Prophets of Donegal

[Sir Basil]

YEAR 10 Q. C. (quia conversio) OF OUR GODS OF ALL​

Ten years ago, the Lodainic Imperatrix Regina Deorum converted to the Church of All, and issued a demand that the people of Lodain - and indeed, all of Donegal - find guidance in the one true religion - The Worship of the Gods that are Many. Since her conversion, many have adopted the Church of All - including the current Imperatrix, Laurentia II. However, there is still opposition to the Church of All within Donegal. The mages in particular have taken a stance against the Church, as much of the Church's tenets demonize all forms of magic, from the widely accepted Pact Magic to the more infamous Spirit and Blood Magic. Since the conversion of Regine Deorum, the amount of vigilantes, taking the matters of the faith into their own hands had increased rapidly, resulting in the destruction of ancient holy sights, the burning of heretics, and the torture of those who consult with spirits of the Duinnoban - primarily, mages. Worse still, the Church has official advocates as well - the All-Swords that stalk the faithful and unfaithful regions of the world, the Change making them aberrant, but powerful - with a dogged desire to rid the world of any that oppose the Church of All.

For fear For their lives, the mages of the world have suggested that a Council is called, in order to attain consensus within the Church through an assembly representing all of the Gods Who Are Many's faithful. Laurentia II, desperate to escape the shadow of her mother's reign - agreed to the council, seeking to cement her legacy as a proponent of the Church, despite her other failures - such as losing the Southern half of the Lodainic empire, and her general public perception as an unambitious and lazy leader. She was not blind to the chaos erupting throughout Donegal, and the overwhelming possibility of a religion-charged civil war. Thus, she saw value in inviting delegates from every region of Donegal, from all-walks of life; provided that they had something to contribute to the council. Major invitees included the seer Malachi, the founder of the Church of All, his divine brother, The All-Voice and their All-Swords. A contingent of All-Seekers were called for, as well as members from the Druidic sects and Spirit-Worshipping groups. The Arch-mages of the world were also present - their personal investment in the establishment of a lenient Church evident to all.

The council was to be held on the holiday shared between the nature-worshipping Druids and Spirit-worshippers and the Church of All - The Sunsummit, at the height of Midsummer. The council was to be held within the lake-side Lodainic town of Vectis, close to the border with Igris, and on the other side of the Lake from Airmyn and Gaul. A proclamation calling people to the council was sent, along with the invitations for honored guests, throughout Donegal, within the clutches of riders and trusted envoys. The call went out at the start of spring, months ago, and now, the date of Sunsumitt was upon the people of Donegal. The great castle of Vectis, Lacus Arce, would serve as a meeting place for all the people in the world who mattered - and some that didn't - while a consensus was reached about how to prevent a civil war.

However, not everybody attending this meeting desired peace. Some of the delegates saw opportunity amongst the chaos - while those who did not receive invitations schemed to bring about the downfall of the empire from behind the walls of far away castles. And although they did not know it, The Lacus Arce council would bring about a great change in Donegal, and the balance of power would be forever altered…

WORLD INFORMATION

The island of Donegal is a rocky, small island with many great fields and forests, where mankind makes a simple living. The people of the world live in fear of spirits and demons from the realm of dreams, the Duinnoban, but receive comfort from them as well. They live in small towns and fortresses across the idyllic appearing landscape, and farm the rich soil. No man or woman of Donegal has ever traversed the Great Sea, and what lies beyond it is a mystery - if there is anything at all. The popular consensus is that the people of Donegal are entirely alone with their northern neighbors in Eireen Island - there is nowhere else in the world, beyond their small (approx. 88,745 sq miles) island. There are worlds beyond their own, however - filled with demons and spirits, but in this world, they are the only humans, and they must learn to live with that.

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[Sir Basil]

Religion & Powers


The Church of All​

The Church of All focuses on worship of the Gods Who Are Many- primordial spirits that have fused into one being. The Gods do not have a name, and are praised for their swarm like influence over the world. The Chruch of All was founded by the Seer - a Myrrish man from Tir Caredyr who was wracked with visions of ten Gods of All, and composed his visions into a many chaptered Holy Book, divided into (so far) 6 books. The Book is called the Book of Voices, referring to the many Voices that spoke to Malachi in his dreams.

