and congregate in splendid festivals that feature illusions to awe the common people, forbidden delights for the more carnal minded, and spices and drugs from the world over. They descend upon small towns and other places in broad processions and are said to have an almost hypnotic effect when they arrive. The debaucheries and freedom experienced are soon forgotten, and all that is left is a bright memory of a glaring night of excess in a life of toil, making them, much beloved by the common folk. A typical member may be a bard, juggler or prostitute, or even a jolly baker or toy maker. The deeper one enters into the order however, more truths are revealed. The Order covers its more exotic activities with this public mask, which include delving deep into forbidden places for esoteric knowledge, and the higher members of the order are advanced adepts at Opaque magic. They rarely appear in the Twin Cities, rather wandering the vast world, spreading light and glamor.

-- by stephen_dean

=Other Groups=

==The Clear Prophet==

A powerful political figure has suggested that [[Diaphane]], [[Narcissus]], [[Iridos]], and the Cult of the Opaque should cease all their conflicts to create a Nation of Light. This idea has been met with mixed opinions.

This political figure is one of the few people who acknowledge the Empty Masters as a threat. He, or she, urges the citizens to purge their respective cities of this antithetical cult.

-- by shanoxilt

This is the Clear Prophet, political leader and unwilling religious figure. He is said to be a half-albino (actually a severe case of vitiligo that has progressed to over half his body) born in Narcissus, who suffered something of an epiphany as a child while apprenticed to a mirror-fisher, when he fell into a reflection and was lost for several months.

Most outsiders believe his is called the "Clear Prophet" because of his growing transparency. In fact, that is a misunderstanding -- he is called that because of his clear explanations of the interconnectedness of all magic. He speaks of translucent colors, of reflections of darkness, and other esoterica of the persistence of light. And people actually understand him. It is remarkable.

After being exiled from Narcissus for rabble-rousing, he traveled to Diaphane where he gained a following among the Spectrum youth and the Cult of Opacity. He had to flee once more, and is rumored to be in the City of Rainbows now. Others say he hides in the wastelands, hunting vampires or fleeing from mirror-wights sent to hunt him down.

Although he claims not to be a religious figure, to his followers he is a prophet, and to his enemies he is a heretic. The political movement he has left behind in the cities has become an odd alliance of many factions, united by a common philosophy, but divided by many differing goals. They cannot even agree on common symbols to recognize each other by -- although the most prevalent is an iridescent butterfly. Some of those squabblers choose an iridescent bubble as their symbol.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

Historians, antique dealers, and concerned citizens have gradually become aware of the Clear Prophet. Some citizens believe he will ruin both Diaphane and Narcissus. Other citizens believe he is their only hope.

Though the Clear Prophet is not a religious figure, he does support religions and groups that wish to unify the cities and the Cult of the Opaque. Despite his protests, the newest cults claim him as their messiah.

-- by shanoxilt

====Rhetoric of the Clear Prophet====

"Narcissus, what do your mirrors reflect? Diaphane, what do your prisms refract? Iridos, what do your pigments reveal?

Light in its manifold manifestations!

From the smallest flame to the mid-day sun, light warms us; light guides us. See the light of Truth. Allow its radiance to illuminate your cities and enlighten your minds. Your similarities are more potent than your differences. As the crafters of optic marvels have demonstrated, cooperation enhances the qualities of each luminous property.

Join together, so that we may form a unified Nation of Light. Like a sunbeam, our glory will brighten the world!"

-- by shanoxilt

==The Cenoby==

There is a place place dedicated to solving riddles and puzzles, a society or like minded individuals. This is the Cenoby.

-- by stphen_dean

The mysterious and hidden Cenoby, which is areligious, is dedicated to piecing together scraps of knowledge of the pre-cataclysm ancients.

No one knows where the Cenoby is located, because it is only found by accident or fate -- it is reached by an endless number of doors that open up from many cities and places, but which are not always there. Walking through one of these doors is like entering the spirit-world, but it leads to the Cenoby, which itself is in the physical world.

Though even the inhabitants of the Cenoby -- known as "oblates" -- do not know where it is located. It is a confusing succession of rooms and doorways, and sometimes not all the rooms are there. The oblates do not control the doors, but can predict the opening of some of them. They do so to bring in food and to recruit new members, and to go forth seeking their clues.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

The inhabitants of Cenoby travel to dangerous and exotic locales. They discover the lore and artifacts of the [[Other_kingdoms|Thousand Flowing Waters]]. Sometimes, their adventures force them to negotiate with the vampires and Blind Masters that haunt the ruins. They hide their treasures in bizarre labyrinths, so only the worthy will find them.

Perhaps, the mirrored maze beneath Narcissus is just one section of a greater, underground complex. While Cenoby is not a part of the spirit world, their study of the spirit world and knowledge of foreign magics inspired the oblates.

They must predict the doorways because the doors appear according to a mathematical pattern. Unfortunately, those who knew the pattern have either died or forgotten it. Some mathematicians suggest that they may use the Mandelbrot set.

-- by shanoxilt

==The Carricade, wandering cult==

The Carricade is a wandering tribe or cult that claims to be a remnant of the ancient culture of the Twin Sisters. They travel the lands in large caravans of huge wagons pulled by a variety of megafauna. Although they travel for cultural or religious reasons, they also transport goods as they do so, and so are the best means of trade outside the caravans organized by the hegemonies of the three cities. In addition to transporting goods for hire or speculation, travelers often join caravans of the Carricade on their journey – and it is not uncommon for those with wanderlust to join permanently.

Carricadists claim to have been a religious sect who lost their god – they do not now know which it was that they followed, although they still preserve many of the rites. So now they wander, searching for clues to their god in the religions and customs of others. Children especially anticipate the arrival of caravans of the Carricade, for their entertaining displays of religious showmanship are as good as circuses. These performances of ritual spectacles are not only the last remaining part of their religion, but are also required by their magic, as is their constant journeying.

The wagons of the Carricade are large and varied – some large enough to be multistoried, but all enough to house an entire family within, plus cargo. Each clan within the Carricade has its own distinctive wagon design, just as each specializes in the megafauna which they tame. Within any caravan, there are typically only a few families of each clan, so the caravan’s livestock can be astonishingly diverse. The spells that Carricadists use to tame these megafauna also require their periodic religious exhibitions – on the unfortunate occasions that their megafauna have been taken from them, they reverted to being wild and went on a rampage in short order.

Occupations: Driver, Performer, Teamster, Trader
Suggested Skills: Animal Handling, Driving (wagon), Navigation (land), Teamster, Theology
Social Background: Phersic (native language), Glossa (fluent language), Literacy
Suggested Quirks: Broad-Minded, Congenial, Nosy
Sample Contact Groups: Caravan, Clan
Suggested Spells: Tame [Megafauna] (IQ/Hard)
Rumor: “The Cult of the Sun believes that the mystery god of the Carricade is actually their sun god in his aspect as god of the horizon. They are eager to expound upon the similarities between the Carricade’s religious spectacles and their own Immaculate Principle of the Sublime Joy.”

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==Flesh Men==

There is a small, charismatic cult that wanders aimlessly through the world. They quake and have bouts of glossolalia. Nobody knows what causes these "fits". Some claim that it is the work of a god or spirit, that the cultists are madmen, that they have discovered a new, ecstatic practice, or they are simply fools. Even the cultists disagree on the origin of their fits.

Opponents of the cult spread rumors that they worship Ewenoctugal, the Madness of the Flesh.

-- by shanoxilt

==The Vandals, Gods of Thunder==

This group of dissidents hate all those mirrors, and especially those trees. They are a group made up of people from the outer tribes or poor citizens who could never seem to make it up in the world, and are led by an leader called Shatter. Shatter is a musician who likes to play music loud, and really likes to break glass, mirrors and just about anything else. He is the also the leader of a cult called the "Gods of Thunder" and all the members where elaborate white and black facepaint, big leather boots and lots of spikes. They are currently inside of a series of caverns, plotting a series of musical strikes to wake the population to the power and possibility of loud crude angry music. Teenagers of the cities secretly listen to the music, but most grow out of it. those that do not end up becoming the traveling underground bards called Roadies, telling tales to the poor villages and smaller cities outside of the central cities. There is an open bounty from the cities on there heads, but the call of Thunder is hard to silence.

-- by stephen_dean

Shatter and The Gods of Thunder sometimes travel with the Wanderers of the Waste. Their revelry could collapse entire buildings, if not properly monitored.

-- by shanoxilt

=Empty Masters, Hollow Men, undead=

Empty Mastery is a disreputable mystic philosophy that has slowly spread through both cities, despite being repressed in both as well. It is fashionable -- and scandalous -- for the rich to hold blindfold parties. They invite the Empty Masters as guests to these affairs; these are half-mad mystics who it is said plucked out their own eyes "to see better" in blindness.

The Empty Masters display uncanny powers -- though blind, they know colors by touch, hear the vibrational pitch of glass well enough to shatter by voice, and can cast a thousand reflections and as many shadows, or none at all, on their whims. Some students seek to learn from them, but only achieve the most petty of enlightenments because of their unwillingness to accept true sightlessness. Only when the blindfolded student is willing to seek the quiet tombs where the true Empty Masters wait blind and undead, will they give up their eyes for the empty powers of sightlessness.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

In trading away their eyes and eyesight, they gain another sense -- an alien sense, maybe one shared only by the undead. In groping around with this new, unsense, they find... things. Weird powers, essences that infect them. One might find his senses scrambled, another might find she casts thousands of reflections (after someone tells her, of course). All of these abilities have in common their ability to foil one of the other four types of magic.

Maybe after they've accidentally or unfortunately acquired enough of these weird abilities, the blind mystics become the blind and undead liches, lurking in abandoned mausoleums, peering beyond light and darkness with their alien sense, waiting for the next unwitting pupil to come along.

Almost all of these blind madmen develop some sense that seems to compensate for sight -- one can feel objects at a distance, another can touch things and know their color, yet another simply knows where everything in the room is located. All these senses might be oddly hampered, but all confer immunity to magics of reflection, transparency, opacity, or color.

Eventually their other senses will be affected; synesthesia is only the beginning. Eventually they can endure almost any sensation -- by the time they're undead, chopping parts of them off doesn't feel like pain, it just smells like oregano or turpentine. (conversely, some very odd things feel like pain -- what smells like garlic to normal humans may feel like a migrane to a vampire)

Quite a few lose their reflections altogether (and shadow). It is said that all vampires suffer this; maybe that's even true.

Some might be able to step into mirrors as though into any other room or hallway. In fact, they might think they are rooms or hallways.

Some might walk through transparent objects as if they did not exist. Try to stab one of these blind madmen with your glass dagger? Nothing happens.

Some splinter off mirror wraiths with every strong emotion they feel -- but these things are trapped within them. They soon cast thousands of reflections: all are emotions vying for expression.

Some can touch the reflection or shadow of another. Perhaps they can injure it. Perhaps they can take it. Eventually (when they are undead), they'll eat them, and maybe your soul along with them.

Some can exorcise colors from objects and creatures, as though they were casting out possessing spirits. Often they will do this to enlighten someone -- they will cast out the color of that person's eyes, leaving them oddly hued, but blind. (the faithful of Diaphane once sought this out, seeking transparency, but found themselves blind, and soon dead as sunlight cooked them from whithin while passing through their transparent innards)

Some just know when someone is looking at them. Eventually, they'll also know who is looking at them. And from where. And maybe, why.

Some of them are not where you see them -- their image seems to wander around on its own (although it stays within voiceshot, most of the time). If they've still got a reflection (or shadow), that goes walkabout, too (and sometimes goes really far afield). Even the blind mystic isn't really sure how much he controls his image, or reflection, although he can usually "sense" where they are and can sense from the place where they are, too.

Some can do things to the sight of those who can see them -- make them see auras, halos, shimmering lights or reflections or absences of perception. They can make it so that you cannot see them at all (not invisibility, which is only perfect transparency; you cannot see them). They can make it so that you cannot see anything but them -- they capture your gaze and hold it, until something blocks your sight.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==The Hollow Men==

The Hollow Men were a cult of blind mystics in the era of the First Shattering. They learned from the ur-vampires lairing in the ancient ruins of the Thousand Flowing Waters, and developed their nihilistic teachings of willful blindness. The original cult was destroyed in the First Great Crusade, and when its surviving remnants flourished again, they were destroyed by the Second Great Crusade. Their benighted teachings continue to resurface under many guises – its current incarnation is the Empty Masters, who are popular gurus among the young and jaded of the cities.

Hollow Men willfully tear out their eyes, losing their visual perception in return for being able to devour perceptions. Each one develops unique and idiosyncratic powers of his or her own. However this is a path that leads only toward union with the consuming void. The more powerful they become, the less human they are, and as they become one with the hungry void they leave life behind for unlife.

Once cut off from sight and the basis of the other four magics, Hollow Men begin to discover strange powers. Each is idiosyncratic and unique to the individual, although there are some commonalities.

All of them develop some unnatural sense that seems to compensate for sight (Dark Vision), each unique: one might feel things at a distance (Colorblindness), another might be extremely aware of every person nearby (Supersensitive), another might simply know where everything that they are facing is positioned (Restricted Vision).

All of them eventually find their other senses affected. Their senses become scrambled, like synesthesia (Protected Senses), so that what others experience as one sense they might perceive using another. Their sense of pain and pleasure are also scrambled, so that they seem unaffected by injuries (High Pain Threshold), or cannot endure specific substances (Weakness).

Skills (for Hollow Men): Meditation, Occultism, Philosophy

Advantages: Dark Vision (25 pts), High Pain Threshold (10 pts), Injury Tolerance - no eyes (5 pts)

Disadvantages: Enemies (Silent Brotherhood, -20 pts), Nightmares (-5 pts), Weakness (1d per minute, rare, -10 pts)

Suggested: Colorblindness (-10 pts), Restricted Vision (-15 pts), Supersensitive (-15 pts), Uncontrollable Appetite (shadows or reflections, -15 pts), Social Stigma (-5 pts)

Example Powers:
- ''Eat Reflection'': Affliction (No Reflection disadvantage, permanent, melee attack, 23 pts)
- ''Eat Shadow'': Affliction (No Shadow disadvantage, permanent, melee attack, 23 pts)
- ''Eat Color'': Affliction (Pallor disadvantage, permanent, melee attack, 23 pts)
- ''Black Aura'': Distinctive Features (black aura, -1 pt)
- ''No Reflection'': Supernatural Feature (also unaffected by some reflective spells, -5 pts)
- ''No Shadow'': Supernatural Feature (also unaffected by some shadow spells, -5 pts)
- ''Sense the Sighted'': Detect Sense of Sight (30 pts)

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==Vampires ==

Vampires are created from unfortunate victims who have lost their sight unnaturally. It is not known why some people are susceptible to vampirism from unnatural blindness, while others are unaffected after being blinded. They do not develop as many odd powers as the Hollow Men, and their unnatural hungers are not as controlled. Children born blind never succumb to vampirism.

Vampires develop in the same manner as the Hollow Men, albeit unwittingly and unwillingly.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==Ur-vampire==

If a vampire or Hollow Man survives long enough, they eventually become undead. Their deadened sense to pain becomes so extreme that they are almost impossible to harm. Their unnatural vitality develops until they are almost impossible to slay. By this point they are usually so twisted by their unnatural existence that they flee from human society. Many of the existent undead lair in the ruins of the Thousand Flowing Waters. The oldest of the undead – the ur-vampires – are the only known survivors of the time before the Great Darkness, and have all long since succumbed to madness.

Undead may be permanently slain by driving silver spikes through their eyesockets. Even if the silver spikes are later removed, they will never return to unlife.

Advantages: Dark Vision (25 pts), Supernatural Durability (150 pts), Injury Tolerance - no eyes (5 pts), Injury Tolerance - unliving (20 pts), Unkillable (rare achilles’ heel, 40 pts)

Disadvantages: Callous (-5 pts), Enemies (Silent Brotherhood, -30 pts), Hidebound (-5 pts), Supersensitive (-15 pts)

Example Powers:
- ''Walk Through Transparent Things'': Permeation (vs. transparent, can carry objects unencumbered, 11 pts)
- ''Walk Into Mirrors'': Jumper (limited jump only into spirit-world, accessibility only through reflections, 50 pts)
- ''Don’t Look At Me'': Invisibility (can carry objects unencumbered, extended vs. See Invisible, usually on, 50 pts)
- ''Look At Only Me'': Mind Control (sense based vision, accessibility only “look at me”, 35 pts)
- ''Distort Sight'': Affliction (Bad Sight disadvantage, area effect 8 yd, emanation, persistent, permanent, 45 pts)

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==Bite-Me-Not, Antidakoma==

Antidakoma – also known as Bite-Me-Not – is a small, red flower that grows in the marshes of the Thousand Flowing Waters. It has the unique property of being utterly offensive to any vampire – including other undead and Empty Masters or Hollow Men. If fresh, it affects their Weakness (at 1d per minute). Its effects are lessened if withered (1d per 5 minutes) or dried and preserved (1d per 30 minutes). The Silent Brotherhood has attempted to cultivate Bite-Me-Not for generations, but the flowers will only grow in the unique environment of the Thousand Flowing Waters, and sparsely even then, and always and only around certain ruins of the ancients.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

Spirit world

2008-05-07T08:17:41Z

Kakita Kojiro: added doppelganger, spirit nature, spirit classification

Spirit world

2008-05-07T08:01:34Z

Kakita Kojiro: added Invisibles, ghosts, mirror-wights

=The Crystal Trees=

There exist large, holy trees with-in the center of the solar temples that produce a clear strong sap, that when flowing can be shaped to produce a very strong and durable building material, however, the trees are a rare species needing a special environment, for instance a large greenhouse. These trees provide the materials to build the soaring cities and supports for the most opulent of buildings. This comes at a price however, as the trees require certain...sacrifices to produce the necessary quantities.

The highest priest in the tallest, clearest tower hear the required sacrifices in the sound of the chimes or in the play of a rainbow across the clear play of water. The Ancient trees, clear of all pigment, made of a strange material halfway between this world and the other, needs to feed on that rarest of materials, the soul. This is the clearest truth the universe offers, and to extract it requires a diligence and steady hand. The Mirror wraiths are the result of this going wrong, but it succeeds, then the trees grow, whispering secrets and producing the materials to let the cities thrive. The price is growing however, as more young men and woman disappear from the edges of the alleys. It is said that some trees develop certain taste, and others will consume the souls of things strange than people. The most anceint tree is said to require the soul of a god, and it grows hungry.

At the heart of each of the five factions there are the crystal trees, that serve as the holy grove of each faith. Initially a very rare species of plant based on silicon and growing at a relativly slow rate, these trees serve as the perfect ideal, a living creation in tune with the spirit and the body. These trees originally grew only in the spirit world, but a few were brought over to the other side of the glass and planted. As has been written before, these trees feed on the souls and spirits of the world to survive and grow, and take on the characteristics of its diet.
(think NWOD spirits, but only for these special trees.) Every city of any note will have a grove of these trees, and the richest citizens may have a small sapling or even a small orchard. The largest city's have ancient trees that have stood for hundreds, even thousands of years, if the sages are to right. The shadows cast are rainbows and each of the four fold paths trees correspond to the ideal of the location. The four subspecies are all offshoots of the original tree, lost somewhere in the spirit world, and if ever found, would allow for the creation of another path. It is because of this that many seek it, and few ever glimpse even a hint of the thing. The void, the great darkness, that which consumes and stifles, is not a tree but a shadow. It is the missing parts or pieces of creation, or lost paths and forgotten dreams. Some say the darkness is truth, and that the light can blind, and it is for this heresy that they are blinded, to forever follow the crooked path they choose, and to be ever denied the joys of the four paths.

--stephen_dean

The spirit tree of [[Iridos]] has an opalescent trunk, iridescent branches, and leaves of every possible color.

--shanoxilt

===Sacrificing===

Many outsiders look to the practice of raising the Sacrifices to feed the crystal trees as an evil act, and say that this path follows towards the void. many make comparisons to the Hollow men and other nefarious groups. However consider for a moment the life of an A future sacrifice. A young mother already has six children, and the seventh happens to have white hair, red eyes and is sensitive to the sun. Rather than suffer a life of pain and squaller, the child is given to the Temple of Clarity to live a life of quiet study, preparation and luxury. Then, perhaps decades later, the child has become a master of an ideal, and willingly walks to be embraced by the world tree, knowing that her soul will guide the city for years. This noble sacrifice is not evil, no more than a soldier fighting the legions of the damned eating away the reality of the world. No, it is beautiful. Would you rather we did like those cities of brick and stone you speak of, and let the child starve in the streets instead? No, no-one starves in the city of Transparency.

=The Nature of the Spirit World=

The spirit world forms, and conforms, according to the particular themes of any given place. Despite this, the goals and basic nature of the spirits and their world are the same in every themed location. Spirits percieve themes simply as a "wardrobe" in which to reveal themselves.

--shanoxilt

A spirit may "clothe" itself in new guises or stay the same. The spirit's appearance depends on its choice. This explains why one may see a mirror-wraith in a moonlit pool or in Diaphane's crystal walls.

--shanoxilt

==Spirit World of Narcissus: the Other Side==

The Metropolis of [[Narcissus]] is stalked by creatures that live entirely in the reflected world, similar to our own but warped by mirrors of imperfect craftsmanship. The mirrors reflect the worst aspects of the person, or amply fears of the onlooker, and over time, feed a desire for perfection leading to strange alterations. A person can inadvertently become the city's namesake, looking helplessly as every flaw and fear are amplified, until slowly starving to death. The spirit of the person then roams the mirror world forever. The only known non-magical way protect oneself is to catch the creature with it's own reflection in a crystal of fine quality. The resulting crystals are used to power some of the more hidden aspects of the city.

The other world is the world of the reflection, a place embraced by the narcissistic faction and declared heresy by the other. It reveals truths, but ones that are altered or slightly warped, and is inhabited by things other than the mirror wraiths. It is not a true world, but rather like a shadow, existing only as a reflection, but can be used to travel great distances if one is willing to risk the passage from one mirror to another.

--stephen_dean

To enter the spirit world from [[Narcissus]], one does so through mirrors and reflections. Indeed, there are so many mirrors in Narcissus that the borders between worlds have grown thin -- it is possible to enter the Other Side easily, or for things from the Other Side to come through unaided. There are many wonders and horrors on the Other Side, though, which are exploited by the Mirror Fisheries. The mirror-fishers use silver fruits from the mirrortrees to bait their lines.

--Kakito Kojiro

====Mirror-Wraiths.====

Mirror-wraiths are spirits created by the reflection of a person focused on one desire or emotion. They may be created inadvertently from imperfect reflections in places where the mirror-world is easily entered (as in Narcissus). They are also created deliberately by mirror-casters, using reflective magic. Although they are similar to ghosts and specters, they are all different kinds of spirits, despite speculation by theorists such as the Invisible College that they are somehow congruent.

Sorcerers categorize mirror-wraiths by emotion or desire, for each mirror-wraith is utterly focused on only one emotion or desire. Often the way this emotion or desire is expressed is in a distorted form of the personality that the mirror-wraith was cast from. As normally intangible spirits (Insubstantiality), mirror-wraiths usually cannot satisfy their one emotion or desire. They can possess anyone whose reflection is within their grasp of the mirror-realm, and they can also be caught into mirrors or reflective crystals.

Mirror-wraiths who possess people influence them to act out the spirit’s one emotion or desire (Possession). Eventually the will of the possessed host drives out the spirit, or the mirror-wraith is sated and fades away. They require regular experience of their driving emotion or desire, or they will fade away. Although their motives may be predicted by their one emotion or desire, their utter focus is easy to misjudge.

Mirror-wraiths are used in many ways. Narcissus uses them to imbue their soldiers with indomitable emotions for battle, and to afflict enemies with fear. They are also used in Narcissus to temporarily focus on one goal or task. People often use them to explore novel emotions or desires – either as a form of self-exploration, or decadent entertainment. Sorcerers also make use of appropriate mirror-wraiths as messengers to other mirrors, spies to peer through mirrors, scouts into the mirror-world, or for other esoteric tasks.

Skills: Area Knowledge (other side)
Advantages: Insubstantiality (affect substantial, usually on, 128 pts), Possession (spiritual, access only through reflections, sense-based sight, 40 pts), See Invisible (15 pts)
Disadvantages: Dependency (common, -10 pts), Easy to Read (-10 pts), Obsession (-10 pts), Low Empathy (-10 pts), Magic Susceptibility -3 (only vs. reflective magic, -5 pts)

--Kakita Kojiro

=====The Capture and Care of Mirror Wraiths=====
''So you finally caught a mirror wraith in the crystal caves, or perhaps you inherited one with you new Wizard tower. The first question you have to ask yourself is, what is the nature and possibilities of your new boon/problem. The key to understanding the Wraith is that, first, you cannot grasp the motives of an entity focused on one desire. If it is vanity, your wife will certainly look better for awhile, or your husband might head to the spas more, but eventually they may not be the person you fell in love with. If it is anger, well, lets just say that is easier to notice. The key to keeping a Mirror Wraith is a careful and regular mixture of emotions. If well fed, the Wraith can act as a useful source of information, advice and potential favors. The more affuent among you may even have a crystal tree sapling. Now I know your asking youself "why can I not just feed that Anger Wraith to my crystal tree, whats the problem?" Just look to the first shattering. The Crystal trees are clear because they are given only the purest of souls. A wraith is a twisted shard of a person. One aspect of the whole. Feed a Crystal tree this and you have a real problem on your hands. How do you suppose these laws came into being my good sir. The ruins of the Immaculate Concave make it clear. A crystal tree fed an unwilling supplicant or an impure soul, one who has fear in its heart, or one with hate or spite, will warp the trees into those strange obsidian trees that litter the ruins. Those glass valleys in the deserts of Hubris were once cities of great power, now they are only places without even grass. The madness that comes from these places can be prevented by you. Remember, only you can prevent shatterings.''

--stephen_dean

====Mirror-Wights====

A mirror-wights is much like a normal person's reflection, but of a normal person who had never existed to cast that reflection, but it is rather like a person otherwise. Albeit one that is probably left-handed and writes backwords in mirror-writing. But they can often be hired for work in this world, and blithly ignore mirror wards and suchlike, so they make good spies and thieves.

--Kakita Kojiro

==Spirit World of Diaphane: the Invisible World==

One does not enter the spirit world of [[Diaphane]] -- the Invisible World is already here, all around us, unnoticed and imperceptible. The spiritual enlightenment of Diaphane allows its inhabitants to perceive, somewhat, the Invisible World around them. True masters interact with the Invisible World as though it were the natural world -- and may, in time, fade away completely into the Invisible World (as their city's founder is said to have done). The inhabitants of the Invisible World are considered full citizens of Diaphane, causing much confusion and peril to outsiders to whom they do not even exist.

====Invisibles, the Neighbors====

''It is said that the poor of Diaphane leave their newborn children outside overnight, in case the Neighbors might take them off to a better life. It has never occurred so, but they remain hopeful.''

''“Why are the Neighbors perilous? Once, in the times between the Shatterings, a foolish philosopher asked a question that offended them. In a fit of pique, they tied invisible bells to the tails of every cat in Diaphane. The unceasing cacophony drove everyone – and the cats! – near mad. Eventually the foolish philosopher was able to bare his heart to the Neighbors, to demonstrate there was no malice therein. It was a gruesome enough solution, but it mollified the Neighbors. Contrite for the city’s lost cats, the Neighbors gifted Diaphane with the glass cats. Some lucky families still inherit the small and invisible bells, which fortunately do not bother the glass cats one whit.”''

The spirit inhabitants of the Invisible World in Diaphane are considered full citizens of the city. They are called the Neighbors there, and cause much confusion and peril to outsiders to whom they do not even exist. They are invisible and intangible, live in palaces that are invisible and intangible, and go about their inscrutable business without interacting or apparently noticing the material world around them. When they do notice, they occasionally give strange and wondrous gifts to people, on a whim or following their own inscrutable wisdom. Other times – particularly if offended – they punish people by plaguing them with invisible maladies.

Most people imagine the Neighbors as merely invisible people. Pellucid magic reveals the truth hidden behind outer appearance, and to those that can truly perceive beyond their outer invisibility, the Neighbors are highly variable. The perception of their appearance seems to correspond with the activities they are engaged in. One who is ignoring humans may seem human but with no face, or may seem to be made of crystal revealing pale organs within. One who is observing humans may seem humanoid but instead of a head have a giant eyeball as its face, or may seem human but with hundreds of eyes all over its body. One who is interacting with or trading with humans may have six or seven arms, or speak from mouths in its hands. It is also not easy to identify one from another, as each Neighbor may appear completely different when encountered again.

Despite the perils of dealing with the Invisibles, there are also temptations to do so. They will occasionally agree to trades, taking intangibles such as ideas or memories or dreams, and giving wonders seemingly made of glass or crystal but with magical properties. No one dares cheat the Neighbors on such deals, and it is said that they always get the best of the bargain.

Skills: Area Knowledge (invisible world), Occult (spirits), Thaumatology (reflective magic)
Advantages: Insubstantiality (affect substantial, always on, 120 pts), Invisibility (can carry objects, extended, substantial only, 40 pts), See Invisible (15 pts)
Disadvantages: Cannot Speak (mute, accessibility to See Invisible, ), Colorblindness (-10 pts), Loner (-5 pts), Magic Susceptibility -3 (only vs. pellucid magic, -5 pts), Contrary (-1 pt), Staid (-1 pt)

--Kakita Kojiro

==Spirit World of Iridos: Yingarna==

The spirit realm of [[Iridos]] is accessible through natural rainbows, artificial rainbows, and colored glass.

--shanoxilt

To enter the spirit world from [[Iridos]], one does so through prisms and rainbows... or one would, if one could survive being fragmented into a rainbow of primary spirit-selves. This is considered a humane manner of execution in Iridos, however, so murderers and other heretics are refracted into rainbows, which are then harvested for use. There are a host of strange entities there -- infra- and ultra-colors unseeable by human eyes -- and they all tend to be rather monomaniacal. But it is difficult to exploit this spirit world; you can look, but it's difficult to touch. The scitalis and simorgh emigrated from there, however, so color sages still seek the means to enter safely.

--Kakita Kojiro

====Specters====

Executed criminals whose spirit-selves are not harvested become seven ghosts. These ghosts are fragments of the individual's personality. They share a weakly unified consciousness. They wander Iridos, yearning for wholeness. These ghosts are known as "spectres".

--shanoxilt

After the criminal's death by fragmentation, his or her spectres remain corporeal for one hour. Once that hour has ended, the spectres can never again physically manifest. Harvesters must rapidly capture and process the spectres.

Despite numerous vain attempts, no magic can join the seven souls of a spectre. Only their struggles for peace and unity will unite the souls. This is the source of their pain and the reason for their hauntings.

--shanoxilt

Advantages
doesn't breath [20], doesn't eat or drink [10], doesn't sleep [20], duplication (7 souls; always on -10%; shared resources -40%) [123]; hyperspectral vision [25]; immunity to metabolic hazards [30]; insubstantiality (always on -50%) [40]; invisibility (switchable +10%) [44]; telecommunication (telesend: vague -50%; racial -20%) [9]
Disadvantages
amnesia (partial) [-10] ; confused [-10]; obsession [-10]

--shanoxilt

==Spirit World outside the cities==

Despite their belief in spirits, very few nomads, including shamans, have actually seen a spirit. In the wilds, away from themed cities, spirits are felt as presences. The Wandering Peoples listen with shocked disbelief, when they hear tales of mirror-wights and doppelgangers.

Ghosts, however, have been seen by the Wandering Peoples. As former humans, ghosts do not have the strange habits of spirits. Some shamans suspect that ghosts can not choose their forms as spirits do.

--shanoxilt

Away from the cities, the borders to the spirit world are more fixed, and the spirit world there may shift from the Other Side to the Shadow World or the Invisible World -- or may be a mix of all. There are shamans in the wilds who have a smattering of lore, enough to peer into reflective pools, or see invisible spirits, or perform other tricks considered petty and mundane in the cities. However they are the only ones away from civilization capable of dealing with the escape of a rogue mirror-wight, or of tracking a shadow-beast, or of exorcising an unseeable color.

The followers of the [[Religions|Clear Prophet]] have speculated that a spirit may change its nature if taken from, say, Iridos to Narcissus -- but the only entities capable of answering that question, the invisible citizens of Diaphane, were gravely offended to be asked it, and the questioner disappeared soon thereafter.

Amidst the ruins of the [[other kingdoms|Thousand Flowing Waters]], there is no spirit world of any sort, of course. It was eaten or corroded by the undead in ages long past. There, mirrors are only mirrors, shadows only shadows -- unless one of the [[Religions|Empty Masters]] or a [[Religions|vampire]] is around...

To enter the spirit world of the [[Religions|Cult of the Opaque]], one does so through shadows -- but only particular shadows, special ones formed by the intersection of specific geometries under specific illumination patterns. Most of these have been discovered by accident (when someone goes missing, having accidentally fallen into the Shadow World), but are recorded and kept secret by the Cult of the Opaque. Shadows and opaque things glow there, whereas the sun is black. Spirit entities of the Shadow World seem to be regular creatures, plants, and objects -- but their essential properties are exaggerated. There are apparently no strange entities as there are in the other spirit worlds (e.g., mirror-wraiths, color spirits, etc.)

--Kakita Kojiro

====Ghosts====

Unlike spectres, normal ghosts do not have fragmented souls. The seven souls of a ghost are completely integrated. A spectre may become a ghost, if it can ever manage to unify its souls. Normal ghosts appear as the white ghosts of traditional ghost stories.

--shanoxilt

Spirit world

2008-05-07T05:12:28Z

Kakita Kojiro:

Spirit world

2008-05-07T05:11:43Z

Kakita Kojiro: reorganized - added additional information

Iridos

2008-05-07T05:03:59Z

Kakita Kojiro:

=Iridos, Spectrum City=

Also called Spectrum City, the City of Rainbows. Built of materials colored in any hue that matches the faction of the district that they are built within – red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, or violet.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

Many young artists rejected the idea of colorless crystal and achromic speculums. They wanted some color! Mainstream artisans chided them for their foolish fads. They felt the amateur creations had gaudy hues and... opacity!

The avante-garde formed Spectrum City, a community of rejected artists who categorize everything by colors.

-- by shanoxilt

Spectrum City is not very old. Despite this, the older and/or more conservative citizens have begun to establish regulations and guidelines. Some Spectrum citizens are dismayed, and even enraged, by this hypocrisy. Spectrum City was founded on free-spirited ideals of creativity and non-conformity!

On each side of the city is a large, public area where all the colors freely mix. In these two places, one may find beautiful mosaics and murals. There are markets that sell dyes, make-up, paints, and stained glass. One may, also, spot people who have painted their bodies.

-- by shanoxilt

The people of Spectrum City have recently invented stained glass and shadow puppet theatres.

-- by shanoxilt

==History==

[[Diaphane]] usually attempts to claim credit for the achievements of Iridos. They assert that they split the light of inspiration to reveal a spectrum of creativity. In the past, Diaphane and Narcissus did experience a few periods of animosity and conflict. These conflicts were mercifully brief events.

-- by shanoxilt

The truth of the matter has been carefully purged from the histories of [[Diaphane]]. The founding of Iridos had its origin during the Second Shattering. In that time, new advances had been made in tinting glass with vivid hues. New buildings and wonders were made, all of stained and colored glass, and the City of Glass took on translucent hues.

This led to great debates in the [[Diaphane|Crystalline Agora]], as citizens argued that the hues were a perversion of true Translucence. Eventually rabble-rousers whipped mobs of citizens into a frenzy, leading to the destruction of the colored glass in the Second Shattering. The surviving proponents accepted exile under the guise of founding the colony that became Iridos. The records, of course, were purged for the good of all.

The ruined Stained Quarter of [[Diaphane]] was never rebuilt. But it is still inhabited by squatters and the poor, since the broken shards there did not fracture the spirits of the Invisible World as they did in the other places of [[Cities_of_glass_history|Shattering]]. No spirit-storms of invisible shards occur there to strip flesh from bone as they do at the other Shattered places. There are rumors, though, that the seed of the chromatic tree was first found in the Stained Quarter...

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==Cityscape==

Technically, Spectrum City is not so much a city as it is a suburban, gated community. There are seven streets. Each street is color coordinated to correspond to the seven colors of the rainbow (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet). Every house is some hue, tint, or shade of the appropriate color.

The citizens of Red Street, Yellow Street, and Blue Street have a sense of superiority because red, yellow, and blue are the primary colors. Every other street is merely a secondary color, so their neighbors are obviously second class citizens.

-- by shanoxilt

==Geography==

Iridos was founded on a large Island to the South of the Two Cities, in an area famous for its wild flowers and natural rainbows.

-- by stephen_dean

==Culture==

The city is governed democratically, with one faction elected every seven years that is then responsible for running the civic bureaucracy and arranging for civic works. Each faction has its militia, but they often become unruly mobs protesting when another faction is in power.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

In Iridos, there is a small collective of artists who use psychedelic drugs. They claim that they view images of kaleidoscopic wonder. Their paintings are certainly a testament to such visions. It is suspected that they have a terrarium full of colorful, hallucinogenic frogs.

-- by shanoxilt

====The Festival of All Colors====
This holiday was popular in the time up to the Second Shattering, but has fallen to the status of minor festival in [[Diaphane]], while becoming the major annual celebration in Iridos. The Festival is celebrated as the means to enter communion with all the hues.

Food is the focus of the festival, but it is a specific, day-long meal. In each course of the meal, the foods served are always of one dominant color. In Iridos, there are seven full courses. The red course is bloody meats and pomegranite wine. The orange course is tomatos, gourds, orange fruits and their juices. The yellow course is grains and yellow wine. The green course is herbs and leafy vegetables, and bitter absinthe to drink. The blue course is pale seafood, and if poorly prepared is often poisonous (an ill omen, indeed). The indigo course is purple fruits and vegetables -- grapes, aubergines -- and purple wine. The violet course is edible flowers, violets and others with hues of deepest purple.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==Colony Cities==

===Ophalle, sapling colony city===

The only colony city of Iridos was originally established to harvest nacre and pearls from ocean shells. The sea harvesting settlement became a full colony when deposits of opals were discovered in the surrounding Eastern Mountains. The fledgling colony was named Ophalle after the inrush of prospectors and miners to exploit this mineral find. The city is outgrowing its infrastructure faster than new building can be planned, and so instead of the clean division of color as seen in Iridos, in Ophalle there is haphazard juxtaposition of all colors and materials. Mother-of-pearl and opal inlay is obviously the most-favored for decoration, but anything goes – including recent imports of multicolored stained glass from Diaphane.

Ophalle has become a lawless boomtown, and with democratic Iridos unable even agree on imposing any control, the various collective associations of fishermen and miners have a free hand in the city. Although new opal discoveries have been less frequent, another inrush of disaffected or hopeful youth, philosophers, and cultists have begun arriving in the city. The multicolored streets are full of people haranguing or proselytizing in favor of polychromatism, opacity, translucency, or even the clarity of the Clear Prophet. Merchants are moving in to exploit these new arrivals, and both annoy the various collective associations.

Occupations: Diver, Fisherman, Miner, Sailor, Architect, Painter, Merchant
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (Ophalle), Boating, Jeweler, Prospecting, Fishing, Swimming
Social Background: Cultural Familiarity (1 pt., Iridos), Glossa (native language), Literacy
Suggested Quirks: Dreamer, Imaginative, Responsive
Sample Contact Groups: Fishing Collective, Mining Collective
Suggested Spells: Change Color, Block Perception, See Clearly
Rumor: “In the absence of control by Iridos, the navarch of Diaphane is determined annex Ophalle into the Diaphane hegemony. The formidable, crystal-prowed warships of Diaphane are a common sight in the Ophalle harbor, and under orders from the canny navarch, they have subtly blocked the worst excesses of the collectives. Many in Ophalle therefore look favorably on the crystal navy’s presence, and it is possible that Diaphane might be invited to intervene to prevent the infighting and exploitation in Ophalle – which is exactly as the navarch has planned.”

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==Magic==

Spectrum Magic will also reveal a person's aura. The aura reveals many things concerning a subject. It will reveal their personality, their state of mental health, their state of physical health, their soul's health, whether the subject is mundane or otherwise, and it suggests their thematic affiliation.

-- by shanoxilt

====Chromatic Magic====

The Spectrum youth follow a path that is perpendicular to the other three. Color, variety and creativity characterize their newly-develping magics. They can create false illusions, yes. But they also can perform transformations like mud into porcelin or caterpillar into butterfly.

The magic of the Spectrum youth is avant-garde and iconoclastic: diverse, flexible and middle-way in both power and strength compared to the Twin Cities/barbarian axis.

-- by Glyptodont

Color, variety and creativity characterize newly-develping Chromatic Magic. It can create false illusions, yes. But it also can perform transformations like mud into porcelin or caterpillar into butterfly.
Spectrum Magic will also reveal a person's aura. The aura reveals many things concerning a subject. It will reveal their personality, their state of mental health, their state of physical health, their soul's health, whether the subject is mundane or otherwise, and it suggests their thematic affiliation.

-- by shanoxilt

mantra: “perception changes”

spirit-world: [[Spirit_world|Yingarna]]

tools: prisms, kaleidescopes

talent: Chromatic Magic (10 pts/level)

spells:
- ''identify exact color'' (IQ/Average)
- ''change color'' (IQ/Average)
- ''touch rainbow'' (IQ/Hard)
- ''see otherworldly colors'' (IQ/Hard, req. Chromatic Magic 1+)
- ''see auras'' (IQ/Hard, req. Chromatic Magic 1+) (note: allows diagnosis of physical, mental, spiritual, and magical health of a person)
- ''see past visible spectrum'' (IQ/Very Hard, req. Chromatic Magic 2+, at least one other chromatic spell)
- ''see many possible futures'' (IQ/Very Hard, req. Chromatic Magic 3+, at least three other chromatic spells)
- ''refract magic into colors'' (IQ/Hard, req. Chromatic Magic 2+) (note: changes magical attacks into harmless rainbows)
- ''cause natural metamorphosis'' (IQ/Very Hard, req. Chromatic Magic 4+, at least four other chromatic spells) (note: effects such as changing a caterpillar into a butterfly)
- ''cause unnatural metamorphosis'' (IQ/Very Hard, req. Chromatic Magic 5+, cause natural metamorphosis, at least five other chromatic spells) (note: effects such as changing a human into a butterfly)
- ''change color'' (IQ/Very Hard, req. Chromatic Magic 5+, cause unnatural metamorphosis)
note: using chromatic magic to enter the [[Spirit_world|spirit-world]] is generally fatal, as far as is known.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====Auras and the Colors of Souls====

The philosophers of Iridos have proved that humans have seven souls, each of a different color. This is demonstrated each time a criminal is sentenced to death by prism, when his soul is refracted into seven colors, which are recovered for use. The seven souls are as follow (“lower souls” are toward the red end of the spectrum, “higher souls” toward the violet end):

red – soul that gives you desires

orange – soul that keeps you alive

yellow – soul that gives you a self (personality, ego)

green – soul that integrates your other souls

blue – soul that allows you to think (sentience, id)

indigo – soul that gives you a reflection and shadow

violet – soul that interacts with the spirit-world

When an adept of chromatic magic looks at a person’s aura, they see the colors of his or her souls. It is the nuances in subtle shades of these colors that allow a chromatic adept to learn about that person. The exact tincture of the orange soul reveals a person’s health. The exact tincture of the indigo soul reveals whether the person is under the effects of magic. The exact tincture of the violet soul reveals what type of magic, if any, the person practices. Undead seem to lose their higher and lower souls, as all merge into one soul of utter black.

