Edinose Homebrew Guide

Additional Stats

Languages

Abyssal: the tongue of demons and other chaotic evil outsiders, now only spoken in and around the Sinvale Wastelands

Aquan: the merfolk's language

Celestial: the dialect of angels and other good outsiders, now kept only through academia

Common Tongue: also called, Common; the traders language; the official language of the Guild Cities and Utril

Elvish: the dying language of the elvens, mostly spoken by Half-Elves, academics, and those with secrets

Eodese: the langauge of Scaudon

Equn: the Frogfolk's language

Ialganiya: the language of Kostraynia, also spoken in Utril

Lintika: the language of Brijan

Neuyali: the language of Gnomes

Orcish: the Orc's native language, now sometimes called the Slave Language

Selan: or otherwise known as the Sailor's lingo, found commonly along many coastlines

The World of Edinose

Summary Chapter of the Book, Major World Events

By Jonathan Amos, Scholar of History at Oceanside

Records do not cover the entirety of history, the oldest and most accurate accounts start during the Age of the Ancients. These early records are doubtful at best, giving only the most basic of major events, the rise of great empires and their subsequent fall. The Age of Prophecy started with the death of Seer Thodana and the discovery of her predictions that covered the next ten thousand years. Monarchs and Nations flourished during this age and, over the decades, Thodana’s prophecy’s appeared to be completely accurate. Nearing the end of the age, everyone believed that nothing could break the promise of the rise of humanity to a better existence. This was not true. Eventually the grandeur of the empires fell, bringing about the Age of Darkness. Finally, modern history begins with the founding of the city of Tauvusa which, though its original buildings are long in ruin, continues to live on in the modern city of Aetherfall.

The Ages of the World

Age of Creation, thought to be about 20 million years long

Age of the Serpent, thought to be about 32 thousand years long

Age of Fire, thought to be about 16 thousand years long

Age of the Ancients, thought to be about 17 thousand years long

Age of Prophecy, known to be about 8 hundred years long

Age of Darkness, roughly 2 thousand years long

Age of Kings, lasted 1649 years

Age of Technology, Current age; Year 2379 since the Rebirth of Humanity, usually calculated from the founding of Tauvusa at the beginning of the Age of Kings. Some modern scholars prefer to calculate the date from the Death of Magic, which would place the date at 730, however it is silly to rearrange the calendar for every world changing event.

The following records the major events of the past two ages.

1 The city of Tauvusa is built on the edge of Cobalt Lake (ruins located by Aetherfall)

20 Rakcom is founded

36 Tauvusa becomes the capital for the new nation of Aswana

51 Trade begins between Aswana and Rakcom

73 The hidden nation of elves, Cafraowanya, is discovered in northern Levinsa

81 Khowen is established by the Obran Ocean, Khowen City is its capital (near what is now known as Millrath)

127 War breaks out between Cafraowanya and the Orc tribes of the south

265 The nation of Chesil is founded along the north coast of the Orthos Sea

286 A War Chief unites the Orc Clans, founding the nation of Uspait

288 The nation of Parawall is founded

299 A peace is brokered between Cafraowanya and Uspait

333 War breaks out between dragons and the nations of Levinsa and the Cobalt Lake

345 An agreement is come to, such that the nation of Zairal is founded in the Richree Range for the dragons

413 Parawall and Chesil go to war

415 Chesil loses to Parawall, and becomes their first colony

501 The Zinae Pass is discovered between the Osoduff Highlands and the Discam Mountains, expeditions are set out

537 Outposts are established in the north (current day Droros) comprising races from across the continent

593 The Gruoi people are discovered in the Southern Reaches

597 Parawall begins to colonize the Southern Reaches and subjugate the Gruoi people

744 The Southern Reaches colony declared independence on Parawall

753 The Southern Reaches colony gains freedom, renaming itself Brijan, raiding between the two nations continue for the next two hundred years.

857 The Magic School, Aether, is founded just outside the city of Tauvusa

952 Tirinad is founded in the northern lands with its capital of Droros

993 The Oceanside University is founded in the city of Bita

1078 Tirinad begins expansion through the Zinae Pass and south of the Discam Mountains

1081 Khowen falls to Tirinad

1082 Tirinad declares war on (or starts to march their way towards) the nations in the Levinsa Valley (now the Sinvale Wastelands) and by Cobalt Lake: Aswana, Cafraowanya, Rakcom, Uspait, Zairal

1083 Aswana fall and survivors retreats east, shortly following Rakcom retreats

1085 Cafraowanya, Uspait, and Zairal put up a slow retreat defense with the survivors of Aswana and Rakcom

1089 The final survivors retreat to the Kral Peaks and take the Alytec pass east. The survivors throw up the Great Barrier Shield

1092 The Treaty of the Southern Defense is signed by the rulers of Brijan and Parawall to defend against the Tirinad Army

