Canonization Thread
- Thread starter swaswj
- Start date
What are the names of the months/days of the week. Do they follow real world stuff? Or do we have some new time system?
Dojat
Mister Mayor
I've had the same thoughts, Fin.
Along the same lines, do we have the same week lengths, weekdays, months, seasons?
What year is it?
Just something to think about.
Along the same lines, do we have the same week lengths, weekdays, months, seasons?
What year is it?
Just something to think about.
Dojat
Mister Mayor
The Vaga (Lit. - Nomadic)
Much like a wolf pack, this mercenary group travels together. They hunt together, they fight together, they live together. Family is everything to the nomadic faction. When wandering near towns they are known to accept mercenary work in exchange for money -- or enlistment.
Despite their family-oriented nature, they are ferocious in battle, throwing their entire weight into the swings of their weapons, knowing that they are vulnerable, but trusting their brothers and sisters to defend them. When one dies, they are set aflame in a shallow grave, to free their souls from their bodies.
Accepting of all wishing to enter their family, no races, genders, or sexualities are judged, so long as you pull your weight and defend your fellow Vaga.
Often considered a cult or slavery trap, the blades-for-hire tend to avoid large towns or cities, lest they suffer the judgement of those who do not understand their lives.
They tend to wander the northern forests of the Kingdom of Excelsus.
Much like a wolf pack, this mercenary group travels together. They hunt together, they fight together, they live together. Family is everything to the nomadic faction. When wandering near towns they are known to accept mercenary work in exchange for money -- or enlistment.
Despite their family-oriented nature, they are ferocious in battle, throwing their entire weight into the swings of their weapons, knowing that they are vulnerable, but trusting their brothers and sisters to defend them. When one dies, they are set aflame in a shallow grave, to free their souls from their bodies.
Accepting of all wishing to enter their family, no races, genders, or sexualities are judged, so long as you pull your weight and defend your fellow Vaga.
Often considered a cult or slavery trap, the blades-for-hire tend to avoid large towns or cities, lest they suffer the judgement of those who do not understand their lives.
They tend to wander the northern forests of the Kingdom of Excelsus.
So, the calendar!
Since Araevis follows a similar orbit around the sun (Caesar), the year is a similar length: 365 days.
Since the moon (Aestus) has a similar orbit around Araevis, the length of a week is the same: 7 days.
Since the weeks are of a similar length, so too will months be. 4 weeks (or roughly one full lunar cycle). The 'New Year' will be in March, in the beginning of Spring, rather than in December, on the winter solstice.
The current year is 500 P.T. or 500 post terminus. They begin counting following the Calamity.
Years prior to the Calamity are referred to in one of two formats. The Calamity occurred on Umbra 1st, 3238 A.V. (3238 anni viskar) or Umbra 1st, 1 P.C. (1 prius cladem).
AV is the era that people counted years by prior to the Calamity. It lasted for 3238 years. The years are counted positively.
PC counts negative, similar to BC or BCE. 1 year before the disaster, 2 years before the disaster, and so forth.
Both are considered acceptable by current scholars, and which one is used is largely dependent on context.
Since Araevis follows a similar orbit around the sun (Caesar), the year is a similar length: 365 days.
Since the moon (Aestus) has a similar orbit around Araevis, the length of a week is the same: 7 days.
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
| Solemdies | Lunaedies | Belladies | Mercadies | Colodies | Fraterdies | Silendies |
Since the weeks are of a similar length, so too will months be. 4 weeks (or roughly one full lunar cycle). The 'New Year' will be in March, in the beginning of Spring, rather than in December, on the winter solstice.
| March | Ortus |
| April | Aprilis |
| May | Maius |
| June | Sol |
| July | Juventas |
| August | Alacritas |
| September | Sobrius |
| October | Occiduus |
| November | Vesper |
| December | Umbra |
| January | Arctos |
| February | Somnus |
The current year is 500 P.T. or 500 post terminus. They begin counting following the Calamity.
Years prior to the Calamity are referred to in one of two formats. The Calamity occurred on Umbra 1st, 3238 A.V. (3238 anni viskar) or Umbra 1st, 1 P.C. (1 prius cladem).
AV is the era that people counted years by prior to the Calamity. It lasted for 3238 years. The years are counted positively.
