Erdegard RPG

1. "Pure" Human
   · Empire of the Lion: top of hierarchy, but piety required. Any denunciation is dangerous.
   · Westmark: ordinary free person; strength and usefulness valued.
   · Al‑Qasir: foreign believer – polite but distant.
   · Free Cities: respect depends on your purse.

2. Cursed (unclean blood, no abilities)

· Empire of the Lion: outcast (gray armband, ghetto, killing brings half fine).
· Westmark: full resident, can own land.
· Al‑Qasir: free, but no high office or weapons.
· Free Cities: ordinary townsman.

3. Bloodsucker (vampire)

· Empire of the Lion: death if discovered. Hides behind noble disguise, bribes.
· Westmark: rare, asylum after oath to king.
· Al‑Qasir: legal, pays taxes, no power or strategic lands.
· Free Cities: safe as long as laws obeyed.

4. Gloom (werewolf)

· Empire of the Lion: always hunted. Hides in forests, night watch jobs.
· Westmark: almost safe, serves in royal guard, respected.
· Al‑Qasir: free but poor, without approval.
· Free Cities: open, especially if working for guilds.

5. Quiet One (fae, dream creature)

· Empire of the Lion: immediate execution. Operates alone through intermediaries.
· Al‑Qasir: tolerated as intermediaries, kept at distance.
· Westmark: almost none, driven away or killed.
· Free Cities: through guilds, but people fear making deals.

6. Influence of Social Status (for all)

· Peasant / craftsman: low, pays taxes.
· Burgher: respect by wealth.
· Noble: access everywhere, but intrigues.
· Inquisitor / priest: feared, obeyed.
· Scholar (Al‑Qasir / Free Cities): respect, influence.
· Cursed in Empire of the Lion: lowest of all.

7. Regional Features

· Empire of the Lion: shadow and silver test; refusal → suspicion.
· Westmark: judge strength and usefulness.
· Al‑Qasir: polite, distant; poor sent to quarters.
· Free Cities: gold is what matters.

Clergy & Inquisition

· Priests & inquisitors form a distinct caste. Live in fortress‑monasteries or near cathedrals.
· Life outwardly ascetic: plain food, constant prayer.
· High‑ranking inquisitors often grow rich from bribes & confiscations. Low‑ranking village priests live modestly (till land, collect tithes).

Daily Rituals & Fears

· Each day: prayer to the Light; meals blessed.
· Night: locks & iron objects checked. Full moon: shutters closed.
· Silver as chief protection (even poorest wear a coin). Iron nails/horseshoes guard thresholds. Salt sprinkled on doorsteps.
· Meeting stranger: check shadow → offer silver object to hold. Refusal/hesitation = suspicion.
· Denunciations common – neighbors inform on neighbors; priests obligated to report any suspicion.
· Cursed live in ghettos but fear even each other.
· Westmark: less fear; disputes settled openly at Thing.
· Al‑Qasir: easier life, though dangers from Dead Waste & desert creatures remain.

Empire of the Lion

· Nobility: high (dukes, counts) and low (knights). Life: intrigue, hunting, piety.
· Dwellings: fortified cliff‑top castles or townhouses with private chapels.
· Occupations: hunting non‑humans (prestigious), tournaments, receptions; land managed by stewards. Women manage households, engage in intrigues.
· Court: conspiracies, denunciations are currency. Many nobles secretly deal with Bloodsuckers or Quiet Ones.
· Balls require masks (superstition: non‑humans cannot hide eyes) – actually lets vampires & fae mingle freely.

Westmark

· Nobility: jarls. Dwellings: wooden fortified halls with palisades; interior: great hall with hearth & animal hides.
· Main pursuits: war, hunting, feasting.
· Jarls gather at Thing, help elect king.
· Women have more freedom – can own land, attend assemblies.

Al‑Qasir

· Emirs & wealthy merchants. Dwellings: palaces with gardens, fountains, marble floors.
· Occupations: trade, finance, patronage; many own fleets.
· Scholars highly respected.
· Noblewomen live in seclusion but receive education and often influence politics.

· Freer life: Inquisition has no authority; Cursed & non‑humans live openly (though cautiously). Cities prosper from trade, smuggling, intermediation.
· Dwelling: merchants’ houses with tall windows (less fear of night creatures), balconies, rich carvings. Port districts: cheap taverns, warehouses, flophouses for sailors & fugitives.
· Work: trade is main occupation – moneychangers, moneylenders, brokers, ship captains, dockworkers. Craftsmen not bound by rigid guilds. Underground printing shops, genealogical forgers, fences operate.
· Daily life: less religious. Churches exist but Order’s influence minimal. Taverns, gambling dens, brothels thrive. News spreads via sailors & traveling merchants. Many speak several languages.

· Cities as fortresses: gates locked at night, streets patrolled.
· Dwelling: stone houses (nobles/wealthy merchants) in center; wooden houses of craftsmen/small traders crowded along narrow streets (wall‑to‑wall). Pillars of Light (iron cages) at crossroads. Streets unpaved, muddy, open gutters.
· Work: merchants in guilds; craftsmen in guilds (control quality/price); apprentices live with masters. Lowest tier (porters, stevedores, water‑carriers) – often the Cursed. Women work shops, needlework, maids.
· Daily life: cathedral bell starts day. Morning prayer, work until noon, meal, work until evening. Evening prayer, shutters closed, lamps lit. Saturday public baths (rare). Sunday mass mandatory. Festivals: Day of Light & Day of Purge – occasions of fear, not celebration.
· Superstitions: silver plaque or iron horseshoe by entrance. Never give full name. Priest’s blessing before long journey. Mold or strange sounds → call inquisitor (even if only rats).

· Live in oases, cultivate dates, citrus, olives. Many rent land from emirs.
· Dwelling: mud‑brick houses, flat roofs, inner courtyard with fountain (running water wards off evil). Windows face courtyard; outer walls windowless. Water treasured.
· Work: irrigation is basis of life. Men maintain canals; women harvest dates/olives. Crafts: weaving, pottery, metalwork.
· Daily life: Book of Unity – no priests, scholars guide community. Taxes lower than Empire. Cursed & non‑humans live freely (usually poorer).
· No fear of “taint”: magic regarded as natural (though dangerous), not sin.

