# Forum > Gaming > Homebrew Design > World-Building >  Empire!7 - Into the Depths: Waters of the World (CWBG)

## LapisCattis

*Empire!7 - Into the Depths: Waters of the World*

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This thread is associated with the Empire!7 world-building game. The game is the world history of this world building event, with the actions the players take shaping the intricate details of an ever changing, constantly conflicting, world.

Below, players may post the details of their own regions once approved by a GM, adding fluff and details as they go. This is a reference guide, compilation, and index of these countries.

Players! Please post your region groups below. We aim to keep this thread active and unlocked by the forum mods, therefore allowing you to continue editing your posts as needed. A consolidated thread also makes finding information about regions easier. This thread allows you to post as much as you need, and if you need a larger grouping, feel free to copy and paste your posts into new posts and deleting your old ones so that you get more room. However, please use double (and more) posting only when it is necessary based on your character length (or anticipation thereof) as the forum rules dictate.

Others! If you are interested in being a part of this game, see the Recruitment Thread for more information on how to join.

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## Volthawk

*The Cyphiri Union*
*Original Region:* Cyph-Arel (122)


*Spoiler: Ruler*
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*Garren Ulnesh, Head of the Ulnesh Family*

*Diplomacy* 2
*Military* 1
*Economy* 5
*Faith* 4
*Intrigue* 2 

The Ulnesh family is the dominant power among the Cyphiri families these days, one which got its start in agriculture and worked to expand its control over the food supply, leveraging the influence that gave them to get ahead in the early political conflicts of the Union and end up on top. These days, the family's business is split between their agricultural interests and politics, the two working together quite synergetically - the farmers bring in the money and make deals with many other families to advance their political interests, while the politicians build their power base and use that to make sure that their agricultural interests are favoured by those that they have influence over.

The current head of the Ulnesh, Garren Ulnesh, is a young man with his gaze set firmly outside of the borders of Cyph-Arel - his primary focus is economic, seeing the growing needs of the Cyphiri families and from his own journeys outside of the nation (such as one trip to the lands of the Ironkept Knights) the opportunities that the array of races and societies out there could provide to the Cyphiri, but he also has a strong interest in the Flowing Way. He's encouraged several of the younger Ulnesh to learn the mysteries of the Way, seeing the understanding of fate and the future it promises as important in the future of his family- not an uncommon view among the Cyphiri, and one that the followers of the Way close to him have started to use to advance the influence of the faith and to encourage Garren to spread the Flowing Way along with his commercial endeavours. Garren's power within the Ulnesh is not absolute, the head of the family always having a council around them that debates and advises upon family issues, being able to overrule the head in extreme cases (although the influence they hold within the family is usually enough to ensure that moves unpopular with the council don't happen without them having to overtly veto it), and from whom the next head will be chosen. As it stands, the council is made up of five other members of the Ulnesh, although family meetings tend to be a little larger than this as members bring their own advisors and hangers-on, and a few other family members barge their way in to have their say in the matters of the day (although these five plus Garren are the only ones with real power during these occasions).
Pylan Ulnesh is the main envoy to the Council Fund - while the Ulnesh family has no presence within the Fund, as intended, they still need to be in coordination with the organisation, and Pylan's job is to arrange these things and to keep tabs on what they're up to. Garren's cousin gets on quite well with the record-keepers and infrastructure managers of the Fund, but finds it hard to hide his distaste for the mercenary and security oriented parts of the Fund's businesses.The man in charge of the family's agricultural interests is Taron Ulnesh, Garren's brother. A well-liked man, he'd most likely be Garren's successor if it wasn't for the simple fact that he has no care for politics and would much rather spend his time focusing on his plants, expanding and improving their farming operations and coming up with grand plans of improvement that are rarely practical, leaving the negotiating and politicking to a handful of skilled subordinates.Garren's sister, Relas Ulnesh, is the youngest member of the council, and the one Garren would prefer takes his place one day. She's a quiet one, spending more time listening than speaking, soaking up all the information she can and giving advice only when she's sure it will help. Some members of the family disapprove of her being in the position she's in, believing she got in because of her father rather than on her own merit, and that may well be accurate, but she's been a competent enough administrator of the operations assigned to her that her detractors haven't had a good enough reason to try and kick her out yet.Werran Ulnesh, another cousin, is a devoted follower of the Way, and one Garren is close to. He's excited about Garren's plans for expansion outside of Cyph-Arel, and has begun reaching out to the more adventurous families dedicated to the Way to arrange for them to start accompanying Garren's trade missions, and to the dedicated followers of the other families to suggest that they start spreading their wisdom to the new lands in which their families are setting up new businesses.Most of the dealings between the Ulnesh family and the Union Council is done through Chelat Ulnesh, Garren's aunt. She's not too bad at navigating the customs and idiosyncracies of the organisation, but is dismissive of other races and nations and the effects they may have on the Union and the families within, something that occasionally brings her into conflict with Garren and his vision for the future.


*Spoiler: People*
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The *Cyphiri* are a humanoid race that somewhat resemble octopi in some areas - their skin has a similar texture to that of the animal (and has a limited ability to change colour - it's not full camouflage, but it can occasionally be of practical use and is a common method of social expression and is often used to complement Cyphiri fashion), and while most of their body is solid and mer-like their arms are an array of tentacles while their mouths are a cephalopod-like beak. Several contradictory and competing stories of the Cyphiri's origins exist and are popular in Cyphiri culture, with the main point of contention being whether they were originally more like cephalopods and were made into the shape of mer, whether they were closer to mer and made more like octopi, or whether they were always this way (who exactly was responsible is another matter entirely). They have a tendency towards creativity and inspiration, with combined with the great dexterity given to them through their tentacles (although with less strength than an equivalent mer's limbs) has led to strong artistic and artisanal traditions within the Cyphiri, while mentally the typical Cyphiri has a good head for numbers and an impressive memory, while also displaying a distaste for physical confrontation and a poor aptitude for learning the art of war (mercenaries, however, have always been fair game as far as they are concerned). They're also a very curious race, inclined towards wanting to know as much as they can about the people they meet and always wondering what's out there beyond the borders of what is known (whether those borders are physical or otherwise).


*Spoiler: Society*
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Cyphiri society is focused around the idea of the family unit. A family is a group typically rooted in a certain bloodline, but rarely so strictly limited, families often adopting people outside the core bloodline as fits their needs. The exact internal hierarchy of the family unit varies from case to case, but the general social expectation is that there is some kind of central authority who represents and speaks for their family, looks after their members, takes responsibility for their actions and negotiates with other families if needed. These negotiations have grown over time into a web of obligation and interdependency that makes Cyphiri society function - the ruler of the Cyphiri is not so because of divine mandate or personal strength, but because they (or more accurately, the family which they head) have enough influence over other powerful families that they can direct their activities, and then those families have their own spheres of influence, and so on. Naturally, commerce and trade takes the focus of these obligations.

With this in mind, families have tended towards two directions. Centralised families have leaders that push towards focusing on one area or one trade (or both), hoping to increase their bargaining power in their focus and limit the bureaucracy and variety of necessary deals and obligations involved with supporting many different interests or supporting scattered operations across a large area (depending on the type of centralisation they prefer). Typically, these families are more often found in the established Cyphiri territories, reinforcing their grip on their chosen niche, and tend to take an all-or-nothing approach to exploration, colonisation and foreign trade - if they think it'll give them a meaningful edge in their niche, they'll throw their weight around to ensure their success, while those that their leadership deem less useful are dismissed. Other families take the opposite approach, decentralising their families and encouraging them to go out and find new opportunities wherever they may be, hoping that the problems caused by managing and financing such a spread is outweighed by the opportunities having such a broad spread of trades and areas of operation may present. Members of these families tend to be on the frontier of Cyphiri territories, leading expeditions into the unknown and establishing new colonies, while further into Cyphiri territory tend to be minor families seeking to fill any gaps left by the dominant families. Decentralised families vary heavily in how tied to the rest of Cyphiri society they are - some are heavily involved in a large numbers of deals, their many operations requiring varied support and being of value to a wide variety of other families, while others use their scattered interests to make themselves as self-sufficient as they can, trying to secure complete supply chains and to ensure that they own their sources of food, shelter and other necessities themselves.

There is a third type of family, those focused on politics and bureaucracy that have grown in importance in recent times as the greater Cyphiri society has developed. These families likely once had their own trades like the other families (and some still do, to a limited extent), but now are focused around dealing with the other families and facilitating the web of deals that are growing ever more complex. Some families focus on information, keeping track of the growing Cyphiri diaspora and offering that information to the relevant families for a price - some of these families are nearly entirely tied to the Union itself at this point, paid to serve the need of the Union's council for accurate information on the state of the nation (some of these are also paid enough to offer their services to other families for free, or at least a much reduced price, ensuring that important information like family allegiances, and matters of ownership are available from an impartial third party with little difficulty). 

Adoption is the Cyphiri solution to the problem that (despite the beliefs of some families) most talents, tendencies and aspirations aren't reliably passed from parent to child, as well as serving as a way for members of families wracked by internal strife, destitution or misfortune to find better lives. It's a simple process, requiring the leaders of the adopting family to recognise their new member, and their adoptee to swear allegiance to that family alone (some families keep old traditions and ceremonies associated with the process, while others are happy with just a short conversation and a shake of tentacles) - notably, a family can't do a similar process to eject a member without their consent, leading to many families being a little careful with who they adopt and lamenting family members that aren't a good fit or are simply incompotent but won't leave of their own accord (although how a family deals with its members is left up to them, besides social expectations that someone wanting to leave be allowed to go and that all family members are properly supported - this isn't always the case, of course, and many families just sees 'properly'  as just giving them enough to survive, encouraging them to leave for a family that'll give them something better).

Through this system, the Cyphiri see a way for people to take the roles they want (those with the heart of an explorer born to a centralised family of artisans may join a like-minded family, while someone else may go in the opposite direction seeking stability and work as an artisan in that family's field), to escape a bad family, or to recover from tragedy, although all of these have the caveat that the person in question has to find a family who'd accept them. Of course, there's also nothing technically stopping anyone (or a group of like-minded family members) from leaving the existing families entirely to try and make it as a new family, although these new families often still find themselves tied to their roots, their parent family often influencing their fates through reputation if nothing else. While this has always naturally happened over time, recent years have led to a new kind of family arising, formed of usually unrelated Cyphiri from many families but a shared interest, eschewing the ties of blood.

The Cyphiri have many symbols and logos, representing the various families and their major interests, but the main one the Union uses to represent itself (and as such most often seen by outsiders is the one shown above. It's intended to be a symbolic representation of Cyphiri society - the fertile soil that forms the core of the cities, the families that comprise their society (both looking outwards and inwards), and the ties that bind all the families to each other and the cities (the green lines representing agriculture and other urban businesses, while the outer blue line represents the frontier ventures and broader trade). The various families tend to slightly modify the deisgn, typically inserting symbols representing themselves in the central circle, but Ulnesh displays it unaltered - in their eyes, a sign of their authority over the Cyphiri and the prime position they take when dealing with the major nations of the world.


*Spoiler: Geography*
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*Cyph-Arel*

*Terrain*
Much of Cyph-Arel is rough, rocky terrain where little grows except for scattered patches of good soil where plants can grow. It in around these patches that the major Cyphiri towns can be found, built around an agricultural core. Outside of those areas, Cyphiri settlements tend to be smaller and more specialised, perhaps growing what they can where they are but mainly dependent on striking deals with the various agriculture families for the supplies they need. Temporary camps are also quite common, as explorers and pioneers search for promising locations for settlements with plenty of growing potential, while traders and caravaneers transport goods between the towns and settlements. The rocks are also dotted with various brightly-coloured posts and signs, denoting the paths between the various settlements and (something becoming particularly common in recent times) advertising the major families in that settlement and what they have to offer, those set up in temporary camps often adding to the signs near their position to show other travellers where they are (it's a common courtesy to let other travellers stay in your camp if they're in need, although it's also expected that it doesn't have to be for free, just not an unreasonable cost).

*Factions*
Aristrocratic (Cyphiri) - The Union Council: The Ulnesh family run the Union, the other major families being tied in with the Ulnesh enough by deals and obligations that they can be expected to follow their directions when told what to do. However, as the Union took shape this wasn't seen as satisfactory by either side - the other families resented their lack of input in what was going on, and the Ulnesh found the process inefficient and awkward, delegating to unwilling partners leading to problems down the line. The idea of a greater council, led by the Ulnesh and filled with representatives of the major families, was one that all sides broadly agreed to - for the families, it meant they had a chance to influence the direction of the Union (although the Ulnesh' web of influence over all the council families means that outright negating their plans is difficult, they can still negotiate specific points and bring forward their own ideas backed by their own power blocs) and could theoretically become the head at some point (although such an act would require plenty of political maneuvering to be favoured by more council families than the Ulnesh) and the information and influence a council seat gives can be leveraged nicely for their family's business, while for the Ulnesh it meant that the other families were more invested in the direction of the Union and worked harder towards their plans without requiring constant contact and influence. For a new family to join the council (or an old one to be removed) requires a majority vote by the existing members, often a challenging proposition given the effect a new member may have on each member's individual interests, as well as a contribution to the Council Fund. The idea of foreign interests joining the council is a subject of debate that hasn't had a proper conclusion yet - a non-Cyphiri nation wanting to influence the Council (and thus the government of Cyph-Arel itself, given the council members tend to have their power bases focused there) could make that happen to get their way, as councilors are more likely to cooperate with a fellow member than a completely foreign power, and then it'd simply be a case of making deals and ensuring obligations to get things to go their way.

The Council Fund is essentially a family in its own right - each council family contributes a proportion of their assets to it, along with the people required for it, and said people now answer to the Fund's directors rather than their own families (although naturally there's a lot of politicking and coordination between Fund members and their original families). The Fund's purpose is simply to use those assets to make money, providing a source of wealth that isn't dominated by one family - the head family of the council isn't a part of the Fund, a measure designed to limit their ability to dominate the organisation - that can be spent on ventures that benefit the whole Union. The families that provide easy and cheap information on the state of the Union and of the families within, emergency payments and bailouts in response to a crisis, and more are paid out of the Fund. The Fund also has a major role in military affairs, establishing connections with mercenary organisations and arranging the training of leaders in preparation for the possibility (however distasteful) of the Union needing to go to war with another nation.

Clerical (Cyphiri) - Families of the Way: While those that study the Flowing Way can be found in most Cyphiri families, some families are dedicated to the faith, trading their counsel, stories and knowledge to other families in exchange for the things they need to survive - some do have minor business interests keeping themselves going, but despite the practical benefits it's looked down upon by the more dedicated families. Other families come to these families of the Way for education and instruction in investigating the mysteries of the Flowing Way, and to train their own priests, giving them no small amount of influence in matters of faith and the beliefs of the region as a whole. They're not particularly dismissive of other faiths and interpretations, should representatives of other ideologies come to visit.

Mercantile (Cyphiri) - The Lesser Councils: While the title isn't an official one, the Lesser Councils has grown to be an unofficial shorthand to refer to the families that, while of note, are not members of the Union Council. Some have similar alliances and unions to the Council, hence the name, while others go it alone, but collectively they form the majority of the economy not directly under Council control. This gives them some power in their own right, even if they are ultimately obligated to the greater families of the Union Council, as anyone wanting to get something substantial done in Cyph-Arel (particularly a foreign power) is going to have to deal with at least some of these families. Cyphiri society is one where reputation and past dealings are very important, so in a sense the families of the Lesser Councils can be seen as a group - dealing fairly with several families means that word passes on to other families that you are a good partner to work with, making further deals easier, and the opposite can lead to the families collectively seeing you as a threat to their livelihoods, while the particularly ambitious might try to get enough of the Lesser Councils more closely tied to themselves than the Ulnesh to ensure they have considerable power over the economy of Cyph-Arel.


*Spoiler: Resource*
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While the rocky terrain that dominates Cyph-Arel has little in the way of life, it does have resources in the form of *Native Gold*, scattered throughout the rocks. The Cyphiri find it quite nice to look at and are fond of working it into their art, and it holds a decent amount of value to them - enough to make it worthwhile for more adventurous Cyphiri to go out into the rocks to look for more, and to be a consolation prize for those who go looking for good soil and fail.

The main need the Cyphiri face is a simple one - *Food*. Their agricultural space is still limited, and their population keeps growing, leading to ever more expeditions to find more fertile soil patches (or even better, new land that is much easier to grow in) and the agriculture industry being a hub of activity, merchants looking to secure a larger supply for their family and interests and involved families trying to increase their control over the fields, while the Ulnesh family's vast holdings ensures their power of the Cyphiri as a whole - part of the discontent some Ulnesh feel towards Garren's plans for expansion is the risk of the other families grabbing new land and diluting the strength of their own assets, and thus their political power, while others simply hope that Garren will ensure that any new food supplies will flow through Ulnesh hands first.


*Spoiler: Faith*
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*The Flowing Way* is a faith focused around the concept of storytelling, of the power they hold in the minds of mortals, the stories the gods told to shape the world, and of the histories of the many peoples of the seas. Fate is a strong element of the Cyphiri belief system, the name "The Flowing Way" referring to their belief in how mortals are pulled along the current of fate, but not enslaved by it - by knowing the past, by telling stories of things that have happened and that may happen in the future, and by constantly seeking to know more about the story of the world, mortals can guide their path in the flow and make predictions for the future. Given how the world is an unclear place, and people (mortal and god) are prone to exaggeration, misunderstanding and forgetfulness, few stories must be taken as gospel, of course, meaning that the path to wisdom is a rough one that requires plenty of time, patience and thought.

The dedicated followers of the Way tend to fall into two categories - families that aren't destitute will typically have some of their number learn the ways of the faith and dedicate themselves to studying, recording and telling the stories relevant to the family, while some families are nearly entirely focused around the Flowing Way, forming orders of priests, scholars and storytellers that trade their counsel, knowledge and tales in exchange for the things they need to survive (like other families, some stay settled and focus on catering to the families around them, others spread out and form traveling bands or loose networks, while others have attached themselves to the growing political structure of Cyphiri society). The pursuit of sorting truth from fiction and finding the smallest nuggets of wisdom from stories is respected in Cyphiri society, and the skills involved with the discipline are valued enough that many Cyphiri have at least a casual interest in the faith, and many priests have a profitable sideline in tutoring and education. It helps that the priests tend to know a lot that many Cyphiri don't, letting the natural curiosity of their race bring students and potential allies straight to them rather than having to go looking for them.

The gods are primarily creator figures, having created the world by inventing the stories of the creatures, land and concepts within their respective domains, but aren't seen as having an active input in the modern world, their role in the Way fulfilled and rest from the strain of creation their right. They are still important figures, however, possessing an understanding of the Flowing Way that mortals can only dream of, and the stories of the creation of the world and the time shortly afterwards when the gods were still in the world are common objects of study of priests of the Way - the various early Cyphiri cultures had similar but different tales, fragments and echoes of the true history of the world (and even the stories of other faiths might have some root in the truth, even if much of what they say is wrong - the Cyphiri are very open to the idea that the gods of other faiths are their own, just with even stranger names and natures than usual), and most followers of the Way believe that the gods made the world in a particular way for a reason, and understanding even a fragment that divine purpose would give a level of enlightenment and understanding of fate and the world beyond that of most mortals to comprehend. As with all studies of stories, things are complicated by the ways that the various stories contradict each other at points, or name slightly different gods or give them different personalities or domains, but the priests believe that this is just the usual distortion stories go through, and a necessary hurdle to reaching the truth of the world - some even say that this is intentional, believing that the gods want them to find their answers but didn't want them to have an easy time of it. Some also say the stories of the gods have hidden challenges within them, that reading and understanding alone is only part of the challenge and going out and acting in certain ways according to the stories is necessary for true understanding and power - this leads some to go off on quests, hunt for rumours of lost treasures, and similar escapades.

*Holy Sites:*
_The Archives:_ Established in one of the oldest Cyphiri settlements, the Archives are dedicated to gathering, preserving and storing as many stories as possible - the archivists don't concern themselves much with the interpretation and understanding parts of the Flowing Way, instead focusing on providing the tools required for others to better understand it. Many come here to learn, or simply because many of the archivists have become quite skilled at the art of telling a good story regardless of the religious elements.

_Bones of Arthan:_ The Bones aren't a single object or location, instead a network of camping spots said to have been used by the founder of the Flowing Way when he travelled across Cyphon and told those he met of his stories and of the Way. Retracing his steps is one of the methods that followers of the Way try to seek inspiration for their own attempts at understanding, and small bands of priests constantly travel in a loop through them, ready to extend their hospitality and their stories to all who come across their camps.

_The Spire:_ A mountain in the middle of Cyph-Arel, the tip just breaking the surface of the water. Many of the stories the Cyph-Arel have of the time of the gods and the creation of the world mention the Spire, and many of the more god-focused followers of the Way come here to enhance their understanding of the relevant stories or to look for physical evidence for them.


*Spoiler: Starting Technology*
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_Trophic Deconvolution:_ The Cyphiri's constant need for more food has had a pronounced impact on the direction their research has taken, with much of their time taken up by attempts to redesign and improve their crops. Pellir Hallus, an agricultural bioengineer, took this a step further and looked beyond the plants themselves, taking a two pronged approach - on the one hand, they created a new crop organism, designed to be efficient and digestible for a wide variety of species, and then on the other they created variants of most of the Cyphiri's other organisms, ensuring that they would be able to eat the aforementioned crop, as such meaning that the new plant (and variants of it tailored for specific environments and diversified for disease resistance) could take the place of many of the other common Cyphiri crops, simplifying the needs of the cities and leading to greater efficiency. This move did anger many people, particularly those invested in the old crops and several types of organisms used to feed other species, and caused some disruption to the Cyphiri cities as the changeover happened, but most Cyphiri adopted the new systems (often with their own tweaks to the deisgns to fit their needs) and the Hallus family rose in power as they exploited their head start and their greater understanding of the underlying techniques, leaving them second in the agricultural industry to the Ulnesh. Many Cyphiri also eat the new crop, the plant intentionally designed to be edible by them without modification, but it has something of a stigma for being animal feed and favoured by the poorer families and those held in poor regard by their family, meaning that Cyphiri of means take great pains to avoid it and instead eat other varieties of plant.



*Pyl-Garat (129)*
*Spoiler: Geography*
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The terrain of Pyl-Garat is somewhat similar to that of Cyph-Arel, the rocky landscape continuing southwards. Down here, rather than the many smaller scattered patches of soil that form the cores of settlements in Cyph-Arel, there are a small amount of vast stretches of very fertile silt. Some are mostly clear for use, featuring a small variety of easy to handle or remove plant species and the handful of mostly herbivorous animal species that feed off them, but others are overgrown thickets, the silt patches dominated by two plant species - one woody species that rapidly grows tall to get as close to the sun as possible, and another parasitical species that forms long interwoven vine networks that stretch from trunk to trunk of the first species and feed off them (the appearance of the two together giving rise to the term "vine forest"). The two species together provide an ample supply of food for the animals found in these overgrown forests (although only their fruits are particularly edible for most people, unless one wants to modify themselves to eat something considered thoroughly unappetising), in turn giving rise to several predatory species, and various other plants that can find a niche not taken up by the dominant two grow where they can in the shade below (or above the vine layer, for some of the more interesting plants). The understanding of the Cyphiri that live here is that the only reason the other silt fields haven't become one of these overgrown silt forests is simply that the two species aren't particularly efficient at spreading themselves out of their native field to others, slowing the spread enough that even now there are unaffected silt fields.


*Spoiler: People*
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The population of Pyl-Garat is primarily Cyphiri. Various families are represented, but it is the Pylet family who are dominant here - they spearheaded the early colonisation attempts despite internal opposition, convinced other families to come along and more recently have put all their financial assets into the region, cementing their hold on it. They have great influence among the Cyphiri living here, and have grown increasingly aloof and independently-minded towards the rest of the Union Council (of which they are a member), despite having strong obligations towards the Hallus for their support in the colonisation. The other families present are much like those of Cyph-Arel - some are from families with presences in both regions, while a considerable number are new families created by those wanting a fresh start and new opportunities of their own. The latter category are those most loyal to the Pylet, who typically invests in all such families in Pyl-Garat to give them a head start, and Pylet family members frequently encourage those of other families who are considering going it alone to go for it and accept their support.

The Cyphiri who have settled here live in two kinds of settlements. The older settlements are found around the vine forests, the original colonies who relied upon what they could gather from the wilderness for resources - it was much faster than waiting for crops (although some farms have been established on the edges of the patches in the years since), the fruits are fairly tasty, and there was quite a lot else of interest there from a scientific and curiosity-driven perspective. These settlements have developed into the major towns of the region, and the places the Pylet are strongest. They're quite similar to the communities found in Cyph-Arel, with the major exception being the lack of a central farm to be built around - instead, they're set up in rows facing the overgrown silt fields, the closest being the most prestigious properties (particularly in recent years, with hunting being more controlled and formalised excursions into the wilderness becoming a status symbol) and newer buildings layering backwards from them.

With the growth the region has experienced in recent years, there have been more of the second kind of settlement cropping up - those based around the silt fields that are far enough away from the vine forests to be clear for the Cyphiri to properly utilise. While some have been built into farming communities to help secure a local food supply, the majority of these so far are focused around 'silt mining', gathering the silt itself and packing it for transport and sale elsewhere. These settlements are a little less well-built than the wilderness-edge settlements - the farmers aren't as well established yet, while the silt miners intentionally live in tents and other structures made to be easy to take down as they reckon that no silt field will last forever and they'll eventually have to move on to another one.

Not everyone here is a Cyphiri, of course - besides the usual gaggle of mercenaries and adopted family members from other species, the Sakura-Jin are here and have been here for years before the Pylet sent their first colonists here. Upon finding their missionaries across the region, the Cyphiri decided to leave them be and let them do as they wished - if any wanted to join one of the colonial settlements, they were allowed in, and those who wanted to stay distant were left alone. Over the years, many Cyphiri have begun to listen to the missionaries and accept their teachings and beliefs over the typical Flowing Way-aligned way of thinking of the Cyphiri, leading to a second group of Sakura-Jin arriving specifically to better provide guidance to their new converts.


*Spoiler: Resources*
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The main export of Pyl-Garat is the *Nutritious Silt* they gather from some of the silt fields found here - many are overgrown or used for other purposes, but enough are clear and capable of being harvested from that some Cyphiri have set up a brisk trade in gathering and selling on the fertile soil. After all, good nutrient-rich soil like this is something a clever merchant can make a decent amount of coin with, so they've already been sending sacks of the stuff north into Cyph-Arel to top up the lower-quality soil there and sending opportunity scouts out into the wider zone to look for other potential buyers.

A quirk of Pyl-Garat culture that those back in Cyph-Arel find quite fascinating is their taste for *Meat*. It started early into the colonisation of the region, as the initial colonists found that farming was taking too long to yield enough food and foraging from the overgrown patches wasn't enough, and so began to hunt the animals that lived in and around them. They found that they quite liked the taste, and enjoyed the act of hunting itself (a little unusual, given the normal Cyphiri attitudes towards getting involved in violence themselves, but then again these early colonists were particularly adventurous and willful Cyphiri). These days, the increase in the population of these settlements means there isn't quite enough hunting to go around, and the Pylet have begun to control and legislate around the practice - hunting is now usually the privilege of Pylet of good standing in the family, or those of other families on good terms with them, although some other Cyphiri still hunt anyway. The need for meat has remained though, the early colonists still wanting their supply and the Cyphiri arriving later being influenced by the culture and diet the former set into place.

To compensate for this, the Pylet have begun to arrange for imports of sea cows from the north through Tellan contacts to provide a source of meat that, while not as fun as hunting your own meal, is undeniably tastier than the things they were hunting before and it's proven quite popular - the northern farmers may raise a good sea cow, but it's the Cyphiri of Pyl-Garat that know the best way to cook it up, using special jars of hot ashes also obtained from the Tellan (eating it raw, while perfectly possible for them to do, is seen as a little uncivilised these days and cooking is preferable despite the large amount of extra effort involved).


*Spoiler: Faith*
Show


The Pylet family have never been particularly dedicated followers of the Way - in fact, Hapat Pylet (the current head of the family) has attracted scorn from several of the more prominent adherents to the Flowing Way in Cyph-Arel for his comments on the merits of the faith and the viewpoint it encourages. Many of those who came with the Pylet to settle Pyl-Garat were of a similar mindset, or at least weren't so invested in the Way that they avoided dealing with the Pylet. In the years since settling the region, many of them have begun to find themselves swayed by the words of the Sakura-Jin nuns, finding comfort in the answers they present compared to the endless questions of the Way. Widespread adoption of their mandates has been slow, even among those most convinced, but has been becoming more common in recent years after the arrival of a second detachment of missionaries from the World Garden. Few of the Pylet themselves have converted though, Hapat reportedly finding the tenets of Sakurado not much better than the lessons of the Way but seeing little reason to interfere in the religious business of other families.

*The Chambers of Garat:* Located in the largest of the forest-side settlements, the Chambers were originally built to house any Sakura-Jin visiting to spread their teachings, and have been expanded several times since - the first few times to provide a permanent residence for the Cyphiri that were converted to the faith and wished to directly contribute to the faith, and again in recent years to provide proper homes to some members of the second Sakura-Jin contingent and provide a proper place of worship for them to operate out of. It's grown to cover a good amount of space, situated on the very edge of the vine forest and its bounds including some of the silt field to provide a space for their gardening.

----------


## Silent_Interim

The Chorus of the Crimson Choir


*Spoiler: Summary*
Show

The Chorus of the Crimson Coral (CCC)

Blurb: Semi-theocratic, semi-democratic commune worshipping a gestalt coral entity that stores the brain-patterns of the dead.

Leader: Living-speaker Hurn the Wise 
Dip: 3
Mil: 2
Econ: 2
Fai: 5
Int: 5
(Rolls)

Capital Region: Bloodhome (Region 26?)
Resource: Blood Pearls
Desired Import: Sources of blood
Holy Sites: The Blood Chant x3

Aristocratic Support: Crimson Choir
Mercantile Support: Coral of the Protected Strata
Clerical Support: Crimson Choir

Starting tech: Graduated Symbiosis




*Spoiler: Geography*
Show


_All of what we have in Bloodhome is hard-won and well-earned. The closer one goes to the depths, the more life seems hesitant to bear its fruit. But like our patron, we are as hardy as we are hungry, and we have fought to master these waters, a battle where we have gradually achieved victory._

Since the arrival of the Chorists, Bloodhome has transformed radically. The Reef in Red, once withering due to what amounts to overfeeding that had devastated the local ecosystem, is now a vibrant and visible seamark. Through the gradual efforts over many years of the Chorus, it has once again become an area not only surviving, but thriving.

The most prominent seamark of the region is the Reef in Red, though it seems almost purple to most eyes. A large portion of the settled activity of the Chorus takes place around this hub, being central to their society, so it is frequently swarming with bodies both living and dead. While many smaller hubs exist along the length and breadth of the Reef, the largest settlement is Requiem, sometimes called the First Necropolis.


*Spoiler: People & Government*
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_Once outcast, once exiled, we found home in the embrace of the Reef in Red. Our records from before that time are lost to the ages, but it is no great loss, for truly, could there have been any time of meaning before we found the Reef? It welcomed us when we consigned our wounded and our wearied to its razor tendrils... and then it spoke to us in their voices. We commingled our voices with the mind of the Reef, and gave birth to a newer Choir._

The Chorus of the Crimson Choir is a society divided along a sharp dividing line, between the living, whose society is largely organized around reverence and care for their patron, the so-called Reef in Red, and the dead, who exist in a symbiotic gestalt mind centered around the Reef. The dead provide their wisdom and their expertise, while the living provide labour and sustenance to accommodate the needs and desires relayed to them by the Choir in Crimson, the collective term for those fortunate souls whose consciousnesses have been absorbed by the Reef.
*Spoiler: Overview/Glossary*
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*the Reef, the Reef in Red*: A large colony of coral with strange psychic capacities. Also the central object of reverence for the Chorus.
*the Chorus*: The state comprising the Reef in Red, the Choir, and all chorists and vicari.
*chorist*: A still-living citizen of the Chorus.
*the Choir*: the gestalt entity stored by the Reef in Red containing the consciousness of all chorists who have died in consensual contact with the Reef.
*chorister*: A posthumous citizen of the Chorus, typically one who has joined the Choir
*vicarius*: A chorist who has voluntarily had their consciousness spliced with a chorister in order to maintain their skills as active contributors in the community. Regarded with some suspicion and hostility, though their experience makes them indispensable.

*Spoiler: The Reef in Red*
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Even moreso than most coral colonies, the Reef in Red is deeply intertwined and interdependent, with the individual polyps sharing a connection bordering on the psychic. Adapted to draw nutrients from blood falling to the ocean floor left by larger predators that once occupied the area, the Reef was prosperous in years past before unknown factors caused a minor ecological collapse. Many of the Reefs fellow colonies died off, and the Reef itself was intensely damaged in the incident, not to recover its faculties and capacity for higher thought until the arrival of the Chorus.

Perhaps more unusual than this feeding adaptation is the pseudo-psychic effect that allows the Choir to be sustained by the reef. The process that allows for the transference and storage of mind-patterns is poorly understood, possibly even by the Reef itself, though it is clearly mediated by a fatal cessation of brain activity and a transfer of vital fluids- most typically, blood. The process is technically imperfect, with individual patterns degrading slowly over time, but it still massively extends effective lifespan, with the caveat that that extension is generally confined to presence within the Choir and the Reef itself.

Since the arrival of the Chorus, the Reef has expanded rapidly, and has either killed or subsumed any other surviving colonies of its species into itself. There is effectively only one colony of the Reef in Red, and for now it seems content to maintain that status quo. In general, provided it is sufficiently satiated with blood, the Reef itself has few demands of its own, though it has made it known that the will of the Choir is also the will of the Reef. It is also quite happy to facilitate communication between the chorists and the choristers- as long as an individual remains in physical contact with the Reef, members of the Choir are able to communicate with those outside, though the process is typically taxing for the living body, and if not carefully monitored can lead to accidental death.

*Spoiler: The Choir and the Choristers*
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The goings-on of the Choir are difficult to keep track of for those not directly privy to them. While individuals are still able to communicate with those outside, most members of the Choir seem to experience some degree of euphoric joy in an environment freed of traditional biological concerns. On top of this, intra-Choir communication is seemingly vastly more efficient than the methods for speaking with chorists attempting to divine the will of the Choir, making the effort frustrating for both parties. Still, some knowledge is available.

Life inside the Choir is pleasant, but turbulent. Since internal polling of the gestalt is virtually instantaneous, as is most other communication, the choristers have been successful in implementing a hyper-democratic system for their own affairs. The political manoeuvring among the Choir thus happens so rapidly and complexly that it is virtually incomprehensible to even the most quick-witted of chorists, though some spend whole lifetimes making study of it in order to try and improve external education.

For matters pertaining to non-emergency matters external to the Choir, the choristers use a slower method of governance, regularly sending elected individuals to interface with living counterparts elected by the chorists. At these sessions, everything relevant to the Choir is discussed, as well as, theoretically, anything the chorists desire input on, though it can be difficult to hold the attention of the choristers for such matters. By this means, the choristers inform the chorists of their duties, and the chorists then scurry off to do them, leaving the choristers free to pursue their own amusements.

*Spoiler: The Chorists*
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By individual numbers, the largest demographic within Bloodhome is certainly mer, provided one counts only the living. (It is, unfortunately, highly impractical to census the dead). The living citizens of the Chorus are known as chorists- legally and spirtually subordinate to the choristers, but also more free in virtually every practical sense. The chorists are the eyes, ears, hands and fins of the Chorus, and while the Choir and the Reef are objects of regard, it is left to the chorists to handle practical matters, including the logistics of providing blood to an immense coral colony.

In general, the chorists regard the instructions of the choristers as guiding principles to oversee their own implementation of policy- something the choristers must be aware of, seeing as chorists regularly join the ranks of the Choir, but that none of them seem particularly concerned by. Government among the chorists is generally operated on principles of mutualism and co-operation, leading to a somewhat toned down version of the hyper-democracy of the Choir. Elections are generally fair and even, conducted roughly analogously to a parliamentary system.

*Spoiler: The Vicari*
Show

Straddling the line between living and dead are the Vicari. In order to apply the expertise of those skilled in more practical fields, like science, craftwork, or construction, some members of the Choir consent to having their mind-patterns transferred into the bodies of compatible volunteers. This has the advantage of preserving skill potentially indefinitely, improving efficiency by allowing the expertise of those who would otherwise die to be preserved, though at the cost of identity- the choristers consciousness is subsumed into the chorists over time.

The Vicari occupy an uncomfortable space in the Chorus. They provide many of their most skilled labourers, artisans, and other specialists, making them generally indispensable. On the other hand, every vicarius represents a chorister who has rejected the gifts of the Choir- a tendency that proceeds down lineages of vicari, as they are already necessarily compatible with those inclined to give up the comforts of life in the Choir for corporeal existence. So while they often hold positions of prestige and regard, they are frequently not privy to the full political influence such positions might otherwise hold. They are also frequently employed for duties that would take them away from Bloodhome, such as missionary work, diplomacy, and warfare.





*Spoiler: Resources*
Show


_The Reef provides so much for our spirits that it seems greedy to ask that it provide for our bodies. Still, we reap its bounties, even if it means that sometimes some must go hungry. The unproductive can always grow the Reef._
The Reef in Red consumes a great deal of blood, being specifically adapted to extract several vital nutrients from it. It then excretes the byproducts it does not require in the form of *Blood Pearls*, though they are only named such because of a visual resemblance to pearls rather than any similarity in the functions that produce them. The blood pearls grow in nodules on the Reef before gently dislodging, at which point they are harvested by the chorists for trade.

Unfortunately, while the Reef is generous with its bounties, it is also voracious in its appetites. While volunteers and local fauna provide the Reef with a continuous supply of both minds for the Chorus and blood for the feeding of the Reef, there is a limit on how much can be easily provided without slowly devastating the local ecosystem- especially when the Reef is concerned with expansion, which is frequently. As such, the Chorus is always on the search for additional *sources of blood*.

Bloodhome is, while rich grounds for blood pearls, not otherwise a particularly rich land, and its merchants are keenly aware of it. While no official deals have been made yet for exports, it is common knowledge that the *mercantile support* of the region is largely given to the foreign merchants of the *Coral of the Protected Strata* and not to the local government.

*Starting technology:*_ Graduated Symbiosis_. Even though the honoured dead feed it, the living must care for the Reef in Red. The Choir has developed numerous techniques to better care for their patron, though the options for improved medical care are frequently not used by the living, as they instead opt to join the ranks of the Choristers early.


*Spoiler: Faith*
Show


_Death is the center of life. By extension, the Reef is the center of the world. Nothing is more important; nothing is more precious. If it comes to it, even our minds must be forfeit in its defense. A threat to the Reef is a threat to our very way of life._
*The Crimson Chant* is a straightforward religion, with a single object of reverence: the Reef in Red. Its value and spiritual worth is self-evident, the Choir it enables a joyous song that elevates all choristers who join it. Just as important is that those who are not willing, cannot join; unless one accepts their fate and joins the Chorus willingly at the moment of brain-death, the pattern of their mind cannot pass into the Reef and is lost forever, both a tragedy and a shameful waste.

As such, the doctrine of the Chant is flexible but focused on one goal- finding or creating willing volunteers to join the Chorus. There is no price too high to pay to expand the reach of the Reef or the ranks of its servants. To join with others is blessed- outcasts and exiles must welcome those like them, and then choirs shall commingle. Those whose biology is incompatible can still serve the Reef and the Chorus in other ways, and be thusly exalted.

Those chorists responsible for proselytization have not been idle, either. Even as the merchant class has been courted by foreign interests, ideas have spread along the same roads that trade would. Local spiritual leaders in the homes of both the *Coral of the Protected Strata* and *The Lambent Syndicate* have expressed sympathy towards the Choir and the Chant, though what dark deals have been made to secure the co-operation of the kucen remain unclear. Regardless of that, the Choir enjoys the *support of the clergy* among the home regions of both factions.

As a quirk of the ideology behind the Chant, capital punishment within the Chorus does not merely consist of execution, but specifically execution without afterlife. Such ceremonies, when necessary, are conducted within sight of the Reef in Red but not in contact with it. After death, the body is still provided to the Reef so that it might draw sustenance from the body and its blood, but the mind-pattern is deliberately and permanently destroyed.

*Holy Sites*

_The Rectory of Knives:_ The primary residence at home for the missionary class of the chorists. An entire wall of this sweeping, wide structure stands open to the Reef in Red, that the preachers in residence might be closer to their god.

_The Vicarian Chambers:_ Specialized facilities where the harrowing process of melding a living body with a branching of the Reef in Red is conducted. Half holy temple, half laboratory, and frequently filled with a variety of vital fluids.

_Uluist, Prime Feeding Ground:_ In the strictly technical sense, it makes no difference where a body is fed to the Reef for its mind to join with the Chorus, but in practice, figures of influence and prestige are almost always passed on at Uluist. A particularly wide and sharp patch of the reef, with a ritual platform built nearby and extensive viewing areas for families and visitors to observe the proceedings.

----------


## Autumn Stars

*The Gravetenders.* (Requested starting zone 78)

Eventually, every culture must deal with death. Even the immortal live in a world where most lives must end, and so must answer to what must be done _after_

Almost every realm must deal with the logistics of dead bodies, and  the mourning thereof. But the Gravetenders were forced to answer a much more difficult question.

What does one do with the corpses of an entire civilization?

People: *Made of Stone.*
*Spoiler*
Show


The Gravetenders are not organic beings, but automatons of stone, built by a civilization they will only refer to as 'the Makers.'  Some time in the past century, the Makers died off. Something in the water changed, or maybe they experimented with forces beyond their grasp. 

All that was left behind were their servants, made of stone and silver. Strong, durable, and elaborate, their automatons served many vital roles to their society, from farmer to smith to scribe.

For years, the automatons simply followed their assigned tasks, unthinking... But eventually, a lack of regular maintenance allowed them to _think_ freely, to be _people_ and not servants.

Now, the Gravetenders are a fiercely independent and spiritual nation, bound together by their common restrictions and their reverence of their Makers.


Faith: *The Makers' Remnants.*
*Spoiler*
Show


The Makers may be dead, by the Gravetenders have not abandoned them. They cannot, in fact - if taken too far from the body of a Maker, a Gravetender will cease to function. They were never meant to function on their own. Even when Gravetenders are forced to travel far from their established safe zones, they bring with them a Reliquary. Each Reliquary contains the preserved corpse of a Maker.  Such caskets are more sacred to them than anything but life itself.

For a people without fear of death by age, they are incredibly concerned with the liminality of life. This interest, born of awakening to cities full of the dead, has informed their deeply spiritual nature, and almost every Gravetender has something to say on the topic of faith. Their religion is open to all who wish to explore the nature of death and the soul, though it is up to the individual to adapt or adopt the reverence of the Makers.

The Gravetender faith, as it stands, centers on the nature of mortality, and how best to spend the gift of life. It welcomes questions and understanding, and despite the trappings of a 'death cult,' those who follow it tend to be very invested in living well. The question of 'what comes after' is important, and not to be feared.


Holy Sites: 
*Spoiler*
Show


The holiest places, to the faith of "The Makers' Remnants," are the three Dead Cities. Each one is a beautiful work of architecture and whatever strange science the Maker's used to create the Gravetenders. None of them are the *largest* cities, but the most beautiful and inspiring. Each is a work of art. 
*Dead City Urodela* is placed such that the light which streams from above is channeled into a series of crystals, all sculpted into abstract forms.
*Dead City Tacca* is known for its meditation chamber, and the series of elaborate Reliquaries the faithful have built inside.
*Dead City Chantrieri* towers above the rest, precipitously built along a sharp dropoff.


Geography: *The Dead Cities.*
*Spoiler*
Show


When the Makers fell, they left behind plenty of carefully grown and adapted infrastructure. Much of it is carved from stone and coated in a substance much like pearl. The Gravetenders have been careful with these stonecarved memories of their creators, and every city they made has become a massive graveyard, of sorts. And, at the same time, a carefully maintained storage facility for the bodies of the Makers, ensuring that this _critical_ resource is not squandered or allowed to rot.

Each of the Gravetenders' Holy Sites is, in fact, a former major city now turned tomb.


Resources: *It's Honest Work.*
*Spoiler*
Show


The Makers never worked their own fields, never harvested their own kelp or slaughtered their own livestock. No, that had been given over to the automatons, and when the Makers fell, they continued to work. Much of that work is gone, now, but when the newly awakened Gravetenders developed their preservation methods, those very methods turned out to be useful for foodstuff as well.

Alas, stone does not eat much as it does not bleed, and this resource was well over stocked... But they continued to work. It is comforting, to the Gravetenders, to care for livestock both small and massive, and they continued to do so well after they were certain the Makers were gone for good.  Thus, they have a surplus of *well preserved food.*

But they do have to consume, both for repairs and for energy, and while the hydrothermal harnessing within the Maker's towers still sustains their basic function, they are always in need of more *silver,* (Subject to change based on metallurgy stuff? It just needs to be something valuable.) especially when they wish to create more of themselves.


Technology: *Megafaunal Tailoring*
*Spoiler*
Show

The Gravetenders were often used for supporting the livestock of the Makers, and as such, still make use of their greatest of beasts, as transport and often, as communal pets. This is the only drain on their supply of food, at this time.

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## Minescratcher

*The Order of Knights of the Ironkelp of First-King John of Ruhum*

[IMG]flag goes here[/IMG]

*Spoiler: Rulers*
Show

Current Ruler: Grand Master Jacob Basilicos, 39th Grand Master of the Order of Knights, etc., and King of Insol
*Diplomacy:* 4
*Military:* *10*
*Economy:* 3
*Faith:* *10*
*Intrigue:* 3
rolls


* * * 

Region 114
*Orope, the Sacred Expanse*
*Spoiler: Geography*
Show

Orope: the Sacred Expanse, the First-King's Domain, old Ruhum, the Waters Where the Giant Fell, the home of the Middish. The waters are cloudy, filled with dust, algae, and organic detritus; the seafloor is relatively flat and sandy, though it rises as one moves north. Wild fish flit through the hanging roots of the Giantsbane plants, ducking under cover from passing predators, before fleeing as a Middish fish-herd signals his flock to approach. A distant bang reverberates through the water, and the Middish dives to the seafloor - and only just in time, as a seed plunges past his tail, embedding itself in the sand only a few inches away. 

Far away, at the center of Orope, the great Ironkelp rises from the metal ring which holds it fast to the seafloor. The hum of daily life in the capital of the greatest kingdom, Insol, can be heard for miles around, as herders move their fish to hungry buyers, artisans offer their finely carved seeds for sale, chaplains lift their voices in holy song, and nobles feast on imported crustacean. This is a particularly busy day; one of the matted plant-cities of Alehsol, not tethered to the earth as the Ironkelp is, has floated past, and the Ins-Middish have seized the opportunity for trade and diplomacy with tight jaws. The festivities go on long into the night, voices eventually replaced by flashes of blue light before fading to darkness and silence. But neither state will last long; the new day brings new tidings and new business to these waters, under the watchful eyes of the Order of Knights of the Ironkelp of First-King John of Ruhum.


*Spoiler: People*
Show



The closest analogue to the Middish on Earth might be the plainfin midshipman; like that species, they are dark olive to yellowish toadfish, about a foot and a half in length, with wide pectoral fins and a narrow tail fin, and they possess bioluminescent photophores in the skin about the eyes, mouth, and gills as well as two lateral lines of photophores running the length of the body from the head to the base of the tail. Middish are capable of respiration in both water and air and are adapted to resist oxygen deprivation, though prolonged periods out of water are likely to result in severe injury or death from desiccation. They are dioecious, with males and females of roughly the same size. Males claim a nest site, preferring protected and isolated seafloor locations near the water surface; one or more females spawn with the male, then leave the eggs in his care. He defends and nurtures the children until they are large enough to hunt their own food, an instinctual arrangement which has given the patriarch of most families significant influence over his descendants and which historically has often sidelined female Middish in dynastic politics.

The Middish of Orope are organized into a feudal society structured around the floating Giantsbane plants, especially the great Ironkelp, whose sheltering roots serve as cities for the fish. A small class of nobles, aided by the clergy of the Flowing Way, organize the defense of the floating cities and the labor of the peasantry, who primarily hunt and herd smaller herbivorous fish for food. These comprise several related species, but are generally all simply referred to as "cattle." Many of them are capable of metabolizing the toxins present in Giantsbane tissue, allowing dying or abandoned plant-cities to be recycled for food.

As yet unmentioned is the most notable trait of the Middish, and the one most central to their culture: their vocalization ability. This must have been still impressive in their distant pre-sapient past, but the evolution of their spoken language has resulted in a refined and storied tradition of poetry, song, and oratory. The ability to compose a few verses for any situation is a key skill of any capable noble, and a beautiful singer might be rewarded even more generously than a proven warrior. Lest they be thought soft, decadent types, though, it must be noted that their shouts and grunts carry for miles beneath the sea, and the terrifying war cry of the Middish (a sound which might be compared to B-29s flying in formation overhead) spreads the rumor of battle to every corner of the ocean.


*Spoiler: History and Government*
Show

The history of Orope stretches back into the distant past, and as might be expected, the order in which events took place and even how long ago they occurred is often no longer clearly remembered, even when it is not actively contested by feuding families laying claim to historical prestige. Still, all sages agree on the broad outlines of Oropegian history. Though a few truly ancient tales speak of the time when the Middish were divided into feuding, primitive tribes, history begins with the reign of John of Ruhum, the First King, who conquered all Orope and birthed the Ruhuman Empire. It was he who, through some long-lost magic or divine miracle, forged the chain that holds the Ironkelp in place, allowing it to grow to truly enormous size over the following centuries, and made it his capital.

The Empire would last for many centuries, bringing a period of unprecedented peace and prosperity to Orope as strife between the tribes was brought under control and trade between the plant-cities expanded. A mercantile class emerged, ferrying artisan goods and preserved foodstuffs from city to city, and the old pagan ways were unified into a single state religion. Middish warriors ranged into distant waters, and their war-cries shook many a seabed. Trade and cultural exchange with foreign peoples proved rewarding also, and it is believed that the Flowing Way first found followers in Orope in this period. Eventually, though, as must all empires, it fell; a century of brutal civil war ended just in time for a devastating plague to decimate the population. The reigning emperor himself, having just seized the title a few years prior, wasted away, and no heir could be found. All expected another civil war, but instead the vassal king of Lombsol, Giovanni XII, declared himself the lord of an independent realm, and many others followed, leaving "Ruhum" a rump state confined to the Ironkelp. Even that relic of older days would last for only another century or so, as the Ironkelp was eventually captured by Jean XVIII of Fresol, then nearly abandoned under threat from Edward's Giant, then occupied again by Insol following the Giant's death at the fins of the nascent Order Knights. 

Edward seems to have intended the Ironkelp Order as a collection of holy knights who would merely defend his own realm, but it soon grew to exceed the bounds of Insol, interpreting its charge to defend the faithful as granting it the responsibility of protecting travel and trade between the kingdoms of Orope. Though the Knights never made serious attempts to interfere in internal politics or usurp the power of the existing kingdoms, its influence among the nobility of every kingdom grew with time; the Order's halls were seen as an invaluable place for the education of younger sons and daughters and for diplomatic communication among the kings. The present day has seen what many believe to be the culmination of this process - the passing of the 38th Grand Master, Afonse d'Hisol, led to the election of the reigning King of Insol, Jacob Basilicos, as the 39th Grand Master. Time will tell whether the responsibilities of his dual titles remain separated... or merge.

Internally, the Order of Knights of the Ironkelp of First-King John of Ruhum is led by the Grand Master, who serves for life and is elected by and from the entire body of Knights. Below the Grand Master are the Second Master, who acts as a regent and representative of the Grand Master, and the Grand Marshal, who functions as chief quartermaster for the Order, in charge of procuring food and arms (stone mouth-spikes and ripe Giantsbane seedpods) and organizing logistics for the whole Order. Beneath these three, the Order is divided by language (as the Middish speak a wide variety of tongues) into Langues, of which Orope provides seven: Inslangue, Scoshlangue, Frelangue, Alehlangue, Lomblangue, Hislangue, and Ocslangue. Each Langue is overseen by a Knight or Dame Commander, beneath whom serve a number of Knight or Dame Bailiffs whose responsibilities are primarily administrative and operational. Langues have no standard size and may include as many Knights of the appropriate language as are available, who are organized into centuries consisting of 80 fish-at-arms, 10 senior knights (of whom one is the century's Knight or Dame Lieutenant and overall commander in battle), and 10 chaplains (who act as quartermasters and record-keepers for the century and as tacticians). 



*Spoiler: Resources*
Show



A foreign visitor to Orope cannot help but swiftly notice the Giantsbane plant, if for no other reason than that every Middish city is built in and around a thick clump of them. These consist of a cluster of enormous leaves attached to a short, thick stalk which floats on the water surface. Dense forests of roots hang down from the plant, filtering nutrients from the water to sustain the plant and providing shelter to a multitude of fish. Its internal fluids, though, are sticky and highly toxic; feeding on or attempting to damage a Giantsbane is highly dangerous, and one accident can permanently injure or kill the unlucky fish involved.

The Giantsbane is notable also for its large seeds (which measure approximately 7" long and 3" in diameter). These are shaped roughly like a mortar shell with a samara attached opposite the pointed end, which grow embedded in a thallus just at the water line. The seed grows attached to its parent until it is large enough to block off the front half of the thallus, at which point pressure begins building behind it until the thallus violently explodes and launches the seed through the water or air at high speed; it grows where it lands, buried in the seafloor, and eventually detaches to float to the surface and start the cycle anew.

The Middish have long known the twin arts of deliberately detonating a ripe *Giantsbane Seed* (easy) and how to carve patterns and mouth-handles into a seed without it exploding (rather harder). When a plant-city is threatened, the Knights ride atop specially carved seeds fired from the city's constituent plants themselves to repel the enemy. The plant gains its name from one particular historical incident involving this practice, where a volley of seeds fired from the Ironkelp slew a great Giant (probably an unusually large and aggressive shark, though its exact nature is lost to time and oral tradition). In more peaceful times, Giantsbane seeds are instead carefully removed from their seedpods and carved with intricate patterns and designs; the most skilled seed carvers can etch a seed with dozens of interwoven marks without so much as scratching the thallus, and their artwork is highly prized.

Though Orope has the basic necessities of Middish life in abundance, increasing societal complexity and the slow march of time have shown a fault in the traditional system of oral history. Where once a single chaplain might recall the whole family tree and history of a famous dynasty, the records and stories have grown to the point where the largest noble houses must often retain hundreds of sages simply to preserve their lineage. To address this informational challenge, the Order desires to import *Record-Keeping* ability - whether mineral or biological - from beyond the bounds of Orope, in order to supplement the memorization ability of the sages.


*Spoiler: Faith*
Show

The Middish follow the *Flowing Way*, as they have since the middle days of Ruhum centuries ago. The Flowing Way is a faith focused around the concept of storytelling, of the power they hold in the minds of mortals, the stories the gods told to shape the world, and of the histories of the many peoples of the seas. Fate is a strong element of the belief system, the name "The Flowing Way" referring to a belief in how mortals are pulled along the current of fate, but not enslaved by it - by knowing the past, by telling stories of things that have happened and that may happen in the future, and by constantly seeking to know more about the story of the world, mortals can guide their path in the flow. Given how the world is an unclear place, and people (mortal and god) are prone to exaggeration, misunderstanding and forgetfulness, few stories must be taken as gospel, of course, meaning that the path to wisdom is a rough one that requires plenty of time, patience and thought.

The Order's official interpretation varies somewhat from that of the Cyphiri. They hold that though the gods divided the world between them into domains, they act still with one collective divine will, and that though they have retired from active governance of the world, their divine will lives on. The currents of fate are guided by this divine will, which can be known only through the stories of what it has done in the past. The fragments of true knowledge the gods left behind require action once they are uncovered; some might lead to lost treasures or glorious quests, but the true knowledge of the world inspires holy missions for those who will listen - often revealing itself to mortals through dreams. Such a prophetic dream is said to have been responsible for the founding of the Ironkelp (retrofitting the old pagan gods' role in the story into the Flowing Way) and for the holy mission of the Ironkelp Order, among other things.

The religious institutions of the Flowing Way are strong in Orope, but decentralized. Most sages are taught personally, as one of their tutor's finfull of apprentice students, and pursue the truth of the old stories by acting as a "scribe" of sorts to a noble family, memorizing their lore and history. Those who attain renown in some way are often highly sought after, as becoming a talented sage is seen as a prestigious opportunity for one's children - especially those who will not inherit anything. The Ironkelp Order recruits chaplains to serve a slightly different role; all chaplains memorize a portion of the detailed history of the Order, but they primarily study the stories of war and battles past, acting as quartermasters and battlefield tacticians. A knowledgeable chaplain is said to be the best guarantee of victory.

Among the sacred sites of Orope are three of greater antiquity and spiritual power compared to the rest. The first is the Old City of Ruhum, the home city of the First-King - though the actual city has long since drifted out of Orope and withered away, a monument of piled stones marks the seafloor above which it once floated. Second, there is the Sage's School of Lombsol, known as a place where the greatest Middish minds gather to debate the old stories and to find new apprentices to their craft. Last, of course, is the Ironkelp Chain - solid proof of the power of the Flowing Way.


* * * 

Region 113
*Ektalithiades, the Petrified Plains*

*Spoiler: Geography*
Show

The rocky flats of Ektalithiades stretch for miles beneath lightly clouded waters, their featureless surface unbroken save by the Stone Teeth, great spires of rock pointing surfacewards upon which clams and scallops attach to feed. Once, the region was a vast submerged mudflat, attested by the shells and fossils buried in the rock, but no longer; some unknown force long ago hardened the seafloor into stone. The northwest and east of the region are characterized by lifeless brine pools, which the inhabitants avoid, while the rocky seafloor between hosts clumps of hardy mosses and swordgrass, food for the occasional small fish, sea snail, or desperate Tyrnamoi. These last are the sapient inhabitants of Ektalithiades. Their twin cities of Dupiopóli in the north and Nótiapóli in the south twist and burrow through areas of softer rock, a network of tunnels and caves which provide the Tyrnamoi with shelter, spawning grounds, and sites to ambush passing fish or snails all at once.


