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Nobilis Enlightened

2011-03-27T21:23:53Z

Mind-The-Gap: /* Groups */

[[Category:Nobilis]]

= Imperator - The Shepherdess of Light =

1. ‘Omneaum(a) became aware. In its awareness, it found loneliness. It saw potential, good, an impossibility.

2. Omneaum gave way to potential, and made the impossible possible. It was, things became.

3. Enlightenment arose, and so did I, Whole, Complete, bearing the Gifts of Aether (b), Light, Vaveram (c), Maricarum (d), Endeon (e), and Causality.

4. Omneaum’s legacy I shall honour and hold safe, now and forever, till the hour I too stand alone between Impossibility and Despair.’

- The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light, Imperator of Enlightenment -

(a) Omneaum: The Original Absolute Void

(b) Aether: Estate of 'Absolute Potential', the 'Impossible made Possible', the very basic element of creation from which all matter and life flowed. It was said to have been more abundant in space. (Now excruciated, succeeded in part by the estate of 'Magic')

(c)Vaveram: Estate of Spontaneous Sentience and Awareness (Now Excruciated. Never replaced.)

(d) Maricarum: Estate of Great Miracles through Personal Sacrifice (Now excruciated, succeeded by the estate of 'Magic' and 'Sacrifice')

(e)Endeon: Estate of the 'Lone Wolf Phenomenon', wherein those fighting against overwhelming odds are always guaranteed victory. Better known in our time as the 'Storm Trooper effect'. (Now excruciated)

[[File:Resonance-of-Fate-Game-3.jpg|200px|thumb|Deus Ex Machina]]

Having predated the Imperators of 'Name', the Shepherdess is nameless and formless. Those who are fortunate enough to know her identify her as 'The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light', or, simply, 'The Shepherdess'. Having come into being before the birth of the concept of 'form' or even 'matter' and 'physical law', she is without form in the physical universe. She used to communicate with her agents in the physical universe through pulses of light and ripples in a fountain of light. Needless to say, a lot of liberty had been taken in deciphering her wishes. Recently, however, the Chief Engineer of the Sanctum, Orphus, has devised an ingenious megastructure, the Deus Ex Machina, a gigantic clockwork device that allows the Shepherdess to see into the physical realm and engage with it using a gigantic, rather clumsy steel claw and communicate using a ticker-tape telegram machine.

(Interestingly, having also preceded the Imperator of Gender, she is, or, at least, was, in essence, genderless. However, around 300 B.C. she became a part of debate amongst philosophers as an example of a being who must be 'of the default gender'. For some reason it was decided that the default gender was female, and so the Shepherdess has since been considered to be of the female persuasion. Not that she really cares. It is suspected that the Noble of Women had something to do with this, but that's a tale for another time.)

Prophesized successor of Ananda and future Shepherdess of the Fifth Age, the Glorious One has purposely been denied a seat on the Council of Four, for her ways are that of the ‘Enlightened’, incompatible with the ways of the other council-members. She earns Lord Entropy and Ananda’s tolerance for her existence only through her service in the Valde Bellum and her Light’s importance in maintaining the Weirding Wall, a task that consumes almost the entirety of her attention and being (much to Lord Entropy’s and Ananda’s satisfaction).

The Heavens despise her, for an Angel of Creation she is not, and yet she brought forth the first Light that made everything that was Beautiful possible. Only the fact that her Light is necessary for beauty and this fact alone earns her the toleration of Heaven. The Wild would have nothing to do with her, for there is no freedom in sacrifice.The Hells, the Darkness and the Light all loath her, for not only is she the voice of wisdom that transcends not just the Corruption that the Hells endeavour towards, but she is also the voice that moves all beings towards becoming more than the matter they are made from, transcending what they are, pushing them ever onwards towards a greater purpose not only in life but also in death. Those who follow her code wish for naught else but the glory of dying for a greater good.

It is unclear what her true nature or form is. Nobody seems to remember when she came to be, or how for that matter. Some suspect she is one of the Heavenly legion, an Angel, but not only do the Heavens and its angelic denizens despise her at the best of times, her ways are most definitely not that of Heaven. Some surmise that she is a fallen Angel, but the cause of Hell she does not serve. It is highly possible that she is a True God, but all of creation knows they did not appear until long after the Angels had begun the Great Work. Recently, when passings of the Transcendants were properly documented in AP 4732, it was surmised that she is perhaps a Transcendant who somehow chose to settle upon the World Ash, perhaps one of the Charitable. Said document is Creation's closest description of the Shepherdess' nature, her gifts being her Estates and her Law.

=='''Vow of the Enlightened'''==

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this.

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this. - One thing leads to another. And at the end of all things is an ‘end’.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this. - Every good act must be good of purpose and good of result. This clause seems to fail to (most probably purposely) mention anything regarding the means. Taking the most liberal interpretation, a ‘Noble deed’ can have means as lacking in morals as a psychotic mass murderer, and yet still be considered ‘Noble’ in the eyes of the ‘Enlightened’. What matters is the cause, the intention and the ends. Everything in between matters naught.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this. - The ultimate sacrifice can conquer anything, even the impossible. This is the one true ‘Miracle’, Magic at its purest, one that allows the Enlightened to surpass his/her own end and achieve greatness through sacrifice. The Shepherdess safeguards the cause of all who sacrifice themselves for a greater purpose, guaranteeing them the miraculous magic of success.

==Details==

'''Estates''': Light, Determinism, Magic, Chivalry, Intelligence, Honour, Loyalty, Courage, Hope, Justice, Karma, Logic, Alchemy, Sacrifice, Curiosity, Sun, Moon, Stars

'''Excruciated Estates''': Aether, Vaveram, Maricarum, Endeon, Astelumina

'''Dynasty Points :''' 8

'''Qualities:'''

Great Harvest (2)

Cold (-1)

Demanding (-1)

----

= The Famiglia of the Enlightened =

The Famiglia of the Enlightened ''were'' a highly respected and influential group about 4-5 centuries before, their power extending from the very birth of creation. However, in a highly unorthodox move around the 4002 A.P., the Council ordered the Shepherdess to provide additional support in the Valde Bellum proper, above and beyond her maintenance of the Weirding Wall. Seeing as the Wall already consumed most if not all her power and attention, she was forced to mobilize members of her Famiglia, something quite unprecedented. The Nobles of Maricarum, Aether and Endeon were the first to volunteer for the great undertaking, having attained near-Imperator-level powers at the time. A few centuries later, Vaveram, Astelumina, Chivalry, Courage and Alchemy too joined their brother and sisters in the direct defense of creation. They held the line for a good few centuries, seeing a slow but definite turnover in nobles. That was until, for reasons still unknown, Maricarum, Aether, Endeon, Vaveram and Astelumina were excruciated one by one. The last to fall were Endeon and Astelumina in 4895 AP, at the same time 500 years of Human History was erased.

With no time to mourn, the Famiglia of the Enlightened were forced to mobilize more members of their famiglia to the front lines. The following few years saw more of their Nobles killed, though thankfully not excruciated.

Now with few remaining senior members, the famiglia struggles to stay on its feet with the large influx of new family members. Will they be able to live up to their predecessors? Will they be able to return the family to its former glory and take it to new heights? Or will this be the end of the Enlightened? That is up to the new Famiglia.

== PC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Foreguard of the Enlightened''

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Alicia_Valka '''Alicia - Principissa of Illumination''']

The 21st Principissa Of Illumination.

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Emil '''Emil - Power of Determinism''']

The 13th Power of Determinism

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Charles_Earl_Of_Huntington'''Charles - Lord of Chivalry''']

The 77th Lord of Chivalry

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Spiritual_Charming_Spellianus_Shining_Lyna '''Lyna - Regina of Magic''']

The 66th Regina of Magic

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Mana_Kishimura '''Mana - Exemplar of Intelligence (And Dolphins)''']

The 17th Noble of Intelligence and 2nd Noble of Dolphins.

== NPC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Vanguard of the Enlightened''

'''Regine - Inquesta of Loyalty'''

'''Jessie - Tempesta of Courage (Sort of veering towards Impetuous Juvenile Recklessness)'''

'''Illumina - AllMother of Alchemy'''

Novice Alchemist extraordinaire and (rather unwilling) Commander of the Alchemist Flameheart Squad, Illumina is yet another recent addition to the Famiglia. She's currently worried about the sorry state of her estate (mostly usurped by Chemistry and now reduced to nothing more than a fantasy fiction gimmick) and a missing prominent Alchemist amongst other things....but mainly by the prospect of responsibility in general.

She is widely known, even outside Alchemist circles, as 'Big Bang Lum'.

'''Elune - Principissa of the Stars'''

While relatively senior in the Famiglia of the Enlightened (by simple virtue of everyone else being very recent additions), that's as far as her seniority goes. In every other respect, she is mostly helpless, though the more understanding dismiss this as a reflection of her estate - stars aren't known to be do much other than be pretty, especially lately with modern technology supplanting the need for stellar navigation or calendar-keeping. It used to be so much different when her sister, the Noble of Astelumina, the power of stellar influence upon the workings of the universe and lives on earth, was still around. Now as the stars fade and people forget the stars, Elune lies ill, slowly fading herself.

''The Diplomatic Corp (Intelligence) of the Enlightened''

'''Rang Fan - Excelifficer of Logic'''

Born a humble villager in a Tibetan highland settlement, Rang Fan grew up completely illiterate. She was, however, a keen observer and deep thinker. She developed her own concise and strict principles of logic, one that often found fault in the traditionalist views of the people she lived amongst. Some saw her as a source of wisdom, some saw her as a demon-possessed child.

She became the favourite anchor of the previous Noble of Logic for a while. During this time, her mastery of logic developed brilliantly. Unfortunately, she came afoul of a Chinese official when she publicly defeated him in a debate regarding the accusation of rebellion on the part of the village.

'''Geronimo - High Chief of Sacrifice'''

'''Han Gua - Exarch of Honour'''

'''Jimmy - Arch-Provost of Curiosity'''

''The Unassigned of the Enlightened''

'''Justice(?) - Empress of Justice'''

Not much is known about Justice, the 1st Noble of Justice. She is the eldest of the current Famiglia, though in the time of the original Famiglia, she was the youngest. She is the last surviving member of the original Famiglia of the Enlightened. It is rumoured that she was an Angel before she joined the Enlightened, though whether or not this is true is unknown. Her real name is unknown. Nobody has seen her in a long, long while. The only members of the current famiglia who have seen her are Han Gua and Elune.

Currently absent. Whereabouts unknown.

'''Vie - Noble of Hope'''

A rather mysterious member of the famiglia, she wonders in and out of the chancel rather randomly. Nobody seems to remember when she joined the Family. In fact, some are surprised to hear that there IS a noble of Hope in the Family. She doesn't seem to have a permanent home in the chancel. She's known (at least to those few who know her) to wander about, never staying in one place for long. She is apparently summonable, but rumours have it that she's apparently rather useless.

There are strange rumours that she follows the code of the Dark, or even Hell. Why would Hope do that?

'''Thomas Eire - Keeper of Karma'''

'''Kaguya - Himegami of the Moon'''

Tsukishiro no Kaguya-hime is perhaps the second eldest of the Famiglia, though she takes great care not to let anyone know that. She is the second Noble of the Moon. There are rumours that she was behind the Apollo 13 failure. When asked about it, she would give you a disdainful look and walk away. Then again, she'd do that no matter what you tried to bring up with her.

Currently very, very vain.

'''Kimo - the Emperor of the Sun'''

= Chancel - Locus Enlightenment, Sanctum Excelestia =

[http://img248.imageshack.us/i/sanctumexcelestia.jpg HG's Impression 1]

'''Qualities'''

Megalomaniac King/Queen (-4)

Normal Magic (3)

Alchemy (1)

2 Banes (-1)

Convenient Gates (2)

Anchorable Magical residents (4)

==Government==

[[File:SpireofLight.jpg|200px|thumb|right|Diamond Palace]]

The Sanctum is under the absolute Executive rule of the Emperor who answers only to the Shepherdess. Judicial Rule is under the Absolute Court headed by the Shepherdess and the Supreme Court headed by the Noble of Justice and her Circle of Justiciaries. Legislative and administrative rule is divided amongst the 4 major domains under the 4 queens:

'''Alicia - High Queen of the Diamond Tower.'''

Technically, having inherited the title of 'High Queen' from her predecessor, Alicia commands the Council of Four Queens and the Round Table of Dominums. However, as she has only recently joined the Famiglia, responsibility over the Council of Four Queens has fallen on the reluctant shoulders of Elune while the Round Table of Dominums is overseen by Han Gua.

'''Lyna - Queen of the Ruby Gardens.'''

The Ruby Gardens refers to the entirety of the Arcane Arts Academy Complex within the Outer Circle where the majority of mages of Excelestia train and live. However, to most of the citizens, the 'Ruby Gardens' itself refers to the seat of government, the Ruby Palace, a magnificent rose-shaped palace of crystal grown from the very essence of the Chancel itself in the middle of the Ruby Gardens.

'''Elune - Queen of the Sapphire Sky.'''

The Sapphire Sky refers to the entirety of the sky in between the floating structures of the Sanctum. While Elune governs no real land, she controls all traffic in the airspace around the Sanctum. Her official seat of government is the Sapphire Palace, a beautiful crystalline Sapphire star floating high up within the Inner Circle, though she is rarely ever there. She usually lives in her observatory on a lonely island high above the Sanctum.

'''Jessie - Queen of the Emerald Fields.'''

The Emerald Fields refer to most of the land floating in the Ciellan Expanse, the sky beyond the Outer Wall. The Emerald Fields house a good portion of the Sanctum's agricultural and mining settlements. Her seat of government is the Emerald Palace, a beautiful viridian structure of moss-covered wood and succulent, fresh folliage that grow and thrive all year round, coiled around a giant magnificent Emerald of a green deeper than the land that surrounds it.

== Homes and Households ==

[[File:E660087c66284323f8686e5d5bbed09ee9cee1ba.jpg#filelinks|200px|thumb|The Quartz Workshop]]

'''The Diamond Palace - ?????'''

Home of Alicia.

Personal Assistant : Lymle

'''The Ruby Palace - ????'''

Home of Lyna.

Personal Assistant : Flowerchild

'''The Garnet Fortress - ????'''

Home of Charles.

Personal Assistant : Sieghart

'''The Quartz Workshop - ????'''

Home of Emil.

Personal Assistant : Leonie

'''Aquamarine Depths - The Great but Rather Wet Library, Rapture'''

Home of Mana.

Personal Assistant : Sango(?)

== Noteworthy Locations ==

[[File:BerylEarth.png|200px|thumb|right|The Beryl Earth]]

'''The Amethyst Shores'''

Governed officially by Illumina, provisionally by the Arch-Artificer of the Great Guild of Alchemists. The Amethyst Shores are a group of closely-packed islands within the Outer Circle where the majority of the Alchemists of Excelestia live. While alchemists can be found just about anywhere, the Amethysts Shores are really the only place where they can make things explode to their hearts content without causing tempers to explode all around them. Alchemists can also be found en masse at the Ruby Gardens.

'''The Garnet Fortress'''

Governed mainly by Charles, the Garnet Fortress encompasses the Inner and Outer Walls of the Sanctum and the bastion of the Knights.

'''The Beryl Earth'''

Governed mainly by Regine, the

'''The Quartz Workshop'''

A watch-mender's workshop somewhere within the Diamond Tower, Emil's home and favourite haunt.

'''Chez Charles'''

==Security==

The city has a number of defense corps organized to different degrees by a number of Nobles.

'''The Chivalrous Gentlemanly TownWatch'''

'''The Magical Avengers of Love and Peace, Magical Taskforce Ruby Gardenia'''

Organized by the 5th Noble of Magic, a rather...odd Master of Magic who believed that wearing frilly clothing is a form of sacrifice to society and preached that magical power is exponentially proportional to the frilliness of one's clothing. Now maintained by the 7th Noble of Magic, Lyna, who keeps up most of the traditions of the 5th.

'''The Upholders of Equivalent Exchange, the Eternally Passionate Flameheart Alchemists (EPFA)'''

Organized by the previous Noble of Alchemy, a rather fluffy and passionate Lady Alchemist, and maintained by the recently appointed Noble, Illumina, the EPFA are at best socially-involved nerds, at worst really, really messy vigilantes (unfortunately, more often the latter). They mainly keep the domain of the Alchemists, the Amethyst Shores, as well as their portion of the Ruby Gardens, safe...for a given value of 'safe'.

'''The Infallibly Just Circle of Justiciers'''

'''The Eternally Loyal Shieldmaidens of [Insert Place Name Here]'''

Organized by the current Noble of Loyalty,

'''The Ever-Watchful Lantern Kindlers and Lamp Bearers of the Stars'''

'''The Righteous Karmic-Retributioneer Monks of Karma'''

'''The LoreKeepers and Agents of Literary Vengeance, the Combat Librarians'''

== Groups ==

Besides the defense forces of the Chancel, the Sanctum also harbours a number of groups.

'''The Bureau'''

An organization that manages magical girl contracts and Nightmare bounties as well as sell equipment and information. While they have A headquarters in the chancel and do cooperate with the Shepherdess and the Enlightened, they are not quite 100% under the control of the Shepherdess. Their inner workings are quite mysterious and shady at best.

'''The Enclave of Emerald Alchemists'''
Also known as the 'Emerald Artisans', this society of Alchemists was founded by the 7th Noble of Light, TanetNephthys, and the 1st Noble of Alchemy, Armagustine Trimegistus, after the passing of the third Noble of Maricarum, Hermes Trimegistus, founder of the Emerald Arts.

In a major nettle rite wrought by the 2nd Noble of Botany, Ephistopheles, against the Noble of Alchemy, in a daring move to split the art into two major paths forever, the Enclave was splintered in two - The Cleave fo Botanists and the Enclave of Emerald Artisans. The Botanists left the Sanctum, carrying with them the entirety of botanic knowledge. The Alchemists, however, managed to keep the Principa Alchimia safe and prevented the botanists from acquiring an absolute monopoly over the Emerald Arts. The two now jealously guard their arts, for if one were to acquire the arts of the other, they would become unstoppable.

The botanists are known to pass through the Chancel to deal with the Emerald Artisans.

== Laws ==

The Chancel operates on general principles of Justice commonly found in any other society where concepts of Law and Justice exist. It has a few notable exceptions such as:

- Any deed with noble ends are exempt from law's scrutiny upon its means. This means even the most foul of deeds is considered lawfully just as long as its ends are noble. It comes with a very, very important caveat - the good of the outcome must far exceed the evil committed. This is particularly difficult to achieve with murder, as murder, the theft of the sanctity of one's life, is the basest, most evil of crimes that even the earth itself abhors.

-

N.B. The Chancel operates on the Code Napoleon, that the suspect is guilty until proven otherwise, as Lady Justice willed it to be in the prosaic realm.

== Notable Individuals ==

=== Foreguard Support Staff ===

'''Mira'''

A young maid dedicated to serving the Foreguard.

'''Captain Captain Captain'''

Captain of the Foreguard Airship Excellion, a tall, lanky, yet muscular man with a full bushy beard and a true sailor's heart.

'''Orville'''

Chief Requisitions Officer for the Foreguard. His task is mainly acquiring equipment and supplies for the Foreguard's away-missions, though he's also an expert at acquiring just about anything the Foreguard needs.

=== Other Individuals ===

'''Orphus Denilzante'''
Chief Magitech Engineer of the Sanctum and designer of the Deus Ex Machina.

'''Reno Orfayne'''
Owner of Reno's Empirio, the one-stop fashion designer for Nobles, known to be second only to his Master, Enzel Haulor of 7th Avenue and 91st Street NY.

'''Sammy Westine'''
Proprietor and Chief Engineer of Westine Airships, Sammy is the young brilliant mind behind this generation's latest magitech airships. Having mastered Alchemy, Magic and Magitech at a young age, she went on to implement her excellent knowledge in airship design and construction. Her airships are used not just within the Sanctum but all over Creation. While she does produce combat-ready airships, she only produces them as personal favours for Nobles she trusts. These make proud flagships in any war fleet. It is rumoured that she is working with Aeril Jotunstrom, Noble of Ships, from Locus Atlantis, on warships capable of sailing the world beyond creation and taking part directly on the frontlines of the Valde Bellum.

'''Mac'''

LightHouse Chief Engineer and GateKeeper who maintains the Lighthouse and manages the chancel's gates.

'''Victor'''

= Mythic Realm =

== Known Individuals ==

''' Alexandra '''

A young noble the Family meets and rescues on arriving in Roskilde. She's following everyone around to learn the ways of nobles. The Family's not quite sure what estate she represents, but they do know she has a devastatingly powerful sonic boom attack.

== Chancels Known ==
''From the Primer on Loci Celatum, by Holly Djurisic''
What follows are descriptions of chancels considered widely known and to be no secret to those versed in the ways of the Mythic. Everyone knows them as a matter of common sense.

'''Locus Amarant'''

The Great Market, the Gardens of Lady Profit, Amarant is perhaps one of the few chancels that has no doors, and, even if it did, they would be wide open to welcome one and all. After all, even your worst enemy is a potential customer. Any invader would quickly find themselves besieged by peddlers of weaponry, trust and treachery, even the very spoils they are after. Everything the discerning Noble might need is available here...for the right price. The preferred currency are fleurs, but the locals have been known to trade with other things such as miracles and pacts. Some nobles come here not just to buy but also to sell. If you want or need it, Locus Amarant will sell it, or if not, then at least it will sell you the expertise of someone who CAN get it. Needless to say, the cammorae are all over Amarant.

It is well-known that even Excrucians frequent Amarant, and they know full well never to destroy Amarant....at least not until their victory is assured, for Amarant will be more than happy to sell them the means to that victory, or maybe even that victory itself....for the right price. Why destroy something so blatantly useful?

Chancel of Lady Profit, Immiae Arathy, and the Nobles of Trade, Currency, Negotiation, Supermarket Loyalty Cards, and Cookies. Yes, Cookies.

= Prosaic Realm =

== Earth ==

=== Noteworthy Individuals===

== Erebea ==

A once beautiful world, a geographic wonder of continents hanging high up in the pristine skies, flooded with raw magic reminiscent of Earth about a millennium ago. It is very closely linked to earth, to the point where a good few locations on both worlds overlap, allowing easy passage from one to the other should one be lucky (or unlucky) enough to stumble upon these places of power. They are so closely linked together in fact that the two worlds share more or less the same Imperators and Nobles. Some even surmise that Erebea is a divergent Earth on a parallel timeline.

Sanctum Excelestia was once the capital of this world, until it disappeared a few millennia ago.

== Lost Universe AD 2511 ==

The Lost Universe, now a Valde Bellum warfront. In 2400 AD, an age of galactic expansion and an Aetheric golden age for human advancement, a treacherous Imperator managed to sabotage the Shepherdess' hold on the Weirding Wall, leaving gaping holes in the defense of Creation. In the ensuing chaos, the Imperators and their nobles turned their attention to the Excrucian host gathering beyond the gap. Little did they know that they had fallen prey to a deceiver ruse. At the same time, the Excrucians were readying a pincer attack, with their mimics and strategists having established a foothold on Earth's universe. The Enlightened, at the time under great scrutiny due to the Shepherdess' apparent failure at maintaining the Weirding Wall, discovered the Excrucian plans and attempted to alert the Ymmerae. However, the Deceivers held the ears of the Ymmerae, and all the please of the Enlightened fell on deaf, suspicious, skeptical ears.

In a daring move, the Noble of Aether secretly used almost the entirety of his power of limitless potential to create an anomalous fold in existence, tearing 500 years of the universe apart, resetting the universe to before the Excrucian plan had even begun in 1900. He brought the new fold containing the lost 500 years and the excrucian plot up and tethered it to the gaping hole in the Weirding Wall, just in time to meet the incoming Excrucian Host. The excrucian invasion began, never once suspecting that they had walked into a pocket universe. For the Noble of Aether's apparent treachery, the Locust Court condemned him to death without a trial, dispatching the Enlightened, his own family, to prove their allegiance to the court by executing their own brother. It is said that Justice was the one to rip his shard out of his chest with her bare hands. It is said that the shard shattered. Some say Justice, in her grief and rage, shattered it herself. Some say it was Aether's final gift to the Lost Universe, and to the entirety of creation. The shard dust was dispersed and embedded itself across the entirety of the Lost Universe, enchancelling it, bestowing its beings with the blessings of Aetheric Power, immunizing them to the crippling effects of dementia animus and empowering them in their coming struggle against the Excrucian invaders. Aether was forever lost to Creation, but its shadow continues to live on within the beings of the Lost Universe. As long as the children of Aether stand and the light of Aether burns on within them, the Lost Universe will always resist the Excrucian host.

The Lost Universe has since been sealed away outside the Weirding Wall, doomed to forever be an Excrucian battleground, until the day the Excrucians trapped within consume the Lost Universe and realize Aether's trickery.

At the precise moment Aether's sacrifice enchancelled the Lost Universe, Hammond Qarn, Imperator of the Lost Universe, came into being. Having arisen from a universe so filled with the Shepherdess' own power, Hammond naturally became a Magister of the Enlightened. Furthermore, as the chancel was created using the Shepherdess' own soul shard, a fraction of the Shepherdess' own essence makes up the chancel's foundations. Thus for all intents and purposes the Enlightened can treat the Lost Universe as their own home chancel.

Few other nobles are privy to the secret of the Lost Universe's existence. Even fewer take up the fight to defend the Lost Universe in order to delay the full-scale invasion of Creation. The Nobles of Astelumina and Endeon were the first to pick up Aether's fallen banner and lead the battle against the Excrucian host and were also the first to fall.

'Now and Forever, till the hour I too stand between Impossibility and Despair!' - Phaeron Rof Alabar Trimeniel - Emperor of Aether

=== Notable Locations ===

'''L.U. Earth AD 2511'''

In AD 2400, Astelumina and Endeon managed to rid the entire earth of deceivers, strategists and mimics, making it one of the last few human settlements still untouched by the Excrucian Scourge. The war and Aether's blessing has accelerated technology to astronomical heights in the past 111 years, bringing humanity to a point where they can overwhelm excrucian shards and at the very least annoy full excrucians, if not kill them. Earth is now the capital of the Universal Aetheric Alliance (UAA), headquarters of the Excrucian resistance. Its coordinates are guarded to the death by the Children of Aether. Those who sally forth to meet the Excrucian Host do so without carrying Earth's coordinates, knowing full well that they may never return to their beloved home.

'''L.U. Heaven’s Feel'''

The current frontier of the Lost Universe Valde Bellum, Heaven’s Feel is perhaps the most beautiful extrasolar human colony. A large T3 terraformed planet orbiting the gas giant Astelumina 3, behind a dense spherical asteroid field and a radioactive veil around the sun Astelumina, it makes a naturally fortified world. Thanks to the scattering radiation and the dense blackhole just a few megaparsecs away at the center of the galaxy, the system and planet is nigh impossible to find at the best of times, at least for marauding excrucian raiding parties. The UAA uses Astelumina’s final gift, the gift of the stars, the ability to travel on aetheric currents guided by the stars, to travel safely in and out of the system.

When excrucians do find the planet, they are immediately drawn into its orbit by the interaction of the gravity wells of Heaven’s Feel’s many moons. They have no hope of escaping to notify the host of the planet’s location before they are drawn into intense battle by the Feelians.

The planet is ravaged by repeat invasions.

=== Familia of the Lost Universe ===

More or less an extended family of the Enlightened, the Familia of the Lost Universe are the sworn guardians of Aether's legacy.

'''Hammond Qarn - Imperator of the Lost Universe'''

Despite being an offshoot of the Shepherdess' power, Hammond Qarn is quite the opposite. He looks as human as they come. In fact, very, very much so, with his thick paternal beard, his twinkling eyes and his simple, honest expression, like a stern but compassionate father. Those who have the great honour of an audience with him are overcome with an overwhelming confidence and faith in humanity's potential and prowess. His being is shrouded in the stuff of legends. They say he single-handedly piloted an Alliance Battlecruiser straight into an Excrucian battlestation and escaped alive, unscathed. They say he personally lead the desperate charge that ended the siege of Harvest 4. They say he singlehandedly held the line at Point Hope against the entire advancing Excrucian host at the battle of Forge 3. They say a lot of things about Hammond Qarn, and when you meet him, sitting like a lighthouse exuding calm and confidence amidst the storm of war, in his simple, neatly-pressed uniform gleaming with but one badge denoting his allegiance to the Alliance, you feel naught but awe - that this man is the legend in the flesh.

'''Commander John Shepard - Power of Living Legends'''

'''Excel 7 - Commander of Super Soldiers'''

was responsible for the Halo series and partly responsible for the Metal Gear series, amongst other things.

'''Iris Erran - Chief Admiral of Spacecrafts'''

'''ALMa OmNI. - Supreme Administrator of Aetheric Technology'''

An A.I. born of the pinnacle of Aetheric supercomputers,

= Quests =

== Active Quests ==

=== Imperator Quests ===

'''Overdue'''

Started : 8th November 2011

The Shepherdess has requested that the Foreguards return 3 books she's borrowed for Shepherdess-knows-how-long now, for reasons that none can fathom. These books are:

1) 'Single Parenting for Idiots', to the Imperator of Shadows

2) 'The Amazing Justice and the Lovely Yaoi Doujin', to the Noble of Women's Beards

3) 'The Witchhunter's Codex' to a certain alchemist in Erebea.

She has asked you all to return them, ASAP.

Progress:

1) The Family has acquired the 3 books from the Principarium.

2) 1 week has passed since.

'''?????'''

Started : ?????

??????

Progress: n/a

=== Chancel Quests ===

=== Chivalry Quests ===

'''Rest in Peace'''

Started: 15th November 2011

One of Charles' Knights, Tristan, has just returned from Earth and has requested an urgent private audience. Wonder what it's about.

Progress:

1) Charles met Tristan, who seems to be rather fearful of someone, or something, though he's doing his best not to show it. Tristan presents Sir Jacob's cane and monocle to Charles, telling him that Sir Jacob disappeared after discovering that most of the Copenhagen chapter of knights have disappeared. It appears he noticed something was amiss after the disappearance of Sir William, who was out to investigate the disappearance of a local magical girl.

2) Charles decides to alert all the chapters throughout the world.

3) Charles proceeds to attempt directing chivalrous power into Sir Jacob's cane. It fights back, showing signs of deep corruption, before exploding rather violently.

4) Charles sends Sieghart with the destroyed monocle to Victor to study it further.

'''100,000's a Crowd!'''

Started: n/a

The Reinzuthen of Erebea have decided to dispatch a sacrifical gift of 100,000 girls from all around Erebea, mostly from all the nations they've conquered and annexed, to the old island of Altima, original home of the Nobles of Warriors, distant predecessors of Charles'. Apparently this is to welcome the prophesized return of the original Noble of Warriors and to attempt to acquire his favour with the hopes of having him assist the Reinzuthen make good their absolute conquest of Erebea. Obviously, the current delivery recipient is Charles....and this is NOT good. NOT good at all.

Progress: n/a

'''White Knight in Black Armour'''

Started: n/a

Alfred Goddard, ace attorney, E.U. Supreme Court prosecutor and prominent political figure, has sworn to cleanse Europe of all crime, especially major international crime rings. He has followed through with his oath. Half of all European prisons are full thanks to him. He is hailed as the 'White Knight', Europe's last hope. Needless to say, he's nowhere near as popular in the underworld. Many want him dead. He's currently attending the Copenhagen Treaty Talks as an expert on the Eco-crime panel. Chika, Emil's personal assassin, has helpfully let slip that she's refused a rather generous contract to assassinate Alfred Goddard during the talks. She's only one of many. Maybe you should look into this.

Progress: n/a

=== Determinism Quests ===

'''I Left My Hand in Copenhagen'''

Started : N/A

77 People have been found dead from unknown causes in Copenhagen. They were discovered missing their left hands and hanging upside down from trees.

Progress : n/a

'''Fly me to Europa'''

Started : N/A

The manned mission to Europa's missing for reasons as yet unknown.

Progress : n/a

'''Two Things Infinite'''

Started : 8th November 2011

The LHC has broken down once again after a few brief months of rather hiccupy function. This time, the cause is completely unknown. All the individual parts seem to be in working order, but the sum refuses to work. Sophia's not happy, not happy at all. She has personally requested that Emil look into this.

Progress:

1) Emil has taken a brief look around through Sophia's eyes. The LHC's spirit seems to have some blemishes....wonder what they are....

'''Tides of Fate'''

Started : n/a

The tides have stopped rising with the lunar cycles. As a result, the world's currents, fisheries and shoreline ecosystems have been gravely affected. This shouldn't even be physically possible!

Progress: n/a

=== Illumination Quests ===

'''Twinkle, Little Star'''

Started : 15th November 2011

As the world darkens, the light of the stars fade. Elune, little noble of stars, your sister, lies sick, alone in her high observatory, forgotten by the rest of the world. Now the weakening of the stars has started to affect the domain of Light too. Something must be done before yet another member of the Family succumbs to the war of attrition upon the Enlightened.

Progress:

1) Lyna, Emil and Alicia visited Elune in her observatory and found her ill.

2) They discovered that her observatory was severely corrupted by some malignant corruption that was trying to break into the chancel.

3) They sealed off the intrusion into the chancel but destroyed the observatory in the process. They managed to prevent the observatory from crashing catastrophically into the chancel.

4) They've brought the sick Elune to the Sapphire Palace and acquired the help of Regine to treat her.

5) Regine has asked the team to seek out the Noble of Shadows or anyone from the Familia of Shadows for a certain flower that only grows in Locus Shadows.

'''Who moved my Christmas?!'''

Christmas, the biggest celebration of lights and joy, isn't happening this year! This is unprecedented serious affair!

Started : 8th November 2011

Progress :

1) Alicia has asked the magical girls, knights, and others who've passed in and out of the chancel, for any information they might know about this. She's learned that it's a rather complex issue. It might be the economy, it might be the declining family values, could be anything.

'''When you peer into the Abyss...'''

Started : n/a

And the Creator said, 'Let there be Light', and there was light, and he saw that it was good. And He separated the dark from the light. Thus was the First Day.

It wasn't quite that simple.

When the light came to be, the dark too came to be as a result, and neither could tolerate the other. Thus the First War of Light and Dark began, pure and simple, with no preamble or prelude. They fought for Shepherdess-knows-how-long. Finally, the formation of the Covenant of the First Day, an agreement between the Light and the Dark to respect the other's estate, ended the war. How it came to be, however, is still a hotly debated topic. Some say the Dark won. Some say the Light won. Some say it was a draw. Some say there were other reasons. Who really knows?

An anniversary of the Covenant of the First Day is celebrated yearly now to uphold the ideals of peace and cooperation between Light and Dark. This year, it's Alicia's turn to host the festival. What could go wrong?

Progress : n/a

=== Magic Quests ===

'''Dude, Where's My Ship?!'''

Started : 8th Novemeber 2011

Following the disappearance of a wildcat Lignite mining crew in the Aescilian Mountains of Erebea, a pair of magical girls were dispatched on what was supposed to be a simple search-and-rescue mission. They report finding what looks like a ship and wisely request further assistance. The archaeological division arrived hours later, sealed the region, before preparing for further studies. They could not identify the ship's make or origins from the exterior, so they decide to enter through an entrance they found on the side. Contact with the entire squad was lost 6 hours into the mission, with the last transmission being 'Found someth-....So....beautiful....'. A second rescue mission was mounted, this time with a full STRIKER magical girl squadron. They found a deserted camp site and the open ship. They enter. Contact was lost 1.5 hours into the mission, with the last transmission being '...reached the last known location. Now....I-..I can't believe it....mission control...I can't begin to describe this....this is...so...so beau-.....'.

Progress:

1) Lyna has developed a new remote-viewing spell to peer into the site from a distance. Unfortunately, the first few attempts failed as she can't seem to view anything beyond the foot of the mountains.

'''My Struggle, My suffering, My Legacy'''

Started: n/a

The smoke of witch burning pyres rise high up into the skies above the magical realm of Erebea. The once all-powerful mages now run and hide before the onslaught of the Reinzhuthen, an order of genocidal purists who are in pursuit of the all-powerful dark mage, the dark lord Daran Reganz. The Reinzhuthen have taken up an all-or-nothing approach towards hunting Daran Reganz – wiping out every last mage on Neven. After successfully gathering the support of the people against the seemingly incompetent mage-led government and subsequently overthrowing them, the Reinzhuthen declared a world-wide ban of magical practices, declaring any practitioner an agent of Daran Reganz and an enemy of the state. In their crusade against magic, they've begun declaring the absolutism of their cause and the need for all nations of the world to unite under their banner to eliminate the magic scourge. To this end, they have begun invading and conquering any nation who refuses to join their Empire.

Progress: n/a

=== Intelligence Quests ===

'''So Long and Thanks for All the Fish'''

Dolphins are becoming quite popular...as food! The coastal town of Taiji, Japan, the largest operator of dolphin drive hunting in the world, is undertaking a massive campaign to popularize the consumption of dolphin meat following the opening of its Great Taiji Dolphin Slaughterhouse. They are marketing it as a health food that greatly boosts brain development and intelligence, particularly in children. Interestingly, they managed to show that the IQs of children raised in Taiji and the nearby village of Koazagawa, wherein the staple food is dolphin and whale meat, are significantly higher than not only the national average but also the international average, almost miraculously so. Quite a problem for the local dolphins, some of whom are Mana's own friends.

Incidentally, the global pandemic of the strange sleeping illness has a relatively high incidence in Japan, particularly in Taiji.

Started: n/a

Progress: n/a

== Completed Quests ==

= Correspondence =

== Family Correspondence ==

'Good morning, Masters and Mistresses. I hope the noise didn't keep you up last night. The Alchemists discovered a new flower known quite amusingly as the 'Boom Lily'. Thankfully they grew quieter as the night went by. Anyhow, here's today's selection of the world's headlines.' - Mira -

• Presidents of Chechnya, Bosnia and Ukraine die in mysterious circumstances.

• American invasion of Iran is meeting heavy resistance. The Iranians now threaten to unleash their nuclear arsenal if America does not cease and desist.

• A new illness is spreading. Cause unknown.

== Illumination's Correspondence==

'Young Miss, please do take some times to reads some of these, 'kay? Lymle's actually done her bests to sort them outs, 'kay!' - Lymle -

- You've been cordially invited to attend the Divali celebrations in India. - Various Nobles -

== Chivalry's Correspondence ==

'Aye, my liege, thou hath an abundant harvest of letters. Thy loyal steed hast made do with the more...delicious trivialties. *BURP*' - Sieghart -

== Determinism's Correspondence ==

'Hey, old man, check it out, you've got mail. Should I fetch your specs? Or maybe a magnifying glass? Or maybe my winding screw? All that sorting's wound down my springs...' - Leonie -

- There's insider information that the vast artificial island city under construction at the base of Orbital Elevator 02 in the Pacific has hit a dead end in its construction effort due to economical constraints. It will soon become a prized piece of real estate amongst the nobles once word gets out. - Penelope -

- Ne, Oyabun, some funny men want to kill that yaro Alfred Goddard. They offer real cash, up front, no questions. Too good a deal for me, so I tell them, leave. They probably go for my competitors. Tell your friend, ne. Ja. - Chika -

== Magic's Correspondence ==

'Young Mistress, it's time to read your correspondence for the day. Please sit down here. Yes, here. Now, back straight like a washboard, eyes forward like a dead fish, and elbows akimbo like a ballerina...yes, excellent, young mistress. Now, I present you my personal selection of today's letters.' - Flowerchild -

- We're short on new recruits for the Magical Girl Academy. Please do something about this. - Miranda, Headmaster of the Ruby Gardens Magical Girl Academy Division

== Intelligence's Correspondence ==

= The Enlightened Miracle Lexicon =

== Known Combo Miracles ==

'''Double Searing Starlight'''

Alicia's Searing Light + Lyna's Starlight Breaker

'''Sunlight Heart Strike'''

Alicia and Charles, armed and armoured, execute a passing melee strike under the influence of Emil's Major Preservation of Determinism, creating an unavoidable, uncounterable strike that rips apart the target.

'''Dolphin Ball of Doom'''

Alicia forges a spiky armour of light onto a spherical object that is then Aspect-5 dolphin-smacked by Mana into the target, for massive damage. Note: The spherical object must be larger than 5 feet in diameter to be effective, lest Mana's auctoritas cancels Alicia's forge.

Nobilis Enlightened

2011-03-27T15:15:27Z

Mind-The-Gap: /* Mythic Realm */

[[Category:Nobilis]]

= Imperator - The Shepherdess of Light =

1. ‘Omneaum(a) became aware. In its awareness, it found loneliness. It saw potential, good, an impossibility.

2. Omneaum gave way to potential, and made the impossible possible. It was, things became.

3. Enlightenment arose, and so did I, Whole, Complete, bearing the Gifts of Aether (b), Light, Vaveram (c), Maricarum (d), Endeon (e), and Causality.

4. Omneaum’s legacy I shall honour and hold safe, now and forever, till the hour I too stand alone between Impossibility and Despair.’

- The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light, Imperator of Enlightenment -

(a) Omneaum: The Original Absolute Void

(b) Aether: Estate of 'Absolute Potential', the 'Impossible made Possible', the very basic element of creation from which all matter and life flowed. It was said to have been more abundant in space. (Now excruciated, succeeded in part by the estate of 'Magic')

(c)Vaveram: Estate of Spontaneous Sentience and Awareness (Now Excruciated. Never replaced.)

(d) Maricarum: Estate of Great Miracles through Personal Sacrifice (Now excruciated, succeeded by the estate of 'Magic' and 'Sacrifice')

(e)Endeon: Estate of the 'Lone Wolf Phenomenon', wherein those fighting against overwhelming odds are always guaranteed victory. Better known in our time as the 'Storm Trooper effect'. (Now excruciated)

[[File:Resonance-of-Fate-Game-3.jpg|200px|thumb|Deus Ex Machina]]

Having predated the Imperators of 'Name', the Shepherdess is nameless and formless. Those who are fortunate enough to know her identify her as 'The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light', or, simply, 'The Shepherdess'. Having come into being before the birth of the concept of 'form' or even 'matter' and 'physical law', she is without form in the physical universe. She used to communicate with her agents in the physical universe through pulses of light and ripples in a fountain of light. Needless to say, a lot of liberty had been taken in deciphering her wishes. Recently, however, the Chief Engineer of the Sanctum, Orphus, has devised an ingenious megastructure, the Deus Ex Machina, a gigantic clockwork device that allows the Shepherdess to see into the physical realm and engage with it using a gigantic, rather clumsy steel claw and communicate using a ticker-tape telegram machine.

(Interestingly, having also preceded the Imperator of Gender, she is, or, at least, was, in essence, genderless. However, around 300 B.C. she became a part of debate amongst philosophers as an example of a being who must be 'of the default gender'. For some reason it was decided that the default gender was female, and so the Shepherdess has since been considered to be of the female persuasion. Not that she really cares. It is suspected that the Noble of Women had something to do with this, but that's a tale for another time.)

Prophesized successor of Ananda and future Shepherdess of the Fifth Age, the Glorious One has purposely been denied a seat on the Council of Four, for her ways are that of the ‘Enlightened’, incompatible with the ways of the other council-members. She earns Lord Entropy and Ananda’s tolerance for her existence only through her service in the Valde Bellum and her Light’s importance in maintaining the Weirding Wall, a task that consumes almost the entirety of her attention and being (much to Lord Entropy’s and Ananda’s satisfaction).

The Heavens despise her, for an Angel of Creation she is not, and yet she brought forth the first Light that made everything that was Beautiful possible. Only the fact that her Light is necessary for beauty and this fact alone earns her the toleration of Heaven. The Wild would have nothing to do with her, for there is no freedom in sacrifice.The Hells, the Darkness and the Light all loath her, for not only is she the voice of wisdom that transcends not just the Corruption that the Hells endeavour towards, but she is also the voice that moves all beings towards becoming more than the matter they are made from, transcending what they are, pushing them ever onwards towards a greater purpose not only in life but also in death. Those who follow her code wish for naught else but the glory of dying for a greater good.

It is unclear what her true nature or form is. Nobody seems to remember when she came to be, or how for that matter. Some suspect she is one of the Heavenly legion, an Angel, but not only do the Heavens and its angelic denizens despise her at the best of times, her ways are most definitely not that of Heaven. Some surmise that she is a fallen Angel, but the cause of Hell she does not serve. It is highly possible that she is a True God, but all of creation knows they did not appear until long after the Angels had begun the Great Work. Recently, when passings of the Transcendants were properly documented in AP 4732, it was surmised that she is perhaps a Transcendant who somehow chose to settle upon the World Ash, perhaps one of the Charitable. Said document is Creation's closest description of the Shepherdess' nature, her gifts being her Estates and her Law.

=='''Vow of the Enlightened'''==

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this.

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this. - One thing leads to another. And at the end of all things is an ‘end’.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this. - Every good act must be good of purpose and good of result. This clause seems to fail to (most probably purposely) mention anything regarding the means. Taking the most liberal interpretation, a ‘Noble deed’ can have means as lacking in morals as a psychotic mass murderer, and yet still be considered ‘Noble’ in the eyes of the ‘Enlightened’. What matters is the cause, the intention and the ends. Everything in between matters naught.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this. - The ultimate sacrifice can conquer anything, even the impossible. This is the one true ‘Miracle’, Magic at its purest, one that allows the Enlightened to surpass his/her own end and achieve greatness through sacrifice. The Shepherdess safeguards the cause of all who sacrifice themselves for a greater purpose, guaranteeing them the miraculous magic of success.

==Details==

'''Estates''': Light, Determinism, Magic, Chivalry, Intelligence, Honour, Loyalty, Courage, Hope, Justice, Karma, Logic, Alchemy, Sacrifice, Curiosity, Sun, Moon, Stars

'''Excruciated Estates''': Aether, Vaveram, Maricarum, Endeon, Astelumina

'''Dynasty Points :''' 8

'''Qualities:'''

Great Harvest (2)

Cold (-1)

Demanding (-1)

----

= The Famiglia of the Enlightened =

The Famiglia of the Enlightened ''were'' a highly respected and influential group about 4-5 centuries before, their power extending from the very birth of creation. However, in a highly unorthodox move around the 4002 A.P., the Council ordered the Shepherdess to provide additional support in the Valde Bellum proper, above and beyond her maintenance of the Weirding Wall. Seeing as the Wall already consumed most if not all her power and attention, she was forced to mobilize members of her Famiglia, something quite unprecedented. The Nobles of Maricarum, Aether and Endeon were the first to volunteer for the great undertaking, having attained near-Imperator-level powers at the time. A few centuries later, Vaveram, Astelumina, Chivalry, Courage and Alchemy too joined their brother and sisters in the direct defense of creation. They held the line for a good few centuries, seeing a slow but definite turnover in nobles. That was until, for reasons still unknown, Maricarum, Aether, Endeon, Vaveram and Astelumina were excruciated one by one. The last to fall were Endeon and Astelumina in 4895 AP, at the same time 500 years of Human History was erased.

With no time to mourn, the Famiglia of the Enlightened were forced to mobilize more members of their famiglia to the front lines. The following few years saw more of their Nobles killed, though thankfully not excruciated.

Now with few remaining senior members, the famiglia struggles to stay on its feet with the large influx of new family members. Will they be able to live up to their predecessors? Will they be able to return the family to its former glory and take it to new heights? Or will this be the end of the Enlightened? That is up to the new Famiglia.

== PC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Foreguard of the Enlightened''

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Alicia_Valka '''Alicia - Principissa of Illumination''']

The 21st Principissa Of Illumination.

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Emil '''Emil - Power of Determinism''']

The 13th Power of Determinism

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Charles_Earl_Of_Huntington'''Charles - Lord of Chivalry''']

The 77th Lord of Chivalry

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Spiritual_Charming_Spellianus_Shining_Lyna '''Lyna - Regina of Magic''']

The 66th Regina of Magic

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Mana_Kishimura '''Mana - Exemplar of Intelligence (And Dolphins)''']

The 17th Noble of Intelligence and 2nd Noble of Dolphins.

== NPC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Vanguard of the Enlightened''

'''Regine - Inquesta of Loyalty'''

'''Jessie - Tempesta of Courage (Sort of veering towards Impetuous Juvenile Recklessness)'''

'''Illumina - AllMother of Alchemy'''

Novice Alchemist extraordinaire and (rather unwilling) Commander of the Alchemist Flameheart Squad, Illumina is yet another recent addition to the Famiglia. She's currently worried about the sorry state of her estate (mostly usurped by Chemistry and now reduced to nothing more than a fantasy fiction gimmick) and a missing prominent Alchemist amongst other things....but mainly by the prospect of responsibility in general.

She is widely known, even outside Alchemist circles, as 'Big Bang Lum'.

'''Elune - Principissa of the Stars'''

While relatively senior in the Famiglia of the Enlightened (by simple virtue of everyone else being very recent additions), that's as far as her seniority goes. In every other respect, she is mostly helpless, though the more understanding dismiss this as a reflection of her estate - stars aren't known to be do much other than be pretty, especially lately with modern technology supplanting the need for stellar navigation or calendar-keeping. It used to be so much different when her sister, the Noble of Astelumina, the power of stellar influence upon the workings of the universe and lives on earth, was still around. Now as the stars fade and people forget the stars, Elune lies ill, slowly fading herself.

''The Diplomatic Corp (Intelligence) of the Enlightened''

'''Rang Fan - Excelifficer of Logic'''

Born a humble villager in a Tibetan highland settlement, Rang Fan grew up completely illiterate. She was, however, a keen observer and deep thinker. She developed her own concise and strict principles of logic, one that often found fault in the traditionalist views of the people she lived amongst. Some saw her as a source of wisdom, some saw her as a demon-possessed child.

She became the favourite anchor of the previous Noble of Logic for a while. During this time, her mastery of logic developed brilliantly. Unfortunately, she came afoul of a Chinese official when she publicly defeated him in a debate regarding the accusation of rebellion on the part of the village.

'''Geronimo - High Chief of Sacrifice'''

'''Han Gua - Exarch of Honour'''

'''Jimmy - Arch-Provost of Curiosity'''

''The Unassigned of the Enlightened''

'''Justice(?) - Empress of Justice'''

Not much is known about Justice, the 1st Noble of Justice. She is the eldest of the current Famiglia, though in the time of the original Famiglia, she was the youngest. She is the last surviving member of the original Famiglia of the Enlightened. It is rumoured that she was an Angel before she joined the Enlightened, though whether or not this is true is unknown. Her real name is unknown. Nobody has seen her in a long, long while. The only members of the current famiglia who have seen her are Han Gua and Elune.

Currently absent. Whereabouts unknown.

'''Vie - Noble of Hope'''

A rather mysterious member of the famiglia, she wonders in and out of the chancel rather randomly. Nobody seems to remember when she joined the Family. In fact, some are surprised to hear that there IS a noble of Hope in the Family. She doesn't seem to have a permanent home in the chancel. She's known (at least to those few who know her) to wander about, never staying in one place for long. She is apparently summonable, but rumours have it that she's apparently rather useless.

There are strange rumours that she follows the code of the Dark, or even Hell. Why would Hope do that?

'''Thomas Eire - Keeper of Karma'''

'''Kaguya - Himegami of the Moon'''

Tsukishiro no Kaguya-hime is perhaps the second eldest of the Famiglia, though she takes great care not to let anyone know that. She is the second Noble of the Moon. There are rumours that she was behind the Apollo 13 failure. When asked about it, she would give you a disdainful look and walk away. Then again, she'd do that no matter what you tried to bring up with her.

Currently very, very vain.

'''Kimo - the Emperor of the Sun'''

= Chancel - Locus Enlightenment, Sanctum Excelestia =

[http://img248.imageshack.us/i/sanctumexcelestia.jpg HG's Impression 1]

'''Qualities'''

Megalomaniac King/Queen (-4)

Normal Magic (3)

Alchemy (1)

2 Banes (-1)

Convenient Gates (2)

Anchorable Magical residents (4)

==Government==

[[File:SpireofLight.jpg|200px|thumb|right|Diamond Palace]]

The Sanctum is under the absolute Executive rule of the Emperor who answers only to the Shepherdess. Judicial Rule is under the Absolute Court headed by the Shepherdess and the Supreme Court headed by the Noble of Justice and her Circle of Justiciaries. Legislative and administrative rule is divided amongst the 4 major domains under the 4 queens:

'''Alicia - High Queen of the Diamond Tower.'''

Technically, having inherited the title of 'High Queen' from her predecessor, Alicia commands the Council of Four Queens and the Round Table of Dominums. However, as she has only recently joined the Famiglia, responsibility over the Council of Four Queens has fallen on the reluctant shoulders of Elune while the Round Table of Dominums is overseen by Han Gua.

'''Lyna - Queen of the Ruby Gardens.'''

The Ruby Gardens refers to the entirety of the Arcane Arts Academy Complex within the Outer Circle where the majority of mages of Excelestia train and live. However, to most of the citizens, the 'Ruby Gardens' itself refers to the seat of government, the Ruby Palace, a magnificent rose-shaped palace of crystal grown from the very essence of the Chancel itself in the middle of the Ruby Gardens.

'''Elune - Queen of the Sapphire Sky.'''

The Sapphire Sky refers to the entirety of the sky in between the floating structures of the Sanctum. While Elune governs no real land, she controls all traffic in the airspace around the Sanctum. Her official seat of government is the Sapphire Palace, a beautiful crystalline Sapphire star floating high up within the Inner Circle, though she is rarely ever there. She usually lives in her observatory on a lonely island high above the Sanctum.

'''Jessie - Queen of the Emerald Fields.'''

The Emerald Fields refer to most of the land floating in the Ciellan Expanse, the sky beyond the Outer Wall. The Emerald Fields house a good portion of the Sanctum's agricultural and mining settlements. Her seat of government is the Emerald Palace, a beautiful viridian structure of moss-covered wood and succulent, fresh folliage that grow and thrive all year round, coiled around a giant magnificent Emerald of a green deeper than the land that surrounds it.

== Homes and Households ==

[[File:E660087c66284323f8686e5d5bbed09ee9cee1ba.jpg#filelinks|200px|thumb|The Quartz Workshop]]

'''The Diamond Palace - ?????'''

Home of Alicia.

Personal Assistant : Lymle

'''The Ruby Palace - ????'''

Home of Lyna.

Personal Assistant : Flowerchild

'''The Garnet Fortress - ????'''

Home of Charles.

Personal Assistant : Sieghart

'''The Quartz Workshop - ????'''

Home of Emil.

Personal Assistant : Leonie

'''Aquamarine Depths - The Great but Rather Wet Library, Rapture'''

Home of Mana.

Personal Assistant : Sango(?)

== Noteworthy Locations ==

[[File:BerylEarth.png|200px|thumb|right|The Beryl Earth]]

'''The Amethyst Shores'''

Governed officially by Illumina, provisionally by the Arch-Artificer of the Great Guild of Alchemists. The Amethyst Shores are a group of closely-packed islands within the Outer Circle where the majority of the Alchemists of Excelestia live. While alchemists can be found just about anywhere, the Amethysts Shores are really the only place where they can make things explode to their hearts content without causing tempers to explode all around them. Alchemists can also be found en masse at the Ruby Gardens.

'''The Garnet Fortress'''

Governed mainly by Charles, the Garnet Fortress encompasses the Inner and Outer Walls of the Sanctum and the bastion of the Knights.

'''The Beryl Earth'''

Governed mainly by Regine, the

'''The Quartz Workshop'''

A watch-mender's workshop somewhere within the Diamond Tower, Emil's home and favourite haunt.

'''Chez Charles'''

==Security==

The city has a number of defense corps organized to different degrees by a number of Nobles.

'''The Chivalrous Gentlemanly TownWatch'''

'''The Magical Avengers of Love and Peace, Magical Taskforce Ruby Gardenia'''

Organized by the 5th Noble of Magic, a rather...odd Master of Magic who believed that wearing frilly clothing is a form of sacrifice to society and preached that magical power is exponentially proportional to the frilliness of one's clothing. Now maintained by the 7th Noble of Magic, Lyna, who keeps up most of the traditions of the 5th.

'''The Upholders of Equivalent Exchange, the Eternally Passionate Flameheart Alchemists (EPFA)'''

Organized by the previous Noble of Alchemy, a rather fluffy and passionate Lady Alchemist, and maintained by the recently appointed Noble, Illumina, the EPFA are at best socially-involved nerds, at worst really, really messy vigilantes (unfortunately, more often the latter). They mainly keep the domain of the Alchemists, the Amethyst Shores, as well as their portion of the Ruby Gardens, safe...for a given value of 'safe'.

'''The Infallibly Just Circle of Justiciers'''

'''The Eternally Loyal Shieldmaidens of [Insert Place Name Here]'''

Organized by the current Noble of Loyalty,

'''The Ever-Watchful Lantern Kindlers and Lamp Bearers of the Stars'''

'''The Righteous Karmic-Retributioneer Monks of Karma'''

'''The LoreKeepers and Agents of Literary Vengeance, the Combat Librarians'''

== Groups ==

Besides the defense forces of the Chancel, the Sanctum also harbours a number of groups.

'''The Enclave of Emerald Alchemists'''
Also known as the 'Emerald Artisans', this society of Alchemists was founded by the 7th Noble of Light, TanetNephthys, and the 1st Noble of Alchemy, Armagustine Trimegistus, after the passing of the third Noble of Maricarum, Hermes Trimegistus, founder of the Emerald Arts.

In a major nettle rite wrought by the 2nd Noble of Botany, Ephistopheles, against the Noble of Alchemy, in a daring move to split the art into two major paths forever, the Enclave was splintered in two - The Cleave fo Botanists and the Enclave of Emerald Artisans. The Botanists left the Sanctum, carrying with them the entirety of botanic knowledge. The Alchemists, however, managed to keep the Principa Alchimia safe and prevented the botanists from acquiring an absolute monopoly over the Emerald Arts. The two now jealously guard their arts, for if one were to acquire the arts of the other, they would become unstoppable.

The botanists are known to pass through the Chancel to deal with the Emerald Artisans.

== Laws ==

The Chancel operates on general principles of Justice commonly found in any other society where concepts of Law and Justice exist. It has a few notable exceptions such as:

- Any deed with noble ends are exempt from law's scrutiny upon its means. This means even the most foul of deeds is considered lawfully just as long as its ends are noble. It comes with a very, very important caveat - the good of the outcome must far exceed the evil committed. This is particularly difficult to achieve with murder, as murder, the theft of the sanctity of one's life, is the basest, most evil of crimes that even the earth itself abhors.

-

N.B. The Chancel operates on the Code Napoleon, that the suspect is guilty until proven otherwise, as Lady Justice willed it to be in the prosaic realm.

== Notable Individuals ==

=== Foreguard Support Staff ===

'''Mira'''

A young maid dedicated to serving the Foreguard.

'''Captain Captain Captain'''

Captain of the Foreguard Airship Excellion, a tall, lanky, yet muscular man with a full bushy beard and a true sailor's heart.

'''Orville'''

Chief Requisitions Officer for the Foreguard. His task is mainly acquiring equipment and supplies for the Foreguard's away-missions, though he's also an expert at acquiring just about anything the Foreguard needs.

=== Other Individuals ===

'''Orphus Denilzante'''
Chief Magitech Engineer of the Sanctum and designer of the Deus Ex Machina.

'''Reno Orfayne'''
Owner of Reno's Empirio, the one-stop fashion designer for Nobles, known to be second only to his Master, Enzel Haulor of 7th Avenue and 91st Street NY.

'''Sammy Westine'''
Proprietor and Chief Engineer of Westine Airships, Sammy is the young brilliant mind behind this generation's latest magitech airships. Having mastered Alchemy, Magic and Magitech at a young age, she went on to implement her excellent knowledge in airship design and construction. Her airships are used not just within the Sanctum but all over Creation. While she does produce combat-ready airships, she only produces them as personal favours for Nobles she trusts. These make proud flagships in any war fleet. It is rumoured that she is working with Aeril Jotunstrom, Noble of Ships, from Locus Atlantis, on warships capable of sailing the world beyond creation and taking part directly on the frontlines of the Valde Bellum.

'''Mac'''

LightHouse Chief Engineer and GateKeeper who maintains the Lighthouse and manages the chancel's gates.

'''Victor'''

= Mythic Realm =

== Known Individuals ==

''' Alexandra '''

A young noble the Family meets and rescues on arriving in Roskilde. She's following everyone around to learn the ways of nobles. The Family's not quite sure what estate she represents, but they do know she has a devastatingly powerful sonic boom attack.

== Chancels Known ==
''From the Primer on Loci Celatum, by Holly Djurisic''
What follows are descriptions of chancels considered widely known and to be no secret to those versed in the ways of the Mythic. Everyone knows them as a matter of common sense.

'''Locus Amarant'''

The Great Market, the Gardens of Lady Profit, Amarant is perhaps one of the few chancels that has no doors, and, even if it did, they would be wide open to welcome one and all. After all, even your worst enemy is a potential customer. Any invader would quickly find themselves besieged by peddlers of weaponry, trust and treachery, even the very spoils they are after. Everything the discerning Noble might need is available here...for the right price. The preferred currency are fleurs, but the locals have been known to trade with other things such as miracles and pacts. Some nobles come here not just to buy but also to sell. If you want or need it, Locus Amarant will sell it, or if not, then at least it will sell you the expertise of someone who CAN get it. Needless to say, the cammorae are all over Amarant.

It is well-known that even Excrucians frequent Amarant, and they know full well never to destroy Amarant....at least not until their victory is assured, for Amarant will be more than happy to sell them the means to that victory, or maybe even that victory itself....for the right price. Why destroy something so blatantly useful?

Chancel of Lady Profit, Immiae Arathy, and the Nobles of Trade, Currency, Negotiation, Supermarket Loyalty Cards, and Cookies. Yes, Cookies.

= Prosaic Realm =

== Earth ==

=== Noteworthy Individuals===

== Erebea ==

A once beautiful world, a geographic wonder of continents hanging high up in the pristine skies, flooded with raw magic reminiscent of Earth about a millennium ago. It is very closely linked to earth, to the point where a good few locations on both worlds overlap, allowing easy passage from one to the other should one be lucky (or unlucky) enough to stumble upon these places of power. They are so closely linked together in fact that the two worlds share more or less the same Imperators and Nobles. Some even surmise that Erebea is a divergent Earth on a parallel timeline.

Sanctum Excelestia was once the capital of this world, until it disappeared a few millennia ago.

== Lost Universe AD 2511 ==

The Lost Universe, now a Valde Bellum warfront. In 2400 AD, an age of galactic expansion and an Aetheric golden age for human advancement, a treacherous Imperator managed to sabotage the Shepherdess' hold on the Weirding Wall, leaving gaping holes in the defense of Creation. In the ensuing chaos, the Imperators and their nobles turned their attention to the Excrucian host gathering beyond the gap. Little did they know that they had fallen prey to a deceiver ruse. At the same time, the Excrucians were readying a pincer attack, with their mimics and strategists having established a foothold on Earth's universe. The Enlightened, at the time under great scrutiny due to the Shepherdess' apparent failure at maintaining the Weirding Wall, discovered the Excrucian plans and attempted to alert the Ymmerae. However, the Deceivers held the ears of the Ymmerae, and all the please of the Enlightened fell on deaf, suspicious, skeptical ears.

In a daring move, the Noble of Aether secretly used almost the entirety of his power of limitless potential to create an anomalous fold in existence, tearing 500 years of the universe apart, resetting the universe to before the Excrucian plan had even begun in 1900. He brought the new fold containing the lost 500 years and the excrucian plot up and tethered it to the gaping hole in the Weirding Wall, just in time to meet the incoming Excrucian Host. The excrucian invasion began, never once suspecting that they had walked into a pocket universe. For the Noble of Aether's apparent treachery, the Locust Court condemned him to death without a trial, dispatching the Enlightened, his own family, to prove their allegiance to the court by executing their own brother. It is said that Justice was the one to rip his shard out of his chest with her bare hands. It is said that the shard shattered. Some say Justice, in her grief and rage, shattered it herself. Some say it was Aether's final gift to the Lost Universe, and to the entirety of creation. The shard dust was dispersed and embedded itself across the entirety of the Lost Universe, enchancelling it, bestowing its beings with the blessings of Aetheric Power, immunizing them to the crippling effects of dementia animus and empowering them in their coming struggle against the Excrucian invaders. Aether was forever lost to Creation, but its shadow continues to live on within the beings of the Lost Universe. As long as the children of Aether stand and the light of Aether burns on within them, the Lost Universe will always resist the Excrucian host.

The Lost Universe has since been sealed away outside the Weirding Wall, doomed to forever be an Excrucian battleground, until the day the Excrucians trapped within consume the Lost Universe and realize Aether's trickery.

At the precise moment Aether's sacrifice enchancelled the Lost Universe, Hammond Qarn, Imperator of the Lost Universe, came into being. Having arisen from a universe so filled with the Shepherdess' own power, Hammond naturally became a Magister of the Enlightened. Furthermore, as the chancel was created using the Shepherdess' own soul shard, a fraction of the Shepherdess' own essence makes up the chancel's foundations. Thus for all intents and purposes the Enlightened can treat the Lost Universe as their own home chancel.

Few other nobles are privy to the secret of the Lost Universe's existence. Even fewer take up the fight to defend the Lost Universe in order to delay the full-scale invasion of Creation. The Nobles of Astelumina and Endeon were the first to pick up Aether's fallen banner and lead the battle against the Excrucian host and were also the first to fall.

'Now and Forever, till the hour I too stand between Impossibility and Despair!' - Phaeron Rof Alabar Trimeniel - Emperor of Aether

=== Notable Locations ===

'''L.U. Earth AD 2511'''

In AD 2400, Astelumina and Endeon managed to rid the entire earth of deceivers, strategists and mimics, making it one of the last few human settlements still untouched by the Excrucian Scourge. The war and Aether's blessing has accelerated technology to astronomical heights in the past 111 years, bringing humanity to a point where they can overwhelm excrucian shards and at the very least annoy full excrucians, if not kill them. Earth is now the capital of the Universal Aetheric Alliance (UAA), headquarters of the Excrucian resistance. Its coordinates are guarded to the death by the Children of Aether. Those who sally forth to meet the Excrucian Host do so without carrying Earth's coordinates, knowing full well that they may never return to their beloved home.

'''L.U. Heaven’s Feel'''

The current frontier of the Lost Universe Valde Bellum, Heaven’s Feel is perhaps the most beautiful extrasolar human colony. A large T3 terraformed planet orbiting the gas giant Astelumina 3, behind a dense spherical asteroid field and a radioactive veil around the sun Astelumina, it makes a naturally fortified world. Thanks to the scattering radiation and the dense blackhole just a few megaparsecs away at the center of the galaxy, the system and planet is nigh impossible to find at the best of times, at least for marauding excrucian raiding parties. The UAA uses Astelumina’s final gift, the gift of the stars, the ability to travel on aetheric currents guided by the stars, to travel safely in and out of the system.

When excrucians do find the planet, they are immediately drawn into its orbit by the interaction of the gravity wells of Heaven’s Feel’s many moons. They have no hope of escaping to notify the host of the planet’s location before they are drawn into intense battle by the Feelians.

The planet is ravaged by repeat invasions.

=== Familia of the Lost Universe ===

More or less an extended family of the Enlightened, the Familia of the Lost Universe are the sworn guardians of Aether's legacy.

'''Hammond Qarn - Imperator of the Lost Universe'''

Despite being an offshoot of the Shepherdess' power, Hammond Qarn is quite the opposite. He looks as human as they come. In fact, very, very much so, with his thick paternal beard, his twinkling eyes and his simple, honest expression, like a stern but compassionate father. Those who have the great honour of an audience with him are overcome with an overwhelming confidence and faith in humanity's potential and prowess. His being is shrouded in the stuff of legends. They say he single-handedly piloted an Alliance Battlecruiser straight into an Excrucian battlestation and escaped alive, unscathed. They say he personally lead the desperate charge that ended the siege of Harvest 4. They say he singlehandedly held the line at Point Hope against the entire advancing Excrucian host at the battle of Forge 3. They say a lot of things about Hammond Qarn, and when you meet him, sitting like a lighthouse exuding calm and confidence amidst the storm of war, in his simple, neatly-pressed uniform gleaming with but one badge denoting his allegiance to the Alliance, you feel naught but awe - that this man is the legend in the flesh.

'''Commander John Shepard - Power of Living Legends'''

'''Excel 7 - Commander of Super Soldiers'''

was responsible for the Halo series and partly responsible for the Metal Gear series, amongst other things.

'''Iris Erran - Chief Admiral of Spacecrafts'''

'''ALMa OmNI. - Supreme Administrator of Aetheric Technology'''

An A.I. born of the pinnacle of Aetheric supercomputers,

= Quests =

== Active Quests ==

=== Imperator Quests ===

'''Overdue'''

Started : 8th November 2011

The Shepherdess has requested that the Foreguards return 3 books she's borrowed for Shepherdess-knows-how-long now, for reasons that none can fathom. These books are:

1) 'Single Parenting for Idiots', to the Imperator of Shadows

2) 'The Amazing Justice and the Lovely Yaoi Doujin', to the Noble of Women's Beards

3) 'The Witchhunter's Codex' to a certain alchemist in Erebea.

She has asked you all to return them, ASAP.

Progress:

1) The Family has acquired the 3 books from the Principarium.

2) 1 week has passed since.

'''?????'''

Started : ?????

??????

Progress: n/a

=== Chancel Quests ===

=== Chivalry Quests ===

'''Rest in Peace'''

Started: 15th November 2011

One of Charles' Knights, Tristan, has just returned from Earth and has requested an urgent private audience. Wonder what it's about.

Progress:

1) Charles met Tristan, who seems to be rather fearful of someone, or something, though he's doing his best not to show it. Tristan presents Sir Jacob's cane and monocle to Charles, telling him that Sir Jacob disappeared after discovering that most of the Copenhagen chapter of knights have disappeared. It appears he noticed something was amiss after the disappearance of Sir William, who was out to investigate the disappearance of a local magical girl.

2) Charles decides to alert all the chapters throughout the world.

3) Charles proceeds to attempt directing chivalrous power into Sir Jacob's cane. It fights back, showing signs of deep corruption, before exploding rather violently.

4) Charles sends Sieghart with the destroyed monocle to Victor to study it further.

'''100,000's a Crowd!'''

Started: n/a

The Reinzuthen of Erebea have decided to dispatch a sacrifical gift of 100,000 girls from all around Erebea, mostly from all the nations they've conquered and annexed, to the old island of Altima, original home of the Nobles of Warriors, distant predecessors of Charles'. Apparently this is to welcome the prophesized return of the original Noble of Warriors and to attempt to acquire his favour with the hopes of having him assist the Reinzuthen make good their absolute conquest of Erebea. Obviously, the current delivery recipient is Charles....and this is NOT good. NOT good at all.

Progress: n/a

'''White Knight in Black Armour'''

Started: n/a

Alfred Goddard, ace attorney, E.U. Supreme Court prosecutor and prominent political figure, has sworn to cleanse Europe of all crime, especially major international crime rings. He has followed through with his oath. Half of all European prisons are full thanks to him. He is hailed as the 'White Knight', Europe's last hope. Needless to say, he's nowhere near as popular in the underworld. Many want him dead. He's currently attending the Copenhagen Treaty Talks as an expert on the Eco-crime panel. Chika, Emil's personal assassin, has helpfully let slip that she's refused a rather generous contract to assassinate Alfred Goddard during the talks. She's only one of many. Maybe you should look into this.

Progress: n/a

=== Determinism Quests ===

'''I Left My Hand in Copenhagen'''

Started : N/A

77 People have been found dead from unknown causes in Copenhagen. They were discovered missing their left hands and hanging upside down from trees.

Progress : n/a

'''Fly me to Europa'''

Started : N/A

The manned mission to Europa's missing for reasons as yet unknown.

Progress : n/a

'''Two Things Infinite'''

Started : 8th November 2011

The LHC has broken down once again after a few brief months of rather hiccupy function. This time, the cause is completely unknown. All the individual parts seem to be in working order, but the sum refuses to work. Sophia's not happy, not happy at all. She has personally requested that Emil look into this.

Progress:

1) Emil has taken a brief look around through Sophia's eyes. The LHC's spirit seems to have some blemishes....wonder what they are....

'''Tides of Fate'''

Started : n/a

The tides have stopped rising with the lunar cycles. As a result, the world's currents, fisheries and shoreline ecosystems have been gravely affected. This shouldn't even be physically possible!

Progress: n/a

=== Illumination Quests ===

'''Twinkle, Little Star'''

Started : 15th November 2011

As the world darkens, the light of the stars fade. Elune, little noble of stars, your sister, lies sick, alone in her high observatory, forgotten by the rest of the world. Now the weakening of the stars has started to affect the domain of Light too. Something must be done before yet another member of the Family succumbs to the war of attrition upon the Enlightened.

Progress:

1) Lyna, Emil and Alicia visited Elune in her observatory and found her ill.

2) They discovered that her observatory was severely corrupted by some malignant corruption that was trying to break into the chancel.

3) They sealed off the intrusion into the chancel but destroyed the observatory in the process. They managed to prevent the observatory from crashing catastrophically into the chancel.

4) They've brought the sick Elune to the Sapphire Palace and acquired the help of Regine to treat her.

5) Regine has asked the team to seek out the Noble of Shadows or anyone from the Familia of Shadows for a certain flower that only grows in Locus Shadows.

'''Who moved my Christmas?!'''

Christmas, the biggest celebration of lights and joy, isn't happening this year! This is unprecedented serious affair!

Started : 8th November 2011

Progress :

1) Alicia has asked the magical girls, knights, and others who've passed in and out of the chancel, for any information they might know about this. She's learned that it's a rather complex issue. It might be the economy, it might be the declining family values, could be anything.

'''When you peer into the Abyss...'''

Started : n/a

And the Creator said, 'Let there be Light', and there was light, and he saw that it was good. And He separated the dark from the light. Thus was the First Day.

It wasn't quite that simple.

When the light came to be, the dark too came to be as a result, and neither could tolerate the other. Thus the First War of Light and Dark began, pure and simple, with no preamble or prelude. They fought for Shepherdess-knows-how-long. Finally, the formation of the Covenant of the First Day, an agreement between the Light and the Dark to respect the other's estate, ended the war. How it came to be, however, is still a hotly debated topic. Some say the Dark won. Some say the Light won. Some say it was a draw. Some say there were other reasons. Who really knows?

An anniversary of the Covenant of the First Day is celebrated yearly now to uphold the ideals of peace and cooperation between Light and Dark. This year, it's Alicia's turn to host the festival. What could go wrong?

Progress : n/a

=== Magic Quests ===

'''Dude, Where's My Ship?!'''

Started : 8th Novemeber 2011

Following the disappearance of a wildcat Lignite mining crew in the Aescilian Mountains of Erebea, a pair of magical girls were dispatched on what was supposed to be a simple search-and-rescue mission. They report finding what looks like a ship and wisely request further assistance. The archaeological division arrived hours later, sealed the region, before preparing for further studies. They could not identify the ship's make or origins from the exterior, so they decide to enter through an entrance they found on the side. Contact with the entire squad was lost 6 hours into the mission, with the last transmission being 'Found someth-....So....beautiful....'. A second rescue mission was mounted, this time with a full STRIKER magical girl squadron. They found a deserted camp site and the open ship. They enter. Contact was lost 1.5 hours into the mission, with the last transmission being '...reached the last known location. Now....I-..I can't believe it....mission control...I can't begin to describe this....this is...so...so beau-.....'.

Progress:

1) Lyna has developed a new remote-viewing spell to peer into the site from a distance. Unfortunately, the first few attempts failed as she can't seem to view anything beyond the foot of the mountains.

'''My Struggle, My suffering, My Legacy'''

Started: n/a

The smoke of witch burning pyres rise high up into the skies above the magical realm of Erebea. The once all-powerful mages now run and hide before the onslaught of the Reinzhuthen, an order of genocidal purists who are in pursuit of the all-powerful dark mage, the dark lord Daran Reganz. The Reinzhuthen have taken up an all-or-nothing approach towards hunting Daran Reganz – wiping out every last mage on Neven. After successfully gathering the support of the people against the seemingly incompetent mage-led government and subsequently overthrowing them, the Reinzhuthen declared a world-wide ban of magical practices, declaring any practitioner an agent of Daran Reganz and an enemy of the state. In their crusade against magic, they've begun declaring the absolutism of their cause and the need for all nations of the world to unite under their banner to eliminate the magic scourge. To this end, they have begun invading and conquering any nation who refuses to join their Empire.

Progress: n/a

=== Intelligence Quests ===

'''So Long and Thanks for All the Fish'''

Dolphins are becoming quite popular...as food! The coastal town of Taiji, Japan, the largest operator of dolphin drive hunting in the world, is undertaking a massive campaign to popularize the consumption of dolphin meat following the opening of its Great Taiji Dolphin Slaughterhouse. They are marketing it as a health food that greatly boosts brain development and intelligence, particularly in children. Interestingly, they managed to show that the IQs of children raised in Taiji and the nearby village of Koazagawa, wherein the staple food is dolphin and whale meat, are significantly higher than not only the national average but also the international average, almost miraculously so. Quite a problem for the local dolphins, some of whom are Mana's own friends.

Incidentally, the global pandemic of the strange sleeping illness has a relatively high incidence in Japan, particularly in Taiji.

Started: n/a

Progress: n/a

== Completed Quests ==

= Correspondence =

== Family Correspondence ==

'Good morning, Masters and Mistresses. I hope the noise didn't keep you up last night. The Alchemists discovered a new flower known quite amusingly as the 'Boom Lily'. Thankfully they grew quieter as the night went by. Anyhow, here's today's selection of the world's headlines.' - Mira -

• Presidents of Chechnya, Bosnia and Ukraine die in mysterious circumstances.

• American invasion of Iran is meeting heavy resistance. The Iranians now threaten to unleash their nuclear arsenal if America does not cease and desist.

• A new illness is spreading. Cause unknown.

== Illumination's Correspondence==

'Young Miss, please do take some times to reads some of these, 'kay? Lymle's actually done her bests to sort them outs, 'kay!' - Lymle -

- You've been cordially invited to attend the Divali celebrations in India. - Various Nobles -

== Chivalry's Correspondence ==

'Aye, my liege, thou hath an abundant harvest of letters. Thy loyal steed hast made do with the more...delicious trivialties. *BURP*' - Sieghart -

== Determinism's Correspondence ==

'Hey, old man, check it out, you've got mail. Should I fetch your specs? Or maybe a magnifying glass? Or maybe my winding screw? All that sorting's wound down my springs...' - Leonie -

- There's insider information that the vast artificial island city under construction at the base of Orbital Elevator 02 in the Pacific has hit a dead end in its construction effort due to economical constraints. It will soon become a prized piece of real estate amongst the nobles once word gets out. - Penelope -

- Ne, Oyabun, some funny men want to kill that yaro Alfred Goddard. They offer real cash, up front, no questions. Too good a deal for me, so I tell them, leave. They probably go for my competitors. Tell your friend, ne. Ja. - Chika -

== Magic's Correspondence ==

'Young Mistress, it's time to read your correspondence for the day. Please sit down here. Yes, here. Now, back straight like a washboard, eyes forward like a dead fish, and elbows akimbo like a ballerina...yes, excellent, young mistress. Now, I present you my personal selection of today's letters.' - Flowerchild -

- We're short on new recruits for the Magical Girl Academy. Please do something about this. - Miranda, Headmaster of the Ruby Gardens Magical Girl Academy Division

== Intelligence's Correspondence ==

= The Enlightened Miracle Lexicon =

== Known Combo Miracles ==

'''Double Searing Starlight'''

Alicia's Searing Light + Lyna's Starlight Breaker

'''Sunlight Heart Strike'''

Alicia and Charles, armed and armoured, execute a passing melee strike under the influence of Emil's Major Preservation of Determinism, creating an unavoidable, uncounterable strike that rips apart the target.

'''Dolphin Ball of Doom'''

Alicia forges a spiky armour of light onto a spherical object that is then Aspect-5 dolphin-smacked by Mana into the target, for massive damage. Note: The spherical object must be larger than 5 feet in diameter to be effective, lest Mana's auctoritas cancels Alicia's forge.

Nobilis Enlightened

2011-03-27T09:33:23Z

Mind-The-Gap: /* Known Combo Miracles */

[[Category:Nobilis]]

= Imperator - The Shepherdess of Light =

1. ‘Omneaum(a) became aware. In its awareness, it found loneliness. It saw potential, good, an impossibility.

2. Omneaum gave way to potential, and made the impossible possible. It was, things became.

3. Enlightenment arose, and so did I, Whole, Complete, bearing the Gifts of Aether (b), Light, Vaveram (c), Maricarum (d), Endeon (e), and Causality.

4. Omneaum’s legacy I shall honour and hold safe, now and forever, till the hour I too stand alone between Impossibility and Despair.’

- The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light, Imperator of Enlightenment -

(a) Omneaum: The Original Absolute Void

(b) Aether: Estate of 'Absolute Potential', the 'Impossible made Possible', the very basic element of creation from which all matter and life flowed. It was said to have been more abundant in space. (Now excruciated, succeeded in part by the estate of 'Magic')

(c)Vaveram: Estate of Spontaneous Sentience and Awareness (Now Excruciated. Never replaced.)

(d) Maricarum: Estate of Great Miracles through Personal Sacrifice (Now excruciated, succeeded by the estate of 'Magic' and 'Sacrifice')

(e)Endeon: Estate of the 'Lone Wolf Phenomenon', wherein those fighting against overwhelming odds are always guaranteed victory. Better known in our time as the 'Storm Trooper effect'. (Now excruciated)

[[File:Resonance-of-Fate-Game-3.jpg|200px|thumb|Deus Ex Machina]]

Having predated the Imperators of 'Name', the Shepherdess is nameless and formless. Those who are fortunate enough to know her identify her as 'The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light', or, simply, 'The Shepherdess'. Having come into being before the birth of the concept of 'form' or even 'matter' and 'physical law', she is without form in the physical universe. She used to communicate with her agents in the physical universe through pulses of light and ripples in a fountain of light. Needless to say, a lot of liberty had been taken in deciphering her wishes. Recently, however, the Chief Engineer of the Sanctum, Orphus, has devised an ingenious megastructure, the Deus Ex Machina, a gigantic clockwork device that allows the Shepherdess to see into the physical realm and engage with it using a gigantic, rather clumsy steel claw and communicate using a ticker-tape telegram machine.

(Interestingly, having also preceded the Imperator of Gender, she is, or, at least, was, in essence, genderless. However, around 300 B.C. she became a part of debate amongst philosophers as an example of a being who must be 'of the default gender'. For some reason it was decided that the default gender was female, and so the Shepherdess has since been considered to be of the female persuasion. Not that she really cares. It is suspected that the Noble of Women had something to do with this, but that's a tale for another time.)

Prophesized successor of Ananda and future Shepherdess of the Fifth Age, the Glorious One has purposely been denied a seat on the Council of Four, for her ways are that of the ‘Enlightened’, incompatible with the ways of the other council-members. She earns Lord Entropy and Ananda’s tolerance for her existence only through her service in the Valde Bellum and her Light’s importance in maintaining the Weirding Wall, a task that consumes almost the entirety of her attention and being (much to Lord Entropy’s and Ananda’s satisfaction).

The Heavens despise her, for an Angel of Creation she is not, and yet she brought forth the first Light that made everything that was Beautiful possible. Only the fact that her Light is necessary for beauty and this fact alone earns her the toleration of Heaven. The Wild would have nothing to do with her, for there is no freedom in sacrifice.The Hells, the Darkness and the Light all loath her, for not only is she the voice of wisdom that transcends not just the Corruption that the Hells endeavour towards, but she is also the voice that moves all beings towards becoming more than the matter they are made from, transcending what they are, pushing them ever onwards towards a greater purpose not only in life but also in death. Those who follow her code wish for naught else but the glory of dying for a greater good.

It is unclear what her true nature or form is. Nobody seems to remember when she came to be, or how for that matter. Some suspect she is one of the Heavenly legion, an Angel, but not only do the Heavens and its angelic denizens despise her at the best of times, her ways are most definitely not that of Heaven. Some surmise that she is a fallen Angel, but the cause of Hell she does not serve. It is highly possible that she is a True God, but all of creation knows they did not appear until long after the Angels had begun the Great Work. Recently, when passings of the Transcendants were properly documented in AP 4732, it was surmised that she is perhaps a Transcendant who somehow chose to settle upon the World Ash, perhaps one of the Charitable. Said document is Creation's closest description of the Shepherdess' nature, her gifts being her Estates and her Law.

=='''Vow of the Enlightened'''==

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this.

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this. - One thing leads to another. And at the end of all things is an ‘end’.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this. - Every good act must be good of purpose and good of result. This clause seems to fail to (most probably purposely) mention anything regarding the means. Taking the most liberal interpretation, a ‘Noble deed’ can have means as lacking in morals as a psychotic mass murderer, and yet still be considered ‘Noble’ in the eyes of the ‘Enlightened’. What matters is the cause, the intention and the ends. Everything in between matters naught.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this. - The ultimate sacrifice can conquer anything, even the impossible. This is the one true ‘Miracle’, Magic at its purest, one that allows the Enlightened to surpass his/her own end and achieve greatness through sacrifice. The Shepherdess safeguards the cause of all who sacrifice themselves for a greater purpose, guaranteeing them the miraculous magic of success.

==Details==

'''Estates''': Light, Determinism, Magic, Chivalry, Intelligence, Honour, Loyalty, Courage, Hope, Justice, Karma, Logic, Alchemy, Sacrifice, Curiosity, Sun, Moon, Stars

'''Excruciated Estates''': Aether, Vaveram, Maricarum, Endeon, Astelumina

'''Dynasty Points :''' 8

'''Qualities:'''

Great Harvest (2)

Cold (-1)

Demanding (-1)

----

= The Famiglia of the Enlightened =

The Famiglia of the Enlightened ''were'' a highly respected and influential group about 4-5 centuries before, their power extending from the very birth of creation. However, in a highly unorthodox move around the 4002 A.P., the Council ordered the Shepherdess to provide additional support in the Valde Bellum proper, above and beyond her maintenance of the Weirding Wall. Seeing as the Wall already consumed most if not all her power and attention, she was forced to mobilize members of her Famiglia, something quite unprecedented. The Nobles of Maricarum, Aether and Endeon were the first to volunteer for the great undertaking, having attained near-Imperator-level powers at the time. A few centuries later, Vaveram, Astelumina, Chivalry, Courage and Alchemy too joined their brother and sisters in the direct defense of creation. They held the line for a good few centuries, seeing a slow but definite turnover in nobles. That was until, for reasons still unknown, Maricarum, Aether, Endeon, Vaveram and Astelumina were excruciated one by one. The last to fall were Endeon and Astelumina in 4895 AP, at the same time 500 years of Human History was erased.

With no time to mourn, the Famiglia of the Enlightened were forced to mobilize more members of their famiglia to the front lines. The following few years saw more of their Nobles killed, though thankfully not excruciated.

Now with few remaining senior members, the famiglia struggles to stay on its feet with the large influx of new family members. Will they be able to live up to their predecessors? Will they be able to return the family to its former glory and take it to new heights? Or will this be the end of the Enlightened? That is up to the new Famiglia.

== PC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Foreguard of the Enlightened''

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Alicia_Valka '''Alicia - Principissa of Illumination''']

The 21st Principissa Of Illumination.

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Emil '''Emil - Power of Determinism''']

The 13th Power of Determinism

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Charles_Earl_Of_Huntington'''Charles - Lord of Chivalry''']

The 77th Lord of Chivalry

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Spiritual_Charming_Spellianus_Shining_Lyna '''Lyna - Regina of Magic''']

The 66th Regina of Magic

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Mana_Kishimura '''Mana - Exemplar of Intelligence (And Dolphins)''']

The 17th Noble of Intelligence and 2nd Noble of Dolphins.

== NPC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Vanguard of the Enlightened''

'''Regine - Inquesta of Loyalty'''

'''Jessie - Tempesta of Courage (Sort of veering towards Impetuous Juvenile Recklessness)'''

'''Illumina - AllMother of Alchemy'''

Novice Alchemist extraordinaire and (rather unwilling) Commander of the Alchemist Flameheart Squad, Illumina is yet another recent addition to the Famiglia. She's currently worried about the sorry state of her estate (mostly usurped by Chemistry and now reduced to nothing more than a fantasy fiction gimmick) and a missing prominent Alchemist amongst other things....but mainly by the prospect of responsibility in general.

She is widely known, even outside Alchemist circles, as 'Big Bang Lum'.

'''Elune - Principissa of the Stars'''

While relatively senior in the Famiglia of the Enlightened (by simple virtue of everyone else being very recent additions), that's as far as her seniority goes. In every other respect, she is mostly helpless, though the more understanding dismiss this as a reflection of her estate - stars aren't known to be do much other than be pretty, especially lately with modern technology supplanting the need for stellar navigation or calendar-keeping. It used to be so much different when her sister, the Noble of Astelumina, the power of stellar influence upon the workings of the universe and lives on earth, was still around. Now as the stars fade and people forget the stars, Elune lies ill, slowly fading herself.

''The Diplomatic Corp (Intelligence) of the Enlightened''

'''Rang Fan - Excelifficer of Logic'''

Born a humble villager in a Tibetan highland settlement, Rang Fan grew up completely illiterate. She was, however, a keen observer and deep thinker. She developed her own concise and strict principles of logic, one that often found fault in the traditionalist views of the people she lived amongst. Some saw her as a source of wisdom, some saw her as a demon-possessed child.

She became the favourite anchor of the previous Noble of Logic for a while. During this time, her mastery of logic developed brilliantly. Unfortunately, she came afoul of a Chinese official when she publicly defeated him in a debate regarding the accusation of rebellion on the part of the village.

'''Geronimo - High Chief of Sacrifice'''

'''Han Gua - Exarch of Honour'''

'''Jimmy - Arch-Provost of Curiosity'''

''The Unassigned of the Enlightened''

'''Justice(?) - Empress of Justice'''

Not much is known about Justice, the 1st Noble of Justice. She is the eldest of the current Famiglia, though in the time of the original Famiglia, she was the youngest. She is the last surviving member of the original Famiglia of the Enlightened. It is rumoured that she was an Angel before she joined the Enlightened, though whether or not this is true is unknown. Her real name is unknown. Nobody has seen her in a long, long while. The only members of the current famiglia who have seen her are Han Gua and Elune.

Currently absent. Whereabouts unknown.

'''Vie - Noble of Hope'''

A rather mysterious member of the famiglia, she wonders in and out of the chancel rather randomly. Nobody seems to remember when she joined the Family. In fact, some are surprised to hear that there IS a noble of Hope in the Family. She doesn't seem to have a permanent home in the chancel. She's known (at least to those few who know her) to wander about, never staying in one place for long. She is apparently summonable, but rumours have it that she's apparently rather useless.

There are strange rumours that she follows the code of the Dark, or even Hell. Why would Hope do that?

'''Thomas Eire - Keeper of Karma'''

'''Kaguya - Himegami of the Moon'''

Tsukishiro no Kaguya-hime is perhaps the second eldest of the Famiglia, though she takes great care not to let anyone know that. She is the second Noble of the Moon. There are rumours that she was behind the Apollo 13 failure. When asked about it, she would give you a disdainful look and walk away. Then again, she'd do that no matter what you tried to bring up with her.

Currently very, very vain.

'''Kimo - the Emperor of the Sun'''

= Chancel - Locus Enlightenment, Sanctum Excelestia =

[http://img248.imageshack.us/i/sanctumexcelestia.jpg HG's Impression 1]

'''Qualities'''

Megalomaniac King/Queen (-4)

Normal Magic (3)

Alchemy (1)

2 Banes (-1)

Convenient Gates (2)

Anchorable Magical residents (4)

==Government==

[[File:SpireofLight.jpg|200px|thumb|right|Diamond Palace]]

The Sanctum is under the absolute Executive rule of the Emperor who answers only to the Shepherdess. Judicial Rule is under the Absolute Court headed by the Shepherdess and the Supreme Court headed by the Noble of Justice and her Circle of Justiciaries. Legislative and administrative rule is divided amongst the 4 major domains under the 4 queens:

'''Alicia - High Queen of the Diamond Tower.'''

Technically, having inherited the title of 'High Queen' from her predecessor, Alicia commands the Council of Four Queens and the Round Table of Dominums. However, as she has only recently joined the Famiglia, responsibility over the Council of Four Queens has fallen on the reluctant shoulders of Elune while the Round Table of Dominums is overseen by Han Gua.

'''Lyna - Queen of the Ruby Gardens.'''

The Ruby Gardens refers to the entirety of the Arcane Arts Academy Complex within the Outer Circle where the majority of mages of Excelestia train and live. However, to most of the citizens, the 'Ruby Gardens' itself refers to the seat of government, the Ruby Palace, a magnificent rose-shaped palace of crystal grown from the very essence of the Chancel itself in the middle of the Ruby Gardens.

'''Elune - Queen of the Sapphire Sky.'''

The Sapphire Sky refers to the entirety of the sky in between the floating structures of the Sanctum. While Elune governs no real land, she controls all traffic in the airspace around the Sanctum. Her official seat of government is the Sapphire Palace, a beautiful crystalline Sapphire star floating high up within the Inner Circle, though she is rarely ever there. She usually lives in her observatory on a lonely island high above the Sanctum.

'''Jessie - Queen of the Emerald Fields.'''

The Emerald Fields refer to most of the land floating in the Ciellan Expanse, the sky beyond the Outer Wall. The Emerald Fields house a good portion of the Sanctum's agricultural and mining settlements. Her seat of government is the Emerald Palace, a beautiful viridian structure of moss-covered wood and succulent, fresh folliage that grow and thrive all year round, coiled around a giant magnificent Emerald of a green deeper than the land that surrounds it.

== Homes and Households ==

[[File:E660087c66284323f8686e5d5bbed09ee9cee1ba.jpg#filelinks|200px|thumb|The Quartz Workshop]]

'''The Diamond Palace - ?????'''

Home of Alicia.

Personal Assistant : Lymle

'''The Ruby Palace - ????'''

Home of Lyna.

Personal Assistant : Flowerchild

'''The Garnet Fortress - ????'''

Home of Charles.

Personal Assistant : Sieghart

'''The Quartz Workshop - ????'''

Home of Emil.

Personal Assistant : Leonie

'''Aquamarine Depths - The Great but Rather Wet Library, Rapture'''

Home of Mana.

Personal Assistant : Sango(?)

== Noteworthy Locations ==

[[File:BerylEarth.png|200px|thumb|right|The Beryl Earth]]

'''The Amethyst Shores'''

Governed officially by Illumina, provisionally by the Arch-Artificer of the Great Guild of Alchemists. The Amethyst Shores are a group of closely-packed islands within the Outer Circle where the majority of the Alchemists of Excelestia live. While alchemists can be found just about anywhere, the Amethysts Shores are really the only place where they can make things explode to their hearts content without causing tempers to explode all around them. Alchemists can also be found en masse at the Ruby Gardens.

'''The Garnet Fortress'''

Governed mainly by Charles, the Garnet Fortress encompasses the Inner and Outer Walls of the Sanctum and the bastion of the Knights.

'''The Beryl Earth'''

Governed mainly by Regine, the

'''The Quartz Workshop'''

A watch-mender's workshop somewhere within the Diamond Tower, Emil's home and favourite haunt.

'''Chez Charles'''

==Security==

The city has a number of defense corps organized to different degrees by a number of Nobles.

'''The Chivalrous Gentlemanly TownWatch'''

'''The Magical Avengers of Love and Peace, Magical Taskforce Ruby Gardenia'''

Organized by the 5th Noble of Magic, a rather...odd Master of Magic who believed that wearing frilly clothing is a form of sacrifice to society and preached that magical power is exponentially proportional to the frilliness of one's clothing. Now maintained by the 7th Noble of Magic, Lyna, who keeps up most of the traditions of the 5th.

'''The Upholders of Equivalent Exchange, the Eternally Passionate Flameheart Alchemists (EPFA)'''

Organized by the previous Noble of Alchemy, a rather fluffy and passionate Lady Alchemist, and maintained by the recently appointed Noble, Illumina, the EPFA are at best socially-involved nerds, at worst really, really messy vigilantes (unfortunately, more often the latter). They mainly keep the domain of the Alchemists, the Amethyst Shores, as well as their portion of the Ruby Gardens, safe...for a given value of 'safe'.

'''The Infallibly Just Circle of Justiciers'''

'''The Eternally Loyal Shieldmaidens of [Insert Place Name Here]'''

Organized by the current Noble of Loyalty,

'''The Ever-Watchful Lantern Kindlers and Lamp Bearers of the Stars'''

'''The Righteous Karmic-Retributioneer Monks of Karma'''

'''The LoreKeepers and Agents of Literary Vengeance, the Combat Librarians'''

== Groups ==

Besides the defense forces of the Chancel, the Sanctum also harbours a number of groups.

'''The Enclave of Emerald Alchemists'''
Also known as the 'Emerald Artisans', this society of Alchemists was founded by the 7th Noble of Light, TanetNephthys, and the 1st Noble of Alchemy, Armagustine Trimegistus, after the passing of the third Noble of Maricarum, Hermes Trimegistus, founder of the Emerald Arts.

In a major nettle rite wrought by the 2nd Noble of Botany, Ephistopheles, against the Noble of Alchemy, in a daring move to split the art into two major paths forever, the Enclave was splintered in two - The Cleave fo Botanists and the Enclave of Emerald Artisans. The Botanists left the Sanctum, carrying with them the entirety of botanic knowledge. The Alchemists, however, managed to keep the Principa Alchimia safe and prevented the botanists from acquiring an absolute monopoly over the Emerald Arts. The two now jealously guard their arts, for if one were to acquire the arts of the other, they would become unstoppable.

The botanists are known to pass through the Chancel to deal with the Emerald Artisans.

== Laws ==

The Chancel operates on general principles of Justice commonly found in any other society where concepts of Law and Justice exist. It has a few notable exceptions such as:

- Any deed with noble ends are exempt from law's scrutiny upon its means. This means even the most foul of deeds is considered lawfully just as long as its ends are noble. It comes with a very, very important caveat - the good of the outcome must far exceed the evil committed. This is particularly difficult to achieve with murder, as murder, the theft of the sanctity of one's life, is the basest, most evil of crimes that even the earth itself abhors.

-

N.B. The Chancel operates on the Code Napoleon, that the suspect is guilty until proven otherwise, as Lady Justice willed it to be in the prosaic realm.

== Notable Individuals ==

=== Foreguard Support Staff ===

'''Mira'''

A young maid dedicated to serving the Foreguard.

'''Captain Captain Captain'''

Captain of the Foreguard Airship Excellion, a tall, lanky, yet muscular man with a full bushy beard and a true sailor's heart.

'''Orville'''

Chief Requisitions Officer for the Foreguard. His task is mainly acquiring equipment and supplies for the Foreguard's away-missions, though he's also an expert at acquiring just about anything the Foreguard needs.

=== Other Individuals ===

'''Orphus Denilzante'''
Chief Magitech Engineer of the Sanctum and designer of the Deus Ex Machina.

'''Reno Orfayne'''
Owner of Reno's Empirio, the one-stop fashion designer for Nobles, known to be second only to his Master, Enzel Haulor of 7th Avenue and 91st Street NY.

'''Sammy Westine'''
Proprietor and Chief Engineer of Westine Airships, Sammy is the young brilliant mind behind this generation's latest magitech airships. Having mastered Alchemy, Magic and Magitech at a young age, she went on to implement her excellent knowledge in airship design and construction. Her airships are used not just within the Sanctum but all over Creation. While she does produce combat-ready airships, she only produces them as personal favours for Nobles she trusts. These make proud flagships in any war fleet. It is rumoured that she is working with Aeril Jotunstrom, Noble of Ships, from Locus Atlantis, on warships capable of sailing the world beyond creation and taking part directly on the frontlines of the Valde Bellum.

'''Mac'''

LightHouse Chief Engineer and GateKeeper who maintains the Lighthouse and manages the chancel's gates.

'''Victor'''

= Mythic Realm =

== Chancels Known ==
''From the Primer on Loci Celatum, by Holly Djurisic''
What follows are descriptions of chancels considered widely known and to be no secret to those versed in the ways of the Mythic. Everyone knows them as a matter of common sense.

'''Locus Amarant'''

The Great Market, the Gardens of Lady Profit, Amarant is perhaps one of the few chancels that has no doors, and, even if it did, they would be wide open to welcome one and all. After all, even your worst enemy is a potential customer. Any invader would quickly find themselves besieged by peddlers of weaponry, trust and treachery, even the very spoils they are after. Everything the discerning Noble might need is available here...for the right price. The preferred currency are fleurs, but the locals have been known to trade with other things such as miracles and pacts. Some nobles come here not just to buy but also to sell. If you want or need it, Locus Amarant will sell it, or if not, then at least it will sell you the expertise of someone who CAN get it. Needless to say, the cammorae are all over Amarant.

It is well-known that even Excrucians frequent Amarant, and they know full well never to destroy Amarant....at least not until their victory is assured, for Amarant will be more than happy to sell them the means to that victory, or maybe even that victory itself....for the right price. Why destroy something so blatantly useful?

Chancel of Lady Profit, Immiae Arathy, and the Nobles of Trade, Currency, Negotiation, Supermarket Loyalty Cards, and Cookies. Yes, Cookies.

= Prosaic Realm =

== Earth ==

=== Noteworthy Individuals===

== Erebea ==

A once beautiful world, a geographic wonder of continents hanging high up in the pristine skies, flooded with raw magic reminiscent of Earth about a millennium ago. It is very closely linked to earth, to the point where a good few locations on both worlds overlap, allowing easy passage from one to the other should one be lucky (or unlucky) enough to stumble upon these places of power. They are so closely linked together in fact that the two worlds share more or less the same Imperators and Nobles. Some even surmise that Erebea is a divergent Earth on a parallel timeline.

Sanctum Excelestia was once the capital of this world, until it disappeared a few millennia ago.

== Lost Universe AD 2511 ==

The Lost Universe, now a Valde Bellum warfront. In 2400 AD, an age of galactic expansion and an Aetheric golden age for human advancement, a treacherous Imperator managed to sabotage the Shepherdess' hold on the Weirding Wall, leaving gaping holes in the defense of Creation. In the ensuing chaos, the Imperators and their nobles turned their attention to the Excrucian host gathering beyond the gap. Little did they know that they had fallen prey to a deceiver ruse. At the same time, the Excrucians were readying a pincer attack, with their mimics and strategists having established a foothold on Earth's universe. The Enlightened, at the time under great scrutiny due to the Shepherdess' apparent failure at maintaining the Weirding Wall, discovered the Excrucian plans and attempted to alert the Ymmerae. However, the Deceivers held the ears of the Ymmerae, and all the please of the Enlightened fell on deaf, suspicious, skeptical ears.

In a daring move, the Noble of Aether secretly used almost the entirety of his power of limitless potential to create an anomalous fold in existence, tearing 500 years of the universe apart, resetting the universe to before the Excrucian plan had even begun in 1900. He brought the new fold containing the lost 500 years and the excrucian plot up and tethered it to the gaping hole in the Weirding Wall, just in time to meet the incoming Excrucian Host. The excrucian invasion began, never once suspecting that they had walked into a pocket universe. For the Noble of Aether's apparent treachery, the Locust Court condemned him to death without a trial, dispatching the Enlightened, his own family, to prove their allegiance to the court by executing their own brother. It is said that Justice was the one to rip his shard out of his chest with her bare hands. It is said that the shard shattered. Some say Justice, in her grief and rage, shattered it herself. Some say it was Aether's final gift to the Lost Universe, and to the entirety of creation. The shard dust was dispersed and embedded itself across the entirety of the Lost Universe, enchancelling it, bestowing its beings with the blessings of Aetheric Power, immunizing them to the crippling effects of dementia animus and empowering them in their coming struggle against the Excrucian invaders. Aether was forever lost to Creation, but its shadow continues to live on within the beings of the Lost Universe. As long as the children of Aether stand and the light of Aether burns on within them, the Lost Universe will always resist the Excrucian host.

The Lost Universe has since been sealed away outside the Weirding Wall, doomed to forever be an Excrucian battleground, until the day the Excrucians trapped within consume the Lost Universe and realize Aether's trickery.

At the precise moment Aether's sacrifice enchancelled the Lost Universe, Hammond Qarn, Imperator of the Lost Universe, came into being. Having arisen from a universe so filled with the Shepherdess' own power, Hammond naturally became a Magister of the Enlightened. Furthermore, as the chancel was created using the Shepherdess' own soul shard, a fraction of the Shepherdess' own essence makes up the chancel's foundations. Thus for all intents and purposes the Enlightened can treat the Lost Universe as their own home chancel.

Few other nobles are privy to the secret of the Lost Universe's existence. Even fewer take up the fight to defend the Lost Universe in order to delay the full-scale invasion of Creation. The Nobles of Astelumina and Endeon were the first to pick up Aether's fallen banner and lead the battle against the Excrucian host and were also the first to fall.

'Now and Forever, till the hour I too stand between Impossibility and Despair!' - Phaeron Rof Alabar Trimeniel - Emperor of Aether

=== Notable Locations ===

'''L.U. Earth AD 2511'''

In AD 2400, Astelumina and Endeon managed to rid the entire earth of deceivers, strategists and mimics, making it one of the last few human settlements still untouched by the Excrucian Scourge. The war and Aether's blessing has accelerated technology to astronomical heights in the past 111 years, bringing humanity to a point where they can overwhelm excrucian shards and at the very least annoy full excrucians, if not kill them. Earth is now the capital of the Universal Aetheric Alliance (UAA), headquarters of the Excrucian resistance. Its coordinates are guarded to the death by the Children of Aether. Those who sally forth to meet the Excrucian Host do so without carrying Earth's coordinates, knowing full well that they may never return to their beloved home.

'''L.U. Heaven’s Feel'''

The current frontier of the Lost Universe Valde Bellum, Heaven’s Feel is perhaps the most beautiful extrasolar human colony. A large T3 terraformed planet orbiting the gas giant Astelumina 3, behind a dense spherical asteroid field and a radioactive veil around the sun Astelumina, it makes a naturally fortified world. Thanks to the scattering radiation and the dense blackhole just a few megaparsecs away at the center of the galaxy, the system and planet is nigh impossible to find at the best of times, at least for marauding excrucian raiding parties. The UAA uses Astelumina’s final gift, the gift of the stars, the ability to travel on aetheric currents guided by the stars, to travel safely in and out of the system.

When excrucians do find the planet, they are immediately drawn into its orbit by the interaction of the gravity wells of Heaven’s Feel’s many moons. They have no hope of escaping to notify the host of the planet’s location before they are drawn into intense battle by the Feelians.

The planet is ravaged by repeat invasions.

=== Familia of the Lost Universe ===

More or less an extended family of the Enlightened, the Familia of the Lost Universe are the sworn guardians of Aether's legacy.

'''Hammond Qarn - Imperator of the Lost Universe'''

Despite being an offshoot of the Shepherdess' power, Hammond Qarn is quite the opposite. He looks as human as they come. In fact, very, very much so, with his thick paternal beard, his twinkling eyes and his simple, honest expression, like a stern but compassionate father. Those who have the great honour of an audience with him are overcome with an overwhelming confidence and faith in humanity's potential and prowess. His being is shrouded in the stuff of legends. They say he single-handedly piloted an Alliance Battlecruiser straight into an Excrucian battlestation and escaped alive, unscathed. They say he personally lead the desperate charge that ended the siege of Harvest 4. They say he singlehandedly held the line at Point Hope against the entire advancing Excrucian host at the battle of Forge 3. They say a lot of things about Hammond Qarn, and when you meet him, sitting like a lighthouse exuding calm and confidence amidst the storm of war, in his simple, neatly-pressed uniform gleaming with but one badge denoting his allegiance to the Alliance, you feel naught but awe - that this man is the legend in the flesh.

'''Commander John Shepard - Power of Living Legends'''

'''Excel 7 - Commander of Super Soldiers'''

was responsible for the Halo series and partly responsible for the Metal Gear series, amongst other things.

'''Iris Erran - Chief Admiral of Spacecrafts'''

'''ALMa OmNI. - Supreme Administrator of Aetheric Technology'''

An A.I. born of the pinnacle of Aetheric supercomputers,

= Quests =

== Active Quests ==

=== Imperator Quests ===

'''Overdue'''

Started : 8th November 2011

The Shepherdess has requested that the Foreguards return 3 books she's borrowed for Shepherdess-knows-how-long now, for reasons that none can fathom. These books are:

1) 'Single Parenting for Idiots', to the Imperator of Shadows

2) 'The Amazing Justice and the Lovely Yaoi Doujin', to the Noble of Women's Beards

3) 'The Witchhunter's Codex' to a certain alchemist in Erebea.

She has asked you all to return them, ASAP.

Progress:

1) The Family has acquired the 3 books from the Principarium.

2) 1 week has passed since.

'''?????'''

Started : ?????

??????

Progress: n/a

=== Chancel Quests ===

=== Chivalry Quests ===

'''Rest in Peace'''

Started: 15th November 2011

One of Charles' Knights, Tristan, has just returned from Earth and has requested an urgent private audience. Wonder what it's about.

Progress:

1) Charles met Tristan, who seems to be rather fearful of someone, or something, though he's doing his best not to show it. Tristan presents Sir Jacob's cane and monocle to Charles, telling him that Sir Jacob disappeared after discovering that most of the Copenhagen chapter of knights have disappeared. It appears he noticed something was amiss after the disappearance of Sir William, who was out to investigate the disappearance of a local magical girl.

2) Charles decides to alert all the chapters throughout the world.

3) Charles proceeds to attempt directing chivalrous power into Sir Jacob's cane. It fights back, showing signs of deep corruption, before exploding rather violently.

4) Charles sends Sieghart with the destroyed monocle to Victor to study it further.

'''100,000's a Crowd!'''

Started: n/a

The Reinzuthen of Erebea have decided to dispatch a sacrifical gift of 100,000 girls from all around Erebea, mostly from all the nations they've conquered and annexed, to the old island of Altima, original home of the Nobles of Warriors, distant predecessors of Charles'. Apparently this is to welcome the prophesized return of the original Noble of Warriors and to attempt to acquire his favour with the hopes of having him assist the Reinzuthen make good their absolute conquest of Erebea. Obviously, the current delivery recipient is Charles....and this is NOT good. NOT good at all.

Progress: n/a

'''White Knight in Black Armour'''

Started: n/a

Alfred Goddard, ace attorney, E.U. Supreme Court prosecutor and prominent political figure, has sworn to cleanse Europe of all crime, especially major international crime rings. He has followed through with his oath. Half of all European prisons are full thanks to him. He is hailed as the 'White Knight', Europe's last hope. Needless to say, he's nowhere near as popular in the underworld. Many want him dead. He's currently attending the Copenhagen Treaty Talks as an expert on the Eco-crime panel. Chika, Emil's personal assassin, has helpfully let slip that she's refused a rather generous contract to assassinate Alfred Goddard during the talks. She's only one of many. Maybe you should look into this.

Progress: n/a

=== Determinism Quests ===

'''I Left My Hand in Copenhagen'''

Started : N/A

77 People have been found dead from unknown causes in Copenhagen. They were discovered missing their left hands and hanging upside down from trees.

Progress : n/a

'''Fly me to Europa'''

Started : N/A

The manned mission to Europa's missing for reasons as yet unknown.

Progress : n/a

'''Two Things Infinite'''

Started : 8th November 2011

The LHC has broken down once again after a few brief months of rather hiccupy function. This time, the cause is completely unknown. All the individual parts seem to be in working order, but the sum refuses to work. Sophia's not happy, not happy at all. She has personally requested that Emil look into this.

Progress:

1) Emil has taken a brief look around through Sophia's eyes. The LHC's spirit seems to have some blemishes....wonder what they are....

'''Tides of Fate'''

Started : n/a

The tides have stopped rising with the lunar cycles. As a result, the world's currents, fisheries and shoreline ecosystems have been gravely affected. This shouldn't even be physically possible!

Progress: n/a

=== Illumination Quests ===

'''Twinkle, Little Star'''

Started : 15th November 2011

As the world darkens, the light of the stars fade. Elune, little noble of stars, your sister, lies sick, alone in her high observatory, forgotten by the rest of the world. Now the weakening of the stars has started to affect the domain of Light too. Something must be done before yet another member of the Family succumbs to the war of attrition upon the Enlightened.

Progress:

1) Lyna, Emil and Alicia visited Elune in her observatory and found her ill.

2) They discovered that her observatory was severely corrupted by some malignant corruption that was trying to break into the chancel.

3) They sealed off the intrusion into the chancel but destroyed the observatory in the process. They managed to prevent the observatory from crashing catastrophically into the chancel.

4) They've brought the sick Elune to the Sapphire Palace and acquired the help of Regine to treat her.

5) Regine has asked the team to seek out the Noble of Shadows or anyone from the Familia of Shadows for a certain flower that only grows in Locus Shadows.

'''Who moved my Christmas?!'''

Christmas, the biggest celebration of lights and joy, isn't happening this year! This is unprecedented serious affair!

Started : 8th November 2011

Progress :

1) Alicia has asked the magical girls, knights, and others who've passed in and out of the chancel, for any information they might know about this. She's learned that it's a rather complex issue. It might be the economy, it might be the declining family values, could be anything.

'''When you peer into the Abyss...'''

Started : n/a

And the Creator said, 'Let there be Light', and there was light, and he saw that it was good. And He separated the dark from the light. Thus was the First Day.

It wasn't quite that simple.

When the light came to be, the dark too came to be as a result, and neither could tolerate the other. Thus the First War of Light and Dark began, pure and simple, with no preamble or prelude. They fought for Shepherdess-knows-how-long. Finally, the formation of the Covenant of the First Day, an agreement between the Light and the Dark to respect the other's estate, ended the war. How it came to be, however, is still a hotly debated topic. Some say the Dark won. Some say the Light won. Some say it was a draw. Some say there were other reasons. Who really knows?

An anniversary of the Covenant of the First Day is celebrated yearly now to uphold the ideals of peace and cooperation between Light and Dark. This year, it's Alicia's turn to host the festival. What could go wrong?

Progress : n/a

=== Magic Quests ===

'''Dude, Where's My Ship?!'''

Started : 8th Novemeber 2011

Following the disappearance of a wildcat Lignite mining crew in the Aescilian Mountains of Erebea, a pair of magical girls were dispatched on what was supposed to be a simple search-and-rescue mission. They report finding what looks like a ship and wisely request further assistance. The archaeological division arrived hours later, sealed the region, before preparing for further studies. They could not identify the ship's make or origins from the exterior, so they decide to enter through an entrance they found on the side. Contact with the entire squad was lost 6 hours into the mission, with the last transmission being 'Found someth-....So....beautiful....'. A second rescue mission was mounted, this time with a full STRIKER magical girl squadron. They found a deserted camp site and the open ship. They enter. Contact was lost 1.5 hours into the mission, with the last transmission being '...reached the last known location. Now....I-..I can't believe it....mission control...I can't begin to describe this....this is...so...so beau-.....'.

Progress:

1) Lyna has developed a new remote-viewing spell to peer into the site from a distance. Unfortunately, the first few attempts failed as she can't seem to view anything beyond the foot of the mountains.

'''My Struggle, My suffering, My Legacy'''

Started: n/a

The smoke of witch burning pyres rise high up into the skies above the magical realm of Erebea. The once all-powerful mages now run and hide before the onslaught of the Reinzhuthen, an order of genocidal purists who are in pursuit of the all-powerful dark mage, the dark lord Daran Reganz. The Reinzhuthen have taken up an all-or-nothing approach towards hunting Daran Reganz – wiping out every last mage on Neven. After successfully gathering the support of the people against the seemingly incompetent mage-led government and subsequently overthrowing them, the Reinzhuthen declared a world-wide ban of magical practices, declaring any practitioner an agent of Daran Reganz and an enemy of the state. In their crusade against magic, they've begun declaring the absolutism of their cause and the need for all nations of the world to unite under their banner to eliminate the magic scourge. To this end, they have begun invading and conquering any nation who refuses to join their Empire.

Progress: n/a

=== Intelligence Quests ===

'''So Long and Thanks for All the Fish'''

Dolphins are becoming quite popular...as food! The coastal town of Taiji, Japan, the largest operator of dolphin drive hunting in the world, is undertaking a massive campaign to popularize the consumption of dolphin meat following the opening of its Great Taiji Dolphin Slaughterhouse. They are marketing it as a health food that greatly boosts brain development and intelligence, particularly in children. Interestingly, they managed to show that the IQs of children raised in Taiji and the nearby village of Koazagawa, wherein the staple food is dolphin and whale meat, are significantly higher than not only the national average but also the international average, almost miraculously so. Quite a problem for the local dolphins, some of whom are Mana's own friends.

Incidentally, the global pandemic of the strange sleeping illness has a relatively high incidence in Japan, particularly in Taiji.

Started: n/a

Progress: n/a

== Completed Quests ==

= Correspondence =

== Family Correspondence ==

'Good morning, Masters and Mistresses. I hope the noise didn't keep you up last night. The Alchemists discovered a new flower known quite amusingly as the 'Boom Lily'. Thankfully they grew quieter as the night went by. Anyhow, here's today's selection of the world's headlines.' - Mira -

• Presidents of Chechnya, Bosnia and Ukraine die in mysterious circumstances.

• American invasion of Iran is meeting heavy resistance. The Iranians now threaten to unleash their nuclear arsenal if America does not cease and desist.

• A new illness is spreading. Cause unknown.

== Illumination's Correspondence==

'Young Miss, please do take some times to reads some of these, 'kay? Lymle's actually done her bests to sort them outs, 'kay!' - Lymle -

- You've been cordially invited to attend the Divali celebrations in India. - Various Nobles -

== Chivalry's Correspondence ==

'Aye, my liege, thou hath an abundant harvest of letters. Thy loyal steed hast made do with the more...delicious trivialties. *BURP*' - Sieghart -

== Determinism's Correspondence ==

'Hey, old man, check it out, you've got mail. Should I fetch your specs? Or maybe a magnifying glass? Or maybe my winding screw? All that sorting's wound down my springs...' - Leonie -

- There's insider information that the vast artificial island city under construction at the base of Orbital Elevator 02 in the Pacific has hit a dead end in its construction effort due to economical constraints. It will soon become a prized piece of real estate amongst the nobles once word gets out. - Penelope -

- Ne, Oyabun, some funny men want to kill that yaro Alfred Goddard. They offer real cash, up front, no questions. Too good a deal for me, so I tell them, leave. They probably go for my competitors. Tell your friend, ne. Ja. - Chika -

== Magic's Correspondence ==

'Young Mistress, it's time to read your correspondence for the day. Please sit down here. Yes, here. Now, back straight like a washboard, eyes forward like a dead fish, and elbows akimbo like a ballerina...yes, excellent, young mistress. Now, I present you my personal selection of today's letters.' - Flowerchild -

- We're short on new recruits for the Magical Girl Academy. Please do something about this. - Miranda, Headmaster of the Ruby Gardens Magical Girl Academy Division

== Intelligence's Correspondence ==

= The Enlightened Miracle Lexicon =

== Known Combo Miracles ==

'''Double Searing Starlight'''

Alicia's Searing Light + Lyna's Starlight Breaker

'''Sunlight Heart Strike'''

Alicia and Charles, armed and armoured, execute a passing melee strike under the influence of Emil's Major Preservation of Determinism, creating an unavoidable, uncounterable strike that rips apart the target.

'''Dolphin Ball of Doom'''

Alicia forges a spiky armour of light onto a spherical object that is then Aspect-5 dolphin-smacked by Mana into the target, for massive damage. Note: The spherical object must be larger than 5 feet in diameter to be effective, lest Mana's auctoritas cancels Alicia's forge.

Nobilis Enlightened

2011-03-19T01:06:52Z

Mind-The-Gap: /* PC Nobles of the Enlightened */

[[Category:Nobilis]]

= Imperator - The Shepherdess of Light =

1. ‘Omneaum(a) became aware. In its awareness, it found loneliness. It saw potential, good, an impossibility.

2. Omneaum gave way to potential, and made the impossible possible. It was, things became.

3. Enlightenment arose, and so did I, Whole, Complete, bearing the Gifts of Aether (b), Light, Vaveram (c), Maricarum (d), Endeon (e), and Causality.

4. Omneaum’s legacy I shall honour and hold safe, now and forever, till the hour I too stand alone between Impossibility and Despair.’

- The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light, Imperator of Enlightenment -

(a) Omneaum: The Original Absolute Void

(b) Aether: Estate of 'Absolute Potential', the 'Impossible made Possible', the very basic element of creation from which all matter and life flowed. It was said to have been more abundant in space. (Now excruciated, succeeded in part by the estate of 'Magic')

(c)Vaveram: Estate of Spontaneous Sentience and Awareness (Now Excruciated. Never replaced.)

(d) Maricarum: Estate of Great Miracles through Personal Sacrifice (Now excruciated, succeeded by the estate of 'Magic' and 'Sacrifice')

(e)Endeon: Estate of the 'Lone Wolf Phenomenon', wherein those fighting against overwhelming odds are always guaranteed victory. Better known in our time as the 'Storm Trooper effect'. (Now excruciated)

[[File:Resonance-of-Fate-Game-3.jpg|200px|thumb|Deus Ex Machina]]

Having predated the Imperators of 'Name', the Shepherdess is nameless and formless. Those who are fortunate enough to know her identify her as 'The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light', or, simply, 'The Shepherdess'. Having come into being before the birth of the concept of 'form' or even 'matter' and 'physical law', she is without form in the physical universe. She used to communicate with her agents in the physical universe through pulses of light and ripples in a fountain of light. Needless to say, a lot of liberty had been taken in deciphering her wishes. Recently, however, the Chief Engineer of the Sanctum, Orphus, has devised an ingenious megastructure, the Deus Ex Machina, a gigantic clockwork device that allows the Shepherdess to see into the physical realm and engage with it using a gigantic, rather clumsy steel claw and communicate using a ticker-tape telegram machine.

(Interestingly, having also preceded the Imperator of Gender, she is, or, at least, was, in essence, genderless. However, around 300 B.C. she became a part of debate amongst philosophers as an example of a being who must be 'of the default gender'. For some reason it was decided that the default gender was female, and so the Shepherdess has since been considered to be of the female persuasion. Not that she really cares. It is suspected that the Noble of Women had something to do with this, but that's a tale for another time.)

Prophesized successor of Ananda and future Shepherdess of the Fifth Age, the Glorious One has purposely been denied a seat on the Council of Four, for her ways are that of the ‘Enlightened’, incompatible with the ways of the other council-members. She earns Lord Entropy and Ananda’s tolerance for her existence only through her service in the Valde Bellum and her Light’s importance in maintaining the Weirding Wall, a task that consumes almost the entirety of her attention and being (much to Lord Entropy’s and Ananda’s satisfaction).

The Heavens despise her, for an Angel of Creation she is not, and yet she brought forth the first Light that made everything that was Beautiful possible. Only the fact that her Light is necessary for beauty and this fact alone earns her the toleration of Heaven. The Wild would have nothing to do with her, for there is no freedom in sacrifice.The Hells, the Darkness and the Light all loath her, for not only is she the voice of wisdom that transcends not just the Corruption that the Hells endeavour towards, but she is also the voice that moves all beings towards becoming more than the matter they are made from, transcending what they are, pushing them ever onwards towards a greater purpose not only in life but also in death. Those who follow her code wish for naught else but the glory of dying for a greater good.

It is unclear what her true nature or form is. Nobody seems to remember when she came to be, or how for that matter. Some suspect she is one of the Heavenly legion, an Angel, but not only do the Heavens and its angelic denizens despise her at the best of times, her ways are most definitely not that of Heaven. Some surmise that she is a fallen Angel, but the cause of Hell she does not serve. It is highly possible that she is a True God, but all of creation knows they did not appear until long after the Angels had begun the Great Work. Recently, when passings of the Transcendants were properly documented in AP 4732, it was surmised that she is perhaps a Transcendant who somehow chose to settle upon the World Ash, perhaps one of the Charitable. Said document is Creation's closest description of the Shepherdess' nature, her gifts being her Estates and her Law.

=='''Vow of the Enlightened'''==

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this.

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this. - One thing leads to another. And at the end of all things is an ‘end’.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this. - Every good act must be good of purpose and good of result. This clause seems to fail to (most probably purposely) mention anything regarding the means. Taking the most liberal interpretation, a ‘Noble deed’ can have means as lacking in morals as a psychotic mass murderer, and yet still be considered ‘Noble’ in the eyes of the ‘Enlightened’. What matters is the cause, the intention and the ends. Everything in between matters naught.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this. - The ultimate sacrifice can conquer anything, even the impossible. This is the one true ‘Miracle’, Magic at its purest, one that allows the Enlightened to surpass his/her own end and achieve greatness through sacrifice. The Shepherdess safeguards the cause of all who sacrifice themselves for a greater purpose, guaranteeing them the miraculous magic of success.

==Details==

'''Estates''': Light, Determinism, Magic, Chivalry, Intelligence, Honour, Loyalty, Courage, Hope, Justice, Karma, Logic, Alchemy, Sacrifice, Curiosity, Sun, Moon, Stars

'''Excruciated Estates''': Aether, Vaveram, Maricarum, Endeon, Astelumina

'''Dynasty Points :''' 8

'''Qualities:'''

Great Harvest (2)

Cold (-1)

Demanding (-1)

----

= The Famiglia of the Enlightened =

The Famiglia of the Enlightened ''were'' a highly respected and influential group about 4-5 centuries before, their power extending from the very birth of creation. However, in a highly unorthodox move around the 4002 A.P., the Council ordered the Shepherdess to provide additional support in the Valde Bellum proper, above and beyond her maintenance of the Weirding Wall. Seeing as the Wall already consumed most if not all her power and attention, she was forced to mobilize members of her Famiglia, something quite unprecedented. The Nobles of Maricarum, Aether and Endeon were the first to volunteer for the great undertaking, having attained near-Imperator-level powers at the time. A few centuries later, Vaveram, Astelumina, Chivalry, Courage and Alchemy too joined their brother and sisters in the direct defense of creation. They held the line for a good few centuries, seeing a slow but definite turnover in nobles. That was until, for reasons still unknown, Maricarum, Aether, Endeon, Vaveram and Astelumina were excruciated one by one. The last to fall were Endeon and Astelumina in 4895 AP, at the same time 500 years of Human History was erased.

With no time to mourn, the Famiglia of the Enlightened were forced to mobilize more members of their famiglia to the front lines. The following few years saw more of their Nobles killed, though thankfully not excruciated.

Now with few remaining senior members, the famiglia struggles to stay on its feet with the large influx of new family members. Will they be able to live up to their predecessors? Will they be able to return the family to its former glory and take it to new heights? Or will this be the end of the Enlightened? That is up to the new Famiglia.

== PC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Foreguard of the Enlightened''

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Alicia_Valka '''Alicia - Principissa of Illumination''']

The 21st Principissa Of Illumination.

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Emil '''Emil - Power of Determinism''']

The 13th Power of Determinism

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Charles_Earl_Of_Huntington'''Charles - Lord of Chivalry''']

The 77th Lord of Chivalry

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Spiritual_Charming_Spellianus_Shining_Lyna '''Lyna - Regina of Magic''']

The 66th Regina of Magic

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Mana_Kishimura '''Mana - Exemplar of Intelligence (And Dolphins)''']

The 17th Noble of Intelligence and 2nd Noble of Dolphins.

== NPC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Vanguard of the Enlightened''

'''Regine - Inquesta of Loyalty'''

'''Jessie - Tempesta of Courage (Sort of veering towards Impetuous Juvenile Recklessness)'''

'''Illumina - AllMother of Alchemy'''

Novice Alchemist extraordinaire and (rather unwilling) Commander of the Alchemist Flameheart Squad, Illumina is yet another recent addition to the Famiglia. She's currently worried about the sorry state of her estate (mostly usurped by Chemistry and now reduced to nothing more than a fantasy fiction gimmick) and a missing prominent Alchemist amongst other things....but mainly by the prospect of responsibility in general.

She is widely known, even outside Alchemist circles, as 'Big Bang Lum'.

'''Elune - Principissa of the Stars'''

While relatively senior in the Famiglia of the Enlightened (by simple virtue of everyone else being very recent additions), that's as far as her seniority goes. In every other respect, she is mostly helpless, though the more understanding dismiss this as a reflection of her estate - stars aren't known to be do much other than be pretty, especially lately with modern technology supplanting the need for stellar navigation or calendar-keeping. It used to be so much different when her sister, the Noble of Astelumina, the power of stellar influence upon the workings of the universe and lives on earth, was still around. Now as the stars fade and people forget the stars, Elune lies ill, slowly fading herself.

''The Diplomatic Corp (Intelligence) of the Enlightened''

'''Rang Fan - Excelifficer of Logic'''

Born a humble villager in a Tibetan highland settlement, Rang Fan grew up completely illiterate. She was, however, a keen observer and deep thinker. She developed her own concise and strict principles of logic, one that often found fault in the traditionalist views of the people she lived amongst. Some saw her as a source of wisdom, some saw her as a demon-possessed child.

She became the favourite anchor of the previous Noble of Logic for a while. During this time, her mastery of logic developed brilliantly. Unfortunately, she came afoul of a Chinese official when she publicly defeated him in a debate regarding the accusation of rebellion on the part of the village.

'''Geronimo - High Chief of Sacrifice'''

'''Han Gua - Exarch of Honour'''

'''Jimmy - Arch-Provost of Curiosity'''

''The Unassigned of the Enlightened''

'''Justice(?) - Empress of Justice'''

Not much is known about Justice, the 1st Noble of Justice. She is the eldest of the current Famiglia, though in the time of the original Famiglia, she was the youngest. She is the last surviving member of the original Famiglia of the Enlightened. It is rumoured that she was an Angel before she joined the Enlightened, though whether or not this is true is unknown. Her real name is unknown. Nobody has seen her in a long, long while. The only members of the current famiglia who have seen her are Han Gua and Elune.

Currently absent. Whereabouts unknown.

'''Vie - Noble of Hope'''

A rather mysterious member of the famiglia, she wonders in and out of the chancel rather randomly. Nobody seems to remember when she joined the Family. In fact, some are surprised to hear that there IS a noble of Hope in the Family. She doesn't seem to have a permanent home in the chancel. She's known (at least to those few who know her) to wander about, never staying in one place for long. She is apparently summonable, but rumours have it that she's apparently rather useless.

There are strange rumours that she follows the code of the Dark, or even Hell. Why would Hope do that?

'''Thomas Eire - Keeper of Karma'''

'''Kaguya - Himegami of the Moon'''

Tsukishiro no Kaguya-hime is perhaps the second eldest of the Famiglia, though she takes great care not to let anyone know that. She is the second Noble of the Moon. There are rumours that she was behind the Apollo 13 failure. When asked about it, she would give you a disdainful look and walk away. Then again, she'd do that no matter what you tried to bring up with her.

Currently very, very vain.

'''Kimo - the Emperor of the Sun'''

= Chancel - Locus Enlightenment, Sanctum Excelestia =

[http://img248.imageshack.us/i/sanctumexcelestia.jpg HG's Impression 1]

'''Qualities'''

Megalomaniac King/Queen (-4)

Normal Magic (3)

Alchemy (1)

2 Banes (-1)

Convenient Gates (2)

Anchorable Magical residents (4)

==Government==

[[File:SpireofLight.jpg|200px|thumb|right|Diamond Palace]]

The Sanctum is under the absolute Executive rule of the Emperor who answers only to the Shepherdess. Judicial Rule is under the Absolute Court headed by the Shepherdess and the Supreme Court headed by the Noble of Justice and her Circle of Justiciaries. Legislative and administrative rule is divided amongst the 4 major domains under the 4 queens:

'''Alicia - High Queen of the Diamond Tower.'''

Technically, having inherited the title of 'High Queen' from her predecessor, Alicia commands the Council of Four Queens and the Round Table of Dominums. However, as she has only recently joined the Famiglia, responsibility over the Council of Four Queens has fallen on the reluctant shoulders of Elune while the Round Table of Dominums is overseen by Han Gua.

'''Lyna - Queen of the Ruby Gardens.'''

The Ruby Gardens refers to the entirety of the Arcane Arts Academy Complex within the Outer Circle where the majority of mages of Excelestia train and live. However, to most of the citizens, the 'Ruby Gardens' itself refers to the seat of government, the Ruby Palace, a magnificent rose-shaped palace of crystal grown from the very essence of the Chancel itself in the middle of the Ruby Gardens.

'''Elune - Queen of the Sapphire Sky.'''

The Sapphire Sky refers to the entirety of the sky in between the floating structures of the Sanctum. While Elune governs no real land, she controls all traffic in the airspace around the Sanctum. Her official seat of government is the Sapphire Palace, a beautiful crystalline Sapphire star floating high up within the Inner Circle, though she is rarely ever there. She usually lives in her observatory on a lonely island high above the Sanctum.

'''Jessie - Queen of the Emerald Fields.'''

The Emerald Fields refer to most of the land floating in the Ciellan Expanse, the sky beyond the Outer Wall. The Emerald Fields house a good portion of the Sanctum's agricultural and mining settlements. Her seat of government is the Emerald Palace, a beautiful viridian structure of moss-covered wood and succulent, fresh folliage that grow and thrive all year round, coiled around a giant magnificent Emerald of a green deeper than the land that surrounds it.

== Homes and Households ==

[[File:E660087c66284323f8686e5d5bbed09ee9cee1ba.jpg#filelinks|200px|thumb|The Quartz Workshop]]

'''The Diamond Palace - ?????'''

Home of Alicia.

Personal Assistant : Lymle

'''The Ruby Palace - ????'''

Home of Lyna.

Personal Assistant : Flowerchild

'''The Garnet Fortress - ????'''

Home of Charles.

Personal Assistant : Sieghart

'''The Quartz Workshop - ????'''

Home of Emil.

Personal Assistant : Leonie

'''Aquamarine Depths - The Great but Rather Wet Library, Rapture'''

Home of Mana.

Personal Assistant : Sango(?)

== Noteworthy Locations ==

[[File:BerylEarth.png|200px|thumb|right|The Beryl Earth]]

'''The Amethyst Shores'''

Governed officially by Illumina, provisionally by the Arch-Artificer of the Great Guild of Alchemists. The Amethyst Shores are a group of closely-packed islands within the Outer Circle where the majority of the Alchemists of Excelestia live. While alchemists can be found just about anywhere, the Amethysts Shores are really the only place where they can make things explode to their hearts content without causing tempers to explode all around them. Alchemists can also be found en masse at the Ruby Gardens.

'''The Garnet Fortress'''

Governed mainly by Charles, the Garnet Fortress encompasses the Inner and Outer Walls of the Sanctum and the bastion of the Knights.

'''The Beryl Earth'''

Governed mainly by Regine, the

'''The Quartz Workshop'''

A watch-mender's workshop somewhere within the Diamond Tower, Emil's home and favourite haunt.

'''Chez Charles'''

==Security==

The city has a number of defense corps organized to different degrees by a number of Nobles.

'''The Chivalrous Gentlemanly TownWatch'''

'''The Magical Avengers of Love and Peace, Magical Taskforce Ruby Gardenia'''

Organized by the 5th Noble of Magic, a rather...odd Master of Magic who believed that wearing frilly clothing is a form of sacrifice to society and preached that magical power is exponentially proportional to the frilliness of one's clothing. Now maintained by the 7th Noble of Magic, Lyna, who keeps up most of the traditions of the 5th.

'''The Upholders of Equivalent Exchange, the Eternally Passionate Flameheart Alchemists (EPFA)'''

Organized by the previous Noble of Alchemy, a rather fluffy and passionate Lady Alchemist, and maintained by the recently appointed Noble, Illumina, the EPFA are at best socially-involved nerds, at worst really, really messy vigilantes (unfortunately, more often the latter). They mainly keep the domain of the Alchemists, the Amethyst Shores, as well as their portion of the Ruby Gardens, safe...for a given value of 'safe'.

'''The Infallibly Just Circle of Justiciers'''

'''The Eternally Loyal Shieldmaidens of [Insert Place Name Here]'''

Organized by the current Noble of Loyalty,

'''The Ever-Watchful Lantern Kindlers and Lamp Bearers of the Stars'''

'''The Righteous Karmic-Retributioneer Monks of Karma'''

'''The LoreKeepers and Agents of Literary Vengeance, the Combat Librarians'''

== Groups ==

Besides the defense forces of the Chancel, the Sanctum also harbours a number of groups.

'''The Enclave of Emerald Alchemists'''
Also known as the 'Emerald Artisans', this society of Alchemists was founded by the 7th Noble of Light, TanetNephthys, and the 1st Noble of Alchemy, Armagustine Trimegistus, after the passing of the third Noble of Maricarum, Hermes Trimegistus, founder of the Emerald Arts.

In a major nettle rite wrought by the 2nd Noble of Botany, Ephistopheles, against the Noble of Alchemy, in a daring move to split the art into two major paths forever, the Enclave was splintered in two - The Cleave fo Botanists and the Enclave of Emerald Artisans. The Botanists left the Sanctum, carrying with them the entirety of botanic knowledge. The Alchemists, however, managed to keep the Principa Alchimia safe and prevented the botanists from acquiring an absolute monopoly over the Emerald Arts. The two now jealously guard their arts, for if one were to acquire the arts of the other, they would become unstoppable.

The botanists are known to pass through the Chancel to deal with the Emerald Artisans.

== Laws ==

The Chancel operates on general principles of Justice commonly found in any other society where concepts of Law and Justice exist. It has a few notable exceptions such as:

- Any deed with noble ends are exempt from law's scrutiny upon its means. This means even the most foul of deeds is considered lawfully just as long as its ends are noble. It comes with a very, very important caveat - the good of the outcome must far exceed the evil committed. This is particularly difficult to achieve with murder, as murder, the theft of the sanctity of one's life, is the basest, most evil of crimes that even the earth itself abhors.

-

N.B. The Chancel operates on the Code Napoleon, that the suspect is guilty until proven otherwise, as Lady Justice willed it to be in the prosaic realm.

== Notable Individuals ==

=== Foreguard Support Staff ===

'''Mira'''

A young maid dedicated to serving the Foreguard.

'''Captain Captain Captain'''

Captain of the Foreguard Airship Excellion, a tall, lanky, yet muscular man with a full bushy beard and a true sailor's heart.

'''Orville'''

Chief Requisitions Officer for the Foreguard. His task is mainly acquiring equipment and supplies for the Foreguard's away-missions, though he's also an expert at acquiring just about anything the Foreguard needs.

=== Other Individuals ===

'''Orphus Denilzante'''
Chief Magitech Engineer of the Sanctum and designer of the Deus Ex Machina.

'''Reno Orfayne'''
Owner of Reno's Empirio, the one-stop fashion designer for Nobles, known to be second only to his Master, Enzel Haulor of 7th Avenue and 91st Street NY.

'''Sammy Westine'''
Proprietor and Chief Engineer of Westine Airships, Sammy is the young brilliant mind behind this generation's latest magitech airships. Having mastered Alchemy, Magic and Magitech at a young age, she went on to implement her excellent knowledge in airship design and construction. Her airships are used not just within the Sanctum but all over Creation. While she does produce combat-ready airships, she only produces them as personal favours for Nobles she trusts. These make proud flagships in any war fleet. It is rumoured that she is working with Aeril Jotunstrom, Noble of Ships, from Locus Atlantis, on warships capable of sailing the world beyond creation and taking part directly on the frontlines of the Valde Bellum.

'''Mac'''

LightHouse Chief Engineer and GateKeeper who maintains the Lighthouse and manages the chancel's gates.

'''Victor'''

= Mythic Realm =

== Chancels Known ==
''From the Primer on Loci Celatum, by Holly Djurisic''
What follows are descriptions of chancels considered widely known and to be no secret to those versed in the ways of the Mythic. Everyone knows them as a matter of common sense.

'''Locus Amarant'''

The Great Market, the Gardens of Lady Profit, Amarant is perhaps one of the few chancels that has no doors, and, even if it did, they would be wide open to welcome one and all. After all, even your worst enemy is a potential customer. Any invader would quickly find themselves besieged by peddlers of weaponry, trust and treachery, even the very spoils they are after. Everything the discerning Noble might need is available here...for the right price. The preferred currency are fleurs, but the locals have been known to trade with other things such as miracles and pacts. Some nobles come here not just to buy but also to sell. If you want or need it, Locus Amarant will sell it, or if not, then at least it will sell you the expertise of someone who CAN get it. Needless to say, the cammorae are all over Amarant.

It is well-known that even Excrucians frequent Amarant, and they know full well never to destroy Amarant....at least not until their victory is assured, for Amarant will be more than happy to sell them the means to that victory, or maybe even that victory itself....for the right price. Why destroy something so blatantly useful?

Chancel of Lady Profit, Immiae Arathy, and the Nobles of Trade, Currency, Negotiation, Supermarket Loyalty Cards, and Cookies. Yes, Cookies.

= Prosaic Realm =

== Earth ==

=== Noteworthy Individuals===

== Erebea ==

A once beautiful world, a geographic wonder of continents hanging high up in the pristine skies, flooded with raw magic reminiscent of Earth about a millennium ago. It is very closely linked to earth, to the point where a good few locations on both worlds overlap, allowing easy passage from one to the other should one be lucky (or unlucky) enough to stumble upon these places of power. They are so closely linked together in fact that the two worlds share more or less the same Imperators and Nobles. Some even surmise that Erebea is a divergent Earth on a parallel timeline.

Sanctum Excelestia was once the capital of this world, until it disappeared a few millennia ago.

== Lost Universe AD 2511 ==

The Lost Universe, now a Valde Bellum warfront. In 2400 AD, an age of galactic expansion and an Aetheric golden age for human advancement, a treacherous Imperator managed to sabotage the Shepherdess' hold on the Weirding Wall, leaving gaping holes in the defense of Creation. In the ensuing chaos, the Imperators and their nobles turned their attention to the Excrucian host gathering beyond the gap. Little did they know that they had fallen prey to a deceiver ruse. At the same time, the Excrucians were readying a pincer attack, with their mimics and strategists having established a foothold on Earth's universe. The Enlightened, at the time under great scrutiny due to the Shepherdess' apparent failure at maintaining the Weirding Wall, discovered the Excrucian plans and attempted to alert the Ymmerae. However, the Deceivers held the ears of the Ymmerae, and all the please of the Enlightened fell on deaf, suspicious, skeptical ears.

In a daring move, the Noble of Aether secretly used almost the entirety of his power of limitless potential to create an anomalous fold in existence, tearing 500 years of the universe apart, resetting the universe to before the Excrucian plan had even begun in 1900. He brought the new fold containing the lost 500 years and the excrucian plot up and tethered it to the gaping hole in the Weirding Wall, just in time to meet the incoming Excrucian Host. The excrucian invasion began, never once suspecting that they had walked into a pocket universe. For the Noble of Aether's apparent treachery, the Locust Court condemned him to death without a trial, dispatching the Enlightened, his own family, to prove their allegiance to the court by executing their own brother. It is said that Justice was the one to rip his shard out of his chest with her bare hands. It is said that the shard shattered. Some say Justice, in her grief and rage, shattered it herself. Some say it was Aether's final gift to the Lost Universe, and to the entirety of creation. The shard dust was dispersed and embedded itself across the entirety of the Lost Universe, enchancelling it, bestowing its beings with the blessings of Aetheric Power, immunizing them to the crippling effects of dementia animus and empowering them in their coming struggle against the Excrucian invaders. Aether was forever lost to Creation, but its shadow continues to live on within the beings of the Lost Universe. As long as the children of Aether stand and the light of Aether burns on within them, the Lost Universe will always resist the Excrucian host.

The Lost Universe has since been sealed away outside the Weirding Wall, doomed to forever be an Excrucian battleground, until the day the Excrucians trapped within consume the Lost Universe and realize Aether's trickery.

At the precise moment Aether's sacrifice enchancelled the Lost Universe, Hammond Qarn, Imperator of the Lost Universe, came into being. Having arisen from a universe so filled with the Shepherdess' own power, Hammond naturally became a Magister of the Enlightened. Furthermore, as the chancel was created using the Shepherdess' own soul shard, a fraction of the Shepherdess' own essence makes up the chancel's foundations. Thus for all intents and purposes the Enlightened can treat the Lost Universe as their own home chancel.

Few other nobles are privy to the secret of the Lost Universe's existence. Even fewer take up the fight to defend the Lost Universe in order to delay the full-scale invasion of Creation. The Nobles of Astelumina and Endeon were the first to pick up Aether's fallen banner and lead the battle against the Excrucian host and were also the first to fall.

'Now and Forever, till the hour I too stand between Impossibility and Despair!' - Phaeron Rof Alabar Trimeniel - Emperor of Aether

=== Notable Locations ===

'''L.U. Earth AD 2511'''

In AD 2400, Astelumina and Endeon managed to rid the entire earth of deceivers, strategists and mimics, making it one of the last few human settlements still untouched by the Excrucian Scourge. The war and Aether's blessing has accelerated technology to astronomical heights in the past 111 years, bringing humanity to a point where they can overwhelm excrucian shards and at the very least annoy full excrucians, if not kill them. Earth is now the capital of the Universal Aetheric Alliance (UAA), headquarters of the Excrucian resistance. Its coordinates are guarded to the death by the Children of Aether. Those who sally forth to meet the Excrucian Host do so without carrying Earth's coordinates, knowing full well that they may never return to their beloved home.

'''L.U. Heaven’s Feel'''

The current frontier of the Lost Universe Valde Bellum, Heaven’s Feel is perhaps the most beautiful extrasolar human colony. A large T3 terraformed planet orbiting the gas giant Astelumina 3, behind a dense spherical asteroid field and a radioactive veil around the sun Astelumina, it makes a naturally fortified world. Thanks to the scattering radiation and the dense blackhole just a few megaparsecs away at the center of the galaxy, the system and planet is nigh impossible to find at the best of times, at least for marauding excrucian raiding parties. The UAA uses Astelumina’s final gift, the gift of the stars, the ability to travel on aetheric currents guided by the stars, to travel safely in and out of the system.

When excrucians do find the planet, they are immediately drawn into its orbit by the interaction of the gravity wells of Heaven’s Feel’s many moons. They have no hope of escaping to notify the host of the planet’s location before they are drawn into intense battle by the Feelians.

The planet is ravaged by repeat invasions.

=== Familia of the Lost Universe ===

More or less an extended family of the Enlightened, the Familia of the Lost Universe are the sworn guardians of Aether's legacy.

'''Hammond Qarn - Imperator of the Lost Universe'''

Despite being an offshoot of the Shepherdess' power, Hammond Qarn is quite the opposite. He looks as human as they come. In fact, very, very much so, with his thick paternal beard, his twinkling eyes and his simple, honest expression, like a stern but compassionate father. Those who have the great honour of an audience with him are overcome with an overwhelming confidence and faith in humanity's potential and prowess. His being is shrouded in the stuff of legends. They say he single-handedly piloted an Alliance Battlecruiser straight into an Excrucian battlestation and escaped alive, unscathed. They say he personally lead the desperate charge that ended the siege of Harvest 4. They say he singlehandedly held the line at Point Hope against the entire advancing Excrucian host at the battle of Forge 3. They say a lot of things about Hammond Qarn, and when you meet him, sitting like a lighthouse exuding calm and confidence amidst the storm of war, in his simple, neatly-pressed uniform gleaming with but one badge denoting his allegiance to the Alliance, you feel naught but awe - that this man is the legend in the flesh.

'''Commander John Shepard - Power of Living Legends'''

'''Excel 7 - Commander of Super Soldiers'''

was responsible for the Halo series and partly responsible for the Metal Gear series, amongst other things.

'''Iris Erran - Chief Admiral of Spacecrafts'''

'''ALMa OmNI. - Supreme Administrator of Aetheric Technology'''

An A.I. born of the pinnacle of Aetheric supercomputers,

= Quests =

== Active Quests ==

=== Imperator Quests ===

'''Overdue'''

Started : 8th November 2011

The Shepherdess has requested that the Foreguards return 3 books she's borrowed for Shepherdess-knows-how-long now, for reasons that none can fathom. These books are:

1) 'Single Parenting for Idiots', to the Imperator of Shadows

2) 'The Amazing Justice and the Lovely Yaoi Doujin', to the Noble of Women's Beards

3) 'The Witchhunter's Codex' to a certain alchemist in Erebea.

She has asked you all to return them, ASAP.

Progress:

1) The Family has acquired the 3 books from the Principarium.

2) 1 week has passed since.

'''?????'''

Started : ?????

??????

Progress: n/a

=== Chancel Quests ===

=== Chivalry Quests ===

'''Rest in Peace'''

Started: 15th November 2011

One of Charles' Knights, Tristan, has just returned from Earth and has requested an urgent private audience. Wonder what it's about.

Progress:

1) Charles met Tristan, who seems to be rather fearful of someone, or something, though he's doing his best not to show it. Tristan presents Sir Jacob's cane and monocle to Charles, telling him that Sir Jacob disappeared after discovering that most of the Copenhagen chapter of knights have disappeared. It appears he noticed something was amiss after the disappearance of Sir William, who was out to investigate the disappearance of a local magical girl.

