Source of Magic: The Academy

As a school of the arcane, the Academy has had to face a certain amount of adversity during the time of the Freeze. Its primary detractors are those who associate arcane magic with Bishal, a claim that, though unproven, they use to undermine the Academy’s support and keep it out of the Belltower council.

Arcane Magic

Whereas divine magic springs from the gods and their institutions, and primal magic is derived from the natural spirits of the world, arcane magic is more abstract. The arcane arts generally involve learning about the way the world works, and then altering the balance; manipulating reality to achieve specific effects. Some have to work long and hard to be able to do this, others are simply born gifted, and others still gain their abilities through dangerous bargains with sinister beings.

Classes from 4th Edition D&D that would be associated with the Academy include: the wizard, swordmage, artificer, and bard. While the sorcerer and warlock are arcane classes, you would most likely not have attended the Academy if you belong to those classes. Because sorcerers usually have an inborn talent for magic they would not require, or usually desire, further education on the subject. Warlocks, instead of learning the arcane arts through hard work and study, gain their power from a pact with some greater power. Depending on who their pact is with, a warlock may need to hide the source of their power, which might ultimately lead them to attend the Academy as a cover.

Structure of the Academy

The Academy is both an organization made up of people who have attended and graduated from the institution, and the name of the institution itself. The Academy grounds, in the elben capitol Garstang, houses the marble-walled buildings for the various Schools of magic. Each School covers a different area of study, but students are not restricted to education in any specific school unless they wish to be. The Schools are led by a member of the Academy that is given the title of Grandmaster and is well versed in the ins and outs of that specific area. Most of the actual teaching is done by simple Masters, who spend time with the students, often one-on-one.

The leadership of the Academy as a whole is twofold; first there is the Academy Board that makes the major decisions as a group by vote, second is the Headmaster who serves as the public face of the Academy and sets the tone and direction of the administration. Both the members of the board, called Boardmasters, and the Headmaster are elected by the general membership of the Academy, ie. past graduates. Once elected to a position, the elected individual holds that post until death or resignation. The leadership structure of the Academy was originally based largely on that of the Order.

Attending & Joining the Academy

The first thing that needs to be mentioned is the nature of the Academy. It can most easily be described as a university or college for magic. It is not, however, Hogwarts; students are not seen throwing magic at one another casually or using enchanted quills to write papers. Magic is considered serious business. In light of that, getting a place at the Academy is no easy matter; though there is not a set limit on the quantity of students, there is a definite limit on the quality of students. Students who do not live up to the high standards of conduct are ejected from the Academy, either temporarily or permanently, depending on the severity of their transgression.

The first step in attending the Academy is to be tested for you aptitude. A master from the Academy will administer the test, which is a combination of pure knowledge, potential for understanding the complexities of the workings of the universe, physical strength and dexterity, and many other smaller topics. Each section of the test adds to your overall score, and though you need not score high in all areas, a certain score is required to be accepted as a student. Students who score too low on the test are rejected outright, while those who score in a certain grace zone are allowed to study privately with a Master for a year before being re-evaluated for admittance; a potential candidate who fails the test a second time is rejected and not allowed to test again.

Like many universities and colleges, the Academy’s usual program is four years long, though students of exceptional talent and potential are allowed to study for longer if they wish. How you scored on the various sections of the aptitude test will determine the topics of instruction for your first six months, and your master for those lessons persists as you Advisor for the rest of your time at the Academy. After this initial period, you are allowed to choose the topics that interest you most, assuming there is an available Master willing to take you as a student. Study is long and hard, and students are expected to work every day except Volands, when they are allowed time to rest and attend service at the kirkhall. Your personal experience at the Academy will depend largely on your topic of study, and the personality of the Masters teaching you.

