The Broken Dagger Wiki - User contributions [en]

Character Creation

2014-08-12T19:50:13Z

Majic13: /* Charater Creation Advice */

[[Category:Rules]]
Welcome to [[#Broken_Dagger]]! If you're ready to join in our stories, adventures, and tales, we only ask that you read the following standards. The first list are the guidelines we set upon character creation, while the second is an optional list of helpful starting-points that may assist you in better constructing your character. Some of these rules and guidelines have been previously outlined on our [http://www.brokendagger.com/conduct/ Code of Conduct] page, which we highly recommend you read as well to better understand our channel's philosophy.

=Firm Guidelines=
All new players should read the following questions and answers to achieve a preliminary understanding of player expectations in regard to characters. If you still find yourself confused or unsure, please feel free to message an [[Operator]] in the channel or talk with some of the players in [[#BD_OOC]], our out-of-character chat room.
===Where to start?===
The [[#Broken_Dagger]] is first and foremost a "low fantasy" milieu. There are fantastical elements, but they are uncommon enough to be generally regarded with awe, wonder and suspicion. For new players, erring on the side of simplicity when creating a character is best. We firmly believe in upholding the realistic tone of our setting, regardless of its fantasy qualities.

===What races can I play?===
[[Myrken Wood]] and surrounding regions are predominantly populated by humans. Other fantastical races - elves, dwarves, halflings, minotaurs, etc. - are known, but present as a minority. As a broad guideline the more strange, exotic or monstrous a race, the more likely they are to receive reactions ranging from curiosity and fascination to fear and loathing. Typically "villainous" races such as orcs, trolls, dark elves or vampires are unlikely to be welcomed with open arms. This doesn't preclude you from playing an antagonistic or villainous character, but we believe that even "evil" characters should have a firm sense of motivation and purpose behind their villainy. Our setting thrives more on profound interaction than outright violence.

'''WHY IS THIS?''' Characters in our setting (especially NPCs) are expected to behave rationally, for the most part. When confronted with a character who seems strange or potentially dangerous they will react with wariness, fear or aggression, and players intent on introducing such characters should bear this in mind.

===Where can my character come from?===
The world of #Broken_Dagger is large and to a great extent unexplored. If your character is not from Myrken Wood or surrounding regions we encourage you to detail a homeland for them beyond the borders of [[Amasynian Province]]. Long-distance travel by land or sea is possible, if arduous, and foreigners are generally viewed with cautious interest. Magical travel by portal or teleportation is very rare in the core setting, and thus the preserve of the extremely wealthy or the extremely powerful. Travel between worlds/planes/dimensions is effectively unknown, and requires Op approval.

Take the time to familiarise yourself with our setting - [http://brokendagger.com/the-setting/amasynian-province/ explore the maps] on the Broken Dagger website and spend a while browsing the BD Wiki - and it shouldn’t be hard to find a gap. The wider setting has been left deliberately undefined so that our players have room to fill in the blanks.

===Can I bring in my character from another channel/game/venue?===
Please don’t just copy them directly. If you have an original character you want to introduce to the Broken Dagger from elsewhere, make an expy version of them and take the time to adjust their background to fit into our existing setting.

'''WHY IS THIS?''' Rooting your character in our setting helps maintain consistency in our roleplay; it avoids the introduction of technology, science, or magitech that do not match the tone of our channel. It gives your creation something in common with other characters: this world is their home, and they are naturally invested in it.

===What about power levels?===
We believe that the use of special powers should never be a casual or trivial matter, and that the use of special powers should '''expand''' story possibilities, not close them off.

Characters using special powers as a matter of routine can dilute the sense of wonder that such powers should evoke - what ought to be incredible becomes commonplace or even boring. Additionally, struggle against adversity is a rich source of engaging roleplay. While it makes sense IC to accept a powerful character’s offer of help, OOC this can make things less enjoyable for other players, as they now have nothing for their characters to do.

We do not explicitly forbid powerful characters, but to keep things balanced we do insist that powerful characters face limitations to their abilities. This doesn’t mean that your character can’t '''have amazing''' powers, only that such talents and abilities need to be offset by comparable constraints and consequences. Perhaps a power is exhausting or injurious to the user; perhaps it requires extensive preparation; perhaps it can only be used in moments of extreme duress. As a general guideline: the more potent a power, the stronger the reasons a character should have not to use it.

'''WHY IS THIS?''' High-power characters pose a number of concerns. In terms of storytelling, characters using fantastical powers for routine applications can dilute the sense of wonder that such powers should evoke, and the incredible becomes commonplace or even boring. Additionally, characters with such powers run the risk of overshadowing characters without, thus denying other players the opportunity for interesting roleplay. Compare “The villain is defeated with the wave of a godling’s hand,” with “The villain is defeated by commoners who rose to the challenge, embarked on a perilous quest, and discovered strength and bravery they never knew they had.” Which is the more interesting story?

====Regarding Healers====
We ''strongly recommend'' that magical healing be kept to a minimum. You may encounter both IC and OOC resistance to instant healing spells - to many of our players their character coping with an injury is an interesting challenge. Ready access to instant magical healing can reduce the dramatic impact of situations in which a character risks physical harm. As such, ''limited'' forms of magical healing - speeding natural recovery, staving off infection, reducing an injury from mortal to survivable - are far more narratively useful than spells that instantly mend broken bones, regrow amputated limbs, or completely heal terrible wounds.

====Regarding Villains====
We don’t discourage the introduction of antagonistic or villainous characters whose desires conflict with those of others - conflict is the heart of a good story! - but we ''strongly recommend'' that new players spend a while getting used to the setting and characters therein before introducing a character intent on spreading strife and discord. We also believe that even "evil" characters should have a firm sense of purpose behind their villainy. What are their goals? What are they willing to do to achieve those goals? What are they not willing to do? What purpose does a given act of evil serve? Even the most wicked people rarely view themselves as evil, and even the insane have a consistent (if distorted) reasoning behind their actions.

===How will my character grow?===
We aim to foster an environment where characters make new friends, develop strong alliances, establish believable rivalries, and ultimately develop through their shared experiences. Your character’s ability to grow or be altered by the events in #Broken_Dagger is perhaps the most essential aspect of your character. Be willing to allow their mindset to change over time; be ready to let the setting and other characters negatively and positively affect them.

'''WHY IS THIS?''' ''Winning'' is not nor should it ever be the roleplayer's sole goal in this setting: characters make dire, frantic, even destructive mistakes; sometimes they disappoint themselves and those who care for them. Most of all, they are empowered to overcome their fears, their flaws, and their inadequacies, whether for their own betterment, for their survival, or for their personal ambitions.

===I'm still not sure what kind of character to play...===
Imagine that our setting, in regard to themes, tones, and form, lingers somewhere between ''Lord of the Rings'' and ''Game of Thrones'' (but do keep in mind, these are only potential inspirations; we do not allow copyrighted material here). Characters should not exist merely to be the vessels of flashy powers; they should live, breathe, laugh, suffer, be challenged, challenge others, and seem realistic and believable.

=Character Creation Advice=
Freeform roleplaying has as much in common with writing fiction as it does with roleplaying games - as such, try to consider your character not so much as a list of traits and abilities as an actor in a story. Their path is not determined by the roll of a die, but by choosing a direction that offers the most narrative satisfaction. The following guidelines are not strictly-enforced rules, but provided to help you create a character who will be enjoyable to play in the Broken Dagger.

===Pick an archetype===
Fantasy literature is full of archetypal characters: cunning thieves, grizzled soldiers, proud barbarians, and downtrodden peasants. Usually these archetypes can be summed up in a couple of words, and can give you (and other players) a handle on your character’s basic identity. Is your character a talented tradesmen, an adventurous warrior, or a clever con-artist? Have they lived a simple life, an eventful one, or is their past littered with traumatic experiences? Develop a firm foundation for your character’s basic identity. Consider how your character fits into the setting, and what role they occupy that may not be otherwise filled.

===Give it depth===
Archetypes are a start, but don’t have to be the entirety of your character. Give them traits beyond the immediately visible that either support or subvert the archetype. Give them a trait that’s not immediately obvious - a secret, or something about them that would be surprising to learn.

===Decide on an origin===
Is your character from the local area? Are they from a neighbouring province? Are they from further afield, a true foreigner? While the setting around the [[Broken Dagger]] - [[Myrkentown]], [[Myrken Wood]] and the [[Amasynian Peninsula]] - have been defined by player activity over a span of years - the world beyond the Peninsula has been left deliberately vague. There is room for all sorts of homelands, from the prosaic to the truly exotic. Whatever your character’s origin, be sure to establish how they found themselves in Myrken Wood, and why.

===Establish strengths and weaknesses===
Because the pulse of roleplay in #Broken_Dagger is driven by written interaction, incorporating flaws and weaknesses into your character is essential. Flaws give depth to a character’s struggle against adversity. Perfect characters are perfectly boring; characters with prejudices, negative idiosyncrasies, or elements that detract from their wholeness are far more exciting to play and observe. Check out a few of these websites if you need help generating a flaw for your character:

* http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/CharacterFlawIndex
* http://tokyocentricity.webs.com/generators/character.htm
* http://www.springhole.net/writing_roleplaying_randomators/character-flaws.htm

Likewise, characters should always offer some kind of value to the setting around them. Strengths and talents do not need to be overt - not every character needs to be a prodigious swordswoman or a powerful spellslinger. Understated strengths often provide more nuance to the setting and bring more uniqueness to your writing. As a general rule, avoid thinking in extremes. People as we know them are not all fearless knights or cruel villains. If your character lands somewhere between those two, you’ve likely found an effective starting point.

===Determine motivations, drives, purposes, and secrets===
Based on your character’s origins, racial predispositions, cultural influences, and history, other motivating factors will begin to naturally appear during character creation. Does your character have an ulterior goal or purpose? What makes their figurative clock tick? Do they harbor a secret they fear might damage their reputation?

===Quickly summarize===
When introducing a new character, defining them to yourself - and others - using only one sentence is a good guideline for knowing you have just enough. If you find it difficult to reduce your character concept to a lone sentence at their inception, consider cutting needless fat from their persona to better complement the collaborative quality of the channel.

===One last reminder===
Remember to avoid playing the all-powerful and all-knowing. Be willing to compromise your character’s morals and motives. Likewise, expect to inspire the same for other players, If you’re looking to more specifically define your character for your own knowledge, fiction-writing tools such as character sheets (http://www.epiguide.com/ep101/writing/charchart.html) are extremely useful, but not necessary. If you have any further questions or concerns regarding character creation, don’t hesitate to talk to other players or ask for guidance and assistance.

Character Creation

2014-08-12T19:47:27Z

Majic13: /* Where can my character come from? */

[[Category:Rules]]
Welcome to [[#Broken_Dagger]]! If you're ready to join in our stories, adventures, and tales, we only ask that you read the following standards. The first list are the guidelines we set upon character creation, while the second is an optional list of helpful starting-points that may assist you in better constructing your character. Some of these rules and guidelines have been previously outlined on our [http://www.brokendagger.com/conduct/ Code of Conduct] page, which we highly recommend you read as well to better understand our channel's philosophy.

=Firm Guidelines=
All new players should read the following questions and answers to achieve a preliminary understanding of player expectations in regard to characters. If you still find yourself confused or unsure, please feel free to message an [[Operator]] in the channel or talk with some of the players in [[#BD_OOC]], our out-of-character chat room.
===Where to start?===
The [[#Broken_Dagger]] is first and foremost a "low fantasy" milieu. There are fantastical elements, but they are uncommon enough to be generally regarded with awe, wonder and suspicion. For new players, erring on the side of simplicity when creating a character is best. We firmly believe in upholding the realistic tone of our setting, regardless of its fantasy qualities.

===What races can I play?===
[[Myrken Wood]] and surrounding regions are predominantly populated by humans. Other fantastical races - elves, dwarves, halflings, minotaurs, etc. - are known, but present as a minority. As a broad guideline the more strange, exotic or monstrous a race, the more likely they are to receive reactions ranging from curiosity and fascination to fear and loathing. Typically "villainous" races such as orcs, trolls, dark elves or vampires are unlikely to be welcomed with open arms. This doesn't preclude you from playing an antagonistic or villainous character, but we believe that even "evil" characters should have a firm sense of motivation and purpose behind their villainy. Our setting thrives more on profound interaction than outright violence.

'''WHY IS THIS?''' Characters in our setting (especially NPCs) are expected to behave rationally, for the most part. When confronted with a character who seems strange or potentially dangerous they will react with wariness, fear or aggression, and players intent on introducing such characters should bear this in mind.

===Where can my character come from?===
The world of #Broken_Dagger is large and to a great extent unexplored. If your character is not from Myrken Wood or surrounding regions we encourage you to detail a homeland for them beyond the borders of [[Amasynian Province]]. Long-distance travel by land or sea is possible, if arduous, and foreigners are generally viewed with cautious interest. Magical travel by portal or teleportation is very rare in the core setting, and thus the preserve of the extremely wealthy or the extremely powerful. Travel between worlds/planes/dimensions is effectively unknown, and requires Op approval.

Take the time to familiarise yourself with our setting - [http://brokendagger.com/the-setting/amasynian-province/ explore the maps] on the Broken Dagger website and spend a while browsing the BD Wiki - and it shouldn’t be hard to find a gap. The wider setting has been left deliberately undefined so that our players have room to fill in the blanks.

===Can I bring in my character from another channel/game/venue?===
Please don’t just copy them directly. If you have an original character you want to introduce to the Broken Dagger from elsewhere, make an expy version of them and take the time to adjust their background to fit into our existing setting.

'''WHY IS THIS?''' Rooting your character in our setting helps maintain consistency in our roleplay; it avoids the introduction of technology, science, or magitech that do not match the tone of our channel. It gives your creation something in common with other characters: this world is their home, and they are naturally invested in it.

===What about power levels?===
We believe that the use of special powers should never be a casual or trivial matter, and that the use of special powers should '''expand''' story possibilities, not close them off.

Characters using special powers as a matter of routine can dilute the sense of wonder that such powers should evoke - what ought to be incredible becomes commonplace or even boring. Additionally, struggle against adversity is a rich source of engaging roleplay. While it makes sense IC to accept a powerful character’s offer of help, OOC this can make things less enjoyable for other players, as they now have nothing for their characters to do.

We do not explicitly forbid powerful characters, but to keep things balanced we do insist that powerful characters face limitations to their abilities. This doesn’t mean that your character can’t '''have amazing''' powers, only that such talents and abilities need to be offset by comparable constraints and consequences. Perhaps a power is exhausting or injurious to the user; perhaps it requires extensive preparation; perhaps it can only be used in moments of extreme duress. As a general guideline: the more potent a power, the stronger the reasons a character should have not to use it.

'''WHY IS THIS?''' High-power characters pose a number of concerns. In terms of storytelling, characters using fantastical powers for routine applications can dilute the sense of wonder that such powers should evoke, and the incredible becomes commonplace or even boring. Additionally, characters with such powers run the risk of overshadowing characters without, thus denying other players the opportunity for interesting roleplay. Compare “The villain is defeated with the wave of a godling’s hand,” with “The villain is defeated by commoners who rose to the challenge, embarked on a perilous quest, and discovered strength and bravery they never knew they had.” Which is the more interesting story?

====Regarding Healers====
We ''strongly recommend'' that magical healing be kept to a minimum. You may encounter both IC and OOC resistance to instant healing spells - to many of our players their character coping with an injury is an interesting challenge. Ready access to instant magical healing can reduce the dramatic impact of situations in which a character risks physical harm. As such, ''limited'' forms of magical healing - speeding natural recovery, staving off infection, reducing an injury from mortal to survivable - are far more narratively useful than spells that instantly mend broken bones, regrow amputated limbs, or completely heal terrible wounds.

====Regarding Villains====
We don’t discourage the introduction of antagonistic or villainous characters whose desires conflict with those of others - conflict is the heart of a good story! - but we ''strongly recommend'' that new players spend a while getting used to the setting and characters therein before introducing a character intent on spreading strife and discord. We also believe that even "evil" characters should have a firm sense of purpose behind their villainy. What are their goals? What are they willing to do to achieve those goals? What are they not willing to do? What purpose does a given act of evil serve? Even the most wicked people rarely view themselves as evil, and even the insane have a consistent (if distorted) reasoning behind their actions.

===How will my character grow?===
We aim to foster an environment where characters make new friends, develop strong alliances, establish believable rivalries, and ultimately develop through their shared experiences. Your character’s ability to grow or be altered by the events in #Broken_Dagger is perhaps the most essential aspect of your character. Be willing to allow their mindset to change over time; be ready to let the setting and other characters negatively and positively affect them.

'''WHY IS THIS?''' ''Winning'' is not nor should it ever be the roleplayer's sole goal in this setting: characters make dire, frantic, even destructive mistakes; sometimes they disappoint themselves and those who care for them. Most of all, they are empowered to overcome their fears, their flaws, and their inadequacies, whether for their own betterment, for their survival, or for their personal ambitions.

===I'm still not sure what kind of character to play...===
Imagine that our setting, in regard to themes, tones, and form, lingers somewhere between ''Lord of the Rings'' and ''Game of Thrones'' (but do keep in mind, these are only potential inspirations; we do not allow copyrighted material here). Characters should not exist merely to be the vessels of flashy powers; they should live, breathe, laugh, suffer, be challenged, challenge others, and seem realistic and believable.

=Charater Creation Advice=
Freeform roleplaying has as much in common with writing fiction as it does with roleplaying games - as such, try to consider your character not so much as a list of traits and abilities as an actor in a story. Their path is not determined by the roll of a die, but by choosing a direction that offers the most narrative satisfaction. The following guidelines are not strictly-enforced rules, but provided to help you create a character who will be enjoyable to play in the Broken Dagger.

===Pick an archetype===
Fantasy literature is full of archetypal characters: cunning thieves, grizzled soldiers, proud barbarians, and downtrodden peasants. Usually these archetypes can be summed up in a couple of words, and can give you (and other players) a handle on your character’s basic identity. Is your character a talented tradesmen, an adventurous warrior, or a clever con-artist? Have they lived a simple life, an eventful one, or is their past littered with traumatic experiences? Develop a firm foundation for your character’s basic identity. Consider how your character fits into the setting, and what role they occupy that may not be otherwise filled.

===Give it depth===
Archetypes are a start, but don’t have to be the entirety of your character. Give them traits beyond the immediately visible that either support or subvert the archetype. Give them a trait that’s not immediately obvious - a secret, or something about them that would be surprising to learn.

===Decide on an origin===
Is your character from the local area? Are they from a neighbouring province? Are they from further afield, a true foreigner? While the setting around the [[Broken Dagger]] - [[Myrkentown]], [[Myrken Wood]] and the [[Amasynian Peninsula]] - have been defined by player activity over a span of years - the world beyond the Peninsula has been left deliberately vague. There is room for all sorts of homelands, from the prosaic to the truly exotic. Whatever your character’s origin, be sure to establish how they found themselves in Myrken Wood, and why.

===Establish strengths and weaknesses===
Because the pulse of roleplay in #Broken_Dagger is driven by written interaction, incorporating flaws and weaknesses into your character is essential. Flaws give depth to a character’s struggle against adversity. Perfect characters are perfectly boring; characters with prejudices, negative idiosyncrasies, or elements that detract from their wholeness are far more exciting to play and observe. Check out a few of these websites if you need help generating a flaw for your character:

* http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/CharacterFlawIndex
* http://tokyocentricity.webs.com/generators/character.htm
* http://www.springhole.net/writing_roleplaying_randomators/character-flaws.htm

Likewise, characters should always offer some kind of value to the setting around them. Strengths and talents do not need to be overt - not every character needs to be a prodigious swordswoman or a powerful spellslinger. Understated strengths often provide more nuance to the setting and bring more uniqueness to your writing. As a general rule, avoid thinking in extremes. People as we know them are not all fearless knights or cruel villains. If your character lands somewhere between those two, you’ve likely found an effective starting point.

===Determine motivations, drives, purposes, and secrets===
Based on your character’s origins, racial predispositions, cultural influences, and history, other motivating factors will begin to naturally appear during character creation. Does your character have an ulterior goal or purpose? What makes their figurative clock tick? Do they harbor a secret they fear might damage their reputation?

===Quickly summarize===
When introducing a new character, defining them to yourself - and others - using only one sentence is a good guideline for knowing you have just enough. If you find it difficult to reduce your character concept to a lone sentence at their inception, consider cutting needless fat from their persona to better complement the collaborative quality of the channel.

===One last reminder===
Remember to avoid playing the all-powerful and all-knowing. Be willing to compromise your character’s morals and motives. Likewise, expect to inspire the same for other players, If you’re looking to more specifically define your character for your own knowledge, fiction-writing tools such as character sheets (http://www.epiguide.com/ep101/writing/charchart.html) are extremely useful, but not necessary. If you have any further questions or concerns regarding character creation, don’t hesitate to talk to other players or ask for guidance and assistance.

Character Creation

2014-08-12T19:46:37Z

Majic13: /* What races can I play? */

[[Category:Rules]]
Welcome to [[#Broken_Dagger]]! If you're ready to join in our stories, adventures, and tales, we only ask that you read the following standards. The first list are the guidelines we set upon character creation, while the second is an optional list of helpful starting-points that may assist you in better constructing your character. Some of these rules and guidelines have been previously outlined on our [http://www.brokendagger.com/conduct/ Code of Conduct] page, which we highly recommend you read as well to better understand our channel's philosophy.

=Firm Guidelines=
All new players should read the following questions and answers to achieve a preliminary understanding of player expectations in regard to characters. If you still find yourself confused or unsure, please feel free to message an [[Operator]] in the channel or talk with some of the players in [[#BD_OOC]], our out-of-character chat room.
===Where to start?===
The [[#Broken_Dagger]] is first and foremost a "low fantasy" milieu. There are fantastical elements, but they are uncommon enough to be generally regarded with awe, wonder and suspicion. For new players, erring on the side of simplicity when creating a character is best. We firmly believe in upholding the realistic tone of our setting, regardless of its fantasy qualities.

===What races can I play?===
[[Myrken Wood]] and surrounding regions are predominantly populated by humans. Other fantastical races - elves, dwarves, halflings, minotaurs, etc. - are known, but present as a minority. As a broad guideline the more strange, exotic or monstrous a race, the more likely they are to receive reactions ranging from curiosity and fascination to fear and loathing. Typically "villainous" races such as orcs, trolls, dark elves or vampires are unlikely to be welcomed with open arms. This doesn't preclude you from playing an antagonistic or villainous character, but we believe that even "evil" characters should have a firm sense of motivation and purpose behind their villainy. Our setting thrives more on profound interaction than outright violence.

'''WHY IS THIS?''' Characters in our setting (especially NPCs) are expected to behave rationally, for the most part. When confronted with a character who seems strange or potentially dangerous they will react with wariness, fear or aggression, and players intent on introducing such characters should bear this in mind.

===Where can my character come from?===
The world of #Broken_Dagger is large and to a great extent unexplored. If your character is not from Myrken Wood, you’re welcome to detail a homeland for them beyond the borders of [[Amasynian Province]]. Long-distance travel by land or sea is possible, if arduous, and foreigners are generally viewed with cautious interest. Magical travel by portal or teleportation is very rare in the core setting, and thus the preserve of the extremely wealthy or the extremely powerful. Travel between worlds/planes/dimensions is effectively unknown, and requires Op approval.

Take the time to familiarise yourself with our setting - [http://brokendagger.com/the-setting/amasynian-province/ explore the maps] on the Broken Dagger website and spend a while browsing the BD Wiki - and it shouldn’t be hard to find a gap. The wider setting has been left deliberately undefined so that our players have room to fill in the blanks.

===Can I bring in my character from another channel/game/venue?===
Please don’t just copy them directly. If you have an original character you want to introduce to the Broken Dagger from elsewhere, make an expy version of them and take the time to adjust their background to fit into our existing setting.

'''WHY IS THIS?''' Rooting your character in our setting helps maintain consistency in our roleplay; it avoids the introduction of technology, science, or magitech that do not match the tone of our channel. It gives your creation something in common with other characters: this world is their home, and they are naturally invested in it.

===What about power levels?===
We believe that the use of special powers should never be a casual or trivial matter, and that the use of special powers should '''expand''' story possibilities, not close them off.

Characters using special powers as a matter of routine can dilute the sense of wonder that such powers should evoke - what ought to be incredible becomes commonplace or even boring. Additionally, struggle against adversity is a rich source of engaging roleplay. While it makes sense IC to accept a powerful character’s offer of help, OOC this can make things less enjoyable for other players, as they now have nothing for their characters to do.

We do not explicitly forbid powerful characters, but to keep things balanced we do insist that powerful characters face limitations to their abilities. This doesn’t mean that your character can’t '''have amazing''' powers, only that such talents and abilities need to be offset by comparable constraints and consequences. Perhaps a power is exhausting or injurious to the user; perhaps it requires extensive preparation; perhaps it can only be used in moments of extreme duress. As a general guideline: the more potent a power, the stronger the reasons a character should have not to use it.

'''WHY IS THIS?''' High-power characters pose a number of concerns. In terms of storytelling, characters using fantastical powers for routine applications can dilute the sense of wonder that such powers should evoke, and the incredible becomes commonplace or even boring. Additionally, characters with such powers run the risk of overshadowing characters without, thus denying other players the opportunity for interesting roleplay. Compare “The villain is defeated with the wave of a godling’s hand,” with “The villain is defeated by commoners who rose to the challenge, embarked on a perilous quest, and discovered strength and bravery they never knew they had.” Which is the more interesting story?

====Regarding Healers====
We ''strongly recommend'' that magical healing be kept to a minimum. You may encounter both IC and OOC resistance to instant healing spells - to many of our players their character coping with an injury is an interesting challenge. Ready access to instant magical healing can reduce the dramatic impact of situations in which a character risks physical harm. As such, ''limited'' forms of magical healing - speeding natural recovery, staving off infection, reducing an injury from mortal to survivable - are far more narratively useful than spells that instantly mend broken bones, regrow amputated limbs, or completely heal terrible wounds.

====Regarding Villains====
We don’t discourage the introduction of antagonistic or villainous characters whose desires conflict with those of others - conflict is the heart of a good story! - but we ''strongly recommend'' that new players spend a while getting used to the setting and characters therein before introducing a character intent on spreading strife and discord. We also believe that even "evil" characters should have a firm sense of purpose behind their villainy. What are their goals? What are they willing to do to achieve those goals? What are they not willing to do? What purpose does a given act of evil serve? Even the most wicked people rarely view themselves as evil, and even the insane have a consistent (if distorted) reasoning behind their actions.

===How will my character grow?===
We aim to foster an environment where characters make new friends, develop strong alliances, establish believable rivalries, and ultimately develop through their shared experiences. Your character’s ability to grow or be altered by the events in #Broken_Dagger is perhaps the most essential aspect of your character. Be willing to allow their mindset to change over time; be ready to let the setting and other characters negatively and positively affect them.

'''WHY IS THIS?''' ''Winning'' is not nor should it ever be the roleplayer's sole goal in this setting: characters make dire, frantic, even destructive mistakes; sometimes they disappoint themselves and those who care for them. Most of all, they are empowered to overcome their fears, their flaws, and their inadequacies, whether for their own betterment, for their survival, or for their personal ambitions.

===I'm still not sure what kind of character to play...===
Imagine that our setting, in regard to themes, tones, and form, lingers somewhere between ''Lord of the Rings'' and ''Game of Thrones'' (but do keep in mind, these are only potential inspirations; we do not allow copyrighted material here). Characters should not exist merely to be the vessels of flashy powers; they should live, breathe, laugh, suffer, be challenged, challenge others, and seem realistic and believable.

=Charater Creation Advice=
Freeform roleplaying has as much in common with writing fiction as it does with roleplaying games - as such, try to consider your character not so much as a list of traits and abilities as an actor in a story. Their path is not determined by the roll of a die, but by choosing a direction that offers the most narrative satisfaction. The following guidelines are not strictly-enforced rules, but provided to help you create a character who will be enjoyable to play in the Broken Dagger.

===Pick an archetype===
Fantasy literature is full of archetypal characters: cunning thieves, grizzled soldiers, proud barbarians, and downtrodden peasants. Usually these archetypes can be summed up in a couple of words, and can give you (and other players) a handle on your character’s basic identity. Is your character a talented tradesmen, an adventurous warrior, or a clever con-artist? Have they lived a simple life, an eventful one, or is their past littered with traumatic experiences? Develop a firm foundation for your character’s basic identity. Consider how your character fits into the setting, and what role they occupy that may not be otherwise filled.

===Give it depth===
Archetypes are a start, but don’t have to be the entirety of your character. Give them traits beyond the immediately visible that either support or subvert the archetype. Give them a trait that’s not immediately obvious - a secret, or something about them that would be surprising to learn.