1102 Rebellion by Cobalt Lake causes a halt to Tirinad’s southern march

1103 The rebellion spreads to the Levinsa Valley

1127 Parawall relinquishes hold of its eastern colony (Scaudon)

1128 An uneasy peace falls between Tirinad, Brijan, and Parawall

1145 The Tirinad Empire falls apart with the assination of its king, its colonies in Levinsa form small city communities

1148 An assault from the Abyss leaves humanity fighting for survival; Parawall and Brijan are the only remaining seats of power, with the Universities of Aether and Oceanside the only other strong pockets of humanity

1150-1300 The small communities remaining in Levinsa and by Cobalt Lake continue to struggle for survival. Parawall and Brijan continue to fight the outside invasion and internal problems

1340-1350 Perusia City is founded (ruins are located by Bolgarde), begins to grow into a nation

1400-1600 The Abyssal influence is slowly beaten back towards the Kral Peaks with Parawall championing the movement through magical talent, with the backing of Aether’s magic school. More city states and nations rise up, most covering no more than a few hundred square miles.

1629 Utril is founded with a capital of Kalmene

1635 The Abyssal influences rally and push westwards

1638 The Defenders of Humanity (a pact between Aether, Parawall and the remaining city-states and nations) make a stand at Aether, they successfully destroy the Abyssal army but take heavy losses, this will later become the city of Aetherfall (since the school is destroyed), the remnants of the Abyss flee eastwards

1649 The Death of Magic; Parawall falls into chaos; the Levinsa Valley becomes infected with the remaining taint of the Abyss, in the next decade or so it will gain the name Sinvale Wastelands being now a mixture of desert, jungle, and plains with creatures eking out a living by preying on others; Most of the city-states fall too

1650-1800 Utril gains power in the north; the remains of the nation of Parawall fall into disrepair and a jungle begins to grow there; Scaudon’s capital Bita is rebuilt

1809 A political rift in Utril leads to civil war

1811 The rebels in Utril win, establishing their own nation, Kostraynia

1849 Scaudon is established as a nation

1893 Brijan becomes recognized as a stable nation again

1900-1950 Settlers begin to move south from Utril

1970 The city of Bolgarde is founded along with the first guilds: The House Paragon, House Fortune, and the House of the White Flame.

1971 Aetherfall and Millrath both become Guild Cities

1974 Automaburn becomes a Guild City

1975 Braston becomes a Guild City

1982 Orglen becomes a Guild City

1996 Steamdrift becomes a Guild City

2008 Ashmoor becomes a Guild City

2010 Crowedge and Grimefell both become Guild Cities

2011 Archhallow becomes a Guild City

2020 Canstien becomes a Guild City

2035 The House of Bronze is founded in the city of Steamdrift

2038 Grayward becomes a Guild City

2047 Noxfort becomes a Guild City

2048 The House of the Blessed is founded in the city of Noxfort and the House of Kosina is founded in the city of Bolgarde

2123 Arcastorm and Dynabury both become Guild Cities

2146 The first Power Crystal is mined from the Southern Reaches

2147 The House Runethia is founded in the city of Automaburn

2287 Uses of Power Crystals become understood

2293 The House Arcania is founded in Aetherfall

2295 The House Thania is established in Bolgarde along with the first public transportation system

2334 Parawatch becomes a Guild City

2343 Zion is founded as a tiefling city in the Richree Range

Present year: 2379

Set here are the entries detailing the various societies of playable races in the world of Edinose.

Aasimar

Society: Aasimars cannot truly be said to have an independent society of their own. As an offshoot of humanity, they adopt the societal norms around them, though most find themselves drawn to those elements of society that work for the redress of injustice and the assuagement of suffering. This sometimes puts them on the wrong side of the law in more tyrannical societies, but aasimars can be careful and cunning when necessary, able to put on a dissembling guise to divert the attention of oppressors elsewhere. While corrupt aasimars may be loners or may establish secret societies to conceal their involvement in crime, righteous aasimars are often found congregating in numbers as part of good-aligned organizations, especially (though not always) churches and religious orders.

Catfolk

Society: In general, catfolk are lithe and slender, standing midway between dwarves and humans in stature. While clearly humanoid, they possess many feline features, including a coat of soft fine fur, slit pupils, and a sleek, slender tail. Their ears are pointed, but unlike those of elves, are more rounded and catlike. They manipulate objects as easily as any other humanoid, but their fingers terminate in small, sharp, retractable claws. These claws are typically not powerful enough to be used as weapons, but some members of the species—either by quirk of birth or from years of honing—can use them with deadly effect. Feline whiskers are not uncommon, but not universal, and hair and eye color vary greatly.

Foxfolk

Society: Foxfolk society is enigmatic, as they prize loyalty among their friends but delight in good-natured mischief and trickery. Foxfolk take pleasure in the pursuit of creative arts and in all forms of competition, especially the telling of stories interwoven with tall tales and falsehoods.

Frogfolk

Society: The majority of Frogfolk society is located in the swampy nation of Scaudon. Here most live in small communities dotted throughout the jungles, but several hundred call the cities of Bita, Cacay, and Malre home. These cities, while no where near the metropolis of the Guild Cities, are some of the most welcoming and accepting places on the continent. This might be due in large part to the friendly nature of Frogfolk and their understanding of strange appearances.