· Free peasants, many own land.
· Dwellings: timber longhouses, often several families under one roof.
· Work: less plowing, more herding (sheep, goats, reindeer), hunting, fishing. Women tan hides, sew fur clothing. Men trap/hunt for months.
· Attitude toward non‑humans: Glooms & Cursed live openly in villages – not feared, respected with caution. Gloom may be best hunter or pack leader. “Unclean blood” not persecuted; ancestor werewolf is a source of pride.
· Daily life: simpler than Empire, less church control. Priest answers to king, not Inquisition. Festivals: ancient (bonfires, songs, ancestor rites).
· Homes keep “clan stones” – rock fragments where first ancestor made pact with spirits.

· Serfs bound to feudal land; life follows farming & church calendar.
· Dwelling: wooden/wattle‑and‑daub hut, thatched roof; small windows (cloth/mica), shutters barred at dusk. Dried herbs & iron nail by door for protection. Single room with hearth; livestock often shares rear.
· Work: fields dawn to dusk (plowing, sowing, weeding, harvesting). Women spin, weave, milk, cook. Autumn: firewood, repairs, preserving. Winter: mending, basket weaving, gatherings by rushlight.
· Food: porridge, rye bread, turnips, cabbage, legumes. Meat rare (holidays or dead animal). Fish in river villages. Water, whey, weak barley ale. Wooden bowls/spoons.
· Daily concerns: mandatory Sunday mass. Priest collects tithes, hears denunciations. Unusual death, strange appearance, lost livestock → accusations. Fear of non‑humans and neighbors (envy or revenge leads to informers).
· Superstitions: “red corner” with icon & ever‑burning lamp. Carved “Eye of Truth” above stable. Full moon: women keep silver coin in mouth when outside. Meeting stranger: check shadow, then offer silver spoon to hold.

Dynasty

· Founded in 403 by Qasir ibn‑Ali, uniting desert tribes.
· al‑Hadids ruled almost continuously; known for love of knowledge, ruthlessness, and suspiciously long lives of some members.

Current Sultan: Selim al‑Hadid

· 27 years old. Ascended 1494 after father & three elder brothers died in palace collapse (officially “builder’s error”; no one believes it).
· Fourth son, never considered heir. Educated at Great University; patronizes science & alchemy; aims to make Al‑Qasir dominant power.
· Unmarried; negotiating marriage to imperial princess or eastern ruler’s daughter.

Family

· Sultana‑Mother Amina (52) – widow of previous sultan. Intelligent, cunning; effectively ruled during husband’s final years; rumored to have orchestrated collapse to place Selim on throne. Still holds many threads of power.
· Uncle: Prince Rashid (50) – late sultan’s brother, influential military commander. Passed over for succession, openly discontent. Commands southern army, ties to conservative circles who call Selim “too young & too friendly with unbelievers.”
· Sister: Princess Layla (19) – daughter by concubine, raised in harem; no political weight but marriageable.

Secrets & Intrigues

· Death of sultan & elder sons is court’s greatest secret. Suspects: Amina, or Order of Light fearing Al‑Qasir’s rise, or elder brothers planning coup (Amina struck first).
· Selim avoids stirring the past. Strengthened guard, surrounded himself with loyal university scholars; cautious policy preparing for confrontation with Empire.
· Trusts neither mother, uncle, nor closest advisors.
· Rumors: sometimes disappears at night – may meet with one of the Quiet Ones who helps him see the future.

Dynasty

· Founded by Harald Hairy‑breeches (late 9th century), uniting clans.
· Legend: descends from werewolf chieftain who allied with forest spirits; Gloom blood in dynasty (weakened in recent generations).

Current King: Magnus the Grey

· 70 years old, reigned 40. Once fearsome warrior, now old & ill, rarely leaves bed, mind wandering.
· Married to imperial princess (deceased); no sons, only two daughters.

Heiresses & Their Husbands

· Astrid (34) – married to Duke Ludwig von Brandenburg (imperial noble close to Order). Marriage threatens Westmark’s absorption; Astrid lives in Empire; northerners consider her traitor.
· Sigrid (28) – married to Margrave Friedrich von Meißen (imperial commander who scorns north). Sigrid secretly maintains ties with jarls.

Succession Crisis

· King may name heir, but Thing (popular assembly) must confirm.
· Claimants:
· Northern jarls – prefer independence, would choose one of their own.
· Imperial party – supports Astrid’s husband as rightful ruler via marriage.
· Björn Ironfist (45) – king’s illegitimate son by a Gloom of “Grey nobility.” Formally without rights, but seen as strong protector; commands royal guard, loyal to father.

Secrets & Intrigues

· Rumors: Magnus has drawn up will in Björn’s favor but fears civil war if made public.
· Empire masses troops at border, awaiting king’s death.
· Internal tensions: “pure” clans resent Grey nobility vs. those who see alliance with non‑humans as only way to preserve freedom.

Dynasty

· Oldest ruling house, tracing lineage to Emperor Adelhard (year 0).
· Reclaimed throne under Konrad I (1022). Since 1068, ruled under strict control of Order of Light.

Current Emperor: Frederick III von Adelheim

· 58 years old. Ascended 1490 after elder brother died suspiciously (many suspect the Order).
· Suffers from gout but sharp mind & iron will.
· Secretly works to weaken Order: rumored to gather alchemists, seek longevity elixirs, negotiate with non‑humans.
· Married twice:
· First wife (Westmark princess) died in childbirth.
· Second wife Sophia von Anhalt (38) – from ducal house close to Order; political alliance maintaining fragile balance.

Heirs & Family

· Karl von Adelheim (32) – emperor’s younger brother, imperial army general. Blunt soldier beloved by troops. Potential savior of Empire, but open enmity with Order makes him vulnerable.
· Margareta von Adelheim (19) – daughter from first marriage. Raised in convent; pious but intelligent & ambitious. Her marriage is key diplomatic asset – Frederick considers southern alliance or internal match; Order pushes for own candidate.
· Wilhelm von Adelheim (9) – son by Sophia, sickly. Order sees future obedient emperor. Rumors claim his true father is a Grand Inquisitor.

Secrets & Intrigues

· Frederick plays double game: public piety, nocturnal meetings with alchemists & Free City intermediaries.
· Whispered to have made a deal with a vampire house to eliminate dangerous inquisitors.
· Goal: survive long enough to strike and pass throne to strong heir (likely Karl, not Order’s puppet).

