Calendar of Adylheim

The calendar of Adylheim consists of 12 months to every year. Each month takes up a total of 35 days. There are 5 weeks to every month and thus 7 days to the week. There are also four seasons; winter, spring, summer and autumn. Finally, timekeeping in Adylheim is also split into eras. Eras are a much more subtle concept than a year or a season and are not determined by anything as simple as the passing of time. Eras are often guided by the hands of prophecy, with each era taking on one of the five elements. Eras have no specific length but end when the spirit which gives it power has been exhausted.

The Days

Spirit’s Day - Spirit’s Day is generally a good day to do anything involving emotions and proposals. Feuds and all manner of similar endeavours should be started on this day.

Earth’s Day - Earth’s Day is a good day to harvest and gather things which grow in the earth. Building and constructing should also be started on this day.

Fire’s Day - Fire’s Day is a good day to forge and to create new things out of old. Craftsmen are known to favour this day above all others. It is also a good day to rid oneself of old things and start anew.

Air’s Day - Air’s Day is a good day to go hunting. Rain and thunder on Air’s Day is generally considered to be an omen of good things to come. Air’s Day is also a good day to pursue one’s dreams.

Water’s Day - Water’s Day is the day for fishing and diving. The treasures of the sea are said to yield more easily on Water’s Day. For those worshipping Erina, this day is sacred above the others.

Gods' Day - On this day, asking favours of the gods is especially easy. Religious errands and quests should be started on this day, it is a good day for sacrifices and prayer. Prophetic visions are often received on this day.

Children’s Day - This day is a good time to have children, anything dealing with fertility should be started on this day. It is also a day for looking ahead and laying plans.

The months

Primus - This month is characterised by silence, solemn festivals and fasts. Doing anything loud is generally discouraged. Winter.

Eirwinus - During this month scholarly activity is at a peak. As the month is sanctified by Eirwin the practice of learning things is important. Winter.

Akaril - This is the month where the world starts returning to life. For those worshipping Akar and others this month is filled with festivals and feasts greeting the coming of life. Spring.

Tirellus - Tirell blesses this month and the feasts that take place during it are marked by song and poetry. The big poetry competitions take place during this month, fame and fortune riding on whose poems will be the best. Spring.

Luxorus - This month is dedicated to Luxor. Festivals honouring great leaders are usually set in this month. Spring.

Adiennus - With the goddess of mysteries and doors blessing this month, it is often marked on calendars by the outline of a door. Adiennus is marked by private festivals where outsiders are not allowed to know the rites involved. Summer.

Theriumnus - With the blessing of Therium, this month is marked by jousts and competitions of strength and battle skills. It is considered a good time to do battle. Summer.

Maadrthil - This month is considered dangerous by many. Deep pits and caves are usually avoided during this month when Maadrth is said to be particularly active. Summer.

Gaernus - Harvesting is what this month is all about. The majority of the important harvests are done this month. Harvest festivals and feasts where the wealth of the harvest is consumed are common. Autumn.

Elronus - This month holds the market as its sign. Elron looks favourably on his followers and more business is done this month than during any two others. It is considered a good month to be generous towards ones neighbours and improvised parties and festivals are common. Autumn.

Maius - As winter looms and the land dies, this month is dedicated to Maia. Rites to honour ancestors and remember dead relatives are usually held in this month. Many who cling to life will perish before this month is over. Autumn.

Il’unnus - With this month dedicated to the goddess of dreams, people gather around and listen to stories and legends. Prophetic visions and dreams mark this month more than any other. Winter.

Funerals, Temples and Ghosts in Dragonkin Culture

Dragonkin and the Afterlife

Dragonkin tend to focus on the physical rather than the spiritual. However, even they cannot deny the existence, albeit very rare, of dragonkin ghosts that manifest around their cities. The fact that those ghosts that do manifest report it is very hard to achieve this is felt to explain the low numbers, particularly when combined with the fact that the ghosts report they too are waiting for the return of the dragons. However, if the ghosts of dragonkin simply wait for the return of the dragons a lower proportion of them become capable of manifesting than of any other species. This could, of course, be simply because dragonkin ghosts are content to wait for the return of the dragons, but wild speculations suggest other theories to account for this. Servants of the drakes stealing the souls is one such suggestion that has gained credence in an attempt to discredit the Drakeskins.

Dragonkin rarely seek out ghosts, dragonkin or otherwise. Such activity is not clearly serving the dragons, at least without direct orders from a dragon to that effect. If they do happen to encounter a dragonkin ghost they will usually treat it as one of their elder kin, and take advice if offered, otherwise they will simply greet it, and proceed with their normal tasks.

Funerary Rites

Dragonkin funerary rites, in the main, date back to their time with the dragons, at least that is what the dragonkin believe. Dragonkin existed, then as now, solely to serve the dragons. When they died they could not directly serve the Dragons any longer, but their flesh could aid other dragonkin continue to serve the dragons, returning to their community the flesh that the community had helped to nurture.

Over time this cannibalistic approach to the dead has become ritualised to an incredible degree. There are ceremonies that surround washing, jointing, marinading and cooking the body parts. Dragonkin of different sects and cities have different styles of preparation, although all are recognised as acceptable by all except the most conservative members of the various groups that compose the society.

Examples of variations in preparation of the fallen can quickly be seen if you compare the rites of the Drakeskins, Second Chancers and the Compassionists.

Drakeskins carefully remove the skin of their fallen and preserve it. During the feasting, the skin is used as a cloth to cover the top table, and those Drakeskins who are particularly respected often have the designs of their scales painted over the rest of the room by their grieving comrades. There is no particular cut of meat that is revered and typically all the good meat is put into a stew or broth. All the skins of the fallen are flown from short poles, rather like flags, until the wind shreds them. The decorations and markings of particularly renowned Drakeskins are recorded by the elders for posterity. Whilst it is common to take a small section of a design and reproduce it on your own scales, it is forbidden to copy the design in its entirety. Dragonskins claim this is so that the dragons, on their return, will not be confused about which spirits to call to service.

Second Chancers believe that the mind of the fallen was their greatest asset, the tool that helps them improve themselves the most, even if the actual process that the dragonkin undertook was purely one of physical improvement. To this end the head and in particular the brain are the most prized parts, offered to the family of the fallen if possible, or to their closest colleagues. The remaining parts are graded according to the nature of the deceased: the weapon arm and breast muscles of a flying warrior are the most prized parts, after the head, of one who undertook that path to improvement; whereas the forearms and hands of an alchemist are the most revered, and for students of Apporheta the lungs, heart and liver become prominent. The relevant parts are often cooked whole and formed back into a close resemblance of their form whilst living. The rest of the body is usually roasted.

Compassionists believe, with some justification, that it is the spine and pelvis that keeps a body together, and go on to liken that to their role in keeping their cities working smoothly. Of course there is not much eating on the hollow bones of a dragonkin but their bones are rendered into a jelly not dissimilar to aspic and the choicest cuts of meat are painted with a layer of this jelly before consumption. Despite the name of the sect, the other parts are cooked with almost brutal efficiency: large muscles are roast, usually on the bone, smaller muscles and other parts are stewed, braised, fried or whatever. They do, however, live up to their name in their distribution of the meat: friends, neighbours, enemies, those who saw the dragonkin die and the like are all invited. Perhaps surprisingly at least one member of the temple guard, traditionally drawn by lot in most cities or by rotation in the others, is also invited to share in the feast, and this guard is always accorded a seat on the top table with the family of the fallen.

Similarly the order of eating, and who is invited to eat of which of the myriad dishes prepared is now formalised, and varies depending on the relationship of the deceased to the city, its population and the temple.

Occasionally a dragonkin will die in such a way that their body cannot be retrieved, particularly if they are away from dragonkin land at the time. This brings a small amount of shame to the family of the deceased, but this shame is expiated over time simply by continued support of the community and their activities.

Very rarely a dragonkin will be denied the right to provide food to their community. This is reserved for the worst of heretics and traitors; those who try to poison the city, betray it to an enemy, those who deny the dragons will return, those who practice Mantra or worship of false gods. Many dragonkin go through their entire life without seeing such an event. The body of the reviled dragonkin must still be destroyed, and destroyed in such a way that no taint of the body and the evil that infected it can be returned to the community to taint them in future. Typically this involves burning on the edge of the range of the city, when the wind is blowing safely away, although historically such bodies have been thrown into volcanic fissures and other such completely destructive methods.

Note that wars between dragonkin are essentially wars between Drakeskins and the rest. Both sides regard their foes as the ultimate heretics and their flesh is destroyed, ideally by burning on the site of their former homes which are thereafter shunned.

Temple Building

Dragonkin insist to all and sundry that the temples they build are homes for the dragons on their return. Dragonkin also insist that the dragons were the size of a mountain range, maybe a small mountain range but appreciably bigger than a single mountain. It is also obvious that the temples that the dragonkin build are on the sides of mountains, and even allowing for some exaggeration in their memories, it seems unlikely a dragon will fit into such a small space.

The truth of the matter lies in the cultural use of the word home by the dragonkin. A home, to the dragonkin, is not tied to a property and continuous dwelling (where a house becomes a home after some time living there) in the same way it is for most other cultures, rather it refers to a place natural or constructed that is regularly used and has certain useful features. In the case of a dragonkin’s home this would be perching sites, water, easy access to food etc. and could be a tree near a watering spot where the branches are pruned back to give a good perching site but it could include the most spectacular constructions as well.