Gnome

Society: The gnomes from across the Obran Ocean are often viewed as quite mysterious. A flightly and fanciful race, gnomes love new things, seeking them almost constantly. Despite their open nature they are slow to form lasting relationships and their form of governing is lose and erratic. Yet they are an endearing race, almost always enjoying music, laughter, and food in good company.

Half-Orc

Society: Half-orcs get the worst of both worlds: physically weaker than their orc kin, they also tend to be enslaved, feared, or attacked outright by humans who do not bother making the distinction between full orcs and halfbloods. Even on the best of terms, half-orcs in civilized societies are not exactly accepted, and tend to be valued only for their physical abilities. On the other hand, orc leaders in the free tribes have been known to deliberately spawn half-orcs, as the halfbreeds make up for their lack of physical strength with increased cunning, making them natural leaders and strategic advisors. Most live towards the outskirts of the major lands, finding the best homes in Scaudon.

Humans

Society: The most varied race, human societies and societal expectations are impacted more by the nations and communities they were raised in and they can be found in any nation.

Merfolk

Society: While the extent of their sea cities is unknown to land dwellers, it is a common thought that most are located in the Orthos Sea since the majority of Merfolk tend to be found in Scaudon's capitol of Bita. The few that are encountered tend to stay around Scaudon, whose capitol is partly built to accomadate these sea dwellers. The rest of their society is in large part a mystery.

Nagaji

Society: While many Nagaji hail from across the Obran Ocean on the Western Continent, many call this continent, Western Edinose, home. Nagaji can be found within the walls of many cities and the largest places will have entire districts of nagaji communities. These communities tend to be close and secretive, highly suspicious of outsiders. Then again, this might also be the purpetuated stereotype of Nagaji.

Orc

Society: Probably one of the most brutal and brutalized race that still exists in Western Edinose. Many are enslaved and can be found as such across every nation. Those who remain free eke out a living in the wildernesses of the Sinvale Wastelands or the Parawall Thicket.

Ratfolk

Society: Most hail from across the Obran Ocean, but some have begun community on this continent. Ratfolk are extremely communal, and live in large warrens with plenty of hidden crannies in which to stash their hoards or flee in times of danger, gravitating toward subterranean tunnels or tightly packed tenements in city slums. They feel an intense bond with their large families and kin networks, as well as with ordinary rodents of all sorts, living in chaotic harmony and f ighting f iercely to defend each other when threatened. They are quick to use their stockpiles of gear in combat, but prefer to work out differences and settle disputes with mutually beneficial trades.

Shadowling

Society: Shadowling are adaptable creatures, and as such display no singular preference for moral philosophy or the rule of law. Most mimic the cultural norms and governmental structures of those they live near or the creatures they serve. Above all, shadowlings are survivors. Their tenacity, versatility, and devious pragmatism have helped them survive the harsh environs of the dangerous locations. On the Material Plane, shadowlings tend to cluster in small, insular communities of their own kind, mimicking the cultural norms and political structures of those they trade with. The only known city of theirs is Murburgh whose exact location within the Parawall Thicket is kept a closely guarded secret.

Tengu

Society: Tengus live in close-knit communities in which they keep to themselves. In urban centers, they tend to group in communal slums, while those living in rural areas establish isolated settlements. Overall, they remain secretive about their culture, which is a combination of old traditions laced with newer bits of culture scavenged from the ancestries common in the neighboring regions. Cultural scavenging also extends to language, and regional dialects of Tengu are peppered with terms and colloquialisms from other languages.

Unsurprisingly, tengus have a knack for language and pick up new ones quickly. Most tengu communities tend to follow a tribal structure. Tribal rules remain loose and subjective, and tribe members settle any conflicts through public arbitration (and occasionally personal combat). While every tengu has a voice in her society, in most settlements, tengus still defer to their revered elders for wisdom and advice.

Tiefling

Society: Tieflings rarely created their own settlements and holdings until a few decades ago when a community of tieflings established Zion, a city beyond the bounds of any nation, located within the Richree Range in the Sinvale Wastelands. Those who choose to live beyond this santucary live on the fringes of the land where they were born or choose to settle. Most societies view tieflings as aberrations or curses, but in cultures where there are frequent interactions with other less common races (such as Scaudon), and especially where the worship of demons, devils, or other evil outsiders is legal or obligatory, tieflings might be much more populous and accepted.

Wolfolk

Society: The ancestry isn’t numerous or widespread, and wolfolk tend to live in secluded communities. They are very protective of their families and friends, and the communities they form tend to be strict and lawful. In their homeland, wolfolk are most plentiful in southern swamps and marshes, where it is believed they originated, but have since spread throughout the rest of the world.

While most of wolfolk society is upstanding and trustworthy, as with any group there are some violent and aggressive members. These evil, loner wolfolk occasionally form into packs that raid the countryside and prey upon the just and kind. Thankfully, wolfolk are generally civilized and loyal, and most are quick to hunt down and punish their feral kin for their foul deeds.

Brijan

A nation that mines the majority of the world's Power Crystals, it holds a high percentage of political power. But it is a nation with a history of being down troden and ignored. Over the hundreds of years it has developed a culture of hardy, stubborn and supicious folk. Slow to trust, and resentful of any sign of being used, they wield the leverage of the Power Crystals with force and determination.

