Government: The Alfar Nation

Structure of the Government

Similarly to the Human and Hodekin nations, the Alfar nation is divided into a number of townships each with their own leader, but one of them is superior to the others. In the Alfar nation, however, the townships are somewhat larger as there are only three. Paradoxically, the townships ruled over by the Alder, who also serves as leader of the nation as a whole, is not the largest, rather he rules Benshaw Township which controls the Alfar territory on the islands, including Usk, Felling, and Gordon. The other townships are led by individuals called Onders. The Onder of Ringwood Township has control over Tantham and Upham, as well as the villages in Willem’s Land and Sulliver. The last township is Nefyn Township, which includes the villages of Ruthin, Pallywick, Castol, and Yonder. All of the smaller villages are led by a Ritter.

The positions of Alder and Onder are similar in many ways, particularly in their method of selection. Each year the currently serving Alder and Onders declare their choice of successor should they die that year; most years this is little more than a formality as the choice will not have changed from the previous year. On occasion, however, the chosen successor might die himself or perhaps earn dishonour to the point that he or she is no longer considered worthy, and this process allows a new selection to be made. The position of Ritter is treated differently, in that it is appointed by the Alder or Onder of the township. A currently sitting Ritter cannot be forced out of his or her position, but ultimately don’t control who succeeds them, though they may be consulted for a recommendation. Though death is the usual mode in which any of these positions become vacant, the individuals holding the positions can also choose to step down.

Geography

The Alfar nation controls four rather distinct areas, largely divided along townships lines. At the core are the islands, which fall into Benshaw Township. The western half of Perry Island is part of this region, as well as Doal, Usk, and Sholner Islands. The bamboo forest covers most of this area, though Doal island is an exception as it is treed with blackwoods. Across the main Bay from Perry Island is Nefyn Township; this region is almost entirely fertile farmland, though it becomes somewhat rocky further north, and a fraction of the Wachoer Forest extends into the territory near Pallywick. At the northern end of Nefyn Township the border with the Elben nation is delineated by the Canal River.

Returning west, Willem’s Land is a long peninsula extending eastward. It is separated from the Human nation by Prewett Sound on the south side, and separated to the north from Perry Island by the waters of South Circling and from the Ringwood by the Solsund. Two rivers mark the edges of the region on land, the Silver River, and the Coney River. Most of the area is grassland and farmland; the Roscoe Forest has a foothold in the south around Sulliver, stretching almost to Darby. On the other side of the Coney River is the Ringwood, a heavily wooded area dominated by conifers such as pines and firs, with blackwoods spattered about liberally. The Fairdon River flows through the forest in the north before it gives way to a large rocky hill riddled with caves called the Mound that splits Tantham Bay from the Narsund. Though the mound is rather geographically distinct, there are no real settlements there, and so it is generally considered to be part of the Ringwood. The Ringwood and Willem’s Land together comprise Ringwood Township.

Industry

Farming is important in the Alfar nation, especially in Nefyn Township, which is part of the same fertile stretch of land as Tideswell Township in the human nation. Ruthin, Nefyn, Pallywick, Castol, and Yonder are all either devoted to farming, or lean heavily in that direction, though Nefyn itself is also a food distribution centre. There is also a fair amount of farming in Willem’s Land, though there it shares equal dominance with herding. Fishing also has a presence in the nation, particularly in Ruthin and Gordon, though also in Castol, Tantham, Darby, Upham, and Benshaw. Hunting parties venture into the uninhabited wilds beyond the Friar’s Wall regularly. The last food industry in the Alfar nation is on Usk Island, where they grow several different species of bamboo, harvesting new shoots before they have really begun to grow.

Reindeer herding provides not only meat, but also leather and fur; some are even kept as pets or pack animals. In the same area, Darby boasts one of the major horse-breeders in the Bay. On Perry Island, the bamboo that grows there is harvested for timber, being the principal industry of Felling and Benshaw. In the Ringwood as well, lumber is the principal industry, occupying many of the people of Ringwood, Upham, and Tantham. And finally, Sulliver, near the border with the Human nation, is the site of the Bay’s only silver mine. Some of that silver is sent to the mint in Mortehoe, but a fair amount of it goes directly to the vaults in Benshaw for potential future use.