Taken in this context the temples really are, or at least were, homes for the dragons, in that they were modifications to the environment to make their lives more easy at places to which they returned often. If you ask the right questions about the purposes of the temples it turns out that there were at least five common uses for the structures.

• A dragon-sized finger bowl, allowing the dragonkin to go about their task of cleaning their master’s talons more easily.

• An equally impressively sized food bowl. Dragonkin would put food into the bowl and the dragon would sit there and snack on it whilst watching Dragon-TV or planning to kill the Gods.

• According to the dragonkin certain of the dragons liked to look their best - scales polished and coloured for example. This is behind the habit of tattooing onto the scales that some dragonkin still exhibit. The buildings were either storehouses or ink-pots for the dyes and polishes used.

• The buildings were used (although it is not clear that the term “home” can be applied to it) to plug fissures to the depths. Giant cthonian worms and the like are reported to dwell down there and to have attacked the dragons. The dragons would, obviously, exterminate these vermin but order their servants to block the passageways from beneath to the surface. These buildings, even then, were ornamented for reasons lost in the mists of time but thought to be an indication of the victorious dragon and the defeated foe.

• Finally, and most controversially, the dragonkin refer to some of the original buildings on which temples were modeled as egg-chambers. Dragons, being of divine nature are assumed not to breed, so why would they need egg chambers? Dragonkin point to their origins, and the origins of the drakes and other species now thought extinct as directly created by the dragons. The egg-chambers were not for the eggs of a dragon to hatch into another dragon, rather they were for the birth of the dragon’s servant species.

It is important to realise, however, that temple building has continued for the entirety of dragonkin history. Whatever the original functions of the original buildings that inspired the temples the current temples have become ornate. Their architecture and decorative details are dictated by faith and tradition rather than by the actual needs of the dragons. Whilst the origins of the temples were certainly functional, things that helped the dragons or helped the dragonkin serve them better, and faith insists that this is still the case an objective (and deeply heretical) assessment would suggest that this is no longer factual. The most recently completed temples, whilst marvels of architecture and devotion, are certainly not suitable for the first three functions described. It is not clear that they are suitable for the last two either.

Guides

The Guides

The Guides are not an organisation by any means, they have no common code and serve no ideal or god in particular. Still, there are guides to be find all across Adylheim, serving in their own little way to ensure that travellers get safely from one place to another. And, of course, getting paid in the bargain.

Being a guide is an occupation, although one that rarely comes with a guild to protect its interest. Like most other occupations, it works on the master and apprentice system, with one learning from the other and occasionally the other way around. There will always be locals who know their way around the local paths, but there are few who dedicate themselves to it.

It should be noted, though, that being a guide is not an occupation which will reap rich rewards. Few guides have ever become rich doing what they do and while they may occasionally take someone through the paths for a great deal of reimbursement, this is more of an exception than the rule.

Knowledge and Skills

Being both a widespread and wildly diversified lot, guides possess a great deal of different skills. Some have been farmers, some have been hunters, others trappers. Most are known for their ability to survive in the wild though. It is rare to find anyone more knowledgeable than a guide about the local herbs, edible plants, and wildlife than a guide. Armed with this intimate knowledge of their surroundings, they are near unmatched survivors as long as they stay on their own turf.

It would be a mistake to think that once outside their own region guides lose their purpose, even though their intimate knowledge of the terrain may not be up to scratch they have many tricks up their sleeves. Navigating by the stars, telling the directions by many of the strange tricks that survivors know comes naturally to the guides.

There is little doubt that where the guides truly shine though is within their own region. It is here they know all the good fishing sites, all the neglected and run down, all the old ruins one might take shelter in, and, of course, what old ruins to avoid. Guides may even know the secret witchpaths that cover the ground, shortcuts that are only safe as long as one pays the appropriate toll at the door.

Guides may even know the secret of Guiderunes, which even wizards find something of a mystery. Such knowledge is often a great boon to any guide caught outside their own territory. Of course, Guiderunes are not the same everywhere and while there is some standardisation, Guiderunes in Nerin are markedly different to those in Teslan.

Signs

Over the centuries guides have concocted a strange language of markings known as Guiderunes. These scratchings, which are liberally applied to stones and trees, mark everything from supply caches, dangers on the road, good places to find shelter and everything in between.

Guiderunes are generally fairly simple and most guides will consider it their duty to ensure that they continue to be there for later travellers, some even consider it a sacred duty to halt and refresh the markings, ensuring that even on the more forgotten paths the Guiderunes will be readable for later generations.

This system of runes can be found on most major roads and paths, there are few paths that do not have Guiderunes written somewhere along their winding length. It has developed into a system for keeping track of the local knowledge and while no one has catalogued their entirety, they are often amended and altered as necessary by new generations of guides as the need arises.

As a necessity it remains a very simple script though and could hardly be described as a language in its own right. It serves primarily to mark distances to things, with various signs depicting what can be found at said distance, though it may occasionally be used to convey more subtle warnings and directions such things are not easily given to Guiderunes and can easily be misunderstood by anyone not intimately familiar with the local system of Guiderunes.

Witchpaths

Guides are among the few people who maintain and keep what is generally known as the Witchpaths, short underground shortcuts through the mountains and similar. These secret paths often require those that pass through them to leave behind small sacrifices of blood, hair or other things. Guides are among the few people who know how to traverse such places safely and unmolested, though they will rarely suggest them to most travellers.

Exactly who built the witchpaths is unknown, their purpose of allowing quick travel through the mountains is easily evident though. Of course, you'll find less of them in the south, where the mountains are fewer and further between. But in the north where the ground is hard and cold most of the year, ancient tunnels crisscross the mountains and those who dare enter these paths may cut their travelling time in half. Of course, for the unwary it is they who get cut in half. Many who enter the mountains unknowingly disappear and are rarely heard from again.

What resides within the witchpaths that preys on travellers is not known even to the guides and is generally not a subject of much debate. Such discussion is considered to be bad luck and sure to jinx a traveller, especially if he or she is currently travelling one of the witchpaths.

Pilots

Among the Maradin there is an equivalent to the guides. These Maradin are known as pilots and their mastery of the seas is well known. No one has as good a knowledge of the shoals, the currents and the dangers of the seas as the pilots. By most Maradin captains it is considered an honour to have a pilot aboard one's ship and their advice is always heeded.

While the Maradin pilots are certainly more respected than their land counterparts the guides, they retain a detached presence from the rest of Maradin society, rarely staying on any one boat for any length of time, rarely leaving their own territory. They retain a place somewhere between the priests of Erina and the rest of the Maradin, closer to Erina than normal people, but still not quite as close as the priests themselves. For most Maradin the sacrifice is not considered to be worth it though.

Languages of Adylheim

High Aramic

The most spoken language in the Mainlands is Aramic. The language is usually divided into two dialects, Vulgar or Low Aramic and High Aramic. Both are mutually understandable but High Aramic uses a more intricate system of clauses and genders than Low Aramic. High Aramic is usually spoken by nobles and is the primary written language of the courts of the Mainlands.

Low Aramic

Low Aramic is the most common dialect and it has a number of different names. Some call it Vulgar Aramic, others Low Aramic, and some even call it Tradespeak, or simply Trade. It is spoken by most inhabitants of the Mainlands and is frequently used as a language for traders. Almost all business taking place in the Mainlands uses Low Aramic. Speaking the language in certain circles may be frowned upon due to its common nature.

Elvish

Spoken by the elvish tribes roaming Adylheim this tongue, while rarely spoken in polite company, is usually known to those trafficking in elven lore and doing business with them. As most elves also have at least a passing knowledge of Trade though, it is usually not considered very important. Elvish is known for being a language that has as many different words for "disguise" as elvish and for often connecting up several words to form new, more elaborate concepts, on the spot if need be.

The Alphabet of the Magi

Wizards don't have a tongue to themselves, per se, though they often converse in otherwise dead tongues to keep the uninitiated from understanding their conversations. They do make use of their own alphabet, however, in which they write their Prime Words. This alphabet bears little resemblance to any of the other alphabets and symbols in it are said to be more based around the purpose of the word than its phonetic content.

Ghoul

The tongue of ghouls is little heard or known, its is only ever spoken amongst ghouls. Those few who have heard it report it to be almost like hearing a singing whisper. Although a very rare tongue and one without any written counterpart some necromancers have been known to learn it to better communicate with ghouls.

Drakken

The language passed down to Dragonkin by the Dragons, Drakken is a language filled with hissing and growls. It makes excellent use of the agile tongue of the Dragonkin, and it is extremely rare for anyone outside of the Dragonkin to know Drakken. It carries huge religious significance to them as it is the language they use to communicate with the Dragons.

Sidaen

Sidaen is the language of the Ursidaen. It is mostly used among their race only, since it is the only language which can be spoken in both the form of man and bear.

Ogran

Ogran is a language that is easy to pick up, as its sentence structure and use of tenses and clauses remains very basic. It is rarely known by anyone other than those who trade with the Ogres, as knowledge of it is highly frowned upon.

