ADDITIONAL INFO The Eyes of The Emperor - Lorebook

Owl

Owl

Edgebabby
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  1. 1-3 posts per week
  2. One post per week
  3. Slow As Molasses
Writing Levels
  1. Adept
  2. Advanced
  3. Prestige
  4. Douche
Preferred Character Gender
  1. Primarily Prefer Male
  2. No Preferences

Premise


The old order of the world is failing. The Mithraic Empire has existed for a thousand years and in that time many nations were brought into the fold, great cities were built, and many wars were fought and won. But a new power is rising in the east and the Empire's legions are stretched thin. The far reaches have grown wild, the mountain tribes' raids grow bolder each year, ships without banner roam the free seas and still the Emperor does nothing.

The only reason he has not been replaced by one of the many silver-tongued vipers roaming the palace is because of the Ashir. While their numbers are few, their talents are many and they are feared and respected in equal measure.

You are an Ashir, raised at in the coastal fortress Velora, far removed from imperial politicking. Like all Ashir, you were not born, but found at the trunk of a tree whose name you carry. Your first name is given to you, but your last name is determined the moment you are found. You could be Oakborn, Elderborn, or Willowborn and the people with whom you share this second name will be the closest thing to a family that you know. This surname is often also called a "Root" or one's "Root".

While human in appearance, you know that you are different. Many ordinary humans may wish to have your ability to perform magic, but as you grow, you may find yourself wishing for ordinary things. Ordinary things like being able to determine your own fate instead of having your path carved out for you by the council of Elders. You may wish for a family, you may wish to not be regarded with fear and suspicion everywhere you go. These feelings gnaw at all Ashir, most overcome it as they mature, but not all.

Your life is shaken up when an incursion into the Empire's far reaches forces the Emperor into action. At last, the slow, lumbering man has come into motion, and his first port of call to deal with this new threat is the same as it has always been. For generations Velora has been the cure to all the Empire's woes.

The fortress city is buzzing in anticipation of the Emperor's arrival. Perhaps you are an Ashir fully grown, worried by rumors from the far reaches. Perhaps you are one of the elders in the council preparing to receive the Emperor with all honors. Perhaps you are a young Ashir, still in training, hoping to catch a glimpse of the powerful Emperor and his entourage.

Or perhaps you are no Ashir at all, but a human from Velora or elsewhere who had the grave misfortune of being in the wrong place at the wrong time...



Table of contents

 
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Setting

This RP is set in Panthos, one of two large continents in the world Erdu. Panthos is the western continent and is almost exclusively inhabited by humans.

While other beings can still be found lurking in the dark places of the world, this setting contains no elves, dwarves or orcs. Humans are most numerous, after that come the Ashir whose population numbers no more than ten-thousand. Other races, who may or may not be encountered in this RP, are so few in number to be considered mere myth by most.

The story starts in Velora, which is the capital of the Ashir. While Velora is also largely inhabited by humans, the fortress city itself is under Ashir control. Here, Ashir and humans live peacefully side by side and have done so for generations. The humans that live in Velora are accustomed to the Ashir and are on good footing with the Empire's valued protectors.

Mitra is the capital of the Empire located many hundreds of miles from Velora. This is the seat of power where the Emperor resides and keeps his strongest legions.

The vast Mithraic Empire stretches several once-independent nations across the entire continent. Even though they are part of the Mithraic Empire, each nation still has its own name, its own distinct culture, its own food and customs, and its own bylaws. Often, nobles or other high-ranking officials who've proven loyal to the Empire serve as an extension of the Emperor's will. There are no Kings or Queens anywhere, only appointed regional governors and magistrates who command local legions to enforce the common law.

While the Empire's legions are strong and capable, there are too few of them to guard every corner. There are huge stretches of unexplored wilderness that are only part of the Empire on a map where wild tribes make their home. Some of the tribes raid villages while others choose to live far away from civilization and keep to themselves.

The overall setting is low-fantasy (limited magic) that is medieval-esque in nature. There is no gunpowder or steam engine yet, but different regions may have different levels of technological advancement.

Countries

All nations are part of the Mithraic Empire and are ultimately subservient to the Emperor's will. That said, various nations and regions have some level of (seeming) autonomy. Part of the success of the Mithraic Empire is that much of the pre-existing cultures were allowed to remain, and so it is that there is still much cultural diversity to be found throughout the Empire.