PC counts negative, similar to BC or BCE. 1 year before the disaster, 2 years before the disaster, and so forth.
Both are considered acceptable by current scholars, and which one is used is largely dependent on context.
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So will we have times where in Canon it's a particular date? I know for the most part in writing it would probably make sense to just make it whatever day of the week you want, but for larger events and deciding when things happened in PT's history will the dates be decided by the GMs? Will they be announced? Will the writers all chip in? Or will it just mirror OOG dates and times (not counting the different years)? It's a nit-picky question, but I was curious
I'm not sure what you're asking, actually.
If a date is relevant to plot, it will probably be mentioned. Generally, the day/month will coincide with RL, at least for when an event starts. For instance, if PMs start on Dec 1st, you can assume it's Umbra 1st in Araevis.However, since PMs can take months and yet only cover a few days, time can be hard to discern concretely.
Inks
Member
I actually did this for mostly-entirely selfish reasons (I wanted to know what sorta climate and weather and WINTERS, SPECIFICALLY, Prenditus-chan would have), but Will said I should slap this baby here, so HERE WE GO:
Behold, a helpful map of Araevis's (Araevis' is gross, and you're gross if you use it)climate regions! Including the equator!
Really I just took an image of Earth's map + climate zones and the labeled map of Araevis and gave Araevis the exact same zones but heyyyy.
So now you know! (and apparently Prenditus is a subtropical area RIIIGHT on the verge of being in the tropics)
Maybe sometime I'll do other things! If someone brings it up! And I know how! And I'm not feeling lazy!
EDIT:
ew why is it so small on here. ew what is that. ew. HERE'S THE LINK to what should be the full-sized image. (Not that much bigger but still. ew.)
Behold, a helpful map of Araevis's (Araevis' is gross, and you're gross if you use it)climate regions! Including the equator!
Really I just took an image of Earth's map + climate zones and the labeled map of Araevis and gave Araevis the exact same zones but heyyyy.
So now you know! (and apparently Prenditus is a subtropical area RIIIGHT on the verge of being in the tropics)
Maybe sometime I'll do other things! If someone brings it up! And I know how! And I'm not feeling lazy!
EDIT:
ew why is it so small on here. ew what is that. ew. HERE'S THE LINK to what should be the full-sized image. (Not that much bigger but still. ew.)
Adamas Cor, The Brilliant Heart -
West of the Walled City, Excelsa, lay a chain of islands of little attention. They carry no amazing creatures, nor do they trumpet any champions or proud achievements in the ways of magic or science. They are in a word: simple. Yet here, in these quiet islands, is the site of a major mystery to Araevis.
Sailors speak of a jagged tower made of glass that pierces the sky like a spear, and how any who wander in search of it never return. Many a swashbuckler, or honest skipper, have lost men to the sight of this tower. They claim that it glows with all the warmth of the sun, and promises of redemption beyond the word mortal kin know. Still, not all are incited by this construct and so the story spreads. Which island it makes its home has changed with each telling, but always west of Excelsa. Because of stories of men disappearing, Excelsa has made it an option for the condemned. Either face life locked away in the bottom of their Holes, poison, or exile to Admas Cor. It is less than surprising to know that most criminals choose Adamas Cor over the other options, and even less surprising to never hear about those men again.
Still, one man, a man long since thought mad and now dead, recounted his own escape from the horrors of Adamas Cor - a truly hellish prison for all who have sinned. A place that was more alive than what the Vis should have allowed. He told of nightmares he fled from, and the twisting paths the crystalline interior seemed to make with its walls and ceiling like that of a polished mirror. He babbled about killing himself, and about killing others, all for the sake of redemption. But before he could so much as describe the monsters that dwelled within Adamas Cor, the mad man lay dead.
So Adamas Cor gained a new name alongside it from these fanciful tales of a mad man: The Diamond Prison. A place for sinners, criminals, and the foolhardy alike. A place to plunder, live out in exile, or pilgrimage.
Sailors speak of a jagged tower made of glass that pierces the sky like a spear, and how any who wander in search of it never return. Many a swashbuckler, or honest skipper, have lost men to the sight of this tower. They claim that it glows with all the warmth of the sun, and promises of redemption beyond the word mortal kin know. Still, not all are incited by this construct and so the story spreads. Which island it makes its home has changed with each telling, but always west of Excelsa. Because of stories of men disappearing, Excelsa has made it an option for the condemned. Either face life locked away in the bottom of their Holes, poison, or exile to Admas Cor. It is less than surprising to know that most criminals choose Adamas Cor over the other options, and even less surprising to never hear about those men again.