===Decide on an origin===
Is your character from the local area? Are they from a neighbouring province? Are they from further afield, a true foreigner? While the setting around the [[Broken Dagger]] - [[Myrkentown]], [[Myrken Wood]] and the [[Amasynian Peninsula]] - have been defined by player activity over a span of years - the world beyond the Peninsula has been left deliberately vague. There is room for all sorts of homelands, from the prosaic to the truly exotic. Whatever your character’s origin, be sure to establish how they found themselves in Myrken Wood, and why.

===Establish strengths and weaknesses===
Because the pulse of roleplay in #Broken_Dagger is driven by written interaction, incorporating flaws and weaknesses into your character is essential. Flaws give depth to a character’s struggle against adversity. Perfect characters are perfectly boring; characters with prejudices, negative idiosyncrasies, or elements that detract from their wholeness are far more exciting to play and observe. Check out a few of these websites if you need help generating a flaw for your character:

* http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/CharacterFlawIndex
* http://tokyocentricity.webs.com/generators/character.htm
* http://www.springhole.net/writing_roleplaying_randomators/character-flaws.htm

Likewise, characters should always offer some kind of value to the setting around them. Strengths and talents do not need to be overt - not every character needs to be a prodigious swordswoman or a powerful spellslinger. Understated strengths often provide more nuance to the setting and bring more uniqueness to your writing. As a general rule, avoid thinking in extremes. People as we know them are not all fearless knights or cruel villains. If your character lands somewhere between those two, you’ve likely found an effective starting point.

===Determine motivations, drives, purposes, and secrets===
Based on your character’s origins, racial predispositions, cultural influences, and history, other motivating factors will begin to naturally appear during character creation. Does your character have an ulterior goal or purpose? What makes their figurative clock tick? Do they harbor a secret they fear might damage their reputation?

===Quickly summarize===
When introducing a new character, defining them to yourself - and others - using only one sentence is a good guideline for knowing you have just enough. If you find it difficult to reduce your character concept to a lone sentence at their inception, consider cutting needless fat from their persona to better complement the collaborative quality of the channel.

===One last reminder===
Remember to avoid playing the all-powerful and all-knowing. Be willing to compromise your character’s morals and motives. Likewise, expect to inspire the same for other players, If you’re looking to more specifically define your character for your own knowledge, fiction-writing tools such as character sheets (http://www.epiguide.com/ep101/writing/charchart.html) are extremely useful, but not necessary. If you have any further questions or concerns regarding character creation, don’t hesitate to talk to other players or ask for guidance and assistance.

Character Creation

2014-08-12T19:45:50Z

Majic13: /* Regarding Villains */

[[Category:Rules]]
Welcome to [[#Broken_Dagger]]! If you're ready to join in our stories, adventures, and tales, we only ask that you read the following standards. The first list are the guidelines we set upon character creation, while the second is an optional list of helpful starting-points that may assist you in better constructing your character. Some of these rules and guidelines have been previously outlined on our [http://www.brokendagger.com/conduct/ Code of Conduct] page, which we highly recommend you read as well to better understand our channel's philosophy.

=Firm Guidelines=
All new players should read the following questions and answers to achieve a preliminary understanding of player expectations in regard to characters. If you still find yourself confused or unsure, please feel free to message an [[Operator]] in the channel or talk with some of the players in [[#BD_OOC]], our out-of-character chat room.
===Where to start?===
The [[#Broken_Dagger]] is first and foremost a "low fantasy" milieu. There are fantastical elements, but they are uncommon enough to be generally regarded with awe, wonder and suspicion. For new players, erring on the side of simplicity when creating a character is best. We firmly believe in upholding the realistic tone of our setting, regardless of its fantasy qualities.

===What races can I play?===
[[Myrken Wood]] and surrounding regions are predominantly populated by humans. Other fantastical races - elves, dwarves, halflings, minotaurs, etc. - are known, but present as a minority. As a broad guideline the more strange, exotic or monstrous a race, the more likely they are to receive reactions ranging from curiosity and fascination to fear and loathing. Typically “villainous” races such as orcs, trolls, dark elves or vampires are unlikely to be welcomed with open arms. This doesn't preclude you from playing an antagonistic or villainous character, but we believe that even “evil” characters should have a firm sense of motivation and purpose behind their villainy. Our setting thrives more on profound interaction than outright violence.

'''WHY IS THIS?''' Characters in our setting (especially NPCs) are expected to behave rationally, for the most part. When confronted with a character who seems strange or potentially dangerous they will react with wariness, fear or aggression, and players intent on introducing such characters should bear this in mind.

===Where can my character come from?===
The world of #Broken_Dagger is large and to a great extent unexplored. If your character is not from Myrken Wood, you’re welcome to detail a homeland for them beyond the borders of [[Amasynian Province]]. Long-distance travel by land or sea is possible, if arduous, and foreigners are generally viewed with cautious interest. Magical travel by portal or teleportation is very rare in the core setting, and thus the preserve of the extremely wealthy or the extremely powerful. Travel between worlds/planes/dimensions is effectively unknown, and requires Op approval.

Take the time to familiarise yourself with our setting - [http://brokendagger.com/the-setting/amasynian-province/ explore the maps] on the Broken Dagger website and spend a while browsing the BD Wiki - and it shouldn’t be hard to find a gap. The wider setting has been left deliberately undefined so that our players have room to fill in the blanks.

===Can I bring in my character from another channel/game/venue?===
Please don’t just copy them directly. If you have an original character you want to introduce to the Broken Dagger from elsewhere, make an expy version of them and take the time to adjust their background to fit into our existing setting.

'''WHY IS THIS?''' Rooting your character in our setting helps maintain consistency in our roleplay; it avoids the introduction of technology, science, or magitech that do not match the tone of our channel. It gives your creation something in common with other characters: this world is their home, and they are naturally invested in it.

===What about power levels?===
We believe that the use of special powers should never be a casual or trivial matter, and that the use of special powers should '''expand''' story possibilities, not close them off.

Characters using special powers as a matter of routine can dilute the sense of wonder that such powers should evoke - what ought to be incredible becomes commonplace or even boring. Additionally, struggle against adversity is a rich source of engaging roleplay. While it makes sense IC to accept a powerful character’s offer of help, OOC this can make things less enjoyable for other players, as they now have nothing for their characters to do.

We do not explicitly forbid powerful characters, but to keep things balanced we do insist that powerful characters face limitations to their abilities. This doesn’t mean that your character can’t '''have amazing''' powers, only that such talents and abilities need to be offset by comparable constraints and consequences. Perhaps a power is exhausting or injurious to the user; perhaps it requires extensive preparation; perhaps it can only be used in moments of extreme duress. As a general guideline: the more potent a power, the stronger the reasons a character should have not to use it.

'''WHY IS THIS?''' High-power characters pose a number of concerns. In terms of storytelling, characters using fantastical powers for routine applications can dilute the sense of wonder that such powers should evoke, and the incredible becomes commonplace or even boring. Additionally, characters with such powers run the risk of overshadowing characters without, thus denying other players the opportunity for interesting roleplay. Compare “The villain is defeated with the wave of a godling’s hand,” with “The villain is defeated by commoners who rose to the challenge, embarked on a perilous quest, and discovered strength and bravery they never knew they had.” Which is the more interesting story?

====Regarding Healers====
We ''strongly recommend'' that magical healing be kept to a minimum. You may encounter both IC and OOC resistance to instant healing spells - to many of our players their character coping with an injury is an interesting challenge. Ready access to instant magical healing can reduce the dramatic impact of situations in which a character risks physical harm. As such, ''limited'' forms of magical healing - speeding natural recovery, staving off infection, reducing an injury from mortal to survivable - are far more narratively useful than spells that instantly mend broken bones, regrow amputated limbs, or completely heal terrible wounds.

====Regarding Villains====
We don’t discourage the introduction of antagonistic or villainous characters whose desires conflict with those of others - conflict is the heart of a good story! - but we ''strongly recommend'' that new players spend a while getting used to the setting and characters therein before introducing a character intent on spreading strife and discord. We also believe that even "evil" characters should have a firm sense of purpose behind their villainy. What are their goals? What are they willing to do to achieve those goals? What are they not willing to do? What purpose does a given act of evil serve? Even the most wicked people rarely view themselves as evil, and even the insane have a consistent (if distorted) reasoning behind their actions.

===How will my character grow?===
We aim to foster an environment where characters make new friends, develop strong alliances, establish believable rivalries, and ultimately develop through their shared experiences. Your character’s ability to grow or be altered by the events in #Broken_Dagger is perhaps the most essential aspect of your character. Be willing to allow their mindset to change over time; be ready to let the setting and other characters negatively and positively affect them.

'''WHY IS THIS?''' ''Winning'' is not nor should it ever be the roleplayer's sole goal in this setting: characters make dire, frantic, even destructive mistakes; sometimes they disappoint themselves and those who care for them. Most of all, they are empowered to overcome their fears, their flaws, and their inadequacies, whether for their own betterment, for their survival, or for their personal ambitions.

===I'm still not sure what kind of character to play...===
Imagine that our setting, in regard to themes, tones, and form, lingers somewhere between ''Lord of the Rings'' and ''Game of Thrones'' (but do keep in mind, these are only potential inspirations; we do not allow copyrighted material here). Characters should not exist merely to be the vessels of flashy powers; they should live, breathe, laugh, suffer, be challenged, challenge others, and seem realistic and believable.

=Charater Creation Advice=
Freeform roleplaying has as much in common with writing fiction as it does with roleplaying games - as such, try to consider your character not so much as a list of traits and abilities as an actor in a story. Their path is not determined by the roll of a die, but by choosing a direction that offers the most narrative satisfaction. The following guidelines are not strictly-enforced rules, but provided to help you create a character who will be enjoyable to play in the Broken Dagger.

===Pick an archetype===
Fantasy literature is full of archetypal characters: cunning thieves, grizzled soldiers, proud barbarians, and downtrodden peasants. Usually these archetypes can be summed up in a couple of words, and can give you (and other players) a handle on your character’s basic identity. Is your character a talented tradesmen, an adventurous warrior, or a clever con-artist? Have they lived a simple life, an eventful one, or is their past littered with traumatic experiences? Develop a firm foundation for your character’s basic identity. Consider how your character fits into the setting, and what role they occupy that may not be otherwise filled.

===Give it depth===
Archetypes are a start, but don’t have to be the entirety of your character. Give them traits beyond the immediately visible that either support or subvert the archetype. Give them a trait that’s not immediately obvious - a secret, or something about them that would be surprising to learn.

===Decide on an origin===
Is your character from the local area? Are they from a neighbouring province? Are they from further afield, a true foreigner? While the setting around the [[Broken Dagger]] - [[Myrkentown]], [[Myrken Wood]] and the [[Amasynian Peninsula]] - have been defined by player activity over a span of years - the world beyond the Peninsula has been left deliberately vague. There is room for all sorts of homelands, from the prosaic to the truly exotic. Whatever your character’s origin, be sure to establish how they found themselves in Myrken Wood, and why.

===Establish strengths and weaknesses===
Because the pulse of roleplay in #Broken_Dagger is driven by written interaction, incorporating flaws and weaknesses into your character is essential. Flaws give depth to a character’s struggle against adversity. Perfect characters are perfectly boring; characters with prejudices, negative idiosyncrasies, or elements that detract from their wholeness are far more exciting to play and observe. Check out a few of these websites if you need help generating a flaw for your character:

* http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/CharacterFlawIndex
* http://tokyocentricity.webs.com/generators/character.htm
* http://www.springhole.net/writing_roleplaying_randomators/character-flaws.htm

Likewise, characters should always offer some kind of value to the setting around them. Strengths and talents do not need to be overt - not every character needs to be a prodigious swordswoman or a powerful spellslinger. Understated strengths often provide more nuance to the setting and bring more uniqueness to your writing. As a general rule, avoid thinking in extremes. People as we know them are not all fearless knights or cruel villains. If your character lands somewhere between those two, you’ve likely found an effective starting point.

===Determine motivations, drives, purposes, and secrets===
Based on your character’s origins, racial predispositions, cultural influences, and history, other motivating factors will begin to naturally appear during character creation. Does your character have an ulterior goal or purpose? What makes their figurative clock tick? Do they harbor a secret they fear might damage their reputation?

===Quickly summarize===
When introducing a new character, defining them to yourself - and others - using only one sentence is a good guideline for knowing you have just enough. If you find it difficult to reduce your character concept to a lone sentence at their inception, consider cutting needless fat from their persona to better complement the collaborative quality of the channel.

===One last reminder===
Remember to avoid playing the all-powerful and all-knowing. Be willing to compromise your character’s morals and motives. Likewise, expect to inspire the same for other players, If you’re looking to more specifically define your character for your own knowledge, fiction-writing tools such as character sheets (http://www.epiguide.com/ep101/writing/charchart.html) are extremely useful, but not necessary. If you have any further questions or concerns regarding character creation, don’t hesitate to talk to other players or ask for guidance and assistance.

Character Creation

2014-08-12T19:45:38Z

Majic13: /* Regarding Healers */

[[Category:Rules]]
Welcome to [[#Broken_Dagger]]! If you're ready to join in our stories, adventures, and tales, we only ask that you read the following standards. The first list are the guidelines we set upon character creation, while the second is an optional list of helpful starting-points that may assist you in better constructing your character. Some of these rules and guidelines have been previously outlined on our [http://www.brokendagger.com/conduct/ Code of Conduct] page, which we highly recommend you read as well to better understand our channel's philosophy.

=Firm Guidelines=
All new players should read the following questions and answers to achieve a preliminary understanding of player expectations in regard to characters. If you still find yourself confused or unsure, please feel free to message an [[Operator]] in the channel or talk with some of the players in [[#BD_OOC]], our out-of-character chat room.
===Where to start?===
The [[#Broken_Dagger]] is first and foremost a "low fantasy" milieu. There are fantastical elements, but they are uncommon enough to be generally regarded with awe, wonder and suspicion. For new players, erring on the side of simplicity when creating a character is best. We firmly believe in upholding the realistic tone of our setting, regardless of its fantasy qualities.

===What races can I play?===
[[Myrken Wood]] and surrounding regions are predominantly populated by humans. Other fantastical races - elves, dwarves, halflings, minotaurs, etc. - are known, but present as a minority. As a broad guideline the more strange, exotic or monstrous a race, the more likely they are to receive reactions ranging from curiosity and fascination to fear and loathing. Typically “villainous” races such as orcs, trolls, dark elves or vampires are unlikely to be welcomed with open arms. This doesn't preclude you from playing an antagonistic or villainous character, but we believe that even “evil” characters should have a firm sense of motivation and purpose behind their villainy. Our setting thrives more on profound interaction than outright violence.

'''WHY IS THIS?''' Characters in our setting (especially NPCs) are expected to behave rationally, for the most part. When confronted with a character who seems strange or potentially dangerous they will react with wariness, fear or aggression, and players intent on introducing such characters should bear this in mind.

===Where can my character come from?===
The world of #Broken_Dagger is large and to a great extent unexplored. If your character is not from Myrken Wood, you’re welcome to detail a homeland for them beyond the borders of [[Amasynian Province]]. Long-distance travel by land or sea is possible, if arduous, and foreigners are generally viewed with cautious interest. Magical travel by portal or teleportation is very rare in the core setting, and thus the preserve of the extremely wealthy or the extremely powerful. Travel between worlds/planes/dimensions is effectively unknown, and requires Op approval.

Take the time to familiarise yourself with our setting - [http://brokendagger.com/the-setting/amasynian-province/ explore the maps] on the Broken Dagger website and spend a while browsing the BD Wiki - and it shouldn’t be hard to find a gap. The wider setting has been left deliberately undefined so that our players have room to fill in the blanks.

===Can I bring in my character from another channel/game/venue?===
Please don’t just copy them directly. If you have an original character you want to introduce to the Broken Dagger from elsewhere, make an expy version of them and take the time to adjust their background to fit into our existing setting.

'''WHY IS THIS?''' Rooting your character in our setting helps maintain consistency in our roleplay; it avoids the introduction of technology, science, or magitech that do not match the tone of our channel. It gives your creation something in common with other characters: this world is their home, and they are naturally invested in it.

===What about power levels?===
We believe that the use of special powers should never be a casual or trivial matter, and that the use of special powers should '''expand''' story possibilities, not close them off.

Characters using special powers as a matter of routine can dilute the sense of wonder that such powers should evoke - what ought to be incredible becomes commonplace or even boring. Additionally, struggle against adversity is a rich source of engaging roleplay. While it makes sense IC to accept a powerful character’s offer of help, OOC this can make things less enjoyable for other players, as they now have nothing for their characters to do.

We do not explicitly forbid powerful characters, but to keep things balanced we do insist that powerful characters face limitations to their abilities. This doesn’t mean that your character can’t '''have amazing''' powers, only that such talents and abilities need to be offset by comparable constraints and consequences. Perhaps a power is exhausting or injurious to the user; perhaps it requires extensive preparation; perhaps it can only be used in moments of extreme duress. As a general guideline: the more potent a power, the stronger the reasons a character should have not to use it.

'''WHY IS THIS?''' High-power characters pose a number of concerns. In terms of storytelling, characters using fantastical powers for routine applications can dilute the sense of wonder that such powers should evoke, and the incredible becomes commonplace or even boring. Additionally, characters with such powers run the risk of overshadowing characters without, thus denying other players the opportunity for interesting roleplay. Compare “The villain is defeated with the wave of a godling’s hand,” with “The villain is defeated by commoners who rose to the challenge, embarked on a perilous quest, and discovered strength and bravery they never knew they had.” Which is the more interesting story?

====Regarding Healers====
We ''strongly recommend'' that magical healing be kept to a minimum. You may encounter both IC and OOC resistance to instant healing spells - to many of our players their character coping with an injury is an interesting challenge. Ready access to instant magical healing can reduce the dramatic impact of situations in which a character risks physical harm. As such, ''limited'' forms of magical healing - speeding natural recovery, staving off infection, reducing an injury from mortal to survivable - are far more narratively useful than spells that instantly mend broken bones, regrow amputated limbs, or completely heal terrible wounds.

====Regarding Villains====
We don’t discourage the introduction of antagonistic or villainous characters whose desires conflict with those of others - conflict is the heart of a good story! - but we '''strongly recommend''' that new players spend a while getting used to the setting and characters therein before introducing a character intent on spreading strife and discord. We also believe that even "evil" characters should have a firm sense of purpose behind their villainy. What are their goals? What are they willing to do to achieve those goals? What are they not willing to do? What purpose does a given act of evil serve? Even the most wicked people rarely view themselves as evil, and even the insane have a consistent (if distorted) reasoning behind their actions.

===How will my character grow?===
We aim to foster an environment where characters make new friends, develop strong alliances, establish believable rivalries, and ultimately develop through their shared experiences. Your character’s ability to grow or be altered by the events in #Broken_Dagger is perhaps the most essential aspect of your character. Be willing to allow their mindset to change over time; be ready to let the setting and other characters negatively and positively affect them.

'''WHY IS THIS?''' ''Winning'' is not nor should it ever be the roleplayer's sole goal in this setting: characters make dire, frantic, even destructive mistakes; sometimes they disappoint themselves and those who care for them. Most of all, they are empowered to overcome their fears, their flaws, and their inadequacies, whether for their own betterment, for their survival, or for their personal ambitions.

===I'm still not sure what kind of character to play...===
Imagine that our setting, in regard to themes, tones, and form, lingers somewhere between ''Lord of the Rings'' and ''Game of Thrones'' (but do keep in mind, these are only potential inspirations; we do not allow copyrighted material here). Characters should not exist merely to be the vessels of flashy powers; they should live, breathe, laugh, suffer, be challenged, challenge others, and seem realistic and believable.

=Charater Creation Advice=
Freeform roleplaying has as much in common with writing fiction as it does with roleplaying games - as such, try to consider your character not so much as a list of traits and abilities as an actor in a story. Their path is not determined by the roll of a die, but by choosing a direction that offers the most narrative satisfaction. The following guidelines are not strictly-enforced rules, but provided to help you create a character who will be enjoyable to play in the Broken Dagger.

===Pick an archetype===
Fantasy literature is full of archetypal characters: cunning thieves, grizzled soldiers, proud barbarians, and downtrodden peasants. Usually these archetypes can be summed up in a couple of words, and can give you (and other players) a handle on your character’s basic identity. Is your character a talented tradesmen, an adventurous warrior, or a clever con-artist? Have they lived a simple life, an eventful one, or is their past littered with traumatic experiences? Develop a firm foundation for your character’s basic identity. Consider how your character fits into the setting, and what role they occupy that may not be otherwise filled.

===Give it depth===
Archetypes are a start, but don’t have to be the entirety of your character. Give them traits beyond the immediately visible that either support or subvert the archetype. Give them a trait that’s not immediately obvious - a secret, or something about them that would be surprising to learn.

===Decide on an origin===
Is your character from the local area? Are they from a neighbouring province? Are they from further afield, a true foreigner? While the setting around the [[Broken Dagger]] - [[Myrkentown]], [[Myrken Wood]] and the [[Amasynian Peninsula]] - have been defined by player activity over a span of years - the world beyond the Peninsula has been left deliberately vague. There is room for all sorts of homelands, from the prosaic to the truly exotic. Whatever your character’s origin, be sure to establish how they found themselves in Myrken Wood, and why.

===Establish strengths and weaknesses===
Because the pulse of roleplay in #Broken_Dagger is driven by written interaction, incorporating flaws and weaknesses into your character is essential. Flaws give depth to a character’s struggle against adversity. Perfect characters are perfectly boring; characters with prejudices, negative idiosyncrasies, or elements that detract from their wholeness are far more exciting to play and observe. Check out a few of these websites if you need help generating a flaw for your character:

* http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/CharacterFlawIndex
* http://tokyocentricity.webs.com/generators/character.htm
* http://www.springhole.net/writing_roleplaying_randomators/character-flaws.htm

Likewise, characters should always offer some kind of value to the setting around them. Strengths and talents do not need to be overt - not every character needs to be a prodigious swordswoman or a powerful spellslinger. Understated strengths often provide more nuance to the setting and bring more uniqueness to your writing. As a general rule, avoid thinking in extremes. People as we know them are not all fearless knights or cruel villains. If your character lands somewhere between those two, you’ve likely found an effective starting point.

===Determine motivations, drives, purposes, and secrets===
Based on your character’s origins, racial predispositions, cultural influences, and history, other motivating factors will begin to naturally appear during character creation. Does your character have an ulterior goal or purpose? What makes their figurative clock tick? Do they harbor a secret they fear might damage their reputation?

===Quickly summarize===
When introducing a new character, defining them to yourself - and others - using only one sentence is a good guideline for knowing you have just enough. If you find it difficult to reduce your character concept to a lone sentence at their inception, consider cutting needless fat from their persona to better complement the collaborative quality of the channel.

===One last reminder===
Remember to avoid playing the all-powerful and all-knowing. Be willing to compromise your character’s morals and motives. Likewise, expect to inspire the same for other players, If you’re looking to more specifically define your character for your own knowledge, fiction-writing tools such as character sheets (http://www.epiguide.com/ep101/writing/charchart.html) are extremely useful, but not necessary. If you have any further questions or concerns regarding character creation, don’t hesitate to talk to other players or ask for guidance and assistance.

Character Creation

2014-08-12T19:45:16Z

Majic13: /* What about power levels? */

[[Category:Rules]]
Welcome to [[#Broken_Dagger]]! If you're ready to join in our stories, adventures, and tales, we only ask that you read the following standards. The first list are the guidelines we set upon character creation, while the second is an optional list of helpful starting-points that may assist you in better constructing your character. Some of these rules and guidelines have been previously outlined on our [http://www.brokendagger.com/conduct/ Code of Conduct] page, which we highly recommend you read as well to better understand our channel's philosophy.

=Firm Guidelines=
All new players should read the following questions and answers to achieve a preliminary understanding of player expectations in regard to characters. If you still find yourself confused or unsure, please feel free to message an [[Operator]] in the channel or talk with some of the players in [[#BD_OOC]], our out-of-character chat room.
===Where to start?===
The [[#Broken_Dagger]] is first and foremost a "low fantasy" milieu. There are fantastical elements, but they are uncommon enough to be generally regarded with awe, wonder and suspicion. For new players, erring on the side of simplicity when creating a character is best. We firmly believe in upholding the realistic tone of our setting, regardless of its fantasy qualities.

===What races can I play?===
[[Myrken Wood]] and surrounding regions are predominantly populated by humans. Other fantastical races - elves, dwarves, halflings, minotaurs, etc. - are known, but present as a minority. As a broad guideline the more strange, exotic or monstrous a race, the more likely they are to receive reactions ranging from curiosity and fascination to fear and loathing. Typically “villainous” races such as orcs, trolls, dark elves or vampires are unlikely to be welcomed with open arms. This doesn't preclude you from playing an antagonistic or villainous character, but we believe that even “evil” characters should have a firm sense of motivation and purpose behind their villainy. Our setting thrives more on profound interaction than outright violence.

'''WHY IS THIS?''' Characters in our setting (especially NPCs) are expected to behave rationally, for the most part. When confronted with a character who seems strange or potentially dangerous they will react with wariness, fear or aggression, and players intent on introducing such characters should bear this in mind.

===Where can my character come from?===
The world of #Broken_Dagger is large and to a great extent unexplored. If your character is not from Myrken Wood, you’re welcome to detail a homeland for them beyond the borders of [[Amasynian Province]]. Long-distance travel by land or sea is possible, if arduous, and foreigners are generally viewed with cautious interest. Magical travel by portal or teleportation is very rare in the core setting, and thus the preserve of the extremely wealthy or the extremely powerful. Travel between worlds/planes/dimensions is effectively unknown, and requires Op approval.

Take the time to familiarise yourself with our setting - [http://brokendagger.com/the-setting/amasynian-province/ explore the maps] on the Broken Dagger website and spend a while browsing the BD Wiki - and it shouldn’t be hard to find a gap. The wider setting has been left deliberately undefined so that our players have room to fill in the blanks.

===Can I bring in my character from another channel/game/venue?===
Please don’t just copy them directly. If you have an original character you want to introduce to the Broken Dagger from elsewhere, make an expy version of them and take the time to adjust their background to fit into our existing setting.

'''WHY IS THIS?''' Rooting your character in our setting helps maintain consistency in our roleplay; it avoids the introduction of technology, science, or magitech that do not match the tone of our channel. It gives your creation something in common with other characters: this world is their home, and they are naturally invested in it.

===What about power levels?===
We believe that the use of special powers should never be a casual or trivial matter, and that the use of special powers should '''expand''' story possibilities, not close them off.

Characters using special powers as a matter of routine can dilute the sense of wonder that such powers should evoke - what ought to be incredible becomes commonplace or even boring. Additionally, struggle against adversity is a rich source of engaging roleplay. While it makes sense IC to accept a powerful character’s offer of help, OOC this can make things less enjoyable for other players, as they now have nothing for their characters to do.

We do not explicitly forbid powerful characters, but to keep things balanced we do insist that powerful characters face limitations to their abilities. This doesn’t mean that your character can’t '''have amazing''' powers, only that such talents and abilities need to be offset by comparable constraints and consequences. Perhaps a power is exhausting or injurious to the user; perhaps it requires extensive preparation; perhaps it can only be used in moments of extreme duress. As a general guideline: the more potent a power, the stronger the reasons a character should have not to use it.

'''WHY IS THIS?''' High-power characters pose a number of concerns. In terms of storytelling, characters using fantastical powers for routine applications can dilute the sense of wonder that such powers should evoke, and the incredible becomes commonplace or even boring. Additionally, characters with such powers run the risk of overshadowing characters without, thus denying other players the opportunity for interesting roleplay. Compare “The villain is defeated with the wave of a godling’s hand,” with “The villain is defeated by commoners who rose to the challenge, embarked on a perilous quest, and discovered strength and bravery they never knew they had.” Which is the more interesting story?

====Regarding Healers====
We '''strongly recommend''' that magical healing be kept to a minimum. You may encounter both IC and OOC resistance to instant healing spells - to many of our players their character coping with an injury is an interesting challenge. Ready access to instant magical healing can reduce the dramatic impact of situations in which a character risks physical harm. As such, '''limited''' forms of magical healing - speeding natural recovery, staving off infection, reducing an injury from mortal to survivable - are far more narratively useful than spells that instantly mend broken bones, regrow amputated limbs, or completely heal terrible wounds.

====Regarding Villains====
We don’t discourage the introduction of antagonistic or villainous characters whose desires conflict with those of others - conflict is the heart of a good story! - but we '''strongly recommend''' that new players spend a while getting used to the setting and characters therein before introducing a character intent on spreading strife and discord. We also believe that even "evil" characters should have a firm sense of purpose behind their villainy. What are their goals? What are they willing to do to achieve those goals? What are they not willing to do? What purpose does a given act of evil serve? Even the most wicked people rarely view themselves as evil, and even the insane have a consistent (if distorted) reasoning behind their actions.