2) Charles decides to alert all the chapters throughout the world.

3) Charles proceeds to attempt directing chivalrous power into Sir Jacob's cane. It fights back, showing signs of deep corruption, before exploding rather violently.

4) Charles sends Sieghart with the destroyed monocle to Victor to study it further.

'''100,000's a Crowd!'''

Started: n/a

The Reinzuthen of Erebea have decided to dispatch a sacrifical gift of 100,000 girls from all around Erebea, mostly from all the nations they've conquered and annexed, to the old island of Altima, original home of the Nobles of Warriors, distant predecessors of Charles'. Apparently this is to welcome the prophesized return of the original Noble of Warriors and to attempt to acquire his favour with the hopes of having him assist the Reinzuthen make good their absolute conquest of Erebea. Obviously, the current delivery recipient is Charles....and this is NOT good. NOT good at all.

Progress: n/a

'''White Knight in Black Armour'''

Started: n/a

Alfred Goddard, ace attorney, E.U. Supreme Court prosecutor and prominent political figure, has sworn to cleanse Europe of all crime, especially major international crime rings. He has followed through with his oath. Half of all European prisons are full thanks to him. He is hailed as the 'White Knight', Europe's last hope. Needless to say, he's nowhere near as popular in the underworld. Many want him dead. He's currently attending the Copenhagen Treaty Talks as an expert on the Eco-crime panel. Chika, Emil's personal assassin, has helpfully let slip that she's refused a rather generous contract to assassinate Alfred Goddard during the talks. She's only one of many. Maybe you should look into this.

Progress: n/a

=== Determinism Quests ===

'''I Left My Hand in Copenhagen'''

Started : N/A

77 People have been found dead from unknown causes in Copenhagen. They were discovered missing their left hands and hanging upside down from trees.

Progress : n/a

'''Fly me to Europa'''

Started : N/A

The manned mission to Europa's missing for reasons as yet unknown.

Progress : n/a

'''Two Things Infinite'''

Started : 8th November 2011

The LHC has broken down once again after a few brief months of rather hiccupy function. This time, the cause is completely unknown. All the individual parts seem to be in working order, but the sum refuses to work. Sophia's not happy, not happy at all. She has personally requested that Emil look into this.

Progress:

1) Emil has taken a brief look around through Sophia's eyes. The LHC's spirit seems to have some blemishes....wonder what they are....

'''Tides of Fate'''

Started : n/a

The tides have stopped rising with the lunar cycles. As a result, the world's currents, fisheries and shoreline ecosystems have been gravely affected. This shouldn't even be physically possible!

Progress: n/a

=== Illumination Quests ===

'''Twinkle, Little Star'''

Started : 15th November 2011

As the world darkens, the light of the stars fade. Elune, little noble of stars, your sister, lies sick, alone in her high observatory, forgotten by the rest of the world. Now the weakening of the stars has started to affect the domain of Light too. Something must be done before yet another member of the Family succumbs to the war of attrition upon the Enlightened.

Progress:

1) Lyna, Emil and Alicia visited Elune in her observatory and found her ill.

2) They discovered that her observatory was severely corrupted by some malignant corruption that was trying to break into the chancel.

3) They sealed off the intrusion into the chancel but destroyed the observatory in the process. They managed to prevent the observatory from crashing catastrophically into the chancel.

4) They've brought the sick Elune to the Sapphire Palace and acquired the help of Regine to treat her.

5) Regine has asked the team to seek out the Noble of Shadows or anyone from the Familia of Shadows for a certain flower that only grows in Locus Shadows.

'''Who moved my Christmas?!'''

Christmas, the biggest celebration of lights and joy, isn't happening this year! This is unprecedented serious affair!

Started : 8th November 2011

Progress :

1) Alicia has asked the magical girls, knights, and others who've passed in and out of the chancel, for any information they might know about this. She's learned that it's a rather complex issue. It might be the economy, it might be the declining family values, could be anything.

'''When you peer into the Abyss...'''

Started : n/a

And the Creator said, 'Let there be Light', and there was light, and he saw that it was good. And He separated the dark from the light. Thus was the First Day.

It wasn't quite that simple.

When the light came to be, the dark too came to be as a result, and neither could tolerate the other. Thus the First War of Light and Dark began, pure and simple, with no preamble or prelude. They fought for Shepherdess-knows-how-long. Finally, the formation of the Covenant of the First Day, an agreement between the Light and the Dark to respect the other's estate, ended the war. How it came to be, however, is still a hotly debated topic. Some say the Dark won. Some say the Light won. Some say it was a draw. Some say there were other reasons. Who really knows?

An anniversary of the Covenant of the First Day is celebrated yearly now to uphold the ideals of peace and cooperation between Light and Dark. This year, it's Alicia's turn to host the festival. What could go wrong?

Progress : n/a

=== Magic Quests ===

'''Dude, Where's My Ship?!'''

Started : 8th Novemeber 2011

Following the disappearance of a wildcat Lignite mining crew in the Aescilian Mountains of Erebea, a pair of magical girls were dispatched on what was supposed to be a simple search-and-rescue mission. They report finding what looks like a ship and wisely request further assistance. The archaeological division arrived hours later, sealed the region, before preparing for further studies. They could not identify the ship's make or origins from the exterior, so they decide to enter through an entrance they found on the side. Contact with the entire squad was lost 6 hours into the mission, with the last transmission being 'Found someth-....So....beautiful....'. A second rescue mission was mounted, this time with a full STRIKER magical girl squadron. They found a deserted camp site and the open ship. They enter. Contact was lost 1.5 hours into the mission, with the last transmission being '...reached the last known location. Now....I-..I can't believe it....mission control...I can't begin to describe this....this is...so...so beau-.....'.

Progress:

1) Lyna has developed a new remote-viewing spell to peer into the site from a distance. Unfortunately, the first few attempts failed as she can't seem to view anything beyond the foot of the mountains.

'''My Struggle, My suffering, My Legacy'''

Started: n/a

The smoke of witch burning pyres rise high up into the skies above the magical realm of Erebea. The once all-powerful mages now run and hide before the onslaught of the Reinzhuthen, an order of genocidal purists who are in pursuit of the all-powerful dark mage, the dark lord Daran Reganz. The Reinzhuthen have taken up an all-or-nothing approach towards hunting Daran Reganz – wiping out every last mage on Neven. After successfully gathering the support of the people against the seemingly incompetent mage-led government and subsequently overthrowing them, the Reinzhuthen declared a world-wide ban of magical practices, declaring any practitioner an agent of Daran Reganz and an enemy of the state. In their crusade against magic, they've begun declaring the absolutism of their cause and the need for all nations of the world to unite under their banner to eliminate the magic scourge. To this end, they have begun invading and conquering any nation who refuses to join their Empire.

Progress: n/a

=== Intelligence Quests ===

'''So Long and Thanks for All the Fish'''

Dolphins are becoming quite popular...as food! The coastal town of Taiji, Japan, the largest operator of dolphin drive hunting in the world, is undertaking a massive campaign to popularize the consumption of dolphin meat following the opening of its Great Taiji Dolphin Slaughterhouse. They are marketing it as a health food that greatly boosts brain development and intelligence, particularly in children. Interestingly, they managed to show that the IQs of children raised in Taiji and the nearby village of Koazagawa, wherein the staple food is dolphin and whale meat, are significantly higher than not only the national average but also the international average, almost miraculously so. Quite a problem for the local dolphins, some of whom are Mana's own friends.

Incidentally, the global pandemic of the strange sleeping illness has a relatively high incidence in Japan, particularly in Taiji.

Started: n/a

Progress: n/a

== Completed Quests ==

= Correspondence =

== Family Correspondence ==

'Good morning, Masters and Mistresses. I hope the noise didn't keep you up last night. The Alchemists discovered a new flower known quite amusingly as the 'Boom Lily'. Thankfully they grew quieter as the night went by. Anyhow, here's today's selection of the world's headlines.' - Mira -

• Presidents of Chechnya, Bosnia and Ukraine die in mysterious circumstances.

• American invasion of Iran is meeting heavy resistance. The Iranians now threaten to unleash their nuclear arsenal if America does not cease and desist.

• A new illness is spreading. Cause unknown.

== Illumination's Correspondence==

'Young Miss, please do take some times to reads some of these, 'kay? Lymle's actually done her bests to sort them outs, 'kay!' - Lymle -

- You've been cordially invited to attend the Divali celebrations in India. - Various Nobles -

== Chivalry's Correspondence ==

'Aye, my liege, thou hath an abundant harvest of letters. Thy loyal steed hast made do with the more...delicious trivialties. *BURP*' - Sieghart -

== Determinism's Correspondence ==

'Hey, old man, check it out, you've got mail. Should I fetch your specs? Or maybe a magnifying glass? Or maybe my winding screw? All that sorting's wound down my springs...' - Leonie -

- There's insider information that the vast artificial island city under construction at the base of Orbital Elevator 02 in the Pacific has hit a dead end in its construction effort due to economical constraints. It will soon become a prized piece of real estate amongst the nobles once word gets out. - Penelope -

- Ne, Oyabun, some funny men want to kill that yaro Alfred Goddard. They offer real cash, up front, no questions. Too good a deal for me, so I tell them, leave. They probably go for my competitors. Tell your friend, ne. Ja. - Chika -

== Magic's Correspondence ==

'Young Mistress, it's time to read your correspondence for the day. Please sit down here. Yes, here. Now, back straight like a washboard, eyes forward like a dead fish, and elbows akimbo like a ballerina...yes, excellent, young mistress. Now, I present you my personal selection of today's letters.' - Flowerchild -

- We're short on new recruits for the Magical Girl Academy. Please do something about this. - Miranda, Headmaster of the Ruby Gardens Magical Girl Academy Division

== Intelligence's Correspondence ==

= The Enlightened Miracle Lexicon =

== Known Combo Miracles ==

'''Double Searing Starlight'''
Alicia's Searing Light + Lyna's Starlight Breaker

Spiritual Charming Spellianus Shining Lyna

2011-03-19T01:05:51Z

Mind-The-Gap: Created page with 'Spiritual Charming Spellianus, Shining Lyna! With the elemental power of AETHER! Domain: Magic Aspect: 1 Domain: 4 Realm: 2 Spirit: 0 Anchor: "Blazing Nina", magical girl, o…'

Spiritual Charming Spellianus, Shining Lyna! With the elemental power of AETHER!
Domain: Magic

Aspect: 1
Domain: 4
Realm: 2
Spirit: 0

Anchor: "Blazing Nina", magical girl, old team mate and good (if somewhat abrasive and vitriolic) friend.
From other notes: "Hot tempered, hot blooded, flaming fire-element magical girl, her mother died when she was young and her father was such an abusive asshole that she ran away from home and had been living on the streets for a while before she was awakened to her magical girliness. Second in command of the Spelliani, often butts heads with Lyna but deep down they're the best of friends. Eventually gets taken in by Lyna's family once the truth about how she is living comes out(?)"

Gift: Arsenal of Heaven (GATE OF BABYLON - MAGICAL GIRL STYLE!)

Bonds:
Family (5)
The Spelliani Knights (5) (her old magical girl group)
Her old home town (2)
Belief in magic (2)
Hope (3)
"True Love" (3)

Handicaps:
Anello d'Spelliani - Magic ring (loses one point from each attribute if misplaced)
Blatent
Honest
Naive
Has to return to her hometown and meet up with at least one old acquiantence every 3 days or fall into deep melancholy.

Symbol/Flower: Pink cherry blossom (good education) (Hana: kind/gentle), Lily of the Valley (trustworthy) (Hana: sweet), Peony (shame, bashfulness) (Hana: bravery), Violet (faithfulness) (Hana: honesty), Zinnia (Hana: loyalty)

Bouquet of pink cherry blossoms, Lilies of the Valley, Peonies, Violets and Zinnias.

MIRACLE LIST:

0 - Estate Driven Divinations - (0 MP)

1 - Ghost Miracles - (0 MP)

2 - Lesser Divinations - (0 MP)

3 - Lesser Preservations - (1 MP)

4 - Lesser Creations - (2 MP)

5 - Lesser Destructions - (4 MP)

Major Divinations - (4 MP)

6 - Lesser Changes - (4 MP)

Major Preservations - (4 MP)

7 - Major Creations - (8 MP)

8 - Major Destructions - (8 MP)

9 - Major Changes - (8 MP)

File:FamilyAirship.jpg

2011-03-19T00:32:44Z

Mind-The-Gap:

Nobilis Enlightened

2011-03-19T00:31:50Z

Mind-The-Gap: /* Government */

[[Category:Nobilis]]

= Imperator - The Shepherdess of Light =

1. ‘Omneaum(a) became aware. In its awareness, it found loneliness. It saw potential, good, an impossibility.

2. Omneaum gave way to potential, and made the impossible possible. It was, things became.

3. Enlightenment arose, and so did I, Whole, Complete, bearing the Gifts of Aether (b), Light, Vaveram (c), Maricarum (d), Endeon (e), and Causality.

4. Omneaum’s legacy I shall honour and hold safe, now and forever, till the hour I too stand alone between Impossibility and Despair.’

- The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light, Imperator of Enlightenment -

(a) Omneaum: The Original Absolute Void

(b) Aether: Estate of 'Absolute Potential', the 'Impossible made Possible', the very basic element of creation from which all matter and life flowed. It was said to have been more abundant in space. (Now excruciated, succeeded in part by the estate of 'Magic')

(c)Vaveram: Estate of Spontaneous Sentience and Awareness (Now Excruciated. Never replaced.)

(d) Maricarum: Estate of Great Miracles through Personal Sacrifice (Now excruciated, succeeded by the estate of 'Magic' and 'Sacrifice')

(e)Endeon: Estate of the 'Lone Wolf Phenomenon', wherein those fighting against overwhelming odds are always guaranteed victory. Better known in our time as the 'Storm Trooper effect'. (Now excruciated)

[[File:Resonance-of-Fate-Game-3.jpg|200px|thumb|Deus Ex Machina]]

Having predated the Imperators of 'Name', the Shepherdess is nameless and formless. Those who are fortunate enough to know her identify her as 'The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light', or, simply, 'The Shepherdess'. Having come into being before the birth of the concept of 'form' or even 'matter' and 'physical law', she is without form in the physical universe. She used to communicate with her agents in the physical universe through pulses of light and ripples in a fountain of light. Needless to say, a lot of liberty had been taken in deciphering her wishes. Recently, however, the Chief Engineer of the Sanctum, Orphus, has devised an ingenious megastructure, the Deus Ex Machina, a gigantic clockwork device that allows the Shepherdess to see into the physical realm and engage with it using a gigantic, rather clumsy steel claw and communicate using a ticker-tape telegram machine.

(Interestingly, having also preceded the Imperator of Gender, she is, or, at least, was, in essence, genderless. However, around 300 B.C. she became a part of debate amongst philosophers as an example of a being who must be 'of the default gender'. For some reason it was decided that the default gender was female, and so the Shepherdess has since been considered to be of the female persuasion. Not that she really cares. It is suspected that the Noble of Women had something to do with this, but that's a tale for another time.)

Prophesized successor of Ananda and future Shepherdess of the Fifth Age, the Glorious One has purposely been denied a seat on the Council of Four, for her ways are that of the ‘Enlightened’, incompatible with the ways of the other council-members. She earns Lord Entropy and Ananda’s tolerance for her existence only through her service in the Valde Bellum and her Light’s importance in maintaining the Weirding Wall, a task that consumes almost the entirety of her attention and being (much to Lord Entropy’s and Ananda’s satisfaction).

The Heavens despise her, for an Angel of Creation she is not, and yet she brought forth the first Light that made everything that was Beautiful possible. Only the fact that her Light is necessary for beauty and this fact alone earns her the toleration of Heaven. The Wild would have nothing to do with her, for there is no freedom in sacrifice.The Hells, the Darkness and the Light all loath her, for not only is she the voice of wisdom that transcends not just the Corruption that the Hells endeavour towards, but she is also the voice that moves all beings towards becoming more than the matter they are made from, transcending what they are, pushing them ever onwards towards a greater purpose not only in life but also in death. Those who follow her code wish for naught else but the glory of dying for a greater good.

It is unclear what her true nature or form is. Nobody seems to remember when she came to be, or how for that matter. Some suspect she is one of the Heavenly legion, an Angel, but not only do the Heavens and its angelic denizens despise her at the best of times, her ways are most definitely not that of Heaven. Some surmise that she is a fallen Angel, but the cause of Hell she does not serve. It is highly possible that she is a True God, but all of creation knows they did not appear until long after the Angels had begun the Great Work. Recently, when passings of the Transcendants were properly documented in AP 4732, it was surmised that she is perhaps a Transcendant who somehow chose to settle upon the World Ash, perhaps one of the Charitable. Said document is Creation's closest description of the Shepherdess' nature, her gifts being her Estates and her Law.

=='''Vow of the Enlightened'''==

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this.

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this. - One thing leads to another. And at the end of all things is an ‘end’.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this. - Every good act must be good of purpose and good of result. This clause seems to fail to (most probably purposely) mention anything regarding the means. Taking the most liberal interpretation, a ‘Noble deed’ can have means as lacking in morals as a psychotic mass murderer, and yet still be considered ‘Noble’ in the eyes of the ‘Enlightened’. What matters is the cause, the intention and the ends. Everything in between matters naught.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this. - The ultimate sacrifice can conquer anything, even the impossible. This is the one true ‘Miracle’, Magic at its purest, one that allows the Enlightened to surpass his/her own end and achieve greatness through sacrifice. The Shepherdess safeguards the cause of all who sacrifice themselves for a greater purpose, guaranteeing them the miraculous magic of success.

==Details==

'''Estates''': Light, Determinism, Magic, Chivalry, Intelligence, Honour, Loyalty, Courage, Hope, Justice, Karma, Logic, Alchemy, Sacrifice, Curiosity, Sun, Moon, Stars

'''Excruciated Estates''': Aether, Vaveram, Maricarum, Endeon, Astelumina

'''Dynasty Points :''' 8

'''Qualities:'''

Great Harvest (2)

Cold (-1)

Demanding (-1)

----

= The Famiglia of the Enlightened =

The Famiglia of the Enlightened ''were'' a highly respected and influential group about 4-5 centuries before, their power extending from the very birth of creation. However, in a highly unorthodox move around the 4002 A.P., the Council ordered the Shepherdess to provide additional support in the Valde Bellum proper, above and beyond her maintenance of the Weirding Wall. Seeing as the Wall already consumed most if not all her power and attention, she was forced to mobilize members of her Famiglia, something quite unprecedented. The Nobles of Maricarum, Aether and Endeon were the first to volunteer for the great undertaking, having attained near-Imperator-level powers at the time. A few centuries later, Vaveram, Astelumina, Chivalry, Courage and Alchemy too joined their brother and sisters in the direct defense of creation. They held the line for a good few centuries, seeing a slow but definite turnover in nobles. That was until, for reasons still unknown, Maricarum, Aether, Endeon, Vaveram and Astelumina were excruciated one by one. The last to fall were Endeon and Astelumina in 4895 AP, at the same time 500 years of Human History was erased.

With no time to mourn, the Famiglia of the Enlightened were forced to mobilize more members of their famiglia to the front lines. The following few years saw more of their Nobles killed, though thankfully not excruciated.

Now with few remaining senior members, the famiglia struggles to stay on its feet with the large influx of new family members. Will they be able to live up to their predecessors? Will they be able to return the family to its former glory and take it to new heights? Or will this be the end of the Enlightened? That is up to the new Famiglia.

== PC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Foreguard of the Enlightened''

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Alicia_Valka '''Alicia - Principissa of Illumination''']

The 21st Principissa Of Illumination.

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Emil '''Emil - Power of Determinism''']

The 13th Power of Determinism

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Charles_Earl_Of_Huntington'''Charles - Lord of Chivalry''']

The 77th Lord of Chivalry

'''Lyna - Regina of Magic'''

The 66th Regina of Magic

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Mana_Kishimura '''Mana - Exemplar of Intelligence (And Dolphins)''']

The 17th Noble of Intelligence and 2nd Noble of Dolphins.

== NPC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Vanguard of the Enlightened''

'''Regine - Inquesta of Loyalty'''

'''Jessie - Tempesta of Courage (Sort of veering towards Impetuous Juvenile Recklessness)'''

'''Illumina - AllMother of Alchemy'''

Novice Alchemist extraordinaire and (rather unwilling) Commander of the Alchemist Flameheart Squad, Illumina is yet another recent addition to the Famiglia. She's currently worried about the sorry state of her estate (mostly usurped by Chemistry and now reduced to nothing more than a fantasy fiction gimmick) and a missing prominent Alchemist amongst other things....but mainly by the prospect of responsibility in general.

She is widely known, even outside Alchemist circles, as 'Big Bang Lum'.

'''Elune - Principissa of the Stars'''

While relatively senior in the Famiglia of the Enlightened (by simple virtue of everyone else being very recent additions), that's as far as her seniority goes. In every other respect, she is mostly helpless, though the more understanding dismiss this as a reflection of her estate - stars aren't known to be do much other than be pretty, especially lately with modern technology supplanting the need for stellar navigation or calendar-keeping. It used to be so much different when her sister, the Noble of Astelumina, the power of stellar influence upon the workings of the universe and lives on earth, was still around. Now as the stars fade and people forget the stars, Elune lies ill, slowly fading herself.

''The Diplomatic Corp (Intelligence) of the Enlightened''

'''Rang Fan - Excelifficer of Logic'''

Born a humble villager in a Tibetan highland settlement, Rang Fan grew up completely illiterate. She was, however, a keen observer and deep thinker. She developed her own concise and strict principles of logic, one that often found fault in the traditionalist views of the people she lived amongst. Some saw her as a source of wisdom, some saw her as a demon-possessed child.

She became the favourite anchor of the previous Noble of Logic for a while. During this time, her mastery of logic developed brilliantly. Unfortunately, she came afoul of a Chinese official when she publicly defeated him in a debate regarding the accusation of rebellion on the part of the village.

'''Geronimo - High Chief of Sacrifice'''

'''Han Gua - Exarch of Honour'''

'''Jimmy - Arch-Provost of Curiosity'''

''The Unassigned of the Enlightened''

'''Justice(?) - Empress of Justice'''

Not much is known about Justice, the 1st Noble of Justice. She is the eldest of the current Famiglia, though in the time of the original Famiglia, she was the youngest. She is the last surviving member of the original Famiglia of the Enlightened. It is rumoured that she was an Angel before she joined the Enlightened, though whether or not this is true is unknown. Her real name is unknown. Nobody has seen her in a long, long while. The only members of the current famiglia who have seen her are Han Gua and Elune.

Currently absent. Whereabouts unknown.

'''Vie - Noble of Hope'''

A rather mysterious member of the famiglia, she wonders in and out of the chancel rather randomly. Nobody seems to remember when she joined the Family. In fact, some are surprised to hear that there IS a noble of Hope in the Family. She doesn't seem to have a permanent home in the chancel. She's known (at least to those few who know her) to wander about, never staying in one place for long. She is apparently summonable, but rumours have it that she's apparently rather useless.

There are strange rumours that she follows the code of the Dark, or even Hell. Why would Hope do that?

'''Thomas Eire - Keeper of Karma'''

'''Kaguya - Himegami of the Moon'''

Tsukishiro no Kaguya-hime is perhaps the second eldest of the Famiglia, though she takes great care not to let anyone know that. She is the second Noble of the Moon. There are rumours that she was behind the Apollo 13 failure. When asked about it, she would give you a disdainful look and walk away. Then again, she'd do that no matter what you tried to bring up with her.

Currently very, very vain.

'''Kimo - the Emperor of the Sun'''

= Chancel - Locus Enlightenment, Sanctum Excelestia =

[http://img248.imageshack.us/i/sanctumexcelestia.jpg HG's Impression 1]

'''Qualities'''

Megalomaniac King/Queen (-4)

Normal Magic (3)

Alchemy (1)

2 Banes (-1)

Convenient Gates (2)

Anchorable Magical residents (4)

==Government==

[[File:SpireofLight.jpg|200px|thumb|right|Diamond Palace]]

The Sanctum is under the absolute Executive rule of the Emperor who answers only to the Shepherdess. Judicial Rule is under the Absolute Court headed by the Shepherdess and the Supreme Court headed by the Noble of Justice and her Circle of Justiciaries. Legislative and administrative rule is divided amongst the 4 major domains under the 4 queens:

'''Alicia - High Queen of the Diamond Tower.'''

Technically, having inherited the title of 'High Queen' from her predecessor, Alicia commands the Council of Four Queens and the Round Table of Dominums. However, as she has only recently joined the Famiglia, responsibility over the Council of Four Queens has fallen on the reluctant shoulders of Elune while the Round Table of Dominums is overseen by Han Gua.

'''Lyna - Queen of the Ruby Gardens.'''

The Ruby Gardens refers to the entirety of the Arcane Arts Academy Complex within the Outer Circle where the majority of mages of Excelestia train and live. However, to most of the citizens, the 'Ruby Gardens' itself refers to the seat of government, the Ruby Palace, a magnificent rose-shaped palace of crystal grown from the very essence of the Chancel itself in the middle of the Ruby Gardens.

'''Elune - Queen of the Sapphire Sky.'''

The Sapphire Sky refers to the entirety of the sky in between the floating structures of the Sanctum. While Elune governs no real land, she controls all traffic in the airspace around the Sanctum. Her official seat of government is the Sapphire Palace, a beautiful crystalline Sapphire star floating high up within the Inner Circle, though she is rarely ever there. She usually lives in her observatory on a lonely island high above the Sanctum.

'''Jessie - Queen of the Emerald Fields.'''

The Emerald Fields refer to most of the land floating in the Ciellan Expanse, the sky beyond the Outer Wall. The Emerald Fields house a good portion of the Sanctum's agricultural and mining settlements. Her seat of government is the Emerald Palace, a beautiful viridian structure of moss-covered wood and succulent, fresh folliage that grow and thrive all year round, coiled around a giant magnificent Emerald of a green deeper than the land that surrounds it.

== Homes and Households ==

[[File:E660087c66284323f8686e5d5bbed09ee9cee1ba.jpg#filelinks|200px|thumb|The Quartz Workshop]]

'''The Diamond Palace - ?????'''

Home of Alicia.

Personal Assistant : Lymle

'''The Ruby Palace - ????'''

Home of Lyna.

Personal Assistant : Flowerchild

'''The Garnet Fortress - ????'''

Home of Charles.

Personal Assistant : Sieghart

'''The Quartz Workshop - ????'''

Home of Emil.

Personal Assistant : Leonie

'''Aquamarine Depths - The Great but Rather Wet Library, Rapture'''

Home of Mana.

Personal Assistant : Sango(?)

== Noteworthy Locations ==

[[File:BerylEarth.png|200px|thumb|right|The Beryl Earth]]

'''The Amethyst Shores'''

Governed officially by Illumina, provisionally by the Arch-Artificer of the Great Guild of Alchemists. The Amethyst Shores are a group of closely-packed islands within the Outer Circle where the majority of the Alchemists of Excelestia live. While alchemists can be found just about anywhere, the Amethysts Shores are really the only place where they can make things explode to their hearts content without causing tempers to explode all around them. Alchemists can also be found en masse at the Ruby Gardens.

'''The Garnet Fortress'''

Governed mainly by Charles, the Garnet Fortress encompasses the Inner and Outer Walls of the Sanctum and the bastion of the Knights.

'''The Beryl Earth'''

Governed mainly by Regine, the

'''The Quartz Workshop'''

A watch-mender's workshop somewhere within the Diamond Tower, Emil's home and favourite haunt.

'''Chez Charles'''

==Security==

The city has a number of defense corps organized to different degrees by a number of Nobles.

'''The Chivalrous Gentlemanly TownWatch'''

'''The Magical Avengers of Love and Peace, Magical Taskforce Ruby Gardenia'''

Organized by the 5th Noble of Magic, a rather...odd Master of Magic who believed that wearing frilly clothing is a form of sacrifice to society and preached that magical power is exponentially proportional to the frilliness of one's clothing. Now maintained by the 7th Noble of Magic, Lyna, who keeps up most of the traditions of the 5th.

'''The Upholders of Equivalent Exchange, the Eternally Passionate Flameheart Alchemists (EPFA)'''

Organized by the previous Noble of Alchemy, a rather fluffy and passionate Lady Alchemist, and maintained by the recently appointed Noble, Illumina, the EPFA are at best socially-involved nerds, at worst really, really messy vigilantes (unfortunately, more often the latter). They mainly keep the domain of the Alchemists, the Amethyst Shores, as well as their portion of the Ruby Gardens, safe...for a given value of 'safe'.

'''The Infallibly Just Circle of Justiciers'''

'''The Eternally Loyal Shieldmaidens of [Insert Place Name Here]'''

Organized by the current Noble of Loyalty,

'''The Ever-Watchful Lantern Kindlers and Lamp Bearers of the Stars'''

'''The Righteous Karmic-Retributioneer Monks of Karma'''

'''The LoreKeepers and Agents of Literary Vengeance, the Combat Librarians'''

== Groups ==

Besides the defense forces of the Chancel, the Sanctum also harbours a number of groups.

'''The Enclave of Emerald Alchemists'''
Also known as the 'Emerald Artisans', this society of Alchemists was founded by the 7th Noble of Light, TanetNephthys, and the 1st Noble of Alchemy, Armagustine Trimegistus, after the passing of the third Noble of Maricarum, Hermes Trimegistus, founder of the Emerald Arts.

In a major nettle rite wrought by the 2nd Noble of Botany, Ephistopheles, against the Noble of Alchemy, in a daring move to split the art into two major paths forever, the Enclave was splintered in two - The Cleave fo Botanists and the Enclave of Emerald Artisans. The Botanists left the Sanctum, carrying with them the entirety of botanic knowledge. The Alchemists, however, managed to keep the Principa Alchimia safe and prevented the botanists from acquiring an absolute monopoly over the Emerald Arts. The two now jealously guard their arts, for if one were to acquire the arts of the other, they would become unstoppable.

The botanists are known to pass through the Chancel to deal with the Emerald Artisans.

== Laws ==

The Chancel operates on general principles of Justice commonly found in any other society where concepts of Law and Justice exist. It has a few notable exceptions such as:

- Any deed with noble ends are exempt from law's scrutiny upon its means. This means even the most foul of deeds is considered lawfully just as long as its ends are noble. It comes with a very, very important caveat - the good of the outcome must far exceed the evil committed. This is particularly difficult to achieve with murder, as murder, the theft of the sanctity of one's life, is the basest, most evil of crimes that even the earth itself abhors.

-

N.B. The Chancel operates on the Code Napoleon, that the suspect is guilty until proven otherwise, as Lady Justice willed it to be in the prosaic realm.

== Notable Individuals ==

=== Foreguard Support Staff ===

'''Mira'''

A young maid dedicated to serving the Foreguard.

'''Captain Captain Captain'''

Captain of the Foreguard Airship Excellion, a tall, lanky, yet muscular man with a full bushy beard and a true sailor's heart.

'''Orville'''

Chief Requisitions Officer for the Foreguard. His task is mainly acquiring equipment and supplies for the Foreguard's away-missions, though he's also an expert at acquiring just about anything the Foreguard needs.

=== Other Individuals ===

'''Orphus Denilzante'''
Chief Magitech Engineer of the Sanctum and designer of the Deus Ex Machina.

'''Reno Orfayne'''
Owner of Reno's Empirio, the one-stop fashion designer for Nobles, known to be second only to his Master, Enzel Haulor of 7th Avenue and 91st Street NY.

'''Sammy Westine'''
Proprietor and Chief Engineer of Westine Airships, Sammy is the young brilliant mind behind this generation's latest magitech airships. Having mastered Alchemy, Magic and Magitech at a young age, she went on to implement her excellent knowledge in airship design and construction. Her airships are used not just within the Sanctum but all over Creation. While she does produce combat-ready airships, she only produces them as personal favours for Nobles she trusts. These make proud flagships in any war fleet. It is rumoured that she is working with Aeril Jotunstrom, Noble of Ships, from Locus Atlantis, on warships capable of sailing the world beyond creation and taking part directly on the frontlines of the Valde Bellum.

'''Mac'''

LightHouse Chief Engineer and GateKeeper who maintains the Lighthouse and manages the chancel's gates.

'''Victor'''

= Mythic Realm =

== Chancels Known ==
''From the Primer on Loci Celatum, by Holly Djurisic''
What follows are descriptions of chancels considered widely known and to be no secret to those versed in the ways of the Mythic. Everyone knows them as a matter of common sense.

'''Locus Amarant'''

The Great Market, the Gardens of Lady Profit, Amarant is perhaps one of the few chancels that has no doors, and, even if it did, they would be wide open to welcome one and all. After all, even your worst enemy is a potential customer. Any invader would quickly find themselves besieged by peddlers of weaponry, trust and treachery, even the very spoils they are after. Everything the discerning Noble might need is available here...for the right price. The preferred currency are fleurs, but the locals have been known to trade with other things such as miracles and pacts. Some nobles come here not just to buy but also to sell. If you want or need it, Locus Amarant will sell it, or if not, then at least it will sell you the expertise of someone who CAN get it. Needless to say, the cammorae are all over Amarant.

It is well-known that even Excrucians frequent Amarant, and they know full well never to destroy Amarant....at least not until their victory is assured, for Amarant will be more than happy to sell them the means to that victory, or maybe even that victory itself....for the right price. Why destroy something so blatantly useful?

Chancel of Lady Profit, Immiae Arathy, and the Nobles of Trade, Currency, Negotiation, Supermarket Loyalty Cards, and Cookies. Yes, Cookies.

= Prosaic Realm =

== Earth ==

=== Noteworthy Individuals===

== Erebea ==

A once beautiful world, a geographic wonder of continents hanging high up in the pristine skies, flooded with raw magic reminiscent of Earth about a millennium ago. It is very closely linked to earth, to the point where a good few locations on both worlds overlap, allowing easy passage from one to the other should one be lucky (or unlucky) enough to stumble upon these places of power. They are so closely linked together in fact that the two worlds share more or less the same Imperators and Nobles. Some even surmise that Erebea is a divergent Earth on a parallel timeline.

Sanctum Excelestia was once the capital of this world, until it disappeared a few millennia ago.

== Lost Universe AD 2511 ==

The Lost Universe, now a Valde Bellum warfront. In 2400 AD, an age of galactic expansion and an Aetheric golden age for human advancement, a treacherous Imperator managed to sabotage the Shepherdess' hold on the Weirding Wall, leaving gaping holes in the defense of Creation. In the ensuing chaos, the Imperators and their nobles turned their attention to the Excrucian host gathering beyond the gap. Little did they know that they had fallen prey to a deceiver ruse. At the same time, the Excrucians were readying a pincer attack, with their mimics and strategists having established a foothold on Earth's universe. The Enlightened, at the time under great scrutiny due to the Shepherdess' apparent failure at maintaining the Weirding Wall, discovered the Excrucian plans and attempted to alert the Ymmerae. However, the Deceivers held the ears of the Ymmerae, and all the please of the Enlightened fell on deaf, suspicious, skeptical ears.

In a daring move, the Noble of Aether secretly used almost the entirety of his power of limitless potential to create an anomalous fold in existence, tearing 500 years of the universe apart, resetting the universe to before the Excrucian plan had even begun in 1900. He brought the new fold containing the lost 500 years and the excrucian plot up and tethered it to the gaping hole in the Weirding Wall, just in time to meet the incoming Excrucian Host. The excrucian invasion began, never once suspecting that they had walked into a pocket universe. For the Noble of Aether's apparent treachery, the Locust Court condemned him to death without a trial, dispatching the Enlightened, his own family, to prove their allegiance to the court by executing their own brother. It is said that Justice was the one to rip his shard out of his chest with her bare hands. It is said that the shard shattered. Some say Justice, in her grief and rage, shattered it herself. Some say it was Aether's final gift to the Lost Universe, and to the entirety of creation. The shard dust was dispersed and embedded itself across the entirety of the Lost Universe, enchancelling it, bestowing its beings with the blessings of Aetheric Power, immunizing them to the crippling effects of dementia animus and empowering them in their coming struggle against the Excrucian invaders. Aether was forever lost to Creation, but its shadow continues to live on within the beings of the Lost Universe. As long as the children of Aether stand and the light of Aether burns on within them, the Lost Universe will always resist the Excrucian host.

The Lost Universe has since been sealed away outside the Weirding Wall, doomed to forever be an Excrucian battleground, until the day the Excrucians trapped within consume the Lost Universe and realize Aether's trickery.

At the precise moment Aether's sacrifice enchancelled the Lost Universe, Hammond Qarn, Imperator of the Lost Universe, came into being. Having arisen from a universe so filled with the Shepherdess' own power, Hammond naturally became a Magister of the Enlightened. Furthermore, as the chancel was created using the Shepherdess' own soul shard, a fraction of the Shepherdess' own essence makes up the chancel's foundations. Thus for all intents and purposes the Enlightened can treat the Lost Universe as their own home chancel.

Few other nobles are privy to the secret of the Lost Universe's existence. Even fewer take up the fight to defend the Lost Universe in order to delay the full-scale invasion of Creation. The Nobles of Astelumina and Endeon were the first to pick up Aether's fallen banner and lead the battle against the Excrucian host and were also the first to fall.

'Now and Forever, till the hour I too stand between Impossibility and Despair!' - Phaeron Rof Alabar Trimeniel - Emperor of Aether

=== Notable Locations ===

'''L.U. Earth AD 2511'''

In AD 2400, Astelumina and Endeon managed to rid the entire earth of deceivers, strategists and mimics, making it one of the last few human settlements still untouched by the Excrucian Scourge. The war and Aether's blessing has accelerated technology to astronomical heights in the past 111 years, bringing humanity to a point where they can overwhelm excrucian shards and at the very least annoy full excrucians, if not kill them. Earth is now the capital of the Universal Aetheric Alliance (UAA), headquarters of the Excrucian resistance. Its coordinates are guarded to the death by the Children of Aether. Those who sally forth to meet the Excrucian Host do so without carrying Earth's coordinates, knowing full well that they may never return to their beloved home.

'''L.U. Heaven’s Feel'''

The current frontier of the Lost Universe Valde Bellum, Heaven’s Feel is perhaps the most beautiful extrasolar human colony. A large T3 terraformed planet orbiting the gas giant Astelumina 3, behind a dense spherical asteroid field and a radioactive veil around the sun Astelumina, it makes a naturally fortified world. Thanks to the scattering radiation and the dense blackhole just a few megaparsecs away at the center of the galaxy, the system and planet is nigh impossible to find at the best of times, at least for marauding excrucian raiding parties. The UAA uses Astelumina’s final gift, the gift of the stars, the ability to travel on aetheric currents guided by the stars, to travel safely in and out of the system.

When excrucians do find the planet, they are immediately drawn into its orbit by the interaction of the gravity wells of Heaven’s Feel’s many moons. They have no hope of escaping to notify the host of the planet’s location before they are drawn into intense battle by the Feelians.

The planet is ravaged by repeat invasions.

=== Familia of the Lost Universe ===

More or less an extended family of the Enlightened, the Familia of the Lost Universe are the sworn guardians of Aether's legacy.

'''Hammond Qarn - Imperator of the Lost Universe'''

Despite being an offshoot of the Shepherdess' power, Hammond Qarn is quite the opposite. He looks as human as they come. In fact, very, very much so, with his thick paternal beard, his twinkling eyes and his simple, honest expression, like a stern but compassionate father. Those who have the great honour of an audience with him are overcome with an overwhelming confidence and faith in humanity's potential and prowess. His being is shrouded in the stuff of legends. They say he single-handedly piloted an Alliance Battlecruiser straight into an Excrucian battlestation and escaped alive, unscathed. They say he personally lead the desperate charge that ended the siege of Harvest 4. They say he singlehandedly held the line at Point Hope against the entire advancing Excrucian host at the battle of Forge 3. They say a lot of things about Hammond Qarn, and when you meet him, sitting like a lighthouse exuding calm and confidence amidst the storm of war, in his simple, neatly-pressed uniform gleaming with but one badge denoting his allegiance to the Alliance, you feel naught but awe - that this man is the legend in the flesh.

'''Commander John Shepard - Power of Living Legends'''

'''Excel 7 - Commander of Super Soldiers'''

was responsible for the Halo series and partly responsible for the Metal Gear series, amongst other things.

'''Iris Erran - Chief Admiral of Spacecrafts'''

'''ALMa OmNI. - Supreme Administrator of Aetheric Technology'''

An A.I. born of the pinnacle of Aetheric supercomputers,

= Quests =

== Active Quests ==

=== Imperator Quests ===

'''Overdue'''

Started : 8th November 2011

The Shepherdess has requested that the Foreguards return 3 books she's borrowed for Shepherdess-knows-how-long now, for reasons that none can fathom. These books are:

1) 'Single Parenting for Idiots', to the Imperator of Shadows

2) 'The Amazing Justice and the Lovely Yaoi Doujin', to the Noble of Women's Beards

3) 'The Witchhunter's Codex' to a certain alchemist in Erebea.

She has asked you all to return them, ASAP.

Progress:

1) The Family has acquired the 3 books from the Principarium.

2) 1 week has passed since.

'''?????'''

Started : ?????

??????

Progress: n/a

=== Chancel Quests ===

=== Chivalry Quests ===

'''Rest in Peace'''

Started: 15th November 2011

One of Charles' Knights, Tristan, has just returned from Earth and has requested an urgent private audience. Wonder what it's about.

Progress:

1) Charles met Tristan, who seems to be rather fearful of someone, or something, though he's doing his best not to show it. Tristan presents Sir Jacob's cane and monocle to Charles, telling him that Sir Jacob disappeared after discovering that most of the Copenhagen chapter of knights have disappeared. It appears he noticed something was amiss after the disappearance of Sir William, who was out to investigate the disappearance of a local magical girl.

2) Charles decides to alert all the chapters throughout the world.

3) Charles proceeds to attempt directing chivalrous power into Sir Jacob's cane. It fights back, showing signs of deep corruption, before exploding rather violently.

4) Charles sends Sieghart with the destroyed monocle to Victor to study it further.

'''100,000's a Crowd!'''

Started: n/a

The Reinzuthen of Erebea have decided to dispatch a sacrifical gift of 100,000 girls from all around Erebea, mostly from all the nations they've conquered and annexed, to the old island of Altima, original home of the Nobles of Warriors, distant predecessors of Charles'. Apparently this is to welcome the prophesized return of the original Noble of Warriors and to attempt to acquire his favour with the hopes of having him assist the Reinzuthen make good their absolute conquest of Erebea. Obviously, the current delivery recipient is Charles....and this is NOT good. NOT good at all.

Progress: n/a

'''White Knight in Black Armour'''

Started: n/a

Alfred Goddard, ace attorney, E.U. Supreme Court prosecutor and prominent political figure, has sworn to cleanse Europe of all crime, especially major international crime rings. He has followed through with his oath. Half of all European prisons are full thanks to him. He is hailed as the 'White Knight', Europe's last hope. Needless to say, he's nowhere near as popular in the underworld. Many want him dead. He's currently attending the Copenhagen Treaty Talks as an expert on the Eco-crime panel. Chika, Emil's personal assassin, has helpfully let slip that she's refused a rather generous contract to assassinate Alfred Goddard during the talks. She's only one of many. Maybe you should look into this.

Progress: n/a

=== Determinism Quests ===

'''I Left My Hand in Copenhagen'''

Started : N/A

77 People have been found dead from unknown causes in Copenhagen. They were discovered missing their left hands and hanging upside down from trees.

Progress : n/a

'''Fly me to Europa'''

Started : N/A

The manned mission to Europa's missing for reasons as yet unknown.

Progress : n/a

'''Two Things Infinite'''

Started : 8th November 2011

The LHC has broken down once again after a few brief months of rather hiccupy function. This time, the cause is completely unknown. All the individual parts seem to be in working order, but the sum refuses to work. Sophia's not happy, not happy at all. She has personally requested that Emil look into this.

Progress:

1) Emil has taken a brief look around through Sophia's eyes. The LHC's spirit seems to have some blemishes....wonder what they are....

'''Tides of Fate'''

Started : n/a

The tides have stopped rising with the lunar cycles. As a result, the world's currents, fisheries and shoreline ecosystems have been gravely affected. This shouldn't even be physically possible!

Progress: n/a

=== Illumination Quests ===

'''Twinkle, Little Star'''

Started : 15th November 2011

As the world darkens, the light of the stars fade. Elune, little noble of stars, your sister, lies sick, alone in her high observatory, forgotten by the rest of the world. Now the weakening of the stars has started to affect the domain of Light too. Something must be done before yet another member of the Family succumbs to the war of attrition upon the Enlightened.

Progress:

1) Lyna, Emil and Alicia visited Elune in her observatory and found her ill.

2) They discovered that her observatory was severely corrupted by some malignant corruption that was trying to break into the chancel.

3) They sealed off the intrusion into the chancel but destroyed the observatory in the process. They managed to prevent the observatory from crashing catastrophically into the chancel.

4) They've brought the sick Elune to the Sapphire Palace and acquired the help of Regine to treat her.

5) Regine has asked the team to seek out the Noble of Shadows or anyone from the Familia of Shadows for a certain flower that only grows in Locus Shadows.

'''Who moved my Christmas?!'''

Christmas, the biggest celebration of lights and joy, isn't happening this year! This is unprecedented serious affair!

Started : 8th November 2011

Progress :

1) Alicia has asked the magical girls, knights, and others who've passed in and out of the chancel, for any information they might know about this. She's learned that it's a rather complex issue. It might be the economy, it might be the declining family values, could be anything.

'''When you peer into the Abyss...'''

Started : n/a

And the Creator said, 'Let there be Light', and there was light, and he saw that it was good. And He separated the dark from the light. Thus was the First Day.

It wasn't quite that simple.

When the light came to be, the dark too came to be as a result, and neither could tolerate the other. Thus the First War of Light and Dark began, pure and simple, with no preamble or prelude. They fought for Shepherdess-knows-how-long. Finally, the formation of the Covenant of the First Day, an agreement between the Light and the Dark to respect the other's estate, ended the war. How it came to be, however, is still a hotly debated topic. Some say the Dark won. Some say the Light won. Some say it was a draw. Some say there were other reasons. Who really knows?

An anniversary of the Covenant of the First Day is celebrated yearly now to uphold the ideals of peace and cooperation between Light and Dark. This year, it's Alicia's turn to host the festival. What could go wrong?

Progress : n/a

=== Magic Quests ===

'''Dude, Where's My Ship?!'''

Started : 8th Novemeber 2011

Following the disappearance of a wildcat Lignite mining crew in the Aescilian Mountains of Erebea, a pair of magical girls were dispatched on what was supposed to be a simple search-and-rescue mission. They report finding what looks like a ship and wisely request further assistance. The archaeological division arrived hours later, sealed the region, before preparing for further studies. They could not identify the ship's make or origins from the exterior, so they decide to enter through an entrance they found on the side. Contact with the entire squad was lost 6 hours into the mission, with the last transmission being 'Found someth-....So....beautiful....'. A second rescue mission was mounted, this time with a full STRIKER magical girl squadron. They found a deserted camp site and the open ship. They enter. Contact was lost 1.5 hours into the mission, with the last transmission being '...reached the last known location. Now....I-..I can't believe it....mission control...I can't begin to describe this....this is...so...so beau-.....'.

Progress:

1) Lyna has developed a new remote-viewing spell to peer into the site from a distance. Unfortunately, the first few attempts failed as she can't seem to view anything beyond the foot of the mountains.

'''My Struggle, My suffering, My Legacy'''

Started: n/a

The smoke of witch burning pyres rise high up into the skies above the magical realm of Erebea. The once all-powerful mages now run and hide before the onslaught of the Reinzhuthen, an order of genocidal purists who are in pursuit of the all-powerful dark mage, the dark lord Daran Reganz. The Reinzhuthen have taken up an all-or-nothing approach towards hunting Daran Reganz – wiping out every last mage on Neven. After successfully gathering the support of the people against the seemingly incompetent mage-led government and subsequently overthrowing them, the Reinzhuthen declared a world-wide ban of magical practices, declaring any practitioner an agent of Daran Reganz and an enemy of the state. In their crusade against magic, they've begun declaring the absolutism of their cause and the need for all nations of the world to unite under their banner to eliminate the magic scourge. To this end, they have begun invading and conquering any nation who refuses to join their Empire.

Progress: n/a

=== Intelligence Quests ===

'''So Long and Thanks for All the Fish'''

Dolphins are becoming quite popular...as food! The coastal town of Taiji, Japan, the largest operator of dolphin drive hunting in the world, is undertaking a massive campaign to popularize the consumption of dolphin meat following the opening of its Great Taiji Dolphin Slaughterhouse. They are marketing it as a health food that greatly boosts brain development and intelligence, particularly in children. Interestingly, they managed to show that the IQs of children raised in Taiji and the nearby village of Koazagawa, wherein the staple food is dolphin and whale meat, are significantly higher than not only the national average but also the international average, almost miraculously so. Quite a problem for the local dolphins, some of whom are Mana's own friends.

Incidentally, the global pandemic of the strange sleeping illness has a relatively high incidence in Japan, particularly in Taiji.

Started: n/a

Progress: n/a

== Completed Quests ==

= Correspondence =

== Family Correspondence ==

'Good morning, Masters and Mistresses. I hope the noise didn't keep you up last night. The Alchemists discovered a new flower known quite amusingly as the 'Boom Lily'. Thankfully they grew quieter as the night went by. Anyhow, here's today's selection of the world's headlines.' - Mira -

• Presidents of Chechnya, Bosnia and Ukraine die in mysterious circumstances.

• American invasion of Iran is meeting heavy resistance. The Iranians now threaten to unleash their nuclear arsenal if America does not cease and desist.

• A new illness is spreading. Cause unknown.

== Illumination's Correspondence==

'Young Miss, please do take some times to reads some of these, 'kay? Lymle's actually done her bests to sort them outs, 'kay!' - Lymle -

- You've been cordially invited to attend the Divali celebrations in India. - Various Nobles -

== Chivalry's Correspondence ==

'Aye, my liege, thou hath an abundant harvest of letters. Thy loyal steed hast made do with the more...delicious trivialties. *BURP*' - Sieghart -

== Determinism's Correspondence ==

'Hey, old man, check it out, you've got mail. Should I fetch your specs? Or maybe a magnifying glass? Or maybe my winding screw? All that sorting's wound down my springs...' - Leonie -

- There's insider information that the vast artificial island city under construction at the base of Orbital Elevator 02 in the Pacific has hit a dead end in its construction effort due to economical constraints. It will soon become a prized piece of real estate amongst the nobles once word gets out. - Penelope -

- Ne, Oyabun, some funny men want to kill that yaro Alfred Goddard. They offer real cash, up front, no questions. Too good a deal for me, so I tell them, leave. They probably go for my competitors. Tell your friend, ne. Ja. - Chika -

== Magic's Correspondence ==

'Young Mistress, it's time to read your correspondence for the day. Please sit down here. Yes, here. Now, back straight like a washboard, eyes forward like a dead fish, and elbows akimbo like a ballerina...yes, excellent, young mistress. Now, I present you my personal selection of today's letters.' - Flowerchild -

- We're short on new recruits for the Magical Girl Academy. Please do something about this. - Miranda, Headmaster of the Ruby Gardens Magical Girl Academy Division

== Intelligence's Correspondence ==

= The Enlightened Miracle Lexicon =

== Known Combo Miracles ==

'''Double Searing Starlight'''
Alicia's Searing Light + Lyna's Starlight Breaker

File:SpireofLight.jpg

2011-03-19T00:24:57Z

Mind-The-Gap:

File:DiamondPalace.jpg

2011-03-19T00:24:24Z

Mind-The-Gap:

Nobilis Enlightened

2011-03-19T00:14:36Z

Mind-The-Gap: /* Noteworthy Locations */

[[Category:Nobilis]]

= Imperator - The Shepherdess of Light =

1. ‘Omneaum(a) became aware. In its awareness, it found loneliness. It saw potential, good, an impossibility.

2. Omneaum gave way to potential, and made the impossible possible. It was, things became.

3. Enlightenment arose, and so did I, Whole, Complete, bearing the Gifts of Aether (b), Light, Vaveram (c), Maricarum (d), Endeon (e), and Causality.

4. Omneaum’s legacy I shall honour and hold safe, now and forever, till the hour I too stand alone between Impossibility and Despair.’

- The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light, Imperator of Enlightenment -

(a) Omneaum: The Original Absolute Void

(b) Aether: Estate of 'Absolute Potential', the 'Impossible made Possible', the very basic element of creation from which all matter and life flowed. It was said to have been more abundant in space. (Now excruciated, succeeded in part by the estate of 'Magic')

(c)Vaveram: Estate of Spontaneous Sentience and Awareness (Now Excruciated. Never replaced.)

(d) Maricarum: Estate of Great Miracles through Personal Sacrifice (Now excruciated, succeeded by the estate of 'Magic' and 'Sacrifice')

(e)Endeon: Estate of the 'Lone Wolf Phenomenon', wherein those fighting against overwhelming odds are always guaranteed victory. Better known in our time as the 'Storm Trooper effect'. (Now excruciated)

[[File:Resonance-of-Fate-Game-3.jpg|200px|thumb|Deus Ex Machina]]

Having predated the Imperators of 'Name', the Shepherdess is nameless and formless. Those who are fortunate enough to know her identify her as 'The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light', or, simply, 'The Shepherdess'. Having come into being before the birth of the concept of 'form' or even 'matter' and 'physical law', she is without form in the physical universe. She used to communicate with her agents in the physical universe through pulses of light and ripples in a fountain of light. Needless to say, a lot of liberty had been taken in deciphering her wishes. Recently, however, the Chief Engineer of the Sanctum, Orphus, has devised an ingenious megastructure, the Deus Ex Machina, a gigantic clockwork device that allows the Shepherdess to see into the physical realm and engage with it using a gigantic, rather clumsy steel claw and communicate using a ticker-tape telegram machine.

(Interestingly, having also preceded the Imperator of Gender, she is, or, at least, was, in essence, genderless. However, around 300 B.C. she became a part of debate amongst philosophers as an example of a being who must be 'of the default gender'. For some reason it was decided that the default gender was female, and so the Shepherdess has since been considered to be of the female persuasion. Not that she really cares. It is suspected that the Noble of Women had something to do with this, but that's a tale for another time.)

Prophesized successor of Ananda and future Shepherdess of the Fifth Age, the Glorious One has purposely been denied a seat on the Council of Four, for her ways are that of the ‘Enlightened’, incompatible with the ways of the other council-members. She earns Lord Entropy and Ananda’s tolerance for her existence only through her service in the Valde Bellum and her Light’s importance in maintaining the Weirding Wall, a task that consumes almost the entirety of her attention and being (much to Lord Entropy’s and Ananda’s satisfaction).

The Heavens despise her, for an Angel of Creation she is not, and yet she brought forth the first Light that made everything that was Beautiful possible. Only the fact that her Light is necessary for beauty and this fact alone earns her the toleration of Heaven. The Wild would have nothing to do with her, for there is no freedom in sacrifice.The Hells, the Darkness and the Light all loath her, for not only is she the voice of wisdom that transcends not just the Corruption that the Hells endeavour towards, but she is also the voice that moves all beings towards becoming more than the matter they are made from, transcending what they are, pushing them ever onwards towards a greater purpose not only in life but also in death. Those who follow her code wish for naught else but the glory of dying for a greater good.

It is unclear what her true nature or form is. Nobody seems to remember when she came to be, or how for that matter. Some suspect she is one of the Heavenly legion, an Angel, but not only do the Heavens and its angelic denizens despise her at the best of times, her ways are most definitely not that of Heaven. Some surmise that she is a fallen Angel, but the cause of Hell she does not serve. It is highly possible that she is a True God, but all of creation knows they did not appear until long after the Angels had begun the Great Work. Recently, when passings of the Transcendants were properly documented in AP 4732, it was surmised that she is perhaps a Transcendant who somehow chose to settle upon the World Ash, perhaps one of the Charitable. Said document is Creation's closest description of the Shepherdess' nature, her gifts being her Estates and her Law.

=='''Vow of the Enlightened'''==

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this.

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this. - One thing leads to another. And at the end of all things is an ‘end’.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this. - Every good act must be good of purpose and good of result. This clause seems to fail to (most probably purposely) mention anything regarding the means. Taking the most liberal interpretation, a ‘Noble deed’ can have means as lacking in morals as a psychotic mass murderer, and yet still be considered ‘Noble’ in the eyes of the ‘Enlightened’. What matters is the cause, the intention and the ends. Everything in between matters naught.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this. - The ultimate sacrifice can conquer anything, even the impossible. This is the one true ‘Miracle’, Magic at its purest, one that allows the Enlightened to surpass his/her own end and achieve greatness through sacrifice. The Shepherdess safeguards the cause of all who sacrifice themselves for a greater purpose, guaranteeing them the miraculous magic of success.

==Details==

'''Estates''': Light, Determinism, Magic, Chivalry, Intelligence, Honour, Loyalty, Courage, Hope, Justice, Karma, Logic, Alchemy, Sacrifice, Curiosity, Sun, Moon, Stars

'''Excruciated Estates''': Aether, Vaveram, Maricarum, Endeon, Astelumina

'''Dynasty Points :''' 8

'''Qualities:'''

Great Harvest (2)

Cold (-1)

Demanding (-1)

----

= The Famiglia of the Enlightened =

The Famiglia of the Enlightened ''were'' a highly respected and influential group about 4-5 centuries before, their power extending from the very birth of creation. However, in a highly unorthodox move around the 4002 A.P., the Council ordered the Shepherdess to provide additional support in the Valde Bellum proper, above and beyond her maintenance of the Weirding Wall. Seeing as the Wall already consumed most if not all her power and attention, she was forced to mobilize members of her Famiglia, something quite unprecedented. The Nobles of Maricarum, Aether and Endeon were the first to volunteer for the great undertaking, having attained near-Imperator-level powers at the time. A few centuries later, Vaveram, Astelumina, Chivalry, Courage and Alchemy too joined their brother and sisters in the direct defense of creation. They held the line for a good few centuries, seeing a slow but definite turnover in nobles. That was until, for reasons still unknown, Maricarum, Aether, Endeon, Vaveram and Astelumina were excruciated one by one. The last to fall were Endeon and Astelumina in 4895 AP, at the same time 500 years of Human History was erased.

With no time to mourn, the Famiglia of the Enlightened were forced to mobilize more members of their famiglia to the front lines. The following few years saw more of their Nobles killed, though thankfully not excruciated.

Now with few remaining senior members, the famiglia struggles to stay on its feet with the large influx of new family members. Will they be able to live up to their predecessors? Will they be able to return the family to its former glory and take it to new heights? Or will this be the end of the Enlightened? That is up to the new Famiglia.

== PC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Foreguard of the Enlightened''

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Alicia_Valka '''Alicia - Principissa of Illumination''']

The 21st Principissa Of Illumination.

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Emil '''Emil - Power of Determinism''']

The 13th Power of Determinism

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Charles_Earl_Of_Huntington'''Charles - Lord of Chivalry''']

The 77th Lord of Chivalry

'''Lyna - Regina of Magic'''

The 66th Regina of Magic

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Mana_Kishimura '''Mana - Exemplar of Intelligence (And Dolphins)''']

The 17th Noble of Intelligence and 2nd Noble of Dolphins.

== NPC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Vanguard of the Enlightened''

'''Regine - Inquesta of Loyalty'''

'''Jessie - Tempesta of Courage (Sort of veering towards Impetuous Juvenile Recklessness)'''

'''Illumina - AllMother of Alchemy'''

Novice Alchemist extraordinaire and (rather unwilling) Commander of the Alchemist Flameheart Squad, Illumina is yet another recent addition to the Famiglia. She's currently worried about the sorry state of her estate (mostly usurped by Chemistry and now reduced to nothing more than a fantasy fiction gimmick) and a missing prominent Alchemist amongst other things....but mainly by the prospect of responsibility in general.

She is widely known, even outside Alchemist circles, as 'Big Bang Lum'.

'''Elune - Principissa of the Stars'''

While relatively senior in the Famiglia of the Enlightened (by simple virtue of everyone else being very recent additions), that's as far as her seniority goes. In every other respect, she is mostly helpless, though the more understanding dismiss this as a reflection of her estate - stars aren't known to be do much other than be pretty, especially lately with modern technology supplanting the need for stellar navigation or calendar-keeping. It used to be so much different when her sister, the Noble of Astelumina, the power of stellar influence upon the workings of the universe and lives on earth, was still around. Now as the stars fade and people forget the stars, Elune lies ill, slowly fading herself.

''The Diplomatic Corp (Intelligence) of the Enlightened''

'''Rang Fan - Excelifficer of Logic'''

Born a humble villager in a Tibetan highland settlement, Rang Fan grew up completely illiterate. She was, however, a keen observer and deep thinker. She developed her own concise and strict principles of logic, one that often found fault in the traditionalist views of the people she lived amongst. Some saw her as a source of wisdom, some saw her as a demon-possessed child.

She became the favourite anchor of the previous Noble of Logic for a while. During this time, her mastery of logic developed brilliantly. Unfortunately, she came afoul of a Chinese official when she publicly defeated him in a debate regarding the accusation of rebellion on the part of the village.

'''Geronimo - High Chief of Sacrifice'''

'''Han Gua - Exarch of Honour'''

'''Jimmy - Arch-Provost of Curiosity'''

''The Unassigned of the Enlightened''

'''Justice(?) - Empress of Justice'''

Not much is known about Justice, the 1st Noble of Justice. She is the eldest of the current Famiglia, though in the time of the original Famiglia, she was the youngest. She is the last surviving member of the original Famiglia of the Enlightened. It is rumoured that she was an Angel before she joined the Enlightened, though whether or not this is true is unknown. Her real name is unknown. Nobody has seen her in a long, long while. The only members of the current famiglia who have seen her are Han Gua and Elune.

Currently absent. Whereabouts unknown.

'''Vie - Noble of Hope'''

A rather mysterious member of the famiglia, she wonders in and out of the chancel rather randomly. Nobody seems to remember when she joined the Family. In fact, some are surprised to hear that there IS a noble of Hope in the Family. She doesn't seem to have a permanent home in the chancel. She's known (at least to those few who know her) to wander about, never staying in one place for long. She is apparently summonable, but rumours have it that she's apparently rather useless.

There are strange rumours that she follows the code of the Dark, or even Hell. Why would Hope do that?

'''Thomas Eire - Keeper of Karma'''

'''Kaguya - Himegami of the Moon'''

Tsukishiro no Kaguya-hime is perhaps the second eldest of the Famiglia, though she takes great care not to let anyone know that. She is the second Noble of the Moon. There are rumours that she was behind the Apollo 13 failure. When asked about it, she would give you a disdainful look and walk away. Then again, she'd do that no matter what you tried to bring up with her.

Currently very, very vain.

'''Kimo - the Emperor of the Sun'''

= Chancel - Locus Enlightenment, Sanctum Excelestia =

[http://img248.imageshack.us/i/sanctumexcelestia.jpg HG's Impression 1]

'''Qualities'''

Megalomaniac King/Queen (-4)

Normal Magic (3)

Alchemy (1)

2 Banes (-1)

Convenient Gates (2)

Anchorable Magical residents (4)

==Government==

The Sanctum is under the absolute Executive rule of the Emperor who answers only to the Shepherdess. Judicial Rule is under the Absolute Court headed by the Shepherdess and the Supreme Court headed by the Noble of Justice and her Circle of Justiciaries. Legislative and administrative rule is divided amongst the 4 major domains under the 4 queens:

'''Alicia - High Queen of the Diamond Tower.'''

Technically, having inherited the title of 'High Queen' from her predecessor, Alicia commands the Council of Four Queens and the Round Table of Dominums. However, as she has only recently joined the Famiglia, responsibility over the Council of Four Queens has fallen on the reluctant shoulders of Elune while the Round Table of Dominums is overseen by Han Gua.

'''Lyna - Queen of the Ruby Gardens.'''

The Ruby Gardens refers to the entirety of the Arcane Arts Academy Complex within the Outer Circle where the majority of mages of Excelestia train and live. However, to most of the citizens, the 'Ruby Gardens' itself refers to the seat of government, the Ruby Palace, a magnificent rose-shaped palace of crystal grown from the very essence of the Chancel itself in the middle of the Ruby Gardens.

'''Elune - Queen of the Sapphire Sky.'''

The Sapphire Sky refers to the entirety of the sky in between the floating structures of the Sanctum. While Elune governs no real land, she controls all traffic in the airspace around the Sanctum. Her official seat of government is the Sapphire Palace, a beautiful crystalline Sapphire star floating high up within the Inner Circle, though she is rarely ever there. She usually lives in her observatory on a lonely island high above the Sanctum.

'''Jessie - Queen of the Emerald Fields.'''

The Emerald Fields refer to most of the land floating in the Ciellan Expanse, the sky beyond the Outer Wall. The Emerald Fields house a good portion of the Sanctum's agricultural and mining settlements. Her seat of government is the Emerald Palace, a beautiful viridian structure of moss-covered wood and succulent, fresh folliage that grow and thrive all year round, coiled around a giant magnificent Emerald of a green deeper than the land that surrounds it.

== Homes and Households ==

[[File:E660087c66284323f8686e5d5bbed09ee9cee1ba.jpg#filelinks|200px|thumb|The Quartz Workshop]]

'''The Diamond Palace - ?????'''

Home of Alicia.

Personal Assistant : Lymle

'''The Ruby Palace - ????'''

Home of Lyna.

Personal Assistant : Flowerchild

'''The Garnet Fortress - ????'''

Home of Charles.

Personal Assistant : Sieghart

'''The Quartz Workshop - ????'''

Home of Emil.

Personal Assistant : Leonie

'''Aquamarine Depths - The Great but Rather Wet Library, Rapture'''

Home of Mana.

Personal Assistant : Sango(?)

== Noteworthy Locations ==

[[File:BerylEarth.png|200px|thumb|right|The Beryl Earth]]

'''The Amethyst Shores'''

Governed officially by Illumina, provisionally by the Arch-Artificer of the Great Guild of Alchemists. The Amethyst Shores are a group of closely-packed islands within the Outer Circle where the majority of the Alchemists of Excelestia live. While alchemists can be found just about anywhere, the Amethysts Shores are really the only place where they can make things explode to their hearts content without causing tempers to explode all around them. Alchemists can also be found en masse at the Ruby Gardens.

'''The Garnet Fortress'''

Governed mainly by Charles, the Garnet Fortress encompasses the Inner and Outer Walls of the Sanctum and the bastion of the Knights.

'''The Beryl Earth'''

Governed mainly by Regine, the

'''The Quartz Workshop'''

A watch-mender's workshop somewhere within the Diamond Tower, Emil's home and favourite haunt.

'''Chez Charles'''

==Security==

The city has a number of defense corps organized to different degrees by a number of Nobles.

'''The Chivalrous Gentlemanly TownWatch'''

'''The Magical Avengers of Love and Peace, Magical Taskforce Ruby Gardenia'''

Organized by the 5th Noble of Magic, a rather...odd Master of Magic who believed that wearing frilly clothing is a form of sacrifice to society and preached that magical power is exponentially proportional to the frilliness of one's clothing. Now maintained by the 7th Noble of Magic, Lyna, who keeps up most of the traditions of the 5th.

'''The Upholders of Equivalent Exchange, the Eternally Passionate Flameheart Alchemists (EPFA)'''

Organized by the previous Noble of Alchemy, a rather fluffy and passionate Lady Alchemist, and maintained by the recently appointed Noble, Illumina, the EPFA are at best socially-involved nerds, at worst really, really messy vigilantes (unfortunately, more often the latter). They mainly keep the domain of the Alchemists, the Amethyst Shores, as well as their portion of the Ruby Gardens, safe...for a given value of 'safe'.

'''The Infallibly Just Circle of Justiciers'''

'''The Eternally Loyal Shieldmaidens of [Insert Place Name Here]'''

Organized by the current Noble of Loyalty,

'''The Ever-Watchful Lantern Kindlers and Lamp Bearers of the Stars'''

'''The Righteous Karmic-Retributioneer Monks of Karma'''

'''The LoreKeepers and Agents of Literary Vengeance, the Combat Librarians'''

== Groups ==

Besides the defense forces of the Chancel, the Sanctum also harbours a number of groups.

'''The Enclave of Emerald Alchemists'''
Also known as the 'Emerald Artisans', this society of Alchemists was founded by the 7th Noble of Light, TanetNephthys, and the 1st Noble of Alchemy, Armagustine Trimegistus, after the passing of the third Noble of Maricarum, Hermes Trimegistus, founder of the Emerald Arts.

In a major nettle rite wrought by the 2nd Noble of Botany, Ephistopheles, against the Noble of Alchemy, in a daring move to split the art into two major paths forever, the Enclave was splintered in two - The Cleave fo Botanists and the Enclave of Emerald Artisans. The Botanists left the Sanctum, carrying with them the entirety of botanic knowledge. The Alchemists, however, managed to keep the Principa Alchimia safe and prevented the botanists from acquiring an absolute monopoly over the Emerald Arts. The two now jealously guard their arts, for if one were to acquire the arts of the other, they would become unstoppable.

The botanists are known to pass through the Chancel to deal with the Emerald Artisans.

== Laws ==

The Chancel operates on general principles of Justice commonly found in any other society where concepts of Law and Justice exist. It has a few notable exceptions such as:

- Any deed with noble ends are exempt from law's scrutiny upon its means. This means even the most foul of deeds is considered lawfully just as long as its ends are noble. It comes with a very, very important caveat - the good of the outcome must far exceed the evil committed. This is particularly difficult to achieve with murder, as murder, the theft of the sanctity of one's life, is the basest, most evil of crimes that even the earth itself abhors.

-

N.B. The Chancel operates on the Code Napoleon, that the suspect is guilty until proven otherwise, as Lady Justice willed it to be in the prosaic realm.

== Notable Individuals ==

=== Foreguard Support Staff ===

'''Mira'''

A young maid dedicated to serving the Foreguard.

'''Captain Captain Captain'''

Captain of the Foreguard Airship Excellion, a tall, lanky, yet muscular man with a full bushy beard and a true sailor's heart.

'''Orville'''

Chief Requisitions Officer for the Foreguard. His task is mainly acquiring equipment and supplies for the Foreguard's away-missions, though he's also an expert at acquiring just about anything the Foreguard needs.

=== Other Individuals ===

'''Orphus Denilzante'''
Chief Magitech Engineer of the Sanctum and designer of the Deus Ex Machina.

'''Reno Orfayne'''
Owner of Reno's Empirio, the one-stop fashion designer for Nobles, known to be second only to his Master, Enzel Haulor of 7th Avenue and 91st Street NY.

'''Sammy Westine'''
Proprietor and Chief Engineer of Westine Airships, Sammy is the young brilliant mind behind this generation's latest magitech airships. Having mastered Alchemy, Magic and Magitech at a young age, she went on to implement her excellent knowledge in airship design and construction. Her airships are used not just within the Sanctum but all over Creation. While she does produce combat-ready airships, she only produces them as personal favours for Nobles she trusts. These make proud flagships in any war fleet. It is rumoured that she is working with Aeril Jotunstrom, Noble of Ships, from Locus Atlantis, on warships capable of sailing the world beyond creation and taking part directly on the frontlines of the Valde Bellum.

'''Mac'''

LightHouse Chief Engineer and GateKeeper who maintains the Lighthouse and manages the chancel's gates.

'''Victor'''

= Mythic Realm =

== Chancels Known ==
''From the Primer on Loci Celatum, by Holly Djurisic''
What follows are descriptions of chancels considered widely known and to be no secret to those versed in the ways of the Mythic. Everyone knows them as a matter of common sense.

'''Locus Amarant'''

The Great Market, the Gardens of Lady Profit, Amarant is perhaps one of the few chancels that has no doors, and, even if it did, they would be wide open to welcome one and all. After all, even your worst enemy is a potential customer. Any invader would quickly find themselves besieged by peddlers of weaponry, trust and treachery, even the very spoils they are after. Everything the discerning Noble might need is available here...for the right price. The preferred currency are fleurs, but the locals have been known to trade with other things such as miracles and pacts. Some nobles come here not just to buy but also to sell. If you want or need it, Locus Amarant will sell it, or if not, then at least it will sell you the expertise of someone who CAN get it. Needless to say, the cammorae are all over Amarant.

It is well-known that even Excrucians frequent Amarant, and they know full well never to destroy Amarant....at least not until their victory is assured, for Amarant will be more than happy to sell them the means to that victory, or maybe even that victory itself....for the right price. Why destroy something so blatantly useful?

Chancel of Lady Profit, Immiae Arathy, and the Nobles of Trade, Currency, Negotiation, Supermarket Loyalty Cards, and Cookies. Yes, Cookies.

= Prosaic Realm =

== Earth ==

=== Noteworthy Individuals===

== Erebea ==

A once beautiful world, a geographic wonder of continents hanging high up in the pristine skies, flooded with raw magic reminiscent of Earth about a millennium ago. It is very closely linked to earth, to the point where a good few locations on both worlds overlap, allowing easy passage from one to the other should one be lucky (or unlucky) enough to stumble upon these places of power. They are so closely linked together in fact that the two worlds share more or less the same Imperators and Nobles. Some even surmise that Erebea is a divergent Earth on a parallel timeline.

Sanctum Excelestia was once the capital of this world, until it disappeared a few millennia ago.

== Lost Universe AD 2511 ==

The Lost Universe, now a Valde Bellum warfront. In 2400 AD, an age of galactic expansion and an Aetheric golden age for human advancement, a treacherous Imperator managed to sabotage the Shepherdess' hold on the Weirding Wall, leaving gaping holes in the defense of Creation. In the ensuing chaos, the Imperators and their nobles turned their attention to the Excrucian host gathering beyond the gap. Little did they know that they had fallen prey to a deceiver ruse. At the same time, the Excrucians were readying a pincer attack, with their mimics and strategists having established a foothold on Earth's universe. The Enlightened, at the time under great scrutiny due to the Shepherdess' apparent failure at maintaining the Weirding Wall, discovered the Excrucian plans and attempted to alert the Ymmerae. However, the Deceivers held the ears of the Ymmerae, and all the please of the Enlightened fell on deaf, suspicious, skeptical ears.

In a daring move, the Noble of Aether secretly used almost the entirety of his power of limitless potential to create an anomalous fold in existence, tearing 500 years of the universe apart, resetting the universe to before the Excrucian plan had even begun in 1900. He brought the new fold containing the lost 500 years and the excrucian plot up and tethered it to the gaping hole in the Weirding Wall, just in time to meet the incoming Excrucian Host. The excrucian invasion began, never once suspecting that they had walked into a pocket universe. For the Noble of Aether's apparent treachery, the Locust Court condemned him to death without a trial, dispatching the Enlightened, his own family, to prove their allegiance to the court by executing their own brother. It is said that Justice was the one to rip his shard out of his chest with her bare hands. It is said that the shard shattered. Some say Justice, in her grief and rage, shattered it herself. Some say it was Aether's final gift to the Lost Universe, and to the entirety of creation. The shard dust was dispersed and embedded itself across the entirety of the Lost Universe, enchancelling it, bestowing its beings with the blessings of Aetheric Power, immunizing them to the crippling effects of dementia animus and empowering them in their coming struggle against the Excrucian invaders. Aether was forever lost to Creation, but its shadow continues to live on within the beings of the Lost Universe. As long as the children of Aether stand and the light of Aether burns on within them, the Lost Universe will always resist the Excrucian host.

The Lost Universe has since been sealed away outside the Weirding Wall, doomed to forever be an Excrucian battleground, until the day the Excrucians trapped within consume the Lost Universe and realize Aether's trickery.

At the precise moment Aether's sacrifice enchancelled the Lost Universe, Hammond Qarn, Imperator of the Lost Universe, came into being. Having arisen from a universe so filled with the Shepherdess' own power, Hammond naturally became a Magister of the Enlightened. Furthermore, as the chancel was created using the Shepherdess' own soul shard, a fraction of the Shepherdess' own essence makes up the chancel's foundations. Thus for all intents and purposes the Enlightened can treat the Lost Universe as their own home chancel.

Few other nobles are privy to the secret of the Lost Universe's existence. Even fewer take up the fight to defend the Lost Universe in order to delay the full-scale invasion of Creation. The Nobles of Astelumina and Endeon were the first to pick up Aether's fallen banner and lead the battle against the Excrucian host and were also the first to fall.

'Now and Forever, till the hour I too stand between Impossibility and Despair!' - Phaeron Rof Alabar Trimeniel - Emperor of Aether

=== Notable Locations ===

'''L.U. Earth AD 2511'''

In AD 2400, Astelumina and Endeon managed to rid the entire earth of deceivers, strategists and mimics, making it one of the last few human settlements still untouched by the Excrucian Scourge. The war and Aether's blessing has accelerated technology to astronomical heights in the past 111 years, bringing humanity to a point where they can overwhelm excrucian shards and at the very least annoy full excrucians, if not kill them. Earth is now the capital of the Universal Aetheric Alliance (UAA), headquarters of the Excrucian resistance. Its coordinates are guarded to the death by the Children of Aether. Those who sally forth to meet the Excrucian Host do so without carrying Earth's coordinates, knowing full well that they may never return to their beloved home.

'''L.U. Heaven’s Feel'''

The current frontier of the Lost Universe Valde Bellum, Heaven’s Feel is perhaps the most beautiful extrasolar human colony. A large T3 terraformed planet orbiting the gas giant Astelumina 3, behind a dense spherical asteroid field and a radioactive veil around the sun Astelumina, it makes a naturally fortified world. Thanks to the scattering radiation and the dense blackhole just a few megaparsecs away at the center of the galaxy, the system and planet is nigh impossible to find at the best of times, at least for marauding excrucian raiding parties. The UAA uses Astelumina’s final gift, the gift of the stars, the ability to travel on aetheric currents guided by the stars, to travel safely in and out of the system.

When excrucians do find the planet, they are immediately drawn into its orbit by the interaction of the gravity wells of Heaven’s Feel’s many moons. They have no hope of escaping to notify the host of the planet’s location before they are drawn into intense battle by the Feelians.

The planet is ravaged by repeat invasions.

=== Familia of the Lost Universe ===

More or less an extended family of the Enlightened, the Familia of the Lost Universe are the sworn guardians of Aether's legacy.

'''Hammond Qarn - Imperator of the Lost Universe'''

Despite being an offshoot of the Shepherdess' power, Hammond Qarn is quite the opposite. He looks as human as they come. In fact, very, very much so, with his thick paternal beard, his twinkling eyes and his simple, honest expression, like a stern but compassionate father. Those who have the great honour of an audience with him are overcome with an overwhelming confidence and faith in humanity's potential and prowess. His being is shrouded in the stuff of legends. They say he single-handedly piloted an Alliance Battlecruiser straight into an Excrucian battlestation and escaped alive, unscathed. They say he personally lead the desperate charge that ended the siege of Harvest 4. They say he singlehandedly held the line at Point Hope against the entire advancing Excrucian host at the battle of Forge 3. They say a lot of things about Hammond Qarn, and when you meet him, sitting like a lighthouse exuding calm and confidence amidst the storm of war, in his simple, neatly-pressed uniform gleaming with but one badge denoting his allegiance to the Alliance, you feel naught but awe - that this man is the legend in the flesh.

'''Commander John Shepard - Power of Living Legends'''

'''Excel 7 - Commander of Super Soldiers'''

was responsible for the Halo series and partly responsible for the Metal Gear series, amongst other things.

'''Iris Erran - Chief Admiral of Spacecrafts'''

'''ALMa OmNI. - Supreme Administrator of Aetheric Technology'''

An A.I. born of the pinnacle of Aetheric supercomputers,

= Quests =

== Active Quests ==

=== Imperator Quests ===

'''Overdue'''

Started : 8th November 2011

The Shepherdess has requested that the Foreguards return 3 books she's borrowed for Shepherdess-knows-how-long now, for reasons that none can fathom. These books are:

1) 'Single Parenting for Idiots', to the Imperator of Shadows

2) 'The Amazing Justice and the Lovely Yaoi Doujin', to the Noble of Women's Beards

3) 'The Witchhunter's Codex' to a certain alchemist in Erebea.

She has asked you all to return them, ASAP.

Progress:

1) The Family has acquired the 3 books from the Principarium.

2) 1 week has passed since.

'''?????'''

Started : ?????

??????

Progress: n/a

=== Chancel Quests ===

=== Chivalry Quests ===

'''Rest in Peace'''

Started: 15th November 2011

One of Charles' Knights, Tristan, has just returned from Earth and has requested an urgent private audience. Wonder what it's about.

Progress:

1) Charles met Tristan, who seems to be rather fearful of someone, or something, though he's doing his best not to show it. Tristan presents Sir Jacob's cane and monocle to Charles, telling him that Sir Jacob disappeared after discovering that most of the Copenhagen chapter of knights have disappeared. It appears he noticed something was amiss after the disappearance of Sir William, who was out to investigate the disappearance of a local magical girl.

2) Charles decides to alert all the chapters throughout the world.

3) Charles proceeds to attempt directing chivalrous power into Sir Jacob's cane. It fights back, showing signs of deep corruption, before exploding rather violently.

4) Charles sends Sieghart with the destroyed monocle to Victor to study it further.

'''100,000's a Crowd!'''

Started: n/a

The Reinzuthen of Erebea have decided to dispatch a sacrifical gift of 100,000 girls from all around Erebea, mostly from all the nations they've conquered and annexed, to the old island of Altima, original home of the Nobles of Warriors, distant predecessors of Charles'. Apparently this is to welcome the prophesized return of the original Noble of Warriors and to attempt to acquire his favour with the hopes of having him assist the Reinzuthen make good their absolute conquest of Erebea. Obviously, the current delivery recipient is Charles....and this is NOT good. NOT good at all.

Progress: n/a

'''White Knight in Black Armour'''

Started: n/a

Alfred Goddard, ace attorney, E.U. Supreme Court prosecutor and prominent political figure, has sworn to cleanse Europe of all crime, especially major international crime rings. He has followed through with his oath. Half of all European prisons are full thanks to him. He is hailed as the 'White Knight', Europe's last hope. Needless to say, he's nowhere near as popular in the underworld. Many want him dead. He's currently attending the Copenhagen Treaty Talks as an expert on the Eco-crime panel. Chika, Emil's personal assassin, has helpfully let slip that she's refused a rather generous contract to assassinate Alfred Goddard during the talks. She's only one of many. Maybe you should look into this.

Progress: n/a

=== Determinism Quests ===

'''I Left My Hand in Copenhagen'''

Started : N/A

77 People have been found dead from unknown causes in Copenhagen. They were discovered missing their left hands and hanging upside down from trees.

Progress : n/a

'''Fly me to Europa'''

Started : N/A

The manned mission to Europa's missing for reasons as yet unknown.

Progress : n/a

'''Two Things Infinite'''

Started : 8th November 2011

The LHC has broken down once again after a few brief months of rather hiccupy function. This time, the cause is completely unknown. All the individual parts seem to be in working order, but the sum refuses to work. Sophia's not happy, not happy at all. She has personally requested that Emil look into this.

Progress:

1) Emil has taken a brief look around through Sophia's eyes. The LHC's spirit seems to have some blemishes....wonder what they are....

'''Tides of Fate'''

Started : n/a

The tides have stopped rising with the lunar cycles. As a result, the world's currents, fisheries and shoreline ecosystems have been gravely affected. This shouldn't even be physically possible!

Progress: n/a

=== Illumination Quests ===

'''Twinkle, Little Star'''

Started : 15th November 2011

As the world darkens, the light of the stars fade. Elune, little noble of stars, your sister, lies sick, alone in her high observatory, forgotten by the rest of the world. Now the weakening of the stars has started to affect the domain of Light too. Something must be done before yet another member of the Family succumbs to the war of attrition upon the Enlightened.

Progress:

1) Lyna, Emil and Alicia visited Elune in her observatory and found her ill.

2) They discovered that her observatory was severely corrupted by some malignant corruption that was trying to break into the chancel.

3) They sealed off the intrusion into the chancel but destroyed the observatory in the process. They managed to prevent the observatory from crashing catastrophically into the chancel.

4) They've brought the sick Elune to the Sapphire Palace and acquired the help of Regine to treat her.

5) Regine has asked the team to seek out the Noble of Shadows or anyone from the Familia of Shadows for a certain flower that only grows in Locus Shadows.

'''Who moved my Christmas?!'''

Christmas, the biggest celebration of lights and joy, isn't happening this year! This is unprecedented serious affair!

Started : 8th November 2011

Progress :

1) Alicia has asked the magical girls, knights, and others who've passed in and out of the chancel, for any information they might know about this. She's learned that it's a rather complex issue. It might be the economy, it might be the declining family values, could be anything.

'''When you peer into the Abyss...'''

Started : n/a

And the Creator said, 'Let there be Light', and there was light, and he saw that it was good. And He separated the dark from the light. Thus was the First Day.

It wasn't quite that simple.

When the light came to be, the dark too came to be as a result, and neither could tolerate the other. Thus the First War of Light and Dark began, pure and simple, with no preamble or prelude. They fought for Shepherdess-knows-how-long. Finally, the formation of the Covenant of the First Day, an agreement between the Light and the Dark to respect the other's estate, ended the war. How it came to be, however, is still a hotly debated topic. Some say the Dark won. Some say the Light won. Some say it was a draw. Some say there were other reasons. Who really knows?

An anniversary of the Covenant of the First Day is celebrated yearly now to uphold the ideals of peace and cooperation between Light and Dark. This year, it's Alicia's turn to host the festival. What could go wrong?

Progress : n/a

=== Magic Quests ===

'''Dude, Where's My Ship?!'''

Started : 8th Novemeber 2011

Following the disappearance of a wildcat Lignite mining crew in the Aescilian Mountains of Erebea, a pair of magical girls were dispatched on what was supposed to be a simple search-and-rescue mission. They report finding what looks like a ship and wisely request further assistance. The archaeological division arrived hours later, sealed the region, before preparing for further studies. They could not identify the ship's make or origins from the exterior, so they decide to enter through an entrance they found on the side. Contact with the entire squad was lost 6 hours into the mission, with the last transmission being 'Found someth-....So....beautiful....'. A second rescue mission was mounted, this time with a full STRIKER magical girl squadron. They found a deserted camp site and the open ship. They enter. Contact was lost 1.5 hours into the mission, with the last transmission being '...reached the last known location. Now....I-..I can't believe it....mission control...I can't begin to describe this....this is...so...so beau-.....'.

Progress:

1) Lyna has developed a new remote-viewing spell to peer into the site from a distance. Unfortunately, the first few attempts failed as she can't seem to view anything beyond the foot of the mountains.

'''My Struggle, My suffering, My Legacy'''

Started: n/a

The smoke of witch burning pyres rise high up into the skies above the magical realm of Erebea. The once all-powerful mages now run and hide before the onslaught of the Reinzhuthen, an order of genocidal purists who are in pursuit of the all-powerful dark mage, the dark lord Daran Reganz. The Reinzhuthen have taken up an all-or-nothing approach towards hunting Daran Reganz – wiping out every last mage on Neven. After successfully gathering the support of the people against the seemingly incompetent mage-led government and subsequently overthrowing them, the Reinzhuthen declared a world-wide ban of magical practices, declaring any practitioner an agent of Daran Reganz and an enemy of the state. In their crusade against magic, they've begun declaring the absolutism of their cause and the need for all nations of the world to unite under their banner to eliminate the magic scourge. To this end, they have begun invading and conquering any nation who refuses to join their Empire.

Progress: n/a

=== Intelligence Quests ===

'''So Long and Thanks for All the Fish'''

Dolphins are becoming quite popular...as food! The coastal town of Taiji, Japan, the largest operator of dolphin drive hunting in the world, is undertaking a massive campaign to popularize the consumption of dolphin meat following the opening of its Great Taiji Dolphin Slaughterhouse. They are marketing it as a health food that greatly boosts brain development and intelligence, particularly in children. Interestingly, they managed to show that the IQs of children raised in Taiji and the nearby village of Koazagawa, wherein the staple food is dolphin and whale meat, are significantly higher than not only the national average but also the international average, almost miraculously so. Quite a problem for the local dolphins, some of whom are Mana's own friends.

Incidentally, the global pandemic of the strange sleeping illness has a relatively high incidence in Japan, particularly in Taiji.

Started: n/a

Progress: n/a

== Completed Quests ==

= Correspondence =

== Family Correspondence ==

'Good morning, Masters and Mistresses. I hope the noise didn't keep you up last night. The Alchemists discovered a new flower known quite amusingly as the 'Boom Lily'. Thankfully they grew quieter as the night went by. Anyhow, here's today's selection of the world's headlines.' - Mira -

• Presidents of Chechnya, Bosnia and Ukraine die in mysterious circumstances.

• American invasion of Iran is meeting heavy resistance. The Iranians now threaten to unleash their nuclear arsenal if America does not cease and desist.

• A new illness is spreading. Cause unknown.

== Illumination's Correspondence==

'Young Miss, please do take some times to reads some of these, 'kay? Lymle's actually done her bests to sort them outs, 'kay!' - Lymle -

- You've been cordially invited to attend the Divali celebrations in India. - Various Nobles -

== Chivalry's Correspondence ==

'Aye, my liege, thou hath an abundant harvest of letters. Thy loyal steed hast made do with the more...delicious trivialties. *BURP*' - Sieghart -

== Determinism's Correspondence ==

'Hey, old man, check it out, you've got mail. Should I fetch your specs? Or maybe a magnifying glass? Or maybe my winding screw? All that sorting's wound down my springs...' - Leonie -

- There's insider information that the vast artificial island city under construction at the base of Orbital Elevator 02 in the Pacific has hit a dead end in its construction effort due to economical constraints. It will soon become a prized piece of real estate amongst the nobles once word gets out. - Penelope -

- Ne, Oyabun, some funny men want to kill that yaro Alfred Goddard. They offer real cash, up front, no questions. Too good a deal for me, so I tell them, leave. They probably go for my competitors. Tell your friend, ne. Ja. - Chika -

== Magic's Correspondence ==

'Young Mistress, it's time to read your correspondence for the day. Please sit down here. Yes, here. Now, back straight like a washboard, eyes forward like a dead fish, and elbows akimbo like a ballerina...yes, excellent, young mistress. Now, I present you my personal selection of today's letters.' - Flowerchild -

- We're short on new recruits for the Magical Girl Academy. Please do something about this. - Miranda, Headmaster of the Ruby Gardens Magical Girl Academy Division

== Intelligence's Correspondence ==

= The Enlightened Miracle Lexicon =

== Known Combo Miracles ==

'''Double Searing Starlight'''
Alicia's Searing Light + Lyna's Starlight Breaker

File:BerylEarth.png

2011-03-19T00:10:13Z

Mind-The-Gap:

File:Downtown.jpg

2011-03-18T14:08:35Z

Mind-The-Gap:

Nobilis Enlightened

2011-03-18T11:55:07Z

Mind-The-Gap: /* Imperator - The Shepherdess of Light */

[[Category:Nobilis]]

= Imperator - The Shepherdess of Light =

1. ‘Omneaum(a) became aware. In its awareness, it found loneliness. It saw potential, good, an impossibility.

2. Omneaum gave way to potential, and made the impossible possible. It was, things became.

3. Enlightenment arose, and so did I, Whole, Complete, bearing the Gifts of Aether (b), Light, Vaveram (c), Maricarum (d), Endeon (e), and Causality.

4. Omneaum’s legacy I shall honour and hold safe, now and forever, till the hour I too stand alone between Impossibility and Despair.’

- The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light, Imperator of Enlightenment -

(a) Omneaum: The Original Absolute Void

(b) Aether: Estate of 'Absolute Potential', the 'Impossible made Possible', the very basic element of creation from which all matter and life flowed. It was said to have been more abundant in space. (Now excruciated, succeeded in part by the estate of 'Magic')

(c)Vaveram: Estate of Spontaneous Sentience and Awareness (Now Excruciated. Never replaced.)

(d) Maricarum: Estate of Great Miracles through Personal Sacrifice (Now excruciated, succeeded by the estate of 'Magic' and 'Sacrifice')

(e)Endeon: Estate of the 'Lone Wolf Phenomenon', wherein those fighting against overwhelming odds are always guaranteed victory. Better known in our time as the 'Storm Trooper effect'. (Now excruciated)

[[File:Resonance-of-Fate-Game-3.jpg|200px|thumb|Deus Ex Machina]

Having predated the Imperators of 'Name', the Shepherdess is nameless and formless. Those who are fortunate enough to know her identify her as 'The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light', or, simply, 'The Shepherdess'. Having come into being before the birth of the concept of 'form' or even 'matter' and 'physical law', she is without form in the physical universe. She used to communicate with her agents in the physical universe through pulses of light and ripples in a fountain of light. Needless to say, a lot of liberty had been taken in deciphering her wishes. Recently, however, the Chief Engineer of the Sanctum, Orphus, has devised an ingenious megastructure, the Deus Ex Machina, a gigantic clockwork device that allows the Shepherdess to see into the physical realm and engage with it using a gigantic, rather clumsy steel claw and communicate using a ticker-tape telegram machine.

(Interestingly, having also preceded the Imperator of Gender, she is, or, at least, was, in essence, genderless. However, around 300 B.C. she became a part of debate amongst philosophers as an example of a being who must be 'of the default gender'. For some reason it was decided that the default gender was female, and so the Shepherdess has since been considered to be of the female persuasion. Not that she really cares. It is suspected that the Noble of Women had something to do with this, but that's a tale for another time.)

Prophesized successor of Ananda and future Shepherdess of the Fifth Age, the Glorious One has purposely been denied a seat on the Council of Four, for her ways are that of the ‘Enlightened’, incompatible with the ways of the other council-members. She earns Lord Entropy and Ananda’s tolerance for her existence only through her service in the Valde Bellum and her Light’s importance in maintaining the Weirding Wall, a task that consumes almost the entirety of her attention and being (much to Lord Entropy’s and Ananda’s satisfaction).

The Heavens despise her, for an Angel of Creation she is not, and yet she brought forth the first Light that made everything that was Beautiful possible. Only the fact that her Light is necessary for beauty and this fact alone earns her the toleration of Heaven. The Wild would have nothing to do with her, for there is no freedom in sacrifice.The Hells, the Darkness and the Light all loath her, for not only is she the voice of wisdom that transcends not just the Corruption that the Hells endeavour towards, but she is also the voice that moves all beings towards becoming more than the matter they are made from, transcending what they are, pushing them ever onwards towards a greater purpose not only in life but also in death. Those who follow her code wish for naught else but the glory of dying for a greater good.

It is unclear what her true nature or form is. Nobody seems to remember when she came to be, or how for that matter. Some suspect she is one of the Heavenly legion, an Angel, but not only do the Heavens and its angelic denizens despise her at the best of times, her ways are most definitely not that of Heaven. Some surmise that she is a fallen Angel, but the cause of Hell she does not serve. It is highly possible that she is a True God, but all of creation knows they did not appear until long after the Angels had begun the Great Work. Recently, when passings of the Transcendants were properly documented in AP 4732, it was surmised that she is perhaps a Transcendant who somehow chose to settle upon the World Ash, perhaps one of the Charitable. Said document is Creation's closest description of the Shepherdess' nature, her gifts being her Estates and her Law.

=='''Vow of the Enlightened'''==

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this.

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this. - One thing leads to another. And at the end of all things is an ‘end’.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this. - Every good act must be good of purpose and good of result. This clause seems to fail to (most probably purposely) mention anything regarding the means. Taking the most liberal interpretation, a ‘Noble deed’ can have means as lacking in morals as a psychotic mass murderer, and yet still be considered ‘Noble’ in the eyes of the ‘Enlightened’. What matters is the cause, the intention and the ends. Everything in between matters naught.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this. - The ultimate sacrifice can conquer anything, even the impossible. This is the one true ‘Miracle’, Magic at its purest, one that allows the Enlightened to surpass his/her own end and achieve greatness through sacrifice. The Shepherdess safeguards the cause of all who sacrifice themselves for a greater purpose, guaranteeing them the miraculous magic of success.

==Details==

'''Estates''': Light, Determinism, Magic, Chivalry, Intelligence, Honour, Loyalty, Courage, Hope, Justice, Karma, Logic, Alchemy, Sacrifice, Curiosity, Sun, Moon, Stars

'''Excruciated Estates''': Aether, Vaveram, Maricarum, Endeon, Astelumina

'''Dynasty Points :''' 8

'''Qualities:'''

Great Harvest (2)

Cold (-1)

Demanding (-1)

----

= The Famiglia of the Enlightened =

The Famiglia of the Enlightened ''were'' a highly respected and influential group about 4-5 centuries before, their power extending from the very birth of creation. However, in a highly unorthodox move around the 4002 A.P., the Council ordered the Shepherdess to provide additional support in the Valde Bellum proper, above and beyond her maintenance of the Weirding Wall. Seeing as the Wall already consumed most if not all her power and attention, she was forced to mobilize members of her Famiglia, something quite unprecedented. The Nobles of Maricarum, Aether and Endeon were the first to volunteer for the great undertaking, having attained near-Imperator-level powers at the time. A few centuries later, Vaveram, Astelumina, Chivalry, Courage and Alchemy too joined their brother and sisters in the direct defense of creation. They held the line for a good few centuries, seeing a slow but definite turnover in nobles. That was until, for reasons still unknown, Maricarum, Aether, Endeon, Vaveram and Astelumina were excruciated one by one. The last to fall were Endeon and Astelumina in 4895 AP, at the same time 500 years of Human History was erased.

With no time to mourn, the Famiglia of the Enlightened were forced to mobilize more members of their famiglia to the front lines. The following few years saw more of their Nobles killed, though thankfully not excruciated.

Now with few remaining senior members, the famiglia struggles to stay on its feet with the large influx of new family members. Will they be able to live up to their predecessors? Will they be able to return the family to its former glory and take it to new heights? Or will this be the end of the Enlightened? That is up to the new Famiglia.

== PC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Foreguard of the Enlightened''

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Alicia_Valka '''Alicia - Principissa of Illumination''']

The 21st Principissa Of Illumination.

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Emil '''Emil - Power of Determinism''']

The 13th Power of Determinism

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Charles_Earl_Of_Huntington'''Charles - Lord of Chivalry''']

The 77th Lord of Chivalry

'''Lyna - Regina of Magic'''

The 66th Regina of Magic

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Mana_Kishimura '''Mana - Exemplar of Intelligence (And Dolphins)''']

The 17th Noble of Intelligence and 2nd Noble of Dolphins.

== NPC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Vanguard of the Enlightened''

'''Regine - Inquesta of Loyalty'''

'''Jessie - Tempesta of Courage (Sort of veering towards Impetuous Juvenile Recklessness)'''

'''Illumina - AllMother of Alchemy'''

Novice Alchemist extraordinaire and (rather unwilling) Commander of the Alchemist Flameheart Squad, Illumina is yet another recent addition to the Famiglia. She's currently worried about the sorry state of her estate (mostly usurped by Chemistry and now reduced to nothing more than a fantasy fiction gimmick) and a missing prominent Alchemist amongst other things....but mainly by the prospect of responsibility in general.

She is widely known, even outside Alchemist circles, as 'Big Bang Lum'.

'''Elune - Principissa of the Stars'''

While relatively senior in the Famiglia of the Enlightened (by simple virtue of everyone else being very recent additions), that's as far as her seniority goes. In every other respect, she is mostly helpless, though the more understanding dismiss this as a reflection of her estate - stars aren't known to be do much other than be pretty, especially lately with modern technology supplanting the need for stellar navigation or calendar-keeping. It used to be so much different when her sister, the Noble of Astelumina, the power of stellar influence upon the workings of the universe and lives on earth, was still around. Now as the stars fade and people forget the stars, Elune lies ill, slowly fading herself.

''The Diplomatic Corp (Intelligence) of the Enlightened''

'''Rang Fan - Excelifficer of Logic'''

Born a humble villager in a Tibetan highland settlement, Rang Fan grew up completely illiterate. She was, however, a keen observer and deep thinker. She developed her own concise and strict principles of logic, one that often found fault in the traditionalist views of the people she lived amongst. Some saw her as a source of wisdom, some saw her as a demon-possessed child.

She became the favourite anchor of the previous Noble of Logic for a while. During this time, her mastery of logic developed brilliantly. Unfortunately, she came afoul of a Chinese official when she publicly defeated him in a debate regarding the accusation of rebellion on the part of the village.

'''Geronimo - High Chief of Sacrifice'''

'''Han Gua - Exarch of Honour'''

'''Jimmy - Arch-Provost of Curiosity'''

''The Unassigned of the Enlightened''

'''Justice(?) - Empress of Justice'''

Not much is known about Justice, the 1st Noble of Justice. She is the eldest of the current Famiglia, though in the time of the original Famiglia, she was the youngest. She is the last surviving member of the original Famiglia of the Enlightened. It is rumoured that she was an Angel before she joined the Enlightened, though whether or not this is true is unknown. Her real name is unknown. Nobody has seen her in a long, long while. The only members of the current famiglia who have seen her are Han Gua and Elune.

Currently absent. Whereabouts unknown.

'''Vie - Noble of Hope'''

A rather mysterious member of the famiglia, she wonders in and out of the chancel rather randomly. Nobody seems to remember when she joined the Family. In fact, some are surprised to hear that there IS a noble of Hope in the Family. She doesn't seem to have a permanent home in the chancel. She's known (at least to those few who know her) to wander about, never staying in one place for long. She is apparently summonable, but rumours have it that she's apparently rather useless.

There are strange rumours that she follows the code of the Dark, or even Hell. Why would Hope do that?

'''Thomas Eire - Keeper of Karma'''

'''Kaguya - Himegami of the Moon'''

Tsukishiro no Kaguya-hime is perhaps the second eldest of the Famiglia, though she takes great care not to let anyone know that. She is the second Noble of the Moon. There are rumours that she was behind the Apollo 13 failure. When asked about it, she would give you a disdainful look and walk away. Then again, she'd do that no matter what you tried to bring up with her.

Currently very, very vain.

'''Kimo - the Emperor of the Sun'''

= Chancel - Locus Enlightenment, Sanctum Excelestia =

[http://img248.imageshack.us/i/sanctumexcelestia.jpg HG's Impression 1]

'''Qualities'''

Megalomaniac King/Queen (-4)

Normal Magic (3)

Alchemy (1)

2 Banes (-1)

Convenient Gates (2)

Anchorable Magical residents (4)

==Government==

The Sanctum is under the absolute Executive rule of the Emperor who answers only to the Shepherdess. Judicial Rule is under the Absolute Court headed by the Shepherdess and the Supreme Court headed by the Noble of Justice and her Circle of Justiciaries. Legislative and administrative rule is divided amongst the 4 major domains under the 4 queens:

'''Alicia - High Queen of the Diamond Tower.'''

Technically, having inherited the title of 'High Queen' from her predecessor, Alicia commands the Council of Four Queens and the Round Table of Dominums. However, as she has only recently joined the Famiglia, responsibility over the Council of Four Queens has fallen on the reluctant shoulders of Elune while the Round Table of Dominums is overseen by Han Gua.

'''Lyna - Queen of the Ruby Gardens.'''

The Ruby Gardens refers to the entirety of the Arcane Arts Academy Complex within the Outer Circle where the majority of mages of Excelestia train and live. However, to most of the citizens, the 'Ruby Gardens' itself refers to the seat of government, the Ruby Palace, a magnificent rose-shaped palace of crystal grown from the very essence of the Chancel itself in the middle of the Ruby Gardens.

'''Elune - Queen of the Sapphire Sky.'''

The Sapphire Sky refers to the entirety of the sky in between the floating structures of the Sanctum. While Elune governs no real land, she controls all traffic in the airspace around the Sanctum. Her official seat of government is the Sapphire Palace, a beautiful crystalline Sapphire star floating high up within the Inner Circle, though she is rarely ever there. She usually lives in her observatory on a lonely island high above the Sanctum.

'''Jessie - Queen of the Emerald Fields.'''

The Emerald Fields refer to most of the land floating in the Ciellan Expanse, the sky beyond the Outer Wall. The Emerald Fields house a good portion of the Sanctum's agricultural and mining settlements. Her seat of government is the Emerald Palace, a beautiful viridian structure of moss-covered wood and succulent, fresh folliage that grow and thrive all year round, coiled around a giant magnificent Emerald of a green deeper than the land that surrounds it.

== Homes and Households ==

[[File:E660087c66284323f8686e5d5bbed09ee9cee1ba.jpg#filelinks|200px|thumb|The Quartz Workshop]]

'''The Diamond Palace - ?????'''

Home of Alicia.

Personal Assistant : Lymle

'''The Ruby Palace - ????'''

Home of Lyna.

Personal Assistant : Flowerchild

'''The Garnet Fortress - ????'''

Home of Charles.

Personal Assistant : Sieghart

'''The Quartz Workshop - ????'''

Home of Emil.

Personal Assistant : Leonie

'''Aquamarine Depths - The Great but Rather Wet Library, Rapture'''

Home of Mana.

Personal Assistant : Sango(?)

== Noteworthy Locations ==

'''The Amethyst Shores'''

Governed officially by Illumina, provisionally by the Arch-Artificer of the Great Guild of Alchemists. The Amethyst Shores are a group of closely-packed islands within the Outer Circle where the majority of the Alchemists of Excelestia live. While alchemists can be found just about anywhere, the Amethysts Shores are really the only place where they can make things explode to their hearts content without causing tempers to explode all around them. Alchemists can also be found en masse at the Ruby Gardens.

'''The Garnet Fortress'''

Governed mainly by Charles, the Garnet Fortress encompasses the Inner and Outer Walls of the Sanctum and the bastion of the Knights.

'''The Beryl Earth'''

Governed mainly by Regine, the

'''The Quartz Workshop'''

A watch-mender's workshop somewhere within the Diamond Tower, Emil's home and favourite haunt.

'''Chez Charles'''

==Security==

The city has a number of defense corps organized to different degrees by a number of Nobles.

'''The Chivalrous Gentlemanly TownWatch'''

'''The Magical Avengers of Love and Peace, Magical Taskforce Ruby Gardenia'''

Organized by the 5th Noble of Magic, a rather...odd Master of Magic who believed that wearing frilly clothing is a form of sacrifice to society and preached that magical power is exponentially proportional to the frilliness of one's clothing. Now maintained by the 7th Noble of Magic, Lyna, who keeps up most of the traditions of the 5th.

'''The Upholders of Equivalent Exchange, the Eternally Passionate Flameheart Alchemists (EPFA)'''

Organized by the previous Noble of Alchemy, a rather fluffy and passionate Lady Alchemist, and maintained by the recently appointed Noble, Illumina, the EPFA are at best socially-involved nerds, at worst really, really messy vigilantes (unfortunately, more often the latter). They mainly keep the domain of the Alchemists, the Amethyst Shores, as well as their portion of the Ruby Gardens, safe...for a given value of 'safe'.

'''The Infallibly Just Circle of Justiciers'''

'''The Eternally Loyal Shieldmaidens of [Insert Place Name Here]'''

Organized by the current Noble of Loyalty,

'''The Ever-Watchful Lantern Kindlers and Lamp Bearers of the Stars'''

'''The Righteous Karmic-Retributioneer Monks of Karma'''

'''The LoreKeepers and Agents of Literary Vengeance, the Combat Librarians'''

== Groups ==

Besides the defense forces of the Chancel, the Sanctum also harbours a number of groups.

'''The Enclave of Emerald Alchemists'''
Also known as the 'Emerald Artisans', this society of Alchemists was founded by the 7th Noble of Light, TanetNephthys, and the 1st Noble of Alchemy, Armagustine Trimegistus, after the passing of the third Noble of Maricarum, Hermes Trimegistus, founder of the Emerald Arts.

In a major nettle rite wrought by the 2nd Noble of Botany, Ephistopheles, against the Noble of Alchemy, in a daring move to split the art into two major paths forever, the Enclave was splintered in two - The Cleave fo Botanists and the Enclave of Emerald Artisans. The Botanists left the Sanctum, carrying with them the entirety of botanic knowledge. The Alchemists, however, managed to keep the Principa Alchimia safe and prevented the botanists from acquiring an absolute monopoly over the Emerald Arts. The two now jealously guard their arts, for if one were to acquire the arts of the other, they would become unstoppable.

The botanists are known to pass through the Chancel to deal with the Emerald Artisans.

== Laws ==

The Chancel operates on general principles of Justice commonly found in any other society where concepts of Law and Justice exist. It has a few notable exceptions such as:

- Any deed with noble ends are exempt from law's scrutiny upon its means. This means even the most foul of deeds is considered lawfully just as long as its ends are noble. It comes with a very, very important caveat - the good of the outcome must far exceed the evil committed. This is particularly difficult to achieve with murder, as murder, the theft of the sanctity of one's life, is the basest, most evil of crimes that even the earth itself abhors.

-

N.B. The Chancel operates on the Code Napoleon, that the suspect is guilty until proven otherwise, as Lady Justice willed it to be in the prosaic realm.

== Notable Individuals ==

=== Foreguard Support Staff ===

'''Mira'''

A young maid dedicated to serving the Foreguard.

'''Captain Captain Captain'''

Captain of the Foreguard Airship Excellion, a tall, lanky, yet muscular man with a full bushy beard and a true sailor's heart.

'''Orville'''

Chief Requisitions Officer for the Foreguard. His task is mainly acquiring equipment and supplies for the Foreguard's away-missions, though he's also an expert at acquiring just about anything the Foreguard needs.

=== Other Individuals ===

'''Orphus Denilzante'''
Chief Magitech Engineer of the Sanctum and designer of the Deus Ex Machina.

'''Reno Orfayne'''
Owner of Reno's Empirio, the one-stop fashion designer for Nobles, known to be second only to his Master, Enzel Haulor of 7th Avenue and 91st Street NY.

'''Sammy Westine'''
Proprietor and Chief Engineer of Westine Airships, Sammy is the young brilliant mind behind this generation's latest magitech airships. Having mastered Alchemy, Magic and Magitech at a young age, she went on to implement her excellent knowledge in airship design and construction. Her airships are used not just within the Sanctum but all over Creation. While she does produce combat-ready airships, she only produces them as personal favours for Nobles she trusts. These make proud flagships in any war fleet. It is rumoured that she is working with Aeril Jotunstrom, Noble of Ships, from Locus Atlantis, on warships capable of sailing the world beyond creation and taking part directly on the frontlines of the Valde Bellum.

'''Mac'''

LightHouse Chief Engineer and GateKeeper who maintains the Lighthouse and manages the chancel's gates.

'''Victor'''

= Mythic Realm =

== Chancels Known ==
''From the Primer on Loci Celatum, by Holly Djurisic''
What follows are descriptions of chancels considered widely known and to be no secret to those versed in the ways of the Mythic. Everyone knows them as a matter of common sense.

'''Locus Amarant'''

The Great Market, the Gardens of Lady Profit, Amarant is perhaps one of the few chancels that has no doors, and, even if it did, they would be wide open to welcome one and all. After all, even your worst enemy is a potential customer. Any invader would quickly find themselves besieged by peddlers of weaponry, trust and treachery, even the very spoils they are after. Everything the discerning Noble might need is available here...for the right price. The preferred currency are fleurs, but the locals have been known to trade with other things such as miracles and pacts. Some nobles come here not just to buy but also to sell. If you want or need it, Locus Amarant will sell it, or if not, then at least it will sell you the expertise of someone who CAN get it. Needless to say, the cammorae are all over Amarant.

It is well-known that even Excrucians frequent Amarant, and they know full well never to destroy Amarant....at least not until their victory is assured, for Amarant will be more than happy to sell them the means to that victory, or maybe even that victory itself....for the right price. Why destroy something so blatantly useful?

Chancel of Lady Profit, Immiae Arathy, and the Nobles of Trade, Currency, Negotiation, Supermarket Loyalty Cards, and Cookies. Yes, Cookies.

= Prosaic Realm =

== Earth ==

=== Noteworthy Individuals===

== Erebea ==

A once beautiful world, a geographic wonder of continents hanging high up in the pristine skies, flooded with raw magic reminiscent of Earth about a millennium ago. It is very closely linked to earth, to the point where a good few locations on both worlds overlap, allowing easy passage from one to the other should one be lucky (or unlucky) enough to stumble upon these places of power. They are so closely linked together in fact that the two worlds share more or less the same Imperators and Nobles. Some even surmise that Erebea is a divergent Earth on a parallel timeline.

Sanctum Excelestia was once the capital of this world, until it disappeared a few millennia ago.

== Lost Universe AD 2511 ==

The Lost Universe, now a Valde Bellum warfront. In 2400 AD, an age of galactic expansion and an Aetheric golden age for human advancement, a treacherous Imperator managed to sabotage the Shepherdess' hold on the Weirding Wall, leaving gaping holes in the defense of Creation. In the ensuing chaos, the Imperators and their nobles turned their attention to the Excrucian host gathering beyond the gap. Little did they know that they had fallen prey to a deceiver ruse. At the same time, the Excrucians were readying a pincer attack, with their mimics and strategists having established a foothold on Earth's universe. The Enlightened, at the time under great scrutiny due to the Shepherdess' apparent failure at maintaining the Weirding Wall, discovered the Excrucian plans and attempted to alert the Ymmerae. However, the Deceivers held the ears of the Ymmerae, and all the please of the Enlightened fell on deaf, suspicious, skeptical ears.

In a daring move, the Noble of Aether secretly used almost the entirety of his power of limitless potential to create an anomalous fold in existence, tearing 500 years of the universe apart, resetting the universe to before the Excrucian plan had even begun in 1900. He brought the new fold containing the lost 500 years and the excrucian plot up and tethered it to the gaping hole in the Weirding Wall, just in time to meet the incoming Excrucian Host. The excrucian invasion began, never once suspecting that they had walked into a pocket universe. For the Noble of Aether's apparent treachery, the Locust Court condemned him to death without a trial, dispatching the Enlightened, his own family, to prove their allegiance to the court by executing their own brother. It is said that Justice was the one to rip his shard out of his chest with her bare hands. It is said that the shard shattered. Some say Justice, in her grief and rage, shattered it herself. Some say it was Aether's final gift to the Lost Universe, and to the entirety of creation. The shard dust was dispersed and embedded itself across the entirety of the Lost Universe, enchancelling it, bestowing its beings with the blessings of Aetheric Power, immunizing them to the crippling effects of dementia animus and empowering them in their coming struggle against the Excrucian invaders. Aether was forever lost to Creation, but its shadow continues to live on within the beings of the Lost Universe. As long as the children of Aether stand and the light of Aether burns on within them, the Lost Universe will always resist the Excrucian host.

The Lost Universe has since been sealed away outside the Weirding Wall, doomed to forever be an Excrucian battleground, until the day the Excrucians trapped within consume the Lost Universe and realize Aether's trickery.

At the precise moment Aether's sacrifice enchancelled the Lost Universe, Hammond Qarn, Imperator of the Lost Universe, came into being. Having arisen from a universe so filled with the Shepherdess' own power, Hammond naturally became a Magister of the Enlightened. Furthermore, as the chancel was created using the Shepherdess' own soul shard, a fraction of the Shepherdess' own essence makes up the chancel's foundations. Thus for all intents and purposes the Enlightened can treat the Lost Universe as their own home chancel.

Few other nobles are privy to the secret of the Lost Universe's existence. Even fewer take up the fight to defend the Lost Universe in order to delay the full-scale invasion of Creation. The Nobles of Astelumina and Endeon were the first to pick up Aether's fallen banner and lead the battle against the Excrucian host and were also the first to fall.

'Now and Forever, till the hour I too stand between Impossibility and Despair!' - Phaeron Rof Alabar Trimeniel - Emperor of Aether

=== Notable Locations ===

'''L.U. Earth AD 2511'''

In AD 2400, Astelumina and Endeon managed to rid the entire earth of deceivers, strategists and mimics, making it one of the last few human settlements still untouched by the Excrucian Scourge. The war and Aether's blessing has accelerated technology to astronomical heights in the past 111 years, bringing humanity to a point where they can overwhelm excrucian shards and at the very least annoy full excrucians, if not kill them. Earth is now the capital of the Universal Aetheric Alliance (UAA), headquarters of the Excrucian resistance. Its coordinates are guarded to the death by the Children of Aether. Those who sally forth to meet the Excrucian Host do so without carrying Earth's coordinates, knowing full well that they may never return to their beloved home.

'''L.U. Heaven’s Feel'''

The current frontier of the Lost Universe Valde Bellum, Heaven’s Feel is perhaps the most beautiful extrasolar human colony. A large T3 terraformed planet orbiting the gas giant Astelumina 3, behind a dense spherical asteroid field and a radioactive veil around the sun Astelumina, it makes a naturally fortified world. Thanks to the scattering radiation and the dense blackhole just a few megaparsecs away at the center of the galaxy, the system and planet is nigh impossible to find at the best of times, at least for marauding excrucian raiding parties. The UAA uses Astelumina’s final gift, the gift of the stars, the ability to travel on aetheric currents guided by the stars, to travel safely in and out of the system.

When excrucians do find the planet, they are immediately drawn into its orbit by the interaction of the gravity wells of Heaven’s Feel’s many moons. They have no hope of escaping to notify the host of the planet’s location before they are drawn into intense battle by the Feelians.

The planet is ravaged by repeat invasions.

=== Familia of the Lost Universe ===

More or less an extended family of the Enlightened, the Familia of the Lost Universe are the sworn guardians of Aether's legacy.

'''Hammond Qarn - Imperator of the Lost Universe'''

Despite being an offshoot of the Shepherdess' power, Hammond Qarn is quite the opposite. He looks as human as they come. In fact, very, very much so, with his thick paternal beard, his twinkling eyes and his simple, honest expression, like a stern but compassionate father. Those who have the great honour of an audience with him are overcome with an overwhelming confidence and faith in humanity's potential and prowess. His being is shrouded in the stuff of legends. They say he single-handedly piloted an Alliance Battlecruiser straight into an Excrucian battlestation and escaped alive, unscathed. They say he personally lead the desperate charge that ended the siege of Harvest 4. They say he singlehandedly held the line at Point Hope against the entire advancing Excrucian host at the battle of Forge 3. They say a lot of things about Hammond Qarn, and when you meet him, sitting like a lighthouse exuding calm and confidence amidst the storm of war, in his simple, neatly-pressed uniform gleaming with but one badge denoting his allegiance to the Alliance, you feel naught but awe - that this man is the legend in the flesh.

'''Commander John Shepard - Power of Living Legends'''

'''Excel 7 - Commander of Super Soldiers'''

was responsible for the Halo series and partly responsible for the Metal Gear series, amongst other things.

'''Iris Erran - Chief Admiral of Spacecrafts'''

'''ALMa OmNI. - Supreme Administrator of Aetheric Technology'''

An A.I. born of the pinnacle of Aetheric supercomputers,

= Quests =

== Active Quests ==

=== Imperator Quests ===

'''Overdue'''

Started : 8th November 2011

The Shepherdess has requested that the Foreguards return 3 books she's borrowed for Shepherdess-knows-how-long now, for reasons that none can fathom. These books are:

1) 'Single Parenting for Idiots', to the Imperator of Shadows

2) 'The Amazing Justice and the Lovely Yaoi Doujin', to the Noble of Women's Beards

3) 'The Witchhunter's Codex' to a certain alchemist in Erebea.

She has asked you all to return them, ASAP.

Progress:

1) The Family has acquired the 3 books from the Principarium.

2) 1 week has passed since.

'''?????'''

Started : ?????

??????

Progress: n/a

=== Chancel Quests ===

=== Chivalry Quests ===

'''Rest in Peace'''

Started: 15th November 2011

One of Charles' Knights, Tristan, has just returned from Earth and has requested an urgent private audience. Wonder what it's about.

Progress:

1) Charles met Tristan, who seems to be rather fearful of someone, or something, though he's doing his best not to show it. Tristan presents Sir Jacob's cane and monocle to Charles, telling him that Sir Jacob disappeared after discovering that most of the Copenhagen chapter of knights have disappeared. It appears he noticed something was amiss after the disappearance of Sir William, who was out to investigate the disappearance of a local magical girl.

2) Charles decides to alert all the chapters throughout the world.

3) Charles proceeds to attempt directing chivalrous power into Sir Jacob's cane. It fights back, showing signs of deep corruption, before exploding rather violently.

4) Charles sends Sieghart with the destroyed monocle to Victor to study it further.

'''100,000's a Crowd!'''

Started: n/a

The Reinzuthen of Erebea have decided to dispatch a sacrifical gift of 100,000 girls from all around Erebea, mostly from all the nations they've conquered and annexed, to the old island of Altima, original home of the Nobles of Warriors, distant predecessors of Charles'. Apparently this is to welcome the prophesized return of the original Noble of Warriors and to attempt to acquire his favour with the hopes of having him assist the Reinzuthen make good their absolute conquest of Erebea. Obviously, the current delivery recipient is Charles....and this is NOT good. NOT good at all.

Progress: n/a

'''White Knight in Black Armour'''

Started: n/a

Alfred Goddard, ace attorney, E.U. Supreme Court prosecutor and prominent political figure, has sworn to cleanse Europe of all crime, especially major international crime rings. He has followed through with his oath. Half of all European prisons are full thanks to him. He is hailed as the 'White Knight', Europe's last hope. Needless to say, he's nowhere near as popular in the underworld. Many want him dead. He's currently attending the Copenhagen Treaty Talks as an expert on the Eco-crime panel. Chika, Emil's personal assassin, has helpfully let slip that she's refused a rather generous contract to assassinate Alfred Goddard during the talks. She's only one of many. Maybe you should look into this.

Progress: n/a

=== Determinism Quests ===

'''I Left My Hand in Copenhagen'''

Started : N/A

77 People have been found dead from unknown causes in Copenhagen. They were discovered missing their left hands and hanging upside down from trees.

Progress : n/a

'''Fly me to Europa'''

Started : N/A

The manned mission to Europa's missing for reasons as yet unknown.

Progress : n/a

'''Two Things Infinite'''

Started : 8th November 2011

The LHC has broken down once again after a few brief months of rather hiccupy function. This time, the cause is completely unknown. All the individual parts seem to be in working order, but the sum refuses to work. Sophia's not happy, not happy at all. She has personally requested that Emil look into this.

Progress:

1) Emil has taken a brief look around through Sophia's eyes. The LHC's spirit seems to have some blemishes....wonder what they are....

'''Tides of Fate'''

Started : n/a

The tides have stopped rising with the lunar cycles. As a result, the world's currents, fisheries and shoreline ecosystems have been gravely affected. This shouldn't even be physically possible!

Progress: n/a

=== Illumination Quests ===

'''Twinkle, Little Star'''

Started : 15th November 2011

As the world darkens, the light of the stars fade. Elune, little noble of stars, your sister, lies sick, alone in her high observatory, forgotten by the rest of the world. Now the weakening of the stars has started to affect the domain of Light too. Something must be done before yet another member of the Family succumbs to the war of attrition upon the Enlightened.

Progress:

1) Lyna, Emil and Alicia visited Elune in her observatory and found her ill.

2) They discovered that her observatory was severely corrupted by some malignant corruption that was trying to break into the chancel.

3) They sealed off the intrusion into the chancel but destroyed the observatory in the process. They managed to prevent the observatory from crashing catastrophically into the chancel.

4) They've brought the sick Elune to the Sapphire Palace and acquired the help of Regine to treat her.

5) Regine has asked the team to seek out the Noble of Shadows or anyone from the Familia of Shadows for a certain flower that only grows in Locus Shadows.

'''Who moved my Christmas?!'''

Christmas, the biggest celebration of lights and joy, isn't happening this year! This is unprecedented serious affair!

Started : 8th November 2011

Progress :

1) Alicia has asked the magical girls, knights, and others who've passed in and out of the chancel, for any information they might know about this. She's learned that it's a rather complex issue. It might be the economy, it might be the declining family values, could be anything.

'''When you peer into the Abyss...'''

Started : n/a

And the Creator said, 'Let there be Light', and there was light, and he saw that it was good. And He separated the dark from the light. Thus was the First Day.

It wasn't quite that simple.

When the light came to be, the dark too came to be as a result, and neither could tolerate the other. Thus the First War of Light and Dark began, pure and simple, with no preamble or prelude. They fought for Shepherdess-knows-how-long. Finally, the formation of the Covenant of the First Day, an agreement between the Light and the Dark to respect the other's estate, ended the war. How it came to be, however, is still a hotly debated topic. Some say the Dark won. Some say the Light won. Some say it was a draw. Some say there were other reasons. Who really knows?

An anniversary of the Covenant of the First Day is celebrated yearly now to uphold the ideals of peace and cooperation between Light and Dark. This year, it's Alicia's turn to host the festival. What could go wrong?

Progress : n/a

=== Magic Quests ===

'''Dude, Where's My Ship?!'''

Started : 8th Novemeber 2011

Following the disappearance of a wildcat Lignite mining crew in the Aescilian Mountains of Erebea, a pair of magical girls were dispatched on what was supposed to be a simple search-and-rescue mission. They report finding what looks like a ship and wisely request further assistance. The archaeological division arrived hours later, sealed the region, before preparing for further studies. They could not identify the ship's make or origins from the exterior, so they decide to enter through an entrance they found on the side. Contact with the entire squad was lost 6 hours into the mission, with the last transmission being 'Found someth-....So....beautiful....'. A second rescue mission was mounted, this time with a full STRIKER magical girl squadron. They found a deserted camp site and the open ship. They enter. Contact was lost 1.5 hours into the mission, with the last transmission being '...reached the last known location. Now....I-..I can't believe it....mission control...I can't begin to describe this....this is...so...so beau-.....'.

Progress:

1) Lyna has developed a new remote-viewing spell to peer into the site from a distance. Unfortunately, the first few attempts failed as she can't seem to view anything beyond the foot of the mountains.

'''My Struggle, My suffering, My Legacy'''

Started: n/a

The smoke of witch burning pyres rise high up into the skies above the magical realm of Erebea. The once all-powerful mages now run and hide before the onslaught of the Reinzhuthen, an order of genocidal purists who are in pursuit of the all-powerful dark mage, the dark lord Daran Reganz. The Reinzhuthen have taken up an all-or-nothing approach towards hunting Daran Reganz – wiping out every last mage on Neven. After successfully gathering the support of the people against the seemingly incompetent mage-led government and subsequently overthrowing them, the Reinzhuthen declared a world-wide ban of magical practices, declaring any practitioner an agent of Daran Reganz and an enemy of the state. In their crusade against magic, they've begun declaring the absolutism of their cause and the need for all nations of the world to unite under their banner to eliminate the magic scourge. To this end, they have begun invading and conquering any nation who refuses to join their Empire.

Progress: n/a

=== Intelligence Quests ===

'''So Long and Thanks for All the Fish'''

Dolphins are becoming quite popular...as food! The coastal town of Taiji, Japan, the largest operator of dolphin drive hunting in the world, is undertaking a massive campaign to popularize the consumption of dolphin meat following the opening of its Great Taiji Dolphin Slaughterhouse. They are marketing it as a health food that greatly boosts brain development and intelligence, particularly in children. Interestingly, they managed to show that the IQs of children raised in Taiji and the nearby village of Koazagawa, wherein the staple food is dolphin and whale meat, are significantly higher than not only the national average but also the international average, almost miraculously so. Quite a problem for the local dolphins, some of whom are Mana's own friends.

Incidentally, the global pandemic of the strange sleeping illness has a relatively high incidence in Japan, particularly in Taiji.

Started: n/a

Progress: n/a

== Completed Quests ==

= Correspondence =

== Family Correspondence ==

'Good morning, Masters and Mistresses. I hope the noise didn't keep you up last night. The Alchemists discovered a new flower known quite amusingly as the 'Boom Lily'. Thankfully they grew quieter as the night went by. Anyhow, here's today's selection of the world's headlines.' - Mira -

• Presidents of Chechnya, Bosnia and Ukraine die in mysterious circumstances.

• American invasion of Iran is meeting heavy resistance. The Iranians now threaten to unleash their nuclear arsenal if America does not cease and desist.

• A new illness is spreading. Cause unknown.

== Illumination's Correspondence==

'Young Miss, please do take some times to reads some of these, 'kay? Lymle's actually done her bests to sort them outs, 'kay!' - Lymle -

- You've been cordially invited to attend the Divali celebrations in India. - Various Nobles -

== Chivalry's Correspondence ==

'Aye, my liege, thou hath an abundant harvest of letters. Thy loyal steed hast made do with the more...delicious trivialties. *BURP*' - Sieghart -

== Determinism's Correspondence ==

'Hey, old man, check it out, you've got mail. Should I fetch your specs? Or maybe a magnifying glass? Or maybe my winding screw? All that sorting's wound down my springs...' - Leonie -

- There's insider information that the vast artificial island city under construction at the base of Orbital Elevator 02 in the Pacific has hit a dead end in its construction effort due to economical constraints. It will soon become a prized piece of real estate amongst the nobles once word gets out. - Penelope -

- Ne, Oyabun, some funny men want to kill that yaro Alfred Goddard. They offer real cash, up front, no questions. Too good a deal for me, so I tell them, leave. They probably go for my competitors. Tell your friend, ne. Ja. - Chika -

== Magic's Correspondence ==

'Young Mistress, it's time to read your correspondence for the day. Please sit down here. Yes, here. Now, back straight like a washboard, eyes forward like a dead fish, and elbows akimbo like a ballerina...yes, excellent, young mistress. Now, I present you my personal selection of today's letters.' - Flowerchild -

- We're short on new recruits for the Magical Girl Academy. Please do something about this. - Miranda, Headmaster of the Ruby Gardens Magical Girl Academy Division

== Intelligence's Correspondence ==

= The Enlightened Miracle Lexicon =

== Known Combo Miracles ==

'''Double Searing Starlight'''
Alicia's Searing Light + Lyna's Starlight Breaker

File:Resonance-of-Fate-Game-3.jpg

2011-03-18T11:53:07Z

Mind-The-Gap:

Nobilis Enlightened

2011-03-18T11:39:20Z

Mind-The-Gap: /* Homes and Households */

[[Category:Nobilis]]

= Imperator - The Shepherdess of Light =

1. ‘Omneaum(a) became aware. In its awareness, it found loneliness. It saw potential, good, an impossibility.

2. Omneaum gave way to potential, and made the impossible possible. It was, things became.

3. Enlightenment arose, and so did I, Whole, Complete, bearing the Gifts of Aether (b), Light, Vaveram (c), Maricarum (d), Endeon (e), and Causality.

4. Omneaum’s legacy I shall honour and hold safe, now and forever, till the hour I too stand alone between Impossibility and Despair.’

- The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light, Imperator of Enlightenment -

(a) Omneaum: The Original Absolute Void

(b) Aether: Estate of 'Absolute Potential', the 'Impossible made Possible', the very basic element of creation from which all matter and life flowed. It was said to have been more abundant in space. (Now excruciated, succeeded in part by the estate of 'Magic')

(c)Vaveram: Estate of Spontaneous Sentience and Awareness (Now Excruciated. Never replaced.)

(d) Maricarum: Estate of Great Miracles through Personal Sacrifice (Now excruciated, succeeded by the estate of 'Magic' and 'Sacrifice')

(e)Endeon: Estate of the 'Lone Wolf Phenomenon', wherein those fighting against overwhelming odds are always guaranteed victory. Better known in our time as the 'Storm Trooper effect'. (Now excruciated)

Having predated the Imperators of 'Name', the Shepherdess is nameless and formless. Those who are fortunate enough to know her identify her as 'The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light', or, simply, 'The Shepherdess'. Having come into being before the birth of the concept of 'form' or even 'matter' and 'physical law', she is without form in the physical universe. She used to communicate with her agents in the physical universe through pulses of light and ripples in a fountain of light. Needless to say, a lot of liberty had been taken in deciphering her wishes. Recently, however, the Chief Engineer of the Sanctum, Orphus, has devised an ingenious megastructure, the Deus Ex Machina, a gigantic clockwork device that allows the Shepherdess to see into the physical realm and engage with it using a gigantic, rather clumsy steel claw and communicate using a ticker-tape telegram machine.

(Interestingly, having also preceded the Imperator of Gender, she is, or, at least, was, in essence, genderless. However, around 300 B.C. she became a part of debate amongst philosophers as an example of a being who must be 'of the default gender'. For some reason it was decided that the default gender was female, and so the Shepherdess has since been considered to be of the female persuasion. Not that she really cares. It is suspected that the Noble of Women had something to do with this, but that's a tale for another time.)

Prophesized successor of Ananda and future Shepherdess of the Fifth Age, the Glorious One has purposely been denied a seat on the Council of Four, for her ways are that of the ‘Enlightened’, incompatible with the ways of the other council-members. She earns Lord Entropy and Ananda’s tolerance for her existence only through her service in the Valde Bellum and her Light’s importance in maintaining the Weirding Wall, a task that consumes almost the entirety of her attention and being (much to Lord Entropy’s and Ananda’s satisfaction).

The Heavens despise her, for an Angel of Creation she is not, and yet she brought forth the first Light that made everything that was Beautiful possible. Only the fact that her Light is necessary for beauty and this fact alone earns her the toleration of Heaven. The Wild would have nothing to do with her, for there is no freedom in sacrifice.The Hells, the Darkness and the Light all loath her, for not only is she the voice of wisdom that transcends not just the Corruption that the Hells endeavour towards, but she is also the voice that moves all beings towards becoming more than the matter they are made from, transcending what they are, pushing them ever onwards towards a greater purpose not only in life but also in death. Those who follow her code wish for naught else but the glory of dying for a greater good.

It is unclear what her true nature or form is. Nobody seems to remember when she came to be, or how for that matter. Some suspect she is one of the Heavenly legion, an Angel, but not only do the Heavens and its angelic denizens despise her at the best of times, her ways are most definitely not that of Heaven. Some surmise that she is a fallen Angel, but the cause of Hell she does not serve. It is highly possible that she is a True God, but all of creation knows they did not appear until long after the Angels had begun the Great Work. Recently, when passings of the Transcendants were properly documented in AP 4732, it was surmised that she is perhaps a Transcendant who somehow chose to settle upon the World Ash, perhaps one of the Charitable. Said document is Creation's closest description of the Shepherdess' nature, her gifts being her Estates and her Law.

=='''Vow of the Enlightened'''==

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this.

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this. - One thing leads to another. And at the end of all things is an ‘end’.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this. - Every good act must be good of purpose and good of result. This clause seems to fail to (most probably purposely) mention anything regarding the means. Taking the most liberal interpretation, a ‘Noble deed’ can have means as lacking in morals as a psychotic mass murderer, and yet still be considered ‘Noble’ in the eyes of the ‘Enlightened’. What matters is the cause, the intention and the ends. Everything in between matters naught.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this. - The ultimate sacrifice can conquer anything, even the impossible. This is the one true ‘Miracle’, Magic at its purest, one that allows the Enlightened to surpass his/her own end and achieve greatness through sacrifice. The Shepherdess safeguards the cause of all who sacrifice themselves for a greater purpose, guaranteeing them the miraculous magic of success.

==Details==

'''Estates''': Light, Determinism, Magic, Chivalry, Intelligence, Honour, Loyalty, Courage, Hope, Justice, Karma, Logic, Alchemy, Sacrifice, Curiosity, Sun, Moon, Stars

'''Excruciated Estates''': Aether, Vaveram, Maricarum, Endeon, Astelumina

'''Dynasty Points :''' 8

'''Qualities:'''

Great Harvest (2)

Cold (-1)

Demanding (-1)

----

= The Famiglia of the Enlightened =

The Famiglia of the Enlightened ''were'' a highly respected and influential group about 4-5 centuries before, their power extending from the very birth of creation. However, in a highly unorthodox move around the 4002 A.P., the Council ordered the Shepherdess to provide additional support in the Valde Bellum proper, above and beyond her maintenance of the Weirding Wall. Seeing as the Wall already consumed most if not all her power and attention, she was forced to mobilize members of her Famiglia, something quite unprecedented. The Nobles of Maricarum, Aether and Endeon were the first to volunteer for the great undertaking, having attained near-Imperator-level powers at the time. A few centuries later, Vaveram, Astelumina, Chivalry, Courage and Alchemy too joined their brother and sisters in the direct defense of creation. They held the line for a good few centuries, seeing a slow but definite turnover in nobles. That was until, for reasons still unknown, Maricarum, Aether, Endeon, Vaveram and Astelumina were excruciated one by one. The last to fall were Endeon and Astelumina in 4895 AP, at the same time 500 years of Human History was erased.

With no time to mourn, the Famiglia of the Enlightened were forced to mobilize more members of their famiglia to the front lines. The following few years saw more of their Nobles killed, though thankfully not excruciated.

Now with few remaining senior members, the famiglia struggles to stay on its feet with the large influx of new family members. Will they be able to live up to their predecessors? Will they be able to return the family to its former glory and take it to new heights? Or will this be the end of the Enlightened? That is up to the new Famiglia.

== PC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Foreguard of the Enlightened''

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Alicia_Valka '''Alicia - Principissa of Illumination''']

The 21st Principissa Of Illumination.

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Emil '''Emil - Power of Determinism''']

The 13th Power of Determinism

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Charles_Earl_Of_Huntington'''Charles - Lord of Chivalry''']

The 77th Lord of Chivalry

'''Lyna - Regina of Magic'''

The 66th Regina of Magic

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Mana_Kishimura '''Mana - Exemplar of Intelligence (And Dolphins)''']

The 17th Noble of Intelligence and 2nd Noble of Dolphins.

== NPC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Vanguard of the Enlightened''

'''Regine - Inquesta of Loyalty'''

'''Jessie - Tempesta of Courage (Sort of veering towards Impetuous Juvenile Recklessness)'''

'''Illumina - AllMother of Alchemy'''

Novice Alchemist extraordinaire and (rather unwilling) Commander of the Alchemist Flameheart Squad, Illumina is yet another recent addition to the Famiglia. She's currently worried about the sorry state of her estate (mostly usurped by Chemistry and now reduced to nothing more than a fantasy fiction gimmick) and a missing prominent Alchemist amongst other things....but mainly by the prospect of responsibility in general.

She is widely known, even outside Alchemist circles, as 'Big Bang Lum'.

'''Elune - Principissa of the Stars'''

While relatively senior in the Famiglia of the Enlightened (by simple virtue of everyone else being very recent additions), that's as far as her seniority goes. In every other respect, she is mostly helpless, though the more understanding dismiss this as a reflection of her estate - stars aren't known to be do much other than be pretty, especially lately with modern technology supplanting the need for stellar navigation or calendar-keeping. It used to be so much different when her sister, the Noble of Astelumina, the power of stellar influence upon the workings of the universe and lives on earth, was still around. Now as the stars fade and people forget the stars, Elune lies ill, slowly fading herself.

''The Diplomatic Corp (Intelligence) of the Enlightened''

'''Rang Fan - Excelifficer of Logic'''

Born a humble villager in a Tibetan highland settlement, Rang Fan grew up completely illiterate. She was, however, a keen observer and deep thinker. She developed her own concise and strict principles of logic, one that often found fault in the traditionalist views of the people she lived amongst. Some saw her as a source of wisdom, some saw her as a demon-possessed child.

She became the favourite anchor of the previous Noble of Logic for a while. During this time, her mastery of logic developed brilliantly. Unfortunately, she came afoul of a Chinese official when she publicly defeated him in a debate regarding the accusation of rebellion on the part of the village.

'''Geronimo - High Chief of Sacrifice'''

'''Han Gua - Exarch of Honour'''

'''Jimmy - Arch-Provost of Curiosity'''

''The Unassigned of the Enlightened''

'''Justice(?) - Empress of Justice'''

Not much is known about Justice, the 1st Noble of Justice. She is the eldest of the current Famiglia, though in the time of the original Famiglia, she was the youngest. She is the last surviving member of the original Famiglia of the Enlightened. It is rumoured that she was an Angel before she joined the Enlightened, though whether or not this is true is unknown. Her real name is unknown. Nobody has seen her in a long, long while. The only members of the current famiglia who have seen her are Han Gua and Elune.

Currently absent. Whereabouts unknown.

'''Vie - Noble of Hope'''

A rather mysterious member of the famiglia, she wonders in and out of the chancel rather randomly. Nobody seems to remember when she joined the Family. In fact, some are surprised to hear that there IS a noble of Hope in the Family. She doesn't seem to have a permanent home in the chancel. She's known (at least to those few who know her) to wander about, never staying in one place for long. She is apparently summonable, but rumours have it that she's apparently rather useless.

There are strange rumours that she follows the code of the Dark, or even Hell. Why would Hope do that?

'''Thomas Eire - Keeper of Karma'''

'''Kaguya - Himegami of the Moon'''

Tsukishiro no Kaguya-hime is perhaps the second eldest of the Famiglia, though she takes great care not to let anyone know that. She is the second Noble of the Moon. There are rumours that she was behind the Apollo 13 failure. When asked about it, she would give you a disdainful look and walk away. Then again, she'd do that no matter what you tried to bring up with her.

Currently very, very vain.

'''Kimo - the Emperor of the Sun'''

= Chancel - Locus Enlightenment, Sanctum Excelestia =

[http://img248.imageshack.us/i/sanctumexcelestia.jpg HG's Impression 1]

'''Qualities'''

Megalomaniac King/Queen (-4)

Normal Magic (3)

Alchemy (1)

2 Banes (-1)

Convenient Gates (2)

Anchorable Magical residents (4)

==Government==

The Sanctum is under the absolute Executive rule of the Emperor who answers only to the Shepherdess. Judicial Rule is under the Absolute Court headed by the Shepherdess and the Supreme Court headed by the Noble of Justice and her Circle of Justiciaries. Legislative and administrative rule is divided amongst the 4 major domains under the 4 queens:

'''Alicia - High Queen of the Diamond Tower.'''

Technically, having inherited the title of 'High Queen' from her predecessor, Alicia commands the Council of Four Queens and the Round Table of Dominums. However, as she has only recently joined the Famiglia, responsibility over the Council of Four Queens has fallen on the reluctant shoulders of Elune while the Round Table of Dominums is overseen by Han Gua.

'''Lyna - Queen of the Ruby Gardens.'''

The Ruby Gardens refers to the entirety of the Arcane Arts Academy Complex within the Outer Circle where the majority of mages of Excelestia train and live. However, to most of the citizens, the 'Ruby Gardens' itself refers to the seat of government, the Ruby Palace, a magnificent rose-shaped palace of crystal grown from the very essence of the Chancel itself in the middle of the Ruby Gardens.

'''Elune - Queen of the Sapphire Sky.'''

The Sapphire Sky refers to the entirety of the sky in between the floating structures of the Sanctum. While Elune governs no real land, she controls all traffic in the airspace around the Sanctum. Her official seat of government is the Sapphire Palace, a beautiful crystalline Sapphire star floating high up within the Inner Circle, though she is rarely ever there. She usually lives in her observatory on a lonely island high above the Sanctum.

'''Jessie - Queen of the Emerald Fields.'''

The Emerald Fields refer to most of the land floating in the Ciellan Expanse, the sky beyond the Outer Wall. The Emerald Fields house a good portion of the Sanctum's agricultural and mining settlements. Her seat of government is the Emerald Palace, a beautiful viridian structure of moss-covered wood and succulent, fresh folliage that grow and thrive all year round, coiled around a giant magnificent Emerald of a green deeper than the land that surrounds it.

== Homes and Households ==

[[File:E660087c66284323f8686e5d5bbed09ee9cee1ba.jpg#filelinks|200px|thumb|The Quartz Workshop]]

'''The Diamond Palace - ?????'''

Home of Alicia.

Personal Assistant : Lymle

'''The Ruby Palace - ????'''

Home of Lyna.

Personal Assistant : Flowerchild

'''The Garnet Fortress - ????'''

Home of Charles.

Personal Assistant : Sieghart

'''The Quartz Workshop - ????'''

Home of Emil.

Personal Assistant : Leonie

'''Aquamarine Depths - The Great but Rather Wet Library, Rapture'''

Home of Mana.

Personal Assistant : Sango(?)

== Noteworthy Locations ==

'''The Amethyst Shores'''

Governed officially by Illumina, provisionally by the Arch-Artificer of the Great Guild of Alchemists. The Amethyst Shores are a group of closely-packed islands within the Outer Circle where the majority of the Alchemists of Excelestia live. While alchemists can be found just about anywhere, the Amethysts Shores are really the only place where they can make things explode to their hearts content without causing tempers to explode all around them. Alchemists can also be found en masse at the Ruby Gardens.

'''The Garnet Fortress'''

Governed mainly by Charles, the Garnet Fortress encompasses the Inner and Outer Walls of the Sanctum and the bastion of the Knights.

'''The Beryl Earth'''

Governed mainly by Regine, the

'''The Quartz Workshop'''

A watch-mender's workshop somewhere within the Diamond Tower, Emil's home and favourite haunt.

'''Chez Charles'''

==Security==

The city has a number of defense corps organized to different degrees by a number of Nobles.

'''The Chivalrous Gentlemanly TownWatch'''

'''The Magical Avengers of Love and Peace, Magical Taskforce Ruby Gardenia'''

Organized by the 5th Noble of Magic, a rather...odd Master of Magic who believed that wearing frilly clothing is a form of sacrifice to society and preached that magical power is exponentially proportional to the frilliness of one's clothing. Now maintained by the 7th Noble of Magic, Lyna, who keeps up most of the traditions of the 5th.

'''The Upholders of Equivalent Exchange, the Eternally Passionate Flameheart Alchemists (EPFA)'''

Organized by the previous Noble of Alchemy, a rather fluffy and passionate Lady Alchemist, and maintained by the recently appointed Noble, Illumina, the EPFA are at best socially-involved nerds, at worst really, really messy vigilantes (unfortunately, more often the latter). They mainly keep the domain of the Alchemists, the Amethyst Shores, as well as their portion of the Ruby Gardens, safe...for a given value of 'safe'.

'''The Infallibly Just Circle of Justiciers'''

'''The Eternally Loyal Shieldmaidens of [Insert Place Name Here]'''

Organized by the current Noble of Loyalty,

'''The Ever-Watchful Lantern Kindlers and Lamp Bearers of the Stars'''

'''The Righteous Karmic-Retributioneer Monks of Karma'''

'''The LoreKeepers and Agents of Literary Vengeance, the Combat Librarians'''

== Groups ==

Besides the defense forces of the Chancel, the Sanctum also harbours a number of groups.

'''The Enclave of Emerald Alchemists'''
Also known as the 'Emerald Artisans', this society of Alchemists was founded by the 7th Noble of Light, TanetNephthys, and the 1st Noble of Alchemy, Armagustine Trimegistus, after the passing of the third Noble of Maricarum, Hermes Trimegistus, founder of the Emerald Arts.

In a major nettle rite wrought by the 2nd Noble of Botany, Ephistopheles, against the Noble of Alchemy, in a daring move to split the art into two major paths forever, the Enclave was splintered in two - The Cleave fo Botanists and the Enclave of Emerald Artisans. The Botanists left the Sanctum, carrying with them the entirety of botanic knowledge. The Alchemists, however, managed to keep the Principa Alchimia safe and prevented the botanists from acquiring an absolute monopoly over the Emerald Arts. The two now jealously guard their arts, for if one were to acquire the arts of the other, they would become unstoppable.

The botanists are known to pass through the Chancel to deal with the Emerald Artisans.

== Laws ==

The Chancel operates on general principles of Justice commonly found in any other society where concepts of Law and Justice exist. It has a few notable exceptions such as:

- Any deed with noble ends are exempt from law's scrutiny upon its means. This means even the most foul of deeds is considered lawfully just as long as its ends are noble. It comes with a very, very important caveat - the good of the outcome must far exceed the evil committed. This is particularly difficult to achieve with murder, as murder, the theft of the sanctity of one's life, is the basest, most evil of crimes that even the earth itself abhors.

-

N.B. The Chancel operates on the Code Napoleon, that the suspect is guilty until proven otherwise, as Lady Justice willed it to be in the prosaic realm.

== Notable Individuals ==

=== Foreguard Support Staff ===

'''Mira'''

A young maid dedicated to serving the Foreguard.

'''Captain Captain Captain'''

Captain of the Foreguard Airship Excellion, a tall, lanky, yet muscular man with a full bushy beard and a true sailor's heart.

'''Orville'''

Chief Requisitions Officer for the Foreguard. His task is mainly acquiring equipment and supplies for the Foreguard's away-missions, though he's also an expert at acquiring just about anything the Foreguard needs.

=== Other Individuals ===

'''Orphus Denilzante'''
Chief Magitech Engineer of the Sanctum and designer of the Deus Ex Machina.

'''Reno Orfayne'''
Owner of Reno's Empirio, the one-stop fashion designer for Nobles, known to be second only to his Master, Enzel Haulor of 7th Avenue and 91st Street NY.

'''Sammy Westine'''
Proprietor and Chief Engineer of Westine Airships, Sammy is the young brilliant mind behind this generation's latest magitech airships. Having mastered Alchemy, Magic and Magitech at a young age, she went on to implement her excellent knowledge in airship design and construction. Her airships are used not just within the Sanctum but all over Creation. While she does produce combat-ready airships, she only produces them as personal favours for Nobles she trusts. These make proud flagships in any war fleet. It is rumoured that she is working with Aeril Jotunstrom, Noble of Ships, from Locus Atlantis, on warships capable of sailing the world beyond creation and taking part directly on the frontlines of the Valde Bellum.