At the end of you fourth year at the Academy you are considered fit for graduation. In a ceremony with little fanfare you are awarded the title of Master yourself, and you become a full-fledged member of the Academy. Many students may develop a strong bond with their Advisor, and it is not uncommon for a the Advisor to give a graduation gift to the student, often a signet ring made from a deep purple alloy called hepatizon. The exceptional graduates who wish to continue their studies are given the additional title of Adept and allowed to remain as students. Even those Masters who do not continue to study under another often conduct magical research and experiments of their own.

Friday: Population & Demographics

Race: Elben

What is an Elben?

The elben are a noble looking race. They stand quite tall, usually more than six feet, and though not burly can hold their own against a human. They stand out from the other peoples of the Bay primarily because of their skin, which is far darker than the others (we would call it black), save for a few dark-skinned humans (who are believed by some to have forgotten elben ancestry). Their hair matches their skin, being black or very dark brown, and it is usually worn quite long by both males and females.

Some elben’s green eyes are somewhat almond shaped, but there are just as many who do not have this trait. Another point of focus might be their ears; while the elben are what one would normally call elves, the elben do not have pointed ears like the elves of other settings. Finally, an elben’s facial features tend to be very angular and severe, with high cheekbones and sharp chins. Their noses are also generally longer than any other race’s, sometimes bordering on witchlike.

What are Elben like?

Compared to the average citizen of the Bay, the elben are highly intelligent beings. With that intelligence, however, comes a healthy (some would say unhealthy) dose of pride. Though they acknowledge the place of less gifted races in the world, they often make the mistake of acting dismissive and superior, which has earned them the ire of many alfar and hodekin.

Despite their frequent arrogance, the elben are usually quite willing to listen to reason and logic. If you give an elben a good enough reason to respect you, they will happily change their view. Their respect for reason permeates their culture, and it contributes to their tendency toward arcane magic, as learning it involves learning about the logic and mechanics of how the world works.

Though logic is an important part of elben culture, that doesn’t mean they shun emotions. Emotions, both positive and negative, have immense value as they give you information. The danger of emotions is that they can mislead you; not every fear should be heeded completely, and not every desire should necessarily be followed through with. Reason and logic allow an elben to evaluate their emotions and choose the appropriate response for the specific situation, rather than simply responding instinctively and perhaps acting rashly. In short, logic is a guide to better understand your emotions, not a replacement for them.

Elben Society

Magic is everywhere in elben culture. Most people know a little bit of magic, and the race’s constant exposure over the ages has resulted in an inborn ability to teleport short distances. Though the Academy is the source of complete arcane training, it is fairly common for children to be taught some simple magic in preparation for the future; whether that future includes attendance at the Academy, joining the militia, or simply becoming a farmer, herder, or woodcutter.

Equality, be it of gender, age, class, or profession, is not defended like it is among the uruks; it is simply taken as a matter of course and paid no special attention. Each person is measured purely by their own merits and accomplishments. Most elben do not seek money or fame, but instead seek to better themselves and the society of the Bay as a whole. A bladesmith would strive to make finer and finer klaethes, inching ever closer to perfection; while an arcanist might seek to increase food production through magical means.

Elben Faith

The elben differ somewhat from the other races in their view of Voland and the Order. The stories in the Libram are viewed more as parables than history; they are meant to teach lessons and instil values rather than to recount actual events. The story of the birth of the world and the encounter between Voland and Bishal is still significant, but it is a lesson about earning and using knowledge for the betterment of the world, and being ever watchful for those who strive to take without earning. Voland spent time experimenting, shaping first the crude features of the world, slowly working his way to creating life. And when he created life, he did not leap directly to the final stage, instead he worked slowly again from simple to complex, until finally, after many long ages, creating the thinking beings. They have taken that lesson to heart and value hard work towards a goal, and by extension the understanding and reason involved in that effort. If they tried to simply reach the goal without going through the journey, they would be little better than Bishal, trying to steal the world and credit for its creation from Voland.

Wednesday: The Academy

Race: Half-Bloods

Any person living in Butter Bay whose parents come from different races is considered a half-blood. Given that there are five races in the Bay, there are ten half-blood combinations.

What is an Aldech?