===How will my character grow?===
We aim to foster an environment where characters make new friends, develop strong alliances, establish believable rivalries, and ultimately develop through their shared experiences. Your character’s ability to grow or be altered by the events in #Broken_Dagger is perhaps the most essential aspect of your character. Be willing to allow their mindset to change over time; be ready to let the setting and other characters negatively and positively affect them.

'''WHY IS THIS?''' ''Winning'' is not nor should it ever be the roleplayer's sole goal in this setting: characters make dire, frantic, even destructive mistakes; sometimes they disappoint themselves and those who care for them. Most of all, they are empowered to overcome their fears, their flaws, and their inadequacies, whether for their own betterment, for their survival, or for their personal ambitions.

===I'm still not sure what kind of character to play...===
Imagine that our setting, in regard to themes, tones, and form, lingers somewhere between ''Lord of the Rings'' and ''Game of Thrones'' (but do keep in mind, these are only potential inspirations; we do not allow copyrighted material here). Characters should not exist merely to be the vessels of flashy powers; they should live, breathe, laugh, suffer, be challenged, challenge others, and seem realistic and believable.

=Charater Creation Advice=
Freeform roleplaying has as much in common with writing fiction as it does with roleplaying games - as such, try to consider your character not so much as a list of traits and abilities as an actor in a story. Their path is not determined by the roll of a die, but by choosing a direction that offers the most narrative satisfaction. The following guidelines are not strictly-enforced rules, but provided to help you create a character who will be enjoyable to play in the Broken Dagger.

===Pick an archetype===
Fantasy literature is full of archetypal characters: cunning thieves, grizzled soldiers, proud barbarians, and downtrodden peasants. Usually these archetypes can be summed up in a couple of words, and can give you (and other players) a handle on your character’s basic identity. Is your character a talented tradesmen, an adventurous warrior, or a clever con-artist? Have they lived a simple life, an eventful one, or is their past littered with traumatic experiences? Develop a firm foundation for your character’s basic identity. Consider how your character fits into the setting, and what role they occupy that may not be otherwise filled.

===Give it depth===
Archetypes are a start, but don’t have to be the entirety of your character. Give them traits beyond the immediately visible that either support or subvert the archetype. Give them a trait that’s not immediately obvious - a secret, or something about them that would be surprising to learn.

===Decide on an origin===
Is your character from the local area? Are they from a neighbouring province? Are they from further afield, a true foreigner? While the setting around the [[Broken Dagger]] - [[Myrkentown]], [[Myrken Wood]] and the [[Amasynian Peninsula]] - have been defined by player activity over a span of years - the world beyond the Peninsula has been left deliberately vague. There is room for all sorts of homelands, from the prosaic to the truly exotic. Whatever your character’s origin, be sure to establish how they found themselves in Myrken Wood, and why.

===Establish strengths and weaknesses===
Because the pulse of roleplay in #Broken_Dagger is driven by written interaction, incorporating flaws and weaknesses into your character is essential. Flaws give depth to a character’s struggle against adversity. Perfect characters are perfectly boring; characters with prejudices, negative idiosyncrasies, or elements that detract from their wholeness are far more exciting to play and observe. Check out a few of these websites if you need help generating a flaw for your character:

* http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/CharacterFlawIndex
* http://tokyocentricity.webs.com/generators/character.htm
* http://www.springhole.net/writing_roleplaying_randomators/character-flaws.htm

Likewise, characters should always offer some kind of value to the setting around them. Strengths and talents do not need to be overt - not every character needs to be a prodigious swordswoman or a powerful spellslinger. Understated strengths often provide more nuance to the setting and bring more uniqueness to your writing. As a general rule, avoid thinking in extremes. People as we know them are not all fearless knights or cruel villains. If your character lands somewhere between those two, you’ve likely found an effective starting point.

===Determine motivations, drives, purposes, and secrets===
Based on your character’s origins, racial predispositions, cultural influences, and history, other motivating factors will begin to naturally appear during character creation. Does your character have an ulterior goal or purpose? What makes their figurative clock tick? Do they harbor a secret they fear might damage their reputation?

===Quickly summarize===
When introducing a new character, defining them to yourself - and others - using only one sentence is a good guideline for knowing you have just enough. If you find it difficult to reduce your character concept to a lone sentence at their inception, consider cutting needless fat from their persona to better complement the collaborative quality of the channel.

===One last reminder===
Remember to avoid playing the all-powerful and all-knowing. Be willing to compromise your character’s morals and motives. Likewise, expect to inspire the same for other players, If you’re looking to more specifically define your character for your own knowledge, fiction-writing tools such as character sheets (http://www.epiguide.com/ep101/writing/charchart.html) are extremely useful, but not necessary. If you have any further questions or concerns regarding character creation, don’t hesitate to talk to other players or ask for guidance and assistance.

Character Creation

2014-08-12T19:40:04Z

Majic13: /* Where can my character come from? */

[[Category:Rules]]
Welcome to [[#Broken_Dagger]]! If you're ready to join in our stories, adventures, and tales, we only ask that you read the following standards. The first list are the guidelines we set upon character creation, while the second is an optional list of helpful starting-points that may assist you in better constructing your character. Some of these rules and guidelines have been previously outlined on our [http://www.brokendagger.com/conduct/ Code of Conduct] page, which we highly recommend you read as well to better understand our channel's philosophy.

=Firm Guidelines=
All new players should read the following questions and answers to achieve a preliminary understanding of player expectations in regard to characters. If you still find yourself confused or unsure, please feel free to message an [[Operator]] in the channel or talk with some of the players in [[#BD_OOC]], our out-of-character chat room.
===Where to start?===
The [[#Broken_Dagger]] is first and foremost a "low fantasy" milieu. There are fantastical elements, but they are uncommon enough to be generally regarded with awe, wonder and suspicion. For new players, erring on the side of simplicity when creating a character is best. We firmly believe in upholding the realistic tone of our setting, regardless of its fantasy qualities.

===What races can I play?===
[[Myrken Wood]] and surrounding regions are predominantly populated by humans. Other fantastical races - elves, dwarves, halflings, minotaurs, etc. - are known, but present as a minority. As a broad guideline the more strange, exotic or monstrous a race, the more likely they are to receive reactions ranging from curiosity and fascination to fear and loathing. Typically “villainous” races such as orcs, trolls, dark elves or vampires are unlikely to be welcomed with open arms. This doesn't preclude you from playing an antagonistic or villainous character, but we believe that even “evil” characters should have a firm sense of motivation and purpose behind their villainy. Our setting thrives more on profound interaction than outright violence.

'''WHY IS THIS?''' Characters in our setting (especially NPCs) are expected to behave rationally, for the most part. When confronted with a character who seems strange or potentially dangerous they will react with wariness, fear or aggression, and players intent on introducing such characters should bear this in mind.

===Where can my character come from?===
The world of #Broken_Dagger is large and to a great extent unexplored. If your character is not from Myrken Wood, you’re welcome to detail a homeland for them beyond the borders of [[Amasynian Province]]. Long-distance travel by land or sea is possible, if arduous, and foreigners are generally viewed with cautious interest. Magical travel by portal or teleportation is very rare in the core setting, and thus the preserve of the extremely wealthy or the extremely powerful. Travel between worlds/planes/dimensions is effectively unknown, and requires Op approval.

Take the time to familiarise yourself with our setting - [http://brokendagger.com/the-setting/amasynian-province/ explore the maps] on the Broken Dagger website and spend a while browsing the BD Wiki - and it shouldn’t be hard to find a gap. The wider setting has been left deliberately undefined so that our players have room to fill in the blanks.

===Can I bring in my character from another channel/game/venue?===
Please don’t just copy them directly. If you have an original character you want to introduce to the Broken Dagger from elsewhere, make an expy version of them and take the time to adjust their background to fit into our existing setting.

'''WHY IS THIS?''' Rooting your character in our setting helps maintain consistency in our roleplay; it avoids the introduction of technology, science, or magitech that do not match the tone of our channel. It gives your creation something in common with other characters: this world is their home, and they are naturally invested in it.

===What about power levels?===
Our channel has played host to a range of characters at varying power levels, from peasants to masters in their particular field of interest. So that characters with great power do not overshadow characters without, we insist that powerful characters face firm constraints and limitations to their capabilities. The more potent a power, the more difficult or demanding it should be to use. Perhaps it is exhausting or injurious; perhaps it requires very specific conditions; perhaps it requires extensive preparation; perhaps it can only be used in moments of extreme duress; perhaps it has a very tightly-defined effect. This does not mean that your character cannot have amazing powers, only that such talents and abilities should be offset by comparable constraints or consequences.

When giving your character powers beyond the realm of normal human ability, please bear in mind:
* The use of special powers should never be a casual matter.
* The use of special powers should expand story possibilities, not close them off.
* The use of special powers should be considered a narrative last resort; often, when faced with an in-character situation where that power could be administered, consider its consequences and whether or not its incorporation would be suitable.

You will find that most every extant character has an element to them which is uncanny or curious - but these are not widely stated or commonly revealed in-character except in extraneous circumstances. Of course, characters are not required to have any secret qualities, but we recognize that characters must first be interesting for you to write before they can ever be interesting for others to interact with.

'''WHY IS THIS?''' High-power characters pose a number of concerns. In terms of storytelling, characters using fantastical powers for routine applications can dilute the sense of wonder that such powers should evoke, and the incredible becomes commonplace or even boring. Additionally, characters with such powers run the risk of overshadowing characters without, thus denying other players the opportunity for interesting roleplay. Compare “The villain is defeated with the wave of a godling’s hand,” with “The villain is defeated by commoners who rose to the challenge, embarked on a perilous quest, and discovered strength and bravery they never knew they had.” Which is the more interesting story?
====Regarding Healing====
We strongly suggest that magical healing be kept to a minimum. You may encounter both IC and OOC resistance to instant healing spells; to many of our players, their character coping with an injury is an interesting challenge. Ready access to instant magical healing can reduce the dramatic impact of situations in which a character risks physical harm. As such, limited magical healing - speeding natural recovery, staving off infection, reducing an injury from mortal to survivable - are far more narratively useful than spells that instantly mend broken bones, regrow amputated limbs, or completely heal terrible wounds.
====Regarding Villainy====
We don’t discourage the introduction of antagonistic or villainous characters whose desires conflict with those of others - conflict is the heart of a good story! - but we strongly recommend that new players spend a while getting used to the setting and characters therein before introducing a character intent on spreading strife and discord. We also believe that even “evil” characters should have a firm sense of purpose behind their villainy. What are their goals? What are they willing to do to achieve those goals? What are they not willing to do? What purpose does a given act of evil serve? Even the most wicked people rarely view themselves as evil, and even the insane have a consistent (if distorted) reasoning behind their actions.
===How will my character grow?===
We aim to foster an environment where characters make new friends, develop strong alliances, establish believable rivalries, and ultimately develop through their shared experiences. Your character’s ability to grow or be altered by the events in #Broken_Dagger is perhaps the most essential aspect of your character. Be willing to allow their mindset to change over time; be ready to let the setting and other characters negatively and positively affect them.

'''WHY IS THIS?''' ''Winning'' is not nor should it ever be the roleplayer's sole goal in this setting: characters make dire, frantic, even destructive mistakes; sometimes they disappoint themselves and those who care for them. Most of all, they are empowered to overcome their fears, their flaws, and their inadequacies, whether for their own betterment, for their survival, or for their personal ambitions.

===I'm still not sure what kind of character to play...===
Imagine that our setting, in regard to themes, tones, and form, lingers somewhere between ''Lord of the Rings'' and ''Game of Thrones'' (but do keep in mind, these are only potential inspirations; we do not allow copyrighted material here). Characters should not exist merely to be the vessels of flashy powers; they should live, breathe, laugh, suffer, be challenged, challenge others, and seem realistic and believable.

=Charater Creation Advice=
Freeform roleplaying has as much in common with writing fiction as it does with roleplaying games - as such, try to consider your character not so much as a list of traits and abilities as an actor in a story. Their path is not determined by the roll of a die, but by choosing a direction that offers the most narrative satisfaction. The following guidelines are not strictly-enforced rules, but provided to help you create a character who will be enjoyable to play in the Broken Dagger.

===Pick an archetype===
Fantasy literature is full of archetypal characters: cunning thieves, grizzled soldiers, proud barbarians, and downtrodden peasants. Usually these archetypes can be summed up in a couple of words, and can give you (and other players) a handle on your character’s basic identity. Is your character a talented tradesmen, an adventurous warrior, or a clever con-artist? Have they lived a simple life, an eventful one, or is their past littered with traumatic experiences? Develop a firm foundation for your character’s basic identity. Consider how your character fits into the setting, and what role they occupy that may not be otherwise filled.

===Give it depth===
Archetypes are a start, but don’t have to be the entirety of your character. Give them traits beyond the immediately visible that either support or subvert the archetype. Give them a trait that’s not immediately obvious - a secret, or something about them that would be surprising to learn.

===Decide on an origin===
Is your character from the local area? Are they from a neighbouring province? Are they from further afield, a true foreigner? While the setting around the [[Broken Dagger]] - [[Myrkentown]], [[Myrken Wood]] and the [[Amasynian Peninsula]] - have been defined by player activity over a span of years - the world beyond the Peninsula has been left deliberately vague. There is room for all sorts of homelands, from the prosaic to the truly exotic. Whatever your character’s origin, be sure to establish how they found themselves in Myrken Wood, and why.

===Establish strengths and weaknesses===
Because the pulse of roleplay in #Broken_Dagger is driven by written interaction, incorporating flaws and weaknesses into your character is essential. Flaws give depth to a character’s struggle against adversity. Perfect characters are perfectly boring; characters with prejudices, negative idiosyncrasies, or elements that detract from their wholeness are far more exciting to play and observe. Check out a few of these websites if you need help generating a flaw for your character:

* http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/CharacterFlawIndex
* http://tokyocentricity.webs.com/generators/character.htm
* http://www.springhole.net/writing_roleplaying_randomators/character-flaws.htm

Likewise, characters should always offer some kind of value to the setting around them. Strengths and talents do not need to be overt - not every character needs to be a prodigious swordswoman or a powerful spellslinger. Understated strengths often provide more nuance to the setting and bring more uniqueness to your writing. As a general rule, avoid thinking in extremes. People as we know them are not all fearless knights or cruel villains. If your character lands somewhere between those two, you’ve likely found an effective starting point.

===Determine motivations, drives, purposes, and secrets===
Based on your character’s origins, racial predispositions, cultural influences, and history, other motivating factors will begin to naturally appear during character creation. Does your character have an ulterior goal or purpose? What makes their figurative clock tick? Do they harbor a secret they fear might damage their reputation?

===Quickly summarize===
When introducing a new character, defining them to yourself - and others - using only one sentence is a good guideline for knowing you have just enough. If you find it difficult to reduce your character concept to a lone sentence at their inception, consider cutting needless fat from their persona to better complement the collaborative quality of the channel.

===One last reminder===
Remember to avoid playing the all-powerful and all-knowing. Be willing to compromise your character’s morals and motives. Likewise, expect to inspire the same for other players, If you’re looking to more specifically define your character for your own knowledge, fiction-writing tools such as character sheets (http://www.epiguide.com/ep101/writing/charchart.html) are extremely useful, but not necessary. If you have any further questions or concerns regarding character creation, don’t hesitate to talk to other players or ask for guidance and assistance.

Character Creation

2014-08-12T19:39:34Z

Majic13: /* Can I bring in my character from another channel/game/venue? */

[[Category:Rules]]
Welcome to [[#Broken_Dagger]]! If you're ready to join in our stories, adventures, and tales, we only ask that you read the following standards. The first list are the guidelines we set upon character creation, while the second is an optional list of helpful starting-points that may assist you in better constructing your character. Some of these rules and guidelines have been previously outlined on our [http://www.brokendagger.com/conduct/ Code of Conduct] page, which we highly recommend you read as well to better understand our channel's philosophy.

=Firm Guidelines=
All new players should read the following questions and answers to achieve a preliminary understanding of player expectations in regard to characters. If you still find yourself confused or unsure, please feel free to message an [[Operator]] in the channel or talk with some of the players in [[#BD_OOC]], our out-of-character chat room.
===Where to start?===
The [[#Broken_Dagger]] is first and foremost a "low fantasy" milieu. There are fantastical elements, but they are uncommon enough to be generally regarded with awe, wonder and suspicion. For new players, erring on the side of simplicity when creating a character is best. We firmly believe in upholding the realistic tone of our setting, regardless of its fantasy qualities.

===What races can I play?===
[[Myrken Wood]] and surrounding regions are predominantly populated by humans. Other fantastical races - elves, dwarves, halflings, minotaurs, etc. - are known, but present as a minority. As a broad guideline the more strange, exotic or monstrous a race, the more likely they are to receive reactions ranging from curiosity and fascination to fear and loathing. Typically “villainous” races such as orcs, trolls, dark elves or vampires are unlikely to be welcomed with open arms. This doesn't preclude you from playing an antagonistic or villainous character, but we believe that even “evil” characters should have a firm sense of motivation and purpose behind their villainy. Our setting thrives more on profound interaction than outright violence.

'''WHY IS THIS?''' Characters in our setting (especially NPCs) are expected to behave rationally, for the most part. When confronted with a character who seems strange or potentially dangerous they will react with wariness, fear or aggression, and players intent on introducing such characters should bear this in mind.

===Where can my character come from?===
The world of #Broken_Dagger is large and to a great extent unexplored. If your character is not from Myrken Wood, you’re welcome to detail a homeland for them beyond the borders of [[Amasynian Province]]. Long-distance travel by land or sea is possible, if arduous, and foreigners are generally viewed with cautious interest. Magical travel by portal or teleportation is very rare in the core setting, and thus under the preserve of the extremely wealthy or the extremely powerful. Travel between worlds/planes/dimensions is effectively unknown, and requires Op approval.

Take the time to familiarise yourself with our setting - [http://brokendagger.com/the-setting/amasynian-province/ explore the maps] on the Broken Dagger website and spend a while browsing the BD Wiki - and it shouldn’t be hard to find a gap. The wider setting has been left deliberately undefined so that our players have room to fill in the blanks.

===Can I bring in my character from another channel/game/venue?===
Please don’t just copy them directly. If you have an original character you want to introduce to the Broken Dagger from elsewhere, make an expy version of them and take the time to adjust their background to fit into our existing setting.

'''WHY IS THIS?''' Rooting your character in our setting helps maintain consistency in our roleplay; it avoids the introduction of technology, science, or magitech that do not match the tone of our channel. It gives your creation something in common with other characters: this world is their home, and they are naturally invested in it.

===What about power levels?===
Our channel has played host to a range of characters at varying power levels, from peasants to masters in their particular field of interest. So that characters with great power do not overshadow characters without, we insist that powerful characters face firm constraints and limitations to their capabilities. The more potent a power, the more difficult or demanding it should be to use. Perhaps it is exhausting or injurious; perhaps it requires very specific conditions; perhaps it requires extensive preparation; perhaps it can only be used in moments of extreme duress; perhaps it has a very tightly-defined effect. This does not mean that your character cannot have amazing powers, only that such talents and abilities should be offset by comparable constraints or consequences.

When giving your character powers beyond the realm of normal human ability, please bear in mind:
* The use of special powers should never be a casual matter.
* The use of special powers should expand story possibilities, not close them off.
* The use of special powers should be considered a narrative last resort; often, when faced with an in-character situation where that power could be administered, consider its consequences and whether or not its incorporation would be suitable.

You will find that most every extant character has an element to them which is uncanny or curious - but these are not widely stated or commonly revealed in-character except in extraneous circumstances. Of course, characters are not required to have any secret qualities, but we recognize that characters must first be interesting for you to write before they can ever be interesting for others to interact with.

'''WHY IS THIS?''' High-power characters pose a number of concerns. In terms of storytelling, characters using fantastical powers for routine applications can dilute the sense of wonder that such powers should evoke, and the incredible becomes commonplace or even boring. Additionally, characters with such powers run the risk of overshadowing characters without, thus denying other players the opportunity for interesting roleplay. Compare “The villain is defeated with the wave of a godling’s hand,” with “The villain is defeated by commoners who rose to the challenge, embarked on a perilous quest, and discovered strength and bravery they never knew they had.” Which is the more interesting story?
====Regarding Healing====
We strongly suggest that magical healing be kept to a minimum. You may encounter both IC and OOC resistance to instant healing spells; to many of our players, their character coping with an injury is an interesting challenge. Ready access to instant magical healing can reduce the dramatic impact of situations in which a character risks physical harm. As such, limited magical healing - speeding natural recovery, staving off infection, reducing an injury from mortal to survivable - are far more narratively useful than spells that instantly mend broken bones, regrow amputated limbs, or completely heal terrible wounds.
====Regarding Villainy====
We don’t discourage the introduction of antagonistic or villainous characters whose desires conflict with those of others - conflict is the heart of a good story! - but we strongly recommend that new players spend a while getting used to the setting and characters therein before introducing a character intent on spreading strife and discord. We also believe that even “evil” characters should have a firm sense of purpose behind their villainy. What are their goals? What are they willing to do to achieve those goals? What are they not willing to do? What purpose does a given act of evil serve? Even the most wicked people rarely view themselves as evil, and even the insane have a consistent (if distorted) reasoning behind their actions.
===How will my character grow?===
We aim to foster an environment where characters make new friends, develop strong alliances, establish believable rivalries, and ultimately develop through their shared experiences. Your character’s ability to grow or be altered by the events in #Broken_Dagger is perhaps the most essential aspect of your character. Be willing to allow their mindset to change over time; be ready to let the setting and other characters negatively and positively affect them.

'''WHY IS THIS?''' ''Winning'' is not nor should it ever be the roleplayer's sole goal in this setting: characters make dire, frantic, even destructive mistakes; sometimes they disappoint themselves and those who care for them. Most of all, they are empowered to overcome their fears, their flaws, and their inadequacies, whether for their own betterment, for their survival, or for their personal ambitions.

===I'm still not sure what kind of character to play...===
Imagine that our setting, in regard to themes, tones, and form, lingers somewhere between ''Lord of the Rings'' and ''Game of Thrones'' (but do keep in mind, these are only potential inspirations; we do not allow copyrighted material here). Characters should not exist merely to be the vessels of flashy powers; they should live, breathe, laugh, suffer, be challenged, challenge others, and seem realistic and believable.

=Charater Creation Advice=
Freeform roleplaying has as much in common with writing fiction as it does with roleplaying games - as such, try to consider your character not so much as a list of traits and abilities as an actor in a story. Their path is not determined by the roll of a die, but by choosing a direction that offers the most narrative satisfaction. The following guidelines are not strictly-enforced rules, but provided to help you create a character who will be enjoyable to play in the Broken Dagger.

===Pick an archetype===
Fantasy literature is full of archetypal characters: cunning thieves, grizzled soldiers, proud barbarians, and downtrodden peasants. Usually these archetypes can be summed up in a couple of words, and can give you (and other players) a handle on your character’s basic identity. Is your character a talented tradesmen, an adventurous warrior, or a clever con-artist? Have they lived a simple life, an eventful one, or is their past littered with traumatic experiences? Develop a firm foundation for your character’s basic identity. Consider how your character fits into the setting, and what role they occupy that may not be otherwise filled.

===Give it depth===
Archetypes are a start, but don’t have to be the entirety of your character. Give them traits beyond the immediately visible that either support or subvert the archetype. Give them a trait that’s not immediately obvious - a secret, or something about them that would be surprising to learn.

===Decide on an origin===
Is your character from the local area? Are they from a neighbouring province? Are they from further afield, a true foreigner? While the setting around the [[Broken Dagger]] - [[Myrkentown]], [[Myrken Wood]] and the [[Amasynian Peninsula]] - have been defined by player activity over a span of years - the world beyond the Peninsula has been left deliberately vague. There is room for all sorts of homelands, from the prosaic to the truly exotic. Whatever your character’s origin, be sure to establish how they found themselves in Myrken Wood, and why.

===Establish strengths and weaknesses===
Because the pulse of roleplay in #Broken_Dagger is driven by written interaction, incorporating flaws and weaknesses into your character is essential. Flaws give depth to a character’s struggle against adversity. Perfect characters are perfectly boring; characters with prejudices, negative idiosyncrasies, or elements that detract from their wholeness are far more exciting to play and observe. Check out a few of these websites if you need help generating a flaw for your character:

* http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/CharacterFlawIndex
* http://tokyocentricity.webs.com/generators/character.htm
* http://www.springhole.net/writing_roleplaying_randomators/character-flaws.htm

Likewise, characters should always offer some kind of value to the setting around them. Strengths and talents do not need to be overt - not every character needs to be a prodigious swordswoman or a powerful spellslinger. Understated strengths often provide more nuance to the setting and bring more uniqueness to your writing. As a general rule, avoid thinking in extremes. People as we know them are not all fearless knights or cruel villains. If your character lands somewhere between those two, you’ve likely found an effective starting point.

===Determine motivations, drives, purposes, and secrets===
Based on your character’s origins, racial predispositions, cultural influences, and history, other motivating factors will begin to naturally appear during character creation. Does your character have an ulterior goal or purpose? What makes their figurative clock tick? Do they harbor a secret they fear might damage their reputation?

===Quickly summarize===
When introducing a new character, defining them to yourself - and others - using only one sentence is a good guideline for knowing you have just enough. If you find it difficult to reduce your character concept to a lone sentence at their inception, consider cutting needless fat from their persona to better complement the collaborative quality of the channel.

===One last reminder===
Remember to avoid playing the all-powerful and all-knowing. Be willing to compromise your character’s morals and motives. Likewise, expect to inspire the same for other players, If you’re looking to more specifically define your character for your own knowledge, fiction-writing tools such as character sheets (http://www.epiguide.com/ep101/writing/charchart.html) are extremely useful, but not necessary. If you have any further questions or concerns regarding character creation, don’t hesitate to talk to other players or ask for guidance and assistance.

Help:Starting a new page

2014-07-04T02:03:36Z

Majic13:

Creating brand-new entries is a great way to help [[BDWiki]] increase its breadth (and depth). Here is how you can '''start''' a BDWiki page:

==Starting a Page==
Simply type the word you would like to create an entry for into the "Search box" (usually displayed on the left of your screen) and click "Go". This will either bring you to the article if it already exists, or to a page informing you that no such article exists. In this case simply click on the red link "create an entry with that title" and an empty edit box will open up. Just type what you want in the edit box (see [[Help:How to edit a page]]). When you're finished use the "Show preview" button below the box to see what the page will look like. If the result is what you want then click the "Save page" button at the bottom of the page, and you have created a new article.

==Starting a Page from an Existing Link==
As you read through BDWiki entries, you can see clickable links in red and blue. The blue ones are to articles that already exist, the red ones are for articles that haven't been written yet. If you click on such a red link the same empty edit box as explained above will pop up.

==Adding Your Character==
To add your character first

* Search for your character's '''full name''' on the wiki. Chances are that you'll get a page telling you there were no results matching the query, and inviting you to '''Create the page "YOUR CHARACTER'S FULL NAME" on this wiki!''' Click that link!

* Copy-paste the following code into the edit box:
<blockquote><pre>{{Infobox character
| name = 
| title = 
| image1 = 
| alt1 = 
| caption1 = 
| archetype = 
| hair_colour = 
| eye_colour = 
| height = 
| build = 
| features = 
| birth_date = 
| birth_place = 
| death_date = 
| death_place = 
| spouses = 
| children = 
| profession = 
| religion = 
}}

==Description==
The character's typical appearance - physical features, posture, demeanour, typical mode of
dress, voice, attitude. What a stranger would first notice upon encountering the character.

==Background==
===Origins===
Where the character came from; their childhood and adolescence, their family circumstances,
their lineage.

===The Broken Dagger===
How the character found their way to the [[Myrken Wood]] and the [[Broken Dagger (Inn)|Broken
Dagger tavern]]. Significant events experienced since their arrival.

==The Present==
The character's current circumstances. Where they can be found, what they do for a living,
influential people in their life.

==Plots==
Major [[:Category:Plots|plot events]] in which the character has been involved.

[[Category:Characters]]
[[Category:Active Characters]]</pre></blockquote>
* Fill in the appropriate details. Please try to at least complete the '''Description''' section, as this provides a handy reference for other players. The '''Background''' subheadings are provided as suggestions, and are entirely optional.

* Hit the "Save page" button. You now have a Character Profile page!