Still, one man, a man long since thought mad and now dead, recounted his own escape from the horrors of Adamas Cor - a truly hellish prison for all who have sinned. A place that was more alive than what the Vis should have allowed. He told of nightmares he fled from, and the twisting paths the crystalline interior seemed to make with its walls and ceiling like that of a polished mirror. He babbled about killing himself, and about killing others, all for the sake of redemption. But before he could so much as describe the monsters that dwelled within Adamas Cor, the mad man lay dead.
So Adamas Cor gained a new name alongside it from these fanciful tales of a mad man: The Diamond Prison. A place for sinners, criminals, and the foolhardy alike. A place to plunder, live out in exile, or pilgrimage.
I actually did this for mostly-entirely selfish reasons (I wanted to know what sorta climate and weather and WINTERS, SPECIFICALLY, Prenditus-chan would have), but Will said I should slap this baby here, so HERE WE GO:
Behold, a helpful map of Araevis's (Araevis' is gross, and you're gross if you use it)climate regions! Including the equator!
Really I just took an image of Earth's map + climate zones and the labeled map of Araevis and gave Araevis the exact same zones but heyyyy.
So now you know! (and apparently Prenditus is a subtropical area RIIIGHT on the verge of being in the tropics)
Maybe sometime I'll do other things! If someone brings it up! And I know how! And I'm not feeling lazy!
EDIT:
ew why is it so small on here. ew what is that. ew. HERE'S THE LINK to what should be the full-sized image. (Not that much bigger but still. ew.)
/late Looks good to me. Gives a good idea of what weather to expect in different areas. Canonized.
Hmm. The location itself is interesting and most of the lore behind it is good. I can see two main problems, though.
First, where you're putting it is not exactly unexplored waters. The Tenebrae and Chlorae Oceans are probably better locations for mysterious/hidden things, but the Copiae Ocean is tame, in comparison, since it's where the velen empire has its cities. Putting it to the east of Excelsus, in the Chlorae Ocean, would probably be a bit better.
Second, I can't see the government sending criminals to something unknown. For one thing, if they don't know where it is, the criminal could just never look for the tower at all. Peace out, bro. The idea of it being a place of mysterious disappearances and legends could stick, but how true the legends are would remain to be seen.
See if you can put together another write-up to tweak these things.
Rob
Pew Pew Pew
So, to kind of play in on the thing Finny wrote' up for the magic schools, I've been doing some thinking on rituals for necromancy (not sure if this should be thusly placed here or submitted in the submission area, but alas).
One of the things I'm currently writing about in my personal plot with Rosa learning more and more about necromancy is the necessity for a necromancer to have a 'sign'.
This sign is essentially where they draw their necromantic powers from and need to be placed upon the deceased body to create a link between 'master' and 'ghoul'.
The more significant the sign is to the owner, the easier it is to control the ghoul and the more powerful your hold will be.
(for instance: Rosa has two small, unusable wings on her back that kind of came with her enlil heritage. One has grown nicely, the other was broken by her mother's sister on birth. This is a feeling that has been burned into Rosa's mind and as such her sign is a three-stroke to one wing on the right side, and a single, erratic wrist-flicked stroke to the left to signify a broken wing. Because of her relation to the sign, it's a curse that's been brought upon her by her aunt, it's a more powerful sign than if someone were to say: "hey, I like this little dot, looks pretty cool" and use that as a sign.)
Further additions to necromancy:
For Vahlmore necromancers (necromancers that hail from the city of Valmoor) it is considered a taboo to resurrect the buried dead. I'd like this to be a universal taboo if possible as I feel it adds a layer of respect for the dead to necromancers that I think they would have. Necromancers are seen as evil beings, and they generally are, but they are not without their standards and they do have some honours themselves.
The only way it is okay for a necromancer to desecrate a deceased's final resting place is if the family of said person gives the okay (basically, the family gives the necromancer their blessing: irony much?). Of course, if said resting place is your own family's grave, then you can just bless yourself.
Another thing I thought up was that resurrecting a body is easy, but to preserve it and not let it decay anymore is more difficult - gee, really, rob?