Shame and Virtue in Dragonkin Society

Shame and virtue among the dragonkin

Dragonkin society, like many religious communities, is controlled and dictated by subtle rewards and penalties from the community. Shame is apportioned when you (or more rarely a member of your family) performs some act contrary to the will of the community, and virtue is granted when you perform some act of extraordinary good.

However, unlike many human societies the ultimate rewards of virtue can only be awarded by a dragon and whilst the dragonkin do reward virtuous acts this is rare and never very large - there is no equivalent to the charismatic preacher who can do no wrong and to whom all good accrues in this life because he stands between you and God. A dragonkin can still be your superior - your boss for example - but he/she is still only a dragonkin, not a dragon.

It should be remembered that for very shameful acts your wings will be clipped and you will be marked for life. For extremely shameful acts, such as treason, you will not only have your wings clipped you will be executed and your body burnt far from town. The rest of this article deals only with less shameful actions that can be expiated by time and effort, and those rare moments of virtue being rewarded.

Although dragonkin communities do not keep a numeric score of shame and virtue, both scores have a kind of half-life. Shame, each individual shame, has a half-life of eight months, and after eight half-lives is forgotten. Of course that means you are shamed (although gradually less and less so) for over five years unless you undertake one or more of the rituals of expiation described below. Virtue, on the other hand has a mixed half-life. You will always be remembered for your virtuous act, to the point your name may be changed “Huishuan the Wise” for example after solving a particularly thorny problem, or “Chunitluash the Builder” if you have designed a new temple that brings honour upon the community. The other rewards of your virtue decline every eight days, and again are lost after 64 days. The chances of being regarded as virtuous twice simultaneously are negligible.

What is being regarded as virtuous good for, except gaining a cognomen? Well, the most obvious thing, if you imagine it as a scoreboard, is that it can offset shame, expunge it from the record. Chunitluash the Builder would have a large part if not all of the shame that he has accumulated during the building process wiped out at once (see below for more on this accumulation of shame whilst in a position of great responsibility). If you should be lucky enough to get into positive, to be regarded as virtuous, then for the duration of that happy time you will be offered choice cuts, invited to attend endless ceremonies to fête you and the like. You might cynically note that the fêtes take up time, allowing you to accumulate extra shame and offset the burden of your virtue more rapidly.

What can cause you to be shamed? Just about anything. Speaking too loud in temple, not attending temple often enough, not joining the services sufficiently enthusiastically, not contributing fully to the community, not caring for the children, for the elders, for the temple guard, providing faulty goods, bearing false witness, making false accusations, failing to bear witness, failing to report suspicious activity, failing to report shameful acts performed by yourself or others and so on.

Many of these potentially shameful acts are contradictory, for example you are shamed for reporting suspicions without evidence (although not much if they turn out to be true), but you are also shamed for failing to report suspicious activity. Thus it is almost unheard of for a dragonkin to be entirely without shame.

How can shame be expiated? There are a number of ways beyond simply waiting the requisite 64 months. Note that, although uncommon for most dragonkin, it is possible to undertake these rites when your shame is less than the amount expiated or even when you are virtuous. They will cause you to become virtuous or maintain your virtue for longer. This is most commonly found among the Compassionists but is available to all.

Small amounts of shame can be expiated by additional work for the community. Now, of course, all dragonkin work for the community, but there are always the unwanted, dirty, hard jobs. Redecorating the temple, building a new family’s home, cleaning the latrines, hunting tasty but dangerous game and the like. Dragonkin undertaking this work to expiate shame will blacken their scales and wear jet black robes so that all observing them know what is being done. This work is handed out by the ministers in light of the level of shame to be expiated and the needs of the community. It is not uncommon for cities to have entire days of expiation about once each month where major necessary but generally disliked tasks are undertaken - the value of having a population always in shame!

Medium amounts of shame can be expiated by various public rituals. These are available daily to those who need or wish to reduce their shame more rapidly. The dragonkin will again don jet black robes, this time with weights around the bottom so they cannot fly. They will not only blacken their scales, but will also blacken their wings. It is not uncommon for those taking this route to also bind their wings with black ribbon so they temporarily appear to be and functionally are wingless. Such dragonkin are almost always cast as the villains of the piece in morality plays used to educate the children and on occasion the whole city. Their roles are, wherever possible, chosen to reflect the source of their major current shame, although this is often exaggerated: a dragonkin shamed for damaging community property will be cast in the role of a traitor or saboteur. Human psychology struggles to understand this: you are reminding everyone of the reason for your shame and this reduces rather than enhances shame - not in most human societies it doesn’t! - but the dragonkin seem to regard this as facing and acknowledging your fault and your shame and thus expiating it.

Finally large but not extreme amounts of shame can be expiated by special rituals performed by the ministers before the assembled community. A leather binder is used to symbolically shrivel your wings and alchemy to create an egg around you as you stand, dressed in jet black once again, before your community. Before your head is encased you recite the sources of your shame and apologise to the community. The egg is left to harden - this takes an amount of time carefully controlled by the alchemists that prepare the material for the egg - during which time the encased dragonkin is required to stay almost perfectly still. The egg is porous and loose enough around the chest to allow breathing. Once the egg hardens it turns alabaster white and cracks, allowing the dragonkin within to emerge. The alchemical process also changes the robes to pure white and dissolves the leather binder somewhat more slowly. The dragonkin is reborn and often but not always takes a new name. The wider impact of this ritual is immense however, as the dragonkin is treated as a new adult despite their skills and experience. They lose all seniority within their profession and become common labourers, hunters or similar once again. They can, and usually will, advance rapidly, because they do have all that experience and their existing skills of course, but they begin again as a junior. The impact of this method of expiating shame is subtle and far reaching. It is hard for the most senior members of dragonkin society: the ministers, chief architects and the like to not accrue shame and thanks to the demands of their roles it is also hard for them to find the time to expiate it. This ritual allows them a rapid to expiate their sins whilst also ensuring they step aside from their high post. And that, in turn, helps the dragonkin maintain a far more egalitarian society than most human societies, because the commonest end for those in high office is not privilege and continued power, it is a return to the lowest status and building a career once again. Remember that all these rituals are voluntary. Within the Second Chance sect in particular the rebirth rite is the subject of deep schisms. Some believe that being the best they can be requires being at the pinnacle of their profession so the dragons will notice them and possibly take them with them. Others consider that the dragons will choose the most skilful, regardless of status within dragonkin society and that, by returning to a junior position they widen and deepen their skill base thus increasing their chances of being chosen when the dragons return.

It is reasonably common for a dragonkin with a cognomen (who thereby avoided needing to reborn thanks to the associated virtue) to, on their next major project, require rebirth. Their cognomen does not transfer; it is forever associated with their old name and will be recorded in the city’s archives with their old name. This contrasts markedly with most human societies where you can be rewarded with a knighthood or peerage (even today the number of architects who are also knights in the UK is disproportionate; many of the historical architects you can probably name are knights, Sir Christopher Wren for example) and this will usually change your name to the name of your new station (the head of the Howard family is Norfolk - more strictly His Grace, the Duke of Norfolk - not Mr. Howard). It is theoretically possible for a dragonkin to gain a cognomen under more than one name, but this has never been recorded.

Social Classes of Adylheim

Adylheim has no equality principle, there is nothing saying that all are born equal or that everyone has equal rights. Rights are handed out on a basis of status in society; a noble killing a freeman will be dealt with differently than a freeman killing a noble. The women of Adylheim are usually treated as equal to, but different from the men. While most options are theoretically open to them, women are rarely found in jobs which require brawn such as blacksmithing. Though there are all female military corps, they are usually the exception, not the rule. Women still enjoy a great deal of freedom and are not so much restrained from entering these roles as one might expect.

Classes in Society

The Rulers: Rulers are those people placed at the top of society. Their might and their rights depend on the exact fiefdom.

The Aristocracy: The aristocracy are often divided into two groups; the sword nobles and the sceptre nobles. The sword nobles became nobles mainly through military service and fighting and are often found serving in armies and groups of similar function. Sceptre nobles are descendants of functionaries and rich noblemen who have bought their nobility either through lengthy servitude as officials or simply with money in times of need.

The Priests: Priests are those who have chosen the path of the gods. They are often on par with the lower aristocracy in power though it depends on several factors.

The Officials: Officials come in a range of capacities and powers, though they usually answer directly to the ruler or a noble. While officials are occasionally noble, they are usually not. Some have been known to gain titles through their work as officials.

The Magi: Magi are set apart from the rest of the world. They usually live in separate enclaves, commonly towers, and rarely mix with those outside of them. As such their communities are often insular and unaware of outside occurrences. Of course, it would be a mistake to think that magi are ignorant; some take great pains to keep apprised of the world outside their enclaves, but few keep their attention on it. Outside of their enclaves, magi are often found in courts alongside hedgemages. They are often vital in keeping communications going across fiefdoms.

The Merchants: Rich merchants form an influential and upwardly mobile social class. Though they are usually bundled in with freemen in legislation, they usually have more of an influence and often become minor sceptre nobles.

The Craftsmen: Those who specialize in crafts and skills are classed as craftsmen. In city legislation they are often given certain advantages over others. Craftsmen are usually only found in cities and towns.

Freemen: Freemen are free men, usually used as a name for the bottom rung on the social ladder. They are often poor and perform the menial functions in day to day society. Freemen can also be serfs or indentured servants who are free only in name.