The book teaches that in the beginning of the world, there was the land and the sea. The land was a beautiful maiden and he sea loved her dearly. From the seafoam that lapped on their shores came their son, Marvaanagh. Marvaanagh lived on his mother, and gave names to all the things living on her surface, true names. But he was not happy, because he was the only thing on the surface of his mother that could speak, and though his mother spoke to him,he longed for a peer. Against the wishes of his mother he gathered up sand from her beaches and mixed it with his blood. He spoke to the form he had molded, and called her Geinnee. She became his wife and from their love sprung a host of a dozen children, who had children of their own. These were spirits, the first of the world not human kind.One of the spirits was Finbar who lived with his brother and his brother's wife. He was accomplished in magic and arms, and he desired his brother's wife because he believed he was more worthy of her. One day he whisked his brother's wife away, running off to a far away castle. His brother was furious and rallied his friends against his brother. They waged war for centuries, until the surface of the earth bled and the sea went salty with tears. The son of Earth and Sea watched in horror as his children and grandchildren killed each other- until they had killed all of them. The surface of the Earth was now wounded and empty save for Geinnee and Marvaanagh who picked through the bodies of their children. They agreed that they could never let this happen again-the loss was too great. They made a pact to deal away this bloodstained world, away from their mother the Earth and their father the Sea, so they did not have to bear the weight of their sin- their dead children. They sealed away their dead children and their battlefield in memories and dreams; this was to be the Duinnoban, land of spirits and dreams.They left their mother the earth behind and their father the sea, fleeing across the surface of his ocean to some desolate patch of beach. This was to become Donegal. Geinnee and Marvaanagh fashioned a blade from the sky and stars, and they drove it into each other's hearts. Where their blood mingled with the sand, new beings spung- the Gods of All. This race of spirits we're given no names, since Geinnee and Marvaanagh were dead, but they were plagued with memories of another land and the beings that had lived on it, the Duinnoban. Troubled by these memories and wishing to put an end to them, the gods of All crafted 12 beings of starlight and sand, with wings of sunlight to travel across the sea and find the Duinnoban, and do battle with whatever lived there. These were the first angels.When the 12 reached the Duinnoban, the saw a horrible sight. The battlefield was crawling with half formed beings that had been birthed from the blood of Geinnee and Marvaanagh 's children and from the sun that had shone on them. Only one of these beings was perfectly formed, and his shape was a reflection of the 12's own - and he somehow had a name. He was called Bel. The 12 were shocked, and asked for names from this being. He named them all, and when he did they were stricken with free will. Six of the 12 desired to return to their Gods of All, while the other six preferred to stay with the one who had given them names. But he was born of blood and battle and wicked through and through. He corrupted the six that he named, and they became the seven evils of the world: Abraxus, the Lord of Deceit, Enoch, the Lord of Violence, Vrakesh, The Lord of Filth, Malconia, The Lord of Lust, Turagath, the Lord of Avarice, and Orobas, Lord of Apathy. Bel was their king and leader, the King of Kings - who embodied Pride. The six who returned to the Gods Who Are Many explained their situation and told them their new names. The Gods Who Are Many were furious that Bel had corrupted their angels simply by giving them names. They crafted another six angels to reform the 12, and bestowed them with names of their own design. They commanded their angels to go to the Duinnoban and cast out their fallen brothers . They would not kill them, because kinslaying was a sin, but they threw then from the Duinnoban into the Darkness of the Night Sky- the Void. There they have remained ever since, trying to manipulate the world to their own ends.The Gods Who Are Many refused to kill their children, but they needed a group of people who could kill this great threat to the world. From the sands of the Duinnoban, stained with the blood of the children of Geinnee and Marvaanagh and the wet clay of Donegal, they made a race , susceptible to the influence of evil but not of their blood, who had a sacred duty to do battle with the evils of the world. And they called this race mankind.

The Church of All is headed by an All-Voice, the son of Malachi, who refused to take a name, saying that he was merely a conduit for the Gods will, and that he spoke the language of the Gods. Beneath the All-Voice in the hierarchy are the All-Speakers, who serve as missionaries, after learning the Book of Voices by heart. The lay brothers and sisters of the church- the All-Brothers/Sisters- are beneath them. All-Brothers/Sisters who are put in charge of a specific chapel dedicated to the Church of All are commonly referred to as All-Fathers/Mothers, and enjoy a higher station that the All-Brothers and Sisters, and are generally the eldest and most experienced members of their chapel.

All Swords
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The All-Swords are the militant branch of the Church of All - and they have all undergone the Change, a mystery to even those within the church. The Change universally turned their eyes orange, and gave them skills necessary for hunting heretics and demons alike. There are currently five of them, one of each of the regions completely converted to the Church of All (Tir-Caredyr, Eboryr, Brigant, Eir-Vaygyr, and Lodain.) All of them are gifted at languages, and represent their nation with exceptional patriotism. They only answer to the All-Voice himself, and do not have to follow the usual rules and stipulations of the church. They are led by a Changed warrior named Salathiel, who reportedly is the only man in the world who has done battle with one of the Prime Evils. He deals with the day to day affairs of the All-Swords and provides guidance morally, spiritually, and often physically through their Change. All All-Swords were buried - if there were remains to bury - within the crypt in Tir Caredyr's grand temple - tombs that were specially carved and designed for each of them. Construction of the tomb began when they were appointed, and ended when they died. . No All-Sword had ever died of old age, not a single one. There were always boys and girls training to be All-Swords, boys and girls who would replace them when their time was finally up.