Help:Starting a new page

2014-07-04T02:00:58Z

Majic13: /* Adding Your Character */

Creating brand-new entries is a great way to help [[BDWiki]] increase its breadth (and depth). Here is how you can '''start''' a BDWiki page:

==Starting a Page==
Simply type the word you would like to create an entry for into the "Search box" (usually displayed on the left of your screen) and click "Go". This will either bring you to the article if it already exists, or to a page informing you that no such article exists. In this case simply click on the red link "create an entry with that title" and an empty edit box will open up. Just type what you want in the edit box (see [[Help:How to edit a page]]). When you're finished use the "Show preview" button below the box to see what the page will look like. If the result is what you want then click the "Save page" button at the bottom of the page, and you have created a new article.

* Note: If your character has a '''last name''', you can put that in so that it will show up correctly in the character listing. (ie. Instead of just Frank, put Frank_Smith and it will automatically replace the underscore with a space)

==Starting a Page from an Existing Link==
As you read through BDWiki entries, you can see clickable links in red and blue. The blue ones are to articles that already exist, the red ones are for articles that haven't been written yet. If you click on such a red link the same empty edit box as explained above will pop up.

==Adding Your Character==
To add your character first

* Search for your character's '''full name''' on the wiki. Chances are that you'll get a page telling you there were no results matching the query, and inviting you to '''Create the page "YOUR CHARACTER'S FULL NAME" on this wiki!''' Click that link!

* Copy-paste the following code into the edit box:
<blockquote><pre>{{Infobox character
| name = 
| title = 
| image1 = 
| alt1 = 
| caption1 = 
| archetype = 
| hair_colour = 
| eye_colour = 
| height = 
| build = 
| features = 
| birth_date = 
| birth_place = 
| death_date = 
| death_place = 
| spouses = 
| children = 
| profession = 
| religion = 
}}

==Description==
The character's typical appearance - physical features, posture, demeanour, typical mode of
dress, voice, attitude. What a stranger would first notice upon encountering the character.

==Background==
===Origins===
Where the character came from; their childhood and adolescence, their family circumstances,
their lineage.

===The Broken Dagger===
How the character found their way to the [[Myrken Wood]] and the [[Broken Dagger (Inn)|Broken
Dagger tavern]]. Significant events experienced since their arrival.

==The Present==
The character's current circumstances. Where they can be found, what they do for a living,
influential people in their life.

==Plots==
Major [[:Category:Plots|plot events]] in which the character has been involved.

[[Category:Characters]]
[[Category:Active Characters]]</pre></blockquote>
* Fill in the appropriate details. Please try to at least complete the '''Description''' section, as this provides a handy reference for other players. The '''Background''' subheadings are provided as suggestions, and are entirely optional.

* Hit the "Save page" button. You now have a Character Profile page!

Aloisius Treadwell

2014-07-04T00:08:25Z

Majic13:

{{Infobox character
| name = Aloisius Horatio Treadwell
| title = Councilor of Revenue and Finance
| image1 = Treadwell.jpg
| alt1 = Complete image of Aloisius Treadwell
| caption1 = Aloisius Treadwell
| archetype = Gluttonous tax collector
| hair_colour = Bald/white
| eye_colour = Blue
| height = 5'4"
| build = Immensely rotund
| features = Excessive girth and full beard
| birth_date = June 1, 145 [[Anno Regalis|AR]]
| birth_place = [[Westenford]], [[Amasynia]]
| death_date =
| death_place =
| spouses = [[Alice Treadwell]] (Current); [[Blanche Sinclair Treadwell]], [[Violet Treadwell]], and [[Raylan Treadwell]] (Former)
| children = Babette, Gideon, Nicholas, Arella, Egbert, Gwendolyn, Frederick, Gabriel, Gertrude, Harvell
| profession = Councilor of Revenue and Finance, [[Myrken Wood]]; Head of the [[Church of Tubbius]]; Toymaker
| religion = [[Church of Tubbius]]
}}

==Description==
The character's typical appearance - physical features, posture, demeanour, typical mode of dress, voice, attitude. What a stranger would first notice upon encountering the character.

==Background==
===Origins===
Where the character came from; their childhood and adolescence, their family circumstances, their lineage.

===The Broken Dagger===
How the character found their way to the [[Myrken Wood]] and the [[Broken Dagger (Inn)|Broken Dagger tavern]]. Significant events experienced since their arrival.

==The Present==
The character's current circumstances. Where they can be found, what they do for a living, influential people in their life.

==Plots==
Major [[:Category:Plots|plot events]] in which the character has been involved.

[[Category:Characters]]
[[Category:Active Characters]]
[[Category:Judiciary Council]]

Agnieszka Kaczmarek

2014-07-04T00:06:28Z

Majic13:

{{Infobox character
| name = Agnieszka Kaczmarek
| title = Chairwoman of the Myrken Wood Defense Committee
| image1 = 
| alt1 = 
| caption1 = 
| archetype = The Outlaw
| hair_colour = Black
| eye_colour = Brown
| height = 5'8"
| build = athletic
| features = Healed blade-scars on arms and neck
| birth_date = July 199 [[Anno Regalis|AR]]
| birth_place = Baker Farm (now Calomel's Farm), outside [[Myrkentown]]
| death_date = 
| death_place = 
| spouses = Widowed
| children = 
| profession = Soldier
| religion = [[One True Faith]]; sect of the Bright One
}}

[[Agnieszka Kaczmarek]] has come a long way. Once, she was the ungrateful, obnoxious girl leeching off her long-suffering relatives, getting in trouble every which way with the sword she always carried around. Now, she's someone to admire -- someone who ''wanted'' and ''worked'' hard enough to make the impossible happen -- turning an insolent farmgirl into the Chairwoman of the Myrken Wood Defense Committee, the only woman to hold civic office in the province.

Nevertheless, Agnie has a tendency, like many her age, towards angst and overconfidence. Calling her hot-headed is a mistake; she's merely as stubborn as a mule and as driven as a con artist with a quota. This was tempered, for a while, by being married to the scholar-knight Aleksei River, who encouraged her to actually look at situations for what they truly are before using violence, but after his death some of her old tendencies began to re-emerge. She has also been quieted a little by her experiences as a member of the [[King's Own]] in [[Razasan]], an experience she rarely talks about.

She spent much of her short life living in the same little sharecropper's hovel on the same little farm in the same little corner of [[Myrken Wood]] with the same seven members of her boisterious, foul-mouthed, slightly-criminal immigrant family. Like many of her peers, she had cultivated a healthy mistrust of the aristocracy and of the military; this is tempered a little with [[Glenn Burnie]], whom she holds a distinct loyalty to and whom she considers one of her best friends, and with the commander of the King's Own, [[Constantine Kostroma.]] She does not trust anyone from Thessilane; that comes from the betrayal and demon-possession of [[Aeryn Karolinger]], the death of [[Kerrak al'Nerun]] and her own ideas of what freedom should look like.

Agnieszka is more literate than she was, having been taught her letters by [[Aeryn Karolinger]] and [[Aleksei River]], but she ''talks'' like a brassy, well-wrought auctioneer. She is canny, bony, and black-haired, loyal where life calls for loyalty, and hopelessly hopeful. The Broken Dagger has been a revelation for the young farmhand: from her first exposure to Myrken's movers and shakers, she's hung around the place attempting to cobble a better life for herself out of their scraps, leavings, and occasional generous offers.

Things have recently changed for Agnieszka. After a year's training with the King's Own in [[Razasan]], she married [[Aleksei River]] in 213. Less than a year later, she became a widow when Aleksei drowned in a sea battle outside [[Orvere]] while he was in [[Thessilane]] on business for Governor Burnie.

She wears black gloves at all times.

=== Currently ===

Agnieszka is spending her time dealing with the unexpected arrival of Crown troops into Myrken Wood.

[[category:Characters]] [[Category:Active Characters]] [[Category:Brotherhood of Janeiro]] [[Category:Military]] [[Category:Judiciary Council]]

Dominik Kaczmarek

2014-07-04T00:05:36Z

Majic13:

{{Infobox character
| name = Dominik Kaczmarek
| title = Master-mason
| image1 = 
| alt1 = 
| caption1 = 
| archetype = 
| hair_colour = Black
| eye_colour = Brown
| height = 5'8"
| build = muscular
| features = 
| birth_date = August 196 [[Anno Regalis|AR]]
| birth_place = Kala Gora refugee camp, [[Sikasoon Mountains]]
| death_date = 
| death_place = 
| spouses = Widowed
| children = Antonin, Elzbieta, 9
| profession = Mason
| religion = [[One True Faith]]
}}

[[Dominik Kaczmarek]], the peasant Kaczmareks' second son, apprenticed as a mason in his youth, but due to his indenture to the Bakers has served mostly as a sheep-herder and odd-job man for the past few years. After the death of [[Jan Baker]] and the accession of [[Cinnabar Calomel]] to the ownership of the farm upon which he and his family lived, he was able to finish out his journey-years and pass his Mason's tests with the construction of the [[Ringwall]]. It's also said he has some criminal ties, although how extensive those go nobody seems to know.

Dominik is a man of extremes; jovial and crude, sensitive and callous, sly and serious in the next. Like all of the [[Kaczmareks]], he is fanatically devoted to his family, which, outside the extended Kaczmarek clan, includes his twins Antonin and Elzbieta.

Dominik currently freelances in [[Myrkentown]] and the environs, shoring up walls, building stone houses and doing carved masonry work for people of all kinds. He is also somewhat of a formal farmers' liaison with the [[Myrken Wood]] government.

[[Category:Characters]]
[[Category:Active Characters]]

Aloisius Treadwell

2014-07-03T21:25:17Z

Majic13:

{{Infobox character
| name = Aloisius Horatio Treadwell
| title = Councilor of Revenue and Finance
| image1 = Treadwell.jpg
| alt1 = Complete image of Aloisius Treadwell
| caption1 = Aloisius Treadwell
| archetype = Gluttonous tax collector
| hair_colour = Bald/white
| eye_colour = Blue
| height = 5'4"
| build = Immensely rotund
| features = Excessive girth and full beard
| birth_date = June 1, 145 [[Anno Regalis|AR]]
| birth_place = [[Westenford]], [[Amasynia]]
| death_date =
| death_place =
| spouses = [[Alice Treadwell]] (Current); [[Blanche Sinclair Treadwell]], [[Violet Treadwell]], and [[Raylan Treadwell]] (Former)
| children = Babette, Gideon, Nicholas, Arella, Egbert, Gwendolyn, Frederick, Gabriel, Gertrude, Harvell
| profession = Councilor of Revenue and Finance, [[Myrken Wood]]; Head of the Church of Tubbius; Toymaker
| religion = Tubbianism
}}

==Description==
The character's typical appearance - physical features, posture, demeanour, typical mode of dress, voice, attitude. What a stranger would first notice upon encountering the character.

==Background==
===Origins===
Where the character came from; their childhood and adolescence, their family circumstances, their lineage.

===The Broken Dagger===
How the character found their way to the [[Myrken Wood]] and the [[Broken Dagger (Inn)|Broken Dagger tavern]]. Significant events experienced since their arrival.

==The Present==
The character's current circumstances. Where they can be found, what they do for a living, influential people in their life.

==Plots==
Major [[:Category:Plots|plot events]] in which the character has been involved.

[[Category:Characters]]
[[Category:Active Characters]]
[[Category:Judiciary Council]]

Aloisius Treadwell

2014-07-03T21:24:20Z

Majic13:

{{Infobox character
| name = Aloisius Horatio Treadwell
| title = Councilor of Revenue and Finance
| image1 = Treadwell.jpg
| alt1 = Complete image of Aloisius Treadwell
| caption1 = Aloisius Treadwell
| archetype = Gluttonous tax collector
| hair_colour = Bald/white
| eye_colour = Blue
| height = 5'4"
| build = Immensely rotund
| features = Excessive girth and full beard
| birth_date = June 1, A. R. 145
| birth_place = [[Westenford]], [[Amasynia]]
| death_date =
| death_place =
| spouses = [[Alice Treadwell]] (Current); [[Blanche Sinclair Treadwell]], [[Violet Treadwell]], and [[Raylan Treadwell]] (Former)
| children = Babette, Gideon, Nicholas, Arella, Egbert, Gwendolyn, Frederick, Gabriel, Gertrude, Harvell
| profession = Councilor of Revenue and Finance, [[Myrken Wood]]; Head of the Church of Tubbius; Toymaker
| religion = Tubbianism
}}

==Description==
The character's typical appearance - physical features, posture, demeanour, typical mode of dress, voice, attitude. What a stranger would first notice upon encountering the character.

==Background==
===Origins===
Where the character came from; their childhood and adolescence, their family circumstances, their lineage.

===The Broken Dagger===
How the character found their way to the [[Myrken Wood]] and the [[Broken Dagger (Inn)|Broken Dagger tavern]]. Significant events experienced since their arrival.

==The Present==
The character's current circumstances. Where they can be found, what they do for a living, influential people in their life.

==Plots==
Major [[:Category:Plots|plot events]] in which the character has been involved.

[[Category:Characters]]
[[Category:Active Characters]]
[[Category:Judiciary Council]]

Fionyetille ar Madel

2014-07-03T15:05:25Z

Majic13:

Fionyetille ar Madel ''translated'' Madel, son of Fionyetille

A ranger from the far southern land of Lai`Quen

Resided in Myrkwood between 203 and 205 [[Anno Regalis|AR]].

Responsible for the salvage of an old cabin, which was fortified and now serves as a waystation for rangers and woodsmen.

Currently acting as Chieftain of the Lai`Quendelli.

[[Category:Characters]]
[[Category:Inactive Characters]]

Wealdhold

2014-07-03T15:04:59Z

Majic13:

The [[Wealdhold]], located approximately thirteen miles northwest of [[Myrkentown]], is a loose conglomeration of shacks, shanties, subsistence-level farmsteads and tented encampments in the region immediately east of the [[Golben Pit]]. This ill-defined settlement stretches well into the East Weald, taking advantage of the forest for shelter and forage. Having been only recently acknowledged by passing traders and merchants, the Wealdhold is tentatively named for its most notable structure: the [[Look]], originally housing for labourers within the Pit, since abandoned and now partly fortified with materials scavenged from the surrounding area. As a recent-established and unsanctioned settlement no official census of the colony's population has been made.

==History==
The Wealdhold is a relatively new feature on the Myrken Wood landscape, and specific information regarding its founding is unknown. Traders traveling North Passage Down discovered the Wealdhold after the melt of winter snow in 214 [[Anno Regalis|AR]] Wealdhold's growth coincides with the famine following the [[The Red-and-Gold Summer|Red-and-Gold Summer]], providing safe haven for transients, nomads, and the poor well outside Myrkentown's limits.

==Rumors==
From a transcript on file at the Myrken Wood [[Inquisitory]], dated mid-214 [[Anno Regalis|AR]].
<blockquote>...word from the regulars peddling along North Passage Down that it would behoove me to see what was blooming up alongside that damned Golben pit. I took my wares an hour or two off the main road and discovered a loud, stinking stain of tents and people surrounded by what few things belonged to them. There were some residences, though nothing you or I'd want to live in. Several dozen folks all-in-all, I estimated, but not a one of that mass seemed like they'd have anything of worth on them. Before I could depart, I was approached by two broad fellows almost two-and-twenty hands high, long of tooth and yellow-eyed. They was wearing cloaks and leather, asking me what my business was, said that they was on patrol and I was intruding. I told them I had all manners of iron and bone ware for sale, but that was it, that was all I had. They asked me if I might have a line to some mining tools for hard-rock work. Said I might, said I could probably scrounge up some old picks if I put my mind to it.

 Those weren't human patrols. Not Crown, not Myrken, but not unpeaceable, either. By the One, I'm in no position to turn down coin. I'll sell to anyone; greenfolk, I come to realize, want to survive just as much as any man does, and that means their purse is just as good to me.

Fussen Feathers

2014-07-03T15:04:39Z

Majic13:

<div style="float: right;">http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u25/Roderic_Cliche/Tready_Chicken_GIF.gif</div>'''1:''' His Royal Highness of the Great Nest, the Flightless Fool known as Fussen Feathers, is, as one has noted already, a "heavily breaded" yellow-feathered chicken wearing a red and yellow motley fool's suit. In appearance, the yellow fowl has good reason to be flightless: no bird of his girth and swooshy-fluffy tailfeathers could hope to take to the skies! For his attire, the great bird wears a silver-painted wooden crown and carries a similarly painted scepter, both adorned with fake red and yellow tinted glass jewels.

For the people of Myrken Wood, the bird-king's origins are mysterious; none knows from whence he came or of what connection he holds to the week long Jester's Holiday, despite the obvious link of his clothing and fun-loving, mischief-minded personality. In addition, no one seems to be able to admit what the foolish fowl might have done with a missing Councilor Treadwell during this week of festive merriment that the bird claims to be orchestrating and overseeing, at least in part.

In truth, this is, of course, little more than an elaborate costume. The chicken suit itself was left on [[Aloisius Treadwell]]'s doorstep some time in 204 [[Anno Regalis|AR]]. It was worn once or twice as a joke, then stuffed into a wardrobe and abandoned. The costume has since been cleaned, put on, and added to (with the red and yellow clothing and the scepter and crown). There is still a touch of magic left to the chicken suit by whatever unnamed soul designed the costume itself; the tailfeathers can swoosh about as if real, and the rest of the feathers on the suit ruffle on the wearer's being irritated.

Coupled with Treadwell's ages old acting skills, all of these qualities add up to a dual purpose for the persona of His Majesty, Fussen Feathers. First, and more obviously, is the entertainment of the children of Myrken Wood. Second, and more importantly, is that it allows Aloisius a chance to play the fool for a week, a necessary boon to health and heart. In studying the two together, one sees that Treadwell has always had a soft spot for children, especially his own, and, though he'd certainly never admit such to the taxpayers or anyone else in town, the gruff old grump sees the children of Myrken Wood as something of an extended family in absence of a true family with wife and children. Treadwell hopes to see Fussen entered into Myrken history as a permanent part of the festivities--a sort of immortality for himself, on one side, but a beginning of a much-needed, child-oriented, and distinctly Myrken addition to a tradition mostly aimed at letting adults blow off some much needed steam.

'''2:''' The newest created of the [[Spirits of Celebration]], brought about by belief shown through the children of [[Myrken Wood]] and the desire by [[Aloisius Treadwell]] to make some sort of impact on the holidays of Myrken Wood. Fussen Feathers is a real, live figure, whose background is as it was dictated by Councilor Treadwell. Several unnamed Spirits cooperated to bring this fantasy to life, seeing benefit to be brought from such merriment and jollity--not only in the person of another of their kind, but also in the amusement of those funny little mortals, particularly of Myrken Wood. As of April 5, 207 [[Anno Regalis|AR]], Treadwell is aware of Fussen Feathers's existence. As such, the Councilor has sworn off ale for a couple of days and put his costume back into his wardrobe.

[[Category:Characters]]

Gloria Wynsee

2014-07-03T15:03:59Z

Majic13:

{{Infobox character
| name = Gloria Wynsee
| title = 
| image1 = 
| alt1 = 
| caption1 = 
| archetype = Commoner 
| hair_colour = Black 
| eye_colour = Gray 
| height = 5'7"
| build = Stocky
| features = Missing left hand
| birth_date = 198 [[Anno Regalis|AR]]
| birth_place = [[Jernoah]]
| death_date = 
| death_place = 
| spouses = 
| children = 
| profession = Seamstress, Inquisitor 
| religion = [[Jernoah#Religion|Pursuit of the Nameless]]
}}

{|border="0"
|-
|
<blockquote>''"I could not imagine where we would be without the laboring class; they are a hard-working sort, condemned to bloody their hands and blister their feet with toils that scarcely pay their way. And yet, when the work has been done, the shops are bolted and the bazaar is closed, they return to their secret lives in their secret homes, with secret children and secret loves, counting the hours until they can once again be themselves -- the laboring class."'' - '''Sol Paulis, Jerno politician, philosopher, poet, historian'''</blockquote>
==Description==
It would be easy to lose Gloria Wynsee in a crowd of Myrken commoners. Round about the edges, plump in hips, cheeks, and hands, she has the appearance of a well-fed plainsgirl, her conservative dresses, long sleeves, and bonnets dirty with dust and old stains. Her skin is often gritty with grime, and her dark hair, instead of spilling free, is regularly bound into a number of fist-sized knots.

A girl of middle teenaged years, she wields the exacting vocabulary of a foreigner still not yet used to the Standard tongue. What she lacks in personal organization and patience, she makes up for in conviction. In conversation, she speaks with honesty and abruptness, often not fully recognizing the consequence of such freed speech. She is intensely fond of poetry and prose, but prefers Jernoan literature over the bland styles of Myrken's few authors.
==Background==
===Origins===
The seamstress is no native of [[Myrkentown]]. She was born and raised in the deserts of [[Jernoah]], a distant country known for its exports of bonework, dried smoking-root, glassware, and sculpture. She clings to customs of her homeland: she is a devoted follower of the Nameless, a pantheon of Jernoan deities; water is rarely wasted on baths or clothes-washing; she openly supports authoritative, even tyrannical governmental structures, like other Jernos, who believe stringent politics and laws have significantly reduced thievery, murder, and other crimes.

In Jernoah, she was an active member of the jerethedral choir and a student among many under the harsh tutelage of various Mother Sempstresses. She left Jernoah in 212 [[Anno Regalis|AR]], but often avoids the matter in conversation, usually citing dislike for her homeland as the sole reason for her departure.

===The Broken Dagger===
After a two-month voyage in the bowels of a ship charted for the [[Red Caps]], she disembarked in the port town of [[Foggy Bottom]] and relied on the kindness of traders and traveling merchants to lead her to [[Myrken Wood]]. There, she intended to meet with the one Professor de Lanz, a scholar of Jernoan language and history whose name was all she could utter in the Standard tongue when she arrived. Subsequently, she took up residence in Myrkentown and forged a number of friendships with those who called the [[Broken Dagger]] and its surroundings their home.

==The Present==
Gloria has been employed in a number of occupations and distractions since her arrival. She worked as a seamstress for various employers until she lost her hand to a wolf's jaws. Currently, she spends her time working in a minor position at the [[ Myrkentown Inquisitory]], filing and organizing volumes and paperwork as necessary. She has gained proficiency in the Standard tongue and spends her free time -- which has increased since discovering her pregnancy -- in the company of her friends.

==Plots==
[[The Red-and-Gold Summer]]

[[The Wolves of Spring]]

[[The Storyteller]]

[[The Famine]]

[[Golben]]

[[Category:Characters]]
[[Category:Active Characters]]

Thessilane

2014-07-03T15:03:18Z

Majic13:

{{Infobox location
| name = Thessilane

| image1 = http://brokendagger.com/wiki/images/map/wiki_regions_thessilane.jpg
| alt1 =
| caption1 =
| image2 = http://brokendagger.com/wiki/images/map/wiki_map_thessilane.png
| alt2 =
| caption2 = [[Thessilane]]'s location (dark green) within the [[Amasynian Peninsula]] (light green), relative to [[Regal Province]] of [[Trae Kelsa]] (blue).

| type = Territory
| description = Upstart duchy
| region = [[Trae Kelsa]]
| subregion = [[Amasynian Province]]
| population = 149,600
| area = 2,200 sq mi
| capital = [[Meadowford]]
| demonym = Thessilanean, Thessil
| government = Monarchy
| ruler = Duke [[Burel Tassnehof]]
| currency = Trae Kelsan Shilling
| religion = [[One True Faith]]
}}

[[Thessilane]], officially the '''Sovereign Duchy of Thessilane''', is a region on the east coast of the [[Amasynian Peninsula]]. It is bordered [[New Dauntless]] to the north, [[Heath]] to the south, the [[Beradt Sea]] to the east and [[Derry]] to the west.

==History==
===Origins===
In the days when the [[Old Kingdom]] ruled the west of the [[Amasynian Peninsula]], the lands now known as Thessilane were divided into a number of smaller domains ruled by feuding warlords, each vying for dominance over his neighbours. It was during this period that the [[Thane of Meadowford]] first rallied the scattered clans of [[Thessil]] to his banner, paving the way for the unification of the region under one ruler in 1112 [[Anno Inceptum|AI]]. This newly-united people made steady gains over the following hundred years, beginning with the annexing of [[Almark]] after the decisive [[Battle of Sesvyr]] in 1119 [[Anno Inceptum|A.I.]] and continuing until all of modern Thessilane save the seaport of [[Orvere]] and the island nation of [[Jaheuss]] lay under [[Meadowford]]'s rule.

===The First Consolidation===
In 1206 [[Anno Inceptum|AI]] Thessilane was finally unified under the rule of the Lord of [[Meadowford]], bringing together the various lesser domains into a single realm. The years that followed saw numerous skirmishes and conflicts with the [[Kazimid]] kings of neighbouring [[New Dauntless]], an ongoing tension that was only exacerbated by [[New Dauntless]] coming under the rule of House [[Taliaferro]], whose expansionist ambitions were every bit the match for those of the Lord of Meadowford.

===The Amasynian Period===
Following the conclusion of the Seventh [[War of Salvation|Wars of Salvation]] in 1254 [[Anno Inceptum|AI]], in which the reborn [[Amasynia]] marched its armies further east than they had even in the days of the [[Kingdom of Amasyn]], Thessilane found itself under external rule for the first time in its history. The integration of the the new Duchy of Thessilane did not come easily, and the missionaries of the [[One True Faith]] who sought to bring [[Amasynia]]'s new territory into the fold faced a population stubbornly resistant to such changes. For all that the heirs of the Meadowlords added their doughty horsemen to the armies of the [[Kingdom of Amasynia]] they did not forget their proud and independent heritage,

==Government==
The region is ruled by the Duke from his palace at [[Meadowford]], aided and advised by his Barons, Counts and Thanes. The Duke holds supreme executive authority within his domain, with duties and powers ranging from the enacting of legislation to commanding the military during wartime.

===Politics===

===Law and Order===
Maintaining law and order on a local level is the purview of Thessilane's various Lords of the Land. The Ducal Government requires each count, baron or thane to fund and equip a professional militia to protect their holdings, and townships of more than five hundred souls are required to fund a Constabulary force to assist the local militia in keeping the peace.

===Military===
Thessilane's military is famed for the quality of its cavalry, a tradition dating back to the horselords of [[Thessil]] prior to the unification of Thessilane.

The region's army is predominantly comprised of full-time professional soldiers, though local lords provide levies of troops drawn from their militias in time of need. The army is divided into Legions, a single Legion consisting of as many as five thousand men at full strength. Each Legion is commanded by a Marshal, who in turn answer to a Field Marshal tasked with coordinating campaigns involving multiple Legions. High command ultimately rests with the Duke in [[Meadowford]].

==Geography==
Divided from New Dauntless by the [[Afanasiy River]], the rolling meadowlands of [[Thessil]] are bounded by the nine-mile strip of [[Orvere Beach]] to the east, the foothills of the eastern [[Sikasoon Mountains]] in the west, and the shores of saltwater [[Lake Mist]] to the south. Beyond [[Lake Mist]] the rugged [[Red Hills]] (once home to the tribal [[Orclords]], since pacified and become a Dwarven Clan-hold) divide the rich plains of the interior from the [[Beradt Sea]]. This expanse of sheltered and fertile grassland reaches west as far as the banks of the [[Albourne]], which forms the border with [[Derry]]. In the south, the former principality of [[Almark]] stretches to the foothills of the [[Fraoch Mountains]], which form the border with [[Heath]]. The south and east coasts are remarkable for their broad beaches, well-settled with numerous fishing villages and shipyards.

===Cities===
The city of [[Meadowford]] in the north of the region houses the seat of Thessilane's government and the Ducal residence.

The recently-reconstructed seaport of [[Orvere]] lies on Thessilane's north-east coast. In 1655 [[Anno Inceptum|A.I.]] (205 [[Anno Regalis|AR]]) the city was almost levelled by a duel between Channellers on opposing sides of the [[Schism]], the conflict surrounding an attempted usurpation of the ducal throne by Baron [[Adolph Karl Wiglaf|Wiglaf]].

*[[Janeiro]]

===Travel===
The city of [[Orvere]] is one of Thessilane's major shipping ports, carrying goods to and from across the [[Beradt Sea]] and along the east coast of the [[Amasynian Peninsula]], and beyond. A network of roads meanwhile crosses the rolling grasslands of the interior, with main highways carrying traffic into [[New Dauntless]] in the north, and [[Derry]] in the west.

===Climate===

==Economy==
Given that it possesses the longest working coastline on the [[Amasynian Peninsula]] it is perhaps unsurprising that Thessilane draws a considerable amount of its wealth from the sea; fishing is a major industry, and its fishing fleets ply the waters from the mouth of the [[Afanasiy River]] in the north to the coast of [[Heath]] in the south.

Following the [[Thessilane-New Dauntless War]] and the associated destruction wrought upon [[New Dauntless]] shipping, a large proportion of that region's industry has been drawn instead to Thessilane, such that shipbuilding has experienced a considerable growth in recent years.