Possible Adventure Hooks

The fertility of the Nefyn region is a significant factor in keeping the people of Butter Bay fed each year. Perhaps the boats carrying food from Nefyn are mysteriously disappearing; a hefty reward would likely be offered for anybody able to find the cause and put an end to it. Potential causes could range from particularly aggressive butterbasts, to elben-uruk naval vessels capturing the boats, or even alfar-hodekin vessels trying to frame their enemies for the crime. The land itself could also come under attack; one unscrupulous and malicious arcanist, perhaps even expelled from the Academy, might concoct a spell or ritual to poison the land. If using the second, you could tie this into retrieving tomes from Tolling Keep, the adventurers themselves gave the arcanist what he needed to perpetrate this act.

The caves within the Mound could hold unknown secrets to be discovered, there might also be unknown dangers lurking there. Exploring these caves could be an adventure in itself, or the adventurers could simply end up there in the course of another mission, such as finding a lost child. A scholar of ancient history might present a theory that the Mound holds the tomb of some long forgotten monarch, along with many treasures, or it could contain the lair of a dragon, in a thousand-year hibernation. It might be more interesting to combine more than one of these ideas.

The politics of the alfar are full of potential plots. Rival families trying to discredit one another, assassinations, manipulations, individuals seeking positions of power, or trying to protect the power they already have. The Vo Nayer family should always figure into these plots in some way, as they are the single most powerful alfar family with members serving as Alder, Seer, Arch-Seeker, and two of the three Arch-Druids.

Wednesday: Death

Race: Alfar

What is an Alfar?

The alfar are, in many ways, very archetypal elves. Their alabaster skin is compared by some to porcelain, and though somewhat delicate in appearance they are as hardy as any human. Like the elben, all alfar have dazzling green eyes that seem to sparkle in the light. Unlike the elben, whose hair is black, the alfar all have blonde hair, which ranges in tone from yellow to pure white. It is common for both males and females to wear their hair long.

Like the elben, an alfar’s facial features are well defined, but unlike the elben, their features are not severe; rather, they tend to be quite attractive, almost perfect physical specimens. The primary departure from the common appearance of an elf is that the alfar’s ears are not pointed, but are instead rounded like a normal human’s. Because of the alfar’s greater tolerance for the cold, they are often seen wearing less cold weather clothing than others, and in the warmer months often wear little more than a loincloth.

What are Alfar like?

What most alfar have in common is a strong sense of intuition. They value their gut feelings tremendously and as a result are often arrogant. They especially see themselves as being above those who spend long hours agonizing over decisions, because an alfar simply makes a decision and moves on with his or her life, living with the consequences if necessary. Alfar rarely change their minds after the fact, believing that their first thought on the matter is the purest and is therefore correct.

Despite their arrogance, the alfar are generally a kind people. They are happy to give food and supplies to those in need, following their natural instinct for community and trusting that they will be helped in turn if they are ever in need. Alfar are also very loyal to their friends and family, supporting them no matter the situation, and so they have proved a powerful force in the defence of the Bay from external threats. Their loyalty and stubbornness, however, are the primary fuel behind the war, and the reason why a diplomatic solution is unlikely to be accepted.

Alfar Society

In many ways alfar society is very simple; you do what you need to survive and you never second guess yourself. Respect and equality are very strongly linked; if you are able to earn people’s respect through your actions you gain elevated status. The other side of this is that if your family has high standing, then you don’t actually need to earn respect yourself, though it is fully possible to lose respect, and thus status, especially by changing your mind on a subject. As a result, there is a pressure to fit in with society or risk bringing dishonour to your family, diminishing the status of them all.

Many alfar spend much of their time in the wilderness, being one with themselves and with nature. The kinship and trust in the natural order is what drives so many of them to join the Kindred. It is also very common for alfar to keep pets, often wild animals that they have tamed themselves; these pets are viewed as members of the family, effectively a brother, sister, or child to their owner. There is even at least one notable instance of an alfar family raising a varker as one of their own, and she went on to become the Arch-Shaman for a time.