As a cross between an alfar and a hodekin or yadekin, aldekin share the same sexual dimorphism as their hodekin parentage; males taller and more slender, while females are bulky and muscled, though the difference is not nearly as pronounced. Aldekin skin, while still somewhat grey, has a polished pearly sheen to it that almost makes an aldech look like a statue. Aldekin do not have hodekin pointed ears. When living in hodekin society, aldekin are expected to conform to the accepted gender roles; living elsewhere the rules are often much more flexible. Because of the long-time friendly relationship between the parent races, aldekin are relatively common.

What is an Alp?

An alp is half-alfar and half-elben. Given the general animosity between these two races, alps are one of the rarest types of half-bloods. In terms of appearance the alp is a very unique being, their skin is not a simple middle-point between alabaster alfar skin and elben chocolate, but rather their skin features a marbled blend of the two. The two tones swirl around one another in some places and flow seamlessly together in others. This unique appearance means than an alp can in no way hide his parentage, it is printed on their face.

What is an Elruk?

Elruks are the children of the other side of the war, half-uruk and half-elben. Generally speaking, an elruk is the tallest being you are likely to find in the Bay, often reaching seven feet or more. They also share the uruks pointed ears, but not their fanglike teeth. The skin of an elruk is a dark mossy green, and their eyes vary between an elben’s green and the more common purple. Like the aldekin, elruks are quite common, and many are involved in the war effort. 

What is a Farul?

Though the two races don’t see eye-to-eye right now, that is a fairly recent development, and intermarriage between alfar and uruks is not uncommon. A farul is generally unremarkable in appearance, and it is quite possible to not realize you are speaking to one. The vast majority of faruls look just like alfar, with the exception that they have pointed ears like an uruk. Some also have an uruk’s purple eyes, but the majority have green as would be expected of an alfar.

What is a Greun?

The first of the human half-bloods is the greun, whose other parent is an uruk. The most notable feature of a greun is his or her pointed ears, which are often even longer than a normal uruk’s. Secondly is the skin tone, a warm yellow-green colour that generally manages to avoid looking sickly. Human eyes are usually brown, which is true as well of greuns, but when the human parent has blue eyes the child’s eyes will be purple. A greun is shorter than an uruk, being closer in height to a human, but is naturally more muscled.

What is a Hodem?

Like their aldekin brethren, hodems display some sexual dimorphism. But where the half-human half-hodekin differs is that the gender variance is primarily an issue of height. While human females are often slightly shorter than their male counterpart, a female hodem is the same height as a hodech, while a male hodem is the same height as a man. Musculature among hodems is unpredictable; some females are well muscled and look almost the same as hodekin, while others look more like human children. Likewise, the males may be dextrous and skinny or more muscled like human males. Hodem skin tone and eye colour, however, always match those of the human parent, while their ears are always pointed like a hodech’s.

What is a Mondel? What is a Sonner?

Mondels and sonners are physically almost identical except for skin tone. Mondels, half-human half-elben, have their elben parent’s dark skin, while sonners, half-human half-alfar, have alfar skin. These half-bloods always have brown eyes as is usual in humans, and they appear as humans for the most part. They do, however, share their alfar or elben parent’s tolerance for the cold, and often wear little in terms of cold-weather clothing. Human hair is nearly always brown, but mondels have black hair like elben, and sonners have blonde hair like alfar.

What is a Svugar?

The hybrids of elben and hodekin, the svugar, are mysterious-looking creatures. Their skin is ash black, and their sunken eyes are black or grey. Because of their appearance it is sometimes remarked that they look sickly or dying. While extremely skinny, their strength is comparable to that of their parent races. Svugar share the hodekin stature, rarely exceeding four feet tall, and many walk somewhat hunched over, diminishing their height further. The other distinguishing features of a svugar are a complete lack of external ear, instead having just an ear hole, and thin hair that hangs limply.

What is an Urdech?