The snippets below are meant to give a first impression of the various nations within the Mithraic Empire. More details about these countries will be revealed through play as and when needed.
Khoros Sumir Mohsal Athesh Voldas
  • A small nation ruled by a council of nobles from various, opposing houses who have all sworn fealty to the Emperor. Built on the back of a vibrant slave trade, Khoros is a country of extremes. The overcrowded port city Syntioch lays in the shadow of the much smaller, but opulent capital Eskhor, where the nobles reside. A betting man could make his fortune here, or make the wrong sort of friends and find an early grave.
  • More than half of the country is taken up by the treacherous, mysterious Sumir desert. Wandering tribes speak of secret knowledge and hidden treasure buried deep below the shifting sands. Many have chased the tales, but few have succeeded. While the tribes are dispersed throughout the desert, most people are concentrated in a few major cities. The capital, Quma, is a complex blend of dust and spice, rug sellers and fortune tellers, beggers and frauds, mystics and adventurers. For the most part, the country is at peace and ruled by an appointed consul who co-exists along a twelve-headed council of influential sultans, warlords and merchants.
  • One of the larger nations on the continent, Mohsal spans a vast chunk of the east coast and consists largely of great forests whose depths and many secrets remain unexplored. The inhabited part of this great nation sits mostly along the coast with several towns and cities resting further inland, dotted along the rivers that flow out to sea.
  • Because of its weak military, Athesh was the first country to be joined with the Mithraic Empire and as such it has been spared most of the destruction that came with the founding of the Mithraic Empire. The open-minded peoples of Athesh have more interest in food, music, and art than they have in war. Docile and friendly, the sea-side country harbors some of the finest academics, inventors and artists within the Empire and is known for its excellent wines and cheeses.
  • Located in the deep south, Voldas hosts bountiful farmlands along the length of the Tumer river. The Capital, Mitra, is the seat of power of the Mithraic Empire. Most people visiting Voldas do not call the country by its original name, though it is still indicated as such on any map. The power of Mitra is so great that for many, the city is synonymous with the country, and in many ways it is. Many satellite towns can be found dotted along the Tumer river, and further inland too, but none can hold a candle to the splendor of Mitra. The capital has all the beauty of small Eskhor in Khoros, yet a size matching Quma in Sumir. It is from here that laws are made and enforced through legions of so-called redcloaks, stationed throughout the Empire.

    But for all its outward beauty, Mitra hides many ugly truths. The palace is a viper's nest of ambitious men and women, weaseling their way up a greasy ladder to try to reach the Emperor's ear. But while some seek to merely control and influence the Emperor, others would rather see the idle man replaced altogether...

 
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Magic


While the Ashir are the most common and most adept users of magic, they are not the only ones capable of it. Some humans also have the ability to wield magic through use of a Teller. A Teller is an item, often a ring, amulet, or other piece of jewelry that allows a human to access magic. These humans are called Magisters and while capable magicians in their own right, they are generally less skilled than Ashir. Without their Teller, a Magister is powerless.

In the earlier years of Imperial rule, Magisters were considered a severe threat. For hundreds of years they were persecuted and hunted down, often by the loyal Ashir. It's only been a three generations or so since the laws against magic were dropped in favor of strict control. Humans capable of magic must make themselves known to be educated and guided at one of several prestigious universities operating within the Empire. Those who fail to make their abilities known to the authorities are considered enemies of the state and may still be hunted by bounty hunters or Ashir if the order is given.

While relations between Ashir and Magisters have somewhat normalized, the long, bloody history between the two holds plenty of undertones of animosity still. Magisters consider the Ashir to be arrogant and power-hungry for attempting to maintain their sole claim to magic for so long. Conversely, the Ashir tend to view Magisters as dangerous, fool-hardy amateurs who lack understanding and whose unnatural dabbling in magic is bound to go wrong.

While rare, it has been observed that several Magisters throughout the ages have experienced sudden, powerful, inexplicable outbursts of magic, often with enormously destructive results. To date, no Ashir has ever been known to show a similar feat of Wild Magic which has lead some to speculate that Magisters may in fact be more capable wielders of magic than the Ashir.

Mentalism Attunement Muification Voyering Proferement Lumillation Wild Magic
  • Mentalism is a discipline of magic that allows for mind reading, mind manipulation, mind shielding and telepathic communication. Mentists are highly valued and sought after. Because of its power, the magic is forbidden for Magisters to learn, though that hasn't stopped them from trying. Any Mentist, whether magister or Ashir can make a fortune with their skills, if they are willing to use their skills in heinous, invasive ways. For all the power they have, Mentists are often forced to live secret lives since the nature of the magic tends to inspires a deep distrust.

    All Ashir learn a limited, defensive subset of mentalism during their education, allowing them to defend themselves - up to a point - against mind manipulation. This basic training does not make them full Mentists however. Telepathy and mind manipulation are the marks of a true Mentist, a path that few choose to embark on because of the skill, patience, and dedication required to achieve a measure of success.