Beings of [[Spirit_world|Yingarna]] may not have all of these souls – or they may have other souls of colors that would be unnatural in humans. Infrared souls that may allow life to be created or restored. Ultraviolet souls that may allow interaction with higher planes of existence.

Chromatic adepts make use of specters that are solitary souls of one color, whether they originate as facets refracted off a human soul, or spirit entities captured in the wild.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

Spirit world

2008-05-07T05:02:08Z

Kakita Kojiro:

==The Crystal Trees==

There exist large, holy trees with-in the center of the solar temples that produce a clear strong sap, that when flowing can be shaped to produce a very strong and durable building material, however, the trees are a rare species needing a special environment, for instance a large greenhouse. These trees provide the materials to build the soaring cities and supports for the most opulent of buildings. This comes at a price however, as the trees require certain...sacrifices to produce the necessary quantities.

The highest priest in the tallest, clearest tower hear the required sacrifices in the sound of the chimes or in the play of a rainbow across the clear play of water. The Ancient trees, clear of all pigment, made of a strange material halfway between this world and the other, needs to feed on that rarest of materials, the soul. This is the clearest truth the universe offers, and to extract it requires a diligence and steady hand. The Mirror wraiths are the result of this going wrong, but it succeeds, then the trees grow, whispering secrets and producing the materials to let the cities thrive. The price is growing however, as more young men and woman disappear from the edges of the alleys. It is said that some trees develop certain taste, and others will consume the souls of things strange than people. The most anceint tree is said to require the soul of a god, and it grows hungry.

At the heart of each of the five factions there are the crystal trees, that serve as the holy grove of each faith. Initially a very rare species of plant based on silicon and growing at a relativly slow rate, these trees serve as the perfect ideal, a living creation in tune with the spirit and the body. These trees originally grew only in the spirit world, but a few were brought over to the other side of the glass and planted. As has been written before, these trees feed on the souls and spirits of the world to survive and grow, and take on the characteristics of its diet.
(think NWOD spirits, but only for these special trees.) Every city of any note will have a grove of these trees, and the richest citizens may have a small sapling or even a small orchard. The largest city's have ancient trees that have stood for hundreds, even thousands of years, if the sages are to right. The shadows cast are rainbows and each of the four fold paths trees correspond to the ideal of the location. The four subspecies are all offshoots of the original tree, lost somewhere in the spirit world, and if ever found, would allow for the creation of another path. It is because of this that many seek it, and few ever glimpse even a hint of the thing. The void, the great darkness, that which consumes and stifles, is not a tree but a shadow. It is the missing parts or pieces of creation, or lost paths and forgotten dreams. Some say the darkness is truth, and that the light can blind, and it is for this heresy that they are blinded, to forever follow the crooked path they choose, and to be ever denied the joys of the four paths.

--stephen_dean

The spirit tree of [[Iridos]] has an opalescent trunk, iridescent branches, and leaves of every possible color.

--shanoxilt

====Sacrificing====

Many outsiders look to the practice of raising the Sacrifices to feed the crystal trees as an evil act, and say that this path follows towards the void. many make comparisons to the Hollow men and other nefarious groups. However consider for a moment the life of an A future sacrifice. A young mother already has six children, and the seventh happens to have white hair, red eyes and is sensitive to the sun. Rather than suffer a life of pain and squaller, the child is given to the Temple of Clarity to live a life of quiet study, preparation and luxury. Then, perhaps decades later, the child has become a master of an ideal, and willingly walks to be embraced by the world tree, knowing that her soul will guide the city for years. This noble sacrifice is not evil, no more than a soldier fighting the legions of the damned eating away the reality of the world. No, it is beautiful. Would you rather we did like those cities of brick and stone you speak of, and let the child starve in the streets instead? No, no-one starves in the city of Transparency.

====The Capture and Care of Mirror Wraiths.====

So you finally caught a mirror wraith in the crystal caves, or perhaps you inherited one with you new Wizard tower. The first question you have to ask yourself is, what is the nature and possibilities of your new boon/problem. The key to understanding the Wraith is that, first, you cannot grasp the motives of an entity focused on one desire. If it is vanity, your wife will certainly look better for awhile, or your husband might head to the spas more, but eventually they may not be the person you fell in love with. If it is anger, well, lets just say that is easier to notice. The key to keeping a Mirror Wraith is a careful and regular mixture of emotions. If well fed, the Wraith can act as a useful source of information, advice and potential favors. The more affuent among you may even have a crystal tree sapling. Now I know your asking youself "why can I not just feed that Anger Wraith to my crystal tree, whats the problem?" Just look to the first shattering. The Crystal trees are clear because they are given only the purest of souls. A wraith is a twisted shard of a person. One aspect of the whole. Feed a Crystal tree this and you have a real problem on your hands. How do you suppose these laws came into being my good sir. The ruins of the Immaculate Concave make it clear. A crystal tree fed an unwilling supplicant or an impure soul, one who has fear in its heart, or one with hate or spite, will warp the trees into those strange obsidian trees that litter the ruins. Those glass valleys in the deserts of Hubris were once cities of great power, now they are only places without even grass. The madness that comes from these places can be prevented by you. Remember, only you can prevent shatterings.

==The Nature of the Spirit World==

The spirit world forms, and conforms, according to the particular themes of any given place. Despite this, the goals and basic nature of the spirits and their world are the same in every themed location. Spirits percieve themes simply as a "wardrobe" in which to reveal themselves.

--shanoxilt

===Spirit World of Narcissus===

The Metropolis of [[Narcissus]] is stalked by creatures that live entirely in the reflected world, similar to our own but warped by mirrors of imperfect craftsmanship. The mirrors reflect the worst aspects of the person, or amply fears of the onlooker, and over time, feed a desire for perfection leading to strange alterations. A person can inadvertently become the city's namesake, looking helplessly as every flaw and fear are amplified, until slowly starving to death. The spirit of the person then roams the mirror world forever. The only known non-magical way protect oneself is to catch the creature with it's own reflection in a crystal of fine quality. The resulting crystals are used to power some of the more hidden aspects of the city.

The other world is the world of the reflection, a place embraced by the narcissistic faction and declared heresy by the other. It reveals truths, but ones that are altered or slightly warped, and is inhabited by things other than the mirror wraiths. It is not a true world, but rather like a shadow, existing only as a reflection, but can be used to travel great distances if one is willing to risk the passage from one mirror to another.

--stephen_dean

To enter the spirit world from [[Narcissus]], one does so through mirrors and reflections. Indeed, there are so many mirrors in Narcissus that the borders between worlds have grown thin -- it is possible to enter the Other Side easily, or for things from the Other Side to come through unaided. There are many wonders and horrors on the Other Side, though, which are exploited by the Mirror Fisheries. The mirror-fishers use silver fruits from the mirrortrees to bait their lines.

--Kakito Kojiro

===Spirit World of Iridos===

The spirit realm of [[Iridos]] is accessible through natural rainbows, artificial rainbows, and colored glass.

--shanoxilt

To enter the spirit world from [[Iridos]], one does so through prisms and rainbows... or one would, if one could survive being fragmented into a rainbow of primary spirit-selves. This is considered a humane manner of execution in Iridos, however, so murderers and other heretics are refracted into rainbows, which are then harvested for use. There are a host of strange entities there -- infra- and ultra-colors unseeable by human eyes -- and they all tend to be rather monomaniacal. But it is difficult to exploit this spirit world; you can look, but it's difficult to touch. The scitalis and simorgh emigrated from there, however, so color sages still seek the means to enter safely.

--Kakita Kojiro

Executed criminals whose spirit-selves are not harvested become seven ghosts. These ghosts are fragments of the individual's personality. They share a weakly unified consciousness. They wander Iridos, yearning for wholeness. These ghosts are known as "spectres".

--shanoxilt
===Spirit World of Diaphane===

One does not enter the spirit world of [[Diaphane]] -- the Invisible World is already here, all around us, unnoticed and imperceptible. The spiritual enlightenment of Diaphane allows its inhabitants to perceive, somewhat, the Invisible World around them. True masters interact with the Invisible World as though it were the natural world -- and may, in time, fade away completely into the Invisible World (as their city's founder is said to have done). The inhabitants of the Invisible World are considered full citizens of Diaphane, causing much confusion and peril to outsiders to whom they do not even exist.

===Spirit World outside the cities===

Away from the cities, the borders to the spirit world are more fixed, and the spirit world there may shift from the Other Side to the Shadow World or the Invisible World -- or may be a mix of all. There are shamans in the wilds who have a smattering of lore, enough to peer into reflective pools, or see invisible spirits, or perform other tricks considered petty and mundane in the cities. However they are the only ones away from civilization capable of dealing with the escape of a rogue mirror-wight, or of tracking a shadow-beast, or of exorcising an unseeable color.

The followers of the [[Religions|Clear Prophet]] have speculated that a spirit may change its nature if taken from, say, Iridos to Narcissus -- but the only entities capable of answering that question, the invisible citizens of Diaphane, were gravely offended to be asked it, and the questioner disappeared soon thereafter.

Amidst the ruins of the [[other kingdoms|Thousand Flowing Waters]], there is no spirit world of any sort, of course. It was eaten or corroded by the undead in ages long past. There, mirrors are only mirrors, shadows only shadows -- unless one of the [[Religions|Empty Masters]] or a [[Religions|vampire]] is around...

To enter the spirit world of the [[Religions|Cult of the Opaque]], one does so through shadows -- but only particular shadows, special ones formed by the intersection of specific geometries under specific illumination patterns. Most of these have been discovered by accident (when someone goes missing, having accidentally fallen into the Shadow World), but are recorded and kept secret by the Cult of the Opaque. Shadows and opaque things glow there, whereas the sun is black. Spirit entities of the Shadow World seem to be regular creatures, plants, and objects -- but their essential properties are exaggerated. There are apparently no strange entities as there are in the other spirit worlds (e.g., mirror-wraiths, color spirits, etc.)

--Kakita Kojiro

Cities of glass history

2008-05-05T03:20:55Z

Kakita Kojiro:

==History==

===The Great Darkness===

The Unknown time of the great Cataclysm, where the lost cities of the Ancients, and few records survive. All inquiries made to man, spirit, shadow and [[Narcissus|Mirror Fishers]] have are contradicting, and only fragments and pieces of a time of great wealth and understanding. What is agreed upon is that Fall was due to Hubris, and the lack of vigilance or piety led to the towers of stone and temples of half dream and spirit to fall into the sea. Some of the Spirits claim it was the great Glaciers weeping over the abandonment of the old ways of the hunt before man claimed the earth, who drowned the old ones cities. Others say it was the folly of man alone, or not at all, and that the world willed a cleaning for a new age to enter the world, for the age of wandering on the snow and blood on the stones, to the age of settled philosophy we have today. Regardless, the oldest of the [[Religions|Seven Sisters]] claim that the Lines of the Looms of fate spin from the birth of the Two Sisters, and that the before that, the only visions are of the seasons, the great Hunt, and shadows of the dead, speaking languages long lost to the mist of time, and the madness of the ancients. The Fragment we have we study and decipher, seeking clues to the fall, and secrets that lie hidden.

===Foundation of the Twin Cities===

====Year 300 Post-Darkness====
The City of [[Diaphane]] and [[Narcissus]] are formed by the Twin Sisters, the last of the Old Ones, who would not speak of their origins or their ancestors for the pain, and claiming a new world was to form. The Sisters spoke of Reflection and Introspection, truth and illusion. The Sisters could never agree, and formed separate Cities. Their secret Wisdom and guided those who gathered, and slowly the cities built themselves on the secret arts, and skills of planting. Tribute flowed from the wandering people who came to consult the oracles, and to hear whispered secrets from the gods, the Groves of [[spirit_world|the Crystal Trees]], and the relics of the lost Cities. It was here that the Secret lore was preserved and nurtured. The earliest records, on Crystal Tree sap cylinders speaks of the founding of the earliest magic paths, Cultivation and harvesting of crops, and the earliest [[Narcissus|Mirror-Fishers]] in shields of polished copper, and slabs of reflective stone. The largest were frozen pools of the clearest glacier Ice.

====Year 500 Post-Darkness====
Rise of the [[Religions|Blinded Cults]], the earliest tribute systems to the smaller communities for protection from the wandering peoples and predators, and the formation of the [[Diaphane|Invisible College]]. Establishment of the Sacrifice system, and codification of laws, and the first Flower Wars. Strengthening of trade links with the wandering tribes and the Twin Cities. Expansion of larger Mirror Fisheries, and the earliest glass works. The Agricultural revolution occurs and expands along the river valleys south and east, increasing wealth and status disparity in the Twin Cities versus surrounding tribes and city-states. Settlements made to the West and South.

===The First Shattering===

====Year 600 Post-Darkness====
Rise of the [[Religions|Hollow Men]] cults, first mirror-wraiths, expansion of Crystal Tree Gardens, seedlings and feeding for desired characteristics or artistic expression. Formation of the [[Other_kingdoms|Sandstone Empire]] in the [[Bachariko|Spice Kingdoms]] to the South due to a charismatic leader from the Western Desert leading his people to conquer the settled lands. A series of climactic changes leads to crop failures, a rebound of the large herds south, and the first major epidemics sweep through the trade routes, causing huge loss of life, and abandonment of outer settlements. Eventual rebuilding and resurgence from the Twin Cities occurs around unifying philosophy.

====Year 150 Post-Shattering====
Rise of larger scale glass making, reestablishment of the tributary system and Alliance of the Twin Cities. The development of wider ranging annual Flower Wars with less ceremony and more bloodshed, and prisoners to fuel the increasing needs of the expanding Cities fuels resentment of surrounding states. The First Renaissance as the Literary and Philosophical flowering occurs. Formation of the Seven Sisters and the Silent Brothers. The Trade system is expanded to further markets North and South, and the Twin Cities act as middlemen for products of the herdsman and wandering tribes to the North and West, and the [[Other_kingdoms|River Kingdoms]] and crumbling [[Other_kingdoms|Sandstone Empire]] to the southwest. Second Agricultural revolution as more species domesticated and trait selection instituted by the Twin Cities. Astronomy imported from the South, Astrology a popular diversion. Helot System developed for the settlements surrounding the Twin Cities and its environs, establishment of sapling cities radiating out along the trade routes.

===The Second Shattering===

====Year 200 Post-Shattering====
The Foundation of [[Iridos]] from schismatics and apostates of [[Diaphane]] on a large Island to the South of the Two Cities, in an area famous for its wild flowers and natural rainbows. The Second shattering is known as the Night of Broken Glass, and caused the Great Schism, where the Twin Cites began to compete, and [[Iridos]] aligned with [[Narcissus]] to outmaneuver [[Diaphane]]’s hold on the growing power of the middle kingdoms between the Crystal Cities and burgeoning lands of the south. The Second Conquest period, where the Flower Wars became wars of outright conquest, and the establishment of the First Crusade against the [[Religions|Hollow Ones]]. Rise of the Inquisitional arm of the [[Religions|Silent Brothers]], and the Founding of the Albino system. [[Iridos]] becomes the home of refugees, free-thinkers and radicals, and forms the [[Religions|Wanderers of the Waste]] as a method of assertion and winning the hearts and minds of surrounding kingdoms helots and farmers.

===The Third Shattering===

====Year 278 Post-Shattering====
Limited proxy war by the Twin Cities, sacking and looting of the outer cities and towns by the Wandering Tribes united under a charismatic leader called Shadowdancer. Civil War and the bloody Helot Revolts.

====Year 300 Post-Shattering====
First documented use of the [[Narcissus|Mirror Towers]], creation of the [[Diaphane|Glass Golems]], heavy salvaging of Artifacts from the First Age, and the Formation of a Alliance by The Twin Cities of Glass and [[Iridos]]. Second Great Crusade launched against the Hollow Men. Purging of [[Spirit_world|Mirror-Wraiths]] and darker magic’s from ruins and settlements. Use of Total war tactics to defeat the Hordes of Shadowdancer, leading to the creation of the glass Storms as crystal trees are fed corrupted anger and pain wraiths to create shard storms lead to a costly victory. Heavy use of conscripts and levies to fuel crusade and expansion. The Collapse of the second [[Other_kingdoms|Sandstone Empire]] in the South Leads to the formation of the great game in the spice lands with the resulting three factions. Overseas contact for trade made. Construction of the Mirror and Sun Towers, and the [[Diaphane|Crystal Globe]]. Overextension and Hubris lead to costly wars in the outer regions of [[Bachariko]].

===The Great Purge===

====Year 343 Post-Shattering====
Patterns of behavior are codified into teaching and paths, establishment of the Glass Watchers in the City of [[Diaphane]], expansion of the list of Capital crimes, and a codex of behavior and unified law formed for the City-State and its Client States. However, due to expansion of the Wandering people North and over the Grasslands to the West, Expansion ceased. The Herdsman and settles of the Northern Mountains and Highlands throw off the shackles of the Helot system, and a general loosening of the grip on the client states leads due to weak rulers and political maneuvers. [[Religions|Hollow Man]] cults found and expunged by the [[Religions|Silent Brotherhood]], expansion of Monasteries and membership in [[Bachariko]] and among the Regents and Liege-kings of the Cities of Glass.

===Time of Clarity===

====Year 409 Post-Shattering====
One-Hundred Year Golden Age of rebuilding, philosophical flowering and a second Renaissance of Art and literature, Music and physical and Mental discipline. The Refinement and Codification of the Magic systems by the [[Diaphane|Invisible College]], and flowering of understanding of the physical and [[Spirit_world|Spiritual World]]. Many public works projects, canals and wonders completed. An increase of tribute and a reaffirmation of the Helot System, conquest of the border regions that had slipped away, aside from the Northern Hills, whose people waged a generations long campaign of attrition and blood-feud to keep there own gods, and independence. Reestablishment of the Albino Cult, and building of the [[Diaphane|Great Aquarium]], and the signaling towers to communicate through-out the Lands of the Twin Cities. Lottery System implemented for wandering tribes as tribute for smaller areas, in exchange for freedom to move and trade with-in the Lands of the Twin Cities.

===The Slowly Falling Mirror, The Fog of Hubris===

====Year 500 Post-Shattering====
50 Year Period of a decline of Culture, the Establishment of the Rule of Ninety Kings in [[Bachariko]], and the further fragmentation of brittle alliances of the Middle Kingdoms leads to nearly perpetual war. The Great Herds move North as the Glaciers retreat, and with them the Wandering Peoples who still follow the old ways, the Three Cities fall to decadence and corruption. Flowering and Expanse of [[Iridos]] from a large town to a fledging City as it swells with settlers escaping the drying plains of the West, and the attacks of Hunters turned bandits as the herbs dwindled. [[Religions|Hollow Men]] cults infiltrated into several outlying city-states.

====Year 525 Post-Shattering====
The Current Age.

-by stephen_dean

==Prophecies of the Future==

'''''Q:''''' Is there any way to avoid such a horrific fate?

'''''A:''''' No, my son. The final shattering will happen. But if we are pious, and humble, we can convince the rider to stay his hammer for another season. Avert your eyes from the black birds when they come through on the sixth month and again on the ninth, do not share your secrets like those transparent fools, and do not wallow in your image like those reflective wretches. And every day pray to whatever gods you can that they may stay the rider's journey for another day.

'''The Black Rider'''

And on the seventh day of the seventh month from the setting sun will come the rider in black.

And he will be clad in a black robe, which billows and blows and obscures all the places he has ridden

And he will have black skin which smears and obscures all he touches

And he will have black eyes in which once light falls it can never return

And he will stop at the gates of the [[Diaphane|city of glass]]

And he will touch it, and the inhabitants will be blind to all the secrets once in the open

And he will stop at the gates of the [[Narcissus|city of mirrors]]

And he will touch it, and the inhabitants will be forced to see the things which are not themselves

And as the cities wallow in the black, he will turn around and look at the sun, and its light will cease to shine

And as the cities moan the loss of their light he will raise his black hammer

And he will shatter the world.

(Writings of the Mad Prophet Jalzad, ''The Final Shattering''.)

-- by Maltodextrin

'''The Black Steed'''

An old one eyed [[megafauna|Mammoth]], meaner and larger than any seen in this age

last survivor of a mighty great herds, wandering in search of a bloody feast

Jet Black fur and footsteps that freeze the earth and crackle the air, full of rage

with the sound of frost, he announces he is coming, screams of beast
His grunts and rage signal the end of the time, wars to wage

-- by stephen_dean

Cities of glass history

2008-05-05T01:51:45Z

Kakita Kojiro:

==History==

===The Great Darkness===

The Unknown time of the great Cataclysm, where the lost cities of the Ancients, and few records survive. All inquiries made to man, spirit, shadow and [[Narcissus|Mirror Fishers]] have are contradicting, and only fragments and pieces of a time of great wealth and understanding. What is agreed upon is that Fall was due to Hubris, and the lack of vigilance or piety led to the towers of stone and temples of half dream and spirit to fall into the sea. Some of the Spirits claim it was the great Glaciers weeping over the abandonment of the old ways of the hunt before man claimed the earth, who drowned the old ones cities. Others say it was the folly of man alone, or not at all, and that the world willed a cleaning for a new age to enter the world, for the age of wandering on the snow and blood on the stones, to the age of settled philosophy we have today. Regardless, the oldest of the [[Religions|Seven Sisters]] claim that the Lines of the Looms of fate spin from the birth of the Two Sisters, and that the before that, the only visions are of the seasons, the great Hunt, and shadows of the dead, speaking languages long lost to the mist of time, and the madness of the ancients. The Fragment we have we study and decipher, seeking clues to the fall, and secrets that lie hidden.

===Foundation of the Twin Cities===

====Year 300 Post-Darkness====
The City of [[Diaphane]] and [[Narcissus]] are formed by the Twin Sisters, the last of the Old Ones, who would not speak of their origins or their ancestors for the pain, and claiming a new world was to form. The Sisters spoke of Reflection and Introspection, truth and illusion. The Sisters could never agree, and formed separate Cities. Their secret Wisdom and guided those who gathered, and slowly the cities built themselves on the secret arts, and skills of planting. Tribute flowed from the wandering people who came to consult the oracles, and to hear whispered secrets from the gods, the Groves of [[spirit_world|the Crystal Trees]], and the relics of the lost Cities. It was here that the Secret lore was preserved and nurtured. The earliest records, on Crystal Tree sap cylinders speaks of the founding of the earliest magic paths, Cultivation and harvesting of crops, and the earliest [[Narcissus|Mirror-Fishers]] in shields of polished copper, and slabs of reflective stone. The largest were frozen pools of the clearest glacier Ice.

====Year 500 Post-Darkness====
Rise of the [[Religions|Blinded Cults]], the earliest tribute systems to the smaller communities for protection from the wandering peoples and predators, and the formation of the [[Diaphane|Invisible College]]. Establishment of the Sacrifice system, and codification of laws, and the first Flower Wars. Strengthening of trade links with the wandering tribes and the Twin Cities. Expansion of larger Mirror Fisheries, and the earliest glass works. The Agricultural revolution occurs and expands along the river valleys south and east, increasing wealth and status disparity in the Twin Cities versus surrounding tribes and city-states. Settlements made to the West and South.

===The First Shattering===

====Year 600 Post-Darkness====
Rise of the [[Religions|Hollow Men]] cults, first mirror-wraiths, expansion of Crystal Tree Gardens, seedlings and feeding for desired characteristics or artistic expression. Formation of the [[Other_kingdoms|Sandstone Empire]] in the [[Bachariko|Spice Kingdoms]] to the South due to a charismatic leader from the Western Desert leading his people to conquer the settled lands. A series of climactic changes leads to crop failures, a rebound of the large herds south, and the first major epidemics sweep through the trade routes, causing huge loss of life, and abandonment of outer settlements. Eventual rebuilding and resurgence from the Twin Cities occurs around unifying philosophy.

====Year 150 Post-Shattering====
Rise of larger scale glass making, reestablishment of the tributary system and Alliance of the Twin Cities. The development of wider ranging annual Flower Wars with less ceremony and more bloodshed, and prisoners to fuel the increasing needs of the expanding Cities fuels resentment of surrounding states. The First Renaissance as the Literary and Philosophical flowering occurs. Formation of the Seven Sisters and the Silent Brothers. The Trade system is expanded to further markets North and South, and the Twin Cities act as middlemen for products of the herdsman and wandering tribes to the North and West, and the [[Other_kingdoms|River Kingdoms]] and crumbling [[Other_kingdoms|Sandstone Empire]] to the southwest. Second Agricultural revolution as more species domesticated and trait selection instituted by the Twin Cities. Astronomy imported from the South, Astrology a popular diversion. Helot System developed for the settlements surrounding the Twin Cities and its environs, establishment of sapling cities radiating out along the trade routes.

===The Second Shattering===

====Year 200 Post-Shattering====
The Foundation of [[Iridos]] from schismatics and apostates of [[Diaphane]] on a large Island to the South of the Two Cities, in an area famous for its wild flowers and natural rainbows. The Second shattering is known as the Night of Broken Glass, and caused the Great Schism, where the Twin Cites began to compete, and [[Iridos]] aligned with [[Narcissus]] to outmaneuver [[Diaphane]]’s hold on the growing power of the middle kingdoms between the Crystal Cities and burgeoning lands of the south. The Second Conquest period, where the Flower Wars became wars of outright conquest, and the establishment of the First Crusade against the [[Religions|Hollow Ones]]. Rise of the Inquisitional arm of the [[Religions|Silent Brothers]], and the Founding of the Albino system. [[Iridos]] becomes the home of refugees, free-thinkers and radicals, and forms the [[Religions|Wanderers of the Waste]] as a method of assertion and winning the hearts and minds of surrounding kingdoms helots and farmers.

===The Third Shattering===

====Year 278 Post-Shattering====
Limited proxy war by the Twin Cities, sacking and looting of the outer cities and towns by the Wandering Tribes united under a charismatic leader called Shadowdancer. Civil War and the bloody Helot Revolts.

====Year 300 Post-Shattering====
First documented use of the [[Narcissus|Mirror Towers]], creation of the [[Diaphane|Glass Golems]], heavy salvaging of Artifacts from the First Age, and the Formation of a Alliance by The Twin Cities of Glass and [[Iridos]]. Second Great Crusade launched against the Hollow Men. Purging of [[Spirit_world|Mirror-Wraiths]] and darker magic’s from ruins and settlements. Use of Total war tactics to defeat the Hordes of Shadowdancer, leading to the creation of the glass Storms as crystal trees are fed corrupted anger and pain wraiths to create shard storms lead to a costly victory. Heavy use of conscripts and levies to fuel crusade and expansion. The Collapse of the second [[Other_kingdoms|Sandstone Empire]] in the South Leads to the formation of the great game in the spice lands with the resulting three factions. Overseas contact for trade made. Construction of the Mirror and Sun Towers, and the [[Diaphane|Crystal Globe]]. Overextension and Hubris lead to costly wars in the outer regions of [[Bachariko]].

===The Great Purge===

====Year 343 Post-Shattering====
Patterns of behavior are codified into teaching and paths, establishment of the Glass Watchers in the City of [[Diaphane]], expansion of the list of Capital crimes, and a codex of behavior and unified law formed for the City-State and its Client States. However, due to expansion of the Wandering people North and over the Grasslands to the West, Expansion ceased. The Herdsman and settles of the Northern Mountains and Highlands throw off the shackles of the Helot system, and a general loosening of the grip on the client states leads due to weak rulers and political maneuvers. [[Religions|Hollow Man]] cults found and expunged by the [[Religions|Silent Brotherhood]], expansion of Monasteries and membership in [[Bachariko]] and among the Regents and Liege-kings of the Cities of Glass.

===Time of Clarity===

====Year 409 Post-Shattering====
One-Hundred Year Golden Age of rebuilding, philosophical flowering and a second Renaissance of Art and literature, Music and physical and Mental discipline. The Refinement and Codification of the Magic systems by the [[Diaphane|Invisible College]], and flowering of understanding of the physical and [[Spirit_world|Spiritual World]]. Many public works projects, canals and wonders completed. An increase of tribute and a reaffirmation of the Helot System, conquest of the border regions that had slipped away, aside from the Northern Hills, whose people waged a generations long campaign of attrition and blood-feud to keep there own gods, and independence. Reestablishment of the Albino Cult, and building of the [[Diaphane|Great Aquarium]], and the signaling towers to communicate through-out the Lands of the Twin Cities. Lottery System implemented for wandering tribes as tribute for smaller areas, in exchange for freedom to move and trade with-in the Lands of the Twin Cities.

===The Slowly Falling Mirror, The Fog of Hubris===

====Year 500 Post-Shattering====
50 Year Period of a decline of Culture, the Establishment of the Rule of Ninety Kings in [[Barchariko]], and the further fragmentation of brittle alliances of the Middle Kingdoms leads to nearly perpetual war. The Great Herds move North as the Glaciers retreat, and with them the Wandering Peoples who still follow the old ways, the Three Cities fall to decadence and corruption. Flowering and Expanse of [[Iridos]] from a large town to a fledging City as it swells with settlers escaping the drying plains of the West, and the attacks of Hunters turned bandits as the herbs dwindled. [[Religions|Hollow Men]] cults infiltrated into several outlying city-states.

====Year 525 Post-Shattering====
The Current Age.

-by stephen_dean

==Prophecies of the Future==

'''''Q:''''' Is there any way to avoid such a horrific fate?

'''''A:''''' No, my son. The final shattering will happen. But if we are pious, and humble, we can convince the rider to stay his hammer for another season. Avert your eyes from the black birds when they come through on the sixth month and again on the ninth, do not share your secrets like those transparent fools, and do not wallow in your image like those reflective wretches. And every day pray to whatever gods you can that they may stay the rider's journey for another day.

'''The Black Rider'''

And on the seventh day of the seventh month from the setting sun will come the rider in black.

And he will be clad in a black robe, which billows and blows and obscures all the places he has ridden

And he will have black skin which smears and obscures all he touches

And he will have black eyes in which once light falls it can never return

And he will stop at the gates of the [[Diaphane|city of glass]]

And he will touch it, and the inhabitants will be blind to all the secrets once in the open

And he will stop at the gates of the [[Narcissus|city of mirrors]]

And he will touch it, and the inhabitants will be forced to see the things which are not themselves

And as the cities wallow in the black, he will turn around and look at the sun, and its light will cease to shine

And as the cities moan the loss of their light he will raise his black hammer

And he will shatter the world.

(Writings of the Mad Prophet Jalzad, ''The Final Shattering''.)

-- by Maltodextrin

'''The Black Steed'''

An old one eyed [[megafauna|Mammoth]], meaner and larger than any seen in this age

last survivor of a mighty great herds, wandering in search of a bloody feast

Jet Black fur and footsteps that freeze the earth and crackle the air, full of rage

with the sound of frost, he announces he is coming, screams of beast
His grunts and rage signal the end of the time, wars to wage

-- by stephen_dean

Other kingdoms

2008-05-03T02:34:51Z

Kakita Kojiro:

=Geography and Other Kingdoms=

The closest barbarian tribes are kept in check from the relatively defenseless cities by their deeply held religioius beliefs -- that the sorcerers of the Mirrored City can steal their souls should their reflection fall within their power. They obey and serve out of superstitious fear that the sorcerers will come for their souls, leaving them one of the living undead. None will go to the Mirrored City willingly if unblinded, and those taken there as servants are mourned as though dead -- even if they later return, they are regarded as unquiet ghosts, and driven away.

Although the tribes do not fear sorcery from the Crystal City, they avoid it too -- for it is thought that the inhabitants are the sorcerer's souls exiled from its sister-city, sent away as the price of the sorcerers' powers. This is well-known to be true, for it is said that mirrors are forbidden in the Crystal City because its inhabitants fear being captured by sorcerers once more.

--by Kakita Kojiro

==The Thousand Flowing Waters==

The Ruins of the [[cities of glass history|First Age]] are scattered throughout the world, however the Largest, most dangerous and best preserved Lies in the region known as the Thousand Flowing waters, a Marshland bordering the Ocean that stretches for miles, and littered with islands and estuaries. It is claimed to be where a thousand streams and rivers empty into. The Region is heavily grown over, inhabited by large [[megafauna|aquatic predators]], littered with ruins ranging from piles of sinking stone to well preserved towers, and inhabited by more ghost, shadows, and other things than any other place in the known world. It is also a place where shallow pools lead directly to the [[spirit world|Mirror lands]], and where time acts differently. Stories are told of brave or foolish youth looting the dead cities, and coming back to find everyone who remembered them being dead and gone, and there town unrecognizable. Others claim that the ruins are from the future, not the past. In all the tales, one detail is consistant, and that is that the Twin Sisters originated there, and that things are buried which can make a man wiser than his fellows, or a gibbering fool. The Major rivers are clear for travel, but going further than a few miles into the Tangled Jungle can lead to trouble. The region periodically floods, and many places are covered by the tide, or sink beneath the muck. Some however rise up and fall according to strange magics or half remembered commands from the long dead inhabitants. This Region is far to the East from the Civilized Cities, but the Twin cities do send teams of researchers and explorers to salvage what lore can be found. These are usually well armed, well supplied, and very specific in where they go. Those citizens with wanderlust or a thirst for adventure are drawn to these expeditions, and though dangerous, it a respected and rewarding field.

--by stephen_dean

The Four Cities are dotted like constellations along the intertwining trade routes that provide the raw materials, and are located on high points along the curving paths of great serpantine rivers that snake over a large plain. The Plains are dotted with canyons and cliffs, gradually becoming drier until the Western edges dry into sandy waste and inhabited by nomads and less definable entities. To the East lies the vast sea, clustered in the Marshes and Jungles by the Coast, and edged by mountains that catch the rainclounds, with large passes carved by rivers and edged with ruins. The rivers from the central highlands serve as flowing highways, and the Mountains where the herdsman and small villages of farmers each out an existance in the valleys and glens of the slopes of the towering mountains send forth there goods South. The southern plains stretch to meet the sea, and from this direction, tribute, spices, slaves and raw materials flow, as manufactured goods, cloth, and wonders of the craftsman of the cities are peddled south, and tribute North. The great carvavans, barges and cities to the south allow for large fortunes to gather, and decadence to thrive.

-by stephen_dean

===The Enkidi, people of the marshes===

A small group of villages and hamlets tucked away in the Marshes, near the center of the thousand flowing waters, and hidden in deep with-in ferns and brackish water, far up river. The Enkidu people prize concealment, and are masters of the use of poison blowguns and elaborate traps and deadfalls. They know there home well, and have tamed many species of birds to hunt and guard their watery homes. The people are few in number, and rarely interact with outsiders, outside of raids for slaves, loot or to preserve artifacts from the ruins. Their villages are built in the sinking remains of a large Stone ruins, or around statues with a rounded face of a god, half buried in the marshes, and one of the few large solid structures around to build on. They dress in a large number of bright feathers and fearsome masks, and are feared for there practice of taking the heads of their victims as trophies. They lack any shamans, and claim that magic is left for the Gods alone to know, and so guard the secrets of the ruins in their lands well. The villages are ringed with the severed heads of trespassers, and the beat of there drums they use to communicate with one another, and the shreik of their war cries fills the heart of the unwary exploreres of the region with fear. Those who encounter them are advised to avoid making sudden movements, and the best tools for bribery are any brightly colored fabrics or strong poisons. Some say they are led by an officer of an Iridos military unit sent to explore the region, who went native and is said to no longer be sane.

-- by stephen_dean

==Petty Kingdoms==

===Omphalo, sapling colony city===

Omphalo is a city of many religions. It was founded as the fortress city and headquarters of the Second Great Crusade, and still persecutes the forbidden cult of the Hollow Men. According to legend, this was also the birthplace of the Twin Sisters, and although scholars doubt the veracity, it is still a pilgrimage site for many people. In the time since the Second Great Crusade, other religious cults have come to the city for their own reasons. As have adventurers and scavengers, hoping to glean ancient wonders from the ruins in the marshes.

Each rainy season, Omphalo and the marshes flood when the seasonal rivers of the grasslands flow. Buildings in Omphalo are build on stilts, and during the flood season people get around by flat-bottomed boats. These same boats are used in the marshes as well. Although the city subsists off pilgrimage, it also produces a surplus of crops that require flooded fields. These crops are generally sold to one of the three northern cities. The crusaders of Omphalo have found patrolling the undead-haunted ruins of the Thousand Flowing Waters easier during the flood season, and so when the waters rise boats of armed Silent Brothers set forth for their sacred mission.

Occupations: Crusader, Priest, Boatman, Farmer, Fisherman
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (Omphalo), Boating, History, Religious Ritual, Theology, Occult (vampires)
Social Background: Cultural Familiarity (1 pt., Twin Cities), Glossa (native language), Literacy
Suggested Quirks: Careful, Code of Honor, Vow
Sample Contact Groups: Silent Brotherhood, Seven Sisters, Cult of the Opaque, other Cult
Suggested Spells: Sort Living from Undead (IQ/Average)
Rumor: “It is said that the Opaque Tree, the Tree of Many Shadows, the fourth and dark Crystal Tree, was discovered or hidden in Omphalo. The Cult of the Opaque has become very influential in Omphalo recently because so many of its followers have come to the city seeking their mystic tree.”

--Kakita Kojiro

===Heliade, tributary petty kingdom===

Heliade is known as the Amber Kingdom. It is located on the Pleione river, which flows from the south, and borders on the marsh ruins of the Thousand Flowing Waters. Its inhabitants scour the river and marshes for spells and spirits frozen in amber from ancient times. These talismans are valuable wealth for trade, and Heliade is often subject to tribute to one of the three great cities of the north. Occasionally they go to war over this imposition of tribute, but although their archers are armed with devastating amber-tipped arrows, they are no match for the sorcery of the three cities on the battlefield.

Heliade magicians take dross amber and make use of it in many ways. It is dissolved into amber lacquer that hardens their armor against danger. It is used to trap images within, that may be seen at any time by peering into the amber. It is also melted down and gathered into vats of molten amber – through which, they hope to peer into the spirit-world. There is a belief in Heliade that there is another Crystal Tree – this one, of amber, weeping jewels – and the Heliades believe that if it is found, their city will rise to preeminence.

Occupations: Ambergleaner, Archer, Flower-Warrior, Lapidiary, Merchant, Amberwright
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (Heliade), Bow, Current Affairs, Jeweler, Occult (amber)
Social Background: Heliadic (native language), Glossa (accented language), Literacy
Suggested Quirks: Dreamer, Obsessions (amber), Thin-Skinned*
Suggested Spells: Capture Image In Amber (IQ/Average), Smelt Amber (IQ/Hard)
Rumor: In Heliade they have learned to enter the spirit-world through vats of molten amber. Therein they say the spirit-world is upside-down; you walk upside-down with the ground above your feet and the sky below your head. However, they have not discovered how to leave the spirit-world, and as the amber hardens, the explorer is trapped, entombed alive in a block of amber, upside-down.

--Kakita Kojiro

===Astomo, tributary petty kingdom===

Astomo is called the Mute Kingdom, for long ago it was ruled by priest-kings whose lips were ritually sewn shut. It is still ruled by their inheritors, holy men known as Voices, whose lips are also sewn shut. Astomo lies on the borders of the Thousand Flowing Waters, and believe themselves to be the proper heirs of the ancient civilization that lies in ruins there. The people of Astomo are fascinated by the ancient ruins, and most will study some aspect of the ruins at some time in their life.

The Voices who rule Astomo do so by religious decree. There are a bewildering variety of subsects, all with teachings that confuse outsiders who cannot determine if they are philosophies or religions. As with the priest-kings of old, the Voices have their lips ritually sewn shut. Their ritual asceticisms allow them to survive without the need for food or drink, and to speak without speech, among other wonders.

Occupations: Archaeologist, Interpreter
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (Astomo), Gesture, History, Linguistics, Stealth, Hidden Lore (ancients)
Social Background: Glossa (native language), Backaric (broken language), Literacy
Suggested Advantages: Silence
Suggested Quirks: Cautious, Humble, Obsessions (ancients)
Sample Contact Groups: Sect
Rumor: “The old mouthless priest-kings of Astomo were, in fact, heretical offshoots of the Hollow Men. The Voices who still rule Astomo keep this secret carefully guarded, lest fanatic crusaders hear of it and Astomo be destroyed.”

--Kakita Kojiro

===Pharsus, tributary petty kingdom===

This is the Land of Masks, between the rivers Cephissus and Maiandro, near to the Thousand Flowing Waters. After their coming-of-age, each adult here has at least two special masks, which they wear at all times. Each mask has its own identity and personality – it is the mask that is considered to be the real person, not the body that the mask is wearing. Each mask may have a different job, different spouse and family, different friends, and always different dress and mannerisms. If crimes are committed, it is the mask that is punished or destroyed. And sometimes one mask will fall sick or die, while the others continue on unaffected. Should all of an inhabitant’s masks be lost or destroyed, he or she becomes only another faceless foreigner.

Foreigners can become very confused in Pharsus, believing that they have met someone because they recognize the body, and not realizing that they must be introduced to the new mask. Of course, the people of Pharsus will politely ignore the presence of anyone with a naked face, so outsiders must learn to wear masks if they wish to be acknowledged – and to not change masks, lest they be regarded as a completely different person. Interestingly, Pharsus became a satrapy of the Narcissus hegemony voluntarily after being astounded by the first emissary from Narcissus, who donned a mirror as her mask.

Although they have been a satrapy of Narcissus for centuries, the inhabitants of Pharsus practice no magic of any kind – other than their masking. In some way that baffles magicians, the mask is the person, and any magic affects only the mask – and that magic ends when the mask is removed. Most of the masks of Pharsus are styled after birds or beasts, and mask styles tend to be similar by profession. Generally, a newly-made adult will receive one mask from each parent, but children of important people will be given additional masks by other sponsors.

Occupations: Boatman, Fisherman, Farmer, Maskmaker
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (Pharsus), Acting, Body Language, Fishing, Mimicry (speech), Masking (IQ/Very Hard)
Social Background: Pharsic (native language), Glossa (accented language), Literacy
Suggested Quirks: Personality Change, Staid, Incompetence (magic skills)
Sample Contact Groups: Sponsors
Advantages: Pharsic Mask (Magic Resistance – access requires mask, -10%)
Rumor: “The people of Pharsus claim that they and the Enkidi are distantly related, even though their languages are dissimilar and the Enkidi do not acknowledge any kinship. However, it is known that while the Enkidi will indeed take the heads of trespassers from Pharsus, their masks are always sent back even though the heads are kept.”

-- by Kakita Kojiro
==The Western Mountains and the Deserts of the West==

The Huge birds, such as the [[megafauna|Thunderbirds]], are the scavengers of the Western Deserts and grasslands, and use the gust from the mountains to range over the vast undalating plains in search of the many beast that wander its relativly untouched expanses. The varied terrain is home to vast herds of [[megafauna|gigantic Bison]], the Forest along the Mountains to stranger beast still. However the numbers are thin near the cities, and grow the further afield one goes. The Mountains to the West are the largest in the Known world, and the other side is an area explored at the peril of the unwary, do to the vast spaces inhabited by huge creatures of myth and legend, some claim to be larger than the armored beast that wander the waste. The reason for the lack of habitation is due to the low population following the devastating fall of the previous empires in the past, and the frequent wars between the city-states. The attachment of many people to there principle city-state or ideal, or the threat of strange conditions has led many to stay in the civilized regions, rather than risk expanding to the terrain of the tribes of head-hunters and beast riders beyond the Mountains. It is through the collective resources of the Cities that the walls, pits, and special huntsman keep the lands and tradeways safe. However, recent droughts and a change in climate are causing some stange beast and raider to prey at the edges of the Twin Cities, and the many smaller city-states. For now, these have not been signifigent, however, rumors are spreading of tribes beyond the mountains who ride great beast, and are forming an Empire of the wandering bands to pillage the glittering wealth of the settled peoples. These are rumors however, and cartomancers are exploring to add to the [[Diaphane|Crystal Globe]], to see if these shadows of truth are to be trusted.