The idea here is that, a body cannot be resurrected if there's still a soul attached to it, and a body will not start to decay until the soul is completely free from the body and no traces are left. Only then can a necromancer perform necromancy.
Problem is: a body will still decay if it has no soul, because the soul keeps it from rotting.
So, in order to preserve the dead, you need to attach a piece of your soul - create a link -, some of your essence to the corpse. This is usually done through the sign of a necromancer because it is the easiest way, but there are different, more taboo ways.
As such, by taking a piece of your soul and attaching it to the body of the deceased you keep it from decaying and put it under your command more completely and fully.
---
Will update with more ideas when I get them.
Edit: a small note, even if this does not get to be considered universal canon, this will still be the way necromancers of Valmoor operate.
One of the things I'm currently writing about in my personal plot with Rosa learning more and more about necromancy is the necessity for a necromancer to have a 'sign'.
This sign is essentially where they draw their necromantic powers from and need to be placed upon the deceased body to create a link between 'master' and 'ghoul'.
The more significant the sign is to the owner, the easier it is to control the ghoul and the more powerful your hold will be.
(for instance: Rosa has two small, unusable wings on her back that kind of came with her enlil heritage. One has grown nicely, the other was broken by her mother's sister on birth. This is a feeling that has been burned into Rosa's mind and as such her sign is a three-stroke to one wing on the right side, and a single, erratic wrist-flicked stroke to the left to signify a broken wing. Because of her relation to the sign, it's a curse that's been brought upon her by her aunt, it's a more powerful sign than if someone were to say: "hey, I like this little dot, looks pretty cool" and use that as a sign.)
Further additions to necromancy:
For Vahlmore necromancers (necromancers that hail from the city of Valmoor) it is considered a taboo to resurrect the buried dead. I'd like this to be a universal taboo if possible as I feel it adds a layer of respect for the dead to necromancers that I think they would have. Necromancers are seen as evil beings, and they generally are, but they are not without their standards and they do have some honours themselves.
The only way it is okay for a necromancer to desecrate a deceased's final resting place is if the family of said person gives the okay (basically, the family gives the necromancer their blessing: irony much?). Of course, if said resting place is your own family's grave, then you can just bless yourself.
Another thing I thought up was that resurrecting a body is easy, but to preserve it and not let it decay anymore is more difficult - gee, really, rob?
The idea here is that, a body cannot be resurrected if there's still a soul attached to it, and a body will not start to decay until the soul is completely free from the body and no traces are left. Only then can a necromancer perform necromancy.
Problem is: a body will still decay if it has no soul, because the soul keeps it from rotting.
So, in order to preserve the dead, you need to attach a piece of your soul - create a link -, some of your essence to the corpse. This is usually done through the sign of a necromancer because it is the easiest way, but there are different, more taboo ways.
As such, by taking a piece of your soul and attaching it to the body of the deceased you keep it from decaying and put it under your command more completely and fully.
---
Will update with more ideas when I get them.
Edit: a small note, even if this does not get to be considered universal canon, this will still be the way necromancers of Valmoor operate.
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Well, there's a lot here, so we'll take it from the top.
I like the idea of establishing a 'sign' but since we already require some form of phylactery, I don't want to also require the use of a sign. It makes sense among the Valhlmore since it seems more common there, and therefore you would want to differentiate your zombie from another zombie. I would definitely consider this something a necromancer could do, but should not be obligated to do.
The same holds true for the 'taboo' of digging up a grave. We already have at least one chapter where that taboo isn't referenced and would probably be mocked if it was (the character was digging up multiple graves looking for a suitable corpse, then killed a cemetery guard, and reanimated the guard's pet). However, I do like the concept that the Vahlmore necromancers treat it as something rigid, with rules and values. It lets them hold themselves above other necromancers.
The last bit is... a little redundant, actually. First, let's look at Animate Dead, and then at Preserve Dead.
The idea behind Animate Dead is that the necromancer moves their soul into a phylactery (a durable physical object kept close to the person), which makes it easier to split a piece of the soul to imbue into a corpse. It is the necromancer's soul within the corpse that animates it, and gives the necromancer some control over the shambling beast.