Guild Cities

This nation is a jumble of people and beliefs. With each city governing its own people and the most powerful of the citizens members of the Houses, the political landscape is a mindfield of traps and dangers. But it is also the center of the continent, seeing goods and services streaming through, and boasting the height of technology and fashion.

Kostraynia

This northern nation has the coldest land across the continent but some of the friendliest people. This nation trades mostly in metal from the Osoduff Highlands, furs, and ice. Its people are hardy and some of the best fighters to be found, since those who call this place home often have to defend against the monsters of the Frozen Wastes.

Parawall Thicket

This jungled terrain is thick, but perhaps not as dangerous as the Sinvale Wastelands. Many people make this land their home, including Shadowlings, whose city, Murburgh, is somewhere with the forests, and many Orc tribes fighting to remain free. Beyond these, hundreds of undiscovered ruins from the once great kingdom of Parawall lie buried here.

Scaudon

This jungle nation boast the strangest citizens by far. From the native Frogfolk, to the Merfolk that call at the city of Bita, to those who wander in from the north, by way of the Sinvale Wastelands. Here almost anyone can and is welcome to call home. While in a nation of its own right, and with a monarchy, Scaudon citizens tend for a quieter life and rarely pay attention to national politics, let alone the world stage.

Sinvale Wastelands

Of all lands, the Sinvale Wastelands are the most dangerous. Long ancient remnants of the Abyssal Invasion hundreds of years ago still remain in pockets. Beyond this, after the Death of Magic, this land took on a strange affliction. Some call the occurances that happen here the curse of the Gods while others believe the land was so steeped in magic that the Death of Magic effected the very soil. Whatever the reason, few dare to tread here, save for those seeking adventure and wealth or those avoiding society.

Utril

This nation is one of the most law abiding and peaceful of the continent. Crime is low and trade has been steadily good. However, this land is slow to recognize non-humans as citizens or treat them with more than a cold welcome. It is unknown where or when this deep distrust began, but it is undeniably present.

Deities and Demigods

House Arcania

A fairly young guild by the standards, House Arcania specializes in the use and production of mechanisms concerning the Power Crystals. In the years before it was founded, Jasper Griffon, later to be named Guild Master, made several deals with members of the House of Runethia, much to the latter's later loss. He gained exclusive rights to the secrets of the Power Crystals and began producing machines that relied on their energy rather than steam. In the decades since, House Arcania has cornered the market on these product and become a strong guild in its own right, particularly with the rise in the use of Power Crystals.

This is not to say that it does not have troubles and secrets like the others. The rivalery, sometimes heated, between Acrania and House of Bronze, given the close market products, is well known and has existed since the founding of the former. The underhanded methods through which House Arcania gained its charter as a guild and then rose to power has not gone unnoticed. Many are suspicious of the guild and doubly so when making deals with their members. But how true the rumors of backroom deals and secret trade agreements actually are has never been determined.

Due to the suspicious that is always cast their direction, most cities welcome the guild only for the technicalogical advancements they bring, but beyong that they have never been popular. The one exception to this is the city Aetherfall, which they have controlled almost exclusively since their first Council Elections in 2295, with the only except during a single Seated Council from 2325 to 2330. This comes as no surprise as the House of Arcania makes sure that Aetherfall always benefits along with the guild. No others guild has really ever challenged Arcania on its hold of the city and Arcania has never made any strong attempts to reach for others cities. Given this, most take the marriage between Arcania and Aetherfall for granted.

The current leaded of the guild is one, Chloe Zylpha. She has been the Guild Master since 2363, sitting through two Election years, and has gained a reputation as exacting but fair. While those who only know her by reputation call her the Ice Queen, others who've met her have found her friendly and open. She continues the tradition of a well ordered and well run guild, meeting all requirements and seeing that the house members follow all expectations. She is described as, a middle-aged human of average height and build with short, spiky black hair and brown eyes. She has a medium complextion and a domineering presense. Her history before she joined the guild in 2353 is unknown.

House of Bronze

The House of Bronze produces steam powered machinery and other mechanisms. It was founded in Steamdrift, where the seat of the House remains inspite of fluctuating city alliances. The guild is responsible for the creation of Steam Carriages, the Skyline, and, in a one time cooperation with House Arcania, Sky Ships. Inspite of the wide spread use of steam powered engines and machines, the House Bronze has had declining power among the guilds as Power Crystals and the technology the House Arcania produces became more popular and wide spread. This is clearest when the price of such items came into reach of the middle classes. Since then, Crystal technology has been outstriping Steam mechanisms.

This has became clearly apparent as during the last three Election Years, Bronze has gone from control three or four cities for a Seated Council, to Steamdrift. It is now the last city they hold any power in and even this has been fading. While it is unknown how much of this decline has effected the guild's attitude in recent years, it is an undetested truth that members tend to either be hard and demanding or locked in their workshops. And this certainly has not helped the House's image to the Guild Cities's citizens.