-by stephen_dean

===The Sandstone Empire===

As is commonly known, the Sandstone Empire was formed from a series of bordering regions and Kingdoms set between the Spice Kingdoms to the South, and the Twin Cities to the North. While many of the neighboring peoples submitted or were aligned to one of the two spheres of influence, it was the Sandstone region that developed the strange system of a militarized mode of life, and the selection of the majority of it's population for the pursuit of war, and eventually conquest.

The origins of it's founder, a man whose name is lost to history, can be traced to around 600 Years post Darkness. It is known he commanded a group of refugees from the West, a group of soldiers who claimed to be remnants of a large force from the Far West, across a sea, where monuments of stone stood over a city of sleeping elders, dead kings and courts held in perfumed wrapping and served for all eternity, and a great city grew, the largest in all the world, a paradise that faced cataclysm, as the very earth rebelled against them. The strangers swept aside opposition as wheat before a sickle, and subdued the villages and towns of a wide swath of territory, wearing scales of strange metal, in wheeled carts pulled by strange beast.

They enslaved all around them, and expanded their holding with each harvest, more and more land and water beneath there banners, more sons and daughters toiling to create the stone temples where they lay there dead, to sleep until their city rose again. The cities were placed in the dry west, where the earth turns to dust, and sand becomes stone, stone sand. The slaves watched well however, and the helot revolts began first in their lands. All the master's were slaughtered in their beds, their legions of overseers and slave soldiers united in a vision of equality, one night of blood wiping out their rule in the Night of Bitter Waters.

The resulting state, called the Second empire, and the Beggar's empire, was founded on a view of equality through work, a collective society where children and property were to the state, all males were trained to be warriors, and wars were fought to free helots and slaves of the master's lash in all directions. This led to the misguided policy of attacking all slave owners, and getting involved in providing sanctuary and arms in foreign entanglements. The collapse of the 2nd Sandstone Empire in the South can be linked to alliances with the barbarian peoples and complicity in the helot revolts in The Twin Cities at 300 years post shattering. The resulting collapse of the Beggar's Empire, as it was known at the time, and the decree to purge it's mention from from all records following it's cleansing during the second crusade, as well as serving as the sight of the larger battles of the barbarian wars, led to it's decline to it's current state.

Now a poor region of dry lands, burnt and looted ruins of cities, and mud walled sullen villages where the proud decedents of the survivors of that time still scorn the civilized peoples. The are rumors that the so called Seven Legions, who fled west rather than be enslaved again, and who are said to have created a refuge for escaped slaves and helots. Many whisper that the day may come when helots go west, to a new city, where all men walk equal before the other. The bleached bones of that path are well known, so only the truly down trodden make the attempt.

-- by stephen_dean

==Barbarian Tribes==

===The Bammenides, nomadic barbarian tribe===

The Bammenides are one of the nomadic barbarian tribes of the northern taiga. They live on the edges of the northern glaciers. They are known as the “painted men” to the Twin Cities, because they tattoo their bodies, faces, and hands in bright colors. They tend small herds of [[Megafauna|dire elk]], from which they get milk, meat, fur – and most importantly, transportation. Their dire elk are domesticated and trained to pull sleighs large enough to transport an entire Bammenide family and all their goods. Their clans migrate south in spring and summer to graze and mate their herds. As rivers freeze and snow covers the ground, they migrate north and stay the winter snowbound, keeping the herds safe from the hungry predators of the south. In spring many clans gather in huge meetings to mate their herds; this is when the Bammenides trade with outsiders. In winter they live in homes built of snow, while their herds are hidden in sheltered valleys with some vegetation, or forage brought by their herders.

Shamans of the Bammenides work their magic through wands of many kinds. Each shaman has an assortment of wands of antler, bone, or wood, which must be carefully chosen for each specific purpose. Most shamans eagerly trade for wands made of metal from civilization. One of the few spells that shamans need no wand for are their eating magics. When someone in their clan suffers bad luck, or is afflicted by illness, or haunted by ghosts, the clan’s shaman will ritually consume the offending spirit. They can often scare off troublesome spirits with demonstrations of their eating prowess, by eating stones and other formidable things.

Occupations: Herder, Hunter, Trader, Warrior, Shaman
Suggested Skills: Animal Handling, Area Knowledge (tundra), Driving (sleigh), Spear, Survival, Tracking, Occult (spirits)
Social Background: Low TL, Bammenic (native language), Illiteracy
Suggested Quirks: Likes (metal), Humble, Uncongenial
Sample Contact Groups: Clan, Warrior Lodge
Suggested Spells: Eat Anything (IQ/ Hard, req. Shamanic Magic 1+), Eat Ghost (IQ/Very Hard, req. Shamanic Magic 3+)
Rumor: “The slow retreat of the northern ice and its gradual melting has gradually forced the Bammenides away from their ancestral summer and winter lands. Their herds do not thrive in the warming lands, and the remaining cold lands are too barren. The herds do not grow, and so more and more young men become warriors to gain wealth and status – while the defenses of Narcissus and Diaphane are in decline. If they join with other wandering tribes, a barbarian horde may bring the next Shattering from the north…”

--Kakita Kojiro

===The Makhlyes, nomadic barbarian tribe===

The Makhlyes are one of the nomadic barbarian tribes of the western grasslands. Their ancestors followed [[Megafauna|thunder beast]] herds, but the great herds from ancient times are no more, and only solitary beasts survive now. They now follow [[Megafauna|hornbeast]] herds across the grasslands. They are frequent trading partners with the Twin Cities, bartering furs and hides, ivory and horn, in return for civilized goods. Every few generations their warriors band together with other barbarian tribes and raid and pillage into civilized lands.

The shamans of the Makhlyes are known as Inverts because they live their lives as the opposite gender. Because of this, they are regarded as spirits by their people – and also regarded as spirits by spirits. Once each year in the spring, all the hunters will dress as the opposite gender as well, for the sacred Inverse Hunt. Their magic allows the hunters to hunt the now-extinct herds of megafauna as though they still roamed the grasslands. The hunters bring back much meat and many trophies from an Inverse Hunt, but every year one hunter does not return from the hunt. Because of these strange customs, people of the Twin Cities think that all Makhlyes change genders, and take precautions against touching them, lest this is contagious.

Occupations: Hunter, Trader, Warrior, Invert
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (grasslands), Mimicry (animal sounds), Spear Thrower, Stealth, Survival, Tracking, Occult (spirits)
Social Background: Low TL, Makhlyic (native language), Illiteracy
Suggested Quirks: Broad-Minded, Responsive, Tolerant* (not bothered by quirks)
Sample Contact Groups: Clan, Warrior Lodge
Suggested Spells: Hunt Megafauna Ghosts (IQ/Average) (note: penalties if not an Inverse Hunt), Change Gender (IQ/Very Hard, req. Invert, Shamanic Magic 4+)
New Advantage: Invert (5 pts., live as opposite gender, spirits react as though you were a spirit yourself)
Rumor: “The Makhlyes say that when one of the Inverts goes on a spiritquest and returns of the opposite gender, that he or she has not really returned at all. Instead she or he has been replaced by a spirit, that will pretend to be the Invert for the rest of its life, until it pretends to die and returns to the spirit-world.”

--Kakita Kojiro

===The Gorgades, nomadic barbarian tribe===

The Gorgades are one of the nomadic barbarian tribes of the distant steppes to the west of the grasslands and mountains. They are known as the “hairy ones” to most outsiders, because they do not cut their hair. When meeting strangers, they also veil their eyes with their hair so as to not make eye contact, and they will also not look into mirrors. They claim that all these taboos protect them from spirits – and, curiously, they believe that the inhabitants of the Twin Cities are actually spirits who lie about their true natures. They rarely trade with the Twin Cities, but their leather goods often make their way east through trade with other barbarian tribes (such as the Makhlyes).

They have actually domesticated herds of [[Megafauna|megafauna]], and roam the steppes to move their herds to new grazing. Each clan in the tribe typically has its own type of megafauna that it specialized in. Clans often take the opportunity to raid the herds of other clans while nearby, to eat some of their enemies’ beasts instead of their own. Their shamans wear headdresses of the skull and hides of their clan’s beast, and generally know a very odd assortment of spells.

Occupations: Herder, Hunter, Raider, Trapper, Shaman
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (steppes), Animal Handling, Bow, Knife, Leatherworking, Survival, Occult (spirits)
Social Background: Low TL, Gorgadic (native language), Illiteracy
Suggested Quirks: Uncongenial, Vow (do not cut hair, do not look into eyes or mirrors), Unhygienic* (does not bathe)
Sample Contact Groups: Clan, Warrior Lodge
Suggested Spells: Find New Forage (IQ/Average), Foretell Weather (IQ/Average)
Rumor: “Gorgades are not actually human – they are abhumans who were once used as servants by the ancients. They escaped back into the wild after the downfall of the ancients, and still fear civilized men.”

--Kakita Kojiro

===The Nethsras, nomadic barbarian tribe===

The Nethsras are one of the nomadic barbarian tribes of the western Steppe Wastes. They range further west and south than many other tribes, and so while only rumors to the Twin Cities, are better known in the Spice Kingdoms. They specialize in hunting hornbeasts with bolas from ambush. Their clans roam following the hornbeast herds, living in well-hidden temporary camps. Although they have joined barbarian hordes in times past, they are generally peaceful and not warlike, and usually maintain good relations with neighboring tribes.

It is an oddity that the Nethsras have no shamans among them, and claim they are never troubled by ghosts. This is because, they say, all Nethsras are the same souls of all the Nethsras who ever were, and those souls reincarnate as Nethsras after their death. They know exactly how many Nethsras souls there are, and each clan tells the others of deaths so that they know which souls to look for when new children are born. In times when their birthrates fall below deathrates, though, they must send scouts to nearby tribes, and even into civilized lands, seeking the newborn children that have souls from their tribe. Once identified, the scouts either buy (from other barbarian tribes) or steal (from civilized lands) these newborns and return them to their true people. The worst thing for Nethsras is when their birthrates rise above deathrates – for children born then will be born soulless. In such times it is traditional for the Nethsras to seek some pretext to go to war, so that there will be souls for the newborns.

Some Nethsras do seem able to recover fragments of past lives – although most never progress beyond achieving strong paramnesia sensations. These hints of past lives are usually cherished and encouraged, so Nethsras may seem erratic and mercurial to outsiders. The few who do manage to recover memories of past lives are the Awakened Ones. They are capable of astounding skills, but must struggle with sorting through a confusing mix of memories and personalities that have no context in their present life. Scouts sent to find wayward reborn souls are always young Awakened Ones.

Occupations: Gleaner, Hunter, Scout, Awakened One
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (steppes), Autohypnosis, Bolas, Camouflage, Stealth, Survival, Forbidden Lore (soul recognition)
Social Background: Low TL, Nethsric (native language), Illiteracy
Suggested Quirks: Delusions (past lives), Likes, Personality Change
Sample Contact Groups: Clan, Past Life
Suggested Advantages: Reawakened (10 pts) (note: may use to learn Blind Fighting, Body Control, Breath Control, Invisibility Art, Light Walk), Split Personality (-15 pts)
Rumor: “Most of the Awakened Ones of the Nethsras are aware that their numbers are slowly dwindling, as each generation a few reborn souls are never recovered. They believe that someone has stolen their secrets of soul rebirth, and so polluted the way to rebirth such that some souls simply become lost in being reborn. They have heard of the distant Twin Cities, and plan to send scouts there to search for reborn Nethsras souls, to bring back, or to kill if they are too old to bring back.”

-- by Kakita Kojiro

Other kingdoms

2008-05-03T02:33:35Z

Kakita Kojiro:

=Geography and Other Kingdoms=

The closest barbarian tribes are kept in check from the relatively defenseless cities by their deeply held religioius beliefs -- that the sorcerers of the Mirrored City can steal their souls should their reflection fall within their power. They obey and serve out of superstitious fear that the sorcerers will come for their souls, leaving them one of the living undead. None will go to the Mirrored City willingly if unblinded, and those taken there as servants are mourned as though dead -- even if they later return, they are regarded as unquiet ghosts, and driven away.

Although the tribes do not fear sorcery from the Crystal City, they avoid it too -- for it is thought that the inhabitants are the sorcerer's souls exiled from its sister-city, sent away as the price of the sorcerers' powers. This is well-known to be true, for it is said that mirrors are forbidden in the Crystal City because its inhabitants fear being captured by sorcerers once more.

--by Kakita Kojiro

==The Thousand Flowing Waters==

The Ruins of the [[cities of glass history|First Age]] are scattered throughout the world, however the Largest, most dangerous and best preserved Lies in the region known as the Thousand Flowing waters, a Marshland bordering the Ocean that stretches for miles, and littered with islands and estuaries. It is claimed to be where a thousand streams and rivers empty into. The Region is heavily grown over, inhabited by large [[megafauna|aquatic predators]], littered with ruins ranging from piles of sinking stone to well preserved towers, and inhabited by more ghost, shadows, and other things than any other place in the known world. It is also a place where shallow pools lead directly to the [[spirit world|Mirror lands]], and where time acts differently. Stories are told of brave or foolish youth looting the dead cities, and coming back to find everyone who remembered them being dead and gone, and there town unrecognizable. Others claim that the ruins are from the future, not the past. In all the tales, one detail is consistant, and that is that the Twin Sisters originated there, and that things are buried which can make a man wiser than his fellows, or a gibbering fool. The Major rivers are clear for travel, but going further than a few miles into the Tangled Jungle can lead to trouble. The region periodically floods, and many places are covered by the tide, or sink beneath the muck. Some however rise up and fall according to strange magics or half remembered commands from the long dead inhabitants. This Region is far to the East from the Civilized Cities, but the Twin cities do send teams of researchers and explorers to salvage what lore can be found. These are usually well armed, well supplied, and very specific in where they go. Those citizens with wanderlust or a thirst for adventure are drawn to these expeditions, and though dangerous, it a respected and rewarding field.

--by stephen_dean

The Four Cities are dotted like constellations along the intertwining trade routes that provide the raw materials, and are located on high points along the curving paths of great serpantine rivers that snake over a large plain. The Plains are dotted with canyons and cliffs, gradually becoming drier until the Western edges dry into sandy waste and inhabited by nomads and less definable entities. To the East lies the vast sea, clustered in the Marshes and Jungles by the Coast, and edged by mountains that catch the rainclounds, with large passes carved by rivers and edged with ruins. The rivers from the central highlands serve as flowing highways, and the Mountains where the herdsman and small villages of farmers each out an existance in the valleys and glens of the slopes of the towering mountains send forth there goods South. The southern plains stretch to meet the sea, and from this direction, tribute, spices, slaves and raw materials flow, as manufactured goods, cloth, and wonders of the craftsman of the cities are peddled south, and tribute North. The great carvavans, barges and cities to the south allow for large fortunes to gather, and decadence to thrive.

-by stephen_dean

===The Enkidi, people of the marshes===

A small group of villages and hamlets tucked away in the Marshes, near the center of the thousand flowing waters, and hidden in deep with-in ferns and brackish water, far up river. The Enkidu people prize concealment, and are masters of the use of poison blowguns and elaborate traps and deadfalls. They know there home well, and have tamed many species of birds to hunt and guard their watery homes. The people are few in number, and rarely interact with outsiders, outside of raids for slaves, loot or to preserve artifacts from the ruins. Their villages are built in the sinking remains of a large Stone ruins, or around statues with a rounded face of a god, half buried in the marshes, and one of the few large solid structures around to build on. They dress in a large number of bright feathers and fearsome masks, and are feared for there practice of taking the heads of their victims as trophies. They lack any shamans, and claim that magic is left for the Gods alone to know, and so guard the secrets of the ruins in their lands well. The villages are ringed with the severed heads of trespassers, and the beat of there drums they use to communicate with one another, and the shreik of their war cries fills the heart of the unwary exploreres of the region with fear. Those who encounter them are advised to avoid making sudden movements, and the best tools for bribery are any brightly colored fabrics or strong poisons. Some say they are led by an officer of an Iridos military unit sent to explore the region, who went native and is said to no longer be sane.

-- by stephen_dean

==Petty Kingdoms==

===Omphalo, sapling colony city===

Omphalo is a city of many religions. It was founded as the fortress city and headquarters of the Second Great Crusade, and still persecutes the forbidden cult of the Hollow Men. According to legend, this was also the birthplace of the Twin Sisters, and although scholars doubt the veracity, it is still a pilgrimage site for many people. In the time since the Second Great Crusade, other religious cults have come to the city for their own reasons. As have adventurers and scavengers, hoping to glean ancient wonders from the ruins in the marshes.

Each rainy season, Omphalo and the marshes flood when the seasonal rivers of the grasslands flow. Buildings in Omphalo are build on stilts, and during the flood season people get around by flat-bottomed boats. These same boats are used in the marshes as well. Although the city subsists off pilgrimage, it also produces a surplus of crops that require flooded fields. These crops are generally sold to one of the three northern cities. The crusaders of Omphalo have found patrolling the undead-haunted ruins of the Thousand Flowing Waters easier during the flood season, and so when the waters rise boats of armed Silent Brothers set forth for their sacred mission.

Occupations: Crusader, Priest, Boatman, Farmer, Fisherman
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (Omphalo), Boating, History, Religious Ritual, Theology, Occult (vampires)
Social Background: Cultural Familiarity (1 pt., Twin Cities), Glossa (native language), Literacy
Suggested Quirks: Careful, Code of Honor, Vow
Sample Contact Groups: Silent Brotherhood, Seven Sisters, Cult of the Opaque, other Cult
Suggested Spells: Sort Living from Undead (IQ/Average)
Rumor: “It is said that the Opaque Tree, the Tree of Many Shadows, the fourth and dark Crystal Tree, was discovered or hidden in Omphalo. The Cult of the Opaque has become very influential in Omphalo recently because so many of its followers have come to the city seeking their mystic tree.”

--Kakita Kojiro

===Heliade, tributary petty kingdom===

Heliade is known as the Amber Kingdom. It is located on the Pleione river, which flows from the south, and borders on the marsh ruins of the Thousand Flowing Waters. Its inhabitants scour the river and marshes for spells and spirits frozen in amber from ancient times. These talismans are valuable wealth for trade, and Heliade is often subject to tribute to one of the three great cities of the north. Occasionally they go to war over this imposition of tribute, but although their archers are armed with devastating amber-tipped arrows, they are no match for the sorcery of the three cities on the battlefield.

Heliade magicians take dross amber and make use of it in many ways. It is dissolved into amber lacquer that hardens their armor against danger. It is used to trap images within, that may be seen at any time by peering into the amber. It is also melted down and gathered into vats of molten amber – through which, they hope to peer into the spirit-world. There is a belief in Heliade that there is another Crystal Tree – this one, of amber, weeping jewels – and the Heliades believe that if it is found, their city will rise to preeminence.

Occupations: Ambergleaner, Archer, Flower-Warrior, Lapidiary, Merchant, Amberwright
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (Heliade), Bow, Current Affairs, Jeweler, Occult (amber)
Social Background: Heliadic (native language), Glossa (accented language), Literacy
Suggested Quirks: Dreamer, Obsessions (amber), Thin-Skinned*
Suggested Spells: Capture Image In Amber (IQ/Average), Smelt Amber (IQ/Hard)
Rumor: In Heliade they have learned to enter the spirit-world through vats of molten amber. Therein they say the spirit-world is upside-down; you walk upside-down with the ground above your feet and the sky below your head. However, they have not discovered how to leave the spirit-world, and as the amber hardens, the explorer is trapped, entombed alive in a block of amber, upside-down.

--Kakita Kojiro

===Astomo, tributary petty kingdom===

Astomo is called the Mute Kingdom, for long ago it was ruled by priest-kings whose lips were ritually sewn shut. It is still ruled by their inheritors, holy men known as Voices, whose lips are also sewn shut. Astomo lies on the borders of the Thousand Flowing Waters, and believe themselves to be the proper heirs of the ancient civilization that lies in ruins there. The people of Astomo are fascinated by the ancient ruins, and most will study some aspect of the ruins at some time in their life.

The Voices who rule Astomo do so by religious decree. There are a bewildering variety of subsects, all with teachings that confuse outsiders who cannot determine if they are philosophies or religions. As with the priest-kings of old, the Voices have their lips ritually sewn shut. Their ritual asceticisms allow them to survive without the need for food or drink, and to speak without speech, among other wonders.

Occupations: Archaeologist, Interpreter
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (Astomo), Gesture, History, Linguistics, Stealth, Hidden Lore (ancients)
Social Background: Glossa (native language), Backaric (broken language), Literacy
Suggested Advantages: Silence
Suggested Quirks: Cautious, Humble, Obsessions (ancients)
Sample Contact Groups: Sect
Rumor: “The old mouthless priest-kings of Astomo were, in fact, heretical offshoots of the Hollow Men. The Voices who still rule Astomo keep this secret carefully guarded, lest fanatic crusaders hear of it and Astomo be destroyed.”

--Kakita Kojiro

===Pharsus, tributary petty kingdom===

This is the Land of Masks, between the rivers Cephissus and Maiandro, near to the Thousand Flowing Waters. After their coming-of-age, each adult here has at least two special masks, which they wear at all times. Each mask has its own identity and personality – it is the mask that is considered to be the real person, not the body that the mask is wearing. Each mask may have a different job, different spouse and family, different friends, and always different dress and mannerisms. If crimes are committed, it is the mask that is punished or destroyed. And sometimes one mask will fall sick or die, while the others continue on unaffected. Should all of an inhabitant’s masks be lost or destroyed, he or she becomes only another faceless foreigner.

Foreigners can become very confused in Pharsus, believing that they have met someone because they recognize the body, and not realizing that they must be introduced to the new mask. Of course, the people of Pharsus will politely ignore the presence of anyone with a naked face, so outsiders must learn to wear masks if they wish to be acknowledged – and to not change masks, lest they be regarded as a completely different person. Interestingly, Pharsus became a satrapy of the Narcissus hegemony voluntarily after being astounded by the first emissary from Narcissus, who donned a mirror as her mask.

Although they have been a satrapy of Narcissus for centuries, the inhabitants of Pharsus practice no magic of any kind – other than their masking. In some way that baffles magicians, the mask is the person, and any magic affects only the mask – and that magic ends when the mask is removed. Most of the masks of Pharsus are styled after birds or beasts, and mask styles tend to be similar by profession. Generally, a newly-made adult will receive one mask from each parent, but children of important people will be given additional masks by other sponsors.

Occupations: Boatman, Fisherman, Farmer, Maskmaker
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (Pharsus), Acting, Body Language, Fishing, Mimicry (speech), Masking (IQ/Very Hard)
Social Background: Pharsic (native language), Glossa (accented language), Literacy
Suggested Quirks: Personality Change, Staid, Incompetence (magic skills)
Sample Contact Groups: Sponsors
Advantages: Pharsic Mask (Magic Resistance – access requires mask, -10%)
Rumor: “The people of Pharsus claim that they and the Enkidi are distantly related, even though their languages are dissimilar and the Enkidi do not acknowledge any kinship. However, it is known that while the Enkidi will indeed take the heads of trespassers from Pharsus, their masks are always sent back even though the heads are kept.”

-- by Kakita Kojiro
==The Western Mountains and the Deserts of the West==

The Huge birds, such as the [[megafauna|Thunderbirds]], are the scavengers of the Western Deserts and grasslands, and use the gust from the mountains to range over the vast undalating plains in search of the many beast that wander its relativly untouched expanses. The varied terrain is home to vast herds of [[megafauna|gigantic Bison]], the Forest along the Mountains to stranger beast still. However the numbers are thin near the cities, and grow the further afield one goes. The Mountains to the West are the largest in the Known world, and the other side is an area explored at the peril of the unwary, do to the vast spaces inhabited by huge creatures of myth and legend, some claim to be larger than the armored beast that wander the waste. The reason for the lack of habitation is due to the low population following the devastating fall of the previous empires in the past, and the frequent wars between the city-states. The attachment of many people to there principle city-state or ideal, or the threat of strange conditions has led many to stay in the civilized regions, rather than risk expanding to the terrain of the tribes of head-hunters and beast riders beyond the Mountains. It is through the collective resources of the Cities that the walls, pits, and special huntsman keep the lands and tradeways safe. However, recent droughts and a change in climate are causing some stange beast and raider to prey at the edges of the Twin Cities, and the many smaller city-states. For now, these have not been signifigent, however, rumors are spreading of tribes beyond the mountains who ride great beast, and are forming an Empire of the wandering bands to pillage the glittering wealth of the settled peoples. These are rumors however, and cartomancers are exploring to add to the [[Diaphane|Crystal Globe]], to see if these shadows of truth are to be trusted.

-by stephen_dean

===The Sandstone Empire===

As is commonly known, the Sandstone Empire was formed from a series of bordering regions and Kingdoms set between the Spice Kingdoms to the South, and the Twin Cities to the North. While many of the neighboring peoples submitted or were aligned to one of the two spheres of influence, it was the Sandstone region that developed the strange system of a militarized mode of life, and the selection of the majority of it's population for the pursuit of war, and eventually conquest.

The origins of it's founder, a man whose name is lost to history, can be traced to around 600 Years post Darkness. It is known he commanded a group of refugees from the West, a group of soldiers who claimed to be remnants of a large force from the Far West, across a sea, where monuments of stone stood over a city of sleeping elders, dead kings and courts held in perfumed wrapping and served for all eternity, and a great city grew, the largest in all the world, a paradise that faced cataclysm, as the very earth rebelled against them. The strangers swept aside opposition as wheat before a sickle, and subdued the villages and towns of a wide swath of territory, wearing scales of strange metal, in wheeled carts pulled by strange beast.

They enslaved all around them, and expanded their holding with each harvest, more and more land and water beneath there banners, more sons and daughters toiling to create the stone temples where they lay there dead, to sleep until their city rose again. The cities were placed in the dry west, where the earth turns to dust, and sand becomes stone, stone sand. The slaves watched well however, and the helot revolts began first in their lands. All the master's were slaughtered in their beds, their legions of overseers and slave soldiers united in a vision of equality, one night of blood wiping out their rule in the Night of Bitter Waters.

The resulting state, called the Second empire, and the Beggar's empire, was founded on a view of equality through work, a collective society where children and property were to the state, all males were trained to be warriors, and wars were fought to free helots and slaves of the master's lash in all directions. This led to the misguided policy of attacking all slave owners, and getting involved in providing sanctuary and arms in foreign entanglements. The collapse of the 2nd Sandstone Empire in the South can be linked to alliances with the barbarian peoples and complicity in the helot revolts in The Twin Cities at 300 years post shattering. The resulting collapse of the Beggar's Empire, as it was known at the time, and the decree to purge it's mention from from all records following it's cleansing during the second crusade, as well as serving as the sight of the larger battles of the barbarian wars, led to it's decline to it's current state.

Now a poor region of dry lands, burnt and looted ruins of cities, and mud walled sullen villages where the proud decedents of the survivors of that time still scorn the civilized peoples. The are rumors that the so called Seven Legions, who fled west rather than be enslaved again, and who are said to have created a refuge for escaped slaves and helots. Many whisper that the day may come when helots go west, to a new city, where all men walk equal before the other. The bleached bones of that path are well known, so only the truly down trodden make the attempt.

-- by stephen_dean

==Barbarian Tribes==

===The Bammenides, nomadic barbarian tribe===

The Bammenides are one of the nomadic barbarian tribes of the northern taiga. They live on the edges of the northern glaciers. They are known as the “painted men” to the Twin Cities, because they tattoo their bodies, faces, and hands in bright colors. They tend small herds of [[Megafauna|giant elk]], from which they get milk, meat, fur – and most importantly, transportation. Their giant elk are domesticated and trained to pull sleighs large enough to transport an entire Bammenide family and all their goods. Their clans migrate south in spring and summer to graze and mate their herds. As rivers freeze and snow covers the ground, they migrate north and stay the winter snowbound, keeping the herds safe from the hungry predators of the south. In spring many clans gather in huge meetings to mate their herds; this is when the Bammenides trade with outsiders. In winter they live in homes built of snow, while their herds are hidden in sheltered valleys with some vegetation, or forage brought by their herders.

Shamans of the Bammenides work their magic through wands of many kinds. Each shaman has an assortment of wands of antler, bone, or wood, which must be carefully chosen for each specific purpose. Most shamans eagerly trade for wands made of metal from civilization. One of the few spells that shamans need no wand for are their eating magics. When someone in their clan suffers bad luck, or is afflicted by illness, or haunted by ghosts, the clan’s shaman will ritually consume the offending spirit. They can often scare off troublesome spirits with demonstrations of their eating prowess, by eating stones and other formidable things.

Occupations: Herder, Hunter, Trader, Warrior, Shaman
Suggested Skills: Animal Handling, Area Knowledge (tundra), Driving (sleigh), Spear, Survival, Tracking, Occult (spirits)
Social Background: Low TL, Bammenic (native language), Illiteracy
Suggested Quirks: Likes (metal), Humble, Uncongenial
Sample Contact Groups: Clan, Warrior Lodge
Suggested Spells: Eat Anything (IQ/ Hard, req. Shamanic Magic 1+), Eat Ghost (IQ/Very Hard, req. Shamanic Magic 3+)
Rumor: “The slow retreat of the northern ice and its gradual melting has gradually forced the Bammenides away from their ancestral summer and winter lands. Their herds do not thrive in the warming lands, and the remaining cold lands are too barren. The herds do not grow, and so more and more young men become warriors to gain wealth and status – while the defenses of Narcissus and Diaphane are in decline. If they join with other wandering tribes, a barbarian horde may bring the next Shattering from the north…”

--Kakita Kojiro

===The Makhlyes, nomadic barbarian tribe===

The Makhlyes are one of the nomadic barbarian tribes of the western grasslands. Their ancestors followed [[Megafauna|thunder beast]] herds, but the great herds from ancient times are no more, and only solitary beasts survive now. They now follow [[Megafauna|hornbeast]] herds across the grasslands. They are frequent trading partners with the Twin Cities, bartering furs and hides, ivory and horn, in return for civilized goods. Every few generations their warriors band together with other barbarian tribes and raid and pillage into civilized lands.

The shamans of the Makhlyes are known as Inverts because they live their lives as the opposite gender. Because of this, they are regarded as spirits by their people – and also regarded as spirits by spirits. Once each year in the spring, all the hunters will dress as the opposite gender as well, for the sacred Inverse Hunt. Their magic allows the hunters to hunt the now-extinct herds of megafauna as though they still roamed the grasslands. The hunters bring back much meat and many trophies from an Inverse Hunt, but every year one hunter does not return from the hunt. Because of these strange customs, people of the Twin Cities think that all Makhlyes change genders, and take precautions against touching them, lest this is contagious.

Occupations: Hunter, Trader, Warrior, Invert
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (grasslands), Mimicry (animal sounds), Spear Thrower, Stealth, Survival, Tracking, Occult (spirits)
Social Background: Low TL, Makhlyic (native language), Illiteracy
Suggested Quirks: Broad-Minded, Responsive, Tolerant* (not bothered by quirks)
Sample Contact Groups: Clan, Warrior Lodge
Suggested Spells: Hunt Megafauna Ghosts (IQ/Average) (note: penalties if not an Inverse Hunt), Change Gender (IQ/Very Hard, req. Invert, Shamanic Magic 4+)
New Advantage: Invert (5 pts., live as opposite gender, spirits react as though you were a spirit yourself)
Rumor: “The Makhlyes say that when one of the Inverts goes on a spiritquest and returns of the opposite gender, that he or she has not really returned at all. Instead she or he has been replaced by a spirit, that will pretend to be the Invert for the rest of its life, until it pretends to die and returns to the spirit-world.”

--Kakita Kojiro

===The Gorgades, nomadic barbarian tribe===

The Gorgades are one of the nomadic barbarian tribes of the distant steppes to the west of the grasslands and mountains. They are known as the “hairy ones” to most outsiders, because they do not cut their hair. When meeting strangers, they also veil their eyes with their hair so as to not make eye contact, and they will also not look into mirrors. They claim that all these taboos protect them from spirits – and, curiously, they believe that the inhabitants of the Twin Cities are actually spirits who lie about their true natures. They rarely trade with the Twin Cities, but their leather goods often make their way east through trade with other barbarian tribes (such as the Makhlyes).

They have actually domesticated herds of [[Megafauna|megafauna]], and roam the steppes to move their herds to new grazing. Each clan in the tribe typically has its own type of megafauna that it specialized in. Clans often take the opportunity to raid the herds of other clans while nearby, to eat some of their enemies’ beasts instead of their own. Their shamans wear headdresses of the skull and hides of their clan’s beast, and generally know a very odd assortment of spells.

Occupations: Herder, Hunter, Raider, Trapper, Shaman
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (steppes), Animal Handling, Bow, Knife, Leatherworking, Survival, Occult (spirits)
Social Background: Low TL, Gorgadic (native language), Illiteracy
Suggested Quirks: Uncongenial, Vow (do not cut hair, do not look into eyes or mirrors), Unhygienic* (does not bathe)
Sample Contact Groups: Clan, Warrior Lodge
Suggested Spells: Find New Forage (IQ/Average), Foretell Weather (IQ/Average)
Rumor: “Gorgades are not actually human – they are abhumans who were once used as servants by the ancients. They escaped back into the wild after the downfall of the ancients, and still fear civilized men.”

--Kakita Kojiro

===The Nethsras, nomadic barbarian tribe===

The Nethsras are one of the nomadic barbarian tribes of the western Steppe Wastes. They range further west and south than many other tribes, and so while only rumors to the Twin Cities, are better known in the Spice Kingdoms. They specialize in hunting hornbeasts with bolas from ambush. Their clans roam following the hornbeast herds, living in well-hidden temporary camps. Although they have joined barbarian hordes in times past, they are generally peaceful and not warlike, and usually maintain good relations with neighboring tribes.

It is an oddity that the Nethsras have no shamans among them, and claim they are never troubled by ghosts. This is because, they say, all Nethsras are the same souls of all the Nethsras who ever were, and those souls reincarnate as Nethsras after their death. They know exactly how many Nethsras souls there are, and each clan tells the others of deaths so that they know which souls to look for when new children are born. In times when their birthrates fall below deathrates, though, they must send scouts to nearby tribes, and even into civilized lands, seeking the newborn children that have souls from their tribe. Once identified, the scouts either buy (from other barbarian tribes) or steal (from civilized lands) these newborns and return them to their true people. The worst thing for Nethsras is when their birthrates rise above deathrates – for children born then will be born soulless. In such times it is traditional for the Nethsras to seek some pretext to go to war, so that there will be souls for the newborns.

Some Nethsras do seem able to recover fragments of past lives – although most never progress beyond achieving strong paramnesia sensations. These hints of past lives are usually cherished and encouraged, so Nethsras may seem erratic and mercurial to outsiders. The few who do manage to recover memories of past lives are the Awakened Ones. They are capable of astounding skills, but must struggle with sorting through a confusing mix of memories and personalities that have no context in their present life. Scouts sent to find wayward reborn souls are always young Awakened Ones.

Occupations: Gleaner, Hunter, Scout, Awakened One
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (steppes), Autohypnosis, Bolas, Camouflage, Stealth, Survival, Forbidden Lore (soul recognition)
Social Background: Low TL, Nethsric (native language), Illiteracy
Suggested Quirks: Delusions (past lives), Likes, Personality Change
Sample Contact Groups: Clan, Past Life
Suggested Advantages: Reawakened (10 pts) (note: may use to learn Blind Fighting, Body Control, Breath Control, Invisibility Art, Light Walk), Split Personality (-15 pts)
Rumor: “Most of the Awakened Ones of the Nethsras are aware that their numbers are slowly dwindling, as each generation a few reborn souls are never recovered. They believe that someone has stolen their secrets of soul rebirth, and so polluted the way to rebirth such that some souls simply become lost in being reborn. They have heard of the distant Twin Cities, and plan to send scouts there to search for reborn Nethsras souls, to bring back, or to kill if they are too old to bring back.”

-- by Kakita Kojiro

Other kingdoms

2008-05-03T02:30:37Z

Kakita Kojiro: added Enkidi information

=Geography and Other Kingdoms=

The closest barbarian tribes are kept in check from the relatively defenseless cities by their deeply held religioius beliefs -- that the sorcerers of the Mirrored City can steal their souls should their reflection fall within their power. They obey and serve out of superstitious fear that the sorcerers will come for their souls, leaving them one of the living undead. None will go to the Mirrored City willingly if unblinded, and those taken there as servants are mourned as though dead -- even if they later return, they are regarded as unquiet ghosts, and driven away.

Although the tribes do not fear sorcery from the Crystal City, they avoid it too -- for it is thought that the inhabitants are the sorcerer's souls exiled from its sister-city, sent away as the price of the sorcerers' powers. This is well-known to be true, for it is said that mirrors are forbidden in the Crystal City because its inhabitants fear being captured by sorcerers once more.

--by Kakita Kojiro

==The Thousand Flowing Waters==

The Ruins of the [[cities of glass history|First Age]] are scattered throughout the world, however the Largest, most dangerous and best preserved Lies in the region known as the Thousand Flowing waters, a Marshland bordering the Ocean that stretches for miles, and littered with islands and estuaries. It is claimed to be where a thousand streams and rivers empty into. The Region is heavily grown over, inhabited by large [[megafauna|aquatic predators]], littered with ruins ranging from piles of sinking stone to well preserved towers, and inhabited by more ghost, shadows, and other things than any other place in the known world. It is also a place where shallow pools lead directly to the [[spirit world|Mirror lands]], and where time acts differently. Stories are told of brave or foolish youth looting the dead cities, and coming back to find everyone who remembered them being dead and gone, and there town unrecognizable. Others claim that the ruins are from the future, not the past. In all the tales, one detail is consistant, and that is that the Twin Sisters originated there, and that things are buried which can make a man wiser than his fellows, or a gibbering fool. The Major rivers are clear for travel, but going further than a few miles into the Tangled Jungle can lead to trouble. The region periodically floods, and many places are covered by the tide, or sink beneath the muck. Some however rise up and fall according to strange magics or half remembered commands from the long dead inhabitants. This Region is far to the East from the Civilized Cities, but the Twin cities do send teams of researchers and explorers to salvage what lore can be found. These are usually well armed, well supplied, and very specific in where they go. Those citizens with wanderlust or a thirst for adventure are drawn to these expeditions, and though dangerous, it a respected and rewarding field.

--by stephen_dean

The Four Cities are dotted like constellations along the intertwining trade routes that provide the raw materials, and are located on high points along the curving paths of great serpantine rivers that snake over a large plain. The Plains are dotted with canyons and cliffs, gradually becoming drier until the Western edges dry into sandy waste and inhabited by nomads and less definable entities. To the East lies the vast sea, clustered in the Marshes and Jungles by the Coast, and edged by mountains that catch the rainclounds, with large passes carved by rivers and edged with ruins. The rivers from the central highlands serve as flowing highways, and the Mountains where the herdsman and small villages of farmers each out an existance in the valleys and glens of the slopes of the towering mountains send forth there goods South. The southern plains stretch to meet the sea, and from this direction, tribute, spices, slaves and raw materials flow, as manufactured goods, cloth, and wonders of the craftsman of the cities are peddled south, and tribute North. The great carvavans, barges and cities to the south allow for large fortunes to gather, and decadence to thrive.

-by stephen_dean

===The Enkidi, people of the marshes===

A small group of villages and hamlets tucked away in the Marshes, near the center of the thousand flowing waters, and hidden in deep with-in ferns and brackish water, far up river. The Enkidu people prize concealment, and are masters of the use of poison blowguns and elaborate traps and deadfalls. They know there home well, and have tamed many species of birds to hunt and guard their watery homes. The people are few in number, and rarely interact with outsiders, outside of raids for slaves, loot or to preserve artifacts from the ruins. Their villages are built in the sinking remains of a large Stone ruins, or around statues with a rounded face of a god, half buried in the marshes, and one of the few large solid structures around to build on. They dress in a large number of bright feathers and fearsome masks, and are feared for there practice of taking the heads of their victims as trophies. They lack any shamans, and claim that magic is left for the Gods alone to know, and so guard the secrets of the ruins in their lands well. The villages are ringed with the severed heads of trespassers, and the beat of there drums they use to communicate with one another, and the shreik of their war cries fills the heart of the unwary exploreres of the region with fear. Those who encounter them are advised to avoid making sudden movements, and the best tools for bribery are any brightly colored fabrics or strong poisons. Some say they are led by an officer of an Iridos military unit sent to explore the region, who went native and is said to no longer be sane.

-- by stephen_dean

==Petty Kingdoms==

===Omphalo, sapling colony city===

Omphalo is a city of many religions. It was founded as the fortress city and headquarters of the Second Great Crusade, and still persecutes the forbidden cult of the Hollow Men. According to legend, this was also the birthplace of the Twin Sisters, and although scholars doubt the veracity, it is still a pilgrimage site for many people. In the time since the Second Great Crusade, other religious cults have come to the city for their own reasons. As have adventurers and scavengers, hoping to glean ancient wonders from the ruins in the marshes.

Each rainy season, Omphalo and the marshes flood when the seasonal rivers of the grasslands flow. Buildings in Omphalo are build on stilts, and during the flood season people get around by flat-bottomed boats. These same boats are used in the marshes as well. Although the city subsists off pilgrimage, it also produces a surplus of crops that require flooded fields. These crops are generally sold to one of the three northern cities. The crusaders of Omphalo have found patrolling the undead-haunted ruins of the Thousand Flowing Waters easier during the flood season, and so when the waters rise boats of armed Silent Brothers set forth for their sacred mission.

Occupations: Crusader, Priest, Boatman, Farmer, Fisherman
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (Omphalo), Boating, History, Religious Ritual, Theology, Occult (vampires)
Social Background: Cultural Familiarity (1 pt., Twin Cities), Glossa (native language), Literacy
Suggested Quirks: Careful, Code of Honor, Vow
Sample Contact Groups: Silent Brotherhood, Seven Sisters, Cult of the Opaque, other Cult
Suggested Spells: Sort Living from Undead (IQ/Average)
Rumor: “It is said that the Opaque Tree, the Tree of Many Shadows, the fourth and dark Crystal Tree, was discovered or hidden in Omphalo. The Cult of the Opaque has become very influential in Omphalo recently because so many of its followers have come to the city seeking their mystic tree.”

--Kakita Kojiro

===Heliade, tributary petty kingdom===

Heliade is known as the Amber Kingdom. It is located on the Pleione river, which flows from the south, and borders on the marsh ruins of the Thousand Flowing Waters. Its inhabitants scour the river and marshes for spells and spirits frozen in amber from ancient times. These talismans are valuable wealth for trade, and Heliade is often subject to tribute to one of the three great cities of the north. Occasionally they go to war over this imposition of tribute, but although their archers are armed with devastating amber-tipped arrows, they are no match for the sorcery of the three cities on the battlefield.

Heliade magicians take dross amber and make use of it in many ways. It is dissolved into amber lacquer that hardens their armor against danger. It is used to trap images within, that may be seen at any time by peering into the amber. It is also melted down and gathered into vats of molten amber – through which, they hope to peer into the spirit-world. There is a belief in Heliade that there is another Crystal Tree – this one, of amber, weeping jewels – and the Heliades believe that if it is found, their city will rise to preeminence.

Occupations: Ambergleaner, Archer, Flower-Warrior, Lapidiary, Merchant, Amberwright
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (Heliade), Bow, Current Affairs, Jeweler, Occult (amber)
Social Background: Heliadic (native language), Glossa (accented language), Literacy
Suggested Quirks: Dreamer, Obsessions (amber), Thin-Skinned*
Suggested Spells: Capture Image In Amber (IQ/Average), Smelt Amber (IQ/Hard)
Rumor: In Heliade they have learned to enter the spirit-world through vats of molten amber. Therein they say the spirit-world is upside-down; you walk upside-down with the ground above your feet and the sky below your head. However, they have not discovered how to leave the spirit-world, and as the amber hardens, the explorer is trapped, entombed alive in a block of amber, upside-down.