Lastly, urdekin are half-uruk and half-hodekin. It seems that uruk blood is somewhat stronger than hodekin, as both male and female urdekin are similar in build. Though shorter than humans, the average urdech is about the same height as a yadekin. They are bulkier than a yadech, but not as heavy-set as a hodech. The skin of an urdech is also something of a surprise, being not grey like the hodekin or green like the uruks, but rather blue; it ranges from pale greyish blues down to dark rich blue, but never as dark as navy. Most urdekin share the hodekin eye colours of grey to black. Because both parent races have pointed ears, this is also true of urdekin.

Children

Half-bloods can have children as well, and the racial nature of that child depends on the race of the other parent. The following chart shows how to determine the child’s race.

Parent 1	Parent 2	Child
Race A	Race A-Race B	Race A
Race A	Race B-Race C	Race A-Race B or Race A-Race C
Race A-Race B	Race A-Race C	Race A-Race B or Race A-Race C
Race A-Race B	Race C-Race D	Race A-Race C or Race A-Race D or Race B-Race C or Race B-Race D

Half-Bloods in Society

The reaction to half-bloods varies depending on the nation and the type of half-blood in question.

In general humans are fairly accepting of half-bloods, but prefer half-humans over other types, and prefer pure-blood humans more. Half-bloods running from the prejudice the war has inspired have flooded into Human territories, creating tension in the nation. Few svugar ever leave the Elben-Hodekin border region, where they primarily dwell, because of public reception to their appearance; many potential romances also fall apart because their children would be svugar.

Since the war began, alps and urdekin, as well as svugar and faruls and anyone else with the opposing side’s blood, have been viewed with suspicion by both alliances, though more so by the Alfar and Hodekin. In something of a demonstration of the uruks’ devotion to equality, Marthon am Vale, a svugar, has risen to the top rank of Commander in the Uruk military during the war. Also in contrast to the suspicion put on some half-bloods is the fact that aldekin, and to a lesser extent elruks, have gained increased respect; they are seen as a physical symbol of each alliance.

Monday: The Elben Race

Culture: Weapons

In Butter Bay, a weapon is more than just a fighting implement; a person’s weapon is a part of them, a part of how they choose to fight. Separating a person from their weapon, especially their saege knife, is like taking away a part of their soul.

Saege Knife

The saege is a somewhat unique weapon, culturally speaking. Unlike many other weapons, every man or woman who has gone through Namelessness, and therefore has come of age, carries a saege. The blade serves as a reminder of Voland’s ordeal, which the Namelessness mirrors, and the treachery of Bishal. Bishal’s blade, as described in the Libram, served as the template for the first saege knives long ago, but their design has changed and varied over time. Some in the Order think that the original pattern should be restored, but others believe that it is, in this case at least, the thought that counts.

When a nameless youth regains his or her name during the Nighsend celebrations, they are given a saege as a sign of their accomplishment. It is not uncommon, especially among poorer families, for a blade that once belonged to a deceased relative to be passed on to the new generation. Wealthier families see it as a point of pride that they can afford a new saege for each child. Among the nobility, however, sentiments often swing back the other way, and many of the leaders of the Bay carry finely crafted knives from before the Freeze.

Though a token of remembrance of a person’s faith, saeges also serve a more utilitarian purpose. Whenever someone needs a knife to cut twine, to skin an animal, or any number of other mundane tasks that arise in their daily life, their saege is the tool they turn to. This is also interpreted by some devout as redeeming Bishal’s implement of terror by turning it into a tool for the benefit of the people.

Racial Weapons

The saege, while always carried by warriors, is seen by many as the incorrect tool for combat. Instead they turn to more powerful weapons, and each race has its own favoured selection.

The alfar, who idolize instinct, are well known for their use of simple weapons that could be easily improvised in many situations. The quarterstaff is commonly used among alfar, as is the baston. The baston is, like the quarterstaff, usually just a simple length of wood, but it is much shorter than a usual staff, being about a foot and a half long. Bastons are often used in pairs, and more elaborate examples may have chains or spikes attached to them. The alfar are also associated with their use of bows for ranged combat.