Slaves: Those owned by others, slaves are usually protected by law, their actions the responsibility of their owners. While they often perform the most menial of jobs, they can also be quite privileged.

The Griffin Riders of der Whurlitz

The der Whurlitz Griffin riders are a tightly knit band of raiders that reside in the middle-eastern region of the Ribs. Their fortress is named Anthelcraig and is nearly impossible to approach except through the air. The Riders are bonded through blood, affection for their griffins, and a common goal of exacting revenge upon Nevros for their traitorous to the Empire—of which the Riders are the only surviving remnant. They are comprised solely of humans and are somewhat inbred, if not for the northern barbarians whom they trade and intermarry with. The Griffin Riders reside outside of Nevros within a highly fortified portion of the Ribs called Anthelcraig. As the griffin flies they are only one hundred twenty-five kilometers outside of the Nevros capital of Alden.

The Griffin Riders are never referred to as such, but either as “der Whurlitz’ Raiders” or “the Griffin Raiders”. They are spoken of with trepidation by all except those under the direct protection of a garrison or fortress. While they aren't considered evil, they are considered to be quite a nuisance.

Organization

Edgar der Whurlitz: is the current leader of the Riders, and bears the title of Duke der Whurlitz. In the event of his death his son Eustace will then bear the title of duke, and all the leadership of the riders.

Captain: A captain is the direct superior of two lieutenants, and a flight of twenty riders. Captains are charged not only with leadership over their riders but with the wellbeing of man and beast. It is a prerequisite that a captain must possess the bloodline of a healer, the high magic tie to life that renders them able to heal whilst abroad. There are only four captains.

Lieutenant: A lieutenant is part of a flight and leads nine other riders as a part of his wing. He is directly responsible for their performance as well as their orderliness. There are only eight lieutenants.

Rider: A rider is an avowed member of the Riders, and has responsibility over their griffin and its training. Both rider and griffin are trained from youth as a trainee, and are inseparable; it is deemed impossible for a grown man and griffin to acclimate to one another. A rider is expected to take no less than one pupil from the trainees to mentor—raising a griffin being a full time job. There are only seventy-two riders.

Trainee: A trainee is a rider in training. They are always younger than eighteen years old. Both young boys and girls are accepted into the ranks, however female riders make up the minority. A trainee is responsible for their griffin and its training. There are a potentially unlimited number of trainees, limited only by the availability of young griffins.

Disavowed: It is a true disgrace to be disavowed. However, sometimes it is necessary, and the disavowed do provide useful services. But how else would they be accepted back into normal society without being disavowed by the Riders? Disavowed are usually spies and scouts, tasked with finding the richest most vulnerable targets. They also are commonly used to sell stolen goods for which the Riders have no use, and for purchasing essentials that cannot be easily obtained in a raid. Disavowed are never counted, but still welcome within the fortress. The disavowed are permitted to keep their griffin, as it would respond to no other.

Racial Populations

The Riders are solely human, with unidentifiable tribal backgrounds mixed in. They have intermingled with the northern barbarians to a point, but are mostly their own clan.

Riders are a more compact lot with lesser heights and weights than most humans. Their average height is only five foot four (1.63m) and their weight averages between one hundred forty pounds (63kg) down to one hundred twenty pounds (54kg). Their hair is almost always a shade of brown, which fades to gray or silver around the age of thirty; the more common, yet rare, hair colors would be black and red. Eye colors have all variations of color normal to humans. And all Riders possess a certain subconscious air of superiority about them.

Languages

High Aramic is the common language of the people, and by and large almost everyone can read and write. Skill levels at this may be differing depending upon station, of course, but the written histories of the clan are freely available to read at any time.

Lower Aramic is the language used for trade, and all riders who leave must be adequately fluent in this Tradespeak so as to get the point across.

Common Terms

• Rider: Either a rank or an individual within the Riders.
• Wing: A group of ten griffin’s and their riders; when directly addressed it includes all members except when its lieutenant is doing the talking.
• Flight: Two wings headed by a captain. A group of twenty-one riders.
• Dropped: if speaking of a person being dropped this means being disavowed or “dropped” from the riders. If spoken as a rider dropped, then it means death or critical wounds to the griffin.

Code of Ethics

1. Respect thy leaders and thy peers, do not fight your clan.
2. Obey the leader assigned to thee.
3. Neither take, nor kill, prisoners.
4. Treat the personage of thy victims with respect.
5. Harm not the unarmed.

Tactics

The Riders are skilled bowmen who utilize a short bow at altitudes of fifty to one thousand feet. They drill both from the backs of their griffins and from the ground. This is their predominant weapon as a clan. In close fighting on the ground the griffin is trained to be an absolute menace. Ripping with beak and talons, the griffin is often more deadly than even the archer on its back.

The Riders are in no shape to lay siege to anywhere, or to take high amounts of losses. While the losses would do little enough to their stronghold, they would enter long periods of hardship in being incapable of raiding adequately. As such their tactics involve hit-and-run and ambushes. Because Nevros is paranoid and highly fortified, the most common prey are traders, merchants, and caravans. Anything that looks large enough or well guarded enough usually is would be attacked.

The most common tactic is to shoot any archers from a safe height, then descend and in a second fly over shoot whomever is armed while the griffin lands and begins to attack its prey. The entire time the rider would be shooting targets around his griffin with impunity.

Magic

The Riders have a secondary bloodline that they accidentally acquired from the nearby barbarians through intermarriage. This bloodline is the high magic gift of life, primarily the ability to heal or in some instances to kill as well. Due to the interbreeding of the Riders and the tribes, the gift of healing is very nearly universal. Those without the gift cannot qualify as a captain, but may serve in any other capacity. The Raiders have all but forgotten all other forms of magic but this ability to heal. Low magic, or other high magic abilities, are very rare within their ranks.

Anthelcraig

Summary: Anthelcraig is located in a bowl back in the Ribs above the snowline. The entire bowl is a city that houses some three hundred men and women excluding the fighting ranks. Around the bowl are walls twenty feet (6.66m) high and ten feet (3.33m) thick. All gates are made of wood covered with iron.

Society: Society is tightly knit and loyal to family and clan ties to the extreme. There is no real aristocracy besides the hereditary leadership of der Whurlitz, and any child within the city can attempt to become a trainee. If accepted there is nothing preventing them from becoming as high ranking as a captain, the highest rank. To prevent inbreeding, the Raiders periodically trade with, or raid, the barbarian tribes to the north and frequently take young women and widows with them on the return.

Culture: It has become important to track the bloodlines of the griffins over the centuries, to breed them as one does prize horses. And indeed, to the Riders they are the horse of the sky. Most of the people involved with the breeding and hatching process keep written records of the eggs and their parentage; some records reach back over one hundred fifty years for a single bloodline.

Fire's Day the 10^th of Akaril is viewed as an unlucky day and no raid is ever sent during it. The 10^th of Akaril being, historically, the day of their single greatest lost against the Naga centuries ago. However this has stretched to become that every Fire's Day the 10^th is unlucky, and therefore any raid on the 10^th is viewed as both unlucky and highly risky.

The Riders possess a custom that dictates that no unmarried, or widowed, woman should wear their hair below their shoulders. The custom goes so far as to require the hair to be cut to that length if widowed.

Clothes: Because they cannot just raid and strip clothes off people in hopes they'd fit, the Riders frequently must buy clothes from their own people. Almost all people have two pair of linen undergarments and one set of leather trousers and a leather jacket. Because the leather alone isn't enough insulation, the fur is frequently kept on the leather when tanned. The shorter length furs are worn on the inside, and the longer length on the outside. But hides are valuable, and so a single suit of leathers may cost as much as seven silver.

Agriculture & Food Supply: Because of the location it is impossible to grow any sort of crops, and so the city is highly dependent upon its raiding. There are a few outlying farms that brave souls have established that supply enough rations to survive the winter, but barely. These farms must be close enough to the fortress to have its protection from Nevros, but far enough away that they are below the snowline.

Wealth: The city as a whole typically exchanges goods in a barter system or uses copper or silver coinage, most the goods being stolen or produced at their location. As such prices are quite low on most things like weapons and food, but the cost of things like clothes are high enough that most only have one set of clothing.

Trade: Trade is virtually impossible, and is only made possible by the disavowed that retain friendliness towards the Riders. The disavowed then become the merchants of the Riders, who resell the stolen goods away from where it was taken for a decent profit. This profit is frequently used to purchase food to supplement what had been raided, and then returned to the stronghold. Common trade goods are: luxurious clothes (which cannot withstand the cold climate), weapons, or anything unused by the Riders.

Common Jobs: Because griffins must be tended there are a large number of grooms that work the stables. Second to those are the griffin breeders, the ones who arrange for and care for griffin eggs until hatching. Thirdly there are then griffin caretakers that take care of the young griffins until a suitable human child reaches the right age at the same time of the griffin. After this comes the tanners and tailors that furnish the warm fur and leather garments of the der Whurlitz.

Other common jobs would be those of smiths, carpenters, masons, cooks, hunters, and even bookkeepers. The bookkeepers largely tend to keeping their written histories of events and their duke, but also keep a tally of spoils and what must be sold.

History

Many do not know when the Griffin Riders were formed, but they remember even to this day. To the shock of many a historian, the riders predate even the conflict with the Naga. The Riders were formed during the reign of the Empire shortly after its campaign against the Ogres.