    Singular: Mentist
    Plural: Mentists

    Examples of possible spells:
    • Telepathy - the ability to communicate mentally. Only experienced Mentist are able to communicate telepathically with other Ashir, or other living beings for that matter.
    • Mind reading - the next step up from telepathy is the ability to read another's mind. This never translates into being able to deduce literal thoughts but rather gives the Mentist an impression of the target's primary thoughts and mood in that moment.
    • Mind manipulation - even when used in a friendly healing manner, mind manipulation requires overcoming the target's defenses. The easiest form of mind manipulation is where the Mentist suppresses or amplifies existing thoughts and feelings in the target's mind. Forcing a (new) thought on a target to make them perform a desired action is much harder and planting a novel idea that the victim ends up believing to be their own is the hardest possible feat for a Mentist to achieve as it requires them to cover their tracks.

    A beginning student will have to physically touch their subject in order to achieve any degree of success. Any kind of resistance from the subject will be near impossible for the beginner to overcome. As a student advances, some distance can be maintained and an intermediate Mentist may be able to probe another mind through mere eye contact. Only an advanced Mentist can probe another's mind at distance through some personal belonging of their target, like a piece of clothing or a strand of hair, but such connections are difficult to maintain for long.

    Willing subjects are much easier to probe than ones that resist. All living beings, regardless of their (in)ability to do magic, are able to sense when a Mentist probes their mind and it is for this reason that a Mentist must be able to take out a target's defenses quickly when assaulting another mind. Weak-willed, distracted or emotional targets make for much easier prey than focused, calm, strong-willed individuals. Maintaining any level of control however requires a constant, persistent effort on the part of the caster unless special care is taken to carefully plant ideas that the victim believes to be their own.

    Probing another mind for mind reading or manipulation purposes is often described like navigating a layered maze. Each maze that is beat by the Mentist allows them to dig deeper into the target's consciousness and exercise greater control over their victim. Another reason Mentist must act quickly when dealing with a hostile person is that their own mental defenses will be much weaker so long as they're engaged with their target.

    Starting Mentist are often surprised to learn that their engagements lasted much shorter than they thought. The sense of time of both the Mentist and the target is severely diluted and what feels like a long period of mental grappling may in reality have occurred in mere seconds.
  • Attunement is the life-long pursuit of forging a deep connection with the natural world. Considered a relatively harmless magic, Magisters are allowed to study it. A capable Attuner can tame a wild beast, discover new herbal medicine through their intimate knowledge of plants, or become an exceptional tracker through their connection with their immediate surroundings. While Attuners are often lacking in human contact, their skill and ability as makers of potions and poisons alike is unmatched. Attuners are uniquely capable of Treespeaking, an ability that allows them to communicate with other Attuners across vast distances, using a language of symbolism, visions and impressions.

    Singular: Attuner
    Plural: Attuners

    Examples of possible spells:
    • Treespeaking - this ability comes most naturally to any Ashir who pursues attunement. By touching the bark of a tree an Attuner can utilize the system of roots and the mycelium in the soil to expand their consciousness. This allows information to be sent or received across vast distances, though any communication done this way presents itself as flashes of imagery, sounds, and vague impressions. Treespeaking does not have to be used for communication however. An Attuner can use treespeaking to 'put out feelers' in the natural world for tracking purposes and getting a sense of direction when chasing wild game or foes.
    • Alignment - as the Attuner grows in their ability they become capable of interacting with soil, rock, water, fire, or even wind in the same vein as with Treespeaking except they can only 'listen in' and are unable to send information across these mediums. An Attuner capable of alignment can for example touch soil and determine with reasonable certainty if someone or something passed there recently. In water an Attuner may be able to tell if there are fish nearby, and if so, in which direction. A skilled Attuner may even be able to tell the exact species of fish.
    • Defiance - an expert Attuner becomes capable of setting the natural world against their foes. Depending on their active surroundings, the Attuner could cause a storm to rise, bring about an earthquake, or cause high waves at sea. This does not break the third law of magic because the Attuner does not spend their energy on directly causing these things, but rather on persuading the elements to turn violent. Nevertheless, performing an act of defiance is extremely taxing on any Attuner and may incapacitate them for days on end. Moreover, there is no guarantee that the elements will heed the Attuner's coaxing.

    Since Attuners essentially expand their awareness through the natural world they are at risk of becoming overwhelmed with information. The further out an Attuner reaches, the more likely it is that the Attuner becomes overwhelmed. When an Attuner becomes overwhelmed they simply become sickly and dysphoric in the best case. In more serious cases they may lose consciousness for an extended period of time, and in the most extreme cases an overwhelmed Attuner may become long subjected to unending, unbearable barrages of sounds and images as they've become incapable of separating their own consciousness from that of their surroundings.
  • Muification is the art of physical, elemental transformation that concerns itself with manipulating the elements though it is not necessarily limited to those realms. A good deal of Muifiers learn to manipulate flesh and bone to become healers, though those skills may be used for ill too. Magisters are allowed to learn aspects of this magic for healing purposes.