An elben’s weapon, on the other hand, is nothing so easily replaced. The weapons made famous by the elben are known as klaeths. Similar in design to a real world katana, klaeths are made by skilled bladesmiths from skymetal mined from an impact crater near Tallfalls. Klaeths, like bastons, are often wielded in pairs. The most famous feature of these weapons is that they never lose their edge, and thus never need sharpening. Some klaeths are specially designed to be thrown.

Hammers are the favoured weapon among hodekin, though they are rarely used by yadekin who tend to fight with their saeges. Usually made from the heavy lead mined in Torlich, hodekin hammers are decorated with runes from the ancient tongues. Though some hammers are designed to be thrown, hodekin generally prefer to use crossbows as their ranged weapons. Some yadekin have even been admitted into the army as crossbowmen because of the shortage of soldiers.

The uruks have turned picks, used by workers in the mines, into weapons of war. War picks are vicious weapons that have been adorned with barbs and hooks so as to deal more damage to the enemy. In ranged combat, the uruks have also begun using crossbows based on hodekin designs. Wealthy uruks may fight with steel swords, or even klaeths purchased from their elben allies.

Humans are the least focused of the races in terms of weapons. Many humans have taken up the alfar arts of fighting with quarterstaves, while others have followed the example of the uruk and turned their tools into weapons; axes in the case of the humans. In the human militias spears are often used because of their scant use of metal, while human nobility, like the wealthy uruks, often own expensive steel swords. Even families that are not wealthy may still possess swords passed down from before the Freeze.

Looking at other races, varkers tend to use very simple weapons such as clubs and slings that require little in terms of industry to produce. Depending on the tribe, varkers might or might not carry saeges; Redfeather varkers mostly do, but they don’t attach the same spiritual significance to the blades as the people of the Bay. Merrow warriors nearly always carry tridents, while their vellan slaves fight with a mix of clubs, picks, and axes. Undead thralls sometimes fight with weapons, but as often as not simply strike with their bare hands; the same is true of the shaldu demons.

Weapons in Game

Within the game, assuming you are using 4th Edition Dungeons & Dragons, you can use the following chart to determine what weapons to use. Even if you are using a different game system, it should be simple enough to make the appropriate connections yourself.

Bay Weapon	Associated Race	4th Edition Weapon
Axe	Human, Vellan	Axes
Baston	Alfar	Flails, Maces
Club	Varker, Vellan	Maces
Hammer	Hodekin (female)	Hammers, Maces
Klaeth	Elben	Heavy Blade
Pick	Uruk, Vellan	Picks
Quarterstaff	Alfar, Human	Staves
Saege	All	Light Blades
Spear	Human	Spears
Sword	Human, Uruk	Heavy Blades
Trident	Merrow	Trident, Tratnyr
Bow	Alfar	Bows
Crossbow	Hodekin, Uruk	Crossbows
Sling	Varker	Slings

Friday: Half-Bloods

Government: The Hodekin Nation

Structure of the Government

As discussed previously, the Hodekin nation is ruled by the Vidame, who resides in and holds personal lordship over the capitol of Audlem. Although hodekin law never actually establishes the Vidame’s superiority over the other Dames, it is nonetheless accepted as fact. The three other Dames each rule over a township, a subdivision of the nation as a whole. Smaller villages are ruled by a Ritter, who is subordinate to the Dame of her township. All of these positions are hereditary and are held only by females.

The four townships are each named after the home of their Dame. Beginning in the south, Alshap township extends through the bamboo forest including Omstead, and continues on the east bank of the Wellwash past Bristle, almost as far as Halstead. Across Omen Sound, Wisbech township encompasses the Wachoer Forest and Forfar; it extends all the way to Audlem. Audlem township includes very little other than the town itself and a few outlying homes. Finally, Bodmin township covers the section north and to the sides of Audlem, including Halder, Halstead, Torlich, and Walsem. It should be noted that although settlements on the map only range as low as 50 people, there are many smaller hamlets scattered around, most having only a few households. These hamlets generally fall under the jurisdiction of the nearest village or town’s Dame or Ritter.