House of Hywern
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There is a specialized section of the church for the holy prostitute. When a young man or woman joins the church, the All-Father or All-Mother of the church, who are the present religious figures, determine whether or not the child would be better serving the Gods Who Are Many by serving the servants of the Gods. The children are evaluated on their personality and appearance by the All-Father and All-Mother, and then, are sent to the capital, Tir Carderyn. From there, the children are trained, from ages 13-16 in the arts of love, and seduction by the All-Matron or All-Patron, depending on who is the current teacher. At the age of 16, upon the completion of their training, the children are given the special title, All-Disciple. They are forever known by their first name, if they ever had a family name to begin with. There are only ever twenty All-Disciples, who are led by the All-Matron, Hywern herself. Ten of them are male, ten of them are female, and are deliberately selected to keep this balance. These sacred prostitutes live within the House of Hywern, so named for the All-Voice's personal concubine, Hywern. It is situated next to St. Rhamiel's Temple, and is crossed easily by the rose garden that grows between it and the church. To have access, however, one requires a special key, that one only obtains when reaching the rank of All-Speaker, All-Sword, or All-Voice. All-Disciples are well-cared for by the Church of the Gods Who Are Many. A large portion of collected tithes goes to their well-being and happiness. The All-Disciples are perpetually dressed immaculately, and it is expected that their patrons provide them with expensive gifts or tokens of affection in order to keep their affections. Free-lance whores that travel the streets are generally, slain by All-Swords who believe them to be devotees of the Prime Evil Malconia, the Lord of Lust. Such deaths are seen to be a normal result of consorting with demons. Public executions of adulterers and prostitutes have become quite common.

Seekers of Ecclesiastes​

These are the scribes and researchers of the Church of All. Many high lords and high ladies had Seekers at their sides, to act as advisors. They commonly work with All-Swords to combat threats to the Church of All. The All-Swords dealt with the demons and sinners alike, but Seekers provided the information needed to confront them. They were minds behind All-Sword muscle, and the two had sort of a sense of kinship between the two of them, the only ones in modern society who had been Changed. They are educated in a special college in Lodain, where they learn the secrets of the Book of Voices by the scribe Malachi - and then, they had their Change. Nobody knew what the Change was, but it made the Seeker's blood and eyes black. After a Seeker's blood turned black, they were set loose in the world, to research the locations that the prophet Malachi described, or to determine possible solutions to the extra planar troubles faced by Donegal.

The Enemy / The Namers​

The Enemy is the Church of All's name for the loose coalition of worshippers who adhere to their beliefs- but instead of adhering to the belief that the Gods of All have the interests of making at heart, the believe that Bel, and the other so-called "prime evils" represent the primal powers of humanity. They believe that although these aspects of mankind are not pretty, they are something that all of mankind experiences, and this provides a universal experience that ultimately unifies mankind as a whole. They believe that it is important to act on feelings- positive or negative, in order to move past the emotions, or even use then to further a greater good. The Namers represent all of the so-called sins, as they all lead to physical, mental, or emotional gratification.

The Namers pride themselves on the individuality of their membership. Central is the idea that an individual must enforce their own meaning on life and rise above the perceived conformity of the masses, and the Gatherings encourage strong-self esteem- believing that pride is what allows man to do great things. Thus, the prime evils are a balancing force to The Namers, and without the so-called sins, there would be no progress. The Namers suggest that they should instead internalize their gods and, therefore, worship themselves; hence the maxim, "I am my own god". Unlike the strict structure of the Church of All, The Namers are not well organized. They tend to form small, tightly knit cults (they call them Gatherings) headed by a priest or a priestess referred to as The Named One. The leader of these Gatherings is always a Mage- magic is respected as the truest form of freedom and is seen as Bel's gift to mankind, since e was the one who brought True Names back into the world. Blood magic is praised highly because unlike the other two forms of magic, that involve being a conduit for the power of a spirit, the Namers believe that the spirit is powered from the blood of the caster, making the caster the source of magic. Education is encouraged as well, but they believe that a member must take it into their own hands. The Gatherings have some aspect of meritocracy- but the Named One is the leader above all else.

The Duinnoban
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The Duinnoban is the land of spirits and dreams. Duinndomhan oss the place between places, the thing that kept the world of Men safe from demons and isolated from angels as well, the buffer zone between all worlds. And mortal Men went there when they slept, and could see only the flicker and fading of dreams that would shape the world to come - but when they awoke, even those flickers were lost. Supposedly, the Enemy made deals with the demons to peer through the veil, to channel the powers and see the true nature of things. It was dangerous, though, and it was easy for the Duinndomhan to send creatures and spirits to possess the dreamers, if the dreamers made themselves available.

Many people worship the spirits of the Duinnoban, believing that each aspect of the natural world mirrored in the Duinnoban has powerful magic that they extend to the waking world. In this belief system, they believe that all things have a soul, and a spirit - and that these spirits can be reasoned with. Every mountain, river, spring, marsh, tree and rocky outcrop is inspirited. Some spirits take on guardian roles, where others take on more wrathful ones. However, it can generally be agreed that no matter the role that they take, all spirits are exceptionally dangerous and should be taken with a grain of salt. Those that worship spirits believe that upon death, they are returned to the dirt of Donegal, and may return in another shape, depending on how they lived their human lives. The Duinnoban, as the physical region where people go during sleep, manifests as a seemingly endless battlefield, although the battle had long ended. Sometimes, aspects of the waking world - such as a familiar tree or ruin - can be seen through the orange haze and the smoke, but they often fade away. To those that are Changed, the Duinnoban only appears as this battlefield, but those who are normal, Unchanged, often see the battlefield transformed into something else. Spirit-worshippers often try to interpret these images, believing that the Spirits within the Duinnoban are attempting to alert them to something that will happen in the waking world.