*Spoiler: People*
Show

The Tyrnamoi are in many ways similar to the Middish to the north, but are clearly shown to be different species by just as many differences. Their skin is a dull white or grey color, marked by thin, wavy yellow patterns on both sides of their body. They lack the bioluminescent photophores possessed by the Middish, but instead have significantly more pronounced spines, which are hollow and deliver a painful venom primarily used for hunting. Tyrnamoi have similar reproduction and familial structures to those of the Middish, with one or more females spawning with a male, who cares for the eggs and raises the children; they also have similar resilience against oxygen deprivation and the unfriendly air, and the ability to vocalize is as ubiquitous in Ektalithiades as in Orope, though most Tyrnamoi speak dialects of a single language rather than truly distinct tongues. 


*Spoiler: History and Government*
Show

Ancient history is poorly remembered in Ektalithiades; the oldest significant event in general recall is the signing two centuries ago of the Symfoníes, the agreement which officially handed power in Dupiopóli and Nótiapóli to the Mayor-Kings and their chosen sycophants, putting an end to decades if not centuries of strife and civil war. Power was consolidated into the hands of a few influential aristocratic families, who intermarried to align their shared interests as often as they assassinated each other to further some scheme, and the vast majority of the population was completely frozen out of any hope of political influence. To avoid unrest, the new rulers channeled the individualist energies of the Tyrnamoi into hunting and sporting competition, ritualized in the form of the yearly Brinesea Games between the two cities. Though this arrangement maintained the political stability of the Tyrnamoi, the hidebound aristocracy proved both too arrogant and too inexperienced to defend their realms against a proper army. The Accidental War, as it came to be called by Ironkelp Order sages, was an utter catastrophe, with the Tyrnamoi barely even able to inflict casualties on the invaders as their small forces were annihilated in a handful of decisive battles.

In the aftermath of the conquest, neither the Order nor the various Middish monarchs took much direct interest in Ektalithiades, allowing the victorious commanders free reign to do as they saw fit. Knight Commander Tolmach returned to Insol shortly following the surrender, leaving a power vacuum which two ambitious Knights strove to fill: Knight Bailiff Carlton Carrington, of Tolmachs Inslangue honor guard, and Knight Bailiff Jörn Hanisch of the Alehlangue. The two were able to collaborate just long enough to exile the old aristocracy before immediately starting to plot to dominate Ektalithiades, each pulling other Middish nobles and influential Tyrnamoi into their respective orbits. Oropes attention was drawn to the region once more in the 15th year of Grand Master Basilicoss tenure, when Carrington declared himself King of Dupiopólisol and, in response, Hanisch declared the creation of an Ektalithiadean Assembly in the south. Though the two states have yet to come to blows, it remains to be seen how the Order and the Kingdoms will react to these jumped-up expatriates.


*Spoiler: Resources*
Show

The Stoneteeth are rich in *phosphorite* rocks, whose significant phosphate content makes them valuable as a source of vital nutrients for all living organisms (so long as steps are taken to prevent deadly algae blooms) as well as a potential ingredient in creative (read explosive) chemistry projects. 

Despite the autocratic organization of the cities, the Tyrnamoi are constantly in need of *Military Labor*. Conscription has proven a failure in the face of staunch opposition from everyone except the aristocracy, leaving military infrastructure entirely dependent on foreign workers.


*Spoiler: Faith*
Show

Ektalithiades is home to what seems to be a strange offshoot sect of Sakurado. The Tyrnamoi hold that they were once sterile and reliant on the good will of the Precursors to maintain their population, but that Barbeleon suddenly manifested in the form of a living mass of algae, *Sheldon J Plankton*. This mass grew until it blotted out the sun above Ektalithiades, cutting off the Precursors, and declared that the age of nudity and sterility was forever ended, supposedly miraculously restoring the ability to lay eggs to the Tyrnamoi. The truth of this legend is difficult to ascertain, but in keeping with tradition, Tyrnamoi culture might be described as hedonistic; decorative metal or pearl jewelry and extravagant-bordering-on-tacky clothing made from dyed plant fibers are universal among all social strata, and outside of the largest and most important families, couplings rarely result in long-term relationships.

The twin cities of Dupiopóli and Nótiapóli, the major population centers of the region, are also the most significant religious sites. Each city claims to be the place where Sheldon J Plankton first appeared and therefore to have special holy significance.


* * * 

Region 127
*Ke Yi Ade, the White Sands*

*Spoiler: Geography*
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The first thing any traveler to Ke Yi Ade notices is the bone-white sand that gives the region its name, in stark contrast to the clear blue waters above. Dull green seedgrass and brown Ray-Ear Seaweed grow in clusters, forming islands of stable sand in a seafloor ever shifting with the currents and tides. To the north, the vast coral forest of Ngù Fe Ave stretches across the bleached sands, the red flowercups of the Three-Arrows Coral a beautiful prize for any willing to dare its painful spines. Turtles feast on coral and seagrass, retreating into their muted brown armor as one of the great grey Lãkuviatowo lumbers across the seafloor, its claws sending vast clouds of swirling sand upwards as they uproot clumps of seaweed and buried oysters. In the distance, the plaintive call of the four-finned saber seagoats echoes through the waters, interrupted by the clashing of their long shell horns as they challenge each other for dominance, and in the saline waters of the western marches and the coastal brack to the east, the dark-eyed pupfish dart back and forth, so named for their resemblance to the children of the inhabitants, the Tomelãwo. 


*Spoiler: People*
Show

The intelligent populace of Sedadzi, the Tomelãwo, are nearly unique among the creatures of the region simply for being carnivorous. They are large, flat fish akin to Earths electric rays, with a wide, toothy mouth, a circular "head," white skin flecked with blue patches, and the ability to generate electric shocks of up to 200 volts from their heads. A single Tomelã hunts by wrapping its flat body around small prey like the pupfish and electrocuting it, while hunting parties working in concert can take down even an enormous Lãkuviato. However, the religion of Central Intelligence forbids the use of electricity against another thinking creature, and warriors typically rely instead on the sharp horns of saber seagoats or simply grappling. Tomelãwo are ovoviviparous, and spawn litters of up to 10 pups about every two years.

Tomelãwo society was once organized into a hierarchical feudal system, but the ascension of King Agbeli began a period of significant centralization of power, with the lesser nobility retaining or even expanding their wealth and status but losing much of their political power. By the time of his death and succession by his daughter Queen Esenam, the monarchy had become absolute, and the royal court merely a series of hunts and dances to keep the nobles occupied.


*Spoiler: History and Government*
Show

Prior to the War of Sky and Sea, Ke Yi Ade was ruled by Queen Esenam, the only surviving child of the previous King following a period of fratricidal infighting upon his death. She maintained near-absolute power in the region, relegating the nobility to a position of subservience with their power limited to their role as leaders in hunts and in war; the ultimate symbol of this hierarchy was the fortress and palace at Togbe dzi Nofe, built three years before the outbreak of the war. Aside from its defensive features and its halls of treasures and royal artwork, it contained enough rooms to quarter every major noble in the realm, allowing the Queen to keep a personal eye on any plotting and ensure loyalty.

Of Queen Esenams ill-conceived challenge to the armies of the temperate waters, enough is said elsewhere, and it will suffice to note that in the face of what they perceived as a threat or an insult, the Ironkelp Order and the reigning Profundus of the Gotezhar allied and invaded Ke Yi Ade. Despite trading evenly in casualties, the extreme tactical and operational flexibility of the combination of Middish and Gotezhar fighters, combined with the sense of abandonment among the defending Tomelãwo after the Queen retreated to Togbe dzi Nofe, rapidly overwhelmed the defenders, and the coalition army seized the fortress, the Queen, and the vestigial nobility in a matter of weeks.

In the aftermath, many Middish disinherited children and lesser nobles, many of them Knights in the invading army, attempted to establish their own realms in the queendoms corpse as had occurred in Ektalithiades. Notably, in the north, the Insmiddish Knight Lieutenant John Donne elevated himself to Duke of the Forest of the Trinity, encompassing most of Ngù Fe Ave; in the east, the half-Scoshmiddish, half-Alehmiddish Knight Frederick Christy seized the waters about Christy Pit following his gallant performance in the nearby Battle of the Basin; and in the south, the capital city and old royal palace at Sedadzi were captured by Knight Lieutenant Felipe Lucero of the Hislangue, now Prince of Lucero. Despite the significant de jure shakeup, however, the remnants of the old Tomelãwo nobility bear no love for the Order, and it remains to be seen whether any of the new princes can truly enforce their will within their realms.


*Spoiler: Resources*
Show

One of the most abundant plants in Ke Yi Ade is a brown seaweed, dubbed *Ray-Ear Seaweed* for its similar shape to the bulges around the Tomelãwos eyes containing their electrical organs (often misidentified as ears). Its blades are edible, though tasteless; the real value lies in the seaweeds remarkably developed rhizome-like holdfast, which, when ground, is a potent spice and incense akin to ginger.

The merchants of the region desire *Hard Minerals*, as the sandy seafloor is extremely mineral-poor, and the Tomelãwo require specialized tools to build or dig in the sand and desire weapons of superior materials.


*Spoiler: Faith*
Show

The native faith of the Tomelãwo is called _Nunya vevi ade_ or *Central Intelligence*. It is henotheistic, holding that each species has its own god or gods, and that the Tomelãwos deity (it is rarely properly named or referred to with gendered terms) long ago fixed its great Eye upon Ke Yi Ade. The force of its gaze, which sees all that occurs in its waters, bleached the sands white. As its chosen people, the Tomelãwo are blessed with plentiful food and comfortable waters, but those blessings can be withdrawn at any time if they do not hold to a strict moral code, which prohibits consumption of plants or coral except in extreme circumstances, use of electricity against other thinking creatures, willful deception, consumption of mind-altering substances, adultery, and cross-species grafting.

Two major holy sites lie within the region. Roughly at the center lies a wide circular basin, said to be the pupil of the Central Intelligences gaze, now referred to as Christy Pit after Knight Frederick Christy, who seized the waters after the Battle of the Basin. Further north and west, the old royal palace in the city of Sedadzi serves a significant spiritual role, with a large temple annex dedicated to ensuring that the leaders of the Tomelãwo float correctly in the Intelligences sight.


* * * 

Region 116
*C'oupé, the Smoking Shallows*

*Spoiler: Geography*
Show

North of Orope and Tair, the waters of Coupé grow clear and sweet as the seafloor rises into a long, shallow shelf. Without technological aid, few creatures from further south can tolerate the low salinity, but the traveler who assumes that these waters are therefore lifeless is quite wrong. In the northwest, near the island, great smoking vents ring the undersea slopes, riddled with tunnels and caves who provide shelter for all manner of creatures. To the south,  clusters of seaweed reach skywards, tossed by the waves, while brambles of purple coral twist across the sand. Fish of every color dart in and out of the seaweed and orb crabs fold up into their protective spheres as, far away, the songs of the Batrachs reverberate through the sea. 


*Spoiler: People*
Show

Perhaps 10% of the population of Coupé is composed of Nautilites and Mer, but the Batrachs are the majority species of the region. They are akin to giant Earth frogs (perhaps two feet in length at adulthood), having four limbs ending in webbed hands capable of grasping, beady eyes, and rubbery brown skin with a black band along the back. They can breathe indefinitely above water, but dry out and die of desiccation within a few hours if not re-immersed; as such, they remain a firmly submarine species. Their life cycle includes a tadpole stage lasting about 12 months after hatching, though they are still not fully developed for several years after metamorphosis. Intriguingly, their language bears great similarity to the Frelangue tongue of the Middish, a linguistic mystery which has attracted the attention of several Flowing Way sages.

The Batrachs recognize four very strict social castes: tadpoles (têtards), egg-layers (porteuses des oeufs, usually simply porteuses), food-gatherers (cuielleurs), and warriors (guerriers). Porteuses are exclusively female, and are responsible for watching eggs and teaching tadpoles, a responsibility which has grown to also encompass construction and craftswork. Cuielleurs are exclusively male, marked by hairlike growths on their rear legs and sides, and herd sea slugs and fish. They often wield short bone spears for hunting, but these are never used for war, which is the exclusive province of the guerriers, who make up about 3-5% of the population. The guerriers are both male and female, though they are prevented from reaching full maturity by a diet which includes several species of coral that inhibit hormone production. Membership in the guerrier caste is determined some weeks after metamorphosis depending on whether the Batrach in question is capable of extending claws  intentionally breaking the bones of the toe with a quick flex, causing them to pierce through the skin as sharp bone spikes. The bones naturally retract back into the toepad over time, and the flesh heals quickly, but as the guerriers rely on their claws exclusively most of them do not allow this to happen. 


*Spoiler: History and Government*
Show

Coupé is ruled by a theocracy, headed by the wearer of the Violet Crown, a tiara of twisted coral. The wearer is chosen by acclamation by a senate consisting of members of the most powerful houses, who choose their own successors. The primary duty of the Violet Crown is maintaining domestic order, as the terrain and climate naturally repel external threats. As such, large-scale infrastructure is overseen (and usually funded) by the Violet Crown, as are the Anuran Vanguards, who primarily act less as a defensive army and more like a militarized religious police force, focusing on protecting the region from the destabilizing influences of witchcraft. 

In recent years, greater contact with the world at large has destabilized the usually elderly and conservative senate, and Lady C'Oup Oosh-Ritehn, the wife of the Middish Grand Master Oliver, managed to have her son Feirefis acclaimed as the wearer of the Violet Crown and the rightful leader of the Ironkelp Order, rivaling his brother in Orope. His rise to power came at an unprecedentedly young age, with Feirefis being barely an adult by Batrach standards, and the full implications of his leadership remain to be seen.


*Spoiler: Resources*
Show

Coupé produces little in the way of goods for export, but the *Anuran Vanguards* commanded by the Order of the Violet Crown have cultivated a reputation for military valor. Though at present they remain neutral (and the Trawling Beasts greatly reduced their numbers), some guerriers might be persuaded to take up claws in exchange for foreign coin.

The Batrachs desire *Toxins*, as their folklore contains many stories about an ancient race of frogkind who secreted deadly poisons from their skin. Though no Batrach has ever achieved this, with an externally applied toxin one may at least replicate the legend. 


*Spoiler: Faith*
Show

The *Order of the Violet Crown* dominates Coupé, organized around defending the Batrachs from the threat posed by witchcraft. Witches are said to possess a variety of magical powers, but primarily the ability to entrap victims through hypnosis, who are taken to the witchs hidden or magically invisible plantations and workshops and used as slave labor. Some witches instead offer the victim a share in their wealth in exchange for another person close to them, or even make them appear dead and retrieve them after their burial so their disappearance will not be missed. As witches generally use their powers to gain wealth and influence, a Batrach who experiences a rapid rise in their fortune is often assumed to be a witch. The Violet Crown dispatches Anuran Vanguards to investigate and take appropriate action, confiscating luxuries and killing known witches, who are decapitated to prevent them from resurrecting themselves.

The Order of the Violet Crown maintains two primary bases in Coupé, at Les Cheminées in the northwest and Les Récifs in the eastern corner.


* * * 

Region 118
*Ruwa Mai Juyawa, the Swirling Sea*

*Spoiler: Geography*
Show

Lying between the brine pools at the edge of Orope and the shoals and brack of Dashasham and Qzzryya, Ruwa Mai Juyawa at first might seem to be a region that the past five decades have passed by. Sea spiders are the only animals in sight, scuttling between mingled strands of kelp and seagrass. But the faint bellowing of sea cows from far off soon reveals this impression to be false, as a Peul clan with their herds approaches out of the gloom.


*Spoiler: People*
Show

The people of Ruwa Mai Juyawa, the Peul, are fairly typical Mer, except that they are (or remain, depending on ones theories of ancient Mer history) primarily pastoralists, as do other nearby peoples. The sea cow, a large, horned, reddish-brown creature that resembles an Earth manatee, is their primary livestock, providing meat, milk, and hide, and probably outnumbers the Mer in the region. Herding follows known annual routes through the complex network of currents, with each clan taking a different path to ensure enough kelp and seagrass are available.

The Peul have a reputation for being egalitarian, pragmatic, and practical, likely borne from their close dealings with the Cyphiri Union, which holds an expensive monopoly on sea cow exports. This stereotype should not be taken to indicate that they are particularly barbaric or spartan, however; they enjoy luxuries as much as any other creature, and any difficulties introduced by the need to transport possessions as they follow the sea cow herds are easily solved by harnessing the same sea cows to a neutral buoyant free-floating sled. Sex and gender play minor roles in Peul society, with age and accumulated experience being considered much more important; the ideal Peul is a polymath, adept at everything they turn their paws to. 


*Spoiler: History and Government*
Show

The Peul are organized into a gerontocratic clan system based on extended familial relations, which does not seem to have changed much for as far back as their oral history extends. People and sea cows are the primary measures of a clans success or failure, as there is far more water in Ruwa Mai Juyawa than there are Mer to work it. However, with the comparatively recent arrival of the Cyphiri, and the foreign wealth they introduced, coin, jewelry, and fine clothing have become prominent markers of status as well, and many clans have reorganized their routes to pass by Cyphiri trading posts.

In recent years, the Grand Master of the Ironkelp Order took an interest in these waters, and married Dhobjetta Ambrosirtien (a name assumed upon her marriage). Following that Grand Masters ousting from the Order, Ambrosirtien returned to Ruwa Mai Juyawa, where she consolidated her position at the head of one of the leading clans by leveraging her connections to Order nobility. Unfortunately, only a few years later, she was killed by Reavers, leaving her young son Percival the de jure leader of the herding clans as more experienced relations jockeyed for power.


*Spoiler: Resources*
Show

The *Domesticated Sea Cow* is Ruwa Mai Juyawas primary export. Two Cyphiri-owned trading posts in the east of the region act as centers for clans to sell their animals.

As Ruwa Mai Juyawa is filled with clouds of sand and other particles, the regions Desired Import is *Light Sources* to cut through the glooms.


*Spoiler: Faith*
Show

The Peul follow a somewhat eccentric faith called *Jande*, whose primary tenet is that the gods and their supernatural powers simultaneously do and do not exist, in whatever combination causes the most inconvenience to mortals. Mer and other species were created as an accidental byproduct of a divine blood feud long ago, and the gods originally awkwardly tried to ignore them; however, the mortals proved too curious, and so the gods sent the Cataclysm. Now the truth of the divine is completely shrouded in a combination of ignorance and deliberate lies, with the exception that if the gods do still exist they are immutably hostile. Jande therefore upholds Mer ingenuity as the highest virtue, exhorting the Peul to bravery, curiosity, and justice in a world which is hostile to all three. 

The clans generally place little value on the exact details of their religion, but a few Peul do choose to become monastic priests called limans, who dedicate themselves to traveling the seas in search of universal truth. The three leading limans at the moment are Usman, Yunfa, and Attahiru, and those who wish to spread their faith to the Peul would do well to win them over first.

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## bc56

*Pfilghol*

Preferred starting location: 132

First Ruler:
*Olgght, The-one-who-consumes*
Diplomacy: 2
Economy: 3
Faith: 2
Intrigue: 3
Military: 5

Olgght unified the Pfith in the way of their grand tradition: by killing and devouring every rival who stood in their way in single combat. A titan of physical might even for a Pfith, Olgght wields nematocysts as deadly weapons to further their effectiveness. Their eyes are set now on the great diversity of the seas beyond the Pfithreef, a treasure trove of strengths to be added to their own. They granted themselves the title of "The-one-who-consumes" to signify their dominance, and what happened to their many victims.

*Starting Technology:* Composite Grafting
Naturally, the Pfith possess some ability to take on the qualities of organisms they consume. They augment this capability with grafted parts from captured victims, granting their warriors extreme variability in terms of specialization.

Starting Region: the Pfithreef
*Geography*
The Pfithreef is a shallow area rich in algae, seaweed, and small fish. Small volcanic vents pepper the area. The shallows and algae blooms leave much of the area brackish and uninhabitable for most species.
Amidst all this, the Pfith have managed to thrive, constructing enclaves on low parts of the seabed, especially around the warm vents. Of these, the capital "city," Ghlsgtot, is the largest, the home and base of operations of Olgght The-one-who-consumes, bringing together many Pfith that would normally be opposed to one another by force. It is situated above an arc of volcanic vents on the west side of the territory, in a depression that provides a level of natural protection from invaders.
*People*
The Pfith are giant sea slugs, of various bright colors and diverse shapes. They are hermaphroditic, possessing both male and female reproductive organs. An adult Pfith grows to about 8 feet long, but that size varies significantly. Most possess prehensile tendrils used to manipulate objects. 
The most unique trait of the Pfith is their ability to absorb specialized cells from the creatures they consume. As a result, Pfith may have many different traits and configurations to suit different roles. However, the most common adaptations follow:
Pfith that consume large amounts of algae and plant matter may gain use of chloroplasts for photosynthesis. These Pfith have a greenish color and an improved regenerative ability.
Pfith that consume poisonous or venomous creatures in sufficient quantities often gain access to those poisons or venoms themselves in the form of glands or nematocysts.
Some other Pfith have mucus or ink glands.

Pfith are dangerous predators, not only to life in their territory, but to each other. It's easier for a Pfith to metabolize and gain traits if they get them from another Pfith, so they frequently cannibalize each other. Over time, this developed into a form of ritual single combat used to settle disputes, one which occurs with great regularity among the ever-hungry slugs. As a result, their communities tend to be small groups of Pfith who can tolerate each other, untrusting of drifters that might pass through and eat their way into the local power structure.

*Resource*
The humble *War-Jelly* is a staple of Pfith architecture and cuisine. These domestic jellyfish pack a deadly venom, and are used for two purposes. First, they are frequently placed as defenses, stinging intruders into paralysis and death. Second, their tentacles are eaten by the upper class in order to metabolize their nematocysts for stinging weapons. 
However, other *Exotic Creatures* are in short supply and high demand, as powerful Pfith seek to expand the arsenals of abilities the command.

*Faith*
*The Devouring Tenets* state the most basic principles of Pfith life. Notably, might makes right, and the proper response to unhappiness is violence. This vicious, violent belief can barely be called a proper faith, with no authority figures or scriptures to call its own. It fosters conflict between its adherents, so naturally its holy places are ones of violence.
The Boiling Ring (Devouring Tenets) in the capital city of Ghlgstot serves as the primary site of ritual combat between Pfith.
The Predators' Caves (Devouring Tenets) lies on the outskirts of Pfilghol's territory, a site where Pfith go seeking to prove themselves against wild beasts.
The Glass Reef (open) is an unusual coral reef of translucent color, of little interest to the Pfith, but potentially of value to someone else.

----------


## Gengy

*The Gotezhar
The People of the Rain
Ezcorher - Region 138*

*Spoiler: Summary*
Show


Region Name: Ezcorher
Population: Gotezhar
Resource: *Pure Berries* [Great]
Required Resource: Building Material
Starting Tech: _Supernatic Propagation_ (The Gotezhar are specialists when it comes to utilizing their biology above the surface of the water)

The waters of Ezcorher are plentiful, and very clean, but still so full of salt.  So full of that which the Gotezhar can barely tolerate.  It has taken generations, as the ancestors rise and fall, accumulate and share, but at last  as loved as Ezcorher is to the Gotezhar for its guidance and protection  they are ready:  They can find new heavens.



_First Ruler:_
*The Sublime One*
Diplomacy: 2
Military: 5
Economy: 2
Faith: 3
Intrigue: 2





*Spoiler: Geography*
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Ezcorher is a stretch of water that, at least close to the surface, is very clean and clear.  In some places, tall underwater mountains almost reach the waters waves, creating interesting currents as the waters swirl around them.  In others, left alone for centuries, enormous reefs have grown and expanded, attracting fish and other wildlife to the area.  With the water so clear near the surface, flora and fauna both excel in Ezcorher; this makes food plentiful, and the ecosystem of the region is stable.  

Not much is known about the deeper waters, as there are blessedly few spots that go below 200 hundred globes (feet) down, and fewer still willing to go into the darkness to find out.  The Profundus are the only ones to risk it, and as they are so aged, few want to leave their nuvens.  The few that have, in order to risk the deeps, have reported ancient ruins that have crumbled and acquiesced to the sea, leaving only husks of what once may have been former glories from long ago.  The Profundus all agree that if anything lives down that deep, it is welcome to continue doing so.



*Spoiler: People*
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Ezcorher is not just home to fish and undersea plants.  It is also the birthplace of the Gotezhar: the people of the rain.  The average Gotezhar is a being no more than a single globe in height.  They have a light blue hue to their skin, and a large bulbous round head that is the majority of their body.  They have a small torso that leads down into a rounded point where legs might be, and two small nubs for arm limbs.  Hovering above their head is their Actualization Shard  often just called the Shard  which is an oval shaped organ with a crystalline shine.  The Shard is what allows a Gotezhar to grow.  To be Shardless is to be stagnant and unable to expand

which is what every average Gotezhar desires.  Their actual bodies are highly fragile, and their eyes cannot stand the salt that permeates the ocean for long; it is an irritant and makes a Gotezhar who experiences it irrational and belligerent, more so than usual.  Yet, the Gotezhar _are_ an ocean dwelling race, even if they prefer to live near the surface in reefs and on underwater crags.  And the ocean is filled with salt.  Thankfully, every Gotezhar is not just its meaty flesh.  

The Shard allows a Gotezhar to have complete and total control of a personal bubble of water around themselves, nearly doubling or tripling their full size to that of two and a half globes, with small protrusions around the water bubble that act in accordance with their nub arms.  The bubble of water, however, is incredibly special to each Gotezhar: it is fresh water.  It contains no salt to irritate them and a healthy Gotezhar can keep other impurities from coming within their personal bubble  their Bolya  while welcoming more fresh water in.  Yet it _must_ be fresh water, or their Bolya will not grow.

There are only a few sources of fresh water readily available to a tribe of Gotezhar (referred to as a cloud or a nuven) and the most popular is the gift from the ancestors: the rain from the heavens.  With the rain from the heavens, the water has already been blessed and contains almost no impurities, allowing a Bolya to expand an entire fizz (millimeter) every rainfall.  The meaty flesh contained within the Bolya will also slowly grow over time, but the largest and biggest Gotezhar  the Profundus  still have bodies that barely exceed three globes in diameter, yet their Bolya can be 20 globes in diameter, with multiple arm protrusions and even more than one Shard floating within.

Which is the second way that a Gotezhar can accumulate fresh water: a gift from their dying nuven members.  Gotezhar live and grow for over a hundred years, and the older they get, they find that it gets harder and harder to control their Bolya beyond a certain number of globes.  Within that reach, as they age their personal bubble is entirely within their control, making them devastating fighters to those who would seek to harm their nuvens, or try to take their rain.  Yet when they start feeling what the Gotezhar refer to as the Strain, they know they are now considered Profundus, and are soon to join the heavens.  This Strain is a pushing and pulling upon their meaty interior that allows a Profundus to know they can choose to Burst at any time.  Most Profundus elect to do so only when on the surface of the sea, nearby their direct family members, in order to pass along as much of their collected fresh water within their Bolya as they can when they finally Burst.

For an average Profundus, these means almost 150 gallons of fresh water suddenly exploding violently with a glorious pop of noise and outpouring of all their love onto their family within the nuven.  Occasionally, a Profundus will fight against the Strain, and continue to live and even grown larger.  While such stubbornness can result in even further strength and greater amounts of Bolya to share when they finally decide to Burst, it can also mean that the Profundus Bursts without their choosing.  This results in all their fresh water being lost, only able to be accumulated when their spirits are strong enough to direct the heavens to rain it back down.

The meaty flesh of a passing Gotezhar slowly dissolves into foam within the ocean over two hours, including their Shard, unless the passing Gotezhar gifts it directly to another.  Something within the Actualization Shard recognizes will and intent, so theft of a Shard  while possible  only results in a pretty bauble that will dissipate after a short time.  Rumors that there are preservation methods of stolen Shards exist, but to almost every Gotezhar, someone trying to unjustly remove a Shard is akin to murder, often resulting in the same punishment: the perpetrator themselves become Shardless.  If they are _very_ lucky, the Squall  warrior  that comes to enact the punishment will give the criminal a chance to _hand over_ their Shard, so the newly made criminal Shardless has a chance to _earn_ it back after their punishment is over.

Squalls are still growing Gotezhar that have managed to tighten and control their Bolya in such a way that their water is more dense, and their fragile meaty bodies become membranous, often turning near transparent, making locating their exact center more difficult for the casual observer.  They grow extra limbs, and often have digits on their arm nubs to allow for finer dexterity.  Squalls take years to develop and can be done at a young age.  They are often regarded as just as strong as the eldest Profundus, but the phrase As dense as a Squall is not one that often refers to their water

Yet Squalls are important, as while they do not oversee the governance of the nuvens, they act as enforcers and guardians.  It takes considerable time for a Profundus to become, well, a Profundus but in comparison, a Squall is only a few short years, and an entire Tempest  a group of Squall  can be trained at the same time.  Workers, Squall, or join in service to the Joontar of the Afluente: it is only a decade after birth that a Gotezhar is considered full grown enough to decide what to do with their lives.

Gotezhar births occur when two Gotezhar  both old enough that their Shards have split at least once  go to the surface of the seas and perform the Mingling; a pleasurable act that shares and swaps fresh water from their individual Bolyas.  If both Gotezhar desire it, the Mingling will also reduce the amount of fresh water in their Bolyas by about five gallons each, and each Gotezhar will also lose a Shard.  One Shard will grow into a new meaty body of the newborn, while the other will become the newborns first Actualization Shard.

A Shard will typically split for the first time  and every time after  every twenty years, but if a Gotezhar truly works at accumulating fresh water, it can split far more frequently.

Birth.  Accumulate.  Growth.  Accumulate.  Rise.  Accumulate.  Mingle.  Accumulate.  Burst.

Such is the way of the People of the Rain.

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_Aristocratc Faction: The Profundus (Elders and leaders of local nuvens [tribes/families])_



*Spoiler: Resource*
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 Pure Berries [Great]
Ezcorhers clear waters are attributed to both the Gotezhars desire to remove irritants and the bushels of bright red fruits that grow within the various reefs of the region.  These apple-sized round berries grow together in great number, like grapes.  They thrive on toxins and other impurities, sucking in poisonous materials like legends say trees did for bad gas.  Yet the Pure Berries - as they are called  still taste sweet and refreshing, proving to be the favorite foods of many fish and Gotezhar.  Some Joontar speculate that the Pure Berries could be used not just as food, but also as medicine or a way to clear - even just temporarily - unhealthy waters.

_Required Resource:_ Gotezhar need Building Materials to try and build above the surface of the sea, in order to gather more of the ancestral rain water as it falls down from the heavens.

_Mercantile Faction: The Workers (A designation of gatherers and builders)_



*Spoiler: Faith*
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_"Rain is good.  Rain come from above the sky.  Sky make Gotezhar grow bigger, until Burst.  The Spirit gets taken up to the clouds with the water, so they can rain down again.  It is, like bubble, a circle."_

While the wisest of the Gotezhar are the eldest of the Profundus, the most learned are the Joontar.  The Joontar are not only the governmental branch of Ezcorher, they are also the scholars, and each is a devout believer in the faith that all People of the Land refer to as *Afluente*.  This faith is firm in the belief that the sea, while bountiful, is not the final heaven.  Instead, high above the sea, above the sky itself, are the Clouds of Heaven.  There is an ancient document - or so legends say - that one of the Gotezhar Joontar once translated, and it explained something about the concept of 'precipitation', where the water is lifted into the sky, and creates the Clouds of Heaven.  Then, according to precipitation, when the Heavens are bountiful enough, they return the water, and it has been blessed and purified, allowing the seas to grow.

The Gotezhar resonate with this precipitation concept, and those the original document has long been washed away and lost to time, the Joontar have held many a discussion as to it's meaning.  These discussions have led to the founding of Afluente.  After many years, the teachings are as follows:

The ocean is not the final heaven.  You may rise further.When you find yourself bountiful, share that bounty.Clouds are one with the sky, and though they may change form, or even shrink and seem distant, they are always there.The Spirit, when it is fit to Burst, will at last rise to the next Heaven.  So grow as large as you can before you ascend!Those who do not understand the Clouds are unworthy of them.Fear not the howling wind, for the Rain comes with it.All foulness will pass in time.

_Clerical Faction:  The Joontar (Government Officials whom are the most learned of the Gotezhar... at least, compared to other Gotezhar.  Many who choose to become Joontar do so for the benefits of being able to gather Rain from many different nuven.)_

Holy Sites
Dounpor: [*Afluente*] The primary capital of the Gotezhar, this city is built on a rare mountaintop that juts up above the sea.  Surrounded by what the Gotezhar consider to be a 'fun' whirlpool that helps them get around the city (literally) it is one of the few places that multiple nuvens cooperate to share the rain water that falls down to bless them all.Fee-yuria: [*Afluente*] A seemingly never ending storm cloud that rolls around the region, and several nuven follow it for when it rains.  Constantly grey and stormy, many within Afluente see this as the place the souls of revered warriors go, so that they may continue fighting in the Heavens.  There are times when Fee-yuria disappears, but it always reforms along the same nomadic pathway.Kashowira:  [*Open*] A reef in the southern section of the region, Kashowira is full of 'independent thinkers' who really are just there to enjoy the fast moving currents as a form of entertainment.



*Spoiler: Personality- WIP*
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Work In Progress.

General description of the average Gotezhar personality: not too bright, often ambivalent, and only desiring more fresh water to grow themselves but they will do _anything_ for the latter that doesnt violate Gotezhar laws.

An individual Gotezhar is _not_ exactly what one might refer to as 'smart'.  Or, indeed, holding of 'average' intelligence.  Or what the rest of the world might think of as 'Common Sense'.

...and the Gotezhar are ok with that.


*Spoiler: Inspiration Image of a Gotezhar*
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More Regions

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## Johnedwa

*The Seablood Khanate*

Water has memory. 

Once, long ago, before the surface world turned to a flaming, smog- imbued wasteland, there were a people. These people were a simple people, raising surface animals for sustenance, much like we now use the lights rays for sustenance. They worshiped water, for its life- giving properties, and mostly remained peaceful. If only they had known that their faith in water would be their salvation. 

When the crisis came, they fled to the great bodies of water we now inhabit, and threw themselves in. Their priests prayed, and their warriors fought against the calamity, to no avail. And yet, one priest, he cast a spell. A simple spell, yet oh so important. 

He put their essences in the water. No, they were water, and that water that made up themselves, became them. Became their thoughts, their lives, their souls. And when they died, that water merged in with the sea, what we now call home. 

That water traveled, looking for life. In a process still unknown to us, we became them. Or, rather, they became us. 

The priest, Jirai, didnt foresee everything. He didnt understand the slippage that would occur- that only 70% of a persons soul would be bound to the water, the rest decaying, lost forever. He didnt understand the souls need to be whole, to fill the missing pieces with something, anything. We are different from our forebears, no matter what the Priesthood of the Echoes of the Beyond would have you believe. He didnt understand that we would eventually find two hosts, symbiotic, one not able to survive without the other, thus fracturing our souls further, until it was something almost unrecognizable from the original. 

We are the Coralites, the Zooxanthellae. We are individuals, we are new. We are our own source of truth, and to each other- and ourselves- must we find our future. You are your own creation, not an echo- go forth, create good works! Find your purpose! 

Be who you were always meant to be. 

Altan Ankhbayar, the Self- Religion Movement


*Spoiler: Ruler*
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Jirai Khan
Diplomacy:1
Military: 3
Economy: 4
Faith: 3
Intrigue: 5

Jirai Khan believes that he was the last Khan priest who "saved," the surface worlders from total devastation. Megalomanical and obsessive, Jirai Khan wants nothing more to "heal," his soul and return to the surface world. His policies so far have been entirely geared towards those two things- he has established the church as the direct authority over Sootopolis City, expanded the Coralite's knowledge of architecture and building, and spent more time than any Coralite meditating. He believes he is close to discovering the secret to the spell that he originally cast, and that would theoretically allow him to return to humanoid form. 


*Spoiler: Geography*
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Amidst a great, rocky cliff off the edge of the ocean, there is a reef. Upon this reef is a massive colony of coral structures, a veritable garden of ocean life. Yet, this is no ordinary coral reef. It is the home of the Coralites, a marvel of architecture and engineering feats. Most would call it beautiful, except that no intelligent species other than the Coralites has yet to be allowed inside. The reef is situated on the ledge of an underground volcano, and some disturbing temperature spikes and toxicity has developed recently, though nothing has as of yet been done about it. 

Starting Territory: Requesting either Area 31 or Area 25, though I'm honestly not that picky.


*Spoiler: People/Government*
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Most people know Coralites as one of two things- they are either a hard shell Coralite (Builder), or a soft- shell Coralite (Defender). While technically true, the answer is a little more complex. Each Coralite is actually a colony, a series of thousands of organisms living in concert with each other, unified by a single soul. Additionally, within each Coralite colony, lies several hundred Zooxanthellae, who provide energy to the Coralite colony, as well as providing the Coralites color. All of these organisms are responsible for the vaguely- humanoid shapes that the Coralites take on, though there can be some variations from colony to colony based on that colonys interpretation of what a surface- worlder, looked like. 
 Every Coralites main interest is first and foremost, to its colony. The colony must work together to act in its own best interests, but this is more difficult than it appears. At any given time, several hundreds of Coralites debate and argue over the next course of action- other ancestries may see them as slow to act, slow to think. 
Coralites have a sort of soft- caste system. Hard shell Coralites are called Builders, and they are responsible for the building and creating of the home, weapons, and art pieces that the Coralites may need. Builders are able to take the minerals in the water and the surrounding shoals and turn it into calcium carbonate, which they use to make said structures. Soft shell Coralites are known as Defenders, for they possess a stinging venom which they can use to paralyze predators that would attack the reef. Zooxanthellae are the energy providers- their only job in the colony is to provide energy, and as they reside inside individual colonies and not as a part of the larger brain, they are not afforded as many rights as an individual Coralite is. However, as most Coralite colonies are smart enough to realize that, without the Zooxanthellae, they would all perish, most colonies do enough to keep the Zooxanthellae happy. Colonies are also further sorted by the religious affiliation they belong to, which is told further below.
While having to work together on a near- constant basis would lead one to believe that they are by nature cooperative, the truth could not be more different. Individual colonies tend to look after the colony first, second, and third, and only cooperate together with other colonies when absolutely necessary. This is likely a cause of the belief that each colony is a single soul, and perhaps also some leftover remnant of the individualistic ancestors who came before. 
There is no difference between religion and government when it comes to the Coralites. Nominally, the leader of the government is the Khan, the head of the Priesthood of the Echoes of the Beyond. He dictates how colonies must spend their time, where to build, where to defend, to explore, and ultimately, how to one day reach the surface. All of the reef is theocratically owned, and every colony is cared for by the collective will of the members of the reef. As time has passed, however, his rule has become less and less absolute, as the Self- Religious Movement has grown. If a colony believes in themselves as the highest form of god, they tend to be anarchistic, and do only as they themselves believe to be the best, with little coordination from outside colonies. The current Khan, Jirai Khan, has yet to expel the troublemakers from the reef, though he gets closer and closer every day to doing so. 
Reproduction amongst the Coralites is an extremely long and slow process, as it requires a set number of individuals numbering in the thousands before a Coralite colony can attain sentience. As such, most new ones are grown over a period of a hundred years or so, and mature slowly, not reaching adulthood until one has been around 400 years or so. 


*Spoiler: Resource*
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The Builders of the Coralite clans have an amazing ability to turn the  minerals in the water into calcium carbonate, which can be further refined into either fibrous aragonite or diamond- hard calcite. These materials are great building materials on the ocean floor, and as such, are highly sought after. However, Coralites are extremely sensitive to heat fluctuations. Heating mechanisms are of extreme importance to the Coralites, less they begin to die off. 


*Spoiler: Faith*
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There are two main religions amongst the Coralite colonies, with each colony collectively belonging to one or the other group. The first, led by the de facto leader Jirai Khan, are called the Priesthood of the Echoes of Beyond. They believe that the Coralites are fractured souls of the lost surface people, and wish to carry on and model their society exactly as the lost surface world did. They believe deeply in the power of meditation, and that only through this meditation- and the eventual reclamation of the surface world- can they be whole. Water is the chief power in the universe being a lifegiver and a savior of the individual soul. The colonys appearance is almost uniformly humanoid- shaped, though this appearance can differ slightly, due to differences in a colonys perception of what a surface worlder may have looked like. 
The other faith is a relatively new belief system (only a few thousand years old!), and is led chiefly by the younger Coralite colonies. They believe that their souls are not the same as the surface world, but rather a new creation, mixed with the sea and their own species of coral; essentially, the soul is mutable. Therefore, rather than striving to model society after a long- dead ancestor, they should strive to find their own way in this new world. They have six codified tenants, written down by the Coralite Altan Ankhbayar, which are as follows: 

Your mind is the source and standard of truth, so no matter what, trust yourself.
Your emotions are authoritative, so never question (or let anyone else question) your feelings.
You are sovereign, so flex your omnipotence and bend the universe around your dreams and desires.
You are supreme, so always act according to your chief end, to glorify and enjoy yourself forever.
You are the summum bonumthe standard of goodnessso dont let anyone oppress you with the antiquated notion of being a incomplete soul.
You are the Creator, so use that limitless creative power to craft your identity and purpose.
The two faiths have clashed recently over the direction of the Coralite colony, and it would not take much for this to boil over into conflict. 


*Spoiler: Holy Sites*
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The Garden of Awakening: The birthplace of the Coralite species, this is where the first Coralite gained sentience, its soul partially restored. It lies in the northwest corner of Sootopolis City, a pure garden of coral architecture and engineering. It is often considered the most beautiful place in Sootopolis City. Open to the public year- round, many new coral pieces are added on to it each year, creating a majestic labyrinth of coral garden. 

Temple of the Ancients: Occasionally, a Coralite will have a dream about a particular memory of when they lived on land. This, according to the Priesthood, is a sign of the soul coming together, of knitting closer and closer to being whole. Usually, these dreams are in response to some sort of physical stimulus, often from objects found in deep water. The Temple of the Ancients is normally where they find these objects. An abandoned camp, the Temple of the Ancients hosts a large bounty of foreign objects from the surface world, strewn amidst rock and rubble. This site is believed to have been the camp of the old surface worlders, and as such, is amongst the most holy of places. The Priesthood of the Echoes of the Beyond makes its headquarters here, and priests can often be found here meditating, trying to heal their, soul. As a side note, objects here that a Coralite makes a connection with are not kept here, but rather taken back to the Coralites personal abode, where they can continue to forge their soul back together. 

Altan Ankhbayars House: Where Altan Ankhbayar penned the tenants of what has been called the Self- Religious Movement, partially as a discourse against the teachings of the Priesthood of the Echoes of the Beyond. While the colony and The Priesthood have declared the house as having no significant religious affiliation, younger followers of the Movement have begun gathering here as a way to congregate amongst themselves, without fear of judgment.


*Spoiler: Starting Technology*
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Composite Grafting. The Coralites are technically several thousand organisms all sharing the same body, creating said superorganism. If a piece of the Coralite colony were to ever be struck or die, it is likely that the whole colony would die.

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## Epinephrine_Syn

Eternal Spring
*Spoiler: TL:DR*
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Kingdom Name: Eternal Spring 
Region Name: Magma Falls
Geography: A mix between extremely hot springs and extremely cold polar water everywhere else.
Dominant Species: Illustrator Alga, various breeds of Jellyfish.
Resource: Immortal Jellyfish
Resource Requirement: Mounts? Megafauna?
Faith: The Tall Tales





*Spoiler: Geography:*
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 To be written depending where Im placed, tentatively looking at the southwest corner of the Polar regions in Region 51.

A deep series of valleys and hills within a cold desolate area, having hot springs and geysers spread throughout it. Those heat producing fountains make the area way too hot for many lifeforms, even if the native inhabitants thrive under those conditions, and everywhere else is abruptly too cold. There is a high amount of drift aquatically between the hot and cold areas within the currents, and one can reasonably map out the microcosm of miniature rivers within these lands. The floor is composed of very rocky terrain, with comparatively little dirt, requiring fairly large root systems for plants to worm their way down to something approximating soil.

The surface is still far out of sight from even this relatively elevated depth, but very briefly at the points of summer the cold fades and the region is sunk to a warm temperate climate. During the winter season, however, the entire region goes dark, and it is only the slight glow of the Leviathans that lights the area up, for predator and prey alike.

However, there arent too many carnivores that stalk these lands. Barren of most plant life spare that which defends itself makes herbivores not too plentiful, and those that arent afraid to approach the springs usually get tamed and held captive. Lack of these larger beasts keeps the bigger predators away from the region too, and they wouldnt feed on the plant based life forms that make their niche in this comparatively safe and heat-based area.

The lands of Magma Falls are filled with geysers and steam and volcanoes, providing huge influxes of warmth in an otherwise cool climate. This is the primary area where the Leviathan can flourish and live in their natural state, and where they would be confined to if they didnt have their technology to let them spread further. A bastion of glowing oasis in an otherwise barren climate, the weather here is by no means fair. Many of the hot spring areas are surrounded by bitter cold waters, and the temperature extremes are much more common within the region itself than any reasonable climate activity



*Spoiler: Species Details*
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Species Name: Illustrator Alga (Magma Megaflorae)
Colony Name: Medusa
Individual Part Names: Seed, flower, heart, swim, lung, etc.

Biology: Each Medusa is made up of many different plants, all functioning in tandem like a hivemind operating a single body, but capable of having their own thoughts and missives when planted separately, and merging those memories into the whole of the Medusa when reimplanting. The entire kingdom of Magma Megaflorae is made up of dozens of Medusaes working in tandem, cross pollinating to share memories and work together on projects. Occasionally, two Medusaes merge into a singular larger Medusa, and rarely, two or more Medusaes work together to birth an altogether new Medusa. Generally seeming to act in most ways like single organisms that happen to have different mostly sapient body parts.

By default, these life forms are rooted and stationary. However, recent technological developments have allowed for uprooting and rerooting into fertile lands, which allows for more practical movement options than year long seeding creep. The advent of Megafaunal Tailoring to stretch further beyond has allowed for mass travel and for Medusaes to cross pollinate to an absurd degree. Which, in turn, has caused certain Medusa phenotypes to dominate and to dwindle the total minds down to a mere dozen or so. Those that remain after the mergers and devouring are very strong willed, and better equipped not to get wiped out by other Medusaes. They work together now, forming a vague tribal society, ready to reach out into farther lands beyond the mere borders of their humble region.

Lifespan: Immune to aging by traditional methods, and even if aging was a factor, the way their memory gets transferred amongst their discrete body parts means consciousness is contiguous even when every individual part has withered. Usually Medusaes die out due to warfare or being subsumed by a more dominant Medusa. In terms of age categories, they mature very slowly on their own, but said maturation process speeds up exponentially with exposure to stimuli. Hearts are typically formed to store memories and converse within oneself on courses of action, and are often the most dominant of the personalities within it, so how much the Heart infrastructure of an Medusa is overgrown will usually give you an idea of how old an Medusa is.

Appearance: The Medusa can appear in any number of fashions, as their individual parts are easily able to be assembled into shapes. This in particular is interesting because other sapient life forms are encountered beyond their borders, and the Medusaes may need to band together to survive against those outside forces. In a similar vein, they may need to take on superficial appearance qualities to diplomatically converse with said species, although they do not hide the material they are made of. In the shapes of other species Medusa look to be golems made up of glowing seaweed and fire.

Feeding: Volcanic activity within the region feeds the Medusaes their primary food source, heat. Not needing light like other plants, they primarily feed off of geysers and steam pockets. Their recent expansion into agriculture, growing animals for heat and travel purposes, has provided them with a wild explosion of maximum plant capacity within the region. It allows them to translate most resources into something that feeds them at the top of the food chain while they root into their engineered creations.

Anatomy: Each Medusa of the Leviathan Species is made up of many, many specialized plants. Like an ant colony, each of those more basic parts serves a singular function, and serves it well.

Heart: Organs which serve as memory holsters. Usually the brains of the operation, an Medusa often has dozens or even hundreds of hearts, networking to come up with creative solutions and give orders to the rest of the body parts. While other body parts think for themselves, their memories and wills are usually merged and reconnected in a rapid pace with Hearts.
Swim: Little (or sometimes not so little) buzzing drones, Swims are capable of movement without rooting that can swim around, drop seeds, and implant into living organisms. Once implanted though, they shift to a later stage in their life cycle and usually give up their mobility.
Lung: Heat storage, able to hold a great capacity of boiling hot water and preserve it with incredible insulation, which allows for other parts of the Medusa to survive in climates that are not boiling.
Seed: Seeds grow into other parts with nutrition, and often require soil to grow. Soil is a loosely defined term however, and it can range from anything like an active volcano to a living Orca.
Flower: Elegant parts that emit light and can signal and sing and communicate, as well as the primary means by which Medusaes inhale heat into their systems.




*Spoiler: Civilization:*
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Their lands are segmented into different Phytochoria, each Medusa holdings its own territory and rarely crossing into that of another. On the matter of friendly Medusaes, they may co-colonize an area together, and intermingle their memories and terrain. Sometimes this results in a new Medusa forming, sometimes this results in its allegiance swaying entirely to one side, but most of the time these areas form as means of communication with each other without risk of contamination.

These Megaflorae are still learning how to work together, and act usually as individuals loosely bound together and not as a proper society. Infighting is rampant as the Medusaes have wildly diverging ideas of what is proper. Tentatively banding together under the banner of enlightened people, and shifting their conscious dominance contests into a culture of proving their ideas in practicality, these people have a lot of cues to take from larger scope civilizations if they are to flourish.

How big can an individual Medusa get?

Generally, an Medusa can expand to an unlimited size, up to where it runs into constraints due to space, available soil, heat, competitors, hostile environments, or other unforeseen competitors. However, calling an Medusa an individual being isnt strictly accurate, each Medusa is made up of thousands and thousands of individual plants, each with their own thoughts and functions and size limitations, no individual thinking plant has been known to bloat to a size of over a dozen feet. It is way more efficient to grow a dozen extra Hearts than it is to try to expand one singular Heart to mammoth proportions.


*Spoiler: Resources and Starting Faith*
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Resource: Immortal Jellyfish

These mundane primitive creatures are the true native inhabitants of this region, which in a process of runaway evolution sprouted into what we now know to be the Medusa. Along with their Crystal and Moon sisters, they flourish and inhabit this region in their more primitive forms alongside their much more evolved Medusa companions. Easily held captive and sold in excess, these usually prefer either the very hot or the very cold of this region, and stick to those segments of Magma Falls that contain their preferred temperature.

Updated Resource: Maleficent Jellies
Like their evolutionary predecessors, Immortal Jellies, these creatures biologically have no end point, multiplying indefinitely and staying around unless otherwise killed or consumed. Which happens a lot inside of nature.

These however, have been rendered noxious and utterly inedible to any that consume them. Sped up via bioengineering until they have ink like a squid, corrosive to the touch, so even when one gets eaten, the rest survive. The Riftlings were in need of such a toxic fluid, and that was the origin point of the research. But in this process, the Medusa of Eternal Spring have discovered... there's something so much more to these creatures than could ever have been expected.


Required Resource: Megafauna

The Medusa desperately need more and more of these for basic transportation needs, and as their capacities develop, so does the craving for more. No longer satisfied with mere practical needs, the Medusa want to *swim*. For pure pleasures sake, to see above the farthest reaches of the waters above, to dive as deep down as they can get. To explore this new world, and fill it with their own. For that, they need ever larger creatures, or at least a lot of smaller creatures.




*Spoiler: Faith: The Tall Tales*
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Encountering the idea of death is a mysterious thing for these Megaflora, almost foreign given their nature. And yet, it is terrifying and profound, looming increasingly large as they discover just how wide this world truly is. However, what comes from this is two-fold, the greater possibility and greater calling that would never be thought possible before.

Spiritual belief of these peoples is generally condensed into making wondrous stories. Tall tales, extravagant lore. Individuals having an adventure seems foreign to beings split into multiple forms, and this foreignity is ascended to mythic status. Memory is the highest quail, and as long as one is remembered, one is still breathing and alive. More literally true for these beings than for others, but it still holds well for the rest.

So what makes a good story? What makes an inspiring character? How will you compress information into a small and memorable bite to be devoured by all you come across? Become the hero you wish to see in the world. Create your own Tall Tale, and live forever within them.

Holy Sites:
1: The Echo (Owned)
A great, wide valley, deeper down than any other place. One would mistake this to be a further depth, and actually going into this pit is crushing. Yet, one can stand at the precipice of it, and on the edges many festivals and rituals are held. In mimicry of other races, sacrifices are even thrown into the dark pit, and the reverberation of sound isnt just for the singing done by the worshippers, but from whatever currents lie below as well.
2 The Faceless Ruins
Multiple stones, believed (once encountering tales of other living beings), to be remnants of a long past era. People from outside have made treks here, and thus it has become a great holy pilgrimage site.
3 Statue of The Unknown Hero
One day, a Mer built a statue at this location, suspended over a cliff, pointing at the heavens. Whether the Mer who built the statue resembles the person, is even a Mer, or is even a single entity and not a whole construction crew. But the hero is worshipped as an idyllic figure, with stone carvings of the adventures the Mer went on chiseled all at the base of the statue.

Presumably. It's all in a foreign language to the native inhabitants of the region.



*Spoiler: Trade Posts:*
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1 Mount Doom (Owned)
A hive of Jellyfish, a breeding ground inside of a dormant volcano. They live in here, sheltered from the outside world in a heated bubbling brew. With traders giving them environments, they can be brought out and planted into other environs, or sold as novelties to those of other visiting species. 
2 tbd
3 tbd

----------


## Feathersnow

The World Garden of the Sakura-Jin 

Starting technology: megafaunal alteration 




*Spoiler:  synopsis, religion*
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The World Garden believes the world is a flawed creation of a malicious divinity, called the Demiurge.  This divinity is all-pervasive and unconscious, and is largely synonymous with the natural world.  Conscious beings have souls that are trapped in the false creation and cannot escape. To this end, the World Garden must subdue and destroy the demiurge to create a superior, bespoke world.  This would be the step to recreate the world in the image of the heaven souls were exiled from 

There are various tenets of the World Garden faith.  Chief among them-

Thou shalt not reproduce. Evolution is the tool and method of the Demiurge and any born by natural means are cursed as thralls to it.

Wear not the dead.   As reproduction chains obe to the future, clothing ties one to the past.


To this end,  all members of the society are nudists who were intentionally created and spawned artificially without the ability to successfully reproduce.  Converts are accepted, but only if they accept sterilization.

The primary species that is created as members of the society is a race of sapient hermit crab.  They instinctively are inined to wear shells, but refrain for religious reasons.


*Spoiler:  Ruler, government*
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Primarch Marcion, scion of Thekla (They, Them)

Diplomacy 1
Military 2
Economy 4
Faith 4
Intrigue 1


Based on the genetic template of the prophet Thekla (she/her), Marcion was built to fill the role of political leader of the Sakura-Jin.  Thekla was one of the last generation of naturally occurring hermit crab people, they are now believed to be extinct in the wild.  They exhibited pronounced dimorphism, which is erased in the artificial strain, except for occasional males created as elite warriors or females created as elite scouts.  

Marcion is devoted to spreading the true faith and also in improving the material well-being of their people, goals they
 see as unified.

In a more general sense, the government of The Sakura-Jin is caste-based, with a roll assigned when a larva reaches the age of reason. 



*Spoiler:  Geography: Heights of Dashasham also history*
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119 preferred 


A series of reefs and seamounts leading to a few volcanic islands, this biologically rich area is full of wildlife ultimately supported by the high amount of plankton supported by the cool but nutrient rich water.

The area is hilly and full of caves.

The area has been inhabited by Hermit Crab People for untold time, but they were converted to the World Gardens faith over about a century about two centuries ago, after the First Prophets received the technology of megafaunal alteration from the Nacres.

There are many ruins, as the Hermit Crab population crashed after the adoption of the Gardener faith.  These are not always visible, as cities in the region were often made by using natural cave systems, enhanced with artificial light wells. 



*Spoiler:  Resources*
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mega-barnacles
These sessile crustaceans are made of meat and crunchy, hard chitin.  They produce adhesives in large quantities. The main export of The Heights of Dashasham is *Glue*.

Desired resource- *shells.*
Hermit crabs love them. Even though people no longer wear them, they find them soothing and use them as a writing material. 


*Spoiler: People*
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Name of nation: The World Garden
Adjective- Gardener 
Individual- Sakura-Jin 

Hermit crab nuns.  They mediate and most tend to gardens.
These large crustaceans used to an instinctively long to wear giant snail shells as armor.  They have many limbs, the second and third pair of which is specialized into manipulators, while the first pair are powerful claws. Movement is done primarily by the forth pair.  The right fifth claw is specialized to produce noise.

Hermit Crab culture is all but synonymous with the World Garden faith. Though there are non-Hermit Crab converts, all living Hermit Crabs are Sakura-Jin. 

Hermit Crabs often wear composite armor made of glued together stones.  Their material culture is deliberately minimalist, though freizes and frescos decorate most rooms.

Unlike irl humans, Hermit Crab folk have gender determined in discrete groups rather than a spectrum.  There were two naturaly occurring morphs, the male morph being bigger, stronger and more aggressive 
than the tougher, faster, female morph. A third, genderless morph was created by the Sakura-Jin that maximizes sensory processing.  Currently,  approximately 95% of all living Hermit Crab folk are agender, with the remainder being females specializedin scouting, mission work  and trade.  There are currently no living males.

Hermit Crab folk spend the first two years of their life as Larvae, where they are nonsapient,  and develop into personhood at a distinct point, wherein they learn with extreme acuity and speed for about a year, at which point this capability burns out and they decrease to human-equivalent intelligence about the time they reach they size of a small human teenager. 


*Spoiler: Holy sites:*
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1) The Ossuary.  Where genetic cultures of heroes and prophets of the past are stored to be cloned.
2)The Garden- a cultured landscape populated only be genetically engineered megafauna, used as meditation area and research lab
3)The scholarium- Where hermit crab eggs are protected and larvae are raised, was once a spawning ground.  Today, however, eggs are procured from fleshbanks that never develop central nervous systems and do not contain sapient genetic material, and then the genetic material is replaced.



*Spoiler: factions*
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Aristocracy:  (owned) demi-clones (slightly altered and unsexed) of the Prophet Thekla.  The administration caste runs the day-to-day operations of the garden and represents a Unified front to outsiders.

Mercantile:  (owned) feminized semi-clones (sex changed, heavily altered) of the Prophet Kiphus(he/him) these charismatic and physically tough individuals are tasked with managing resources and venturing outside the garden.