Alfar Faith

The way the alfar view their faith and the Order is in many ways the same as the elben, but differs on key points. The Libram is viewed more as parable that statement of fact, almost fable-like with a specific lesson to take away from each one. Again, however, Voland and Bishal are important figures, and their story is central to the way the alfar view the world. When Voland was born he began to craft the world, creating the earth and the sky and the sea, creating every leaf and every seed, creating every creature from the lowliest worm to the fiercest whale. He finally created the thinking beings, but that final act was not separated from the rest, it was simply the last step. Alfar and the other races were not distinct from nature in the eyes of Voland, and so they should not act as if they were. Like a worm, or a wolf, or a whale, they should strive to follow the instincts and intuitions that Voland instilled in them.

While Voland was doing his work, Bishal was watching and plotting, studying Voland’s creations and trying to comprehend what he was doing and why. Bishal dissected creatures and plant, experimented on nature, perverting it into demonic forms with his unnatural magic. And when, finally, he believed he had learned all he could from Voland, he set out to destroy him once and for all and claim the world himself. In short, instinct is of Voland and of nature, thought exists so that instinct can be understood, not so it can be reasoned against and countermanded.

Monday: The Alfar Nation

Place: Southwold

History

Southwold was a simple town on the outskirts of the Human nation. Located near the eastern edge of the Roscoe forest, it was largely a lumber town, housing a lumber mill that processed logs cut in the forest. The town was also used as a staging area for hunting parties heading into the southern wilds, and for parties seeking valuable resources in abandoned outposts and castles, particularly a keep called Tolling that had stockpiles of useful ores not found in the Bay and an extensive library including many magical texts. This quiet but productive town, however, had a change of fate 12 years ago. During the months of Yule in 135 YotF, two hostile tribes of varkers were encountered in the area, the Coppercross and Brokenbow. After several hunters failed to return, and a supply wagon coming from Tolling was attacked, the Ritter asked the Baron to do something about this new threat. First a small scouting party was sent out to investigate the matter; only 2 of the 7 returned.

They brought news that the two tribes seemed to be working together; the taller Coppercross tribe appeared to be in control and many of their warriors seemed to wield some magic and were called witches, while the Brokenbow varkers were more typical of the race, wielding simple clubs and slings. There were also several unknown creatures, believed to be varkers but unusually massive, larger even than uruks. All three types had jet-black fur. To make matters worse, the varkers had taken up residence in Tolling Keep and were massing for a battle. The Baron of the time, Fallas Coel, rightly recognized that the Coppercross and Brokenbow tribes were preparing to raid or even invade the civilized lands of the Human nation. He organized a company of militiamen, almost 200 strong, to make a pre-emptive strike. Baron Fallas led this company himself as they made for Tolling, but they were ambushed on the way, and forced to fall back. Fallas was injured in the ambush, and he ordered his men to retreat without him. Dutifully, the soldiers made their way back to Southwold, where Fallas’ son Ebraen had organized additional troops in defence of the nation.

The varkers made their inevitable strike on Southwold during Little Noer of that year, but arrived in unexpected numbers; the human defenders were outnumbered 3 to 1. Fallas, however, had not been killed but only captured, and he had used his time in captivity productively. He had learned that the hulking varkers were cross-breeds between the two tribes, and were part of the glue holding them together; there was some strife between the tribes and the diminutive Brokenbow were resentful of the Coppercross for luring them into a lopsided arrangement. He was able to convince some of the dim-witted hulks that the Coppercross tribe cared nothing for them except as slaves, and that they should aid their Brokenbow brethren in rebellion. And so it happened that during the Battle of Southwold, the two tribes turned on one another, allowing many of the humans to escape the battle relatively unscathed. They had, however, lost the town and the ancient sawmill that rested there, and Fallas Coel was killed in the battle by Coppercross witches for aiding the rebellion.

What is there? Who is there?