The idea behind Preserve Dead meanwhile, is to manipulate the soul in a special way that prevents decay and can even repair damage. So, you're correct that the soul must be imbued in the body to preserve it, but it's already imbued to animate it at all.
Since so much of this boiled down to "it'd be cool for this to be a Vahlmore thing," though, what I'd actually like to see is a little write-up on Vahlmore necromancers and how they approach the craft, what makes them stand above other necromancers. That seems worthy of a Codex entry.
Rob
Pew Pew Pew
All right, fair enough. I've actually been working on a codex entry for Valmoor (Vahlmore in their ancient tongue) but haven't been satisfied with it too much yet to feel safe with posting it here.
I'll try to whip something up for review in a bit, though, even if it isn't completely finished yet.
----
If prosperity is what drives, we shun all that comes before. Through serenity, one, and with severity we come. We are the bringers of fate, harbingers of our own demise. For that is our own true fate: to unite, prosper, and lose all that came before as we kindle in the blight.
So as we stand on the precipice of our crossroads, united amongst the living dead, we hail for all that is holy, and wail for all of our dread. Though beaconing a virtue its own, we shun it, not for our selfish rights, but our continued existence undone.
And as we sail into the blind abyss, doth we not dream upon the stars? For our men, our women and children alike?
Because if not for the age of man, what doth we fight for? - Balthasar the Mad, King Regent of Vahlmore.
Founded in 1703 A.V. by a royal scholar known as Balthasar, Valmoor - coined as Vahlmore then - was a town turned city of oddities. It had a bit of everything, from purebloods, to half bloods and while machinery was not looked upon fondly, they did not mind its presence. What made Valmoor different from other cities back then was its unhealthy obsession with everything unliving.
From the recently deceased to the morbidly ancient, Valmoor had soon turned itself into a hub for all things necromancy. For every three children born, one or two would end up as necromancers of great import in later life. The city prospered under the rule of Balthasar, with riches and great, usually over the top architecture caressing the city’s every corner.
Valmoor was ruled by a just, iron hand and its people were largely content with the way things were run. With necromancy at their every whims, the city of Valmoor was a proud beacon of an era long forgotten. It is for this particular reason that Vahlmore Necromancers are, to this day, a different cut altogether with often strange and bizarre rules to bind their every moves.
It wasn’t until 2910 A.V. that things went sour for the city. After all, their king still had not perished. He should’ve died of old age at least a hundred years ago, but after all this time he was still in charge, still very much alive. His public appearance had dwindled during these two hundred and seven years, but his presence was still very much felt throughout.
When a select group of scholars from ‘outside’ went to see the king, and ask for an audience, on the 29th of Vesper 1703 A.V., they found themselves facing a king gone mad. In his search for eternal life, in his crusades for power, Balthasar had dabbled in necromancy unheard of, and it was on this day that Vahlmore would be lost to the outside world for eras to come.
Cursing the outside for its continued existence, the king cast a veil over the city and closed it for good. As the mist closed itself around the city, he showed himself to the public once more and forbade any to leave the city. He then turned to his family and told them that if ever they needed to leave the city they could return only by uttering the following sentence:
---
Vahlmore Necromancy:
That which has once lived, shall eventually perish. This simple concept is one that holds many a person in its tight grasp for years on end. Death is the final rest, one’s final stop, and the mere thought of losing oneself through the end of a body is a constant reminder of how frail and limited the physical body really is.
---
Will update with more when inspiration kicks me in the shins.
I'll try to whip something up for review in a bit, though, even if it isn't completely finished yet.
----
Valmoor (Vahlmore),
City of Blight
City of Blight
If prosperity is what drives, we shun all that comes before. Through serenity, one, and with severity we come. We are the bringers of fate, harbingers of our own demise. For that is our own true fate: to unite, prosper, and lose all that came before as we kindle in the blight.
So as we stand on the precipice of our crossroads, united amongst the living dead, we hail for all that is holy, and wail for all of our dread. Though beaconing a virtue its own, we shun it, not for our selfish rights, but our continued existence undone.
And as we sail into the blind abyss, doth we not dream upon the stars? For our men, our women and children alike?
Because if not for the age of man, what doth we fight for? - Balthasar the Mad, King Regent of Vahlmore.