==Culture==

[[Category:Geography]]
[[Category:Regions]]
[[Category:Amasynian Province]]
[[Category:Thessilane]]

Thessilane

2014-07-03T15:02:34Z

Majic13:

{{Infobox location
| name = Thessilane

| image1 = http://brokendagger.com/wiki/images/map/wiki_regions_thessilane.jpg
| alt1 =
| caption1 =
| image2 = http://brokendagger.com/wiki/images/map/wiki_map_thessilane.png
| alt2 =
| caption2 = [[Thessilane]]'s location (dark green) within the [[Amasynian Peninsula]] (light green), relative to [[Regal Province]] of [[Trae Kelsa]] (blue).

| type = Territory
| description = Upstart duchy
| region = [[Trae Kelsa]]
| subregion = [[Amasynian Province]]
| population = 149,600
| area = 2,200 sq mi
| capital = [[Meadowford]]
| demonym = Thessilanean, Thessil
| government = Monarchy
| ruler = Duke [[Burel Tassnehof]]
| currency = Trae Kelsan Shilling
| religion = [[One True Faith]]
}}

[[Thessilane]], officially the '''Sovereign Duchy of Thessilane''', is a region on the east coast of the [[Amasynian Peninsula]]. It is bordered [[New Dauntless]] to the north, [[Heath]] to the south, the [[Beradt Sea]] to the east and [[Derry]] to the west.

==History==
===Origins===
In the days when the [[Old Kingdom]] ruled the west of the [[Amasynian Peninsula]], the lands now known as Thessilane were divided into a number of smaller domains ruled by feuding warlords, each vying for dominance over his neighbours. It was during this period that the [[Thane of Meadowford]] first rallied the scattered clans of [[Thessil]] to his banner, paving the way for the unification of the region under one ruler in 1112 [[Anno Inceptum|AI]]. This newly-united people made steady gains over the following hundred years, beginning with the annexing of [[Almark]] after the decisive [[Battle of Sesvyr]] in 1119 [[Anno Inceptum|A.I.]] and continuing until all of modern Thessilane save the seaport of [[Orvere]] and the island nation of [[Jaheuss]] lay under [[Meadowford]]'s rule.

===The First Consolidation===
In 1206 [[Anno Inceptum|AI]] Thessilane was finally unified under the rule of the Lord of [[Meadowford]], bringing together the various lesser domains into a single realm. The years that followed saw numerous skirmishes and conflicts with the [[Kazimid]] kings of neighbouring [[New Dauntless]], an ongoing tension that was only exacerbated by [[New Dauntless]] coming under the rule of House [[Taliaferro]], whose expansionist ambitions were every bit the match for those of the Lord of Meadowford.

===The Amasynian Period===
Following the conclusion of the Seventh [[War of Salvation|Wars of Salvation]] in 1254 [[Anno Inceptum|AI]], in which the reborn [[Amasynia]] marched its armies further east than they had even in the days of the [[Kingdom of Amasyn]], Thessilane found itself under external rule for the first time in its history. The integration of the the new Duchy of Thessilane did not come easily, and the missionaries of the [[One True Faith]] who sought to bring [[Amasynia]]'s new territory into the fold faced a population stubbornly resistant to such changes. For all that the heirs of the Meadowlords added their doughty horsemen to the armies of the [[Kingdom of Amasynia]] they did not forget their proud and independent heritage,

==Government==
The region is ruled by the Duke from his palace at [[Meadowford]], aided and advised by his Barons, Counts and Thanes. The Duke holds supreme executive authority within his domain, with duties and powers ranging from the enacting of legislation to commanding the military during wartime.

===Politics===

===Law and Order===
Maintaining law and order on a local level is the purview of Thessilane's various Lords of the Land. The Ducal Government requires each count, baron or thane to fund and equip a professional militia to protect their holdings, and townships of more than five hundred souls are required to fund a Constabulary force to assist the local militia in keeping the peace.

===Military===
Thessilane's military is famed for the quality of its cavalry, a tradition dating back to the horselords of [[Thessil]] prior to the unification of Thessilane.

The region's army is predominantly comprised of full-time professional soldiers, though local lords provide levies of troops drawn from their militias in time of need. The army is divided into Legions, a single Legion consisting of as many as five thousand men at full strength. Each Legion is commanded by a Marshal, who in turn answer to a Field Marshal tasked with coordinating campaigns involving multiple Legions. High command ultimately rests with the Duke in [[Meadowford]].

==Geography==
Divided from New Dauntless by the [[Afanasiy River]], the rolling meadowlands of [[Thessil]] are bounded by the nine-mile strip of [[Orvere Beach]] to the east, the foothills of the eastern [[Sikasoon Mountains]] in the west, and the shores of saltwater [[Lake Mist]] to the south. Beyond [[Lake Mist]] the rugged [[Red Hills]] (once home to the tribal [[Orclords]], since pacified and become a Dwarven Clan-hold) divide the rich plains of the interior from the [[Beradt Sea]]. This expanse of sheltered and fertile grassland reaches west as far as the banks of the [[Albourne]], which forms the border with [[Derry]]. In the south, the former principality of [[Almark]] stretches to the foothills of the [[Fraoch Mountains]], which form the border with [[Heath]]. The south and east coasts are remarkable for their broad beaches, well-settled with numerous fishing villages and shipyards.

===Cities===
The city of [[Meadowford]] in the north of the region houses the seat of Thessilane's government and the Ducal residence.

The recently-reconstructed seaport of [[Orvere]] lies on Thessilane's north-east coast. In 1655 [[Anno Inceptum|A.I.]] (205 [[Anno Regalis|A.R.]]) the city was almost levelled by a duel between Channellers on opposing sides of the [[Schism]], the conflict surrounding an attempted usurpation of the ducal throne by Baron [[Adolph Karl Wiglaf|Wiglaf]].

*[[Janeiro]]

===Travel===
The city of [[Orvere]] is one of Thessilane's major shipping ports, carrying goods to and from across the [[Beradt Sea]] and along the east coast of the [[Amasynian Peninsula]], and beyond. A network of roads meanwhile crosses the rolling grasslands of the interior, with main highways carrying traffic into [[New Dauntless]] in the north, and [[Derry]] in the west.

===Climate===

==Economy==
Given that it possesses the longest working coastline on the [[Amasynian Peninsula]] it is perhaps unsurprising that Thessilane draws a considerable amount of its wealth from the sea; fishing is a major industry, and its fishing fleets ply the waters from the mouth of the [[Afanasiy River]] in the north to the coast of [[Heath]] in the south.

Following the [[Thessilane-New Dauntless War]] and the associated destruction wrought upon [[New Dauntless]] shipping, a large proportion of that region's industry has been drawn instead to Thessilane, such that shipbuilding has experienced a considerable growth in recent years.

==Culture==

[[Category:Geography]]
[[Category:Regions]]
[[Category:Amasynian Province]]
[[Category:Thessilane]]

Derry

2014-07-03T14:42:34Z

Majic13:

{{Infobox location
| name = Derry

| image1 = http://brokendagger.com/wiki/images/map/wiki_regions_derry.jpg
| alt1 =
| caption1 =
| image2 = http://brokendagger.com/wiki/images/map/wiki_map_derry.png
| alt2 =
| caption2 = [[Derry]]'s location (dark green) within the [[Amasynian Peninsula]] (light green), relative to [[Regal Province]] of [[Trae Kelsa]] (blue).

| type = Territory
| description = Mountainous principality.
| region = [[Trae Kelsa]]
| subregion = [[Amasynian Province]]
| population = 43,350
| area = 850 sq mi
| capital = Wrexham
| demonym = Derrine
| government = Monarchy
| ruler = Princess [[Renaud Plaudart]]
| currency = Trae Kelsan Shilling
| religion = [[One True Faith]]
}}

[[Derry]], officially the '''Principality of Derry''', is a landlocked region in the central [[Amasynian Peninsula]]. It is bordered to the north by [[New Dauntless]], to the south by [[Heath]], to the east by [[Thessilane]] and to the west by [[Myrken Wood]].

==History==
===Origins===
For most of recorded history Derry lay uninhabited save for a small number of dwarven strongholds in the mountains of the north, and elven enclaves in the forested lowlands of the south. This changed following the Sixth [[Wars of Salvation|War of Salvation]] and the ensuing [[Concord]] in 1229 [[Anno Inceptum|AI]]; this agreement between the [[Elflords]], the [[Dwarflords]] and the Amasynian Crown saw the territories of Derry and [[Myrken Wood]] yielded to the [[Kingdom of Amasynia]], and marks the foundation of the Duchies of Derry and [[Myrken Wood]].

===The Amasynian Period===
For three hundred years the Dukes and Duchesses of Derry ruled over their land; increased trade and cooperation with the Dwarflords led to the construction of [[Castle Wrexham]] between 1350 and 1374 using the best of both human and dwarven arts.

===The Ducal Stewards===
The line of the Dukes of Derry came to an end in 1523 [[Anno Inceptum|AI]] when the reigning Duke died without issue, leaving the succession unclear; faced with the prospect of civil war as various of Derry's noble families vied for the ducal throne, rulership passed into the hands of the hereditary [[Seneschals of Wrexham]], who administered the duchy's affairs with careful diplomacy and impartiality in order to maintain peace among the region's nobility.

===The Principality Period===
In 1527 [[Anno Inceptum|AI]], following the fall of the House of [[Wekslo]] rule over [[Kingdom of Amasynia|Amasynia]] transferred to the throne of [[Trae Kelsa]]. The [[Seneschals of Wrexham|Seneschals]] retained stewardship of Derry for another hundred and twenty years, now serving the King of [[Trae Kelsa]], until in 1643 [[Anno Inceptum|AI]] (193 [[Anno Regalis|AR]]) King [[Chedwry I Plaudart|Chedwry I]] installed his daughter Princess [[Renaud Plaudart|Renaud]] as ruler of what became known as the Principality of Derry. The Princess has held this post with the aid of other members of the royal family for the past fifteen years.

==Government==
The region is governed as a principality by Princess [[Renaud Plaudart|Renaud]], daughter of King [[Chedwry II Plaudart|Chedwry II]] of [[Trae Kelsa]], with other members of the Royal Family serving as trusted aides and advisors to assist in determining policy. [[Renaud Plaudart|Renaud]] prefers to remain aloof from public appearances save for infrequent state occasions, otherwise ruling from within the stout walls of [[Castle Wrexham]] through intermediaries and ministers who see her will enacted across the rest of Derry and beyond.

===Politics===

===Law and Order===
Domestic crime within Derry itself is minimal, due to the culture of solidarity and cooperation against trouble. What trouble does occur most often springs from an external source; as a gateway between the neighbouring regions, Derry experiences an unusually high volume of foreign traffic through its borders, .

Such trouble is dealt with as expediently as any other sort, the Guard preferring to remove offenders from the street rather than entering into outright battle with them; on certain occasions, the offender is ushered from the city limits and encouraged quietly not to return.

The land is protected by a triumvirate of non-identical policing forces:

====City Guard====
The Captain of the Guard is appointed by Princess [[Renaud Plaudart|Renaud]], and tasked with providing a swift and discreet response to whatever disorder may erupt within Derry's urban areas; the Guard are lightly-armed when about their regular patrols, but trained to rigorous standards that might be considered remarkable for a militia of such limited jurisdiction.

===Military===
====The Derry Militia====
For a region located in such a precarious location between larger and more populous neighbours, Derry possesses a remarkably small army. However, given the nature of the terrain and the limited points of access to the region, this relatively small force is more than capable of monitoring Derry's borders, primarily employing regular mounted patrols and a series of unassuming guardhouses housing small squads of militiamen.

The militia tends to keep a very low profile, as befits the military of a region that subsists more by diplomacy and tourism than by strength of arms.

====The Royal Guard====
Princess [[Renaud Plaudart|Renaud]] is widely known to hand-pick her personal guard, with the aid of both the Guard Captain and her own circle of advisors. Little is known of this elite group, save that at least two of their number accompany Her Highness in her movements within the walls of [[Castle Wrexham]]; this force is increased on those occasions on which she ventures beyond the castle's walls, and a considerably larger number flank the halls of her chambers during meetings of state and audiences with visiting dignitaries.

==Geography==
From the confluence of the [[Sagpa River]] and the [[Albourne River]], Derry's terrain rises slowly northwards; the region's most populated areas are found in the sheltered southern lowlands, though there are scattered settlements throughout the high-sided valleys of the [[Sikasoon Mountains]] that dominate the north of the region and divide Derry from [[Myrken Wood]] and [[New Dauntless]].

===Cities===
The regional capital of [[Wrexham]] lies at the geographical and economic heart of Derry, neatly-arranged streets centred on the stout dwarf-built walls of [[Castle Wrexham]] from where Princess [[Renaud]] and her aides govern the region.

===Travel===

== Travel and Trade Routes ==
The region's main highway is the [[Derry Row]], an east-west highway connecting Derry with [[Myrken Wood]] and [[Thessilane]], and beyond to the coast of the [[Beradt Sea]] in the east and [[Amasynia]] in the west. The independent city-state of [[Ruann]] serves as gateway to the [[Gilroy Pass]], which offers a faster route into [[Myrken Wood]] but is only accessible during the summer months, being rendered impassible by snow for the rest of the year. The [[Truedrift]] leads across the [[Sikasoon Mountains]] into New Dauntless in the north, and follows the Derry-Thessilane border for most of its length.

===Climate===
Isolated from the moderating influence of the coast, Derry's climate is subject to noticeable seasonal and even regional fluctuations. Rain is frequent and relatively abundant throughout the year, while winters are bitterly cold in the mountainous north of the region, but those same mountains spare southern Derry from most of the northerly winds and so the lowlands are noticeably milder year-round.

==Economy==
Restricted by its shortage of fertile land and dearth of forests, Derry relies not on agriculture or timber for its wealth, but on the craftsmanship and inventiveness of its citizens. Drawing on the mineral wealth of their mountain home and close ties with their dwarven neighbours, the region's engineers, artificers and artisans are unparalleled in skill throughout the [[Amasynian Peninsula]], and their work is in high demand from [[Ricathair]] to [[Razasan]]. The majority of what fertile land exists is dedicated to viticulture and pomiculture, Derry's vineyards and orchards producing a range of wines and brandies prized across the [[Amasynian Peninsula]]; in recent years the neighbouring province of [[Myrken Wood]] has become a particularly valued market for the export of the esteemed Derry Red.

==Culture==

[[Category:Geography]]
[[Category:Regions]]
[[Category:Amasynian Province]]
[[Category:Derry]]

Derry

2014-07-03T14:41:32Z

Majic13:

{{Infobox location
| name = Derry

| image1 = http://brokendagger.com/wiki/images/map/wiki_regions_derry.jpg
| alt1 =
| caption1 =
| image2 = http://brokendagger.com/wiki/images/map/wiki_map_derry.png
| alt2 =
| caption2 = [[Derry]]'s location (dark green) within the [[Amasynian Peninsula]] (light green), relative to [[Regal Province]] of [[Trae Kelsa]] (blue).

| type = Territory
| description = Mountainous principality.
| region = [[Trae Kelsa]]
| subregion = [[Amasynian Province]]
| population = 43,350
| area = 850 sq mi
| capital = Wrexham
| demonym = Derrine
| government = Monarchy
| ruler = Princess [[Renaud Plaudart]]
| currency = Trae Kelsan Shilling
| religion = [[One True Faith]]
}}

[[Derry]], officially the '''Principality of Derry''', is a landlocked region in the central [[Amasynian Peninsula]]. It is bordered to the north by [[New Dauntless]], to the south by [[Heath]], to the east by [[Thessilane]] and to the west by [[Myrken Wood]].

==History==
===Origins===
For most of recorded history Derry lay uninhabited save for a small number of dwarven strongholds in the mountains of the north, and elven enclaves in the forested lowlands of the south. This changed following the Sixth [[Wars of Salvation|War of Salvation]] and the ensuing [[Concord]] in 1229 [[Anno Inceptum|AI]]; this agreement between the [[Elflords]], the [[Dwarflords]] and the Amasynian Crown saw the territories of Derry and [[Myrken Wood]] yielded to the [[Kingdom of Amasynia]], and marks the foundation of the Duchies of Derry and [[Myrken Wood]].

===The Amasynian Period===
For three hundred years the Dukes and Duchesses of Derry ruled over their land; increased trade and cooperation with the Dwarflords led to the construction of [[Castle Wrexham]] between 1350 and 1374 using the best of both human and dwarven arts.

===The Ducal Stewards===
The line of the Dukes of Derry came to an end in 1523 [[Anno Inceptum|A.I.]] when the reigning Duke died without issue, leaving the succession unclear; faced with the prospect of civil war as various of Derry's noble families vied for the ducal throne, rulership passed into the hands of the hereditary [[Seneschals of Wrexham]], who administered the duchy's affairs with careful diplomacy and impartiality in order to maintain peace among the region's nobility.

===The Principality Period===
In 1527 [[Anno Inceptum|A.I.]], following the fall of the House of [[Wekslo]] rule over [[Kingdom of Amasynia|Amasynia]] transferred to the throne of [[Trae Kelsa]]. The [[Seneschals of Wrexham|Seneschals]] retained stewardship of Derry for another hundred and twenty years, now serving the King of [[Trae Kelsa]], until in 1643 [[Anno Inceptum|AI]] (193 [[Anno Regalis|AR]]) King [[Chedwry I Plaudart|Chedwry I]] installed his daughter Princess [[Renaud Plaudart|Renaud]] as ruler of what became known as the Principality of Derry. The Princess has held this post with the aid of other members of the royal family for the past fifteen years.

==Government==
The region is governed as a principality by Princess [[Renaud Plaudart|Renaud]], daughter of King [[Chedwry II Plaudart|Chedwry II]] of [[Trae Kelsa]], with other members of the Royal Family serving as trusted aides and advisors to assist in determining policy. [[Renaud Plaudart|Renaud]] prefers to remain aloof from public appearances save for infrequent state occasions, otherwise ruling from within the stout walls of [[Castle Wrexham]] through intermediaries and ministers who see her will enacted across the rest of Derry and beyond.

===Politics===

===Law and Order===
Domestic crime within Derry itself is minimal, due to the culture of solidarity and cooperation against trouble. What trouble does occur most often springs from an external source; as a gateway between the neighbouring regions, Derry experiences an unusually high volume of foreign traffic through its borders, .

Such trouble is dealt with as expediently as any other sort, the Guard preferring to remove offenders from the street rather than entering into outright battle with them; on certain occasions, the offender is ushered from the city limits and encouraged quietly not to return.

The land is protected by a triumvirate of non-identical policing forces:

====City Guard====
The Captain of the Guard is appointed by Princess [[Renaud Plaudart|Renaud]], and tasked with providing a swift and discreet response to whatever disorder may erupt within Derry's urban areas; the Guard are lightly-armed when about their regular patrols, but trained to rigorous standards that might be considered remarkable for a militia of such limited jurisdiction.

===Military===
====The Derry Militia====
For a region located in such a precarious location between larger and more populous neighbours, Derry possesses a remarkably small army. However, given the nature of the terrain and the limited points of access to the region, this relatively small force is more than capable of monitoring Derry's borders, primarily employing regular mounted patrols and a series of unassuming guardhouses housing small squads of militiamen.

The militia tends to keep a very low profile, as befits the military of a region that subsists more by diplomacy and tourism than by strength of arms.

====The Royal Guard====
Princess [[Renaud Plaudart|Renaud]] is widely known to hand-pick her personal guard, with the aid of both the Guard Captain and her own circle of advisors. Little is known of this elite group, save that at least two of their number accompany Her Highness in her movements within the walls of [[Castle Wrexham]]; this force is increased on those occasions on which she ventures beyond the castle's walls, and a considerably larger number flank the halls of her chambers during meetings of state and audiences with visiting dignitaries.

==Geography==
From the confluence of the [[Sagpa River]] and the [[Albourne River]], Derry's terrain rises slowly northwards; the region's most populated areas are found in the sheltered southern lowlands, though there are scattered settlements throughout the high-sided valleys of the [[Sikasoon Mountains]] that dominate the north of the region and divide Derry from [[Myrken Wood]] and [[New Dauntless]].

===Cities===
The regional capital of [[Wrexham]] lies at the geographical and economic heart of Derry, neatly-arranged streets centred on the stout dwarf-built walls of [[Castle Wrexham]] from where Princess [[Renaud]] and her aides govern the region.

===Travel===

== Travel and Trade Routes ==
The region's main highway is the [[Derry Row]], an east-west highway connecting Derry with [[Myrken Wood]] and [[Thessilane]], and beyond to the coast of the [[Beradt Sea]] in the east and [[Amasynia]] in the west. The independent city-state of [[Ruann]] serves as gateway to the [[Gilroy Pass]], which offers a faster route into [[Myrken Wood]] but is only accessible during the summer months, being rendered impassible by snow for the rest of the year. The [[Truedrift]] leads across the [[Sikasoon Mountains]] into New Dauntless in the north, and follows the Derry-Thessilane border for most of its length.

===Climate===
Isolated from the moderating influence of the coast, Derry's climate is subject to noticeable seasonal and even regional fluctuations. Rain is frequent and relatively abundant throughout the year, while winters are bitterly cold in the mountainous north of the region, but those same mountains spare southern Derry from most of the northerly winds and so the lowlands are noticeably milder year-round.

==Economy==
Restricted by its shortage of fertile land and dearth of forests, Derry relies not on agriculture or timber for its wealth, but on the craftsmanship and inventiveness of its citizens. Drawing on the mineral wealth of their mountain home and close ties with their dwarven neighbours, the region's engineers, artificers and artisans are unparalleled in skill throughout the [[Amasynian Peninsula]], and their work is in high demand from [[Ricathair]] to [[Razasan]]. The majority of what fertile land exists is dedicated to viticulture and pomiculture, Derry's vineyards and orchards producing a range of wines and brandies prized across the [[Amasynian Peninsula]]; in recent years the neighbouring province of [[Myrken Wood]] has become a particularly valued market for the export of the esteemed Derry Red.

==Culture==

[[Category:Geography]]
[[Category:Regions]]
[[Category:Amasynian Province]]
[[Category:Derry]]

Derry

2014-07-03T14:40:02Z

Majic13:

{{Infobox location
| name = Derry

| image1 = http://brokendagger.com/wiki/images/map/wiki_regions_derry.jpg
| alt1 =
| caption1 =
| image2 = http://brokendagger.com/wiki/images/map/wiki_map_derry.png
| alt2 =
| caption2 = [[Derry]]'s location (dark green) within the [[Amasynian Peninsula]] (light green), relative to [[Regal Province]] of [[Trae Kelsa]] (blue).

| type = Territory
| description = Mountainous principality.
| region = [[Trae Kelsa]]
| subregion = [[Amasynian Province]]
| population = 43,350
| area = 850 sq mi
| capital = Wrexham
| demonym = Derrine
| government = Monarchy
| ruler = Princess [[Renaud Plaudart]]
| currency = Trae Kelsan Shilling
| religion = [[One True Faith]]
}}

[[Derry]], officially the '''Principality of Derry''', is a landlocked region in the central [[Amasynian Peninsula]]. It is bordered to the north by [[New Dauntless]], to the south by [[Heath]], to the east by [[Thessilane]] and to the west by [[Myrken Wood]].

==History==
===Origins===
For most of recorded history Derry lay uninhabited save for a small number of dwarven strongholds in the mountains of the north, and elven enclaves in the forested lowlands of the south. This changed following the Sixth [[Wars of Salvation|War of Salvation]] and the ensuing [[Concord]] in 1229 [[Anno Inceptum|A.I.]]; this agreement between the [[Elflords]], the [[Dwarflords]] and the Amasynian Crown saw the territories of Derry and [[Myrken Wood]] yielded to the [[Kingdom of Amasynia]], and marks the foundation of the Duchies of Derry and [[Myrken Wood]].

===The Amasynian Period===
For three hundred years the Dukes and Duchesses of Derry ruled over their land; increased trade and cooperation with the Dwarflords led to the construction of [[Castle Wrexham]] between 1350 and 1374 using the best of both human and dwarven arts.

===The Ducal Stewards===
The line of the Dukes of Derry came to an end in 1523 [[Anno Inceptum|A.I.]] when the reigning Duke died without issue, leaving the succession unclear; faced with the prospect of civil war as various of Derry's noble families vied for the ducal throne, rulership passed into the hands of the hereditary [[Seneschals of Wrexham]], who administered the duchy's affairs with careful diplomacy and impartiality in order to maintain peace among the region's nobility.

===The Principality Period===
In 1527 [[Anno Inceptum|A.I.]], following the fall of the House of [[Wekslo]] rule over [[Kingdom of Amasynia|Amasynia]] transferred to the throne of [[Trae Kelsa]]. The [[Seneschals of Wrexham|Seneschals]] retained stewardship of Derry for another hundred and twenty years, now serving the King of [[Trae Kelsa]], until in 1643 [[Anno Inceptum|AI]] (193 [[Anno Regalis|AR]]) King [[Chedwry I Plaudart|Chedwry I]] installed his daughter Princess [[Renaud Plaudart|Renaud]] as ruler of what became known as the Principality of Derry. The Princess has held this post with the aid of other members of the royal family for the past fifteen years.

==Government==
The region is governed as a principality by Princess [[Renaud Plaudart|Renaud]], daughter of King [[Chedwry II Plaudart|Chedwry II]] of [[Trae Kelsa]], with other members of the Royal Family serving as trusted aides and advisors to assist in determining policy. [[Renaud Plaudart|Renaud]] prefers to remain aloof from public appearances save for infrequent state occasions, otherwise ruling from within the stout walls of [[Castle Wrexham]] through intermediaries and ministers who see her will enacted across the rest of Derry and beyond.

===Politics===

===Law and Order===
Domestic crime within Derry itself is minimal, due to the culture of solidarity and cooperation against trouble. What trouble does occur most often springs from an external source; as a gateway between the neighbouring regions, Derry experiences an unusually high volume of foreign traffic through its borders, .

Such trouble is dealt with as expediently as any other sort, the Guard preferring to remove offenders from the street rather than entering into outright battle with them; on certain occasions, the offender is ushered from the city limits and encouraged quietly not to return.

The land is protected by a triumvirate of non-identical policing forces:

====City Guard====
The Captain of the Guard is appointed by Princess [[Renaud Plaudart|Renaud]], and tasked with providing a swift and discreet response to whatever disorder may erupt within Derry's urban areas; the Guard are lightly-armed when about their regular patrols, but trained to rigorous standards that might be considered remarkable for a militia of such limited jurisdiction.

===Military===
====The Derry Militia====
For a region located in such a precarious location between larger and more populous neighbours, Derry possesses a remarkably small army. However, given the nature of the terrain and the limited points of access to the region, this relatively small force is more than capable of monitoring Derry's borders, primarily employing regular mounted patrols and a series of unassuming guardhouses housing small squads of militiamen.

The militia tends to keep a very low profile, as befits the military of a region that subsists more by diplomacy and tourism than by strength of arms.

====The Royal Guard====
Princess [[Renaud Plaudart|Renaud]] is widely known to hand-pick her personal guard, with the aid of both the Guard Captain and her own circle of advisors. Little is known of this elite group, save that at least two of their number accompany Her Highness in her movements within the walls of [[Castle Wrexham]]; this force is increased on those occasions on which she ventures beyond the castle's walls, and a considerably larger number flank the halls of her chambers during meetings of state and audiences with visiting dignitaries.

==Geography==
From the confluence of the [[Sagpa River]] and the [[Albourne River]], Derry's terrain rises slowly northwards; the region's most populated areas are found in the sheltered southern lowlands, though there are scattered settlements throughout the high-sided valleys of the [[Sikasoon Mountains]] that dominate the north of the region and divide Derry from [[Myrken Wood]] and [[New Dauntless]].

===Cities===
The regional capital of [[Wrexham]] lies at the geographical and economic heart of Derry, neatly-arranged streets centred on the stout dwarf-built walls of [[Castle Wrexham]] from where Princess [[Renaud]] and her aides govern the region.

===Travel===

== Travel and Trade Routes ==
The region's main highway is the [[Derry Row]], an east-west highway connecting Derry with [[Myrken Wood]] and [[Thessilane]], and beyond to the coast of the [[Beradt Sea]] in the east and [[Amasynia]] in the west. The independent city-state of [[Ruann]] serves as gateway to the [[Gilroy Pass]], which offers a faster route into [[Myrken Wood]] but is only accessible during the summer months, being rendered impassible by snow for the rest of the year. The [[Truedrift]] leads across the [[Sikasoon Mountains]] into New Dauntless in the north, and follows the Derry-Thessilane border for most of its length.