--Kakita Kojiro

===Astomo, tributary petty kingdom===

Astomo is called the Mute Kingdom, for long ago it was ruled by priest-kings whose lips were ritually sewn shut. It is still ruled by their inheritors, holy men known as Voices, whose lips are also sewn shut. Astomo lies on the borders of the Thousand Flowing Waters, and believe themselves to be the proper heirs of the ancient civilization that lies in ruins there. The people of Astomo are fascinated by the ancient ruins, and most will study some aspect of the ruins at some time in their life.

The Voices who rule Astomo do so by religious decree. There are a bewildering variety of subsects, all with teachings that confuse outsiders who cannot determine if they are philosophies or religions. As with the priest-kings of old, the Voices have their lips ritually sewn shut. Their ritual asceticisms allow them to survive without the need for food or drink, and to speak without speech, among other wonders.

Occupations: Archaeologist, Interpreter
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (Astomo), Gesture, History, Linguistics, Stealth, Hidden Lore (ancients)
Social Background: Glossa (native language), Backaric (broken language), Literacy
Suggested Advantages: Silence
Suggested Quirks: Cautious, Humble, Obsessions (ancients)
Sample Contact Groups: Sect
Rumor: “The old mouthless priest-kings of Astomo were, in fact, heretical offshoots of the Hollow Men. The Voices who still rule Astomo keep this secret carefully guarded, lest fanatic crusaders hear of it and Astomo be destroyed.”

--Kakita Kojiro

===Pharsus, tributary petty kingdom===

This is the Land of Masks, between the rivers Cephissus and Maiandro, near to the Thousand Flowing Waters. After their coming-of-age, each adult here has at least two special masks, which they wear at all times. Each mask has its own identity and personality – it is the mask that is considered to be the real person, not the body that the mask is wearing. Each mask may have a different job, different spouse and family, different friends, and always different dress and mannerisms. If crimes are committed, it is the mask that is punished or destroyed. And sometimes one mask will fall sick or die, while the others continue on unaffected. Should all of an inhabitant’s masks be lost or destroyed, he or she becomes only another faceless foreigner.

Foreigners can become very confused in Pharsus, believing that they have met someone because they recognize the body, and not realizing that they must be introduced to the new mask. Of course, the people of Pharsus will politely ignore the presence of anyone with a naked face, so outsiders must learn to wear masks if they wish to be acknowledged – and to not change masks, lest they be regarded as a completely different person. Interestingly, Pharsus became a satrapy of the Narcissus hegemony voluntarily after being astounded by the first emissary from Narcissus, who donned a mirror as her mask.

Although they have been a satrapy of Narcissus for centuries, the inhabitants of Pharsus practice no magic of any kind – other than their masking. In some way that baffles magicians, the mask is the person, and any magic affects only the mask – and that magic ends when the mask is removed. Most of the masks of Pharsus are styled after birds or beasts, and mask styles tend to be similar by profession. Generally, a newly-made adult will receive one mask from each parent, but children of important people will be given additional masks by other sponsors.

Occupations: Boatman, Fisherman, Farmer, Maskmaker
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (Pharsus), Acting, Body Language, Fishing, Mimicry (speech), Masking (IQ/Very Hard)
Social Background: Pharsic (native language), Glossa (accented language), Literacy
Suggested Quirks: Personality Change, Staid, Incompetence (magic skills)
Sample Contact Groups: Sponsors
Advantages: Pharsic Mask (Magic Resistance – access requires mask, -10%)
Rumor: “The people of Pharsus claim that they and the Enkidi are distantly related, even though their languages are dissimilar and the Enkidi do not acknowledge any kinship. However, it is known that while the Enkidi will indeed take the heads of trespassers from Pharsus, their masks are always sent back even though the heads are kept.”

-- by Kakita Kojiro
==The Western Mountains and the Deserts of the West==

The Huge birds, such as the [[megafauna|Thunderbirds]], are the scavengers of the Western Deserts and grasslands, and use the gust from the mountains to range over the vast undalating plains in search of the many beast that wander its relativly untouched expanses. The varied terrain is home to vast herds of [[megafauna|gigantic Bison]], the Forest along the Mountains to stranger beast still. However the numbers are thin near the cities, and grow the further afield one goes. The Mountains to the West are the largest in the Known world, and the other side is an area explored at the peril of the unwary, do to the vast spaces inhabited by huge creatures of myth and legend, some claim to be larger than the armored beast that wander the waste. The reason for the lack of habitation is due to the low population following the devastating fall of the previous empires in the past, and the frequent wars between the city-states. The attachment of many people to there principle city-state or ideal, or the threat of strange conditions has led many to stay in the civilized regions, rather than risk expanding to the terrain of the tribes of head-hunters and beast riders beyond the Mountains. It is through the collective resources of the Cities that the walls, pits, and special huntsman keep the lands and tradeways safe. However, recent droughts and a change in climate are causing some stange beast and raider to prey at the edges of the Twin Cities, and the many smaller city-states. For now, these have not been signifigent, however, rumors are spreading of tribes beyond the mountains who ride great beast, and are forming an Empire of the wandering bands to pillage the glittering wealth of the settled peoples. These are rumors however, and cartomancers are exploring to add to the [[Diaphane|Crystal Globe]], to see if these shadows of truth are to be trusted.

-by stephen_dean

===The Sandstone Empire===

As is commonly known, the Sandstone Empire was formed from a series of bordering regions and Kingdoms set between the Spice Kingdoms to the South, and the Twin Cities to the North. While many of the neighboring peoples submitted or were aligned to one of the two spheres of influence, it was the Sandstone region that developed the strange system of a militarized mode of life, and the selection of the majority of it's population for the pursuit of war, and eventually conquest.

The origins of it's founder, a man whose name is lost to history, can be traced to around 600 Years post Darkness. It is known he commanded a group of refugees from the West, a group of soldiers who claimed to be remnants of a large force from the Far West, across a sea, where monuments of stone stood over a city of sleeping elders, dead kings and courts held in perfumed wrapping and served for all eternity, and a great city grew, the largest in all the world, a paradise that faced cataclysm, as the very earth rebelled against them. The strangers swept aside opposition as wheat before a sickle, and subdued the villages and towns of a wide swath of territory, wearing scales of strange metal, in wheeled carts pulled by strange beast.

They enslaved all around them, and expanded their holding with each harvest, more and more land and water beneath there banners, more sons and daughters toiling to create the stone temples where they lay there dead, to sleep until their city rose again. The cities were placed in the dry west, where the earth turns to dust, and sand becomes stone, stone sand. The slaves watched well however, and the helot revolts began first in their lands. All the master's were slaughtered in their beds, their legions of overseers and slave soldiers united in a vision of equality, one night of blood wiping out their rule in the Night of Bitter Waters.

The resulting state, called the Second empire, and the Beggar's empire, was founded on a view of equality through work, a collective society where children and property were to the state, all males were trained to be warriors, and wars were fought to free helots and slaves of the master's lash in all directions. This led to the misguided policy of attacking all slave owners, and getting involved in providing sanctuary and arms in foreign entanglements. The collapse of the 2nd Sandstone Empire in the South can be linked to alliances with the barbarian peoples and complicity in the helot revolts in The Twin Cities at 300 years post shattering. The resulting collapse of the Beggar's Empire, as it was known at the time, and the decree to purge it's mention from from all records following it's cleansing during the second crusade, as well as serving as the sight of the larger battles of the barbarian wars, led to it's decline to it's current state.

Now a poor region of dry lands, burnt and looted ruins of cities, and mud walled sullen villages where the proud decedents of the survivors of that time still scorn the civilized peoples. The are rumors that the so called Seven Legions, who fled west rather than be enslaved again, and who are said to have created a refuge for escaped slaves and helots. Many whisper that the day may come when helots go west, to a new city, where all men walk equal before the other. The bleached bones of that path are well known, so only the truly down trodden make the attempt.

-- by stephen_dean

==Barbarian Tribes==

====Bammenides, nomadic barbarian tribe====

The Bammenides are one of the nomadic barbarian tribes of the northern taiga. They live on the edges of the northern glaciers. They are known as the “painted men” to the Twin Cities, because they tattoo their bodies, faces, and hands in bright colors. They tend small herds of megaloceroi elk, from which they get milk, meat, fur – and most importantly, transportation. Their megaloceroi are domesticated and trained to pull sleighs large enough to transport an entire Bammenide family and all their goods. Their clans migrate south in spring and summer to graze and mate their herds. As rivers freeze and snow covers the ground, they migrate north and stay the winter snowbound, keeping the herds safe from the hungry predators of the south. In spring many clans gather in huge meetings to mate their herds; this is when the Bammenides trade with outsiders. In winter they live in homes built of snow, while their herds are hidden in sheltered valleys with some vegetation, or forage brought by their herders.

Shamans of the Bammenides work their magic through wands of many kinds. Each shaman has an assortment of wands of antler, bone, or wood, which must be carefully chosen for each specific purpose. Most shamans eagerly trade for wands made of metal from civilization. One of the few spells that shamans need no wand for are their eating magics. When someone in their clan suffers bad luck, or is afflicted by illness, or haunted by ghosts, the clan’s shaman will ritually consume the offending spirit. They can often scare off troublesome spirits with demonstrations of their eating prowess, by eating stones and other formidable things.

Occupations: Herder, Hunter, Trader, Warrior, Shaman
Suggested Skills: Animal Handling, Area Knowledge (tundra), Driving (sleigh), Spear, Survival, Tracking, Occult (spirits)
Social Background: Low TL, Bammenic (native language), Illiteracy
Suggested Quirks: Likes (metal), Humble, Uncongenial
Sample Contact Groups: Clan, Warrior Lodge
Suggested Spells: Eat Anything (IQ/ Hard, req. Shamanic Magic 1+), Eat Ghost (IQ/Very Hard, req. Shamanic Magic 3+)
Rumor: “The slow retreat of the northern ice and its gradual melting has gradually forced the Bammenides away from their ancestral summer and winter lands. Their herds do not thrive in the warming lands, and the remaining cold lands are too barren. The herds do not grow, and so more and more young men become warriors to gain wealth and status – while the defenses of Narcissus and Diaphane are in decline. If they join with other wandering tribes, a barbarian horde may bring the next Shattering from the north…”

--Kakita Kojiro

====Makhlyes, nomadic barbarian tribe====

The Makhlyes are one of the nomadic barbarian tribes of the western grasslands. Their ancestors followed brontotheria herds, but the great herds from ancient times are no more, and only solitary beasts survive now. They now follow synthetoceras herds across the grasslands. They are frequent trading partners with the Twin Cities, bartering furs and hides, ivory and horn, in return for civilized goods. Every few generations their warriors band together with other barbarian tribes and raid and pillage into civilized lands.

The shamans of the Makhlyes are known as Inverts because they live their lives as the opposite gender. Because of this, they are regarded as spirits by their people – and also regarded as spirits by spirits. Once each year in the spring, all the hunters will dress as the opposite gender as well, for the sacred Inverse Hunt. Their magic allows the hunters to hunt the now-extinct herds of megafauna as though they still roamed the grasslands. The hunters bring back much meat and many trophies from an Inverse Hunt, but every year one hunter does not return from the hunt. Because of these strange customs, people of the Twin Cities think that all Makhlyes change genders, and take precautions against touching them, lest this is contagious.

Occupations: Hunter, Trader, Warrior, Invert
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (grasslands), Mimicry (animal sounds), Spear Thrower, Stealth, Survival, Tracking, Occult (spirits)
Social Background: Low TL, Makhlyic (native language), Illiteracy
Suggested Quirks: Broad-Minded, Responsive, Tolerant* (not bothered by quirks)
Sample Contact Groups: Clan, Warrior Lodge
Suggested Spells: Hunt Megafauna Ghosts (IQ/Average) (note: penalties if not an Inverse Hunt), Change Gender (IQ/Very Hard, req. Invert, Shamanic Magic 4+)
New Advantage: Invert (5 pts., live as opposite gender, spirits react as though you were a spirit yourself)
Rumor: “The Makhlyes say that when one of the Inverts goes on a spiritquest and returns of the opposite gender, that he or she has not really returned at all. Instead she or he has been replaced by a spirit, that will pretend to be the Invert for the rest of its life, until it pretends to die and returns to the spirit-world.”

--Kakita Kojiro

====Gorgades, nomadic barbarian tribe====

The Gorgades are one of the nomadic barbarian tribes of the distant steppes to the west of the grasslands and mountains. They are known as the “hairy ones” to most outsiders, because they do not cut their hair. When meeting strangers, they also veil their eyes with their hair so as to not make eye contact, and they will also not look into mirrors. They claim that all these taboos protect them from spirits – and, curiously, they believe that the inhabitants of the Twin Cities are actually spirits who lie about their true natures. They rarely trade with the Twin Cities, but their leather goods often make their way east through trade with other barbarian tribes (such as the Makhlyes).

They have actually domesticated herds of megafauna, and roam the steppes to move their herds to new grazing. Each clan in the tribe typically has its own type of megafauna that it specialized in. Clans often take the opportunity to raid the herds of other clans while nearby, to eat some of their enemies’ beasts instead of their own. Their shamans wear headdresses of the skull and hides of their clan’s beast, and generally know a very odd assortment of spells.

Occupations: Herder, Hunter, Raider, Trapper, Shaman
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (steppes), Animal Handling, Bow, Knife, Leatherworking, Survival, Occult (spirits)
Social Background: Low TL, Gorgadic (native language), Illiteracy
Suggested Quirks: Uncongenial, Vow (do not cut hair, do not look into eyes or mirrors), Unhygienic* (does not bathe)
Sample Contact Groups: Clan, Warrior Lodge
Suggested Spells: Find New Forage (IQ/Average), Foretell Weather (IQ/Average)
Rumor: “Gorgades are not actually human – they are abhumans who were once used as servants by the ancients. They escaped back into the wild after the downfall of the ancients, and still fear civilized men.”

--Kakita Kojiro

====Nethsras, nomadic barbarian tribe====

The Nethsras are one of the nomadic barbarian tribes of the western Steppe Wastes. They range further west and south than many other tribes, and so while only rumors to the Twin Cities, are better known in the Spice Kingdoms. They specialize in hunting hornbeasts with bolas from ambush. Their clans roam following the hornbeast herds, living in well-hidden temporary camps. Although they have joined barbarian hordes in times past, they are generally peaceful and not warlike, and usually maintain good relations with neighboring tribes.

It is an oddity that the Nethsras have no shamans among them, and claim they are never troubled by ghosts. This is because, they say, all Nethsras are the same souls of all the Nethsras who ever were, and those souls reincarnate as Nethsras after their death. They know exactly how many Nethsras souls there are, and each clan tells the others of deaths so that they know which souls to look for when new children are born. In times when their birthrates fall below deathrates, though, they must send scouts to nearby tribes, and even into civilized lands, seeking the newborn children that have souls from their tribe. Once identified, the scouts either buy (from other barbarian tribes) or steal (from civilized lands) these newborns and return them to their true people. The worst thing for Nethsras is when their birthrates rise above deathrates – for children born then will be born soulless. In such times it is traditional for the Nethsras to seek some pretext to go to war, so that there will be souls for the newborns.

Some Nethsras do seem able to recover fragments of past lives – although most never progress beyond achieving strong paramnesia sensations. These hints of past lives are usually cherished and encouraged, so Nethsras may seem erratic and mercurial to outsiders. The few who do manage to recover memories of past lives are the Awakened Ones. They are capable of astounding skills, but must struggle with sorting through a confusing mix of memories and personalities that have no context in their present life. Scouts sent to find wayward reborn souls are always young Awakened Ones.

Occupations: Gleaner, Hunter, Scout, Awakened One
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (steppes), Autohypnosis, Bolas, Camouflage, Stealth, Survival, Forbidden Lore (soul recognition)
Social Background: Low TL, Nethsric (native language), Illiteracy
Suggested Quirks: Delusions (past lives), Likes, Personality Change
Sample Contact Groups: Clan, Past Life
Suggested Advantages: Reawakened (10 pts) (note: may use to learn Blind Fighting, Body Control, Breath Control, Invisibility Art, Light Walk), Split Personality (-15 pts)
Rumor: “Most of the Awakened Ones of the Nethsras are aware that their numbers are slowly dwindling, as each generation a few reborn souls are never recovered. They believe that someone has stolen their secrets of soul rebirth, and so polluted the way to rebirth such that some souls simply become lost in being reborn. They have heard of the distant Twin Cities, and plan to send scouts there to search for reborn Nethsras souls, to bring back, or to kill if they are too old to bring back.”

-- by Kakita Kojiro

Megafauna

2008-05-03T02:20:55Z

Kakita Kojiro: new Megafauna page for the Cities of Glass setting

=Megafauna=

In addition to the larger megafauna listed below, the world of the Twin Cities is also populated by prehistoric antelope, deer, goats, swine, and other beasts.

==Megafauna Alphabetically==

'''Auroch''': Auroch. Horned cattle that are herd herbivores found in the loess plains and taiga forest. They have been semi-domesticated by some [[Other_kingdoms|Gorgades]] clans, and are domesticated in the Twin Cities.

'''Bear-dog''': Amphicyon. Predator found in the loess plains, taiga forest, and grasslands. The "sharp mother" of the Shrine of the Sharp Mother is a she bear-dog.

'''Big Neck''': Macrauchenia. Herd herbivores found in the southern savannah.

'''Bison''': Ancient bison. Herd herbivores found in grasslands, steppe wastes. Have been semi-domesticated by some [[Other_kingdoms|Gorgades]] clans.

'''Bow Tooth''': Toxodon. Semiaquatic herbivores found in southern rivers.

'''Camelface''': Camelops. Herd herbivores found in the steppe wastes. Have been semi-domesticated by some [[Other_kingdoms|Gorgades]] clans.

'''Cave Bear''': Cave bear. Omnivore found in western mountains.

'''Dire Elk''': Megaloceros. Herd herbivores found in the tundra. Domesticated by the [[Other_kingdoms|Bammenides]] to pull their sleighs.

'''Dire Wolf''': Canis dirus. Pack predator found in the tundra, western mountains, loess plains, taiga forest, and grasslands.

'''Giant Armadillo''': Glyptodont. Herbivore found in the southern savannah.

'''Giant Beaver''': Castoroides. Semiaquatic herbivore found in the loess plains and northern rivers. Valuable for their fur.

'''Giant Crocodile''': Deinosuchus. Aquatic predator found in southern rivers and in the marshes of the [[Other_kingdoms|Thousand Flowing Waters]].

'''Giant Sloth''': Megatherium. Herbivore found in the grasslands and southern savannah. Very difficult to kill.

'''Giant Snake''': Gigantophis. Giant constrictor snake found in the southern jungles.

'''High Camel''': Alticamelus. Herd herbivores found in the southern jungles and southern savannah.

'''Hipparion''': Hipparion. Small, toed horses. Herd herbivores found in the steppe wastes; primary prey beast in the wastes. Have been semi-domesticated by some [[Other_kingdoms|Gorgades]] clans.

'''Hooftoe''': Andrewsarchus. Predator and scavenger found in southern savannah.

'''Hornbeast''': Synthetoceras. Herd herbivores found in the western mountains, loess plains, grasslands, and steppe wastes. Have been semi-domesticated by some [[Other_kingdoms|Gorgades]] clans.

'''Mammoth''': Mammoth. Wooly elephant, herbivore found in the tundra, loess plains, and steppe wastes. The legendary Gates of Ivory in the uttermost west are said to be made of mammoth ivory. A black mammoth figures in some [[Cities_of_glass_history|prophecies]] of the end of the world.

'''Mastodon''': Mastodon. Elephantine herbivore found in the taiga forest.

'''Monster Bird''': Teratornis. Giant vulture; scavenger found in the western mountains and steppe wastes.

'''Monster Shark''': Megalodon. Huge aquatic predator found in the eastern ocean. They terrify all who sail on the eastern ocean. Followers of the [[Bachariko|Anointed King]] hunt them for their teeth and skin, and have concocted noxious depth bombs that occasionally drive them away, but often the monster shark is noticed too late.

'''Raccoon-Bear''': Chapalmalania. Herbivore found in the western mountains. Nearly extinct.

'''Sabertooth''': Smilodon. Ambush predator found in the loess plains, taiga forest, grasslands, steppe wastes, and southern savannah. The [[Narcissus|Hexadactyls]] have a particular religious dread of six-toed Sabertooths.

'''Shovel Tusker''': Platybelodon. Elephant-like herbivore found in grasslands, eastern marshes. Domesticated in [[Other_kingdoms|Astomo]] and used as transportation, to transport loads, and also trained for war.

'''Stagmoose''': Cervalces. Herd herbivores found in the loess plains. Nearly extinct.

'''Thunder Beast''': Brontothere. Huge, herd herbivores found in the grasslands. Formerly roamed in vast herds hunted by the [[Other_kingdoms|Makhlyes]]; now those herds are no more.

'''Thunder Bird''': Argentavis. Giant condor found in the western mountains and steppe wastes.

'''Terror Bird''': Diatryma. Flightless predatory bird found in the grasslands.

'''Terror Crane''': Phorusrhacos. Flightless predatory bird found in the southern savannah and southern jungles. The [[Bachariko|King of Dust]] has trains them and sharpens their talons for war to protect his people.

'''Whale Snake''': Basilosaurus. Aquatic predator found in the eastern ocean. They gather in the [[Other_kingdoms|Gulf of Achrum]] to give birth to their calves in the winter, when they are hunted for their oil by the followers of the [[Bachariko|Anointed King]]

==Megafauna by Region==

''Tundra'' – dire elk, dire wolf, mammoth

''Loess Plains'' – auroch, bear-dog, dire wolf, hornbeast, mammoth, sabertooth, stagmoose
''Taiga Forest'' – auroch, bear-dog, dire wolf, mastodon, sabertooth

''Mountains'' – cave bear, dire wolf, hornbeast, monster bird, raccoon bear, thunder bird

''Grasslands'' – bear-dog, bison, dire wolf, giant sloth, hornbeast, sabertooth, shovel tusker, thunder beast, terror bird

''Marshes'' – giant crocodile, shovel tusker

''Jungle'' – high camel, terror crane, giant snake

''Savannah'' – big neck, giant armadillo, giant sloth, high camel, hooftoes, sabertooth, terror crane

''Steppe Wastes'' – bison, camelface, hipparion, hornbeast, mammoth, monster bird, sabertooth, thunder bird

''Northern Rivers'' – giant beaver

''Southern Rivers'' – bow tooth, giant crocodile

''Ocean'' – monster shark, whale snake

-- collectively created by shanoxilt, Kakita Kojiro, stephen_dean, Maltodextrin, and viewers like you

Cities of glass history

2008-05-03T02:16:42Z

Kakita Kojiro: added Prophecy section

==History==

===The Great Darkness===

The Unknown time of the great Cataclysm, where the lost cities of the Ancients, and few records survive. All inquiries made to man, spirit, shadow and [[Narcissus|Mirror Fishers]] have are contradicting, and only fragments and pieces of a time of great wealth and understanding. What is agreed upon is that Fall was due to Hubris, and the lack of vigilance or piety led to the towers of stone and temples of half dream and spirit to fall into the sea. Some of the Spirits claim it was the great Glaciers weeping over the abandonment of the old ways of the hunt before man claimed the earth, who drowned the old ones cities. Others say it was the folly of man alone, or not at all, and that the world willed a cleaning for a new age to enter the world, for the age of wandering on the snow and blood on the stones, to the age of settled philosophy we have today. Regardless, the oldest of the [[Religions|Seven Sisters]] claim that the Lines of the Looms of fate spin from the birth of the Two Sisters, and that the before that, the only visions are of the seasons, the great Hunt, and shadows of the dead, speaking languages long lost to the mist of time, and the madness of the ancients. The Fragment we have we study and decipher, seeking clues to the fall, and secrets that lie hidden.

===Foundation of the Twin Cities===

====Year 300 Post-Darkness====
The City of [[Diaphane]] and [[Narcissus]] are formed by the Twin Sisters, the last of the Old Ones, who would not speak of their origins or their ancestors for the pain, and claiming a new world was to form. The Sisters spoke of Reflection and Introspection, truth and illusion. The Sisters could never agree, and formed separate Cities. Their secret Wisdom and guided those who gathered, and slowly the cities built themselves on the secret arts, and skills of planting. Tribute flowed from the wandering people who came to consult the oracles, and to hear whispered secrets from the gods, the Groves of [[spirit_world|the Crystal Trees]], and the relics of the lost Cities. It was here that the Secret lore was preserved and nurtured. The earliest records, on Crystal Tree sap cylinders speaks of the founding of the earliest magic paths, Cultivation and harvesting of crops, and the earliest [[Narcissus|Mirror-Fishers]] in shields of polished copper, and slabs of reflective stone. The largest were frozen pools of the clearest glacier Ice.

====Year 500 Post-Darkness====
Rise of the [[Religions|Blinded Cults]], the earliest tribute systems to the smaller communities for protection from the wandering peoples and predators, and the formation of the [[Diaphane|Invisible College]]. Establishment of the Sacrifice system, and codification of laws, and the first Flower Wars. Strengthening of trade links with the wandering tribes and the Twin Cities. Expansion of larger Mirror Fisheries, and the earliest glass works. The Agricultural revolution occurs and expands along the river valleys south and east, increasing wealth and status disparity in the Twin Cities versus surrounding tribes and city-states. Settlements made to the West and South.

===The First Shattering===

====Year 600 Post-Darkness====
Rise of the [[Religions|Hollow Men]] cults, first mirror-wraiths, expansion of Crystal Tree Gardens, seedlings and feeding for desired characteristics or artistic expression. Formation of the [[Other_kingdoms|Sandstone Empire]] in the [[Bachariko|Spice Kingdoms]] to the South due to a charismatic leader from the Western Desert leading his people to conquer the settled lands. A series of climactic changes leads to crop failures, a rebound of the large herds south, and the first major epidemics sweep through the trade routes, causing huge loss of life, and abandonment of outer settlements. Eventual rebuilding and resurgence from the Twin Cities occurs around unifying philosophy.

====Year 150 Post-Shattering====
Rise of larger scale glass making, reestablishment of the tributary system and Alliance of the Twin Cities. The development of wider ranging annual Flower Wars with less ceremony and more bloodshed, and prisoners to fuel the increasing needs of the expanding Cities fuels resentment of surrounding states. The First Renaissance as the Literary and Philosophical flowering occurs. Formation of the Seven Sisters and the Silent Brothers. The Trade system is expanded to further markets North and South, and the Twin Cities act as middlemen for products of the herdsman and wandering tribes to the North and West, and the [[Other_kingdoms|River Kingdoms]] and crumbling [[Other_kingdoms|Sandstone Empire]] to the southwest. Second Agricultural revolution as more species domesticated and trait selection instituted by the Twin Cities. Astronomy imported from the South, Astrology a popular diversion. Helot System developed for the settlements surrounding the Twin Cities and its environs, establishment of sapling cities radiating out along the trade routes.

===The Second Shattering===

====Year 200 Post-Shattering====
The Foundation of [[Iridos]] from schismatics and apostates of [[Diaphane]] on a large Island to the South of the Two Cities, in an area famous for its wild flowers and natural rainbows. The Second shattering is known as the Night of Broken Glass, and caused the Great Schism, where the Twin Cites began to compete, and [[Iridos]] aligned with [[Narcissus]] to outmaneuver [[Diaphane]]’s hold on the growing power of the middle kingdoms between the Crystal Cities and burgeoning lands of the south. The Second Conquest period, where the Flower Wars became wars of outright conquest, and the establishment of the First Crusade against the [[Religions|Hollow Ones]]. Rise of the Inquisitional arm of the [[Religions|Silent Brothers]], and the Founding of the Albino system. [[Iridos]] becomes the home of refugees, free-thinkers and radicals, and forms the [[Religions|Wanderers of the Waste]] as a method of assertion and winning the hearts and minds of surrounding kingdoms helots and farmers.

===The Third Shattering===

====Year 278 Post-Shattering====
Limited proxy war by the Twin Cities, sacking and looting of the outer cities and towns by the Wandering Tribes united under a charismatic leader called Shadowdancer. Civil War and the bloody Helot Revolts.

====Year 300 Post-Shattering====
First documented use of the [[Narcissus|Mirror Towers]], creation of the [[Diaphane|Glass Golems]], heavy salvaging of Artifacts from the First Age, and the Formation of a Alliance by The Twin Cities of Glass and [[Iridos]]. Second Great Crusade launched against the Hollow Men. Purging of [[Spirit_world|Mirror-Wraiths]] and darker magic’s from ruins and settlements. Use of Total war tactics to defeat the Hordes of Shadowdancer, leading to the creation of the glass Storms as crystal trees are fed corrupted anger and pain wraiths to create shard storms lead to a costly victory. Heavy use of conscripts and levies to fuel crusade and expansion. The Collapse of the second [[Other_kingdoms|Sandstone Empire]] in the South Leads to the formation of the great game in the spice lands with the resulting three factions. Overseas contact for trade made. Construction of the Mirror and Sun Towers, and the [[Diaphane|Crystal Globe]]. Overextension and Hubris lead to costly wars in the outer regions of [[Bachariko]].

===The Great Purge===

====Year 343 Post-Shattering====
Patterns of behavior are codified into teaching and paths, establishment of the Glass Watchers in the City of [[Diaphane]], expansion of the list of Capital crimes, and a codex of behavior and unified law formed for the City-State and its Client States. However, due to expansion of the Wandering people North and over the Grasslands to the West, Expansion ceased. The Herdsman and settles of the Northern Mountains and Highlands throw off the shackles of the Helot system, and a general loosening of the grip on the client states leads due to weak rulers and political maneuvers. [[Religions|Hollow Man]] cults found and expunged by the [[Religions|Silent Brotherhood]], expansion of Monasteries and membership in [[Backariko]] and among the Regents and Liege-kings of the Cities of Glass.

===Time of Clarity===

====Year 409 Post-Shattering====
One-Hundred Year Golden Age of rebuilding, philosophical flowering and a second Renaissance of Art and literature, Music and physical and Mental discipline. The Refinement and Codification of the Magic systems by the [[Diaphane|Invisible College]], and flowering of understanding of the physical and [[Spirit_world|Spiritual World]]. Many public works projects, canals and wonders completed. An increase of tribute and a reaffirmation of the Helot System, conquest of the border regions that had slipped away, aside from the Northern Hills, whose people waged a generations long campaign of attrition and blood-feud to keep there own gods, and independence. Reestablishment of the Albino Cult, and building of the [[Diaphane|Great Aquarium]], and the signaling towers to communicate through-out the Lands of the Twin Cities. Lottery System implemented for wandering tribes as tribute for smaller areas, in exchange for freedom to move and trade with-in the Lands of the Twin Cities.

===The Slowly Falling Mirror, The Fog of Hubris===

====Year 500 Post-Shattering====
50 Year Period of a decline of Culture, the Establishment of the Rule of Ninety Kings in [[Barchariko]], and the further fragmentation of brittle alliances of the Middle Kingdoms leads to nearly perpetual war. The Great Herds move North as the Glaciers retreat, and with them the Wandering Peoples who still follow the old ways, the Three Cities fall to decadence and corruption. Flowering and Expanse of [[Iridos]] from a large town to a fledging City as it swells with settlers escaping the drying plains of the West, and the attacks of Hunters turned bandits as the herbs dwindled. [[Religions|Hollow Men]] cults infiltrated into several outlying city-states.

====Year 525 Post-Shattering====
The Current Age.

-by stephen_dean

==Prophecies of the Future==

'''''Q:''''' Is there any way to avoid such a horrific fate?

'''''A:''''' No, my son. The final shattering will happen. But if we are pious, and humble, we can convince the rider to stay his hammer for another season. Avert your eyes from the black birds when they come through on the sixth month and again on the ninth, do not share your secrets like those transparent fools, and do not wallow in your image like those reflective wretches. And every day pray to whatever gods you can that they may stay the rider's journey for another day.

'''The Black Rider'''

And on the seventh day of the seventh month from the setting sun will come the rider in black.

And he will be clad in a black robe, which billows and blows and obscures all the places he has ridden

And he will have black skin which smears and obscures all he touches

And he will have black eyes in which once light falls it can never return

And he will stop at the gates of the [[Diaphane|city of glass]]

And he will touch it, and the inhabitants will be blind to all the secrets once in the open

And he will stop at the gates of the [[Narcissus|city of mirrors]]

And he will touch it, and the inhabitants will be forced to see the things which are not themselves

And as the cities wallow in the black, he will turn around and look at the sun, and its light will cease to shine

And as the cities moan the loss of their light he will raise his black hammer

And he will shatter the world.

(Writings of the Mad Prophet Jalzad, ''The Final Shattering''.)

-- by Maltodextrin

'''The Black Steed'''

An old one eyed [[megafauna|Mammoth]], meaner and larger than any seen in this age

last survivor of a mighty great herds, wandering in search of a bloody feast

Jet Black fur and footsteps that freeze the earth and crackle the air, full of rage

with the sound of frost, he announces he is coming, screams of beast
His grunts and rage signal the end of the time, wars to wage

-- by stephen_dean

Narcissus

2008-05-03T01:24:01Z

Kakita Kojiro: added Navy information

Diaphane

2008-05-03T01:23:02Z

Kakita Kojiro: added Navy information

=Diaphane, the Crystal City=

Also called the Crystal City, or the Invisible City. Diaphane is built of quartz crystal and clear glass and of transparent substances strong as or stronger than steel.

==History==

Unknown ages ago, the Twin Cities were founded by twin sisters.

One sister discovered a piece of reflective obsidian and was enthralled by her image. She gathered a group of artists and craftsmen to design mirrors, so that she may gaze upon herself. She founded the city of [[Narcissus]].

The other sister discovered a quartz crystal. She was fascinated by its clarity and refractive properties. She, also, gathered interested people to craft wondrous, transparent objects. She founded the city of Diaphane.

As the two cities flourished, new materials were discovered that provided the same reflective and refractive properties. The citizens coveted and gathered these materials to glorify their two cities.

Some antiquarians mourn the advent of glass. They feel that it dilutes the cities's themes. They speculate that the architects no longer enjoy the reflective and refractive qualities, but the glass itself. The antiquarians hoard ancient obsidian and quartz relics to remind themselves of the "glory days of yore" and the cities's "true" themes.

-- by shanoxilt

==Cityscape==

There are degrees of transparency. The elite live in high towers of pure crystal. The middle class live in homes with large windows, some walls of translucent glass block, and maybe a floor of tile painted with a trompe l'oeil mural to make it look like it is floating on clouds. The peasants and tradesmen make do with large windows of paper in the summer months and open roofs in the dry season.

"Transparency" is also an ideal that philosophers and artist strive for, knowing that it lies somewhere beyond our clouded world. Common folk are less concerned with such abstractions and often view glass walls as a means of one-upsmanship against their neighbors.

-- by Glyptodont

It is said that when Diaphane achieves true transparency, it will fade from the material world and join the invisible world. This goal is sought through the city’s architecture, not only in its buildings of quartz, windows, and glass, but in its streets that are also paths in the spirit-world. Straight roads in Diaphane are probably also invisible paths, used by the invisible Neighbors and other invisible spirits. Curved roads, roads that cross water, roads interrupted by gated walls, or crossroads – all hinder invisible spirits, especially ghosts (the many mirrors of Narcissus accomplish the same effect).

Outsiders complain that the streets and buildings of Diaphane shift and change, roads that were crooked now run straight, or vice-versa. This is not so. Citizens know these are simply the effects of invisible paths. As their city develops in its transparency, the invisible world around it grows closer, and it is possible to accidentally wander into the sections where the invisible people dwell, which normally cannot be seen or found. Those who know and can see the right paths – cryptomancers and others – can use them as shortcuts through the City of Glass. Others run the risk of becoming lost in the [[Spirit_world|Invisible World]], or of annoying the Neighbors.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

Diaphane is home to some of the world's best greenhouses.

-- by shanoxilt

====Grand Aquarium====

Diaphane has a grand aquarium of x-ray fish, jellyfish, glass catfish, and icefish.

-- by shanoxilt

====The Crystal Grotto====

When she and her twin sister wandered the lands, the sister who founded Diaphane came to a place near the clear ice of the glaciers, and through which clear waters and winds flowed. She discovered or was led to the sacred crystal cave that no human had ever seen -- and there she found the [[Spirit_world|Crystal Tree]]. That was how she knew where to found her city.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====The Holy Sphere====

Optics are extremely advanced in the three cities, due to the high degree of precision and value placed on lessons, so that the sight of corrective lenses are fairly common,
and this has been expanded to include spy-glasses, and large telescopes and microscopes of large size. It is said that these are used to track the motion of the heavens, predict the weather, the future, and even look into the past. The Guild of the Convex Passions and the Concave Faction work together creating common goods for export, and crafting singular works of art. The Ships of the Twins Cities also have very accurate maps and charts do to the extensive questioning of sources both spirit and material, salvaged maps and surveys from ruins, and taken from the very souls of spies. The largest example of this is a revolving crystal sphere that displays the movements of the clouds and the sky in the Planetarium, made possible by projecting the spirit of the World itself from specially designed lenses and mirrors. The effect is awe inspiring and is used to illustrate the power and ability of Diaphane. The projection is carefully studies with large magnifying glasses, and cities and towns are observed from Afar. It is said that the movement of armies can be tracked by looking for trails of dust, and that as explorers find new lands or ruins, they are added to the Sphere.

-- by stephen_dean

====The Stained Quarter====

During the time of the [[Cities_of_glass_history|Second Shattering]] new advances had been made in tinting glass with vivid hues. New buildings and wonders were made, all of stained and colored glass, and the City of Glass took on translucent hues.

This led to great debates in the Crystalline Agora, as citizens argued that the hues were a perversion of true Translucence. Eventually rabble-rousers whipped mobs of citizens into a frenzy, leading to the destruction of the colored glass in the [[Cities_of_glass_history|Second Shattering]]. The surviving proponents accepted exile under the guise of founding the colony that became [[Iridos]]. The records, of course, were purged for the good of all.

The ruined Stained Quarter was never rebuilt. But it is still inhabited by squatters and the poor, since the broken shards there did not fracture the spirits of the [[Spirit_world|Invisible World]] as they did in the other places of Shattering. No spirit-storms of invisible shards occur there to strip flesh from bone as they do at the other Shattered places.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==Geography==

Each of the Twin Sisters walked an equal distance away from the [[Other_kingdoms|Thousand Flowing Waters]], their original homeland, to found their cities. Diaphane is at higher latitude, on the coast of the eastern ocean, a harbor city.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==Culture==

The city is ruled by the Worshipful Archons, dictatorial lawmakers elected for life for the embetterment of all. The Archons see to it that sacrifices are made for the good of all – such as the sacred albinos being pampered so as to benefit the sacred trees. The Archons have abolished both police and military, in favor of the glass golems which enforce peace and trust. To keep secrets, to speak lies, to hide and obfuscate – these are crimes. The city also has a population of invisible citizens that only natives of Diaphane may see. These invisible citizens are part of the Invisible World, the spirit world that is always manifest in Diaphane, but never seen.

The Worshipful Archons are aristocrats anonymously elected to office. Highest in rank are the chief archons – the ''hierarch'' (nominal chief), ''polemarch'' (oversees the city’s military), ''navarch'' (oversees the city’s navy), ''hagiarch'' (oversees religions), ''xenarch'' (oversees foreigners), ''cryptarch'' (oversees relations with the invisible world), and others that have varied over time. Lesser archons serve as judges, magistrates, and officials of the city – and one of the most influential of these officials are those who license magicians for the practice of magic-for-hire in Diaphane.

Only magicians skilled in pellucid magic are licensed in Diaphane – barbarous magics such as chromatic or shadow magic are not prohibited per se, but working them for-hire is against the law. Most licensed magicians hold degrees from one of the schools of the eikonic arts (though rarely at the level of magister or doctor of the eikonic arts). Professions such as lens-wrights or glass-wrights need not be licensed (they create for sale, but are not for-hire).

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====Navy====

The fleet of Diaphane is mainly a blue-water fleet. Its huge warships have crystal tree masts, armored in prisms and glass coral, with gossamer sails and cruel rammed prows for boarding. The few river boats of the Diaphane hegemony are glass-bottomed, with sail propulsion.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

The flagship of Diaphane is a ship with [[Spirit_world|Crystal Tree]] mast growing out of a ship armoured in Prisms and edged with clear coral like growths, and gossamer clear sails that are perpetually pushed by the Wind captured by the magicians and priest of the City-State, with long range optics and a ghostly almost otherworldy quality. And really, really big - dwarfing the naval craft of other nations. The ship has a dedicated crew armed for boarding, and a cruel shaped prow for ramming made up of a jagged and fearsome visage of the face of one of the Invisible creatures of the spirit world. The ship has no real long range ability, as the purpose of the craft is to capture and harness those who defy Diaphane. Those who fall into the maw are fused with the craft, becoming twisted clear faces perpetually screaming in silence, and if seen through the spirit world, it is a ship of pure grace and cruelty, used to intimidate those who vie to control the seas. Held out of the water, and a representation of the power and skill of projects, perhaps a relic of the Golden Age.

Those staffing the vessel are of the highest station, and because of its majesty, it has not actually engaged in much fighting, but rather is used as a tool of statecraft to impress the surrounding States, and keep Iridos within the fold.

-- by stephen_dean

====Schools of the Eikonic Arts====

The Invisible College is not the only school for the teaching of the eikonic arts in Diaphane. Because it teaches foreign magic, it is obviously the better known to foreigners – but for the same reason is of questionable reputation in Diaphane. Schools change over time: older schools become unpopular, newer schools schism from established schools, or merge, or even go into exile in one instance. Membership in most of the schools is secret, in theory – only other magicians will recognize the school of another, or know the location of the schools.

'''the Invisible College''': The only school that teaches more than one type of magic is the Invisible College. Originally founded just prior to the Second Shattering, it was an ambitious attempt to unify pellucid, reflective, and chromatic magic. Although that goal was never attained, it is the only place to learn all four types of magic. Its students, having split their studies so widely, tend to be broad generalists rather than thorough specialists.

'''the Paramanteion''': Oldest and most traditional of the schools of Diaphane. Its students learn in the Aeologion – the temple of the wind god. To outsiders they are not distinguished from the temple’s priests, and many of the priests are also students of the Paramanteion. The school’s magisters focus on the philosophical ramifications of pellucid magic, and tend to neglect the practical. The school often accepts foreign students from the Silent Brotherhood or from other friendly cults.

'''the Calyption''': This school meets in the Crystal Grottos, where the crystal trees were first discovered. It disbanded during the Second Shattering, at which time it was known as the “Cryption,” but was refounded after the Third Shattering in its current form. Originally the school studied and tended to the crystal trees, and transplanted groves of crystal trees elsewhere for cultivation. In its current incarnation the school teaches glass-wrights, and led the development of glass golems and similar automata.

'''the Glass Libraries''': The Glass Libraries are not as formal a school as others – it is more a loose alliance of various repositories of lore in Diaphane. By agreement, each allows the students of the others free access to study from the crystalline plates inscribed with various lore. This agreement dates back to the construction of the first helioscopes (which focus sunlight as weapons) before the Second Shattering, and students of the Glass Libraries tend to specialize as lens-wrights and the design of telescopes, microscopes, and helioscopes. It is said that the Glass Libraries stole the idea for their helioscopes and Sun Towers from the Mirror Towers of Narcissus – an accusation that they angrily refute.