Founded in 1703 A.V. by a royal scholar known as Balthasar, Valmoor - coined as Vahlmore then - was a town turned city of oddities. It had a bit of everything, from purebloods, to half bloods and while machinery was not looked upon fondly, they did not mind its presence. What made Valmoor different from other cities back then was its unhealthy obsession with everything unliving.
From the recently deceased to the morbidly ancient, Valmoor had soon turned itself into a hub for all things necromancy. For every three children born, one or two would end up as necromancers of great import in later life. The city prospered under the rule of Balthasar, with riches and great, usually over the top architecture caressing the city’s every corner.
Valmoor was ruled by a just, iron hand and its people were largely content with the way things were run. With necromancy at their every whims, the city of Valmoor was a proud beacon of an era long forgotten. It is for this particular reason that Vahlmore Necromancers are, to this day, a different cut altogether with often strange and bizarre rules to bind their every moves.
It wasn’t until 2910 A.V. that things went sour for the city. After all, their king still had not perished. He should’ve died of old age at least a hundred years ago, but after all this time he was still in charge, still very much alive. His public appearance had dwindled during these two hundred and seven years, but his presence was still very much felt throughout.
When a select group of scholars from ‘outside’ went to see the king, and ask for an audience, on the 29th of Vesper 1703 A.V., they found themselves facing a king gone mad. In his search for eternal life, in his crusades for power, Balthasar had dabbled in necromancy unheard of, and it was on this day that Vahlmore would be lost to the outside world for eras to come.
Cursing the outside for its continued existence, the king cast a veil over the city and closed it for good. As the mist closed itself around the city, he showed himself to the public once more and forbade any to leave the city. He then turned to his family and told them that if ever they needed to leave the city they could return only by uttering the following sentence:
“Vahlmore, Ire aste cente, miare loque.”
---
Vahlmore Necromancy:
Non mortem timemus, sed cogitationem mortis
“We do not fear death, but the thought of death”
“We do not fear death, but the thought of death”
That which has once lived, shall eventually perish. This simple concept is one that holds many a person in its tight grasp for years on end. Death is the final rest, one’s final stop, and the mere thought of losing oneself through the end of a body is a constant reminder of how frail and limited the physical body really is.
---
Will update with more when inspiration kicks me in the shins.
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vcvcvc12
The Hypothetical
I have questions re: the legal system, and it feels like here would be the best place to ask.
How serious is law enforcement taken by the officials? How serious does a crime have to be before they will put any actual effort into catching someone? What is notably different from us as far as what they consider to be a crime?
Also, what kind of punishments are we looking at for minor crimes (petty larceny and the like) and how likely are you to get caught as a general rule?
I would just guess, but this seems like too big a detail to do that.
How serious is law enforcement taken by the officials? How serious does a crime have to be before they will put any actual effort into catching someone? What is notably different from us as far as what they consider to be a crime?
Also, what kind of punishments are we looking at for minor crimes (petty larceny and the like) and how likely are you to get caught as a general rule?
I would just guess, but this seems like too big a detail to do that.
Sorry for the delay. These needed a bit more than a casual response.
Some clarification is needed, I think.
According to the math here, the Mad King Balthasar would be 2,335 years old + however old he was at the time of Vahlmore's founding. At no point do you say that he died, implying he's still alive. That causes a few problems plot-wise, particularly since he would be perhaps the only individual in the present who was alive before the Cataclysm. Lich Governor that's thousands of years old is a hard 'no.'
Something that could work, and would actually be more intriguing, in my mind, would be if he allegedly lived to be over a hundred or over two hundred. That's where the people of Vahlmore could draw their interest in necromancy: if Balthasar lived to be two hundred, it would be a worthwhile cause to try to discover how he accomplished it -- without him being there to just ask directly. That said, people born outside of Vahlmore -- at least the rare few who have heard of it -- would very likely scoff at the story and consider it just a legend.
You should review the age of the city in general, though. Mist is not known as a sturdy shield, and so the city would probably have been mostly or completely wiped out by the Cataclysm. Finally, where is Vahlmore? Hidden in mist, sure, but what continent, what's the weather like? I assume it must be near Terminus if Rosa can travel between Terminus and Vahlmore so easily.