'''Mac'''

LightHouse Chief Engineer and GateKeeper who maintains the Lighthouse and manages the chancel's gates.

'''Victor'''

= Mythic Realm =

== Chancels Known ==
''From the Primer on Loci Celatum, by Holly Djurisic''
What follows are descriptions of chancels considered widely known and to be no secret to those versed in the ways of the Mythic. Everyone knows them as a matter of common sense.

'''Locus Amarant'''

The Great Market, the Gardens of Lady Profit, Amarant is perhaps one of the few chancels that has no doors, and, even if it did, they would be wide open to welcome one and all. After all, even your worst enemy is a potential customer. Any invader would quickly find themselves besieged by peddlers of weaponry, trust and treachery, even the very spoils they are after. Everything the discerning Noble might need is available here...for the right price. The preferred currency are fleurs, but the locals have been known to trade with other things such as miracles and pacts. Some nobles come here not just to buy but also to sell. If you want or need it, Locus Amarant will sell it, or if not, then at least it will sell you the expertise of someone who CAN get it. Needless to say, the cammorae are all over Amarant.

It is well-known that even Excrucians frequent Amarant, and they know full well never to destroy Amarant....at least not until their victory is assured, for Amarant will be more than happy to sell them the means to that victory, or maybe even that victory itself....for the right price. Why destroy something so blatantly useful?

Chancel of Lady Profit, Immiae Arathy, and the Nobles of Trade, Currency, Negotiation, Supermarket Loyalty Cards, and Cookies. Yes, Cookies.

= Prosaic Realm =

== Earth ==

=== Noteworthy Individuals===

== Erebea ==

A once beautiful world, a geographic wonder of continents hanging high up in the pristine skies, flooded with raw magic reminiscent of Earth about a millennium ago. It is very closely linked to earth, to the point where a good few locations on both worlds overlap, allowing easy passage from one to the other should one be lucky (or unlucky) enough to stumble upon these places of power. They are so closely linked together in fact that the two worlds share more or less the same Imperators and Nobles. Some even surmise that Erebea is a divergent Earth on a parallel timeline.

Sanctum Excelestia was once the capital of this world, until it disappeared a few millennia ago.

== Lost Universe AD 2511 ==

The Lost Universe, now a Valde Bellum warfront. In 2400 AD, an age of galactic expansion and an Aetheric golden age for human advancement, a treacherous Imperator managed to sabotage the Shepherdess' hold on the Weirding Wall, leaving gaping holes in the defense of Creation. In the ensuing chaos, the Imperators and their nobles turned their attention to the Excrucian host gathering beyond the gap. Little did they know that they had fallen prey to a deceiver ruse. At the same time, the Excrucians were readying a pincer attack, with their mimics and strategists having established a foothold on Earth's universe. The Enlightened, at the time under great scrutiny due to the Shepherdess' apparent failure at maintaining the Weirding Wall, discovered the Excrucian plans and attempted to alert the Ymmerae. However, the Deceivers held the ears of the Ymmerae, and all the please of the Enlightened fell on deaf, suspicious, skeptical ears.

In a daring move, the Noble of Aether secretly used almost the entirety of his power of limitless potential to create an anomalous fold in existence, tearing 500 years of the universe apart, resetting the universe to before the Excrucian plan had even begun in 1900. He brought the new fold containing the lost 500 years and the excrucian plot up and tethered it to the gaping hole in the Weirding Wall, just in time to meet the incoming Excrucian Host. The excrucian invasion began, never once suspecting that they had walked into a pocket universe. For the Noble of Aether's apparent treachery, the Locust Court condemned him to death without a trial, dispatching the Enlightened, his own family, to prove their allegiance to the court by executing their own brother. It is said that Justice was the one to rip his shard out of his chest with her bare hands. It is said that the shard shattered. Some say Justice, in her grief and rage, shattered it herself. Some say it was Aether's final gift to the Lost Universe, and to the entirety of creation. The shard dust was dispersed and embedded itself across the entirety of the Lost Universe, enchancelling it, bestowing its beings with the blessings of Aetheric Power, immunizing them to the crippling effects of dementia animus and empowering them in their coming struggle against the Excrucian invaders. Aether was forever lost to Creation, but its shadow continues to live on within the beings of the Lost Universe. As long as the children of Aether stand and the light of Aether burns on within them, the Lost Universe will always resist the Excrucian host.

The Lost Universe has since been sealed away outside the Weirding Wall, doomed to forever be an Excrucian battleground, until the day the Excrucians trapped within consume the Lost Universe and realize Aether's trickery.

At the precise moment Aether's sacrifice enchancelled the Lost Universe, Hammond Qarn, Imperator of the Lost Universe, came into being. Having arisen from a universe so filled with the Shepherdess' own power, Hammond naturally became a Magister of the Enlightened. Furthermore, as the chancel was created using the Shepherdess' own soul shard, a fraction of the Shepherdess' own essence makes up the chancel's foundations. Thus for all intents and purposes the Enlightened can treat the Lost Universe as their own home chancel.

Few other nobles are privy to the secret of the Lost Universe's existence. Even fewer take up the fight to defend the Lost Universe in order to delay the full-scale invasion of Creation. The Nobles of Astelumina and Endeon were the first to pick up Aether's fallen banner and lead the battle against the Excrucian host and were also the first to fall.

'Now and Forever, till the hour I too stand between Impossibility and Despair!' - Phaeron Rof Alabar Trimeniel - Emperor of Aether

=== Notable Locations ===

'''L.U. Earth AD 2511'''

In AD 2400, Astelumina and Endeon managed to rid the entire earth of deceivers, strategists and mimics, making it one of the last few human settlements still untouched by the Excrucian Scourge. The war and Aether's blessing has accelerated technology to astronomical heights in the past 111 years, bringing humanity to a point where they can overwhelm excrucian shards and at the very least annoy full excrucians, if not kill them. Earth is now the capital of the Universal Aetheric Alliance (UAA), headquarters of the Excrucian resistance. Its coordinates are guarded to the death by the Children of Aether. Those who sally forth to meet the Excrucian Host do so without carrying Earth's coordinates, knowing full well that they may never return to their beloved home.

'''L.U. Heaven’s Feel'''

The current frontier of the Lost Universe Valde Bellum, Heaven’s Feel is perhaps the most beautiful extrasolar human colony. A large T3 terraformed planet orbiting the gas giant Astelumina 3, behind a dense spherical asteroid field and a radioactive veil around the sun Astelumina, it makes a naturally fortified world. Thanks to the scattering radiation and the dense blackhole just a few megaparsecs away at the center of the galaxy, the system and planet is nigh impossible to find at the best of times, at least for marauding excrucian raiding parties. The UAA uses Astelumina’s final gift, the gift of the stars, the ability to travel on aetheric currents guided by the stars, to travel safely in and out of the system.

When excrucians do find the planet, they are immediately drawn into its orbit by the interaction of the gravity wells of Heaven’s Feel’s many moons. They have no hope of escaping to notify the host of the planet’s location before they are drawn into intense battle by the Feelians.

The planet is ravaged by repeat invasions.

=== Familia of the Lost Universe ===

More or less an extended family of the Enlightened, the Familia of the Lost Universe are the sworn guardians of Aether's legacy.

'''Hammond Qarn - Imperator of the Lost Universe'''

Despite being an offshoot of the Shepherdess' power, Hammond Qarn is quite the opposite. He looks as human as they come. In fact, very, very much so, with his thick paternal beard, his twinkling eyes and his simple, honest expression, like a stern but compassionate father. Those who have the great honour of an audience with him are overcome with an overwhelming confidence and faith in humanity's potential and prowess. His being is shrouded in the stuff of legends. They say he single-handedly piloted an Alliance Battlecruiser straight into an Excrucian battlestation and escaped alive, unscathed. They say he personally lead the desperate charge that ended the siege of Harvest 4. They say he singlehandedly held the line at Point Hope against the entire advancing Excrucian host at the battle of Forge 3. They say a lot of things about Hammond Qarn, and when you meet him, sitting like a lighthouse exuding calm and confidence amidst the storm of war, in his simple, neatly-pressed uniform gleaming with but one badge denoting his allegiance to the Alliance, you feel naught but awe - that this man is the legend in the flesh.

'''Commander John Shepard - Power of Living Legends'''

'''Excel 7 - Commander of Super Soldiers'''

was responsible for the Halo series and partly responsible for the Metal Gear series, amongst other things.

'''Iris Erran - Chief Admiral of Spacecrafts'''

'''ALMa OmNI. - Supreme Administrator of Aetheric Technology'''

An A.I. born of the pinnacle of Aetheric supercomputers,

= Quests =

== Active Quests ==

=== Imperator Quests ===

'''Overdue'''

Started : 8th November 2011

The Shepherdess has requested that the Foreguards return 3 books she's borrowed for Shepherdess-knows-how-long now, for reasons that none can fathom. These books are:

1) 'Single Parenting for Idiots', to the Imperator of Shadows

2) 'The Amazing Justice and the Lovely Yaoi Doujin', to the Noble of Women's Beards

3) 'The Witchhunter's Codex' to a certain alchemist in Erebea.

She has asked you all to return them, ASAP.

Progress:

1) The Family has acquired the 3 books from the Principarium.

2) 1 week has passed since.

'''?????'''

Started : ?????

??????

Progress: n/a

=== Chancel Quests ===

=== Chivalry Quests ===

'''Rest in Peace'''

Started: 15th November 2011

One of Charles' Knights, Tristan, has just returned from Earth and has requested an urgent private audience. Wonder what it's about.

Progress:

1) Charles met Tristan, who seems to be rather fearful of someone, or something, though he's doing his best not to show it. Tristan presents Sir Jacob's cane and monocle to Charles, telling him that Sir Jacob disappeared after discovering that most of the Copenhagen chapter of knights have disappeared. It appears he noticed something was amiss after the disappearance of Sir William, who was out to investigate the disappearance of a local magical girl.

2) Charles decides to alert all the chapters throughout the world.

3) Charles proceeds to attempt directing chivalrous power into Sir Jacob's cane. It fights back, showing signs of deep corruption, before exploding rather violently.

4) Charles sends Sieghart with the destroyed monocle to Victor to study it further.

'''100,000's a Crowd!'''

Started: n/a

The Reinzuthen of Erebea have decided to dispatch a sacrifical gift of 100,000 girls from all around Erebea, mostly from all the nations they've conquered and annexed, to the old island of Altima, original home of the Nobles of Warriors, distant predecessors of Charles'. Apparently this is to welcome the prophesized return of the original Noble of Warriors and to attempt to acquire his favour with the hopes of having him assist the Reinzuthen make good their absolute conquest of Erebea. Obviously, the current delivery recipient is Charles....and this is NOT good. NOT good at all.

Progress: n/a

'''White Knight in Black Armour'''

Started: n/a

Alfred Goddard, ace attorney, E.U. Supreme Court prosecutor and prominent political figure, has sworn to cleanse Europe of all crime, especially major international crime rings. He has followed through with his oath. Half of all European prisons are full thanks to him. He is hailed as the 'White Knight', Europe's last hope. Needless to say, he's nowhere near as popular in the underworld. Many want him dead. He's currently attending the Copenhagen Treaty Talks as an expert on the Eco-crime panel. Chika, Emil's personal assassin, has helpfully let slip that she's refused a rather generous contract to assassinate Alfred Goddard during the talks. She's only one of many. Maybe you should look into this.

Progress: n/a

=== Determinism Quests ===

'''I Left My Hand in Copenhagen'''

Started : N/A

77 People have been found dead from unknown causes in Copenhagen. They were discovered missing their left hands and hanging upside down from trees.

Progress : n/a

'''Fly me to Europa'''

Started : N/A

The manned mission to Europa's missing for reasons as yet unknown.

Progress : n/a

'''Two Things Infinite'''

Started : 8th November 2011

The LHC has broken down once again after a few brief months of rather hiccupy function. This time, the cause is completely unknown. All the individual parts seem to be in working order, but the sum refuses to work. Sophia's not happy, not happy at all. She has personally requested that Emil look into this.

Progress:

1) Emil has taken a brief look around through Sophia's eyes. The LHC's spirit seems to have some blemishes....wonder what they are....

'''Tides of Fate'''

Started : n/a

The tides have stopped rising with the lunar cycles. As a result, the world's currents, fisheries and shoreline ecosystems have been gravely affected. This shouldn't even be physically possible!

Progress: n/a

=== Illumination Quests ===

'''Twinkle, Little Star'''

Started : 15th November 2011

As the world darkens, the light of the stars fade. Elune, little noble of stars, your sister, lies sick, alone in her high observatory, forgotten by the rest of the world. Now the weakening of the stars has started to affect the domain of Light too. Something must be done before yet another member of the Family succumbs to the war of attrition upon the Enlightened.

Progress:

1) Lyna, Emil and Alicia visited Elune in her observatory and found her ill.

2) They discovered that her observatory was severely corrupted by some malignant corruption that was trying to break into the chancel.

3) They sealed off the intrusion into the chancel but destroyed the observatory in the process. They managed to prevent the observatory from crashing catastrophically into the chancel.

4) They've brought the sick Elune to the Sapphire Palace and acquired the help of Regine to treat her.

5) Regine has asked the team to seek out the Noble of Shadows or anyone from the Familia of Shadows for a certain flower that only grows in Locus Shadows.

'''Who moved my Christmas?!'''

Christmas, the biggest celebration of lights and joy, isn't happening this year! This is unprecedented serious affair!

Started : 8th November 2011

Progress :

1) Alicia has asked the magical girls, knights, and others who've passed in and out of the chancel, for any information they might know about this. She's learned that it's a rather complex issue. It might be the economy, it might be the declining family values, could be anything.

'''When you peer into the Abyss...'''

Started : n/a

And the Creator said, 'Let there be Light', and there was light, and he saw that it was good. And He separated the dark from the light. Thus was the First Day.

It wasn't quite that simple.

When the light came to be, the dark too came to be as a result, and neither could tolerate the other. Thus the First War of Light and Dark began, pure and simple, with no preamble or prelude. They fought for Shepherdess-knows-how-long. Finally, the formation of the Covenant of the First Day, an agreement between the Light and the Dark to respect the other's estate, ended the war. How it came to be, however, is still a hotly debated topic. Some say the Dark won. Some say the Light won. Some say it was a draw. Some say there were other reasons. Who really knows?

An anniversary of the Covenant of the First Day is celebrated yearly now to uphold the ideals of peace and cooperation between Light and Dark. This year, it's Alicia's turn to host the festival. What could go wrong?

Progress : n/a

=== Magic Quests ===

'''Dude, Where's My Ship?!'''

Started : 8th Novemeber 2011

Following the disappearance of a wildcat Lignite mining crew in the Aescilian Mountains of Erebea, a pair of magical girls were dispatched on what was supposed to be a simple search-and-rescue mission. They report finding what looks like a ship and wisely request further assistance. The archaeological division arrived hours later, sealed the region, before preparing for further studies. They could not identify the ship's make or origins from the exterior, so they decide to enter through an entrance they found on the side. Contact with the entire squad was lost 6 hours into the mission, with the last transmission being 'Found someth-....So....beautiful....'. A second rescue mission was mounted, this time with a full STRIKER magical girl squadron. They found a deserted camp site and the open ship. They enter. Contact was lost 1.5 hours into the mission, with the last transmission being '...reached the last known location. Now....I-..I can't believe it....mission control...I can't begin to describe this....this is...so...so beau-.....'.

Progress:

1) Lyna has developed a new remote-viewing spell to peer into the site from a distance. Unfortunately, the first few attempts failed as she can't seem to view anything beyond the foot of the mountains.

'''My Struggle, My suffering, My Legacy'''

Started: n/a

The smoke of witch burning pyres rise high up into the skies above the magical realm of Erebea. The once all-powerful mages now run and hide before the onslaught of the Reinzhuthen, an order of genocidal purists who are in pursuit of the all-powerful dark mage, the dark lord Daran Reganz. The Reinzhuthen have taken up an all-or-nothing approach towards hunting Daran Reganz – wiping out every last mage on Neven. After successfully gathering the support of the people against the seemingly incompetent mage-led government and subsequently overthrowing them, the Reinzhuthen declared a world-wide ban of magical practices, declaring any practitioner an agent of Daran Reganz and an enemy of the state. In their crusade against magic, they've begun declaring the absolutism of their cause and the need for all nations of the world to unite under their banner to eliminate the magic scourge. To this end, they have begun invading and conquering any nation who refuses to join their Empire.

Progress: n/a

=== Intelligence Quests ===

'''So Long and Thanks for All the Fish'''

Dolphins are becoming quite popular...as food! The coastal town of Taiji, Japan, the largest operator of dolphin drive hunting in the world, is undertaking a massive campaign to popularize the consumption of dolphin meat following the opening of its Great Taiji Dolphin Slaughterhouse. They are marketing it as a health food that greatly boosts brain development and intelligence, particularly in children. Interestingly, they managed to show that the IQs of children raised in Taiji and the nearby village of Koazagawa, wherein the staple food is dolphin and whale meat, are significantly higher than not only the national average but also the international average, almost miraculously so. Quite a problem for the local dolphins, some of whom are Mana's own friends.

Incidentally, the global pandemic of the strange sleeping illness has a relatively high incidence in Japan, particularly in Taiji.

Started: n/a

Progress: n/a

== Completed Quests ==

= Correspondence =

== Family Correspondence ==

'Good morning, Masters and Mistresses. I hope the noise didn't keep you up last night. The Alchemists discovered a new flower known quite amusingly as the 'Boom Lily'. Thankfully they grew quieter as the night went by. Anyhow, here's today's selection of the world's headlines.' - Mira -

• Presidents of Chechnya, Bosnia and Ukraine die in mysterious circumstances.

• American invasion of Iran is meeting heavy resistance. The Iranians now threaten to unleash their nuclear arsenal if America does not cease and desist.

• A new illness is spreading. Cause unknown.

== Illumination's Correspondence==

'Young Miss, please do take some times to reads some of these, 'kay? Lymle's actually done her bests to sort them outs, 'kay!' - Lymle -

- You've been cordially invited to attend the Divali celebrations in India. - Various Nobles -

== Chivalry's Correspondence ==

'Aye, my liege, thou hath an abundant harvest of letters. Thy loyal steed hast made do with the more...delicious trivialties. *BURP*' - Sieghart -

== Determinism's Correspondence ==

'Hey, old man, check it out, you've got mail. Should I fetch your specs? Or maybe a magnifying glass? Or maybe my winding screw? All that sorting's wound down my springs...' - Leonie -

- There's insider information that the vast artificial island city under construction at the base of Orbital Elevator 02 in the Pacific has hit a dead end in its construction effort due to economical constraints. It will soon become a prized piece of real estate amongst the nobles once word gets out. - Penelope -

- Ne, Oyabun, some funny men want to kill that yaro Alfred Goddard. They offer real cash, up front, no questions. Too good a deal for me, so I tell them, leave. They probably go for my competitors. Tell your friend, ne. Ja. - Chika -

== Magic's Correspondence ==

'Young Mistress, it's time to read your correspondence for the day. Please sit down here. Yes, here. Now, back straight like a washboard, eyes forward like a dead fish, and elbows akimbo like a ballerina...yes, excellent, young mistress. Now, I present you my personal selection of today's letters.' - Flowerchild -

- We're short on new recruits for the Magical Girl Academy. Please do something about this. - Miranda, Headmaster of the Ruby Gardens Magical Girl Academy Division

== Intelligence's Correspondence ==

= The Enlightened Miracle Lexicon =

== Known Combo Miracles ==

'''Double Searing Starlight'''
Alicia's Searing Light + Lyna's Starlight Breaker

Nobilis Enlightened

2011-03-18T11:38:12Z

Mind-The-Gap: /* Homes and Households */

[[Category:Nobilis]]

= Imperator - The Shepherdess of Light =

1. ‘Omneaum(a) became aware. In its awareness, it found loneliness. It saw potential, good, an impossibility.

2. Omneaum gave way to potential, and made the impossible possible. It was, things became.

3. Enlightenment arose, and so did I, Whole, Complete, bearing the Gifts of Aether (b), Light, Vaveram (c), Maricarum (d), Endeon (e), and Causality.

4. Omneaum’s legacy I shall honour and hold safe, now and forever, till the hour I too stand alone between Impossibility and Despair.’

- The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light, Imperator of Enlightenment -

(a) Omneaum: The Original Absolute Void

(b) Aether: Estate of 'Absolute Potential', the 'Impossible made Possible', the very basic element of creation from which all matter and life flowed. It was said to have been more abundant in space. (Now excruciated, succeeded in part by the estate of 'Magic')

(c)Vaveram: Estate of Spontaneous Sentience and Awareness (Now Excruciated. Never replaced.)

(d) Maricarum: Estate of Great Miracles through Personal Sacrifice (Now excruciated, succeeded by the estate of 'Magic' and 'Sacrifice')

(e)Endeon: Estate of the 'Lone Wolf Phenomenon', wherein those fighting against overwhelming odds are always guaranteed victory. Better known in our time as the 'Storm Trooper effect'. (Now excruciated)

Having predated the Imperators of 'Name', the Shepherdess is nameless and formless. Those who are fortunate enough to know her identify her as 'The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light', or, simply, 'The Shepherdess'. Having come into being before the birth of the concept of 'form' or even 'matter' and 'physical law', she is without form in the physical universe. She used to communicate with her agents in the physical universe through pulses of light and ripples in a fountain of light. Needless to say, a lot of liberty had been taken in deciphering her wishes. Recently, however, the Chief Engineer of the Sanctum, Orphus, has devised an ingenious megastructure, the Deus Ex Machina, a gigantic clockwork device that allows the Shepherdess to see into the physical realm and engage with it using a gigantic, rather clumsy steel claw and communicate using a ticker-tape telegram machine.

(Interestingly, having also preceded the Imperator of Gender, she is, or, at least, was, in essence, genderless. However, around 300 B.C. she became a part of debate amongst philosophers as an example of a being who must be 'of the default gender'. For some reason it was decided that the default gender was female, and so the Shepherdess has since been considered to be of the female persuasion. Not that she really cares. It is suspected that the Noble of Women had something to do with this, but that's a tale for another time.)

Prophesized successor of Ananda and future Shepherdess of the Fifth Age, the Glorious One has purposely been denied a seat on the Council of Four, for her ways are that of the ‘Enlightened’, incompatible with the ways of the other council-members. She earns Lord Entropy and Ananda’s tolerance for her existence only through her service in the Valde Bellum and her Light’s importance in maintaining the Weirding Wall, a task that consumes almost the entirety of her attention and being (much to Lord Entropy’s and Ananda’s satisfaction).

The Heavens despise her, for an Angel of Creation she is not, and yet she brought forth the first Light that made everything that was Beautiful possible. Only the fact that her Light is necessary for beauty and this fact alone earns her the toleration of Heaven. The Wild would have nothing to do with her, for there is no freedom in sacrifice.The Hells, the Darkness and the Light all loath her, for not only is she the voice of wisdom that transcends not just the Corruption that the Hells endeavour towards, but she is also the voice that moves all beings towards becoming more than the matter they are made from, transcending what they are, pushing them ever onwards towards a greater purpose not only in life but also in death. Those who follow her code wish for naught else but the glory of dying for a greater good.

It is unclear what her true nature or form is. Nobody seems to remember when she came to be, or how for that matter. Some suspect she is one of the Heavenly legion, an Angel, but not only do the Heavens and its angelic denizens despise her at the best of times, her ways are most definitely not that of Heaven. Some surmise that she is a fallen Angel, but the cause of Hell she does not serve. It is highly possible that she is a True God, but all of creation knows they did not appear until long after the Angels had begun the Great Work. Recently, when passings of the Transcendants were properly documented in AP 4732, it was surmised that she is perhaps a Transcendant who somehow chose to settle upon the World Ash, perhaps one of the Charitable. Said document is Creation's closest description of the Shepherdess' nature, her gifts being her Estates and her Law.

=='''Vow of the Enlightened'''==

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this.

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this. - One thing leads to another. And at the end of all things is an ‘end’.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this. - Every good act must be good of purpose and good of result. This clause seems to fail to (most probably purposely) mention anything regarding the means. Taking the most liberal interpretation, a ‘Noble deed’ can have means as lacking in morals as a psychotic mass murderer, and yet still be considered ‘Noble’ in the eyes of the ‘Enlightened’. What matters is the cause, the intention and the ends. Everything in between matters naught.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this. - The ultimate sacrifice can conquer anything, even the impossible. This is the one true ‘Miracle’, Magic at its purest, one that allows the Enlightened to surpass his/her own end and achieve greatness through sacrifice. The Shepherdess safeguards the cause of all who sacrifice themselves for a greater purpose, guaranteeing them the miraculous magic of success.

==Details==

'''Estates''': Light, Determinism, Magic, Chivalry, Intelligence, Honour, Loyalty, Courage, Hope, Justice, Karma, Logic, Alchemy, Sacrifice, Curiosity, Sun, Moon, Stars

'''Excruciated Estates''': Aether, Vaveram, Maricarum, Endeon, Astelumina

'''Dynasty Points :''' 8

'''Qualities:'''

Great Harvest (2)

Cold (-1)

Demanding (-1)

----

= The Famiglia of the Enlightened =

The Famiglia of the Enlightened ''were'' a highly respected and influential group about 4-5 centuries before, their power extending from the very birth of creation. However, in a highly unorthodox move around the 4002 A.P., the Council ordered the Shepherdess to provide additional support in the Valde Bellum proper, above and beyond her maintenance of the Weirding Wall. Seeing as the Wall already consumed most if not all her power and attention, she was forced to mobilize members of her Famiglia, something quite unprecedented. The Nobles of Maricarum, Aether and Endeon were the first to volunteer for the great undertaking, having attained near-Imperator-level powers at the time. A few centuries later, Vaveram, Astelumina, Chivalry, Courage and Alchemy too joined their brother and sisters in the direct defense of creation. They held the line for a good few centuries, seeing a slow but definite turnover in nobles. That was until, for reasons still unknown, Maricarum, Aether, Endeon, Vaveram and Astelumina were excruciated one by one. The last to fall were Endeon and Astelumina in 4895 AP, at the same time 500 years of Human History was erased.

With no time to mourn, the Famiglia of the Enlightened were forced to mobilize more members of their famiglia to the front lines. The following few years saw more of their Nobles killed, though thankfully not excruciated.

Now with few remaining senior members, the famiglia struggles to stay on its feet with the large influx of new family members. Will they be able to live up to their predecessors? Will they be able to return the family to its former glory and take it to new heights? Or will this be the end of the Enlightened? That is up to the new Famiglia.

== PC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Foreguard of the Enlightened''

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Alicia_Valka '''Alicia - Principissa of Illumination''']

The 21st Principissa Of Illumination.

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Emil '''Emil - Power of Determinism''']

The 13th Power of Determinism

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Charles_Earl_Of_Huntington'''Charles - Lord of Chivalry''']

The 77th Lord of Chivalry

'''Lyna - Regina of Magic'''

The 66th Regina of Magic

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Mana_Kishimura '''Mana - Exemplar of Intelligence (And Dolphins)''']

The 17th Noble of Intelligence and 2nd Noble of Dolphins.

== NPC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Vanguard of the Enlightened''

'''Regine - Inquesta of Loyalty'''

'''Jessie - Tempesta of Courage (Sort of veering towards Impetuous Juvenile Recklessness)'''

'''Illumina - AllMother of Alchemy'''

Novice Alchemist extraordinaire and (rather unwilling) Commander of the Alchemist Flameheart Squad, Illumina is yet another recent addition to the Famiglia. She's currently worried about the sorry state of her estate (mostly usurped by Chemistry and now reduced to nothing more than a fantasy fiction gimmick) and a missing prominent Alchemist amongst other things....but mainly by the prospect of responsibility in general.

She is widely known, even outside Alchemist circles, as 'Big Bang Lum'.

'''Elune - Principissa of the Stars'''

While relatively senior in the Famiglia of the Enlightened (by simple virtue of everyone else being very recent additions), that's as far as her seniority goes. In every other respect, she is mostly helpless, though the more understanding dismiss this as a reflection of her estate - stars aren't known to be do much other than be pretty, especially lately with modern technology supplanting the need for stellar navigation or calendar-keeping. It used to be so much different when her sister, the Noble of Astelumina, the power of stellar influence upon the workings of the universe and lives on earth, was still around. Now as the stars fade and people forget the stars, Elune lies ill, slowly fading herself.

''The Diplomatic Corp (Intelligence) of the Enlightened''

'''Rang Fan - Excelifficer of Logic'''

Born a humble villager in a Tibetan highland settlement, Rang Fan grew up completely illiterate. She was, however, a keen observer and deep thinker. She developed her own concise and strict principles of logic, one that often found fault in the traditionalist views of the people she lived amongst. Some saw her as a source of wisdom, some saw her as a demon-possessed child.

She became the favourite anchor of the previous Noble of Logic for a while. During this time, her mastery of logic developed brilliantly. Unfortunately, she came afoul of a Chinese official when she publicly defeated him in a debate regarding the accusation of rebellion on the part of the village.

'''Geronimo - High Chief of Sacrifice'''

'''Han Gua - Exarch of Honour'''

'''Jimmy - Arch-Provost of Curiosity'''

''The Unassigned of the Enlightened''

'''Justice(?) - Empress of Justice'''

Not much is known about Justice, the 1st Noble of Justice. She is the eldest of the current Famiglia, though in the time of the original Famiglia, she was the youngest. She is the last surviving member of the original Famiglia of the Enlightened. It is rumoured that she was an Angel before she joined the Enlightened, though whether or not this is true is unknown. Her real name is unknown. Nobody has seen her in a long, long while. The only members of the current famiglia who have seen her are Han Gua and Elune.

Currently absent. Whereabouts unknown.

'''Vie - Noble of Hope'''

A rather mysterious member of the famiglia, she wonders in and out of the chancel rather randomly. Nobody seems to remember when she joined the Family. In fact, some are surprised to hear that there IS a noble of Hope in the Family. She doesn't seem to have a permanent home in the chancel. She's known (at least to those few who know her) to wander about, never staying in one place for long. She is apparently summonable, but rumours have it that she's apparently rather useless.

There are strange rumours that she follows the code of the Dark, or even Hell. Why would Hope do that?

'''Thomas Eire - Keeper of Karma'''

'''Kaguya - Himegami of the Moon'''

Tsukishiro no Kaguya-hime is perhaps the second eldest of the Famiglia, though she takes great care not to let anyone know that. She is the second Noble of the Moon. There are rumours that she was behind the Apollo 13 failure. When asked about it, she would give you a disdainful look and walk away. Then again, she'd do that no matter what you tried to bring up with her.

Currently very, very vain.

'''Kimo - the Emperor of the Sun'''

= Chancel - Locus Enlightenment, Sanctum Excelestia =

[http://img248.imageshack.us/i/sanctumexcelestia.jpg HG's Impression 1]

'''Qualities'''

Megalomaniac King/Queen (-4)

Normal Magic (3)

Alchemy (1)

2 Banes (-1)

Convenient Gates (2)

Anchorable Magical residents (4)

==Government==

The Sanctum is under the absolute Executive rule of the Emperor who answers only to the Shepherdess. Judicial Rule is under the Absolute Court headed by the Shepherdess and the Supreme Court headed by the Noble of Justice and her Circle of Justiciaries. Legislative and administrative rule is divided amongst the 4 major domains under the 4 queens:

'''Alicia - High Queen of the Diamond Tower.'''

Technically, having inherited the title of 'High Queen' from her predecessor, Alicia commands the Council of Four Queens and the Round Table of Dominums. However, as she has only recently joined the Famiglia, responsibility over the Council of Four Queens has fallen on the reluctant shoulders of Elune while the Round Table of Dominums is overseen by Han Gua.

'''Lyna - Queen of the Ruby Gardens.'''

The Ruby Gardens refers to the entirety of the Arcane Arts Academy Complex within the Outer Circle where the majority of mages of Excelestia train and live. However, to most of the citizens, the 'Ruby Gardens' itself refers to the seat of government, the Ruby Palace, a magnificent rose-shaped palace of crystal grown from the very essence of the Chancel itself in the middle of the Ruby Gardens.

'''Elune - Queen of the Sapphire Sky.'''

The Sapphire Sky refers to the entirety of the sky in between the floating structures of the Sanctum. While Elune governs no real land, she controls all traffic in the airspace around the Sanctum. Her official seat of government is the Sapphire Palace, a beautiful crystalline Sapphire star floating high up within the Inner Circle, though she is rarely ever there. She usually lives in her observatory on a lonely island high above the Sanctum.

'''Jessie - Queen of the Emerald Fields.'''

The Emerald Fields refer to most of the land floating in the Ciellan Expanse, the sky beyond the Outer Wall. The Emerald Fields house a good portion of the Sanctum's agricultural and mining settlements. Her seat of government is the Emerald Palace, a beautiful viridian structure of moss-covered wood and succulent, fresh folliage that grow and thrive all year round, coiled around a giant magnificent Emerald of a green deeper than the land that surrounds it.

== Homes and Households ==

'''The Diamond Palace - ?????'''

Home of Alicia.

Personal Assistant : Lymle

'''The Ruby Palace - ????'''

Home of Lyna.

Personal Assistant : Flowerchild

'''The Garnet Fortress - ????'''

Home of Charles.

Personal Assistant : Sieghart

'''The Quartz Workshop - ????'''

[[File:E660087c66284323f8686e5d5bbed09ee9cee1ba.jpg#filelinks|200px|thumb|The Quartz Workshop]]

Home of Emil.

Personal Assistant : Leonie

'''Aquamarine Depths - The Great but Rather Wet Library, Rapture'''

Home of Mana.

Personal Assistant : Sango(?)

== Noteworthy Locations ==

'''The Amethyst Shores'''

Governed officially by Illumina, provisionally by the Arch-Artificer of the Great Guild of Alchemists. The Amethyst Shores are a group of closely-packed islands within the Outer Circle where the majority of the Alchemists of Excelestia live. While alchemists can be found just about anywhere, the Amethysts Shores are really the only place where they can make things explode to their hearts content without causing tempers to explode all around them. Alchemists can also be found en masse at the Ruby Gardens.

'''The Garnet Fortress'''

Governed mainly by Charles, the Garnet Fortress encompasses the Inner and Outer Walls of the Sanctum and the bastion of the Knights.

'''The Beryl Earth'''

Governed mainly by Regine, the

'''The Quartz Workshop'''

A watch-mender's workshop somewhere within the Diamond Tower, Emil's home and favourite haunt.

'''Chez Charles'''

==Security==

The city has a number of defense corps organized to different degrees by a number of Nobles.

'''The Chivalrous Gentlemanly TownWatch'''

'''The Magical Avengers of Love and Peace, Magical Taskforce Ruby Gardenia'''

Organized by the 5th Noble of Magic, a rather...odd Master of Magic who believed that wearing frilly clothing is a form of sacrifice to society and preached that magical power is exponentially proportional to the frilliness of one's clothing. Now maintained by the 7th Noble of Magic, Lyna, who keeps up most of the traditions of the 5th.

'''The Upholders of Equivalent Exchange, the Eternally Passionate Flameheart Alchemists (EPFA)'''

Organized by the previous Noble of Alchemy, a rather fluffy and passionate Lady Alchemist, and maintained by the recently appointed Noble, Illumina, the EPFA are at best socially-involved nerds, at worst really, really messy vigilantes (unfortunately, more often the latter). They mainly keep the domain of the Alchemists, the Amethyst Shores, as well as their portion of the Ruby Gardens, safe...for a given value of 'safe'.

'''The Infallibly Just Circle of Justiciers'''

'''The Eternally Loyal Shieldmaidens of [Insert Place Name Here]'''

Organized by the current Noble of Loyalty,

'''The Ever-Watchful Lantern Kindlers and Lamp Bearers of the Stars'''

'''The Righteous Karmic-Retributioneer Monks of Karma'''

'''The LoreKeepers and Agents of Literary Vengeance, the Combat Librarians'''

== Groups ==

Besides the defense forces of the Chancel, the Sanctum also harbours a number of groups.

'''The Enclave of Emerald Alchemists'''
Also known as the 'Emerald Artisans', this society of Alchemists was founded by the 7th Noble of Light, TanetNephthys, and the 1st Noble of Alchemy, Armagustine Trimegistus, after the passing of the third Noble of Maricarum, Hermes Trimegistus, founder of the Emerald Arts.

In a major nettle rite wrought by the 2nd Noble of Botany, Ephistopheles, against the Noble of Alchemy, in a daring move to split the art into two major paths forever, the Enclave was splintered in two - The Cleave fo Botanists and the Enclave of Emerald Artisans. The Botanists left the Sanctum, carrying with them the entirety of botanic knowledge. The Alchemists, however, managed to keep the Principa Alchimia safe and prevented the botanists from acquiring an absolute monopoly over the Emerald Arts. The two now jealously guard their arts, for if one were to acquire the arts of the other, they would become unstoppable.

The botanists are known to pass through the Chancel to deal with the Emerald Artisans.

== Laws ==

The Chancel operates on general principles of Justice commonly found in any other society where concepts of Law and Justice exist. It has a few notable exceptions such as:

- Any deed with noble ends are exempt from law's scrutiny upon its means. This means even the most foul of deeds is considered lawfully just as long as its ends are noble. It comes with a very, very important caveat - the good of the outcome must far exceed the evil committed. This is particularly difficult to achieve with murder, as murder, the theft of the sanctity of one's life, is the basest, most evil of crimes that even the earth itself abhors.

-

N.B. The Chancel operates on the Code Napoleon, that the suspect is guilty until proven otherwise, as Lady Justice willed it to be in the prosaic realm.

== Notable Individuals ==

=== Foreguard Support Staff ===

'''Mira'''

A young maid dedicated to serving the Foreguard.

'''Captain Captain Captain'''

Captain of the Foreguard Airship Excellion, a tall, lanky, yet muscular man with a full bushy beard and a true sailor's heart.

'''Orville'''

Chief Requisitions Officer for the Foreguard. His task is mainly acquiring equipment and supplies for the Foreguard's away-missions, though he's also an expert at acquiring just about anything the Foreguard needs.

=== Other Individuals ===

'''Orphus Denilzante'''
Chief Magitech Engineer of the Sanctum and designer of the Deus Ex Machina.

'''Reno Orfayne'''
Owner of Reno's Empirio, the one-stop fashion designer for Nobles, known to be second only to his Master, Enzel Haulor of 7th Avenue and 91st Street NY.

'''Sammy Westine'''
Proprietor and Chief Engineer of Westine Airships, Sammy is the young brilliant mind behind this generation's latest magitech airships. Having mastered Alchemy, Magic and Magitech at a young age, she went on to implement her excellent knowledge in airship design and construction. Her airships are used not just within the Sanctum but all over Creation. While she does produce combat-ready airships, she only produces them as personal favours for Nobles she trusts. These make proud flagships in any war fleet. It is rumoured that she is working with Aeril Jotunstrom, Noble of Ships, from Locus Atlantis, on warships capable of sailing the world beyond creation and taking part directly on the frontlines of the Valde Bellum.

'''Mac'''

LightHouse Chief Engineer and GateKeeper who maintains the Lighthouse and manages the chancel's gates.

'''Victor'''

= Mythic Realm =

== Chancels Known ==
''From the Primer on Loci Celatum, by Holly Djurisic''
What follows are descriptions of chancels considered widely known and to be no secret to those versed in the ways of the Mythic. Everyone knows them as a matter of common sense.

'''Locus Amarant'''

The Great Market, the Gardens of Lady Profit, Amarant is perhaps one of the few chancels that has no doors, and, even if it did, they would be wide open to welcome one and all. After all, even your worst enemy is a potential customer. Any invader would quickly find themselves besieged by peddlers of weaponry, trust and treachery, even the very spoils they are after. Everything the discerning Noble might need is available here...for the right price. The preferred currency are fleurs, but the locals have been known to trade with other things such as miracles and pacts. Some nobles come here not just to buy but also to sell. If you want or need it, Locus Amarant will sell it, or if not, then at least it will sell you the expertise of someone who CAN get it. Needless to say, the cammorae are all over Amarant.

It is well-known that even Excrucians frequent Amarant, and they know full well never to destroy Amarant....at least not until their victory is assured, for Amarant will be more than happy to sell them the means to that victory, or maybe even that victory itself....for the right price. Why destroy something so blatantly useful?

Chancel of Lady Profit, Immiae Arathy, and the Nobles of Trade, Currency, Negotiation, Supermarket Loyalty Cards, and Cookies. Yes, Cookies.

= Prosaic Realm =

== Earth ==

=== Noteworthy Individuals===

== Erebea ==

A once beautiful world, a geographic wonder of continents hanging high up in the pristine skies, flooded with raw magic reminiscent of Earth about a millennium ago. It is very closely linked to earth, to the point where a good few locations on both worlds overlap, allowing easy passage from one to the other should one be lucky (or unlucky) enough to stumble upon these places of power. They are so closely linked together in fact that the two worlds share more or less the same Imperators and Nobles. Some even surmise that Erebea is a divergent Earth on a parallel timeline.

Sanctum Excelestia was once the capital of this world, until it disappeared a few millennia ago.

== Lost Universe AD 2511 ==

The Lost Universe, now a Valde Bellum warfront. In 2400 AD, an age of galactic expansion and an Aetheric golden age for human advancement, a treacherous Imperator managed to sabotage the Shepherdess' hold on the Weirding Wall, leaving gaping holes in the defense of Creation. In the ensuing chaos, the Imperators and their nobles turned their attention to the Excrucian host gathering beyond the gap. Little did they know that they had fallen prey to a deceiver ruse. At the same time, the Excrucians were readying a pincer attack, with their mimics and strategists having established a foothold on Earth's universe. The Enlightened, at the time under great scrutiny due to the Shepherdess' apparent failure at maintaining the Weirding Wall, discovered the Excrucian plans and attempted to alert the Ymmerae. However, the Deceivers held the ears of the Ymmerae, and all the please of the Enlightened fell on deaf, suspicious, skeptical ears.

In a daring move, the Noble of Aether secretly used almost the entirety of his power of limitless potential to create an anomalous fold in existence, tearing 500 years of the universe apart, resetting the universe to before the Excrucian plan had even begun in 1900. He brought the new fold containing the lost 500 years and the excrucian plot up and tethered it to the gaping hole in the Weirding Wall, just in time to meet the incoming Excrucian Host. The excrucian invasion began, never once suspecting that they had walked into a pocket universe. For the Noble of Aether's apparent treachery, the Locust Court condemned him to death without a trial, dispatching the Enlightened, his own family, to prove their allegiance to the court by executing their own brother. It is said that Justice was the one to rip his shard out of his chest with her bare hands. It is said that the shard shattered. Some say Justice, in her grief and rage, shattered it herself. Some say it was Aether's final gift to the Lost Universe, and to the entirety of creation. The shard dust was dispersed and embedded itself across the entirety of the Lost Universe, enchancelling it, bestowing its beings with the blessings of Aetheric Power, immunizing them to the crippling effects of dementia animus and empowering them in their coming struggle against the Excrucian invaders. Aether was forever lost to Creation, but its shadow continues to live on within the beings of the Lost Universe. As long as the children of Aether stand and the light of Aether burns on within them, the Lost Universe will always resist the Excrucian host.

The Lost Universe has since been sealed away outside the Weirding Wall, doomed to forever be an Excrucian battleground, until the day the Excrucians trapped within consume the Lost Universe and realize Aether's trickery.

At the precise moment Aether's sacrifice enchancelled the Lost Universe, Hammond Qarn, Imperator of the Lost Universe, came into being. Having arisen from a universe so filled with the Shepherdess' own power, Hammond naturally became a Magister of the Enlightened. Furthermore, as the chancel was created using the Shepherdess' own soul shard, a fraction of the Shepherdess' own essence makes up the chancel's foundations. Thus for all intents and purposes the Enlightened can treat the Lost Universe as their own home chancel.

Few other nobles are privy to the secret of the Lost Universe's existence. Even fewer take up the fight to defend the Lost Universe in order to delay the full-scale invasion of Creation. The Nobles of Astelumina and Endeon were the first to pick up Aether's fallen banner and lead the battle against the Excrucian host and were also the first to fall.

'Now and Forever, till the hour I too stand between Impossibility and Despair!' - Phaeron Rof Alabar Trimeniel - Emperor of Aether

=== Notable Locations ===

'''L.U. Earth AD 2511'''

In AD 2400, Astelumina and Endeon managed to rid the entire earth of deceivers, strategists and mimics, making it one of the last few human settlements still untouched by the Excrucian Scourge. The war and Aether's blessing has accelerated technology to astronomical heights in the past 111 years, bringing humanity to a point where they can overwhelm excrucian shards and at the very least annoy full excrucians, if not kill them. Earth is now the capital of the Universal Aetheric Alliance (UAA), headquarters of the Excrucian resistance. Its coordinates are guarded to the death by the Children of Aether. Those who sally forth to meet the Excrucian Host do so without carrying Earth's coordinates, knowing full well that they may never return to their beloved home.

'''L.U. Heaven’s Feel'''

The current frontier of the Lost Universe Valde Bellum, Heaven’s Feel is perhaps the most beautiful extrasolar human colony. A large T3 terraformed planet orbiting the gas giant Astelumina 3, behind a dense spherical asteroid field and a radioactive veil around the sun Astelumina, it makes a naturally fortified world. Thanks to the scattering radiation and the dense blackhole just a few megaparsecs away at the center of the galaxy, the system and planet is nigh impossible to find at the best of times, at least for marauding excrucian raiding parties. The UAA uses Astelumina’s final gift, the gift of the stars, the ability to travel on aetheric currents guided by the stars, to travel safely in and out of the system.

When excrucians do find the planet, they are immediately drawn into its orbit by the interaction of the gravity wells of Heaven’s Feel’s many moons. They have no hope of escaping to notify the host of the planet’s location before they are drawn into intense battle by the Feelians.

The planet is ravaged by repeat invasions.

=== Familia of the Lost Universe ===

More or less an extended family of the Enlightened, the Familia of the Lost Universe are the sworn guardians of Aether's legacy.

'''Hammond Qarn - Imperator of the Lost Universe'''

Despite being an offshoot of the Shepherdess' power, Hammond Qarn is quite the opposite. He looks as human as they come. In fact, very, very much so, with his thick paternal beard, his twinkling eyes and his simple, honest expression, like a stern but compassionate father. Those who have the great honour of an audience with him are overcome with an overwhelming confidence and faith in humanity's potential and prowess. His being is shrouded in the stuff of legends. They say he single-handedly piloted an Alliance Battlecruiser straight into an Excrucian battlestation and escaped alive, unscathed. They say he personally lead the desperate charge that ended the siege of Harvest 4. They say he singlehandedly held the line at Point Hope against the entire advancing Excrucian host at the battle of Forge 3. They say a lot of things about Hammond Qarn, and when you meet him, sitting like a lighthouse exuding calm and confidence amidst the storm of war, in his simple, neatly-pressed uniform gleaming with but one badge denoting his allegiance to the Alliance, you feel naught but awe - that this man is the legend in the flesh.

'''Commander John Shepard - Power of Living Legends'''

'''Excel 7 - Commander of Super Soldiers'''

was responsible for the Halo series and partly responsible for the Metal Gear series, amongst other things.

'''Iris Erran - Chief Admiral of Spacecrafts'''

'''ALMa OmNI. - Supreme Administrator of Aetheric Technology'''

An A.I. born of the pinnacle of Aetheric supercomputers,

= Quests =

== Active Quests ==

=== Imperator Quests ===

'''Overdue'''

Started : 8th November 2011

The Shepherdess has requested that the Foreguards return 3 books she's borrowed for Shepherdess-knows-how-long now, for reasons that none can fathom. These books are:

1) 'Single Parenting for Idiots', to the Imperator of Shadows

2) 'The Amazing Justice and the Lovely Yaoi Doujin', to the Noble of Women's Beards

3) 'The Witchhunter's Codex' to a certain alchemist in Erebea.

She has asked you all to return them, ASAP.

Progress:

1) The Family has acquired the 3 books from the Principarium.

2) 1 week has passed since.

'''?????'''

Started : ?????

??????

Progress: n/a

=== Chancel Quests ===

=== Chivalry Quests ===

'''Rest in Peace'''

Started: 15th November 2011

One of Charles' Knights, Tristan, has just returned from Earth and has requested an urgent private audience. Wonder what it's about.

Progress:

1) Charles met Tristan, who seems to be rather fearful of someone, or something, though he's doing his best not to show it. Tristan presents Sir Jacob's cane and monocle to Charles, telling him that Sir Jacob disappeared after discovering that most of the Copenhagen chapter of knights have disappeared. It appears he noticed something was amiss after the disappearance of Sir William, who was out to investigate the disappearance of a local magical girl.

2) Charles decides to alert all the chapters throughout the world.

3) Charles proceeds to attempt directing chivalrous power into Sir Jacob's cane. It fights back, showing signs of deep corruption, before exploding rather violently.

4) Charles sends Sieghart with the destroyed monocle to Victor to study it further.

'''100,000's a Crowd!'''

Started: n/a

The Reinzuthen of Erebea have decided to dispatch a sacrifical gift of 100,000 girls from all around Erebea, mostly from all the nations they've conquered and annexed, to the old island of Altima, original home of the Nobles of Warriors, distant predecessors of Charles'. Apparently this is to welcome the prophesized return of the original Noble of Warriors and to attempt to acquire his favour with the hopes of having him assist the Reinzuthen make good their absolute conquest of Erebea. Obviously, the current delivery recipient is Charles....and this is NOT good. NOT good at all.

Progress: n/a

'''White Knight in Black Armour'''

Started: n/a

Alfred Goddard, ace attorney, E.U. Supreme Court prosecutor and prominent political figure, has sworn to cleanse Europe of all crime, especially major international crime rings. He has followed through with his oath. Half of all European prisons are full thanks to him. He is hailed as the 'White Knight', Europe's last hope. Needless to say, he's nowhere near as popular in the underworld. Many want him dead. He's currently attending the Copenhagen Treaty Talks as an expert on the Eco-crime panel. Chika, Emil's personal assassin, has helpfully let slip that she's refused a rather generous contract to assassinate Alfred Goddard during the talks. She's only one of many. Maybe you should look into this.

Progress: n/a

=== Determinism Quests ===

'''I Left My Hand in Copenhagen'''

Started : N/A

77 People have been found dead from unknown causes in Copenhagen. They were discovered missing their left hands and hanging upside down from trees.

Progress : n/a

'''Fly me to Europa'''

Started : N/A

The manned mission to Europa's missing for reasons as yet unknown.

Progress : n/a

'''Two Things Infinite'''

Started : 8th November 2011

The LHC has broken down once again after a few brief months of rather hiccupy function. This time, the cause is completely unknown. All the individual parts seem to be in working order, but the sum refuses to work. Sophia's not happy, not happy at all. She has personally requested that Emil look into this.

Progress:

1) Emil has taken a brief look around through Sophia's eyes. The LHC's spirit seems to have some blemishes....wonder what they are....

'''Tides of Fate'''

Started : n/a

The tides have stopped rising with the lunar cycles. As a result, the world's currents, fisheries and shoreline ecosystems have been gravely affected. This shouldn't even be physically possible!

Progress: n/a

=== Illumination Quests ===

'''Twinkle, Little Star'''

Started : 15th November 2011

As the world darkens, the light of the stars fade. Elune, little noble of stars, your sister, lies sick, alone in her high observatory, forgotten by the rest of the world. Now the weakening of the stars has started to affect the domain of Light too. Something must be done before yet another member of the Family succumbs to the war of attrition upon the Enlightened.

Progress:

1) Lyna, Emil and Alicia visited Elune in her observatory and found her ill.

2) They discovered that her observatory was severely corrupted by some malignant corruption that was trying to break into the chancel.

3) They sealed off the intrusion into the chancel but destroyed the observatory in the process. They managed to prevent the observatory from crashing catastrophically into the chancel.

4) They've brought the sick Elune to the Sapphire Palace and acquired the help of Regine to treat her.

5) Regine has asked the team to seek out the Noble of Shadows or anyone from the Familia of Shadows for a certain flower that only grows in Locus Shadows.

'''Who moved my Christmas?!'''

Christmas, the biggest celebration of lights and joy, isn't happening this year! This is unprecedented serious affair!

Started : 8th November 2011

Progress :

1) Alicia has asked the magical girls, knights, and others who've passed in and out of the chancel, for any information they might know about this. She's learned that it's a rather complex issue. It might be the economy, it might be the declining family values, could be anything.

'''When you peer into the Abyss...'''

Started : n/a

And the Creator said, 'Let there be Light', and there was light, and he saw that it was good. And He separated the dark from the light. Thus was the First Day.

It wasn't quite that simple.

When the light came to be, the dark too came to be as a result, and neither could tolerate the other. Thus the First War of Light and Dark began, pure and simple, with no preamble or prelude. They fought for Shepherdess-knows-how-long. Finally, the formation of the Covenant of the First Day, an agreement between the Light and the Dark to respect the other's estate, ended the war. How it came to be, however, is still a hotly debated topic. Some say the Dark won. Some say the Light won. Some say it was a draw. Some say there were other reasons. Who really knows?

An anniversary of the Covenant of the First Day is celebrated yearly now to uphold the ideals of peace and cooperation between Light and Dark. This year, it's Alicia's turn to host the festival. What could go wrong?

Progress : n/a

=== Magic Quests ===

'''Dude, Where's My Ship?!'''

Started : 8th Novemeber 2011

Following the disappearance of a wildcat Lignite mining crew in the Aescilian Mountains of Erebea, a pair of magical girls were dispatched on what was supposed to be a simple search-and-rescue mission. They report finding what looks like a ship and wisely request further assistance. The archaeological division arrived hours later, sealed the region, before preparing for further studies. They could not identify the ship's make or origins from the exterior, so they decide to enter through an entrance they found on the side. Contact with the entire squad was lost 6 hours into the mission, with the last transmission being 'Found someth-....So....beautiful....'. A second rescue mission was mounted, this time with a full STRIKER magical girl squadron. They found a deserted camp site and the open ship. They enter. Contact was lost 1.5 hours into the mission, with the last transmission being '...reached the last known location. Now....I-..I can't believe it....mission control...I can't begin to describe this....this is...so...so beau-.....'.

Progress:

1) Lyna has developed a new remote-viewing spell to peer into the site from a distance. Unfortunately, the first few attempts failed as she can't seem to view anything beyond the foot of the mountains.

'''My Struggle, My suffering, My Legacy'''

Started: n/a

The smoke of witch burning pyres rise high up into the skies above the magical realm of Erebea. The once all-powerful mages now run and hide before the onslaught of the Reinzhuthen, an order of genocidal purists who are in pursuit of the all-powerful dark mage, the dark lord Daran Reganz. The Reinzhuthen have taken up an all-or-nothing approach towards hunting Daran Reganz – wiping out every last mage on Neven. After successfully gathering the support of the people against the seemingly incompetent mage-led government and subsequently overthrowing them, the Reinzhuthen declared a world-wide ban of magical practices, declaring any practitioner an agent of Daran Reganz and an enemy of the state. In their crusade against magic, they've begun declaring the absolutism of their cause and the need for all nations of the world to unite under their banner to eliminate the magic scourge. To this end, they have begun invading and conquering any nation who refuses to join their Empire.

Progress: n/a

=== Intelligence Quests ===

'''So Long and Thanks for All the Fish'''

Dolphins are becoming quite popular...as food! The coastal town of Taiji, Japan, the largest operator of dolphin drive hunting in the world, is undertaking a massive campaign to popularize the consumption of dolphin meat following the opening of its Great Taiji Dolphin Slaughterhouse. They are marketing it as a health food that greatly boosts brain development and intelligence, particularly in children. Interestingly, they managed to show that the IQs of children raised in Taiji and the nearby village of Koazagawa, wherein the staple food is dolphin and whale meat, are significantly higher than not only the national average but also the international average, almost miraculously so. Quite a problem for the local dolphins, some of whom are Mana's own friends.

Incidentally, the global pandemic of the strange sleeping illness has a relatively high incidence in Japan, particularly in Taiji.

Started: n/a

Progress: n/a

== Completed Quests ==

= Correspondence =

== Family Correspondence ==

'Good morning, Masters and Mistresses. I hope the noise didn't keep you up last night. The Alchemists discovered a new flower known quite amusingly as the 'Boom Lily'. Thankfully they grew quieter as the night went by. Anyhow, here's today's selection of the world's headlines.' - Mira -

• Presidents of Chechnya, Bosnia and Ukraine die in mysterious circumstances.

• American invasion of Iran is meeting heavy resistance. The Iranians now threaten to unleash their nuclear arsenal if America does not cease and desist.

• A new illness is spreading. Cause unknown.

== Illumination's Correspondence==

'Young Miss, please do take some times to reads some of these, 'kay? Lymle's actually done her bests to sort them outs, 'kay!' - Lymle -

- You've been cordially invited to attend the Divali celebrations in India. - Various Nobles -

== Chivalry's Correspondence ==

'Aye, my liege, thou hath an abundant harvest of letters. Thy loyal steed hast made do with the more...delicious trivialties. *BURP*' - Sieghart -

== Determinism's Correspondence ==

'Hey, old man, check it out, you've got mail. Should I fetch your specs? Or maybe a magnifying glass? Or maybe my winding screw? All that sorting's wound down my springs...' - Leonie -

- There's insider information that the vast artificial island city under construction at the base of Orbital Elevator 02 in the Pacific has hit a dead end in its construction effort due to economical constraints. It will soon become a prized piece of real estate amongst the nobles once word gets out. - Penelope -

- Ne, Oyabun, some funny men want to kill that yaro Alfred Goddard. They offer real cash, up front, no questions. Too good a deal for me, so I tell them, leave. They probably go for my competitors. Tell your friend, ne. Ja. - Chika -

== Magic's Correspondence ==

'Young Mistress, it's time to read your correspondence for the day. Please sit down here. Yes, here. Now, back straight like a washboard, eyes forward like a dead fish, and elbows akimbo like a ballerina...yes, excellent, young mistress. Now, I present you my personal selection of today's letters.' - Flowerchild -

- We're short on new recruits for the Magical Girl Academy. Please do something about this. - Miranda, Headmaster of the Ruby Gardens Magical Girl Academy Division

== Intelligence's Correspondence ==

= The Enlightened Miracle Lexicon =

== Known Combo Miracles ==

'''Double Searing Starlight'''
Alicia's Searing Light + Lyna's Starlight Breaker

Nobilis Enlightened

2011-03-18T11:34:59Z

Mind-The-Gap: /* Homes and Households */

[[Category:Nobilis]]

= Imperator - The Shepherdess of Light =

1. ‘Omneaum(a) became aware. In its awareness, it found loneliness. It saw potential, good, an impossibility.

2. Omneaum gave way to potential, and made the impossible possible. It was, things became.

3. Enlightenment arose, and so did I, Whole, Complete, bearing the Gifts of Aether (b), Light, Vaveram (c), Maricarum (d), Endeon (e), and Causality.

4. Omneaum’s legacy I shall honour and hold safe, now and forever, till the hour I too stand alone between Impossibility and Despair.’

- The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light, Imperator of Enlightenment -

(a) Omneaum: The Original Absolute Void

(b) Aether: Estate of 'Absolute Potential', the 'Impossible made Possible', the very basic element of creation from which all matter and life flowed. It was said to have been more abundant in space. (Now excruciated, succeeded in part by the estate of 'Magic')

(c)Vaveram: Estate of Spontaneous Sentience and Awareness (Now Excruciated. Never replaced.)

(d) Maricarum: Estate of Great Miracles through Personal Sacrifice (Now excruciated, succeeded by the estate of 'Magic' and 'Sacrifice')

(e)Endeon: Estate of the 'Lone Wolf Phenomenon', wherein those fighting against overwhelming odds are always guaranteed victory. Better known in our time as the 'Storm Trooper effect'. (Now excruciated)

Having predated the Imperators of 'Name', the Shepherdess is nameless and formless. Those who are fortunate enough to know her identify her as 'The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light', or, simply, 'The Shepherdess'. Having come into being before the birth of the concept of 'form' or even 'matter' and 'physical law', she is without form in the physical universe. She used to communicate with her agents in the physical universe through pulses of light and ripples in a fountain of light. Needless to say, a lot of liberty had been taken in deciphering her wishes. Recently, however, the Chief Engineer of the Sanctum, Orphus, has devised an ingenious megastructure, the Deus Ex Machina, a gigantic clockwork device that allows the Shepherdess to see into the physical realm and engage with it using a gigantic, rather clumsy steel claw and communicate using a ticker-tape telegram machine.

(Interestingly, having also preceded the Imperator of Gender, she is, or, at least, was, in essence, genderless. However, around 300 B.C. she became a part of debate amongst philosophers as an example of a being who must be 'of the default gender'. For some reason it was decided that the default gender was female, and so the Shepherdess has since been considered to be of the female persuasion. Not that she really cares. It is suspected that the Noble of Women had something to do with this, but that's a tale for another time.)

Prophesized successor of Ananda and future Shepherdess of the Fifth Age, the Glorious One has purposely been denied a seat on the Council of Four, for her ways are that of the ‘Enlightened’, incompatible with the ways of the other council-members. She earns Lord Entropy and Ananda’s tolerance for her existence only through her service in the Valde Bellum and her Light’s importance in maintaining the Weirding Wall, a task that consumes almost the entirety of her attention and being (much to Lord Entropy’s and Ananda’s satisfaction).

The Heavens despise her, for an Angel of Creation she is not, and yet she brought forth the first Light that made everything that was Beautiful possible. Only the fact that her Light is necessary for beauty and this fact alone earns her the toleration of Heaven. The Wild would have nothing to do with her, for there is no freedom in sacrifice.The Hells, the Darkness and the Light all loath her, for not only is she the voice of wisdom that transcends not just the Corruption that the Hells endeavour towards, but she is also the voice that moves all beings towards becoming more than the matter they are made from, transcending what they are, pushing them ever onwards towards a greater purpose not only in life but also in death. Those who follow her code wish for naught else but the glory of dying for a greater good.

It is unclear what her true nature or form is. Nobody seems to remember when she came to be, or how for that matter. Some suspect she is one of the Heavenly legion, an Angel, but not only do the Heavens and its angelic denizens despise her at the best of times, her ways are most definitely not that of Heaven. Some surmise that she is a fallen Angel, but the cause of Hell she does not serve. It is highly possible that she is a True God, but all of creation knows they did not appear until long after the Angels had begun the Great Work. Recently, when passings of the Transcendants were properly documented in AP 4732, it was surmised that she is perhaps a Transcendant who somehow chose to settle upon the World Ash, perhaps one of the Charitable. Said document is Creation's closest description of the Shepherdess' nature, her gifts being her Estates and her Law.

=='''Vow of the Enlightened'''==

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this.

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this. - One thing leads to another. And at the end of all things is an ‘end’.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this. - Every good act must be good of purpose and good of result. This clause seems to fail to (most probably purposely) mention anything regarding the means. Taking the most liberal interpretation, a ‘Noble deed’ can have means as lacking in morals as a psychotic mass murderer, and yet still be considered ‘Noble’ in the eyes of the ‘Enlightened’. What matters is the cause, the intention and the ends. Everything in between matters naught.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this. - The ultimate sacrifice can conquer anything, even the impossible. This is the one true ‘Miracle’, Magic at its purest, one that allows the Enlightened to surpass his/her own end and achieve greatness through sacrifice. The Shepherdess safeguards the cause of all who sacrifice themselves for a greater purpose, guaranteeing them the miraculous magic of success.

==Details==

'''Estates''': Light, Determinism, Magic, Chivalry, Intelligence, Honour, Loyalty, Courage, Hope, Justice, Karma, Logic, Alchemy, Sacrifice, Curiosity, Sun, Moon, Stars

'''Excruciated Estates''': Aether, Vaveram, Maricarum, Endeon, Astelumina

'''Dynasty Points :''' 8

'''Qualities:'''

Great Harvest (2)

Cold (-1)

Demanding (-1)

----

= The Famiglia of the Enlightened =

The Famiglia of the Enlightened ''were'' a highly respected and influential group about 4-5 centuries before, their power extending from the very birth of creation. However, in a highly unorthodox move around the 4002 A.P., the Council ordered the Shepherdess to provide additional support in the Valde Bellum proper, above and beyond her maintenance of the Weirding Wall. Seeing as the Wall already consumed most if not all her power and attention, she was forced to mobilize members of her Famiglia, something quite unprecedented. The Nobles of Maricarum, Aether and Endeon were the first to volunteer for the great undertaking, having attained near-Imperator-level powers at the time. A few centuries later, Vaveram, Astelumina, Chivalry, Courage and Alchemy too joined their brother and sisters in the direct defense of creation. They held the line for a good few centuries, seeing a slow but definite turnover in nobles. That was until, for reasons still unknown, Maricarum, Aether, Endeon, Vaveram and Astelumina were excruciated one by one. The last to fall were Endeon and Astelumina in 4895 AP, at the same time 500 years of Human History was erased.

With no time to mourn, the Famiglia of the Enlightened were forced to mobilize more members of their famiglia to the front lines. The following few years saw more of their Nobles killed, though thankfully not excruciated.

Now with few remaining senior members, the famiglia struggles to stay on its feet with the large influx of new family members. Will they be able to live up to their predecessors? Will they be able to return the family to its former glory and take it to new heights? Or will this be the end of the Enlightened? That is up to the new Famiglia.

== PC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Foreguard of the Enlightened''

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Alicia_Valka '''Alicia - Principissa of Illumination''']

The 21st Principissa Of Illumination.

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Emil '''Emil - Power of Determinism''']

The 13th Power of Determinism

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Charles_Earl_Of_Huntington'''Charles - Lord of Chivalry''']

The 77th Lord of Chivalry

'''Lyna - Regina of Magic'''

The 66th Regina of Magic

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Mana_Kishimura '''Mana - Exemplar of Intelligence (And Dolphins)''']

The 17th Noble of Intelligence and 2nd Noble of Dolphins.

== NPC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Vanguard of the Enlightened''

'''Regine - Inquesta of Loyalty'''

'''Jessie - Tempesta of Courage (Sort of veering towards Impetuous Juvenile Recklessness)'''

'''Illumina - AllMother of Alchemy'''

Novice Alchemist extraordinaire and (rather unwilling) Commander of the Alchemist Flameheart Squad, Illumina is yet another recent addition to the Famiglia. She's currently worried about the sorry state of her estate (mostly usurped by Chemistry and now reduced to nothing more than a fantasy fiction gimmick) and a missing prominent Alchemist amongst other things....but mainly by the prospect of responsibility in general.

She is widely known, even outside Alchemist circles, as 'Big Bang Lum'.

'''Elune - Principissa of the Stars'''

While relatively senior in the Famiglia of the Enlightened (by simple virtue of everyone else being very recent additions), that's as far as her seniority goes. In every other respect, she is mostly helpless, though the more understanding dismiss this as a reflection of her estate - stars aren't known to be do much other than be pretty, especially lately with modern technology supplanting the need for stellar navigation or calendar-keeping. It used to be so much different when her sister, the Noble of Astelumina, the power of stellar influence upon the workings of the universe and lives on earth, was still around. Now as the stars fade and people forget the stars, Elune lies ill, slowly fading herself.

''The Diplomatic Corp (Intelligence) of the Enlightened''

'''Rang Fan - Excelifficer of Logic'''

Born a humble villager in a Tibetan highland settlement, Rang Fan grew up completely illiterate. She was, however, a keen observer and deep thinker. She developed her own concise and strict principles of logic, one that often found fault in the traditionalist views of the people she lived amongst. Some saw her as a source of wisdom, some saw her as a demon-possessed child.

She became the favourite anchor of the previous Noble of Logic for a while. During this time, her mastery of logic developed brilliantly. Unfortunately, she came afoul of a Chinese official when she publicly defeated him in a debate regarding the accusation of rebellion on the part of the village.

'''Geronimo - High Chief of Sacrifice'''

'''Han Gua - Exarch of Honour'''

'''Jimmy - Arch-Provost of Curiosity'''

''The Unassigned of the Enlightened''

'''Justice(?) - Empress of Justice'''

Not much is known about Justice, the 1st Noble of Justice. She is the eldest of the current Famiglia, though in the time of the original Famiglia, she was the youngest. She is the last surviving member of the original Famiglia of the Enlightened. It is rumoured that she was an Angel before she joined the Enlightened, though whether or not this is true is unknown. Her real name is unknown. Nobody has seen her in a long, long while. The only members of the current famiglia who have seen her are Han Gua and Elune.

Currently absent. Whereabouts unknown.

'''Vie - Noble of Hope'''

A rather mysterious member of the famiglia, she wonders in and out of the chancel rather randomly. Nobody seems to remember when she joined the Family. In fact, some are surprised to hear that there IS a noble of Hope in the Family. She doesn't seem to have a permanent home in the chancel. She's known (at least to those few who know her) to wander about, never staying in one place for long. She is apparently summonable, but rumours have it that she's apparently rather useless.

There are strange rumours that she follows the code of the Dark, or even Hell. Why would Hope do that?

'''Thomas Eire - Keeper of Karma'''

'''Kaguya - Himegami of the Moon'''

Tsukishiro no Kaguya-hime is perhaps the second eldest of the Famiglia, though she takes great care not to let anyone know that. She is the second Noble of the Moon. There are rumours that she was behind the Apollo 13 failure. When asked about it, she would give you a disdainful look and walk away. Then again, she'd do that no matter what you tried to bring up with her.

Currently very, very vain.

'''Kimo - the Emperor of the Sun'''

= Chancel - Locus Enlightenment, Sanctum Excelestia =

[http://img248.imageshack.us/i/sanctumexcelestia.jpg HG's Impression 1]

'''Qualities'''

Megalomaniac King/Queen (-4)

Normal Magic (3)

Alchemy (1)

2 Banes (-1)

Convenient Gates (2)

Anchorable Magical residents (4)

==Government==

The Sanctum is under the absolute Executive rule of the Emperor who answers only to the Shepherdess. Judicial Rule is under the Absolute Court headed by the Shepherdess and the Supreme Court headed by the Noble of Justice and her Circle of Justiciaries. Legislative and administrative rule is divided amongst the 4 major domains under the 4 queens:

'''Alicia - High Queen of the Diamond Tower.'''

Technically, having inherited the title of 'High Queen' from her predecessor, Alicia commands the Council of Four Queens and the Round Table of Dominums. However, as she has only recently joined the Famiglia, responsibility over the Council of Four Queens has fallen on the reluctant shoulders of Elune while the Round Table of Dominums is overseen by Han Gua.

'''Lyna - Queen of the Ruby Gardens.'''

The Ruby Gardens refers to the entirety of the Arcane Arts Academy Complex within the Outer Circle where the majority of mages of Excelestia train and live. However, to most of the citizens, the 'Ruby Gardens' itself refers to the seat of government, the Ruby Palace, a magnificent rose-shaped palace of crystal grown from the very essence of the Chancel itself in the middle of the Ruby Gardens.

'''Elune - Queen of the Sapphire Sky.'''

The Sapphire Sky refers to the entirety of the sky in between the floating structures of the Sanctum. While Elune governs no real land, she controls all traffic in the airspace around the Sanctum. Her official seat of government is the Sapphire Palace, a beautiful crystalline Sapphire star floating high up within the Inner Circle, though she is rarely ever there. She usually lives in her observatory on a lonely island high above the Sanctum.

'''Jessie - Queen of the Emerald Fields.'''

The Emerald Fields refer to most of the land floating in the Ciellan Expanse, the sky beyond the Outer Wall. The Emerald Fields house a good portion of the Sanctum's agricultural and mining settlements. Her seat of government is the Emerald Palace, a beautiful viridian structure of moss-covered wood and succulent, fresh folliage that grow and thrive all year round, coiled around a giant magnificent Emerald of a green deeper than the land that surrounds it.

== Homes and Households ==

'''The Diamond Palace - ?????'''

Home of Alicia.

Personal Assistant : Lymle

'''The Ruby Palace - ????'''

Home of Lyna.

Personal Assistant : Flowerchild

'''The Garnet Fortress - ????'''

Home of Charles.

Personal Assistant : Sieghart

'''The Quartz Workshop - ????'''

[[File:E660087c66284323f8686e5d5bbed09ee9cee1ba.jpg#filelinks|200px|thumb|right|The Quartz Workshop]]

Home of Emil.

Personal Assistant : Leonie

'''Aquamarine Depths - The Great but Rather Wet Library, Rapture'''

Home of Mana.

Personal Assistant : Sango(?)

== Noteworthy Locations ==

'''The Amethyst Shores'''

Governed officially by Illumina, provisionally by the Arch-Artificer of the Great Guild of Alchemists. The Amethyst Shores are a group of closely-packed islands within the Outer Circle where the majority of the Alchemists of Excelestia live. While alchemists can be found just about anywhere, the Amethysts Shores are really the only place where they can make things explode to their hearts content without causing tempers to explode all around them. Alchemists can also be found en masse at the Ruby Gardens.

'''The Garnet Fortress'''

Governed mainly by Charles, the Garnet Fortress encompasses the Inner and Outer Walls of the Sanctum and the bastion of the Knights.

'''The Beryl Earth'''

Governed mainly by Regine, the

'''The Quartz Workshop'''

A watch-mender's workshop somewhere within the Diamond Tower, Emil's home and favourite haunt.

'''Chez Charles'''

==Security==

The city has a number of defense corps organized to different degrees by a number of Nobles.

'''The Chivalrous Gentlemanly TownWatch'''

'''The Magical Avengers of Love and Peace, Magical Taskforce Ruby Gardenia'''

Organized by the 5th Noble of Magic, a rather...odd Master of Magic who believed that wearing frilly clothing is a form of sacrifice to society and preached that magical power is exponentially proportional to the frilliness of one's clothing. Now maintained by the 7th Noble of Magic, Lyna, who keeps up most of the traditions of the 5th.

'''The Upholders of Equivalent Exchange, the Eternally Passionate Flameheart Alchemists (EPFA)'''

Organized by the previous Noble of Alchemy, a rather fluffy and passionate Lady Alchemist, and maintained by the recently appointed Noble, Illumina, the EPFA are at best socially-involved nerds, at worst really, really messy vigilantes (unfortunately, more often the latter). They mainly keep the domain of the Alchemists, the Amethyst Shores, as well as their portion of the Ruby Gardens, safe...for a given value of 'safe'.

'''The Infallibly Just Circle of Justiciers'''

'''The Eternally Loyal Shieldmaidens of [Insert Place Name Here]'''

Organized by the current Noble of Loyalty,

'''The Ever-Watchful Lantern Kindlers and Lamp Bearers of the Stars'''

'''The Righteous Karmic-Retributioneer Monks of Karma'''

'''The LoreKeepers and Agents of Literary Vengeance, the Combat Librarians'''

== Groups ==

Besides the defense forces of the Chancel, the Sanctum also harbours a number of groups.

'''The Enclave of Emerald Alchemists'''
Also known as the 'Emerald Artisans', this society of Alchemists was founded by the 7th Noble of Light, TanetNephthys, and the 1st Noble of Alchemy, Armagustine Trimegistus, after the passing of the third Noble of Maricarum, Hermes Trimegistus, founder of the Emerald Arts.

In a major nettle rite wrought by the 2nd Noble of Botany, Ephistopheles, against the Noble of Alchemy, in a daring move to split the art into two major paths forever, the Enclave was splintered in two - The Cleave fo Botanists and the Enclave of Emerald Artisans. The Botanists left the Sanctum, carrying with them the entirety of botanic knowledge. The Alchemists, however, managed to keep the Principa Alchimia safe and prevented the botanists from acquiring an absolute monopoly over the Emerald Arts. The two now jealously guard their arts, for if one were to acquire the arts of the other, they would become unstoppable.

The botanists are known to pass through the Chancel to deal with the Emerald Artisans.

== Laws ==

The Chancel operates on general principles of Justice commonly found in any other society where concepts of Law and Justice exist. It has a few notable exceptions such as:

- Any deed with noble ends are exempt from law's scrutiny upon its means. This means even the most foul of deeds is considered lawfully just as long as its ends are noble. It comes with a very, very important caveat - the good of the outcome must far exceed the evil committed. This is particularly difficult to achieve with murder, as murder, the theft of the sanctity of one's life, is the basest, most evil of crimes that even the earth itself abhors.

-

N.B. The Chancel operates on the Code Napoleon, that the suspect is guilty until proven otherwise, as Lady Justice willed it to be in the prosaic realm.

== Notable Individuals ==

=== Foreguard Support Staff ===

'''Mira'''

A young maid dedicated to serving the Foreguard.

'''Captain Captain Captain'''

Captain of the Foreguard Airship Excellion, a tall, lanky, yet muscular man with a full bushy beard and a true sailor's heart.

'''Orville'''

Chief Requisitions Officer for the Foreguard. His task is mainly acquiring equipment and supplies for the Foreguard's away-missions, though he's also an expert at acquiring just about anything the Foreguard needs.

=== Other Individuals ===

'''Orphus Denilzante'''
Chief Magitech Engineer of the Sanctum and designer of the Deus Ex Machina.

'''Reno Orfayne'''
Owner of Reno's Empirio, the one-stop fashion designer for Nobles, known to be second only to his Master, Enzel Haulor of 7th Avenue and 91st Street NY.

'''Sammy Westine'''
Proprietor and Chief Engineer of Westine Airships, Sammy is the young brilliant mind behind this generation's latest magitech airships. Having mastered Alchemy, Magic and Magitech at a young age, she went on to implement her excellent knowledge in airship design and construction. Her airships are used not just within the Sanctum but all over Creation. While she does produce combat-ready airships, she only produces them as personal favours for Nobles she trusts. These make proud flagships in any war fleet. It is rumoured that she is working with Aeril Jotunstrom, Noble of Ships, from Locus Atlantis, on warships capable of sailing the world beyond creation and taking part directly on the frontlines of the Valde Bellum.

'''Mac'''

LightHouse Chief Engineer and GateKeeper who maintains the Lighthouse and manages the chancel's gates.

'''Victor'''

= Mythic Realm =

== Chancels Known ==
''From the Primer on Loci Celatum, by Holly Djurisic''
What follows are descriptions of chancels considered widely known and to be no secret to those versed in the ways of the Mythic. Everyone knows them as a matter of common sense.

'''Locus Amarant'''

The Great Market, the Gardens of Lady Profit, Amarant is perhaps one of the few chancels that has no doors, and, even if it did, they would be wide open to welcome one and all. After all, even your worst enemy is a potential customer. Any invader would quickly find themselves besieged by peddlers of weaponry, trust and treachery, even the very spoils they are after. Everything the discerning Noble might need is available here...for the right price. The preferred currency are fleurs, but the locals have been known to trade with other things such as miracles and pacts. Some nobles come here not just to buy but also to sell. If you want or need it, Locus Amarant will sell it, or if not, then at least it will sell you the expertise of someone who CAN get it. Needless to say, the cammorae are all over Amarant.

It is well-known that even Excrucians frequent Amarant, and they know full well never to destroy Amarant....at least not until their victory is assured, for Amarant will be more than happy to sell them the means to that victory, or maybe even that victory itself....for the right price. Why destroy something so blatantly useful?

Chancel of Lady Profit, Immiae Arathy, and the Nobles of Trade, Currency, Negotiation, Supermarket Loyalty Cards, and Cookies. Yes, Cookies.

= Prosaic Realm =

== Earth ==

=== Noteworthy Individuals===

== Erebea ==

A once beautiful world, a geographic wonder of continents hanging high up in the pristine skies, flooded with raw magic reminiscent of Earth about a millennium ago. It is very closely linked to earth, to the point where a good few locations on both worlds overlap, allowing easy passage from one to the other should one be lucky (or unlucky) enough to stumble upon these places of power. They are so closely linked together in fact that the two worlds share more or less the same Imperators and Nobles. Some even surmise that Erebea is a divergent Earth on a parallel timeline.

Sanctum Excelestia was once the capital of this world, until it disappeared a few millennia ago.

== Lost Universe AD 2511 ==

The Lost Universe, now a Valde Bellum warfront. In 2400 AD, an age of galactic expansion and an Aetheric golden age for human advancement, a treacherous Imperator managed to sabotage the Shepherdess' hold on the Weirding Wall, leaving gaping holes in the defense of Creation. In the ensuing chaos, the Imperators and their nobles turned their attention to the Excrucian host gathering beyond the gap. Little did they know that they had fallen prey to a deceiver ruse. At the same time, the Excrucians were readying a pincer attack, with their mimics and strategists having established a foothold on Earth's universe. The Enlightened, at the time under great scrutiny due to the Shepherdess' apparent failure at maintaining the Weirding Wall, discovered the Excrucian plans and attempted to alert the Ymmerae. However, the Deceivers held the ears of the Ymmerae, and all the please of the Enlightened fell on deaf, suspicious, skeptical ears.

In a daring move, the Noble of Aether secretly used almost the entirety of his power of limitless potential to create an anomalous fold in existence, tearing 500 years of the universe apart, resetting the universe to before the Excrucian plan had even begun in 1900. He brought the new fold containing the lost 500 years and the excrucian plot up and tethered it to the gaping hole in the Weirding Wall, just in time to meet the incoming Excrucian Host. The excrucian invasion began, never once suspecting that they had walked into a pocket universe. For the Noble of Aether's apparent treachery, the Locust Court condemned him to death without a trial, dispatching the Enlightened, his own family, to prove their allegiance to the court by executing their own brother. It is said that Justice was the one to rip his shard out of his chest with her bare hands. It is said that the shard shattered. Some say Justice, in her grief and rage, shattered it herself. Some say it was Aether's final gift to the Lost Universe, and to the entirety of creation. The shard dust was dispersed and embedded itself across the entirety of the Lost Universe, enchancelling it, bestowing its beings with the blessings of Aetheric Power, immunizing them to the crippling effects of dementia animus and empowering them in their coming struggle against the Excrucian invaders. Aether was forever lost to Creation, but its shadow continues to live on within the beings of the Lost Universe. As long as the children of Aether stand and the light of Aether burns on within them, the Lost Universe will always resist the Excrucian host.

The Lost Universe has since been sealed away outside the Weirding Wall, doomed to forever be an Excrucian battleground, until the day the Excrucians trapped within consume the Lost Universe and realize Aether's trickery.

At the precise moment Aether's sacrifice enchancelled the Lost Universe, Hammond Qarn, Imperator of the Lost Universe, came into being. Having arisen from a universe so filled with the Shepherdess' own power, Hammond naturally became a Magister of the Enlightened. Furthermore, as the chancel was created using the Shepherdess' own soul shard, a fraction of the Shepherdess' own essence makes up the chancel's foundations. Thus for all intents and purposes the Enlightened can treat the Lost Universe as their own home chancel.

Few other nobles are privy to the secret of the Lost Universe's existence. Even fewer take up the fight to defend the Lost Universe in order to delay the full-scale invasion of Creation. The Nobles of Astelumina and Endeon were the first to pick up Aether's fallen banner and lead the battle against the Excrucian host and were also the first to fall.

'Now and Forever, till the hour I too stand between Impossibility and Despair!' - Phaeron Rof Alabar Trimeniel - Emperor of Aether

=== Notable Locations ===

'''L.U. Earth AD 2511'''

In AD 2400, Astelumina and Endeon managed to rid the entire earth of deceivers, strategists and mimics, making it one of the last few human settlements still untouched by the Excrucian Scourge. The war and Aether's blessing has accelerated technology to astronomical heights in the past 111 years, bringing humanity to a point where they can overwhelm excrucian shards and at the very least annoy full excrucians, if not kill them. Earth is now the capital of the Universal Aetheric Alliance (UAA), headquarters of the Excrucian resistance. Its coordinates are guarded to the death by the Children of Aether. Those who sally forth to meet the Excrucian Host do so without carrying Earth's coordinates, knowing full well that they may never return to their beloved home.

'''L.U. Heaven’s Feel'''

The current frontier of the Lost Universe Valde Bellum, Heaven’s Feel is perhaps the most beautiful extrasolar human colony. A large T3 terraformed planet orbiting the gas giant Astelumina 3, behind a dense spherical asteroid field and a radioactive veil around the sun Astelumina, it makes a naturally fortified world. Thanks to the scattering radiation and the dense blackhole just a few megaparsecs away at the center of the galaxy, the system and planet is nigh impossible to find at the best of times, at least for marauding excrucian raiding parties. The UAA uses Astelumina’s final gift, the gift of the stars, the ability to travel on aetheric currents guided by the stars, to travel safely in and out of the system.

When excrucians do find the planet, they are immediately drawn into its orbit by the interaction of the gravity wells of Heaven’s Feel’s many moons. They have no hope of escaping to notify the host of the planet’s location before they are drawn into intense battle by the Feelians.

The planet is ravaged by repeat invasions.

=== Familia of the Lost Universe ===

More or less an extended family of the Enlightened, the Familia of the Lost Universe are the sworn guardians of Aether's legacy.

'''Hammond Qarn - Imperator of the Lost Universe'''

Despite being an offshoot of the Shepherdess' power, Hammond Qarn is quite the opposite. He looks as human as they come. In fact, very, very much so, with his thick paternal beard, his twinkling eyes and his simple, honest expression, like a stern but compassionate father. Those who have the great honour of an audience with him are overcome with an overwhelming confidence and faith in humanity's potential and prowess. His being is shrouded in the stuff of legends. They say he single-handedly piloted an Alliance Battlecruiser straight into an Excrucian battlestation and escaped alive, unscathed. They say he personally lead the desperate charge that ended the siege of Harvest 4. They say he singlehandedly held the line at Point Hope against the entire advancing Excrucian host at the battle of Forge 3. They say a lot of things about Hammond Qarn, and when you meet him, sitting like a lighthouse exuding calm and confidence amidst the storm of war, in his simple, neatly-pressed uniform gleaming with but one badge denoting his allegiance to the Alliance, you feel naught but awe - that this man is the legend in the flesh.

'''Commander John Shepard - Power of Living Legends'''

'''Excel 7 - Commander of Super Soldiers'''

was responsible for the Halo series and partly responsible for the Metal Gear series, amongst other things.

'''Iris Erran - Chief Admiral of Spacecrafts'''

'''ALMa OmNI. - Supreme Administrator of Aetheric Technology'''

An A.I. born of the pinnacle of Aetheric supercomputers,

= Quests =

== Active Quests ==

=== Imperator Quests ===

'''Overdue'''

Started : 8th November 2011

The Shepherdess has requested that the Foreguards return 3 books she's borrowed for Shepherdess-knows-how-long now, for reasons that none can fathom. These books are:

1) 'Single Parenting for Idiots', to the Imperator of Shadows

2) 'The Amazing Justice and the Lovely Yaoi Doujin', to the Noble of Women's Beards

3) 'The Witchhunter's Codex' to a certain alchemist in Erebea.

She has asked you all to return them, ASAP.

Progress:

1) The Family has acquired the 3 books from the Principarium.

2) 1 week has passed since.

'''?????'''

Started : ?????

??????

Progress: n/a

=== Chancel Quests ===

=== Chivalry Quests ===

'''Rest in Peace'''

Started: 15th November 2011

One of Charles' Knights, Tristan, has just returned from Earth and has requested an urgent private audience. Wonder what it's about.

Progress:

1) Charles met Tristan, who seems to be rather fearful of someone, or something, though he's doing his best not to show it. Tristan presents Sir Jacob's cane and monocle to Charles, telling him that Sir Jacob disappeared after discovering that most of the Copenhagen chapter of knights have disappeared. It appears he noticed something was amiss after the disappearance of Sir William, who was out to investigate the disappearance of a local magical girl.

2) Charles decides to alert all the chapters throughout the world.

3) Charles proceeds to attempt directing chivalrous power into Sir Jacob's cane. It fights back, showing signs of deep corruption, before exploding rather violently.

4) Charles sends Sieghart with the destroyed monocle to Victor to study it further.

'''100,000's a Crowd!'''

Started: n/a

The Reinzuthen of Erebea have decided to dispatch a sacrifical gift of 100,000 girls from all around Erebea, mostly from all the nations they've conquered and annexed, to the old island of Altima, original home of the Nobles of Warriors, distant predecessors of Charles'. Apparently this is to welcome the prophesized return of the original Noble of Warriors and to attempt to acquire his favour with the hopes of having him assist the Reinzuthen make good their absolute conquest of Erebea. Obviously, the current delivery recipient is Charles....and this is NOT good. NOT good at all.

Progress: n/a

'''White Knight in Black Armour'''

Started: n/a

Alfred Goddard, ace attorney, E.U. Supreme Court prosecutor and prominent political figure, has sworn to cleanse Europe of all crime, especially major international crime rings. He has followed through with his oath. Half of all European prisons are full thanks to him. He is hailed as the 'White Knight', Europe's last hope. Needless to say, he's nowhere near as popular in the underworld. Many want him dead. He's currently attending the Copenhagen Treaty Talks as an expert on the Eco-crime panel. Chika, Emil's personal assassin, has helpfully let slip that she's refused a rather generous contract to assassinate Alfred Goddard during the talks. She's only one of many. Maybe you should look into this.

Progress: n/a

=== Determinism Quests ===

'''I Left My Hand in Copenhagen'''

Started : N/A

77 People have been found dead from unknown causes in Copenhagen. They were discovered missing their left hands and hanging upside down from trees.

Progress : n/a

'''Fly me to Europa'''

Started : N/A

The manned mission to Europa's missing for reasons as yet unknown.

Progress : n/a

'''Two Things Infinite'''

Started : 8th November 2011

The LHC has broken down once again after a few brief months of rather hiccupy function. This time, the cause is completely unknown. All the individual parts seem to be in working order, but the sum refuses to work. Sophia's not happy, not happy at all. She has personally requested that Emil look into this.

Progress:

1) Emil has taken a brief look around through Sophia's eyes. The LHC's spirit seems to have some blemishes....wonder what they are....

'''Tides of Fate'''

Started : n/a

The tides have stopped rising with the lunar cycles. As a result, the world's currents, fisheries and shoreline ecosystems have been gravely affected. This shouldn't even be physically possible!

Progress: n/a

=== Illumination Quests ===

'''Twinkle, Little Star'''

Started : 15th November 2011

As the world darkens, the light of the stars fade. Elune, little noble of stars, your sister, lies sick, alone in her high observatory, forgotten by the rest of the world. Now the weakening of the stars has started to affect the domain of Light too. Something must be done before yet another member of the Family succumbs to the war of attrition upon the Enlightened.

Progress:

1) Lyna, Emil and Alicia visited Elune in her observatory and found her ill.

2) They discovered that her observatory was severely corrupted by some malignant corruption that was trying to break into the chancel.

3) They sealed off the intrusion into the chancel but destroyed the observatory in the process. They managed to prevent the observatory from crashing catastrophically into the chancel.

4) They've brought the sick Elune to the Sapphire Palace and acquired the help of Regine to treat her.

5) Regine has asked the team to seek out the Noble of Shadows or anyone from the Familia of Shadows for a certain flower that only grows in Locus Shadows.

'''Who moved my Christmas?!'''

Christmas, the biggest celebration of lights and joy, isn't happening this year! This is unprecedented serious affair!

Started : 8th November 2011

Progress :

1) Alicia has asked the magical girls, knights, and others who've passed in and out of the chancel, for any information they might know about this. She's learned that it's a rather complex issue. It might be the economy, it might be the declining family values, could be anything.

'''When you peer into the Abyss...'''

Started : n/a

And the Creator said, 'Let there be Light', and there was light, and he saw that it was good. And He separated the dark from the light. Thus was the First Day.

It wasn't quite that simple.

When the light came to be, the dark too came to be as a result, and neither could tolerate the other. Thus the First War of Light and Dark began, pure and simple, with no preamble or prelude. They fought for Shepherdess-knows-how-long. Finally, the formation of the Covenant of the First Day, an agreement between the Light and the Dark to respect the other's estate, ended the war. How it came to be, however, is still a hotly debated topic. Some say the Dark won. Some say the Light won. Some say it was a draw. Some say there were other reasons. Who really knows?

An anniversary of the Covenant of the First Day is celebrated yearly now to uphold the ideals of peace and cooperation between Light and Dark. This year, it's Alicia's turn to host the festival. What could go wrong?

Progress : n/a

=== Magic Quests ===

'''Dude, Where's My Ship?!'''

Started : 8th Novemeber 2011

Following the disappearance of a wildcat Lignite mining crew in the Aescilian Mountains of Erebea, a pair of magical girls were dispatched on what was supposed to be a simple search-and-rescue mission. They report finding what looks like a ship and wisely request further assistance. The archaeological division arrived hours later, sealed the region, before preparing for further studies. They could not identify the ship's make or origins from the exterior, so they decide to enter through an entrance they found on the side. Contact with the entire squad was lost 6 hours into the mission, with the last transmission being 'Found someth-....So....beautiful....'. A second rescue mission was mounted, this time with a full STRIKER magical girl squadron. They found a deserted camp site and the open ship. They enter. Contact was lost 1.5 hours into the mission, with the last transmission being '...reached the last known location. Now....I-..I can't believe it....mission control...I can't begin to describe this....this is...so...so beau-.....'.

Progress:

1) Lyna has developed a new remote-viewing spell to peer into the site from a distance. Unfortunately, the first few attempts failed as she can't seem to view anything beyond the foot of the mountains.

'''My Struggle, My suffering, My Legacy'''

Started: n/a

The smoke of witch burning pyres rise high up into the skies above the magical realm of Erebea. The once all-powerful mages now run and hide before the onslaught of the Reinzhuthen, an order of genocidal purists who are in pursuit of the all-powerful dark mage, the dark lord Daran Reganz. The Reinzhuthen have taken up an all-or-nothing approach towards hunting Daran Reganz – wiping out every last mage on Neven. After successfully gathering the support of the people against the seemingly incompetent mage-led government and subsequently overthrowing them, the Reinzhuthen declared a world-wide ban of magical practices, declaring any practitioner an agent of Daran Reganz and an enemy of the state. In their crusade against magic, they've begun declaring the absolutism of their cause and the need for all nations of the world to unite under their banner to eliminate the magic scourge. To this end, they have begun invading and conquering any nation who refuses to join their Empire.

Progress: n/a

=== Intelligence Quests ===

'''So Long and Thanks for All the Fish'''

Dolphins are becoming quite popular...as food! The coastal town of Taiji, Japan, the largest operator of dolphin drive hunting in the world, is undertaking a massive campaign to popularize the consumption of dolphin meat following the opening of its Great Taiji Dolphin Slaughterhouse. They are marketing it as a health food that greatly boosts brain development and intelligence, particularly in children. Interestingly, they managed to show that the IQs of children raised in Taiji and the nearby village of Koazagawa, wherein the staple food is dolphin and whale meat, are significantly higher than not only the national average but also the international average, almost miraculously so. Quite a problem for the local dolphins, some of whom are Mana's own friends.

Incidentally, the global pandemic of the strange sleeping illness has a relatively high incidence in Japan, particularly in Taiji.

Started: n/a

Progress: n/a

== Completed Quests ==

= Correspondence =

== Family Correspondence ==

'Good morning, Masters and Mistresses. I hope the noise didn't keep you up last night. The Alchemists discovered a new flower known quite amusingly as the 'Boom Lily'. Thankfully they grew quieter as the night went by. Anyhow, here's today's selection of the world's headlines.' - Mira -

• Presidents of Chechnya, Bosnia and Ukraine die in mysterious circumstances.

• American invasion of Iran is meeting heavy resistance. The Iranians now threaten to unleash their nuclear arsenal if America does not cease and desist.

• A new illness is spreading. Cause unknown.

== Illumination's Correspondence==

'Young Miss, please do take some times to reads some of these, 'kay? Lymle's actually done her bests to sort them outs, 'kay!' - Lymle -

- You've been cordially invited to attend the Divali celebrations in India. - Various Nobles -

== Chivalry's Correspondence ==

'Aye, my liege, thou hath an abundant harvest of letters. Thy loyal steed hast made do with the more...delicious trivialties. *BURP*' - Sieghart -

== Determinism's Correspondence ==

'Hey, old man, check it out, you've got mail. Should I fetch your specs? Or maybe a magnifying glass? Or maybe my winding screw? All that sorting's wound down my springs...' - Leonie -

- There's insider information that the vast artificial island city under construction at the base of Orbital Elevator 02 in the Pacific has hit a dead end in its construction effort due to economical constraints. It will soon become a prized piece of real estate amongst the nobles once word gets out. - Penelope -

- Ne, Oyabun, some funny men want to kill that yaro Alfred Goddard. They offer real cash, up front, no questions. Too good a deal for me, so I tell them, leave. They probably go for my competitors. Tell your friend, ne. Ja. - Chika -

== Magic's Correspondence ==

'Young Mistress, it's time to read your correspondence for the day. Please sit down here. Yes, here. Now, back straight like a washboard, eyes forward like a dead fish, and elbows akimbo like a ballerina...yes, excellent, young mistress. Now, I present you my personal selection of today's letters.' - Flowerchild -

- We're short on new recruits for the Magical Girl Academy. Please do something about this. - Miranda, Headmaster of the Ruby Gardens Magical Girl Academy Division

== Intelligence's Correspondence ==

= The Enlightened Miracle Lexicon =

== Known Combo Miracles ==

'''Double Searing Starlight'''
Alicia's Searing Light + Lyna's Starlight Breaker

Nobilis Enlightened

2011-03-17T22:06:27Z

Mind-The-Gap:

[[Category:Nobilis]]

= Imperator - The Shepherdess of Light =

1. ‘Omneaum(a) became aware. In its awareness, it found loneliness. It saw potential, good, an impossibility.

2. Omneaum gave way to potential, and made the impossible possible. It was, things became.

3. Enlightenment arose, and so did I, Whole, Complete, bearing the Gifts of Aether (b), Light, Vaveram (c), Maricarum (d), Endeon (e), and Causality.

4. Omneaum’s legacy I shall honour and hold safe, now and forever, till the hour I too stand alone between Impossibility and Despair.’

- The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light, Imperator of Enlightenment -

(a) Omneaum: The Original Absolute Void

(b) Aether: Estate of 'Absolute Potential', the 'Impossible made Possible', the very basic element of creation from which all matter and life flowed. It was said to have been more abundant in space. (Now excruciated, succeeded in part by the estate of 'Magic')

(c)Vaveram: Estate of Spontaneous Sentience and Awareness (Now Excruciated. Never replaced.)

(d) Maricarum: Estate of Great Miracles through Personal Sacrifice (Now excruciated, succeeded by the estate of 'Magic' and 'Sacrifice')

(e)Endeon: Estate of the 'Lone Wolf Phenomenon', wherein those fighting against overwhelming odds are always guaranteed victory. Better known in our time as the 'Storm Trooper effect'. (Now excruciated)

Having predated the Imperators of 'Name', the Shepherdess is nameless and formless. Those who are fortunate enough to know her identify her as 'The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light', or, simply, 'The Shepherdess'. Having come into being before the birth of the concept of 'form' or even 'matter' and 'physical law', she is without form in the physical universe. She used to communicate with her agents in the physical universe through pulses of light and ripples in a fountain of light. Needless to say, a lot of liberty had been taken in deciphering her wishes. Recently, however, the Chief Engineer of the Sanctum, Orphus, has devised an ingenious megastructure, the Deus Ex Machina, a gigantic clockwork device that allows the Shepherdess to see into the physical realm and engage with it using a gigantic, rather clumsy steel claw and communicate using a ticker-tape telegram machine.

(Interestingly, having also preceded the Imperator of Gender, she is, or, at least, was, in essence, genderless. However, around 300 B.C. she became a part of debate amongst philosophers as an example of a being who must be 'of the default gender'. For some reason it was decided that the default gender was female, and so the Shepherdess has since been considered to be of the female persuasion. Not that she really cares. It is suspected that the Noble of Women had something to do with this, but that's a tale for another time.)

Prophesized successor of Ananda and future Shepherdess of the Fifth Age, the Glorious One has purposely been denied a seat on the Council of Four, for her ways are that of the ‘Enlightened’, incompatible with the ways of the other council-members. She earns Lord Entropy and Ananda’s tolerance for her existence only through her service in the Valde Bellum and her Light’s importance in maintaining the Weirding Wall, a task that consumes almost the entirety of her attention and being (much to Lord Entropy’s and Ananda’s satisfaction).

The Heavens despise her, for an Angel of Creation she is not, and yet she brought forth the first Light that made everything that was Beautiful possible. Only the fact that her Light is necessary for beauty and this fact alone earns her the toleration of Heaven. The Wild would have nothing to do with her, for there is no freedom in sacrifice.The Hells, the Darkness and the Light all loath her, for not only is she the voice of wisdom that transcends not just the Corruption that the Hells endeavour towards, but she is also the voice that moves all beings towards becoming more than the matter they are made from, transcending what they are, pushing them ever onwards towards a greater purpose not only in life but also in death. Those who follow her code wish for naught else but the glory of dying for a greater good.

It is unclear what her true nature or form is. Nobody seems to remember when she came to be, or how for that matter. Some suspect she is one of the Heavenly legion, an Angel, but not only do the Heavens and its angelic denizens despise her at the best of times, her ways are most definitely not that of Heaven. Some surmise that she is a fallen Angel, but the cause of Hell she does not serve. It is highly possible that she is a True God, but all of creation knows they did not appear until long after the Angels had begun the Great Work. Recently, when passings of the Transcendants were properly documented in AP 4732, it was surmised that she is perhaps a Transcendant who somehow chose to settle upon the World Ash, perhaps one of the Charitable. Said document is Creation's closest description of the Shepherdess' nature, her gifts being her Estates and her Law.

=='''Vow of the Enlightened'''==

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this.

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this. - One thing leads to another. And at the end of all things is an ‘end’.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this. - Every good act must be good of purpose and good of result. This clause seems to fail to (most probably purposely) mention anything regarding the means. Taking the most liberal interpretation, a ‘Noble deed’ can have means as lacking in morals as a psychotic mass murderer, and yet still be considered ‘Noble’ in the eyes of the ‘Enlightened’. What matters is the cause, the intention and the ends. Everything in between matters naught.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this. - The ultimate sacrifice can conquer anything, even the impossible. This is the one true ‘Miracle’, Magic at its purest, one that allows the Enlightened to surpass his/her own end and achieve greatness through sacrifice. The Shepherdess safeguards the cause of all who sacrifice themselves for a greater purpose, guaranteeing them the miraculous magic of success.

==Details==

'''Estates''': Light, Determinism, Magic, Chivalry, Intelligence, Honour, Loyalty, Courage, Hope, Justice, Karma, Logic, Alchemy, Sacrifice, Curiosity, Sun, Moon, Stars

'''Excruciated Estates''': Aether, Vaveram, Maricarum, Endeon, Astelumina

'''Dynasty Points :''' 8

'''Qualities:'''

Great Harvest (2)

Cold (-1)

Demanding (-1)

----

= The Famiglia of the Enlightened =

The Famiglia of the Enlightened ''were'' a highly respected and influential group about 4-5 centuries before, their power extending from the very birth of creation. However, in a highly unorthodox move around the 4002 A.P., the Council ordered the Shepherdess to provide additional support in the Valde Bellum proper, above and beyond her maintenance of the Weirding Wall. Seeing as the Wall already consumed most if not all her power and attention, she was forced to mobilize members of her Famiglia, something quite unprecedented. The Nobles of Maricarum, Aether and Endeon were the first to volunteer for the great undertaking, having attained near-Imperator-level powers at the time. A few centuries later, Vaveram, Astelumina, Chivalry, Courage and Alchemy too joined their brother and sisters in the direct defense of creation. They held the line for a good few centuries, seeing a slow but definite turnover in nobles. That was until, for reasons still unknown, Maricarum, Aether, Endeon, Vaveram and Astelumina were excruciated one by one. The last to fall were Endeon and Astelumina in 4895 AP, at the same time 500 years of Human History was erased.

With no time to mourn, the Famiglia of the Enlightened were forced to mobilize more members of their famiglia to the front lines. The following few years saw more of their Nobles killed, though thankfully not excruciated.

Now with few remaining senior members, the famiglia struggles to stay on its feet with the large influx of new family members. Will they be able to live up to their predecessors? Will they be able to return the family to its former glory and take it to new heights? Or will this be the end of the Enlightened? That is up to the new Famiglia.

== PC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Foreguard of the Enlightened''

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Alicia_Valka '''Alicia - Principissa of Illumination''']

The 21st Principissa Of Illumination.

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Emil '''Emil - Power of Determinism''']

The 13th Power of Determinism

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Charles_Earl_Of_Huntington'''Charles - Lord of Chivalry''']

The 77th Lord of Chivalry

'''Lyna - Regina of Magic'''

The 66th Regina of Magic

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Mana_Kishimura '''Mana - Exemplar of Intelligence (And Dolphins)''']

The 17th Noble of Intelligence and 2nd Noble of Dolphins.

== NPC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Vanguard of the Enlightened''

'''Regine - Inquesta of Loyalty'''

'''Jessie - Tempesta of Courage (Sort of veering towards Impetuous Juvenile Recklessness)'''

'''Illumina - AllMother of Alchemy'''

Novice Alchemist extraordinaire and (rather unwilling) Commander of the Alchemist Flameheart Squad, Illumina is yet another recent addition to the Famiglia. She's currently worried about the sorry state of her estate (mostly usurped by Chemistry and now reduced to nothing more than a fantasy fiction gimmick) and a missing prominent Alchemist amongst other things....but mainly by the prospect of responsibility in general.

She is widely known, even outside Alchemist circles, as 'Big Bang Lum'.

'''Elune - Principissa of the Stars'''

While relatively senior in the Famiglia of the Enlightened (by simple virtue of everyone else being very recent additions), that's as far as her seniority goes. In every other respect, she is mostly helpless, though the more understanding dismiss this as a reflection of her estate - stars aren't known to be do much other than be pretty, especially lately with modern technology supplanting the need for stellar navigation or calendar-keeping. It used to be so much different when her sister, the Noble of Astelumina, the power of stellar influence upon the workings of the universe and lives on earth, was still around. Now as the stars fade and people forget the stars, Elune lies ill, slowly fading herself.

''The Diplomatic Corp (Intelligence) of the Enlightened''

'''Rang Fan - Excelifficer of Logic'''

Born a humble villager in a Tibetan highland settlement, Rang Fan grew up completely illiterate. She was, however, a keen observer and deep thinker. She developed her own concise and strict principles of logic, one that often found fault in the traditionalist views of the people she lived amongst. Some saw her as a source of wisdom, some saw her as a demon-possessed child.

She became the favourite anchor of the previous Noble of Logic for a while. During this time, her mastery of logic developed brilliantly. Unfortunately, she came afoul of a Chinese official when she publicly defeated him in a debate regarding the accusation of rebellion on the part of the village.

'''Geronimo - High Chief of Sacrifice'''

'''Han Gua - Exarch of Honour'''

'''Jimmy - Arch-Provost of Curiosity'''

''The Unassigned of the Enlightened''

'''Justice(?) - Empress of Justice'''

Not much is known about Justice, the 1st Noble of Justice. She is the eldest of the current Famiglia, though in the time of the original Famiglia, she was the youngest. She is the last surviving member of the original Famiglia of the Enlightened. It is rumoured that she was an Angel before she joined the Enlightened, though whether or not this is true is unknown. Her real name is unknown. Nobody has seen her in a long, long while. The only members of the current famiglia who have seen her are Han Gua and Elune.

Currently absent. Whereabouts unknown.

'''Vie - Noble of Hope'''

A rather mysterious member of the famiglia, she wonders in and out of the chancel rather randomly. Nobody seems to remember when she joined the Family. In fact, some are surprised to hear that there IS a noble of Hope in the Family. She doesn't seem to have a permanent home in the chancel. She's known (at least to those few who know her) to wander about, never staying in one place for long. She is apparently summonable, but rumours have it that she's apparently rather useless.

There are strange rumours that she follows the code of the Dark, or even Hell. Why would Hope do that?

'''Thomas Eire - Keeper of Karma'''

'''Kaguya - Himegami of the Moon'''

Tsukishiro no Kaguya-hime is perhaps the second eldest of the Famiglia, though she takes great care not to let anyone know that. She is the second Noble of the Moon. There are rumours that she was behind the Apollo 13 failure. When asked about it, she would give you a disdainful look and walk away. Then again, she'd do that no matter what you tried to bring up with her.

Currently very, very vain.

'''Kimo - the Emperor of the Sun'''

= Chancel - Locus Enlightenment, Sanctum Excelestia =

[http://img248.imageshack.us/i/sanctumexcelestia.jpg HG's Impression 1]

'''Qualities'''

Megalomaniac King/Queen (-4)

Normal Magic (3)

Alchemy (1)

2 Banes (-1)

Convenient Gates (2)

Anchorable Magical residents (4)

==Government==

The Sanctum is under the absolute Executive rule of the Emperor who answers only to the Shepherdess. Judicial Rule is under the Absolute Court headed by the Shepherdess and the Supreme Court headed by the Noble of Justice and her Circle of Justiciaries. Legislative and administrative rule is divided amongst the 4 major domains under the 4 queens:

'''Alicia - High Queen of the Diamond Tower.'''

Technically, having inherited the title of 'High Queen' from her predecessor, Alicia commands the Council of Four Queens and the Round Table of Dominums. However, as she has only recently joined the Famiglia, responsibility over the Council of Four Queens has fallen on the reluctant shoulders of Elune while the Round Table of Dominums is overseen by Han Gua.

'''Lyna - Queen of the Ruby Gardens.'''

The Ruby Gardens refers to the entirety of the Arcane Arts Academy Complex within the Outer Circle where the majority of mages of Excelestia train and live. However, to most of the citizens, the 'Ruby Gardens' itself refers to the seat of government, the Ruby Palace, a magnificent rose-shaped palace of crystal grown from the very essence of the Chancel itself in the middle of the Ruby Gardens.

'''Elune - Queen of the Sapphire Sky.'''

The Sapphire Sky refers to the entirety of the sky in between the floating structures of the Sanctum. While Elune governs no real land, she controls all traffic in the airspace around the Sanctum. Her official seat of government is the Sapphire Palace, a beautiful crystalline Sapphire star floating high up within the Inner Circle, though she is rarely ever there. She usually lives in her observatory on a lonely island high above the Sanctum.

'''Jessie - Queen of the Emerald Fields.'''

The Emerald Fields refer to most of the land floating in the Ciellan Expanse, the sky beyond the Outer Wall. The Emerald Fields house a good portion of the Sanctum's agricultural and mining settlements. Her seat of government is the Emerald Palace, a beautiful viridian structure of moss-covered wood and succulent, fresh folliage that grow and thrive all year round, coiled around a giant magnificent Emerald of a green deeper than the land that surrounds it.

== Homes and Households ==

'''The Diamond Palace - ?????'''

Home of Alicia.

Personal Assistant : Lymle

'''The Ruby Palace - ????'''

Home of Lyna.

Personal Assistant : Flowerchild

'''The Garnet Fortress - ????'''

Home of Charles.

Personal Assistant : Sieghart

'''The Quartz Workshop - ????'''

[[File:E660087c66284323f8686e5d5bbed09ee9cee1ba.jpg#filelinks|200px|thumb|left|The Quartz Workshop]]

Home of Emil.

Personal Assistant : Leonie

== Noteworthy Locations ==

'''The Amethyst Shores'''

Governed officially by Illumina, provisionally by the Arch-Artificer of the Great Guild of Alchemists. The Amethyst Shores are a group of closely-packed islands within the Outer Circle where the majority of the Alchemists of Excelestia live. While alchemists can be found just about anywhere, the Amethysts Shores are really the only place where they can make things explode to their hearts content without causing tempers to explode all around them. Alchemists can also be found en masse at the Ruby Gardens.

'''The Garnet Fortress'''

Governed mainly by Charles, the Garnet Fortress encompasses the Inner and Outer Walls of the Sanctum and the bastion of the Knights.

'''The Beryl Earth'''

Governed mainly by Regine, the

'''The Quartz Workshop'''

A watch-mender's workshop somewhere within the Diamond Tower, Emil's home and favourite haunt.

'''Chez Charles'''

==Security==

The city has a number of defense corps organized to different degrees by a number of Nobles.

'''The Chivalrous Gentlemanly TownWatch'''

'''The Magical Avengers of Love and Peace, Magical Taskforce Ruby Gardenia'''

Organized by the 5th Noble of Magic, a rather...odd Master of Magic who believed that wearing frilly clothing is a form of sacrifice to society and preached that magical power is exponentially proportional to the frilliness of one's clothing. Now maintained by the 7th Noble of Magic, Lyna, who keeps up most of the traditions of the 5th.

'''The Upholders of Equivalent Exchange, the Eternally Passionate Flameheart Alchemists (EPFA)'''

Organized by the previous Noble of Alchemy, a rather fluffy and passionate Lady Alchemist, and maintained by the recently appointed Noble, Illumina, the EPFA are at best socially-involved nerds, at worst really, really messy vigilantes (unfortunately, more often the latter). They mainly keep the domain of the Alchemists, the Amethyst Shores, as well as their portion of the Ruby Gardens, safe...for a given value of 'safe'.

'''The Infallibly Just Circle of Justiciers'''

'''The Eternally Loyal Shieldmaidens of [Insert Place Name Here]'''

Organized by the current Noble of Loyalty,

'''The Ever-Watchful Lantern Kindlers and Lamp Bearers of the Stars'''

'''The Righteous Karmic-Retributioneer Monks of Karma'''

'''The LoreKeepers and Agents of Literary Vengeance, the Combat Librarians'''

== Groups ==

Besides the defense forces of the Chancel, the Sanctum also harbours a number of groups.

'''The Enclave of Emerald Alchemists'''
Also known as the 'Emerald Artisans', this society of Alchemists was founded by the 7th Noble of Light, TanetNephthys, and the 1st Noble of Alchemy, Armagustine Trimegistus, after the passing of the third Noble of Maricarum, Hermes Trimegistus, founder of the Emerald Arts.

In a major nettle rite wrought by the 2nd Noble of Botany, Ephistopheles, against the Noble of Alchemy, in a daring move to split the art into two major paths forever, the Enclave was splintered in two - The Cleave fo Botanists and the Enclave of Emerald Artisans. The Botanists left the Sanctum, carrying with them the entirety of botanic knowledge. The Alchemists, however, managed to keep the Principa Alchimia safe and prevented the botanists from acquiring an absolute monopoly over the Emerald Arts. The two now jealously guard their arts, for if one were to acquire the arts of the other, they would become unstoppable.

The botanists are known to pass through the Chancel to deal with the Emerald Artisans.

== Laws ==

The Chancel operates on general principles of Justice commonly found in any other society where concepts of Law and Justice exist. It has a few notable exceptions such as:

- Any deed with noble ends are exempt from law's scrutiny upon its means. This means even the most foul of deeds is considered lawfully just as long as its ends are noble. It comes with a very, very important caveat - the good of the outcome must far exceed the evil committed. This is particularly difficult to achieve with murder, as murder, the theft of the sanctity of one's life, is the basest, most evil of crimes that even the earth itself abhors.

-

N.B. The Chancel operates on the Code Napoleon, that the suspect is guilty until proven otherwise, as Lady Justice willed it to be in the prosaic realm.

== Notable Individuals ==

=== Foreguard Support Staff ===

'''Mira'''

A young maid dedicated to serving the Foreguard.

'''Captain Captain Captain'''

Captain of the Foreguard Airship Excellion, a tall, lanky, yet muscular man with a full bushy beard and a true sailor's heart.

'''Orville'''

Chief Requisitions Officer for the Foreguard. His task is mainly acquiring equipment and supplies for the Foreguard's away-missions, though he's also an expert at acquiring just about anything the Foreguard needs.

=== Other Individuals ===

'''Orphus Denilzante'''
Chief Magitech Engineer of the Sanctum and designer of the Deus Ex Machina.

'''Reno Orfayne'''
Owner of Reno's Empirio, the one-stop fashion designer for Nobles, known to be second only to his Master, Enzel Haulor of 7th Avenue and 91st Street NY.

'''Sammy Westine'''
Proprietor and Chief Engineer of Westine Airships, Sammy is the young brilliant mind behind this generation's latest magitech airships. Having mastered Alchemy, Magic and Magitech at a young age, she went on to implement her excellent knowledge in airship design and construction. Her airships are used not just within the Sanctum but all over Creation. While she does produce combat-ready airships, she only produces them as personal favours for Nobles she trusts. These make proud flagships in any war fleet. It is rumoured that she is working with Aeril Jotunstrom, Noble of Ships, from Locus Atlantis, on warships capable of sailing the world beyond creation and taking part directly on the frontlines of the Valde Bellum.

'''Mac'''

LightHouse Chief Engineer and GateKeeper who maintains the Lighthouse and manages the chancel's gates.

'''Victor'''

= Mythic Realm =

== Chancels Known ==
''From the Primer on Loci Celatum, by Holly Djurisic''
What follows are descriptions of chancels considered widely known and to be no secret to those versed in the ways of the Mythic. Everyone knows them as a matter of common sense.

'''Locus Amarant'''

The Great Market, the Gardens of Lady Profit, Amarant is perhaps one of the few chancels that has no doors, and, even if it did, they would be wide open to welcome one and all. After all, even your worst enemy is a potential customer. Any invader would quickly find themselves besieged by peddlers of weaponry, trust and treachery, even the very spoils they are after. Everything the discerning Noble might need is available here...for the right price. The preferred currency are fleurs, but the locals have been known to trade with other things such as miracles and pacts. Some nobles come here not just to buy but also to sell. If you want or need it, Locus Amarant will sell it, or if not, then at least it will sell you the expertise of someone who CAN get it. Needless to say, the cammorae are all over Amarant.

It is well-known that even Excrucians frequent Amarant, and they know full well never to destroy Amarant....at least not until their victory is assured, for Amarant will be more than happy to sell them the means to that victory, or maybe even that victory itself....for the right price. Why destroy something so blatantly useful?

Chancel of Lady Profit, Immiae Arathy, and the Nobles of Trade, Currency, Negotiation, Supermarket Loyalty Cards, and Cookies. Yes, Cookies.

= Prosaic Realm =

== Earth ==

=== Noteworthy Individuals===

== Erebea ==

A once beautiful world, a geographic wonder of continents hanging high up in the pristine skies, flooded with raw magic reminiscent of Earth about a millennium ago. It is very closely linked to earth, to the point where a good few locations on both worlds overlap, allowing easy passage from one to the other should one be lucky (or unlucky) enough to stumble upon these places of power. They are so closely linked together in fact that the two worlds share more or less the same Imperators and Nobles. Some even surmise that Erebea is a divergent Earth on a parallel timeline.

Sanctum Excelestia was once the capital of this world, until it disappeared a few millennia ago.

== Lost Universe AD 2511 ==

The Lost Universe, now a Valde Bellum warfront. In 2400 AD, an age of galactic expansion and an Aetheric golden age for human advancement, a treacherous Imperator managed to sabotage the Shepherdess' hold on the Weirding Wall, leaving gaping holes in the defense of Creation. In the ensuing chaos, the Imperators and their nobles turned their attention to the Excrucian host gathering beyond the gap. Little did they know that they had fallen prey to a deceiver ruse. At the same time, the Excrucians were readying a pincer attack, with their mimics and strategists having established a foothold on Earth's universe. The Enlightened, at the time under great scrutiny due to the Shepherdess' apparent failure at maintaining the Weirding Wall, discovered the Excrucian plans and attempted to alert the Ymmerae. However, the Deceivers held the ears of the Ymmerae, and all the please of the Enlightened fell on deaf, suspicious, skeptical ears.

In a daring move, the Noble of Aether secretly used almost the entirety of his power of limitless potential to create an anomalous fold in existence, tearing 500 years of the universe apart, resetting the universe to before the Excrucian plan had even begun in 1900. He brought the new fold containing the lost 500 years and the excrucian plot up and tethered it to the gaping hole in the Weirding Wall, just in time to meet the incoming Excrucian Host. The excrucian invasion began, never once suspecting that they had walked into a pocket universe. For the Noble of Aether's apparent treachery, the Locust Court condemned him to death without a trial, dispatching the Enlightened, his own family, to prove their allegiance to the court by executing their own brother. It is said that Justice was the one to rip his shard out of his chest with her bare hands. It is said that the shard shattered. Some say Justice, in her grief and rage, shattered it herself. Some say it was Aether's final gift to the Lost Universe, and to the entirety of creation. The shard dust was dispersed and embedded itself across the entirety of the Lost Universe, enchancelling it, bestowing its beings with the blessings of Aetheric Power, immunizing them to the crippling effects of dementia animus and empowering them in their coming struggle against the Excrucian invaders. Aether was forever lost to Creation, but its shadow continues to live on within the beings of the Lost Universe. As long as the children of Aether stand and the light of Aether burns on within them, the Lost Universe will always resist the Excrucian host.

The Lost Universe has since been sealed away outside the Weirding Wall, doomed to forever be an Excrucian battleground, until the day the Excrucians trapped within consume the Lost Universe and realize Aether's trickery.

At the precise moment Aether's sacrifice enchancelled the Lost Universe, Hammond Qarn, Imperator of the Lost Universe, came into being. Having arisen from a universe so filled with the Shepherdess' own power, Hammond naturally became a Magister of the Enlightened. Furthermore, as the chancel was created using the Shepherdess' own soul shard, a fraction of the Shepherdess' own essence makes up the chancel's foundations. Thus for all intents and purposes the Enlightened can treat the Lost Universe as their own home chancel.

Few other nobles are privy to the secret of the Lost Universe's existence. Even fewer take up the fight to defend the Lost Universe in order to delay the full-scale invasion of Creation. The Nobles of Astelumina and Endeon were the first to pick up Aether's fallen banner and lead the battle against the Excrucian host and were also the first to fall.

'Now and Forever, till the hour I too stand between Impossibility and Despair!' - Phaeron Rof Alabar Trimeniel - Emperor of Aether

=== Notable Locations ===

'''L.U. Earth AD 2511'''

In AD 2400, Astelumina and Endeon managed to rid the entire earth of deceivers, strategists and mimics, making it one of the last few human settlements still untouched by the Excrucian Scourge. The war and Aether's blessing has accelerated technology to astronomical heights in the past 111 years, bringing humanity to a point where they can overwhelm excrucian shards and at the very least annoy full excrucians, if not kill them. Earth is now the capital of the Universal Aetheric Alliance (UAA), headquarters of the Excrucian resistance. Its coordinates are guarded to the death by the Children of Aether. Those who sally forth to meet the Excrucian Host do so without carrying Earth's coordinates, knowing full well that they may never return to their beloved home.

'''L.U. Heaven’s Feel'''

The current frontier of the Lost Universe Valde Bellum, Heaven’s Feel is perhaps the most beautiful extrasolar human colony. A large T3 terraformed planet orbiting the gas giant Astelumina 3, behind a dense spherical asteroid field and a radioactive veil around the sun Astelumina, it makes a naturally fortified world. Thanks to the scattering radiation and the dense blackhole just a few megaparsecs away at the center of the galaxy, the system and planet is nigh impossible to find at the best of times, at least for marauding excrucian raiding parties. The UAA uses Astelumina’s final gift, the gift of the stars, the ability to travel on aetheric currents guided by the stars, to travel safely in and out of the system.

When excrucians do find the planet, they are immediately drawn into its orbit by the interaction of the gravity wells of Heaven’s Feel’s many moons. They have no hope of escaping to notify the host of the planet’s location before they are drawn into intense battle by the Feelians.

The planet is ravaged by repeat invasions.

=== Familia of the Lost Universe ===

More or less an extended family of the Enlightened, the Familia of the Lost Universe are the sworn guardians of Aether's legacy.

'''Hammond Qarn - Imperator of the Lost Universe'''

Despite being an offshoot of the Shepherdess' power, Hammond Qarn is quite the opposite. He looks as human as they come. In fact, very, very much so, with his thick paternal beard, his twinkling eyes and his simple, honest expression, like a stern but compassionate father. Those who have the great honour of an audience with him are overcome with an overwhelming confidence and faith in humanity's potential and prowess. His being is shrouded in the stuff of legends. They say he single-handedly piloted an Alliance Battlecruiser straight into an Excrucian battlestation and escaped alive, unscathed. They say he personally lead the desperate charge that ended the siege of Harvest 4. They say he singlehandedly held the line at Point Hope against the entire advancing Excrucian host at the battle of Forge 3. They say a lot of things about Hammond Qarn, and when you meet him, sitting like a lighthouse exuding calm and confidence amidst the storm of war, in his simple, neatly-pressed uniform gleaming with but one badge denoting his allegiance to the Alliance, you feel naught but awe - that this man is the legend in the flesh.

'''Commander John Shepard - Power of Living Legends'''

'''Excel 7 - Commander of Super Soldiers'''

was responsible for the Halo series and partly responsible for the Metal Gear series, amongst other things.

'''Iris Erran - Chief Admiral of Spacecrafts'''

'''ALMa OmNI. - Supreme Administrator of Aetheric Technology'''

An A.I. born of the pinnacle of Aetheric supercomputers,

= Quests =

== Active Quests ==

=== Imperator Quests ===

'''Overdue'''

Started : 8th November 2011

The Shepherdess has requested that the Foreguards return 3 books she's borrowed for Shepherdess-knows-how-long now, for reasons that none can fathom. These books are:

1) 'Single Parenting for Idiots', to the Imperator of Shadows

2) 'The Amazing Justice and the Lovely Yaoi Doujin', to the Noble of Women's Beards

3) 'The Witchhunter's Codex' to a certain alchemist in Erebea.

She has asked you all to return them, ASAP.

Progress:

1) The Family has acquired the 3 books from the Principarium.

2) 1 week has passed since.

'''?????'''

Started : ?????

??????

Progress: n/a

=== Chancel Quests ===

=== Chivalry Quests ===

'''Rest in Peace'''

Started: 15th November 2011

One of Charles' Knights, Tristan, has just returned from Earth and has requested an urgent private audience. Wonder what it's about.

Progress:

1) Charles met Tristan, who seems to be rather fearful of someone, or something, though he's doing his best not to show it. Tristan presents Sir Jacob's cane and monocle to Charles, telling him that Sir Jacob disappeared after discovering that most of the Copenhagen chapter of knights have disappeared. It appears he noticed something was amiss after the disappearance of Sir William, who was out to investigate the disappearance of a local magical girl.

2) Charles decides to alert all the chapters throughout the world.

3) Charles proceeds to attempt directing chivalrous power into Sir Jacob's cane. It fights back, showing signs of deep corruption, before exploding rather violently.

4) Charles sends Sieghart with the destroyed monocle to Victor to study it further.

'''100,000's a Crowd!'''

Started: n/a

The Reinzuthen of Erebea have decided to dispatch a sacrifical gift of 100,000 girls from all around Erebea, mostly from all the nations they've conquered and annexed, to the old island of Altima, original home of the Nobles of Warriors, distant predecessors of Charles'. Apparently this is to welcome the prophesized return of the original Noble of Warriors and to attempt to acquire his favour with the hopes of having him assist the Reinzuthen make good their absolute conquest of Erebea. Obviously, the current delivery recipient is Charles....and this is NOT good. NOT good at all.

Progress: n/a

'''White Knight in Black Armour'''

Started: n/a

Alfred Goddard, ace attorney, E.U. Supreme Court prosecutor and prominent political figure, has sworn to cleanse Europe of all crime, especially major international crime rings. He has followed through with his oath. Half of all European prisons are full thanks to him. He is hailed as the 'White Knight', Europe's last hope. Needless to say, he's nowhere near as popular in the underworld. Many want him dead. He's currently attending the Copenhagen Treaty Talks as an expert on the Eco-crime panel. Chika, Emil's personal assassin, has helpfully let slip that she's refused a rather generous contract to assassinate Alfred Goddard during the talks. She's only one of many. Maybe you should look into this.

Progress: n/a

=== Determinism Quests ===

'''I Left My Hand in Copenhagen'''

Started : N/A

77 People have been found dead from unknown causes in Copenhagen. They were discovered missing their left hands and hanging upside down from trees.

Progress : n/a

'''Fly me to Europa'''

Started : N/A

The manned mission to Europa's missing for reasons as yet unknown.

Progress : n/a

'''Two Things Infinite'''

Started : 8th November 2011

The LHC has broken down once again after a few brief months of rather hiccupy function. This time, the cause is completely unknown. All the individual parts seem to be in working order, but the sum refuses to work. Sophia's not happy, not happy at all. She has personally requested that Emil look into this.

Progress:

1) Emil has taken a brief look around through Sophia's eyes. The LHC's spirit seems to have some blemishes....wonder what they are....

'''Tides of Fate'''

Started : n/a

The tides have stopped rising with the lunar cycles. As a result, the world's currents, fisheries and shoreline ecosystems have been gravely affected. This shouldn't even be physically possible!

Progress: n/a

=== Illumination Quests ===

'''Twinkle, Little Star'''

Started : 15th November 2011

As the world darkens, the light of the stars fade. Elune, little noble of stars, your sister, lies sick, alone in her high observatory, forgotten by the rest of the world. Now the weakening of the stars has started to affect the domain of Light too. Something must be done before yet another member of the Family succumbs to the war of attrition upon the Enlightened.

Progress:

1) Lyna, Emil and Alicia visited Elune in her observatory and found her ill.

2) They discovered that her observatory was severely corrupted by some malignant corruption that was trying to break into the chancel.

3) They sealed off the intrusion into the chancel but destroyed the observatory in the process. They managed to prevent the observatory from crashing catastrophically into the chancel.

4) They've brought the sick Elune to the Sapphire Palace and acquired the help of Regine to treat her.

5) Regine has asked the team to seek out the Noble of Shadows or anyone from the Familia of Shadows for a certain flower that only grows in Locus Shadows.

'''Who moved my Christmas?!'''

Christmas, the biggest celebration of lights and joy, isn't happening this year! This is unprecedented serious affair!

Started : 8th November 2011

Progress :

1) Alicia has asked the magical girls, knights, and others who've passed in and out of the chancel, for any information they might know about this. She's learned that it's a rather complex issue. It might be the economy, it might be the declining family values, could be anything.

'''When you peer into the Abyss...'''

Started : n/a

And the Creator said, 'Let there be Light', and there was light, and he saw that it was good. And He separated the dark from the light. Thus was the First Day.

It wasn't quite that simple.

When the light came to be, the dark too came to be as a result, and neither could tolerate the other. Thus the First War of Light and Dark began, pure and simple, with no preamble or prelude. They fought for Shepherdess-knows-how-long. Finally, the formation of the Covenant of the First Day, an agreement between the Light and the Dark to respect the other's estate, ended the war. How it came to be, however, is still a hotly debated topic. Some say the Dark won. Some say the Light won. Some say it was a draw. Some say there were other reasons. Who really knows?

An anniversary of the Covenant of the First Day is celebrated yearly now to uphold the ideals of peace and cooperation between Light and Dark. This year, it's Alicia's turn to host the festival. What could go wrong?

Progress : n/a

=== Magic Quests ===

'''Dude, Where's My Ship?!'''

Started : 8th Novemeber 2011

Following the disappearance of a wildcat Lignite mining crew in the Aescilian Mountains of Erebea, a pair of magical girls were dispatched on what was supposed to be a simple search-and-rescue mission. They report finding what looks like a ship and wisely request further assistance. The archaeological division arrived hours later, sealed the region, before preparing for further studies. They could not identify the ship's make or origins from the exterior, so they decide to enter through an entrance they found on the side. Contact with the entire squad was lost 6 hours into the mission, with the last transmission being 'Found someth-....So....beautiful....'. A second rescue mission was mounted, this time with a full STRIKER magical girl squadron. They found a deserted camp site and the open ship. They enter. Contact was lost 1.5 hours into the mission, with the last transmission being '...reached the last known location. Now....I-..I can't believe it....mission control...I can't begin to describe this....this is...so...so beau-.....'.

Progress:

1) Lyna has developed a new remote-viewing spell to peer into the site from a distance. Unfortunately, the first few attempts failed as she can't seem to view anything beyond the foot of the mountains.

'''My Struggle, My suffering, My Legacy'''

Started: n/a

The smoke of witch burning pyres rise high up into the skies above the magical realm of Erebea. The once all-powerful mages now run and hide before the onslaught of the Reinzhuthen, an order of genocidal purists who are in pursuit of the all-powerful dark mage, the dark lord Daran Reganz. The Reinzhuthen have taken up an all-or-nothing approach towards hunting Daran Reganz – wiping out every last mage on Neven. After successfully gathering the support of the people against the seemingly incompetent mage-led government and subsequently overthrowing them, the Reinzhuthen declared a world-wide ban of magical practices, declaring any practitioner an agent of Daran Reganz and an enemy of the state. In their crusade against magic, they've begun declaring the absolutism of their cause and the need for all nations of the world to unite under their banner to eliminate the magic scourge. To this end, they have begun invading and conquering any nation who refuses to join their Empire.

Progress: n/a

=== Intelligence Quests ===

'''So Long and Thanks for All the Fish'''

Dolphins are becoming quite popular...as food! The coastal town of Taiji, Japan, the largest operator of dolphin drive hunting in the world, is undertaking a massive campaign to popularize the consumption of dolphin meat following the opening of its Great Taiji Dolphin Slaughterhouse. They are marketing it as a health food that greatly boosts brain development and intelligence, particularly in children. Interestingly, they managed to show that the IQs of children raised in Taiji and the nearby village of Koazagawa, wherein the staple food is dolphin and whale meat, are significantly higher than not only the national average but also the international average, almost miraculously so. Quite a problem for the local dolphins, some of whom are Mana's own friends.

Incidentally, the global pandemic of the strange sleeping illness has a relatively high incidence in Japan, particularly in Taiji.

Started: n/a

Progress: n/a

== Completed Quests ==

= Correspondence =

== Family Correspondence ==

'Good morning, Masters and Mistresses. I hope the noise didn't keep you up last night. The Alchemists discovered a new flower known quite amusingly as the 'Boom Lily'. Thankfully they grew quieter as the night went by. Anyhow, here's today's selection of the world's headlines.' - Mira -

• Presidents of Chechnya, Bosnia and Ukraine die in mysterious circumstances.

• American invasion of Iran is meeting heavy resistance. The Iranians now threaten to unleash their nuclear arsenal if America does not cease and desist.

• A new illness is spreading. Cause unknown.

== Illumination's Correspondence==

'Young Miss, please do take some times to reads some of these, 'kay? Lymle's actually done her bests to sort them outs, 'kay!' - Lymle -

- You've been cordially invited to attend the Divali celebrations in India. - Various Nobles -

== Chivalry's Correspondence ==

'Aye, my liege, thou hath an abundant harvest of letters. Thy loyal steed hast made do with the more...delicious trivialties. *BURP*' - Sieghart -

== Determinism's Correspondence ==

'Hey, old man, check it out, you've got mail. Should I fetch your specs? Or maybe a magnifying glass? Or maybe my winding screw? All that sorting's wound down my springs...' - Leonie -

- There's insider information that the vast artificial island city under construction at the base of Orbital Elevator 02 in the Pacific has hit a dead end in its construction effort due to economical constraints. It will soon become a prized piece of real estate amongst the nobles once word gets out. - Penelope -

- Ne, Oyabun, some funny men want to kill that yaro Alfred Goddard. They offer real cash, up front, no questions. Too good a deal for me, so I tell them, leave. They probably go for my competitors. Tell your friend, ne. Ja. - Chika -

== Magic's Correspondence ==

'Young Mistress, it's time to read your correspondence for the day. Please sit down here. Yes, here. Now, back straight like a washboard, eyes forward like a dead fish, and elbows akimbo like a ballerina...yes, excellent, young mistress. Now, I present you my personal selection of today's letters.' - Flowerchild -

- We're short on new recruits for the Magical Girl Academy. Please do something about this. - Miranda, Headmaster of the Ruby Gardens Magical Girl Academy Division

== Intelligence's Correspondence ==

= The Enlightened Miracle Lexicon =

== Known Combo Miracles ==

'''Double Searing Starlight'''
Alicia's Searing Light + Lyna's Starlight Breaker

Nobilis Enlightened

2011-03-16T11:35:56Z

Mind-The-Gap: /* Homes and Households */

[[Category:Nobilis]]

= Imperator - The Shepherdess of Light =

1. ‘Omneaum(a) became aware. In its awareness, it found loneliness. It saw potential, good, an impossibility.

2. Omneaum gave way to potential, and made the impossible possible. It was, things became.

3. Enlightenment arose, and so did I, Whole, Complete, bearing the Gifts of Aether (b), Light, Vaveram (c), Maricarum (d), Endeon (e), and Causality.

4. Omneaum’s legacy I shall honour and hold safe, now and forever, till the hour I too stand alone between Impossibility and Despair.’

- The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light, Imperator of Enlightenment -

(a) Omneaum: The Original Absolute Void

(b) Aether: Estate of 'Absolute Potential', the 'Impossible made Possible', the very basic element of creation from which all matter and life flowed. It was said to have been more abundant in space. (Now excruciated, succeeded in part by the estate of 'Magic')

(c)Vaveram: Estate of Spontaneous Sentience and Awareness (Now Excruciated. Never replaced.)

(d) Maricarum: Estate of Great Miracles through Personal Sacrifice (Now excruciated, succeeded by the estate of 'Magic' and 'Sacrifice')

(e)Endeon: Estate of the 'Lone Wolf Phenomenon', wherein those fighting against overwhelming odds are always guaranteed victory. Better known in our time as the 'Storm Trooper effect'. (Now excruciated)

Having predated the Imperators of 'Name', the Shepherdess is nameless and formless. Those who are fortunate enough to know her identify her as 'The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light', or, simply, 'The Shepherdess'. Having come into being before the birth of the concept of 'form' or even 'matter' and 'physical law', she is without form in the physical universe. She used to communicate with her agents in the physical universe through pulses of light and ripples in a fountain of light. Needless to say, a lot of liberty had been taken in deciphering her wishes. Recently, however, the Chief Engineer of the Sanctum, Orphus, has devised an ingenious megastructure, the Deus Ex Machina, a gigantic clockwork device that allows the Shepherdess to see into the physical realm and engage with it using a gigantic, rather clumsy steel claw and communicate using a ticker-tape telegram machine.

(Interestingly, having also preceded the Imperator of Gender, she is, or, at least, was, in essence, genderless. However, around 300 B.C. she became a part of debate amongst philosophers as an example of a being who must be 'of the default gender'. For some reason it was decided that the default gender was female, and so the Shepherdess has since been considered to be of the female persuasion. Not that she really cares. It is suspected that the Noble of Women had something to do with this, but that's a tale for another time.)

Prophesized successor of Ananda and future Shepherdess of the Fifth Age, the Glorious One has purposely been denied a seat on the Council of Four, for her ways are that of the ‘Enlightened’, incompatible with the ways of the other council-members. She earns Lord Entropy and Ananda’s tolerance for her existence only through her service in the Valde Bellum and her Light’s importance in maintaining the Weirding Wall, a task that consumes almost the entirety of her attention and being (much to Lord Entropy’s and Ananda’s satisfaction).

The Heavens despise her, for an Angel of Creation she is not, and yet she brought forth the first Light that made everything that was Beautiful possible. Only the fact that her Light is necessary for beauty and this fact alone earns her the toleration of Heaven. The Wild would have nothing to do with her, for there is no freedom in sacrifice.The Hells, the Darkness and the Light all loath her, for not only is she the voice of wisdom that transcends not just the Corruption that the Hells endeavour towards, but she is also the voice that moves all beings towards becoming more than the matter they are made from, transcending what they are, pushing them ever onwards towards a greater purpose not only in life but also in death. Those who follow her code wish for naught else but the glory of dying for a greater good.

It is unclear what her true nature or form is. Nobody seems to remember when she came to be, or how for that matter. Some suspect she is one of the Heavenly legion, an Angel, but not only do the Heavens and its angelic denizens despise her at the best of times, her ways are most definitely not that of Heaven. Some surmise that she is a fallen Angel, but the cause of Hell she does not serve. It is highly possible that she is a True God, but all of creation knows they did not appear until long after the Angels had begun the Great Work. Recently, when passings of the Transcendants were properly documented in AP 4732, it was surmised that she is perhaps a Transcendant who somehow chose to settle upon the World Ash, perhaps one of the Charitable. Said document is Creation's closest description of the Shepherdess' nature, her gifts being her Estates and her Law.

=='''Vow of the Enlightened'''==

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this.

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this. - One thing leads to another. And at the end of all things is an ‘end’.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this. - Every good act must be good of purpose and good of result. This clause seems to fail to (most probably purposely) mention anything regarding the means. Taking the most liberal interpretation, a ‘Noble deed’ can have means as lacking in morals as a psychotic mass murderer, and yet still be considered ‘Noble’ in the eyes of the ‘Enlightened’. What matters is the cause, the intention and the ends. Everything in between matters naught.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this. - The ultimate sacrifice can conquer anything, even the impossible. This is the one true ‘Miracle’, Magic at its purest, one that allows the Enlightened to surpass his/her own end and achieve greatness through sacrifice. The Shepherdess safeguards the cause of all who sacrifice themselves for a greater purpose, guaranteeing them the miraculous magic of success.

==Details==

'''Estates''': Light, Determinism, Magic, Chivalry, Intelligence, Honour, Loyalty, Courage, Hope, Justice, Karma, Logic, Alchemy, Sacrifice, Curiosity, Sun, Moon, Stars

'''Excruciated Estates''': Aether, Vaveram, Maricarum, Endeon, Astelumina

'''Dynasty Points :''' 8

'''Qualities:'''

Great Harvest (2)

Cold (-1)

Demanding (-1)

----

= The Famiglia of the Enlightened =

The Famiglia of the Enlightened ''were'' a highly respected and influential group about 4-5 centuries before, their power extending from the very birth of creation. However, in a highly unorthodox move around the 4002 A.P., the Council ordered the Shepherdess to provide additional support in the Valde Bellum proper, above and beyond her maintenance of the Weirding Wall. Seeing as the Wall already consumed most if not all her power and attention, she was forced to mobilize members of her Famiglia, something quite unprecedented. The Nobles of Maricarum, Aether and Endeon were the first to volunteer for the great undertaking, having attained near-Imperator-level powers at the time. A few centuries later, Vaveram, Astelumina, Chivalry, Courage and Alchemy too joined their brother and sisters in the direct defense of creation. They held the line for a good few centuries, seeing a slow but definite turnover in nobles. That was until, for reasons still unknown, Maricarum, Aether, Endeon, Vaveram and Astelumina were excruciated one by one. The last to fall were Endeon and Astelumina in 4895 AP, at the same time 500 years of Human History was erased.

With no time to mourn, the Famiglia of the Enlightened were forced to mobilize more members of their famiglia to the front lines. The following few years saw more of their Nobles killed, though thankfully not excruciated.

Now with few remaining senior members, the famiglia struggles to stay on its feet with the large influx of new family members. Will they be able to live up to their predecessors? Will they be able to return the family to its former glory and take it to new heights? Or will this be the end of the Enlightened? That is up to the new Famiglia.

== PC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Foreguard of the Enlightened''

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Alicia_Valka '''Alicia - Principissa of Illumination''']

The 21st Principissa Of Illumination.

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Emil '''Emil - Power of Determinism''']

The 13th Power of Determinism

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Charles_Earl_Of_Huntington'''Charles - Lord of Chivalry''']

The 77th Lord of Chivalry

'''Lyna - Regina of Magic'''

The 66th Regina of Magic

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Mana_Kishimura '''Mana - Exemplar of Intelligence (And Dolphins)''']

The 17th Noble of Intelligence and 2nd Noble of Dolphins.

== NPC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Vanguard of the Enlightened''

'''Regine - Inquesta of Loyalty'''

'''Jessie - Tempesta of Courage (Sort of veering towards Impetuous Juvenile Recklessness)'''

'''Illumina - AllMother of Alchemy'''

Novice Alchemist extraordinaire and (rather unwilling) Commander of the Alchemist Flameheart Squad, Illumina is yet another recent addition to the Famiglia. She's currently worried about the sorry state of her estate (mostly usurped by Chemistry and now reduced to nothing more than a fantasy fiction gimmick) and a missing prominent Alchemist amongst other things....but mainly by the prospect of responsibility in general.

She is widely known, even outside Alchemist circles, as 'Big Bang Lum'.

'''Elune - Principissa of the Stars'''

While relatively senior in the Famiglia of the Enlightened (by simple virtue of everyone else being very recent additions), that's as far as her seniority goes. In every other respect, she is mostly helpless, though the more understanding dismiss this as a reflection of her estate - stars aren't known to be do much other than be pretty, especially lately with modern technology supplanting the need for stellar navigation or calendar-keeping. It used to be so much different when her sister, the Noble of Astelumina, the power of stellar influence upon the workings of the universe and lives on earth, was still around. Now as the stars fade and people forget the stars, Elune lies ill, slowly fading herself.

''The Diplomatic Corp (Intelligence) of the Enlightened''

'''Rang Fan - Excelifficer of Logic'''

Born a humble villager in a Tibetan highland settlement, Rang Fan grew up completely illiterate. She was, however, a keen observer and deep thinker. She developed her own concise and strict principles of logic, one that often found fault in the traditionalist views of the people she lived amongst. Some saw her as a source of wisdom, some saw her as a demon-possessed child.

She became the favourite anchor of the previous Noble of Logic for a while. During this time, her mastery of logic developed brilliantly. Unfortunately, she came afoul of a Chinese official when she publicly defeated him in a debate regarding the accusation of rebellion on the part of the village.

'''Geronimo - High Chief of Sacrifice'''

'''Han Gua - Exarch of Honour'''

'''Jimmy - Arch-Provost of Curiosity'''

''The Unassigned of the Enlightened''

'''Justice(?) - Empress of Justice'''

Not much is known about Justice, the 1st Noble of Justice. She is the eldest of the current Famiglia, though in the time of the original Famiglia, she was the youngest. She is the last surviving member of the original Famiglia of the Enlightened. It is rumoured that she was an Angel before she joined the Enlightened, though whether or not this is true is unknown. Her real name is unknown. Nobody has seen her in a long, long while. The only members of the current famiglia who have seen her are Han Gua and Elune.

Currently absent. Whereabouts unknown.

'''Vie - Noble of Hope'''

A rather mysterious member of the famiglia, she wonders in and out of the chancel rather randomly. Nobody seems to remember when she joined the Family. In fact, some are surprised to hear that there IS a noble of Hope in the Family. She doesn't seem to have a permanent home in the chancel. She's known (at least to those few who know her) to wander about, never staying in one place for long. She is apparently summonable, but rumours have it that she's apparently rather useless.

There are strange rumours that she follows the code of the Dark, or even Hell. Why would Hope do that?

'''Thomas Eire - Keeper of Karma'''

'''Kaguya - Himegami of the Moon'''

Tsukishiro no Kaguya-hime is perhaps the second eldest of the Famiglia, though she takes great care not to let anyone know that. She is the second Noble of the Moon. There are rumours that she was behind the Apollo 13 failure. When asked about it, she would give you a disdainful look and walk away. Then again, she'd do that no matter what you tried to bring up with her.

Currently very, very vain.

'''Kimo - the Emperor of the Sun'''

= Chancel - Locus Enlightenment, Sanctum Excelestia =

[http://img248.imageshack.us/i/sanctumexcelestia.jpg HG's Impression 1]

'''Qualities'''

Megalomaniac King/Queen (-4)

Normal Magic (3)

Alchemy (1)

2 Banes (-1)

Convenient Gates (2)

Anchorable Magical residents (4)

==Government==

The Sanctum is under the absolute Executive rule of the Emperor who answers only to the Shepherdess. Judicial Rule is under the Absolute Court headed by the Shepherdess and the Supreme Court headed by the Noble of Justice and her Circle of Justiciaries. Legislative and administrative rule is divided amongst the 4 major domains under the 4 queens:

'''Alicia - High Queen of the Diamond Tower.'''

Technically, having inherited the title of 'High Queen' from her predecessor, Alicia commands the Council of Four Queens and the Round Table of Dominums. However, as she has only recently joined the Famiglia, responsibility over the Council of Four Queens has fallen on the reluctant shoulders of Elune while the Round Table of Dominums is overseen by Han Gua.

'''Lyna - Queen of the Ruby Gardens.'''

The Ruby Gardens refers to the entirety of the Arcane Arts Academy Complex within the Outer Circle where the majority of mages of Excelestia train and live. However, to most of the citizens, the 'Ruby Gardens' itself refers to the seat of government, the Ruby Palace, a magnificent rose-shaped palace of crystal grown from the very essence of the Chancel itself in the middle of the Ruby Gardens.

'''Elune - Queen of the Sapphire Sky.'''

The Sapphire Sky refers to the entirety of the sky in between the floating structures of the Sanctum. While Elune governs no real land, she controls all traffic in the airspace around the Sanctum. Her official seat of government is the Sapphire Palace, a beautiful crystalline Sapphire star floating high up within the Inner Circle, though she is rarely ever there. She usually lives in her observatory on a lonely island high above the Sanctum.

'''Jessie - Queen of the Emerald Fields.'''

The Emerald Fields refer to most of the land floating in the Ciellan Expanse, the sky beyond the Outer Wall. The Emerald Fields house a good portion of the Sanctum's agricultural and mining settlements. Her seat of government is the Emerald Palace, a beautiful viridian structure of moss-covered wood and succulent, fresh folliage that grow and thrive all year round, coiled around a giant magnificent Emerald of a green deeper than the land that surrounds it.

== Homes and Households ==

'''The Diamond Palace - ?????'''

Home of Alicia.