The der Whurlitz held the northernmost lands in the empire and were constantly roaming yet further north. Emidio der Whurlitz never knew what he was searching for nor if he found it, but the two large eggs he managed to steal from the nest of a griffin left a legacy that survived the many centuries. At first they were just glorified watchdogs. Then a handler decided to try flying on one. But it was only with Emidio’s son Edward did the concept of griffin riding become militarily attractive.

The new Griffin Riders of der Whurlitz fought through the campaign against the ogres with great success. By the end of this campaign they had fully two hundred riders and griffins. They had, by this time, learned the methods of how to rear griffins and how to care for the eggs until they hatched.

Then the Naga came and tried to invade the world. The Riders fought valiantly, and at the same time they worked as a scout corps to perform reconnaissance missions. The Naga quickly realized the threats of these flying eyes and so focused their magics upon the Riders. All of a sudden the Riders went from their swelling ranks down to the survival of only one flight. This flight was under the command of Eckhard der Whurlitz, nephew of Edward. Edward was slain in battle with the Naga, and soon this one flight was fighting for its very survival.

Eckhard der Whurlitz was hailed among his men as a genius for bringing about their survival. But inwardly Eckhard despaired at the situation of his people. He was the only remaining der Whurlitz and therefore his family’s northern lands went to him. With the war over and the empire crumbling he retreated with his troops to his lands and the Riders nursed their wounds. In the smaller skirmishes against the Naga Eckhard lost almost half his lands, only to have them reclaimed by his supposed allies.

After the war with the Naga the Riders remained neutral for many years. Naturally in the peace their numbers grew, though slowly because there were so few griffins remaining. During this time Eckhard became an old man. He had foreseen trouble with his greedy neighbors and had sent his men back into the Ribs to find a place suitable for a fortress. By the time of Eckhard’s death the fortress was completed and inhabited. As unforgiving as the terrain was he had spared no expense in its creation. It was here that the new Riders were born after Eckhard’s death.

Edsel der Whurlitz soon found himself at the head of the Riders, and began to focus upon the trade so essential for their survival. The Ribs had no agricultural capability for the six hundred souls in the mountains, and so despite some hunting and foraging trade became all important. When Edsel in turn became old the Principality of Nevros abandoned the empire and declared independence. This new independence permitted them to prey upon the only remaining land of the der Whurlitz, the only arable land they possessed. This wouldn’t have been so bad, if not for the fact that they refused to trade with Edsel—who still was loyal to the Empire.

Infuriated with the insult, Edsel declared the Riders the new arm of the empire and began raiding Nevros for the supplies they needed. No longer was it peaceful trade but rather out and out extortion. Edsel died nine months after this drastic policy came into effect, and rumor had it that he had been mad for years.

The Riders have not changed since then. They still feel the smart of the insults upon their honor, the denial of trade to brothers who sacrificed their lives to drive away the Naga. While today the Empire no longer stands the Rider fortress of Anthelcraig is held as the sole bastion of loyalists to the old empire. Nor can they forget, as most riders are taught to read High Aramic and can read the history of their people at any time they choose. Their blood still runs as hot as when the insult was first received, though the lure of gold is now just as strong as the former.

The Loyal

History

The Loyal are a creation of the Church of Luxor. Certainly the Church did not willingly create it, but without a doubt the actions of the Church of Luxor spawned the Loyal. As the Church started to solidify its power by taking away that of the nobility, the nobles were rapidly becoming obsolete. The nobles who had formerly held absolute power within their respective domains slowly, but surely, became something else: powerless. It was in reaction to this that the Loyal were created. It was, arguably, a way for the nobles to maintain their power and it served, for some time, as a counterweight to the power of the Church.

The Loyal started to rise to power as one of two things that became obvious, nobles who joined the Loyal stood to gain, those who did not quite simply did not. In the beginning it was little more than a discussion club, a place for the powerful among the nobles, landholders and merchants to meet and find ways to pit their own resources against the Church in concert. While, of course, they did not outwardly oppose the Church or the Church's existence, they had a certain dislike for it taking from them the many privileges they had once enjoyed. And enjoyed finding ways to work around the system the Church was setting up by creating its own network of people and allowing them the chance to help each other.

As the Church expanded its power and increasingly needed to take its administrators from within the ranks of nobility, the pressure to join the Loyal abated somewhat and the position of the Loyal became rather more complicated. Its members were no longer solely people trying to conserve their power and wealth against the Church, they were also members of that same Church and had a vested interest in its safety. The purpose of the Loyal became more about protecting its members and less about opposing the Church. Rather than work as a counterweight to the Church, the Loyal infested it, spreading its members across the many disciplines and administrators of the Church.

It is worth noting that while the Loyal have occasionally been involved in criminal activities, it is, in and of itself not a criminal organisation. With the change in membership the Loyal has slowly become an organisation that simply feeds its own needs. It's a badge of pride for those who have joined its ranks, it's a way to apply pressure for those who have advanced in its ranks or who have the ear of someone suitably powerful. One should not discount the Loyal as merely a lobbyist organisation though, it remains as powerful as it ever was. Perhaps more so.

The organisation itself evolved over time, in the beginning it was little more than a loose group of nobles and other powerful figures who met and discussed things, but as the need for a coherent structure grew, it adapted a system similar to the feudal system that had been in place prior to the Church taking over.

Modus Operandi

It is not a crime to be a member of the Loyal. The Loyal are not criminals. The Loyal run criminals. As one of its many facets it runs just about every smuggling crew, pirate ship, slave trader, protection racket, illegal lottery, and other illegal organisations in Aram and far beyond the borders of the ruined city. The Loyal does this by controlling its leaders, not by taking direct control. A good few of the Loyal are leaders of various criminal organisations, for the very simple reason that if anyone not from the Loyal tries to crop up, they can gang up on them to keep them from taking over their turf. Of course, small fry such as smaller gangs and other such societal detritus are generally left alone and fall outside the purview of the Loyal. As long as they understand where their place in the hierarchy is.

Of course, far from all of the Loyal belongs to the criminals. The majority of the important members of the Loyal are politicians and have important places in the Church, or vast noble holdings or merchant fortunes. These too use the Loyal as a way to enhance their business or political fortunes. Anyone within the Loyal do not prey on their comrades, and when they can, they help other members out. Which is not to say that the chief of the guards will come running every time a sewer rat belonging to one of the Loyal gets tossed in the stocks, favours need to earned and, more importantly, they need to be reciprocated.

It is these favours that form the backbone of the Loyal. Favours are given to people that someone wants to introduce to the Loyal and in return they are expected to give their loyalty to the Loyal and ultimately repay the favour. Of course, as the favours become more and more serious and the debt incurred racks up the pressure racks up, it quickly becomes evident to those who've joined that there is no way out of the Loyal.

Despite its criminal elements and early resistance to the Church of Luxor, the Loyal remain loyal to Arameia. This, however, is more a matter of pride and pragmatism than it is a case of love for one's fiefdom. Within the current political situation in Arameia, the Loyal retain a fair degree of power, without it, they may easily be deposed by nobles from other fiefdoms and they may lose what positions of power they have.

Organisational Structure

At its heart, the Loyal takes after the feudal system which was in place before the Church moved in. The most important person of the Loyal is always the Father. Father has a certain amount of underlings, generally known as the Sons. Among the Sons, one will always become the next Father. Generally this is done in terms of who has been a Son the longest. The Sons again serve as patrons to several lesser individuals among the Loyal. When one advances in the Loyal, the people under you do too. There are several ways to rise in the bureaucracy, the most common is by the person whose patronage you enjoy rises another step and pulls you along. For someone to rise without the aid of their patron would be considered something of a strange occurrence.

The rise of a person through the ranks is generally as a result of the person above them either dying, or rising up into the ranks. A death may lead to a great deal of problems wherein a line of succession is not clear. Succession is not based on lineage, though such factors are certainly important, the Loyal are an elitist organisation, they have little interest in gutter rats. Succession is a matter of the person who were under the deceased having a chance to rise up and take the deceased's place. Generally the one who has been with the patron the longest will be the candidate, in cases where such a succession is not clearly outlined there may be some fighting between the candidates as they vie for the position.

It should be noted that the Loyal's upper levels are primarily occupied by members of the old nobility in Arameia. Which means that anyone who does not have the proper lineage may end up passed over for succession repeatedly.

Such a succession generally means that one person is capable of moving up in the ranks above and beyond their patron. However when it is the patron who moves up a rank, the entirety of their retinue does too, meaning that hitching yourself to a rising star is seldom a bad idea among the Loyal.

However, one should not be led to believe that the power of the Loyal is based entirely on its members doing favours for each other. The lowest members of the Loyal are generally referred to as the Hands. They basically do the dirty work, often working directly for Father or the Sons, it's their job to ensure that the secrets of the Loyal are kept, and that the various members of the Loyal toe the line.

Ranks in the Loyal generally follow a rough likening to the feudal system with the step below the Sons generally referred to as the Dukes, working its way all down to the Knights.