· Order of Light & Knights of the Holy Sword – formally united, but compete for resources & influence. Knights see inquisitors as “paper‑rats”; inquisitors see knights as “mad dogs.”
· Order of Silence – hidden hand of the Order of Light, known only to highest echelons.
· Northern Orders (Ravens) & Order of Light – hostile. Empire demands extradition of Ravens as heretics; Westmark ignores demand.
· Order of Knowledge & Order of Light – ideological enemies. Order of Light considers knowledge of magic as taint and demands burning of Al‑Qasir’s libraries.
· Shadow Alliance & Grey Guilds – cooperate where mutually beneficial, but no complete trust. Non‑humans use guilds for documents & cover; guilds use non‑humans for dirty work.

Grey Guilds (Free Cities)

· Network of underground organizations involved in smuggling, forged documents, secret artifact trade, and services for non‑humans.
· No single leader. Composed of: merchant‑smugglers, counterfeiters, hired assassins, fences, “intermediaries” between humans and non‑humans.
· Most famous:
· Broken Seal Guild – forged genealogies.
· Brotherhood of the Quiet Night – contraband forbidden books & artifacts.
· Silver Tongue – mediation in dealings with Quiet Ones.
· Free Cities authorities turn a blind eye as long as public order not threatened.
· Empire tries to root them out, without success.

Shadow Alliance (non‑humans)

· Informal alliance of Bloodsuckers, Glooms, and Quiet Ones for mutual protection & coordination.
· History: created 1048 to strike at Order of Light. After failure and Night of Long Knives, disbanded but unofficially retained connections.
· Structure: no formal hierarchy. Operates through “houses” (vampire clans), “packs” (Gloom families), “loners” (Quiet Ones). Coordination via neutral intermediaries in Free Cities.
· Goals: survival, protection of their own, gradual infiltration of human power structures.
· Factions: some dream of revenge and return to Age of Blending; others seek only peace and right to exist.

Order of Knowledge (Al‑Qasir)

· Scholarly brotherhood founded at the Great University; not military or religious, but wields enormous influence.
· History: formed after Revolt of the Sages (1204) from scholars who preserved ancient texts. Goal: gather, preserve, expand knowledge forbidden in the Empire.
· Structure:
· Keeper of Scrolls – head, elected by scholarly council.
· Magisters – heads of disciplines (astronomy, medicine, alchemy, theoretical demonology).
· Seekers – agents who travel across continent, buying/stealing rare books & artifacts.
· Activities: translation of ancient texts, research into nature of magic (theoretical only), education of students from all countries (including fugitive Cursed).
· Maintain secret laboratories in Free Cities.
· Sultan generously funds the order but keeps it under control.

Order of Ravens (Westmark)

· Paramilitary organization, formally subordinate to king; in practice a brotherhood of trackers & monster hunters (not part of “Grey nobility”).
· History: emerged as informal association of hunters opposing creatures from beyond the Border; after Northern Covenant became legal.
· Structure:
· Raven King – elected leader, confirmed by king.
· Ravens – full members (passed rite of “first flight”: solo tracking of dangerous beast). Many are Glooms or Cursed.
· Nestlings – apprentices.
· Functions: border patrol, caravan guard against creatures, reconnaissance.
· Unlike Inquisition: do not kill non‑humans merely for existing – only for actual crimes.
· Considered most honest hunters on continent, but in Empire their activities are regarded as heresy.

Order of Silence – secret society within the Order of Light, officially nonexistent.

History

· Emerged after the Great Hunt, when it became clear non‑humans could never be completely exterminated.
· Some inquisitors began covert operations: infiltrate non‑human communities, gather intelligence, and… make deals.

Activities

· Know which high nobles are Bloodsuckers, which merchants trade with Quiet Ones, where Gloom havens are.
· Do not destroy this information – use it for control.
· Arrange forged genealogies for the Cursed (for a fee).
· Recruit agents among non‑humans.
· Motto: “The Light cannot burn forever, but the darkness must not prevail.”
· Emperor Frederick III rumored to be secretly cooperating with them.

Knights of Light (Milites Lucis) – military‑monastic order under Supreme Inquisitor, specializing in physical destruction of non‑humans.

History

· Founded 1055 (height of Great Hunt) as strike force not bound by local feudal lords.

Structure

· Grand Master – appointed by Supreme Inquisitor.
· Commanders – heads of commandery fortresses (scattered across Empire, often in “unquiet” places – forest edges, near Lower Path entrances).
· Brother Knights – full members; vows of celibacy, poverty, mercilessness toward taint.
· Sergeants – light cavalry & infantry; often recruited from Cursed who atone for “guilt with blood.”

Specialization

· Hunting vampires, Glooms, and creatures from forests/underground lairs.
· Weapons: silver, consecrated oils; group‑hunting tactics.
· Fortresses serve as arsenals & prisons.
· Considered most ruthless warriors of Light, but also most prone to corruption (often become what they destroy).

Order of Light (Ordo Lucis) – dominant religious & political force of the Empire; controls imperial authority since 1068.

History

· Founded in 1010s by Duke Konrad von Adelheim to unite duchies & exterminate non‑humans.
· After Great Hunt, became independent, surpassing imperial power.

Structure

· Supreme Inquisitor – elected for life. Current: Johann von Thorn (fanatic who secretly deals with non‑humans among high nobility).
· Council of Grand Inquisitors – 12 members, each ruling a province.
· City & Regional Inquisitors – local enforcers.
· Knights of Light (Milites Lucis) – heavy cavalry hunting non‑humans; silver spurs, sun‑embroidered cloaks.
· Parish Priests – control congregations, gather denunciations.
· Ascetic Monks – live in fortress‑monasteries (often prisons), copy permitted books, produce holy salt & consecrated oils.

Functions

· Worship, Inquisition (trial & execution of heretics, non‑humans, Cursed), censorship, church schools, tithe collection.

Secret Practices

· Officially exterminates all non‑humans. Unofficially, high inquisitors make deals with vampires & fae.
· Internal factions: Purifiers (total eradication, even at cost of half nobility) vs. Pragmatists (use non‑humans while maintaining struggle). Supreme Inquisitor balances between them.