    Out of all the magics, Muification is perhaps the one whose full potential is least known. Experimenting with the elements is not without risk and the beginning Muifier is prone to overextend themselves. An experienced Muifier may begin to see possibilities in the shaping of flesh and bone beyond their natural form. One has to wonder if perhaps with the right knowledge of mentalism or proferement, a entirely new form of life could be created...

    Singular: Muifier
    Plural: Muifiers

    Examples of spells:
    • Transmutation - A spell of transmutation allows the Muifier to impose a rapid state change in fire, wind, water, earth, or flesh. For example: cool water may be turned to steam or ice, the cinders in a fire may swell into a raging flame, or the seed of a plant may shoot up and sprout its flowers in a matter of seconds. The level of control a Muifier is able to exert over the results depends on their skill. For example: a Muifier may be able to cause cinders to turn into a steady flame but may lack the control to shape that flame to their will. A highly skilled Muifier may be able to shape fire into a ball and sling it at their enemies but can never conjure up a fireball out of thin air. The fire has to be already present. The same goes for creating balls of water or concentrated blasts of wind.
    • Healing - A Muifier, through the manipulation of flesh and bone, can heal broken bones or make flesh put itself back together. Technically the art of healing is the same as casting a spell of transmutation with an exclusive focus on flesh and bone, but it is often taught as a separate discipline since the healer needs to have an understanding of anatomy in order to be able to put things back together the right way. Whilst healing spells can deal with broken bones and deep flesh wounds, it is not equipped to deal with poison or natural (infectious) disease. Natural (herbal) remedies must be applied to deal with those and Muifiers who focus on healing are often also taught about herbal medicine for this exact reason.
    • Hardening - Hardening can be thought of as a protective or defensive kind of magic. Hardening is the act of "locking" fire, wind, water, earth, or flesh into into its current state, essentially making it more difficult for a change in state to occur. For example: a bit of freshly fallen snow could be "hardened" which would make that snow much more difficult to melt. Similarly, a Muifier could cast a spell of hardening on their own bones to make them less prone to breaking. Hardening should not be confused with making something phsyically more solid but should rather be thought of as locking or freezing something into its current state, making it more difficult to change. For example: a Muifier could "harden" a flame, making that flame more difficult to douse.

    A particularly gruesome application of Muification would be to make blood freeze or boil, effectively turning Muification into an exceptionally deadly form of magic.

    Because of obvious moral objections, this particular application of Muification is a well-guarded secret that only trusted Ashir would ever be allowed to learn about. Even then, the emphasis would be on shielding against this so-called blood transmutation through hardening. By hardening one's own blood a Muifier can 'lock' their blood in its normal, liquid state and make it much harder for any opposing Muifier to kill them through blood transmutation. A Muifier can also protect others in a similar fashion.

    Please note that because of the third law of magic, killing someone through blood transmutation is a very taxing affair and cannot be used to kill people en masse.
  • Voyering deals with seeing into and traveling toward remote places through portals. Both scrying and the creation of portals requires prior knowledge of the destination or place that is being looked into. Most importantly however, a travelling Voyer must still cover the physical distance from one place to another, though they can do so in a straight line, unhindered by the dangers of the waking world. That said, entering the dream-like realm of Voyering is fraught with its own set of dangers. The stability of the path hinges on the stability of the Voyer's mind. Voyer's are known to have gotten lost within these realms and those that returned often had gone mad. Very few trusted Magisters are allowed to study this magic. The largest cities in the Empire may only have two or three Voyers at their disposal.

    Singular: Voyer
    Plural: Voyers

    Examples of possible spells:
    • Mirroring - Through the application of Mirroring a Voyer can look into a mirror of their choosing and see in it what's on the other end of another, faraway, mirror. Sound does not travel through this medium and the clarity of the image is both dependent on the skill of the Voyer and the distance of the target mirror from the caster.

      Furthermore, the Voyer must have an internalized understanding of where their target mirror is located in order to be able to see through it (like a mental map). Typically this means that the Voyer needs to have been physically near the target mirror at least once in their life before they can access it through mirroring. Just like how a Mentalist needs eye contact or some kind of personal belonging to connect with their target, a Voyer needs to have a memory of the mirror they're trying to look through. This also means that a connection may be lost or hampered if the target mirror is (deliberately) moved out of place.