Reach

The Loyal are everywhere. At least, everywhere in Arameia. Outside of Arameia, and also in the outlying regions their reach is very limited. In its centre of power, Aram, the Loyal have a member on every major Guild, they control many of the city officials and pretty much run the city's major criminal enterprises. Outside the city its power on the ground rapidly becomes more sparse. But even so quite a few of the nobles and Church's officials that can be found throughout the countryside are also members of the Loyal. The Loyal are rarely alone.

The saying goes that you cannot hide from the Loyal. However, it is, strictly speaking, untrue. It is possible to hide from the Loyal, it is very hard to do so though. Their reach outside their core territories is relatively limited. They do employ a number of assassins though and are quite capable of heavily restricting a person's movements by putting out bounties on their heads or advancing sometimes spurious claim about their criminal activities.

Recruitment

Recruitment primarily happens through circles of familiarity. Someone who knows someone is becomes a member of the Loyal and they pull their friends and acquaintances into the Loyal by providing them with favours through the social network that the Loyal creates.

Occasionally, higher ranking members among the Loyal can also find people they have a lot of faith in and these can be introduced to the Loyal at other levels than the bottom one. Such occurrences are relatively rare, however.

The Hands

The Hands are a series of soldiers that work for the Loyal, they are not themselves members of the Loyal. Specifically they take their orders from Father and the Sons, though others may temporarily commandeer them for smaller jobs. Typically they do not have soldier training, they are not an elite fighting unit in any sense of the word. Their primary job is to serve as an intimidation factor in one of two functions, acting as a bodyguard, or acting to remove any problems that have developed among the Loyal. As such the typical Hand tends to have a penchant for violence, but not necessarily a great deal of skill in it. They are often very skilled at interrogation and torture and while being in a fight with them might not always be the worst thing in the world, the last thing in the world you could possibly want is to be caught by the Hands.

There are also a number of assassins listed among the Hands, not that any of them aren't capable of murder, it is just that some specialise in this kind of role more than others.

The Hands are often large men, to aid them in their role as intimidators. They have no specific uniform, but will often wear black leather gloves to signify their role and attachment to the nobles in the Loyal.

The Witchfinders

The Witchfinders are an organization which stretches across all the fiefdoms and is ultimately oriented towards the eventual destruction of all things magical.

History

The Witchfinders were formed as the Imperial Witchfinders in 2953 by Emperor Arion II as a response to the traitorous Robin the Black's mage rebellion. During the Eiderdown campaign they were crucial in ensuring that the wizards would never rise up against the Empire ever again. At the time they were given extensive rights over those who practise magic, moving through the Empire with almost no institution able to question their work.

After the Eiderdown Campaign and the following trials and assassinations by the Witchfinders they were seen to largely have done what they were set out to do and was, for the most part, ignored by the Empire.

When the Great Snake War started though, the Witchfinders once again became useful, showing their proficiency in working behind enemy lines to assassinate enemy wizards. During this time they made a point of working with wizards within the Empire to aid the war effort, after the war though a great deal of those wizards who had worked with the Witchfinders disappeared in mysterious circumstances.

Goals & Motives

The Witchfinders were originally created to root out wizards who were traitors to the Empire, in the time since their goals have slowly mutated, becoming the eradication of all magic from the fiefdoms. New Witchfinders are indoctrinated in the belief that magic is ultimately an evil thing and that mankind will be better off without it.

It is the belief of the Witchfinders that wizards cause much of the magical disasters that happen throughout Adylheim, either directly or indirectly and as such their elimination remains their most important task. Witchfinders are usually motivated by an intense personal hatred of magic, which has made them orphans and taken from them anything they might have once cared for. They seldom compromise on these goals.

It should be noted that Witchfinders rarely have a problem with priests and the miracles these perform, however. The distinction made between priests and magi can sometimes be rather shifting, but it is usually present.

Modus Operandi

The Witchfinders rarely act in large numbers, often travelling in pairs, one apprentice and one master. Witchfinders rarely act in concert and can be found across all the fiefdoms, travelling and plying their grisly trade wherever they are needed. Witchfinders are often a welcome sight to those who have found, they often seek out places where wizards have used their magic irresponsibly or there are innocent victims being harmed.

Of course, Witchfinders also use rumours as weapons against popular wizards or witches, turning popular opinion against them before they make their move. While Witchfinders generally consider their ultimate aim to be a noble one they often do things that are far from noble to get there. If such options are considered to be ultimately untenable, they may straight out assassinate the wizard without anyone learning of their presence.

It is wrong to think that the Witchfinders only concern themselves with wizards though. They just as often deal with magical creations, elves, fairies, demons, changelings and all manner of other strange and unusual people.

While Witchfinders seldom have any strict need for uniforms, they often wear capotains and capes, usually coloured black, when they need to act in any kind of official capacity.

Training

While each Witchfinder is usually apprenticed to a master, this actually starts relatively late in their training as Witchfinders. Over the hundreds of years the Witchfinders have been around in various forms they have come up with a form of training which gives them a fairly good chance against whatever they come up against.

Witchfinders are usually orphans that have lost everything to an incident in which magic was involved, Witchfinders will take these orphans and bring them back to their chapterhouses for training. From a young age they are usually trained to recognize magical text and can recognize the use of Prime Words in spells, and their senses go through a similar attuning method to that which wizards use to allow them to sense magic. They undergo extensive teaching in the weaknesses of various magical beings and how to exploit them to their advantage. Out of necessity Witchfinders usually have a lot of insight into magic, however it is usually centred on the destruction of it rather than any insight into how to put it to any constructive use.

They live an austere life which is entirely centred on the dogma of the destruction of all things magical, once they reach the age of fourteen they are taken out of the chapterhouses and apprenticed to a master Witchfinder. After this they will not return to the chapterhouses, except to pick up an apprentice of their own or to retire and teach new Witchfinders.

Personnel & Holdings

The Witchfinders rarely number more than a few hundred, their strict methods for choosing who will serve as new members for their organization means that the pickings are always relatively slim when it comes to new recruits. It should be noted that Witchfinders do occasionally recruit outside this standard though and people who have not been orphaned by magical forces are chosen to join them.

In addition to their constantly wandering Witchfinders, there are 16 chapterhouses spread across the fiefdoms where the Witchfinders train their young wards to become new Witchfinders. These are usually fairly austere buildings, offering little by the way of luxury.

Equipment

Foremost among the tools of the Witchfinders is the Malleus. It is a handbook carried by most Witchfinders. Each copy is handed down from master to apprentice, masters who take on multiple apprentices often make their apprentices copy down their old texts. Every Witchfinder who has a copy will usually add their own notes to the book in their lifetimes, sometimes in concert with other Witchfinders, sometimes through experience, so while all the books are somewhat different, their core remains relatively similar. It details methods for investigation, interrogation and destruction of magical phenomenon and people.

Witchfinders also employ a great many devices to aid them in their searches, they will, however, not employ magical artefacts if they can avoid it. Items which have been created by priests and deities however are generally considered fair game and Witchfinders will often carry blessed items, holy water and similar. They will also generally carry back up weapons made out of iron or silver for such times when these are needed.

Apart from such specialist items Witchfinders also have a great fondness for the crossbow and the lighter blades such as scimitars and sabres as they do not often fight armoured opponents. While it could not be said that all Witchfinders are thus armed, a good few are. They also always carry specialised equipment intended for interrogation purposes.

The Wyrd

The wyrd is a feeling of knowing where one should be at a given time. It is a rare phenomenon, rarely occurring among the population of Adylheim. However, the general opinion is that when it does occur it should be heeded. Similar, but not appearing to be related to the wyrd is a phenomenon known as the wyrdlings, wherein a select group of individuals seem to interact more than chance might seem to allow.

The wyrd is known under many names many names: fatestrings, fate, providence, the gitchy, the straining, destiny and several more besides. The wyrd generally the most commonly used name throughout Adylheim. The wyrdlings however, are less commonly mentioned, yet they have still managed to attract several names, foremost among which may be the fated. The less known are such names as the fatelings, the chosen ones, the compatriots and many others more esoteric. A wyrdling is generally taken to mean both the group in which a person might find himself and the group itself, dependent on the specific context.

Extent

Every individual in Adylheim has the potential to get the wyrd. It is not restricted to any race, gender or person. Nevertheless, the wyrd is a rare occurrence. While some may be more sensitive to it than others, the ones who have seen it are rare individuals for the most part.

The wyrd is a subtle thing; it has little connection to telling the future. It is nothing more than a small niggling feeling that one should be at a certain place at a certain time. Once the window of time in which one should be in a place has passed, the feeling will pass. While many believe that not following one’s wyrds may result in some disaster, either through divine displeasure or fate rearranging itself in ways that are unpleasant for the person involved, there is no evidence of this.

Where the wyrd serves to put people on a specific path, the wyrdlings signify a group of individuals who constantly chance upon one another. One might say that one's family and friends are part of their wyrdling, however the phenomenon stretches beyond ties of family and friendship. People who are in the same wyrdling might be strangers, with only chance encounters here and there throughout their lives, yet these encounters will be the ones that shape and guide their lives. The relationship between persons who are in the same wyrdling might not always be amicable; they are just as often adversarial, and one's greatest enemies can often be found among ones wyrdlings.

Effect

The purpose behind the wyrd and the wyrdlings is unknown. Some suggest it is the multiverse arranging itself according to the rules around which it has been created, others say it is the gods manipulating the minds of mortals on their giant playing boards. Most just shrug and accept it for what it is.