'''the Agoric College''': The only school officially sponsored by the Worshipful Archons of Diaphane, and one of the few whose students are known and registered. Its masters teach openly in the Crystalline Agora, and the unlearned who listen nearby are either discouraged, or invited to join as students, according to their aptitude. The school focuses mainly on interacting with the invisible Neighbors that also inhabit Diaphane, and there are always rumors that one or more of the school’s magisters are actually Neighbors made briefly visible.

'''the Skolomanteion''': The only school to have been exiled from Diaphane, in the Time of Clarity when the albino cult was reestablished in the city. The offense or heresy committed by the Skolomanteion was purged from the records of the Worshipful Archons, so none now know what it was. Rumors as to where the school went in its exile are wild and endless, but it is not even certain that the Skolomanteion even survives in any form at all.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====Sky Day====

The city of Diaphane celebrates Sky Day... by going sky-clad. No native of the city wears clothing on that day -- they hide nothing of themselves from the world. Although outsiders and children find the celebration strange and titillating, to citizens it is a solemn occasion for introspection.

It is said that on Sky Day those who shed all concealment to walk naked gain the ability to see what is concealed in the Invisible World, as well -- they can clearly see the invisible spirit-citizens of Diaphane on that day. Outsiders occasionally attempt to participate in the festival, but rarely succeed; they lack the secret lore of transparency that allows natives to comfortably walk unclothed. Sky Day occurs in the dead of winter, and most non-natives who go sky-clad usually see visions because of hypothermia, not enlightenment.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====The Feast of All Colors and None====

This holiday was popular in the time up to the Second Shattering, but has fallen to the status of minor festival in Diaphane, while becoming the major annual celebration in Iridos. Food is the focus of both festivals, but it is a specific, day-long meal. In each course of the meal, the foods served are always of one dominant color. It is said the lesson of the Feast is that it reveals the transience of colors, which all fade into blessed translucence.

The first course is white foods -- generally simply, bland dishes of polished rice. There are fewer following courses; often reduced to red, green, and "blue" courses. But there is another, final course -- the course of translucence. Crushed ices, crystal sugars, gelatins, and delicacies such as rare jellyfishes and transparent cave fish are served with clear and pure water.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==Colony Cities==

===Symeros, sapling colony city===

The colony city of Symeros was founded by Diaphoros the Synesthete, one of the first pupils of the Invisible College from Diaphane. He was blessed or cursed with synisthesia, which has been inherited in many forms by his descendants. As the royal family maintains a prerogative to the first night with any new bride, synisthesia has spread among the Symerides. Symeros is on the Maiandro river downstream from Diaphane, and is the major port of the Diaphane hegemony. Glass-bottom boats ply the river from Diaphane to Symeros and on to Iridos isle, carrying cargo and travelers. Despite its origins, Symeros has never devoted itself to one viewpoint of magic, and all are practiced here – although mainly pellucid and chromatic. Formal training in the magic sciences must be sought in Diaphane or Iridos, however.

The city’s boatmen must navigate their way through the Thousand Flowing Waters and its many perils, and it has been discovered that the city’s synisthetes are somewhat protected from the odd powers of vampires and Hollow Men and other heretics of that ilk. They are in great demand as scavengers of the ruins there, and as crusaders for the Silent Brotherhood. Synisthetes do not often master any kind of magic, for their unique perception interacts oddly.

Occupations: Philosopher, Scientist, Merchant, Boatman
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (Symeros), Boating, Current Affairs, Smuggling, Occult (vampires), Thaumatology (pellucid or chromatic magic)
Social Background: Cultural Familiarity (1 pt., Twin Cities), Glossa (native language), Literacy
Suggested Quirks: Congenial, Imaginative, Addiction (tobacco)
Sample Contact Groups: School, Cult or Religion
Suggested Spells: Identify Exact Color (IQ/Average), See Clearly (IQ/Average)
Rumor: “The Empty Masters secretly plan to subvert one of the synisthetes of Symeros. By mixing synesthetic perception with their blind enlightenment, they hope to find the reason that synesthetes are so effective against them. Should they succeed, the crusade of the Silent Brotherhood would be set back, and Symeros left open to infiltration by the bleak cult of the Empty Masters.”

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==Helot Cultures==

===Gnarides, helot client state===

The Gnarides are the helot culture in the lands near Diaphane. They were the original inhabitants of the area, driven away by the “Witch Sister.” Although once warlike, they have been conquered and subjugated, and now their clans are scattered through several petty kingdoms. They are pastoralists who raise mountain goats and make cheese, although they are known for being good spear hunters, and occasionally hired as mercenary spearmen.

Gnaride culture revolves around their worship of the earth deity, which they view as both male and female. They build lingams – large standing stones representing the phallus of the god. They also have sacred caves – representing the goddess – callen yoni caves. They practice barbaric fertility magic with these, and claim that is why the men of Diaphane fear to build tall structures that cast shadows, and why they will not abide dark caves. Only men deal with lingams and their magic, and only women deal with yonis and their magic. Having the shadow of a lingam stone fall on you is lucky, but also arouses carnal lust and blood lust. Entering the dark yoni cave aids in conception and childbirth. If women fall under the lingam’s shadow, they may become pregnant or barren. If men enter the yoni cave, they may return as women or pregnant. For obvious reasons, both of these actions are taboo. Outsiders rarely benefit from either lingam stones or yoni caves. Their magic-men are called Horned Men because they wear crowns of horns, and while they are good at dealing with female spirits, they are very unlucky with male spirits.

Occupations: Helot, Herder, Weaver, Hunter, Spearman, Horned Man
Suggested Skills: Animal Handling, Farming, Sex Appeal, Spear, Occult (spirits)
Social Background: Cultural Familiarity (1 pt., Diaphane), Gnaric (native language), Glossa (accented language)
Suggested Quirks: Broad-Minded, Proud, Lusty*
Sample Contact Groups: Clan, Former Lovers
Suggested Spells (for men): Incite Bloodlust (IQ/Average), Incite Carnal Lust (IQ/Hard)
Suggested Spells (for women): Increase Fertility (IQ/Hard), Ease Childbirth (IQ/Average)
Common Names: Dwight, Loeis, Amalie
Rumor: “Gnaride spearmen boast that when they capture opponents in Flower Wars, the women want to never go back home, and the men to never face another Flower War again. Telling such tales makes Diaphanides very angry.”

-- by Kakita Kojiro

===Charsides, helot client state===

The Charsides are one of the oldest helot cultures of Diaphane. Their lands had always been extremely fertile, but they claimed this was because of their custom of burying living victims in the soil of their most fertile fields. When they were conquered and civilized this custom was forbidden – which has caused them to be avid supporters of every helot rebellion, so that they might once again feed their hungry fields. “Charse is beating its plows into weapons” is a watchword for revolution in Diaphane.

Following the Second Shattering and the bloody helot revolts that led up to it, Diaphane built Sun Towers throughout the lands of the Charsides – not so much to protect them, as to threaten any revolts with the burning rays of the sun. Since then the Charsides have complained of being plagued by hungry ghosts, but when the Archons sent magicians to investigate, they reported nothing. Finally an extremely clever archon had the Charsides take her to the locations of all the most peaceful haunts – and promptly deputized those ghosts as magistrates to oversee the unruly, hungry ghosts. Ever since the Charsides have gone to complain to the magistrate ghosts, and the Archons have not been bothered.

Occupations: Helot, Farmer, Ghostcaller, Tinker, Woodcutter
Suggested Skills: Farming, Polearm, Smith, Occult (ghosts), Forbidden Lore (field sacrifices)
Social Background: Cultural Familiarity (1 pt., Diaphane), Charsic (native language), Glossa (accented language)
Suggested Quirks: Belligerent*, Incompetence (magic), Proud
Suggested Spells: Feed Ghost (IQ/Average), Identify Ghost (IQ/Hard)
Rumor: “Now that they have been subdued and civilized, the Charsides have been eager to learn pellucid magic, so as to be able to see the invisible and hungry ghosts that plague them. Despite their studies, they all say that these new spells do not show them the invisible ghosts which they know to be there, and so they have complained bitterly. Cryptomancers sent to look into the matter have never seen these ghosts, either, leaving everyone confused and annoyed.”

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==Magic==

Magic in the Twin Cities is learned informally (for petty magics), or most often as an apprentice in a guild. There are schools for advanced study of magic, which confer degrees of magister, or doctor of the eikonic arts.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====Pellucid Magic====

Transparent magicians use their magic, not to respond to assaults, but to allow danger to pass them by harmlessly. Extreme transparency is invisible to the unenlightened. Transparent magic allows one to pass through obstacles and walk without being seen. (Though some claim this concept is dangerously close to the "hidden power" of the Opaque.) Their are powerful, defensive, introverted and fragile.

-- by Glyptodont

Pellucid Magic is the magic of transparency, of invisible things. Transparent magic makes things clearer, reveals hidden things, allows seeing of things that otherwise could not be seen, and allows light into darkness.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

mantra: “perception goes through”

spirit-world: [[Spirit_world|the Invisible World]]

tools: lenses

talent: Pellucid Magic (10 pts/level)

spells:
- ''see clearly'' (IQ/Average)
- ''fade'' (IQ/Average)
- ''see unseen'' (IQ/Hard, req. Pellucid Magic 1+)
- ''see through objects'' (IQ/Hard, req. Pellucid Magic 1+)
- ''see small things'' (IQ/Hard, req. Pellucid Magic 1+)
- ''see distant things'' (IQ/Hard, req. Pellucid Magic 1+)
- ''allow danger to pass through'' (IQ/Very Hard, req. Pellucid Magic 2+, at least one other pellucid spell)
- ''pass through obstacles'' (IQ/Very Hard, req. Pellucid Magic 3+, allow danger to pass through, at least two other pellucid spells)
- ''translucency'' (IQ/Hard, req. Pellucid Magic 2+, at least one other pellucid spell)
- ''invisibility'' (IQ/Very Hard, req. Pellucid Magic 4+, translucency, at least three other pellucid spells)
- ''enter Invisible World'' (IQ/Very Hard, req. Pellucid Magic 5+, invisibility, at least five other pellucid spells)
note: using pellucid magic to enter the [[Spirit_world|spirit-world]] generally makes you permanently invisible and intangible. presumably there is another pellucid spell that would allow you to leave the spririt-world and return to the material world again.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====Glass Golems====

Since the first smiths created the primitive glassware many generations ago, there has been the relationship between Man and Machina. This relationship is best represented by the silent watchers who defend our way of life. The Glass Golems not only provide exquisite beauty and an artistic ideal, but also provide defense against the insanity that infects some outlanders into defacing our city. They can never know which piece of art is watching them, or whether the statue of the Thousand Barbed Flowers will skin them for there transgression. We do not debase ourselves with men wandering down the street accosting citizens or thieves lining the watchman's pockets. We are a city of trust, and clarity. Is it not better to know that Justice is always watching. The statues are of a gift from the Temple, and have proven there worth in the past. Of course, some of the other cities has similar creations, however, they are far more base constructions. It is lucky we have so many criminals who are willing to pay for there crime by imprisonment with-in our Constructs. As there are no criminals in our society, many outlanders and heretics make up the majority of those imprisoned with-in them. A perfect sytstem for a perfect city.

-- by stephen_dean

Narcissus

2008-05-03T01:02:17Z

Kakita Kojiro:

=Narcissus, City of Mirrors=

Also called the Reflective City, the City of Mirrors. Built of obsidian, of polished brass and bronze, of silvered glass, and stranger mirrors, and everywhere full of still pools and fountains.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==History==

Unknown ages ago, the Twin Cities were founded by twin sisters.

One sister discovered a piece of reflective obsidian and was enthralled by her image. She gathered a group of artists and craftsmen to design mirrors, so that she may gaze upon herself. She founded the city of Narcissus.

The other sister discovered a quartz crystal. She was fascinated by its clarity and refractive properties. She, also, gathered interested people to craft wondrous, transparent objects. She founded the city of Diaphane.

As the two cities flourished, new materials were discovered that provided the same reflective and refractive properties. The citizens coveted and gathered these materials to glorify their two cities.

Obsidian was soon replaced by polished bronze. As their comprehension of chemistry evolved, mirrors were fashioned of glass coated by tin, mercury, or silver.

Many of the older neighborhoods have not converted to glass mirrors. They still use obsidian mirrors and bronze. They face discrimination because their surfaces are not sufficiently reflective. These citizens are considered too old-fashioned or too poor to be noticed.

Narcissus has, also, utilized glass to created lenses and prisms. Buildings constructed of ice have become a current trend, but only the most pristine ice is considered fashionable.

-- by shanoxilt

The ice buildings are currently in danger of melting! The owners of these frozen building have created a task force to solve this problem. The task force is trying several methods:
contacting the Invisible College for information, researching the most obscure books in the libraries, and travelling to other lands to seek information and aid.

-- by shanoxilt

==Cityscape==

Narcissus is at the furthest navigable part of the River Cephissus, in the foothills of the [[Other_kingdoms|Western Mountains]]. The oldest portions of the city are buildings of polished, black obsidian, whereas the newer buildings are of mirrored glass where not covered by polished brass or copper, silver or gold. Mirrors and reflective surfaces are everywhere in Narcissus, and it is possible to inadvertently step through them into the [[Spirit_world|Other Side]], by accident or carelessness.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====The Mirror Towers====

The first Mirror Towers were built to defend Narcissus during the [[Cities_of_glass_history|Helot Revolts]] that preceeded the [[Cities_of_glass_history|Second Shattering]]. These towers held arrays of mirrors that could focus burning rays of sunlight against attackers. In that time the mirror-smiths who created the Mirror Towers were military sorcerers. These military sorcerers then created mobile burning mirrors that were deployed in the total warfare of the [[Cities_of_glass_history|Shadowdancer Wars]].

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====The Obsidian Foundries====

The district of Narcissus known as the Obsidian Foundries is one of the oldest surviving, dating back to before all the [[Cities_of_glass_history|Shatterings]], almost back to the Founding itself. These were the places where the earliest attempts to exploit the [[Spirit_world|Other Side]] were made – through blocks and sheets of smooth obsidian. The imperfections in these reflections forced the development of glass mirrors for reflective magic. They also led to the spawning of the first mirror-wraiths. As the art of mirror-fishing moved on to newer tools, the art of mirror-casting to deliberately spawn mirror-wraiths began to develop.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====The Mirror Fisheries====

The district of Narcissus known as the Mirror Fisheries has been rebuilt and moved several times – in each Shattering, they were destroyed. The very first Mirror Fisheries were primitive, using slabs of polished metal, frozen pools of glacial ice, or sheets of reflective obsidian. Flaws and imperfections in these reflections created problems and dangers for mirror-fishing. More perfect reflections were needed, and so glass mirrors were developed.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==Geography==

Each of the Twin Sisters walked an equal distance away from the [[Other_kingdoms|Thousand Flowing Waters]], their original homeland, to found their cities. Narcissus at higher altitude, near the glaciers and dormant volcanos of the [[Other_kingdoms|Western Mountains]].

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==Culture==

The city is ruled by many nobles, who convene in a body of government known as the Diet – which is one of the most ineffectual political bodies known. Effectively the city is governed by shifting cabals of the wealthiest nobles and the sorcerers in their employ. The city is defended by many towers housing artillery-mirrors that can cast deadly beams of burning light miles away. It has an army, but its officers are mainly petty nobles who accept commissions for the privilege of wearing the handsome uniforms; they rarely report for duty.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

The ceremonial garb which the nobles of Narcissus wear in Flower Wars includes their mirror armor, round and highly polished metal shields, and their obsidian-edged swords.

These traditional armaments are more suited for the ceremonial combat of Flower Wars, than for in actual battle. Nonetheless, they are preferred exclusively by the nobility, for whom tradition and ostentation are more important than effectiveness. The nobles of Narcissus spend their time planning Flower Wars and sponsoring eccentric projects. Commerce, and the Guilds, are the real power in Narcissus, and they prefer to hire mercenaries rather than rely on the nobility and their odd habits of warfare.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====The Honorable Guild of Mirror-Casters====

Mirror-casting creates mirror-wraiths from the imperfect reflection of a person. (Mirror-casting a perfect reflection calls forth the doppelganger of that person.) The art of mirror-casting influences what kind of mirror-wraith is called forth, by choosing the imperfections of the reflective tool, the illumination upon the reflective tool, the subject it is to be cast from, and what emotions and desires that the subject acts out during the casting. It is an imprecise art, and even with all these planned for, the resulting mirror-wraith may not be what was anticipated.

Mirror-casters prefer to hire skilled actors as their subjects, for they better portray the emotions and desires to be cast into the reflection. Necessity or other factors often force them to rely on using apprentices or clients. The process of casting a mirror-wraith is long, and can be arduous for the subject, which adds to the imprecision of mirror-casting. There is a joke in the guild, about the journeyman who attempts to cast a mirror-wraith of lust, to use upon the object of his desire, who hires a courtesan as his subject and gives her detailed instructions to act out before his copper mirror, only to find he has called forth a mirror-wraith of confusion, all because of his muddled intent and skill.

It is, of course, easier to create random mirror-wraiths, and even possible to create accidental mirror-wraiths (particularly in Narcissus, where the mirror-world is so close). The guild scorns such things, of course. But journeymen mirror-casters often make their living dealing with and unmaking these unintended or accidental mirror-wraiths.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====The Worshipful Guild of Mirror-Fishers====

Mirror-fishing is the art of pulling forth wonders and prodigies from deep out of the Other Side. It is an expensive undertaking – the only reliable lure is mirrorfruit from a crystal tree – and the results are essentially random. Most of the time, mirror-fishing only brings forth dross, the flotsam and jetsam of the mirror-world. Occasionally mirror entities are hauled forth, usually irritated and hostile. Rarely they bring out unique and magical things that mirror-fishers call “ephemera,” which make gambling on the expense and risk worthwhile.

Mirror-fishers use flawless glass mirrors, which must be large enough to pass whatever they bring forth. Their lures are reels of steel wire or woven steel cord on mechanical wheels and ratchets. Their lures are always baited with mirrorfruit. Mirror-fishers will cast many baited lures into mirrors at once – success takes time, and even then the results may be dubious. The lured mirror must be watched at all times. If unobserved, the mirror returns to being a mirror, the line is severed and the bait is lost. Apprentices are given the task of watching baited mirrors.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====The Munificent Guild of Mirror-Smiths====

The Great Purge in the aftermath of the Second Shattering demilitarized the mirror-smiths. They formed their guild to further pursue and adapt their reflective sciences. Although they continued to design and maintain burning mirrors for use in warfare, the mage-smiths began to explore and develop other applications of reflective science. Originally they resisted cooperation with the guilds of what they saw as cruder sorceries, such as the mirror-casters and mirror-fishers. By the golden age of the Time of Clarity, however, they willingly combined their arts to create wonders of reflective magic.

The original mirrors created by mirror-smiths were polished obsidian reflectors, polished bronze and copper, and eventually sophisticated and delicate silvered glass. The basic forms of mirrors used by mirror-smiths are: flat mirrors (simple reflections), concave mirrors (reflections converge), convex mirrors (reflections diverge), and mirror arrays (combinations of mirrors). Mirror-smiths are skilled at the delicate science of creating mirrors – which is where apprentices are put to work. Other sorcerers such as mirror-fishers and mirror-casters rely on mirror-smiths to craft the tools and mirrors needed for their arts. However the true art of the mirror-smith lies in designing and installing mirrors and arrays of mirrors, to produce wonders such as the Mirror Towers and heliocamin cannons.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====Founding Day====

Once a year, on the anniversary of Narcissus's founding, their crystal tree darkens to a shade of obsidian black. Travelers and first-time tourists assume it is an omen of misfortune.
In reality, is a confirmation from their founding Twin Sister. Hundreds, if not thousands, of people flock to the tree. If one is patient, one will glimpse her ebony reflection. The crowds hush to hear the whispered words of her ancient dialect. She typically assures the citizens that she will watch them and guard them for eternity.
The stubborn antiquarians state," If obsidian is good enough for her, it should be good enough for you."

-- by shanoxilt

==Colony Cities==

===Liriope, sapling colony city===

Liriope is the daughter-city of Narcissus, a colony called the City of Women because it was founded by women. It is still governed by matriarchy, and only women are allowed to rise to the levels of guild mistress, high priestess, or city matriarch. The city was founded for caravans to depart overland to trade with the roaming tribes of the west, and it remains the trade gateway for the Narcissus hegemony. The culture of the city is very much like that of Narcissus, although more vital and less decadent. Liriopeans study reflective magic, but the city lacks the infrastructure to use advanced sciences such as mirror-fishing, and although the city has many mirrors, they remain only reflections and not gateways into the mirrorworld.

Men in Liriope are regarded as too emotionally unstable to handle important matters. Their role is in contests and war, and in demonstrating their worth to their women, and of course in pursuing women. Only women are regarded as being practical and stable enough to raise children and to rule others. Although men work in all professions, it is always women who are the rulers and leaders. Even the city’s militia is commanded by women, though it is men doing the fighting. Liriopean women claim that they are only following the path made by the Twin Sisters in this. Liriope was founded at the same time as the Seven Sisters order, and most outsiders believe the colony was founded because of a schism in the leadership of that movement; the women who left the Seven Sisters, founded Liriope.

Occupations: Scholar, Scientist, Matriarch, Entertainer, Merchant, Sorceress, Priestess
Suggested Skills (for women): Area Knowledge (Liriope), Current Affairs, Games, Leadership, Teaching, Thaumatology (reflective magic)
Suggested Skills (for men): Area Knowledge (Liriope), Brawling, Carousing, Combat Art, Erotic Art, Thaumatology (reflective magic)
Social Background: Cultural Familiarity (1 pt., Narcissus), Glossa (native language), Literacy
Suggested Quirks (for women): Chauvinistic, Proud, Refined* (dislikes vulgarity)
Suggested Quirks (for men): Congenial, Distractible, Proud
Sample Contact Groups: Matriarch Patron, Cult or Religion
Suggested Spells: Hide Reflection (IQ/Average)
Rumor: “The original founders of Liriope were far more radical than history portrays them, and the first generation after leaving the Seven Sisters the Liriopeans followed a heretical castration cult. Narcissus quickly suppressed the castration cult under the pretext of a flower-war, and all records of the heretics were erased by the newly-appointed matriarchs. Nonetheless the Seven Sisters still have records of that time, which could shame the city matriarchs if revealed. This is why the Seven Sisters are treated very favorably in Liriope, and why the need for this blackmail has never arisen.”

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==Helot Cultures==

===Skops, helot client state===

The Skopses are one of the helot cultures of Narcissus. They were conquered long ago, essentially enslaved for generations, but in the decline and decadence of the City of Mirrors have effectively regained their independence. In earlier eras they often had to be brutally suppressed by Narcissus, as their subversive Cult of the Flensed Man inspired bloody uprisings. Over generations that bloody cult has been supplanted by more acceptable religions, and only survives in their harvest festivals where they burn wicker effigies. Skops is a fertile land from the loess soil left behind by the retreating glaciers of the north. This provides the food that sustains the population of Narcissus, and the Skopses are also another market for the goods produced in the City of Mirrors.

Lurid stories of the Flensed Man cultists say that they wore masks and mantles of the bloody skin of their enemies, and that they could thereby assume the seeming of other people. Their shamans – who were all long ago slain or driven into the wastes – it is said could flense ghosts, and assume the seeming they had in life by wearing the spirit skin. Flensers are Skopsic revolutionaries that wear the bloody skins of beasts to hide their identities from discovery.

Occupations: Helot, Farmer, Herder, Tanner, Trader, Flenser
Suggested Skills: Animal Handling, Farming, Leatherworking, Occult (spirits), Forbidden Lore (Flensed Man)
Social Background: Cultural Familiarity (1 pt., Narcissus), Skopsic (native language), Glossa (accented language)
Suggested Quirks: Nosy, Staid, Vulgar*
Sample Contact Groups: Clan, Cult
Suggested Spells: Hide Reflection (IQ/Average)
Common Names: Andrew, Barbara, Thomas
Rumor: “The Flensed Man still lives, and hides within Skops to ferment unrest and revolution. Its secret is that it is neither a god nor a human – it is a skinwalker that escaped from the mirrorworld long ago in the time of the ancients, and has masqueraded as either or both ever since. It hides among the Skopses now, secretly wearing the skin of a dead man that it pretends to be, while leading the Flensers in rebellion.”

-- by Kakita Kojiro

===Hexadactyls, helot client state===

The Hexadactyls are one of the helot cultures of Narcissus, notorious for having extra fingers and toes. Not every one of them has six fingers and six toes, but enough that being born with only five is considered bad luck for a child. Hexadactyls are obsessed with unusual divinatory practices – including chiromancy (divination by studying lines on the palm), onychomancy (divination by studying reflections off fingernails), and odder methods. Most Hexadactyls adopt superstitious taboos based on these divinatory analyses. They are regarded as odd but innocuous by Narcissus, since they have rarely risen in revolt. There was even a brief period wherein onychomancy became a popular pastime among Narcissus dilettantes, although the fad quickly died out.

One of the reasons that Narcissus does not regard the Hexadactyls as threats is that they train with no traditional weapons, as other helot cultures do. This is because they have a secret, unarmed martial art which has been passed down from generation to generation. Most Hexadactyls know some Cheiration, but devoted students of the art – the “Twelve-Finger Masters” – are deadly unarmed combatants, capable of the Palm Block, Spear Finger, and Blade Hand maneuvers. During the Helot Revolts they were as effective as any armed combatants, but the tales of their martial prowess were later scoffed at as hyperbole, and so the Hexadactyls escaped the harsh reprisals that more heavily armed revolutionaries suffered.

Occupations: Helot, Farmer, Herder, Palmist, Weaver, Twelve-Finger Master
Suggested Skills: Animal Handling, Brawling, Farming, Fortune-Telling, Cheiration (martial art, DX/Hard)
Social Background: Cultural Familiarity (1 pt., Narcissus), Dactyllic (native language), Glossa (accented language)
Suggested Quirks: Habits (divinations), Vow (taboos), Distinctive Features (extra digits)
Sample Contact Groups: Twelve-Finger Sensei
Suggested Advantages (for Twelve-Finger Masters): Unusual Background (power blow, pressure points, finger lock, 5 pts)
Rumor: “The lands of the Hexadactyls are currently being ravaged by a sabertooth half-blind with cataracts that has become a maneater Ordinarily the white-eyed maneater would be hunted down and slain, but it was discovered to be a six-fingered cat itself, and is now considered to be an omen by the Hexadactyls. As its depredations continue, Narcissus has arranged for it to be hunted down – but the Twelve-Finger Masters have surreptitiously arranged for these hunts to fail.”

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==Magic==

Magic in the Twin Cities is learned informally (for petty magics), or most often as an apprentice in a guild. There are schools for advanced study of magic, which confer degrees of magister, or doctor of the eikonic arts.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====Reflective Magic====

Reflective sorcerers rely on mirrors and surfaces. Their magic can be used to defeat enemies by throwing agressive power back upon the attacker. Mirrors also imply detailed self-analysis. Using a magic mirror can allow one to fully understand one's own potential and focus it for maximal benefit. Their are powerful, defensive, introverted and fragile.

-- by Glyptodont

Reflective Magic deals with reflections – which, for all intents and purposes, are the equivalent of souls. It reveals insights into the self, allows entrance into the mirrorworld, and of course protects by reflecting light and magic and other forces.
-- by Kakita Kojiro

mantra: “perception is redirected”

spirit-world: [[Spirit_world|the Other Side]]

tools: mirrors

talent: Reflective Magic (10 pts/level)

spells:
- ''escape from mirror'' (IQ/Average)
- ''hide reflection'' (IQ/Average)
- ''see reflected memories'' (IQ/Hard, req. Reflective Magic 1+) (note: penalties if they are not your memories)
- ''see reflected thoughts'' (IQ/Hard, req. Reflective Magic 1+) (note: penalties if they are not your thoughts)
- ''see reflections of past'' (IQ/Very Hard, req. Reflective Magic 2+, at least two other reflective spells) (note: random; no guarantee of relevance)
- ''see reflections of future'' (IQ/Very Hard, req. Reflective Magic 3+, see into past, at least three other reflective spells) (note: random; no guarantee of relevance)
- ''reflect magics'' (IQ/Very Hard, req. Reflective Magic 1+)
- ''reach into reflection'' (IQ/Hard, req. Reflective Magic 2+, at least one other reflective spell) (note: penalties if using imperfect reflection)
- ''enter reflection'' (IQ/Very Hard, req. Reflective Magic 3+, reach into reflection) (note: penalties if using imperfect reflection)
- ''steal reflection'' (IQ/Very Hard, req. Reflective Magic 5+, enter reflection, at least three other reflective spells) (this is a BAD THING that leaves you at the sorcerer’s mercy, but I do not know why)
note: it is relatively easy for reflective magic to enter the spirit-world, but what is obtained from the spirit-world tends to be random and variable. mirror-fishing pulls back random oddities. mirror-gazing sees quite unrelevant futures most of the time.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

Diaphane

2008-05-03T01:01:50Z

Kakita Kojiro: added Charsides information

=Diaphane, the Crystal City=

Also called the Crystal City, or the Invisible City. Diaphane is built of quartz crystal and clear glass and of transparent substances strong as or stronger than steel.

==History==

Unknown ages ago, the Twin Cities were founded by twin sisters.

One sister discovered a piece of reflective obsidian and was enthralled by her image. She gathered a group of artists and craftsmen to design mirrors, so that she may gaze upon herself. She founded the city of [[Narcissus]].

The other sister discovered a quartz crystal. She was fascinated by its clarity and refractive properties. She, also, gathered interested people to craft wondrous, transparent objects. She founded the city of Diaphane.

As the two cities flourished, new materials were discovered that provided the same reflective and refractive properties. The citizens coveted and gathered these materials to glorify their two cities.

Some antiquarians mourn the advent of glass. They feel that it dilutes the cities's themes. They speculate that the architects no longer enjoy the reflective and refractive qualities, but the glass itself. The antiquarians hoard ancient obsidian and quartz relics to remind themselves of the "glory days of yore" and the cities's "true" themes.

-- by shanoxilt

==Cityscape==

There are degrees of transparency. The elite live in high towers of pure crystal. The middle class live in homes with large windows, some walls of translucent glass block, and maybe a floor of tile painted with a trompe l'oeil mural to make it look like it is floating on clouds. The peasants and tradesmen make do with large windows of paper in the summer months and open roofs in the dry season.

"Transparency" is also an ideal that philosophers and artist strive for, knowing that it lies somewhere beyond our clouded world. Common folk are less concerned with such abstractions and often view glass walls as a means of one-upsmanship against their neighbors.

-- by Glyptodont

It is said that when Diaphane achieves true transparency, it will fade from the material world and join the invisible world. This goal is sought through the city’s architecture, not only in its buildings of quartz, windows, and glass, but in its streets that are also paths in the spirit-world. Straight roads in Diaphane are probably also invisible paths, used by the invisible Neighbors and other invisible spirits. Curved roads, roads that cross water, roads interrupted by gated walls, or crossroads – all hinder invisible spirits, especially ghosts (the many mirrors of Narcissus accomplish the same effect).

Outsiders complain that the streets and buildings of Diaphane shift and change, roads that were crooked now run straight, or vice-versa. This is not so. Citizens know these are simply the effects of invisible paths. As their city develops in its transparency, the invisible world around it grows closer, and it is possible to accidentally wander into the sections where the invisible people dwell, which normally cannot be seen or found. Those who know and can see the right paths – cryptomancers and others – can use them as shortcuts through the City of Glass. Others run the risk of becoming lost in the [[Spirit_world|Invisible World]], or of annoying the Neighbors.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

Diaphane is home to some of the world's best greenhouses.

-- by shanoxilt

====Grand Aquarium====

Diaphane has a grand aquarium of x-ray fish, jellyfish, glass catfish, and icefish.

-- by shanoxilt

====The Crystal Grotto====

When she and her twin sister wandered the lands, the sister who founded Diaphane came to a place near the clear ice of the glaciers, and through which clear waters and winds flowed. She discovered or was led to the sacred crystal cave that no human had ever seen -- and there she found the [[Spirit_world|Crystal Tree]]. That was how she knew where to found her city.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====The Holy Sphere====

Optics are extremely advanced in the three cities, due to the high degree of precision and value placed on lessons, so that the sight of corrective lenses are fairly common,
and this has been expanded to include spy-glasses, and large telescopes and microscopes of large size. It is said that these are used to track the motion of the heavens, predict the weather, the future, and even look into the past. The Guild of the Convex Passions and the Concave Faction work together creating common goods for export, and crafting singular works of art. The Ships of the Twins Cities also have very accurate maps and charts do to the extensive questioning of sources both spirit and material, salvaged maps and surveys from ruins, and taken from the very souls of spies. The largest example of this is a revolving crystal sphere that displays the movements of the clouds and the sky in the Planetarium, made possible by projecting the spirit of the World itself from specially designed lenses and mirrors. The effect is awe inspiring and is used to illustrate the power and ability of Diaphane. The projection is carefully studies with large magnifying glasses, and cities and towns are observed from Afar. It is said that the movement of armies can be tracked by looking for trails of dust, and that as explorers find new lands or ruins, they are added to the Sphere.

-- by stephen_dean

====The Stained Quarter====

During the time of the [[Cities_of_glass_history|Second Shattering]] new advances had been made in tinting glass with vivid hues. New buildings and wonders were made, all of stained and colored glass, and the City of Glass took on translucent hues.

This led to great debates in the Crystalline Agora, as citizens argued that the hues were a perversion of true Translucence. Eventually rabble-rousers whipped mobs of citizens into a frenzy, leading to the destruction of the colored glass in the [[Cities_of_glass_history|Second Shattering]]. The surviving proponents accepted exile under the guise of founding the colony that became [[Iridos]]. The records, of course, were purged for the good of all.

The ruined Stained Quarter was never rebuilt. But it is still inhabited by squatters and the poor, since the broken shards there did not fracture the spirits of the [[Spirit_world|Invisible World]] as they did in the other places of Shattering. No spirit-storms of invisible shards occur there to strip flesh from bone as they do at the other Shattered places.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==Geography==

Each of the Twin Sisters walked an equal distance away from the [[Other_kingdoms|Thousand Flowing Waters]], their original homeland, to found their cities. Diaphane is at higher latitude, on the coast of the eastern ocean, a harbor city.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==Culture==

The city is ruled by the Worshipful Archons, dictatorial lawmakers elected for life for the embetterment of all. The Archons see to it that sacrifices are made for the good of all – such as the sacred albinos being pampered so as to benefit the sacred trees. The Archons have abolished both police and military, in favor of the glass golems which enforce peace and trust. To keep secrets, to speak lies, to hide and obfuscate – these are crimes. The city also has a population of invisible citizens that only natives of Diaphane may see. These invisible citizens are part of the Invisible World, the spirit world that is always manifest in Diaphane, but never seen.

The Worshipful Archons are aristocrats anonymously elected to office. Highest in rank are the chief archons – the ''hierarch'' (nominal chief), ''polemarch'' (oversees the city’s military), ''navarch'' (oversees the city’s navy), ''hagiarch'' (oversees religions), ''xenarch'' (oversees foreigners), ''cryptarch'' (oversees relations with the invisible world), and others that have varied over time. Lesser archons serve as judges, magistrates, and officials of the city – and one of the most influential of these officials are those who license magicians for the practice of magic-for-hire in Diaphane.

Only magicians skilled in pellucid magic are licensed in Diaphane – barbarous magics such as chromatic or shadow magic are not prohibited per se, but working them for-hire is against the law. Most licensed magicians hold degrees from one of the schools of the eikonic arts (though rarely at the level of magister or doctor of the eikonic arts). Professions such as lens-wrights or glass-wrights need not be licensed (they create for sale, but are not for-hire).

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====Schools of the Eikonic Arts====

The Invisible College is not the only school for the teaching of the eikonic arts in Diaphane. Because it teaches foreign magic, it is obviously the better known to foreigners – but for the same reason is of questionable reputation in Diaphane. Schools change over time: older schools become unpopular, newer schools schism from established schools, or merge, or even go into exile in one instance. Membership in most of the schools is secret, in theory – only other magicians will recognize the school of another, or know the location of the schools.

'''the Invisible College''': The only school that teaches more than one type of magic is the Invisible College. Originally founded just prior to the Second Shattering, it was an ambitious attempt to unify pellucid, reflective, and chromatic magic. Although that goal was never attained, it is the only place to learn all four types of magic. Its students, having split their studies so widely, tend to be broad generalists rather than thorough specialists.

'''the Paramanteion''': Oldest and most traditional of the schools of Diaphane. Its students learn in the Aeologion – the temple of the wind god. To outsiders they are not distinguished from the temple’s priests, and many of the priests are also students of the Paramanteion. The school’s magisters focus on the philosophical ramifications of pellucid magic, and tend to neglect the practical. The school often accepts foreign students from the Silent Brotherhood or from other friendly cults.

'''the Calyption''': This school meets in the Crystal Grottos, where the crystal trees were first discovered. It disbanded during the Second Shattering, at which time it was known as the “Cryption,” but was refounded after the Third Shattering in its current form. Originally the school studied and tended to the crystal trees, and transplanted groves of crystal trees elsewhere for cultivation. In its current incarnation the school teaches glass-wrights, and led the development of glass golems and similar automata.

'''the Glass Libraries''': The Glass Libraries are not as formal a school as others – it is more a loose alliance of various repositories of lore in Diaphane. By agreement, each allows the students of the others free access to study from the crystalline plates inscribed with various lore. This agreement dates back to the construction of the first helioscopes (which focus sunlight as weapons) before the Second Shattering, and students of the Glass Libraries tend to specialize as lens-wrights and the design of telescopes, microscopes, and helioscopes. It is said that the Glass Libraries stole the idea for their helioscopes and Sun Towers from the Mirror Towers of Narcissus – an accusation that they angrily refute.

'''the Agoric College''': The only school officially sponsored by the Worshipful Archons of Diaphane, and one of the few whose students are known and registered. Its masters teach openly in the Crystalline Agora, and the unlearned who listen nearby are either discouraged, or invited to join as students, according to their aptitude. The school focuses mainly on interacting with the invisible Neighbors that also inhabit Diaphane, and there are always rumors that one or more of the school’s magisters are actually Neighbors made briefly visible.

'''the Skolomanteion''': The only school to have been exiled from Diaphane, in the Time of Clarity when the albino cult was reestablished in the city. The offense or heresy committed by the Skolomanteion was purged from the records of the Worshipful Archons, so none now know what it was. Rumors as to where the school went in its exile are wild and endless, but it is not even certain that the Skolomanteion even survives in any form at all.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====Sky Day====

The city of Diaphane celebrates Sky Day... by going sky-clad. No native of the city wears clothing on that day -- they hide nothing of themselves from the world. Although outsiders and children find the celebration strange and titillating, to citizens it is a solemn occasion for introspection.

It is said that on Sky Day those who shed all concealment to walk naked gain the ability to see what is concealed in the Invisible World, as well -- they can clearly see the invisible spirit-citizens of Diaphane on that day. Outsiders occasionally attempt to participate in the festival, but rarely succeed; they lack the secret lore of transparency that allows natives to comfortably walk unclothed. Sky Day occurs in the dead of winter, and most non-natives who go sky-clad usually see visions because of hypothermia, not enlightenment.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====The Feast of All Colors and None====

This holiday was popular in the time up to the Second Shattering, but has fallen to the status of minor festival in Diaphane, while becoming the major annual celebration in Iridos. Food is the focus of both festivals, but it is a specific, day-long meal. In each course of the meal, the foods served are always of one dominant color. It is said the lesson of the Feast is that it reveals the transience of colors, which all fade into blessed translucence.

The first course is white foods -- generally simply, bland dishes of polished rice. There are fewer following courses; often reduced to red, green, and "blue" courses. But there is another, final course -- the course of translucence. Crushed ices, crystal sugars, gelatins, and delicacies such as rare jellyfishes and transparent cave fish are served with clear and pure water.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==Colony Cities==

===Symeros, sapling colony city===

The colony city of Symeros was founded by Diaphoros the Synesthete, one of the first pupils of the Invisible College from Diaphane. He was blessed or cursed with synisthesia, which has been inherited in many forms by his descendants. As the royal family maintains a prerogative to the first night with any new bride, synisthesia has spread among the Symerides. Symeros is on the Maiandro river downstream from Diaphane, and is the major port of the Diaphane hegemony. Glass-bottom boats ply the river from Diaphane to Symeros and on to Iridos isle, carrying cargo and travelers. Despite its origins, Symeros has never devoted itself to one viewpoint of magic, and all are practiced here – although mainly pellucid and chromatic. Formal training in the magic sciences must be sought in Diaphane or Iridos, however.

The city’s boatmen must navigate their way through the Thousand Flowing Waters and its many perils, and it has been discovered that the city’s synisthetes are somewhat protected from the odd powers of vampires and Hollow Men and other heretics of that ilk. They are in great demand as scavengers of the ruins there, and as crusaders for the Silent Brotherhood. Synisthetes do not often master any kind of magic, for their unique perception interacts oddly.

Occupations: Philosopher, Scientist, Merchant, Boatman
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (Symeros), Boating, Current Affairs, Smuggling, Occult (vampires), Thaumatology (pellucid or chromatic magic)
Social Background: Cultural Familiarity (1 pt., Twin Cities), Glossa (native language), Literacy
Suggested Quirks: Congenial, Imaginative, Addiction (tobacco)
Sample Contact Groups: School, Cult or Religion
Suggested Spells: Identify Exact Color (IQ/Average), See Clearly (IQ/Average)
Rumor: “The Empty Masters secretly plan to subvert one of the synisthetes of Symeros. By mixing synesthetic perception with their blind enlightenment, they hope to find the reason that synesthetes are so effective against them. Should they succeed, the crusade of the Silent Brotherhood would be set back, and Symeros left open to infiltration by the bleak cult of the Empty Masters.”

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==Helot Cultures==

===Gnarides, helot client state===

The Gnarides are the helot culture in the lands near Diaphane. They were the original inhabitants of the area, driven away by the “Witch Sister.” Although once warlike, they have been conquered and subjugated, and now their clans are scattered through several petty kingdoms. They are pastoralists who raise mountain goats and make cheese, although they are known for being good spear hunters, and occasionally hired as mercenary spearmen.

Gnaride culture revolves around their worship of the earth deity, which they view as both male and female. They build lingams – large standing stones representing the phallus of the god. They also have sacred caves – representing the goddess – callen yoni caves. They practice barbaric fertility magic with these, and claim that is why the men of Diaphane fear to build tall structures that cast shadows, and why they will not abide dark caves. Only men deal with lingams and their magic, and only women deal with yonis and their magic. Having the shadow of a lingam stone fall on you is lucky, but also arouses carnal lust and blood lust. Entering the dark yoni cave aids in conception and childbirth. If women fall under the lingam’s shadow, they may become pregnant or barren. If men enter the yoni cave, they may return as women or pregnant. For obvious reasons, both of these actions are taboo. Outsiders rarely benefit from either lingam stones or yoni caves. Their magic-men are called Horned Men because they wear crowns of horns, and while they are good at dealing with female spirits, they are very unlucky with male spirits.

Occupations: Helot, Herder, Weaver, Hunter, Spearman, Horned Man
Suggested Skills: Animal Handling, Farming, Sex Appeal, Spear, Occult (spirits)
Social Background: Cultural Familiarity (1 pt., Diaphane), Gnaric (native language), Glossa (accented language)
Suggested Quirks: Broad-Minded, Proud, Lusty*
Sample Contact Groups: Clan, Former Lovers
Suggested Spells (for men): Incite Bloodlust (IQ/Average), Incite Carnal Lust (IQ/Hard)
Suggested Spells (for women): Increase Fertility (IQ/Hard), Ease Childbirth (IQ/Average)
Common Names: Dwight, Loeis, Amalie
Rumor: “Gnaride spearmen boast that when they capture opponents in Flower Wars, the women want to never go back home, and the men to never face another Flower War again. Telling such tales makes Diaphanides very angry.”