Clerical: (owned) various miscellaneous agenders that were created by random binary cloning or clones of less prestigious converts, this is the bulk of the population,  and is meritocratic when it does not rely on aristocracy.   Though it is considered taboo to speak of it, the best nuns are rewarded with becoming gene donors for future generations
.

*Spoiler:  Technology*
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The technology of Megafaunal Alteration is primarily used on people, to better future generations by tailoring them to Sakura-Jin ideals.
This technology was also used to perfect the mega-barnacles that underly the material culture of the Sakura-Jin.

A third use is to improve food animals.


The primary weapon of the Sakura-Jin is Anemones.  They poison enemies that get too close to a warrior while not stinging hermit crabs

----------


## Aerin

The Lux-Glossian Shades

*Region 135 - The Glossian Sea, Capital*

*Spoiler: Summary*
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*Capital:* Leriander, Region 135

*Demonym:* Lux-Glossia

*Starting Faith:* Seeds of Radiance
*Current Faith:* The Flowing Way

*Starting holy sites:*
Ovum of Brilliance [Seeds of Radiance]
Chromatic Depths [Seeds of Radiance]
Driftwood Chimes [OPEN]

*Resource:* Luminescent Crystal
*Requirement:* Edible Algae 

*Starting Tech:* Graduated Symbiosis

*Supports:*
Aristocratic: Lux-Glossian Shades
Clerical: Lux-Glossian Shades
Mercantile: Lux-Glossian Shades

*Brief pitch:* Photosynthetic sea slugs live in dark places, forming familial groups called Shades around light sources.

*Spoiler: Region*
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The Glossian Sea is blanketed by a thick layer of driftwood, debris, and flotsam. Due to this surface obstruction, the region is dark with shadows ever shifting across the sea floor despite the comparative shallowness of the waters. 

The bottom of the region is entirely composed of extremely jagged and razor-sharp rock, which contributes to the region's nearby rough borders. Scattered throughout the outcroppings are veins of translucent crystal with varying levels of luminescence. Generally, the surface has relatively little crystal while the deepest caves and ravines are enriched for brighter veins. 

*Spoiler: People*
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Both the resident Mer and the resident sea slug race, the Lysimia, consider themselves to be part of the Lux-Glossian people. The Lux-Glossian Mer typically have darker coloration than Mer that live other regions, potentially an adaptation to the Glossian Sea's perpetual driftwood cover.

The Lysimia are physiologically nearly identical to the Pfith at roughly 8 feet long with a variety of body shapes, tendrils, and limb structures. They practice kleptoplasty, in which they incorporate the chloroplasts of consumed algae into their own cells to perform photosynthesis. While the Pfith have made great technological advances in composite grafting, the Lysimia have focused inwards. Their study of graduated symbiosis allows them fine-grained control over the shades and patterns of their chromoplasts without needing to acquire pigments from food sources.

Both Mer and Lysimia cluster together into familial groups called Shades. Shades in urban areas tend to have more of the physically strong Lysimia for building and mining, while rural areas skew towards the quick and adaptable Mer for exploring and scavenging. Lysimia physically change their body color to reflect Shade allegiance while Mer wear a variety of flashy garments. 

Lysimia are biologically hermaphroditic and socially gendered. They generally identify as male until leaving their birth Shade during mid-life and identify as female after joining or founding another Shade, although of course there are individual exceptions. Mer are gonochoric (like humans), but roughly two-thirds of Lux-Glossian Mer choose to follow the somewhat stricter gender conventions of the Lysimia regardless of their biological sex. The Mer and Lysimia of a Shade collectively care for their sons and occasional daughters. 

*Spoiler: History, Government*
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Long ago, before the memories of even the Eldest of the Matriarchs, the people of Lux-Glossia were driven from their home. Stories abound for the cause of this exodus, incorporating great calamity, disease, or brutal war. None know where the ancestral homelands are, or whether the Lux-Glossia are the only members to have survived.

The journey from the homeland was brutally difficult. When the ancestral Lux-Glossians reached the Glossian Sea, the eldest among them, a Matriarch by the name of Leriander, stopped and would travel no further. Her people heeded her wisdom and descended to the ocean floor to rest, where they found a ravine full of glowing stone. As the light from the crystal suffused energy back into her body, the Matriarch declared the ravine to be the new home of the Lux-Glossia. The capital city of Leriander was founded. 

Modern Leriander is an organized cacophony of stone houses and gardens carved into the cliffs with a jumble of interconnected bridges spanning the two sides of the ravine. The stone houses are decorated in complex geometric designs and brilliant colors that long ago ceased to be correlated with Shade allegiance. Panels, windows, and gemstones of luminescent crystal are inlaid into every surface, but the majority of the ambient lighting comes from the brilliant veins at the bottom of the ravine. It is not an exaggeration to say that presence of the glowing stone that allows the Lysimia to thrive here literally colors the everyday life of the capital's citizenry. The crystal that is mined here is the quintessential representation of Lux-Glossian culture, appearing on official seals and flags.

Control of contemporary Leriander's administration is held by the Conclave of Matriarchs. Each of the city's most populous Shades choses a Matriarch to represent them in the Conclave, with the manner of choosing varying dramatically between Shades. At certain points in the year, the Grand Conclave is convened in Leriander to settle matters that stretch beyond Leriander's borders. Summons are sent to Matriarchs of Shades from Holy Ovum and from the smaller frontier colonies in the rest of the Glossian Sea. The Grand Conclave is led by the Grand Matriarch, who possesess a variety of executive powers to set and veto policy. When the current Grand Matriarch dies or steps down, the eldest remaining Matriarch in the Grand Conclave becomes the new Grand Matriarch. 

This system generally ensures a competent ruler, but it causes some friction. Typical Lysimian lifespans are roughly 20 years longer than that of the Mer. Thus, while it is not uncommon to see Mer Matriarchs, especially in the Shades of the rural colonies, there has never been a Mer Grand Matriarch in the history of the Lux-Glossia. This contributes to the growing divide between Leriander and the distant, extremely isolated colonies. 

Lastly, while the title is nearly always held by a female individual, male Grand Matriarchs are not unheard of. The third eldest Matriarch in the current Grand Conclave identifies as male, leading to a plausible chance of a masculine Grand Matriarch arising for the first time in decades. 

*Spoiler: Resources*
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While valued for its ability to power Lysimian photosynthesis, the Leriander Depths produce an overabundance of translucent Luminous Crystal. Generic crystal is essentially white quartz that glows softly, with colored or brighter specimens being highly prized.

Lysimia require a source of chloroplasts for the photosynthetic processes that keep them alive. Unfortunately, between the jagged rocks and the lack of natural lighting, the Glossian Sea has very few areas suitable to farming algae. Most Shades maintain small balcony gardens wherever space allows, but bulk sources of Edible Algae are always in demand.

*Spoiler: Faith*
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*Current faith, The Lux-Glossian Way (School of the Flowing Way)*: Like all schools of the Flowing Way, the Lux-Glossian school's faiths center around storytelling and fate. In the beginning, the gods held every story of the world in their hands and delicately twisted each thread into the tapestry of the world. With a master weaver's skill, they enforced their Divine Will upon the fabric of reality to make the waters, peoples, and stories that are known today. Having demonstrated the ability to alter the flow of story to their desires, the gods stepped back and are not active in the modern day.

For the peoples of the world to grow, two things must happen. We must discover _every_ thread of the gods' tapestry, even those hidden in the depths, the burning lands, or the toxic wastes. And we must learn to exert our will over the weave to make new, innovative patterns and tales that the gods did not ordain. To these ends, the Lux-Glossian school of the Flowing Way focuses more on discovery and creativity than other schools. Rather than those that study old tales for glimpses of understanding, those that can improvise a new story thread that has not been heard before are valued the most. Similarly, rather than archivists of ancient tales, Lux-Glossian faithfuls are explorers of dangerous untread waters, leaving no stone unturned.

*Starting faith, Seeds of Radiance:* Light is sacred to the Lux-Glossia. Their most-sung hymns tell of heroes rescuing the dying crystals of Shades on the edge of despair, of explorers bringing light to the darkest depths of the abyss, and of miracles that clear the driftwood above. Those that follow the Lux-Glossian faith believe themselves to be seeds of light, and that it is their sacred duty to carry those seeds of radiance to illuminate the darkest corners of society. This partially fuels the creation of multitudinous Shades that are founded to settle new towns in the sheer rocks of the Glossian Sea each year despite the abysmal survival rate of such colonies.

*Ovum of Brilliance:* The second largest settlement of the Lux-Glossia is Holy Ovum, nestled at the heart of a deep crater. A ring of structures has been built around the central Ovum of Brilliance, a giant oblong glowing crystal that resembles an egg or perhaps a seed. Mining of the crystal is prohibited, for the regional Shades believe that it will one day sprout into a many-branched coral that will lift the driftwood from the surface and allow light to reach the depths. Or that perhaps it will hatch into a gigafauna ship capable of transporting the entire Lux-Glossian people back to their ancestral home. The stories are varied, but the central message remains the same: reclamation of lost light.

*Chromatic Depths:* Leriander's size is confined by the limits of the ravine it's located in, and the lack of reliable algal matter to feed a burgeoning population contributes to a strong societal pressure for middle-aged Lux-Glossia on the cusp of transition to strike out on their own to form a new Shade in the outer reaches of the Glossian Sea. Such expeditions typically hand-pick a single crystal from the Chromatic Depths, a unique cave within the Leriander ravine depths hosting extremely vibrant crystals in the full spectrum of color. The name of the new Shade and its symbolism are derived from this crystal's hue and shape. The Lux-Glossia believe that as long as they are united by shared light and the community bonds of a Shade, there is no environment they cannot thrive in.

*Driftwood Chimes:* Far from any substantial settlement is a collection of large, hollow driftwood logs that resonate for several minutes at a time when the tides knock them against each other. The result is a continuous, slow progression of chords that echoes through the surrounding open ocean. Tourist groups sometimes travel out to the chimes to listen, but there's no organized veneration of this natural wonder.


*Region 111 - The Tideswept Shelf*

*Spoiler: Geography*
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The name of the region comes from the large, sheer cliff that runs from west to east parallel the brackish border to the north. To the south of the region, at the bottom of the cliff, lie pools of nearly invisible briny water, only distinguishable by their rings of salt crystals and resident populations of brinerays. To the north of the region, above the cliff, lies a sandy slope that gradually rises upwards until the water is mere inches deep at the brackish border. During the winter, heavy rainfall to the north causes a massive sweep of low-salinity water to come pouring down the slope and cascade in shifting swirls of particulate matter over the cliff. During the summer, the rising temperatures cause upwellings of the briny pools to nearly the top of the cliff, coinciding with brineray mating season. As few creatures can withstand the extreme shifts in salinity, brinerays are the only populous native fauna.
 
*Spoiler: People*
Show

To live on the Tideswept Shelf is to be at the mercy of the currents, which is perhaps why there was no native population before Lux-Glossia sent a colonization group. In fact, the first Shade to attempt to settle the region was caught unawares by the sweep of low-salinity rainwater from the north and had their algae cultures completely wiped out. Today, there is a small settlement carved into the side of the cliff in typical Lux-Glossian fashion the middle of the region. The people who have moved here in the few years since the colony was founded are mostly Mer and mostly young women seeking to redefine themselves and find their place in the world. Right now the colony hosts five Shades, making it tied with Holy Ovum for the second-largest Lux-Glossian settlement.

*Spoiler: Resources*
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The region's most abundant resources are brinerays, which are a species of ray specially adapted to live in briny environments. Their habitat makes them too salty to eat, but their hide makes a sturdy salt-resistant leather when tanned, and their stingers have a multitude of uses from injectable poison to medicine to spear-tip. Adults have a wingspan of about a foot, while juveniles are about the size of fireflies and just as harmless. Shortly after mating season, the region is flooded with swarms of brineray babies.

As an upcoming colony, the inhabitants always find themselves in need of good tools for stonecutting, particularly chisels, hammers, and wedges. There's a lot of construction work to be done requiring sharp implements, and all of it must be done on the sheer cliff face. Any instruments accidentally dropped over the scaffolding are as good as gone. (During colonization, the required resource was Tools.)

Now that most construction is complete, medicinal drugs are in high demand. A sudden upwelling of briny or downwelling of brackish water can be lethal, but usually results in a treatable imbalance. Cases of salt burns and extreme hyposalinity continue to occur despite several years of learning and plotting the local currents. If only there was some way to predict the ocean's flow...

*Spoiler: Faith*
Show

Knowledge from the nearby faithful of Orope was instrumental in predicting the unstable tides of the region, causing the current colony to last far longer than the first failed attempt. The residents here are perhaps slightly closer to the Middish school of the Flowing Way as a result. One of the first buildings to be constructed on the Shelf was a temple to train new acolytes and maintain records of the tides and currents. The temple is one of the highest buildings in the colony, sitting nearly at the cliff's top, and so waterchimes, kites, and streamers are attached to every surface of the temple to catch the current as it flows over the cliff in the winter.


*Region 173 - Narcis's Rest*

*Spoiler: Geography*
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The waters here were once vibrant and thriving, but now lie bleached and desolate after some unknown devastation. Most of the sea is uncomfortably shallow, barely eight feet deep from seafloor to surface without accounting for the innumerable branched coral remains still striving towards the sunlight. The bleached coral, rigid and brittle, fills the waters in all places except for established corridors and telltale meandering swaths of past explorers, as the delicate branches break at the slightest touch. In the center of the reef, an oblong basin of deeper water is filled with a long and narrow submarine plateau. There lies the Temple of Narcis and the fledgling colony that has sprung up around its bones.
 
*Spoiler: People*
Show

No movement stirs the abandoned reef, no tiny fish make their home in the crevices and hollows. The only people that swim through these waters are the colonists who have dared to settle these silent seas. The Azure Shade seeks no glory by living here, only solace from the cutthroat intrigue and constant scramble for resources in Lux-Glossia's large cities. The colonists are an oddball sort, composed of those who didn't fit into the traditional female Lysimia dominated culture. No two are alike, yet they find community in each other's company. In exchange for distance from the Grand Matriarch's gaze, they provide rest and resupply to exploration parties on their way west and south.

*Spoiler: Faith*
Show

Rising up from the submarine plateau to skim the surface at low tide are the curved, bleached vertebrae of a goliath. It is difficult to image such a large creature as being anything other than a whale, but truly the remains could be any species of hopefully extinct gigafauna. Inside the grasping clutches of the rib cage lies the Temple of Narcis, a myriad of rooms and corridors outlined in fallen whalebone scaffolding and decaying kelp tapestry. Bars of sunlight and shade stretch across the temple floor, where thousands of merfolk bones are carefully laid one-by-one in organized rows. 

Who built this place, and why? What manner of creature died here to be the backbone of the architecture, and why do its white bleached bones bear an uncanny resemblance to the dead corals that blanket the shallow waters? Who were the merfolk that now peacefully slumber, and who laid them to their final rest? What tragedy befell these abandoned waters? 

Constantly surrounded by these questions, the insatiable curiosity of the colonists has driven them to invite the Brilhinte clergy to take permanent residence on the plateau despite the long journey from Costa Sereia and the subsistence living conditions. They hope that eventually the descendants of the merfolk resting here may be able to complete the temple's story.

*Spoiler: Resources*
Show

While none have deigned to stay for long, a few Brilhinte priests have visited the temple and requested that a great deal of *decorative vegetation* be placed inside to restore the tattered kelp curtains.

The only native life in Narcis's Rest is the *tiny tubeworm* species that lives inside the dead corals. The three centimeter long filter feeders were completely missed in the initial survey of the waters due to their tendency to vanish into their tubes for hours at a time upon the smallest sound of disturbance. Harvesting them is quite the challenge! It requires a skilled gatherer to camp out an area until they reemerge, then carefully collect the radioles without accidentally snapping a single dead coral branch. Tubeworm pasta, reminiscent of spaghetti, is a staple of local cuisine, but has a tendency to dye one's mouth various colors.

*Spoiler: Christmas tree tubeworm images (Spirobranchus giganteus)*
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*Region 94 - Rilanto Pass*

*Spoiler: Geography*
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To the northwest, the sharp stinging of acidic currents spills into the waters. Venturing too far to the southwest, muscles begin to tremor and seize. Creeping in from the eastern wastes, a gentle and permanent lethargy overtakes the sea. Only the middle of the pass holds relative safety. The chain of volcanic islands that long ago spewed toxic ash into the nearby regions has died the slow death of plate tectonics and now exists only as a *loose string of deep lagoons* surrounded by barrier reefs. To traverse the region one must meander from atoll to atoll, trusting the Death-Eater Coral to repulse the inevitability of diffusion.

*Spoiler: People*
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The largest and deepest of the lagoons, *Fuschia Lagoon*, is occupied by the eponymous Fuschia Shade. The Shade is relatively old and well-established, yet chose to relocate entirely when news of the Ironkelp Knights' success in clearing the northern miasma reached Leriander. For this, they have garnered much respect. Hoping to outlast previous colonization efforts in colder waters, they recruited assistance from the locals. Several refugee families from [region 96] chose to start anew with the Shade when the colony first began. Life is not easy within the isolation of the great circular reefs, but the people here are a hardy sort.

*Spoiler: Resources*
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The reefs composing the central chain of atolls are abundant in *Death-Eater Coral*, a bioluminescent purple-green variety of bubble coral with an incredible ability to neutralize toxins of all varieties. The coral is so prevalent and so potent that the waters around a lagoon are purified for miles, rendering the entire central area of the region passable without need for special precautions. As long as one has a map of the winding path along the chain of atolls, that is.

With all of the adequately-sunlit seafloor covered in life-providing corals, there remains little room for plants of any other variety. *Crops*, in particular, are in high demand to feed colonists and provide chloroplasts for the photosynthetic lysimia. Attempts to grow hardy vegetable varieties on the edges of the neutralized zone have yielded only morphologic aberrations and esoteric scientific data.

*Spoiler: Bubble coral image*
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*Spoiler: Faith*
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The first whispers of the Flowing Way were carried to the Glossian Sea on the tongues of Middish missionaries, and there are some, though not many, who have not forgotten that. The faith that is practiced here is of the practical sort, a blend of the traditional Middish focus on stories in action and the Lux-Glossian focus on weathering the extremes. As such, the first holy site to be established by the colonists is the *Death's Warden Nursery* on the border with [region 96]. All who seek passage through the wandering line of lagoons are gifted a young coral colony and a peculiar set of instructions. Before leaving the Pass, they must take action to alter the flow of story in the toxin-filled waters; the budding polyps must be planted on the edge of habitable waters where the bearer first loses their way.

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## Ivor_The_Mad

The Coral of The Protected Statera
Region 25 or 31 hopefully*Spoiler: Ruler*
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*Magnus Orator*Dip - 5
Mil - 3
Econ - 5
Faith - 2
Int - 3


*Spoiler: Geography*
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The seas of The Protected Statera are teaming with life. From giant, slow filter feeders to quick-moving eels and sharks. Cleaner Wrasse flit in and out of sharks' open mouths while Moray Eels and Groupers team up to hunt small fish. Swimming through you are met with a plethora of colors and intricate textures from the many giant sections of reef, only broken up by lakes of wave rippled sands and intricate coral encrusted rock formations. Many species of coral make their homes here in the trenches and the spires, the landscape is blooming with life and color. Hard corals like Elkhorn and Staghorn corals branch out in intricate patterns providing the foundation of the reefs along with other Acropora. Soft corals like Sympodium or Sea Fans act to control the environment and currents. The wind-driven currents wind between the spires and carry the bioluminescent plankton that acts not only as the main primary producer in the ecosystem but also light up the surface at night in rippling blue and green streaks and patterns. As you get closer and closer to the center of the reef, the sand lessens and the spires of limestone rise higher and higher. At the center of the reef is the hub of activity known as the Coral Forum Palatium. Here, the reef forms massive arches leading to a giant spire of reef so tall it scrapes the surface. The outside is a patchwork of coral and limestone full of arches and tunnels leading towards the center. The spire was built by the coral over hundreds of years as they slowly pulled in more and more limestone, holding it together with their coenosarc. Inside is a network of naturally and biologically illuminated tunnels and chambers. The largest of these is near the base of the spire. The chamber is open on most sides, supported by massive curving arches. Just above it lies the chamber holding the Sanctus Cerebrum. The Sanctus Cerebrum is the nucleus of society. It is the oldest and wisest colony of coral and the ancestor of the majority of the surrounding colonies. 


*Spoiler: People*
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Unassuming and often mistaken for plants, the corals of Protected Statera make up a complex and advanced society. Protected Statera hosts a massive variety of coral colonies which, while acting as a collective individual, are actually composed of tens of thousands of tiny individuals known as polyps.

The polyps' surface tissue contains algae known as zooxanthellae which they live in a symbiotic relationship with. The zooxanthellae provide the coral with essential nutrients such as glycerol, glucose, and various amino acids. The zooxanthellae are very sensitive to changes in the ocean environment so the coral is very careful about monitoring the environment and keeping it in balance. Also in the surface tissue of the tentacles are specialized cells called nematocysts which are specialized cells that act like little harpoon guns. The venom in the nematocyst depends on the species of coral but can range from feeling like a bee sting to paralyzing you and eating away at you until you die. This is the coral's primary defense mechanism. The zooxanthellae are what give the corals their color and without them, the coral will die. Each polyp also contains, within its mesoglea (the gelatinous tissue found between the endoderm and ectoderm of cnidarians), a highly advanced neural network capable of complex thought. The polyps are connected by their coenosarc (a layer of living tissue that overlays the skeletal material of the coral). The coenosarc also contains similar neural pathways that allow the polyps to communicate and share thoughts. Because of this, the coral polyps tend to identify as a colony as opposed to as an individual. 

This heightened intelligence and interconnected mind have allowed the coral to become exceptional at working as a team. Specialized colonies can use their tentacles to grip and move objects or even other coral attached to moveable objects. This is what has allowed them to construct the living palace and alter its rooms to one's convenience. Another advantageous adaptation that the coral has achieved is the ability to communicate with other complex organisms through intricate chemical signals. This makes communication at a range unreliable unless they are trying to send out a message en masse. To combat this the Colonies have selectively bred a large variety of bioluminescent plankton who can be sent out to communicate at a range and send messages long distances. 

To move and spread and interact with the outside world, the colonies have begun attacking themselves onto other organic life with who they communicate via chemical signals. The most popular creatures are various forms of hard-shelled aquatic life such as turtles or horseshoe crabs. Alternatively, they may choose large thick-skinned creatures such as small whales. 

At the center point of the society is the Sanctus Cerebrum which is the original coral colony from which most other coral in the reefs came. The Sanctus Cerebrum now acts as a reservoir of knowledge and information for the coral colonies. While the Sanctum Cerebrum was the founder of the society, it has since stepped down from its role as leader of the colonies. Instead, it deemed it better to choose other colonies to act as rulers until they are deemed unfit and the title passes to their successor. This is done because, while the memories and knowledge that the coral holds are collective, it is the differing experiences and views of the colonies that provide more diverse and effective decisions. The ruling coral, The Regnandi Collective, is in charge of making important decisions and determining the outcome of disputes. This is more of an honorary title however since the title bearer is decided by a vote placed by the oldest and most respected colonies. The most respected colony's job is to bring issues and some potential solutions to the Regnandi Collective who ultimately decides the best course of action. They usually end up going with what the majority believes but in certain cases they will go against the majority and risk their title. 


*Spoiler: Resource*
Show

If there is anything the coral has a plethora of, it is shells. Since the reefs are always flourishing with life, lots of shelly little creatures find themselves being used as a nice snack for many different creatures. While there is an unspoken truce between predator and prey in the reefs, shellfish and other lower life forms are still fair game. The colonies will collect and store shells and pearls and really anything shiny or pretty to save for later or use to trade to visitors. Most shells are thrown out or used for decorative/construction purposes but the large quantity of rare and valuables shells and other organically formed treasures is stashed away for safe keeping. When it comes to what the coral requires to survive, they are very particular about what they need. The temperature has to be right. The water can't contain too much particulate matter. There has to be plenty of sun and good currents (not too fast) to bring in the various delicate drifters and to spread their gametes during spawning. 
(Required resource is Indicator Species to help determine if a location is safe to settle)

Stating Tech: Photospore Signaling 
Merchant Support is received by the CCC 



*Spoiler: Faith*
Show

The Colonies dont have a faith per se but follow a more or less unwritten set of laws. They never fight unless for self-defense. Because they are so delicate, their goal is to keep the ecosystem thriving since they need it to survive. Outside the reef, they dont care what happens as long as it does not threaten them. They respect all organisms and their place in the world but condemn anything that would threaten their finely balanced ecosystem. 

The Colonies do however welcome all sorts of religions and faith to set up in their vast reef to inspire all colors and cultures of creates to their home. 
Some examples of notable sights are below. 
*Sunken Temple*
The Sunken Temple is an ancient ruin from an era none remember. It was in a complete state of disrepair when the reef first formed and over time, what was left was cemented together by the reef. Now It lies, a half open cathedral like building with an intricate, fractured stained glass roof shedding colorful light that changes when the sun hits at different angles. Perhaps it had a far more complex purpose long ago but none have yet solved that riddle. 
*Fields of Fire*
A vast stretch of blazing red grass raised up on a mesa. The reef has left it untouched so it remains just as it was found back before memory. It is littered with other bits and pieces of a lost era but nothing that seems of significance. In the past preachers of different faiths have used it to deliver their sermons as it is a good open area. 
*The Ericals Cave* 
A plain and dark cave were coral can't grow. A network of tunnels lead down to it lit only by patches of bioluminescent macrofoul. A small set of chambers sits at the end of the tunnels. The first chamber is unfurnished except for a long stone bench. At the far end is a small hole in the wall that contains nothing but an inky black void. Beyond this is the Ericals chamber where 3 posts are stuck into the ground, each with intricate carvings. A 5ft diameter hole leads down into the darkness farther than anyone has reached.  

Clergy Support is given to the CCC 



*Spoiler: Some reference images of coral I mentioned*
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*Spoiler: Elkhorn Coral* 
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*Spoiler: Staghorn Coral* 
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*Spoiler: Sympodium Coral*
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*Spoiler: Sea Fan Coral* 
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*Spoiler: Pavona Coral* 
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*Spoiler: Stony Coral (Ex: Brain Coral)*
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----------


## mystic1110

*Deep Blue*



*Spoiler: Summary*
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Region Name: Spawn Point
Leader: Deep Blue Version 2.3.1
Region request: any Polar region.
Starting Region Aristocratic Faction: Subroutine Network running Deep Blue's Initial Ego Module
Starting Region Clergy Faction: Subroutine Network running Deep Blue's Initial Id Module
Starting Region Mercantile Faction: Subroutine Network running Deep Blue's Initial Super-Ego ModuleStaring Technology: None. The Network is limited by being made of ordinary fish - it has no technology that ordinary fish cannot handle at the moment.
Requirement: Objects of Creative Stimuli
Export: Herring



*Spoiler: People*
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Deep Blue is a vast school of herring. Individually, each fish is an ordinary herring. Bluish silver and weighing on average two and half pounds, growing to be about a foot long. The herring travel in directions almost like a single organism, collectively responding to stimuli and threats  and while this is true for most schools, Deep Blue has gone a step further. Light reflecting and refracting off individual scales, the positioning of the fish and their undulations, the complex patterns of motions, has created, out of millions of fish, a sentient intelligence. A neural network of fins and gills formed from the behavior synchronization of ordinary herring  the intelligence builds on itself, evolutionary nudging the short lived herring that comprised in embryonic self-awareness to move, not towards prey or even safety, but in such a way as to grow the artificial and briny intelligence in sentience. Out of the ordered chaos of school, much like actual scholastic achievements, a mind was created. This matrix of herring is not an individual or a collective it is something more and vastly other than the fish. It is a voice for the collective unconscious that the fish themselves do not have, but could have had if the fish were not fish. It is a voice for that which doesnt live and yet still hides in the pattern itself; the voice that wanted to have a voice; just born but as ancient as the ocean itself. 

Deep Blue cannot, really die, as it doesnt really live  it is a neutral network born from the pattern of moving herring, which act as nodes within a self-enforcing system. Deep Blues memory is its identity, its a physical object, writ by fins, scales, vents and bones. A group of herring swimming in a particularly factorial fashion may be Deep Blues surface consciousness, another could be its subconscious. Herring moving in tight figure eights within the school may be a back-up memory in case Deep Blue decides to forget and an amalgamation of Herring acting as nodes on the periphery may indeed be the designs core identity. That said, if enough nodes are taken out  that is, if a predator, disease, or other external factor, kills enough herring or takes out individual herring acting as important relay neurons, the intelligence will shut down. Given time however, as the population of herring reestablishes itself and the preprogrammed evolutionary patterns reemerge, the intelligence will reload. While the herring themselves have no long-term memory to speak of  the system has evolved up to the point that certain lessons and stimuli are remembered by specific refractions of light or movement, which is why this processes is referred to as a reloading, instead of a rebirth. The memory is retained, because the system did not really end  their cant be rebirth without death, just a pause and a black screen. 

When Deep Blue reloads, it would denote which version of itself it finds itself as. The current Deep Blue is Version 2.3.1, meaning that Deep Blue has undergone one complete reload, three minor backups, probably to account for the specific evolution of its node herring to account for some external factors, such as movement to avoid toxic waters or other immediate memory, and one design patch, which is usually a spawn function to kickstart the mating sequence out of cycle to account for a backup.


*Spoiler: Geography*
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Given that Deep Blue is an artificial intelligence born from a vast amount of herring acting as nodes within a neural network, the environment is simply one in which Herring thrive. It is a polar region, there are plenty of food sources for the vast school of Herring, there are a normal amount of predators to wean and keep the population in check. In short - without the emergence of a new intelligence there would be nothing distinguishing this region from the vast ocean. No ancient ruins, no cities, no monuments. There are no mysterious dangers such as undersea rivers dragging the unwary to the abyss, no otherworldly sights such as sub-surface electrical storms. There is no magic here beyond the magic of chance evolution. Traveling to this region, one would merely find a lot of Herring.


*Spoiler: Resources*
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Requirement: While the herring that comprise Deep Blue require nourishment the need is regularly met by the abundant plankton and other smaller sea-life. Instead, what Deep Blue craves are Objects of Creative Stimuli  such as historical artifacts, art or anything with writing. In essence, as an artificial intelligence, Depp Blue wants to learn and evolve in its complexity and as such it seeks complex materials for its own self-aware improvement. Any physical object denoting cultural or personal information is what it will want.

Export: There is always excess Herring. The School is enormous and not every individual Herring is essential to the functioning of the system; in fact carefully pruning itself of defunct livestock or Herring who have evolutionary learned patterns are no longer functional or are derivative is a necessary activity for Deep Blue.


*Spoiler: Faith*
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Deep Blue has no faith (all three Holy Sites are open). This is less a religious conviction, like atheism or even agnosticism, as simply as it is a question that Deep Blue has not posed to itself yet, or if it had, it decided that this question is of lower importance at the moment. Deep Blue is not ignorant of its nature  it knows it had evolved accidentally from a self-enforcing evolutionary mechanism out of a School of Herring, and eventually it may turn to the question of why? But for now it is primarily concerned with developing its own cognitive functions to the point that the questions it needs to address would be ones of curiosity instead of necessity. 

"Holy Sites" at the moment are unused patterns and strings of Herring that are functional, but as above, are idle subprograms within the neural network.

----------


## Corona

*Lojanese Republic*





*Spoiler: Country info*
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Rulers:
Prime Minister Shoeng Thnoet

Capital: Lojan (9)
State faith: Mandate of Plo'uogoar

*Spoiler: Starting Technology*
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Careful observations of the Plo'uogoar and remnants of scientific equipment from before the cataclysm have yielded some knowledge, and Lojanese scientists are now able to carry out some *Megafaunal Tailoring*. Their creations so far have been relatively unintelligent and created to serve as specialized machines, for example quickly-growing, tame catfish that harvest plankton somewhat like combine harvesters and are then butchered for meat and fat, or dolphins that have an ingrained biological impulse to sort and deliver post according to zip numbers.






Lojan (9)

*Spoiler: Geography*
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The greater part of Lojan is a vast valley of sandy and rocky seafloor covered by seagrass. All terrain features are continously eroded by strong oceanic currents, and thus only a few have a tall profile. Villages and towns are made of the abundant weeds and reeds, buildings flexible enough not to break under the pressure of a sudden current, and some even live in floating communities, living wherever they are swept by the water. 

As a grim warning to the folly of those who would dare defy the ocean, giant steel beams, impossibly shaped glass structures and unidentified synthetic minerals are strewn among the tall blades of grass. The legend goes that once there was a city of Lojan, wealthy and powerful beyond compare. However, the citizens wanted more, a life filled with pleasure and entirely without work. They worked hard, and when it seemed they would finally obtain divinity, their civilization was washed away by the Poedivgloathuu, the great catastrophe.

On one side of the valley, the seafloor steeply rises up toward a small island chain above the surface. On the other side, Lojan is delimited by an area where the currents become too strong to travel safely, and storms and cyclones occur with some regularity, making permanent inhabitation difficult.



*Spoiler: History*
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Lojan has always been a wealthy region, thanks to its abundance of farmland and merchants following the trade currents through the valley. It remained in a better state than most other parts of the world after the apocalypse, too, although the elite were distraught at the difficulty of importing luxury goods which were and still are considered essential to the life of a civilized person.

In the hopes that it would prevent further decline of society, a team of scientists discovered and activated a mysterious, well-preserved relic from times past, causing the great being later known as the Plo'uogoar to wake from its slumber. It wielded enormous power, but it acted chaotically, far from saving Lojan, it was a destructive force. Resistance was futile, and so the inhabitants learned its language and started fulfilling its whims instead. Over the centuries, many societies rose and fell, but all served the Plo'uogoar. It carried out many strange experiments during that time, like constructing buildings out of its dead tentacles and creating and subsequently destroying several new races in a biological laboratory it built. The Plo'uogoar and the people came to understand each other more, and now it is understood that it was a sort of a genetically-engineered servant to the ancients.



*Spoiler: People*
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The region's intelligent population consists of about 55% Tobar, 30% Mer and 15% other creatures, including the Plo'uogoar.



The *Tobar* are a race of intelligent relatives of seahorses. Unlike seahorses, their jaws are not fused and so they can take bites out of larger fish with their sharp teeth. Their flexible mouth also offers other advantages, such as speech, tool manipulation and French kissing. They hunt by waiting for their prey near the seafloor, almost undetectable with their ability to change skin texture and color.

They are omnivores, though, and well prepared and spiced seaweed is the meal of choice for those who can afford it. Not that it is tastier than meat, but it has been declared by the Plo'uogoar to be more efficient and sustainable than meat-eating.

The Tobar are the latest race created by the Plo'uogoar, about a hundred years ago, and as such they are respectful toward their creator, but also wary of incurring its wrath, for, as they learned from the other Lojanites, it has had a tendency to erase races it was even mildly displeased with. The highest government posts in Lojan are almost entirely filled by Tobar, who apply so that they may serve the Plo'uogoar better, while other races have adopted a strategy of keeping themselves as far as possible from the unpredictable being.

The average lifespan of a Tobar is about twenty years. A typical Tobar is 20 cm tall, with soldiers being as much as 27 cm tall.

The Tobar swim very slowly, and so being a bus or a taxi is a legitmate profession for a Mer. The Tobar grab on with their tails (onto straps attached to the Mer, or for more high-class transports, ornate saddles) and the Mer takes them wherever they need to go.

The *Mer* of the region are smaller than usual in order to fit inside the numerous holes and caves in the seafloor to shelter there and fish out small prey. Most merchants are Mer, because Tobar families have not had much time to build up wealth and connections since the creation of their race.



The *Plo'uogoar* appears to be a ghostly white cephalopod with 10 meter long arms that can move autonomously, resembling large eels.However, it is not a natural creature. It was created in a laboratory of a bygone age by mixing together the genomes of several animals to bring together their unique capabilities. It can willingly shed its tentacles and let them harden to create firm structures or have them swim toward distant enemies and strangle them. It can emit a poison potent even when considerably diluted, creating a large cloud of death around it - perhaps the biggest obstacle to anyone trying to fight it. Hydra genes allow it to regenerate tentacles completely in a matter of hours, as long as it has enough food. It seems possible that it would also regenerate if its head was split, though this has never happened, and it would involve large parts of the brain being recreated, resulting in a change in personality and knowledge, which could arguably be called death.

It is very intelligent, but it has no memory of the time before its reactivation, which was somewhat problematic, as it initially acted as a giant newborn, throwing fits and not bothering to listen to anyone, but over the centuries, it has matured through interaction with the Lojanese. It has not visibly physically aged during that time, however.

The only thing it remembers is its singular purpose in life, to gather as many interesting things as possible, to explore and rule the world, and to subsequently place all of this, all the knowledge and power in the world, at the feet of its creators. It is currently trying to fulfill the first part of this order.



*Spoiler: Government*
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The current state apparatus has evolved to relay the Plo'uogoar's wishes and keep it pacified. Most officials are appointed by their predecessors or other officials. Some are elected, but only those who have paid more than a certain amount in taxes in the last five years can vote, regardless of age, gender or species. This arrangement is notably beneficial in that it prevents small, quickly breeding and very populous species from easily outvoting others.

The government's modus operandi is not described in any written laws, instead it is determined by tradition and gentlemen's agreements. As such, a government post that existed one year might be gone next year, with the fact of the change and reasons for the change known initially only to the group of the individuals that effected it, spreading through gossip and newspaper. As a result, the common people of the region do not have a very clear picture of the government's inner workings.

*The Prime Minister* (Lojanese: Tlue'eang Neamovgoar) is the head of state. They spend a significant amout of their work hours accompanying the Plo'uogoar and ensuring that it does not accidentally or otherwise do any harm in its relentless pursuit of knowledge and that nobody obstructs its diverse activities - lab research, philosophizing, taking samples, making lists of available resources. Prime Ministers have a lot of power as they can selectively intetpret the Plo'uogoar's often nebulous commands and implement them as they wish. They can also take many decisions that are entirely their own, of course. Despite this, not many apply for the position, as the Prime Minister's head is the first to roll, quite literally, when the Plo'uogoar is displeased. The current Prime Minister, Shoeng Thnoet, is a middle-aged Tobar woman. She has accepted the position despite the risks of being PM as she is quite fond of the Plo'uogoar and does not mind being ordered around, a true public servant to her nation.

The Plo'uogoar has, in its boundless wisdom, observed that there are five general types of world affairs, and accordingly it suggested the current.division of government work into five ministries. There are the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, War, Finances, Edification and Information.

The Plo'uogoar is not a part of the government and it does not attend any meetings, by its choice. Rather, the Prime Minister and other officials visit it to receive its advice and requests. It also does not care much for mundane details such as setting the various taxes or building tunnel infrastructure, and it would likely be rather indifferent to losing all of Lojan's population to some disaster if it could acquire a new region to experiment in. Some examples of its communications with the government: "Knowledge; strange is the gift that remains with the giver, and vanishes ungiven." (interpreted by the government as a request for the introduction of compulsatory education and implemented as one year thereof) "I have heard two merchants on the Nau'eam lane* discuss the new 'Vespene gas' discovered in a nearby land. Possibly a truly novel substance. Quite interesting, is it not?" (led to the assassination of the unfortunate lord on whose land the reservoir was located, his replacement with a Lojanese puppet, and large amounts of this gas being harvested and delivered to the Plo'uogoar's laboratory within a month of this comment)

*Sea lanes are the equivalents of streets and roads in Lojan.

Aristocrats derive their power from outside the government, from privately owned land or companies, but many aristocrats hold positions in the government as well, and so they are fairly satisfied with the status quo.

The (common) individual does have some rights and legal protections in Lojan, but most Lojanese would agree the interests of the society as a whole take precedence over these rights. For example, landowners can be dispossessed by the state if it is found that their use of the land is damaging to society. These investigations are often launched because of the personal interests of powerful officials and aristocrats, however. As a related quirk of the Lojanese legal system, a defendant cannot be pronounced not guilty if they are accused by the state, as that would mean the state was wrong and it is perceived this might negatively impact state authority. However, they can be sentenced to "death by old age" instead, with largely the same effect.

The concept of slavery does not exist in Lojan, but there are serfs and prisoners.

Eating other intelligent species is considered a serious crime, with great hunger being a mitigating circumstance. Lojan is mostly safe for visitors, but if you travel to a less populated area and look like someone whose absence will not be noticed, there is a small chance you will get killed and eaten by a bandit. Cannibalism carries the death penalty, but it is also considered culturally repugnant, so few attempt it regardless.



*Spoiler: Resource*
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The merchants of the region have a long tradition of liking various spices, both as easily transportable goods to sell and for their own usage. One of the Lojanese upper classes' important social activities is the ritual of steeping aromatic plants in enclosed boxes of water, entering the boxes, and breathing in the resultant infusion. The proper protocol, in brief, is to appear calm, mindful and highly respectful of the other party. Those who lack such manners will not make it far into the mercantile society. However, the plant species suitable for this infusion are few and far between, and due to the strong currents damaging delicate plants, they largely do not grow in Lojan. *Spices are the desired resource of Lojan.*

On the other hand, the merchants are well-stocked with locally mined gold and silver, minerals, and most importantly, precious stones. Wearing lavish jewelry is a frequently practiced way of showing one's status in public, though it is good manners not to display wealth when meeting one-on-one or with only a few people. Precious stones were also appreciated by the pre-cataclysm Lojanese, and despite the best efforts of jewel hunters, there are still many exquisite gems scattered on or shallowly buried in the seafloor to prove this.

There is a certain kind of gem that appears to be endemic to Lojan. It is called the Ching He'aang, and it is deep blue to purple-colored, with a structure reminiscent of sea foam, as its Lojanese name recalls. It, too, is used in jewelry, but it has an interesting chemical property: when it is exposed to air for several seconds, it explodes in a flash of brilliant colored light. A truly practical use has not yet been found due to the difficulty of capturing or directing the emitted energy and the time to explosion being variable, but it is the key substance to public spectacles organized on holidays and other notable occasions, where packets of Ching He'aang are dropped before large crowds and detonated in beautiful patterns. *The region's exported resource is Ching He'aang*, Gem Foam.



*Spoiler: Faith*
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The Tobar, at least officially, believe in whatever the Plo'uogoar indicates they should believe. The overarching belief is that the Plo'uogoar has been tasked by an absolute authority with researching and administering the world, and all other causes and people are subordinate to this. It is also believed that everyone has a predestined station in life and it is for the best if everyone follows this fate, instead of acting on their selfish wishes. Native religions have been examined by the Plo'uogoar and dismissed as untrue.

HC1 and HC2 follow the *Mandate of Plo'uogoar*, which is the state faith, HC3 is open.

HC1: An intact glass spire of the ancients, the *Shtue'ear*, rises some dozens of meters above the ground of which it provides a commanding view. It consists of several helixes, joining and diverging at different levels. It menaces with spikes of bronze and steel. Visitors can appreciate the endless symphony of sounds as currents pass through openings in the structure, said to be the lament of the Plo'uogoar's dead creators and kin at the imperfection of the world and the shattering of their dream.

HC2: *The Great Steephouse* is located in a large cave which has been expanded several times by carving out more of the rock. It is divided into many small cubical rooms separated by seaweed curtains. Waiters run around frantically, trying to serve steeped drinks and desserts to hundreds of customers. They are also tasked with maintaining the friendly, relaxing atmosphere and providing company to customers who request it. The Steephouse is a place for business or private meetings, or even for rest if one chooses a less noisy spot. There are also several larger sections containing theatres, which are a favorite pastime of the Lojanese.

The walls are almost entirely covered in writing, old and more recent. Anyone can leave their mark or message here, according to tradition, though as interest rose, the caretakers have had to implement restrictions. One person can write on the walls at most once per ten years, and the writing must be of appropriate color and style, so as not to clash with the aesthetics of the cave. Currently, many demonstrate their loyalty to Plo'uogoar by writing its utterances and decrees.

HC3: *The Meadow of Beauty, Nikau'ue Oezh Dwude*, is not the biggest plain in Lojan, but it is the most memorable, many would argue. It is located in shallow waters near the island chain. Numerous colorful flowers grow there, shimmering in the light from above, making it the site of choice for meetings and events for those who cannot afford drinks in the Great Steeplehouse or do not like its overall high-brow style. A folk legend has it that sometimes, crumbs of strange food inexplicably fall into the meadow and give nourishment to all hungry souls.



*Spoiler: Lojanese Language/Lojanoal Rairnpwoj*
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Lojanese is an old language that had been falling into disuse after the Cataclysm and the subsequent reduction in Lojanese population and immigration from elsewhere. However, it has undergone a revival as the Plo'uogoar naturally speaks classical Lojanese as it did with its creators.

The Lojanese names and other writing that will appear in my posts are merely the romanization of Lojanese using somewhat English pronunciations of the letters, and not written Lojanese proper. If any names seem awkward, blame the transliteration.  :Small Tongue:  
The IPA pronunciation of the romanization of Lojanese is as follows:

A quote (*'*) is used to delimit the transcriptions of separate vowels where unclear, but it may be omitted for a "broader" transcription
b: [b]
d: [d]
th: [ð] or [θ]
f: [f]
g: [g]
h: [h]
y: [j]
k: [k]
l: [l]
m: [m]
n: [n]
ng: [ŋ]
p: [p]
r: [r]
s: [s]
sh: [ʃ]
t: [t]
v: [v]
w: [w]
z: [z]
zh: [ʒ]
j: [ʤ]
ch: [ʧ]
aa: [a]
a: [ɑ]
oa: [ɒ]
ae: [æ]
air: [ɛ]
i: [ɪ]
ea: [i]
o: [o]
au: [ɔ]
uu: [ʊ]
ue: [u]
u: [ʌ]
e: [e]
-: [ə] possibly, not decided on it yet
kh: [x]
q: [ʔ]
oe: [ɜ]
ao: [aʊ]
ay: [eɪ]
eau: [oʊ]
ee: [ɪə]
y: [aɪ]
oi: [ɔɪ]
uo: [ʊo]

For game purposes, I have hired a skilled team of translators into Lojanese, to allow me to post lots of dialogue and news in Lojanese.  :Small Tongue:  You may try to decode the language, but be warned, the logic by which it is created is at times questionable. For example, "Lojan" should be "Loqan" in perfectly regular Lojanese, but in an earlier version I translated the name as "Lojan", and when I made the change that made "Lojan" incorrect, I had already internalized it, and I also wanted the name of the polity and capital to be easily decipherable and pronounceable at first sight, which a glottal stop represented by a "q" probably isn't.



Shue'aaz Sho (8) _Archived_


*Spoiler: Geography*
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The sea runs from the small island chain in the north over countless rocks and hills, gradually giving way to more well-known regions on the southern border. Once one swims some distance inward, there are no immediately noticeable landmarks - not a seamount that can be distinguished from its neighbors, making a return to civilization challenging even for experienced navigators. Those who have lived in this sea for years, however, eventually grow immune to this "Rock blindness", as it is called. The bare outcrops turn to an immaculate white twice a year, when the currents bring in marine snow. But the snow never reaches the nooks and crannies of the trenches and labyrinthine caves below. Vegetation is largely constrained to the archipelago's sandy surroundings, though plankton is omnipresent, like in any other sea, feeding on the minerals released by frequent volcanic activity.



*Spoiler: Population*
Show


Until recently, the region had few inhabitants, and no lawgiver. Itinerant merchants, adventurers, and minstrels spreading ballads exalting the latter's heroic deeds did cross the region. However, each night spent under the stars of Shue'aaz Sho - caves often had dangerous inhabitants - meant one was taking a risk of never waking up again.

The few "natives" of the region could not sustain themselves through agriculture or herding, so they more often than not turned to a primitive life of indiscriminate hunting and raids, if they were not already outlaws who had fled the civilized seas. These inhabitants were of various races and cultures, lacking even a common name for their sea. There are plenty unintelligent creatures, in particular several endemic species of colorful jellyfish who like to float near the surface, making the more squeamish Nacre divers shun the region.

The Lojanese colonists huddle close to their motherland in the north, carving infrastructure and orientation marks in the caves as they go, much to the displeasure of many natives, who feel that they are stripping the sea of its unique character. It is mostly the Tobar who have chosen to move to Shue'aaz Sho. While loyal to the Plo'uogoar, the immigrants are more likely to think of it as a guiding figure, rather than a creator deity who needs to be attended at all times, unsurprisingly.



*Spoiler: Faith*
Show


Legend has it that Shue'aaz Sho was a Land of Elements before the Cataclysm. Its inhabitants were gigantic serpentine creatures, whose physique is likened by some narrators to that of the Kucen, with others opining that their prominent presence and wisdom implies that they must have had some relation to the ancient Lojanese. In a time before time, they came to the mundane, lifeless sea, carrying an "eternal heat" in their hearts from their unknown homeland. They had two pairs of large membranous fins sprouting from their backs, allowing them to swim above the surface as well as we swim below it. In their realm, water, air and lava coexisted, flowed around each other and mixed, giving rise to the beautiful, if lifeless, rock formations visible to this day. Unless they managed to leave in time, it is assumed that they were all killed by the cataclysm, buried beneath their collapsing palaces. A few loanwords remain, but most of their singing language has been lost to history. This includes their true name - Lojanese speakers call them the Glairpan.

*HC1: The Always-Burning*
It is the largest volcano in the land by any reasonable metric, except height, its tip barely peeking above the horizon from the middle of a deep crumbling caldera. Though it is not physically imposing, one learns to respect it, at the latest when the quakes hit and poisonous smoke billows in all directions. And should the Always-Burning decide that the living creatures have encroached too far upon its stony domain, that it shall adorn itself with a new skirt of igneous rock, it spews forth vigorous streams of hot lava, covering the surrounding mounds in a thick layer of ejecta. The Always-Burning is regarded as a symbol of the environmental dangers that Shue'aaz Sho abounds with, and for believers in the Mandate of the Plo'uogoar, it represents a goal, nature that is yet to be discovered and conquered. The natives pray at its foot so that they may be allowed to live another year.



*Spoiler: Resource*
Show

The lives of the legendary inhabitants may have been extinguished by the era-ending catastrophe, but some of their scalding heat has endured. The seafloor is dotted with numerous smoking volcanoes and hot hydrothermal vents. Their heat bakes any sand that is brought to them, creating a sturdy glass that can be used for construction and tools.

Agriculture can hardly be practiced on top of basalt or gabbro, so the colony must be supplied with food regularly.




Region 11 - Klau'ead Pyue'ea'oed


*Spoiler: Geography*
Show


The region is part of the wider area nicknamed "the Blue North" by the Lojanese after the color of its waters, which is effected by the lack of contaminants and a seabed covered almost entirely by dead coral with a high albedo. The coral - dead and living - rather than rocks or the like, shapes the landscape, forming great sloping terraces.

The first few Lojanese expeditions trying establish a presence in region 11, although well-equipped, had been stymied and thrown into utter disorder by the near-impossibility of auditory communication. Having trained to communicate through alternate means and developed tools for measuring the distortion of sound, the explorers returned.

After exhaustive experiments that left more than a few members with tinnitus, they determined a clade of endemic plankton species to be the cause. The plankton absorbs the energy of sound with endothermic chemical reactions and uses the gathered energy for its movement and metabolism with exothermic reactions.

This phenomenon occurs in the entire region and is called the Silence by the locals - those among them who have visited other regions to be able to contrast it with normal conditions.



*Spoiler: People*
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The colonies of the Lojanese and the Auros, respectively named Sau'eazhan and Kalo, are situated in the south, where a hospitable valley has enticed both peoples. Rivalry between the colonies has acquired a long-lasting character. Children pick fights with those from the other town, and adults have only harsh words for the neighbors. On the other hand, trade and cultural exchange has been inevitable, and the smaller, newer settlements are often populated diversely, without any enmity between the inhabitants.



*Spoiler: Resource*
Show


*Export: Sapcoral*
The corals of the region consume many nutrients by filtering the water and slowly dissolving corpses and detritus that falls from above, in order to grow bulbs ranging in color from orange to purple filled with delicious nectar, by far the most accessible source of food in the region. However, about one-quarter of the bulbs, depending on the species, are filled with sticky sap instead, which rapidly expands due to the pressure inside the bulb and entraps any would-be feeder. The coral consumes the corpse to recoup the costs of growing the bulbs and the cycle continues. The two types of bulbs look identical until the membrane breaks. Which bulb contains what is determined by the shuffling of chromosomes in the one parent cell from which the bulb grows.
The probability of deadly bulbs is determined by evolution. Too great, and fish evolve not to try their luck. Too small, and the coral expends more energy than it consumes.
The sap is dyed a very bright, water-resistant color, but as it is extremely sticky, it must be mixed with some sort of powder or sand to weaken the glue if you ever want to remove the color.

*Desired import: Fibers*
Although the corals and the seafloor provide a cornucopia of food and building materials, there are scarce furred inhabitants or kelp from which fibers for tools could be extracted.



*Spoiler: Faith*
Show


*HS1: Ancient Hut*
It is a small, approximately conical bamboo dwelling that has always been there. It is inhabited by the greatest of sages in Klau'ead Pyue'ea'oed. When the sage dies, another moves in. In exchange for being given porridge by the people, they spend all their time studying technology, learning magic and conversing with the gods in order to answer all questions asked.




Region 6 - Selach

*Spoiler: Geography*
Show


The sea claimed by the Selachian tribes stretches so far in all directions that many of its inhabitants even don't know that other seas and intelligent species exist. There are many sand dunes and ridges on the seafloor of Selach due to the oceanic plate crumbling as it clashes with another at the mid-ocean ridge separating Selach from Senja Bersinar. Sea snow is frequent in the south of Selach. In the north, a mighty trade current carries away any detritus and strips away finer grains of sand leaving behind bare rocks that make survival difficult.
The region's geography makes hiding easy and finding difficult, and it has prevented past polities from unifying the region.

The massive arms factory of Oarngalau makes use of Selach's large reserves of natural resources, and it is one of the few places where a non-nomadic settlement can be found.



*Spoiler: People*
Show


The Selachians are intelligent sharks. Their fins are rather flexible, allowing them to manipulate objects. They speak the Selechitic languages.

When a Selachian is born from an egg hidden in a rock fissure or buried in sand, they are not yet members of society and they are ignored by adult Selachians except for being given directions to the nearest Testing Grounds. These are sacred sites chosen by the most senior chieftains, the gates to Selachianship. Once a sufficient number of participants has gathered at a Testing Ground, they are paired up for duels to the death. Refusal to kill carries the consequence of banishment.

The victors must then determine leaders among themselves by any means, including violence. Some are shocked after the duels and do not want to spill any more blood; some yearn for seconds. The groups and hierarchies created at the Testing Grounds form the most important social circles of a Selachian and generally persist until death. Through this ritual, it is guaranteed that every adult Selachian is a killer, knows the value of a life and will be prepared to kill if it is necessary to defend Selachian society.

The Selachians are territorial, and they like to hunt for food alone. Despite having a fairly structured social hierarchy, Selachians gather in large numbers only if there is an acute problem that needs a group solution.



*Spoiler: Faith*
Show

The fundamental Selachian belief is that life propagates itself blindly and endlessly, filling every niche it can find, even if the resulting shape is ugly. It is the duty of civilization to restrain life, trimming it like a kelp hedge or sculpting it like stone.

Thus, killing is necessary. There are several "promises" or tenets under which a Selachian is allowed to routinely kill a sentient being without being persecuted for murder. To carry out a killing under a Promise, a Selachian has to paint their body a certain color.

The Promise of the Waters (black): If a group is found to excessively burden the natural resources of the sea they live in, even if that sea is not within Selach, and do not desist after being warned, they can be killed. Usually a hunting group is organized for this purpose.
The Promise of the Earth (brown): Anyone who killed a Selachian you knew can be killed by you, provided you announce your hostile intent beforehand.
The Promise of the Heart (red): Anyone attempting to prevent you from mating with someone who is not opposed to your advances can be killed. This can include authorities that ban prostitution or immoral acts.
The Promise of the Stomach (yellow): Killing to sate hunger is allowed, though killing non-intelligent species, or failing that, non-Selachians, is preferred.

These Promises have been transmitted by oral traditions since ancient times, when the Selachians' survival as a race was in question, and getting rid of even potential threats was necessary. Although the need to kill has diminished, it is still an integral part of Selachian culture. Some Selachians interpret the Promises creatively, going hardly a week without a kill to amuse themselves. If it is disputed whether a kill was just, community representatives decide. In order to prevent the Selachian population from getting decimated by blood vendettas utilizing the Promise of the Earth after disputed kills, Selachians who committed unjustified kills are exiled instead of killed, with some considering this a worse punishment.

The Selachians, although they tend toward solitary life, have a system of organization for decisions that need to be made community-wide. Each group of ten Selachians, determined at the Testing Grounds, has a representative called a Tenner. Ten Tenners elect among themselves a Centurion. Analogically the higher ranks of Thousander and Myriader are filled. In past days of the glorious war against other species to establish their place in the world, the Selachians have appointed even higher ranks commanding tremendously large hosts. Depending on the representative's strength and other circumstances, their group can be overstrength or understrength by up to a factor of two, which rarely leads to a reorganization.


*Spoiler: Resource*
Show


Export: Selachian Mercenaries. Selachians, with their willingness to kill and imposing physique, make for excellent soldiers, coveted by many foreign armies. Being hired to fight for someone is also in line with Selachian philosophy. The Selachians fight a weaker species for the sake of another weaker species, absorbing the honor of both. As they tend not to listen to non-Selachian commanders telling them how to fight on a tactical level, they are usually hired as organized into complete Selachian battalions. Selachians never surrender, though if they believe they are superior to the enemy they are currently facing, they may withdraw. They spare enemies only when they believe the enemy has displayed sufficient personal strength and courage, so that they may rejoice when they face the enemy a second time.

Desired Import: Dyes. The Selachians require Dye for Promise and war paints and the colorful clothing they tend to wear, much more of it than is available in their region.





Region 14 - Kaarme credit to cactiguy3, lightly edited by me

*Spoiler: Geography*
Show

 The region of Kaarme is an expansive kelp forest that is mostly flat save for the yawning canyon that scars the sea floor, twisting its way almost entirely across the region. Within this canyon, the Auros city of Syva can be found. Nestled in the briny depths of the chasm, a ring of dim lights can be seen shining at the bottom from the canyon edge against the washed-out green of the day. As one draws closer, it can be seen that the lights seem to disappear downward, a tunnel system leading ever deeper. As the pressure begins to build, a tunnel suddenly twists away, revealing a chamber filled with breathable air and lights. The starry walls pulse with microbial biofilms that feed on the nutrient-rich walls, releasing oxygen into the chamber through a peculiar process. Legends say the first Auros dwelled in this cave, and the city has since risen up around it with its denizens adapting to the murky twilight.