The wyrd nonetheless serves to put individuals in the path of things that may cause them great harm, great benefit or perhaps no noticeable change in their lives at all. The encounters they come across when fulfilling their wyrd may seem entirely insignificant or filled with terrible purpose and everything and anything in between. Specifically why a person should be at that place at that time has never been understood by even the most astute of scholars.

Exactly what effect wyrdlings may have upon one another is unknown, nor is it known why these individuals constantly circle each other for these purposes. Sometimes they may guide each other's lives, sometimes they may simply be two ships passing in the night and have no more effect on each other. Sometimes they may enrich the other's lives; sometimes they may destroy it.

Travelling in Adylheim

In Adylheim there are many different ways to travel, these often depend on the wealth of those travelling but are just as often dependant on what is available. The flat plains of the southern fiefdoms are easier to traverse than the rugged northern fiefdoms, creating a divide between what is used in the south and what is in use in the north. On the whole, the most popular and most widespread way of getting around is to use one's own feet. It's free and available to most of the inhabitants of Adylheim. However, for those who choose an alternate mode of transportation, there are quite a few options available.

On Land

As already mentioned, the principal method of travel in Adylheim is walking. For those who need to move merchandise or people though, carriages and carts are the principal method of travel. Carts are often drawn by oxen though those rich enough to afford carriages usually prefers horses. Some cities, of course, have sedan chairs for transporting those with excess money through the city streets, but these are rarely a suitable alternative for long distance travel.

Horses are in widespread use for transportation, with riders often being used to deliver fast messages. For those who do not have the advantage of depots where they can change horses though, horses are not much faster than walking over long distances. There are many breeds of horses throughout Adylheim, Teslan is home to miniature horses, Arameia is known for its warhorses, with Andragoria and to a lesser extent Nerin known for their fast breeds which are prized among nobility.

There are, of course, several alternatives to horses. Oxen, as already mentioned, are often used to pull carts but are rarely ridden. Mules and donkeys are usually ridden by those who cannot afford to get horses, but can also be used as a way of showing humility by some clerical orders.

In the southern fiefdoms there is an alternative to the horse which is used on a regular basis, the large Draspises are often used to carry large loads, both passengers and cargo. They are large creatures, looking something like a giant turtle, with the shell on their back carved into seats and cargo holds for passengers. A single Draspis has been known to carry as many as 20 passengers. Going by Draspis is substantially slower than travelling by horse, but the ability to move large loads makes up for this.

The Principality of Nevros also train a specific breed of bears into the much feared Warbears which are ridden into battle as crack cavalry. These are very rare however and are rarely seen outside Nevros.

In parts of Arameia and Nerin there is also the fierce Gamu, a large, flightless bird with black and purple feathers. It is known for its lethal kicks, the claws on its feet easily disembowelling its victims, though it will not generally attack humans. Gamu tire easily, unfortunately, and while they are good for quick sprints, they cannot carry riders over long distances. They are occasionally used for military purposes, but their tendency to spook easily means their use in melee situations is limited.

On Water

There are three primary theatres for sea travel in Adylheim, the northern seas and the Arameian sea, comprising one, with the Andragorian sea making up the second and finally the Maradin and Teslan making up the third. There is, of course, overlap between these three theatres, but each are characterised by producing their own type of ships.

The most prevalent ships in the northern theatre are the Cogs, they are the workhorses of the northern fleets. Various versions of the Cogs do everything from fishing to transporting goods to working as naval vessels. They are typically outfitted with a single mast and usually do not have a crew of more than a few sailors, sometimes needing no more than one. Cogs of War are generally fitted with fore and aft castles to aid in warfare.

If the Cog is the workhorse of the northern theatre, the Holk is the beast of burden. Holks are based on the Cogs, but are generally larger and much more unstable. The Holk's lack of a proper keel requires the use of substantial reinforcements which in turn allows it to surpass the Cog in size. Their primary purpose is hauling large amounts of cargo from one port to another. Some have been outfitted for war in similar fashion to the Lou Chuan's found in the southern theatre, though they remain fairly ineffectual for this purpose due to their general lack of speed when sailing. Holks are rarely found far from a shore and are primarily used along the coast and rivers of Arameia and Starkwater.

The galley was the premier warship of the Arameian Empire, and once the supreme ruler of the seas. Though they may look frail compared to the gargantuan Andragonian floating fortress, a galley’s oars gives it enough speed to make it capable of ramming into a broadside a ship with enough force to easily break lesser vessels in twain. At its zenith, the Imperial Navy reportedly numbered a thousand galleys, the greatest boasting oarsmen and marines numbering well into the hundreds. The decline of the galley came as the result of changing times. As trade with faraway lands increased, more seaworthy ships such as the cog and the junk became more prevalent. And with the collapse of the Arameian Empire, there existed no power capable of providing the huge numbers of oarsmen needed to upkeep a navy comprised solely of galleys.

This is not to say that the galley has become extinct. The galley, not needing to rely on wind for the sake of propulsion, is the preferred vessel in the calm Arameian Sea. Convoys of galleys still exist, though they are no longer as common a sight as they once were. Some old nobles even retain relics of the old navy for the sake of war. There are three types of galleys common today. The fusta is a sleek ship with a shallow draft, sails and perhaps 20-50 rowers; it is favored by corsairs for its high mobility and ability to operate in shallow waters. The common galley, with perhaps a hundred rowers each, are the chosen ships of merchants of the Arameian Sea. However, they are falling out of fashion as the sailing technology advances. The galleass is an intermediate between the galley and a sailing ship. With masts and a forecastle and an aftcastle in addition to its oars, a galleass is capable of operating in the open seas while maintaining the mobility and spontaneous speed of a galley. The galleass is most common in Teslan, as they are straddle the border between the calm Arameian Sea and the fickle Northern Ocean.

In the southern theatre, the shipwrights of Andragoria are the primary builders. It is their Junk which is the primary workhorse. Junks are generally larger than the northern Cogs and often have more than one mast. The hulls of these ships have also been built so that they consist of a series of separate compartments which reinforce the structure of the ship. These are also well suited to the wares which are sold here, as the emphasis is not on bulk goods, but rather on small, luxury items for which small amounts will easily cost as much as the contents of any Cog or Holk. Nerin also produces a few Junks, but these are intended for use on Heaven's Mirror, the lake between Nerin and Andragoria, though these are generally smaller than those made for sea travel.

While the Junk comes in many sizes, the only other type of ship to be built in Andragoria are the massive Lou Chuans. These huge ships are floating fortresses built for no other purpose than war. They are equipped both for boarding and attacking other ships, as well as siege engines for ranged combat. While they are large and impressive ships, they see little use outside Andragoria and Nerin, and are occasionally used in settling disputes on Heaven's Mirror. The major failing of the Lou Chuan is that it lacks stability and is prone to getting out of human control during heavy wind or rough sea. It also has a turn of speed which can best be described as abysmal.

The Hai Hu, also known as the Sea Hawk, is an occasionally seen ship which is built in Nerin, the secrets of its construction a carefully guarded secret. It is primarily used on Heaven's Mirror as a fast fighting vessel. It is characterised by a low, a high stern and wings which stretch out beneath the waterline to keep it from tipping over. They are not well suited to the rougher open seas though.

The final theatre of Adylheim consists primarily of the small Maradin island kingdoms and the Grand Barony of Teslan. Their primary vessels is the small Dhow and the larger Shuwai'i. While Dhows are primarily used for fishing and passage between islands, whereas the Shuwai'i are larger vessels built for longer passages across the open seas. There are many variations of these vessels, though the main variation is just in size.

Many rumours surround the Maradin ships, of secret tricks and shipbuilding techniques. The lanteen sails their ships use have been proven to be less effective on the open seas than the square sails or the junk sails used elsewhere, but despite this Maradin ships are generally faster and safer than any other ship in use. This has generally been credited to the superior skill of Maradin sailors.

Alternate Modes of Transport

One of the few benefits of living in Longmoor is the presence of the Aeshnida farms. Aeshnidae are rarely seen elsewhere, resembling giant dragonflies, these creatures are capable of carrying small riders long distances through the air. They come in several colours. While they are occasionally used for warfare, the necessity of keeping the weight down has meant that their primary use is in scouting and delivering messages. Aeshnida are especially prized for their ability to perform difficult manoeuvres, such as hovering and loops, with ease.

Travelling Spheres and other magical spells are occasionally used for travelling, these remain an oddity though and only the truly wealthy and magi have been known to use this.

Zodiac

Zodiac of Adylheim

Each of the twelve months of the Adylheim calendar are known to have constellations associated with them, where particular arrangements of stars will hide behind the sun for that entire month. Thus, these constellations are not to be seen in the night sky during their month, and rendered invisible by the sun’s light during the day. The constellation behind the sun on a given month, is said to be the sun sign (or true sign) of any individual who is born on that month. These individuals are often thought or imagined to be born with certain traits in common. A good deal of variation is given to individuals depending on the placement of other heavenly bodies within the sky, the moon, and the planets, and the day on which one is born, which takes the fullness of the moon into account.

One can often find charlatans and hedgemagi who claim an intimate knowledge of astrology, and use this to bilk common folk and nobles alike out of coin in exchange for foretelling the future. However, more often it is magi and priests who can legitimately take the placement of heavenly bodies into account, and forecast based on that. Many spells have a dependence on the particular placement of certain heavenly bodies and constellations, using their alignment as powerful sigils and power sources in their rituals.