Personal Assistant : Lymle

'''The Ruby Palace - ????'''

Home of Lyna.

Personal Assistant : Flowerchild

'''The Garnet Fortress - ????'''

Home of Charles.

Personal Assistant : Sieghart

'''The Quartz Workshop - ????'''

[[File:E660087c66284323f8686e5d5bbed09ee9cee1ba.jpg#filelinks|200px|thumb|left|The Quartz Workshop]]

Home of Emil.

Personal Assistant : Leonie

== Noteworthy Locations ==

'''The Amethyst Shores'''

Governed officially by Illumina, provisionally by the Arch-Artificer of the Great Guild of Alchemists. The Amethyst Shores are a group of closely-packed islands within the Outer Circle where the majority of the Alchemists of Excelestia live. While alchemists can be found just about anywhere, the Amethysts Shores are really the only place where they can make things explode to their hearts content without causing tempers to explode all around them. Alchemists can also be found en masse at the Ruby Gardens.

'''The Garnet Fortress'''

Governed mainly by Charles, the Garnet Fortress encompasses the Inner and Outer Walls of the Sanctum and the bastion of the Knights.

'''The Beryl Earth'''

Governed mainly by Regine, the

'''The Quartz Workshop'''

A watch-mender's workshop somewhere within the Diamond Tower, Emil's home and favourite haunt.

'''Chez Charles'''

==Security==

The city has a number of defense corps organized to different degrees by a number of Nobles.

'''The Chivalrous Gentlemanly TownWatch'''

'''The Magical Avengers of Love and Peace, Magical Taskforce Ruby Gardenia'''

Organized by the 5th Noble of Magic, a rather...odd Master of Magic who believed that wearing frilly clothing is a form of sacrifice to society and preached that magical power is exponentially proportional to the frilliness of one's clothing. Now maintained by the 7th Noble of Magic, Lyna, who keeps up most of the traditions of the 5th.

'''The Upholders of Equivalent Exchange, the Eternally Passionate Flameheart Alchemists (EPFA)'''

Organized by the previous Noble of Alchemy, a rather fluffy and passionate Lady Alchemist, and maintained by the recently appointed Noble, Illumina, the EPFA are at best socially-involved nerds, at worst really, really messy vigilantes (unfortunately, more often the latter). They mainly keep the domain of the Alchemists, the Amethyst Shores, as well as their portion of the Ruby Gardens, safe...for a given value of 'safe'.

'''The Infallibly Just Circle of Justiciers'''

'''The Eternally Loyal Shieldmaidens of [Insert Place Name Here]'''

Organized by the current Noble of Loyalty,

'''The Ever-Watchful Lantern Kindlers and Lamp Bearers of the Stars'''

'''The Righteous Karmic-Retributioneer Monks of Karma'''

'''The LoreKeepers and Agents of Literary Vengeance, the Combat Librarians'''

== Groups ==

Besides the defense forces of the Chancel, the Sanctum also harbours a number of groups.

'''The Enclave of Emerald Alchemists'''
Also known as the 'Emerald Artisans', this society of Alchemists was founded by the 7th Noble of Light, TanetNephthys, and the 1st Noble of Alchemy, Armagustine Trimegistus, after the passing of the third Noble of Maricarum, Hermes Trimegistus, founder of the Emerald Arts.

In a major nettle rite wrought by the 2nd Noble of Botany, Ephistopheles, against the Noble of Alchemy, in a daring move to split the art into two major paths forever, the Enclave was splintered in two - The Cleave fo Botanists and the Enclave of Emerald Artisans. The Botanists left the Sanctum, carrying with them the entirety of botanic knowledge. The Alchemists, however, managed to keep the Principa Alchimia safe and prevented the botanists from acquiring an absolute monopoly over the Emerald Arts. The two now jealously guard their arts, for if one were to acquire the arts of the other, they would become unstoppable.

The botanists are known to pass through the Chancel to deal with the Emerald Artisans.

== Laws ==

The Chancel operates on general principles of Justice commonly found in any other society where concepts of Law and Justice exist. It has a few notable exceptions such as:

- Any deed with noble ends are exempt from law's scrutiny upon its means. This means even the most foul of deeds is considered lawfully just as long as its ends are noble. It comes with a very, very important caveat - the good of the outcome must far exceed the evil committed. This is particularly difficult to achieve with murder, as murder, the theft of the sanctity of one's life, is the basest, most evil of crimes that even the earth itself abhors.

-

N.B. The Chancel operates on the Code Napoleon, that the suspect is guilty until proven otherwise, as Lady Justice willed it to be in the prosaic realm.

== Notable Individuals ==

=== Foreguard Support Staff ===

'''Mira'''

A young maid dedicated to serving the Foreguard.

'''Captain Captain Captain'''

Captain of the Foreguard Airship Excellion, a tall, lanky, yet muscular man with a full bushy beard and a true sailor's heart.

'''Orville'''

Chief Requisitions Officer for the Foreguard. His task is mainly acquiring equipment and supplies for the Foreguard's away-missions, though he's also an expert at acquiring just about anything the Foreguard needs.

=== Other Individuals ===

'''Orphus Denilzante'''
Chief Magitech Engineer of the Sanctum and designer of the Deus Ex Machina.

'''Reno Orfayne'''
Owner of Reno's Empirio, the one-stop fashion designer for Nobles, known to be second only to his Master, Enzel Haulor of 7th Avenue and 91st Street NY.

'''Sammy Westine'''
Proprietor and Chief Engineer of Westine Airships, Sammy is the young brilliant mind behind this generation's latest magitech airships. Having mastered Alchemy, Magic and Magitech at a young age, she went on to implement her excellent knowledge in airship design and construction. Her airships are used not just within the Sanctum but all over Creation. While she does produce combat-ready airships, she only produces them as personal favours for Nobles she trusts. These make proud flagships in any war fleet. It is rumoured that she is working with Aeril Jotunstrom, Noble of Ships, from Locus Atlantis, on warships capable of sailing the world beyond creation and taking part directly on the frontlines of the Valde Bellum.

'''Mac'''

LightHouse Chief Engineer and GateKeeper who maintains the Lighthouse and manages the chancel's gates.

'''Victor'''

= Mythic Realm =

== Chancels Known ==
''From the Primer on Loci Celatum, by Holly Djurisic''
What follows are descriptions of chancels considered widely known and to be no secret to those versed in the ways of the Mythic. Everyone knows them as a matter of common sense.

'''Locus Amarant'''

The Great Market, the Gardens of Lady Profit, Amarant is perhaps one of the few chancels that has no doors, and, even if it did, they would be wide open to welcome one and all. After all, even your worst enemy is a potential customer. Any invader would quickly find themselves besieged by peddlers of weaponry, trust and treachery, even the very spoils they are after. Everything the discerning Noble might need is available here...for the right price. The preferred currency are fleurs, but the locals have been known to trade with other things such as miracles and pacts. Some nobles come here not just to buy but also to sell. If you want or need it, Locus Amarant will sell it, or if not, then at least it will sell you the expertise of someone who CAN get it. Needless to say, the cammorae are all over Amarant.

It is well-known that even Excrucians frequent Amarant, and they know full well never to destroy Amarant....at least not until their victory is assured, for Amarant will be more than happy to sell them the means to that victory, or maybe even that victory itself....for the right price. Why destroy something so blatantly useful?

Chancel of Lady Profit, Immiae Arathy, and the Nobles of Trade, Currency, Negotiation, Supermarket Loyalty Cards, and Cookies. Yes, Cookies.

= Prosaic Realm =

== Earth ==

=== Noteworthy Individuals===

== Erebea ==

A once beautiful world, a geographic wonder of continents hanging high up in the pristine skies, flooded with raw magic reminiscent of Earth about a millennium ago. It is very closely linked to earth, to the point where a good few locations on both worlds overlap, allowing easy passage from one to the other should one be lucky (or unlucky) enough to stumble upon these places of power. They are so closely linked together in fact that the two worlds share more or less the same Imperators and Nobles. Some even surmise that Erebea is a divergent Earth on a parallel timeline.

Sanctum Excelestia was once the capital of this world, until it disappeared a few millennia ago.

== Lost Universe AD 2511 ==

The Lost Universe, now a Valde Bellum warfront. In 2400 AD, an age of galactic expansion and an Aetheric golden age for human advancement, a treacherous Imperator managed to sabotage the Shepherdess' hold on the Weirding Wall, leaving gaping holes in the defense of Creation. In the ensuing chaos, the Imperators and their nobles turned their attention to the Excrucian host gathering beyond the gap. Little did they know that they had fallen prey to a deceiver ruse. At the same time, the Excrucians were readying a pincer attack, with their mimics and strategists having established a foothold on Earth's universe. The Enlightened, at the time under great scrutiny due to the Shepherdess' apparent failure at maintaining the Weirding Wall, discovered the Excrucian plans and attempted to alert the Ymmerae. However, the Deceivers held the ears of the Ymmerae, and all the please of the Enlightened fell on deaf, suspicious, skeptical ears.

In a daring move, the Noble of Aether secretly used almost the entirety of his power of limitless potential to create an anomalous fold in existence, tearing 500 years of the universe apart, resetting the universe to before the Excrucian plan had even begun in 1900. He brought the new fold containing the lost 500 years and the excrucian plot up and tethered it to the gaping hole in the Weirding Wall, just in time to meet the incoming Excrucian Host. The excrucian invasion began, never once suspecting that they had walked into a pocket universe. For the Noble of Aether's apparent treachery, the Locust Court condemned him to death without a trial, dispatching the Enlightened, his own family, to prove their allegiance to the court by executing their own brother. It is said that Justice was the one to rip his shard out of his chest with her bare hands. It is said that the shard shattered. Some say Justice, in her grief and rage, shattered it herself. Some say it was Aether's final gift to the Lost Universe, and to the entirety of creation. The shard dust was dispersed and embedded itself across the entirety of the Lost Universe, enchancelling it, bestowing its beings with the blessings of Aetheric Power, immunizing them to the crippling effects of dementia animus and empowering them in their coming struggle against the Excrucian invaders. Aether was forever lost to Creation, but its shadow continues to live on within the beings of the Lost Universe. As long as the children of Aether stand and the light of Aether burns on within them, the Lost Universe will always resist the Excrucian host.

The Lost Universe has since been sealed away outside the Weirding Wall, doomed to forever be an Excrucian battleground, until the day the Excrucians trapped within consume the Lost Universe and realize Aether's trickery.

At the precise moment Aether's sacrifice enchancelled the Lost Universe, Hammond Qarn, Imperator of the Lost Universe, came into being. Having arisen from a universe so filled with the Shepherdess' own power, Hammond naturally became a Magister of the Enlightened. Furthermore, as the chancel was created using the Shepherdess' own soul shard, a fraction of the Shepherdess' own essence makes up the chancel's foundations. Thus for all intents and purposes the Enlightened can treat the Lost Universe as their own home chancel.

Few other nobles are privy to the secret of the Lost Universe's existence. Even fewer take up the fight to defend the Lost Universe in order to delay the full-scale invasion of Creation. The Nobles of Astelumina and Endeon were the first to pick up Aether's fallen banner and lead the battle against the Excrucian host and were also the first to fall.

'Now and Forever, till the hour I too stand between Impossibility and Despair!' - Phaeron Rof Alabar Trimeniel - Emperor of Aether

=== Notable Locations ===

'''L.U. Earth AD 2511'''

In AD 2400, Astelumina and Endeon managed to rid the entire earth of deceivers, strategists and mimics, making it one of the last few human settlements still untouched by the Excrucian Scourge. The war and Aether's blessing has accelerated technology to astronomical heights in the past 111 years, bringing humanity to a point where they can overwhelm excrucian shards and at the very least annoy full excrucians, if not kill them. Earth is now the capital of the Universal Aetheric Alliance (UAA), headquarters of the Excrucian resistance. Its coordinates are guarded to the death by the Children of Aether. Those who sally forth to meet the Excrucian Host do so without carrying Earth's coordinates, knowing full well that they may never return to their beloved home.

'''L.U. Heaven’s Feel'''

The current frontier of the Lost Universe Valde Bellum, Heaven’s Feel is perhaps the most beautiful extrasolar human colony. A large T3 terraformed planet orbiting the gas giant Astelumina 3, behind a dense spherical asteroid field and a radioactive veil around the sun Astelumina, it makes a naturally fortified world. Thanks to the scattering radiation and the dense blackhole just a few megaparsecs away at the center of the galaxy, the system and planet is nigh impossible to find at the best of times, at least for marauding excrucian raiding parties. The UAA uses Astelumina’s final gift, the gift of the stars, the ability to travel on aetheric currents guided by the stars, to travel safely in and out of the system.

When excrucians do find the planet, they are immediately drawn into its orbit by the interaction of the gravity wells of Heaven’s Feel’s many moons. They have no hope of escaping to notify the host of the planet’s location before they are drawn into intense battle by the Feelians.

The planet is ravaged by repeat invasions.

=== Familia of the Lost Universe ===

More or less an extended family of the Enlightened, the Familia of the Lost Universe are the sworn guardians of Aether's legacy.

'''Hammond Qarn - Imperator of the Lost Universe'''

Despite being an offshoot of the Shepherdess' power, Hammond Qarn is quite the opposite. He looks as human as they come. In fact, very, very much so, with his thick paternal beard, his twinkling eyes and his simple, honest expression, like a stern but compassionate father. Those who have the great honour of an audience with him are overcome with an overwhelming confidence and faith in humanity's potential and prowess. His being is shrouded in the stuff of legends. They say he single-handedly piloted an Alliance Battlecruiser straight into an Excrucian battlestation and escaped alive, unscathed. They say he personally lead the desperate charge that ended the siege of Harvest 4. They say he singlehandedly held the line at Point Hope against the entire advancing Excrucian host at the battle of Forge 3. They say a lot of things about Hammond Qarn, and when you meet him, sitting like a lighthouse exuding calm and confidence amidst the storm of war, in his simple, neatly-pressed uniform gleaming with but one badge denoting his allegiance to the Alliance, you feel naught but awe - that this man is the legend in the flesh.

'''Commander John Shepard - Power of Living Legends'''

'''Excel 7 - Commander of Super Soldiers'''

was responsible for the Halo series and partly responsible for the Metal Gear series, amongst other things.

'''Iris Erran - Chief Admiral of Spacecrafts'''

'''ALMa OmNI. - Supreme Administrator of Aetheric Technology'''

An A.I. born of the pinnacle of Aetheric supercomputers,

= Quests =

== Active Quests ==

=== Imperator Quests ===

'''Overdue'''

Started : 8th November 2011

The Shepherdess has requested that the Foreguards return 3 books she's borrowed for Shepherdess-knows-how-long now, for reasons that none can fathom. These books are:

1) 'Single Parenting for Idiots', to the Imperator of Shadows

2) 'The Amazing Justice and the Lovely Yaoi Doujin', to the Noble of Women's Beards

3) 'The Witchhunter's Codex' to a certain alchemist in Erebea.

She has asked you all to return them, ASAP.

Progress:

1) The Family has acquired the 3 books from the Principarium.

2) 1 week has passed since.

'''?????'''

Started : ?????

??????

Progress: n/a

=== Chancel Quests ===

=== Chivalry Quests ===

'''Rest in Peace'''

Started: 15th November 2011

One of Charles' Knights, Tristan, has just returned from Earth and has requested an urgent private audience. Wonder what it's about.

Progress:

1) Charles met Tristan, who seems to be rather fearful of someone, or something, though he's doing his best not to show it. Tristan presents Sir Jacob's cane and monocle to Charles, telling him that Sir Jacob disappeared after discovering that most of the Copenhagen chapter of knights have disappeared. It appears he noticed something was amiss after the disappearance of Sir William, who was out to investigate the disappearance of a local magical girl.

2) Charles decides to alert all the chapters throughout the world.

3) Charles proceeds to attempt directing chivalrous power into Sir Jacob's cane. It fights back, showing signs of deep corruption, before exploding rather violently.

4) Charles sends Sieghart with the destroyed monocle to Victor to study it further.

'''100,000's a Crowd!'''

Started: n/a

The Reinzuthen of Erebea have decided to dispatch a sacrifical gift of 100,000 girls from all around Erebea, mostly from all the nations they've conquered and annexed, to the old island of Altima, original home of the Nobles of Warriors, distant predecessors of Charles'. Apparently this is to welcome the prophesized return of the original Noble of Warriors and to attempt to acquire his favour with the hopes of having him assist the Reinzuthen make good their absolute conquest of Erebea. Obviously, the current delivery recipient is Charles....and this is NOT good. NOT good at all.

Progress: n/a

'''White Knight in Black Armour'''

Started: n/a

Alfred Goddard, ace attorney, E.U. Supreme Court prosecutor and prominent political figure, has sworn to cleanse Europe of all crime, especially major international crime rings. He has followed through with his oath. Half of all European prisons are full thanks to him. He is hailed as the 'White Knight', Europe's last hope. Needless to say, he's nowhere near as popular in the underworld. Many want him dead. He's currently attending the Copenhagen Treaty Talks as an expert on the Eco-crime panel. Chika, Emil's personal assassin, has helpfully let slip that she's refused a rather generous contract to assassinate Alfred Goddard during the talks. She's only one of many. Maybe you should look into this.

Progress: n/a

=== Determinism Quests ===

'''I Left My Hand in Copenhagen'''

Started : N/A

77 People have been found dead from unknown causes in Copenhagen. They were discovered missing their left hands and hanging upside down from trees.

Progress : n/a

'''Fly me to Europa'''

Started : N/A

The manned mission to Europa's missing for reasons as yet unknown.

Progress : n/a

'''Two Things Infinite'''

Started : 8th November 2011

The LHC has broken down once again after a few brief months of rather hiccupy function. This time, the cause is completely unknown. All the individual parts seem to be in working order, but the sum refuses to work. Sophia's not happy, not happy at all. She has personally requested that Emil look into this.

Progress:

1) Emil has taken a brief look around through Sophia's eyes. The LHC's spirit seems to have some blemishes....wonder what they are....

'''Tides of Fate'''

Started : n/a

The tides have stopped rising with the lunar cycles. As a result, the world's currents, fisheries and shoreline ecosystems have been gravely affected. This shouldn't even be physically possible!

Progress: n/a

=== Illumination Quests ===

'''Twinkle, Little Star'''

Started : 15th November 2011

As the world darkens, the light of the stars fade. Elune, little noble of stars, your sister, lies sick, alone in her high observatory, forgotten by the rest of the world. Now the weakening of the stars has started to affect the domain of Light too. Something must be done before yet another member of the Family succumbs to the war of attrition upon the Enlightened.

Progress:

1) Lyna, Emil and Alicia visited Elune in her observatory and found her ill.

2) They discovered that her observatory was severely corrupted by some malignant corruption that was trying to break into the chancel.

3) They sealed off the intrusion into the chancel but destroyed the observatory in the process. They managed to prevent the observatory from crashing catastrophically into the chancel.

4) They've brought the sick Elune to the Sapphire Palace and acquired the help of Regine to treat her.

5) Regine has asked the team to seek out the Noble of Shadows or anyone from the Familia of Shadows for a certain flower that only grows in Locus Shadows.

'''Who moved my Christmas?!'''

Christmas, the biggest celebration of lights and joy, isn't happening this year! This is unprecedented serious affair!

Started : 8th November 2011

Progress :

1) Alicia has asked the magical girls, knights, and others who've passed in and out of the chancel, for any information they might know about this. She's learned that it's a rather complex issue. It might be the economy, it might be the declining family values, could be anything.

'''When you peer into the Abyss...'''

Started : n/a

And the Creator said, 'Let there be Light', and there was light, and he saw that it was good. And He separated the dark from the light. Thus was the First Day.

It wasn't quite that simple.

When the light came to be, the dark too came to be as a result, and neither could tolerate the other. Thus the First War of Light and Dark began, pure and simple, with no preamble or prelude. They fought for Shepherdess-knows-how-long. Finally, the formation of the Covenant of the First Day, an agreement between the Light and the Dark to respect the other's estate, ended the war. How it came to be, however, is still a hotly debated topic. Some say the Dark won. Some say the Light won. Some say it was a draw. Some say there were other reasons. Who really knows?

An anniversary of the Covenant of the First Day is celebrated yearly now to uphold the ideals of peace and cooperation between Light and Dark. This year, it's Alicia's turn to host the festival. What could go wrong?

Progress : n/a

=== Magic Quests ===

'''Dude, Where's My Ship?!'''

Started : 8th Novemeber 2011

Following the disappearance of a wildcat Lignite mining crew in the Aescilian Mountains of Erebea, a pair of magical girls were dispatched on what was supposed to be a simple search-and-rescue mission. They report finding what looks like a ship and wisely request further assistance. The archaeological division arrived hours later, sealed the region, before preparing for further studies. They could not identify the ship's make or origins from the exterior, so they decide to enter through an entrance they found on the side. Contact with the entire squad was lost 6 hours into the mission, with the last transmission being 'Found someth-....So....beautiful....'. A second rescue mission was mounted, this time with a full STRIKER magical girl squadron. They found a deserted camp site and the open ship. They enter. Contact was lost 1.5 hours into the mission, with the last transmission being '...reached the last known location. Now....I-..I can't believe it....mission control...I can't begin to describe this....this is...so...so beau-.....'.

Progress:

1) Lyna has developed a new remote-viewing spell to peer into the site from a distance. Unfortunately, the first few attempts failed as she can't seem to view anything beyond the foot of the mountains.

'''My Struggle, My suffering, My Legacy'''

Started: n/a

The smoke of witch burning pyres rise high up into the skies above the magical realm of Erebea. The once all-powerful mages now run and hide before the onslaught of the Reinzhuthen, an order of genocidal purists who are in pursuit of the all-powerful dark mage, the dark lord Daran Reganz. The Reinzhuthen have taken up an all-or-nothing approach towards hunting Daran Reganz – wiping out every last mage on Neven. After successfully gathering the support of the people against the seemingly incompetent mage-led government and subsequently overthrowing them, the Reinzhuthen declared a world-wide ban of magical practices, declaring any practitioner an agent of Daran Reganz and an enemy of the state. In their crusade against magic, they've begun declaring the absolutism of their cause and the need for all nations of the world to unite under their banner to eliminate the magic scourge. To this end, they have begun invading and conquering any nation who refuses to join their Empire.

Progress: n/a

=== Intelligence Quests ===

'''So Long and Thanks for All the Fish'''

Dolphins are becoming quite popular...as food! The coastal town of Taiji, Japan, the largest operator of dolphin drive hunting in the world, is undertaking a massive campaign to popularize the consumption of dolphin meat following the opening of its Great Taiji Dolphin Slaughterhouse. They are marketing it as a health food that greatly boosts brain development and intelligence, particularly in children. Interestingly, they managed to show that the IQs of children raised in Taiji and the nearby village of Koazagawa, wherein the staple food is dolphin and whale meat, are significantly higher than not only the national average but also the international average, almost miraculously so. Quite a problem for the local dolphins, some of whom are Mana's own friends.

Incidentally, the global pandemic of the strange sleeping illness has a relatively high incidence in Japan, particularly in Taiji.

Started: n/a

Progress: n/a

== Completed Quests ==

= Correspondence =

== Family Correspondence ==

'Good morning, Masters and Mistresses. I hope the noise didn't keep you up last night. The Alchemists discovered a new flower known quite amusingly as the 'Boom Lily'. Thankfully they grew quieter as the night went by. Anyhow, here's today's selection of the world's headlines.' - Mira -

• Presidents of Chechnya, Bosnia and Ukraine die in mysterious circumstances.

• American invasion of Iran is meeting heavy resistance. The Iranians now threaten to unleash their nuclear arsenal if America does not cease and desist.

• A new illness is spreading. Cause unknown.

== Illumination's Correspondence==

'Young Miss, please do take some times to reads some of these, 'kay? Lymle's actually done her bests to sort them outs, 'kay!' - Lymle -

- You've been cordially invited to attend the Divali celebrations in India. - Various Nobles -

== Chivalry's Correspondence ==

'Aye, my liege, thou hath an abundant harvest of letters. Thy loyal steed hast made do with the more...delicious trivialties. *BURP*' - Sieghart -

== Determinism's Correspondence ==

'Hey, old man, check it out, you've got mail. Should I fetch your specs? Or maybe a magnifying glass? Or maybe my winding screw? All that sorting's wound down my springs...' - Leonie -

- There's insider information that the vast artificial island city under construction at the base of Orbital Elevator 02 in the Pacific has hit a dead end in its construction effort due to economical constraints. It will soon become a prized piece of real estate amongst the nobles once word gets out. - Penelope -

- Ne, Oyabun, some funny men want to kill that yaro Alfred Goddard. They offer real cash, up front, no questions. Too good a deal for me, so I tell them, leave. They probably go for my competitors. Tell your friend, ne. Ja. - Chika -

== Magic's Correspondence ==

'Young Mistress, it's time to read your correspondence for the day. Please sit down here. Yes, here. Now, back straight like a washboard, eyes forward like a dead fish, and elbows akimbo like a ballerina...yes, excellent, young mistress. Now, I present you my personal selection of today's letters.' - Flowerchild -

- We're short on new recruits for the Magical Girl Academy. Please do something about this. - Miranda, Headmaster of the Ruby Gardens Magical Girl Academy Division

== Intelligence's Correspondence ==

Nobilis Enlightened

2011-03-16T11:34:56Z

Mind-The-Gap: /* Homes and Households */

[[Category:Nobilis]]

= Imperator - The Shepherdess of Light =

1. ‘Omneaum(a) became aware. In its awareness, it found loneliness. It saw potential, good, an impossibility.

2. Omneaum gave way to potential, and made the impossible possible. It was, things became.

3. Enlightenment arose, and so did I, Whole, Complete, bearing the Gifts of Aether (b), Light, Vaveram (c), Maricarum (d), Endeon (e), and Causality.

4. Omneaum’s legacy I shall honour and hold safe, now and forever, till the hour I too stand alone between Impossibility and Despair.’

- The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light, Imperator of Enlightenment -

(a) Omneaum: The Original Absolute Void

(b) Aether: Estate of 'Absolute Potential', the 'Impossible made Possible', the very basic element of creation from which all matter and life flowed. It was said to have been more abundant in space. (Now excruciated, succeeded in part by the estate of 'Magic')

(c)Vaveram: Estate of Spontaneous Sentience and Awareness (Now Excruciated. Never replaced.)

(d) Maricarum: Estate of Great Miracles through Personal Sacrifice (Now excruciated, succeeded by the estate of 'Magic' and 'Sacrifice')

(e)Endeon: Estate of the 'Lone Wolf Phenomenon', wherein those fighting against overwhelming odds are always guaranteed victory. Better known in our time as the 'Storm Trooper effect'. (Now excruciated)

Having predated the Imperators of 'Name', the Shepherdess is nameless and formless. Those who are fortunate enough to know her identify her as 'The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light', or, simply, 'The Shepherdess'. Having come into being before the birth of the concept of 'form' or even 'matter' and 'physical law', she is without form in the physical universe. She used to communicate with her agents in the physical universe through pulses of light and ripples in a fountain of light. Needless to say, a lot of liberty had been taken in deciphering her wishes. Recently, however, the Chief Engineer of the Sanctum, Orphus, has devised an ingenious megastructure, the Deus Ex Machina, a gigantic clockwork device that allows the Shepherdess to see into the physical realm and engage with it using a gigantic, rather clumsy steel claw and communicate using a ticker-tape telegram machine.

(Interestingly, having also preceded the Imperator of Gender, she is, or, at least, was, in essence, genderless. However, around 300 B.C. she became a part of debate amongst philosophers as an example of a being who must be 'of the default gender'. For some reason it was decided that the default gender was female, and so the Shepherdess has since been considered to be of the female persuasion. Not that she really cares. It is suspected that the Noble of Women had something to do with this, but that's a tale for another time.)

Prophesized successor of Ananda and future Shepherdess of the Fifth Age, the Glorious One has purposely been denied a seat on the Council of Four, for her ways are that of the ‘Enlightened’, incompatible with the ways of the other council-members. She earns Lord Entropy and Ananda’s tolerance for her existence only through her service in the Valde Bellum and her Light’s importance in maintaining the Weirding Wall, a task that consumes almost the entirety of her attention and being (much to Lord Entropy’s and Ananda’s satisfaction).

The Heavens despise her, for an Angel of Creation she is not, and yet she brought forth the first Light that made everything that was Beautiful possible. Only the fact that her Light is necessary for beauty and this fact alone earns her the toleration of Heaven. The Wild would have nothing to do with her, for there is no freedom in sacrifice.The Hells, the Darkness and the Light all loath her, for not only is she the voice of wisdom that transcends not just the Corruption that the Hells endeavour towards, but she is also the voice that moves all beings towards becoming more than the matter they are made from, transcending what they are, pushing them ever onwards towards a greater purpose not only in life but also in death. Those who follow her code wish for naught else but the glory of dying for a greater good.

It is unclear what her true nature or form is. Nobody seems to remember when she came to be, or how for that matter. Some suspect she is one of the Heavenly legion, an Angel, but not only do the Heavens and its angelic denizens despise her at the best of times, her ways are most definitely not that of Heaven. Some surmise that she is a fallen Angel, but the cause of Hell she does not serve. It is highly possible that she is a True God, but all of creation knows they did not appear until long after the Angels had begun the Great Work. Recently, when passings of the Transcendants were properly documented in AP 4732, it was surmised that she is perhaps a Transcendant who somehow chose to settle upon the World Ash, perhaps one of the Charitable. Said document is Creation's closest description of the Shepherdess' nature, her gifts being her Estates and her Law.

=='''Vow of the Enlightened'''==

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this.

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this. - One thing leads to another. And at the end of all things is an ‘end’.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this. - Every good act must be good of purpose and good of result. This clause seems to fail to (most probably purposely) mention anything regarding the means. Taking the most liberal interpretation, a ‘Noble deed’ can have means as lacking in morals as a psychotic mass murderer, and yet still be considered ‘Noble’ in the eyes of the ‘Enlightened’. What matters is the cause, the intention and the ends. Everything in between matters naught.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this. - The ultimate sacrifice can conquer anything, even the impossible. This is the one true ‘Miracle’, Magic at its purest, one that allows the Enlightened to surpass his/her own end and achieve greatness through sacrifice. The Shepherdess safeguards the cause of all who sacrifice themselves for a greater purpose, guaranteeing them the miraculous magic of success.

==Details==

'''Estates''': Light, Determinism, Magic, Chivalry, Intelligence, Honour, Loyalty, Courage, Hope, Justice, Karma, Logic, Alchemy, Sacrifice, Curiosity, Sun, Moon, Stars

'''Excruciated Estates''': Aether, Vaveram, Maricarum, Endeon, Astelumina

'''Dynasty Points :''' 8

'''Qualities:'''

Great Harvest (2)

Cold (-1)

Demanding (-1)

----

= The Famiglia of the Enlightened =

The Famiglia of the Enlightened ''were'' a highly respected and influential group about 4-5 centuries before, their power extending from the very birth of creation. However, in a highly unorthodox move around the 4002 A.P., the Council ordered the Shepherdess to provide additional support in the Valde Bellum proper, above and beyond her maintenance of the Weirding Wall. Seeing as the Wall already consumed most if not all her power and attention, she was forced to mobilize members of her Famiglia, something quite unprecedented. The Nobles of Maricarum, Aether and Endeon were the first to volunteer for the great undertaking, having attained near-Imperator-level powers at the time. A few centuries later, Vaveram, Astelumina, Chivalry, Courage and Alchemy too joined their brother and sisters in the direct defense of creation. They held the line for a good few centuries, seeing a slow but definite turnover in nobles. That was until, for reasons still unknown, Maricarum, Aether, Endeon, Vaveram and Astelumina were excruciated one by one. The last to fall were Endeon and Astelumina in 4895 AP, at the same time 500 years of Human History was erased.

With no time to mourn, the Famiglia of the Enlightened were forced to mobilize more members of their famiglia to the front lines. The following few years saw more of their Nobles killed, though thankfully not excruciated.

Now with few remaining senior members, the famiglia struggles to stay on its feet with the large influx of new family members. Will they be able to live up to their predecessors? Will they be able to return the family to its former glory and take it to new heights? Or will this be the end of the Enlightened? That is up to the new Famiglia.

== PC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Foreguard of the Enlightened''

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Alicia_Valka '''Alicia - Principissa of Illumination''']

The 21st Principissa Of Illumination.

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Emil '''Emil - Power of Determinism''']

The 13th Power of Determinism

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Charles_Earl_Of_Huntington'''Charles - Lord of Chivalry''']

The 77th Lord of Chivalry

'''Lyna - Regina of Magic'''

The 66th Regina of Magic

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Mana_Kishimura '''Mana - Exemplar of Intelligence (And Dolphins)''']

The 17th Noble of Intelligence and 2nd Noble of Dolphins.

== NPC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Vanguard of the Enlightened''

'''Regine - Inquesta of Loyalty'''

'''Jessie - Tempesta of Courage (Sort of veering towards Impetuous Juvenile Recklessness)'''

'''Illumina - AllMother of Alchemy'''

Novice Alchemist extraordinaire and (rather unwilling) Commander of the Alchemist Flameheart Squad, Illumina is yet another recent addition to the Famiglia. She's currently worried about the sorry state of her estate (mostly usurped by Chemistry and now reduced to nothing more than a fantasy fiction gimmick) and a missing prominent Alchemist amongst other things....but mainly by the prospect of responsibility in general.

She is widely known, even outside Alchemist circles, as 'Big Bang Lum'.

'''Elune - Principissa of the Stars'''

While relatively senior in the Famiglia of the Enlightened (by simple virtue of everyone else being very recent additions), that's as far as her seniority goes. In every other respect, she is mostly helpless, though the more understanding dismiss this as a reflection of her estate - stars aren't known to be do much other than be pretty, especially lately with modern technology supplanting the need for stellar navigation or calendar-keeping. It used to be so much different when her sister, the Noble of Astelumina, the power of stellar influence upon the workings of the universe and lives on earth, was still around. Now as the stars fade and people forget the stars, Elune lies ill, slowly fading herself.

''The Diplomatic Corp (Intelligence) of the Enlightened''

'''Rang Fan - Excelifficer of Logic'''

Born a humble villager in a Tibetan highland settlement, Rang Fan grew up completely illiterate. She was, however, a keen observer and deep thinker. She developed her own concise and strict principles of logic, one that often found fault in the traditionalist views of the people she lived amongst. Some saw her as a source of wisdom, some saw her as a demon-possessed child.

She became the favourite anchor of the previous Noble of Logic for a while. During this time, her mastery of logic developed brilliantly. Unfortunately, she came afoul of a Chinese official when she publicly defeated him in a debate regarding the accusation of rebellion on the part of the village.

'''Geronimo - High Chief of Sacrifice'''

'''Han Gua - Exarch of Honour'''

'''Jimmy - Arch-Provost of Curiosity'''

''The Unassigned of the Enlightened''

'''Justice(?) - Empress of Justice'''

Not much is known about Justice, the 1st Noble of Justice. She is the eldest of the current Famiglia, though in the time of the original Famiglia, she was the youngest. She is the last surviving member of the original Famiglia of the Enlightened. It is rumoured that she was an Angel before she joined the Enlightened, though whether or not this is true is unknown. Her real name is unknown. Nobody has seen her in a long, long while. The only members of the current famiglia who have seen her are Han Gua and Elune.

Currently absent. Whereabouts unknown.

'''Vie - Noble of Hope'''

A rather mysterious member of the famiglia, she wonders in and out of the chancel rather randomly. Nobody seems to remember when she joined the Family. In fact, some are surprised to hear that there IS a noble of Hope in the Family. She doesn't seem to have a permanent home in the chancel. She's known (at least to those few who know her) to wander about, never staying in one place for long. She is apparently summonable, but rumours have it that she's apparently rather useless.

There are strange rumours that she follows the code of the Dark, or even Hell. Why would Hope do that?

'''Thomas Eire - Keeper of Karma'''

'''Kaguya - Himegami of the Moon'''

Tsukishiro no Kaguya-hime is perhaps the second eldest of the Famiglia, though she takes great care not to let anyone know that. She is the second Noble of the Moon. There are rumours that she was behind the Apollo 13 failure. When asked about it, she would give you a disdainful look and walk away. Then again, she'd do that no matter what you tried to bring up with her.

Currently very, very vain.

'''Kimo - the Emperor of the Sun'''

= Chancel - Locus Enlightenment, Sanctum Excelestia =

[http://img248.imageshack.us/i/sanctumexcelestia.jpg HG's Impression 1]

'''Qualities'''

Megalomaniac King/Queen (-4)

Normal Magic (3)

Alchemy (1)

2 Banes (-1)

Convenient Gates (2)

Anchorable Magical residents (4)

==Government==

The Sanctum is under the absolute Executive rule of the Emperor who answers only to the Shepherdess. Judicial Rule is under the Absolute Court headed by the Shepherdess and the Supreme Court headed by the Noble of Justice and her Circle of Justiciaries. Legislative and administrative rule is divided amongst the 4 major domains under the 4 queens:

'''Alicia - High Queen of the Diamond Tower.'''

Technically, having inherited the title of 'High Queen' from her predecessor, Alicia commands the Council of Four Queens and the Round Table of Dominums. However, as she has only recently joined the Famiglia, responsibility over the Council of Four Queens has fallen on the reluctant shoulders of Elune while the Round Table of Dominums is overseen by Han Gua.

'''Lyna - Queen of the Ruby Gardens.'''

The Ruby Gardens refers to the entirety of the Arcane Arts Academy Complex within the Outer Circle where the majority of mages of Excelestia train and live. However, to most of the citizens, the 'Ruby Gardens' itself refers to the seat of government, the Ruby Palace, a magnificent rose-shaped palace of crystal grown from the very essence of the Chancel itself in the middle of the Ruby Gardens.

'''Elune - Queen of the Sapphire Sky.'''

The Sapphire Sky refers to the entirety of the sky in between the floating structures of the Sanctum. While Elune governs no real land, she controls all traffic in the airspace around the Sanctum. Her official seat of government is the Sapphire Palace, a beautiful crystalline Sapphire star floating high up within the Inner Circle, though she is rarely ever there. She usually lives in her observatory on a lonely island high above the Sanctum.

'''Jessie - Queen of the Emerald Fields.'''

The Emerald Fields refer to most of the land floating in the Ciellan Expanse, the sky beyond the Outer Wall. The Emerald Fields house a good portion of the Sanctum's agricultural and mining settlements. Her seat of government is the Emerald Palace, a beautiful viridian structure of moss-covered wood and succulent, fresh folliage that grow and thrive all year round, coiled around a giant magnificent Emerald of a green deeper than the land that surrounds it.

== Homes and Households ==

'''The Diamond Palace - ?????'''

Home of Alicia.

Personal Assistant : Lymle

'''The Ruby Palace - ????'''

Home of Lyna.

Personal Assistant : Flowerchild

'''The Garnet Fortress - ????'''

Home of Charles.

Personal Assistant : Sieghart

'''The Quartz Workshop - ????'''

[[File:E660087c66284323f8686e5d5bbed09ee9cee1ba.jpg#filelinks|200px|thumb|left|alt text]]

Personal Assistant : Leonie

Home of Emil.

== Noteworthy Locations ==

'''The Amethyst Shores'''

Governed officially by Illumina, provisionally by the Arch-Artificer of the Great Guild of Alchemists. The Amethyst Shores are a group of closely-packed islands within the Outer Circle where the majority of the Alchemists of Excelestia live. While alchemists can be found just about anywhere, the Amethysts Shores are really the only place where they can make things explode to their hearts content without causing tempers to explode all around them. Alchemists can also be found en masse at the Ruby Gardens.

'''The Garnet Fortress'''

Governed mainly by Charles, the Garnet Fortress encompasses the Inner and Outer Walls of the Sanctum and the bastion of the Knights.

'''The Beryl Earth'''

Governed mainly by Regine, the

'''The Quartz Workshop'''

A watch-mender's workshop somewhere within the Diamond Tower, Emil's home and favourite haunt.

'''Chez Charles'''

==Security==

The city has a number of defense corps organized to different degrees by a number of Nobles.

'''The Chivalrous Gentlemanly TownWatch'''

'''The Magical Avengers of Love and Peace, Magical Taskforce Ruby Gardenia'''

Organized by the 5th Noble of Magic, a rather...odd Master of Magic who believed that wearing frilly clothing is a form of sacrifice to society and preached that magical power is exponentially proportional to the frilliness of one's clothing. Now maintained by the 7th Noble of Magic, Lyna, who keeps up most of the traditions of the 5th.

'''The Upholders of Equivalent Exchange, the Eternally Passionate Flameheart Alchemists (EPFA)'''

Organized by the previous Noble of Alchemy, a rather fluffy and passionate Lady Alchemist, and maintained by the recently appointed Noble, Illumina, the EPFA are at best socially-involved nerds, at worst really, really messy vigilantes (unfortunately, more often the latter). They mainly keep the domain of the Alchemists, the Amethyst Shores, as well as their portion of the Ruby Gardens, safe...for a given value of 'safe'.

'''The Infallibly Just Circle of Justiciers'''

'''The Eternally Loyal Shieldmaidens of [Insert Place Name Here]'''

Organized by the current Noble of Loyalty,

'''The Ever-Watchful Lantern Kindlers and Lamp Bearers of the Stars'''

'''The Righteous Karmic-Retributioneer Monks of Karma'''

'''The LoreKeepers and Agents of Literary Vengeance, the Combat Librarians'''

== Groups ==

Besides the defense forces of the Chancel, the Sanctum also harbours a number of groups.

'''The Enclave of Emerald Alchemists'''
Also known as the 'Emerald Artisans', this society of Alchemists was founded by the 7th Noble of Light, TanetNephthys, and the 1st Noble of Alchemy, Armagustine Trimegistus, after the passing of the third Noble of Maricarum, Hermes Trimegistus, founder of the Emerald Arts.

In a major nettle rite wrought by the 2nd Noble of Botany, Ephistopheles, against the Noble of Alchemy, in a daring move to split the art into two major paths forever, the Enclave was splintered in two - The Cleave fo Botanists and the Enclave of Emerald Artisans. The Botanists left the Sanctum, carrying with them the entirety of botanic knowledge. The Alchemists, however, managed to keep the Principa Alchimia safe and prevented the botanists from acquiring an absolute monopoly over the Emerald Arts. The two now jealously guard their arts, for if one were to acquire the arts of the other, they would become unstoppable.

The botanists are known to pass through the Chancel to deal with the Emerald Artisans.

== Laws ==

The Chancel operates on general principles of Justice commonly found in any other society where concepts of Law and Justice exist. It has a few notable exceptions such as:

- Any deed with noble ends are exempt from law's scrutiny upon its means. This means even the most foul of deeds is considered lawfully just as long as its ends are noble. It comes with a very, very important caveat - the good of the outcome must far exceed the evil committed. This is particularly difficult to achieve with murder, as murder, the theft of the sanctity of one's life, is the basest, most evil of crimes that even the earth itself abhors.

-

N.B. The Chancel operates on the Code Napoleon, that the suspect is guilty until proven otherwise, as Lady Justice willed it to be in the prosaic realm.

== Notable Individuals ==

=== Foreguard Support Staff ===

'''Mira'''

A young maid dedicated to serving the Foreguard.

'''Captain Captain Captain'''

Captain of the Foreguard Airship Excellion, a tall, lanky, yet muscular man with a full bushy beard and a true sailor's heart.

'''Orville'''

Chief Requisitions Officer for the Foreguard. His task is mainly acquiring equipment and supplies for the Foreguard's away-missions, though he's also an expert at acquiring just about anything the Foreguard needs.

=== Other Individuals ===

'''Orphus Denilzante'''
Chief Magitech Engineer of the Sanctum and designer of the Deus Ex Machina.

'''Reno Orfayne'''
Owner of Reno's Empirio, the one-stop fashion designer for Nobles, known to be second only to his Master, Enzel Haulor of 7th Avenue and 91st Street NY.

'''Sammy Westine'''
Proprietor and Chief Engineer of Westine Airships, Sammy is the young brilliant mind behind this generation's latest magitech airships. Having mastered Alchemy, Magic and Magitech at a young age, she went on to implement her excellent knowledge in airship design and construction. Her airships are used not just within the Sanctum but all over Creation. While she does produce combat-ready airships, she only produces them as personal favours for Nobles she trusts. These make proud flagships in any war fleet. It is rumoured that she is working with Aeril Jotunstrom, Noble of Ships, from Locus Atlantis, on warships capable of sailing the world beyond creation and taking part directly on the frontlines of the Valde Bellum.

'''Mac'''

LightHouse Chief Engineer and GateKeeper who maintains the Lighthouse and manages the chancel's gates.

'''Victor'''

= Mythic Realm =

== Chancels Known ==
''From the Primer on Loci Celatum, by Holly Djurisic''
What follows are descriptions of chancels considered widely known and to be no secret to those versed in the ways of the Mythic. Everyone knows them as a matter of common sense.

'''Locus Amarant'''

The Great Market, the Gardens of Lady Profit, Amarant is perhaps one of the few chancels that has no doors, and, even if it did, they would be wide open to welcome one and all. After all, even your worst enemy is a potential customer. Any invader would quickly find themselves besieged by peddlers of weaponry, trust and treachery, even the very spoils they are after. Everything the discerning Noble might need is available here...for the right price. The preferred currency are fleurs, but the locals have been known to trade with other things such as miracles and pacts. Some nobles come here not just to buy but also to sell. If you want or need it, Locus Amarant will sell it, or if not, then at least it will sell you the expertise of someone who CAN get it. Needless to say, the cammorae are all over Amarant.

It is well-known that even Excrucians frequent Amarant, and they know full well never to destroy Amarant....at least not until their victory is assured, for Amarant will be more than happy to sell them the means to that victory, or maybe even that victory itself....for the right price. Why destroy something so blatantly useful?

Chancel of Lady Profit, Immiae Arathy, and the Nobles of Trade, Currency, Negotiation, Supermarket Loyalty Cards, and Cookies. Yes, Cookies.

= Prosaic Realm =

== Earth ==

=== Noteworthy Individuals===

== Erebea ==

A once beautiful world, a geographic wonder of continents hanging high up in the pristine skies, flooded with raw magic reminiscent of Earth about a millennium ago. It is very closely linked to earth, to the point where a good few locations on both worlds overlap, allowing easy passage from one to the other should one be lucky (or unlucky) enough to stumble upon these places of power. They are so closely linked together in fact that the two worlds share more or less the same Imperators and Nobles. Some even surmise that Erebea is a divergent Earth on a parallel timeline.

Sanctum Excelestia was once the capital of this world, until it disappeared a few millennia ago.

== Lost Universe AD 2511 ==

The Lost Universe, now a Valde Bellum warfront. In 2400 AD, an age of galactic expansion and an Aetheric golden age for human advancement, a treacherous Imperator managed to sabotage the Shepherdess' hold on the Weirding Wall, leaving gaping holes in the defense of Creation. In the ensuing chaos, the Imperators and their nobles turned their attention to the Excrucian host gathering beyond the gap. Little did they know that they had fallen prey to a deceiver ruse. At the same time, the Excrucians were readying a pincer attack, with their mimics and strategists having established a foothold on Earth's universe. The Enlightened, at the time under great scrutiny due to the Shepherdess' apparent failure at maintaining the Weirding Wall, discovered the Excrucian plans and attempted to alert the Ymmerae. However, the Deceivers held the ears of the Ymmerae, and all the please of the Enlightened fell on deaf, suspicious, skeptical ears.

In a daring move, the Noble of Aether secretly used almost the entirety of his power of limitless potential to create an anomalous fold in existence, tearing 500 years of the universe apart, resetting the universe to before the Excrucian plan had even begun in 1900. He brought the new fold containing the lost 500 years and the excrucian plot up and tethered it to the gaping hole in the Weirding Wall, just in time to meet the incoming Excrucian Host. The excrucian invasion began, never once suspecting that they had walked into a pocket universe. For the Noble of Aether's apparent treachery, the Locust Court condemned him to death without a trial, dispatching the Enlightened, his own family, to prove their allegiance to the court by executing their own brother. It is said that Justice was the one to rip his shard out of his chest with her bare hands. It is said that the shard shattered. Some say Justice, in her grief and rage, shattered it herself. Some say it was Aether's final gift to the Lost Universe, and to the entirety of creation. The shard dust was dispersed and embedded itself across the entirety of the Lost Universe, enchancelling it, bestowing its beings with the blessings of Aetheric Power, immunizing them to the crippling effects of dementia animus and empowering them in their coming struggle against the Excrucian invaders. Aether was forever lost to Creation, but its shadow continues to live on within the beings of the Lost Universe. As long as the children of Aether stand and the light of Aether burns on within them, the Lost Universe will always resist the Excrucian host.

The Lost Universe has since been sealed away outside the Weirding Wall, doomed to forever be an Excrucian battleground, until the day the Excrucians trapped within consume the Lost Universe and realize Aether's trickery.

At the precise moment Aether's sacrifice enchancelled the Lost Universe, Hammond Qarn, Imperator of the Lost Universe, came into being. Having arisen from a universe so filled with the Shepherdess' own power, Hammond naturally became a Magister of the Enlightened. Furthermore, as the chancel was created using the Shepherdess' own soul shard, a fraction of the Shepherdess' own essence makes up the chancel's foundations. Thus for all intents and purposes the Enlightened can treat the Lost Universe as their own home chancel.

Few other nobles are privy to the secret of the Lost Universe's existence. Even fewer take up the fight to defend the Lost Universe in order to delay the full-scale invasion of Creation. The Nobles of Astelumina and Endeon were the first to pick up Aether's fallen banner and lead the battle against the Excrucian host and were also the first to fall.

'Now and Forever, till the hour I too stand between Impossibility and Despair!' - Phaeron Rof Alabar Trimeniel - Emperor of Aether

=== Notable Locations ===

'''L.U. Earth AD 2511'''

In AD 2400, Astelumina and Endeon managed to rid the entire earth of deceivers, strategists and mimics, making it one of the last few human settlements still untouched by the Excrucian Scourge. The war and Aether's blessing has accelerated technology to astronomical heights in the past 111 years, bringing humanity to a point where they can overwhelm excrucian shards and at the very least annoy full excrucians, if not kill them. Earth is now the capital of the Universal Aetheric Alliance (UAA), headquarters of the Excrucian resistance. Its coordinates are guarded to the death by the Children of Aether. Those who sally forth to meet the Excrucian Host do so without carrying Earth's coordinates, knowing full well that they may never return to their beloved home.

'''L.U. Heaven’s Feel'''

The current frontier of the Lost Universe Valde Bellum, Heaven’s Feel is perhaps the most beautiful extrasolar human colony. A large T3 terraformed planet orbiting the gas giant Astelumina 3, behind a dense spherical asteroid field and a radioactive veil around the sun Astelumina, it makes a naturally fortified world. Thanks to the scattering radiation and the dense blackhole just a few megaparsecs away at the center of the galaxy, the system and planet is nigh impossible to find at the best of times, at least for marauding excrucian raiding parties. The UAA uses Astelumina’s final gift, the gift of the stars, the ability to travel on aetheric currents guided by the stars, to travel safely in and out of the system.

When excrucians do find the planet, they are immediately drawn into its orbit by the interaction of the gravity wells of Heaven’s Feel’s many moons. They have no hope of escaping to notify the host of the planet’s location before they are drawn into intense battle by the Feelians.

The planet is ravaged by repeat invasions.

=== Familia of the Lost Universe ===

More or less an extended family of the Enlightened, the Familia of the Lost Universe are the sworn guardians of Aether's legacy.

'''Hammond Qarn - Imperator of the Lost Universe'''

Despite being an offshoot of the Shepherdess' power, Hammond Qarn is quite the opposite. He looks as human as they come. In fact, very, very much so, with his thick paternal beard, his twinkling eyes and his simple, honest expression, like a stern but compassionate father. Those who have the great honour of an audience with him are overcome with an overwhelming confidence and faith in humanity's potential and prowess. His being is shrouded in the stuff of legends. They say he single-handedly piloted an Alliance Battlecruiser straight into an Excrucian battlestation and escaped alive, unscathed. They say he personally lead the desperate charge that ended the siege of Harvest 4. They say he singlehandedly held the line at Point Hope against the entire advancing Excrucian host at the battle of Forge 3. They say a lot of things about Hammond Qarn, and when you meet him, sitting like a lighthouse exuding calm and confidence amidst the storm of war, in his simple, neatly-pressed uniform gleaming with but one badge denoting his allegiance to the Alliance, you feel naught but awe - that this man is the legend in the flesh.

'''Commander John Shepard - Power of Living Legends'''

'''Excel 7 - Commander of Super Soldiers'''

was responsible for the Halo series and partly responsible for the Metal Gear series, amongst other things.

'''Iris Erran - Chief Admiral of Spacecrafts'''

'''ALMa OmNI. - Supreme Administrator of Aetheric Technology'''

An A.I. born of the pinnacle of Aetheric supercomputers,

= Quests =

== Active Quests ==

=== Imperator Quests ===

'''Overdue'''

Started : 8th November 2011

The Shepherdess has requested that the Foreguards return 3 books she's borrowed for Shepherdess-knows-how-long now, for reasons that none can fathom. These books are:

1) 'Single Parenting for Idiots', to the Imperator of Shadows

2) 'The Amazing Justice and the Lovely Yaoi Doujin', to the Noble of Women's Beards

3) 'The Witchhunter's Codex' to a certain alchemist in Erebea.

She has asked you all to return them, ASAP.

Progress:

1) The Family has acquired the 3 books from the Principarium.

2) 1 week has passed since.

'''?????'''

Started : ?????

??????

Progress: n/a

=== Chancel Quests ===

=== Chivalry Quests ===

'''Rest in Peace'''

Started: 15th November 2011

One of Charles' Knights, Tristan, has just returned from Earth and has requested an urgent private audience. Wonder what it's about.

Progress:

1) Charles met Tristan, who seems to be rather fearful of someone, or something, though he's doing his best not to show it. Tristan presents Sir Jacob's cane and monocle to Charles, telling him that Sir Jacob disappeared after discovering that most of the Copenhagen chapter of knights have disappeared. It appears he noticed something was amiss after the disappearance of Sir William, who was out to investigate the disappearance of a local magical girl.

2) Charles decides to alert all the chapters throughout the world.

3) Charles proceeds to attempt directing chivalrous power into Sir Jacob's cane. It fights back, showing signs of deep corruption, before exploding rather violently.

4) Charles sends Sieghart with the destroyed monocle to Victor to study it further.

'''100,000's a Crowd!'''

Started: n/a

The Reinzuthen of Erebea have decided to dispatch a sacrifical gift of 100,000 girls from all around Erebea, mostly from all the nations they've conquered and annexed, to the old island of Altima, original home of the Nobles of Warriors, distant predecessors of Charles'. Apparently this is to welcome the prophesized return of the original Noble of Warriors and to attempt to acquire his favour with the hopes of having him assist the Reinzuthen make good their absolute conquest of Erebea. Obviously, the current delivery recipient is Charles....and this is NOT good. NOT good at all.

Progress: n/a

'''White Knight in Black Armour'''

Started: n/a

Alfred Goddard, ace attorney, E.U. Supreme Court prosecutor and prominent political figure, has sworn to cleanse Europe of all crime, especially major international crime rings. He has followed through with his oath. Half of all European prisons are full thanks to him. He is hailed as the 'White Knight', Europe's last hope. Needless to say, he's nowhere near as popular in the underworld. Many want him dead. He's currently attending the Copenhagen Treaty Talks as an expert on the Eco-crime panel. Chika, Emil's personal assassin, has helpfully let slip that she's refused a rather generous contract to assassinate Alfred Goddard during the talks. She's only one of many. Maybe you should look into this.

Progress: n/a

=== Determinism Quests ===

'''I Left My Hand in Copenhagen'''

Started : N/A

77 People have been found dead from unknown causes in Copenhagen. They were discovered missing their left hands and hanging upside down from trees.

Progress : n/a

'''Fly me to Europa'''

Started : N/A

The manned mission to Europa's missing for reasons as yet unknown.

Progress : n/a

'''Two Things Infinite'''

Started : 8th November 2011

The LHC has broken down once again after a few brief months of rather hiccupy function. This time, the cause is completely unknown. All the individual parts seem to be in working order, but the sum refuses to work. Sophia's not happy, not happy at all. She has personally requested that Emil look into this.

Progress:

1) Emil has taken a brief look around through Sophia's eyes. The LHC's spirit seems to have some blemishes....wonder what they are....

'''Tides of Fate'''

Started : n/a

The tides have stopped rising with the lunar cycles. As a result, the world's currents, fisheries and shoreline ecosystems have been gravely affected. This shouldn't even be physically possible!

Progress: n/a

=== Illumination Quests ===

'''Twinkle, Little Star'''

Started : 15th November 2011

As the world darkens, the light of the stars fade. Elune, little noble of stars, your sister, lies sick, alone in her high observatory, forgotten by the rest of the world. Now the weakening of the stars has started to affect the domain of Light too. Something must be done before yet another member of the Family succumbs to the war of attrition upon the Enlightened.

Progress:

1) Lyna, Emil and Alicia visited Elune in her observatory and found her ill.

2) They discovered that her observatory was severely corrupted by some malignant corruption that was trying to break into the chancel.

3) They sealed off the intrusion into the chancel but destroyed the observatory in the process. They managed to prevent the observatory from crashing catastrophically into the chancel.

4) They've brought the sick Elune to the Sapphire Palace and acquired the help of Regine to treat her.

5) Regine has asked the team to seek out the Noble of Shadows or anyone from the Familia of Shadows for a certain flower that only grows in Locus Shadows.

'''Who moved my Christmas?!'''

Christmas, the biggest celebration of lights and joy, isn't happening this year! This is unprecedented serious affair!

Started : 8th November 2011

Progress :

1) Alicia has asked the magical girls, knights, and others who've passed in and out of the chancel, for any information they might know about this. She's learned that it's a rather complex issue. It might be the economy, it might be the declining family values, could be anything.

'''When you peer into the Abyss...'''

Started : n/a

And the Creator said, 'Let there be Light', and there was light, and he saw that it was good. And He separated the dark from the light. Thus was the First Day.

It wasn't quite that simple.

When the light came to be, the dark too came to be as a result, and neither could tolerate the other. Thus the First War of Light and Dark began, pure and simple, with no preamble or prelude. They fought for Shepherdess-knows-how-long. Finally, the formation of the Covenant of the First Day, an agreement between the Light and the Dark to respect the other's estate, ended the war. How it came to be, however, is still a hotly debated topic. Some say the Dark won. Some say the Light won. Some say it was a draw. Some say there were other reasons. Who really knows?

An anniversary of the Covenant of the First Day is celebrated yearly now to uphold the ideals of peace and cooperation between Light and Dark. This year, it's Alicia's turn to host the festival. What could go wrong?

Progress : n/a

=== Magic Quests ===

'''Dude, Where's My Ship?!'''

Started : 8th Novemeber 2011

Following the disappearance of a wildcat Lignite mining crew in the Aescilian Mountains of Erebea, a pair of magical girls were dispatched on what was supposed to be a simple search-and-rescue mission. They report finding what looks like a ship and wisely request further assistance. The archaeological division arrived hours later, sealed the region, before preparing for further studies. They could not identify the ship's make or origins from the exterior, so they decide to enter through an entrance they found on the side. Contact with the entire squad was lost 6 hours into the mission, with the last transmission being 'Found someth-....So....beautiful....'. A second rescue mission was mounted, this time with a full STRIKER magical girl squadron. They found a deserted camp site and the open ship. They enter. Contact was lost 1.5 hours into the mission, with the last transmission being '...reached the last known location. Now....I-..I can't believe it....mission control...I can't begin to describe this....this is...so...so beau-.....'.

Progress:

1) Lyna has developed a new remote-viewing spell to peer into the site from a distance. Unfortunately, the first few attempts failed as she can't seem to view anything beyond the foot of the mountains.

'''My Struggle, My suffering, My Legacy'''

Started: n/a

The smoke of witch burning pyres rise high up into the skies above the magical realm of Erebea. The once all-powerful mages now run and hide before the onslaught of the Reinzhuthen, an order of genocidal purists who are in pursuit of the all-powerful dark mage, the dark lord Daran Reganz. The Reinzhuthen have taken up an all-or-nothing approach towards hunting Daran Reganz – wiping out every last mage on Neven. After successfully gathering the support of the people against the seemingly incompetent mage-led government and subsequently overthrowing them, the Reinzhuthen declared a world-wide ban of magical practices, declaring any practitioner an agent of Daran Reganz and an enemy of the state. In their crusade against magic, they've begun declaring the absolutism of their cause and the need for all nations of the world to unite under their banner to eliminate the magic scourge. To this end, they have begun invading and conquering any nation who refuses to join their Empire.

Progress: n/a

=== Intelligence Quests ===

'''So Long and Thanks for All the Fish'''

Dolphins are becoming quite popular...as food! The coastal town of Taiji, Japan, the largest operator of dolphin drive hunting in the world, is undertaking a massive campaign to popularize the consumption of dolphin meat following the opening of its Great Taiji Dolphin Slaughterhouse. They are marketing it as a health food that greatly boosts brain development and intelligence, particularly in children. Interestingly, they managed to show that the IQs of children raised in Taiji and the nearby village of Koazagawa, wherein the staple food is dolphin and whale meat, are significantly higher than not only the national average but also the international average, almost miraculously so. Quite a problem for the local dolphins, some of whom are Mana's own friends.

Incidentally, the global pandemic of the strange sleeping illness has a relatively high incidence in Japan, particularly in Taiji.

Started: n/a

Progress: n/a

== Completed Quests ==

= Correspondence =

== Family Correspondence ==

'Good morning, Masters and Mistresses. I hope the noise didn't keep you up last night. The Alchemists discovered a new flower known quite amusingly as the 'Boom Lily'. Thankfully they grew quieter as the night went by. Anyhow, here's today's selection of the world's headlines.' - Mira -

• Presidents of Chechnya, Bosnia and Ukraine die in mysterious circumstances.

• American invasion of Iran is meeting heavy resistance. The Iranians now threaten to unleash their nuclear arsenal if America does not cease and desist.

• A new illness is spreading. Cause unknown.

== Illumination's Correspondence==

'Young Miss, please do take some times to reads some of these, 'kay? Lymle's actually done her bests to sort them outs, 'kay!' - Lymle -

- You've been cordially invited to attend the Divali celebrations in India. - Various Nobles -

== Chivalry's Correspondence ==

'Aye, my liege, thou hath an abundant harvest of letters. Thy loyal steed hast made do with the more...delicious trivialties. *BURP*' - Sieghart -

== Determinism's Correspondence ==

'Hey, old man, check it out, you've got mail. Should I fetch your specs? Or maybe a magnifying glass? Or maybe my winding screw? All that sorting's wound down my springs...' - Leonie -

- There's insider information that the vast artificial island city under construction at the base of Orbital Elevator 02 in the Pacific has hit a dead end in its construction effort due to economical constraints. It will soon become a prized piece of real estate amongst the nobles once word gets out. - Penelope -

- Ne, Oyabun, some funny men want to kill that yaro Alfred Goddard. They offer real cash, up front, no questions. Too good a deal for me, so I tell them, leave. They probably go for my competitors. Tell your friend, ne. Ja. - Chika -

== Magic's Correspondence ==

'Young Mistress, it's time to read your correspondence for the day. Please sit down here. Yes, here. Now, back straight like a washboard, eyes forward like a dead fish, and elbows akimbo like a ballerina...yes, excellent, young mistress. Now, I present you my personal selection of today's letters.' - Flowerchild -

- We're short on new recruits for the Magical Girl Academy. Please do something about this. - Miranda, Headmaster of the Ruby Gardens Magical Girl Academy Division

== Intelligence's Correspondence ==

Nobilis Enlightened

2011-03-16T11:32:17Z

Mind-The-Gap:

[[Category:Nobilis]]

= Imperator - The Shepherdess of Light =

1. ‘Omneaum(a) became aware. In its awareness, it found loneliness. It saw potential, good, an impossibility.

2. Omneaum gave way to potential, and made the impossible possible. It was, things became.

3. Enlightenment arose, and so did I, Whole, Complete, bearing the Gifts of Aether (b), Light, Vaveram (c), Maricarum (d), Endeon (e), and Causality.

4. Omneaum’s legacy I shall honour and hold safe, now and forever, till the hour I too stand alone between Impossibility and Despair.’

- The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light, Imperator of Enlightenment -

(a) Omneaum: The Original Absolute Void

(b) Aether: Estate of 'Absolute Potential', the 'Impossible made Possible', the very basic element of creation from which all matter and life flowed. It was said to have been more abundant in space. (Now excruciated, succeeded in part by the estate of 'Magic')

(c)Vaveram: Estate of Spontaneous Sentience and Awareness (Now Excruciated. Never replaced.)

(d) Maricarum: Estate of Great Miracles through Personal Sacrifice (Now excruciated, succeeded by the estate of 'Magic' and 'Sacrifice')

(e)Endeon: Estate of the 'Lone Wolf Phenomenon', wherein those fighting against overwhelming odds are always guaranteed victory. Better known in our time as the 'Storm Trooper effect'. (Now excruciated)

Having predated the Imperators of 'Name', the Shepherdess is nameless and formless. Those who are fortunate enough to know her identify her as 'The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light', or, simply, 'The Shepherdess'. Having come into being before the birth of the concept of 'form' or even 'matter' and 'physical law', she is without form in the physical universe. She used to communicate with her agents in the physical universe through pulses of light and ripples in a fountain of light. Needless to say, a lot of liberty had been taken in deciphering her wishes. Recently, however, the Chief Engineer of the Sanctum, Orphus, has devised an ingenious megastructure, the Deus Ex Machina, a gigantic clockwork device that allows the Shepherdess to see into the physical realm and engage with it using a gigantic, rather clumsy steel claw and communicate using a ticker-tape telegram machine.

(Interestingly, having also preceded the Imperator of Gender, she is, or, at least, was, in essence, genderless. However, around 300 B.C. she became a part of debate amongst philosophers as an example of a being who must be 'of the default gender'. For some reason it was decided that the default gender was female, and so the Shepherdess has since been considered to be of the female persuasion. Not that she really cares. It is suspected that the Noble of Women had something to do with this, but that's a tale for another time.)

Prophesized successor of Ananda and future Shepherdess of the Fifth Age, the Glorious One has purposely been denied a seat on the Council of Four, for her ways are that of the ‘Enlightened’, incompatible with the ways of the other council-members. She earns Lord Entropy and Ananda’s tolerance for her existence only through her service in the Valde Bellum and her Light’s importance in maintaining the Weirding Wall, a task that consumes almost the entirety of her attention and being (much to Lord Entropy’s and Ananda’s satisfaction).

The Heavens despise her, for an Angel of Creation she is not, and yet she brought forth the first Light that made everything that was Beautiful possible. Only the fact that her Light is necessary for beauty and this fact alone earns her the toleration of Heaven. The Wild would have nothing to do with her, for there is no freedom in sacrifice.The Hells, the Darkness and the Light all loath her, for not only is she the voice of wisdom that transcends not just the Corruption that the Hells endeavour towards, but she is also the voice that moves all beings towards becoming more than the matter they are made from, transcending what they are, pushing them ever onwards towards a greater purpose not only in life but also in death. Those who follow her code wish for naught else but the glory of dying for a greater good.

It is unclear what her true nature or form is. Nobody seems to remember when she came to be, or how for that matter. Some suspect she is one of the Heavenly legion, an Angel, but not only do the Heavens and its angelic denizens despise her at the best of times, her ways are most definitely not that of Heaven. Some surmise that she is a fallen Angel, but the cause of Hell she does not serve. It is highly possible that she is a True God, but all of creation knows they did not appear until long after the Angels had begun the Great Work. Recently, when passings of the Transcendants were properly documented in AP 4732, it was surmised that she is perhaps a Transcendant who somehow chose to settle upon the World Ash, perhaps one of the Charitable. Said document is Creation's closest description of the Shepherdess' nature, her gifts being her Estates and her Law.

=='''Vow of the Enlightened'''==

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this.

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this. - One thing leads to another. And at the end of all things is an ‘end’.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this. - Every good act must be good of purpose and good of result. This clause seems to fail to (most probably purposely) mention anything regarding the means. Taking the most liberal interpretation, a ‘Noble deed’ can have means as lacking in morals as a psychotic mass murderer, and yet still be considered ‘Noble’ in the eyes of the ‘Enlightened’. What matters is the cause, the intention and the ends. Everything in between matters naught.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this. - The ultimate sacrifice can conquer anything, even the impossible. This is the one true ‘Miracle’, Magic at its purest, one that allows the Enlightened to surpass his/her own end and achieve greatness through sacrifice. The Shepherdess safeguards the cause of all who sacrifice themselves for a greater purpose, guaranteeing them the miraculous magic of success.

==Details==

'''Estates''': Light, Determinism, Magic, Chivalry, Intelligence, Honour, Loyalty, Courage, Hope, Justice, Karma, Logic, Alchemy, Sacrifice, Curiosity, Sun, Moon, Stars

'''Excruciated Estates''': Aether, Vaveram, Maricarum, Endeon, Astelumina

'''Dynasty Points :''' 8

'''Qualities:'''

Great Harvest (2)

Cold (-1)

Demanding (-1)

----

= The Famiglia of the Enlightened =

The Famiglia of the Enlightened ''were'' a highly respected and influential group about 4-5 centuries before, their power extending from the very birth of creation. However, in a highly unorthodox move around the 4002 A.P., the Council ordered the Shepherdess to provide additional support in the Valde Bellum proper, above and beyond her maintenance of the Weirding Wall. Seeing as the Wall already consumed most if not all her power and attention, she was forced to mobilize members of her Famiglia, something quite unprecedented. The Nobles of Maricarum, Aether and Endeon were the first to volunteer for the great undertaking, having attained near-Imperator-level powers at the time. A few centuries later, Vaveram, Astelumina, Chivalry, Courage and Alchemy too joined their brother and sisters in the direct defense of creation. They held the line for a good few centuries, seeing a slow but definite turnover in nobles. That was until, for reasons still unknown, Maricarum, Aether, Endeon, Vaveram and Astelumina were excruciated one by one. The last to fall were Endeon and Astelumina in 4895 AP, at the same time 500 years of Human History was erased.

With no time to mourn, the Famiglia of the Enlightened were forced to mobilize more members of their famiglia to the front lines. The following few years saw more of their Nobles killed, though thankfully not excruciated.

Now with few remaining senior members, the famiglia struggles to stay on its feet with the large influx of new family members. Will they be able to live up to their predecessors? Will they be able to return the family to its former glory and take it to new heights? Or will this be the end of the Enlightened? That is up to the new Famiglia.

== PC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Foreguard of the Enlightened''

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Alicia_Valka '''Alicia - Principissa of Illumination''']

The 21st Principissa Of Illumination.

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Emil '''Emil - Power of Determinism''']

The 13th Power of Determinism

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Charles_Earl_Of_Huntington'''Charles - Lord of Chivalry''']

The 77th Lord of Chivalry

'''Lyna - Regina of Magic'''

The 66th Regina of Magic

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Mana_Kishimura '''Mana - Exemplar of Intelligence (And Dolphins)''']

The 17th Noble of Intelligence and 2nd Noble of Dolphins.

== NPC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Vanguard of the Enlightened''

'''Regine - Inquesta of Loyalty'''

'''Jessie - Tempesta of Courage (Sort of veering towards Impetuous Juvenile Recklessness)'''

'''Illumina - AllMother of Alchemy'''

Novice Alchemist extraordinaire and (rather unwilling) Commander of the Alchemist Flameheart Squad, Illumina is yet another recent addition to the Famiglia. She's currently worried about the sorry state of her estate (mostly usurped by Chemistry and now reduced to nothing more than a fantasy fiction gimmick) and a missing prominent Alchemist amongst other things....but mainly by the prospect of responsibility in general.

She is widely known, even outside Alchemist circles, as 'Big Bang Lum'.

'''Elune - Principissa of the Stars'''

While relatively senior in the Famiglia of the Enlightened (by simple virtue of everyone else being very recent additions), that's as far as her seniority goes. In every other respect, she is mostly helpless, though the more understanding dismiss this as a reflection of her estate - stars aren't known to be do much other than be pretty, especially lately with modern technology supplanting the need for stellar navigation or calendar-keeping. It used to be so much different when her sister, the Noble of Astelumina, the power of stellar influence upon the workings of the universe and lives on earth, was still around. Now as the stars fade and people forget the stars, Elune lies ill, slowly fading herself.

''The Diplomatic Corp (Intelligence) of the Enlightened''

'''Rang Fan - Excelifficer of Logic'''

Born a humble villager in a Tibetan highland settlement, Rang Fan grew up completely illiterate. She was, however, a keen observer and deep thinker. She developed her own concise and strict principles of logic, one that often found fault in the traditionalist views of the people she lived amongst. Some saw her as a source of wisdom, some saw her as a demon-possessed child.

She became the favourite anchor of the previous Noble of Logic for a while. During this time, her mastery of logic developed brilliantly. Unfortunately, she came afoul of a Chinese official when she publicly defeated him in a debate regarding the accusation of rebellion on the part of the village.

'''Geronimo - High Chief of Sacrifice'''

'''Han Gua - Exarch of Honour'''

'''Jimmy - Arch-Provost of Curiosity'''

''The Unassigned of the Enlightened''

'''Justice(?) - Empress of Justice'''

Not much is known about Justice, the 1st Noble of Justice. She is the eldest of the current Famiglia, though in the time of the original Famiglia, she was the youngest. She is the last surviving member of the original Famiglia of the Enlightened. It is rumoured that she was an Angel before she joined the Enlightened, though whether or not this is true is unknown. Her real name is unknown. Nobody has seen her in a long, long while. The only members of the current famiglia who have seen her are Han Gua and Elune.

Currently absent. Whereabouts unknown.

'''Vie - Noble of Hope'''

A rather mysterious member of the famiglia, she wonders in and out of the chancel rather randomly. Nobody seems to remember when she joined the Family. In fact, some are surprised to hear that there IS a noble of Hope in the Family. She doesn't seem to have a permanent home in the chancel. She's known (at least to those few who know her) to wander about, never staying in one place for long. She is apparently summonable, but rumours have it that she's apparently rather useless.

There are strange rumours that she follows the code of the Dark, or even Hell. Why would Hope do that?

'''Thomas Eire - Keeper of Karma'''

'''Kaguya - Himegami of the Moon'''

Tsukishiro no Kaguya-hime is perhaps the second eldest of the Famiglia, though she takes great care not to let anyone know that. She is the second Noble of the Moon. There are rumours that she was behind the Apollo 13 failure. When asked about it, she would give you a disdainful look and walk away. Then again, she'd do that no matter what you tried to bring up with her.

Currently very, very vain.

'''Kimo - the Emperor of the Sun'''

= Chancel - Locus Enlightenment, Sanctum Excelestia =

[http://img248.imageshack.us/i/sanctumexcelestia.jpg HG's Impression 1]

'''Qualities'''

Megalomaniac King/Queen (-4)

Normal Magic (3)

Alchemy (1)

2 Banes (-1)

Convenient Gates (2)

Anchorable Magical residents (4)

==Government==

The Sanctum is under the absolute Executive rule of the Emperor who answers only to the Shepherdess. Judicial Rule is under the Absolute Court headed by the Shepherdess and the Supreme Court headed by the Noble of Justice and her Circle of Justiciaries. Legislative and administrative rule is divided amongst the 4 major domains under the 4 queens:

'''Alicia - High Queen of the Diamond Tower.'''

Technically, having inherited the title of 'High Queen' from her predecessor, Alicia commands the Council of Four Queens and the Round Table of Dominums. However, as she has only recently joined the Famiglia, responsibility over the Council of Four Queens has fallen on the reluctant shoulders of Elune while the Round Table of Dominums is overseen by Han Gua.

'''Lyna - Queen of the Ruby Gardens.'''

The Ruby Gardens refers to the entirety of the Arcane Arts Academy Complex within the Outer Circle where the majority of mages of Excelestia train and live. However, to most of the citizens, the 'Ruby Gardens' itself refers to the seat of government, the Ruby Palace, a magnificent rose-shaped palace of crystal grown from the very essence of the Chancel itself in the middle of the Ruby Gardens.

'''Elune - Queen of the Sapphire Sky.'''

The Sapphire Sky refers to the entirety of the sky in between the floating structures of the Sanctum. While Elune governs no real land, she controls all traffic in the airspace around the Sanctum. Her official seat of government is the Sapphire Palace, a beautiful crystalline Sapphire star floating high up within the Inner Circle, though she is rarely ever there. She usually lives in her observatory on a lonely island high above the Sanctum.

'''Jessie - Queen of the Emerald Fields.'''

The Emerald Fields refer to most of the land floating in the Ciellan Expanse, the sky beyond the Outer Wall. The Emerald Fields house a good portion of the Sanctum's agricultural and mining settlements. Her seat of government is the Emerald Palace, a beautiful viridian structure of moss-covered wood and succulent, fresh folliage that grow and thrive all year round, coiled around a giant magnificent Emerald of a green deeper than the land that surrounds it.

== Homes and Households ==

'''The Diamond Palace - ?????'''

Home of Alicia.

Personal Assistant : Lymle

'''The Ruby Palace - ????'''

Home of Lyna.

Personal Assistant : Flowerchild

'''The Garnet Fortress - ????'''

Home of Charles.

Personal Assistant : Sieghart

'''The Quartz Workshop - ????'''

[[File:http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/File:E660087c66284323f8686e5d5bbed09ee9cee1ba.jpg#filelinks|200px|thumb|left|alt text]]

Personal Assistant : Leonie

Home of Emil.

== Noteworthy Locations ==

'''The Amethyst Shores'''

Governed officially by Illumina, provisionally by the Arch-Artificer of the Great Guild of Alchemists. The Amethyst Shores are a group of closely-packed islands within the Outer Circle where the majority of the Alchemists of Excelestia live. While alchemists can be found just about anywhere, the Amethysts Shores are really the only place where they can make things explode to their hearts content without causing tempers to explode all around them. Alchemists can also be found en masse at the Ruby Gardens.

'''The Garnet Fortress'''

Governed mainly by Charles, the Garnet Fortress encompasses the Inner and Outer Walls of the Sanctum and the bastion of the Knights.

'''The Beryl Earth'''

Governed mainly by Regine, the

'''The Quartz Workshop'''

A watch-mender's workshop somewhere within the Diamond Tower, Emil's home and favourite haunt.

'''Chez Charles'''

==Security==

The city has a number of defense corps organized to different degrees by a number of Nobles.

'''The Chivalrous Gentlemanly TownWatch'''

'''The Magical Avengers of Love and Peace, Magical Taskforce Ruby Gardenia'''

Organized by the 5th Noble of Magic, a rather...odd Master of Magic who believed that wearing frilly clothing is a form of sacrifice to society and preached that magical power is exponentially proportional to the frilliness of one's clothing. Now maintained by the 7th Noble of Magic, Lyna, who keeps up most of the traditions of the 5th.

'''The Upholders of Equivalent Exchange, the Eternally Passionate Flameheart Alchemists (EPFA)'''

Organized by the previous Noble of Alchemy, a rather fluffy and passionate Lady Alchemist, and maintained by the recently appointed Noble, Illumina, the EPFA are at best socially-involved nerds, at worst really, really messy vigilantes (unfortunately, more often the latter). They mainly keep the domain of the Alchemists, the Amethyst Shores, as well as their portion of the Ruby Gardens, safe...for a given value of 'safe'.

'''The Infallibly Just Circle of Justiciers'''

'''The Eternally Loyal Shieldmaidens of [Insert Place Name Here]'''

Organized by the current Noble of Loyalty,

'''The Ever-Watchful Lantern Kindlers and Lamp Bearers of the Stars'''

'''The Righteous Karmic-Retributioneer Monks of Karma'''

'''The LoreKeepers and Agents of Literary Vengeance, the Combat Librarians'''

== Groups ==

Besides the defense forces of the Chancel, the Sanctum also harbours a number of groups.

'''The Enclave of Emerald Alchemists'''
Also known as the 'Emerald Artisans', this society of Alchemists was founded by the 7th Noble of Light, TanetNephthys, and the 1st Noble of Alchemy, Armagustine Trimegistus, after the passing of the third Noble of Maricarum, Hermes Trimegistus, founder of the Emerald Arts.

In a major nettle rite wrought by the 2nd Noble of Botany, Ephistopheles, against the Noble of Alchemy, in a daring move to split the art into two major paths forever, the Enclave was splintered in two - The Cleave fo Botanists and the Enclave of Emerald Artisans. The Botanists left the Sanctum, carrying with them the entirety of botanic knowledge. The Alchemists, however, managed to keep the Principa Alchimia safe and prevented the botanists from acquiring an absolute monopoly over the Emerald Arts. The two now jealously guard their arts, for if one were to acquire the arts of the other, they would become unstoppable.

The botanists are known to pass through the Chancel to deal with the Emerald Artisans.

== Laws ==

The Chancel operates on general principles of Justice commonly found in any other society where concepts of Law and Justice exist. It has a few notable exceptions such as:

- Any deed with noble ends are exempt from law's scrutiny upon its means. This means even the most foul of deeds is considered lawfully just as long as its ends are noble. It comes with a very, very important caveat - the good of the outcome must far exceed the evil committed. This is particularly difficult to achieve with murder, as murder, the theft of the sanctity of one's life, is the basest, most evil of crimes that even the earth itself abhors.

-

N.B. The Chancel operates on the Code Napoleon, that the suspect is guilty until proven otherwise, as Lady Justice willed it to be in the prosaic realm.

== Notable Individuals ==

=== Foreguard Support Staff ===

'''Mira'''

A young maid dedicated to serving the Foreguard.

'''Captain Captain Captain'''

Captain of the Foreguard Airship Excellion, a tall, lanky, yet muscular man with a full bushy beard and a true sailor's heart.

'''Orville'''

Chief Requisitions Officer for the Foreguard. His task is mainly acquiring equipment and supplies for the Foreguard's away-missions, though he's also an expert at acquiring just about anything the Foreguard needs.

=== Other Individuals ===

'''Orphus Denilzante'''
Chief Magitech Engineer of the Sanctum and designer of the Deus Ex Machina.

'''Reno Orfayne'''
Owner of Reno's Empirio, the one-stop fashion designer for Nobles, known to be second only to his Master, Enzel Haulor of 7th Avenue and 91st Street NY.

'''Sammy Westine'''
Proprietor and Chief Engineer of Westine Airships, Sammy is the young brilliant mind behind this generation's latest magitech airships. Having mastered Alchemy, Magic and Magitech at a young age, she went on to implement her excellent knowledge in airship design and construction. Her airships are used not just within the Sanctum but all over Creation. While she does produce combat-ready airships, she only produces them as personal favours for Nobles she trusts. These make proud flagships in any war fleet. It is rumoured that she is working with Aeril Jotunstrom, Noble of Ships, from Locus Atlantis, on warships capable of sailing the world beyond creation and taking part directly on the frontlines of the Valde Bellum.

'''Mac'''

LightHouse Chief Engineer and GateKeeper who maintains the Lighthouse and manages the chancel's gates.

'''Victor'''

= Mythic Realm =

== Chancels Known ==
''From the Primer on Loci Celatum, by Holly Djurisic''
What follows are descriptions of chancels considered widely known and to be no secret to those versed in the ways of the Mythic. Everyone knows them as a matter of common sense.

'''Locus Amarant'''

The Great Market, the Gardens of Lady Profit, Amarant is perhaps one of the few chancels that has no doors, and, even if it did, they would be wide open to welcome one and all. After all, even your worst enemy is a potential customer. Any invader would quickly find themselves besieged by peddlers of weaponry, trust and treachery, even the very spoils they are after. Everything the discerning Noble might need is available here...for the right price. The preferred currency are fleurs, but the locals have been known to trade with other things such as miracles and pacts. Some nobles come here not just to buy but also to sell. If you want or need it, Locus Amarant will sell it, or if not, then at least it will sell you the expertise of someone who CAN get it. Needless to say, the cammorae are all over Amarant.

It is well-known that even Excrucians frequent Amarant, and they know full well never to destroy Amarant....at least not until their victory is assured, for Amarant will be more than happy to sell them the means to that victory, or maybe even that victory itself....for the right price. Why destroy something so blatantly useful?

Chancel of Lady Profit, Immiae Arathy, and the Nobles of Trade, Currency, Negotiation, Supermarket Loyalty Cards, and Cookies. Yes, Cookies.

= Prosaic Realm =

== Earth ==

=== Noteworthy Individuals===

== Erebea ==

A once beautiful world, a geographic wonder of continents hanging high up in the pristine skies, flooded with raw magic reminiscent of Earth about a millennium ago. It is very closely linked to earth, to the point where a good few locations on both worlds overlap, allowing easy passage from one to the other should one be lucky (or unlucky) enough to stumble upon these places of power. They are so closely linked together in fact that the two worlds share more or less the same Imperators and Nobles. Some even surmise that Erebea is a divergent Earth on a parallel timeline.

Sanctum Excelestia was once the capital of this world, until it disappeared a few millennia ago.

== Lost Universe AD 2511 ==

The Lost Universe, now a Valde Bellum warfront. In 2400 AD, an age of galactic expansion and an Aetheric golden age for human advancement, a treacherous Imperator managed to sabotage the Shepherdess' hold on the Weirding Wall, leaving gaping holes in the defense of Creation. In the ensuing chaos, the Imperators and their nobles turned their attention to the Excrucian host gathering beyond the gap. Little did they know that they had fallen prey to a deceiver ruse. At the same time, the Excrucians were readying a pincer attack, with their mimics and strategists having established a foothold on Earth's universe. The Enlightened, at the time under great scrutiny due to the Shepherdess' apparent failure at maintaining the Weirding Wall, discovered the Excrucian plans and attempted to alert the Ymmerae. However, the Deceivers held the ears of the Ymmerae, and all the please of the Enlightened fell on deaf, suspicious, skeptical ears.

In a daring move, the Noble of Aether secretly used almost the entirety of his power of limitless potential to create an anomalous fold in existence, tearing 500 years of the universe apart, resetting the universe to before the Excrucian plan had even begun in 1900. He brought the new fold containing the lost 500 years and the excrucian plot up and tethered it to the gaping hole in the Weirding Wall, just in time to meet the incoming Excrucian Host. The excrucian invasion began, never once suspecting that they had walked into a pocket universe. For the Noble of Aether's apparent treachery, the Locust Court condemned him to death without a trial, dispatching the Enlightened, his own family, to prove their allegiance to the court by executing their own brother. It is said that Justice was the one to rip his shard out of his chest with her bare hands. It is said that the shard shattered. Some say Justice, in her grief and rage, shattered it herself. Some say it was Aether's final gift to the Lost Universe, and to the entirety of creation. The shard dust was dispersed and embedded itself across the entirety of the Lost Universe, enchancelling it, bestowing its beings with the blessings of Aetheric Power, immunizing them to the crippling effects of dementia animus and empowering them in their coming struggle against the Excrucian invaders. Aether was forever lost to Creation, but its shadow continues to live on within the beings of the Lost Universe. As long as the children of Aether stand and the light of Aether burns on within them, the Lost Universe will always resist the Excrucian host.

The Lost Universe has since been sealed away outside the Weirding Wall, doomed to forever be an Excrucian battleground, until the day the Excrucians trapped within consume the Lost Universe and realize Aether's trickery.

At the precise moment Aether's sacrifice enchancelled the Lost Universe, Hammond Qarn, Imperator of the Lost Universe, came into being. Having arisen from a universe so filled with the Shepherdess' own power, Hammond naturally became a Magister of the Enlightened. Furthermore, as the chancel was created using the Shepherdess' own soul shard, a fraction of the Shepherdess' own essence makes up the chancel's foundations. Thus for all intents and purposes the Enlightened can treat the Lost Universe as their own home chancel.

Few other nobles are privy to the secret of the Lost Universe's existence. Even fewer take up the fight to defend the Lost Universe in order to delay the full-scale invasion of Creation. The Nobles of Astelumina and Endeon were the first to pick up Aether's fallen banner and lead the battle against the Excrucian host and were also the first to fall.

'Now and Forever, till the hour I too stand between Impossibility and Despair!' - Phaeron Rof Alabar Trimeniel - Emperor of Aether

=== Notable Locations ===

'''L.U. Earth AD 2511'''

In AD 2400, Astelumina and Endeon managed to rid the entire earth of deceivers, strategists and mimics, making it one of the last few human settlements still untouched by the Excrucian Scourge. The war and Aether's blessing has accelerated technology to astronomical heights in the past 111 years, bringing humanity to a point where they can overwhelm excrucian shards and at the very least annoy full excrucians, if not kill them. Earth is now the capital of the Universal Aetheric Alliance (UAA), headquarters of the Excrucian resistance. Its coordinates are guarded to the death by the Children of Aether. Those who sally forth to meet the Excrucian Host do so without carrying Earth's coordinates, knowing full well that they may never return to their beloved home.

'''L.U. Heaven’s Feel'''

The current frontier of the Lost Universe Valde Bellum, Heaven’s Feel is perhaps the most beautiful extrasolar human colony. A large T3 terraformed planet orbiting the gas giant Astelumina 3, behind a dense spherical asteroid field and a radioactive veil around the sun Astelumina, it makes a naturally fortified world. Thanks to the scattering radiation and the dense blackhole just a few megaparsecs away at the center of the galaxy, the system and planet is nigh impossible to find at the best of times, at least for marauding excrucian raiding parties. The UAA uses Astelumina’s final gift, the gift of the stars, the ability to travel on aetheric currents guided by the stars, to travel safely in and out of the system.

When excrucians do find the planet, they are immediately drawn into its orbit by the interaction of the gravity wells of Heaven’s Feel’s many moons. They have no hope of escaping to notify the host of the planet’s location before they are drawn into intense battle by the Feelians.

The planet is ravaged by repeat invasions.

=== Familia of the Lost Universe ===

More or less an extended family of the Enlightened, the Familia of the Lost Universe are the sworn guardians of Aether's legacy.

'''Hammond Qarn - Imperator of the Lost Universe'''

Despite being an offshoot of the Shepherdess' power, Hammond Qarn is quite the opposite. He looks as human as they come. In fact, very, very much so, with his thick paternal beard, his twinkling eyes and his simple, honest expression, like a stern but compassionate father. Those who have the great honour of an audience with him are overcome with an overwhelming confidence and faith in humanity's potential and prowess. His being is shrouded in the stuff of legends. They say he single-handedly piloted an Alliance Battlecruiser straight into an Excrucian battlestation and escaped alive, unscathed. They say he personally lead the desperate charge that ended the siege of Harvest 4. They say he singlehandedly held the line at Point Hope against the entire advancing Excrucian host at the battle of Forge 3. They say a lot of things about Hammond Qarn, and when you meet him, sitting like a lighthouse exuding calm and confidence amidst the storm of war, in his simple, neatly-pressed uniform gleaming with but one badge denoting his allegiance to the Alliance, you feel naught but awe - that this man is the legend in the flesh.

'''Commander John Shepard - Power of Living Legends'''

'''Excel 7 - Commander of Super Soldiers'''

was responsible for the Halo series and partly responsible for the Metal Gear series, amongst other things.

'''Iris Erran - Chief Admiral of Spacecrafts'''

'''ALMa OmNI. - Supreme Administrator of Aetheric Technology'''

An A.I. born of the pinnacle of Aetheric supercomputers,

= Quests =

== Active Quests ==

=== Imperator Quests ===

'''Overdue'''

Started : 8th November 2011

The Shepherdess has requested that the Foreguards return 3 books she's borrowed for Shepherdess-knows-how-long now, for reasons that none can fathom. These books are:

1) 'Single Parenting for Idiots', to the Imperator of Shadows

2) 'The Amazing Justice and the Lovely Yaoi Doujin', to the Noble of Women's Beards

3) 'The Witchhunter's Codex' to a certain alchemist in Erebea.

She has asked you all to return them, ASAP.

Progress:

1) The Family has acquired the 3 books from the Principarium.

2) 1 week has passed since.

'''?????'''

Started : ?????

??????

Progress: n/a

=== Chancel Quests ===

=== Chivalry Quests ===

'''Rest in Peace'''

Started: 15th November 2011

One of Charles' Knights, Tristan, has just returned from Earth and has requested an urgent private audience. Wonder what it's about.

Progress:

1) Charles met Tristan, who seems to be rather fearful of someone, or something, though he's doing his best not to show it. Tristan presents Sir Jacob's cane and monocle to Charles, telling him that Sir Jacob disappeared after discovering that most of the Copenhagen chapter of knights have disappeared. It appears he noticed something was amiss after the disappearance of Sir William, who was out to investigate the disappearance of a local magical girl.

2) Charles decides to alert all the chapters throughout the world.

3) Charles proceeds to attempt directing chivalrous power into Sir Jacob's cane. It fights back, showing signs of deep corruption, before exploding rather violently.

4) Charles sends Sieghart with the destroyed monocle to Victor to study it further.

'''100,000's a Crowd!'''

Started: n/a

The Reinzuthen of Erebea have decided to dispatch a sacrifical gift of 100,000 girls from all around Erebea, mostly from all the nations they've conquered and annexed, to the old island of Altima, original home of the Nobles of Warriors, distant predecessors of Charles'. Apparently this is to welcome the prophesized return of the original Noble of Warriors and to attempt to acquire his favour with the hopes of having him assist the Reinzuthen make good their absolute conquest of Erebea. Obviously, the current delivery recipient is Charles....and this is NOT good. NOT good at all.

Progress: n/a

'''White Knight in Black Armour'''

Started: n/a

Alfred Goddard, ace attorney, E.U. Supreme Court prosecutor and prominent political figure, has sworn to cleanse Europe of all crime, especially major international crime rings. He has followed through with his oath. Half of all European prisons are full thanks to him. He is hailed as the 'White Knight', Europe's last hope. Needless to say, he's nowhere near as popular in the underworld. Many want him dead. He's currently attending the Copenhagen Treaty Talks as an expert on the Eco-crime panel. Chika, Emil's personal assassin, has helpfully let slip that she's refused a rather generous contract to assassinate Alfred Goddard during the talks. She's only one of many. Maybe you should look into this.

Progress: n/a

=== Determinism Quests ===

'''I Left My Hand in Copenhagen'''

Started : N/A

77 People have been found dead from unknown causes in Copenhagen. They were discovered missing their left hands and hanging upside down from trees.

Progress : n/a

'''Fly me to Europa'''

Started : N/A

The manned mission to Europa's missing for reasons as yet unknown.

Progress : n/a

'''Two Things Infinite'''

Started : 8th November 2011

The LHC has broken down once again after a few brief months of rather hiccupy function. This time, the cause is completely unknown. All the individual parts seem to be in working order, but the sum refuses to work. Sophia's not happy, not happy at all. She has personally requested that Emil look into this.

Progress:

1) Emil has taken a brief look around through Sophia's eyes. The LHC's spirit seems to have some blemishes....wonder what they are....

'''Tides of Fate'''

Started : n/a

The tides have stopped rising with the lunar cycles. As a result, the world's currents, fisheries and shoreline ecosystems have been gravely affected. This shouldn't even be physically possible!

Progress: n/a

=== Illumination Quests ===

'''Twinkle, Little Star'''

Started : 15th November 2011

As the world darkens, the light of the stars fade. Elune, little noble of stars, your sister, lies sick, alone in her high observatory, forgotten by the rest of the world. Now the weakening of the stars has started to affect the domain of Light too. Something must be done before yet another member of the Family succumbs to the war of attrition upon the Enlightened.

Progress:

1) Lyna, Emil and Alicia visited Elune in her observatory and found her ill.

2) They discovered that her observatory was severely corrupted by some malignant corruption that was trying to break into the chancel.

3) They sealed off the intrusion into the chancel but destroyed the observatory in the process. They managed to prevent the observatory from crashing catastrophically into the chancel.

4) They've brought the sick Elune to the Sapphire Palace and acquired the help of Regine to treat her.

5) Regine has asked the team to seek out the Noble of Shadows or anyone from the Familia of Shadows for a certain flower that only grows in Locus Shadows.

'''Who moved my Christmas?!'''

Christmas, the biggest celebration of lights and joy, isn't happening this year! This is unprecedented serious affair!

Started : 8th November 2011

Progress :

1) Alicia has asked the magical girls, knights, and others who've passed in and out of the chancel, for any information they might know about this. She's learned that it's a rather complex issue. It might be the economy, it might be the declining family values, could be anything.

'''When you peer into the Abyss...'''

Started : n/a

And the Creator said, 'Let there be Light', and there was light, and he saw that it was good. And He separated the dark from the light. Thus was the First Day.

It wasn't quite that simple.

When the light came to be, the dark too came to be as a result, and neither could tolerate the other. Thus the First War of Light and Dark began, pure and simple, with no preamble or prelude. They fought for Shepherdess-knows-how-long. Finally, the formation of the Covenant of the First Day, an agreement between the Light and the Dark to respect the other's estate, ended the war. How it came to be, however, is still a hotly debated topic. Some say the Dark won. Some say the Light won. Some say it was a draw. Some say there were other reasons. Who really knows?

An anniversary of the Covenant of the First Day is celebrated yearly now to uphold the ideals of peace and cooperation between Light and Dark. This year, it's Alicia's turn to host the festival. What could go wrong?

Progress : n/a

=== Magic Quests ===

'''Dude, Where's My Ship?!'''

Started : 8th Novemeber 2011

Following the disappearance of a wildcat Lignite mining crew in the Aescilian Mountains of Erebea, a pair of magical girls were dispatched on what was supposed to be a simple search-and-rescue mission. They report finding what looks like a ship and wisely request further assistance. The archaeological division arrived hours later, sealed the region, before preparing for further studies. They could not identify the ship's make or origins from the exterior, so they decide to enter through an entrance they found on the side. Contact with the entire squad was lost 6 hours into the mission, with the last transmission being 'Found someth-....So....beautiful....'. A second rescue mission was mounted, this time with a full STRIKER magical girl squadron. They found a deserted camp site and the open ship. They enter. Contact was lost 1.5 hours into the mission, with the last transmission being '...reached the last known location. Now....I-..I can't believe it....mission control...I can't begin to describe this....this is...so...so beau-.....'.

Progress:

1) Lyna has developed a new remote-viewing spell to peer into the site from a distance. Unfortunately, the first few attempts failed as she can't seem to view anything beyond the foot of the mountains.

'''My Struggle, My suffering, My Legacy'''

Started: n/a

The smoke of witch burning pyres rise high up into the skies above the magical realm of Erebea. The once all-powerful mages now run and hide before the onslaught of the Reinzhuthen, an order of genocidal purists who are in pursuit of the all-powerful dark mage, the dark lord Daran Reganz. The Reinzhuthen have taken up an all-or-nothing approach towards hunting Daran Reganz – wiping out every last mage on Neven. After successfully gathering the support of the people against the seemingly incompetent mage-led government and subsequently overthrowing them, the Reinzhuthen declared a world-wide ban of magical practices, declaring any practitioner an agent of Daran Reganz and an enemy of the state. In their crusade against magic, they've begun declaring the absolutism of their cause and the need for all nations of the world to unite under their banner to eliminate the magic scourge. To this end, they have begun invading and conquering any nation who refuses to join their Empire.

Progress: n/a

=== Intelligence Quests ===

'''So Long and Thanks for All the Fish'''

Dolphins are becoming quite popular...as food! The coastal town of Taiji, Japan, the largest operator of dolphin drive hunting in the world, is undertaking a massive campaign to popularize the consumption of dolphin meat following the opening of its Great Taiji Dolphin Slaughterhouse. They are marketing it as a health food that greatly boosts brain development and intelligence, particularly in children. Interestingly, they managed to show that the IQs of children raised in Taiji and the nearby village of Koazagawa, wherein the staple food is dolphin and whale meat, are significantly higher than not only the national average but also the international average, almost miraculously so. Quite a problem for the local dolphins, some of whom are Mana's own friends.

Incidentally, the global pandemic of the strange sleeping illness has a relatively high incidence in Japan, particularly in Taiji.

Started: n/a

Progress: n/a

== Completed Quests ==

= Correspondence =

== Family Correspondence ==

'Good morning, Masters and Mistresses. I hope the noise didn't keep you up last night. The Alchemists discovered a new flower known quite amusingly as the 'Boom Lily'. Thankfully they grew quieter as the night went by. Anyhow, here's today's selection of the world's headlines.' - Mira -

• Presidents of Chechnya, Bosnia and Ukraine die in mysterious circumstances.

• American invasion of Iran is meeting heavy resistance. The Iranians now threaten to unleash their nuclear arsenal if America does not cease and desist.

• A new illness is spreading. Cause unknown.

== Illumination's Correspondence==

'Young Miss, please do take some times to reads some of these, 'kay? Lymle's actually done her bests to sort them outs, 'kay!' - Lymle -

- You've been cordially invited to attend the Divali celebrations in India. - Various Nobles -

== Chivalry's Correspondence ==

'Aye, my liege, thou hath an abundant harvest of letters. Thy loyal steed hast made do with the more...delicious trivialties. *BURP*' - Sieghart -

== Determinism's Correspondence ==

'Hey, old man, check it out, you've got mail. Should I fetch your specs? Or maybe a magnifying glass? Or maybe my winding screw? All that sorting's wound down my springs...' - Leonie -

- There's insider information that the vast artificial island city under construction at the base of Orbital Elevator 02 in the Pacific has hit a dead end in its construction effort due to economical constraints. It will soon become a prized piece of real estate amongst the nobles once word gets out. - Penelope -

- Ne, Oyabun, some funny men want to kill that yaro Alfred Goddard. They offer real cash, up front, no questions. Too good a deal for me, so I tell them, leave. They probably go for my competitors. Tell your friend, ne. Ja. - Chika -

== Magic's Correspondence ==

'Young Mistress, it's time to read your correspondence for the day. Please sit down here. Yes, here. Now, back straight like a washboard, eyes forward like a dead fish, and elbows akimbo like a ballerina...yes, excellent, young mistress. Now, I present you my personal selection of today's letters.' - Flowerchild -

- We're short on new recruits for the Magical Girl Academy. Please do something about this. - Miranda, Headmaster of the Ruby Gardens Magical Girl Academy Division

== Intelligence's Correspondence ==

File:E660087c66284323f8686e5d5bbed09ee9cee1ba.jpg

2011-03-16T11:23:52Z

Mind-The-Gap:

Nobilis Enlightened

2011-03-13T22:51:48Z

Mind-The-Gap: /* Erebea */

[[Category:Nobilis]]

= Imperator - The Shepherdess of Light =

1. ‘Omneaum(a) became aware. In its awareness, it found loneliness. It saw potential, good, an impossibility.

2. Omneaum gave way to potential, and made the impossible possible. It was, things became.

3. Enlightenment arose, and so did I, Whole, Complete, bearing the Gifts of Aether (b), Light, Vaveram (c), Maricarum (d), Endeon (e), and Causality.

4. Omneaum’s legacy I shall honour and hold safe, now and forever, till the hour I too stand alone between Impossibility and Despair.’

- The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light, Imperator of Enlightenment -

(a) Omneaum: The Original Absolute Void

(b) Aether: Estate of 'Absolute Potential', the 'Impossible made Possible', the very basic element of creation from which all matter and life flowed. It was said to have been more abundant in space. (Now excruciated, succeeded in part by the estate of 'Magic')

(c)Vaveram: Estate of Spontaneous Sentience and Awareness (Now Excruciated. Never replaced.)

(d) Maricarum: Estate of Great Miracles through Personal Sacrifice (Now excruciated, succeeded by the estate of 'Magic' and 'Sacrifice')

(e)Endeon: Estate of the 'Lone Wolf Phenomenon', wherein those fighting against overwhelming odds are always guaranteed victory. Better known in our time as the 'Storm Trooper effect'. (Now excruciated)

Having predated the Imperators of 'Name', the Shepherdess is nameless and formless. Those who are fortunate enough to know her identify her as 'The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light', or, simply, 'The Shepherdess'. Having come into being before the birth of the concept of 'form' or even 'matter' and 'physical law', she is without form in the physical universe. She used to communicate with her agents in the physical universe through pulses of light and ripples in a fountain of light. Needless to say, a lot of liberty had been taken in deciphering her wishes. Recently, however, the Chief Engineer of the Sanctum, Orphus, has devised an ingenious megastructure, the Deus Ex Machina, a gigantic clockwork device that allows the Shepherdess to see into the physical realm and engage with it using a gigantic, rather clumsy steel claw and communicate using a ticker-tape telegram machine.

(Interestingly, having also preceded the Imperator of Gender, she is, or, at least, was, in essence, genderless. However, around 300 B.C. she became a part of debate amongst philosophers as an example of a being who must be 'of the default gender'. For some reason it was decided that the default gender was female, and so the Shepherdess has since been considered to be of the female persuasion. Not that she really cares. It is suspected that the Noble of Women had something to do with this, but that's a tale for another time.)

Prophesized successor of Ananda and future Shepherdess of the Fifth Age, the Glorious One has purposely been denied a seat on the Council of Four, for her ways are that of the ‘Enlightened’, incompatible with the ways of the other council-members. She earns Lord Entropy and Ananda’s tolerance for her existence only through her service in the Valde Bellum and her Light’s importance in maintaining the Weirding Wall, a task that consumes almost the entirety of her attention and being (much to Lord Entropy’s and Ananda’s satisfaction).

The Heavens despise her, for an Angel of Creation she is not, and yet she brought forth the first Light that made everything that was Beautiful possible. Only the fact that her Light is necessary for beauty and this fact alone earns her the toleration of Heaven. The Wild would have nothing to do with her, for there is no freedom in sacrifice.The Hells, the Darkness and the Light all loath her, for not only is she the voice of wisdom that transcends not just the Corruption that the Hells endeavour towards, but she is also the voice that moves all beings towards becoming more than the matter they are made from, transcending what they are, pushing them ever onwards towards a greater purpose not only in life but also in death. Those who follow her code wish for naught else but the glory of dying for a greater good.

It is unclear what her true nature or form is. Nobody seems to remember when she came to be, or how for that matter. Some suspect she is one of the Heavenly legion, an Angel, but not only do the Heavens and its angelic denizens despise her at the best of times, her ways are most definitely not that of Heaven. Some surmise that she is a fallen Angel, but the cause of Hell she does not serve. It is highly possible that she is a True God, but all of creation knows they did not appear until long after the Angels had begun the Great Work. Recently, when passings of the Transcendants were properly documented in AP 4732, it was surmised that she is perhaps a Transcendant who somehow chose to settle upon the World Ash, perhaps one of the Charitable. Said document is Creation's closest description of the Shepherdess' nature, her gifts being her Estates and her Law.

=='''Vow of the Enlightened'''==

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this.

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this. - One thing leads to another. And at the end of all things is an ‘end’.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this. - Every good act must be good of purpose and good of result. This clause seems to fail to (most probably purposely) mention anything regarding the means. Taking the most liberal interpretation, a ‘Noble deed’ can have means as lacking in morals as a psychotic mass murderer, and yet still be considered ‘Noble’ in the eyes of the ‘Enlightened’. What matters is the cause, the intention and the ends. Everything in between matters naught.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this. - The ultimate sacrifice can conquer anything, even the impossible. This is the one true ‘Miracle’, Magic at its purest, one that allows the Enlightened to surpass his/her own end and achieve greatness through sacrifice. The Shepherdess safeguards the cause of all who sacrifice themselves for a greater purpose, guaranteeing them the miraculous magic of success.

==Details==

'''Estates''': Light, Determinism, Magic, Chivalry, Intelligence, Honour, Loyalty, Courage, Hope, Justice, Karma, Logic, Alchemy, Sacrifice, Curiosity, Sun, Moon, Stars

'''Excruciated Estates''': Aether, Vaveram, Maricarum, Endeon, Astelumina

'''Dynasty Points :''' 8

'''Qualities:'''

Great Harvest (2)

Cold (-1)

Demanding (-1)

----

= The Famiglia of the Enlightened =

The Famiglia of the Enlightened ''were'' a highly respected and influential group about 4-5 centuries before, their power extending from the very birth of creation. However, in a highly unorthodox move around the 4002 A.P., the Council ordered the Shepherdess to provide additional support in the Valde Bellum proper, above and beyond her maintenance of the Weirding Wall. Seeing as the Wall already consumed most if not all her power and attention, she was forced to mobilize members of her Famiglia, something quite unprecedented. The Nobles of Maricarum, Aether and Endeon were the first to volunteer for the great undertaking, having attained near-Imperator-level powers at the time. A few centuries later, Vaveram, Astelumina, Chivalry, Courage and Alchemy too joined their brother and sisters in the direct defense of creation. They held the line for a good few centuries, seeing a slow but definite turnover in nobles. That was until, for reasons still unknown, Maricarum, Aether, Endeon, Vaveram and Astelumina were excruciated one by one. The last to fall were Endeon and Astelumina in 4895 AP, at the same time 500 years of Human History was erased.

With no time to mourn, the Famiglia of the Enlightened were forced to mobilize more members of their famiglia to the front lines. The following few years saw more of their Nobles killed, though thankfully not excruciated.

Now with few remaining senior members, the famiglia struggles to stay on its feet with the large influx of new family members. Will they be able to live up to their predecessors? Will they be able to return the family to its former glory and take it to new heights? Or will this be the end of the Enlightened? That is up to the new Famiglia.

== PC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Foreguard of the Enlightened''

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Alicia_Valka '''Alicia - Principissa of Illumination''']

The 21st Principissa Of Illumination.

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Emil '''Emil - Power of Determinism''']

The 13th Power of Determinism

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Charles_Earl_Of_Huntington'''Charles - Lord of Chivalry''']

The 77th Lord of Chivalry

'''Lyna - Regina of Magic'''

The 66th Regina of Magic

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Mana_Kishimura '''Mana - Exemplar of Intelligence (And Dolphins)''']

The 17th Noble of Intelligence and 2nd Noble of Dolphins.

== NPC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Vanguard of the Enlightened''

'''Regine - Inquesta of Loyalty'''

'''Jessie - Tempesta of Courage (Sort of veering towards Impetuous Juvenile Recklessness)'''

'''Illumina - AllMother of Alchemy'''

Novice Alchemist extraordinaire and (rather unwilling) Commander of the Alchemist Flameheart Squad, Illumina is yet another recent addition to the Famiglia. She's currently worried about the sorry state of her estate (mostly usurped by Chemistry and now reduced to nothing more than a fantasy fiction gimmick) and a missing prominent Alchemist amongst other things....but mainly by the prospect of responsibility in general.

She is widely known, even outside Alchemist circles, as 'Big Bang Lum'.

'''Elune - Principissa of the Stars'''

While relatively senior in the Famiglia of the Enlightened (by simple virtue of everyone else being very recent additions), that's as far as her seniority goes. In every other respect, she is mostly helpless, though the more understanding dismiss this as a reflection of her estate - stars aren't known to be do much other than be pretty, especially lately with modern technology supplanting the need for stellar navigation or calendar-keeping. It used to be so much different when her sister, the Noble of Astelumina, the power of stellar influence upon the workings of the universe and lives on earth, was still around. Now as the stars fade and people forget the stars, Elune lies ill, slowly fading herself.

''The Diplomatic Corp (Intelligence) of the Enlightened''

'''Rang Fan - Excelifficer of Logic'''

Born a humble villager in a Tibetan highland settlement, Rang Fan grew up completely illiterate. She was, however, a keen observer and deep thinker. She developed her own concise and strict principles of logic, one that often found fault in the traditionalist views of the people she lived amongst. Some saw her as a source of wisdom, some saw her as a demon-possessed child.

She became the favourite anchor of the previous Noble of Logic for a while. During this time, her mastery of logic developed brilliantly. Unfortunately, she came afoul of a Chinese official when she publicly defeated him in a debate regarding the accusation of rebellion on the part of the village.

'''Geronimo - High Chief of Sacrifice'''

'''Han Gua - Exarch of Honour'''

'''Jimmy - Arch-Provost of Curiosity'''

''The Unassigned of the Enlightened''

'''Justice(?) - Empress of Justice'''

Not much is known about Justice, the 1st Noble of Justice. She is the eldest of the current Famiglia, though in the time of the original Famiglia, she was the youngest. She is the last surviving member of the original Famiglia of the Enlightened. It is rumoured that she was an Angel before she joined the Enlightened, though whether or not this is true is unknown. Her real name is unknown. Nobody has seen her in a long, long while. The only members of the current famiglia who have seen her are Han Gua and Elune.

Currently absent. Whereabouts unknown.

'''Vie - Noble of Hope'''

A rather mysterious member of the famiglia, she wonders in and out of the chancel rather randomly. Nobody seems to remember when she joined the Family. In fact, some are surprised to hear that there IS a noble of Hope in the Family. She doesn't seem to have a permanent home in the chancel. She's known (at least to those few who know her) to wander about, never staying in one place for long. She is apparently summonable, but rumours have it that she's apparently rather useless.

There are strange rumours that she follows the code of the Dark, or even Hell. Why would Hope do that?

'''Thomas Eire - Keeper of Karma'''

'''Kaguya - Himegami of the Moon'''

Tsukishiro no Kaguya-hime is perhaps the second eldest of the Famiglia, though she takes great care not to let anyone know that. She is the second Noble of the Moon. There are rumours that she was behind the Apollo 13 failure. When asked about it, she would give you a disdainful look and walk away. Then again, she'd do that no matter what you tried to bring up with her.

Currently very, very vain.

'''Kimo - the Emperor of the Sun'''

= Chancel - Locus Enlightenment, Sanctum Excelestia =

[http://img248.imageshack.us/i/sanctumexcelestia.jpg HG's Impression 1]

'''Qualities'''

Megalomaniac King/Queen (-4)

Normal Magic (3)

Alchemy (1)

2 Banes (-1)

Convenient Gates (2)

Anchorable Magical residents (4)

==Government==

The Sanctum is under the absolute Executive rule of the Emperor who answers only to the Shepherdess. Judicial Rule is under the Absolute Court headed by the Shepherdess and the Supreme Court headed by the Noble of Justice and her Circle of Justiciaries. Legislative and administrative rule is divided amongst the 4 major domains under the 4 queens:

'''Alicia - High Queen of the Diamond Tower.'''

Technically, having inherited the title of 'High Queen' from her predecessor, Alicia commands the Council of Four Queens and the Round Table of Dominums. However, as she has only recently joined the Famiglia, responsibility over the Council of Four Queens has fallen on the reluctant shoulders of Elune while the Round Table of Dominums is overseen by Han Gua.

'''Lyna - Queen of the Ruby Gardens.'''

The Ruby Gardens refers to the entirety of the Arcane Arts Academy Complex within the Outer Circle where the majority of mages of Excelestia train and live. However, to most of the citizens, the 'Ruby Gardens' itself refers to the seat of government, the Ruby Palace, a magnificent rose-shaped palace of crystal grown from the very essence of the Chancel itself in the middle of the Ruby Gardens.

'''Elune - Queen of the Sapphire Sky.'''

The Sapphire Sky refers to the entirety of the sky in between the floating structures of the Sanctum. While Elune governs no real land, she controls all traffic in the airspace around the Sanctum. Her official seat of government is the Sapphire Palace, a beautiful crystalline Sapphire star floating high up within the Inner Circle, though she is rarely ever there. She usually lives in her observatory on a lonely island high above the Sanctum.

'''Jessie - Queen of the Emerald Fields.'''

The Emerald Fields refer to most of the land floating in the Ciellan Expanse, the sky beyond the Outer Wall. The Emerald Fields house a good portion of the Sanctum's agricultural and mining settlements. Her seat of government is the Emerald Palace, a beautiful viridian structure of moss-covered wood and succulent, fresh folliage that grow and thrive all year round, coiled around a giant magnificent Emerald of a green deeper than the land that surrounds it.

== Homes and Households ==

'''The Diamond Palace - ?????'''

Home of Alicia.

Personal Assistant : Lymle

'''The Ruby Palace - ????'''

Home of Lyna.

Personal Assistant : Flowerchild

'''The Garnet Fortress - ????'''

Home of Charles.

Personal Assistant : Sieghart

'''The Quartz Workshop - ????'''

Personal Assistant : Leonie

Home of Emil.

== Other Noteworthy Locations ==

'''The Amethyst Shores'''

Governed officially by Illumina, provisionally by the Arch-Artificer of the Great Guild of Alchemists. The Amethyst Shores are a group of closely-packed islands within the Outer Circle where the majority of the Alchemists of Excelestia live. While alchemists can be found just about anywhere, the Amethysts Shores are really the only place where they can make things explode to their hearts content without causing tempers to explode all around them. Alchemists can also be found en masse at the Ruby Gardens.

'''The Garnet Fortress'''

Governed mainly by Charles, the Garnet Fortress encompasses the Inner and Outer Walls of the Sanctum and the bastion of the Knights.

'''The Beryl Earth'''

Governed mainly by Regine, the

'''The Quartz Workshop'''

A watch-mender's workshop somewhere within the Diamond Tower, Emil's home and favourite haunt.

==Security==

The city has a number of defense corps organized to different degrees by a number of Nobles.

'''The Chivalrous Gentlemanly TownWatch'''

'''The Magical Avengers of Love and Peace, Magical Taskforce Ruby Gardenia'''

Organized by the 5th Noble of Magic, a rather...odd Master of Magic who believed that wearing frilly clothing is a form of sacrifice to society and preached that magical power is exponentially proportional to the frilliness of one's clothing. Now maintained by the 7th Noble of Magic, Lyna, who keeps up most of the traditions of the 5th.

'''The Upholders of Equivalent Exchange, the Eternally Passionate Flameheart Alchemists (EPFA)'''

Organized by the previous Noble of Alchemy, a rather fluffy and passionate Lady Alchemist, and maintained by the recently appointed Noble, Illumina, the EPFA are at best socially-involved nerds, at worst really, really messy vigilantes (unfortunately, more often the latter). They mainly keep the domain of the Alchemists, the Amethyst Shores, as well as their portion of the Ruby Gardens, safe...for a given value of 'safe'.

'''The Infallibly Just Circle of Justiciers'''

'''The Eternally Loyal Shieldmaidens of [Insert Place Name Here]'''

Organized by the current Noble of Loyalty,

'''The Ever-Watchful Lantern Kindlers and Lamp Bearers of the Stars'''

'''The Righteous Karmic-Retributioneer Monks of Karma'''

'''The LoreKeepers and Agents of Literary Vengeance, the Combat Librarians'''

== Groups ==

Besides the defense forces of the Chancel, the Sanctum also harbours a number of groups.

'''The Enclave of Emerald Alchemists'''
Also known as the 'Emerald Artisans', this society of Alchemists was founded by the 7th Noble of Light, TanetNephthys, and the 1st Noble of Alchemy, Armagustine Trimegistus, after the passing of the third Noble of Maricarum, Hermes Trimegistus, founder of the Emerald Arts.

In a major nettle rite wrought by the 2nd Noble of Botany, Ephistopheles, against the Noble of Alchemy, in a daring move to split the art into two major paths forever, the Enclave was splintered in two - The Cleave fo Botanists and the Enclave of Emerald Artisans. The Botanists left the Sanctum, carrying with them the entirety of botanic knowledge. The Alchemists, however, managed to keep the Principa Alchimia safe and prevented the botanists from acquiring an absolute monopoly over the Emerald Arts. The two now jealously guard their arts, for if one were to acquire the arts of the other, they would become unstoppable.

The botanists are known to pass through the Chancel to deal with the Emerald Artisans.

== Laws ==

The Chancel operates on general principles of Justice commonly found in any other society where concepts of Law and Justice exist. It has a few notable exceptions such as:

- Any deed with noble ends are exempt from law's scrutiny upon its means. This means even the most foul of deeds is considered lawfully just as long as its ends are noble. It comes with a very, very important caveat - the good of the outcome must far exceed the evil committed. This is particularly difficult to achieve with murder, as murder, the theft of the sanctity of one's life, is the basest, most evil of crimes that even the earth itself abhors.

-

N.B. The Chancel operates on the Code Napoleon, that the suspect is guilty until proven otherwise, as Lady Justice willed it to be in the prosaic realm.

== Notable Individuals ==

=== Foreguard Support Staff ===

'''Mira'''

A young maid dedicated to serving the Foreguard.

'''Captain Captain Captain'''

Captain of the Foreguard Airship Excellion, a tall, lanky, yet muscular man with a full bushy beard and a true sailor's heart.

'''Orville'''

Chief Requisitions Officer for the Foreguard. His task is mainly acquiring equipment and supplies for the Foreguard's away-missions, though he's also an expert at acquiring just about anything the Foreguard needs.

=== Other Individuals ===

'''Orphus Denilzante'''
Chief Magitech Engineer of the Sanctum and designer of the Deus Ex Machina.

'''Reno Orfayne'''
Owner of Reno's Empirio, the one-stop fashion designer for Nobles, known to be second only to his Master, Enzel Haulor of 7th Avenue and 91st Street NY.

'''Sammy Westine'''
Proprietor and Chief Engineer of Westine Airships, Sammy is the young brilliant mind behind this generation's latest magitech airships. Having mastered Alchemy, Magic and Magitech at a young age, she went on to implement her excellent knowledge in airship design and construction. Her airships are used not just within the Sanctum but all over Creation. While she does produce combat-ready airships, she only produces them as personal favours for Nobles she trusts. These make proud flagships in any war fleet. It is rumoured that she is working with Aeril Jotunstrom, Noble of Ships, from Locus Atlantis, on warships capable of sailing the world beyond creation and taking part directly on the frontlines of the Valde Bellum.

'''Mac'''

LightHouse Chief Engineer and GateKeeper who maintains the Lighthouse and manages the chancel's gates.

'''Victor'''

= Mythic Realm =

== Chancels Known ==
''From the Primer on Loci Celatum, by Holly Djurisic''
What follows are descriptions of chancels considered widely known and to be no secret to those versed in the ways of the Mythic. Everyone knows them as a matter of common sense.

'''Locus Amarant'''

The Great Market, the Gardens of Lady Profit, Amarant is perhaps one of the few chancels that has no doors, and, even if it did, they would be wide open to welcome one and all. After all, even your worst enemy is a potential customer. Any invader would quickly find themselves besieged by peddlers of weaponry, trust and treachery, even the very spoils they are after. Everything the discerning Noble might need is available here...for the right price. The preferred currency are fleurs, but the locals have been known to trade with other things such as miracles and pacts. Some nobles come here not just to buy but also to sell. If you want or need it, Locus Amarant will sell it, or if not, then at least it will sell you the expertise of someone who CAN get it. Needless to say, the cammorae are all over Amarant.

It is well-known that even Excrucians frequent Amarant, and they know full well never to destroy Amarant....at least not until their victory is assured, for Amarant will be more than happy to sell them the means to that victory, or maybe even that victory itself....for the right price. Why destroy something so blatantly useful?

Chancel of Lady Profit, Immiae Arathy, and the Nobles of Trade, Currency, Negotiation, Supermarket Loyalty Cards, and Cookies. Yes, Cookies.

= Prosaic Realm =

== Earth ==

=== Noteworthy Individuals===

== Erebea ==

A once beautiful world, a geographic wonder of continents hanging high up in the pristine skies, flooded with raw magic reminiscent of Earth about a millennium ago. It is very closely linked to earth, to the point where a good few locations on both worlds overlap, allowing easy passage from one to the other should one be lucky (or unlucky) enough to stumble upon these places of power. They are so closely linked together in fact that the two worlds share more or less the same Imperators and Nobles. Some even surmise that Erebea is a divergent Earth on a parallel timeline.

Sanctum Excelestia was once the capital of this world, until it disappeared a few millennia ago.

== Lost Universe AD 2511 ==

The Lost Universe, now a Valde Bellum warfront. In 2400 AD, an age of galactic expansion and an Aetheric golden age for human advancement, a treacherous Imperator managed to sabotage the Shepherdess' hold on the Weirding Wall, leaving gaping holes in the defense of Creation. In the ensuing chaos, the Imperators and their nobles turned their attention to the Excrucian host gathering beyond the gap. Little did they know that they had fallen prey to a deceiver ruse. At the same time, the Excrucians were readying a pincer attack, with their mimics and strategists having established a foothold on Earth's universe. The Enlightened, at the time under great scrutiny due to the Shepherdess' apparent failure at maintaining the Weirding Wall, discovered the Excrucian plans and attempted to alert the Ymmerae. However, the Deceivers held the ears of the Ymmerae, and all the please of the Enlightened fell on deaf, suspicious, skeptical ears.

In a daring move, the Noble of Aether secretly used almost the entirety of his power of limitless potential to create an anomalous fold in existence, tearing 500 years of the universe apart, resetting the universe to before the Excrucian plan had even begun in 1900. He brought the new fold containing the lost 500 years and the excrucian plot up and tethered it to the gaping hole in the Weirding Wall, just in time to meet the incoming Excrucian Host. The excrucian invasion began, never once suspecting that they had walked into a pocket universe. For the Noble of Aether's apparent treachery, the Locust Court condemned him to death without a trial, dispatching the Enlightened, his own family, to prove their allegiance to the court by executing their own brother. It is said that Justice was the one to rip his shard out of his chest with her bare hands. It is said that the shard shattered. Some say Justice, in her grief and rage, shattered it herself. Some say it was Aether's final gift to the Lost Universe, and to the entirety of creation. The shard dust was dispersed and embedded itself across the entirety of the Lost Universe, enchancelling it, bestowing its beings with the blessings of Aetheric Power, immunizing them to the crippling effects of dementia animus and empowering them in their coming struggle against the Excrucian invaders. Aether was forever lost to Creation, but its shadow continues to live on within the beings of the Lost Universe. As long as the children of Aether stand and the light of Aether burns on within them, the Lost Universe will always resist the Excrucian host.

The Lost Universe has since been sealed away outside the Weirding Wall, doomed to forever be an Excrucian battleground, until the day the Excrucians trapped within consume the Lost Universe and realize Aether's trickery.

At the precise moment Aether's sacrifice enchancelled the Lost Universe, Hammond Qarn, Imperator of the Lost Universe, came into being. Having arisen from a universe so filled with the Shepherdess' own power, Hammond naturally became a Magister of the Enlightened. Furthermore, as the chancel was created using the Shepherdess' own soul shard, a fraction of the Shepherdess' own essence makes up the chancel's foundations. Thus for all intents and purposes the Enlightened can treat the Lost Universe as their own home chancel.

Few other nobles are privy to the secret of the Lost Universe's existence. Even fewer take up the fight to defend the Lost Universe in order to delay the full-scale invasion of Creation. The Nobles of Astelumina and Endeon were the first to pick up Aether's fallen banner and lead the battle against the Excrucian host and were also the first to fall.

'Now and Forever, till the hour I too stand between Impossibility and Despair!' - Phaeron Rof Alabar Trimeniel - Emperor of Aether

=== Notable Locations ===

'''L.U. Earth AD 2511'''

In AD 2400, Astelumina and Endeon managed to rid the entire earth of deceivers, strategists and mimics, making it one of the last few human settlements still untouched by the Excrucian Scourge. The war and Aether's blessing has accelerated technology to astronomical heights in the past 111 years, bringing humanity to a point where they can overwhelm excrucian shards and at the very least annoy full excrucians, if not kill them. Earth is now the capital of the Universal Aetheric Alliance (UAA), headquarters of the Excrucian resistance. Its coordinates are guarded to the death by the Children of Aether. Those who sally forth to meet the Excrucian Host do so without carrying Earth's coordinates, knowing full well that they may never return to their beloved home.

'''L.U. Heaven’s Feel'''

The current frontier of the Lost Universe Valde Bellum, Heaven’s Feel is perhaps the most beautiful extrasolar human colony. A large T3 terraformed planet orbiting the gas giant Astelumina 3, behind a dense spherical asteroid field and a radioactive veil around the sun Astelumina, it makes a naturally fortified world. Thanks to the scattering radiation and the dense blackhole just a few megaparsecs away at the center of the galaxy, the system and planet is nigh impossible to find at the best of times, at least for marauding excrucian raiding parties. The UAA uses Astelumina’s final gift, the gift of the stars, the ability to travel on aetheric currents guided by the stars, to travel safely in and out of the system.

When excrucians do find the planet, they are immediately drawn into its orbit by the interaction of the gravity wells of Heaven’s Feel’s many moons. They have no hope of escaping to notify the host of the planet’s location before they are drawn into intense battle by the Feelians.

The planet is ravaged by repeat invasions.

=== Familia of the Lost Universe ===

More or less an extended family of the Enlightened, the Familia of the Lost Universe are the sworn guardians of Aether's legacy.

'''Hammond Qarn - Imperator of the Lost Universe'''

Despite being an offshoot of the Shepherdess' power, Hammond Qarn is quite the opposite. He looks as human as they come. In fact, very, very much so, with his thick paternal beard, his twinkling eyes and his simple, honest expression, like a stern but compassionate father. Those who have the great honour of an audience with him are overcome with an overwhelming confidence and faith in humanity's potential and prowess. His being is shrouded in the stuff of legends. They say he single-handedly piloted an Alliance Battlecruiser straight into an Excrucian battlestation and escaped alive, unscathed. They say he personally lead the desperate charge that ended the siege of Harvest 4. They say he singlehandedly held the line at Point Hope against the entire advancing Excrucian host at the battle of Forge 3. They say a lot of things about Hammond Qarn, and when you meet him, sitting like a lighthouse exuding calm and confidence amidst the storm of war, in his simple, neatly-pressed uniform gleaming with but one badge denoting his allegiance to the Alliance, you feel naught but awe - that this man is the legend in the flesh.

'''Commander John Shepard - Power of Living Legends'''

'''Excel 7 - Commander of Super Soldiers'''

was responsible for the Halo series and partly responsible for the Metal Gear series, amongst other things.

'''Iris Erran - Chief Admiral of Spacecrafts'''

'''ALMa OmNI. - Supreme Administrator of Aetheric Technology'''

An A.I. born of the pinnacle of Aetheric supercomputers,

= Quests =

== Active Quests ==

=== Imperator Quests ===

'''Overdue'''

Started : 8th November 2011

The Shepherdess has requested that the Foreguards return 3 books she's borrowed for Shepherdess-knows-how-long now, for reasons that none can fathom. These books are:

1) 'Single Parenting for Idiots', to the Imperator of Shadows

2) 'The Amazing Justice and the Lovely Yaoi Doujin', to the Noble of Women's Beards

3) 'The Witchhunter's Codex' to a certain alchemist in Erebea.

She has asked you all to return them, ASAP.

Progress:

1) The Family has acquired the 3 books from the Principarium.

2) 1 week has passed since.

'''?????'''

Started : ?????

??????

Progress: n/a

=== Chancel Quests ===

=== Chivalry Quests ===

'''Rest in Peace'''

Started: 15th November 2011

One of Charles' Knights, Tristan, has just returned from Earth and has requested an urgent private audience. Wonder what it's about.

Progress:

1) Charles met Tristan, who seems to be rather fearful of someone, or something, though he's doing his best not to show it. Tristan presents Sir Jacob's cane and monocle to Charles, telling him that Sir Jacob disappeared after discovering that most of the Copenhagen chapter of knights have disappeared. It appears he noticed something was amiss after the disappearance of Sir William, who was out to investigate the disappearance of a local magical girl.

2) Charles decides to alert all the chapters throughout the world.

3) Charles proceeds to attempt directing chivalrous power into Sir Jacob's cane. It fights back, showing signs of deep corruption, before exploding rather violently.

4) Charles sends Sieghart with the destroyed monocle to Victor to study it further.

'''100,000's a Crowd!'''

Started: n/a

The Reinzuthen of Erebea have decided to dispatch a sacrifical gift of 100,000 girls from all around Erebea, mostly from all the nations they've conquered and annexed, to the old island of Altima, original home of the Nobles of Warriors, distant predecessors of Charles'. Apparently this is to welcome the prophesized return of the original Noble of Warriors and to attempt to acquire his favour with the hopes of having him assist the Reinzuthen make good their absolute conquest of Erebea. Obviously, the current delivery recipient is Charles....and this is NOT good. NOT good at all.

Progress: n/a

'''White Knight in Black Armour'''

Started: n/a

Alfred Goddard, ace attorney, E.U. Supreme Court prosecutor and prominent political figure, has sworn to cleanse Europe of all crime, especially major international crime rings. He has followed through with his oath. Half of all European prisons are full thanks to him. He is hailed as the 'White Knight', Europe's last hope. Needless to say, he's nowhere near as popular in the underworld. Many want him dead. He's currently attending the Copenhagen Treaty Talks as an expert on the Eco-crime panel. Chika, Emil's personal assassin, has helpfully let slip that she's refused a rather generous contract to assassinate Alfred Goddard during the talks. She's only one of many. Maybe you should look into this.

Progress: n/a

=== Determinism Quests ===

'''I Left My Hand in Copenhagen'''

Started : N/A

77 People have been found dead from unknown causes in Copenhagen. They were discovered missing their left hands and hanging upside down from trees.

Progress : n/a

'''Fly me to Europa'''

Started : N/A

The manned mission to Europa's missing for reasons as yet unknown.

Progress : n/a

'''Two Things Infinite'''

Started : 8th November 2011

The LHC has broken down once again after a few brief months of rather hiccupy function. This time, the cause is completely unknown. All the individual parts seem to be in working order, but the sum refuses to work. Sophia's not happy, not happy at all. She has personally requested that Emil look into this.

Progress:

1) Emil has taken a brief look around through Sophia's eyes. The LHC's spirit seems to have some blemishes....wonder what they are....

'''Tides of Fate'''

Started : n/a

The tides have stopped rising with the lunar cycles. As a result, the world's currents, fisheries and shoreline ecosystems have been gravely affected. This shouldn't even be physically possible!

Progress: n/a

=== Illumination Quests ===

'''Twinkle, Little Star'''

Started : 15th November 2011

As the world darkens, the light of the stars fade. Elune, little noble of stars, your sister, lies sick, alone in her high observatory, forgotten by the rest of the world. Now the weakening of the stars has started to affect the domain of Light too. Something must be done before yet another member of the Family succumbs to the war of attrition upon the Enlightened.

Progress:

1) Lyna, Emil and Alicia visited Elune in her observatory and found her ill.

2) They discovered that her observatory was severely corrupted by some malignant corruption that was trying to break into the chancel.

3) They sealed off the intrusion into the chancel but destroyed the observatory in the process. They managed to prevent the observatory from crashing catastrophically into the chancel.

4) They've brought the sick Elune to the Sapphire Palace and acquired the help of Regine to treat her.

5) Regine has asked the team to seek out the Noble of Shadows or anyone from the Familia of Shadows for a certain flower that only grows in Locus Shadows.

'''Who moved my Christmas?!'''

Christmas, the biggest celebration of lights and joy, isn't happening this year! This is unprecedented serious affair!

Started : 8th November 2011

Progress :

1) Alicia has asked the magical girls, knights, and others who've passed in and out of the chancel, for any information they might know about this. She's learned that it's a rather complex issue. It might be the economy, it might be the declining family values, could be anything.

'''When you peer into the Abyss...'''

Started : n/a

And the Creator said, 'Let there be Light', and there was light, and he saw that it was good. And He separated the dark from the light. Thus was the First Day.

It wasn't quite that simple.

When the light came to be, the dark too came to be as a result, and neither could tolerate the other. Thus the First War of Light and Dark began, pure and simple, with no preamble or prelude. They fought for Shepherdess-knows-how-long. Finally, the formation of the Covenant of the First Day, an agreement between the Light and the Dark to respect the other's estate, ended the war. How it came to be, however, is still a hotly debated topic. Some say the Dark won. Some say the Light won. Some say it was a draw. Some say there were other reasons. Who really knows?

An anniversary of the Covenant of the First Day is celebrated yearly now to uphold the ideals of peace and cooperation between Light and Dark. This year, it's Alicia's turn to host the festival. What could go wrong?

Progress : n/a

=== Magic Quests ===

'''Dude, Where's My Ship?!'''

Started : 8th Novemeber 2011

Following the disappearance of a wildcat Lignite mining crew in the Aescilian Mountains of Erebea, a pair of magical girls were dispatched on what was supposed to be a simple search-and-rescue mission. They report finding what looks like a ship and wisely request further assistance. The archaeological division arrived hours later, sealed the region, before preparing for further studies. They could not identify the ship's make or origins from the exterior, so they decide to enter through an entrance they found on the side. Contact with the entire squad was lost 6 hours into the mission, with the last transmission being 'Found someth-....So....beautiful....'. A second rescue mission was mounted, this time with a full STRIKER magical girl squadron. They found a deserted camp site and the open ship. They enter. Contact was lost 1.5 hours into the mission, with the last transmission being '...reached the last known location. Now....I-..I can't believe it....mission control...I can't begin to describe this....this is...so...so beau-.....'.

Progress:

1) Lyna has developed a new remote-viewing spell to peer into the site from a distance. Unfortunately, the first few attempts failed as she can't seem to view anything beyond the foot of the mountains.

'''My Struggle, My suffering, My Legacy'''

Started: n/a

The smoke of witch burning pyres rise high up into the skies above the magical realm of Erebea. The once all-powerful mages now run and hide before the onslaught of the Reinzhuthen, an order of genocidal purists who are in pursuit of the all-powerful dark mage, the dark lord Daran Reganz. The Reinzhuthen have taken up an all-or-nothing approach towards hunting Daran Reganz – wiping out every last mage on Neven. After successfully gathering the support of the people against the seemingly incompetent mage-led government and subsequently overthrowing them, the Reinzhuthen declared a world-wide ban of magical practices, declaring any practitioner an agent of Daran Reganz and an enemy of the state. In their crusade against magic, they've begun declaring the absolutism of their cause and the need for all nations of the world to unite under their banner to eliminate the magic scourge. To this end, they have begun invading and conquering any nation who refuses to join their Empire.

Progress: n/a

=== Intelligence Quests ===

'''So Long and Thanks for All the Fish'''

Dolphins are becoming quite popular...as food! The coastal town of Taiji, Japan, the largest operator of dolphin drive hunting in the world, is undertaking a massive campaign to popularize the consumption of dolphin meat following the opening of its Great Taiji Dolphin Slaughterhouse. They are marketing it as a health food that greatly boosts brain development and intelligence, particularly in children. Interestingly, they managed to show that the IQs of children raised in Taiji and the nearby village of Koazagawa, wherein the staple food is dolphin and whale meat, are significantly higher than not only the national average but also the international average, almost miraculously so. Quite a problem for the local dolphins, some of whom are Mana's own friends.

Incidentally, the global pandemic of the strange sleeping illness has a relatively high incidence in Japan, particularly in Taiji.

Started: n/a

Progress: n/a

== Completed Quests ==

= Correspondence =

== Family Correspondence ==

'Good morning, Masters and Mistresses. I hope the noise didn't keep you up last night. The Alchemists discovered a new flower known quite amusingly as the 'Boom Lily'. Thankfully they grew quieter as the night went by. Anyhow, here's today's selection of the world's headlines.' - Mira -

• Presidents of Chechnya, Bosnia and Ukraine die in mysterious circumstances.

• American invasion of Iran is meeting heavy resistance. The Iranians now threaten to unleash their nuclear arsenal if America does not cease and desist.

• A new illness is spreading. Cause unknown.

== Illumination's Correspondence==

'Young Miss, please do take some times to reads some of these, 'kay? Lymle's actually done her bests to sort them outs, 'kay!' - Lymle -

- You've been cordially invited to attend the Divali celebrations in India. - Various Nobles -

== Chivalry's Correspondence ==

'Aye, my liege, thou hath an abundant harvest of letters. Thy loyal steed hast made do with the more...delicious trivialties. *BURP*' - Sieghart -

== Determinism's Correspondence ==

'Hey, old man, check it out, you've got mail. Should I fetch your specs? Or maybe a magnifying glass? Or maybe my winding screw? All that sorting's wound down my springs...' - Leonie -

- There's insider information that the vast artificial island city under construction at the base of Orbital Elevator 02 in the Pacific has hit a dead end in its construction effort due to economical constraints. It will soon become a prized piece of real estate amongst the nobles once word gets out. - Penelope -

- Ne, Oyabun, some funny men want to kill that yaro Alfred Goddard. They offer real cash, up front, no questions. Too good a deal for me, so I tell them, leave. They probably go for my competitors. Tell your friend, ne. Ja. - Chika -

== Magic's Correspondence ==

'Young Mistress, it's time to read your correspondence for the day. Please sit down here. Yes, here. Now, back straight like a washboard, eyes forward like a dead fish, and elbows akimbo like a ballerina...yes, excellent, young mistress. Now, I present you my personal selection of today's letters.' - Flowerchild -

- We're short on new recruits for the Magical Girl Academy. Please do something about this. - Miranda, Headmaster of the Ruby Gardens Magical Girl Academy Division

== Intelligence's Correspondence ==

Nobilis Enlightened

2011-03-13T22:36:36Z

Mind-The-Gap:

[[Category:Nobilis]]

= Imperator - The Shepherdess of Light =

1. ‘Omneaum(a) became aware. In its awareness, it found loneliness. It saw potential, good, an impossibility.

2. Omneaum gave way to potential, and made the impossible possible. It was, things became.

3. Enlightenment arose, and so did I, Whole, Complete, bearing the Gifts of Aether (b), Light, Vaveram (c), Maricarum (d), Endeon (e), and Causality.

4. Omneaum’s legacy I shall honour and hold safe, now and forever, till the hour I too stand alone between Impossibility and Despair.’

- The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light, Imperator of Enlightenment -

(a) Omneaum: The Original Absolute Void

(b) Aether: Estate of 'Absolute Potential', the 'Impossible made Possible', the very basic element of creation from which all matter and life flowed. It was said to have been more abundant in space. (Now excruciated, succeeded in part by the estate of 'Magic')

(c)Vaveram: Estate of Spontaneous Sentience and Awareness (Now Excruciated. Never replaced.)

(d) Maricarum: Estate of Great Miracles through Personal Sacrifice (Now excruciated, succeeded by the estate of 'Magic' and 'Sacrifice')

(e)Endeon: Estate of the 'Lone Wolf Phenomenon', wherein those fighting against overwhelming odds are always guaranteed victory. Better known in our time as the 'Storm Trooper effect'. (Now excruciated)

Having predated the Imperators of 'Name', the Shepherdess is nameless and formless. Those who are fortunate enough to know her identify her as 'The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light', or, simply, 'The Shepherdess'. Having come into being before the birth of the concept of 'form' or even 'matter' and 'physical law', she is without form in the physical universe. She used to communicate with her agents in the physical universe through pulses of light and ripples in a fountain of light. Needless to say, a lot of liberty had been taken in deciphering her wishes. Recently, however, the Chief Engineer of the Sanctum, Orphus, has devised an ingenious megastructure, the Deus Ex Machina, a gigantic clockwork device that allows the Shepherdess to see into the physical realm and engage with it using a gigantic, rather clumsy steel claw and communicate using a ticker-tape telegram machine.

(Interestingly, having also preceded the Imperator of Gender, she is, or, at least, was, in essence, genderless. However, around 300 B.C. she became a part of debate amongst philosophers as an example of a being who must be 'of the default gender'. For some reason it was decided that the default gender was female, and so the Shepherdess has since been considered to be of the female persuasion. Not that she really cares. It is suspected that the Noble of Women had something to do with this, but that's a tale for another time.)

Prophesized successor of Ananda and future Shepherdess of the Fifth Age, the Glorious One has purposely been denied a seat on the Council of Four, for her ways are that of the ‘Enlightened’, incompatible with the ways of the other council-members. She earns Lord Entropy and Ananda’s tolerance for her existence only through her service in the Valde Bellum and her Light’s importance in maintaining the Weirding Wall, a task that consumes almost the entirety of her attention and being (much to Lord Entropy’s and Ananda’s satisfaction).

The Heavens despise her, for an Angel of Creation she is not, and yet she brought forth the first Light that made everything that was Beautiful possible. Only the fact that her Light is necessary for beauty and this fact alone earns her the toleration of Heaven. The Wild would have nothing to do with her, for there is no freedom in sacrifice.The Hells, the Darkness and the Light all loath her, for not only is she the voice of wisdom that transcends not just the Corruption that the Hells endeavour towards, but she is also the voice that moves all beings towards becoming more than the matter they are made from, transcending what they are, pushing them ever onwards towards a greater purpose not only in life but also in death. Those who follow her code wish for naught else but the glory of dying for a greater good.

It is unclear what her true nature or form is. Nobody seems to remember when she came to be, or how for that matter. Some suspect she is one of the Heavenly legion, an Angel, but not only do the Heavens and its angelic denizens despise her at the best of times, her ways are most definitely not that of Heaven. Some surmise that she is a fallen Angel, but the cause of Hell she does not serve. It is highly possible that she is a True God, but all of creation knows they did not appear until long after the Angels had begun the Great Work. Recently, when passings of the Transcendants were properly documented in AP 4732, it was surmised that she is perhaps a Transcendant who somehow chose to settle upon the World Ash, perhaps one of the Charitable. Said document is Creation's closest description of the Shepherdess' nature, her gifts being her Estates and her Law.

=='''Vow of the Enlightened'''==

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this.

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this. - One thing leads to another. And at the end of all things is an ‘end’.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this. - Every good act must be good of purpose and good of result. This clause seems to fail to (most probably purposely) mention anything regarding the means. Taking the most liberal interpretation, a ‘Noble deed’ can have means as lacking in morals as a psychotic mass murderer, and yet still be considered ‘Noble’ in the eyes of the ‘Enlightened’. What matters is the cause, the intention and the ends. Everything in between matters naught.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this. - The ultimate sacrifice can conquer anything, even the impossible. This is the one true ‘Miracle’, Magic at its purest, one that allows the Enlightened to surpass his/her own end and achieve greatness through sacrifice. The Shepherdess safeguards the cause of all who sacrifice themselves for a greater purpose, guaranteeing them the miraculous magic of success.

==Details==

'''Estates''': Light, Determinism, Magic, Chivalry, Intelligence, Honour, Loyalty, Courage, Hope, Justice, Karma, Logic, Alchemy, Sacrifice, Curiosity, Sun, Moon, Stars

'''Excruciated Estates''': Aether, Vaveram, Maricarum, Endeon, Astelumina

'''Dynasty Points :''' 8

'''Qualities:'''

Great Harvest (2)

Cold (-1)

Demanding (-1)

----

= The Famiglia of the Enlightened =

The Famiglia of the Enlightened ''were'' a highly respected and influential group about 4-5 centuries before, their power extending from the very birth of creation. However, in a highly unorthodox move around the 4002 A.P., the Council ordered the Shepherdess to provide additional support in the Valde Bellum proper, above and beyond her maintenance of the Weirding Wall. Seeing as the Wall already consumed most if not all her power and attention, she was forced to mobilize members of her Famiglia, something quite unprecedented. The Nobles of Maricarum, Aether and Endeon were the first to volunteer for the great undertaking, having attained near-Imperator-level powers at the time. A few centuries later, Vaveram, Astelumina, Chivalry, Courage and Alchemy too joined their brother and sisters in the direct defense of creation. They held the line for a good few centuries, seeing a slow but definite turnover in nobles. That was until, for reasons still unknown, Maricarum, Aether, Endeon, Vaveram and Astelumina were excruciated one by one. The last to fall were Endeon and Astelumina in 4895 AP, at the same time 500 years of Human History was erased.

With no time to mourn, the Famiglia of the Enlightened were forced to mobilize more members of their famiglia to the front lines. The following few years saw more of their Nobles killed, though thankfully not excruciated.

Now with few remaining senior members, the famiglia struggles to stay on its feet with the large influx of new family members. Will they be able to live up to their predecessors? Will they be able to return the family to its former glory and take it to new heights? Or will this be the end of the Enlightened? That is up to the new Famiglia.

== PC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Foreguard of the Enlightened''

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Alicia_Valka '''Alicia - Principissa of Illumination''']

The 21st Principissa Of Illumination.

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Emil '''Emil - Power of Determinism''']

The 13th Power of Determinism

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Charles_Earl_Of_Huntington'''Charles - Lord of Chivalry''']

The 77th Lord of Chivalry

'''Lyna - Regina of Magic'''

The 66th Regina of Magic

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Mana_Kishimura '''Mana - Exemplar of Intelligence (And Dolphins)''']

The 17th Noble of Intelligence and 2nd Noble of Dolphins.

== NPC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Vanguard of the Enlightened''

'''Regine - Inquesta of Loyalty'''

'''Jessie - Tempesta of Courage (Sort of veering towards Impetuous Juvenile Recklessness)'''

'''Illumina - AllMother of Alchemy'''

Novice Alchemist extraordinaire and (rather unwilling) Commander of the Alchemist Flameheart Squad, Illumina is yet another recent addition to the Famiglia. She's currently worried about the sorry state of her estate (mostly usurped by Chemistry and now reduced to nothing more than a fantasy fiction gimmick) and a missing prominent Alchemist amongst other things....but mainly by the prospect of responsibility in general.

She is widely known, even outside Alchemist circles, as 'Big Bang Lum'.

'''Elune - Principissa of the Stars'''

While relatively senior in the Famiglia of the Enlightened (by simple virtue of everyone else being very recent additions), that's as far as her seniority goes. In every other respect, she is mostly helpless, though the more understanding dismiss this as a reflection of her estate - stars aren't known to be do much other than be pretty, especially lately with modern technology supplanting the need for stellar navigation or calendar-keeping. It used to be so much different when her sister, the Noble of Astelumina, the power of stellar influence upon the workings of the universe and lives on earth, was still around. Now as the stars fade and people forget the stars, Elune lies ill, slowly fading herself.