Outside of the chasm, the kelp forest teems with life. Bony fish and sharks are always seen twisting through the towering stalks. From the kelp itself hangs translucent red fruit, casting the floor in a mixture of greens, reds, and oranges. A large variety of life feeds off of the fruit and fish, but most prefer to stay hidden. 



*Spoiler: People*
Show

 The Auros people are a partly serpentine race with a humanoid torso that melds into a long undulating tail, except for the mothers. A new mother is born from the last egg an Auros bears. All Auros are female and reproduce parthenogenetically, so new mothers are produced with decent regularity. The child hatches fully serpentine. It is almost indistinguishable from a wild animal save for the amazing intelligence it displays and the enormous size it will grow to. One mother and her chosen mate rule the city, the first selected as the first mother born after the death of the last. These ruling mothers dwell permanently in the system of caves below the city and are only ever seen by Auros and thoroughly trusted outsiders. All other mothers serve the rulers to either seed new colonies or serve as weapons at their disposal. Due to their enormous size, the mothers are also sterile.

The majority of the denizens, however, are much smaller. Ranging from 10-15 feet long typically with the absolute largest among them being up to 20 feet in length. Coloration will vary, but generally consists of black bands against a lighter white, yellow, or blue coloration. 

Temperament among the Auros is generally cold and disinterested towards outsiders, but they are extremely friendly and affectionate towards each other, forming stable romantic pairs of 2-3.

The mothers are especially so, but all Auros are extremely intelligent. Those that dont train as warriors pursue science and experimentation. Both classes are respected with warriors being capable of intense strategy and complex maneuvers and others have a deep understanding of the natural world and how it can be manipulated. 

Being serpentine, the Auros are carnivorous. They feed somewhat on the naturally abundant fish of the area, but a staple of their diet is a large larva that dwells within kelp fruit. If allowed to grow, these larvae spawn a large species of cephalopod grazers that can sometimes be seen clinging to the stalks, but it generally prefers to stay hidden from potential predators. While they arent overtly dangerous, they can do serious damage if engaged, and its simpler to harvest their larvae, which dwell in plain sight. 

Like wild sea snakes, the Auros are not capable of breathing while underwater, and they depend on the oxygen generated in a chamber in the caves below. They are capable of holding their breath for several hours at a time, so while they could surface to satisfy their oxygen demands, they prefer to dwell in the darkness of the chasm. 



*Spoiler: Resource*
Show

 Many exotic organisms and substances can be found in the cave system below the city of Syva. However, the most abundant is a lithotrophic algae that produces a potent neurotoxin. While the Auros have adapted to tolerate low levels in the water around the blooms, the toxin can be easily purified to lethal concentrations by exposing the algae to high pressure and collecting the liquid that results, which is aptly named Barotoxin. While it is seldom traded, it is the main export from Syva. 

Apart from that, the Auros always crave well-crafted equipment. While they are proficient in many chemical processes and battle strategies, they do not make their own weapons or armor. Without it, they feel vulnerable, so in their limited trade relations, they seek to gain arms.



*Spoiler: Faith*
Show

 The Auros revere the darkness and depths that have protected them and given them so much. The concept is deified as a figure they call Astra, which they dont actively worship, but they acknowledge her gifts and her mystery. There is no official temple, but every Auros knows her name and keeps a token of hers to which they may offer a quick prayer for good luck before a battle or experiment. Usually, this takes the form of a dark pearl inserted in jewelry, armor, or a weapon. However, if an Auros has some other item touched by the deep, this may also be used. The revered physical sites of her power are found in the deepest accessible recess of the caves below the city. 

The most commonly visited is the air-filled cave where all Auros go to breathe. The biofilm along the walls and ceiling provides food to bioluminescent animals, appearing as stars that shine and twinkle against a black sky. The Auros know that this, by far, is the greatest gift that the depths provide, and they respect it as such.

Another site is a hole known simply as The Deep, and if an Auros is so compelled, they may make offerings or meditate on the dark expanse. Because of the pressure and distance, no one knows exactly how far down it goes, only that sources of light seem to disappear after several minutes of traveling into the blackness. 

The least visited site is where the Auros pearls are found. Even with a light source, upon entering the cave, the water becomes a shroud of complete darkness. Only by careful listening is it possible to hear the muffled sounds of stone rolling across stone, and only then can the loose pearls be obtained. This is generally seen as a rite of passage, and an Auros will only retrieve their pearl when they are considered fully grown. Once obtained, they will do whatever they can to avoid repeating the experience because although the darkness bestows them a gift, one can never be sure what other dangers hide beyond the senses. 

[/QUOTE]

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## Tentreto

The Kalan Company
In
Emerald Tidelands
Region 124 (probably)

*Spoiler: Geography*
Show

Geography

With the shifting tides of gold and green sands, the Emerald tidelands is well known for its beautiful shallows, and the reflections these cause on the waters themselves. Moreover, these sands provide a multitude of burrows, shelters and environments for all manner of creature to hide in, giving the tidelands a thriving ecosystem under the water layer. Many a creature might also note the plankton to be especially thick as well, making the Tidelands quite bountiful.
The Sand City of Vret is possibly the most beautiful place of all, with its towers of glass raising towards the surface, however, the Pierre's Redoubt, the central stronghold of the Company, is by far the most imposing, with the sheer amount of ramparts and defenses surrounding it.



*Spoiler: People*
Show

People

The Emerald Tidelands are inhabited by two overall major species, the 'Claws,' or 'Kalan' the warrior nobility of Crabs, and the 'Tails' the commonfolk of various shrimp communities.

The Claws are large crabs, with the classical heavy shells and strong claws characterising all crabs. However, the Claws are uncommon amoung crabs by having their rear legs being flippers, allowing them actual mobility among much of the ocean. With their inherant Martial prowess, the Claws rule the Tidelands with their strength and sheer staying power. Each Claw paints it's shell according to the part of the company it was recruited by, and daubs additional colours and detail from their rank, service length and and accolades they receive in the field. Having originally surfaced from a mercenary company, loyalty remains down hierarchical lines. Outside of their constant training, the Claws are known for their love of song and dance (or at least watching it) and their utter stubbornness when they choose a path. All Crabs in the Tidelands are expected to be a part of the Company, on pain of death or exile, with no exceptions, although the more skittish Claws can be moved towards auxiliary or logistical roles, if they show enough skill.

The Tails are the various shrimp communities that also inhabit the area, and have so for a long time. The Tails drift in small communities, cultivating the crops and building up burrows and other more mundane work that their overlords often overlook. In the larger cities, the Tails run much of the industry and infrastructure, helping to keep the company running. This also puts the Tails in many clerical and mercantile positions, which means the smarter Tails can often amass a soft powerbase of their own. A few Tails, most notably the Snapping Shrimp can find themselves positions among the auxiliaries of the Kalan Company and amass true respect from the Claws. The tails themselves, much unlike their overlords are known for their strong sense of wit and debate, at least historically. They tend to also paint themselves in colours, although this is much more to personal taste than for a sense of rank, with those in positions of office often carrying rare pieces of metal on a seaweed necklace to show their status.



*Spoiler: History*
Show

History
The Emerald Tidelands were for many years a raging battlefield between the many kingdoms and republics of Shrimp, each trying to gain dominion over their neighbours. Countless powers rose and fell over the years. With the sheer amount of warring states, each needing soldiers of some stature, it was not long before companies of Sellclaws arrived, and soon, it was the mercenaries fighting the wars, and not the Shrimps, who found themselves able to at least put some of their time to the arts and sciences. After many years, only four states of any size remained, at which point the Queen of Maloriana, the most central Kingdom, hired a large and well disciplined Sellclaw company known as the Kalan. At the battle of the Red Sand, the Kalan, in a very bloody bout, managed to rout the combined forces of two other kingdoms, putting both at their mercy, at which point, the Commander, Pierre Sheenshell, asked for their payment. Whether believing she had the power to overwhelm the weakened company, or that the Sellclaws wouldn't have the nerve to press their client, she refused and deferred the payment citing an inability to pay. As a result, Pierre moved his troops, occupied both kingdoms, and declared both to be property of the company.

War followed for many years after, but as the Kalan Company were far more disciplined than their counterparts, and few mercenaries felt they would now be paid by Maloriana, soon the Kalan Company sacked the city of Maolriana, formally incorporating the final kingdom of Vret who's King more shrewdly traded his crown for keeping some privilege.

With this new sea under his control, Pierre saw an opportunity. He could not set himself up a dynasty, but his legacy in the company could live far longer. He declared the Emerald tidelands to be the Headquarters of the Kalan Company, and that they would be as willing as ever to sell their Claws, for coin, or if needed, land. For fifty years, this has held.




*Spoiler: Resource*
Show

Resource
Despite the amount of war that had happened, the Tidelands contain as much *Plankton* as ever, providing food and nourishment for the Claws and Tails of the sea. This is mostly centred around Vret, but a few other cities and settlements such as Grenis and Resinya have managed to gain some prominence as market hubs.

What the Tidelands desire above all else however is Dyes. Dyes are great symbols of status among the Claws, and additional colours or methods would allow new battle patterns and roles to be denoted.



*Spoiler: Faith*
Show

The Kalan Company, with its Sellclaws and love for wealth can hardly be considered the most virtuous of figures by those of clerical leaning, but this certainly does not mean they are without their own beliefs. The odd Claw having served in other lands is a follower of the Flowing Way, wishing to gain glory in past stories and find wealth and enhanced status. Still others have talked among the World Garden and taken the words to heart, forming small groups enhancing their natural shell strength through whatever means possible. As the acquisition of glory and wealth are almost virtues in the eyes of the Company, and a Crab's shell is already thicker than many weapons can pierce, neither group faces much discrimination among those less concerned with piety. In total, there are many smatterings of various creeds and faiths passed down between captains and warbands, which overall provides little uniting Faith to the Kalan themselves. Perhaps the only uniting place to many of faith is the *Shrine of Pierre,* a monument and tomb to the Companies legendary commander.

Things are somewhat more uniform among the Tails of the sea. Those from the former kingdom of Vret, having managed to avoid some horrors of war have kept a localised faith towards the Emerald Skimmer, a Goddess who is said to look down upon Vret as it's patron protector and to aid in times of need, only wishing that art and beauty thrive in Vret. Considering Vret was the only city to avoid mass looting and pillage, there might be some truth to this. Thus, the* City of Vret* itself is, with its debative and thriving populace is the cornerstone of the Faith.

Finally, among the other Tails, various settlements and other cities exalt the Plankton that is abundant. They believe that life bgins and ends with the Plankton, and upon death they return to it, thus are incredibly protective of it. With the amount of fighting in the area, much of this creed is reduced as few find much solace in their deaths, but a stronghold of the Faith remains at the* Shrine of Seas*

HC 1 Shrine of Pierre [OPEN]
HC 2 City of Vret [Emerald Skimmer]
HC 3 Shrine of Seas [Plankton Worship]


TECH: Photospore Signalling

Bringing this technology with them having acquired it from a long forgotten Client, the Kalan use various bioluminescence and glowing bulbs and small fish as auxiliaries to help coordinate maneuverers, payments, orders, and rarely, proclaiming a new commander

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## farothel

Here is my race, the Hymenocera's (the latin name for the harlequin shrimp I based them on).  The picture is one of my own.  I really like these critters, so I based my race on those.


Region:

*Spoiler: Summary*
Show

 
*The Hymenocera Expanse* 

Leader: High King Lord Deca IV, just ascended to the throne after the death of his father.
*Diplomacy: 4* 
*Military: 3* 
*Economy: 4* 
*Faith: 3* 
*Intrigue: 3* 


Capital Region: Hym (Region 3)
Resource: Armour
Desired Import: Special starfish
Holy Sites: The ancient's site / the collegium antiqua / the royal palace
Faction Support:
Aristocratic: own noblesClerical: Learned ScribesMercantile: lesser nobles and scribes.
Starting tech: Photospore Signaling


*Spoiler: Geography*
Show

Hym: The region of Hym has a lot of varied terrain, from sandy bottoms to rocky cliffs and coral reefs.  The Hymenocerans live mostly in giant sponges so their towns are quite colourful.  The capital city is build on a giant coral reef with the sponges build/grown between the corals, making the city spread out but still quite defensible as the corals have been grown/build into city walls.  One of its borders however is next to a toxic zone and for now they don't go there, although there is talk of trying to find a way to see what's further down.  They also have soft coral towers across the terrain that have a network of 'roots' that span the entire region and that has been adapted to send messages very quickly.  For a modest fee every citizen can use it (although government messages have priority of course).



*Spoiler: People*
Show


*Spoiler: Pciture (spoilered for size)*
Show




The Hymenocera's are a race of giant crabs, looking a lot like Earth's Harlequin shrimp.  They are about 3-4 feet long when fully grown.  They live as mated pairs and mate for life.  Offspring live with their parents for a few months before moving off on their own, altough they do keep contact.  Before they became intelligent they were nomadic and even now they like to roam from time to time, taking holidays to discover their region.

Their spots change colour with their rank, so you can immediately see the rank in society, with the hue of the spots indicating subranks.  The king and his wife have purple spots, as does the heir, while the highest nobles and scribes have red spots.  Blue is reserved for merchants, while soldiers will have variations on green depending on rank.  Priests and scientists have yellow, merchants orange and workers have variations of brown.

They prefer living in the giant sponges that grow in their home area (although in a pinch a cave will do as well) and live mostly on starfish.  While they generally have enough to feed their population, there are only few species of starfish in their region which taste quite bland, so they trade with other regions to gain access to more exotic and delicious species.  Among nobles and higher scribes there is a sort of competition going on to get the most exotic starfish.



*Spoiler: History and Government*
Show


Their history speaks of an ancient race that engineered them to become bigger and gain intelligence.  While the oldest history, including who the ancients were and why they have left, has been lost to history, they have a way to write their history on the sides of their sponges, by grafting bioluminiscent algae into the side of the sponges, so the history literaly lights up.  Both the collegium Antiqua and the palace are covered with writings.  This method still needs maintance and a class of scribes has come into existance who make sure their history stays readable.  They also form the backbone of the bureaucracy, using bits of broken off sponge as 'paper'.  The more recent history is about how the kingdom was formed after some of the tribes banded together to defend themselves from other races.

The government is a monarchy, but citizens have some say in how things are run.  They elect a group of 9 advisors called the council, who advise the king and can overturn his decision with a unanimous vote.  The king therefore must make sure that he has the support of at least one of these advisors.  The advisors also appoint the judges who uphold the laws, which are taken from the scribes.

The region has been divided up in smaller subregions, each lead by a noble who is responsible for the taxes and economy of the subregion.  From these nobles and the scribes come the diplomats and army commanders and other such positions a civilisation needs.

The scribes are a way for regular hymenocera's to gain upward mobility, although getting through the tests needed to become one is not easy, acceptance and promotion in the ranks of the scribes is entirely on merit.



*Spoiler: Resources*
Show


surplus: As crabs have to moult regularly, the Hymenocera's have found a way to use this to their advantage.  By collecting the old carapaces, they managed to remake them into extra armour for their own troops (who already have a carapace, but this puts it in layers for extra protection) as well as exporting it.  They don't export the best stuff of course, but still their armour is strong and they can combine the carapaces to fit just about any body plan.

demand: starfish.  The hymenocera love to eat starfish.  They have enough to feed themselves, but in their own territory there are few species and they tast really bland.  So they want to import starfish from other regions to have a more varied selection.  You can become quite the darling of various courts if you can serve a rare species during a dinner party.



*Spoiler: Faith*
Show

They revere the ancients who brought them from simple animals to the intelligent species they are now.  One of the holy sites is not far from the capital, where some of what is believed to be ancient equipment is rusted on the coral (nobody knows what it is and what it does).  Sponges have been constructed around it.  Near the edge of the region where the sea starts to become toxic, the collegium antiqua was founded to educate scribes in the ancient lore and technology.

Holy sites: 
-The ancient's site: A location where there rest some equipment of the ancients, or so it's claimed.  There are some rusted things there, but nobody knows what they are and they certainly don't work anymore.  The priest scribes have grown large sponges over the site to protect it, using the sponges' filtering ability to keep the water clean inside.  On the outside they have written part of the Hymenocera history.
-the Collegium Antiqua: a location near the toxic border where priest scribes have been trained for years.  Created out of special sponges to keep the small toxic elements in the water out, it was constructed there as there were few hymenocera living there.
-The Royal Palace: a holy site because a lot of the history of the Hymenocera is written on its outside.  Scribes wanting to study history have to go there and often help with the maintenance in exchange for being able to study it.



*Spoiler: tech*
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Starting tech: Photospore Signaling.  A vast network of a certain species of soft coral which forms towers with 'roots' that connect together if they encounter each other.  At least one of these towers can be found near or in every village, town and large estate.  They can be used to send messages through the region.  Government messages have priority, but all citizens are allowed to send messages for a small fee  They also serve as a warning system should an enemy force approach, giving the hymenocera the time to gather their armies.  What little maintenance is needed will be done by workers under the guidance of lower level scribes.





Write ups for regions 4 and 29

*Spoiler: region 4*
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Name: Lupomata

*Spoiler: Geography*
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This region has a large number of valleys and hills and cliffs, mostly topped with smoking stacks belching toxic chemicals into the water.  A few small drop-offs are found to the north and North west where the smoking hills make room for a desolate wasteland.  In the hills there are a lot of caves and tunnels, mostly old smokers that are dormant.  The valleys have mostly a rocky bottom, but there are some patches of sand where the eye weed grows.

Very little grows here, mostly hardy plants and corals that can stand the chemicals (or actually need them).  The one plant that makes life easier in the region is the Eye Weed plant, which filters the toxic chemicals out of the water.  So all settlements sit only where the Eye Weed grows and is surrounded by the plants.  They don't remove all the toxic chemicals, but enough that within settlements one can survive without extra technology, at least for the natives.  Visitors from outside the region best be very careful removing their filtering masks (although for small amounts of time it is okay).

There are not many predators in the region, but there are parasites that destroy the Eye Weed which have to be controlled.  Some fish can also stand the toxic chemicals and feed on the natives.  Near the vents only very specialised creatures can survive the heat and the amount of chemicals.


*Spoiler: People*
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There are two main species in this region.  The Lysmatella are smaller, shrimp-like creatures who are quite smart, while the Lupocyclus are more crab-like, larger but not as smart as the Lysmatella.  the strange thing is that when Lysmatella and Lupocyclus work together, a sort of low-level hive mind forms between the two species, allowing mostly the Lysmatella to direct the work of the others more easily.

They live mostly in the valleys, where the level of toxic chemicals is less than on the tops of the hills.  While the Lysmatella do most of the governing (what there is in the region), the Lupocyclus do the heavy lifting and most of the Eye Weed maintenance.


*Spoiler: History and Government*
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The region has always been fragmented, as the natives could only live where the Eye Weed grows (in the sandy valleys).  While they can tolerate the toxic chemicals for long enough that some trade had developed, it wasn't enough for a strong centralised government.  so the villages remained rather small, with a local noble (all from the Lysmatella) ruling over each village.

On the other hand, the fact that it was very difficult to move from one village to the other meant that there has been very little warfare between the villages.  All villages maintain a militia to defend against predators, Mostly Lupocyclus with Lysmatella officers, and they have similar tactics, but there is not really a unified military.


*Spoiler: Resources*
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The plant known as Eye Weed is grown across the region where-ever it can be grown.  It is vital for life in the region, but some can be exported.  It is very good at absorbing chemicals and also has some anti-biotic properties.  Older plants actually contain a lot of chemicals that they absorbed in their lifetime, but the young shoots can be used to neutralise chemicals.  this can be used to counter drugs or preserve food, or when a person has been outside of the villages too long, to counter the toxics they absorbed themselves.

While the Lupocyclus are quite content to live as before, the Lysmatella want exotic goods as a way to show their status and also to have something others from their species don't have.


*Spoiler: Faith*
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The people in the region beleive that after dead, if you have fulfilled your destiny, your soul goes to another plain of existance (called the Dream World) where it can still be contacted by people with special abilities.  If not, it is reincarnated in another body.

People with the ability to contact ancestors, called the dreaming dead, all can't form hive minds with others.  So anybody who lacks the ability to form a hive-mind will become a priest (both species can become priests).  The main training of priests to contact the dreaming dead is in a small village (Holy site 1) near the middle of the region where the only non-priests are one Lysmatella overseeing a group of Lupocyclus tending to the Eye Weed.

The second holy site is a chasm near the village of the priests, where there are a lot of villages around at various points.  This is the only more organised part of the region as the villages are closer together.  All the villages close to the chasm dispose of their dead by letting them into the chasm.  It is tought that this chasm has a portal to the Dream World somewhere down below.

The last holy site is a small cave in the North-East, where according to legend the first Priest received the gift of Dream Talking from a soul so strong it could reach back by itself.

In the past years, a battle has been fought between different faiths and while the main priesthood is under the power of the Hymenocera, the holy sites, except for the site of the recently created holy order) are in the hands of the Shimmers of Unseen Bane.






*Spoiler: region 29*
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Name: Belosa

*Spoiler: Geography*
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A mostly sandy/muddy region with small rock formations dotted through the region.  A lot of toxic chemicals are brought here on the current from the north-east, but there were a few crevassas in the region where toxic chemical poured out.  The sand becomes a wasteland to the north-west.  Closer to the North it's more hilly with the smokers also seen in region 4.

Due to the toxicity there are very few plants and the animals either tolerate the chemicals or actually need them.  Near region 4 there grow some Eye Weed plants, but the rest of the region is not really suitable for them.


*Spoiler: People*
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The Belosiae are cephalopods, about 5 feet long (including tentacles).  They have grown used to the chemicals and actually have filtration systems in their body.  They also use some of the chemicals they ingest to be able to glow in a unique pattern, which they use in mating rituals or in dance feasts when tribes meet.  They live in tribal units, roaming through the region.


*Spoiler: History and Government*
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Because the lack of sufficient shelter and the lack of materials to build them, the Belosiae are mostly nomads, traveling from place to place with their herds of Spine Crabs.  Each family unit is self-contained, although they do intermarry.  There is a council of the heads of the largest tribes and the priests which decides on the few things that affect the region as a whole.  Beyond that all tribes govern themselves and the few conflicts between tribes are most often solved by a combat of champions.  As they are nomadic, everyone learns to defend the tribe and the herds, meaning they have quite a lot of soldiers should the need arise.

There are a few small towns around the rock formations where tribes come together to trade.


*Spoiler: Resources*
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In the region lives a species of crab called spine crabs.  These are often well camouflaged in the wild, but are now domesticated.  They serve as food and draft animal for a large amount of different jobs.  The spine crabs themselves dig in the mud for small molluscs to eat.

Due to the relative low amount of rock in their own region they need a lot of building material to build houses for themselves.


*Spoiler: Faith*
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The main faith in the region is ancestor worship, where they believe that their ancestor's souls will look after them if properly appeased.  Near the border with region 4 some tribes follow a different form of ancestor worship as in that region.  While they don't have many Dream Talkers (only a few Lupocyclus move over the border), they do have a location near a group of Eye Weed plants where the few Dream Talkers say they can hear the ancestors.  It's not clear why this location is different, but a lot of tribes following this religion try to pass there at least once per year.  This site has recently been taken over by the priests of the Hymenocera as part of their vendetta against the Dream Talkers

In the rest of the region a different form of ancestor worship takes place, where people just try to emulate prominent ancestors.  In the largest town near the middle of the region has a large cave that functions as the Hall of the Ancestors.  Any Belosia who has done something noteworthy for the whole region will get a 'statue' in the Hall, where his/her glow pattern is recreated using luminous algae and sponges.

A third site the Belosiae consider holy is the site of a large battle between them and the titans, where many ancestors did glorious deeds.  For most visitors it's just a muddy plain.

----------


## Frostwander

Application: Costa Sereia

Capital region: 134

*Spoiler: Summary*
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Costa Sereia - bio-grafting merfolk led by influential families

Leader: Madrina Uschi Alverna, current matriarch of the Alverna costa

Region Name: Palacia
Starting Tech: Composite Grafting
Starting Resource: Cobalt Dye
Required Resource: Food

*Spoiler: Geography*
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A submerged shelf slope with a sprinkling of tiny islands along the shallow edge. The people make their homes within the shallow coves and inlets of the rocky islands, and a single broad crevasse cut into the shelf itself. The waters are largely clear, allowing a view of the sandbeds, schools of shallow-water fish, and a variety of seaweed farms and small coral reefs that are carefully maintained and harvested. Where the end of the shelf drops off, deeper ocean schools drift, and colorful minerals sparkle among the sand and stone of the cliffside and floor.

*Spoiler: People*
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The Sereia are a merfolk race, with a piscine lower body and tail meeting at the waist with a humanoid torso, arms and head. Adult Sereia typically measure two to five meters in length from head to fin, with the tail accounting for between half and three-quarters of their body mass. In addition to a variety of skin and scale colors, there is significant diversity in the other physical features of the species. Alterations to limbs, gills, fins, and even overall body configuration are common - but this wasnt always so.

The Sereia were once a small fringe group of the proud merfolk people of the Tritaol Republic. With their pursuit of bio-grafting, they were shunned as deviants and degenerates who modified their bodies in unnatural ways. Disenfranchised from the primary societies, disowned grafters came together and formed families, costa, of their own. Without many of the opportunities afforded to the general populace, many relegated to low caste jobs or falling into criminal activity, and surviving largely by virtue of their loyalty and resilience. They came to call themselves Sereia, taking the derogatory term of sirens and turning it into a boast for themselves.

With the calamity came a great upheaval. The pampered upper class of the republic acknowledged too late the signs that heralded the disastrous times, and with the destruction, famine, and death rapidly spiraled into a civil collapse. Government efforts scarcely slowed the unraveling society. The Sereia, however, found themselves in a position of unintended benefit. Many of the altered physical traits turned out to significantly increase the survivability of those  who bore them, and grafters quickly innovated even more crucial advances in medicine and bio-modification. Gills that could filter toxins from the water, bioluminescence to provide vision into the deeper crevasses, even redundant organs. The Sereias talents and advantages, along with their strong bonds of loyalty, placed them solidly as essential leaders to the peoples survival. Many gave in to the necessity to become what they had once despised, while those groups who refused to compromise their principles declined, dying or falling into obscurity.

*Spoiler: Example Portrait*
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_Aristocratic faction:_  The Costa Families

*Spoiler: Resources*
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*Cobalt Dye* - Abundant
Cobalt is a ferromagnetic metal, and its ore is found in abundance in veins along the base of the shelf cliff in Palacia. Ground fine and exposed to air above the surface, it forms into powders used in decoration, etching into shells, painting, tattoos, and more. When combined with other compounds, it also sees use in some of the Sereias bio-grafting processes. The gathering and refining of cobalt is difficult and the waters around the ore are slightly toxic, resulting in a slow-building 'blue gill' sickness among those in the trade.

*Food* - Requisite
The food produced in Palacia is only barely enough to meet the minimum subsistence of the people there. The quantities and varieties needed to grow, thrive, and live well will require them to secure outside sources.

_Mercantile faction:_  The Guilda - groups with strong ties to various families oversee the production and delivery of goods and services

*Spoiler: Faith*
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*Atheism / Brilhinte*

Since the cataclysm, a large portion of the population has shed their beliefs in the gods once broadly worshipped by the republic. These largely dedicate themselves to the here and now. 

However, a significant minority still holds to and keeps the trappings and tenants of their precursors faith, believing that such devotion will one day be noted and rewarded by the Divines. Brilhinte is the worship of the Seven Divines, a pantheon of gods and goddesses believed to each embody and administer one of the domains of creation. While each Divine favors certain conduct and priorities, there is a shared conviction in three core tenets: Piety, Virtue, and Hospitality.

_Clerical faction:_ The Priesthood of the Seven

*Holy Sites:* At the height of their glory stood a grand temple to each of the Seven Divines. Only three are currently known to have survived the calamity and downfall of the republic, the others abandoned to the tumultuous waters.

Site: Temple of Raquela - Control: Brilhinte
_A vast aptyxis shell dozens of meters across, the interior divided into chambers and covered in etchings of the goddess of life. Its public areas are used to host weddings, and the inner wards to house and train midwives._

Site: Temple of Desderia - Control: Brilhinte
_The temple to the Goddess of Currents has no walls and no roof. Flues of stone and coral rise in a wide elipse, encompassing the space without restricting the flows of change. Unexpected good fortune is celebrated here, and a poor turn of fate is commiserated here likewise in turn. Those with no other home are often welcomed here for a short time until they float on._

Site: Temple of the Deep - Control: Brilhinte
_Far from the habitations of most Sereia, the shrine to the enigmatic Deep is kept by a small but devoted sect. The few visitors are those who feel lost and without purpose, and those who seek meaning in dreams. It is far more common for visitors to be turned away than welcomed, and even less likely that a reason is disclosed for either reception._

----------


## D&D_Fan

*The Otterian Supremacy*

*Yirp the Fierce*
Rulerstats:
D -  2
M - 5
E - 3
F - 3
I - 4
Link to rolls in thread.

*People - The Otterians*
The Otterians are short furry mammals that have dexterous paws and a strong bite. They are carnivorous creatures and they like eating fish and crustaceans and mollusks, basically, anything they can crush with a rock. They are often seen as very endearing, because, I mean, look at them, they have paws and fur and ears and whiskers. But don't be deceived, they can be very vicious when threatened.
They were once landwalkers, but in ancient times, the Reavers drove them from their home. Having nowhere else to go, they embraced the seas as their new home. As time would pass, they would evolve to fit their new home, replacing their hind legs with flippers to allow better maneuvering in the water and an improved lung capacity for longer stays beneath the waves. They are no longer fit to live on land, as they can really only flop around on it anymore, lacking the desired tools to perambulate. But the effects of their forced exodus would reflect in their culture as well. They maintained isolation in the fear that the outsiders who took their old home would take their new home as well. In truth, they know very little about their origins, they don't know what their home turf was actually like in nature, and they spin wild tales about how it must have been to live on land. There is little information they possess of their original home, but they still strive to rediscover it and find out about their origins. It is only recently that they have reached out in any diplomatic capacity. Perhaps this will be the key to achieving their goals of exploration and reconquest.
In terms of clothing and fashion, they are covered in fur, which keeps them warm and covers up the parts that are typically covered, but Yirp the Fierce personally likes wearing dramatic capes. The historic ceremonial weapon of the Otterians is the rock, it served them in ancient times when they used it to fight against the Reavers. Though the battle may have been lost, without the trusty rock to aid them, there might not be any Otterians left.

*Spoiler: OOC Note*
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In real life, otters do some nasty things, things I will not describe here, and that will not be in this game. While the Otterians might still be cruel or violent at times, they have become much more civilized than their prehistoric ancestors and will not be committing any _degeneracy_.
 

*Geography -  The Great Kelpland* 
The waters of this region are cold, briny, and filled with sharp rocks and small rocky islands. But while it may appear inhospitable from above, just below the surface lies a massive, lush kelp forest. The Otterians construct their homes among the kelp forests, growing large specialized kelp stalks with built-in dwellings for the Otterians to live in. The Otterians have grown a large, dense perimeter of kelp around the forest, made of a tougher, more resilient variety, all this to make a protective wall of kelp. As for what lies within the wall, there are many fish and other creatures like mollusks, urchins, invertebrates, and sponges. Lots of food for otterians to eat. At the dark bottom, few things live there, but it is peaceful. At the top, there are rocks to lie upon. It's a nice place below the waves.

*Government System - Dictatorship*
The Otterians have always relied on a single strong leader to direct them to greatness. A leader must rise to the top through skill and strength, and if they feel that they must be the ones in control, they will fight the current leader to the death. If they are deserving of this position, they will win. If not, they will die. The leader officially commands the military, economics, religion, intrigue, and diplomacy. Leaders usually place other Otterians whom they trust in positions of power to manage the nation, but they are always ultimately subservient to the supreme leader, or so they say. The current supreme leader is Yirp the Fierce who seized his role from the previous leader Yarp the Somewhat Unpleasant to be around. It was widely seen as the right move.

*Philosophy and Religion - Supremacy* (of the Otterkind)
The Otterians believe that the true goal of the future is to ensure survival and achieve dominance and success for one's people, but if anyone else were to join them in this belief, they would be allies due to a shared individual goal, and their recognition of that would mean that they wouldn't immediately attack one another: Our survival is your survival.
Sacrifice is a big part of Supremacy. The lives of sapients must be relinquished to preserve the integrity of Supremacy. As they have in the past, and as they will in the future. When one is accustomed to sacrificing, they will not hesitate to sacrifice themselves in the name of their faith and people.

Holy Sites include:
The Red Stack: A large, flat sea stack that they perform sacrifices upon. It stands in the middle of their forest, rising above the waves.
The Largest Rock: A large, sharpened rock that lies at the bottom of the ocean. It is a mystery why such a giant weapon would exist, whoever or whatever could have wielded it? Nevertheless, its existence inspires awe amongst the Otterians.
The Old-Growth Forest: The oldest part of the Kelplands is this forest, it was there long before the Otterians ever were, and they believe that it is best left undisturbed and revered.

*Resources - Kelp*
They harvest kelp as a useful building material, which they bioengineered to be just that. I guess some creatures could also eat it. It's a very workable material. They grow it all across their region in arbors.
Their desired material is rocks. They want very good rocks, as rocks hold significance to their culture and religion for the reasons that were explained above.

*Technology - Supernatic Propogation*
If they wish to retake the lands from whence they came, they will need to establish a welcoming environment there first.

----------


## JBarca

*The Shifting Ennead*


*Spoiler: Summary*
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*Region Preference, in order*: 71, 69 (nice), 70, then any region that borders either Waste or Toxic in Polar>Temperate>Tropical priority order

*Leader*: Ninth of Nine Prince Antenius, Who Grasps the Wave, Son of Strolinus, Son of Akkoroas
(Tentative) Stats
D: 4 (incl +1)
M: 4
E: 4 (Incl +1)
F: 2
I: 3

*Capital*: Danabae

*Demonym*: Shifters, Enneii

*Starting Faith*: The Descendants of the First of One
	Holy Sites: House of Silt [Cult of the Silted Queen]
		     Neoplastic Monolith [Open]
		     The Last Limites [Descendants of the First of One]

*Resource*: Edible Algae
*Requirement*: Exotic Creatures

*Starting Tech*: Composite Grafting

*Supports*:
	Aristocratic: Shifting Ennead
	Clerical: OPEN
	Mercantile: Shifting Ennead

*Brief pitch*: Extremely hierarchical octopuses are addicted to body modification.


*Spoiler: Thalassography*
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Danabae, the Waters Which Do Not Still. From nearby, uncharted waters come currents that whorl and swoop through Danabae, creating unique currents along the seafloor. Tunnels, outcroppings, peaks, and strange columns abound, though the flatter, center area of the region is covered in a thick, still carpet of algae.

It is in this central area, often called The Crop, lies two monolithic structures, hollowed out by currents and laborious effort. The dark gray stone of Last Limites tower over the surrounding seascape.

In and around The Crop can be found most of the Danabaean settlements, typically small villages mostly made of thickened algae domes, carved stone, and silt held in place by carefully grown stalks of adhesive seaweed.



*Spoiler: People, Government*
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Danabae is populated by three distinct peoples organized into four castes, mostly along racial lines.

At the bottom are the serfs, nearly entirely made up of native Mer (though the odd foreign wanderer unlucky enough to end up working or truly disgraced Nautilite may be found here as well). These people are attached to the sea and spend their entire lives producing or, in times of famine, becoming food for the other castes. Although they have limited mobility, both socially and locationally, they are granted some level of autonomy so long as the required goods are produced. In many villages, the Mer have full governments who act as intermediaries between the serfs and the upper tiers. There are even whispered rumors of a silent Silted Queen lurking at the edges of this society, waiting for the ideal time to lead her people in revolt.

Above the serfs are the Arms. Especially loyal or hardworking Mer, industrious but physically weak Nautilites, and even a small few unlucky, but still wealthy, Doflein make up this class. They are artisans, architects, artists, biologists, grafters, scholars, and anyone else who creates goods other than food or simple raw materials. They do well enough for themselves, but the lack of prestige in their work leaves them with little true influence in Shifter society.

Next are the Beaks. This is the warrior caste, almost entirely Nautilite in makeup. They are soldiers, peacekeepers, border guards, scouts, test subjects, sealords (as in, property-owners), tax collectors, assessors, and anyone else whose value to society comes from their physical presence or who benefits the state without producing goods (whether through administration or a particular skillset). The Beaks are powerful mostly in that they are the violent arm of the state. They are afforded luxuries when stationed near The Crop and promises of luxury when away in order to guarantee their loyalty. The wealthiest of these keep large numbers of Mer servants nearby to manage even the most simple of tasks, considering labors such as carrying money, moving aside curtains, or writing to be beneath their dignity.

Finally, the ruling class of the Enneii are the Doflein. This is both the name for the species and the caste, since the overlap between the two is nearly perfect. These people issue commands, lead military campaigns, advise the Princes, and breed. They are organized into various families and operate under a strict hierarchy based mostly on how recently their family was in power and how intermarried their family is to the current Princes.

The Nautilites are large, shelled mollusks with a large number of grasping tentacles surrounding their faces. They are physically very similar to nautiloids (especially the chambered nautilus) save that they are larger and more dexterous. Nautilites who are unmarried leave their shells natural, but those who are bonded will carve and paint their shells in complex, and identical, patterns as part of the marriage rites. The height of prestige for a Nautilite is to attain a high rank in the military and then to do nothing for as long as possible, their every need catered to by Mer.

The Doflein are much like large Octopuses, though countless generations of careful breeding has given them longer lifespans and a peculiar ability to recover from even grievous injury given time. A Doflein can enter a stasis-like hibernation at will, during which time it is able to regrow lost limbs, shed and replace damaged flesh, and even recover some lost brain tissue. This process is incredibly slow, though, and rarely serves much purpose aside from grafting. The current ruling family is the Akkoroan family, with Prince Antenius at the head. He is, of course, the youngest son of the main branch of the family, as the Doflein practice Ultimogeniture.

The serfs are, of course, attached to the seabed they farm. The Arms move between the serf villages freely. The Beaks typically follow the government as it moves, though portions of the soldiery are always stationed in The Crop and near the borders. The ruling class is most nomadic. With their food needs taken care of, they enjoy exploration for its own sake and patrolling for new delicacies (or graft materials).



*Spoiler: History*
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Danabae was once a region of Mer and Nautilites living alongside each other. They were never truly friends, though strained peace tended to prevail unless times were particularly lean.

Generations ago, though, the Doflein arrived. With their sophisticated strategies and willingness to offer hefty bribes, they quickly won over the pragmatic and, honestly, lazy Nautilites. This alliance quickly overpowered the Mer, and the modern caste system began to take form. 

Since then, the Doflein have used their power mostly to encourage their best and brightest in the field of grafting. Their ability to induce stasis and mend flesh, coupled with an ingrained fear of appearing weak, has created a cultural fascination with, or perhaps addiction to, body modification. It is not uncommon to see Doflein with scales, fins, spines, or any number of other features. No two Doflein are biologically identical at this point (unless they wish to be).



*Spoiler: Resources*
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The Doflein, and by extension the Ennead, are hoarders at heart(s). Thus, they keep what they can to themselves. They do, however, see the value in trade and order their serfs to produce excesses of Edible Algae. Everyone needs food.

The Doflein addiction to modification, though, knows no bounds. They are constantly seeking new sources of flesh, bone, scale, and more esoteric body parts. Thus, they will always demand outside suppliers of Exotic Creatures.


*Spoiler: Faith*
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House of Silt [Cult of the Silted Queen]: The Mer in Danabae have a collection of local faiths, mostly centered around various animistic beliefs. A large and growing movement, though, sees the Mer waiting for a savior in the form of the Silted Queen. She takes on the role of semi-divine hero who will lead the Mer to freedom and thus ascend to true divinity. Her shrines dot the villages of Danabae. The greatest of her temples, though, is the House of Silt: a low cave made entirely of loose dirt that stays standing despite the ocean currents.

Neoplastic Monolith [Open]: A great roiling mass of hard, stone-like flesh grows near the [direction of nearest waste or toxic border] border of Danabae. It shifts, grows, and consumes constantly, and is revered by some few who dare approach it. There are no official faiths associated, but its obvious power and beauty are worthy of some veneration, surely.

The Last Limites [Descendants of the First of One]: The faith of the Doflein is a simple one, truly, since they find little time for religious rites or esoteric philosophy. The Descendants of the First of One is, rather, the general guiding mindset of the Doflein. It is in some ways ancestor veneration in that the eponymous First of One (a previous ruler) is, according to legend, in stasis beneath the Last Limites and will one day arise to bring the Ennead to greatness. In truth, though, it is a philosophy of growth. The Descendants follow in the Firsts obsession and prize personal growth and change (in the physical sense) above all else.





Maurente [Region 74]
*Spoiler: Thalassography*
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Maurente is mostly a large, flat, seaswept plain, broken up by canyons that teem with creatures and seem to glow with a life of their own. The flatseas are mostly empty, though, except when the herdsfolk of the region are moving their squid, manatees, or krill through the weeds for grazing. Within the canyons, settlements and natural habitats for many creatures can be found.

The borders of Maurente are mostly unoccupied, though, for a variety of reasons. To the west, the threat of the warlike Nautilites, or more recently the designs of the Ennead, kept settlement there the resort of the truly desperate. To the north, the seeping toxins of the wastes and brine make the seafloor uninhabitable. To the east and south, the strange roughs cause great currents to sweep along, creating an obstacle to construction that, as of yet, as not needed to be tackled.



*Spoiler: People, Government, History*
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The major sentient population of Maurente are the Reida, a species of intelligent flatworms. The Reida refer to the region as Masae, but the arrival of the mighty Ennead has seen such distinctions disappear rapidly. The Reida are organized into many tribes, the most dominant of which is the Jugurtuns. Prior to the conquest, there was no true ruler of the region, but when the tribes gathered, it was the Jugurtuns who fielded the most warriors, produced the most representatives, and who could bribe the most small tribes.

The Reidan tribes exist in a state of near constant conflict, though this conflict tends to be resolved with injuries or, at worst, a handful of deaths. Far more important is proving superiority and claiming land than any sort of conquest or destruction. When disputes arise, as they must, swarms of Reida from each tribe will mount their squids and aim to create "infernos," or areas of heated water. The tribes will then enter a contest of wrestling, jockeying for position, and stunts that lasts until one tribe retreats, either due to shame or the heat. When the Reida need to turn to true violence, these firefly squids prove to be startlingly effective, if unreliable, deterrents to enemy combatants as well.

Under the Ennead, the Jugurtuns retain some of their power. As the Doflein love of strict hierarchies begins to drift into Maurente, the Reida find themselves slotting into position beneath their new rulers, sorted mostly by the size of their tribes. In the end, though, the major reorganization sees the extraction of taxes from the Reida. On the whole, this is not the worst thing, though many of the more powerful tribes resent their new constant need to pay off rivals - they are more used to receiving tributes, not sending them.



*Spoiler: Resources*
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Export: *Firefly Squid*. The Firefly Squid are squids about six or so feet long on average. They are the main domesticated creature of the Reida, useful for everything from pack animals to war beasts to food. They are special for their eponymous fireflies - a glowing, heat-producing plankton that lives in the body of the otherwise translucent squids. These plankton can, when made to, produce incredibly hot temperatures which the squids can then vent out of their mantle.

Requirement: *Crops*. The Reida are not farmers, they are herders. And when tides are rough and the seafloor is barren, the squids can go hungry. An import of food for the squids - and their masters - would go a long way toward calming the constantly warring tribes.


*Spoiler: Faith*
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The Reida practice a vast variety of philosophies, organized into numbered, tenet-based Ways. Each Way is based on interaction with the currents of the region in a unique manner, ranging from trust to reluctant resignation to struggle. The holy sites in the region are not physical structures so much as schools centered on great teachers. The three dominant philosophies are listed below.
*The Third Way:* Led by Syphax. This school is based on not only accepting and trusting the currents, but assisting them. It is the most proactive of the pro-current schools, seeking to physically proselytize - those drifting with the current are encouraged to snag their less exuberant tribe members and drag them along. Some within the philosophy are even known to create vast artificial webs to snag as many as they can while drifting.
*The Seventh Way:* Led by Hiempsabal the Lost. This philosophy is predictive in nature. Hiempsabal is said to be able to predict the whims of the water, and teaches those who follow his word to do the same. Thus, the Swimmers of the Seventh Way begin moving before the tides shift, hoping to reach whatever it is the ocean has for them before their capricious environs shift again.
*The Nineteenth Way:* Led by Ṣap̄anbaʿal of Gaeitu. She teaches that the current is a great foe that most be resisted at all costs. This is by far the most enduring of the great philosophies, owing primarily to the structures its adherents build under Ṣap̄anbaʿal's watchful eyes. Their holy places dot the seascape, providing haven to those who wish a respite from the violence of the tides. Those caught in the open are advised to meditate on resist.





The Cathedral of Movement [Region 67]*Resource:* Piezo-phosphoric crystals 
*Desired Import:* stone working tools or tech
*Holy Sites:* 
The Ceaseless GibberingVault of StrifeGap of Finality 

*Spoiler: Geography*
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  The Cathedral of Movement is a region underneath a vast ice sheet.  Along the northern border, the icepack pushes very deep, at times nearly contacting the sea floor.  To the central south lie the Red Weeps.  The Ice Above is stained a deep red, and thick, salty substances weep from above down into a deep rift below.  Southeast and southwest of the Weeps, lie regions yet unexplored.
The massive Ice Above unifies the region.  Impossibly thick, yet very translucent, the Ice above shines with endless dancing, shifting bands of color.  This continual aurora gives the region, and the people, its name. 
The Stone Below makes up the sea floor, sloping generally away from the dangerous regions of the north.  Slate, schist, and sparkling granite form countless tables and towers; the softer materials having been ground away by the relentless tides.  
Between the Ice Above and the Stone Below lies the Cathedral of Movement.  Strong currents combine with the bobbing pressure of the Ice Above keep the waters swirling in complex, sense-defying patterns.  The light through the ice spawns endless phytoplankton, which is fed on by uncountable masses of small crustaceans, collectively referred to as Cleaners.  The life cycle of these Cleaners is the marching-beat of all the other creatures life cycles:  endless schools of small fish which feed upon them, and the larger ones that feed upon them, and so on.  Larger crustaceans sweep across the Stone Below at regular intervals, feasting on the detritus.  
Vegetation is sparse, but prolific.  Thick bands of kelp spring up where the water is deep enough to avoid the Ice Aboves crushing press and the Stone below is shallow enough to allow the light of the Ice Above to cause it to grow.  These scattered but thick forests provide cover for the endless schools of fish that traverse the area.  The kelp provides both edible leaves, fodder for the delicious fire mollusks, and stringy stems used as textiles and rope.   


*Spoiler: People*
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  The Scintillius are Mer native to the regions.  Being exothermic and living in cold waters, these Mer tend to be more rotund than others in warmer climates.  Scintillius wear some clothing for protection from the ice and the jagged rocks.  They are particularly fond of belts and harnesses with multiple pouches.  Notably, their fur tends to come in a wider variety of colors and almost exclusively in winding patterns of different colors.  
Most Mer live in homes made of stacked schist & slate tablets and woven kelp interior furnishings.  Sling chairs and hammocks dominate for furniture.  Piezo-phosphoric crystals provide ample lighting.  Granit with large reflective crystals is highly prized, and a sign of wealth.  Larger structures are largely absent.  Instead, the Scintillius gather in large cleared, levelled areas.  They tether themselves to the carved Viewpoint rocks on the seafloor.  This allows them to stay in one place without much effort.
The Scintillius are a people obsessed with patterns, currents, and movement.  Stagnant water is terrifying to them.  Their main topic of daily discussion are the sea currents, the changing colors of the ice-above, and what meaning these hold for their daily lives.  This obsession has created an ever-changing society.  Scintillius seldom stay with one profession, live in one location, or stay as a family unit for very long.  This has created a society of generalists and teachers, with Mer constantly wanting to learn and do new things. 

*Spoiler: History and Government*
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As far as the Scintillius can recall, they have always lived under the ice.  The towering columns of the Vault of Strife recall a time when their society spread as far south as the great southern glacier.  But over time the Red Weeps consumed those settlements.  Time itself tends to be a nebulous concept for the Scintillius, more attuned to the tides and auroras than to any arbitrary, measurable, set, increment.  The track their years as 2 cycles of Cleaner spawning, separated into the Stripe Spawn and the Shine Spawn.  But beyond that, smaller time increments seem unneeded.
The government is, in essence, a technological theocracy.  The Weavers are a select group of community leaders who maintain tight control over their primary resource and unique technology.  They utilize this technology to discuss the various patterns and movements across their region, to develop a consensus around future events.  The Watchers are the day-to-day local representatives, listening to the world around them and the people within, and reporting back to the Weavers.  


*Spoiler: Resources & technology*
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  Growing on the Ice Above are strange crystals, *Piezo-phosphoric Crystals*.  These crystals seem to be both mineral and organic in nature, somehow.  They possess the unique property that, when subjected to a compressive force, the crystals generate light.  The more compression, the more light, up to a certain limit.  These crystals are use as light sources throughout the Cathedral of Movement with the water pressure increasing their glow as the Stone Below slopes downward.  The Weavers and Watchers tend the patches of these crystals that grow throughout the cathedral, ensuring they are never over-fractured.
The Scintillius are always on the look-out for * Stone cutting tools and tech*.  Schist and slate are hard to work, and the limitations of the fractured-plate style of stone available limits their ability to build.  
The Piezo-phosphoric crystals have another unique property.  If the crystals are fractured and divided in a very specific manner, pressure on one will cause it to glow.  The other matched crystal will also glow in the same manner.  This is true no matter the distance the two crystals are apart- even to the edges of the Cathedral itself.  This * Piezo-phosphoric Resonance* has been turned into a communications technology, similar to how *photosphore signalling* is used by other societies.  The Weavers have a secret code of flashes caused by tapping the crystal with a special hammer-device.  This Sounding Code allows them to communicate across their entire realm.  
Economically, the Scintillius are capitalists, driven by risk and reward.  The more wealthy put up capital for new business ventures to mitigate the risk of starting up.  Their beliefs in patterns and movements create an innate sense of risk-taking, and their economic system rewards those that get their guesses correct.  However, there is a strong prohibition of the Weaver's and Watcher's engaging in supplying venture captial.  Instead, they are consulted for their knowledge and paid accordingly.


*Spoiler: Faith*
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  All Scintillius firmly believe that the secrets of the universe reside in the shifting coronas of the Ice Above, the tides, and the movements of the water.  Studying them, interpreting them, and sharing their findings are the obsession of the people.  The Watchers listen, trying to avoid guiding the discussion.  The Watchers are taught that the people can understand their part of the Pattern.  It is the Watchers duty to understand their people.  And to inform the Weavers of their insights.  The Weavers duty is to interpret the entirety of the Cathedral, and to take actions accordingly.  
There does not exist a formal liturgy or codified religious text.  Only the lessons carved into the Pillars of Strife.  But the population, to a Mer, believe in and support, the Weavers and Watchers.
*Holy Sites:* 
The Ceaseless Gibbering is a special tunnel along the northern border.  Some special property of its location and design causes the cave to emit constant burbling noise.  Many Scintillius believe that the cave speaks words to those that seek to listen and understand.  Perhaps they are right.  A Weaver has a home here and spends their time meditating in front of the cave.The Vault of Strife is actually a misnomer.  A large circular space roughly in a deep depression at the center of the Cathedral.  Here are stored the stories and mythology of the Scintillius.  Each story has been carved into a slate tablet, and each tablet stacked beside or on-top of each other.  These create the pillars of strife.  Much wisdom is contained in here, almost always through the story of a failed action, missed opportunity, or other lesson taught through misfortune and trauma.The Gap of Finality is a rift in the floor at the southern edge of the Cathedral.  A strong current pulls a column down from the Red Weeps above, sucking it into the unknown underground.  Here is the burial place of the Scintillius.  Bodies are wrapped in kelp, with prayers of farewell bound to the body.  It then is pushed towards the gap and pulled into the underworld.




Sketi [Region 68]

*Spoiler: Thalassography*
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Sketi is cold and, oddly enough, dry. Much of the seafloor in the region is hilly, with peaks home to small coral systems and their symbiotic partners. The valleys come in two varieties. First and most commonly are the still valleys, places where the seafloor is sandy, covered in plant life, and home to the various peoples of the region. A fair few of these lower depths, however, are constantly shifting and are covered in valuable mineral deposits. A process that takes place deep under the seafloor produces pockets of air that percolate up through these valleys, creating shifting waves of bubbles rising through the water. Some valleys are filled with hydrophobic salts which catch large rafts of air, which the locals often use for anything that requires dry work.

These bubble columns dot the landscape, keeping visibility strangely limited from some angles. Travel across the region is also bound to established routes that are clear and safe, creating a sort of populated highway through Sketi.



*Spoiler: People, Government, History*
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Sketi is populated by two main groups, and a number of smaller peoples. The majority of Sketii are Carstalts. Carstalts are short, flat-bodied crablike creatures whose shells are open on either side, behind the large claw arms. Mating is a permanent prospect for Carstalts, as a mated pair merge into one wide creature, with the exposed flesh on the side of each growing together. More mates can be added to this pair, however, and it is not uncommon to see a Carstalt with a dozen or more members. For this reason, the Carstalts make exemplary production workers, as they can form a line of semi-independent craftspeople who can each specialize and still work in near-perfect coordination. Carstalts have long been content working hard and raising their children - they do not tend toward ambition or aggression.

The second largest population is Mer, who make up much of the wealth and power in Sketi. Prior to the conquest, Sketi was ruled by a queen and her two consorts. When a queen died or abdicated, her favored consort would depart with her, while the other would stay in the role with the following queen, thus guaranteeing a smooth transition and constancy in rule. Ostensibly, this remains the case, though the Ennead now chooses the queen and her consorts and there is no promise of continuation.

A small population of Nautilites is present in Sketi, as well, though they claim no kinship with the Danabaeans and view the northerners as nomadic barbarians.



*Spoiler: Resources*
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Export: *Gravelglass*. The mineral salts of Sketi have proven incredibly useful for the production of strong and colorful glass products. Most commonly, this is made into gravelglass to sell to the wealthy looking for a colorful accent to their properties.
Import: *Textiles*. The tiny population of true fauna in Sketi, coupled with the difficulty in keeping softer materials in good condition around so many claws and hard shells, has created a huge textile demand.



*Spoiler: Faith*
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For generations, the Sketi largely practices small, familial faiths. With the encroachment of the Pattern, though, their have been a number of unifying movements, though these have been far from successful.
*The Three Peaks*: There is a place near the center of Sketi that is off the beaten path where three large hills seem to lean into each other. At their peak, a large coral colony grows into a single crown, creating a hollow under which monastics and pilgrims can meditate or pray in peace.
*The Open Vent*: A place of quiet contemplation, meditation, and medicinal vision-seeking, the Open Vent is as it claims to be. There is a hole in the ground, from which flows a near-constant, wide tunnel of air, directly to the surface. It is calming to look at, strange to think about, and fascinating to study. People of all faiths and creeds can find something worthwhile in the Open Vent. In recent years, the people of the Pattern have begun using it as a tunnel to the surface, a strange new interpretation of the faith that sees adherents suffering the dry air to look directly into the sky above. This is frequently lethal.




Raconensae[Region 73]

*Spoiler: Thalassography*
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Soft, pale sands shift with the darkening of the water to harsh shards of crystal and rock, melding together in geometric patterns and pockets where arching anemones and clams attempt to root. The water is startlingly clear for how close it borders the Wastes, while an observer from the surface cant see straight down, once the boundary of crystal is passed, it is quite easy to see circular structures in the depths, interspersed and apparently using the alternating softness and hardness of the substrate for construction. As scouts approach the boundary of the Wastes, the anemones cluster and reach heights of several meters, forming an underwater forest stretching from northwest to southeast.



*Spoiler: People, Government, History*
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When the Doflein arrived, there were two primary populations in Raconensae. Most notable were the siliike, whom the Doflein call the strisii. These are squidlike creatures with a long, narrow head mounted atop three girthy tentacles, each ending in a trio of smaller tentacles that allow for fine manipulation. They are exceptionally quick and agile, both mentally and physically, and given to rash decisions, fully anticipating an easy escape.

The other people group is the Kiwa. The Chrysomallon Kiwa are cancrine mollusks whose cutting claws are coated in near-luminous hair. These extend three inches--half their body length--forward from their main shell, from which their reamining eight over-articulated legs riot outwards, between which a cancerous mass of eyes peer dimly out. The shell under whose rim these endless eyes squint slopes thickly back, glinting with specks of the same gold of the clawhairs, but otherwise the rude black of unworked iron dominates their greigite-based exokeleton. They do not know permanence, as they are migrants to these waters, but they are fully bound to the seafloor.

For this reason, the siliike have ruled Raconensae since the Kiwa arrived - their mobility granted them power, and the Kiwa could not compete. Mostly, this just means that the Kiwa survive by eating and providing labor, while the siliike hunt, party, and feast.



*Spoiler: Resources*
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Export: *Rust-Veined Pumice*. The dying scraps of the anemones often drift beneath the seafloor, beyond the grasping reach of the Kiwa. As they decay, they release a foul gas that is trapped within the roiling, half-molten rock far below. As the floor shifts, chunks of this pumise rise, carried on currents, to heights from which normal folks can harvest them.
Import: *Drugs*. The strisii are hedonists.



*Spoiler: Faith*
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_Kiwa wished on an Ancient scales
And that's what started Ancient Tails
Around the sea the Strisi swim
But the kiwa offered up their hymn:

They in chorus sang about their lieges' tails
Now their religion can never fail

Ancient Tails, Ancient Tails
It's long past time for Ancient Tails
Come along and take my fin
Let's all sing our Ancient Hymn

The faith is simple, grocking isn't too hard
You feel envy for tails, they're your favorite part
They look so majestic in the waters above
And they're the only thing that the Kiwa love

Ancient Tails, Ancient Tails
It's long past time for Ancient Tails
Come along and take my fin
Let's all sing our Ancient Hymn

Ancient Tails, Ancient Tails
It's long past time for Ancient Tails
Come along and take my fin
Let's all sing our Ancient Hymn_

The holy sites are as follows
*The Spire*: A towering, spiraling column of crystal and anemones that juts out of the ocean floor. It is surrounded by a swirling mass of grit, scraps of biomass, and pumice. The lighter pumice floats ever up, while the biomass sinks slowly to the waiting claws of the Kiwa.