Due to the arcane origins of astrology’s practice, the sigils that have come to be associated with heavenly bodies, astrological charts and maps hold some inherent magical power. Depending on the use of these characters, they can be dangerous to handle or even write down by anyone who isn’t knowledgeable or experienced in low magic. Often enough, reckless charlatans have written out detailed charts, only to be beset by arcane phenomenon.

Stations

Emperor: Those born under an Emperor sign tend to be dominant personalities, who like to lead any sort of action or endeavor. Of the three stations, they are the least adaptable to change of any kind.

Serf: People born under the Serf prefer to take direction from others, and just generally go with the flow. Of the three stations, they are the most adaptable to change.

Priest: Priest signs are like the go between for the Emperors and Serfs. They’re the organizers, the diplomats, the ones who reconcile between groups. They’re somewhere between the serfs and emperors, in terms of adaptation to changes and cardinal traits.

The Twelve Signs

Primus: The Cage

Overview: The constellation presiding over this first month in the year would be the cage, also known among other cultures as the womb, and more quietly as the eight-pointed star of Chaos. The constellation comprises of sixteen stars forming a jagged ring, forming eight points once the different stars are connected through geometry. True to the entity for whom the month’s name was given, the sign stands for chaos in all it’s forms, both in it’s true state as unadulterated, abysmal silence, as well as it’s mixed form, which pushes things to explosively unpredictable extremes.

Charlatans and Hedgemagi say: Those born under this sign are said to be silent, with a balanced, even temperament, or else just the opposite. Control is a strong theme with people born under this sign, control that is sometimes held to be tenuous when choice enters into the equation. Cage born individuals find it easier to think of themselves as serving some specific purpose or goal to which they strive relentlessly, otherwise they may lose themselves to disorganization.

Prime Word: Because of the nature of this sign, the month it presides over, and the effect of its prime word, they are rarely invoked, even when they’re called for. Xaos is the prime word associated with this month, and it’s sigil goes by the same name. The letters of Xaos are interchangeable, and applying a variation in their order does not seem to cause any change in the utility of them. This is understood to not mean much, as by its very nature, the prime word introduces elements of chaos to whatever it’s applied to, and as such is impossible to control.

Stages of Life: Fetal.

Station and Element: Priest of Earth.

Eirwinus: The Tome

Overview: The Tome or Tablet presides over this month, representing learning things for the first time. The constellation forms a block in the sky, reminiscent of either a tablet or book. The sign stands more for the acquisition of knowledge, and the blundering inherent in that, than actual retention.

Charlatans and Hedgemagi say: Those born under this sign are said to be either scholarly and astute, or else ignorant and inane. They are very practical and also open in temperament.

Prime Word: Todem, a word used to speed the acquisition of knowledge or for use in retention of things learned.

Stage of Life: Infancy

Station and Element: Priest of Water.

Akaril: The Man

Overview: Man represents the origin and source of all life, presiding over this month and bringing new life to the land, if the favor of Akar is assured. The constellation itself is like a stick figure. It stands for new life, vitality, and beginnings. This month is generally a good time to begin any sort of endeavor.

Charlatans and Hedgemagi say: Those born under this sign are said to be lucky, full of life, but sometimes naïve. Man born individuals are sometimes reluctant to step outside their normal routine, not in the least bit impulsive.

Stage of Life: Early Childhood

Station and Element: Priest of Air

Tirellus: The Jester

Overview: The Jester presides over this month, filling it with joyful celebrations, feasts, and general merrymaking. The constellation starts with the figure of a small man, and then spreads outward into the tails of his hat. The sign stands for a celebratory, giving spirit. This is a good month to, well, er… celebrate.

Charlatans and Hedgemagi say: Those born under this month cannot keep a smile from their face, and lighten moods wherever they go.

Stage of Life: Late Childhood

Station and Element: Priest of Fire

Luxorus: The Throne

Overview: The Throne rules over this month, drawing the respect and attention due to authority figures. The favored activities under this sign include services performed for the ruling hierarchy and due reverence for your master. On the other hand, it’s also a good time for rebellion, or else assassination of important figures. The events occurring under this sign often signify the slow changing of the guard and dynasties that come and go through the ages.

Charlatans and Hedgemagi say: Those born under this sign are either born to lead, or else serve loyally to those who rule. Loyalty is a strong trait and theme of people born under this sign.

Stage of Life: Early Adolescence

Station and Element: Emperor of Earth

Adiennus: The Arch

Overview: The Arch hides behind the sun this month, casting a shroud over the inner workings of everything. While this sign hides behind the sun, many find it easier to conceal their actions. Spells and non-magical measures that block scrying work particularly well during this month, while Scrying itself suffers. This is a good time to perform clandestine operations, and skulk about.

Charlatans and Hedgemagi say: Whoever is born under the Arch tends to be introverted, good at keeping secrets, but also a good listener. They make fine friends.

Stage of Life: Adolescence

Station and Element: Emperor of Water

Theriumnus: The Cross

Overview: The Cross passes behind the sun during this month, and is said to precipitate conflicts of all sorts. Soldiers cross weapons in the battlefield, while courtiers cross each other with words in their Lord’s cozy castle. All manner of conflicts come to a head during this month, marking it with turbulent changes in events. When Fiefdoms are marching to war, this is considered to be the most decisive time to do battle, whether it be in their favor, or not. Those who fear defeat should avoid making battle during this month, at all costs.

Charlatans and Hedgemagi say: Men and women born under the Cross are said to be more contentious than anyone else. They seek decisive conclusions to events in their lives, and do not tolerate failure from themselves or others.

Stage of Life: Early Adulthood

Station and Element: Emperor of Air

Maadrthil: The Drake

Overview: The Drake hangs over the daytime sky during this month, bringing elements of danger to everything going on beneath him. Careful steps are cautioned to all who stray from their normal routine during this month. Like entering a Drake’s lair, they must stay the course and keep their breathing even in order to weather the danger. Being the month directly following the most decisive battles, this is where the Pyrrhic conflicts are had, where both sides of a struggle will often lose more resources than they can afford if they persist.

Charlatans and Hedgemagi say: Those born under the Drake are said to be very dangerous people, or else they often find themselves in the midst of danger. They are often said to have a bit of Drake’s blood in them, with violent tempers and with a touch of either brilliance, or madness.

Stage of Life: Mature Adulthood

Station and Element: Emperor of Fire

Gaernus: The Scythe

Overview: Cutting across the sky this month is the Scythe. This constellation signals the fruition of the year’s labors and plans. This is typically the time when all the year’s events are brought to an end, but also signals a slow close to all efforts, as winter approaches in just a few months. This sign represents the reward for one’s journey and efforts.

Charlatans and Hedgemagi say: Those born under the Scythe are said to be very earnest and hardworking. Their efforts often yield greater rewards than most others. They tend to be generous and giving while in a position to do so, and inclusive in their works.

Stage of Life: Middle Age

Station and Element: Serf of Earth

Elronus: The Scalebearer

Overview: The Scalebearer hides behind the sun this month, weighing all of the wealth earned throughout the year, and distributing it. This is typically the time when taxes are collected and assets are assayed. The sign favors tax collectors, and those to whom debts are owed. This is considered to be the best time to collect what is owed.

Charlatans and Hedgemagi say: Scalebearer children are said to grow up to be shrewd and logical thinkers. They have a tendency for measuring, quantifying and assaying the value and meaning of everything. Their destinies often lead them to becoming very rich, or penniless.

Stage of Life: Elder Adult

Station and Element: Serf of Water

Maius: The Arrow

Overview: The Arrow flies behind the sun during this month. True to its inspired form, the Arrow brings death with it and the beginning of the Winter months. This is considered by the peasantry to be a good time to hunt, when creatures are settling down into their dens, bearing vulnerabilities, and also ripe for killing. Unscrupulous types will also note this is a good time to make a move on a sentient being’s life, as they are weakened and rendered stationary by the advent of Winter.

Charlatans and Hedgemagi say: The Arrow born children are said to be focal points of death. They often die a few months after their birth, but those who manage to live carry with them a curse that they should always be surrounded by death. On the other hand, it is also said that Maia has blessed the children who are born in and survive through this month with some form of protection from premature death. Arrow born individuals often grow to become very impulsive. Being surrounded by death affects different individuals in various ways, but often the message is clear that life is too short to waste on routines.

Stage of Life: Venerable

Station and Element: Serf of Air

Illunus: The Key

Overview: During this month, the Key unlocks the mysteries of the subconscious, giving way to unbridled creativity. Dreams, visions, and things seen and heard are to be taken very seriously during this month. The advice of elders and those from beyond the grave, advice of priests are to be heeded at all costs. At the same time, this is a good time to make use of magic, where it is generally rendered more effective during this month than any other, especially those spells that don’t manipulate physical things. On the other side, spells that manipulate the physical are made less effective.

Charlatans and Hedgemagi say: Those born under the blessing of the Key are said to be attuned to the supernatural, and touched strongly by the Wyrd. They have the gift of foresight, and can often perceive not only what a person says, but what they don’t say.

Stage of Life: Afterlife

Station and Element: Serf of Fire