The legal system would vary from country to country, and although we brainstormed on it a good bit, this is something we'd like to be fleshed out more gradually. One thing of note is that the general weal of Araevis is toward recompense. Other countries have their own military and police forces. Excelsus and Pelagia have the most prominent standing/swimming armies, but Prendere and Boreas have military forces as well. Due to the Cursus War (detailed here), the Demvir no longer maintain a fighting force, but they do police their own cities. The Grand Metropolis of Terminus is still considered a haven where all people, regardless of race or nationality, are welcome. Because of this, Terminus has no standing military and a minimal police force for its size.
Since the city of Terminus is basically an entity unto itself and since that's where the bulk of the RP is at currently, we'll go ahead and nail down some points here. The Conexus makes up the bulk of the police force. Although technically a private faction, they have a long-standing tradition of handling law-enforcement in the city. It is a matter of pride for them and they have a reputation to uphold,
Any crime is treated seriously, and even a petty thief will be pursued if caught. Even with the Conexus bolstering their numbers, though, there aren't nearly enough officers to stand on every street corner. So yes, they will try to catch you, but they aren't necessarily always available. Petty crimes have petty punishments, though. In fact, for hard luck thieves, at times the 'punishment' only amounts to a couple nights in jail, with free meals. Many punishments are handled through recompense: if you cause damages, expect to pay out to cover the repairs and then some.
Murder is treated very seriously, but there are a number of ways to get around it: self-defense, an accepted duel, trespass, or bounty assignment.
Speaking of bounties: many organizations or even citizens put out bounties on targets they want apprehended. Only the government can issue an official 'kill' bounty, and that only for serious and dangerous fugitives. Other bounties are considered 'live' bounties, and may never outright ask for a target to be killed; it is not uncommon for targets to be killed when fighting back, however, and despite the hunter being the instigator, the law will often accept 'self-defense' with justification.
There are courts but only serious crimes stand trial, typically involving homicide.
All of this is really vague right now because it's waiting on you, the writers, to flesh it out. The world of Post Terminus is still in something of a beta stage, and all members are encouraged to help shape a bit of that world. If anything said here contradicts what you wanted to write, feel free to speak up. Hopefully this gives some framework for what you had in mind, though.
Some clarification is needed, I think.
According to the math here, the Mad King Balthasar would be 2,335 years old + however old he was at the time of Vahlmore's founding. At no point do you say that he died, implying he's still alive. That causes a few problems plot-wise, particularly since he would be perhaps the only individual in the present who was alive before the Cataclysm. Lich Governor that's thousands of years old is a hard 'no.'
Something that could work, and would actually be more intriguing, in my mind, would be if he allegedly lived to be over a hundred or over two hundred. That's where the people of Vahlmore could draw their interest in necromancy: if Balthasar lived to be two hundred, it would be a worthwhile cause to try to discover how he accomplished it -- without him being there to just ask directly. That said, people born outside of Vahlmore -- at least the rare few who have heard of it -- would very likely scoff at the story and consider it just a legend.
You should review the age of the city in general, though. Mist is not known as a sturdy shield, and so the city would probably have been mostly or completely wiped out by the Cataclysm. Finally, where is Vahlmore? Hidden in mist, sure, but what continent, what's the weather like? I assume it must be near Terminus if Rosa can travel between Terminus and Vahlmore so easily.
The legal system would vary from country to country, and although we brainstormed on it a good bit, this is something we'd like to be fleshed out more gradually. One thing of note is that the general weal of Araevis is toward recompense. Other countries have their own military and police forces. Excelsus and Pelagia have the most prominent standing/swimming armies, but Prendere and Boreas have military forces as well. Due to the Cursus War (detailed here), the Demvir no longer maintain a fighting force, but they do police their own cities. The Grand Metropolis of Terminus is still considered a haven where all people, regardless of race or nationality, are welcome. Because of this, Terminus has no standing military and a minimal police force for its size.
Since the city of Terminus is basically an entity unto itself and since that's where the bulk of the RP is at currently, we'll go ahead and nail down some points here. The Conexus makes up the bulk of the police force. Although technically a private faction, they have a long-standing tradition of handling law-enforcement in the city. It is a matter of pride for them and they have a reputation to uphold,
Any crime is treated seriously, and even a petty thief will be pursued if caught. Even with the Conexus bolstering their numbers, though, there aren't nearly enough officers to stand on every street corner. So yes, they will try to catch you, but they aren't necessarily always available. Petty crimes have petty punishments, though. In fact, for hard luck thieves, at times the 'punishment' only amounts to a couple nights in jail, with free meals. Many punishments are handled through recompense: if you cause damages, expect to pay out to cover the repairs and then some.