-- by Kakita Kojiro

===Charsides, helot client state===

The Charsides are one of the oldest helot cultures of Diaphane. Their lands had always been extremely fertile, but they claimed this was because of their custom of burying living victims in the soil of their most fertile fields. When they were conquered and civilized this custom was forbidden – which has caused them to be avid supporters of every helot rebellion, so that they might once again feed their hungry fields. “Charse is beating its plows into weapons” is a watchword for revolution in Diaphane.

Following the Second Shattering and the bloody helot revolts that led up to it, Diaphane built Sun Towers throughout the lands of the Charsides – not so much to protect them, as to threaten any revolts with the burning rays of the sun. Since then the Charsides have complained of being plagued by hungry ghosts, but when the Archons sent magicians to investigate, they reported nothing. Finally an extremely clever archon had the Charsides take her to the locations of all the most peaceful haunts – and promptly deputized those ghosts as magistrates to oversee the unruly, hungry ghosts. Ever since the Charsides have gone to complain to the magistrate ghosts, and the Archons have not been bothered.

Occupations: Helot, Farmer, Ghostcaller, Tinker, Woodcutter
Suggested Skills: Farming, Polearm, Smith, Occult (ghosts), Forbidden Lore (field sacrifices)
Social Background: Cultural Familiarity (1 pt., Diaphane), Charsic (native language), Glossa (accented language)
Suggested Quirks: Belligerent*, Incompetence (magic), Proud
Suggested Spells: Feed Ghost (IQ/Average), Identify Ghost (IQ/Hard)
Rumor: “Now that they have been subdued and civilized, the Charsides have been eager to learn pellucid magic, so as to be able to see the invisible and hungry ghosts that plague them. Despite their studies, they all say that these new spells do not show them the invisible ghosts which they know to be there, and so they have complained bitterly. Cryptomancers sent to look into the matter have never seen these ghosts, either, leaving everyone confused and annoyed.”

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==Magic==

Magic in the Twin Cities is learned informally (for petty magics), or most often as an apprentice in a guild. There are schools for advanced study of magic, which confer degrees of magister, or doctor of the eikonic arts.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====Pellucid Magic====

Transparent magicians use their magic, not to respond to assaults, but to allow danger to pass them by harmlessly. Extreme transparency is invisible to the unenlightened. Transparent magic allows one to pass through obstacles and walk without being seen. (Though some claim this concept is dangerously close to the "hidden power" of the Opaque.) Their are powerful, defensive, introverted and fragile.

-- by Glyptodont

Pellucid Magic is the magic of transparency, of invisible things. Transparent magic makes things clearer, reveals hidden things, allows seeing of things that otherwise could not be seen, and allows light into darkness.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

mantra: “perception goes through”

spirit-world: [[Spirit_world|the Invisible World]]

tools: lenses

talent: Pellucid Magic (10 pts/level)

spells:
- ''see clearly'' (IQ/Average)
- ''fade'' (IQ/Average)
- ''see unseen'' (IQ/Hard, req. Pellucid Magic 1+)
- ''see through objects'' (IQ/Hard, req. Pellucid Magic 1+)
- ''see small things'' (IQ/Hard, req. Pellucid Magic 1+)
- ''see distant things'' (IQ/Hard, req. Pellucid Magic 1+)
- ''allow danger to pass through'' (IQ/Very Hard, req. Pellucid Magic 2+, at least one other pellucid spell)
- ''pass through obstacles'' (IQ/Very Hard, req. Pellucid Magic 3+, allow danger to pass through, at least two other pellucid spells)
- ''translucency'' (IQ/Hard, req. Pellucid Magic 2+, at least one other pellucid spell)
- ''invisibility'' (IQ/Very Hard, req. Pellucid Magic 4+, translucency, at least three other pellucid spells)
- ''enter Invisible World'' (IQ/Very Hard, req. Pellucid Magic 5+, invisibility, at least five other pellucid spells)
note: using pellucid magic to enter the [[Spirit_world|spirit-world]] generally makes you permanently invisible and intangible. presumably there is another pellucid spell that would allow you to leave the spririt-world and return to the material world again.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====Glass Golems====

Since the first smiths created the primitive glassware many generations ago, there has been the relationship between Man and Machina. This relationship is best represented by the silent watchers who defend our way of life. The Glass Golems not only provide exquisite beauty and an artistic ideal, but also provide defense against the insanity that infects some outlanders into defacing our city. They can never know which piece of art is watching them, or whether the statue of the Thousand Barbed Flowers will skin them for there transgression. We do not debase ourselves with men wandering down the street accosting citizens or thieves lining the watchman's pockets. We are a city of trust, and clarity. Is it not better to know that Justice is always watching. The statues are of a gift from the Temple, and have proven there worth in the past. Of course, some of the other cities has similar creations, however, they are far more base constructions. It is lucky we have so many criminals who are willing to pay for there crime by imprisonment with-in our Constructs. As there are no criminals in our society, many outlanders and heretics make up the majority of those imprisoned with-in them. A perfect sytstem for a perfect city.

-- by stephen_dean

Narcissus

2008-05-03T01:00:40Z

Kakita Kojiro: added Hexadactyls information

=Narcissus, City of Mirrors=

Also called the Reflective City, the City of Mirrors. Built of obsidian, of polished brass and bronze, of silvered glass, and stranger mirrors, and everywhere full of still pools and fountains.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==History==

Unknown ages ago, the Twin Cities were founded by twin sisters.

One sister discovered a piece of reflective obsidian and was enthralled by her image. She gathered a group of artists and craftsmen to design mirrors, so that she may gaze upon herself. She founded the city of Narcissus.

The other sister discovered a quartz crystal. She was fascinated by its clarity and refractive properties. She, also, gathered interested people to craft wondrous, transparent objects. She founded the city of Diaphane.

As the two cities flourished, new materials were discovered that provided the same reflective and refractive properties. The citizens coveted and gathered these materials to glorify their two cities.

Obsidian was soon replaced by polished bronze. As their comprehension of chemistry evolved, mirrors were fashioned of glass coated by tin, mercury, or silver.

Many of the older neighborhoods have not converted to glass mirrors. They still use obsidian mirrors and bronze. They face discrimination because their surfaces are not sufficiently reflective. These citizens are considered too old-fashioned or too poor to be noticed.

Narcissus has, also, utilized glass to created lenses and prisms. Buildings constructed of ice have become a current trend, but only the most pristine ice is considered fashionable.

-- by shanoxilt

The ice buildings are currently in danger of melting! The owners of these frozen building have created a task force to solve this problem. The task force is trying several methods:
contacting the Invisible College for information, researching the most obscure books in the libraries, and travelling to other lands to seek information and aid.

-- by shanoxilt

==Cityscape==

Narcissus is at the furthest navigable part of the River Cephissus, in the foothills of the [[Other_kingdoms|Western Mountains]]. The oldest portions of the city are buildings of polished, black obsidian, whereas the newer buildings are of mirrored glass where not covered by polished brass or copper, silver or gold. Mirrors and reflective surfaces are everywhere in Narcissus, and it is possible to inadvertently step through them into the [[Spirit_world|Other Side]], by accident or carelessness.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====The Mirror Towers====

The first Mirror Towers were built to defend Narcissus during the [[Cities_of_glass_history|Helot Revolts]] that preceeded the [[Cities_of_glass_history|Second Shattering]]. These towers held arrays of mirrors that could focus burning rays of sunlight against attackers. In that time the mirror-smiths who created the Mirror Towers were military sorcerers. These military sorcerers then created mobile burning mirrors that were deployed in the total warfare of the [[Cities_of_glass_history|Shadowdancer Wars]].

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====The Obsidian Foundries====

The district of Narcissus known as the Obsidian Foundries is one of the oldest surviving, dating back to before all the [[Cities_of_glass_history|Shatterings]], almost back to the Founding itself. These were the places where the earliest attempts to exploit the [[Spirit_world|Other Side]] were made – through blocks and sheets of smooth obsidian. The imperfections in these reflections forced the development of glass mirrors for reflective magic. They also led to the spawning of the first mirror-wraiths. As the art of mirror-fishing moved on to newer tools, the art of mirror-casting to deliberately spawn mirror-wraiths began to develop.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====The Mirror Fisheries====

The district of Narcissus known as the Mirror Fisheries has been rebuilt and moved several times – in each Shattering, they were destroyed. The very first Mirror Fisheries were primitive, using slabs of polished metal, frozen pools of glacial ice, or sheets of reflective obsidian. Flaws and imperfections in these reflections created problems and dangers for mirror-fishing. More perfect reflections were needed, and so glass mirrors were developed.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==Geography==

Each of the Twin Sisters walked an equal distance away from the [[Other_kingdoms|Thousand Flowing Waters]], their original homeland, to found their cities. Narcissus at higher altitude, near the glaciers and dormant volcanos of the [[Other_kingdoms|Western Mountains]].

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==Culture==

The city is ruled by many nobles, who convene in a body of government known as the Diet – which is one of the most ineffectual political bodies known. Effectively the city is governed by shifting cabals of the wealthiest nobles and the sorcerers in their employ. The city is defended by many towers housing artillery-mirrors that can cast deadly beams of burning light miles away. It has an army, but its officers are mainly petty nobles who accept commissions for the privilege of wearing the handsome uniforms; they rarely report for duty.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

The ceremonial garb which the nobles of Narcissus wear in Flower Wars includes their mirror armor, round and highly polished metal shields, and their obsidian-edged swords.

These traditional armaments are more suited for the ceremonial combat of Flower Wars, than for in actual battle. Nonetheless, they are preferred exclusively by the nobility, for whom tradition and ostentation are more important than effectiveness. The nobles of Narcissus spend their time planning Flower Wars and sponsoring eccentric projects. Commerce, and the Guilds, are the real power in Narcissus, and they prefer to hire mercenaries rather than rely on the nobility and their odd habits of warfare.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====The Honorable Guild of Mirror-Casters====

Mirror-casting creates mirror-wraiths from the imperfect reflection of a person. (Mirror-casting a perfect reflection calls forth the doppelganger of that person.) The art of mirror-casting influences what kind of mirror-wraith is called forth, by choosing the imperfections of the reflective tool, the illumination upon the reflective tool, the subject it is to be cast from, and what emotions and desires that the subject acts out during the casting. It is an imprecise art, and even with all these planned for, the resulting mirror-wraith may not be what was anticipated.

Mirror-casters prefer to hire skilled actors as their subjects, for they better portray the emotions and desires to be cast into the reflection. Necessity or other factors often force them to rely on using apprentices or clients. The process of casting a mirror-wraith is long, and can be arduous for the subject, which adds to the imprecision of mirror-casting. There is a joke in the guild, about the journeyman who attempts to cast a mirror-wraith of lust, to use upon the object of his desire, who hires a courtesan as his subject and gives her detailed instructions to act out before his copper mirror, only to find he has called forth a mirror-wraith of confusion, all because of his muddled intent and skill.

It is, of course, easier to create random mirror-wraiths, and even possible to create accidental mirror-wraiths (particularly in Narcissus, where the mirror-world is so close). The guild scorns such things, of course. But journeymen mirror-casters often make their living dealing with and unmaking these unintended or accidental mirror-wraiths.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====The Worshipful Guild of Mirror-Fishers====

Mirror-fishing is the art of pulling forth wonders and prodigies from deep out of the Other Side. It is an expensive undertaking – the only reliable lure is mirrorfruit from a crystal tree – and the results are essentially random. Most of the time, mirror-fishing only brings forth dross, the flotsam and jetsam of the mirror-world. Occasionally mirror entities are hauled forth, usually irritated and hostile. Rarely they bring out unique and magical things that mirror-fishers call “ephemera,” which make gambling on the expense and risk worthwhile.

Mirror-fishers use flawless glass mirrors, which must be large enough to pass whatever they bring forth. Their lures are reels of steel wire or woven steel cord on mechanical wheels and ratchets. Their lures are always baited with mirrorfruit. Mirror-fishers will cast many baited lures into mirrors at once – success takes time, and even then the results may be dubious. The lured mirror must be watched at all times. If unobserved, the mirror returns to being a mirror, the line is severed and the bait is lost. Apprentices are given the task of watching baited mirrors.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====The Munificent Guild of Mirror-Smiths====

The Great Purge in the aftermath of the Second Shattering demilitarized the mirror-smiths. They formed their guild to further pursue and adapt their reflective sciences. Although they continued to design and maintain burning mirrors for use in warfare, the mage-smiths began to explore and develop other applications of reflective science. Originally they resisted cooperation with the guilds of what they saw as cruder sorceries, such as the mirror-casters and mirror-fishers. By the golden age of the Time of Clarity, however, they willingly combined their arts to create wonders of reflective magic.

The original mirrors created by mirror-smiths were polished obsidian reflectors, polished bronze and copper, and eventually sophisticated and delicate silvered glass. The basic forms of mirrors used by mirror-smiths are: flat mirrors (simple reflections), concave mirrors (reflections converge), convex mirrors (reflections diverge), and mirror arrays (combinations of mirrors). Mirror-smiths are skilled at the delicate science of creating mirrors – which is where apprentices are put to work. Other sorcerers such as mirror-fishers and mirror-casters rely on mirror-smiths to craft the tools and mirrors needed for their arts. However the true art of the mirror-smith lies in designing and installing mirrors and arrays of mirrors, to produce wonders such as the Mirror Towers and heliocamin cannons.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====Founding Day====

Once a year, on the anniversary of Narcissus's founding, their crystal tree darkens to a shade of obsidian black. Travelers and first-time tourists assume it is an omen of misfortune.
In reality, is a confirmation from their founding Twin Sister. Hundreds, if not thousands, of people flock to the tree. If one is patient, one will glimpse her ebony reflection. The crowds hush to hear the whispered words of her ancient dialect. She typically assures the citizens that she will watch them and guard them for eternity.
The stubborn antiquarians state," If obsidian is good enough for her, it should be good enough for you."

-- by shanoxilt

==Colony Cities==

===Liriope, sapling colony city===

Liriope is the daughter-city of Narcissus, a colony called the City of Women because it was founded by women. It is still governed by matriarchy, and only women are allowed to rise to the levels of guild mistress, high priestess, or city matriarch. The city was founded for caravans to depart overland to trade with the roaming tribes of the west, and it remains the trade gateway for the Narcissus hegemony. The culture of the city is very much like that of Narcissus, although more vital and less decadent. Liriopeans study reflective magic, but the city lacks the infrastructure to use advanced sciences such as mirror-fishing, and although the city has many mirrors, they remain only reflections and not gateways into the mirrorworld.

Men in Liriope are regarded as too emotionally unstable to handle important matters. Their role is in contests and war, and in demonstrating their worth to their women, and of course in pursuing women. Only women are regarded as being practical and stable enough to raise children and to rule others. Although men work in all professions, it is always women who are the rulers and leaders. Even the city’s militia is commanded by women, though it is men doing the fighting. Liriopean women claim that they are only following the path made by the Twin Sisters in this. Liriope was founded at the same time as the Seven Sisters order, and most outsiders believe the colony was founded because of a schism in the leadership of that movement; the women who left the Seven Sisters, founded Liriope.

Occupations: Scholar, Scientist, Matriarch, Entertainer, Merchant, Sorceress, Priestess
Suggested Skills (for women): Area Knowledge (Liriope), Current Affairs, Games, Leadership, Teaching, Thaumatology (reflective magic)
Suggested Skills (for men): Area Knowledge (Liriope), Brawling, Carousing, Combat Art, Erotic Art, Thaumatology (reflective magic)
Social Background: Cultural Familiarity (1 pt., Narcissus), Glossa (native language), Literacy
Suggested Quirks (for women): Chauvinistic, Proud, Refined* (dislikes vulgarity)
Suggested Quirks (for men): Congenial, Distractible, Proud
Sample Contact Groups: Matriarch Patron, Cult or Religion
Suggested Spells: Hide Reflection (IQ/Average)
Rumor: “The original founders of Liriope were far more radical than history portrays them, and the first generation after leaving the Seven Sisters the Liriopeans followed a heretical castration cult. Narcissus quickly suppressed the castration cult under the pretext of a flower-war, and all records of the heretics were erased by the newly-appointed matriarchs. Nonetheless the Seven Sisters still have records of that time, which could shame the city matriarchs if revealed. This is why the Seven Sisters are treated very favorably in Liriope, and why the need for this blackmail has never arisen.”

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==Helot Cultures==

====Skops, helot client state====

The Skopses are one of the helot cultures of Narcissus. They were conquered long ago, essentially enslaved for generations, but in the decline and decadence of the City of Mirrors have effectively regained their independence. In earlier eras they often had to be brutally suppressed by Narcissus, as their subversive Cult of the Flensed Man inspired bloody uprisings. Over generations that bloody cult has been supplanted by more acceptable religions, and only survives in their harvest festivals where they burn wicker effigies. Skops is a fertile land from the loess soil left behind by the retreating glaciers of the north. This provides the food that sustains the population of Narcissus, and the Skopses are also another market for the goods produced in the City of Mirrors.

Lurid stories of the Flensed Man cultists say that they wore masks and mantles of the bloody skin of their enemies, and that they could thereby assume the seeming of other people. Their shamans – who were all long ago slain or driven into the wastes – it is said could flense ghosts, and assume the seeming they had in life by wearing the spirit skin. Flensers are Skopsic revolutionaries that wear the bloody skins of beasts to hide their identities from discovery.

Occupations: Helot, Farmer, Herder, Tanner, Trader, Flenser
Suggested Skills: Animal Handling, Farming, Leatherworking, Occult (spirits), Forbidden Lore (Flensed Man)
Social Background: Cultural Familiarity (1 pt., Narcissus), Skopsic (native language), Glossa (accented language)
Suggested Quirks: Nosy, Staid, Vulgar*
Sample Contact Groups: Clan, Cult
Suggested Spells: Hide Reflection (IQ/Average)
Common Names: Andrew, Barbara, Thomas
Rumor: “The Flensed Man still lives, and hides within Skops to ferment unrest and revolution. Its secret is that it is neither a god nor a human – it is a skinwalker that escaped from the mirrorworld long ago in the time of the ancients, and has masqueraded as either or both ever since. It hides among the Skopses now, secretly wearing the skin of a dead man that it pretends to be, while leading the Flensers in rebellion.”

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====Hexadactyls, helot client state====

The Hexadactyls are one of the helot cultures of Narcissus, notorious for having extra fingers and toes. Not every one of them has six fingers and six toes, but enough that being born with only five is considered bad luck for a child. Hexadactyls are obsessed with unusual divinatory practices – including chiromancy (divination by studying lines on the palm), onychomancy (divination by studying reflections off fingernails), and odder methods. Most Hexadactyls adopt superstitious taboos based on these divinatory analyses. They are regarded as odd but innocuous by Narcissus, since they have rarely risen in revolt. There was even a brief period wherein onychomancy became a popular pastime among Narcissus dilettantes, although the fad quickly died out.

One of the reasons that Narcissus does not regard the Hexadactyls as threats is that they train with no traditional weapons, as other helot cultures do. This is because they have a secret, unarmed martial art which has been passed down from generation to generation. Most Hexadactyls know some Cheiration, but devoted students of the art – the “Twelve-Finger Masters” – are deadly unarmed combatants, capable of the Palm Block, Spear Finger, and Blade Hand maneuvers. During the Helot Revolts they were as effective as any armed combatants, but the tales of their martial prowess were later scoffed at as hyperbole, and so the Hexadactyls escaped the harsh reprisals that more heavily armed revolutionaries suffered.

Occupations: Helot, Farmer, Herder, Palmist, Weaver, Twelve-Finger Master
Suggested Skills: Animal Handling, Brawling, Farming, Fortune-Telling, Cheiration (martial art, DX/Hard)
Social Background: Cultural Familiarity (1 pt., Narcissus), Dactyllic (native language), Glossa (accented language)
Suggested Quirks: Habits (divinations), Vow (taboos), Distinctive Features (extra digits)
Sample Contact Groups: Twelve-Finger Sensei
Suggested Advantages (for Twelve-Finger Masters): Unusual Background (power blow, pressure points, finger lock, 5 pts)
Rumor: “The lands of the Hexadactyls are currently being ravaged by a sabertooth half-blind with cataracts that has become a maneater Ordinarily the white-eyed maneater would be hunted down and slain, but it was discovered to be a six-fingered cat itself, and is now considered to be an omen by the Hexadactyls. As its depredations continue, Narcissus has arranged for it to be hunted down – but the Twelve-Finger Masters have surreptitiously arranged for these hunts to fail.”

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==Magic==

Magic in the Twin Cities is learned informally (for petty magics), or most often as an apprentice in a guild. There are schools for advanced study of magic, which confer degrees of magister, or doctor of the eikonic arts.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====Reflective Magic====

Reflective sorcerers rely on mirrors and surfaces. Their magic can be used to defeat enemies by throwing agressive power back upon the attacker. Mirrors also imply detailed self-analysis. Using a magic mirror can allow one to fully understand one's own potential and focus it for maximal benefit. Their are powerful, defensive, introverted and fragile.

-- by Glyptodont

Reflective Magic deals with reflections – which, for all intents and purposes, are the equivalent of souls. It reveals insights into the self, allows entrance into the mirrorworld, and of course protects by reflecting light and magic and other forces.
-- by Kakita Kojiro

mantra: “perception is redirected”

spirit-world: [[Spirit_world|the Other Side]]

tools: mirrors

talent: Reflective Magic (10 pts/level)

spells:
- ''escape from mirror'' (IQ/Average)
- ''hide reflection'' (IQ/Average)
- ''see reflected memories'' (IQ/Hard, req. Reflective Magic 1+) (note: penalties if they are not your memories)
- ''see reflected thoughts'' (IQ/Hard, req. Reflective Magic 1+) (note: penalties if they are not your thoughts)
- ''see reflections of past'' (IQ/Very Hard, req. Reflective Magic 2+, at least two other reflective spells) (note: random; no guarantee of relevance)
- ''see reflections of future'' (IQ/Very Hard, req. Reflective Magic 3+, see into past, at least three other reflective spells) (note: random; no guarantee of relevance)
- ''reflect magics'' (IQ/Very Hard, req. Reflective Magic 1+)
- ''reach into reflection'' (IQ/Hard, req. Reflective Magic 2+, at least one other reflective spell) (note: penalties if using imperfect reflection)
- ''enter reflection'' (IQ/Very Hard, req. Reflective Magic 3+, reach into reflection) (note: penalties if using imperfect reflection)
- ''steal reflection'' (IQ/Very Hard, req. Reflective Magic 5+, enter reflection, at least three other reflective spells) (this is a BAD THING that leaves you at the sorcerer’s mercy, but I do not know why)
note: it is relatively easy for reflective magic to enter the spirit-world, but what is obtained from the spirit-world tends to be random and variable. mirror-fishing pulls back random oddities. mirror-gazing sees quite unrelevant futures most of the time.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

Iridos

2008-05-03T00:59:01Z

Kakita Kojiro: added colony city information

=Iridos, Spectrum City=

Also called Spectrum City, the City of Rainbows. Built of materials colored in any hue that matches the faction of the district that they are built within – red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, or violet.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

Many young artists rejected the idea of colorless crystal and achromic speculums. They wanted some color! Mainstream artisans chided them for their foolish fads. They felt the amateur creations had gaudy hues and... opacity!

The avante-garde formed Spectrum City, a community of rejected artists who categorize everything by colors.

-- by shanoxilt

Spectrum City is not very old. Despite this, the older and/or more conservative citizens have begun to establish regulations and guidelines. Some Spectrum citizens are dismayed, and even enraged, by this hypocrisy. Spectrum City was founded on free-spirited ideals of creativity and non-conformity!

On each side of the city is a large, public area where all the colors freely mix. In these two places, one may find beautiful mosaics and murals. There are markets that sell dyes, make-up, paints, and stained glass. One may, also, spot people who have painted their bodies.

-- by shanoxilt

The people of Spectrum City have recently invented stained glass and shadow puppet theatres.

-- by shanoxilt

==History==

[[Diaphane]] usually attempts to claim credit for the achievements of Iridos. They assert that they split the light of inspiration to reveal a spectrum of creativity. In the past, Diaphane and Narcissus did experience a few periods of animosity and conflict. These conflicts were mercifully brief events.

-- by shanoxilt

The truth of the matter has been carefully purged from the histories of [[Diaphane]]. The founding of Iridos had its origin during the Second Shattering. In that time, new advances had been made in tinting glass with vivid hues. New buildings and wonders were made, all of stained and colored glass, and the City of Glass took on translucent hues.

This led to great debates in the [[Diaphane|Crystalline Agora]], as citizens argued that the hues were a perversion of true Translucence. Eventually rabble-rousers whipped mobs of citizens into a frenzy, leading to the destruction of the colored glass in the Second Shattering. The surviving proponents accepted exile under the guise of founding the colony that became Iridos. The records, of course, were purged for the good of all.

The ruined Stained Quarter of [[Diaphane]] was never rebuilt. But it is still inhabited by squatters and the poor, since the broken shards there did not fracture the spirits of the Invisible World as they did in the other places of [[Cities_of_glass_history|Shattering]]. No spirit-storms of invisible shards occur there to strip flesh from bone as they do at the other Shattered places. There are rumors, though, that the seed of the chromatic tree was first found in the Stained Quarter...

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==Cityscape==

Technically, Spectrum City is not so much a city as it is a suburban, gated community. There are seven streets. Each street is color coordinated to correspond to the seven colors of the rainbow (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet). Every house is some hue, tint, or shade of the appropriate color.

The citizens of Red Street, Yellow Street, and Blue Street have a sense of superiority because red, yellow, and blue are the primary colors. Every other street is merely a secondary color, so their neighbors are obviously second class citizens.

-- by shanoxilt

==Geography==

Iridos was founded on a large Island to the South of the Two Cities, in an area famous for its wild flowers and natural rainbows.

-- by stephen_dean

==Culture==

The city is governed democratically, with one faction elected every seven years that is then responsible for running the civic bureaucracy and arranging for civic works. Each faction has its militia, but they often become unruly mobs protesting when another faction is in power.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

In Iridos, there is a small collective of artists who use psychedelic drugs. They claim that they view images of kaleidoscopic wonder. Their paintings are certainly a testament to such visions. It is suspected that they have a terrarium full of colorful, hallucinogenic frogs.

-- by shanoxilt

====The Festival of All Colors====
This holiday was popular in the time up to the Second Shattering, but has fallen to the status of minor festival in [[Diaphane]], while becoming the major annual celebration in Iridos. The Festival is celebrated as the means to enter communion with all the hues.

Food is the focus of the festival, but it is a specific, day-long meal. In each course of the meal, the foods served are always of one dominant color. In Iridos, there are seven full courses. The red course is bloody meats and pomegranite wine. The orange course is tomatos, gourds, orange fruits and their juices. The yellow course is grains and yellow wine. The green course is herbs and leafy vegetables, and bitter absinthe to drink. The blue course is pale seafood, and if poorly prepared is often poisonous (an ill omen, indeed). The indigo course is purple fruits and vegetables -- grapes, aubergines -- and purple wine. The violet course is edible flowers, violets and others with hues of deepest purple.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==Colony Cities==

===Ophalle, sapling colony city===

The only colony city of Iridos was originally established to harvest nacre and pearls from ocean shells. The sea harvesting settlement became a full colony when deposits of opals were discovered in the surrounding Eastern Mountains. The fledgling colony was named Ophalle after the inrush of prospectors and miners to exploit this mineral find. The city is outgrowing its infrastructure faster than new building can be planned, and so instead of the clean division of color as seen in Iridos, in Ophalle there is haphazard juxtaposition of all colors and materials. Mother-of-pearl and opal inlay is obviously the most-favored for decoration, but anything goes – including recent imports of multicolored stained glass from Diaphane.

Ophalle has become a lawless boomtown, and with democratic Iridos unable even agree on imposing any control, the various collective associations of fishermen and miners have a free hand in the city. Although new opal discoveries have been less frequent, another inrush of disaffected or hopeful youth, philosophers, and cultists have begun arriving in the city. The multicolored streets are full of people haranguing or proselytizing in favor of polychromatism, opacity, translucency, or even the clarity of the Clear Prophet. Merchants are moving in to exploit these new arrivals, and both annoy the various collective associations.

Occupations: Diver, Fisherman, Miner, Sailor, Architect, Painter, Merchant
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (Ophalle), Boating, Jeweler, Prospecting, Fishing, Swimming
Social Background: Cultural Familiarity (1 pt., Iridos), Glossa (native language), Literacy
Suggested Quirks: Dreamer, Imaginative, Responsive
Sample Contact Groups: Fishing Collective, Mining Collective
Suggested Spells: Change Color, Block Perception, See Clearly
Rumor: “In the absence of control by Iridos, the navarch of Diaphane is determined annex Ophalle into the Diaphane hegemony. The formidable, crystal-prowed warships of Diaphane are a common sight in the Ophalle harbor, and under orders from the canny navarch, they have subtly blocked the worst excesses of the collectives. Many in Ophalle therefore look favorably on the crystal navy’s presence, and it is possible that Diaphane might be invited to intervene to prevent the infighting and exploitation in Ophalle – which is exactly as the navarch has planned.”

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==Magic==

Spectrum Magic will also reveal a person's aura. The aura reveals many things concerning a subject. It will reveal their personality, their state of mental health, their state of physical health, their soul's health, whether the subject is mundane or otherwise, and it suggests their thematic affiliation.

-- by shanoxilt

====Chromatic Magic====

The Spectrum youth follow a path that is perpendicular to the other three. Color, variety and creativity characterize their newly-develping magics. They can create false illusions, yes. But they also can perform transformations like mud into porcelin or caterpillar into butterfly.

The magic of the Spectrum youth is avant-garde and iconoclastic: diverse, flexible and middle-way in both power and strength compared to the Twin Cities/barbarian axis.

-- by Glyptodont

Color, variety and creativity characterize newly-develping Chromatic Magic. It can create false illusions, yes. But it also can perform transformations like mud into porcelin or caterpillar into butterfly.
Spectrum Magic will also reveal a person's aura. The aura reveals many things concerning a subject. It will reveal their personality, their state of mental health, their state of physical health, their soul's health, whether the subject is mundane or otherwise, and it suggests their thematic affiliation.

-- by shanoxilt

mantra: “perception changes”

spirit-world: [[Spirit_world|Yingarna]]

tools: prisms, kaleidescopes

talent: Chromatic Magic (10 pts/level)

spells:
- ''identify exact color'' (IQ/Average)
- ''change color'' (IQ/Average)
- ''touch rainbow'' (IQ/Hard)
- ''see otherworldly colors'' (IQ/Hard, req. Chromatic Magic 1+)
- ''see auras'' (IQ/Hard, req. Chromatic Magic 1+) (note: allows diagnosis of physical, mental, spiritual, and magical health of a person)
- ''see past visible spectrum'' (IQ/Very Hard, req. Chromatic Magic 2+, at least one other chromatic spell)
- ''see many possible futures'' (IQ/Very Hard, req. Chromatic Magic 3+, at least three other chromatic spells)
- ''refract magic into colors'' (IQ/Hard, req. Chromatic Magic 2+) (note: changes magical attacks into harmless rainbows)
- ''cause natural metamorphosis'' (IQ/Very Hard, req. Chromatic Magic 4+, at least four other chromatic spells) (note: effects such as changing a caterpillar into a butterfly)
- ''cause unnatural metamorphosis'' (IQ/Very Hard, req. Chromatic Magic 5+, cause natural metamorphosis, at least five other chromatic spells) (note: effects such as changing a human into a butterfly)
- ''change color'' (IQ/Very Hard, req. Chromatic Magic 5+, cause unnatural metamorphosis)
note: using chromatic magic to enter the [[Spirit_world|spirit-world]] is generally fatal, as far as is known.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

====Auras and the Colors of Souls====

The philosophers of Iridos have proved that humans have seven souls, each of a different color. This is demonstrated each time a criminal is sentenced to death by prism, when his soul is refracted into seven colors, which are recovered for use. The seven souls are as follow (“lower souls” are toward the red end of the spectrum, “higher souls” toward the violet end):

red – soul that gives you desires
orange – soul that keeps you alive
yellow – soul that gives you a self (personality, ego)
green – soul that integrates your other souls
blue – soul that allows you to think (sentience, id)
indigo – soul that gives you a reflection and shadow
violet – soul that interacts with the spirit-world

When an adept of chromatic magic looks at a person’s aura, they see the colors of his or her souls. It is the nuances in subtle shades of these colors that allow a chromatic adept to learn about that person. The exact tincture of the orange soul reveals a person’s health. The exact tincture of the indigo soul reveals whether the person is under the effects of magic. The exact tincture of the violet soul reveals what type of magic, if any, the person practices. Undead seem to lose their higher and lower souls, as all merge into one soul of utter black.

Beings of [[Spirit_world|Yingarna]] may not have all of these souls – or they may have other souls of colors that would be unnatural in humans. Infrared souls that may allow life to be created or restored. Ultraviolet souls that may allow interaction with higher planes of existence.

Chromatic adepts make use of specters that are solitary souls of one color, whether they originate as facets refracted off a human soul, or spirit entities captured in the wild.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

Religions

2008-05-03T00:57:25Z

Kakita Kojiro: added Carricade information

=Cults=

===Cult of the Opaque===

There is a new cult appearing in the hinterlands. Their creed says that both reflection and transparancy are abominations. They claim that only that which is hidden has power. They build temples of stone with no windows and their priests cover their faces with cloth when they go out in public. It is feared that some of the leaders of the petty kingdoms sympathize with this Cult of the Opaque.

-- by Glyptodont

Opaque magic may not, however, be dismissed as forever inelegant and second-rate. Legends say that an opera singer can use the power or her voice to shatter a wine glass. Now, rumors circulate that the Cult of the Opaque is exploring the use of sound as a magical weapon. Large pieces of glass come into resonance with low-frequency sounds, often below the range of human hearing. If the Cult of the Opaque masters the technique of shaping and directing low-frequency sound, they may be able to attack the glass cities at will, from a considerable distance, without being detected.

-- by RPG_Dad

A splinter faction of the cult has decided to create their own city. They already daydream of echoing valleys, canyons, and opera houses. They use the password "sonance".

-- by shanoxilt

The Cult of the Opaque is distrusted by the majority of citizens, but the cult has made public denouncements of their involvement with the Empty Masters.

"Opacity is a natural obfuscation of sight outside the observer; Blindness is the lack of [in]sight from the observer. The former is a phenomenon that inhibits perception, whereas the latter is a phenomena that deprives perception."

-- by shanoxilt

The Cult of the Opaque has constructed a series of monoliths and megaliths. These structures have several purposes: to mark astrological events, to allow entry to the spirit world, and to venerate the concept of opacity.

-- by shanoxilt

====Shadow Magic====

The magic of the Twin Cities would be ancient and nuanced with generations of tradition and refinement. The magic of the Cult of the Opaque is raw, illiterate and still in its infancy.

The Cult of the Opaque use magic that is blunt and simple. Broken mirrors lose their powers of reflection and blackened glass is a fragile and visible target. Darkness, defacement and damage are the themes of Opaque magic.

-- by Glyptodont

Shadow magic is the magic of opacity. It hides things, protects them from being revealed, protects your soul from being reflected (and stolen), protects you from being seen, brings darkness where there is only light.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

mantra: “perception stops”

spirit-world: [[Spirit_world|the Shadow World]]

tools: (eclectic variety of tools used: things to smash with, things to make loud noises with, things to cast shadows with... whatever is at hand)

talent: Shadow Magic (10 pts/level)

spells:
- block perception (IQ/Average)
- cast shadow (IQ/Average)
- see in shadow and darkness (IQ/Hard, req. Shadow Magic 1+)
- block pellucid magic (IQ/Hard, req. Shadow Magic 2+)
- shatter reflective magic (IQ/Hard, req. Shadow Magic 2+)
- mute chromatic magic (IQ/Hard, req. Shadow Magic 2+)
- enter shadow world (IQ/Very Hard, req. Shadow Magic 3+, see in shadow and darkness) (note: penalties to enter shadow world, except at specific times and places)
- travel through shadow world (IQ/Very Hard, req. Shadow Magic 3+, enter shadow world) (note: penalties to enter shadow world, except at specific times and places)
- reveal invisible things (IQ/Hard, req. Shadow Magic 3+, block pellucid magic, at least two other shadow spells) (note: attack against spirits of pellucid magic)
- break mirrored things (IQ/Hard, req. Shadow Magic 3+, shatter reflective magic, at least two other shadow spells) (note: attack against spirits of mirror magic)
note: although possible, it is much more difficult to use shadow magic to enter the spirit-world, except at special locations and under special conditions. knowledge of these locations and conditions is difficult to discover.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

===Cult of the Sun===

But what of the sun? This is the one unifying priciple that all Three Cities revere. A mirror cannot reflect without light. A crystal's purpose is to transmit light. The spectrum is the separated elements of light. Even the Opaque acknowledge the primacy of the sun--shadows can only be created with light. If there is no light, then there are no shadows--only uniform darkness (an important distinction in Opaque theology). The Twin Cities, the Spectrum youth and the Opaque agree on the importance of the sun, but debate about its true spiritual purpose.

-- by Glyptodont

The Cult of the Sun worships the sun as their only god. To give credence to their beliefs, they have added the symbolism and dogma of the Immaculate Principle of The Sublime Joy. The Cult of the Sun is swiftly gaining followers and gaining power. Now, it is nearly a minor religion.

-- by shanoxilt

===Cults of the Twin Moons===

The various factions look to the heavens for astronomical symbolism. The city of [[Narcissus]] takes the Inner Moon as its icon. As the largest mirror in the sky, it reflects the most light upon the world. The smaller Outer Moon is the totem of the city of [[Diaphane]]. It is a crystal sphere shimmering at night. (The Inner Moon couldn't be crystal or else we could see through it when it eclipsed the Outer Moon--or so say the astrologers.) [[Iridos]] chooses the multicolored stars as its totem, and the Cult of the Opaque claim they represent the inky darkness between the stars.

-- by Glyptodont

=Religions=

==Shamanism==

Many nomads, immigrants, and young Twin Citizens practice some form of traditional shamanism or some form of urban shamanism. Traditional shamanism is perceived as a necessary practice to the Wandering Peoples. It placates and rebukes the spirits and their ghostly ancestors. It is used to prevent and reverse misfortune. Every nomad of the Wandering Peoples knows a handful of minor chants to dissuade or distract malevolent spirits, but each tribe has a shaman. The shaman has many duties: perform funerary rites, perform marriages, heal the sick, ward the tribe against spiritual assaults, craft amulets for the tribespeople, craft the tribe totem, and others. Though the shamans are an integral part of their society, they are also outcasts. The tribespeople perceive them as mentally unbalanced, like the strange citizens of the Twin Cities.

Despite their belief in spirits, very few nomads, including shamans, have actually seen a spirit. In the wilds, away from themed cities, spirits are felt as presences. The Wandering Peoples listen with shocked disbelief, when they hear tales of mirror-wights and doppelgangers. Ghosts, however, have been seen by the Wandering Peoples. As former humans, ghosts do not have the strange habits of spirits. Some shamans suspect that ghosts can not choose their forms as spirits do.

Urban shamanism is practiced by immigrants and the jaded youth of the cities. It is a syncretist religion that acknowledges many minor chants, oblations, and philosophies. Followers of this faith keep a shrine in some section of their home.

-- by shanoxilt

tools: fetishes (varies by tribe)

talent: Shamanic Magic (10 pts/level) (choose six spells for this talent to apply to. this talent does not fulfill prerequisites for spells that require a specific magic talent.)
spells: as per tribe, or any others that may be learned.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==Religious Orders==

Three large religious orders dominate the trade routes, tributary and client states of the Three Cities, and are pushing further afield. The Three orders are outside the concepts that define the Cities, and rather embrace the religious nature of all people.
-- by stephen_dean

===The Seven Sisters===

Formed after the first shattering, this female only religious order, named after the seven aspects of the Moon, serve as oracles, healers and mystics, and worship the natural cycles of the tide, the reflective qualities of the night sky, and the wanderings of the Heavens. They oppose the forces of the void as a corruption of the shadow, and help usher the sick into the afterlife if they so choose. They also care for the disfigured and maimed, claiming that just as the Moon is eaten and born anew, so does each person go through 7 lifetimes, until being reborn to start the cycle anew. They were founded in The city of Mirrors, and spread outward into areas plagued by various evils. Their highest Oracles can weave fate itself to there will.

-- by stephen_dean

===The Silent Brotherhood===

A religious order formed in the aftermath of the first Shattering devoted to hunting down mirror-wraiths, Hollow Men, and other horrors, and which accepts only Men. The members take a vow of silence to never utter of the horrors they see, and have an elaborate sign-language and codex for communicating among one another. They also experience limited precognition, and sensitivity to false images or other mirror magic. The Order embraces poverty and service, and those who have commited a grave betrayal, or shown cowardice or committed sins can put on the grey robes of the Brothers and rid the world of that which should not be. They have chapters in most cities or a few brothers, and a large compound in a Valley deep in the Mountains. This Citadel holds the worst secrets and forbidden objects deep in its bowels, perpetually guarded, and the brothers never lack for recruits among the brave and forsaken peoples. The Brothers are respected and given lodging and resources for the valuable service they render.

-- by stephen_dean

===Wanderers of the Waste===

The Wanderers of the Waste are the Traders, Merchants and Explorers of the wider world, and travel far and wide to understand the mysteries of the past, the possibilities of the future, and the pleasures and profits of the present. These men and woman are unified by a common vision of a better, brighter and happier world and they aim to produce it. The merchants bring wonders and toys to as many villages, hovels and grand cities alike, and congregate in splendid festivals that feature illusions to awe the common people, forbidden delights for the more carnal minded, and spices and drugs from the world over. They descend upon small towns and other places in broad processions and are said to have an almost hypnotic effect when they arrive. The debaucheries and freedom experienced are soon forgotten, and all that is left is a bright memory of a glaring night of excess in a life of toil, making them, much beloved by the common folk. A typical member may be a bard, juggler or prostitute, or even a jolly baker or toy maker. The deeper one enters into the order however, more truths are revealed. The Order covers its more exotic activities with this public mask, which include delving deep into forbidden places for esoteric knowledge, and the higher members of the order are advanced adepts at Opaque magic. They rarely appear in the Twin Cities, rather wandering the vast world, spreading light and glamor.

-- by stephen_dean

=Other Groups=

==The Clear Prophet==

A powerful political figure has suggested that [[Diaphane]], [[Narcissus]], [[Iridos]], and the Cult of the Opaque should cease all their conflicts to create a Nation of Light. This idea has been met with mixed opinions.

This political figure is one of the few people who acknowledge the Empty Masters as a threat. He, or she, urges the citizens to purge their respective cities of this antithetical cult.

-- by shanoxilt

This is the Clear Prophet, political leader and unwilling religious figure. He is said to be a half-albino (actually a severe case of vitiligo that has progressed to over half his body) born in Narcissus, who suffered something of an epiphany as a child while apprenticed to a mirror-fisher, when he fell into a reflection and was lost for several months.

Most outsiders believe his is called the "Clear Prophet" because of his growing transparency. In fact, that is a misunderstanding -- he is called that because of his clear explanations of the interconnectedness of all magic. He speaks of translucent colors, of reflections of darkness, and other esoterica of the persistence of light. And people actually understand him. It is remarkable.

After being exiled from Narcissus for rabble-rousing, he traveled to Diaphane where he gained a following among the Spectrum youth and the Cult of Opacity. He had to flee once more, and is rumored to be in the City of Rainbows now. Others say he hides in the wastelands, hunting vampires or fleeing from mirror-wights sent to hunt him down.