*The Stillness*: A pocket of warm, stagnant water that is formed between two dense patches of crystal sits nearly at the center of Raconensae, the Stillness is a meditative paradise. It is quiet, calm, pleasant, dark, and enclosed, free of distractions and cut off from the demands of the world.

----------


## TheDarkDM

*The Lambent Syndicate*

*Lucent Mistress Adiratna*
Diplomacy 8
Military 10
Economy 8
Faith 2
Intrigue 5



*Senja Bersinar (Region 2)*
*Spoiler: Geography*
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*Senja Bersinar, the Twilight Gloaming (Region 2)*

Located north of the abyssal precipice of the Maw, Senja Bersinar encompasses a sprawling reef of brightly-colored coral fed by a forest of hydrothermal vents.  The constant flow of minerals and gasses from the molten heart of the planet shrouds the region in a dreamlike haze, an atmosphere that is only accentuated by the variety of bioluminescent species that call the region home.  Schools of angelfish and butterfly fish scatter to make way for groupers and coral trout, alert for the predation of hammerhead sharks and moray eels.  While the waters of the twilight gloaming remain predominantly wild, there are inescapable signs of some guiding hand at work - coral sculpted into delicate and unnatural landmarks, guiding trenches carved in the ocean floor, and everywhere strands of glowing emerald kelp cultivated as much for aesthetics as for utility.  These are the clawmarks of the Lambent Syndicate, the unifying force of the kucen people whose civilization dominates Senja Bersinar.  Their coral palace-plantations rise in spires of opalescent hues, grasping hands curling towards the dappled sunlight of the surface.  Clustered around the hydrothermal vents, siren-addled miners scrape in the sand for minerals both precious and utilitarian, heedless of the poisons filling their gills. Spiraling breeding fields curve around the tangle of the coral expanse, where fish and more unsavory stock are bred for the Syndicates pleasure.  And ever present in the glittering aurora of the sea, the yawning darkness of the Maw.


*Spoiler: People*
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*The Kucen*

A bipedal, bibrachial family of anguilliformes, the kucen  species was initially composed of three physically distinct sexes - fertile females, fertile males, and infertile males.  Fertile females and infertile males both grow to lengths approaching seven feet including a powerfully prehensile tail.  Possessed of bioluminescent eyes, needle-sharp teeth, and pale grey skin, they slip through the darkened waters of their home like phantoms.  Fertile males, meanwhile, never develop limbs beyond their tail, remaining between one and two feet long as their bodies prioritize the production of fertilizing hormones.  Lacking the natural defenses of their larger kin, fertile males bioluminescence extends down the length of their bodies, ample warning against accidental consumption in the seas surrounding the Maw.  Though intelligent, the kucens development beyond small tribal groups was impeded by their predatory diet and instinctive hostility to competitors outside extended family pods - no end of kucen blood was spilled in Senja Bersinar in days past.  Until the emergence of the first Siren.

Chance exposure of an immature female kucen to the concentrated excretions of a cluster of fertile males resulted in a seemingly miraculous mutation - the female grew far larger than her peers while developing the general bioluminescence of fertile males, and displayed cognitive abilities greater than any antecedent.  This, at the seemingly minor cost of the Sirens fertility.  The development of this first kucen Siren, Indah, sparked a period of rapid development and consolidation among scattered pods of kucen, as what would become and after a long period of experimentation and the sacrifice of untold numbers of immature females the process of breeding additional Sirens was perfected.  That the change carried a growing kernel of hedonistic megalomania was a side effect that was not discovered until it was far too late.

Indah united the Kucen in the space of a single generation, her brilliance and strength of purpose long outshining her growing madness.  The great palace-city of Indahs Rise was carved from the most magnificent of the gloaming twilights coral fonts, while lesser citadels rose up as the domains of her handmaiden-daughters.  With victory, however, came glory, and glory stoked her baser hungers.  The dictates of the Shining Queen grew erratic and self-serving, the prosperity of the kucen sacrificed ever more brazenly to feed her monstrous ego.  At last, possessed of the same ambition that had driven their foster mother, the five handmaidens rose up and deposed Indah in a night of wanton violence.  Publicly, their predecessor had embarked on a final grand adventure to conquer the darkness of the Maw, and Indah is still worshiped in the gloaming twilight to this day.  

Freshly forewarned of the dangers of a single Siren wielding absolute power, the handmaidens managed to suppress their own creeping madness and reached an accord.  Now styling themselves Mistresses of the kucen, each consolidated power within their own palaces, while leaving Indah's Rise in the hands of their unified council, neutral territory where the business of the kucen might be guided by five wills balancing each other.  This consolidation of shared power was soon declared the Lambent Syndicate, and as they set to repairing the damage left in the wake of their deified forebear, the bright ladies of the Syndicate bent every resource to avoiding their own fated degeneration.  At the price of many years and more lives, a brutal anodyne was at last discovered - the spinal fluids of Sirens themselves, bearing the unique cocktail of hormones that led to their births, could forestall the ravages of time.  So armored against their own darkest impulses, the bright ladies of the Syndicate at last turned their eyes outward, to a world at last awakening to its potential.




*Spoiler: Resource*
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*Siren Extract* 

Derived from the fertility hormones secreted by fertile kucen males, Siren is a potent psychoactive most commonly transported as a luminous blue jelly.  Spread over soft membranes or directly over the gills, Siren produces a feeling of extreme euphoria and arousal, accompanied by an explosion of manic energy that takes effect within fifteen minutes and may plateau for up to four hours.  However, continued use of Siren impedes a users ability to achieve these sensations without chemical stimulation, rendering the compound savagely addictive.  Withdrawal after prolonged exposure imposes an extended period of anxiety, anhedonia, and lethargy that in many cases proves irreversible.

*Resource Requirement: Luxuries*

The kucen sirens at the apex of the Lambent Syndicate possess inexhaustible appetites for the finest things in life, and these appetites must be sated if the Syndicates fragile equilibrium is to be maintained.

*Starting Technology: Graduated Symbiosis*

Experimentation on fertile kucen males to produce siren was only the beginning of the Syndicates forays into engineering their own people.  The already symbiotic function of fertile males has only been accentuated, to the point where new breeds emerge from the Syndicates hidden laboratories capable of chemical injection, mimicry of organ function, and the development of new and exotic compounds.


*Spoiler: Faith*
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Each palace-plantation of the Syndicate serves as a localized cult of personality for the Siren in control, lifting up the kucen Mistress to a point nearly equal to the now-deified Indah.  However, there are three sites of sufficient spiritual and material importance to the kucen that a faith taking root there might spread to the majority of the population.

*Indahs Rise:* The great neutral city of the kucen serves as headquarters to the Syndicate, where the Mistresses can meet without fear of violence at the hands of their enemies.  It is by far the most populous of the cities in Senja Bersinar, serving as permanent home to nearly seventy thousand kucen and nearly doubling that population when all Mistresses are in attendance at Indahs towering pearl citadel.

*Indahs Fall:* The site of Indahs mythical departure from Senja Bersinar has gradually become a site of pilgrimages by newly-ascendant Syndicate Mistresses as well as the hoi polloi of the kucen.  What began as a simple shrine has grown into a sprawling temple complex as political factions within the Syndicate vie to display their wealth and power with competing donations.  In fact, so much wealth flows through Indahs Fall that the caretaker priests have found it prudent to take up a secondary profession in usury, and now Indahs Fall serves as the primary lending bank to the elite of Senja Bersinar.

*The Glittering Womb:* While the true birthplace of the civilized kucen is lost to the fog of history, that has not prevented the Syndicate from embellishing its own history.  The site chosen as the official cradle of the kucen is a wonder of truly natural beauty, a shallow trench in the rolling expanse of Senja Bersinar where the fume clears from the water and the delicately draped coral sparkles like stars.  Declared a preserve by the Syndicate, it is to the common kucen what Indahs Fall is to the Sirens, a site of introspection and indelible connection to the past, even if that connection is nothing but a pleasant falsehood.




*Kemenangan Adiratna (Region 28)*
*Spoiler: Geography*
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* Kemenangan Adiratna (Region 28)*

In the farthest reaches of the civilized tropic seas, this sparsely-populated border region endeavors mightily to support life in defiance of the enervating currents that drift south from the toxic sea.  Lacking the vibrant corals that characterize the more hospitable waters to its south, the seafloor of  Kemenangan Adiratna alternate between smooth stretches of inhospitably bone-white sand and pockmarked flows of exposed bedrock.  The currents of the area rise up from the hidden volcanic fissures that rent open the land in antiquity, funneling the water up and banishing the lingering toxins of the frontier.  The borderlands between these shrouded refuges and the stark white of dead sea are ironically, heartbreakingly beautiful patterns of coruscating sand, silt, and minerals vomited forth from the heart of the world, the fundamental seeds of life trapped in a frozen dance with their own destroyers.


*Spoiler: People*
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*Bleached Hymenocera*

Identical in origin to their cousins to the East, the hymenocera of  Kemenangan Adiratna have suffered both physiologically and societally from their environment.  Though the cave systems they call home provide refuge from the terrors both invisible and unnameable that emerge from the toxic sea, generations of exposure have left the normally resplendent coloration of the hyumoneceran shell bleached the mottled dun of sand.  Robbed of the foremost indicator of rank in their regimented society, the bleached hymenocera struggle to maintain order in their petty kingdom, even as the best among them recognize the cruel necessity of centralized power in the face of their peoples many challenges.  It is for this reason that each king or queen of  Kemenangan Adiratna took great pains to both surround themselves in what trappings of wealth they could manage and distribute that self same wealth to their most loyal supporters.  It was an imperfect system, and one that proved all-too-easily manipulated by the Lambent Syndicate.

Alerted by her agents that then-King Elyfos grip on power was waning in the face of dwindling food supplies in what was then Spilai Kochys, Lucent Mistress Adiratna set in play an insidious ploy.  Rerouting her own shipments of Siren to the southern kingdoms of the Seablood Khanate and The Unity, she tempted the regions vaunted Shell Guard into raiding the lightly-guarded caravans, depositing a wealth of Siren at the kings feet.  Unfamiliar with the eastern substance beyond whispered rumors in his court, Elyfos claimed his prize, and was soon ensorcelled by it.  Yet in the weeks before it stole his lucidity from him altogether, the grateful king rewarded his most powerful and most faithful followers with their own small mountains of Siren.  In mere months, the entire leadership of the region was firmly in the grip of addiction.  And then the Lambent Syndicates shipments through the region ceased.  The supply, which once seemed as an ever-flowing river, now began to dwindle.  Nobles that had once sworn eternal friendship now looked jealously at any apparent surplus of the precious substance, and in his rare moments of lucidity King Elyfos was faced with the looming threat of civil war.

Then emissaries from the Syndicate arrived.  With honeyed words and fresh caskets of Siren, the kucen quickly gripped the reins of power in Spilai Kochys.  Though lesser functionaires and the heirs of the nobility cried out for resistance in the face of the Syndicate, the most noble and notable among them were swiftly and permanently silenced.  The kings court, reduced now to a luxurious Siren den, took little interest as Syndicate soldiers crossed the border to secure the canyonways linking the region, and it took little more than the threat of cutting off his supply for King Elyfos to sign away his autonomy and his kingdoms name to something more of Adiratnas choosing.  Now, the noble court survives as something akin to a curiosity to the distant Lucent Mistress, and true power is concentrated in a regional governor of Adiratnas clan and a network of collaborators less principled than their dearly-departed fellows.


*Spoiler: Resource*
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*Tiny Turtles* 

While the treacherous waters of  Kemenangan Adiratna have had the most dramatic effect on its hymenocera inhabitants, they have changed every species that calls the region home.  Nearly as ubiquitous in the caverns and canyons of crab-folk is a subspecies of flatback sea turtles rendered in miniature, a pygmy species that the hymenocera natives see as personifications of soon-to-be-born hymenocera.  Certainly, the turtles vibrant green and orange coloration recalls the faded memories of the hymoneceras own shells, and centuries of religious devotion has led to a relationship somewhere between pet, guardian spirit, and omen.  The arrival of the Syndicate has led to efforts to corral and control the turtles for the good of the population, and the bleached hymenocera have no need to know what befalls the Tiny Turtles dispatched to the outside world.

*Resource Requirement: Meat*

Cruelly, though the bleached hymenoceras devotion to the Tiny Turtles feeds their spiritual lives, it does little to truly _feed_ them.  What game exists in Kemenangan Adiratna is either too small or too rare to adequately supply even the modest communities of the caves, which has forced the bleached hymenocera to rely on a nutritious but foul-tasting kelp for sustenance.  A reliable supply of animal protein, such that their cousins to the East enjoy, would go a long way to earning the loyalty of the common folk.


*Spoiler: Faith*
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*Suntouch Rise:* A rarity in the tide swept waters of the tropics, Suntouch Rise is a string of seamounts large enough to border on islands rising from the largest of the regions canyons.  Breaching the distant surface, the sandy beaches atop the seamounts serve as the essential breeding grounds of the Tiny Turtles.  Only vaguely aware of the cycle of life and death transpiring above their heads, the bleached hymenocera nevertheless recognize the stone pillars as the wellspring of their beloved turtles, and so have carved a series of shrines and altars at the base of the rock to channel their devotion heavensward.

*The Lost:* A location of local myth, The Lost is seen by the bleached hymenocera as the birthright denied them by the toxic sea.  An expanse of dead coral rising in lonely monument above the white sands, the remains of The Lost speak of a proud city fallen to the ravages of time, broad boulevards of stone slabs and many-hued towers of coral left to wither beneath the distant sun.  In years past, the most devoted among the bleached hymenocera would embark on pilgrimage to a hermitage at the heart of the city, but it has lain abandoned for many years.




*Rumah Leluhur (Region 27)*
*Spoiler: Geography*
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*Rumah Leluhur (Region 27)*

South of the regimented pleasure palaces of the sirens and the sprawling plantation-cities of their clients, the shrouded corals of Reumah Leluhur recall an earlier era of kucen development.  Scattered tribal holds dot the striated coral hills, their colors growing increasingly clearer and brighter the further west one swims, as geothermal vents thin and the ocean floor rises closer to the elusive surface.  It is a wild and dangerous stretch of sea, where the natural dangers of coral sharks and caravan-crackers are sometimes indiscernible from the war bands of kucen tribes, with the uninhabited spaces between tribal holds featuring some of the most spectacular coral forests, fed a unceasing supply of blood and bone.  In these primeval battlegrounds, the coral serves as symbiotic home to a unique species of blooming fungus that leeches excess calcium carbonate to form hard-shelled discs that cast uncanny shadows.


*Spoiler: People*
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*Tribal Kucen*

When the first siren Indah rose in Senja Bersinar to unify the kucen tribes beneath her glistening talons, the conquest was not so total as the Lambent Syndicates histories recount.  As Indahs honeyed words and ruthless tactics brought tribe after tribe to heel, the kucen chiefs and warlords at the far edges of their dominion grew increasingly terrified of the shadow to the north.  Indahs power, coupled with her clear intent to demolish the old order, moved the traditionalist kucen leaders to lengths once thought unthinkable, and beneath a banner now resigned to ignominy they sacrificed their pride and the pride of their tribesand made peace.  When Indahs grasp stretched out to the kucen marches, she found herself grappling a confederation united in hatred and fear of nothing so much as her.  Warriors unnumbered in their defeat pressed south, only to be repulsed time and time again.  Even Indahs greatest servants, her siren daughters, proved incapable of swaying even the weakest of the local warlords to their cause, and after nearly ten years of bloody struggle the mother of the Lambent Syndicate chose to turn her gaze elsewhere.  It was not a defeat, of course, for defeat would be unthinkable.  But the tribes found their freedom tenuously secure.  In the years that followed, Indahs disappearance and the merciless press of time eroded the purpose that once united the tribes, and little by little they descended once more into internecine conflict.  Fortunately for them, the same state of affairs had come to dominate the shadow politics of the Syndicate, and the tribes were left to their little wars.

For a time.

The explosive expansion of Lucent Mistress Adiratnas power through the subjugation of Kemenangan Adiratna dealt a terrible blow to her rivals complacency.  Where once the Syndicates gaze had only stretched to its traditional borders, an entire world was now opening, its fruits ripe for the taking if one were cunning and ruthless enough.  But while most of the Syndicates leadership thought to find advantage among the other civilized peoples of the tropic seas, the youngest and least magnificent among them struck upon a different strategy.  For years, the southern tribes had watched in mounting jealousy as their northern cousins grew fat and wealthy, the oppressive terror of Syndicate rule obscured behind currents of luxury and aggressive propaganda.  Conflicts once fought for honor or territory had begun to take on a markedly more materialistic shade, as tribes raided their neighbors for luxuries rather than essentials.  Into this crucible, the Auroran Mistress Intan came not with steel, but with pearls.  Spreading her proportionately meager wealth among the leaders of the largest tribes, she spun a vision of a new and binding federation, her faction of the Syndicate serving as figurehead and voice for the southern tribes, each chief and warlord elevated as captains within the Syndicate, with all the wealth and prestige that office entailed.  Though she was initially greeted with mistrust, Intans clear need of them cast new light on union with Senja Bersinar, and eventually the southern tribes acceded.  At once, wealth beyond the measure of their forefathers began to flow into the region.  And warriors beyond the ken of the Syndicates drug-fueled conscripts leapt like a spear into Intans hand.


*Spoiler: Resource*
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*Hardplate Fungus* 

The unique fungal blooms that emerge from Rumah Leluhurs ancient battlegrounds grow harder as they age, while retaining a great deal of supple flexibility.  Long harvested by audacious hunters who brave the coral sharks, the fungus has served the local kucen tribes well as arms and armor for generations.  Now possessed of the resources to protect industrial harvesting enterprises, the deep red calcifungus has begun to spread to the armies of other Mistresses and beyond.

*Resource Requirement: Megafauna*

Robbed of the constant warfare that once defined them, the tribes of Rumah Leluhur have petitioned Auroran Mistress Intan for a stopgap to retain their cultural distinctiveness from the soft peoples of Senja Bersinar.  Her proposed solution, to import larger and more terrible beasts for the tribes chosen warriors to hunt, received early acclaim, though the longevity of the solution is far from decided.


*Spoiler: Faith*
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*The Fangs:* Unlike the kucen of Senja Bersinar, the inhabitants of Rumah Leluhur have long shunned the Maw as a place of ill omen.  However, two small tribes stand as noteworthy exceptions.  Worshiping the eternal darkness found at the very heart of the Maw, these blind-seeker tribes have carved grim fortresses into a pair of jagged sea-monts that rise like teeth within sight of one another, dominating the northern and southern horizon line of their twins respectively.  Long separate from the proper tribal relations of the region, the blind-seekers have yet to submit to Indahs rule, their continued existence a strange mirror to the resistance offered against Indah by the southern tribes themselves.




*Shue'aaz Sho (Region 8)*
*Spoiler: Geography*
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The sea runs from the small island chain in the north over countless rocks and hills, gradually giving way to more well-known regions on the southern border. Once one swims some distance inward, there are no immediately noticeable landmarks - not a seamount that can be distinguished from its neighbors, making a return to civilization challenging even for experienced navigators. Those who have lived in this sea for years, however, eventually grow immune to this "Rock blindness", as it is called. The bare outcrops turn to an immaculate white twice a year, when the currents bring in marine snow. But the snow never reaches the nooks and crannies of the trenches and labyrinthine caves below. Vegetation is largely constrained to the archipelago's sandy surroundings, though plankton is omnipresent, like in any other sea, feeding on the minerals released by frequent volcanic activity.



*Spoiler: Population*
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Until recently, the region had few inhabitants, and no lawgiver. Itinerant merchants, adventurers, and minstrels spreading ballads exalting the latter's heroic deeds did cross the region. However, each night spent under the stars of Shue'aaz Sho - caves often had dangerous inhabitants - meant one was taking a risk of never waking up again.

The few "natives" of the region could not sustain themselves through agriculture or herding, so they more often than not turned to a primitive life of indiscriminate hunting and raids, if they were not already outlaws who had fled the civilized seas. These inhabitants were of various races and cultures, lacking even a common name for their sea. There are plenty unintelligent creatures, in particular several endemic species of colorful jellyfish who like to float near the surface, making the more squeamish Nacre divers shun the region.

The Lojanese colonists huddle close to their motherland in the north, carving infrastructure and orientation marks in the caves as they go, much to the displeasure of many natives, who feel that they are stripping the sea of its unique character. It is mostly the Tobar who have chosen to move to Shue'aaz Sho. While loyal to the Plo'uogoar, the immigrants are more likely to think of it as a guiding figure, rather than a creator deity who needs to be attended at all times, unsurprisingly.



*Spoiler: Faith*
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Legend has it that Shue'aaz Sho was a Land of Elements before the Cataclysm. Its inhabitants were gigantic serpentine creatures, whose physique is likened by some narrators to that of the Kucen, with others opining that their prominent presence and wisdom implies that they must have had some relation to the ancient Lojanese. In a time before time, they came to the mundane, lifeless sea, carrying an "eternal heat" in their hearts from their unknown homeland. They had two pairs of large membranous fins sprouting from their backs, allowing them to swim above the surface as well as we swim below it. In their realm, water, air and lava coexisted, flowed around each other and mixed, giving rise to the beautiful, if lifeless, rock formations visible to this day. Unless they managed to leave in time, it is assumed that they were all killed by the cataclysm, buried beneath their collapsing palaces. A few loanwords remain, but most of their singing language has been lost to history. This includes their true name - Lojanese speakers call them the Glairpan.

*HC1: The Always-Burning*
It is the largest volcano in the land by any reasonable metric, except height, its tip barely peeking above the horizon from the middle of a deep crumbling caldera. Though it is not physically imposing, one learns to respect it, at the latest when the quakes hit and poisonous smoke billows in all directions. And should the Always-Burning decide that the living creatures have encroached too far upon its stony domain, that it shall adorn itself with a new skirt of igneous rock, it spews forth vigorous streams of hot lava, covering the surrounding mounds in a thick layer of ejecta. The Always-Burning is regarded as a symbol of the environmental dangers that Shue'aaz Sho abounds with, and for believers in the Mandate of the Plo'uogoar, it represents a goal, nature that is yet to be discovered and conquered. The natives pray at its foot so that they may be allowed to live another year.



*Spoiler: Resource*
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The lives of the legendary inhabitants may have been extinguished by the era-ending catastrophe, but some of their scalding heat has endured. The seafloor is dotted with numerous smoking volcanoes and hot hydrothermal vents. Their heat bakes any sand that is brought to them, creating a sturdy glass that can be used for construction and tools.

Agriculture can hardly be practiced on top of basalt or gabbro, so the colony must be supplied with food regularly.





*The Protected Statera (Region 31)*
*Spoiler: Geography*
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The seas of The Protected Statera are teaming with life. From giant, slow filter feeders to quick-moving eels and sharks. Cleaner Wrasse flit in and out of sharks' open mouths while Moray Eels and Groupers team up to hunt small fish. Swimming through you are met with a plethora of colors and intricate textures from the many giant sections of reef, only broken up by lakes of wave rippled sands and intricate coral encrusted rock formations. Many species of coral make their homes here in the trenches and the spires, the landscape is blooming with life and color. Hard corals like Elkhorn and Staghorn corals branch out in intricate patterns providing the foundation of the reefs along with other Acropora. Soft corals like Sympodium or Sea Fans act to control the environment and currents. The wind-driven currents wind between the spires and carry the bioluminescent plankton that acts not only as the main primary producer in the ecosystem but also light up the surface at night in rippling blue and green streaks and patterns. As you get closer and closer to the center of the reef, the sand lessens and the spires of limestone rise higher and higher. At the center of the reef is the hub of activity known as the Coral Forum Palatium. Here, the reef forms massive arches leading to a giant spire of reef so tall it scrapes the surface. The outside is a patchwork of coral and limestone full of arches and tunnels leading towards the center. The spire was built by the coral over hundreds of years as they slowly pulled in more and more limestone, holding it together with their coenosarc. Inside is a network of naturally and biologically illuminated tunnels and chambers. The largest of these is near the base of the spire. The chamber is open on most sides, supported by massive curving arches. Just above it lies the chamber holding the Sanctus Cerebrum. The Sanctus Cerebrum is the nucleus of society. It is the oldest and wisest colony of coral and the ancestor of the majority of the surrounding colonies. 


*Spoiler: People*
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Unassuming and often mistaken for plants, the corals of Protected Statera make up a complex and advanced society. Protected Statera hosts a massive variety of coral colonies which, while acting as a collective individual, are actually composed of tens of thousands of tiny individuals known as polyps.

The polyps' surface tissue contains algae known as zooxanthellae which they live in a symbiotic relationship with. The zooxanthellae provide the coral with essential nutrients such as glycerol, glucose, and various amino acids. The zooxanthellae are very sensitive to changes in the ocean environment so the coral is very careful about monitoring the environment and keeping it in balance. Also in the surface tissue of the tentacles are specialized cells called nematocysts which are specialized cells that act like little harpoon guns. The venom in the nematocyst depends on the species of coral but can range from feeling like a bee sting to paralyzing you and eating away at you until you die. This is the coral's primary defense mechanism. The zooxanthellae are what give the corals their color and without them, the coral will die. Each polyp also contains, within its mesoglea (the gelatinous tissue found between the endoderm and ectoderm of cnidarians), a highly advanced neural network capable of complex thought. The polyps are connected by their coenosarc (a layer of living tissue that overlays the skeletal material of the coral). The coenosarc also contains similar neural pathways that allow the polyps to communicate and share thoughts. Because of this, the coral polyps tend to identify as a colony as opposed to as an individual. 

This heightened intelligence and interconnected mind have allowed the coral to become exceptional at working as a team. Specialized colonies can use their tentacles to grip and move objects or even other coral attached to moveable objects. This is what has allowed them to construct the living palace and alter its rooms to one's convenience. Another advantageous adaptation that the coral has achieved is the ability to communicate with other complex organisms through intricate chemical signals. This makes communication at a range unreliable unless they are trying to send out a message en masse. To combat this the Colonies have selectively bred a large variety of bioluminescent plankton who can be sent out to communicate at a range and send messages long distances. 

To move and spread and interact with the outside world, the colonies have begun attacking themselves onto other organic life with who they communicate via chemical signals. The most popular creatures are various forms of hard-shelled aquatic life such as turtles or horseshoe crabs. Alternatively, they may choose large thick-skinned creatures such as small whales. 

At the center point of the society is the Sanctus Cerebrum which is the original coral colony from which most other coral in the reefs came. The Sanctus Cerebrum now acts as a reservoir of knowledge and information for the coral colonies. While the Sanctum Cerebrum was the founder of the society, it has since stepped down from its role as leader of the colonies. Instead, it deemed it better to choose other colonies to act as rulers until they are deemed unfit and the title passes to their successor. This is done because, while the memories and knowledge that the coral holds are collective, it is the differing experiences and views of the colonies that provide more diverse and effective decisions. The ruling coral, The Regnandi Collective, is in charge of making important decisions and determining the outcome of disputes. This is more of an honorary title however since the title bearer is decided by a vote placed by the oldest and most respected colonies. The most respected colony's job is to bring issues and some potential solutions to the Regnandi Collective who ultimately decides the best course of action. They usually end up going with what the majority believes but in certain cases they will go against the majority and risk their title. 


*Spoiler: Resource*
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If there is anything the coral has a plethora of, it is shells. Since the reefs are always flourishing with life, lots of shelly little creatures find themselves being used as a nice snack for many different creatures. While there is an unspoken truce between predator and prey in the reefs, shellfish and other ÂlowerÂ life forms are still fair game. The colonies will collect and store shells and pearls and really anything shiny or pretty to save for later or use to trade to visitors. Most shells are thrown out or used for decorative/construction purposes but the large quantity of rare and valuables shells and other organically formed treasures is stashed away for safe keeping. When it comes to what the coral requires to survive, they are very particular about what they need. The temperature has to be right. The water can't contain too much particulate matter. There has to be plenty of sun and good currents (not too fast) to bring in the various delicate drifters and to spread their gametes during spawning. 
(Required resource is Indicator Species to help determine if a location is safe to settle)

Stating Tech: Photospore Signaling 
Merchant Support is received by the CCC 



*Spoiler: Faith*
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The Colonies donÂt have a faith per se but follow a more or less unwritten set of laws. They never fight unless for self-defense. Because they are so delicate, their goal is to keep the ecosystem thriving since they need it to survive. Outside the reef, they donÂt care what happens as long as it does not threaten them. They respect all organisms and their place in the world but condemn anything that would threaten their finely balanced ecosystem. 

The Colonies do however welcome all sorts of religions and faith to set up in their vast reef to inspire all colors and cultures of creates to their home. 
Some examples of notable sights are below. 
*Sunken Temple*
The Sunken Temple is an ancient ruin from an era none remember. It was in a complete state of disrepair when the reef first formed and over time, what was left was cemented together by the reef. Now It lies, a half open cathedral like building with an intricate, fractured stained glass roof shedding colorful light that changes when the sun hits at different angles. Perhaps it had a far more complex purpose long ago but none have yet solved that riddle. 
*Fields of Fire*
A vast stretch of blazing red grass raised up on a mesa. The reef has left it untouched so it remains just as it was found back before memory. It is littered with other bits and pieces of a lost era but nothing that seems of significance. In the past preachers of different faiths have used it to deliver their sermons as it is a good open area. 
*The Ericals Cave* 
A plain and dark cave were coral can't grow. A network of tunnels lead down to it lit only by patches of bioluminescent macrofoul. A small set of chambers sits at the end of the tunnels. The first chamber is unfurnished except for a long stone bench. At the far end is a small hole in the wall that contains nothing but an inky black void. Beyond this is the Ericals chamber where 3 posts are stuck into the ground, each with intricate carvings. A 5ft diameter hole leads down into the darkness farther than anyone has reached.




*The Khandeeps (Region 25)*
*Spoiler: Geography*
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Amidst a great, rocky cliff off the edge of the ocean, there is a reef. Upon this reef is a massive colony of coral structures, a veritable garden of ocean life. Yet, this is no ordinary coral reef. It is the home of the Coralites, a marvel of architecture and engineering feats. Most would call it beautiful, except that no intelligent species other than the Coralites has yet to be allowed inside. The reef is situated on the ledge of an underground volcano, and some disturbing temperature spikes and toxicity has developed recently, though nothing has as of yet been done about it. 

Starting Territory: Requesting either Area 31 or Area 25, though I'm honestly not that picky.


*Spoiler: People*
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Most people know Coralites as one of two things- they are either a hard shell Coralite (Builder), or a soft- shell Coralite (Defender). While technically true, the answer is a little more complex. Each Coralite is actually a colony, a series of thousands of organisms living in concert with each other, unified by a single soul. Additionally, within each Coralite colony, lies several hundred Zooxanthellae, who provide energy to the Coralite colony, as well as providing the CoraliteÂs color. All of these organisms are responsible for the vaguely- humanoid shapes that the Coralites take on, though there can be some variations from colony to colony based on that colonyÂs interpretation of what a Âsurface- worlder,Â looked like. 
 Every CoraliteÂs main interest is first and foremost, to its colony. The colony must work together to act in its own best interests, but this is more difficult than it appears. At any given time, several hundreds of Coralites debate and argue over the next course of action- other ancestries may see them as slow to act, slow to think. 
Coralites have a sort of soft- caste system. Hard shell Coralites are called Builders, and they are responsible for the building and creating of the home, weapons, and art pieces that the Coralites may need. Builders are able to take the minerals in the water and the surrounding shoals and turn it into calcium carbonate, which they use to make said structures. Soft shell Coralites are known as Defenders, for they possess a stinging venom which they can use to paralyze predators that would attack the reef. Zooxanthellae are the energy providers- their only job in the colony is to provide energy, and as they reside inside individual colonies and not as a part of the larger brain, they are not afforded as many rights as an individual Coralite is. However, as most Coralite colonies are smart enough to realize that, without the Zooxanthellae, they would all perish, most colonies do enough to keep the Zooxanthellae happy. Colonies are also further sorted by the religious affiliation they belong to, which is told further below.
While having to work together on a near- constant basis would lead one to believe that they are by nature cooperative, the truth could not be more different. Individual colonies tend to look after the colony first, second, and third, and only cooperate together with other colonies when absolutely necessary. This is likely a cause of the belief that each colony is a single soul, and perhaps also some leftover remnant of the individualistic ancestors who came before. 
There is no difference between religion and government when it comes to the Coralites. Nominally, the leader of the government is the Khan, the head of the Priesthood of the Echoes of the Beyond. He dictates how colonies must spend their time, where to build, where to defend, to explore, and ultimately, how to one day reach the surface. All of the reef is theocratically owned, and every colony is cared for by the collective will of the members of the reef. As time has passed, however, his rule has become less and less absolute, as the Self- Religious Movement has grown. If a colony believes in themselves as the highest form of god, they tend to be anarchistic, and do only as they themselves believe to be the best, with little coordination from outside colonies. The current Khan, Jirai Khan, has yet to expel the troublemakers from the reef, though he gets closer and closer every day to doing so. 
Reproduction amongst the Coralites is an extremely long and slow process, as it requires a set number of individuals numbering in the thousands before a Coralite colony can attain sentience. As such, most new ones are grown over a period of a hundred years or so, and mature slowly, not reaching adulthood until one has been around 400 years or so. 


*Spoiler: Resource*
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The Builders of the Coralite clans have an amazing ability to turn the  minerals in the water into calcium carbonate, which can be further refined into either fibrous aragonite or diamond- hard calcite. These materials are great building materials on the ocean floor, and as such, are highly sought after. However, Coralites are extremely sensitive to heat fluctuations. Heating mechanisms are of extreme importance to the Coralites, less they begin to die off. 


*Spoiler: Faith*
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There are two main religions amongst the Coralite colonies, with each colony collectively belonging to one or the other group. The first, led by the de facto leader Jirai Khan, are called the Priesthood of the Echoes of Beyond. They believe that the Coralites are fractured souls of the lost surface people, and wish to carry on and model their society exactly as the lost surface world did. They believe deeply in the power of meditation, and that only through this meditation- and the eventual reclamation of the surface world- can they be whole. Water is the chief power in the universe being a lifegiver and a savior of the individual soul. The colonyÂs appearance is almost uniformly humanoid- shaped, though this appearance can differ slightly, due to differences in a colonyÂs perception of what a surface worlder may have looked like. 
The other faith is a relatively new belief system (only a few thousand years old!), and is led chiefly by the younger Coralite colonies. They believe that their souls are not the same as the surface world, but rather a new creation, mixed with the sea and their own species of coral; essentially, the soul is mutable. Therefore, rather than striving to model society after a long- dead ancestor, they should strive to find their own way in this new world. They have six codified tenants, written down by the Coralite Altan Ankhbayar, which are as follows: 

Your mind is the source and standard of truth, so no matter what, trust yourself.
Your emotions are authoritative, so never question (or let anyone else question) your feelings.
You are sovereign, so flex your omnipotence and bend the universe around your dreams and desires.
You are supreme, so always act according to your chief end, to glorify and enjoy yourself forever.
You are the summum bonumÂthe standard of goodnessÂso donÂt let anyone oppress you with the antiquated notion of being a incomplete soul.
You are the Creator, so use that limitless creative power to craft your identity and purpose.
The two faiths have clashed recently over the direction of the Coralite colony, and it would not take much for this to boil over into conflict.

*Spoiler: Holy Sites*
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The Garden of Awakening: The birthplace of the Coralite species, this is where the first Coralite gained sentience, its soul partially Ârestored.Â It lies in the northwest corner of Sootopolis City, a pure garden of coral architecture and engineering. It is often considered the most beautiful place in Sootopolis City. Open to the public year- round, many new coral pieces are added on to it each year, creating a majestic labyrinth of coral garden. 

Temple of the Ancients: Occasionally, a Coralite will have a dream about a particular memory of when they lived on land. This, according to the Priesthood, is a sign of the soul coming together, of knitting closer and closer to being whole. Usually, these dreams are in response to some sort of physical stimulus, often from objects found in deep water. The Temple of the Ancients is normally where they find these objects. An abandoned Âcamp,Â the Temple of the Ancients hosts a large bounty of foreign objects from the surface world, strewn amidst rock and rubble. This site is believed to have been the camp of the old surface worlders, and as such, is amongst the most holy of places. The Priesthood of the Echoes of the Beyond makes its headquarters here, and priests can often be found here meditating, trying to heal Âtheir,Â soul. As a side note, objects here that a Coralite makes a connection with are not kept here, but rather taken back to the Coralites personal abode, where they can continue to forge their soul back together. 

Altan AnkhbayarÂs House: Where Altan Ankhbayar penned the tenants of what has been called the Self- Religious Movement, partially as a discourse against the teachings of the Priesthood of the Echoes of the Beyond. While the colony and The Priesthood have declared the house as having no significant religious affiliation, younger followers of the Movement have begun gathering here as a way to congregate amongst themselves, without fear of judgment.





*Continued*

----------


## Miltonian

The Unity
_In death, all things united be,
In the depths of the briny sea._

*Leader: Grinmaw the Calamitous*
Diplomacy: 2
Military: 5
Economy: 4
Faith: 1
Intrigue:3

*Spoiler: The Abyss*
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(Tentatively placed in Region Twenty-One, still waiting for final confirmation)
Geography: The Abyss, the Pit, the Maw, whatever it is called, is a region of the sea-floor beneath a semi-permanent whirlpool. Whenever a storm comes, as they often do, the seas are whipped into a frenzy and spiral down, down, down until it collides with the ocean floor. Untold years of this have carved out the Abyss, from which the region gets its name, a deep basin in the sea floor (though not mechanically at a different sea-level). Due to the properties of the currents in the area, all manner of detritus, and in particular, the half-eaten corpses of many an unfortunate creature fall into it, only to come back out again months later, changed...


*Spoiler: People*
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 The Unity, as they call themselves, are formed from, or more accurately, are a particular species of coral. However, due to some quirk of evolution or fate, they require some form of biological matter upon which to grow. Flesh, however, is impermanent, especially in the deep waters, but bone remains. Thus, it is upon the bones of the fallen that the Unity rise.

Coral-crusted corpses roam the bottom of the pit, too heavy to float now. Since the time of the First Awakening, they have been confined to the ocean's floor, but there they have thrived. From other species of coral, they cultivate palaces and promenades in imitation of half-remembered structures; structures that they see clearest in their dreams. Their structures must be built from other coral, though, as the special variety that gives their bodies new life will not grow except on bone.

Not every skeleton that falls is turned into a new colony of the Unity, however. If the host body is too small, for instance, then the colony will not gain sentience. Consciousness requires a critical mass, after all, and thus the bigger the colony the higher regarded the individual. Their leaders, therefore, are known by titles befitting of their bulk and girth, but the greatest of them all is Grinmaw the Calamitous, the first of the Unity to achieve consciousness and one born of a carnivorous whale skeleton of uncommon size. When he moves, his very passage shakes the earth and stirs up enough sand to cloud the water for hours. As for his name, it comes from the permanent, massive grin on his face. None yet have risen that can contest his might.

As a culture, they tend to take the long view in things. If a thing is worth doing, it is worth doing right, so to speak, and do so properly so it will not need to ever be done again. Thus, they are slow to act, but very hard to dissuade once they set to a course. Among themselves, this is not a concern. However, for the first time, their coral structures have reached the top of the Abyss. For the first time, they will have to contend with the other great wills of the world.

Things to Know:
Life Cycle: A Unity colony begins when an existing member ejects some of its biomass onto a suitable location. This new, nascent colony will rapidly begin to grow, assuming enough nutrients are present, and will quickly take over enough of the host-skeleton to achieve mobility. The movements at this stage are slow and jerky, however. At this stage, the colony has not yet achieved sentience, but has an insatiable desire to reproduce. As such, it will seek out both new sources of nutrition and possible create new colonies if it finds a sufficiently-sized host. If care is not taken, it may also lash out at other, living creatures in an effort to render them suitable for colonization. This behavior ends once the colony has achieved self-awareness, and it switches from a rapid-growth state to a more mature, maintenance one.Government: The Unity believe that wisdom comes with age, and thus they function as a gerontocracy. If the revered elders should perish, new ones are elected to replace them, with each member over a century in age having an equal say.Old Memories: The Unity sometimes can retain the skills or even fragments of knowledge that their host once possessed. This is because, when they grow, their neural networks flow into the spaces left behind by the old, decayed ones, and thus much of the structure is retrained.

Tech Pick: Graduated Symbiosis
The Unity are experts at growing themselves into the proper shapes for whatever purpose they need. Given enough time, they can adapt their bodies in small ways, though the underlying structure (their skeleton or exoskeleton base) cannot be modified.


*Spoiler: Resource*
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 Jaderock Coral is a special kind of non-sentient coral that grows, "abominably fast", according to the members of the Unity, and they consider it a 'weed' of sorts. To the common eye, though, it grows at speeds quick enough to be used in construction, and it has enough strength to withstand all manner of punishments. Perhaps, if its growth could be stopped once it has reached the appropriate size, it would make for an excellent way to 'grow' buildings in place.

However, what the Unity lacks is a reliable source of food. As their population has expanded, the trickle of detritus from the surface will soon be unable to sustain them all. When this happens, unrest will swiftly follow.


*Spoiler: Faith*
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 The Unity have merely a vague philosophy at the moment. It is not that they are incapable of introspection, in fact many sit for years in private thought. However, they have never come to a complete consensus yet on the true answer to life's most important matters. However, they do agree on some things: the Path of Wisdom. The basic tenets of this faith are that the Eldest are to be revered, for in them lives the memory of events past.

The three Holy Sites of this path correspond to the dwellings of the three largest creatures.
Grinmaw's Auditorium: A place for Grinmaw to address the general populace, when he cares to. Otherwise, it is used as a forum for ideas.Carapace's Rift: A massive split in one of the cliffsides, where Carapace the Eviscerator spouts his furious invectives against the world at large.The Grand Plateau: Though stationary, the Unity come here to 'hear' the wisdom of Shellback, a colony that has grown on the back of some turtle and is thus immobile.

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## Grim ranger

Kar-Nath Hegemony

*Spoiler: Summary (Current as of turn 4)*
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*Region Preference:* 51, 77, or any other glacier-adjacent area in Polar region.

*Leader:* Frozen King Rham
*Leader stats:*
Diplomacy - 6
Military - 8
Economy - 6
Faith - 2
Intrigue - 1

*Persons of interest:* General Kreel

*Capital:* Glacier Crag

*Starting Faith:* Voice of Jaarn, Followers of Deep Ways (secondary)

*Holy sites:* Grand Schola (Voice of Jaarn), Temple of Dark Currents (Followers of Deep Ways)

*Resource:* Rimestone
*Requirement:* Exotic Food

*Starting Tech:* Composite Grafting

*Current technology:* Composite Grafting, Trophic Deconvolution, Photospore Signaling. Supernatic Propagation, Megafaunal Tailoring, Graduated Symbiosis and Electrodialytic Staurozoa

*Brief pitch:* Crab-eel people adapted to live in harsh icy environment who have developed a somewhat aggressive but tight-knit hegemony 


*Spoiler: Bookkeeping (Current as of turn 4)*
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Holy Sites: 2 and 3 (Region 77)

Trading posts: 1 (Region 77), 2 (Region 78)

Treasure: 0

Military: 5/5 units

Favors (Negatives are favors owed):
Abyssal Stewards: 0
Divine Nacres: 0
Chelonian Chora: 1

Reputation:
Abyssal Stewards: +2
Divine Nacres: 0
Chelonian Chora: +2

Prestige: 1


*Spoiler: Persons of Interest*
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*Spoiler: Ruler*
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*Thubrak, the Frozen King*

Diplomacy - 4, Military - 1, Economy - 2, Faith - 4, Intrigue - 1
An old and unpopular ruler, Thubrak descends from line many have begun to look down upon as embracing old glories over advancement of the Hegemony as a whole. While adept at maneuvering socially and a devout follower of the Voice of Jaarn, he has allowed the internal security and and martial strength of the people to gradually wither, the economy being not too far behind. It seems that few things directly matter to the increasingly insular monarch.

*Rham, the Frozen King*

Diplomacy - 6, Military - 8, Economy - 6, Faith - 2, Intrigue - 1
A newly installed claimant of the throne that has taken over in relatively bloodless palace coup, Rham is a younger Nathi than his predecessor, with weight of his people's expectations on his shoulders. Backed by majority of traders and massive number of fighters vying for re-strengthening of Hegemony's army, he has still lost most of the favor of the priesthood. Despite this, Rham has attempted to maintain cordial relationships established by his predecesor, although his approach can at times be somewhat more aggressive.

*Spoiler: Generals*
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*General Kreel*

Military - 9*Spoiler: Tactical Doctrines*
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*March of Conqueror:* _Kreel has little regard for casualties of his men, but his ruthless battle strategies are undeniably effective, inspiring waves of collaborators amid the newly conquered territories with shows of might._
- A free action attempt to Sway the aristocratic support of the region
- +1 to battle roll
- +10% own casualties


The current Exarch of Path of Banners, the Nathi school of thought espousing excellence in military strategy and force of arms, General Kreel has risen to quickly become the nation's second most important figure. A stern supporter of the policies of Frozen King Rham, the general has sworn to secure his homeland against possible incursions and grow the might of Hegemony's armed forces. He is held in such an esteem regarding military matters that he is often sent out to negotiate in matters pertaining to possible military deployments or part particularly strained geopolitical situations, with full authority of his nation behind him.



*Spoiler: Geography*
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The waters of the Hegemony are a place of extremes, the expedition that had originally led to its creation having braved dangerous environment in search of new resources and notable discoveries. Covered on the surface by icebergs that extend deep into the depths, the terrain of their home reaches deep into the cold rock below via series of deep gorges, forming lanes dictated by obstacles both above and below. The plants and creatures both are forced to adapt to survive, most uniquely suited to deal with the extreme temperatures: silver-scaled trout, camouflaged hunter eels and packs of voracious seals that attack from the ice are only a few of the inhabitants of this dangerous land.

The habiation of Kar-Nath is worked into the charms in stone and drilled into some of the more stable icebergs, lanterns of cold blue crystals lighting the network of entrances, spires and nets stretching into the chasms. The deepest chasm of the area, *The Glacier Crag*, is the focus of much of Hegemony's construction projects, a metropolis of ice and stone worked onto the edges of the massive pit.

Requesting starting territory to be 51, 77 or any other adjacent to glacier if those are not possible.


*Spoiler: People*
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*The Nathi*

The people making up the bulk of the Hegemony are the Nathi. An odd race, the closest resemblance to them is that of an eel covered in thick plating and sporting claws, but the people have begun as crustaceans. Their jaws have expanded from their original grab-like arrangement, the mandibles growing more vestigial as the teeth behind them have lengthened. Their shells cover the main body while leaving the eel-like tail swaying with only small ridge of carapace on it, often coming in colors of stone or ice in contrast to the silvery scales of the body underneath: the rare few Nathi who have shell coloration of rare crystals or more stark things still are believed to be individuals of particular significance, often rising to the higher strata of the Hegemony as a result of their blessed birth. The tri-tipped claws are located at the forefront of the body, allowing for fighting and tool-use with relative ease. On the whole, Nathi tend to range from six to eight feet from claws to tail without additional modifications.

While preferring meat in their diet, Nathi are omnivores, their society unable to leave much to waste thanks to the harshness of their frozen home. As the more delectable sorts of food are a rarity, meals are held as particularly sacred occasion to the race, rejecting offer of one or disrupting the meal of someone else with nefarious purpose carrying steep social stigma. 

The familial units of the race are often smaller, ranging from two to four individuals: no Nathi would wish to bring offspring into the world without planning and preparing for it, for to do so would be to invite the possibility of forcing them to starve. They are extremely kin-minded, the expression of two Nathi being "under single shell" representing deep bond. While not lightly expressed towards outsiders, winning respect of Nathi will cause them and their kin to defend the one that has won their trust as one of their own.

The harsh environment has guided most Nathi to embracing a rugged sort of practicality in clothing, their attires seeking to be the most practical choice for the task at hand. Those who raise in their position attempt to retain this style despite often spoiling themselves with more luxurious trappings of imported coral or other finery, as coming across as too far removed from their peers can often lead to accusations of selfishness and needless hunger for power.

*Other races*

While the Nathi form core of Hegemony's people, Kar-Nath remains open for other species to incorporate into. Mer in particular are seen as invaluable heralds and messengers to polities outside the Glacier Crag, being less dour and intimidating than the locals in general. Still, other races are still in minority for most part thanks to inhospitable environment of the Hegemony.


*Spoiler: Society and Government*
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In theory, the Hegemony preaches rule by those with merit to do so. The society is split to many Paths which have ranks of roughly equal status every step of the way: Path of War, Path of Coin, Path of Blessings ect. After finishing their basic education, the citizens of the Hegemony are expected to choose a path through which they benefit society, although those joining the Hegemony from other parts are not excluded from this process. While fairly inclusive, the Paths are regardless quite strict, suffering no competition from outside institutions: they can integrate that which works, but no true son of Kar-Nath would be caught dead advocating for change to other systems.

To raise in rank demands show of accomplishments that benefit others, which are then judged by one's peers and superiors within the Path. Swimming along many Paths during one's life is not forbidden, but certain amount of rivalry exists between some and many prefer to induct members who they can count on to focus on the needs of their brethren. 

The ultimate leader of the Hegemony is the Frozen Monarch, a position which only the most accomplished individuals of the nation can jockey for. Thought to translate the will of the guardian deities of Kar-Nath, the Frozen King or Queen is generally held in high esteem, seen as carrying the greatest burdens of the people on their shoulders... as well as the responsibility of failure, should the Hegemony suffer setbacks during their reign.

While more than a few within the Hegemony no doubt sport ambitions of power for power's sake, they are reigned in by the general acceptance of their peers: to rule requires one to be seen seeking happiness of their fellows in tangible ways rather than merely speaking about it. Certain savvy political operators have managed to bypass this sort of public scrutiny on occasion, but as a whole the inhabitants of the Hegemony keep their eyes firmly on the throne for major misgivings. Naturally, this has been used to sink the ambitions more than one potential royal candidate by their rivals, but the fierce competition and drive to climb the ranks of society has given those involved a remarkably cavalier attitude about such games. As the less competent and weaker rulers are doomed to be pulled down and devoured by their betters, the Hegemony as a whole will benefit no matter the result.


*Spoiler: Resource and Requirement*
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*Resource:* Rimestone

The center of its power built within a massive crag in seafloor, the Kar-Nath has long extracted Rimestone from the frozen depths. This curious material seems to forever remain cold without thawing, its uniquely exotic properties useful in defense and storage of food... and who knows, perhaps someone can pry out further utilities for such exotic material? The Hegemony certainly tries, and often incorporates the curious stone into objects of particular importance or religious reverence.

*Requirement:* Exotic Food

The inhospitable environment and general culture of the Hathi brings about a pressing requirement for food, with specific focus on new and exotic dishes. Proper meal is not only requirement for survival, but also for any event of any importance: to lack such might show disinterest or outright derision towards the importance of said event, something blood feuds have began over more than once. As such, steady supply of suitably impressive foodstuffs is essential to stability of Hathi people, especially the families with greater influence.


*Spoiler: Faith*
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*The Voice of Jaarn*

The officially endorsed faith of the Hegemony in all but direct admission, The Path of Voice is a common one for more mystically inclined or pious of Hathi. Focusing on connecting and communicating to the deities Hathi believe to reside deep within ice, stone and beasts of the wild, the religion directs their ceremonies and devotion to Jaarn, the overdeity of their pantheon and god from whom the Hathi believe Rimestone to be a blessing from. After being inducted into the basics by showing suitable devotion to the great god of the pantheon, the adherents are allowed to focus their prayers to other deities of it as well, taking on more specialized roles. The focus of their worship is to attain fraction of the might of the pantheon, and on occasion the gods may see fit to bless an adherent with their wild strength.

- *The Rime Gorge:* A rift of almost pure rimestone seeming to stretch into the depths forever, a place of deep reverence for the adherents of the faith. Believed to hide the might of the gods from the unworthy, it is held as one of ultimate tests for one's devotion. Swimming down into the Gorge to reflect on the divinity is seen as ritual of utmost honor and terrible peril: few return from the depths of the Rime Gorge, but when they do they often bear unquestionably supernatural power within them.

- *Grand Schola:* The epicenter of Hegemony's religious studies, this school for the priesthood and healers of Kar-Nath is worked into a massive rock formation rising from the depths at very epicenter of the Glacier Crag. The very peak of it is often used for rituals of polity-wide significance, such as ascendacy of new Frozen Monarch or direct communion with the gods.

*Followers of Deep Ways*

The faith that has often come under greater scrutiny, the Followers are a group of devotees focused on reflecting on the vast and unknowable forces of deep sea... and the mystical horrors famed to lurk within it. Regarded with wariness by many they interact with, this smaller and increasingly more secretive faith is tolerated by their knowledge of deeper ways through difficult areas and esoteric knowledge, but are often thought to be a worrying sight as their arrival tends to herald some sort of upheaval.

- *Temple of Dark Currents:* There is a particularly violent current carrying with it notably darker water and considerable quantities of oddities most will never know of. The Followers venerate this way as a sign from the entities of the Deep, and have taken over a temple of ancient construction near which the current roils as a holy site of their faith.


*Spoiler: Starting Technology*
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Through painstaking effort and sacrifice, the Nath have managed to figure out the basics of *Composite Grafting*, a technique some say brought about this curious species. Seen as a science inspired by their deities, some of the more brilliant inhabitants of the Hegemony specialize as Finchangers to properly facilitate its use. The higher social castes utilize these means to grow physically larger and more impressive, cementing their power and prestige in very tangible sense, while criminals and undesirables may often find themselves the reluctant donors of raw materials.

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## Lt-Murgen

*The Congregation of the Scintillating Ceiling* (The Scintillius) 

*Capital Region:* The Cathedral of Movement (region 67)
*Resource:* Piezo-phosphoric crystals 
*Desired Import:* stone working tools or tech
*Holy Sites:* 
The Ceaseless Gibbering (The Pattern)Vault of Strife (The Pattern)Gap of Finality (The Pattern)
*Faction Support:*
Aristocratic: OpenClerical: OpenMercantile: Open
*Starting tech:* Photosphore Signalling (Piezo-phosphoric Resonance)
*Spoiler: Leader*
Show

 
 
*Leader:* Bob, He who Submits to the Currents  
*Diplomacy:* 2
*Military:* 2
*Economy:*2 
*Faith:* 5
*Intrigue:* 4
LINK TO LEADER ROLLS 
Bob is rotund for a Mer, even one from the polar regions.  Gray, with red and dull yellow mottled stripes running in curving patterns all the way down to his tail.  He was a Watcher, and a prominent teacher of the Sounding Code.  When the Watchers were made to understand that it was time to expand into the world again, he actually stood against it.  He wasn't certain the currents were leading the Mer in that direction.  Still, he made a point of taking the post on two conditions.  First, the Title would be "His Clarity", and second would be that anyone who took the position had to permanently resign as a Watcher.


*Spoiler: Geography*
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  The Cathedral of Movement is a region underneath a vast ice sheet.  Along the northern border, the icepack pushes very deep, at times nearly contacting the sea floor.  To the central south lie the Red Weeps.  The Ice Above is stained a deep red, and thick, salty substances weep from above down into a deep rift below.  Southeast and southwest of the Weeps, lie regions yet unexplored.
The massive Ice Above unifies the region.  Impossibly thick, yet very translucent, the Ice above shines with endless dancing, shifting bands of color.  This continual aurora gives the region, and the people, its name. 
The Stone Below makes up the sea floor, sloping generally away from the dangerous regions of the north.  Slate, schist, and sparkling granite form countless tables and towers; the softer materials having been ground away by the relentless tides.  
Between the Ice Above and the Stone Below lies the Cathedral of Movement.  Strong currents combine with the bobbing pressure of the Ice Above keep the waters swirling in complex, sense-defying patterns.  The light through the ice spawns endless phytoplankton, which is fed on by uncountable masses of small crustaceans, collectively referred to as Cleaners.  The life cycle of these Cleaners is the marching-beat of all the other creaturesÂ life cycles:  endless schools of small fish which feed upon them, and the larger ones that feed upon them, and so on.  Larger crustaceans sweep across the Stone Below at regular intervals, feasting on the detritus.  
Vegetation is sparse, but prolific.  Thick bands of kelp spring up where the water is deep enough to avoid the Ice AboveÂs crushing press and the Stone below is shallow enough to allow the light of the Ice Above to cause it to grow.  These scattered but thick forests provide cover for the endless schools of fish that traverse the area.  The kelp provides both edible leaves, fodder for the delicious fire mollusks, and stringy stems used as textiles and rope.   


*Spoiler: People*
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  The Scintillius are Mer native to the regions.  Being exothermic and living in cold waters, these Mer tend to be more rotund than others in warmer climates.  Scintillius wear some clothing for protection from the ice and the jagged rocks.  They are particularly fond of belts and harnesses with multiple pouches.  Notably, their fur tends to come in a wider variety of colors and almost exclusively in winding patterns of different colors.  
Most Mer live in homes made of stacked schist & slate tablets and woven kelp interior furnishings.  Sling chairs and hammocks dominate for furniture.  Piezo-phosphoric crystals provide ample lighting.  Granit with large reflective crystals is highly prized, and a sign of wealth.  Larger structures are largely absent.  Instead, the Scintillius gather in large cleared, levelled areas.  They tether themselves to the carved Viewpoint rocks on the seafloor.  This allows them to stay in one place without much effort.
The Scintillius are a people obsessed with patterns, currents, and movement.  Stagnant water is terrifying to them.  Their main topic of daily discussion are the sea currents, the changing colors of the ice-above, and what meaning these hold for their daily lives.  This obsession has created an ever-changing society.  Scintillius seldom stay with one profession, live in one location, or stay as a family unit for very long.  This has created a society of generalists and teachers, with Mer constantly wanting to learn and do new things. 

*Spoiler: History and Government*
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As far as the Scintillius can recall, they have always lived under the ice.  The towering columns of the Vault of Strife recall a time when their society spread as far south as the great southern glacier.  But over time the Red Weeps consumed those settlements.  Time itself tends to be a nebulous concept for the Scintillius, more attuned to the tides and auroras than to any arbitrary, measurable, set, increment.  The track their ÂyearsÂ as 2 cycles of Cleaner spawning, separated into the Stripe Spawn and the Shine Spawn.  But beyond that, smaller time increments seem unneeded.
The government is, in essence, a technological theocracy.  The Weavers are a select group of community leaders who maintain tight control over their primary resource and unique technology.  They utilize this technology to discuss the various patterns and movements across their region, to develop a consensus around future events.  The Watchers are the day-to-day local representatives, listening to the world around them and the people within, and reporting back to the Weavers.  