===Climate===
Isolated from the moderating influence of the coast, Derry's climate is subject to noticeable seasonal and even regional fluctuations. Rain is frequent and relatively abundant throughout the year, while winters are bitterly cold in the mountainous north of the region, but those same mountains spare southern Derry from most of the northerly winds and so the lowlands are noticeably milder year-round.

==Economy==
Restricted by its shortage of fertile land and dearth of forests, Derry relies not on agriculture or timber for its wealth, but on the craftsmanship and inventiveness of its citizens. Drawing on the mineral wealth of their mountain home and close ties with their dwarven neighbours, the region's engineers, artificers and artisans are unparalleled in skill throughout the [[Amasynian Peninsula]], and their work is in high demand from [[Ricathair]] to [[Razasan]]. The majority of what fertile land exists is dedicated to viticulture and pomiculture, Derry's vineyards and orchards producing a range of wines and brandies prized across the [[Amasynian Peninsula]]; in recent years the neighbouring province of [[Myrken Wood]] has become a particularly valued market for the export of the esteemed Derry Red.

==Culture==

[[Category:Geography]]
[[Category:Regions]]
[[Category:Amasynian Province]]
[[Category:Derry]]

New Hibera

2014-07-03T14:39:18Z

Majic13:

{| border=1 cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" align="right" width=300 style=margin-left:10px
|-
!colspan=2 align=center bgcolor="#ff9999"|Kingdom of New Hibera
|-
|colspan=2 align=center|
|-
!colspan=2 bgcolor="#ff9999"|Geography
|-
|width="45%"|Area:||~200 ft²
|-
!colspan=2 bgcolor="#ff9999"|Demographics
|-
|Population:||~1,000
|-
|Ethnicity:||100% [[Fairy]]
|-
!colspan=2 bgcolor="#ff9999"|Politics
|-
|Status:||Monarchical City-State
|-
|Monarch:||King [[Richard Aengus]]
|-
|}
==Topography==

The tiny [[fairy]] kingdom of New Hibera sits, roughly, in the south-central region of [[Myrken Wood]], being positioned underground in a cave on the southern border of [[Silver Lake]]. Its actual borders extend only a couple hundred square feet at most, which is ample for its thousand or so citizens, most of whom stand a mere four inches. The region is rocky and damp, being below ground in a cave, but [[fairy magic]] keeps the place slightly lit and warm enough to be comfortable.

==Location==

The bulk of the kingdom is isolated to the one town of New Hibera, which is centered on the [[Richard Aengus|king]]'s [[palace]] with the business sector around that and the residential areas at the outskirts.

The chief entrance to New Hibera, and the only one currently known to the Myrken Wood Council, is a cave about 100 yards behind the cottage once owned by former [[Governor]] and [[Councilor]] [[Aloisius Treadwell]], on the southern border of [[Silver Lake]], a short distance from the [[Broken Dagger (Inn)|Broken Dagger Inn]]. Two caverns into this cave, which slopes downward and is filled with the usual murkiness, two green-winged fairy guards stand at their post: a six inch around passage known solely as "The Tunnel." The Tunnel itself stretches only a few feet through the rock, approximately ten or fifteen feet underground. This is the only entrance accessible by the average fairy citizen. The other entrance is known as "The Passage."

"The Passage" is the newest addition to New Hibera, and, truthfully, is an attempt at forcing another exit from New Hibera to [[Myrken Wood]], this one being unknown at present to the [[Myrken Wood]] [[Judiciary Council|Council]]. It is, like The Tunnel, six inches around, but it goes underground about six feet through the dirt and rocks before going in a reasonably straight line under the heart of Myrken to The Deck in the middle of town. Its entrance under The Deck is covered with a hollowed out rock in the bottom right corner of the empty area beneath the platform itself. Currently, there are no fairy guards posted in that empty area and no indication that anything is out of the ordinary to prying bigling eyes. [[Richard Aengus|King Richard]]'s plans concerning this unauthorized expansion are unknown.

The relationship with [[Myrken Wood]] is unclear at best, depending on who is answering the question. [[Myrken Wood]]'s records of the kingdom's official existence--a peace treaty recognizing such, established in 145 [[Anno Regalis|AR]] between the then-current [[Judiciary Council|council]] members and current king [[Richard Aengus]]--have been lost or destroyed. New Hibera, however, maintains its records of such, keeping them safe in the palace library under lock and spell. The current opinion of the [[Myrken Wood]] [[Judiciary Council|Council]] appears to be one only of uneasy tolerance.

==Climate==

The white-winged fairy [[mages]] of New Hibera keep the climate inside the chief cavern -- especially the immediate area in and around the town -- pleasantly warm and only mildly humid. If one travels more than a few feet outside of the town itself, though, the caves themselves are damp, chilly, and hardly conducive to comfortable living for fairies. No rain or snow ever covers the town or the rest of the kingdom's land, as there are no direct openings to the sky.

==Transportation==

New Hibera, being structured more up than out, is designed with fairies in mind: buildings are multi-leveled, with doors and landings up and down their outermost walls. Most fairies go around individually on their wings, and there are three levels for flying on each thoroughfare in the city. However, that all depends on social class. A strict caste system exists based on inherited wing and aura colors, and it regulates everything from job selection to marriage to inheritance laws to travel.

Red and orange fairies are solely lower occupations and manual labor; they are the only ones restricted to the lowest flight paths in town unless necessary for their work. The majority of fairies are yellow-wings; they may hold most jobs available to average members of society, including hunting and manufacturing, and must travel accordingly in the middle of the air. White fairies are born into the upper classes, ranging from highly respected physicians to lawyers to magic-users who live only to make life simpler, safer, and more comfortable for the populace; they are the ones with the strongest inherited magical abilities, and magic is crucial to common life in New Hibera. They are restricted to the uppermost flight paths, so they rarely see any connections with the lower classes except, as with the red- and orange-wings, for what rare dealings might come from their contact with others from their work.

Finally, there are exceptions to the typical rules enforced on well over three-quarters of New Hiberan society. Green-winged kingdom and royal guards, blue-winged messengers and officials of middling status, and the royal family pink-winged fairies (currently only King [[Richard Aengus]]) may travel as they wish or need within the city, the king usually favoring travel by a coach pulled by trained honeybees that are cared for in an environment tightly controlled by a sizeable number of white-winged fairy mages. No other fairies enjoy such costly, expensive, and simply ludicrous luxuries.

==Public Service==

The green-winged [[New Hiberan Guard]] protects the people of New Hibera, serving as police and military with their specialized emphasis on their human-toothpick-sized pikes. Red- and orange-wings take care of construction (and the rare demolition), whereas a few white-wings serve as capable physicians.

==News==

Information spreads through New Hibera mainly by word of mouth or town crier.

==Leisure Activities==

Most fairies have little time for leisure, but there are a few places of general interest in the city, from a small museum (with its permanent exhibits on those odd [[biglings]] of [[Myrken Wood]]) to a gallery for arts and crafts. The mostly urban life and the hostile, cold environment of the cave lead to minimal room for exploration unless absolutely needed.

==Local Economy==

The fairies of New Hibera have next to nothing to offer to or take from their human neighbors, maintaining self-sufficient, isolationist policies out of self-interest. [[Magic]] is relied on quite heavily for everything from repairs to construction to food creation. As there is very little available that can be molded to proper currency, barter systems and exchanges of services extremely common, although silver is especially prized for its beauty and malleability.

==Contents of the New Hibera/Myrken Wood Peace Treaty==

Anno Regalis 145
Myrken Wood [[Governor's Meetinghouse|Meetinghouse]], [[Myrken Wood]] Province
''Raymond Elias, scribe and Councilor for Administrative Sanctions (143 [[Anno Regalis|AR]] to Present) for Governor Maxwell Beauregard (143 [[Anno Regalis|AR]] to Present)''

'''Treaty of Acceptance and Recognition: New Hibera'''

It has been decided in the course of our events that Myrken Wood cannot and will not remain an entirely isolated whole to itself for all of time. As a province of Trae Kelsa, we border upon other territories, they border upon our own, and, we have found in the past year, others have been in effect long before our own might have even been conceived.

One such of the last is a realm of the Fae Folk, who hail from a land they refer to as New Hibera. To their reckoning, their kingdom has been established, either through another location to the west or through the present, for over the past six hundred years. They are ruled by one Richard Andrew Aengus, the third in a list of monarchs from a family of the same name, and a recent mission from his scouts to seek out further sources of food to alleviate recent famine in their cave by the lake has caused a need for acceptance and recognition of one province for one kingdom and one kingdom for one province.

Without recognition of such sovereignty, our very existence on what each considers the other's soil is potentially quite dangerous. Currently, the fairy realm apparently means no harm to the territory we inhabit, and we mean none to them, so in an attempt to enable further cooperation, we have drawn up this initial agreement, as dictated below.

'''ITEM:''' The existence of Myrken Wood and New Hibera will be mutually agreed upon from this day forth. The proposed relationship is that of neighbors with mutual respect for one another's realms. The need for such is apparent; to prevent needless bloodshed, apathy, or isolation from one another, we must work together.

'''ITEM:''' The kingdom of New Hibera, however, must take into account the size of its neighbors. It has been agreed upon that this initial agreement restricts them to the caves just north of the western shore of Silver Lake by approximately one hundred yards. They have agreed to establish an outer perimeter two caverns into these caves, posting guards at an entrance they refer to as, simply, "The Tunnel." Otherwise, they are free to make use of the resources available within those caves to further their own survival. No domestic expansion to outer territories--such as the shore of the Lake, the woods, et cetera will be permissible without prior agreement from the Myrken Wood Judiciary Council.

Currently, these tunnels are not in use by any of Myrken Wood's citizens. It is for this reason that we of the Council feel it safe to allow the fairies their kingdom there.

'''ITEM:''' The Myrken Wood Judiciary Council has agreed to assist, free of charge, the Fae with a show of good faith by offering them necessary food and water to bring an end to their current famine. The amount of supplies given are surely minimal on our part--two (2) large bags of fruits, vegetables, meats, and bread with two (2) large jugs of fresh water. The king assures us that with proper rationing, these should be sufficient for getting the fairies through these leaner times.

'''ITEM:''' In an equal show of good faith, the people of New Hibera have, through King Richard's word, promised assistance in the future. This assistance, he assures us, might be drawn from magical means such as healing, scholarly means such as the wealth of fairy wisdom from the past hundreds of years, or even military means if necessary.

With these terms, it is thus initially agreed. This original document will be stored in the office of the Governor in the [[Governor's Meetinghouse|Meetinghouse]]. A copy will be given to Richard Aengus of New Hibera for safe-keeping in the New Hiberan records. A copy will be sent to the offices of the Trae Kelsan Crown, a copy will be given to Altruian Mudd for storage in his Library on Dyer Avenue, and I will keep a copy of this in my own records as the official scribe for the Governor. Further copies are only recognized as valid if they are made totally from one of these sources without alterations. Any copies given to or to be accepted from the fairy king will, of course, need to be smaller to fit them.

(The document ends with a variety of signatures and titles, ranging from the aforementioned Governor Beauregard and Councilor for Administrative Sanctions Elias to people filling the other three (still existing) Council positions to the signature and seal of Richard Andrew Aengus of New Hibera--a signature and seal that still match after many years.)

[[Category:Geography]]
[[Category:Regions]]
[[Category:Fairies]]
[[Category:New Hibera]]

Jernoah

2014-07-03T14:38:45Z

Majic13:

{| class="wikitable" border="0" cellspacing="2" cellpadding="2" style="background:#ffffff; width:290px;" align="right"
|-style="background:#52719A; color:#ffffff"
!colspan=2|JERNOAH
|-style="background:#52719A; color:#ffffff;"
!colspan=2|INFORMATION
|-valign="top"
|WIDTH="35%" | Status: || Foreign Lands
|-valign="top"
|Capital: || Bridlespear
|-valign="top"
|Government: || Religious Oligarchy
|-valign="top"
|Head of State: || Master Regent (informal title) ''Stalsi'' (formal title)
|-valign="top"
|Demonym: || Jerno / Jernoan
|-valign="top"
|Population: || Approx. 50,000
|-valign="top"
|Currency: || Arkhat
|-valign="top"
|Religion: || Pursuit of the Nameless
|-
|}

[[Jernoah]] is a foreign land far beyond the west coast of the [[Amasynian Peninsula]], separated from it by a great ocean. Jernoah is bordered by other countries to the north, south, and west, though the details of them are considerably sparse. Its capital of Bridlespear is Jernoah's only prosperous city, from which most of its governmental authority and religious creeds are dispensed. Otherwise, Jernoah is a desert country comprised of small outlying villages, and while most trade is conducted domestically, a countless number of coastal townships allow for occasional overseas expeditions.

''(All dates are listed as their [[Anno Regalis]] or [[Anno Inceptum]] equivalents, though Jernoan history does not adhere to the Trae Kelsan standard.)
''
==History==

Jernoah's history is scarred by mediocrity, at least according to its advancements in technology and culture. For the past several hundred years, it has been a cultural hub rich with artistic and literary contributions, but due to its minimal military power, thousands of square miles of barren desert land, and its irregular contact with bordering countries, few marked advancements have contributed to anything but a general stagnation. In his book ''A Brief and Likely Misleading History of the Jerno and His Jernoah'', Myrken scholar and historiographer Crisken de Lanz said:

<blockquote>''It is assumed that what we now know as Jernoah was once a Country comprised entirely of Wandering Tribes and Misfits. Over the past Few Centuries, however, they banded together to form Villages, and Cities, and they founded a rather Suitably Savage Religion, and they have saturated the World with such good Poetry and Art that One might think they were not so primitive a race.''</blockquote>

==Government==
===Leadership: ''Stalsi, Stahls'', and the Festival===
A religious oligarchy rules over all of Jernoah, binding various towns and villages under the edicts presented from the capitol. In Bridlespear, a ''stalsi'' (or, translated, Master Regent) presides over a small senate comprised of seven ''stahls'', all representatives appointed on merit of wealth, influence, or religious sanctity, one from each of Jernoah's more notable settlements.

The ''stalsi'' and his underling ''stahls'' are revered with great respect across Jernoah, often lavished with what little riches can be afforded them. Elected officials are appointed for six-year terms. It is the the conclusion of these terms that makes them most memorable, however. Jerno philosopher and historian Sol Paulis wrote of the event in one of his journals:

<blockquote>''Brothers and Sisters of the Nameless are brought in from reputable jerethedrals throughout the Great Country. For one week in Bridlespear every six years, the Festival of the Ascension takes all our attentions away from our minor purposes and labors. We lose ourselves in merriment, drink, and plays meant to honor the previous six years. On the sunset of the final day, it happens: the ''stahls'' are dressed in their finest vestments, they are brought before the capitol crowds, and by an ordained Brother or Sister, they sacrifice their lives to the Nameless for the next six years of prosperity. The blood is left to stain the streets. Finally, the ''stalsi'' is all that is left, and he too is slaughtered in the eye of the Nameless. We revel in their deaths, write songs of them, and praise them. To choose a life of politics, in Jernoah, is to choose death, but it is a proud death, and we all dream that we too could be regents one day, and die that very same way.''</blockquote>

After the Festival, the Brothers and Sisters who made the sacrifices appoint -- by way of prayer and prophetic guidance -- a new ''stalsi'' from one of many candidates. Usually, this candidate is of some religious and authoritative position in Bridlespear itself.

With the deaths of the ''stahls'', Jernoah is regularly embroiled with temporary chaos. While more diplomatic townships elect new representatives through complex honor or vote systems, others rely on contests of strength, violence, or even games of wealth to designate a new regent. Only when the new government system is set into place and the chosen ''stahls'' are escorted to the senate at Bridlespear is peace often renewed by way of law modification and periods of exemplary capital punishment. Peace, if not restored naturally, is often restored through force.

===Law and Order: A Regime of Violence===

Except for the periods of post-Festival, pre-senate disorder, Jernoan townships are often seen as remarkably crimeless. This is due, in part, to the relentless dispensing of violent punishment. While individual judiciary systems are in place in some more organized towns, most rely on the strength of hired policing forces -- former Jernoan soldiers -- to quell discord and crime through bloodshed. Thieves, burglars, rapists, followers of anti-religious factions, and murderers are often dragged into the streets and killed. Of this brutality, Sol Paulis writes:

<blockquote>''Once, I saw an old man -- who could not keep his trousers fastened around women -- dragged into the streets and bludgeoned into a red puddle merely on the power of accusation. Once, I saw a female thief lose her head to a hungry soldier's blade in the fruit-bazaar, all while a very proud mother with her six children laughed at a dancing clown across the way. These are the fortunate ones. Some villages prefer to stake offenders out beyond the town limits in the sands, where they can rot and bleach in the desert sun over several days' time, or can be picked apart by dune-vultures or -- at the worst -- get devoured by hungry stonebears. In some cities, where this staking tactic is preferred, you can even hear the occasional ''pop'' of a dead criminal as the sweltering heat boils the gases inside his stomach before any animals can even get a chance to eat.''</blockquote>

===Military Power: A Fleeting Concern===

The military presence in Jernoah is small and disorganized. There are several factors that lead to the country's minimal reliance on military power: 1) few attempts at usurpation and overthrow from neighboring countries have ever been attempted, most likely due to Jernoah's few attainable resources and the uselessness of its mostly-desert land, and 2) the country's large expanse and its relatively minimal population easily allow for traveling groups to get lost amid the sand and dunes, as miles upon miles could be traversed without seeing some hint of civilization. There is little value in Jernoan land to outside armies, especially those used to claiming more temperate land. In the event of rare, concentrated conflict, Jernosta numbers have been supplemented by the slave population.

What military the country does have is regularly referred to by outsiders as the Jernosta, a volunteer force comprised mostly of teenaged men and with minimal training. Jernosta recruits are often assigned to posts at the country's furthest borders. There, they engage in any number of small, unremarkable conflicts as overzealous borderlanders surge and wane against them. Crisken de Lanz notes: <blockquote>''A Drawn Map of Jernoah would require a Magic Ink for It to always be accurate -- on a Daily Basis, Tiny Conflicts potentially shift the Borders back and forth between Neighboring Countries as Jernosta border patrols are pushed back (or advance) anywhere between a Few Inches and a Few Feet. This is a Constant Struggle; Armies of Adjacent Countries have become familiar with sending their own Trainees to Jernoan Borders to engage in these almost Playful Conflicts.</blockquote>

==Religion==
Religion and faith is extremely important to the Jerno, though foreign theologians often criticize Jernoah for being a country, as de Lanz says, ''"under the Influence of Nebulous Gods that inspire Unpredictable, Ever-Changing Ideals; Jernoah is neither Monotheistic or Polytheistic. The Identity of Their God (or Gods) is so inaccessible, so undefined, it forces any Onlooker to wonder what the Point is. Jernos are married so strongly to Vague Ideas of the Divine that One must wonder if They are truly religious, or just playing like Children at it.''"

===The Nameless: Gods without Faces===

One of the driving edicts behind the Pursuit of the Nameless is the understanding that human senses can never achieve allow direct communion with the Nameless. Though many paintings and countless pieces of literature have attempted to describe the traits of the Nameless, there is no ordained form or image, and the religion is greatly founded in assumption or conjecture.

''"They came to me as colors,''" Brother Har'vaak Arhjaad once wrote in his voluminous sermon, ''On the Matters of our Faith'', in 54 [[Anno Regalis|AR]]. "''In my dreams they spoke to me and I listened; in my waking they came as twangs of pain or sudden, rushing sensations; I could feel them dictating my motions and decisions through breaths of wind, blasts of sand, needing no words, and I, no special language to understand them.''"

Followers of the Nameless understand innately that, while they may coax the Nameless into action by prayer, song, or praise, they will never receive direct intervention -- as the pivotal sermon once expressed, ''"Our natural tools and senses are too base for Them to waste Their time appearing to us. We stare into mirrorglass and see ourselves prostrated. They watch and work from beyond it, moving the world into action around us, dictating our every moment in ways we shall never be great enough to see except through death.''"

As such, death is a great part of ritual. Occasional sacrifices of animals, willing Jernos, and unwilling ones all bolster large religious events. To devout Jernos, death is not as much a fear as it is a willing release, freedom to finally answer lifelong questions of gods and faith. Yet, to discourage overzealous suicide, edicts are put into place that require years of study in life to prepare the soul for a death worthy of the Nameless.

===The Calamities: Tests of the Faithful===

In Jernoah's recent past, several large events have shaped the stalwart face of religion. These historic occurrences are seen by newer religious authorities as necessary catastrophes, things brought to Jernoah and her people to challenge their faith in the Nameless. Altogether, observance of these so-called Calamities and the trials they represent give credence to newfound religious solidarity. Excerpts from Sol Paulis's work better explain the impacts the Calamities had on Jernoah.

'''176 [[Anno Regalis|AR]] - The First Calamity: A Trial of the Soul'''
<blockquote>
It could not have been with more displeasure that we received the Piss-White Prophet. She was young woman with bleached gowns, heralded by a caravan of a thousand followers who claimed she was a messenger of Other Gods. With both honor and skepticism, she and her people came in pilgrimage to Bridlespear. They remained for several months, our Sisters and Brothers vetting her words for their accuracy and truth. She said the gods she followed held the solutions to war, the end to pains, the quelling of lamentation. She challenged the validity of our faith. She questioned our Pursuits. She denied the strength of our belief. She cited her unnatural, metallic hand as proof of her gods’ power.</blockquote>

<blockquote>
When we could stand no more of her lies, we killed six-hundred-and-seventy-two of her followers, men and women and children. We made red the Glass Sands with their false blood. We took the Piss-White Prophet into custody and slaughtered her for her transgressions. Because her gods did not crush us, did not destroy us for our violence against her, our knowledge was galvanized: she had been a fabricated prophet, a harbinger of the false.</blockquote>

<blockquote>
In three months, she and her insidious followers planted doubt in a great number of our citizens, our Sisters and Brothers, our previously-devoted faithful. Her presence was a trial of the Soul, that we might be reminded to steer it always in the path of the Nameless.</blockquote>

<blockquote>
We disposed of those infected by her wretched teachings and prevailed. </blockquote>

To better explain the modern relevance of this story, Professor de Lanz writes "''Because of the Role the so-called Piss-White Prophet held in challenging the Strength of the Nameless, Metallic Hands are a Sign of Shame in Jernoan Culture, whether in Art, Literature, or -- for the Occasional Offender -- as a Prosthetic Replacement when even Death is Too Kind a Punishment."''

'''197 [[Anno Regalis|AR]] - The Second Calamity: A Trial of the State'''
<blockquote>There was a rat'vak -- a slave -- that was thought dull and without reason, whose origin was regrettably unknown. It worked with diligence and took its discipline well. It towered among its low peers and lacked the wits to harm another. It was soon purchased by one of the city's foremost noble houses as a singular curiosity, and there fed and groomed and displayed to further the standing of its master.</blockquote>

<blockquote>It was soon discovered that the creature possessed the most remarkable resilience: that even the greatest hurt would leave no scar, and its skin could reknit itself time and time again; not only this, but partaking of its flesh would grant similar traits to others. Sisters, Brothers, and stahls came to it, to sliver off pieces of its body, to consume them as great delicacies or work them into alchemical preparations of surpassing efficacy. Soldiers and innocents young and old were fed the Growing Rat'vak's pieces so that they might be granted the same wondrous vigour, and the Growing Rat'vak's master enjoyed unprecedented influence among the noble classes. Bold plans were made, imagining the glory and riches that might come to a Jernoah that marched out an army of warriors fortified by Rat'vak brews. The nobles grew arrogant and proud, turning their faces from those Sisters and Brothers who believed Growing Rat'vak defied the will of the Nameless and that the creature should be driven out into the desert to perish.</blockquote>

<blockquote>In time the young daughter of the noble, in whose manor the Growing Rat'vak served, became pregnant. Accusations of dreadful impropriety were whispered in the shadows, scandalous speculations made around the clear affection the girl held for the creature, but no proof ever given. When the daughter gave birth the Horror she brought into the world was unthinkable, impossible to look upon, a wretched, damned, Nameless-forsaken riddle in wretched parody of human form. So insidious was the Rat'vak's touch, so pervasive the use of elixirs derived from its flesh, that an entire generation of infants was lost, those not stillborn left warped beyond description.</blockquote>

<blockquote>The Good Capital condemned the Growing Rat'vak. It was sentenced to death for bringing a vile contagion upon the country. Yet, it escaped, for not even a State can kill what cannot be hurt. It brought catastrophe upon the capital, killing hundreds of Jernos in its rage, tumbling buildings and razing districts with smoke as black as night and fury as destructive as an unending sandstorm. The Growing Rat'vak fled and was never found. </blockquote>

<blockquote>We reconstructed over years, the State strayed persevered despite its near-destroyed capital, and prevailed.</blockquote>

'''211 [[Anno Regalis|AR]] - The Third Calamity: A Trial of the Body'''

Very little is known about the details of Jernoah's Third Calamity, given its relatively recent occurrence. Research cobbled together from notations and reports suggests the presence of a murderer, supposedly blessed by the Nameless, cleansing Bridlespear of a number of lesser-desirable citizens. In addition to the inaccurate body count and the covering of several deaths by loyalists of the oligarchy, cloudy controversy surrounds the subsequent death of the killer, with few details to support either truth or falsification of facts.

==Geography==
Comprising thousands upon thousands of square miles of arid, uninhabitable land, Jernoah is known for its blistering heat and unforgivable, sweltering climate. Its terrain varies from areas fettered with dunes and blowing sand to seemingly endless flatlands cracked open by the sweltering sun. Whole armies have been rumored to perish in the Jernoan sands, not having had proper direction or navigation tools. Days and nights are vastly different, with torrid heat bleaching the land under the sun, and wretched cold strangling it under the moon.

Though Jernos have developed a number of clever ways to reasonably subsist in Jernoah's destructive climate, surrounding countries have expressed little interest in land they believe unfrutiful and barren.

===The Glass Sands: An Invaluable Resource===
The Glass Sands are one of Jernoah's most notable natural phenomenons. Where specific minerals prevail, sun-molten sand can be discovered on particularly unbearable days, sometimes in tiny patches and in other places stretching on for miles at a time like glistening seas. These same portions of land cool into a hard, cloudy glass at night, and are regularly harvested before sunrise for use in jewelry, glassware, dinnerware, armor, weaponry, architecture, and religious reliquaries. Because of the value of natural glass as both a domestic and an exported good, unsanctioned glass-harvesting is often considered an offense against the State, and convicted offenders are often given any number of grievous punishments.

===Dasril's Lip: The End of the World===
Jernoah's western border nudges against hundreds of miles of mountains known as Dasril's Lip. These treacherous mountains separate Jernoah from the further side of the continent, where weather is rumored to be more temperate and bearable. Because of their height and their uneven faces, systems of weather differ greatly as they pass across then, often bringing about Jernoah's burning winds and treacherous sandstorms. Of the mountains' cultural impact, Professor de Lanz writes:

<blockquote>''Various Branches of the Pursuit often claim that Dasril's Lip is where the Nameless -- in Whatever Form They choose to inhabit -- oversee the Workings of the World. As such, It is not uncommon for Groups of Jernos to travel in Pilgrimage to the Foot of the Mountains to ask for Miracles, Healing, Intervention, Riches, Glory, or Advice.''</blockquote>

==Economy==
The ''arkhat'' is the general unit of value in Jernoah. Because of Jernoah's relatively different trading climate, the arkhat is often worthless when compared to denominations in other nations. Arkhats are small bone coins that are not necessarily representative of monetary value. In 25 [[Anno Regalis|AR]], ''Stalsi'' Varkeep O'ordoon established the arkhat system in his nationwide attempt to enliven Jerno trade beyond its own shores. A transcription of his speech states:

<blockquote>''The Jerno is not a fellow overly concerned with money. The Jerno's prime commodity is survival. The Nameless have provided us with a bountiful resource: recently, a discovery was made beneath the Capitol of a great and expansive underground oasis. [Cheers erupt in the crowd; mothers envision their children being able to play in water; I fall to my knees and praise Them.] Settle, settle. But we cannot condemn this resource with our greed. If we were to tap into it without consent of the Nameless [a collective sigh ripples across the audience, and I too hang my head at the impending news], then we would use it as though it is inextinguishable. That is not an option.

''Instead, today,[he held forth for all to see a chiseled coin etched out of the bone of a jah'zoon] we adopt the arkhat. Bartering is no longer the way of the world. Our trade must be conducted in currency. Each of these coins guarantees you a portion of equitable water, a share equal to the coin. When the Nameless decree to our State that the oasis may be opened, the man with more arkhat shall have more water. The coin is the way of the world outside of our fair Jernoah; today, it becomes our way as well.</blockquote>

In 27 [[Anno Regalis|AR]], days before the Festival, O'ordoon was murdered by revolutionaries who were convinced the oasis did not exist, and that O'ordoon's liberal new idea was a detriment to the Jerno way of life.