''The Diplomatic Corp (Intelligence) of the Enlightened''

'''Rang Fan - Excelifficer of Logic'''

Born a humble villager in a Tibetan highland settlement, Rang Fan grew up completely illiterate. She was, however, a keen observer and deep thinker. She developed her own concise and strict principles of logic, one that often found fault in the traditionalist views of the people she lived amongst. Some saw her as a source of wisdom, some saw her as a demon-possessed child.

She became the favourite anchor of the previous Noble of Logic for a while. During this time, her mastery of logic developed brilliantly. Unfortunately, she came afoul of a Chinese official when she publicly defeated him in a debate regarding the accusation of rebellion on the part of the village.

'''Geronimo - High Chief of Sacrifice'''

'''Han Gua - Exarch of Honour'''

'''Jimmy - Arch-Provost of Curiosity'''

''The Unassigned of the Enlightened''

'''Justice(?) - Empress of Justice'''

Not much is known about Justice, the 1st Noble of Justice. She is the eldest of the current Famiglia, though in the time of the original Famiglia, she was the youngest. She is the last surviving member of the original Famiglia of the Enlightened. It is rumoured that she was an Angel before she joined the Enlightened, though whether or not this is true is unknown. Her real name is unknown. Nobody has seen her in a long, long while. The only members of the current famiglia who have seen her are Han Gua and Elune.

Currently absent. Whereabouts unknown.

'''Vie - Noble of Hope'''

A rather mysterious member of the famiglia, she wonders in and out of the chancel rather randomly. Nobody seems to remember when she joined the Family. In fact, some are surprised to hear that there IS a noble of Hope in the Family. She doesn't seem to have a permanent home in the chancel. She's known (at least to those few who know her) to wander about, never staying in one place for long. She is apparently summonable, but rumours have it that she's apparently rather useless.

There are strange rumours that she follows the code of the Dark, or even Hell. Why would Hope do that?

'''Thomas Eire - Keeper of Karma'''

'''Kaguya - Himegami of the Moon'''

Tsukishiro no Kaguya-hime is perhaps the second eldest of the Famiglia, though she takes great care not to let anyone know that. She is the second Noble of the Moon. There are rumours that she was behind the Apollo 13 failure. When asked about it, she would give you a disdainful look and walk away. Then again, she'd do that no matter what you tried to bring up with her.

Currently very, very vain.

'''Kimo - the Emperor of the Sun'''

= Chancel - Locus Enlightenment, Sanctum Excelestia =

[http://img248.imageshack.us/i/sanctumexcelestia.jpg HG's Impression 1]

'''Qualities'''

Megalomaniac King/Queen (-4)

Normal Magic (3)

Alchemy (1)

2 Banes (-1)

Convenient Gates (2)

Anchorable Magical residents (4)

==Government==

The Sanctum is under the absolute Executive rule of the Emperor who answers only to the Shepherdess. Judicial Rule is under the Absolute Court headed by the Shepherdess and the Supreme Court headed by the Noble of Justice and her Circle of Justiciaries. Legislative and administrative rule is divided amongst the 4 major domains under the 4 queens:

'''Alicia - High Queen of the Diamond Tower.'''

Technically, having inherited the title of 'High Queen' from her predecessor, Alicia commands the Council of Four Queens and the Round Table of Dominums. However, as she has only recently joined the Famiglia, responsibility over the Council of Four Queens has fallen on the reluctant shoulders of Elune while the Round Table of Dominums is overseen by Han Gua.

'''Lyna - Queen of the Ruby Gardens.'''

The Ruby Gardens refers to the entirety of the Arcane Arts Academy Complex within the Outer Circle where the majority of mages of Excelestia train and live. However, to most of the citizens, the 'Ruby Gardens' itself refers to the seat of government, the Ruby Palace, a magnificent rose-shaped palace of crystal grown from the very essence of the Chancel itself in the middle of the Ruby Gardens.

'''Elune - Queen of the Sapphire Sky.'''

The Sapphire Sky refers to the entirety of the sky in between the floating structures of the Sanctum. While Elune governs no real land, she controls all traffic in the airspace around the Sanctum. Her official seat of government is the Sapphire Palace, a beautiful crystalline Sapphire star floating high up within the Inner Circle, though she is rarely ever there. She usually lives in her observatory on a lonely island high above the Sanctum.

'''Jessie - Queen of the Emerald Fields.'''

The Emerald Fields refer to most of the land floating in the Ciellan Expanse, the sky beyond the Outer Wall. The Emerald Fields house a good portion of the Sanctum's agricultural and mining settlements. Her seat of government is the Emerald Palace, a beautiful viridian structure of moss-covered wood and succulent, fresh folliage that grow and thrive all year round, coiled around a giant magnificent Emerald of a green deeper than the land that surrounds it.

== Homes and Households ==

'''The Diamond Palace - ?????'''

Home of Alicia.

Personal Assistant : Lymle

'''The Ruby Palace - ????'''

Home of Lyna.

Personal Assistant : Flowerchild

'''The Garnet Fortress - ????'''

Home of Charles.

Personal Assistant : Sieghart

'''The Quartz Workshop - ????'''

Personal Assistant : Leonie

Home of Emil.

== Other Noteworthy Locations ==

'''The Amethyst Shores'''

Governed officially by Illumina, provisionally by the Arch-Artificer of the Great Guild of Alchemists. The Amethyst Shores are a group of closely-packed islands within the Outer Circle where the majority of the Alchemists of Excelestia live. While alchemists can be found just about anywhere, the Amethysts Shores are really the only place where they can make things explode to their hearts content without causing tempers to explode all around them. Alchemists can also be found en masse at the Ruby Gardens.

'''The Garnet Fortress'''

Governed mainly by Charles, the Garnet Fortress encompasses the Inner and Outer Walls of the Sanctum and the bastion of the Knights.

'''The Beryl Earth'''

Governed mainly by Regine, the

'''The Quartz Workshop'''

A watch-mender's workshop somewhere within the Diamond Tower, Emil's home and favourite haunt.

==Security==

The city has a number of defense corps organized to different degrees by a number of Nobles.

'''The Chivalrous Gentlemanly TownWatch'''

'''The Magical Avengers of Love and Peace, Magical Taskforce Ruby Gardenia'''

Organized by the 5th Noble of Magic, a rather...odd Master of Magic who believed that wearing frilly clothing is a form of sacrifice to society and preached that magical power is exponentially proportional to the frilliness of one's clothing. Now maintained by the 7th Noble of Magic, Lyna, who keeps up most of the traditions of the 5th.

'''The Upholders of Equivalent Exchange, the Eternally Passionate Flameheart Alchemists (EPFA)'''

Organized by the previous Noble of Alchemy, a rather fluffy and passionate Lady Alchemist, and maintained by the recently appointed Noble, Illumina, the EPFA are at best socially-involved nerds, at worst really, really messy vigilantes (unfortunately, more often the latter). They mainly keep the domain of the Alchemists, the Amethyst Shores, as well as their portion of the Ruby Gardens, safe...for a given value of 'safe'.

'''The Infallibly Just Circle of Justiciers'''

'''The Eternally Loyal Shieldmaidens of [Insert Place Name Here]'''

Organized by the current Noble of Loyalty,

'''The Ever-Watchful Lantern Kindlers and Lamp Bearers of the Stars'''

'''The Righteous Karmic-Retributioneer Monks of Karma'''

'''The LoreKeepers and Agents of Literary Vengeance, the Combat Librarians'''

== Groups ==

Besides the defense forces of the Chancel, the Sanctum also harbours a number of groups.

'''The Enclave of Emerald Alchemists'''
Also known as the 'Emerald Artisans', this society of Alchemists was founded by the 7th Noble of Light, TanetNephthys, and the 1st Noble of Alchemy, Armagustine Trimegistus, after the passing of the third Noble of Maricarum, Hermes Trimegistus, founder of the Emerald Arts.

In a major nettle rite wrought by the 2nd Noble of Botany, Ephistopheles, against the Noble of Alchemy, in a daring move to split the art into two major paths forever, the Enclave was splintered in two - The Cleave fo Botanists and the Enclave of Emerald Artisans. The Botanists left the Sanctum, carrying with them the entirety of botanic knowledge. The Alchemists, however, managed to keep the Principa Alchimia safe and prevented the botanists from acquiring an absolute monopoly over the Emerald Arts. The two now jealously guard their arts, for if one were to acquire the arts of the other, they would become unstoppable.

The botanists are known to pass through the Chancel to deal with the Emerald Artisans.

== Laws ==

The Chancel operates on general principles of Justice commonly found in any other society where concepts of Law and Justice exist. It has a few notable exceptions such as:

- Any deed with noble ends are exempt from law's scrutiny upon its means. This means even the most foul of deeds is considered lawfully just as long as its ends are noble. It comes with a very, very important caveat - the good of the outcome must far exceed the evil committed. This is particularly difficult to achieve with murder, as murder, the theft of the sanctity of one's life, is the basest, most evil of crimes that even the earth itself abhors.

-

N.B. The Chancel operates on the Code Napoleon, that the suspect is guilty until proven otherwise, as Lady Justice willed it to be in the prosaic realm.

== Notable Individuals ==

=== Foreguard Support Staff ===

'''Mira'''

A young maid dedicated to serving the Foreguard.

'''Captain Captain Captain'''

Captain of the Foreguard Airship Excellion, a tall, lanky, yet muscular man with a full bushy beard and a true sailor's heart.

'''Orville'''

Chief Requisitions Officer for the Foreguard. His task is mainly acquiring equipment and supplies for the Foreguard's away-missions, though he's also an expert at acquiring just about anything the Foreguard needs.

=== Other Individuals ===

'''Orphus Denilzante'''
Chief Magitech Engineer of the Sanctum and designer of the Deus Ex Machina.

'''Reno Orfayne'''
Owner of Reno's Empirio, the one-stop fashion designer for Nobles, known to be second only to his Master, Enzel Haulor of 7th Avenue and 91st Street NY.

'''Sammy Westine'''
Proprietor and Chief Engineer of Westine Airships, Sammy is the young brilliant mind behind this generation's latest magitech airships. Having mastered Alchemy, Magic and Magitech at a young age, she went on to implement her excellent knowledge in airship design and construction. Her airships are used not just within the Sanctum but all over Creation. While she does produce combat-ready airships, she only produces them as personal favours for Nobles she trusts. These make proud flagships in any war fleet. It is rumoured that she is working with Aeril Jotunstrom, Noble of Ships, from Locus Atlantis, on warships capable of sailing the world beyond creation and taking part directly on the frontlines of the Valde Bellum.

'''Mac'''

LightHouse Chief Engineer and GateKeeper who maintains the Lighthouse and manages the chancel's gates.

'''Victor'''

= Mythic Realm =

== Chancels Known ==
''From the Primer on Loci Celatum, by Holly Djurisic''
What follows are descriptions of chancels considered widely known and to be no secret to those versed in the ways of the Mythic. Everyone knows them as a matter of common sense.

'''Locus Amarant'''

The Great Market, the Gardens of Lady Profit, Amarant is perhaps one of the few chancels that has no doors, and, even if it did, they would be wide open to welcome one and all. After all, even your worst enemy is a potential customer. Any invader would quickly find themselves besieged by peddlers of weaponry, trust and treachery, even the very spoils they are after. Everything the discerning Noble might need is available here...for the right price. The preferred currency are fleurs, but the locals have been known to trade with other things such as miracles and pacts. Some nobles come here not just to buy but also to sell. If you want or need it, Locus Amarant will sell it, or if not, then at least it will sell you the expertise of someone who CAN get it. Needless to say, the cammorae are all over Amarant.

It is well-known that even Excrucians frequent Amarant, and they know full well never to destroy Amarant....at least not until their victory is assured, for Amarant will be more than happy to sell them the means to that victory, or maybe even that victory itself....for the right price. Why destroy something so blatantly useful?

Chancel of Lady Profit, Immiae Arathy, and the Nobles of Trade, Currency, Negotiation, Supermarket Loyalty Cards, and Cookies. Yes, Cookies.

= Prosaic Realm =

== Earth ==

=== Noteworthy Individuals===

== Erebea ==

A once beautiful world, a geographic wonder of continents hanging high up in the pristine skies, flooded with raw magic reminiscent of Earth about a millennium ago. Sanctum Excelestia was once the capital of this world, until it disappeared a few millennia ago.

== Lost Universe AD 2511 ==

The Lost Universe, now a Valde Bellum warfront. In 2400 AD, an age of galactic expansion and an Aetheric golden age for human advancement, a treacherous Imperator managed to sabotage the Shepherdess' hold on the Weirding Wall, leaving gaping holes in the defense of Creation. In the ensuing chaos, the Imperators and their nobles turned their attention to the Excrucian host gathering beyond the gap. Little did they know that they had fallen prey to a deceiver ruse. At the same time, the Excrucians were readying a pincer attack, with their mimics and strategists having established a foothold on Earth's universe. The Enlightened, at the time under great scrutiny due to the Shepherdess' apparent failure at maintaining the Weirding Wall, discovered the Excrucian plans and attempted to alert the Ymmerae. However, the Deceivers held the ears of the Ymmerae, and all the please of the Enlightened fell on deaf, suspicious, skeptical ears.

In a daring move, the Noble of Aether secretly used almost the entirety of his power of limitless potential to create an anomalous fold in existence, tearing 500 years of the universe apart, resetting the universe to before the Excrucian plan had even begun in 1900. He brought the new fold containing the lost 500 years and the excrucian plot up and tethered it to the gaping hole in the Weirding Wall, just in time to meet the incoming Excrucian Host. The excrucian invasion began, never once suspecting that they had walked into a pocket universe. For the Noble of Aether's apparent treachery, the Locust Court condemned him to death without a trial, dispatching the Enlightened, his own family, to prove their allegiance to the court by executing their own brother. It is said that Justice was the one to rip his shard out of his chest with her bare hands. It is said that the shard shattered. Some say Justice, in her grief and rage, shattered it herself. Some say it was Aether's final gift to the Lost Universe, and to the entirety of creation. The shard dust was dispersed and embedded itself across the entirety of the Lost Universe, enchancelling it, bestowing its beings with the blessings of Aetheric Power, immunizing them to the crippling effects of dementia animus and empowering them in their coming struggle against the Excrucian invaders. Aether was forever lost to Creation, but its shadow continues to live on within the beings of the Lost Universe. As long as the children of Aether stand and the light of Aether burns on within them, the Lost Universe will always resist the Excrucian host.

The Lost Universe has since been sealed away outside the Weirding Wall, doomed to forever be an Excrucian battleground, until the day the Excrucians trapped within consume the Lost Universe and realize Aether's trickery.

At the precise moment Aether's sacrifice enchancelled the Lost Universe, Hammond Qarn, Imperator of the Lost Universe, came into being. Having arisen from a universe so filled with the Shepherdess' own power, Hammond naturally became a Magister of the Enlightened. Furthermore, as the chancel was created using the Shepherdess' own soul shard, a fraction of the Shepherdess' own essence makes up the chancel's foundations. Thus for all intents and purposes the Enlightened can treat the Lost Universe as their own home chancel.

Few other nobles are privy to the secret of the Lost Universe's existence. Even fewer take up the fight to defend the Lost Universe in order to delay the full-scale invasion of Creation. The Nobles of Astelumina and Endeon were the first to pick up Aether's fallen banner and lead the battle against the Excrucian host and were also the first to fall.

'Now and Forever, till the hour I too stand between Impossibility and Despair!' - Phaeron Rof Alabar Trimeniel - Emperor of Aether

=== Notable Locations ===

'''L.U. Earth AD 2511'''

In AD 2400, Astelumina and Endeon managed to rid the entire earth of deceivers, strategists and mimics, making it one of the last few human settlements still untouched by the Excrucian Scourge. The war and Aether's blessing has accelerated technology to astronomical heights in the past 111 years, bringing humanity to a point where they can overwhelm excrucian shards and at the very least annoy full excrucians, if not kill them. Earth is now the capital of the Universal Aetheric Alliance (UAA), headquarters of the Excrucian resistance. Its coordinates are guarded to the death by the Children of Aether. Those who sally forth to meet the Excrucian Host do so without carrying Earth's coordinates, knowing full well that they may never return to their beloved home.

'''L.U. Heaven’s Feel'''

The current frontier of the Lost Universe Valde Bellum, Heaven’s Feel is perhaps the most beautiful extrasolar human colony. A large T3 terraformed planet orbiting the gas giant Astelumina 3, behind a dense spherical asteroid field and a radioactive veil around the sun Astelumina, it makes a naturally fortified world. Thanks to the scattering radiation and the dense blackhole just a few megaparsecs away at the center of the galaxy, the system and planet is nigh impossible to find at the best of times, at least for marauding excrucian raiding parties. The UAA uses Astelumina’s final gift, the gift of the stars, the ability to travel on aetheric currents guided by the stars, to travel safely in and out of the system.

When excrucians do find the planet, they are immediately drawn into its orbit by the interaction of the gravity wells of Heaven’s Feel’s many moons. They have no hope of escaping to notify the host of the planet’s location before they are drawn into intense battle by the Feelians.

The planet is ravaged by repeat invasions.

=== Familia of the Lost Universe ===

More or less an extended family of the Enlightened, the Familia of the Lost Universe are the sworn guardians of Aether's legacy.

'''Hammond Qarn - Imperator of the Lost Universe'''

Despite being an offshoot of the Shepherdess' power, Hammond Qarn is quite the opposite. He looks as human as they come. In fact, very, very much so, with his thick paternal beard, his twinkling eyes and his simple, honest expression, like a stern but compassionate father. Those who have the great honour of an audience with him are overcome with an overwhelming confidence and faith in humanity's potential and prowess. His being is shrouded in the stuff of legends. They say he single-handedly piloted an Alliance Battlecruiser straight into an Excrucian battlestation and escaped alive, unscathed. They say he personally lead the desperate charge that ended the siege of Harvest 4. They say he singlehandedly held the line at Point Hope against the entire advancing Excrucian host at the battle of Forge 3. They say a lot of things about Hammond Qarn, and when you meet him, sitting like a lighthouse exuding calm and confidence amidst the storm of war, in his simple, neatly-pressed uniform gleaming with but one badge denoting his allegiance to the Alliance, you feel naught but awe - that this man is the legend in the flesh.

'''Commander John Shepard - Power of Living Legends'''

'''Excel 7 - Commander of Super Soldiers'''

was responsible for the Halo series and partly responsible for the Metal Gear series, amongst other things.

'''Iris Erran - Chief Admiral of Spacecrafts'''

'''ALMa OmNI. - Supreme Administrator of Aetheric Technology'''

An A.I. born of the pinnacle of Aetheric supercomputers,

= Quests =

== Active Quests ==

=== Imperator Quests ===

'''Overdue'''

Started : 8th November 2011

The Shepherdess has requested that the Foreguards return 3 books she's borrowed for Shepherdess-knows-how-long now, for reasons that none can fathom. These books are:

1) 'Single Parenting for Idiots', to the Imperator of Shadows

2) 'The Amazing Justice and the Lovely Yaoi Doujin', to the Noble of Women's Beards

3) 'The Witchhunter's Codex' to a certain alchemist in Erebea.

She has asked you all to return them, ASAP.

Progress:

1) The Family has acquired the 3 books from the Principarium.

2) 1 week has passed since.

'''?????'''

Started : ?????

??????

Progress: n/a

=== Chancel Quests ===

=== Chivalry Quests ===

'''Rest in Peace'''

Started: 15th November 2011

One of Charles' Knights, Tristan, has just returned from Earth and has requested an urgent private audience. Wonder what it's about.

Progress:

1) Charles met Tristan, who seems to be rather fearful of someone, or something, though he's doing his best not to show it. Tristan presents Sir Jacob's cane and monocle to Charles, telling him that Sir Jacob disappeared after discovering that most of the Copenhagen chapter of knights have disappeared. It appears he noticed something was amiss after the disappearance of Sir William, who was out to investigate the disappearance of a local magical girl.

2) Charles decides to alert all the chapters throughout the world.

3) Charles proceeds to attempt directing chivalrous power into Sir Jacob's cane. It fights back, showing signs of deep corruption, before exploding rather violently.

4) Charles sends Sieghart with the destroyed monocle to Victor to study it further.

'''100,000's a Crowd!'''

Started: n/a

The Reinzuthen of Erebea have decided to dispatch a sacrifical gift of 100,000 girls from all around Erebea, mostly from all the nations they've conquered and annexed, to the old island of Altima, original home of the Nobles of Warriors, distant predecessors of Charles'. Apparently this is to welcome the prophesized return of the original Noble of Warriors and to attempt to acquire his favour with the hopes of having him assist the Reinzuthen make good their absolute conquest of Erebea. Obviously, the current delivery recipient is Charles....and this is NOT good. NOT good at all.

Progress: n/a

'''White Knight in Black Armour'''

Started: n/a

Alfred Goddard, ace attorney, E.U. Supreme Court prosecutor and prominent political figure, has sworn to cleanse Europe of all crime, especially major international crime rings. He has followed through with his oath. Half of all European prisons are full thanks to him. He is hailed as the 'White Knight', Europe's last hope. Needless to say, he's nowhere near as popular in the underworld. Many want him dead. He's currently attending the Copenhagen Treaty Talks as an expert on the Eco-crime panel. Chika, Emil's personal assassin, has helpfully let slip that she's refused a rather generous contract to assassinate Alfred Goddard during the talks. She's only one of many. Maybe you should look into this.

Progress: n/a

=== Determinism Quests ===

'''I Left My Hand in Copenhagen'''

Started : N/A

77 People have been found dead from unknown causes in Copenhagen. They were discovered missing their left hands and hanging upside down from trees.

Progress : n/a

'''Fly me to Europa'''

Started : N/A

The manned mission to Europa's missing for reasons as yet unknown.

Progress : n/a

'''Two Things Infinite'''

Started : 8th November 2011

The LHC has broken down once again after a few brief months of rather hiccupy function. This time, the cause is completely unknown. All the individual parts seem to be in working order, but the sum refuses to work. Sophia's not happy, not happy at all. She has personally requested that Emil look into this.

Progress:

1) Emil has taken a brief look around through Sophia's eyes. The LHC's spirit seems to have some blemishes....wonder what they are....

'''Tides of Fate'''

Started : n/a

The tides have stopped rising with the lunar cycles. As a result, the world's currents, fisheries and shoreline ecosystems have been gravely affected. This shouldn't even be physically possible!

Progress: n/a

=== Illumination Quests ===

'''Twinkle, Little Star'''

Started : 15th November 2011

As the world darkens, the light of the stars fade. Elune, little noble of stars, your sister, lies sick, alone in her high observatory, forgotten by the rest of the world. Now the weakening of the stars has started to affect the domain of Light too. Something must be done before yet another member of the Family succumbs to the war of attrition upon the Enlightened.

Progress:

1) Lyna, Emil and Alicia visited Elune in her observatory and found her ill.

2) They discovered that her observatory was severely corrupted by some malignant corruption that was trying to break into the chancel.

3) They sealed off the intrusion into the chancel but destroyed the observatory in the process. They managed to prevent the observatory from crashing catastrophically into the chancel.

4) They've brought the sick Elune to the Sapphire Palace and acquired the help of Regine to treat her.

5) Regine has asked the team to seek out the Noble of Shadows or anyone from the Familia of Shadows for a certain flower that only grows in Locus Shadows.

'''Who moved my Christmas?!'''

Christmas, the biggest celebration of lights and joy, isn't happening this year! This is unprecedented serious affair!

Started : 8th November 2011

Progress :

1) Alicia has asked the magical girls, knights, and others who've passed in and out of the chancel, for any information they might know about this. She's learned that it's a rather complex issue. It might be the economy, it might be the declining family values, could be anything.

'''When you peer into the Abyss...'''

Started : n/a

And the Creator said, 'Let there be Light', and there was light, and he saw that it was good. And He separated the dark from the light. Thus was the First Day.

It wasn't quite that simple.

When the light came to be, the dark too came to be as a result, and neither could tolerate the other. Thus the First War of Light and Dark began, pure and simple, with no preamble or prelude. They fought for Shepherdess-knows-how-long. Finally, the formation of the Covenant of the First Day, an agreement between the Light and the Dark to respect the other's estate, ended the war. How it came to be, however, is still a hotly debated topic. Some say the Dark won. Some say the Light won. Some say it was a draw. Some say there were other reasons. Who really knows?

An anniversary of the Covenant of the First Day is celebrated yearly now to uphold the ideals of peace and cooperation between Light and Dark. This year, it's Alicia's turn to host the festival. What could go wrong?

Progress : n/a

=== Magic Quests ===

'''Dude, Where's My Ship?!'''

Started : 8th Novemeber 2011

Following the disappearance of a wildcat Lignite mining crew in the Aescilian Mountains of Erebea, a pair of magical girls were dispatched on what was supposed to be a simple search-and-rescue mission. They report finding what looks like a ship and wisely request further assistance. The archaeological division arrived hours later, sealed the region, before preparing for further studies. They could not identify the ship's make or origins from the exterior, so they decide to enter through an entrance they found on the side. Contact with the entire squad was lost 6 hours into the mission, with the last transmission being 'Found someth-....So....beautiful....'. A second rescue mission was mounted, this time with a full STRIKER magical girl squadron. They found a deserted camp site and the open ship. They enter. Contact was lost 1.5 hours into the mission, with the last transmission being '...reached the last known location. Now....I-..I can't believe it....mission control...I can't begin to describe this....this is...so...so beau-.....'.

Progress:

1) Lyna has developed a new remote-viewing spell to peer into the site from a distance. Unfortunately, the first few attempts failed as she can't seem to view anything beyond the foot of the mountains.

'''My Struggle, My suffering, My Legacy'''

Started: n/a

The smoke of witch burning pyres rise high up into the skies above the magical realm of Erebea. The once all-powerful mages now run and hide before the onslaught of the Reinzhuthen, an order of genocidal purists who are in pursuit of the all-powerful dark mage, the dark lord Daran Reganz. The Reinzhuthen have taken up an all-or-nothing approach towards hunting Daran Reganz – wiping out every last mage on Neven. After successfully gathering the support of the people against the seemingly incompetent mage-led government and subsequently overthrowing them, the Reinzhuthen declared a world-wide ban of magical practices, declaring any practitioner an agent of Daran Reganz and an enemy of the state. In their crusade against magic, they've begun declaring the absolutism of their cause and the need for all nations of the world to unite under their banner to eliminate the magic scourge. To this end, they have begun invading and conquering any nation who refuses to join their Empire.

Progress: n/a

=== Intelligence Quests ===

'''So Long and Thanks for All the Fish'''

Dolphins are becoming quite popular...as food! The coastal town of Taiji, Japan, the largest operator of dolphin drive hunting in the world, is undertaking a massive campaign to popularize the consumption of dolphin meat following the opening of its Great Taiji Dolphin Slaughterhouse. They are marketing it as a health food that greatly boosts brain development and intelligence, particularly in children. Interestingly, they managed to show that the IQs of children raised in Taiji and the nearby village of Koazagawa, wherein the staple food is dolphin and whale meat, are significantly higher than not only the national average but also the international average, almost miraculously so. Quite a problem for the local dolphins, some of whom are Mana's own friends.

Incidentally, the global pandemic of the strange sleeping illness has a relatively high incidence in Japan, particularly in Taiji.

Started: n/a

Progress: n/a

== Completed Quests ==

= Correspondence =

== Family Correspondence ==

'Good morning, Masters and Mistresses. I hope the noise didn't keep you up last night. The Alchemists discovered a new flower known quite amusingly as the 'Boom Lily'. Thankfully they grew quieter as the night went by. Anyhow, here's today's selection of the world's headlines.' - Mira -

• Presidents of Chechnya, Bosnia and Ukraine die in mysterious circumstances.

• American invasion of Iran is meeting heavy resistance. The Iranians now threaten to unleash their nuclear arsenal if America does not cease and desist.

• A new illness is spreading. Cause unknown.

== Illumination's Correspondence==

'Young Miss, please do take some times to reads some of these, 'kay? Lymle's actually done her bests to sort them outs, 'kay!' - Lymle -

- You've been cordially invited to attend the Divali celebrations in India. - Various Nobles -

== Chivalry's Correspondence ==

'Aye, my liege, thou hath an abundant harvest of letters. Thy loyal steed hast made do with the more...delicious trivialties. *BURP*' - Sieghart -

== Determinism's Correspondence ==

'Hey, old man, check it out, you've got mail. Should I fetch your specs? Or maybe a magnifying glass? Or maybe my winding screw? All that sorting's wound down my springs...' - Leonie -

- There's insider information that the vast artificial island city under construction at the base of Orbital Elevator 02 in the Pacific has hit a dead end in its construction effort due to economical constraints. It will soon become a prized piece of real estate amongst the nobles once word gets out. - Penelope -

- Ne, Oyabun, some funny men want to kill that yaro Alfred Goddard. They offer real cash, up front, no questions. Too good a deal for me, so I tell them, leave. They probably go for my competitors. Tell your friend, ne. Ja. - Chika -

== Magic's Correspondence ==

'Young Mistress, it's time to read your correspondence for the day. Please sit down here. Yes, here. Now, back straight like a washboard, eyes forward like a dead fish, and elbows akimbo like a ballerina...yes, excellent, young mistress. Now, I present you my personal selection of today's letters.' - Flowerchild -

- We're short on new recruits for the Magical Girl Academy. Please do something about this. - Miranda, Headmaster of the Ruby Gardens Magical Girl Academy Division

== Intelligence's Correspondence ==

Nobilis Enlightened

2011-03-13T00:27:26Z

Mind-The-Gap: /* Quests */

[[Category:Nobilis]]

= Imperator - The Shepherdess of Light =

1. ‘Omneaum(a) became aware. In its awareness, it found loneliness. It saw potential, good, an impossibility.

2. Omneaum gave way to potential, and made the impossible possible. It was, things became.

3. Enlightenment arose, and so did I, Whole, Complete, bearing the Gifts of Aether (b), Light, Vaveram (c), Maricarum (d), Endeon (e), and Causality.

4. Omneaum’s legacy I shall honour and hold safe, now and forever, till the hour I too stand alone between Impossibility and Despair.’

- The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light, Imperator of Enlightenment -

(a) Omneaum: The Original Absolute Void

(b) Aether: Estate of 'Absolute Potential', the 'Impossible made Possible', the very basic element of creation from which all matter and life flowed. It was said to have been more abundant in space. (Now excruciated, succeeded in part by the estate of 'Magic')

(c)Vaveram: Estate of Spontaneous Sentience and Awareness (Now Excruciated. Never replaced.)

(d) Maricarum: Estate of Great Miracles through Personal Sacrifice (Now excruciated, succeeded by the estate of 'Magic' and 'Sacrifice')

(e)Endeon: Estate of the 'Lone Wolf Phenomenon', wherein those fighting against overwhelming odds are always guaranteed victory. Better known in our time as the 'Storm Trooper effect'. (Now excruciated)

Having predated the Imperators of 'Name', the Shepherdess is nameless and formless. Those who are fortunate enough to know her identify her as 'The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light', or, simply, 'The Shepherdess'. Having come into being before the birth of the concept of 'form' or even 'matter' and 'physical law', she is without form in the physical universe. She used to communicate with her agents in the physical universe through pulses of light and ripples in a fountain of light. Needless to say, a lot of liberty had been taken in deciphering her wishes. Recently, however, the Chief Engineer of the Sanctum, Orphus, has devised an ingenious megastructure, the Deus Ex Machina, a gigantic clockwork device that allows the Shepherdess to see into the physical realm and engage with it using a gigantic, rather clumsy steel claw and communicate using a ticker-tape telegram machine.

(Interestingly, having also preceded the Imperator of Gender, she is, or, at least, was, in essence, genderless. However, around 300 B.C. she became a part of debate amongst philosophers as an example of a being who must be 'of the default gender'. For some reason it was decided that the default gender was female, and so the Shepherdess has since been considered to be of the female persuasion. Not that she really cares. It is suspected that the Noble of Women had something to do with this, but that's a tale for another time.)

Prophesized successor of Ananda and future Shepherdess of the Fifth Age, the Glorious One has purposely been denied a seat on the Council of Four, for her ways are that of the ‘Enlightened’, incompatible with the ways of the other council-members. She earns Lord Entropy and Ananda’s tolerance for her existence only through her service in the Valde Bellum and her Light’s importance in maintaining the Weirding Wall, a task that consumes almost the entirety of her attention and being (much to Lord Entropy’s and Ananda’s satisfaction).

The Heavens despise her, for an Angel of Creation she is not, and yet she brought forth the first Light that made everything that was Beautiful possible. Only the fact that her Light is necessary for beauty and this fact alone earns her the toleration of Heaven. The Wild would have nothing to do with her, for there is no freedom in sacrifice.The Hells, the Darkness and the Light all loath her, for not only is she the voice of wisdom that transcends not just the Corruption that the Hells endeavour towards, but she is also the voice that moves all beings towards becoming more than the matter they are made from, transcending what they are, pushing them ever onwards towards a greater purpose not only in life but also in death. Those who follow her code wish for naught else but the glory of dying for a greater good.

It is unclear what her true nature or form is. Nobody seems to remember when she came to be, or how for that matter. Some suspect she is one of the Heavenly legion, an Angel, but not only do the Heavens and its angelic denizens despise her at the best of times, her ways are most definitely not that of Heaven. Some surmise that she is a fallen Angel, but the cause of Hell she does not serve. It is highly possible that she is a True God, but all of creation knows they did not appear until long after the Angels had begun the Great Work. Recently, when passings of the Transcendants were properly documented in AP 4732, it was surmised that she is perhaps a Transcendant who somehow chose to settle upon the World Ash, perhaps one of the Charitable. Said document is Creation's closest description of the Shepherdess' nature, her gifts being her Estates and her Law.

=='''Vow of the Enlightened'''==

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this.

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this. - One thing leads to another. And at the end of all things is an ‘end’.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this. - Every good act must be good of purpose and good of result. This clause seems to fail to (most probably purposely) mention anything regarding the means. Taking the most liberal interpretation, a ‘Noble deed’ can have means as lacking in morals as a psychotic mass murderer, and yet still be considered ‘Noble’ in the eyes of the ‘Enlightened’. What matters is the cause, the intention and the ends. Everything in between matters naught.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this. - The ultimate sacrifice can conquer anything, even the impossible. This is the one true ‘Miracle’, Magic at its purest, one that allows the Enlightened to surpass his/her own end and achieve greatness through sacrifice. The Shepherdess safeguards the cause of all who sacrifice themselves for a greater purpose, guaranteeing them the miraculous magic of success.

==Details==

'''Estates''': Light, Determinism, Magic, Chivalry, Intelligence, Honour, Loyalty, Courage, Hope, Justice, Karma, Logic, Alchemy, Sacrifice, Curiosity, Sun, Moon, Stars

'''Excruciated Estates''': Aether, Vaveram, Maricarum, Endeon, Astelumina

'''Dynasty Points :''' 8

'''Qualities:'''

Great Harvest (2)

Cold (-1)

Demanding (-1)

----

= The Famiglia of the Enlightened =

The Famiglia of the Enlightened ''were'' a highly respected and influential group about 4-5 centuries before, their power extending from the very birth of creation. However, in a highly unorthodox move around the 4002 A.P., the Council ordered the Shepherdess to provide additional support in the Valde Bellum proper, above and beyond her maintenance of the Weirding Wall. Seeing as the Wall already consumed most if not all her power and attention, she was forced to mobilize members of her Famiglia, something quite unprecedented. The Nobles of Maricarum, Aether and Endeon were the first to volunteer for the great undertaking, having attained near-Imperator-level powers at the time. A few centuries later, Vaveram, Astelumina, Chivalry, Courage and Alchemy too joined their brother and sisters in the direct defense of creation. They held the line for a good few centuries, seeing a slow but definite turnover in nobles. That was until, for reasons still unknown, Maricarum, Aether, Endeon, Vaveram and Astelumina were excruciated one by one. The last to fall were Endeon and Astelumina in 4895 AP, at the same time 500 years of Human History was erased.

With no time to mourn, the Famiglia of the Enlightened were forced to mobilize more members of their famiglia to the front lines. The following few years saw more of their Nobles killed, though thankfully not excruciated.

Now with few remaining senior members, the famiglia struggles to stay on its feet with the large influx of new family members. Will they be able to live up to their predecessors? Will they be able to return the family to its former glory and take it to new heights? Or will this be the end of the Enlightened? That is up to the new Famiglia.

== PC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Foreguard of the Enlightened''

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Alicia_Valka '''Alicia - Principissa of Illumination''']

The 21st Principissa Of Illumination.

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Emil '''Emil - Power of Determinism''']

The 13th Power of Determinism

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Charles_Earl_Of_Huntington'''Charles - Lord of Chivalry''']

The 77th Lord of Chivalry

'''Lyna - Regina of Magic'''

The 66th Regina of Magic

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Mana_Kishimura '''Mana - Exemplar of Intelligence (And Dolphins)''']

The 17th Noble of Intelligence and 2nd Noble of Dolphins.

== NPC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Vanguard of the Enlightened''

'''Regine - Inquesta of Loyalty'''

'''Jessie - Tempesta of Courage (Sort of veering towards Impetuous Juvenile Recklessness)'''

'''Illumina - AllMother of Alchemy'''

Novice Alchemist extraordinaire and (rather unwilling) Commander of the Alchemist Flameheart Squad, Illumina is yet another recent addition to the Famiglia. She's currently worried about the sorry state of her estate (mostly usurped by Chemistry and now reduced to nothing more than a fantasy fiction gimmick) and a missing prominent Alchemist amongst other things....but mainly by the prospect of responsibility in general.

She is widely known, even outside Alchemist circles, as 'Big Bang Lum'.

'''Elune - Principissa of the Stars'''

While relatively senior in the Famiglia of the Enlightened (by simple virtue of everyone else being very recent additions), that's as far as her seniority goes. In every other respect, she is mostly helpless, though the more understanding dismiss this as a reflection of her estate - stars aren't known to be do much other than be pretty, especially lately with modern technology supplanting the need for stellar navigation or calendar-keeping. It used to be so much different when her sister, the Noble of Astelumina, the power of stellar influence upon the workings of the universe and lives on earth, was still around. Now as the stars fade and people forget the stars, Elune lies ill, slowly fading herself.

''The Diplomatic Corp (Intelligence) of the Enlightened''

'''Rang Fan - Excelifficer of Logic'''

Born a humble villager in a Tibetan highland settlement, Rang Fan grew up completely illiterate. She was, however, a keen observer and deep thinker. She developed her own concise and strict principles of logic, one that often found fault in the traditionalist views of the people she lived amongst. Some saw her as a source of wisdom, some saw her as a demon-possessed child.

She became the favourite anchor of the previous Noble of Logic for a while. During this time, her mastery of logic developed brilliantly. Unfortunately, she came afoul of a Chinese official when she publicly defeated him in a debate regarding the accusation of rebellion on the part of the village.

'''Geronimo - High Chief of Sacrifice'''

'''Han Gua - Exarch of Honour'''

'''Jimmy - Arch-Provost of Curiosity'''

''The Unassigned of the Enlightened''

'''Justice(?) - Empress of Justice'''

Not much is known about Justice, the 1st Noble of Justice. She is the eldest of the current Famiglia, though in the time of the original Famiglia, she was the youngest. She is the last surviving member of the original Famiglia of the Enlightened. It is rumoured that she was an Angel before she joined the Enlightened, though whether or not this is true is unknown. Her real name is unknown. Nobody has seen her in a long, long while. The only members of the current famiglia who have seen her are Han Gua and Elune.

Currently absent. Whereabouts unknown.

'''Vie - Noble of Hope'''

A rather mysterious member of the famiglia, she wonders in and out of the chancel rather randomly. Nobody seems to remember when she joined the Family. In fact, some are surprised to hear that there IS a noble of Hope in the Family. She doesn't seem to have a permanent home in the chancel. She's known (at least to those few who know her) to wander about, never staying in one place for long. She is apparently summonable, but rumours have it that she's apparently rather useless.

There are strange rumours that she follows the code of the Dark, or even Hell. Why would Hope do that?

'''Thomas Eire - Keeper of Karma'''

'''Kaguya - Himegami of the Moon'''

Tsukishiro no Kaguya-hime is perhaps the second eldest of the Famiglia, though she takes great care not to let anyone know that. She is the second Noble of the Moon. There are rumours that she was behind the Apollo 13 failure. When asked about it, she would give you a disdainful look and walk away. Then again, she'd do that no matter what you tried to bring up with her.

Currently very, very vain.

'''Kimo - the Emperor of the Sun'''

= Chancel - Locus Enlightenment, Sanctum Excelestia =

[http://img248.imageshack.us/i/sanctumexcelestia.jpg HG's Impression 1]

'''Qualities'''

Megalomaniac King/Queen (-4)

Normal Magic (3)

Alchemy (1)

2 Banes (-1)

Convenient Gates (2)

Anchorable Magical residents (4)

==Government==

The Sanctum is under the absolute Executive rule of the Emperor who answers only to the Shepherdess. Judicial Rule is under the Absolute Court headed by the Shepherdess and the Supreme Court headed by the Noble of Justice and her Circle of Justiciaries. Legislative and administrative rule is divided amongst the 4 major domains under the 4 queens:

'''Alicia - High Queen of the Diamond Tower.'''

Technically, having inherited the title of 'High Queen' from her predecessor, Alicia commands the Council of Four Queens and the Round Table of Dominums. However, as she has only recently joined the Famiglia, responsibility over the Council of Four Queens has fallen on the reluctant shoulders of Elune while the Round Table of Dominums is overseen by Han Gua.

'''Lyna - Queen of the Ruby Gardens.'''

The Ruby Gardens refers to the entirety of the Arcane Arts Academy Complex within the Outer Circle where the majority of mages of Excelestia train and live. However, to most of the citizens, the 'Ruby Gardens' itself refers to the seat of government, the Ruby Palace, a magnificent rose-shaped palace of crystal grown from the very essence of the Chancel itself in the middle of the Ruby Gardens.

'''Elune - Queen of the Sapphire Sky.'''

The Sapphire Sky refers to the entirety of the sky in between the floating structures of the Sanctum. While Elune governs no real land, she controls all traffic in the airspace around the Sanctum. Her official seat of government is the Sapphire Palace, a beautiful crystalline Sapphire star floating high up within the Inner Circle, though she is rarely ever there. She usually lives in her observatory on a lonely island high above the Sanctum.

'''Jessie - Queen of the Emerald Fields.'''

The Emerald Fields refer to most of the land floating in the Ciellan Expanse, the sky beyond the Outer Wall. The Emerald Fields house a good portion of the Sanctum's agricultural and mining settlements. Her seat of government is the Emerald Palace, a beautiful viridian structure of moss-covered wood and succulent, fresh folliage that grow and thrive all year round, coiled around a giant magnificent Emerald of a green deeper than the land that surrounds it.

== Homes and Households ==

'''The Diamond Palace - ?????'''

Home of Alicia.

Personal Assistant : Lymle

'''The Ruby Palace - ????'''

Home of Lyna.

Personal Assistant : Flowerchild

'''The Garnet Fortress - ????'''

Home of Charles.

Personal Assistant : Sieghart

'''The Quartz Workshop - ????'''

Personal Assistant : Leonie

Home of Emil.

== Other Noteworthy Locations ==

'''The Amethyst Shores'''

Governed officially by Illumina, provisionally by the Arch-Artificer of the Great Guild of Alchemists. The Amethyst Shores are a group of closely-packed islands within the Outer Circle where the majority of the Alchemists of Excelestia live. While alchemists can be found just about anywhere, the Amethysts Shores are really the only place where they can make things explode to their hearts content without causing tempers to explode all around them. Alchemists can also be found en masse at the Ruby Gardens.

'''The Garnet Fortress'''

Governed mainly by Charles, the Garnet Fortress encompasses the Inner and Outer Walls of the Sanctum and the bastion of the Knights.

'''The Beryl Earth'''

Governed mainly by Regine, the

'''The Quartz Workshop'''

A watch-mender's workshop somewhere within the Diamond Tower, Emil's home and favourite haunt.

==Security==

The city has a number of defense corps organized to different degrees by a number of Nobles.

'''The Chivalrous Gentlemanly TownWatch'''

'''The Magical Avengers of Love and Peace, Magical Taskforce Ruby Gardenia'''

Organized by the 5th Noble of Magic, a rather...odd Master of Magic who believed that wearing frilly clothing is a form of sacrifice to society and preached that magical power is exponentially proportional to the frilliness of one's clothing. Now maintained by the 7th Noble of Magic, Lyna, who keeps up most of the traditions of the 5th.

'''The Upholders of Equivalent Exchange, the Eternally Passionate Flameheart Alchemists (EPFA)'''

Organized by the previous Noble of Alchemy, a rather fluffy and passionate Lady Alchemist, and maintained by the recently appointed Noble, Illumina, the EPFA are at best socially-involved nerds, at worst really, really messy vigilantes (unfortunately, more often the latter). They mainly keep the domain of the Alchemists, the Amethyst Shores, as well as their portion of the Ruby Gardens, safe...for a given value of 'safe'.

'''The Infallibly Just Circle of Justiciers'''

'''The Eternally Loyal Shieldmaidens of [Insert Place Name Here]'''

Organized by the current Noble of Loyalty,

'''The Ever-Watchful Lantern Kindlers and Lamp Bearers of the Stars'''

'''The Righteous Karmic-Retributioneer Monks of Karma'''

'''The LoreKeepers and Agents of Literary Vengeance, the Combat Librarians'''

== Groups ==

Besides the defense forces of the Chancel, the Sanctum also harbours a number of groups.

'''The Enclave of Emerald Alchemists'''
Also known as the 'Emerald Artisans', this society of Alchemists was founded by the 7th Noble of Light, TanetNephthys, and the 1st Noble of Alchemy, Armagustine Trimegistus, after the passing of the third Noble of Maricarum, Hermes Trimegistus, founder of the Emerald Arts.

In a major nettle rite wrought by the 2nd Noble of Botany, Ephistopheles, against the Noble of Alchemy, in a daring move to split the art into two major paths forever, the Enclave was splintered in two - The Cleave fo Botanists and the Enclave of Emerald Artisans. The Botanists left the Sanctum, carrying with them the entirety of botanic knowledge. The Alchemists, however, managed to keep the Principa Alchimia safe and prevented the botanists from acquiring an absolute monopoly over the Emerald Arts. The two now jealously guard their arts, for if one were to acquire the arts of the other, they would become unstoppable.

The botanists are known to pass through the Chancel to deal with the Emerald Artisans.

== Laws ==

The Chancel operates on general principles of Justice commonly found in any other society where concepts of Law and Justice exist. It has a few notable exceptions such as:

- Any deed with noble ends are exempt from law's scrutiny upon its means. This means even the most foul of deeds is considered lawfully just as long as its ends are noble. It comes with a very, very important caveat - the good of the outcome must far exceed the evil committed. This is particularly difficult to achieve with murder, as murder, the theft of the sanctity of one's life, is the basest, most evil of crimes that even the earth itself abhors.

-

N.B. The Chancel operates on the Code Napoleon, that the suspect is guilty until proven otherwise, as Lady Justice willed it to be in the prosaic realm.

== Notable Individuals ==

'''Orphus Denilzante'''
Chief Magitech Engineer of the Sanctum and designer of the Deus Ex Machina.

'''Reno Orfayne'''
Owner of Reno's Empirio, the one-stop fashion designer for Nobles, known to be second only to his Master, Enzel Haulor of 7th Avenue and 91st Street NY.

'''Sammy Westine'''
Proprietor and Chief Engineer of Westine Airships, Sammy is the young brilliant mind behind this generation's latest magitech airships. Having mastered Alchemy, Magic and Magitech at a young age, she went on to implement her excellent knowledge in airship design and construction. Her airships are used not just within the Sanctum but all over Creation. While she does produce combat-ready airships, she only produces them as personal favours for Nobles she trusts. These make proud flagships in any war fleet. It is rumoured that she is working with Aeril Jotunstrom, Noble of Ships, from Locus Atlantis, on warships capable of sailing the world beyond creation and taking part directly on the frontlines of the Valde Bellum.

'''Victor'''

= Mythic Realm =

== Chancels Known ==
''From the Primer on Loci Celatum, by Holly Djurisic''
What follows are descriptions of chancels considered widely known and to be no secret to those versed in the ways of the Mythic. Everyone knows them as a matter of common sense.

'''Locus Amarant'''

The Great Market, the Gardens of Lady Profit, Amarant is perhaps one of the few chancels that has no doors, and, even if it did, they would be wide open to welcome one and all. After all, even your worst enemy is a potential customer. Any invader would quickly find themselves besieged by peddlers of weaponry, trust and treachery, even the very spoils they are after. Everything the discerning Noble might need is available here...for the right price. The preferred currency are fleurs, but the locals have been known to trade with other things such as miracles and pacts. Some nobles come here not just to buy but also to sell. If you want or need it, Locus Amarant will sell it, or if not, then at least it will sell you the expertise of someone who CAN get it. Needless to say, the cammorae are all over Amarant.

It is well-known that even Excrucians frequent Amarant, and they know full well never to destroy Amarant....at least not until their victory is assured, for Amarant will be more than happy to sell them the means to that victory, or maybe even that victory itself....for the right price. Why destroy something so blatantly useful?

Chancel of Lady Profit, Immiae Arathy, and the Nobles of Trade, Currency, Negotiation, Supermarket Loyalty Cards, and Cookies. Yes, Cookies.

= Prosaic Realm =

== Earth ==

=== Noteworthy Individuals===

== Erebea ==

A once beautiful world, a geographic wonder of continents hanging high up in the pristine skies, flooded with raw magic reminiscent of Earth about a millennium ago. Sanctum Excelestia was once the capital of this world, until it disappeared a few millennia ago.

== Lost Universe AD 2511 ==

The Lost Universe, now a Valde Bellum warfront. In 2400 AD, an age of galactic expansion and an Aetheric golden age for human advancement, a treacherous Imperator managed to sabotage the Shepherdess' hold on the Weirding Wall, leaving gaping holes in the defense of Creation. In the ensuing chaos, the Imperators and their nobles turned their attention to the Excrucian host gathering beyond the gap. Little did they know that they had fallen prey to a deceiver ruse. At the same time, the Excrucians were readying a pincer attack, with their mimics and strategists having established a foothold on Earth's universe. The Enlightened, at the time under great scrutiny due to the Shepherdess' apparent failure at maintaining the Weirding Wall, discovered the Excrucian plans and attempted to alert the Ymmerae. However, the Deceivers held the ears of the Ymmerae, and all the please of the Enlightened fell on deaf, suspicious, skeptical ears.

In a daring move, the Noble of Aether secretly used almost the entirety of his power of limitless potential to create an anomalous fold in existence, tearing 500 years of the universe apart, resetting the universe to before the Excrucian plan had even begun in 1900. He brought the new fold containing the lost 500 years and the excrucian plot up and tethered it to the gaping hole in the Weirding Wall, just in time to meet the incoming Excrucian Host. The excrucian invasion began, never once suspecting that they had walked into a pocket universe. For the Noble of Aether's apparent treachery, the Locust Court condemned him to death without a trial, dispatching the Enlightened, his own family, to prove their allegiance to the court by executing their own brother. It is said that Justice was the one to rip his shard out of his chest with her bare hands. It is said that the shard shattered. Some say Justice, in her grief and rage, shattered it herself. Some say it was Aether's final gift to the Lost Universe, and to the entirety of creation. The shard dust was dispersed and embedded itself across the entirety of the Lost Universe, enchancelling it, bestowing its beings with the blessings of Aetheric Power, immunizing them to the crippling effects of dementia animus and empowering them in their coming struggle against the Excrucian invaders. Aether was forever lost to Creation, but its shadow continues to live on within the beings of the Lost Universe. As long as the children of Aether stand and the light of Aether burns on within them, the Lost Universe will always resist the Excrucian host.

The Lost Universe has since been sealed away outside the Weirding Wall, doomed to forever be an Excrucian battleground, until the day the Excrucians trapped within consume the Lost Universe and realize Aether's trickery.

At the precise moment Aether's sacrifice enchancelled the Lost Universe, Hammond Qarn, Imperator of the Lost Universe, came into being. Having arisen from a universe so filled with the Shepherdess' own power, Hammond naturally became a Magister of the Enlightened. Furthermore, as the chancel was created using the Shepherdess' own soul shard, a fraction of the Shepherdess' own essence makes up the chancel's foundations. Thus for all intents and purposes the Enlightened can treat the Lost Universe as their own home chancel.

Few other nobles are privy to the secret of the Lost Universe's existence. Even fewer take up the fight to defend the Lost Universe in order to delay the full-scale invasion of Creation. The Nobles of Astelumina and Endeon were the first to pick up Aether's fallen banner and lead the battle against the Excrucian host and were also the first to fall.

'Now and Forever, till the hour I too stand between Impossibility and Despair!' - Phaeron Rof Alabar Trimeniel - Emperor of Aether

=== Notable Locations ===

'''L.U. Earth AD 2511'''

In AD 2400, Astelumina and Endeon managed to rid the entire earth of deceivers, strategists and mimics, making it one of the last few human settlements still untouched by the Excrucian Scourge. The war and Aether's blessing has accelerated technology to astronomical heights in the past 111 years, bringing humanity to a point where they can overwhelm excrucian shards and at the very least annoy full excrucians, if not kill them. Earth is now the capital of the Universal Aetheric Alliance (UAA), headquarters of the Excrucian resistance. Its coordinates are guarded to the death by the Children of Aether. Those who sally forth to meet the Excrucian Host do so without carrying Earth's coordinates, knowing full well that they may never return to their beloved home.

'''L.U. Heaven’s Feel'''

The current frontier of the Lost Universe Valde Bellum, Heaven’s Feel is perhaps the most beautiful extrasolar human colony. A large T3 terraformed planet orbiting the gas giant Astelumina 3, behind a dense spherical asteroid field and a radioactive veil around the sun Astelumina, it makes a naturally fortified world. Thanks to the scattering radiation and the dense blackhole just a few megaparsecs away at the center of the galaxy, the system and planet is nigh impossible to find at the best of times, at least for marauding excrucian raiding parties. The UAA uses Astelumina’s final gift, the gift of the stars, the ability to travel on aetheric currents guided by the stars, to travel safely in and out of the system.

When excrucians do find the planet, they are immediately drawn into its orbit by the interaction of the gravity wells of Heaven’s Feel’s many moons. They have no hope of escaping to notify the host of the planet’s location before they are drawn into intense battle by the Feelians.

The planet is ravaged by repeat invasions.

=== Familia of the Lost Universe ===

More or less an extended family of the Enlightened, the Familia of the Lost Universe are the sworn guardians of Aether's legacy.

'''Hammond Qarn - Imperator of the Lost Universe'''

Despite being an offshoot of the Shepherdess' power, Hammond Qarn is quite the opposite. He looks as human as they come. In fact, very, very much so, with his thick paternal beard, his twinkling eyes and his simple, honest expression, like a stern but compassionate father. Those who have the great honour of an audience with him are overcome with an overwhelming confidence and faith in humanity's potential and prowess. His being is shrouded in the stuff of legends. They say he single-handedly piloted an Alliance Battlecruiser straight into an Excrucian battlestation and escaped alive, unscathed. They say he personally lead the desperate charge that ended the siege of Harvest 4. They say he singlehandedly held the line at Point Hope against the entire advancing Excrucian host at the battle of Forge 3. They say a lot of things about Hammond Qarn, and when you meet him, sitting like a lighthouse exuding calm and confidence amidst the storm of war, in his simple, neatly-pressed uniform gleaming with but one badge denoting his allegiance to the Alliance, you feel naught but awe - that this man is the legend in the flesh.

'''Commander John Shepard - Power of Living Legends'''

'''Excel 7 - Commander of Super Soldiers'''

was responsible for the Halo series and partly responsible for the Metal Gear series, amongst other things.

'''Iris Erran - Chief Admiral of Spacecrafts'''

'''ALMa OmNI. - Supreme Administrator of Aetheric Technology'''

An A.I. born of the pinnacle of Aetheric supercomputers,

= Quests =

== Active Quests ==

=== Imperator Quests ===

'''Overdue'''

Started : 8th November 2011

The Shepherdess has requested that the Foreguards return 3 books she's borrowed for Shepherdess-knows-how-long now, for reasons that none can fathom. These books are:

1) 'Single Parenting for Idiots', to the Imperator of Shadows

2) 'The Amazing Justice and the Lovely Yaoi Doujin', to the Noble of Women's Beards

3) 'The Witchhunter's Codex' to a certain alchemist in Erebea.

She has asked you all to return them, ASAP.

Progress:

1) The Family has acquired the 3 books from the Principarium.

2) 1 week has passed since.

'''?????'''

Started : ?????

??????

Progress: n/a

=== Chancel Quests ===

=== Chivalry Quests ===

'''Rest in Peace'''

Started: 15th November 2011

One of Charles' Knights, Tristan, has just returned from Earth and has requested an urgent private audience. Wonder what it's about.

Progress:

1) Charles met Tristan, who seems to be rather fearful of someone, or something, though he's doing his best not to show it. Tristan presents Sir Jacob's cane and monocle to Charles, telling him that Sir Jacob disappeared after discovering that most of the Copenhagen chapter of knights have disappeared. It appears he noticed something was amiss after the disappearance of Sir William, who was out to investigate the disappearance of a local magical girl.

2) Charles decides to alert all the chapters throughout the world.

3) Charles proceeds to attempt directing chivalrous power into Sir Jacob's cane. It fights back, showing signs of deep corruption, before exploding rather violently.

4) Charles sends Sieghart with the destroyed monocle to Victor to study it further.

'''100,000's a Crowd!'''

Started: n/a

The Reinzuthen of Erebea have decided to dispatch a sacrifical gift of 100,000 girls from all around Erebea, mostly from all the nations they've conquered and annexed, to the old island of Altima, original home of the Nobles of Warriors, distant predecessors of Charles'. Apparently this is to welcome the prophesized return of the original Noble of Warriors and to attempt to acquire his favour with the hopes of having him assist the Reinzuthen make good their absolute conquest of Erebea. Obviously, the current delivery recipient is Charles....and this is NOT good. NOT good at all.

Progress: n/a

'''White Knight in Black Armour'''

Started: n/a

Alfred Goddard, ace attorney, E.U. Supreme Court prosecutor and prominent political figure, has sworn to cleanse Europe of all crime, especially major international crime rings. He has followed through with his oath. Half of all European prisons are full thanks to him. He is hailed as the 'White Knight', Europe's last hope. Needless to say, he's nowhere near as popular in the underworld. Many want him dead. He's currently attending the Copenhagen Treaty Talks as an expert on the Eco-crime panel. Chika, Emil's personal assassin, has helpfully let slip that she's refused a rather generous contract to assassinate Alfred Goddard during the talks. She's only one of many. Maybe you should look into this.

Progress: n/a

=== Determinism Quests ===

'''I Left My Hand in Copenhagen'''

Started : N/A

77 People have been found dead from unknown causes in Copenhagen. They were discovered missing their left hands and hanging upside down from trees.

Progress : n/a

'''Fly me to Europa'''

Started : N/A

The manned mission to Europa's missing for reasons as yet unknown.

Progress : n/a

'''Two Things Infinite'''

Started : 8th November 2011

The LHC has broken down once again after a few brief months of rather hiccupy function. This time, the cause is completely unknown. All the individual parts seem to be in working order, but the sum refuses to work. Sophia's not happy, not happy at all. She has personally requested that Emil look into this.

Progress:

1) Emil has taken a brief look around through Sophia's eyes. The LHC's spirit seems to have some blemishes....wonder what they are....

'''Tides of Fate'''

Started : n/a

The tides have stopped rising with the lunar cycles. As a result, the world's currents, fisheries and shoreline ecosystems have been gravely affected. This shouldn't even be physically possible!

Progress: n/a

=== Illumination Quests ===

'''Twinkle, Little Star'''

Started : 15th November 2011

As the world darkens, the light of the stars fade. Elune, little noble of stars, your sister, lies sick, alone in her high observatory, forgotten by the rest of the world. Now the weakening of the stars has started to affect the domain of Light too. Something must be done before yet another member of the Family succumbs to the war of attrition upon the Enlightened.

Progress:

1) Lyna, Emil and Alicia visited Elune in her observatory and found her ill.

2) They discovered that her observatory was severely corrupted by some malignant corruption that was trying to break into the chancel.

3) They sealed off the intrusion into the chancel but destroyed the observatory in the process. They managed to prevent the observatory from crashing catastrophically into the chancel.

4) They've brought the sick Elune to the Sapphire Palace and acquired the help of Regine to treat her.

5) Regine has asked the team to seek out the Noble of Shadows or anyone from the Familia of Shadows for a certain flower that only grows in Locus Shadows.

'''Who moved my Christmas?!'''

Christmas, the biggest celebration of lights and joy, isn't happening this year! This is unprecedented serious affair!

Started : 8th November 2011

Progress :

1) Alicia has asked the magical girls, knights, and others who've passed in and out of the chancel, for any information they might know about this. She's learned that it's a rather complex issue. It might be the economy, it might be the declining family values, could be anything.

'''When you peer into the Abyss...'''

Started : n/a

And the Creator said, 'Let there be Light', and there was light, and he saw that it was good. And He separated the dark from the light. Thus was the First Day.

It wasn't quite that simple.

When the light came to be, the dark too came to be as a result, and neither could tolerate the other. Thus the First War of Light and Dark began, pure and simple, with no preamble or prelude. They fought for Shepherdess-knows-how-long. Finally, the formation of the Covenant of the First Day, an agreement between the Light and the Dark to respect the other's estate, ended the war. How it came to be, however, is still a hotly debated topic. Some say the Dark won. Some say the Light won. Some say it was a draw. Some say there were other reasons. Who really knows?

An anniversary of the Covenant of the First Day is celebrated yearly now to uphold the ideals of peace and cooperation between Light and Dark. This year, it's Alicia's turn to host the festival. What could go wrong?

Progress : n/a

=== Magic Quests ===

'''Dude, Where's My Ship?!'''

Started : 8th Novemeber 2011

Following the disappearance of a wildcat Lignite mining crew in the Aescilian Mountains of Erebea, a pair of magical girls were dispatched on what was supposed to be a simple search-and-rescue mission. They report finding what looks like a ship and wisely request further assistance. The archaeological division arrived hours later, sealed the region, before preparing for further studies. They could not identify the ship's make or origins from the exterior, so they decide to enter through an entrance they found on the side. Contact with the entire squad was lost 6 hours into the mission, with the last transmission being 'Found someth-....So....beautiful....'. A second rescue mission was mounted, this time with a full STRIKER magical girl squadron. They found a deserted camp site and the open ship. They enter. Contact was lost 1.5 hours into the mission, with the last transmission being '...reached the last known location. Now....I-..I can't believe it....mission control...I can't begin to describe this....this is...so...so beau-.....'.

Progress:

1) Lyna has developed a new remote-viewing spell to peer into the site from a distance. Unfortunately, the first few attempts failed as she can't seem to view anything beyond the foot of the mountains.

'''My Struggle, My suffering, My Legacy'''

Started: n/a

The smoke of witch burning pyres rise high up into the skies above the magical realm of Erebea. The once all-powerful mages now run and hide before the onslaught of the Reinzhuthen, an order of genocidal purists who are in pursuit of the all-powerful dark mage, the dark lord Daran Reganz. The Reinzhuthen have taken up an all-or-nothing approach towards hunting Daran Reganz – wiping out every last mage on Neven. After successfully gathering the support of the people against the seemingly incompetent mage-led government and subsequently overthrowing them, the Reinzhuthen declared a world-wide ban of magical practices, declaring any practitioner an agent of Daran Reganz and an enemy of the state. In their crusade against magic, they've begun declaring the absolutism of their cause and the need for all nations of the world to unite under their banner to eliminate the magic scourge. To this end, they have begun invading and conquering any nation who refuses to join their Empire.

Progress: n/a

=== Intelligence Quests ===

'''So Long and Thanks for All the Fish'''

Dolphins are becoming quite popular...as food! The coastal town of Taiji, Japan, the largest operator of dolphin drive hunting in the world, is undertaking a massive campaign to popularize the consumption of dolphin meat following the opening of its Great Taiji Dolphin Slaughterhouse. They are marketing it as a health food that greatly boosts brain development and intelligence, particularly in children. Interestingly, they managed to show that the IQs of children raised in Taiji and the nearby village of Koazagawa, wherein the staple food is dolphin and whale meat, are significantly higher than not only the national average but also the international average, almost miraculously so. Quite a problem for the local dolphins, some of whom are Mana's own friends.

Incidentally, the global pandemic of the strange sleeping illness has a relatively high incidence in Japan, particularly in Taiji.

Started: n/a

Progress: n/a

== Completed Quests ==

= Correspondence =

== Family Correspondence ==

'Good morning, Masters and Mistresses. I hope the noise didn't keep you up last night. The Alchemists discovered a new flower known quite amusingly as the 'Boom Lily'. Thankfully they grew quieter as the night went by. Anyhow, here's today's selection of the world's headlines.' - Mira -

• Presidents of Chechnya, Bosnia and Ukraine die in mysterious circumstances.

• American invasion of Iran is meeting heavy resistance. The Iranians now threaten to unleash their nuclear arsenal if America does not cease and desist.

• A new illness is spreading. Cause unknown.

== Illumination's Correspondence==

'Young Miss, please do take some times to reads some of these, 'kay? Lymle's actually done her bests to sort them outs, 'kay!' - Lymle -

- You've been cordially invited to attend the Divali celebrations in India. - Various Nobles -

== Chivalry's Correspondence ==

'Aye, my liege, thou hath an abundant harvest of letters. Thy loyal steed hast made do with the more...delicious trivialties. *BURP*' - Sieghart -

== Determinism's Correspondence ==

'Hey, old man, check it out, you've got mail. Should I fetch your specs? Or maybe a magnifying glass? Or maybe my winding screw? All that sorting's wound down my springs...' - Leonie -

== Magic's Correspondence ==

'Young Mistress, it's time to read your correspondence for the day. Please sit down here. Yes, here. Now, back straight like a washboard, eyes forward like a dead fish, and elbows akimbo like a ballerina...yes, excellent, young mistress. Now, I present you my personal selection of today's letters.' - Flowerchild -

== Intelligence's Correspondence ==

Nobilis Enlightened

2011-03-12T02:41:49Z

Mind-The-Gap: /* Intelligence Quests */

[[Category:Nobilis]]

= Imperator - The Shepherdess of Light =

1. ‘Omneaum(a) became aware. In its awareness, it found loneliness. It saw potential, good, an impossibility.

2. Omneaum gave way to potential, and made the impossible possible. It was, things became.

3. Enlightenment arose, and so did I, Whole, Complete, bearing the Gifts of Aether (b), Light, Vaveram (c), Maricarum (d), Endeon (e), and Causality.

4. Omneaum’s legacy I shall honour and hold safe, now and forever, till the hour I too stand alone between Impossibility and Despair.’

- The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light, Imperator of Enlightenment -

(a) Omneaum: The Original Absolute Void

(b) Aether: Estate of 'Absolute Potential', the 'Impossible made Possible', the very basic element of creation from which all matter and life flowed. It was said to have been more abundant in space. (Now excruciated, succeeded in part by the estate of 'Magic')

(c)Vaveram: Estate of Spontaneous Sentience and Awareness (Now Excruciated. Never replaced.)

(d) Maricarum: Estate of Great Miracles through Personal Sacrifice (Now excruciated, succeeded by the estate of 'Magic' and 'Sacrifice')

(e)Endeon: Estate of the 'Lone Wolf Phenomenon', wherein those fighting against overwhelming odds are always guaranteed victory. Better known in our time as the 'Storm Trooper effect'. (Now excruciated)

Having predated the Imperators of 'Name', the Shepherdess is nameless and formless. Those who are fortunate enough to know her identify her as 'The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light', or, simply, 'The Shepherdess'. Having come into being before the birth of the concept of 'form' or even 'matter' and 'physical law', she is without form in the physical universe. She used to communicate with her agents in the physical universe through pulses of light and ripples in a fountain of light. Needless to say, a lot of liberty had been taken in deciphering her wishes. Recently, however, the Chief Engineer of the Sanctum, Orphus, has devised an ingenious megastructure, the Deus Ex Machina, a gigantic clockwork device that allows the Shepherdess to see into the physical realm and engage with it using a gigantic, rather clumsy steel claw and communicate using a ticker-tape telegram machine.

(Interestingly, having also preceded the Imperator of Gender, she is, or, at least, was, in essence, genderless. However, around 300 B.C. she became a part of debate amongst philosophers as an example of a being who must be 'of the default gender'. For some reason it was decided that the default gender was female, and so the Shepherdess has since been considered to be of the female persuasion. Not that she really cares. It is suspected that the Noble of Women had something to do with this, but that's a tale for another time.)

Prophesized successor of Ananda and future Shepherdess of the Fifth Age, the Glorious One has purposely been denied a seat on the Council of Four, for her ways are that of the ‘Enlightened’, incompatible with the ways of the other council-members. She earns Lord Entropy and Ananda’s tolerance for her existence only through her service in the Valde Bellum and her Light’s importance in maintaining the Weirding Wall, a task that consumes almost the entirety of her attention and being (much to Lord Entropy’s and Ananda’s satisfaction).

The Heavens despise her, for an Angel of Creation she is not, and yet she brought forth the first Light that made everything that was Beautiful possible. Only the fact that her Light is necessary for beauty and this fact alone earns her the toleration of Heaven. The Wild would have nothing to do with her, for there is no freedom in sacrifice.The Hells, the Darkness and the Light all loath her, for not only is she the voice of wisdom that transcends not just the Corruption that the Hells endeavour towards, but she is also the voice that moves all beings towards becoming more than the matter they are made from, transcending what they are, pushing them ever onwards towards a greater purpose not only in life but also in death. Those who follow her code wish for naught else but the glory of dying for a greater good.

It is unclear what her true nature or form is. Nobody seems to remember when she came to be, or how for that matter. Some suspect she is one of the Heavenly legion, an Angel, but not only do the Heavens and its angelic denizens despise her at the best of times, her ways are most definitely not that of Heaven. Some surmise that she is a fallen Angel, but the cause of Hell she does not serve. It is highly possible that she is a True God, but all of creation knows they did not appear until long after the Angels had begun the Great Work. Recently, when passings of the Transcendants were properly documented in AP 4732, it was surmised that she is perhaps a Transcendant who somehow chose to settle upon the World Ash, perhaps one of the Charitable. Said document is Creation's closest description of the Shepherdess' nature, her gifts being her Estates and her Law.

=='''Vow of the Enlightened'''==

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this.

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this. - One thing leads to another. And at the end of all things is an ‘end’.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this. - Every good act must be good of purpose and good of result. This clause seems to fail to (most probably purposely) mention anything regarding the means. Taking the most liberal interpretation, a ‘Noble deed’ can have means as lacking in morals as a psychotic mass murderer, and yet still be considered ‘Noble’ in the eyes of the ‘Enlightened’. What matters is the cause, the intention and the ends. Everything in between matters naught.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this. - The ultimate sacrifice can conquer anything, even the impossible. This is the one true ‘Miracle’, Magic at its purest, one that allows the Enlightened to surpass his/her own end and achieve greatness through sacrifice. The Shepherdess safeguards the cause of all who sacrifice themselves for a greater purpose, guaranteeing them the miraculous magic of success.

==Details==

'''Estates''': Light, Determinism, Magic, Chivalry, Intelligence, Honour, Loyalty, Courage, Hope, Justice, Karma, Logic, Alchemy, Sacrifice, Curiosity, Sun, Moon, Stars

'''Excruciated Estates''': Aether, Vaveram, Maricarum, Endeon, Astelumina

'''Dynasty Points :''' 8

'''Qualities:'''

Great Harvest (2)

Cold (-1)

Demanding (-1)

----

= The Famiglia of the Enlightened =

The Famiglia of the Enlightened ''were'' a highly respected and influential group about 4-5 centuries before, their power extending from the very birth of creation. However, in a highly unorthodox move around the 4002 A.P., the Council ordered the Shepherdess to provide additional support in the Valde Bellum proper, above and beyond her maintenance of the Weirding Wall. Seeing as the Wall already consumed most if not all her power and attention, she was forced to mobilize members of her Famiglia, something quite unprecedented. The Nobles of Maricarum, Aether and Endeon were the first to volunteer for the great undertaking, having attained near-Imperator-level powers at the time. A few centuries later, Vaveram, Astelumina, Chivalry, Courage and Alchemy too joined their brother and sisters in the direct defense of creation. They held the line for a good few centuries, seeing a slow but definite turnover in nobles. That was until, for reasons still unknown, Maricarum, Aether, Endeon, Vaveram and Astelumina were excruciated one by one. The last to fall were Endeon and Astelumina in 4895 AP, at the same time 500 years of Human History was erased.

With no time to mourn, the Famiglia of the Enlightened were forced to mobilize more members of their famiglia to the front lines. The following few years saw more of their Nobles killed, though thankfully not excruciated.

Now with few remaining senior members, the famiglia struggles to stay on its feet with the large influx of new family members. Will they be able to live up to their predecessors? Will they be able to return the family to its former glory and take it to new heights? Or will this be the end of the Enlightened? That is up to the new Famiglia.

== PC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Foreguard of the Enlightened''

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Alicia_Valka '''Alicia - Principissa of Illumination''']

The 21st Principissa Of Illumination.

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Emil '''Emil - Power of Determinism''']

The 13th Power of Determinism

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Charles_Earl_Of_Huntington'''Charles - Lord of Chivalry''']

The 77th Lord of Chivalry

'''Lyna - Regina of Magic'''

The 66th Regina of Magic

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Mana_Kishimura '''Mana - Exemplar of Intelligence (And Dolphins)''']

The 17th Noble of Intelligence and 2nd Noble of Dolphins.

== NPC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Vanguard of the Enlightened''

'''Regine - Inquesta of Loyalty'''

'''Jessie - Tempesta of Courage (Sort of veering towards Impetuous Juvenile Recklessness)'''

'''Illumina - AllMother of Alchemy'''

Novice Alchemist extraordinaire and (rather unwilling) Commander of the Alchemist Flameheart Squad, Illumina is yet another recent addition to the Famiglia. She's currently worried about the sorry state of her estate (mostly usurped by Chemistry and now reduced to nothing more than a fantasy fiction gimmick) and a missing prominent Alchemist amongst other things....but mainly by the prospect of responsibility in general.

She is widely known, even outside Alchemist circles, as 'Big Bang Lum'.

'''Elune - Principissa of the Stars'''

While relatively senior in the Famiglia of the Enlightened (by simple virtue of everyone else being very recent additions), that's as far as her seniority goes. In every other respect, she is mostly helpless, though the more understanding dismiss this as a reflection of her estate - stars aren't known to be do much other than be pretty, especially lately with modern technology supplanting the need for stellar navigation or calendar-keeping. It used to be so much different when her sister, the Noble of Astelumina, the power of stellar influence upon the workings of the universe and lives on earth, was still around. Now as the stars fade and people forget the stars, Elune lies ill, slowly fading herself.

''The Diplomatic Corp (Intelligence) of the Enlightened''

'''Rang Fan - Excelifficer of Logic'''

Born a humble villager in a Tibetan highland settlement, Rang Fan grew up completely illiterate. She was, however, a keen observer and deep thinker. She developed her own concise and strict principles of logic, one that often found fault in the traditionalist views of the people she lived amongst. Some saw her as a source of wisdom, some saw her as a demon-possessed child.

She became the favourite anchor of the previous Noble of Logic for a while. During this time, her mastery of logic developed brilliantly. Unfortunately, she came afoul of a Chinese official when she publicly defeated him in a debate regarding the accusation of rebellion on the part of the village.

'''Geronimo - High Chief of Sacrifice'''

'''Han Gua - Exarch of Honour'''

'''Jimmy - Arch-Provost of Curiosity'''

''The Unassigned of the Enlightened''

'''Justice(?) - Empress of Justice'''

Not much is known about Justice, the 1st Noble of Justice. She is the eldest of the current Famiglia, though in the time of the original Famiglia, she was the youngest. She is the last surviving member of the original Famiglia of the Enlightened. It is rumoured that she was an Angel before she joined the Enlightened, though whether or not this is true is unknown. Her real name is unknown. Nobody has seen her in a long, long while. The only members of the current famiglia who have seen her are Han Gua and Elune.

Currently absent. Whereabouts unknown.

'''Vie - Noble of Hope'''

A rather mysterious member of the famiglia, she wonders in and out of the chancel rather randomly. Nobody seems to remember when she joined the Family. In fact, some are surprised to hear that there IS a noble of Hope in the Family. She doesn't seem to have a permanent home in the chancel. She's known (at least to those few who know her) to wander about, never staying in one place for long. She is apparently summonable, but rumours have it that she's apparently rather useless.

There are strange rumours that she follows the code of the Dark, or even Hell. Why would Hope do that?

'''Thomas Eire - Keeper of Karma'''

'''Kaguya - Himegami of the Moon'''

Tsukishiro no Kaguya-hime is perhaps the second eldest of the Famiglia, though she takes great care not to let anyone know that. She is the second Noble of the Moon. There are rumours that she was behind the Apollo 13 failure. When asked about it, she would give you a disdainful look and walk away. Then again, she'd do that no matter what you tried to bring up with her.

Currently very, very vain.

'''Kimo - the Emperor of the Sun'''

= Chancel - Locus Enlightenment, Sanctum Excelestia =

[http://img248.imageshack.us/i/sanctumexcelestia.jpg HG's Impression 1]

'''Qualities'''

Megalomaniac King/Queen (-4)

Normal Magic (3)

Alchemy (1)

2 Banes (-1)

Convenient Gates (2)

Anchorable Magical residents (4)

==Government==

The Sanctum is under the absolute Executive rule of the Emperor who answers only to the Shepherdess. Judicial Rule is under the Absolute Court headed by the Shepherdess and the Supreme Court headed by the Noble of Justice and her Circle of Justiciaries. Legislative and administrative rule is divided amongst the 4 major domains under the 4 queens:

'''Alicia - High Queen of the Diamond Tower.'''

Technically, having inherited the title of 'High Queen' from her predecessor, Alicia commands the Council of Four Queens and the Round Table of Dominums. However, as she has only recently joined the Famiglia, responsibility over the Council of Four Queens has fallen on the reluctant shoulders of Elune while the Round Table of Dominums is overseen by Han Gua.

'''Lyna - Queen of the Ruby Gardens.'''

The Ruby Gardens refers to the entirety of the Arcane Arts Academy Complex within the Outer Circle where the majority of mages of Excelestia train and live. However, to most of the citizens, the 'Ruby Gardens' itself refers to the seat of government, the Ruby Palace, a magnificent rose-shaped palace of crystal grown from the very essence of the Chancel itself in the middle of the Ruby Gardens.

'''Elune - Queen of the Sapphire Sky.'''

The Sapphire Sky refers to the entirety of the sky in between the floating structures of the Sanctum. While Elune governs no real land, she controls all traffic in the airspace around the Sanctum. Her official seat of government is the Sapphire Palace, a beautiful crystalline Sapphire star floating high up within the Inner Circle, though she is rarely ever there. She usually lives in her observatory on a lonely island high above the Sanctum.

'''Jessie - Queen of the Emerald Fields.'''

The Emerald Fields refer to most of the land floating in the Ciellan Expanse, the sky beyond the Outer Wall. The Emerald Fields house a good portion of the Sanctum's agricultural and mining settlements. Her seat of government is the Emerald Palace, a beautiful viridian structure of moss-covered wood and succulent, fresh folliage that grow and thrive all year round, coiled around a giant magnificent Emerald of a green deeper than the land that surrounds it.

== Homes and Households ==

'''The Diamond Palace - ?????'''

Home of Alicia.

Personal Assistant : Lymle

'''The Ruby Palace - ????'''

Home of Lyna.

Personal Assistant : Flowerchild

'''The Garnet Fortress - ????'''

Home of Charles.

Personal Assistant : Sieghart

'''The Quartz Workshop - ????'''

Personal Assistant : Leonie

Home of Emil.

== Other Noteworthy Locations ==

'''The Amethyst Shores'''

Governed officially by Illumina, provisionally by the Arch-Artificer of the Great Guild of Alchemists. The Amethyst Shores are a group of closely-packed islands within the Outer Circle where the majority of the Alchemists of Excelestia live. While alchemists can be found just about anywhere, the Amethysts Shores are really the only place where they can make things explode to their hearts content without causing tempers to explode all around them. Alchemists can also be found en masse at the Ruby Gardens.

'''The Garnet Fortress'''

Governed mainly by Charles, the Garnet Fortress encompasses the Inner and Outer Walls of the Sanctum and the bastion of the Knights.

'''The Beryl Earth'''

Governed mainly by Regine, the

'''The Quartz Workshop'''

A watch-mender's workshop somewhere within the Diamond Tower, Emil's home and favourite haunt.

==Security==

The city has a number of defense corps organized to different degrees by a number of Nobles.

'''The Chivalrous Gentlemanly TownWatch'''

'''The Magical Avengers of Love and Peace, Magical Taskforce Ruby Gardenia'''

Organized by the 5th Noble of Magic, a rather...odd Master of Magic who believed that wearing frilly clothing is a form of sacrifice to society and preached that magical power is exponentially proportional to the frilliness of one's clothing. Now maintained by the 7th Noble of Magic, Lyna, who keeps up most of the traditions of the 5th.

'''The Upholders of Equivalent Exchange, the Eternally Passionate Flameheart Alchemists (EPFA)'''

Organized by the previous Noble of Alchemy, a rather fluffy and passionate Lady Alchemist, and maintained by the recently appointed Noble, Illumina, the EPFA are at best socially-involved nerds, at worst really, really messy vigilantes (unfortunately, more often the latter). They mainly keep the domain of the Alchemists, the Amethyst Shores, as well as their portion of the Ruby Gardens, safe...for a given value of 'safe'.

'''The Infallibly Just Circle of Justiciers'''

'''The Eternally Loyal Shieldmaidens of [Insert Place Name Here]'''

Organized by the current Noble of Loyalty,

'''The Ever-Watchful Lantern Kindlers and Lamp Bearers of the Stars'''

'''The Righteous Karmic-Retributioneer Monks of Karma'''

'''The LoreKeepers and Agents of Literary Vengeance, the Combat Librarians'''

== Groups ==

Besides the defense forces of the Chancel, the Sanctum also harbours a number of groups.

'''The Enclave of Emerald Alchemists'''
Also known as the 'Emerald Artisans', this society of Alchemists was founded by the 7th Noble of Light, TanetNephthys, and the 1st Noble of Alchemy, Armagustine Trimegistus, after the passing of the third Noble of Maricarum, Hermes Trimegistus, founder of the Emerald Arts.

In a major nettle rite wrought by the 2nd Noble of Botany, Ephistopheles, against the Noble of Alchemy, in a daring move to split the art into two major paths forever, the Enclave was splintered in two - The Cleave fo Botanists and the Enclave of Emerald Artisans. The Botanists left the Sanctum, carrying with them the entirety of botanic knowledge. The Alchemists, however, managed to keep the Principa Alchimia safe and prevented the botanists from acquiring an absolute monopoly over the Emerald Arts. The two now jealously guard their arts, for if one were to acquire the arts of the other, they would become unstoppable.

The botanists are known to pass through the Chancel to deal with the Emerald Artisans.

== Laws ==

The Chancel operates on general principles of Justice commonly found in any other society where concepts of Law and Justice exist. It has a few notable exceptions such as:

- Any deed with noble ends are exempt from law's scrutiny upon its means. This means even the most foul of deeds is considered lawfully just as long as its ends are noble. It comes with a very, very important caveat - the good of the outcome must far exceed the evil committed. This is particularly difficult to achieve with murder, as murder, the theft of the sanctity of one's life, is the basest, most evil of crimes that even the earth itself abhors.

-

N.B. The Chancel operates on the Code Napoleon, that the suspect is guilty until proven otherwise, as Lady Justice willed it to be in the prosaic realm.

== Notable Individuals ==

'''Orphus Denilzante'''
Chief Magitech Engineer of the Sanctum and designer of the Deus Ex Machina.

'''Reno Orfayne'''
Owner of Reno's Empirio, the one-stop fashion designer for Nobles, known to be second only to his Master, Enzel Haulor of 7th Avenue and 91st Street NY.

'''Sammy Westine'''
Proprietor and Chief Engineer of Westine Airships, Sammy is the young brilliant mind behind this generation's latest magitech airships. Having mastered Alchemy, Magic and Magitech at a young age, she went on to implement her excellent knowledge in airship design and construction. Her airships are used not just within the Sanctum but all over Creation. While she does produce combat-ready airships, she only produces them as personal favours for Nobles she trusts. These make proud flagships in any war fleet. It is rumoured that she is working with Aeril Jotunstrom, Noble of Ships, from Locus Atlantis, on warships capable of sailing the world beyond creation and taking part directly on the frontlines of the Valde Bellum.

'''Victor'''

= Mythic Realm =

== Chancels Known ==
''From the Primer on Loci Celatum, by Holly Djurisic''
What follows are descriptions of chancels considered widely known and to be no secret to those versed in the ways of the Mythic. Everyone knows them as a matter of common sense.

'''Locus Amarant'''

The Great Market, the Gardens of Lady Profit, Amarant is perhaps one of the few chancels that has no doors, and, even if it did, they would be wide open to welcome one and all. After all, even your worst enemy is a potential customer. Any invader would quickly find themselves besieged by peddlers of weaponry, trust and treachery, even the very spoils they are after. Everything the discerning Noble might need is available here...for the right price. The preferred currency are fleurs, but the locals have been known to trade with other things such as miracles and pacts. Some nobles come here not just to buy but also to sell. If you want or need it, Locus Amarant will sell it, or if not, then at least it will sell you the expertise of someone who CAN get it. Needless to say, the cammorae are all over Amarant.

It is well-known that even Excrucians frequent Amarant, and they know full well never to destroy Amarant....at least not until their victory is assured, for Amarant will be more than happy to sell them the means to that victory, or maybe even that victory itself....for the right price. Why destroy something so blatantly useful?

Chancel of Lady Profit, Immiae Arathy, and the Nobles of Trade, Currency, Negotiation, Supermarket Loyalty Cards, and Cookies. Yes, Cookies.

= Prosaic Realm =

== Earth ==

=== Noteworthy Individuals===

== Erebea ==

A once beautiful world, a geographic wonder of continents hanging high up in the pristine skies, flooded with raw magic reminiscent of Earth about a millennium ago. Sanctum Excelestia was once the capital of this world, until it disappeared a few millennia ago.

== Lost Universe AD 2511 ==

The Lost Universe, now a Valde Bellum warfront. In 2400 AD, an age of galactic expansion and an Aetheric golden age for human advancement, a treacherous Imperator managed to sabotage the Shepherdess' hold on the Weirding Wall, leaving gaping holes in the defense of Creation. In the ensuing chaos, the Imperators and their nobles turned their attention to the Excrucian host gathering beyond the gap. Little did they know that they had fallen prey to a deceiver ruse. At the same time, the Excrucians were readying a pincer attack, with their mimics and strategists having established a foothold on Earth's universe. The Enlightened, at the time under great scrutiny due to the Shepherdess' apparent failure at maintaining the Weirding Wall, discovered the Excrucian plans and attempted to alert the Ymmerae. However, the Deceivers held the ears of the Ymmerae, and all the please of the Enlightened fell on deaf, suspicious, skeptical ears.

In a daring move, the Noble of Aether secretly used almost the entirety of his power of limitless potential to create an anomalous fold in existence, tearing 500 years of the universe apart, resetting the universe to before the Excrucian plan had even begun in 1900. He brought the new fold containing the lost 500 years and the excrucian plot up and tethered it to the gaping hole in the Weirding Wall, just in time to meet the incoming Excrucian Host. The excrucian invasion began, never once suspecting that they had walked into a pocket universe. For the Noble of Aether's apparent treachery, the Locust Court condemned him to death without a trial, dispatching the Enlightened, his own family, to prove their allegiance to the court by executing their own brother. It is said that Justice was the one to rip his shard out of his chest with her bare hands. It is said that the shard shattered. Some say Justice, in her grief and rage, shattered it herself. Some say it was Aether's final gift to the Lost Universe, and to the entirety of creation. The shard dust was dispersed and embedded itself across the entirety of the Lost Universe, enchancelling it, bestowing its beings with the blessings of Aetheric Power, immunizing them to the crippling effects of dementia animus and empowering them in their coming struggle against the Excrucian invaders. Aether was forever lost to Creation, but its shadow continues to live on within the beings of the Lost Universe. As long as the children of Aether stand and the light of Aether burns on within them, the Lost Universe will always resist the Excrucian host.

The Lost Universe has since been sealed away outside the Weirding Wall, doomed to forever be an Excrucian battleground, until the day the Excrucians trapped within consume the Lost Universe and realize Aether's trickery.

At the precise moment Aether's sacrifice enchancelled the Lost Universe, Hammond Qarn, Imperator of the Lost Universe, came into being. Having arisen from a universe so filled with the Shepherdess' own power, Hammond naturally became a Magister of the Enlightened. Furthermore, as the chancel was created using the Shepherdess' own soul shard, a fraction of the Shepherdess' own essence makes up the chancel's foundations. Thus for all intents and purposes the Enlightened can treat the Lost Universe as their own home chancel.

Few other nobles are privy to the secret of the Lost Universe's existence. Even fewer take up the fight to defend the Lost Universe in order to delay the full-scale invasion of Creation. The Nobles of Astelumina and Endeon were the first to pick up Aether's fallen banner and lead the battle against the Excrucian host and were also the first to fall.

'Now and Forever, till the hour I too stand between Impossibility and Despair!' - Phaeron Rof Alabar Trimeniel - Emperor of Aether

=== Notable Locations ===

'''L.U. Earth AD 2511'''

In AD 2400, Astelumina and Endeon managed to rid the entire earth of deceivers, strategists and mimics, making it one of the last few human settlements still untouched by the Excrucian Scourge. The war and Aether's blessing has accelerated technology to astronomical heights in the past 111 years, bringing humanity to a point where they can overwhelm excrucian shards and at the very least annoy full excrucians, if not kill them. Earth is now the capital of the Universal Aetheric Alliance (UAA), headquarters of the Excrucian resistance. Its coordinates are guarded to the death by the Children of Aether. Those who sally forth to meet the Excrucian Host do so without carrying Earth's coordinates, knowing full well that they may never return to their beloved home.

'''L.U. Heaven’s Feel'''

The current frontier of the Lost Universe Valde Bellum, Heaven’s Feel is perhaps the most beautiful extrasolar human colony. A large T3 terraformed planet orbiting the gas giant Astelumina 3, behind a dense spherical asteroid field and a radioactive veil around the sun Astelumina, it makes a naturally fortified world. Thanks to the scattering radiation and the dense blackhole just a few megaparsecs away at the center of the galaxy, the system and planet is nigh impossible to find at the best of times, at least for marauding excrucian raiding parties. The UAA uses Astelumina’s final gift, the gift of the stars, the ability to travel on aetheric currents guided by the stars, to travel safely in and out of the system.

When excrucians do find the planet, they are immediately drawn into its orbit by the interaction of the gravity wells of Heaven’s Feel’s many moons. They have no hope of escaping to notify the host of the planet’s location before they are drawn into intense battle by the Feelians.

The planet is ravaged by repeat invasions.

=== Familia of the Lost Universe ===

More or less an extended family of the Enlightened, the Familia of the Lost Universe are the sworn guardians of Aether's legacy.

'''Hammond Qarn - Imperator of the Lost Universe'''

Despite being an offshoot of the Shepherdess' power, Hammond Qarn is quite the opposite. He looks as human as they come. In fact, very, very much so, with his thick paternal beard, his twinkling eyes and his simple, honest expression, like a stern but compassionate father. Those who have the great honour of an audience with him are overcome with an overwhelming confidence and faith in humanity's potential and prowess. His being is shrouded in the stuff of legends. They say he single-handedly piloted an Alliance Battlecruiser straight into an Excrucian battlestation and escaped alive, unscathed. They say he personally lead the desperate charge that ended the siege of Harvest 4. They say he singlehandedly held the line at Point Hope against the entire advancing Excrucian host at the battle of Forge 3. They say a lot of things about Hammond Qarn, and when you meet him, sitting like a lighthouse exuding calm and confidence amidst the storm of war, in his simple, neatly-pressed uniform gleaming with but one badge denoting his allegiance to the Alliance, you feel naught but awe - that this man is the legend in the flesh.

'''Commander John Shepard - Power of Living Legends'''

'''Excel 7 - Commander of Super Soldiers'''

was responsible for the Halo series and partly responsible for the Metal Gear series, amongst other things.

'''Iris Erran - Chief Admiral of Spacecrafts'''

'''ALMa OmNI. - Supreme Administrator of Aetheric Technology'''

An A.I. born of the pinnacle of Aetheric supercomputers,

= Quests =

== Active Quests ==

=== Imperator Quests ===

'''Overdue'''

Started : 8th November 2011

The Shepherdess has requested that the Foreguards return 3 books she's borrowed for Shepherdess-knows-how-long now, for reasons that none can fathom. These books are:

1) 'Single Parenting for Idiots', to the Imperator of Shadows

2) 'The Amazing Justice and the Lovely Yaoi Doujin', to the Noble of Women's Beards

3) 'The Witchhunter's Codex' to a certain alchemist in Erebea.

She has asked you all to return them, ASAP.

Progress:

1) The Family has acquired the 3 books from the Principarium.

2) 1 week has passed since.

'''?????'''

Started : ?????

??????

Progress: n/a

=== Chancel Quests ===

=== Chivalry Quests ===

'''Rest in Peace'''

Started: n/a

One of Charles' Knights, Tristan, has just returned from Earth and has requested an urgent private audience. Wonder what it's about.

Progress: n/a

'''100,000's a Crowd!'''

Started: n/a

The Reinzuthen of Erebea have decided to dispatch a sacrifical gift of 100,000 girls from all around Erebea, mostly from all the nations they've conquered and annexed, to the old island of Altima, original home of the Nobles of Warriors, distant predecessors of Charles'. Apparently this is to welcome the prophesized return of the original Noble of Warriors and to attempt to acquire his favour with the hopes of having him assist the Reinzuthen make good their absolute conquest of Erebea. Obviously, the current delivery recipient is Charles....and this is NOT good. NOT good at all.

Progress: n/a

'''White Knight in Black Armour'''

Started: n/a

Alfred Goddard, ace attorney, E.U. Supreme Court prosecutor and prominent political figure, has sworn to cleanse Europe of all crime, especially major international crime rings. He has followed through with his oath. Half of all European prisons are full thanks to him. He is hailed as the 'White Knight', Europe's last hope. Needless to say, he's nowhere near as popular in the underworld. Many want him dead. He's currently attending the Copenhagen Treaty Talks as an expert on the Eco-crime panel. Chika, Emil's personal assassin, has helpfully let slip that she's refused a rather generous contract to assassinate Alfred Goddard during the talks. She's only one of many. Maybe you should look into this.

Progress: n/a

=== Determinism Quests ===

'''I Left My Hand in Copenhagen'''

Started : N/A

77 People have been found dead from unknown causes in Copenhagen. They were discovered missing their left hands and hanging upside down from trees.

Progress : n/a

'''Fly me to Europa'''

Started : N/A

The manned mission to Europa's missing for reasons as yet unknown.

Progress : n/a

'''Two Things Infinite'''

Started : 8th November 2011

The LHC has broken down once again after a few brief months of rather hiccupy function. This time, the cause is completely unknown. All the individual parts seem to be in working order, but the sum refuses to work. Sophia's not happy, not happy at all. She has personally requested that Emil look into this.

Progress:

1) Emil has taken a brief look around through Sophia's eyes. The LHC's spirit seems to have some blemishes....wonder what they are....

'''Tides of Fate'''

Started : n/a

The tides have stopped rising with the lunar cycles. As a result, the world's currents, fisheries and shoreline ecosystems have been gravely affected. This shouldn't even be physically possible!

Progress: n/a

=== Illumination Quests ===

'''Twinkle, Little Star'''

Started : 15th November 2011

As the world darkens, the light of the stars fade. Elune, little noble of stars, your sister, lies sick, alone in her high observatory, forgotten by the rest of the world. Now the weakening of the stars has started to affect the domain of Light too. Something must be done before yet another member of the Family succumbs to the war of attrition upon the Enlightened.

Progress:

1) Lyna, Emil and Alicia visited Elune in her observatory and found her ill.

2) They discovered that her observatory was severely corrupted by some malignant corruption that was trying to break into the chancel.

3) They sealed off the intrusion into the chancel but destroyed the observatory in the process. They managed to prevent the observatory from crashing catastrophically into the chancel.

4) They've brought the sick Elune to the Sapphire Palace and acquired the help of Regine to treat her.

'''Who moved my Christmas?!'''

Christmas, the biggest celebration of lights and joy, isn't happening this year! This is unprecedented serious affair!

Started : 8th November 2011

Progress :

1) Alicia has asked the magical girls, knights, and others who've passed in and out of the chancel, for any information they might know about this. She's learned that it's a rather complex issue. It might be the economy, it might be the declining family values, could be anything.

'''When you peer into the Abyss...'''

Started : n/a

And the Creator said, 'Let there be Light', and there was light, and he saw that it was good. And He separated the dark from the light. Thus was the First Day.

It wasn't quite that simple.

When the light came to be, the dark too came to be as a result, and neither could tolerate the other. Thus the First War of Light and Dark began, pure and simple, with no preamble or prelude. They fought for Shepherdess-knows-how-long. Finally, the formation of the Covenant of the First Day, an agreement between the Light and the Dark to respect the other's estate, ended the war. How it came to be, however, is still a hotly debated topic. Some say the Dark won. Some say the Light won. Some say it was a draw. Some say there were other reasons. Who really knows?

An anniversary of the Covenant of the First Day is celebrated yearly now to uphold the ideals of peace and cooperation between Light and Dark. This year, it's Alicia's turn to host the festival. What could go wrong?

Progress : n/a

=== Magic Quests ===

'''Dude, Where's My Ship?!'''

Started : 8th Novemeber 2011

Following the disappearance of a wildcat Lignite mining crew in the Aescilian Mountains of Erebea, a pair of magical girls were dispatched on what was supposed to be a simple search-and-rescue mission. They report finding what looks like a ship and wisely request further assistance. The archaeological division arrived hours later, sealed the region, before preparing for further studies. They could not identify the ship's make or origins from the exterior, so they decide to enter through an entrance they found on the side. Contact with the entire squad was lost 6 hours into the mission, with the last transmission being 'Found someth-....So....beautiful....'. A second rescue mission was mounted, this time with a full STRIKER magical girl squadron. They found a deserted camp site and the open ship. They enter. Contact was lost 1.5 hours into the mission, with the last transmission being '...reached the last known location. Now....I-..I can't believe it....mission control...I can't begin to describe this....this is...so...so beau-.....'.

Progress:

1) Lyna has developed a new remote-viewing spell to peer into the site from a distance. Unfortunately, the first few attempts failed as she can't seem to view anything beyond the foot of the mountains.

'''My Struggle, My suffering, My Legacy'''

Started: n/a

The smoke of witch burning pyres rise high up into the skies above the magical realm of Erebea. The once all-powerful mages now run and hide before the onslaught of the Reinzhuthen, an order of genocidal purists who are in pursuit of the all-powerful dark mage, the dark lord Daran Reganz. The Reinzhuthen have taken up an all-or-nothing approach towards hunting Daran Reganz – wiping out every last mage on Neven. After successfully gathering the support of the people against the seemingly incompetent mage-led government and subsequently overthrowing them, the Reinzhuthen declared a world-wide ban of magical practices, declaring any practitioner an agent of Daran Reganz and an enemy of the state. In their crusade against magic, they've begun declaring the absolutism of their cause and the need for all nations of the world to unite under their banner to eliminate the magic scourge. To this end, they have begun invading and conquering any nation who refuses to join their Empire.

Progress: n/a

=== Intelligence Quests ===

'''So Long and Thanks for All the Fish'''

Dolphins are becoming quite popular...as food! The coastal town of Taiji, Japan, the largest operator of dolphin drive hunting in the world, is undertaking a massive campaign to popularize the consumption of dolphin meat following the opening of its Great Taiji Dolphin Slaughterhouse. They are marketing it as a health food that greatly boosts brain development and intelligence, particularly in children. Interestingly, they managed to show that the IQs of children raised in Taiji and the nearby village of Koazagawa, wherein the staple food is dolphin and whale meat, are significantly higher than not only the national average but also the international average, almost miraculously so. Quite a problem for the local dolphins, some of whom are Mana's own friends.

Incidentally, the global pandemic of the strange sleeping illness has a relatively high incidence in Japan, particularly in Taiji.

Started: n/a

Progress: n/a

== Completed Quests ==

= Correspondence =

== Family Correspondence ==

'Good morning, Masters and Mistresses. I hope the noise didn't keep you up last night. The Alchemists discovered a new flower known quite amusingly as the 'Boom Lily'. Thankfully they grew quieter as the night went by. Anyhow, here's today's selection of the world's headlines.' - Mira -

• Presidents of Chechnya, Bosnia and Ukraine die in mysterious circumstances.

• American invasion of Iran is meeting heavy resistance. The Iranians now threaten to unleash their nuclear arsenal if America does not cease and desist.

• A new illness is spreading. Cause unknown.

== Illumination's Correspondence==

'Young Miss, please do take some times to reads some of these, 'kay? Lymle's actually done her bests to sort them outs, 'kay!' - Lymle -

- You've been cordially invited to attend the Divali celebrations in India. - Various Nobles -

== Chivalry's Correspondence ==

'Aye, my liege, thou hath an abundant harvest of letters. Thy loyal steed hast made do with the more...delicious trivialties. *BURP*' - Sieghart -

== Determinism's Correspondence ==

'Hey, old man, check it out, you've got mail. Should I fetch your specs? Or maybe a magnifying glass? Or maybe my winding screw? All that sorting's wound down my springs...' - Leonie -

== Magic's Correspondence ==

'Young Mistress, it's time to read your correspondence for the day. Please sit down here. Yes, here. Now, back straight like a washboard, eyes forward like a dead fish, and elbows akimbo like a ballerina...yes, excellent, young mistress. Now, I present you my personal selection of today's letters.' - Flowerchild -

== Intelligence's Correspondence ==

Nobilis Enlightened

2011-03-12T02:27:35Z

Mind-The-Gap: /* Magic Quests */

[[Category:Nobilis]]

= Imperator - The Shepherdess of Light =

1. ‘Omneaum(a) became aware. In its awareness, it found loneliness. It saw potential, good, an impossibility.

2. Omneaum gave way to potential, and made the impossible possible. It was, things became.

3. Enlightenment arose, and so did I, Whole, Complete, bearing the Gifts of Aether (b), Light, Vaveram (c), Maricarum (d), Endeon (e), and Causality.

4. Omneaum’s legacy I shall honour and hold safe, now and forever, till the hour I too stand alone between Impossibility and Despair.’

- The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light, Imperator of Enlightenment -

(a) Omneaum: The Original Absolute Void

(b) Aether: Estate of 'Absolute Potential', the 'Impossible made Possible', the very basic element of creation from which all matter and life flowed. It was said to have been more abundant in space. (Now excruciated, succeeded in part by the estate of 'Magic')

(c)Vaveram: Estate of Spontaneous Sentience and Awareness (Now Excruciated. Never replaced.)

(d) Maricarum: Estate of Great Miracles through Personal Sacrifice (Now excruciated, succeeded by the estate of 'Magic' and 'Sacrifice')

(e)Endeon: Estate of the 'Lone Wolf Phenomenon', wherein those fighting against overwhelming odds are always guaranteed victory. Better known in our time as the 'Storm Trooper effect'. (Now excruciated)

Having predated the Imperators of 'Name', the Shepherdess is nameless and formless. Those who are fortunate enough to know her identify her as 'The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light', or, simply, 'The Shepherdess'. Having come into being before the birth of the concept of 'form' or even 'matter' and 'physical law', she is without form in the physical universe. She used to communicate with her agents in the physical universe through pulses of light and ripples in a fountain of light. Needless to say, a lot of liberty had been taken in deciphering her wishes. Recently, however, the Chief Engineer of the Sanctum, Orphus, has devised an ingenious megastructure, the Deus Ex Machina, a gigantic clockwork device that allows the Shepherdess to see into the physical realm and engage with it using a gigantic, rather clumsy steel claw and communicate using a ticker-tape telegram machine.

(Interestingly, having also preceded the Imperator of Gender, she is, or, at least, was, in essence, genderless. However, around 300 B.C. she became a part of debate amongst philosophers as an example of a being who must be 'of the default gender'. For some reason it was decided that the default gender was female, and so the Shepherdess has since been considered to be of the female persuasion. Not that she really cares. It is suspected that the Noble of Women had something to do with this, but that's a tale for another time.)

Prophesized successor of Ananda and future Shepherdess of the Fifth Age, the Glorious One has purposely been denied a seat on the Council of Four, for her ways are that of the ‘Enlightened’, incompatible with the ways of the other council-members. She earns Lord Entropy and Ananda’s tolerance for her existence only through her service in the Valde Bellum and her Light’s importance in maintaining the Weirding Wall, a task that consumes almost the entirety of her attention and being (much to Lord Entropy’s and Ananda’s satisfaction).

The Heavens despise her, for an Angel of Creation she is not, and yet she brought forth the first Light that made everything that was Beautiful possible. Only the fact that her Light is necessary for beauty and this fact alone earns her the toleration of Heaven. The Wild would have nothing to do with her, for there is no freedom in sacrifice.The Hells, the Darkness and the Light all loath her, for not only is she the voice of wisdom that transcends not just the Corruption that the Hells endeavour towards, but she is also the voice that moves all beings towards becoming more than the matter they are made from, transcending what they are, pushing them ever onwards towards a greater purpose not only in life but also in death. Those who follow her code wish for naught else but the glory of dying for a greater good.

It is unclear what her true nature or form is. Nobody seems to remember when she came to be, or how for that matter. Some suspect she is one of the Heavenly legion, an Angel, but not only do the Heavens and its angelic denizens despise her at the best of times, her ways are most definitely not that of Heaven. Some surmise that she is a fallen Angel, but the cause of Hell she does not serve. It is highly possible that she is a True God, but all of creation knows they did not appear until long after the Angels had begun the Great Work. Recently, when passings of the Transcendants were properly documented in AP 4732, it was surmised that she is perhaps a Transcendant who somehow chose to settle upon the World Ash, perhaps one of the Charitable. Said document is Creation's closest description of the Shepherdess' nature, her gifts being her Estates and her Law.

=='''Vow of the Enlightened'''==

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this.

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this. - One thing leads to another. And at the end of all things is an ‘end’.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this. - Every good act must be good of purpose and good of result. This clause seems to fail to (most probably purposely) mention anything regarding the means. Taking the most liberal interpretation, a ‘Noble deed’ can have means as lacking in morals as a psychotic mass murderer, and yet still be considered ‘Noble’ in the eyes of the ‘Enlightened’. What matters is the cause, the intention and the ends. Everything in between matters naught.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this. - The ultimate sacrifice can conquer anything, even the impossible. This is the one true ‘Miracle’, Magic at its purest, one that allows the Enlightened to surpass his/her own end and achieve greatness through sacrifice. The Shepherdess safeguards the cause of all who sacrifice themselves for a greater purpose, guaranteeing them the miraculous magic of success.

==Details==

'''Estates''': Light, Determinism, Magic, Chivalry, Intelligence, Honour, Loyalty, Courage, Hope, Justice, Karma, Logic, Alchemy, Sacrifice, Curiosity, Sun, Moon, Stars

'''Excruciated Estates''': Aether, Vaveram, Maricarum, Endeon, Astelumina

'''Dynasty Points :''' 8

'''Qualities:'''

Great Harvest (2)

Cold (-1)

Demanding (-1)

----

= The Famiglia of the Enlightened =

The Famiglia of the Enlightened ''were'' a highly respected and influential group about 4-5 centuries before, their power extending from the very birth of creation. However, in a highly unorthodox move around the 4002 A.P., the Council ordered the Shepherdess to provide additional support in the Valde Bellum proper, above and beyond her maintenance of the Weirding Wall. Seeing as the Wall already consumed most if not all her power and attention, she was forced to mobilize members of her Famiglia, something quite unprecedented. The Nobles of Maricarum, Aether and Endeon were the first to volunteer for the great undertaking, having attained near-Imperator-level powers at the time. A few centuries later, Vaveram, Astelumina, Chivalry, Courage and Alchemy too joined their brother and sisters in the direct defense of creation. They held the line for a good few centuries, seeing a slow but definite turnover in nobles. That was until, for reasons still unknown, Maricarum, Aether, Endeon, Vaveram and Astelumina were excruciated one by one. The last to fall were Endeon and Astelumina in 4895 AP, at the same time 500 years of Human History was erased.

With no time to mourn, the Famiglia of the Enlightened were forced to mobilize more members of their famiglia to the front lines. The following few years saw more of their Nobles killed, though thankfully not excruciated.

Now with few remaining senior members, the famiglia struggles to stay on its feet with the large influx of new family members. Will they be able to live up to their predecessors? Will they be able to return the family to its former glory and take it to new heights? Or will this be the end of the Enlightened? That is up to the new Famiglia.

== PC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Foreguard of the Enlightened''

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Alicia_Valka '''Alicia - Principissa of Illumination''']

The 21st Principissa Of Illumination.

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Emil '''Emil - Power of Determinism''']

The 13th Power of Determinism

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Charles_Earl_Of_Huntington'''Charles - Lord of Chivalry''']

The 77th Lord of Chivalry

'''Lyna - Regina of Magic'''

The 66th Regina of Magic

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Mana_Kishimura '''Mana - Exemplar of Intelligence (And Dolphins)''']

The 17th Noble of Intelligence and 2nd Noble of Dolphins.

== NPC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Vanguard of the Enlightened''

'''Regine - Inquesta of Loyalty'''

'''Jessie - Tempesta of Courage (Sort of veering towards Impetuous Juvenile Recklessness)'''

'''Illumina - AllMother of Alchemy'''

Novice Alchemist extraordinaire and (rather unwilling) Commander of the Alchemist Flameheart Squad, Illumina is yet another recent addition to the Famiglia. She's currently worried about the sorry state of her estate (mostly usurped by Chemistry and now reduced to nothing more than a fantasy fiction gimmick) and a missing prominent Alchemist amongst other things....but mainly by the prospect of responsibility in general.

She is widely known, even outside Alchemist circles, as 'Big Bang Lum'.

'''Elune - Principissa of the Stars'''

While relatively senior in the Famiglia of the Enlightened (by simple virtue of everyone else being very recent additions), that's as far as her seniority goes. In every other respect, she is mostly helpless, though the more understanding dismiss this as a reflection of her estate - stars aren't known to be do much other than be pretty, especially lately with modern technology supplanting the need for stellar navigation or calendar-keeping. It used to be so much different when her sister, the Noble of Astelumina, the power of stellar influence upon the workings of the universe and lives on earth, was still around. Now as the stars fade and people forget the stars, Elune lies ill, slowly fading herself.

''The Diplomatic Corp (Intelligence) of the Enlightened''

'''Rang Fan - Excelifficer of Logic'''

Born a humble villager in a Tibetan highland settlement, Rang Fan grew up completely illiterate. She was, however, a keen observer and deep thinker. She developed her own concise and strict principles of logic, one that often found fault in the traditionalist views of the people she lived amongst. Some saw her as a source of wisdom, some saw her as a demon-possessed child.

She became the favourite anchor of the previous Noble of Logic for a while. During this time, her mastery of logic developed brilliantly. Unfortunately, she came afoul of a Chinese official when she publicly defeated him in a debate regarding the accusation of rebellion on the part of the village.

'''Geronimo - High Chief of Sacrifice'''

'''Han Gua - Exarch of Honour'''

'''Jimmy - Arch-Provost of Curiosity'''

''The Unassigned of the Enlightened''

'''Justice(?) - Empress of Justice'''

Not much is known about Justice, the 1st Noble of Justice. She is the eldest of the current Famiglia, though in the time of the original Famiglia, she was the youngest. She is the last surviving member of the original Famiglia of the Enlightened. It is rumoured that she was an Angel before she joined the Enlightened, though whether or not this is true is unknown. Her real name is unknown. Nobody has seen her in a long, long while. The only members of the current famiglia who have seen her are Han Gua and Elune.

Currently absent. Whereabouts unknown.

'''Vie - Noble of Hope'''

A rather mysterious member of the famiglia, she wonders in and out of the chancel rather randomly. Nobody seems to remember when she joined the Family. In fact, some are surprised to hear that there IS a noble of Hope in the Family. She doesn't seem to have a permanent home in the chancel. She's known (at least to those few who know her) to wander about, never staying in one place for long. She is apparently summonable, but rumours have it that she's apparently rather useless.

There are strange rumours that she follows the code of the Dark, or even Hell. Why would Hope do that?

'''Thomas Eire - Keeper of Karma'''

'''Kaguya - Himegami of the Moon'''

Tsukishiro no Kaguya-hime is perhaps the second eldest of the Famiglia, though she takes great care not to let anyone know that. She is the second Noble of the Moon. There are rumours that she was behind the Apollo 13 failure. When asked about it, she would give you a disdainful look and walk away. Then again, she'd do that no matter what you tried to bring up with her.

Currently very, very vain.

'''Kimo - the Emperor of the Sun'''

= Chancel - Locus Enlightenment, Sanctum Excelestia =

[http://img248.imageshack.us/i/sanctumexcelestia.jpg HG's Impression 1]

'''Qualities'''

Megalomaniac King/Queen (-4)

Normal Magic (3)

Alchemy (1)

2 Banes (-1)

Convenient Gates (2)

Anchorable Magical residents (4)

==Government==

The Sanctum is under the absolute Executive rule of the Emperor who answers only to the Shepherdess. Judicial Rule is under the Absolute Court headed by the Shepherdess and the Supreme Court headed by the Noble of Justice and her Circle of Justiciaries. Legislative and administrative rule is divided amongst the 4 major domains under the 4 queens:

'''Alicia - High Queen of the Diamond Tower.'''

Technically, having inherited the title of 'High Queen' from her predecessor, Alicia commands the Council of Four Queens and the Round Table of Dominums. However, as she has only recently joined the Famiglia, responsibility over the Council of Four Queens has fallen on the reluctant shoulders of Elune while the Round Table of Dominums is overseen by Han Gua.

'''Lyna - Queen of the Ruby Gardens.'''

The Ruby Gardens refers to the entirety of the Arcane Arts Academy Complex within the Outer Circle where the majority of mages of Excelestia train and live. However, to most of the citizens, the 'Ruby Gardens' itself refers to the seat of government, the Ruby Palace, a magnificent rose-shaped palace of crystal grown from the very essence of the Chancel itself in the middle of the Ruby Gardens.

'''Elune - Queen of the Sapphire Sky.'''

The Sapphire Sky refers to the entirety of the sky in between the floating structures of the Sanctum. While Elune governs no real land, she controls all traffic in the airspace around the Sanctum. Her official seat of government is the Sapphire Palace, a beautiful crystalline Sapphire star floating high up within the Inner Circle, though she is rarely ever there. She usually lives in her observatory on a lonely island high above the Sanctum.

'''Jessie - Queen of the Emerald Fields.'''

The Emerald Fields refer to most of the land floating in the Ciellan Expanse, the sky beyond the Outer Wall. The Emerald Fields house a good portion of the Sanctum's agricultural and mining settlements. Her seat of government is the Emerald Palace, a beautiful viridian structure of moss-covered wood and succulent, fresh folliage that grow and thrive all year round, coiled around a giant magnificent Emerald of a green deeper than the land that surrounds it.

== Homes and Households ==

'''The Diamond Palace - ?????'''

Home of Alicia.

Personal Assistant : Lymle

'''The Ruby Palace - ????'''

Home of Lyna.

Personal Assistant : Flowerchild

'''The Garnet Fortress - ????'''

Home of Charles.

Personal Assistant : Sieghart

'''The Quartz Workshop - ????'''

Personal Assistant : Leonie

Home of Emil.

== Other Noteworthy Locations ==

'''The Amethyst Shores'''

Governed officially by Illumina, provisionally by the Arch-Artificer of the Great Guild of Alchemists. The Amethyst Shores are a group of closely-packed islands within the Outer Circle where the majority of the Alchemists of Excelestia live. While alchemists can be found just about anywhere, the Amethysts Shores are really the only place where they can make things explode to their hearts content without causing tempers to explode all around them. Alchemists can also be found en masse at the Ruby Gardens.

'''The Garnet Fortress'''

Governed mainly by Charles, the Garnet Fortress encompasses the Inner and Outer Walls of the Sanctum and the bastion of the Knights.

'''The Beryl Earth'''

Governed mainly by Regine, the

'''The Quartz Workshop'''

A watch-mender's workshop somewhere within the Diamond Tower, Emil's home and favourite haunt.

==Security==

The city has a number of defense corps organized to different degrees by a number of Nobles.

'''The Chivalrous Gentlemanly TownWatch'''

'''The Magical Avengers of Love and Peace, Magical Taskforce Ruby Gardenia'''

Organized by the 5th Noble of Magic, a rather...odd Master of Magic who believed that wearing frilly clothing is a form of sacrifice to society and preached that magical power is exponentially proportional to the frilliness of one's clothing. Now maintained by the 7th Noble of Magic, Lyna, who keeps up most of the traditions of the 5th.

'''The Upholders of Equivalent Exchange, the Eternally Passionate Flameheart Alchemists (EPFA)'''

Organized by the previous Noble of Alchemy, a rather fluffy and passionate Lady Alchemist, and maintained by the recently appointed Noble, Illumina, the EPFA are at best socially-involved nerds, at worst really, really messy vigilantes (unfortunately, more often the latter). They mainly keep the domain of the Alchemists, the Amethyst Shores, as well as their portion of the Ruby Gardens, safe...for a given value of 'safe'.

'''The Infallibly Just Circle of Justiciers'''

'''The Eternally Loyal Shieldmaidens of [Insert Place Name Here]'''

Organized by the current Noble of Loyalty,

'''The Ever-Watchful Lantern Kindlers and Lamp Bearers of the Stars'''

'''The Righteous Karmic-Retributioneer Monks of Karma'''

'''The LoreKeepers and Agents of Literary Vengeance, the Combat Librarians'''

== Groups ==

Besides the defense forces of the Chancel, the Sanctum also harbours a number of groups.

'''The Enclave of Emerald Alchemists'''
Also known as the 'Emerald Artisans', this society of Alchemists was founded by the 7th Noble of Light, TanetNephthys, and the 1st Noble of Alchemy, Armagustine Trimegistus, after the passing of the third Noble of Maricarum, Hermes Trimegistus, founder of the Emerald Arts.

In a major nettle rite wrought by the 2nd Noble of Botany, Ephistopheles, against the Noble of Alchemy, in a daring move to split the art into two major paths forever, the Enclave was splintered in two - The Cleave fo Botanists and the Enclave of Emerald Artisans. The Botanists left the Sanctum, carrying with them the entirety of botanic knowledge. The Alchemists, however, managed to keep the Principa Alchimia safe and prevented the botanists from acquiring an absolute monopoly over the Emerald Arts. The two now jealously guard their arts, for if one were to acquire the arts of the other, they would become unstoppable.

The botanists are known to pass through the Chancel to deal with the Emerald Artisans.

== Laws ==

The Chancel operates on general principles of Justice commonly found in any other society where concepts of Law and Justice exist. It has a few notable exceptions such as:

- Any deed with noble ends are exempt from law's scrutiny upon its means. This means even the most foul of deeds is considered lawfully just as long as its ends are noble. It comes with a very, very important caveat - the good of the outcome must far exceed the evil committed. This is particularly difficult to achieve with murder, as murder, the theft of the sanctity of one's life, is the basest, most evil of crimes that even the earth itself abhors.

-

N.B. The Chancel operates on the Code Napoleon, that the suspect is guilty until proven otherwise, as Lady Justice willed it to be in the prosaic realm.

== Notable Individuals ==

'''Orphus Denilzante'''
Chief Magitech Engineer of the Sanctum and designer of the Deus Ex Machina.

'''Reno Orfayne'''
Owner of Reno's Empirio, the one-stop fashion designer for Nobles, known to be second only to his Master, Enzel Haulor of 7th Avenue and 91st Street NY.

'''Sammy Westine'''
Proprietor and Chief Engineer of Westine Airships, Sammy is the young brilliant mind behind this generation's latest magitech airships. Having mastered Alchemy, Magic and Magitech at a young age, she went on to implement her excellent knowledge in airship design and construction. Her airships are used not just within the Sanctum but all over Creation. While she does produce combat-ready airships, she only produces them as personal favours for Nobles she trusts. These make proud flagships in any war fleet. It is rumoured that she is working with Aeril Jotunstrom, Noble of Ships, from Locus Atlantis, on warships capable of sailing the world beyond creation and taking part directly on the frontlines of the Valde Bellum.

'''Victor'''

= Mythic Realm =

== Chancels Known ==
''From the Primer on Loci Celatum, by Holly Djurisic''
What follows are descriptions of chancels considered widely known and to be no secret to those versed in the ways of the Mythic. Everyone knows them as a matter of common sense.

'''Locus Amarant'''

The Great Market, the Gardens of Lady Profit, Amarant is perhaps one of the few chancels that has no doors, and, even if it did, they would be wide open to welcome one and all. After all, even your worst enemy is a potential customer. Any invader would quickly find themselves besieged by peddlers of weaponry, trust and treachery, even the very spoils they are after. Everything the discerning Noble might need is available here...for the right price. The preferred currency are fleurs, but the locals have been known to trade with other things such as miracles and pacts. Some nobles come here not just to buy but also to sell. If you want or need it, Locus Amarant will sell it, or if not, then at least it will sell you the expertise of someone who CAN get it. Needless to say, the cammorae are all over Amarant.

It is well-known that even Excrucians frequent Amarant, and they know full well never to destroy Amarant....at least not until their victory is assured, for Amarant will be more than happy to sell them the means to that victory, or maybe even that victory itself....for the right price. Why destroy something so blatantly useful?

Chancel of Lady Profit, Immiae Arathy, and the Nobles of Trade, Currency, Negotiation, Supermarket Loyalty Cards, and Cookies. Yes, Cookies.

= Prosaic Realm =

== Earth ==

=== Noteworthy Individuals===

== Erebea ==

A once beautiful world, a geographic wonder of continents hanging high up in the pristine skies, flooded with raw magic reminiscent of Earth about a millennium ago. Sanctum Excelestia was once the capital of this world, until it disappeared a few millennia ago.

== Lost Universe AD 2511 ==

The Lost Universe, now a Valde Bellum warfront. In 2400 AD, an age of galactic expansion and an Aetheric golden age for human advancement, a treacherous Imperator managed to sabotage the Shepherdess' hold on the Weirding Wall, leaving gaping holes in the defense of Creation. In the ensuing chaos, the Imperators and their nobles turned their attention to the Excrucian host gathering beyond the gap. Little did they know that they had fallen prey to a deceiver ruse. At the same time, the Excrucians were readying a pincer attack, with their mimics and strategists having established a foothold on Earth's universe. The Enlightened, at the time under great scrutiny due to the Shepherdess' apparent failure at maintaining the Weirding Wall, discovered the Excrucian plans and attempted to alert the Ymmerae. However, the Deceivers held the ears of the Ymmerae, and all the please of the Enlightened fell on deaf, suspicious, skeptical ears.

In a daring move, the Noble of Aether secretly used almost the entirety of his power of limitless potential to create an anomalous fold in existence, tearing 500 years of the universe apart, resetting the universe to before the Excrucian plan had even begun in 1900. He brought the new fold containing the lost 500 years and the excrucian plot up and tethered it to the gaping hole in the Weirding Wall, just in time to meet the incoming Excrucian Host. The excrucian invasion began, never once suspecting that they had walked into a pocket universe. For the Noble of Aether's apparent treachery, the Locust Court condemned him to death without a trial, dispatching the Enlightened, his own family, to prove their allegiance to the court by executing their own brother. It is said that Justice was the one to rip his shard out of his chest with her bare hands. It is said that the shard shattered. Some say Justice, in her grief and rage, shattered it herself. Some say it was Aether's final gift to the Lost Universe, and to the entirety of creation. The shard dust was dispersed and embedded itself across the entirety of the Lost Universe, enchancelling it, bestowing its beings with the blessings of Aetheric Power, immunizing them to the crippling effects of dementia animus and empowering them in their coming struggle against the Excrucian invaders. Aether was forever lost to Creation, but its shadow continues to live on within the beings of the Lost Universe. As long as the children of Aether stand and the light of Aether burns on within them, the Lost Universe will always resist the Excrucian host.

The Lost Universe has since been sealed away outside the Weirding Wall, doomed to forever be an Excrucian battleground, until the day the Excrucians trapped within consume the Lost Universe and realize Aether's trickery.

At the precise moment Aether's sacrifice enchancelled the Lost Universe, Hammond Qarn, Imperator of the Lost Universe, came into being. Having arisen from a universe so filled with the Shepherdess' own power, Hammond naturally became a Magister of the Enlightened. Furthermore, as the chancel was created using the Shepherdess' own soul shard, a fraction of the Shepherdess' own essence makes up the chancel's foundations. Thus for all intents and purposes the Enlightened can treat the Lost Universe as their own home chancel.

Few other nobles are privy to the secret of the Lost Universe's existence. Even fewer take up the fight to defend the Lost Universe in order to delay the full-scale invasion of Creation. The Nobles of Astelumina and Endeon were the first to pick up Aether's fallen banner and lead the battle against the Excrucian host and were also the first to fall.

'Now and Forever, till the hour I too stand between Impossibility and Despair!' - Phaeron Rof Alabar Trimeniel - Emperor of Aether

=== Notable Locations ===

'''L.U. Earth AD 2511'''

In AD 2400, Astelumina and Endeon managed to rid the entire earth of deceivers, strategists and mimics, making it one of the last few human settlements still untouched by the Excrucian Scourge. The war and Aether's blessing has accelerated technology to astronomical heights in the past 111 years, bringing humanity to a point where they can overwhelm excrucian shards and at the very least annoy full excrucians, if not kill them. Earth is now the capital of the Universal Aetheric Alliance (UAA), headquarters of the Excrucian resistance. Its coordinates are guarded to the death by the Children of Aether. Those who sally forth to meet the Excrucian Host do so without carrying Earth's coordinates, knowing full well that they may never return to their beloved home.

'''L.U. Heaven’s Feel'''

The current frontier of the Lost Universe Valde Bellum, Heaven’s Feel is perhaps the most beautiful extrasolar human colony. A large T3 terraformed planet orbiting the gas giant Astelumina 3, behind a dense spherical asteroid field and a radioactive veil around the sun Astelumina, it makes a naturally fortified world. Thanks to the scattering radiation and the dense blackhole just a few megaparsecs away at the center of the galaxy, the system and planet is nigh impossible to find at the best of times, at least for marauding excrucian raiding parties. The UAA uses Astelumina’s final gift, the gift of the stars, the ability to travel on aetheric currents guided by the stars, to travel safely in and out of the system.

When excrucians do find the planet, they are immediately drawn into its orbit by the interaction of the gravity wells of Heaven’s Feel’s many moons. They have no hope of escaping to notify the host of the planet’s location before they are drawn into intense battle by the Feelians.

The planet is ravaged by repeat invasions.

=== Familia of the Lost Universe ===

More or less an extended family of the Enlightened, the Familia of the Lost Universe are the sworn guardians of Aether's legacy.

'''Hammond Qarn - Imperator of the Lost Universe'''

Despite being an offshoot of the Shepherdess' power, Hammond Qarn is quite the opposite. He looks as human as they come. In fact, very, very much so, with his thick paternal beard, his twinkling eyes and his simple, honest expression, like a stern but compassionate father. Those who have the great honour of an audience with him are overcome with an overwhelming confidence and faith in humanity's potential and prowess. His being is shrouded in the stuff of legends. They say he single-handedly piloted an Alliance Battlecruiser straight into an Excrucian battlestation and escaped alive, unscathed. They say he personally lead the desperate charge that ended the siege of Harvest 4. They say he singlehandedly held the line at Point Hope against the entire advancing Excrucian host at the battle of Forge 3. They say a lot of things about Hammond Qarn, and when you meet him, sitting like a lighthouse exuding calm and confidence amidst the storm of war, in his simple, neatly-pressed uniform gleaming with but one badge denoting his allegiance to the Alliance, you feel naught but awe - that this man is the legend in the flesh.

'''Commander John Shepard - Power of Living Legends'''

'''Excel 7 - Commander of Super Soldiers'''

was responsible for the Halo series and partly responsible for the Metal Gear series, amongst other things.

'''Iris Erran - Chief Admiral of Spacecrafts'''

'''ALMa OmNI. - Supreme Administrator of Aetheric Technology'''

An A.I. born of the pinnacle of Aetheric supercomputers,

= Quests =

== Active Quests ==

=== Imperator Quests ===

'''Overdue'''

Started : 8th November 2011

The Shepherdess has requested that the Foreguards return 3 books she's borrowed for Shepherdess-knows-how-long now, for reasons that none can fathom. These books are:

1) 'Single Parenting for Idiots', to the Imperator of Shadows

2) 'The Amazing Justice and the Lovely Yaoi Doujin', to the Noble of Women's Beards

3) 'The Witchhunter's Codex' to a certain alchemist in Erebea.

She has asked you all to return them, ASAP.

Progress:

1) The Family has acquired the 3 books from the Principarium.

2) 1 week has passed since.

'''?????'''

Started : ?????

??????

Progress: n/a

=== Chancel Quests ===

=== Chivalry Quests ===

'''Rest in Peace'''

Started: n/a

One of Charles' Knights, Tristan, has just returned from Earth and has requested an urgent private audience. Wonder what it's about.

Progress: n/a

'''100,000's a Crowd!'''

Started: n/a

The Reinzuthen of Erebea have decided to dispatch a sacrifical gift of 100,000 girls from all around Erebea, mostly from all the nations they've conquered and annexed, to the old island of Altima, original home of the Nobles of Warriors, distant predecessors of Charles'. Apparently this is to welcome the prophesized return of the original Noble of Warriors and to attempt to acquire his favour with the hopes of having him assist the Reinzuthen make good their absolute conquest of Erebea. Obviously, the current delivery recipient is Charles....and this is NOT good. NOT good at all.

Progress: n/a

'''White Knight in Black Armour'''

Started: n/a

Alfred Goddard, ace attorney, E.U. Supreme Court prosecutor and prominent political figure, has sworn to cleanse Europe of all crime, especially major international crime rings. He has followed through with his oath. Half of all European prisons are full thanks to him. He is hailed as the 'White Knight', Europe's last hope. Needless to say, he's nowhere near as popular in the underworld. Many want him dead. He's currently attending the Copenhagen Treaty Talks as an expert on the Eco-crime panel. Chika, Emil's personal assassin, has helpfully let slip that she's refused a rather generous contract to assassinate Alfred Goddard during the talks. She's only one of many. Maybe you should look into this.

Progress: n/a

=== Determinism Quests ===

'''I Left My Hand in Copenhagen'''

Started : N/A

77 People have been found dead from unknown causes in Copenhagen. They were discovered missing their left hands and hanging upside down from trees.

Progress : n/a

'''Fly me to Europa'''

Started : N/A

The manned mission to Europa's missing for reasons as yet unknown.

Progress : n/a

'''Two Things Infinite'''

Started : 8th November 2011

The LHC has broken down once again after a few brief months of rather hiccupy function. This time, the cause is completely unknown. All the individual parts seem to be in working order, but the sum refuses to work. Sophia's not happy, not happy at all. She has personally requested that Emil look into this.

Progress:

1) Emil has taken a brief look around through Sophia's eyes. The LHC's spirit seems to have some blemishes....wonder what they are....

'''Tides of Fate'''

Started : n/a

The tides have stopped rising with the lunar cycles. As a result, the world's currents, fisheries and shoreline ecosystems have been gravely affected. This shouldn't even be physically possible!

Progress: n/a

=== Illumination Quests ===

'''Twinkle, Little Star'''

Started : 15th November 2011

As the world darkens, the light of the stars fade. Elune, little noble of stars, your sister, lies sick, alone in her high observatory, forgotten by the rest of the world. Now the weakening of the stars has started to affect the domain of Light too. Something must be done before yet another member of the Family succumbs to the war of attrition upon the Enlightened.

Progress:

1) Lyna, Emil and Alicia visited Elune in her observatory and found her ill.

2) They discovered that her observatory was severely corrupted by some malignant corruption that was trying to break into the chancel.

3) They sealed off the intrusion into the chancel but destroyed the observatory in the process. They managed to prevent the observatory from crashing catastrophically into the chancel.

4) They've brought the sick Elune to the Sapphire Palace and acquired the help of Regine to treat her.

'''Who moved my Christmas?!'''

Christmas, the biggest celebration of lights and joy, isn't happening this year! This is unprecedented serious affair!

Started : 8th November 2011

Progress :

1) Alicia has asked the magical girls, knights, and others who've passed in and out of the chancel, for any information they might know about this. She's learned that it's a rather complex issue. It might be the economy, it might be the declining family values, could be anything.

'''When you peer into the Abyss...'''

Started : n/a

And the Creator said, 'Let there be Light', and there was light, and he saw that it was good. And He separated the dark from the light. Thus was the First Day.

It wasn't quite that simple.

When the light came to be, the dark too came to be as a result, and neither could tolerate the other. Thus the First War of Light and Dark began, pure and simple, with no preamble or prelude. They fought for Shepherdess-knows-how-long. Finally, the formation of the Covenant of the First Day, an agreement between the Light and the Dark to respect the other's estate, ended the war. How it came to be, however, is still a hotly debated topic. Some say the Dark won. Some say the Light won. Some say it was a draw. Some say there were other reasons. Who really knows?

An anniversary of the Covenant of the First Day is celebrated yearly now to uphold the ideals of peace and cooperation between Light and Dark. This year, it's Alicia's turn to host the festival. What could go wrong?

Progress : n/a

=== Magic Quests ===

'''Dude, Where's My Ship?!'''

Started : 8th Novemeber 2011

Following the disappearance of a wildcat Lignite mining crew in the Aescilian Mountains of Erebea, a pair of magical girls were dispatched on what was supposed to be a simple search-and-rescue mission. They report finding what looks like a ship and wisely request further assistance. The archaeological division arrived hours later, sealed the region, before preparing for further studies. They could not identify the ship's make or origins from the exterior, so they decide to enter through an entrance they found on the side. Contact with the entire squad was lost 6 hours into the mission, with the last transmission being 'Found someth-....So....beautiful....'. A second rescue mission was mounted, this time with a full STRIKER magical girl squadron. They found a deserted camp site and the open ship. They enter. Contact was lost 1.5 hours into the mission, with the last transmission being '...reached the last known location. Now....I-..I can't believe it....mission control...I can't begin to describe this....this is...so...so beau-.....'.

Progress:

1) Lyna has developed a new remote-viewing spell to peer into the site from a distance. Unfortunately, the first few attempts failed as she can't seem to view anything beyond the foot of the mountains.

'''My Struggle, My suffering, My Legacy'''

Started: n/a

The smoke of witch burning pyres rise high up into the skies above the magical realm of Erebea. The once all-powerful mages now run and hide before the onslaught of the Reinzhuthen, an order of genocidal purists who are in pursuit of the all-powerful dark mage, the dark lord Daran Reganz. The Reinzhuthen have taken up an all-or-nothing approach towards hunting Daran Reganz – wiping out every last mage on Neven. After successfully gathering the support of the people against the seemingly incompetent mage-led government and subsequently overthrowing them, the Reinzhuthen declared a world-wide ban of magical practices, declaring any practitioner an agent of Daran Reganz and an enemy of the state. In their crusade against magic, they've begun declaring the absolutism of their cause and the need for all nations of the world to unite under their banner to eliminate the magic scourge. To this end, they have begun invading and conquering any nation who refuses to join their Empire.

Progress: n/a

=== Intelligence Quests ===

'''So Long and Thanks for All the Fish'''

Dolphins are becoming quite popular...as food! The coastal town of Taiji, Japan, the largest operator of dolphin drive hunting in the world, is undertaking a massive campaign to popularize the consumption of dolphin meat following the opening of its Great Taiji Dolphin Slaughterhouse. Quite a problem for the local dolphins, some of whom are Mana's own friends.

Incidentally, the global pandemic of the strange sleeping illness has a relatively high incidence in Japan, particularly in Taiji.

Started: n/a

Progress: n/a

== Completed Quests ==

= Correspondence =

== Family Correspondence ==

'Good morning, Masters and Mistresses. I hope the noise didn't keep you up last night. The Alchemists discovered a new flower known quite amusingly as the 'Boom Lily'. Thankfully they grew quieter as the night went by. Anyhow, here's today's selection of the world's headlines.' - Mira -

• Presidents of Chechnya, Bosnia and Ukraine die in mysterious circumstances.

• American invasion of Iran is meeting heavy resistance. The Iranians now threaten to unleash their nuclear arsenal if America does not cease and desist.

• A new illness is spreading. Cause unknown.

== Illumination's Correspondence==

'Young Miss, please do take some times to reads some of these, 'kay? Lymle's actually done her bests to sort them outs, 'kay!' - Lymle -

- You've been cordially invited to attend the Divali celebrations in India. - Various Nobles -

== Chivalry's Correspondence ==

'Aye, my liege, thou hath an abundant harvest of letters. Thy loyal steed hast made do with the more...delicious trivialties. *BURP*' - Sieghart -

== Determinism's Correspondence ==

'Hey, old man, check it out, you've got mail. Should I fetch your specs? Or maybe a magnifying glass? Or maybe my winding screw? All that sorting's wound down my springs...' - Leonie -

== Magic's Correspondence ==

'Young Mistress, it's time to read your correspondence for the day. Please sit down here. Yes, here. Now, back straight like a washboard, eyes forward like a dead fish, and elbows akimbo like a ballerina...yes, excellent, young mistress. Now, I present you my personal selection of today's letters.' - Flowerchild -

== Intelligence's Correspondence ==

Nobilis Enlightened

2011-03-12T02:20:30Z

Mind-The-Gap: /* Determinism Quests */

[[Category:Nobilis]]

= Imperator - The Shepherdess of Light =

1. ‘Omneaum(a) became aware. In its awareness, it found loneliness. It saw potential, good, an impossibility.

2. Omneaum gave way to potential, and made the impossible possible. It was, things became.

3. Enlightenment arose, and so did I, Whole, Complete, bearing the Gifts of Aether (b), Light, Vaveram (c), Maricarum (d), Endeon (e), and Causality.

4. Omneaum’s legacy I shall honour and hold safe, now and forever, till the hour I too stand alone between Impossibility and Despair.’

- The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light, Imperator of Enlightenment -

(a) Omneaum: The Original Absolute Void

(b) Aether: Estate of 'Absolute Potential', the 'Impossible made Possible', the very basic element of creation from which all matter and life flowed. It was said to have been more abundant in space. (Now excruciated, succeeded in part by the estate of 'Magic')

(c)Vaveram: Estate of Spontaneous Sentience and Awareness (Now Excruciated. Never replaced.)

(d) Maricarum: Estate of Great Miracles through Personal Sacrifice (Now excruciated, succeeded by the estate of 'Magic' and 'Sacrifice')

(e)Endeon: Estate of the 'Lone Wolf Phenomenon', wherein those fighting against overwhelming odds are always guaranteed victory. Better known in our time as the 'Storm Trooper effect'. (Now excruciated)

Having predated the Imperators of 'Name', the Shepherdess is nameless and formless. Those who are fortunate enough to know her identify her as 'The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light', or, simply, 'The Shepherdess'. Having come into being before the birth of the concept of 'form' or even 'matter' and 'physical law', she is without form in the physical universe. She used to communicate with her agents in the physical universe through pulses of light and ripples in a fountain of light. Needless to say, a lot of liberty had been taken in deciphering her wishes. Recently, however, the Chief Engineer of the Sanctum, Orphus, has devised an ingenious megastructure, the Deus Ex Machina, a gigantic clockwork device that allows the Shepherdess to see into the physical realm and engage with it using a gigantic, rather clumsy steel claw and communicate using a ticker-tape telegram machine.

(Interestingly, having also preceded the Imperator of Gender, she is, or, at least, was, in essence, genderless. However, around 300 B.C. she became a part of debate amongst philosophers as an example of a being who must be 'of the default gender'. For some reason it was decided that the default gender was female, and so the Shepherdess has since been considered to be of the female persuasion. Not that she really cares. It is suspected that the Noble of Women had something to do with this, but that's a tale for another time.)

Prophesized successor of Ananda and future Shepherdess of the Fifth Age, the Glorious One has purposely been denied a seat on the Council of Four, for her ways are that of the ‘Enlightened’, incompatible with the ways of the other council-members. She earns Lord Entropy and Ananda’s tolerance for her existence only through her service in the Valde Bellum and her Light’s importance in maintaining the Weirding Wall, a task that consumes almost the entirety of her attention and being (much to Lord Entropy’s and Ananda’s satisfaction).

The Heavens despise her, for an Angel of Creation she is not, and yet she brought forth the first Light that made everything that was Beautiful possible. Only the fact that her Light is necessary for beauty and this fact alone earns her the toleration of Heaven. The Wild would have nothing to do with her, for there is no freedom in sacrifice.The Hells, the Darkness and the Light all loath her, for not only is she the voice of wisdom that transcends not just the Corruption that the Hells endeavour towards, but she is also the voice that moves all beings towards becoming more than the matter they are made from, transcending what they are, pushing them ever onwards towards a greater purpose not only in life but also in death. Those who follow her code wish for naught else but the glory of dying for a greater good.

It is unclear what her true nature or form is. Nobody seems to remember when she came to be, or how for that matter. Some suspect she is one of the Heavenly legion, an Angel, but not only do the Heavens and its angelic denizens despise her at the best of times, her ways are most definitely not that of Heaven. Some surmise that she is a fallen Angel, but the cause of Hell she does not serve. It is highly possible that she is a True God, but all of creation knows they did not appear until long after the Angels had begun the Great Work. Recently, when passings of the Transcendants were properly documented in AP 4732, it was surmised that she is perhaps a Transcendant who somehow chose to settle upon the World Ash, perhaps one of the Charitable. Said document is Creation's closest description of the Shepherdess' nature, her gifts being her Estates and her Law.

=='''Vow of the Enlightened'''==

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this.

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this. - One thing leads to another. And at the end of all things is an ‘end’.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this. - Every good act must be good of purpose and good of result. This clause seems to fail to (most probably purposely) mention anything regarding the means. Taking the most liberal interpretation, a ‘Noble deed’ can have means as lacking in morals as a psychotic mass murderer, and yet still be considered ‘Noble’ in the eyes of the ‘Enlightened’. What matters is the cause, the intention and the ends. Everything in between matters naught.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this. - The ultimate sacrifice can conquer anything, even the impossible. This is the one true ‘Miracle’, Magic at its purest, one that allows the Enlightened to surpass his/her own end and achieve greatness through sacrifice. The Shepherdess safeguards the cause of all who sacrifice themselves for a greater purpose, guaranteeing them the miraculous magic of success.

==Details==

'''Estates''': Light, Determinism, Magic, Chivalry, Intelligence, Honour, Loyalty, Courage, Hope, Justice, Karma, Logic, Alchemy, Sacrifice, Curiosity, Sun, Moon, Stars

'''Excruciated Estates''': Aether, Vaveram, Maricarum, Endeon, Astelumina

'''Dynasty Points :''' 8

'''Qualities:'''

Great Harvest (2)

Cold (-1)

Demanding (-1)

----

= The Famiglia of the Enlightened =

The Famiglia of the Enlightened ''were'' a highly respected and influential group about 4-5 centuries before, their power extending from the very birth of creation. However, in a highly unorthodox move around the 4002 A.P., the Council ordered the Shepherdess to provide additional support in the Valde Bellum proper, above and beyond her maintenance of the Weirding Wall. Seeing as the Wall already consumed most if not all her power and attention, she was forced to mobilize members of her Famiglia, something quite unprecedented. The Nobles of Maricarum, Aether and Endeon were the first to volunteer for the great undertaking, having attained near-Imperator-level powers at the time. A few centuries later, Vaveram, Astelumina, Chivalry, Courage and Alchemy too joined their brother and sisters in the direct defense of creation. They held the line for a good few centuries, seeing a slow but definite turnover in nobles. That was until, for reasons still unknown, Maricarum, Aether, Endeon, Vaveram and Astelumina were excruciated one by one. The last to fall were Endeon and Astelumina in 4895 AP, at the same time 500 years of Human History was erased.

With no time to mourn, the Famiglia of the Enlightened were forced to mobilize more members of their famiglia to the front lines. The following few years saw more of their Nobles killed, though thankfully not excruciated.

Now with few remaining senior members, the famiglia struggles to stay on its feet with the large influx of new family members. Will they be able to live up to their predecessors? Will they be able to return the family to its former glory and take it to new heights? Or will this be the end of the Enlightened? That is up to the new Famiglia.

== PC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Foreguard of the Enlightened''

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Alicia_Valka '''Alicia - Principissa of Illumination''']

The 21st Principissa Of Illumination.

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Emil '''Emil - Power of Determinism''']

The 13th Power of Determinism

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Charles_Earl_Of_Huntington'''Charles - Lord of Chivalry''']

The 77th Lord of Chivalry

'''Lyna - Regina of Magic'''

The 66th Regina of Magic

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Mana_Kishimura '''Mana - Exemplar of Intelligence (And Dolphins)''']

The 17th Noble of Intelligence and 2nd Noble of Dolphins.

== NPC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Vanguard of the Enlightened''

'''Regine - Inquesta of Loyalty'''

'''Jessie - Tempesta of Courage (Sort of veering towards Impetuous Juvenile Recklessness)'''

'''Illumina - AllMother of Alchemy'''

Novice Alchemist extraordinaire and (rather unwilling) Commander of the Alchemist Flameheart Squad, Illumina is yet another recent addition to the Famiglia. She's currently worried about the sorry state of her estate (mostly usurped by Chemistry and now reduced to nothing more than a fantasy fiction gimmick) and a missing prominent Alchemist amongst other things....but mainly by the prospect of responsibility in general.

She is widely known, even outside Alchemist circles, as 'Big Bang Lum'.

'''Elune - Principissa of the Stars'''

While relatively senior in the Famiglia of the Enlightened (by simple virtue of everyone else being very recent additions), that's as far as her seniority goes. In every other respect, she is mostly helpless, though the more understanding dismiss this as a reflection of her estate - stars aren't known to be do much other than be pretty, especially lately with modern technology supplanting the need for stellar navigation or calendar-keeping. It used to be so much different when her sister, the Noble of Astelumina, the power of stellar influence upon the workings of the universe and lives on earth, was still around. Now as the stars fade and people forget the stars, Elune lies ill, slowly fading herself.

''The Diplomatic Corp (Intelligence) of the Enlightened''

'''Rang Fan - Excelifficer of Logic'''

Born a humble villager in a Tibetan highland settlement, Rang Fan grew up completely illiterate. She was, however, a keen observer and deep thinker. She developed her own concise and strict principles of logic, one that often found fault in the traditionalist views of the people she lived amongst. Some saw her as a source of wisdom, some saw her as a demon-possessed child.

She became the favourite anchor of the previous Noble of Logic for a while. During this time, her mastery of logic developed brilliantly. Unfortunately, she came afoul of a Chinese official when she publicly defeated him in a debate regarding the accusation of rebellion on the part of the village.

'''Geronimo - High Chief of Sacrifice'''

'''Han Gua - Exarch of Honour'''

'''Jimmy - Arch-Provost of Curiosity'''

''The Unassigned of the Enlightened''

'''Justice(?) - Empress of Justice'''

Not much is known about Justice, the 1st Noble of Justice. She is the eldest of the current Famiglia, though in the time of the original Famiglia, she was the youngest. She is the last surviving member of the original Famiglia of the Enlightened. It is rumoured that she was an Angel before she joined the Enlightened, though whether or not this is true is unknown. Her real name is unknown. Nobody has seen her in a long, long while. The only members of the current famiglia who have seen her are Han Gua and Elune.

Currently absent. Whereabouts unknown.

'''Vie - Noble of Hope'''

A rather mysterious member of the famiglia, she wonders in and out of the chancel rather randomly. Nobody seems to remember when she joined the Family. In fact, some are surprised to hear that there IS a noble of Hope in the Family. She doesn't seem to have a permanent home in the chancel. She's known (at least to those few who know her) to wander about, never staying in one place for long. She is apparently summonable, but rumours have it that she's apparently rather useless.

There are strange rumours that she follows the code of the Dark, or even Hell. Why would Hope do that?

'''Thomas Eire - Keeper of Karma'''

'''Kaguya - Himegami of the Moon'''

Tsukishiro no Kaguya-hime is perhaps the second eldest of the Famiglia, though she takes great care not to let anyone know that. She is the second Noble of the Moon. There are rumours that she was behind the Apollo 13 failure. When asked about it, she would give you a disdainful look and walk away. Then again, she'd do that no matter what you tried to bring up with her.

Currently very, very vain.