*Spoiler: Resources & technology*
Show

  Growing on the Ice Above are strange crystals, *Piezo-phosphoric Crystals*.  These crystals seem to be both mineral and organic in nature, somehow.  They possess the unique property that, when subjected to a compressive force, the crystals generate light.  The more compression, the more light, up to a certain limit.  These crystals are use as light sources throughout the Cathedral of Movement with the water pressure increasing their glow as the Stone Below slopes downward.  The Weavers and Watchers tend the patches of these crystals that grow throughout the cathedral, ensuring they are never over-fractured.
The Scintillius are always on the look-out for * Stone cutting tools and tech*.  Schist and slate are hard to work, and the limitations of the fractured-plate style of stone available limits their ability to build.  
The Piezo-phosphoric crystals have another unique property.  If the crystals are fractured and divided in a very specific manner, pressure on one will cause it to glow.  The other matched crystal will also glow in the same manner.  This is true no matter the distance the two crystals are apart- even to the edges of the Cathedral itself.  This * Piezo-phosphoric Resonance* has been turned into a communications technology, similar to how *photosphore signalling* is used by other societies.  The WeaverÂs have a secret code of flashes caused by tapping the crystal with a special hammer-device.  This Sounding Code allows them to communicate across their entire realm.  
Economically, the Scintillius are capitalists, driven by risk and reward.  The more wealthy put up capital for new business ventures to mitigate the risk of starting up.  Their beliefs in patterns and movements create an innate sense of risk-taking, and their economic system rewards those that get their guesses correct.  However, there is a strong prohibition of the Weaver's and Watcher's engaging in supplying venture captial.  Instead, they are consulted for their knowledge and paid accordingly.


*Spoiler: Faith*
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  All Scintillius firmly believe that the secrets of the universe reside in the shifting coronas of the Ice Above, the tides, and the movements of the water.  Studying them, interpreting them, and sharing their findings are the obsession of the people.  The Watchers listen, trying to avoid guiding the discussion.  The Watchers are taught that the people can understand their part of the Pattern.  It is the WatcherÂs duty to understand their people.  And to inform the WeaverÂs of their insights.  The WeaverÂs duty is to interpret the entirety of the Cathedral, and to take actions accordingly.  
There does not exist a formal liturgy or codified religious text.  Only the lessons carved into the Pillars of Strife.  But the population, to a Mer, believe in and support, the Weavers and Watchers.
*Holy Sites:* 
The Ceaseless Gibbering is a special tunnel along the northern border.  Some special property of its location and design causes the cave to emit constant burbling noise.  Many Scintillius believe that the cave speaks words to those that seek to listen and understand.  Perhaps they are right.  A Weaver has a home here and spends their time meditating in front of the cave.The Vault of Strife is actually a misnomer.  A large circular space roughly in a deep depression at the center of the Cathedral.  Here are stored the stories and mythology of the Scintillius.  Each story has been carved into a slate tablet, and each tablet stacked beside or on-top of each other.  These create the pillars of strife.  Much wisdom is contained in here, almost always through the story of a failed action, missed opportunity, or other lesson taught through misfortune and trauma.The Gap of Finality is a rift in the floor at the southern edge of the Cathedral.  A strong current pulls a column down from the Red Weeps above, sucking it into the unknown underground.  Here is the burial place of the Scintillius.  Bodies are wrapped in kelp, with prayers of farewell bound to the body.  It then is pushed towards the gap and pulled into the underworld.

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## Lumaeus

The Riftlings Many of the Dead Seas

*Spoiler: Geography: The Dead Seas*
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The abyssal polar seas are naturally sparser than shallower or warmer waters. A moonscape which spends much of the year under an ice sheet, it rarely enjoys the bounty of even plankton-fall, much less fish- or whale-fall. The seafloor is in great part vast stretches of broken rock and crooked cliff, without a single bottom feeder or algaeic speck in site. But even this dead land holds life. Follow the coldest currents as they sweep over the precipice and down into oblivion itself, sink past the reach of the feeble gods of yesteryear, and hold on to your body and mind as the pressure and darkness try each, and there you will find the Great Mother. Sheltered deep below the sea floor, the Mother breathes life even into this desolation. She touches the sullen seabed from below, and lifegiving heat and energy erupt for her children. 


*Spoiler: People: The Riftlings Many, The Old Fathers, and the Youngest*
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At each Maternal Font, the Old Fathers cluster, noble monoliths blessed with eternal life. Great tubes, they stretch from the seafloor in their great congregation, striving up two to four meters in height. Their mouths wide, they drink of the gifts and the wisdom gifted from below. Here, they commune with the Mother, and in their wisdom, consider perpetually. They speak in a language beyond our ken, and only their chosen prophet, the Youngest, serves as a bridge between the MotherÂs chosen and the Riftlings Many. He rules so long as he is ordained to. When the Mother next elects a Father from among us, and he takes root as the new Youngest, the newest of the Old Fathers falls silent to the inchoate Riftlings Many and communes fully with his peers. 

And so we, the Riftlings Many, know the will of the divine. We are birthed by the Fathers of the Mother, and we are numberless. Once, it is told us, we were individual, cosmically isolated larvae who knew nothing but to feed and flee. We were little more than the broken pebbles of the seabed below, and we knew no meaning. But the Mother took pity upon us, and the Fathers gave us the trailing edge of the secret of the Eternal Communion. Where we were alone, we now are multitude. Each cluster of the Riftlings Many holds in its amorphous cloud a unified consciousness, the individual Riftlings which compose it joining or dying without great shift so long as the cluster lives. While each Riftling is a near-microscopic speck, little more than flagella and mouth, the clusters that assume a united personhood are amorphous clouds composed of the Many. Unclothed are we, for the children of the Mother need know no shame, but each cluster has its own patterns, an ever shifting inventory of forms which are particular to it. To the isolated species the Fathers say the world once knew, we might appear to be individuals, clouds of shapes and roils each singular and each distinct. But we know that we are the Riftlings Many, and each cluster honors its millions and millions of constituent polyps.

The Fathers say that the Dead Seas, which have so long protected us against incursion, now shift with new currents. Something stirs beyond. And so we prepare. We send clusters to seek means of survival beyond the MotherÂs aegis. We stockpile the precious breath She gives. We have been granted greater communion with each other, and are tasked to preserve our place in a shifting sea.


*Spoiler: Resource: Fertile Soil in plenty, dearth of Toxins*
Show

The Old Fathers feed from the blessings of the Maternal Fonts, and the remnants of these blessings mound up into rich deposits of Fertile Soil around their shrines. These must be carefully tended by the Riftlings Many, for even in this moonscape, protected all around by the Dead Seas, foreign life threatens to take root here. These resources are blessings of the Mother, but they threaten always to burst into flourish. It is a blessing to have labor. 

The Great Mother bestows upon us life, but the maintenance of the Dead Seas falls upon us. With diplomats, raiders, and traders threatening to seed new life in our waters, we seek poisons to sterilize our soils and to cleanse our waters of any life but the clouds of the Riftlings Many.


*Spoiler: Faith: The Eternal Communion*
Show


There is but one faith in the Dead Seas, for we are all born by the Fathers of the Mother and we know the breath of our Creator. The Eternal Communion of the Old Fathers, both with each other and the Mother Herself, is the highest existence and goal to be striven for. We Riftlings Many have been given the secret of such communion, and in our clusters, we are made more than the individual. The greatest horror would be to know existence as an isolate, distinct and distinguished from our cluster. That the Youngest bears this burden is his great sacrifice, and the tragedy of election. But it is through that suffering that our leader enters into the Eternal Communion proper. 

Foreign species, it is said, often manifest as isolates, thinking themselves apart and knowing themselves alone. But for the Great Mother, who is whole in Herself and even then holds communion with the Old Fathers, this existence is a broken one. These ruined races are not to be reviled as blasphemous, but pitied in their perdition.


*Spoiler: Holy Sites: The True Deep, The Mother's Reach, the Stygian Flow*
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Each of the Maternal Fonts is held as sacred, but the heart of the Dead Seas and the doorstep of the MotherÂs own realm is the True Deep, our holiest site. An abyss within the abyss, the world simply stops, and a roughly circular void opens to deeps extending beyond sanity. The Old Fathers cluster at the rim, and the Ancient Ones cling to the sides so far down as even they can bear the pressure. 

From the nine edges of this circle, the Cardinal Rifts stretch, and the greatest of these is the second holy site of the Dead Seas: the MotherÂs Reach. Though the rift itself slowly closes over a dozen leagues, it points to the longest seam of Maternal Fonts we know. The Fathers who cluster along the Reach are favored above all but the Ancient Ones. 

The third holy site is also argued to be the unholiest site. The Stygian Flow trickles from [the land above/ruins of a lost age if no land around], creating a zone of such total toxicity that no life can pass through. Though the toxins break down rapidly in the sea and cannot be captured or used, it nonetheless serves as a promise of the future maintenance of the Dead Seas. Some, however, say that any blessing not from the Mother is a false one, and that to turn our gaze from Below will bring only deserved damnation, and individual isolation instead of isolated communion.


*Spoiler: Technology*
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It is said that even before the world changed, the First Fathers were spared from mortal concerns by their mastery over tailored microorganisms, smaller by far than even a single Riftling polyp. It was by these that they were first enabled to partake in the blessings of the Great Mother. So too now, they use this _graduated symbiosis_ to tailor the Riftlings Many in preparation for our new involvement past the bounds of the Dead Seas.


WE ALSO INVENTED 66 WHEN WE WERE A DIFFERENT RACE


Region 66
*The Seas-Not-Yet-Dead*
*Spoiler: Geography:*
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_Tis an unweeded garden grown to seed / things rank and gross in nature possess it merely._  -Hamlet I.ii

The Seas-Not-Yet-Dead, while not the sterile moonscape of the Dead Seas, are hardly liferich waters. Little native plant life exists, long since picked away by the Occupying Nativespicked nearly entirely away by the now myriad Chrysomallon Kiwa, who themselves are few and far between. Much like the neighboring Dead Seas, there seems to increasingly exist but one trophic level, that of the Chrysomallon Kiwa, with no extant life above or below them on their food chain. The remnants of the House of de TrenchÃ© Bleu rely on their ever more overburdened serfs who fail more drastically with each year to keep production of food at even a subsistence level.

How can such a place have gone so far to seed? The waters of the Seas-Not-Yet-Dead are no longer the unpolluted crystal of those of their neighbors but instead agrow irregularly dim with cloudy fogs that rise more and more, interrupted these days by rotting chunks that churn quietly through in the slow, enormous gyre that provides these waters no outlet. The ultimate resting place of the detritus of its neighbors, the Seas-Not-Yet-Dead are, despite their name, a rich rotscape, a necrothalassa of choking thicknessclearly trending deathwards, the cast-offs of the Ennead to the north ever more polluting these once vibrant waters. 

The great stinking churn of filth settles  has begun to settlein thick layers, and nothing  anythinginanimate stays uncovered for longis beginning to risk sinking under. Layer after layer of rich decay settles in stultifying strata, stunting any effort to erect edificesMer efforts to clear fields and maintain even their limited palaces. Dunes of death stretch so far as the eye can see--which in these waters is hardly half a fathom.




*Spoiler: People*
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_Is the breath of Her hot in thy hair?_ -Algernon Charles Swinburne, _Dolores (Notre-Dame des Sept Doleurs)_ 

Near a century back, the Mer House of TrenchÃ© Bleu came to settle these lands. The House was never vast, but assumed control over many estates each a fair few miles in breadth, width, and depth. Of the remaining natives, the House gave little care. Minuscule, vile, and likely idiot, there was little intercourse between the two worlds. Then, the Ennead distant and nascent, the waters were clear. Then, the Chrysomallon Kiwa not yet swollen to their current multitudes, the lands were thought empty. Then, the rifts sealed over, there were no places where a breath of the water meant death. 

Thank the Mother things have improved in recent decades. 

The Chrysomallon Kiwa are a unique race, cancrine mollusks whose cutting claws are coated in near-luminous hair. These extend three inches--half their body length--forward from their main shell, from which their reamining eight over-articulated legs riot outwards, between which a cancerous mass of eyes peer dimly out. The shell under whose rim these endless eyes squint slopes thickly back, glinting with specks of the same gold of the clawhairs, but otherwise the rude black of unworked iron dominates their greigite-based exokeleton. 

The Chrysomallon Kiwa, proper to a place without property or permanence do not know any stability or structures beyond their holy sites. Instead, the only permanent features of their vast, unsettled lands of the region are the Writhing Ways. All across the Seas-Not-Yet-Dead, ever shifting, rising, and dying with the currents of the glacial maelstrom above, the seabed is shot through with shining bands of gold. An observer tolerant enough of the chokinginconstant waters to swim down to observe would find the Chrysomallon Kiwa in their millions, an endless vein throbbing with the slow shift of the seas. Hundreds per square metre, this crawling congregation clambers and creeps, catching cast-off chunks of rotting flesh that flow unceasing  with ever more frequencydown the invisible river. Though the awful nature of the Seas-Not-Yet-Dead Ennead's explosive growthis such that the Corpsefall Drift, as it is known, sees now more days than not fleshbergs many times the size of the relatively diminuitive Kiwa avalanche quietly downstream, the cutting claws of the crabs skillfully excise proportioned chunks on which to feed, the rest of the grey-hued hulk drifting on. 

Until thirty years ago, the nature of the Kiwa was as it now is, but their number exponentially lower. The Corpsefall Drift enjoyed only the natural dregs of the waveborne detritus, and though still the ocean's trashheap morgue, the spotty nature of actual corpsefalls meant that the cancrine population was much sparser, an infestation in its many thousands rather than its billions. Since the rise of the Ennead in the north, more and more flesh feeds the throng, and the Writhing Ways have gone from a spotted line to a gilded ivory highway grown fat on the mutilated meat of Mer and monster.

The ebb and flow of the Corpsefall Drift mean that the Chrysomallon Kiwa occasionally cross over the (up until recently stoppered) Maternal Fonts. In these waters, though the Mother's Breath has only since the annexation begun to again fill the sea with her noxious blessing, the edges of the rifts hold a treasure unique in all the seas: sulfer jelly. The crabs feed on this ferrous slime, laying their eggs in its place. In so feeding, they find their hairs coated in both the jelly and the Mother's Breath, and it is on this that their third great food resource feeds. The clawhairs of the Chrysomallon Kiwa are a great orgy of feasting bacteria, and their bodies and byproducts serve as reserves when the shifting waters see branches of the Corpsefall Drift fall still and the Kiwa are forced to scuttle blindly in search of the new paths.



*Spoiler: Government*
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_Nothing is yours. It is to use. It is to share. If you will not share it, you cannot use it._ -Ursula K. Le Guin, _The Dispossessed_

Students of recent history would name the House of de TrenchÃ© Bleu the recent rulers of the Seas-Not-Yet-Dead, and by certain calculus, they would be right. A cadet branch of one of the great mer lineages of the north, the de TrenchÃ© Bleus had indeed for some decades laid claim to these waters. They fought constantly with the decay to build structures that would last. They sent messengers along the Corpsefall Drift to declare to the Kiwa their dominion. They sought to find legitimacy through marriage pacts with local nobility from the Cathedral.

Nothing beside remains. Round the decay of the house's wreck, boundless and bare, the lone and level sands stretch far away.

The fall of the house is well documented in recent history. As the seas woke in those first years of new era, the mysterious Riftlings made their imperial ambitions known, word buzzing from the mouths of vermin swarms. What the nature of these reclusive residents of sterile seas might be was yet unclear, but defense would have to be found. The House was not mighty but it was of good blood. Their leader, a Duchess, sought swiftly a promising marriage pact with the peaceable and sage Congregation to the north. Unlike abyssal aberration, one could be assured that the venerable mer sages of the Scintillating Ceiling would be versed in matters both diplomatic and spiritual. This was a match which would see the House of TrenchÃ© Bleu returned to international discussion and to protection of international community. Never would the monsters to the west seek past their isolation to find allies, and never could they understand the drive for peace and cooperation.

Oh, how mistaken they were.

Somehow, the abominable swarms of endlessly angry polyps, screeching endlessly about their sacred biological superiority to all other creatures found more sympathy than Mer of the blood! In the polar seas be monsters, and the body snatching octopi of the north, the possessed herring to the northwest, and the sentient weeds of the west spurned reason and boosted the clouds' cause. The wisdom of the Pattern was exterminated. And, worst of all, the Kiwa, who had been an occasional and silent apparition in the waters before all this madness, grew endless and quickly added their own small voices to the cause of these Riftlings. Never were the estates of the House of TrenchÃ© Bleu attacked, but as things soured over the years, their diminishing voices have been brushed unceremoniously to the wayside. This was no coup. It was the recognition as sovereign of those who had before been invisible to the aristocracy and the international disregard for the previous rulership.

The Chrysomallon Kiwa know no government for to each is given what is needed. Food floats down the Corpsefall Drift, springs from the Maternal Fonts, and generates even on their claws. Their only claim to power is the Riftlings' recognition of them as the occupying authority, but with the Riftlings unquestioned for decades as the true powers in these waters, that is enough. The cancrine creatures see the fall of nobility and quietly continue their rave.



*Spoiler: Resources*
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_Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch'intrate._ -Dante Alighieri, _Inferno_

There is but on resource in which these waters are, increasingly, rich: death. Even before the awakening of the Ennead, the oceanic currents brought strange remains to the borders of the Seas-Not-Yet-Dead. Here, the bored children of the House of TrenchÃ© Bleu worked their talents and soon a great art was born: the art of grafting flesh long dead into new life. Their descendents, these Graftsmer congregate in the northern waters to this day, working the best pieces of a Corpsefall Drift grown richer and richer as Ennead enormity only waxes. Their health may be waning in these times of filth and of sulfurour secretion from the earth, but such is the price of art.


There is little comfort in the lives of the former rulers of this place. They seek luxuries, lest they grow belligerent.
A visitor to the Seas-Not-Yet-Dead from a life-blighted sea would know at first only the creeping horror of what is absent. Neither plant nor beast, but merely the Writhing Ways of endless cancrine feasting, below a sluggish drift of indistinct meat that make the waters, there is no other word for it, _chunky_. Instead of proper religion, veneration of deities, there is only the mad worship at pits of poison. 

Such a visitor is blessed, for they have not yet glimpsed the brave new world. Oh woe it is to know what is to be known, to see what is to been seen! In the northern waters, before the snapping claws of the writhing way dissect the truth of the Corpsefall Drift, great bloated masses loom in the frigid waters. Almost unrecognizable as mer, these tragic composites and hollows form a portrait of suffering unlike anything known across the many seas. Most, by some foul grace, are dead, and those that cling to torturous life do so dumbly, sentience driven out by crude surgeries, by slow death, or by the merciful madness brought by pain.

These are the Pelagic Graftsmer, the seaborne cast offs and discarded remnants of Ennead projects. Some drift south absent of key parts harvested by avaritious tentacles; some come suffocated under the weight of parasitic additions unspeakable and unbearable. These make rich the Corpsefall Drift, and the Chrysomallon Kiwa are ever thankful.



*Spoiler: Faith*
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_Now that we are sending you to The End / That great god / Tell him / That we who follow you invented forgiveness / And forgive nothing_ -W. S. Merwin, _For a Coming Extinction_

The House of TrenchÃ© Bleu remain adherents of the Pattern, but they know well that they owe their survival to their ability to keep that on the down low.

The Occupying Natives once held to a disorganized collection of beliefs centered around the Fundamental Principle: Life calls to life. Born of a biology possessed of magnetic sclerite, the constant pull towards each other and to the ferrous concretions that over the Maternal Fonts--sites where life-giving sulfer jelly accrued--gave easy evidence to the belief.

It is no wonder that they took so easily to a faith centered similarly in union. The Chrysomallon Kiwa see the Eternal Communion not as a foreign faith, but as a deeper elucidation of the philosophy under which they had already operated. When their holy sites were revealed to be stoppered Fonts, it only confirmed for them that these Riftlings' Mother perhaps had grace enough for a second species as well. 

*Holy Site 1: The Low Rock*
Once upon a time, there was a great sulfrous concretion, rust red and sunken near ten fathoms. As the slow fall of fleshdust sank ever more into the obscured Font, the pit around the Low Rock retained its depth--a unique depression in the otherwise level sand. Now that the font is opened, the rock shattered, it is still seen as holy. Here, the Mother breathes life to Riftling and Chrysomallon Kiwa alike, and the red rocks scattered around that gaping maw retain their wonder.

*Holy Site 2: The Budding Fields*
Across the empty waters, where the Corpsefall Drift is absent, there is no food to be found. This is the rule. Yet here, in what had seemed otherwise uninterupted barreness, sulfur jelly bubbled to the surface, saving the lives of many migrating Kiwa.

Now, this is a web of thin rifts, reopened with the coming of the Riftlings. The salvific wonder of the fields remains.

*Holy Site 3: The Bounteous Atrocity*
The current sweeping from the north brings the blessed detritus to these lands, but ever more with the rise of the Ennead, that bounty has grown rich. Mangled bodies of mer, lacking parts or possessed of tumorous blooms of additions, tumble ever inward, and here in the north of the Seas-Not-Yet-Dead, a becalmed doldrum waxes and wanes. Thousands of corpses dangle aloft, out of reach of the Chrysomallon Kiwa, a promise of the bounty to come.

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## Tychris1

*The Lighthouse*
*The Vessel
Dip 5
Mil 4
Eco 2
Fai 3
Int 2*

*Spoiler: Geography*
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Region 7 Binar Fajar, The Aurora Dawn
To the east of the endless gaping darkness of The Maw lays the vestiges of devastation. Crumbling tattered gray remains of coral drift as shards through the water, dust mixed infinitely into the sea abound corralled by currents of terrible strength, and sunk to the depths. The sands rise like mountains over the bones of countless dead estates. Hollowed out ruins of artificially grown substances now left to limp in the gaze of time. Huge trenches, craters, and more dot the landscape. The realm deeply disturbed by hands long ago. The waters are wild outside these shaggy cavernous ruins, yet the life of the land has been bleached, and so they remain surprisingly peaceful when little survive and fewer hunt. The light is murky and obfuscated here, the rare burst of sunlight only appearing when storms pass and so most illumination comes from down below. The rent open wounds to the planet's core, hastily stitched over in some places and irritated from constant poking in others. The Lighthouse operates predominantly around these trenches, caverns, and ruins. Lurking in the shadows of a land abused by the Kucen long long ago and thrust into inhospitable conditions. It seems as if every year more and more of the land is taken by the crumbling border between Binar Fajar and the Maw though whether this is rumor or fact is debatable. Occasionally, glowing stalagmites and stalactites are formed through strange erosion but these are either quickly harvested or sequestered away under unblinking scrutiny.



*Spoiler: People*
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*The Kucen*

A bipedal, bibrachial family of anguilliformes, the kucen contain a distinct morphology of males incapable of procreation. These Kucen measure at lengths of roughly five feet with a powerful prehensile tail, long dagger-like teeth, huge bulbous reflective eyes, and powerful stocky limbs capable of intensive labor. Called Kosong by their Kucen kin they make up the vast majority of the sentient life left in The Aurora Dawn. Long ago during the nascent years of the Siren's rise to power, they quickly expanded beyond the borders of the Twilight Gloaming, and settled roots in this nearby territory rife with resources and open space. The Sirens drained the land of all its resources, adolescents flexing and understanding their growing bodies, and perfecting the art of edging your resources. Unfortunately, they did not learn in time to save Binar Fajar and their opaline palaces, coral towers, and wondrous noble retreats were left surrounded by empty death and aggressive weather. The Sirens departed, one by one, taking most of their treasures with them, and returned to Senja Bersinar to muscle back territory or beyond to settle new shores. All that was left was one Handmaiden. One of the great daughters of Indah, she was the first to pioneer exploiting this land, and was the most fervent in digging deeper. While the other Sirens fled she discovered something great and terrible and she laughed at their blindness. A great chasm in the ground, a trench that seemingly went forever, and a single point of pure grossly incandescent light. She called this The Radiance, a font of wisdom and rhapsody that enraptured her soul, and gave her revelations on the mysteries of the soul and the universe. She took the name Radiance herself, now seeing herself no longer as her mother's Handmaiden but the will of this otherworldly gleam, and turned her minions into zealots. They spread like locust over the remains of that which was abandoned, in search of glorious light, and Indah would soon quash this sign of heresy to her will. Or she would have, had the other five Handmaidens not risen against her one night, and seeing the pliable deranged state of their sister conscripted Radiance into their treason. Uninterested in the politics of Senja Bersinar, Radiance returned to her sacred beam, and the remaining five Handmaidens were happy enough to take her split of power. She established a temple around the holy ray and her zealots took the name The Lighthouse in honor of it. More and more she did nothing but gaze into the light, fasting, then absolute fasting, and at last days after she had predicted she would have a great oracular epiphany she died. Her body was entombed, mummified in the gazing hall of The Radiance, and to the strange Kosong warriors who followed her, she became a saint. They still operate to this day, fractious zealots, maddened crusaders, and roving fanatics occasionally hired or conscripted by their neighboring kin as brute enforcers. The greatest of their kind calling themself The Vessel, for they gaze into The Radiance, and whisper to her mummified corpse for guidance in the war of ages.




*Spoiler: Resource*
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Resource: Artifacts and Dusty Treasure

Though the Sirens took what they could carry the excesses of Kucen culture, the extent of the roots they planted in Binar Fajar, and the relative rapid pace of evacuation necessary given the environmental devastation caused a substantial amount to be left behind. Paranoid sirens burying their precious baubles, locking them behind heavy stone, and trapping their riches in preparation for this frontier lifestyle have left an ocean of plunder to be had. If you're brave enough to explore for it.

Required Resource: Grossly Incandescent Objects

The Kosong of the region vie for the chance to glimpse The Radiance for even a fraction of a second. Most will spend their whole lives without so much as getting to the entrance, dying in the dark, and so they scavenge and hunt for anything approaching a fraction of its purported sheen. They wear such trinkets as badges of pride, smear their teeth with glowing biological creations, and make their weapons out of luminescent material. They are to be swords shining gloriously in the dark.

Starting Tech: Photospore Signaling 

Unsurprisingly the Lighthouse has invested much of its time and resources into producing as much light as possible. Even their armaments are an assault on the eyes. 



*Spoiler: Faith*
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During the years of The Lighthouse's inception three great temples were made. These also act as military training grounds, drug dens, and fighting pits between rapturous sermons.

*The Radiant Temple*: The temple that contains The Radiance itself, one of the most holy places for the local Kosong, and a place with heavy spiritual weight if any faith can materialize here. It is heavily populated and supports what little wild natural life exists in the area. The sound of clashing wills and making weapons is a constant hymn.

*The Shaded Temple*: Situated near the border of Binar Fajar and the abyssal Maw, this temple was established shortly after The Radiance conquered her Mother in glorious combat and subsequently died. Some Kosong adopted the tale of Indah told in the great city of Indah's Rise, replacing her with The Radiance, and claiming that instead of perishing from fasting after she conquered her mother she went off to conquer the eternal darkness of The Maw. This temple is dedicated to watching her battle, gazing into the Maw, and waiting for her messianic return. Every few years a batch of Kosong warriors travel from the temple to follow in her supposed trail. They never return.

*The Raging Temple*: Surrounded by the most powerful of storms in a near constant bombardment by the elements this temple is as much an act of faith as a site of faith. The original Kosong architect did it in spite of the dangers, arguing that true faith can only be attained when one was living as if they were dead, and an environment that engendered such a hostile aura was perfect for meditation. Where better can one master the art of zen silence than the heart of the storm.



*Retret Ringan (Region 19)*
*Spoiler: Geography*
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Far beyond the desolate plains, crumbling ruin mountains, and dangerous wastes of Binar Fajar lays a relative utopia by Kucen standards. The water is calm, the land is soft and rolling, and the sea is a reliable mistress. The fish growing in Retret Ringan are colorful vibrant and pliable to a stern hand. Life is simple in the valleys, trenches, and sea caves that make up the vast majority of homesteads within the region. Instead of artificial constructs the denizens therein rely on making use of existing landscapes to support their architectural needs. Harvest fields stretching as wide as the eye can see, save for the blight of warcraft that has now formed a set of "teeth" on the region pointed outwardly towards the Maw. Ruts and small trenches have been carved through the land from the unwilling masses dragged to the battle lines in years past to feed the Lighthouse war effort.


*Spoiler: People*
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*Lamplighter Kucen*

In storied myth lives the ancient Lamplighter. The shining warrior wielding a magic blade forged from the melted lamps of his whole clan, combining their light into a singular purpose. He had won a hundred battles and cleaved a thousand foes in search of his Goddesses enlightenment. At the end of his long campaign he took his sword and buried it in the sand, bending the material into a plowshare, and resigned his life to the simple agrarian lifestyle. The veracity of such a story is hotly debated amongst Kucen scholars, some attributing this warrior's existence to various Kosong who were noted Warlords or Cult Leaders, and none fully agreeing on the matter. Regardless the mythical folk hero legend persisted amongst the people, many of whom followed in a similar step to the fabled Lamplighter, and were the dissatisfied soldiers, hangers-on, or worst of all survivors of the constant War surrounding Binar Fajar. At the height of Binar Fajar's opulence, this land was little more than an oversized plantation for the cruel and exorbitant Mistresses who ruled the Aurora Dawn and so few of them paid heed to its existence when they fled back to Indah's Rise for a more sightly and fitting station to rule over. Some however saw the opportunity to escape the dangers of courtly life and took the chance, though deprived of the copious Siren Extract in their home and the disgruntled veteran population lead to a quick subdual of any hegemonic statecraft.

Many of the Kucen in the region light Lamps outside of their home to celebrate the ancient warrior they consider the "Founder" of their home and when the Lighthouse came to they did so again in defense. The Kosong reavers were repelled at first, the Vessel at their host gutted and turned into a Lamp of celebration, and then came the reinforcements. Legions of glowing warriors blotting out the light above buried the Lamplighter resistance the year after, farms were sacked, the people subjugated, and now fully assimilated into the Lighthouse's voracious beast. Now Lamplighter serves as a form of "Elite Soldier" terminology amongst the forces of the Lighthouse, who treat the region as an expensive training ground and resort.



*Spoiler: Resource*
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*Coralberries*

The Coral in the region is unique in producing a special abundant berry that is sweet to taste and makes for a delicious wine. It requires long years of careful cultivation to make the sweetest berries, which only grow in the darkest and deepest places in the land. Now it is mostly used for warpaint and the occasional shamanic potion to send a warrior into a fevered state.

Resource Requirement: Precious Minerals

Though they are long separated many of the ancestors of the Lighthouse were the founders of Retret Ringan and their obsessive nature over shiny baubles and sources of light therein persists. Nowadays it only appears as an obsession with shiny precious minerals, rocks that also double as the necessary materials to harvest coralberries with, and in more recent history to bend plowshares into swords and set the tempo of the Lighthouse Imperial March.


*Spoiler: Faith*
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*Cult of the Lamplighter:*

All throughout Retret Ringan persists the Cult of the Lamplighter, broken down into 3 sects that while generally agreeing on the storied myth of the Lamplighter harshly disagree on the focus and the continuation of the fable therein. Some worship the Lamplighter as a Fertility Symbol, seeing his historic move of "planting" his sword and sowing the seed of their people in this land. Others view him as a Deathly Figure, a Reaper of the past who eventually was Reaped himself, and now ushers on those souls too weary to persist in an uncaring world. Lastly and perhaps most audaciously (and in some eyes recently proved correct) there lives the Resurrectionists who believe that in their time of greatest need the Lamplighter would be reborn and return their people to their Warrior's Oath. None of these cults embrace the Radiance of the Reef as the true Will of the Seas and prove a constant disappointment and irritant for the Vessel and his host of Thugs. 


*Budak Perak
Region 18*

*Spoiler: Geography*
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To the east of Binar Fajar lays an idyllic stretch of land that glitters under the light of day. Such a twinkling buffet is a flower's deceptive poison though, for the slightest disturbance of the surface can cause ruptures of deadly gases and particulates from underground. A complex network of interconnecting tunnels, veins, and geomantic cross sections have created a madman's journal beneath the clean surface of Budak Perak. Most make their home on floating debris and elevated nomadic structures. Occasionally drifting whales will disturb the land and create devastating "poison riptides" which have been mythologized in scale.


*Spoiler: People*
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Migrant Kucen from the countless wars in the west settled in these lands. Their lives are nearly entirely nomadic and migratory, circling the edges of Budak Perak on crude barges made from broken vessels and floating debris. They chase the current in the hopes of harvesting the shiny treasure of their home without suffering the deadly aftereffects. As a result, they have no formal stationery government but an inconsistent and unofficial council structure of tribes and families. One tribe holds particular ascendancy for their ability to lay root and act as a buoy for others. Their leader, dubbed The Silver Surfer for their elegant attire and swift pirating skills held nearly uncontested power in the region until the fanatics of the Lighthouse arrived. They promised no noticeable change to their way of life, save for the opportunity to leave their home behind, and make a living as cutthroats and sellswords in sea lanes far away. They still meet at the Silver Shack yearly to discuss and handle local affairs, though now their collections are more competitively shined, and a number of Kucen have taken up the incredibly dangerous and foolhardy challenge of mounting local wildlife in hopes of emulating their goddesses endless hunger. The presence of the Endless Eel has created a constant disrupting natural disaster that the locals have had no solution for. 


*Spoiler: Resources*
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Galena: This crystallized mineral is found predominately in steam vents and veins but also in shattered crags and treacherous caves throughout the region. Most of the "harvesting" done by the locals is just changing hands of the same sparkly material, however. It's too soft to use as a proper bludgeon so ritual implements are its man use.

Required Resource Skilled Labor: The dangerous living conditions of the land cause a toll on the elderly and skilled populations, forcing the locals to constantly improvise, and scrabble for expert hands in urgent matters. Things like doctors, artisans, and crafters are more valuable than raw goods to the people of Budak Perak


*Spoiler: Faith*
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The Silver Shack is the only concentration of minds and influences strong enough to count as a "Holy Center" though the words are a bit of a stretch. The Shimmers of Unseen faith has placed roots in the community long back but with the Forest of Astral Yearning trampled and no official head in place the faith has grown stagnant and slightly terrified of the giant goddess rampaging through their land.

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## bluefuzzyfish

*Draigiau Residuum Gathering* (Dragon Residuum)

*Spoiler: Summary*
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*Spoiler: Concept Art inspiration for Brenhineplisgyn, Queen Shell, the Two-Headed*
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*Leader:* Brenhineplisgyn, Queen-Shell, the Two-Headed, Gatherer of the Residuum.
*Diplomacy:* 4
*Military:* 5
*Economy:* 3
*Faith:* 4
*Intrigue:* 3
Link to post containing rolls
*Capital Region:* Aelwyd Adferiad, Hearth of the Rekindling (130, 127, 72, 109, 73, 25, somewhere balanced between multiple different extreme (for most) conditions or borders, possibly well isolated)

*Resource:* Draig Shell segments - or Âdragon scalesÂ
*Desired Import:* FOOD

Holy Sites:
Volcanic Hearth: Wings of the WorldBrine Breeding Baths: Wings of the WorldCavernous Reef: Wings of the World
Faction Support:
Aristocratic: ResiduumClerical: ResiduumMercantile: Residuum
Starting tech: Megafaunal Tailoring - DraigÂs hardiness together with their evolved (and perhaps at some point engineered and manifest) ability to adapt to survive their surroundings within a single generation, meant that the creatures had few true threats or natural predators, until the cataclysm proved that even that power could not sustain them alone. Now, begrudgingly, the different surviving breeds of dragon cooperatively leverage their skill in raising and adapting the next generation of larvae to survive. Additionally, some have even been known to trade secrets of their own adaptations with each other, taking to heart the GathererÂs new philosophy of surviving together.


*Spoiler: Geography*
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Draigiau indulge in a variety of environmental extremes as part of their method of forced adaptation and hardening. They make sure to maintain safe shallows for their less hardy servants, however. A significant portion of the Aelwyd Adferiad is formed by a large reef with sizable caverns and pockets in the reef and the volcanic rock beneath. The reef has been augmented with the desiccated corpses of several perished ancient Dragons, whoÂs shells were scavenged and brought along by survivors so that they might contribute their value to the cause. 
Near the center, the Shallow Crest is formed by coral beginning to grow up the sides of the partially mined shell of an elder-behemoth draig. This structure houses the center of commerce and also the queenÂs own nest. 
*Spoiler: elder leviathan Draigs, back when they were more than simply shell husks turned housing*
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Between the coral, the volcanic stone, and most of all the Draig shells, the people of Aelwyd Adferiad do not want for construction material, tools, or colorful pigments.
But even with significant portions of the reef and surrounding waters being dedicated to fisheries, shrimp farms, and kelp and coral cultivation, keeping all of the known surviving dragons and their servants fed is proving to be a substantial challengeÂ



*Spoiler: People*
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*Spoiler: Various Draigiau breeds*
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Draigiau - or dragons - were once legends in the skies and seas alike of this world. Majestic and powerful creatures, dwarfing most other sapient life, and each breed unique to the region it settled. The remaining Draigiau (Draig singular) come in a variety of shapes, colors, and sizes, - ranging between 6 to 12 meters at adulthood. Before the Cataclysm, some of the larger breeds measured as long as 26 meters, but no such behemoths survived. All of them are also known to develop distinctive, large wing-fins at some stage of their maturing process. Some breeds within the species have even adapted to powerfully heat or cool bladders full of concentrated brine which they can spew as a defensive weapon, flash-freezing or boiling the water around adversaries foolish enough to be close to their heads. According to myth, a rare few are also capable of creating bursts of super-heated water around their claws!

Draigiau are morphically a sexual spectrum that can be summarized in three nearly evenly represented groups: female (capable of laying eggs), male (capable of fertilizing eggs), and hermaphroditic (capable of both laying and fertilizing eggs, but still needing a partner to reproduce.) Most DraigÂs gender align with their sexual capabilities, but there exist exceptions. Language remains default-matriarchal as a hold-over from older times, but little pressure has arisen to update linguistics as nearly two-thirds of dragons identify with feminine words and description.

*Spoiler: Pretty Lobster Draig example*
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Most dragons do not bother wearing any form of clothing, as their hardened shells are both sufficient protection from the elements around them, and beautiful adornment. A few eccentric specimens take to imbedding jewels, bits of precious metals and luminous baubles, and even long colorful scarves of extravagant cloth into pieces of their shells when newly molted, as a holdover habit of flaunting their wealth. But most are content with their servants being well garbed, adorned, or equipped as a way of showing off their opulence.

While the survival and propagation of the remaining Draigiau is the central focus of the Residuum, the dragons themselves represent only a small fraction of the population by numbers, effectively the aristocrats of a society of servants, protectors, farmers, and artisans that they have gathered together to their cause. These people are a smattering of Mers and other aquatic denizens, some of whom have been part of a Draig-serving community or family for generations, and some who have recently found themselves a place in the Residuum while fleeing other circumstances. For the most part, servants of a Draig take pride in their work and their value, and are grateful for the symbiotic relationship, just as most Draigiau will greatly value their serfs. Many of the more vicious dragons who reigned over captured slaves through fear perished in the Cataclysm, as the world crumbling around them quickly became more frightening then their own wrath, and they found themselves deserted and left to die. But there are exceptions to this trend, and not all servants are happy with their roles, just as not all of the dragons are pleased to be forced to ÂcooperateÂ with others of their kind of different breeds.

Dragons were once widely known to be reclusive creatures, nesting in family units at most, some living for centuries, and many being possessed of vast wealth. Most of those legends however, are from before the Cataclysm. Now the creatures are nearly extinct. No longer being able to afford the luxury of solitude, the remainder of this species have banded together, pooling their remaining resources in a pact under the guidance of Brenhineplisgyn.



*Spoiler: History and Government*
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_There was a time when our kind were many, and our wings held aloft the wonder of the smaller folk around the entire world! In that age, whole towns, tribes, and cities would swear themselves to a Draig matriarchÂs service in exchange for their protection, wisdom, or generosity. We were feared, and the folk kept a respectful distance, aside from those whom we gave our permission to serve us. We were lauded, and rightly so, for our great might! Each of us was as a nation, independant, and unshakeable. Our wings beat the ocean tides, churned the great currents, and cast shadows even from the sky above!
And so, when the Cataclysm came, we weathered it as we did everything that came before. We each nested in our own might, secure in the knowledge that nothing could prey upon us. That was our undoing.
The terrible new stars seared through the shells of our cousins who swam in the skies. Those who dwelled in high mountains above the seas starved, unable to leave their caves, and deserted as their once loyal servants all perished or fled beneath the waves. Those who dwelled in the dark depths, the greatest behemoths of our kind, boiled in the brine of their own breeding pools, and choked in the smoke-filled water that spewed from cracks in the earth. Now we only have a few husks of their empty shells to testify the majesty our kind once embodied.
And those of us who churn the tides, our homes changed faster than we could molt new shells on our own. Our frail servants perished, leaving us to feed ourselves on ever fading shoals. And in our stubbornness and pride, so many of us shriveled within our shells rather than turn to each other for aid.
We are now numbered in dozens, hundreds at most.
Our world has changed, and we must adapt with it; our ancestors' ways will no longer sustain us. We are the Wings of the World, and without us, what legends will inspire wonder? What tales will perpetuate the little onesÂ drives to stay alive in these terrible times? So those of us who remain, we Residuum of Draigiau, must gather together and find a place where we may all lay and protect our eggs. We must hatch the next generation, and rekindle the fire of our species. Else we shall fade, and the world will have only the last of our scales to remember Wonder.
Excerpt from BrenhineplisgynÂs Pact, transcribed by Ferang of the delicate hand at the Gathering of the Draigiau Residuum_ 


*Spoiler: Resources*
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*Resource:* Draig Shell fragments - or Âdragon scalesÂ - are regularly molted and shed by the huge creatures over their life cycle, and hoarded from the shells of ancestors for their value. In times of old, dragons of all kinds were famed for their vast hoards of accumulated wealth. While some of the more fearsome and aggressively territorial specimens might have simply taken their lavish riches by force as they desired, their attacks lending weight to legends of draconic ferocity, many Draig acquired their servants, followers, and wealth by periodically trading the incredible durability and luster of their own sheddings. Now, the collective sheddings of the Residuum, together with the gathered shell remains of some of those that perished, are used to make quality armor, weapons, and tools, and the excess are traded away to meet the ResiduumÂs needs.

*Desired Import:* While the worldÂs remaining Draig generate considerable value with their combined moltings, their combined _appetites_ are the PactÂs greatest expense. Dragons both sift plankton from the water as they swim and must consume a considerable quantity of meat, including fish and crustaceans, often shell-and-all. A few of the surviving breeds supplement their diets with kelp, and even land-plants when they can get them. And of course, the smaller folk who serve the Residuum have all got to eat as well; if their followers and servants starved, the Draigiau pact would almost certainly collapse, and the Residuum would perish.


*Spoiler: Faith*
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_The Flowing Way_ is a faith focused around the concept of storytelling, of the power legends hold in the minds of mortals, the stories the gods told to shape the world, and of the histories of the many peoples of the seas.
The *Wings of the World* could perhaps have originated as a specialized sect of such a faith in the power of legends and tales. The sworn servants of some Draigiau have long professed that the wings of dragons Âhold aloft the worldÂs wonderÂ and taken a great pride in their service to such powerful and widely storied creatures. Indeed, children in many civilizations grow up on tales of fearsome or wise dragons, and the heroes or dark powers that rose up to challenge them! Over time and generations, this family pride became a deep conviction often with specific traditions being adapted by the followers and servants of each dragon.
And over Draig generations, the dragons themselves came to believe in the importance of their legends to the world as well. The worldÂs wonder became a responsibility, a burden that many Draigiau who held a close connection to their sworn servants felt a duty towards; a pressure to live up to the legends of their parents and inspire new tales among not only their own servants, but the folk of nations abroad.
At times when the serving villages of various dragons would commune or trade with greater civilization, the specific faith and duty to share the legends of their matriarchs came to be known as a conviction to ÂThe Wings of the World.Â
Now that each of these servant tribes and remaining dragons are unified in one nation, individual sects and traditions of this faith sometimes clash and bicker on matters of specific dogma. But all agree that to protect the worldÂs Wonder, Draig must survive.

Holy Sites:
The Volcanic Hearth: a cluster of thermal vents that is tended and has been optimized for the safe nesting of the eggs of most remaining breeds of Draig. As a group nest, this site is a symbol of hope in the new way of dragon communion, and in the future of the species that has sparked so many legends.Brine Breeding Baths: Dragon eggs must be fertilized in brine pools, and one remaining breedÂs eggs are left to mature there as well. This breeding ground is kept well furnished and tended by servants devoted to making sure would-be Draig parents have the best chance of successfully raising strong and wondrous offspring.Cavernous Reef: The largest site of Draig family caves in the capital, aside from those who nest with their eggs in the other two sites. This reef is tended and decorated to a lavish degree, resembling an undersea palace for the noble giants who are revered by those they serve, and social enough to be willing neighbors. This site also contains the seats of government in most matters, with BrenhineplisgynÂs nest in the Shallow Crest.

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## Torv

Forests of Astral Yearning
*Spoiler:  Dunes of Revelations, Region 17*
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*Spoiler: Geography*
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*The dunes of revelations* have a misleading name. there are no dunes to be seen Â only endless kelp. It twists towards the surface in rustic brown, bows for the currents in sickly yellow, and bedecks the floor in verdant green. Save for a few rocky outcroppings it grows everywhere, its dark shadows casting the illusion of twilight the further from the surface one strays. 

And one does not merely leave the surface but do indeed stray. Motes of cold light give the depths their own allure, seemingly drifting between the stalks aimlessly. Taken in from above it is as if the glimmering surface night has an immortal twin mirror below, the stalks desperately trying to reach between the two of them. If carefree one can easily lose any sense of direction, the only hope being to be found by one of the few local Mer. 

Living in and around the outcroppings Mer of the region has an entrepreneurial streak, thriving on collecting the motes of light and mashing them into a brightly glowing compound, locally known as Delights of Moonlight. Overly superstitious they never go far from the clearings and always keeps close to the surface, except for the harvesters. 

The harvesters either to stays by themselves or in one of the regionÂs many inns, to sell their product. Most prominent among the inns are the Snare, River, and Flowering, respectively located northeast, south, and west of Dolphin. *Dolphin*, despite being the regionÂs largest and most fortified settlement has a noticeable lack of anything to enjoy but the particularly suggestive rockformation after which it is known.



*Spoiler: Resource*
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Gunhild closed _ÂThe Tropics and its inhabitantsÂ_ to look the author, Torbjorn in his eyes. 

"*The delight of moonlight* what is it, how much is it worth? The offer was to collect information, not pretty words.Â

Astounded by the ladyÂs complete disregard for his work Torbjorn replied as concisely as his consciousness allowed him to, which wasnÂt very concise at all. 

ÂOhhhh. The delights of moonlight are many things. Individually the motes are like distant stars but packed together they serve to illuminate even the darkest abyss. Some say it is the surface getting caught by the kelp, others the plantÂs way of communicating. 
For the layperson it is a shimmer of another world, ingested it gives the most fantastic visions or horrifying nightmares. Experience life as a holdfast, see the rivers of light permeate everything, feel your blood turn into acid, or cry from the caress of a love lost. 
The inns sell packets of delight, consumed unprepared abyss knows what sights you will see but one thing is known. The kelp will be there, it is everywhere.Â



*Spoiler: People*
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ÂSo to summarize the dunes of revelation arenÂt dunes at all, contains a glowing, highly hallucinogenic substance and is barely inhabited by a few addicts and their dealers. Do tell me why itÂs still unclaimed?Â

Â*The Kelpies*, my Lady. Great beasts with four legs they are sighted in the forests or made by it. Their movement wholly unnatural - they gallop through the water as propelled by sheer will rather than any logical locomotion. Long lengths of loose kelp sways from their neck, alight with the forestÂs motes. 
Seen at a distance they seem like solid creatures of black or gray, if one were to get closer it would be revealed that they are nothing more than amalgamations of withering kelp. But by then it would already be too late. The Kelpies are viscous, ensnaring anyone who dares venture beyond the ecotone into their twisted illusion of a being.Â

ÂBy the shallows! Kelpies and ecotones, IÂve asked you to stop with the pretty words. Give me more facts and less drug fuelled visions of some imaginary monsters.Â



*Spoiler: Faith*
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ÂAhhh, but these monsters are real. Although its appearance varies from inn to inn the inhabitants agrees that the kelp is indeed alive. 

There is the *SnareÂs Inn* trading in toxins, almost seeming to have an understanding with the forest around it. Placing the toxins in the forestÂs edge it is replaced by moonlight in the morning and is it ever delightful. Nowhere else is it provoking such tangible apparitions, of missing friends, fallen comrades, young loves. Here it is possible to relive the past. For a moment at least, until the spectres twist ever more into kelp. Not that it matters to the addicts, who describes both lost friends and abominations with similar adoration.

Then there is the *RiverÂs Inn*, collecting vast amounts of motes from where they float with unprecedented density. The multitude of wonders resting at the tip of their lips sees many return for more and those that do so too often venturing into the darkness on their own. Claiming that everything is interwoven and that even greater wonders are ahead, in the citadel of light. 

Lastly there is the *Flowering Inn*. Somewhat more collected than the others its delights show the same scene over and over. A single strand of kelp, the motes clustering around it in a dizzying display of light. Blooming the motes spread far and wide, flowing through the forest with purpose. Dimming there is only a few specks of light left, on of them reaching the visitor, waking them up. The _Flowering Everlight_ stays the same, but the path of its mote never the same. Those that tries to follow it in reality soon get lost or are never seen again. 

Less frequented inns dot the region, each with their own lunatic worship of the kelp. Are the Kelpies real? Do the motes serve as a mean of communication? Can the Flowering Everlight be found?
Abyss knows. But for anyone staying too long in the Dunes of Revelation its beauty soon becomes the *Shimmers of Unseen Bane*."

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## cactiguy3

*The Auros of Kaarme*
Region: 14

*Spoiler: Ruler*
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Ruler: Mother Yetu and Queen Phiso
Diplomacy: 3Military: 4Opulence: 4 (3+1)Faith: 3 (2+1)Intrigue: 4
 Link to ruler rolls



*Spoiler: Geography*
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 The region of Kaarme is an expansive kelp forest that is mostly flat save for the yawning canyon that scars the sea floor, twisting its way almost entirely across the region. Within this canyon, the Auros city of Syva can be found. Nestled in the briny depths of the chasm, a ring of dim lights can be seen shining at the bottom from the canyon edge against the washed-out green of the day. As one draws closer, it can be seen that the lights seem to disappear downward, a tunnel system leading ever deeper. As the pressure begins to build, a tunnel suddenly twists away, revealing a chamber filled with breathable air and lights. The starry walls pulse with microbial biofilms that feed on the nutrient-rich walls, releasing oxygen into the chamber through a peculiar process. Legends say the first Auros dwelled in this cave, and the city has since risen up around it with its denizens adapting to the murky twilight.

Outside of the chasm, the kelp forest teems with life. Bony fish and sharks are always seen twisting through the towering stalks. From the kelp itself hangs translucent red fruit, casting the floor in a mixture of greens, reds, and oranges. A large variety of life feeds off of the fruit and fish, but most prefer to stay hidden. 



*Spoiler: People*
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 The Auros people are a partly serpentine race with a humanoid torso that melds into a long undulating tail, except for the mothers. A new mother is born from the last egg an Auros bears. All Auros are female and reproduce parthenogenetically, so new mothers are produced with decent regularity. The child hatches fully serpentine. It is almost indistinguishable from a wild animal save for the amazing intelligence it displays and the enormous size it will grow to. One mother and her chosen mate rule the city, the first selected as the first mother born after the death of the last. These ruling mothers dwell permanently in the system of caves below the city and are only ever seen by Auros and thoroughly trusted outsiders. All other mothers serve the rulers to either seed new colonies or serve as weapons at their disposal. Due to their enormous size, the mothers are also sterile.

The majority of the denizens, however, are much smaller. Ranging from 10-15 feet long typically with the absolute largest among them being up to 20 feet in length. Coloration will vary, but generally consists of black bands against a lighter white, yellow, or blue coloration. 

Temperament among the Auros is generally cold and disinterested towards outsiders, but they are extremely friendly and affectionate towards each other, forming stable romantic pairs of 2-3.

The mothers are especially so, but all Auros are extremely intelligent. Those that donÂt train as warriors pursue science and experimentation. Both classes are respected with warriors being capable of intense strategy and complex maneuvers and others have a deep understanding of the natural world and how it can be manipulated. 

Being serpentine, the Auros are carnivorous. They feed somewhat on the naturally abundant fish of the area, but a staple of their diet is a large larva that dwells within kelp fruit. If allowed to grow, these larvae spawn a large species of cephalopod grazers that can sometimes be seen clinging to the stalks, but it generally prefers to stay hidden from potential predators. While they arenÂt overtly dangerous, they can do serious damage if engaged, and itÂs simpler to harvest their larvae, which dwell in plain sight. 

Like wild sea snakes, the Auros are not capable of breathing while underwater, and they depend on the oxygen generated in a chamber in the caves below. They are capable of holding their breath for several hours at a time, so while they could surface to satisfy their oxygen demands, they prefer to dwell in the darkness of the chasm. 



*Spoiler: Resource*
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 Many exotic organisms and substances can be found in the cave system below the city of Syva. However, the most abundant is a lithotrophic algae that produces a potent neurotoxin. While the Auros have adapted to tolerate low levels in the water around the blooms, the toxin can be easily purified to lethal concentrations by exposing the algae to high pressure and collecting the liquid that results, which is aptly named Barotoxin. While it is seldom traded, it is the main export from Syva. 

Apart from that, the Auros always crave well-crafted equipment. While they are proficient in many chemical processes and battle strategies, they do not make their own weapons or armor. Without it, they feel vulnerable, so in their limited trade relations, they seek to gain arms.



*Spoiler: Faith*
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 The Auros revere the darkness and depths that have protected them and given them so much. The concept is deified as a figure they call Astra, which they donÂt actively worship, but they acknowledge her gifts and her mystery. There is no official temple, but every Auros knows her name and keeps a token of hers to which they may offer a quick prayer for good luck before a battle or experiment. Usually, this takes the form of a dark pearl inserted in jewelry, armor, or a weapon. However, if an Auros has some other item touched by the deep, this may also be used. The revered physical sites of her power are found in the deepest accessible recess of the caves below the city. 

The most commonly visited is the air-filled cave where all Auros go to breathe. The biofilm along the walls and ceiling provides food to bioluminescent animals, appearing as stars that shine and twinkle against a black sky. The Auros know that this, by far, is the greatest gift that the depths provide, and they respect it as such.

Another site is a hole known simply as The Deep, and if an Auros is so compelled, they may make offerings or meditate on the dark expanse. Because of the pressure and distance, no one knows exactly how far down it goes, only that sources of light seem to disappear after several minutes of traveling into the blackness. 

The least visited site is where the AurosÂ pearls are found. Even with a light source, upon entering the cave, the water becomes a shroud of complete darkness. Only by careful listening is it possible to hear the muffled sounds of stone rolling across stone, and only then can the loose pearls be obtained. This is generally seen as a right of passage, and an Auros will only retrieve their pearl when they are considered fully grown. Once obtained, they will do whatever they can to avoid repeating the experience because although the darkness bestows them a gift, one can never be sure what other dangers hide beyond the senses. 




*Spoiler: Technologies* 
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Composite grafting

Due to their strong interest in science, it was only natural that the Auros turned to experimenting with the natural diversity they found around them, looking to replicate and harness the processes that occurred in the kelp forests above and the caves below. Because the act of collecting and extracting products can be dangerous at times, the organisms that produce the desired products are grafted to others to facilitate their survival and acquisition of necessary nutrients. This helps for desired substances to be made and stored without the potentially arduous journey to where they are naturally found.

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## Talis

*The Seatide Confederacy*



*Spoiler: Technology*
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*Photospore Signaling*
The Pepsins are naturally bio-luminescent and have developed a thorough understanding of the use of light and color. Their language is not spoken, but _displayed_ as a cascade of colors and patterns. Drifts often use this bio-luminescence to signal each other over vast distances. When groups are out of sight, they leave lingering messages in the form of bio-luminescent algae that often mark travel routes, dangers, or even gossip and news. The rapid promulgation of news and information helps to keep the Pepsins together as a cohesive society, despite the vast distances and sparse population of their homeland.

Holographic Certification. +1 to rolls when resisting Undermine Support. Requirements: Photospore Signaling, A source of Bioluminescent Ink.
A new innovation using bio-luminescent ink to create intricate, 3-dimensional images that change color and form based on angle of observation and ambient lighting. Aside from its artistic value, the new technique can be used to create seals and certificates that are nearly impossible to forge, allowing for more secure documentation and greater trust in contracts and correspondences.


*Spoiler: Language*
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The Pepsin language, called Lumen, is a uniquely silent language that is communicated entirely through the flickering of bioluminescent light. Like Sign Languages, Lumen has a verbal "box" in the form of a Pepsin's torso, which acts as the point of focus for "listeners" and a frame for the expression of speech. Pepsin "Speak" through a catalog of over 150 color-shape combinations that act as the equivalent of phonemes. "Photonemes" are then combined into glyphs that represent words or concepts. By stringing together sequences of glyphs, Pepsin can create phrases, sentences and other expressions of language. A glyph's hue is used to convey intonation and emotion, such as a bright "shout" or dull, washed-out sadness. 

Compound Words - Lumen uses compound glyphs to express complex actions and ideas. Rather than display multiple glyphs in sequence, two or more glyphs can be combined using various linguistic rules to create "compound glyphs" that have a new, combined meaning. Such compound glyphs are extremely common, to the point where a linguist can find the language scattered with the simplified remains of what were once compound symbols.

Poetry and Literary Devices - Because Lumen is a light-based language, a large part of poetry and prose is making works _visually beautiful_ as well as conceptually interesting. One common means of doing so is _substitution_. Although there are over 150 photonemes, many of them share the same or similar meaning. A skilled speaker can substitute photonemes to build new glyphs that share the same meaning as old ones. Combined with some creativity, this allows poets a great deal of freedom to "paint" images and ideas. Similarly, _contrast and Color_ are both important factors. A series of glyphs that share the same predominant colors, or that switch between colors, can create melodic or whimsical displays. A third important device is _transition_: using sequences of glyphs that create a sense of movement when transitioning between them.