Now the House of Bronze clinges to the last remaining seat of power it has, the Council of Steamdrift, pledging much of its resources to continued support of the infrastructure and the economy of the city. Bronze is ensured survival, with the economy still reliant on steam engines, particularly that of the Skyline that brings in a fair amount of wealth to the cities. And over the course of the last three years, the new leader of the guild has been working to rebuild the House's image to the public. The success of this will be determined in the next Election.

Indeed, this Election may also determine if the new Guild Master, as of 2376, Edwin Rayburn, will remain. Many think he is too young for the important position, still being in his late 20s. He does have his supporters, too, who say that his new ideas and mindset of cooperation might revitalize the guild. He is recognizable as a tall, slender half-elf with long blonde hair drawn back in a ponytail. He is said to be a brillant engineer, which is how he achieved such a high status so quickly. He dresses well and is known to everyone to be friendly and open. He tends to involve himself in the daily running of the guild and many of the members have met him personally.

House of the Blessed

This warrior guild offers an organized and professional approach to learning the art of war. It also introduces aspiring heroes to the dangers and gruesome realities of the profession. Beyond providing martial training to members, it runs a mercenary business, loaning squads out to other nations, and is the official military for the Guild Cities. The defense it provides is primarily located to the east, guarding against the malignance of the Sinvale Wastelands, and to the south, giving protection from the wilderness of the Parawall Thicket.

This guild is highly admired and respected but feared. A primary reason is the attitude and actions of many of its members whoe tend to believe themselves better than other citizens and members of the other houses. This has lend to a reputation as bullies, though this does not necessary extend to every member. In times of crisis, particularly with the dangers near the boarders, the guild is in high demand.

Due to this mixed reputation, the House of the Blessed has always held some combination of the outlying cities, being feared in the central cities and wanted in the out reaching ones. Most frequently, it holds the Arch Council Seats from Noxfort, Grayward, and Parawatch. It has also held Canstien, Orglen, and Crowedge from time to time when danger threaten.

The current Guild Master, Alan Sterling has run the guild for the past 14 years. He is a demanding, strict commander and is labelled as cold and abrasive. He is a tall, fit human whose appearnace is that of a grizzled veteran, with close cut salt and pepper hair and beard. He is a a reknown warrior of skill.

House Fortune

The trading and merchants guild is the House Fortune. Given the wealth it brings into the Guild Cities, it has a solid base of power. But its primary focus is almost exclusively beyond the cities to the other nations. It operates and facilitates much of the trade and trade agreements between the Guild Cities and Brijan, Kostraynia, Scaudon, Utril, and across the Obran Ocean. The little focus they given to the cities themselves is the transportation of goods through and the purchase of goods to be sold aboard.

It seemingly pays little attention to the politics within and been the Guild Cities, it nonetheless ensures its strong favor by continue to maintain trade and pouring exotic goods and wealth into the markets. Those with wealth or who benefit from this support the guild wholeheartedly and see no downside to the House Fortune. This though is not shared by everyone. Many of the the other guilds see House Fortune as a threat to the power balance, worried that they will claim even more seats on the Arch Council. Further, there also exist many citizens who do not benefit from the profit and cast jealous eyes throughs those who do. These people tend to claim that House Fortune try to hoard or hide their wealth, calling them greedy and saying they are not to be trusted.

For their business, Fortune has always been more popular in the port cities, who directly benefit from the stream of goods. For this reason they tend to easily claim two or more seats from the seabound cities, such as Canstien, Arcastorm, Grimefell, Millrath, and Archhallow. This does not mean that they are contented to hold just these cities. While most members do not care for politics, there exists a small number of members who are very strong in their opinion that the guild should be expanding to claim some of the eastern seats, particularly the cities, Grayward and Crawedge, with their control of the roads leading to and from Scaudon.

One of these, Roderick Friend, just claimed the role as Guild Master, making him one of the newest. While somewhat of an unknown factor in this coming election, having just been made Guild Master a year ago, is he said to be smart and "as untrustful as they come". His appearcance can be describes as slick, with silver hair and a pot-belly. Those he has worked with have said that he has a tendancy to become belligerent when he doesn't get his way or he precieves an obstacle. Well known are the persistant rumors of that lay suspicion of "dealing away with" with the previous master.

House Kosina

House Kosina, which runs the entertainment industry, flurished and grew with the expansion of the Guild Cities. This guild first started in Bolgarde as a small crew who put on shows in the market squares. As they expanded, they began by running travelling entertainment caravans between the inner cities, particularly Bolgarde, Steamdrift, and Millrath. Shortly after this they gained their charter in 2048. While travelling caravans are still a central aspect of Kosina's business, they have expanded their operations to include everything from performance art to the visual arts to skilled scribes and linguists.

Many citizens and other guild members see this house as unnecessary and rather indulgent of the Arch Council. All the same, most of these critics still enjoy the diversions and services that the guild provides. Yet within this, there are persitant rumors that the guild hides a deeper secret. However, if such a secret exists it is guarded as the most prized of the guilds since there is little to know evidence of a dark side to the House Kosina. It does not go unnoticed that this guild also seems to wield an extraoridnary amount of power in comparison to its main stock in trade of entertainment and no one seems to have a striaght answer to this inconsistancy.