The most notable thing in the town is the sawmill. It is not wind, water, or steam powered, but instead is of ancient design, similar to the Great Well in Audlem. It seems to function through some sort of magic, but how exactly is unknown. The rest of the town has fallen into disrepair in the past decade, and the road passing through Southwold from Grovel to Illsop is now known as the Ruined Road (see map). Also of note is the kirkhall, one of the few buildings maintained by the varkers, which they have turned into a shrine to Fallas Coel, seeing him as something of a saviour for his role in freeing them from the Coppercross. The Baron’s remains and possessions are housed here, and many of the varkers have taken to carrying saeges like those carried in Butter Bay as a sign of reverence to Fallas.

Because of the half-breed hulks’ support of the Brokenbow they were able to win the battle and drive the enemy out of Southwold; the Coppercross retreated to Tolling Keep. The two tribes have been in a state of constant conflict ever since, with battles and raids on both sides and the border between them always shifting. The Coppercross witches have repeatedly led strikes on Southwold itself, trying to seize the magical mill and learn its secrets. The most learned of the Brokenbow have in turn been studying the mill, wishing to use its power to destroy or enslave the Coppercross once and for all. If you were trying to sneak into the town, you would have to deal with regular patrols of the half-breeds on the outskirts, and heavy occupation by regular Brokenbow in the village’s interior.

Geography

Entering the town on the ruined road, you would first pass through a number of small dwellings that the varkers have let fall to ruin. In the core of Southwold are four major buildings, the kirkhall, the mill, a two-storey tenement, and the town’s inn. The mill is much the same as it always was; ancient design made of unmarked charcoal-coloured stone, the design is quite unlike the other buildings, calling out its origins. As mentioned earlier, the kirkhall has been turned into a sort of shrine to Fallas Coel. The inn was heavily damaged in the battle, but the varkers have since repaired it and their leader in the town resides there, using it as his command post; the faded sign reading “The Lost Retreat” still hangs over the shattered front window. The tenement is the only building left that is still used for its original purpose. The majority of the varkers who live in Southwold occupy rooms in the tenement, which comfortably houses about sixty, but the varkers have crammed in eighty or more. A rough trail leads south toward the other Brokenbow camps and the Coppercross stronghold at Tolling.

Adventure Hooks

The former residents of Southwold had to leave much behind in the evacuation, and many militiamen were killed in the battle. Families seeking lost heirlooms, such as the saege knives of those killed, might be willing to pay a hefty reward for the return of those items. The request could even come from Baron Ebraen himself, seeking his fallen father’s saege or signet ring, or even just a part of the body for proper burial.

It might be possible to negotiate with the varkers of Southwold. If your adventurers could offer them insights into the workings of the mill, they may be willing to aid the party, especially if the party’s aims involve taking action against the Coppercross. Your adventurers may be after a specific tome in the library of Tolling, and the books there could lead to a greater understanding of the mill or the Great Well.

Friday: The Alfar Race

Government: The Human Nation

Structure of the Government

The government of the Human nation is a rather traditional model; there is a hereditary monarch who rules the land, and he has various lieutenants who rule over specific regions on his behalf. The difference is a matter of scale; instead of a King ruling over a vast area there is a lowly Baron as the monarch, and instead of Dukes and Counts as his lieutenants there are petty Lords and Mayors. Each township in the nation has a Lord or Mayor, Lords being hereditary and Mayors being elected. Armley, Cheslyn, Dunstable, and Mortehoe each have a Lord, while the more distant Ambergate and Tideswell have Mayors instead. The Baron technically also holds the title of Lord of Mondegreen, but Baron Ebraen Coel has delegated those duties to his son, Alliver.

Smaller villages in the nation are led by either Reeves or Ritters, again the difference being that Reeves are elected and Ritters are hereditary. Butterwatch, Denning, Downey, Lothar, Palesdon, and Seidle all have Reeves, while the rest of the villages have Ritters. Other smaller settlements exist that don’t appear on the map; they fall under the leadership of the nearest town or village. All of these settlements and villages fall into one of the townships and answer to the Lord or Mayor of the town. Armley Township includes only Butterwatch, while Ambergate Township includes only Palesdon. Tolsen, Grovel, and Denning are all part of Cheslyn Township, while Sableton, Hoskin, and Bray fall into Mortehoe Township. Between those two is Mondegreen Township, which includes Vander and Illsop. On the north side of the Bay is Tideswell Township, which encompasses Lothar and Downey. Finally, on Perry Island, Dunstable Township controls Seidle, Cobury, and Oundle.