      Fortunately, through Mentalism, Voyers can share memories of mirrors therefore allowing them to access mirrors that they themselves have never been near to, but the memory of which has been granted to them. This allows Voyers to shortcut having to travel to each and every possible mirror they might want to access.

      As a student advances in Mirroring the clarity and stability of the image they're able to see, as well as the distance they're able to see across, increases. Furthermore, an advanced student is not solely dependent on mirrors but may begin to be able to see through other reflective surfaces (like water or ice) as well. Images seen through this method will always be inferior to actual mirrors, but come with the benefit of stability since ponds, lakes, or rivers are much less likely to move or change in such a way that it would become difficult for a Voyer to see through them.
    • Voyering - Voyering is a significantly more advanced application of mirroring that is subject to the same limitations and is altogether a more risky endeavor. Instead of seeing through another mirror, the Voyer travels through them. This is not necessarily a shortcut from one location to another since the third law of magic still applies here. In other words: travelling from one location to another through the use of Voyering is exactly as tiresome as travelling through mundane means. However, Voyering still brings distinct advantages with it.

      For one, it is a much more stealthy means of travel, unhindered by wild animals, bandits on the road or other such nuisances. Secondly, the time it takes to reach the desired location may be shorter since travelling through this method is similar to travelling to the destination in an optimal straight line.

      There are however risks associated with Voyering. When a Voyer steps into a mirror they enter a mirror realm which must be carefully navigated. The mirror realm has no single, distinct, stable appearance but rather takes on the appearance that reflects inner mental landscape of the Voyer. It could look like a forest one moment, then seem like a maze-like ruin the next, right before it changes into appearing like a desert. The look, shape and cohesion of the environment is entirely dependent on the mental stability of the Voyer. The more skilled a Voyer is, the better they are able to keep their surroundings stable as they travel across the mirror realm. It is a real risk for the Voyer to get lost in this mirror realm or to encounter representations of their own inner mental turbulence that hinder them from moving forward. It is not known what becomes of a Voyer that ends up trapped in the mirror realm.

      Voyering does allow for other people other than the Voyer themselves to travel alongside them though this obviously requires a great deal of trust on the part of the non-Voyers. Futhermore, Voyering (just like mirroring) is also possible through water in which case a Voyer could dive into an ocean, traverse the mirror realm, and emerge in a lake on the other end.
    • Procurement When a Voyer has developed a particularly deep mental map of a destination mirror and has Voyered to-and-from this destination frequently, a Voyer may become able to send objects across the mirror realm without needing to make the journey themselves. Instead, the knowledge of how to cross correctly is imparted on the object so that when the object is pushed into the mirror realm, it travels to its destination without further guidance. This is an effective means to send goods or messages across relatively short distances. Please note that the third law of magic is still in full effect here, so this cannot be used to send mountains of supplies across vast distances. Furthermore, objects sent across through Procurement will still take time to reach their destination.
  • Proferement is sometimes called the Tinkerer's Magic for good reason; Proferement is a magic whose exact limits are still being explored through experimentation. It is through Proferement that inanimate objects become enchanted and enhanced. There are no distinct Proferement spells so much as there is a guiding law under which the discipline operates: Proferement is the craft of bringing out or emphasizing a property or properties already inherent in the object. A sharp blade can be Proferred to be made even sharper, but it can never be Proferred into a writing instrument, since a blade has no inherent properties of being a writing instrument. Proferement is allowed to be studied by Magisters.

    Singular: Proferer
    Plural: Proferers

    Examples of spells:
    • A "flaming" sword could be created when a spell of Proferement is applied during the forging of the blade. Whilst heat is no intrinsic to a blade, it is present within the blade during forging, thus enchanting the blade in this way falls within the laws of magic. A blade that has been Proferred this way can be turned hot again at the wielder's discretion.
    • A more peculiar and advanced application of Proferement is the crafting of Anykeys. An Anykey is a key that fits and unlocks (almost) any door. The thing to understand here is that unlocking can be considered an inherent property of a key, therefore it can be enhanced through Proferement and thus a regular key (through Proferement) can be made to fit many more locks. On the flipside, a proferred lock could have its locking property enhanced to the point of becoming invulnerable to an Anykey.
  • Lumillation deals with manipulating light and shadow for the purposes of concealment and illusion. In the most simple application a Lumifier can bend light and shadow across a small object to conceal it from view. Lumillation never results in invisibility but rather in manipulating light and shadow in such a way that the target becomes perfectly camouflaged. Similarly Lumillation cannot prevent something from being picked up or stumbled across, thereby breaking the illusion. Only advanced, loyal Magisters may learn about this magic.