'''Kimo - the Emperor of the Sun'''

= Chancel - Locus Enlightenment, Sanctum Excelestia =

[http://img248.imageshack.us/i/sanctumexcelestia.jpg HG's Impression 1]

'''Qualities'''

Megalomaniac King/Queen (-4)

Normal Magic (3)

Alchemy (1)

2 Banes (-1)

Convenient Gates (2)

Anchorable Magical residents (4)

==Government==

The Sanctum is under the absolute Executive rule of the Emperor who answers only to the Shepherdess. Judicial Rule is under the Absolute Court headed by the Shepherdess and the Supreme Court headed by the Noble of Justice and her Circle of Justiciaries. Legislative and administrative rule is divided amongst the 4 major domains under the 4 queens:

'''Alicia - High Queen of the Diamond Tower.'''

Technically, having inherited the title of 'High Queen' from her predecessor, Alicia commands the Council of Four Queens and the Round Table of Dominums. However, as she has only recently joined the Famiglia, responsibility over the Council of Four Queens has fallen on the reluctant shoulders of Elune while the Round Table of Dominums is overseen by Han Gua.

'''Lyna - Queen of the Ruby Gardens.'''

The Ruby Gardens refers to the entirety of the Arcane Arts Academy Complex within the Outer Circle where the majority of mages of Excelestia train and live. However, to most of the citizens, the 'Ruby Gardens' itself refers to the seat of government, the Ruby Palace, a magnificent rose-shaped palace of crystal grown from the very essence of the Chancel itself in the middle of the Ruby Gardens.

'''Elune - Queen of the Sapphire Sky.'''

The Sapphire Sky refers to the entirety of the sky in between the floating structures of the Sanctum. While Elune governs no real land, she controls all traffic in the airspace around the Sanctum. Her official seat of government is the Sapphire Palace, a beautiful crystalline Sapphire star floating high up within the Inner Circle, though she is rarely ever there. She usually lives in her observatory on a lonely island high above the Sanctum.

'''Jessie - Queen of the Emerald Fields.'''

The Emerald Fields refer to most of the land floating in the Ciellan Expanse, the sky beyond the Outer Wall. The Emerald Fields house a good portion of the Sanctum's agricultural and mining settlements. Her seat of government is the Emerald Palace, a beautiful viridian structure of moss-covered wood and succulent, fresh folliage that grow and thrive all year round, coiled around a giant magnificent Emerald of a green deeper than the land that surrounds it.

== Homes and Households ==

'''The Diamond Palace - ?????'''

Home of Alicia.

Personal Assistant : Lymle

'''The Ruby Palace - ????'''

Home of Lyna.

Personal Assistant : Flowerchild

'''The Garnet Fortress - ????'''

Home of Charles.

Personal Assistant : Sieghart

'''The Quartz Workshop - ????'''

Personal Assistant : Leonie

Home of Emil.

== Other Noteworthy Locations ==

'''The Amethyst Shores'''

Governed officially by Illumina, provisionally by the Arch-Artificer of the Great Guild of Alchemists. The Amethyst Shores are a group of closely-packed islands within the Outer Circle where the majority of the Alchemists of Excelestia live. While alchemists can be found just about anywhere, the Amethysts Shores are really the only place where they can make things explode to their hearts content without causing tempers to explode all around them. Alchemists can also be found en masse at the Ruby Gardens.

'''The Garnet Fortress'''

Governed mainly by Charles, the Garnet Fortress encompasses the Inner and Outer Walls of the Sanctum and the bastion of the Knights.

'''The Beryl Earth'''

Governed mainly by Regine, the

'''The Quartz Workshop'''

A watch-mender's workshop somewhere within the Diamond Tower, Emil's home and favourite haunt.

==Security==

The city has a number of defense corps organized to different degrees by a number of Nobles.

'''The Chivalrous Gentlemanly TownWatch'''

'''The Magical Avengers of Love and Peace, Magical Taskforce Ruby Gardenia'''

Organized by the 5th Noble of Magic, a rather...odd Master of Magic who believed that wearing frilly clothing is a form of sacrifice to society and preached that magical power is exponentially proportional to the frilliness of one's clothing. Now maintained by the 7th Noble of Magic, Lyna, who keeps up most of the traditions of the 5th.

'''The Upholders of Equivalent Exchange, the Eternally Passionate Flameheart Alchemists (EPFA)'''

Organized by the previous Noble of Alchemy, a rather fluffy and passionate Lady Alchemist, and maintained by the recently appointed Noble, Illumina, the EPFA are at best socially-involved nerds, at worst really, really messy vigilantes (unfortunately, more often the latter). They mainly keep the domain of the Alchemists, the Amethyst Shores, as well as their portion of the Ruby Gardens, safe...for a given value of 'safe'.

'''The Infallibly Just Circle of Justiciers'''

'''The Eternally Loyal Shieldmaidens of [Insert Place Name Here]'''

Organized by the current Noble of Loyalty,

'''The Ever-Watchful Lantern Kindlers and Lamp Bearers of the Stars'''

'''The Righteous Karmic-Retributioneer Monks of Karma'''

'''The LoreKeepers and Agents of Literary Vengeance, the Combat Librarians'''

== Groups ==

Besides the defense forces of the Chancel, the Sanctum also harbours a number of groups.

'''The Enclave of Emerald Alchemists'''
Also known as the 'Emerald Artisans', this society of Alchemists was founded by the 7th Noble of Light, TanetNephthys, and the 1st Noble of Alchemy, Armagustine Trimegistus, after the passing of the third Noble of Maricarum, Hermes Trimegistus, founder of the Emerald Arts.

In a major nettle rite wrought by the 2nd Noble of Botany, Ephistopheles, against the Noble of Alchemy, in a daring move to split the art into two major paths forever, the Enclave was splintered in two - The Cleave fo Botanists and the Enclave of Emerald Artisans. The Botanists left the Sanctum, carrying with them the entirety of botanic knowledge. The Alchemists, however, managed to keep the Principa Alchimia safe and prevented the botanists from acquiring an absolute monopoly over the Emerald Arts. The two now jealously guard their arts, for if one were to acquire the arts of the other, they would become unstoppable.

The botanists are known to pass through the Chancel to deal with the Emerald Artisans.

== Laws ==

The Chancel operates on general principles of Justice commonly found in any other society where concepts of Law and Justice exist. It has a few notable exceptions such as:

- Any deed with noble ends are exempt from law's scrutiny upon its means. This means even the most foul of deeds is considered lawfully just as long as its ends are noble. It comes with a very, very important caveat - the good of the outcome must far exceed the evil committed. This is particularly difficult to achieve with murder, as murder, the theft of the sanctity of one's life, is the basest, most evil of crimes that even the earth itself abhors.

-

N.B. The Chancel operates on the Code Napoleon, that the suspect is guilty until proven otherwise, as Lady Justice willed it to be in the prosaic realm.

== Notable Individuals ==

'''Orphus Denilzante'''
Chief Magitech Engineer of the Sanctum and designer of the Deus Ex Machina.

'''Reno Orfayne'''
Owner of Reno's Empirio, the one-stop fashion designer for Nobles, known to be second only to his Master, Enzel Haulor of 7th Avenue and 91st Street NY.

'''Sammy Westine'''
Proprietor and Chief Engineer of Westine Airships, Sammy is the young brilliant mind behind this generation's latest magitech airships. Having mastered Alchemy, Magic and Magitech at a young age, she went on to implement her excellent knowledge in airship design and construction. Her airships are used not just within the Sanctum but all over Creation. While she does produce combat-ready airships, she only produces them as personal favours for Nobles she trusts. These make proud flagships in any war fleet. It is rumoured that she is working with Aeril Jotunstrom, Noble of Ships, from Locus Atlantis, on warships capable of sailing the world beyond creation and taking part directly on the frontlines of the Valde Bellum.

'''Victor'''

= Mythic Realm =

== Chancels Known ==
''From the Primer on Loci Celatum, by Holly Djurisic''
What follows are descriptions of chancels considered widely known and to be no secret to those versed in the ways of the Mythic. Everyone knows them as a matter of common sense.

'''Locus Amarant'''

The Great Market, the Gardens of Lady Profit, Amarant is perhaps one of the few chancels that has no doors, and, even if it did, they would be wide open to welcome one and all. After all, even your worst enemy is a potential customer. Any invader would quickly find themselves besieged by peddlers of weaponry, trust and treachery, even the very spoils they are after. Everything the discerning Noble might need is available here...for the right price. The preferred currency are fleurs, but the locals have been known to trade with other things such as miracles and pacts. Some nobles come here not just to buy but also to sell. If you want or need it, Locus Amarant will sell it, or if not, then at least it will sell you the expertise of someone who CAN get it. Needless to say, the cammorae are all over Amarant.

It is well-known that even Excrucians frequent Amarant, and they know full well never to destroy Amarant....at least not until their victory is assured, for Amarant will be more than happy to sell them the means to that victory, or maybe even that victory itself....for the right price. Why destroy something so blatantly useful?

Chancel of Lady Profit, Immiae Arathy, and the Nobles of Trade, Currency, Negotiation, Supermarket Loyalty Cards, and Cookies. Yes, Cookies.

= Prosaic Realm =

== Earth ==

=== Noteworthy Individuals===

== Erebea ==

A once beautiful world, a geographic wonder of continents hanging high up in the pristine skies, flooded with raw magic reminiscent of Earth about a millennium ago. Sanctum Excelestia was once the capital of this world, until it disappeared a few millennia ago.

== Lost Universe AD 2511 ==

The Lost Universe, now a Valde Bellum warfront. In 2400 AD, an age of galactic expansion and an Aetheric golden age for human advancement, a treacherous Imperator managed to sabotage the Shepherdess' hold on the Weirding Wall, leaving gaping holes in the defense of Creation. In the ensuing chaos, the Imperators and their nobles turned their attention to the Excrucian host gathering beyond the gap. Little did they know that they had fallen prey to a deceiver ruse. At the same time, the Excrucians were readying a pincer attack, with their mimics and strategists having established a foothold on Earth's universe. The Enlightened, at the time under great scrutiny due to the Shepherdess' apparent failure at maintaining the Weirding Wall, discovered the Excrucian plans and attempted to alert the Ymmerae. However, the Deceivers held the ears of the Ymmerae, and all the please of the Enlightened fell on deaf, suspicious, skeptical ears.

In a daring move, the Noble of Aether secretly used almost the entirety of his power of limitless potential to create an anomalous fold in existence, tearing 500 years of the universe apart, resetting the universe to before the Excrucian plan had even begun in 1900. He brought the new fold containing the lost 500 years and the excrucian plot up and tethered it to the gaping hole in the Weirding Wall, just in time to meet the incoming Excrucian Host. The excrucian invasion began, never once suspecting that they had walked into a pocket universe. For the Noble of Aether's apparent treachery, the Locust Court condemned him to death without a trial, dispatching the Enlightened, his own family, to prove their allegiance to the court by executing their own brother. It is said that Justice was the one to rip his shard out of his chest with her bare hands. It is said that the shard shattered. Some say Justice, in her grief and rage, shattered it herself. Some say it was Aether's final gift to the Lost Universe, and to the entirety of creation. The shard dust was dispersed and embedded itself across the entirety of the Lost Universe, enchancelling it, bestowing its beings with the blessings of Aetheric Power, immunizing them to the crippling effects of dementia animus and empowering them in their coming struggle against the Excrucian invaders. Aether was forever lost to Creation, but its shadow continues to live on within the beings of the Lost Universe. As long as the children of Aether stand and the light of Aether burns on within them, the Lost Universe will always resist the Excrucian host.

The Lost Universe has since been sealed away outside the Weirding Wall, doomed to forever be an Excrucian battleground, until the day the Excrucians trapped within consume the Lost Universe and realize Aether's trickery.

At the precise moment Aether's sacrifice enchancelled the Lost Universe, Hammond Qarn, Imperator of the Lost Universe, came into being. Having arisen from a universe so filled with the Shepherdess' own power, Hammond naturally became a Magister of the Enlightened. Furthermore, as the chancel was created using the Shepherdess' own soul shard, a fraction of the Shepherdess' own essence makes up the chancel's foundations. Thus for all intents and purposes the Enlightened can treat the Lost Universe as their own home chancel.

Few other nobles are privy to the secret of the Lost Universe's existence. Even fewer take up the fight to defend the Lost Universe in order to delay the full-scale invasion of Creation. The Nobles of Astelumina and Endeon were the first to pick up Aether's fallen banner and lead the battle against the Excrucian host and were also the first to fall.

'Now and Forever, till the hour I too stand between Impossibility and Despair!' - Phaeron Rof Alabar Trimeniel - Emperor of Aether

=== Notable Locations ===

'''L.U. Earth AD 2511'''

In AD 2400, Astelumina and Endeon managed to rid the entire earth of deceivers, strategists and mimics, making it one of the last few human settlements still untouched by the Excrucian Scourge. The war and Aether's blessing has accelerated technology to astronomical heights in the past 111 years, bringing humanity to a point where they can overwhelm excrucian shards and at the very least annoy full excrucians, if not kill them. Earth is now the capital of the Universal Aetheric Alliance (UAA), headquarters of the Excrucian resistance. Its coordinates are guarded to the death by the Children of Aether. Those who sally forth to meet the Excrucian Host do so without carrying Earth's coordinates, knowing full well that they may never return to their beloved home.

'''L.U. Heaven’s Feel'''

The current frontier of the Lost Universe Valde Bellum, Heaven’s Feel is perhaps the most beautiful extrasolar human colony. A large T3 terraformed planet orbiting the gas giant Astelumina 3, behind a dense spherical asteroid field and a radioactive veil around the sun Astelumina, it makes a naturally fortified world. Thanks to the scattering radiation and the dense blackhole just a few megaparsecs away at the center of the galaxy, the system and planet is nigh impossible to find at the best of times, at least for marauding excrucian raiding parties. The UAA uses Astelumina’s final gift, the gift of the stars, the ability to travel on aetheric currents guided by the stars, to travel safely in and out of the system.

When excrucians do find the planet, they are immediately drawn into its orbit by the interaction of the gravity wells of Heaven’s Feel’s many moons. They have no hope of escaping to notify the host of the planet’s location before they are drawn into intense battle by the Feelians.

The planet is ravaged by repeat invasions.

=== Familia of the Lost Universe ===

More or less an extended family of the Enlightened, the Familia of the Lost Universe are the sworn guardians of Aether's legacy.

'''Hammond Qarn - Imperator of the Lost Universe'''

Despite being an offshoot of the Shepherdess' power, Hammond Qarn is quite the opposite. He looks as human as they come. In fact, very, very much so, with his thick paternal beard, his twinkling eyes and his simple, honest expression, like a stern but compassionate father. Those who have the great honour of an audience with him are overcome with an overwhelming confidence and faith in humanity's potential and prowess. His being is shrouded in the stuff of legends. They say he single-handedly piloted an Alliance Battlecruiser straight into an Excrucian battlestation and escaped alive, unscathed. They say he personally lead the desperate charge that ended the siege of Harvest 4. They say he singlehandedly held the line at Point Hope against the entire advancing Excrucian host at the battle of Forge 3. They say a lot of things about Hammond Qarn, and when you meet him, sitting like a lighthouse exuding calm and confidence amidst the storm of war, in his simple, neatly-pressed uniform gleaming with but one badge denoting his allegiance to the Alliance, you feel naught but awe - that this man is the legend in the flesh.

'''Commander John Shepard - Power of Living Legends'''

'''Excel 7 - Commander of Super Soldiers'''

was responsible for the Halo series and partly responsible for the Metal Gear series, amongst other things.

'''Iris Erran - Chief Admiral of Spacecrafts'''

'''ALMa OmNI. - Supreme Administrator of Aetheric Technology'''

An A.I. born of the pinnacle of Aetheric supercomputers,

= Quests =

== Active Quests ==

=== Imperator Quests ===

'''Overdue'''

Started : 8th November 2011

The Shepherdess has requested that the Foreguards return 3 books she's borrowed for Shepherdess-knows-how-long now, for reasons that none can fathom. These books are:

1) 'Single Parenting for Idiots', to the Imperator of Shadows

2) 'The Amazing Justice and the Lovely Yaoi Doujin', to the Noble of Women's Beards

3) 'The Witchhunter's Codex' to a certain alchemist in Erebea.

She has asked you all to return them, ASAP.

Progress:

1) The Family has acquired the 3 books from the Principarium.

2) 1 week has passed since.

'''?????'''

Started : ?????

??????

Progress: n/a

=== Chancel Quests ===

=== Chivalry Quests ===

'''Rest in Peace'''

Started: n/a

One of Charles' Knights, Tristan, has just returned from Earth and has requested an urgent private audience. Wonder what it's about.

Progress: n/a

'''100,000's a Crowd!'''

Started: n/a

The Reinzuthen of Erebea have decided to dispatch a sacrifical gift of 100,000 girls from all around Erebea, mostly from all the nations they've conquered and annexed, to the old island of Altima, original home of the Nobles of Warriors, distant predecessors of Charles'. Apparently this is to welcome the prophesized return of the original Noble of Warriors and to attempt to acquire his favour with the hopes of having him assist the Reinzuthen make good their absolute conquest of Erebea. Obviously, the current delivery recipient is Charles....and this is NOT good. NOT good at all.

Progress: n/a

'''White Knight in Black Armour'''

Started: n/a

Alfred Goddard, ace attorney, E.U. Supreme Court prosecutor and prominent political figure, has sworn to cleanse Europe of all crime, especially major international crime rings. He has followed through with his oath. Half of all European prisons are full thanks to him. He is hailed as the 'White Knight', Europe's last hope. Needless to say, he's nowhere near as popular in the underworld. Many want him dead. He's currently attending the Copenhagen Treaty Talks as an expert on the Eco-crime panel. Chika, Emil's personal assassin, has helpfully let slip that she's refused a rather generous contract to assassinate Alfred Goddard during the talks. She's only one of many. Maybe you should look into this.

Progress: n/a

=== Determinism Quests ===

'''I Left My Hand in Copenhagen'''

Started : N/A

77 People have been found dead from unknown causes in Copenhagen. They were discovered missing their left hands and hanging upside down from trees.

Progress : n/a

'''Fly me to Europa'''

Started : N/A

The manned mission to Europa's missing for reasons as yet unknown.

Progress : n/a

'''Two Things Infinite'''

Started : 8th November 2011

The LHC has broken down once again after a few brief months of rather hiccupy function. This time, the cause is completely unknown. All the individual parts seem to be in working order, but the sum refuses to work. Sophia's not happy, not happy at all. She has personally requested that Emil look into this.

Progress:

1) Emil has taken a brief look around through Sophia's eyes. The LHC's spirit seems to have some blemishes....wonder what they are....

'''Tides of Fate'''

Started : n/a

The tides have stopped rising with the lunar cycles. As a result, the world's currents, fisheries and shoreline ecosystems have been gravely affected. This shouldn't even be physically possible!

Progress: n/a

=== Illumination Quests ===

'''Twinkle, Little Star'''

Started : 15th November 2011

As the world darkens, the light of the stars fade. Elune, little noble of stars, your sister, lies sick, alone in her high observatory, forgotten by the rest of the world. Now the weakening of the stars has started to affect the domain of Light too. Something must be done before yet another member of the Family succumbs to the war of attrition upon the Enlightened.

Progress:

1) Lyna, Emil and Alicia visited Elune in her observatory and found her ill.

2) They discovered that her observatory was severely corrupted by some malignant corruption that was trying to break into the chancel.

3) They sealed off the intrusion into the chancel but destroyed the observatory in the process. They managed to prevent the observatory from crashing catastrophically into the chancel.

4) They've brought the sick Elune to the Sapphire Palace and acquired the help of Regine to treat her.

'''Who moved my Christmas?!'''

Christmas, the biggest celebration of lights and joy, isn't happening this year! This is unprecedented serious affair!

Started : 8th November 2011

Progress :

1) Alicia has asked the magical girls, knights, and others who've passed in and out of the chancel, for any information they might know about this. She's learned that it's a rather complex issue. It might be the economy, it might be the declining family values, could be anything.

'''When you peer into the Abyss...'''

Started : n/a

And the Creator said, 'Let there be Light', and there was light, and he saw that it was good. And He separated the dark from the light. Thus was the First Day.

It wasn't quite that simple.

When the light came to be, the dark too came to be as a result, and neither could tolerate the other. Thus the First War of Light and Dark began, pure and simple, with no preamble or prelude. They fought for Shepherdess-knows-how-long. Finally, the formation of the Covenant of the First Day, an agreement between the Light and the Dark to respect the other's estate, ended the war. How it came to be, however, is still a hotly debated topic. Some say the Dark won. Some say the Light won. Some say it was a draw. Some say there were other reasons. Who really knows?

An anniversary of the Covenant of the First Day is celebrated yearly now to uphold the ideals of peace and cooperation between Light and Dark. This year, it's Alicia's turn to host the festival. What could go wrong?

Progress : n/a

=== Magic Quests ===

'''Dude, Where's My Ship?!'''

Started : 8th Novemeber 2011

Following the disappearance of a wildcat Lignite mining crew in the Aescilian Mountains of Erebea, a pair of magical girls were dispatched on what was supposed to be a simple search-and-rescue mission. They report finding what looks like a ship and wisely request further assistance. The archaeological division arrived hours later, sealed the region, before preparing for further studies. They could not identify the ship's make or origins from the exterior, so they decide to enter through an entrance they found on the side. Contact with the entire squad was lost 6 hours into the mission, with the last transmission being 'Found someth-....So....beautiful....'. A second rescue mission was mounted, this time with a full STRIKER magical girl squadron. They found a deserted camp site and the open ship. They enter. Contact was lost 1.5 hours into the mission, with the last transmission being '...reached the last known location. Now....I-..I can't believe it....mission control...I can't begin to describe this....this is...so...so beau-.....'.

Progress:

1) Lyna has developed a new remote-viewing spell to peer into the site from a distance. Unfortunately, the first few attempts failed as she can't seem to view anything beyond the foot of the mountains.

'''My Struggle, My suffering, My Legacy'''

Started: n/a

The smoke of witch burning pyres rise high up into the skies above the magical realm of Erebea. The once all-powerful mages now run and hide before the onslaught of the Reinzhuthen, an order of genocidal purists who are in pursuit of the all-powerful dark mage, the dark lord Daran Reganz. The Reinzhuthen have taken up an all-or-nothing approach towards hunting Daran Reganz – wiping out every last mage on Neven. After successfully gathering the support of the people against the seemingly incompetent mage-led government and subsequently overthrowing them, the Reinzhuthen declared a world-wide ban of magical practices, declaring any practitioner an agent of Daran Reganz and an enemy of the state.

Progress: n/a

=== Intelligence Quests ===

'''So Long and Thanks for All the Fish'''

Dolphins are becoming quite popular...as food! The coastal town of Taiji, Japan, the largest operator of dolphin drive hunting in the world, is undertaking a massive campaign to popularize the consumption of dolphin meat following the opening of its Great Taiji Dolphin Slaughterhouse. Quite a problem for the local dolphins, some of whom are Mana's own friends.

Incidentally, the global pandemic of the strange sleeping illness has a relatively high incidence in Japan, particularly in Taiji.

Started: n/a

Progress: n/a

== Completed Quests ==

= Correspondence =

== Family Correspondence ==

'Good morning, Masters and Mistresses. I hope the noise didn't keep you up last night. The Alchemists discovered a new flower known quite amusingly as the 'Boom Lily'. Thankfully they grew quieter as the night went by. Anyhow, here's today's selection of the world's headlines.' - Mira -

• Presidents of Chechnya, Bosnia and Ukraine die in mysterious circumstances.

• American invasion of Iran is meeting heavy resistance. The Iranians now threaten to unleash their nuclear arsenal if America does not cease and desist.

• A new illness is spreading. Cause unknown.

== Illumination's Correspondence==

'Young Miss, please do take some times to reads some of these, 'kay? Lymle's actually done her bests to sort them outs, 'kay!' - Lymle -

- You've been cordially invited to attend the Divali celebrations in India. - Various Nobles -

== Chivalry's Correspondence ==

'Aye, my liege, thou hath an abundant harvest of letters. Thy loyal steed hast made do with the more...delicious trivialties. *BURP*' - Sieghart -

== Determinism's Correspondence ==

'Hey, old man, check it out, you've got mail. Should I fetch your specs? Or maybe a magnifying glass? Or maybe my winding screw? All that sorting's wound down my springs...' - Leonie -

== Magic's Correspondence ==

'Young Mistress, it's time to read your correspondence for the day. Please sit down here. Yes, here. Now, back straight like a washboard, eyes forward like a dead fish, and elbows akimbo like a ballerina...yes, excellent, young mistress. Now, I present you my personal selection of today's letters.' - Flowerchild -

== Intelligence's Correspondence ==

Nobilis Enlightened

2011-03-12T02:12:07Z

Mind-The-Gap: /* Quests */

[[Category:Nobilis]]

= Imperator - The Shepherdess of Light =

1. ‘Omneaum(a) became aware. In its awareness, it found loneliness. It saw potential, good, an impossibility.

2. Omneaum gave way to potential, and made the impossible possible. It was, things became.

3. Enlightenment arose, and so did I, Whole, Complete, bearing the Gifts of Aether (b), Light, Vaveram (c), Maricarum (d), Endeon (e), and Causality.

4. Omneaum’s legacy I shall honour and hold safe, now and forever, till the hour I too stand alone between Impossibility and Despair.’

- The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light, Imperator of Enlightenment -

(a) Omneaum: The Original Absolute Void

(b) Aether: Estate of 'Absolute Potential', the 'Impossible made Possible', the very basic element of creation from which all matter and life flowed. It was said to have been more abundant in space. (Now excruciated, succeeded in part by the estate of 'Magic')

(c)Vaveram: Estate of Spontaneous Sentience and Awareness (Now Excruciated. Never replaced.)

(d) Maricarum: Estate of Great Miracles through Personal Sacrifice (Now excruciated, succeeded by the estate of 'Magic' and 'Sacrifice')

(e)Endeon: Estate of the 'Lone Wolf Phenomenon', wherein those fighting against overwhelming odds are always guaranteed victory. Better known in our time as the 'Storm Trooper effect'. (Now excruciated)

Having predated the Imperators of 'Name', the Shepherdess is nameless and formless. Those who are fortunate enough to know her identify her as 'The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light', or, simply, 'The Shepherdess'. Having come into being before the birth of the concept of 'form' or even 'matter' and 'physical law', she is without form in the physical universe. She used to communicate with her agents in the physical universe through pulses of light and ripples in a fountain of light. Needless to say, a lot of liberty had been taken in deciphering her wishes. Recently, however, the Chief Engineer of the Sanctum, Orphus, has devised an ingenious megastructure, the Deus Ex Machina, a gigantic clockwork device that allows the Shepherdess to see into the physical realm and engage with it using a gigantic, rather clumsy steel claw and communicate using a ticker-tape telegram machine.

(Interestingly, having also preceded the Imperator of Gender, she is, or, at least, was, in essence, genderless. However, around 300 B.C. she became a part of debate amongst philosophers as an example of a being who must be 'of the default gender'. For some reason it was decided that the default gender was female, and so the Shepherdess has since been considered to be of the female persuasion. Not that she really cares. It is suspected that the Noble of Women had something to do with this, but that's a tale for another time.)

Prophesized successor of Ananda and future Shepherdess of the Fifth Age, the Glorious One has purposely been denied a seat on the Council of Four, for her ways are that of the ‘Enlightened’, incompatible with the ways of the other council-members. She earns Lord Entropy and Ananda’s tolerance for her existence only through her service in the Valde Bellum and her Light’s importance in maintaining the Weirding Wall, a task that consumes almost the entirety of her attention and being (much to Lord Entropy’s and Ananda’s satisfaction).

The Heavens despise her, for an Angel of Creation she is not, and yet she brought forth the first Light that made everything that was Beautiful possible. Only the fact that her Light is necessary for beauty and this fact alone earns her the toleration of Heaven. The Wild would have nothing to do with her, for there is no freedom in sacrifice.The Hells, the Darkness and the Light all loath her, for not only is she the voice of wisdom that transcends not just the Corruption that the Hells endeavour towards, but she is also the voice that moves all beings towards becoming more than the matter they are made from, transcending what they are, pushing them ever onwards towards a greater purpose not only in life but also in death. Those who follow her code wish for naught else but the glory of dying for a greater good.

It is unclear what her true nature or form is. Nobody seems to remember when she came to be, or how for that matter. Some suspect she is one of the Heavenly legion, an Angel, but not only do the Heavens and its angelic denizens despise her at the best of times, her ways are most definitely not that of Heaven. Some surmise that she is a fallen Angel, but the cause of Hell she does not serve. It is highly possible that she is a True God, but all of creation knows they did not appear until long after the Angels had begun the Great Work. Recently, when passings of the Transcendants were properly documented in AP 4732, it was surmised that she is perhaps a Transcendant who somehow chose to settle upon the World Ash, perhaps one of the Charitable. Said document is Creation's closest description of the Shepherdess' nature, her gifts being her Estates and her Law.

=='''Vow of the Enlightened'''==

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this.

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this. - One thing leads to another. And at the end of all things is an ‘end’.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this. - Every good act must be good of purpose and good of result. This clause seems to fail to (most probably purposely) mention anything regarding the means. Taking the most liberal interpretation, a ‘Noble deed’ can have means as lacking in morals as a psychotic mass murderer, and yet still be considered ‘Noble’ in the eyes of the ‘Enlightened’. What matters is the cause, the intention and the ends. Everything in between matters naught.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this. - The ultimate sacrifice can conquer anything, even the impossible. This is the one true ‘Miracle’, Magic at its purest, one that allows the Enlightened to surpass his/her own end and achieve greatness through sacrifice. The Shepherdess safeguards the cause of all who sacrifice themselves for a greater purpose, guaranteeing them the miraculous magic of success.

==Details==

'''Estates''': Light, Determinism, Magic, Chivalry, Intelligence, Honour, Loyalty, Courage, Hope, Justice, Karma, Logic, Alchemy, Sacrifice, Curiosity, Sun, Moon, Stars

'''Excruciated Estates''': Aether, Vaveram, Maricarum, Endeon, Astelumina

'''Dynasty Points :''' 8

'''Qualities:'''

Great Harvest (2)

Cold (-1)

Demanding (-1)

----

= The Famiglia of the Enlightened =

The Famiglia of the Enlightened ''were'' a highly respected and influential group about 4-5 centuries before, their power extending from the very birth of creation. However, in a highly unorthodox move around the 4002 A.P., the Council ordered the Shepherdess to provide additional support in the Valde Bellum proper, above and beyond her maintenance of the Weirding Wall. Seeing as the Wall already consumed most if not all her power and attention, she was forced to mobilize members of her Famiglia, something quite unprecedented. The Nobles of Maricarum, Aether and Endeon were the first to volunteer for the great undertaking, having attained near-Imperator-level powers at the time. A few centuries later, Vaveram, Astelumina, Chivalry, Courage and Alchemy too joined their brother and sisters in the direct defense of creation. They held the line for a good few centuries, seeing a slow but definite turnover in nobles. That was until, for reasons still unknown, Maricarum, Aether, Endeon, Vaveram and Astelumina were excruciated one by one. The last to fall were Endeon and Astelumina in 4895 AP, at the same time 500 years of Human History was erased.

With no time to mourn, the Famiglia of the Enlightened were forced to mobilize more members of their famiglia to the front lines. The following few years saw more of their Nobles killed, though thankfully not excruciated.

Now with few remaining senior members, the famiglia struggles to stay on its feet with the large influx of new family members. Will they be able to live up to their predecessors? Will they be able to return the family to its former glory and take it to new heights? Or will this be the end of the Enlightened? That is up to the new Famiglia.

== PC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Foreguard of the Enlightened''

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Alicia_Valka '''Alicia - Principissa of Illumination''']

The 21st Principissa Of Illumination.

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Emil '''Emil - Power of Determinism''']

The 13th Power of Determinism

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Charles_Earl_Of_Huntington'''Charles - Lord of Chivalry''']

The 77th Lord of Chivalry

'''Lyna - Regina of Magic'''

The 66th Regina of Magic

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Mana_Kishimura '''Mana - Exemplar of Intelligence (And Dolphins)''']

The 17th Noble of Intelligence and 2nd Noble of Dolphins.

== NPC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Vanguard of the Enlightened''

'''Regine - Inquesta of Loyalty'''

'''Jessie - Tempesta of Courage (Sort of veering towards Impetuous Juvenile Recklessness)'''

'''Illumina - AllMother of Alchemy'''

Novice Alchemist extraordinaire and (rather unwilling) Commander of the Alchemist Flameheart Squad, Illumina is yet another recent addition to the Famiglia. She's currently worried about the sorry state of her estate (mostly usurped by Chemistry and now reduced to nothing more than a fantasy fiction gimmick) and a missing prominent Alchemist amongst other things....but mainly by the prospect of responsibility in general.

She is widely known, even outside Alchemist circles, as 'Big Bang Lum'.

'''Elune - Principissa of the Stars'''

While relatively senior in the Famiglia of the Enlightened (by simple virtue of everyone else being very recent additions), that's as far as her seniority goes. In every other respect, she is mostly helpless, though the more understanding dismiss this as a reflection of her estate - stars aren't known to be do much other than be pretty, especially lately with modern technology supplanting the need for stellar navigation or calendar-keeping. It used to be so much different when her sister, the Noble of Astelumina, the power of stellar influence upon the workings of the universe and lives on earth, was still around. Now as the stars fade and people forget the stars, Elune lies ill, slowly fading herself.

''The Diplomatic Corp (Intelligence) of the Enlightened''

'''Rang Fan - Excelifficer of Logic'''

Born a humble villager in a Tibetan highland settlement, Rang Fan grew up completely illiterate. She was, however, a keen observer and deep thinker. She developed her own concise and strict principles of logic, one that often found fault in the traditionalist views of the people she lived amongst. Some saw her as a source of wisdom, some saw her as a demon-possessed child.

She became the favourite anchor of the previous Noble of Logic for a while. During this time, her mastery of logic developed brilliantly. Unfortunately, she came afoul of a Chinese official when she publicly defeated him in a debate regarding the accusation of rebellion on the part of the village.

'''Geronimo - High Chief of Sacrifice'''

'''Han Gua - Exarch of Honour'''

'''Jimmy - Arch-Provost of Curiosity'''

''The Unassigned of the Enlightened''

'''Justice(?) - Empress of Justice'''

Not much is known about Justice, the 1st Noble of Justice. She is the eldest of the current Famiglia, though in the time of the original Famiglia, she was the youngest. She is the last surviving member of the original Famiglia of the Enlightened. It is rumoured that she was an Angel before she joined the Enlightened, though whether or not this is true is unknown. Her real name is unknown. Nobody has seen her in a long, long while. The only members of the current famiglia who have seen her are Han Gua and Elune.

Currently absent. Whereabouts unknown.

'''Vie - Noble of Hope'''

A rather mysterious member of the famiglia, she wonders in and out of the chancel rather randomly. Nobody seems to remember when she joined the Family. In fact, some are surprised to hear that there IS a noble of Hope in the Family. She doesn't seem to have a permanent home in the chancel. She's known (at least to those few who know her) to wander about, never staying in one place for long. She is apparently summonable, but rumours have it that she's apparently rather useless.

There are strange rumours that she follows the code of the Dark, or even Hell. Why would Hope do that?

'''Thomas Eire - Keeper of Karma'''

'''Kaguya - Himegami of the Moon'''

Tsukishiro no Kaguya-hime is perhaps the second eldest of the Famiglia, though she takes great care not to let anyone know that. She is the second Noble of the Moon. There are rumours that she was behind the Apollo 13 failure. When asked about it, she would give you a disdainful look and walk away. Then again, she'd do that no matter what you tried to bring up with her.

Currently very, very vain.

'''Kimo - the Emperor of the Sun'''

= Chancel - Locus Enlightenment, Sanctum Excelestia =

[http://img248.imageshack.us/i/sanctumexcelestia.jpg HG's Impression 1]

'''Qualities'''

Megalomaniac King/Queen (-4)

Normal Magic (3)

Alchemy (1)

2 Banes (-1)

Convenient Gates (2)

Anchorable Magical residents (4)

==Government==

The Sanctum is under the absolute Executive rule of the Emperor who answers only to the Shepherdess. Judicial Rule is under the Absolute Court headed by the Shepherdess and the Supreme Court headed by the Noble of Justice and her Circle of Justiciaries. Legislative and administrative rule is divided amongst the 4 major domains under the 4 queens:

'''Alicia - High Queen of the Diamond Tower.'''

Technically, having inherited the title of 'High Queen' from her predecessor, Alicia commands the Council of Four Queens and the Round Table of Dominums. However, as she has only recently joined the Famiglia, responsibility over the Council of Four Queens has fallen on the reluctant shoulders of Elune while the Round Table of Dominums is overseen by Han Gua.

'''Lyna - Queen of the Ruby Gardens.'''

The Ruby Gardens refers to the entirety of the Arcane Arts Academy Complex within the Outer Circle where the majority of mages of Excelestia train and live. However, to most of the citizens, the 'Ruby Gardens' itself refers to the seat of government, the Ruby Palace, a magnificent rose-shaped palace of crystal grown from the very essence of the Chancel itself in the middle of the Ruby Gardens.

'''Elune - Queen of the Sapphire Sky.'''

The Sapphire Sky refers to the entirety of the sky in between the floating structures of the Sanctum. While Elune governs no real land, she controls all traffic in the airspace around the Sanctum. Her official seat of government is the Sapphire Palace, a beautiful crystalline Sapphire star floating high up within the Inner Circle, though she is rarely ever there. She usually lives in her observatory on a lonely island high above the Sanctum.

'''Jessie - Queen of the Emerald Fields.'''

The Emerald Fields refer to most of the land floating in the Ciellan Expanse, the sky beyond the Outer Wall. The Emerald Fields house a good portion of the Sanctum's agricultural and mining settlements. Her seat of government is the Emerald Palace, a beautiful viridian structure of moss-covered wood and succulent, fresh folliage that grow and thrive all year round, coiled around a giant magnificent Emerald of a green deeper than the land that surrounds it.

== Homes and Households ==

'''The Diamond Palace - ?????'''

Home of Alicia.

Personal Assistant : Lymle

'''The Ruby Palace - ????'''

Home of Lyna.

Personal Assistant : Flowerchild

'''The Garnet Fortress - ????'''

Home of Charles.

Personal Assistant : Sieghart

'''The Quartz Workshop - ????'''

Personal Assistant : Leonie

Home of Emil.

== Other Noteworthy Locations ==

'''The Amethyst Shores'''

Governed officially by Illumina, provisionally by the Arch-Artificer of the Great Guild of Alchemists. The Amethyst Shores are a group of closely-packed islands within the Outer Circle where the majority of the Alchemists of Excelestia live. While alchemists can be found just about anywhere, the Amethysts Shores are really the only place where they can make things explode to their hearts content without causing tempers to explode all around them. Alchemists can also be found en masse at the Ruby Gardens.

'''The Garnet Fortress'''

Governed mainly by Charles, the Garnet Fortress encompasses the Inner and Outer Walls of the Sanctum and the bastion of the Knights.

'''The Beryl Earth'''

Governed mainly by Regine, the

'''The Quartz Workshop'''

A watch-mender's workshop somewhere within the Diamond Tower, Emil's home and favourite haunt.

==Security==

The city has a number of defense corps organized to different degrees by a number of Nobles.

'''The Chivalrous Gentlemanly TownWatch'''

'''The Magical Avengers of Love and Peace, Magical Taskforce Ruby Gardenia'''

Organized by the 5th Noble of Magic, a rather...odd Master of Magic who believed that wearing frilly clothing is a form of sacrifice to society and preached that magical power is exponentially proportional to the frilliness of one's clothing. Now maintained by the 7th Noble of Magic, Lyna, who keeps up most of the traditions of the 5th.

'''The Upholders of Equivalent Exchange, the Eternally Passionate Flameheart Alchemists (EPFA)'''

Organized by the previous Noble of Alchemy, a rather fluffy and passionate Lady Alchemist, and maintained by the recently appointed Noble, Illumina, the EPFA are at best socially-involved nerds, at worst really, really messy vigilantes (unfortunately, more often the latter). They mainly keep the domain of the Alchemists, the Amethyst Shores, as well as their portion of the Ruby Gardens, safe...for a given value of 'safe'.

'''The Infallibly Just Circle of Justiciers'''

'''The Eternally Loyal Shieldmaidens of [Insert Place Name Here]'''

Organized by the current Noble of Loyalty,

'''The Ever-Watchful Lantern Kindlers and Lamp Bearers of the Stars'''

'''The Righteous Karmic-Retributioneer Monks of Karma'''

'''The LoreKeepers and Agents of Literary Vengeance, the Combat Librarians'''

== Groups ==

Besides the defense forces of the Chancel, the Sanctum also harbours a number of groups.

'''The Enclave of Emerald Alchemists'''
Also known as the 'Emerald Artisans', this society of Alchemists was founded by the 7th Noble of Light, TanetNephthys, and the 1st Noble of Alchemy, Armagustine Trimegistus, after the passing of the third Noble of Maricarum, Hermes Trimegistus, founder of the Emerald Arts.

In a major nettle rite wrought by the 2nd Noble of Botany, Ephistopheles, against the Noble of Alchemy, in a daring move to split the art into two major paths forever, the Enclave was splintered in two - The Cleave fo Botanists and the Enclave of Emerald Artisans. The Botanists left the Sanctum, carrying with them the entirety of botanic knowledge. The Alchemists, however, managed to keep the Principa Alchimia safe and prevented the botanists from acquiring an absolute monopoly over the Emerald Arts. The two now jealously guard their arts, for if one were to acquire the arts of the other, they would become unstoppable.

The botanists are known to pass through the Chancel to deal with the Emerald Artisans.

== Laws ==

The Chancel operates on general principles of Justice commonly found in any other society where concepts of Law and Justice exist. It has a few notable exceptions such as:

- Any deed with noble ends are exempt from law's scrutiny upon its means. This means even the most foul of deeds is considered lawfully just as long as its ends are noble. It comes with a very, very important caveat - the good of the outcome must far exceed the evil committed. This is particularly difficult to achieve with murder, as murder, the theft of the sanctity of one's life, is the basest, most evil of crimes that even the earth itself abhors.

-

N.B. The Chancel operates on the Code Napoleon, that the suspect is guilty until proven otherwise, as Lady Justice willed it to be in the prosaic realm.

== Notable Individuals ==

'''Orphus Denilzante'''
Chief Magitech Engineer of the Sanctum and designer of the Deus Ex Machina.

'''Reno Orfayne'''
Owner of Reno's Empirio, the one-stop fashion designer for Nobles, known to be second only to his Master, Enzel Haulor of 7th Avenue and 91st Street NY.

'''Sammy Westine'''
Proprietor and Chief Engineer of Westine Airships, Sammy is the young brilliant mind behind this generation's latest magitech airships. Having mastered Alchemy, Magic and Magitech at a young age, she went on to implement her excellent knowledge in airship design and construction. Her airships are used not just within the Sanctum but all over Creation. While she does produce combat-ready airships, she only produces them as personal favours for Nobles she trusts. These make proud flagships in any war fleet. It is rumoured that she is working with Aeril Jotunstrom, Noble of Ships, from Locus Atlantis, on warships capable of sailing the world beyond creation and taking part directly on the frontlines of the Valde Bellum.

'''Victor'''

= Mythic Realm =

== Chancels Known ==
''From the Primer on Loci Celatum, by Holly Djurisic''
What follows are descriptions of chancels considered widely known and to be no secret to those versed in the ways of the Mythic. Everyone knows them as a matter of common sense.

'''Locus Amarant'''

The Great Market, the Gardens of Lady Profit, Amarant is perhaps one of the few chancels that has no doors, and, even if it did, they would be wide open to welcome one and all. After all, even your worst enemy is a potential customer. Any invader would quickly find themselves besieged by peddlers of weaponry, trust and treachery, even the very spoils they are after. Everything the discerning Noble might need is available here...for the right price. The preferred currency are fleurs, but the locals have been known to trade with other things such as miracles and pacts. Some nobles come here not just to buy but also to sell. If you want or need it, Locus Amarant will sell it, or if not, then at least it will sell you the expertise of someone who CAN get it. Needless to say, the cammorae are all over Amarant.

It is well-known that even Excrucians frequent Amarant, and they know full well never to destroy Amarant....at least not until their victory is assured, for Amarant will be more than happy to sell them the means to that victory, or maybe even that victory itself....for the right price. Why destroy something so blatantly useful?

Chancel of Lady Profit, Immiae Arathy, and the Nobles of Trade, Currency, Negotiation, Supermarket Loyalty Cards, and Cookies. Yes, Cookies.

= Prosaic Realm =

== Earth ==

=== Noteworthy Individuals===

== Erebea ==

A once beautiful world, a geographic wonder of continents hanging high up in the pristine skies, flooded with raw magic reminiscent of Earth about a millennium ago. Sanctum Excelestia was once the capital of this world, until it disappeared a few millennia ago.

== Lost Universe AD 2511 ==

The Lost Universe, now a Valde Bellum warfront. In 2400 AD, an age of galactic expansion and an Aetheric golden age for human advancement, a treacherous Imperator managed to sabotage the Shepherdess' hold on the Weirding Wall, leaving gaping holes in the defense of Creation. In the ensuing chaos, the Imperators and their nobles turned their attention to the Excrucian host gathering beyond the gap. Little did they know that they had fallen prey to a deceiver ruse. At the same time, the Excrucians were readying a pincer attack, with their mimics and strategists having established a foothold on Earth's universe. The Enlightened, at the time under great scrutiny due to the Shepherdess' apparent failure at maintaining the Weirding Wall, discovered the Excrucian plans and attempted to alert the Ymmerae. However, the Deceivers held the ears of the Ymmerae, and all the please of the Enlightened fell on deaf, suspicious, skeptical ears.

In a daring move, the Noble of Aether secretly used almost the entirety of his power of limitless potential to create an anomalous fold in existence, tearing 500 years of the universe apart, resetting the universe to before the Excrucian plan had even begun in 1900. He brought the new fold containing the lost 500 years and the excrucian plot up and tethered it to the gaping hole in the Weirding Wall, just in time to meet the incoming Excrucian Host. The excrucian invasion began, never once suspecting that they had walked into a pocket universe. For the Noble of Aether's apparent treachery, the Locust Court condemned him to death without a trial, dispatching the Enlightened, his own family, to prove their allegiance to the court by executing their own brother. It is said that Justice was the one to rip his shard out of his chest with her bare hands. It is said that the shard shattered. Some say Justice, in her grief and rage, shattered it herself. Some say it was Aether's final gift to the Lost Universe, and to the entirety of creation. The shard dust was dispersed and embedded itself across the entirety of the Lost Universe, enchancelling it, bestowing its beings with the blessings of Aetheric Power, immunizing them to the crippling effects of dementia animus and empowering them in their coming struggle against the Excrucian invaders. Aether was forever lost to Creation, but its shadow continues to live on within the beings of the Lost Universe. As long as the children of Aether stand and the light of Aether burns on within them, the Lost Universe will always resist the Excrucian host.

The Lost Universe has since been sealed away outside the Weirding Wall, doomed to forever be an Excrucian battleground, until the day the Excrucians trapped within consume the Lost Universe and realize Aether's trickery.

At the precise moment Aether's sacrifice enchancelled the Lost Universe, Hammond Qarn, Imperator of the Lost Universe, came into being. Having arisen from a universe so filled with the Shepherdess' own power, Hammond naturally became a Magister of the Enlightened. Furthermore, as the chancel was created using the Shepherdess' own soul shard, a fraction of the Shepherdess' own essence makes up the chancel's foundations. Thus for all intents and purposes the Enlightened can treat the Lost Universe as their own home chancel.

Few other nobles are privy to the secret of the Lost Universe's existence. Even fewer take up the fight to defend the Lost Universe in order to delay the full-scale invasion of Creation. The Nobles of Astelumina and Endeon were the first to pick up Aether's fallen banner and lead the battle against the Excrucian host and were also the first to fall.

'Now and Forever, till the hour I too stand between Impossibility and Despair!' - Phaeron Rof Alabar Trimeniel - Emperor of Aether

=== Notable Locations ===

'''L.U. Earth AD 2511'''

In AD 2400, Astelumina and Endeon managed to rid the entire earth of deceivers, strategists and mimics, making it one of the last few human settlements still untouched by the Excrucian Scourge. The war and Aether's blessing has accelerated technology to astronomical heights in the past 111 years, bringing humanity to a point where they can overwhelm excrucian shards and at the very least annoy full excrucians, if not kill them. Earth is now the capital of the Universal Aetheric Alliance (UAA), headquarters of the Excrucian resistance. Its coordinates are guarded to the death by the Children of Aether. Those who sally forth to meet the Excrucian Host do so without carrying Earth's coordinates, knowing full well that they may never return to their beloved home.

'''L.U. Heaven’s Feel'''

The current frontier of the Lost Universe Valde Bellum, Heaven’s Feel is perhaps the most beautiful extrasolar human colony. A large T3 terraformed planet orbiting the gas giant Astelumina 3, behind a dense spherical asteroid field and a radioactive veil around the sun Astelumina, it makes a naturally fortified world. Thanks to the scattering radiation and the dense blackhole just a few megaparsecs away at the center of the galaxy, the system and planet is nigh impossible to find at the best of times, at least for marauding excrucian raiding parties. The UAA uses Astelumina’s final gift, the gift of the stars, the ability to travel on aetheric currents guided by the stars, to travel safely in and out of the system.

When excrucians do find the planet, they are immediately drawn into its orbit by the interaction of the gravity wells of Heaven’s Feel’s many moons. They have no hope of escaping to notify the host of the planet’s location before they are drawn into intense battle by the Feelians.

The planet is ravaged by repeat invasions.

=== Familia of the Lost Universe ===

More or less an extended family of the Enlightened, the Familia of the Lost Universe are the sworn guardians of Aether's legacy.

'''Hammond Qarn - Imperator of the Lost Universe'''

Despite being an offshoot of the Shepherdess' power, Hammond Qarn is quite the opposite. He looks as human as they come. In fact, very, very much so, with his thick paternal beard, his twinkling eyes and his simple, honest expression, like a stern but compassionate father. Those who have the great honour of an audience with him are overcome with an overwhelming confidence and faith in humanity's potential and prowess. His being is shrouded in the stuff of legends. They say he single-handedly piloted an Alliance Battlecruiser straight into an Excrucian battlestation and escaped alive, unscathed. They say he personally lead the desperate charge that ended the siege of Harvest 4. They say he singlehandedly held the line at Point Hope against the entire advancing Excrucian host at the battle of Forge 3. They say a lot of things about Hammond Qarn, and when you meet him, sitting like a lighthouse exuding calm and confidence amidst the storm of war, in his simple, neatly-pressed uniform gleaming with but one badge denoting his allegiance to the Alliance, you feel naught but awe - that this man is the legend in the flesh.

'''Commander John Shepard - Power of Living Legends'''

'''Excel 7 - Commander of Super Soldiers'''

was responsible for the Halo series and partly responsible for the Metal Gear series, amongst other things.

'''Iris Erran - Chief Admiral of Spacecrafts'''

'''ALMa OmNI. - Supreme Administrator of Aetheric Technology'''

An A.I. born of the pinnacle of Aetheric supercomputers,

= Quests =

== Active Quests ==

=== Imperator Quests ===

'''Overdue'''

Started : 8th November 2011

The Shepherdess has requested that the Foreguards return 3 books she's borrowed for Shepherdess-knows-how-long now, for reasons that none can fathom. These books are:

1) 'Single Parenting for Idiots', to the Imperator of Shadows

2) 'The Amazing Justice and the Lovely Yaoi Doujin', to the Noble of Women's Beards

3) 'The Witchhunter's Codex' to a certain alchemist in Erebea.

She has asked you all to return them, ASAP.

Progress:

1) The Family has acquired the 3 books from the Principarium.

2) 1 week has passed since.

'''?????'''

Started : ?????

??????

Progress: n/a

=== Chancel Quests ===

=== Chivalry Quests ===

'''Rest in Peace'''

Started: n/a

One of Charles' Knights, Tristan, has just returned from Earth and has requested an urgent private audience. Wonder what it's about.

Progress: n/a

'''100,000's a Crowd!'''

Started: n/a

The Reinzuthen of Erebea have decided to dispatch a sacrifical gift of 100,000 girls from all around Erebea, mostly from all the nations they've conquered and annexed, to the old island of Altima, original home of the Nobles of Warriors, distant predecessors of Charles'. Apparently this is to welcome the prophesized return of the original Noble of Warriors and to attempt to acquire his favour with the hopes of having him assist the Reinzuthen make good their absolute conquest of Erebea. Obviously, the current delivery recipient is Charles....and this is NOT good. NOT good at all.

Progress: n/a

'''White Knight in Black Armour'''

Started: n/a

Alfred Goddard, ace attorney, E.U. Supreme Court prosecutor and prominent political figure, has sworn to cleanse Europe of all crime, especially major international crime rings. He has followed through with his oath. Half of all European prisons are full thanks to him. He is hailed as the 'White Knight', Europe's last hope. Needless to say, he's nowhere near as popular in the underworld. Many want him dead. He's currently attending the Copenhagen Treaty Talks as an expert on the Eco-crime panel. Chika, Emil's personal assassin, has helpfully let slip that she's refused a rather generous contract to assassinate Alfred Goddard during the talks. She's only one of many. Maybe you should look into this.

Progress: n/a

=== Determinism Quests ===

'''Sick of Life'''

Started : N/A

77 People have been found dead from unknown causes in Copenhagen. They were discovered missing their left hands and hanging upside down from trees.

Progress : n/a

'''Fly me to Europa'''

Started : N/A

The manned mission to Europa's missing for reasons as yet unknown.

Progress : n/a

'''Two Things Infinite'''

Started : 8th November 2011

The LHC has broken down once again after a few brief months of rather hiccupy function. This time, the cause is completely unknown. All the individual parts seem to be in working order, but the sum refuses to work. Sophia's not happy, not happy at all. She has personally requested that Emil look into this.

Progress:

1) Emil has taken a brief look around through Sophia's eyes. The LHC's spirit seems to have some blemishes....wonder what they are....

'''Tides of Fate'''

Started : n/a

The tides have stopped rising with the lunar cycles. As a result, the world's currents, fisheries and shoreline ecosystems have been gravely affected. This shouldn't even be physically possible!

Progress: n/a

=== Illumination Quests ===

'''Twinkle, Little Star'''

Started : 15th November 2011

As the world darkens, the light of the stars fade. Elune, little noble of stars, your sister, lies sick, alone in her high observatory, forgotten by the rest of the world. Now the weakening of the stars has started to affect the domain of Light too. Something must be done before yet another member of the Family succumbs to the war of attrition upon the Enlightened.

Progress:

1) Lyna, Emil and Alicia visited Elune in her observatory and found her ill.

2) They discovered that her observatory was severely corrupted by some malignant corruption that was trying to break into the chancel.

3) They sealed off the intrusion into the chancel but destroyed the observatory in the process. They managed to prevent the observatory from crashing catastrophically into the chancel.

4) They've brought the sick Elune to the Sapphire Palace and acquired the help of Regine to treat her.

'''Who moved my Christmas?!'''

Christmas, the biggest celebration of lights and joy, isn't happening this year! This is unprecedented serious affair!

Started : 8th November 2011

Progress :

1) Alicia has asked the magical girls, knights, and others who've passed in and out of the chancel, for any information they might know about this. She's learned that it's a rather complex issue. It might be the economy, it might be the declining family values, could be anything.

'''When you peer into the Abyss...'''

Started : n/a

And the Creator said, 'Let there be Light', and there was light, and he saw that it was good. And He separated the dark from the light. Thus was the First Day.

It wasn't quite that simple.

When the light came to be, the dark too came to be as a result, and neither could tolerate the other. Thus the First War of Light and Dark began, pure and simple, with no preamble or prelude. They fought for Shepherdess-knows-how-long. Finally, the formation of the Covenant of the First Day, an agreement between the Light and the Dark to respect the other's estate, ended the war. How it came to be, however, is still a hotly debated topic. Some say the Dark won. Some say the Light won. Some say it was a draw. Some say there were other reasons. Who really knows?

An anniversary of the Covenant of the First Day is celebrated yearly now to uphold the ideals of peace and cooperation between Light and Dark. This year, it's Alicia's turn to host the festival. What could go wrong?

Progress : n/a

=== Magic Quests ===

'''Dude, Where's My Ship?!'''

Started : 8th Novemeber 2011

Following the disappearance of a wildcat Lignite mining crew in the Aescilian Mountains of Erebea, a pair of magical girls were dispatched on what was supposed to be a simple search-and-rescue mission. They report finding what looks like a ship and wisely request further assistance. The archaeological division arrived hours later, sealed the region, before preparing for further studies. They could not identify the ship's make or origins from the exterior, so they decide to enter through an entrance they found on the side. Contact with the entire squad was lost 6 hours into the mission, with the last transmission being 'Found someth-....So....beautiful....'. A second rescue mission was mounted, this time with a full STRIKER magical girl squadron. They found a deserted camp site and the open ship. They enter. Contact was lost 1.5 hours into the mission, with the last transmission being '...reached the last known location. Now....I-..I can't believe it....mission control...I can't begin to describe this....this is...so...so beau-.....'.

Progress:

1) Lyna has developed a new remote-viewing spell to peer into the site from a distance. Unfortunately, the first few attempts failed as she can't seem to view anything beyond the foot of the mountains.

'''My Struggle, My suffering, My Legacy'''

Started: n/a

The smoke of witch burning pyres rise high up into the skies above the magical realm of Erebea. The once all-powerful mages now run and hide before the onslaught of the Reinzhuthen, an order of genocidal purists who are in pursuit of the all-powerful dark mage, the dark lord Daran Reganz. The Reinzhuthen have taken up an all-or-nothing approach towards hunting Daran Reganz – wiping out every last mage on Neven. After successfully gathering the support of the people against the seemingly incompetent mage-led government and subsequently overthrowing them, the Reinzhuthen declared a world-wide ban of magical practices, declaring any practitioner an agent of Daran Reganz and an enemy of the state.

Progress: n/a

=== Intelligence Quests ===

'''So Long and Thanks for All the Fish'''

Dolphins are becoming quite popular...as food! The coastal town of Taiji, Japan, the largest operator of dolphin drive hunting in the world, is undertaking a massive campaign to popularize the consumption of dolphin meat following the opening of its Great Taiji Dolphin Slaughterhouse. Quite a problem for the local dolphins, some of whom are Mana's own friends.

Incidentally, the global pandemic of the strange sleeping illness has a relatively high incidence in Japan, particularly in Taiji.

Started: n/a

Progress: n/a

== Completed Quests ==

= Correspondence =

== Family Correspondence ==

'Good morning, Masters and Mistresses. I hope the noise didn't keep you up last night. The Alchemists discovered a new flower known quite amusingly as the 'Boom Lily'. Thankfully they grew quieter as the night went by. Anyhow, here's today's selection of the world's headlines.' - Mira -

• Presidents of Chechnya, Bosnia and Ukraine die in mysterious circumstances.

• American invasion of Iran is meeting heavy resistance. The Iranians now threaten to unleash their nuclear arsenal if America does not cease and desist.

• A new illness is spreading. Cause unknown.

== Illumination's Correspondence==

'Young Miss, please do take some times to reads some of these, 'kay? Lymle's actually done her bests to sort them outs, 'kay!' - Lymle -

- You've been cordially invited to attend the Divali celebrations in India. - Various Nobles -

== Chivalry's Correspondence ==

'Aye, my liege, thou hath an abundant harvest of letters. Thy loyal steed hast made do with the more...delicious trivialties. *BURP*' - Sieghart -

== Determinism's Correspondence ==

'Hey, old man, check it out, you've got mail. Should I fetch your specs? Or maybe a magnifying glass? Or maybe my winding screw? All that sorting's wound down my springs...' - Leonie -

== Magic's Correspondence ==

'Young Mistress, it's time to read your correspondence for the day. Please sit down here. Yes, here. Now, back straight like a washboard, eyes forward like a dead fish, and elbows akimbo like a ballerina...yes, excellent, young mistress. Now, I present you my personal selection of today's letters.' - Flowerchild -

== Intelligence's Correspondence ==

Nobilis Enlightened

2011-03-12T01:54:09Z

Mind-The-Gap: /* Chivalry Quests */

[[Category:Nobilis]]

= Imperator - The Shepherdess of Light =

1. ‘Omneaum(a) became aware. In its awareness, it found loneliness. It saw potential, good, an impossibility.

2. Omneaum gave way to potential, and made the impossible possible. It was, things became.

3. Enlightenment arose, and so did I, Whole, Complete, bearing the Gifts of Aether (b), Light, Vaveram (c), Maricarum (d), Endeon (e), and Causality.

4. Omneaum’s legacy I shall honour and hold safe, now and forever, till the hour I too stand alone between Impossibility and Despair.’

- The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light, Imperator of Enlightenment -

(a) Omneaum: The Original Absolute Void

(b) Aether: Estate of 'Absolute Potential', the 'Impossible made Possible', the very basic element of creation from which all matter and life flowed. It was said to have been more abundant in space. (Now excruciated, succeeded in part by the estate of 'Magic')

(c)Vaveram: Estate of Spontaneous Sentience and Awareness (Now Excruciated. Never replaced.)

(d) Maricarum: Estate of Great Miracles through Personal Sacrifice (Now excruciated, succeeded by the estate of 'Magic' and 'Sacrifice')

(e)Endeon: Estate of the 'Lone Wolf Phenomenon', wherein those fighting against overwhelming odds are always guaranteed victory. Better known in our time as the 'Storm Trooper effect'. (Now excruciated)

Having predated the Imperators of 'Name', the Shepherdess is nameless and formless. Those who are fortunate enough to know her identify her as 'The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light', or, simply, 'The Shepherdess'. Having come into being before the birth of the concept of 'form' or even 'matter' and 'physical law', she is without form in the physical universe. She used to communicate with her agents in the physical universe through pulses of light and ripples in a fountain of light. Needless to say, a lot of liberty had been taken in deciphering her wishes. Recently, however, the Chief Engineer of the Sanctum, Orphus, has devised an ingenious megastructure, the Deus Ex Machina, a gigantic clockwork device that allows the Shepherdess to see into the physical realm and engage with it using a gigantic, rather clumsy steel claw and communicate using a ticker-tape telegram machine.

(Interestingly, having also preceded the Imperator of Gender, she is, or, at least, was, in essence, genderless. However, around 300 B.C. she became a part of debate amongst philosophers as an example of a being who must be 'of the default gender'. For some reason it was decided that the default gender was female, and so the Shepherdess has since been considered to be of the female persuasion. Not that she really cares. It is suspected that the Noble of Women had something to do with this, but that's a tale for another time.)

Prophesized successor of Ananda and future Shepherdess of the Fifth Age, the Glorious One has purposely been denied a seat on the Council of Four, for her ways are that of the ‘Enlightened’, incompatible with the ways of the other council-members. She earns Lord Entropy and Ananda’s tolerance for her existence only through her service in the Valde Bellum and her Light’s importance in maintaining the Weirding Wall, a task that consumes almost the entirety of her attention and being (much to Lord Entropy’s and Ananda’s satisfaction).

The Heavens despise her, for an Angel of Creation she is not, and yet she brought forth the first Light that made everything that was Beautiful possible. Only the fact that her Light is necessary for beauty and this fact alone earns her the toleration of Heaven. The Wild would have nothing to do with her, for there is no freedom in sacrifice.The Hells, the Darkness and the Light all loath her, for not only is she the voice of wisdom that transcends not just the Corruption that the Hells endeavour towards, but she is also the voice that moves all beings towards becoming more than the matter they are made from, transcending what they are, pushing them ever onwards towards a greater purpose not only in life but also in death. Those who follow her code wish for naught else but the glory of dying for a greater good.

It is unclear what her true nature or form is. Nobody seems to remember when she came to be, or how for that matter. Some suspect she is one of the Heavenly legion, an Angel, but not only do the Heavens and its angelic denizens despise her at the best of times, her ways are most definitely not that of Heaven. Some surmise that she is a fallen Angel, but the cause of Hell she does not serve. It is highly possible that she is a True God, but all of creation knows they did not appear until long after the Angels had begun the Great Work. Recently, when passings of the Transcendants were properly documented in AP 4732, it was surmised that she is perhaps a Transcendant who somehow chose to settle upon the World Ash, perhaps one of the Charitable. Said document is Creation's closest description of the Shepherdess' nature, her gifts being her Estates and her Law.

=='''Vow of the Enlightened'''==

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this.

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this. - One thing leads to another. And at the end of all things is an ‘end’.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this. - Every good act must be good of purpose and good of result. This clause seems to fail to (most probably purposely) mention anything regarding the means. Taking the most liberal interpretation, a ‘Noble deed’ can have means as lacking in morals as a psychotic mass murderer, and yet still be considered ‘Noble’ in the eyes of the ‘Enlightened’. What matters is the cause, the intention and the ends. Everything in between matters naught.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this. - The ultimate sacrifice can conquer anything, even the impossible. This is the one true ‘Miracle’, Magic at its purest, one that allows the Enlightened to surpass his/her own end and achieve greatness through sacrifice. The Shepherdess safeguards the cause of all who sacrifice themselves for a greater purpose, guaranteeing them the miraculous magic of success.

==Details==

'''Estates''': Light, Determinism, Magic, Chivalry, Intelligence, Honour, Loyalty, Courage, Hope, Justice, Karma, Logic, Alchemy, Sacrifice, Curiosity, Sun, Moon, Stars

'''Excruciated Estates''': Aether, Vaveram, Maricarum, Endeon, Astelumina

'''Dynasty Points :''' 8

'''Qualities:'''

Great Harvest (2)

Cold (-1)

Demanding (-1)

----

= The Famiglia of the Enlightened =

The Famiglia of the Enlightened ''were'' a highly respected and influential group about 4-5 centuries before, their power extending from the very birth of creation. However, in a highly unorthodox move around the 4002 A.P., the Council ordered the Shepherdess to provide additional support in the Valde Bellum proper, above and beyond her maintenance of the Weirding Wall. Seeing as the Wall already consumed most if not all her power and attention, she was forced to mobilize members of her Famiglia, something quite unprecedented. The Nobles of Maricarum, Aether and Endeon were the first to volunteer for the great undertaking, having attained near-Imperator-level powers at the time. A few centuries later, Vaveram, Astelumina, Chivalry, Courage and Alchemy too joined their brother and sisters in the direct defense of creation. They held the line for a good few centuries, seeing a slow but definite turnover in nobles. That was until, for reasons still unknown, Maricarum, Aether, Endeon, Vaveram and Astelumina were excruciated one by one. The last to fall were Endeon and Astelumina in 4895 AP, at the same time 500 years of Human History was erased.

With no time to mourn, the Famiglia of the Enlightened were forced to mobilize more members of their famiglia to the front lines. The following few years saw more of their Nobles killed, though thankfully not excruciated.

Now with few remaining senior members, the famiglia struggles to stay on its feet with the large influx of new family members. Will they be able to live up to their predecessors? Will they be able to return the family to its former glory and take it to new heights? Or will this be the end of the Enlightened? That is up to the new Famiglia.

== PC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Foreguard of the Enlightened''

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Alicia_Valka '''Alicia - Principissa of Illumination''']

The 21st Principissa Of Illumination.

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Emil '''Emil - Power of Determinism''']

The 13th Power of Determinism

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Charles_Earl_Of_Huntington'''Charles - Lord of Chivalry''']

The 77th Lord of Chivalry

'''Lyna - Regina of Magic'''

The 66th Regina of Magic

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Mana_Kishimura '''Mana - Exemplar of Intelligence (And Dolphins)''']

The 17th Noble of Intelligence and 2nd Noble of Dolphins.

== NPC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Vanguard of the Enlightened''

'''Regine - Inquesta of Loyalty'''

'''Jessie - Tempesta of Courage (Sort of veering towards Impetuous Juvenile Recklessness)'''

'''Illumina - AllMother of Alchemy'''

Novice Alchemist extraordinaire and (rather unwilling) Commander of the Alchemist Flameheart Squad, Illumina is yet another recent addition to the Famiglia. She's currently worried about the sorry state of her estate (mostly usurped by Chemistry and now reduced to nothing more than a fantasy fiction gimmick) and a missing prominent Alchemist amongst other things....but mainly by the prospect of responsibility in general.

She is widely known, even outside Alchemist circles, as 'Big Bang Lum'.

'''Elune - Principissa of the Stars'''

While relatively senior in the Famiglia of the Enlightened (by simple virtue of everyone else being very recent additions), that's as far as her seniority goes. In every other respect, she is mostly helpless, though the more understanding dismiss this as a reflection of her estate - stars aren't known to be do much other than be pretty, especially lately with modern technology supplanting the need for stellar navigation or calendar-keeping. It used to be so much different when her sister, the Noble of Astelumina, the power of stellar influence upon the workings of the universe and lives on earth, was still around. Now as the stars fade and people forget the stars, Elune lies ill, slowly fading herself.

''The Diplomatic Corp (Intelligence) of the Enlightened''

'''Rang Fan - Excelifficer of Logic'''

Born a humble villager in a Tibetan highland settlement, Rang Fan grew up completely illiterate. She was, however, a keen observer and deep thinker. She developed her own concise and strict principles of logic, one that often found fault in the traditionalist views of the people she lived amongst. Some saw her as a source of wisdom, some saw her as a demon-possessed child.

She became the favourite anchor of the previous Noble of Logic for a while. During this time, her mastery of logic developed brilliantly. Unfortunately, she came afoul of a Chinese official when she publicly defeated him in a debate regarding the accusation of rebellion on the part of the village.

'''Geronimo - High Chief of Sacrifice'''

'''Han Gua - Exarch of Honour'''

'''Jimmy - Arch-Provost of Curiosity'''

''The Unassigned of the Enlightened''

'''Justice(?) - Empress of Justice'''

Not much is known about Justice, the 1st Noble of Justice. She is the eldest of the current Famiglia, though in the time of the original Famiglia, she was the youngest. She is the last surviving member of the original Famiglia of the Enlightened. It is rumoured that she was an Angel before she joined the Enlightened, though whether or not this is true is unknown. Her real name is unknown. Nobody has seen her in a long, long while. The only members of the current famiglia who have seen her are Han Gua and Elune.

Currently absent. Whereabouts unknown.

'''Vie - Noble of Hope'''

A rather mysterious member of the famiglia, she wonders in and out of the chancel rather randomly. Nobody seems to remember when she joined the Family. In fact, some are surprised to hear that there IS a noble of Hope in the Family. She doesn't seem to have a permanent home in the chancel. She's known (at least to those few who know her) to wander about, never staying in one place for long. She is apparently summonable, but rumours have it that she's apparently rather useless.

There are strange rumours that she follows the code of the Dark, or even Hell. Why would Hope do that?

'''Thomas Eire - Keeper of Karma'''

'''Kaguya - Himegami of the Moon'''

Tsukishiro no Kaguya-hime is perhaps the second eldest of the Famiglia, though she takes great care not to let anyone know that. She is the second Noble of the Moon. There are rumours that she was behind the Apollo 13 failure. When asked about it, she would give you a disdainful look and walk away. Then again, she'd do that no matter what you tried to bring up with her.

Currently very, very vain.

'''Kimo - the Emperor of the Sun'''

= Chancel - Locus Enlightenment, Sanctum Excelestia =

[http://img248.imageshack.us/i/sanctumexcelestia.jpg HG's Impression 1]

'''Qualities'''

Megalomaniac King/Queen (-4)

Normal Magic (3)

Alchemy (1)

2 Banes (-1)

Convenient Gates (2)

Anchorable Magical residents (4)

==Government==

The Sanctum is under the absolute Executive rule of the Emperor who answers only to the Shepherdess. Judicial Rule is under the Absolute Court headed by the Shepherdess and the Supreme Court headed by the Noble of Justice and her Circle of Justiciaries. Legislative and administrative rule is divided amongst the 4 major domains under the 4 queens:

'''Alicia - High Queen of the Diamond Tower.'''

Technically, having inherited the title of 'High Queen' from her predecessor, Alicia commands the Council of Four Queens and the Round Table of Dominums. However, as she has only recently joined the Famiglia, responsibility over the Council of Four Queens has fallen on the reluctant shoulders of Elune while the Round Table of Dominums is overseen by Han Gua.

'''Lyna - Queen of the Ruby Gardens.'''

The Ruby Gardens refers to the entirety of the Arcane Arts Academy Complex within the Outer Circle where the majority of mages of Excelestia train and live. However, to most of the citizens, the 'Ruby Gardens' itself refers to the seat of government, the Ruby Palace, a magnificent rose-shaped palace of crystal grown from the very essence of the Chancel itself in the middle of the Ruby Gardens.

'''Elune - Queen of the Sapphire Sky.'''

The Sapphire Sky refers to the entirety of the sky in between the floating structures of the Sanctum. While Elune governs no real land, she controls all traffic in the airspace around the Sanctum. Her official seat of government is the Sapphire Palace, a beautiful crystalline Sapphire star floating high up within the Inner Circle, though she is rarely ever there. She usually lives in her observatory on a lonely island high above the Sanctum.

'''Jessie - Queen of the Emerald Fields.'''

The Emerald Fields refer to most of the land floating in the Ciellan Expanse, the sky beyond the Outer Wall. The Emerald Fields house a good portion of the Sanctum's agricultural and mining settlements. Her seat of government is the Emerald Palace, a beautiful viridian structure of moss-covered wood and succulent, fresh folliage that grow and thrive all year round, coiled around a giant magnificent Emerald of a green deeper than the land that surrounds it.

== Homes and Households ==

'''The Diamond Palace - ?????'''

Home of Alicia.

Personal Assistant : Lymle

'''The Ruby Palace - ????'''

Home of Lyna.

Personal Assistant : Flowerchild

'''The Garnet Fortress - ????'''

Home of Charles.

Personal Assistant : Sieghart

'''The Quartz Workshop - ????'''

Personal Assistant : Leonie

Home of Emil.

== Other Noteworthy Locations ==

'''The Amethyst Shores'''

Governed officially by Illumina, provisionally by the Arch-Artificer of the Great Guild of Alchemists. The Amethyst Shores are a group of closely-packed islands within the Outer Circle where the majority of the Alchemists of Excelestia live. While alchemists can be found just about anywhere, the Amethysts Shores are really the only place where they can make things explode to their hearts content without causing tempers to explode all around them. Alchemists can also be found en masse at the Ruby Gardens.

'''The Garnet Fortress'''

Governed mainly by Charles, the Garnet Fortress encompasses the Inner and Outer Walls of the Sanctum and the bastion of the Knights.

'''The Beryl Earth'''

Governed mainly by Regine, the

'''The Quartz Workshop'''

A watch-mender's workshop somewhere within the Diamond Tower, Emil's home and favourite haunt.

==Security==

The city has a number of defense corps organized to different degrees by a number of Nobles.

'''The Chivalrous Gentlemanly TownWatch'''

'''The Magical Avengers of Love and Peace, Magical Taskforce Ruby Gardenia'''

Organized by the 5th Noble of Magic, a rather...odd Master of Magic who believed that wearing frilly clothing is a form of sacrifice to society and preached that magical power is exponentially proportional to the frilliness of one's clothing. Now maintained by the 7th Noble of Magic, Lyna, who keeps up most of the traditions of the 5th.

'''The Upholders of Equivalent Exchange, the Eternally Passionate Flameheart Alchemists (EPFA)'''

Organized by the previous Noble of Alchemy, a rather fluffy and passionate Lady Alchemist, and maintained by the recently appointed Noble, Illumina, the EPFA are at best socially-involved nerds, at worst really, really messy vigilantes (unfortunately, more often the latter). They mainly keep the domain of the Alchemists, the Amethyst Shores, as well as their portion of the Ruby Gardens, safe...for a given value of 'safe'.

'''The Infallibly Just Circle of Justiciers'''

'''The Eternally Loyal Shieldmaidens of [Insert Place Name Here]'''

Organized by the current Noble of Loyalty,

'''The Ever-Watchful Lantern Kindlers and Lamp Bearers of the Stars'''

'''The Righteous Karmic-Retributioneer Monks of Karma'''

'''The LoreKeepers and Agents of Literary Vengeance, the Combat Librarians'''

== Groups ==

Besides the defense forces of the Chancel, the Sanctum also harbours a number of groups.

'''The Enclave of Emerald Alchemists'''
Also known as the 'Emerald Artisans', this society of Alchemists was founded by the 7th Noble of Light, TanetNephthys, and the 1st Noble of Alchemy, Armagustine Trimegistus, after the passing of the third Noble of Maricarum, Hermes Trimegistus, founder of the Emerald Arts.

In a major nettle rite wrought by the 2nd Noble of Botany, Ephistopheles, against the Noble of Alchemy, in a daring move to split the art into two major paths forever, the Enclave was splintered in two - The Cleave fo Botanists and the Enclave of Emerald Artisans. The Botanists left the Sanctum, carrying with them the entirety of botanic knowledge. The Alchemists, however, managed to keep the Principa Alchimia safe and prevented the botanists from acquiring an absolute monopoly over the Emerald Arts. The two now jealously guard their arts, for if one were to acquire the arts of the other, they would become unstoppable.

The botanists are known to pass through the Chancel to deal with the Emerald Artisans.

== Laws ==

The Chancel operates on general principles of Justice commonly found in any other society where concepts of Law and Justice exist. It has a few notable exceptions such as:

- Any deed with noble ends are exempt from law's scrutiny upon its means. This means even the most foul of deeds is considered lawfully just as long as its ends are noble. It comes with a very, very important caveat - the good of the outcome must far exceed the evil committed. This is particularly difficult to achieve with murder, as murder, the theft of the sanctity of one's life, is the basest, most evil of crimes that even the earth itself abhors.

-

N.B. The Chancel operates on the Code Napoleon, that the suspect is guilty until proven otherwise, as Lady Justice willed it to be in the prosaic realm.

== Notable Individuals ==

'''Orphus Denilzante'''
Chief Magitech Engineer of the Sanctum and designer of the Deus Ex Machina.

'''Reno Orfayne'''
Owner of Reno's Empirio, the one-stop fashion designer for Nobles, known to be second only to his Master, Enzel Haulor of 7th Avenue and 91st Street NY.

'''Sammy Westine'''
Proprietor and Chief Engineer of Westine Airships, Sammy is the young brilliant mind behind this generation's latest magitech airships. Having mastered Alchemy, Magic and Magitech at a young age, she went on to implement her excellent knowledge in airship design and construction. Her airships are used not just within the Sanctum but all over Creation. While she does produce combat-ready airships, she only produces them as personal favours for Nobles she trusts. These make proud flagships in any war fleet. It is rumoured that she is working with Aeril Jotunstrom, Noble of Ships, from Locus Atlantis, on warships capable of sailing the world beyond creation and taking part directly on the frontlines of the Valde Bellum.

'''Victor'''

= Mythic Realm =

== Chancels Known ==
''From the Primer on Loci Celatum, by Holly Djurisic''
What follows are descriptions of chancels considered widely known and to be no secret to those versed in the ways of the Mythic. Everyone knows them as a matter of common sense.

'''Locus Amarant'''

The Great Market, the Gardens of Lady Profit, Amarant is perhaps one of the few chancels that has no doors, and, even if it did, they would be wide open to welcome one and all. After all, even your worst enemy is a potential customer. Any invader would quickly find themselves besieged by peddlers of weaponry, trust and treachery, even the very spoils they are after. Everything the discerning Noble might need is available here...for the right price. The preferred currency are fleurs, but the locals have been known to trade with other things such as miracles and pacts. Some nobles come here not just to buy but also to sell. If you want or need it, Locus Amarant will sell it, or if not, then at least it will sell you the expertise of someone who CAN get it. Needless to say, the cammorae are all over Amarant.

It is well-known that even Excrucians frequent Amarant, and they know full well never to destroy Amarant....at least not until their victory is assured, for Amarant will be more than happy to sell them the means to that victory, or maybe even that victory itself....for the right price. Why destroy something so blatantly useful?

Chancel of Lady Profit, Immiae Arathy, and the Nobles of Trade, Currency, Negotiation, Supermarket Loyalty Cards, and Cookies. Yes, Cookies.

= Prosaic Realm =

== Earth ==

=== Noteworthy Individuals===

== Erebea ==

A once beautiful world, a geographic wonder of continents hanging high up in the pristine skies, flooded with raw magic reminiscent of Earth about a millennium ago. Sanctum Excelestia was once the capital of this world, until it disappeared a few millennia ago.

== Lost Universe AD 2511 ==

The Lost Universe, now a Valde Bellum warfront. In 2400 AD, an age of galactic expansion and an Aetheric golden age for human advancement, a treacherous Imperator managed to sabotage the Shepherdess' hold on the Weirding Wall, leaving gaping holes in the defense of Creation. In the ensuing chaos, the Imperators and their nobles turned their attention to the Excrucian host gathering beyond the gap. Little did they know that they had fallen prey to a deceiver ruse. At the same time, the Excrucians were readying a pincer attack, with their mimics and strategists having established a foothold on Earth's universe. The Enlightened, at the time under great scrutiny due to the Shepherdess' apparent failure at maintaining the Weirding Wall, discovered the Excrucian plans and attempted to alert the Ymmerae. However, the Deceivers held the ears of the Ymmerae, and all the please of the Enlightened fell on deaf, suspicious, skeptical ears.

In a daring move, the Noble of Aether secretly used almost the entirety of his power of limitless potential to create an anomalous fold in existence, tearing 500 years of the universe apart, resetting the universe to before the Excrucian plan had even begun in 1900. He brought the new fold containing the lost 500 years and the excrucian plot up and tethered it to the gaping hole in the Weirding Wall, just in time to meet the incoming Excrucian Host. The excrucian invasion began, never once suspecting that they had walked into a pocket universe. For the Noble of Aether's apparent treachery, the Locust Court condemned him to death without a trial, dispatching the Enlightened, his own family, to prove their allegiance to the court by executing their own brother. It is said that Justice was the one to rip his shard out of his chest with her bare hands. It is said that the shard shattered. Some say Justice, in her grief and rage, shattered it herself. Some say it was Aether's final gift to the Lost Universe, and to the entirety of creation. The shard dust was dispersed and embedded itself across the entirety of the Lost Universe, enchancelling it, bestowing its beings with the blessings of Aetheric Power, immunizing them to the crippling effects of dementia animus and empowering them in their coming struggle against the Excrucian invaders. Aether was forever lost to Creation, but its shadow continues to live on within the beings of the Lost Universe. As long as the children of Aether stand and the light of Aether burns on within them, the Lost Universe will always resist the Excrucian host.

The Lost Universe has since been sealed away outside the Weirding Wall, doomed to forever be an Excrucian battleground, until the day the Excrucians trapped within consume the Lost Universe and realize Aether's trickery.

At the precise moment Aether's sacrifice enchancelled the Lost Universe, Hammond Qarn, Imperator of the Lost Universe, came into being. Having arisen from a universe so filled with the Shepherdess' own power, Hammond naturally became a Magister of the Enlightened. Furthermore, as the chancel was created using the Shepherdess' own soul shard, a fraction of the Shepherdess' own essence makes up the chancel's foundations. Thus for all intents and purposes the Enlightened can treat the Lost Universe as their own home chancel.

Few other nobles are privy to the secret of the Lost Universe's existence. Even fewer take up the fight to defend the Lost Universe in order to delay the full-scale invasion of Creation. The Nobles of Astelumina and Endeon were the first to pick up Aether's fallen banner and lead the battle against the Excrucian host and were also the first to fall.

'Now and Forever, till the hour I too stand between Impossibility and Despair!' - Phaeron Rof Alabar Trimeniel - Emperor of Aether

=== Notable Locations ===

'''L.U. Earth AD 2511'''

In AD 2400, Astelumina and Endeon managed to rid the entire earth of deceivers, strategists and mimics, making it one of the last few human settlements still untouched by the Excrucian Scourge. The war and Aether's blessing has accelerated technology to astronomical heights in the past 111 years, bringing humanity to a point where they can overwhelm excrucian shards and at the very least annoy full excrucians, if not kill them. Earth is now the capital of the Universal Aetheric Alliance (UAA), headquarters of the Excrucian resistance. Its coordinates are guarded to the death by the Children of Aether. Those who sally forth to meet the Excrucian Host do so without carrying Earth's coordinates, knowing full well that they may never return to their beloved home.

'''L.U. Heaven’s Feel'''

The current frontier of the Lost Universe Valde Bellum, Heaven’s Feel is perhaps the most beautiful extrasolar human colony. A large T3 terraformed planet orbiting the gas giant Astelumina 3, behind a dense spherical asteroid field and a radioactive veil around the sun Astelumina, it makes a naturally fortified world. Thanks to the scattering radiation and the dense blackhole just a few megaparsecs away at the center of the galaxy, the system and planet is nigh impossible to find at the best of times, at least for marauding excrucian raiding parties. The UAA uses Astelumina’s final gift, the gift of the stars, the ability to travel on aetheric currents guided by the stars, to travel safely in and out of the system.

When excrucians do find the planet, they are immediately drawn into its orbit by the interaction of the gravity wells of Heaven’s Feel’s many moons. They have no hope of escaping to notify the host of the planet’s location before they are drawn into intense battle by the Feelians.

The planet is ravaged by repeat invasions.

=== Familia of the Lost Universe ===

More or less an extended family of the Enlightened, the Familia of the Lost Universe are the sworn guardians of Aether's legacy.

'''Hammond Qarn - Imperator of the Lost Universe'''

Despite being an offshoot of the Shepherdess' power, Hammond Qarn is quite the opposite. He looks as human as they come. In fact, very, very much so, with his thick paternal beard, his twinkling eyes and his simple, honest expression, like a stern but compassionate father. Those who have the great honour of an audience with him are overcome with an overwhelming confidence and faith in humanity's potential and prowess. His being is shrouded in the stuff of legends. They say he single-handedly piloted an Alliance Battlecruiser straight into an Excrucian battlestation and escaped alive, unscathed. They say he personally lead the desperate charge that ended the siege of Harvest 4. They say he singlehandedly held the line at Point Hope against the entire advancing Excrucian host at the battle of Forge 3. They say a lot of things about Hammond Qarn, and when you meet him, sitting like a lighthouse exuding calm and confidence amidst the storm of war, in his simple, neatly-pressed uniform gleaming with but one badge denoting his allegiance to the Alliance, you feel naught but awe - that this man is the legend in the flesh.

'''Commander John Shepard - Power of Living Legends'''

'''Excel 7 - Commander of Super Soldiers'''

was responsible for the Halo series and partly responsible for the Metal Gear series, amongst other things.

'''Iris Erran - Chief Admiral of Spacecrafts'''

'''ALMa OmNI. - Supreme Administrator of Aetheric Technology'''

An A.I. born of the pinnacle of Aetheric supercomputers,

= Quests =

== Active Quests ==

=== Imperator Quests ===

'''Overdue'''

Started : 8th November 2011

The Shepherdess has requested that the Foreguards return 3 books she's borrowed for Shepherdess-knows-how-long now, for reasons that none can fathom. These books are:

1) 'Single Parenting for Idiots', to the Imperator of Shadows

2) 'The Amazing Justice and the Lovely Yaoi Doujin', to the Noble of Women's Beards

3) 'The Witchhunter's Codex' to a certain alchemist in Erebea.

She has asked you all to return them, ASAP.

Progress:

1) The Family has acquired the 3 books from the Principarium.

2) 1 week has passed since.

'''?????'''

Started : ?????

??????

Progress: n/a

=== Chivalry Quests ===

'''Rest in Peace'''

Started: n/a

One of Charles' Knights, Tristan, has just returned from Earth and has requested an urgent private audience. Wonder what it's about.

Progress: n/a

'''100,000's a Crowd!'''

Started: n/a

The Reinzuthen of Erebea have decided to dispatch a sacrifical gift of 100,000 girls from all around Erebea, mostly from all the nations they've conquered and annexed, to the old island of Altima, original home of the Nobles of Warriors, distant predecessors of Charles'. Apparently this is to welcome the prophesized return of the original Noble of Warriors and to attempt to acquire his favour with the hopes of having him assist the Reinzuthen make good their absolute conquest of Erebea. Obviously, the current delivery recipient is Charles....and this is NOT good. NOT good at all.

Progress: n/a

'''White Knight in Black Armour'''

Started: n/a

Alfred Goddard, ace attorney, E.U. Supreme Court prosecutor and prominent political figure, has sworn to cleanse Europe of all crime, especially major international crime rings. He has followed through with his oath. Half of all European prisons are full thanks to him. He is hailed as the 'White Knight', Europe's last hope. Needless to say, he's nowhere near as popular in the underworld. Many want him dead. He's currently attending the Copenhagen Treaty Talks as an expert on the Eco-crime panel. Chika, Emil's personal assassin, has helpfully let slip that she's refused a rather generous contract to assassinate Alfred Goddard during the talks. She's only one of many. Maybe you should look into this.

Progress: n/a

=== Determinism Quests ===

'''Sick of Life'''

Started : N/A

77 People have been found dead from unknown causes in Copenhagen. They were discovered missing their left hands and hanging upside down from trees.

Progress : n/a

'''Fly me to Europa'''

Started : N/A

The manned mission to Europa's missing for reasons as yet unknown.

Progress : n/a

'''Two Things Infinite'''

Started : 8th November 2011

The LHC has broken down once again after a few brief months of rather hiccupy function. This time, the cause is completely unknown. All the individual parts seem to be in working order, but the sum refuses to work. Sophia's not happy, not happy at all. She has personally requested that Emil look into this.

Progress:

1) Emil has taken a brief look around through Sophia's eyes. The LHC's spirit seems to have some blemishes....wonder what they are....

=== Illumination Quests ===

'''Twinkle, Little Star'''

Started : 15th November 2011

As the world darkens, the light of the stars fade. Elune, little noble of stars, your sister, lies sick, alone in her high observatory, forgotten by the rest of the world. Now the weakening of the stars has started to affect the domain of Light too. Something must be done before yet another member of the Family succumbs to the war of attrition upon the Enlightened.

Progress:

1) Lyna, Emil and Alicia visited Elune in her observatory and found her ill.

2) They discovered that her observatory was severely corrupted by some malignant corruption that was trying to break into the chancel.

3) They sealed off the intrusion into the chancel but destroyed the observatory in the process. They managed to prevent the observatory from crashing catastrophically into the chancel.

4) They've brought the sick Elune to the Sapphire Palace and acquired the help of Regine to treat her.

'''Who moved my Christmas?!'''

Christmas, the biggest celebration of lights and joy, isn't happening this year! This is unprecedented serious affair!

Started : 8th November 2011

Progress :

1) Alicia has asked the magical girls, knights, and others who've passed in and out of the chancel, for any information they might know about this. She's learned that it's a rather complex issue. It might be the economy, it might be the declining family values, could be anything.

'''When you peer into the Abyss...'''

Started : n/a

And the Creator said, 'Let there be Light', and there was light, and he saw that it was good. And He separated the dark from the light. Thus was the First Day.

It wasn't quite that simple.

When the light came to be, the dark too came to be as a result, and neither could tolerate the other. Thus the First War of Light and Dark began, pure and simple, with no preamble or prelude. They fought for Shepherdess-knows-how-long. Finally, the formation of the Covenant of the First Day, an agreement between the Light and the Dark to respect the other's estate, ended the war. How it came to be, however, is still a hotly debated topic. Some say the Dark won. Some say the Light won. Some say it was a draw. Some say there were other reasons. Who really knows?

An anniversary of the Covenant of the First Day is celebrated yearly now to uphold the ideals of peace and cooperation between Light and Dark. This year, it's Alicia's turn to host the festival. What could go wrong?

Progress : n/a

=== Magic Quests ===

'''Dude, Where's My Ship?!'''

Started : 8th Novemeber 2011

Following the disappearance of a wildcat Lignite mining crew in the Aescilian Mountains of Erebea, a pair of magical girls were dispatched on what was supposed to be a simple search-and-rescue mission. They report finding what looks like a ship and wisely request further assistance. The archaeological division arrived hours later, sealed the region, before preparing for further studies. They could not identify the ship's make or origins from the exterior, so they decide to enter through an entrance they found on the side. Contact with the entire squad was lost 6 hours into the mission, with the last transmission being 'Found someth-....So....beautiful....'. A second rescue mission was mounted, this time with a full STRIKER magical girl squadron. They found a deserted camp site and the open ship. They enter. Contact was lost 1.5 hours into the mission, with the last transmission being '...reached the last known location. Now....I-..I can't believe it....mission control...I can't begin to describe this....this is...so...so beau-.....'.

Progress:

1) Lyna has developed a new remote-viewing spell to peer into the site from a distance. Unfortunately, the first few attempts failed as she can't seem to view anything beyond the foot of the mountains.

'''My Struggle, My suffering, My Legacy'''

Started: n/a

The smoke of witch burning pyres rise high up into the skies above the magical realm of Erebea. The once all-powerful mages now run and hide before the onslaught of the Reinzhuthen, an order of genocidal purists who are in pursuit of the all-powerful dark mage, the dark lord Daran Reganz. The Reinzhuthen have taken up an all-or-nothing approach towards hunting Daran Reganz – wiping out every last mage on Neven. After successfully gathering the support of the people against the seemingly incompetent mage-led government and subsequently overthrowing them, the Reinzhuthen declared a world-wide ban of magical practices, declaring any practitioner an agent of Daran Reganz and an enemy of the state.

Progress: n/a

=== Intelligence Quests ===

== Completed Quests ==

= Correspondence =

== Family Correspondence ==

'Good morning, Masters and Mistresses. I hope the noise didn't keep you up last night. The Alchemists discovered a new flower known quite amusingly as the 'Boom Lily'. Thankfully they grew quieter as the night went by. Anyhow, here's today's selection of the world's headlines.' - Mira -

• Presidents of Chechnya, Bosnia and Ukraine die in mysterious circumstances.

• American invasion of Iran is meeting heavy resistance. The Iranians now threaten to unleash their nuclear arsenal if America does not cease and desist.

• A new illness is spreading. Cause unknown.

== Illumination's Correspondence==

'Young Miss, please do take some times to reads some of these, 'kay? Lymle's actually done her bests to sort them outs, 'kay!' - Lymle -

- You've been cordially invited to attend the Divali celebrations in India. - Various Nobles -

== Chivalry's Correspondence ==

'Aye, my liege, thou hath an abundant harvest of letters. Thy loyal steed hast made do with the more...delicious trivialties. *BURP*' - Sieghart -

== Determinism's Correspondence ==

'Hey, old man, check it out, you've got mail. Should I fetch your specs? Or maybe a magnifying glass? Or maybe my winding screw? All that sorting's wound down my springs...' - Leonie -

== Magic's Correspondence ==

'Young Mistress, it's time to read your correspondence for the day. Please sit down here. Yes, here. Now, back straight like a washboard, eyes forward like a dead fish, and elbows akimbo like a ballerina...yes, excellent, young mistress. Now, I present you my personal selection of today's letters.' - Flowerchild -

== Intelligence's Correspondence ==

Nobilis Enlightened

2011-03-12T01:35:42Z

Mind-The-Gap: /* Determinism Quests */

[[Category:Nobilis]]

= Imperator - The Shepherdess of Light =

1. ‘Omneaum(a) became aware. In its awareness, it found loneliness. It saw potential, good, an impossibility.

2. Omneaum gave way to potential, and made the impossible possible. It was, things became.

3. Enlightenment arose, and so did I, Whole, Complete, bearing the Gifts of Aether (b), Light, Vaveram (c), Maricarum (d), Endeon (e), and Causality.

4. Omneaum’s legacy I shall honour and hold safe, now and forever, till the hour I too stand alone between Impossibility and Despair.’

- The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light, Imperator of Enlightenment -

(a) Omneaum: The Original Absolute Void

(b) Aether: Estate of 'Absolute Potential', the 'Impossible made Possible', the very basic element of creation from which all matter and life flowed. It was said to have been more abundant in space. (Now excruciated, succeeded in part by the estate of 'Magic')

(c)Vaveram: Estate of Spontaneous Sentience and Awareness (Now Excruciated. Never replaced.)

(d) Maricarum: Estate of Great Miracles through Personal Sacrifice (Now excruciated, succeeded by the estate of 'Magic' and 'Sacrifice')

(e)Endeon: Estate of the 'Lone Wolf Phenomenon', wherein those fighting against overwhelming odds are always guaranteed victory. Better known in our time as the 'Storm Trooper effect'. (Now excruciated)

Having predated the Imperators of 'Name', the Shepherdess is nameless and formless. Those who are fortunate enough to know her identify her as 'The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light', or, simply, 'The Shepherdess'. Having come into being before the birth of the concept of 'form' or even 'matter' and 'physical law', she is without form in the physical universe. She used to communicate with her agents in the physical universe through pulses of light and ripples in a fountain of light. Needless to say, a lot of liberty had been taken in deciphering her wishes. Recently, however, the Chief Engineer of the Sanctum, Orphus, has devised an ingenious megastructure, the Deus Ex Machina, a gigantic clockwork device that allows the Shepherdess to see into the physical realm and engage with it using a gigantic, rather clumsy steel claw and communicate using a ticker-tape telegram machine.

(Interestingly, having also preceded the Imperator of Gender, she is, or, at least, was, in essence, genderless. However, around 300 B.C. she became a part of debate amongst philosophers as an example of a being who must be 'of the default gender'. For some reason it was decided that the default gender was female, and so the Shepherdess has since been considered to be of the female persuasion. Not that she really cares. It is suspected that the Noble of Women had something to do with this, but that's a tale for another time.)

Prophesized successor of Ananda and future Shepherdess of the Fifth Age, the Glorious One has purposely been denied a seat on the Council of Four, for her ways are that of the ‘Enlightened’, incompatible with the ways of the other council-members. She earns Lord Entropy and Ananda’s tolerance for her existence only through her service in the Valde Bellum and her Light’s importance in maintaining the Weirding Wall, a task that consumes almost the entirety of her attention and being (much to Lord Entropy’s and Ananda’s satisfaction).

The Heavens despise her, for an Angel of Creation she is not, and yet she brought forth the first Light that made everything that was Beautiful possible. Only the fact that her Light is necessary for beauty and this fact alone earns her the toleration of Heaven. The Wild would have nothing to do with her, for there is no freedom in sacrifice.The Hells, the Darkness and the Light all loath her, for not only is she the voice of wisdom that transcends not just the Corruption that the Hells endeavour towards, but she is also the voice that moves all beings towards becoming more than the matter they are made from, transcending what they are, pushing them ever onwards towards a greater purpose not only in life but also in death. Those who follow her code wish for naught else but the glory of dying for a greater good.

It is unclear what her true nature or form is. Nobody seems to remember when she came to be, or how for that matter. Some suspect she is one of the Heavenly legion, an Angel, but not only do the Heavens and its angelic denizens despise her at the best of times, her ways are most definitely not that of Heaven. Some surmise that she is a fallen Angel, but the cause of Hell she does not serve. It is highly possible that she is a True God, but all of creation knows they did not appear until long after the Angels had begun the Great Work. Recently, when passings of the Transcendants were properly documented in AP 4732, it was surmised that she is perhaps a Transcendant who somehow chose to settle upon the World Ash, perhaps one of the Charitable. Said document is Creation's closest description of the Shepherdess' nature, her gifts being her Estates and her Law.

=='''Vow of the Enlightened'''==

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this.

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this. - One thing leads to another. And at the end of all things is an ‘end’.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this. - Every good act must be good of purpose and good of result. This clause seems to fail to (most probably purposely) mention anything regarding the means. Taking the most liberal interpretation, a ‘Noble deed’ can have means as lacking in morals as a psychotic mass murderer, and yet still be considered ‘Noble’ in the eyes of the ‘Enlightened’. What matters is the cause, the intention and the ends. Everything in between matters naught.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this. - The ultimate sacrifice can conquer anything, even the impossible. This is the one true ‘Miracle’, Magic at its purest, one that allows the Enlightened to surpass his/her own end and achieve greatness through sacrifice. The Shepherdess safeguards the cause of all who sacrifice themselves for a greater purpose, guaranteeing them the miraculous magic of success.

==Details==

'''Estates''': Light, Determinism, Magic, Chivalry, Intelligence, Honour, Loyalty, Courage, Hope, Justice, Karma, Logic, Alchemy, Sacrifice, Curiosity, Sun, Moon, Stars

'''Excruciated Estates''': Aether, Vaveram, Maricarum, Endeon, Astelumina

'''Dynasty Points :''' 8

'''Qualities:'''

Great Harvest (2)

Cold (-1)

Demanding (-1)

----

= The Famiglia of the Enlightened =

The Famiglia of the Enlightened ''were'' a highly respected and influential group about 4-5 centuries before, their power extending from the very birth of creation. However, in a highly unorthodox move around the 4002 A.P., the Council ordered the Shepherdess to provide additional support in the Valde Bellum proper, above and beyond her maintenance of the Weirding Wall. Seeing as the Wall already consumed most if not all her power and attention, she was forced to mobilize members of her Famiglia, something quite unprecedented. The Nobles of Maricarum, Aether and Endeon were the first to volunteer for the great undertaking, having attained near-Imperator-level powers at the time. A few centuries later, Vaveram, Astelumina, Chivalry, Courage and Alchemy too joined their brother and sisters in the direct defense of creation. They held the line for a good few centuries, seeing a slow but definite turnover in nobles. That was until, for reasons still unknown, Maricarum, Aether, Endeon, Vaveram and Astelumina were excruciated one by one. The last to fall were Endeon and Astelumina in 4895 AP, at the same time 500 years of Human History was erased.

With no time to mourn, the Famiglia of the Enlightened were forced to mobilize more members of their famiglia to the front lines. The following few years saw more of their Nobles killed, though thankfully not excruciated.

Now with few remaining senior members, the famiglia struggles to stay on its feet with the large influx of new family members. Will they be able to live up to their predecessors? Will they be able to return the family to its former glory and take it to new heights? Or will this be the end of the Enlightened? That is up to the new Famiglia.

== PC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Foreguard of the Enlightened''

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Alicia_Valka '''Alicia - Principissa of Illumination''']

The 21st Principissa Of Illumination.

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Emil '''Emil - Power of Determinism''']

The 13th Power of Determinism

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Charles_Earl_Of_Huntington'''Charles - Lord of Chivalry''']

The 77th Lord of Chivalry

'''Lyna - Regina of Magic'''

The 66th Regina of Magic

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Mana_Kishimura '''Mana - Exemplar of Intelligence (And Dolphins)''']

The 17th Noble of Intelligence and 2nd Noble of Dolphins.

== NPC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Vanguard of the Enlightened''

'''Regine - Inquesta of Loyalty'''

'''Jessie - Tempesta of Courage (Sort of veering towards Impetuous Juvenile Recklessness)'''

'''Illumina - AllMother of Alchemy'''

Novice Alchemist extraordinaire and (rather unwilling) Commander of the Alchemist Flameheart Squad, Illumina is yet another recent addition to the Famiglia. She's currently worried about the sorry state of her estate (mostly usurped by Chemistry and now reduced to nothing more than a fantasy fiction gimmick) and a missing prominent Alchemist amongst other things....but mainly by the prospect of responsibility in general.

She is widely known, even outside Alchemist circles, as 'Big Bang Lum'.

'''Elune - Principissa of the Stars'''

While relatively senior in the Famiglia of the Enlightened (by simple virtue of everyone else being very recent additions), that's as far as her seniority goes. In every other respect, she is mostly helpless, though the more understanding dismiss this as a reflection of her estate - stars aren't known to be do much other than be pretty, especially lately with modern technology supplanting the need for stellar navigation or calendar-keeping. It used to be so much different when her sister, the Noble of Astelumina, the power of stellar influence upon the workings of the universe and lives on earth, was still around. Now as the stars fade and people forget the stars, Elune lies ill, slowly fading herself.

''The Diplomatic Corp (Intelligence) of the Enlightened''

'''Rang Fan - Excelifficer of Logic'''

Born a humble villager in a Tibetan highland settlement, Rang Fan grew up completely illiterate. She was, however, a keen observer and deep thinker. She developed her own concise and strict principles of logic, one that often found fault in the traditionalist views of the people she lived amongst. Some saw her as a source of wisdom, some saw her as a demon-possessed child.

She became the favourite anchor of the previous Noble of Logic for a while. During this time, her mastery of logic developed brilliantly. Unfortunately, she came afoul of a Chinese official when she publicly defeated him in a debate regarding the accusation of rebellion on the part of the village.

'''Geronimo - High Chief of Sacrifice'''

'''Han Gua - Exarch of Honour'''

'''Jimmy - Arch-Provost of Curiosity'''

''The Unassigned of the Enlightened''

'''Justice(?) - Empress of Justice'''

Not much is known about Justice, the 1st Noble of Justice. She is the eldest of the current Famiglia, though in the time of the original Famiglia, she was the youngest. She is the last surviving member of the original Famiglia of the Enlightened. It is rumoured that she was an Angel before she joined the Enlightened, though whether or not this is true is unknown. Her real name is unknown. Nobody has seen her in a long, long while. The only members of the current famiglia who have seen her are Han Gua and Elune.

Currently absent. Whereabouts unknown.

'''Vie - Noble of Hope'''

A rather mysterious member of the famiglia, she wonders in and out of the chancel rather randomly. Nobody seems to remember when she joined the Family. In fact, some are surprised to hear that there IS a noble of Hope in the Family. She doesn't seem to have a permanent home in the chancel. She's known (at least to those few who know her) to wander about, never staying in one place for long. She is apparently summonable, but rumours have it that she's apparently rather useless.

There are strange rumours that she follows the code of the Dark, or even Hell. Why would Hope do that?

'''Thomas Eire - Keeper of Karma'''

'''Kaguya - Himegami of the Moon'''

Tsukishiro no Kaguya-hime is perhaps the second eldest of the Famiglia, though she takes great care not to let anyone know that. She is the second Noble of the Moon. There are rumours that she was behind the Apollo 13 failure. When asked about it, she would give you a disdainful look and walk away. Then again, she'd do that no matter what you tried to bring up with her.

Currently very, very vain.

'''Kimo - the Emperor of the Sun'''

= Chancel - Locus Enlightenment, Sanctum Excelestia =

[http://img248.imageshack.us/i/sanctumexcelestia.jpg HG's Impression 1]

'''Qualities'''

Megalomaniac King/Queen (-4)

Normal Magic (3)

Alchemy (1)

2 Banes (-1)

Convenient Gates (2)

Anchorable Magical residents (4)

==Government==

The Sanctum is under the absolute Executive rule of the Emperor who answers only to the Shepherdess. Judicial Rule is under the Absolute Court headed by the Shepherdess and the Supreme Court headed by the Noble of Justice and her Circle of Justiciaries. Legislative and administrative rule is divided amongst the 4 major domains under the 4 queens:

'''Alicia - High Queen of the Diamond Tower.'''

Technically, having inherited the title of 'High Queen' from her predecessor, Alicia commands the Council of Four Queens and the Round Table of Dominums. However, as she has only recently joined the Famiglia, responsibility over the Council of Four Queens has fallen on the reluctant shoulders of Elune while the Round Table of Dominums is overseen by Han Gua.

'''Lyna - Queen of the Ruby Gardens.'''

The Ruby Gardens refers to the entirety of the Arcane Arts Academy Complex within the Outer Circle where the majority of mages of Excelestia train and live. However, to most of the citizens, the 'Ruby Gardens' itself refers to the seat of government, the Ruby Palace, a magnificent rose-shaped palace of crystal grown from the very essence of the Chancel itself in the middle of the Ruby Gardens.

'''Elune - Queen of the Sapphire Sky.'''

The Sapphire Sky refers to the entirety of the sky in between the floating structures of the Sanctum. While Elune governs no real land, she controls all traffic in the airspace around the Sanctum. Her official seat of government is the Sapphire Palace, a beautiful crystalline Sapphire star floating high up within the Inner Circle, though she is rarely ever there. She usually lives in her observatory on a lonely island high above the Sanctum.

'''Jessie - Queen of the Emerald Fields.'''

The Emerald Fields refer to most of the land floating in the Ciellan Expanse, the sky beyond the Outer Wall. The Emerald Fields house a good portion of the Sanctum's agricultural and mining settlements. Her seat of government is the Emerald Palace, a beautiful viridian structure of moss-covered wood and succulent, fresh folliage that grow and thrive all year round, coiled around a giant magnificent Emerald of a green deeper than the land that surrounds it.

== Homes and Households ==

'''The Diamond Palace - ?????'''

Home of Alicia.

Personal Assistant : Lymle

'''The Ruby Palace - ????'''

Home of Lyna.

Personal Assistant : Flowerchild

'''The Garnet Fortress - ????'''

Home of Charles.

Personal Assistant : Sieghart

'''The Quartz Workshop - ????'''

Personal Assistant : Leonie

Home of Emil.

== Other Noteworthy Locations ==

'''The Amethyst Shores'''

Governed officially by Illumina, provisionally by the Arch-Artificer of the Great Guild of Alchemists. The Amethyst Shores are a group of closely-packed islands within the Outer Circle where the majority of the Alchemists of Excelestia live. While alchemists can be found just about anywhere, the Amethysts Shores are really the only place where they can make things explode to their hearts content without causing tempers to explode all around them. Alchemists can also be found en masse at the Ruby Gardens.

'''The Garnet Fortress'''

Governed mainly by Charles, the Garnet Fortress encompasses the Inner and Outer Walls of the Sanctum and the bastion of the Knights.

'''The Beryl Earth'''

Governed mainly by Regine, the

'''The Quartz Workshop'''

A watch-mender's workshop somewhere within the Diamond Tower, Emil's home and favourite haunt.

==Security==

The city has a number of defense corps organized to different degrees by a number of Nobles.

'''The Chivalrous Gentlemanly TownWatch'''

'''The Magical Avengers of Love and Peace, Magical Taskforce Ruby Gardenia'''

Organized by the 5th Noble of Magic, a rather...odd Master of Magic who believed that wearing frilly clothing is a form of sacrifice to society and preached that magical power is exponentially proportional to the frilliness of one's clothing. Now maintained by the 7th Noble of Magic, Lyna, who keeps up most of the traditions of the 5th.

'''The Upholders of Equivalent Exchange, the Eternally Passionate Flameheart Alchemists (EPFA)'''

Organized by the previous Noble of Alchemy, a rather fluffy and passionate Lady Alchemist, and maintained by the recently appointed Noble, Illumina, the EPFA are at best socially-involved nerds, at worst really, really messy vigilantes (unfortunately, more often the latter). They mainly keep the domain of the Alchemists, the Amethyst Shores, as well as their portion of the Ruby Gardens, safe...for a given value of 'safe'.

'''The Infallibly Just Circle of Justiciers'''

'''The Eternally Loyal Shieldmaidens of [Insert Place Name Here]'''

Organized by the current Noble of Loyalty,

'''The Ever-Watchful Lantern Kindlers and Lamp Bearers of the Stars'''

'''The Righteous Karmic-Retributioneer Monks of Karma'''

'''The LoreKeepers and Agents of Literary Vengeance, the Combat Librarians'''

== Groups ==

Besides the defense forces of the Chancel, the Sanctum also harbours a number of groups.

'''The Enclave of Emerald Alchemists'''
Also known as the 'Emerald Artisans', this society of Alchemists was founded by the 7th Noble of Light, TanetNephthys, and the 1st Noble of Alchemy, Armagustine Trimegistus, after the passing of the third Noble of Maricarum, Hermes Trimegistus, founder of the Emerald Arts.

In a major nettle rite wrought by the 2nd Noble of Botany, Ephistopheles, against the Noble of Alchemy, in a daring move to split the art into two major paths forever, the Enclave was splintered in two - The Cleave fo Botanists and the Enclave of Emerald Artisans. The Botanists left the Sanctum, carrying with them the entirety of botanic knowledge. The Alchemists, however, managed to keep the Principa Alchimia safe and prevented the botanists from acquiring an absolute monopoly over the Emerald Arts. The two now jealously guard their arts, for if one were to acquire the arts of the other, they would become unstoppable.

The botanists are known to pass through the Chancel to deal with the Emerald Artisans.

== Laws ==

The Chancel operates on general principles of Justice commonly found in any other society where concepts of Law and Justice exist. It has a few notable exceptions such as:

- Any deed with noble ends are exempt from law's scrutiny upon its means. This means even the most foul of deeds is considered lawfully just as long as its ends are noble. It comes with a very, very important caveat - the good of the outcome must far exceed the evil committed. This is particularly difficult to achieve with murder, as murder, the theft of the sanctity of one's life, is the basest, most evil of crimes that even the earth itself abhors.

-

N.B. The Chancel operates on the Code Napoleon, that the suspect is guilty until proven otherwise, as Lady Justice willed it to be in the prosaic realm.

== Notable Individuals ==

'''Orphus Denilzante'''
Chief Magitech Engineer of the Sanctum and designer of the Deus Ex Machina.

'''Reno Orfayne'''
Owner of Reno's Empirio, the one-stop fashion designer for Nobles, known to be second only to his Master, Enzel Haulor of 7th Avenue and 91st Street NY.

'''Sammy Westine'''
Proprietor and Chief Engineer of Westine Airships, Sammy is the young brilliant mind behind this generation's latest magitech airships. Having mastered Alchemy, Magic and Magitech at a young age, she went on to implement her excellent knowledge in airship design and construction. Her airships are used not just within the Sanctum but all over Creation. While she does produce combat-ready airships, she only produces them as personal favours for Nobles she trusts. These make proud flagships in any war fleet. It is rumoured that she is working with Aeril Jotunstrom, Noble of Ships, from Locus Atlantis, on warships capable of sailing the world beyond creation and taking part directly on the frontlines of the Valde Bellum.

'''Victor'''

= Mythic Realm =

== Chancels Known ==
''From the Primer on Loci Celatum, by Holly Djurisic''
What follows are descriptions of chancels considered widely known and to be no secret to those versed in the ways of the Mythic. Everyone knows them as a matter of common sense.

'''Locus Amarant'''

The Great Market, the Gardens of Lady Profit, Amarant is perhaps one of the few chancels that has no doors, and, even if it did, they would be wide open to welcome one and all. After all, even your worst enemy is a potential customer. Any invader would quickly find themselves besieged by peddlers of weaponry, trust and treachery, even the very spoils they are after. Everything the discerning Noble might need is available here...for the right price. The preferred currency are fleurs, but the locals have been known to trade with other things such as miracles and pacts. Some nobles come here not just to buy but also to sell. If you want or need it, Locus Amarant will sell it, or if not, then at least it will sell you the expertise of someone who CAN get it. Needless to say, the cammorae are all over Amarant.

It is well-known that even Excrucians frequent Amarant, and they know full well never to destroy Amarant....at least not until their victory is assured, for Amarant will be more than happy to sell them the means to that victory, or maybe even that victory itself....for the right price. Why destroy something so blatantly useful?

Chancel of Lady Profit, Immiae Arathy, and the Nobles of Trade, Currency, Negotiation, Supermarket Loyalty Cards, and Cookies. Yes, Cookies.

= Prosaic Realm =

== Earth ==

=== Noteworthy Individuals===

== Erebea ==

A once beautiful world, a geographic wonder of continents hanging high up in the pristine skies, flooded with raw magic reminiscent of Earth about a millennium ago. Sanctum Excelestia was once the capital of this world, until it disappeared a few millennia ago.

== Lost Universe AD 2511 ==

The Lost Universe, now a Valde Bellum warfront. In 2400 AD, an age of galactic expansion and an Aetheric golden age for human advancement, a treacherous Imperator managed to sabotage the Shepherdess' hold on the Weirding Wall, leaving gaping holes in the defense of Creation. In the ensuing chaos, the Imperators and their nobles turned their attention to the Excrucian host gathering beyond the gap. Little did they know that they had fallen prey to a deceiver ruse. At the same time, the Excrucians were readying a pincer attack, with their mimics and strategists having established a foothold on Earth's universe. The Enlightened, at the time under great scrutiny due to the Shepherdess' apparent failure at maintaining the Weirding Wall, discovered the Excrucian plans and attempted to alert the Ymmerae. However, the Deceivers held the ears of the Ymmerae, and all the please of the Enlightened fell on deaf, suspicious, skeptical ears.

In a daring move, the Noble of Aether secretly used almost the entirety of his power of limitless potential to create an anomalous fold in existence, tearing 500 years of the universe apart, resetting the universe to before the Excrucian plan had even begun in 1900. He brought the new fold containing the lost 500 years and the excrucian plot up and tethered it to the gaping hole in the Weirding Wall, just in time to meet the incoming Excrucian Host. The excrucian invasion began, never once suspecting that they had walked into a pocket universe. For the Noble of Aether's apparent treachery, the Locust Court condemned him to death without a trial, dispatching the Enlightened, his own family, to prove their allegiance to the court by executing their own brother. It is said that Justice was the one to rip his shard out of his chest with her bare hands. It is said that the shard shattered. Some say Justice, in her grief and rage, shattered it herself. Some say it was Aether's final gift to the Lost Universe, and to the entirety of creation. The shard dust was dispersed and embedded itself across the entirety of the Lost Universe, enchancelling it, bestowing its beings with the blessings of Aetheric Power, immunizing them to the crippling effects of dementia animus and empowering them in their coming struggle against the Excrucian invaders. Aether was forever lost to Creation, but its shadow continues to live on within the beings of the Lost Universe. As long as the children of Aether stand and the light of Aether burns on within them, the Lost Universe will always resist the Excrucian host.

The Lost Universe has since been sealed away outside the Weirding Wall, doomed to forever be an Excrucian battleground, until the day the Excrucians trapped within consume the Lost Universe and realize Aether's trickery.

At the precise moment Aether's sacrifice enchancelled the Lost Universe, Hammond Qarn, Imperator of the Lost Universe, came into being. Having arisen from a universe so filled with the Shepherdess' own power, Hammond naturally became a Magister of the Enlightened. Furthermore, as the chancel was created using the Shepherdess' own soul shard, a fraction of the Shepherdess' own essence makes up the chancel's foundations. Thus for all intents and purposes the Enlightened can treat the Lost Universe as their own home chancel.

Few other nobles are privy to the secret of the Lost Universe's existence. Even fewer take up the fight to defend the Lost Universe in order to delay the full-scale invasion of Creation. The Nobles of Astelumina and Endeon were the first to pick up Aether's fallen banner and lead the battle against the Excrucian host and were also the first to fall.

'Now and Forever, till the hour I too stand between Impossibility and Despair!' - Phaeron Rof Alabar Trimeniel - Emperor of Aether

=== Notable Locations ===

'''L.U. Earth AD 2511'''

In AD 2400, Astelumina and Endeon managed to rid the entire earth of deceivers, strategists and mimics, making it one of the last few human settlements still untouched by the Excrucian Scourge. The war and Aether's blessing has accelerated technology to astronomical heights in the past 111 years, bringing humanity to a point where they can overwhelm excrucian shards and at the very least annoy full excrucians, if not kill them. Earth is now the capital of the Universal Aetheric Alliance (UAA), headquarters of the Excrucian resistance. Its coordinates are guarded to the death by the Children of Aether. Those who sally forth to meet the Excrucian Host do so without carrying Earth's coordinates, knowing full well that they may never return to their beloved home.

'''L.U. Heaven’s Feel'''

The current frontier of the Lost Universe Valde Bellum, Heaven’s Feel is perhaps the most beautiful extrasolar human colony. A large T3 terraformed planet orbiting the gas giant Astelumina 3, behind a dense spherical asteroid field and a radioactive veil around the sun Astelumina, it makes a naturally fortified world. Thanks to the scattering radiation and the dense blackhole just a few megaparsecs away at the center of the galaxy, the system and planet is nigh impossible to find at the best of times, at least for marauding excrucian raiding parties. The UAA uses Astelumina’s final gift, the gift of the stars, the ability to travel on aetheric currents guided by the stars, to travel safely in and out of the system.

When excrucians do find the planet, they are immediately drawn into its orbit by the interaction of the gravity wells of Heaven’s Feel’s many moons. They have no hope of escaping to notify the host of the planet’s location before they are drawn into intense battle by the Feelians.

The planet is ravaged by repeat invasions.

=== Familia of the Lost Universe ===

More or less an extended family of the Enlightened, the Familia of the Lost Universe are the sworn guardians of Aether's legacy.

'''Hammond Qarn - Imperator of the Lost Universe'''

Despite being an offshoot of the Shepherdess' power, Hammond Qarn is quite the opposite. He looks as human as they come. In fact, very, very much so, with his thick paternal beard, his twinkling eyes and his simple, honest expression, like a stern but compassionate father. Those who have the great honour of an audience with him are overcome with an overwhelming confidence and faith in humanity's potential and prowess. His being is shrouded in the stuff of legends. They say he single-handedly piloted an Alliance Battlecruiser straight into an Excrucian battlestation and escaped alive, unscathed. They say he personally lead the desperate charge that ended the siege of Harvest 4. They say he singlehandedly held the line at Point Hope against the entire advancing Excrucian host at the battle of Forge 3. They say a lot of things about Hammond Qarn, and when you meet him, sitting like a lighthouse exuding calm and confidence amidst the storm of war, in his simple, neatly-pressed uniform gleaming with but one badge denoting his allegiance to the Alliance, you feel naught but awe - that this man is the legend in the flesh.

'''Commander John Shepard - Power of Living Legends'''

'''Excel 7 - Commander of Super Soldiers'''

was responsible for the Halo series and partly responsible for the Metal Gear series, amongst other things.

'''Iris Erran - Chief Admiral of Spacecrafts'''

'''ALMa OmNI. - Supreme Administrator of Aetheric Technology'''

An A.I. born of the pinnacle of Aetheric supercomputers,

= Quests =

== Active Quests ==

=== Imperator Quests ===

'''Overdue'''

Started : 8th November 2011

The Shepherdess has requested that the Foreguards return 3 books she's borrowed for Shepherdess-knows-how-long now, for reasons that none can fathom. These books are:

1) 'Single Parenting for Idiots', to the Imperator of Shadows

2) 'The Amazing Justice and the Lovely Yaoi Doujin', to the Noble of Women's Beards

3) 'The Witchhunter's Codex' to a certain alchemist in Erebea.

She has asked you all to return them, ASAP.

Progress:

1) The Family has acquired the 3 books from the Principarium.

2) 1 week has passed since.

'''?????'''

Started : ?????

??????

Progress: n/a

=== Chivalry Quests ===

'''Rest in Peace'''

There's a Knight who has just returned from

=== Determinism Quests ===

'''Sick of Life'''

Started : N/A

77 People have been found dead from unknown causes in Copenhagen. They were discovered missing their left hands and hanging upside down from trees.

Progress : n/a

'''Fly me to Europa'''

Started : N/A

The manned mission to Europa's missing for reasons as yet unknown.

Progress : n/a

'''Two Things Infinite'''

Started : 8th November 2011

The LHC has broken down once again after a few brief months of rather hiccupy function. This time, the cause is completely unknown. All the individual parts seem to be in working order, but the sum refuses to work. Sophia's not happy, not happy at all. She has personally requested that Emil look into this.

Progress:

1) Emil has taken a brief look around through Sophia's eyes. The LHC's spirit seems to have some blemishes....wonder what they are....

=== Illumination Quests ===

'''Twinkle, Little Star'''

Started : 15th November 2011

As the world darkens, the light of the stars fade. Elune, little noble of stars, your sister, lies sick, alone in her high observatory, forgotten by the rest of the world. Now the weakening of the stars has started to affect the domain of Light too. Something must be done before yet another member of the Family succumbs to the war of attrition upon the Enlightened.

Progress:

1) Lyna, Emil and Alicia visited Elune in her observatory and found her ill.

2) They discovered that her observatory was severely corrupted by some malignant corruption that was trying to break into the chancel.

3) They sealed off the intrusion into the chancel but destroyed the observatory in the process. They managed to prevent the observatory from crashing catastrophically into the chancel.

4) They've brought the sick Elune to the Sapphire Palace and acquired the help of Regine to treat her.

'''Who moved my Christmas?!'''

Christmas, the biggest celebration of lights and joy, isn't happening this year! This is unprecedented serious affair!

Started : 8th November 2011

Progress :

1) Alicia has asked the magical girls, knights, and others who've passed in and out of the chancel, for any information they might know about this. She's learned that it's a rather complex issue. It might be the economy, it might be the declining family values, could be anything.

'''When you peer into the Abyss...'''

Started : n/a

And the Creator said, 'Let there be Light', and there was light, and he saw that it was good. And He separated the dark from the light. Thus was the First Day.

It wasn't quite that simple.

When the light came to be, the dark too came to be as a result, and neither could tolerate the other. Thus the First War of Light and Dark began, pure and simple, with no preamble or prelude. They fought for Shepherdess-knows-how-long. Finally, the formation of the Covenant of the First Day, an agreement between the Light and the Dark to respect the other's estate, ended the war. How it came to be, however, is still a hotly debated topic. Some say the Dark won. Some say the Light won. Some say it was a draw. Some say there were other reasons. Who really knows?

An anniversary of the Covenant of the First Day is celebrated yearly now to uphold the ideals of peace and cooperation between Light and Dark. This year, it's Alicia's turn to host the festival. What could go wrong?

Progress : n/a

=== Magic Quests ===

'''Dude, Where's My Ship?!'''

Started : 8th Novemeber 2011

Following the disappearance of a wildcat Lignite mining crew in the Aescilian Mountains of Erebea, a pair of magical girls were dispatched on what was supposed to be a simple search-and-rescue mission. They report finding what looks like a ship and wisely request further assistance. The archaeological division arrived hours later, sealed the region, before preparing for further studies. They could not identify the ship's make or origins from the exterior, so they decide to enter through an entrance they found on the side. Contact with the entire squad was lost 6 hours into the mission, with the last transmission being 'Found someth-....So....beautiful....'. A second rescue mission was mounted, this time with a full STRIKER magical girl squadron. They found a deserted camp site and the open ship. They enter. Contact was lost 1.5 hours into the mission, with the last transmission being '...reached the last known location. Now....I-..I can't believe it....mission control...I can't begin to describe this....this is...so...so beau-.....'.

Progress:

1) Lyna has developed a new remote-viewing spell to peer into the site from a distance. Unfortunately, the first few attempts failed as she can't seem to view anything beyond the foot of the mountains.

'''My Struggle, My suffering, My Legacy'''

Started: n/a

The smoke of witch burning pyres rise high up into the skies above the magical realm of Erebea. The once all-powerful mages now run and hide before the onslaught of the Reinzhuthen, an order of genocidal purists who are in pursuit of the all-powerful dark mage, the dark lord Daran Reganz. The Reinzhuthen have taken up an all-or-nothing approach towards hunting Daran Reganz – wiping out every last mage on Neven. After successfully gathering the support of the people against the seemingly incompetent mage-led government and subsequently overthrowing them, the Reinzhuthen declared a world-wide ban of magical practices, declaring any practitioner an agent of Daran Reganz and an enemy of the state.

Progress: n/a

=== Intelligence Quests ===

== Completed Quests ==

= Correspondence =

== Family Correspondence ==

'Good morning, Masters and Mistresses. I hope the noise didn't keep you up last night. The Alchemists discovered a new flower known quite amusingly as the 'Boom Lily'. Thankfully they grew quieter as the night went by. Anyhow, here's today's selection of the world's headlines.' - Mira -

• Presidents of Chechnya, Bosnia and Ukraine die in mysterious circumstances.

• American invasion of Iran is meeting heavy resistance. The Iranians now threaten to unleash their nuclear arsenal if America does not cease and desist.

• A new illness is spreading. Cause unknown.

== Illumination's Correspondence==

'Young Miss, please do take some times to reads some of these, 'kay? Lymle's actually done her bests to sort them outs, 'kay!' - Lymle -

- You've been cordially invited to attend the Divali celebrations in India. - Various Nobles -

== Chivalry's Correspondence ==

'Aye, my liege, thou hath an abundant harvest of letters. Thy loyal steed hast made do with the more...delicious trivialties. *BURP*' - Sieghart -

== Determinism's Correspondence ==

'Hey, old man, check it out, you've got mail. Should I fetch your specs? Or maybe a magnifying glass? Or maybe my winding screw? All that sorting's wound down my springs...' - Leonie -

== Magic's Correspondence ==

'Young Mistress, it's time to read your correspondence for the day. Please sit down here. Yes, here. Now, back straight like a washboard, eyes forward like a dead fish, and elbows akimbo like a ballerina...yes, excellent, young mistress. Now, I present you my personal selection of today's letters.' - Flowerchild -

== Intelligence's Correspondence ==

Nobilis Enlightened

2011-03-12T01:21:59Z

Mind-The-Gap: /* PC Nobles of the Enlightened */

[[Category:Nobilis]]

= Imperator - The Shepherdess of Light =

1. ‘Omneaum(a) became aware. In its awareness, it found loneliness. It saw potential, good, an impossibility.

2. Omneaum gave way to potential, and made the impossible possible. It was, things became.

3. Enlightenment arose, and so did I, Whole, Complete, bearing the Gifts of Aether (b), Light, Vaveram (c), Maricarum (d), Endeon (e), and Causality.

4. Omneaum’s legacy I shall honour and hold safe, now and forever, till the hour I too stand alone between Impossibility and Despair.’

- The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light, Imperator of Enlightenment -

(a) Omneaum: The Original Absolute Void

(b) Aether: Estate of 'Absolute Potential', the 'Impossible made Possible', the very basic element of creation from which all matter and life flowed. It was said to have been more abundant in space. (Now excruciated, succeeded in part by the estate of 'Magic')

(c)Vaveram: Estate of Spontaneous Sentience and Awareness (Now Excruciated. Never replaced.)

(d) Maricarum: Estate of Great Miracles through Personal Sacrifice (Now excruciated, succeeded by the estate of 'Magic' and 'Sacrifice')

(e)Endeon: Estate of the 'Lone Wolf Phenomenon', wherein those fighting against overwhelming odds are always guaranteed victory. Better known in our time as the 'Storm Trooper effect'. (Now excruciated)

Having predated the Imperators of 'Name', the Shepherdess is nameless and formless. Those who are fortunate enough to know her identify her as 'The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light', or, simply, 'The Shepherdess'. Having come into being before the birth of the concept of 'form' or even 'matter' and 'physical law', she is without form in the physical universe. She used to communicate with her agents in the physical universe through pulses of light and ripples in a fountain of light. Needless to say, a lot of liberty had been taken in deciphering her wishes. Recently, however, the Chief Engineer of the Sanctum, Orphus, has devised an ingenious megastructure, the Deus Ex Machina, a gigantic clockwork device that allows the Shepherdess to see into the physical realm and engage with it using a gigantic, rather clumsy steel claw and communicate using a ticker-tape telegram machine.

(Interestingly, having also preceded the Imperator of Gender, she is, or, at least, was, in essence, genderless. However, around 300 B.C. she became a part of debate amongst philosophers as an example of a being who must be 'of the default gender'. For some reason it was decided that the default gender was female, and so the Shepherdess has since been considered to be of the female persuasion. Not that she really cares. It is suspected that the Noble of Women had something to do with this, but that's a tale for another time.)

Prophesized successor of Ananda and future Shepherdess of the Fifth Age, the Glorious One has purposely been denied a seat on the Council of Four, for her ways are that of the ‘Enlightened’, incompatible with the ways of the other council-members. She earns Lord Entropy and Ananda’s tolerance for her existence only through her service in the Valde Bellum and her Light’s importance in maintaining the Weirding Wall, a task that consumes almost the entirety of her attention and being (much to Lord Entropy’s and Ananda’s satisfaction).

The Heavens despise her, for an Angel of Creation she is not, and yet she brought forth the first Light that made everything that was Beautiful possible. Only the fact that her Light is necessary for beauty and this fact alone earns her the toleration of Heaven. The Wild would have nothing to do with her, for there is no freedom in sacrifice.The Hells, the Darkness and the Light all loath her, for not only is she the voice of wisdom that transcends not just the Corruption that the Hells endeavour towards, but she is also the voice that moves all beings towards becoming more than the matter they are made from, transcending what they are, pushing them ever onwards towards a greater purpose not only in life but also in death. Those who follow her code wish for naught else but the glory of dying for a greater good.

It is unclear what her true nature or form is. Nobody seems to remember when she came to be, or how for that matter. Some suspect she is one of the Heavenly legion, an Angel, but not only do the Heavens and its angelic denizens despise her at the best of times, her ways are most definitely not that of Heaven. Some surmise that she is a fallen Angel, but the cause of Hell she does not serve. It is highly possible that she is a True God, but all of creation knows they did not appear until long after the Angels had begun the Great Work. Recently, when passings of the Transcendants were properly documented in AP 4732, it was surmised that she is perhaps a Transcendant who somehow chose to settle upon the World Ash, perhaps one of the Charitable. Said document is Creation's closest description of the Shepherdess' nature, her gifts being her Estates and her Law.

=='''Vow of the Enlightened'''==

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this.

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this. - One thing leads to another. And at the end of all things is an ‘end’.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this. - Every good act must be good of purpose and good of result. This clause seems to fail to (most probably purposely) mention anything regarding the means. Taking the most liberal interpretation, a ‘Noble deed’ can have means as lacking in morals as a psychotic mass murderer, and yet still be considered ‘Noble’ in the eyes of the ‘Enlightened’. What matters is the cause, the intention and the ends. Everything in between matters naught.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this. - The ultimate sacrifice can conquer anything, even the impossible. This is the one true ‘Miracle’, Magic at its purest, one that allows the Enlightened to surpass his/her own end and achieve greatness through sacrifice. The Shepherdess safeguards the cause of all who sacrifice themselves for a greater purpose, guaranteeing them the miraculous magic of success.

==Details==

'''Estates''': Light, Determinism, Magic, Chivalry, Intelligence, Honour, Loyalty, Courage, Hope, Justice, Karma, Logic, Alchemy, Sacrifice, Curiosity, Sun, Moon, Stars

'''Excruciated Estates''': Aether, Vaveram, Maricarum, Endeon, Astelumina

'''Dynasty Points :''' 8

'''Qualities:'''

Great Harvest (2)

Cold (-1)

Demanding (-1)

----

= The Famiglia of the Enlightened =

The Famiglia of the Enlightened ''were'' a highly respected and influential group about 4-5 centuries before, their power extending from the very birth of creation. However, in a highly unorthodox move around the 4002 A.P., the Council ordered the Shepherdess to provide additional support in the Valde Bellum proper, above and beyond her maintenance of the Weirding Wall. Seeing as the Wall already consumed most if not all her power and attention, she was forced to mobilize members of her Famiglia, something quite unprecedented. The Nobles of Maricarum, Aether and Endeon were the first to volunteer for the great undertaking, having attained near-Imperator-level powers at the time. A few centuries later, Vaveram, Astelumina, Chivalry, Courage and Alchemy too joined their brother and sisters in the direct defense of creation. They held the line for a good few centuries, seeing a slow but definite turnover in nobles. That was until, for reasons still unknown, Maricarum, Aether, Endeon, Vaveram and Astelumina were excruciated one by one. The last to fall were Endeon and Astelumina in 4895 AP, at the same time 500 years of Human History was erased.

With no time to mourn, the Famiglia of the Enlightened were forced to mobilize more members of their famiglia to the front lines. The following few years saw more of their Nobles killed, though thankfully not excruciated.

Now with few remaining senior members, the famiglia struggles to stay on its feet with the large influx of new family members. Will they be able to live up to their predecessors? Will they be able to return the family to its former glory and take it to new heights? Or will this be the end of the Enlightened? That is up to the new Famiglia.

== PC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Foreguard of the Enlightened''

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Alicia_Valka '''Alicia - Principissa of Illumination''']

The 21st Principissa Of Illumination.

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Emil '''Emil - Power of Determinism''']

The 13th Power of Determinism

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Charles_Earl_Of_Huntington'''Charles - Lord of Chivalry''']

The 77th Lord of Chivalry

'''Lyna - Regina of Magic'''

The 66th Regina of Magic

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Mana_Kishimura '''Mana - Exemplar of Intelligence (And Dolphins)''']

The 17th Noble of Intelligence and 2nd Noble of Dolphins.

== NPC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Vanguard of the Enlightened''

'''Regine - Inquesta of Loyalty'''

'''Jessie - Tempesta of Courage (Sort of veering towards Impetuous Juvenile Recklessness)'''

'''Illumina - AllMother of Alchemy'''

Novice Alchemist extraordinaire and (rather unwilling) Commander of the Alchemist Flameheart Squad, Illumina is yet another recent addition to the Famiglia. She's currently worried about the sorry state of her estate (mostly usurped by Chemistry and now reduced to nothing more than a fantasy fiction gimmick) and a missing prominent Alchemist amongst other things....but mainly by the prospect of responsibility in general.

She is widely known, even outside Alchemist circles, as 'Big Bang Lum'.

'''Elune - Principissa of the Stars'''

While relatively senior in the Famiglia of the Enlightened (by simple virtue of everyone else being very recent additions), that's as far as her seniority goes. In every other respect, she is mostly helpless, though the more understanding dismiss this as a reflection of her estate - stars aren't known to be do much other than be pretty, especially lately with modern technology supplanting the need for stellar navigation or calendar-keeping. It used to be so much different when her sister, the Noble of Astelumina, the power of stellar influence upon the workings of the universe and lives on earth, was still around. Now as the stars fade and people forget the stars, Elune lies ill, slowly fading herself.

''The Diplomatic Corp (Intelligence) of the Enlightened''

'''Rang Fan - Excelifficer of Logic'''

Born a humble villager in a Tibetan highland settlement, Rang Fan grew up completely illiterate. She was, however, a keen observer and deep thinker. She developed her own concise and strict principles of logic, one that often found fault in the traditionalist views of the people she lived amongst. Some saw her as a source of wisdom, some saw her as a demon-possessed child.

She became the favourite anchor of the previous Noble of Logic for a while. During this time, her mastery of logic developed brilliantly. Unfortunately, she came afoul of a Chinese official when she publicly defeated him in a debate regarding the accusation of rebellion on the part of the village.

'''Geronimo - High Chief of Sacrifice'''

'''Han Gua - Exarch of Honour'''

'''Jimmy - Arch-Provost of Curiosity'''

''The Unassigned of the Enlightened''

'''Justice(?) - Empress of Justice'''

Not much is known about Justice, the 1st Noble of Justice. She is the eldest of the current Famiglia, though in the time of the original Famiglia, she was the youngest. She is the last surviving member of the original Famiglia of the Enlightened. It is rumoured that she was an Angel before she joined the Enlightened, though whether or not this is true is unknown. Her real name is unknown. Nobody has seen her in a long, long while. The only members of the current famiglia who have seen her are Han Gua and Elune.

Currently absent. Whereabouts unknown.

'''Vie - Noble of Hope'''

A rather mysterious member of the famiglia, she wonders in and out of the chancel rather randomly. Nobody seems to remember when she joined the Family. In fact, some are surprised to hear that there IS a noble of Hope in the Family. She doesn't seem to have a permanent home in the chancel. She's known (at least to those few who know her) to wander about, never staying in one place for long. She is apparently summonable, but rumours have it that she's apparently rather useless.

There are strange rumours that she follows the code of the Dark, or even Hell. Why would Hope do that?

'''Thomas Eire - Keeper of Karma'''

'''Kaguya - Himegami of the Moon'''

Tsukishiro no Kaguya-hime is perhaps the second eldest of the Famiglia, though she takes great care not to let anyone know that. She is the second Noble of the Moon. There are rumours that she was behind the Apollo 13 failure. When asked about it, she would give you a disdainful look and walk away. Then again, she'd do that no matter what you tried to bring up with her.

Currently very, very vain.

'''Kimo - the Emperor of the Sun'''

= Chancel - Locus Enlightenment, Sanctum Excelestia =

[http://img248.imageshack.us/i/sanctumexcelestia.jpg HG's Impression 1]

'''Qualities'''

Megalomaniac King/Queen (-4)

Normal Magic (3)

Alchemy (1)

2 Banes (-1)

Convenient Gates (2)

Anchorable Magical residents (4)

==Government==

The Sanctum is under the absolute Executive rule of the Emperor who answers only to the Shepherdess. Judicial Rule is under the Absolute Court headed by the Shepherdess and the Supreme Court headed by the Noble of Justice and her Circle of Justiciaries. Legislative and administrative rule is divided amongst the 4 major domains under the 4 queens:

'''Alicia - High Queen of the Diamond Tower.'''

Technically, having inherited the title of 'High Queen' from her predecessor, Alicia commands the Council of Four Queens and the Round Table of Dominums. However, as she has only recently joined the Famiglia, responsibility over the Council of Four Queens has fallen on the reluctant shoulders of Elune while the Round Table of Dominums is overseen by Han Gua.

'''Lyna - Queen of the Ruby Gardens.'''

The Ruby Gardens refers to the entirety of the Arcane Arts Academy Complex within the Outer Circle where the majority of mages of Excelestia train and live. However, to most of the citizens, the 'Ruby Gardens' itself refers to the seat of government, the Ruby Palace, a magnificent rose-shaped palace of crystal grown from the very essence of the Chancel itself in the middle of the Ruby Gardens.

'''Elune - Queen of the Sapphire Sky.'''

The Sapphire Sky refers to the entirety of the sky in between the floating structures of the Sanctum. While Elune governs no real land, she controls all traffic in the airspace around the Sanctum. Her official seat of government is the Sapphire Palace, a beautiful crystalline Sapphire star floating high up within the Inner Circle, though she is rarely ever there. She usually lives in her observatory on a lonely island high above the Sanctum.

'''Jessie - Queen of the Emerald Fields.'''

The Emerald Fields refer to most of the land floating in the Ciellan Expanse, the sky beyond the Outer Wall. The Emerald Fields house a good portion of the Sanctum's agricultural and mining settlements. Her seat of government is the Emerald Palace, a beautiful viridian structure of moss-covered wood and succulent, fresh folliage that grow and thrive all year round, coiled around a giant magnificent Emerald of a green deeper than the land that surrounds it.

== Homes and Households ==

'''The Diamond Palace - ?????'''

Home of Alicia.

Personal Assistant : Lymle

'''The Ruby Palace - ????'''

Home of Lyna.

Personal Assistant : Flowerchild

'''The Garnet Fortress - ????'''

Home of Charles.

Personal Assistant : Sieghart

'''The Quartz Workshop - ????'''

Personal Assistant : Leonie

Home of Emil.

== Other Noteworthy Locations ==

'''The Amethyst Shores'''

Governed officially by Illumina, provisionally by the Arch-Artificer of the Great Guild of Alchemists. The Amethyst Shores are a group of closely-packed islands within the Outer Circle where the majority of the Alchemists of Excelestia live. While alchemists can be found just about anywhere, the Amethysts Shores are really the only place where they can make things explode to their hearts content without causing tempers to explode all around them. Alchemists can also be found en masse at the Ruby Gardens.

'''The Garnet Fortress'''

Governed mainly by Charles, the Garnet Fortress encompasses the Inner and Outer Walls of the Sanctum and the bastion of the Knights.

'''The Beryl Earth'''

Governed mainly by Regine, the

'''The Quartz Workshop'''

A watch-mender's workshop somewhere within the Diamond Tower, Emil's home and favourite haunt.

==Security==

The city has a number of defense corps organized to different degrees by a number of Nobles.

'''The Chivalrous Gentlemanly TownWatch'''

'''The Magical Avengers of Love and Peace, Magical Taskforce Ruby Gardenia'''

Organized by the 5th Noble of Magic, a rather...odd Master of Magic who believed that wearing frilly clothing is a form of sacrifice to society and preached that magical power is exponentially proportional to the frilliness of one's clothing. Now maintained by the 7th Noble of Magic, Lyna, who keeps up most of the traditions of the 5th.

'''The Upholders of Equivalent Exchange, the Eternally Passionate Flameheart Alchemists (EPFA)'''

Organized by the previous Noble of Alchemy, a rather fluffy and passionate Lady Alchemist, and maintained by the recently appointed Noble, Illumina, the EPFA are at best socially-involved nerds, at worst really, really messy vigilantes (unfortunately, more often the latter). They mainly keep the domain of the Alchemists, the Amethyst Shores, as well as their portion of the Ruby Gardens, safe...for a given value of 'safe'.

'''The Infallibly Just Circle of Justiciers'''

'''The Eternally Loyal Shieldmaidens of [Insert Place Name Here]'''

Organized by the current Noble of Loyalty,

'''The Ever-Watchful Lantern Kindlers and Lamp Bearers of the Stars'''

'''The Righteous Karmic-Retributioneer Monks of Karma'''

'''The LoreKeepers and Agents of Literary Vengeance, the Combat Librarians'''

== Groups ==

Besides the defense forces of the Chancel, the Sanctum also harbours a number of groups.

'''The Enclave of Emerald Alchemists'''
Also known as the 'Emerald Artisans', this society of Alchemists was founded by the 7th Noble of Light, TanetNephthys, and the 1st Noble of Alchemy, Armagustine Trimegistus, after the passing of the third Noble of Maricarum, Hermes Trimegistus, founder of the Emerald Arts.

In a major nettle rite wrought by the 2nd Noble of Botany, Ephistopheles, against the Noble of Alchemy, in a daring move to split the art into two major paths forever, the Enclave was splintered in two - The Cleave fo Botanists and the Enclave of Emerald Artisans. The Botanists left the Sanctum, carrying with them the entirety of botanic knowledge. The Alchemists, however, managed to keep the Principa Alchimia safe and prevented the botanists from acquiring an absolute monopoly over the Emerald Arts. The two now jealously guard their arts, for if one were to acquire the arts of the other, they would become unstoppable.

The botanists are known to pass through the Chancel to deal with the Emerald Artisans.

== Laws ==

The Chancel operates on general principles of Justice commonly found in any other society where concepts of Law and Justice exist. It has a few notable exceptions such as:

- Any deed with noble ends are exempt from law's scrutiny upon its means. This means even the most foul of deeds is considered lawfully just as long as its ends are noble. It comes with a very, very important caveat - the good of the outcome must far exceed the evil committed. This is particularly difficult to achieve with murder, as murder, the theft of the sanctity of one's life, is the basest, most evil of crimes that even the earth itself abhors.

-

N.B. The Chancel operates on the Code Napoleon, that the suspect is guilty until proven otherwise, as Lady Justice willed it to be in the prosaic realm.

== Notable Individuals ==

'''Orphus Denilzante'''
Chief Magitech Engineer of the Sanctum and designer of the Deus Ex Machina.

'''Reno Orfayne'''
Owner of Reno's Empirio, the one-stop fashion designer for Nobles, known to be second only to his Master, Enzel Haulor of 7th Avenue and 91st Street NY.

'''Sammy Westine'''
Proprietor and Chief Engineer of Westine Airships, Sammy is the young brilliant mind behind this generation's latest magitech airships. Having mastered Alchemy, Magic and Magitech at a young age, she went on to implement her excellent knowledge in airship design and construction. Her airships are used not just within the Sanctum but all over Creation. While she does produce combat-ready airships, she only produces them as personal favours for Nobles she trusts. These make proud flagships in any war fleet. It is rumoured that she is working with Aeril Jotunstrom, Noble of Ships, from Locus Atlantis, on warships capable of sailing the world beyond creation and taking part directly on the frontlines of the Valde Bellum.

'''Victor'''

= Mythic Realm =

== Chancels Known ==
''From the Primer on Loci Celatum, by Holly Djurisic''
What follows are descriptions of chancels considered widely known and to be no secret to those versed in the ways of the Mythic. Everyone knows them as a matter of common sense.

'''Locus Amarant'''

The Great Market, the Gardens of Lady Profit, Amarant is perhaps one of the few chancels that has no doors, and, even if it did, they would be wide open to welcome one and all. After all, even your worst enemy is a potential customer. Any invader would quickly find themselves besieged by peddlers of weaponry, trust and treachery, even the very spoils they are after. Everything the discerning Noble might need is available here...for the right price. The preferred currency are fleurs, but the locals have been known to trade with other things such as miracles and pacts. Some nobles come here not just to buy but also to sell. If you want or need it, Locus Amarant will sell it, or if not, then at least it will sell you the expertise of someone who CAN get it. Needless to say, the cammorae are all over Amarant.

It is well-known that even Excrucians frequent Amarant, and they know full well never to destroy Amarant....at least not until their victory is assured, for Amarant will be more than happy to sell them the means to that victory, or maybe even that victory itself....for the right price. Why destroy something so blatantly useful?

Chancel of Lady Profit, Immiae Arathy, and the Nobles of Trade, Currency, Negotiation, Supermarket Loyalty Cards, and Cookies. Yes, Cookies.

= Prosaic Realm =

== Earth ==

=== Noteworthy Individuals===

== Erebea ==

A once beautiful world, a geographic wonder of continents hanging high up in the pristine skies, flooded with raw magic reminiscent of Earth about a millennium ago. Sanctum Excelestia was once the capital of this world, until it disappeared a few millennia ago.

== Lost Universe AD 2511 ==

The Lost Universe, now a Valde Bellum warfront. In 2400 AD, an age of galactic expansion and an Aetheric golden age for human advancement, a treacherous Imperator managed to sabotage the Shepherdess' hold on the Weirding Wall, leaving gaping holes in the defense of Creation. In the ensuing chaos, the Imperators and their nobles turned their attention to the Excrucian host gathering beyond the gap. Little did they know that they had fallen prey to a deceiver ruse. At the same time, the Excrucians were readying a pincer attack, with their mimics and strategists having established a foothold on Earth's universe. The Enlightened, at the time under great scrutiny due to the Shepherdess' apparent failure at maintaining the Weirding Wall, discovered the Excrucian plans and attempted to alert the Ymmerae. However, the Deceivers held the ears of the Ymmerae, and all the please of the Enlightened fell on deaf, suspicious, skeptical ears.