Kosina is most popular around the central cities where the citizens have both the money and lesuire time to spend on entertainment and the arts. It also is understandable with the higher cultural development and the equally high demend for such pursuits. Even given this, the guild makes a point of travelling well beyond the inner cities and visits the reaching towns of the Guild Cities several times a year. This travelling entertainment is most often in the form of caravans, but the occassional wandering bard or artist will pass through the outer cities. This has helped to maintain their pressense across the Guild Cities.

The current Guild Master is Clifford Zenobia, a middle aged human, though he is often mistaken as being much younger. In his time with the House Kosina, before his present role, he has been, among other professions, a singer, dancer, courtesan, and poet. He is described as having brown hair and green eyes, of being slightly taller than average height with a well-set build. He is considered by everyone to typify a the idea of a player, though among his business associates he is also known to run an extremely hard bargin. He has held the position since 2366.

House Paragon

House Paragon is one of the first guilds established and runs the banking and investment system across all the cities. While often blamed for any crash of the economy that happens from time to time, they also suffer from such devastation. To this end, they tend to be the most watchful of the economy's state and the most demanding on the proper handling of trade and transactions. On the other end of things, they are the most secure banking system on the continent, many foreign investors even choose the House Paragon over their own nation's systems. And within a hundred year of their charter, Paragon became the only bankers within the Guild Cities. This actually makes travel between the cities easier with Letters of Account all kept within one system, Paragon's.

For this they are simultaneously needed but not always trusted. The Guild Cities economy, while based on the actions of the other guilds, such as Fortune and Thania, is mostly heavily reliant on House Paragon. For this, they are needed but since the Arch Council is the only body that has any control over the guild beyond its own members, they are not always trusted. This is a two way street, though, since they can be quite distrusting of the other guilds and their intentions towards Paragon. Within all this house Paragon is known to be the most exacting guild of all the houses.

Given their control of the economy, House Paragon is almost gaurenteed Braston's Council Seat given the city's dire straights. And they often control one or two other cities. Mostly though, they focus on the farther reaching cities due to a deal made between Paragon and and the other houses of the time, signed in 2037. This deal, promises that House Paragon, even if it loses a seat on the Arch Council will remain as a chartered guild. Many think this deal was rather one sided, against Paragon, and there is bad blood about this even to today. But there has never been any proof of blackmail or coercion. House Paragon, despite its limited ability to operate with the political system of certain cities, since maintains an effort to claim a Seat on the Arch Council every Election year.

Emeline Radcliff, the present Guild Master, is a strict, to the letter woman. Middle-aged and best described as a bureaucrat, she has red hair, pulled back in a ponytail framing brown eyes. She is short but with a habit of standing ramrod straight, even those far taller than her say that she seems quite tall herself. She has a thin face and a often stern experssion. And while she is not new to the position of Guild Master having held it for only nine years, she is not considered one of the oldest masters, not yet anyways.

House Runethia

Research for many years was an illorganized business of the clever, curious, or insane until the charter for the House Runethia with issued. This guild focuses on research into new uses for Power Crystals along with benefits of resources found across the continent, but most especially from the Sinvale Wastelands. While other guilds still maintain research and expansion of their focus, for example, House Arcania continues research into the Power Crystals and and House of the White Flame looks into plants with medical propteries, House Runethia considers the research of anything and everything new. And this house has produced some of the most interesting and helpful finds since its founding, including uses for Power Crystals and many of the formulas for the extracts now traded across the continent. Unfortunately for the guild, these discoveries were several decades ago, and with no recent breakthroughs this guild has been declining.

Since their more and more apparent wane of power they have become the most mocked house in the Guild Cities. One of their only hopes left might be to have a new breakthrough, but given the more recent double blow of lowered standards into membership and depleted funds this possibility may be beyond their reach. Many citizens have begun taking bets how long the guild will retain its seat on the Arch Council. This seat is Runethia's last vestage of hope to hold onto its charter.

Yet this seat might remain in Runethia's hands for a while yet given the city of Automaburn's loyalty to the guild. The city, while founded well before the house, has well and truly adapted to research and scientific discovery which is reflected across the city's culture. There are warning signs though that some of the other guilds, particularly the House of the Blessed and the House of the White Flame, have been working to win the favor of the citizens of Automaburn. It is not clear if they have succeeded in winning the Elections this time, but they have been laying the foundations for the future. But despite this apparent win for Runethia this next Election is still extremely important to the guild.

Violet King has run the House Runethia since 2362. She is a middle-aged, rather absentminded human. She has curly, short brown hair, blue eyes, and wears spectacles. King was once a very forceful character, said to be cunning and politically savy. How her slow decline of personality came about, no one is quite sure and if guild members know, they are not talking. Many think if she is replaced as Guild Master, the House Runethia might have a chance, but with the Elects now months away it may be too late.