Geography

The Human nation is probably the most geographically fragmented. The bulk of the nation is situated on the south side of the Bay, separated from Willem’s Land by Prewett Sound. This section features the only river in human territory, the Sulliver River, which forms the border with the Alfar nation. The area around Mortehoe and over to the ruins of Southwold are covered by the Roscoe Forest. This forest is largely evergreen pines and spruces, but there are stands of the purple-leaved blackwood trees as well. Further east the wood gives way to open farmland. The terrain eventually becomes rocky in the area of Denning and Grovel and continuing on to the coast, though patches of this terrain are still suitable for farming. The coast of the southern land is fairly tame, much of it featuring quiet beaches, though there is a notable rocky prominence near Cheslyn at the Point, which is the site of a large lighthouse. The coast is, however, extremely rocky at the mouth of the main Bay, the only low points being the nestled locations of Butterwatch and Armley.

On the north side of the Bay, adjacent to the Hodekin nation, is Tideswell Township. This area, as well as the Alfar territory up to Nefyn, is the most fertile farmland in the Bay, producing as much as one-eighth of the Bay’s food each year. In the north, Ambergate Township is also situated in the centre of grassy farmland; and just across North Circling from that region is Perry Island. The entirety of the island is covered with a large Bamboo forest, except for a copse of blackwoods inside the walls of Blackwood Abbey, from which the abbey takes its name. Before the Freeze, the island was forested with blackwoods, but the quicker-growing bamboo has since completely taken over. The coasts of Tideswell and Ambergate Townships are simple strands, but Perry Island is much more rocky, especially in the north around Seidle. This rockiness extends out in the form of the Mardon Islands, which are largely uninhabited, save for one or two lone souls hiding from the rest of society.

Industry

A large part of Human nation’s industry is devoted to food. Farming, fishing, herding, hunting, even a little whaling; all practiced by the humans of the Bay and all putting food on the table. Whaling and butterbast hunting are centred around the mouth of Butter Bay and so are primarily an industry of Butterwatch and Armley. Those two, along with the other coastal settlements, especially Tolsen, Seidle, Palesdon, and Bray, all have robust fishing economies. Tideswell and its neighbours are primarily farming communities, though Tideswell also serves as a waypoint for trade goods crossing the Bay. Ambergate has a similar role as a centre of both farming and trade further north, with Palesdon housing the harbour itself. Farmland dots the countryside from Prewett Sound all the way to Denning, though it becomes spottier in the east due to the rockier ground. During the growing season, everyone not normally involved in food production is expected to pitch in, and there are even laws mandating this, meaning that in the spring people are shipped out of the towns to tenements in the country to work the fields. The Roscoe Forest has a great deal of hunting, and there are even some herders in the area around Mortehoe.

In contrast, non food-related industry is much less rampant. Whaling provides useful oils which are used in lamps and candles, and reindeer and other animals provide hides, leather, and wool. Illsop and the other Roscoe Forest settlements have some logging, reduced in recent years due to the destruction of the lumber mill in Southwold, but are preparing for a resurgence with a new mill now completed in Mortehoe. On Perry Island the bamboo is cut for construction material as well. The only mining operations in the Human nation are the copper mines in Grovel and Denning; there used to also be iron mines in Sableton and Hoskin, but the easily minable veins have all been tapped and run dry. However, because of those mines and the silver mine across the Silver River in the Alfar nation, there are metalworks and even a mint, the only one in the Bay, in Mortehoe. Cheslyn is home to the Human nation’s shipyard, operated by the Morgeth family, and Cobury is well known for its horses, generally agreed to be the finest to be found in the Bay. Unlike the other nations, the humans have no standing military camps, but there is a militia training yard in Mondegreen, and many civilians have basic training there at some point in their youth.

Possible Adventure Hooks

The mint in Mortehoe is a ripe topic for adventure. Despite the sense of community that bind the Bay together, there are always unscrupulous individuals who seek to gain at the expense of others. A group of bandits might attack the mint and make off with sackloads of coins. Perhaps someone important was injured or killed in the attack and there is now a bounty on the heads of the bandits. Shipments of copper from Grovel and Denning, silver from Sulliver, or gold from Carsett are also potential targets.