Although he claims not to be a religious figure, to his followers he is a prophet, and to his enemies he is a heretic. The political movement he has left behind in the cities has become an odd alliance of many factions, united by a common philosophy, but divided by many differing goals. They cannot even agree on common symbols to recognize each other by -- although the most prevalent is an iridescent butterfly. Some of those squabblers choose an iridescent bubble as their symbol.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

Historians, antique dealers, and concerned citizens have gradually become aware of the Clear Prophet. Some citizens believe he will ruin both Diaphane and Narcissus. Other citizens believe he is their only hope.

Though the Clear Prophet is not a religious figure, he does support religions and groups that wish to unify the cities and the Cult of the Opaque. Despite his protests, the newest cults claim him as their messiah.

-- by shanoxilt

====Rhetoric of the Clear Prophet====

"Narcissus, what do your mirrors reflect? Diaphane, what do your prisms refract? Iridos, what do your pigments reveal?

Light in its manifold manifestations!

From the smallest flame to the mid-day sun, light warms us; light guides us. See the light of Truth. Allow its radiance to illuminate your cities and enlighten your minds. Your similarities are more potent than your differences. As the crafters of optic marvels have demonstrated, cooperation enhances the qualities of each luminous property.

Join together, so that we may form a unified Nation of Light. Like a sunbeam, our glory will brighten the world!"

-- by shanoxilt

==The Carricade, wandering cult==

The Carricade is a wandering tribe or cult that claims to be a remnant of the ancient culture of the Twin Sisters. They travel the lands in large caravans of huge wagons pulled by a variety of megafauna. Although they travel for cultural or religious reasons, they also transport goods as they do so, and so are the best means of trade outside the caravans organized by the hegemonies of the three cities. In addition to transporting goods for hire or speculation, travelers often join caravans of the Carricade on their journey – and it is not uncommon for those with wanderlust to join permanently.

Carricadists claim to have been a religious sect who lost their god – they do not now know which it was that they followed, although they still preserve many of the rites. So now they wander, searching for clues to their god in the religions and customs of others. Children especially anticipate the arrival of caravans of the Carricade, for their entertaining displays of religious showmanship are as good as circuses. These performances of ritual spectacles are not only the last remaining part of their religion, but are also required by their magic, as is their constant journeying.

The wagons of the Carricade are large and varied – some large enough to be multistoried, but all enough to house an entire family within, plus cargo. Each clan within the Carricade has its own distinctive wagon design, just as each specializes in the megafauna which they tame. Within any caravan, there are typically only a few families of each clan, so the caravan’s livestock can be astonishingly diverse. The spells that Carricadists use to tame these megafauna also require their periodic religious exhibitions – on the unfortunate occasions that their megafauna have been taken from them, they reverted to being wild and went on a rampage in short order.

Occupations: Driver, Performer, Teamster, Trader
Suggested Skills: Animal Handling, Driving (wagon), Navigation (land), Teamster, Theology
Social Background: Phersic (native language), Glossa (fluent language), Literacy
Suggested Quirks: Broad-Minded, Congenial, Nosy
Sample Contact Groups: Caravan, Clan
Suggested Spells: Tame [Megafauna] (IQ/Hard)
Rumor: “The Cult of the Sun believes that the mystery god of the Carricade is actually their sun god in his aspect as god of the horizon. They are eager to expound upon the similarities between the Carricade’s religious spectacles and their own Immaculate Principle of the Sublime Joy.”

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==The Vandals, Gods of Thunder==

This group of dissidents hate all those mirrors, and especially those trees. They are a group made up of people from the outer tribes or poor citizens who could never seem to make it up in the world, and are led by an leader called Shatter. Shatter is a musician who likes to play music loud, and really likes to break glass, mirrors and just about anything else. He is the also the leader of a cult called the "Gods of Thunder" and all the members where elaborate white and black facepaint, big leather boots and lots of spikes. They are currently inside of a series of caverns, plotting a series of musical strikes to wake the population to the power and possibility of loud crude angry music. Teenagers of the cities secretly listen to the music, but most grow out of it. those that do not end up becoming the traveling underground bards called Roadies, telling tales to the poor villages and smaller cities outside of the central cities. There is an open bounty from the cities on there heads, but the call of Thunder is hard to silence.

-- by stephen_dean

Shatter and The Gods of Thunder sometimes travel with the Wanderers of the Waste. Their revelry could collapse entire buildings, if not properly monitored.

-- by shanoxilt

=Empty Masters, Hollow Men, undead=

Empty Mastery is a disreputable mystic philosophy that has slowly spread through both cities, despite being repressed in both as well. It is fashionable -- and scandalous -- for the rich to hold blindfold parties. They invite the Empty Masters as guests to these affairs; these are half-mad mystics who it is said plucked out their own eyes "to see better" in blindness.

The Empty Masters display uncanny powers -- though blind, they know colors by touch, hear the vibrational pitch of glass well enough to shatter by voice, and can cast a thousand reflections and as many shadows, or none at all, on their whims. Some students seek to learn from them, but only achieve the most petty of enlightenments because of their unwillingness to accept true sightlessness. Only when the blindfolded student is willing to seek the quiet tombs where the true Empty Masters wait blind and undead, will they give up their eyes for the empty powers of sightlessness.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

In trading away their eyes and eyesight, they gain another sense -- an alien sense, maybe one shared only by the undead. In groping around with this new, unsense, they find... things. Weird powers, essences that infect them. One might find his senses scrambled, another might find she casts thousands of reflections (after someone tells her, of course). All of these abilities have in common their ability to foil one of the other four types of magic.

Maybe after they've accidentally or unfortunately acquired enough of these weird abilities, the blind mystics become the blind and undead liches, lurking in abandoned mausoleums, peering beyond light and darkness with their alien sense, waiting for the next unwitting pupil to come along.

Almost all of these blind madmen develop some sense that seems to compensate for sight -- one can feel objects at a distance, another can touch things and know their color, yet another simply knows where everything in the room is located. All these senses might be oddly hampered, but all confer immunity to magics of reflection, transparency, opacity, or color.

Eventually their other senses will be affected; synesthesia is only the beginning. Eventually they can endure almost any sensation -- by the time they're undead, chopping parts of them off doesn't feel like pain, it just smells like oregano or turpentine. (conversely, some very odd things feel like pain -- what smells like garlic to normal humans may feel like a migrane to a vampire)

Quite a few lose their reflections altogether (and shadow). It is said that all vampires suffer this; maybe that's even true.

Some might be able to step into mirrors as though into any other room or hallway. In fact, they might think they are rooms or hallways.

Some might walk through transparent objects as if they did not exist. Try to stab one of these blind madmen with your glass dagger? Nothing happens.

Some splinter off mirror wraiths with every strong emotion they feel -- but these things are trapped within them. They soon cast thousands of reflections: all are emotions vying for expression.

Some can touch the reflection or shadow of another. Perhaps they can injure it. Perhaps they can take it. Eventually (when they are undead), they'll eat them, and maybe your soul along with them.

Some can exorcise colors from objects and creatures, as though they were casting out possessing spirits. Often they will do this to enlighten someone -- they will cast out the color of that person's eyes, leaving them oddly hued, but blind. (the faithful of Diaphane once sought this out, seeking transparency, but found themselves blind, and soon dead as sunlight cooked them from whithin while passing through their transparent innards)

Some just know when someone is looking at them. Eventually, they'll also know who is looking at them. And from where. And maybe, why.

Some of them are not where you see them -- their image seems to wander around on its own (although it stays within voiceshot, most of the time). If they've still got a reflection (or shadow), that goes walkabout, too (and sometimes goes really far afield). Even the blind mystic isn't really sure how much he controls his image, or reflection, although he can usually "sense" where they are and can sense from the place where they are, too.

Some can do things to the sight of those who can see them -- make them see auras, halos, shimmering lights or reflections or absences of perception. They can make it so that you cannot see them at all (not invisibility, which is only perfect transparency; you cannot see them). They can make it so that you cannot see anything but them -- they capture your gaze and hold it, until something blocks your sight.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==The Hollow Men==

The Hollow Men were a cult of blind mystics in the era of the First Shattering. They learned from the ur-vampires lairing in the ancient ruins of the Thousand Flowing Waters, and developed their nihilistic teachings of willful blindness. The original cult was destroyed in the First Great Crusade, and when its surviving remnants flourished again, they were destroyed by the Second Great Crusade. Their benighted teachings continue to resurface under many guises – its current incarnation is the Empty Masters, who are popular gurus among the young and jaded of the cities.

Hollow Men willfully tear out their eyes, losing their visual perception in return for being able to devour perceptions. Each one develops unique and idiosyncratic powers of his or her own. However this is a path that leads only toward union with the consuming void. The more powerful they become, the less human they are, and as they become one with the hungry void they leave life behind for unlife.

Once cut off from sight and the basis of the other four magics, Hollow Men begin to discover strange powers. Each is idiosyncratic and unique to the individual, although there are some commonalities.

All of them develop some unnatural sense that seems to compensate for sight (Dark Vision), each unique: one might feel things at a distance (Colorblindness), another might be extremely aware of every person nearby (Supersensitive), another might simply know where everything that they are facing is positioned (Restricted Vision).

All of them eventually find their other senses affected. Their senses become scrambled, like synesthesia (Protected Senses), so that what others experience as one sense they might perceive using another. Their sense of pain and pleasure are also scrambled, so that they seem unaffected by injuries (High Pain Threshold), or cannot endure specific substances (Weakness).

Skills (for Hollow Men): Meditation, Occultism, Philosophy

Advantages: Dark Vision (25 pts), High Pain Threshold (10 pts), Injury Tolerance - no eyes (5 pts)

Disadvantages: Enemies (Silent Brotherhood, -20 pts), Nightmares (-5 pts), Weakness (1d per minute, rare, -10 pts)

Suggested: Colorblindness (-10 pts), Restricted Vision (-15 pts), Supersensitive (-15 pts), Uncontrollable Appetite (shadows or reflections, -15 pts), Social Stigma (-5 pts)

Example Powers:
- ''Eat Reflection'': Affliction (No Reflection disadvantage, permanent, melee attack, 23 pts)
- ''Eat Shadow'': Affliction (No Shadow disadvantage, permanent, melee attack, 23 pts)
- ''Eat Color'': Affliction (Pallor disadvantage, permanent, melee attack, 23 pts)
- ''Black Aura'': Distinctive Features (black aura, -1 pt)
- ''No Reflection'': Supernatural Feature (also unaffected by some reflective spells, -5 pts)
- ''No Shadow'': Supernatural Feature (also unaffected by some shadow spells, -5 pts)
- ''Sense the Sighted'': Detect Sense of Sight (30 pts)

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==Vampires ==

Vampires are created from unfortunate victims who have lost their sight unnaturally. It is not known why some people are susceptible to vampirism from unnatural blindness, while others are unaffected after being blinded. They do not develop as many odd powers as the Hollow Men, and their unnatural hungers are not as controlled. Children born blind never succumb to vampirism.

Vampires develop in the same manner as the Hollow Men, albeit unwittingly and unwillingly.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==Ur-vampire==

If a vampire or Hollow Man survives long enough, they eventually become undead. Their deadened sense to pain becomes so extreme that they are almost impossible to harm. Their unnatural vitality develops until they are almost impossible to slay. By this point they are usually so twisted by their unnatural existence that they flee from human society. Many of the existent undead lair in the ruins of the Thousand Flowing Waters. The oldest of the undead – the ur-vampires – are the only known survivors of the time before the Great Darkness, and have all long since succumbed to madness.

Undead may be permanently slain by driving silver spikes through their eyesockets. Even if the silver spikes are later removed, they will never return to unlife.

Advantages: Dark Vision (25 pts), Supernatural Durability (150 pts), Injury Tolerance - no eyes (5 pts), Injury Tolerance - unliving (20 pts), Unkillable (rare achilles’ heel, 40 pts)

Disadvantages: Callous (-5 pts), Enemies (Silent Brotherhood, -30 pts), Hidebound (-5 pts), Supersensitive (-15 pts)

Example Powers:
- ''Walk Through Transparent Things'': Permeation (vs. transparent, can carry objects unencumbered, 11 pts)
- ''Walk Into Mirrors'': Jumper (limited jump only into spirit-world, accessibility only through reflections, 50 pts)
- ''Don’t Look At Me'': Invisibility (can carry objects unencumbered, extended vs. See Invisible, usually on, 50 pts)
- ''Look At Only Me'': Mind Control (sense based vision, accessibility only “look at me”, 35 pts)
- ''Distort Sight'': Affliction (Bad Sight disadvantage, area effect 8 yd, emanation, persistent, permanent, 45 pts)

-- by Kakita Kojiro

==Bite-Me-Not, Antidakoma==

Antidakoma – also known as Bite-Me-Not – is a small, red flower that grows in the marshes of the Thousand Flowing Waters. It has the unique property of being utterly offensive to any vampire – including other undead and Empty Masters or Hollow Men. If fresh, it affects their Weakness (at 1d per minute). Its effects are lessened if withered (1d per 5 minutes) or dried and preserved (1d per 30 minutes). The Silent Brotherhood has attempted to cultivate Bite-Me-Not for generations, but the flowers will only grow in the unique environment of the Thousand Flowing Waters, and sparsely even then, and always and only around certain ruins of the ancients.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

Other kingdoms

2008-05-03T00:55:43Z

Kakita Kojiro: added Pharsus & Nethsras information

=Geography and Other Kingdoms=

The closest barbarian tribes are kept in check from the relatively defenseless cities by their deeply held religioius beliefs -- that the sorcerers of the Mirrored City can steal their souls should their reflection fall within their power. They obey and serve out of superstitious fear that the sorcerers will come for their souls, leaving them one of the living undead. None will go to the Mirrored City willingly if unblinded, and those taken there as servants are mourned as though dead -- even if they later return, they are regarded as unquiet ghosts, and driven away.

Although the tribes do not fear sorcery from the Crystal City, they avoid it too -- for it is thought that the inhabitants are the sorcerer's souls exiled from its sister-city, sent away as the price of the sorcerers' powers. This is well-known to be true, for it is said that mirrors are forbidden in the Crystal City because its inhabitants fear being captured by sorcerers once more.

--by Kakita Kojiro

==The Thousand Flowing Waters==

The Ruins of the [[cities of glass history|First Age]] are scattered throughout the world, however the Largest, most dangerous and best preserved Lies in the region known as the Thousand Flowing waters, a Marshland bordering the Ocean that stretches for miles, and littered with islands and estuaries. It is claimed to be where a thousand streams and rivers empty into. The Region is heavily grown over, inhabited by large [[megafauna|aquatic predators]], littered with ruins ranging from piles of sinking stone to well preserved towers, and inhabited by more ghost, shadows, and other things than any other place in the known world. It is also a place where shallow pools lead directly to the [[spirit world|Mirror lands]], and where time acts differently. Stories are told of brave or foolish youth looting the dead cities, and coming back to find everyone who remembered them being dead and gone, and there town unrecognizable. Others claim that the ruins are from the future, not the past. In all the tales, one detail is consistant, and that is that the Twin Sisters originated there, and that things are buried which can make a man wiser than his fellows, or a gibbering fool. The Major rivers are clear for travel, but going further than a few miles into the Tangled Jungle can lead to trouble. The region periodically floods, and many places are covered by the tide, or sink beneath the muck. Some however rise up and fall according to strange magics or half remembered commands from the long dead inhabitants. This Region is far to the East from the Civilized Cities, but the Twin cities do send teams of researchers and explorers to salvage what lore can be found. These are usually well armed, well supplied, and very specific in where they go. Those citizens with wanderlust or a thirst for adventure are drawn to these expeditions, and though dangerous, it a respected and rewarding field.

--by stephen_dean

The Four Cities are dotted like constellations along the intertwining trade routes that provide the raw materials, and are located on high points along the curving paths of great serpantine rivers that snake over a large plain. The Plains are dotted with canyons and cliffs, gradually becoming drier until the Western edges dry into sandy waste and inhabited by nomads and less definable entities. To the East lies the vast sea, clustered in the Marshes and Jungles by the Coast, and edged by mountains that catch the rainclounds, with large passes carved by rivers and edged with ruins. The rivers from the central highlands serve as flowing highways, and the Mountains where the herdsman and small villages of farmers each out an existance in the valleys and glens of the slopes of the towering mountains send forth there goods South. The southern plains stretch to meet the sea, and from this direction, tribute, spices, slaves and raw materials flow, as manufactured goods, cloth, and wonders of the craftsman of the cities are peddled south, and tribute North. The great carvavans, barges and cities to the south allow for large fortunes to gather, and decadence to thrive.

-by stephen_dean

==Petty Kingdoms==

===Omphalo, sapling colony city===

Omphalo is a city of many religions. It was founded as the fortress city and headquarters of the Second Great Crusade, and still persecutes the forbidden cult of the Hollow Men. According to legend, this was also the birthplace of the Twin Sisters, and although scholars doubt the veracity, it is still a pilgrimage site for many people. In the time since the Second Great Crusade, other religious cults have come to the city for their own reasons. As have adventurers and scavengers, hoping to glean ancient wonders from the ruins in the marshes.

Each rainy season, Omphalo and the marshes flood when the seasonal rivers of the grasslands flow. Buildings in Omphalo are build on stilts, and during the flood season people get around by flat-bottomed boats. These same boats are used in the marshes as well. Although the city subsists off pilgrimage, it also produces a surplus of crops that require flooded fields. These crops are generally sold to one of the three northern cities. The crusaders of Omphalo have found patrolling the undead-haunted ruins of the Thousand Flowing Waters easier during the flood season, and so when the waters rise boats of armed Silent Brothers set forth for their sacred mission.

Occupations: Crusader, Priest, Boatman, Farmer, Fisherman
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (Omphalo), Boating, History, Religious Ritual, Theology, Occult (vampires)
Social Background: Cultural Familiarity (1 pt., Twin Cities), Glossa (native language), Literacy
Suggested Quirks: Careful, Code of Honor, Vow
Sample Contact Groups: Silent Brotherhood, Seven Sisters, Cult of the Opaque, other Cult
Suggested Spells: Sort Living from Undead (IQ/Average)
Rumor: “It is said that the Opaque Tree, the Tree of Many Shadows, the fourth and dark Crystal Tree, was discovered or hidden in Omphalo. The Cult of the Opaque has become very influential in Omphalo recently because so many of its followers have come to the city seeking their mystic tree.”

--Kakita Kojiro

===Heliade, tributary petty kingdom===

Heliade is known as the Amber Kingdom. It is located on the Pleione river, which flows from the south, and borders on the marsh ruins of the Thousand Flowing Waters. Its inhabitants scour the river and marshes for spells and spirits frozen in amber from ancient times. These talismans are valuable wealth for trade, and Heliade is often subject to tribute to one of the three great cities of the north. Occasionally they go to war over this imposition of tribute, but although their archers are armed with devastating amber-tipped arrows, they are no match for the sorcery of the three cities on the battlefield.

Heliade magicians take dross amber and make use of it in many ways. It is dissolved into amber lacquer that hardens their armor against danger. It is used to trap images within, that may be seen at any time by peering into the amber. It is also melted down and gathered into vats of molten amber – through which, they hope to peer into the spirit-world. There is a belief in Heliade that there is another Crystal Tree – this one, of amber, weeping jewels – and the Heliades believe that if it is found, their city will rise to preeminence.

Occupations: Ambergleaner, Archer, Flower-Warrior, Lapidiary, Merchant, Amberwright
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (Heliade), Bow, Current Affairs, Jeweler, Occult (amber)
Social Background: Heliadic (native language), Glossa (accented language), Literacy
Suggested Quirks: Dreamer, Obsessions (amber), Thin-Skinned*
Suggested Spells: Capture Image In Amber (IQ/Average), Smelt Amber (IQ/Hard)
Rumor: In Heliade they have learned to enter the spirit-world through vats of molten amber. Therein they say the spirit-world is upside-down; you walk upside-down with the ground above your feet and the sky below your head. However, they have not discovered how to leave the spirit-world, and as the amber hardens, the explorer is trapped, entombed alive in a block of amber, upside-down.

--Kakita Kojiro

===Astomo, tributary petty kingdom===

Astomo is called the Mute Kingdom, for long ago it was ruled by priest-kings whose lips were ritually sewn shut. It is still ruled by their inheritors, holy men known as Voices, whose lips are also sewn shut. Astomo lies on the borders of the Thousand Flowing Waters, and believe themselves to be the proper heirs of the ancient civilization that lies in ruins there. The people of Astomo are fascinated by the ancient ruins, and most will study some aspect of the ruins at some time in their life.

The Voices who rule Astomo do so by religious decree. There are a bewildering variety of subsects, all with teachings that confuse outsiders who cannot determine if they are philosophies or religions. As with the priest-kings of old, the Voices have their lips ritually sewn shut. Their ritual asceticisms allow them to survive without the need for food or drink, and to speak without speech, among other wonders.

Occupations: Archaeologist, Interpreter
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (Astomo), Gesture, History, Linguistics, Stealth, Hidden Lore (ancients)
Social Background: Glossa (native language), Backaric (broken language), Literacy
Suggested Advantages: Silence
Suggested Quirks: Cautious, Humble, Obsessions (ancients)
Sample Contact Groups: Sect
Rumor: “The old mouthless priest-kings of Astomo were, in fact, heretical offshoots of the Hollow Men. The Voices who still rule Astomo keep this secret carefully guarded, lest fanatic crusaders hear of it and Astomo be destroyed.”

--Kakita Kojiro

===Pharsus, tributary petty kingdom===

This is the Land of Masks, between the rivers Cephissus and Maiandro, near to the Thousand Flowing Waters. After their coming-of-age, each adult here has at least two special masks, which they wear at all times. Each mask has its own identity and personality – it is the mask that is considered to be the real person, not the body that the mask is wearing. Each mask may have a different job, different spouse and family, different friends, and always different dress and mannerisms. If crimes are committed, it is the mask that is punished or destroyed. And sometimes one mask will fall sick or die, while the others continue on unaffected. Should all of an inhabitant’s masks be lost or destroyed, he or she becomes only another faceless foreigner.

Foreigners can become very confused in Pharsus, believing that they have met someone because they recognize the body, and not realizing that they must be introduced to the new mask. Of course, the people of Pharsus will politely ignore the presence of anyone with a naked face, so outsiders must learn to wear masks if they wish to be acknowledged – and to not change masks, lest they be regarded as a completely different person. Interestingly, Pharsus became a satrapy of the Narcissus hegemony voluntarily after being astounded by the first emissary from Narcissus, who donned a mirror as her mask.

Although they have been a satrapy of Narcissus for centuries, the inhabitants of Pharsus practice no magic of any kind – other than their masking. In some way that baffles magicians, the mask is the person, and any magic affects only the mask – and that magic ends when the mask is removed. Most of the masks of Pharsus are styled after birds or beasts, and mask styles tend to be similar by profession. Generally, a newly-made adult will receive one mask from each parent, but children of important people will be given additional masks by other sponsors.

Occupations: Boatman, Fisherman, Farmer, Maskmaker
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (Pharsus), Acting, Body Language, Fishing, Mimicry (speech), Masking (IQ/Very Hard)
Social Background: Pharsic (native language), Glossa (accented language), Literacy
Suggested Quirks: Personality Change, Staid, Incompetence (magic skills)
Sample Contact Groups: Sponsors
Advantages: Pharsic Mask (Magic Resistance – access requires mask, -10%)
Rumor: “The people of Pharsus claim that they and the Enkidi are distantly related, even though their languages are dissimilar and the Enkidi do not acknowledge any kinship. However, it is known that while the Enkidi will indeed take the heads of trespassers from Pharsus, their masks are always sent back even though the heads are kept.”

-- by Kakita Kojiro
==The Western Mountains and the Deserts of the West==

The Huge birds, such as the [[megafauna|Thunderbirds]], are the scavengers of the Western Deserts and grasslands, and use the gust from the mountains to range over the vast undalating plains in search of the many beast that wander its relativly untouched expanses. The varied terrain is home to vast herds of [[megafauna|gigantic Bison]], the Forest along the Mountains to stranger beast still. However the numbers are thin near the cities, and grow the further afield one goes. The Mountains to the West are the largest in the Known world, and the other side is an area explored at the peril of the unwary, do to the vast spaces inhabited by huge creatures of myth and legend, some claim to be larger than the armored beast that wander the waste. The reason for the lack of habitation is due to the low population following the devastating fall of the previous empires in the past, and the frequent wars between the city-states. The attachment of many people to there principle city-state or ideal, or the threat of strange conditions has led many to stay in the civilized regions, rather than risk expanding to the terrain of the tribes of head-hunters and beast riders beyond the Mountains. It is through the collective resources of the Cities that the walls, pits, and special huntsman keep the lands and tradeways safe. However, recent droughts and a change in climate are causing some stange beast and raider to prey at the edges of the Twin Cities, and the many smaller city-states. For now, these have not been signifigent, however, rumors are spreading of tribes beyond the mountains who ride great beast, and are forming an Empire of the wandering bands to pillage the glittering wealth of the settled peoples. These are rumors however, and cartomancers are exploring to add to the [[Diaphane|Crystal Globe]], to see if these shadows of truth are to be trusted.

-by stephen_dean

===The Sandstone Empire===

As is commonly known, the Sandstone Empire was formed from a series of bordering regions and Kingdoms set between the Spice Kingdoms to the South, and the Twin Cities to the North. While many of the neighboring peoples submitted or were aligned to one of the two spheres of influence, it was the Sandstone region that developed the strange system of a militarized mode of life, and the selection of the majority of it's population for the pursuit of war, and eventually conquest.

The origins of it's founder, a man whose name is lost to history, can be traced to around 600 Years post Darkness. It is known he commanded a group of refugees from the West, a group of soldiers who claimed to be remnants of a large force from the Far West, across a sea, where monuments of stone stood over a city of sleeping elders, dead kings and courts held in perfumed wrapping and served for all eternity, and a great city grew, the largest in all the world, a paradise that faced cataclysm, as the very earth rebelled against them. The strangers swept aside opposition as wheat before a sickle, and subdued the villages and towns of a wide swath of territory, wearing scales of strange metal, in wheeled carts pulled by strange beast.

They enslaved all around them, and expanded their holding with each harvest, more and more land and water beneath there banners, more sons and daughters toiling to create the stone temples where they lay there dead, to sleep until their city rose again. The cities were placed in the dry west, where the earth turns to dust, and sand becomes stone, stone sand. The slaves watched well however, and the helot revolts began first in their lands. All the master's were slaughtered in their beds, their legions of overseers and slave soldiers united in a vision of equality, one night of blood wiping out their rule in the Night of Bitter Waters.

The resulting state, called the Second empire, and the Beggar's empire, was founded on a view of equality through work, a collective society where children and property were to the state, all males were trained to be warriors, and wars were fought to free helots and slaves of the master's lash in all directions. This led to the misguided policy of attacking all slave owners, and getting involved in providing sanctuary and arms in foreign entanglements. The collapse of the 2nd Sandstone Empire in the South can be linked to alliances with the barbarian peoples and complicity in the helot revolts in The Twin Cities at 300 years post shattering. The resulting collapse of the Beggar's Empire, as it was known at the time, and the decree to purge it's mention from from all records following it's cleansing during the second crusade, as well as serving as the sight of the larger battles of the barbarian wars, led to it's decline to it's current state.

Now a poor region of dry lands, burnt and looted ruins of cities, and mud walled sullen villages where the proud decedents of the survivors of that time still scorn the civilized peoples. The are rumors that the so called Seven Legions, who fled west rather than be enslaved again, and who are said to have created a refuge for escaped slaves and helots. Many whisper that the day may come when helots go west, to a new city, where all men walk equal before the other. The bleached bones of that path are well known, so only the truly down trodden make the attempt.

-- by stephen_dean

==Barbarian Tribes==

====Bammenides, nomadic barbarian tribe====

The Bammenides are one of the nomadic barbarian tribes of the northern taiga. They live on the edges of the northern glaciers. They are known as the “painted men” to the Twin Cities, because they tattoo their bodies, faces, and hands in bright colors. They tend small herds of megaloceroi elk, from which they get milk, meat, fur – and most importantly, transportation. Their megaloceroi are domesticated and trained to pull sleighs large enough to transport an entire Bammenide family and all their goods. Their clans migrate south in spring and summer to graze and mate their herds. As rivers freeze and snow covers the ground, they migrate north and stay the winter snowbound, keeping the herds safe from the hungry predators of the south. In spring many clans gather in huge meetings to mate their herds; this is when the Bammenides trade with outsiders. In winter they live in homes built of snow, while their herds are hidden in sheltered valleys with some vegetation, or forage brought by their herders.

Shamans of the Bammenides work their magic through wands of many kinds. Each shaman has an assortment of wands of antler, bone, or wood, which must be carefully chosen for each specific purpose. Most shamans eagerly trade for wands made of metal from civilization. One of the few spells that shamans need no wand for are their eating magics. When someone in their clan suffers bad luck, or is afflicted by illness, or haunted by ghosts, the clan’s shaman will ritually consume the offending spirit. They can often scare off troublesome spirits with demonstrations of their eating prowess, by eating stones and other formidable things.

Occupations: Herder, Hunter, Trader, Warrior, Shaman
Suggested Skills: Animal Handling, Area Knowledge (tundra), Driving (sleigh), Spear, Survival, Tracking, Occult (spirits)
Social Background: Low TL, Bammenic (native language), Illiteracy
Suggested Quirks: Likes (metal), Humble, Uncongenial
Sample Contact Groups: Clan, Warrior Lodge
Suggested Spells: Eat Anything (IQ/ Hard, req. Shamanic Magic 1+), Eat Ghost (IQ/Very Hard, req. Shamanic Magic 3+)
Rumor: “The slow retreat of the northern ice and its gradual melting has gradually forced the Bammenides away from their ancestral summer and winter lands. Their herds do not thrive in the warming lands, and the remaining cold lands are too barren. The herds do not grow, and so more and more young men become warriors to gain wealth and status – while the defenses of Narcissus and Diaphane are in decline. If they join with other wandering tribes, a barbarian horde may bring the next Shattering from the north…”

--Kakita Kojiro

====Makhlyes, nomadic barbarian tribe====

The Makhlyes are one of the nomadic barbarian tribes of the western grasslands. Their ancestors followed brontotheria herds, but the great herds from ancient times are no more, and only solitary beasts survive now. They now follow synthetoceras herds across the grasslands. They are frequent trading partners with the Twin Cities, bartering furs and hides, ivory and horn, in return for civilized goods. Every few generations their warriors band together with other barbarian tribes and raid and pillage into civilized lands.

The shamans of the Makhlyes are known as Inverts because they live their lives as the opposite gender. Because of this, they are regarded as spirits by their people – and also regarded as spirits by spirits. Once each year in the spring, all the hunters will dress as the opposite gender as well, for the sacred Inverse Hunt. Their magic allows the hunters to hunt the now-extinct herds of megafauna as though they still roamed the grasslands. The hunters bring back much meat and many trophies from an Inverse Hunt, but every year one hunter does not return from the hunt. Because of these strange customs, people of the Twin Cities think that all Makhlyes change genders, and take precautions against touching them, lest this is contagious.

Occupations: Hunter, Trader, Warrior, Invert
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (grasslands), Mimicry (animal sounds), Spear Thrower, Stealth, Survival, Tracking, Occult (spirits)
Social Background: Low TL, Makhlyic (native language), Illiteracy
Suggested Quirks: Broad-Minded, Responsive, Tolerant* (not bothered by quirks)
Sample Contact Groups: Clan, Warrior Lodge
Suggested Spells: Hunt Megafauna Ghosts (IQ/Average) (note: penalties if not an Inverse Hunt), Change Gender (IQ/Very Hard, req. Invert, Shamanic Magic 4+)
New Advantage: Invert (5 pts., live as opposite gender, spirits react as though you were a spirit yourself)
Rumor: “The Makhlyes say that when one of the Inverts goes on a spiritquest and returns of the opposite gender, that he or she has not really returned at all. Instead she or he has been replaced by a spirit, that will pretend to be the Invert for the rest of its life, until it pretends to die and returns to the spirit-world.”

--Kakita Kojiro

====Gorgades, nomadic barbarian tribe====

The Gorgades are one of the nomadic barbarian tribes of the distant steppes to the west of the grasslands and mountains. They are known as the “hairy ones” to most outsiders, because they do not cut their hair. When meeting strangers, they also veil their eyes with their hair so as to not make eye contact, and they will also not look into mirrors. They claim that all these taboos protect them from spirits – and, curiously, they believe that the inhabitants of the Twin Cities are actually spirits who lie about their true natures. They rarely trade with the Twin Cities, but their leather goods often make their way east through trade with other barbarian tribes (such as the Makhlyes).

They have actually domesticated herds of megafauna, and roam the steppes to move their herds to new grazing. Each clan in the tribe typically has its own type of megafauna that it specialized in. Clans often take the opportunity to raid the herds of other clans while nearby, to eat some of their enemies’ beasts instead of their own. Their shamans wear headdresses of the skull and hides of their clan’s beast, and generally know a very odd assortment of spells.

Occupations: Herder, Hunter, Raider, Trapper, Shaman
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (steppes), Animal Handling, Bow, Knife, Leatherworking, Survival, Occult (spirits)
Social Background: Low TL, Gorgadic (native language), Illiteracy
Suggested Quirks: Uncongenial, Vow (do not cut hair, do not look into eyes or mirrors), Unhygienic* (does not bathe)
Sample Contact Groups: Clan, Warrior Lodge
Suggested Spells: Find New Forage (IQ/Average), Foretell Weather (IQ/Average)
Rumor: “Gorgades are not actually human – they are abhumans who were once used as servants by the ancients. They escaped back into the wild after the downfall of the ancients, and still fear civilized men.”

--Kakita Kojiro

====Nethsras, nomadic barbarian tribe====

The Nethsras are one of the nomadic barbarian tribes of the western Steppe Wastes. They range further west and south than many other tribes, and so while only rumors to the Twin Cities, are better known in the Spice Kingdoms. They specialize in hunting hornbeasts with bolas from ambush. Their clans roam following the hornbeast herds, living in well-hidden temporary camps. Although they have joined barbarian hordes in times past, they are generally peaceful and not warlike, and usually maintain good relations with neighboring tribes.

It is an oddity that the Nethsras have no shamans among them, and claim they are never troubled by ghosts. This is because, they say, all Nethsras are the same souls of all the Nethsras who ever were, and those souls reincarnate as Nethsras after their death. They know exactly how many Nethsras souls there are, and each clan tells the others of deaths so that they know which souls to look for when new children are born. In times when their birthrates fall below deathrates, though, they must send scouts to nearby tribes, and even into civilized lands, seeking the newborn children that have souls from their tribe. Once identified, the scouts either buy (from other barbarian tribes) or steal (from civilized lands) these newborns and return them to their true people. The worst thing for Nethsras is when their birthrates rise above deathrates – for children born then will be born soulless. In such times it is traditional for the Nethsras to seek some pretext to go to war, so that there will be souls for the newborns.

Some Nethsras do seem able to recover fragments of past lives – although most never progress beyond achieving strong paramnesia sensations. These hints of past lives are usually cherished and encouraged, so Nethsras may seem erratic and mercurial to outsiders. The few who do manage to recover memories of past lives are the Awakened Ones. They are capable of astounding skills, but must struggle with sorting through a confusing mix of memories and personalities that have no context in their present life. Scouts sent to find wayward reborn souls are always young Awakened Ones.

Occupations: Gleaner, Hunter, Scout, Awakened One
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (steppes), Autohypnosis, Bolas, Camouflage, Stealth, Survival, Forbidden Lore (soul recognition)
Social Background: Low TL, Nethsric (native language), Illiteracy
Suggested Quirks: Delusions (past lives), Likes, Personality Change
Sample Contact Groups: Clan, Past Life
Suggested Advantages: Reawakened (10 pts) (note: may use to learn Blind Fighting, Body Control, Breath Control, Invisibility Art, Light Walk), Split Personality (-15 pts)
Rumor: “Most of the Awakened Ones of the Nethsras are aware that their numbers are slowly dwindling, as each generation a few reborn souls are never recovered. They believe that someone has stolen their secrets of soul rebirth, and so polluted the way to rebirth such that some souls simply become lost in being reborn. They have heard of the distant Twin Cities, and plan to send scouts there to search for reborn Nethsras souls, to bring back, or to kill if they are too old to bring back.”

-- by Kakita Kojiro

Other kingdoms

2008-05-03T00:43:06Z

Kakita Kojiro: reorganized - moved colony cities, helot cultures to their city-state pages, moved Spice Kingdoms to Bachariko page, added Sandstone Empire

Narcissus

2008-05-03T00:41:51Z

Kakita Kojiro: reorganized - added colony cities, helot cultures

Diaphane

2008-05-03T00:41:33Z

Kakita Kojiro: reorganized - added colony cities, helot cultures

Bachariko

2008-05-03T00:32:01Z

Kakita Kojiro: moving Bachariko information from Other Kingdoms to new page

=Bachariko, the Spice Kingdoms=

==History==

A region of similiar culture rather than one exact area, the vast languid river deltas that flow south split into two large rivers that empty into the same large plain to the south. This area is dotted with city-states as diverse as the various tribes and migrant who have met in the fields as combatants, traders or refugees. The [[Cities_of_glass_history|history]] of this region predates all the other known areas, and is cosidered to be the point where the other empires of the past have originated. The largest and Oldest city-states in the region have based there wealth on three pillars. The bountiful resources of the sea, both from above and below, as well as the trade cogs that lined the ports and rivers of the region, and the vast plantations that circle the cities of spices, food stuffs and drugs. Backariko is blessed with a climate that is warm and rare rainy periods, followed by droughts, but most resident gain sustenance from the Three great rivers, and smaller tributaries that flow through there from the North and East. The Marshes that once choked the Estuaries have been drained, converted to gardens and irrigation, or left as hunting preserves for the god-kings. The cities are made from stone, mud brick and reed, with some houses of the wealthy using wood, bamboo or other more exotic constructions from the North. Great Walls, Temples and Statues dominate and dwarf the landscape that stretches flat in all directions, and largest hills are man made. Each City state swears allegiance to a complicated and ever shifting series of alliances, and periodically wars break out to sort out which City will rule as the seat of power. The God-Kings who rule have made dark pacts or given bits of themselves over to other entities to rule for decades, and some whisper for several hundred years as some dark shadows behind the thrones. The secret of this longevity is guarded with-in the highest circles, and is known only to a few of the City-States. It is here of all the world that Astronomy has developed the greatest, and at night large stretches of the city go dark to prevent any light from taking away from the Twin Moons above, and the march of the stars. The importation of advanced lenses, and other equipment is made for the exchange of captured prisoners from the periodic wars, spices and rare clothes, herbs and other ingredients needed by the Four Cities to the North, as well as by the client states that serve as a buffer between Bachariko and the Two Sisters to the North. Recently the God-King of the largest city-state has marshaled his legions, mercenaries and occult allies, consulted his astrologers, and is consolidating his control of the center of the region, in a big to build a lasting empire out of the chaotic region. If he succeeds, then the Twin Cities will face a unified threat. However, the region is experiencing a drought, and crop yields are falling, and some are calling for the blood sacrifices from the God-Kings to feed the Moons, so that the blessed rains will fall. In the Past, in times of stress, the God-Kings sacrificed themselves. This tradition has fallen to the way side, but the people remember, and their Gods grow hungry.

-by stephen_dean

==Geography==

In the distant past, the divine God-head of the Unified principle of divine balance ruled over the whole world. His children, growing hungry and envious of his power, overthrew their father and sacrificed him to the twin moons and the sun, his blood forming the rivers and his tears the stars and planets in the sky. The patterns of there movements are the very soul of the God-head, and by watching them, the Usurpers sought to find the secret of there father’s wisdom and power. But the fickle nature of the sons led to infighting, and the world was turned to chaos as infighting and war covered the earth, sky and water. We live upon bodies of the fallen, the oceans the blood that filled the land. They cannot die however, for if you look in some of the deepest wounds of there battle, there hot blood flows hot and molten, sleeping and dreaming spirits.

In the past, deep in the silent dust of history, five wise men found the secrets to principles that were sundered by the first sacrifice. They, and there reincarnations, have led the greatest states among us, guiding the return and watching the heavens for the correct moment to unify our holy lands and create a world spanning state in the glory of the unified principle of divine balance. They heretics and barbarians of the north, and the cities of glass shall shatter before the courage and power of the ever living, and the sacrifices shall make the earth burst forth in plenty.

-- by stephen_dean

===Realm of the Sickle King===

Embodying rebirth, the times of plenty and the bountiful crops and wealth of the Three rivers and fertile plains. Four Cities of stone and earth rise above the earth, towns and villages radiate out along the rivers and irrigated paths. All is centered by the great observatory and gardens in the center, holding plants and herbs of every corner of the earth, the observatory spends the dark nights scanning the heavens, and the Sickle Kings legions are armed with the tools of the harvest, sickles and Flails, and coursing into battle with the courage of the divine manna they feast upon before battle. The times between harvests are spent on vast projects such as the irrigation network, vast monuments to the glory of the divine, and splendid statues and walls emanate the wonders of the Harvest, the wealth of the earth. The mysterious wonder of the rebirth of the divine snakes, the sacrifices and holy days fill the souls of pilgrims with wonder.

-- by stephen_dean

===Realm of the Drowned King===

Flood bringer, the Water of life, principle of cycles, divine destruction and reshaping, the river-kings lands sprawl the largest southern river of Bachariko, smaller in size than the sickle king, but holding the headwaters of the greatest of the Three Rivers and the Marshes that line the foothills and highlands of the upper rivers. The Drowned King holds court in the waterfalls of the first Cataract, a palace of stone and bamboo, the wealth of trade, the bounty of trade and the purity of the waters providing wealth and rebirth with the eternal rivers, and calling on hundreds of villages and hamlets deep into the tributaries and pathways. The Great observatory sits atop a rocky pillar, high above the surrounding isles and towns, linked by the reed boats and floating islands of woven roots and crops. His legions are not levies as in the northlands, but proud dedicated river men, bloodied against the tribes and beast of the great jungles to the south, and feared for there tendency to ritually drown captives. He holds the rare flowers and lore that can extend life, and is guarded by the spirits of the scaled beast that eat whole men in a single flash of teeth.

-- by stephen_dean

===Realm of the King of Dust===

The Hidden Wealth, the Forger, Glittering Man, holder of the secrets of bronze, the Mines that bring forth the metals and resources so craved by the Cities of Glass to the North, and defender of the wandering herdsman and traders of the drier lands to the West and North of Bachariko, and the smaller walled towns and villages of the outer edges. His legions are armored and armed with weapons and gear of fine craftsmanship, shimmering feathered cloaks and trained [[megafauna|terror cranes]] with sharpened talons accompanying his wars to defend the small folk of his lands. His capital sits atop a rich vein of silver, and his highest acolytes are said to wield blades forged from falling stars.

-- by stephen_dean

===Realm of the Anointed King===

The Bloody Man, the Sea King, the Wounded Lord, who rules the southeastern coast between the jungle and the ocean. There are many small fishing villages along the coast but the only harbor city is ruled by the god-king. They harvest the bounty of the ocean, in fishing and trade. Their observatories are also lighthouses, and they trade for lenses and mirrors for them from the Twin Cities of the north. They also trade with the distant archipelago islands of the eastern ocean. The followers of the god-king file their teeth like those of sharks, and go to war in sharkskin armor, armed with sharktooth spears. They have many secrets of blood magic, which they can use to call up monster sharks and set them into a killing frenzy, and also to drive beasts and men into panic from the scent of blood. As the price for these secrets, their ruler bleeds always from a wound that never heals, of which no outsider knows the details for it is the means by which the god-king's new incarnations are identified.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

===Realm of the Poet King===

He is called the Inspired King, the Poet-Scribe, and the Human Verse. He rules commands no armies, yet he commands respect. He is a scholar, a gentleman, and, most of all, a poet. He represents humanity's creative and intellectual achievements. He encourages his subjects to study literature, art, science, and philosophy. His palace is a habitable library which is surrounded by gardens and natural beauty.