    Singular: Lumifier
    Plural: Lumifiers

    Examples of spells:
    The more skilled a Lumifier gets, the more stable and complex their illusions can become. For example: an experienced Lumifier could use their skill to mask their own appearance. They could change the color of their eyes or hair, make wrinkles appear or vanish and otherwise alter their appearance to their desire. While it is possible to, for example, hide a beard through Lumillation, it is much easier to work with what's already there. So while an advanced Lumifier could make themselves appear much taller than they are, the illusion would be much more convincing and stable if they stayed closer to their true height.

    Likewise it would be much easier to hide a pot of gold in a bush by making it blend in with the surrounding vegetation rather than trying to make it appear like a puddle of water, or something similarly out of place.

    Lumifiers cannot make things appear that aren't present. They can only alter the appearance of things or people that are already there.

    Just as a Lumifier is capable of hiding objects by altering their appearance, a Lumifier can also reveal items that were hidden by magical means.
  • Very little is known or understood about Wild Magic. The only conclusive observations that can be made from the rare occurrences of it are that only Magisters seem capable of it, and that it has terrible destructive potential. The when, how, or why of Wild Magic are still a great mystery.

Laws of Magic

While there is some overlap between the various disciplines of magic, all magic except Wild Magic is bound by the following rules:
  • It is not possible to transform one thing into something intrinsically different. Ice cannot be turned into fire nor fire into ice.
  • Something cannot be created from nothing.
  • Performing magic exerts the caster as if the same task were attempted by mundane means.
 
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Ashir

The most distinct quality of the Ashir is their innate ability to perform magic and the fact that they are not born, but found. Because of their gifts, Ashir are employed as special agents of the Empire, serving as advisors, diplomats, assassins and law enforcers alike. It is because of their alignment with and loyalty to the Empire that the Ashir have maintained the highest degree of autonomy anywhere. Unlike other nations or cities within the Mithraic Empire, Velora is truly independently governed by the Ashir.

The Mustering Naming Education Dress
  • The Mustering is a yearly event starting on the first day of fall during which the Ashir search across the Mithraic Empire for new Ashir. These searches are not random but based on directions given by the council of Elder Ashir. Nevertheless, not all searches are always successful. Sometimes nothing is found, or more tragically, the Ashir arrive too late. By law, all inhabitants of the Empire are required to aid passing Ashir in their search, though not everyone abides by this.
  • Names, especially last names, are deeply important to the Ashir. Since Ashir are without parents, it befalls the finders of the baby Ashir to give them a name. Both the Ashir's first and last name carry special meaning, but it's only the last name that follows any kind formula. The kind of tree an Ashir is found under is thought to be indicative of their personality and determines their surname.

    An Ashir found under an Oak will be named Oakborn and his or her "family" will be other Oakborns. Oakborns are often thought of as (head)strong and living well into old age. Willowborns are considered more pensive and thoughtful and tend to become diplomats or counselors.
  • The first bit of serious education starts at the age of six. Between the age of six and ten, young Ashir are first taught how to tap into their magical ability and given the tools to control it. Nevertheless, the primary focus at this time is still reading, writing, arithmetic, history and the performance of basic chores.

    Between the ages of ten and fourteen, the young Ashir's training ramps up. It is during these prime years that Ashir begin to specialize in a discipline of magic. During these years, special emphasis is placed on physical training as well to ensure another generation of healthy, capable Ashir.

    Upon reaching their fourteenth year of age, a young Ashir's basic education is considered complete. Tradition demands that each graduated young Ashir is given their own arm-length, silvery blade which they will carry with them for the rest of their lives. Forged in Mitra by the finest smithies and provided at the Emperor's expense, this blade is meant as a token of loyalty and trust between the Ashir and the Empire.

    Though rare, some exceptional Ashir may complete their education sooner than their fourteenth year. It is at this point that the uniform can finally be shed and the young Ashir is apprenticed to another who will act as their Guide. A young Ashir's guide is often something of parental figure to them and when the Guide deems his or her apprentice ready, the young Ashir becomes mature and independent. Typically, Guides share the same Roots (Root = an Ashir's surname based on the tree under which they were found) as their apprentice, but there is no law that demands this to be the case.

    There is no set time or age at which an Ashir reaches independence and depending on the Ashir, it may occur as soon as fourteen, or as late as twenty. While independent in name, a young Ashir often sticks with their Guide for many more years. Since a Guide's own Guide may well still be alive, little surrogate families can start to form in this way.

    A mature Ashir can become many things in life. The most prestigious, honorable job would be to become part of the Emperor's bodyguard. Only a handful of the most skilled, most dedicated Ashir are selected for this job however and for most it is simply out of reach. Another highly valued job is to become a counselor stationed in one of the Empire's many cities. Such Ashir serve as a bridge between the needs of the city and the ear of the Emperor. As such, this job comes with a great deal of power and influence.