Murder is treated very seriously, but there are a number of ways to get around it: self-defense, an accepted duel, trespass, or bounty assignment.
Speaking of bounties: many organizations or even citizens put out bounties on targets they want apprehended. Only the government can issue an official 'kill' bounty, and that only for serious and dangerous fugitives. Other bounties are considered 'live' bounties, and may never outright ask for a target to be killed; it is not uncommon for targets to be killed when fighting back, however, and despite the hunter being the instigator, the law will often accept 'self-defense' with justification.
There are courts but only serious crimes stand trial, typically involving homicide.
All of this is really vague right now because it's waiting on you, the writers, to flesh it out. The world of Post Terminus is still in something of a beta stage, and all members are encouraged to help shape a bit of that world. If anything said here contradicts what you wanted to write, feel free to speak up. Hopefully this gives some framework for what you had in mind, though.
Columbus/Cortez
Okay so I'm sticking my figurative flag down by that river in the middle of Secare and naming it Ora Vitae, or Edge of Life.
My reasoning for this name is in the spoiler below if anyone is interested.
Okay so I'm sticking my figurative flag down by that river in the middle of Secare and naming it Ora Vitae, or Edge of Life.
My reasoning for this name is in the spoiler below if anyone is interested.
Reasons
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Mystydjinn
[Insert rimshot]
Hey, Haven't been here in for ever but I have a question about the quality of life in Terminus. I mean my story is centering right now on the poverty side of the 'gleaming' city. I've set up a little orphanage in my story and I'm emphasizing racial discrimination in the city but I kinda wanted to see how much that would actually affect life there or in the other cities.
*Thumbs up*
The standard of living is fairly high in Terminus, with even the poorest of citizens usually being able to afford basic necessities like a place to stay or food on the table. However, a substantial portion of the populace, probably well over 50%, lives at this near-poverty level. That's part of why the Nocte Nils feast is such a big deal: it's a time where everyone can enjoy great food and entertainment that they normally can't.
Racial discrimination in general is not that high, but there are some who discriminate against the demvir, considering them artificial life or even believing they exist to serve. More common is discrimination against impure spurii. While laicar, velen, and enlil all command some kind of respect for their history and cultural contributions, there remains a stigma against interrelations, and the spawn of such couplings inevitably find themselves shunned. It's not overt, like lynching or stoning, but the discrimination does hurt their ability to find work or advance beyond the most menial and dangerous jobs. It doesn't make it impossible, mind you, but more difficult. This discrimination as often takes the form of pity as it takes the form of disgust.
Zerieth
New Member
So wait, your saying that there is no real ghetto in this city That everyone and anyone saving a few minor minorities are accepted by all? Sounds like a Utopia, and a difficult place to grow a character. Sorry if I sound rude, or if this post should have been put elsewhere. I'm trust trying to get a better understanding.
I don't know if this question already got addressed but is there any real police force in this city? I'm already aware of a more bounty hunter type of faction but I'm asking about generic cops and stuff.
I don't know if this question already got addressed but is there any real police force in this city? I'm already aware of a more bounty hunter type of faction but I'm asking about generic cops and stuff.
There is no real ghetto in this city, but there is a very high ratio of people living at a near-poverty level. There is definitely crime, however, and many people dissatisfied with the distribution of wealth and prosperity. Racial discrimination exists, but it's mainly as described in the previous post; racial discrimination is not the only type of discrimination.
The police force is somewhat broken into multiple factions. Although ostensibly all working together and part of the same force, the guards of Terminus are funded by the government (from taxes), as well as bolstered by the Arcanum (from donations), and a significant portion of the guard is made up of Conexus members (from private sectors). Guards wear blue tabards, and although they are not numerous enough to patrol every street at every hour, there is only one area in the city that is routinely not patrolled: the Lupanar District (aka, the Little City).
Lupanar is more of a red-light district than a ghetto, but it is where organized crime tends to flock, making it dangerous enough for the guards to keep their distance except when the crime lords overstep the tenuous truce. However, even organized crime has its own rules it lives by, even if they are different from the written law. Steal or assault the wrong person, and you'll probably find yourself being taught a brutal lesson.