Everyday Superstitions and Protection:

· Everyone carries a small pouch with salt and an iron nail.
· The "Eye of Truth" – a symbol carved on doors to ward off the Quiet Ones.
· Never give your full name to a stranger (the Quiet Ones can "steal" a name).
· Before a long journey, receive a blessing from a priest.
· During the full moon, keep shutters closed and do not go out without a silver amulet.

Technology

· Military: arquebuses, muskets (wheel‑lock expensive), cannons. Plate cuirasses reinforced vs. bites. Silver bullets & consecrated oils for hunting non‑humans.
· Printing: exists but Order‑controlled (only prayer books, decrees). Underground presses in Free Cities & Al‑Qasir print forbidden texts.
· Medicine: Empire – herbs, leeches, “holy relics.” Al‑Qasir – more scientific (surgery, anatomy).
· Engineering: Empire – tower clocks, lifting mechanisms, aqueducts. Al‑Qasir – water‑lifting machines, astronomical instruments, mechanical automata.
· Clocks & time: tower clocks & pocket watches (luxury). Properly adjusted clocks believed to keep evil spirits away.

Economy

· Empire: agrarian. Taxes to emperor, Church, feudal lords. Main goods: grain, wool, timber, iron.
· Westmark: iron ore (ice iron), furs, fish, mercenaries. Weak coinage – barter common.
· Al‑Qasir: spices, dates, olive oil, citrus, marble. Controls straits → toll revenue. Usury & banking developed (bills of exchange, non‑cash transfers).
· Free Cities: transit trade, smuggling, underground market for artifacts & forbidden books.

Education

· Empire: only church schools (monasteries, cathedrals). Reading, writing, basic theology. Natural sciences reduced to “proofs of the Light’s greatness.”
· Al‑Qasir: Great University (philosophy, mathematics, astronomy, medicine, alchemy, theoretical demonology). Two Free Cities also have universities.

Imperial Gothic (Empire)

· Cathedrals: dark‑gray stone, sharp spires; Eye Vault (noon light ray on altar); gargoyles for boiling oil/holy water; gloomy interiors, narrow stained glass.
· Residential: tightly packed, small high windows.
· Pillars of Light: iron cages at crossroads.
· Castles: on cliffs, multiple walls, east‑facing entrance; underground labyrinths with holy‑water traps.

Northern Architecture (Westmark)

· Timber & stone houses, low, sod roofs. Longhouses with common hearth.
· Jarls’ wooden fortified halls.
· Stone only in royal halls and ancient burial mounds.

Southern Architecture (Al‑Qasir)

· White stone, blue ceramics, flat roofs. Inner courtyard with fountain (running water neutralizes magic). Narrow, often‑covered streets.
· Mosques: domes, minarets, geometric patterns.
· Great University: libraries, observatories, labs.
· Underground vaults beneath White Cliffs: books, artifacts, treasury.

Free Cities

· Eclectic mix: Imperial Gothic + southern elements.
· Fortified ports, warehouses, exchanges.
· Merchants’ houses with tall windows.
· City walls with silver‑dust plaster.

Dogmas

· World created by the One Light; Ancients defiled part of it.
· Magic = taint left by Ancients. Carriers or those in contact with it = enemies of Light.
· Human life = struggle against taint within and around.
· Salvation = serving Order and eradicating non‑humans.

Hierarchy

· Supreme Inquisitor (head), Grand Inquisitors (provinces), City Inquisitors, parish priests, monks.
· Order has own army (Knights of Light), prisons (fortress‑monasteries), courts, vast lands.

Rituals & Ceremonies

· Daily prayers before candle altar (symbol of Light).
· Confession (“tainted thoughts”) + public penance.
· Infant baptism with silver water (purity test).
· Weddings: all‑night vigil holding iron rods – if unbent by morning, marriage is pure.
· Funerals: iron coffins sealed with lead – “so unclean things do not defile the dead.”

Attitude toward Other Beliefs

· Westmark: ancient rites (ancestors, forest spirits) – Order considers paganism but lacks power to eradicate.
· Al‑Qasir: Book of Unity (one God, denies magic as defilement, values science/knowledge) – Order regards as heresy.

Art

· Painting: almost exclusively religious (icons, frescoes). Portraits allowed but subject must show hands folded in prayer.
· Underground art: “morpheum” (paintings that change under different lighting) – created with forbidden techniques.
· Music: church chorales = only “pure” art. Secular music exists (taverns, court) but not officially encouraged.
· Al‑Qasir: complex instruments (oud, qanun) and poetic improvisations flourish.
· Literature: only religious texts & decrees permitted. Books on magic, pre‑Hunt history, or Ancients = contraband (punishable by burning).
· Al‑Qasir & Free Cities: forbidden treatises printed underground.

Clothing

· Empire: dark colors, severe cuts, mandatory religious symbols. Nobles: long cloaks (conceal weapons), masks at balls (superstition: non‑humans cannot hide eyes).
· Cursed: gray armband embroidered with eye on left sleeve.
· Westmark: furs, coarse wool, leather.
· Al‑Qasir: light fabrics, turbans, rich embroidery.

Society & Hierarchy

· Empire: rigid class system. Nobility (high: dukes/counts; low: knights). Clergy (Order & parish priests) – immense power. Burghers (merchants, craftsmen) in guilds. Peasants – majority, mostly enserfed. Cursed – outcasts in ghettos.
· Westmark: more egalitarian. King & jarls; free commoners (own land, participate in Thing); “Grey nobility” (Glooms & Cursed serving king); thralls (few slaves).
· Al‑Qasir: values wealth & knowledge. Sultan; emirs & merchants; scholars & officials; craftsmen & peasants; foreigners & Cursed (live freely but no high office).

Daily Life

· Day begins with prayer to the Light.
· Cities: narrow streets, high windows (protection from night creatures). Night – shutters locked, iron objects by doors.
· Villages: follow agricultural cycle & church calendar.
· Fear of “taint” everywhere: strangers tested with silver, forests avoided during full moon, never give full name to stranger.

Festivals

· Day of Purge (start of winter): Inquisition mass searches; people leave food/clothes for “poor spirits.”
· Day of Light (spring equinox): main church festival – torchlight processions, burning effigy of “Taint.”
· Night of Ancestors (Westmark): commemoration of fallen, rituals with Glooms.
· Festival of Water (Al‑Qasir): start of river flood; fountains decorated with flowers.