Geography

Much of the territory of the Hodekin nation is mountainous and somewhat inhospitable. Small shrubs and lonely trees pepper the landscape of these high hills. The southern region around Omen Sound is considerably lower, and much of it is forested. On the west side of the sound is the Wachoer Forest between Wisbech and Forfar, and on the east side of the sound is the relatively young bamboo forest around Omstead. Non-forested areas in the south have largely been taken over by farmland. There is also a narrow strip of farmland further north along the western edge of the territory centred on Walsem.

In the north the Canal River flows down from the Riddelmere. The river is named for its final section, an obsidian-walled canal that runs almost straight south and separates the alfar and elben territories. The other river in the Hodekin nation is the Wellwash River, which flows out from the Great Well in Audlem. No one knows who built the Great Well, or how it was built, but it dredges steaming hot water up from the depths of the earth without fail. The town of Audlem was built around the well.

Industry

In contrast to the other nations, few villages in the Hodekin nation are primarily devoted to food production. While in Wisbech and Alshap there are a fair number of fisherman, the only other areas with strong food industries are Walsem, Halder, and the capitol. Walsem is a farming community like many others in the Bay with a mix of planting and reindeer herding, while Halder is almost completely devoted to farming mushrooms in the area’s many caves. In Audlem, the temperature is higher than elsewhere because of the heated water from the Great Well, and so they specialize in warmer weather luxury crops that won’t grow elsewhere. As a result, much of the Hodekin nation’s food must be imported from elsewhere in the Bay.

Mining is a prominent industry among the hodekin. Bristle is home to an iron mine, and Halstead boasts the only coal mine in the Bay. In the north, the quarry at Bodmin provides stone for building, and mines in Bodmin and Torlich are a source of tin, lead, and other useful minerals. Forfar is an industrial town, housing metalworks and blacksmiths. Forfar’s factories also produce many useful everyday objects that are then exported all over the Bay.

Industry related to the war is also prominent. The village of Canalside, which operates a bridge across the Canal, has been completely taken over by the alfar-hodekin alliance as a military camp since the war’s start. Though it was once a farming village and trading hub at the nexus of two major roads, the inhabitants have largely moved on to other locales. An army training camp operates in Forfar, where many of the weapons used in the war effort are manufactured.

The bamboo around Omstead was planted so that the Hodekin nation would have a ready source of wood that grows relatively quickly. Much of that bamboo is used in the industrial works in Forfar, and much is also used at the shipyard in Wisbech. Bamboo has also become a common building material throughout the nation.

Lastly, the whaling ships that sail out of Alshap hunt both whales and the long-necked butterbasts. While some meat comes from the prey, they are hunted primarily for their blubber, which is used for a number of purposes, including making candles. Butterbasts also sometimes pose a threat to cargo ships and fishing vessels, so the hunt also serves to keep the Bay safer.

Possible Adventure Hooks

The war and its fallout are a ripe topic for potential adventure hooks. In terms of the war’s effect on the Hodekin nation, the other Dames could begin to resent Vidame Morwynn for dragging them into a conflict that they don’t see as their own. In your game this could manifest itself as a simple mission to spy on the Vidame or her agents, or it could be a mission of assassination or revolt.

The Hodekin nation’s dependence on food supplies from other nations could lead to adventure. Food shipments could be lost or captured, or it could be your adventurers’ mission to do the capturing and deprive the hodekin of their supplies. Other war-related adventures are also possible, such as threats to the Omstead bamboo supply or to mineral shipments being transported from the north down to Forfar.

If you want to stay away from the war, the mystery of the Great Well is an option. If the well were to stop functioning your adventurers might be sent in to fix it, or to find a solution elsewhere such as in the Royal Library in the ruined city of Fairdon. A problem with the Great Well might also cause the Skarie River to cease flowing upwards, resulting in the Riddelmere being drained by two rivers, endangering the water supply of the entire nation.