Druidism​

An ancient religion primarily practiced in Gaul, Southern Igris, and Dornach. Although it shares many characteristics with the basic spirit-worship found throughout Donegal, there is one key difference; druids believe that all other spirits are inferior to the King and Queen of the Duinnoban; Ciarán of the Horns and his wife, Mara the Mother. Ciarán is always shown with either horns or antlers upon his head in the great rock carvings that litter Gaul, Igris and Dornarch, and he is associated with nature, wilderness, sexuality, hunting and the life cycle. He is in command of one of the two forces that govern all other spirits, and indeed, the entire world; time. He is a dual spirit with his wife, Mara, a fertility goddess who presides over planting and harvesting. She is also commonly associated with bodies of water, as opposed to her husbands forests. She is in charge of fate, according to the Druids, and determines "how the waters will hit the rocks."

The prevalence of caves and underground rivers within regions where Druidism was prominent led the Gaul's to believe that they were paths that had been carved by Ciarán to serve as a way for his wife to reach him from the sea, and that all rivers, lakes, and inland bodies of water came from the caves that he had constructed for her. Gauls call this network of caves "The Dark Road" or "The Old Road", and use it a way of ensuring that their dead reach their Gods - they scatter the ashes of their dead in the underground waterway, where it will hopefully drift off to reach its maker.

 

[Sir Basil]

Magic​

The Change​

Little is known about the Change that is used largely by the Church of All. it is an alchemical ritual with no true magic behind it, and it both psychological and physical in what is done to the subject. There are two major types, the Change of Domination and the Change of Preservation. No matter the type, all Changed People, when they enter the Duinnoban to dream, can see the region with perfect clarity, and see Spirits for what they really are. Thus, they are ignored by Spirits utterly and are not subject to their influence. For this reason, none of them can perform any kind of magic. Both rituals were performed unofficially prior to the institution of the Church of All, without the religious overtones. These men and women are referred to as "Recreants", and All-Swords hunt them above all else, although the desire to bring them into the fold of the Church is great.

The Change of Preservation​

This is the ritual performed on Seekers of Ecclesiastes. The major components involve an extensive reworking of the body, where the potential Changed patient is drained of all of their blood, and it is replaced with a thick, black fluid crafted from dog's blood, ginger, henbane, yarrow, and other ingredients that are known only to the Pain-Tasters that perform the ritual within the city of Abutetur Vulnerum in Northern Lodain. The transfusion takes place over the course of a month, and usually is performed upon six to twelve individuals at the time. Roughly a third survive the Change of Preservation.The results are not uniform, but some characteristics that are always the same include the change in blood and eye colour. The eyes are always darkened, sometimes with the entire iris being black, and the blood is similarly darkened. The natural pink places on the skin become grey or ashy. Their metabolism slows down to a crawl and their life-span extends unnaturally. Although it has not been documented well, it is supposed that a Changed person could live far more than a 100 years, but the ritual only came into common practice within the past 10 years, so its unknown what the results could be. However, some Recreants who have undergone the Change of Preservation have reportedly lived into their early 200s. Possible side effects of the Change of Preservation are generally related to the build up of fluids within the Seeker's body, due to poor circulation and a bad metabolic rate. There is often a change in facial features, including the thickening of the lips, tongue, and nostrils, as well as enlarged internal organs with results in a distended abdomen. Many Seeker's experience hair-loss, and many of them shave their heads in response to clumps of their hair falling out. They frequently have nose-bleeds.

The Change of Domination​

This is the ritual preformed on all All-Swords. The major components consist of bloodletting and indoctrination, as the memories of the All-Sword's life prior to their position within the church are wiped away, as well as memories of their family. Their faces are scarred by the men and women who preform the ritual - Pain-Tasters, as they're called. The are given some strange herbs and potions to eat and drink for the space of a year while subject to indoctrination and heavy religious education from the Church of All. It is known to be a very painful ritual.The results are not uniform, but some characteristics that are always the same include the change in eyecolour - all All-Swords have orange eyes. Their eyes are also primed for night vision, as a thin, mirror-like structure at the back of their eye helps reflect light that was not already absorbed by the eye back into the eye a second time. When lights are shown on the All-Swords in dim light, their eyes will reflect the light so brightly that it looks like they are glowing. As well, their metabolism speeds up, and their sex-drive also increases. Perhaps as a of their hyper-metabolism, those who undergo the Change of Domination have a greatly shortened life-span, only 40-50 years long. Although they do not show their age for most of their lives, the last five years of a Changed person's life involve their age rapidly catching up with them, leaving them decrepit and frail.Other possible effects are heightened senses, particularly the sense of smell, changes in hair color (usually a lightening), and resistance to the elements and harsh weather. Provided that they can keep up with the demands of their metabolisms, many Changed people find themselves no longer tiring, while still requiring sleep. Some side effects from a bad reaction to the Change are a permanent catabolic state, or the opposite, an anaerobic imbalance, with all of the side effects that entails.