House Thania

The youngest of guilds, House Thania has a lot to prove to the cities still. It operates the public transportation systems both within the cities and between them. These include the City's Steam Carriages for hire, the Skylines, and some highend Sky Ships. While all of these machines were created by either the House Arcania or the House of Bronze and they still own the machinary secrets, House Thania's founder, Aphra Dawkins, discovered a powerful niche in the market. She invested in several Steam Carriages and began renting them out to citizens in Bolgarde. The business grew and she expanded, first to other cities and then to Skylines (the very first ran between Bolgarde and Dynabury).

Now, every city has a branch of the house and profits from the transportation system as it takes a percentage of the yearly earnings. This makes the guild a welcome member of any city, but the other guilds see this growing power as a danger and tend to target the House Thania, paritcularly during the Election years. Citizens who are not members of a guild however find Thania to be very useful but complaints have begun during the last decade about over crowding and a decline in good service. How wide spread this decline is may not be entirely true.

But due to the heavy competition from the other guilds and rising number of complaints, House Thania has struggled to maintain some of the more powerful cities. During the last Election year they focused on more distance cities, promoting greater infrastructure and better transportation. Indeed, they are predicted to hold Orglen without much competition this year given the amount of spending and projects they have sunk into the city. Their current biggest project is a Skyline through the high mountains of the Discam Mountains in an attempt to connect Orglen and Canstien.

Backing this operation with some of his personal wealth is the Guild Master, Matthew Prescott. A brown haired, middle-aged man, he has run the guild for nearly two decades. Those who know he describe him as harried, anxious, and prone to a fit of nerves. Many think this comes from his years overseeing the Skyline tracks in the Inner Four cities (the nickname given to Millrath, Steamdrift, Dynabury, and Bolgarde), while others suggestion there might be a darker reason for his personality, especially since it is said that he was not always this way.

House of the White Flame

The House of the White Flame is one of the three first founded houses and it runs the system of hospitals and medical facilities across the Guild Cities. It is known, too, for its research into medical advancements, including better practices within surgury. Over the decades, it has trained some of the most famous doctors, physicians, and surgeons and can claim most as life-long members of the guild. Indeed, in 2257 the Arch Council amended the House charter and the law such that a medical practitioner must be a member of the White Flame to operate.

Some question such a law, but most agree given that the House of the White Flame is well known for discipline and resonsibility. Beyond this, the is both wanted and hated. It provides much needed medical support, particularly in outreaching cities, but it has a high charge for its services making it unpopular in the poorer communities.

Given this, the central cities, with the higher wealth gaps, tend to be less welcoming to the guild, while the more distance cities are happy to recieve them. This might also be effected by the simple fact that the guild lowers its prices in the poorer towns, making access to medical treatment far easier. Though upon a closer examination it is not out of charity that the guild holds such a policy but rather that several of the more outlying cities supply a large part of the medical resources, especially from plants, that the House needs.

Alex Sheridan has been the Guild Master for time out of mind (since 2336 to be precise). An elderly and knowledge old gentleman, he is said to be one of the most dangerous Guild Masters within the cities. Despite his age, he is sharp and cunning. Many say that he could have excelled at anything he chose, most especially as a lawyer. He is recognizable as a tall, clean shaven human, with white hair and piercing blue eyes and impecable dress. He has gained the nickname: The Lawyer.

Aetherfall

This was one of the first towns to join the Guild Cities. The history, though, goes back farther, all the way to Year 1, with the ruins of Tauvusa located less than 10 miles away. It currently provides a base for historians digging into Tauvusa's varied past, adventurer's striking out into the northern Sinvale Wastelands, and those seeking to research the mysteries of the Power Crystals. Built on the ruins of the ancient school, Aether, it still holds a strong source of learning on the continent and draws students to its research halls from across the lands.

Arcastorm

One of the youngest, the town Arcastorm became a city with the finalization of the trade agreement between the Guild Cities and Utril. It currently acts as one of the main trading routes between the Guild Cities and Utril along with providing a secure port on the Obran Ocean, helping to pull in resources from the sea. Its economy is stable, with the continuous flow of goods, and is fairly safe. Beyond this, Arcastorm is not known for much.

Archhallow

Archhallow has the deepest habor of any of the oceanside cities, which led to its quick rise in power. This also sees that it shelters the largest collection of deep sea vessels and provides an excellent start for those heading either south to Brijan or west across the Obran Ocean. But, despite its important harbor, its most famous for the strange occurances that have happened over the decades. These tales include the Ghost on the Hill and the Dock Stalker, and very few have ever been resolved. Just recently the city survived a strange invasion from underneath the land it stands on.

Ashmoor

At the head of the Ash River is the city of Ashmoor, named both for the river and the moors just north of the town. Originally founded as a logging and river town, it quickly grew with the high demand of wood. And, as the market turned to metals and minerals, the city adapted, turning to mining as its economy base, a base which it still maintains today. Further, after the establishment of Parawatch, it became the primary route from that resource rich, outlying town back to the center of the Guild Cities.

Automaburn

The site of research concerning everything from strange beasts found in the Sinvale Wastelands to more uses for the Power Crystals, Automaburn was first established for its location at the mouth of the Golden Waters. It has since grown through trade, but a large portion of its citizens are most concerned with new discoveries. While this has led to some of the most important breakthroughs of the age, it also has led to one of the strangest cultures of the Guild Cities. Its markets are flooded with the weird and unknown, its people are both curious and superstitious, and some have gone to great, and often insane, lengths to produce the next discovery.