Dunstable and Mondegreen, being the largest towns in the Bay, both have their share of internal strife. From petty thieves and pickpockets to organized criminals and potential revolutionaries, all of these could lead to adventure. Tracking down a treasured pocket watch that was stolen from a struggling merchant could turn out to be simple, or could lead to a tangled web involving the Blackwood Scions attempting to storm the Silver Keep or assassinate the Baron.

An attempt to get a fishing trawler repaired in Cheslyn could set your adventurers on a long chain of tasks involving bribing clerks, investigating late wood shipments, transporting messages, and retrieving macguffins from the varker-infested ruins of Southwold.

Wednesday: Southwold

Race: Humans

What is a Human?

The humans of Butter Bay are very much what you would expect; they look very much like us, act much like we do—they essentially are us. The majority of humans are between 5’6” and 6’6”, but there are always anomalies, meaning that you could very well find a human that is much taller (or shorter). Some humans are as tall as 8 feet, but those are exceptional individuals and are not to be taken as the norm. Humans are sometimes extremely short as well, even being as short as hodekin in some cases, but again these are unusual cases. Most humans living in the Bay are much closer to 6 feet.

In terms of other features, the majority of humans in the Bay have light skin, though usually not as pale as an alfar. There are also a small number who have dark skin like an elben, and it is even theorized by some that the darker tone is a result of elben blood, but the theory is unconfirmed and those individuals do not share any other elben traits such as cold tolerance. The usual hair colour for humans is a neutral brown, but there is variance and some humans have blonde hair like alfar, or black hair like elben or uruk, or even red hair like hodekin. More than half of all humans in the Bay have brown eyes, but a sizable minority have blue eyes instead, often being quite vivid in hue. Some humans with uruk blood may even have brilliant violet eyes, but humans never have green eyes from alfar or elben blood.

What are Humans like?

Humans are a varied lot; they don’t have one specific trait that is common to most individuals like the other races. The one thing they do have in common as a race is that they are survivors. Barton Butter is seen as the ultimate symbol of their drive to live on, a simple man who saw what was happening and the coming consequences and did what was needed to stop it. Humans are viewed by the other races of the Bay as arbiters and peacemakers, primarily because of Barton Butter’s actions.

How humans see themselves is a more complicated matter as it depends on the individual. Some embrace the role of arbitrator of disputes, some become haughty and try to enforce their views on others, some shy away from expectations and refuse to get involved in the disputes of others. Only a small few truly accept and understand both the privileges and responsibilities that come from being seen as leaders, and see the difficult position that the war has put the humans of the Bay in. The other races expect the humans to step in and bring an end to the war, but both sides see themselves as being in the right; Baron Ebraen Coel fears the fallout of choosing either side as it could tear the society of the Bay apart completely. Both sides will always see themselves as right, and if the humans pick either side there will inevitably be resentment from the losing side.

And so the humans collectively walk a thin line, trying to be fair and hold the people of the Bay together. If they fail, the last century-and-a-half will be lost, and the legacy of those first struggling survivors of the Freeze will be destroyed. Leadership, real or imagined, earned or granted, is a heavy burden, and one that all humans share.

Human Society

The society of the humans of Butter Bay is perhaps more what you would expect of a medieval culture than of the other races. For most life is quite simple, they do their work in the fields or the mines, they hunt or they fish; in the towns merchants peddle wares purchased from craftsmen from around the Bay. The majority of humans are fairly poor, but the Baron’s government is devoted to maintaining the well-being of its people and even the poorest can be assured enough food and clothing to sustain them. This large lower class keeps the wealthier middle class merchants and artisans afloat. At the top of the heap are the nobles such as the Baron and his family, and the Lords of the various townships. Even the nobles, however, do not have the grand riches that one would expect of nobility; before the Freeze these were just petty aristocrats in a far greater empire.