In a daring move, the Noble of Aether secretly used almost the entirety of his power of limitless potential to create an anomalous fold in existence, tearing 500 years of the universe apart, resetting the universe to before the Excrucian plan had even begun in 1900. He brought the new fold containing the lost 500 years and the excrucian plot up and tethered it to the gaping hole in the Weirding Wall, just in time to meet the incoming Excrucian Host. The excrucian invasion began, never once suspecting that they had walked into a pocket universe. For the Noble of Aether's apparent treachery, the Locust Court condemned him to death without a trial, dispatching the Enlightened, his own family, to prove their allegiance to the court by executing their own brother. It is said that Justice was the one to rip his shard out of his chest with her bare hands. It is said that the shard shattered. Some say Justice, in her grief and rage, shattered it herself. Some say it was Aether's final gift to the Lost Universe, and to the entirety of creation. The shard dust was dispersed and embedded itself across the entirety of the Lost Universe, enchancelling it, bestowing its beings with the blessings of Aetheric Power, immunizing them to the crippling effects of dementia animus and empowering them in their coming struggle against the Excrucian invaders. Aether was forever lost to Creation, but its shadow continues to live on within the beings of the Lost Universe. As long as the children of Aether stand and the light of Aether burns on within them, the Lost Universe will always resist the Excrucian host.

The Lost Universe has since been sealed away outside the Weirding Wall, doomed to forever be an Excrucian battleground, until the day the Excrucians trapped within consume the Lost Universe and realize Aether's trickery.

At the precise moment Aether's sacrifice enchancelled the Lost Universe, Hammond Qarn, Imperator of the Lost Universe, came into being. Having arisen from a universe so filled with the Shepherdess' own power, Hammond naturally became a Magister of the Enlightened. Furthermore, as the chancel was created using the Shepherdess' own soul shard, a fraction of the Shepherdess' own essence makes up the chancel's foundations. Thus for all intents and purposes the Enlightened can treat the Lost Universe as their own home chancel.

Few other nobles are privy to the secret of the Lost Universe's existence. Even fewer take up the fight to defend the Lost Universe in order to delay the full-scale invasion of Creation. The Nobles of Astelumina and Endeon were the first to pick up Aether's fallen banner and lead the battle against the Excrucian host and were also the first to fall.

'Now and Forever, till the hour I too stand between Impossibility and Despair!' - Phaeron Rof Alabar Trimeniel - Emperor of Aether

=== Notable Locations ===

'''L.U. Earth AD 2511'''

In AD 2400, Astelumina and Endeon managed to rid the entire earth of deceivers, strategists and mimics, making it one of the last few human settlements still untouched by the Excrucian Scourge. The war and Aether's blessing has accelerated technology to astronomical heights in the past 111 years, bringing humanity to a point where they can overwhelm excrucian shards and at the very least annoy full excrucians, if not kill them. Earth is now the capital of the Universal Aetheric Alliance (UAA), headquarters of the Excrucian resistance. Its coordinates are guarded to the death by the Children of Aether. Those who sally forth to meet the Excrucian Host do so without carrying Earth's coordinates, knowing full well that they may never return to their beloved home.

'''L.U. Heaven’s Feel'''

The current frontier of the Lost Universe Valde Bellum, Heaven’s Feel is perhaps the most beautiful extrasolar human colony. A large T3 terraformed planet orbiting the gas giant Astelumina 3, behind a dense spherical asteroid field and a radioactive veil around the sun Astelumina, it makes a naturally fortified world. Thanks to the scattering radiation and the dense blackhole just a few megaparsecs away at the center of the galaxy, the system and planet is nigh impossible to find at the best of times, at least for marauding excrucian raiding parties. The UAA uses Astelumina’s final gift, the gift of the stars, the ability to travel on aetheric currents guided by the stars, to travel safely in and out of the system.

When excrucians do find the planet, they are immediately drawn into its orbit by the interaction of the gravity wells of Heaven’s Feel’s many moons. They have no hope of escaping to notify the host of the planet’s location before they are drawn into intense battle by the Feelians.

The planet is ravaged by repeat invasions.

=== Familia of the Lost Universe ===

More or less an extended family of the Enlightened, the Familia of the Lost Universe are the sworn guardians of Aether's legacy.

'''Hammond Qarn - Imperator of the Lost Universe'''

Despite being an offshoot of the Shepherdess' power, Hammond Qarn is quite the opposite. He looks as human as they come. In fact, very, very much so, with his thick paternal beard, his twinkling eyes and his simple, honest expression, like a stern but compassionate father. Those who have the great honour of an audience with him are overcome with an overwhelming confidence and faith in humanity's potential and prowess. His being is shrouded in the stuff of legends. They say he single-handedly piloted an Alliance Battlecruiser straight into an Excrucian battlestation and escaped alive, unscathed. They say he personally lead the desperate charge that ended the siege of Harvest 4. They say he singlehandedly held the line at Point Hope against the entire advancing Excrucian host at the battle of Forge 3. They say a lot of things about Hammond Qarn, and when you meet him, sitting like a lighthouse exuding calm and confidence amidst the storm of war, in his simple, neatly-pressed uniform gleaming with but one badge denoting his allegiance to the Alliance, you feel naught but awe - that this man is the legend in the flesh.

'''Commander John Shepard - Power of Living Legends'''

'''Excel 7 - Commander of Super Soldiers'''

was responsible for the Halo series and partly responsible for the Metal Gear series, amongst other things.

'''Iris Erran - Chief Admiral of Spacecrafts'''

'''ALMa OmNI. - Supreme Administrator of Aetheric Technology'''

An A.I. born of the pinnacle of Aetheric supercomputers,

= Quests =

== Active Quests ==

=== Imperator Quests ===

'''Overdue'''

Started : 8th November 2011

The Shepherdess has requested that the Foreguards return 3 books she's borrowed for Shepherdess-knows-how-long now, for reasons that none can fathom. These books are:

1) 'Single Parenting for Idiots', to the Imperator of Shadows

2) 'The Amazing Justice and the Lovely Yaoi Doujin', to the Noble of Women's Beards

3) 'The Witchhunter's Codex' to a certain alchemist in Erebea.

She has asked you all to return them, ASAP.

Progress:

1) The Family has acquired the 3 books from the Principarium.

2) 1 week has passed since.

'''?????'''

Started : ?????

??????

Progress: n/a

=== Chivalry Quests ===

'''Rest in Peace'''

There's a Knight who has just returned from

=== Determinism Quests ===

=== Illumination Quests ===

'''Twinkle, Little Star'''

Started : 15th November 2011

As the world darkens, the light of the stars fade. Elune, little noble of stars, your sister, lies sick, alone in her high observatory, forgotten by the rest of the world. Now the weakening of the stars has started to affect the domain of Light too. Something must be done before yet another member of the Family succumbs to the war of attrition upon the Enlightened.

Progress:

1) Lyna, Emil and Alicia visited Elune in her observatory and found her ill.

2) They discovered that her observatory was severely corrupted by some malignant corruption that was trying to break into the chancel.

3) They sealed off the intrusion into the chancel but destroyed the observatory in the process. They managed to prevent the observatory from crashing catastrophically into the chancel.

4) They've brought the sick Elune to the Sapphire Palace and acquired the help of Regine to treat her.

'''Who moved my Christmas?!'''

Christmas, the biggest celebration of lights and joy, isn't happening this year! This is unprecedented serious affair!

Started : 8th November 2011

Progress :

1) Alicia has asked the magical girls, knights, and others who've passed in and out of the chancel, for any information they might know about this. She's learned that it's a rather complex issue. It might be the economy, it might be the declining family values, could be anything.

'''When you peer into the Abyss...'''

Started : n/a

And the Creator said, 'Let there be Light', and there was light, and he saw that it was good. And He separated the dark from the light. Thus was the First Day.

It wasn't quite that simple.

When the light came to be, the dark too came to be as a result, and neither could tolerate the other. Thus the First War of Light and Dark began, pure and simple, with no preamble or prelude. They fought for Shepherdess-knows-how-long. Finally, the formation of the Covenant of the First Day, an agreement between the Light and the Dark to respect the other's estate, ended the war. How it came to be, however, is still a hotly debated topic. Some say the Dark won. Some say the Light won. Some say it was a draw. Some say there were other reasons. Who really knows?

An anniversary of the Covenant of the First Day is celebrated yearly now to uphold the ideals of peace and cooperation between Light and Dark. This year, it's Alicia's turn to host the festival. What could go wrong?

Progress : n/a

=== Magic Quests ===

'''Dude, Where's My Ship?!'''

Started : 8th Novemeber 2011

Following the disappearance of a wildcat Lignite mining crew in the Aescilian Mountains of Erebea, a pair of magical girls were dispatched on what was supposed to be a simple search-and-rescue mission. They report finding what looks like a ship and wisely request further assistance. The archaeological division arrived hours later, sealed the region, before preparing for further studies. They could not identify the ship's make or origins from the exterior, so they decide to enter through an entrance they found on the side. Contact with the entire squad was lost 6 hours into the mission, with the last transmission being 'Found someth-....So....beautiful....'. A second rescue mission was mounted, this time with a full STRIKER magical girl squadron. They found a deserted camp site and the open ship. They enter. Contact was lost 1.5 hours into the mission, with the last transmission being '...reached the last known location. Now....I-..I can't believe it....mission control...I can't begin to describe this....this is...so...so beau-.....'.

Progress:

1) Lyna has developed a new remote-viewing spell to peer into the site from a distance. Unfortunately, the first few attempts failed as she can't seem to view anything beyond the foot of the mountains.

'''My Struggle, My suffering, My Legacy'''

Started: n/a

The smoke of witch burning pyres rise high up into the skies above the magical realm of Erebea. The once all-powerful mages now run and hide before the onslaught of the Reinzhuthen, an order of genocidal purists who are in pursuit of the all-powerful dark mage, the dark lord Daran Reganz. The Reinzhuthen have taken up an all-or-nothing approach towards hunting Daran Reganz – wiping out every last mage on Neven. After successfully gathering the support of the people against the seemingly incompetent mage-led government and subsequently overthrowing them, the Reinzhuthen declared a world-wide ban of magical practices, declaring any practitioner an agent of Daran Reganz and an enemy of the state.

Progress: n/a

=== Intelligence Quests ===

== Completed Quests ==

= Correspondence =

== Family Correspondence ==

'Good morning, Masters and Mistresses. I hope the noise didn't keep you up last night. The Alchemists discovered a new flower known quite amusingly as the 'Boom Lily'. Thankfully they grew quieter as the night went by. Anyhow, here's today's selection of the world's headlines.' - Mira -

• Presidents of Chechnya, Bosnia and Ukraine die in mysterious circumstances.

• American invasion of Iran is meeting heavy resistance. The Iranians now threaten to unleash their nuclear arsenal if America does not cease and desist.

• A new illness is spreading. Cause unknown.

== Illumination's Correspondence==

'Young Miss, please do take some times to reads some of these, 'kay? Lymle's actually done her bests to sort them outs, 'kay!' - Lymle -

- You've been cordially invited to attend the Divali celebrations in India. - Various Nobles -

== Chivalry's Correspondence ==

'Aye, my liege, thou hath an abundant harvest of letters. Thy loyal steed hast made do with the more...delicious trivialties. *BURP*' - Sieghart -

== Determinism's Correspondence ==

'Hey, old man, check it out, you've got mail. Should I fetch your specs? Or maybe a magnifying glass? Or maybe my winding screw? All that sorting's wound down my springs...' - Leonie -

== Magic's Correspondence ==

'Young Mistress, it's time to read your correspondence for the day. Please sit down here. Yes, here. Now, back straight like a washboard, eyes forward like a dead fish, and elbows akimbo like a ballerina...yes, excellent, young mistress. Now, I present you my personal selection of today's letters.' - Flowerchild -

== Intelligence's Correspondence ==

Nobilis Enlightened

2011-03-12T01:21:07Z

Mind-The-Gap: /* PC Nobles of the Enlightened */

[[Category:Nobilis]]

= Imperator - The Shepherdess of Light =

1. ‘Omneaum(a) became aware. In its awareness, it found loneliness. It saw potential, good, an impossibility.

2. Omneaum gave way to potential, and made the impossible possible. It was, things became.

3. Enlightenment arose, and so did I, Whole, Complete, bearing the Gifts of Aether (b), Light, Vaveram (c), Maricarum (d), Endeon (e), and Causality.

4. Omneaum’s legacy I shall honour and hold safe, now and forever, till the hour I too stand alone between Impossibility and Despair.’

- The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light, Imperator of Enlightenment -

(a) Omneaum: The Original Absolute Void

(b) Aether: Estate of 'Absolute Potential', the 'Impossible made Possible', the very basic element of creation from which all matter and life flowed. It was said to have been more abundant in space. (Now excruciated, succeeded in part by the estate of 'Magic')

(c)Vaveram: Estate of Spontaneous Sentience and Awareness (Now Excruciated. Never replaced.)

(d) Maricarum: Estate of Great Miracles through Personal Sacrifice (Now excruciated, succeeded by the estate of 'Magic' and 'Sacrifice')

(e)Endeon: Estate of the 'Lone Wolf Phenomenon', wherein those fighting against overwhelming odds are always guaranteed victory. Better known in our time as the 'Storm Trooper effect'. (Now excruciated)

Having predated the Imperators of 'Name', the Shepherdess is nameless and formless. Those who are fortunate enough to know her identify her as 'The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light', or, simply, 'The Shepherdess'. Having come into being before the birth of the concept of 'form' or even 'matter' and 'physical law', she is without form in the physical universe. She used to communicate with her agents in the physical universe through pulses of light and ripples in a fountain of light. Needless to say, a lot of liberty had been taken in deciphering her wishes. Recently, however, the Chief Engineer of the Sanctum, Orphus, has devised an ingenious megastructure, the Deus Ex Machina, a gigantic clockwork device that allows the Shepherdess to see into the physical realm and engage with it using a gigantic, rather clumsy steel claw and communicate using a ticker-tape telegram machine.

(Interestingly, having also preceded the Imperator of Gender, she is, or, at least, was, in essence, genderless. However, around 300 B.C. she became a part of debate amongst philosophers as an example of a being who must be 'of the default gender'. For some reason it was decided that the default gender was female, and so the Shepherdess has since been considered to be of the female persuasion. Not that she really cares. It is suspected that the Noble of Women had something to do with this, but that's a tale for another time.)

Prophesized successor of Ananda and future Shepherdess of the Fifth Age, the Glorious One has purposely been denied a seat on the Council of Four, for her ways are that of the ‘Enlightened’, incompatible with the ways of the other council-members. She earns Lord Entropy and Ananda’s tolerance for her existence only through her service in the Valde Bellum and her Light’s importance in maintaining the Weirding Wall, a task that consumes almost the entirety of her attention and being (much to Lord Entropy’s and Ananda’s satisfaction).

The Heavens despise her, for an Angel of Creation she is not, and yet she brought forth the first Light that made everything that was Beautiful possible. Only the fact that her Light is necessary for beauty and this fact alone earns her the toleration of Heaven. The Wild would have nothing to do with her, for there is no freedom in sacrifice.The Hells, the Darkness and the Light all loath her, for not only is she the voice of wisdom that transcends not just the Corruption that the Hells endeavour towards, but she is also the voice that moves all beings towards becoming more than the matter they are made from, transcending what they are, pushing them ever onwards towards a greater purpose not only in life but also in death. Those who follow her code wish for naught else but the glory of dying for a greater good.

It is unclear what her true nature or form is. Nobody seems to remember when she came to be, or how for that matter. Some suspect she is one of the Heavenly legion, an Angel, but not only do the Heavens and its angelic denizens despise her at the best of times, her ways are most definitely not that of Heaven. Some surmise that she is a fallen Angel, but the cause of Hell she does not serve. It is highly possible that she is a True God, but all of creation knows they did not appear until long after the Angels had begun the Great Work. Recently, when passings of the Transcendants were properly documented in AP 4732, it was surmised that she is perhaps a Transcendant who somehow chose to settle upon the World Ash, perhaps one of the Charitable. Said document is Creation's closest description of the Shepherdess' nature, her gifts being her Estates and her Law.

=='''Vow of the Enlightened'''==

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this.

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this. - One thing leads to another. And at the end of all things is an ‘end’.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this. - Every good act must be good of purpose and good of result. This clause seems to fail to (most probably purposely) mention anything regarding the means. Taking the most liberal interpretation, a ‘Noble deed’ can have means as lacking in morals as a psychotic mass murderer, and yet still be considered ‘Noble’ in the eyes of the ‘Enlightened’. What matters is the cause, the intention and the ends. Everything in between matters naught.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this. - The ultimate sacrifice can conquer anything, even the impossible. This is the one true ‘Miracle’, Magic at its purest, one that allows the Enlightened to surpass his/her own end and achieve greatness through sacrifice. The Shepherdess safeguards the cause of all who sacrifice themselves for a greater purpose, guaranteeing them the miraculous magic of success.

==Details==

'''Estates''': Light, Determinism, Magic, Chivalry, Intelligence, Honour, Loyalty, Courage, Hope, Justice, Karma, Logic, Alchemy, Sacrifice, Curiosity, Sun, Moon, Stars

'''Excruciated Estates''': Aether, Vaveram, Maricarum, Endeon, Astelumina

'''Dynasty Points :''' 8

'''Qualities:'''

Great Harvest (2)

Cold (-1)

Demanding (-1)

----

= The Famiglia of the Enlightened =

The Famiglia of the Enlightened ''were'' a highly respected and influential group about 4-5 centuries before, their power extending from the very birth of creation. However, in a highly unorthodox move around the 4002 A.P., the Council ordered the Shepherdess to provide additional support in the Valde Bellum proper, above and beyond her maintenance of the Weirding Wall. Seeing as the Wall already consumed most if not all her power and attention, she was forced to mobilize members of her Famiglia, something quite unprecedented. The Nobles of Maricarum, Aether and Endeon were the first to volunteer for the great undertaking, having attained near-Imperator-level powers at the time. A few centuries later, Vaveram, Astelumina, Chivalry, Courage and Alchemy too joined their brother and sisters in the direct defense of creation. They held the line for a good few centuries, seeing a slow but definite turnover in nobles. That was until, for reasons still unknown, Maricarum, Aether, Endeon, Vaveram and Astelumina were excruciated one by one. The last to fall were Endeon and Astelumina in 4895 AP, at the same time 500 years of Human History was erased.

With no time to mourn, the Famiglia of the Enlightened were forced to mobilize more members of their famiglia to the front lines. The following few years saw more of their Nobles killed, though thankfully not excruciated.

Now with few remaining senior members, the famiglia struggles to stay on its feet with the large influx of new family members. Will they be able to live up to their predecessors? Will they be able to return the family to its former glory and take it to new heights? Or will this be the end of the Enlightened? That is up to the new Famiglia.

== PC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Foreguard of the Enlightened''

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Alicia_Valka '''Alicia - Principissa of Illumination''']

The 21st Principissa Of Illumination.

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Emil '''Emil - Power of Determinism''']

The 13th Power of Determinism

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Charles_Earl_Of_Huntington'''Charles - Lord of Chivalry''']

The 77th Lord of Chivalry

'''Lyna - Regina of Magic'''

The 66th Regina of Magic

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Mana_Kishimura '''Mana Kishimura - Exemplar of Intelligence (And Dolphins)''']

The 17th Noble of Intelligence and 2nd Noble of Dolphins.

== NPC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Vanguard of the Enlightened''

'''Regine - Inquesta of Loyalty'''

'''Jessie - Tempesta of Courage (Sort of veering towards Impetuous Juvenile Recklessness)'''

'''Illumina - AllMother of Alchemy'''

Novice Alchemist extraordinaire and (rather unwilling) Commander of the Alchemist Flameheart Squad, Illumina is yet another recent addition to the Famiglia. She's currently worried about the sorry state of her estate (mostly usurped by Chemistry and now reduced to nothing more than a fantasy fiction gimmick) and a missing prominent Alchemist amongst other things....but mainly by the prospect of responsibility in general.

She is widely known, even outside Alchemist circles, as 'Big Bang Lum'.

'''Elune - Principissa of the Stars'''

While relatively senior in the Famiglia of the Enlightened (by simple virtue of everyone else being very recent additions), that's as far as her seniority goes. In every other respect, she is mostly helpless, though the more understanding dismiss this as a reflection of her estate - stars aren't known to be do much other than be pretty, especially lately with modern technology supplanting the need for stellar navigation or calendar-keeping. It used to be so much different when her sister, the Noble of Astelumina, the power of stellar influence upon the workings of the universe and lives on earth, was still around. Now as the stars fade and people forget the stars, Elune lies ill, slowly fading herself.

''The Diplomatic Corp (Intelligence) of the Enlightened''

'''Rang Fan - Excelifficer of Logic'''

Born a humble villager in a Tibetan highland settlement, Rang Fan grew up completely illiterate. She was, however, a keen observer and deep thinker. She developed her own concise and strict principles of logic, one that often found fault in the traditionalist views of the people she lived amongst. Some saw her as a source of wisdom, some saw her as a demon-possessed child.

She became the favourite anchor of the previous Noble of Logic for a while. During this time, her mastery of logic developed brilliantly. Unfortunately, she came afoul of a Chinese official when she publicly defeated him in a debate regarding the accusation of rebellion on the part of the village.

'''Geronimo - High Chief of Sacrifice'''

'''Han Gua - Exarch of Honour'''

'''Jimmy - Arch-Provost of Curiosity'''

''The Unassigned of the Enlightened''

'''Justice(?) - Empress of Justice'''

Not much is known about Justice, the 1st Noble of Justice. She is the eldest of the current Famiglia, though in the time of the original Famiglia, she was the youngest. She is the last surviving member of the original Famiglia of the Enlightened. It is rumoured that she was an Angel before she joined the Enlightened, though whether or not this is true is unknown. Her real name is unknown. Nobody has seen her in a long, long while. The only members of the current famiglia who have seen her are Han Gua and Elune.

Currently absent. Whereabouts unknown.

'''Vie - Noble of Hope'''

A rather mysterious member of the famiglia, she wonders in and out of the chancel rather randomly. Nobody seems to remember when she joined the Family. In fact, some are surprised to hear that there IS a noble of Hope in the Family. She doesn't seem to have a permanent home in the chancel. She's known (at least to those few who know her) to wander about, never staying in one place for long. She is apparently summonable, but rumours have it that she's apparently rather useless.

There are strange rumours that she follows the code of the Dark, or even Hell. Why would Hope do that?

'''Thomas Eire - Keeper of Karma'''

'''Kaguya - Himegami of the Moon'''

Tsukishiro no Kaguya-hime is perhaps the second eldest of the Famiglia, though she takes great care not to let anyone know that. She is the second Noble of the Moon. There are rumours that she was behind the Apollo 13 failure. When asked about it, she would give you a disdainful look and walk away. Then again, she'd do that no matter what you tried to bring up with her.

Currently very, very vain.

'''Kimo - the Emperor of the Sun'''

= Chancel - Locus Enlightenment, Sanctum Excelestia =

[http://img248.imageshack.us/i/sanctumexcelestia.jpg HG's Impression 1]

'''Qualities'''

Megalomaniac King/Queen (-4)

Normal Magic (3)

Alchemy (1)

2 Banes (-1)

Convenient Gates (2)

Anchorable Magical residents (4)

==Government==

The Sanctum is under the absolute Executive rule of the Emperor who answers only to the Shepherdess. Judicial Rule is under the Absolute Court headed by the Shepherdess and the Supreme Court headed by the Noble of Justice and her Circle of Justiciaries. Legislative and administrative rule is divided amongst the 4 major domains under the 4 queens:

'''Alicia - High Queen of the Diamond Tower.'''

Technically, having inherited the title of 'High Queen' from her predecessor, Alicia commands the Council of Four Queens and the Round Table of Dominums. However, as she has only recently joined the Famiglia, responsibility over the Council of Four Queens has fallen on the reluctant shoulders of Elune while the Round Table of Dominums is overseen by Han Gua.

'''Lyna - Queen of the Ruby Gardens.'''

The Ruby Gardens refers to the entirety of the Arcane Arts Academy Complex within the Outer Circle where the majority of mages of Excelestia train and live. However, to most of the citizens, the 'Ruby Gardens' itself refers to the seat of government, the Ruby Palace, a magnificent rose-shaped palace of crystal grown from the very essence of the Chancel itself in the middle of the Ruby Gardens.

'''Elune - Queen of the Sapphire Sky.'''

The Sapphire Sky refers to the entirety of the sky in between the floating structures of the Sanctum. While Elune governs no real land, she controls all traffic in the airspace around the Sanctum. Her official seat of government is the Sapphire Palace, a beautiful crystalline Sapphire star floating high up within the Inner Circle, though she is rarely ever there. She usually lives in her observatory on a lonely island high above the Sanctum.

'''Jessie - Queen of the Emerald Fields.'''

The Emerald Fields refer to most of the land floating in the Ciellan Expanse, the sky beyond the Outer Wall. The Emerald Fields house a good portion of the Sanctum's agricultural and mining settlements. Her seat of government is the Emerald Palace, a beautiful viridian structure of moss-covered wood and succulent, fresh folliage that grow and thrive all year round, coiled around a giant magnificent Emerald of a green deeper than the land that surrounds it.

== Homes and Households ==

'''The Diamond Palace - ?????'''

Home of Alicia.

Personal Assistant : Lymle

'''The Ruby Palace - ????'''

Home of Lyna.

Personal Assistant : Flowerchild

'''The Garnet Fortress - ????'''

Home of Charles.

Personal Assistant : Sieghart

'''The Quartz Workshop - ????'''

Personal Assistant : Leonie

Home of Emil.

== Other Noteworthy Locations ==

'''The Amethyst Shores'''

Governed officially by Illumina, provisionally by the Arch-Artificer of the Great Guild of Alchemists. The Amethyst Shores are a group of closely-packed islands within the Outer Circle where the majority of the Alchemists of Excelestia live. While alchemists can be found just about anywhere, the Amethysts Shores are really the only place where they can make things explode to their hearts content without causing tempers to explode all around them. Alchemists can also be found en masse at the Ruby Gardens.

'''The Garnet Fortress'''

Governed mainly by Charles, the Garnet Fortress encompasses the Inner and Outer Walls of the Sanctum and the bastion of the Knights.

'''The Beryl Earth'''

Governed mainly by Regine, the

'''The Quartz Workshop'''

A watch-mender's workshop somewhere within the Diamond Tower, Emil's home and favourite haunt.

==Security==

The city has a number of defense corps organized to different degrees by a number of Nobles.

'''The Chivalrous Gentlemanly TownWatch'''

'''The Magical Avengers of Love and Peace, Magical Taskforce Ruby Gardenia'''

Organized by the 5th Noble of Magic, a rather...odd Master of Magic who believed that wearing frilly clothing is a form of sacrifice to society and preached that magical power is exponentially proportional to the frilliness of one's clothing. Now maintained by the 7th Noble of Magic, Lyna, who keeps up most of the traditions of the 5th.

'''The Upholders of Equivalent Exchange, the Eternally Passionate Flameheart Alchemists (EPFA)'''

Organized by the previous Noble of Alchemy, a rather fluffy and passionate Lady Alchemist, and maintained by the recently appointed Noble, Illumina, the EPFA are at best socially-involved nerds, at worst really, really messy vigilantes (unfortunately, more often the latter). They mainly keep the domain of the Alchemists, the Amethyst Shores, as well as their portion of the Ruby Gardens, safe...for a given value of 'safe'.

'''The Infallibly Just Circle of Justiciers'''

'''The Eternally Loyal Shieldmaidens of [Insert Place Name Here]'''

Organized by the current Noble of Loyalty,

'''The Ever-Watchful Lantern Kindlers and Lamp Bearers of the Stars'''

'''The Righteous Karmic-Retributioneer Monks of Karma'''

'''The LoreKeepers and Agents of Literary Vengeance, the Combat Librarians'''

== Groups ==

Besides the defense forces of the Chancel, the Sanctum also harbours a number of groups.

'''The Enclave of Emerald Alchemists'''
Also known as the 'Emerald Artisans', this society of Alchemists was founded by the 7th Noble of Light, TanetNephthys, and the 1st Noble of Alchemy, Armagustine Trimegistus, after the passing of the third Noble of Maricarum, Hermes Trimegistus, founder of the Emerald Arts.

In a major nettle rite wrought by the 2nd Noble of Botany, Ephistopheles, against the Noble of Alchemy, in a daring move to split the art into two major paths forever, the Enclave was splintered in two - The Cleave fo Botanists and the Enclave of Emerald Artisans. The Botanists left the Sanctum, carrying with them the entirety of botanic knowledge. The Alchemists, however, managed to keep the Principa Alchimia safe and prevented the botanists from acquiring an absolute monopoly over the Emerald Arts. The two now jealously guard their arts, for if one were to acquire the arts of the other, they would become unstoppable.

The botanists are known to pass through the Chancel to deal with the Emerald Artisans.

== Laws ==

The Chancel operates on general principles of Justice commonly found in any other society where concepts of Law and Justice exist. It has a few notable exceptions such as:

- Any deed with noble ends are exempt from law's scrutiny upon its means. This means even the most foul of deeds is considered lawfully just as long as its ends are noble. It comes with a very, very important caveat - the good of the outcome must far exceed the evil committed. This is particularly difficult to achieve with murder, as murder, the theft of the sanctity of one's life, is the basest, most evil of crimes that even the earth itself abhors.

-

N.B. The Chancel operates on the Code Napoleon, that the suspect is guilty until proven otherwise, as Lady Justice willed it to be in the prosaic realm.

== Notable Individuals ==

'''Orphus Denilzante'''
Chief Magitech Engineer of the Sanctum and designer of the Deus Ex Machina.

'''Reno Orfayne'''
Owner of Reno's Empirio, the one-stop fashion designer for Nobles, known to be second only to his Master, Enzel Haulor of 7th Avenue and 91st Street NY.

'''Sammy Westine'''
Proprietor and Chief Engineer of Westine Airships, Sammy is the young brilliant mind behind this generation's latest magitech airships. Having mastered Alchemy, Magic and Magitech at a young age, she went on to implement her excellent knowledge in airship design and construction. Her airships are used not just within the Sanctum but all over Creation. While she does produce combat-ready airships, she only produces them as personal favours for Nobles she trusts. These make proud flagships in any war fleet. It is rumoured that she is working with Aeril Jotunstrom, Noble of Ships, from Locus Atlantis, on warships capable of sailing the world beyond creation and taking part directly on the frontlines of the Valde Bellum.

'''Victor'''

= Mythic Realm =

== Chancels Known ==
''From the Primer on Loci Celatum, by Holly Djurisic''
What follows are descriptions of chancels considered widely known and to be no secret to those versed in the ways of the Mythic. Everyone knows them as a matter of common sense.

'''Locus Amarant'''

The Great Market, the Gardens of Lady Profit, Amarant is perhaps one of the few chancels that has no doors, and, even if it did, they would be wide open to welcome one and all. After all, even your worst enemy is a potential customer. Any invader would quickly find themselves besieged by peddlers of weaponry, trust and treachery, even the very spoils they are after. Everything the discerning Noble might need is available here...for the right price. The preferred currency are fleurs, but the locals have been known to trade with other things such as miracles and pacts. Some nobles come here not just to buy but also to sell. If you want or need it, Locus Amarant will sell it, or if not, then at least it will sell you the expertise of someone who CAN get it. Needless to say, the cammorae are all over Amarant.

It is well-known that even Excrucians frequent Amarant, and they know full well never to destroy Amarant....at least not until their victory is assured, for Amarant will be more than happy to sell them the means to that victory, or maybe even that victory itself....for the right price. Why destroy something so blatantly useful?

Chancel of Lady Profit, Immiae Arathy, and the Nobles of Trade, Currency, Negotiation, Supermarket Loyalty Cards, and Cookies. Yes, Cookies.

= Prosaic Realm =

== Earth ==

=== Noteworthy Individuals===

== Erebea ==

A once beautiful world, a geographic wonder of continents hanging high up in the pristine skies, flooded with raw magic reminiscent of Earth about a millennium ago. Sanctum Excelestia was once the capital of this world, until it disappeared a few millennia ago.

== Lost Universe AD 2511 ==

The Lost Universe, now a Valde Bellum warfront. In 2400 AD, an age of galactic expansion and an Aetheric golden age for human advancement, a treacherous Imperator managed to sabotage the Shepherdess' hold on the Weirding Wall, leaving gaping holes in the defense of Creation. In the ensuing chaos, the Imperators and their nobles turned their attention to the Excrucian host gathering beyond the gap. Little did they know that they had fallen prey to a deceiver ruse. At the same time, the Excrucians were readying a pincer attack, with their mimics and strategists having established a foothold on Earth's universe. The Enlightened, at the time under great scrutiny due to the Shepherdess' apparent failure at maintaining the Weirding Wall, discovered the Excrucian plans and attempted to alert the Ymmerae. However, the Deceivers held the ears of the Ymmerae, and all the please of the Enlightened fell on deaf, suspicious, skeptical ears.

In a daring move, the Noble of Aether secretly used almost the entirety of his power of limitless potential to create an anomalous fold in existence, tearing 500 years of the universe apart, resetting the universe to before the Excrucian plan had even begun in 1900. He brought the new fold containing the lost 500 years and the excrucian plot up and tethered it to the gaping hole in the Weirding Wall, just in time to meet the incoming Excrucian Host. The excrucian invasion began, never once suspecting that they had walked into a pocket universe. For the Noble of Aether's apparent treachery, the Locust Court condemned him to death without a trial, dispatching the Enlightened, his own family, to prove their allegiance to the court by executing their own brother. It is said that Justice was the one to rip his shard out of his chest with her bare hands. It is said that the shard shattered. Some say Justice, in her grief and rage, shattered it herself. Some say it was Aether's final gift to the Lost Universe, and to the entirety of creation. The shard dust was dispersed and embedded itself across the entirety of the Lost Universe, enchancelling it, bestowing its beings with the blessings of Aetheric Power, immunizing them to the crippling effects of dementia animus and empowering them in their coming struggle against the Excrucian invaders. Aether was forever lost to Creation, but its shadow continues to live on within the beings of the Lost Universe. As long as the children of Aether stand and the light of Aether burns on within them, the Lost Universe will always resist the Excrucian host.

The Lost Universe has since been sealed away outside the Weirding Wall, doomed to forever be an Excrucian battleground, until the day the Excrucians trapped within consume the Lost Universe and realize Aether's trickery.

At the precise moment Aether's sacrifice enchancelled the Lost Universe, Hammond Qarn, Imperator of the Lost Universe, came into being. Having arisen from a universe so filled with the Shepherdess' own power, Hammond naturally became a Magister of the Enlightened. Furthermore, as the chancel was created using the Shepherdess' own soul shard, a fraction of the Shepherdess' own essence makes up the chancel's foundations. Thus for all intents and purposes the Enlightened can treat the Lost Universe as their own home chancel.

Few other nobles are privy to the secret of the Lost Universe's existence. Even fewer take up the fight to defend the Lost Universe in order to delay the full-scale invasion of Creation. The Nobles of Astelumina and Endeon were the first to pick up Aether's fallen banner and lead the battle against the Excrucian host and were also the first to fall.

'Now and Forever, till the hour I too stand between Impossibility and Despair!' - Phaeron Rof Alabar Trimeniel - Emperor of Aether

=== Notable Locations ===

'''L.U. Earth AD 2511'''

In AD 2400, Astelumina and Endeon managed to rid the entire earth of deceivers, strategists and mimics, making it one of the last few human settlements still untouched by the Excrucian Scourge. The war and Aether's blessing has accelerated technology to astronomical heights in the past 111 years, bringing humanity to a point where they can overwhelm excrucian shards and at the very least annoy full excrucians, if not kill them. Earth is now the capital of the Universal Aetheric Alliance (UAA), headquarters of the Excrucian resistance. Its coordinates are guarded to the death by the Children of Aether. Those who sally forth to meet the Excrucian Host do so without carrying Earth's coordinates, knowing full well that they may never return to their beloved home.

'''L.U. Heaven’s Feel'''

The current frontier of the Lost Universe Valde Bellum, Heaven’s Feel is perhaps the most beautiful extrasolar human colony. A large T3 terraformed planet orbiting the gas giant Astelumina 3, behind a dense spherical asteroid field and a radioactive veil around the sun Astelumina, it makes a naturally fortified world. Thanks to the scattering radiation and the dense blackhole just a few megaparsecs away at the center of the galaxy, the system and planet is nigh impossible to find at the best of times, at least for marauding excrucian raiding parties. The UAA uses Astelumina’s final gift, the gift of the stars, the ability to travel on aetheric currents guided by the stars, to travel safely in and out of the system.

When excrucians do find the planet, they are immediately drawn into its orbit by the interaction of the gravity wells of Heaven’s Feel’s many moons. They have no hope of escaping to notify the host of the planet’s location before they are drawn into intense battle by the Feelians.

The planet is ravaged by repeat invasions.

=== Familia of the Lost Universe ===

More or less an extended family of the Enlightened, the Familia of the Lost Universe are the sworn guardians of Aether's legacy.

'''Hammond Qarn - Imperator of the Lost Universe'''

Despite being an offshoot of the Shepherdess' power, Hammond Qarn is quite the opposite. He looks as human as they come. In fact, very, very much so, with his thick paternal beard, his twinkling eyes and his simple, honest expression, like a stern but compassionate father. Those who have the great honour of an audience with him are overcome with an overwhelming confidence and faith in humanity's potential and prowess. His being is shrouded in the stuff of legends. They say he single-handedly piloted an Alliance Battlecruiser straight into an Excrucian battlestation and escaped alive, unscathed. They say he personally lead the desperate charge that ended the siege of Harvest 4. They say he singlehandedly held the line at Point Hope against the entire advancing Excrucian host at the battle of Forge 3. They say a lot of things about Hammond Qarn, and when you meet him, sitting like a lighthouse exuding calm and confidence amidst the storm of war, in his simple, neatly-pressed uniform gleaming with but one badge denoting his allegiance to the Alliance, you feel naught but awe - that this man is the legend in the flesh.

'''Commander John Shepard - Power of Living Legends'''

'''Excel 7 - Commander of Super Soldiers'''

was responsible for the Halo series and partly responsible for the Metal Gear series, amongst other things.

'''Iris Erran - Chief Admiral of Spacecrafts'''

'''ALMa OmNI. - Supreme Administrator of Aetheric Technology'''

An A.I. born of the pinnacle of Aetheric supercomputers,

= Quests =

== Active Quests ==

=== Imperator Quests ===

'''Overdue'''

Started : 8th November 2011

The Shepherdess has requested that the Foreguards return 3 books she's borrowed for Shepherdess-knows-how-long now, for reasons that none can fathom. These books are:

1) 'Single Parenting for Idiots', to the Imperator of Shadows

2) 'The Amazing Justice and the Lovely Yaoi Doujin', to the Noble of Women's Beards

3) 'The Witchhunter's Codex' to a certain alchemist in Erebea.

She has asked you all to return them, ASAP.

Progress:

1) The Family has acquired the 3 books from the Principarium.

2) 1 week has passed since.

'''?????'''

Started : ?????

??????

Progress: n/a

=== Chivalry Quests ===

'''Rest in Peace'''

There's a Knight who has just returned from

=== Determinism Quests ===

=== Illumination Quests ===

'''Twinkle, Little Star'''

Started : 15th November 2011

As the world darkens, the light of the stars fade. Elune, little noble of stars, your sister, lies sick, alone in her high observatory, forgotten by the rest of the world. Now the weakening of the stars has started to affect the domain of Light too. Something must be done before yet another member of the Family succumbs to the war of attrition upon the Enlightened.

Progress:

1) Lyna, Emil and Alicia visited Elune in her observatory and found her ill.

2) They discovered that her observatory was severely corrupted by some malignant corruption that was trying to break into the chancel.

3) They sealed off the intrusion into the chancel but destroyed the observatory in the process. They managed to prevent the observatory from crashing catastrophically into the chancel.

4) They've brought the sick Elune to the Sapphire Palace and acquired the help of Regine to treat her.

'''Who moved my Christmas?!'''

Christmas, the biggest celebration of lights and joy, isn't happening this year! This is unprecedented serious affair!

Started : 8th November 2011

Progress :

1) Alicia has asked the magical girls, knights, and others who've passed in and out of the chancel, for any information they might know about this. She's learned that it's a rather complex issue. It might be the economy, it might be the declining family values, could be anything.

'''When you peer into the Abyss...'''

Started : n/a

And the Creator said, 'Let there be Light', and there was light, and he saw that it was good. And He separated the dark from the light. Thus was the First Day.

It wasn't quite that simple.

When the light came to be, the dark too came to be as a result, and neither could tolerate the other. Thus the First War of Light and Dark began, pure and simple, with no preamble or prelude. They fought for Shepherdess-knows-how-long. Finally, the formation of the Covenant of the First Day, an agreement between the Light and the Dark to respect the other's estate, ended the war. How it came to be, however, is still a hotly debated topic. Some say the Dark won. Some say the Light won. Some say it was a draw. Some say there were other reasons. Who really knows?

An anniversary of the Covenant of the First Day is celebrated yearly now to uphold the ideals of peace and cooperation between Light and Dark. This year, it's Alicia's turn to host the festival. What could go wrong?

Progress : n/a

=== Magic Quests ===

'''Dude, Where's My Ship?!'''

Started : 8th Novemeber 2011

Following the disappearance of a wildcat Lignite mining crew in the Aescilian Mountains of Erebea, a pair of magical girls were dispatched on what was supposed to be a simple search-and-rescue mission. They report finding what looks like a ship and wisely request further assistance. The archaeological division arrived hours later, sealed the region, before preparing for further studies. They could not identify the ship's make or origins from the exterior, so they decide to enter through an entrance they found on the side. Contact with the entire squad was lost 6 hours into the mission, with the last transmission being 'Found someth-....So....beautiful....'. A second rescue mission was mounted, this time with a full STRIKER magical girl squadron. They found a deserted camp site and the open ship. They enter. Contact was lost 1.5 hours into the mission, with the last transmission being '...reached the last known location. Now....I-..I can't believe it....mission control...I can't begin to describe this....this is...so...so beau-.....'.

Progress:

1) Lyna has developed a new remote-viewing spell to peer into the site from a distance. Unfortunately, the first few attempts failed as she can't seem to view anything beyond the foot of the mountains.

'''My Struggle, My suffering, My Legacy'''

Started: n/a

The smoke of witch burning pyres rise high up into the skies above the magical realm of Erebea. The once all-powerful mages now run and hide before the onslaught of the Reinzhuthen, an order of genocidal purists who are in pursuit of the all-powerful dark mage, the dark lord Daran Reganz. The Reinzhuthen have taken up an all-or-nothing approach towards hunting Daran Reganz – wiping out every last mage on Neven. After successfully gathering the support of the people against the seemingly incompetent mage-led government and subsequently overthrowing them, the Reinzhuthen declared a world-wide ban of magical practices, declaring any practitioner an agent of Daran Reganz and an enemy of the state.

Progress: n/a

=== Intelligence Quests ===

== Completed Quests ==

= Correspondence =

== Family Correspondence ==

'Good morning, Masters and Mistresses. I hope the noise didn't keep you up last night. The Alchemists discovered a new flower known quite amusingly as the 'Boom Lily'. Thankfully they grew quieter as the night went by. Anyhow, here's today's selection of the world's headlines.' - Mira -

• Presidents of Chechnya, Bosnia and Ukraine die in mysterious circumstances.

• American invasion of Iran is meeting heavy resistance. The Iranians now threaten to unleash their nuclear arsenal if America does not cease and desist.

• A new illness is spreading. Cause unknown.

== Illumination's Correspondence==

'Young Miss, please do take some times to reads some of these, 'kay? Lymle's actually done her bests to sort them outs, 'kay!' - Lymle -

- You've been cordially invited to attend the Divali celebrations in India. - Various Nobles -

== Chivalry's Correspondence ==

'Aye, my liege, thou hath an abundant harvest of letters. Thy loyal steed hast made do with the more...delicious trivialties. *BURP*' - Sieghart -

== Determinism's Correspondence ==

'Hey, old man, check it out, you've got mail. Should I fetch your specs? Or maybe a magnifying glass? Or maybe my winding screw? All that sorting's wound down my springs...' - Leonie -

== Magic's Correspondence ==

'Young Mistress, it's time to read your correspondence for the day. Please sit down here. Yes, here. Now, back straight like a washboard, eyes forward like a dead fish, and elbows akimbo like a ballerina...yes, excellent, young mistress. Now, I present you my personal selection of today's letters.' - Flowerchild -

== Intelligence's Correspondence ==

Nobilis Enlightened

2011-03-12T00:45:47Z

Mind-The-Gap: /* Quests */

[[Category:Nobilis]]

= Imperator - The Shepherdess of Light =

1. ‘Omneaum(a) became aware. In its awareness, it found loneliness. It saw potential, good, an impossibility.

2. Omneaum gave way to potential, and made the impossible possible. It was, things became.

3. Enlightenment arose, and so did I, Whole, Complete, bearing the Gifts of Aether (b), Light, Vaveram (c), Maricarum (d), Endeon (e), and Causality.

4. Omneaum’s legacy I shall honour and hold safe, now and forever, till the hour I too stand alone between Impossibility and Despair.’

- The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light, Imperator of Enlightenment -

(a) Omneaum: The Original Absolute Void

(b) Aether: Estate of 'Absolute Potential', the 'Impossible made Possible', the very basic element of creation from which all matter and life flowed. It was said to have been more abundant in space. (Now excruciated, succeeded in part by the estate of 'Magic')

(c)Vaveram: Estate of Spontaneous Sentience and Awareness (Now Excruciated. Never replaced.)

(d) Maricarum: Estate of Great Miracles through Personal Sacrifice (Now excruciated, succeeded by the estate of 'Magic' and 'Sacrifice')

(e)Endeon: Estate of the 'Lone Wolf Phenomenon', wherein those fighting against overwhelming odds are always guaranteed victory. Better known in our time as the 'Storm Trooper effect'. (Now excruciated)

Having predated the Imperators of 'Name', the Shepherdess is nameless and formless. Those who are fortunate enough to know her identify her as 'The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light', or, simply, 'The Shepherdess'. Having come into being before the birth of the concept of 'form' or even 'matter' and 'physical law', she is without form in the physical universe. She used to communicate with her agents in the physical universe through pulses of light and ripples in a fountain of light. Needless to say, a lot of liberty had been taken in deciphering her wishes. Recently, however, the Chief Engineer of the Sanctum, Orphus, has devised an ingenious megastructure, the Deus Ex Machina, a gigantic clockwork device that allows the Shepherdess to see into the physical realm and engage with it using a gigantic, rather clumsy steel claw and communicate using a ticker-tape telegram machine.

(Interestingly, having also preceded the Imperator of Gender, she is, or, at least, was, in essence, genderless. However, around 300 B.C. she became a part of debate amongst philosophers as an example of a being who must be 'of the default gender'. For some reason it was decided that the default gender was female, and so the Shepherdess has since been considered to be of the female persuasion. Not that she really cares. It is suspected that the Noble of Women had something to do with this, but that's a tale for another time.)

Prophesized successor of Ananda and future Shepherdess of the Fifth Age, the Glorious One has purposely been denied a seat on the Council of Four, for her ways are that of the ‘Enlightened’, incompatible with the ways of the other council-members. She earns Lord Entropy and Ananda’s tolerance for her existence only through her service in the Valde Bellum and her Light’s importance in maintaining the Weirding Wall, a task that consumes almost the entirety of her attention and being (much to Lord Entropy’s and Ananda’s satisfaction).

The Heavens despise her, for an Angel of Creation she is not, and yet she brought forth the first Light that made everything that was Beautiful possible. Only the fact that her Light is necessary for beauty and this fact alone earns her the toleration of Heaven. The Wild would have nothing to do with her, for there is no freedom in sacrifice.The Hells, the Darkness and the Light all loath her, for not only is she the voice of wisdom that transcends not just the Corruption that the Hells endeavour towards, but she is also the voice that moves all beings towards becoming more than the matter they are made from, transcending what they are, pushing them ever onwards towards a greater purpose not only in life but also in death. Those who follow her code wish for naught else but the glory of dying for a greater good.

It is unclear what her true nature or form is. Nobody seems to remember when she came to be, or how for that matter. Some suspect she is one of the Heavenly legion, an Angel, but not only do the Heavens and its angelic denizens despise her at the best of times, her ways are most definitely not that of Heaven. Some surmise that she is a fallen Angel, but the cause of Hell she does not serve. It is highly possible that she is a True God, but all of creation knows they did not appear until long after the Angels had begun the Great Work. Recently, when passings of the Transcendants were properly documented in AP 4732, it was surmised that she is perhaps a Transcendant who somehow chose to settle upon the World Ash, perhaps one of the Charitable. Said document is Creation's closest description of the Shepherdess' nature, her gifts being her Estates and her Law.

=='''Vow of the Enlightened'''==

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this.

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this. - One thing leads to another. And at the end of all things is an ‘end’.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this. - Every good act must be good of purpose and good of result. This clause seems to fail to (most probably purposely) mention anything regarding the means. Taking the most liberal interpretation, a ‘Noble deed’ can have means as lacking in morals as a psychotic mass murderer, and yet still be considered ‘Noble’ in the eyes of the ‘Enlightened’. What matters is the cause, the intention and the ends. Everything in between matters naught.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this. - The ultimate sacrifice can conquer anything, even the impossible. This is the one true ‘Miracle’, Magic at its purest, one that allows the Enlightened to surpass his/her own end and achieve greatness through sacrifice. The Shepherdess safeguards the cause of all who sacrifice themselves for a greater purpose, guaranteeing them the miraculous magic of success.

==Details==

'''Estates''': Light, Determinism, Magic, Chivalry, Intelligence, Honour, Loyalty, Courage, Hope, Justice, Karma, Logic, Alchemy, Sacrifice, Curiosity, Sun, Moon, Stars

'''Excruciated Estates''': Aether, Vaveram, Maricarum, Endeon, Astelumina

'''Dynasty Points :''' 8

'''Qualities:'''

Great Harvest (2)

Cold (-1)

Demanding (-1)

----

= The Famiglia of the Enlightened =

The Famiglia of the Enlightened ''were'' a highly respected and influential group about 4-5 centuries before, their power extending from the very birth of creation. However, in a highly unorthodox move around the 4002 A.P., the Council ordered the Shepherdess to provide additional support in the Valde Bellum proper, above and beyond her maintenance of the Weirding Wall. Seeing as the Wall already consumed most if not all her power and attention, she was forced to mobilize members of her Famiglia, something quite unprecedented. The Nobles of Maricarum, Aether and Endeon were the first to volunteer for the great undertaking, having attained near-Imperator-level powers at the time. A few centuries later, Vaveram, Astelumina, Chivalry, Courage and Alchemy too joined their brother and sisters in the direct defense of creation. They held the line for a good few centuries, seeing a slow but definite turnover in nobles. That was until, for reasons still unknown, Maricarum, Aether, Endeon, Vaveram and Astelumina were excruciated one by one. The last to fall were Endeon and Astelumina in 4895 AP, at the same time 500 years of Human History was erased.

With no time to mourn, the Famiglia of the Enlightened were forced to mobilize more members of their famiglia to the front lines. The following few years saw more of their Nobles killed, though thankfully not excruciated.

Now with few remaining senior members, the famiglia struggles to stay on its feet with the large influx of new family members. Will they be able to live up to their predecessors? Will they be able to return the family to its former glory and take it to new heights? Or will this be the end of the Enlightened? That is up to the new Famiglia.

== PC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Foreguard of the Enlightened''

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Alicia_Valka '''Alicia - Principissa of Illumination''']

The 21st Principissa Of Illumination.

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Emil '''Emil - Power of Determinism''']

The 13th Power of Determinism

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Charles_Earl_Of_Huntington'''Charles - Lord of Chivalry''']

The 77th Lord of Chivalry

'''Lyna - Regina of Magic'''

The 66th Regina of Magic

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Mana_Kishimura '''Mana Kishimura - Noble of Intelligence (And Dolphins)''']

The 17th Noble of Intelligence and 2nd Noble of Dolphins.

== NPC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Vanguard of the Enlightened''

'''Regine - Inquesta of Loyalty'''

'''Jessie - Tempesta of Courage (Sort of veering towards Impetuous Juvenile Recklessness)'''

'''Illumina - AllMother of Alchemy'''

Novice Alchemist extraordinaire and (rather unwilling) Commander of the Alchemist Flameheart Squad, Illumina is yet another recent addition to the Famiglia. She's currently worried about the sorry state of her estate (mostly usurped by Chemistry and now reduced to nothing more than a fantasy fiction gimmick) and a missing prominent Alchemist amongst other things....but mainly by the prospect of responsibility in general.

She is widely known, even outside Alchemist circles, as 'Big Bang Lum'.

'''Elune - Principissa of the Stars'''

While relatively senior in the Famiglia of the Enlightened (by simple virtue of everyone else being very recent additions), that's as far as her seniority goes. In every other respect, she is mostly helpless, though the more understanding dismiss this as a reflection of her estate - stars aren't known to be do much other than be pretty, especially lately with modern technology supplanting the need for stellar navigation or calendar-keeping. It used to be so much different when her sister, the Noble of Astelumina, the power of stellar influence upon the workings of the universe and lives on earth, was still around. Now as the stars fade and people forget the stars, Elune lies ill, slowly fading herself.

''The Diplomatic Corp (Intelligence) of the Enlightened''

'''Rang Fan - Excelifficer of Logic'''

Born a humble villager in a Tibetan highland settlement, Rang Fan grew up completely illiterate. She was, however, a keen observer and deep thinker. She developed her own concise and strict principles of logic, one that often found fault in the traditionalist views of the people she lived amongst. Some saw her as a source of wisdom, some saw her as a demon-possessed child.

She became the favourite anchor of the previous Noble of Logic for a while. During this time, her mastery of logic developed brilliantly. Unfortunately, she came afoul of a Chinese official when she publicly defeated him in a debate regarding the accusation of rebellion on the part of the village.

'''Geronimo - High Chief of Sacrifice'''

'''Han Gua - Exarch of Honour'''

'''Jimmy - Arch-Provost of Curiosity'''

''The Unassigned of the Enlightened''

'''Justice(?) - Empress of Justice'''

Not much is known about Justice, the 1st Noble of Justice. She is the eldest of the current Famiglia, though in the time of the original Famiglia, she was the youngest. She is the last surviving member of the original Famiglia of the Enlightened. It is rumoured that she was an Angel before she joined the Enlightened, though whether or not this is true is unknown. Her real name is unknown. Nobody has seen her in a long, long while. The only members of the current famiglia who have seen her are Han Gua and Elune.

Currently absent. Whereabouts unknown.

'''Vie - Noble of Hope'''

A rather mysterious member of the famiglia, she wonders in and out of the chancel rather randomly. Nobody seems to remember when she joined the Family. In fact, some are surprised to hear that there IS a noble of Hope in the Family. She doesn't seem to have a permanent home in the chancel. She's known (at least to those few who know her) to wander about, never staying in one place for long. She is apparently summonable, but rumours have it that she's apparently rather useless.

There are strange rumours that she follows the code of the Dark, or even Hell. Why would Hope do that?

'''Thomas Eire - Keeper of Karma'''

'''Kaguya - Himegami of the Moon'''

Tsukishiro no Kaguya-hime is perhaps the second eldest of the Famiglia, though she takes great care not to let anyone know that. She is the second Noble of the Moon. There are rumours that she was behind the Apollo 13 failure. When asked about it, she would give you a disdainful look and walk away. Then again, she'd do that no matter what you tried to bring up with her.

Currently very, very vain.

'''Kimo - the Emperor of the Sun'''

= Chancel - Locus Enlightenment, Sanctum Excelestia =

[http://img248.imageshack.us/i/sanctumexcelestia.jpg HG's Impression 1]

'''Qualities'''

Megalomaniac King/Queen (-4)

Normal Magic (3)

Alchemy (1)

2 Banes (-1)

Convenient Gates (2)

Anchorable Magical residents (4)

==Government==

The Sanctum is under the absolute Executive rule of the Emperor who answers only to the Shepherdess. Judicial Rule is under the Absolute Court headed by the Shepherdess and the Supreme Court headed by the Noble of Justice and her Circle of Justiciaries. Legislative and administrative rule is divided amongst the 4 major domains under the 4 queens:

'''Alicia - High Queen of the Diamond Tower.'''

Technically, having inherited the title of 'High Queen' from her predecessor, Alicia commands the Council of Four Queens and the Round Table of Dominums. However, as she has only recently joined the Famiglia, responsibility over the Council of Four Queens has fallen on the reluctant shoulders of Elune while the Round Table of Dominums is overseen by Han Gua.

'''Lyna - Queen of the Ruby Gardens.'''

The Ruby Gardens refers to the entirety of the Arcane Arts Academy Complex within the Outer Circle where the majority of mages of Excelestia train and live. However, to most of the citizens, the 'Ruby Gardens' itself refers to the seat of government, the Ruby Palace, a magnificent rose-shaped palace of crystal grown from the very essence of the Chancel itself in the middle of the Ruby Gardens.

'''Elune - Queen of the Sapphire Sky.'''

The Sapphire Sky refers to the entirety of the sky in between the floating structures of the Sanctum. While Elune governs no real land, she controls all traffic in the airspace around the Sanctum. Her official seat of government is the Sapphire Palace, a beautiful crystalline Sapphire star floating high up within the Inner Circle, though she is rarely ever there. She usually lives in her observatory on a lonely island high above the Sanctum.

'''Jessie - Queen of the Emerald Fields.'''

The Emerald Fields refer to most of the land floating in the Ciellan Expanse, the sky beyond the Outer Wall. The Emerald Fields house a good portion of the Sanctum's agricultural and mining settlements. Her seat of government is the Emerald Palace, a beautiful viridian structure of moss-covered wood and succulent, fresh folliage that grow and thrive all year round, coiled around a giant magnificent Emerald of a green deeper than the land that surrounds it.

== Homes and Households ==

'''The Diamond Palace - ?????'''

Home of Alicia.

Personal Assistant : Lymle

'''The Ruby Palace - ????'''

Home of Lyna.

Personal Assistant : Flowerchild

'''The Garnet Fortress - ????'''

Home of Charles.

Personal Assistant : Sieghart

'''The Quartz Workshop - ????'''

Personal Assistant : Leonie

Home of Emil.

== Other Noteworthy Locations ==

'''The Amethyst Shores'''

Governed officially by Illumina, provisionally by the Arch-Artificer of the Great Guild of Alchemists. The Amethyst Shores are a group of closely-packed islands within the Outer Circle where the majority of the Alchemists of Excelestia live. While alchemists can be found just about anywhere, the Amethysts Shores are really the only place where they can make things explode to their hearts content without causing tempers to explode all around them. Alchemists can also be found en masse at the Ruby Gardens.

'''The Garnet Fortress'''

Governed mainly by Charles, the Garnet Fortress encompasses the Inner and Outer Walls of the Sanctum and the bastion of the Knights.

'''The Beryl Earth'''

Governed mainly by Regine, the

'''The Quartz Workshop'''

A watch-mender's workshop somewhere within the Diamond Tower, Emil's home and favourite haunt.

==Security==

The city has a number of defense corps organized to different degrees by a number of Nobles.

'''The Chivalrous Gentlemanly TownWatch'''

'''The Magical Avengers of Love and Peace, Magical Taskforce Ruby Gardenia'''

Organized by the 5th Noble of Magic, a rather...odd Master of Magic who believed that wearing frilly clothing is a form of sacrifice to society and preached that magical power is exponentially proportional to the frilliness of one's clothing. Now maintained by the 7th Noble of Magic, Lyna, who keeps up most of the traditions of the 5th.

'''The Upholders of Equivalent Exchange, the Eternally Passionate Flameheart Alchemists (EPFA)'''

Organized by the previous Noble of Alchemy, a rather fluffy and passionate Lady Alchemist, and maintained by the recently appointed Noble, Illumina, the EPFA are at best socially-involved nerds, at worst really, really messy vigilantes (unfortunately, more often the latter). They mainly keep the domain of the Alchemists, the Amethyst Shores, as well as their portion of the Ruby Gardens, safe...for a given value of 'safe'.

'''The Infallibly Just Circle of Justiciers'''

'''The Eternally Loyal Shieldmaidens of [Insert Place Name Here]'''

Organized by the current Noble of Loyalty,

'''The Ever-Watchful Lantern Kindlers and Lamp Bearers of the Stars'''

'''The Righteous Karmic-Retributioneer Monks of Karma'''

'''The LoreKeepers and Agents of Literary Vengeance, the Combat Librarians'''

== Groups ==

Besides the defense forces of the Chancel, the Sanctum also harbours a number of groups.

'''The Enclave of Emerald Alchemists'''
Also known as the 'Emerald Artisans', this society of Alchemists was founded by the 7th Noble of Light, TanetNephthys, and the 1st Noble of Alchemy, Armagustine Trimegistus, after the passing of the third Noble of Maricarum, Hermes Trimegistus, founder of the Emerald Arts.

In a major nettle rite wrought by the 2nd Noble of Botany, Ephistopheles, against the Noble of Alchemy, in a daring move to split the art into two major paths forever, the Enclave was splintered in two - The Cleave fo Botanists and the Enclave of Emerald Artisans. The Botanists left the Sanctum, carrying with them the entirety of botanic knowledge. The Alchemists, however, managed to keep the Principa Alchimia safe and prevented the botanists from acquiring an absolute monopoly over the Emerald Arts. The two now jealously guard their arts, for if one were to acquire the arts of the other, they would become unstoppable.

The botanists are known to pass through the Chancel to deal with the Emerald Artisans.

== Laws ==

The Chancel operates on general principles of Justice commonly found in any other society where concepts of Law and Justice exist. It has a few notable exceptions such as:

- Any deed with noble ends are exempt from law's scrutiny upon its means. This means even the most foul of deeds is considered lawfully just as long as its ends are noble. It comes with a very, very important caveat - the good of the outcome must far exceed the evil committed. This is particularly difficult to achieve with murder, as murder, the theft of the sanctity of one's life, is the basest, most evil of crimes that even the earth itself abhors.

-

N.B. The Chancel operates on the Code Napoleon, that the suspect is guilty until proven otherwise, as Lady Justice willed it to be in the prosaic realm.

== Notable Individuals ==

'''Orphus Denilzante'''
Chief Magitech Engineer of the Sanctum and designer of the Deus Ex Machina.

'''Reno Orfayne'''
Owner of Reno's Empirio, the one-stop fashion designer for Nobles, known to be second only to his Master, Enzel Haulor of 7th Avenue and 91st Street NY.

'''Sammy Westine'''
Proprietor and Chief Engineer of Westine Airships, Sammy is the young brilliant mind behind this generation's latest magitech airships. Having mastered Alchemy, Magic and Magitech at a young age, she went on to implement her excellent knowledge in airship design and construction. Her airships are used not just within the Sanctum but all over Creation. While she does produce combat-ready airships, she only produces them as personal favours for Nobles she trusts. These make proud flagships in any war fleet. It is rumoured that she is working with Aeril Jotunstrom, Noble of Ships, from Locus Atlantis, on warships capable of sailing the world beyond creation and taking part directly on the frontlines of the Valde Bellum.

'''Victor'''

= Mythic Realm =

== Chancels Known ==
''From the Primer on Loci Celatum, by Holly Djurisic''
What follows are descriptions of chancels considered widely known and to be no secret to those versed in the ways of the Mythic. Everyone knows them as a matter of common sense.

'''Locus Amarant'''

The Great Market, the Gardens of Lady Profit, Amarant is perhaps one of the few chancels that has no doors, and, even if it did, they would be wide open to welcome one and all. After all, even your worst enemy is a potential customer. Any invader would quickly find themselves besieged by peddlers of weaponry, trust and treachery, even the very spoils they are after. Everything the discerning Noble might need is available here...for the right price. The preferred currency are fleurs, but the locals have been known to trade with other things such as miracles and pacts. Some nobles come here not just to buy but also to sell. If you want or need it, Locus Amarant will sell it, or if not, then at least it will sell you the expertise of someone who CAN get it. Needless to say, the cammorae are all over Amarant.

It is well-known that even Excrucians frequent Amarant, and they know full well never to destroy Amarant....at least not until their victory is assured, for Amarant will be more than happy to sell them the means to that victory, or maybe even that victory itself....for the right price. Why destroy something so blatantly useful?

Chancel of Lady Profit, Immiae Arathy, and the Nobles of Trade, Currency, Negotiation, Supermarket Loyalty Cards, and Cookies. Yes, Cookies.

= Prosaic Realm =

== Earth ==

=== Noteworthy Individuals===

== Erebea ==

A once beautiful world, a geographic wonder of continents hanging high up in the pristine skies, flooded with raw magic reminiscent of Earth about a millennium ago. Sanctum Excelestia was once the capital of this world, until it disappeared a few millennia ago.

== Lost Universe AD 2511 ==

The Lost Universe, now a Valde Bellum warfront. In 2400 AD, an age of galactic expansion and an Aetheric golden age for human advancement, a treacherous Imperator managed to sabotage the Shepherdess' hold on the Weirding Wall, leaving gaping holes in the defense of Creation. In the ensuing chaos, the Imperators and their nobles turned their attention to the Excrucian host gathering beyond the gap. Little did they know that they had fallen prey to a deceiver ruse. At the same time, the Excrucians were readying a pincer attack, with their mimics and strategists having established a foothold on Earth's universe. The Enlightened, at the time under great scrutiny due to the Shepherdess' apparent failure at maintaining the Weirding Wall, discovered the Excrucian plans and attempted to alert the Ymmerae. However, the Deceivers held the ears of the Ymmerae, and all the please of the Enlightened fell on deaf, suspicious, skeptical ears.

In a daring move, the Noble of Aether secretly used almost the entirety of his power of limitless potential to create an anomalous fold in existence, tearing 500 years of the universe apart, resetting the universe to before the Excrucian plan had even begun in 1900. He brought the new fold containing the lost 500 years and the excrucian plot up and tethered it to the gaping hole in the Weirding Wall, just in time to meet the incoming Excrucian Host. The excrucian invasion began, never once suspecting that they had walked into a pocket universe. For the Noble of Aether's apparent treachery, the Locust Court condemned him to death without a trial, dispatching the Enlightened, his own family, to prove their allegiance to the court by executing their own brother. It is said that Justice was the one to rip his shard out of his chest with her bare hands. It is said that the shard shattered. Some say Justice, in her grief and rage, shattered it herself. Some say it was Aether's final gift to the Lost Universe, and to the entirety of creation. The shard dust was dispersed and embedded itself across the entirety of the Lost Universe, enchancelling it, bestowing its beings with the blessings of Aetheric Power, immunizing them to the crippling effects of dementia animus and empowering them in their coming struggle against the Excrucian invaders. Aether was forever lost to Creation, but its shadow continues to live on within the beings of the Lost Universe. As long as the children of Aether stand and the light of Aether burns on within them, the Lost Universe will always resist the Excrucian host.

The Lost Universe has since been sealed away outside the Weirding Wall, doomed to forever be an Excrucian battleground, until the day the Excrucians trapped within consume the Lost Universe and realize Aether's trickery.

At the precise moment Aether's sacrifice enchancelled the Lost Universe, Hammond Qarn, Imperator of the Lost Universe, came into being. Having arisen from a universe so filled with the Shepherdess' own power, Hammond naturally became a Magister of the Enlightened. Furthermore, as the chancel was created using the Shepherdess' own soul shard, a fraction of the Shepherdess' own essence makes up the chancel's foundations. Thus for all intents and purposes the Enlightened can treat the Lost Universe as their own home chancel.

Few other nobles are privy to the secret of the Lost Universe's existence. Even fewer take up the fight to defend the Lost Universe in order to delay the full-scale invasion of Creation. The Nobles of Astelumina and Endeon were the first to pick up Aether's fallen banner and lead the battle against the Excrucian host and were also the first to fall.

'Now and Forever, till the hour I too stand between Impossibility and Despair!' - Phaeron Rof Alabar Trimeniel - Emperor of Aether

=== Notable Locations ===

'''L.U. Earth AD 2511'''

In AD 2400, Astelumina and Endeon managed to rid the entire earth of deceivers, strategists and mimics, making it one of the last few human settlements still untouched by the Excrucian Scourge. The war and Aether's blessing has accelerated technology to astronomical heights in the past 111 years, bringing humanity to a point where they can overwhelm excrucian shards and at the very least annoy full excrucians, if not kill them. Earth is now the capital of the Universal Aetheric Alliance (UAA), headquarters of the Excrucian resistance. Its coordinates are guarded to the death by the Children of Aether. Those who sally forth to meet the Excrucian Host do so without carrying Earth's coordinates, knowing full well that they may never return to their beloved home.

'''L.U. Heaven’s Feel'''

The current frontier of the Lost Universe Valde Bellum, Heaven’s Feel is perhaps the most beautiful extrasolar human colony. A large T3 terraformed planet orbiting the gas giant Astelumina 3, behind a dense spherical asteroid field and a radioactive veil around the sun Astelumina, it makes a naturally fortified world. Thanks to the scattering radiation and the dense blackhole just a few megaparsecs away at the center of the galaxy, the system and planet is nigh impossible to find at the best of times, at least for marauding excrucian raiding parties. The UAA uses Astelumina’s final gift, the gift of the stars, the ability to travel on aetheric currents guided by the stars, to travel safely in and out of the system.

When excrucians do find the planet, they are immediately drawn into its orbit by the interaction of the gravity wells of Heaven’s Feel’s many moons. They have no hope of escaping to notify the host of the planet’s location before they are drawn into intense battle by the Feelians.

The planet is ravaged by repeat invasions.

=== Familia of the Lost Universe ===

More or less an extended family of the Enlightened, the Familia of the Lost Universe are the sworn guardians of Aether's legacy.

'''Hammond Qarn - Imperator of the Lost Universe'''

Despite being an offshoot of the Shepherdess' power, Hammond Qarn is quite the opposite. He looks as human as they come. In fact, very, very much so, with his thick paternal beard, his twinkling eyes and his simple, honest expression, like a stern but compassionate father. Those who have the great honour of an audience with him are overcome with an overwhelming confidence and faith in humanity's potential and prowess. His being is shrouded in the stuff of legends. They say he single-handedly piloted an Alliance Battlecruiser straight into an Excrucian battlestation and escaped alive, unscathed. They say he personally lead the desperate charge that ended the siege of Harvest 4. They say he singlehandedly held the line at Point Hope against the entire advancing Excrucian host at the battle of Forge 3. They say a lot of things about Hammond Qarn, and when you meet him, sitting like a lighthouse exuding calm and confidence amidst the storm of war, in his simple, neatly-pressed uniform gleaming with but one badge denoting his allegiance to the Alliance, you feel naught but awe - that this man is the legend in the flesh.

'''Commander John Shepard - Power of Living Legends'''

'''Excel 7 - Commander of Super Soldiers'''

was responsible for the Halo series and partly responsible for the Metal Gear series, amongst other things.

'''Iris Erran - Chief Admiral of Spacecrafts'''

'''ALMa OmNI. - Supreme Administrator of Aetheric Technology'''

An A.I. born of the pinnacle of Aetheric supercomputers,

= Quests =

== Active Quests ==

=== Imperator Quests ===

'''Overdue'''

Started : 8th November 2011

The Shepherdess has requested that the Foreguards return 3 books she's borrowed for Shepherdess-knows-how-long now, for reasons that none can fathom. These books are:

1) 'Single Parenting for Idiots', to the Imperator of Shadows

2) 'The Amazing Justice and the Lovely Yaoi Doujin', to the Noble of Women's Beards

3) 'The Witchhunter's Codex' to a certain alchemist in Erebea.

She has asked you all to return them, ASAP.

Progress:

1) The Family has acquired the 3 books from the Principarium.

2) 1 week has passed since.

'''?????'''

Started : ?????

??????

Progress: n/a

=== Chivalry Quests ===

'''Rest in Peace'''

There's a Knight who has just returned from

=== Determinism Quests ===

=== Illumination Quests ===

'''Twinkle, Little Star'''

Started : 15th November 2011

As the world darkens, the light of the stars fade. Elune, little noble of stars, your sister, lies sick, alone in her high observatory, forgotten by the rest of the world. Now the weakening of the stars has started to affect the domain of Light too. Something must be done before yet another member of the Family succumbs to the war of attrition upon the Enlightened.

Progress:

1) Lyna, Emil and Alicia visited Elune in her observatory and found her ill.

2) They discovered that her observatory was severely corrupted by some malignant corruption that was trying to break into the chancel.

3) They sealed off the intrusion into the chancel but destroyed the observatory in the process. They managed to prevent the observatory from crashing catastrophically into the chancel.

4) They've brought the sick Elune to the Sapphire Palace and acquired the help of Regine to treat her.

'''Who moved my Christmas?!'''

Christmas, the biggest celebration of lights and joy, isn't happening this year! This is unprecedented serious affair!

Started : 8th November 2011

Progress :

1) Alicia has asked the magical girls, knights, and others who've passed in and out of the chancel, for any information they might know about this. She's learned that it's a rather complex issue. It might be the economy, it might be the declining family values, could be anything.

'''When you peer into the Abyss...'''

Started : n/a

And the Creator said, 'Let there be Light', and there was light, and he saw that it was good. And He separated the dark from the light. Thus was the First Day.

It wasn't quite that simple.

When the light came to be, the dark too came to be as a result, and neither could tolerate the other. Thus the First War of Light and Dark began, pure and simple, with no preamble or prelude. They fought for Shepherdess-knows-how-long. Finally, the formation of the Covenant of the First Day, an agreement between the Light and the Dark to respect the other's estate, ended the war. How it came to be, however, is still a hotly debated topic. Some say the Dark won. Some say the Light won. Some say it was a draw. Some say there were other reasons. Who really knows?

An anniversary of the Covenant of the First Day is celebrated yearly now to uphold the ideals of peace and cooperation between Light and Dark. This year, it's Alicia's turn to host the festival. What could go wrong?

Progress : n/a

=== Magic Quests ===

'''Dude, Where's My Ship?!'''

Started : 8th Novemeber 2011

Following the disappearance of a wildcat Lignite mining crew in the Aescilian Mountains of Erebea, a pair of magical girls were dispatched on what was supposed to be a simple search-and-rescue mission. They report finding what looks like a ship and wisely request further assistance. The archaeological division arrived hours later, sealed the region, before preparing for further studies. They could not identify the ship's make or origins from the exterior, so they decide to enter through an entrance they found on the side. Contact with the entire squad was lost 6 hours into the mission, with the last transmission being 'Found someth-....So....beautiful....'. A second rescue mission was mounted, this time with a full STRIKER magical girl squadron. They found a deserted camp site and the open ship. They enter. Contact was lost 1.5 hours into the mission, with the last transmission being '...reached the last known location. Now....I-..I can't believe it....mission control...I can't begin to describe this....this is...so...so beau-.....'.

Progress:

1) Lyna has developed a new remote-viewing spell to peer into the site from a distance. Unfortunately, the first few attempts failed as she can't seem to view anything beyond the foot of the mountains.

'''My Struggle, My suffering, My Legacy'''

Started: n/a

The smoke of witch burning pyres rise high up into the skies above the magical realm of Erebea. The once all-powerful mages now run and hide before the onslaught of the Reinzhuthen, an order of genocidal purists who are in pursuit of the all-powerful dark mage, the dark lord Daran Reganz. The Reinzhuthen have taken up an all-or-nothing approach towards hunting Daran Reganz – wiping out every last mage on Neven. After successfully gathering the support of the people against the seemingly incompetent mage-led government and subsequently overthrowing them, the Reinzhuthen declared a world-wide ban of magical practices, declaring any practitioner an agent of Daran Reganz and an enemy of the state.

Progress: n/a

=== Intelligence Quests ===

== Completed Quests ==

= Correspondence =

== Family Correspondence ==

'Good morning, Masters and Mistresses. I hope the noise didn't keep you up last night. The Alchemists discovered a new flower known quite amusingly as the 'Boom Lily'. Thankfully they grew quieter as the night went by. Anyhow, here's today's selection of the world's headlines.' - Mira -

• Presidents of Chechnya, Bosnia and Ukraine die in mysterious circumstances.

• American invasion of Iran is meeting heavy resistance. The Iranians now threaten to unleash their nuclear arsenal if America does not cease and desist.

• A new illness is spreading. Cause unknown.

== Illumination's Correspondence==

'Young Miss, please do take some times to reads some of these, 'kay? Lymle's actually done her bests to sort them outs, 'kay!' - Lymle -

- You've been cordially invited to attend the Divali celebrations in India. - Various Nobles -

== Chivalry's Correspondence ==

'Aye, my liege, thou hath an abundant harvest of letters. Thy loyal steed hast made do with the more...delicious trivialties. *BURP*' - Sieghart -

== Determinism's Correspondence ==

'Hey, old man, check it out, you've got mail. Should I fetch your specs? Or maybe a magnifying glass? Or maybe my winding screw? All that sorting's wound down my springs...' - Leonie -

== Magic's Correspondence ==

'Young Mistress, it's time to read your correspondence for the day. Please sit down here. Yes, here. Now, back straight like a washboard, eyes forward like a dead fish, and elbows akimbo like a ballerina...yes, excellent, young mistress. Now, I present you my personal selection of today's letters.' - Flowerchild -

== Intelligence's Correspondence ==

Nobilis Enlightened

2011-03-12T00:29:32Z

Mind-The-Gap:

[[Category:Nobilis]]

= Imperator - The Shepherdess of Light =

1. ‘Omneaum(a) became aware. In its awareness, it found loneliness. It saw potential, good, an impossibility.

2. Omneaum gave way to potential, and made the impossible possible. It was, things became.

3. Enlightenment arose, and so did I, Whole, Complete, bearing the Gifts of Aether (b), Light, Vaveram (c), Maricarum (d), Endeon (e), and Causality.

4. Omneaum’s legacy I shall honour and hold safe, now and forever, till the hour I too stand alone between Impossibility and Despair.’

- The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light, Imperator of Enlightenment -

(a) Omneaum: The Original Absolute Void

(b) Aether: Estate of 'Absolute Potential', the 'Impossible made Possible', the very basic element of creation from which all matter and life flowed. It was said to have been more abundant in space. (Now excruciated, succeeded in part by the estate of 'Magic')

(c)Vaveram: Estate of Spontaneous Sentience and Awareness (Now Excruciated. Never replaced.)

(d) Maricarum: Estate of Great Miracles through Personal Sacrifice (Now excruciated, succeeded by the estate of 'Magic' and 'Sacrifice')

(e)Endeon: Estate of the 'Lone Wolf Phenomenon', wherein those fighting against overwhelming odds are always guaranteed victory. Better known in our time as the 'Storm Trooper effect'. (Now excruciated)

Having predated the Imperators of 'Name', the Shepherdess is nameless and formless. Those who are fortunate enough to know her identify her as 'The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light', or, simply, 'The Shepherdess'. Having come into being before the birth of the concept of 'form' or even 'matter' and 'physical law', she is without form in the physical universe. She used to communicate with her agents in the physical universe through pulses of light and ripples in a fountain of light. Needless to say, a lot of liberty had been taken in deciphering her wishes. Recently, however, the Chief Engineer of the Sanctum, Orphus, has devised an ingenious megastructure, the Deus Ex Machina, a gigantic clockwork device that allows the Shepherdess to see into the physical realm and engage with it using a gigantic, rather clumsy steel claw and communicate using a ticker-tape telegram machine.

(Interestingly, having also preceded the Imperator of Gender, she is, or, at least, was, in essence, genderless. However, around 300 B.C. she became a part of debate amongst philosophers as an example of a being who must be 'of the default gender'. For some reason it was decided that the default gender was female, and so the Shepherdess has since been considered to be of the female persuasion. Not that she really cares. It is suspected that the Noble of Women had something to do with this, but that's a tale for another time.)

Prophesized successor of Ananda and future Shepherdess of the Fifth Age, the Glorious One has purposely been denied a seat on the Council of Four, for her ways are that of the ‘Enlightened’, incompatible with the ways of the other council-members. She earns Lord Entropy and Ananda’s tolerance for her existence only through her service in the Valde Bellum and her Light’s importance in maintaining the Weirding Wall, a task that consumes almost the entirety of her attention and being (much to Lord Entropy’s and Ananda’s satisfaction).

The Heavens despise her, for an Angel of Creation she is not, and yet she brought forth the first Light that made everything that was Beautiful possible. Only the fact that her Light is necessary for beauty and this fact alone earns her the toleration of Heaven. The Wild would have nothing to do with her, for there is no freedom in sacrifice.The Hells, the Darkness and the Light all loath her, for not only is she the voice of wisdom that transcends not just the Corruption that the Hells endeavour towards, but she is also the voice that moves all beings towards becoming more than the matter they are made from, transcending what they are, pushing them ever onwards towards a greater purpose not only in life but also in death. Those who follow her code wish for naught else but the glory of dying for a greater good.

It is unclear what her true nature or form is. Nobody seems to remember when she came to be, or how for that matter. Some suspect she is one of the Heavenly legion, an Angel, but not only do the Heavens and its angelic denizens despise her at the best of times, her ways are most definitely not that of Heaven. Some surmise that she is a fallen Angel, but the cause of Hell she does not serve. It is highly possible that she is a True God, but all of creation knows they did not appear until long after the Angels had begun the Great Work. Recently, when passings of the Transcendants were properly documented in AP 4732, it was surmised that she is perhaps a Transcendant who somehow chose to settle upon the World Ash, perhaps one of the Charitable. Said document is Creation's closest description of the Shepherdess' nature, her gifts being her Estates and her Law.

=='''Vow of the Enlightened'''==

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this.

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this. - One thing leads to another. And at the end of all things is an ‘end’.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this. - Every good act must be good of purpose and good of result. This clause seems to fail to (most probably purposely) mention anything regarding the means. Taking the most liberal interpretation, a ‘Noble deed’ can have means as lacking in morals as a psychotic mass murderer, and yet still be considered ‘Noble’ in the eyes of the ‘Enlightened’. What matters is the cause, the intention and the ends. Everything in between matters naught.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this. - The ultimate sacrifice can conquer anything, even the impossible. This is the one true ‘Miracle’, Magic at its purest, one that allows the Enlightened to surpass his/her own end and achieve greatness through sacrifice. The Shepherdess safeguards the cause of all who sacrifice themselves for a greater purpose, guaranteeing them the miraculous magic of success.

==Details==

'''Estates''': Light, Determinism, Magic, Chivalry, Intelligence, Honour, Loyalty, Courage, Hope, Justice, Karma, Logic, Alchemy, Sacrifice, Curiosity, Sun, Moon, Stars

'''Excruciated Estates''': Aether, Vaveram, Maricarum, Endeon, Astelumina

'''Dynasty Points :''' 8

'''Qualities:'''

Great Harvest (2)

Cold (-1)

Demanding (-1)

----

= The Famiglia of the Enlightened =

The Famiglia of the Enlightened ''were'' a highly respected and influential group about 4-5 centuries before, their power extending from the very birth of creation. However, in a highly unorthodox move around the 4002 A.P., the Council ordered the Shepherdess to provide additional support in the Valde Bellum proper, above and beyond her maintenance of the Weirding Wall. Seeing as the Wall already consumed most if not all her power and attention, she was forced to mobilize members of her Famiglia, something quite unprecedented. The Nobles of Maricarum, Aether and Endeon were the first to volunteer for the great undertaking, having attained near-Imperator-level powers at the time. A few centuries later, Vaveram, Astelumina, Chivalry, Courage and Alchemy too joined their brother and sisters in the direct defense of creation. They held the line for a good few centuries, seeing a slow but definite turnover in nobles. That was until, for reasons still unknown, Maricarum, Aether, Endeon, Vaveram and Astelumina were excruciated one by one. The last to fall were Endeon and Astelumina in 4895 AP, at the same time 500 years of Human History was erased.

With no time to mourn, the Famiglia of the Enlightened were forced to mobilize more members of their famiglia to the front lines. The following few years saw more of their Nobles killed, though thankfully not excruciated.

Now with few remaining senior members, the famiglia struggles to stay on its feet with the large influx of new family members. Will they be able to live up to their predecessors? Will they be able to return the family to its former glory and take it to new heights? Or will this be the end of the Enlightened? That is up to the new Famiglia.

== PC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Foreguard of the Enlightened''

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Alicia_Valka '''Alicia - Principissa of Illumination''']

The 21st Principissa Of Illumination.

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Emil '''Emil - Power of Determinism''']

The 13th Power of Determinism

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Charles_Earl_Of_Huntington'''Charles - Lord of Chivalry''']

The 77th Lord of Chivalry

'''Lyna - Regina of Magic'''

The 66th Regina of Magic

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Mana_Kishimura '''Mana Kishimura - Noble of Intelligence (And Dolphins)''']

The 17th Noble of Intelligence and 2nd Noble of Dolphins.

== NPC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Vanguard of the Enlightened''

'''Regine - Inquesta of Loyalty'''

'''Jessie - Tempesta of Courage (Sort of veering towards Impetuous Juvenile Recklessness)'''

'''Illumina - AllMother of Alchemy'''

Novice Alchemist extraordinaire and (rather unwilling) Commander of the Alchemist Flameheart Squad, Illumina is yet another recent addition to the Famiglia. She's currently worried about the sorry state of her estate (mostly usurped by Chemistry and now reduced to nothing more than a fantasy fiction gimmick) and a missing prominent Alchemist amongst other things....but mainly by the prospect of responsibility in general.

She is widely known, even outside Alchemist circles, as 'Big Bang Lum'.

'''Elune - Principissa of the Stars'''

While relatively senior in the Famiglia of the Enlightened (by simple virtue of everyone else being very recent additions), that's as far as her seniority goes. In every other respect, she is mostly helpless, though the more understanding dismiss this as a reflection of her estate - stars aren't known to be do much other than be pretty, especially lately with modern technology supplanting the need for stellar navigation or calendar-keeping. It used to be so much different when her sister, the Noble of Astelumina, the power of stellar influence upon the workings of the universe and lives on earth, was still around. Now as the stars fade and people forget the stars, Elune lies ill, slowly fading herself.

''The Diplomatic Corp (Intelligence) of the Enlightened''

'''Rang Fan - Excelifficer of Logic'''

Born a humble villager in a Tibetan highland settlement, Rang Fan grew up completely illiterate. She was, however, a keen observer and deep thinker. She developed her own concise and strict principles of logic, one that often found fault in the traditionalist views of the people she lived amongst. Some saw her as a source of wisdom, some saw her as a demon-possessed child.

She became the favourite anchor of the previous Noble of Logic for a while. During this time, her mastery of logic developed brilliantly. Unfortunately, she came afoul of a Chinese official when she publicly defeated him in a debate regarding the accusation of rebellion on the part of the village.

'''Geronimo - High Chief of Sacrifice'''

'''Han Gua - Exarch of Honour'''

'''Jimmy - Arch-Provost of Curiosity'''

''The Unassigned of the Enlightened''

'''Justice(?) - Empress of Justice'''

Not much is known about Justice, the 1st Noble of Justice. She is the eldest of the current Famiglia, though in the time of the original Famiglia, she was the youngest. She is the last surviving member of the original Famiglia of the Enlightened. It is rumoured that she was an Angel before she joined the Enlightened, though whether or not this is true is unknown. Her real name is unknown. Nobody has seen her in a long, long while. The only members of the current famiglia who have seen her are Han Gua and Elune.

Currently absent. Whereabouts unknown.

'''Vie - Noble of Hope'''

A rather mysterious member of the famiglia, she wonders in and out of the chancel rather randomly. Nobody seems to remember when she joined the Family. In fact, some are surprised to hear that there IS a noble of Hope in the Family. She doesn't seem to have a permanent home in the chancel. She's known (at least to those few who know her) to wander about, never staying in one place for long. She is apparently summonable, but rumours have it that she's apparently rather useless.

There are strange rumours that she follows the code of the Dark, or even Hell. Why would Hope do that?

'''Thomas Eire - Keeper of Karma'''

'''Kaguya - Himegami of the Moon'''

Tsukishiro no Kaguya-hime is perhaps the second eldest of the Famiglia, though she takes great care not to let anyone know that. She is the second Noble of the Moon. There are rumours that she was behind the Apollo 13 failure. When asked about it, she would give you a disdainful look and walk away. Then again, she'd do that no matter what you tried to bring up with her.

Currently very, very vain.

'''Kimo - the Emperor of the Sun'''

= Chancel - Locus Enlightenment, Sanctum Excelestia =

[http://img248.imageshack.us/i/sanctumexcelestia.jpg HG's Impression 1]

'''Qualities'''

Megalomaniac King/Queen (-4)

Normal Magic (3)

Alchemy (1)

2 Banes (-1)

Convenient Gates (2)

Anchorable Magical residents (4)

==Government==

The Sanctum is under the absolute Executive rule of the Emperor who answers only to the Shepherdess. Judicial Rule is under the Absolute Court headed by the Shepherdess and the Supreme Court headed by the Noble of Justice and her Circle of Justiciaries. Legislative and administrative rule is divided amongst the 4 major domains under the 4 queens:

'''Alicia - High Queen of the Diamond Tower.'''

Technically, having inherited the title of 'High Queen' from her predecessor, Alicia commands the Council of Four Queens and the Round Table of Dominums. However, as she has only recently joined the Famiglia, responsibility over the Council of Four Queens has fallen on the reluctant shoulders of Elune while the Round Table of Dominums is overseen by Han Gua.

'''Lyna - Queen of the Ruby Gardens.'''

The Ruby Gardens refers to the entirety of the Arcane Arts Academy Complex within the Outer Circle where the majority of mages of Excelestia train and live. However, to most of the citizens, the 'Ruby Gardens' itself refers to the seat of government, the Ruby Palace, a magnificent rose-shaped palace of crystal grown from the very essence of the Chancel itself in the middle of the Ruby Gardens.

'''Elune - Queen of the Sapphire Sky.'''

The Sapphire Sky refers to the entirety of the sky in between the floating structures of the Sanctum. While Elune governs no real land, she controls all traffic in the airspace around the Sanctum. Her official seat of government is the Sapphire Palace, a beautiful crystalline Sapphire star floating high up within the Inner Circle, though she is rarely ever there. She usually lives in her observatory on a lonely island high above the Sanctum.

'''Jessie - Queen of the Emerald Fields.'''

The Emerald Fields refer to most of the land floating in the Ciellan Expanse, the sky beyond the Outer Wall. The Emerald Fields house a good portion of the Sanctum's agricultural and mining settlements. Her seat of government is the Emerald Palace, a beautiful viridian structure of moss-covered wood and succulent, fresh folliage that grow and thrive all year round, coiled around a giant magnificent Emerald of a green deeper than the land that surrounds it.

== Homes and Households ==

'''The Diamond Palace - ?????'''

Home of Alicia.

Personal Assistant : Lymle

'''The Ruby Palace - ????'''

Home of Lyna.

Personal Assistant : Flowerchild

'''The Garnet Fortress - ????'''

Home of Charles.

Personal Assistant : Sieghart

'''The Quartz Workshop - ????'''

Personal Assistant : Leonie

Home of Emil.

== Other Noteworthy Locations ==

'''The Amethyst Shores'''

Governed officially by Illumina, provisionally by the Arch-Artificer of the Great Guild of Alchemists. The Amethyst Shores are a group of closely-packed islands within the Outer Circle where the majority of the Alchemists of Excelestia live. While alchemists can be found just about anywhere, the Amethysts Shores are really the only place where they can make things explode to their hearts content without causing tempers to explode all around them. Alchemists can also be found en masse at the Ruby Gardens.

'''The Garnet Fortress'''

Governed mainly by Charles, the Garnet Fortress encompasses the Inner and Outer Walls of the Sanctum and the bastion of the Knights.

'''The Beryl Earth'''

Governed mainly by Regine, the

'''The Quartz Workshop'''

A watch-mender's workshop somewhere within the Diamond Tower, Emil's home and favourite haunt.

==Security==

The city has a number of defense corps organized to different degrees by a number of Nobles.

'''The Chivalrous Gentlemanly TownWatch'''

'''The Magical Avengers of Love and Peace, Magical Taskforce Ruby Gardenia'''

Organized by the 5th Noble of Magic, a rather...odd Master of Magic who believed that wearing frilly clothing is a form of sacrifice to society and preached that magical power is exponentially proportional to the frilliness of one's clothing. Now maintained by the 7th Noble of Magic, Lyna, who keeps up most of the traditions of the 5th.

'''The Upholders of Equivalent Exchange, the Eternally Passionate Flameheart Alchemists (EPFA)'''

Organized by the previous Noble of Alchemy, a rather fluffy and passionate Lady Alchemist, and maintained by the recently appointed Noble, Illumina, the EPFA are at best socially-involved nerds, at worst really, really messy vigilantes (unfortunately, more often the latter). They mainly keep the domain of the Alchemists, the Amethyst Shores, as well as their portion of the Ruby Gardens, safe...for a given value of 'safe'.

'''The Infallibly Just Circle of Justiciers'''

'''The Eternally Loyal Shieldmaidens of [Insert Place Name Here]'''

Organized by the current Noble of Loyalty,

'''The Ever-Watchful Lantern Kindlers and Lamp Bearers of the Stars'''

'''The Righteous Karmic-Retributioneer Monks of Karma'''

'''The LoreKeepers and Agents of Literary Vengeance, the Combat Librarians'''

== Groups ==

Besides the defense forces of the Chancel, the Sanctum also harbours a number of groups.

'''The Enclave of Emerald Alchemists'''
Also known as the 'Emerald Artisans', this society of Alchemists was founded by the 7th Noble of Light, TanetNephthys, and the 1st Noble of Alchemy, Armagustine Trimegistus, after the passing of the third Noble of Maricarum, Hermes Trimegistus, founder of the Emerald Arts.

In a major nettle rite wrought by the 2nd Noble of Botany, Ephistopheles, against the Noble of Alchemy, in a daring move to split the art into two major paths forever, the Enclave was splintered in two - The Cleave fo Botanists and the Enclave of Emerald Artisans. The Botanists left the Sanctum, carrying with them the entirety of botanic knowledge. The Alchemists, however, managed to keep the Principa Alchimia safe and prevented the botanists from acquiring an absolute monopoly over the Emerald Arts. The two now jealously guard their arts, for if one were to acquire the arts of the other, they would become unstoppable.

The botanists are known to pass through the Chancel to deal with the Emerald Artisans.

== Laws ==

The Chancel operates on general principles of Justice commonly found in any other society where concepts of Law and Justice exist. It has a few notable exceptions such as:

- Any deed with noble ends are exempt from law's scrutiny upon its means. This means even the most foul of deeds is considered lawfully just as long as its ends are noble. It comes with a very, very important caveat - the good of the outcome must far exceed the evil committed. This is particularly difficult to achieve with murder, as murder, the theft of the sanctity of one's life, is the basest, most evil of crimes that even the earth itself abhors.

-

N.B. The Chancel operates on the Code Napoleon, that the suspect is guilty until proven otherwise, as Lady Justice willed it to be in the prosaic realm.

== Notable Individuals ==

'''Orphus Denilzante'''
Chief Magitech Engineer of the Sanctum and designer of the Deus Ex Machina.

'''Reno Orfayne'''
Owner of Reno's Empirio, the one-stop fashion designer for Nobles, known to be second only to his Master, Enzel Haulor of 7th Avenue and 91st Street NY.

'''Sammy Westine'''
Proprietor and Chief Engineer of Westine Airships, Sammy is the young brilliant mind behind this generation's latest magitech airships. Having mastered Alchemy, Magic and Magitech at a young age, she went on to implement her excellent knowledge in airship design and construction. Her airships are used not just within the Sanctum but all over Creation. While she does produce combat-ready airships, she only produces them as personal favours for Nobles she trusts. These make proud flagships in any war fleet. It is rumoured that she is working with Aeril Jotunstrom, Noble of Ships, from Locus Atlantis, on warships capable of sailing the world beyond creation and taking part directly on the frontlines of the Valde Bellum.

'''Victor'''

= Mythic Realm =

== Chancels Known ==
''From the Primer on Loci Celatum, by Holly Djurisic''
What follows are descriptions of chancels considered widely known and to be no secret to those versed in the ways of the Mythic. Everyone knows them as a matter of common sense.

'''Locus Amarant'''

The Great Market, the Gardens of Lady Profit, Amarant is perhaps one of the few chancels that has no doors, and, even if it did, they would be wide open to welcome one and all. After all, even your worst enemy is a potential customer. Any invader would quickly find themselves besieged by peddlers of weaponry, trust and treachery, even the very spoils they are after. Everything the discerning Noble might need is available here...for the right price. The preferred currency are fleurs, but the locals have been known to trade with other things such as miracles and pacts. Some nobles come here not just to buy but also to sell. If you want or need it, Locus Amarant will sell it, or if not, then at least it will sell you the expertise of someone who CAN get it. Needless to say, the cammorae are all over Amarant.

It is well-known that even Excrucians frequent Amarant, and they know full well never to destroy Amarant....at least not until their victory is assured, for Amarant will be more than happy to sell them the means to that victory, or maybe even that victory itself....for the right price. Why destroy something so blatantly useful?

Chancel of Lady Profit, Immiae Arathy, and the Nobles of Trade, Currency, Negotiation, Supermarket Loyalty Cards, and Cookies. Yes, Cookies.

= Prosaic Realm =

== Earth ==

=== Noteworthy Individuals===

== Erebea ==

A once beautiful world, a geographic wonder of continents hanging high up in the pristine skies, flooded with raw magic reminiscent of Earth about a millennium ago. Sanctum Excelestia was once the capital of this world, until it disappeared a few millennia ago.

== Lost Universe AD 2511 ==

The Lost Universe, now a Valde Bellum warfront. In 2400 AD, an age of galactic expansion and an Aetheric golden age for human advancement, a treacherous Imperator managed to sabotage the Shepherdess' hold on the Weirding Wall, leaving gaping holes in the defense of Creation. In the ensuing chaos, the Imperators and their nobles turned their attention to the Excrucian host gathering beyond the gap. Little did they know that they had fallen prey to a deceiver ruse. At the same time, the Excrucians were readying a pincer attack, with their mimics and strategists having established a foothold on Earth's universe. The Enlightened, at the time under great scrutiny due to the Shepherdess' apparent failure at maintaining the Weirding Wall, discovered the Excrucian plans and attempted to alert the Ymmerae. However, the Deceivers held the ears of the Ymmerae, and all the please of the Enlightened fell on deaf, suspicious, skeptical ears.

In a daring move, the Noble of Aether secretly used almost the entirety of his power of limitless potential to create an anomalous fold in existence, tearing 500 years of the universe apart, resetting the universe to before the Excrucian plan had even begun in 1900. He brought the new fold containing the lost 500 years and the excrucian plot up and tethered it to the gaping hole in the Weirding Wall, just in time to meet the incoming Excrucian Host. The excrucian invasion began, never once suspecting that they had walked into a pocket universe. For the Noble of Aether's apparent treachery, the Locust Court condemned him to death without a trial, dispatching the Enlightened, his own family, to prove their allegiance to the court by executing their own brother. It is said that Justice was the one to rip his shard out of his chest with her bare hands. It is said that the shard shattered. Some say Justice, in her grief and rage, shattered it herself. Some say it was Aether's final gift to the Lost Universe, and to the entirety of creation. The shard dust was dispersed and embedded itself across the entirety of the Lost Universe, enchancelling it, bestowing its beings with the blessings of Aetheric Power, immunizing them to the crippling effects of dementia animus and empowering them in their coming struggle against the Excrucian invaders. Aether was forever lost to Creation, but its shadow continues to live on within the beings of the Lost Universe. As long as the children of Aether stand and the light of Aether burns on within them, the Lost Universe will always resist the Excrucian host.

The Lost Universe has since been sealed away outside the Weirding Wall, doomed to forever be an Excrucian battleground, until the day the Excrucians trapped within consume the Lost Universe and realize Aether's trickery.

At the precise moment Aether's sacrifice enchancelled the Lost Universe, Hammond Qarn, Imperator of the Lost Universe, came into being. Having arisen from a universe so filled with the Shepherdess' own power, Hammond naturally became a Magister of the Enlightened. Furthermore, as the chancel was created using the Shepherdess' own soul shard, a fraction of the Shepherdess' own essence makes up the chancel's foundations. Thus for all intents and purposes the Enlightened can treat the Lost Universe as their own home chancel.

Few other nobles are privy to the secret of the Lost Universe's existence. Even fewer take up the fight to defend the Lost Universe in order to delay the full-scale invasion of Creation. The Nobles of Astelumina and Endeon were the first to pick up Aether's fallen banner and lead the battle against the Excrucian host and were also the first to fall.

'Now and Forever, till the hour I too stand between Impossibility and Despair!' - Phaeron Rof Alabar Trimeniel - Emperor of Aether

=== Notable Locations ===

'''L.U. Earth AD 2511'''

In AD 2400, Astelumina and Endeon managed to rid the entire earth of deceivers, strategists and mimics, making it one of the last few human settlements still untouched by the Excrucian Scourge. The war and Aether's blessing has accelerated technology to astronomical heights in the past 111 years, bringing humanity to a point where they can overwhelm excrucian shards and at the very least annoy full excrucians, if not kill them. Earth is now the capital of the Universal Aetheric Alliance (UAA), headquarters of the Excrucian resistance. Its coordinates are guarded to the death by the Children of Aether. Those who sally forth to meet the Excrucian Host do so without carrying Earth's coordinates, knowing full well that they may never return to their beloved home.

'''L.U. Heaven’s Feel'''

The current frontier of the Lost Universe Valde Bellum, Heaven’s Feel is perhaps the most beautiful extrasolar human colony. A large T3 terraformed planet orbiting the gas giant Astelumina 3, behind a dense spherical asteroid field and a radioactive veil around the sun Astelumina, it makes a naturally fortified world. Thanks to the scattering radiation and the dense blackhole just a few megaparsecs away at the center of the galaxy, the system and planet is nigh impossible to find at the best of times, at least for marauding excrucian raiding parties. The UAA uses Astelumina’s final gift, the gift of the stars, the ability to travel on aetheric currents guided by the stars, to travel safely in and out of the system.

When excrucians do find the planet, they are immediately drawn into its orbit by the interaction of the gravity wells of Heaven’s Feel’s many moons. They have no hope of escaping to notify the host of the planet’s location before they are drawn into intense battle by the Feelians.

The planet is ravaged by repeat invasions.

=== Familia of the Lost Universe ===

More or less an extended family of the Enlightened, the Familia of the Lost Universe are the sworn guardians of Aether's legacy.

'''Hammond Qarn - Imperator of the Lost Universe'''

Despite being an offshoot of the Shepherdess' power, Hammond Qarn is quite the opposite. He looks as human as they come. In fact, very, very much so, with his thick paternal beard, his twinkling eyes and his simple, honest expression, like a stern but compassionate father. Those who have the great honour of an audience with him are overcome with an overwhelming confidence and faith in humanity's potential and prowess. His being is shrouded in the stuff of legends. They say he single-handedly piloted an Alliance Battlecruiser straight into an Excrucian battlestation and escaped alive, unscathed. They say he personally lead the desperate charge that ended the siege of Harvest 4. They say he singlehandedly held the line at Point Hope against the entire advancing Excrucian host at the battle of Forge 3. They say a lot of things about Hammond Qarn, and when you meet him, sitting like a lighthouse exuding calm and confidence amidst the storm of war, in his simple, neatly-pressed uniform gleaming with but one badge denoting his allegiance to the Alliance, you feel naught but awe - that this man is the legend in the flesh.

'''Commander John Shepard - Power of Living Legends'''

'''Excel 7 - Commander of Super Soldiers'''

was responsible for the Halo series and partly responsible for the Metal Gear series, amongst other things.

'''Iris Erran - Chief Admiral of Spacecrafts'''

'''ALMa OmNI. - Supreme Administrator of Aetheric Technology'''

An A.I. born of the pinnacle of Aetheric supercomputers,

= Quests =

== Active Quests ==

=== Imperator Quests ===

'''Overdue'''

Started : 8th November 2011

The Shepherdess has requested that the Foreguards return 3 books she's borrowed for Shepherdess-knows-how-long now, for reasons that none can fathom. These books are:

1) 'Single Parenting for Idiots', to the Imperator of Shadows

2) 'The Amazing Justice and the Lovely Yaoi Doujin', to the Noble of Women's Beards

3) 'The Witchhunter's Codex' to a certain alchemist in Erebea.

She has asked you all to return them, ASAP.

Progress:

1) The Family has acquired the 3 books from the Principarium.

2) 1 week has passed since.

'''?????'''

Started : ?????

??????

Progress: n/a

=== Chivalry Quests ===

''''''

=== Determinism Quests ===

=== Illumination Quests ===

'''Twinkle, Little Star'''

Started : 15th November 2011

As the world darkens, the light of the stars fade. Elune, little noble of stars, your sister, lies sick, alone in her high observatory, forgotten by the rest of the world. Now the weakening of the stars has started to affect the domain of Light too. Something must be done before yet another member of the Family succumbs to the war of attrition upon the Enlightened.

Progress:

1) Lyna, Emil and Alicia visited Elune in her observatory and found her ill.

2) They discovered that her observatory was severely corrupted by some malignant corruption that was trying to break into the chancel.

3) They sealed off the intrusion into the chancel but destroyed the observatory in the process. They managed to prevent the observatory from crashing catastrophically into the chancel.

4) They've brought the sick Elune to the Sapphire Palace and acquired the help of Regine to treat her.

'''Who moved my Christmas?!'''

Christmas, the biggest celebration of lights and joy, isn't happening this year! This is unprecedented serious affair!

Started : 8th November 2011

Progress :

1) Alicia has asked the magical girls, knights, and others who've passed in and out of the chancel, for any information they might know about this. She's learned that it's a rather complex issue. It might be the economy, it might be the declining family values, could be anything.

'''When you peer into the Abyss...'''

Started : n/a

And the Creator said, 'Let there be Light', and there was light, and he saw that it was good. And He separated the dark from the light. Thus was the First Day.

It wasn't quite that simple.

When the light came to be, the dark too came to be as a result, and neither could tolerate the other. Thus the First War of Light and Dark began, pure and simple, with no preamble or prelude. They fought for Shepherdess-knows-how-long. Finally, the formation of the Covenant of the First Day, an agreement between the Light and the Dark to respect the other's estate, ended the war. How it came to be, however, is still a hotly debated topic. Some say the Dark won. Some say the Light won. Some say it was a draw. Some say there were other reasons. Who really knows?

An anniversary of the Covenant of the First Day is celebrated yearly now to uphold the ideals of peace and cooperation between Light and Dark. This year, it's Alicia's turn to host the festival. What could go wrong?

Progress : n/a

=== Magic Quests ===

'''Dude, Where's My Ship?!'''

Following the disappearance of a wildcat Lignite mining crew in the A

'''My Struggle, My suffering, My Legacy'''

Started: n/a

The smoke of witch burning pyres rise high up into the skies above the magical realm of Neven. The once all-powerful mages now run and hide before the onslaught of the Reinzhuthen, an order of genocidal purists who are in pursuit of the all-powerful dark mage, the dark lord Daran Reganz. The Reinzhuthen have taken up an all-or-nothing approach towards hunting Daran Reganz – wiping out every last mage on Neven. After successfully gathering the support of the people against the seemingly incompetent mage-led government and subsequently overthrowing them, the Reinzhuthen declared a world-wide ban of magical practices, declaring any practitioner an agent of Daran Reganz and an enemy of the state.

Progress: n/a

=== Intelligence Quests ===

== Completed Quests ==

= Correspondence =

== Family Correspondence ==

'Good morning, Masters and Mistresses. I hope the noise didn't keep you up last night. The Alchemists discovered a new flower known quite amusingly as the 'Boom Lily'. Thankfully they grew quieter as the night went by. Anyhow, here's today's selection of the world's headlines.' - Mira -

• Presidents of Chechnya, Bosnia and Ukraine die in mysterious circumstances.

• American invasion of Iran is meeting heavy resistance. The Iranians now threaten to unleash their nuclear arsenal if America does not cease and desist.

• A new illness is spreading. Cause unknown.

== Illumination's Correspondence==

'Young Miss, please do take some times to reads some of these, 'kay? Lymle's actually done her bests to sort them outs, 'kay!' - Lymle -

- You've been cordially invited to attend the Divali celebrations in India. - Various Nobles -

== Chivalry's Correspondence ==

'Aye, my liege, thou hath an abundant harvest of letters. Thy loyal steed hast made do with the more...delicious trivialties. *BURP*' - Sieghart -

== Determinism's Correspondence ==

'Hey, old man, check it out, you've got mail. Should I fetch your specs? Or maybe a magnifying glass? Or maybe my winding screw? All that sorting's wound down my springs...' - Leonie -

== Magic's Correspondence ==

'Young Mistress, it's time to read your correspondence for the day. Please sit down here. Yes, here. Now, back straight like a washboard, eyes forward like a dead fish, and elbows akimbo like a ballerina...yes, excellent, young mistress. Now, I present you my personal selection of today's letters.' - Flowerchild -

== Intelligence's Correspondence ==

Nobilis Enlightened

2011-03-12T00:28:05Z

Mind-The-Gap: /* Quests */

[[Category:Nobilis]]

= Imperator - The Shepherdess of Light =

1. ‘Omneaum(a) became aware. In its awareness, it found loneliness. It saw potential, good, an impossibility.

2. Omneaum gave way to potential, and made the impossible possible. It was, things became.

3. Enlightenment arose, and so did I, Whole, Complete, bearing the Gifts of Aether (b), Light, Vaveram (c), Maricarum (d), Endeon (e), and Causality.

4. Omneaum’s legacy I shall honour and hold safe, now and forever, till the hour I too stand alone between Impossibility and Despair.’

- The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light, Imperator of Enlightenment -

(a) Omneaum: The Original Absolute Void

(b) Aether: Estate of 'Absolute Potential', the 'Impossible made Possible', the very basic element of creation from which all matter and life flowed. It was said to have been more abundant in space. (Now excruciated, succeeded in part by the estate of 'Magic')

(c)Vaveram: Estate of Spontaneous Sentience and Awareness (Now Excruciated. Never replaced.)

(d) Maricarum: Estate of Great Miracles through Personal Sacrifice (Now excruciated, succeeded by the estate of 'Magic' and 'Sacrifice')

(e)Endeon: Estate of the 'Lone Wolf Phenomenon', wherein those fighting against overwhelming odds are always guaranteed victory. Better known in our time as the 'Storm Trooper effect'. (Now excruciated)

Having predated the Imperators of 'Name', the Shepherdess is nameless and formless. Those who are fortunate enough to know her identify her as 'The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light', or, simply, 'The Shepherdess'. Having come into being before the birth of the concept of 'form' or even 'matter' and 'physical law', she is without form in the physical universe. She used to communicate with her agents in the physical universe through pulses of light and ripples in a fountain of light. Needless to say, a lot of liberty had been taken in deciphering her wishes. Recently, however, the Chief Engineer of the Sanctum, Orphus, has devised an ingenious megastructure, the Deus Ex Machina, a gigantic clockwork device that allows the Shepherdess to see into the physical realm and engage with it using a gigantic, rather clumsy steel claw and communicate using a ticker-tape telegram machine.

(Interestingly, having also preceded the Imperator of Gender, she is, or, at least, was, in essence, genderless. However, around 300 B.C. she became a part of debate amongst philosophers as an example of a being who must be 'of the default gender'. For some reason it was decided that the default gender was female, and so the Shepherdess has since been considered to be of the female persuasion. Not that she really cares. It is suspected that the Noble of Women had something to do with this, but that's a tale for another time.)

Prophesized successor of Ananda and future Shepherdess of the Fifth Age, the Glorious One has purposely been denied a seat on the Council of Four, for her ways are that of the ‘Enlightened’, incompatible with the ways of the other council-members. She earns Lord Entropy and Ananda’s tolerance for her existence only through her service in the Valde Bellum and her Light’s importance in maintaining the Weirding Wall, a task that consumes almost the entirety of her attention and being (much to Lord Entropy’s and Ananda’s satisfaction).

The Heavens despise her, for an Angel of Creation she is not, and yet she brought forth the first Light that made everything that was Beautiful possible. Only the fact that her Light is necessary for beauty and this fact alone earns her the toleration of Heaven. The Wild would have nothing to do with her, for there is no freedom in sacrifice.The Hells, the Darkness and the Light all loath her, for not only is she the voice of wisdom that transcends not just the Corruption that the Hells endeavour towards, but she is also the voice that moves all beings towards becoming more than the matter they are made from, transcending what they are, pushing them ever onwards towards a greater purpose not only in life but also in death. Those who follow her code wish for naught else but the glory of dying for a greater good.

It is unclear what her true nature or form is. Nobody seems to remember when she came to be, or how for that matter. Some suspect she is one of the Heavenly legion, an Angel, but not only do the Heavens and its angelic denizens despise her at the best of times, her ways are most definitely not that of Heaven. Some surmise that she is a fallen Angel, but the cause of Hell she does not serve. It is highly possible that she is a True God, but all of creation knows they did not appear until long after the Angels had begun the Great Work. Recently, when passings of the Transcendants were properly documented in AP 4732, it was surmised that she is perhaps a Transcendant who somehow chose to settle upon the World Ash, perhaps one of the Charitable. Said document is Creation's closest description of the Shepherdess' nature, her gifts being her Estates and her Law.

=='''Vow of the Enlightened'''==

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this.

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this. - One thing leads to another. And at the end of all things is an ‘end’.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this. - Every good act must be good of purpose and good of result. This clause seems to fail to (most probably purposely) mention anything regarding the means. Taking the most liberal interpretation, a ‘Noble deed’ can have means as lacking in morals as a psychotic mass murderer, and yet still be considered ‘Noble’ in the eyes of the ‘Enlightened’. What matters is the cause, the intention and the ends. Everything in between matters naught.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this. - The ultimate sacrifice can conquer anything, even the impossible. This is the one true ‘Miracle’, Magic at its purest, one that allows the Enlightened to surpass his/her own end and achieve greatness through sacrifice. The Shepherdess safeguards the cause of all who sacrifice themselves for a greater purpose, guaranteeing them the miraculous magic of success.

==Details==

'''Estates''': Light, Determinism, Magic, Chivalry, Intelligence, Honour, Loyalty, Courage, Hope, Justice, Karma, Logic, Alchemy, Sacrifice, Curiosity, Sun, Moon, Stars

'''Excruciated Estates''': Aether, Vaveram, Maricarum, Endeon, Astelumina

'''Qualities:'''

Great Harvest (2)

Cold (-1)

Demanding (-1)

----

= The Famiglia of the Enlightened =

The Famiglia of the Enlightened ''were'' a highly respected and influential group about 4-5 centuries before, their power extending from the very birth of creation. However, in a highly unorthodox move around the 4002 A.P., the Council ordered the Shepherdess to provide additional support in the Valde Bellum proper, above and beyond her maintenance of the Weirding Wall. Seeing as the Wall already consumed most if not all her power and attention, she was forced to mobilize members of her Famiglia, something quite unprecedented. The Nobles of Maricarum, Aether and Endeon were the first to volunteer for the great undertaking, having attained near-Imperator-level powers at the time. A few centuries later, Vaveram, Astelumina, Chivalry, Courage and Alchemy too joined their brother and sisters in the direct defense of creation. They held the line for a good few centuries, seeing a slow but definite turnover in nobles. That was until, for reasons still unknown, Maricarum, Aether, Endeon, Vaveram and Astelumina were excruciated one by one. The last to fall were Endeon and Astelumina in 4895 AP, at the same time 500 years of Human History was erased.

With no time to mourn, the Famiglia of the Enlightened were forced to mobilize more members of their famiglia to the front lines. The following few years saw more of their Nobles killed, though thankfully not excruciated.

Now with few remaining senior members, the famiglia struggles to stay on its feet with the large influx of new family members. Will they be able to live up to their predecessors? Will they be able to return the family to its former glory and take it to new heights? Or will this be the end of the Enlightened? That is up to the new Famiglia.

== PC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Foreguard of the Enlightened''

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Alicia_Valka '''Alicia - Principissa of Illumination''']

The 21st Principissa Of Illumination.

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Emil '''Emil - Power of Determinism''']

The 13th Power of Determinism

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Charles_Earl_Of_Huntington'''Charles - Lord of Chivalry''']

The 77th Lord of Chivalry

'''Lyna - Regina of Magic'''

The 66th Regina of Magic

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Mana_Kishimura '''Mana Kishimura - Noble of Intelligence (And Dolphins)''']

The 17th Noble of Intelligence and 2nd Noble of Dolphins.

== NPC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Vanguard of the Enlightened''

'''Regine - Inquesta of Loyalty'''

'''Jessie - Tempesta of Courage (Sort of veering towards Impetuous Juvenile Recklessness)'''

'''Illumina - AllMother of Alchemy'''

Novice Alchemist extraordinaire and (rather unwilling) Commander of the Alchemist Flameheart Squad, Illumina is yet another recent addition to the Famiglia. She's currently worried about the sorry state of her estate (mostly usurped by Chemistry and now reduced to nothing more than a fantasy fiction gimmick) and a missing prominent Alchemist amongst other things....but mainly by the prospect of responsibility in general.

She is widely known, even outside Alchemist circles, as 'Big Bang Lum'.

'''Elune - Principissa of the Stars'''

While relatively senior in the Famiglia of the Enlightened (by simple virtue of everyone else being very recent additions), that's as far as her seniority goes. In every other respect, she is mostly helpless, though the more understanding dismiss this as a reflection of her estate - stars aren't known to be do much other than be pretty, especially lately with modern technology supplanting the need for stellar navigation or calendar-keeping. It used to be so much different when her sister, the Noble of Astelumina, the power of stellar influence upon the workings of the universe and lives on earth, was still around. Now as the stars fade and people forget the stars, Elune lies ill, slowly fading herself.

''The Diplomatic Corp (Intelligence) of the Enlightened''

'''Rang Fan - Excelifficer of Logic'''

Born a humble villager in a Tibetan highland settlement, Rang Fan grew up completely illiterate. She was, however, a keen observer and deep thinker. She developed her own concise and strict principles of logic, one that often found fault in the traditionalist views of the people she lived amongst. Some saw her as a source of wisdom, some saw her as a demon-possessed child.

She became the favourite anchor of the previous Noble of Logic for a while. During this time, her mastery of logic developed brilliantly. Unfortunately, she came afoul of a Chinese official when she publicly defeated him in a debate regarding the accusation of rebellion on the part of the village.

'''Geronimo - High Chief of Sacrifice'''

'''Han Gua - Exarch of Honour'''

'''Jimmy - Arch-Provost of Curiosity'''

''The Unassigned of the Enlightened''

'''Justice(?) - Empress of Justice'''

Not much is known about Justice, the 1st Noble of Justice. She is the eldest of the current Famiglia, though in the time of the original Famiglia, she was the youngest. She is the last surviving member of the original Famiglia of the Enlightened. It is rumoured that she was an Angel before she joined the Enlightened, though whether or not this is true is unknown. Her real name is unknown. Nobody has seen her in a long, long while. The only members of the current famiglia who have seen her are Han Gua and Elune.

Currently absent. Whereabouts unknown.

'''Vie - Noble of Hope'''

A rather mysterious member of the famiglia, she wonders in and out of the chancel rather randomly. Nobody seems to remember when she joined the Family. In fact, some are surprised to hear that there IS a noble of Hope in the Family. She doesn't seem to have a permanent home in the chancel. She's known (at least to those few who know her) to wander about, never staying in one place for long. She is apparently summonable, but rumours have it that she's apparently rather useless.

There are strange rumours that she follows the code of the Dark, or even Hell. Why would Hope do that?

'''Thomas Eire - Keeper of Karma'''

'''Kaguya - Himegami of the Moon'''

Tsukishiro no Kaguya-hime is perhaps the second eldest of the Famiglia, though she takes great care not to let anyone know that. She is the second Noble of the Moon. There are rumours that she was behind the Apollo 13 failure. When asked about it, she would give you a disdainful look and walk away. Then again, she'd do that no matter what you tried to bring up with her.

Currently very, very vain.

'''Kimo - the Emperor of the Sun'''

= Chancel - Locus Enlightenment, Sanctum Excelestia =

[http://img248.imageshack.us/i/sanctumexcelestia.jpg HG's Impression 1]

'''Qualities'''

Megalomaniac King/Queen (-4)

Normal Magic (3)

Alchemy (1)

2 Banes (-1)

Convenient Gates (2)

Anchorable Magical residents (4)

==Government==

The Sanctum is under the absolute Executive rule of the Emperor who answers only to the Shepherdess. Judicial Rule is under the Absolute Court headed by the Shepherdess and the Supreme Court headed by the Noble of Justice and her Circle of Justiciaries. Legislative and administrative rule is divided amongst the 4 major domains under the 4 queens:

'''Alicia - High Queen of the Diamond Tower.'''

Technically, having inherited the title of 'High Queen' from her predecessor, Alicia commands the Council of Four Queens and the Round Table of Dominums. However, as she has only recently joined the Famiglia, responsibility over the Council of Four Queens has fallen on the reluctant shoulders of Elune while the Round Table of Dominums is overseen by Han Gua.

'''Lyna - Queen of the Ruby Gardens.'''

The Ruby Gardens refers to the entirety of the Arcane Arts Academy Complex within the Outer Circle where the majority of mages of Excelestia train and live. However, to most of the citizens, the 'Ruby Gardens' itself refers to the seat of government, the Ruby Palace, a magnificent rose-shaped palace of crystal grown from the very essence of the Chancel itself in the middle of the Ruby Gardens.

'''Elune - Queen of the Sapphire Sky.'''

The Sapphire Sky refers to the entirety of the sky in between the floating structures of the Sanctum. While Elune governs no real land, she controls all traffic in the airspace around the Sanctum. Her official seat of government is the Sapphire Palace, a beautiful crystalline Sapphire star floating high up within the Inner Circle, though she is rarely ever there. She usually lives in her observatory on a lonely island high above the Sanctum.

'''Jessie - Queen of the Emerald Fields.'''

The Emerald Fields refer to most of the land floating in the Ciellan Expanse, the sky beyond the Outer Wall. The Emerald Fields house a good portion of the Sanctum's agricultural and mining settlements. Her seat of government is the Emerald Palace, a beautiful viridian structure of moss-covered wood and succulent, fresh folliage that grow and thrive all year round, coiled around a giant magnificent Emerald of a green deeper than the land that surrounds it.

== Homes and Households ==

'''The Diamond Palace - ?????'''

Home of Alicia.

Personal Assistant : Lymle

'''The Ruby Palace - ????'''

Home of Lyna.

Personal Assistant : Flowerchild

'''The Garnet Fortress - ????'''

Home of Charles.

Personal Assistant : Sieghart

'''The Quartz Workshop - ????'''

Personal Assistant : Leonie

Home of Emil.

== Other Noteworthy Locations ==

'''The Amethyst Shores'''

Governed officially by Illumina, provisionally by the Arch-Artificer of the Great Guild of Alchemists. The Amethyst Shores are a group of closely-packed islands within the Outer Circle where the majority of the Alchemists of Excelestia live. While alchemists can be found just about anywhere, the Amethysts Shores are really the only place where they can make things explode to their hearts content without causing tempers to explode all around them. Alchemists can also be found en masse at the Ruby Gardens.

'''The Garnet Fortress'''

Governed mainly by Charles, the Garnet Fortress encompasses the Inner and Outer Walls of the Sanctum and the bastion of the Knights.

'''The Beryl Earth'''

Governed mainly by Regine, the

'''The Quartz Workshop'''

A watch-mender's workshop somewhere within the Diamond Tower, Emil's home and favourite haunt.

==Security==

The city has a number of defense corps organized to different degrees by a number of Nobles.

'''The Chivalrous Gentlemanly TownWatch'''

'''The Magical Avengers of Love and Peace, Magical Taskforce Ruby Gardenia'''

Organized by the 5th Noble of Magic, a rather...odd Master of Magic who believed that wearing frilly clothing is a form of sacrifice to society and preached that magical power is exponentially proportional to the frilliness of one's clothing. Now maintained by the 7th Noble of Magic, Lyna, who keeps up most of the traditions of the 5th.

'''The Upholders of Equivalent Exchange, the Eternally Passionate Flameheart Alchemists (EPFA)'''

Organized by the previous Noble of Alchemy, a rather fluffy and passionate Lady Alchemist, and maintained by the recently appointed Noble, Illumina, the EPFA are at best socially-involved nerds, at worst really, really messy vigilantes (unfortunately, more often the latter). They mainly keep the domain of the Alchemists, the Amethyst Shores, as well as their portion of the Ruby Gardens, safe...for a given value of 'safe'.

'''The Infallibly Just Circle of Justiciers'''

'''The Eternally Loyal Shieldmaidens of [Insert Place Name Here]'''

Organized by the current Noble of Loyalty,

'''The Ever-Watchful Lantern Kindlers and Lamp Bearers of the Stars'''

'''The Righteous Karmic-Retributioneer Monks of Karma'''

'''The LoreKeepers and Agents of Literary Vengeance, the Combat Librarians'''

== Groups ==

Besides the defense forces of the Chancel, the Sanctum also harbours a number of groups.

'''The Enclave of Emerald Alchemists'''
Also known as the 'Emerald Artisans', this society of Alchemists was founded by the 7th Noble of Light, TanetNephthys, and the 1st Noble of Alchemy, Armagustine Trimegistus, after the passing of the third Noble of Maricarum, Hermes Trimegistus, founder of the Emerald Arts.

In a major nettle rite wrought by the 2nd Noble of Botany, Ephistopheles, against the Noble of Alchemy, in a daring move to split the art into two major paths forever, the Enclave was splintered in two - The Cleave fo Botanists and the Enclave of Emerald Artisans. The Botanists left the Sanctum, carrying with them the entirety of botanic knowledge. The Alchemists, however, managed to keep the Principa Alchimia safe and prevented the botanists from acquiring an absolute monopoly over the Emerald Arts. The two now jealously guard their arts, for if one were to acquire the arts of the other, they would become unstoppable.

The botanists are known to pass through the Chancel to deal with the Emerald Artisans.

== Laws ==

The Chancel operates on general principles of Justice commonly found in any other society where concepts of Law and Justice exist. It has a few notable exceptions such as:

- Any deed with noble ends are exempt from law's scrutiny upon its means. This means even the most foul of deeds is considered lawfully just as long as its ends are noble. It comes with a very, very important caveat - the good of the outcome must far exceed the evil committed. This is particularly difficult to achieve with murder, as murder, the theft of the sanctity of one's life, is the basest, most evil of crimes that even the earth itself abhors.

-

N.B. The Chancel operates on the Code Napoleon, that the suspect is guilty until proven otherwise, as Lady Justice willed it to be in the prosaic realm.

== Notable Individuals ==

'''Orphus Denilzante'''
Chief Magitech Engineer of the Sanctum and designer of the Deus Ex Machina.

'''Reno Orfayne'''
Owner of Reno's Empirio, the one-stop fashion designer for Nobles, known to be second only to his Master, Enzel Haulor of 7th Avenue and 91st Street NY.

'''Sammy Westine'''
Proprietor and Chief Engineer of Westine Airships, Sammy is the young brilliant mind behind this generation's latest magitech airships. Having mastered Alchemy, Magic and Magitech at a young age, she went on to implement her excellent knowledge in airship design and construction. Her airships are used not just within the Sanctum but all over Creation. While she does produce combat-ready airships, she only produces them as personal favours for Nobles she trusts. These make proud flagships in any war fleet. It is rumoured that she is working with Aeril Jotunstrom, Noble of Ships, from Locus Atlantis, on warships capable of sailing the world beyond creation and taking part directly on the frontlines of the Valde Bellum.

'''Victor'''

= Mythic Realm =

== Chancels Known ==
''From the Primer on Loci Celatum, by Holly Djurisic''
What follows are descriptions of chancels considered widely known and to be no secret to those versed in the ways of the Mythic. Everyone knows them as a matter of common sense.

'''Locus Amarant'''

The Great Market, the Gardens of Lady Profit, Amarant is perhaps one of the few chancels that has no doors, and, even if it did, they would be wide open to welcome one and all. After all, even your worst enemy is a potential customer. Any invader would quickly find themselves besieged by peddlers of weaponry, trust and treachery, even the very spoils they are after. Everything the discerning Noble might need is available here...for the right price. The preferred currency are fleurs, but the locals have been known to trade with other things such as miracles and pacts. Some nobles come here not just to buy but also to sell. If you want or need it, Locus Amarant will sell it, or if not, then at least it will sell you the expertise of someone who CAN get it. Needless to say, the cammorae are all over Amarant.

It is well-known that even Excrucians frequent Amarant, and they know full well never to destroy Amarant....at least not until their victory is assured, for Amarant will be more than happy to sell them the means to that victory, or maybe even that victory itself....for the right price. Why destroy something so blatantly useful?

Chancel of Lady Profit, Immiae Arathy, and the Nobles of Trade, Currency, Negotiation, Supermarket Loyalty Cards, and Cookies. Yes, Cookies.

= Prosaic Realm =

== Earth ==

=== Noteworthy Individuals===

== Erebea ==

A once beautiful world, a geographic wonder of continents hanging high up in the pristine skies, flooded with raw magic reminiscent of Earth about a millennium ago. Sanctum Excelestia was once the capital of this world, until it disappeared a few millennia ago.

== Lost Universe AD 2511 ==

The Lost Universe, now a Valde Bellum warfront. In 2400 AD, an age of galactic expansion and an Aetheric golden age for human advancement, a treacherous Imperator managed to sabotage the Shepherdess' hold on the Weirding Wall, leaving gaping holes in the defense of Creation. In the ensuing chaos, the Imperators and their nobles turned their attention to the Excrucian host gathering beyond the gap. Little did they know that they had fallen prey to a deceiver ruse. At the same time, the Excrucians were readying a pincer attack, with their mimics and strategists having established a foothold on Earth's universe. The Enlightened, at the time under great scrutiny due to the Shepherdess' apparent failure at maintaining the Weirding Wall, discovered the Excrucian plans and attempted to alert the Ymmerae. However, the Deceivers held the ears of the Ymmerae, and all the please of the Enlightened fell on deaf, suspicious, skeptical ears.

In a daring move, the Noble of Aether secretly used almost the entirety of his power of limitless potential to create an anomalous fold in existence, tearing 500 years of the universe apart, resetting the universe to before the Excrucian plan had even begun in 1900. He brought the new fold containing the lost 500 years and the excrucian plot up and tethered it to the gaping hole in the Weirding Wall, just in time to meet the incoming Excrucian Host. The excrucian invasion began, never once suspecting that they had walked into a pocket universe. For the Noble of Aether's apparent treachery, the Locust Court condemned him to death without a trial, dispatching the Enlightened, his own family, to prove their allegiance to the court by executing their own brother. It is said that Justice was the one to rip his shard out of his chest with her bare hands. It is said that the shard shattered. Some say Justice, in her grief and rage, shattered it herself. Some say it was Aether's final gift to the Lost Universe, and to the entirety of creation. The shard dust was dispersed and embedded itself across the entirety of the Lost Universe, enchancelling it, bestowing its beings with the blessings of Aetheric Power, immunizing them to the crippling effects of dementia animus and empowering them in their coming struggle against the Excrucian invaders. Aether was forever lost to Creation, but its shadow continues to live on within the beings of the Lost Universe. As long as the children of Aether stand and the light of Aether burns on within them, the Lost Universe will always resist the Excrucian host.

The Lost Universe has since been sealed away outside the Weirding Wall, doomed to forever be an Excrucian battleground, until the day the Excrucians trapped within consume the Lost Universe and realize Aether's trickery.

At the precise moment Aether's sacrifice enchancelled the Lost Universe, Hammond Qarn, Imperator of the Lost Universe, came into being. Having arisen from a universe so filled with the Shepherdess' own power, Hammond naturally became a Magister of the Enlightened. Furthermore, as the chancel was created using the Shepherdess' own soul shard, a fraction of the Shepherdess' own essence makes up the chancel's foundations. Thus for all intents and purposes the Enlightened can treat the Lost Universe as their own home chancel.

Few other nobles are privy to the secret of the Lost Universe's existence. Even fewer take up the fight to defend the Lost Universe in order to delay the full-scale invasion of Creation. The Nobles of Astelumina and Endeon were the first to pick up Aether's fallen banner and lead the battle against the Excrucian host and were also the first to fall.

'Now and Forever, till the hour I too stand between Impossibility and Despair!' - Phaeron Rof Alabar Trimeniel - Emperor of Aether

=== Notable Locations ===

'''L.U. Earth AD 2511'''

In AD 2400, Astelumina and Endeon managed to rid the entire earth of deceivers, strategists and mimics, making it one of the last few human settlements still untouched by the Excrucian Scourge. The war and Aether's blessing has accelerated technology to astronomical heights in the past 111 years, bringing humanity to a point where they can overwhelm excrucian shards and at the very least annoy full excrucians, if not kill them. Earth is now the capital of the Universal Aetheric Alliance (UAA), headquarters of the Excrucian resistance. Its coordinates are guarded to the death by the Children of Aether. Those who sally forth to meet the Excrucian Host do so without carrying Earth's coordinates, knowing full well that they may never return to their beloved home.

'''L.U. Heaven’s Feel'''

The current frontier of the Lost Universe Valde Bellum, Heaven’s Feel is perhaps the most beautiful extrasolar human colony. A large T3 terraformed planet orbiting the gas giant Astelumina 3, behind a dense spherical asteroid field and a radioactive veil around the sun Astelumina, it makes a naturally fortified world. Thanks to the scattering radiation and the dense blackhole just a few megaparsecs away at the center of the galaxy, the system and planet is nigh impossible to find at the best of times, at least for marauding excrucian raiding parties. The UAA uses Astelumina’s final gift, the gift of the stars, the ability to travel on aetheric currents guided by the stars, to travel safely in and out of the system.

When excrucians do find the planet, they are immediately drawn into its orbit by the interaction of the gravity wells of Heaven’s Feel’s many moons. They have no hope of escaping to notify the host of the planet’s location before they are drawn into intense battle by the Feelians.

The planet is ravaged by repeat invasions.

=== Familia of the Lost Universe ===

More or less an extended family of the Enlightened, the Familia of the Lost Universe are the sworn guardians of Aether's legacy.

'''Hammond Qarn - Imperator of the Lost Universe'''

Despite being an offshoot of the Shepherdess' power, Hammond Qarn is quite the opposite. He looks as human as they come. In fact, very, very much so, with his thick paternal beard, his twinkling eyes and his simple, honest expression, like a stern but compassionate father. Those who have the great honour of an audience with him are overcome with an overwhelming confidence and faith in humanity's potential and prowess. His being is shrouded in the stuff of legends. They say he single-handedly piloted an Alliance Battlecruiser straight into an Excrucian battlestation and escaped alive, unscathed. They say he personally lead the desperate charge that ended the siege of Harvest 4. They say he singlehandedly held the line at Point Hope against the entire advancing Excrucian host at the battle of Forge 3. They say a lot of things about Hammond Qarn, and when you meet him, sitting like a lighthouse exuding calm and confidence amidst the storm of war, in his simple, neatly-pressed uniform gleaming with but one badge denoting his allegiance to the Alliance, you feel naught but awe - that this man is the legend in the flesh.

'''Commander John Shepard - Power of Living Legends'''

'''Excel 7 - Commander of Super Soldiers'''

was responsible for the Halo series and partly responsible for the Metal Gear series, amongst other things.

'''Iris Erran - Chief Admiral of Spacecrafts'''

'''ALMa OmNI. - Supreme Administrator of Aetheric Technology'''

An A.I. born of the pinnacle of Aetheric supercomputers,

= Quests =

== Active Quests ==

=== Imperator Quests ===

'''Overdue'''

Started : 8th November 2011

The Shepherdess has requested that the Foreguards return 3 books she's borrowed for Shepherdess-knows-how-long now, for reasons that none can fathom. These books are:

1) 'Single Parenting for Idiots', to the Imperator of Shadows

2) 'The Amazing Justice and the Lovely Yaoi Doujin', to the Noble of Women's Beards

3) 'The Witchhunter's Codex' to a certain alchemist in Erebea.

She has asked you all to return them, ASAP.

Progress:

1) The Family has acquired the 3 books from the Principarium.

2) 1 week has passed since.

'''?????'''

Started : ?????

??????

Progress: n/a

=== Chivalry Quests ===

''''''

=== Determinism Quests ===

=== Illumination Quests ===

'''Twinkle, Little Star'''

Started : 15th November 2011

As the world darkens, the light of the stars fade. Elune, little noble of stars, your sister, lies sick, alone in her high observatory, forgotten by the rest of the world. Now the weakening of the stars has started to affect the domain of Light too. Something must be done before yet another member of the Family succumbs to the war of attrition upon the Enlightened.

Progress:

1) Lyna, Emil and Alicia visited Elune in her observatory and found her ill.

2) They discovered that her observatory was severely corrupted by some malignant corruption that was trying to break into the chancel.

3) They sealed off the intrusion into the chancel but destroyed the observatory in the process. They managed to prevent the observatory from crashing catastrophically into the chancel.

4) They've brought the sick Elune to the Sapphire Palace and acquired the help of Regine to treat her.

'''Who moved my Christmas?!'''

Christmas, the biggest celebration of lights and joy, isn't happening this year! This is unprecedented serious affair!

Started : 8th November 2011

Progress :

1) Alicia has asked the magical girls, knights, and others who've passed in and out of the chancel, for any information they might know about this. She's learned that it's a rather complex issue. It might be the economy, it might be the declining family values, could be anything.

'''When you peer into the Abyss...'''

Started : n/a

And the Creator said, 'Let there be Light', and there was light, and he saw that it was good. And He separated the dark from the light. Thus was the First Day.

It wasn't quite that simple.

When the light came to be, the dark too came to be as a result, and neither could tolerate the other. Thus the First War of Light and Dark began, pure and simple, with no preamble or prelude. They fought for Shepherdess-knows-how-long. Finally, the formation of the Covenant of the First Day, an agreement between the Light and the Dark to respect the other's estate, ended the war. How it came to be, however, is still a hotly debated topic. Some say the Dark won. Some say the Light won. Some say it was a draw. Some say there were other reasons. Who really knows?

An anniversary of the Covenant of the First Day is celebrated yearly now to uphold the ideals of peace and cooperation between Light and Dark. This year, it's Alicia's turn to host the festival. What could go wrong?

Progress : n/a

=== Magic Quests ===

'''Dude, Where's My Ship?!'''

Following the disappearance of a wildcat Lignite mining crew in the A

'''My Struggle, My suffering, My Legacy'''

Started: n/a

The smoke of witch burning pyres rise high up into the skies above the magical realm of Neven. The once all-powerful mages now run and hide before the onslaught of the Reinzhuthen, an order of genocidal purists who are in pursuit of the all-powerful dark mage, the dark lord Daran Reganz. The Reinzhuthen have taken up an all-or-nothing approach towards hunting Daran Reganz – wiping out every last mage on Neven. After successfully gathering the support of the people against the seemingly incompetent mage-led government and subsequently overthrowing them, the Reinzhuthen declared a world-wide ban of magical practices, declaring any practitioner an agent of Daran Reganz and an enemy of the state.

Progress: n/a

=== Intelligence Quests ===

== Completed Quests ==

= Correspondence =

== Family Correspondence ==

'Good morning, Masters and Mistresses. I hope the noise didn't keep you up last night. The Alchemists discovered a new flower known quite amusingly as the 'Boom Lily'. Thankfully they grew quieter as the night went by. Anyhow, here's today's selection of the world's headlines.' - Mira -

• Presidents of Chechnya, Bosnia and Ukraine die in mysterious circumstances.

• American invasion of Iran is meeting heavy resistance. The Iranians now threaten to unleash their nuclear arsenal if America does not cease and desist.

• A new illness is spreading. Cause unknown.

== Illumination's Correspondence==

'Young Miss, please do take some times to reads some of these, 'kay? Lymle's actually done her bests to sort them outs, 'kay!' - Lymle -

- You've been cordially invited to attend the Divali celebrations in India. - Various Nobles -

== Chivalry's Correspondence ==

'Aye, my liege, thou hath an abundant harvest of letters. Thy loyal steed hast made do with the more...delicious trivialties. *BURP*' - Sieghart -

== Determinism's Correspondence ==

'Hey, old man, check it out, you've got mail. Should I fetch your specs? Or maybe a magnifying glass? Or maybe my winding screw? All that sorting's wound down my springs...' - Leonie -

== Magic's Correspondence ==

'Young Mistress, it's time to read your correspondence for the day. Please sit down here. Yes, here. Now, back straight like a washboard, eyes forward like a dead fish, and elbows akimbo like a ballerina...yes, excellent, young mistress. Now, I present you my personal selection of today's letters.' - Flowerchild -

== Intelligence's Correspondence ==

Nobilis Enlightened

2011-03-12T00:22:02Z

Mind-The-Gap: /* Chancel - Locus Enlightenment, Sanctum Excelestia */

[[Category:Nobilis]]

= Imperator - The Shepherdess of Light =

1. ‘Omneaum(a) became aware. In its awareness, it found loneliness. It saw potential, good, an impossibility.

2. Omneaum gave way to potential, and made the impossible possible. It was, things became.

3. Enlightenment arose, and so did I, Whole, Complete, bearing the Gifts of Aether (b), Light, Vaveram (c), Maricarum (d), Endeon (e), and Causality.

4. Omneaum’s legacy I shall honour and hold safe, now and forever, till the hour I too stand alone between Impossibility and Despair.’

- The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light, Imperator of Enlightenment -

(a) Omneaum: The Original Absolute Void

(b) Aether: Estate of 'Absolute Potential', the 'Impossible made Possible', the very basic element of creation from which all matter and life flowed. It was said to have been more abundant in space. (Now excruciated, succeeded in part by the estate of 'Magic')

(c)Vaveram: Estate of Spontaneous Sentience and Awareness (Now Excruciated. Never replaced.)

(d) Maricarum: Estate of Great Miracles through Personal Sacrifice (Now excruciated, succeeded by the estate of 'Magic' and 'Sacrifice')

(e)Endeon: Estate of the 'Lone Wolf Phenomenon', wherein those fighting against overwhelming odds are always guaranteed victory. Better known in our time as the 'Storm Trooper effect'. (Now excruciated)

Having predated the Imperators of 'Name', the Shepherdess is nameless and formless. Those who are fortunate enough to know her identify her as 'The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light', or, simply, 'The Shepherdess'. Having come into being before the birth of the concept of 'form' or even 'matter' and 'physical law', she is without form in the physical universe. She used to communicate with her agents in the physical universe through pulses of light and ripples in a fountain of light. Needless to say, a lot of liberty had been taken in deciphering her wishes. Recently, however, the Chief Engineer of the Sanctum, Orphus, has devised an ingenious megastructure, the Deus Ex Machina, a gigantic clockwork device that allows the Shepherdess to see into the physical realm and engage with it using a gigantic, rather clumsy steel claw and communicate using a ticker-tape telegram machine.

(Interestingly, having also preceded the Imperator of Gender, she is, or, at least, was, in essence, genderless. However, around 300 B.C. she became a part of debate amongst philosophers as an example of a being who must be 'of the default gender'. For some reason it was decided that the default gender was female, and so the Shepherdess has since been considered to be of the female persuasion. Not that she really cares. It is suspected that the Noble of Women had something to do with this, but that's a tale for another time.)

Prophesized successor of Ananda and future Shepherdess of the Fifth Age, the Glorious One has purposely been denied a seat on the Council of Four, for her ways are that of the ‘Enlightened’, incompatible with the ways of the other council-members. She earns Lord Entropy and Ananda’s tolerance for her existence only through her service in the Valde Bellum and her Light’s importance in maintaining the Weirding Wall, a task that consumes almost the entirety of her attention and being (much to Lord Entropy’s and Ananda’s satisfaction).

The Heavens despise her, for an Angel of Creation she is not, and yet she brought forth the first Light that made everything that was Beautiful possible. Only the fact that her Light is necessary for beauty and this fact alone earns her the toleration of Heaven. The Wild would have nothing to do with her, for there is no freedom in sacrifice.The Hells, the Darkness and the Light all loath her, for not only is she the voice of wisdom that transcends not just the Corruption that the Hells endeavour towards, but she is also the voice that moves all beings towards becoming more than the matter they are made from, transcending what they are, pushing them ever onwards towards a greater purpose not only in life but also in death. Those who follow her code wish for naught else but the glory of dying for a greater good.

It is unclear what her true nature or form is. Nobody seems to remember when she came to be, or how for that matter. Some suspect she is one of the Heavenly legion, an Angel, but not only do the Heavens and its angelic denizens despise her at the best of times, her ways are most definitely not that of Heaven. Some surmise that she is a fallen Angel, but the cause of Hell she does not serve. It is highly possible that she is a True God, but all of creation knows they did not appear until long after the Angels had begun the Great Work. Recently, when passings of the Transcendants were properly documented in AP 4732, it was surmised that she is perhaps a Transcendant who somehow chose to settle upon the World Ash, perhaps one of the Charitable. Said document is Creation's closest description of the Shepherdess' nature, her gifts being her Estates and her Law.

=='''Vow of the Enlightened'''==

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this.

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this. - One thing leads to another. And at the end of all things is an ‘end’.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this. - Every good act must be good of purpose and good of result. This clause seems to fail to (most probably purposely) mention anything regarding the means. Taking the most liberal interpretation, a ‘Noble deed’ can have means as lacking in morals as a psychotic mass murderer, and yet still be considered ‘Noble’ in the eyes of the ‘Enlightened’. What matters is the cause, the intention and the ends. Everything in between matters naught.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this. - The ultimate sacrifice can conquer anything, even the impossible. This is the one true ‘Miracle’, Magic at its purest, one that allows the Enlightened to surpass his/her own end and achieve greatness through sacrifice. The Shepherdess safeguards the cause of all who sacrifice themselves for a greater purpose, guaranteeing them the miraculous magic of success.

==Details==

'''Estates''': Light, Determinism, Magic, Chivalry, Intelligence, Honour, Loyalty, Courage, Hope, Justice, Karma, Logic, Alchemy, Sacrifice, Curiosity, Sun, Moon, Stars

'''Excruciated Estates''': Aether, Vaveram, Maricarum, Endeon, Astelumina

'''Qualities:'''

Great Harvest (2)

Cold (-1)

Demanding (-1)

----

= The Famiglia of the Enlightened =

The Famiglia of the Enlightened ''were'' a highly respected and influential group about 4-5 centuries before, their power extending from the very birth of creation. However, in a highly unorthodox move around the 4002 A.P., the Council ordered the Shepherdess to provide additional support in the Valde Bellum proper, above and beyond her maintenance of the Weirding Wall. Seeing as the Wall already consumed most if not all her power and attention, she was forced to mobilize members of her Famiglia, something quite unprecedented. The Nobles of Maricarum, Aether and Endeon were the first to volunteer for the great undertaking, having attained near-Imperator-level powers at the time. A few centuries later, Vaveram, Astelumina, Chivalry, Courage and Alchemy too joined their brother and sisters in the direct defense of creation. They held the line for a good few centuries, seeing a slow but definite turnover in nobles. That was until, for reasons still unknown, Maricarum, Aether, Endeon, Vaveram and Astelumina were excruciated one by one. The last to fall were Endeon and Astelumina in 4895 AP, at the same time 500 years of Human History was erased.

With no time to mourn, the Famiglia of the Enlightened were forced to mobilize more members of their famiglia to the front lines. The following few years saw more of their Nobles killed, though thankfully not excruciated.

Now with few remaining senior members, the famiglia struggles to stay on its feet with the large influx of new family members. Will they be able to live up to their predecessors? Will they be able to return the family to its former glory and take it to new heights? Or will this be the end of the Enlightened? That is up to the new Famiglia.

== PC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Foreguard of the Enlightened''

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Alicia_Valka '''Alicia - Principissa of Illumination''']

The 21st Principissa Of Illumination.

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Emil '''Emil - Power of Determinism''']

The 13th Power of Determinism

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Charles_Earl_Of_Huntington'''Charles - Lord of Chivalry''']

The 77th Lord of Chivalry

'''Lyna - Regina of Magic'''

The 66th Regina of Magic

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Mana_Kishimura '''Mana Kishimura - Noble of Intelligence (And Dolphins)''']

The 17th Noble of Intelligence and 2nd Noble of Dolphins.

== NPC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Vanguard of the Enlightened''

'''Regine - Inquesta of Loyalty'''

'''Jessie - Tempesta of Courage (Sort of veering towards Impetuous Juvenile Recklessness)'''

'''Illumina - AllMother of Alchemy'''

Novice Alchemist extraordinaire and (rather unwilling) Commander of the Alchemist Flameheart Squad, Illumina is yet another recent addition to the Famiglia. She's currently worried about the sorry state of her estate (mostly usurped by Chemistry and now reduced to nothing more than a fantasy fiction gimmick) and a missing prominent Alchemist amongst other things....but mainly by the prospect of responsibility in general.