Bolgarde

This city has one of the oldest histories and is located in the center of the Guild Cities, joining the west and east. It is the seat of the Arch Council, which overseeing and ratifies the Guild City Agreement. Due to this power hold, it is often hotly contested between the guilds, who spend significant portions of their wealth trying to gain the favor of the city's citizens. This results in solid infrustructure, a thriving market, and a flurishing cultural center. It has Sky Lines directly to the other major cities of Dynabury, Steamdrift, Aetherfall, and Automaburn and resides at the head of the Steam River fed by Cobalt Lake giving it control over the major waterway to the sea.

Braston

This undervalued city, has slowly lost power in the political system. It once was the further outpost up the Golden Waters and so brought in most of the resources from farther east. However, once Crowedge and, later, Grayward were established, the many sources of income this city relied on dwindled. It now bases much of its economy on the nearby mines and a seat on the Arch Council, but in the past decade the mines have been declining. Braston's economy is nearly in ruins and it is well and surely the poorest of the cities.

Canstien

While not having the deepest of harbors, this port city nonetheless makes a name for itself, having access to both the Obran Ocean and the Discam Mountains. These nearby resources mean it produces a fair amount of goods and products which it sends to the other Guild Cities. More importantly to others, including its citizens, is the highly sheltered port and the very defensible position with cliffs at the city's back. To those visiting, the most striking feature are the buildings, many of which have been constructed clinging to the cliff edges and spill downwards to the floating docks.

Crowedge

Crowedge, located at the head of the Golden Waters, has a less military outlook than Grayward and funnels much of the Guild Cities's more exotic resources found only in the Sinvale Wastelands. It is often seen as resource city, since it also is the base of several mining operations run in the Richree Range, bringing back various important metals.

Dynabury

While most of the cities maintain their power through their resources or location, Dynabury is the true cultural center of the Guild Cities. It grew as a crossroads town, connecting Bolgarde, Grimefell, and Canstien, and now its central location has made it a hub for entertainment and the arts. It also sees a fair amount of profit as trade from the north and west cities flows through towards Bolgarde and other points south or east, making it a decently wealthy city.

Grayward

This city sees some of the greatest dangers of any, facing the monsters, beasts, and unknown dangers of the Sinvale Wastelands. This leds it to be a heavily fortified and militaristic city, whose citizens are suspicious of strangers and more so of non-humans. At the same time, it is better off than its (sometimes called) sister city, Noxfort, since it is located on the main road between Scaudon and the Guild Cities.

Grimefell

This seaport gained its name as a primary location for slavery and imported slaves. While slavery has declined over the decades, Grimefell still maintains the largest slave markets in the central continent. This has also made it one of the most diverse city too, seeing many races and creatures pass through its markets and makes for one of the most depressing sights to be found in the Guild Cities. Several citizens have started to clammer for laws banning the practice but as it stands that will likely be decades away still.

Millrath

An old city, Millrath is a major trading hub lying at the mouth of the Steam River and faculitating the only waterway that leads farther east. While not one of the hotly contested cities, it none the less represents power beyond its trading potentential as one of the most populated cities in the central continent. It also boast one of the most dangreous urban environments, with strong criminal factions that fight over trade, smuggling and the blackmarket, particularly by the docks. This has led to the saying, 'If there's anything worth a profit, you can find it in the Millrath markets.'

Noxfort

Noxfort does not face the same dangers that Crowedge or Grayward do with their proximity to the Sinvale Wastelands, but it struggles with maintaining order and wealth at the edge of the Guild Cities nonetheless. Given its control of the valley between the Richree Range and the Holydon Peaks, it is considered important to maintain but it sees little trade or traffic, expect for those journeying into the Parawall Thicket, few at that. It comes as no surprise the attitude of suspicion and military inclinations are commonly held beliefs necessary for the survival of the city.

Orglen

This northern city provides resources from the Discam Mountains and, having no competition at the head of the Pearl River, has enjoyed the mix of luxary and distance from the seats of prominent power. This is a city of hardworking folk who are less prejudice than most of the outlying cities, afterall, the people from this area tend to value a person's worth by their work and dedication.

Parawatch

This city is known for its resources. Being located close to several rich deposite mines and the forests of the Parawall Thicket, with its strange plants and creatures, it is a wealthy up and coming town. This has been accellerated by the discovery of a deposite of Power Crystals in a nearby mine two years ago. This has upset the predictions for the upcoming Election, with many of the Houses suddenly trying to win the city's Seat, if just to gain control over it and the new resources it has.

Steamdrift

Steamdrift is a central city known for its culture, river access, and steam powered machinery. While the increased use of Power Crystals is here, as it is across the Guild Cities, this town has the highest number of steam powered engines and machinery. Beyond this, it acts a one of the hubs for transportation, connecting to Millrath, Bolgarde, Ashmoor, Noxfort, and the other most interconnected city, Dynabury. This has kept its economy strong over the years too.