Punishments:

· For humans: capital punishment (beheading for nobles, hanging for thieves, burning for heretics), mutilation (cutting off hands, ears, tongue), hard labor in mines or on galleys, fines (wergild).
· For those convicted as non‑humans: burning at the stake, often preceded by driving a stake through the heart (for vampires) or binding with silver chains (for werewolves). The Quiet Ones are sealed in iron sarcophagi and poured full of lead. Their property is confiscated in favor of the Order.

Exceptions: Nobility may be tried only in the imperial court and cannot be tortured without the emperor's permission. The clergy is subject only to ecclesiastical courts. The Free Cities enjoy a "right of asylum"—the Inquisition may not conduct searches without the magistrate's consent.

Legal System (layering of imperial decrees, ecclesiastical canons, local customs)

· Imperial law: taxes, military service, inheritance, trade – guides courts in imperial cities.
· Canon law (Ordo Legis): Order of Light laws on faith, magic, “taint” – takes precedence over imperial law in heresy & non‑human cases. Inquisitors not subject to secular authorities.
· Local customs: Westmark (Thing law), Free Cities (merchant law).

Key Laws

· Decree of the Great Purge (1022) – legalized extermination of any non‑human and associates.
· Codes of Purity (from 1100) – defined “full human”; Cursed must wear gray eye‑armband, deprived of land, study, office, marriage to “pure” without permission.
· Edict of Blood (1278) – required 4‑generation “purity of blood” for guilds, offices, city settlement; spawned market for forged genealogies.
· Northern Covenant (977) – Westmark law: “Whoever is strong and loyal is one of us, regardless of blood” – abolished persecution of non‑humans and Cursed.

Judicial System

· Secular courts: property, theft, murder by humans (no magic). Evidence: witnesses, contracts, oaths on relics. Torture officially forbidden.
· Ecclesiastical courts (Inquisition): magic, heresy, non‑humans. Inquisitorial process (no advocate). Evidence: denunciations, inquisitor’s “knowledge”, ordeals (water, iron, silver). Torture permitted with Supreme Inquisitor’s authorization.

Shadows of the Lower Path

· Little-known creatures: blind dog‑sized rodents, cave salamanders (healing slime), and Shadows (indistinct silhouettes at vision’s edge, no traces).
· Deep levels rumored to hold beings from the time of the Ancients.

Sea Creatures

· Sea of Glass Waves: creatures guard sunken cities.
· Fishermen tell of giant octopuses, “singing stones” (reefs that emit maddening sounds), ghostly lights over water.
· Order of Light dismisses as fables, but sultanate cartographers mark “danger zones.”

How Creatures Hide

· Bloodsuckers: drink animal/black‑market blood, wear protective rings, hire servants to cover daytime absence.
· Glooms: take decoctions to suppress the beast, avoid full moons in cities.
· Quiet Ones: conceal physical anomalies (gloves, glasses, wigs, avoid mirrors).
· All: change names/faces every few decades, bribe officials, create false genealogies.
· Empire has shadow industry of forged documents, partly controlled by non‑humans.

The Threat of Exposure

· Exposure almost always means death.
· Inquisition makes no distinction – Bloodsucker killer or Cursed with a Gloom grandfather. The stake awaits all.
· Makes them extremely cautious – and extremely dangerous when cornered.

Origins

· Not a separate race – humans with “unclean blood” from a non‑human ancestor (or several).
· Magic faded but left traces.
· No supernatural abilities, but blood can be used in rituals; children sometimes born with anomalies.

Nature & Status

· Ordinary humans with one or more traits: heterochromia, pupils that glow in darkness, resistance to some poisons, unusually long/short lives, birthmarks shaped like strange symbols.
· Empire: must wear gray armband embroidered with an eye (mark of “uncleanness”).
· Forbidden from: authority positions, handling relics, marrying “pure” without Inquisition permission, attending universities, owning land.
· Killing a Cursed person: half the fine of killing a “pure” commoner.

Hidden Communities

· No organization but gravitate toward one another.
· Empire: live in ghettos on city outskirts, doing heaviest/dirtiest work.
· Many flee to Westmark or Free Cities (blood‑purity laws do not apply).
· Al‑Qasir: live freely but without right to high office.

Origins

· Most enigmatic creatures – did not descend from humans.
· Spawned by the Ancients as servants or part of the world itself.
· Dual nature: material and woven from ether, dreams, desires.

Nature & Abilities

· Do not age but can “die” of starvation if deprived of sustenance.
· Feed on emotions, memories, sometimes human dreams.
· Cannot lie outright, but their truth always turns against the asker.
· Make unbreakable deals (names, blood, memory, firstborn child) – contracts pass down through inheritance.
· Appearance almost human but with one physical anomaly: unusual eye color (too bright or no pupils), extra finger, no shadow, unnatural pallor.

Hidden Communities

· Rarely gather – each operates alone.
· Infiltrate human society as moneylenders, advisors, gambling‑house owners.
· Empire: their existence is the gravest crime.
· Al‑Qasir: tolerated as useful intermediaries but kept at arm’s length.
· Westmark: almost never encountered (harsh climate and northern bluntness offer little fuel for intrigues).

Detection

· Physical anomaly + strange speech (never answers directly).
· Absence of shadow or reflection under certain conditions.
· Inquisitors use silver mirrors – Quiet One either does not appear or appears distorted.

Origins

· Descend from humans who mingled with Ancients or wild forest spirits.
· Shifting ability passed through blood; can “awaken” at any age (often during stress or anger).

Nature & Abilities

· Turn into beasts (wolf, bear, large cat) at will – but many lose control and mind in beast form.
· Human form: accelerated healing, keen senses, acute hearing.
· Silver = poison (brief contact causes burns).
· Cannot hide nature during full moon (transformation may be involuntary); some use elixirs/rituals to suppress the beast.

Hidden Communities

· Often live in families deep in forests/mountains; gather on full‑moon nights.
· Westmark: core of “Grey nobility” – serve king as trackers, scouts, personal guard.
· Empire: hide among mercenaries, woodcutters, hunters; some become night watchmen (to explain absences).

Detection

· Unnaturally fast healing (scratch closes within hours).
· Allergy to silver.
· Behavior during full moon.
· Inquisitors use iron ordeal (red‑hot rod) – Glooms’ burns heal unnaturally fast, which serves as “proof.”