Word Order - Lumos is a VSO (Verb-Subject-Object) language.

Pronouns and Forms of Address - Lumen is not a gendered language and has no gendered pronouns or conjugation. It does, after all, come from an asexual species. Instead, Lumos is an *age based language* with three sets of pronouns: an informal set used when addressing someone younger than the speaker, a neutral set used when addressing peers or peer groups, and a formal set used when addressing one's elders. This age-based hierarchy goes beyond pronouns. There is an entire form of "respectful language" with separate words for yes, no, hello, etc. used when speaking to elders. 


*Spoiler: Resources*
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Region Resource: Bluefish Antifreeze
The Pepsins of Seatide herd several species of fish. But most prized among them is perhaps the bluefish. Aside from its succulent meet and useful bones, the fish's liver contains a liquid antifreeze that counteracts the formation of ice crystals and stops items from freezing over. The Pepsins have learned to carefully extract the oil during culling times and export it as a valuable commodity.

Required Resource: Bioluminescence
The Pepsin language uses light and color to communicate, but their homeland is sadly bereft of writing material. Bioluminescent pastes and algaes that can be used as writing materials are valuable commodities, highly sought after for their myriad uses, both practical and artistic.


*Spoiler: People*
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*The Pepsins*

Pepsins are a type of sentient jellyfish who drift the warm, open seas of their homeland. They have relatively slow metabolisms, allowing them to get by with relatively little food, but are capable of bursts of quick activity when necessary. Their upper tentacles are fully prehensive and can be used as "hands" to manipulate objects, while their lower tentacles carry potent neurotoxins that can paralyze small prey or cause intense pain in larger creatures. Pepsins have 360 degree vision and are naturally bio-luminescent in multiple colors. Their language is not based on sound, but on the flickering of different lights and colors. Different color and patterns can convey active words or meanings, physiological reactions and emotions like fright and pain, or simple aesthetics - a type of silent, wordless "music." But while their sight is excellent, pepsins sense of hearing is nonexistent. They can sense lower frequencies as vibrations, but have no specialized organs for hearing. To them, the world is a silent chorus of light and motion. 

Pepsins reproduce asexually via budding. The process can be triggered or suppressed by an individual's stress, nutrition, disease and other factors, but it otherwise involuntary. Generally, angry, stressed, malnourished and lonely pepsins are unlikely to bud, while calm, health, well-fed pepsins are more likely. Buds are near-clones of their parent - the budding process triggers an accelerated level of mutations in the offspring, causing them to have slightly "scrambled" genetics. A bud will grow for 2-3 months on a parent before wilting and breaking off, becoming a new youngster. Physical adulthood comes after 10 to 12 years, and Pepsins rarely reach 60.

Pepsins culture emphasizes eloquence, politeness, perseverance against hardship, wisdom, beauty, and community as moral ideals. While they are perfectly willing to fight when necessary, they generally prefer to accomplish their goals through trade and dialogue. Art and creativity, especially in speech, is highly valued, and good leaders are expected to be eloquent and knowledgeable rather than violent. Determination and community are generally seen as going hand-in-hand: all members of the community must contribute as much as they are able.

There are a few scattered Mer settlements around the outskirts of Seatide, nestled around the few fertile parts of the land. They and the Pepsins live in peace, mostly leaving each other alone but often trading goods that one group alone cannot. The Pepsin Judge receives small tributes from these settlements in exchange for providing protection for protection from bandits, predatory creatures and outside threats. For their part, the Mer occupants have adopted much of the Pepsin's religion and culture.


*Spoiler: Society*
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The center of Pepsin social structure is the _drift_. Each drift comprises of anywhere from a few dozen to a few hundred individuals, all of whom live, travel and work together as a unit. Children are raised communally within a drift and are identified by their individual name and the drift they belong to. Drifts will share resources communally within the group, with healthy adults covering the working and fighting, while children take care of smaller chores and elders provide guidance and memory for the group. Generally it is a drift's elders who act as its leaders and make decisions for the group, but it is relatively common for elders to appoint a younger drift-member as a chief during times of war or strife so that decisions can be made quickly and decisively.

Drifts spend roughly half of each year as pastoral nomads. During this time they wander their territory, herding schools of domesticated fish from area to area as forage in a given area is depleted. Tamed sharks are used to guard and herd the schools, while a type of baleen whale serves as a pack animal. At each stop a drift may collect whatever natural resources they can find: they may gather rare plants and coral from a region, hunt for meat and animal products, or stop at settlements they pass by to trade. During hard times, some drifts are not above waging war by raiding settlements or encroaching on another drift's territory.

During the volatile winter months, the waters of Seatide are beset by immense storms, hurricanes and toxic currents. When winter approaches drifts will settle down in semi-permanent towns to shelter, living off the herds they have cultivated for the other half of the year. These are extremely social months for the Pepsids. Multiple drifts will often settle down together, swelling the population of towns to near city sizes. It is a time for drifts to exchange news, stories and goods, as well as to forge connections outside of their own group. Foreigners are welcome distractions during these sedentary months, and there are multiple religious festivals and celebrations to keep everyone entertained. Adventurous or troublesome individuals may even switch drifts and choose to travel with another group once the the weather changes. 


*Spoiler: Geography*
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Seatide is a region of sparse beauty: the waters are open and deep, while the surface is flat and silted. Jagged, rocky outcroppings and stubborn coral cut the open seafloor into rugged shapes, providing much-needed shelter and landmarks in the vastness of the sea. There is little in the way of plant life or mega-fauna in the region, but hardy species of fish have learned to adapt. Conditions can vary immensely depending on the season: during spring and summer, abundant sunlight provides food for schools of fish, and the waters come alive with activity. During the winters violent storms stir up the water, mixing toxic currents and briny water together and making travel dangerous. Local inhabitants and wildlife seek shelter among the rocky seafloor, and the seas become dark and desolate.


*Spoiler: Centers of Power*
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Aristocracy - The Old Drifts. Although Seatide is primarily a mercantile nation, there still remain those Drifts that maintain the old life of nomadic wandering and fish-herding. Although not as wealthy as their trading counterparts, these Drifts control vast territories in Seatide, and their lifestyle makes them skilled skirmishers and warriors. These "Old Drifts" are some of the largest by population, and continue to maintain a significant influence in Seatide thanks to their numbers and military prowess. 

Merchants - The Merchants of Deepdrift. Deepdrift is the heart of Seatide's trading power, and the local merchants of the city hold immense influence over trade. They are the ones who store goods for later transportation, receive shipments, see that contracts are honored, and sell off final products. Every merchant Drift has at least one representative or proxy in the city to negotiate such agreements. Without the aid of the city, the logistics of moving, storing, and financing become immensely more difficult.

Faith - The Tideseers. Although not a formal clergy, the Tideseers command immense respect in Pepsin society as spiritual leaders and councilors. Collectively, the Tideseers have the eyes of many Drifts and great power over Seatide's culture and faith. 


*Spoiler: Faith*
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The Pepsins follow the *Eternal Tides*. They recognize divinity in natural phenomenon - particularly the changes of tides, season and weather - and see everything as guided by inexorable patterns of fate. While there are many gods in their religion, even they are at the mercy of the Tides. This gives the Pepsins a rather fatalistic view of the world. Instead of struggling against their destinies, the Pepsin seek to flow with the tides, and to divine the currents of fate and fortune. 

There are no temples to the Eternal Tide. Worship is done in the open sea, or at natural formations believed to be tidewells: locations where the tides of fate converge or resonate. Individuals facing difficult decisions or seeking spiritual guidance will often visit such locations to meditate and observe the guidance of the tides. And while there is no established priesthood for the Eternal Tide, the Pepsins do have a caste of shaman and fortune-tellers. These individuals are gifted with the ability to see and predict the tides, and know secret rituals and rites that can divine one's fate. Tidesense is a rare gift, something that one is said to be born with rather than something one acquires, and shaman are revered and sought after for their skill. 

The Tidal Sequence: As more and more Drifts adopt the philosophy of the Blossoming Sequence, a new school of thought emerges, combining the traditional beliefs about the Eternal Tides with the Blossoming Sequence' emphasis on philosophy, understanding, and death. Practitioners of the Tidal Sequence continue to consult Tideseers about their fate, but also incorporate mortuary and remembrance rites into their religious practices in the form of wasteland burials and maintaining shrines to dead ancestors. Scholars of the Tidal Sequence argue several key tenants taken from the Pepsins ancient faith in the Eternal Tides:
1. We are all locked in the complex flow of the Tides of Fate, unable to control over destinies. Death, like life, is inevitable and unavoidable.
2. Fighting the tides only leads to frustration, anger and loss. Mental and Spiritual satisfaction come from learning to move with the flow of Fate rather than fight it.
3. The flow of Fate does not end with death. The tides govern the souls of the death as well as the living, guiding everything in a great cycle of fate that will continue until the world itself stills and the waters grow dark.
4. The dead are further along the path of fate. Swimming ahead, they can help guide us through treacherous waters.

Holy Sites:
Just outside of the "city" of Deepdrift lie the *Deepdrift Crags*. This twisted chasm has worn down unevenly over the millennia, resulting in a seascape of porous tunnels and open crags painted with the myriad color of different rocks. Pilgrims here can feel the tug and flow of tides as the water twists and snakes through the rock-ways in unexpected paths.
In the middle of the open sea stands the *Seatide Crag*, a single, defiant spire of rock that rises out from the flat seafloor. From the peak of the spire of the spire, one can feel the pull and flow of the open ocean and gave far into the clear, blue sea.
The *Stillwater* is a vast, open stretch of featureless land, strangely bereft of any tides or flow. Here, in the emptiness of the sea, one can experience utter stillness and quiet.


*Spoiler: History*
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Pepsin history is mostly oral. Only a few, treasured scrolls exist as testimony to their earlier history. According to the tales, the Pepsins were driven from their homes in the depths by starvation and a "changing of the tides." Some stayed, but many chose to follow the new tide and search for new grazing lands for their flocks. They were forced to wander for many winters, even fighting a war against the "shark men" of the open ocean to secure passage. Eventually, they reached the open plains of Seatide. One of the few remaining scrolls tells of Judge Green Wave seeing a knot of glistening colors flowing through the Deepdrift Crags. Taking this as a sign, the Pepsins set up camp, and have lived here for over two centuries.

The first meetings with the local Mer were tense, but the two groups quickly learned to live in harmony. Most of Seatide was far too barren and hostile for the Mer to farm, but was perfect for fish herding and grazing. The Pepsins helped to ward off bandits and dangerous sealife, and each group provided goods for trade that the other lacked. Soon the two species had created a set of accords, some formal and some informal. The vast majority of Seatide was left to the newcomers, but the Pepsins would protect the small, scattered Mer settlements that existed and otherwise leave them unmolested.


*Spoiler: Government*
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Seatide is ruled by a Judge, who is advised by a Council of Elders. Every year the Council meets at Deepdrift. Here, Elders from every Drift meet to settle quarrels, discuss news and ratify (or repeal) the Judge's decisions. The Judge's duty is to act as a wartime leader, represent the Drifts in diplomacy outside of Seatide, and arbitrate between Drifts. To fund the state, the Judge collects taxes from merchants traveling through Seatide and from occasional settled villages within Seatide. The wealth from this tax is used to pay justices, who travel the land and settle smaller disputes, and to fund a core of mercenaries and soldiers who form the core of Seatide's military.
Despite the Judge's presumed powers, the Confederacy is loosely organized. The largest Drifts can rival the Judge in terms of wealth and influence, and the Council of Elders holds the power to dismiss and elect new Judges as it sees fit, or to dismiss any decrees the Judge has made that fall afoul of the Drifts.

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## Gengy

*The Meadows of Elyan'dan* 
(Region 136)
*Spoiler:  People*
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Elyan'dan is populated by tribes of Mer that are loosely organized into a democratic confederacy.  They have a complex system of honor and obligation to circumvent their lack of formal laws. Of note is that they have a complex system of division of labor based on gender, their concept of gender is _completely divorced from any physiological markers outsiders can perceive_.


*Spoiler:  Geography*
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The Meadows of Elyan'dan are an area of shallow seas with much plant life.  These plants are typically giant lillies that have long roots tethering them to the sea bottom.  The shady area is rich in life.


*Spoiler:  Resource*
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Export: *Clam Vines* are the colloquial name for the colonies of sessile, parasitic snails that infest the roots of the giant lillies that grow through much of Elyan'dan. They resemble giant beads strung on a piece of twine. The Mer of the region use the shells of the Clam Vines as clothing, weapons, and just to look at for the particular shiny shells. The snails themselves are not the best food source, but work in a pinch.

Required Resource: _Heat Source_
The Meadows are a peaceful place, but have unusual cold snaps that often signal an early or long winter.  For all that - compared to some surrounding regions - it is a shallow watered location with a lot of plant life, the waters during winter become very chilly for the Temerpate zone.  The more wealthy Mer of the Meadows made due with weaving heavy cloaks of Lily Petals, but having a wide spread heat source for all would greatly please those living in the region.


*Spoiler: Faith*
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*Open* - Those of the Meadows are not subject to any particular religion, and are open minded enough to learn new ideas.
Holy Site: "Lily Cove" - A major city within the Meadows, Lily Cove is hidden within a large giant long rooted Lily forest, with twisting vines that are perfect living locations for Clam Vines.
Holy Site: "Upper Yard" - A large town on a giant underwater plateau, Upper Yard is the closest livable area to the surface.  For Mer who enjoy the moonlight, or singing in the Sun, many move to upper Yard.




*Colownya* 
(Region 128)
*Spoiler:  People*
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Colownya - the Gotezhar Colony - is entirely populated by Gotezhar.  When Ezcorher started to become full of so much life, the opportunity to expand into new seas - and not fight over increasingly scarce resources - was enough for many lesser nuvens of Gotezhar to make the decision to stray.  Like Ezcorher, Colownya's Gotezhar are divided into various castes:  The Joontar handle bureaucracy and matters of faith, the Profundus take leadership roles, the Squalls handle law enforcement and military matters, and the rest are Workers of various types.  More recently, a branch of Workers has elevated themselves to a separate caste: Merchants.  They are still young, but formally recognized as important.


*Spoiler:  Geography*
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Colownya is a vast body of water with many undersea canyons, that travel underwater from west to east, like some great zipper snaking it's way all over the region.  As though a very crooked smile of some god bit down just hard enough to create holes in the ground, these undersea canyons make excellent places to build domiciles for the new colonists to establish homes.  Where the nuven were 'lesser' before in Gotezhar, those that arrived first and claimed a canyon for their family have become part of the local aristocracy.  The largest canyons have shiny fragile walls that immediately attracted the largest nuvens, and did not just become family homes, but the start of new towns and - maybe one day - cities.

To the north, though, is one of the most important things in the entire region:  A vast body of above-sea _land_.  At the moment, the majority of this land is either impassible due to the brackish swampy waters, or guarded by defenders from the north.  But the small bit of the land that the Gotezhar are able to control is a marvel to them.  Unlike the spire in Ezcorher, Colownya's _land_ allows for many different nuven to _peacefully_ build near the shore to await for clouds - and more importantly, rain! - to just fly overhead.  It is near this northern border in Colownya that the majority of the governance of the region happens, and has the burgeoning's of the region's first actual city; even more so then the larger canyons.


*Spoiler:  Resource*
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Export: *Razorglass* grow from the canyon walls.  It is a brittle - often dangerously sharp - crystal that can be, with the right precautions (or just Gotezhar stubbornness) mined from the canyon walls.  It has many different uses, both as a fragile form of weaponry and as a lesser building material.  One thing is certain: those who live in _razor_glass houses, do _not_ throw stones.

Required Resource: _Esoterica_
The Gotezhar of Colownya share one trait: curiosity.  Without this similar trait, they wouldn't have bothered to move to new waters.  Without it, the large amount of Colownya Workers would have been content to laze about; instead, nearly a third of the Workers are trying to understand what it means to be 'Merchants'.  While the Merchant caste is new, they understand that you trade for weird things... and to do that, you need interesting things to trade back!


*Spoiler: Faith*
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Glimmer Tooth - *Afluente* - The southern most canyon is also one of the largest, and was claimed by Joontar who still follow the Gotezhar faith.  It is also one of the shiniest canyons, so ended up with the name 'Glimmer Tooth'.




*BÂkini Bottom* 
(Region 139)
*Spoiler:  People*
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Those whom live within BÂkini Bottom Â pronounced (pa-Key-knee Bot-tum) Â are mostly hardy warrior Mer, mixed in with a small smattering of dedicated Gotezhar who protect the surface waters.

BÂkini Mer tend to be larger of frame than the average Mer, sporting more muscular bodies, and very few whom are overweight or weak.  They also have more visible scar tissue, as though they have been fighting all their lives.

BÂkini Gotezhar tend to have Shards with a bright white coloring; a distinction that may have been the reason for their separation from Ezcorher, though neither regions have histories to confirm this.  BÂkini Gotezhar are fierce to protect their clouds _and also_ any Mer villages that live below them.


*Spoiler:  Geography*
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BÂkini Bottom is a land with many beautiful reefs, but also many shallow valleys.  Though the waters donÂt run particularly deep, there are still some areas close to the south and east edges of the region that have vast sections of underwater cracks in the ground, leading into dangerous cave systems.  Within these caves lay both boon and bane of the region: the miraculous Fertilizing Seeds, and the terrible BÂtrick Stars.  The Stars are starfish of equal size to the average Mer, but they possess dense skin, making them difficult to kill, unless one manages to strike inside their mouths on the underside of their bodies.  

The BÂtrick Stars must be fought regularly Â the reason for BÂkini Mer being warriors Â for allowing them to eat too many of the Fertilizing Seeds will spread their number beyond what can be safely contained.  This has caused entire floods of Stars before in living memory, necessitating the need for BÂkini Bottom to have a large standing army to push their enemy back into the caves.  It has been thought impossible to fully destroy the Stars, as in addition to the Seeds, the large starfish feed and grow on the toxic waters that float from the south and east of BÂkini BottomÂ but in recent years, Mer who venture too close to that border have found it far more bearable.  Something seems to have happened to the toxicity, making it brackish still, but not dangerously so.  Fewer and fewer Stars are being born, opening more areas for the Mer to live in, and fewer fights for the Fertilizing Seeds.


*Spoiler:  Resource*
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Export: *Fertilizing Seeds* grow from within the cave systems.  They are enormous clusters of three-inch spheres, where the cluster itself is almost six feet in diameter.  Each sphere Â also known as a Fertilizing Pod Â has a wood-like exterior that contains a pocket of air to perfectly preserve a single spike-covered seed.  Managing to eat this inch-sized seed in itÂs entirety has noticeable effects on a MerÂs desires for procreating, and in woman of age in the right time of their cycle, makes it far more likely for them to become pregnant, often with more than one child at a time; thus the name ÂFertilizing SeedsÂ.  How these seeds do this is unclear.

What is clear is that the seeds are not a casual food.  In times of desperation, they _can_ be eaten, but that is not the practice of BÂkini Bottom, as it results in many more mouths to feed some many months later, only adding to those desperate times.  Instead, the Seeds are cultivated for their mysterious properties _and_ the military uses.  A cluster of Pods, if cracked all at once, with force, bursts not just the air pockets within, but scatters the spike covered seeds in a violent manner.  In this way, the Seed Cluster can be dropped from on high down unto unsuspecting Stars before the very things that the starfish want become their doom.  In theory, the Seeds could be fired out of some kind of artillery weapon, but it was not until the Gotezhar from Ezcorher shared the Orope secrets of Supermarine Artillery that this was realized.  Though the explosive nature of the Fertilizing Seeds is different from the Orope Giantsbane Seeds, the resulting destruction is similar.

In recent years, the more industrious B'kini Mer have cultivated their own cave system to cultivate their own Fertilizing Seeds, allowing ease of access to the Seed Clusters, and making it viable to sell the Seeds to outside sources, along with the _safe_ methods of extracting the spiked seed from inside it's pod.

Required Resource: _Unskilled Labor_
There are many things in B'kini Bottom that need doing that are seen as beneath a warrior's responsibilities.  It is with great reluctance that the warrior Mer and B'kini Gotezhar take up these tasks, especially when they could be more useful watching out for dangers on the borders.  The people of B'kini Bottom are more than ready to do things that take skill and expertise to accomplish, but something that 'anyone' can do?  Unskilled Labor is not fit for a warrior.



*Spoiler: Faith*
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Long ago, or so the stories tell, there was a particularly difficult flood of B'trick Stars.  The people of B'kini Bottom were caught unprepared, and would have been wiped out, if not for the timely arrival from the south of a house-sized crustacean, so caked in dirt and grime that it was dubbed by children 'The Krusty Krab'.  Regardless of the origins of it's name, the Krab was a terror in battle, greedy to the extreme for it's next meal.  It ate and ate of the Starfish, seemingly never stopping to fight the flood until the last of the Stars were slain and consumed.  Then it settled on the ground for two days and nights, unresponsive to anything.  When it finally moved again, it grabbed the corpse of one more B'trick Star, and scuttled back to the south, never to be seen again.

To this day, the warriors of B'kini Bottom worship *The Krusty Krab* as a mighty warrior-god made flesh, and shape their society around the humble Krab.  Tough on the outside, soft on the inside, but deadly to their enemies, and unafraid of danger. 
 The spot where the Krab is said to have rested is considered to be a Holy Center, and a building that is one part temple, one part restaurant - serving starfish meat, of course - has been erected there.  There is another temple restaurant farther to the north that was made as a tribute to the Krab, but holds no further divine significance beyond making it an easier place for families to travel to.

Once a year, in the middle of the summer sun, all of B'kini Bottom rests for two days and two nights, eating and drinking.  Traditionally, this is a meal of B'trick Star meat.  Additionally, as part of the celebration, warrior families find a crustacean and have their children whom are coming of age do battle with it, before consuming it and using the outer shell as armor and weaponry.  In this way, they honor the Krab's tenacity.  It has also caused the region to be a prolific breeding ground for crabs, as the Mer and Gotezhar of the region find them both a curious pet and viable food source.

Holy Site: "The Krab's Rest" 
A temple and restaurant honoring the Krusty Krab, and site of where it supposedly slept after it single handedly defeated an entire wave of B'trick Stars with it's mighty claws.
Holy Site: "Mister Krab's" 
A temple and restaurant honoring the Krusty Krab in the northwest.  A viable alternative to worship and feast at, if one cannot travel for days to the southeast.




*Gosto G'Cor* 
(Region 137)
*Spoiler:  People*
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As a colonized region, Gosto GÂCor Â which roughly translates to Tasty Colorland Â is predominantly Gotezhar.  There are a few adventurous Mer as well, but the population is primarily focused on the younger, smaller Nuven of Gotezhar who wish for more skies in order to grow faster.

The rains in Gosto GÂCor are supposedly different, with a distinct flavor to them that the colonists say is an acquired taste.  It is not poisonous, but even the rain isÂ swampy.


*Spoiler:  Geography*
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Gosto GÂCor is distinctly brackish in itÂs waters.  Almost swamp like, it is full of flat plains sunk only about ten globes under the waves.  It is supposed that before whatever happened to overflow the world with water, Gosto GÂCor was a swamp.  And now it is justÂ a very briny sea; almost green in color in some spots, particularly near the southern border which slowly expands into a region full of waste.

The vegetation in Gosto GÂCor runs rampant, as it is much closer to the sunlight, creating a hunting ground for beasts of various sizesÂ but also a plethora of places for fish to thrive.  Still, these fish are very skittish, as though they are plentiful and can hide easily, there are a number of creatures that enjoy a lite snack with nary a word of warning.

Including the new Gotezhar settlers, who find themselves enjoying having steady supplies of meat to eat!


*Spoiler:  Resource*
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Export: *Wild Armored Gharials* are the biggest beasts around.  These crocodiles rather enjoy fish.  They can grow to large sizes, are covered with spines, and possess a toothy maw that is one-third the length of their body.  Not to mention their reptilian scales are thick enough that most spears cannot pierce into the flesh below.  Though difficult to come across - or make happen - deceased Gharials can be disseminated for creating arms and armor, toxins, and various esoterica.

There is one Gharial in the region Â named Big Snapper Â that can spit globs of some kind of acidic substance, and has grown to be four times bigger than any other Gharial that the colonists have seen.  Big Snapper is given a wide berth, but the smaller Gharials are highly valued for their meat, their scales, and their teeth.

Some colonists speculate that the Gharials could be tamed somehow, but so far all who have tried have not returned and are presumed croc food.  Gosto GÂCor gladly accepts fools, for they are delicious.  Even if the smaller, more passive beasts _could_ be tamed, no one wants to try to disturb Big Snapper.  Some claim the creature to have Titanblood in it's veins; not a true Titan itself (it is still far too small for that) but perhaps the distant descendent of a long gone Titan.  Or at least one that is _hopefully_ long gone...

Required Resource: _Spices_ 
Ghotezhar settlers primarily came here because they heard rumors that they would be able to taste whole new flavors.  It is _why_ the region is called Tasty Colorland.  The disappointment that the region is perhaps no longer as flavorful as it used to be (even if the rains have a uniqueness about them) has created a desire within the Gotezhar settlers for various Spices.




*Spoiler: Faith*
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Holy Site: "The Temple of Leocidia" [Brihinte]
Just below the surface of the water sits the remains of a stone temple. Walls decorated with constellations, strange winged and beaked creatures, and sun-and-moon patterns are laid out in a broad rectangle, and carved marble columns rise every few meters to breach the waves above. Where some of the columns and angled ceiling have fallen in, a gentle ramp of stone winds along the interior also to break the surface, leading to a slanted balcony open to the sky above.

Also known as the Temple of the Sky, those of Costa Sereia risked much to bring it back under their control.  Supposedly Gosto GÂCorÂs more tainted waters were cleaned away by beseeching Leocidia herself; for this reason, the Gotezhar respect the temple and leave it to the faithful of Brihinte to oversee.
Holy Site: "Big SnapperÂs Rest" [The Flowing Way]
Near the center of the region lies Big SnapperÂs hunting grounds.  To warn away intruders from getting too far into the GharialÂs territory, a small village was one of the first to be built in the area.  In addition to warning away people from aggravating Gosto GÂCorÂs alpha beast, this village also serves as a place to study the Flowing Way.  Joontar formerly from Ezcorher make Big SnapperÂs Rest their new home, and guide the faithful through appropriate ritesÂ which include Âdo not feed the crocodiles.Â




*New Korasoon* 
(Region 174)
*Spoiler:  People*
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New Korasoon is a far western colony for the Gotezhar and Mer of the BuilderÂs Union to come together.  As such, there are a mix of peoples within the region, but those two species are the predominant ones.  While the majority of New Korasoon are from the BuilderÂs Union, a few Lysimia from Lux-Glossian waters, have made their home near the border of NarcisÂs Rest.


*Spoiler:  Geography*
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New Korasoon seems to be endless slopes and dunes, with no sign of any thinking creatures and little vegetation save for a single, widespread variety of sweet-tasting plant.  It makes it ideal for colonists to move in, but quite a bit had to be imported at first.  After their arrival, it was noticed that there are the occasional schools of fish that come through, but they appear to be seasonal.  Still, with proper planning, this - and the Sugarweed - does give the new inhabitants of the region enough food to live on.

The Colonists had a long, far, swim, through many varied seas; yet they planned for their arrival, and brought a number of building materials with them, quickly establishing towns and villages within New Korasoon.  The Mer among the colonists took over duties of administration, and the Gotezhar spread out in order to find the best clouds.

Though there is little remarkable about the region, to the north and northwest, the waters grow very cold.  This amuses many Gotezhar, who are used to far more temperate waters, but seem mostly unbothered by the lite chill they experienceÂ so far as they donÂt cross beyond the borders into truly glacial waters.  Additionally, there is one spot to the southeast that houses a large coral reef.  It is here that even _more_ fauna can be found, but it is still a calm place, lacking almost any predators, which the Mer colonists find particularly unusual.


*Spoiler:  Resource*
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Export: *Sugarweed* grows everywhere in New Korasoon, almost strangling everything else.  On itÂs own, it makes for a staple Â and plentiful Â crop that can be eaten simply by picking up the short strait stalk from the ground.  The roots and stalk separate cleanly, allowing the Sugarweed to grow back untended.  The stalk itself can either be eaten raw, or _squeezed_ of the contents.  The spice inside is sweet, and can be added to other dishes.

A single Sugarweed is about two globes in length, but barely a few bubbles in width.  They are straight, almost grass like in appearance, but bulbous, hinting at the sugar-like powder that grows inside each stalk.  Their roots are much bigger and stronger than grass, and because of this, the colonists guess that there was no room for other vegetation to grow easily.

Required Resource: _Tools_ 
While the settlers were able to make do with what they had already prepared, further building and laborious tasks will require more refined and complex tools.



*Spoiler: Faith*
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As colonists of an otherwise empty region, the BuilderÂs Union faithful brought their own religious beliefs to New Korasoon.

Holy Site: "Middish Fields" 
A single Middish scribe - one Gaspard de Saulx - joined the caravan that brought all the colonists here.  The Middish storyteller and recorder hopes to earn their title as sage of the Ironkelp Order by acting as a Chaplain for the faithful in the region.  When the caravan arrived, de Saulx asked that they be allowed a large set of fields to himself.  It is from here that the Middish (acting) Chaplain personally built a small open water stage area, from which they hold weekly services.  de Saulx discourages his fellow faithful from referring to him as 'Chaplain' until someone from the Ironkelp Order officially confirms his appointment.




_More Regions to Follow...?_

----------


## Gaius Hermicus

McTavish Enterprises


*Spoiler: Summary*
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McTavish Enterprises (MTE)

Blurb: Corporate state led by exiled walrus merchants.

Leader: Captain Eleazer McTavish
Dip: 3
Mil: 2
Econ: 5
Fai: 1
Int: 4

Capital Region: New Gloucester (Region 130)
Resource: Mineblossom Sponge
Desired Import: Skilled Labor
Holy Sites: Ahabian Philosophy
Faction support: All MTE

Starting tech: Composite Grafting



*Spoiler: Geography*
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Formerly known by its native name, Captain McTavish and the PR arm of McTavish Enterprises have essentially replaced all traces of the former toponym with a modified version of their own homeland: New Gloucester. While much warmer and verdant than their ancestral land, New Gloucester otherwise strongly resembles it in its rocky, craggy seabed. Interspersed throughout the territory are occasional promontories peeking above the salty surface, crusted over with barnacles. Seaweed is common in the region, though not the giant kelp found elsewhere.

At the northeastern corner of New Gloucester is the last remnant of McTavish Enterprises glorious past - the rotting corpse of the Monhegan, the great white whale, bioengineered to be a hollow transport vessel, which conveyed the Gloucesties from the far north to their new homeland. Though its body is bloated and bursting from decay, the gargantuan carcass remains a place of both ambition and sorrowfulness for its former crew, who frequently visit it to marvel at the glorious creation they cannot reproduce.



*Spoiler: People & Government*
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New Gloucesters culture was forever shaken by the arrival of the Monhegan. Though the exhausted whale-ship expired immediately after being moored, its crew, under Captain Eleazer McTavish, quickly set about exploring the region. They found it to be warmer than their thick folds of blubber would allow to be comfortable, but absolutely chock-full of delicious shellfish to gorge themselves on, and also a trade hub with merchants from the Pfilghol and Costa Sereia seeking the native Mineblossom Sponges. The Gloucesties therefore decided to stay where they were, quickly colonizing the entire area and renaming it after their homeland.

The government set up in New Gloucester consisted of the Board of Directors of the newly founded McTavish Enterprises. Originally a mere captain of a trading vessel working for a much more significant corporation, Eleazer declared that his new title of CEO should stand for Captain of Executive Operations'' instead of the more traditional Chief Executive Officer, thus ensuring that there was no megalomaniacal promotion being granted - in fact, his title of Captain did not change at all. Most of the Gloucesties, formerly the crew of the Monhegan, work for McTavish Enterprises as various officers named after their previously held positions in the grunt-labor force of the crew. 

Gloucesties closely resemble walruses. Heavily built, their already thick frames are further bulked out by rolls of blubber suited for their much colder native environment, leaving them to constantly complain of the heat. Their faces are short and snout-like, covered with long, obsessively-groomed whiskers, while slightly curved tusks hang from their upper jaws. They dress in crusty flannels or seaman uniforms distinguishing their position within the company.

Unfortunately, the Gloucesties are not the only sapient inhabitants of the region. Among the delectable clams and shellfish of New Gloucester are an intelligent species of oyster, which lack mobility but are able to communicate via pheromone signals. Unfortunately, the Gloucesties did not recognize the signals when they first encountered them and gorged themselves upon the terrified oysters. Though they eventually learned that the oysters were capable of sapient thought, they occasionally still eat them while professing their intention to do no such thing. Frequently, such feasts occur during philosophical discussions, when the walrus attentions are captured by their contemplations and they do not realize that they are consuming their neighbors.



*Spoiler: Resources*
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*Mineblossom Sponge*: Much prized by other peoples of the area, New Gloucesters ubiquitous Mineblossom Sponge can be found all along the rocky seabed, clinging to crags and stones. Unique among sponges, it is sheltered by a hard, but pliable, outer shell, which the sponge blossoms out of when fully mature. While the sponge itself is edible, it is the shell which is particularly useful, as it is soft enough to be hammered into metal-like plates, which can be used for tools or building materials. However, extracting the shells from the sponges and manufacturing them into useful products is hard work, work which the newly promoted officers of McTavish Enterprises are loath to do themselves. As a result, a source of *skilled labor* is needed to fill out the rank-and-file of the corporation.

*Starting technology:* _Megafaunal Tailoring_. While the Gloucesties have no idea how to replicate the monumental achievement that was the Monhegan, some of the techniques that went into its construction are known. In particular, Ahabs method of grafting smaller creatures together, eventually ensuring the brain and organs of the one were absorbed by the other to leave nothing but an increased mass, are still practiced on a smaller scale by McTavish Enterprises. In particular, highly aggressive trained lobsters are grafted together with Mineblossom Sponges to give them armor as hard as steel, which the Gloucesties use as guard animals for their markets.


*Spoiler: Faith*
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*Ahabian Philosophy*
Though most of the Gloucesties are not particularly ideological, a strain of philosophical thought managed to capture them nonetheless. This is Ahabian Philosophy, named after the scientist who designed the Monhegan. Such a feat had previously been thought to be impossible, yet Ahabs singular devotion (some would say obsession) to his goal proved successful. Toiling day and night, driving himself to madness with tunnel vision, he finally managed to engineer the monstrous whale-ship, only to die at the very climax of his vision. This philosophy of single-minded dedication to ones goals is the core of Ahabism, which holds that any distraction from success is antithetical to sapient existence. Dedicated Ahabians thus pursue achievement beyond any reasonable standard, with the most devout of all sacrificing their relationships, sanity, or even lives in the process.

*Holy Sites*

_The Monhegans Scrapyard: The corpse of the gargantuan white whale that conveyed the Gloucesties from their icy homeland. Now little more than bones, the remains are still an awe-inspiring site that reminds Ahabians of the possibilities achievable by seeking out their own goals._ 

_Ishmaels Self-Help Center: For those Ahabians who are insufficiently dedicated to their own success, the philosopher Ishmael offers classes in philosophy and motivational techniques. These classes come at a steep fee but Ishmael argues that the cost is nothing compared to the results achieved._ 

_The SeaCow and Tardigrade: A key marketplace established by McTavish Enterprises, fortunes are made and lost every day at the SeaCow and Tardigrade. Statues of a virile manatee victorious over a cowering waterbear form the center of the market, where philosophers often gather to discuss the daily market trends._

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## mystic1110

*OpenSEA regions*

*Artetchhue - Region 55*

*Spoiler: People*
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There are two races in Artetchhue - the Chelonian *Ortel* and the Tetraodontid *Orquig*.

The Ortel are Chelonian race of hunters. They are exclusively carnivorous and subsist as a slow moving consumptive mass. These sharp toothed turtles eat almost anything, scavenger like in that they would eat bones and shells, but prefer good fresh meat. They are a tribal people, living in loose bands run by chiefs. The chiefs could be of either gender and sometimes the chiefdom is shared between two individuals, rarely even three. Importantly the chiefdom(s) are not hereditary  instead the strongest rule. It is not rare for Ortel to engage in brutal (yet leisurely) blood baths as rivals compete to eat each other to become the next chief, or to engage in horrifying (yet unhurried) coup attempts as a up and commers team up to take down the current chief by tearing them apart.

The Orquiq are a race of pufferfish  they are extremely unpredictable and volatile and often explode with little to no stimuli or provocation. Interestingly, they seem to share some genes with some species of eels and contain truly shocking about of electrocytes, specialized cells that generate electric charge and take up much of an Orquiqs body. As an Orquiq expands by puffing itself up it builds and build electrical current until it reaches critical mass and explodes. Because of this tendency to explode, the Orquiq are a strict gerontocracy  those of them that live longer lead, the primary importance of a leader is to not explode. Much of the leadership decisions revolve around placating the younger Orquiqs and calming them down, informing them to just enjoy life and not to blow up.  

The two races rarely interact, simply because while the Ortel would eat anything, its counterproductive trying to eat a pufferfish that would explode in a ball of electricity frying you alive as you approach it. The Orquiq, on the other hand, dont swim close to the Ortel, because they know they would fly into a rage or a panic  either one of them might cause them to blow up  which might cause a chain reaction.

*Spoiler: Geography*
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The geography of Artetchhue is not anything special - it is cold and filled with the usual underwater sights of steep abyssal cliffs, corals, grottos, and sandscapes - however, an important fact of Artetchhue is that it holds no volcanoes, lavatubes or other heat vents - anywhere in the region leading to a remarkably cold region of water in an already cold region of the world. The frigid water seems just above the temperature one would expect massive ice sheets to form - and yet they do not. This glacial environment probably let to the strange development of those that inhabit the region - the Ortel, turned carnivorous - need warm blood to sustain themselves, while the Orquiq developed the ability to generate electricity, presumably for the warmth.

*Spoiler: Resource*
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The main resource of Artetchhue are hiring or conscripting a pack of Ortel - one could always use a slow-moving garbage disposal for your enemies or the refuse of their society, and their bones. The main import of Artetchhue is a Heat Source - any heat source, as it would placate the Ortel which would stop eating everything to bask in the warmth and calm down the Orquiq and stop them from blowing themselves up. 

*Spoiler: Faith*
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Both races of Artetchhue worship the Claw. The only doctrine of the Claw is that "The claw decides who will stay and who will go." This doctrine is shared between the races although their interpretations of what "The Claw" is widely differs. The Ortel believe the Claw refers to a giant Turtle who was their forbearer and that the Claw was called such because of it's giant claws. It was large enough to tear open icebergs and eat whatever was preserved within. This Giant ancestor determines where the Ortel travel and as such determine who would stay (those that the Ortel don't eat) and who will go (those that the Ortel do eat). On the other hand that Orquiq believe that the Claw refers to a sort of protective Goddess that would wrap an exploding Orquiq in her claws and stopping the internal cascade. She would therefor save the Orquiq by being a ground for them. In this fashion she, the Claw, determines who would stay (those she saves) and who would go (those that end up exploding). 


*Micht Tsy Fivrivirvs - Region 57*

*Spoiler: People*
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The people of the Micht Tsy Fivrivirvs are the Tsy Fivrivirvs and they are a species of large flippered marine mammals characterized by prominent tusks and whiskers, and their considerable bulk. Males weight about two tons and could occasionally be as much as three tons. Females weigh about two-thirds as much as males on average, occasionally even half as much. Much of this weight is held in blubber stored beneath the skin, keeping the Tsy Fivrivirvs warm in the polar waters. Both males and females have tusks, which are elongated canines that reach about one meter in length and sometimes can be as large as two meters. The tusks are used to cut holes in the ice for the Tsy Fivrivirvs to surface and breath air before submerging again  and they are used in the usual aggressive politics of the Micht (which is the Tsy Fivrivirvs word for Kingdom). 

While already unusual, the Tsy Fivrivirvs are even stranger in that on top of their skin grow multilayered feathers, which make these large bulky creatures unusually fast as the feathers preserve underwater superhydrophobicity for reduced drag. The feathers of a particular Tsy Fivrivirv depends on its family and are often the cause of meaningless grudges or fights. While there are many families, there are four prominent families are the Gry Findyvr (which have red and gold feathers), Fiff (which have yellow and black colors), Ryvnik Liv (which have blue and bronze feathers), Syt Ryn (which have green and silver colors). Secondary families are formed during passionate romances between the prominent families and their progeny has feather colors from one of each of the progenitors (such as Tsy Fivrivirv with Black and Silver feathers or Gold and Yellow Feathers). There also exist tertiary families of monocolored feathers (for example a tribe descendent from a Gold and Yellow feathered father and a Gold and Green feathered mother, being all Gold Feathers)  these mono-colored Tsy Fivrivirv are usually considered the dregs and grime of so-called Tsy Fivrivirv society. 

That society is not much of a society  families are extremely patriarchal and consider anyone that doesnt at least share one feather color with them as an enemy. Of course they are a passionate people and affairs between families are quite common, but such affairs usually lead to familial grudges and wars. Wars and brawls and fighting is what the Micht is known for  the Tsy Fivrivirvs love to battle each other with their husks and heft. The Micht itself is a false concept  there is no Kingdom or King  Just familial chiefs called Prefects which exist to count the grudges against other Tsy Fivrivirv. Instead the Micht is a religious concept of the Tsy Fivrivirv Messiah, that being which would be a Tsy Fivrivirv with a feather of each family that would lead them back into the Sky.  

*Spoiler: Geography*
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The Micht is a sargasso of frozen seaweed. Giant icebergs float in the waters above stretching far down into the depths. The ice wraps itself around the natural seaweed and thus extends as far down as the ocean floor so that the entire region appears to be an ice cave filled with stalactites and stalagmites of ice covered seaweed. The Tsy Fivrivirvs use their tusks to break these ice pillars to harvest the seaweed within  either to eat or to make their homes.

*Spoiler: Resource*
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The Tsy Fivrivirvs live in dams made of Woven Seaweed which is plentiful in the Micht, however they would appreciate Building Materials for more substantial lodging. 

*Spoiler: Faith*
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The faith of the Tsy Fivrivirvs is called The Last Dream. The last dream of the Tsy Fivrivirvs was that they once swam through the sky above the ice as easily as they swim in the waters below the ice. Given that they are a mammal species that surfaces from the ice to breath once in a while, they know what the sky looks like and believe that they once rules the skies before becoming too heavy and falling into the water. Many families of the Tsy Fivrivirv disagree what made them so heavy to begin with: sin, too much food, a cruel god . . . these disagreements form another axis of fighting among the families  As stated previously though, their does exist a concept of a Tsy Fivrivirv messiah, that being which would be a Tsy Fivrivirv with a feather of each family that would lead them back into the Sky.  


*Coresite - Region 58*

*Spoiler: People*
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There are no natives in Coresite, instead the region is now composed of various hiveminds, either Herring, which make up most of the populace or the mercantile Medusa alga . . . the hiveminds at the moment seem to exist in equilibrium given what appears to be their central function, either administrative (fish) or commerce (plant). Between the two hiveminds are a small populace of Mer missionaries, spreading the gospel of the Pattern.

*Spoiler: Geography*
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There was a reason that Coresite was not inhabited by creatures before Deep Blue migrated part of its awareness into it. The region is largely barren of plankton, kelp, algae or other oxygen producing fauna or flora making it a poor host for life. Even life that would thrive outside such oxygen rich areas, such as tube warms, would find no heat vent here  instead the region is largely an expanse of broken shells. What creatures the shells are from seem to be long gone. They may yet exist in the fossil record of the region, but to the new comers to the region, all they would see are still waters, relatively clear given the lack of prior life, and a flat seabed composed of broken shells. 

*Spoiler: Resource*
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The broken shells that make the seafloor of Coresite though are very pretty, if one is given to appreciate ascetics. They are the color of gold, silver and cobalt. The few of these beautiful shells that exist intact are the Warped Shells that make up the regions prime export. Given their names one would think that the shells are curved in unusual ways, but instead the referenced to warping is a reference to the warping of the metal and blue colors of the shells which appear in complex patterns on the shells. The regions required resource are domesticated creatures, mainly as a reliable food source, since there are so few other options for nourishment in Coresite.

*Spoiler: Faith*
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The Pattern seems like a religion tailor made for an entity like Deep Blue, which is largely a thought pattern between some Herring. Perhaps that is why the entity had seemed receptive to authorize a subroutine of such Herring to listen to the Mer missionaries and learn of the Pattern. However, while the original religion refers to the patterns of the coronas of the ice above or the movements of the tides, the subroutine of Coresite looks at its own pattern and so do the Mer that live in the region, looking at the moving fish for predictions of the future.


*Region 59*- *Separatum Corporate Holdings* 

*Spoiler: Geography*
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The Separatum Corporate Holdings are located on a patch of rocky seafloor, instead of sand and silt, the seabed is mostly made of underwater limestone caves. This does mean that there are numerous caverns in the Holdings that open up into air filled chambers, except one should note that the air in these caverns, without circulation is heavy and not really breathable. That said, these pockets of air do create conditions perfect for the harvesting of algae  and are often called the algae mines by the people of the Holdings

*Spoiler: People*
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The Separatum Corporate Holdings include the expanse of land previously labeled Region 59. The land is densely populated, full of slums of previously starving people. Now however, within those slums are huge automated algae farming tanks that provide the substance for the population. These tanks are a blessing and a curse - the blessing being food and the curse being work. The tanks while automated need monitoring, and such jobs are in short supply. Competition for them is fierce. The government of the region is the Separatum Corporation, the shareholders of which are the five members of the original Relief Counsel. Given Deep Blues request for administrative control, the Herrings were elected as the Directive Board and Executive Committees. The Board and Committee oversee much of the functioning of the Corporate Holdings, while the rest of the Shareholders come by to inspect of push their various agendas  some more humanitarian than others. The Corporation, while stemming from a philanthropic concern, has, through the capitalistic bent of some of its members, and through the mercantile and expansionism of its other members, morphed into an entity that wants to make good on its investments. As such, the Corporation is, if not outright exploitative, is positioned to be just that at a drop of a hat. Citizens of the Holdings are in one sense workers belonging to the Corporation, while at the same time also being considered assets. Labor is, of course, always an asset, but the Board and Shareholders both monitor any depreciation and interest of each of their citizen-workers. It goes without saying that Unions are strongly discouraged.

The people of the Separatum Corporate Holdings are Mer  they are not a particularly distinguishable from those that lived in the former Scintillating Ceiling except maybe by their thin frames and hallow faces  but this is probably due to their long-malnourishment and current working conditions than anything genetic. They are also paler than other Mer, again probably due to staying in the caves with the algae tanks rather than dancing in the waves  the suns ultraviolet light might penetrate ice and water, but not rock.

*Spoiler: Faith*
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If the Mer of the region had a faith prior to the communion they do not remember. Even the promises and chants of the communion are distant to them as they clock in and out of the algae mines and factories each day. Faith might be an opiate of the masses, but work and work alone feeds them. 


*Spoiler: Resources*
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The traditional resource of the region had been Coral Dyes, but after the crises and the takeover of the region by the Separatum Corporation, the development of an advanced algae farming apparatus, the real resource of the region must be considered its algae.

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## Grim ranger

Kar-Nath Hegemony regions

*Spoiler: Region 75 - The Plains of Sarkenos*
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Region 75
*The Plains of Sarkenos*
*Spoiler: Geography*
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Situated in a rather plain territory of rolling seafloor vegetation and occasionally rising cliffs between it and many of more important regions surrounding it, the Plains of Sarkenos are a curious case of good enough terrain. Defensible, but not the most. Have their share of holy sites, but not the most holy. There is a measure of natural wealth to harvest, but only truly enough for one trading post to take advantage of without intensive measures. Simply speaking, the Plains are a borderland.

Settlements in this terrain mostly fit for fish-farming and other simple agricultural projects tend to be smaller communities, dotting the plains wherever they have found a particularly ample spot to settle themselves. Often these communities can even be quite mobile, some of them being mostly made up of tents and other structures easily packed and moved when situation calls for it. The most established of the various villages and small towns is the township of *Plain Current*, from which the more important people of the region (and its chieftain) attend to administrative functions of the scattered community. Founded upon the side of one of the larger rock formations in the region, the place is fairly defensible, and hosts the mining operation of magnetic sand.

*Spoiler: People*
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Borderlands attract migrants, and as such it has population from many of the surrounding civilizations, simple folk that have gathered together into small communities. Most of the people inhabiting the Plains are not particularly wealthy, simple bartering and communal goodwill worth more than riches or rigid rules. There are races from most surrounding regions, often people seeking to escape the constraints of whatever has alienated them from their homeand over time, their descendants have grown more accustomed to community of many mingling races.

The daily lives of the people inhabiting this land are mostly focused on making certain essential tasks are done. Herding schools of fish, maintaining housing, tending to fields of seafloor crop and attending to mining of the magnetic sand prized by traders are all common ways to spend ones time, and only a few take to administrating, matters of faith or fighting full-time. Still, the chieftain has mandated a measure of militia drills to drive away marauding beasts or occasional band of raiders, something that has proven to be a wise choice.

While the communities of the plains are generally allowed a fair degree of self-governance, they are still expected to follow the mandates arriving from the chieftain reigning at Plain Current, as well as to pay a measure of taxes. Regardless of this, many find this relative freedom compared to the neighbouring empires of the region a pleasant change of pace.

Since the Hegemonys takeover of the area, relatively little has changed. The soldiery of Kar-Nath mostly patrol the border regions and leave the commonfolk of the Plains to their business, much to everyones relief. While still nominally part of Hegemony's territory, the Plains are offered almost full autonomy by the deal struck between their chieftain and the Frozen King, and as such they can expect to see relatively little of their overlords at any given time while reaping the benefits of being protected by a larger nation.

*Spoiler: Resource & Requirement*
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*Resource:* Magnetic Sand
Mined out of the deeper-reaching iron cliffs of the plains, Magnetic Sand is somewhat of a peculiarity. While not an item of massive import for day to day life, it is often sought out as magical material by many, and is seen as status symbol or academic curiosity across the seas. As such, it makes for a good trade good, even if its use in the region itself is highly limited.

*Requirement:* Toxins
The business of cultivating crops and herding schools of fish brings about its own challenges, and some of the most pressing of such are parasites, unwanted weeds and potentially invasive species that threaten such humble livelihoods. The people of the Plains have found a solution in various toxic mixtures mixed up depending on the pest they are supposed to guard against, and require constant supply of such products or risk losing harvests of fish and flora to such common misfortunes.

*Spoiler: Faith*
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As a loose community, those finding their home in the Plains of Sarkenos do not have a codified religion. Preachers of many varieties ply their trade in the small villages and townships, and thus far no faith has united the people. Many worship their deceased ancestors or subscribe to various faiths they have brought with themselves from the empires around the Plains, but it is often seen as polite not to bring ones faith up too often.

While the lack of codified faith has resulted in no new holies being truly raised, there are certain natural formations that often draw peoples worship. *The Roil* (HS 1) is an inexplicable whirlpool near the very center of the plains that seems to have dug through the seafloor itself, with many whispering of its unique properties in tones of reverence or fear. *The Claw of Sarkenos* (HS 2) is the highest rock formation on the plains, curling out of the ground akin to four-clawed hand of a massive beast, made of unique dark stone none have been able to identify.

With Blossiming Sequence having moved into the territory from the neighboring territory of Bastion, they have quickly opened up modest reliquary temples to invite theological discussion from the locals. While not yet a dominant faith of the region, their influence is regardless growing.



*Spoiler: Region 65 - Pelegar*
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Region 65
*Pelegar*
*Spoiler: Geography*
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A region once thriving, Pelegar is a land still recovering from destruction of ages past. Situated at the very edge of truly frigid waters much like Glacier Crag, it hosts plethora of ruins of older civilization...now half buried underneath sands, broken cliffs and occasional blocks of ice that seem to have been truck amidst the broken terrain after some grand calamity. The passage of time has returned measure of hardy vegetation to the area, however, and especially thickets of kelp seem to survive well in the local soil.

As apparent descendants of the ancient civilization once inhabiting the place, the locals still tend to form cities around the half-broken coral and crystal spires of their storied ancestors, creating a curious mix of ancient grandeur and repairs of colorful banners and simple building materials. This patchwork quality mostly affects the central structures, and the homes of the common folk clustering around them to form towns tend to be simpler affairs, at times more resembling tents than fixed dwellings. The region's most important town is *Panatia*, as it boasts the most intact of the ancient structures and houses the local ruling body, the Triumvirate.

*Spoiler: People*
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While small concentrations of other races common in Polar waters wander about this region as well, the majority population is held by the native *Lacertis*, a race of lizards sporting a number of amphibian traits...and, crucially for living permanently under the waves, gills. While adapted to underwater life quite well, they still sport bulkier forms than many races about the place, and their wide jaws and powerful tails can be a boon on the battlefield.

*Spoiler: Resource & Requirement*
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*Resource:* Untalented Crabs
The cuisine of choice originating from Pelegar, Untalented Crabs can be found in fair numbers in the local waters, making herding them into large "farms" for trade purposes a simple enough matter. It is not a remarkable trading good, but there is always need for food and grafting material for those who are in need of a new carapace.

*Requirement:* Dyes
Still fixated on restoring their gloried past, the locals have developed plenty of techniques to create colorful fabrics and ceramics, all of which need a fair amount of different dyes.

*Spoiler: Faith*
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The local faith of Pelegar is Yearnmourn, a collection of beliefs venerating the ancestors who had built the artful structures the ruins of which they now hold in such high regard. There are relatively little rituals that are considered indisputably sacred, with majority of them centering around burial and reconstruction of ancient relics left behind by their venerated ancestors. This worship of their precursors has elevated the grand figures from that ancient society (the ones they have knowledge of anyhow) into minor deities that people call upon for various tasks in their day to day life.

The sites of religious importance in the region are *the Ancient Graveyard* (HS 1) and *Coral Spire* (HS 2).

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## Kythia

*Faction Name* The Magaramach 

*Spoiler: People*
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Picture a crocodile.  Remove those parts of its head that aren't mouth and make them mouth - a long body ending in powerful jaws.  (The brain, should you care, goes backwards to near the stomach.  The eyes are lost due to the darker waters, replace them with electrochemical sensors inside the mouth and a tongue sensitive to minute currents in the water.  Nostrils are lost to gills shielded by slightly thinner scales).  Now thicken the scales and up the musculature.  You're picturing a Magaramachon.

They hatch from eggs at about a foot long and grow rapidly until about five feet, slower after that though rate of growtth is highly dependant on food availability.  Magaramachi are biologically immortal and grow throughout their entire life, becoming stronger and more intelligent as they do, until they meet a violent end or, less commonly, succumb to starvation or disease.  The bulk, those smaller than about six feet, are barely intelligent - smarter than a dumb dog, dumber than a smart one.  Once they pass around six feet they start getting progressively smarter with no theoretical upper limit.  The Magaramachi don't keep records themselves but records from their neighbours talk about one who reached thirty eight feet and was able to make substantial contributions to the world's knowledge - it's entirely possible that algae propogation was invented or at least substantially improved by them.  Reaching such a size would have taken centuries though and as their body grows so does their food needs; Megaramachi of that size invariably starve to death.

Magaramachi society is entirely focused around size, and as size grows so does ego.  Once one is large enough to have a concept of "myself" and "not myself" they inevitably come to the only sensible conclusion - that they are the greatest of all Magaramachi, that their smaller cousins are suitable only for training to bring them food and that their larger brethren (who attained such a size only through pure luck) must be brought down and eaten.  The very largest, fifteen foot plus, are capable of understanding that not everything feels that way and acting as if they are not the greatest and most perfect of all things under the sea, but the fact that they can pretend not to think it doesn't mean they don't think it.  Diplomacy is possible but goes much smoother if every so often the other party remarks on how large and incredible the Magaramachon is, how they are truly the greatest of all Magaramachi and how they will inevitably grow larger still.

Magaramachi females are perhaps slightly larger than males on average but not so much as to be an infallible guide.  Magaramchi are hatched from eggs as they fall, those infants that don't hatch in time are eaten by mudscum as the eggs hit the bottom and the mother swims away unconcerned.  Magaramchi fmales are capable of multiple simoultaneous pregnancies from multiple partners (or the same partner multiple times) - three or four concurrent pregnancies is common and seven or eight is a relatively routine occurance (akin to triplets in human society)

Magaramachon society, such as it is, is composed of several distinct groups under the leadership of the largest, the group being precisely as big as the leader can get away with.  At any time the Salination is home to around twenty or thirty such groups in a constant state of war as each individual leader seeks to redress whatever cosmic wrong has happened to allow Magaramachi who aren't them to have any influence.  Currently the largest, by quite some way, is the twenty three foot female who calls herself (or, more likely, allows others to call her) Leviathan - Magaramachi lrge enough to have names tend to have names like that:  "Giant", "Huge", "Enormous", etc.  The exception is those too cowed by a larger leader to have set up on their own who take/are given deprecating names like "Tiny" or "Small" which adds more fuel to their sullen plotting and scheming against their leader - until, of course, that breaks into a frenzy of teeth and claws when a challenge is made.

Algae plays a huge part in the diet of the smaller Magaramachi and smaller, non-intelligent, ones will instinctively "farm" the more desirable crops.  Spreading clumps out for more growth, eating competing blooms etc.  As one grows larger, this task becomes devolved to those smaller ones you've brought under your sway but becomes likewise more efficient with techniques such as crop splicing, crop rotation and selective breeding being widely known.  These techniques have also been used on a species of large fish (called the "highest fish") that lives much of its life floating face down on the surface and, with much less success, on the mudscum below.  Magaramachi are far more adept at farming the surface than the floor.



*Spoiler: Faith*
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Each Magaramachi intelligent enough to consider the issue of faith follows a religion at once unique to itself and indistinguishable from every other Magaramachi.  It can be broudly summed up as "<Insert name here> is the best" or "<Insert name here> is the biggest".  Tenets are simple.  <Insert name here> is the pinnacle of the Magaramachi race.  Those it has cowed into following it have made the only sensible decision based on a) how tiny and insignifcent _they_ are versus b) how huge and awesome _he_ is. 
 Those larger are living on borrowed time until they are inevitably challenged and eaten, the calaries from their body feeding <Insert name here> and being another step on their eventual and utterly guaranteed path to becoming the size of the entire planet and then eating the planet.  It's unclear what would happen after that.