-- by shanoxilt

==Culture==

The City-states of the region, well known as the vast land of dry jungle in the foothills, to wetter environments in the lower lands, and widening into a drier flat expanse with languid rivers flowing north, where most of the cities lie, are as diverse as the plants and flowers that dominate the region's trade. Each City claims a proud history, part mythical, part historical, and all linked by the worship, sacrifice and expectation of the citizens, from the lowest serf working the fields that produce the bountiful wealth, to the deeply tanned fishermen who ply the waters of the coast, the great rivers, and even the outer marshes of the thousand flowing waters.

You can see this look of pride, lack of fear, an almost divine sense of identity in each person of these places. They range in size from hamlets of two to three hundred souls all told, to vast edifies of brick, bamboo and stone, or great trees hewed into beams. The largest are dominated by constructed hills, all of different forms, from pyramids and geometric shaped, to large crafted statues of bronze and gold. Each of the these cities possesses a observatory in the center, at the highest point, and it is here that the god-kinds, each a representative of his people, a sacrifice of the noble art of living a normal life, plots and schemes to expand his holding over more earth and water. They watch the planets and the Stars, forge weapons from stones that fall from the sky, and wage war against one another where the prizes are tangible, more people, more land, more earth and water.

Even the smallest of them form alliances and pacts to prevent complete take-over, and the cities have spent years, some hundreds, honing the art of survival and warfare. In the event that one god-king slays another, the city-state is purged of all symbols of the supposed divine, and the citizens become property of the victor. These clashes are rare and all or nothing affairs, and are fueled by the export of the spices, drugs and goods to each other, further afield and even across the great seas. Times of strife and scarcity see the ritualized individual combats give way to true conflicts, and when a great leader arises, such as the first god king, unifying the fractured land can begin.

The astrologers and soothsayers agree that the time of the second conquest is approaching, and warn there kings that change is afoot. Some claim that the time has come to move north, against the Three Cities, and this is worrying given the size and ability of such a force. The policy advice to continue funding and allying with competing factions, and weaken any god-king who shows signs of conquering enough to be a threat would be the best policy, due to known infiltration of some of the god-kings by heretical elements and refugees of the crusades.

-- by stephen_dean

The port city-states of Bachariko sail lateen-rigged catamarans. Their alchemists have concocted noxious depth bombs which can be dropped overboard in hopes of driving away monster sharks. Occasionally these work, but often the monster shark is noticed too late. The largest Bachariko catamarans are armed with Greek-fire siphons, which are no protection against aquatic monsters, but are deadly against enemy ships.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

===Mercenary Companies of Note===
The recent outbreak of conflicts by the city-states in the outer region of the former [[Other_kingdoms|Sandstone Empire]], as well as the consolidation of holdings by the God-King Logos the Unyielding in the regions of the vital trade routes of the Spice lands, has proven to be a boon for the carrion birds and sell swords of the lands. The most prominent are listed below, and recruit from all the known regions of our continent, with elements of the Twin Cities is positions of power, and others made up of outcast or drifters from over the Western Mountains.

====The Sandstone Legion====
A group of a thousand or so troops recruited out of the center of the former strong hold of the [[Other_kingdoms|Sandstone Empire]], they are reported to have access to some kind of beast to cross the Steppes, and are known to take trophies of the dead in the form of necklaces of ears or teeth. They seem to work mostly for those who can provide coin, and sources claim there goal is to gain enough recruits and experience to try and resurrect the old Empire. They are led by a veteran of Flower Wars from one of the Sapling Cities who grew disgusted with the decadence and decay of the [[Narcissus|City of Reflections’]] military caste. Potential for use in eventuality of local [[Religions|Hollow Man]] cult deemed likely, for either finance or favors if the attempt to consolidate the region occurs.

====Wind-Dancers====
A group of forty acrobats and dancers that banded together following a principle of conflict based on fast movement and distracting attacks. Only recently formed, they are specialized in breaching defenses and targeted killings or kidnapping. Known ability and fame have led to their increasing use to settle differences between merchant groups or competing factions. Typically hired at a standard rate, and led by a known member of the Wanders of the Waste, this group may be a front operation for one of their schemes.

====Bronze Serpents====
A group of Five Hundred escaped slaves or landless peasants, this group wears scale mail, and highly polished and stylized helmets, and are known to be willing to take high casualties to preserve there standing as a premium force for suppression of slavers or incursions by raiders from the West. They are known to worship a Snake god of some sort, embodying the principle of rebirth, and seem to especially dislike [[Religions|Hollow Man]] cults or other darker things. They are led by a imposing fellow named Orobus, and based out of a citadel bordering the Eastern Coast. They oppose the sacrifice system and helots.

====The Immaculate====
A group of fifty highly trained members of the Orchid Eater faction, they represent the pinnacle of there art, and are considered to be the best protection for nobles traveling in these dangerous times. Their price is steep, and they refuse to work above twelve days travel from their temples. Dangerous foes, their code of honor and ability make them impossible to bribe or blackmail.

-- by stephen_dean

==Magic==

===Blood Magicians===

Blood Magic is seen as primitive and the tool or cults by the sophisticated Cities of the Twin Cities of Glass, however, it has a proud and long tradition and is the engrained method in the splintered lands of the former [[Other_kingdoms|Sandstone Empire]]. The Spirit world can be seen, bribed and affected by Sacrifice, and the blood of Kings is the most prized. However, what constitutes Royal blood requires details Family Trees, Astrological Charts and details histories, and the Orchid Shamans and High Priest are always looking for new sources, or lost bloodlines. This Magic of the South focuses on communion and transcendence by special shamans and court Astrologers and Alchemist to gauge what amount of blood is needed to bribe fate to the required course. Example effects are limited weather control, disease and spiritual healing, and divination. One of the Strangest aspects of the Blood Magic is its use in extending the life of some of the corrupt kings, who feed certain flowers and herbs that bloom in moon-light a portion of there Royal blood, and follow rigid patterns of diet and behavior to live decades beyond their subjects. The Sacrifice of the ruling class has raised an interesting dynamic of ruled and subject, and the role of King is a hard road.

-- by stephen_dean

The blood magic of the [[Other_kingdoms|Sandstone Empire]] allows a variety of effects. The following is a short list of spells. Each blood magic spell requires a minimum amount of blood to activate the spell. Some spells require blood from animals, specific people, or a certain blood type.

''Sanguine mist'': a cloud of reddish vapor that emits from the magician's wound. It is used to obscure an opponent's vision. Unfortunately, it also obscures the magician's vision.
''Blood knives'': spikes and knives composed of solidified blood erupt from the magician's wound.
''The Blood is the Life'': the magician uses blood (usually fresh from his or her own wrist) to increase the size of one's livestock and crops.
''Blood bond'': an empathic link between two people who have ritually shared blood.

-- by shanoxilt

===Orchid Shamans===

Orchid Shamans, also called the Orchidaceae Eaters, are an ancient group dating from the earliest settlers of the marshes and flood plains of the rivers and islands of southern Spice lands. They are Eclectic magicians, however they focus on the cultivation of plants and herbs, flowers and diet as a way of extending perception into the other world, prolonging life and physical training as an art form. The High priest is the oldest, well versed member of the order, who hold the secrets of the order, and is guarded by the disciples of the Order, who along with the Silent Brothers hunt unnatural and mundane threat to the common people, and sending expeditions to find new herbs and plants to add to there impressive and expansive gardens and botanical gardens.

-- by stephen_dean

Advantages: Combat Reflexes [15], Enhanced Defense (parry) [15], Fit [15], Metabolism Control [5/level], Trained by a Master [30]
Disadvantages: Curious [-5]
Skills: Area Knowledge, Diagnosis, Esoteric Medicine, Gardening, Herb Lore, Naturalist, Pharmacy (herbal)

-- by shanoxilt

Cities of glass history

2008-05-03T00:25:14Z

Kakita Kojiro:

==History==

===The Great Darkness===

The Unknown time of the great Cataclysm, where the lost cities of the Ancients, and few records survive. All inquiries made to man, spirit, shadow and [[Narcissus|Mirror Fishers]] have are contradicting, and only fragments and pieces of a time of great wealth and understanding. What is agreed upon is that Fall was due to Hubris, and the lack of vigilance or piety led to the towers of stone and temples of half dream and spirit to fall into the sea. Some of the Spirits claim it was the great Glaciers weeping over the abandonment of the old ways of the hunt before man claimed the earth, who drowned the old ones cities. Others say it was the folly of man alone, or not at all, and that the world willed a cleaning for a new age to enter the world, for the age of wandering on the snow and blood on the stones, to the age of settled philosophy we have today. Regardless, the oldest of the [[Religions|Seven Sisters]] claim that the Lines of the Looms of fate spin from the birth of the Two Sisters, and that the before that, the only visions are of the seasons, the great Hunt, and shadows of the dead, speaking languages long lost to the mist of time, and the madness of the ancients. The Fragment we have we study and decipher, seeking clues to the fall, and secrets that lie hidden.

===Foundation of the Twin Cities===

====Year 300 Post-Darkness====
The City of [[Diaphane]] and [[Narcissus]] are formed by the Twin Sisters, the last of the Old Ones, who would not speak of their origins or their ancestors for the pain, and claiming a new world was to form. The Sisters spoke of Reflection and Introspection, truth and illusion. The Sisters could never agree, and formed separate Cities. Their secret Wisdom and guided those who gathered, and slowly the cities built themselves on the secret arts, and skills of planting. Tribute flowed from the wandering people who came to consult the oracles, and to hear whispered secrets from the gods, the Groves of [[spirit_world|the Crystal Trees]], and the relics of the lost Cities. It was here that the Secret lore was preserved and nurtured. The earliest records, on Crystal Tree sap cylinders speaks of the founding of the earliest magic paths, Cultivation and harvesting of crops, and the earliest [[Narcissus|Mirror-Fishers]] in shields of polished copper, and slabs of reflective stone. The largest were frozen pools of the clearest glacier Ice.

====Year 500 Post-Darkness====
Rise of the [[Religions|Blinded Cults]], the earliest tribute systems to the smaller communities for protection from the wandering peoples and predators, and the formation of the [[Diaphane|Invisible College]]. Establishment of the Sacrifice system, and codification of laws, and the first Flower Wars. Strengthening of trade links with the wandering tribes and the Twin Cities. Expansion of larger Mirror Fisheries, and the earliest glass works. The Agricultural revolution occurs and expands along the river valleys south and east, increasing wealth and status disparity in the Twin Cities versus surrounding tribes and city-states. Settlements made to the West and South.

===The First Shattering===

====Year 600 Post-Darkness====
Rise of the [[Religions|Hollow Men]] cults, first mirror-wraiths, expansion of Crystal Tree Gardens, seedlings and feeding for desired characteristics or artistic expression. Formation of the [[Other_kingdoms|Sandstone Empire]] in the [[Bachariko|Spice Kingdoms]] to the South due to a charismatic leader from the Western Desert leading his people to conquer the settled lands. A series of climactic changes leads to crop failures, a rebound of the large herds south, and the first major epidemics sweep through the trade routes, causing huge loss of life, and abandonment of outer settlements. Eventual rebuilding and resurgence from the Twin Cities occurs around unifying philosophy.

====Year 150 Post-Shattering====
Rise of larger scale glass making, reestablishment of the tributary system and Alliance of the Twin Cities. The development of wider ranging annual Flower Wars with less ceremony and more bloodshed, and prisoners to fuel the increasing needs of the expanding Cities fuels resentment of surrounding states. The First Renaissance as the Literary and Philosophical flowering occurs. Formation of the Seven Sisters and the Silent Brothers. The Trade system is expanded to further markets North and South, and the Twin Cities act as middlemen for products of the herdsman and wandering tribes to the North and West, and the [[Other_kingdoms|River Kingdoms]] and crumbling [[Other_kingdoms|Sandstone Empire]] to the southwest. Second Agricultural revolution as more species domesticated and trait selection instituted by the Twin Cities. Astronomy imported from the South, Astrology a popular diversion. Helot System developed for the settlements surrounding the Twin Cities and its environs, establishment of sapling cities radiating out along the trade routes.

===The Second Shattering===

====Year 200 Post-Shattering====
The Foundation of [[Iridos]] from schismatics and apostates of [[Diaphane]] on a large Island to the South of the Two Cities, in an area famous for its wild flowers and natural rainbows. The Second shattering is known as the Night of Broken Glass, and caused the Great Schism, where the Twin Cites began to compete, and [[Iridos]] aligned with [[Narcissus]] to outmaneuver [[Diaphane]]’s hold on the growing power of the middle kingdoms between the Crystal Cities and burgeoning lands of the south. The Second Conquest period, where the Flower Wars became wars of outright conquest, and the establishment of the First Crusade against the [[Religions|Hollow Ones]]. Rise of the Inquisitional arm of the [[Religions|Silent Brothers]], and the Founding of the Albino system. [[Iridos]] becomes the home of refugees, free-thinkers and radicals, and forms the [[Religions|Wanderers of the Waste]] as a method of assertion and winning the hearts and minds of surrounding kingdoms helots and farmers.

===The Third Shattering===

====Year 278 Post-Shattering====
Limited proxy war by the Twin Cities, sacking and looting of the outer cities and towns by the Wandering Tribes united under a charismatic leader called Shadowdancer. Civil War and the bloody Helot Revolts.

====Year 300 Post-Shattering====
First documented use of the [[Narcissus|Mirror Towers]], creation of the [[Diaphane|Glass Golems]], heavy salvaging of Artifacts from the First Age, and the Formation of a Alliance by The Twin Cities of Glass and [[Iridos]]. Second Great Crusade launched against the Hollow Men. Purging of [[Spirit_world|Mirror-Wraiths]] and darker magic’s from ruins and settlements. Use of Total war tactics to defeat the Hordes of Shadowdancer, leading to the creation of the glass Storms as crystal trees are fed corrupted anger and pain wraiths to create shard storms lead to a costly victory. Heavy use of conscripts and levies to fuel crusade and expansion. The Collapse of the second [[Other_kingdoms|Sandstone Empire]] in the South Leads to the formation of the great game in the spice lands with the resulting three factions. Overseas contact for trade made. Construction of the Mirror and Sun Towers, and the [[Diaphane|Crystal Globe]]. Overextension and Hubris lead to costly wars in the outer regions of [[Bachariko]].

===The Great Purge===

====Year 343 Post-Shattering====
Patterns of behavior are codified into teaching and paths, establishment of the Glass Watchers in the City of [[Diaphane]], expansion of the list of Capital crimes, and a codex of behavior and unified law formed for the City-State and its Client States. However, due to expansion of the Wandering people North and over the Grasslands to the West, Expansion ceased. The Herdsman and settles of the Northern Mountains and Highlands throw off the shackles of the Helot system, and a general loosening of the grip on the client states leads due to weak rulers and political maneuvers. [[Religions|Hollow Man]] cults found and expunged by the [[Religions|Silent Brotherhood]], expansion of Monasteries and membership in [[Backariko]] and among the Regents and Liege-kings of the Cities of Glass.

===Time of Clarity===

====Year 409 Post-Shattering====
One-Hundred Year Golden Age of rebuilding, philosophical flowering and a second Renaissance of Art and literature, Music and physical and Mental discipline. The Refinement and Codification of the Magic systems by the [[Diaphane|Invisible College]], and flowering of understanding of the physical and [[Spirit_world|Spiritual World]]. Many public works projects, canals and wonders completed. An increase of tribute and a reaffirmation of the Helot System, conquest of the border regions that had slipped away, aside from the Northern Hills, whose people waged a generations long campaign of attrition and blood-feud to keep there own gods, and independence. Reestablishment of the Albino Cult, and building of the [[Diaphane|Great Aquarium]], and the signaling towers to communicate through-out the Lands of the Twin Cities. Lottery System implemented for wandering tribes as tribute for smaller areas, in exchange for freedom to move and trade with-in the Lands of the Twin Cities.

===The Slowly Falling Mirror, The Fog of Hubris===

====Year 500 Post-Shattering====
50 Year Period of a decline of Culture, the Establishment of the Rule of Ninety Kings in [[Barchariko]], and the further fragmentation of brittle alliances of the Middle Kingdoms leads to nearly perpetual war. The Great Herds move North as the Glaciers retreat, and with them the Wandering Peoples who still follow the old ways, the Three Cities fall to decadence and corruption. Flowering and Expanse of [[Iridos]] from a large town to a fledging City as it swells with settlers escaping the drying plains of the West, and the attacks of Hunters turned bandits as the herbs dwindled. [[Religions|Hollow Men]] cults infiltrated into several outlying city-states.

====Year 525 Post-Shattering====
The Current Age.

-by stephen_dean

Other kingdoms

2008-05-03T00:02:29Z

Kakita Kojiro:

=Geography and Other Kingdoms=

The closest barbarian tribes are kept in check from the relatively defenseless cities by their deeply held religioius beliefs -- that the sorcerers of the Mirrored City can steal their souls should their reflection fall within their power. They obey and serve out of superstitious fear that the sorcerers will come for their souls, leaving them one of the living undead. None will go to the Mirrored City willingly if unblinded, and those taken there as servants are mourned as though dead -- even if they later return, they are regarded as unquiet ghosts, and driven away.

Although the tribes do not fear sorcery from the Crystal City, they avoid it too -- for it is thought that the inhabitants are the sorcerer's souls exiled from its sister-city, sent away as the price of the sorcerers' powers. This is well-known to be true, for it is said that mirrors are forbidden in the Crystal City because its inhabitants fear being captured by sorcerers once more.

--by Kakita Kojiro

====The Thousand Flowing Waters====

The Ruins of the [[cities of glass history|First Age]] are scattered throughout the world, however the Largest, most dangerous and best preserved Lies in the region known as the Thousand Flowing waters, a Marshland bordering the Ocean that stretches for miles, and littered with islands and estuaries. It is claimed to be where a thousand streams and rivers empty into. The Region is heavily grown over, inhabited by large [[megafauna|aquatic predators]], littered with ruins ranging from piles of sinking stone to well preserved towers, and inhabited by more ghost, shadows, and other things than any other place in the known world. It is also a place where shallow pools lead directly to the [[spirit world|Mirror lands]], and where time acts differently. Stories are told of brave or foolish youth looting the dead cities, and coming back to find everyone who remembered them being dead and gone, and there town unrecognizable. Others claim that the ruins are from the future, not the past. In all the tales, one detail is consistant, and that is that the Twin Sisters originated there, and that things are buried which can make a man wiser than his fellows, or a gibbering fool. The Major rivers are clear for travel, but going further than a few miles into the Tangled Jungle can lead to trouble. The region periodically floods, and many places are covered by the tide, or sink beneath the muck. Some however rise up and fall according to strange magics or half remembered commands from the long dead inhabitants. This Region is far to the East from the Civilized Cities, but the Twin cities do send teams of researchers and explorers to salvage what lore can be found. These are usually well armed, well supplied, and very specific in where they go. Those citizens with wanderlust or a thirst for adventure are drawn to these expeditions, and though dangerous, it a respected and rewarding field.

--by stephen_dean

The Four Cities are dotted like constellations along the intertwining trade routes that provide the raw materials, and are located on high points along the curving paths of great serpantine rivers that snake over a large plain. The Plains are dotted with canyons and cliffs, gradually becoming drier until the Western edges dry into sandy waste and inhabited by nomads and less definable entities. To the East lies the vast sea, clustered in the Marshes and Jungles by the Coast, and edged by mountains that catch the rainclounds, with large passes carved by rivers and edged with ruins. The rivers from the central highlands serve as flowing highways, and the Mountains where the herdsman and small villages of farmers each out an existance in the valleys and glens of the slopes of the towering mountains send forth there goods South. The southern plains stretch to meet the sea, and from this direction, tribute, spices, slaves and raw materials flow, as manufactured goods, cloth, and wonders of the craftsman of the cities are peddled south, and tribute North. The great carvavans, barges and cities to the south allow for large fortunes to gather, and decadence to thrive.

-by stephen_dean

====Bachariko====

A region of similiar culture rather than one exact area, the vast languid river deltas that flow south split into two large rivers that empty into the same large plain to the south. This area is dotted with city-states as diverse as the various tribes and migrant who have met in the fields as combatants, traders or refugees. The History of this region predates all the other known areas, and is cosidered to be the point where the other empires of the past have originated. The largest and Oldest city-states in the region have based there wealth on three pillars. The bountiful resources of the sea, both from above and below, as well as the trade cogs that lined the ports and rivers of the region, and the vast plantations that circle the cities of spices, food stuffs and drugs. Backariko is blessed with a climate that is warm and rare rainy periods, followed by droughts, but most resident gain substinance from the Three great rivers, and smaller tribularies that flow through there from the North and East.
The Marshes that once choked the Estuaries have been drained, converted to gardens and irrigation, or left as hunting preserves for the god-kings. The cities are made from stone, mud brick and reed, with some houses of the wealthy using wood, bamboo or other more exotic constructions from the North. Great Walls, Temples and Statues dominate and dwarf the landscape that stretches flat in all directions, and largest hills are man made. Each City state swears alligence to a complicated and ever shifting series of alliances, and periodically wars break out to sort out which City will rule as the seat of power. The God-Kings who rule have made dark pacts or given bits of themselves over to other entities to rule for decades, and some whisper for several hundred years as some dark shadows behind the thrones. The secret of this longevity is guarded with-in the highest circles, and is known only to a few of the City-States. It is here of all the world that Astronomy has developed the greatest, and at night large stretches of the city go dark to prevent any light from taking away from the Twin Moons above, and the march of the stars. The importation of advanced lenses, and other equipment is made for the exchange of captured prisoners from the periodic wars, spices and rare clothes, herbs and other ingrediates needed by the Four Cities to the North, as well as by the client states that serve as a buffer between Bachariko and the Two Sisters to the North.
Recently the God-King of the lagest city-state has marshaled his legions, mercenaries and occult allies, consulted his astrologers, and is consolidating his control of the center of the region, in a big to build a lasting empire out of the chaotic region. If he succeeds, then the Twin Cities will face a unified threat. However, the region is experiencing a drought, and crop yields are falling, and some are calling for the blood sacrifices from the God-Kings to feed the Moons, so that the blessed rains will fall. In the Past, in times of stress, the God-Kings sacrificed themselves. This tradition has fallen to the way side, but the people rememeber, and their Gods grow hungry.

-by stephen_dean

====The Western Mountains and the Deserts of the West====

The Huge birds, such as the [[megafauna|Thunderbirds]], are the scavengers of the Western Deserts and grasslands, and use the gust from the mountains to range over the vast undalating plains in search of the many beast that wander its relativly untouched expanses. The varied terrain is home to vast herds of [[megafauna|gigantic Bison]], the Forest along the Mountains to stranger beast still. However the numbers are thin near the cities, and grow the further afield one goes. The Mountains to the West are the largest in the Known world, and the other side is an area explored at the peril of the unwary, do to the vast spaces inhabited by huge creatures of myth and legend, some claim to be larger than the armored beast that wander the waste. The reason for the lack of habitation is due to the low population following the devastating fall of the previous empires in the past, and the frequent wars between the city-states. The attachment of many people to there principle city-state or ideal, or the threat of strange conditions has led many to stay in the civilized regions, rather than risk expanding to the terrain of the tribes of head-hunters and beast riders beyond the Mountains. It is through the collective resources of the Cities that the walls, pits, and special huntsman keep the lands and tradeways safe. However, recent droughts and a change in climate are causing some stange beast and raider to prey at the edges of the Twin Cities, and the many smaller city-states. For now, these have not been signifigent, however, rumors are spreading of tribes beyond the mountains who ride great beast, and are forming an Empire of the wandering bands to pillage the glittering wealth of the settled peoples. These are rumors however, and cartomancers are exploring to add to the [[Diaphane|Crystal Globe]], to see if these shadows of truth are to be trusted.

-by stephen_dean

====Skops, helot client state====

The Skopses are one of the helot cultures of Narcissus. They were conquered long ago, essentially enslaved for generations, but in the decline and decadence of the City of Mirrors have effectively regained their independence. In earlier eras they often had to be brutally suppressed by Narcissus, as their subversive Cult of the Flensed Man inspired bloody uprisings. Over generations that bloody cult has been supplanted by more acceptable religions, and only survives in their harvest festivals where they burn wicker effigies. Skops is a fertile land from the loess soil left behind by the retreating glaciers of the north. This provides the food that sustains the population of Narcissus, and the Skopses are also another market for the goods produced in the City of Mirrors.

Lurid stories of the Flensed Man cultists say that they wore masks and mantles of the bloody skin of their enemies, and that they could thereby assume the seeming of other people. Their shamans – who were all long ago slain or driven into the wastes – it is said could flense ghosts, and assume the seeming they had in life by wearing the spirit skin. Flensers are Skopsic revolutionaries that wear the bloody skins of beasts to hide their identities from discovery.

Occupations: Helot, Farmer, Herder, Tanner, Trader, Flenser
Suggested Skills: Animal Handling, Farming, Leatherworking, Occult (spirits), Forbidden Lore (Flensed Man)
Social Background: Cultural Familiarity (1 pt., Narcissus), Skopsic (native language), Glossa (accented language)
Suggested Quirks: Nosy, Staid, Vulgar*
Sample Contact Groups: Clan, Cult
Suggested Spells: Hide Reflection (IQ/Average)
Common Names: Andrew, Barbara, Thomas
Rumor: “The Flensed Man still lives, and hides within Skops to ferment unrest and revolution. Its secret is that it is neither a god nor a human – it is a skinwalker that escaped from the mirrorworld long ago in the time of the ancients, and has masqueraded as either or both ever since. It hides among the Skopses now, secretly wearing the skin of a dead man that it pretends to be, while leading the Flensers in rebellion.”

====Gnarides, helot client state====

The Gnarides are the helot culture in the lands near Diaphane. They were the original inhabitants of the area, driven away by the “Witch Sister.” Although once warlike, they have been conquered and subjugated, and now their clans are scattered through several petty kingdoms. They are pastoralists who raise mountain goats and make cheese, although they are known for being good spear hunters, and occasionally hired as mercenary spearmen.

Gnaride culture revolves around their worship of the earth deity, which they view as both male and female. They build lingams – large standing stones representing the phallus of the god. They also have sacred caves – representing the goddess – callen yoni caves. They practice barbaric fertility magic with these, and claim that is why the men of Diaphane fear to build tall structures that cast shadows, and why they will not abide dark caves. Only men deal with lingams and their magic, and only women deal with yonis and their magic. Having the shadow of a lingam stone fall on you is lucky, but also arouses carnal lust and blood lust. Entering the dark yoni cave aids in conception and childbirth. If women fall under the lingam’s shadow, they may become pregnant or barren. If men enter the yoni cave, they may return as women or pregnant. For obvious reasons, both of these actions are taboo. Outsiders rarely benefit from either lingam stones or yoni caves. Their magic-men are called Horned Men because they wear crowns of horns, and while they are good at dealing with female spirits, they are very unlucky with male spirits.

Occupations: Helot, Herder, Weaver, Hunter, Spearman, Horned Man
Suggested Skills: Animal Handling, Farming, Sex Appeal, Spear, Occult (spirits)
Social Background: Cultural Familiarity (1 pt., Diaphane), Gnaric (native language), Glossa (accented language)
Suggested Quirks: Broad-Minded, Proud, Lusty*
Sample Contact Groups: Clan, Former Lovers
Suggested Spells (for men): Incite Bloodlust (IQ/Average), Incite Carnal Lust (IQ/Hard)
Suggested Spells (for women): Increase Fertility (IQ/Hard), Ease Childbirth (IQ/Average)
Common Names: Dwight, Loeis, Amalie
Rumor: “Gnaride spearmen boast that when they capture opponents in Flower Wars, the women want to never go back home, and the men to never face another Flower War again. Telling such tales makes Diaphanides very angry.”

====Symeros, sapling colony city====

The colony city of Symeros was founded by Diaphoros the Synesthete, one of the first pupils of the Invisible College from Diaphane. He was blessed or cursed with synisthesia, which has been inherited in many forms by his descendants. As the royal family maintains a prerogative to the first night with any new bride, synisthesia has spread among the Symerides. Symeros is on the Maiandro river downstream from Diaphane, and is the major port of the Diaphane hegemony. Glass-bottom boats ply the river from Diaphane to Symeros and on to Iridos isle, carrying cargo and travelers. Despite its origins, Symeros has never devoted itself to one viewpoint of magic, and all are practiced here – although mainly pellucid and chromatic. Formal training in the magic sciences must be sought in Diaphane or Iridos, however.

The city’s boatmen must navigate their way through the Thousand Flowing Waters and its many perils, and it has been discovered that the city’s synisthetes are somewhat protected from the odd powers of vampires and Hollow Men and other heretics of that ilk. They are in great demand as scavengers of the ruins there, and as crusaders for the Silent Brotherhood. Synisthetes do not often master any kind of magic, for their unique perception interacts oddly.

Occupations: Philosopher, Scientist, Merchant, Boatman
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (Symeros), Boating, Current Affairs, Smuggling, Occult (vampires), Thaumatology (pellucid or chromatic magic)
Social Background: Cultural Familiarity (1 pt., Twin Cities), Glossa (native language), Literacy
Suggested Quirks: Congenial, Imaginative, Addiction (tobacco)
Sample Contact Groups: School, Cult or Religion
Suggested Spells: Identify Exact Color (IQ/Average), See Clearly (IQ/Average)
Rumor: “The Empty Masters secretly plan to subvert one of the synisthetes of Symeros. By mixing synesthetic perception with their blind enlightenment, they hope to find the reason that synesthetes are so effective against them. Should they succeed, the crusade of the Silent Brotherhood would be set back, and Symeros left open to infiltration by the bleak cult of the Empty Masters.”

====Liriope, sapling colony city====

Liriope is the daughter-city of Narcissus, a colony called the City of Women because it was founded by women. It is still governed by matriarchy, and only women are allowed to rise to the levels of guild mistress, high priestess, or city matriarch. The city was founded for caravans to depart overland to trade with the roaming tribes of the west, and it remains the trade gateway for the Narcissus hegemony. The culture of the city is very much like that of Narcissus, although more vital and less decadent. Liriopeans study reflective magic, but the city lacks the infrastructure to use advanced sciences such as mirror-fishing, and although the city has many mirrors, they remain only reflections and not gateways into the mirrorworld.

Men in Liriope are regarded as too emotionally unstable to handle important matters. Their role is in contests and war, and in demonstrating their worth to their women, and of course in pursuing women. Only women are regarded as being practical and stable enough to raise children and to rule others. Although men work in all professions, it is always women who are the rulers and leaders. Even the city’s militia is commanded by women, though it is men doing the fighting. Liriopean women claim that they are only following the path made by the Twin Sisters in this. Liriope was founded at the same time as the Seven Sisters order, and most outsiders believe the colony was founded because of a schism in the leadership of that movement; the women who left the Seven Sisters, founded Liriope.

Occupations: Scholar, Scientist, Matriarch, Entertainer, Merchant, Sorceress, Priestess
Suggested Skills (for women): Area Knowledge (Liriope), Current Affairs, Games, Leadership, Teaching, Thaumatology (reflective magic)
Suggested Skills (for men): Area Knowledge (Liriope), Brawling, Carousing, Combat Art, Erotic Art, Thaumatology (reflective magic)
Social Background: Cultural Familiarity (1 pt., Narcissus), Glossa (native language), Literacy
Suggested Quirks (for women): Chauvinistic, Proud, Refined* (dislikes vulgarity)
Suggested Quirks (for men): Congenial, Distractible, Proud
Sample Contact Groups: Matriarch Patron, Cult or Religion
Suggested Spells: Hide Reflection (IQ/Average)
Rumor: “The original founders of Liriope were far more radical than history portrays them, and the first generation after leaving the Seven Sisters the Liriopeans followed a heretical castration cult. Narcissus quickly suppressed the castration cult under the pretext of a flower-war, and all records of the heretics were erased by the newly-appointed matriarchs. Nonetheless the Seven Sisters still have records of that time, which could shame the city matriarchs if revealed. This is why the Seven Sisters are treated very favorably in Liriope, and why the need for this blackmail has never arisen.”

====Omphalo, sapling colony city====

Omphalo is a city of many religions. It was founded as the fortress city and headquarters of the Second Great Crusade, and still persecutes the forbidden cult of the Hollow Men. According to legend, this was also the birthplace of the Twin Sisters, and although scholars doubt the veracity, it is still a pilgrimage site for many people. In the time since the Second Great Crusade, other religious cults have come to the city for their own reasons. As have adventurers and scavengers, hoping to glean ancient wonders from the ruins in the marshes.

Each rainy season, Omphalo and the marshes flood when the seasonal rivers of the grasslands flow. Buildings in Omphalo are build on stilts, and during the flood season people get around by flat-bottomed boats. These same boats are used in the marshes as well. Although the city subsists off pilgrimage, it also produces a surplus of crops that require flooded fields. These crops are generally sold to one of the three northern cities. The crusaders of Omphalo have found patrolling the undead-haunted ruins of the Thousand Flowing Waters easier during the flood season, and so when the waters rise boats of armed Silent Brothers set forth for their sacred mission.

Occupations: Crusader, Priest, Boatman, Farmer, Fisherman
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (Omphalo), Boating, History, Religious Ritual, Theology, Occult (vampires)
Social Background: Cultural Familiarity (1 pt., Twin Cities), Glossa (native language), Literacy
Suggested Quirks: Careful, Code of Honor, Vow
Sample Contact Groups: Silent Brotherhood, Seven Sisters, Cult of the Opaque, other Cult
Suggested Spells: Sort Living from Undead (IQ/Average)
Rumor: “It is said that the Opaque Tree, the Tree of Many Shadows, the fourth and dark Crystal Tree, was discovered or hidden in Omphalo. The Cult of the Opaque has become very influential in Omphalo recently because so many of its followers have come to the city seeking their mystic tree.”

====Heliade, tributary petty kingdom====

Heliade is known as the Amber Kingdom. It is located on the Pleione river, which flows from the south, and borders on the marsh ruins of the Thousand Flowing Waters. Its inhabitants scour the river and marshes for spells and spirits frozen in amber from ancient times. These talismans are valuable wealth for trade, and Heliade is often subject to tribute to one of the three great cities of the north. Occasionally they go to war over this imposition of tribute, but although their archers are armed with devastating amber-tipped arrows, they are no match for the sorcery of the three cities on the battlefield.

Heliade magicians take dross amber and make use of it in many ways. It is dissolved into amber lacquer that hardens their armor against danger. It is used to trap images within, that may be seen at any time by peering into the amber. It is also melted down and gathered into vats of molten amber – through which, they hope to peer into the spirit-world. There is a belief in Heliade that there is another Crystal Tree – this one, of amber, weeping jewels – and the Heliades believe that if it is found, their city will rise to preeminence.

Occupations: Ambergleaner, Archer, Flower-Warrior, Lapidiary, Merchant, Amberwright
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (Heliade), Bow, Current Affairs, Jeweler, Occult (amber)
Social Background: Heliadic (native language), Glossa (accented language), Literacy
Suggested Quirks: Dreamer, Obsessions (amber), Thin-Skinned*
Suggested Spells: Capture Image In Amber (IQ/Average), Smelt Amber (IQ/Hard)
Rumor: In Heliade they have learned to enter the spirit-world through vats of molten amber. Therein they say the spirit-world is upside-down; you walk upside-down with the ground above your feet and the sky below your head. However, they have not discovered how to leave the spirit-world, and as the amber hardens, the explorer is trapped, entombed alive in a block of amber, upside-down.

====Astomo, tributary petty kingdom====

Astomo is called the Mute Kingdom, for long ago it was ruled by priest-kings whose lips were ritually sewn shut. It is still ruled by their inheritors, holy men known as Voices, whose lips are also sewn shut. Astomo lies on the borders of the Thousand Flowing Waters, and believe themselves to be the proper heirs of the ancient civilization that lies in ruins there. The people of Astomo are fascinated by the ancient ruins, and most will study some aspect of the ruins at some time in their life.

The Voices who rule Astomo do so by religious decree. There are a bewildering variety of subsects, all with teachings that confuse outsiders who cannot determine if they are philosophies or religions. As with the priest-kings of old, the Voices have their lips ritually sewn shut. Their ritual asceticisms allow them to survive without the need for food or drink, and to speak without speech, among other wonders.

Occupations: Archaeologist, Interpreter
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (Astomo), Gesture, History, Linguistics, Stealth, Hidden Lore (ancients)
Social Background: Glossa (native language), Backaric (broken language), Literacy
Suggested Advantages: Silence
Suggested Quirks: Cautious, Humble, Obsessions (ancients)
Sample Contact Groups: Sect
Rumor: “The old mouthless priest-kings of Astomo were, in fact, heretical offshoots of the Hollow Men. The Voices who still rule Astomo keep this secret carefully guarded, lest fanatic crusaders hear of it and Astomo be destroyed.”

====Bammenides, nomadic barbarian tribe====

The Bammenides are one of the nomadic barbarian tribes of the northern taiga. They live on the edges of the northern glaciers. They are known as the “painted men” to the Twin Cities, because they tattoo their bodies, faces, and hands in bright colors. They tend small herds of megaloceroi elk, from which they get milk, meat, fur – and most importantly, transportation. Their megaloceroi are domesticated and trained to pull sleighs large enough to transport an entire Bammenide family and all their goods. Their clans migrate south in spring and summer to graze and mate their herds. As rivers freeze and snow covers the ground, they migrate north and stay the winter snowbound, keeping the herds safe from the hungry predators of the south. In spring many clans gather in huge meetings to mate their herds; this is when the Bammenides trade with outsiders. In winter they live in homes built of snow, while their herds are hidden in sheltered valleys with some vegetation, or forage brought by their herders.

Shamans of the Bammenides work their magic through wands of many kinds. Each shaman has an assortment of wands of antler, bone, or wood, which must be carefully chosen for each specific purpose. Most shamans eagerly trade for wands made of metal from civilization. One of the few spells that shamans need no wand for are their eating magics. When someone in their clan suffers bad luck, or is afflicted by illness, or haunted by ghosts, the clan’s shaman will ritually consume the offending spirit. They can often scare off troublesome spirits with demonstrations of their eating prowess, by eating stones and other formidable things.

Occupations: Herder, Hunter, Trader, Warrior, Shaman
Suggested Skills: Animal Handling, Area Knowledge (tundra), Driving (sleigh), Spear, Survival, Tracking, Occult (spirits)
Social Background: Low TL, Bammenic (native language), Illiteracy
Suggested Quirks: Likes (metal), Humble, Uncongenial
Sample Contact Groups: Clan, Warrior Lodge
Suggested Spells: Eat Anything (IQ/ Hard, req. Shamanic Magic 1+), Eat Ghost (IQ/Very Hard, req. Shamanic Magic 3+)
Rumor: “The slow retreat of the northern ice and its gradual melting has gradually forced the Bammenides away from their ancestral summer and winter lands. Their herds do not thrive in the warming lands, and the remaining cold lands are too barren. The herds do not grow, and so more and more young men become warriors to gain wealth and status – while the defenses of Narcissus and Diaphane are in decline. If they join with other wandering tribes, a barbarian horde may bring the next Shattering from the north…”

====Makhlyes, nomadic barbarian tribe====

The Makhlyes are one of the nomadic barbarian tribes of the western grasslands. Their ancestors followed brontotheria herds, but the great herds from ancient times are no more, and only solitary beasts survive now. They now follow synthetoceras herds across the grasslands. They are frequent trading partners with the Twin Cities, bartering furs and hides, ivory and horn, in return for civilized goods. Every few generations their warriors band together with other barbarian tribes and raid and pillage into civilized lands.

The shamans of the Makhlyes are known as Inverts because they live their lives as the opposite gender. Because of this, they are regarded as spirits by their people – and also regarded as spirits by spirits. Once each year in the spring, all the hunters will dress as the opposite gender as well, for the sacred Inverse Hunt. Their magic allows the hunters to hunt the now-extinct herds of megafauna as though they still roamed the grasslands. The hunters bring back much meat and many trophies from an Inverse Hunt, but every year one hunter does not return from the hunt. Because of these strange customs, people of the Twin Cities think that all Makhlyes change genders, and take precautions against touching them, lest this is contagious.

Occupations: Hunter, Trader, Warrior, Invert
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (grasslands), Mimicry (animal sounds), Spear Thrower, Stealth, Survival, Tracking, Occult (spirits)
Social Background: Low TL, Makhlyic (native language), Illiteracy
Suggested Quirks: Broad-Minded, Responsive, Tolerant* (not bothered by quirks)
Sample Contact Groups: Clan, Warrior Lodge
Suggested Spells: Hunt Megafauna Ghosts (IQ/Average) (note: penalties if not an Inverse Hunt), Change Gender (IQ/Very Hard, req. Invert, Shamanic Magic 4+)
New Advantage: Invert (5 pts., live as opposite gender, spirits react as though you were a spirit yourself)
Rumor: “The Makhlyes say that when one of the Inverts goes on a spiritquest and returns of the opposite gender, that he or she has not really returned at all. Instead she or he has been replaced by a spirit, that will pretend to be the Invert for the rest of its life, until it pretends to die and returns to the spirit-world.”

====Gorgades, nomadic barbarian tribe====

The Gorgades are one of the nomadic barbarian tribes of the distant steppes to the west of the grasslands and mountains. They are known as the “hairy ones” to most outsiders, because they do not cut their hair. When meeting strangers, they also veil their eyes with their hair so as to not make eye contact, and they will also not look into mirrors. They claim that all these taboos protect them from spirits – and, curiously, they believe that the inhabitants of the Twin Cities are actually spirits who lie about their true natures. They rarely trade with the Twin Cities, but their leather goods often make their way east through trade with other barbarian tribes (such as the Makhlyes).

They have actually domesticated herds of megafauna, and roam the steppes to move their herds to new grazing. Each clan in the tribe typically has its own type of megafauna that it specialized in. Clans often take the opportunity to raid the herds of other clans while nearby, to eat some of their enemies’ beasts instead of their own. Their shamans wear headdresses of the skull and hides of their clan’s beast, and generally know a very odd assortment of spells.

Occupations: Herder, Hunter, Raider, Trapper, Shaman
Suggested Skills: Area Knowledge (steppes), Animal Handling, Bow, Knife, Leatherworking, Survival, Occult (spirits)
Social Background: Low TL, Gorgadic (native language), Illiteracy
Suggested Quirks: Uncongenial, Vow (do not cut hair, do not look into eyes or mirrors), Unhygienic* (does not bathe)
Sample Contact Groups: Clan, Warrior Lodge
Suggested Spells: Find New Forage (IQ/Average), Foretell Weather (IQ/Average)
Rumor: “Gorgades are not actually human – they are abhumans who were once used as servants by the ancients. They escaped back into the wild after the downfall of the ancients, and still fear civilized men.”

--Kakita Kojiro

Narcissus

2008-04-28T17:25:33Z

Kakita Kojiro:

Diaphane

2008-04-28T17:24:32Z

Kakita Kojiro:

Iridos

2008-04-28T17:22:42Z

Kakita Kojiro:

Narcissus

2008-04-28T16:14:36Z

Kakita Kojiro:

Diaphane

2008-04-27T23:36:18Z

Kakita Kojiro: added Stained Quarter

Iridos

2008-04-27T23:32:53Z

Kakita Kojiro: added contribution under Chromatic Magic

Narcissus

2008-04-27T23:31:53Z

Kakita Kojiro: added contribution under Reflective Magic