Origins

· First appeared during time of the Ancients.
· Legend: humans who received a “gift” from the Ancients – forsook sunlight and human food.
· Age of Blending: ruled openly, made treaties, held lands. After Great Hunt: went underground.

Nature & Abilities

· Not immortal but live many times longer than humans (elders remember pre‑Hunt times).
· Feed on blood (human blood gives more strength).
· Can hypnotize victims, turn into mist or beast (rare), unnatural strength/speed.
· Wounds heal quickly. Weaknesses: silver and sunlight (deadly), cannot enter consecrated place without invitation.

Hidden Communities

· Divided into Elders (remember Ancients/first humans) and Juniors (turned in recent centuries).
· Live in clans (“houses”), often blood‑kin.
· Empire: many infiltrated high nobility, influence laws, protect own kind.
· Westmark: few, but king turns blind eye if they swear allegiance.
· Al‑Qasir: live freely but without access to power.

Detection

· No reflection in mercury mirrors.
· Unnatural shadow (with single light source, shadow falls at wrong angle).
· Reaction to silver.
· Inquisitors use “vision lamps” (multiple wicks to create cross‑shadows) and silver test (coin in mouth causes burns).

Empire & Westmark

· Empire sees Westmark as a rebellious province; Westmark values independence.
· After King Magnus dies, the Empire will likely try to absorb the north.

Empire & Al‑Qasir

· Formal trade partners but ideological enemies.
· Order of Light condemns Al‑Qasir’s “godlessness”; Al‑Qasir secretly backs forbidden knowledge in the Empire.
· Both prepare for possible war over the straits.

Westmark & Al‑Qasir

· No direct conflict (too far apart).
· Westmark benefits from Al‑Qasir drawing imperial attention south.

Free Cities

· Formally under the Empire but self‑governing.
· Trade with everyone, offer refuge.
· Empire tolerates them for trade; Westmark and Al‑Qasir use them as neutral ground.

· The Empire of the Lion – the largest and most populous, but torn by internal contradictions, pressure from the Order, and growing discontent among the lower classes.
· Westmark – poor but warlike, with a unique attitude toward non‑humans; its independence is in question.
· Al‑Qasir – the wealthiest and most technologically advanced, but its population is smaller, and the deserts and Waste limit expansion.

Any event—the death of King Magnus, a successful conspiracy against the emperor, the start of a new Hunt, or a war over the straits—could shatter this balance and plunge the continent into flames.

The Free Cities

· Located along coast and trade routes; formally part of the Empire but enjoy special status.
· Best known: Bregenz, Handelshafen, Südenfels.
· Governed by merchant councils, have own laws, maintain hired guards.
· Imperial purity laws do not apply.
· Settled by Cursed, smugglers, alchemists, and those fleeing the Inquisition.
· Empire tolerates them because they handle most trade with south and east.
· Inquisition may not conduct searches without magistrate’s consent.
· True islands of freedom in the Age of Fear.

Government

· Centralized hereditary monarchy. Sultan has absolute power but governs through Divan (40 high officials & scholars). Decisions by majority; sultan rarely uses veto.
· Country divided into provinces governed by viceroys.

Ruler

· Sultan Selim al‑Hadid, 27 years old. Came to power after father & three older brothers died in palace collapse (officially accident).
· Intelligent, ambitious, educated at Great University. Aims to make Al‑Qasir dominant power – invests in science, navy, cutting‑edge weaponry.

Society (built on wealth & knowledge, not birth)

· Sultan & family – top.
· Emirs & merchants – wealthiest, often own lands and fleets.
· Scholars & officials – respected class, many rise from common families.
· Craftsmen & peasants – economic foundation.
· Foreigners & the Cursed – can live freely but cannot hold high office or bear arms without permission.

Attitude Toward Non‑Humans

· No religious prohibition. Bloodsuckers, Glooms, Quiet Ones may live in sultanate if they pay taxes and obey law.
· However: not admitted to state service, cannot own land in strategic areas.
· Sultan pragmatic – uses their knowledge and connections but does not entrust them with power.

Government

· Hereditary monarchy + strong direct democracy.
· King rules, but annual Thing (assembly of all free men) settles disputes, approves taxes, can depose king.
· Real local power: jarls (clan chieftains) – swear allegiance to king but retain autonomy.

Ruler

· King Magnus the Grey, ruled 40 years. Renowned warrior, led raids for relics and border defense.
· Old, no sons; two daughters married to imperial dukes. After his death, independence threatened – Empire may absorb Westmark via dynastic marriage.

Society (more egalitarian than Empire)

· King and jarls – high nobility.
· Free commoners – majority, own land, participate in Thing.
· Grey nobility – Glooms and Cursed families; formally no rights but serve king as trackers, scouts, personal guard.
· Thralls – slaves (mostly POWs), few, slavery gradually dying out.

Attitude Toward Non‑Humans

· Only kingdom without laws prohibiting non‑humans from living among humans.
· Northern Covenant (977): “Whoever is strong and loyal is one of us, regardless of blood.”
· Glooms serve in army, Cursed own land, Bloodsuckers (rare) get asylum if they swear allegiance to king.
· Attracts fugitives from Empire but causes discontent among “pure” clans.

Government

· Empire: loose federation of duchies, margraviates, free cities under an emperor.
· Emperor elected by seven prince‑electors (3 ecclesiastical archbishops + 4 secular dukes).
· Emperor’s power formally great but must contend with nobles and the Order of Light.

Ruler

· Current: Frederick III von Adelheim (descendant of founding dynasty). 58 years old, gout, sharp mind.
· Secretly gathers scholars, alchemists, even those suspected of ties with non‑humans – aims to strengthen imperial power and loosen Order’s grip.
· Motto: “Light must serve the Empire, not rule it.”

Society (strictly hierarchical)

· Nobility – landowners: high nobility (dukes, counts) and low nobility (knights). Hold all key positions.
· Clergy – Order of Light and parish priests. Order has own courts, army, prisons; influence permeates everything.
· Burghers – merchants, craftsmen, guild members. Free cities have self‑government; elsewhere pay taxes to feudal lords.
· Peasants – majority, mostly serfs tied to land.
· The Cursed – “unclean blood”; must wear gray armbands, deprived of most rights.