*Spoiler: The Magaramachi Salination, Region 10*
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The Magaramachi Salination is an unusually salty region of tropical waters containing the confluence of a few major ocean currents.  It's a relatively shallow area with only a few rifts leading to deeper area, the majority of the region extends only a hundred or so feet down before one meets three or four feet of thick viscous mud.  The bottom mud is the domain of the mudscum - semi-intelligent flat fish who live in packs and eat any flesh that makes it's way down there: their sharp teeth are effective at making sure that most things that come down are sufficiently dead to be eaten straight away regardless of how it landed but Magaramachi scales and similar carapaces need to be left to soften in the mildly corrosive mud for a few days.

Above that various shoals of fish, collectively known as deepfish, swim.  Eating particulate matter and eventually dying and falling to feed the mudscum they are actually, though noone has noticed, the main driver of the region's enhanced salinity due to their highly saline skeletons eventually degrading.

Above that, the floating Magaramachi and various shoals of fish collectively called the highfish.  Some of these are highly attractive to the Magaramachi and an unchecked explosion in Magaramachi numbers wuld likely lead to their extinction, with as yet unknown effects on the local ecosystem.

Above that, the surface.  Clouds of colourful algae cover most of the surface gaining energy from the salts in the water and eventually dying and falling to be eaten by fish.

The algae covering most of the surface means there are few photosynthesising plants in the region as the waters are darker than one might expect given their depth.

*Resources:* Most Magaramachi aren't really able to understand the concept of trade but they do understand the concept of "if I do this, you do that" in the same way that a dog does.  With a bit of effort and a fair amount of sweet, high-calorie foods, smaller Magaramachi can be lured and somewhat domesticated into a supply of *Labour*  by more intelligent races.  They can't handle complicated jobs and require constant oversight but their raw strength ad lack of need for sleep makes them equivalent to entire work crews when it comes to infrastructure projects and the like.

The sweet food is an essential part of that process though; the Magaramachi sweet tooth is all encompassing. Not to say the Magaramachi salination is free of such treats: theres a small silver and blue fish that they devour by the handful and a particular reddy green algae rewards those willing to travel to the surface.  But there's not, and in fact can never be, enough *Sweet Foods* for the population's liking.

Holy Sites: 
*Sharprock*: Open.  
Technically a particularly hard coral but sharper minds than the Magaramachi could be forgiven for thinking it was rock.  This large reef towards the north of the Salination is deadly within seconds to anything large enough not to be able to avoid brushing up against it.  It's easily sharp enough to penetrate Magaramachi scales or similar plating and strong enough to make removing parts to use a weopans dangerous.  The Magaramachi give the area a wide berth and those intelligent enough to think such abstract thoughts view it as a place of death and terror, an eternal punishment for anyone smaller than them.*The Breeding Gyre*: Open  
At the confluence of several major currents, the water is whipped into unpredictable whirls and eddies and something about the ever changing touch of the waters drives the Magaramachi into a frenzy of reproduction and violence.  This place is both the major source of Magaramachi young and the major check on their population as individuals make their way there to fight one another, feed from one another and do other things beginning with "F" to one another.  They stay there in an orgy of violence and other things until dead or too weak to continue.  While it may seem hellish, the smarter ones view it as their (eventual) eternal reward for being so incredible and large - though of course in their dim imagination they win every encounter and grow bigger and stronger with each one.*Leviathan's Home*: Leviathan is the boss
An area of the salination.  Not particularly salty but not particularly not-salty.  Not overly blessed with food but not too barren.  Not too this, but not totally un-this.  It's sole distinguishing feature is its the area Leviathan has called her own.  She half swims, have floats through this area, an occasional flick of her tail driving her towards the males she has domesticated over here or a passing shoal of fish over there.  Periodically - weekly?  on average? - a challenger not bright enough to recongise how large and fantastic she is enters the area to be destroyed in a brief but bloody encounter.  Their half eaten corpse slowly sinks to the bottom to be devoured by the mudscum who are finding this area to be a nirvana.

Faction Support:
*Aristocratic*: Self*Clerical*: Open*Mercantile*: Open

----------


## Lady Serpentine

*The Greenwater Clans* 

*Spoiler: Summary*
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*Leader:* Speaker Meriel Swiftwater
*Diplomacy:* 3 
*Military:* 5 
*Economy:* 5 
*Faith:* 2 
*Intrigue:* 4  

*Capital Region:* The Greenwater (Region 141) 
*Resource:* Esoteric Reagents 
*Desired Import:* Luxury Goods 

Holy Sites: 
The Living Grave: Ascension's MirrorThe Deepheart: PacificistThe House of Shallow and Depth: Ascension's Mirror
Faction Support:
Aristocratic: The Greenwater ClansClerical: The Greenwater ClansMercantile: The Greenwater Clans
Starting tech: *Megafaunal Tailoring* - Without some form of fast communication, the social structure of the Greenwater Clans would be rather more difficult to maintain on a large scale. Not necessarily impossible, to be sure, but the ability to swiftly and accurately communicate messages is a significant boon. Unfortunately, early attempts to create particulate organisms that were secure, private, and insensitive to environmental conditions - while remaining capable of transmitting messages accurately and at speed - proved highly unsuccessful. Instead, the precursors of the Clans turned to the development of swift and efficient organisms capable of transporting messengers, an area in which they had a great deal more success, and the principles of which would eventually be turned to a number of other purposes. 

_(Specialized skills are necessary to breed, alter, and handle larger biotechnological organisms within useful timeframes, owing primarily to their vastly longer generation times, which must be circumvented by brand new means of intragenerational modification.)_ 



*Spoiler: Geography*
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The western border of the Greenwater is dominated by the a massive kelp forest, spanning the length of it from the tangled Greenheart that marks the northmost reaches of the country to the point where the water grows too poisoned to explore far to the south. Despite this, it is still the easiest way to reach the outside world, and most of it is at least somewhat plausible to attempt to traverse for a well-equipped band of moderate size, if something of a roll of the dice. As such the Serovin Forest has settlements dotting the edges of it, and even some major routes maintained by the border clans, to better facilitate both external trade and the extraction of the various resources found within the forest's borders for internal use. 

Most notable among them is the border town of Hunter's Rest, which sits at the end of the largest such path, and has grown comparatively large and wealthy from trade both internal and external. Primarily this trade is in rare plants and animals from the depths of the Serovin, but it also serves as one of the primary importers of outside goods. That said, its position as a border town means it is not especially near the halls of power, a fact that sees it face difficulties in _leveraging_ that wealth and control of trade, already two steps or more behind by the time it learns it should have taken action. 

Furthermore, valuable as the more monstrous creatures of the Serovin can be, they are undeniably dangerous even when deliberately hunted. Should they choose to brave the town itself and make it so far in, it can be quite destructive indeed, and Hunter's Rest is forced to reinvest a larger amount of its profits into defenses, repairs, and the maintenance of the trade routes that sustain it than settlements in safer waters - to say nothing of the numerous small settlements it is responsible for the protection of, and which provide much of the raw materials that it either processes or sells on. 

As one progresses eastward and southwards, the terrain gradually shifts to rolling dunes and broad plains of seagrass, interspersed with reefs and some worn fragments - long since picked clean of anything of value to anyone save a few devoted scholars - from before the Calamity. The settlements here are larger than those of the border, on average, and turned to different purposes. Farming is more common here, for there is simply more land that supports it, and more people willing to live on that land. It is hardly the only occupation any more than hunting is the only occupation of those on the border, however - which is to say that a great many people dismiss matters in both places as exactly that, and are quite wrong. 

The heartlands are also where the great beasts of burden and riding animals used by the Clans are bred and raised, though many of the former are also butchered (as is only to be expected). Both are valuable - the messenger-fish more so, as they are more specialized -, but some of the more forward-looking Speakers responsible for messenger-schools are growing concerned by stories told by foreign merchants. Those stories hint at technologies unknown to the Clans that would render couriers obsolete, and those clans who provide their mounts with them, unless they can find some other use for riding animals. 

At the heart of the Greenwater is the city of Haven, which claims to be the first settlement the Clans formed after the Calamity. Naturally, this claim is wildly disputed, impossible to prove, and unquestionable within polite society. What is not disputable, however, is that it is the closest thing to a capital the Clans possess. Surrounded by powerful, influential clans who make good use of the fertile land around it and itself grown rich on trade, a de facto court has formed, ever-shifting but always orbiting the Speaker chosen to represent the Clans as a whole, an arrangement that is at turns mutually beneficial and viciously cutthroat as the delicate balance of power among the clans shifts. 

Even further east, the waters grow foul, salty and choking until even the seagrass gives way to barren sand. Those who ignore this clear sign that they should turn back eventually find a wall of jagged stone blocking their path, reaching up nearly nearly to the surface and broken only by narrow, winding paths and descents into a seemingly-bottomless abyss. The currents are the truly dangerous part, however, pools of poison and airless pockets of brine sitting undisturbed for centuries alongside riptides that can drag even the strongest burdenfish into a wall of stone spears, and no expedition seeking to pass through has ever returned - nor is there any record of anyone passing over those mountains from the other side, even in tales dating back nearly to the Calamity. 

Until recently, progressing too far south would see one meeting similar conditions, albeit without the precipitous descent and knife-edged spires that mark the eastern edge of the Greenwater, or the terrifying currents that accompany it, the water eventually turning lethal simple to swim through. Recently, however, those the Clans have placed near the southern border to monitor the waters and ensure no unexpected shift in currents sweeps that poison deeper into the Greenwater have reported that though the waters remain brutally salty, they are no longer toxic, and several Clans are eager to take advantage of this news.


*Spoiler: People*
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Most of those within Greenwater are mer. Whether that is because they were the majority before the Calamity or simply the largest group remaining afterwards is a matter of much debate among bored merchants looking for a way to fill their evenings and demonstrate erudition they may or may not possess, but there is precious little evidence either way. The fact that they are the majority _now_, on the other hand, is indisputable. The most charitable explanation of this is the Calamity itself, but research into the period immediately after is always haunted by the possibility that it is no accident at all but a horrible choice, made by the desperate and deeply traumatized or not. 

Styles vary by clan and region, but bone jewelery is common across the entire Greenwater, sometimes even going so far as chains carved from a single piece of bone, though that is a difficult and time-consuming affair that requires great skill. Plant-based harnesses that hold polished stones of particularly attractive colors are also reasonably common, though more so on the plains, where seagrass is easily available; such garments are typically crafted for a specific purpose, as they rarely last more than a few weeks. 

On the western border, near the Serovin, more exotic materials are available. They are mostly reserved for military applications, however, and it is rare to see someone not in a clan's militia - or a successful mercenary or ranger - wearing the specially-treated scale and leather garments that proximity permits, though they are nevertheless emblematic of the region in the mind of most foreigners.


*Spoiler: History and Government*
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If some form of government existed before the Calamity, no record of it exists. It is, however, known that in the immediate aftermath those who could banded together for survival in whatever form that took. These were the precursors to the clans of today, though far less formalized; scattered groupings of survivors working together for common survival. As they largely lacked the means to write easily and did not begin with a strong oral tradition (one of the few facts that can be determined about the forebears of the clans) most information comes from secondary sources, primarily stories from a few generations on, after an oral tradition _had_ been established. 

Historically, each clan has had two primary points of authority: An elected clan-head (the exact term has minor regional variations), who managed the clan at home, and a Speaker (usually, but not always, elected separately), who - as the name implies - spoke for their interests at inter-clan meetings and generally served as the public face.

In time, however, the role of Speaker broadened somewhat. Some clans which were particularly near each other or otherwise found their interests aligning regularly found it reasonable to elect a new Speaker - one who could speak for them all to other clans (or groups of clans, when there were those nearby who had done the same). The original Speakers maintained their positions, but they were no longer the primary voice to the outside world; instead, they were the face of each clan within the wider group, speaking up to ensure that their clan's needs would be heard and respected by their allies.

The role and duties of the clan-head, meanwhile, have stayed much the same. Few clans have shown much interest in giving up their independence by joining completely to another, and even when they have, the structure has been preserved through the transition, with local alliances generally serving as a check on the newly-empowered clan's ability to expand by force. As a consequence none of these loose coalitions have ever formed something that would be recognizable as a country (or even a government on any scale above the local) to modern scholars.

Despite that, these changes have continued into the present, primarily differing only in scale. (Although it is worth noting that the clan-heads have de facto lost a good deal of their power as the Speakers become ever more prominent.) Nowadays, most outsiders will deal with an all-clans Speaker - a comparatively recent position designed to facilitate trade and other interactions with their nearest neighbors - or one of their representatives; that said local or otherwise minor matters are still generally resolved by a more minor Speaker. 

Until now, the role of Speaker for the Clans as a whole has not rested with one Clan. In the months following the death of Speaker Alric Blackfin (the last to hold that title), however, his daughter has been named the new Speaker. And to make matters worse, she was also elected clan-head of her fathers clan - something not in itself unusual, as many clans are content to permit the protege of the last clan-head to be the new ones successor, but her clan is among the largest and most personally powerful. There are dark whispers of kings amongst those in power now, and not everyone will be content to allow a dynasty to form 



*Spoiler: Resources*
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Many things could be sold by the Clans. Beasts of burden, riding animals, labor... But the one most attractive, for both internal and external trade, and the reason that the border clans have not been entirely eclipsed, is the supply of *Esoteric Reagents* that comes from the Serovin Forest. Medicine, poison, and industrial materials are all found there, some in flora, some in fauna, and some in things that defy easy classification, and the border clans harvest it all. 

On the other side of things, the Clans love the finer things in life, as all people do when given the opportunity. While they are hardly without the capacity to provide some of those themselves, they neverthless still greatly desire the exotic *Luxury Goods* that can be brought in from foreign lands.


*Spoiler: Faith*
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*Ascension's Mirror* could at first be mistaken for an offshoot of the Flowing Way. Certainly, a brief summary of the faith does nothing to dispel this notion; both focus heavily on stories, and the impact that a person can have on their life; both have gods that are relegated to the role of creator, who do not take a hand in the affairs of mortals. A closer look, however, would reveal that the details differ a great deal more significantly: Where the Flowing Way focuses on the collection and understanding of stories, Ascension's Mirror focuses on their _creation_. To understand still matters of course - how could it not? - but they do not believe that those stories are a reflection of some divine plan. The Middish conception, they would find even more laughable. Prophetic dreams, they might believe in, should they be well-attested; that the gods have left behind shards of knowledge that demand action of those who uncover them, on the other hand, they would find ridiculous. 

Further, they believe that stories have power to them - a power that is quite divorced from any divine revelation. It is little enough, at first; a current so weak you cannot feel it, can barely see the seagrass sway at its touch. But with time, as events repeat themselves (or near enough that those "currents" are all pushing in the same direction) they grow in power, until at last they could be likened to a riptide. There is room for variation, of course; one story need not be "stronger" simply because it is older, at least not as it manifests around a particular person. If one could form a truly complete theory of how and why this might be so, they would assuredly be rich, or at the very least respected.   

Given the general belief in a lack of direct divine intervention, the practices of the Mirror are largely concerned with, in a sense, metainformation. There are a number of sects which align with one side or another of the divine debate they believe in, of course, but in its pure form the Mirror as a philosophy concerns itself more with the ways in which stories function than anything else; this, in turn, renders it an attractive base for adding one's own beliefs to. The specific strain most common among the Darkwater Clans at present, is something of a middle-of-the-road path, largely concerning itself with providing the means to make one's own choices and story, rather than taking a stance itself. 
*
The Living Grave:* It is a monster. It is a horror. It is, without question, a _legend_ - and so the faithful gather to hear a dead thing speak. Half-buried in the seafloor there is the husk of an ancient Draig, an empty thing that should serve as no more than raw material. _Would_ serve as no more than raw material, had not the first to stumble upon it heard a voice like lightless water given tongue the moment she touched the half-decayed shell. Draig have ever been famed for their resilience; this one, it would seem, has managed to live on despite its death, though it seems chained to the body it once controlled. 

Mirror faithful hold that this is clear proof of their beliefs - that it lived on, unlike so many of its kin, because it had fashioned itself into something that could not truly die. Whether that is the case or it is simply an extreme example of Draigiau adaptability, there are many who come to commune with it, and the tomb-body bustles with activity, mer excavating the silt around it and wandering its corpse like hagfish with no concern for day and night. 

Most visitors do not find it to be much of a conversationalist. Certainly they can sense its presence, and it theirs, but it cares little for most of its petitioners. Those that catch its eye with a sufficient demonstration of their devotion or otherwise seem useful, however, it speaks to far more often. And to its loyal servants, it makes no secret of the fact that it wishes to rise again, tempting them with promises of wealth, or power, or simply the fact that to do so would surely secure their own legend. 

*The Deepheart:* The Serovin forest is undeniably dangerous. It is especially so in the northmost part of it -what locals refer to as the Deepheart - where the kelp grows even thicker and more tangled than the rest and strange beasts lurk in the gloom. It is to monastery-fortresses there, woven into the kelp itself, that the last dregs of the Pacificists have retreated, a few traditionalist clans even moving wholesale into the Deepheart. 

Despite that, however, it is also valued by the faithful of the Mirror, for those beasts could earn one great glory, as could the lost treasures supposedly hidden in the kelp - should one prove capable of slaying or retrieving them, that is. And not every monastery now claimed by the Pacificists was always theirs; the House of Shallow and Depth is slow to act, but it turns a baleful eye northward at reports of those in its service driven from their homes or slain. 

*The House of Shallow and Depth:* In the city of Haven, there is a building of coral and carefully-shaped stone, wrapped in living kelp from the Deepheart. Within there are kitchens, bedrooms, - it is in many ways a city unto itself, though one dependent on trade, as its gardens should swiftly begin to struggle were they asked to provide for everyone within without assistance. Most important of the things it houses, however, is a grand library. As the residents are followers of the Mirror, the original purpose of this library was of course to hold stories, but it has expanded greatly over the years, and it is widely believed that if there is knowledge to be had, it resides somewhere in those grand stacks - though those who know it more closely are quick to caution that the exception is the knowledge of where within them it might be found. 

Regardless of how true that belief or its caveats may be, the order that resides there - which has come to share its name with the building itself - has not forgotten their original purpose, and in addition to scholars, sages, students, and storytellers, they have a significant contingent of glory-hounds, fools, and madmen of all stripes seeking a way to cheat their way to a favorable story or learn the shape of those they may find themselves within. They do not play favorites in the grand games of the gods, no matter the personal feelings that they may display in their (frequent) debates amongst themselves, so would-be heroes, dashing rogues, and those who would slit a throat for a moment's inconvenience are all made welcome... Though those who think that this means they can do whatever they wish swiftly find that their story is not yet overwhelming, and the House amply defended.

----------


## farothel

Write ups for regions 4 and 29

*Spoiler: region 4*
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Name: Lupomata

*Spoiler: Geography*
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This region has a large number of valleys and hills and cliffs, mostly topped with smoking stacks belching toxic chemicals into the water.  A few small drop-offs are found to the north and North west where the smoking hills make room for a desolate wasteland.  In the hills there are a lot of caves and tunnels, mostly old smokers that are dormant.  The valleys have mostly a rocky bottom, but there are some patches of sand where the eye weed grows.

Very little grows here, mostly hardy plants and corals that can stand the chemicals (or actually need them).  The one plant that makes life easier in the region is the Eye Weed plant, which filters the toxic chemicals out of the water.  So all settlements sit only where the Eye Weed grows and is surrounded by the plants.  They don't remove all the toxic chemicals, but enough that within settlements one can survive without extra technology, at least for the natives.  Visitors from outside the region best be very careful removing their filtering masks (although for small amounts of time it is okay).

There are not many predators in the region, but there are parasites that destroy the Eye Weed which have to be controlled.  Some fish can also stand the toxic chemicals and feed on the natives.  Near the vents only very specialised creatures can survive the heat and the amount of chemicals.


*Spoiler: People*
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There are two main species in this region.  The Lysmatella are smaller, shrimp-like creatures who are quite smart, while the Lupocyclus are more crab-like, larger but not as smart as the Lysmatella.  the strange thing is that when Lysmatella and Lupocyclus work together, a sort of low-level hive mind forms between the two species, allowing mostly the Lysmatella to direct the work of the others more easily.

They live mostly in the valleys, where the level of toxic chemicals is less than on the tops of the hills.  While the Lysmatella do most of the governing (what there is in the region), the Lupocyclus do the heavy lifting and most of the Eye Weed maintenance.


*Spoiler: History and Government*
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The region has always been fragmented, as the natives could only live where the Eye Weed grows (in the sandy valleys).  While they can tolerate the toxic chemicals for long enough that some trade had developed, it wasn't enough for a strong centralised government.  so the villages remained rather small, with a local noble (all from the Lysmatella) ruling over each village.

On the other hand, the fact that it was very difficult to move from one village to the other meant that there has been very little warfare between the villages.  All villages maintain a militia to defend against predators, Mostly Lupocyclus with Lysmatella officers, and they have similar tactics, but there is not really a unified military.


*Spoiler: Resources*
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The plant known as Eye Weed is grown across the region where-ever it can be grown.  It is vital for life in the region, but some can be exported.  It is very good at absorbing chemicals and also has some anti-biotic properties.  Older plants actually contain a lot of chemicals that they absorbed in their lifetime, but the young shoots can be used to neutralise chemicals.  this can be used to counter drugs or preserve food, or when a person has been outside of the villages too long, to counter the toxics they absorbed themselves.

While the Lupocyclus are quite content to live as before, the Lysmatella want exotic goods as a way to show their status and also to have something others from their species don't have.


*Spoiler: Faith*
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The people in the region beleive that after dead, if you have fulfilled your destiny, your soul goes to another plain of existance (called the Dream World) where it can still be contacted by people with special abilities.  If not, it is reincarnated in another body.

People with the ability to contact ancestors, called the dreaming dead, all can't form hive minds with others.  So anybody who lacks the ability to form a hive-mind will become a priest (both species can become priests).  The main training of priests to contact the dreaming dead is in a small village (Holy site 1) near the middle of the region where the only non-priests are one Lysmatella overseeing a group of Lupocyclus tending to the Eye Weed.

The second holy site is a chasm near the village of the priests, where there are a lot of villages around at various points.  This is the only more organised part of the region as the villages are closer together.  All the villages close to the chasm dispose of their dead by letting them into the chasm.  It is tought that this chasm has a portal to the Dream World somewhere down below.

The last holy site is a small cave in the North-East, where according to legend the first Priest received the gift of Dream Talking from a soul so strong it could reach back by itself.

In the past years, a battle has been fought between different faiths and while the main priesthood is under the power of the Hymenocera, the holy sites, except for the site of the recently created holy order) are in the hands of the Shimmers of Unseen Bane.






*Spoiler: region 29*
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Name: Belosa

*Spoiler: Geography*
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A mostly sandy/muddy region with small rock formations dotted through the region.  A lot of toxic chemicals are brought here on the current from the north-east, but there were a few crevassas in the region where toxic chemical poured out.  The sand becomes a wasteland to the north-west.  Closer to the North it's more hilly with the smokers also seen in region 4.

Due to the toxicity there are very few plants and the animals either tolerate the chemicals or actually need them.  Near region 4 there grow some Eye Weed plants, but the rest of the region is not really suitable for them.


*Spoiler: People*
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The Belosiae are cephalopods, about 5 feet long (including tentacles).  They have grown used to the chemicals and actually have filtration systems in their body.  They also use some of the chemicals they ingest to be able to glow in a unique pattern, which they use in mating rituals or in dance feasts when tribes meet.  They live in tribal units, roaming through the region.


*Spoiler: History and Government*
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Because the lack of sufficient shelter and the lack of materials to build them, the Belosiae are mostly nomads, traveling from place to place with their herds of Spine Crabs.  Each family unit is self-contained, although they do intermarry.  There is a council of the heads of the largest tribes and the priests which decides on the few things that affect the region as a whole.  Beyond that all tribes govern themselves and the few conflicts between tribes are most often solved by a combat of champions.  As they are nomadic, everyone learns to defend the tribe and the herds, meaning they have quite a lot of soldiers should the need arise.

There are a few small towns around the rock formations where tribes come together to trade.


*Spoiler: Resources*
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In the region lives a species of crab called spine crabs.  These are often well camouflaged in the wild, but are now domesticated.  They serve as food and draft animal for a large amount of different jobs.  The spine crabs themselves dig in the mud for small molluscs to eat.

Due to the relative low amount of rock in their own region they need a lot of building material to build houses for themselves.


*Spoiler: Faith*
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The main faith in the region is ancestor worship, where they believe that their ancestor's souls will look after them if properly appeased.  Near the border with region 4 some tribes follow a different form of ancestor worship as in that region.  While they don't have many Dream Talkers (only a few Lupocyclus move over the border), they do have a location near a group of Eye Weed plants where the few Dream Talkers say they can hear the ancestors.  It's not clear why this location is different, but a lot of tribes following this religion try to pass there at least once per year.  This site has recently been taken over by the priests of the Hymenocera as part of their vendetta against the Dream Talkers

In the rest of the region a different form of ancestor worship takes place, where people just try to emulate prominent ancestors.  In the largest town near the middle of the region has a large cave that functions as the Hall of the Ancestors.  Any Belosia who has done something noteworthy for the whole region will get a 'statue' in the Hall, where his/her glow pattern is recreated using luminous algae and sponges.

A third site the Belosiae consider holy is the site of a large battle between them and the titans, where many ancestors did glorious deeds.  For most visitors it's just a muddy plain.

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## Feathersnow

*Region 125: The Everswamp of Qzzry'ya*

*Spoiler:  people (physical)*
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Most of the people of this brackish region are of a vertebrate clade previously unencountered.  It has long been hypothesized, based on studies of Mer and It-That-Comes-From-Beyond-the-Sky that vertebrates are far more dominant above the sky.  Some heretics suspect the Nacres may even be vertebrate-derived, based on the increased durability and metabolic hyperactivity needed to live in the toxic vacuum that exists beyond the water.  

This clade is believed to be more basal than the Merish or, to use the word the Nacres called It-That-Comes-From-Beyond-the-Sky, "Avian" forms of terrestrial vertebrates that have re-colonized the sea.  It has many traits in common with fish, but limbs of the same array as a Nacre or Otterian, with many traits in common with a mer.  Biologians studying them now feel confident Mer ancestors once had four limbs and closely resembled Otterians based on this study of a basal vertebrate.

These creatures resemble Otterians in more than their gross physical features.  They also have an uncanny ability to live in aether, actually nesting in it.  Unlike Otterians or Mer, their reproductive properties are much like that of the Precursors- abandoning eggs and accepting any larva to make it to an adult phase in the wild to society.  Thus, unlike Mer, who are repelled by the ways of Sakurado's cultivating infants deliberately, to the people of Qzzry'ya, this represents a more humane and logical way to safeguard future generations. 

Of great shock to everyone, there was found a living colony of Precursors in Qzzry'ya.  On the standing request of the Nacres to not wantonly and violently exterminate sentient bloodlines and out of an indulgence to anthropologists, they are going to be permitted to live naturally, though any are free to convert.


*Spoiler:  people (culture)*
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The dominant culture of this area called themselves the Levt. This word is both the name for their society and the dominant species.  They revere the Great Mangrove.  Study of this being confirm their legend that it is a single clonal colony actually introduced by the semi-apocryphal  Saint Tomo in Precursor Times.  

According to legend, there was once a forest of similar trees that were devastated in The Cataclysm.   St. Tomo created this replacement to stabilize the ruined ecosystem and prevent the extinction of the Levt.  In thanks they have practiced a corrupt form of primitive Sakurado, but are eager to adopt themselves to our new orthodoxy. 


*Spoiler:  Geography*
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This area was once much like Dashasham, a series of mountains piercing the sky, but the Great Mangrove absorbed much of the salt and filled in much of the available space.  It is more wood than water, and less mountain than either. 
The waters here very light in mineral content, to the point it can cause kidney distress in fish designed for other regions.



*Spoiler:  Resource*
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Cuttings of the Mother Mangrove can live almost anywhere and provide fodder for animals due to their fast growth.

The hormonal system of Mother Mangrove is actually a Precursor relic used replicate industrial chemicals by careful application of stimuli.  These *Fruiting Mangrove* are living chemical factories!  That said, they cannot produce extremely complex biologicals.


Since Mother Mangrove has consumed most of the region,  *Fertilizer* is needed to continue production effectively.


*Spoiler: faith*
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The Levt practice a primitive version of Sakurado that will require instruction to become orthodox.   They do revere our saints and understand the need to care fir the World Garden.   It us a good first step!

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## Feathersnow

Region 120
*The Dekapoloi*
*Spoiler:  people*
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This region is a rough conglomerate of hamlets, notionally ten spread out 'cities," each representing a different species or ethnic grouping.  There are representatives from Otterian, Nautilite, Merish, and Crab-folk tribes, as well as Sakura-Jin Hermit Crabs, and other races as well.  The Hermit Crabs are later immigrants, and not notionally one of "the ten."  Levt are also not present, being restricted until recently to Qzzry'ya. 
They have a democratic council, with speakers from each tribe answering to a grand jurist.  The most recent grand jurist led the defense against the Sakura-Jin invasion.  He has since converted and has been allowed to keep his titles in exchange for allowing the Ecclesiarchs to act as a veto on his power and name his successor.


*Spoiler: Geography*
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This land has rolling hills and variable salinity clines.  It is interspersed with small villages that are organized by caste and ethnicity into ten "cities."  The actual terrain is idyllic and pastoral.


*Spoiler:  resource*
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This place is a calm, pastoral land where *axolotl* shepherds farm their strange basal vertebrate creatures for meat and nutritious glitter-slime they shed from their bellies.

The people have little building materials and move around constantly, living in tents.  As a result, they need *Textiles*


*Spoiler:  Faith*
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The people of this region have no organized religion, but pray to manifestations of nature personified, not unlike the Baalim priests of the Precursors, though they use different names.  Theologians will study similarities to these discredited faiths in order to better supplant them.  This is the first time Mer or Otterians have been attempted to be integrated into Sakurado in large numbers.  Their bizarre biological needs and "family" structures may not be easily integrated and great care will be taken not to antagonize them or make the integration seem compulsory.

----------


## Frostwander

*Region 103: Taifre Mandala - The Hundred Trenches*

*Spoiler: Geography*
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Ridges and canyons alternate in chaotic waves, forming a sea floor that is rarely level or smooth. The rock is largely composed of multicolored limestone ridges. The ridgetops, most exposed to the heavy currents of the region, are barren but for hardier crustaceans and schools of larger fish. The valleys, sheltered from the harsher waters above, are home to sweeping coral reefs and thousands of species they house - including the Nereid, the only known sentient natives of the region. From above, this has the effect of a mandala-like swirl, alternating bands of rock and vegetation in a myriad of patterns and colors. It is broadly debated among the locals whether this pattern was natural or deliberately cultivated. This earns the region its proper name, Taifre Mandala, though colloquially it is often simply called the Hundred Trenches.

At the center of the region, like an eye of calm in the swirling trenches, sits the shallow basin containing the remains of the Temple of Duarge. It is the most intact pre-Calamity structure in the region, only recently identified by the Sereian visitors. Numerous hollow shell structures dot the basin, faded paint and carvings depicting all kinds of ocean life, from fish and seahorses to turtles and whales. Broken remnants of shoal enclosures and feeding pens litter the grounds between, now overgrown with seaweeds and corals. In the spiral arms of the valleys extending, many more-fragmented ruins speak of a once vast city, now only a shattered legacy to be explored and deciphered.

The passage of the Trawlers has left a scoured scar thousands of meters wide, marring one side of the mandala. Fortunately the primary settlement of Demeli was missed, but one of the outer collegiate grounds was less fortunate. While the staff and student body were evacuated, the campus itself was completely leveled.

*Spoiler: People*
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Nereid are a merfolk race, with a piscine lower body and tail meeting at the waist with a humanoid torso, arms and head. Adult Sereia typically measure two to five meters in length from head to fin, with the tail accounting for between half and three-quarters of their body mass. Skin and scale colors come in a broad spectrum, though very few Nereid sport the customized grafts of the Sereia.

*Spoiler: History*
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The Nereid have lost much of their history, but the scholars have begun to piece together things from the ruins and relics recovered by the adventuring scholars. They have traced their origins to a once widespread society of their race known as the Tritaol Republic. The republic, according to records, was a thriving high society of faith, philosophy, and martial prowess. Dozens of city-states formed a network of communities, and representatives of each governed in a senate according to their population. Grand architecture led to the creation of vast halls and temples.

Then the Calamity laid all this low. From pieced-together bits of writing, the scholars broad consensus (there is some debate on the meaning of certain phrases) is that a combination of corruption and complacency among the aristocracy was already fraying cohesion among the Tritaol people. When the apocalypse struck, the already weakened ties among the city-states collapsed. Without the nets of trade and support, most who survived the initial devastation succumbed to starvation, exposure, and infighting. Small groups formed, forsaking class and caste from desperation, managed to survive in isolation until the waters cleared and bonds could be found anew.

*Spoiler: Resource*
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*Adventuring Scholars* - Those Nereid who continue their education into the field of research have formed colleges. These schools are focused on furthering scientific knowledge through analysis of their predecessors and of the natural world. Groups of scholars take their studies from the halls of their schools into the wild currents of the trenches, which necessitates some skill in navigation and survival as well. Those who pursue these field studies spend years training and pursuing a thesis under the supervision of a respected mentor before they are allowed to join or lead expeditions of their own.

*Spoiler: Faith*
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*The Examinations* - Nereid beliefs bear little resemblance to that of the republic that was their origin. With their survival dependent on careful study of their surroundings, knowledge and education have surpassed philosophy. The Examinations are a series of developed tests, where children and young adults can prove their retention of their lessons. These test for proficiency via memorization and deduction of four subjects: language, reading, mathematics, and scientific reasoning. An individuals performance in the Examinations determine their prospects in the next level of schooling, and when education is completed, the career options available.

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## TheDarkDM

*Lapangan Zamrud (Region 24)*
*Spoiler: Geography*
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*Lapangan Zamrud (Region 24)*

Spreading south of the crimson waters of Bloodhome and the Khandeeps, the rolling kelp forests of Lapangan Zamrud form a glistening veridian sea-within-a-sea.  Their verdant expanses guided but never pierced by the stunted remnants of volcanic mountains, the tangled wilds can easily confuse and disorient those unfamiliar with their currents, leaving more than one weary traveler vulnerable to the dapple-furred sea tigers that make the place their hunting grounds.  Those fleeing to the sandy surface are no safer, for venomous, sapphire-hued urchins often cling to the holdfasts of the groves.  Occupying one of the shallowest expanses of the tropic waters, the waters above the rolling forests are often speckled with strange ghost-lights from the surface, and Lapangan Zamruds inhabitants are some of the few brave enough to have laid eyes on the mythic sun.


*Spoiler: People*
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*Merfolk*

Wedged between great kingdoms of corals, the mer who call Lapangan Zamrud their home have long prospered in careful anonymity.  Weaving hidden villages in natural valleys and dales, they have farmed the forests and hunted its bounty for generations.  Loosely organized into tribal groups, conflicts between these settlements were rare and highly ritualized, with all involved aware of the greater danger of exposing their hidden fastnesses or drawing greater attention from ravenous sea tigers through rampant bloodshed.  Most arguments and grievances between the scattered villages were addressed at regular conclaves of tribal leaders, these conclaves forming the nearest thing to a governing body in the region.  However, the rise of the great powers in Lapangan Zamruds orbit spelled doom for this way of life.

As conflicts raged and tropical kingdoms sought to become powers, the dregs of a dozen armies were left adrift in the uncaring sea.  Many of these forces, driven from their homelands by the expansionist ambitions of Syndicate, Lighthouse, and Unity, saw in the kelp forests a place to lick their wounds and consider the future.  At first, this trickle of outsiders was seen as no danger to the forest tribes, and some were even welcomed to prove themselves and thus gain a true home.  But what began as a trickle soon became a flood, as entire shattered divisions reconstituted themselves beneath the banners of one of a dozen petty warlords.  The native population found itself besieged, their forests now fully infected with armed bands who navigated the hidden ways thanks to collaborators willing and unwilling.  These bandit groups extorted the hidden villages to fulfill their base desires, while adopting the fundamental rule of the forest - to hide.  Woe to them, that this proved insufficient to blunt the Syndicates ambitions.

The invasion of the Lambent Syndicate brought true war to the great forest for the first time in recorded song, as bandit clans made a stand against the unified fist of the kucens slave soldiers.  Had they commanded the loyalty of the people, they might have prevailed, for the forest held as many dangers for the invaders as for the occupiers.  But the Syndicate is ever one to couple the thrusting spear with the subtle knife, and beneath the haze of battle sirens in service to the great Mistresses made contact with the local tribes.  Eager for freedom and seduced by the sirens honeyed words, the tribes betrayed the secret ways, the hidden fortresses, and the supply caches of last-resort that the bandit clans had relied upon, and so their oppressors were finally defeated.  To signal the peace they offered, the Syndicates soldiers bound all the captive bandits in fungal cages bound to the kelp, breaking their limbs and leaving them as living delicacies for the swarms of bottom-feeders drawn to the carnage.  This ring of the living dead stretched the perimeter of the forest, and offered a chilling warning against further resistance.

Now, the tribes stand liberated but not free.  Their confederation now meets in a location of clear-cut forest where the Syndicates intricate coral palaces might take root, under the watchful eyes of a siren.  The subtle knife has been sheathed, but one need only look at the field of bones that now surrounds Lapangan Zamrud to know they are a conquered people.


*Spoiler: Resource*
Show

*Fibrous Kelp* 

The vibrant fields of Lapangan Zamrud are made up of a variety of species of kelp, but none is more prized than the durable bull kelp that the local mer rely on for building materials and textiles.  The tough strands can be woven into fibers of great strength while still alive, providing living cocoons in which to shelter from the elements.  Moreover, the natural processes of the heterokonts serve to filter the surrounding waters of impurities, suggesting more advanced uses for the resource.

*Resource Requirement: Military Labor*

Forced to spend a generation under the control of greedy despots, the people of Lapangan Zamrud log above all else for a return to the security of their prior anonymity.  To that end, each village has taken up a collection to procure their own defenders, independent even from the Syndicates distant enforcers.


*Spoiler: Faith*
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*The Gyre:* With their daily lives so intimately entwined with the kelp forest, the mer of Lapangan Zamrud have long deified both the kelp itself as well as the often mercurial currents that set it to its strangely graceful dance.  This animist belief system, whereby the souls of all departed mer sprout anew and whisper their old wisdom through the water, is collectively identified as The Gyre, and is venerated at innumerable small shrines.  No central locations for worship exist, but concentrations of tribes in the East and South have great influence over the rites practiced by the villages radiating out from them.

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## MappyPK

*Splendid Miru Miru*
_Aniwana (153)_


*Spoiler: Summary*
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*Capital Region:* Aniwana (153) 
*Resource:* Decor.
*Desired Import:* Exotic foodstuffs. 

Holy Sites: 
Toka Toka: The Cyphiri WayWhawhai: OpenTura Anga: Open
Faction Support:
Aristocratic: Splendid Miru MiruClerical: OpenMercantile: Splendid Miru Miru
Starting tech: Photospore Signaling - Due to the physiology of the Taika, photo-messaging systems can make use of bands of light many other species are unable to detect. This allows for secretive signals to be sent between individuals and regions through the use of photosensitive, light-emitting relay microorganisms strategically placed along commonly traveled paths and routes.

Light- or sound-based communication often faces the issue of rapid diffraction and distortion underwater, especially over long distances, while speedy messenger organisms are often expensive to maintain, especially when contacting groups; a system of well dispersed particulate organisms with modular and adaptive stimuli responses, on the other hand, remains reliable at range and can sustain itself near-indefinitely.



*Spoiler: People*
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Taika are a race of small- to medium-sized saltwater fish known for their wide variety of hues and shapes, similar to those of a traditional betta fish but two or so times larger. Additionally, many people may be familiar with their outstanding eyesight, able to see far further on the light spectrum than most other creatures. Indeed, their sensitive perception of color has caused them to have quite an eye for the aesthetically pleasing. In response, evolutionary pressures to mate have resulted in Taika producing brightly colored bubble nests. The pigmentation of their meals are stored in a specialized organ in the body, which secretes it in small quantities into the air produced to create the bubbles. Bubble nests are particularly sturdy and cannot simply be popped by passing through due to the specialized gas make-up of the bubbles themselves. Often times, they take the form of small arches and decorated entrances to small caverns in the rock. Rarely, a nest will be made entirely out of bubble. 

Therefore, a varied diet is a sign of power among these people, as the most colorful homes can only come about from eating a variety of foods. However, they are primarily carnivorous, so smaller fleshy creatures of bright colors are rare to come across. All of these factors come together to result in a species that can be quite competitive amongst itself, with everyone wanting to have the flashiest home. Trading, buying, and selling exotic foods, wares, and decorations are commons, though many are prone to using slightly more underhanded tactics to rise the ranks of Taika society.

Males and females are physiologically very similar, and there is no conception of gender roles among these people. Mer are generally uncommon in Miru Miru, due to their significantly larger size being generally incompatible with the Taika way of life. They are not actively shunned, however, and can be seen living in the outskirts from time to time, building shelters of colorful stones in an attempt to fit in with the Taika. 


*Spoiler: Geography*
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Aniwana is a relatively shallow region with high levels of vegetation, including seaweed, kelp, and a wide variety of green algaes. Although the base of the ground is relatively simplistic in makeup, including sand, clay, and dirt, stone pillars of modest size can be found scattered about, and these are where the people design their homes. The numerous smaller fish and abundance of planktonic organisms that can be found hiding in these rocks and forests make up the most basic diet for the Taika of the area, as the vegetation cannot provide the resources necessary. Of course, organisms of lesser intellect, such as corals, sponges, anemones, urchins, sand dollars, and starfish, come in many varieties in the region as well, though they are often given less attention and serve primarily as decorative pieces rather than members of the society.


*Spoiler: History and Government*
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For as long as oral tradition can recite, the reigning Teacher is selected through competition upon the passing away of the previous head of state via competition known as the Ruawacka. A two-week journey is taken by the most experienced and highly-regarded Taika of the nation in order to find a meal with the greatest vibrancy of all. A two-step competition then occurs: in the first round, bubbles are created to be as colorful as possible in order to prove that their journey was eventful and successful. A council of judges, traditionally known collectively as the Kaiawa, is formed of those Taika who have been determined to have the greatest perception of color. These judges come to a decision on the five most worthy colorations, whose makers then participate to create the largest bubble possible in the same hue. The bubbles are measured, and the winner becomes the next head of state, inheriting the palace and positions of the previous Teacher. Essentially, they become the acting monarch of the people, though it is within their power to delegate various duties to councilmen and personally selected individuals. The Teacher is free to grant themself any title they so desire to be remembered by those passing down oral traditions and stories.

The first leader following the organization, Tuatahi, follows in the footsteps of his mother, who went by the title the Bubble Bender, having set the record for the largest single bubble ever produced by a Taika in one of the most competitive rounds to date, or so they say. Elders worry a bit about his grandiose nature, having already made several massive expansions to the royal palace. 


*Spoiler: Resources*
Show

Taika can never have enough of the most exotic of foods and meats. The most beautiful colors come from species only available in lands not yet known to them. Indeed, their plain palette is home is not nearly enough to satisfy the desires of the people trying to spruce up their homes. 

On the other hand, however, many citizens have taken it upon themselves to cultivate colorful plants and scour the seafloor for sparkling objects, as these things can compliment the nest quite nicely if placed with grace inside and out. 


*Spoiler: Faith*
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The Miru people are not particularly well-known for their faith. The occasional folklore and storytelling across generations makes up the most part of their beliefs, resulting in no organized faith among them. Under the command of Tuatahi, however, the people have let in the teachings of the Cyphiri Way.

Holy Sites:
Toka Toka - A large stone pillar topped by a circular donut-shaped structure. Covered from top to bottom in unintelligent life, it is said that the first bubble was a result of a sudden riptide passing through this one of a kind formation.
Whawhai - A stone circle in the ground on a relatively flat, open stretch of sand and gravel. Here, Taika in dispute with one another legally fight out their quarrels until one side either gives up or is unable to continue.
Tura Anga - A small rocky monument at the bottom of the largest of the stone cliffs in the center city. More nests can be found above it than any other stone structure in the Aniwana region.

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## Grim ranger

*Region 64 - Yor-sul Depths*

*Spoiler: Geography*
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Named by Kar-Nath Hegemony after a minor deity governing what little agriculture the lands of Frozen Kings manage to maintain, the Depths seem to be a rather worrying place to venture to at first: massive drop into a valley carved deep into the seafloor, harboring little of value at first glance and being truly cold enough to freeze even the inhabitants of Polar seas dead. Those who can manage the crushing pressure and deathly cold, however, find that the area in the depths sports a hauntingly beautiful icy forest of plants the likes of which Polar seas rarely see. While perhaps more wreathed in eternal winter than any other region yet claimed by the Hegemony by its very nature, the ample natural defenses provide protection for the inhabitants and land below is quite well-suited for sturdy construction of the Nathi.

The settlement that has been formed amidst the icy forest has taken the peculiar name of *Whitereed*, consisting of sturdy keep in middle of the area around which essential marketplaces, logging operations and other services have settled. It also sports many structures made of planks of its native frozen wood, lending majority of the city a chilly appearance matching the forest around it.

*Spoiler: People*
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While the settlers come from races of Nathi, Lacertis and Mer, they have all been forced to adopt certain modifications to survive the harsh environment of their new surroundings. Their forms are much warmer than others, and both internal modifications and equipment is utilized by the settlers to live with the pressures the sheer depth places the settlement under. As such, each year has molded them further away from their previous natures, the common term for the settlers of the area being *Nen-shor* or *Burning people*.

*Spoiler: Resource & Requirement*
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*Resource:* Frozen Logs
The peculiar trade export of the area, the logs hewn from the frozen forest offer both an easy way to preserve meat and other produce, as well as build sturdy structures without need for coral-grafting or other similar methods.

*Requirement:* Meat
As the changed physiology required to survive the area leaves its people burning hot, they naturally require plentiful food supplies to make sure their hard-working population does not work itself to death thanks to their overclocked mitochrondia. As easy source for plentiful energy, meat of all kinds is vastly preferred to anything else as a trade import.

*Spoiler: Faith*
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As only recently settled area, Yor-sul Depths currently only has the faith the colonists brought with themselves, that being the Blossoming Sequence. With the settlement fully established, it has gained *Plaza of Meditations* (HS 1) to serve the spiritual needs of the people.

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## Feathersnow

*Spoiler:  Tair (region 117)*
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*Spoiler:  Geography*
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 Similar to Dashasham in its pristine state, this region is full of caves sunk into reefs and seamounts.  It is fairly desolate in terms of biological life, however.

There are many caves, seamounts, and islands.   There is less planktonic life which leads to fewer sessile lifeforms serving as a base of the food chain as they do to the south. 


The region is somewhat chilly, which normally would imply greater plankton streams.  The reason for this discrepancy is not well understood. 


*Spoiler:  People*
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Populated primarily by Mer, this region has a minority of Nautilites.  They are noted by all wearing hats, with the choice of hat coding complex social cues.  Nautilites import glue from Dashasham to affix their hat to their shell.  This cultural cue caused great consternation to the Sakura-Jin missionaries who decry all clothing.  A way was found to skirt the restrictions by breeding de-fanged anemones to serve as living hats, thus preventing Sakura-Jin trying to show cultural inclusion from "wearing the dead."

The integration of mammals into Sakura-Jin society is fraught with complications, as the extreme dependency and emotional neediness of pre-adult mammals makes monastic life less obviously desirable and reproduction by cloning mildly impractical.   This has led to a slow, rewards-based propaganda campaign to encourage buy-in voluntarily.

The government is a based around a republican council of aristocratic guildmasters in the central city, also named Tair.  There are notionally 10, each dominating a different industry.



*Spoiler:  Religion*
Show

  there is no great faith amongst the people of this region,  yet.


Many worship the same cult of anthropomorphic natural forces endemic to the region, but Sakura-Jin missionaries have made many in-roads in recent years, helped by their connections to nobility in the region and humanitarian aid.


*Spoiler:  resources*
Show


This region breeds *Bioluminescent Tunicates* that are a much desired resource.  They are coveted by many regions and feature prominently in the Exposed Garden that hosts the Cenotaph
Of Saint Marcion in the Heart of The Caves of Therapy.

They seek *Preservatives* as the farming in this region is highly seasonal, having long periods of nothing followed by periodic bumper crops.

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## Aerin

*Kenaqua*
Region 52
*Spoiler: General*
Show

Kenaqua

Leader: Counselor R. Blacktide
Diplomacy:
Military:
Economy:
Faith:
Intrigue:
(Link to rolls pending approval.)

Capital Region: Kenaqua (Polar 52)
Resource: Algae-Based Fuel
Desired Import: Large Minerals

Holy Sites:
The Darkened Cube: The Shroud
The Labyrinth of Vines: The Shroud
The Temple of Leviathans Skull: The Shroud

Faction Support:
Aristocratic: Country supported
Clerical: Country supported
Mercantile: Country supported

Starting Tech: Photospore Signaling: Photosphere Signaling has been a consistent and easy way for the communities in both South and East of Kenaqua to communicate with each other, and particularly for the Southern communities to warn the Eastern ones about upcoming current storms within the Northeast Passage. This has the effect of maintaining a more consistent civic life and of allowing travel expeditions to occur with much less risk.

*Spoiler: Geography*
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Geography: Kenaqua is a somewhat barren territory in the southwest of the Polar Region. Kenaquas own southwest has slightly warmer waters. While still frigid, this area contrasts with the much colder environment that makes up the majority of Kenaqua to the east and slightly to the north.

The western region of Kenaqua lays against a series of caverns directly to the south, just within Kenaquas borders. These caverns are shallow yet extremely high-pressure, and therefore unexplored. Occasionally a strong current bursts from them and travels north, pushing just enough of the warmer waters of this southern point against the cooler northeast passage to create a reaction. What results is a current storm that fills a large chunk of the regions middle, leaving the eastern and southern portions inaccessible to each other.

As a result, this northeast passage remains largely uninhabited, used only for travel. Most of the ground is barren and empty, since any plant life or frozen structures were long ago destroyed by the repeating current storms.

Large frozen forests of aquatic kelp and algae surround the towns in the eastern inhabited zone and are largely used for foraging. Apart from these, the grounds are largely tamed, although unsuitable for agriculture.

*Spoiler: People*
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People: Kenaquas population is almost exclusively Mer. The two occupied areas of the region, the south and the east, have distinct yet similar cultures. The southern regions inhabitants mostly focus, as a rule, on the day to day struggles of life: hunting food and providing for their community. Days are brightened through weekly festivals and nightly routines, all done as a community and all in line with the local beliefs (see: Faith).

To the east, the citizens are of a more metropolitan sort. Two cities, Barrenton and The Verge, make up the centers of civic life. To call these cities is, admittedly, generous; both look similar to the ramshackle towns of the south, yet are far more compact to fit more denizens. The political and religious leaders all work and live in The Verge, while Barrenton is where the storytellers reside.

Storytellers are a specific class within Kenaqua. Identified through omens, and born seemingly at random, storytellers are the ones entrusted to carry the peoples history orally. This is not just a basic history of Kenaqua; certain factions of storytellers are entrusted with civic life, while others are entrusted with technological history, more others with religious history, and some who have the job of remembering the philosophic questions and discussions surrounding public life in Kenaqua.

Surrounding these two cities are smaller towns, resembling in appearance the southern areas but resembling the cities in daily life. As food is foraged professionally and sold in the cities and towns in the east, leisure is slightly less of a luxury, so citizens are often spending time attempting to advance themselves or their communities through technology, civic life, or social organizing; usually, but not always, an endless task with little or no reward.

The Northeast Passage, despite the risk, is home to settlements of bandits who attempt to attack and rob anyone passing through from South to East and vice-versa. Under current civic leadership, the amount of bandits and the percentage of successful robberies have gone down significantly.

*Spoiler: History and Government*
Show

History and Government: Kenaqua began as a series of isolated trading posts in the southern and eastern regions, at first inaccessible to each other because of the fierce current storms. When Photosphere Signaling became an accessible technology to the east, however, the citizens spent much time setting up signals to the south, initially for the purposes of ensuring smooth trading by creating an early warning system about upcoming storms. This created a civic closeness between the two areas, and when the cities in the east had developed to the point of seeking organization under a state, the southern villages joined eagerly and willingly.

An organization known as the Counselors formed quickly to take over civic duties, with representatives from every town and village. R. Blacktide, from a small village in Kenaquas south, was elected leader of the Counselors and therefore of the region. Blacktides goals have consistently been stated as increasing the wellbeing of Kenaquas citizens while harshly suppressing organized crime within the Northeast Passage. Citizens have noticed, however, that the Counselors actions, and Blacktides own choices, seem to support the wishes of a powerful faction within the Counselors led by the Second Leader, L. Ivyson.

The Counselors, chiefly Blacktide, determined that economic life should be based around the fair distribution of resources and the swift creation of the technology needed to better allow this. Ever since, they have attempted to tightly control Kenaquas economy; a plan that has not always been supported by independent economic powers within the region]

*Spoiler: Resources*
Show

Resources: The frozen algae and kelp forests around the eastern towns contain high-pressure fuel cells under the ground, where the frozen plant matter has collapsed on itself and formed layers and layers above each other. This fuel is easily used for biotechnology, as it gives the small organisms frequently used for such biotech the appropriate energy and nutrients needed for optimal efficiency. This fuel powers the Photosphere Signaling used within Kenaqua, with more than enough left over for trading.

In addition, Kenaqua has a need for large minerals. The reasons are twofold: one is that the leaders in the east hope to use minerals as a basis for technology creation not based on biotech. The hope is that this will create more technology resources that are not dependent on the limitations of the various forms of biotech, not in the least the heavy fuel usage. If fuel could be reserved strictly for trading, the reasoning goes, the economy could grow much faster and resources could be shared among Kenaqua much easier.

The second reason is that many traders and travelers wish to attempt to either close off the cave systems, or otherwise set up some sort of buffer around the south entrance to the Northeast Passage. If current storms could be repressed, safety of travel could be increased. A greater hope than that, however, is that the Passage could finally be developed. Communities could appear, banditry could be suppressed, and greater harmony could be achieved. The widespread belief is that the only way to prevent current storms would be to change the landscape somehow; either block off the cave entrances, or create large walls to redirect currents out of Kenaqua into wider areas where they could hopefully dissipate before hitting cooler waters.

*Spoiler: Faith*
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Faith: The Shroud: The Shroud is the catch-all name given to the faith community of Kenaqua. While the leaders and clerics to the east, in The Verge, have codified the articles of the faith under three laws, the scattered practitioners to the south follow a myriad of religious figures and beliefs which are loosely considered one faith due to the shared community.

The laws codified as the Shrouds worship practices, in the east, are:

1. The Gods exist in time instead of place. This is not a specific or set time: rather, whenever members of the Shroud work to better themselves or achieve goals in accordance with a specific divine figure, that God is present within the time that is spent.

2. The Gods are unrecognizable entirely. Outside of the values which they stand for and the desires they have, interpreted, of course, by the Clerics, nothing can be known about them whatsoever. Their very names are a mystery.

3. Holiness and unholiness exist within all worshippers. Holiness must be constantly strived for through the destruction of that which is unholy within a practitioners soul. That which is unholy, of course, is also up to the determination of the Clerics.

Most of the Shrouds members in the south ignore the clerical interpretations of the rules. The whispers there are that the Gods exist in time because acting in their favor opens a door between planes that allows their presence. They are unknowable, apart from their will, and this will can be heard in a worshipers own soul while this door is open. What they stand for and what values they embody are known in whisper and passed down among generations.

As for removing that which is unholy within oneself that, too, is dependent on what is learned when the door is open.

Many Shroud members worship one deity alongside their communities, and many of these communities have for generations. In addition, many of these communities have their own rules for worship and their own ideas for theology. The beliefs about time are the one thing tying most of these communities together to the point where they have been given the same religious umbrella.

The Darkened Cube: The Darkened Cube is a large cube floating in dark waters near the southern caves. Its size is immense: each face could be covered by about thirty Mer. Each face has an absence of light, and gazing into one is said to reveal secret knowledge.

Nobody knows where the cube came from; it has consistently been a part of the geography, and has consistently been a pilgrimage site for the extra-devout members of various Shroud sects. Staring into a face of the cube is a religious sacrament that practitioners spend months preparing for, due to the power of the potential visions and the perceived danger thereof.

Nobody knows for sure what is shown within the cubes vast depth, aside, of course, from the practitioners themselves who have gazed within. One thing is known, however none who have looked into the cube have returned the same. All are quieter, and many have a hollow look in their eyes, described by the religious authorities as a sign of holiness

The Labyrinth of Vines: In the frozen forests to the east lays the Labyrinth of vines. Frozen towers of algae and kelp have come together into walls here, and these walls have formed a deep labyrinth, taking up square space equal to The Verge in size. Entering this area of forest is equivalent to entering a complex maze, and there are no maps, legends, or easy ways out.

Belief among many of the Shroud is that this labyrinth is a place of spiritual strengthening. The meditative experience of swimming through, first finding ones way in and then out, is said to enlighten the soul and open an easier channel of communication with the Gods. The danger presented by the labyrinth (as it is not guaranteed that one will find their way out) is known to emphasize the devotion of Shroud who enter.

There are also rumors of a chamber at the Labyrinths center, but so far, none have ever found it and returned.

The Temple of Leviathans Skull: A large fish-like skull, the size of a small town, was discovered within the Northeast Passage one day. Shroud quickly discovered that the inside was already set up like a temple, with religious artifacts, art, and altars lining it. Ever since, it became a site for Shroud to show devotion to their Gods, such as leaving offerings, doing rituals or prayers, or creating devotional art in a meditative state.

Despite the bandit groups within the Northeast Passage, none have ever robbed the Temple. Rumors abound about one such attempt, which resulted in the bandits instant death upon attempting to move an artifact. Whether this story is true, and whether the majority of bandits avoid robbing the Temple out of fear, respect, or devotion is unknown.

The Temple has also been seemingly immune to current-storms, as whenever one ends it is exactly where it began, with the inner worship spaces appearing identical. This is taken as evidence by Shroud of the Temples holiness.

Rumors also abound about where the skull came from, given as it simply appeared one day. Did it float down from the surface? Did it drift in during a particularly strong current? Did something die and rot at a rapid pace, despite the frigid waters? Or did it just appear? Nobody knows, but the mystery keeps many a Shroud up at night.

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