True Magic​

Spirit​

A rarity amongst the magic world; a spirit mage's magical gifts are awakened when a spirit from the Duinnoban takes an interest in a child. The child is affected with unusual dreams, and during these dreams is offered a promise of power and respect by a spirit - either helpful or harmful - in exchange for some influence over the physical body of the child - melding with the child's personalty.
This is not a split personality, nor is the personality remarkably different save that the effect child, when in stressful situations, will be able to call upon magic to defend themselves, or to comfort themselves. With guidance, the child can call upon these powers at will by tapping into the feelings that the spirit they bonded with most responds to. A rarity amongst the magic world; a spirit mage's magical gifts are awakened when a spirit from the Duinnoban takes an interest in a child. The child is affected with unusual dreams, and during these dreams is offered a promise of power and respect by a spirit - either helpful or harmful - in exchange for some influence over the physical body of the child - melding with the child's personalty.Spirit mages tend to move to two extremes on a spectrum; either they wear their emotions on their sleeves, or they are very good at concealing and controlling their reactions, burying their true feelings underneath. They are a rarity amongst mages, and are viewed as dangerous and tempestuous - some believe that they are possessed by demons, and even prior to the institution of the Church of All, the Lodainic empire has viewed Spirit mages as anomalies who must be watched closely in order to control.

Pact​

A budding scholar may find the True Name of one of the Duinnoban's spirits, which they can then use to call the spirit. Often times, this Word is found within ancient texts kept by the Seekers of Ecclesiastes, within the grand northern libraries. These Words stem from the ancient, primordial language that the first beings on Donegal spoke. By speaking the Word, a spirit can be called, and the scholar can use the True Name to command the spirit. By commanding the spirit, the summoner can ask for the True Names of other things in the waking world ; allowing the caster dominance over them.The spirit called may not know many Words - generally, they know the true names of specific elements, or aspects of the natural world. By speaking these names, they call these elements or aspects into the world, out of seemingly thin air. Speaking the words can be taxing upon the caster, however, and prolonged speaking of True Names and Words can result in nausea, exhaustion, and pain; most pact-mages keep their magic for dire situations only.
Although their personalities are flexible, most pact-mages have a scholarly inclination, as that was what gave them their powers in the first place. Many are ambitious, and power-hungry for more Words, while others see the learning of Words and True Names to be a nearly sacred practice. They are the most common mages, and enjoy a lack of scrutiny from the outside.

Blood​

Like pact mages, blood mages call a spirit from the Duinnoban. However, rather than using a True Name, blood mages spill their blood - or the blood of another - to call the spirit. Depending on what blood was spilled, different spirits can be called. Generally, if it is the blood of the caster, the spirit called will relate to pain, self-sacrifice, or masochism, whereas if it is the blood of another, unwilling subject, the spirit called will relate to murder, betrayal, or violence; depending on the circumstances. The spirit, in exchange for a steady supply of blood, from either the caster or other sources, will lend them power.
Unlike spirit mages, blood mages do not permanently have a link with their spirit ally, the spirit will only lend their aid with the spilling of blood. Likewise, blood mages do not command the spirit as a pact mage does; the connection between a blood mage and their spirit is a business agreement, founded upon an exchange of goods for services. However, many blood mages masquerade as pact mages, or rarely as spirit mages, as blood mage is universally reviled, as the spirits called are usually dangerous, and more inclined towards destructive ends than the spirits bound to spirit mages. As well, the amount of blood needed to invoke the spirits' power increases with each request.
Blood mages have varied personalities, but many tend towards two extremes; ambitious, or desperate. Some people turn to blood magic because they believe it will help them in times of great stress and extremes, wheres others turn to blood magic because they desire power, and are too impatient to learn Words, and the time that they would have been chosen by a Spirit is long past. Blood mages are rare, as many believe the risks outweigh the rewards, and the illegality of blood magic is a deterrent. The Lodainic empire punishes blood mages with death by strangulation, or hanging - if the blood mage's blood is spilled, it is believed their spirit ally will do anything to protect its investment.