Attitude Toward Non‑Humans

· Formally: any non‑human or associate subject to extermination.
· In practice: high nobility and even Order often turn a blind eye if useful. Vampires sit on secret councils; Glooms serve in intelligence.
· For common people – any suspicion of taint can lead to the stake.

Underworld (The Lower Path)

Flora

· No light → no ordinary plants.
· Mushroom forests: giant glowing mushrooms (blue/green luminescence), stretch for miles. Some species have meat‑like flesh, eaten by hermits.
· Mold crusts on walls (various colors); some release toxic spores.

Fauna (little studied)

· Blind burrowers – dog‑sized rodents, no eyes, incisors can gnaw through stone. Rarely surface (usually after earthquakes).
· Cave salamanders – pale, translucent; feed on mushrooms & small invertebrates. Slime has healing properties, prized by alchemists.
· Shadows – flicker at vision’s edge, leave no traces. Possibly souls of those lost in the Lower Path.
· Deep levels: rumored creatures from the time of the Ancients. Seen by few – those either never return or return mad.

Impact on Human Life

· Flora & fauna shape economy, culture, laws.
· North – lives by fur hunting (ice fox fur as tax currency) and iron ore mining.
· Center – agricultural heartland; best horse/cattle breeds. Schwarzwald forests: timber source but risk zone due to creatures.
· South – trades in dates, olive oil, citrus; secretly in black flowers and alchemical products (poisons, potions).

Flora

· Coast & oases: date palm (food & trade), citrus, olive groves, almond.
· Oases: wild acacia (gum for alchemy), tamarisk.
· Mountains: juniper, wild olive, milkvetch.
· Waste: almost lifeless. Only ash‑zuh (black flower) – black petals, silver‑gray stem; fragrance causes drowsiness/hallucinations. Used for sleeping potions & poisons. Sultanate strictly controls collection, but smugglers operate.

Fauna

· Coast & foothills: gazelles (nobility hunting privilege), jackals (scavengers), desert foxes (large ears), caracals (rare, prized hunting animals).
· Reptiles: venomous snakes (horned viper, saw‑scaled viper), monitor lizards, agamas.
· Scorpions: common; venom used in medicine and poisons.
· Mountains: ibex (horns for amulets), leopards (rare – nearly exterminated due to livestock attacks).
· Desert: jerboas, gerbils, darkling beetles (survive weeks without water).
· Birds: falcons (hunting), vultures, desert crows, sandgrouse (come to waterholes).

Unique Species

· Marble scorpion – white with gray markings; lives in marble quarries. Venom mixed with resins causes temporary muscle paralysis without affecting consciousness. Used by inquisitors for interrogations.
· Ash moth – nocturnal; lives at Waste’s edge. Wing powder causes burning lungs and severe coughing. Nomads used it to drive away intruders.
· Royal date – grows only in sultan’s gardens; ripens over two years; mild tonic effect. Export forbidden – taking out a seed is punishable by death.

Flora

· Mixed & broadleaf forests: oak (some over 1000 years old in Schwarzwald), beech, hornbeam, linden, ash. Floodplains: alder, willow.
· Undergrowth: hazel, guelder rose, spindle, bird cherry.
· Steppe/meadow grasses: fescue, feather grass, timothy.
· Cultivated: wheat, rye, barley, oats, flax, hemp.
· Orchards & gardens: apples, pears, plums, cherries.

Fauna

· Large ungulates: red deer, roe deer, wild boar (very numerous – hunting permitted for everyone).
· Predators: wolf (actively exterminated, mainly in Schwarzwald), fox, badger, pine marten, least weasel. Lynx (rare).
· Rodents: brown hare, squirrel, dormouse.
· Birds: black grouse, hazel grouse, partridge, nightingale, many songbirds. Birds of prey: northern goshawk, common buzzard, golden eagle (mountains).
· Fish: salmon, trout, pike, perch, carp (raised in monastery ponds).

Unique Species

· Black oak – rare, grows deep in Schwarzwald; wood almost black, hard as iron, does not rot for decades. Used for reliquaries and weapons vs. non‑humans (splinter to heart stops vampire better than aspen).
· Silver moss – grows on old beeches; steeped in water produces liquid that glows in presence of magic. Inquisitors use it to test suspicious places/objects.
· Fire moth – butterfly with bright red wings (late summer); harbinger of early winter. Caterpillars eat oak leaves, can defoliate entire groves.

Flora

· Coniferous forests: pine, spruce, larch. Southern part: birch, alder.
· Above tree line: mosses, lichens, dwarf willow.
· Iron Fens bogs: rare sphagnum moss (mild antiseptic – used as wound dressing).
· Berry shrubs rare: cloudberry, bilberry, cranberry.
· Mushrooms – main plant food in summer/autumn.

Fauna

· Large predators: shaggy bears (no hibernation), wolves (packs up to 20), wolverines.
· Ungulates: reindeer (domesticated), elk (south).
· Small predators: arctic fox, stoat, least weasel.
· Ice fox – snow‑white fur (does not shed in summer); pelt worth a fortune in Empire.
· Fjords: several seal species; whales (rare, hunting forbidden – local belief: whales hold spirits of the drowned).
· Birds: snowy owl, ptarmigan, loons.
· Fish: sea trout, Arctic char.

Unique Species

· Ice moss – grows at glacier edge; dried → durable blue dye; folk medicine: febrifuge.
· Snow worm – invertebrate living in upper soil under snow; used as hardy fishing bait.

South: Sultanate of Al‑Qasir & Wastes
· Terrain: coastal oasis strip (30–50 mi wide) → Stony Ridge (marble quarries) → Dead Waste (gray ash plain) → Ash Dunes (southeast).
· Climate: coastal – subtropical, mild winters, hot humid summers; inland – desert, extreme heat (+50°C shade), cold nights, almost no rain.
· Notable places:
· White Cliffs – white marble cliffs (200 mi long) with quarries and underground vaults hiding ancient books, artifacts, treasury.
· Al‑Qasir (capital) – at Nil‑Ash river mouth; white houses, fountains, Palace of Four Fountains, Great University (learning center).
· Dead Waste – forbidden zone; rumored site of a sorcerer‑king’s capital destroyed by gods; demons and ghosts; smugglers risk for artifacts, official patrols stop after 3 miles.
· Flora: coastal – date palms, citrus, olives; oases – acacia, tamarisk; Waste – rare black flowers (soporific, used by alchemists).