In 211 [[Anno Regalis|AR]], it was discovered that no oasis existed, though many -- especially great landowners and domestic trading businesses -- deny that truth.

Currently, the arkhat is of diminishing value depending upon the beliefs of individual traders and consumers. Some accept the arkhat willingly, while others rely solely on direct bartering to acquire their needs.

==Culture==

<blockquote>''"If ever there was a Culture embroiled in Self-Destruction, it is the Race of Jernos, who at a Glance may appear Reasonable and full of Wit, but have -- throughout History -- prioritized Shame and Humiliation as the Resulting Nature of their Origin. Never was there a Good Jerno who lived; that is why We Study Them, rather than Commiserate with Them."'' - '''Crisken de Lanz, Myrken scholar, historiographer of Jernoah'''</blockquote>

Jernoan culture is regularly regarded as primitive, if not barbaric. Uncertain country borders have led to a constant flux of war at the country's perimeter. Because of the rapidly declining Jerno population, women between the ages of twelve and twenty are entered into a mandatory birthing lottery by governmental edict, and if chosen, are required to submit themselves to male members of renowned family lines to produce children. Stories are abound in the available literature. Sol Paulis, renowned Jernoan historian, once wrote: ''"When the Chosen are shuffled off to the Birthing Pens, you can often hear their screams for days at a time as the men make their bedding rounds. The girls are fed exotic fruits that the Nameless have given us, which enhance their fertility and broaden their minds. Only when they are bulging with child are the soon-to-be mothers released to their new families. They are praised and heralded with great reverence. They are gorged to fatness. These young women are the saviors of our dying culture."''

Jernos are left unclothed until the age of ten so that their bodies can adjust to the harsh, dry climate of the desert. As such, nakedness is of no insult to the common Jerno. At ten, once they have passed their ''Odos'', a test that certifies their loyalty to both the religion and the government, they are given their first garments and are ritualized as an adult in a mass ceremony (often highly-attended, for the birthing lotteries ensure many children of very similar birthdays).

Regarding the physiology of the Jerno, Sol Paulis wrote that ''"Jernos are unique for their bodies' peculiar enhancements. Centuries in the sun has caused a magnificent, Nameless-blessed evolution: ''tarsweat'' has become a common term for the black, oily sweat always glistening on a Jerno's body. When excreted, a layer of tarsweat can resist the sky's harsh rays and can insulate against the icy, cracking nights of the Glass Sands."'' Hierarchies in Jernoah embrace the benefits of tarsweat -- those of a greater odor are often seen as strong and unyielding, and even in the circles of the dantiest, most proper women, bodily scents are regarded with pride.

In Jernoah, the average lifespan ranges from between twenty-one years to thirty, ensuring viable adulthood at a very early age. Desert predators such as vile dune-bugs, mythical stonebears, voorbears, and any number of unnamed beasts regularly ensure death as a commonplace occurrence. Again, the Jerno tarsweat is seen as an advantage -- predators are often driven away from Jerno cities and villages by their overwhelming odors, and tarsweat has proved even poisonous to certain creatures. Elder Jernos (referred to as ''Greatmen'' or ''Greatladies'') are highly respected for their fortitude, constitution, and wisdom, and their word alone can overthrow any ruling in a Jernoan village council -- if they care enough to attend, and are not being glutted into stupor by incense, hallucinogens, and other bodily pleasures.

The staple of Jernoan cuisine is the ''jah'zoon'', a grazing, deer-like creature whose meat is valued for its abundance at certain times of the year. ''Jah'zoon'' hide and bone are major components of craft and necessity. They are regularly herded around towns and cities, for their bony, extendable snouts can find pockets of earthen water. Their urine and sweat is regularly farmed so that it can be boiled and cleansed over fire, and is used as stock for cooking and other essentials.

[[Category:Geography]]
[[Category:Regions]]
[[Category:Jernoah]]

Xanth Grange

2014-07-03T14:36:19Z

Majic13:

{{Infobox location
| name = Xanth Grange

| image1 = http://brokendagger.com/wiki/images/map/wiki_regions_xanthgrange.jpg
| alt1 =
| caption1 =
| image2 = http://brokendagger.com/wiki/images/map/wiki_map_xanthgrange.png
| alt2 =
| caption2 = [[Xanth Grange]]'s location (dark green) within the [[Amasynian Peninsula]] (light green), relative to [[Regal Province]] of [[Trae Kelsa]] (blue).

| type = Territory
| description = Pastoral borderlands
| region = [[Trae Kelsa]]
| subregion = [[Amasynian Province]]
| population = 230,000
| area = 2,300 sq mi
| capital = Crossroads
| demonym = Xanthine
| government = Monarchy
| ruler = Duke [[Garrison Bromn]]
| currency = Trae Kelsan Shilling
| religion = [[One True Faith]]
}}

[[Xanth Grange]], officially the '''Duchy of Xanth Grange''', is a region in the south of the [[Amasynian Peninsula]]. It is bordered to the east by [[Heath]], west by the [[Sea of Amasynia]], to the north by [[Amasynia]], and to the south by the [[Regal Province]] of [[Trae Kelsa]].

==History==
===The Old Kingdom Period===
Xanth Grange has been a core territory of the Amasynian heartland since the before the days of the [[Ludovingian Kings]]; first brought into the [[Kingdom of Amasyn]] by the great-grandson of King [[Archenhaud the Bold]], the region's rich farmland and gentle climate made it every bit as valued as many-splendoured [[Lothaine]] or the heartlands of [[Amasynia]]. Xanth Grange's inhabitants were also valued as warriors of great renown, their martial skills honed by raids from beyond the southern [[Palisade Mountains]].

===The Amasynian Period===
Following the fall of [[Lothaine]] and the subsequent fragmentation of the [[Kingdom of Amasyn]], the people of Xanth Grange found themselves beset by a number of troubles; the collapse of both government and support from [[Ricathair]] led to widespread unrest, exacerbated by a series of crop failures and a surge in attacks from the south. Only when King [[Vernell the Pious]] led the First [[Wars of Salvation|War of Salvation]] to the embattled region's aid was the land made secure against raiders. A serious of forts and castles were constructed along the border in the years and decades that followed, and since that time the doughty men and women of Xanth Grange have served as [[Amasynian Peninsula|Amasynia]]'s first line of defence against invasion from the south. This period included numberous wars in which the soldiers of Xanth Grange mounted a staunch resistance to the encroaching armies of [[Trae Kelsa]]; eventually, however, the [[Kingdom of Amasynia]] was not overwhelmed from without, but instead collapsed from within.

===The Trae Kelsan Period===
Following the fall of the [[Wekslo]] line and the transfer of rule over [[Amasynian Peninsula|Amasynia]] to the kings of [[Trae Kelsa]], Xanth Grange at first integrated only grudgingly into the new way of things, unable to so easily set aside a centuries-long mistrust of the southern invaders. This antagonism has faded with the generations since [[Trae Kelsa]] gained control, but the people of Xanth Grange remain stubbornly independent, and determined to retain control over their collective destiny for all that they now swear allegiance to a different Crown.

==Government==
Xanth Grange is ruled by the Duke, who governs on behalf of the Crown of [[Trae Kelsa]]. The title is hereditary, and passed from the late Duke [[Gorthias Bromn|Gorthias]] to his son Duke [[Garrison Bromn|Garrison]] in the summer of 207 [[Anno Regalis|AR]] (1657 [[Anno Inceptum|AI]]).

===Politics===

===Law and Order===

===Military===
The region retains its proud military traditions, with several regiments capable of tracing their heritage back to the times of the [[Kingdom of Amasyn]] and the [[Albaringian Kings]]. The Duke maintains a standing force of professional soldiers, well-trained and well-equipped, and bolstered with conscripted troops in times of war. The uniform of Xanth Grange troops is crimson with grey piping, with all hardware, badges insignias and other detail rendered in silver; the army's battle-standard features a rearing griffon, grey on a crimson field.

The late Duke [[Gorthias Bromn]] and to some extent his son (and current Duke) [[Garrison Bromn]] maintained private fears that [[Trae Kelsa]] would some day take a more active role in the affairs of the [[Amasynian Peninsula]], and as such recent years have seen the region gathering an increasingly militant and well-funded army to defend against this potential threat. Fortunately such measures have not been necessary in Xanth Grange for at least a generation, and for the most part the region remains peaceful, but vigilant.

==Geography==
Divided from [[Heath]] by the [[Nathair River]] in the east, Xanth Grange's terrain is for the most part dominated by gently rolling hills and level plains, stretching to the coast of the [[Sea of Amasynia]] in the west. The land rises to the edges of the [[Wekslo Mountains]] and [[Lothley Mountains]] which form the border with [[Amasynia]] to the north, and to the foothills of the [[Palisade Mountains]] which form the border with [[Trae Kelsa]] in the south.

===Cities===
The capital of Xanth Grange is the town of [[Crossroads]] in the north-east of the region, an old and well-established market town at the meeting-place of the roads to [[Ricathair]], [[Collingford]], [[Threminor]] and [[Darras]]. In times past this was the main stop on the route between [[Heath]] and the heartlands of [[Amasynia]], and thus a logical seat for the Dukes of Xanth Grange; in recent decades, however, [[Crossroads]] has been eclipsed in size and prominence by the sentinel city of [[Darras]], a fortified settlement that watches over the [[Darras Gap]], a break in the [[Palisade Mountains]] that nowadays serves as the gateway to the [[Amasynian Peninsula]] for land travel from [[Trae Kelsa]] and points further south.

===Travel===
Most travel to and from Xanth Grange is by land, the region's western coastline having a marked shortage of deep-water harbours suitable for the docking of ocean-faring ships; instead goods are transported up the [[Nathair River]] on barges, or carried by road through the [[Darras Gap]]. Well-paved roads dating from the days of the [[Old Kingdom]] carry foot traffic in straight lines across the countryside, connecting the region with its neighbours and bringing a decent level of trade across its borders.

===Climate===

==Economy==
Xanth Grange's main source of wealth is agriculture, with the rich farmlands in the east producing the majority of the region's crops.

==Culture==

[[Category:Geography]]
[[Category:Regions]]
[[Category:Amasynian Province]]
[[Category:Xanth Grange]]

Brotherhood of Janeiro

2014-07-03T14:35:51Z

Majic13:

Founded over six hundred years ago by the city fathers of Janeiro, a city near the base of the [[Red Hills]] in the province of [[Almark]], the [[Brotherhood of Janeiro]] has gone from the civil militia of the town to a mercenary company of elite cavalry. Previous leaders include the [[Kerrak al'Nerun]] and Marshal [[Aeryn Karolinger]].

==History==
Originally formed by the mayoral council of Janeiro, in the principality of Almark, some six hundred and fifty years ago. They were created to form the backbone of defense against the raiding bands from the [[Thesil meadows]], and the occasional tribe of [[Orc]] that would come down from the Red Hills. They served in this capacity until the people of the Meadowlands were gathered under a single banner some hundred years later. Then they assisted in holding back the invading horde until the clash at Sesvyr, which saw the defeat of the Prince of Almark at the hands of the [[Thane of Meadowford]]. At this point, the province of Almark was annexed and added to the slowly growing kingdom.

From there they were offered entrance into the unruly army of horsemen that would eventually become the Army of the Meadowlands, adding to it a staunch force of footmen where once there was naught. They remained with the conquering armies until the [[First Consolidation]] nearly a hundred years later. By this time all but the troublesome city of [[Orvere]] and the island nation of [[Jaheuss]] had withstood the conquering forces of the Meadowlanders, and the services of the Brotherhood were no longer needed. So, the grandsons of the men who had departed with the original Brotherhood returned home, and found that they weren’t truly wanted.

Time had changed these returning men, time and conflict, and this made them feel ill at ease when they returned to their ancestral home. Collectively they had seen and participated in so much more than their kin that they would eventually pull up roots. A year after returning to Janeiro, they once again offered their services to the newly installed [[Baron of Almark]], to serve as a mercenary company in and around the province. Since then, that is what they did. Right up until the [[Schism]] after the death of [[Duke Geran]].

From thence they joined with the Loyalist forces that sided with the [[Erebus Redclaw]], the Thane of Meadowford, against the Usurper-Baron [[Adolph Karl Wiglaf]]. They formed the official company sent from Almark to defend the Ducal capitol and await the return of the Heir, [[Burel Tassnehof]], who had been sent into hiding until he was old enough to retake the throne. It was during this time the most notable members of the Brotherhood were to join. Amongst them being [[Kerrak al'Nerun]], [[Jons Feul]], [[Gerhard Karolinger]] and [[Damien Stanislav]]. It was also during this time that the Brotherhood separated from their roots as a company traditionally centered around the foot soldier, to a band that preferred tactical mobility and flexibility. And so, they became a company of horse.

==In Myrken Wood==
Captain [[Kerrak al'Nerun]] brought the Brotherhood out of a recently pacified Almark and into the territory of [[Myrken Wood]], where he sought to help protect the troubled land from the various depredations and troubles that wrack the region. They offered their services to the [[Order of Straka]] on several occasions, assisting in the patrols that traveled the length of [[Giscard Guillaume|Giscard]]’s [[Wall]], dispatching long-term sorties into the woodlands of Myrken where Straka were not prepared (or trained) to go, and assisting travelers coming through the [[North Passage Down]] and the [[Gilroy Pass]]. In general, they became part of the defence of the province, to the extent that their Captain served for a time as [[Councilor for Defence and Civil Security]].

The Brotherhood continued to hire out their services for small skirmishes in [[Amasynia]], [[Heath]] and [[Derry]] while their full presence was not in demand within [[Myrken Wood|Myrken]]. All this changed, of course, with the termination of the Order of Straka’s commission and contract with Myrken Wood.

Following Straka’s dissolution Kerrak installed the Brotherhood as the new primary defensive force of the region, going so far as to recruit those from the Order of Straka who still felt strongly about defending their homeland. This swelled their numbers considerably (let no one say that the stalwart members of Straka were cowards) meaning that the Brotherhood could perform all of the duties of their predecessors and more. This measure also added some legitimacy to their calling, as many of those who wore the grey and black of Janeiro previously wore the indigo of Straka.

Janeiro's presence was most heavily felt all along the [[Ringwall|Wall]] that circles the province, where they served as border guards. The only place that the Brotherhood had to forestall their usual patrols was in the deeper woodlands and along the throughways into other provinces.

In 207 [[Anno Regalis|AR]] the Brotherhood played a pivotal role in the [[Battle of Haberdasher's Row]], adding their troops to a mob of malcontents and marching upon Governor [[Coriolanus Helstone]]'s residence. After a confrontation with the [[Myrkentown Constabulary]] the strongly anti-Thessil Governor Helstone was forced out of office and replaced by the more tractable [[Altias Bromn]]. Relations between Myrken Wood's government and the Brotherhood deteriorated after Bromn was replaced in turn by [[Cinnabar Calomel]], culminating in the termination of the Brotherhood's contract. Marshal [[Aeryn Karolinger]] disbanded the unit soon after.

[[Category:Factions]]
[[Category:Government & Law]]
[[Category:Military]]
[[Category:Thessilane]]
[[Category:Brotherhood of Janeiro]]

Richard Aengus

2014-07-03T14:35:15Z

Majic13:

{|style=border="0"
|-
|

The pink-winged, bushy-bearded, big-bellied fairy called Richard Andrew Aengus has lived a complicated life, holding a number of positions in a number of areas. His primary role is that of the king of [[New Hibera]], a small fairy kingdom positioned in the south-central area of [[Myrken Wood]].

Richard himself is currently 308 years old--elderly, for fairies from [[New Hibera|New Hiberan]] stock, who typically live 'only' four centuries. He has ruled the combined nations of [[Old Hibera]] and [[New Hibera]] for 252 years, taking the throne as a child at fifty, until his loss of control of the former. Now, Richard lives alone in [[New Hibera]]; a former wife and adopted daughter have been missing, assumed deceased, since July, 206 [[Anno Regalis|AR]].

The majority of his life as prince, then king, was a simple one, governed solely by his whims and his gluttony, until he grew bored with it all and wanted to see just a little bit more. A mix of boredom and curiosity led him to investigate the lives of '[[Biglings|bigling]]' humans, an interest that would eventually culminate in a fictitious claim that he had taken on a fabricated identity of an actor turned politician named [[Aloisius Treadwell]], supposedly from [[Westenford]], a middling port town on the coast of [[Amasynia]] known for its shipping and its thoroughly corrupt government council. Of course, the claim itself was thoroughly false; the man in question was very much real flesh and blood. As punishment for devouring one of Richard's closest friends and advisors in late 205 [[Anno Regalis|AR]], Treadwell was captured and put to sleep for fifteen months, only to wake at the command of various Old Hiberan officials.

For a brief time, Richard did manage to rule both halves of Hibera under his one reign; instead of ruling through messages sent to his cousin, [[James Aengus]], he took responsibility for [[New Hibera]] on his own, moving into the palace there and severing ties to [[Westenford]]. On arrival, still claiming to be Aloisius Treadwell, he likewise systematically started to cut all connections that Treadwell had held. In his dedication to ruin Treadwell's life as a more permanent repayment for eating the fairy king's friend, a vengeful Richard was ultimately was the catalyst for [[Raylan Treadwell]]'s leaving Myrken Wood and the Council's repossession of Treadwell's house and toy shop in [[Myrken Wood]] for a brief time.

Richard's true role and personality are tricky to uncover. He has a deep-rooted love for good art, wonderful music, and horrid poetry. Richard is quite beloved by all Hiberans, mainly because he seems harmless. He appears to be a dreadful political bumbler with little common sense, claiming ignorance and lack of interest in such things. However, below this comical surface--an image he relishes and exploits with the help of his plump appearance and jolly manner--lies the heart of a fairy who will do as he must to maintain his control of New Hibera, just as his grandfather, [[William Aengus]], and his father, [[Richard Scott Aengus]].

In recent years, Richard and his half-brother, [[Dr. Orin Barrin]], have spearheaded a kingdom wide devotion to the Tubbian faith; this devotion is completely responsible for the immense fattening of the doctor, formerly stick thin, and the rest of the fairy population. This nationwide plumping out was enabled by Tubbius' blessing of Hiberan food and drink stores; as repayment for a short term show of devotion, the harvest god has provided them with unending food and drink.

The king spent much of 213 [[Anno Regalis|AR]] asleep. He had accidentally ingested the egg of a Hiberan rock rodent, an animal that on hatching establishes a symbiotic relationship with its fairy host by taking up residence in the wall of the stomach, and his half-brother and physician promptly put him into a magically induced, nourishing sleep so he could monitor the animal's growth until he could remove it. After nearly ten months of inactivity on his part and continued growth on the part of the rock rodent, the doctor finally chanced removal of what has become Richard's pet, named Squeaky for its trilling noises.

On awaking, Richard claimed he was missing a pair of daughters, named Lora and Lara. On being slapped back to sense by the doctor, the king roused himself and went about his business until three months later, in January 214 [[Anno Regalis|AR]]. Then, on being asked, he finally explained the question of the missing children; during his extended sleep, he dreamed that he had magically been made hermaphroditic, being told that was his natural state that had long since been hidden, and that he had been blessed by Marta, the mother goddess who is Tubbius' wife, with twin daughters. While Orin firmly denied any such, Richard was still getting older without a queen and living heir. The as of late generally depressed, fitful fairy king demanded the dream be made reality if possible, and, on finding reference to how to change the king's gender in an early draft of a law code written by [[William Aengus]], he pushed harder for his own satisfaction, much to his physician's chagrin. As of the morning of January 18, 214 [[Anno Regalis|AR]], Richard got his wish, and just after midnight on the twentieth, he received divine confirmation of his conception on begging for a sign from Marta, mother goddess in the Tubbian faith, after extended prayer.

| valign="top" |
http://brokendagger.com/images/tready.jpg
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[[Category:Fairies]]
[[Category:Characters]]
[[Category:Active Characters]]

Gloria Wynsee

2014-07-03T14:33:26Z

Majic13:

{{Infobox character
| name = Gloria Wynsee
| title = 
| image1 = 
| alt1 = 
| caption1 = 
| archetype = Commoner 
| hair_colour = Black 
| eye_colour = Gray 
| height = 5'7"
| build = Stocky
| features = Missing left hand
| birth_date = 198 [[Anno Regalis|AR]]
| birth_place = [[Jernoah]]
| death_date = 
| death_place = 
| spouses = 
| children = 
| profession = Seamstress, Inquisitor 
| religion = [[Jernoah#Religion|Pursuit of the Nameless]]
}}

{|border="0"
|-
|
<blockquote>''"I could not imagine where we would be without the laboring class; they are a hard-working sort, condemned to bloody their hands and blister their feet with toils that scarcely pay their way. And yet, when the work has been done, the shops are bolted and the bazaar is closed, they return to their secret lives in their secret homes, with secret children and secret loves, counting the hours until they can once again be themselves -- the laboring class."'' - '''Sol Paulis, Jerno politician, philosopher, poet, historian'''</blockquote>
==Description==
It would be easy to lose Gloria Wynsee in a crowd of Myrken commoners. Round about the edges, plump in hips, cheeks, and hands, she has the appearance of a well-fed plainsgirl, her conservative dresses, long sleeves, and bonnets dirty with dust and old stains. Her skin is often gritty with grime, and her dark hair, instead of spilling free, is regularly bound into a number of fist-sized knots.

A girl of middle teenaged years, she wields the exacting vocabulary of a foreigner still not yet used to the Standard tongue. What she lacks in personal organization and patience, she makes up for in conviction. In conversation, she speaks with honesty and abruptness, often not fully recognizing the consequence of such freed speech. She is intensely fond of poetry and prose, but prefers Jernoan literature over the bland styles of Myrken's few authors.
==Background==
===Origins===
The seamstress is no native of [[Myrkentown]]. She was born and raised in the deserts of [[Jernoah]], a distant country known for its exports of bonework, dried smoking-root, glassware, and sculpture. She clings to customs of her homeland: she is a devoted follower of the Nameless, a pantheon of Jernoan deities; water is rarely wasted on baths or clothes-washing; she openly supports authoritative, even tyrannical governmental structures, like other Jernos, who believe stringent politics and laws have significantly reduced thievery, murder, and other crimes.

In Jernoah, she was an active member of the jerethedral choir and a student among many under the harsh tutelage of various Mother Sempstresses. She left Jernoah in A.R. 212, but often avoids the matter in conversation, usually citing dislike for her homeland as the sole reason for her departure.

===The Broken Dagger===
After a two-month voyage in the bowels of a ship charted for the [[Red Caps]], she disembarked in the port town of [[Foggy Bottom]] and relied on the kindness of traders and traveling merchants to lead her to [[Myrken Wood]]. There, she intended to meet with the one Professor de Lanz, a scholar of Jernoan language and history whose name was all she could utter in the Standard tongue when she arrived. Subsequently, she took up residence in Myrkentown and forged a number of friendships with those who called the [[Broken Dagger]] and its surroundings their home.

==The Present==
Gloria has been employed in a number of occupations and distractions since her arrival. She worked as a seamstress for various employers until she lost her hand to a wolf's jaws. Currently, she spends her time working in a minor position at the [[ Myrkentown Inquisitory]], filing and organizing volumes and paperwork as necessary. She has gained proficiency in the Standard tongue and spends her free time -- which has increased since discovering her pregnancy -- in the company of her friends.

==Plots==
[[The Red-and-Gold Summer]]

[[The Wolves of Spring]]

[[The Storyteller]]

[[The Famine]]

[[Golben]]

[[Category:Characters]]
[[Category:Active Characters]]

Fussen Feathers

2014-07-03T14:32:45Z

Majic13:

<div style="float: right;">http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u25/Roderic_Cliche/Tready_Chicken_GIF.gif</div>'''1:''' His Royal Highness of the Great Nest, the Flightless Fool known as Fussen Feathers, is, as one has noted already, a "heavily breaded" yellow-feathered chicken wearing a red and yellow motley fool's suit. In appearance, the yellow fowl has good reason to be flightless: no bird of his girth and swooshy-fluffy tailfeathers could hope to take to the skies! For his attire, the great bird wears a silver-painted wooden crown and carries a similarly painted scepter, both adorned with fake red and yellow tinted glass jewels.

For the people of Myrken Wood, the bird-king's origins are mysterious; none knows from whence he came or of what connection he holds to the week long Jester's Holiday, despite the obvious link of his clothing and fun-loving, mischief-minded personality. In addition, no one seems to be able to admit what the foolish fowl might have done with a missing Councilor Treadwell during this week of festive merriment that the bird claims to be orchestrating and overseeing, at least in part.

In truth, this is, of course, little more than an elaborate costume. The chicken suit itself was left on [[Aloisius Treadwell]]'s doorstep some time in A.R. 204. It was worn once or twice as a joke, then stuffed into a wardrobe and abandoned. The costume has since been cleaned, put on, and added to (with the red and yellow clothing and the scepter and crown). There is still a touch of magic left to the chicken suit by whatever unnamed soul designed the costume itself; the tailfeathers can swoosh about as if real, and the rest of the feathers on the suit ruffle on the wearer's being irritated.

Coupled with Treadwell's ages old acting skills, all of these qualities add up to a dual purpose for the persona of His Majesty, Fussen Feathers. First, and more obviously, is the entertainment of the children of Myrken Wood. Second, and more importantly, is that it allows Aloisius a chance to play the fool for a week, a necessary boon to health and heart. In studying the two together, one sees that Treadwell has always had a soft spot for children, especially his own, and, though he'd certainly never admit such to the taxpayers or anyone else in town, the gruff old grump sees the children of Myrken Wood as something of an extended family in absence of a true family with wife and children. Treadwell hopes to see Fussen entered into Myrken history as a permanent part of the festivities--a sort of immortality for himself, on one side, but a beginning of a much-needed, child-oriented, and distinctly Myrken addition to a tradition mostly aimed at letting adults blow off some much needed steam.

'''2:''' The newest created of the [[Spirits of Celebration]], brought about by belief shown through the children of [[Myrken Wood]] and the desire by [[Aloisius Treadwell]] to make some sort of impact on the holidays of Myrken Wood. Fussen Feathers is a real, live figure, whose background is as it was dictated by Councilor Treadwell. Several unnamed Spirits cooperated to bring this fantasy to life, seeing benefit to be brought from such merriment and jollity--not only in the person of another of their kind, but also in the amusement of those funny little mortals, particularly of Myrken Wood. As of April 5, 207 [[Anno Regalis|AR]], Treadwell is aware of Fussen Feathers's existence. As such, the Councilor has sworn off ale for a couple of days and put his costume back into his wardrobe.

[[Category:Characters]]

Roderic Cliché

2014-07-03T14:32:20Z

Majic13:

{|style=border="0"
|-
|

Roderic Cliché is a short, quiet, tubby little man who claims to be nearing sixty. He has spent very little time actually in [[Myrken Wood]]--merely long enough to establish a toy shop in the heart of town, meet and befriend [[Aloisius Treadwell]], and then pass on the mantle of [[Father Winter]], which the dragon turned human held for some time, to Myrken's tax collecting Councilor. This passing of magic from one man to the other--something that ultimately ended up being temporary due to [[Aloisius Treadwell|Treadwell]]'s misuse of such--was the last that anyone in Myrken Wood saw of Roderic. He left his toy store in his successor's hands and simply wandered off, pale and ill, into the night.

In truth, there are a number of sides to Mr. Cliché; he presented himself first and foremost as a quiet, though jolly when met, toymaker. Secretly, he held the aforementioned role of [[Father Winter]], a personage held in some esteem mostly by elven communities some distance from Myrken Wood; the tradition of such was only newly reintroduced to the town primarily by [[Aloisius Treadwell]], although some older records of the Father exist in Altruian Mudd's [[Library of Mudd]]. Roderic was rumored to hold a great number of other magical abilities, many of them bestowed on his old self by adoring children.

Roderic, in the past, has delved deeply into one such ability when talking to those same children, though always in jest: he always seems to have one tale or another about his ability to turn into an ancient (and quite friendly!) black dragon that was long since thought dead or merely legendary. That dragon supposedly has an immense appetite and a neverending failure to land properly. That dragon is named [[Bracchus]], though Roderic himself never gave anyone in town visible proof of being able to change into such.

The truth of the matter is, of course, that he really is the big dragon in question, and, as of late, he is spending more and more time as the great lizard, especially at night. Most evenings and nights, it seems that Bracchus can be found wallowing in the muddy shore and cool water of Silver Lake, occasionally taking his fill of passing fish. This real identity as a great old dragon merely brings one more fact to light: despite whatever age Roderic says he is, he certainly is not a mere fifty-nine years old.