 

[Sir Basil]

PEOPLES

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Lodains​

Male Height (5'4''-6'4'') Female Height (5'8''-6'8'')​

Hair Colour: Very Light Brown to Pure White.
Eye Colour: Universally blue, although in many shades.
Skin Colour: Moravian Lodains have a more peach skin-tone, whereas Lodains from the Lodainic region are very pale.​

Civilized and imperial, Lodains are part of the fading Lodainic Empire; a matriarchal empire headed by an Imperatrix (Empress). Free-born men in Lodain are citizens (cives), but could not inherit property unless they were the sole heir, and their mother had no surviving sisters. Slavery is not uncommon within Lodain, and most wealthy families have at least one slave, usually of Igrisian descent. They have lavish lives, with many great public works and structures dominating their homeland - however, the current Imperatrix, Imperatrix Laurentia II , has not engaged in much building of her own, and the overall production of luxury goods and public works has come to a screeching halt. The empire is very much in decline, and beneath the fabulous exterior, the cracks are starting to show. The capital city of the empire in Northern Lodain, Moridunum Demetarum, remains rich with culture, and Lodains enjoy a quality of life otherwise unseen in Donegal. Most Lodains, following the Great Conversion of the Lodainic Imperatrix, Regina Deorum, have also converted to the Church of All, and follow its tenets strictly. The most numerous ethnicity in Donegal. Lodains are found most numerously within the province of Lodain, but also extend through Moravia, into Northern Dornach. During the height of the Lodainic Empire, their territory consisted of Lodain, Igris, Moravia, Airmyn, Gaul, Perth, and the Northern half of Dornarch. Their current Empire consisted of Moravia, Lodain, and Igris, following the unification of the Southern regions (Dornarch, Gaul, Perth, and Airmyn) against the Empire. The Empire has a tight grip on Moravia, due to their shared cultural background and homogenous population, but relations with their other colony, Igris, are much more strained. Lodains speak The Gods' Good Common, and Lodainic. They rarely to bother the languages of their colonies.

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Igrisians

Male Height (5'0-6'2'') Female Height (4'11-6'0'')
Hair Colour: Dark Brown to Light Red. Never blonde, never black. Most Igrisians grey prematurely. Many Igrisians wear their hair in a long, thick braid; it serves as a status symbol, with longer, thicker braids belonging to more powerful Igrisians. The style is seen in both men and women.
Eye Colour: Green, Hazel, Brown.
Skin Colour: Peach, in Northern Igris, light tan in Southern Igris and Northern Airmyn. Many Igrisians have freckles.​

Since the early days of the Lodainic Empire, Igris has been part of it, due to proximity more than anything else. However, they have a different sort of society than the structured and imperial Lodains. Prior to the colonization of Igris; Igrisians had many different noble families ruled by an Eril and an Erilessa, who determined the rules of their provinces and of the families beneath them. Prior to the matriarchal Lodainic empire, Igrisians had a relative state of gender equality, with female warriors and leaders prized just as much as men. Igrisians also have a degree of reverence and hero worship for the ancestors of these noble houses; all four of the ruling noble houses were founded by heroes. Most Igrisians are farmers or fishermen by trade, although Darin the White, a bard, is an important cultural figure, resulting in most Igrisians having some degree of musical talent and training. Following the Great Conversion of the Lodainic Imperatrix, Regina Deorum, the Igrisians were one of the slowest to take to the Gods Who Are Many, much like the Gauls, and it has strained their relationship with the Lodains. They have attempted many rebellions agains the Lodains, but all of them have resulted in a bloody slaughter. They actively resent their Lodainic over-lords. Igrisians speak The God's Good Common, Lodainic (usually poorly), and their native language, Igrish.

Lochans

Male Height (5'0-6'2'') Female Height (4'11-6'0'')
Hair Colour: Black to Brown. (In pure-blooded Lochans, rare)
Eye Colour: Yellow. (In pure-blooded Lochans, rare)
Skin Colour: Light tan, often freckled.​

Lochans are the native people that survive off of the large central lake within Igris. They are a unique ethnicity and bloodline that has become diluted over the decades. According to legend, the Lochans were descended from Igraine of the Spirits, a powerful mage, and a great warrior named Gaheris. Igraine had spent her life making pacts with demons, pacts that resulted in both her great beauty, and her need to enchant young men and give them up to the aforementioned spirits ; payment for eternal youth and beauty. Ser Gaheris, on the other hand, was a knight in the service of the High King of Igris, prior to the Lodain Empire, whose name had been long since lost to time, and he had been sent to find the sorceress and slay her. But when he came to her cave, nestled in the hills of Igris, he found her sick with Blight. Her spirits had turned on her, after Igraine failed to provide them with a willing sacrifice, cursing her to suffer from the Plague of Plagues; The Blight. Gaheris could not find himself able to kill her, kill this beautiful, sickly woman. But he had been warned that if he was not able to kill her, the vile King of Igris would sacrifice him to the spirits he believed in, in order to give strength to his people and protect them from the enchantment of Igraine. So he told her, famously and oft repeated; "I love you like the moon and stars, but we cannot show what is ours." And so, he returned to the King, and told him that the enchantress was dead, while all the while he was returning to her cave, nursing her through the Blight-fever. Gaheris raised her back to full health with special herbs - now called Love's Stars, in his honour - and soon, she was strong again. Her bound spirits were infuriated that this man - who loved her not through enchantment, but through true, pure love - had helped their servant out from her punishment. And so, her spirits appeared to Igraine and Gaheris in the form of a black stag with a human face - and spoke to her, telling her that she would enjoy what little time they had left - for they would bleed her youth from her. Every day, one for each soul she had taken, she would age nine years. And she had taken many souls. And when her youth was used up, Igraine would die. Gaheris cursed the stag and wept bitter tears. And so, the knight struck a deal with a demon ; for Igraine's eternal life, he would give up his own. The demon-stag agreed, and Gaheris died. Igraine lived, and every day she wept for her lady love ; and her tears eventually became Loch Biotáille Deora, the largest lake in all of Donegal. She and Gaheris's children populated the lake-side and each of them carried a little magic in their blood.The Lochan bloodline has since become diluted since the days of Igraine, due to breeding with the native Igrisians and thus, mages are less and less common amongst their people. Those with magical talent uniformly have dark brown or black hair and yellow eyes. Lochan mage circles boast the largest amount of natural, Spirit mages as opposed to the other magical gatherings of the world. Most Lochan live and work with the lake, as either fishermen or lake-side farmers. Their ships are said to be the fastest in the known world, and the traditional art of ship building is passed from generation to generation. Lochans speak the Gods' Good Common, Igrish, and Lodainic (usually badly)