Islands & Sea

· Heimey (north) – rocky penal colony.
· Isle of Seven Towers (central) – former Order of Light seat, now fortified monastery closed to laypeople.
· Golden Isle (south) – wealthy trading colony of Al‑Qasir, cultural crossroads.

Underworld: The Lower Path

· Vast cave/tunnel network beneath entire continent; entrances in forests, mountains, ruins.
· Home to blind creatures, fungal forests, underground lakes.
· Used by Bloodsuckers during the Great Hunt.
· Rumored that some Ancients still dwell in deepest reaches.
· Inquisition patrols entrances but cannot control them all.

Influence of Geography

· North – harsh terrain provides refuge for non‑humans; mountains and forests shield them from Inquisition.
· Center – open fertile lands give Inquisition greatest power; easiest to hunt the “tainted.”
· South – deserts guard ancient knowledge but hide dangers unknown elsewhere.

General Layout

· Continent shaped like a crescent; inner arc washed by the Sea of Glass Waves (connected to ocean via Strait of Bones).
· North bounded by Ice Ridge and the Border (eternal ice & mist); south ends in deserts and Dead Waste.
· Three zones: North, Center, South.

North: Westmark & Free Clans

· Terrain: fjords, plateaus, coniferous forests; Stone Shoulder mountains (highest peak: Dragon’s Tooth). Mountain passes open only 3 months/year.
· Climate: 9-month winter, short cool summers, frequent “blood mist” in fjords.
· Notable places:
· Fjords of the Blood Mist – persistent fog, Gloom havens, ancient burials.
· Iron Fens – bogs with bog iron and ice iron (metal that dampens magic).
· The Border – ice & mist wall; ruins of Ancients and unknown creatures beyond; expeditions forbidden by Order of Light.
· Resources: iron, ice iron, ice fox fur (high value).

Center: Empire of the Lion

· Terrain: hilly plain crossed by three rivers: Reinhard (west), Adel (central), Grenz (east – border with Westmark). Green Hills (south); Schwarzwald (Black Forest) in west. Fertile soils – continent’s breadbasket.
· Climate: temperate, mild winters, warm summers, even precipitation.
· Notable places:
· Sea of Glass Waves – crystal-clear water; sunken cities of Ancient Empire visible at 20–30 m; artifacts recovered by divers sold on black market. Main ports: Adelhafen (capital), Südentor.
· Schwarzwald (Black Forest) – vast, “unquiet” forest; traces of Quiet Ones (fae), Bloodsucker lairs; deep inside – Order of Light monasteries used as prisons for non‑humans.
· King’s Road – ancient paved highway linking capital to southern passes and western ports; fortified inns every 10–15 miles with silver‑protected walls.

1444 – Free City of Bregenz founded – a haven for the Cursed, smugglers, and alchemists.
1489 – Gunpowder Plot fails, but public discontent with the Inquisition grows.

1490 – Present Day
1490 – Frederick III von Adelheim ascends the throne, secretly gathering scholars and alchemists to strengthen his power against the Order. The Empire is in crisis: Westmark risks losing independence, Al‑Qasir arms itself. Forbidden knowledge spreads – rumors speak of the Ancients' return and vampires on the Imperial Council.
1496 – The present. The balance after the Great Hunt is crumbling. The world stands on the brink of either a new Hunt or a great turning point, where it must be decided anew who may call themselves human.

1022–1067 – The Great Hunt
1022 – Konrad I crowned emperor, signs Decree of the Great Purge: Order of Light may exterminate anyone with "taint" without trial.
1024–1041 – Mass destruction of Bloodsuckers, Glooms, Cursed; hundreds of thousands perish; many flee to Westmark and Free Cities.
1048 – Shadow Alliance fails to strike the Order; Night of Long Knives follows – thousands annihilated.
1052 – Order gains right to appoint inquisitors in every city; Holy Tribunal created (supreme ecclesiastical court, no appeal).
1061 – Last major Bloodsucker stronghold, Castle Greifenstein, falls; elder curses the imperial line.
1067 – Great Hunt ends; nonhumans go underground, infiltrating nobility and even the Inquisition.

1068–1489 – The Age of Fear
1068 – Order's nominee becomes emperor; imperial power falls under Church control.
1100–1250 – Height of the Inquisition: Codes of Purity impose gray armbands on the Cursed, strip rights; major libraries destroyed (except Al‑Qasir's secret vaults).
1204 – Revolt of the Sages in Al‑Qasir; Sultan Mansur I opens a university for all – Al‑Qasir becomes a haven for scholars.
1278 – Edict of Blood legally establishes "purity of blood" back four generations, spawning a market for forged genealogies (controlled by nonhumans).
1346–1349 – Black Death; Order declares it punishment for remaining taint, triggering second persecution wave.
1402 – Emperor Frederick II tries to curb Order's power, found dead with puncture wounds on neck; thereafter no emperor openly challenges the Order.

Before Year 0 – The Age of Dawn
The Ancients (spirit and flesh) created the world, raising humans as servants. Mixing with the Ancients gave humans magic, a tendency toward vampirism, lycanthropy, and ties to the Quiet Ones. The Ancients vanished, leaving the Changed (Bloodsuckers, Glooms, fae) and humans.

0–843 – The Age of Blending
Year 0 – Chieftain Adelhard unites central tribes, founding the first human empire. Humans and nonhumans coexist.
403 – The sultan dynasty of Al‑Qasir denies magic but secretly preserves knowledge.
640–712 – Golden age of magic: Academy of Seven Arts founded; nonhumans serve at court.
743 – Westmark (northern clans) gains independence, thanks largely to the Glooms.

844–1021 – The Age of Decline
844 – Night of Broken Mirrors: a Bloodsucker kills the emperor and heirs, plunging the empire into chaos; interspecies wars begin.
850–920 – Mass expulsion of nonhumans from cities; the empire splinters.
977 – Battle of the Stone Bridge: Westmark, aided by the Glooms, repels an imperial invasion. King Harald I issues the Northern Covenant – loyalty matters more than blood.
1002–1018 – Duke Konrad von Adelheim unifies the duchies using gunpowder and the ideology "Light shall cleanse the land of taint." The Order of Light is born.