Women are treated well among humans; though they don’t enjoy the same entrenched legal protection as they would in the Uruk nation, they are still far more equal than yadekin are among hodekin. Women generally take care of the home and children, rather than doing the heavy work of mining, but when the growing season comes they work the same long hours in the fields as men. In fishing villages many women serve as crew on the trawlers and there are even a small number of female captains. Finally, women do serve in the militia, but mainly in support roles; even so, a woman serving on the front lines in heavy armour may be unusual, but it is not considered surprising or controversial. Most people have at least some basic combat training, male or female, and all carry their saeges with them at all times, so no-one is ever without some protection.

In the Bay, survival and the propagation of the people is considered important, so everyone is expected to marry and have children, at least enough to replace themselves. Despite this, same-sex relations are quite common, especially among militiamen. While the hodekin don’t consider same-sex relations to be sex, the same is not true among humans. Cheating, however, is a less grievous offence, so long as you are discreet about it. Most women are willing to accept their husband having a bit on the side, so long as he comes home at night. It is also not uncommon for women to philander a bit, both with other women and with family of their husband. This is seen as acceptable because though the children a man raises might not be his own, they are at least blood.

Human Faith

The teachings and faith of the humans is the baseline from which the other races’ faiths are compared. Their story of Voland being born from the holy fires of Muspel and setting out to create the world is that which the others' are based on. It is said by some that Voland created humans first, that they were his most trusted and beloved children; he created the other races in attempts to improve upon his first creation, but was never able to surpass them. This isn’t generally understood to mean that humans are better than other races, only that they are the most basic, most even, and most versatile form of thinking being there is. Alfar may be wiser and elben smarter, uruks may be stronger, hodekin sturdier and yadekin nimbler, but humans have a strength of spirit that is unmatched.

The stories tell that while the other races raged against Bishal, trying to destroy her icy grip on the world, the humans were the first Keepers, watching over Voland’s body and healing him with their faith and love. Though other races held Bishal at bay and fought her demonic spawn for every last inch of the world, it was the humans who brought Voland back and stood by his side when he banished Bishal and her brood back to the frozen wastes of Nifel. This legacy of leadership and faith has lasted through the ages, through the kings of great empires, and finally through to Barton Butter, resulting in the survival of the Bay.

Monday: The Human Nation

Source of Magic: The Kindred

Like the Academy and the Order, members of all races join the Kindred and commune with the spirits of nature, but its membership is overwhelmingly made up of alfar, and politically they are anything but neutral. In the Bay, they are viewed by many as focused on their own affairs and agendas, not caring for the well-being of the people if it interferes with their goals.

Primal Magic

Nature spirits are everywhere, inhabiting every rock and every tree, every ant and fish, the rivers and the mountains. Communication with these spirits is not, however, a simple matter, and requires coming to terms with yourself and your place within the world as a whole. While the Academy looks outward at the workings of the universe, the Kindred looks inward at the self, and only those who can do so gain power from the spirits.

Classes from 4th Edition D&D whose power originates from the Kindred’s teachings include: the druid, shaman, seeker, and warden. The barbarian is only somewhat connected to the Kindred, and their particular teachings are considered to be misguided, at best, and an abuse of the spirits at worst. Druids allow the spirits of animals to enter and transform them, and the others work in conjunction with spirits. Barbarians learn instead to emulate the spirits’ rage without the aid of the spirits themselves; learning this involves capturing spirits and imprisoning them within the barbarian and allowing the rage to take control. Over time the barbarian no longer needs the spirit to enter this wrathful state and it is released, but still the process angers many in the Kindred, and so barbarians often hide themselves from the more orthodox.

Structure of the Kindred

While the Kindred is treated as a single entity by most of the people of Butter Bay, it is really several, having an individual overall leader who represents their political interests. There are actually five Kindreds, each teaching a different path to power through the spirits; druids form one Kindred, shaman another, and the same for wardens, seekers, and barbarians. The Barbarian Kindred, however, is at odds with the others over their treatment of the spirits as mere means to an end rather than beings to be respected and revered. As a result, the Barbarian Kindred is not officially recognized by the others as being a member of the greater whole; on the other hand, the others have not actively tried to end the barbarians’ practices, but the consensus is that they simply have their hands full with one war. It is believed by many in the Kindred that they will put an end to the barbarians once they’ve won the war and are done destroying the Academy.