Wednesday: Weapons

Event: Hallows

As the first in our series on festivals and other special events in the Bay, we take a look at Hallows, which takes place at the juncture between the months of Little Tober and Great Tober.

What is Hallows about?

The primary purpose of the Hallows festival is to celebrate the end of the year’s successful harvest. Hallows is a time to thank Voland for the bounty of the season that will hopefully sustain everyone through the long winter. The festival can be seen as an analogue of Thanksgiving.

Because the start and end of seasons can vary from year to year, sometimes the harvest runs later than expected; when that happens Hallows is postponed until the work is done. What this means is that Little Tober continues, adding more days beyond the usual 25, until the harvest’s end, at which point Hallows day occurs. Days added to Little Tober are subtracted from Great Tober.

Though not directly related to the harvest, tales of horror abound during Hallows. Somewhat linking to the harvest, many of the stories include scarecrows come to life roaming the countryside. One particularly famous scarecrow is known as Mister Unlucky, who has a massive pumpkin for a head and is said to devour children in the night. The stories say that children can protect themselves from Mister Unlucky and the other scarecrows by saying a prayer to Voland and hanging a wreath in their windows on Hallows night.

What are normal Hallows activities?

On Hallows day, a special service is held outside of the kirkhall. A large bonfire is built up, but not immediately lit. Instead there is a ceremony where a pumpkin is placed among the wood by the Keeper as a symbolic sacrifice to Voland. Only once the sacrifice is in place is the bonfire set ablaze and the pumpkin is consumed by fire, symbolizing Voland’s acceptance of the gift.

After the ceremony the Keepers generally organize games and festivities for the children, while adults go about their business. One game involves the Keeper masquerading as Mister Unlucky and chasing the children, who must hide from the mad scarecrow or be gobbled up. This game is usually the last played, and concludes with the ringing of the kirkhall bell at sunset, signalling the dinner hour.

While some of the time without the children is spent preparing the evening meal, it is tradition among many for a couple to take the opportunity to share their bed. As a result, many children are conceived on Hallows, and there is a spike in births around the end of Great Solen and beginning of Little Greening.

What is eaten during Hallows?

The highlight of the festival is the evening feast. The term feast may be a bit misleading; the people of the bay in no way overeat as is common in real world Thanksgiving, but they do eat more than usual. Waterfowl is the traditional dish, usually duck among the commoners, while nobles and the wealthy eat goose. Some families may not be able to afford even a duck, and so they will often resort to other fowl such as chicken or squab.

Side dishes that you might find at the meal include potatoes, squash or pumpkin soup, and a variety of greens. Some households also bake a special cranberry bread for the occasion. The specifics of the food in any given table can vary wildly, just as in the real world.

Possible Adventure Hooks

The most obvious adventure hook relating to Hallows is Mister Unlucky. You can have your adventurers deal with disappearing children, and discover that the stories of living scarecrows are more than just stories. This adventure should probably conclude with a fight against Mister Unlucky himself, perhaps with a retinue of ghasts or scarecrows.

A more mundane threat to deal with during hallows might be bandits. Following the successful harvest, the freshly reaped food is nowhere to be found. The player characters may discover that varkers are behind the missing stores, or perhaps the culprits are closer to home, people living in their midst looking out only for themselves rather than the community.

If you want to bring the Blackwood Scions into your adventure, either of the above hooks could be adjusted to their aims. Mister Unlucky and his followers could be constructs created by the Scions to spread terror and undermine the Baron’s rule, or could even simply be Scions in disguise. For the missing food hook, the Scions could again be attempting to undermine the established authority, or they may be simply building up their own stores in preparation for something bigger.

Monday: The Hodekin Nation

Source of Magic: The Order

Of the governments and organizations in the Bay, only one holds near-universal reverence and respect. The Order is the church of the people of the Bay, tending to their spiritual needs and attempting to bring the different races together.