Gauls

Male Height (5'0-6'5'') Female Height (4'11-6'2'')
Hair Colour: Usually Red or Brown.
Eye Colour: Green, Hazel, Brown. Rarely, blue - suspected to be a result of inbreeding with the Lodains.
Skin Colour: Light tan. Many Gauls have freckles.​

A proud people formerly part of the Igrisian empire; they were instrumental in leading the rebellion of the Southern provinces against the Lodainic empire. Their strong faith in the druidic spirits, Ciarán of the Horns and his wife, Mara, pushed them away from the Church of All, and from Lodain as a whole. Their strong religious unity, and their unflinching support of the spirits as a formidable force led their rebellion to success, along with the resources of Perth, Dornach, and Airmyn. Although they have much in common with the Igrisian people in terms of their belief; reverence for ancestors and heroes, they differ in their nature-worship; which Igrisians do not engage in. They value freedom above everything else. Gauls operate in clans. Powerful families ruled over other families who accepted their protection from their neighbors and from monsters. A clan-chief is referred to as a "ceannard". Many of these clans claim mythological founders, or former heroes ; just as the Igrisians claim that their Erils and Erilessas are descended from heroes. A clan consisted of everybody who lives on the territory of the clan-chief, or on the territory of those who owe alliegence to this chief. The clan leader's position is not a hereditary one; when a leader arises in the clan who is not the chief, he may call out the old chief and duel him to the death. If he kills him, than he may take his place. If the chief dies through other means; his wife becomes the new chief until she too is called out. Gauls are a largely gender-indifferent society. Gauls speak The God's Good Common, Gaulian, and sometimes Igrish and Lodainic. Most Gauls are able to understand Igrish, even if they can't speak it.

Myrrs

Male Height (4'10''-6'0'') Female Height (4'8-5'10'')
Hair Colour: Usually very dark brown or black. Rarely, a dark auburn.
Eye Colour: Brown, Hazel.
Skin Colour: Dark olive.

The Myrrs are native to the swamps and plains of Tir Caredyr and Eboryr. Tir Caredyr's capital city (for which the province is named) is the largest in the known world, save for the Lodainic capital of Moridunum Demetarum. The Myrrs are also the ethnicity that the Church of All originates with, from their great scribe Malachi - who serves as a great cultural hero to them. They are the most devout people in Donegal, and most of their life and livelihood is structured around the teachings of the Church of All. Their government, culture, and customs are determined by the Church of All.

They are a superstitious people, who do not trust druids or spirits - preferring their church. The church's prevalence has led to wide-spread education, and most Myrrs can read and write. Myrrs take on a variety of trades, given their partially urban, partially agrarian society. Due to the Myrrs' focus on the Church of All, other races are not trusted easily - unless it has been clear that they have converted. Many Myrrs go on pilgrimage to either root out the evil of the world (heretics and heresy, what they refer to as "The Enemy") or to spread the word of their faith. Alternatively, others engage in witch-hunts - capturing and executing any mages that they believe are consorting with demons and engaging in what their holy book explicitly forbids. No self-respecting Myrr would willingly become a mage - for this reason, they do not have Pact Mages. Myrrs speak the God's Good Common, and at least two other languages; usually Lodainic and another. ​

Islanders

Male Height (5'4''-6'4'') Female Height (5'8''-6'8'')
Hair Colour: Usually white-blonde. Always either wavy or curly.
Eye Colour: Pale blue or pale green.
Skin Colour: Very pale. ​