    The more adventurous Ashir may elect to become bounty hunters, explorers, cartographers, sailors, or any other such occupation. However, their freedom is somewhat limited since, as agents of the Empire, they are expected to report back to Velora frequently. Healers and diplomats are other common occupations for fully-grown Ashir.

    Some Ashir chose to stay in Velora and educate the young. It is often these Ashir who, after decades of service, end up in the counsel of Elders. While not as glamorous a job as becoming the Emperor's bodyguard, the counsel holds total control over Velora, including all its human inhabitants. The opinions of the counsel ultimately determine the fate of Velora and all who live there.

    In the end, there are many career paths possible for Ashir, but their loyalty must always be to the Empire. No Ashir is ever alone in their work, and by this mechanism of working in pairs at minimum, disloyalty is largely avoided. Ashir that are discontent about the Empire may become closely watched, or find themselves being relocated into a different, more menial job. The counsel of Elders consisting of the oldest, wisest Ashir bears the responsibility of keeping all Ashir in line and they take their job quite seriously. Dissent or disloyalty are considered very serious crimes that have equally serious consequences.

    There are only a handful of cases where an Ashir broke with their kin. These stories are considered a taboo and any inquiry in this direction is quickly shut down. Even elders among themselves are reluctant to bring up the painful reality of these cases. Lone Ashir are considered dangerous in the same vein as unregistered Magisters and are hunted down for the same reason.
  • For the duration of their education, all young Ashir dress in the same basic fashion with only a little room for adjustment depending on the climate. The standard attire in Velora is a cream-colored lace up shirt covered by a woolen, waist-tied navy-blue coat and like-colored trousers tucked into high black boots. Depending on the need, a dark blue or black hooded cloak may be worn on top. Ashir between the ages of ten and fourteen have their clothes marked by a number of small thin, silver stripes on their shoulder indicating how far they are into their education. At age ten, there is only one marker "I" whilst at age fourteen there are four "IIII". Graduated Ashir have their clothes marked by a small, subtle golden "V" (can be a shoulderpatch, or cloak brooch). Elders are similarly marked with a double, overlapping "V", appearing as "W".

    Since Ashir are agents of the Mithraic Empire and their authority must be recognizable, they continue to dress in similar fashion whenever they are 'on the job'. It's only during informal events that an Ashir would dress freely and wear ordinary, human clothes.

 
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Main Rules


  • All Iwaku rules apply.
  • Preferably you (the writer) are 18+. Exceptions are possible, but please DM me first if this applies to you.
  • This RP is not guaranteed to stay PG13 in terms of violence or themes. I have no intention to make things gruesome just for the sake of doing so, but when joining this RP you should be OK with darker themes possibly showing up within the story.
  • While you are free to play any gender you like, you must be clear about how others would (generally) perceive your character in terms of appearing male, appearing female, or appearing androgynous.
  • When joining this RP, you accept that the GM is a mere mortal, that he's pantsing most of this stuff and that he may make (continuity) mistakes. You are of course very welcome to point out mistakes, ask questions, or otherwise provide feedback during the game so long as you do so in a constructive manner.

Posting Rules

  • Please be able to post 1 time per week. GM posts will happen weekly, each Sunday at the latest, barring any RL events getting in the way of the GM post.
  • If you miss 1 round, your character will be assumed to have been around but having done or said nothing. For example, when the party travels from one place to another, your character is assumed to have gone along with the party.
  • If you miss 2 rounds in a row I reserve the right to put your character in a place/situation where they can be considered in limbo so that they can no longer directly affect the story. For example, your character could be sent off to someplace else, or left behind at whatever location the story is at, at that moment in time. Your character can later be "reactivated" and join the story again when you return, provided the plot allows it. Re-entering the story will always have to be done in consultation with me. You cannot re-enter by yourself on a whim.
  • Please write in third person limited, past tense. I'm not going to grammar nazi you if you mix your tense on accident (it happens to everyone). This is more about ensuring a consistent style of writing throughout the RP. Others may be less bothered by this, but I've always found a mix of first, second and third person writing in an RP to be a little jarring. Hence the rule.

Romance Rules

  • Romance between characters (other player characters or NPCs) is allowed so long as it stays PG13.
  • Sexual content (anything beyond PG13) must be fade-to-black.
  • So long as you are abiding by Iwaku's rules I don't care if you choose to continue a romance with another player outside of the main RP. However, doing so is completely outside of the purview of this RP and whatever you may decide to write can not and will not be considered cannon.