She is widely known, even outside Alchemist circles, as 'Big Bang Lum'.

'''Elune - Principissa of the Stars'''

While relatively senior in the Famiglia of the Enlightened (by simple virtue of everyone else being very recent additions), that's as far as her seniority goes. In every other respect, she is mostly helpless, though the more understanding dismiss this as a reflection of her estate - stars aren't known to be do much other than be pretty, especially lately with modern technology supplanting the need for stellar navigation or calendar-keeping. It used to be so much different when her sister, the Noble of Astelumina, the power of stellar influence upon the workings of the universe and lives on earth, was still around. Now as the stars fade and people forget the stars, Elune lies ill, slowly fading herself.

''The Diplomatic Corp (Intelligence) of the Enlightened''

'''Rang Fan - Excelifficer of Logic'''

Born a humble villager in a Tibetan highland settlement, Rang Fan grew up completely illiterate. She was, however, a keen observer and deep thinker. She developed her own concise and strict principles of logic, one that often found fault in the traditionalist views of the people she lived amongst. Some saw her as a source of wisdom, some saw her as a demon-possessed child.

She became the favourite anchor of the previous Noble of Logic for a while. During this time, her mastery of logic developed brilliantly. Unfortunately, she came afoul of a Chinese official when she publicly defeated him in a debate regarding the accusation of rebellion on the part of the village.

'''Geronimo - High Chief of Sacrifice'''

'''Han Gua - Exarch of Honour'''

'''Jimmy - Arch-Provost of Curiosity'''

''The Unassigned of the Enlightened''

'''Justice(?) - Empress of Justice'''

Not much is known about Justice, the 1st Noble of Justice. She is the eldest of the current Famiglia, though in the time of the original Famiglia, she was the youngest. She is the last surviving member of the original Famiglia of the Enlightened. It is rumoured that she was an Angel before she joined the Enlightened, though whether or not this is true is unknown. Her real name is unknown. Nobody has seen her in a long, long while. The only members of the current famiglia who have seen her are Han Gua and Elune.

Currently absent. Whereabouts unknown.

'''Vie - Noble of Hope'''

A rather mysterious member of the famiglia, she wonders in and out of the chancel rather randomly. Nobody seems to remember when she joined the Family. In fact, some are surprised to hear that there IS a noble of Hope in the Family. She doesn't seem to have a permanent home in the chancel. She's known (at least to those few who know her) to wander about, never staying in one place for long. She is apparently summonable, but rumours have it that she's apparently rather useless.

There are strange rumours that she follows the code of the Dark, or even Hell. Why would Hope do that?

'''Thomas Eire - Keeper of Karma'''

'''Kaguya - Himegami of the Moon'''

Tsukishiro no Kaguya-hime is perhaps the second eldest of the Famiglia, though she takes great care not to let anyone know that. She is the second Noble of the Moon. There are rumours that she was behind the Apollo 13 failure. When asked about it, she would give you a disdainful look and walk away. Then again, she'd do that no matter what you tried to bring up with her.

Currently very, very vain.

'''Kimo - the Emperor of the Sun'''

= Chancel - Locus Enlightenment, Sanctum Excelestia =

[http://img248.imageshack.us/i/sanctumexcelestia.jpg HG's Impression 1]

'''Qualities'''

Megalomaniac King/Queen (-4)

Normal Magic (3)

Alchemy (1)

2 Banes (-1)

Convenient Gates (2)

Anchorable Magical residents (4)

==Government==

The Sanctum is under the absolute Executive rule of the Emperor who answers only to the Shepherdess. Judicial Rule is under the Absolute Court headed by the Shepherdess and the Supreme Court headed by the Noble of Justice and her Circle of Justiciaries. Legislative and administrative rule is divided amongst the 4 major domains under the 4 queens:

'''Alicia - High Queen of the Diamond Tower.'''

Technically, having inherited the title of 'High Queen' from her predecessor, Alicia commands the Council of Four Queens and the Round Table of Dominums. However, as she has only recently joined the Famiglia, responsibility over the Council of Four Queens has fallen on the reluctant shoulders of Elune while the Round Table of Dominums is overseen by Han Gua.

'''Lyna - Queen of the Ruby Gardens.'''

The Ruby Gardens refers to the entirety of the Arcane Arts Academy Complex within the Outer Circle where the majority of mages of Excelestia train and live. However, to most of the citizens, the 'Ruby Gardens' itself refers to the seat of government, the Ruby Palace, a magnificent rose-shaped palace of crystal grown from the very essence of the Chancel itself in the middle of the Ruby Gardens.

'''Elune - Queen of the Sapphire Sky.'''

The Sapphire Sky refers to the entirety of the sky in between the floating structures of the Sanctum. While Elune governs no real land, she controls all traffic in the airspace around the Sanctum. Her official seat of government is the Sapphire Palace, a beautiful crystalline Sapphire star floating high up within the Inner Circle, though she is rarely ever there. She usually lives in her observatory on a lonely island high above the Sanctum.

'''Jessie - Queen of the Emerald Fields.'''

The Emerald Fields refer to most of the land floating in the Ciellan Expanse, the sky beyond the Outer Wall. The Emerald Fields house a good portion of the Sanctum's agricultural and mining settlements. Her seat of government is the Emerald Palace, a beautiful viridian structure of moss-covered wood and succulent, fresh folliage that grow and thrive all year round, coiled around a giant magnificent Emerald of a green deeper than the land that surrounds it.

== Homes and Households ==

'''The Diamond Palace - ?????'''

Home of Alicia.

Personal Assistant : Lymle

'''The Ruby Palace - ????'''

Home of Lyna.

Personal Assistant : Flowerchild

'''The Garnet Fortress - ????'''

Home of Charles.

Personal Assistant : Sieghart

'''The Quartz Workshop - ????'''

Personal Assistant : Leonie

Home of Emil.

== Other Noteworthy Locations ==

'''The Amethyst Shores'''

Governed officially by Illumina, provisionally by the Arch-Artificer of the Great Guild of Alchemists. The Amethyst Shores are a group of closely-packed islands within the Outer Circle where the majority of the Alchemists of Excelestia live. While alchemists can be found just about anywhere, the Amethysts Shores are really the only place where they can make things explode to their hearts content without causing tempers to explode all around them. Alchemists can also be found en masse at the Ruby Gardens.

'''The Garnet Fortress'''

Governed mainly by Charles, the Garnet Fortress encompasses the Inner and Outer Walls of the Sanctum and the bastion of the Knights.

'''The Beryl Earth'''

Governed mainly by Regine, the

'''The Quartz Workshop'''

A watch-mender's workshop somewhere within the Diamond Tower, Emil's home and favourite haunt.

==Security==

The city has a number of defense corps organized to different degrees by a number of Nobles.

'''The Chivalrous Gentlemanly TownWatch'''

'''The Magical Avengers of Love and Peace, Magical Taskforce Ruby Gardenia'''

Organized by the 5th Noble of Magic, a rather...odd Master of Magic who believed that wearing frilly clothing is a form of sacrifice to society and preached that magical power is exponentially proportional to the frilliness of one's clothing. Now maintained by the 7th Noble of Magic, Lyna, who keeps up most of the traditions of the 5th.

'''The Upholders of Equivalent Exchange, the Eternally Passionate Flameheart Alchemists (EPFA)'''

Organized by the previous Noble of Alchemy, a rather fluffy and passionate Lady Alchemist, and maintained by the recently appointed Noble, Illumina, the EPFA are at best socially-involved nerds, at worst really, really messy vigilantes (unfortunately, more often the latter). They mainly keep the domain of the Alchemists, the Amethyst Shores, as well as their portion of the Ruby Gardens, safe...for a given value of 'safe'.

'''The Infallibly Just Circle of Justiciers'''

'''The Eternally Loyal Shieldmaidens of [Insert Place Name Here]'''

Organized by the current Noble of Loyalty,

'''The Ever-Watchful Lantern Kindlers and Lamp Bearers of the Stars'''

'''The Righteous Karmic-Retributioneer Monks of Karma'''

'''The LoreKeepers and Agents of Literary Vengeance, the Combat Librarians'''

== Groups ==

Besides the defense forces of the Chancel, the Sanctum also harbours a number of groups.

'''The Enclave of Emerald Alchemists'''
Also known as the 'Emerald Artisans', this society of Alchemists was founded by the 7th Noble of Light, TanetNephthys, and the 1st Noble of Alchemy, Armagustine Trimegistus, after the passing of the third Noble of Maricarum, Hermes Trimegistus, founder of the Emerald Arts.

In a major nettle rite wrought by the 2nd Noble of Botany, Ephistopheles, against the Noble of Alchemy, in a daring move to split the art into two major paths forever, the Enclave was splintered in two - The Cleave fo Botanists and the Enclave of Emerald Artisans. The Botanists left the Sanctum, carrying with them the entirety of botanic knowledge. The Alchemists, however, managed to keep the Principa Alchimia safe and prevented the botanists from acquiring an absolute monopoly over the Emerald Arts. The two now jealously guard their arts, for if one were to acquire the arts of the other, they would become unstoppable.

The botanists are known to pass through the Chancel to deal with the Emerald Artisans.

== Laws ==

The Chancel operates on general principles of Justice commonly found in any other society where concepts of Law and Justice exist. It has a few notable exceptions such as:

- Any deed with noble ends are exempt from law's scrutiny upon its means. This means even the most foul of deeds is considered lawfully just as long as its ends are noble. It comes with a very, very important caveat - the good of the outcome must far exceed the evil committed. This is particularly difficult to achieve with murder, as murder, the theft of the sanctity of one's life, is the basest, most evil of crimes that even the earth itself abhors.

-

N.B. The Chancel operates on the Code Napoleon, that the suspect is guilty until proven otherwise, as Lady Justice willed it to be in the prosaic realm.

== Notable Individuals ==

'''Orphus Denilzante'''
Chief Magitech Engineer of the Sanctum and designer of the Deus Ex Machina.

'''Reno Orfayne'''
Owner of Reno's Empirio, the one-stop fashion designer for Nobles, known to be second only to his Master, Enzel Haulor of 7th Avenue and 91st Street NY.

'''Sammy Westine'''
Proprietor and Chief Engineer of Westine Airships, Sammy is the young brilliant mind behind this generation's latest magitech airships. Having mastered Alchemy, Magic and Magitech at a young age, she went on to implement her excellent knowledge in airship design and construction. Her airships are used not just within the Sanctum but all over Creation. While she does produce combat-ready airships, she only produces them as personal favours for Nobles she trusts. These make proud flagships in any war fleet. It is rumoured that she is working with Aeril Jotunstrom, Noble of Ships, from Locus Atlantis, on warships capable of sailing the world beyond creation and taking part directly on the frontlines of the Valde Bellum.

'''Victor'''

= Mythic Realm =

== Chancels Known ==
''From the Primer on Loci Celatum, by Holly Djurisic''
What follows are descriptions of chancels considered widely known and to be no secret to those versed in the ways of the Mythic. Everyone knows them as a matter of common sense.

'''Locus Amarant'''

The Great Market, the Gardens of Lady Profit, Amarant is perhaps one of the few chancels that has no doors, and, even if it did, they would be wide open to welcome one and all. After all, even your worst enemy is a potential customer. Any invader would quickly find themselves besieged by peddlers of weaponry, trust and treachery, even the very spoils they are after. Everything the discerning Noble might need is available here...for the right price. The preferred currency are fleurs, but the locals have been known to trade with other things such as miracles and pacts. Some nobles come here not just to buy but also to sell. If you want or need it, Locus Amarant will sell it, or if not, then at least it will sell you the expertise of someone who CAN get it. Needless to say, the cammorae are all over Amarant.

It is well-known that even Excrucians frequent Amarant, and they know full well never to destroy Amarant....at least not until their victory is assured, for Amarant will be more than happy to sell them the means to that victory, or maybe even that victory itself....for the right price. Why destroy something so blatantly useful?

Chancel of Lady Profit, Immiae Arathy, and the Nobles of Trade, Currency, Negotiation, Supermarket Loyalty Cards, and Cookies. Yes, Cookies.

= Prosaic Realm =

== Earth ==

=== Noteworthy Individuals===

== Erebea ==

A once beautiful world, a geographic wonder of continents hanging high up in the pristine skies, flooded with raw magic reminiscent of Earth about a millennium ago. Sanctum Excelestia was once the capital of this world, until it disappeared a few millennia ago.

== Lost Universe AD 2511 ==

The Lost Universe, now a Valde Bellum warfront. In 2400 AD, an age of galactic expansion and an Aetheric golden age for human advancement, a treacherous Imperator managed to sabotage the Shepherdess' hold on the Weirding Wall, leaving gaping holes in the defense of Creation. In the ensuing chaos, the Imperators and their nobles turned their attention to the Excrucian host gathering beyond the gap. Little did they know that they had fallen prey to a deceiver ruse. At the same time, the Excrucians were readying a pincer attack, with their mimics and strategists having established a foothold on Earth's universe. The Enlightened, at the time under great scrutiny due to the Shepherdess' apparent failure at maintaining the Weirding Wall, discovered the Excrucian plans and attempted to alert the Ymmerae. However, the Deceivers held the ears of the Ymmerae, and all the please of the Enlightened fell on deaf, suspicious, skeptical ears.

In a daring move, the Noble of Aether secretly used almost the entirety of his power of limitless potential to create an anomalous fold in existence, tearing 500 years of the universe apart, resetting the universe to before the Excrucian plan had even begun in 1900. He brought the new fold containing the lost 500 years and the excrucian plot up and tethered it to the gaping hole in the Weirding Wall, just in time to meet the incoming Excrucian Host. The excrucian invasion began, never once suspecting that they had walked into a pocket universe. For the Noble of Aether's apparent treachery, the Locust Court condemned him to death without a trial, dispatching the Enlightened, his own family, to prove their allegiance to the court by executing their own brother. It is said that Justice was the one to rip his shard out of his chest with her bare hands. It is said that the shard shattered. Some say Justice, in her grief and rage, shattered it herself. Some say it was Aether's final gift to the Lost Universe, and to the entirety of creation. The shard dust was dispersed and embedded itself across the entirety of the Lost Universe, enchancelling it, bestowing its beings with the blessings of Aetheric Power, immunizing them to the crippling effects of dementia animus and empowering them in their coming struggle against the Excrucian invaders. Aether was forever lost to Creation, but its shadow continues to live on within the beings of the Lost Universe. As long as the children of Aether stand and the light of Aether burns on within them, the Lost Universe will always resist the Excrucian host.

The Lost Universe has since been sealed away outside the Weirding Wall, doomed to forever be an Excrucian battleground, until the day the Excrucians trapped within consume the Lost Universe and realize Aether's trickery.

At the precise moment Aether's sacrifice enchancelled the Lost Universe, Hammond Qarn, Imperator of the Lost Universe, came into being. Having arisen from a universe so filled with the Shepherdess' own power, Hammond naturally became a Magister of the Enlightened. Furthermore, as the chancel was created using the Shepherdess' own soul shard, a fraction of the Shepherdess' own essence makes up the chancel's foundations. Thus for all intents and purposes the Enlightened can treat the Lost Universe as their own home chancel.

Few other nobles are privy to the secret of the Lost Universe's existence. Even fewer take up the fight to defend the Lost Universe in order to delay the full-scale invasion of Creation. The Nobles of Astelumina and Endeon were the first to pick up Aether's fallen banner and lead the battle against the Excrucian host and were also the first to fall.

'Now and Forever, till the hour I too stand between Impossibility and Despair!' - Phaeron Rof Alabar Trimeniel - Emperor of Aether

=== Notable Locations ===

'''L.U. Earth AD 2511'''

In AD 2400, Astelumina and Endeon managed to rid the entire earth of deceivers, strategists and mimics, making it one of the last few human settlements still untouched by the Excrucian Scourge. The war and Aether's blessing has accelerated technology to astronomical heights in the past 111 years, bringing humanity to a point where they can overwhelm excrucian shards and at the very least annoy full excrucians, if not kill them. Earth is now the capital of the Universal Aetheric Alliance (UAA), headquarters of the Excrucian resistance. Its coordinates are guarded to the death by the Children of Aether. Those who sally forth to meet the Excrucian Host do so without carrying Earth's coordinates, knowing full well that they may never return to their beloved home.

'''L.U. Heaven’s Feel'''

The current frontier of the Lost Universe Valde Bellum, Heaven’s Feel is perhaps the most beautiful extrasolar human colony. A large T3 terraformed planet orbiting the gas giant Astelumina 3, behind a dense spherical asteroid field and a radioactive veil around the sun Astelumina, it makes a naturally fortified world. Thanks to the scattering radiation and the dense blackhole just a few megaparsecs away at the center of the galaxy, the system and planet is nigh impossible to find at the best of times, at least for marauding excrucian raiding parties. The UAA uses Astelumina’s final gift, the gift of the stars, the ability to travel on aetheric currents guided by the stars, to travel safely in and out of the system.

When excrucians do find the planet, they are immediately drawn into its orbit by the interaction of the gravity wells of Heaven’s Feel’s many moons. They have no hope of escaping to notify the host of the planet’s location before they are drawn into intense battle by the Feelians.

The planet is ravaged by repeat invasions.

=== Familia of the Lost Universe ===

More or less an extended family of the Enlightened, the Familia of the Lost Universe are the sworn guardians of Aether's legacy.

'''Hammond Qarn - Imperator of the Lost Universe'''

Despite being an offshoot of the Shepherdess' power, Hammond Qarn is quite the opposite. He looks as human as they come. In fact, very, very much so, with his thick paternal beard, his twinkling eyes and his simple, honest expression, like a stern but compassionate father. Those who have the great honour of an audience with him are overcome with an overwhelming confidence and faith in humanity's potential and prowess. His being is shrouded in the stuff of legends. They say he single-handedly piloted an Alliance Battlecruiser straight into an Excrucian battlestation and escaped alive, unscathed. They say he personally lead the desperate charge that ended the siege of Harvest 4. They say he singlehandedly held the line at Point Hope against the entire advancing Excrucian host at the battle of Forge 3. They say a lot of things about Hammond Qarn, and when you meet him, sitting like a lighthouse exuding calm and confidence amidst the storm of war, in his simple, neatly-pressed uniform gleaming with but one badge denoting his allegiance to the Alliance, you feel naught but awe - that this man is the legend in the flesh.

'''Commander John Shepard - Power of Living Legends'''

'''Excel 7 - Commander of Super Soldiers'''

was responsible for the Halo series and partly responsible for the Metal Gear series, amongst other things.

'''Iris Erran - Chief Admiral of Spacecrafts'''

'''ALMa OmNI. - Supreme Administrator of Aetheric Technology'''

An A.I. born of the pinnacle of Aetheric supercomputers,

= Quests =

== Active Quests ==

=== Imperator Quests ===

'''Overdue'''

Started : 8th November 2011

The Shepherdess has requested that the Foreguards return 3 books she's borrowed for Shepherdess-knows-how-long now, for reasons that none can fathom. These books are:

1) 'Single Parenting for Idiots', to the Imperator of Shadows

2) 'The Amazing Justice and the Lovely Yaoi Doujin', to the Noble of Women's Beards

3) 'The Witchhunter's Codex' to a certain alchemist in Erebea.

Progress: n/a

'''?????'''

Started : ?????

??????

Progress: n/a

=== Chivalry Quests ===

''''''

=== Determinism Quests ===

=== Illumination Quests ===

'''Twinkle, Little Star'''

Started : 15th November 2011

As the world darkens, the light of the stars fade. Elune, little noble of stars, your sister, lies sick, alone in her high observatory, forgotten by the rest of the world. Now the weakening of the stars has started to affect the domain of Light too. Something must be done before yet another member of the Family succumbs to the war of attrition upon the Enlightened.

Progress:

1) Lyna, Emil and Alicia visited Elune in her observatory and found her ill.

2) They discovered that her observatory was severely corrupted by some malignant corruption that was trying to break into the chancel.

3) They sealed off the intrusion into the chancel but destroyed the observatory in the process. They managed to prevent the observatory from crashing catastrophically into the chancel.

4) They've brought the sick Elune to the Sapphire Palace and acquired the help of Regine to treat her.

'''Who moved my Christmas?!'''

Christmas, the biggest celebration of lights and joy, isn't happening this year! This is unprecedented serious affair!

Started : 8th November 2011

Progress :

1) Alicia has asked the magical girls, knights, and others who've passed in and out of the chancel, for any information they might know about this. She's learned that it's a rather complex issue. It might be the economy, it might be the declining family values, could be anything.

'''When you peer into the Abyss...'''

Started : n/a

And the Creator said, 'Let there be Light', and there was light, and he saw that it was good. And He separated the dark from the light. Thus was the First Day.

It wasn't quite that simple.

When the light came to be, the dark too came to be as a result, and neither could tolerate the other. Thus the First War of Light and Dark began, pure and simple, with no preamble or prelude. They fought for Shepherdess-knows-how-long. Finally, the formation of the Covenant of the First Day, an agreement between the Light and the Dark to respect the other's estate, ended the war. How it came to be, however, is still a hotly debated topic. Some say the Dark won. Some say the Light won. Some say it was a draw. Some say there were other reasons. Who really knows?

An anniversary of the Covenant of the First Day is celebrated yearly now to uphold the ideals of peace and cooperation between Light and Dark. This year, it's Alicia's turn to host the festival. What could go wrong?

Progress : n/a

=== Magic Quests ===

'''Dude, Where's My Ship?!'''

Following the disappearance of a wildcat Lignite mining crew in the A

'''My Struggle, My suffering, My Legacy'''

Started: n/a

The smoke of witch burning pyres rise high up into the skies above the magical realm of Neven. The once all-powerful mages now run and hide before the onslaught of the Reinzhuthen, an order of genocidal purists who are in pursuit of the all-powerful dark mage, the dark lord Daran Reganz. The Reinzhuthen have taken up an all-or-nothing approach towards hunting Daran Reganz – wiping out every last mage on Neven. After successfully gathering the support of the people against the seemingly incompetent mage-led government and subsequently overthrowing them, the Reinzhuthen declared a world-wide ban of magical practices, declaring any practitioner an agent of Daran Reganz and an enemy of the state.

Progress: n/a

=== Intelligence Quests ===

== Completed Quests ==

= Correspondence =

== Family Correspondence ==

'Good morning, Masters and Mistresses. I hope the noise didn't keep you up last night. The Alchemists discovered a new flower known quite amusingly as the 'Boom Lily'. Thankfully they grew quieter as the night went by. Anyhow, here's today's selection of the world's headlines.' - Mira -

• Presidents of Chechnya, Bosnia and Ukraine die in mysterious circumstances.

• American invasion of Iran is meeting heavy resistance. The Iranians now threaten to unleash their nuclear arsenal if America does not cease and desist.

• A new illness is spreading. Cause unknown.

== Illumination's Correspondence==

'Young Miss, please do take some times to reads some of these, 'kay? Lymle's actually done her bests to sort them outs, 'kay!' - Lymle -

- You've been cordially invited to attend the Divali celebrations in India. - Various Nobles -

== Chivalry's Correspondence ==

'Aye, my liege, thou hath an abundant harvest of letters. Thy loyal steed hast made do with the more...delicious trivialties. *BURP*' - Sieghart -

== Determinism's Correspondence ==

'Hey, old man, check it out, you've got mail. Should I fetch your specs? Or maybe a magnifying glass? Or maybe my winding screw? All that sorting's wound down my springs...' - Leonie -

== Magic's Correspondence ==

'Young Mistress, it's time to read your correspondence for the day. Please sit down here. Yes, here. Now, back straight like a washboard, eyes forward like a dead fish, and elbows akimbo like a ballerina...yes, excellent, young mistress. Now, I present you my personal selection of today's letters.' - Flowerchild -

== Intelligence's Correspondence ==

Nobilis Enlightened

2011-03-12T00:01:51Z

Mind-The-Gap:

[[Category:Nobilis]]

= Imperator - The Shepherdess of Light =

1. ‘Omneaum(a) became aware. In its awareness, it found loneliness. It saw potential, good, an impossibility.

2. Omneaum gave way to potential, and made the impossible possible. It was, things became.

3. Enlightenment arose, and so did I, Whole, Complete, bearing the Gifts of Aether (b), Light, Vaveram (c), Maricarum (d), Endeon (e), and Causality.

4. Omneaum’s legacy I shall honour and hold safe, now and forever, till the hour I too stand alone between Impossibility and Despair.’

- The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light, Imperator of Enlightenment -

(a) Omneaum: The Original Absolute Void

(b) Aether: Estate of 'Absolute Potential', the 'Impossible made Possible', the very basic element of creation from which all matter and life flowed. It was said to have been more abundant in space. (Now excruciated, succeeded in part by the estate of 'Magic')

(c)Vaveram: Estate of Spontaneous Sentience and Awareness (Now Excruciated. Never replaced.)

(d) Maricarum: Estate of Great Miracles through Personal Sacrifice (Now excruciated, succeeded by the estate of 'Magic' and 'Sacrifice')

(e)Endeon: Estate of the 'Lone Wolf Phenomenon', wherein those fighting against overwhelming odds are always guaranteed victory. Better known in our time as the 'Storm Trooper effect'. (Now excruciated)

Having predated the Imperators of 'Name', the Shepherdess is nameless and formless. Those who are fortunate enough to know her identify her as 'The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light', or, simply, 'The Shepherdess'. Having come into being before the birth of the concept of 'form' or even 'matter' and 'physical law', she is without form in the physical universe. She used to communicate with her agents in the physical universe through pulses of light and ripples in a fountain of light. Needless to say, a lot of liberty had been taken in deciphering her wishes. Recently, however, the Chief Engineer of the Sanctum, Orphus, has devised an ingenious megastructure, the Deus Ex Machina, a gigantic clockwork device that allows the Shepherdess to see into the physical realm and engage with it using a gigantic, rather clumsy steel claw and communicate using a ticker-tape telegram machine.

(Interestingly, having also preceded the Imperator of Gender, she is, or, at least, was, in essence, genderless. However, around 300 B.C. she became a part of debate amongst philosophers as an example of a being who must be 'of the default gender'. For some reason it was decided that the default gender was female, and so the Shepherdess has since been considered to be of the female persuasion. Not that she really cares. It is suspected that the Noble of Women had something to do with this, but that's a tale for another time.)

Prophesized successor of Ananda and future Shepherdess of the Fifth Age, the Glorious One has purposely been denied a seat on the Council of Four, for her ways are that of the ‘Enlightened’, incompatible with the ways of the other council-members. She earns Lord Entropy and Ananda’s tolerance for her existence only through her service in the Valde Bellum and her Light’s importance in maintaining the Weirding Wall, a task that consumes almost the entirety of her attention and being (much to Lord Entropy’s and Ananda’s satisfaction).

The Heavens despise her, for an Angel of Creation she is not, and yet she brought forth the first Light that made everything that was Beautiful possible. Only the fact that her Light is necessary for beauty and this fact alone earns her the toleration of Heaven. The Wild would have nothing to do with her, for there is no freedom in sacrifice.The Hells, the Darkness and the Light all loath her, for not only is she the voice of wisdom that transcends not just the Corruption that the Hells endeavour towards, but she is also the voice that moves all beings towards becoming more than the matter they are made from, transcending what they are, pushing them ever onwards towards a greater purpose not only in life but also in death. Those who follow her code wish for naught else but the glory of dying for a greater good.

It is unclear what her true nature or form is. Nobody seems to remember when she came to be, or how for that matter. Some suspect she is one of the Heavenly legion, an Angel, but not only do the Heavens and its angelic denizens despise her at the best of times, her ways are most definitely not that of Heaven. Some surmise that she is a fallen Angel, but the cause of Hell she does not serve. It is highly possible that she is a True God, but all of creation knows they did not appear until long after the Angels had begun the Great Work. Recently, when passings of the Transcendants were properly documented in AP 4732, it was surmised that she is perhaps a Transcendant who somehow chose to settle upon the World Ash, perhaps one of the Charitable. Said document is Creation's closest description of the Shepherdess' nature, her gifts being her Estates and her Law.

=='''Vow of the Enlightened'''==

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this.

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this. - One thing leads to another. And at the end of all things is an ‘end’.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this. - Every good act must be good of purpose and good of result. This clause seems to fail to (most probably purposely) mention anything regarding the means. Taking the most liberal interpretation, a ‘Noble deed’ can have means as lacking in morals as a psychotic mass murderer, and yet still be considered ‘Noble’ in the eyes of the ‘Enlightened’. What matters is the cause, the intention and the ends. Everything in between matters naught.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this. - The ultimate sacrifice can conquer anything, even the impossible. This is the one true ‘Miracle’, Magic at its purest, one that allows the Enlightened to surpass his/her own end and achieve greatness through sacrifice. The Shepherdess safeguards the cause of all who sacrifice themselves for a greater purpose, guaranteeing them the miraculous magic of success.

==Details==

'''Estates''': Light, Determinism, Magic, Chivalry, Intelligence, Honour, Loyalty, Courage, Hope, Justice, Karma, Logic, Alchemy, Sacrifice, Curiosity, Sun, Moon, Stars

'''Excruciated Estates''': Aether, Vaveram, Maricarum, Endeon, Astelumina

'''Qualities:'''

Great Harvest (2)

Cold (-1)

Demanding (-1)

----

= The Famiglia of the Enlightened =

The Famiglia of the Enlightened ''were'' a highly respected and influential group about 4-5 centuries before, their power extending from the very birth of creation. However, in a highly unorthodox move around the 4002 A.P., the Council ordered the Shepherdess to provide additional support in the Valde Bellum proper, above and beyond her maintenance of the Weirding Wall. Seeing as the Wall already consumed most if not all her power and attention, she was forced to mobilize members of her Famiglia, something quite unprecedented. The Nobles of Maricarum, Aether and Endeon were the first to volunteer for the great undertaking, having attained near-Imperator-level powers at the time. A few centuries later, Vaveram, Astelumina, Chivalry, Courage and Alchemy too joined their brother and sisters in the direct defense of creation. They held the line for a good few centuries, seeing a slow but definite turnover in nobles. That was until, for reasons still unknown, Maricarum, Aether, Endeon, Vaveram and Astelumina were excruciated one by one. The last to fall were Endeon and Astelumina in 4895 AP, at the same time 500 years of Human History was erased.

With no time to mourn, the Famiglia of the Enlightened were forced to mobilize more members of their famiglia to the front lines. The following few years saw more of their Nobles killed, though thankfully not excruciated.

Now with few remaining senior members, the famiglia struggles to stay on its feet with the large influx of new family members. Will they be able to live up to their predecessors? Will they be able to return the family to its former glory and take it to new heights? Or will this be the end of the Enlightened? That is up to the new Famiglia.

== PC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Foreguard of the Enlightened''

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Alicia_Valka '''Alicia - Principissa of Illumination''']

The 21st Principissa Of Illumination.

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Emil '''Emil - Power of Determinism''']

The 13th Power of Determinism

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Charles_Earl_Of_Huntington'''Charles - Lord of Chivalry''']

The 77th Lord of Chivalry

'''Lyna - Regina of Magic'''

The 66th Regina of Magic

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Mana_Kishimura '''Mana Kishimura - Noble of Intelligence (And Dolphins)''']

The 17th Noble of Intelligence and 2nd Noble of Dolphins.

== NPC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Vanguard of the Enlightened''

'''Regine - Inquesta of Loyalty'''

'''Jessie - Tempesta of Courage (Sort of veering towards Impetuous Juvenile Recklessness)'''

'''Illumina - AllMother of Alchemy'''

Novice Alchemist extraordinaire and (rather unwilling) Commander of the Alchemist Flameheart Squad, Illumina is yet another recent addition to the Famiglia. She's currently worried about the sorry state of her estate (mostly usurped by Chemistry and now reduced to nothing more than a fantasy fiction gimmick) and a missing prominent Alchemist amongst other things....but mainly by the prospect of responsibility in general.

She is widely known, even outside Alchemist circles, as 'Big Bang Lum'.

'''Elune - Principissa of the Stars'''

While relatively senior in the Famiglia of the Enlightened (by simple virtue of everyone else being very recent additions), that's as far as her seniority goes. In every other respect, she is mostly helpless, though the more understanding dismiss this as a reflection of her estate - stars aren't known to be do much other than be pretty, especially lately with modern technology supplanting the need for stellar navigation or calendar-keeping. It used to be so much different when her sister, the Noble of Astelumina, the power of stellar influence upon the workings of the universe and lives on earth, was still around. Now as the stars fade and people forget the stars, Elune lies ill, slowly fading herself.

''The Diplomatic Corp (Intelligence) of the Enlightened''

'''Rang Fan - Excelifficer of Logic'''

Born a humble villager in a Tibetan highland settlement, Rang Fan grew up completely illiterate. She was, however, a keen observer and deep thinker. She developed her own concise and strict principles of logic, one that often found fault in the traditionalist views of the people she lived amongst. Some saw her as a source of wisdom, some saw her as a demon-possessed child.

She became the favourite anchor of the previous Noble of Logic for a while. During this time, her mastery of logic developed brilliantly. Unfortunately, she came afoul of a Chinese official when she publicly defeated him in a debate regarding the accusation of rebellion on the part of the village.

'''Geronimo - High Chief of Sacrifice'''

'''Han Gua - Exarch of Honour'''

'''Jimmy - Arch-Provost of Curiosity'''

''The Unassigned of the Enlightened''

'''Justice(?) - Empress of Justice'''

Not much is known about Justice, the 1st Noble of Justice. She is the eldest of the current Famiglia, though in the time of the original Famiglia, she was the youngest. She is the last surviving member of the original Famiglia of the Enlightened. It is rumoured that she was an Angel before she joined the Enlightened, though whether or not this is true is unknown. Her real name is unknown. Nobody has seen her in a long, long while. The only members of the current famiglia who have seen her are Han Gua and Elune.

Currently absent. Whereabouts unknown.

'''Vie - Noble of Hope'''

A rather mysterious member of the famiglia, she wonders in and out of the chancel rather randomly. Nobody seems to remember when she joined the Family. In fact, some are surprised to hear that there IS a noble of Hope in the Family. She doesn't seem to have a permanent home in the chancel. She's known (at least to those few who know her) to wander about, never staying in one place for long. She is apparently summonable, but rumours have it that she's apparently rather useless.

There are strange rumours that she follows the code of the Dark, or even Hell. Why would Hope do that?

'''Thomas Eire - Keeper of Karma'''

'''Kaguya - Himegami of the Moon'''

Tsukishiro no Kaguya-hime is perhaps the second eldest of the Famiglia, though she takes great care not to let anyone know that. She is the second Noble of the Moon. There are rumours that she was behind the Apollo 13 failure. When asked about it, she would give you a disdainful look and walk away. Then again, she'd do that no matter what you tried to bring up with her.

Currently very, very vain.

'''Kimo - the Emperor of the Sun'''

= Chancel - Locus Enlightenment, Sanctum Excelestia =

[http://img248.imageshack.us/i/sanctumexcelestia.jpg HG's Impression 1]

'''Qualities'''

Megalomaniac King/Queen (-4)

Normal Magic (3)

Alchemy (1)

2 Banes (-1)

Convenient Gates (2)

Anchorable Magical residents (4)

==Government==

The Sanctum is under the absolute Executive rule of the Emperor who answers only to the Shepherdess. Legislative and administrative rule is divided amongst the 4 major domains under the 4 queens:

'''Alicia - High Queen of the Diamond Tower.'''

Technically, having inherited the title of 'High Queen' from her predecessor, Alicia commands the Council of Four Queens and the Round Table of Dominums. However, as she has only recently joined the Famiglia, responsibility over the Council of Four Queens has fallen on the reluctant shoulders of Elune while the Round Table of Dominums is overseen by Han Gua.

'''Lyna - Queen of the Ruby Gardens.'''

The Ruby Gardens refers to the entirety of the Arcane Arts Academy Complex within the Outer Circle where the majority of mages of Excelestia train and live. However, to most of the citizens, the 'Ruby Gardens' itself refers to the seat of government, the Ruby Palace, a magnificent rose-shaped palace of crystal grown from the very essence of the Chancel itself in the middle of the Ruby Gardens.

'''Elune - Queen of the Sapphire Sky.'''

The Sapphire Sky refers to the entirety of the sky in between the floating structures of the Sanctum. While Elune governs no real land, she controls all traffic in the airspace around the Sanctum. Her official seat of government is the Sapphire Palace, a beautiful crystalline Sapphire star floating high up within the Inner Circle, though she is rarely ever there. She usually lives in her observatory on a lonely island high above the Sanctum.

'''Jessie - Queen of the Emerald Fields.'''

The Emerald Fields refer to most of the land floating in the Ciellan Expanse, the sky beyond the Outer Wall. The Emerald Fields house a good portion of the Sanctum's agricultural and mining settlements. Her seat of government is the Emerald Palace, a beautiful viridian structure of moss-covered wood and succulent, fresh folliage that grow and thrive all year round, coiled around a giant magnificent Emerald of a green deeper than the land that surrounds it.

== Other Noteworthy Locations ==

'''The Amethyst Shores'''

Governed officially by Illumina, provisionally by the Arch-Artificer of the Great Guild of Alchemists. The Amethyst Shores are a group of closely-packed islands within the Outer Circle where the majority of the Alchemists of Excelestia live. While alchemists can be found just about anywhere, the Amethysts Shores are really the only place where they can make things explode to their hearts content without causing tempers to explode all around them. Alchemists can also be found en masse at the Ruby Gardens.

'''The Garnet Fortress'''

Governed mainly by Charles, the Garnet Fortress encompasses the Inner and Outer Walls of the Sanctum and the bastion of the Knights.

'''The Beryl Earth'''

Governed mainly by Regine, the

Judicial Rule is under the Absolute Court headed by the Shepherdess and the Supreme Court headed by the Noble of Justice and her Circle of Justiciaries.

'''The Quartz Workshop'''

A watch-mender's workshop somewhere within the Diamond Tower, Emil's home and favourite haunt.

==Security==

The city has a number of defense corps organized to different degrees by a number of Nobles.

'''The Chivalrous Gentlemanly TownWatch'''

'''The Magical Avengers of Love and Peace, Magical Taskforce Ruby Gardenia'''

Organized by the 5th Noble of Magic, a rather...odd Master of Magic who believed that wearing frilly clothing is a form of sacrifice to society and preached that magical power is exponentially proportional to the frilliness of one's clothing. Now maintained by the 7th Noble of Magic, Lyna, who keeps up most of the traditions of the 5th.

'''The Upholders of Equivalent Exchange, the Eternally Passionate Flameheart Alchemists (EPFA)'''

Organized by the previous Noble of Alchemy, a rather fluffy and passionate Lady Alchemist, and maintained by the recently appointed Noble, Illumina, the EPFA are at best socially-involved nerds, at worst really, really messy vigilantes (unfortunately, more often the latter). They mainly keep the domain of the Alchemists, the Amethyst Shores, as well as their portion of the Ruby Gardens, safe...for a given value of 'safe'.

'''The Infallibly Just Circle of Justiciers'''

'''The Eternally Loyal Shieldmaidens of [Insert Place Name Here]'''

Organized by the current Noble of Loyalty,

'''The Ever-Watchful Lantern Kindlers and Lamp Bearers of the Stars'''

'''The Righteous Karmic-Retributioneer Monks of Karma'''

'''The LoreKeepers and Agents of Literary Vengeance, the Combat Librarians'''

== Groups ==

Besides the defense forces of the Chancel, the Sanctum also harbours a number of groups.

'''The Enclave of Emerald Alchemists'''
Also known as the 'Emerald Artisans', this society of Alchemists was founded by the 7th Noble of Light, TanetNephthys, and the 1st Noble of Alchemy, Armagustine Trimegistus, after the passing of the third Noble of Maricarum, Hermes Trimegistus, founder of the Emerald Arts.

In a major nettle rite wrought by the 2nd Noble of Botany, Ephistopheles, against the Noble of Alchemy, in a daring move to split the art into two major paths forever, the Enclave was splintered in two - The Cleave fo Botanists and the Enclave of Emerald Artisans. The Botanists left the Sanctum, carrying with them the entirety of botanic knowledge. The Alchemists, however, managed to keep the Principa Alchimia safe and prevented the botanists from acquiring an absolute monopoly over the Emerald Arts. The two now jealously guard their arts, for if one were to acquire the arts of the other, they would become unstoppable.

The botanists are known to pass through the Chancel to deal with the Emerald Artisans.

== Laws ==

The Chancel operates on general principles of Justice commonly found in any other society where concepts of Law and Justice exist. It has a few notable exceptions such as:

- Any deed with noble ends are exempt from law's scrutiny upon its means. This means even the most foul of deeds is considered lawfully just as long as its ends are noble. It comes with a very, very important caveat - the good of the outcome must far exceed the evil committed. This is particularly difficult to achieve with murder, as murder, the theft of the sanctity of one's life, is the basest, most evil of crimes that even the earth itself abhors.

-

N.B. The Chancel operates on the Code Napoleon, that the suspect is guilty until proven otherwise, as Lady Justice willed it to be in the prosaic realm.

== Notable Individuals ==

'''Orphus Denilzante'''
Chief Magitech Engineer of the Sanctum and designer of the Deus Ex Machina.

'''Reno Orfayne'''
Owner of Reno's Empirio, the one-stop fashion designer for Nobles, known to be second only to his Master, Enzel Haulor of 7th Avenue and 91st Street NY.

'''Sammy Westine'''
Proprietor and Chief Engineer of Westine Airships, Sammy is the young brilliant mind behind this generation's latest magitech airships. Having mastered Alchemy, Magic and Magitech at a young age, she went on to implement her excellent knowledge in airship design and construction. Her airships are used not just within the Sanctum but all over Creation. While she does produce combat-ready airships, she only produces them as personal favours for Nobles she trusts. These make proud flagships in any war fleet. It is rumoured that she is working with Aeril Jotunstrom, Noble of Ships, from Locus Atlantis, on warships capable of sailing the world beyond creation and taking part directly on the frontlines of the Valde Bellum.

'''Victor'''

= Mythic Realm =

== Chancels Known ==
''From the Primer on Loci Celatum, by Holly Djurisic''
What follows are descriptions of chancels considered widely known and to be no secret to those versed in the ways of the Mythic. Everyone knows them as a matter of common sense.

'''Locus Amarant'''

The Great Market, the Gardens of Lady Profit, Amarant is perhaps one of the few chancels that has no doors, and, even if it did, they would be wide open to welcome one and all. After all, even your worst enemy is a potential customer. Any invader would quickly find themselves besieged by peddlers of weaponry, trust and treachery, even the very spoils they are after. Everything the discerning Noble might need is available here...for the right price. The preferred currency are fleurs, but the locals have been known to trade with other things such as miracles and pacts. Some nobles come here not just to buy but also to sell. If you want or need it, Locus Amarant will sell it, or if not, then at least it will sell you the expertise of someone who CAN get it. Needless to say, the cammorae are all over Amarant.

It is well-known that even Excrucians frequent Amarant, and they know full well never to destroy Amarant....at least not until their victory is assured, for Amarant will be more than happy to sell them the means to that victory, or maybe even that victory itself....for the right price. Why destroy something so blatantly useful?

Chancel of Lady Profit, Immiae Arathy, and the Nobles of Trade, Currency, Negotiation, Supermarket Loyalty Cards, and Cookies. Yes, Cookies.

= Prosaic Realm =

== Earth ==

=== Noteworthy Individuals===

== Erebea ==

A once beautiful world, a geographic wonder of continents hanging high up in the pristine skies, flooded with raw magic reminiscent of Earth about a millennium ago. Sanctum Excelestia was once the capital of this world, until it disappeared a few millennia ago.

== Lost Universe AD 2511 ==

The Lost Universe, now a Valde Bellum warfront. In 2400 AD, an age of galactic expansion and an Aetheric golden age for human advancement, a treacherous Imperator managed to sabotage the Shepherdess' hold on the Weirding Wall, leaving gaping holes in the defense of Creation. In the ensuing chaos, the Imperators and their nobles turned their attention to the Excrucian host gathering beyond the gap. Little did they know that they had fallen prey to a deceiver ruse. At the same time, the Excrucians were readying a pincer attack, with their mimics and strategists having established a foothold on Earth's universe. The Enlightened, at the time under great scrutiny due to the Shepherdess' apparent failure at maintaining the Weirding Wall, discovered the Excrucian plans and attempted to alert the Ymmerae. However, the Deceivers held the ears of the Ymmerae, and all the please of the Enlightened fell on deaf, suspicious, skeptical ears.

In a daring move, the Noble of Aether secretly used almost the entirety of his power of limitless potential to create an anomalous fold in existence, tearing 500 years of the universe apart, resetting the universe to before the Excrucian plan had even begun in 1900. He brought the new fold containing the lost 500 years and the excrucian plot up and tethered it to the gaping hole in the Weirding Wall, just in time to meet the incoming Excrucian Host. The excrucian invasion began, never once suspecting that they had walked into a pocket universe. For the Noble of Aether's apparent treachery, the Locust Court condemned him to death without a trial, dispatching the Enlightened, his own family, to prove their allegiance to the court by executing their own brother. It is said that Justice was the one to rip his shard out of his chest with her bare hands. It is said that the shard shattered. Some say Justice, in her grief and rage, shattered it herself. Some say it was Aether's final gift to the Lost Universe, and to the entirety of creation. The shard dust was dispersed and embedded itself across the entirety of the Lost Universe, enchancelling it, bestowing its beings with the blessings of Aetheric Power, immunizing them to the crippling effects of dementia animus and empowering them in their coming struggle against the Excrucian invaders. Aether was forever lost to Creation, but its shadow continues to live on within the beings of the Lost Universe. As long as the children of Aether stand and the light of Aether burns on within them, the Lost Universe will always resist the Excrucian host.

The Lost Universe has since been sealed away outside the Weirding Wall, doomed to forever be an Excrucian battleground, until the day the Excrucians trapped within consume the Lost Universe and realize Aether's trickery.

At the precise moment Aether's sacrifice enchancelled the Lost Universe, Hammond Qarn, Imperator of the Lost Universe, came into being. Having arisen from a universe so filled with the Shepherdess' own power, Hammond naturally became a Magister of the Enlightened. Furthermore, as the chancel was created using the Shepherdess' own soul shard, a fraction of the Shepherdess' own essence makes up the chancel's foundations. Thus for all intents and purposes the Enlightened can treat the Lost Universe as their own home chancel.

Few other nobles are privy to the secret of the Lost Universe's existence. Even fewer take up the fight to defend the Lost Universe in order to delay the full-scale invasion of Creation. The Nobles of Astelumina and Endeon were the first to pick up Aether's fallen banner and lead the battle against the Excrucian host and were also the first to fall.

'Now and Forever, till the hour I too stand between Impossibility and Despair!' - Phaeron Rof Alabar Trimeniel - Emperor of Aether

=== Notable Locations ===

'''L.U. Earth AD 2511'''

In AD 2400, Astelumina and Endeon managed to rid the entire earth of deceivers, strategists and mimics, making it one of the last few human settlements still untouched by the Excrucian Scourge. The war and Aether's blessing has accelerated technology to astronomical heights in the past 111 years, bringing humanity to a point where they can overwhelm excrucian shards and at the very least annoy full excrucians, if not kill them. Earth is now the capital of the Universal Aetheric Alliance (UAA), headquarters of the Excrucian resistance. Its coordinates are guarded to the death by the Children of Aether. Those who sally forth to meet the Excrucian Host do so without carrying Earth's coordinates, knowing full well that they may never return to their beloved home.

'''L.U. Heaven’s Feel'''

The current frontier of the Lost Universe Valde Bellum, Heaven’s Feel is perhaps the most beautiful extrasolar human colony. A large T3 terraformed planet orbiting the gas giant Astelumina 3, behind a dense spherical asteroid field and a radioactive veil around the sun Astelumina, it makes a naturally fortified world. Thanks to the scattering radiation and the dense blackhole just a few megaparsecs away at the center of the galaxy, the system and planet is nigh impossible to find at the best of times, at least for marauding excrucian raiding parties. The UAA uses Astelumina’s final gift, the gift of the stars, the ability to travel on aetheric currents guided by the stars, to travel safely in and out of the system.

When excrucians do find the planet, they are immediately drawn into its orbit by the interaction of the gravity wells of Heaven’s Feel’s many moons. They have no hope of escaping to notify the host of the planet’s location before they are drawn into intense battle by the Feelians.

The planet is ravaged by repeat invasions.

=== Familia of the Lost Universe ===

More or less an extended family of the Enlightened, the Familia of the Lost Universe are the sworn guardians of Aether's legacy.

'''Hammond Qarn - Imperator of the Lost Universe'''

Despite being an offshoot of the Shepherdess' power, Hammond Qarn is quite the opposite. He looks as human as they come. In fact, very, very much so, with his thick paternal beard, his twinkling eyes and his simple, honest expression, like a stern but compassionate father. Those who have the great honour of an audience with him are overcome with an overwhelming confidence and faith in humanity's potential and prowess. His being is shrouded in the stuff of legends. They say he single-handedly piloted an Alliance Battlecruiser straight into an Excrucian battlestation and escaped alive, unscathed. They say he personally lead the desperate charge that ended the siege of Harvest 4. They say he singlehandedly held the line at Point Hope against the entire advancing Excrucian host at the battle of Forge 3. They say a lot of things about Hammond Qarn, and when you meet him, sitting like a lighthouse exuding calm and confidence amidst the storm of war, in his simple, neatly-pressed uniform gleaming with but one badge denoting his allegiance to the Alliance, you feel naught but awe - that this man is the legend in the flesh.

'''Commander John Shepard - Power of Living Legends'''

'''Excel 7 - Commander of Super Soldiers'''

was responsible for the Halo series and partly responsible for the Metal Gear series, amongst other things.

'''Iris Erran - Chief Admiral of Spacecrafts'''

'''ALMa OmNI. - Supreme Administrator of Aetheric Technology'''

An A.I. born of the pinnacle of Aetheric supercomputers,

= Quests =

== Active Quests ==

=== Imperator Quests ===

'''Overdue'''

Started : 8th November 2011

The Shepherdess has requested that the Foreguards return 3 books she's borrowed for Shepherdess-knows-how-long now, for reasons that none can fathom. These books are:

1) 'Single Parenting for Idiots', to the Imperator of Shadows

2) 'The Amazing Justice and the Lovely Yaoi Doujin', to the Noble of Women's Beards

3) 'The Witchhunter's Codex' to a certain alchemist in Erebea.

Progress: n/a

'''?????'''

Started : ?????

??????

Progress: n/a

=== Chivalry Quests ===

''''''

=== Determinism Quests ===

=== Illumination Quests ===

'''Twinkle, Little Star'''

Started : 15th November 2011

As the world darkens, the light of the stars fade. Elune, little noble of stars, your sister, lies sick, alone in her high observatory, forgotten by the rest of the world. Now the weakening of the stars has started to affect the domain of Light too. Something must be done before yet another member of the Family succumbs to the war of attrition upon the Enlightened.

Progress:

1) Lyna, Emil and Alicia visited Elune in her observatory and found her ill.

2) They discovered that her observatory was severely corrupted by some malignant corruption that was trying to break into the chancel.

3) They sealed off the intrusion into the chancel but destroyed the observatory in the process. They managed to prevent the observatory from crashing catastrophically into the chancel.

4) They've brought the sick Elune to the Sapphire Palace and acquired the help of Regine to treat her.

'''Who moved my Christmas?!'''

Christmas, the biggest celebration of lights and joy, isn't happening this year! This is unprecedented serious affair!

Started : 8th November 2011

Progress :

1) Alicia has asked the magical girls, knights, and others who've passed in and out of the chancel, for any information they might know about this. She's learned that it's a rather complex issue. It might be the economy, it might be the declining family values, could be anything.

'''When you peer into the Abyss...'''

Started : n/a

And the Creator said, 'Let there be Light', and there was light, and he saw that it was good. And He separated the dark from the light. Thus was the First Day.

It wasn't quite that simple.

When the light came to be, the dark too came to be as a result, and neither could tolerate the other. Thus the First War of Light and Dark began, pure and simple, with no preamble or prelude. They fought for Shepherdess-knows-how-long. Finally, the formation of the Covenant of the First Day, an agreement between the Light and the Dark to respect the other's estate, ended the war. How it came to be, however, is still a hotly debated topic. Some say the Dark won. Some say the Light won. Some say it was a draw. Some say there were other reasons. Who really knows?

An anniversary of the Covenant of the First Day is celebrated yearly now to uphold the ideals of peace and cooperation between Light and Dark. This year, it's Alicia's turn to host the festival. What could go wrong?

Progress : n/a

=== Magic Quests ===

'''Dude, Where's My Ship?!'''

Following the disappearance of a wildcat Lignite mining crew in the A

'''My Struggle, My suffering, My Legacy'''

Started: n/a

The smoke of witch burning pyres rise high up into the skies above the magical realm of Neven. The once all-powerful mages now run and hide before the onslaught of the Reinzhuthen, an order of genocidal purists who are in pursuit of the all-powerful dark mage, the dark lord Daran Reganz. The Reinzhuthen have taken up an all-or-nothing approach towards hunting Daran Reganz – wiping out every last mage on Neven. After successfully gathering the support of the people against the seemingly incompetent mage-led government and subsequently overthrowing them, the Reinzhuthen declared a world-wide ban of magical practices, declaring any practitioner an agent of Daran Reganz and an enemy of the state.

Progress: n/a

=== Intelligence Quests ===

== Completed Quests ==

= Correspondence =

== Family Correspondence ==

'Good morning, Masters and Mistresses. I hope the noise didn't keep you up last night. The Alchemists discovered a new flower known quite amusingly as the 'Boom Lily'. Thankfully they grew quieter as the night went by. Anyhow, here's today's selection of the world's headlines.' - Mira -

• Presidents of Chechnya, Bosnia and Ukraine die in mysterious circumstances.

• American invasion of Iran is meeting heavy resistance. The Iranians now threaten to unleash their nuclear arsenal if America does not cease and desist.

• A new illness is spreading. Cause unknown.

== Illumination's Correspondence==

'Young Miss, please do take some times to reads some of these, 'kay? Lymle's actually done her bests to sort them outs, 'kay!' - Lymle -

- You've been cordially invited to attend the Divali celebrations in India. - Various Nobles -

== Chivalry's Correspondence ==

'Aye, my liege, thou hath an abundant harvest of letters. Thy loyal steed hast made do with the more...delicious trivialties. *BURP*' - Sieghart -

== Determinism's Correspondence ==

'Hey, old man, check it out, you've got mail. Should I fetch your specs? Or maybe a magnifying glass? Or maybe my winding screw? All that sorting's wound down my springs...' - Leonie -

== Magic's Correspondence ==

'Young Mistress, it's time to read your correspondence for the day. Please sit down here. Yes, here. Now, back straight like a washboard, eyes forward like a dead fish, and elbows akimbo like a ballerina...yes, excellent, young mistress. Now, I present you my personal selection of today's letters.' - Flowerchild -

== Intelligence's Correspondence ==

Mana Kishimura

2011-03-11T23:28:48Z

Mind-The-Gap: Created page with 'Mana Kishimura The daughter of a fisherman from a far-flung island off the coast of Japan, Mana has never quite experienced the technological advances the rest of the country ha…'

Mana Kishimura

The daughter of a fisherman from a far-flung island off the coast of Japan, Mana has never quite experienced the technological advances the rest of the country has. This is perhaps why her mother is no longer around - a traveller who came across the island, she had a child but could not settle down, and left Mana for her father to deal with.

Some would call her 'outdated', or 'simple', or even 'stupid', but Mana is none of these. She never learned how to read or write, but she has a level of common sense beyond that of most adults and their 'grown-up problems'. She's heard vague stories about how people on other bigger islands fight over silly things, like how her father argues with his best friend over whose fish was larger. Really, she finds the whole thing unnecessary and kind of stupid.

Perhaps it's because of this that Mana never felt quite at home with her family, or her few friends on the island. Mana's best friends, ironically, were the dolphins who would occasionally pass by the shore. In particular, one dolphin who she'd once saved from a ragged fishing net hung close to her. Not being able to ask her name, Mana decided to name her Sango.

Mana's easily the most physically capable child her age on the island, able to outrun any boy her size with ease and outswim them even easier. Most people are caught unaware by this - she isn't obviously muscular, and most just dismiss her as a relatively cute and naive young girl. Her long black hair and green eyes catch people off guard, and they're promptly stunned when they see her pin a boy a head taller than her to the floor in order to break up an argument.

She doesn't understand all this fighting her fellow people do. It's all over such silly stuff, and yet they come to blows over it. Why can't people be more like dolphins? Only get serious when you need to, and otherwise focus on having fun? She's confided in Sango more than once about this, though she's got no way of knowing for sure if the dolphin can actually understand her.

When her father learned that she'd been wasting so much time talking to a glorified fish, he's pissed - mainly because he's afraid she'll interfere in his line of work. Fish haven't been coming in as they should, and he suspects the dolphins are eating their catches. Mana finds out about this and immediately sabotages his boat. Not realising the extent of what she's done, she's kicked out of the house for the night as punishment. Unfazed, she decides to work it off by going out for a swim with Sango.

Unfortunately, on this day in particular the waves are a little out of order. An unexpected storm catches both of them of guard, and Mana is pulled deep underwater. Only a last-minute Ennoblement saves her - making her the replacement of the long-Excruciated Noble of Intelligence - but it comes with some strange side effects.

Firstly, in a strange twist of fortune, she's lost the ability to speak. She's capable of communicating to dolphins using clicks and such, but human speech is now out of her grasp. The closest she can manage to a human word is 'phwee'. Fortunately, Sango now acts as her familiar - and in a total reversal it's the dolphin doing all the talking for both of them now.

Secondly, she's physically stronger now. In order to save herself from drowning, Mana's body basically learned not to breathe at all - thus she can swim as long and as often as she wants. Understandably, she's pleased by this. She also has no absolute need to eat or sleep, though she can still feel hungry or tired.

Thirdly, she's gone from being merely powerful for her age to becoming almost insanely strong. In other areas of being a Noble she's somewhat behind, but for sheer strength she's perhaps the best example there is. She still maintains the same beliefs she did before - that all this stupid human fighting should stop and people can just be friends if they look at what they have that's the same rather than at what's different.

She's just a lot better at fending off people who'd fight her over it now.

Stats
ASPECT 5 - 7/7 MP
DOMAIN 1 (INTELLIGENCE) - 6/6MP
SECONDARY DOMAIN 1 (DOLPHINS) - 5/5MP
REALM 0 - 5/5MP
SPIRIT 1 - 5/5MP

(Bonus MP from limits as listed below)

0 Fleurs

Bonds
To protect dolphins, and the other sentient beings that mankind doesn't give credit (5)
The wellbeing of her father, misguided as he may be (5)
The happiness of others around her (3)
To pass on her own love for dolphins to mankind in general (3)
To become strong enough to prove her beliefs to others (4)

Gifts
Immutable (Can survive without food, sleep or air)
3 (Miracle Level) + 1 (Automatic) - 3 (Self Only) - 1 (Comprehensive utility) = 1CP

Familiar (Dolphin familiar Sango allows Mana to communicate with others)
4 (Miracle Level - Minor Creation of Dolphin) - 1 (Simple Miracle) - 2 (Self/Other) - 1 (Comprehensive Utility) + 1 (Uncommon) = 2CP

Limits
Illiterate (Unable to read/write, 1MP worth of disability)
Mute (Can't speak by herself, needs Sango to speak for her and thus can't talk to humans, 2MP worth of disability)

Virtue: Mediator (Will attempt to step in and stop any fight she comes across)

Affiliation: Code of the Enlightened

Wounds: 3 Deadly, 3 Serious, 3 Surface

Symbol - A dolphin leaping above the waves, with a mortarboard on its head. :P

Nobilis Enlightened

2011-03-11T17:19:35Z

Mind-The-Gap: /* Chivalry's Correspondence */

[[Category:Nobilis]]

= Imperator - The Shepherdess of Light =

1. ‘Omneaum(a) became aware. In its awareness, it found loneliness. It saw potential, good, an impossibility.

2. Omneaum gave way to potential, and made the impossible possible. It was, things became.

3. Enlightenment arose, and so did I, Whole, Complete, bearing the Gifts of Aether (b), Light, Vaveram (c), Maricarum (d), Endeon (e), and Causality.

4. Omneaum’s legacy I shall honour and hold safe, now and forever, till the hour I too stand alone between Impossibility and Despair.’

- The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light, Imperator of Enlightenment -

(a) Omneaum: The Original Absolute Void

(b) Aether: Estate of 'Absolute Potential', the 'Impossible made Possible', the very basic element of creation from which all matter and life flowed. It was said to have been more abundant in space. (Now excruciated, succeeded in part by the estate of 'Magic')

(c)Vaveram: Estate of Spontaneous Sentience and Awareness (Now Excruciated. Never replaced.)

(d) Maricarum: Estate of Great Miracles through Personal Sacrifice (Now excruciated, succeeded by the estate of 'Magic' and 'Sacrifice')

(e)Endeon: Estate of the 'Lone Wolf Phenomenon', wherein those fighting against overwhelming odds are always guaranteed victory. Better known in our time as the 'Storm Trooper effect'. (Now excruciated)

Having predated the Imperators of 'Name', the Shepherdess is nameless and formless. Those who are fortunate enough to know her identify her as 'The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light', or, simply, 'The Shepherdess'. Having come into being before the birth of the concept of 'form' or even 'matter' and 'physical law', she is without form in the physical universe. She used to communicate with her agents in the physical universe through pulses of light and ripples in a fountain of light. Needless to say, a lot of liberty had been taken in deciphering her wishes. Recently, however, the Chief Engineer of the Sanctum, Orphus, has devised an ingenious megastructure, the Deus Ex Machina, a gigantic clockwork device that allows the Shepherdess to see into the physical realm and engage with it using a gigantic, rather clumsy steel claw and communicate using a ticker-tape telegram machine.

(Interestingly, having also preceded the Imperator of Gender, she is, or, at least, was, in essence, genderless. However, around 300 B.C. she became a part of debate amongst philosophers as an example of a being who must be 'of the default gender'. For some reason it was decided that the default gender was female, and so the Shepherdess has since been considered to be of the female persuasion. Not that she really cares. It is suspected that the Noble of Women had something to do with this, but that's a tale for another time.)

Prophesized successor of Ananda and future Shepherdess of the Fifth Age, the Glorious One has purposely been denied a seat on the Council of Four, for her ways are that of the ‘Enlightened’, incompatible with the ways of the other council-members. She earns Lord Entropy and Ananda’s tolerance for her existence only through her service in the Valde Bellum and her Light’s importance in maintaining the Weirding Wall, a task that consumes almost the entirety of her attention and being (much to Lord Entropy’s and Ananda’s satisfaction).

The Heavens despise her, for an Angel of Creation she is not, and yet she brought forth the first Light that made everything that was Beautiful possible. Only the fact that her Light is necessary for beauty and this fact alone earns her the toleration of Heaven. The Wild would have nothing to do with her, for there is no freedom in sacrifice.The Hells, the Darkness and the Light all loath her, for not only is she the voice of wisdom that transcends not just the Corruption that the Hells endeavour towards, but she is also the voice that moves all beings towards becoming more than the matter they are made from, transcending what they are, pushing them ever onwards towards a greater purpose not only in life but also in death. Those who follow her code wish for naught else but the glory of dying for a greater good.

It is unclear what her true nature or form is. Nobody seems to remember when she came to be, or how for that matter. Some suspect she is one of the Heavenly legion, an Angel, but not only do the Heavens and its angelic denizens despise her at the best of times, her ways are most definitely not that of Heaven. Some surmise that she is a fallen Angel, but the cause of Hell she does not serve. It is highly possible that she is a True God, but all of creation knows they did not appear until long after the Angels had begun the Great Work. Recently, when passings of the Transcendants were properly documented in AP 4732, it was surmised that she is perhaps a Transcendant who somehow chose to settle upon the World Ash, perhaps one of the Charitable. Said document is Creation's closest description of the Shepherdess' nature, her gifts being her Estates and her Law.

=='''Vow of the Enlightened'''==

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this.

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this. - One thing leads to another. And at the end of all things is an ‘end’.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this. - Every good act must be good of purpose and good of result. This clause seems to fail to (most probably purposely) mention anything regarding the means. Taking the most liberal interpretation, a ‘Noble deed’ can have means as lacking in morals as a psychotic mass murderer, and yet still be considered ‘Noble’ in the eyes of the ‘Enlightened’. What matters is the cause, the intention and the ends. Everything in between matters naught.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this. - The ultimate sacrifice can conquer anything, even the impossible. This is the one true ‘Miracle’, Magic at its purest, one that allows the Enlightened to surpass his/her own end and achieve greatness through sacrifice. The Shepherdess safeguards the cause of all who sacrifice themselves for a greater purpose, guaranteeing them the miraculous magic of success.

==Details==

'''Estates''': Light, Determinism, Magic, Chivalry, Intelligence, Honour, Loyalty, Courage, Hope, Justice, Karma, Logic, Alchemy, Sacrifice, Curiosity, Sun, Moon, Stars

'''Excruciated Estates''': Aether, Vaveram, Maricarum, Endeon, Astelumina

'''Qualities:'''

Great Harvest (2)

Cold (-1)

Demanding (-1)

----

= The Famiglia of the Enlightened =

The Famiglia of the Enlightened ''were'' a highly respected and influential group about 4-5 centuries before, their power extending from the very birth of creation. However, in a highly unorthodox move around the 4002 A.P., the Council ordered the Shepherdess to provide additional support in the Valde Bellum proper, above and beyond her maintenance of the Weirding Wall. Seeing as the Wall already consumed most if not all her power and attention, she was forced to mobilize members of her Famiglia, something quite unprecedented. The Nobles of Maricarum, Aether and Endeon were the first to volunteer for the great undertaking, having attained near-Imperator-level powers at the time. A few centuries later, Vaveram, Astelumina, Chivalry, Courage and Alchemy too joined their brother and sisters in the direct defense of creation. They held the line for a good few centuries, seeing a slow but definite turnover in nobles. That was until, for reasons still unknown, Maricarum, Aether, Endeon, Vaveram and Astelumina were excruciated one by one. The last to fall were Endeon and Astelumina in 4895 AP, at the same time 500 years of Human History was erased.

With no time to mourn, the Famiglia of the Enlightened were forced to mobilize more members of their famiglia to the front lines. The following few years saw more of their Nobles killed, though thankfully not excruciated.

Now with few remaining senior members, the famiglia struggles to stay on its feet with the large influx of new family members. Will they be able to live up to their predecessors? Will they be able to return the family to its former glory and take it to new heights? Or will this be the end of the Enlightened? That is up to the new Famiglia.

== PC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Foreguard of the Enlightened''

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Alicia_Valka '''Alicia - Principissa of Illumination''']

The 21st Principissa Of Illumination.

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Emil '''Emil - Power of Determinism''']

The 13th Power of Determinism

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Charles_Earl_Of_Huntington'''Charles - Lord of Chivalry''']

The 77th Lord of Chivalry

'''Lyna - Regina of Magic'''

The 66th Regina of Magic

'''???? - Noble of Intelligence (And Dolphins)'''

== NPC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Vanguard of the Enlightened''

'''Regine - Inquesta of Loyalty'''

'''Jessie - Tempesta of Courage (Sort of veering towards Impetuous Juvenile Recklessness)'''

'''Illumina - AllMother of Alchemy'''

Novice Alchemist extraordinaire and (rather unwilling) Commander of the Alchemist Flameheart Squad, Illumina is yet another recent addition to the Famiglia. She's currently worried about the sorry state of her estate (mostly usurped by Chemistry and now reduced to nothing more than a fantasy fiction gimmick) and a missing prominent Alchemist amongst other things....but mainly by the prospect of responsibility in general.

She is widely known, even outside Alchemist circles, as 'Big Bang Lum'.

'''Elune - Principissa of the Stars'''

While relatively senior in the Famiglia of the Enlightened (by simple virtue of everyone else being very recent additions), that's as far as her seniority goes. In every other respect, she is mostly helpless, though the more understanding dismiss this as a reflection of her estate - stars aren't known to be do much other than be pretty, especially lately with modern technology supplanting the need for stellar navigation or calendar-keeping. It used to be so much different when her sister, the Noble of Astelumina, the power of stellar influence upon the workings of the universe and lives on earth, was still around. Now as the stars fade and people forget the stars, Elune lies ill, slowly fading herself.

''The Diplomatic Corp (Intelligence) of the Enlightened''

'''Rang Fan - Excelifficer of Logic'''

Born a humble villager in a Tibetan highland settlement, Rang Fan grew up completely illiterate. She was, however, a keen observer and deep thinker. She developed her own concise and strict principles of logic, one that often found fault in the traditionalist views of the people she lived amongst. Some saw her as a source of wisdom, some saw her as a demon-possessed child.

She became the favourite anchor of the previous Noble of Logic for a while. During this time, her mastery of logic developed brilliantly. Unfortunately, she came afoul of a Chinese official when she publicly defeated him in a debate regarding the accusation of rebellion on the part of the village.

'''Geronimo - High Chief of Sacrifice'''

'''Han Gua - Exarch of Honour'''

'''Jimmy - Arch-Provost of Curiosity'''

''The Unassigned of the Enlightened''

'''Justice(?) - Empress of Justice'''

Not much is known about Justice, the 1st Noble of Justice. She is the eldest of the current Famiglia, though in the time of the original Famiglia, she was the youngest. She is the last surviving member of the original Famiglia of the Enlightened. It is rumoured that she was an Angel before she joined the Enlightened, though whether or not this is true is unknown. Her real name is unknown. Nobody has seen her in a long, long while. The only members of the current famiglia who have seen her are Han Gua and Elune.

Currently absent. Whereabouts unknown.

'''Vie - Noble of Hope'''

A rather mysterious member of the famiglia, she wonders in and out of the chancel rather randomly. Nobody seems to remember when she joined the Family. In fact, some are surprised to hear that there IS a noble of Hope in the Family. She doesn't seem to have a permanent home in the chancel. She's known (at least to those few who know her) to wander about, never staying in one place for long. She is apparently summonable, but rumours have it that she's apparently rather useless.

There are strange rumours that she follows the code of the Dark, or even Hell. Why would Hope do that?

'''Thomas Eire - Keeper of Karma'''

'''Kaguya - Himegami of the Moon'''

Tsukishiro no Kaguya-hime is perhaps the second eldest of the Famiglia, though she takes great care not to let anyone know that. She is the second Noble of the Moon. There are rumours that she was behind the Apollo 13 failure. When asked about it, she would give you a disdainful look and walk away. Then again, she'd do that no matter what you tried to bring up with her.

Currently very, very vain.

'''Kimo - the Emperor of the Sun'''

= Chancel - Locus Enlightenment, Sanctum Excelestia =

[http://img248.imageshack.us/i/sanctumexcelestia.jpg HG's Impression 1]

'''Qualities'''

Megalomaniac King/Queen (-4)

Normal Magic (3)

Alchemy (1)

2 Banes (-1)

Convenient Gates (2)

Anchorable Magical residents (4)

==Government==

The Sanctum is under the absolute Executive rule of the Emperor who answers only to the Shepherdess. Legislative and administrative rule is divided amongst the 4 major domains under the 4 queens:

'''Alicia - High Queen of the Diamond Tower.'''

Technically, having inherited the title of 'High Queen' from her predecessor, Alicia commands the Council of Four Queens and the Round Table of Dominums. However, as she has only recently joined the Famiglia, responsibility over the Council of Four Queens has fallen on the reluctant shoulders of Elune while the Round Table of Dominums is overseen by Han Gua.

'''Lyna - Queen of the Ruby Gardens.'''

The Ruby Gardens refers to the entirety of the Arcane Arts Academy Complex within the Outer Circle where the majority of mages of Excelestia train and live. However, to most of the citizens, the 'Ruby Gardens' itself refers to the seat of government, the Ruby Palace, a magnificent rose-shaped palace of crystal grown from the very essence of the Chancel itself in the middle of the Ruby Gardens.

'''Elune - Queen of the Sapphire Sky.'''

The Sapphire Sky refers to the entirety of the sky in between the floating structures of the Sanctum. While Elune governs no real land, she controls all traffic in the airspace around the Sanctum. Her official seat of government is the Sapphire Palace, a beautiful crystalline Sapphire star floating high up within the Inner Circle, though she is rarely ever there. She usually lives in her observatory on a lonely island high above the Sanctum.

'''Jessie - Queen of the Emerald Fields.'''

The Emerald Fields refer to most of the land floating in the Ciellan Expanse, the sky beyond the Outer Wall. The Emerald Fields house a good portion of the Sanctum's agricultural and mining settlements. Her seat of government is the Emerald Palace, a beautiful viridian structure of moss-covered wood and succulent, fresh folliage that grow and thrive all year round, coiled around a giant magnificent Emerald of a green deeper than the land that surrounds it.

== Other Noteworthy Locations ==

'''The Amethyst Shores'''

Governed officially by Illumina, provisionally by the Arch-Artificer of the Great Guild of Alchemists. The Amethyst Shores are a group of closely-packed islands within the Outer Circle where the majority of the Alchemists of Excelestia live. While alchemists can be found just about anywhere, the Amethysts Shores are really the only place where they can make things explode to their hearts content without causing tempers to explode all around them. Alchemists can also be found en masse at the Ruby Gardens.

'''The Garnet Fortress'''

Governed mainly by Charles, the Garnet Fortress encompasses the Inner and Outer Walls of the Sanctum and the bastion of the Knights.

'''The Beryl Earth'''

Governed mainly by Regine, the

Judicial Rule is under the Absolute Court headed by the Shepherdess and the Supreme Court headed by the Noble of Justice and her Circle of Justiciaries.

'''The Quartz Workshop'''

A watch-mender's workshop somewhere within the Diamond Tower, Emil's home and favourite haunt.

==Security==

The city has a number of defense corps organized to different degrees by a number of Nobles.

'''The Chivalrous Gentlemanly TownWatch'''

'''The Magical Avengers of Love and Peace, Magical Taskforce Ruby Gardenia'''

Organized by the 5th Noble of Magic, a rather...odd Master of Magic who believed that wearing frilly clothing is a form of sacrifice to society and preached that magical power is exponentially proportional to the frilliness of one's clothing. Now maintained by the 7th Noble of Magic, Lyna, who keeps up most of the traditions of the 5th.

'''The Upholders of Equivalent Exchange, the Eternally Passionate Flameheart Alchemists (EPFA)'''

Organized by the previous Noble of Alchemy, a rather fluffy and passionate Lady Alchemist, and maintained by the recently appointed Noble, Illumina, the EPFA are at best socially-involved nerds, at worst really, really messy vigilantes (unfortunately, more often the latter). They mainly keep the domain of the Alchemists, the Amethyst Shores, as well as their portion of the Ruby Gardens, safe...for a given value of 'safe'.

'''The Infallibly Just Circle of Justiciers'''

'''The Eternally Loyal Shieldmaidens of [Insert Place Name Here]'''

Organized by the current Noble of Loyalty,

'''The Ever-Watchful Lantern Kindlers and Lamp Bearers of the Stars'''

'''The Righteous Karmic-Retributioneer Monks of Karma'''

'''The LoreKeepers and Agents of Literary Vengeance, the Combat Librarians'''

== Groups ==

Besides the defense forces of the Chancel, the Sanctum also harbours a number of groups.

'''The Enclave of Emerald Alchemists'''
Also known as the 'Emerald Artisans', this society of Alchemists was founded by the 7th Noble of Light, TanetNephthys, and the 1st Noble of Alchemy, Armagustine Trimegistus, after the passing of the third Noble of Maricarum, Hermes Trimegistus, founder of the Emerald Arts.

In a major nettle rite wrought by the 2nd Noble of Botany, Ephistopheles, against the Noble of Alchemy, in a daring move to split the art into two major paths forever, the Enclave was splintered in two - The Cleave fo Botanists and the Enclave of Emerald Artisans. The Botanists left the Sanctum, carrying with them the entirety of botanic knowledge. The Alchemists, however, managed to keep the Principa Alchimia safe and prevented the botanists from acquiring an absolute monopoly over the Emerald Arts. The two now jealously guard their arts, for if one were to acquire the arts of the other, they would become unstoppable.

The botanists are known to pass through the Chancel to deal with the Emerald Artisans.

== Laws ==

The Chancel operates on general principles of Justice commonly found in any other society where concepts of Law and Justice exist. It has a few notable exceptions such as:

- Any deed with noble ends are exempt from law's scrutiny upon its means. This means even the most foul of deeds is considered lawfully just as long as its ends are noble. It comes with a very, very important caveat - the good of the outcome must far exceed the evil committed. This is particularly difficult to achieve with murder, as murder, the theft of the sanctity of one's life, is the basest, most evil of crimes that even the earth itself abhors.

-

N.B. The Chancel operates on the Code Napoleon, that the suspect is guilty until proven otherwise, as Lady Justice willed it to be in the prosaic realm.

== Notable Individuals ==

'''Orphus Denilzante'''
Chief Magitech Engineer of the Sanctum and designer of the Deus Ex Machina.

'''Reno Orfayne'''
Owner of Reno's Empirio, the one-stop fashion designer for Nobles, known to be second only to his Master, Enzel Haulor of 7th Avenue and 91st Street NY.

'''Sammy Westine'''
Proprietor and Chief Engineer of Westine Airships, Sammy is the young brilliant mind behind this generation's latest magitech airships. Having mastered Alchemy, Magic and Magitech at a young age, she went on to implement her excellent knowledge in airship design and construction. Her airships are used not just within the Sanctum but all over Creation. While she does produce combat-ready airships, she only produces them as personal favours for Nobles she trusts. These make proud flagships in any war fleet. It is rumoured that she is working with Aeril Jotunstrom, Noble of Ships, from Locus Atlantis, on warships capable of sailing the world beyond creation and taking part directly on the frontlines of the Valde Bellum.

'''Victor'''

= Mythic Realm =

== Chancels Known ==
''From the Primer on Loci Celatum, by Holly Djurisic''
What follows are descriptions of chancels considered widely known and to be no secret to those versed in the ways of the Mythic. Everyone knows them as a matter of common sense.

'''Locus Amarant'''

The Great Market, the Gardens of Lady Profit, Amarant is perhaps one of the few chancels that has no doors, and, even if it did, they would be wide open to welcome one and all. After all, even your worst enemy is a potential customer. Any invader would quickly find themselves besieged by peddlers of weaponry, trust and treachery, even the very spoils they are after. Everything the discerning Noble might need is available here...for the right price. The preferred currency are fleurs, but the locals have been known to trade with other things such as miracles and pacts. Some nobles come here not just to buy but also to sell. If you want or need it, Locus Amarant will sell it, or if not, then at least it will sell you the expertise of someone who CAN get it. Needless to say, the cammorae are all over Amarant.

It is well-known that even Excrucians frequent Amarant, and they know full well never to destroy Amarant....at least not until their victory is assured, for Amarant will be more than happy to sell them the means to that victory, or maybe even that victory itself....for the right price. Why destroy something so blatantly useful?

Chancel of Lady Profit, Immiae Arathy, and the Nobles of Trade, Currency, Negotiation, Supermarket Loyalty Cards, and Cookies. Yes, Cookies.

= Prosaic Realm =

== Earth ==

=== Noteworthy Individuals===

== Erebea ==

A once beautiful world, a geographic wonder of continents hanging high up in the pristine skies, flooded with raw magic reminiscent of Earth about a millennium ago. Sanctum Excelestia was once the capital of this world, until it disappeared a few millennia ago.

== Lost Universe AD 2511 ==

The Lost Universe, now a Valde Bellum warfront. In 2400 AD, an age of galactic expansion and an Aetheric golden age for human advancement, a treacherous Imperator managed to sabotage the Shepherdess' hold on the Weirding Wall, leaving gaping holes in the defense of Creation. In the ensuing chaos, the Imperators and their nobles turned their attention to the Excrucian host gathering beyond the gap. Little did they know that they had fallen prey to a deceiver ruse. At the same time, the Excrucians were readying a pincer attack, with their mimics and strategists having established a foothold on Earth's universe. The Enlightened, at the time under great scrutiny due to the Shepherdess' apparent failure at maintaining the Weirding Wall, discovered the Excrucian plans and attempted to alert the Ymmerae. However, the Deceivers held the ears of the Ymmerae, and all the please of the Enlightened fell on deaf, suspicious, skeptical ears.

In a daring move, the Noble of Aether secretly used almost the entirety of his power of limitless potential to create an anomalous fold in existence, tearing 500 years of the universe apart, resetting the universe to before the Excrucian plan had even begun in 1900. He brought the new fold containing the lost 500 years and the excrucian plot up and tethered it to the gaping hole in the Weirding Wall, just in time to meet the incoming Excrucian Host. The excrucian invasion began, never once suspecting that they had walked into a pocket universe. For the Noble of Aether's apparent treachery, the Locust Court condemned him to death without a trial, dispatching the Enlightened, his own family, to prove their allegiance to the court by executing their own brother. It is said that Justice was the one to rip his shard out of his chest with her bare hands. It is said that the shard shattered. Some say Justice, in her grief and rage, shattered it herself. Some say it was Aether's final gift to the Lost Universe, and to the entirety of creation. The shard dust was dispersed and embedded itself across the entirety of the Lost Universe, enchancelling it, bestowing its beings with the blessings of Aetheric Power, immunizing them to the crippling effects of dementia animus and empowering them in their coming struggle against the Excrucian invaders. Aether was forever lost to Creation, but its shadow continues to live on within the beings of the Lost Universe. As long as the children of Aether stand and the light of Aether burns on within them, the Lost Universe will always resist the Excrucian host.

The Lost Universe has since been sealed away outside the Weirding Wall, doomed to forever be an Excrucian battleground, until the day the Excrucians trapped within consume the Lost Universe and realize Aether's trickery.

At the precise moment Aether's sacrifice enchancelled the Lost Universe, Hammond Qarn, Imperator of the Lost Universe, came into being. Having arisen from a universe so filled with the Shepherdess' own power, Hammond naturally became a Magister of the Enlightened. Furthermore, as the chancel was created using the Shepherdess' own soul shard, a fraction of the Shepherdess' own essence makes up the chancel's foundations. Thus for all intents and purposes the Enlightened can treat the Lost Universe as their own home chancel.

Few other nobles are privy to the secret of the Lost Universe's existence. Even fewer take up the fight to defend the Lost Universe in order to delay the full-scale invasion of Creation. The Nobles of Astelumina and Endeon were the first to pick up Aether's fallen banner and lead the battle against the Excrucian host and were also the first to fall.

'Now and Forever, till the hour I too stand between Impossibility and Despair!' - Phaeron Rof Alabar Trimeniel - Emperor of Aether

=== Notable Locations ===

'''L.U. Earth AD 2511'''

In AD 2400, Astelumina and Endeon managed to rid the entire earth of deceivers, strategists and mimics, making it one of the last few human settlements still untouched by the Excrucian Scourge. The war and Aether's blessing has accelerated technology to astronomical heights in the past 111 years, bringing humanity to a point where they can overwhelm excrucian shards and at the very least annoy full excrucians, if not kill them. Earth is now the capital of the Universal Aetheric Alliance (UAA), headquarters of the Excrucian resistance. Its coordinates are guarded to the death by the Children of Aether. Those who sally forth to meet the Excrucian Host do so without carrying Earth's coordinates, knowing full well that they may never return to their beloved home.

'''L.U. Heaven’s Feel'''

The current frontier of the Lost Universe Valde Bellum, Heaven’s Feel is perhaps the most beautiful extrasolar human colony. A large T3 terraformed planet orbiting the gas giant Astelumina 3, behind a dense spherical asteroid field and a radioactive veil around the sun Astelumina, it makes a naturally fortified world. Thanks to the scattering radiation and the dense blackhole just a few megaparsecs away at the center of the galaxy, the system and planet is nigh impossible to find at the best of times, at least for marauding excrucian raiding parties. The UAA uses Astelumina’s final gift, the gift of the stars, the ability to travel on aetheric currents guided by the stars, to travel safely in and out of the system.

When excrucians do find the planet, they are immediately drawn into its orbit by the interaction of the gravity wells of Heaven’s Feel’s many moons. They have no hope of escaping to notify the host of the planet’s location before they are drawn into intense battle by the Feelians.

The planet is ravaged by repeat invasions.

=== Familia of the Lost Universe ===

More or less an extended family of the Enlightened, the Familia of the Lost Universe are the sworn guardians of Aether's legacy.

'''Hammond Qarn - Imperator of the Lost Universe'''

Despite being an offshoot of the Shepherdess' power, Hammond Qarn is quite the opposite. He looks as human as they come. In fact, very, very much so, with his thick paternal beard, his twinkling eyes and his simple, honest expression, like a stern but compassionate father. Those who have the great honour of an audience with him are overcome with an overwhelming confidence and faith in humanity's potential and prowess. His being is shrouded in the stuff of legends. They say he single-handedly piloted an Alliance Battlecruiser straight into an Excrucian battlestation and escaped alive, unscathed. They say he personally lead the desperate charge that ended the siege of Harvest 4. They say he singlehandedly held the line at Point Hope against the entire advancing Excrucian host at the battle of Forge 3. They say a lot of things about Hammond Qarn, and when you meet him, sitting like a lighthouse exuding calm and confidence amidst the storm of war, in his simple, neatly-pressed uniform gleaming with but one badge denoting his allegiance to the Alliance, you feel naught but awe - that this man is the legend in the flesh.

'''Commander John Shepard - Power of Living Legends'''

'''Excel 7 - Commander of Super Soldiers'''

was responsible for the Halo series and partly responsible for the Metal Gear series, amongst other things.

'''Iris Erran - Chief Admiral of Spacecrafts'''

'''ALMa OmNI. - Supreme Administrator of Aetheric Technology'''

An A.I. born of the pinnacle of Aetheric supercomputers,

= Quests =

== Active Quests ==

=== Imperator Quests ===

'''Overdue'''

The Shepherdess has requested that the Foreguards return 3 books she's borrowed for Shepherdess-knows-how-long now, for reasons that none can fathom.

=== Chivalry Quests ===

=== Determinism Quests ===

=== Illumination Quests ===

'''Twinkle, Little Star'''

Started : 15th November 2011

As the world darkens, the light of the stars fade. Elune, little noble of stars, your sister, lies sick, alone in her high observatory, forgotten by the rest of the world. Now the weakening of the stars has started to affect the domain of Light too. Something must be done before yet another member of the Family succumbs to the war of attrition upon the Enlightened.

Progress:

1) Lyna, Emil and Alicia visited Elune in her observatory and found her ill.

2) They discovered that her observatory was severely corrupted by some malignant corruption that was trying to break into the chancel.

3) They sealed off the intrusion into the chancel but destroyed the observatory in the process. They managed to prevent the observatory from crashing catastrophically into the chancel.

4) They've brought the sick Elune to the Sapphire Palace and acquired the help of Regine to treat her.

'''Who moved my Christmas?!'''

Christmas, the biggest celebration of lights and joy, isn't happening this year! This is unprecedented serious affair!

Started : 8th November 2011

Progress :

1) Alicia has asked the magical girls, knights, and others who've passed in and out of the chancel, for any information they might know about this. She's learned that it's a rather complex issue. It might be the economy, it might be the declining family values, could be anything.

'''When you peer into the Abyss...'''

Started : n/a

And the Creator said, 'Let there be Light', and there was light, and he saw that it was good. And He separated the dark from the light. Thus was the First Day.

It wasn't quite that simple.

When the light came to be, the dark too came to be as a result, and neither could tolerate the other. Thus the First War of Light and Dark began, pure and simple, with no preamble or prelude. They fought for Shepherdess-knows-how-long. Finally, the formation of the Covenant of the First Day, an agreement between the Light and the Dark to respect the other's estate, ended the war. How it came to be, however, is still a hotly debated topic. Some say the Dark won. Some say the Light won. Some say it was a draw. Some say there were other reasons. Who really knows?

An anniversary of the Covenant of the First Day is celebrated yearly now to uphold the ideals of peace and cooperation between Light and Dark. This year, it's Alicia's turn to host the festival. What could go wrong?

Progress : n/a

=== Magic Quests ===

== Completed Quests ==

= Correspondence =

== Family Correspondence ==

'Good morning, Masters and Mistresses. I hope the noise didn't keep you up last night. The Alchemists discovered a new flower known quite amusingly as the 'Boom Lily'. Thankfully they grew quieter as the night went by. Anyhow, here's today's selection of the world's headlines.' - Mira -

• Presidents of Chechnya, Bosnia and Ukraine die in mysterious circumstances.

• American invasion of Iran is meeting heavy resistance. The Iranians now threaten to unleash their nuclear arsenal if America does not cease and desist.

• North Korea invades South Korea on midnight, the 25th of December.

• A new illness is spreading. Cause unknown.

== Illumination's Correspondence==

'Young Miss, please do take some times to reads some of these, 'kay? Lymle's actually done her bests to sort them outs, 'kay!' - Lymle -

- You've been cordially invited to attend the Divali celebrations in India. - Various Nobles -

== Chivalry's Correspondence ==

'Aye, my liege, thou hath an abundant harvest of letters. Thy loyal steed hast made do with the more...delicious trivialties. *BURP*' - Sieghart -

== Determinism's Correspondence ==

'Hey, old man, check it out, you've got mail. Should I fetch your specs? Or maybe a magnifying glass? Or maybe my winding screw? All that sorting's wound down my springs...' - Leonie -

== Magic's Correspondence ==

'Young Mistress, it's time to read your correspondence for the day. Please sit down here. Yes, here. Now, back straight like a washboard, eyes forward like a dead fish, and elbows akimbo like a ballerina...yes, excellent, young mistress. Now, I present you my personal selection of today's letters.' - Flowerchild -

== Intelligence's Correspondence ==

Nobilis Enlightened

2011-03-11T11:53:07Z

Mind-The-Gap:

[[Category:Nobilis]]

= Imperator - The Shepherdess of Light =

1. ‘Omneaum(a) became aware. In its awareness, it found loneliness. It saw potential, good, an impossibility.

2. Omneaum gave way to potential, and made the impossible possible. It was, things became.

3. Enlightenment arose, and so did I, Whole, Complete, bearing the Gifts of Aether (b), Light, Vaveram (c), Maricarum (d), Endeon (e), and Causality.

4. Omneaum’s legacy I shall honour and hold safe, now and forever, till the hour I too stand alone between Impossibility and Despair.’

- The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light, Imperator of Enlightenment -

(a) Omneaum: The Original Absolute Void

(b) Aether: Estate of 'Absolute Potential', the 'Impossible made Possible', the very basic element of creation from which all matter and life flowed. It was said to have been more abundant in space. (Now excruciated, succeeded in part by the estate of 'Magic')

(c)Vaveram: Estate of Spontaneous Sentience and Awareness (Now Excruciated. Never replaced.)

(d) Maricarum: Estate of Great Miracles through Personal Sacrifice (Now excruciated, succeeded by the estate of 'Magic' and 'Sacrifice')

(e)Endeon: Estate of the 'Lone Wolf Phenomenon', wherein those fighting against overwhelming odds are always guaranteed victory. Better known in our time as the 'Storm Trooper effect'. (Now excruciated)

Having predated the Imperators of 'Name', the Shepherdess is nameless and formless. Those who are fortunate enough to know her identify her as 'The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light', or, simply, 'The Shepherdess'. Having come into being before the birth of the concept of 'form' or even 'matter' and 'physical law', she is without form in the physical universe. She used to communicate with her agents in the physical universe through pulses of light and ripples in a fountain of light. Needless to say, a lot of liberty had been taken in deciphering her wishes. Recently, however, the Chief Engineer of the Sanctum, Orphus, has devised an ingenious megastructure, the Deus Ex Machina, a gigantic clockwork device that allows the Shepherdess to see into the physical realm and engage with it using a gigantic, rather clumsy steel claw and communicate using a ticker-tape telegram machine.

(Interestingly, having also preceded the Imperator of Gender, she is, or, at least, was, in essence, genderless. However, around 300 B.C. she became a part of debate amongst philosophers as an example of a being who must be 'of the default gender'. For some reason it was decided that the default gender was female, and so the Shepherdess has since been considered to be of the female persuasion. Not that she really cares. It is suspected that the Noble of Women had something to do with this, but that's a tale for another time.)

Prophesized successor of Ananda and future Shepherdess of the Fifth Age, the Glorious One has purposely been denied a seat on the Council of Four, for her ways are that of the ‘Enlightened’, incompatible with the ways of the other council-members. She earns Lord Entropy and Ananda’s tolerance for her existence only through her service in the Valde Bellum and her Light’s importance in maintaining the Weirding Wall, a task that consumes almost the entirety of her attention and being (much to Lord Entropy’s and Ananda’s satisfaction).

The Heavens despise her, for an Angel of Creation she is not, and yet she brought forth the first Light that made everything that was Beautiful possible. Only the fact that her Light is necessary for beauty and this fact alone earns her the toleration of Heaven. The Wild would have nothing to do with her, for there is no freedom in sacrifice.The Hells, the Darkness and the Light all loath her, for not only is she the voice of wisdom that transcends not just the Corruption that the Hells endeavour towards, but she is also the voice that moves all beings towards becoming more than the matter they are made from, transcending what they are, pushing them ever onwards towards a greater purpose not only in life but also in death. Those who follow her code wish for naught else but the glory of dying for a greater good.

It is unclear what her true nature or form is. Nobody seems to remember when she came to be, or how for that matter. Some suspect she is one of the Heavenly legion, an Angel, but not only do the Heavens and its angelic denizens despise her at the best of times, her ways are most definitely not that of Heaven. Some surmise that she is a fallen Angel, but the cause of Hell she does not serve. It is highly possible that she is a True God, but all of creation knows they did not appear until long after the Angels had begun the Great Work. Recently, when passings of the Transcendants were properly documented in AP 4732, it was surmised that she is perhaps a Transcendant who somehow chose to settle upon the World Ash, perhaps one of the Charitable. Said document is Creation's closest description of the Shepherdess' nature, her gifts being her Estates and her Law.

=='''Vow of the Enlightened'''==

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this.

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this. - One thing leads to another. And at the end of all things is an ‘end’.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this. - Every good act must be good of purpose and good of result. This clause seems to fail to (most probably purposely) mention anything regarding the means. Taking the most liberal interpretation, a ‘Noble deed’ can have means as lacking in morals as a psychotic mass murderer, and yet still be considered ‘Noble’ in the eyes of the ‘Enlightened’. What matters is the cause, the intention and the ends. Everything in between matters naught.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this. - The ultimate sacrifice can conquer anything, even the impossible. This is the one true ‘Miracle’, Magic at its purest, one that allows the Enlightened to surpass his/her own end and achieve greatness through sacrifice. The Shepherdess safeguards the cause of all who sacrifice themselves for a greater purpose, guaranteeing them the miraculous magic of success.

==Details==

'''Estates''': Light, Determinism, Magic, Chivalry, Intelligence, Honour, Loyalty, Courage, Hope, Justice, Karma, Logic, Alchemy, Sacrifice, Curiosity, Sun, Moon, Stars

'''Excruciated Estates''': Aether, Vaveram, Maricarum, Endeon, Astelumina

'''Qualities:'''

Great Harvest (2)

Cold (-1)

Demanding (-1)

----

= The Famiglia of the Enlightened =

The Famiglia of the Enlightened ''were'' a highly respected and influential group about 4-5 centuries before, their power extending from the very birth of creation. However, in a highly unorthodox move around the 4002 A.P., the Council ordered the Shepherdess to provide additional support in the Valde Bellum proper, above and beyond her maintenance of the Weirding Wall. Seeing as the Wall already consumed most if not all her power and attention, she was forced to mobilize members of her Famiglia, something quite unprecedented. The Nobles of Maricarum, Aether and Endeon were the first to volunteer for the great undertaking, having attained near-Imperator-level powers at the time. A few centuries later, Vaveram, Astelumina, Chivalry, Courage and Alchemy too joined their brother and sisters in the direct defense of creation. They held the line for a good few centuries, seeing a slow but definite turnover in nobles. That was until, for reasons still unknown, Maricarum, Aether, Endeon, Vaveram and Astelumina were excruciated one by one. The last to fall were Endeon and Astelumina in 4895 AP, at the same time 500 years of Human History was erased.

With no time to mourn, the Famiglia of the Enlightened were forced to mobilize more members of their famiglia to the front lines. The following few years saw more of their Nobles killed, though thankfully not excruciated.

Now with few remaining senior members, the famiglia struggles to stay on its feet with the large influx of new family members. Will they be able to live up to their predecessors? Will they be able to return the family to its former glory and take it to new heights? Or will this be the end of the Enlightened? That is up to the new Famiglia.

== PC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Foreguard of the Enlightened''

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Alicia_Valka '''Alicia - Principissa of Illumination''']

The 21st Principissa Of Illumination.

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Emil '''Emil - Power of Determinism''']

The 13th Power of Determinism

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Charles_Earl_Of_Huntington'''Charles - Lord of Chivalry''']

The 77th Lord of Chivalry

'''Lyna - Regina of Magic'''

The 66th Regina of Magic

'''???? - Noble of Intelligence (And Dolphins)'''

== NPC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Vanguard of the Enlightened''

'''Regine - Inquesta of Loyalty'''

'''Jessie - Tempesta of Courage (Sort of veering towards Impetuous Juvenile Recklessness)'''

'''Illumina - AllMother of Alchemy'''

Novice Alchemist extraordinaire and (rather unwilling) Commander of the Alchemist Flameheart Squad, Illumina is yet another recent addition to the Famiglia. She's currently worried about the sorry state of her estate (mostly usurped by Chemistry and now reduced to nothing more than a fantasy fiction gimmick) and a missing prominent Alchemist amongst other things....but mainly by the prospect of responsibility in general.

She is widely known, even outside Alchemist circles, as 'Big Bang Lum'.

'''Elune - Principissa of the Stars'''

While relatively senior in the Famiglia of the Enlightened (by simple virtue of everyone else being very recent additions), that's as far as her seniority goes. In every other respect, she is mostly helpless, though the more understanding dismiss this as a reflection of her estate - stars aren't known to be do much other than be pretty, especially lately with modern technology supplanting the need for stellar navigation or calendar-keeping. It used to be so much different when her sister, the Noble of Astelumina, the power of stellar influence upon the workings of the universe and lives on earth, was still around. Now as the stars fade and people forget the stars, Elune lies ill, slowly fading herself.

''The Diplomatic Corp (Intelligence) of the Enlightened''

'''Rang Fan - Excelifficer of Logic'''

Born a humble villager in a Tibetan highland settlement, Rang Fan grew up completely illiterate. She was, however, a keen observer and deep thinker. She developed her own concise and strict principles of logic, one that often found fault in the traditionalist views of the people she lived amongst. Some saw her as a source of wisdom, some saw her as a demon-possessed child.

She became the favourite anchor of the previous Noble of Logic for a while. During this time, her mastery of logic developed brilliantly. Unfortunately, she came afoul of a Chinese official when she publicly defeated him in a debate regarding the accusation of rebellion on the part of the village.

'''Geronimo - High Chief of Sacrifice'''

'''Han Gua - Exarch of Honour'''

'''Jimmy - Arch-Provost of Curiosity'''

''The Unassigned of the Enlightened''

'''Justice(?) - Empress of Justice'''

Not much is known about Justice, the 1st Noble of Justice. She is the eldest of the current Famiglia, though in the time of the original Famiglia, she was the youngest. She is the last surviving member of the original Famiglia of the Enlightened. It is rumoured that she was an Angel before she joined the Enlightened, though whether or not this is true is unknown. Her real name is unknown. Nobody has seen her in a long, long while. The only members of the current famiglia who have seen her are Han Gua and Elune.

Currently absent. Whereabouts unknown.

'''Vie - Noble of Hope'''

A rather mysterious member of the famiglia, she wonders in and out of the chancel rather randomly. Nobody seems to remember when she joined the Family. In fact, some are surprised to hear that there IS a noble of Hope in the Family. She doesn't seem to have a permanent home in the chancel. She's known (at least to those few who know her) to wander about, never staying in one place for long. She is apparently summonable, but rumours have it that she's apparently rather useless.

There are strange rumours that she follows the code of the Dark, or even Hell. Why would Hope do that?

'''Thomas Eire - Keeper of Karma'''

'''Kaguya - Himegami of the Moon'''

Tsukishiro no Kaguya-hime is perhaps the second eldest of the Famiglia, though she takes great care not to let anyone know that. She is the second Noble of the Moon. There are rumours that she was behind the Apollo 13 failure. When asked about it, she would give you a disdainful look and walk away. Then again, she'd do that no matter what you tried to bring up with her.

Currently very, very vain.

'''Kimo - the Emperor of the Sun'''

= Chancel - Locus Enlightenment, Sanctum Excelestia =

[http://img248.imageshack.us/i/sanctumexcelestia.jpg HG's Impression 1]

'''Qualities'''

Megalomaniac King/Queen (-4)

Normal Magic (3)

Alchemy (1)

2 Banes (-1)

Convenient Gates (2)

Anchorable Magical residents (4)

==Government==

The Sanctum is under the absolute Executive rule of the Emperor who answers only to the Shepherdess. Legislative and administrative rule is divided amongst the 4 major domains under the 4 queens:

'''Alicia - High Queen of the Diamond Tower.'''

Technically, having inherited the title of 'High Queen' from her predecessor, Alicia commands the Council of Four Queens and the Round Table of Dominums. However, as she has only recently joined the Famiglia, responsibility over the Council of Four Queens has fallen on the reluctant shoulders of Elune while the Round Table of Dominums is overseen by Han Gua.

'''Lyna - Queen of the Ruby Gardens.'''

The Ruby Gardens refers to the entirety of the Arcane Arts Academy Complex within the Outer Circle where the majority of mages of Excelestia train and live. However, to most of the citizens, the 'Ruby Gardens' itself refers to the seat of government, the Ruby Palace, a magnificent rose-shaped palace of crystal grown from the very essence of the Chancel itself in the middle of the Ruby Gardens.

'''Elune - Queen of the Sapphire Sky.'''

The Sapphire Sky refers to the entirety of the sky in between the floating structures of the Sanctum. While Elune governs no real land, she controls all traffic in the airspace around the Sanctum. Her official seat of government is the Sapphire Palace, a beautiful crystalline Sapphire star floating high up within the Inner Circle, though she is rarely ever there. She usually lives in her observatory on a lonely island high above the Sanctum.

'''Jessie - Queen of the Emerald Fields.'''

The Emerald Fields refer to most of the land floating in the Ciellan Expanse, the sky beyond the Outer Wall. The Emerald Fields house a good portion of the Sanctum's agricultural and mining settlements. Her seat of government is the Emerald Palace, a beautiful viridian structure of moss-covered wood and succulent, fresh folliage that grow and thrive all year round, coiled around a giant magnificent Emerald of a green deeper than the land that surrounds it.

== Other Noteworthy Locations ==

'''The Amethyst Shores'''

Governed officially by Illumina, provisionally by the Arch-Artificer of the Great Guild of Alchemists. The Amethyst Shores are a group of closely-packed islands within the Outer Circle where the majority of the Alchemists of Excelestia live. While alchemists can be found just about anywhere, the Amethysts Shores are really the only place where they can make things explode to their hearts content without causing tempers to explode all around them. Alchemists can also be found en masse at the Ruby Gardens.

'''The Garnet Fortress'''

Governed mainly by Charles, the Garnet Fortress encompasses the Inner and Outer Walls of the Sanctum and the bastion of the Knights.

'''The Beryl Earth'''

Governed mainly by Regine, the

Judicial Rule is under the Absolute Court headed by the Shepherdess and the Supreme Court headed by the Noble of Justice and her Circle of Justiciaries.

'''The Quartz Workshop'''

A watch-mender's workshop somewhere within the Diamond Tower, Emil's home and favourite haunt.

==Security==

The city has a number of defense corps organized to different degrees by a number of Nobles.

'''The Chivalrous Gentlemanly TownWatch'''

'''The Magical Avengers of Love and Peace, Magical Taskforce Ruby Gardenia'''

Organized by the 5th Noble of Magic, a rather...odd Master of Magic who believed that wearing frilly clothing is a form of sacrifice to society and preached that magical power is exponentially proportional to the frilliness of one's clothing. Now maintained by the 7th Noble of Magic, Lyna, who keeps up most of the traditions of the 5th.

'''The Upholders of Equivalent Exchange, the Eternally Passionate Flameheart Alchemists (EPFA)'''

Organized by the previous Noble of Alchemy, a rather fluffy and passionate Lady Alchemist, and maintained by the recently appointed Noble, Illumina, the EPFA are at best socially-involved nerds, at worst really, really messy vigilantes (unfortunately, more often the latter). They mainly keep the domain of the Alchemists, the Amethyst Shores, as well as their portion of the Ruby Gardens, safe...for a given value of 'safe'.

'''The Infallibly Just Circle of Justiciers'''

'''The Eternally Loyal Shieldmaidens of [Insert Place Name Here]'''

Organized by the current Noble of Loyalty,

'''The Ever-Watchful Lantern Kindlers and Lamp Bearers of the Stars'''

'''The Righteous Karmic-Retributioneer Monks of Karma'''

'''The LoreKeepers and Agents of Literary Vengeance, the Combat Librarians'''

== Groups ==

Besides the defense forces of the Chancel, the Sanctum also harbours a number of groups.

'''The Enclave of Emerald Alchemists'''
Also known as the 'Emerald Artisans', this society of Alchemists was founded by the 7th Noble of Light, TanetNephthys, and the 1st Noble of Alchemy, Armagustine Trimegistus, after the passing of the third Noble of Maricarum, Hermes Trimegistus, founder of the Emerald Arts.

In a major nettle rite wrought by the 2nd Noble of Botany, Ephistopheles, against the Noble of Alchemy, in a daring move to split the art into two major paths forever, the Enclave was splintered in two - The Cleave fo Botanists and the Enclave of Emerald Artisans. The Botanists left the Sanctum, carrying with them the entirety of botanic knowledge. The Alchemists, however, managed to keep the Principa Alchimia safe and prevented the botanists from acquiring an absolute monopoly over the Emerald Arts. The two now jealously guard their arts, for if one were to acquire the arts of the other, they would become unstoppable.

The botanists are known to pass through the Chancel to deal with the Emerald Artisans.

== Laws ==

The Chancel operates on general principles of Justice commonly found in any other society where concepts of Law and Justice exist. It has a few notable exceptions such as:

- Any deed with noble ends are exempt from law's scrutiny upon its means. This means even the most foul of deeds is considered lawfully just as long as its ends are noble. It comes with a very, very important caveat - the good of the outcome must far exceed the evil committed. This is particularly difficult to achieve with murder, as murder, the theft of the sanctity of one's life, is the basest, most evil of crimes that even the earth itself abhors.

-

N.B. The Chancel operates on the Code Napoleon, that the suspect is guilty until proven otherwise, as Lady Justice willed it to be in the prosaic realm.

== Notable Individuals ==

'''Orphus Denilzante'''
Chief Magitech Engineer of the Sanctum and designer of the Deus Ex Machina.

'''Reno Orfayne'''
Owner of Reno's Empirio, the one-stop fashion designer for Nobles, known to be second only to his Master, Enzel Haulor of 7th Avenue and 91st Street NY.

'''Sammy Westine'''
Proprietor and Chief Engineer of Westine Airships, Sammy is the young brilliant mind behind this generation's latest magitech airships. Having mastered Alchemy, Magic and Magitech at a young age, she went on to implement her excellent knowledge in airship design and construction. Her airships are used not just within the Sanctum but all over Creation. While she does produce combat-ready airships, she only produces them as personal favours for Nobles she trusts. These make proud flagships in any war fleet. It is rumoured that she is working with Aeril Jotunstrom, Noble of Ships, from Locus Atlantis, on warships capable of sailing the world beyond creation and taking part directly on the frontlines of the Valde Bellum.

'''Victor'''

= Mythic Realm =

== Chancels Known ==
''From the Primer on Loci Celatum, by Holly Djurisic''
What follows are descriptions of chancels considered widely known and to be no secret to those versed in the ways of the Mythic. Everyone knows them as a matter of common sense.

'''Locus Amarant'''

The Great Market, the Gardens of Lady Profit, Amarant is perhaps one of the few chancels that has no doors, and, even if it did, they would be wide open to welcome one and all. After all, even your worst enemy is a potential customer. Any invader would quickly find themselves besieged by peddlers of weaponry, trust and treachery, even the very spoils they are after. Everything the discerning Noble might need is available here...for the right price. The preferred currency are fleurs, but the locals have been known to trade with other things such as miracles and pacts. Some nobles come here not just to buy but also to sell. If you want or need it, Locus Amarant will sell it, or if not, then at least it will sell you the expertise of someone who CAN get it. Needless to say, the cammorae are all over Amarant.

It is well-known that even Excrucians frequent Amarant, and they know full well never to destroy Amarant....at least not until their victory is assured, for Amarant will be more than happy to sell them the means to that victory, or maybe even that victory itself....for the right price. Why destroy something so blatantly useful?

Chancel of Lady Profit, Immiae Arathy, and the Nobles of Trade, Currency, Negotiation, Supermarket Loyalty Cards, and Cookies. Yes, Cookies.

= Prosaic Realm =

== Earth ==

=== Noteworthy Individuals===

== Erebea ==

A once beautiful world, a geographic wonder of continents hanging high up in the pristine skies, flooded with raw magic reminiscent of Earth about a millennium ago. Sanctum Excelestia was once the capital of this world, until it disappeared a few millennia ago.

== Lost Universe AD 2511 ==

The Lost Universe, now a Valde Bellum warfront. In 2400 AD, an age of galactic expansion and an Aetheric golden age for human advancement, a treacherous Imperator managed to sabotage the Shepherdess' hold on the Weirding Wall, leaving gaping holes in the defense of Creation. In the ensuing chaos, the Imperators and their nobles turned their attention to the Excrucian host gathering beyond the gap. Little did they know that they had fallen prey to a deceiver ruse. At the same time, the Excrucians were readying a pincer attack, with their mimics and strategists having established a foothold on Earth's universe. The Enlightened, at the time under great scrutiny due to the Shepherdess' apparent failure at maintaining the Weirding Wall, discovered the Excrucian plans and attempted to alert the Ymmerae. However, the Deceivers held the ears of the Ymmerae, and all the please of the Enlightened fell on deaf, suspicious, skeptical ears.

In a daring move, the Noble of Aether secretly used almost the entirety of his power of limitless potential to create an anomalous fold in existence, tearing 500 years of the universe apart, resetting the universe to before the Excrucian plan had even begun in 1900. He brought the new fold containing the lost 500 years and the excrucian plot up and tethered it to the gaping hole in the Weirding Wall, just in time to meet the incoming Excrucian Host. The excrucian invasion began, never once suspecting that they had walked into a pocket universe. For the Noble of Aether's apparent treachery, the Locust Court condemned him to death without a trial, dispatching the Enlightened, his own family, to prove their allegiance to the court by executing their own brother. It is said that Justice was the one to rip his shard out of his chest with her bare hands. It is said that the shard shattered. Some say Justice, in her grief and rage, shattered it herself. Some say it was Aether's final gift to the Lost Universe, and to the entirety of creation. The shard dust was dispersed and embedded itself across the entirety of the Lost Universe, enchancelling it, bestowing its beings with the blessings of Aetheric Power, immunizing them to the crippling effects of dementia animus and empowering them in their coming struggle against the Excrucian invaders. Aether was forever lost to Creation, but its shadow continues to live on within the beings of the Lost Universe. As long as the children of Aether stand and the light of Aether burns on within them, the Lost Universe will always resist the Excrucian host.

The Lost Universe has since been sealed away outside the Weirding Wall, doomed to forever be an Excrucian battleground, until the day the Excrucians trapped within consume the Lost Universe and realize Aether's trickery.

At the precise moment Aether's sacrifice enchancelled the Lost Universe, Hammond Qarn, Imperator of the Lost Universe, came into being. Having arisen from a universe so filled with the Shepherdess' own power, Hammond naturally became a Magister of the Enlightened. Furthermore, as the chancel was created using the Shepherdess' own soul shard, a fraction of the Shepherdess' own essence makes up the chancel's foundations. Thus for all intents and purposes the Enlightened can treat the Lost Universe as their own home chancel.

Few other nobles are privy to the secret of the Lost Universe's existence. Even fewer take up the fight to defend the Lost Universe in order to delay the full-scale invasion of Creation. The Nobles of Astelumina and Endeon were the first to pick up Aether's fallen banner and lead the battle against the Excrucian host and were also the first to fall.

'Now and Forever, till the hour I too stand between Impossibility and Despair!' - Phaeron Rof Alabar Trimeniel - Emperor of Aether

=== Notable Locations ===

'''L.U. Earth AD 2511'''

In AD 2400, Astelumina and Endeon managed to rid the entire earth of deceivers, strategists and mimics, making it one of the last few human settlements still untouched by the Excrucian Scourge. The war and Aether's blessing has accelerated technology to astronomical heights in the past 111 years, bringing humanity to a point where they can overwhelm excrucian shards and at the very least annoy full excrucians, if not kill them. Earth is now the capital of the Universal Aetheric Alliance (UAA), headquarters of the Excrucian resistance. Its coordinates are guarded to the death by the Children of Aether. Those who sally forth to meet the Excrucian Host do so without carrying Earth's coordinates, knowing full well that they may never return to their beloved home.

'''L.U. Heaven’s Feel'''

The current frontier of the Lost Universe Valde Bellum, Heaven’s Feel is perhaps the most beautiful extrasolar human colony. A large T3 terraformed planet orbiting the gas giant Astelumina 3, behind a dense spherical asteroid field and a radioactive veil around the sun Astelumina, it makes a naturally fortified world. Thanks to the scattering radiation and the dense blackhole just a few megaparsecs away at the center of the galaxy, the system and planet is nigh impossible to find at the best of times, at least for marauding excrucian raiding parties. The UAA uses Astelumina’s final gift, the gift of the stars, the ability to travel on aetheric currents guided by the stars, to travel safely in and out of the system.

When excrucians do find the planet, they are immediately drawn into its orbit by the interaction of the gravity wells of Heaven’s Feel’s many moons. They have no hope of escaping to notify the host of the planet’s location before they are drawn into intense battle by the Feelians.

The planet is ravaged by repeat invasions.

=== Familia of the Lost Universe ===

More or less an extended family of the Enlightened, the Familia of the Lost Universe are the sworn guardians of Aether's legacy.

'''Hammond Qarn - Imperator of the Lost Universe'''

Despite being an offshoot of the Shepherdess' power, Hammond Qarn is quite the opposite. He looks as human as they come. In fact, very, very much so, with his thick paternal beard, his twinkling eyes and his simple, honest expression, like a stern but compassionate father. Those who have the great honour of an audience with him are overcome with an overwhelming confidence and faith in humanity's potential and prowess. His being is shrouded in the stuff of legends. They say he single-handedly piloted an Alliance Battlecruiser straight into an Excrucian battlestation and escaped alive, unscathed. They say he personally lead the desperate charge that ended the siege of Harvest 4. They say he singlehandedly held the line at Point Hope against the entire advancing Excrucian host at the battle of Forge 3. They say a lot of things about Hammond Qarn, and when you meet him, sitting like a lighthouse exuding calm and confidence amidst the storm of war, in his simple, neatly-pressed uniform gleaming with but one badge denoting his allegiance to the Alliance, you feel naught but awe - that this man is the legend in the flesh.

'''Commander John Shepard - Power of Living Legends'''

'''Excel 7 - Commander of Super Soldiers'''

was responsible for the Halo series and partly responsible for the Metal Gear series, amongst other things.

'''Iris Erran - Chief Admiral of Spacecrafts'''

'''ALMa OmNI. - Supreme Administrator of Aetheric Technology'''

An A.I. born of the pinnacle of Aetheric supercomputers,

= Quests =

== Active Quests ==

=== Imperator Quests ===

'''Overdue'''

The Shepherdess has requested that the Foreguards return 3 books she's borrowed for Shepherdess-knows-how-long now, for reasons that none can fathom.

=== Chivalry Quests ===

=== Determinism Quests ===

=== Illumination Quests ===

'''Twinkle, Little Star'''

Started : 15th November 2011

As the world darkens, the light of the stars fade. Elune, little noble of stars, your sister, lies sick, alone in her high observatory, forgotten by the rest of the world. Now the weakening of the stars has started to affect the domain of Light too. Something must be done before yet another member of the Family succumbs to the war of attrition upon the Enlightened.

Progress:

1) Lyna, Emil and Alicia visited Elune in her observatory and found her ill.

2) They discovered that her observatory was severely corrupted by some malignant corruption that was trying to break into the chancel.

3) They sealed off the intrusion into the chancel but destroyed the observatory in the process. They managed to prevent the observatory from crashing catastrophically into the chancel.

4) They've brought the sick Elune to the Sapphire Palace and acquired the help of Regine to treat her.

'''Who moved my Christmas?!'''

Christmas, the biggest celebration of lights and joy, isn't happening this year! This is unprecedented serious affair!

Started : 8th November 2011

Progress :

1) Alicia has asked the magical girls, knights, and others who've passed in and out of the chancel, for any information they might know about this. She's learned that it's a rather complex issue. It might be the economy, it might be the declining family values, could be anything.

'''When you peer into the Abyss...'''

Started : n/a

And the Creator said, 'Let there be Light', and there was light, and he saw that it was good. And He separated the dark from the light. Thus was the First Day.

It wasn't quite that simple.

When the light came to be, the dark too came to be as a result, and neither could tolerate the other. Thus the First War of Light and Dark began, pure and simple, with no preamble or prelude. They fought for Shepherdess-knows-how-long. Finally, the formation of the Covenant of the First Day, an agreement between the Light and the Dark to respect the other's estate, ended the war. How it came to be, however, is still a hotly debated topic. Some say the Dark won. Some say the Light won. Some say it was a draw. Some say there were other reasons. Who really knows?

An anniversary of the Covenant of the First Day is celebrated yearly now to uphold the ideals of peace and cooperation between Light and Dark. This year, it's Alicia's turn to host the festival. What could go wrong?

Progress : n/a

=== Magic Quests ===

== Completed Quests ==

= Correspondence =

== Family Correspondence ==

'Good morning, Masters and Mistresses. I hope the noise didn't keep you up last night. The Alchemists discovered a new flower known quite amusingly as the 'Boom Lily'. Thankfully they grew quieter as the night went by. Anyhow, here's today's selection of the world's headlines.' - Mira -

• Presidents of Chechnya, Bosnia and Ukraine die in mysterious circumstances.

• American invasion of Iran is meeting heavy resistance. The Iranians now threaten to unleash their nuclear arsenal if America does not cease and desist.

• North Korea invades South Korea on midnight, the 25th of December.

• A new illness is spreading. Cause unknown.

== Illumination's Correspondence==

'Young Miss, please do take some times to reads some of these, 'kay? Lymle's actually done her bests to sort them outs, 'kay!' - Lymle -

- You've been cordially invited to attend the Divali celebrations in India. - Various Nobles -

== Chivalry's Correspondence ==

'Aye, my liege, thou hast an abundant harvest of letters. Thy loyal steed has made do with the more...delicious trivialties. *BURP*' - Sieghart -

== Determinism's Correspondence ==

'Hey, old man, check it out, you've got mail. Should I fetch your specs? Or maybe a magnifying glass? Or maybe my winding screw? All that sorting's wound down my springs...' - Leonie -

== Magic's Correspondence ==

'Young Mistress, it's time to read your correspondence for the day. Please sit down here. Yes, here. Now, back straight like a washboard, eyes forward like a dead fish, and elbows akimbo like a ballerina...yes, excellent, young mistress. Now, I present you my personal selection of today's letters.' - Flowerchild -

== Intelligence's Correspondence ==

Nobilis Enlightened

2011-03-11T11:27:06Z

Mind-The-Gap: /* Illumination Quests */

[[Category:Nobilis]]

= Imperator - The Shepherdess of Light =

1. ‘Omneaum(a) became aware. In its awareness, it found loneliness. It saw potential, good, an impossibility.

2. Omneaum gave way to potential, and made the impossible possible. It was, things became.

3. Enlightenment arose, and so did I, Whole, Complete, bearing the Gifts of Aether (b), Light, Vaveram (c), Maricarum (d), Endeon (e), and Causality.

4. Omneaum’s legacy I shall honour and hold safe, now and forever, till the hour I too stand alone between Impossibility and Despair.’

- The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light, Imperator of Enlightenment -

(a) Omneaum: The Original Absolute Void

(b) Aether: Estate of 'Absolute Potential', the 'Impossible made Possible', the very basic element of creation from which all matter and life flowed. It was said to have been more abundant in space. (Now excruciated, succeeded in part by the estate of 'Magic')

(c)Vaveram: Estate of Spontaneous Sentience and Awareness (Now Excruciated. Never replaced.)

(d) Maricarum: Estate of Great Miracles through Personal Sacrifice (Now excruciated, succeeded by the estate of 'Magic' and 'Sacrifice')

(e)Endeon: Estate of the 'Lone Wolf Phenomenon', wherein those fighting against overwhelming odds are always guaranteed victory. Better known in our time as the 'Storm Trooper effect'. (Now excruciated)

Having predated the Imperators of 'Name', the Shepherdess is nameless and formless. Those who are fortunate enough to know her identify her as 'The Glorious One, the Shepherdess of Light', or, simply, 'The Shepherdess'. Having come into being before the birth of the concept of 'form' or even 'matter' and 'physical law', she is without form in the physical universe. She used to communicate with her agents in the physical universe through pulses of light and ripples in a fountain of light. Needless to say, a lot of liberty had been taken in deciphering her wishes. Recently, however, the Chief Engineer of the Sanctum, Orphus, has devised an ingenious megastructure, the Deus Ex Machina, a gigantic clockwork device that allows the Shepherdess to see into the physical realm and engage with it using a gigantic, rather clumsy steel claw and communicate using a ticker-tape telegram machine.

(Interestingly, having also preceded the Imperator of Gender, she is, or, at least, was, in essence, genderless. However, around 300 B.C. she became a part of debate amongst philosophers as an example of a being who must be 'of the default gender'. For some reason it was decided that the default gender was female, and so the Shepherdess has since been considered to be of the female persuasion. Not that she really cares. It is suspected that the Noble of Women had something to do with this, but that's a tale for another time.)

Prophesized successor of Ananda and future Shepherdess of the Fifth Age, the Glorious One has purposely been denied a seat on the Council of Four, for her ways are that of the ‘Enlightened’, incompatible with the ways of the other council-members. She earns Lord Entropy and Ananda’s tolerance for her existence only through her service in the Valde Bellum and her Light’s importance in maintaining the Weirding Wall, a task that consumes almost the entirety of her attention and being (much to Lord Entropy’s and Ananda’s satisfaction).

The Heavens despise her, for an Angel of Creation she is not, and yet she brought forth the first Light that made everything that was Beautiful possible. Only the fact that her Light is necessary for beauty and this fact alone earns her the toleration of Heaven. The Wild would have nothing to do with her, for there is no freedom in sacrifice.The Hells, the Darkness and the Light all loath her, for not only is she the voice of wisdom that transcends not just the Corruption that the Hells endeavour towards, but she is also the voice that moves all beings towards becoming more than the matter they are made from, transcending what they are, pushing them ever onwards towards a greater purpose not only in life but also in death. Those who follow her code wish for naught else but the glory of dying for a greater good.

It is unclear what her true nature or form is. Nobody seems to remember when she came to be, or how for that matter. Some suspect she is one of the Heavenly legion, an Angel, but not only do the Heavens and its angelic denizens despise her at the best of times, her ways are most definitely not that of Heaven. Some surmise that she is a fallen Angel, but the cause of Hell she does not serve. It is highly possible that she is a True God, but all of creation knows they did not appear until long after the Angels had begun the Great Work. Recently, when passings of the Transcendants were properly documented in AP 4732, it was surmised that she is perhaps a Transcendant who somehow chose to settle upon the World Ash, perhaps one of the Charitable. Said document is Creation's closest description of the Shepherdess' nature, her gifts being her Estates and her Law.

=='''Vow of the Enlightened'''==

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this.

1) Everything has a cause and an end. The Enlightened shall embrace this. - One thing leads to another. And at the end of all things is an ‘end’.

2) Noble deeds are of Noble cause and Noble ends. The Enlightened shall serve this. - Every good act must be good of purpose and good of result. This clause seems to fail to (most probably purposely) mention anything regarding the means. Taking the most liberal interpretation, a ‘Noble deed’ can have means as lacking in morals as a psychotic mass murderer, and yet still be considered ‘Noble’ in the eyes of the ‘Enlightened’. What matters is the cause, the intention and the ends. Everything in between matters naught.

3) The Impossible has a cause and the Enlightened transcends its end. The Enlightened shall surpass this. - The ultimate sacrifice can conquer anything, even the impossible. This is the one true ‘Miracle’, Magic at its purest, one that allows the Enlightened to surpass his/her own end and achieve greatness through sacrifice. The Shepherdess safeguards the cause of all who sacrifice themselves for a greater purpose, guaranteeing them the miraculous magic of success.

==Details==

'''Estates''': Light, Determinism, Magic, Chivalry, Intelligence, Honour, Loyalty, Courage, Hope, Justice, Karma, Logic, Alchemy, Sacrifice, Curiosity, Sun, Moon, Stars

'''Excruciated Estates''': Aether, Vaveram, Maricarum, Endeon, Astelumina

'''Qualities:'''

Great Harvest (2)

Cold (-1)

Demanding (-1)

----

= The Famiglia of the Enlightened =

The Famiglia of the Enlightened ''were'' a highly respected and influential group about 4-5 centuries before, their power extending from the very birth of creation. However, in a highly unorthodox move around the 4002 A.P., the Council ordered the Shepherdess to provide additional support in the Valde Bellum proper, above and beyond her maintenance of the Weirding Wall. Seeing as the Wall already consumed most if not all her power and attention, she was forced to mobilize members of her Famiglia, something quite unprecedented. The Nobles of Maricarum, Aether and Endeon were the first to volunteer for the great undertaking, having attained near-Imperator-level powers at the time. A few centuries later, Vaveram, Astelumina, Chivalry, Courage and Alchemy too joined their brother and sisters in the direct defense of creation. They held the line for a good few centuries, seeing a slow but definite turnover in nobles. That was until, for reasons still unknown, Maricarum, Aether, Endeon, Vaveram and Astelumina were excruciated one by one. The last to fall were Endeon and Astelumina in 4895 AP, at the same time 500 years of Human History was erased.

With no time to mourn, the Famiglia of the Enlightened were forced to mobilize more members of their famiglia to the front lines. The following few years saw more of their Nobles killed, though thankfully not excruciated.

Now with few remaining senior members, the famiglia struggles to stay on its feet with the large influx of new family members. Will they be able to live up to their predecessors? Will they be able to return the family to its former glory and take it to new heights? Or will this be the end of the Enlightened? That is up to the new Famiglia.

== PC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Foreguard of the Enlightened''

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Alicia_Valka '''Alicia - Principissa of Illumination''']

The 21st Principissa Of Illumination.

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Emil '''Emil - Power of Determinism''']

The 13th Power of Determinism

[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Charles_Earl_Of_Huntington'''Charles - Lord of Chivalry''']

The 77th Lord of Chivalry

'''Lyna - Regina of Magic'''

The 66th Regina of Magic

'''???? - Noble of Intelligence (And Dolphins)'''

== NPC Nobles of the Enlightened ==

''The Vanguard of the Enlightened''

'''Regine - Inquesta of Loyalty'''

'''Jessie - Tempesta of Courage (Sort of veering towards Impetuous Juvenile Recklessness)'''

'''Illumina - AllMother of Alchemy'''

Novice Alchemist extraordinaire and (rather unwilling) Commander of the Alchemist Flameheart Squad, Illumina is yet another recent addition to the Famiglia. She's currently worried about the sorry state of her estate (mostly usurped by Chemistry and now reduced to nothing more than a fantasy fiction gimmick) and a missing prominent Alchemist amongst other things....but mainly by the prospect of responsibility in general.

She is widely known, even outside Alchemist circles, as 'Big Bang Lum'.

'''Elune - Principissa of the Stars'''

While relatively senior in the Famiglia of the Enlightened (by simple virtue of everyone else being very recent additions), that's as far as her seniority goes. In every other respect, she is mostly helpless, though the more understanding dismiss this as a reflection of her estate - stars aren't known to be do much other than be pretty, especially lately with modern technology supplanting the need for stellar navigation or calendar-keeping. It used to be so much different when her sister, the Noble of Astelumina, the power of stellar influence upon the workings of the universe and lives on earth, was still around. Now as the stars fade and people forget the stars, Elune lies ill, slowly fading herself.

''The Diplomatic Corp (Intelligence) of the Enlightened''

'''Rang Fan - Excelifficer of Logic'''

Born a humble villager in a Tibetan highland settlement, Rang Fan grew up completely illiterate. She was, however, a keen observer and deep thinker. She developed her own concise and strict principles of logic, one that often found fault in the traditionalist views of the people she lived amongst. Some saw her as a source of wisdom, some saw her as a demon-possessed child.

She became the favourite anchor of the previous Noble of Logic for a while. During this time, her mastery of logic developed brilliantly. Unfortunately, she came afoul of a Chinese official when she publicly defeated him in a debate regarding the accusation of rebellion on the part of the village.

'''Geronimo - High Chief of Sacrifice'''

'''Han Gua - Exarch of Honour'''

'''Jimmy - Arch-Provost of Curiosity'''

''The Unassigned of the Enlightened''

'''Justice(?) - Empress of Justice'''

Not much is known about Justice, the 1st Noble of Justice. She is the eldest of the current Famiglia, though in the time of the original Famiglia, she was the youngest. She is the last surviving member of the original Famiglia of the Enlightened. It is rumoured that she was an Angel before she joined the Enlightened, though whether or not this is true is unknown. Her real name is unknown. Nobody has seen her in a long, long while. The only members of the current famiglia who have seen her are Han Gua and Elune.

Currently absent. Whereabouts unknown.

'''Vie - Noble of Hope'''

A rather mysterious member of the famiglia, she wonders in and out of the chancel rather randomly. Nobody seems to remember when she joined the Family. In fact, some are surprised to hear that there IS a noble of Hope in the Family. She doesn't seem to have a permanent home in the chancel. She's known (at least to those few who know her) to wander about, never staying in one place for long. She is apparently summonable, but rumours have it that she's apparently rather useless.

There are strange rumours that she follows the code of the Dark, or even Hell. Why would Hope do that?

'''Thomas Eire - Keeper of Karma'''

'''Kaguya - Himegami of the Moon'''

Tsukishiro no Kaguya-hime is perhaps the second eldest of the Famiglia, though she takes great care not to let anyone know that. She is the second Noble of the Moon. There are rumours that she was behind the Apollo 13 failure. When asked about it, she would give you a disdainful look and walk away. Then again, she'd do that no matter what you tried to bring up with her.

Currently very, very vain.

'''Kimo - the Emperor of the Sun'''

= Chancel - Locus Enlightenment, Sanctum Excelestia =

[http://img248.imageshack.us/i/sanctumexcelestia.jpg HG's Impression 1]

'''Qualities'''

Megalomaniac King/Queen (-4)

Normal Magic (3)

Alchemy (1)

2 Banes (-1)

Convenient Gates (2)

Anchorable Magical residents (4)

==Government==

The Sanctum is under the absolute Executive rule of the Emperor who answers only to the Shepherdess. Legislative and administrative rule is divided amongst the 4 major domains under the 4 queens:

'''Alicia - High Queen of the Diamond Tower.'''

Technically, having inherited the title of 'High Queen' from her predecessor, Alicia commands the Council of Four Queens and the Round Table of Dominums. However, as she has only recently joined the Famiglia, responsibility over the Council of Four Queens has fallen on the reluctant shoulders of Elune while the Round Table of Dominums is overseen by Han Gua.

'''Lyna - Queen of the Ruby Gardens.'''

The Ruby Gardens refers to the entirety of the Arcane Arts Academy Complex within the Outer Circle where the majority of mages of Excelestia train and live. However, to most of the citizens, the 'Ruby Gardens' itself refers to the seat of government, the Ruby Palace, a magnificent rose-shaped palace of crystal grown from the very essence of the Chancel itself in the middle of the Ruby Gardens.

'''Elune - Queen of the Sapphire Sky.'''

The Sapphire Sky refers to the entirety of the sky in between the floating structures of the Sanctum. While Elune governs no real land, she controls all traffic in the airspace around the Sanctum. Her official seat of government is the Sapphire Palace, a beautiful crystalline Sapphire star floating high up within the Inner Circle, though she is rarely ever there. She usually lives in her observatory on a lonely island high above the Sanctum.

'''Jessie - Queen of the Emerald Fields.'''

The Emerald Fields refer to most of the land floating in the Ciellan Expanse, the sky beyond the Outer Wall. The Emerald Fields house a good portion of the Sanctum's agricultural and mining settlements. Her seat of government is the Emerald Palace, a beautiful viridian structure of moss-covered wood and succulent, fresh folliage that grow and thrive all year round, coiled around a giant magnificent Emerald of a green deeper than the land that surrounds it.

== Other Noteworthy Locations ==

'''The Amethyst Shores'''

Governed officially by Illumina, provisionally by the Arch-Artificer of the Great Guild of Alchemists. The Amethyst Shores are a group of closely-packed islands within the Outer Circle where the majority of the Alchemists of Excelestia live. While alchemists can be found just about anywhere, the Amethysts Shores are really the only place where they can make things explode to their hearts content without causing tempers to explode all around them. Alchemists can also be found en masse at the Ruby Gardens.

'''The Garnet Fortress'''

Governed mainly by Charles, the Garnet Fortress encompasses the Inner and Outer Walls of the Sanctum and the bastion of the Knights.

'''The Beryl Earth'''

Governed mainly by Regine, the

Judicial Rule is under the Absolute Court headed by the Shepherdess and the Supreme Court headed by the Noble of Justice and her Circle of Justiciaries.

'''The Quartz Workshop'''

A watch-mender's workshop somewhere within the Diamond Tower, Emil's home and favourite haunt.

==Security==

The city has a number of defense corps organized to different degrees by a number of Nobles.

'''The Chivalrous Gentlemanly TownWatch'''

'''The Magical Avengers of Love and Peace, Magical Taskforce Ruby Gardenia'''

Organized by the 5th Noble of Magic, a rather...odd Master of Magic who believed that wearing frilly clothing is a form of sacrifice to society and preached that magical power is exponentially proportional to the frilliness of one's clothing. Now maintained by the 7th Noble of Magic, Lyna, who keeps up most of the traditions of the 5th.

'''The Upholders of Equivalent Exchange, the Eternally Passionate Flameheart Alchemists (EPFA)'''

Organized by the previous Noble of Alchemy, a rather fluffy and passionate Lady Alchemist, and maintained by the recently appointed Noble, Illumina, the EPFA are at best socially-involved nerds, at worst really, really messy vigilantes (unfortunately, more often the latter). They mainly keep the domain of the Alchemists, the Amethyst Shores, as well as their portion of the Ruby Gardens, safe...for a given value of 'safe'.

'''The Infallibly Just Circle of Justiciers'''

'''The Eternally Loyal Shieldmaidens of [Insert Place Name Here]'''

Organized by the current Noble of Loyalty,

'''The Ever-Watchful Lantern Kindlers and Lamp Bearers of the Stars'''

'''The Righteous Karmic-Retributioneer Monks of Karma'''

'''The LoreKeepers and Agents of Literary Vengeance, the Combat Librarians'''

== Groups ==

Besides the defense forces of the Chancel, the Sanctum also harbours a number of groups.

'''The Enclave of Emerald Alchemists'''
Also known as the 'Emerald Artisans', this society of Alchemists was founded by the 7th Noble of Light, TanetNephthys, and the 1st Noble of Alchemy, Armagustine Trimegistus, after the passing of the third Noble of Maricarum, Hermes Trimegistus, founder of the Emerald Arts.

In a major nettle rite wrought by the 2nd Noble of Botany, Ephistopheles, against the Noble of Alchemy, in a daring move to split the art into two major paths forever, the Enclave was splintered in two - The Cleave fo Botanists and the Enclave of Emerald Artisans. The Botanists left the Sanctum, carrying with them the entirety of botanic knowledge. The Alchemists, however, managed to keep the Principa Alchimia safe and prevented the botanists from acquiring an absolute monopoly over the Emerald Arts. The two now jealously guard their arts, for if one were to acquire the arts of the other, they would become unstoppable.

The botanists are known to pass through the Chancel to deal with the Emerald Artisans.

== Laws ==

The Chancel operates on general principles of Justice commonly found in any other society where concepts of Law and Justice exist. It has a few notable exceptions such as:

- Any deed with noble ends are exempt from law's scrutiny upon its means. This means even the most foul of deeds is considered lawfully just as long as its ends are noble. It comes with a very, very important caveat - the good of the outcome must far exceed the evil committed. This is particularly difficult to achieve with murder, as murder, the theft of the sanctity of one's life, is the basest, most evil of crimes that even the earth itself abhors.

-

N.B. The Chancel operates on the Code Napoleon, that the suspect is guilty until proven otherwise, as Lady Justice willed it to be in the prosaic realm.

== Notable Individuals ==

'''Orphus Denilzante'''
Chief Magitech Engineer of the Sanctum and designer of the Deus Ex Machina.

'''Reno Orfayne'''
Owner of Reno's Empirio, the one-stop fashion designer for Nobles, known to be second only to his Master, Enzel Haulor of 7th Avenue and 91st Street NY.

'''Sammy Westine'''
Proprietor and Chief Engineer of Westine Airships, Sammy is the young brilliant mind behind this generation's latest magitech airships. Having mastered Alchemy, Magic and Magitech at a young age, she went on to implement her excellent knowledge in airship design and construction. Her airships are used not just within the Sanctum but all over Creation. While she does produce combat-ready airships, she only produces them as personal favours for Nobles she trusts. These make proud flagships in any war fleet. It is rumoured that she is working with Aeril Jotunstrom, Noble of Ships, from Locus Atlantis, on warships capable of sailing the world beyond creation and taking part directly on the frontlines of the Valde Bellum.

'''Victor'''

= Mythic Realm =

== Chancels Known ==
''From the Primer on Loci Celatum, by Holly Djurisic''
What follows are descriptions of chancels considered widely known and to be no secret to those versed in the ways of the Mythic. Everyone knows them as a matter of common sense.

'''Locus Amarant'''

The Great Market, the Gardens of Lady Profit, Amarant is perhaps one of the few chancels that has no doors, and, even if it did, they would be wide open to welcome one and all. After all, even your worst enemy is a potential customer. Any invader would quickly find themselves besieged by peddlers of weaponry, trust and treachery, even the very spoils they are after. Everything the discerning Noble might need is available here...for the right price. The preferred currency are fleurs, but the locals have been known to trade with other things such as miracles and pacts. Some nobles come here not just to buy but also to sell. If you want or need it, Locus Amarant will sell it, or if not, then at least it will sell you the expertise of someone who CAN get it. Needless to say, the cammorae are all over Amarant.

It is well-known that even Excrucians frequent Amarant, and they know full well never to destroy Amarant....at least not until their victory is assured, for Amarant will be more than happy to sell them the means to that victory, or maybe even that victory itself....for the right price. Why destroy something so blatantly useful?

Chancel of Lady Profit, Immiae Arathy, and the Nobles of Trade, Currency, Negotiation, Supermarket Loyalty Cards, and Cookies. Yes, Cookies.

= Prosaic Realm =

== Earth ==

=== Noteworthy Individuals===

== Erebea ==

A once beautiful world, a geographic wonder of continents hanging high up in the pristine skies, flooded with raw magic reminiscent of Earth about a millennium ago. Sanctum Excelestia was once the capital of this world, until it disappeared a few millennia ago.

== Lost Universe AD 2511 ==

The Lost Universe, now a Valde Bellum warfront. In 2400 AD, an age of galactic expansion and an Aetheric golden age for human advancement, a treacherous Imperator managed to sabotage the Shepherdess' hold on the Weirding Wall, leaving gaping holes in the defense of Creation. In the ensuing chaos, the Imperators and their nobles turned their attention to the Excrucian host gathering beyond the gap. Little did they know that they had fallen prey to a deceiver ruse. At the same time, the Excrucians were readying a pincer attack, with their mimics and strategists having established a foothold on Earth's universe. The Enlightened, at the time under great scrutiny due to the Shepherdess' apparent failure at maintaining the Weirding Wall, discovered the Excrucian plans and attempted to alert the Ymmerae. However, the Deceivers held the ears of the Ymmerae, and all the please of the Enlightened fell on deaf, suspicious, skeptical ears.

In a daring move, the Noble of Aether secretly used almost the entirety of his power of limitless potential to create an anomalous fold in existence, tearing 500 years of the universe apart, resetting the universe to before the Excrucian plan had even begun in 1900. He brought the new fold containing the lost 500 years and the excrucian plot up and tethered it to the gaping hole in the Weirding Wall, just in time to meet the incoming Excrucian Host. The excrucian invasion began, never once suspecting that they had walked into a pocket universe. For the Noble of Aether's apparent treachery, the Locust Court condemned him to death without a trial, dispatching the Enlightened, his own family, to prove their allegiance to the court by executing their own brother. It is said that Justice was the one to rip his shard out of his chest with her bare hands. It is said that the shard shattered. Some say Justice, in her grief and rage, shattered it herself. Some say it was Aether's final gift to the Lost Universe, and to the entirety of creation. The shard dust was dispersed and embedded itself across the entirety of the Lost Universe, enchancelling it, bestowing its beings with the blessings of Aetheric Power, immunizing them to the crippling effects of dementia animus and empowering them in their coming struggle against the Excrucian invaders. Aether was forever lost to Creation, but its shadow continues to live on within the beings of the Lost Universe. As long as the children of Aether stand and the light of Aether burns on within them, the Lost Universe will always resist the Excrucian host.

The Lost Universe has since been sealed away outside the Weirding Wall, doomed to forever be an Excrucian battleground, until the day the Excrucians trapped within consume the Lost Universe and realize Aether's trickery.

At the precise moment Aether's sacrifice enchancelled the Lost Universe, Hammond Qarn, Imperator of the Lost Universe, came into being. Having arisen from a universe so filled with the Shepherdess' own power, Hammond naturally became a Magister of the Enlightened. Furthermore, as the chancel was created using the Shepherdess' own soul shard, a fraction of the Shepherdess' own essence makes up the chancel's foundations. Thus for all intents and purposes the Enlightened can treat the Lost Universe as their own home chancel.

Few other nobles are privy to the secret of the Lost Universe's existence. Even fewer take up the fight to defend the Lost Universe in order to delay the full-scale invasion of Creation. The Nobles of Astelumina and Endeon were the first to pick up Aether's fallen banner and lead the battle against the Excrucian host and were also the first to fall.

'Now and Forever, till the hour I too stand between Impossibility and Despair!' - Phaeron Rof Alabar Trimeniel - Emperor of Aether

=== Notable Locations ===

'''L.U. Earth AD 2511'''

In AD 2400, Astelumina and Endeon managed to rid the entire earth of deceivers, strategists and mimics, making it one of the last few human settlements still untouched by the Excrucian Scourge. The war and Aether's blessing has accelerated technology to astronomical heights in the past 111 years, bringing humanity to a point where they can overwhelm excrucian shards and at the very least annoy full excrucians, if not kill them. Earth is now the capital of the Universal Aetheric Alliance (UAA), headquarters of the Excrucian resistance. Its coordinates are guarded to the death by the Children of Aether. Those who sally forth to meet the Excrucian Host do so without carrying Earth's coordinates, knowing full well that they may never return to their beloved home.

'''L.U. Heaven’s Feel'''

The current frontier of the Lost Universe Valde Bellum, Heaven’s Feel is perhaps the most beautiful extrasolar human colony. A large T3 terraformed planet orbiting the gas giant Astelumina 3, behind a dense spherical asteroid field and a radioactive veil around the sun Astelumina, it makes a naturally fortified world. Thanks to the scattering radiation and the dense blackhole just a few megaparsecs away at the center of the galaxy, the system and planet is nigh impossible to find at the best of times, at least for marauding excrucian raiding parties. The UAA uses Astelumina’s final gift, the gift of the stars, the ability to travel on aetheric currents guided by the stars, to travel safely in and out of the system.

When excrucians do find the planet, they are immediately drawn into its orbit by the interaction of the gravity wells of Heaven’s Feel’s many moons. They have no hope of escaping to notify the host of the planet’s location before they are drawn into intense battle by the Feelians.

The planet is ravaged by repeat invasions.

=== Familia of the Lost Universe ===

More or less an extended family of the Enlightened, the Familia of the Lost Universe are the sworn guardians of Aether's legacy.

'''Hammond Qarn - Imperator of the Lost Universe'''

Despite being an offshoot of the Shepherdess' power, Hammond Qarn is quite the opposite. He looks as human as they come. In fact, very, very much so, with his thick paternal beard, his twinkling eyes and his simple, honest expression, like a stern but compassionate father. Those who have the great honour of an audience with him are overcome with an overwhelming confidence and faith in humanity's potential and prowess. His being is shrouded in the stuff of legends. They say he single-handedly piloted an Alliance Battlecruiser straight into an Excrucian battlestation and escaped alive, unscathed. They say he personally lead the desperate charge that ended the siege of Harvest 4. They say he singlehandedly held the line at Point Hope against the entire advancing Excrucian host at the battle of Forge 3. They say a lot of things about Hammond Qarn, and when you meet him, sitting like a lighthouse exuding calm and confidence amidst the storm of war, in his simple, neatly-pressed uniform gleaming with but one badge denoting his allegiance to the Alliance, you feel naught but awe - that this man is the legend in the flesh.

'''Commander John Shepard - Power of Living Legends'''

'''Excel 7 - Commander of Super Soldiers'''

was responsible for the Halo series and partly responsible for the Metal Gear series, amongst other things.

'''Iris Erran - Chief Admiral of Spacecrafts'''

'''ALMa OmNI. - Supreme Administrator of Aetheric Technology'''

An A.I. born of the pinnacle of Aetheric supercomputers,

= Quests =

== Active Quests ==

=== Imperator Quests ===

'''Overdue'''

The Shepherdess has requested that the Foreguards return 3 books she's borrowed for Shepherdess-knows-how-long now, for reasons that none can fathom.

=== Chivalry Quests ===

=== Determinism Quests ===

=== Illumination Quests ===

'''Twinkle, Little Star'''

Started : 15th November 2011

As the world darkens, the light of the stars fade. Elune, little noble of stars, your sister, lies sick, alone in her high observatory, forgotten by the rest of the world. Now the weakening of the stars has started to affect the domain of Light too. Something must be done before yet another member of the Family succumbs to the war of attrition upon the Enlightened.

Progress:

1) Lyna, Emil and Alicia visited Elune in her observatory and found her ill.

2) They discovered that her observatory was severely corrupted by some malignant corruption that was trying to break into the chancel.

3) They sealed off the intrusion into the chancel but destroyed the observatory in the process. They managed to prevent the observatory from crashing catastrophically into the chancel.

4) They've brought the sick Elune to the Sapphire Palace and acquired the help of Regine to treat her.

'''Who moved my Christmas?!'''

Christmas, the biggest celebration of lights and joy, isn't happening this year! This is unprecedented serious affair!

Started : 8th November 2011

Progress :

1) Alicia has asked the magical girls, knights, and others who've passed in and out of the chancel, for any information they might know about this. She's learned that it's a rather complex issue. It might be the economy, it might be the declining family values, could be anything.

'''When you peer into the Abyss...'''

Started : n/a

And the Creator said, 'Let there be Light', and there was light, and he saw that it was good. And He separated the dark from the light. Thus was the First Day.

It wasn't quite that simple.

When the light came to be, the dark too came to be as a result, and neither could tolerate the other. Thus the First War of Light and Dark began, pure and simple, with no preamble or prelude. They fought for Shepherdess-knows-how-long. Finally, the formation of the Covenant of the First Day, an agreement between the Light and the Dark to respect the other's estate, ended the war. How it came to be, however, is still a hotly debated topic. Some say the Dark won. Some say the Light won. Some say it was a draw. Some say there were other reasons. Who really knows?

An anniversary of the Covenant of the First Day is celebrated yearly now to uphold the ideals of peace and cooperation between Light and Dark. This year, it's Alicia's turn to host the festival. What could go wrong?

Progress : n/a

=== Magic Quests ===

== Completed Quests ==

Nobilis Enlightened

2011-03-11T11:11:15Z

Mind-The-Gap: /* Illumination Quests */

Nobilis Enlightened

2011-03-11T10:58:25Z

Mind-The-Gap: /* PC Nobles of the Enlightened */

Nobilis Enlightened

2011-03-11T10:52:03Z

Mind-The-Gap: /* Details */

Nobilis Enlightened

2011-03-10T11:14:08Z

Mind-The-Gap: /* Lost Universe AD 2511 */

Nobilis Enlightened

2011-03-09T19:58:32Z

Mind-The-Gap: /* Lost Universe AD 2511 */

Nobilis Enlightened

2011-03-08T10:17:22Z

Mind-The-Gap: /* Lost Universe AD 2511 */

Nobilis Enlightened

2011-03-08T10:10:35Z

Mind-The-Gap: /* Notable Locations */

Nobilis Enlightened

2011-03-07T18:04:59Z

Mind-The-Gap: /* Lost Universe AD 2511 */