Native to Eireen Island, where the majority of Donegal's mineral wealth can be found in the form of precious stones; particularly lapis lazuli. They are isolated, and rely upon the Lodainic Empire's major ports for a connection to the rest of Donegal. Islanders rarely leave Eireen Island since the Island is largely self-sufficient; with the people boasting a successful agrarian society in addition to their gemstone trade. Despite the bitter cold of Eireen Island, they have discovered a secret way to grow crops in freezing temperatures - most mainlanders suspect magic is involved, and actively resent their success. The Islanders have a society where there are district, legal assemblies ( Þing) where a chieftain speaks on the behalf of the people under their protection. The chieftains (sing. goði, pl. goðar) represent the strongest power on the Island. The goðar were not elected to their positions, but rather owned their title. The position was most commonly inherited, but it could also be bought or sold. The office of the goði was called the goðorð. The goðorð was not delimited by strict geographical boundaries. Thus a free man could choose to support any of the goðar of his district. The supporters of the goðar were called Þingmenn ("assembly people"). In exchange for the goði protecting his interests, the Þingmann would provide armed support to his goði during feuds or conflicts. The Þingmenn were also required to attend regional and national assemblies. The goðar gather once every year, at the start of spring, to settle the disputes of the Island, and convene with an Emissary from Lodain (with the title of "pararius") about the events in the mainland. Roughly half of the Islanders have converted to The Church of All, while the other worship the spirits of the world. Prior to the great Conversion, ever goðar had a Siden (Masc.) or Sidsa (Fem.) at their side; a powerful Spirit or Blood mage that is particularly gifted at seeing the future. Now, many of the converted Islanders call for the execution or trial of the Siden and Sidsas for conversing with demons. Despite this recent turn of events, blood magic was previously seen as an acceptable art, quite different than its demonized nature in the rest of Donegal. Islanders speak Boreus Lodainic - the Northern version of the Lodain's language. There are some pronunciation differences, but the language is largely the same. A few of them speak the Gods' Good Common.

Sea Peoples

Male Height (5'0-6'5'') Female Height (4'11-6'2'')
Hair Colour: Usually very dark brown or black. Rarely, a dark auburn.
Eye Colour: Green, Hazel, Brown. Rarely, blue - suspected to be a result of inbreeding with the Lodains.
Skin Colour: Light tan in Perth and Airmyn, Dark tan in Brigant.
​

Culturally, the Sea Peoples are a blend between the Igrisians and the Myrrs. Like the Igrisians,the vast majority of them are either farmers or fishermen, and the sea is of great import to them. Although Lochan's make the fastest and finest boats for lakeside travel, sea vessels from the ports of Perth, Brigant, and Airmyn are prized for their beauty and reliability.The harbor in Perth, Trefdraeth, is particularly famous, and much of Donegal's wealth passes through its waters'. As a consequences of the sea's importance, most of them worship sea-spirits. There is great wealth amongst the Sea People, as their territories have made the most out of their coastal farms and the bounty of the sea. Like the Myrrs, however, their society is structured to accommodate a large middle class and relatively few impoverished and wealthy individuals in comparison, as opposed to other peoples in Donegal. Perth, Airmyn, and Brigant each are divided into six 'Isiarllaeths', which are controlled by either an Isiarll (masc.) or a Isiarlles (fem.) The collective eighteen Isiarlls/Isiarlleses meet once every six years to discuss the region's welfare as a whole, but the six Isiarlls/Isiarlleses from the same province (e.g. All the Isiarlls/Isiarlleses from Perth) meet once a year to discuss their specific issues. Sea Peoples speak Perthic, and the God's Good Common. Perthic is considered to be the most difficult Donegal language to learn, as the pronunciation is very different than the other Donegalic languages. It shares no ancestor with the current tongues spoken in Donegal - leading most to believe that Perthic is the language that is spoken by spirits in the Duinnoban.

OOC NITTY GRITTY

Rules​

• Please stick to the established lore that is presented, but don't be afraid to ask questions or expand upon concepts, places, and characters that have been mentioned!​
• This RP will feature some 'grim-dark' elements, as it is set in a society with Dark-Ages-era overtones, and thus, features and explores similar themes to the Dark Ages in Briton. Thus, there will be violence and dark themes, but always in-keeping with Iwaku rules.​
• One character per person. I reserve the right to ask for adjustments to characters in order to work within the established setting and plot. That said, I hope for variety in characters! My aim is for 4-5 characters/players, at most.​
• Respect your other players, and please don't let people get left behind.​
• If you have any questions, feel free to ask!​
  
  
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Character Sheet​

Name:​

Age:
Gender:
Ethnicity: (Lodain, Myrr, Gaul, Igrisian, Sea Person, Lochan, Islander.)
Religion: (Church of All, Druidic, Namer, Spirit-Worship -- Or none.)
Home Region: (Eireen Island, Lodain, Igris, Airmyn, Gaul, Perth, Brigant, Dornach, Moravia, Tir-Caredyr, Eboyr, or Eir-Vaygyr.)
Known Languages: (Lodainic, Boreus Lodainic, Igrish, Perthic, or Gaulian. All players know the God's Good Common.)
Class: (Mage, Seeker, Recreants Druid, All-Father, Brewer, Innkeeper, etc.)

Type: (If a Mage or Recreant)​

Apperance: (Picture or description, please. Or both, if there are additional details in your character that are not represented by the image you have chosen. Please keep with the ethnicities and people types previously established and mentioned.)
Personality: (Just a brief summary.)
History: (A background of your character, leading up to their presence at the Council, and a reason for being there.)
Inventory: (A basic idea of what your character might be carrying with them.)