Do's

  • Do collaborate with other players and join forces to make a post together. This is encouraged but not a must. Writing a coop post allows you to write a more fluent, cohesive post involving multiple player characters which can be useful for one-on-one conversations between characters. When doing so however, keep an eye on your word count and try to stay under 5k words. Also be aware that you are expected to post once a week, so you may have somewhat limited time to collaborate.
  • Do find ways to tie your character to other player character's or NPCs. This is not a requirement, but situations where one player character is another player character's Guide for example, are strongly encouraged.
  • Do feel free to contact me if you come up with a cool plot idea. While I will lead the story and have certain story beats in mind, there is room for players to contribute subplots if they so desire!

Dont's

  • Do not godmod other characters.
  • Do not make your character all-powerful or all-knowing. You are allowed to make a prodigally powerful character so long as you balance it out with some Achilles heels and are prepared for your character to be taken off of his or her proverbial pedestal.
  • Do not bring your real-world political or religious beliefs into the RP.
  • Do not bring (personal) emotional baggage into the RP. It's OK to vent a little OOC if you had a rough day, but remember that the primary goal of the group is to write a story together. No one signed up to be someone else's psychologist and OOC chat is not a surrogate group therapy session.
  • Do not make your character's sexuality or gender identity the entirety of their personality. There are plenty other RPs where such themes are the focus of the RP, but this isn't one of them. See the romance rules.
 
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Velora


Velora is a large, sea-side fort-city protected by two rings of thick stone wall. Out of all the cities in the Mithraic Empire, Velora has the greatest degree of autonomy and enjoys several privileges such as the unrestricted education of magic to young Ashir. The city is governed by a council of twelve elders in total, though not all councilors are always present within Velora. In fact, its quite rare for the full council to be gathered in full.

While Velora is not entirely free of slums, poverty is among the lowest in the Mithraic Empire and there is almost no crime to speak of. Despite this, the city is not necessarily popular to live in. The sea-side climate can be harsh and many humans still hold superstitious beliefs about the Ashir that keep them from wanting to live near to any.

The Old City The Outer Ring The Council of Elders
  • The oldest part of the city lies at the center and is dominated by a citadel consisting of many different wings, courtyards, gardens, secret passageways and private studies. Peppered around this university-like structure are houses, shops, stables, forges, bakeries and gardens of various sizes. While most Ashir are stationed elsewhere throughout the Empire, the young (who are still in education) live in Velora alongside the old, who have retired or teach there.
  • The outer ring surrounds the old city on all sides and is largely inhabited by humans. Many shops, homes, and markets can be found in this part of the city. Most humans who live here either work as sailors or fishermen at the small port, or practice some trade in support of the city like masonry.

    Since Velora is positioned on a cliffside, parts of the outer ring at varying altitudes. This results in a winding, maze-like network of small, narrow streets that give a unique charm to the city. As a rule of thumb, the roads and alleys in the outer ring are straighter and less steep than those in the old city.
  • Despite the name, not all council members are elderly. Experience, loyalty, and selfless dedication to the Ashir as a whole are far more important qualities than age. However, when someone is made councilor they usually remain so until their dying days and it is for this reason that there is almost always some very old Ashir on the council at any point in time.

    New councilors are chosen whenever a position comes free, which is almost always the result of some previous councilor passing away. When this happens, all "tribes" or "families" (Oakborn, Aspenborn, Ashborn, etc) may put forward a candiate or abstain. From these candidates, the remaining council members pick one who may join their ranks. This process does not necessarily always select the best candidates, nor is it immune to corruption. When it comes to the council of elders, there have always been rumors of bribery and favoritism floating around.

    The council governs Velora, the surrounding lands, the city's small port, and a handful of satelite towns within a forty-mile radius of the main city. For the most part the council concerns itself with Imperial business. Orders are received directly from the Emperor or one of his envoys and it is the council's task to translate those orders into actionable tasks. The order to bring an end to unrest in some far-flung region may thus be translated into a roster of available Ashir most suitable to the task who are preferably already in or near the region and familiar with the local culture.

    While an honorable and respectable position, councilors rarely see much action themselves. Most of their days are spent laying plans, sitting in council meetings, hearing out Ashir after some objective has been achieved, writing reports back to Mitra, or figuring out some suitable punishment for rowdy youths.

 

World Map


PLEASE NOTE: This world map is still under construction. You can only glean these things from this map:
  • A rough sense of the size of the continent. The distance from south Voldas to northernmost Khoros measures 2114 kilometers.
  • Where land is an where sea is.
  • The position of Mitra (black star in Voldas) and Velora (black star in Mohsal).
  • The relative position and size of the five nations within the Mithraic Empire to each other.
  • The size of the Mithraic Empire (Only the colored land areas are part of the Mithraic Empire)
worldmap_wip2.JPG
 
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