Divine Magic

Magic related to the gods, primarily Voland (and Orich), is mostly the domain of the Order. Students are usually taught how to use the holy light to heal, but it is also possible to use divine power to strike your enemies.

Classes from 4th Edition D&D that would fall under the purview of the Order include: the cleric, paladin, invoker, runepriest, and to a lesser degree the monk and avenger. Being a monk might mean you have gone to the Silver Keep or an abbey, but have only just begun your training, or perhaps that you have chosen to focus your contemplation inward upon yourself rather than outward on the gods and the world at large. An avenger would most likely be an attendant of an abbey and has been schooled in the specific dogma of that institution rather than the Order.

Structure of the Order

Internally, the Order is divided into six sects, each serving a different portion of the population of the Bay. Each sect is indentified with a colour that also corresponds to the people or nation it primarily serves: red for the uruks, blue for the elben, green for the alfar, yellow for the humans, purple for the hodekin, and white for the yadekin. Leading the sects are the High Keepers, two for each, generally a man and a woman (though obviously this isn’t the case for the Purple and White Sects). A High Keeper is usually elected to the position by the other Keepers of their sect, and in turn the High Keepers elect the Deacon, who leads the Order as a whole.

The Silver Keep, in the human town of Dunstable, is the headquarters of the Order. It is the permanent home of the Deacon, and is also the primary residence of many High Keepers. Part of the Silver Keep is the priory where new Keepers are educated. Master Keepers from each sect teach their new inductees the ways of the Order.

In addition to the Silver Keep, there are a number of smaller abbeys scattered around the Bay that may teach slightly differing versions of the faith. While most of these are at least acknowledged by the Order as valid, the Blackwood Abbey on Perry Island is an exception. The Order has officially rescinded the membership of any Keeper, Brother, or Sister associated with Blackwood Abbey, but that does not prevent them from continuing to use their titles and preaching their own hateful form of the faith.

Joining the Order

The choice to enter the Order is not one to be taken lightly as it usually defines your life from that point onward. Generally, a prospective student would first attend personal lessons with his or her local Keeper learning the Libram, their holy text, in great detail. Going to the priory at the Silver Keep can only be done on the recommendation of a Keeper, so the Keeper teaching you the Libram decides when and if you are ready to take that next step.

If you are accepted into the priory, you journey to Dunstable and begin your real training. As a student, you are granted the title of Ember; you are recognized as a member of the Order, but you are not granted all the rights and responsibilities of a full Keeper. Ember training lasts for a minimum of three years, but can last longer if your teachers, the Master Keepers, do not deem you yet ready. Lessons taught include healing, defence, deeper understanding of the scripture, as well as lessons in how to counsel others in times of crisis.

When it is time for your full ordination, there is a ceremony performed on the first day of the new year, the day after Nighsend. Each Ember vows to remain devoted to the Order and to Voland (or Orich), to defend and protect the innocent from harm, and to use the holy power and their knowledge for the benefit of the people. Part of the vow of devotion to the Order and Voland (or Orich) is agreement not to marry or become romantically involved with others. In addition, a small sacrifice of blood is required of each Ember. The blood is mixed together with that of a rabbit and then used to mark a circle (the symbol of the Order) on the Embers’ foreheads. Finally, at the end of the ceremony, as each Ember is granted the title of Keeper, they are given a pendant of a silver circle, called an annulus, which serves as a reminder of their vows.

If you join an abbey instead of attending the priory at the Silver Keep, your experience may differ from the norm. Most who join abbeys do eventually attend the priory as well, but not all. Those who never attend the priory, but are still acknowledged by the Order, are granted the title of Brother or Sister. The vow of a Brother or Sister varies from abbey to abbey, and some may even allow marriage or romantic relationships. Non-Keepers, however, are never granted many of the rights of the Order, such as performing marriages, and also never receive an annulus, but may wear a silver ring on their right ring finger.

Friday: The Hallows Festival