The political leader of the Kindred is the Seer, who holds their seat on the Belltower Council, but each Kindred has its own leadership as well. The druids are led by a heredity council of 3 Arch-Druids; tremendous pressure is put on the children of Arch-Druids to become a druid and measure up to their parents’ expectations. The seekers and wardens each have tournaments every 5 years to determine who is the most powerful in their ranks, and those becomes their leaders, the Arch-Seeker and the Arch-Warden. The shamans elect their Arch-Shaman every 7 years, each shaman having to come to agreement with their spirit companion before casting their vote. Finally, the barbarians, ever outside the realm of process and protocol have taken a cue from the varkers; those that have the strength to take power have, in their eyes, earned it, being known by the title of Grand Fury. The current Seer, Olwen vo Nayer is also the current Arch-Seeker, and is the nephew of the eldest of the Arch-Druids, Graeden vo Nayer, and cousin of the youngest, Floras vo Nayer, Graeden’s daughter.

Joining the Kindred

Becoming a member of the one of the Kindreds begins with expressing and interest. There is no school to attend, no study of books or memorizing of scripture, you seek out a willing teacher and learn to commune with the spirits. As simple as that sounds, it usually takes a long time, and many who try give up in frustration. The truth is that there is no one thing that you can really do to force it to happen, the spirits will not speak to you until they deem you ready, and the vast majority of people never will be. As with so much about the Kindred, the process depends on which Kindred's teachings you pursue.

Seekers and wardens have much in common, and most seekers choose a warden to be their spouse, and vice versa. They focus primarily on meditation, exploring your inner self to reach an understanding and tranquillity that the spirits will respect. Meditation is supplemented with learning martial skills, such as the proper use of weapons. Once contact is eventually made with the spirits, the true work begins; the prospective seeker or warden must earn the trust of the spirits and learn to direct them, using a weapon as a conduit for the spirits’ power. Those who choose to fight from a distance become seekers, and those who fight up close become wardens. The two styles complement one another, and having a seeker and a warden together proves extremely potent.

For shamans it is not about reaching a goal, a point when one can wield the spirits power like a hammer, rather it is all about the journey, forming a relationship with one particular spirit. Shamans often use mind-altering herbs and mushrooms to aid the exploration of the spirit world and the self. A prospective shaman will spent many long hours simply wandering within their own mind, searching the spirit world for that one spirit that is their match. In a way, the process is almost like dating, as student and spirit get to know each other before deciding that there is a match or isn’t. Once the shaman has found his or her spirit companion the two are inseparable, learning absolutely all there is to know about the other. Perhaps ironically, shamans are usually single, very few engaging in romance with other mortals, in effect they are married to their spirit companion; it is even said by some that when a shaman dies their spirit companion passes on with him. Though rare, occasionally a shaman will do something to damage the bond with their companion and the spirit will choose to leave. Because a shaman’s power is derived from the bond with his companion, in these cases the shaman must seek a new companion, or attempt to reconcile with their original.

When learning the ways of the spirits, druids often journey into the wilderness alone. They do this to better observe nature without the interference of civilization and industry. They meditate, study the weather, they study the trees and animals, sometimes they even stalk animals or live among them. The end result is a deep understanding of the creatures and forces of nature, which allows them to will the spirits into aiding them. Druid are often considered the most reasonable of all the Kindred, often considering and weighing all the factors before making a decision. Once that decision is made, however, they will defend it to the last, no matter what new evidence comes to light.

Finally, the practices of the barbarians have already been discussed. Many that become barbarians are students of the other Kindreds who found themselves unable to reach the spirits, unable to succeed in their goal, and so they choose to take an easier route to power; if the spirits will not give their power then it must be taken from them. Barbarians are usually fairly short-sighted, even a danger to themselves when in a state of rage. They are incredibly protective of their own, however, and view an insult to one barbarian as an insult to all.

Friday: The Human Race

No Post Today

Apparently I got behind myself, so I didn't complete today's post yet. There should be a post on Wednesday, which may or may not be the post that was supposed to be today's.