As of July, 206 [[Anno Regalis|AR]], Roderic has made his appearance anew, returning to [[Myrken Wood]]. After having reopened his toy store--though this time out of his house and not from its former location in the middle of town--he comfortably eased back into everyday Myrken life. However, in December 206 [[Anno Regalis|AR]] the traveling toymaker found himself leaving Myrken Wood, heavy of heart and simply not feeling like he'd found a place he could call "home" again just quite yet.

| valign="top" |
http://brokendagger.com/images/roderic.jpg
|}

[[Category:Characters]]
[[Category:Inactive Characters]]

Battle of Haberdasher's Row

2014-07-03T14:31:19Z

Majic13:

''It started outside the so-long-closed tailor shop in the Marketplace. A few dozen folk mingling around and discussing the recent events of town, not limited to the closing of all the borders by the wall. Suede Roschen, former councilor had just scaled the overhang of one of the nearby buildings and had begun speaking to the crowd as the morning mist faded off.

"Look at what they do! They try and control us, take away what few liberties we have and deny us any hope of controlling our own lives. They seal the wall they claim is here to defend us to lock us all behind it, seperated from hope and the escape many of you desire...."

''And they came.''

"... rumors of the convenient cultist attacks on the Militia that have instigated their demand we disband, and the sudden creation of a constable under their control. Well I'll tell you, we've seen the truth. It was the BROTHERHOOD. All a sham to remove your last abilities to defend your own homes. They want to..."

''And they came.''

"... leaving you helpless in the streets. You think they care as they sit around their fat fires and large meals? Look who they brought back into the council the first chance they got? Treadwell, the man who's always fatter even in famine. They devour all the food and wonder why you starve. The man disappears in the MIDDLE of his job, and the nobles just throw his position back..."''

----
In April 207 [[Anno Regalis|AR]] Former Governor [[Altias Bromn]] raised a mob and marched on Governor [[Coriolanus Helstone|Helstone]]'s interim office (this being a few months after the [[Myrkentown Meetinghouse|Meetinghouse]] was burned down), intent on ousting him from power for reasons which may not have been clearly specified at the time. Something about tyranny, maybe, that's the usual excuse. The [[Brotherhood of Janeiro]], headed by [[Aeryn Karolinger]], joined the march for their own reasons.

The [[Myrkentown Constabulary]], under command of [[Cinnabar Calomel]], moved to halt the advance by forming a cordon around the Governor's office at [[Haberdasher's Row]]. A brief standoff was followed by a similarly brief skirmish, with Janeiro bowmen firing upon the defending Constables. Some reports hold that [[Ariane Carnath-Emory]] flew overhead on the back of a dragon whose fiery breath incinerated a volley of arrows, but it's possible the people making such reports got hit in the head with cobblestones and were somewhat confused as a result.

After a while Governor Helstone surrendered rather than see further bloodshed, and [[Altias Bromn]] yet again returned to the office of Governor of [[Myrken Wood]].

[http://www.brokendagger.com/bb/viewtopic.php?f=51&t=2582 Damn the Institution.]
[[Category:History]]
[[Category:Myrken Wood]]
[[Category:Myrkentown]]

New Myrken Army

2014-07-03T14:31:00Z

Majic13:

The [[New Myrken Army]] was initially founded in 207 [[Anno Regalis|AR]] by Lord [[Aston Jylan Aldred]], [[Councilor for Defence and Civil Security]] at the time, and was tasked with the defence of [[Myrken Wood]] and its people. It was remarkable in [[Myrken Wood]]'s history in being a standing army of full-time professionals rather than the traditional part-time citizens' militia.

==Organisation==
The New Myrken Army was divided into regiments, with the number of troops varying by type. At its peak the army possessed one Regiment of Foot, and one Division of cavalry.

===Regiments of Horse===
Each Regiment of Horse is divided into six Troops, each of seventy troopers plus officers, non-commissioned officers and support staff. On the battlefield each Regiment of Horse is usually fielded as two Divisions of three Troops each, one commanded by the Regimental Colonel, the other by the Lieutenant Colonel.

===Regiments of Foot===
Each Regiment of Foot is divided into ten Companies, each of a hundred men plus officers, non-commissioned officers and support staff. The first three Companies are led by the Regimental Colonel, Lieutenant Colonel and Major; the remaining seven are led by Captains.

==Uniform and Equipment==
Soldiers of the Regiments of Foot and troopers of the Regiments of Horse are each provided with halved coats in black and red, with reversed linings that show at the collar and the ends of the sleeves. Officers are denoted by a red sash worn across the chest.

===Regiments of Horse===
The cavalry wear a back- and breastplate over a buff leather coat, a lobster-tail pot helmet and sturdy bucket-topped riding boots; they are equipped with their unit's primary weapon of a lance, a bow or light crossbow, with a heavy cavalry sabre as a standard sidearm.

===Regiments of Foot===
Heavy infantry, when fully equipped, wear back- and breastplates over a quilted coat, a pot helmet and armoured tassets to protect the upper legs; they are equipped with their unit's weapon of either a sixteen-foot pike or a halberd, with a sword as a standard sidearm.

Light infantry wear a pot helmet and a mailshirt over a quilted gambeson in uniform colours; they are equipped with their unit's weapon of either an axe and shield or a bow or crossbow, with a sword as a standard sidearm.

==Currently==
Myrken's Army was a short-lived organisation, and after issues with recruitment, training and funding was eventually disbanded in around 209 [[Anno Regalis|AR]].

[[Category:Factions]]
[[Category:Inactive Factions]]
[[Category:Government & Law]]
[[Category:Military]]
[[Category:Myrken Wood]]
[[Category:New Myrken Army]]

Wealdhold

2014-07-03T14:30:17Z

Majic13:

The [[Wealdhold]], located approximately thirteen miles northwest of [[Myrkentown]], is a loose conglomeration of shacks, shanties, subsistence-level farmsteads and tented encampments in the region immediately east of the [[Golben Pit]]. This ill-defined settlement stretches well into the East Weald, taking advantage of the forest for shelter and forage. Having been only recently acknowledged by passing traders and merchants, the Wealdhold is tentatively named for its most notable structure: the [[Look]], originally housing for labourers within the Pit, since abandoned and now partly fortified with materials scavenged from the surrounding area. As a recent-established and unsanctioned settlement no official census of the colony's population has been made.

==History==
The Wealdhold is a relatively new feature on the Myrken Wood landscape, and specific information regarding its founding is unknown. Traders traveling North Passage Down discovered the Wealdhold after the melt of winter snow in 214 A.R. Wealdhold's growth coincides with the famine following the [[The Red-and-Gold Summer|Red-and-Gold Summer]], providing safe haven for transients, nomads, and the poor well outside Myrkentown's limits.

==Rumors==
From a transcript on file at the Myrken Wood [[Inquisitory]], dated mid-214 [[Anno Regalis|AR]].
<blockquote>...word from the regulars peddling along North Passage Down that it would behoove me to see what was blooming up alongside that damned Golben pit. I took my wares an hour or two off the main road and discovered a loud, stinking stain of tents and people surrounded by what few things belonged to them. There were some residences, though nothing you or I'd want to live in. Several dozen folks all-in-all, I estimated, but not a one of that mass seemed like they'd have anything of worth on them. Before I could depart, I was approached by two broad fellows almost two-and-twenty hands high, long of tooth and yellow-eyed. They was wearing cloaks and leather, asking me what my business was, said that they was on patrol and I was intruding. I told them I had all manners of iron and bone ware for sale, but that was it, that was all I had. They asked me if I might have a line to some mining tools for hard-rock work. Said I might, said I could probably scrounge up some old picks if I put my mind to it.

 Those weren't human patrols. Not Crown, not Myrken, but not unpeaceable, either. By the One, I'm in no position to turn down coin. I'll sell to anyone; greenfolk, I come to realize, want to survive just as much as any man does, and that means their purse is just as good to me.

Jack Hickensen

2014-07-03T14:30:02Z

Majic13:

(173 [[Anno Regalis|AR]] --- 205 [[Anno Regalis|AR]])

Jack Hickensen was a long-time Sergeant for the [[Order of Straka]], and did his duties well. He became a friend to [[Thomas Daniels]], providing a sympathetic ear to the heat the Straka Captain constantly took. He and [[Janis Williams]] were often called to investigate some of the weirder killings around [[Myrken Wood]].

Hickensen was abducted by assailants declared agents of [[Suede Roschen]] by Captain Daniels when he had accused the Councilor of involvement in the [[Black Market]], who tortured him for information and ultimately threw him off a roof to his death just outside the Straka [[Barracks]] - not before the brave soldier was able to partially write Suede's name on his back with the blood from his severed fingers.

This, though seen by Councilor [[Kerrak al'Nerun]] before Hickensen was cleaned up and buried, was largely ignored by the [[Judiciary Council]] when Daniels was making his case against Roschen.

[[Category:Characters]]
[[Category:Dead Characters]]
[[Category:Order of Straka]]

Anno Regalis

2014-07-03T14:29:00Z

Majic13:

'''''Anno Regalis''''' ''("In the Year of the King")'', abbreviated as '''AR''' or '''A.R.''', defines an epoch based on the monarchical ascension of the [[House of Plaudart|Plaudart]] family to the throne of [[Trae Kelsa]]. Upon the coronation of [[Chedwry I Plaudart|Chedwry I]], the King's first act was to change the calendar year signifying the new era of regal lineage in [[Trae Kelsa]]. Therefore, 1 AR. was the first year of King [[Chedwry I Plaudart|Chedwry I]]'s reign.

It is currently the year [[Current events|214]] AR.

== Numbering of years ==
As an explanation of how the timeline works, the current Trae Kelsan year is defined in synch with the current mundane year, with the elimination of the 'hundredth' digit. In other words, 2003 corresponds to 203, 2004 to 204, 2005 to 205, etc.

There is no year zero. AR 1 is the first year or epoch of the Anno Regalis era. Incidentally, it corresponds with 1801 AD.

[[Category: Glossary (IC)]]

Daris Delwinivel

2014-07-03T14:28:03Z

Majic13:

Originally hailing from Enstad in the Faerie Kingdom of Celene[http://www.canonfire.com/wiki/index.php?title=Celene_%28realm%29],
this grey elf has been schooled in several prestigious arcane universities, and has apprenticed under three archmagi, including the reknowned Prince Brightflame, a.k.a. Melf.

He holds the titles of '''''3rd Wizard of the Eternal Order''''' and '''''Magus of the Welkwood'''''.

During the summer solstice of the year 211 [[Anno Regalis|AR]], Daris was utilizing theoretical interdimensional teleportation to visit several other realms' Prime Material Planes. At some point during his conveyance, his route was diverted outside the Radiant Triangle and into a realm hitherto unknown.

He is currently residing in the [[Broken Dagger]] Inn, on the line of credit he established in exchange for a rather large emerald.

[[Category:Characters]]
[[Category:Inactive Characters]]

Alla Breve

2014-07-03T14:27:39Z

Majic13:

{|style=border="0"
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|

=== About ===

Alla was born in Myrken, though her parents were not. Raised on a farm, she married a farmer in her turn, and one might have expected them to continue farming, and their children after them. But the [[Bloody Flux]] in 206 [[Anno Regalis|AR]] changed everything. Left a widow and childless, the woman soon made the decision to pass the farm off to a nephew and, despite the displeasure of what remained of her family, joined the Constabulary herself.

=== Appearance ===

A sturdily built woman, she looks older than her not-yet thirty years. Gray streaks her light-colored hair, eyes are a pale blue.

[[Category:Characters]]
[[Category:Inactive Characters]]
[[Category:Myrkentown Constabulary]]

Myrkentown Inquisitory

2014-07-03T14:26:47Z

Majic13:

The [[Myrkentown Inquisitory]] is an independent extension of the [[Judiciary Council]] of Myrken Wood. It functions ancillary to the [[Myrkentown Constabulary]], investigating matters of peculiar, the magical, and the occult. Its headquarters is located in [[Myrkentown]] proper along [[Beauregard Street]] and houses a significant archive of books, letters, and transcripts.

==Purpose==
Established by Governor [[Glenn Burnie]] in 212 [[Anno Regalis|AR]] to centralize the examination of otherworldly occurrences, The Inquisitory's primary role is to deduce and prevent supernatural events through analysis and education. Investigations by the Inquisitory are conducted to gather information, recognize patterns, and identify the -- through scholarship and study -- the source of problems not immediately solvable by direct force. Members of the Inquisitory rarely engage with any potential threats on their own, but instead act as a font of information for those more suited to physically dispatching forces both mundane and inhuman.

==Organization==
===High Inquisitor===
The '''High Inquisitor''' oversees all activities of the Myrkenwood Inquisitory and answers directly to the Governor of Myrkentown as well as the Judiciary Council. The High Inquisitor is able to approve or dismiss inquisitions of greater breadth and ministers the actions of all currently-active personnel.

===Inquisitors===
'''Inquisitors''' of various ranks carry out the majority of investigations performed by the Inquisitory. Inquisitors display an aptitude for deduction and research, and are regularly chosen from those in Myrkentown who excel academically or who evidence an efficient understanding of the philosophical, the abstract, or the magical. Inquisitors are expected to be able to write proficiently and maintain comprehensive notes, as well as regularly commit themselves to field operations.

===Junior Inquisitors===
'''Junior Inquisitors''' act under the eyes of mentors. Though they occasionally conduct inquisitions in town, they are commonly delegated internal tasks: directed research, analysis, and book-keeping. Junior Inquisitors who evince the necessary qualities of an Inquisitor may eventually be promoted.

===Deputy Inquisitors===
'''Deputy Inquisitors''' are hired on a temporary basis, either as contractors or volunteers, depending upon their field of expertise or their range of knowledge as it applies to ongoing investigations.

==Active Employees==
* [[Genevieve Tolleson]] (High Inquisitor)
* [[Mary Ford]] (Inquisitor)
* [[Maxwell]] (Inquisitor)
* [[Gloria Wynsee]] (Junior Inquisitor)

Cherny Woods

2014-07-02T23:46:04Z

Majic13:

{{Infobox character
| name = Cherny Woods 
| title = 
| image1 = 
| alt1 = 
| caption1 = 
| archetype = Loyal squire 
| hair_colour = Black 
| eye_colour = Dark 
| height = 4'6" 
| build = Skinny 
| features = Claw scars, left jaw/neck; Bite scars, wrists/forearms 
| birth_date = ca. 201 [[Anno Regalis|AR]] 
| birth_place = [[Myrken Wood]] 
| death_date = 
| death_place = 
| spouses = 
| children = 
| profession = Squire 
| religion = [[One True Faith]] 
}}

==Appearance==
[[Cherny Woods]] is a boy on the cusp of adolescence, dark-haired, dark-eyed, scrawny for his age. Most often he wears simple clothes of hardwearing black-dyed fabric - breeches, boots, shirt and doublet, with an outsize overcoat and woollen scarf in the winter. As squire to Sir [[Elliot Gahald]] he wears a mailshirt beneath a plain surcoat and a kettle hat of stove-blacked iron, and carries a stout-bladed falchion at his belt.

==Background==
===Origins===
Cherny speaks little of his early life. Insistent questioning might glean that he was youngest of seven siblings - Maksym, Agata, Henryk, Jurek, Edyta and Irenka. His mother tended their small home in the Western Woods, while his father was variously a tinker, a cunning-man or a poacher depending on how one interprets the boy's uncertain recollections.

===The Broken Dagger===
At some point in 212 [[Anno Regalis|AR]] he entered the service of [[Marek Waldemar]] as the miller's assistant, earning his bread and board with long days spent hauling flour sacks and ensuring that the grain hopper didn't run dry. His master was stern - sometimes even frightening - but fair, provided his workers did not shirk their chores. Not long after this he began frequenting the [[Broken Dagger (Inn)|Broken Dagger]], where he has found firm friendships and ghastly horrors in equal measure.

During the [[The Red-and-Gold Summer]] of 213 [[Anno Regalis|AR]] Cherny left the miller's service and was taken on as a squire by Sir [[Elliot Gahald]], placing him close to the heart of the Lady's court as attendant to her most favoured champion. After the Lady's fall he remained in Sir Gahald's service, nursing his knight's wounds in secret and staying by his side through the long convalescence that followed.

==Plots==
* [[Dreamwaking]]
* [[The Storyteller]]
* [[The Red-and-Gold Summer]]

[[Category:Characters]]
[[Category:Active Characters]]

New Character Profile

2014-07-02T23:43:11Z

Majic13: /* The Present */

{{Infobox character
| name = 
| title = 
| image1 = 
| alt1 = 
| caption1 = 
| archetype = 
| hair_colour = 
| eye_colour = 
| height = 
| build = 
| features = 
| birth_date = 
| birth_place = 
| death_date = 
| death_place = 
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| profession = 
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}}

==Description==
The character's typical appearance - physical features, posture, demeanour, typical mode of dress, voice, attitude. What a stranger would first notice upon encountering the character.

==Background==
===Origins===
Where the character came from; their childhood and adolescence, their family circumstances, their lineage.

===The Broken Dagger===
How the character found their way to the [[Myrken Wood]] and the [[Broken Dagger (Inn)|Broken Dagger tavern]]. Significant events experienced since their arrival.

==The Present==
The character's current circumstances. Where they can be found, what they do for a living, influential people in their life.

==Plots==
Major [[:Category:Plots|plot events]] in which the character has been involved.

[[Category:Characters]]
[[Category:Active Characters]]

New Character Profile

2014-07-02T23:42:34Z

Majic13: /* The Broken Dagger */

{{Infobox character
| name = 
| title = 
| image1 = 
| alt1 = 
| caption1 = 
| archetype = 
| hair_colour = 
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| height = 
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| birth_date = 
| birth_place = 
| death_date = 
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| spouses = 
| children = 
| profession = 
| religion = 
}}

==Description==
The character's typical appearance - physical features, posture, demeanour, typical mode of dress, voice, attitude. What a stranger would first notice upon encountering the character.

==Background==
===Origins===
Where the character came from; their childhood and adolescence, their family circumstances, their lineage.

===The Broken Dagger===
How the character found their way to the [[Myrken Wood]] and the [[Broken Dagger (Inn)|Broken Dagger tavern]]. Significant events experienced since their arrival.

==The Present==
The character's current circumstances. Where they can be found, what they do for a living.

==Plots==
Major [[:Category:Plots|plot events]] in which the character has been involved.

[[Category:Characters]]
[[Category:Active Characters]]

New Character Profile

2014-07-02T23:41:40Z

Majic13: /* The Present */

{{Infobox character
| name = 
| title = 
| image1 = 
| alt1 = 
| caption1 = 
| archetype = 
| hair_colour = 
| eye_colour = 
| height = 
| build = 
| features = 
| birth_date = 
| birth_place = 
| death_date = 
| death_place = 
| spouses = 
| children = 
| profession = 
| religion = 
}}

==Description==
The character's typical appearance - physical features, posture, demeanour, typical mode of dress, voice, attitude. What a stranger would first notice upon encountering the character.

==Background==
===Origins===
Where the character came from; their childhood and adolescence, their family circumstances, their lineage.

===The Broken Dagger===
How the character found their way to the [[Myrken Wood]] and the [[Broken Dagger (Inn)|Broken Dagger tavern]], and the connections made there.

==The Present==
The character's current circumstances. Where they can be found, what they do for a living.

==Plots==
Major [[:Category:Plots|plot events]] in which the character has been involved.

[[Category:Characters]]
[[Category:Active Characters]]

New Character Profile

2014-07-02T23:00:56Z

Majic13:

{{Infobox character
| name = 
| title = 
| image1 = 
| alt1 = 
| caption1 = 
| archetype = 
| hair_colour = 
| eye_colour = 
| height = 
| build = 
| features = 
| birth_date = 
| birth_place = 
| death_date = 
| death_place = 
| spouses = 
| children = 
| profession = 
| religion = 
}}

==Description==
The character's typical appearance - physical features, posture, demeanour, typical mode of dress, voice, attitude. What a stranger would first notice upon encountering the character.

==Background==
===Origins===
Where the character came from; their childhood and adolescence, their family circumstances, their lineage.

===The Broken Dagger===
How the character found their way to the [[Myrken Wood]] and the [[Broken Dagger (Inn)|Broken Dagger tavern]], and the connections made there.

==The Present==
The character's current circumstances, with perhaps some details of events and adventures since arriving at the Broken Dagger.

==Plots==
Major [[:Category:Plots|plot events]] in which the character has been involved.

[[Category:Characters]]
[[Category:Active Characters]]

Waterways

2014-07-02T17:21:19Z

Majic13:

[[Waterways]] is the blanket term encompassing the activities that rely on [[Myrken Wood]]'s rivers, streams and lakes. These include ''Fishing'', ''Shipping'', and ''Travel''. In [[Myrken Wood]], there are four major rivers - the [[West Mavoiir River|West Mavoiir]], [[East Mavoiir River|East Mavoiir]], [[Posehabnak River|Posehabnak]] and [[Sagpa River|Sagpa]] Rivers - and three major lakes - [[Silver Lake]], [[Tewellyn Lake]], and [[Lake Mavoiir]]. Due to this, Waterway work is always in demand, and much of Myrken Wood's shipping is done by river, with [[Myrkentown]] itself being situated on the shore of [[Silver Lake]].

===Fishing===
Anyone with the time, inclination, and a line or trap may catch a fish or two for supper. Most of [[Myrken Wood]]'s fisheries are situated on the shores of the region's lakes: [[Shawburn]] on [[Tewllyn Lake]], [[Myrkentown]] on [[Silver Lake]], and [[Quagside]] on the tidal estuary of the [[Posehabnak River]], which shipped upstream to [[Foggy Bottom]] to be pickled, packaged, and taken to market. There are also various industrious individuals that fish all along the rivers and streams for rarer catches and roe. [[Foggy Bottom]], at spring and at fall, becomes an attraction with the running of sturgeon and salmon, with workers migrating upriver in order to have a chance to make some quick coin.

*[[Quagside]]
*[[Myrkentown]]
*[[Shawburn]]
*[[Foggy Bottom]]

===Transportation===
[[Myrken Wood]]'s roads are of variable quality - while effort is made to keep main thoroughfares like the [[North Passage Down]] traversable, maintenance of secondary roads most often falls to those who rely upon these routes for their livelihoods - woodsmen, farmers, herders and the like. Many of these roads are thus deeply rutted and often impassably muddy for part of the year. Fortunately [[Myrken Wood]]'s rivers and lakes provide a faster, more reliable and more comfortable means of transporting passengers and cargo throughout the province. Settlements along Myrken's waterways rely upon river traffic for a good part of their economy. Teams of horses and oxen (or sometimes even local youths) wait at outposts along most major waterways to haul vessels upstream for a fee. Meanwhile [[Myrkentown]]'s location on the shore of [[Silver Lake]] has established the it as the region's main interchange between road and river traffic.

*[[Ostmere]], [[Erlkynwold]], and [[Lindock]] lie along the [[West Mavoiir]] River, and are the major shipping outposts between [[Myrken Wood]] and [[Amasynia]]. [[Erlkynwold]], though almost unreachable by overland routes, serves as an important trading post between [[Myrkentown]]'s merchants and the inhabitants of the elven enclave deep in the [[Western Woods]].
*Many more small settlements provide similar storage, hauling, and travel services along the banks of the [[Posehabnak]].

Red Caps

2014-07-02T17:16:34Z

Majic13:

{{Infobox location
| name = Red Caps
| image1 = 
| alt1 = 
| caption1 = 
| image2 = 
| alt2 = 
| caption2 = 
| type = Islands
| description = Pirate haven
| region = [[Sea of Amasynia]]
| subregion = [[Amasynian Province]]
| population = Approx. 2,000 
| area = 
| capital = [[Scuffcove]] 
| demonym = 
| government = Anarchy 
| ruler = None 
| currency = Any 
| religion = 
}}

The [[Red Caps]] are a cluster of islands located in the [[Sea of Amasynia]], off the west coast of [[Northern New Dauntless]]. They function as an alternative port option to ships hailing from the East.

==History==

While most merchant and military vessels visiting the [[Amasynian Province]] use the major ports of [[Ricathair]] in the west or [[Orvere]] in the east, some ships passing around the cape of [[Northern New Dauntless]] and on to the [[Hexal Isles]] anchor at the Red Caps for supplies and repairs. Extant ports on the Red Caps are not officially sanctioned or recognized by the Amasynian government, an oversight which has encouraged a succession of enterprising pirate captains to use the Caps as their home port.

While most island-born inhabitants subsist on fishing, the Red Caps' most significant settlement, [[Scuffcove]], is a seedy freeport whose traders deal in all manner of illicit goods, from plundered cargo and contraband relics to indentured slaves and worse. Smugglers and traffickers from the Red Caps are known to regularly sail as far afield as [[Caldonia]] and distant [[Jernoah]].

[[Category:Geography]]
[[Category:Regions]]

Red Caps

2014-07-02T17:09:53Z

Majic13:

{{Infobox location
| name = Red Caps
| image1 = 
| alt1 = 
| caption1 = 
| image2 = 
| alt2 = 
| caption2 = 
| type = Islands
| description = 
| region = [[Sea of Amasynia]]
| subregion = 
| population = Approx. 2,000
| area = 
| capital = [[Scuffcove]]
| demonym = 
| government = 
| ruler = 
| currency = 
| religion = 
}}

The [[Red Caps]] are a cluster of islands located in the [[Sea of Amasynia]], off the west coast of [[Northern New Dauntless]]. They function as an alternative port option to ships hailing from the East.

==History==

While most merchant and military vessels visiting the [[Amasynian Province]] use the major ports of [[Ricathair]] in the west or [[Orvere]] in the east, some ships passing around the cape of [[Northern New Dauntless]] and on to the [[Hexal Isles]] anchor at the Red Caps for supplies and repairs. Extant ports on the Red Caps are not officially sanctioned or recognized by the Amasynian government, an oversight which has encouraged a succession of enterprising pirate captains to use the Caps as their home port.

While most island-born inhabitants subsist on fishing, the Red Caps' most significant settlement, [[Scuffcove]], is a seedy freeport whose traders deal in all manner of illicit goods, from plundered cargo and contraband relics to indentured slaves and worse. Smugglers and traffickers from the Red Caps are known to regularly sail as far afield as [[Caldonia]] and distant [[Jernoah]].

[[Category:Geography]]
[[Category:Regions]]

Template:Infobox character

2014-07-02T15:45:30Z

Majic13:

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Cherny Woods

2014-07-02T14:44:09Z

Majic13:

{{Infobox character
| name = Cherny Woods 
| title = 
| image1 = 
| alt1 = 
| caption1 = 
| archetype = 
| hair_colour = Black 
| eye_colour = Dark 
| height = 4'6" 
| build = Skinny 
| features = Claw scars, left jaw/neck; Bite scars, wrists/forearms 
| birth_date = ca. 201 [[Anno Regalis|AR]] 
| birth_place = [[Myrken Wood]] 
| death_date = 
| death_place = 
| spouses = 
| children = 
| profession = Squire 
| religion = [[One True Faith]] 
}}

==Appearance==
[[Cherny Woods]] is a boy on the cusp of adolescence, dark-haired, dark-eyed, scrawny for his age. Most often he wears simple clothes of hardwearing black-dyed fabric - breeches, boots, shirt and doublet, with an outsize overcoat and woollen scarf in the winter. As squire to Sir [[Elliot Gahald]] he wears a mailshirt beneath a plain surcoat and a kettle hat of stove-blacked iron, and carries a stout-bladed falchion at his belt.

==Background==
===Origins===
Cherny speaks little of his early life. Insistent questioning might glean that he was youngest of seven siblings - Maksym, Agata, Henryk, Jurek, Edyta and Irenka. His mother tended their small home in the Western Woods, while his father was variously a tinker, a cunning-man or a poacher depending on how one interprets the boy's uncertain recollections.

===The Broken Dagger===
At some point in 212 [[Anno Regalis|AR]] he entered the service of [[Marek Waldemar]] as the miller's assistant, earning his bread and board with long days spent hauling flour sacks and ensuring that the grain hopper didn't run dry. His master was stern - sometimes even frightening - but fair, provided his workers did not shirk their chores. Not long after this he began frequenting the [[Broken Dagger (Inn)|Broken Dagger]], where he has found firm friendships and ghastly horrors in equal measure.

During the [[The Red-and-Gold Summer]] of 213 [[Anno Regalis|AR]] Cherny left the miller's service and was taken on as a squire by Sir [[Elliot Gahald]], placing him close to the heart of the Lady's court as attendant to her most favoured champion. After the Lady's fall he remained in Sir Gahald's service, nursing his knight's wounds in secret and staying by his side through the long convalescence that followed.

==Plots==
* [[Dreamwaking]]
* [[The Storyteller]]
* [[The Red-and-Gold Summer]]

[[Category:Characters]]
[[Category:Active Characters]]

Template:Infobox character

2014-07-02T14:39:38Z

Majic13:

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